#Smooches for Robin Buckley

[artiststarme]

From Alibi to Reality

A little something different, I hope you guys like it! Title brought to you by @nburkhardt. Please leave your thoughts in the comments!

~*~*~*~

Steve knew he was going to act as Eddie’s beard for the cops and the town. That was a no-brainer, it was the only way to clear Eddie’s name. He discussed it with Hopper, the kids, and Robin. Everyone determined that the shock factor of Steve “The Hair” Harrington dating the town freak was the only thing that was going to change Powell’s mind and make him drop the charges. The thing no one could agree on was how to broach the subject. 

Dustin thought that telling the police directly would be the best way, Robin thought they should build up to the declaration, and Nancy thought it was a stupid idea because no one would believe that lady-killer Steve Harrington was into a guy (little did she know). Regardless, all of his friends thought talking was the best course to take. 

But Steve was a man of action, not words. All of the Party’s plans involved discussing their “relationship” like civilized adults. The problem was though, they weren’t talking to civilized adults. They were talking to his brother, a known dumbass, and the new Chief of Police that wanted to hunt down a bunch of kids because Jason fucking Carver told him to. 

So he was going to handle this the way he handled every shitty situation thrown his way. He was going to wing it. It had worked for him thus far and it hadn’t failed him yet. So, for the rest of the Party’s meeting, Steve zoned out. He thought about how fucked he was going to be when his parents found out about this, how much shit he’d have to take from the rest of the town, and how ostracised he’d be. But it was the only way to clear Eddie’s name. 

Eddie had jumped into the lake after him and saved his life before protecting Dustin from demobats. He was a part of the Party now and Steve would do anything to protect the Party. So, he was fine with ruining his reputation and probably being disowned by his parents for  tainting the Harrington name. As long as Eddie was okay in the end, nothing else mattered. 

~*~*~*~

They neglected to tell Eddie the plan. He hadn’t seen any of the Party members since the police realized he was being treated at the hospital and barred anyone from seeing him until they questioned him. He was just minding his own business, ignoring the two doofus cops trying to question him, and looking forward to whatever the Party came up with to clear his name. Eddie wasn’t sure if whatever their plan was was going to work or even if they meant what they’d said. However, he had hope. Mostly because the only other option would be joining his dad in a cell for murders he didn’t even commit. 

That’s when it happened. Steve stormed into his hospital room with a flourish, slamming the door against the wall and scaring the two cops. 

Eddie watched as the tall one’s eyes narrowed, “Steve, you better have a good explanation for this one-“

He didn’t pay attention to what else was said. One minute, he was looking at an angry Harrington walking into his room and the next, said Harrington was kissing him. On the lips! 

Mother of fuck, Eddie had died and gone to heaven because all of his dreams were coming true. He didn’t know what Steve was playing at but Eddie wasn’t complaining. He just slipped his eyes closed and kissed him back with equal fervor.

He was pulled from their passionate kissing by a loud, “Son of a bitch, Steve! The murderer?! What the fuck? I thought your taste was bad when you were dating the priss but now this? Jesus Fuck, bro!”

“Officer Callahan, please maintain your composure.”

“My composure?!” His voice was shrill as he shrieked in his own defense. “Powell, my brother is macking on fucking Munson! What the fuck? How am I supposed to maintain my composure?!”

Eddie pulled away from Steve, “your brother is Officer Callahan?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did that not come up when you were defiling my baby brother?!” Callahan yelled at him, waving his hands in the air maniacally. 

“No, actually. It didn’t,” Eddie told him. 

Callahan let out a sound of frustration before pointing at Steve, letting out another frustrated noise, and stalking out. Steve and Eddie turned to Powell who just looked tired. 

“I assume this is why you wouldn’t tell us your alibi for the night of the murder, Munson?” He sighed. 

“That’s right, there was no way in hell I was going to out my boyfriend. Apparently he does it himself though,” Eddie gave Steve the side eye. Why had he chosen to do this? He’d known the guy for like two weeks and he was just throwing his life away to protect Eddie. What the hell?

Powell turned to Steve, “is that true? Mr. Munson was with you the night that Chrissy Cunningham was murdered?”

“That’s right. We were watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Alien before going to bed. He stayed the whole night laying in bed next to me, there’s no way he could’ve murdered anybody,” Steve nodded. 

Powell just shook his head at them, “fine, Munson. I’m clearing you but don’t leave town.” 

“I won’t sir, thank you for doing your due diligence. It was at my expense but still, thanks,” Eddie said sarcastically. 

He shot them one last disbelieving look before following his partner. Then all that was left was Eddie and Steve. 

Eddie whipped his head around to Steve. “Now what the hell was that?!”

“Hey! Don’t talk to your boyfriend that way!”

“Seriously Steve-”

“Eddie, I swear to god if you don’t kiss me again in the next twenty seconds, I’ll go get Powell and tell him I changed my mind,” Steve threatened him with narrowed eyes. 

How was Eddie supposed to refuse him after that?

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[stevieharringtonwifeguy]

steve, robin, chrissy, and nancy starting a band together. each have their own kind of more classical musical training with robin being in marching band and steve, chrissy, and nancy all having Rich People Music Lessons as children, but everyone's shocked when they decide to turn that talent towards a punk band called Baby and the Girls

and they start off kind of small, with their Gimmick being the disconnect between their more prep/normie visual aesthetic and the angry, violent tone of their music. steve's the singer (he has a lovely voice, kind of warm and croony until he really starts screaming), chrissys the drummer (she's so tiny you can barely see her behind that thing), nancys the bassist (solid, dependable, gets a little smile on her face whenever she's got a particularly sexy baseline bc she knows the bass is what makes a song a fuck song), and robins on guitar (and keyboard, and violin, and one time an accordion which is still her favourite song to perform. basically whatever other instrument the song calls for she's got it)

and they get kind of a following not just for their angry music criticising the government and society and the like, but also because of how unabashedly queer they are. chrissy/nancy/robin have all visibly flirted with each other during concerts and no one's quite sure what the deal is there. steve performs like 75% of their shows in full drag as Baby (hence the band name) and winks flirtatiously at both male and female audience members alike

eventually they get Real Big, and get signed to an actual record label. despite knowing how queer they were before signing them, it's still like the early 90s so the label makes them tone it down a bit. song lyrics get a little more ambiguous (but not if you actually like. listen to them. i mean steve sings about eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in a way that like. We All Know What The Peach Is Steven), steve's not allowed to perform in drag anymore (although he does lose a suspicious amount of bets whose forfeits 'force' him to perform in a dress. new fans are baffled at how bad this guy is at bets), and the band name has to change, becoming Stevie and the Girls (the label wanted it to just be 'steve' but they compromised)

and over the course of their career, at some point they end up on a talk show with the Other Band From Hawkins, corroded coffin. the host is clearly angling for a punk/metal standoff, maybe Known Non-conformist eddie munson will call them posers for wearing so many pastel colours, or since everyone knows that steve chris and nancy at least used to be pretty popular in high school maybe there's some lasting high school drama to up their ratings

and yeah, their ratings skyrocket for that episode, but only bc steve and eddie reveal they've been dating since 1987

[munsonfamilyband]

As I’m currently writing my full fic for the Claudia idea I had the other day, here is a little sneak peak of a scene that genuinely had me in tears writing it.

————-

“Robin, honey, I know what you’re thinking…” Claudia made sure to speak softly. Robin was clearly hanging by a thread as they both sat by Steve’s bedside. “It’s not-“

“But it is my fault! I knew he was hurt and I just-I just went home. I left him alone and hurt and-“ Robin cut herself off to take a deep breath. “How could I forget that he was hurt?”

“Steve is a big boy, he can take care of himself, usually. And he always insists on taking care of himself.”

“Exactly! He insists he can do it but he never does! It’s my job to make sure he takes care of himself because otherwise he won’t.”

“I know you two are close, but sweetie, you don’t have to take care of him.”

“I do, because-because he’s my-my-… he’s mine. And I’m his, and we take care of each other. It’s like I always had a heartbeat but I never realized it was two hearts beating together, not just the one. I can’t-…I don’t know what I would do without him. So I have to make sure he’s safe, just like he does for me….. And I failed him.”

[cringengl]

Idc I want either Will, Mike or Robin to say the words:

"I'm gay"

In s5. Enough skirting around it and being vague and sort of hinting at it, someone should actually say it. The fact that Will had to be confirmed to be gay by Noah Schnapp and the Duffers because so many people didn't understand what the van scene/pizza scene with Jonathan was about was kind of annoying.

Although I understand why these characters haven't said it before, it's the 80s and Will of course was lying to Mike in the van scene and was in the pizza parlour with other people, not just Jonathan, and Robin was half high off truth serum whilst talking to a guy from highschool that she used to dislike.

As someone who has struggled with saying their sexuality out loud and has come out many times by just confirming people's already existing ideas, I think it would be a really cool acceptance moment for the character, to actually say it out loud, and canon confirmation that no one could deny.

[chickensoupleg]

Okay but what happens when Robin, Heather, and Chrissy have to individually take their male bestie to the dentist for wisdom teeth removal/root canal and now there is three loopy guys in the waiting room leeching off each other's energy.

[undreaming-fanfiction]

Steve and Eddie work together in an aquarium, and Eddie is losing his mind. He's in love, he's got the most embarrassing crush, but Steve doesn't even notice him.

They barely interact, and Eddie only knows Steve's first name. He doubts Steve knows he exists, he's just one of many tour guides (but he's amazing with kids and especially teenagers, so he's actually a great tour guide, thank you very much!)

Back to Steve. Steve, with his lean muscles, easy smile, thick hair and beautiful, but somehow sad eyes. That Steve.

The Steve who works in the aquarium as a merman.

Eddie could watch him for hours, floating in the tank with grace Eddie didn't know existed, with his sparkly yellow mermaid tail, flowing hair and chest hair, and that man can hold his breath for so long? Think of the options, the possibilities!

The mermaid show is insanely popular among all the kids and teens, even adults. His best friend Chrissy was the one who recommended Eddie to the aquarium, she's the main mermaid, and god, if Eddie wasn't gay, she'd have him at her feet. She always looks so effortless, twirling underwater in her emerald green mermaid tail, spinning around Steve. They make such a beautiful pair, it makes Eddie want to weep.

Fortunately, she's already in a happy relationship, so Steve is reportedly still single. Chrissy makes Eddie massage her feet in the evenings - he offered, they're cramping from a bad fit of the tail - and graciously answers all Eddie's reasonable questions, such as "how do his hands feel?" ("Wet. We're swimming, remember?").

She keeps telling Eddie to ask Steve out, but Eddie isn't stupid. That man is the god Poseidon himself, and Eddie is but a humble crab in his kingdom. So he admires him from afar, longing, pining and making Chrissy's head hurt.

But Steve's just so good with kids, Eddie can't keep his mouth shut. He always mutters something to Steve as he's ushering the kids away. "Great show, sweetheart," or "I love that smile, Stevie," or "need help getting that tail off?" He's only a man, and no one can hear him.

Except for a nosy tour coordinator listening in through his earpiece, Robin Buckley. She also happens to be Steve's best friend, Chrissy's girlfriend, and a menace to society.

And maybe one day she tells Steve to just smooch the tour guide, maybe she spills a few of the longing whispers and wishful stares, but she's only human too. A human who's had to listen to Steve's ramblings about the cute guy who always pulls the kids' attention like a magnet, who even through the blurry glass tank seems to be having an amazing time. Steve sometimes asks Robin for an extra earpiece and listens to the rest of Eddie's tour after the show. He loves his enthusiasm. Once Eddie even drew a heart on Steve's tank, can you imagine that, Rob?!

Maybe Robin and Chrissy have to work together to give the two idiots what they need, because Eddie considers himself too nerdy and plain for Steve, ans Steve thinks he's too dumb and shallow for Eddie.

Maybe Chrissy fakes slipping into the mermaid tank and drags Eddie with her. Maybe Robin is there and quickly gets Steve to jump after him. Maybe she makes the innocent mistake of insuating that Eddie can't swim.

And maybe, when Steve and Eddie are back on firm ground, confused and wet, Chrissy splashes them with water and asks if pretending that it's mouth to mouth resuscitation would help, or if they can finally kiss and stop pining for each other.

And one more maybe...maybe in a few weeks, when Eddie ushers the children away after the show, he kisses his palm and presses it against the tank, and watches Steve do the same, before he can give him a proper kiss after their shift.

[kennahjune]

The fic thing you guys are so adamant about:

Steve knows— KNOWS— that Eddie Munson is not weak.

Eddie Munson threw him against a wall the moment he laid eyes on him— it was safe to say that Steve was aware of the strength his boyfriend possessed.

And the thing was; Steve found it hot.

He found it so fucking hot— Robin was so tired of hearing about it.

Steve didn’t think he’d be into it, figured he’d enjoy being the strong one in the relationship. But /man/ he loved watching Eddie haul around that band equipment like it was basically nothing.

So yes, Steve was into Eddie’s not-so-hidden strength. What of it?

He just hadn’t realized /how/ into it he was.

It was hot outside, like— blistering hot. Everyone was gathered at Steve’s house as per usual. All the kids and most of the adults and older teens were outside in the pool or on the patio. Steve himself was in the kitchen with Robin and Argyle, enjoying the AC and a fabulous conversation.

A conversation that was immediately ruined by the glass door flying open so fast Steve was scared it would’ve shattered.

“Jesus fuck, Eddie! Careful with my door, man!!”

Eddie had the decency to look sheepish.

“Sorry, sweetheart. Told Dustin and Max I’d get them drinks from the fridge.”

“What about the whole ass cooler me and Jonathan dragged out for them?”

“Dustin wants Fanta and Max wants apple juice. You know how vicious they are, baby.”

Steve groaned, shoving Robin’s shoulder and kicking lightly at Argyle’s leg when they had the audacity to laugh at him.

“Ungrateful little fuckers.”

Eddie snickered. “Yeah they are.”

Steve rolled his eyes fondly. “Whatever. I think the apple juice is in the fridge downstairs.”

“Thanks, baby.” Eddie kissed him on the forehead on his way through.

“No problem!” Steve yelled after him, ignoring the snickers from Robin and the smooch-y noises from Argyle.

When Eddie came back upstairs with the apple juice to get Dustin’s Fanta, Argyle, Robin, and Steve don’t even notice. They’re much too absorbed in their new fabulous conversation.

“Yeah but that’s what I’m saying, Rob! If I were to shoot you just as you stabbed me it’d probably do more damage!”

“But /why/, Steve? Why?” Robin asked back.

Argyle answered for Steve. “Probably because he’d be shooting you point-blank. More internal damage that way.”

Steve snapped his finger at him. “Exactly! See, Robin? Argyle gets it just fine!!”

“That’s cause you guys are smoking the same shit!”

“Bull! Jonathan does to!”

“Your point is?”

Eddie chose not to intervene on that conversation.

But Steve was right in front of the fridge.

Eddie’s two brain cells made a plan.

Eddie set the apple juice container on the island, still going unnoticed by the other three in the kitchen with him. He moved swiftly to Steve and put his hands tightly on his waist.

Before Steve had a second to say anything or even comprehend the hands that were suddenly on him, Eddie was lifting him up and setting him on the counter by the fridge.

“Excuse me, sunshine.”

Eddie opened the fridge but kept one hand on Steve’s knee. With his head in the fridge looking for the Fanta can, Steve’s totally and utterly flustered state went abruptly unnoticed.

