#Squint for Ronance

[madaboutmunson]

I See You

Bisexual Character (Prompt C1) Summary: In which Eddie's tutor, Nancy, might be in need of some answers from her student

Word Count: 2603 @eddiemunsonbingo

AO3 Link ******************************************************************

“You’re killing me, dude! Please, a five-minute respite is all I’m asking for,” Eddie whines as he collapses back onto the bed, narrowly missing, hitting his head off the frame, or maybe not, Nancy thinks. It was difficult to tell with all that hair how big his head was.

“First of all. I’m not your dude. Secondly, if you don’t keep at it, you will continue to make the same mistakes, leaving everyone disappointed, especially yourself,” she points out, adjusting herself against the headboard.

“You think I don’t know that?” he muffles his complaints in the ringed hands he covers his face with before dragging them down with a firm pressure that makes his skin stretch down so far she can see the inside of his eye waterline.

“Come on, just one more try. You’re good at this, Eddie. It's just basic human anatomy,” she raises her eyebrows and gives him a happy, pressed smile, “I know you know this. You know you know this. You can do this.” She really is trying to be at maximum pep to encourage him.

Eddie rolls onto his front on the bed, rests his chin on his hands and looks up at her through his bangs, with a pout on his face that could rival one of Holly’s, “Please, just a five-minute break. I’m exhausted. You must be, too, right? A short rest, come on, Wheeler.” 

Nancy rolls her eyes and puts a post-it note on the next index card to avoid losing her place, “Fine! But we do twice as many after!” She widens her eyes at him to indicate her seriousness.

“Oh, thank god.” Eddie collapses face down into the comforter, taps both her socked feet and rolls off the bed onto the floor before immediately springing back up to his feet like he landed on an adrenaline shot before sitting on the bed again. Nancy happily shuffles through her index cards in silence for a few seconds, but she can feel the weight of Eddie’s stare and knows that he hadn't intended this break to be one of silence and digesting what they had already been over. She clears her throat, taps the cards into a neat uniform pile, and looks up at him as brightly as possible.

He inhales quickly, and she already knows she’s in for it. He leans on his hand, the fingers of which toy with the fabric underneath, “Sooooo, I was thinking,” he starts, “Maybe you come out with us this weekend?”

She exhales a little air down her nose and shakes her head, “I told you before, Eddie. I don't have time to go out right now. I’ve got so much to do, honestly. Planning, packing, looking for a new job.”

Eddie just looks at her.

Her hands cross over one another in her lap, “And I really should make an appointment for my hair, and there is this documentary I’ve been meaning to watch that I recorded.”

He sits up and crosses his arms, still looking at her, but this time, there are a few deliberate blinks and a minor quirk of a smile. As if he’s goading her to continue with her list of lame excuses.

“And I could improve our revision aids. Maybe make the cards more your style so you’ll recall more easily? Also, I should probably call Joyce at least, let her know everything is fine between us.”

His eyebrows are raised, his chin is dropped to his chest, and he looks like he smells something disgusting.

“I should probably also help my mom choose an outfit. She did say she wanted to go shopping this weekend, too.” That one is a lie too far because Eddie narrows his eyes.

Now, Nancy stares back and folds her arms.

“I don't want to go,” She says finally.

“Oh, hello! Do I detect a little tension between the newly formed study buddies?” 

Both Nancy and Eddie whip their heads towards Steve, who now stands at the end of the bed with his hands on his hips.

“I said you could stay in here on the grounds you didn’t distract Eddie, and you were silent,” Nancy scolds, enunciating the T “I should really have only needed to ask you one of those things, but you decided that humming to amuse yourself or throwing balls of paper into the waste basket were not covered by one rule alone!”

“Whoa, whoa, don’t take your frustration out on me. It’s Eddie that annoyed you,” Steve puts his hands up in submission, “So, you know, carry on being mad at him.” 

Eddie does not miss the pump of Steve’s eyebrows or the subtle kick of his bottom lip.

“Get out right now,” Eddie says in disgust, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head.

“Oh, what the hell? You were mad at Nancy for lying, not me!” Steve complains, pointing between them all. He walks behind Eddie and physically turns his head towards her, “At Nancy, see. Not at Steve. Nancy”

“Oh, so you don’t need your boyfriend in here for emotional support, then? Changed your tune, I see,” Nancy says with a tilt of her head and a told you so look on her face.

“Yeah, see, Nancy gets it,” Steve says in almost a whisper, gently releasing Eddie and tiptoeing backwards to where he was at the foot of the bed, “Do continue.” He waves a hand in front of him.

“Yeah, well, I don’t think you would enjoy continuing the argument if you knew why he was so eager for us to argue, Wheeler. So I suggest you just agree with me,” Eddie raises his finger, “and because I’m doing you a solid and not adding to your ever-growing list of trauma, you should agree to hit the club with us- in fact, maybe just me, this weekend.” He says, cutting his eyes at Steve.

“What do you mean not adding to my long list of trauma? I’m fine. Everything is fine, actually,” Nancy bristles.

Eddie’s eyebrows push together as he tilts his head and looks right back at her, “Is it really, though? We’ve been through so much. You fourth only to Supergirl, Red and mini Byers.”

Nancy winces, and her tensed shoulders lower the tiniest amount.

“Shit, sorry, Nance. I shouldn’t have said that name,” Eddie reaches out and gently hovers over, but not touching her arm.

“It’s ok, you weren’t talking about Jonathan,” her lip twitches a little as her voice settles to something regretful as she glances back at Eddie with a shrug of a smile.

An increasing shadow catches their attention. Eddie snaps his head around with a scowl aimed at a hopeful-looking Steve, whose face is much closer because he’s leaning as much as he can over the bed frame.

“Are you shitting me?” Eddie snips at Steve, “You pervert! Get out right fucking now!” Eddie, quick as lightning, jumps to his feet off the bed, and Steve runs for it out of the room.

“Pervert? Wait- what? Ewwww,” Nancy looks horrified and pulls her knees up to her chest.

“See, this is why I didn’t want to say anything,” Eddie says, slamming the door after him.

“The handles work just fine in this house!” Ted Wheeler’s voice rings up the stairs.

“But wait, that doesn’t make sense. Steve’s with you, right, he’s um, he’s gay,” Nancy says, a little confused.

Eddie tilts his head at her, “Huh,” he says, a little amused, and pulls the chair from the desk. He sits on it backwards to look at her and rests his elbows on the chair's back and his chin between his fists. He’s analysing her. She can feel it.

She shakes her head incredulously and mimics him, “Huh,” before mockingly staring back at him.

He leans back a little, taps his fingers to his mouth and then onto the top of the chair, “So you think you can only like guys or girls? Like an either-or deal?”

“What are you getting at?” She rolls her eyes.

“Fuck, that explains such a lot, actually,” Eddie says, slowly rubbing his hand on his jaw.

“Eddie, if you are gonna try and procrastinate by talking in riddles, we can just leave the studying for another day when you can focus,” Nancy says, tidying away the textbooks.

Then he’s quickly out of his seat, his hand pushing the air in front of her as if to keep her in place, “No-no-no, I honestly have never felt more focused, just um, you’re so very smart, but perhaps, er, how can I phrase this without sounding like a condescending dickhead,” He shakes his head quickly, “Ok maybe I just going to have to sound like a condescending asshole for this. What I’m trying to say is, perhaps you aren’t very worldly?” He says, gritting his teeth with a pained expression, expecting the worst.

Nancy's first instinct is to point out all the ways she is, in fact, worldly and is, in fact, leaps ahead of him in every area of intelligence. He’s the one failing to graduate and dealing drugs, not her. But there is something in his demeanour that makes her take pause.

She folds her arms and leans back against the headboard again, “The stage is yours,” she gestures to the empty space in the room. Eddie gives an excited punch to the air as he wrinkles his nose before he beams broadly.

