#Singing to strangers

[tartarusknight]

Imagine if Corroded Coffin got popular and over the years they released a shit ton of music. But one year they came out with a metal Christmas album. All of the songs going hard and exactly what everyone expected. Except, the last song was Not metal.

The cover of Santa Baby is more stripped down than the rest and Eddie changes the words of the song to Santa Buddy. But he puts in so much sexual tension in his singing that everyone is freaking out.

But then they post a music video for Santa Baby. And instead of one of the Corroded Coffin boys in the Santa outfit, it's some guy no one recognizes. Eddie dances around the guy, and it's the gayest thing anyone's seen.

And well, only their close family recognize it as Steve, Eddie's (illegal) husband.

[juiceicicles]

I am a firm believer that Steve can sing. Joe Keery can, and therefore Steve can.

Thing is, Steve doesn’t really know how well he can sing. He’s not a musician, he’s not singing frequently around others. He’s singing in the shower and in his car and occasionally singing under his breath when a song is really stuck in his head and he just needs it out.

So he’s doing his thing, cooking for the party or getting them snacks for dnd or smth, and he starts singing along to whatever songs on the radio.

He’s not really aware of anyone watching him, the party being caught up in their own conversations a moment before. It’s not until the song ends and the radio host starts speaking that he realizes everyone has gone silent.

He wanders out of the kitchen to see everybody staring at him.

Steve Harrington has the voice of an Angel, and now everybody knows. Robin is incredibly peeved she didn’t know this - she’s only ever heard him sing poorly as a Tammy Thompson impersonation - and demands an explanation, Eddie has just fallen in love, Nancy is the only one who’s not confused because she’s heard him sing before.

[hoperays-song]

I don’t think you’re getting it guys, there are two types of found family: the organized type, with “I chose you and I choose us’, healing together, and nurturing vibes, and the chaotic type, which mainly falls into the “good luck getting rid of me now” category like bringing home stray cats does.

Sometimes it’s just one, other times it’s both combined in some way. And both options are so fucking amazing.

[homunculus-argument]

So I finally got myself new headphones in order to start listening to music again, and who knew that the goth club classics are like the perfect walking music? That shit goes exactly my walking pace, once I reach my cruising speed I'll be in fucking trance walking in perfect lockstep with the drum beat.

[teambyler]

Mike and Will both love singing cheesy 80s songs

El didn't like it. But you know who WILL sing with you, Mike Wheeler?

THEY'RE SOULMATES.

And neither of them would stop the other. They'd think it was CUTE!

Who's up for Mike singing to Will with that guitar of his? Or a Mike and Will duet in s5? They can be "cheesy together." ;)

They like all the same things: comics, Nintendo, D&D, and singing their hearts out! Mike and Will can be THEMSELVES with each other!

-teambyler

[missjashin]

Wayne finding Eddie and Steve sleeping together and he is taken aback but not because Eddie sleeping with a boy or not even because he is sleeping with Harrington. No, he is taken aback because the boy is sleeping soundly with Eddie. His Eddie. Who happens to be snoring like a jackhammer.

And yet there Steve is. His head resting on the juncture of Eddie’s neck and shoulder, basically having his ear right on the level of Eddie’s mouth, but face relaxed like nothing has ever bothered him in his life.

[temptingfatetakingnames]

Open mic night was Eddie’s favourite night of the week. It wasn’t often that the group was able to make the drive up to Indy but everyone was finally available this time. Gareth, Jeff and Grant were going in his van. Steve was taking Robin, Argyle, Jonathan and Nancy. Steve hadn’t seemed too interested when Eddie had invited them but he owed Robin something and she forced him into being their designated driver for the evening’s festivities. It would be the first time the groups would be mixing and Eddie was incredibly anxious about it.

He loved Gareth, Jeff and Grant but they had no filters whatsoever and even though Steve might not be a douchebag anymore, he had still been King Steve and that didn’t just go away because they had fought interdimensional demons together. He also couldn’t explain to the guys the real reason he was hanging out with Steve without mentioning said interdimensional demons. So. Eddie was anxious. But it was open mic night and he was going to hope for the best. He fucking loved open mic night.

“Tell me again how you became friends with Harrington?” Grant asked from the back seat.