When Eddie closed the fridge, he leant in and stole a small kiss from Steve’s lips before leaving back out the patio doors with the drinks.

“I-“

“Shut it, Buckley.”

Steve went outside to drag Eddie back in. Later, if anybody were to have asked Argyle and Robin where either went, they both answered with shrugs and claims of “I don’t know”, despite watching the boyfriends run upstairs together.

[crappymixtape]

eyes half shut

hawkins high alumni always run the end of year carnival to help raise funds for the school and steve is always in charge of the alumni basketball game, but this year they’re trying out a kissing booth and who better to headline than steve harrington? | ( 3.9k – a little angst, a little fluff, kinda enemies to kinda lovers, steve x you, steve x reader )

E Y E S H A L F S H U T 🎶 dream boy, savannah conley

“Now, please don’t be late, Steven. Jason’s done with his shift right at seven and we don’t want to keep people waiting.” Miss Click tapped on the clipboard in her hand before hanging it back up on the nail hammered into the wall of the booth, “Robin Buckley volunteered to cover the cash register for your shift too! You remember Robin.”

Steve felt his jaw tick with irritation as he tried to hide the grimace on his face, his old History teacher practically beaming at the very mention of his friend. Of course Robin volunteered to run the register. She just wanted a front row seat for what was sure to be the most humiliating night of his life.

“Great. Robin Buckley. A real grade A student,” he said with a forced smile, jamming his hands into the pockets of his Levi’s.

“I thought so too! Such an attentive pupil,” Miss Click agreed before checking her watch. “Oh dear, I need to go check on the cake walk. I’ll see you back here in a few hours, I’m sure we’ll have record donations!” and with that she was off across the football field leaving Steve alone in the small booth to freak out about what he’d just agreed to.

A kissing booth. Great. Perfect. Totally fine.

He definitely wasn’t sore about Tommy getting to run the alumni basketball game instead of him. Wasn’t stressing the fuck out about the idea of having to kiss people for an hour straight. Or worse, kiss no one at all and have to live under a rock for the rest of his life and he totally wasn't going to kill Robin for ‘graciously volunteering’ to take money at his expense.

Loosing a sigh from his chest Steve ran his hands through his hair and kicked at the frame of the wall, KISSING BOOTH written above him. All curly letters and lipstick marks and bright red paint, taunting and teasing him about what would be happening in a few short hours.

It was going to be fine. Totally fine. Steve Harrington could handle a few smooches for charity. Right?

Right?

Midnight, gettin' uptight, where are you? You said you'd meet me, now it's quarter to two. I know I'm hangin' but I'm still wantin' you.

Joan Jett was yelling through the speakers of your stereo as you leaned over your dresser, swiping mascara through your lashes in the mirror, trying your best to hurry up and get ready for the Hawkins High Jamboree.

Did you want to go? Absolutely not.

Was your room mate and best friend making you go with her? 100%.

“So, like, are you gonna be ready this century or should I plan on arriving in a coffin? Actually. Steve’s gonna probably put me in one anyway, might be doing him a favor,” Robin mused around her toothbrush from across the hall in the bathroom.

“Hah, are you kidding? That guy came out of the womb as a fully formed show boat. He loves shit like this,” you shot back, shaking your head at the thought of Steve posted up at the kissing booth. A stupid, shit-eating grin pasted on his face. Signature hair all perfectly coiffed. A ridiculously long line of girls just waiting to fawn over him.

“Can’t argue you on the show boat bit, but he’s still totally gonna kill me,” Robin said snorting as she spat her toothpaste into the sink.

You weren’t sure what had happened between senior year and now, but somehow your best friend had also become Steve Harrington’s best friend and it made absolutely no sense.

At first you’d been extremely skeptical, even overprotective of her, and made it a point to tag along with them where ever they were going to make sure he wasn’t going to do something shitty, but much to your chagrin he proved you wrong every single time. He was even nice and somehow made Robin ugly laugh more than you did. How dare he?

“C’mon, I don’t wanna keep Nance waiting, she’s gonna be downstairs soon,” Robin popped her head in through your door and you shot her a grin.

“Ooo, eyeliner. Are you two going out after?” you teased, wiggling your eyebrows at her and she frowned, cheeks flushed.

“Yeah. Maybe. What’s it to you?”

“Nothing!” you held your hands up in surrender and gave her a little smile, “Just–it’s about damn time. You two have been dancing around each other for months.”

Robin was pretty private about her love life, especially after things hadn’t worked out with Vickie, and you were one of the only ones who really got to be in the know. Well. You and Steve, but you had to hand it to him. He at least seemed pretty damn empathetic and supportive in that regard toward Robin and you were thankful to him for it.

“What, are you keeping track?” Robin grumbled, smoothing her shirt down a bit and picking at the chipped black polish on her nails.

“You’re the one with the scoreboard,” you gently teased back, shoving your feet into the Chucks next to your dresser, but then your expression softened as you looked up at her, “You know I’m not. I’d be one to talk anyway, my love life is non-existent.”

“Yeah, well. Maybe you should try. It’s not all bad. Look at me, put myself out there and already have a date,” she said pointedly, scrunching up her nose at you.

“No, thanks,” it was your turn to grumble and you shouldered past her into the hallway.

“Wait. Wait a second. Yes. Yes, thanks!” she said, tone suddenly shifting into the one where you knew she was up to no good.

“Robs, whatever you’re about to say? Don’t,” you grabbed your wallet and chapstick off the kitchen table and turned to fix her with a look. The way she was grinning at you was horrifying. “Oh my god. What?”

“Kiss him,” she said simply and you looked at her blankly.

“What?”

“Put yourself out there! Kiss him!” she said again more enthusiastically and your stomach flipped over.

“Steve? Oh, wow. Let me go ahead and put a ‘hell’ in front of my no. No, Robs. No way,” you crammed your things into your pockets and shook your head, opening the fridge to try and find a beer. Booze suddenly felt very, extremely, necessary.

“Seriously! C’mon! What, are you chicken?” she make a little squawking noise as you cracked open the last beer hiding at the back of the fridge.

“Seriously?” you parroted back, “What, are you twelve? No, I’m not doing it.” You took a long drink from the can in your hand and grimaced as the carbonation fizzed in your nose. Too much.

“If you do, I’ll leave you alone for a whole week,” Robin’s tone was sing-songy, dragging out the vowels as she leaned on the open fridge door and smiled at you all sweetly. Full of mischief.

You waited, took another drink of beer and narrowed your eyes at her. She’d been begging you to go on a double date with her and Nancy and the thought of it made you want to throw up. Not only were double dates super cringy, but one: you didn’t have a boyfriend and two: Robin always suggested Steve and you’d immediately have to shut it down. He was absolutely not your type and there was no way you’d make it more than thirty minutes.

“Two weeks,” you countered, “And if you’re gonna hang out with him it can’t be here.”

“Deal!” she said much too quickly, sticking her hand out to you and you frowned, taking it and shaking it aggressively.

“Great. Deal.” It was just a kiss, right? Not stupid Seven Minutes in Heaven or Spin the Bottle, just cramming a dollar into a jar and a quick peck on the lips and you’d be free from Robin’s meddling for two whole weeks. Worth it.

Buzzzzz.

Someone was at the door, a Nancy Wheeler shaped someone, and the color drained from Robin’s face.

“Oh, c’mon. You’re fine, you look great,” you took another drink of your beer and then offered the last half of it to Robin who finished it off in one go.

“It’s not—“ Robin burped, beer was a bad choice, “—too much?”

“No, it’s not too much. The eyeliner is nice, really brings out the black in your heart. Now let’s get go,” you grabbed the empty can from her hand and tossed it in the recycling before shoving her toward the door.

“I can’t believe you’re gonna kiss Steve,” she said, grin tugging at the corners of her lips and your expression soured.

“Oh my god, just go,” and despite your grumbling, despite insisting on your irritation, all you could think about the entire ride over was a sliver of a memory from last summer.

It was smack in the middle of July. Sun beating down with the intent to fry you alive.

Robin had practically begged you to go get ice cream and it wasn’t like you were gonna say no. It was hotter than hell out, of course you were gonna get ice cream, but then Steve tagged along. Sat across from you in the booth and ordered a strawberry milkshake. Wrapped his perfectly pouted lips around the straw and sipped it slowly. Licked whipped cream from his fingers. Ate the cherry last and looked up at you when he’d pulled it from the stem with his teeth and for a split second all you could think about was him.

What it would taste like. What it would feel like.

What it would be like to kiss Steve Harrington.

“Bye now,” Jason was smiling all saccharine sweet. Pure sugar. Too much and too fake as the girl he’d just kissed slowly backed away from him. Unable to pull her eyes away as he leaned against the frame of the booth effortless and on display for the girls waiting in line, all of them disappointed they hadn’t beat the clock to seven.

And as Steve walked across the field to take Jason’s spot, he audibly groaned watching the other boy soak it all up.

Fuck this. He was not excited, he was not looking forward to this, and he did not want to stand anywhere near a damn kissing booth. Roughing his hands over his face he sucked in a deep breath. It was only an hour. Sixty minutes. It would fly by.

“Well, well. If it isn’t the King!”

Yeah, no. This was going to suck.

“Haven’t used that since Junior year, Carver,” Steve’s voice was flat, unamused, and when he walked up on the line a few of the girls huddled up and started to whisper.

“Ah, c’mon, Harrington. Return of the king! Back on top!” the grin that pulled at the corners of Jason’s mouth grew as he fed off Steve’s negative energy. “C’mon, the ladies love it,” and as he turned back to the line a couple girls toward the end started to walk away, “Oof, guess I’m a hard act to follow.”

Steve jammed his tongue into his cheek, hands balling up at his sides as he eyed the other boy, wanting nothing more than to put a fist into Jason’s face. “It’s for charity, dumbass. Not a damn competition,” Steve grumbled as the other boy pushed himself off the wall of the booth.

“Whatever you say, King Steve. Dropping like flies. Least you’ll get out of here early,” Jason sneered and gave Steve a too-hard clap on the back. Biting down on his lip, Steve struggled to keep himself in check, struggled to keep his hands at his sides until someone else chimed in.

“Carver you better get goin’, gonna be late for Bible study,” Robin walked up on the boys with you and Nancy in tow and gave Jason a too-sweet smile of her own, “Don’t wanna let Jesus down. Well. More than you already have I guess.”

Jason’s face turned beet red and Steve stifled a laugh with a very unconvincing cough, a few scattered giggles coming from the line.

“Shut up, Buckley.”

“Tsk, tsk. How’s it go? Love your neighbor or whatever? Anyway, so nice to see you!” Robin punched him a little harder than she should’ve in the shoulder and walked up behind the counter to take over for Chrissy Cunningham. “Alright, ladies! Now that we’ve taken out the trash – come give the King of Hawkins high a big ol’ smooch and help buy new basketball uniforms! Real win/win here, friends,” her voice was so loud it made people’s heads turn over at the cake walk and Steve wanted to die.

“Jesus, Robin,” he hissed, scrambling over to take up his post under the giant red sign.

Nancy turned to you shaking her head, but smiling all fond over Robin, “I kinda feel bad for him.”

“I don’t,” you said with a laugh, watching the line perk up a bit with Robin’s encouragement as Steve looked like he wanted to pass out, giving the first girl in a line a kiss.

“You know, he’s not that bad,” Nancy said, giving you a nudge with her elbow.

Glancing back over at the booth you saw the second girl walk up and give her dollar to Robin, Steve’s face still flushed and pink, but lips just as pouted and perfect as they’d been that day at the diner. Sipping down strawberry milkshake and pulling the cherry off the stem and you felt your stomach flip over.

“Yeah, I guess,” you muttered, but Nancy chuckled when she saw how rosy your cheeks had grown.

“Okay, well you better get in line or you’ll have Robin on your ass worse than before,” she reminded you of your deal and you groaned. “It’ll be easy,” she said giving you a grin, “And he really is a good kisser.”

Your blush only deepened with her words and you tried to hide it, throwing your eyes down to your feet and starting to walk away, “Okay, great! Can’t wait. So awesome. Just the best.”

“Relax! It’s just a kiss!” she called over her shoulder as you fell into the last place in line behind someone from your old AP English class, trying very hard to not turn and run away.

At first it was an extremely awkward and uncomfortable exchange of events for Steve.

People would give Robin their money, she’d say thank you in her silly sing-songy Robin voice, and then they’d walk up to Steve and smile. Sometimes it was shy, sometimes it was overly aggressive, and sometimes there’d be a weird pause where they’d just stare at each other. He’d clear his throat nervously or stress about whether or not he should’ve brushed his teeth two more times before he’d left the house, but eventually she’d lean in and they’d kiss and then it’d be over.

It was ridiculous because he used to kiss random girls all the time at parties and shit in high school. Used to love it. Maybe because it stroked his ego. Because he liked showing off. Maybe he didn’t get enough affection at home. Maybe Nancy Wheeler broke his heart and he just wanted to forget, but now? Things were different now. He was different now.

He didn’t sleep around, he didn’t kiss and tell, his dating life was abysmal and this kissing booth just seemed to add insult to injury.

“Steve,” Robin whisper-yelled between customers as if she could tell he was spiraling, “You’re doing great. Only two more to go and you’re done!”

“God, Robin. Please stop talking,” Steve hissed back and gave the next girl a weak, half-hearted smile.

“Just saying–”

“Hi,” Steve cut Robin off and greeted the shorter, blonde girl he recognized from Senior year science. She was second-to-last in line ahead of you and you fought back a laugh, watching the awkwardness unfold.

“Hi, Stevie,” she purred and Steve’s stomach lurched.

Stevie? Oh god. Why?

She’d clearly just applied a fresh layer of shiny, pink gloss right before her turn came up and when she leaned in toward him, Steve waited til her eyes were closed to grimace. What? He wasn’t a monster.

It was slippery and wet and not good, but Steve gave her what he hoped was a friendly enough smile as she pulled away all starry-eyed.

“Maybe see you around? When you’re done?” she asked and he swallowed thickly.

“Yeah! Ye–maybe,” he stuttered and she slipped him a piece of paper with her number on it.

“Call me,” she winked and Steve died.

“Okay, sure. Thanks,” he stumbled over his words and when she finally turned away you watched as he screwed his eyes shut, muttering under his breath.

You caught the words stupid and want to die and you almost laughed, but it fell apart in your throat as the girl walked away and left you there. Last in line and panicking as you suddenly remembered what was supposed to happen next. Why were you just as nervous as he was?

Shaking off the last kiss, Steve was ready to just be done. Only one left Robin said, but when he looked up the pained expression on his face softened.

You.

Robin’s room mate. Her best friend. Her cute best friend. The one who fought him over best friend duties. Who teased him relentlessly and gave him shit all the time. Wasn’t afraid to eat an entire pizza on her own and always ordered a chocolate shake with sprinkles at the diner. Who wasn’t afraid to call him out on things and had a mouth like a sailor. A mouth he’d wanted to kiss more and more every time he saw you, but he could never find the right time to ask or try or make a move and–

“Oh,” fell from him, quiet and surprised and your lips twisted into a little frown.

“Oh,” you said back trying to tease, but it came out sounding a lot more hurt than anything.

Steve’s brows pinched together with worry and he took a step toward you, the most he’d moved all night. “N-no, sorry. I didn’t mean it like…” he rubbed at the back of his neck, trying hard to put words to what he was trying to say, but they weren’t coming out.

“That’s okay. S’for a good cause, right?” you shrugged and forced a smile.

