#and he's gonna be hard pressed to let go of eddie or robin or anyone else as easily as he did before now that they're back

[libraryofgage]

I hope you don't mind but I wrote a little something lol

Also please ignore typos hfjkds

---

Eddie is driving, of course. He'd drive everyone crazy with his fidgeting if he didn't. He's still fidgeting a little, his fingers tapping the wheel along to the music in his head instead of what's playing on the radio. His left leg is bouncing, barely brushing the bottom of the wheel. His teeth are digging into his bottom lip, the copper-taste of blood creeping into his mouth.

He should have noticed sooner. He should have realized what was happening long before....well...

Before Dustin's frantic phone call and Robin's shaking video call and the group chat that had been collecting dust for the past three years (last used to plan a virtual birthday party for Steve that eventually fell through because of life, which leaves a bad taste in Eddie's mouth even now).

And now he can't stop thinking about it, about his text chat with Steve being untouched for three months. He wasn't even the one who sent the last message. That had been Steve, congratulating him on another tour and asking how the newest album was coming along. Eddie had meant to answer, but he got distracted and it slipped his mind and and and

And nothing. How many times did he see a funny animal and think of texting Steve about it? How many times did he almost send Steve a meme? How many times did he find himself working on that damn album, staring down the lyrics of the title track of an album dedicated to Steve in his heart (like he didn't always dedicate them to Steve and Wayne in his heart anyway), thinking about Steve and his hazel eyes and sunny smile and those two freckles on his cheek?

And now? Now Steve has been radio silent for a month, not even talking to Robin or Dustin for four weeks.

And that's a problem.

"He could be dead," Erica says from the last row of the van, her voice clipped and cold as Eddie's hands tighten on the wheel.

"Don't say that," Dustin hisses.

"We're all thinking it, and if we don't talk about it now, we won't know what to do if it's true."

She's right, of course. Erica is always right, especially when it really hurts. Eddie forces himself to take a deep breath as they pass the sign welcoming them to Hawkins. The sun is slipping below the treetops now, casting shadows and orange light across the road as Eddie forces his foot off the gas pedal so they don't get pulled over.

When Eddie left Hawkins, he never looked back. He chased after a future that nearly escaped him with such single-minded focus that he barely remembers the drive out of his hometown. But he does remember that it didn't look like this.

Hawkins always had a few farms and homes on the outskirts, people who wanted to be surrounded by forest or make a living on pumpkins. When Eddie left, those houses had been lived in; bikes were haphazardly left strewn across lawns, fields of crops were carefully tended, people sat on porches with sweating glasses of lemonade and iced tea in their hands, and lights streamed out from the windows.

Now, those houses and fields are in an unbelievable state of disrepair. Some have smashed windows, the fields of crops are dug up and wildly overgrown, and every single house is dark. If he weren't so sure this was his dimension, Eddie would wonder if they'd somehow driven into the Upside Down when they crossed the town line.

"Uh, that's weird, right?" Dustin asks, nose practically plastered to the window as the town passes by.

Every building is dark. The sun hasn't even properly set, but the streets are empty and the town is dead. It's eerie, sends shivers down Eddie's back, makes his hair stand on end. His jaw clenches, his grip on the wheel tightens, and he tries his damnedest to not imagine the worst case scenario.

He doesn't have to hold off for long as he turns down a residential street. Before his brain can force images of demogorgons attacking Steve to the forefront, an actual demogorgon rushes from behind a house ahead of them, petal-mouth flared wide and teeth on display as its roar forces something Eddie had once buried to flare to life.

Amid the screams from the back and Robin suddenly grabbing the wheel and jerking it to the side so avoid the demogorgon, Eddie somehow remembers to slam his foot on the brakes. The tires squeal painfully, the car drifting sharply and perfectly angling them to face the demogorgon head-on.

Eddie's throat is straining, and he doesn't know why until he realizes he's also screaming. His heart is pounding against his ribs, and his brain has started chugging into over drive. How is he going to get the kids out? How is he going to get Robin out? Who's going to tell his bandmates and his agent that he fucking died the one time he visited Hawkins?

And then he notices a figure (a boy, achingly familiar) sprinting out from behind another house, sliding between the car and the demogorgon, bat raised and swinging with ease. It catches the demogorgon in the stomach, tearing through skin and muscle and sending it sliding back a few precious inches. A shot rings out a second later, the demogorgon's head jerking back. A second shot follows, and the demogorgon's head explods, viscera and a few teeth splashing across the windshield.

The boy with the bat, wipes away some of the gore, turns to another house, and waves a hand. Eddie is already rolling down the window, getting it open just in time to hear the other shout, "Thanks, Ms. Dithers! I'll see you on Sunday for book club!"

Eddie follows the direction of the wave to see an older woman in the upstairs window of a house. Her hair is gray, her glasses are huge, she's wearing a nightgown, and she's reloading a shotgun as she smiles. "Don't mention it, Steve, dear. You'd better bring those Savannah bars again, or I won't be letting you in the door!" she calls back, waving kindly at Steve.

With one more wave, Steve turns to the car. He locks eyes with Eddie first, and Eddie gets the joy of seeing them light up, Steve's whole demeanor suddenly shifting into something bright and happy as he hurries over to the open window. "Hey, guys!" he says, "What brought you down? How come you didn't call ahead? I'd've told you about the curfew."

He leans on the door like it's easy, like he isn't a breath of fresh air Eddie didn't even know he needed. He smiles just as easily, and Eddie is breathless. He definitely couldn't speak for the fucking life of him.

"You didn't answer your fucking phone, dingus!" Robin shouts, barely managing to get her seatbelt off before she's launching herself out of the car. She jumps the hood in a moment of unprecedented grace and crashes into Steve's arms.

She spurs everyone into action, like she made them realize Steve is real and alive. The car shakes as everyone else piles out, surrounding Steve and pushing until he's forced to take a step back before he trips. Despite that, Steve looks...overjoyed.

Eddie tries to be a little calmer as he exits the car, desperately hoping his hands aren't shaking like he thinks they are. He can feel himself on a precipice of something. He's teetering over the edge of a cliff he can't name; or, well, a cliff he doesn't want to name.

And then Steve meets his eyes again, and Eddie is lost in hazel. He's doomed by freckles and sun-kissed skin and a smile that's just for him. He's trapped by warm hands pulling him into a hug, the subtle smell of hairspray, the inescapable stream of Steve, Steve, Steve coursing through his brain.

How the fuck is Eddie supposed to walk away again after this?

okay but a like post-series fic i want that's like: steve harrington being the only man left in hawkins fighting monsters

and not like a 'everyone died, last man standing' way but just. they beat it back, the story ends, nice little tie-up and neatly concluded, eleven loses her powers because their world is completely cut from the other. and life goes on. eddie (yes, eddie lives au don't fight me) goes off with his band, robin-nancy-jargyle off to separate cities for college. the kids go to high school, graduate high school, and scatter across the country. joyce and hop buy a beach house far-far-far away from goddamn hawkins indiana.

steve though. steve stays. he does it too without comment, takes all their calls telling him all these amazing things. the years pass. the calls are fewer and far between. he's mostly in contact with only dustin and robin. except robin's out of country doing some crazy temp job in some remote country, she never catches him at home right now so just leaves him messages. and it takes a couple of weeks for dustin to realize he hasn't gotten steve on the phone.

frantically he calls around "have you heard from steve???" except the most people talk to steve anymore is like phone calls during holidays and holy shit what could have happened??

and what if it's back?

cue everyone who can in that moment, rushing back. eddie hopping on a flight from fucking london direct to indianapolis somehow, heart in his throat. he manages to meet hopper in the airport and they pick up max and dustin at the bus station.

they get to hawkins that is even more different that what they left. a smaller town, a town that shuts down completely when the sun sets. it's creepy and deserted.

except for the fucking upside down monsters of course.

and they're in their stupid little rental in front of this demogorgon and they're screaming but then the thing just goes splat on the concrete and steve fucking harrington is blinking owlishly at them.

"Oh, hey guys!" he calls jogging up to the driver's side window. "Wow, what brought you back down this way? You should have told me, I would have told you about the curfew!"

turns out steve just forgot to pay his phone bill that month, didn't even realize he was missing calls and he's been fighting monsters the entire time because actually they WEREN'T cut off from the upside down at all and he's just been casually fighting monsters for the remaining hawkins residence—the whole town knows now and steve's the guy you call when you have a monster problem

sidebar: WAYNE still lives in hawkins, and he and steve are best friends, eddie munson you are gonna LOSE YOUR MIND

[stevesherdaddynowlover]

pet names and looped pinkies [s.h.] 18+

hiiiii so i've never written for steve but just did a stranger things rewatch and have felt...inspired. i hope you enjoy! pls feel free to send suggestions or concepts or anything :) thanks for reading!

masterlist

summary: steve is your best friend and you have a crush on him and that's fine until one day it's not and the next thing you know you can't think or speak or breathe around him. (steve harrington x fem!reader)

warnings: loooots of pet names, fluff, pining,cursing, kissing, m masturbation, dirty talk, handjob, spitting, tiny bit of cum eating :))) 18+ ONLY!! MDNI

wc: 6.4k

part 2 here!!!!

You and Steve had been friends for quite some time now. 

Going from quietly watching him throughout high school, maybe quietly crushing on him too, to fighting monsters and trying to survive could do that to people. Make them friends, that is. 

The crush you’d been harboring on Steve didn’t go away, oh no if anything it had gotten about ten times worse in the time you’d spent growing close. That Steve you knew in high school was long gone. The, for lack of a better word, asshat you had come to blush over had turned into a protector. A funny, endearing, unnervingly hot protector that made your tummy flutter and your palms sweat. 

It didn’t help that he seemed completely unaware of your feelings, or that the things he did made your heart race and your cheeks turn pink. Linking his pinky with yours while you strolled around town, letting his thumb mindlessly rub circles on the little sliver of your stomach that was visible during movie night, giving a little tug on your hair when you said something cheeky, letting his dimple pop out when you teased him. 

And the pet names. God, the pet names! Maybe he did know! Maybe he wanted to torture you and make you squirm. They slipped from those perfect pink lips so effortlessly it kind of pissed you off. 

“Hey honey, how was work today?” 

“Sweetheart we’re gonna be late for the movie and I will not be blamed when we don’t have time to grab your snacks.” 

“Any chance you wanna pick up an extra shift and spend some time with me? What do you say, pretty?” 

He had the hair, the smile, the charm. You imagined it would be hard for anyone not to fall madly in love with him. It was surely hard for you! Steve did a good job of turning you to mush. It was hard to think around him, even harder to not think about him. 

Which is why you’re really struggling now, smushed on a far too little couch with 3 other people, your thigh pressed so tightly against Steve’s it’s making your head spin. It’s movie night, a tradition you’ve picked up and held onto tightly amidst all the craziness that happens in your small town. Steve is on your left, stuck between the arm of the couch and you. Robin is on your right with Eddie next to her and Jonathon next to him. A couch meant for 2, maybe 3, but all 4 of you packed on while the rest of your friends lounge on the floor or a chair, eyes all focused on the screen. 