Eddie couldn’t help but sigh, he had explained (lied) to them all multiple times but they could sense that something was missing from the story.

“I told you! Henderson introduced us. You know how he always went on and on about him, had to see for myself.”

“And you hit it off? Just like that?” Jeff asked.

Eddie shrugged. That was the story and he was sticking to it.

“But why did you have to invite him to open mic night?” Gareth whined.

“Chill out. We’re going to have a good time,” Eddie said as he reached for the radio dial. He turned the music up louder, ending the Q and A portion of the ride.

When they pulled up at the bar, he saw that Steve and the rest of the gang were already there and waiting outside. He parked the van and went to meet them. Steve was standing a bit off to the side, arms crossed over his chest, scowling at Robin. He looked good. A simple black t-shirt showed off his arms and tight acid washed jeans showed off his ass. Eddie assumed Robin had helped him pick the outfit, he had never seen Steve wear black before. Nancy and Johnathan were holding hands and leaning into each other’s space and Argyle was finishing off the last few tokes of his joint.

Robin spotted him and the guys and waved them over.

“Hey, Eddie!” she said with a bright smile lighting up her face.

Eddie tucked one hand into his front pocket and used the other to wave back. “Hey guys, this is Grant, Jeff, and Gareth,” he said pointing at each of them in turn. “This is Robin, Nancy, Johnathan, Argyle and Steve.”

Introducing them all to each other might have seemed a little silly – they did all go to high school together. Well, except for Argyle – but it felt right, too. Eddie wanted them to get along and making introductions felt like a new start. They all nodded at each other, somewhat warily before moving to the door. They didn’t intermingle – group lines still clearly demarcated and Eddie sighed.

Wayne was good friends with the owner of the bar, so he let Eddie and his friends drink a bit. Usually just a pitcher or two of his cheapest beer, which was completely fine with him. Beer was beer as far as he was concerned and he wasn’t going to complain when he was getting it for free while he was still underaged. The place wasn’t too full yet, he liked to arrive a little early so he could get a spot near the front of the stage. He got everyone settled at the table and then dragged Jeff off to the bar to help him with the drinks.

“Hey there, my main man Moe,” Eddie sing-songed as he approached the man behind the counter. He was Wayne’s age with wrinkles around his eyes and grey in his hair. He and Wayne went way back, the best of friends even though they were complete opposites. Where Wayne could be quiet and standoffish, Moe was charismatic and brash – they balanced each other.

“Eddie!” Moe called back and smiled widely at him. “Good to see ya, how’s Wayne?”

“Wayne’s great! He says hello.”

“How many glasses?” Moe asked as he started to fill up a pitcher of beer. “You brought a big group this time.”

“Oh, uh – nine!... Please.”

Moe set the pitcher on the counter before turning to grab and stack a bunch of cups. Jeff picked up the cups and Eddie took the pitcher.

“Thanks, Moe.”

Moe waved him off, still smiling.

He and Jeff made their way back to the table. Eddie was pleased to see that the two groups were intermingling a bit when he got back. Robin was chatting with Grant and Gareth, which made sense – they probably had the most in common. Johnathan and Nancy were sitting side by side, listening. Argyle was currently a space cadet, staring at the popcorned ceiling like it was the night sky. And Steve – well Steve had his arms across his chest and was leaning back like he wished he was anywhere else. Whatever, he could be a grumpy goose all he wanted. Eddie placed the pitcher in the center and Jeff started handing out the cups.

“So, what’s the King been up to since graduating?” Gareth asked and then took a sip of beer. Eddie rolled his eyes. The question was innocent enough but the way Gareth asked it made it sound like he already knew the answer and it couldn’t be anything good.

“Family Video re-opened, so me and Robs have been working,” he said and shrugged, taking the question and the way it was asked in a surprisingly good stride.

“That’s it? Working at Family Video?” Grant chimed in with a smirk.

Everyone could read between the lines of what Grant and Gareth were saying – the great Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington, King of Hawkins High graduated but going nowhere – Working a menial service industry job that he probably hated. Eddie didn’t know if Steve had any other plans. He knew Robin and Nancy were all set to go off to college once they graduated but he and Steve had never really talked about their life goals. Maybe he was happy with an easy job and no stress. There were worse things, he supposed. But he also couldn’t imagine getting stuck in fucking Hawkins.

