#alpha wayne munson

[mugloversonly]

Silver over Gold

Ch 3: Kintsugi - Final

Ch.1 Ch.2 AO3

Summary:

Steve and Eddie finally talk.

Steve stood outside Eddie’s door horrified by what he heard on the other side. Eddie was sobbing and his inner omega was whining weakly. “Eddie? Baby can I come in?” He pleaded.

“Alpha?” Eddie cried softly. “Door’s locked.” His voice was fading into a whisper. “I’m sorry alpha.”

Steve didn’t think twice about ripping the door of the hinges; he'd fix it later, he just hoped Wayne would understand. His omega needed him and his alpha would stop at nothing to help him (for once he was in total agreement). The smashing of the door echoed through the whole trailer but Eddie didn’t seem to notice. He was curled up on his side in the corner of the room with his head tucked against his knees, shaking violently. Steve rushed over to him and gently swept his hair out of his face. He gasped when he saw his beautiful omega. “Oh, Eddie.” He whispered. He was paler than usual, practically translucent. His lively chocolate eyes were red rimmed and puffy, empty as they stared up at him. Steve wasn’t even sure if Eddie could see him right now.

“I’m sorry alpha.” Eddie whispered. Steve stared at him hoping for some awareness in his eyes but there still wasn’t anything. He must be speaking unconsciously.

“Sh,” Steve cooed. “I’m right here, omega. Your alpha is right here. I'm not going anywhere.” He ran his hands up and down Eddie’s arms and kissed him on the forehead. His skin was freezing to the touch and if Steve didn’t know better he’d think he just came out of Lover’s Lake.

He took him into his arms, laid them back in Eddie’s nest, and removed their shirts for skin contact, pulling the blanket over them for good measure . Steve made sure to hold the omega’s nose directly onto his scent gland. He didn’t know much about rejection sickness, but from what he learned in school one way to cure it was through comforting touch and scents. Eddie barely moved and didn’t acknowledge Steve at all. Steve was having a hard time staying calm but the whines and howling of his omega were helping him to stay focused.

H is shivering finally subsided and Eddie fell into a light haze. He pulled back from Steve and his eyes were a bit clearer. “Stevie?” He asked. At Steve’s nod he threw himself back. He didn’t deserve to be held like this. He was a bad omega. His alpha didn’t love him and it was all his fault. Steve didn’t let him get far before he was yanking him right back in. He ran his fingers through his tangled hair and nuzzled his neck. “I’m sorry Steve. I should’ ve trusted you . I'm a bad omega.” He sobbed but Steve clapped a hand over his mouth.

“You're not a bad omega Eddie. You're my omega.” Steve said. He felt more than heard Eddie’s gasp and watched as his wet eyes widened. He reached up and pulled Steve’s hand off his mouth.

“I’m still your omega?” He whispered hopeful yet terrified.

“Yes, darling.” Steve replied caressing his cheek. Eddie put his hand over Steve’s and held it there.

“You still want to be my alpha? After everything I put you through?” Steve looked deep into Eddie’s eyes and kissed him on the nose.

“You didn’t put me through anything. I will always be your alpha. Even if you decided you wanted nothing to do with me, I will be here waiting. There is nothing you could do that would drive me away. I will never leave you.” He promised. “Let me apologize now.”

“No, Steve you don’t owe me anything.” Eddie said clutching his shirt. “I was the one in the wrong.”

“No you weren’t. I was scared. I didn’t stop to consider that I was stringing you along.” He bowed his head as tears finally spilled over. “I love you, Eddie. I never want you to doubt that. I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner. And I’m sorry the first time I said it was in an argument.” He grabbed Eddie’s face and tilted it until their lips were barely a millimeter apart. “I would never lie to you. I know why you would think that. Wayne told me. Just know, that the most important person in my life, is right here in my arms. Okay?”

“Except Robin?” He knew it was shitty, but he needed to know.

“No my lovely omega. Even more important than Robin.” He kissed him then. A quick press of lips, there and gone in mere moments. “Robin is my best friend and I won’t stop loving her or change how she and I are with each other. But you’re my future mate, and nothing is more important than you feeling secure in us.” Eddie surged forward and kissed him hard practically shoving his tongue down his throat.

“I don’t want you to stop being friends with Robin or anything like that, Stevie. It’s just…” Eddie knew he had to let Steve hear some of this from him. “The pups constantly tell me how you two were made for each other and how it’s only a matter of time for you two to mate.” Eddie looked down. “I guess, with you wanting to keep it a secret and when I ask about courting you brush it off, mix that with Dustin asking me to find out if you’re secretly dating Robin and I thought it was only a matter of time before you stopped what we had and went with her. And when I saw you two together, I thought it finally happened and you didn’t even have the decency to tell me first.” His voice broke on that last word.

“Wait a second...the pups have been saying what?!” Steve yelled out startling the omega and causing him to whimper. “Sorry.” He took a few calming breaths before asking again. “The pups have been telling you that Robin and I are secretly together?”

“Basically.” Eddie admitted.

“No wonder you didn’t believe me.” Steve scoffed. “Don’t worry my love I’ll set the record straight as soon as I can.” He snuggled Eddie closer and kissed his hair.

“You don’t have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with Steve. Not for my sake.” He understood that it may be hard for Steve since he had only dated female omegas before. But his alpha just rolled his eyes.

“I’ll put an ad in the newspaper try me.” He laughed. “It’ll say something like: I, Steven Anthony Harrington am courting and plan to mate with the beautiful” he leaned over and nuzzled against Eddie’s scent gland causing the omega to giggle. “Wonderful, remarkable, one of a kind, Edward Wayne Munson.” He nipped lightly at his neck. “I will don’t tempt me.”

Light finally returned to Eddie’s eyes. “Thank you.” He whispered. Steve knew he was thanking him for much more but Steve didn’t want him to feel grateful that Steve treated him like a worthy partner.

“No thanks necessary. I’m not going to hide any more okay? In fact, close your eyes.” he said. When Eddie did so, he reached into his pocket to pull something out that he fastened around Eddie’s pale throat and kissed him softly. “Open.”

Eddie opened his eyes and gasped. It was the most unique courting gift he’d ever received. Pure silver because he mentioned to Steve once that it was his favorite precious metal. The pendant was a perfect copy of his warlock with small rubies creating the red lightening. As he took a closer look, he realized the neck of the guitar was actually Steve’s nail bat. It was the perfect combination of them.

His chest no longer felt tight and his nose tickled as his blood orange scent began pouring out of his scent gland. It was faint, but it was there. Steve beamed and pushed his nose to the source and took a big inhale. “Thank you, Alpha. I accept your request to court.” Eddie said in the traditional manner. He pulled away. “I’ll give you something I scented in return once it gets back to normal.” Eddie promised. Steve nodded and pulled him into another kiss. This one was more heated and while Eddie did feel better and the sickness was receding, he wasn’t ready to go very far. He leaned back slightly but stayed close so the alpha knew he was okay. “Is it alright, if we take it slow?” He couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Whatever you need.” Steve said tilting his head up. “What ever you want. It’s yours.” He said more like an oath than a promise.

“I threw away your yellow sweater. I’m sorry. I know it was your favorite.” He admitted ashamed. Steve slid away and for a second Eddie thought he was leaving, but before he could let out a single noise of protest he was getting hit in the face with soft cotton. In his hands was the best thing he'd ever seen.

“Wayne said he saw you throw it away and figured you were just upset.” Eddie smiled.

“He knows me so well.”

“I’d hope so, he is your dad and all.” Steve said. “Speaking of, I’d like to formally ask him to court you. I know you already said yes, but it’s traditional to ask an omega’s parent.” Eddie beamed.

“You really do love me, don’t you?” He asked.

“I do. I love you so much. I want to court you and mate with you. I want to see you round with my pups.” Steve replied and laid down pulling Eddie with him. “I want us to smell like one another so there’s no mistaking who we belong to.”

“How long have you had this necklace by the way?” Eddie asked the pendant clutched in his hand.

“Since right after spring break.” He admitted. At Eddie’s raised eyebrows he sheepishly said “I told you, I’ve wanted to court you for a long time.”

The two talked a bit more about their insecurities and about Eddie’s past trauma with alphas. When the alpha that hurt him came up again, Steve growled. “Give me a name.” The fire in his eyes would have scared Eddie if it was directed at him. But at the moment, it may have made him a bit slick. He’d never had an alpha want to protect him like this.

“If I tell you, can you promise you won’t do anything crazy?” Eddie asked.

“No.” Steve said. “I promised no lies.” He defended at Eddie’s snort.

“You did, you did. Okay, just promise you’ll be careful.” Steve agreed to that and motioned for Eddie to continue. “It was Tommy Hagan my first senior year.” He admitted. The scent of burning woods filled the his nostrils.

“When?” Steve growled. Had he still been friends with Tommy?

“We started courting in August. The heat we spent together was in November.”

“You were the omega he couldn’t shut up about?” Steve asked. Eddie shrugged.

“I guess. Weird that he couldn’t shut up about me when he cheated on me with Carol.” Eddie said meekly. The faint blood orange Eddie was finally emitting was turning sour and he was trying to pump out calming omega pheromones to calm Steve, but it didn’t seem to be working well due to the dull nature of it.

“Sorry, sorry.” Steve said as he willed himself to calm down. “It’s not important right now.” He stood and pulled Eddie to his feet.

“What is important is getting you checked out by a doctor. Let’s let Wayne know and we can go okay?” Steve asked. Eddie nodded and the two got dressed with some difficulty since they refused to let go of each other. Steve wore his yellow sweater so it would smell like him again and Eddie pulled on his favorite band tee. On their way out of the trailer they wrote a note for Wayne and Steve walked Eddie to the passenger side. He opened the door and kept a firm hand in Eddie’s until he was seated. Eddie watched on amused as Steve practically sprinted around the car so they could spend the least amount apart as possible.

~ ~~

At the hospital, the Doctor that saw him last time was able to see him again. “Eddie, this one could have killed you if your alpha hadn’t come when he did. To help you get back on your feet it’ll be good for the two of you to spend the next 48 to 72 hours together. Now for cases like yours we have a new type of medication that can stop rejection sickness from getting worse once it starts. I’m giving you a prescription for that. And I want you to go back to taking the preventive ones for a while.” He looked between the two men knowingly. “I’d say until you’ve mated. After that, you should be okay to stop them. But, keep the emergency one on you at all times. It could be the difference between life and death.” He said before leaving them with a nurse. She gave Eddie some fluids in an IV that were supposed to help him return to normal and then they were on their way.

“So, what now?” Eddie asked. Steve took his hand again.

“Let me take you out on the town? Then we can go back to the trailer and cuddle?” He asked. Eddie blushed and his blood orange scent finally filled the car in full force.

"I'd like that."