Almost everyone’s eyes are focused on the screen. 

You’re staring straight ahead, sure! But while a movie that you now can’t even remember the name of is droning on, all you can think of is how your hip is touching Steve’s. Or how his pinky has somehow found yours again and they’re looped together on his lap. Or even worse, how he’s got his head resting on your shoulder and you can feel little puffs of his breath hitting your neck everytime he laughs. 

It’s driving you crazy, your hand not in his twitching by your side and your chest rising and falling a little faster than it should be while watching a comedy with your friends. You’re so distracted it takes you a few minutes to realize that Steve is no longer watching the movie, but is now focused on you and how uncomfortable you seem to be. He gives a small tug to your pinky, drawing your eyes to meet his and you’re so overwhelmed with him right now you could cry at the furrow in his brow and the small pout he’s wearing looking at you. 

“Y’alright, baby?” You can see his genuine concern at the state of you but all you can focus on is trying not to let a small whimper through your lips as you hear him call you baby. Not being able to look at him for more than a few seconds you drag your eyes away from him, a small huff leaving you while you shake your head, mainly at yourself. “I, uh m’fine. I’m fine.” Neither of you are convinced, you know that, but you can’t find it in you to care at the moment when all you can think about is taking his bottom lip between your teeth. 

He studies you once more, eyes taking you in quickly as he reaches up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind your ear. His hand lingers around your neck a second longer, two fingers giving you a little pinch before he’s drawing his hand back to his lap. You find yourself staring far too long at his hand, wondering what it would feel like if he swiped his thumb over your bottom lip. Or if it would be as good as you imagined to have him slip that same thumb past your lips, pressing down on your tongue, wearing that same smirk you’ve seen a thousand times.

Fuck fuck fuck. You’re so fucked. 

As soon as the thoughts come, they’re gone because the next thing you know you’re using his and Robin’s thighs as leverage to jump up from the couch, turning to face everyone with red cheeks and a forced smile. 

“So I, uh, I gotta go! Just remembered mom wanted me home early tonight, some, uh, some family thing going on. Yeah that’s it. Family thing!” Everyone is staring, eyes wide with confusion written all over their faces. You love movie night, never miss it let alone leave early. 

You don’t give anyone the chance to question you before you’re bouncing up the stairs trying to pull your shoes on as quickly as possible. You know he’ll be right behind you, asking you what’s wrong or offering a ride home. You both know you’re full of shit but you can’t find it in you to care right now, too focused on getting away from him before you do something crazy like kiss him. 

Steps away from the front door you think you’ve made it. Can almost feel the relief of the cool breeze cooling down your skin that seems to be burning up from where Steve was touching you. You're so close, less than a foot away when you realize you weren’t quick enough. 

A hand wraps around your forearm, a large calloused hand that you’d know anywhere. Shoulders slumped in defeat and you turn to face him, not all the way because you don’t think you could handle it, but enough to acknowledge his presence. “Harrington, I gotta go. You know how my mom is, this’ll be held over my head for weeks if I’m late.” Lies. All lies. Your mom fully expects you to sleep at Robins tonight. He’s quiet for what feels like hours but is really only seconds before he speaks, “Let me give you a ride then. You’ll be home in less than 5.”

Now you know that cannot happen. You cannot be in his car that smells like him. You cannot watch the way his hands grip the wheel, and you know you won’t be able to look away. You cannot be locked in a car with him where you know he’ll try and figure out why you’ve been acting so weird tonight. And honestly you just cannot be around him right now without feeling like you’re going to faint. 

“No, no, don't worry about it, it’s a quick walk and I could use the fresh air! I’m feeling a little…off right now anyways so I wouldn’t mind being alone. Go finish the movie! Love you, see you, have fun!” And before he can react or try to argue with you, reaching up on your tiptoes you plant a quick kiss to his cheek, lips tingling as you turn and run out the door, hoping to god or whoever is listening that Steve doesn’t come after you. 

What you don’t see as you’re running down the sidewalk is your best friend standing in the doorway with his hand hovering over his cheek where you just kissed him and a blush crawling up his neck as those quick seconds play on a loop in his head for the rest of the movie. 

 ****************************************

It’s been a few days since movie night. The night you’re refusing to think about but also the one you can’t seem to get out of your head. More specifically the sound of Steve calling you baby and the feel of his fingers brushing against your throat. 

Well you’ve tried not to think about it. 

You’re not sure why this is happening now. You’ve liked him for as long as you can remember so why all of a sudden do you feel like panting when your skin touches his? Why now are his little smirks and pet names enough to bring you to your knees? Over the years you’ve done good, so good, at keeping yourself together in front of him, letting his comments and flirting roll off your back. But now…now you can’t be in the same room without wanting to tug on his hair or leave marks on his chest or feel so desperate to taste him that it drives you insane. 

You don’t know what caused this switch to flip but it fucking sucks. It sucks because besides all of that, he’s still your best friend. Yeah, it’s ungodly how hot he is but he’s also still the guy who buys you your favorite ice cream when you’ve had a rough day, who goes to see scary movies with you when no one else will because you’re the only one that likes them. He’s saved you, cared for you, loved you for a few years now and honestly that just makes it worse! 

He’s mouthwatering AND a good guy. Fuck him for that. 

In the few days since you’ve seen him he’s called. 11 times? Maybe more. And you’ve been conveniently in the shower or asleep or anything else your mother can make up while you try and figure out what you’re going to say to him. The problem with this is that the longer you avoid him, the more awkward and hard this is going to be. 

So when you wake up today, 4 days after movie night, you decide it’s time to be a big girl and talk to him. Not about your feelings, god no! But it is time to at least try to be normal around him and to stop avoiding him. You already know he’s gonna look like a kicked puppy, big brown eyes staring down at you while you try and justify not talking to him for days. You’re fucked. So fucked. 

Walking downstairs you hear the phone ringing and your heart drops. Maybe you’re not ready for this. Maybe your family can just move! That should work. You’ll miss everyone but honestly this seems like your best option at this point. 

Your dad is gone for the day, your mom is standing at the counter with her purse on her shoulder like she’s about to walk out the door with her mouth open, ready to give Steve yet another excuse to why you can’t talk to him. But you’re brave. You’re a big girl who can handle a phone call with your best friend. Your hot best friend you're madly in love with and want to climb like a tree. 

Your hand is out and reaching for the phone before you can talk yourself out of it, a sigh of relief leaving your mother as she practically throws it at you, running for the door before you change your mind. It’s by your ear for a good few seconds before you hear him, his voice raspy and deep so you know he’s just woken up and it makes your whole body buzz. 

“Hello?” 

It’s now or never. Never sounds nice. “Hey! How ya been? How’s it going? How was the movie?” The questions pour out of you so quickly you’re not sure he can even understand what you’re saying but you hold your breath and wait anyway. 

“How’s it going? Are you kidding me? Fuckin’ Christ! You’ve taken about 12 showers in 4 days and couldn’t be bothered to talk to me, why don’t you tell me how it’s going.” So he was upset. Totally fair. 

“Don’t be mad at me, please.” It was the first thing that came out of your mouth and you knew it was stupid but you couldn’t help it. He deserved to be mad at you, to yell and cuss and whatever else he deemed fit. But now that you had heard his voice again for the first time in days, the thought of him being upset with you made you want to cry, even though you had done this! 

You heard him take a deep breath and knew he was running his hand through his hair, tugging on the ends the way he always did when he was stressed. “M‘not mad, sweetheart. I mean, maybe a little but I was more worried! That something had happened or I had done something or…I don’t know. Was just worried sick and…god I just fuckin’ missed you.” 

Had you mentioned that you were fucked? His words hit you a ton of bricks, any thoughts you had about moving on or maybe distancing yourself gone in an instant. Because he was worried. And he missed you. He fuckin’ missed you. And god you loved him so much it hurt, so much you could feel it in your fingertips and toes like little zaps of electricity when you thought of him or heard his voice. 

You were gone for Steve Harrington. 

“I..m’so sorry, Stevie. I missed you too, so much and I’m so sorry and I’m just…I’m sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong, you never do! I’ve just been a mess and my minds been a mess and I thought some time to myself would help me but really it's just..it doesn’t matter. What matters is I’m sorry and I missed you.” 

“S’okay, bunny. You alright? Can talk to me about anything, you know. I’m not…I know I’m not always the best at this stuff but I’d be good for you. I’ll listen to ya all day, do whatever I can to help you. Wanna come over? Movie night just the two of us? I’ll order you pizza and get you extra buttery popcorn and some ice cream, promise.” 

The thought of being alone with Steve sends red lights flashing through your brain but when he sounds so…god when he’s saying all the right things in a voice you’d dare describe as whiny you can’t help but to want to drop everything and all but crawl to him. 

So at the expense of your sanity you agree quickly, promising you’ll be there by 8 o’clock and hang up the phone before he can call you sweetheart or bunny again running up the stairs to take the coldest shower you’ve ever taken that does nothing to erase the thoughts of Steve from your mind. 

  *****************************************

The walk to Steve’s was surprisingly calm. You weren’t freaking out completely, just a little nervous but that was nothing new to you when it came to spending time with Steve, especially alone. 

Unfortunately for you, that calm lasted for all of about 10 minutes. 

In theory it was a good idea to spend some time with Steve after ignoring him for days. It was an okay idea to agree to a movie night with your best friend. Was. 

But now that you’re standing on his porch and his door was just thrown open to reveal a freshly showered Steve, it seems like all of this was a horrible idea. 

An awful, terrible, horribly bad idea. 

Awful because you can see little beads of water from his freshly washed hair dropping and running down his throat. Awful because the urge to lean forward and run your tongue over them is so strong you swear your mouth waters a little bit. 

Terrible because he’s wearing that goddamn white t-shirt that is hugging his arms so tight and since when did his arms start to look like that? Awful because that same damn shirt is tight over his chest too. It fits him so well you can see it snug against his tummy and waist. It fits him like a glove and your hands clench at your sides to keep from touching him. 

And this is bad. So horribly bad because he’s wearing his favorite pair of light wash denim jeans that cling to his thighs so nicely you feel your knees wobble. One of your hands comes up to your mouth to run over your chin, subconsciously making sure you’re not actually drooling despite the way you wish you could drop to your knees and spend hours leaving marks on those thighs. You can’t see his ass and you’re praying to god he doesn’t turn around so you don’t have to suffer through seeing how his jeans hug him just right. 

While your mind is running a million miles a minute with thoughts of Steve, you realize you actually haven’t said anything. Haven’t made a move to greet him or walk in, instead just standing there with what you imagine is a slack jaw and wide eyes. Willing yourself to meet his gaze, you somehow manage to drag your eyes off his thighs and bring them up, up, up until you meet his. 

He definitely does not look like a kicked puppy right now. Those brown eyes are darker and he’s wearing a smirk that would make you do anything he asked. He cocks his eyebrow at you, amusement clear in his face as you try and collect yourself. 

“You look starved, honey. Wanna come in?” 