“Thank you, Wheeler,” He says, walking away from the bed further into the space to begin a slow pace backwards and forwards where Nancy can see him, “And I promise if you allow me to get to the point of this conversation, I will nail three times as many questions afterwards.”

“Ok…you’ve got yourself a deal,” she says, a little confused. She thinks perhaps Eddie was feeling a little starved for attention because the distraction of the conversation she understands, but the willingness to go back to work afterwards she did not. Especially as in the limited time she’d known him and snippets from Mike, Lucas and Dustin, Eddie doesn’t use ‘promise’ lightly.

He claps his hands excitedly, “Ok, ok. So forgive the analogy, but I find it’s a little less jarring, and I am but a simple storyteller at heart,” he says, flourishing his hand towards himself.

Nancy raises an unamused eyebrow at him.

“Ok, got it. Get on with it,” he spins on his heel and clasps his hands behind him, “So, imagine, if you will, that attraction is like a fruit bowl. It’s your bowl, so you can fill it however you like. So if you like apples, you can fill it with those, right. Or maybe you find the thought of apples disgusting and much prefer oranges. You could fill that bowl with just oranges.” Nancy listens but thinks it’s a little silly. She knows how attraction works. It’s either the opposite sex or the same sex.

Eddie stops still in the middle of the room, rocks back on his heels and looks around the ceiling before his eyes fall back on her. “But you know some people don’t like fruit at all. And some people don’t really care about the type of fruit in their bowl. They just like good fruit, you know? So they might have a mixed bowl.”

“What do they are just attracted to everyone?” Nancy says with a laugh.

Eddie shakes his head and waves his hands in front of him, “No, well, maybe, but that’s not what I’m getting at. You know what, forget the analogy. Permission to be direct?” He says as he sits back down on the chair.

“Granted,” Nancy says with a nod. He’s not making much sense, but he does have her curiosity now.

“Ok, what I am trying to say is. There is a world of sexualities out there. It’s not just straight or gay. There are people out there that like one, some, all or none,” Eddie looks at her hopefully.

“Hmmm, so for some people, they just like anyone?” Nancy asks.

“Do you like all the guys in the world?”

“Of course not!” She laughs and pauses, “Oh. Right,” she says as the pieces fall perfectly into place.

Eddie smiles kindly with a few nods.

“So if you were always into girls but then you met this one fascinating guy, that could be something? Hypothetically speaking,” She says, averting her eyes and smoothing down her clothes.

“Yeah, something like that could definitely be something,” Eddie says gently as Nancy touches the palm of her hand and glances over at her ballerina jewellery box. 

“You know, you could just meet someone under weird circumstances, go through hell and back with them, spend time with them, and you might eventually realise that it’s not just the friendship you want with them.” He squints a little, “Even if they are a babbling brook of anxiety, watch films that are way too fucking long and have poor music taste.” 

Nancy freezes, and Eddie simply chuckles at her surprised expression.

“I may not be great at the cerebral lobes, but the heart…I’m ok at,” he rests his chin on the back of the chair, “Maybe if you came to the club with us, I could distract one half of the brain cell with my dance floor moves, and you’d have the other half all to yourself for a change?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Nancy snorts out a laugh and smirks nervously.

“I see you trying to get to know her on our movie nights. I can feel the tension fly out of you like a triggered spike trap when she leans into your space. You position the bowls of her favourite snacks nearest her, always!” Eddie puts his hand over his heart, “And I see the way you cover the edges of tables and counters and cupboards when she’s near them. Flattening the bumps in the rug and tidying away anything on the floor before it even had a second on it. And I see the way you make sure to wear that barrette she compliments you on every single time you wear it. And I see the way you hang on her every word, even when she’s been talking for hours about school band politics. And I see you remember to take that forgotten breath just after she enters the room…I see you, Nancy,” his eyes search hers, “I see you, and it’s ok.”

Nancy is about to say thank him when there is a loud thunk against the door and a muffled sob.

“Serves you right, you nosy little shit!” Eddie says sharply at the door before he relaxes again and turns back to Nancy. “So maybe come out with us? The place we go, it’s cool. I promise,” he says with a fond smile.

Nancy shakes her head in disbelief and smirks at Eddie, “Alright then,” she says quietly.

“Wuzzthattayes?” Hums through the door.

“I should probably go deal with that,” he sighs and points towards the door, but as he motions towards it, he feels himself pulled back.

Nancy’s hand firmly grips his arm, “What if she doesn’t like me that way?” her voice sharp with urgency.

He looks down at her hand and smiles, “Trust me, Wheeler. This Cupid ain’t stupid,” he grins and her hand releases. Eddie opens the door, and onto the floor flops a visibly emotional Steve. They both look down at him and then back up at one another. Eddie clasps Nancy’s shoulder and accompanies it with a beaming grin, “Bon chance, with the other half, my friend.”

[angeldreamsoffanfic]

content warning: this took SUCH a turn to dom eddie munson wanting to make steve harrington just absolutely one, turn his brain off, and two- realize that his interests aren’t stupid. like it’s not… necessarily explicit on here but when this gets a bit more fleshed out… it’s gonna have to be posted on ao3 😂

-

The thing is, Steve Harrington knows hair- okay?

And he also knows that his friends completely like to tease him about it, that they think that most of the time his affinity for it is a bit narcissistic. That he shouldn’t spend as much time as he does on it and he should “let go sometimes”, but he can’t.

He can remember watching his mother years ago in the bathroom mirror teach him how to style his hair, with little spritzes of water and a just a few puffs of sweet smelling hairspray. He can fully and thoroughly recall flipping through magazines when he was younger, back when his parents had started to travel, and taking beauty tips from the pages in regards to detangling. He’d spent three days with a knot at the nape of his neck, after a few days of swim practice, and he had too much pride at the time to ask anyone for help.

But anyway, Steve Harrington knows hair- and it’s not that he thinks other people don’t… but he also knows that some people don’t care as much as he does. And that’s why watching Eddie Munson take a brush to his curls (completely dry which is painful in it of itself) is absolutely heartbreaking in the weirdest way possible.

Steve also is completely and totally aware that his face must be doing… something, because Eddie has turned around to fully face him- instead of glaring daggers at his own reflection.

“What, Harrington?”

Steve shook his head quickly, fingers drumming against his thighs as he diverted his attention to the tv again. He hadn’t had a television in his room before actually, had figured it’d be a bit too much of a distraction from trying to sleep. Steve is sure there’s some study about the light too, a study Robin had rambled to him before.

That’d been before Vecna though, before the year 1986 and all of it’s horrors that it brought along to the town Hawkins once again. In Steve’s mind? A small tv and a couple of VHS tapes was probably the least of his worries after surviving everything. The tv itself had some poorly made horror movie on, something Eddie had brought along from his government provided home, while the two waited on Robin and Nancy to make their way over.

“Stevie?” Eddie had moved closer, brows slightly furrowed as his dark eyes widened. “What’s on your mind, man? Not getting like…” Eddie mimed wiggling his fingers at the side of his own head, and Steve couldn’t hold back the laugh that made it’s way out from his throat. “Okay so Vecna is not getting his creepy hands on you… so what’s up then?”

Steve took a moment and shrugged, before he let himself card a wide-splayed hand through his own hair. The hairspray was just ever so slightly crunchy under his fingers, and Steve huffed as he shrugged again.

“It’s so stupid man, like don’t even worry about it.” Steve flapped a hand in Eddie’s direction, and Eddie was quick to click his tongue against the back of his teeth as he moved closer.

“Nuh uh, big boy.” Eddie eased himself onto the foot of the bed, and Steve forced himself to not scrunch his nose as Eddie’s dry curls swished a bit around his shoulders. “C’mon I can see it in your eyes! Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell m-”

Steve cut Eddie off with a press of a flat palm up against Eddie’s lips, and Steve tried to not think about how soft Eddie was up against Steve’s skin. Steve groaned as Eddie’s tongue swiped against his flesh, and Steve hissed as he reared backward away from the older teen.

“Fucking gross dude!”