@v3lv3tf0x @lexirosewrites Final part!

That's a wrap on this one. But I do have plans to write some Robin POV and what Steve does the next time he sees Tommy.

[starshideurfics]

And His Banner Over Me Was Love

Wayne x Benny | omegaverse | 2nd time love | Slow-ish burn | explicit | 7K

It’s @lulalulens birthday, so she gets whatever she wants today! And at least part of that is the Wayne x Benny oneshot from the Build a Life with You ‘verse!

[jadewritesficshere]

Just thinking about s4 but when Alpha!Eddie grabs Steve to shove the bottle against his neck, he doesn't realize Steve is an omega and accidentally scruffs him. And Steve is just boneless, kinda goes down. And Eddie isn't expecting deadweight and almost falls ontop of Steve but realizes what's happening (let's just say he's fought off a few bullies who scruffed members of his pack). He immediately drops the bottle and holds onto Steve, who tries to scent Eddie. Just shoves his face into Eddie's neck and nuzzles it, lets out a purr unintentionally.

[gloomysoup]

falling in love with you

@steddiebingo 12 days of christmas prompt: love at first sight

rating: teen+ | word count: 2,285 | tags: alpha eddie/omega steve, mpreg, hurt/comfort, light angst | ao3

another fic in the home is where you are universe 🥰 (first one can be found here) this CAN be read as a stand alone, though! technically, this one is set several years before the other fic in this universe

If you had asked Eddie even three years ago, he probably would have told you that he never saw himself being a dad. It just didn't seem to be in the cards for him. And then, he and Steve got serious. Eddie had known right from the start that Steve wanted kids. As many as he could. At first, Eddie had been cautious. He tried to keep at least a little bit of distance between them, so as not to get too attached to someone he wasn’t sure he had a future with. It was pointless, though, because he was in love with Steve.

The turning point— the thing that finally cemented in Eddie’s brain that he was going to court Steve with the intent to mate— was the first time he saw Steve interact with a baby. They had been at the grocery store when they ran into someone Steve had known for a long time. Eddie didn’t quite catch who it was, but he thought Steve said something about an old babysitter. Whoever she was, she relatively recently had a baby, and the baby was with her. Eddie watched from slightly behind Steve as he gushed over the baby and asked to hold them. It was over for Eddie the second Steve had that baby in his arms, turning to look at Eddie with the biggest fucking smile on his face.

He was a fucking goner.

That was probably the most in love with Steve he had ever been up to that point. At that exact moment, he knew he would fold. He would give Steve whatever he wanted after that. He was in it for the long haul, prepared to be a dad if only to make Steve Harrington smile like that again. He knew he wasn’t going to be any good at it. He had a shit dad. He still had Wayne, but even that didn’t always feel like he had a good dad. Sure, Wayne was an amazing role model and always treated Eddie like his own son, and Eddie would forever be grateful to that man for everything he did. Wayne was still his uncle, though. There was still a little bit of a divide there, at least in Eddie’s brain. Regardless of his own feelings about being a dad, though, Eddie would do it for Steve. Easily. With zero hesitation at all.

It wasn’t like Eddie wasn’t going to love his own kid. He knew he would. He just… didn’t get the hype. He didn’t understand why people wanted kids. Why they go out of their way to have kids. He just didn’t get what the big deal was. He figured if he had kids of his own, he would care for them and help them learn and grow, but that would be that. Nothing more to it.

Oh, how wrong he was.

When they first found out Steve was pregnant, Steve was ecstatic. Eddie was terrified. He had a big moment of panic that night, after Steve had fallen asleep. He had gotten out of bed to slip into the bathroom. He paced, ran his hands through his hair, splashed his face with water. Anything to try and chill out before his restlessness woke Steve. Anything to cover the anxiety flowing through his entire body. Anything to keep Steve from getting insecure about this, to feel like it's a bad thing and Eddie doesn't want this.

Eddie doesn't know what he wants.

He hadn’t gotten much sleep that night. He ended up getting ready for work way earlier than necessary and telling Steve he had an errand to run before his shift. Steve, the wonderful mate that he is, simply smiled and told Eddie he loved him with a kiss on the cheek, sending him off with a lunch packed with love and a promise to see him after work that night.

Eddie went straight to Wayne.

He had burst through the door, pacing the length of the living room while Wayne sat at the table with a bowl of cereal and a beer. Wayne didn’t say a word for a while, just watched Eddie’s pacing with a raised brow. Finally, he sighed and put his empty bowl in the sink. He leaned back against the counter and broke the silence.

“What’s on your mind, kid?”

Eddie stopped pacing, turning to look at Wayne. He tried to keep down the tears that wanted to spill out. He didn’t want to cry. Not now.

“How the hell am I supposed to be a dad, Wayne?” he asked softly, voice trembling.

Wayne frowned, a crease between his brows as he studied Eddie. “What’d’ya mean, Ed?”

Eddie sucked in a deep breath. “Steve’s pregnant.” His voice was so quiet, he wasn’t sure how Wayne heard him. “I- I don't know what to do, Wayne. I’m terrified.”

Understanding crossed Wayne’s features for just a second before he smiled. “Steve’s pregnant,” he repeated. Eddie nodded quickly. “Ed, that’s great.” He paused. “This is good news, right?”

Eddie licked his lips. He took another breath. He tried to center himself. “I- I think so? Steve’s so excited, Wayne. I just- I’m so scared.”

Wayne nodded slowly before gesturing to the table. “Have a seat, son. Let’s talk about it.” Eddie slid into one of the chairs— three; one for Wayne, one for Eddie, and one for Steve. Eddie distantly thinks they’ll need to get Wayne another chair. “What’s really eatin’ at ya, Ed?”

Eddie sighed, scrubbing his hands down his face. “I never wanted to be a dad,” he explained softly. “I just thought- I thought I wouldn’t be any good at it. I didn’t want to put a pup through shit just because they got stuck with me for a dad. I didn’t think I wanted this. And then I met Steve. He’s always wanted pups. He loves kids, and he’s so good with babies. He was made to be a mom, Wayne. I just- I thought I could do it, for him. It’s not like I won’t love my kid, because I will, I just don’t know what the hell I’m doing. I’m so scared I’m gonna fuck everything up.”

Wayne hummed, but stayed quiet for a beat. Eddie felt like his heart was going to pound out of his chest.

“So, this is less about you and more about your daddy, isn’t it?” Eddie’s head hit the table with a gentle thud. Wayne took that as his answer. “Ed, you are not your father. In fact, you are the exact opposite of that man.”

“But what if I'm not?” Eddie asked, his voice shaking. “What if I turn out just like him? I can't do it, Wayne. This- this is such a bad idea. I'm gonna fuck everything up. I don't wanna do to Steve what he did to Mama.”

“Worryin’ ‘bout fuckin’ everything up’s what makes you different, Eddie. Your fear is what’s gonna make you a great dad. I know f’r a fact you'll do right by Steve and ya pup, ‘cause I done raised you up myself. I know you, Ed. I know you love that boy, ‘cause I see it in your eyes every time you're with him. I know you're gonna love that pup, ‘cause they're part of him. And bein’ scared’s jus’ part of bein’ a parent, kid. Hell, I'm still scared sometimes, and you're grown now. You ain't got nothin’ to panic for, I promise. You and your boy are gonna be jus’ fine.”

Eddie sucked in a breath and nodded, feeling a lot better already. He knew he could always count on Wayne to pull him back from the ledge.

“You can't tell Steve I told you,” he said, tilting his head on the table to look at Wayne. “He can't know I freaked out about this.”

Wayne raised an eyebrow at him. “Boy, you'd best not think to try an’ hide your feelin’s from him. It ain't gonna do ya any damn good not to talk to him ‘bout this shit.”

“I can't, Wayne,” Eddie whined. “It'll destroy him.”

“And you think it won't when he finds out you kept it from him?”

Once again, Wayne was right. Eddie would never admit it to his face, but he could internally loathe the fact that his uncle was, indeed, correct. A lot. Eddie sometimes hated how much Wayne knew the both of them.

Eddie had to talk to Steve.

It was the right thing to do.

After work.

-

When Eddie got home that night, it was later than usual. He decided to stop at the corner store on his way home to pick up a few of Steve’s favorite things. He hoped it would soften the blow….

He walked in the door laden with a bag of treats and a bouquet of half-wilted daisies to find Steve standing in the small kitchen of their even smaller apartment. A piece of his brain caught on the thread that there was no way they could provide for a baby in an apartment like this. He needed to find a way to fix that.

“You're late,” Steve said, back still to Eddie. He sounded upset. “You left early, you’re home late. It's like you don't even want to be here anymore.”

Eddie frowned, very quickly realizing that he had made a mistake. A big one. A mistake that he needed to remedy immediately. “I'm sorry, baby. I should've called. I, uh, stopped at the store on my way home. I didn't mean to be gone so long.”

Steve turned, then, eyes drifting to Eddie’s arms. Eddie carefully set the bag on the table and held the flowers out toward Steve. “Eddie….”

“I know they're not your favorite, and they're kind of wilted, but it's the best I could find without paying an arm and a leg,” Eddie rushed out. Steve gently took the flowers, inspecting them for a moment before setting them to the side. He pulled Eddie into a hug, wrapping his arms around his neck and pressing his nose into his scent gland.

“They're beautiful,” he whispered, his voice shaky with tears that Eddie soon felt soaking into his shirt. Eddie wrapped his arms around Steve and held him close, squeezing just tight enough.

“I'm sorry I've been so weird lately,” Eddie whispered into the side of Steve’s head.

“You mean just today, right after I told you I was pregnant.”

Eddie swallowed roughly. “Yeah.”

Steve pulled away and wiped at his eyes, going back to the stove where he had been cooking dinner. “Y’know, if you didn't want pups with me, you should've said something a long time ago, Eddie.”

Eddie shook his head, coming up behind Steve to wrap his arms around his waist. He let one hand settle low on his belly. “No, baby, that's not what it is, I swear,” he promised softly. “I just- I don't know. I panicked a little bit. It all just kinda… hit me all at once. I- I'm just so scared…. I don't want to be like my own dad and fuck everything up. I don't want to do that to you, or our pup.”

Steve turned around again with a frown on his perfect lips. Eddie suddenly had the urge to kiss it away. “Eddie,” he whispered.

“I left early this morning to see Wayne,” he blurted before Steve could say anything else that would inevitably make Eddie feel worse. “I know I should've talked to you about it before I told him, but I was so freaked out and didn't know what to do. Wayne had to walk me back from the ledge. And I wasn't even going to tell you, because I didn't want you to be upset or mad or insecure or whatever, but obviously Wayne is a lot smarter than me and insisted that I had to tell you, so here I am, telling you.” Eddie sucked in a deep breath, and just as Steve opened his mouth to say something, he blurted out a final, “and I brought you chocolate.”

