#alan munson is a bad father

[wheneverfeasible]

pirate!Steddie AU

wc: 2.5k || rated: M (to be safe) || cw: reference to suicide, non-consent, and other general piratey things || ao3

When one thought of the phrase ‘Pirate King’ there were always certain expectations involved. An older pirate, grizzled and uncaring beyond his own interests, vicious with blade and pistol, quick to stain his hands red with anyone he deemed foe. To be fair, that had been his father.

The former Pirate King was truly a degenerate, disgraced nobility who stole from his provinces, who cheated and lied and stole from commoners and royalty alike. His failed coup would have had him and his young pregnant wife on trial for treason had he not escaped to the sea on a pirate ship with what portable wealth he had managed to secret away.

He had taken his wife along, at first, before dumping her at some port town to focus on his new rise to power. And rise he did over the next decade.

He was cunning, and ruthless, and he knew the tricks of the trade from how often he had hunted pirates in the past. He made a name for himself, dubbed The Fallen Noble, until that had not been enough for him. No, this time, he was determined not to fail the coup.

Eventually the Pirate King before him fell to his blade and he took it upon himself to pick up the crown, striking fear across sea and land both. His exploits were well-known, his viciousness the stuff of nightmares, and his taste for violence bloodthirsty. He had gone back to his wife and young son then, had stopped by occasionally during his rise though his son feared each one of those stops, and swept them away back into the world of deceit and power.

The son, only a young boy at the time, was raised like a prince, the Pirate Prince, and taught to be just as cruel and bloodthirsty as his father. And for a time, he was. The boy’s mother tragically passed away one fateful night when she was swept off the bow during a storm, though for the life of him the boy did not remember any such storm that night.

The boy, though raised first in negligence and then in violence, secreted the softness in his heart away, playing the role given to him to the point where he almost started believing it himself. Until he fell in love.

She had been stolen from her home with her young brother, with the boy meant to be inscripted into service while she was meant to be a prize for the Pirate Prince. She was unlike anyone he had ever known before and it wasn’t hard to fall in love with her. She would not be cowed, however, and he was not his father who took what was not freely given.

However, despite his love for her, in truth she loved another.

It would have been all too easy to dispose of the boy who held her heart, but that thick shell he had hidden within to be his father’s son had been cracked beyond repair. He aided her in her and her brother’s escape, watching the small boat drift away from his father’s ship and exchanging a solemn nod with the boy she loved who had come to rescue them.

His mask would no longer fit, he could no longer be who he had once pretended to be, and it was then that the boy became a man and in an act of defiance fought and slew his own father to end his tyranny once and for all. This young man stood above his father’s corpse as the new Pirate King.

Despite his young age, the Pirate King was not to be underestimated. When a mutiny rose of his father’s crew who remained loyal to the fallen tyrant and those who sought the power for their own greedy hands, the young man stood firm and dispatched those who coveted his crown. He would not bow to another monster.

Imagine his surprise when, only a year under his crown, the young brother of the girl he’d once loved returned to him to join his crew of his own free will. He did not come alone either, bringing with him a small pack of youths who wanted more than what society dictated for them, who heard of the fabled Pirate King, youngest in history, who refused to be the evil that had been his father and who protected those who bent the knee.

Though they had nothing in common, the Pirate King felt a kinship with these brave youths who wanted more, wanted to be more, and who stubbornly would not take heed when he tried to banish them off the ship. There was fierceness in their eyes, a hunger he knew all too well, and so while it at times made him feel more like a babysitter than a Pirate King with their youthful exuberance, he could do nothing but accept their honest fealty.

Along the way he met other wayward souls, including the sister of one of his greater rivals and the daughter of the man currently spearheading the hunt for pirates, as well as the young woman so desperate for a life of freedom, a life to be herself, that she soon found her way to being his second-in-command and who was almost as feared as he was.

Well. Feared by everyone except her and the youths he’d taken under his wing.

