#Nancy thinks they're sweet

[solarmorrigan]

So "Uptown Girl" released in 1983, and I feel like Steve would have sung it to Nancy sometimes, and she would humor him, because it was sweet, and he actually sounded pretty good when he wasn't doing it just to be goofy

Fast forward a few years, Eddie and Steve are dating, and they're sitting on the couch at Eddie's place one evening, comfortably high, Eddie noodling around on his acoustic and Steve just kinda vibing. And Eddie knows Steve likes Billy Joel, so he starts up with the tune of the first one he can think of: "Uptown Girl." And suddenly Steve's mouth is dropping open like he's just had some great realization

Eddie: What is it?

Steve, in a hushed voice: I'm the uptown girl

Eddie laughs so hard he falls off the couch

[allyricas]

One-sided enemies to lovers pre-season 4 steddie

Eddie hates Steve, like really, genuinely fucking loathes the guy

Steve only knows of Eddie peripherally until the kids join Hellfire. Then it's a nonstop stream of "Eddie's just so cool and funny... he's the best DM and he's like...tall and 20... and sticks up for us" from the younger teens. Even Max has mentioned that "yeah he's pretty alright or whatever" which is basically her admitting she thinks he's really freaking cool.

So initially Steve has an open mind about him, all he remembers about him from high school is the drug dealing and the occasional table top sermons against conformity.

Inevitably that turns to intrigue because Eddie is very interesting. Steve has no reason to think that they couldn't be friendly until the first time they meet eyes across the parking lot after hellfire and the dude is fucking glaring at him. Is staring at Steve like he ran over his puppy or fucked his mom...which Steve's sure he hasn't done either of those things thank you very much.

Anytime they cross paths, Eddie is a huge dick to Steve. The kids have noticed, and even tried to ask why Eddie hates Steve so much but he doesn't really have an actual reason.

"Steve Harrington stands for everything I fucking hate about this stupid town and it's stupid people. Those kids have no clue what they're talking about, there is no way Harrington's a good guy."

And ouch... Steve gets to overhear Eddie as he's venting to the older Hellfire guys about how much Dustin and the others talk about Steve.. apparently all of them talk him up, defend him against Eddie's snarky little comments.

Which should make Steve lose any interest in the guy. Except... he's still really hot and funny and good with the kids.

During the whole Vecna crisis, Eddie's still insistent that he hates Steve. Will tell anyone who'll listen that people like that don't change. Munson doctrine is never wrong after all.

Except Steve still helps him, still brings Eddie food and sneaks him cigarettes and carries him out of the upside down. He still waits around Eddie's hospital room and helps to clear his name.

The nerve of this guy.

And the whole time Eddie's quietly seething over it like how dare he actually help me. He stopped being outwardly mean to Steve because he is afraid of Robin and Nancy. When they catch on to how much Eddie dislikes Steve even after everything, it's all heavy stares and long-suffering sighs...and Steve still won't be an asshole to him at all.

He thinks the whole situation is actually driving him insane when he finally confronts Steve and it ends with Eddie pushing him against the wall and kissing the hell out of him.

And sweet, romantic Steve's just like...yes...finally 🥰🥰🥰 because Steve's been down bad and feeling salty ever since he overheard the conversation after Hellfire. Steve gets the doe-eyed sexy nerd and he's thrilled about it.

Eddie chooses to let go of his one-sided hatred because it turns out hate and love are truly a very fine line to walk. Basically whatever means he gets to keep kissing Steve, he's onboard wholeheartedly. Kisses, handholding, missionary style lovemaking with lots of intense eye contact...future marriage legality be damned... yeah Eddie's all in.

[hairmetal666]

Steve has done interviews before. Like, a lot of interviews. YouTube, podcasts, print, TV stuff. Not as a brag, or anything, just. He's been an influencer for a long time, for better or worse, and it's part of the deal.

Usually, he's comfortable in front of the camera. Usually, he's poised and well-spoken. But today, this time, sweat pools under his arms and beads along his hairline, the lights beating down on him in a harsh glare.

"Steve Harrington," Murray Bauman crosses his legs, smiles big for the cameras. "It's been a while."

He smiles too, tries to seem like he's not about to have a panic attack. "I've been a little busy."

Murray laughs and it's then that Steve understands how screwed he really is. Murray's show, it's all glitz and glamour on the surface; mixed drinks and hijinks until the celebrity guests lose their inhibitions, admitting things they probably wanted to keep secret.

It's just that, before, Steve didn't have any salacious rumors to worry about, and now--

"You've had a rough year, Steve, yeah?"

"Not my best, for sure." He leans back, tries to seem calm, unbothered.

"I was sorry to hear about your divorce. I think that announcement really took a lot of people by surprise."

His hands clench, but he manages not to shift or bounce his leg. "Thanks for, uh. Yeah. We were also sorry it didn't work out."

Murray nods, face full of sympathy. "You and Nancy, you'd been together since high school? That's almost--what? 15 years?"

"It's--" he clears his throat. "About that long." Steve takes a sip of the drink next to him, an apple martini that's both too sweet and too strong.

"Am I right to assume that you didn't see it coming?"

And isn't that a question? Sure, now in hindsight, he can see the fractures that lead to the end, but six months ago did he--it's all so--what if all along--

"All marriages have rough patches," is what he says. "We just couldn't come out of ours as a couple."

"Do you know what I've found really remarkable about this phase of your life? The content and tone of your videos in the midst of the maelstrom of rumors and gossip didn't change at all. 'Your kids' as you call them, are still as bright and vibrant as ever. You're laughing, dancing, cooking, having a great time."

"I needed that--that normalcy you know? And the kids, they're such an important part of my life, having them around helped."

"Including Nancy's brother, Mike?"

Steve laughs and it's not fake. "Totally including Mike. My relationship with Nancy has nothing to do with my relationship with him."

"He's kind of an antagonist--would you say?--in your videos, though."

"We have conflict sometimes, but it's never serious. We know how to play it up for laughs."

"So, nothing's changed between you?"

"Not at all."

"The cheating rumors." Murray's smile is soft, but all the air still leaves the room.

"What about them?" It's more combative than he means, but--

"Did Nancy cheat on you with Jonathan Byers?"

He swallows and it hurts. She did cheat, is the thing. It's not public information, still only speculation, but--

"You can't believe everything you read, Murray."

"So, she didn't cheat?" There's a glow to Murray's eyes that tells Steve he already knows the answer.

"Like, I said before, marriages are hard. We spent a lot of time apart because of our jobs. It took a toll."

"And she was traveling with Jonathan, yes? He's been her photographer for the past decade, from what I understand."

"They were co-workers, but we're all close. And those rumors didn't help our relationship, for sure. It's--not easy to hear that a bunch of people think your wife and close friend may be having an affair, that people 'ship' them. Even when it's not true, it creates--"

"Tension? Distrust?"

"Both, probably." He takes another drink as he nods. "After a while you do start to wonder if there's truth to it, and you're too ignorant or too--too trusting to see it."

"And it eroded the relationship."

"It certainly didn't help." He takes another drink.

"And how about your relationship with Jonathan's brother, Will. Has that been impacted?"

"Of course not. Never. Whatever happens between Nancy, Jonathan, and I, it has nothing to do with the kids. They know that.

"You talked about it."

"Yes. Extensively."

"I know there's often speculation on the relationship you have with them; if you're really close or it's all for the cameras."

"Murray." He leans forward. "We've talked about this before. I met Dustin through Mike, and the whole group followed. I've known them all since they were 8 years old. They're--I mean, not to be cliche, but they're my family." He sips the last bit of martini.

"And where does Eddie Munson fit into that family?"

The question shouldn't be a surprise, but he almost does a spit take, has to fight to keep it together.

"Eddie?"

"Yes." Murray's smile is chilling. "Your close friend Eddie Munson. Musician. Plays Dungeons and Dragons on YouTube. You made out with him in a music video. Ringing any bells?"

"I'm familiar with Eddie," his grin is rigid. "I don't know what that has to do with my marriage ending."

"Well, the rumors weren't all about Nancy, were they?"

"Eddie and I have--we became mutuals online years and years ago. I used one of his songs in a video and the kids are obsessed with his dnd stuff, so. We've become close."

"Friends?"

"Isn't that implied?"

"After that music video, I don't think so."

Steve rolls his eyes, lets the irritation show for the first time. "He asked me to be in his video. There's nothing scandalous about it."

"What's your relationship with Eddie right now?"

"Like I said, friends."

"Do you want it to be more than that?"

"Eddie's really important to me."

"Is that all?"

"Not really sure what you want me to say here, Murray."

"You were married to a woman for years, but now there are questions about your sexuality."

He grits his teeth. "My sexuality isn't anyone's business aside my own. People can say shit on Twitter all they want, that doesn't mean they know me. But--the end of my marriage--it definitely gave me the space for self-discovery, I guess? In a way I hadn't had before."

"And is Eddie a part of that self-discovery?"

"Yeah, as one of my closest friends, he is."

"Do you have feelings for him?"

"That's--that's not--I'm going through a divorce. My focus isn't on starting another relationship right now."

"You, famously, tattooed your initials on the inside of his thigh during an Instagram live. That's pretty intimate."

"We were just having a little fun."

"Huh. That seems like more than 'a little fun' to me. So, how's Eddie doing with the increased attention?"

It takes Steve a second to track the change of subject, mind still stuck on the tattoo, on how the ink had looked on Eddie's pale skin.

"It's hard." Steve eventually answers. "Of course he enjoys bringing his music and dnd to a wider audience, but the focus on his personal life is--it's a lot."

"Well, he should have thought about before letting you tattoo him for your 850,000 followers. Does he want a relationship with you?"

His throat is dry, burning, he wishes he had more martini. He wishes he'd never taken a sip. "You'd have to ask him. I'm just taking it day by day, you know? That's what I need right now."

"We're getting to the end of our time, but you know I have to ask. Your best friend, Robin Buckley, she very famously unfollowed both Nancy and Jonathan on all social media when news broke about your divorce. Can you tell us why she unfollowed them?"

"I have no control over Robin's accounts. I didn't even know she followed Jonathan ever, and she and Nancy have a relationship outside of me, you know? I can't say what happened between them."

"She's been in your videos with Eddie. She like him?"

"Very much. It's kind of annoying actually. They keep ganging up on me."

"Much to everyone's delight, I'm sure. So, what can we expect from the newly single Steve Harrington?"

"There are a couple things in the works, but only time will tell."

---

He walks through his front door an hour later, and Eddie's sitting on the couch, playing a soft melody on an acoustic guitar. He stops when he sees Steve, setting the guitar aside, and standing.

"How'd it go, baby?" He asks. His soft smile is so beautiful, Steve gets a lump in his throat.

"As expected." He crosses the space between them, lets Eddie pull him close.

"He ask about us?" Eddie's breath tickles his ear.

"Of course."