Steve smiled softly, cupping Eddie’s face in his hands. “Do you have anything else to blurt out, or can I say something now?”

“The floor is yours,” Eddie said.

“Good.” Steve pressed a brief kiss to his lips before pulling back and looking right into Eddie’s soul. “I wish you would've told me what you were feeling first, but I'm glad Wayne knocked some sense into you. You are not your dad, Eddie. You are so funny, and kind, and loving, and amazing. I love you. I wouldn't want to start a family with anyone else. I know for a fact that you are going to be a wonderful dad, Eddie.”

Eddie nodded, swallowing around the lump in his throat. “I just wanna do everything right,” he said softly.

“I believe in you with everything I have.”

-

Eddie Munson never thought he would be a dad.

He was never one to believe in love at first sight, either.

On September 18, at 2:47am, all of that changed.

That day, Eddie fell in love with his little girl. Addie Louise Munson was the light of his life from the first moment he laid eyes on her. She was the greatest gift he had ever received, the pup who had made him a dad for the first time.

Eddie would never admit it out loud, but he definitely cried more than Steve when she was born. His perfect little bundle of joy, swaddled up in his arms with a sleepy little smile on her scrunched-up newborn face.

Eddie knew from that first moment.

He was a fucking goner.

[nburkhardt]

Omegaverse but most importantly oblivious Dustin, enjoy!

Steve smells.

Not bad, just different and Dustin can’t figure out what it is that his best friend turned older brother has done differently recently.

Sure, the upside down hasn’t been around for a good while now and Steve moved out in an apartment with Robin and Eddie. The Byers moved back to Hawkins recently and everyone is finally together again.

It’s been good, really good.

But Steve’s scent has changed and Dustin’s stuck on it.

Which shouldn’t bother him but it is! Steve’s scent has always been his favorite, a perfect mix of cinnamon and maple, it fit perfectly with their ma’s scent of vanilla and nutmeg. (Their home smells like a bakery, it’s heaven. Especially with his own scent of chocolate and coffee) So he’s curious okay?!

The new scent is more woodsy and it does work well with Steve’s original scent.

There’s a snap of fingers and Dustin blinks a few times before seeing an amused Steve standing in front of him, “cool, you finally joining the conversation again?”

Dustin rolls his eyes, “I was listening”

“Yeah, sure, Henderson. ‘Cause that look you had was exactly like the one you had that led us trapped under the mall,” Steve raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms, “so mind sharing?”

Dustin shrugs, “Fine, I noticed your scent. It’s changed, but not bad it’s really nice actually. I was just trying to figure out why”

The rest of the room -Eddie, Robin and his Ma- grows quiet and Steve looks at him confused. And it makes him realize how weird that is to say out loud, actually. But it’s true regardless.

“Uh, huh.” Steve blinked at him before he looked over towards Eddie, “Dust, man, where’ve you been?”

“What?”

“My scent has been like this for four months, since my bonding? It’s really grown with my pregnancy too” Steve explained slowly as he made his way back to sit with Eddie, “You were in the room when we announced this, wasn’t he?”

That makes Dustin’s eyes widen as Eddie tilts his head at him confused before shrugging it off, “maybe he was in the bathroom?”

Dustin looks around shocked as his Ma looks just as confused as Steve, while Robin looks like she’s trying to hold in laughter. Making him even more confused, rubbing his eyes scrunching his face before looking back at Steve.

Steve who’s now practically in Eddie’s lap, Steve who is definitely pulling Eddie’s arms around him and fully relaxing against Eddie. Steve who looks the most content he’s ever looked sitting there with Eddie, letting out a happy purr and the scent of happy omega.

Everything clicks in his brain as Eddie’s scent starts to also pump out the smell he’s been smelling for months off of Steve. A woodsy apple like scent and now his brain is running a marathon to help him realize how oblivious he’s been.

Steve smells like Eddie, and now that he thinks about it, Eddie’s smelt different lately too and it never clicked that it was because They’re mates and -he was definitely in the room when it was announced- he just didn’t take in what was said, was too focused on something else at the time. Dustin feels like an idiot for not remembering his older brother is not only mated but also expecting.

“No- no I was,” He shakes his head, “I’m just oblivious”

~~

Idk I just started writing and had no plan whatsoever other than thinking how funny a thing could start with just ‘Steve smells’ lol. Also I’ll admit it, I’m a little high rn.

Tags aren’t working for me rn sorry to those I’m supposed to tag 🥺

[strangersteddierthings]

My Default's Self-Destruct (Oh, I'm Not Used to Normal)

@nburkhardt, this ones for you, since you've been so excited and patient! Title from Jillian Rossi's Not Used to Normal.

-

There is a doctor in his room, explaining the extent of his injuries to him and his uncle but Eddie quit listening when the doctor had started with it's our recommendation that he not start back on the scent blocker until-. Whatever the doc had to say after that was more for Wayne's benefit than his own, anyway. Eddie turns his face away from Uncle Wayne and the doc and stares at the wall.

Eddie knows he's a freak.

He never had an option to be anything else.

He was born wrong, a thing his dad would remind him of every time he was deep in his cups and feeling angry or bitter. Which is to say, he'd heard it every day until he was fourteen and, with his mom long gone and his dad's new prison sentence, he was shipped off to Hawkins, Indiana to live with his uncle.

It gave him a choice for the first time in his life.

It was salvation.

No one here knew a damn thing about him except what he wanted them to know. He got to curate his image exactly how he wanted it.

Loud, bold, mean, scary.

Anything that kept people at a distance because he wanted them to be. That's not to say he didn't let people get close. That he didn't have friends. He does.

He founded Hellfire sophomore year and made acquaintances with fellow nerds and geeks. Some stuck around, genuinely seemed to like him and he them, so he got some real friends out of it. Jeff, Frankie, and Gareth.

The only three people in the world who knew about him because he'd chosen to tell them.

But now with this doctor not wanting him to get back on his scent blockers as soon as possible, the whole town's going to know how much of a freak he really is.

His gut twists thinking about how Erica, Lucas, Max, Dustin, Nancy, Robin, and Steve already know. They have to know. Why else are they not here? There's no way they don't by now. Scent blockers need to be taken every day to work effectively. Missing a day every now and then is fine when Eddie knows he's not going to leave home or if it's just the guys he'd be seeing.

But he's missed sixteen days because today is April 7th, and he'd spent most of the prior three days fading in and out of consciousness trying to claw his way out of a coma. Now he's fully alert and aware. He'd woken up alone, but it wasn't long after that his uncle showed up, apparently summoned by a nurse.

"-ddie. Eddie, you still awake?" Wayne's voice is gentle in a way it never usually it. It makes Eddie want to pretend to be asleep.

"Yeah."

"The doc just left."

Eddie doesn't respond verbally. but he does turn his head back to look at Wayne instead of the wall.

"There's a boy down in the lobby. Been tryin' ta visit every day but, well," Wayne trails off with a one shoulder shrug, which seems the easier way to sum up all the events that place while he was in a coma. Wayne apparently making a fuss when the hospital finally got a hold of him and he'd come into Eddie's room to find his unconscious body handcuffed to the bed. No one's been around to explain the how or why to Eddie, but supposedly ten days after Eddie should have died, three days before he awoke for the first time, the "real" murderer was found and died in a gunfight with the police. Eddie's been pardoned, by some miracle.

"Why wasn't he allowed to visit?" Eddie asks, even as he dreads the answer.

"No visitor for murder suspects except family," Wayne says.

"Okay. But I was proven innocent six days ago."

"I know. This last week's been me. I told the staff no one but me could see ya until ya were awake enough to name 'em. Didn't know if that boy who led the manhunt was gonna try and get in, or send someone else after ya."

Warmth floods through Eddie then, both affection for his uncle and a hope that, maybe, no one's been here because they haven't been allowed to be. Maybe they don't- maybe they'll give him a chance even though he's a genetic freak of nature.

"Is it Dustin Henderson?"

"Nah, ain't him. He's been by as much as his ma will allow, though. Sits down there with the first boy."

If it's not Dustin then- "Steve?"

Wayne gives a one-sided grin before saying, "Steve Harrington Sir, if you wanna full name him."

That gets a laugh from Eddie. Wayne hates to be called sir, and he spent a full year calling Jeff 'Just Jeff Sir' when Jeff had made the mistake of correcting Eddie's introduction ("And this here, is Jeffery") while trying to be polite ("Please, it's just Jeff, sir."). Seems like Steve made the same mistake.

"Oh, fuck, don't make me laugh," Eddie wheezes, more from pain than laughter and Wayne looks only a little guilty for causing him pain. "But, uh, yeah. Steve's a-okay."

"Alright. I'll go let the nurse know. Anyone else you wan' ta come see ya?"

"Wait," Eddie says quickly, swallowing thickly. He has to know. "Do- have they... said anything? About me?"

"About you? What- oh," Wayne says. "Did they not know?"

Eddie shakes his head. "No. Not- I didn't tell them, but I haven't had a scent blocker since the first day of spring break. They have to know, right? Everyone always knows."

"Do you want me to ask before gettin' them approved to visit?" Wayne asks, softly and sincere and it makes Eddie's eyes water. He closes them to prevent the tears.

"No. It's fine. Better to, uhh, get this over with. Learn if this will change anything, y'know?"

"And you wanna start with Steve Harrington Sir? He's an alpha, ain't he?"

"Don't act like you don't already know. Everyone and their mother talks about how alpha he smells. I heard about Steve and his alpha scent before I'd even met the dude."

"Well, no need to be so uppity about it," Wayne grouses.

"Sorry. Guess I'm just... not in the mood to joke about this. People don't- they change how they treat me, once they know."

"Just Jeff didn't, nor Gareth or Frankie."

"Yeah, but they were my friends first. I- they saved my life but that doesn't make us friends."

Wayne shakes his head. "You tell that to the boy sittin' in the lobby right now waitin' to see ya."

That's right. The hope that has bloomed earlier. If they did know, they were still around. Either because they are his friends and they care, or they have... questions, possibly. Still, "You'll be in here? When he comes in?"

"I won't leave unless you ask me to," Wayne assures and then he's gone. Out the door, to retrieve Steve.

Jesus Christ, this is fucked. Eddie feels so anxious and scared and he shouldn't. He's never been afraid before. Just. Fed up with how people treat him. How they scrunch their noses when they smell him. When they look at the whole of him and realize there's something wrong with him and their expression changes to either pity or disgust.

Wayne's gone just long enough for Eddie to regret his decision but then it's too late. The first person to enter his room is Steve, followed closely why Wayne.

"Eddie!" Steve says, and Eddie is confused. Steve sounds... awed? A bit breathless like he's witnessed a miracle.