“Captain Dingus, sir, the rodent is on board.”

Steve Harrington, Pirate King and Captain of the Loch Nora, glanced up from where he was carefully sliding his dagger against the stone in his hand, a less than pleased expression pulling at his face at his quartermaster’s continued insubordination. He only sighed, however, since she at least had the decency to only do so when they were alone or among very select company.

Dropping his feet from his desk where he was leaning back in his thick, ornate chair that was more like a throne than anything else, Steve stood as he wiped his blade on a scrap of cloth before sliding it into home on his belt.

“Come now, Buck. He’s at the very least a snake,” he teasingly reprimanded with a grin as he moved towards her to follow her out of his cabin. “And just like one, he may be crawling on his belly soon enough if he isn’t prepared to pay off his debt.”

Robin was uncharacteristically quiet at that, and when Steve glanced over at her, he could see her teeth gnawing at her bottom lip. He raised his brows at that under the swoop of his hair, something telling him that he was going to find something far more interesting than the coin the man in question owed them. Whether that something interesting was going to be good or not was still to be decided.

It took only moments to move onto the deck of his ship, eyeing his crew as they stood encircling the kneeling figure in the middle. No. The kneeling figures.

Steve cast a quick glance Robin’s way at the sight before them, taking in not a chest or even bag of coins to pay off the man’s debt, but rather a younger man around Steve’s own age, bound and gagged kneeling next to the proverbial snake.

“Munson,” Steve drawled, and both pairs of dark eyes snapped to him. It was almost uncanny, making the resemblance even more obvious between the two kneeling men.

Alan Munson gave Steve a briefly panicked looked, before his mask of bravado settled over his features and he, neither bound nor gagged, shot Steve a smile that might have soothed his ruffled feathers had he not grown impervious to such looks thanks to his younger crew members’ own beguiling smiles. Munson clasped a hand over his chest above his heart.

“My liege, it is an honor to see you once more,” the older man formally intoned, bowing his head as though Steve were a real king and not just one who roamed the seas. His tone was light though, only the slightest tremor and the sweet dotting his brow belied the man’s nervousness.

Steve stopped in front of the two men, resting his weight on one leg as he brought his hands to settle on his hips. He cocked his head to the side slightly as he took in the tableau before him. Alan tried to meet his gaze with confidence he obviously did not feel, his eyes skittering away whenever Steve glanced at him, while the younger man glared up at Steve with all he was worth.

The young man’s eyes were rimmed with red, glassy in the way that spoke of past tears, and his thin chest heaved with the emotions swirling in his brown eyes so deep they were nearly black. The glare was not reserved only for Steve, however, as those dark eyes kept landing on Munson with anger and heartbreak and betrayal.

“Tell me, Munson. Are you hiding my money somewhere on your body in a questionable location, or are you planning on being another stain on my deck?” Steve said in an almost conversational way, though he had to withhold a snort as both pairs of identical dark eyes moved as one to look down at the dark stain inches from where they kneeled.

(The stain was actually due to Robin’s clumsiness spilling her dinner one night, but it made for a good impression.)

Munson recovered first with his smile only slightly shakier than it had been. He looked up at Steve in what he obviously hoped was a charming as disarming way. “I would never do you the disservice of cheating you, your majesty,” he said, and Steve might have believed him had the man not been infamously known in town to be a swindler and a cheat.

Munson’s eyes darted over to the younger man beside him before looking back up at Steve. “I regret that I don’t have your money at the moment—but I have something better!” he hastened to add on when the sound of drawn steel began ringing out as the surrounding pirates began drawing their various blades.

Steve held up a hand halting his overzealous crew mates, though he had to suppress a smile as well. Though most of the youngsters had once been squeamish at the darker aspects of the pirate lifestyle, they had since grown accustomed to the needs and requirements Steve placed on them. It helped that Steve did not needlessly shed blood, even when faced with the likes of Alan Munson.