   *********************************

After the initial embarrassment wears off, you feel a little better. Somehow managing to brush off his teasing as if you weren’t just devouring him with your eyes, you follow Steve to the kitchen, laughing as he tries to balance all the snacks he’d bought for you in arms. He shot you a glare full of playfulness when you tried to help, insisting that he “was a big boy and could handle the snacks.” 

Now you find yourself on that same couch from last week, much more space between the two of you than there had been then, a good foot and half extra in fact. Steve laughed when he saw you practically throw yourself to the other end of the couch, hand reaching out for you with a little pout on his lips. “Think I’m gonna bite you or something?” God I wish. Please please please bite me! 

But instead you held out your hand reluctantly, fingers twisting with his as he tugged you toward him. Movie night flashed in your head. His clothed thigh just inches away from yours, arm thrown over your shoulders and a cheeky grin on his face as he pulled you into his side. A satisfied hum was heard and you could have sworn you heard him mumble under his breath, sounding a lot like “much better” but it was hard to hear anything with the smell of him clouding your senses. 

Trying to get your thoughts off of him you reach forward to grab the dvd case laying on the table, a small smile gracing your lips as you see what he had picked. “John Carpenter's Halloween. I thought you said you’d never watch this?” This time when you turned to him, he was the one with red cheeks and shy smile as he glanced between the movie and you. A small shrug and wink was thrown your way, “S’one of your favorites. You should know you’re the exception to my rules.” 

You’re fucked. 

Heart pounding in your chest all you could manage was a smile and a small “thank you” before turning away, hoping he’d get up and start the movie so you’d have something to distract you from how sweet he was, watching a scary movie you know he doesn’t want to watch just because it’ll make you happy. 

It was about halfway through the movie when it happened. 

Everything was going well! You were snuggled into his side, actually paying attention to the movie and not sitting there distraught over being so close to him. You were so invested you hadn’t noticed your hand slip to his thigh during a scene that had made you jump. 

But Steve noticed. 

Too engrossed in your movie to see how your hand was holding his upper thigh and it definitely would have been too high if you’d been paying attention. You didn’t notice this or the way Steve was now on red alert, whole body tense with his hand gripping the couch cushion and his eyes trained on your hand as if to make sure he wasn’t imagining it. 

He could do this, he could ignore your hand and let you watch your movie. It would be fine. He’ll just slip into the bathroom when it’s over or wait till you go home to take care of his now aching cock. And god was he aching. He didn’t dare move, too nervous that you’d get all weird and fidgety like you’d been. This was the closest you’d been to him without seeming freaked out in weeks and he was not about to ruin that. 

The smell of your lavender shampoo overwhelmed him, a groan threatening to spill out while you sat there so unaware of how beautiful you looked just existing. He noticed everything about you. The slope of your little button nose and the way your lips, your perfect pink lips, parted just so when you were lost in thought. He noticed how your cheeks would turn the prettiest shade of red when he called you baby or honey or sweetheart. And he loved it, craved it even. He couldn’t tell if it was because of him or if you were just a sensitive little thing in general. He’d take what he could get with you, even if he had to live off your rosy cheeks and holding your pinky for the rest of his life. 

“Fuck, honey, m’sorry but you have got to move your hand, please.” Steve’s voice in your ear so suddenly made you jump, a small yelp leaving your lips as you turned to see what he was talking about. You didn’t even realize you were touching him! But one look down at this thigh and you gasped, cheeks burning as your eyes moved from your hand clinging to his thigh over to now very noticeable bulge straining against those light wash jeans. Ripping your hand away as if he’d burned you, a string of curses and apologies flew out as you scrambled to move as far away as possible. 

If he looked pained with your hand on his thigh then he looked downright miserable now that you’d taken it away. “Don’t have to run away from me, honey. M’sorry, didn’t mean to scare you I just…fuck I couldn’t sit still with you holding onto me like that.” He did his best to tug you back and you let him. “Sorry, Stevie. I wasn’t…I didn’t, I was just watching the movie I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” 

He looked at you with furrowed brows, eyes jumping all over your face like he knew something you didn’t, like he knew something you should know. Neither of you said anything, just stared at each other for some time before he sighed, letting his head fall back against the couch before coming back to look at you again. 

Hand cradling your cheek he gave you a small, tired small like he couldn’t believe you could possibly make him uncomfortable. That is not the word he would use. “Silly girl, I’m not uncomfortable because your hand was on me. I’m uncomfortable because your hand on me is making me wanna pin you down and fuck you so hard you can’t think straight.”

Oh. Oh. 

Lips parted you just stared at him, not sure you’d be able to form a coherent thought let alone words right now. He wanted to fuck you? Since when? Why hasn’t he ever brought this up? Doesn’t he know you’d do anything he asked of you? 

Steve let you process, could see the gears turning in that pretty head of yours and your eyes switching from looking at him to looking at where his cock was pressing up against the zipper of his pants. Maybe he’d said too much, gone too far. He was almost certain now that you liked him, wanted him, but maybe it was too overwhelming to be so blunt with you. 

“Y’know what baby? I can see you freaking out and I didn’t mean to make you nervous so I’m gonna go to the bathroom, alright? Gonna take care of this real quick and then we can finish the movie, can start another one if you want. I’ll be right back and we can figure this out later.” It was him getting off the couch that broke you out of whatever spell you were under, hand wrapping around his arm and if you weren’t so desperate for this, for him, you’d be embarrassed by the look of panic in your eyes at the thought of not getting to see this, to make him feel good. 

“Please stay. Just…fuck just stay, okay?” 

Both of you paused, staring at each other and waiting for someone to move or to breathe or just do something. A soft “okay” was murmured between you, Steve settling back into the couch as you closed your eyes and took a deep breath. Fuck was this really happening? 

“Whatever you want to happen can happen, baby.” 

You definitely didn’t mean to say that out loud but now that you had, a little burst of courage hit you and you just let it pour out. “Didn’t mean to say that out loud I just..I didn’t…I’m nervous. You make me nervous. I want this. I want this so bad you have no idea but I didn’t know you wanted this so now my head is fucked and I’m rambling and kinda freaking out but you can stay. You can stay and I can watch or I can help or whatever you want just..stay. Ok?” You dared a glance up at Steve, his eyes wide and a grin broke out on his face. He looked as if you’d just handed him the moon not offered to watch him get off. 

Taking your hand in his he gave you a squeeze, “We’ll go slow. I can start and you can watch and if you wanna do more, feel fucking free, honey. But if you don’t, that’s fine. If you want me to stop, say the word. You’re in charge here,” he paused, lifting his hand to take my chin between his fingers so I’d be forced to meet his eyes, “and for the record, there hasn’t been I second I've known you where I haven’t wanted this. I’ll take anything you give me, swear it. Whatever you want, any way you want.” 

“Kiss me, please.” 

He didn’t need to be told twice, moving his hand to cup your cheek and pulling you toward him, his lips pressing against yours soft at first, testing the waters and trying to keep you calm. His lips were just as soft as you’d imagined, sweet like the candy he’d been eating earlier. You groaned against him, pushing closer and opening your mouth to invite him in, the thought of his tongue on yours enough to have you reaching your hands into his hair to tug him closer, closer until there wasn’t an inch of space between you. 

He pulled back first, a string of spit connecting the two of you and he cursed at the sight, “Jesus, fuck I can’t believe you’ve kept this sweet, pretty mouth away from me. S’not nice, baby. So mean to me, yeah?” If you thought you were desperate before it was nothing compared to now, now that you’d had a taste of him. 

“M’sorry Stevie, so sorry, not gonna keep em from you anymore. Promise, promise, promise.” You’re barely making sense, your head spinning and your body on fire. Foreheads pressed together you tried to catch your breath, but you couldn’t think or breathe or function when he was this close to you with his swollen, spit kissed lips just inches away from yours. 

Coming out of your post-kiss haze you move back beside Steve, eager and desperate to finally see him, all of him. His eyes widen as your hands go to the button of his jeans, tugging relentlessly and you're just so cute he has to laugh. Eager too and fuck how did he get so lucky?

“Take em off, please. Want them off, Stevie.” You’re full on pouting now and it takes everything in you not to cry. You’d do it if he wanted, you’d do anything. But he doesnt let it get that far, taking your hands off his jeans and cooing at you and it makes you feel a little pathetic but you can’t find it in yourself to care, not when he’s about to finally pull down his pants. 

He does so wordlessly, eyes bouncing from his lap to your face every few seconds like he’s checking in on you, making sure he’s not missing anything and that you still want this. It makes your tummy flutter and your heart race, his caring for you. His pants pushed down to his knees is all he can manage, head too fuzzy thinking about you and how he’s so hard it hurts worse than it ever has.

As soon as his jeans were out of your way you were staring, gawking really, at the white boxers sitting so prettily on his hips that were doing nothing to hide how hard, how big he was. A small wet patch forming where you know his tip is resting and it makes your mouth water. He’s just so hot. So hot and it makes it even better that this is because of you. Fuck.

A beg was on the tip of your tongue but before you could he put you out of your misery. Lifting his hips up you had to dig your nails into your palm to keep still while he pulled his boxers down, pretty, messy, cock slapping against his stomach. “Jesus fucking Christ, Steve! You’re so…I’m…fuck.” He breathed out a laugh which quickly turned to a wince when we saw how you were looking at him, at his cock. He felt himself twitch under your stare and you swear your mouth just fell open as if it was meant to be. 

His hand drifted towards his cock, eyes still on you to make sure you were okay. You gave him a nod and the sigh of relief you both had when he finally wrapped his hand around himself would have made you laugh if you weren’t throbbing. His head fell back against the couch and you were torn between watching him touch himself or watching his face while he did it. The former won, your eyes trailing the way his hand moved slowly, teasing the both of you. 

“S’pretty, you’re so pretty…” You’re not even sure you were talking to him, more just to yourself but he heard you nonetheless. His hips jerked at that, a small moan slipping past his swollen lips as he turned his head toward you, watching you with hooded eyes. I could watch this forever, you thought. 

You couldn’t believe it. A few days ago you were thinking of ways to never speak to Steve again and now here you were, watching him stroke his cock in front of you and looking at him as if he was your last meal. He held his hand out, a silent plea for something but you didn’t know what, not until he spoke.

“So good, baby, so pretty. Can you ju-just spit on my hand for me, honey? Lick it, spit on it, anything you want, I just need you please.” His words were slurred and if you hadn’t spent the last few hours together you would think he was drunk. He seemed so out of it, but in the best way. Like he didn’t just want you but needed you. It made you feel good, better than you ever had and it gave you a spark of bravery you were missing before. 

Knocking his hand out of your way you leaned forward with cautious eyes, watching as he tried to figure out what you were doing until it dawned on him and his cock twitched in his hand. You leaned forward, face hovering inches above him and spit, both of you watching as it dropped from your mouth to his tip, covering the top of his hand as he began to stroke himself again. His lips parted in an “o”, eyes squeezed shut and his tummy clenching as he let out the loudest moan you had heard, so loud and strong you felt yourself clenching around nothing.

You were wet but with Steve looking and sounding like that you couldn’t bring yourself to care about how bad you were aching right now, far too focused on Steve and how his thighs were starting to shake a little and his hips were starting to move faster and more uneven. 