"And you--"

"I want--it should be just for us. We should be able to announce when we're ready. Not when Murray-fucking-Bauman asks."

Eddie kisses him, then, sweet and slow, making him lose his breath.

"Whenever you're ready, I'll be right by your side."

"You sure? All my mess--"

"Is mine too. Afraid you're stuck with me for the long haul, Steve Harrington."

[cosycryptid]

Eddie has always enjoyed giving people nicknames, it’s just something creative he does that makes people stick in his brain. He’s never forgotten a face and it’s mostly because he has names to go with them.

Typically, he refers to acquaintances by their last name, friends by something jokey and embarrassing, and foes by nicknames that are a little mean and cutting.

Then there's Steve Harrington, who falls into his own category entirely.

Before, when he claimed to dislike Steve it would be:

“Perfect Harrington.”

“Steve Harrington the gorgeous with his flowing locks.”

“Guess what Mr. Hot Sports Man did now.”

“Can you believe Beautiful Steve Harrington and his merry band of assholes?”

“God, look at Mr. Distracting showing off his amazing chest again. He’s such a poser.”

“I was trying to order my usual, but then Steve ‘Dreamboat’ Harrington was behind the counter and he used his evil sorcery to make me say ‘1 scoop of vanilla’ by mistake. Now he probably thinks I'm boring.”

He said the names in a mocking tone, but it always ended with just a hint of something longing. His friends would shoot each other knowing looks across the room whenever he came up with a new one for one of his Steve related tirades.

Then they started to become friends and the names took on a more teasing, flirty nature, which then slowly gave way to softer and more tender names like 'Stevie' and 'sweetheart' and 'honey'. The knowing looks from friends became looks that said 'here we go again' and Steve's reactions went from intense, puzzled stares to warm smiles.

One day, when Eddie's running late for their fortnightly movie night, the rest of the party decide to say something about it.

"So, I have to ask," Mike says. "What kind of magic spell have you cast on Eddie?"

Steve looks up and sees that everyone is staring at him. "Huh?" he blinks. "Were you talking to me?"

"Yes Steve, he was talking to you!" Dustin exclaims. "Who else here in this room does Eddie regularly shower with mushy pet names?"

"Okay, they're not 'mushy pet names'," Steve argues, rolling his eyes. "They're just nicknames, he gives everyone nicknames. I don't see why it's a big deal."

"Steve, he gives everyone else nicknames. Yours are something else." Max points out.

"How?"

"How?" Lucas asks. "Steve, last week he walked into me by accident, said 'Sorry Sinclair’ and then turned to you and went 'Hey, angel. How are you today?'." He puts on a sickeningly sweet voice for the second one and Max laughs.

"Yeah and what about that time he threw a sunscreen bottle at Mike and said 'Stay safe, pasty', then saw you putting yours on and said 'Need help getting your back, darling?'" Max adds. Her and Lucas are snickering to each other by the end of it.

Mike frowns. "Don't know why he called me that. He's just as pale as I am."

Will pats him on the back. "Don't worry about it, he called me Bowlcut Junior two days ago when he was asking me to make a perception check."

"Oh so that's what the Bowlcut Senior thing was about," Jonathan mumbles.

"Steve, he likes you," Robin says, clearly spelling it out. "Or at the very least it's obvious you're one of his favourites."

"He does call you an awful lot of things even me and Jonathan wouldn't call each other," Nancy adds carefully.

"Eddie's just a sweet guy," Steve says.

"Eddie Munson is not a 'sweet guy'," Mike retorts, bewildered. "He killed off all of our characters in last week's session because we were ten minutes late."

"I mean if he went to all of that effort planning and preparing everything then you could have at least turned up on time."

"Thanks, mom."

"I did warn you guys he wouldn't be happy with us," Will points out with a grim expression.

Before anything else can be said, Eddie walks in with Gareth and Jeff trailing behind him. Everyone tries their best to look casual. Most fail. Luckily, Eddie's attention is zoned in on two people.

"Hey Sweet Prince, and Henderson and others," Eddie greets them. "I'll be right back, just gotta run to the bathroom because I was checking something under the van just now and it looks like I got into a fight with an octopus."

He lifts his arms, which are covered in oil.

"Oh shit," Steve says. "Yeah, no problem. Feel free to take a shower and borrow some clothes if you want, we'll wait."

"Thanks, sugar." He calls behind him.

The party's eyes are locked on Steve when he turns back to face them, causing him to flinch a little.

"What's up guys?" Gareth says as he and Jeff make themselves at home, finding a spot on the carpet.

"Yeah, you all looked super awkward when we walked in just now," Jeff adds. "What's that about?"

"We were just trying to get it through Steve's head that Eddie is basically in love with him," Robin fills them in. "Also, I don't know if I should be a little offended that we're 'and others'."

"Oh that," Jeff says, way too casual. "Yeah that's been a thing for years. Even back when he was pretending not to like Steve."

"Wait what?" Mike asks.

"Oh yeah, he used to call him things like 'Handsome Harrington' or 'Beautiful Steve Harrington' every time he talked about him," Gareth shrugged.

"Oh shit," Dustin says. "One time I tried to get him to hang out with us and he said no but he called you 'Pretty Boy Steve'."

"Can you guys just let this go?" Steve sighs, clearly getting annoyed. "It's just a thing he does, it doesn't mean anything."

"Yeah, sure," Jeff scoffs. "Keep telling yourself that. What are you trying not to get your hopes up?"

Steve is too quiet for too long, and he hates the way his friends expressions turn sympathetic toward him.

"All I'm saying is, do it back to him and see how he reacts," Gareth says with a knowing smile. "I dare you."

The opportunity doesn't arise until later, when Eddie gets up to go to the kitchen half way through the movie. He comes back with two drinks, one of which he hands to Steve while lifting the other to his lips.

Robin gives him a look that says 'what are you waiting for?' and Steve takes a deep breath before accepting the drink with a casual, "Thanks, babe."

And that’s all it takes.

Eddie’s hand jerks, his brain short-circuits, and the drink completely misses his mouth. A splash of soda hits his chin, and the rest pours out on the Harrington's expensive carpet. Then he just stands there blinking like he’s been hit with a stun spell.

His brain seems to come back online when he sees Steve's shocked gaze switch between him and the liquid soaking into the carpet.

"Oh shit! I'm so sorry!" Eddie shouts, no longer in control of his volume. He sprints to the kitchen and returns just as fast with paper towels, dropping to his knees to try and soak up the spilled beverage. His face is bright red in a way Steve's never seen on him before.

Steve is still frozen, half-standing, watching Eddie frantically blot the carpet like it personally insulted him. The rest of the group is silent for a beat—stunned into stillness by the sheer velocity of Eddie’s reaction.

Then Robin breaks the silence with a quiet, “Oh my god.”

Max snorts. “I think you broke him.”

“Like, for real,” Dustin adds, eyes wide. “That was a full system crash.”

Eddie doesn’t look up. “Don’t mind me, just ruining your house and my dignity in one fell swoop.”

Steve finally moves, crouching down beside him. “Eds, it’s fine. Seriously. It’s just soda.”

Eddie glances up at him, eyes wide and still a little dazed. “You called me babe.”

Steve smiles, soft and a little shy. “Yeah. I did.”

Eddie stares at him for a second longer, then groans and drops his forehead to the carpet. “I’m never gonna recover from this.”

Steve laughs, nudging him gently with his shoulder. “You’re doing great, sweetheart.”

Eddie lets out a muffled noise that might be a whimper or a laugh, it’s hard to tell. But when he lifts his head again, his face is still red, and his smile is blinding. And Steve forgets they have an audience.

"I think I know a way you can make it up to me," he grins.

"How's that, babydoll?" Eddie asks, confused, but hopeful.

Steve pulls Eddie in for a quick kiss and says, "Take me out tomorrow night, when I finish work?"

"Absolutely," Eddie beams.

Their moment is ruined by fake gagging noises from the kids. "This is worse than Dustin and Suzie serenading each other with Never Ending Story," Lucas comments, receiving a middle finger in response from Dustin.

"I'm assuming band practice is off tomorrow then?" Jeff smirks.

"Sorry guys," Eddie says still looking at Steve with a tender smile. "Something incredibly important just came up."

[love-byers]

the first time i saw this, when i was NOT a byler shipper, i thought el was running TO mike. i thought we were getting a sweet moment where el runs to mike and he puts an arm around her or hugs her.

then i realized she was running away from him. 

and i was like, why?? they're supposed to be the couple why does she not want his comfort??

and even after will calls her out on doing mike wrong by lying to him, even after she sees that mike is attempting to talk to her and comfort her, that he's not angry at her, she still tells angela to lie to mike. more lies. that's how much she cares about keeping up the persona. had angela lied to mike, el would've continued lying to him the entire week. something she knows in her heart is wrong and not fair to mike.

this is a theme in s4. putting who you want to be seen as before being honest with your bf/gf. going above and beyond to preserve your lie, to be seen as who you want to be.

chrissy does that with jason. who she portrays herself as is completely different than who she really is and what she's really going through. jason has absolutely no idea chrissy is struggling and refused to believe chrissy would buy drugs, because chrissy didn't want to tell him. who knows how jason would've reacted if chrissy was honest, we don't know because chrissy didn't trust him enough to tell him. that's not love at all, that's sad.

this is a point in s2 as well. murray calls nancy out for being afraid to be her true self, and she stays with steve because she doesn't have to be her true self around him. she is her true self when she's with jonathan, and that's why they worked together. that's love.

the exact same thing happens with chrissy. the first time we see her genuinely smile is when she's with eddie. she's sweet and charismatic, and had she lived she totally would've gone to eddie's show, something you never would've expected from her, something her boyfriend, the person she pretends to love, would NEVER do.

robin and steve reinforce this too

you fall in love with the person who makes you feel accepted, the person who makes you feel like you can be who you are. the person you trust with your true self.

mike and el don't trust each other enough, they don't understand each other well enough.

they would have to change their behavior towards each other by leaps and bounds, and we're already at the last season. there is no time for that. stranger things isn't a multi season show about the complexity of romantic relationships and the healthy way to resolve problems. there is no time for that in just about any movie or show, especially a sci-fi show. you know what's way easier and way more likable? pairing your character with someone they naturally click with, who bring out the best in each other and for some reason can't help but be their authentic selves when they're with each other.

did it with jancy, like i said earlier

did it with lumax. when lucas and max talked on the bus max found herself spewing about things she'd never even said out loud before, and she had to stop herself. something about lucas just made her feel comfortable, like she could be herself and tell the truth. she trusted him.

"You're nothing like your brother, okay? You're cool and different, you're super smart, and you're like, totally tubular."

jopper too! joyce constantly had to hide things from bob, she was insecure about their family not being normal.

"This is not a normal family."