“I am a very particular man, Munson. You will find that when I request my coin, it is not a request at all, nor am I interested in substitutions,” Steve's tone continued to drawl, though it became sharper towards the end as his wrist moved to settle meaningfully over the hilt of his sword at his waist.

Munson swallowed thickly with a jerking nod. “I understand, your majesty,” he rushed to say, before settling his hand on the young man’s shoulder beside him, causing said young man to flinch away with a shout muffled by the cloth in his mouth. When he tried to jerk away, two strong hands moved to force him back to his knees, courtesy of Steve’s crew.

Steve did not so much as bat an eye, merely lifting a brow to encourage Munson to continue. Without looking remorseful at all, he did so.

“My son, Edward,” Munson clarified, indicating the young man beside him though he did not reach out to touch him again. “I offer my own flesh and blood, my only child and son, into your generous hands. He is a hard worker, stronger than he appears, and capable of whatever task you set him.” There was not even a hint of a trace of hesitation on Munson’s face as he sold his own some out. “I give him to you to cover my debt, whether you keep him or sell him for profit.”

More angry, muffled noises came from the young man, from Edward Munson, son of Alan Munson, who was being treated as little more than chattel now and a bargaining trip to clear his father’s debt. Steve wanted nothing more than to slide his blade through Munson’s neck in that moment. His face hardened, but he let a deceptive smile curl over his lips.

Steve was, in the end, a pirate. And the Pirate King himself at that. His hands were hardly clean. The idea that a father would sell their child into slavery just to save their own neck, however, seemed far more evil than anything he had ever done, up to and including killing his own father.

Stepping towards the bound young man, Steve reached out to grasp the young man’s chin, squeezing sharply when Munson Jr. tried to jerk away. He angled the young man’s hand this way and that to examine him, before roughly releasing him to face the elder Munson.

“I will accept this trade only with a provision,” Steve began, Munson’s ecstatic expression dropping to one of wariness as Steve’s tone turned darker. “If your son does not perform his duties properly, or if he does not return to me what your owe with interest, I will gut him like a dog in front of you before doing the very same to you. Do I make myself clear, Munson?”

Munson’s eyes widened, his face rapidly paling, but he was nodding quickly once more. “Y-yes, I understand, your majesty. He won’t disappoint.”

“Let us hope so, for your benefit.” Steve glanced at the crew behind the kneeling man with a subtle jerk of his chin, the silent communication having them hauling him roughly to his feet and shoving him towards the boat they’d dragged him in on. Steve then cast his eyes towards Robin. For the benefit of the bound man still kneeling before him, he spoke his next order out loud, despite Robin already knowing what he would say.

“Mr. Buckley, see to it that Mr. Munson is left with a reminder as to why it’s important to always pay your debts promptly and fully,” he said with a small smirk, dropping his gaze to the young man who was struggling against his bonds and gag, his eyes desperately on his father. “Just something he can live without. Maybe a toe, or his little pinky finger,” he grinned.

Robin unsheathed her own blade strapped to her thigh with a dark grin of her own. “Gladly, Captain,” she replied with a nod, and he knew he would soon hear the pleasant music of a scream of fear and pain.

Steve’s eyes cut to the pirates holding Munson Jr. down. “Let’s be gracious hosts and escort our guest here to his quarters,” he said, tone ripe with sarcasm. “And then let’s get the hell out of here once the riffraff is gone.” He smiled as, at that moment, Munson’s scream filled the air, causing Munson Jr. to flinch as Keith hauled him to his feet and began pushing him to the brig below deck.

Steve had been correct, he thought as he gazed out to the sea, feeling the winds of change in the air. Munson’s payment had been interesting. Now he just had to decide what he wanted to do with his payment.

To be continued…

-

Hostage tag: @derythcorvinus

[shichey97]

Long Live 3

I watched as my son, almost 10 years old, put his dishes away before he turned to me. “Mom. Do you think Dad and Grandpa Wayne are together somewhere?”