“C-can I?” 

His eyes shot open, head shaking furiously before he had even fully understood what you were asking. He knew he wouldn't last more than ten seconds if you touched him but he couldn’t care less. All he could think about was how pretty you were, how good he was feeling, how you had just fucking spit on his cock. He would take whatever you gave him. 

With a whine that you would replay in your mind for the rest of your life he took his hand off, tugging yours closer to take his place. Both of you moaned at the contact and you were almost convinced you could cum just from touching him. “Help me, I want you to feel good, please.” He looked like a bobblehead as he nodded, putting his much larger hand over yours and giving it a squeeze, helping you to stroke him just how he liked, though anything from you would feel a million times better than his own hand. 

Addicted would be the word to describe it. Now that you had touched him, felt how hot and smooth his cock was in your hand, how pretty it looked all pink and wet and coated in your spit. Steve liked it messy and apparently so did you. You thought you were addicted to his cock, and you were, but nothing prepared you for the absolute filth that started spilling from him once he finally had your hand on him. It made you dizzy and out of breath and goddamn you would have to throw these panties in the trash after this. Absolutely ruined, just like you were. 

“Fuckin’ dreamed about this, ‘bout your hand on my cock, s’good, baby.”

“Don’t think I don’t see you squirming, honey. My pretty girl all wet ‘n needy and I haven’t even touched you. Bet you’re drenched and achy, huh?”

“Gonna make me cum, gonna make a mess of us but I bet you’ll be good and clean it up for me, won’t ya, bunny?”

He was babbling now and you could barely make sense of what he was saying but you didn’t stop. You couldn’t and you didn’t want to. His cock was slick with precum and your spit one of his hands guiding yours in quick strokes while his other was gripping the couch so hard his knuckles were white. 

“M’close, honey…so so close.”

“Please, Stevie…want it, I need it, please.” And that was all it took. No warning, your words taking him by surprise and hitting him like a punch to the gut. He took his hand off, bringing it to your hair and tugging you to him. It was a messy kiss, lips pressed together while he moaned against you, just breathing each other in while he cursed and whined, his hips stilling and you slowed, looking down just in time to see him cum. Your hand and his lower stomach was covered, his hand that was gripping the couch now thrown over his eyes as he tried to catch his breath. 

Chest and neck covered in sweat, he looked good. When he finally had gathered himself enough to look at you, he instantly regretted it. Instead of his innocent best friend, his sweet little bunny, he was looking at a little devil lapping at his cum on her hand like she hadn’t eaten in days. His softening cock twitched against his thighs and he stifled a groan when you hummed happily at the taste. 

“Christ, you’re gonna kill me.” You shrugged half heartedly, not even a little bit of you was sorry. 

“Can we finish the movie now, Stevie? I’ll probably pass out soon you wore me out, but I’m too tired to move.”

He looked down at you a little confused, your cheeks still pink and thighs still clenched together tightly. “You don’t…I can…I wanna take care of you too, sweetheart. Been dying to get a taste of you, know you’re sweet.”

You giggled and even though you were a mess, in every sense of the word, you didn’t think you could handle anymore and told him as such, eyes already feeling droopy and your body sagging against him. “Next time? Promise you can do anything you want to me next time but watching you cum was enough for me.” Your cheeks flamed as if you hadn’t just licked your best friend’s cum off your hand. 

“Alright, honey. Let’s finish your movie, you little vixen. Didn’t even take me out to dinner before you were drooling over my cock. A crime!” His smile was bright as you smacked at his chest and cursed him for teasing you.

You were sure that what had just happened would hit you soon and the panic would set in but for now you couldn’t bring yourself to care as you pressed a kiss to Steve’s bare chest and felt his grin against the top of your head. 

Did I mention I was fucked? 

[hairmetal666]

Steve doesn't date, not anymore. He goes to bars, clubs, picks people up and makes it clear it's just for the night; that it can't, won't, be for anything more.

He falls too fast and too hard; wants so badly to be loved that he loses himself to it. So, he doesn't date and he's fine. More than fine, actually. Not worrying about finding someone, about falling in love, lets him truly enjoy his life; maybe for the first time since childhood.

He goes with Robin to visit her parents in Hawkins, wakes up at the ass crack of dawn to go for a run. With the sun barely up, he doesn't expect to come face-to-face with Eddie Munson, smoking on a park bench.

They startle each other in the early Hawkins quiet, Eddie jumping hard enough that he drops his cigarette into the dirt at his feet.

"Christ, Harrington!" He snarls a little.

"Fuck, Eddie." Steve fights to catch his breath. "What are you doing out this early?"

He glances up, finds Eddie's eyes raking over this body in a way that makes him go hot all over.

"Haven't been home yet." Eddie smirks. And he can see that's true, Eddie is fully dressed, faint lines of mascara trail across his cheeks.

"Had a show?"

"Something like that." Eddie's cheeks pink, and he pulls a chunk of hair over his face.

Understanding dawns, and Steve points at him, delighted laugh bubbling in his throat.

"Don't--"

"You had an all night Hellfire meeting?" Steve cackles.

"Shut--Harrington, shut-up." But he's smiling too. "I'm in town this weekend. Dustin insisted!"

"You can tell him no, you know?" Steve giggles.

"Like you ever could."

Eddie stands then, and they hug, quick and tight. He practically crumbles into his friend's body, but then, that's nothing new. Steve breathes him in, immediately comforted by the familiarity of tobacco and leather and sweat and weed.

"I'm at Rob's. Come say hi?"

Eddie nods and they trek back together. They kept in touch, after Vecna, and their chatting is easy, like it's not been six months since the last time.

Eddie stays for breakfast tells them with a smile, "I was gonna call but--I'm moving to Chicago. That's why I'm crashing at Wayne's for now, stopped on the way--"

The rest of his words are smothered by the force of Steve and Robin's hug, Steve's heart beating an elated rhythm he doesn't bother investigating.

--

When Eddie makes it to town, they hang out as constantly as an adult with a day job and a touring musician can. It's nice, good, to see Eddie sitting on their couch. To watch him smoke a joint on the balcony. To hangout in his bed as he works on new music. It's just like the summer of '86, before they all went off to find their futures.

They're closer than they've ever been. Crashing at each other's apartments, sharing clothes, meeting for coffee and drinks and meals. There's not a day or night when they're free that they don't spend together.

Steve knows he's falling for Eddie; was halfway there already, and now--well, Eddie's beautiful and funny and smart and talented. He doesn't make a move, though. Because Eddie'll leave, like they all do, and losing Eddie will crush him more than anyone else ever has.

--

In June, Eddie's gone for a month, touring across the midwest. The day he's expected back, Steve's in the kitchen, rolling up fresh pasta, simmering sauce on the stove.

Robin stomps in, eyes flashing. "What are you doing?"

"Making dinner?" Steve raises an eyebrow.

"Steve."

"Robin."

They glare at each other across the kitchen. Steve breaks first. "What's wrong with making our friend dinner?"

"I don't want either of you to get hurt."

Steve freezes, swallows. "I'm not--I'm--I wouldn't."

"Just. Promise you'll be careful?"

He nods, squeezes his hands into fists. "Course, Rob."

And he means it, he really does, but when Eddie lets himself in, Steve runs to the doorway to pull his friend into a tight hug.

Eddie huffs out a burst of air on impact, laughing lightly. "Miss me, sweetheart?"

"So much," Steve whispers. He presses his nose into Eddie's neck, breathing him in, and he doesn't miss the way a kiss is pressed into his hair, the way Eddie's breathing him in too.

They fall into their natural rhythm immediately, Eddie following him to the kitchen, cooing and posturing that Steve made him dinner.

As Steve serves up the food, Eddie wraps his arms around his waist, leaning against his back. God help him, but Steve can't help relax into the hold, turning his head until their eyes meet.

Desire bleeds from Eddie's gaze, and Steve's breath hitches. He wants this so badly, knows he shouldn't, but he lets himself lean in until they share air.

But--he can't lose Eddie. He can't.

He turns away, lets the moment die. Eddie doesn't stay over that night, and Steve pretends like it doesn't make his stomach hurt.

--

They aren't as close after that.

Steve keeps telling himself it's because they're busy. The school year's starting up, Steve's got lesson plans to write; Eddie made an EP, it got interest, he's taking meetings in New York and LA. It's okay that they're spending less time together.

Until Eddie stops returning his calls.

He tries not to worry. But one call becomes two, becomes three, and he can't help it. He goes over, dread a knot in his stomach. Eddie opens the door, and he's shirtless with sweatpants slung low on his hips, hair loose and streaming around his shoulders. He looks happy.

"Steve? What are you--"

"You weren't answering my calls, and--can I come in?"

Eddie winces. "It's not a good time, Harrington."

He stands there for a second, stung, not sure what to say.

"Eddie, I--"

"Babe?" A voice calls from inside the apartment. "Who's at the door?"

Steve freezes. Can't think, can't move. He hopes it isn't obvious that his heart is shattering, but Eddie's blinking at him, panic written in the lines gathering on his forehead.

"Steve, Stevie, please," Eddie is saying, but he can't do this. He can't do this.

He walks away, all the way home, numb to everything around him.

The phone's ringing when he gets to the apartment. He ignores it. Goes to his room, locks himself in, crawls into bed.

The phone keeps ringing. He keeps ignoring it.

It isn't supposed to be like this. They weren't dating, weren't trying for a relationship; Eddie's supposed to be his. He curls into himself, sobs until his ribs hurt, until his eyes are as heavy as his heart, and he falls asleep.

--

Steve startles awake, disoriented, to someone knocking on his bedroom door. He has no idea what time it is, how long he slept, but he expects Robin to be waiting in the hall.

It's Eddie. Hair in a messy bun, face flushed, eyes too bright.

"I'm sorry," falls out of Steve's mouth before he can think of anything else.

"Steve, I--I don't--" Eddie shakes his head. "Do you want to be in a relationship with me?"

"Yes," Steve whispers. "But I can't lose you, Eddie."

Eddie reaches out, slender hand, cupping Steve's jaw. "I need you to really listen when I say this, sweetheart. You will never, ever lose me. Not a chance."

"You can't know that," Steve says. Tears break free, cascade down his cheeks. "I used to think who could ever leave me? You know, back before Nancy. But I realized that actually no one would stay. And I can't--with you I can't--"

"Sweetheart," Eddie chokes on a sob. "I'm yours. Have been for years. I will never, ever leave you, no matter what we are to each other. But I can't be in some of a relationship with you. You have me wrapped around your finger, and I--I need it all, Steve."

"I want you to have it, Eddie." He presses his hand to his heart. "This belongs to you, but I--I couldn't survive you leaving."

"I would stay, Steve. I will. I promise on everything I have, everything I am, that you would never, ever lose me."

Steve stumbles into Eddie's arms, totally gone, and their mouths meet in a clumsy kiss. It wrecks Steve, tears him apart, renders him down to his smallest parts only to build him back together. He knows now for certain that there is no one else in the world for him.