"It could be."

though bob had good intentions, the message of the show is not trying to be normal when you aren't. whatever it is about you that makes you weird or different, whatever you've been through that changed you, stay true to it. dont bottle it up and try to be someone else. all of vecnas victims in s4 were doing this, and it didn't end well for them.

they even did it with dustin and suzie. dustin constantly tries to impress max with his teeth, then in season 3 he says suzie thinks kissing is better without teeth. he doesn't have to be insecure about that or try to impress her. she likes him for him.

mike isn't comfortable being his true self around el either. he's insecure about his interests, he feels like he has to act older and cooler to impress her.

you shouldn't be with the person you feel you have to impress. you should be with the person who relieves that pressure, who makes you feel like being the authentic you is enough.

jonathan and nancy, lucas and max, joyce and hopper, dustin and suzie,

cough WILL AND MIKE cough...

[starryeyedjanai]

bad boys do it better

rated: teen | @steddieholidaydrabbles prompt: modern au tags: dating apps, innuendo, bad flirting read on ao3

✿

Eddie finally opens Tinder after downloading it in a fit of desperation.

He's tried everything but these stupid apps—bars and clubs and pottery classes and rock climbing—trying to find someone he can connect with.

But he's mostly found guys that string him along with whispered sweet nothings and half-promises they don't intend to follow through on.

So he makes his profile and then promptly fumbles and drops his phone because— no fucking way.

There's no way this is real life.

There's no fucking way the first guy to pop up is Steve fucking Harrington, his unfortunate and longest lasting crush in high school.

He picks up his phone and sees Steve's face staring back at him, unassuming, a bright, cheery smile on his face.

Steve, 28 2 miles away "Hope you like bad boys because I have it on dvd and vhs" Interests: baseball, basketball, live music, movies

He taps to get to the next photo and lets out a shaky breath—the shorts of what can only be his Halloween costume are so short, exposing hairy thighs that Eddie wants to sink his teeth into.

The next photo is a snapchat picture of him grinning wide, cradling what might be the world's ugliest dog, the text across the screen reading my nephew is so handsome 🤩🤩🤩.

The last is an obligatory shirtless mirror pic, not showing off washboard abs, but the soft, toned skin of his stomach.

He closes the app, sets his phone down, and breathes through his nose.

This can't be real, right? In what world would Steve be the first person in a sea of profiles in San Francisco of all places?

Eddie expected him to chase after Nancy Wheeler when she went to Boston, but he didn't stick around long enough in Hawkins to find out if they ever rekindled their will-they-won't-they relationship.

Maybe he's just visiting. Maybe he found his match and just forgot to delete Tinder. Because there's just no way Eddie has this kind of luck.

He opens up Instagram and searches for Steve and finds him right away because they're probably still Facebook friends.

He scrolls through his profile and deflates a little, because all of the pictures on Tinder are from his Instagram. Which means it's probably much more likely that someone is catfishing using Steve's pictures.

Because the Steve from high school wasn't into men. And he's hot enough for someone to use his pictures to scam people or whatever.

He opens up Tinder again and his thumb is swiping right before he thinks about what he's doing.

It's a match!

Okay, now he knows it's a catfish. Or maybe it's a bot.

There's no world in which Steve Harrington would swipe right on him in the twenty minutes it's been since he created his account.

He types a message to "Steve" saying so are you a bot or just a catfish?

He doesn't get a response right away, so he clicks out of the messages, looking at profiles of what are hopefully actual people he can connect with.

His phone buzzes when the message from Steve comes in.

Hi3 Eddiems, cl!ck th3 linkin my proffile to . achat I am waitin9

He rolls his eyes and goes back to perusing profiles. It's not like he thought it was really Ste-

His phone pings with another message and he clicks back into the chat immediately.

That was a joke. There's not even a link in my profile

Eddie's heart beats a little faster, his fingers typing out a response.

So a catfish then?

Why do you think I'm a catfish?????

Because I know the guy in those pictures and there's no way hes into men. That guy was a jock extraordinaire in high school and very straight

You're awfully judgey for someone who was so anti-conformity in high school. Whos to say I haven't changed?

Or like, learned new things about myself?

Eddie's breath stutters in his throat.

Also you didn't really know me since we never talked.

Okay, I mean. It's pretty easy to guess that I was counterculture in high school by looking at me. So I'm still on the fence about the catfish thing

How about we meet up then? So you can see me in all my nearing-30 glory

And watch bad boys on dvd and vhs with you?

Dude, I am not inviting you to my house on the first date

That's a third date kind of thing

Oh yeah? Is it a back-to-back feature? We start with the vhs then move to dvd?

He can't believe he's entertaining this. A catfish wouldn't offer to meet up unless they thought Eddie wouldn't call their bluff. He kind of wants to see where this is going.

No see, we start with the dvd playing in the living room and then when we inevitably start being bad boys🥵 in the middle of the movie, we can pick it back up on vhs in my room later

To be clear, we stop the movie, right? I'm not sure bad boys has a soundtrack meant for the kind of activities we'd be doing

Oh for sure. I'd even put on my "let's get it on" playlist. As a treat.

Eddie can't help but grin. Even if this guy is a catfish, this is maybe the most fun he's had talking to someone in a long time.

Are you serious about meeting up?

Uh yeah, I can't have you thinking I'm a catfish forever

What's your favorite brewery?

Cellarmaker

Wanna do tomorrow afternoon at like 2 when it's not busy?

That sounds perfect

He isn't sure if it's really Steve or if he's going to be met with someone else or stood up, but at least he'll get to drown his sorrows if it doesn't work out.

Well—he's unsure until he gets the 'stharrington started following you' notification on Instagram a few minutes later.

He screams into his pillow so loud his neighbor thumps on the wall.

[french-goodbye]

please never fall in love again

pairing: steve harrington x reader

summary: dating steve harrington is hard, especially when girls keep hitting on him.

notes: i wrote this a while ago but eventually forgot about it in the midst of all my wips lol. title from the song please never fall in love again by ollie mn.

you stare at the back of your boyfriend's head with narrowed eyes and your chin resting on your hands, an anger you know you shouldn't be feeling boiling beneath the surface of your skin. he, of course is none the wiser, as he is to most things, just chatting with eddie completely carefree by the bar.

you love steve harrigton, you really do. you think you fell in love with him on your first date and never really fell out of it. you've already planned your whole life with him, from getting married and having kids to growing old with him and sitting side by side on a wrap around porch. he's sweet, kind, he's great with kids and it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes and great in bed.

his biggest flaw, however, is not exactly his fault. the worst thing about dating steve harrigton is the amount of women who hit on him on a daily basis. whether it's old ladies at the grocery store telling him he looks like their dead husbands or bored soccer moms looking for a little thrill or, the worst of all, the girls your age who slip him their phone number in old receipts over the counter at family video. these women are always there, like blood sniffing sharks, somehow finding a way to make a suggestive comment or a flirty joke.

most of the time, it doesn't really bother you even when it does happen in front of you. steve's the kind of guy who'd never cheat on you, simply because of who he is and how obsessed with you he is. sometimes, however, they can get a little too close and personal and you can't help but wish steve was a little less attractive. just a little.

and it's not that you don't trust him either, he's always quick and firm to shut them down when it happens. it's that they're the ones you don't trust, the girls with big permed blonde hair and fake tans and bright pink lipstick who look at you disdainfully when they realize you're together because they can barely take their eyes off of him for long enough to notice you're standing right next to him.

you're out at a bar celebrating jonathan's birthday when it happens this time, steve and eddie having offered to get everyone another round, the two of them leaning against the bar talking while they wait when a girl from the booth in the corner approaches them. she's clearly a little bit more than tipsy and obviously focused on steve as she talks to them, avidly taking him in and resting her hand on his forearm. he doesn't even blink, just smoothly leans away from her and tells her something that makes her leave as fast as she arrived.

you can barely hear nancy as she complains about her male coworkers on her summer job, as you heatedly stare at his stupidly nice hair and broad shoulders as your boyfriend laughs at something eddie said, hand scratching his neck. you're still watching him with scrunched eyebrows and a sour expression when you feel robin poking your cheek, making you look at her and gently slap her hand away.

"why are you poking me?"

"why are you staring at steve like he kicked your puppy?" she asks, frowning, looking back and forth between the two of you like a tennis match.

"i'm not" she gives you a flat look with raised brows. "fine," you huff. "why do women always hit on him? we can't take him anywhere"

"no idea, you tell me"

"urgh" you groan, throwing your arms around her and resting your head on her shoulder. "god, i hate men"

"amen sister" you hang onto her for a second as she takes a noisy sip of her empty drink through her straw and taps your back sympathetically a few times before gently pushing you away as steve and eddie walk back to your table, drinks in hands and still chatting distractedly.

she softly claps her hands, enthusiastically and telling you a quiet "yay" as she turns back to nancy and jonathan, as the two argue wether or not their coworkers are sexist (they totally are).

you're still laughing at robin's drunken antics when steve comes to your side again and sets your new drink on the table in front of you, resting his hand on your lower back. you let him but when he leans over you to press a kiss to your hair, you promptly dodge away from him and out of his reach. from the corner of your eye, you can see how he frowns at that and silently watches you for a second as you pretend to listen to what nancy says.

his hand on your lower back climbs all the way up to the back of your neck so he turn your head his away, forcing you to look at his big brown eyes staring at you like you just kicked his puppy and you almost feel guilty. almost.

"what's wrong?" he asks.

you shrug, "nothing's wrong."

"are you mad at me or something?"

"no" you slowly shake your head in negative, shrugging.

"gimme a kiss then" he rests one of his hands on your face tilting your head his way while the other on your neck guides your face to his. you lean in and press a quick kiss to his cheek and look away, accidentally making eye contact with the girl who just hit on him. she's watching the two of you, quickly looking away when she notices she was caught staring.

"you saw that, huh" he tells you, hands settling on your waist instead so he can look at you.

"hard not to" you huff, picking invisible lint from your pants.

"then you know nothing happened"

"of course i know that, i trust you" you complain as you roll your eyes and gesticulate to show your frustration "but i-it just makes so insanely angry when they touch you like that, like they have any right to-" you stop your ranting mid sentence when you realize the look on his face. "what? why are you looking at me like that?"

"nothing" he clears his throat and looks down to uselessly smooth non existing wrinkles on your top. you watch him though narrowed eyes and gasp when it hits you, making him look at you again. "what?"

"you like it when i'm jealous" you accuse, lightly poking his chest.

"no, i don't"

"yes, you do. i can't believe i never noticed it before" you huff an incredulous laugh, remembering all the times girls hit on him in front of you and he said nothing but affirmations of how much he's in love with you and how he could never want somebody else, acting more attentive and affectionate than usual later, pressing you against his body and kissing kissing kissing you until he was the only thing on your mind.

"okay, it's not what you're thinking" he replies running a hand through his hair nervously.

"what am i thinking, harrington?" you ask, lifting one eyebrow as a smirk makes it's way to your lips.