I couldn’t help the ache in my chest at the question, but I nodded my head anyway. “Your dad, Uncle Dustin, and Grandpa Wayne are all together and Dustin and your dad are definitely playing DnD.” I say softly my heart is aching at this line of questions, but I imagine the finality of death is hard for a 10 year old to grasp.

“Do you think they’d be proud of us?” He asks, sitting between Steve and I.

“They definitely would be so proud of both of you.” Steve says cupping the back of his head. “Why don’t I read tonight’s chapter?”

“Ok! I'll change into PJs.” He says before running off upstairs. We lived in Steve’s house since I found out that my parents were partly to blame for the openings into the upside down. They were part of the reason I was raising Eddie’s son without him.

“It’s going to be ok.” Steve says putting a hand on my shoulder to which I covered his hand and gave a weak smile.

“I’m ready!” My son called and both Steve and I headed upstairs.

Once he was tucked in Steve began reading.

  Chapter 3: The Show

It was Tuesday afternoon which meant Eddie was playing with Corroded Coffin tonight and she was hanging out with him until he had to leave for work. She was getting guitar lessons when there was a knock at the trailer door. Eddie got up to answer it and the venom in his voice when he asked ‘what are you doing here’ was enough to alarm her.

“Is that anyway to greet your old man?” came a voice she didn’t recognize, but the words told her exactly who it was. She was about to meet Alan Munson. “Are you going to let me in?”

Eddie glanced at her with a look that seemed to say ‘I’m sorry’ before he stepped back and let him in. Eddie frowned behind his back and let the door slam. “What do you want, dad?”

“First who is this?” He asked, looking at her. He chuckled when she introduced herself, but didn’t stand to shake his hand, “Well, Darling, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Al Munson; Eddie’s dad.” he says before looking at him, “Can we talk privately?”

“She’s my girlfriend. You can say anything you want in front of her.” Eddie said plainly and crossed his arms over his chest. She had never seen this man annoyed or defensive before, but here he was. Both things at once.

“Is she your new partner in crime?” He teases and she stood up walking over and hugging Eddie’s waist.

“Something like that.” She said, giving a sickeningly sweet smile at the man in front of her. She didn’t like him already; there was something about him that she didn’t trust at all. Something that screamed ‘I’m bad news.’

He looked impressed by her gumption and nodded, “Well I’ve got a line on another job that we could…”

“No.” Eddie interrupted in a stern voice. “No more jobs. No more junior. Just no more, Dad. I’ve got my life on track and I’m not letting you knock it off again. How’d you even know where to find me?”

“Well the house burned down and I haven’t heard your name on the radio so I figured you’d be here. What happened to music?” Al asked as he looked at her then Eddie, “and the other girl?”

“Oh I wonder what could have possibly happened. My father lied to me, the men we stole from tracked us down, then proceeded to burn down my house with my mother's records, shoot a cop, and you then take off and leave me holding the bag.” He snaps and sighs heavily. “I'm not helping you. If that's why you came here, you can leave now.” Eddie sounded more annoyed than angry which was a good thing even if she knew he was teeming with anger.

“Come on, junior. Help your old man out.” Al said obviously trying to convince him. Then he turned his attention to her. “Don’t you think Eddie should help me?”

“No. I think he should have the free will to decide and it sounds to me like he’s decided to not help you.” She said subtly rubbing Eddie’s back to reassure him that it was going to be ok.

“Well I can see my brother has done a good job so I’ll leave.” Al says disappointment lacing his words as he heads for the door.

“Dad. Do us a favor and live your life. Don’t come back here.” Eddie says quietly. “Not until you’ve actually got your life on track.”

“Right. It was nice meeting you, Darling. Eddie…it was good to see you again.” Al says before leaving.

Once he was gone Eddie turned and hugged her tightly burying his face in her neck. He let out a big exhale when she hugged back his breath tickling her throat. She held him for a long moment before she spoke.