“Usually I’m the one doing that, big boy!”

Steve and Eddie both spoke up at the same time, and the two eyed each other warily, before they split into soft laughs between the two. Eddie then shifted further up onto the bed, back pressed up against the footboard, before he knocked his leg against Steve’s.

“C’mon dude, what’s up?”

“Your hair!” Steve finally answered, before he then folded his arms over his chest. “I know it’s stupid, but watching you tear a brush through it dry is actually breaking my heart, Munson.” Steve groaned, and ran a hand over his face before he continued. “And I know it’s stupid and everyone always says it’s stupid of me to care about hair so much-”

“It’s not stupid.” Eddie’s firm tone cut Steve off, and Steve glanced back toward the man through his lashes. Eddie’s jaw is set, firm and unyielding, and Eddie let out a dry laugh. “Fuck man, what has everyone in your life done to you?”

“Huh?”

“You’re… fuck sweetheart, you’re allowed to enjoy things.” Eddie’s voice has gone saccharine sweet, soft and gooey- and the tone has an immediate effect on Steve, making his brain feel all fuzzy and soft. “So, what has everyone in your life done to you?”

Steve doesn’t answer and instead just shrugged again, and it draws a quick intake of breath from Eddie- before the man has pushed himself up and off of Steve’s bed. He’s quick and methodical in his movements, scraping his curls up and off of his neck into a low bun at his nape. Eddie then pulled his boots back on, before he checked his pockets for a moment, and then proceeded to nod to himself. Eddie then extended a hand out to Steve, and wiggled his fingers with a small grin on his face.

“C’mon then, dude. We need to go to the store.”

Steve let his hand meet Eddie’s, and is quick to ignore the flutter in his stomach at the touch. His hands, Eddie’s, are larger than his but the fingers skinnier and calloused from what Steve knows to be years of guitar playing. That, and Eddie now has a pretty decent job at the local mechanic shop, and Steve knows that Eddie enjoys the job. Knows that Eddie likes working with his hands, and Steve tried to ignore the idea of Eddie getting those hands on Steve—

“Stevie?” Eddie snapped his fingers in front of Steve’s eyes, and Steve shook himself out of his revere. Steve sent Eddie a nervous smile, and he tried to ignore the flush of heat he can feel under his cheeks at the soft coo that Eddie let out. “You okay, sweetheart?”

“Mhm,” Steve bobbed his head in a quick nod, even when Eddie hummed before he moved as to grab the pair of Nikes that Steve had on earlier in the day. “Where are we uh, headed?”

“You and I-” Eddie moved back to Steve, and he curled a hand around Steve’s right ankle before he pulled- which caused Steve to unsteadily rock back, before he clamped a firm hand on Eddie’s shoulder. “I gotcha don’t ya worry baby-” Eddie murmured, soft and saccharine again, before he continued on as if Steve’s heart isn’t about to beat out of his chest. Eddie worked Steve’s Nike onto his foot, methodical in tying the laces tight, double-knotted just like Steve does. “You and me are gonna make our way out to Anderson for the afternoon.”

“But why?”

Eddie just sighed, soft and slow at Steve’s softly asked question, before he grabbed at Steve’s left foot, and set about slipping the other shoe onto it. Eddie took a moment, made sure to tie the laces of the shoe tight, before he stood back up so he could peer down slightly at Steve. Steve doesn’t move as Eddie pinched Steve’s chin soft in between his thumb and pointer, before Eddie slightly shook Steve’s face from side to side.

It’s enough that something in Steve just burns.

“Because Anderson has a nice and big hair supply shop in it, and we’re gonna go spend a little bit of government hush money there.” Eddie cooed, his voice soul-achingly sweet again, and Steve forced himself to swallow down the saliva that had been quick to pool in his mouth at Eddie’s tone. “And then when we’re done, I’ll drive us back here and you can do anything you want to my hair.”

“Anything?” Steve croaked, eyes wide as he kept his eyes on Eddie’s from under his lashes. Eddie’s smile is gleaming, and Eddie hummed quietly as he nodded himself.

“Absolutely anything, sweet thing.”

Steve Harrington knows hair, and he knows that.

And he also knows that his friends completely like to tease him about it, well, it’s seems like except for Eddie. So Steve let himself smile and nod, and he reveled in the way that Eddie grinned- a quick flash of teeth as he pinched a little firmer at the meat of Steve’s chin, before he let go.

“Atta boy.”

-

just a little sacrifice to the tumblr readmore gods

[strangerwheelerthings]

Why did this scene of all things, immediately make me realize Annabeth Chase and Nancy Wheeler are basically the same person.

Them: *deadly group leaders with big brains*

Also Them: *in the middle of a serious quest* DOGGY!

[novakiart]

xf au wardrobe reference for nancy 💖

[gaytoru]

robin, gay panicking: SHE TOLD ME SHE LIKED GIRLS, STEVE. GIRLS.

steve, unbothered, making his coffee: yeah, and what else?

robin, freaking out: she looked so, SO genuine. i-i didn’t even know what to say. like, like- my THROAT was cut off. my throat went DRY, STEVEN. she was embarrassed? or something, there was like - a red hue on her face. it looked so pretty though, SHE looked so pretty and— steve. ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING?

steve, drinking his morning coffee: bleugh— this is way too bitter. i gotta get a different type of coffee at the store next week, why’s this one so bad??? and why does eddie like this??? anyways, yes i was listening, robin. nance already told me about this ages ago.

robin:

robin, grabbing steve by the shoulders: what do YOU MEAN SHE TOLD YOU?

eddie, walking past the room: she told me too, by the way! took you long enough to realize by the way she stares at you.

robin: she— wait— LONG ENOUGH— HUH?

eddie: OH GOD SHE’S GONNA BLOW—

nancy, walking to the room, waking up & rubbing her eyes: what’s the problem, guys?

in unison: nothing.

[resident-gay-bitch]

Steve had developed a habit of calling Robin at horrid hours of the night. He’d wake up from a bad dream, screaming in a cold sweat, and he’d dial her number and make her talk about her day, or a movie she liked, or literally anything because it took his mind away from everything bad and calmed him down. He always made her say goodnight. And then, when Robin had bad dreams, she’d call Steve too, and he’d do the same for her. One night, a couple of months ago, Steve got a call in the middle of the night. He knew it was Robin, who else would call at this time of night? When he answered all he heard was heavy breathing, and it made him sit up straight in bed, reaching for the bat he kept at his side every night.

“Hello?”

More heavy breathing, and then a sniffle, and then a sob, “Steve?”

“E-“ Steve scratched his head, releasing the bat from his grip, “Eddie?”

“I didn’t want to wake you, I just…” He sniffled again.

“Are you crying?” Steve leant back against his headboard.

“I can’t sleep.”

Steve nodded, “Okay…”

“Have you ever… do you get bad dreams, Stevie?”

Steve sighed, shoulders relaxing as he took a breath, “Yeah. All the time, man.”

“Good.”

“Good?”

“I mean- sorry. Not good. Just… I’m glad i’m not going insane over here.” Eddie forced a laugh, but Steve didn’t laugh back, “I had a really bad one. And I usually wake Wayne if they’re this bad, but he’s started working nights again-“

“It’s okay, Eddie.” Steve smiled, “What do you need?”

“I don’t know.” There was a little silence, “What do you do when you have bad dreams?”

“Ah, I call Robin. Make her talk about random shit. Takes my mind off it.”

Eddie nodded, “Can you… is that weird if I ask you to do that?”

“Of course not.” Steve smiled, “We’re friends, man.”

“Yeah.” Eddie nodded, swallowing down the rising lump in his throat.

“Are you laying down in bed? Comfy?”

“Yeah, as comfy as my shitty mattress can be.” Eddie giggled.

Steve smiled, “Well… what did you want me to talk about?”

“Uhm… talk about something boring. Send me to sleep faster.”

“What do you count as boring?”

Eddie hummed for a moment, “Jocks.”

“Asshole.” Steve scoffed, but they were both laughing.