"it's not an ego thing" you laugh softly at him, letting your fingers run soothingly through the hair at the nape of his neck, finally giving into the temptation to get your hands on him. "it's just- i like knowing how much you want me just for yourself, how much you care about me."

you stare at him for a moment, taking in his sincere brown eyes and his fluffy hair, feeling impossibly endeared by the boy in front of you. he fidgets under your stare, so you smooth your hands down his shoulders, feeling the muscles underneath his shirt.

"well, i do care... a lot" you tell him, pretending to be coy and batting your eyelashes at him. "but it's not like i blame her"

"what?" he looks at you blankly, confused.

"i mean, look at you" you pull him closer and then closer still, still smirking. "those nice brown eyes, the pretty hair, those shoulders... nevermind how much of a charmer you are. damn harrington, no wonder women keep throwing themselves at you."

"babe" he groans embarrassedly, "they're not throwing themselves-" he dramatically drops his forehead on your shoulder making you laugh at his discomfort, letting brown strands of hair slip through your fingers as you comfortingly pet his hair and he squeezes your waist in reprimand.

"it's true!"

he pulls you closer by the grip he has on your waist and burrows his face in the crook of your neck in lieu of an answer. you let him have it even though you would like to see his face and the way his blush is probably spreading from his cheek to his neck and rest your chin into his shoulder as you hug him.

"but one of these days i'll have to step in and defend your honor"

"please don't" he pulls away and cups your neck, thumbs brushing your cheek and staring at you disapprovingly, his eyelashes touching at the corners, the hint of a smile still on his face.

"i don't know, maybe i'll have to challenge them to a duel to the death" you disagree and look at him from under your eyelashes. he gives you an affectionate look that'd make you nauseous were it not directed at you and presses a long lingering kiss to your lips.

"shut up" he whispers against your lips. you gladly do, at least until eddie and robin start throwing balled up paper napkins at your head. it's worth it though.

[hopelessmidwesterner]

Eddie Munson Relationship Headcanons!

fluff, angst, hurt/comfort, drugs (weed), swearing, the term headcanon here is a loose one lol, mentions of rock music (Heart and Motörhead) and anxiety

☠ First met you in the main office of Hawkins High one fateful day. You were new to town, there to pick up your books and schedule, whereas he was there because he'd been sent down for the sixth time this year (and it was only September) due to a bong he made in art class that he swore was supposed to be a vase.

☠ Absolute sucker for casual, stay-in dates. Some weed, a collection of horror flicks, and enough snacks to feed an army? Say less.

☠ Writes you notes as much as he can. You'll find them in your pencil case, your books, your car, and even in your own back pockets. They're usually short and sweet things, always decorated with a goofy little doodle.

☠ Super touchy but in the most innocent, instinctual way possible. A hand on the small of your back, weight leaned into your side, a knee bumped into your own, finger hooked through the belt loop of your jeans, etc.

☠ Was super dead set on that whole "i only listen to metal" facade until you came along and saw the secret Nancy Wilson poster in the back of his closet. You taunt him about it constantly.

☠ A tried and true gentle giant, especially when you're upset about something. He's softspoken and more intimate in some odd way whenever you're crying or simply overstimulated, running a hand up and down the length of your back.

☠ Played the waiting game for far too long. In his mind, someone as great as you would never think of him as more than a friend, so he swallowed his feelings for several months until he choked and couldn't take it anymore.

☠ Might be a little scrawny and clumsy but he won't hesitate to go up to bat for you any day of the week. Some creep hitting on you at a show? One of the jock assholes giving you shit for something? Dustin being a little too harsh with his friendly, boyish teasing? It didn't matter, he was gonna step in.

☠ Graduated, got a real job at a local music store, and quit dealing (excluding to you and your friend group) all because of you. You didn't ever ask or suggest it, either. He just knew you deserved more than what his reputation had become.

☠ Anxiety fears him but in great contrast, you're basically the poster child for unease, worry, and nervousness. He doesn't understand it but he does all he can to soothe you during panic attacks and exhausting days where your head gets the best of you.

☠ Told his mom's grave about you once he realized you were more than just a crush.

☠ Took you to see a Motörhead cover band a few towns over for your first date. He'd been a ball of sweat and nerves since he wasn't sure how you'd take all the hard moshing and noise but you were on cloud nine from the moment you entered the dingy club hosting the show. You both left with wide grins and a few bruises as collateral.

☠ Realized he was deep in love with you just a month after you started formally going out. You'd gone to a rowdy party one of Gareth's cousins was throwing and some drunk guy had been shit talking Corroded Coffin, eliciting you to stand up for the guys like a feisty bulldog that even he was a little scared of.

☠ He's your first everything and you're his.

[miwiheroes]

Arguments I think we should stop using for Byler and why:

Let me know if you have any thoughts about these! This post isn't made to give anyone byler doubt btw omg, my intention is to actually cure it, because I feel like some of these arguments are made as an overcompensation as a result of doubt so-

"Why do people say that two boys falling in love in the 80s is unrealistic? This show is about monsters and a different dimension!"

This argument is pretty much always a joke, which i don't mind, but using it as a genuine rebuttal isn't going to get us anywhere. People in general are far more likely to believe the impossible--things like monsters and super powers--than the improbable--things like two boys in the 80s falling in love. I feel like, instead, we should be focusing in on the fact that two boys falling in love in the 80s is an important thing to represent because it was improbable and "unrealistic". The reason why it feels so unrealistic to happen is because there is actually very little representation of it happening successfully, therefore, if we see more representation of it, it won't be seen as unrealistic anymore. Also, I don't believe that the audience really understands that what they're watching is not supposed to be a shot for shot realistic protrayal of real life. This isn't just about monsters and shit, this show is about love. Yes it's cheesy, but it's not unrealistic for a show about love - which portrays unique loving relationships like platonic love between a random guy and a lesbian - to portray a queer love story which honestly isn't even that hard to wrap one's head around.

"Mike didn't care about El until she pointed to Will's photo. He only cared about her because she helped find Will."

Okay this one is wayyy more nuanced than just him only caring about her because of Will. He is a heroic human being, and this is supposed to be portrayed by him taking her into his home, not out of romantic love, but just out of goodness of character. He is a very sweet person at the beginning of S1 because he's curious about El and acts different to Lucas and Dustin. Although, there are definitely things to show that he doesn't love her romantically here, like him trying to get rid of her and get her back to her family or something. I think the argument above in bold actually is an overcompensation for how he acts around her in S1. He treats her like a friend when showing her around, but Bylers might be afraid that looks too romantic. Don't worry guys, I really think it's Mike being himself. Acting friendly and nice around El is just part of his character to me. He also decides to not have her talk to his mom when she says she's in trouble, so it's not all about Will. However!!! He does decide to commit to hiding her and begins to place her on a pedestal when she starts to make an effort to find Will.

"Mike and El are on bad terms at the end of S4 so they won't be together in S5."

This argument was also used at the end of S3 (see the byler slides), saying that technically, Mike and El weren't actually together by the end of S3. Then they were together in S4. Here's the thing. This show isn't all about telling and not showing. It's about the opposite. Just because they didn't tell the audience "we're back together now!!!" doesn't mean that they aren't. At the end of S3, for example, El going "I love you too" implies that they are back together and that their relationship is now going to be more grown-up unlike in S3. Because of the love monologue at the end of S4, I can genuinely see Mike and El being back together at the beginning of S5. I can see them actually saying I love you to each other a la Steve and Nancy S2. Like, come on guys, isn't our whole argument that you can say I love you to someone and not actually be telling the truth? Also, Finn has confirmed that Mike and El will be together "going into" season 5, and the time skip between March 1986 and Nov. 1987 shows to me that they are still going to be together, and that they are saying I love you because El would not be staying in that relationship if he continues not to say it. More problems in their relationship are going to be revealed, beyond him being able to say I love you or not.

"This actor ships Byler so Byler endgame."

Uh oh,,,, if you start saying this, you can easily get a rebuttal from a Milkvan saying that so and so ships Milkvan, so... I honestly think that people saying they like Byler as a ship can be somewhat seen as a little hint they could possibly be endgame but tbh, it's not a full proof. To me, proof from the actors comes from what they don't say about Byler. They don't treat it like Stonathan, Ronance and Steddie. They treat it like a possibility, like a spoiler. The other queer ships of ST are treated like cool things that would have been interesting if they had happened. Byler is never treated as something that would have been cool. It's something that could happen. My confidence comes from when the actors are more ambiguous about Byler than when they're completely, utterly on board with it. Except for Noah, because he's definitely allowed to ship it, because his character is literally in love with Mike.

[ladykailitha]

Steve is powered AU.

It's after Vecna and the Upside Down collapsing on itself before anyone finds out.

When Steve was seven, his mother had a psychotic break, saying that Steve was a changeling and tried to drown him the large bath tub in his parents' bathroom.

It was during this time she was admitted to Pennhurst.

They're cleaning up the Harrington Estate when his mother comes home and just starts screaming about the mess. Steve finally gets her calm down and tells Eddie that she didn't always used to be that way, she used to be a sweet and loving mother.

That's when Stella Harrington comes screaming back in that she didn't change. He did. He was the imposter. She knows her son and this creature before her isn't him.

But she won't explain how she knows.

Then a couple days later Nancy was talking to Robin about how someone should go back to Pennhurst to tell Victor Creel, that his son survived and is the cause of the all the destruction.

Robin is against it, because his mind was already shattered and that might destroy it. Nancy thinks he would want to know that he wasn't crazy.

When the name finally pinged in Steve's head. When they were trying to figure out who Vecna was, the name kept ringing a bell in his head. And just then it hit him.

His mother had been admitted there when he was younger.

But he keeps it to himself, because the last person he wants to know his mother was/is crazy is Nancy.

So he calls up the Hospital and requests her file and finds out that someone else recently accessed her file. Her doctor, Martin Brenner, had called just two weeks before the events that would lead to his death.

The receptionist asks if the address in Reno, Nevada is still good.

Steve's blood turns to ice in his veins.

Holy shit.

He corrects the address to Hawkins, Indiana and she brightens. Tells him that it's nice she's home again.

Steve needs to talk to El and he needs to do it away from Hopper. Because Hopper can't know about this. No one can.

Only Eddie starts noticing how withdrawn and twitchy Steve has become lately and manages to show up at the house when Steve gets his mother's medical files.

They learn that only reason Stella survived the Nina Project massacre was because she was on her to another facility for testing.

When Steve was seven his powers manifested so strongly, that his mother who was an empath, tried to suppress it so that Dr. Brenner wouldn't get his hands on Steve and it broke her mind. But Dr. Brenner didn't want Steve. Incorrectly assuming that she had succeeded, he wanted to harness her ability to break other's powers. Because if she could break Steve's, maybe she could break Henry's.

It was that research that led the device that controlled Henry's powers.

But Dr. Brenner realized that Stella didn't suppress Steve's powers. Steve did.