"Hey Steve," Eddie manages to squeak out and that's all the permission Steve seems to need. He crosses the room quickly, dragging a second chair from the corner with him to the opposite side of the bed from where Wayne has taken up station.

"Fuck, Eddie, we didn't know if you'd- but you did. You're awake," Steve says, even as he's trying to sniff the air. Probably trying to get a read on Eddie's own scent, and therefore his own emotional state. When Steve doesn't find what he's looking for, his brows furrow into confusion, and he looks so fucking adorable with his face scrunched like that. He's glad Steve can't smell that on him, at least.

"I'm awake," Eddie says.

Steve nods, but his confused face doesn't fade. Instead he sniffs the room more loudly, thoroughly. He looks to Wayne, then back to Eddie. He does that a few times before settling on Eddie.

Eddie sighs heavily. "Go ahead. Ask."

"What? Oh, uh, nothing to ask, I guess. Just thought Wayne would have scented you by now, but I don't smell him on you."

"Yeah. Wayne's nose barely works, so no point in that."

"A fact I'm thankful for every time you'd finally drag out the days old dishes from your room," Wayne quips.

"Hey!" Eddie shoots him a wounded look as his face gets hot. Low blow, old man, he thinks.

"Oh. Do you... not get isolation sickness? Is that rude to ask?" Steve asks.

"I don't get isolation sickness anymore, not since long before you were even born," Wayne answers. He's still hovering by the door, expecting to be dismissed by Eddie probably, since Steve's not- since Steve doesn't seem to- Eddie doesn't know. Is he too nice to ask out right? Too disturbed by it to even bring it up?

"And, uh, isolation sickness could never effect me," Eddie says, biting the bullet, looking at a wrinkle on his blanket instead of at Steve.

"What?" Steve sounds startled by the answer, as if he can't understand. Maybe he doesn't.

"I can't get isolation sickness."

"That doesn't- everyone but childr-" Steve cuts himself off, and Eddie hears more sniffing before his startled by Steve grabbing his arm. He looks up quickly, and sees Wayne move closer from the corner of his eye, as Steve shoves his nose into Eddie's wrist and takes a deep breath. A sound between a whimper and a whine comes from Steve. "But you- What?"

"Steve."

"Eddie, I don't understand?"

Eddie looks to Wayne, who raises his brows as if to ask want me to tell him? He almost nods, but this is going to be the first of many conversations, and he might as well get the practice in. "Steve. You can only get isolation sickness after your secondary gender develops. I can't. 'Cause I don't have a secondary gender."

Steve blinks at him. Then blinks some more. He opens his mouth, then closes it and blinks even more. "I- how- what? It hasn't developed yet?"

Eddie groans in frustration. "No, Steve. It won't develop ever. I don't have one, I won't have one! No scent gland will ever grow, no second puberty as my body changes to be able to send and receive emotional signals, no bonding gland to establish pack or mate!"

"Wha-"

"Don't! What aren't you getting? I'm a genetic fucking freak of nature who can't ever bond with pack or a mate because I don't have a secondary gender!"

Steve jerks back at Eddie's sudden outburst, "Sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't- I wasn't trying to, uhh, offend."

Eddie scoffs and looks away. He wants to roll onto his side, put his back to Steve and block him out. Offend. Eddie's not offended. He's- fuck, he's sad and scared and angry. Because he spent a week flirting freely with Steve, who'd started to flirt back and now it's all back to just being a fantasy in Eddie's mind.

Steve's an alpha. Even if... even if he ever might have entertained the idea of being with Eddie, that's going to be gone now. Alpha's want omega's. They'll settle for a beta, sure, but that's what it is. Settling.

And Eddie's not even that.

He's nothing. No secondary gender, no place in society, he'll always smell like a goddamn child to everyone else. He knows how this goes. Until he's back on the scent blockers, which just make him smell like chemicals, they're going to treat him like a child, or like a pariah.

"Eddie-" Steve says, quiet.

Whatever it is, Eddie doesn't want to hear it. "I'm tired. I hurt. Please leave."

Eddie stares at a spot on the wall as Wayne escorts Steve from his room. He doesn't let himself cry until after counting to thirty in his head once the door's closed.

@i-less-than-three-you @afewproblems @skepsiss

[hawkinsbnbg]

Kas left the Upside Down to find his mate.

omega verse, monsterfucker Steve, bitching, dub-con (non-con if you squint), mind-manipulation, HE

Eddie Munson was reborn in the Upside Down as Kas. He still had his old memories, wills, and affections. He knew he had fantasized about Steve Harrington during his short mortal life.

After sitting back and watching Eddie’s recollection of the younger boy, Kas decided that Steve—strong, brave, and pretty—would make a great mate and even greater mother of his pups.

Did it matter that Steve was an alpha? No.

Kas’ only concern at hand was to make sure that his intended would be well-bred and well-fed no matter what happened in the future.

And if it involved laying low in Steve’s house until the boy smelled ripe and ready, then Kas had all the patience in the world to spare.

Steve had been searching for someone to spend his rut with these past few weeks. He didn't want to given what the town had just been through. But it had become more painful recently when he tried to go through it alone.

And yet, all he had was an undead Eddie Munson—now a bloodthirsty monster—in his basement.

Sure, it kept making feral noises and eyeing him like a piece of meat, but Steve wasn’t intimidated. He had been through too much to be fazed by a simple-minded creature who wore his crush’s face.

Yeah, the irony of speed-running his bisexual awakening and crisis in the middle of a life-and-death marathon hadn't been lost on him.

He didn't care that Eddie was also an alpha. He was going to court the shit out of the guy anyway. If only Eddie was still alive, they could’ve both figured something out. Like bitching Steve so they could mate and have their six little nuggets together.

Instead, Eddie decided to go and sacrifice himself, then had the audacity to come back wrong and break into Steve’s room at three am.

Maybe he should’ve felt grateful that this monster didn't cause him harm, that it had followed him down the basement and stayed there when he asked nicely enough.

(In hindsight, he should’ve called Code Red the moment he found it. But his selfishness had won over his self-preservation.)

Although Steve was still pissed, he couldn't help but visit this warped version of Eddie every day and hoped beyond hope that miracles would happen and give him back the boy he had fallen for.

As days went by with barely any positive developments, Steve eventually caved and decided to contact Hopper to ask for El's help.

But then his rut arrived and Eddie—

“Kas,” the monster growled, nipping his neck and pounding into him without mercy. “Not Eddie.”

—had jumped him as he was trying to see through his agonizing arousal alone in his bed.

It had hurt at first, the way Kas had ripped into him while ignoring his cries and struggles of protest, but after two?—Steve had lost count of how many times he had been knotted and bred—he started begging for the other man’s cock like a bitch in heat.

Which was terrifying and confusing. Because he was an alpha. Why did it feel good to be knotted all of a sudden? Why would his instinct tell him to present for his alpha? Why did he think about Kas as mate?

Something had changed when Kas bit him, he realized dimly.

Of course, Kas had been going at it for god-knows-how-long. If Steve was still an alpha, his hole wouldn't have been able to fit that ridiculously big knot, and he would’ve died by now from the internal bleeding alone.

He looked at the man-made monster above him. Still those big eyes, still those plump lips, and still those dark curls. But now those eyes were blood red, those lips were torn with sharp teeth, and those curls had grown thicker and longer.

A ghost of a man he used to know. A monster that he was forced to welcome into his life.

And somehow, Steve was only saddened by the fact that he was claimed by his alpha in such a brutal way. So different from the romantic dream he had planned for the most significant moment of his life.

A small part of Steve was wondering why he was so calm about all of this, screaming at him to fight back, to try his damn best to escape this nightmare.

But his subconscious terror was quieted and put back to sleep by the bloody scent emitted from Kas, telling him he had nothing to worry about, that he was as safe as could be, that he should let his alpha take care of him.

“Mine,” Kas snarled as he gave a few stuttering thrusts and pumped Steve full again, bullying his knot into Steve’s tight cunt—sore and sloppy by the breeding that seemed to last forever.

Steve keened and quivered as intense pleasure crashed over him, leaving him drooling and cross-eyed. For a while, he just laid there on his ruined sheets, boneless and spread out beneath the voracious beast like a sacrifice.

As Kas began moving again, Steve finally let loose those chirps and trills, pleased that his alpha loved him enough to fill him up with those precious seeds and gifted him with their pups.

Steve felt good, the kind that made his brain melt and stream out of his skull through his nose and ears. He didn't think, couldn't think. Each thrust—deep and powerful—got him shaking like a leaf, punched out every breathless noise from him, and rendered him delirious.

“M’yours,” Steve mewled and wrapped his arms around Kas’ neck, gazing into those intoxicating eyes lovingly. “Alpha.”

Kas grunted, movements turning frenzied while a familiar expression flashed across those handsome but contorted features. And then, he saw Kas smile for the first time, wild and roguish.

“Aren’t you a pretty thing, Sweetheart?”

Five months later…

“Still nothing?”

El opened her eyes, nose bleeding and brow pinching. She looked at Dustin and then shook her head.

Nothing.

Robin was the one to burst into tears first, Erica was next while clinging to Max who struggled to keep her tears at bay. Lucas, Will, and Mike cried silently, while Nancy, Jonathan, Hopper, and Joyce looked downright defeated.

Only Dustin still refused to give in to his sorrow.

They all held onto the sliver of hope that Steve was alive somewhere out there. But even so, five months of searching blindly for Steve had taken its toll on them.

Despite that, none of them were planning to stop any time soon. They didn't go through literal hell to save the world just to lose one of their own.

“I won’t believe he had died until I saw it myself,” Robin sniffled but the steely determination in her eyes beat anyone’s faith here.

“I concurred,” Dustin nodded, eyes bloodshot and shoulders heavy with grief but still stubborn to the core.

Slowly, everyone recovered from their despair and exchanged resolute looks with each other.

One last time, El could read as much from Hopper’s tired gaze. She knew he was right. She had hit her limit on the last two attempts, but she still kept going on, fearing that she would abandon Steve to the den of monsters if she gave up now.

With the blindfold over her eyes and the TV static reverberating in her ears, she took a deep breath and released it slowly. She told herself she could do this as she stepped into the Void once more. It was pitch black until she saw a flicker of light before her entire vision was covered in red.

She didn't panic, but her heart thumped loudly in her chest, threatening to tear her ribcage open to leave and find Steve on its own.

Thankfully, she wasn't left waiting for too long. Her sight was cleared again and there, standing outside Hopper’s cabin was a healthy and heavily pregnant Steve, glowing with joy and happiness.

She only let out a startled noise when she caught sight of his companion. Or precisely speaking, his mate had informed her about himself. She suspected that this man was also the one who had covered her vision in red just moments ago.

“They’re here,” she threw her blindfold away and sprang up to her feet.

“Who?” Nancy was the one asking, sounding both hopeful and weary.