“No… you, you know a lot about flowers. Talk about that. I don’t care about flowers.”

“Okay… uhm, flowers. I know about them because my nanny for like, seven years loved flora, talked about it all the time.”

Steve continued to talk, and Eddie fell asleep peacefully, mind blank. And Steve definitely didn’t stay on the line for an extra hour listening to Eddie snore, roll around, and mumble random shit in his sleep. And he definitely didn’t hear Eddie mumble his name a couple of times.

It sort of became a habit for Eddie now too. He’d call up Steve when he couldn’t sleep and Steve would make it all better. It made Eddie feel so warm. Robin tried to call one night when Eddie was on the line, Steve didn’t realise. She ended up calling Nancy instead, and Nancy helped her just like Steve did. When they talked the next day, Steve apologised profusely, but Robin didn’t care. She had talked to Nancy almost all night and got to listen to her pretty voice talk about this piece she was working on to submit to a big paper in hopes of getting a job. Robin slept soundly after that, only wishing she could still hear Nancy talk. Robin started calling Nancy more often, and vide versa. So, one night when Steve had a horrible dream and couldn’t get through to Robin, he called for Eddie.

“Of course, Steve. You do this for me all the time, why wouldn’t I wanna do it for you?” Eddie scoffed, “Any topics you find boring? I could talk about flowers if you wanted, know enough about the topic now.”

Steve giggled, “How about you talk about… Garfield? You’ve got half the comic strips memorised, right? Recite them all to me?”

“Okay, prepare yourself Stevie. Things are about to get intense.”

And so calling Eddie and Nancy became a habit for them too. And eventually everyone was just calling anyone they could get a hold of, the four of them always teaching themselves new stories or random pieces of knowledge, or memorising television episodes or song lyrics so there would always be something to talk about if another needed it. They relied on each other. And then Nancy and Robin got together, and the calls to Steve and Eddie hardly happened. They slept beside one another most nights, they didn’t need a phone call if they had a bad dream. Steve has his worst dream in months, and he knows Robin and Nancy are out tonight, down at some bar for their one month anniversary. So Steve calls Eddie.

“Your worst one?” Eddie rubbed his face, he was so tired.

“Yeah.” He shuffled, tears soaking his face, “Really need your help, Ed’s.”

“You know Wayne’s been getting on my back about the phone bill.” He sighed, “And I’m so tired, I don’t trust myself to hang up before morning.”

“I’m- I’m sorry. I’ll just- I’ll put on some music or some-“

“No.” Eddie shook his head, “I’ll just come over? Yeah?”

That made Steve’s heart skip, “You don’t have too. I’ll be okay-“

“Steve. It’s my job to help you with your bad dreams. I’ll be there in ten. Stay calm.”

“Eddie you don’t-“

But Eddie was already pulling his shorts back on, and a baggy shirt and his sneakers and was heading for the door. Steve sat in bed, too scared to move, the dark watching him. Waiting to pounce. He bunched his knees up to his chest. He heard a sound echo from downstairs. It terrified him even more, he froze. He heard a heavy thud work it’s way through his house, up his stairs, creeping closer and closer. Steve reached for his bat. He thought he was gonna die. Then his bedroom door, that he never fully closes, was being pushed open and he was ready to swing. But then in sauntered Eddie, hair a messy, eyes droopy and closing, and he was yawing. He tossed his keys onto Steve’s desk and toeing off his shoes, walking to the bed. Steve was suddenly vary aware of the fact he was wearing only his boxers and socks. Eddie didn’t say a word when he saw the state Steve was in, he just grabbed the bat out of his hand and placed it on the floor before shooing Steve over and sitting down under the covers beside him. They had never done this before. Soothed their bad dreams face to face, it was always over the phone. They never had a sleepover, and they definitely haven’t shared a bed. But Eddie was too tired to care, or be nervous, and Steve was too scared. Eddie wrapped his arm around Steve, pulling them both down until their heads were on Steve’s soft pillows and they were sinking down into his perfect mattress. Eddie groaned.

“Can I sleep here every night, man?” Eddie smiled, eyes closed and face smushed into the pillow. His voice was raspy from the sleep and it made butterflies erupt in Steve’s stomach, “Such a nice bed.”

“Not if it means I get your shitty mattress in return.”

“Fine. We can just share. Wayne’s making me pay for the phone bill now, so it will save me.” They both laughed.

“You didn’t have to come here, Eddie.”

“It was all just a rouse to get in your bed, Stevie. I’ve won.” He grinned, and Steve shoved his shoulder half heartedly. Eddie sighed, “What was your dream about?”

They didn’t ask that… ever, “Uhm… I was drowning again. And as I was drowning I was watching you die, your limbs being torn off and eaten, and I just kept falling further and further away from you and you were screaming at me to help you.”

There was a long silence. Steve wasn’t sure if he’d scared Eddie off, or if he’d just fallen asleep. Eddie sighed deeply, “I’m not dying, Steve. You did save me, remember? You carried me outta there.”

“Still… it’s-“

“Scary. I know.” Eddie hummed, “But I’m here, okay. I’m not going anywhere.”

You better not. Steve snuggled closer into Eddie, “Do your scars hurt sometimes?”

“Sometimes. Yours do too?”

“Hmm.”

“I’m glad I’m not alone, then.” Eddie smiled.

“Your never alone.” Steve mumbled into Eddie’s shoulder.

Eddie looked at him, sitting up slightly, “Neither are you.”

Steve sat up too, bringing his knees back to his chest, “How are you so brave about it?”

“About what?” Eddie hummed, head tipping to the side.

“Your scars… how do you not hate them?”

Eddie sighed with a little shrug, “I’ll tell you a secret… I sorta do. They remind me of… everything. But they’re not something I’m ashamed off because they prove that I lived. So do yours.”

Steve shrugged, “They make me feel shit.”

“So do mine sometimes.”

“They make me feel ugly.” His eyes were wet as he looked at Eddie.

Eddie looked at him for a moment, his hand stretching out to smooth over Steve’s cheek, holding him at the back of his neck, “Your not ugly, Steve, your beautiful.”

Steve scoffed, “Am not.”

“You are.” Eddie pressed, “I promise, you are.”

Steve shrugged, laying back down. Eddie laid beside him, facing one another. Steve’s finger traced the neckline of Eddie’s shirt, and his necklace, and his collarbone that peaked out. Eddie lifted his hand slowly, tentatively, and traced his finger over Steve’s scars.

“These are beautiful. You are beautiful.”

Steve nodded, “Can you just talk me to sleep, please?”

“Yeah.” Eddie smiled, and started his story for the night, “Tonight, I’ll be telling you why Steve Harrington needs to stop putting himself down.”

“Eddie-“

“I’m serious.” Eddie a scoffed, looking away from Steve with a yawn, “First, he is gorgeous. One of the prettiest boys i’ve ever seen. Two, he’s so kind, and warm and has a brilliantly big heart. Three, he’s amazing at looking after the kids, would make an excellent dad one day. Four, he’s so smart, he makes me think on my toes all the time and teaches me about so many things, like flora and baking and sports, and how a turbo engine works. Five, he’s so soft. Six, he’s got the making of a Greek God. Seven, he’s not who he was in high school, he’s redeemed himself and more. Eight-“

“That’s enough.” Steve mumbled.

“Eight,” Eddie continued, adamant on proving his point, “Steve is brilliant at sports, specifically basketball and I love watching him play. Nine, he’s got a really comfy bed. Ten, he bakes the best brownies I’ve ever had. Eleven, he makes me think about my future. Twelve, Dustin does everything in his power to be just like him, because he admires him so fucking much. Thirteen, he puts others first… sometimes a little too much. Fourteen, he’s so easy to love. Fifteen-“

“You think I’m easy to love?” Steve opened his eyes, staring right into Eddie’s now, blown out all dark and glistening.

Eddie smiled, a faint whisper on his lips, “The easiest.”