“Yeah. Right,” he agreed lamely as you crammed a dollar into Robin’s hand with a glare. Two weeks better be worth it.

Then turning back to Steve you took another tiny step toward him and he did the same putting you two dangerously close. Almost toe-to-toe. The scent of fresh laundry and spearmint and boy making you feel dizzy, making you feel dumb, and when you pulled your eyes off the ground to look up at him your breath caught in your throat.

Fuck he was pretty.

That pout. The twin moles on his cheek. The soft slope of his jaw. The way his hair fell messy across his forehead and into his eyes all warm honey, liquid amber, melted caramel. He was making it hard to hold your grudge and you could feel the wall you’d put up around yourself start to crumble.

“So. We just–” you didn’t finish your sentence as he looked down at you, his lips parted, waiting, anticipating.

“Yeah. Yeah, uh–” Steve’s voice was low and made your tummy twist as he shook his head a little and leaned down. Tried to do the same thing he’d been doing all night, but suddenly so damn unsure. He paused, close enough you could feel his breath as it warmed over your cheek, “Is this–is this okay?”

“Mmhm,” you murmured and you didn’t have to wonder anymore. You were nervous, just like he was was, and it scared the shit out of you.

“Okay, guess I’ll just–” he said, voice barely above a whisper as he closed the gap between you and finally, finally pressed his lips soft and sweet to yours.

And it was everything.

It was slow and curious and a little shy, but the feeling of him against you pushed you to be brave and you tilted your head. Deepened the kiss. Opened for him and he slipped a hand wide and warm and soft at the back of your neck, his fingers threading through your hair and holding you even closer.

His tongue chased along your bottom lip and you sighed into him, letting him swallow all your soft pretty sounds until you were both breathless and needing air and when he started to pull away you swore you’d give Robin every single bill in your wallet to do it again.

Steve huffed a laugh, hand still holding you gentle at your neck and you bit your lips between your teeth to fight off a grin, too caught up in each other to care about anything else until–

“Yeah, think I’m gonna need another dollar for that one,” Robin was beaming at you two like an idiot and you both fixed her with a look, all sass and attitude.

“Robin,” your voice blended with Steve’s and Robin laughed so hard she snorted.

“Oh my god, please, please make this work. Look at you two. This is ridiculous. Here, go get a drink,” and she fisted a wad of dollars from the register, counting it out and replacing it with money from her own wallet before practically shoving it at Steve.

“What–”

“No, seriously, Harrington. Leave. Get outta here. It’s eight anyway,” Robin cut Steve off and pointed at her watch. Eight on the dot. Kissing Booth closed.

“Uh,” Steve started, looking back over at you with a lopsided smile, “Wanna get a drink?”

Your heart fluttered in your chest, hummingbird wings and nerves and a feeling you hadn’t had in a long time. A tiny flicker breathed into flames when Steve pressed his lips to yours and you felt your cheeks warm again at the thought of it.

“For charity?” you teased, trying hard to will your blush away as you pulled your eyes up to meet his.

“No way,” he said, too quick and suddenly his cheeks matched yours. Pink and rosy and warm and you laughed. “No,” he tried again, smile tugging into a smug grin. Just a tiny bit King Steve, but the show of confidence made you weak in the knees, made you want to kiss him again and you grinned right back.

“Okay, but you’re driving. Robs has a hot date,” turning you winked at Robin and her jaw dropped, fighting the urge to dive over the counter and kill you.

“A hot date?” Steve’s eyes grew wide and he reached up to slap at Robin’s hands, “With Nance??”

“I’m late, gotta get this to Click, told her I’d close this up by eight so she could go home,” Robin rambled, trying to pretend like there was so much to do, but failing miserably.

“Have fun!” you teased, throwing her sing-songy tone back in her face, but she ignored you, walking off across the football field still mumbling under her breath.

You looked back to make a joke to Steve, to laugh at Robin, but the sight of him had your words dying in your throat.

"Ready?" he asked, twirling his keys on his ring finger, looking the most relaxed he’d been all night and your heart leapt, hammering against your ribcage. Deep green henley snug across his chest. Dark wash Levi’s hugging all the right places. Hair still messy in his eyes. Those eyes. One hand jammed in his pocket and dirty blue Adidas shifting on the terf, ready to get outta there. Ready to get a drink with you and dammit, Nancy was right.

He was a good kisser.

crappymixtape™ • steve harrington masterlist // stranger things masterlist

[littlexdeaths]

𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎 𝚆𝙸𝙿𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚗 ⊹ ࣪ ˖

thank you for tagging me @myspacebrat @thecreelhouse and @strangerstilinski smooching all of you 🥺

misery business: set in the late 2000’s at the van’s warped tour. you’re corroded coffin’s favorite little groupie, attached at the hip to their lead singer/guitarist eddie munson. but you’re not his only groupie. so after another night of being fucked and tossed aside you’re found crying by one robin buckley. lead singer of the band sweet misery, who also happens to really hate eddie munson. she makes you an offer you really can’t refuse, and soon you’re caught in the middle of a love & sex filled feud between both front runners. but who will win this battle of the bands?

a touch of evil: a follow up fic to sympathy for the devil, a supernatural au. after your run in with the demon kas the bloody-handed, your life has been completely turned upside down. despite your efforts to find both kas, and his new favorite vessel (and the love of your life) eddie munson— they both remain in the wind. but what happens when you’re on a hunt and a very bloody, and demonless eddie shows up at your motel room door?

eras of us series (this installment is untitled as of now): your first life together since troy fell. set in a small village in the rolling hills of ireland, you find yourself unwillingly engaged to one william hargrove. it is a loveless relationship, one brought together by the likes of your greedy father. but when a new blacksmith rolls into town, you’re immediately drawn to him like a moth to a flame. almost as if you’ve known his soul in another life...

i’m terrible at descriptions so i hope these suffice lmao.

no pressure tags: @xxbimbobunnyxx @keeksandgigz @babygorewhore @theold-ultraviolence @munsonhoneybaby @lokis-army-77 @munson-blurbs @uglypastels @chaptersleftunwritten @devil-in-hiding @strangersmunsons @eddiexmunsonlover @madelynraemunson @mediocredreams & if you’re seeing this and want to— DO IT !! 🫡

[ddejavvu]

hi mei i love your work and wanted to requests something for modern eddie where he and his gf go to pride because she’s bi and he’s the best supporter ever!!

Eddie's brow scrunches as he examines himself in the mirror, tongue poking out of his mouth as he concentrates. Then he makes up his mind, "More purple."

"It's not pigmented enough," You lament miserably, jamming the lip gloss's applicator wand back into its tube and bending it to try and smear excess product off of the side. Eddie takes the wand from you when you pop it back out of the tube, you puff your lips out so he can paint their midsections in the purple gloss.

He pays extra attention so that he doesn't encroach on the pink stripe to its left, nor the blue one to its right. The flag-inspired markings of your lips are pressed carefully and abundantly all over his face, leaving him with a barrage of bisexual over his skin.

He takes little care in stuffing the wand back into its tube, already eagerly turning his cheek so that you can stamp more kisses over him.

"Ready," He chimes, long lashes fluttering shut as you take his face in your hands. It's hard to kiss his cheek and leave a perfect mark there, because the second your lips hit his face, a smile grows on his own.

"Eddie," You murmur into his skin, the word coming out warbled because you can't move your lips, "Stop."

There's a quip on the tip of his tongue, you just know it. But before he can release it, cheeks moving as his lips form the words, messing up your kiss mark, the doorbell rings.

You finally back away from his face, leaving behind a pink-purple-blue striped stamp against what's almost his chin. He rewards you with one of his own sticky kisses, much less colorful than your own, right against the bridge of your nose, then runs for the door.

"Buckley," Eddie greets, bowing dramatically to greet her at the door, "Happy pride."

"Where's your girlfriend?" She barges past him, and Eddie is left bent double in front of Steve, who seems to be carrying all of Robin's accessories.

"Gimme one," Robin launches herself onto the couch beside you, the cushions bouncing as she bares her cheek. You paint her face with a firm kiss to the apple of her cheek, and she glances into the handheld mirror, nodding appreciatively.

"Rob," Steve fumbles with her bag, "Uh, you- you have water in here somewhere, right?"

"Why is he holding your stuff?" You glance warily at the plethora of items Steve's wrestling with in the doorway, still unable to locate her cell.

"I told him if he was a real ally then he wouldn't mind carrying my stuff," She shrugs, "'Got him good."

"I'm gonna turn homophobic if you forgot water," Steve narrows his eyes at Robin, "It's, like, 400 degrees out there."

"We've got bottles here," Eddie placates Steve, grabbing one from the fridge and stuffing it into the man's hands, then draping your jacket over his shoulder "Hey, does that mean you gotta hold Y/N's shit, too?"

"No," Steve huffs, slinging Robin's bag over his shoulder once and for all and tossing the jacket over Eddie's head, "Means you have to, Munson."

"Don't- smudge my face!" Eddie yanks the fabric away from his precious paint job, looking at you with wide, indignant puppy eyes, "Y/N, did he mess it up?"

"No, baby," You stand, clasping Robin's hand in your own and making your way to the door. You lean up to give him a consolation smooch, right over his own lips that stains them faintly like your own, "You look perfect."

[xoxo-sarah]

I Wanna Be Yours || Part 7

Part 6 | part 8

↝a/n: Raise your hand if you're ready for Robin and Reader to finally smooch 🙋🏻‍♀️ raise your hand if you also want reader to finally be happy 🙋🏻‍♀️ raise your hand if you know this chapter isn't going to have either of those 🙋🏻‍♀️ enjoy! <;3

↝pairing: Robin Buckley x fem!Wheeler!reader

↝ Warning: slightly proofread. Possible spoilers, Canon events, season 3 Karen flashback, readers first kiss during flashback, Chrissy's funeral, hinted panic attack, not proofread

↝⎙ 9.15.23

The cold midnight air nipped at your skin. It didn't do much to help the rosy pink hue of your cheeks that were caused by a certain person who sat in her car, watching as you made your way home. You had told her to drop you off a little away from your home, in case anyone in your home was still up.

You hadn't meant for this to happen when you had snuck out of the house to go to a party. It was originally to watch over Chrissy and to make sure Jason and his friends didn't do anything stupid. But you somehow ended up in a room, alone with a girl you had met very few times. She was pretty, sure, but you hadn't pictured your first kiss to be her.

It all just happened. Things got a little further before you realized what had happened and immediately wanted to go home. The girl was super understanding. Jason had taken Chrissy back to her house before you had left, so you didn't have to worry about her. What you did have to worry about was the pink marks around your mouth from a bright lipstick.

Before you had stepped out of her car, she wiped at the mark under your lip, her finger lingering as she smiled sweetly at you. “For your first kiss, you weren't bad.” She found herself so amusing.

The kiss wasn't bad, honestly. She just wasn't someone you had seen yourself kissing, unlike a short-haired and blue-eyed dork.

You walked up to your door, trying to quietly open it.

Your mother stood by the door, a red dress, lips colored to match, a purse hanging off her slumped shoulders, eyelids colored along with darkened eyelashes, jewelry hanging from her wrist and ears, and white pumps. She looked to the side, noticing you.

She was dressed for a date night, yet your father was snoring, and they haven't gone out in a while. Actually, you couldn't remember the last time you were stuck at one of her friend's house while they went out. It just wasn't something they did. She could be going out with said friends, but it was already late, surely, they were all in bed.

She turned from where she had been looking in the living room.

You both just stood there, staring, not knowing who was to ask the first question and when.

“I won't ask if you don't.”

She sounded guilty, but you probably looked it.

Nodding, you closed the door quietly and slipped past her, getting a whiff of her perfume. She glanced from you making your way up the stairs back at Ned and Holly, who slept peacefully in his recliner.

Sighing, she stepped out of her shoes and let her purse fall down her arm.

Karen looked at you through the vanity mirror, watching as you fiddled with the hem of your black dress. “What do you think?” She lifted her lips into a smile when you raised your head, looking at the work she had done to your hair. She had curled it and stuck a few pins in to keep hairs in place. “Love it. Thank you.” Your eyes fell back down, along with her smile.

“Talk to me, sweetheart.” You were going to your best friend's funeral, for crying out loud. “Please.”

“Nothing to talk about.” You kicked your chair backwards against the carpet, before standing up.

She stood, looking at your empty seat, trying to think of how to help you, how to help the bags under your eyes that she covered up. She could only assume they were from not sleeping.

You sat 2 pews behind Jason, going between looking at Chrissy's mother as she sobbed for her daughter and glaring into the back of Jason's head.

From your spot, you saw a muscle tick in Jason's jaw when Mrs. Cunningham had brought up 'the monster that did this to her'. You two had different monsters you wanted to get rid of for the same reason.

The fabric felt itchy. Your skin felt as if you were wearing low-quality wool, poking and prodding constantly. Your mother held a weeping Mrs. Cunningham as she tried to comfort her. Your eyes searched the room. You had lost him. One second you had Jason and his friends in your sight, the next they were gone. There's no telling where they were and what they were planning.

Truthfully, you felt bad for still thinking of anyone beside Chrissy today. Yes, Chrissy's mother was mostly a terrible mother, no matter how much she and Chrissy both tried to cover it up, but she had still lost her child.

“What was the last thing she said to you, dear?” Mrs. Cunningham and your mother watched as you looked over and tried to find the words.

Your mouth moved, but no words came out.

“Truthfully, I don't remember. I'm sorry.” Your voice was barely above a whisper, your own frame sinking in.

Your mom nodded, trying to ease you. “That's alright.”

You offered a small nod before looking around for the door, for fresh air.

Was it 100 degrees right now? Were you allergic to the fabric of your dress? You currently felt allergic. Your skin felt hot, but the blood coursing through your veins felt cold as ice. Air hit your face, the smell of a cigarette being smoked wafted through your nose, the bright light from the sun burned into your irises, your legs shook. The wall behind you felt like it suddenly disappeared until your back finally hit it. Your lips moved to breathe in and out, the ragged breath making it difficult. In, out, in, out, in, out, in-

“Sweetie!”

Karen rushed toward you, noticing the way your legs shook, chest moving too quickly, eyes glancing quickly from one place in the concrete to another. “Breath, c'mon. It's okay, mama's here.”

As your body went limp, she caught you, falling down the brick wall to hold you tightly, rubbing your back and pushing your curls away from your face.

Your eyes caught pairs of shoes walking out of the door in a hurry. Looking up, you watched Jason and his friends as they left going god knows where.

"Can we leave?"

“I'm back home.” Your finger lifted from the button on the walkie, before you threw it on your bed, going back to packing your bag.

Just as you walked out of your room, making your way to the kitchen, Eddie's voice broke through the tiny speaker.

“Hey, Dustin. You there? It's Eddie, you remember me, right? Hey, uh, if anyone's there, I really think I might be in a bit of trouble here. Okay? Wheeler? Either of you? Anybody?!”

“Woah, woah!” Steve stumbled out of the dark room, wiping and hitting every part of his upper body, trying to kill the stupid spider. Nancy looked him over, confused. “Wha-what's wrong?”

“There was a spider.”

“What?”

“It's a black widow.” He continued to hit his shoulder, feeling as if twenty thousand spiders were crawling on his skin. He slammed the door shut, “Don't go in there.”

“Oh, oh.” Nancy's hand moved to get something out of Steve's hair, “Wait, just-”

“What? Something…" His voice trailed off as she continued to get whatever it was out of his hair.

“Wait, stop moving.”

“Okay.”

“I just… I got it. I got it.”