“Yup,” Steve replied. “That’s it.”

“That is not it, Steve!” Robin said from across the table. “Why don’t you tell them –” Her words were cut off when Moe walked onto the stage and announced that open mic night had officially begun.

A cheer went around the room and usually Eddie would be the first one to go up to the mic but he wanted Robin to finish her sentence. It was clear she wasn’t going to when the cheers finally quieted and a man from the back of the room approached the stage. Eddie listened but he found himself distracted; he hated mysteries. Puzzles needed to be solved or else he felt them like an itch in the back of his mind. He would need to bring the conversation back around to Steve later so he could find out what else the man had going on.

When the first performance ended to polite claps, Eddie jumped up to go next. He loved putting on a show. Moe always had an acoustic and electric guitar on the stage for anyone who wanted to use them. Eddie grabbed the electric guitar and strummed a few chords, testing it out before he went up to the microphone. He usually stuck to more rock and roll songs for open mic night over the heavier stuff he performed with Corroded Coffin. It was nice to be able to do both and he loved it when the crowd sang along with him. He finished his slowed down version of For Whom the Bells Tolls with an exaggerated bow.

A few regulars he knew went up after him. Jeff did a great acoustic version of Number of the Beast which Eddie had not expected to work at all. Robin and Nancy did a Blondie’s song together that wasn’t half bad. They had nice voices, and Robin at least managed to stay on key. Blondie was no joke.

They were on their third pitcher, the mood at the table loosened as they talked and sang and drank. Eddie and Steve only had one beer each before switching to sodas – a stipulation of Moes that anyone he brought to drink had a safe drive home. Eddie had never bent this rule, he appreciated Moe giving them a space to come and drink and he wouldn’t get him in trouble by driving drunk.

“Steve! Your turn!” Nancy yelled.

Steve shook his head. “I’m not getting up there. I’m only here because Robin made me come.”

Jeff and Gareth shared a look between them, rolling their eyes.

“Afraid to sing in front of us, Harrington?” Eddie asked. He knew that Steve wasn’t afraid of anything. His dumb bravery would put the strongest barbarian to shame but sometimes heckling worked and Eddie really wanted to hear him sing.

Steve just leaned back calmly. “Not gunna work on me, Munson.”

“Steve,” Robin whined and stretched out his name, “you have to sing.”

“Nope,” Steve responded.

Robin leaned over so she was practically in his lap and squeezed his cheeks together.

“You have to sing, Steve,” she said with the utmost seriousness.

Something passed between them because Steve’s eyes got large and frightened and Robin snickered. She had something on him! Something he didn’t want her to tell them and she was threatening him with it. Good job, Robin!

Steve sighed deeply before heading up the stage as the crowd hooted and hollered.

Robin leaned back in her chair with a satisfied smirk on her face.

“He’s probably going to sing Tears for Fears or Abba or something,” Eddie said to the group.

“My money is on Madonna,” Nancy chimed in.

Robin snorted. “Duran Duran!”

They all laughed.

Steve grabbed the microphone and took a deep breath, looking out into the crowd. His first note echoed in the room and the talking and laughter ceased immediately, all eyes turned and focused on the stage.

I get up in the evenin’ And I ain’t got nothing to say Come home in the mornin’ I go to bed feelin’ the same way I ain’t nothin’ but tired Man, I’m just tired and bored with myself     Hey there, baby, I could use just a little help

Not a sound could be heard from anyone in the room as they all listened in rapt silence. Steve’s voice was ethereal, perfectly pitched, beautiful. Eddie had never heard anything like it.

You can't start a fire You can't start a fire without a spark This gun's for hire Even if we're just dancin' in the dark

The thing was, Eddie liked Steve. He was a better person and friend than he could have ever expected of the former king. But he was a surface level person, what you saw was what you got. He could be sassy and mean and didn’t seem to dive too deeply into his own feelings. Steve was simple and he liked simple things. He was Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington for Christ sakes, he could not have the deep well of emotion and pain that he was conveying in this song.

But he did.

And he was.

Eddie turned to Robin and hissed in her ear as quietly as he could, “did you know about this?”

But she was looking at Steve just as dumbstruck as the rest of them and slowly shook her head.