“Steve and his mate,” she wiped the blood under her nose absentmindedly as she sprinted toward the door.

When El threw it open, she heard someone gasp behind her.

“Is that Eddie fucking Munson?”

Said man raised his hand with a friendly smile that showed his too-sharp canines, “Long time no see, everyone.”

As her surroundings erupted with cheerful and confused noises, she gave Eddie a quick inspection for safety caution and blinked in surprise at what she found.

Oddly enough, the creature seemed unbothered by that and just winked at her impishly.

Then, she glanced at Steve who was smiling brightly while bombarded with question after question, smelling of ripe cherry and nectarine. If she concentrated a bit harder, she could pick up the vague scent of blood—sweet and tasted like copper.

El tilted her head.

Should she tell Steve that his mate might not be very human?

[stevieschrodinger]

Just imagine Alpha Steve after everything that happened. Alpha Steve who was King Steve, not just because of the money and the popularity and everything else that came with it, but King Steve because he was also Alpha. How aloof he kept himself from everything, simply because he knew, deep down, that it was all empty and meaningless and what was the point of being the most popular kid in the school if literally no one actually liked him. Just wanted him because of what he was and what he had and what advantages his friendship gave.

And then, after Vecna, after everything, Steve who had a group of people who knew him. Actually knew him, and suddenly he had pack. Learned what it was to make a family, to have people he would fight and die for because he knew they would do the same. Knew the deep satisfaction of caring for the people in his pack.

Alpha Steve who checks in with everyone. Alpha Steve who has to leave his scent on everyone, every time they part. Even Argyle, despite no one being able to smell it over the weed. Steve who has to mark and protect his people, finds that it soothes his soul. Alpha Steve who always has food in the house, knows the likes and dislikes of everyone of his pups, even if he would never call them that out loud.

When Eddie finally wakes up, Wayne sheds a few quiet tears, puts his book away, gently grips at Eddie's hand and calls him a stupid, stupid, brave boy. Because Alpha Steve couldn't tell Wayne many of the details, but he told him Eddie was a hero who saved the world.

Once he's been checked over and the hustle settles down again, the doctor finally clearing out, Eddie starts to realise why he's relaxed, why he's stayed so calm through waking up.

"Smells like Steve," Eddie says, as every thing comes down and his senses slowly warm back up. There's soft blankets under his fingertips, definitely not hospital cushions stacked around his head. Under his shoulder, comfortably soft, a yellow polo, folded up neat.

"Yeah," Wayne agrees quietly, "he's here...a lot."

"What's all this?" Eddie shifts, finding another shirt and a plaid woolen throw wedged between Eddie and the bedrail.

"Steve," Wayne answers simply.

"I'm not an Omega," Eddie answers weakly, bringing the soft corner of a blanket up to his nose.

"Doesn't seem to matter to Harrington."

Eddie doesn't want to be hopeful, not about this. That way lies heartache, "he's such an Alpha, got his wires crossed. I got hurt, that's all."

Wayne hums quietly in answer, "recon' he wouldn't be scenting stuff like this for just anyone, Eds."

"Nah," Eddie laughs brokenly, "not anyone, just every Omega in Hawkins."

Wayne looks at him, gaze too knowing but full of sad understanding, "still, he's clearly very fond of you Eds," it's a nice thing to say, warms Eddie's chest. And then Wayne completely ruins it, "that boys so territorial of you, reckon' he'd piss on you if he thought he'd get away with it."

And that sets a fire in Eddie's guts. Not the pissing part, because, gross, no, but what Wayne means by it. The implication.

"Wayne," Eddie says, and that's enough, because Wayne's always been good at boundaries and he knows Eddie, probably better than Eddie knows himself.

"He'll be here in a minute, knows I've got a shift. Won't let you be alone if he can help it."

And Wayne just drops that bomb and leaves Eddie to deal with it, like it's nothing. Like it's normal that King Steve has been building a nest around Eddie while he sleeps.

Like they summoned him, there he is, sucking in a shocked breath and dropping the bag he was carrying, "Eddie," it's a soft exhalation of surprise, and then Steve is at his side, pushing Eddie's hair out of his face and shifting his blankets. Steve moves on autopilot while he talks, touches Eddie with a sureness and familiarity that Eddie knows, in his soul, means that Steve's been doing the same while he was out cold.

"I'll leave you boys too it," Wayne says on his way out of the door, and while Eddie looks over and responds with a weak wave, Steve doesn't even acknowledge the other man. Can't seem to look away from Eddie.

"I have more, uhm, stuff, if you're uncomfortable.". Steve pulls more soft things out of the duffel he's retrieved from the doorway, "and..." Two shirts also make an appearance.

"I'm not an Omega, Steve," Eddie says again, like this time he will get an explanation.

"I'm ...very aware of that, Eds."

Eds. Steve called him Eds. He has been spending time with Wayne then. Jesus, they would have talked about him, Eddie would have been the only thing they had in common at the start.

"Right, well, I'm awake, doc says I'll get better, so you don't have to..." Eddie starts to shift, weakly lifts the plaid blanket to offer it back to Steve.

Steve grips the blanket, not letting Eddie give it to him, pushing it back towards Eddie. Steve's grip is white knuckle tight on the material, "I want to. I really, really want to.". And he stares Eddie down like he's desperately trying to make him understand.

"Oh," Eddie says weakly, heart all twisted up. He doesn't know what his face is showing, can't control it in the moment, but Steve, whose scent has always been strong and appealing to Eddie's weaker Beta senses, is speaking loud and clear. "Oh," Eddie says again, like it'll help. Letting Steve tuck in blankets and and generally fuss over him some more, touches featherlight when he tidies Eddie's hair yet again.

"Is that...okay, how do you feel about...this?"

"About us?" Eddie clarifies, he has to be absolutely certain he's not misreading the intention in Steve's scent. He's not an Omega, he isn't built to pick up the nuances, he has to ask. Even if Steve's scent is kind of a battering ram of want and need and longing and fierce protectiveness.

"yeah, about there being an us," Steve looks uncertain in a way Eddie's never seen before.

If this is Eddie's chance to reassure Steve that he's on board, he's going all in, "kind of like I won a gold medal and got to play on stage with Metallica and I saved the actual wold but like...better and all at once."

"That good, huh?" Steve runs his fingers through his hair, hiding his face a moment, all bashful despite the big grin that's split his face in half, "even though I'm an Alpha and you're...people won't approve."

"Fuck people."

"I'd rather be fucking you."

Eddie face flames, he knows it does. He must have had plenty of blood transfusions because he's pretty certain all that blood is in his cheeks right now. Well, not all of it, half of it must go to his dick. As soon as the thought of Steve between his legs, making him wet and opening him up, catches up to him, Steve leans forward. There's a rumble coming from Steve's chest as he nuzzles his face in between Eddie's head and shoulder, rubbing and scenting against his neck.

He suckles, gently, at the skin there. It's enough to get Eddie humming with pleasure and the rest of the way hard. It's a good job he's swamped in so many blankets, otherwise it would be very obvious; not that it isn't, Steve can clearly smell it on him.

"Can I mark you?" Steve asks, hovering awkwardly over the edge of the bed to get to Eddie.

"I'd usually insist you take a girl to dinner first-"

"I'd feel better Eddie, please," there's no way he could resist Steve Harrington being so vulnerable and sincere.

And, Eddie figures, well, what's one more bruise?

[fandomlover1992]

Steve Harrington, the former disgraced Crown Prince of Loch Nora is on trial in the enemy Kingdom of Hawkins. It wasn't his fault. Really! He just trying to survive the winter. Something not easy for lone omegas, especially blind lone omegas.

Prince Eddie Munson vowed to protect his kingdom's Great Secret at all costs. But when a beautiful but oh so broken omega is dragged into the Great Hall for trial, he's finding it rather difficult to stay objective...and his instincts under control.

[lets-try-to-be-normal-otakus]

Eddie smells like sweet weed and bitter coffee

[mugloversonly]

Silver over Gold

Chapter one: Cracked

inspired by: this

ao3

Summary:

Eddie goes to Family Video, giddy to see Steve at work. It doesn't go well.

They’ve been together for three months. After Vecna, he never thought he’d be this happy; but ever since Steve kissed him on his couch, Eddie’s been on cloud nine.

Steve had been acting weird that whole day. They went to the diner and the record store and Steve bought Eddie any record he wanted. If Eddie didn’t know any better, he would have thought it was a date. Turns out, it was because the next thing he knew Steve’s lips were on his and the two have been together ever since.

They aren’t officially courting…yet. But it was only a matter of time, Steve promised. Eddie can be patient though, especially since he’s seen him turn down every other omega that made a pass at him.

At the beginning of this whole thing, Eddie made sure Steve knew he wanted exclusivity. He’d tried the causal thing before and it did not go too well for Eddie.

Steve reassured him he had nothing to worry about, Robin was the only other omega around Steve’s age in their friend group and they were just friends.

He wanted to believe him, even though everyone was saying they were dating or would be soon. Henderson especially was adamant. He’d constantly tell Eddie that Robin was the girl Steve was going to marry and he secretly loved her. He even tried to get him to help figure out if they were secretly dating.

He wanted to bring it up but didn’t want Steve to think he didn’t trust him so he pushed his insecurities to the side and trusted this alpha with all of him. His heat was a few weeks away and the two planned on spending it together. Eddie was nervous. He wasn’t a virgin by any means, but the last time he spent a heat with an alpha...well there’s a reason he’s never done it again.

But Steve, he trusts. He knows Steve will take care of him, like he’s been doing for the past few months, and make sure it’s a good experience. His omega is already purring at the thought and Eddie can’t sit in the trailer waiting for Steve anymore. He grabs his keys and goes to visit his alpha at work.

~~~

As he opened the door to Family Video, the bell chimes but the two employees don’t move. The first thing to register to Eddie was the scent of calming alpha pheromones and an underlying scent that stops his heart. As he stared at the two embracing in front of him, he knew now that he was a fool.

Steve’s arms were wrapped tight around Robin. The omega he told Eddie not to worry about, he said they were just friends. But as he stood frozen, Steve kissed Robin on the cheek near the corner of her mouth, and her scent flooded with joy. They were in their own little world as Eddie’s came crashing down.

Eddie’s normal blood orange scent turned sour as tears sprung to his eyes. He knew the moment it reached Steve because he looked up and gasped in shock. “Eddie!” he said. Eddie scoffed at the panic in his eyes and held back the tears. Humiliation filled him. He turned and bolted back out the door and into his van. Steve was running after him and nearly managed to grab the door before Eddie could pull away. He had to jump back to avoid getting his toes crushed. All the while he was screaming Eddie’s name but he didn’t stop, didn’t breath, until he was back in the government issued trailer. His chest tightened in a eerily familiar way and all he could think was not this again.