“Thank you.”

“If there's a spider in there, you're never going to find it until it lays eggs and the babies spill out.”

Steve scoffed, glaring at Robin as she walked past, laughing. “What's wrong with you?” Robin kept chuckling, walking further away from the two. “Robin, seriously.” he redirected his words to Nancy now, “She's got problems.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

“It's cool you two are, like, friends now. Maybe after we find Vecna, kill him, save the world and stuff, maybe we can all go out.” Nancy smiled at the guy in front of her as he went on. “You know, me, you, Robin, Y/n, Jonathan, when he's back.” Nancy kept messing with his hair, making sure there weren't any more spiderwebs or anything. “It's not like we're dating. Me and Robin. Not like we're dating. Right? She told you? Robin? That we're not?”

“Yes, she made that very clear.”

Steve nodded as Robin added in. “Platonic with a capital P.”

“Yep. Thank you.”

He tried to hide the reddening in his cheeks, if asked, he was surely going to blame it on Robin irritating him. That's it. He wasn't embarrassed. Not one bit.

“I mean,” His voice went back quiet, a little louder than a whisper. He should probably stop talking. “I would date her. She's just…" He should definitely stop talking. “She's-we're just… Never mind. We're friends. We're just friends. She- I know someone who would be great for her. We're not- we're friends.”

“Right. Right.” Nancy fiddled with a few strands of his hair before stepping back. “Okay, all better.”

Steve turned, “Great. Thanks.” His eyes went from her face to the dust covered hallway walls and floors. “Guess we should, uh, get back to the investigation.” Getting an awkward nod, his mouth continued to spew, “”The obvious things are not what people observe.” or “do…don't deserve.” or…" his lips formed a straight line, unimpressed with himself. “Sherlock Holmes.”

Before he could make an even bigger fool of himself, he walked away. “y/n's probably back by now.”

Hearing what Steve had said, Robin's mind wandered to you. How were you doing? How did the funeral go? How were you emotionally and mentally right now?

Knowing you, you were probably still thinking about what you guys were to do about Eddie and Vecna instead of registering what had happened. It's not doing you any good in ignoring what happened even if you don't realize it. She'd gladly help you if you'd let her. She would hold you and tell you it's going to be okay. It eventually will be, Robin thought.

At this point, you were counting the bumps in your ceiling, the envelope max gave you flipping between your fingers.

What were they doing? Why haven't they answered you back? Eddie had spoken over the walkie, apparently Jason was at Reefer Rick's, but it had been a while since he had said anything else. You would've gone to help him if you had a way. If you were to walk there, Jason would see and you and Eddie both would be in so much trouble. What was Mike up to in California? Was he having more fun? God, you hope so.

Upbeat music played through the speakers. Nancy didn't care enough to change the radio.

“Not to be a wimp, but can I sit in the car for this visit? Cause this is gonna totally and royally suck.”

“It'll be fine.” Nancy's knuckles turned white from gripping the steering wheel.

“I can't stand to see those doe eyes of Eddie's break again. I really, really can't.”

Steve stuffed another chip into his mouth, quickly chewing and lifted the 6 pack of beer from where he sat beside you, in the very back. “At least he can drink himself into feeling better.”

“That's what my mom does.” Your lips went into a frown at Max's statement.

"Why don't we give it a trial run? "Hey, Eddie. Uh, good news first this time. We got you some Dustin-approved junk food and that six-pack you requested. Oh, yeah, and we found Vecna. Only the bad news is that he's in the other, darker, much scarier dimension that we told you about and the gate's closed, so we have no way of getting to him. Like, he's entirely shut off to us so basically, you're screwed. And no, I know you were already screwed, but now you're doubly, triply screwed.”"

“Okay calm down. Want a chip?” Robin turned to look back at you, looking from your face that wore an awkward smile to your hand had held the can of Pringles. She shrugged, reaching back the farthest she could. Sadly, it wasn't far enough because Max had to grab the can and hand it to her. She plopped back down, huffing and looking out of her window at the passing trees.

“Wait, maybe we don't put it like that.” Lucas offered.

“"We're one step closer to finding Vecna." That's what we say. That's what's important.”

“See, Robin? A positive spin can make all the difference.”

• My work is not to be translated, copied, modified, and/or reposted on any other site without my permission. [!I don't give permission!]

•2021-2024 by xoxo-sarah on Tumblr•

[thesugarclubs-blog]

Sweet Tooth - Robin Buckley x OC

warnings: ft. the fruity four, robin's first date, co-workers to lovers, sweet fluff

word count: 7.7k

WP: https://www.wattpad.com/1358495090-sweet-tooth-alba

Masterlist

“Robin, would you please just sit still!” Nancy huffed as she tried to run a brush through Robin’s hair while the blonde fidgeted in her seat. 

She stared back at her through the mirror with an almost pained look on her face. Eyebrows knit close together as she bit the inside of her cheek. 

“Look I’m sorry ok, I- I’m just nervous. What if this goes horribly wrong? I’m gonna embarrass myself, I just know I am and she’s gonna hate me and rej-” An exasperated groan sounded from the bed behind them and they both turned towards it. Eddie was splayed out on the bed, looking at the ceiling with his hands up as his fingers danced along motions of the final chords of Wheel in the Sky. Once the song ended he propped himself up on his elbows and stared back at the two girls. “She’s gonna love you water lily, how many times do we have to tell you? Besides, she asked you out, not the other way around.”

Nancy continued to fuss with her hair but Robin stared at Eddie who gave her a soft supportive smile in return. An unusually quiet moment passed between the two of them. Robin and Eddie always saddled between Nancy and Steve. There was an understanding of what it meant to be weird that only they knew. 

“If she doesn’t like you,” Eddie shrugged, “it’s her loss.” He smiled at her. “You saved the world Robin, you’re the coolest person we know.”

“Thanks Eds,” Robin nodded, but the sense of dread and anxiety had already settled into her heart and she felt itchy all over. “Are we sure this is the outfit, I’m pretty sure it’s made of pure wool. It’s giving me hives.”

“Rob,” Steve appeared in the doorway with a bundle of wildflowers in the prettiest colors. His hair was pushed back under a backward cap and he was wearing a loose sleeveless t-shirt that he had clearly stolen from Eddie. 

“Steve,” she whined back.

“I didn’t drive all the way to the grocery store to get these for you all so you could chicken out. And Munson is right,” he set the flowers down on his dresser and slid down on the floor at Eddie’s feet. “We’d all be dead five times over if it wasn’t for you, one date is nothing.”

“One date is everything!” Robin threw her hands in the air and Nancy pulled the hot iron clear of any skin just in time to avoid injury. “It’s talking, and flirting and…” she looked between them all knowing they were going to mock her. “Kissing.” 

“Ooooooh!” Steve and Nancy teased whilst Eddie made smooching noises from the bed.

Robin picked up a tube of mascara from the dressing table and threw it at the two guys but it landed harmlessly on the bedspread.  Eddie picked it up and twirled it between his fingers whilst he eyed Robin curiously in the mirror.

“Why’re you so worked up about this Rob?” He asked, his head tilting to the side.

Robin stayed quiet for a moment, her eyes dropping as a soft flush crept up the back of her neck and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. When she looked back up Eddie was attempting to put the mascara on without the help of a mirror and the ridiculous sight distracted her from her nerves enough for her to answer.

“It’s…been a while since…you know,” she muttered glumly, giving a self-deprecating shrug.  “I’m probably not any good anyway.”

“Pshht!” Steve exclaimed throwing his hands in the air.  “It’s like riding a bike!”

“Easy for you to say, Harrington,” she grumbled back.  “I don’t even remember how to start.”

“Look, all you have to do is…actually, it’s probably better if I show you.”

Robin gaped at her friend in horror and a disgusted shudder caused her shoulders to shake.  Nancy hissed a curse as she had to jump away yet again to avoid burning Robin’s neck.

“Not on you, Rob, jeez!” Steve exclaimed and cast his eyes over Nancy first and then Eddie, where his gaze lingered and a small smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“C’mere big boy,” Eddie crooned, puckering his lips and batting his newly-mascara’d lashes at Steve.

“How did he do that so well without a mirror?” Nancy muttered with a furrowed brow and tilted her head to the side.

From beside her, Robin smacked her hand into Nancy’s arm and shook her head, “that’s what you’re focused on right now?” 

The brunette shrugged and spun around, placing the curling iron down and fidgeting with stuff on her dresser as Robin watched the boys. It wasn’t the first time the two of them had kissed in front of their friends but it had generally been Eddie placing teasing kisses on Steve’s cheeks or quick pecks. But the air around them shifted as Steve slid onto the bed beside the metal head. 

Steve and Eddie kept their eyes locked on one another as Steve’s hand grazed across the side of Eddie’s neck and tangled into the curls at the base of his neck. They smiled softly into a slow, gentle kiss, slotting their lips together perfectly. 

Robin stuck her tongue out and chuckled, “Bleh okay I get it!”

The boys pulled back and smiled at each other for a second, but before Steve could turn and speak, Eddie slipped his arm around his waist and in one solid movement, flipped him over underneath him, stealing another kiss through a mess of laughter. 

Once again, something was thrown at them and when they looked up Nancy was standing with her arms crossed and eyes narrowed at them. 

“How exactly is that helping Robin?” She quipped. 

Eddie shrugged his shoulders with a smirk and sat back, helping Steve sit up, “I was just going off Harrington's cues,” he retorted, “is someone offended that he chose to kiss me?”

“What? No! That’s not - no, absolutely not,” 

“Hello! Still freaking out over here!” Robin interrupted. 

“Sorry,” Eddie mumbled. But as fast as he apologized, he continued his ramble. “There’s literally no reason to freak out. Just like I showed you, it’s not that hard to kiss a girl.” 

Robin furrowed her brows and looked over at Steve who was just pointing at himself, sharing Robin's expression which made Eddie realize what he just said. 

“You know what I mean,” he let his hands clap onto his thighs. “You’re my baby girl, Stevie.” he winked at Steve who got flustered at Eddie's remark. 

“Guys! Just…stop the flirting already.” Nancy had her eyes closed, annoyed that they weren’t going anywhere with this conversation. 

“I like it.” Steve shrugged which made Nancy roll her eyes and turn back to do Robin's hair. 

Eddie placed his hand on Steve’s knee and leaned over pressing his lips to his ear. Robin could hear the whispered “she’s just jealous”. Rolling her eyes as Steve held back a snicker while Nancy continued her protests, “I am not, grow up.”

Robin stood up exasperated and started opening up her vest, shrugging it off until it landed on the floor as she paced across the room. 

“Whoa whoa whoa,” Steve jumped up from the bed and headed over to Robin placing his hands on her shoulder to stop her as her breaths picked up, “what’s goin’ on Rob? Look we’ll be good alright this is just us on a normal night think of it as that.” 

“Except it’s very much not Steve,” she huffed, “And- and you guys are just messing around and I don’t want to mess this up tonight. You guys promised you’d help.”

“Be yourself,” Steve sunk lower, resting on his heels and met her nervous stare. “Never be anyone but the sweet, hilarious, observant and clever Robin you are. You don’t give yourself enough credit.” 

“You give me too much,” she said, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.

“You’re my best friend Rob,” he lowered his voice and she knew he was about to give her some classic Steve pep talk. “You’re going to smile like you always do, the real one, you’re going to laugh, the big bright laugh that makes you snort and you’re going to give Alba those flowers I bought cause they were expensive.” 

“Steve,” Nancy huffed. 

“And you're going to show her the Robin we all know because that’s how you’re going to get the girl.” 

“I can get the girl,” Robin nodded, still staring into his encouraging brown eyes. 

“You can get the girl,” he smiled and nodded.

“I’m going to get the girl,” Robin said a little louder and with more confidence. 

As if on queue, a soft knock on the dark wooden front door sounded up the stairs. Before the self-doubt could sneak back in, Robin stomped confidently out of Steve's guest room that she shared with Nancy on the nights they all stayed together. After everything the four of them had been through, it made them realize that the only way they felt the safest was with each other. Three of them did go home a few times during the week to check in but together was where they needed to be. 

“Robin!” Nancy’s voice sounded from behind her as she made it to the top of the stairs. 

She spun around and met the eyes of her friend who was standing there holding the bouquet of flowers with a soft smirk on her lips. Damn it.

Robin sucked in a short breath and smiled sheepishly, “right…” She chuckled walking back and taking the flowers, “thanks,” she muttered. 

Nancy placed her hands on her friends shoulders and squeezed lightly, “go be happy, you deserve it” 

“Thanks Nance,” she replied as she spun back around and for a second time headed out of the house. 

The sounds of laughter and the boys roughhousing, mixed with Nancy telling them to grow up through laughter of her own echoed out the front door as Robin pulled it open with a small smile and heat rose in her cheeks. On the other side of the door stood the most beautiful girl she’d ever seen. Her dark curls cascaded over her shoulders and the way the setting sun caught her brown eyes made Robin’s thoughts go all fuzzy. 

“Hi,” Alba grinned, clasping her hands together in front of herself as her bottom lip found a home between her teeth. 

“Hi.” Robin breathed out with a big smile, heart beat drumming in her ears just from the sound of her soft voice. 

She couldn't help but stare, to get lost and just stand there and admire every part of the beauty in front of her. The way her white floral printed dress flowed in the light breeze, like a dream in slow motion, and the galaxy of freckles dancing over her pink dusted cheeks. Her eyes drifted up to the warmth in hers and a dark brow raised which brought her back from the dream she got lost in.

Get it together, it's not like it's the first time you're seeing her. 

"Are those for me?" Alba nodded her head to the flowers in Robin's hands that she was apparently holding much tighter now than before. 

She nodded back with a smile. "Yeah I don't know if you like flowers but like who doesn't but then again I understand if you're allergic or something like that or is it even possible to be allergic to flowers I don't know-" 

The cutest giggle Robin had ever heard made her rambling stop as it floated through the air between them. "I love flowers. Relax Bee, they're very beautiful. Wildflowers are my favorite. "

Robin handed her the bouquet while gesturing at her, "You're very beautiful as well."

She watched her cheeks grow a touch pinker at the compliment, the hint of yellow in her eyes sparkling brighter under the afternoon sun as her lips curled into a smile. 

“Way to make a girl blush, Buckley. I thought it was the other way around,” she teased. 

The blonde felt the heat creep up her neck, settling onto her cheeks and making her face feel like it was on fire. Jesus Robin, you’re not even in the car yet. She cast her eyes down to her feet with a sheepish smile on her face. 

“There it is, god you look so pretty when you’re flustered.” She felt Alba move a little closer and suddenly her hand was on her cheek, her tender touch urging her blue gaze back to hers. 

“You look beautiful too, Robs.” She declared brushing her thumb along her cheekbone before her hand traveled down her arm. Fingertips grazed her skin, the light touch leaving little fires in their wake until she reached her hand. 

Hovering just above hers for a minute before she linked their pinky fingers together, “Shall we?”

Alba was sweet and opened Robin’s door for her before getting in behind the wheel and turning the engine over. Robin couldn’t believe how pretty she was and found herself staring at Alba more than the world around them. 

“Robin?” Alba said, shit, Robin thought. She had totally asked her a question. 

“Sorry I was distracted,” Robin admitted. 

“I asked if you’ve seen The Princess Bride, at the drive in.” Alba smiled at her, it was big and bright and god was it perfect. 

“No,” Robin said. “I tried to get Ed and Steve to go but they pouted and ganged up on me. We ended up seeing Evil Dead 2. Which was disgusting and completely uncreative.” 