You sit around gettin' older There's a joke here somewhere and it's on me I'll shake this world off my shoulders Come on, baby, the laugh's on me

Steve was baring his goddamn soul. And maybe Eddie had still been judging him too harshly on who he used to be – because they had fought a fucking war together. But it had always seemed to just…glide off Steve. They must have missed it – the darkness and loneliness in his eyes that Eddie was seeing now. They were all seeing it now. Nancy and Robin were both staring at him like they had never seen him before. Eddie was ashamed. How often did he lament people for thinking they knew him? For judging him on his looks before they even tried to know him? And now he had done it, too. But this was worse because Steve was his friend… and he hadn’t seen it. He had seen a piece of the man and assumed it for the whole.

Stay on the streets of this town And they'll be carvin' you up alright They say you gotta stay hungry Hey baby, I'm just about starvin' tonight I'm dyin' for some action I'm sick of sittin' 'round here tryin' to write this book I need a love reaction Come on now, baby, gimme just one look

This blew all of his preconceived notions out of the water. Steve was singing like his goddamn heart was breaking and no one in the world understood him. It was a masterpiece and Eddie was floored. Absolutely floored. He had heard Dancing in the Dark a million times. But Steve… The way he sang it gave the words such a deeper meaning. It was beautiful and haunting and pained. It changed everything about the song… and everything he thought he knew about Steve Harrington.

You can't start a fire Worryin' about your little world fallin' apart This gun's for hire Even if we're just dancin' in the dark Even if we're just dancin' in the dark

He held the last note, beautifully pitched, before he let it go. The room was silent, everyone as awestruck as Eddie. After a pregnant pause everyone erupted into cheers and whistles and Steve dropped his head as a blush starting creeping over his cheekbones – his hair falling over his face. Adorable.

Oh. Oh no.

No. No. No.

He did not just think that.

Appreciative eyes followed Steve as he made his way back to their table and Eddie bristled. He wanted to growl and bare his teeth at them all.

“You have the voice of an angel, my dude,” Argyle said.

“Thanks man,” Steve said as he sat back down.

Robin immediately attacked him, shoving him and screaming, “what the hell was that?”

“You wanted me to sing! So, I sang!” he yelled back.

“I didn’t know you could sing, Steve! Why didn’t you tell me?”

Steve shrugged. “Never came up, I guess.”

“Never came up!? Neve came up?” Robin’s voice kept increasing in volume and incredulity. Eddie was right there with her. “I am betrayed! Betrayed, Steve!”

Steve rolled his eyes at her dramatics. “Calm down, Buckley. It was just a song.”

“It wasn’t just a song though, was it?” Nancy asked quietly.

Steve tensed up and ducked his head but not before Eddie saw something dark move through his eyes. He wanted to ask if Steve was okay, wanted to drag him somewhere quiet where he could talk to him and ask him questions and find out what was behind his eyes – what was behind that song. Eddie wanted to split his skull open and peer inside and learn everything there was to know about Steve Harrington. He couldn’t take his eyes off him, was begging desperately in his head for Steve to look up, to look at him, too.

Who are you, Steve Harrington?

Eddie’s mind itched at the unexpected puzzle.

Part 2

[tubesock86]

steve is a George Michael fan and u know it

[thisapplepielife]

Written for @steddieholidaydrabbles.

Come Through Me

Prompt Day 30: Sing | Word Count: 1000 | Rating: T | CW: Language | Tags: Post S4, Eddie Munson Lives, Good Uncle Wayne Munson, Eddie Munson Runs Away, Loneliness, Reconnecting, Pre-Steddie

He's been flying solo for too long. 

Eddie locks the door of the dingy apartment, the one he ran away to the minute he was able to leave the hospital, vowing to never fucking set foot in Hawkins again. 

So far, he's kept his word. 

He cut all ties, besides Wayne, and fucked right off.

Wayne makes the trek to meet him halfway sometimes, like they are today, and Eddie is grateful. He wants Wayne to get out of that shithole, too, but there's a pension just beyond his reach, and he's gonna stick it out until that's squared away.

But that means Eddie's kind of fucking lonely. He's not an introvert. He isn't meant to be alone, no matter how big of a freak everyone always thought he was.

"I'm lonely," he tells Wayne at the rest stop picnic table, homemade sandwiches wrapped in wax paper, spread out between them.