Steve smiled, his insides bubbling, “You can sleep in my bed whenever you want, Eddie. As long as I can too.”

“Deal.” Eddie nodded, shuffling a little closer, “I’ve got some great luck tonight.”

Steve grinned, “Ed’s.”

“Yeah, Stevie?”

“I think your easy to love too.”

Eddie smiled fondly, cheeks turning pink, but unfortunately it was too dark for Steve to notice. Eddie brushed his nose against Steve’s, slow and calculated in his movements. Steve’s breath hitched, and then Eddie kissed him, and he melted. He pulled Eddie tighter and melted into his arms.

The only time Steve called anyone in the middle of the night now, was when Eddie was snoring obnoxiously loud beside him, and he needed Robins monologue about how adorable Nancy looked tonight to block it out.

[likecastle]

Robin/Nancy makes the other cry. You decide if it is in an angsty or horny way!!

And we're back! This one is a stone cold bummer, I'm afraid! Enjoy!

Robin knocks on the doorframe of the guest room, and Nancy blinks up at her, taken aback. She genuinely hadn’t heard Robin coming—too wrapped up in her own thoughts, probably. “OK?” Robin asks.

Nancy dips her head. “Yeah, of course.”

“Feel like celebrating?” Robin holds out a can of beer. “Steve found some in the fridge in the garage. It’s probably like a year old at this point, but if expired beer is the thing that kills me after everything else that’s happened, so be it.” She shrugs.

Nancy accepts the can, but she doesn’t open it, just holds it in her hands. It’s the same brand they were drinking the night Barb was killed, she realizes with a pang. It’s only fitting, she thinks, that all of this would end in the same place it began—for her, at least. She traces the blue lines on the can with her thumb, thinking about how much has changed since then. Barb probably wouldn’t even recognize what’s left of Hawkins—or Nancy, for that matter.

“I’m not really much of a beer drinker, myself,” Robin says, sitting down on the bed beside Nancy. “But, I dunno, it seems like we ought to mark the occasion somehow.” Robin pops the tab on her can of beer and holds it out to toast Nancy. “To doing the thing!” she says in a falsely bright voice.

Nancy smiles despite herself, and taps Robin’s beer can with her own. “To doing the thing,” she echoes, with significantly less manufactured cheer.

Still, she can’t make herself open the can and take a drink. It wasn’t the first time she’d ever had a drink, that night at Steve’s house, but it was maybe the first time she’d been drunk, and it has never felt as good as that ever again. Not that she’s had all that many opportunities, but every other time she’s let herself get drunk, it’s turned on her somehow—at Tina’s awful Halloween party, finishing the last of Murray’s vodka with Jonathan the night before he left for California. It always manages to wend itself back to the first time, and she’s got enough memories flooding back around her as it is.

“It doesn’t even feel real,” she says quietly.

Robin nods solemnly. “Yeah, well, we’ve been here before, haven’t we? It’s a real Charlie Brown and Lucy situation, only in this case the football is saving the world I guess?” She mimes snatching away a football from an approaching kick. “Fool me once shame on you, fool me five times, shame on some evil psychic monster man, I guess.” She takes a deep swallow of her beer, and Nancy thinks that possibly this isn’t the first one she’s had. “But at least we know that if the end of the world does start all over again, we’ll probably be able to figure out a way to shut it down. Just, like, on average.”

On average, Nancy thinks, they’ve managed to forestall the end of the world four times, never actually to stop it. The jury’s still out on this round.

“Y’know,” Robin says in a small voice, “it’s all right if you’re not, y’know . . .”

Nancy shakes her head impatiently. “If I’m not what?”

“. . . feeling like celebrating,” Robin says. She hesitates, then adds, “If you’re not OK.”

“I know,” Nancy says, sharper than she means to. “I’m fine.”

Robin finishes her beer with a wince and says, “See, I just don’t think that’s true. And, I mean, it’s nothing personal. I don’t really think that could possibly true for any of us.”

“I’m fine,” Nancy hisses, hating the way Robin’s trying to push this touchy-feely bullshit on her. “Maybe you’re not dealing with things, but I’m handling it.”

Robin laughs. “Brava, Wheeler. Really convincing. A+. Where’d you study? The Lady Doth Protest Too Much School of Dramatic Denials?”

“Can you for once just give it a rest?” Nancy snaps. “For once in your life take a hint? No? Well, then, here, let me spell it out for you: I – don’t – want – to – talk – about – it. Not to you, not to anyone, got it? Is that OK with you? I came up here to enjoy a little peace and quiet and you insist on shoving in where you’re not wanted, just like you always do. Just leave me alone.”

She regrets it the moment she sees the look on Robin’s face—stung, eyes suddenly glossy with unshed tears. But Robin just smiles, this horrible thin twitch of her lips, and says, “Sure thing, Wheeler.”

“Robin, wait—” But Robin’s already out the door, disappearing down the dark hall.

[feralxsteddie]

The plot bunny had to be put out of it's misery, Eddie working at a country club au bc why the fuck not

Eddie didn't ask for this summer job. Not once had he clasped his hands together in prayer every night praying to the good Lord to make him a fucking cabana boy or golf cart jockey or whatever he was assigned to do that day.

However he would rather burn his dnd monster manuals than tell his uncle Wayne he was ever ungrateful for anything he gave him, whether he liked it or not. Every time he felt like pulling his hair out and storming out of the place, he'd just remind himself that Wayne's work buddy 'knew a guy that could get him a pretty good summer gig, they're hiring a ton of people and could put in a good word for ya'- and he didn't want to make make a poor showing on Wayne's behalf, who had the work ethic of a damn horse.

So here he stood in the lobby of Sandalwood Ranch , or as it was known to the more nosy patrons and their friends of the country club, 'scandalwood'. Dressed in stiff khaki shorts and a white uniform polo, at least they didn't give too much of a stink about his rings, left him a little bit of personalization, it also helped that the guy Wayne knew was apparently the general manager of the staffing. 4 days out of the week he would be driving golf carts, chatting it up with patrons who saw him as a novelty while they played their course. Sometimes he'd be manning a drink cart, those were pretty good days , at least the tips were good.

On his second week there he ran into Robin Buckley from school, fellow lower class associate also working at Indiana's biggest country club. She usually was stuck cleaning locker rooms or fetching drinks for people in the lounge, they'd give each other a knowing nod in passing and on days they were put together on a shift they could find things to talk about to make the time go by. There was a certain bond between them, of which they found out was a queer one after one day catching each other eyeing a certain couple walking through the tennis courts .

Eddie was busying himself with folding towels and stocking them in the bin, while Robin was leaning over the counter of the service cart they were in charge of today, head in her hands with a dazed look in her eye. Eddie followed the eyeline and landed on no one other than Steve Harrington, which he wasn't surprised to see- and Nancy Wheeler, a little more surprised but still she fit in well enough.

The preppy couple stood there in their almost matching tennis outfits, like they were on set for an issue of Sports illustrated. Eddie, as loath he was to admit it, was one of the many poor souls in Hawkins that found Harrington attractive.

A tiny crush that started during a shared gym class years ago, dodgeball as he remembers fondly, getting beamed in the head by a textured red rubber ball lobbed by one of the burlier jocks sure did rattle his brain for a second. While he was shaking off the fuzz balls that lingered in the corners of his vision he opened his eyes to Steve standing over him ,with a hand held out, because no only was he already alarmingly handsome and charming for his age he could also show great sportsmanship in the form of pulling up a gangly limbed Munson from the floor and helping him dust of his shoulders. Even had the damn sense to tell the coach he should be excused to go to the nurses office to make sure he didn't have a concussion. After handing him an ice pack wrapped in a flimsy paper towel Harrington apologized on behalf of his apparent friend, then with a sheepish grin told him to take it easy and sauntered out of the office after doing his good deed of the day. It was infuriating, and because Eddie had many issues that he wouldn't ever address, held that flame to this day.