Alba giggled as Robin rambled on about the movie and its faults. “No, don't stop,” she said when Robin’s cheeks flushed. “I love listening to you talk about movies.” 

“You do?” Robin asked.

Alba leaned over, taking her hand off the wheel to give Robin a gentle squeeze. “Why do you think I’m taking you to the drive in?”

Albas hand on her thigh was enough for Robin to freak out again. Not a bad kind of freaking out, rather a ‘Jesus Christ she’s touching me’ kind of freak out. 

“I don’t know, I-I thought that maybe because you like movies and you work with me and that’s why you wanted us to go, besides there’s not really anything else to do in Hawkins but I never really thought that-”

“Robin.” Alba interrupted her rambling with a huge grin on her face.

“Sorry,” she winced and drew her brows together. She did it again: overthink everything out loud. Steve once said she should try to think before she just starts rambling but that only worked once when she and Steve were out to get some lunch and she couldn’t decide what she wanted so instead of deciding multiple different times, she stepped aside and took her time. 

“You don’t have to be sorry at all, just…don’t be nervous,” Alba smiled at her, “there’s nothing to be nervous about, right? It’s just me.” 

“I think that’s easier said than done, really.” She chuckled nervously, looking down to her lap where Alba’s hand was still resting on her thigh.

“Hm, maybe we should try something that makes you less nervous then,” Alba took her hand back and Robin let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “What makes you comfortable, Bee?” 

“Um my friends make me comfortable…sometimes,” Robin muttered, not sure if Alba had even heard her, but from her answering snicker it was clear she had.

“I’m glad about that because it’s their fault we’re here now,” Alba said with a sweet smile. “Well, Steve’s if we’re being specific.”

Robin’s stomach fell through the floor.  “What?!” She squawked, trying to not let panic overtake her.

“Yeah, we were talking in the video store and he noticed that I asked about you a bit too much maybe…he might have mentioned that you thought I was cute so I decided to ask you out.” 

Alba flushed prettily but Robin’s face turned a ghostly pale as panic set in once more.

“I’m gonna kill him. Stop the car, I can’t do this!” She whispered. “I knew it was too good to be true!”

“What are you talking about Bee?” Alba squeezed Robin’s thigh once more. “I’m glad he said something because it gave me the confidence to speak up. We probably wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for that conversation!”

“He shouldn’t be meddling,” Robin grumbled, but this time the feel of Alba’s hand seemed to calm her a little.

“Yes he should,” Alba said with conviction. “Now, are we seeing this movie or not?”

“We…we’re seeing the movie,” Robin gulped.

A soft giggle came from beside her as a small blush crept across Alba’s cheeks, “I was really hoping you were going to say that” 

“Well how could I say no to that smile of yours?” Robin mumbled shyly, hesitantly placing her hand over Alba’s, sliding her fingers in between and squeezing lightly. 

Alba grinned and nodded in satisfaction, turning her attention back to the road. Her hand remained on Robin’s thigh, with her thumb drawing small, soft circles into her skin. Robin’s eyes fell onto their hands, and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, letting out a short breath. Despite how mad she was at Steve in this moment, if this night went the way she wanted it to, she might actually have to thank him for having a big mouth. 

The butterflies were still swarming every one of her senses, making it hard to concentrate on anything other than her deep seated, burning crush on the girl sitting next to her. It was the first time Robin had actually been out on a proper date and the thought of being out in front of other people plagued her mind. It helped a little knowing that Alba had made the first move, and they were in this together. The sweet, funny girl who had managed to frustrate and bring immense happiness to Robin all at the same time. 

They both fell into a comfortable silence, as they approached the drive in. Fingers still interlocked as Alba’s hand rested comfortably atop Robin’s thigh, the butterflies still fluttering around her insides but her heart beating calmy almost like they had always been meant to be like this. 

When they arrived, Alba purchased the tickets waiting until the very last minute she had to let go of Robin’s hand and pay for them only to find her hand once more just as quickly as she had left it. She found them a parking spot with the best view possible and once they were there, she turned off the engine. 

Alba gave Robin’s hand a squeeze before letting go and reaching towards the back seat to grab a small bag. 

“I brought you these,” she said with a bright smile reaching the bag out to Robin. Her heart soared when she opened and saw some Reece’s and a box of Runts, her favorite candy. 

“I know they’re your favorites. Well, I gathered since you’re always munching on them at the store. We just need popcorn and drinks now. So, you wanna head over there with me, sweets?”

Robin stared at Alba in awe, as if nothing in the world could be more perfect. She had not only remembered her favorite candy but she had made a mental note of which ones Robin preferred without even asking. “I don’t know your favorite candy,” Robin blurted, feeling guilty for never paying close enough attention to Alba’s mouth, she was always lost in her eyes, not paying attention to anything else. 

“My sweet tooth is very specific,” Alba winked, “I’ll tell you later if you’ll let me,” she whispered and climbed from the car, leaving Robin’s mind swimming with the possible answers. 

Alba opened her door for her and extended her hand, lifting her from the car and linking their fingers together. “Are you sure?” Robin looked down at their hands and just knew it would cause trouble. 

“If I wanna hold my girl's hand on our date, I’m going to, Robin, is that okay?” Alba waited for Robin to work through the anxiety that swirled beneath the surface. Her girl. 

Robin stared at her in shock, knowing full well that every emotion that crashed through her in that moment was written all over her face. 

“Yeah,” Robin shook her head, pushing away every terrified thought of what people might say and filling the space in her mind with the image of Alba smiling at her, or the way the string lights reflected in her massive honey brown eyes and especially the way her skin felt against Robin’s as she tightened her hold on her hand. 

The walk to the concession stand wasn’t long but every step felt like walking on clouds with Alba. A group of basketball players whistled and hollered at them as they passed but Alba was quick to shut them up with a dirty look. 

“Do you want to share popcorn?” Alba walked up to the window and looked back to Robin who could only nod. “Perfect, more opportunities to accidentally touch you,” Alba giggled as Robin turned the color of a tomato and ordered a large popcorn and two drinks. 

Robin watched Alba talk with the server, smiling and joking as she swung their joined hands back and forth with a confident nonchalance that Robin could only dream of. As if she could hear her unspoken thoughts, Alba smiled across at Robin and lifted their hands to her lips and placed a soft kiss on the back of Robin’s, crinkling her nose in a sweet smile before turning back to the server.

Robin’s brain short-circuited. 

She stood there with her mouth agape and her fingers still entwined with Alba’s. It was only the gentle tugging and the giggle from the best girl she’d ever met that brought her back down to Earth.

“Bee? Are you functioning? You wanna help me carry these?” Alba giggled.

Robin cleared her throat and did her best to shoot Alba a soft smile, “Ye-yeah, yes of course,” she breathed a chuckle and let go of her girl's hand and grabbed the cold, wet paper cups. 

The cold drinks were soothing to the heat that grew under her skin the longer she was in Alba’s presence. It was still hard to wrap her mind around the fact that they were actually out on a date together, but Robin was determined from here forward to make it a great night. The thoughts of doubt and fear could wait until she got home. 

“What’s uh, what’s your favourite movie?” Robin asked as they made their way back to the car, continuing to ignore the dumb jocks that stared and made not so clever quips about the two of them. 

Alba hummed, and pop a piece of popcorn into her mouth, shimmying her shoulders as she thought, “Okay I’ll tell you, but you can’t laugh”

“I promise,” Robin smiled over at her, her blue eyes tracing the perfect slope of her nose, and watching Alba’s lips as she snuck another kernel. 

“I love The Neverending Story,” she replied quietly, “I know, I know it’s considered a kids movie, but I just love it. And if you ask me, that scene at the beginning where Artax dies was not suitable for kids, it makes me cry!” 

“Not that I’d ever admit it in public but…same,” Robin chuckled, fumbling with the door handle as she balanced the cups in her other hand.

She managed to open the door and stood aside so that Alba could climb in. With a grateful smile Alba slid along the bench seat to the driver’s side, put the popcorn on the dash, and then held out her hands for the drinks so that Robin could sit next to her. 

Once she was inside, Robin leaned forwards to fiddle with the radio, trying to tune it to the right frequency for the movie but she struggled, finding nothing but static. Warm fingers enveloped her own as Alba leaned close, her breath soft against her ear as she murmured.

“There’s a trick to this Bee. You gotta use a soft touch.”

Alba scooted even closer until their arms grazed each other. Feeling the warmth and softness of her skin made goosebumps litter along Robin's skin as waves of heat made an appearance inside her body. Such a simple touch, yet it felt like this girl could light up her whole world to the fullest no matter what she did. 

She was a breathtaking and an addicting kind of light. 

With a helping hand, they searched through the frequencies until voices filled the car along with the opening scene on the big screen in front. 

"See? The softer you are to the touch, the better." Alba smiled while biting down on her lower lip, her thumb drawing soft circles on the back of Robin's hand without breaking eye contact.

If Robin would have caught on fire, she bet this is exactly how it would feel like. She cleared her throat and reached for the cup to take a sip. If she could, she needed to take a whole bucket of just ice to cool down at the moment. 

“I definitely need to remember that trick for the next visit.” Robin smiled softly.

“You have a permanent seat in my car,” Alba cooed as the movie started. The first few moments as the images flickered across the giant screen just beyond the windshelf felt endless. Robin didn’t know what to do with her hands or feet, she felt itchy and warm all over and wasn’t sure how to get comfortable. 

“Are you cold?” Alba asked, reaching over the seat she pulled a large blanket from the back and as Robin lifted the food from her lap, Alba situated them beneath it. “Better?” She asked. 

Robin could tell that Alba knew what was going on, that Robin was just shaking because she was terrified of messing everything up. But she appreciated that Alba just took care of her without question or in need of an explanation. Under the blanket she felt Alba link their hands together carefully, tugging it into her lap as she leaned over into Robin. 

“Favorite color?” Robin asked. She wanted to know everything, all of the little things she had missed while being too distracted with Alba’s eyes. 

“Lavender,” Alba cooed. 

Robin rested her chin against Alba’s head and breathed in the sweet, floral scent of her shampoo. It tickled her nose and made her laugh a little as she felt her body relax against Alba. She had to be the luckiest girl in the world, watching a movie with an angel. 

“Favorite band?” Robin whispered, needing to know more about Alba. 

“Queen,” Alba answered in a lazy, sleepy voice. 

“Don’t tell Eddie that,” Robin giggled. “He’ll have you in the basement of Steve’s house listening to every record he owns if he finds out you like rock music.”

“That wouldn’t be so bad,” Alba peered up at Robin, “spending time with you all outside of work, and if listening to every record he owns gives me more time spent laying in your lap, consider me sold.” 

Robin swallowed tightly and nervously ran her fingers through Alba’s curls, twirling them around her finger at the end. Her hair was smooth and felt like satin against her hot skin. “I’d like that alot.” She finally answered. 

“Well then, I guess you’re gonna have to tell Eddie we’re having a listening party soon.” she mused, a playful glint in her eyes that made Robin’s stomach flip every which way. 

Her tongue jutted along her bottom lip before it found a spot between her teeth, “I can do that for you- us.” She promised, fingers dancing along the curve of Alba’s arm feeling the trace of forming goosebumps that followed in their wake. Chestnut eyes bore into hers as her pretty, plump, pink lips curled into a closed lip smile. 

She lifted her chin up, the warm air from her exhale fanning along Robin’s neck as she did so, blowing away every single thought out of her mind as she registered their current closeness. 

Alba’s lips brushed against her skin as she whispered, “Could we also have one just for us?” Sealing her question with a kiss just below her jawline. Robin could have sworn the breath that hitched in her throat was her last one. This was it, she was a goner. Or it already happened and this is just what her afterlife was. The prettiest and most amazing girl in all of Hawkins pressing kisses to her skin while she laid against her. 

“I would like nothing more,” Robin whispered back, taking in a small shaky breath. 

She felt a wash of short confidence flow through her nerves as her head tilted, meeting Alba’s gaze. The flickering of the screen as the movie played on around them illuminated the green specks that littered her iris’. She swallowed thickly as their lips brushed together, butterflies exploding throughout her belly. 

“Alba…” she whispered again, rubbing the tips of their noses together, “I-...”

“Kiss me,” Alba replied, tilting her head up to meet Robin’s lips. Letting out a small breath, Robin leaned into the soft kiss, pressing her lips against her girls and allowing the feeling to wash over her completely. Alba’s lips were sweeter than she had ever imagined and it felt as though they fit together like two perfect pieces of her favourite puzzle. A hand came up and cupped her cheek, Alba’s thumb gently tracing her cheekbone, as Robin allowed her own to reach forward and lightly rest on Alba’s waist. Robin pulled back to catch her breath quickly before diving back in for a deeper, more passionate kiss. Alba’s tongue teased her bottom lip causing her to part them and allow access, their tongues dancing together. 

With a panting breath, they pulled back once more, Robin catching Alba’s gaze with a shy smile, “That was…” 

“Incredible,” Alba finished for her, brushing a piece of her dark blonde hair behind her ear before resting her hand on the side of Robin’s neck. 

A soft smile spread across her lips. She could feel her own pulse rush against the palm of Alba's hand from the taste and feel of their lips colliding repeating in her mind. Her thumb drawing circles under Robin's jawline made her eyes flutter from the soothing touch. 

Invaded was her mind now. With her touch, her scent, her voice...everything Alba and the beauty of it all.

And she wouldn't have it another way if it meant she could lock it all inside a chest to keep to herself forever. 

Alba's warm eyes glimmered as they searched her face, licking her lips before a playful smile escaped through. She leaned closer to ghost her lips over her ear that brought pleasured goosebumps along Robin's skin.

"Just as you, sweet Bee," She whispered. 

Robin exhaled deeply as she gained another dose of confidence, cheeks dancing in flames. Her lips found a home in the crook of the beautiful girl's neck, planting lazy kisses against her skin as her hands stroked the curves of Alba's waist. 

"Alba..." She breathed out, lips grazing along her skin while the butterflies went wild through her body. "I feel like the luckiest girl in the world because you're-..."

Alba placed her hands on either side of Robin’s face and lifted her head to lock eyes. "My," A kiss to the nose, “dream,” down to the cupid's bow.

“I could say the same about you,” Robin whispered, her lips against Alba’s.  

“I’ve wanted you for so long,” Alba murmured.

Another breath-stealing kiss passed between them and Robin kept her eyes open, not wanting to miss a second of the beautiful girl in her arms. Thick, dark, eyelashes lay against a cheek flushed pink with arousal and Robin groaned with desire.

“You’ve got me Alba,” she promised with a whisper, deepening their kiss once more, opening her mouth and allowing their tongues to meet. 

Shifting even closer together on the seat, Robin slid one arm up Alba’s back pulling her into her chest whilst the other tangled in her wild dark curls. She felt Alba’s fingers teasing along her side and at the front of her shirt, desperate for more contact.

Alba squeezed at her waist, her fingers dug into her supple skin through the fabric of her shirt and Robin gasped into their kiss. The feel of her want sending a wave of electricity through her nerves that made her toes curl inside her sneakers. 

Alba pulled back from the kiss slightly, her brown eyes peering up at Robin’s through her lashes. Her free hand coming up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Bee, if it’s too much you tell me ok?” her voice a low whisper against her lips as her thumb stroked her skin softly. 