"Call your friends," Wayne says.

Eddie takes another bite.

"One call. They'd come runnin'. Trust me, kid," Wayne says, and Eddie wants to believe it would be that easy.

"They're mad," Eddie says. 

"They're worried," Wayne clarifies, "Dustin Henderson, and Gareth, too. Neither one give me a moment's peace."

Eddie smiles, just a little at the image of that.

"But it's that Harrington boy that's like a dog with a goddamn bone. Shaking it in my face, demanding to know things you made me promise not to sing like a canary about."

Eddie stills. 

Steve Harrington's looking for him? What for? They spent a week in the general vicinity of each other running for their lives. They aren't friends. They aren't anything. 

"What? Why?" Eddie asks, and it's not the most eloquent he's ever been.

"You tell me when you figure it out. Because I'd love to know, kid," Wayne says, and he seems like he's just as confused as Eddie is by this turn of events.

"What's he been asking you? How often do you see him? Does he come to the house?" Eddie asks, rapid-fire. 

Wayne holds up his hands, shutting Eddie's questions down. 

Then he digs in his wallet, pulling out a single slip of notebook paper, handing it to Eddie.

One piece of paper. 

But it seems terrifying. 

"Call him and ask, yeah?" Wayne says, and Eddie isn't sure he can do that, but he takes it.

They finish talking, hug, and then Wayne's gone. His old truck rumbling away, leaving Eddie alone all again.

Eddie has rubbed his thumb against the slip of paper enough that it's getting soft and if he doesn't cut it the fuck out, his luck will have him rubbing a hole right through the number, rendering it useless. 

He finally picks up the phone and just dials. Not giving himself a chance to back out.

Steve's voice fills his ear.

"Uh, hey. Hi. It's me. Eddie. Munson. Wayne gave me your number," Eddie says, and it feels stupid. What does he have to say to Steve Harrington? What does Steve have to say to him?

"Hey, man, glad you called," Steve says, and he sounds carefree, happy. 

He's happy?

Eddie wonders what that feels like.

Maybe he'll know, someday. 

"Yeah," Eddie says, and falls silent. Steve wanted him to call, Steve's gonna have to do the heavy lifting here. At least pick the topic to get the ball rolling.

"How are you?" Steve asks. 

"Lonely," Eddie says, and then leans his head against the door jam. He didn't mean to say that. To be that fucking honest. 

"Me too, man," Steve says, like it's a normal thing to say to each other. "Let me come see you. Then maybe we won't be lonely anymore, at least for a while, yeah?"

And, yeah. 

Okay.

Steve pulls up to his little apartment in his shitty neighborhood. Eddie watches out the window as Steve flips his keys in his hand, over and over, as he walks to the door, like he's happy to be there. 

Eddie lets him in, and Steve Harrington smiles, big and wide.

"Hey, man! You snuck out on us!" Steve says, reaching forward, hugging tight, rocking Eddie back and forth with the force of it. 

It's fucking weird, but Eddie hugs him back, because he's not about to pass up the chance to get a hug. Not these days.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were hoping I wouldn't," Eddie says as Steve finally lets him go. 

"Of course I didn't want you to! You're one of us now. Membership cannot be revoked," Steve teases.

Eddie laughs, and he's suddenly happy Steve made the effort to get in contact. Eddie motions to his couch, and Steve settles in. Eddie sits beside him, tucking his feet up under him. 

"Catch me up," Eddie demands, hugging his knees, resting his chin on his arms. 

And Steve does. One-by-one, he tells Eddie about anyone and everyone. 

They talk, and laugh, and Eddie feels like they've always been this close. It's weird. Maybe he's just that starved for conversation. 

But he doesn't think so. He's really having fun. 

"I'm glad you came," Eddie says, and Steve just grins. 

"Me too, man."

They sit in comfortable silence, then Steve asks, "You think you might come home? We'd all love it if you did. Your uncle, especially."

Eddie knows that's true, but he's still scared of that godforsaken place. He can't imagine just strolling back into town like nothing happened. 

"I don't think Hawkins wants that." Eddie says. 

"Fuck Hawkins. Seriously. We saved that shithole. If you want to come home, come home. They try to fuck with you? They'll have to come through me." 