As if on cue a coordinated sigh punched out of both Eddie and Robin, upon hearing the other's exasperation they turned to each other with mirrored eyebrow ticks.

"You?" Robin mumbled quietly as she looked down, suddenly very on task in wiping down the countertop. Eddie dropped his towel into the bin and shouldered his way next to Robin tapping her elbow with his own.

"Steve, right? Yeah I get it, as if the girls swooning as he walks past the lockers isn't evidence enough that everyone is obsessed with him-"

Robin cut him off before he could ramble out something ridiculous. "Right, yeah Steve sure- and Nancy?" She looked at him with a sort of spark in his eye, a million unspoken questions shooting off between them like electric signals. Maybe this was their thing now, the universe put the two only gay kids in Hawkins together so they could gawk over the rich pretty kids together in some sort of poor man solidarity.

"I mean, yeah I didn't think this was her kind of scene but I guess she's here with Harrington. I thought they broke up though."

"I thought so too, I guess not even the smartest kid in Hawkins high is immune to the Harrington charm" Eddie replied, the couple in question had fully turned around now, back to the tennis courts and in the direction of the service cart. Robin checked Eddie in the shoulder and it was undeniable the intention of her next words. "Guess nerds are just Harrington's type, huh?" Eddie stared her down, and she gave him a once over , tilting her head in question. With his face scrunched up in tentative concern he nodded. She nodded, just then both of their postures relaxed by a significant amount.

Well. That was that.

After that mini revelation they turned back to watch the pair. They were still too far to tell but Wheeler had to have pointed in their direction, and told Harrington something that made him laugh. Suddenly they were walking in sync toward the cart, toward the two employees who were most certainly not doing their jobs right now.

"Hey! I thought you two looked familiar!" Steve flashed a megawatt smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, Eddie suddenly felt a little like a mouse being carried toward a den of very, hungry snakes. Nancy caught up to him, her dainty hands wringing over the handle of her racket, eyes locked onto a now very pink cheeked Robin.

Eddie adjusted the visor on his head, planting his hands on the counter and leaning toward the two in front of them. "Aye, King Steve and Lady Nancy. We- " Eddie tapped his name tag and Robin's in respective order, to which the other girl swatted his hand away with a huff. "Are at your service, how may we assist you today?" He ended with a flourish of his hands, presenting the cart filled with towels and water bottles. Steve gave him a contemplating look, leaned down to whisper something to Nancy who seemed to shrug in reply, tight lipped smile unwavering.

"Well if you're offering, we were wondering if you two were up for a match. We were planning to play doubles but our friends ditched us after lunch. How about it Munson? Buckley?"

–

Thirty minutes later, Eddie was on a tennis court, holding a rental racket trying his damnedest to not stare at Steve's impressive behind as across the court Nancy was setting up a serve.

[madwomanwithawarehouse]

Stoncy Week 2023 Day 1 - Spy AU

Surveillance expert Jonathan Byers and weapons specialist Nancy Wheeler are a team. He shoots people on film and she just shoots them. Recruited out of college, they've been a perfect fit since training together for the Agency four years ago. They bonded over a shared pain, the loss of a sibling and a friend respectively - both attributed to Russian involvement. It's not the easiest job, but they do their best to trust the Agency and take satisfaction from their work.

When their next assignment arrives on a tape recorder and tells them that they are to team up with a couple of deep cover operatives, code named "The Scoops Troop," they But things become less simple when Nancy's comes face to face with her first love, Steve, and an old classmate.

Both long presumed dead.

Undercover specialists and code-breakers Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley are a team. He lowers defenses and she gets people to hand them the key to whatever the Agency needs, cracking them as easily as they crack codes. They're good at what they do, but neither of them wanted to be here. There are certain choices you can't make without getting attention and sneaking into a hidden Russian base and uncovering their plot over the course of a weekend is one of them. A gas explosion in a mall is a great way to explain away two missing teenagers. After many pointed threats and a year of training, Steve and Robin went undercover for the first time.

Eight years later, there's no one better. But while they have each other, it's a lonely existence. A fresh face and one from their past might just change things.

...If they can learn to work together.

[sky-neverending]

The Eddie-Nancy friendship is something I need so desperately in life that I wrote it myself!

Hovering next to the arm of the couch, Eddie spoke softly. “I’m glad you came. I don’t think I could have handled this without you guys.”

Nancy nodded, hand still twirled in Robin's hair. “She was really worried.” She said, gaze flicking down toward the sleeping girl and then back up again. “She made me speed here. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her that eager to break the law.” The ghost of a smile was dusted over Nancy's solemn lips, but it was a sad one. One filled with regret and blame and fear.

“You saved him.” Eddie assured her, resting a hand on her shoulder. “He’s alive because of you.”

A sniff came from Nancy as she hung her head low. “I know. But what if I hadn't made it? What if he-” Her voice broke, and she took a long, deep breath in. On the exhale, she spoke again. “What if he died? After everything. What if this is how we lost him? I don’t think I could take it. I don’t think I could take the look on Robin's face- she’s already losing sleep over him. I don’t want her heart to get broken any more than it already has. I need to keep him alive. I need you to help me keep him alive.”

Eddie rested a hand on her shoulder, stroking his thumb slowly across the fabric of her shirt. “He’s not going anywhere.” He said. His words were nothing but true. “Not if I can help it.”

She smiled up at him, lips pressed together to stop the tears from pouring. “You're a good person, Eddie. I’m sorry if I ever doubted that. You bring out the best in Steve.” A genuine smile formed, curling on one side into a weak smirk. “Plus, you two look cute together.” She teased, leaving Eddie flushed and stammering excuses beside her. Not even the darkness of the room and the faint flickering of the tv could hide the cherry red color that had overtaken his cheeks.

“Shut up.” Was all he managed to mutter, leaving Nancy to chuckle victoriously. She gave him a fond look.

“You should go for it. After all this, I mean. Give it some time and see what happens. I bet you’ll be surprised.”

Eddie shook his head slowly. “I don’t think I’m his type, Nance.” He said, sadness surrounding his tone. Nancy rolled her eyes.

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you. It’s more than friendly. Just trust me.” She said, words serious but soft.

“How does he look at me?” Eddie asked, afraid of the answer.

Nancy took a breath. “Like he looked at me while we were dating.” She said, but not before continuing. “But there's more to it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy. He really likes you, Eddie. Don’t break his heart.”

He cleared his throat before speaking slowly. ‘Are you sure?” He asked, and his heart skipped a beat when she gave a truly genuine nod.

“I’ve never been more certain. And I'm also never wrong.” Eddie laughed at that, because it seemed true. There was something so assuring about the way Nancy Wheeler spoke, full of confidence and hope. She was like an open flame, burning bright through the darkest of tunnels. Ready to explode if someone dared to touch the people she cared for. She was sort of extraordinary, in a way, despite everything inside Eddie telling him to be jealous that she got what he would never have.

[pocket-sand-fic]

Chapter 50!!

We did it, Joe! I was able to save my computer and this chapter! :)

Also important note on the end of this one for future posts!

Thank you all for being so freaking amazing and giving my silly little works a chance!

Part 2 of the Max Robin chapter:

“You promise I’ll be ok? Because if you promise it, I’ll believe you.”

Robin pulled her back into her embrace and closed her eyes.

“I promise.”

[big-ope-vibes]

(No pressure just this was wonderful and I want Nancy and Robin to be happy and in luuuuuurve)

please do something with nancy wheelr i miss my baby

-🧞‍♀️

SAVE ME FROM WHAT I WANT - nancy wheeler

author's note: my beautiful jean genie anon, i love you so much for asking for this and i hope to god you like it. this honestly maybe might be a prologue to something bigger i'm toying around with (spot the references l o l) but-- let's just get into it, shall we??? content warning: nancy wheeler being semi in denial about her sexuality, nancy wheeler is a lesbian, mentions of pussy eatin but no actual pussy eatin, references to complicated stancy and jancy, mention of parent illness, a little angst and a little fluff word count: 1.7k

The first time Nancy Wheeler kissed a girl was not a light bulb moment.