Robin slowly moved down the hand she had laid on her sweet girl’s back, bringing her bottom lip between her teeth as their chests rose and fell in tandem. She smiled and hooked a finger onto the belt that cinched her waist, “I will, I promise. And whenever you say stop we will,” she breathed. “But right now, it’s not enough.” She finished, her fingers curled into her hair pulling her lips flush to hers in a wanton kiss as she tugged on Alba’s dress begging her to get closer to her. Alba swung her leg across Robin's, placing her hands on her shoulders as she settled atop her lap.  

Robin looped her arms around Alba, tugging their hips together as they got more comfortable with one another in the front seat. Robin couldn’t get enough of how sweet Alba tasted and found herself chasing the high that her lips gave her. She tickled her fingers across her back, running in small circles that made Alba wriggle under her touch. Robin could feel the fireworks lighting off in her stomach as Alba’s tongue slipped into her mouth and her hands wrapped into the back of her hair tugging her even closer. 

“I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” Robin was breathless when Alba pulled away gently, she lingered close by, their lips practically touching as her brown eyes searched for Robin’s. 

Alba brushed her nose against Robin’s jaw sending sparks through her body down to her toes, “we’re going to miss half the movie,” she giggled. 

“I don’t care,” Robin sighed, tipping her chin and reconnecting their lips in a long, feverish kiss that made the rest of the world turn into nothing but hazy lights and muffled conversations. 

Alba's hands drifted down over Robin's arms to her waist, fingers brushing over the blonde girl's exposed, heated skin as she played with the hem of her shirt. Her touch full of tease and it felt as if flames tickled Robin's skin making her groan into the kiss as Alba took her lips into her mouth and sucked gently with a pop. 

Alba pulled away slightly with their lips still brushing against each other. "You sure about that, angel?" She whispered while her hips wiggled even closer to her.

A playful smile danced across Alba's plump lips before she lowered her head, leaving open mouthed kisses over Robin's neck as those warm and beautiful honey brown eyes peered up at her through her thick lashes. Robin was out of words, her heart now definitely skipping more than one beat and when the girl nibbled on the sweet spot right under her ear, she wondered if she even had a heartbeat at that moment.

A soft whimper left Robin’s lips as her hands skated up Alba’s arms, tangling into her dark brown curls. The chatter from the movie faded into the background as the sweet sounds of Alba’s hums filled her ears. She felt Alba’s hands skate further up her shirt, tracing the lines of her ribs with her soft fingertips as her thumbs teased the hem of her bra. 

The heat under Robin’s skin ignited into a full flame and she could hear the blood rushing around her body. Her breath quickened as her heart crashed against her chest. She couldn’t think about anything other than the feeling of Alba’s lips as they traced every inch of her neck, leaving wet kisses across her throat. 

“Alba wait - I, I can’t-” Robin breathed, shaking her head and dropping her hands stop the movement of Alba’s, “I’m sorry, I just - I need to -” 

“Robin, hey, look at me,” Alba sat back, bringing her hands out of Robin’s shirt and placing them on either side of her face, “It’s okay, you don’t have to explain,” she smiled softly, pressing her lips gently to Robin’s once more, before moving off her and sliding her arm around Robin’s shoulder, “let’s finish the movie, hm?” 

With a small nod, Robin tried to catch her breath and focus her attention back on the screen in front of them, but thoughts of how she’d ruined their evening crept in. She pulled her lip between her teeth and leaned her head over to Alba’s shoulder. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tilting her head up slightly to catch Alba smiling down at her. 

Alba shook her head, and pressed her lips to Robin’s forehead, “You never have to be sorry for needing a break,” she answered, “I only ever want to make you feel comfortable and safe with me.”

Robin believed her, and usually the unwanted feeling of doubt overwhelmed her in moments like these but something in Alba’s soft voice and warm eyes made Robin feel so secure about it all. It didn’t take much time for Robin to sink into her side and find home in all her curves as the movie played out and the credits rolled on the screen before them. 

She found herself talking in circles about the storyline of The Princess Bride, “realistically, a man would never go to such lengths for a woman. They just don’t understand the emotional turmoil behind loving something that much let alone, putting their lives on the line. If that was me-”

“Bee,” Alba looked down at her, “I should get you home before the brady bunch comes searching for us.” She giggled, showing Robin her watch that read midnight. 

“Oh,” Robin grimaced, “I’m sorry, I get in these head spaces where I’m just consumed and I lose track of time. You’re probably exhausted.” 

“If I didn’t have to take you home, I wouldn’t. But I think Harrington owns a gun,” Alba laughed. 

“Wheeler owns the gun,” Robin laughed, “it's her you should be scared of.”

"Really? Well, I don't want to find out who would look more terrifying with it. Let's get you home safe, sweet pea."  Alba chuckled when a big yawn escaped through Robin's lips, kissing her nose and heavy lids softly before they both buckled up and drove away from the drive-in. 

The ride home was quiet but comfortable, the only sound in the car was the rumbling of the engine. Alba had placed her hand on Robin's thigh and stroked her softly with her thumb in comforting motions as she rested her head on her shoulder. Every now and then she looked away from the road to lock eyes with Robin, smiling so brightly down at her with only pure adoration in her eyes and it felt as if her heart got wings. 

It all felt so peaceful, but it didn't take long until the unwanted thoughts in Robin's mind came to life once more. Although she felt like the true, believable signs were so obvious and there, she couldn't help to think at the same time how it was going to be after she passed the threshold of the house. This couldn't be a one time thing. Having the time of her life with an angel that she thought only existed in her dreams. She wanted everything Alba again. Always...

"You're too adorable when you do that," Alba's velvety voice got her back to reality. Looking out the window, she noticed she'd already arrived back home.

Robin placed her hand over Alba's and squeezed it. She wanted to spend every second that was left holding her before they needed to say goodnight. "Will you walk me to the door?"

Alba grasped her chin and kissed her. "You really thought I wouldn't want to walk you and hold your hand one last time for the night?"

A light blush crept up upon Robin's neck as she bit down on her lower lip with a smile. They climbed out of the car and Alba was quick to round the car to grasp Robin's hand in hers, taking their sweet time in their walk before they stood outside the door. 

Alba turned to embrace Robin in her arms, placing her forehead against hers and Robin took the opportunity to breathe in her sweet scent while she ran her fingers up and down her arms. 

"Thank you for the most perfect and amazing evening, Bee. I mean it, don’t for once think you’re getting rid of me now. I'm glued to you." Her sweet laugh was contagious and made Robin’s body feel all warm and fuzzy. 

She skated her left hand up her arm until she was cupping the side of Alba’s neck, brushing her thumb softly along her jawline as she placed a soft kiss to her lips. 

“Can I see you again tomorrow? Like on a date. I know we see each other at work all the time or well mostly all the time cause we don’t always have the same shifts so if it’s too much just tell me I get it I just really wa-” 

The brunette pressed her lips tightly to Robin’s as her thumb drew small soothing circles against the skin of her hips and backed away with a smile. 

“Sorry,” Robin voiced shyly, the heat creeping up to her cheeks.  

“Don’t, I like your little rambles,” Alba stated, her big brown eyes holding her stare lovingly. “I don’t know if that answered your question but, I’d love that. I mean I don’t even wanna leave you right now,” she laughed. 

“It’s a date then.” 

Robin watched as she bit the corner of her lip trying to hold back her growing smile, longing for it to be her teeth that bit into the plump skin. 

“It’s a date,” She confirmed. 

The blonde dipped her lips to hers one last time, whispering good night against them as they parted. She let her hands fall, her right lingering just inches away from Alba as she turned to open the door of the home she shared with three of the most important people in her life. As the door swung open, she felt Alba’s delicate fingers close around her hand pulling her flush to her body in a wanton kiss. Her hand found purchase at her hips as she tried to keep herself steady. 

A loud wolf whistle sounded from behind them, and Robin let out a loud groan as she spun around, staring daggers at the culprit. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been expecting slack from the guys afterwards, but part of her had hoped they’d at least wait until Alba had left before they started. 

“Munson, are you serious?!” Robin snapped as an embarrassed blush made itself known on her cheeks. 

Alba laughed and pressed her lips to Robin’s cheek, which only made it worse. “What?! It was a compliment!” Eddie justified, tilting his head and smirking playfully at the girls, “Hi Alba, I’ve heard so much about you” Steve slid down the last two carpeted stairs and came to stand beside Eddie, his hands landing on his hips, “And may I ask what your intentions are with our Robin? We’re very protective of our girl,” he teased. 

“Oh my god,” Robin turned back to Alba and pressed her lips into a thin line, “You don’t have to answer that, please ignore them, I’m so sorry” 

“No don’t be, they’re being funny,” She smiled sweetly, pressing another kiss to her lips. “Excuse me, I thought we told you to be home by midnight! It is 12:15 young lady!” Nancy sounded as she rounded the corner from the kitchen. “You have got to be kidding me,” Robin groaned again, bringing her hands up to her face. Alba’s fingers moved to wrap around the blonde’s wrists, pulling her hands gently away before moving to wrap her arms around Robin’s neck, “I should go,” she giggled softly, “But I’ll see you tomorrow” 

With one last soft kiss, ignoring the whopping and hollering that was sounding from her friends behind them, Alba made her way back to her car, saying a quick goodbye to Nancy, Steve and Eddie. Robin couldn’t stop the smile that crept onto her lips as she watched her girl drive away. The whole night seemed like a dream, as if any minute now she was going to wake up, still with her school girl crush on this girl and no idea what to do about it. 

In the back of her mind, Robin knew how grateful she was for her friends pushing her to do this. To allow herself some resemblance of happiness after everything. They had learned that it was better to take these little chances in life instead of letting them pass by. 

As Alba’s car disappeared, Robin’s face fell as she spun around to face her friends, “I am going to kill all three of you,” she stated sternly, as she rushed into the house, and swung the door shut behind her. Laughter and smacks from a couch cushion echoed through into the night air as a new feeling of joy enveloped the large home. 

[hoffmannwrites]

On My List

1  - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 + 1 Masterlist

Author’s Note: Last chapter was kinda a cop out but I just think it's really funny to think about Steve going on autopilot to save Eddie after almost losing him and Eddie being totally fine. Steve overreacts every time Eddie cuts himself shaving or stubs his toe for the rest of their lives, because it is his God Given Right to do so as a Loving Husband.

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Eddie Munson

Description: 5 Times Steve and Eddie kiss as friends, and one time they don't.

Warnings/Tags: Everyone lives, Nobody dies, 5+1, Kissing, Fluff, Idiots to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, some pretty brief mentions for drinking, smoking, being inebriated (the gang is drunk here but nothing too bad, just in a fun way), uhhh they're gay your honor, no beta we die like Barb, let me know if I missed anything?

Happy New Year

The third time Eddie and Steve kiss is the first time they do it intentionally. New Years has rolled around and Steve has been goaded into hosting a New Years Eve party by Robin, citing “celebrating life”, “spending time together”, and “you’ve got such a big freaking house dude and you love to host!” as her reasons why it had to be at Harrington’s. Steve didn’t actually love hosting, he was just annoyingly good at it (he’s a Virgo, he was born for this). So they spend the 31st setting up the beer pong table (they buy extra pong balls too), putting out some random snacks they bought, and hanging just a few random decorations (Robin got her hands on a disco ball and Steve had never seen her look so excited). While they’re setting up, they talk about everyone who’s coming and Steve pointedly asks if Vickie is going to be there. “Of course she is, she’s my girlfriend,” Robin says nonchalantly. Everyone pretty much knew they were together at this point, but only Steve really knew. Robin and Vickie made a point not to be too affectionate in public, just for the sake of living their life in peace.

“First New Years together,” Steve continues. “Gearing up for a big New Years smooch? Going out with a bang and starting the year off right?” Robin blushes at the thought and is suddenly really focused on putting Doritos in a bowl. “We haven’t really talked about it,” she replies.

“Oh come on, Robbie. You don’t talk about it, you just do it! Don’t ruin the magic of love!” Steve adds, voice mildly muffled by him being halfway in the fridge, filling it with Tab. Robin just shrugs, but Steve isn’t letting her off the hook that easy. “Whatever, man. The spare bedroom is always open incase you guys want a little privacy,” he offers. “But not too much privacy! Don’t defile my home, Buckley!” he quickly backtracks, while Robin continues to just ignore him in embarrassment. 

By the time 11:45 rolls around, everyone is too caught up in their own little groups to notice the time is getting close. Max and Eddie have been debating god knows what for at least twenty minutes, Argyle is trying to tell Jeff about this car that runs on water, and Robin, Nancy, and Vickie are talking about the Iran-Contra affair, of all things. (Nancy really hates Reagan, and the second she is even a little tipsy, she will tell everyone). Steve is paying attention though, and makes sure everyone has a drink in hand so they can do a little toast. But Steve’s not really great with words, never has been. Eddie though- Eddie loves a big announcement. So Steve steals Munson away (more like rescues him, if the conversation they were having is as intense as the look on Max’s face makes it seem). 

“Listen. I wanna make a toast- announcement- thing and I don’t really know what to say, but I figured you’d be good at it,” Harrington says to Eddie, hoping he’ll understand what he means. “Aw, you like the sound of my voice, dontcha, Big Boy?” Eddie says, all smiley and squinty eyed.

“I literally never said that. At all. You’re just good at talking,” the younger man replies, acting like the nickname doesn’t phase him at all (it doesn’t, he swears. It’s normal to get all tingly when someone calls you that.)

“All right, all right. Anything in particular you want me to say, or should I wing it?” 

“Just that, I’m really happy that everyone made it out alive. This year was a lot and I’m happy to be done with it, but also happy to, like, start a new one with everyone, or whatever.” 

Eddie looks at Steve a little dumbstruck for a second. “That was kinda beautiful, man. I can work with that.” 

Eddie walks back into the middle of everything and climbs up onto the coffee table using Mike and Dustin’s heads as leverage. Steve tries not to freak out about the fact that there are dirty Doc Martin’s on his mother's brand new Ethan Allen coffee table as Eddie loudly clears his throat. 

“I would like to make a little toast before we hit midnight. This year has been goddamned insane. And I hope we never have another one even close to it! But some pretty cool things happened too. I got to meet pretty much the coolest guy ever, with a van who rivals mine,” he nods to Argyle, who smiles and lifts his can of Coors in acknowledgement. “We all got to watch the sweet flower of love blossom between friends.” He didn’t point to anyone in particular at this, but Robin and Vickie smirked into each others shoulders, and Lucas made googly eyes at Max, who punched him squarely in the thigh, but blushed anyway. “We pretty much saved the whole fucking world, through the power of music and also friendship!” He practically squealed, as the younger kids whooped and hollered, leaving just a few of the guests only a little confused, just assuming it was some dumb inside joke. “I finally graduated high school,” he continued, and the hooting only got louder for that. “But! But!” He yelled over the din quieting everyone down. He looked almost somber now. “Most importantly. We can’t forget. Harrington’s hair has never looked better! I mean come on, look at that volume! Let’s get a round of applause for that!” He shouted, while the small crowd erupted into applause and hoots.

Once it died down a little, he started up again. “For real, guys. I’m really happy we’re all here,” (that sentiment was especially impactful for those there who were in the know) “I’m happy I get to finish this year with you all, and even happier to start a new one. Here’s to ‘87, baby!” And with that, Eddie raised his can and everyone followed suit. He hopped off the coffee table and wandered over to Steve. “Did I do good?” he asked.

“Perfect.” Steve replied, the corner of his mouth turning up just a little. “And great timing too,” he gestured to the TV where Dick Clark was counting down from 60. Eddie automatically started counting down with him, loudly enough that the entire party joined in by the time they hit 15.