Eddie's heart flip-flops in his chest. He isn't sure why. If it's the possibility of not being alone any more? Or the fact that Steve Harrington is willing to fight for him?

Both sound pretty damn good. 

"I don't know…"

Steve catches his eyes, and keeps them. 

"I do. If you want to come home, well, I'll help you pack." 

If you want to write your own, or go see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @steddieholidaydrabbles and follow along with the fun!

[songbirdmunson]

cause I can’t help it if you look like an angel 🖤

[meticulousfragments]

Yeah I know he’s a Bad Guy or whatever and did some coups and murders but unfortunately everything about The Stranger fucks severely

[steddieas-shegoes]

sing for me

for @steddieholidaydrabbles prompt 'sing'

all of my holiday drabbles will be from the bear hugs universe. many of them could probably be read standalone, but will make the most sense and be enjoyed best if you read that first!

rated e | 772 words | no cw | tags: established relationship, hotel sex, anal fingering, anal sex

😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉

It’s rare that Steve gets to come with Eddie when he travels for work. Away games are usually one or two day trips, so it doesn’t make much sense to try to find someone to watch Rory when they won’t even have much time to enjoy themselves.

Steve’s taking advantage of this hotel room, though.

Eddie’s face down against the pillows, Steve’s straddling his thighs. He started by giving him a back massage, using things he’s learned from trainers years ago to make Eddie moan and relax into the sheets.

But a few minutes ago, he let his hands drift down. He poured a little lube on his fingers and started to open him up slowly.

So often they rush. So often they have to be as quiet as possible.

Not this time.

Steve has three fingers inside Eddie, stretching him and doing everything that drives him crazy. Rubbing against his prostate in no specific pattern to keep him on edge. Dipping just the tip of his pinky alongside the three fingers already inside to make him tense. Pausing for long moments to kiss up and down his spine.

Steve knows the pillow is muffling so much of the noise Eddie can’t contain. He wants to hear it all.

“C’mon, baby. Sing for me,” Steve is half-joking, but there’s one particular whine that Eddie makes when he’s overwhelmed that sounds like he’s singing. Steve knows he’s doing everything right when it happens.

Eddie turns his head, breathing heavy, and Steve crooks his fingers just right.

“Hmmm,” Eddie hums out.

It’s music to Steve’s ears.

“That’s it, baby,” Steve groans. “Let me hear you.”

“Need more, Stevie,” Eddie rasps. “Want you.”

Steve will give him everything, anything he wants. He’ll fuck him slow, or fast, somewhere in between. He’ll hold him down or let him ride him. He’ll fill him up or he’ll make a mess on his back. Anything Eddie wants, Eddie can have.

He maneuvers himself off of Eddie so he can lift his hips, slide a pillow under him, and let him fall again.

They both moan as he pushes into Eddie. He does it slowly, but without pausing, because he’s stretched enough and he can take it. He wants it.

He’s settled deep inside him when Eddie tries to find friction, pushes back against Steve and rubs his leaking cock against the pillow under him. He’s sure housekeeping has seen worse, but he makes a mental note to leave a nice tip.

Steve blankets him, covering his entire back so that his weight is keeping him still. He kisses his shoulder, his neck, his jaw.

His movements are small, short thrusts that probably don’t do much for Eddie. Steve isn’t trying to get to the finish line yet; He’s perfectly happy drawing this out.

“Feels good,” Eddie says as Steve moves against him.

“Yeah?” Steve asks as his lips find Eddie’s. “Could just stay inside you until you fall asleep.”

“Better not,” Eddie laughs against his mouth. “I wanna come first.”

Steve groans against his jaw as he moves faster. He still doesn’t want to rush, but Eddie’s tightening around him, and he’s so warm, and they’re so close. He won’t last much longer, and he’s gonna have to be fine with that.

“C’mon, sweetheart. Come in me,” Eddie says, almost teases. He knows Steve’s close, and he knows how to get him there.

They’ve been doing this long enough now, he knows exactly how to get what he wants out of Steve. Steve lets him.

Steve puts space between them so he can fuck into him faster, chase his release that he didn’t intend on rushing only a moment ago. Eddie’s just good at changing his mind.