They break apart, but don't move out of each other's orbit. "I love you," Steve whispers.

"Stevie, sweetheart, I love you more than anything." His fingers wind their way into Steve's hair, gentle, holding him. "I promise you'll have me for forever--fuck, longer than forever. My soul will find yours wherever we end up. I swear it."

[munsooooon]

Steve had a very heated argument with his parents who arrived home unexpectedly. It was an argument filled with crying, anger, and a lot of pain.

So he made a decision that was unreasonable and not at all safe. But a world full of strange creatures had taken away his last years of adolescence without being able to enjoy them and he still had to deal with those arguments with his parents, if life could not give him a break, he had the right to commit some stupid things.

So when he managed to calm his crying a little, he asked Eddie to sneak in through his window. Which Eddie did.

If his parents found them, it would be the end. Robin definitely would kill him but none of that mattered when Eddie was between his legs, moving slowly and silently, Steve was ecstatic, with saliva building up in his mouth, he was making the cutest moans just to show his boyfriend how much he was enjoying it, he could feel Eddie all over his body, because he was hitting the exact spot of pleasure even though he was doing his best to be as quiet as possible.

"My little princess so spoiled and so needy" Eddie whispered. "What would you do if mom and dad found you like this?"

Steve responded by moving his body, fucking himself against Eddie's body, taking what he needed from him. He had been with many girls while their parents were home but this was the first time he had been on that side of history and he was loving every second of it.

"That's it, princess, you gonna show them how good you are taking me, right?"

"Mmm huh, yes Eddie, please"

"Shhh, babydoll, be quiet, show them I've made a good boy out of you"

Eddie put a hand over Steve's mouth because he knew he was getting close and he knew how loud it was, the adrenaline was pushing them to the limit, with his free hand he pressed hard on the boy's hips to keep him on his dick, to keep him still, to avoid the noise of the bed and to be able to use him as Eddie wanted. He began to move faster, Steve began to cry, his face was flushed, his hands were trying to take pieces of Eddie's body, his hands were moving in the air helplessly as if he wanted to get away from the pleasure Eddie was giving him but at the same time chasing that pleasure and craving more and more.

If anyone approached Steve's room, it was impossible for them not to notice what was going on.

"That's all, right love? All you needed to behave was a good cock inside you"

"Yesss, Eddie, please"

"See? I have made you a good girl, a very polite girl who knows how to ask for what she needs, im so proud of you darling"

Steve's mouth opened in a silent scream, he began to cum, squeezed Eddie and began to move slowly. Steve was shaking non-stop and the tears on his face wouldn't stop flowing, his eyes were closed and his mouth moved with Eddie's every movement.

"I love you" Eddie whispered as he kissed his cheek, still moving, he was pursuing his own cumming, slowly, unhurriedly. "You're mine, mine, just mine, not theirs."

Steve felt his body melt, he feel loved.

"You'll be my husband one day, i will take you far away from here, baby. I promise, just be patient"

Eddie cums inside him, Steve smiled with his eyes closed as he felt it.

Eddie slipped his fingers into Steve's mouth, who slowly opened his eyes. He soon got the message and began to wet the older man's fingers, a few seconds was enough, Eddie kissed his nose to let him know it was enough.

Eddie moved his fingers closer to Steve's entrance, asking for permission.

"May I?"

"Of course, Eds." Steve whispered.

Eddie inserted his fingers inside Steve and using his cum and Steve's saliva to move them quickly and easily. Steve bit down on his lip to keep from moaning loudly, Eddie quickly moved to his prostate, using it as he pleases. It was easy to make Steve cum once again, Steve felt himself really wet.

Eddie lay there for a few minutes hugging Steve, who slowly began to fall asleep. Before sleep overcame Eddie too, he slowly got up and quietly got dressed, he couldn't stay in Steve's room.

"Be a good boy and take care of yourself until we see each other in the afternoon" Eddie whispered.

At 3:54 a.m. Eddie kissed Steve's sleeping face and climbed down the window.

[upsidedownwithsteve]

Please may I request risky sex with Eddie, having to be quick and quiet because anyone could walk in at any time

18+

“You gonna stay quiet?”

You nodded, lips pressed together as you stared up at the boy, doe eyed and itching with impatience. Eddie grinned, smug and sweet, clicking his tongue and squinting at you.

“I don’t believe you,” he whispered, pressing his fingers back into you - two, thick and slick with you - hooking them upwards until he made your jaw fall slack. “Needy baby can’t keep her sounds in, can you? You’re always so noisy for me.”

You blew out a breath and let your head fall back, tipped to the mirror, shoulders pressed to the cold tiles and Eddie laughed, soft and quiet. He pumped his fingers slowly, dragging them in and out of your cunt until you whimpered. You grabbed at his wrist, nails biting at his skin, eyes fluttering shut as if that would help you handle it better.

“Nuhuh, c’mon, sweet thing,” Eddie cooed, taunting. “Eyes open, wanna see ‘em when you come, yeah? You’re gonna come aren’t you? Can feel this pretty pussy clenchin’ on me, shit.”

You let out a garbled sound at his words, filthy and going straight to your cheeks, warming the skin there, lips parting as you sucked in a much needed breath. The bathroom felt smaller than before, nothing but the boy filling the space. You nodded, whispered out his name in a hush and let your sight fall on the locked door. The party still raged outside and you vaguely heard your name being called, Robin’s voice a blur under the music and mix of conversations through each room.

Eddie tsked, grinning wider still. He was enjoying this too much, hard dick straining against the denim of his jeans, tip of his tongue pressed to his bottom lip. “People know we’re gone, baby. You gonna make them wait, gonna make them wonder?”

“Eddie,” you whined, too loud and you pouted, pulling at his, your hands in his curls until he relented, thumb swiping over your clit in harsh circles, the way you liked it. “Fuck, fuckfuckfuck, m’close.”

“You gonna say please?”

You pinched his shoulder, pout falling on your lips more dramatically but your jaw fell open when the boy upped his efforts. Eddie moved fully against the sink you sat on, standing between your spread legs, coaxing them wider still, lace underwear stretching on your thighs until you heard the stitching rip. He kept his fingers pushed into you, a steady crook of his fingers, rubbing in the right spot. You felt so fucking full.

“Teddy!” You fell into him, eyes closed, face pressed to the crook of his neck to breathe him in, lips on his pulse point and it jumped in excitement when you tightened around his digits.

“That’s the spot, huh, babe? Right there?” Eddie cooed in your ear, lips pressed against your cheek, pushing open mouthed kisses to anywhere he could reach; your jaw, your ear, your temple. “That little spot that gets you goin’ all sweet for me, isn’t it? Callin’ me Teddy like you don’t know it makes me wanna fuckin’ ruin you, Christ.”

That’s all it took, cunt clenching down on him, nails leaving crescent moons on his shoulders and biceps as you came, whining high and too loud. Eddie pushed you back, guiding you back against the tiles so he could watch you fall apart for him, his free hand catching your chin so he could push his thumb to your lips. You opened for him, letting the digit catch the sob you wanted to let out.

“Shhh, shhh, there you go, bite it, baby, I got you,” Eddie soothed, his thumb pressing down on the flat of your tongue, hissing in pleasure when your teeth grazed at his knuckle. “You’re fuckin’ incredible, shit.”

…

[thisapplepielife]

Written for the @steddieholidaydrabbles pop-up Summer challenge.

Stays in Mexico

Prompt: Summer | Word Count: 1000 | Rating: E | CW: Recreational Alcohol Use, Sex | Tags: Summer Vacation, Anniversary, Long-Term Relationship, Older Married Steddie, Role Playing in Public, Platonic Stobin, Long-Suffering Robin, Putting Up With These Two Dinguses

Sitting at the bar in the Cabo Wabo Cantina, is a perfect golden god, all tanned skin, lush hair, and moles that Eddie would kill to trace with his tongue. Dressed a little dorky, for sure, like he's came straight from a Jimmy Buffett concert, but still fucking gorgeous. 

Eddie can overlook the Hawaiian shirt, the khaki dad cargo shorts and the flip flops. 

He can even overlook the gold wedding band. If Eddie can ignore the one on his own finger, he can ignore the one this guy is wearing.

And Eddie can't tear his fucking eyes away. He watches from across the room, tequila in hand. They couldn't be more different. Eddie is midnight. 

And he's sunshine. 

He's even got some sort of drink monstrosity in front of him, all fruit and umbrellas and a goddamn curly straw. 

It's endearing. 

Eddie bets he tastes like pineapple. 

He wants to find out. 

It's been decided. Eddie has to talk to him, has to shoot his shot, has to try and bite off more than he can chew tonight. There's no way around it. 

So, Eddie sidles up to him at the bar, leaning close.

"Are you a Parrot Head?" 

"Am I a what?" the guy asks, and Eddie chuckles. 

"Nevermind," Eddie says, the guy must just enjoy a loud shirt. "This your regular spot?" Eddie follows up. Like he can't tell he's a tourist. 

"No, it's my first time here," Steve says.

"Same," Eddie answers, and he asks questions, wanting to know more about this man sitting all alone tonight.

Turns out, his name is Steve. A first grade school teacher. Hawkins, Indiana.

Eddie pushes Steve up against the light pole in the bar parking lot, waiting for a cab back to the resort. Pressing his mouth against Steve's, thigh sliding between Steve's legs, pressing upwards. He's hard, Steve's hard, and he really, really wants Steve to come back to his room with him.

"The things I want you to do to me, they're fucking filthy," Steve whispers against Eddie's mouth.

"I'll do 'em. Anything, everything. We're in Mexico. There's shit down here the devil himself wouldn't do. But me? I will. With a goddamn smile." 

And Steve grins, pressing right up against Eddie, "You better." 

Steve's moaning, feet curled around Eddie's waist, squirming all over the bed. 

"Hold still, you wiggle worm," Eddie says and Steve laughs. It's gorgeous.

"It just feels too good," Steve whines, bucking, pushing himself back further onto Eddie's dick. 

"If you want to drive, just say so, sweetheart," Eddie says. 

"Just fuck me harder," Steve says. 

"Anyone ever told you you're bossy?"

"The nag I'm married to. All the time," Steve says, and that won't do. Not at all. 

Eddie pulls out, and Steve whines about it, but Eddie manhandles Steve over onto his knees, nudging him towards the head of the bed. 

Steve grabs the headboard, and leans forward, so Eddie can thrust back into him as hard as he can. They're both gonna feel it tomorrow. 

Good.

"Oh, god, oh, god," Steve chants. 

"Eddie is fine," Eddie says, and Steve laughs, shaking them both. Eddie grips his shoulder, looking at Steve's strong fucking back, with the miles and miles of freckles. 

"You're fucking hot," Eddie says and Steve tilts his head backwards, so he can look at Eddie. 

Eddie takes the opportunity, and kisses him, as he keeps snapping his hips. 

Steve finally pulls back from the kiss, and whispers right against Eddie's mouth, "Come in me." 

Jesus Christ, it takes everything Eddie has to not do it right that second. 

But Steve stills, tensing, moaning, and he's coming, clenching Eddie's cock. 