~~~

Wayne immediately noticed his anguish. “Ed? You alright?” Eddie didn’t pause on the way to his nest. He made a disgruntled noise and slammed his bedroom door shut. He looked at his nest and the tears finally fell. Steve’s presence was all over it. His yellow sweater was tucked into it, right near the top. It brought Eddie comfort the past few nights since Steve has been staying at his house. At least that’s what he said. But Eddie didn’t know if he believed that now.

Suddenly the idea of Steve’s scent being in his nest disgusted him. He ripped the nest apart and threw everything into the hamper, except Steve’s sweater. That he threw onto the couch on his way to the washer. Wayne watched concern written all over his face. He ignored his uncle’s look and threw everything into the washer. He poured way too much detergent in and pushed start. Then he went back into the living room and stopped short at the sweater on the chair.

He didn’t want to see it any more. He angrily picked it up and stalked through the front door. He threw it into the dirt and stomped away before coming back and throwing it into the trash can. There. Now he wouldn’t have to see it again. His eyes were still blurry when he came back in but he knew he needed to tell Wayne what happened. He sat down next to his uncle and slumped into him, tucking himself into his side as small as he could get. He didn’t say anything yet. He let Wayne hold him as he calmed down.

“What the hell happened, Ed?” Wayne asked. The older Alpha knew his son wouldn’t speak up unless asked.

“He lied Wayne.” Eddie sobbed. Through choking gasps and hiccups he told Wayne what he saw. “He promised she was just a friend. He promised. But he was emitting the same pheromones he does for me.” Wayne released calming alpha pheromones that soothed his nephew. There was a spicy scent of anger there too but Eddie knew it wasn’t at him. “He's gonna leave me, Wayne. Just like everyone else. What am I gonna do?” He asked.

“First things first, let’s build you a new nest okay?” Wayne said. Eddie nodded and the two went to his room. Wayne gave him the flannel he was wearing and the two set about rebuilding. Wayne always helped him as he was the only person Eddie trusted with such a personal ritual. Soon his bed was covered in blankets, Wayne’s clothes, and a shirt from his mom that had long lost it’s scent. He crawled in and began rolling around in it as Wayne tucked him in. “Try to rest kid. I’m calling out of work tonight so I’ll be home if you need me.” Usually Eddie would protest but he really didn’t want to be alone right now.

“Can you come back and sit with me for a bit?” He whispered. He felt small and like he was about to break. He needed his uncle’s presence even if he had to ask like a pup to get it. Wayne agreed and stepped out.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door but Eddie couldn’t be bothered to get it. He curled onto his side into a tight ball. The agony was unreal, one he’d unfortunately felt a few times. Rejection sickness.

Wayne gently opened the door, “Eds. Steve’s at the door. He looks right devastated.” He admitted. “Want me to let him in?”

“I never want to see him again.” Eddie whispered even as his omega cried out for his alpha.

“Son, are you sure?” The older alpha asked. Eddie turned to face him.

“Please, dad.” He choked out. Wayne nodded, ducking out back to the front door. If Eddie didn’t want to handle it, then he was more torn up than Wayne guessed.

He waited until he heard the front door close then he let his omega mourn. He’s always been more in tune with his hind brain than anyone else he’d ever met. It made him more likely to act on instinct but it also made it less likely he’d go feral. He usually loved it, but right now, he wanted nothing more than to fade away and let his instincts take full control.

When Wayne came back, he didn’t say anything. He just sat in Eddie’s nest and let him curl into his side. He ran his fingers through his hair and let out soothing pheromones: the same he released when Eddie’s mama died. It helped dull it, but it couldn’t prevent the sickness altogether. Rejection sickness had its tells, but every omega was slightly different. Unfortunately, Wayne knew all the signs in his nephew. It’s happened twice before: once due to his own father; and once due to his last alpha. Wayne hoped Steve was different but it wasn’t looking good.

Wayne resolved to let Eddie rest for a few days before he forced him to the hospital.

~~~

Eddie moved around the trailer like a ghost for days. After that first night, Wayne couldn’t call out any more, but he made sure to spend as much time with Eddie during the day as he could, even going so far as to sleep in the nest in a puppy pile. During the day, he didn’t feel too lonely. His heart hurt, but he was able to get out of his nest a few times. Wayne sent Steve away every time he came by or called.

But at night when he was alone, the rejection he felt knowing Steve lied was slowly destroying him. He ignored every ring of the phone just to be safe, and refused to answer the door. He spent countless hours digging through his stuff and finding every little thing of Steve’s and putting it in a box. He’d make Wayne give it to him.

He was stuck in a loop of endless thoughts, jumping from hating Steve for doing this to hating himself for falling for it...again. He thought Steve was a different alpha. He was always a romantic in school with his girlfriends, Eddie always hoped he felt as serious about him.

But he was wrong. And he was suffering for it while Steve was out there with a beautiful girl laughing about his stupid conquest.

His scent was fading. The doctor warned him after the last time that it would hit him a lot faster and harder if it happened again and recommended he take medication that helped lower the risk. Stupidly, he stopped taking them once he thought Steve was serious. Why would he need medication preventing rejection sickness when he had the perfect alpha in his bed? God he was an idiot. Maybe letting the sickness take him this time was better than fighting it.

He was pulled from his spiraling by a knock on the window. He tried ignoring it, but it was insistent. He jumped up and slammed the window open, planning on telling whatever sheep was there to fuck off, but he stopped in his tracks. Steve was standing on the other side looking as devastatingly handsome as ever, even though he was clearly angry. The omega whimpered as he unlocked the window before returning to cower in his nest while Steve let himself in.

“What are you doing here Steve?” Eddie asked as confidently as he could as his omega shook with fear. Steve stared at him for a moment.

“You’ve been ignoring me.” Steve stepped forward and went to sit on the edge of Eddie’s bed. Eddie growled at him and bared his teeth. It wasn’t particularly threatening against the alpha, but Steve took the hint and sat at his desk instead. “I came to explain.”

“You don’t need to explain, just leave like I know you’re going to. I should have known.” Eddie spat. “You’re such a liar.” The tears hadn’t stopped, but now they turned cold in anger. “Wayne told you I didn’t want to see you.” Steve sighed softly.

“I thought maybe he said that because he’s your pack alpha and he didn’t actually ask you.” He admitted.

“You told me you’d never leave me. Was that just bullshit?” Eddie yelled unable to contain himself.

“Don’t call me bullshit.” Steve growled, his alpha voice peaking through. Eddie shrank down, trying to make himself smaller and brought his arms up to protect his face. He didn’t think Steve would hurt him, especially with Wayne in the house. But he’s also never used his alpha voice on him.

“Get out.” He demanded meekly. Steve stood and for a second, Eddie thought he would. But instead he crossed the room and knelt next to the bed. “Do you love her?” Eddie glared, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

“Yes I do. Robin is my best friend.” Steve attempted to reassure. But Eddie didn’t want to hear more lies. The box of Steve’s things were by the door and he shoved it into his hands.

“Forget my number, knothead.” He sneered and strode out of his room ignoring Steve’s gasp.

Wayne was at the stove cooking mac and cheese when Eddie walked in, closely followed by Steve. “Eds? You okay?” He asked.

“No.” Came instantly and tight lipped. Wayne turned around to see the boys glaring at each other, but he noticed Eddie was slightly shaking in fear. He turned off the stove and crossed to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder. His nephew calmed slightly.

“What are you doing here, Harrington?” Wayne narrowed his eyes at the boy.

“No offense Wayne, but this is between Eddie and I.” Steve directed at Wayne though his eyes didn’t move. The younger alpha was trying to assert himself but this was Wayne’s territory. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Eddie subtly shake his head. He calmly sat in his recliner and pulled a newspaper over his face, clearly saying act like I’m not here, but I ain’t leaving.

“Why are you here?” Eddie asked again. Steve turned away from Wayne with a scoff.

“I love you.” Steve replied simply. Eddie’s eyes narrowed and he grabbed an empty beer bottle from the recycling bin. He threw it as hard as he could at Steve’s feet.

“How dare you!” He yelled.

“She’s just my friend!” Steve yelled back, unable to reign in his alpha. He was trying to stay calm but Eddie wouldn’t listen. When he saw him flinch back, Steve took a deep breath, he didn’t want to scare him.

“She’s why you won’t court me isn’t she?” He screamed.

“No!” Steve exclaimed dodging another bottle.

“Liar! You kissed her!” He threw another bottle.

“On the cheek!” Steve’s nostrils flared and he scented the air. Suddenly all his anger evaporated.

“You let me fall in love with you. I told you things that I’ve never told anyone but Wayne.” Eddie threw bottle after bottle, until Wayne finally wrapped his arms around his boy. The anger was fading into anguish.“What does she have that I don’t?” He crumpled into Wayne’s arms. “Why would you do this? I thought you wanted me.” The two embracing men sat on the couch with the younger tucking himself into his uncle. “I thought you were different.” His eyes finally met Steve’s again. What Steve saw in them nearly stopped his heart. “I thought you were different, but you’re just like them.” Eddie could no longer see Steve. Lost in his memories of hurts past. “You’re leaving just like them.”

Wayne commanded the younger alpha to approach slowly. He did and crouched in front of Eddie. “I do love her.” The omega whined but Steve forced himself to continue. “She’s like my sister. She got in a huge fight with her friend and I was comforting her. I know how it looks, I do. But I promise. It’s not like that.” He implored.

“I want to believe you.” Eddie whispered.

“Then believe me” He begged lifting his hand to stroke Eddie’s cheek. At the omega’s flinch he dropped his hand, palm up in offer. Eddie didn’t take it.

“I don’t know what to do, Stevie.” Eddie whispered. “You promised you’d never leave.”

“I’m not leaving you.” Steve blinked a few times but didn’t move.

“Please, I can’t…can’t stand it...it hurts, Stevie...I...” Eddie trailed off. “I can’t do this right now, I need a little time.” Tears ran down his face again, his eyes drained of all life. “Don’t leave me just give me a little time, please.” Steve looked up at Wayne. He was at a loss. On one hand, he didn’t want to leave Eddie. But on the other, he didn’t want to upset him further. He was stuck in an omega drop and there was going to be nothing anyone could do if he didn’t snap out of it soon.

“You should get going Steve.” Wayne said. “Call in the morning when I get home from the plant?” Wayne lifted his eyebrows trying to communicate something. Steve nodded and stood to go.

“I’m sorry I hurt you Eddie.” Steve whispered. “I never wanted to do that. I’ll be here whenever you’re ready, no matter how long it takes. I promise.” He left the trailer, clutching the box to his chest, and trying to ignore the sounds of broken omega and a lack of that blood orange scent he loved.