“Fuck yes, Stevie.” Eddie bites the pillow and Steve wants to laugh. They have fun, they have so much fun together. Even when they’re serious, they’re having fun. Eddie moans and pushes back and Steve’s done for. “That’s it.”

Eddie is clenching around him as he fills him up, turning his head so Steve can see how flushed he is.

“Get yourself off,” Steve says breathlessly, wanting to watch, wanting to still be inside him when he does. “C’mon.”

“Jesus, okay.” Eddie slips his hand around his dick, and the friction of the soft pillow and his hand gets him there quick enough that Steve isn’t even starting to go soft yet.

Steve collapses against his back, and he nearly slides off from the sweat between them.

“We’re gross,” he says, but doesn’t really care.

“You made us gross.”

“And I’ll do it again.” Steve bites his shoulder, laughs.

“Promises, promises.”

[jonathanbiers]

i just wanted to see them reach their full shared trauma bestie potential

[kandicon]

Toy Soldier vs Drumbot Brian contrasts save me <33

Smth smth, the inanimate being choosing to carve and force a piece of life inside itself. The human who was forced to become an object, a robot, with no choice in the matter. The usage of it/its to dehumanize oneself as a means of reclaiming an identity vs the usage of he/him as a means of reclaiming the human identity taken. One who's angel voice pierces through instruments and other singers like when it sings vs the one who rarely sings unless the entire crew sings, so that his voice may be drowned out among it all. The Toy Soldier who completely halts the pacing of another mechanism's song (gptvtmk) to do a heart wrenching solo that temporarily takes the spotlight while refusing to have an independent backstory song vs Drumbot Brian who does have a backstory song, but refuses to sing it unless alongside his other mechanisms and has someone who wasn't a part of the crew at the time be the main singer. Hell, just the difference in focus on title between their songs "The Toy Soldier's Song" which puts all the focus on the Toy Soldier vs "Lost in the Cosmos" which focuses squarely on the situation. The way neither of them have complete control of their actions, not when a sharp order or the flip of a switch may change them in an instant.

[teambyler]

The FIRST thing we see of Mike and El in a relationship is a way they're incompatible (Byler analysis)

In the first Hawkins scene of s3, Mike is expressing his JOY and DORKINESS singing a cheesy 80s song. And El doesn't like it.

Then they kiss anyway:

In the first moments of Mike and El being an established couple, we're shown a way they don't get along. THIS is what the writers chose to emphasize!

Yes, in s1 Mike sheltered El, and yes El saved Mike's life. But as they delve into an actual romantic relationship, the writers make clear that it's their hormones and curiosity about kissing and sex that drive it. There is a disconnect as soon as their hands and lips stop touching.

Meanwhile, there's another person who wouldn't mind this side of Mike at all:

I know I touched on this earlier, but rewatching s3 I realized that THIS is what the writers chose as the FIRST thing to show us about Mike and El as a couple.

And it turns out to be the HIGH POINT of their relationship for the whole series. They had a youthful infatuation that distracted them from real-life troubles (even distracting them from doing anything to help their friends carry Dustin's Cerebro up the hill, like come on!). That kind of relationship doesn't always survive getting older and maturing.

s4 drives home that Mike is awkward and not himself around El. NOTHING El likes -- burritos for breakfast, roller skating, milkshake flavors -- is anything he likes. They're as clashing on him as the "California" clothing he made himself wear to suit El's ideal picture of a happy "sunny" life in California. And we find out in the van in 4x8 that he feels insecure around El: he's "just some random nerd."

Meanwhile, Mike and Will have long known and loved each other for who they are. They have such an intense affinity that they constantly want to know (and already feel) the other one's feelings. When push comes to shove, each puts the other's interests above his own. They can be themselves around each other; they're "a team." They don't break each other down; they build each other up.

And, as their shared love for nerdy things and singing shows, THEY'RE SOULMATES.

We WILL get to see Mike and Will as singing dorks in s5, won't we? RIGHT, Duffer Brothers? ;)

-teambyler

[i-dreamed-i-had-a-son]

I cannot emphasize enough how much everything In-ho did during his time in the games was in service of breaking down Gi-hun. Every glance, every story, every comment was incredibly and deliberately calculated.