“3..2…1…Happy New Year!!!” He exclaimed, shouting wildly and turning to Steve, who just happened to be looking at Eddie like he had hung every fucking star in the entire sky. And it was Eddie this time who grabbed Steve roughly by the back of the neck with his left hand and crashed his lips into Steve’s messily. Steve was too surprised to do anything but kiss back, not quite adding in any tongue or anything, but definitely moving around enough that it counted as a real, bonafide kiss in his book. It was real enough that by the time they separated, Steve looked a little glassy eyed and heavy lidded and Eddie lips were pinker and maybe even the tiniest bit swollen.

“Can’t start the new year without a kiss, amiright Stevie?” Eddie shot him a wink and disappeared into the crowd with a flourish. Steve just stood there for a few moments, head reeling, eyes darting around searching for Robin to see if she saw what just happened. But as his eyes landed on Robin, the also landed on Vickie who was still kissing the other woman like there was no one else in the room. Steve smirked a little and turned to go find a conversation to join, still so confused, but content with waiting to debrief with Robin later. 

A/N:

I did some math (astrology) and I now Headcannon that Steve was born on August 27th, 1966 at roughly 1 AM. This makes him a Virgo Sun, Capricorn Moon, and Cancer Rising (which is why he’s so baby girl coded). It also gives him a stellium in Leo (which explains the hair and the being sexy) and Virgo (which explains the being a mom). Yes; this took me a lot of time to figure out. No, I don’t regret it. 

Doritos slap. So does Tab.

Argyle talking about the car that runs on water is based off my favorite running bit in That 70s Show and Hyde's obsession with that damn car and the conspiracy around it.

I am still made about the Iran-Contra affair and Ronald Reagan is my sworn mortal enemy.

1986 was the year when Coors got national distribution, and therefore the first year you could legally get it East of the Mississippi. (Also, go watch Smokey and the Bandit). 

I have no idea how NYE works in any time zone other than my own. Luckily, most of Indiana is on Eastern time. But for anyone out of ET, but still in America, wtf do y’all watch? Do they just air Dick Clark later? Do you have a different special you watch? Please enlighten me. 

[devildungeondm]

Crossing his arms, Eddie simply observed Steve try to do his work. It was clear this wasn't his scene. Robin? That made sense. Buckley came across as a lot more pop cultured than Steve. As he moved, Eddie appreciated the view he was getting.

His nose wrinkled. "There it is," he said, clicking his tongue. "Here for the babes. I'm sure the housewives love seeing you as their eye candy while fishing around for kids movies." He snickered to himself before shoving his hands in his pockets. "Aw, but I heard it worked for you. The blue brought out your eyes, didn't it?" he teased, batting his eyes and making smooch noises before stepping back and laughing.

"You need to at least see some of the popular classics, Dude. Otherwise how are you going to connect with customers? 'M surprised Buckley hasn't educated you yet."

"Have you seen how many movies are in this store?" He gestured at all the aisles, stacked to the edges of their shelves with VHS tapes galore. "There's no way in hell I could possibly know every single one of them." He hardly knew any of them, if he were being honest, but Eddie didn't need to know that. Besides, why would Steve have gone out of his way to watch a movie with Madonna in it? Unless she was topless, it really wasn't his type of film.

He went back to trying to process what he was doing, trying to get his job done, just in case Keith were going to come around and find even more reason to scold Steve. He hated that his entire new job was pinned on a guy who literally acted like Steve was the worst man on the planet, but he was trying his best. He didn't want to come off as even more of a failure than he already felt.

Rolling his eyes at the other's comment, Steve shook his head. "It really isn't all bad. Sometimes a nice babe will come into the store and distract you for a bit, you know? And it could be worse. I could be back to wearing that ridiculous sailor uniform again." The green vest wasn't the greatest, but anything was better than what he had been forced into at Scoops Ahoy.

[platypanthewriter]

Fire

Harringrove April day 21, Fire.  Robin decides to move on with her life by burning her memories in a summer bonfire, but it turns out the one that moves on is Steve.

Robin lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, and Steve waited.  She groaned, grabbing the pillow, and smushing it over her face.  “...she smelled like summer,” she groaned.

“Kinda like lawn clippings,” Steve agreed, wrinkling his nose, and then ducking the pillow she threw.  

“I’m over her,” Robin sighed.  “I am!  I’m over her, jesus.”

“Is that her scrunchy?” Steve asked, pointing at the suspiciously shrine-like setup with the photo of the girl in question, a gold star sticker Steve remembered her sticking on Robin’s cheek, and a stick of gum she’d passed across the ice cream counter, saying ‘look, it’s a new flavor!’.

She’d blown a bubble in Robin’s face.  Steve’s best friend had staggered watching full, bright pink lips pursed around the bubble, and then clutched the counter at the dazzling smile after. 

“I think she might be dating Tommy Hagen,” Steve muttered, both wanting Robin to know, and not wanting to be the one to tell her.  

“Auuuugh,” Robin moaned, kicking her feet.  “Why do the hot ones have such bad taste?!”

“No idea,” Steve said, huffing a sigh of his own.  

“This isn’t about you,” she hissed at him.  “Hot girls like you, so shut it.”

“I thought she liked you too,” Steve told her, holding up a ratty old Curious George toy, and making it clutch its paws over its mouth.  “She kept trying to put makeup on you.”

“Oh, is that what girls do when they’re hitting on you?” Robin muttered at him, hugging her pillow.  

“No,” Steve said, having Curious George pat reassuringly at her toe.  She yelped, and snickered.  “But, I mean, she doesn’t...maybe she didn’t know what to do.  She tried to get you to come over, I mean—”

“To look at magazines about boys, probably,” Robin mumbled into her pillow.  “God, why wasn’t I born on Themyscira?!”

“Where?” Steve asked, cocking Curious George’s head. 

“Where Wonder Woman lived.  Full of lesbians,” Robin sighed, and Steve nodded slowly.  “Anyway.  I’m over her.  Done.  What do I want with some party girl, anyway.”

Steve, who’d watched Vicki Carmichael fixing her makeup and scrunching her hair before coming in to ask for Robin, bit his lips.  

“The mall burned, and so did my fantasies,” Robin sighed.  “Let’s have a bonfire.  I’ll burn my creepy shrine,” she said, and Steve winced.  “I saw you thinkin’ it,” Robin told him, glaring.  “You can burn your lock of Nancy’s hair or whatever—”

“I don’t have a lock of her hair,” Steve said, his cheeks burning, as he remembered the notes he did have, when she’d returned a few replies to the the hundreds he’d slipped in her locker.  

“Bring Henderson,” she said.  “He can burn whatever weird shit of Max Mayfield’s he’s got ferreted away.”

Steve snorted a laugh, shaking his head.  

 When he saw Vicki Carmichael lingering around his car the next day, her brightly lipsticked mouth sucking a Tootsie Pop, he narrowed his eyes.

“Where’s Buckley?” she asked, eyeing him up and down, the way she had.  

“At home, I guess,” he told her, and she ran a bangled hand through her hair.  

Her lashes were sticking together, a little, and he wondered if she’d applied fresh mascara while she waited.  “Thought you two were stapled together at the hip,” she said, and then spun the Tootsie pop in her mouth.  “Never see one without the other.”

“We’re not dating,” Steve told her, trying to think of what a good friend would do.  “Uh.  We’re...not like that.”

“What are you like?” she asked, laughing, and Steve had no idea what that meant, so he just frowned at her.  She smiled down at her nails, shifting her heels on the concrete.  

“...she’s throwing a party,” Steve told her.  “I mean, kinda, us and a couple of friends, is all, but you should—you should come.”

Vicki went still, searching his face.

“Not—” Steve waved his hands, stepping back, and trying to figure out how to politely say ‘Don’t worry, I’m not into you!’.  “Um, you can hang with Robin, I’ll have other, uh, other friends there.”

It was the first time he’d ever seen Vicki Carmichael blush.  Her makeup hid most of it, but her ears went red, and down her neck, and Steve jerked his head to look away before he stared at her chest like a creep to see whether she was blushing there too.  

“...maybe I shouldn’t go,” she said, laughing a little unsteadily, and he realized he’d scared her.  “Just—say hello.  Or don’t,” she said, biting down on the tootsie-pop, and then muttering what sounded like a stream of fuck, fuck, fuck with her mouth full of candy shards.

“No, she, um,” Steve flailed, trying to reassure Vicki without saying anything Robin wouldn’t want shared.  “She’s been waiting for you to come in the video store.  We uh, we get movies in, and she says you’d maybe like something—”  It was sarcastic, usually, because while Robin obviously wanted to tear the buttons off Vicki’s shirt and suffocate herself in Vicki’s cleavage, she didn’t have a very high opinion of her movie taste.

It was pretty much the same movies Steve liked, so he was used to Robin rolling her eyes and saying “Figures.”

Vicki still hadn’t said anything, her eyes wide as she stared at his face again.  “I think she’d be happy to see you,” Steve told her, holding back a little smirk.  “And this is dangerous for me to say,” he said, lowering his voice, and grinning at her, “—because she’s gonna be embarrassed as hell that I told you.”

It was hot, in the parking lot of Bradley’s Big Buy, in the last lingering days of summer, watching Vicki shift, hugging herself, and Steve thought it didn’t say much good about him as a person, how scared she was of a trap.  

“Or look up her number in the student handbook,” he said, holding his hands up.  “Bring her some ice cream.  She’s been bitching about not getting it free.”  Vicki’s eyes widened at the idea, and she shook her head rapidly, her hair flouncing over her shoulders.  

Steve put his hands on his hips, thinking.  “Halloween’s coming up,” he remembered, brightening.  “Wonder Woman costume.  She’d probably forget how to breathe.”

Vicki snorted a laugh, staring at him.  “...you think she’d really want me there,” she whispered, a little mumbly, because she was still trying to chew through half a Tootsie-pop.  

“It’s the day after tomorrow,” Steve said, tasting victory.  “Friday night.  Just, like, me and her and some kids we know, you remember Dustin, he was always hanging around at Scoops.  He’ll bring a friend or two, maybe.”

“...if this is—if this is some kind of—” Vicki hissed, waving the half-chewed Tootsie-pop at him.  “If this is—” she stopped again, sniffling, and Steve waved his hands.  

“No!  No, it’s—it’s nothing weird, I promise, she just...she’d be happy,” Steve told her, grimacing.  “If you were there.”

Vicki nodded, chewing her lip, and Steve rattled around in his glove compartment for a pen and paper.  He found a pen, and wrote Robin’s address on Vicki’s hand.

 The night of the bonfire, Dustin showed up with Erica Sinclair, Will Byers, and Eleven.  They all looked solemn, and Steve wondered what kind of weird hijinks he’d let poor Vicki in for.  Everyone brightened up as they piled brush on the pile and lit it, though, and Steve got the hose—just in case—as Will got the others dancing around the fire to music, and some kinda chant.  

“Out with the old, and in with the new,” they sang, giggling, and holding hands.

Robin looked kind of depressed, watching them, and Steve stopped her from just tossing a whole box of things in the flames.  “Come on, wait until it gets going,” he said, “—you’ll put the fire out.”

She groaned, and nodded, then narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously as he leapt up at the sound of a car in the drive.  

It was the Camaro, with Max in the driver’s seat, and Billy, newly out of the hospital, pale and shaking in the passenger’s side.  “Shut up,” Max hissed, before Steve had even said anything.  “He needs to get out of the house sometime.  He was desperate enough to let me drive.”

“He looks like he needs to lie down,” Steve whispered back, as Billy sat in the car, staring forward.  

“He said he’d be fine,” she shot back, shrugging, but looking just as doubtful as Steve did, and crossing her arms.  

Billy leaned his head against the window, watching them, and Steve finally walked around to knock on the glass.  “You need help?”

“...no,” Billy snarled, looking away.  “I’m just peachy, Harrington.”

“Ugh,” Steve sighed.  “Look, I’ll go find you a chair.  Take your time.”

Billy glowered at him, and Steve wondered whether he was supposed to insist on helping, or ignore him, or what, and rolled his eyes, walking off.  

“...I think he might be stuck in there,” Max said conversationally, as they walked back over to the bonfire.  It was burning high now—taller than Steve twice over, with the fuel of a hot summer’s worth of dry branches and old paper.  Erica stuck a cedar branch in there, and the fire ran down the oily fronds like a sparkler.  The heat was too much even six feet away, and Steve soaked the ground around it again.

“Let’s do this thing,” Robin sighed, clutching her box, and Steve grimaced.  

“Uh, wait a minute, Max brought Billy, and he can’t get his weak ass out of the car,” he told her, as she raised an eyebrow at him like he was being ridiculous.  Steve wandered back out to watch for Vicki, his arms crossed.

Billy had his eyes closed, his breathing shallow, and Steve knocked on the window again.  “You alive?” he asked, wondering whether Max’s night was about to be ruined by her brother dead in the driveway.  Maybe inheriting the Camaro would be worth it.

“...’m alive,” Billy said, after taking a slow breath.  “What’s it to you, Harrington?”

“Nothing,” Steve told him, and Billy smirked.  “...Max is all right, is all, and she’ll be pissed if I let you die in the driveway—”  He cut off as another car pulled in, an aged Plymouth Roadrunner, and Vicki clambered out, struggling with three bags of groceries.  

Steve ran over and took one.  “You came!” he whispered excitedly, and she shot him a wary glare.  The bag he’d snatched had two gallons of ice cream under a six-pack of beer, and he snorted a laugh.  “You know how to make an entrance,” he told her, and she smirked faintly.  

“Gotta use everything I have, right,” she said, taking a deep breath, and Billy started laughing in the car, startling her so she nearly dropped the other two bags of ice cream.  

“I’m so sorry, I have no idea why he’s here,” Steve whispered to her, and sidled around between Billy’s car and the hedge to open his door.  Billy’d been leaning against it, and he nearly fell out, his shoulder thudding into Steve’s thigh.  “Come on, asshole,” Steve told him, crouching.  “Put an arm around me, I’ll get you in there.”

Billy glared back at him, but slowly wrapped an arm around Steve’s shoulders, and swung a leg out.  Steve grabbed his belt—prompting a strangled noise from Billy—and hauled him along to the gate to the backyard, while Vicki stared.  

“Thought it was gonna just be you and the kids,” Billy panted, his voice strained.  “You...planning to get lucky on your...best friend’s bed...Harrington?”

“Gross,” Steve muttered.  “How are you this heavy, jesus.”

“Why are you yanking my jeans into my colon,” Billy shot back, growling, but all three of them made it inside, and Robin dropped her box as she shot to her feet, staring at Vicki Carmichael.

“You said she’d be glad to see me,” Vicki said, slurred through her frozen smile as Robin stalked up and tried to yank Steve away somewhere, but Steve was anchored by Billy’s weight.  

“Lemme put this shithead down,” Steve told her, as poor Vicki waved a bag of ice cream, her whole body stiff.

“I brought ice cream,” she said thickly.  “S-Steve told me there was a party.”

“Steve told you,” Robin said flatly, her fingers digging bruises into Steve’s arm.  

“What’s happening,” Billy said under his breath, looking between them, and finally Robin stopped staring Steve down, and clapped her hands.  

“All right!” she shouted.  “Let’s start!”

The kids started chanting again, like the freaks of nature they were, and Steve caught Billy smiling bemusedly at Max, as they pranced around the fire, the flickering light making them look like witches, or something.  Vicki’s eyes were huge.