But his exposure to the Upside Down had eroded the block and that's why Steve was able to sense what was wrong with Nancy, knew that Max was in trouble.

He could sense it.

Dr. Owens tries to be respectful when asking Steve if they could run tests on him.

Everyone shouts NO at the same time.

But now everyone knows that Steve is powered, too, and El helps him learn to control it and take the break off completely. The first time they tried Steve got so overwhelmed with Eddie's love and affection for him that he passed out.

They were both pretty embarrassed that that was the way they got together. But Eddie liked to joke that his charm literally knocked Steve over.

Over the years it gets more fine-tuned. He knows Eddie is going propose before he does.

Knows when Max is pregnant with her first. Lucas couldn't keep his emotions down for shit.

Knows when Mike and El finally break up and realize they're better as friends. Their emotions are very angry for awhile before they mellow out.

Knows about Will and Mike's first kiss. Will is practically bursting with it.

[nicolewritesthings]

Lost Love - Part Three

a/n: sorry this took a minute! I’ve been deep in Joel Miller fanfic after the recent episode of tlou (biiiiiig Pedro fan). Anyways, please enjoy this next bit of writing :)

Steve Harrington x fem!reader, more angst

Summary: tis the damn season for you and Steve as you try to avoid the past while figuring out the future

———————

December 1991 - Hawkins

The Wheeler house looks straight out of a holiday catalog with its large tree lighting up the front room. Christmas music plays throughout the decorated house and a fire warms up the young guests.

Mike decided to have the gang back together at their parent's place this year. Most of the kids were home for the holidays and desperately needed to see each other after being at school all semester. After running into Dustin outside of your homes, he insisted you come. Nancy ended up calling you that night to extend the invite, explaining that she didn't even know about the party until she arrived that morning.

So there you were, dressed in your festive velvet red dress, sipping mulled wine with Nancy. She tells you about her job at a local newspaper and how she's making more connections at the Boston Globe, her dream company. You fill her in on getting into law school and your decision to move to Chicago. She's excited for you and easily dances around the subject of Steve.

It had been a couple of months since your break up with Peter and when he revealed to you that he and Steve had spoken. You did pick up the phone that night with the full intention of calling Steve. But you never did go through with it. You weren't thinking straight, your emotions were too high, and frankly, you were too scared to face him. So you set the phone down and swore to call him the next day, and the next, and the next. But you never called Steve. Instead, you let the situation sit there and simmer. No questions answered. Just like your relationship had always been with him.

As if the universe was reading your mind, the front door swings open, letting the cold December air in for just a moment. Your back was to the door, so you didn't see who came in. But you quickly started to gather who it was when Dustin cheered and rushed over to greet the guest. You straightened up a bit, building up the confidence to turn around and face the very person who's been tormenting your thoughts for the last couple of months.

His laugh hits your ears as he greets the kids with hugs. Your heart weakens a bit, loving that they all still care about him so much. You turn, wanting to catch the sweet moment.

As you turn around, Steve looks up, catching sight of your familiar hair and pretty red dress. You see each other from across the room, the lights around you softening as you hold his gaze. You feel a familiar tug towards him - something unseen, intangible but still there. He must feel it too because he's quick to give you a small smile. Steve wasn't sure what he'd do if he saw you tonight, but instinct took over with that smile. So you smile back. Two small, knowing smiles in a home filled with too many memories.

Then a young woman appears in the doorway behind Steve. She smiles wide at the kids and slips comfortably under Steve's arm. He breaks his gaze from you and puts all his attention on her.

Steve introduces her to Mike and Dustin, and she's all smiles as she meets everyone. You look away - at your shoes, the Christmas tree. Anything but Steve and this girl.

Luckily, Nancy clutches your arm, spinning you back around to face her. She leans in to whisper, "I'm so sorry. I had no idea he'd be here."

You pull back, shrugging, “it’s all good. Really.” Lie, lie, lie.

Your body practically ached at the sight of Steve and his - what? Girlfriend?

You wanted to peek back at them. See Steve's rosy cheeks and big smile as he paraded her around to meet everyone. Oh god, you thought, you're going to have to meet her too.

Nancy smiled tightly, her voice quick and low, "don't freak. They're coming over here." She waved as you felt two people approach you.

Nancy knew your history with Steve, even the most recent encounter. Somewhat ironically, she was the first to clock that something was going on between you two. After Jonathan moved to California, she and you became closer. Sometimes eating lunch together at school or working on college applications together. She noticed when he’d pick you up after classes got out almost every day or when he’d be at your soccer games, cheering you on alongside your family. She especially noticed when you had like three hickeys on the back of your neck the morning after you told her you were catching a movie with Steve.

Nancy noticed how he changed too, both as a person and his behavior towards her. He was lighter with her, not mopey or awkward. The tension completely dissipated.

Naturally, you and Nancy grew closer when you two were the only ones who moved away from Hawkins. She was there for you during the fallout with Steve, which was why she was shocked that you wanted to say hello to him and his girlfriend, Amanda, who Nancy just met about thirty minutes ago.

Steve's pulse quickened as you turned around to greet them. Your expression was collected, cool, and unreadable. Suddenly feeling vulnerable, he quickly scans the room for your boyfriend but comes up short. Nancy speaks up before he can think too hard about it.

She gives him a quick hug before introducing herself to Amanda who only says her name, waiting for Steve to fill in the rest. The three girls, including yourself, stare back at him. He cracks a smile, recovering from his brief falter, and then says the words you were dreading.

"My girlfriend," he's almost bashful, you think, as he wraps an arm around her.

Girlfriend. A word now seared into your brain, likely to cause inexplicable heart pain every time you hear it now. Girlfriend.

Nothing could have ever prepared you for this moment. You never imagined meeting one of Steve’s girlfriends. It’s not like you didn’t expect him to never date anyone after you, but you never imagined that this situation would be occurring. That was one of the pros of going no contact for so many years - no girlfriends.

“It’s so nice to meet you,” you say, shaking Amanda’s hand with an obligatory smile on your face. You tell her your name and she gives you a knowing smile, "Steve’s told me so much about you guys. It’s great to finally put a face to the name.”

You blink, trying to keep your smile from faltering. God, what has this man said to her about you?

You deliver the perfect cliche, “oh, all good things I hope," and shoot Steve a look, lofting your eyebrows just slightly. He doesn’t miss a beat, sending you the slightest of head nods.

Old habits never die, you think as you quickly fall back into the knowing looks with Steve. The subtle communication only you two could understand of each other.

Amanda laughs, “of course! He was just saying that you’re a lawyer. That’s so impressive.”

You turn back to her, shaking your head, “well, not yet. I just go into law school.”

You can feel Steve’s eyes on you and wonder if he’s thinking about your decision to move to Chicago.

“Are you staying in the city? Or looking elsewhere?” Amanda asks, genuine and annoyingly nice.

Nancy perks up, "she actually just committed to Northwestern."

Steve shifts his gaze to you. But you avoid his eyes, not wanting to see his expression. "Chicago!" Amanda exclaims, "that's so exciting. We'll have to show you around."

He knew that this was a real possibility. Hell, you were the one who told him you wanted to move. But hearing the confirmation was a whole different thing. This was real. You were about to be back in his life whether he liked it or not.

“That would be great,” you say, keeping your attention on her, “what about you? What do you do?”

And then she tells you about teaching and how they met. They’ve been seeing each other for a little over two months. Interesting you think, doing the mental math in your head. You ask about her childhood, family, where she grew up. Steve chimes in here and there, but you can feel the tension radiating off his body as he stands in between you and Amanda.

The night goes on and more of your friends arrive, quickly swapping stories about high school and your collective near-death experiences. You do enjoy yourself, wrapped up in the warm nostalgia of it all. But every time your eyes shift back to Steve and Amanda, an unreasonable bitterness nips at the back of your mind.

You had no right to be jealous, sure, but you could be a little bothered by the whole thing. It doesn't help that she's charming and friendly. Boo.

You’re in the kitchen now, stress-eating the finger foods off a platter on the counter, alone in your thoughts. Tonight would not be a good time to bring up the past with Steve, would it? But when would be a good time? When you're finally living in the same city again? No, it should be sooner. But what would he say?

“That cheese is great-“

You jump, startled by the sudden voice in the kitchen. You turn around and find Steve frowning, worried about your reaction.

He steps forward, “shit sorry. Thought you heard me walk in.”

“I guess I was a little distracted,” you say without really thinking.

Steve notices a hint of bitterness in your tone. You look up, finally meeting his eyes. Both of you pause, lingering in the moment, unsure of what to say next.

For the first time all evening, you two are finally alone together. Everyone else is in the living room playing games, including Amanda who is partnered up with Robin in a very competitive game of charades.

Steve steps to where you’re standing. You suck in a breath as the distance between you two grows smaller. He stands beside you and picks through the cheese platter, completely ignoring the tension in the room.

You want to roll your eyes at him, annoyed at how cavalier he could be during situations like this. So you decide to poke the bear a bit and not ignore the obvious.

“Your girlfriend’s cool,” you say, turning to face the counter like him, your shoulders brushing.

Steve pops a piece of cheese in his mouth letting the silence linger. He wasn’t sure where you were going with this, so he let you lead the way.

You weren’t going to lie to him. You did think Amanda was great and you were not about to be the type of girl to hate her for being with your…whatever Steve was to you.

“So you two met at school?” you ask, genuinely curious and purposefully dancing around the real question you wanted to ask - when did they meet?

Steve smiles, “she’s the first-grade teacher." Of course, she is.

He pauses, not sure if he should say anything but this would be a perfect time to segue into that night. And for whatever reason, Steve couldn’t help himself around you.

“Actually,” he looks at you now, “she was at the bar when I ran into you in September.”

Your whole body tenses. So we’re doing this now, huh?

You catch the cheeky glimmer in his eyes, remembering just how much of a dick Steve could be sometimes.

“You should have introduced us,” you reach for a piece of cheese, “maybe the night would have turned out differently.”

“Yeah maybe if you told me about your boyfriend we wouldn’t have been out all night,” Steve lets out quickly, his emotions getting the best of him.

Now you’re speechless. You never did figure out what you would say to Steve about that phone call. You naively thought you’d never see him again so you wouldn’t have to discuss it.

You drop the cheese and turn your body to face him. He stares down at you, the hint of cheekiness replaced with anger now. He hates that you’re the only one who can rile him up like this.

“I should have told you about Peter that night,” you concede, “I’m sorry.”

Steve falters, not expecting an apology. Before he can think of something to say, you continue, “I guess I was caught up in the moment. I don’t know.”

He looks away, pushing off the counter, “seeing you again was already a shock. But then to find out you had a boyfriend really fucked with me.”

Your stomach aches as Steve admits this all to you. As you finally talk about that night. He doesn’t want to do this now, not with all your friends and Amanda in the other room. But, as usual around you, he can’t control his emotions. The words just flow out of him.

“And finding out about him that way was pretty shitty too,” Steve shook his head, “I mean, hell, do you two live together?”