His first interaction with Gi-hun immediately places the blame on Gi-hun for the games continuing: "I pressed the O because of you." He also explicitly asks for Gi-hun's help on behalf of the group. This sucks Gi-hun into being a mechanism of the games themselves (not just a player, but one telling others how to play) while robbing him of his agency to do so: whereas he was confident in helping during the first game, because it was his choice, In-ho's request forces him to share about the Dalgona prematurely, and he then has a nightmare about misleading the players. This also leads to many players becoming hostile when the game is not Dalgona, which--who could have guessed?--In-ho jumps in to stop. He orchestrated the situation so that Gi-hun would feel maximum pressure and guilt, before In-ho himself relieves it to build trust between them.

Then there are the introductions. In-ho uses Gi-hun's name before they are introduced, which may have been a genuine slip, but was very likely intentional given his response. In-ho's method throughout the games is to parallel and associate himself with Jung-bae, Gi-hun's only actual friend (he saves him during the merry-go-round games; he eavesdrops on Jung-bae's conversation with Gi-hun and directly uses the "get me a soju" line from that conversation to subconsciously build Gi-hun's trust in him during the firefight). So when he uses Gi-hun's name, he says he does so because he heard Jung-bae doing it, and Gi-hun allows him to continue--this creates the first of the links between them. But then, when they are properly introduced, In-ho laughs that "Seong" just means "last name;" in doing so, he implies to those who don't know him that Gi-hun may not be telling the truth, and in context of their conversation (focused on the significance of their names) highlights how Seong Gi-hun is "no one special." He's just an everyman.

Another reason that "slip" was almost certainly intentional is that In-ho is very deliberate about showing moments of weakness. His breakdown during the Six-Legged Race was designed to both further stress Gi-hun (and if Gi-hun had failed, they were in the very last groups present, so they could have been selectively spared as needed) and to strengthen their bond, as Gi-hun got to "encourage" In-ho; then In-ho helped Gi-hun and the team win by kicking with him the final time. Even cheering along with Gi-hun while the other teams went was in service of cementing their connection; and, any time a team failed, In-ho got to observe Gi-hun's reactions under the guise of empathy. In-ho may have felt some genuine emotions while cheering or comforting Gi-hun, but they aren't to be trusted.

That's particularly true because of his biggest "weak" moment: telling Gi-hun why he is in the games. The show confirms, when Jun-ho finds the winner file, that In-ho actually did join the games years before (from his family we know that it was because of his wife's illness), and that he won them himself. So he isn't lying about the details of his personal story--and he even gets emotional--but it is, once again, all in service of ensnaring Gi-hun and earning his trust. In-ho is not faking all of his emotions, but he is controlling and weaponizing them, which is why none of his apparent fondness for Gi-hun can be trusted. He uses his emotions as a tool, rather than being affected by them.

The ultimate result of this manipulation is that Gi-hun is made to feel that everything that happens is his choice (even the things he didn't choose). From the beginning, In-ho has said his choices are because of Gi-hun; throughout the games, there are several moments where In-ho suggests an approach and Gi-hun shoots it down, and In-ho always coalesces. Gi-hun gets to have "his way." But "his way" doesn't seem to work, and he, like the rest of the players, is changed by the games. His final plan, as In-ho forces him to face, involves a sacrifice of some for the good of the many. Only after he admits this (through his silence) does In-ho agree to help. Then, during the firefight, when Gi-hun tries to give In-ho the ammunition he risked his life to get, In-ho asks, "Are you sure?" Gi-hun's choice to trust In-ho leads to him running out of ammunition earlier, forcing his surrender; meanwhile, In-ho still "dies," and Jung-bae is shot in front of Gi-hun's eyes. None of Gi-hun's choices made things better--they made it all his fault. He is left with the blame, as the Frontman (who is In-ho! And always has been!) tells him point blank.

But none of Gi-hun's choices have really been choices. They have all been based on lies, within a system that uses the information they have to actively orchestrate events against him. The same is true of the players in the game; their choices are not free, because their circumstances (largely caused by unfairness in the world) have trapped them. The baseness they resort to is not what they would do if they really had the choice, and some are even able to choose virtue within the hellscape, but over and over, the system facilitates the dominance of cruelty. And In-ho, the personification of that system, targets Seong Gi-hun, the "Everyman," to make him submit to it--to make him choose to believe that there is no other way.