“You did amazing and I’m so proud of you.” She said softly and carefully rubbed his head trying to soothe him just a bit.

“Thank you.” He said, sighing softly and straightened up. “I didn’t want you to meet him at all. Most girls throw themselves at him. Even young ones. Especially young ones.”

“I’m not most girls, Eddie. Besides, I'm willing to bet you look more like your mom.” She said with a grin before sitting back down on the couch and picking up the guitar, “What time is the show?”

“Most people say I look like him.” He said with a shrug as if the words didn’t sting him a little.

“Well I don’t so don’t worry,” She said smiling up at him, “Do you have a picture of your mom?” She asked, her voice soft and gentle.

He nodded and went to his room for a moment before he came out with a book, “Uncle Wayne kept Mom’s photo albums here so I’m lucky enough to have them after the fire.”

She smiled with a nod, “Does this mean I get to see baby Eddie?”

“No. Never. Her picture is on the first page along with their wedding photo.” He explained as he opened it to show a beautiful woman with long dark hair, beautiful brown eyes, and warm smile, and a red shirt on. She was happy to see whoever took the picture. The polaroid has “Liz Munson ‘70” written on it and Eddie smiled sadly.

“This was taken the year before she died by Uncle Wayne. I think they knew she wouldn’t make it because they began spending more money to do things with me.” He said looking at her. “I meant what I said. Mom would’ve loved you.”

“I’m sure we would get along really well.” She said nodding with a smile, “she’s beautiful and I think you look more like her than him.” she said with a shrug. 

He smiled softly, “Thank you for that.” He said and ran his fingers over the picture. “My father never appreciated what he had, but between you and me I think she chose the wrong brother.” he said quietly before his watch beeped. “Well I’ve got to work. I’ll see you at The Hideout at 6 ok?”

“Is there a dress code?” She asked with a grin as she stood and stretched. She was obviously joking which caused Eddie to chuckle.

“Dress comfortably, we get like three songs out before Bev pulls the plug.” He said with a soft smile as they left the trailer and he locked the door behind them.

“Nice to know. I’ll see you there.” She says and kisses his cheek with a grin before heading for her car. She waved to the red headed kid she knew through Dustin and Mike as she climbed into her car and pulled out. She was surprised to see Max wave back.

She went home and got a shower. She then got dressed in a white tank top, jeans, black boots, and a leather jacket before doing her hair and simple eyeliner over red eyeshadow gave her a bold look.

She waited until 5:30 before she got in her car and headed for The Hideout. She made it with 2 minutes to spare so she parked as quickly as possible and jogged in as the first chords of their first song played.

The guitar and drums going in unison already as Eddie begins singing. “18. Crazy. Pulled up in your daddy’s car. You wanna move in with me; Guess we’re off to a heavy start.” he sings in a higher register than his voice that has chills breaking out under her jacket. “Shoulda seen this coming from a mile away. 18. Crazy. I know what you want from me. I know what you want from me.”

She sat at one of the little tables smiling at him while he sang. She loved his voice and the entire band as they played together.

“So if you wanna piss off your parents, date me to scare them, show them you’re all grown up. If long hair and tattoos are what attract you, baby, then you’re in luck. And I know it’s just a phase, you’re not in love with me. You wanna piss off your parents, baby. Piss off your parents that’s alright with me.” he sang with a grin as he looked at her. 

She smiled wide and gave a little wave before the second verse.

“You know I’m broke so you pulled out your daddy’s card. I drink. I smoke. You ate it up from the very start. Shoulda seen this coming from a mile away. I’ll play your game. I know what you want from me. I know what you want from me.”

She quietly sang along with him on the second chorus before they changed the rhythm and sound a little bit before he repeated the chorus slower with just the drums as the outro.

Bev, unfortunately for her, didn’t like the song and unplugged the speakers, “You’re done kid.” she said walking away.