~~~

When he got home he called Robin. He didn’t tell her any details, but he did tell her it didn’t go well and made her promise to leave it alone. That night Steve laid in bed staring at the ceiling. His heart cracked open further as he thought about everything he did wrong. The ignored calls and visits, being turned away by Wayne; at first Steve thought Eddie was just mad at him. He used his alpha voice on Eddie in anger. He showed up half-cocked and frustrated; so blind by his need to clear the air that he couldn’t see the distress his omega was in. His omega needed him but he wasn’t there. He scoffed at himself. His omega. How dare he even think that about Eddie.

He loves him; but, he didn’t start officially courting him. He was so afraid of getting his heart broken again that he broke someone else. Because he’s sure now. It wasn’t just Eddie’s heart that cracked in the entry way to Family Video; it was his soul. His very being was crushed into dust by Steve. If he could have just gotten over his stupid fears, he wouldn’t be here. His...the omega wouldn’t be spiraling into a drop. He smelled as if he’d been suffering rejection sickness untreated for months but it had only been a few days.

Steve shattered the love of his life.

@v3lv3tf0x @lexirosewrites

[starshideurfics]

A Mother’s Love - part 2

part one

omegaverse, pre-steddie, past mpreg, cw: child death

Marsha Harrington was proud of her work under Dr. Martin Brenner. They were doing cutting-edge research, pushing the boundaries of what the human mind could do, and ensuring the communists didn’t win.

At least, that’s what she told herself as she held a grieving mother whose baby they had stolen.

Then, she told herself she was doing it for the children, protecting them as best she could.

But she couldn’t protect them. Not really.

Two was angry, even as a little boy, and Four followed his example. Five was cold, easily molded by Brenner. Each of them did whatever Papa asked.

Except Seven.

Seven cried often, and he kept to himself. The older boys liked to make him cry. And he was afraid of the girls, like being near them would burn his skin.

He was always distressed during Brenner’s tests, so distressed that they never got good data. Brenner tried ignoring him, a “cooling off period” he called it, to see if Seven could calm down and regulate enough for testing. It didn’t work.

“He’s washing out,” Brenner said one day after a failed attempt to get Seven to guess at the pictures on the cards in Brenner’s hands. “Schedule him for tomorrow.”

One child had washed out before. Four had been a twin. 004A and 004B, but A never stood out, let B push him around. He’d hit his head, had a cranial hematoma. There was surgery, but he recovered… below Brenner’s standard. He washed out at six-years-old.

“Washed out.”

He was cremated.

And 004B became 004.

Marsha volunteered to handle 007’s procedure. She changed out the vials, gave him a mild sedative, and covered him with a sheet. A janitor helped her sneak him out a backdoor.

She brought him home, told her husband she’d leave him if he didn’t agree to adopt the boy. Richard simply smiled and nodded.

Marsha had had cancer in her early-20s, lost both ovaries in the course of her treatment. She’d gone to therapy, made her peace with it. Found a husband who didn’t care that she couldn’t have children, who liked being able to knot her without worrying about babies.

Richard did not care for babies. But Seven was already almost 5-years-old. Richard could handle that.

He was also a lawyer, so getting papers filed to adopt the boy were simple. They named him Steven, figuring it was close enough that if he remembered anything his brain could make sense of it.

Steven David Harrington.

Marsha and Richard were quiet about Steve, treating him like he’d always been around. They moved to Hawkins, closer to the lab, hiding Steve in plain sight. And Marsha kept her job.

If they ran, someone might ask questions, but Marsha wanted to save time on her commute. Who could question that?

Out of the lab, Steve calmed down. He enjoyed his routines, liked going to the park, liked swimming in their new pool with Mommy. For the first time, Marsha saw him laugh out loud, and she hoped the worst was behind them.

Then he started school.

The other children overwhelmed him, and his teacher called home 45 minutes after drop-off because Steve could not stop crying.

Marsha went to pick him up, promised they would work on emotional regulation and try again next Monday.

“Steve, can you tell me what’s wrong?” she asked on the way home.

“Hurts,” he said, sniffling and rubbing his chest. “Hurts inside. Everyone is scared and loud and it hurts.”

“Oh, my poor, sensitive boy!” Marsha pulled into the driveway, pulled Steve out of the backseat, and held him close. “Let’s see if we can figure out how to make it quieter for you, Stevie.”

When Steve went back for the second week of Kindergarten he still kept to himself, but he could manage the half day surrounded by his peers. By the end of the week, he had even made friends.

He got better control, grew up happy and healthy, and most importantly, safe.

Marsha continued to work for Brenner until one day, after nearly 20 years, she was reassigned as a specialist at the VA. Brenner said their funding was cut. That the program was finished.

Steve was almost 13 by then. Marsha was fairly certain he didn’t remember any of it. And he didn’t cry much. Not anymore. But when he came home to his mother crying in the kitchen, his eyes filled with tears. “It’s okay, Mom,” he said, throwing his arms around her.

“I know, Honey. I know.”

🫂🫂🫂

Wayne leaves Steve dozing in his nest around 4:10, and goes to try calling the Harrington’s. Marsha picks up on the third ring, voice light and breathy. Wayne tries to be as cordial as possible, introducing himself and mentioning that he’s seen her at the VA when he goes in for his physical.

“But let’s get down to brass tacks, I’ve got your son, Steve, here, in my nest, sleeping through his presentation heat. My nephew’s a freshman, he found him, and you know how teens are, he brought him to the first safe omega he could think of—”

“Thank you!” she cuts him off, sounding a little hysterical. “Thank you, Wayne! I thought I had more time before it hit him. It’s been so long since I’ve worked with pups—with teens…” she trails off, suddenly quiet. “I should have been paying more attention.”

Wayne waits a long moment, then he asks, “D’you wanna come pick him up? Or should I…”

“Yes! What’s your address?”

Wayne’s ready to give directions, but he says Forest Hills and the lot number, and she thanks him again as she hangs up her end of the call. Shrugging, Wayne hangs up his own receiver, and gets a glass of orange juice from the fridge.

Steve’s still sleeping peacefully, his face tucked into the side of the nest, fingers curled in the blankets.

Wayne crosses over to him, strokes his hair and murmurs, “Hey, Kid. Your Mom is on her way over.” He feels Steve’s forehead, still burning with his heat. He holds up the orange juice. “Need to get some sugar into you, make up for everything your body’s burning through.” He helps Steve sit up, holds the glass for him as he drinks it all.

Finished, Steve turns to hide his face against Wayne’s shoulder and whines.

“I know, Kid. This is a rough one. The first of many.”

“Can I lay back down?”

“Sure, get comfy. I’ll bring your mother back as soon as she gets here.” Wayne watches Steve sink back down to the same spot, realizes then where Steve’s nose is, and holds back a keening cry of his own.

Benny deserves to know.

But Benny wants his pup safe before anything.

Marsha must have broken a few traffic laws with how quickly she arrives, and Wayne opens the door for her before she can knock. “Thank you!” she says again, following Wayne back to his nest and running over to Steve. She rubs his back, softly says, “Stevie, I’m here. It’s okay.”

Steve lifts his head, eyes unfocused as he turns to look at her. “Hi, Mom.”

“Are you ready to go home? We’ll get a nest started on your bed and you can sleep.”

“It’s nice here,” Steve mumbles, “Smells nice. Safe.”

She sniffs theatrically. “You’re right, it does.” Then she sniffs Steve’s hair. “But don’t you want a nest that smells like you?”

Steve shakes his head, fist clenching the white undershirt, pulling it to his nose.

Marsha strokes Steves hair, bends down to sniff quietly at the shirt, and goes stock still. As she recovers, she kisses Steve’s hair and gets back to her feet. Her eyes are watery, lips pursed as she approaches Wayne to ask, “You know Ben Hammond?”

“He’s my best friend. Don’t you know he lives in town?”

She shakes her head. “I try not to be involved, for-” She cuts herself off, pauses. “You know, don’t you.” It isn’t a question.

“Yes.”

“Call him. Now.”

🫂🫂🫂

“Benny’s Burgers, how can I help you?” Benny drawls into the receiver, expecting a to-go order.

Instead, it’s Wayne. “Benny, you need to come over right now.”

“Wayne, no. Dinner rush is about to start, I’ve already got a few early birds, a couple te-”

“Benjamin Hammond, this is serious!”

That wasn’t Wayne, the voice too high-pitched. Feminine and familiar.

“Marsha?”

“Hi, honey. God, I owe you a million apologies. More even.”

“You do.”

“But Wayne said you know, and he needs you.”

Benny’s heart races. “Wayne needs me? Marsha, what the hell is going on? Is Br-”

“Wayne is fine. He needs you.” Marsha is being careful, keeping him from saying too much over the phone. “Please, can you come to Wayne’s? Now?”

“Yeah, just gotta close up.”

“I’m so sorry, Benny.”

“Save it for later, Marsha.” He hangs up, hurries the customers who have already been served. Orders everyone else out with a barked, “Emergency closure. Come back tomorrow.”

Benny hops into his pickup, drives to Wayne’s, confused for a moment by the BMW parked next to Wayne’s truck. But his brain catches back up, and he parks right beside it.

As soon as he’s through the door he can smell it: Peaches, light and sweet. He shouldn’t be able to, with the strength of Wayne’s cinnamon mixed with cigarette smoke, but he does. Peaches mixed with the fading milky scent of a pup.

Wayne and Marsha are in the kitchen, both staring at him.

“I’m so sorry, Benny,” Marsha says again. “What we did to you was unforgivable. What we did to the pups was worse. But I got Steve out. I kept him safe.” Her voice is shaky, but her eyes stay dry, never looking away.

“I wanted to name him David,” Benny says in little more than a whisper.

“I know. His middle name is David, but Steven was easier for him to adapt to.”

“Adapt?”

“Brenner gave them numbers.”

That doesn’t surprise Benny; Brenner was always so clinical. Methodical. But it clearly shocks Wayne. “Numbers. Y’all didn’t even give them names?”

“His name was Seven.”

Marsha glances at Wayne, sees the disgust there. “Brenner thought it would make it easier for us to see them as subjects than as children. But they were always children to me. And Steve was sensitive, stubborn and scared. I got him out, and Brenner thinks he’s dead. As long as he doesn’t call any attention to himself he should be safe.”

“Talking to me will call attention to him, won’t it?” Benny asks, heart and mind racing. For a moment he considers grabbing Steve and running god knows where, but he can’t do that to his pup.

“Not that much. Brenner shuttered the program. I don’t work for him anymore. I’m just a nurse at the VA. And all your files are secured and confidential. No one should be watching you.” Marsha takes two steps, crosses the tiny kitchen, and tentatively reaches for Benny’s shoulder. “And he needs you. His heart still knows you.”

“I think my heart would know him anywhere. No matter what.” Tears stream from his eyes, and Benny nods down the hallway towards Wayne’s room. “I have loved him every day—every minute—of his life, and if you let me in, I’m not leaving. Ever.”