And Eddie comes in him, just as requested. Slumping forward, kissing his shoulder, his neck. 

Steve lets go of the headboard and stretches both arms behind him, wrapping them around Eddie's head, holding Eddie to him. In him. 

Holy shit. Steve Harrington. Eddie cannot believe his luck. 

The night rolls into day, and they stumble down the beach, finding chairs, drinking again. 

One more margarita, and Eddie's falling in love. Then it's shots of tequila, and he's licking the salt off Steve's warm skin. 

They wade out into the water, and Steve's skin is slick, slippery, as Eddie clings to him in the ocean. Floating with the motion of the waves, trying to look innocent as Eddie works his hand inside Steve's swim trunks, under the water.

Hard cock in hand, as Steve breathes in his ear, hot and heavy. 

Eddie's memorizing it all, before this ends.

The sand and seawater washed off, Eddie's holding the phone. 

"Your wife," Eddie says, covering the receiver, "Please don't tell her about me, and our torrid vacation love affair."

Steve rolls his eyes. 

"Hello, wife. How are the kids?" Steve asks.

Eddie put it on speakerphone before handing it over, and now Robin's voice is filling the room.

"Gross, no. Don't involve me in your kinky sex shit," she says, and Eddie laughs right along with Steve.

"You knew the risk when you befriended me, Buckley," Eddie shouts, starting to pack up their stuff.

"I befriended Steve-"

"Because he's your soulmate," Eddie teases.

"-and you just came along with him. An unwanted free gift with purchase."

"Hey!" Eddie laughs out, but he knows she loves him. Not as much as she loves Steve, but she does love him. Whether she likes that fact or not.

"When's your flight getting in?" Robin asks.

"Ten-fifteen."

"I hate you both, you know that, right? You couldn't arrange daytime flights?" 

"You love me," Steve says.

Eddie interrupts their banter, "Thanks for watching the kids. Let me say hi." 

"They won't come to the phone. They haven't missed you at all. They're hoping Aunt Robin stays forever." 

Eddie laughs, picturing their two black cats that Robin is only slightly allergic to, both happy and full of treats. 

They probably don't miss them. 

"Happy anniversary, dinguses. See you at eleven." 

"Ten-fifteen!" Steve screams, but she's already hung up. 

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

If you want to see more of my entries into this challenge, you can check them out in my Steddie Holiday Drabbles tag, right here!

Notes: This is based off the Toby Keith song Stays in Mexico and I've wanted to do something for Steddie with it for a long time. The first line is "His name was Steve..." and that obviously gave me ideas, haha.

Lots of the lyrics show up in the fic, in some fashion, but I flipped it so it was just role-playing cheating, not real cheating. Fun fact: I contemplated writing it as part of the Take the Money and Run epilogue in 2022, that's how long this has been kicking around my head.

[solarmorrigan]

💘 for the ask game? Might have a preference for the dare kiss if the inspo strikes you... 👀

Inspo did, in fact, strike me (thank you for the prompt!)

💘 fake relationship / mutual pining / dared to kiss

Prompt from this post

CW: alcohol use

-

Eddie doesn’t know whose brilliant idea this was, but they owe him for emotional damages.

Like–

Look, Eddie had really only ever attended high school parties as a dealer, had had very little interest in them otherwise, and thus has never played any of those cheap excuses for a chance to swap spit that they called games. Not truth or dare, not seven minutes in heaven, and not—Eddie watches in dizzy fascination as the empty beer bottle twirls and twirls in the center of the circle—spin the bottle.

Except someone had suggested it, and the rest of them had been just drunk enough to decide it was a great idea and join in.

Except Eddie is pretty sure this game is supposed to be played with classmates you don’t really know; people you barely remember in the morning and whose eyes you can avoid in the hallways at school on the following Monday – not two girls Eddie helped save the world with, the boyfriend of one of the aforementioned girls (and possibly the boyfriend of the aforementioned boyfriend? Eddie’s not sure what’s going on there), three guys he’s been friends with since middle school, and–

–the bottle stops, and Robin lets out a whoop. It’s pointing to the spot directly to Eddie’s right, the spot filled with none other than–

Steve Harrington.

The current bane of Eddie’s existence, with his stupid, pretty face and his stupid, soft-looking hair and his stupid, dry sense of humor and the way he’s stupidly sweet to Eddie and the way he’s smiling at stupid, stupid Eddie right now, who has a stupid, embarrassing crush on the guy, and now Eddie has to kiss him because the beer bottle says so. It’s the law, or something.

Eddie swears he hasn’t actually had that much to drink; he’s pretty sure proximity to Steve just does this to his brain.

Steve keeps smiling at him, amused, eyebrows raised expectantly. “Well?” he goads gently, elbowing Eddie in the side. “You gonna back down, or are you gonna kiss me, Munson?”

And– okay, one, Eddie has never backed down from a dare in his life, mostly because he operates on at least seventy-five percent impulsive thought power, and two, there’s no way Eddie isn’t going to take the chance to kiss Steve. It might not be the way he wants, but it also might be the only chance he’s going to get, so he turns and curves a hand at the side of Steve’s jaw—to steady Steve or to steady himself or maybe because he just wants to touch—and leans in and presses his lips to Steve’s.

And he tries to keep it PG, alright? He tries to keep it close-mouthed and soft, as easy and meaningless as the short kiss Robin had laid on him a few moments ago that had made it his turn to spin the bottle in the first place – he tries, but then someone (maybe Gareth? Hard to say, the world outside of Steve and Eddie has gone a little wishy-washy) shouts, “You call that a kiss?” and, well–

Eddie’s never backed down from a dare in his life.

(And if this is the only opportunity he’s going to have to kiss Steve, he figures he might as well milk it for all it’s worth.)

So he tilts his head, and parts his lips, and finds that Steve’s tongue is already there, hot and wet and licking into his mouth like he’s starving for it, teasing Eddie’s tongue back into his own mouth and sucking, and–

Eddie pulls back before the embarrassing noise he can feel building up in his chest can work its way free. He blinks at Steve, who is staring right back, eyes wide and starry, pupils blown, his mouth still hanging open a little as he pants for air, his bottom lip full and shiny in a way that makes Eddie want to dive right back in and bite him a little bit.

In fact, he’s very close to doing just that until someone’s voice breaches their little bubble.

“Well, Steve?” Robin prods, sounding far too amused for anyone’s good. “Are you gonna take your turn?”

“Nah.” Steve shakes his head, eyes still trained on Eddie as he stands up. “I think I’m out. Eddie?”

Eddie’s on his feet before Steve can even finish saying his name. “Right behind you.”

And then Steve is smiling again, eager and maybe—dare Eddie think it—a little smitten, and he grabs Eddie’s hand to drag him somewhere a little more private, somewhere away from the catcalls coming at them from the circle of friends they’re leaving behind, who Eddie pays absolutely no mind to because finding the nearest clear surface he can crowd Steve against feels more important.

Eddie doesn’t know whose brilliant idea spin the bottle was, but he owes them a goddamn fruit basket.

[nburkhardt]

This is something that hasn’t left me since I read a fic from fucking glee years ago. It’s haunting me and goes away only to come back and swirl in my head so I’m just gonna write it out.

Saying this now, i remember a lot of season 4 but I’ve blocked out the Stancy parts hahaha so it’s not completely accurate to the show I don’t think. Also a quick heads up, I skip a lot of what happens in the show because it’s taking up too much brain power remembering those things lol (ps: if you see typos, no you don’t)

~

“I always pictured you, just, wanted to let you know before we head straight into danger”

Something inside of her wants to break and yet all she can do is nod at him and immediately head into that danger. Not wanting to look to closely at it right now, there’s more important things going on right now.

Takes her shotgun and decides she’s ending this once and for all.

It feels like an eternity passes before she finds herself in the hospital. One second she’s ruining her eardrums using the shotgun right next to her face, the next she’s following the emt’s light.

Surprisingly all of them has made it, she doesn’t know how but they have. It’s all she knows, couldn’t hear properly and too out of it to really follow anyone anyway.

“-eler, ms? Hello, Ms. Wheeler? Can you hear me?”

Nancy blinks hard and looks around to find a nurse standing next to her, “oh, sorry. What did you say?”

The nurse smiles softly at her before shaking her head, “I was asking if you wanted to call your parents now? Our generator finally kicked in and we’ve already asked your friends”

That makes her blink again, her ears still somewhat ringing, “yeah- yeah! I’ll, um, do that”

The call with her mom she barely hears, but she knows that they’re on their way. As she hangs up the phone she looks around and doesn’t see any of her friends, it makes her nervous.

“Hey, where are my friends?” She asks the same nurse and catches her surprised look, “did- you already told me didn’t you?”

The nod is enough but the nurse still says, “Yes, two of them got admitted, the other two are in there with them. They didn’t want to be separated so they’re in room 130, just over there”

She knocks once before opening it to find what she expected, Steve in one bed with Robin clinging to him and Eddie on the other with Dustin sitting next to him.

It shouldn’t be surprising but it is.

“Nance! Heyyyyyy, welcome to the party!”

Robin snorts, “don’t mind the Dingus Duo, the doctors gave them some strong medicine for the bites”

She shakes her head, smiling just a little at them. Steve’s mumbling about Robin ruining the party, Dustin’s laughing and Eddie has his eyes closed either falling asleep or already there. She takes a seat on the extra chair, opens her mouth but lost her words. The room is filled with beeping, Steve and Robin whispering and Eddie snoring.

It’s nice, this is nice.

A pleasant change from the chaos they went through just hours ago.

Seeing Jonathan is amazing, he pulls her close and presses a kiss to her forehead. Her arms are wrapped around him and she can’t stop the tears from falling even if it’s a happy moment.

Because it is, actually seeing him in person and not just hearing his voice.

He holds her close and it feels great, it does. But there’s Steve’s words echoing in her head. It makes her hide her face in hopes to cancel them out, she’s with her boyfriend. The boy she loves with all her heart, and yet, yet she’s thinking of the one she broke at sixteen.

Those words swirl, rattle and settles in her head as she helps fix the cabin up. They burn when Jonathan jokes about Steve being in charge, she huffs a laugh but disagrees.

She sees the confusion on Jonathan’s face. That doesn’t surprise her. Instead of continuing, they’re interrupted.

Seeing Joyce and all of the Byers reunite brightens the moment of confusion, seeing Hopper is a massive shock but a welcomed one.

Fixing the cabin is a process, but with the actual adults back, they decide to stop for the day and make their way home.

She watches as Mike clings to El and Will, watches as Joyce holds Hopper’s hand in a death grips. Sees Jonathan hovering and she’s on the outside.

There’s those words making her stay on the outside.

There’s static in her ears, her vision blurry, heart beating fast and she can’t figure out what happened. How did this happen? They were fine, Jonathan promised. She promised.

“I’m really sorry, Nance. I just can’t be in a relationship anymore, I love you. I do, but my family needs me and I, I need them more. You have to understand” he’s holding her close and she can feel his tears fall onto her, “I won’t ask you to wait, you deserve someone who’ll love and focus on you.”