Eddie shrugged and high fived the band before looking at her, “What did you think?”

“I loved it. The singer was really good, but the drummer outshined you just a bit.” She said with a teasing grin. She walked to the little stage and waved, “You know when I figure out who was in the band this isn’t the line up I thought.”

“What do you mean?” Gareth asked, looking at her as he stood from his drums.

“I thought Gareth sang, Eddie did guitar, Jeff did bass, and Grant was the drummer.” She said as she crossed her arms.

“Well you got Jeff’s position right.” Eddie teased with a smile and he helped the others pack up their instruments.

“Can I do anything to help? I’m not as weak as I look.” She said with a soft smile and stepped onto the stage. Her eyes widened when Eddie passed her his red and black guitar with a grin. She could tell that it was a big deal when everyone on the little stage stopped moving.

“Take her to the van and put her in her case please.” He said and she nodded as she headed for the van very carefully. She opened the back and crawled in putting his prized possession in the case and latching it again.

She decided to sit there and wait so no one stole the guitar. She didn’t know where he got it, but she knew that it was important to him; therefore it was important to her.

She always had a habit of falling hard and fast for people and ending up hurt. Eddie was different though. He wouldn’t hurt her or leave her at the end of their relationship. She was fairly certain he was the one she was meant to be with. She sat with her thoughts in the back of the van until the front door opened and then she smiled,

“Why are you sitting here?” He asked with a soft chuckle. He was amused by the fact that she was sitting criss crossed on the metal floor of the cargo area of his van.

“I didn’t want anyone to steal your guitar so I sat with her while you were helping the guys.” She said and got out and smiled at him. “My parents will be home Friday so I won’t be able to hang out until after dinner time.”

“My door is always open to you, sweetheart.” He said as he watched her face. He leaned forward and kissed her gently. This isn’t their first kiss, but she still pressed herself to his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist as she kissed him back like it was.

He smiled against her lips as he tangled his fingers in the hair at the base of her neck to pull her in for a deeper kiss. He pulled away when the band came out and began cheering. 

They both flipped them off at the same time which caused everyone to laugh as they got to the pair, “We’re going to hang out at Gareth’s. You two should join us if you can keep your hands to yourselves.” Jeff teased them with a smirk.

“Then I guess we should just go back to mine.” she said with a smirk and offered her hand to Eddie who took it with a grin.

“No, come on, we can watch movies and just chill.” Gareth says watching them. “You can play with each other later.” He says before climbing into his car.

“Might as well, baby. We can smoke later.” She says and gets in her car, “Want me to drive to yours?”

He nods with a grin, “Yeah. I’ll follow and give you a ride to Gareth’s.” He says and gets in his van.

They get to his house and she locks her car, jogging to his van and climbing in with another wave to Max. She would always wave to the girl who seemed to always be outside rather than staying inside alone.

She kissed Eddie’s cheek before they were off to Gareth’s with her talking about how she was upset that she didn’t get to hear more songs.

“Our next practice I’ll see if you can listen. I know the guys like it being just us, but they should be ok with it.” He says with a grin as he holds her hand with his right hand and steers with his left.

“I’d like that. Maybe we can record it and send it to a record label.” She looked at him with an innocent hopeful look.

“I doubt it’ll work.” He shrugged slightly as he turned onto Gareth’s street and rubbed her hand with his thumb, “I appreciate it, but we’re too garage to make it big.”

“Who told you that??” She asked with a deep frown. She’d personally fight whoever had crushed his dream like that. She’d rebuild it by herself then.

“The head of WR records.” He shrugged again as if it didn’t matter, but it did to her and she squeezed his hand.

“Let me try at least.” She said and pouted, “please.”

“Ok you can try to make us rockstars.” He smiled at her as he pulled in and cut the van off. She leaned over and kissed him fighting a smile. She loved to kiss him. It made her happy and warm.

“Thank you for inviting me to the show.” She said and got out of the van when he replied ‘anytime’.