“We broke up,” you blurt out. The words fly out of your mouth before you can stop yourself.

Steve shifts back, his hands brace the counter as you face him. He looks over your features as if trying to read your mind and you do the same.

You being single, Steve in a relationship - does it even matter? What would you do if you were both single? Steve practically answered that in Chicago when he didn’t know about your boyfriend and you asked him up to your room. And yet he still turned you down and you still had no idea what you wanted from him. So single, taken, it didn’t make a difference.

Before either of you can respond, Robin rushes into the kitchen. She notices the moment between you two but doesn’t think twice to acknowledge it. She loves Steve and wants what’s best for him, and what’s best is Amanda, his girlfriend who’s currently waiting for him in the other room.

Robin yanks Steve’s arm, “I’m tapping out and Amanda’s looking for a new partner.”

Steve holds your gaze for just a moment before shifting his attitude ever so slightly. He smiles at Robin then nods at you, before turning into the living room.

You turn back to the counter, pick up the discarded piece of cheese, and pop it into your mouth. A tense gaze hits you. You turn slightly to catch Robin eyeing you narrowly.

“What’s up, Buckley?” You say casually. Your relationship with Robin has always been this way. Close at times but a one-sided skepticism was always apparent. Then of course when everything ended between you and Steve, you hardly ever spoke to Robin.

She steps closer, “are you really moving to Chicago?” She clocks your surprised reaction.

“Nancy mentioned it,” she clarifies.

You nod, “not until summer.”

Robin sighs, “I’m not going to pretend like I know what the fuck is up with you and Steve, but I do know that he’s happy. Like really doing well and doesn’t need any bullshit in his life - happy.”

“I know,” you say honestly, “I don’t plan on screwing anything up for him.”

Robin wants to tell you that actually, you don’t know. You have no idea what kind of hold you have over Steve. She wants to tell you how messed up he was after seeing you and how you totally derailed his life and can definitely do it again. That’s what she’s worried about. But instead, she saves face.

“Good,” Robin crosses her arms.

You think about what it will look like to live near Steve again and you don’t know why you continue the conversation and say, “we probably won’t see each other much anyway.”

Robin practically scoffs as you say this. She shakes her head, “this is you and Steve we’re talking about. At the very least, he’ll want to be your friend.”

You don’t know what else to say so you nod, thinking about everything. You hoped you could be friends with Steve, but you never were ever just friends with him. There had always been that hint of what if? That possibility of something more.

Laughter and shouts break your thoughts. Dustin’s calling your name to join on the next round. So you push it all aside and follow Robin back into the room with all your friends, and you decide to enjoy being home for the holidays.

———————

A few days later

As the town gears up for the New Year, you help your dad clean up the garage. Your family loves to do a big cleanout before the new year. Help clear out the old and bring in the new.

The manual labor was a much-needed distraction from your mind swirling with thoughts about your future and Steve, and his really cool totally awesome girlfriend. Spending time with your family was also a reminder of other forms of love in your life. You were excited to be closer to them again.

You and your dad stand hunched over the engine of his 1964 silver Mustang. You were helping him fix up something under the hood when the sound of footsteps hit the pavement.

Your dad was the first to see who it was. He steps away from the car, “Steve! Been a long time, bud.”

You brace yourself on the side of the car, pushing off of it to face them.

Your dad and Steve break away from their friendly hug. What the hell is going on?

Steve nods, “I know, I’m sorry! With Dustin moving away for school, there’s not much left for me in Hawkins these days.”

“Did you hear our girl’s moving to Chicago?” Your dad says proudly.

Steve flashes you a smile, taking in your dirty jeans and worn-in sweatshirt. You smile back, raising your eyebrows a bit at him entertaining your dad.

“Yeah, it’ll be great to be in the same city again,” Steve says as you approach the two of them.

You nod, “don’t worry. I won’t bother you too much, Steve.”

He gazes at you, trying to search for another meaning in your sentence. Bother me all you want, Steve wants to say.

The garage door opens. Your mom has the phone in her hand, the cord extended all the way. She spots Steve and smiles, “oh, hi honey! How are you?”

Steve waves, greeting your mom. She calls over your dad, “your sister’s on the line.”

He bids Steve goodbye and rushes into the house after your mom.

You chuckle, wiping your greasy hands on the rag poking out of your jeans. You look up at Steve, “they always ask about you.”

“Oh yeah?” he beams.

You nod, “it’s sweet.”

You turn to the car, walking towards it. Steve watches as your hair sits high in a ponytail, swishing back and forth as you walk. He always liked when you put your hair up.

He follows you to your spot under the hood. Steve eyes the car, “how long have you been working on this?”

“Pretty much all day,” you say, “you know how my dad can get with his cars.”

He smiles, remembering when your dad got you your first car - a used Chevy truck that was cool in theory but broke down on you every other month. You resorted to catching a ride with Steve instead.

Steve helps as you slam the hood shut. You turn to him, “so, what’s up?”

He had almost forgotten why he was there in the first place. Steve puts his hands on his hips.

“When do you move?” He asks.

You nod, “in June. Thought I’d get a head start on apartment hunting near campus.”

Steve looks around, finally coming to peace with your response. He eyes the sun as it begins to set. The birds chirp around you. He nods over to the street, “let’s take a walk.”

You eye him, but ultimately agree, following him down your driveway and into your quiet neighborhood.

Walking these streets with Steve brought back some serious nostalgia. You used to do this all the time. His house only a few blocks away from yours. He’d walk you back to your house at night when it was too dark and you had school the next morning. Or on Saturday mornings, you’d walk to his place and eat breakfast because his parents were already out for the day.

Now the two of you walked side by side, leisurely taking in the old pine trees and suburban homes. Steve straightened his back, clapping his hands together as if prepping himself for what he was about to say.

“I think we should air everything out. You know, before we live in the same place again,” he states.

You shove your hands in your back pockets, what did you have in mind?”

He tilts his head, “well, I’m with Amanda now and everything’s going pretty good.”

You nod as he continues, “and I didn’t tell her about us. You know, our past.

“Oh,” you hesitate. That was a little surprising, but given how nice she was to you, it tracks.

“I didn’t think it was necessary,” Steve says slowly, “I mean, I didn’t really think we’d be in each other’s lives again.”

You look over at Steve, “it’s up to you. But I’m sure it won’t come up in conversation.”

He chuckles, “right. Well, how often do you want to see each other?”

You blink, all the time, preferably. If he’d have you.

“You could show me around? Then we’ll go from there?” You say sheepishly. He and Robin are the only people you really know there, and you don’t think Robin would be the most excited to hang out with you.

Steve smiles, “yeah, yes of course!” He runs a hand through his hair, “sorry. I’m not really sure how to handle all this with you.”

You decide to lighten the mood and bump his shoulder, “neither do I. But, I do know I want to be back in your life.”

He takes in your words and smiles, “me too. Someone you know again.”

You look down, hearing Steve say your words from that night back to you. It feels different this time. Like you’ve got the “what if?” out of the way and can maybe begin to move onto a new part of your relationship - just friendship.

You continue, “and if you’re worried about Amanda, I won’t mess anything up. I promise.”

“Don’t be weird,” Steve eyes you, playfulness in his voice.

You shake your head, “I swear. I’ll be on my best behavior. No weirdness here.”

He knocks his shoulder back against yours. You stumble a bit, taken off guard. Steve reaches out, grabbing your arm to steady you.

You laugh, “easy, Harrington. I get the message loud and clear. No need for intimidation tactics.”

“Funny, really hilarious,” he says, sarcasm dripping off his tone.

You proceed, feeling good, “honestly Amanda is really cool. Like way cooler than you.”

“Oh yeah? Hang out with her then,” he laughs.

“Maybe I will,” you smirk, “what’s her number?”

Steve reaches out and lightly tugs the end of your ponytail out of instinct. You groan, shoving his hands away from you. He puts his hands up in surrender, scurrying up the street a bit.

You laugh, jogging up the street to catch up to him. This shouldn’t be too hard, you think. You’ll be busy with school and he’s got his whole life to focus on. Maybe being friends with Steve Harrington will be easier than you think!

—————

a/n: ahhhhhhhhhhh just friends! What could go wrong! I’m not sure how long this little series will go. But if you’re still interested, I’m already working on the next part :)

tags: @httpazxnth @wwylmlive @xaimary @dogstarbytes @micheledawn1975 @ortega29 @djodirt @ahead-fullofdreams

[steddiewithachance]

Vampire Pancakes

A response to this writing prompt. Thought it was too cute, had to write it! @dwobbitfromtheshire

🥞🫐

No one really knows what to do with Eddie right now. Everyone is jittery around him, going so far as to hold their breath when he so much as twitches. Even Dustin is squinting at him with calculating eyes; he's analyzing Eddie for threat.

Eddie will continue to courteously ignore the hand that Nancy is keeping stationed on her belt conveniently close to the little pistol everyone knows she's hiding. It doesn't matter that Eddie helped them kill Vecna, or that he saved Baby Byers' life. It doesn't matter when he has sharp teeth, dark eyes, and a thirst for blood. He can't blame 'em for being scared.

Eddie thinks about his dad. Wonders if even Al would see Eddie as a monster now.

Eddie got picked on a lot as a kid and he'd often come home from school tired and weepy. Al would look up from the couch in that black tank top he always wore. He'd set down whatever he was smoking to pat the spot next to him.

"What happened Ed? Was some little shithead mean to ya?"

Eddie would nod and slump into his father's side, eyes burning from the spicy, smokey air. When Eddie pressed his face into his dad's arm, Al would pull back and pat his head with sorrowful eyes. Al didn't really know how to comfort a kid or maybe he thought that being distant was in Eddie's best interest.

"You're too soft, Ed. Ya gotta make those kids think you can pack a punch. Chin up, eyes mean, shoulders back. Make 'em intimidated, make 'em fear ya."

So like any kid who thinks their dad's word is law, Eddie listened, or tried his best at least. But his dad never said that mean eyes, dark clothes, and loud music would get him accused of witchcraft by a bunch'a angry jocks and chased straight into hell.

Now his sheepies -his kiddos- are looking at him like they're scared, like they can't trust him and that is a fucking gut punch. Because pretty early on in his high school career, he decided that his purpose was gonna be standing as a shield for other kids like him. He wanted to be a source of safety and warmth in an otherwise cold and unforgiving storm.

Being feared is lonely and sad, Eddie has discovered, and he worries this is his new permanent reality.

Eddie quietly sits through his friends hammering out the logistics of a nighttime schedule to organize sleeping shifts so someone always has an eye on him. It's sick. Eddie has to excuse himself to cry about it. He has no uncontrollable urges to eat anyone here, Steve does smell appetizing, but he wouldn't jump the guy.

He can still eat human food apprently, it barely does anything for him, but it's something. Eddie thinks it's enough to quell any feral urges he may or may not get. He thinks the party is being unreasonable about their safety precautions, but really, he'd probably do the same if there was a monster in the same house as him.