Steve kicked Dustin’s leg to make him get out of one of the three lawn chairs, and eased Billy into it.  His grip was nearly as tight as Robin’s, but it wasn’t hard to put his cold, shaking fingers together with his pallor, and guess that he was just trying not to fall.  

“I’ll go first!” Max said, waving a handful of paper.  “I’m gonna burn my report card so I can stop hiding it from Neil,” she said, and Billy winced, “—and these letters from my fucking dad where he says I’ll learn to like it here, and—” she swallowed hard, and then just threw the handful into the fire, and Eleven gave her a side-hug.  

Will threw a crumpled ball in, without a word, and then Eleven shoved a whole box into the middle of the flames.  

Dustin had gotten spoons, and Vicki was getting a lot of soft “Thank you!”s as the kids gathered around her grocery bags, and even Robin grabbed one of the beers, eyeing her and then Steve suspiciously.

“Those are the files on the scientists that...did this,” El said.  “To me and my mom.  I decided not to look for them.”

“Holy shit,” Dustin muttered.

“Me next,” said Erica Sinclair.  She held up a polaroid.  “Heather at the pool gave me this of the hot new lifeguard, this summer,” she said, staring directly at Billy, “—but then I found out he was possessed and drank bleach.  I can do better.”

Max stared at her, open-mouthed, but Billy cracked up, holding his chest as he wiped his eyes.  The photo melted, releasing black smoke, and Dustin and Eleven coughed.

“And then there was you two,” Erica said, putting her hands on her hips to survey Steve, and then Robin, and ripping another photo of them—in Scoops uniforms—exactly in half.  “No free ice cream?  Neither of you are my true loves.”

“Oh my god,” Billy whispered, laughing harder, and looking pained.  

“None of you deserve me,” Erica said, sighing, and she sat down again.

Steve yanked the folded notes he’d kept from Nancy, folded them tighter, and tossed them on the fire.  

“What was that?” Billy asked, frowning up at him.  “Harrington.”

“None of your damn business,” Steve sighed, hoping his blush wasn’t visible in the firelight.  He was watching poor Vicki, ignored while her ice cream offering got consumed.  Billy sighed.

“I didn’t bring anything to burn,” Vicki admitted, glaring over at Steve.  “I didn’t know it was a...fire party.”

“Yeah, how dare you bring ice cream, and not s’mores,” Robin said, around a mouth full of ice cream.  She glanced at Vicki, and then stared down into the carton, taking another huge bite.  

“You should put some of this in the freezer,” Steve prompted.  “Robin, you should show her where the freezer is.”

Robin stared at him, her cheeks full of ice cream, her expression epically betrayed.  He glanced at Vicki to see her giving him nearly the same glare, but they did finally go inside, and Steve breathed a sigh of relief watching them through the kitchen window, edging around each other, bumping elbows, and blushing.  Robin caught Vicki’s arm, saying something, and Vicki turned back, so close Robin was pinned against the counter, staring at Vicki’s face, and then her lips.  

“Shit,” Billy whispered, under his breath.  “Those bitches are gonna kiss.”

“Sssht,” Steve hissed at him, watching with a whiteknuckled hand on Billy’s shoulder.  After a pause that went on forever, as they half-listened to Dustin explaining something about his girlfriend Susie and becoming astronauts, Vicki leaned in, licking her lips.  Steve heard Billy take a shaky breath along with him as Vicki turned her head, kissing Robin firmly enough it pushed her head back, and Robin waved her hands in the air, her eyes huge.  Vicki’s eyes were closed, and her shoulders hunched, a little, when Robin just stared into space, instead of kissing her back.  

Vicki jerked away, and they could hear her heels clacking on the linoleum towards them, so Steve ran over and banged on the window.  “Robin!” he yelled against the glass.  “Wake up!  She’s leaving!”

Robin jerked, shaking her head, and then glowered out, slapping a hand over to turn off the kitchen light, so they couldn’t see what was happening anymore—but she didn’t catch Vicki, apparently, because the heel-noises clattered across the threshold and she came barrelling out, wiping her eyes.  She glared at Steve, and then stomped towards her car, and Robin came flying out after her.  

“Stop, wait,” she hissed, and the kids finally looked over.

“Put more wood on the fire,” Steve told them, spraying the ground around them, as the fire dried the sparse grass.  They yelled and scrambled out of the way, giggling, and out of the corner of his eye, he watched Robin catch Vicki’s hands, whispering to her.  

The kids started building the fire up higher—Steve took the precaution of really soaking the yard down, not wanting to burn the whole neighborhood down even in exchange for getting his best friend laid—and Robin pulled Vicki back over to where she’d been sitting, and slowly, showed her what was in the box.  Vicki covered her face, crying over her own scrunchie, her hair and jewelry glinting in the firelight.  Robin stared over at Steve, rolling her eyes with a bewildered grin.

“...you were playing wingman for a goddamn lesbian,” Billy whispered, like he couldn’t believe it.

“Shut up,” Steve hissed at him.  “Don’t tell anyone.  I’ve still got the hose.”

“You set that up,” Billy said again, and Steve squirted the hose at his lap.  Billy swore, clutching the arms of the chair, but wouldn’t stop staring at him, like he was a zoo animal, and Steve avoided him as much as he could, the rest of the night.

When the kids started to get tired—leaning on each other, their faces orange and sleepy in the firelight—Billy was squirming around, his teeth clenched, a trail of cold sweat running down his cheek.  

Steve sighed.  “You want me to get you home?” he asked, and Billy stared up at him, the same weird, blank look he’d been giving Steve ever since they’d watched Vicki and RObin kiss.  “Look, man, I can tell you’re hurting,” Steve told him, and Billy bit his lips together, swallowing.  

“...I’m fine,” he said, glancing over towards the driveway and wincing, and Steve sighed.

“...you pushed yourself too damn far, and now it’s gonna hurt getting home,” he sighed.  “Am I right?”

Billy licked his lips, and looked up again, watching Steve’s face like it was riveting, like the best new music video on MTV.

“...look,” Steve said, tiredly.  “Robin’s parents are out of town.  Lemme get you to the couch, you can lie down, okay?  I’ll take you home later.”  He said the last part loud, looking over at Robin, and she waved him on, staring into the fire, with Vicki curled up against her shoulder.  Robin shook her head slowly, and squeezed her close.

Billy watched them, then staggered as Steve grabbed his arm and hauled him up.  

 It wasn’t far, to get into Robin’s living room—and thank god it wasn’t, Steve thought, hobbling under Billy’s nearly-limp weight.  He tossed the pillows and things off the couch, lowered Billy as gently as he could onto the couch, and yanked Billy’s boots off.  Billy eased himself back with a soft groan, letting his eyes close.  

“You need a blanket?” Steve asked, and Billy started laughing again, softly, but enough so he grunted with pain, baring his teeth as a tear rolled out of his eye and around to his ear.  

“...jesus,” he whispered.  “You wanna give me a blanket?  I kicked your ass, Harrington—”

“Just don’t do it again, asshole.  Would a blanket help?” Steve asked, waving his hands in frustration.  “Is there anything I can do?  Do you have, like, something for pain?  Jesus, Hargrove.”

“...only one thing you can do,” Billy laughed.  “Come here, Harrington.”  

Steve sighed, and knelt on the floor next to him, letting Billy Hargrove grab his shirt, and pull him in close.  He wondered what the hell Billy couldn’t just say aloud, and then Billy whispered “Don’t get too pissed, Harrington,” and kissed him.

Steve sat back on his heels, his lips tingling from the warm, dry pressure of Billy Hargrove’s lips.  He understood how Robin had felt, suddenly, staring like a moron as her lady ran out the door.  “...what,” he whispered.

“Don’t think about it too hard,” Billy said, laughing again, his breath catching as he squeezed his eyes shut.  “S’nothing.”

Steve remembered touches on the basketball court, and lingering glowers in the showers at the gym.  He remembered Billy choosing to save Eleven and die, throwing his whole life in the bonfire, and Max missing him, like there’d been somebody inside Billy Hargrove worth missing.  Maybe there was, Steve thought. “Seemed like something,” he whispered back.

Billy started laughing again, tears trickling out of his eyes as he gritted his teeth, curling tighter on the couch, and Steve panicked and kissed him again, deeper this time, until Billy went soft and loose against him, his eyes wide in the flickering light from the fire.

“Ssssh,” Steve whispered, again, stroking Billy’s side, trying to avoid the bandages under his clothes.

Billy licked his lips, his eyes shiny.  “...what’d you burn, Harrington,” he whispered, and Steve bit his lips, thinking.

“...I needed to move on,” he whispered back.  “Find...something new, maybe.”  He watched Billy’s hands clench in the fabric of his shirt.  “...somebody new, maybe,” Steve breathed, and leaned in again.  Billy tasted like woodsmoke, and new beginnings.

Other Harringrove April prompts I’ve done

[metalheadcowboy]

something something steve thinking men getting periods is normal and then eddie getting his and steve just being like yeah cool

"Fuck," Eddie mumbled shakily, running a clammy hand through his bangs as he looked down at his boxers.

This must be some kind of sick joke, some kind of 'haha got you!' played on him by the universe just to mess with him a little more.

He would have give anything for this to all be a dream, to wake up in his bed at home, warm, comfortable, laughing about how silly he was. How his cycle went away when he started testosterone, right? Wrong. Hell, at least if he had started there, he could dig into the old box of tampons he kept in the cabinet under the sink, probably collecting dust at this point. But, alas, he never was quite so lucky.

Eddie could feel himself trembling as he went for the toilet paper, sinking feeling in his gut like he might just puke, stuffing the one ply over the bold red stain, "Shit," he hissed, not looking longer than he had to at the sight, screwing his eyes shut so tight he was seeing stars.

He pulled his pants up, cringing at the uncomfortable feeling, not only between his legs, but now seeping into his lower back as the tail end of a sharp cramp attacked his spine. He thought about how he should have noticed sooner. The pain in his abdomen, the more frequent headaches, the, for back of better words wettness in places he wasn't known for being that overly... well, wet.

But, no, it had to have just been something he ate, right? And a little extra discharge never hurt anyone, but of course not. So, now here he was in the Hawkins High mens restroom standing on his tip toes in front of the mirror, neck awkwardly craned backwards as he tried to assess whether or not his jeans took any damage.

Just as Eddie was about to give himself the 'OK' the door to the bathroom slammed open, Eddie hearing a quick mumble of "freak" before the random jock positioned himself at a urinal. And it was probably just the hormones coming out, probably, but he felt like he could cry.

"Freak", yeah freak was just about right. And if there were people who didn't think of him as a freak before now, well they sure would if they found out about this. Quickly, Eddie slung his backpack over his shoulder, grabbing his lunch box to make a bee line to the lunch room.

As he walked down the hall he felt like everybody was staring at him, hell, when were they not? But this felt different, this felt like a knowing stare like they they knew what he was hiding, his secret. Self consciously, Eddie crossed his arms over his chest, binder suddenly feeling suffocating, more so than usual.

And if he wasn't about two absences away from truancy he'd have probably left, but he couldn't afford it. Not this late int he school year, not when '86 was supposed to be his year. Bullshit of him to think he could have even a week, let alone a whole year.

That's when it hit him. He stopped in his tracks, causing a few people behind him to curse him out as it caused them to run smack dab into his backside.

He didn't have to go all the way home, there was a payphone outside of the school, if he could get someone to answer he could have someone quickly bring him some new underwear before next period and he'd be golden.

Shit, but who could he call?

Wayne was at work, Robin was here, so was Nancy, and he didn't exactly know anybody... wait... no. He scrubbed a sweaty palm down his face. He would have to be damn near desperate to call Steve fucking Harrington to bring him new underwear, but that's just what he was, desperate.

"Jesus Christ," he muttered, spinning on his heel to march his ass outside, "Jesus H. Christ, Munson." It was crazy, really, fucking stupid, but he didn't have another option. Hell, maybe if his luck took a turn saving Steve's life would make up for the fact that he was trans. At least maybe Steve would spare him the slurs and just hang up.

Eddie pushed through crowds of people congregating in the halls during their lunch period until he slammed into the set of double doors at the end of the hallway, the smooth spring breeze that rushed his body easing his nerves just the slightest bit.

It was only a few more steps until he was face to face with the payphone, backpack on the concrete as he dug around for quarters in one of the pockets. Thankfully he had a few, but not a lot, so he would somehow have to convince Steve not only to bring him a pair of underwear, but also formulate an explanation as to why he needed said pair of underwear.

He was fucked, so royally fucked.

Here goes nothing, he thought as he pushed in his first quarter, dialing Steve's number that he only knew because of his middle school days calling Steve in hopes that it would be him to actually pick up, so he could tell some lame one off joke and hang up-

"Harrington residence, this is Steve," Eddie couldn't help but roll his eyes at the almost automated intro.

He quickly shook his hands in an attempt to rid himself of any nerves before speaking, "Thank god it's you, Steve, it's Eddie, I shit-" he stumbled, trying to form what he was supposed to say inside of his head, "I mean I didn't shit, but I really need you to do me a favor." He silently cursed himself as a beat of silent passed between them.

"... Okay?" Steve sounded skeptical, but he was listening and that's all Eddie cared about, "I know it's gonna sound really fucking crazy, dude, but..." he trailed off, feeling tears of embarrassment prick the corners of his eyes, "I need you to bring me a pair of boxers up to the school ASAP, please."

He was sure that Steve could hear his desperation, but of course that didn't mean Eddie was free from his smart assery first, "You sure you didn't shit yourself?" The curly haired teen let out a dry chuckle that slowly faded into a wet sob, head bowing to that it would be hidden from any other students that might happen to be wandering.

Suddenly Steve dropped his tone to something more soft and gentle, dare Eddie say comforting? "Damn, Ed, 're you alright?" And before he could even catch himself Eddie was laughing again, but this time like a maniac, like Steve had just told the best joke of all time.

"Yeah, yep, I'm perfect, Stevie, just peachy, really," he spat, "Real great day, actually, went to take a piss, looked down and I'm fucking bleeding from my crotch, that sound like I'm "alright" to you?" In Eddie hadn't meant it to sound so harsh or to come out with the truth, but he couldn't hold it in anymore, needed to let it all out, even if only in a hushed whisper, but, honestly, he did feel a little better.

"Really?" And much to Eddie's surprise Steve sounded... excited? "Man you're so lucky, I've been stressing over my period for months. Hell, I didn't even know guys could get periods until Robin told me, and now I'm a fucking mess, but congratulations!"

Silence fell between them again. What? The the puzzle pieces connected in his mind and he cracked a small smile. Of course Robin tricked him into thinking men got periods too, fucking little genius.

"Yeah, yeah, thanks," he just accepted, noticing his time was running out, "So, can you bring me a pair or not?" He wasn't even worried about any products yet, figured he could sneak some out of the basket int he girls restroom or pray he ran into Robin or Nancy, or hell even Chrissy Cunningham because apparently they were, like cool now?

Steve responded with haste, "Totally, all I've got are briefs, 's that okay?" Eddie's head raced, not even thinking before hand about how the underwear he was going to wearing was Steve's.

Apparently he dwelled on the thought far too long, "Hello?" Steve mused into the phone, "Eddie-"

"Mhm, yep, that's perfect, meet me by the football field," Eddie got out just before the line went dead, finally letting out a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding.

He couldn't believe he really just asked Steve Harrington for a pair of his underwear and he said yes. Maybe he really did get rabies in the Upside Down.