All she can do is nod as tears go down her face.

They share one last kiss before separating for good. He hugs her close and she squeezes her eyes shut.

It’s several hours later, having spent most of the day in a haze. She’s sitting at her desk, trying to get her focus back, when those words from months ago start to swirl back in.

“I always pictured you, just, wanted to let you know before we head straight into danger”

“-just travel across the country, with my family”and “always dreamt this” filters in with it, she doesn’t know what she’s feeling, she shouldn’t be thinking about her first boyfriend like this.

Jonathan just broke up with her, not even a full twenty four hours yet.

But the words are swirling fast and she can feel her stomach flutter suddenly remembering that feeling those emotions Steve used to give her.

It was nice, even if sometimes she had to be away from him. He did treat her like she was his world and it felt like it. Nancy goes to sleep with a plan set in mind.

Tomorrow, she’ll go to Steve’s and hope he still wants that second chance.

Dressed in her best clothes, wearing pretty make-up, she makes her way to the Harrington house.

Seeing Eddie’s van parked outside doesn’t surprise her, not really, what does make her pause is when she walks by a bike and skateboard on the porch.

Seeing that makes her doubt the timing, Eddie there is alright he shouldn’t know the history between her and Steve. She also swears she heard him talking Steve about lost loves and second chances.

The bike can only be owned by Dustin and he definitely knows the history and Max well, since Spring Break, has been particularly living with Steve at this point. Stating a number of times that Steve is her brother, she might not know the story but she’ll be questioning.

But she’s here now and Steve’s words are on fire in her head.

So, she moves ahead determined. She knocks on the door and takes a few deep breaths to get her composure.

The door opens and it’s not Steve answering, it’s Dustin and she blinks. Losing that composure she just gained, it’s quick and she’s quick to get it back with an easy smile. “Hi Dustin, can I come in?”

He’s been hanging out with Eddie too much lately, since he is loose with his posture now and opens the door with an exaggerated smile and waving his arm as he opens the door more.

“Nancy?”

She looks around, sitting on the couch is Max who’s got an eyebrow raise and frown.

“Hi Max, I wanted to speak with Steve. What’re you doing here?”

Both of them shrug and Dustin moves to sit next to Max, “We have plans with Steve and Eddie, we got tired of waiting outside”

“So we broke in”

She rolls her eyes, moves to stand closer to the stairs, “Are they awake? Where is Eddie?”

The two share a look and she can’t figure out what it means, Dustin has a mischievous smile once he’s looking back towards her, “Upstairs”

A little suspicious at the look, but the words in her head has her pushing forward despite the alarm bells ringing that something is up.

Steve’s house has changed since the last time she was here, there’s more life within it and old family portraits are gone, photos of friends in their places instead. There’s a door with a sign saying ‘Dustin’s room’ on it, and she passes an open door that was originally Steve’s. It’s cleared out except for the desk and the plaid wallpaper.

The next room is opened just a bit, she itches closer and pushes the door to see more and her whole body freezes.

There on the bed is not only Steve but Eddie too. From where she’s standing, Eddie’s pressed up against Steve’s back and has an arm around him; keeping him close.

She tears her eyes away from them and immediately regrets it.

On the floor is a mix of Steve’s clothes and Eddie’s, that’s not it though. Sitting directly next to bed is ripped condom packaging and by the trash bin is a poor attempt at throwing away a used condom.

It brings her attention back to the bed, in the short glance away, Steve has moved in his sleep. Instead of facing away; he’s now facing Eddie and nearly on top of the other. She tenses up as Eddie tightens his arms around Steve, then she pulls the door shut before moving quickly down the stairs.

Without acknowledging the two on the couch she makes it to the door, just as she pulls it open the door she’s stopped.

“They’re asleep still? We could tell Steve you stopped by” she can just hear smugness coming from Dustin and Max sniggering.

Shaking her head, she refuses to look back at them, “no, no, it’s fine. Have uh, have a good day!”

“It doesn’t make sense! I, I thought- he” Nancy mumbles to herself, trying to collect her thoughts. She didn’t even bother moving yet, still sitting inside her car mumbling and trying to figure this out.

She could’ve sworn Steve was flirting with her, she knows she was a little during the fight. It felt natural and right. Even though it was wrong, very wrong. But- it was potentially the end of the world, they could’ve died! Everyone involved would understand her lapse of judgment.

Steve had told her, admitted his dream with her in it.

Him and Eddie? Steve likes boys? Since when? Was- was it a lie then? Was she being led on? Maybe even being used?

She’s so in her head, she doesn’t notice anyone walk up and only realizes when her whole body jolts at the knocking on her window. Shaking her head and reaching for her glove box, looking over her eyes widen at Steve standing there.

He’s wearing sweatpants with only a jacket over his bare chest, he looks worried, confused and most importantly; scared.

Taking a breath, she rolls her window down before looking at him, “Steve, hi.”

“Nancy, what are you doing here?”

Frowning, she looks away from him and startles at seeing Eddie standing there by the door also looking scared. Her eyes must be wide, because Steve clears his throat and she immediately looks back at him. “I- I”

Steve sighs, dropping his arms to run a hand over his face and hair, looking away from her, “Nancy, what you saw- you can’t tell anyone. Okay? Please. I don’t understand why you’re here right now and I really don’t want to know rig-” he shakes his head, “just, please don’t tell anyone”

She opens her mouth, but the words get caught. Steve’s look is haunted, even more afraid then a few months ago. Closing her mouth, taking another look at Eddie by the door before focusing her attention back on Steve.

“I won’t. I promise, Steve. I won’t tell anyone, just- maybe we can talk sometime? All of us?”

He clearly wasn’t expecting that, she can tell by his eyes and how he glances behind him, before looking at her again. “I’ll have to talk with Eddie first, but, uh yeah sure.”

Steve gives a weak smile at her that she tries to match, despite her racing thoughts. He steps away from the car and she starts it, nodding her head before driving away. She watches in her rear view mirror as Steve walks over to Eddie and only squeezes his arm before leading him inside.

Imagines that once inside, Steve pulls Eddie close and holds him tight.

Three Days Later

It wasn’t avoiding them, she really wasn’t. She had to collect her thoughts, really figure out what she absolutely wanted in life now.

Which, she still doesn’t know, at least relationship wise.

Thinking back on the last few years and how they’re finally no longer fighting for their lives and the world, she can go for her dream of becoming a journalist. Which is exactly what she realizes, two days into her thinking, that’s what she actually wants in life. Not a relationship with Steve. Not even a relationship with Jonathan at this point, she doesn’t need that right now.

By the third day, she realizes how selfish she was acting and how much she actually scared, maybe even hurt Steve and Eddie.

That’s what brings her back to Steve’s front door with an apology and some cookies. There’s no bikes or skateboards this time around, just Eddie’s van and it’s not first thing in the morning.

Knocking on the door is quick and as she wants gets her composure and tries to relax. It’s not long before the door opens, Steve standing on the other side and her mind flashes back to the night in 83. Shaking her head to get rid of it, smiling she raises her hands up with the plate.

“I bought cookies”

Steve smiles a little and let’s her in, “you didn’t have to, Robs and I had a baking spree last night”

���Yeah and it’s all delicious!” Eddie shouts out, from somewhere.

It does some a little like a bakery in here, she notices. Placing the plate on the table before looking at Steve, “no, my mom insisted I bring them.”

Steve just nods as he closes the door, “It’s fine, we love cookies and if we don’t finish them, Eddie’s friends and Robs is coming over later anyway”

He leads her towards the kitchen and she’s not surprised to find Eddie at the table with paints and figurines, “Elder Wheeler, good afternoon on this fine day”

A laugh bubbles out of her, as she takes a seat across from him and she watches Steve take the seat right next to Eddie. Eddie looks towards him and she gets to see a silent conversation pass between the two, it’s not like the ones she’d see between Steve and Robin or even the ones she’d have with Jonathan.

It ends a second later when Steve looks towards her with a tight smile, “Nancy, I’m sor-”

“No!” She’s a little loud but it makes his mouth snap shut and Eddie to widen his eyes, “sorry, but you don’t have to apologize to me. If anyone should, it’s me. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you guys or to make you uncomfortable. I, I wasn’t thinking straight”

Eddie snorts, “couldn’t imagine how to do that”

It makes both her and Steve break into a smile, she’s quicker at sobering up though, sits straighter and clears her throat before settling her eyes on Steve, “I was being selfish, that’s why I came over the other day. Your words were in my head and I thought, maybe they were telling me that we could have a second chance. But I realized, I don’t want it anymore.”

Steve looks confused, “my words? Wha- my old dream? That thing?”

She nods, “yeah and I didn’t think things through, came here and found you both in bed and, scared you”

“You did” Eddie nods, dropping a hand to Steve’s, “When Dustin and Max mentioned you were in the house and looking for Steve, it really did scare us”

“I know, and I’m truly sorry for doing that to you both.” She looks away from them and sees how tightly Eddie has Steve’s hand in his, “You’re-”

“Relationship,” Steve interrupts her, “our relationship”

She nods, “it’s yours and I shouldn’t have even thought of you the way I was.”

They both nod and it’s quiet for a moment.

“Can, can I ask you?” She doesn’t know how to approach this, this isn’t something she does a lot. This is completely different from anything she’s done before, “You don’t have to tell me anything”

The couple share another long look before looking back at her, “I’m gay, I only like boys.”

“I like both. I especially like Eddie” Steve’s smile is bright and aimed completely at Eddie, “before you ask, we’ve been dating since we got out of the hospital.”

It surprises her, it’s been months.

“Yeah, I was surprised too. Thought Stevie boy was still high off the pain meds, turns out he was completely serious” Eddie laughs, “We haven’t told many people, gotta be careful with this”

She’s not surprised by that and nods, “I understand, I’m just a little confused- if you liked him and why give me hope? Why tell me that dream of yours”

“Nance, we were in the middle of a war,” Steve squeezes Eddie’s hand before letting go and reaching over to take her hand, “I wasn’t lying, I did dream of having a future with you. I thought we weren’t going to come out of it, didn’t think I’d have even a chance of growing up. That dream was from a little lonely boy who loved you with everything, I thought you should know that before something happened to us. But that wasn’t my only dream, and I know that’s not the kind of life you’d want, right?”

Her eyes are watering and nods, “You’re right, it was nice though”

It makes all of them laugh and Nancy feels like she knows him better, “I really am sorry, not just for scaring you. But for what I did back then”

“I’m sorry too”

There’s tears falling from both of them and she can see Eddie wiping away his own eyes.

A laugh bubbles up out of her, then Steve and lastly Eddie. It’s tears and laughter between them now.

~

Okay, look I’ll be completely serious right now. This wasn’t supposed to be this long, honestly. That’s why it ends the way it does, because it could go on even more. But I’d be repeating myself I think. Also, all of this just for the image of Nancy finding out about Steddie in like the most awkward way possible. (Without it being completely explicit 🤣)

Hope it reads okay, I had some help from the discord babes, @i-less-than-three-you & @strangersteddierthings! Love you both lovelies 💜

Information that isn’t in the fic: Robin and Wayne are the first ones to know about Steddie. Dustin, Max & the CC boys are the only other ones that know (besides Nancy) everyone else doesn’t. Also this takes place over a span of a few months. The very first part is directly after vecna (max isn’t hurt) and jumps to the “two days later” after that. But Jonathan and Nancy break up is about two months later.