There were no choirs of angels singing, no great and fantastic revelation about who she is. 

Because it’s not like she hadn’t thought about it before.

Nancy, a student of the human scene, has entertained the curiosity the same way one might like, want to see what happens when they throw a watermelon off the top of an eleven story building. The fall and the impact will surely be thrilling, but then there’s the cleanup. Did you know it’s illegal to throw watermelons off buildings in most US states? So theoretically, if she were to throw the watermelon, she could always toss and run. But then she’d have to live with the guilt of not going back and owning up to her mess. It could have really hurt someone. Maybe it did! 

But the temptation to throw is still there. 

Anyway, she doesn’t think about it that much. So it’s fine. 

She only thought about it when her feminist lit professor paused at her desk, returning the paper she’d written about Gloria Steinem infiltrating the Playboy Club. Professor Gonzalez, who Nancy can’t quite bring herself to call Flo despite her insistence, has sleek black hair that tumbles over her shoulder like dark and deadly sand through an hourglass. It fell in a sheet then too, almost hitting Nancy in the face as Flo told her, “This is great. I know Gloria, and she would totally love this.” 

Despite Nancy’s best friend derisively protesting that Professor Gonzalez does not know Gloria, are you shitting me, Nancy entertains daydreams where she and Flo and Gloria Steinem meet up in a dark bar for a gorgeous, stimulating meeting of the minds. In some versions, Flo goes home first, leaving Nancy and Gloria alone. In other versions, the versions that throw heat on Nancy’s cheeks even just thinking about them, Gloria goes home first and Nancy and Flo are staring at each other through the brine-heavy buzz of dirty martinis. 

Nancy doesn’t even like dirty martinis. 

She discovered this at some dorm get together or another, where one of her similarly-affected-by-pretentiousness coursemates attempted to mix them. Badly, she assumed, because they tasted like crap. She winced on every sip. 

“Someone once told me these were supposed to taste like pussy,” her best friend had said from the common area couch, to which Nancy had snorted, Jesus!, a little gin and vermouth and brine coming out of her nose. 

“And?” That came from a girl in a smart ponytail, who was wearing smart suit slacks and a smart sweater in ultra smart, muted colors. She had taken a seat next to Nancy on the floor by the fire, and Nancy found herself awkwardly adjusting her off-the-shoulder sweatshirt. She should have dressed up for this, right? But these common room salons were always happening, and it felt like it was so hard to gauge the dress code. 

“How does that flavor profile match up?” 

Nancy realized that the low tone this girl was speaking in wasn’t meant for the room. It wasn’t even meant for her best friend, who’d posed the question. It was just meant for her. 

Ah, Nancy mouthed. “Um. I don’t know. I’ve never… tried it.”

Oh, the girl mouthed back, her head cocked toward her shoulder. “Maybe you should think about expanding your palate.” 

Nancy’s stomach had jumped and she had drunk the rest of her shitty martini way too fast. By the time she had figured it was time to head to bed, her head felt like it was floating a couple of inches above her neck, and she was hand-in-hand with the smart girl from the fire. 

Back slumping against the door in a clumsy stumble. Nancy giggled. The girl, who said her name was Sal, which Nancy thought was very glamorous, leaned against the door next to her. 

“I wish I dressed like you,” Nancy said, reaching out to finger the arm of her sweater. Cashmere. Something expensive. People were always wearing expensive things here. They looked so grown-up, so continental, compared to Nancy’s department store skirts and pastel shades. 

“We can swap outfits,” Sal hummed, the words coming from low in her throat as she tilted her head towards Nancy’s, “if your roommate isn’t home.”

Nancy Wheeler, even four crapshoot dirty martinis in, is not obtuse. Seeing double might make it a quadruple entendre, but she still knows one when she hears it. 

“I… have a boyfriend,” she’d whispered, almost into Sal’s mouth. That was, at the time, only half true. She and Steve were still navigating long distance in a post-Jonathan-breakup world. It wasn’t perfect yet, so no promises were made. But history weighed heavy on them.

Sal reached out to pluck at Nancy’s old sweatshirt, the one she’d cut the neck out of to make it drape around her shoulders like Jennifer Beals in Flashdance. It was a comfort thing, an old blanket, a teddy bear. “A Hawkins Tiger, no doubt?”

“Used to be.” 

“And what does a Hawkins Tiger know about pussy?” This, Sal had whispered into the shell of her ear, arm tightening around her waist. Her lips met that spot of skin behind Nancy’s ears that she liked to have touched, how did Sal know that. Giggling lowly, Nancy tilted her head to meet Sal’s lips, the kiss so small and so delicate that it hardly felt like launching anything at all. No great pull, no absolute passionate urgency. 

Suddenly, as Sal flushed her chest against Nancy’s and deepened the kiss, she had a vision of splattered watermelon. 

Projectiles are so dangerous. 

“They know… more than you’d think,” Nancy said, and smiled, and slipped away from Sal and into the darkness of her bedroom. 

Better to be safe than sorry. 

The second time Nancy kissed a girl, she didn’t even look like herself. 

She had come stomping into her best friend’s off-campus apartment (this girl being one year her senior) with her makeup kit in hand, like she was cashing in a makeover coupon that was about to expire. “Please, help me out here. I need to– it needs to be different this time.”

Now, that statement could have meant anything; it being New Years Eve, which they were about to celebrate, it being the most recent iteration of her breakup with Steve, it being her entire vision of herself. 

Nancy was fashioned into a vixen of epically out-of-her skin proportions, but she loved it. And maybe it was the bottle of cheap champagne they’d indulged in while getting ready, but she couldn’t quit gazing at her sparkling sapphire eyelids, the dress with chains for straps draping over her lithe little frame, the body waves her perm had been gelled into. She felt so far away from the hardheaded provincial do-gooder she’d admonished herself for being, a tiny bumpkin of a fish in the humongous, rushing, risque pond of college life. She felt alive and mischievous, like a nymph, her blood sparkling in her veins like the bubbles in her coupe.  

She and her best friend set off out to a party, shivering against the sub-zero temperatures and whooping like hyenas all the way there. Arms linked, sharing what little body heat they had, their mood soon flatlined as they settled into the festivities– average college fare, you know, with all of their other friends already paired off for their New Years’ kisses. They were the only two single people there, it seemed– she, recently liberated and her best friend, taking her seasonal sabbatical from mistletoe-themed hookups. It reminds her too much of a boy she knew in high school, though she’d never admit that. 

But Nancy knows. And Nancy loves her, despite the collegiate wild streak that has alienated her a little bit. And Nancy wanted to show her as much. 

Before the countdown even began, Nancy entwined their glitter painted fingers and said, “Hey! Promise me something?”

“Anything, Pants.” 

“Promise me we’ll always be as fun as we are right now,” she said, beaming. “Promise that no matter what happens, we’ll never lose it.” 

Aw! her best friend had mouthed, and took Nancy’s heart-shaped face in her hands. She leaned in, lips pulling Nancy’s in. Like tulip petals, Nancy had thought, but hadn’t exactly known why. They kissed and kissed, as the countdown raged and the ball dropped into sparkling smithereens. And as she felt her best friend’s tongue try and brace against her lips, Nancy pulled away. They stood together, forehead-to-forehead, giggling again. 

When their bubbles finally flattened, they spent the rest of the night and much of the morning talking about what life would be like if they could be together– because as much as Nancy loved her, and as fun as kissing her was, it was no watermelon. “It was a gas,” her best friend said, in that Fitzgeraldian way she had about her. 

They would celebrate the anniversary of what could have been, if they only worked out every year after.

Her first year out of college, Nancy spent her nights praying for a thrill. Six months filled with pulling doubles at a college bar in Indianapolis, hospital rooms, speaking to doctors when her mother couldn’t, fighting against her brother’s sullen silences and explaining to her sister what remission meant. Misery metastasized into monotony. She started staring down watermelons at the market. 