🥞🫐

It's a long night, he can't fall asleep but he'll pretend to so that everyone can relax a little. The changing of the guard chafes at him and makes his lip quiver. He bites his lip to prevent a wounded sound from slipping out when Robin nudges Steve awake and says it's "his turn on hell shift". Eddie jolts because he remembers he has real sharp teeth now, and biting his lip does, in fact, hurt like a bitch.

"You're not asleep, huh?" He hears whispered into the air of the big living room after Robin has settled back into sleep. It's Steve's sweet and melodic voice.

"I'm trying." He responds, brokenly.

"Wanna get some fresh air with me for a minute? I need'a smoke." Steve is already shrugging the sheets off of him and carefully stepping over his sleeping friends towards the back door. Eddie doesn't think he has a choice, but to follow. Stepping out of this stuffy room does sound like a relief though.

Eddie makes the same journey through the sea of teenagers sprawled across Steve's floor and out the sliding glass door. When he steps onto the patio, all of the crickets stop chirping around him. The night goes silent. What the fuck? Is that because of him? He loves the sound of crickets, though.

He walks over and curls up in one of the Harringtons' fancy-loungy-pool-chairs. Steve stays standing, leaning artfully against the side of his house next to the glass. He flicks open his lighter and the small flame illuminates his square jawline with a warm glow. He's so achingly handsome. He's like a movie star, or a model.

"You okay?" Steve asks conversationally.

"Not even a little."

Steve sighs and pushes off the wall to walk towards Eddie's chair. He sits at the foot of it and swivels so he's looking at Eddie.

"I'm really sorry Eddie. I can't even imagine how you must be feeling. I won't pretend to." Steve sets a hand on Eddie's ankle and Eddie could cry from the small gesture of comfort that he's practically writhing for. "I feel like what happened to you is all my fault. I know that 'sorry' wont cut it, but for the record, I am. Completely and utterly sorry." That's a silly thing to think.

"It's not your fault, are you kidding? How do you reckon it's your fault?"

"Sending you with Dustin? Alone? Putting all that responsibility on you?" Steve looks down at his cigarette with disgust. He twists it into the cold concrete next to his socked foot and looks back at Eddie. There's no fear in his expression, and for once Eddie is grateful for his reckless bravery.

"It was the best plan and we all agreed to it. Don't sweat it, Harrington." Eddie feels like he's not all there. Feels like maybe if he was more composed he could comfort Steve better, but he's hungry and dazed, sad and tired. Steve nods solemnly, and clears this throat.

"And about everyone being kind of on edge... It'll pass. I think they're all thinking about when Billy Hargrove got possessed by the mind flayer and went homicidal on us. He tried to kill all the kids."

Eddie desperately wants to hear all the other Upside down stories one day. He keeps trying to stitch together all these scraps of lore that keep getting dropped on him. He has no right to ask about something so traumatic, so he'll just be patient and wait for more lore to drop.

"Everyone's just being cautious. Vecna's dead though, so I'm not really sure who they think would possess you." Steve finishes and squeezes Eddie's lower calf where his hand rests.

"I get it. Kinda hurts my feelings, but I get it." Eddie mumbles and feels his eyes getting heavy. He wonders if he could fall asleep out here. Maybe if the crickets were still chirping and it wasn't so goddamn quiet.

"I'm sorry, Eddie." It's fine, this might not even be the worst thing that's ever happened to him.

🥞🫐

In the morning Eddie curls himself into Steve's little kitchen nook. Eddie kind of loves the window seat, it's something his mom would have wanted, Eddie theorizes. She was always looking out windows, probably daydreaming about escaping. Eddie does it too.

The kids seem warmer this morning. There's no more hushed whispers or pointed looks. They're talking and moving around the house less cautiously. Hopefully, the stiffest interactions and the worst of their distrust is behind them. Nancy's still watching him like a hawk though.

Steve shuffles into view, his socks are bunched up around his ankles. It's cute.

He holds out a plate for Eddie with a dumb smile on his face. When Eddie reaches for it, he sees a stack of pancakes and the top pancake has a little face made out of blueberries and two whipped cream fangs. It's a vampire pancake. Steve made Eddie a sweet little vampire pancake.

"Oh my god, you're so adorable." Eddie squeaks and makes a grabby hand for the fork Steve's holding. Steve blushes and hands over the fork.

"Do you like it?" Steve asks coyly. The pancakes feel like a hug, they feel like an apology that Steve doesn't even owe.

"I love it, chef." Eddie pokes at the pancake-vampire's cheek. "I don't know if I can eat him. He's too cute." Eddie giggles. Steve looks up at him with bright sparkly eyes. God he's perfect. Eddie's hungry for him in five different ways.

Robin and Dustin come up beside Steve to look down at the plate.

"I want one!" Dustin announces loudly. Steve turns around and heads back to the stove, he looks so proud of himself.

"You can have normal pancakes. Those are special for Eddie." Steve says with a wink. Dustin looks down at Eddie and pouts at him as if Eddie has any say in who gets what kind of pancake.

"Dustin had to watch it all happen, he should get one too." Eddie tells Steve earnestly while Steve is pouring more batter into the pan.

Dustin gloats and yells "Exactly! Thank you, Eddie."

And it feels like things are gonna be okay.

[therobinswayne]

marauders variants

im doing this again because ive become increasingly obsessed w how all of us can easilly have entirely different ideas of these charachters bc of the nature of the marauders fandom. so here's some variants and why i think they're similar!

james potter

ferris bueller (ferris bueller's day off) - cocky, larger than life, popular and beloved by younger kids at the school, thinks he can get away with anything, manages to be charming through all this

peter parker (the amazing spider man) - goofy, willing to fight for what's right, has a sunny vibe despite anything negative going on

anthony bridgerton (bridgerton) - protective of his family, charasmatic, kind of a playboy but also an intense loveryboy at the same time

sirius black

rachel green (friends) - kind of spoiled but wants to grwo, self-absorbed and confident in himself, loyal friend who loves his people

jamie tartt (ted lasso) - egotistical, emotionally stunted, but at the core of all that kind of emotionally stunted and hopeful to learn

daring charming (ever after high) - bit of a shithead, flirts with anything that moves, doesn't realize that he's kind of a dick to his younger sibling

remus lupin

chandler bing (friends) - uses humor as a self-defence, self depricating, charismatic

steve rogers (captain america: the first avenger) - brave and loyal to the point of self-sacrafice, generally really nice but has a wicked temper you'd never guess

stanley uris (it) - considered the smart one of a rowdy friend group, actually just as bad as the rest of them

peter pettigrew

penelope featherington (bridgerton) - unassuming and sweet, but actually has a crazy pen and will rip you to shreds if he wants to

mike hanlon (it) - sweetheart, committed to his ideals, will do anything to keep things good

nate shelley (ted lasso) - feels a bit underappreciated on a whole, wicked quick, strategic mastermind

lily evans

lucy gray baird (the hunger games: a ballad of songbirds and snakes) - sweet and kind to all, but has a firey side if you cross her, can't win her trust back once you've lost it

hazel levesque (heroes of olympus) - lovely, small in stature, absolutely could kill you but choses kindness

amelia pond (doctor who) - adventurous, hardheaded, won't be told what to do

marlene mckinnon

robin buckley (stranger things) - chaotic lesbian, motormouth, band kid

darcy olsson (heartstopper) - overcomensates for her insecurities with humor, refuses to be talked down to or made small

karen karen (daisy jones and the six) - badass rocker, stubborn, won't change herself for anyone

mary macdonald

cher horowitz (clueless) - well-meaning, a little ditzy but she's got the spirit, wants to help people in any way she can

britta perry (community) - stubborn when she believes she's right, knows her worth, sure of herself

elle woods (legally blonde) - kind-hearted, believes in herself completely, even if she's ditzy in a common sense way, she's got crazy knowledge of hyper-specific things

alice fortescue

robin scherbatsky (how i met your mother) - badass, cool as hell, "cool girl", raised by just her dad and knows how to fight

kat stratford (10 things i hate about you) - angry girl, hates all men except her dad and her boy, extremely judgy music snob

eloise bridgerton (bridgerton) - funny as hell, will not tolerate you if she doesn't like you, incredibly nosy about everyones business

dorcas meadowes

nancy wheeler (stranger things) - preppy, has a badass side that comes out when her people are in danger, vary much a "good girl"

rory gilmore (gilmore girls) - academic weapon, big pop culture girlie, needs coffee to survive, accidentally toxic in her relationships

tara lewis (heartstopper) - big ball of anxiety, overachiever, but proud of herself and has a big heart

pandora lestrange

pheobe buffay (friends) - funky, kind of a hippie, seen as weird, has strong moral principles, makes her own jewelery

daisy jones (daisy jones and the six) - unpredicatble, wild, flower power lover, has an indescribable but extremely lovable quality to her that makes her an it girl even tho shes weird

rachel dare (percy jackson and the olympians) - has seer powers, artist, constantly has paint on her clothes

emmeline vance

eponine thenardier (les miserables) - bitchy as a defence mechanism, eldest daughter complex like it's her goddamn job, secretly a lovergirl but she'll never tell

annabeth chase (percy jasonson and the olympians) - competitive, needs to prove herseld, can NOT turn down a challenge, architecture nerd

monica gellar (friends) - absolutely will break down if she doesn't win literally everything, compulsive need to keep things clean, will absolutely beat a bitch up if she's angry, insecure

regulus black

christina yang (grey's anatomy) - fiercely ambitious, will not be swayed, dark and twisty, crazy competitive, knows he's better than all these bitches around him

paris gellar (gilmore girls) - hot headed, loyal friend even if his friendship is hard to earn, has no problem with quick and calculated revenge

michelle jones (mcu spidern-man) - quiet, pessimist but is more of a disappointed optimist that doesn't want to be disappointed again, always spectating those around and keeping stock of everything he sees

evan rosier

jason mendoza (the good place) - sweet, excitable, kind of dumb but extremely lovable

joey tribbiani (friends) - playboy, very comfortable in his sexuality, goofball

peeta mellark (the hunger games) - resourceful, very sweet with a protective streak, kinf of a skill money

barty crouch jr

dennis reynolds (it's always sunny in philadelpha) - categorically a bad person but knows it and doesn't care, kind of a sociopath

jeff winger (community) - liar all the time, well-aticulate and uses it to his advantage, total fuck boy, would fuck any of his friends if they were down

peter maximoff (x-men movies) - kleptomaniac, can't sit still for the life of him, a little bitchy

frank longbottom

chidi anegonye (the good bplace) - anxious, bookish, constantly worried about eveything, doesn't want to hurt anyone ever

grover underwood (percy jackson and the olympians) - friendly, loyal to a fault, environmentally concious king

ben hanscom (it) - has a terminal case of loverboy syndrome, sweetheart, architecture nerd