“I know. We’ll figure it out. Keep him safe. Together.”

Marsha takes his hand in both of hers, squeezes once, and lets go. “He’s sleeping, but I think he’ll feel better if you’re nearby.”

Benny panics, suddenly struck with all his worst fears. “He’s not hurt, is he?”

“No more than any other omega on the day they present,” Wayne answers gently.

“Oh.” Right, the peach scent. Benny’s grandmother smelled like peaches. He misses her. She taught him how to bake.

“He found your scent token in my nest right away,” Wayne adds.

“Oh,” Benny says again, his legs beginning to shake. “Oh.”

Marsha guides him back to the nest. To his pup.

Steve is asleep, a plain, white shirt clutched in his fist, held by his nose. The exposed skin of his back is covered in a sheen of sweat, and his cheeks are pink. Too warm all over from his presentation.

Slowly, Benny sinks down to sit at the center of the nest, and he carefully places a hand on top of Steve’s, aims his wrist towards his boy’s nose.

Steve purrs and nuzzles towards it, and Benny purrs in response. His hand moves to grasp Benny’s forearm and he mumbles, “Good, safe.”

“Yeah, Baby, you’re safe.”

🫂🫂🫂

Steve wakes around 9 that night, his cramps intense. He lets out a whine that sounds pitiful, even to his heat-addled mind. “Mama?” he asks softly, even though he hasn’t called his mother that since he started grade school. “Mama?”

“It’s okay, Steve. It’s okay,” she soothes back, petting his cheek.

Her powdery scent fills his nose, mildly floral, and he whines again. His belly cramps harder, an ache that radiates through his pelvis. He turns, seeking out the comforting scents of Wayne’s nest, only to press his nose into the palm of a callused hand.

Steve breathes in deeply. Apples and warmth.

He whines again, wordless and high pitched, both hands reaching, grasping. Steve feels safe, feels loved. Desperately. Overwhelmingly.

He reaches for it with his heart, touches that love with his own, and cries out. A love so big it hurts.

His fingers catch on soft cotton, body-warm because it’s being worn. He clenches his fists, whines as he pulls himself closer.

Steve’s not sure if he imagines it when he hears his mother say, “See, he needs you,” so gentle. When he hears a shaky gasp in response.

Then big arms lift him up, holding him like a pup, cradled against a strong chest. A warm hand guides his head down, positions his nose so he’s hit with the most intense burst of apples and love. Of sweetness and safety.

He snuffles closer, wants only this. Feels himself relax.

He does not understand yet, but he knows. His feelings have always been too big, but here they can be. He can let them be big, because here they are only love. Only joy.

Steve drifts to sleep in his mama’s arms for the first time, and for that moment, all is right with the world.

[hellcheerficdatabase]

As The Lord Made Me

Author: Not_You

Rating/Warning: Explicit, referenced CA, referenced ED

Chapter Count: 21/21 (part 1 of Wonderfully And Fearfully Made series)

Description: Every high school sees its share of dynamic-related drama and upheaval. Unexpected heats and ruts, intense imprinting and first bonds, the forming and breaking of packs. But some things are still shocking. No one is ever expecting a sweet, quiet little Beta cheerleader to go completely feral.

Tags: Alternate universe- no vecna, a/b/o, Omega!Eddie, Alpha!Chrissy, SURPRISE, soft boi Eddie, smut, angst, fluff, cheating, supportive Wayne, we love a king, alternating POV, multiple chapters, part of a series, status: completed

[gloomysoup]

keeping the christmas magic

@steddiebingo christmas prompt: santa

rating: Teen+ | word count: 920 | tags: omegaverse, good uncle wayne munson | ao3

another edition to the home is where you are universe :)

“Daddy, is Santa real?”

Eddie’s head shot up from the budget book he’d had open in front of him on the coffee table. That was the last question he expected to come out of his four-year-old’s mouth.

“What d’you mean, love bug?” he asked slowly.

Violet shrugged her little shoulders. “Is Santa real, or is he pretend? Because Patrick at school says he’s pretend, and it's just daddies putting presents under the tree. And he said Emily was a baby because she told him Santa was real.”

Eddie took a breath as he nodded along to what his daughter was saying. “Okay… and what do you think, Vi?”

Again, Violet shrugged. “That's why I asked.”

“Mhmm.”

Fuck.

What was he supposed to say? Violet was only four, for fuck’s sake. Eddie thought for sure they had at least two more years before this came up, and he thought it would be Addie questioning everything first. He didn't expect it from Violet; not yet at least.

Just then, Steve came in with little James on his hip. Eddie’s savior, really. He always did stand by the opinion that two minds were better than one, especially when it came to their kids. Even more so when it was Steve’s mind.

“Stevie, baby!” he greeted. “Come help me and Vi for a minute?”

Steve frowned, but he sat down beside Eddie on the couch. He moved James to his lap. “What's up?”

“Is Santa real?” Violet asked again, her face the picture of innocence.

Steve's eyes widened as he looked at Eddie with undertones of panic.

“Patrick at school says Santa isn't real,” Eddie added. “Now Violet wants to know if Patrick is right.”

“Oh. Patrick. I see.” Steve cleared his throat. “Um… well, Vi, uh….”

Violet sat so patiently, staring at Steve and Eddie while waiting for their answer. Meanwhile, her parents were having a very intense silent conversation with their eyes. No one had prepared them for this.

“Why don't we call and ask Poppy?” Eddie suggested. “He knows lots of stuff. I bet he’ll have a good answer for you.”

“Good idea,” Steve agreed quickly, reaching for the phone on the table and taking the receiver off the cradle. He dialed the number quickly, having memorized it ages ago. It rang for a moment before Wayne’s voice came through.

“Yello?”

“Wayne! It's Steve. Um… I'm here with Eddie and Violet, and Violet has a pretty important question. We thought Poppy would have a good answer for her.”

“Okay… What's the question?”

Violet scrambled over Eddie to stick her face next to the speaker. “Poppy, is Santa real?” she asked, voice raised to make sure Wayne heard her.

“Oh. That is… quite the question.” Wayne cleared his throat a little, followed by a short cough. “You and Ed havin’ trouble answerin’ that one, Steve?”

“Maybe….”

Wayne chuckled. “Just tell her Santa runs on the magic o’ believin’. If no one believes in 'im, his sleigh can't get here from the North Pole. Worked with Ed ‘til he was old enough to figure out all that was a load o’ horse shit.”

Steve sighed in relief. “Thanks, Wayne. You're a lifesaver.”

Wayne laughed. “No problem, son. Good luck, and give the pups some love for me. I’ll see y'all for Christmas in a few days. Love y’all.”

“Yeah, we’ll be there. Love you too. ‘Bye.” Steve hung up the phone and pulled Violet into his side. He pressed a kiss to the top of her curly hair. “Poppy says that Santa runs on the magic of believing,” he said softly. “As long as we believe in him, his sleigh can get here from the North Pole. But if everyone stops believing in him, he can't make it all this way.”

Violet sat silently for a moment, taking it in. Then she nodded resolutely and got off the couch. “Okay,” she said before taking off for the room she shared with her sister.

Eddie blinked after her. “That was easy….”

“Yeah….” Steve huffed a laugh and looked at James, who was happily sucking on his paci. “What on earth are we gonna do with your sister?”

“Thank God for Wayne Munson, huh?”

“Ain't that the truth.”

Eddie looked at Steve. “You know it's only a matter of time before the girls outgrow Santa, don't you?”

Steve sighed. “Yeah. I'm not looking forward to it, though.”

“Me either.”

Steve reached over and grabbed Eddie’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “I guess we’ll just have to take it in stride, just like we always do.”

Eddie nodded. Then he cracked a small grin. “Maybe… we just need more pups to keep the magic going.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, causing Steve to burst out laughing.

“You are insatiable, Eddie Munson.”

He merely shrugged, still smiling. “You know you love me.”

“Of course I do,” Steve replied with an eye roll. “Doesn't mean you always make it easy on me.”

Eddie shot back against the couch dramatically, hands over his heart. “Oh! How you wound me, my love!”

Just then, the girls came running into the living room. They took their opportunity, launching onto the couch. They landed on top of Eddie, forcing a soft oomph out of him before the pups dissolved into giggles that made his heart so happy. Eddie hugged his girls as Steve laughed, never tiring of the sound of their laughter in his ears.

He loved his little life, despite the curveballs his pups liked to throw at them.

[nburkhardt]

Thinking about omega Steve and alpha Eddie having a secret relationship and leaving Hawkins only to show back up a year or two later. Not only are they bonded, they also got a pup on the way.

(:

[skullrockbi]

Alpha Instincts

written for ‘hole’ wc: 404 | rated: teen | cw: omegaverse | baby’s first submission to @steddiemicrofic

There’s a hole in Eddie Munson’s shoe. Steve has been waiting for this day since he met Eddie in freshman year. Eddie acts like an alpha, but Steve accidentally encountered Eddie’s burnt marshmallow omega scent. Steve was pre-presentation, but he’s never forgotten the scent. He even gave Eddie a small token at the time. Eddie’s now iconic guitar pick necklace was once just a guitar pick slipped into his locker with a note of secret admiration. Steve knows it’s the same pick even though he’s never gotten close enough to see the heart scratched into it.

But now, in Steve’s senior year, Eddie’s shoes are starting to show too much wear and tear for Steve’s alpha instincts. He wants to care for his chosen, even if Eddie rejects him, it’s time for the grand proposal. There’s one small issue, Steve can’t buy Eddie new shoes without his shoe size.

Steve swaggers over to the Hellfire lunch table. “Hey Munson. What size shoe do you wear?”

Maybe Steve shouldn’t have done this with an audience because everyone at the table turns to look at him.

Eddie smirks, “What’s it to you, big boy? Hoping to find if the rumors about big shoes are true?”

Steve smirks and leans towards Eddie to whisper only for him, “I already know the rumors about big shoes are true. I can show you, if you want.”

Steve notices Eddie’s ears go a little pink as he audibly swallows. “Eleven.”

“That’s a good boy.” He stands up straight, waggling his fingers into a wave for the rest of the table.

Steve walks out of the cafeteria and out of school entirely. He’ll forge his mom’s signature for an excuse note about alpha instincts. How can anyone learn when their omega is lacking basic necessities? Sure the hole is tiny, but it’s his opportunity to declare he can provide for Eddie and wants him as a partner. The first courting gift being something your omega needs signifies a desire for a true partnership. Dating a slew of people has taught Steve he wants to belong to his omega as much as his omega belongs to him. And Eddie with his wide eyes, quirky personality and burnt marshmallow scent is the only one for Steve.

The next morning Eddie wakes to Wayne calling for him. “Son, I think you have a suitor.” On the front porch is a Reebok box.

“Oh fuck.”