And she knows that’s a terrible thing to say and think, but it’s true. Even with all the support she had from Steve, who never knew exactly what to do when she’d report on her father’s diminishing health with the cadence of a newscaster, or even the help she was getting from Eddie, who took her on as a roommate in his shithole apartment. He got her a job in that divey college bar so she could be closer to her family as they all fell apart, shuttling her back and forth to Hawkins in his van. He was a better sibling to Mike than she ever was, she thought. Mike certainly seemed to like him more. 

The first time Nancy Wheeler realizes she really, really, really wants to kiss a girl, she stinks of fryer grease and spilled beer. And she should have expected it.

Expected to see her, anyway. 

Steve had told her about it weeks ago, but she had smoked half a joint of Eddie’s without telling either of them and zoned out. Very unlike the Nancy Wheeler that Hawkins had once known. 

She should have expected to see her, but here she is. Like a shock to the system, a last alarm. Nervous hands curved around a glass of Pilsner. Baseball cap on backwards. Cheeks ruddy with the chill of the city. 

“Oh! Hey– hi, Robin.”

[ty-the-trainwreck]

this is nancy right before she rejects steve, eyes squinted and it almost looks like she’s cringing as she’s trying to speak. not a drop of romantic love or anything that would resemble that in her eyes as she looks at him.

suddenly, robin returns. her eyes are visibly wider now, but her lips have relaxed. you can notice how her eyebrows are also not furrowed anymore. her face has grown visibly softer. her face isnt as tight as it was whenever she was looking at steve.

because now, she’s looking at robin.

(ignore text since i’m making a ronance edit rn but also dont ignore)

[kitchen-spoon]

Steve needs glasses

1989: Steve, Eddie, Robin, Nancy, and Max all live in Chicago together. Steddie and Ronance are in Established relationships and live together in apartments near each other. Max just moved to the city for university and Lives on Campus.

Before they all lived together Max figures out they are dating first and see’s Steve in glasses first because she cut herself pretty bad and was home alone. She goes to Eddie’s for help. He takes her to the kitchen and is cleaning her up when Steve walks out in his underwear covered in hickies with his glasses on asking what is going on.

Eddie is a mechanic. His style has changed a lot because of his job, he needs to dress more practical now. The few things he doesn’t give up are his septum and bridge piercings and his rings. He routinely takes them off and on everyday before and after work. Mostly he wears homemade muscle tank tops he cut himself that show his ribs made from band t-shirts. He wears work boots often now too. His hair is usually tied back into a ponytail and he uses his bandana to keep his bangs away from his face. His usual uniform also involves navy Carhartt overalls.

Steve works at a diner. On Wednesday nights he closes so Eddie, Robin, Nancy and max all come in after close and eat the leftover food that was going to be tossed. Nancy doesn't come often because she usually has work the next day and can't stay up late so, Eddie and Robin deffer to Max for Stories about Steve when he first started dealing with the upside down.

Eddie’s suspicion about Steve needing glasses starts right before they get togther. At first it was because of how much Robin brought it up but he just chalked it up to their weird wonder twins friendship. when He really notices though is when they go to a college party thanks to Nancy and Steve spills his drink trying to pour it in the cup while sober.

Eddie gets his suspissions confirmed when he gets Steve to admit he has trouble seeing one night. They are in the garage together, Steve is ‘helping’ by passing Eddie tools. He asks Steve to pass him a specific sized ratchet and Steve passes him the wrong size Twice. Eddie just straight up asks if Steve has trouble seeing but, Steve gets defensive and is like ‘alright asshole I get it I’m not handy jesus.” But Eddie calms him down, apologizes and asks again letting Steve know he is serious. He mentions the party and other things (squinting at the remote when he puts on movies, always clips the corner in the hallway going into the washroom.) And Steve finally relents and admits "maybe I’ve been having problems for the last year." Eddie freaks out, "like year?! Jesus Steve you need to go to an eye doctor. Seriously." and convinces him somehow.

They go. Steve’s head injuries / concussions have weakened his right eye. He has Amblyopia or a lazy eye. His brain has a disconnect and can’t recognize sight from his right eye as well. He’ll have to get glasses and wear an eyepatch. (which he only wears around Eddie) They make another appointment so he can get tests done and they can get his prescription.

Once they leave the eye office Steve makes Eddie swear not to tell anyone about anything. They talk about how needing glasses makes Steve feel weak and less useful, how he won't be able to protect the kids as well anymore and they won't trust him to keep them safe. He also worries about how they'll make him look because he knows he is stupid so all he has left going for him is his looks which will be ruined by the glasses. Eddie sits and listens and then talks Steve through all his worries, especially the ones abut his looks. Its how they have their first kiss and subsequently start dating.

After that Eddie takes Steve to all his appointments and they have little dates after to feel better. For one appointment Steve has to have his eyes dilated so Eddie really does have to come. It's on a Monday so Eddie has to come in his workboots, coveralls, and bandana right after work. Steve gets his eyes dilated and Eddie helps guide him around. They go to the cafeteria while they wait and have milk and cookies because that is all that is left. Eddie soaks the cookie bits for Steve and feeds him. Eddie laughs and says it’s what Steve looks like when he is stoned

When Steve gets his glasses and hangs out with Robin, Nancy and Max for the first time Eddie goes in first and is like don’t say anything or he’ll never wear them again and be blind by the time he’s 40.

[steddieunderdogfics]

In the Garden, Under Your Hand by ParadimeShifts

@paradimeshifts7

Rating: Explicit

23,315 words, 4/4 chapters

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Tags: Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Community Garden AU, 90s romcom vibes if you squint, background ronance, Blood and injury of the garden variety, Enemies to Lovers, Dom/sub Undertones, Soft Dom Steve Harrington, Sub Eddie Munson, Brat Eddie Munson, Splash of subspace, Grinding, Spanking, Blow Jobs, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Flower Imagery, Bad dad Al Munson, wayne munson the man that you are, Personal Growth, growing together, Scent Kink, Crying During Sex, Semi-Public Sex

Summary:

Thrown into community service after a bad run-in with his dad, Eddie is hardly expecting the next few months to be anything of note. That is, until Steve Harrington emerges from behind a patch of sunflowers at the community garden, claiming to be his supervisor

Thanks for the rec!

This rec is a part of Challenge Monday. The challenge this week was FICS WITH 4 CHAPTERS.

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[steddie-fanfic-recs]

To Offer You a Little Relief

by IndigoFudge

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Character: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Nancy Wheeler Additional Tags: implied ronance if you squint - Freeform, Whump, Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Injury, Steve Harrington's Love Language is Physical Touch, Touch-Starved Eddie Munson, Hurt Eddie Munson, Eddie Munson Lives, Eddie Munson Needs a Hug, Eddie Munson Has a Crush on Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington Has a Crush on Eddie Munson, Love Confessions, First Dates, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Steve Harrington Has a Sexuality Crisis, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Are Best Friends, Hospitals, Emotional Hurt, Comfort, Character Study, Eddie almost dies in Steve's arms, Angst with a Happy Ending, Movie Night, Cuddling & Snuggling, Forehead Kisses, Bloody Kisses, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Steve Harrington Has Nightmares, Traumatized Steve Harrington Words: 8,471 Chapters: 1/1

Summary

Eddie pitches forward a bit, head falling against Steve’s shoulder. He’s shaking again. “I’m so sorry, Stevie,” he murmurs. “I think I’m in love with you. Worst fuckin’ time, but I think I’m in love with you. How about that.” It may not hurt to breathe, but it hurts to exist. Steve wishes it was tomorrow. Steve wishes it was tomorrow and Eddie was in the hospital safe and there would be a world of time for everything. “You’re gonna laugh,” he says, even though it’s the furthest thing from funny. “I think I’m in love with you too.” • What if Dustin had gone with Lucas, Max, and Erica? What if Nancy and Robin had killed Vecna alone? What if Steve had been with Eddie? What if that had made all the difference?