benjy fenwick

andy dwyer (parks and recreation) - childish, goofball, well-meaning and lovable, kind of an ass sometimes

nick nelson (heartstopper) - protective, sunshiney, that friend that feels like he can't share his problems despite being there for everyone else's problems

jake peralta (brooklyn nine-nine) - always joking, like to the point that he can't take shit seriously, but is also the most supportive friend, investigative as hell, can put things together quick

xenopehlius lovegood

luna lovegood (harry potter) - this is kind of a copout ik but i really feels like luna and xeno are so similar, spacey, kind fo an outsider, oddball, believes weird thigns no one else has heard of

alice (alice in wonderland) - gullible, easy to convince of anything, loves exploring, hard to get to focus

enjolras (les miserables) - fierce believer, gets offended when other people don't believe what he does

aurora sinistra

ayda aueegfort (fantasy high) - autistic as hell, academic for teh sake of academia, desperate to learn

patricia johnson (nerdy prudes must die) - not tactille, has a hard time talking about her emotions

adaine abernant (fantasy high) - will defend her friends until literal death, fuck you

charity burbage

eleven hopper (stranger things) - sweet, well-meaninf, staunchly lawful neutral, will stick to her rules to the end of time but its so hard to figure out what her rules even are

rapunzel (tangled) - natural explorer, constantly wandering, loves nature and art, constantly learning new hobbies

katniss everdeen (the hunger games) - will never change her first assumption unless she absolutely has to, very quick to distrust you if you even kind of slight one of her friends

sybil trelawney

riz gukgak (fantasy high) - insomniac, NEEDS to know what's going on, nosy investiagtor

abed nadir (community) - can slip into different masks really well but generally doesn't because she's pretty comfortable with herself

sherlock holmes (sherlock bbc) - always investigating, terrible with social cues, people HATE her ass for knowing so much about them

[undreaming-fanfiction]

There's a wonderful discussion in our Moots Discord between @henderdads and @legitcookie and it got me thinking.

I love all of the posts and fics where Eddie has a silver tongue and showers Steve with compliments and pet names, but I firmly believe Eddie's brain packs a suitcase and leaves for a cruise whenever Steve calls him "darling", "love" or anything affectionate. And his vocabulary gets limited to things he sees.

He tries to hide that because it's, frankly, pathetic.

Sometimes it works out. When Steve kisses him in the kitchen and says "good morning, love", Eddie freezes, searches the counter and responds, "morning...muffin." Weird, but adorable.

But then they're on a walk together in the woods and Steve asks "are you tired, darling?" and there isn't anything cute around them and Eddie's brain capacity disappears. He needs to respond. He needs to show Steve he loves him too.

"Oh, it's...it's fine, uh..."

He needs to add something.

There's a rock. Nope, too weird.

Tree? Why would Steve be a tree?

Leaf. Leaf is the best so far.

"All good...my...pinecone?" he says slowly and Steve loses it.

They have an honest talk afterwards. Eddie apologizes and Steve, through fits of laughter, reassures him that he loved being called a pinecone. And they decide to start a new tradition together, "find the best pet name". More precisely, find the best pet name in anything that happens to be around.

"My darling passive-aggressive church sign."

"My beloved shedding squirrel."

"My sweet discounted pineapple."

"My unforgetable half-eaten donut carelessly tossed into the closest bush."

Robin finds it hilarious. Nancy discreetly snickers into her hand. Jonathan and Argyle think it's so cool and start doing the same thing.

And the kids? The kids start a petition to bring back the "love" and "darling" they used to despise oh so much.

[miheartsedthings]

Billy request if you do em :)

52. “Can I kiss you?”

TA-DA! Hope you didn't think I forgot you or anything.

Summary: Post- graduation, Billy's found-family has been teaching him about consent. He hasn't fully grasped it.

"Can I Kiss You?"*

TW: Dubious consent

Billy and his friends approach you at the first party of the semester. Billy’s one of the hottest guys you’ve ever seen in person, overshadowing anyone else you’ve met on campus and easily trumping everyone at the party. You don’t expect to look up from your drink and have his undivided attention. Yet there he is, sauntering over to you in a leather jacket with no shirt underneath. In his eyes is such a steady determination you find yourself unable to look away as he approaches.  

“Ask her first, B.” Steve urges him but Billy's eyes are cloudy with drink and intention. Nancy stands red-faced between him and Robin while Steve is shaking his head at the way Billy is invading your personal space. Whatever group mission they're on has already derailed and you're at the center of it.

“Damn,” he says, his eyes dragging up and down your form “Gorgeous, every time.” His proximity forces you against the wall. 

“Billy boy,” Robin calls with a chuckle, “Ask.”

“Ask–?” you're interrupted as he takes your cheeks into his warm palms.

“Can I?”

Billy pulls you into a kiss, intense and greedy. He knows you want him just as much as he wants you. His mouth is warm, beer sour. His breath brushes your face as he turns that penetrating gaze into your eyes. 

“You liked that. Yeah?”

His words are buried under music for the others, but you hear him loud and clear, nose to nose as you are. You nod. 

“What did you wanna ask?” 

Your tone is distracted, and your brain goes fuzzy when he kisses you again, your back bumps into the wall and you hold his forearms. His friends are snickering behind him. 

“There goes the consent rule” Steve says. 

“Was that ever a stable subject for him?” Nancy adds. 

Billy picks you up and you straddle him, earning moans from the others which both of you ignore. Billy takes you somewhere, a playful grin spreading his lips as he carries you up the steps. He’s drunk, stumbling to the side a little, bumping you into the wall. The two of you laugh. 

“A little sloppy, huh?” You chide. 

He snickers, tossing you up against his chest, his hands gripping up under your skirt, the sudden violation elicits a startled, thrilling sound as you look down at him with renewed excitement. His eyes amused, daring you to doubt his control. 

“Yeah,” he says, “A bit.” 

Upstairs, the music slightly faded, the darkened hallway is sparse of bodies. The occasional mumbled voice from behind a closed door is all. Billy backs you against a wall and now your tongues have met. Your fingers play in his hair and his crotch is pushed against yours, warm and so close. This feeling is painfully good. The power of being that thing he wants to fuck. Radient with some golden honey men can smell. His tongue curls into your mouth to taste it, hands messaging your ass, his fingers rubbing the little strip of cloth covering your pussy. 

He moves to your neck, biting hard enough to startle you and then sucking, intent on leaving a mark as his hips grind into you. The hard curve of his tip bumps your clit and your hand tightens in his hair. He’s warm. His toned body between your legs, pressing you to the wall, his mouth against your neck, drawing moans without hardly trying. The pressure of him between your legs feels so sweet. So perfect. 

He moves his mouth to your cleveage, then pulls down your dress, exposing your tits, and in the moment between seeing your nipples and sucking them, words tumble from his lips which reach your ears at a delay. 

“Can I?” 

Every swirl of his tongue around your nipple sends a little surge right through your clit, a magic trick that makes you press his head in harder, urging his sucking and gently nibbling. 

“Fuck,” you breath, every little swivel of your hips grinds against his shaft, and he moans, switching to your other nipple. Footsteps on the stairs send a flush of raw nerves buzzing through you in a warm rush. “Someone’s coming.” 

Your words hushed against his ear only excite him more. The idea that someone will see the two of you- see you with your legs open for him, as close to fucking as kissing can get. 

“Billy,” you whisper. The people have reached the hall and you know they’ve spotted you, their loud voices drop to hushed tones. A flush of embarrassment makes you squirm against the wall, burying your face into his neck to hide. “Billy, please.” 

Finally, he listens. Abruptly, he takes your weight against him and continues down the hall, bursting into the first room you find unlocked. You find yourself tossed onto your back on a mess of blankets. Billy pulls off your panties, his eyes heavy with lust and focused on your nakedness as he stands back and takes off his jacket. 

“Fuck, baby,” his eyes trail up to your chest, and finally your face. He smirks. “Don’t look so nervous.” 

“I’m not,” you say, though your words are belied by the quiver in your voice. You prop yourself up on your elbows as Billy is crawling onto the bed, his hand falls to your lips, rubbing your wetness over them, staring down at the act like it’s just so beautiful. 

“Billy,” 

“Yeah?” 

He doesn’t look up. Transfixed as he is by the slow swirling. 

“What did you wanna ask me?” 

He pushes his middle finger inside, and as he does, as he’s sinking in past the first knuckle and you’re softening at the feeling- his lips part, a wisp of an exhale. Finally, he looks at you with those drunken, lover-boy eyes and all of you goes warm from the center of your stomach out.

“If I could kiss you,” he says, leaning closer, eyeing your mouth again, his weight sinking the mattress beside your hip. You feel like a small animal about to be eaten. You start to form words, but he’s so close, and just as you try he pushes in another finger. 

“Ask me? You didn’t–”

He’s kissing you, and his fingers are buried inside, curving into your flesh, pulling wetness out of you like fingering fruit. He groans and pulls back to look down. 

“Fuck,” he says, “I knew it. Fuckin knew you were like this.” 

He pulls harder, his fingers pushing hard and slow and every stroke brings more out of you, making you moan, turning your mouth onto his neck, your hands into his hair. You never do manage to answer the question. He never gets around to properly asking.

Hope you loved it ~

[lunabug2004]

Something I've noticed recently is the difference in which people notice or think/talk about Nancy and Mike's survivor's guilt.

People seem to be much more open to the notion of Nancy having survivor's guilt, also they tend to pick up on it easier, and I think the reason for this Nancy actually kinda demonstrates herself in s2, when talking to Jonathan when she says "Yeah, but it's different for you. Will came home."

Now, Mike feels survivor's guilt in connection to both Will and El, and Nancy for Barb, and the difference between them is that both Will and El actually survive. But the thing that people tend to forget is that Mike saw Will's "dead body", he saw El disappear in front of his own eyes just to not hear from her for almost a year, he saw his best friend's body and mind be taken over by a terrifying monster (who he had just told he wouldn't let happen to him a day or so before). So, yes, El and Will may not be dead, but in any case, esp in Mike's 11-14 year old brain, that doesn't really mean much at all. Mental illnesses don't go away just because the thing that caused them did. I mean, that's legitimately what PTSD is!

Talking about s2 specifically for example, even at the beginning of the season, most of the GA already knew that El was still alive, but knew for sure that Barb was dead. The show parallels Nancy and Mike in ep 1, with Nancy crying in Barb's house and Mike looking terribly upset while boxing up toys in his basement. Despite this parallel though, most people I've watched only pick up on Nancy's survivor's guilt. Even though Mike goes on to try and contact El, who he still (mostly) believes is dead, lots of people just go "aw that's sad" or "aw that's sweet" and move on.

Idk if it's just because he's younger, or that, as I said before, the audience knows El is still alive, but it's always seemed to me that people don't take Mike's mental health problems as seriously as they take Nancy's when really, they're in a very similar boat.