TAGLIST! (If you want to be added, let me know!)

@spectrum-spectre @itsfreakingbats @mysticcrownshipper @artiststarme @thereindeerlady @justforthedead89 @ronniescontinuum @freyaforestafay @littlewildflowerkitten @estrellami-1 @gregre369 @zerokrox-blog @bookworm0690 @flustratedcas @carlprocastinator1000 @marvelmwah @solliesolesito @navnae @grimmfitzz

[munsonsmixtapes]

Teach Me

Steve x bi!fem!reader

word count: 8,046

part one part two part three part five part six part seven part eight

Part Four: Lesson Three

“Can’t believe this is the second weekend in a row that you’re ditching me,” Eddie scoffed as he lay across your bed. He was on his stomach with his feet kicked up as he flipped through yet another one of your magazines, swinging his legs back and forth. You swore that he liked them more than you did. He loved the gossip and all the little quizzes. For the last twenty minutes, he had been trying to figure out who his dream date was going to be and was trying to decide between the final two.

“And I can’t believe you’re complaining when you claimed that you were a “proud daddy” because I was hanging out with people who weren’t you,” you retorted, throwing on a pair of shorts.

“I’m still a proud daddy, don’t get it twisted,” he stood up from the bed. “But now I feel like you’re replacing me for Harrington,” he jutted out his bottom lip. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately.”

“We work together, Eds,” you crossed your arms over your chest. “And I’d never replace you. You’re my best friend.”

“You know you’re allowed to have feelings for him, right? I’m not upset.” The more he thought about it, the more he could see you with Steve. And it didn’t upset him in the slightest. In fact, he couldn’t have been more happy.

“I don’t like him.” Eddie thought it was cute how in denial you were of your feelings. How it was so obvious that you liked Steve but you were the only one who couldn’t see it.

“Right,” he nodded. “You don’t have feelings for Steve in the way that I’m one hundred percent straight,” he winked. Your sexuality was one of the things that bonded you. You both had realized that you were bisexual at very young ages and had been the first people that you each came out to.

“But-”

“Don’t try to deny it, babe,” he nudged your shoulder. “Own it. He likes you too.”

“How can you be so sure?” Eddie gave you a look as if to say “really” with a hand on his hip.

“Because I can see hearts forming in his eyes every time he looks at you.” It was almost sickening, how much love Steve looked at you with. The way his brown eyes would soften and his lips would turn up into that stupid, dopey smile.

“No you can’t.” You almost wanted to believe that he was lying, but Eddie was a terrible liar and he most certainly would have never lied to you.

“Oh, please,” he scoffed. “That man is totally in love with you.” That was a hard concept for you to grasp. That anyone could love you. Especially in a romantic sense. You had always been a last choice to people so why would you have ever been anyone’s first?

“Whatever.” You turned back to your closet and went through the rack one more time before deciding on one of your old tank tops. You really needed to update your wardrobe.

“Now, let’s talk about something more important,” he reached for the magazine and held it out to you. “Do you think my dream man is Harrison Ford or Johnny Depp?”

“I can’t believe you’d even ask me that,” you rolled your eyes as you threw on the tank top. “We both know you like men old enough to be your father so you’re definitely going to choose Harrison Ford.”

“You know me so well,” he grabbed hold of your face and pressed a loud, smacking kiss to your cheek. You quickly wiped your cheek with the back of your hand with a grimace. “Damn,” he let out a whistle. “Looking to get some tonight?”

“No,” you glared. “Robin will be there too. Are you gonna be okay here tonight?” He was watching Callie for you yet again which you always appreciated. “I can stay.”

Eddie knew exactly what you were doing. You were trying to seem like you were concerned about him being able to take care of Callie, but you both knew that you were hush trying one last time to get out of your plans.

“Nope, you’re going,” he grabbed your purse and shoved it into your hands.

“But-”

“No. Callie is going to try a fishtail braid on me and you are not going to ruin that for me.” You thought that it was cute that he always let her play with his hair.

“Oh, so you have big plans,” you let out a laugh.

“That I do. Now get out of here.” He handed you your pager before giving your ass a slap.

“Alright, I’m going.” You headed for the door but he grabbed your wrist before you could. You could have sworn that he was going to give you a kiss goodbye, but he didn’t.

“Wait, hold on.” He grabbed hold of the front of your shirt, pulling the front of it down to show off some of your cleavage. “There.”

“Eddie, for the last time, I’m not getting some tonight.” You knew that he was up to something, but you were afraid to ask what.

“Sure, sure,” he winked and you made a beeline for the door, scared to know what he had been up to.

You pulled up to Steve’s once again and this time, you were grateful to have Robin there so you wouldn’t have wanted to get close to Steve. You would have wanted to snuggle close to him as the movie played; to stare at him instead of the screen, your eyes drifting to his lips, wanting to know what they tasted like.

You couldn’t let things progress with him, you just couldn’t. Denying your feelings was the way to go. Even if you had started something with him, he would just find someone new, leaving you in the dust. Everyone else did, so why was Steve an exception?

You rang the doorbell and the door opened in record time, Steve on the other side. He was dressed in a hoodie and a pair of basketball shorts, something that was definitely more casual than what he usually wore. You liked the look on him.

“Oh,” he said in surprise. “So you still decided to show up. Come on in.” You stepped inside, unsure of what he had meant. Clearly you were missing a vital piece of information.

“Yeah, we made plans, or did you forget?” You let out a laugh, but quickly stopped when you saw that he wasn’t laughing with you.

“Robin canceled and said that she was going to call you.” He closed the door before turning to face you. Now it all made sense; Eddie being weird about you “getting some” and pulling down the front of your shirt. He had been in cahoots with Robin to set you and Steve up.

“She didn’t.”

“Oh.” Steve was now finally in the loop, realizing what had happened. He couldn’t believe that he had fallen for his friend’s tricks once again. “Well, you’re already here. Do you still want to watch the movie? Or we can play a board game.”

“Or we could practice some more.” Steve liked the way you thought. He couldn’t sit next to you in that kind of setting and not think about how he wanted you cuddled up into his side. He couldn’t think about how pretty you looked and how much he wanted to run his hands along your body. How he wanted to press kisses to every inch of skin he could find. If he was teaching you how to behave on a date, then that would give him something to focus on other than your pretty, soft skin.

“That works too,” he shrugged. “I already have the whole lesson plan written out.” He wasn’t going to tell you that he wouldn’t have done that for anyone else. That you were special.

“Since when are you so thorough?” Literally never. But he would be for you. He would have been whatever you wanted.

“This is important to you and I want to make sure that I don’t leave anything out.” That was true, but he also wanted you to know how seriously he took it. He didn’t want you to think that he didn’t know what he was doing, and he definitely didn’t. At least, not when he was around you.

“That’s sweet.”

“I mean, I can’t have any potentially bad advice lead back to me.” You just laughed, giving his shoulder a shove.

“So, what’s on the agenda?” His mind went blank. Everything that he had written down in his notebook had completely vanished from his brain.

“This is the perfect opportunity to show you how to go on a date to the movies.” You didn’t like the sound of that. You hadn’t heard a single good thing about going to the movies on a first date.

“Isn’t that known to be a bad first date?” You crossed your arms over your chest.

“Sure,” he shrugged. “To amateurs.”

“And you’re not one?” You joked and he just rolled his eyes.

“Clearly not since you asked me to help you.” He had a point. You wouldn’t have asked him if he didn’t have so much experience. You wanted help from someone who actually knew what they were doing.

“Touché. So what are we watching?”

“Whatever you want.” He headed over to a cabinet that was by the biggest TV you had ever seen. You turned the cabinet and you could have sworn that it was filled with every single VHS tape ever made.

“I’m gonna grab us some snacks real quick.” Before you could answer, he fled to the kitchen. You turned to look around while he was busy with his task and your gravitate over to the sliding glass door that led out to his backyard. You got closer and realized that he had a pool. Of course he did. Rich people always had pools. The moon reflected off the water, making it look so inviting on that summer night. It looked so much cleaner than the public one in town. It looked prettier, bluer. And probably cost a fortune to keep up with. You were going to have to invite yourself over to use it sometime.

Steve came back in record speed with a tray filled with all sorts of different snacks and a couple of sodas. He set them on the coffee table and turned to your with a smile.

“Help yourself,” he gestured to the tray with his hands and you stepped forward to see what all the options were. In the center was a giant bowl of popcorn and there were smaller bowls of candies surrounding it. He took one of the sodas and cracked it open before taking a sip then headed over to his movie selection.

While Steve was going through the tapes, all you could think about was how fucking pissed you were at Eddie for his little schemes and you were definitely going to tell him as such as soon as possible. There was no way he was getting away with something like that.

You could get a date on your own. You didn’t need your best friend to help you and especially not behind your back. You supposed that in the grand scheme of things, what he had done wasn’t so bad, but it was more so that you had been caught off guard and that Steve had been dragged into it as well.

“I’ve got literally everything so take your pick.” Steve moved out of the way so you could see his collection. You stepped forward and couldn’t help but admire the way that everything was not only alphabetized but also categorized by genre.

It felt weird hanging out with someone who had things like that. You had grown up with practically nothing and so did Eddie. The two of you were eating TV dinners or food from cans and playing with old toys that were hand me downs from your parents and Wayne while kids like Steve were getting home cooked meals and the newest electronics. Being friends with Steve was like entering a whole new world that you had no idea how to be in.

You felt envious that he could have anything he wanted just by asking when you knew that just having your own bed was out of the question. You wondered what it would have been like to have your own room and where your next meal would be coming from while those were things that Steve never even had to worry about.

“Do you have any horror?” That had definitely been your favorite genre, but you were never able to watch it because Callie was always around and you definitely didn’t want her to subject her to that.

“Yeah, of course.” You squatted next to him, your hands accidentally brushing as you teetered towards him, losing your balance a bit. You liked the way his skin felt against yours and wondered if the rest of him was just as soft.

“This section isn’t as big as your others.” There had to be about ten movies on the entire shelf when the others had at at least thirty.

“Because Robin bought them all. It’s honestly my least favorite genre.” You let out a gasp, putting your hand up to your chest and he just glared at you.

“Aww, Stevie,” you rested your hand on his shoulder. There was that nickname again, but this time, he didn’t mind it. Actually, he was starting to prefer it to his actual name, but only because it was you who was saying it. “Do they scare you?”

You let out a laugh and he could have sworn he had died and gone to heaven because that would have been the only reason why he was hearing something so angelic. He didn’t care that it was at his expense, he was honestly willing to do whatever he could to hear it again.

“No,” he grumbled and you almost thought the blush creeping up on his cheeks was adorable. Almost.

“C’mon, you tell me,” you nudged him. “I won’t laugh,” you held up one of your pinkies. “Promise.”

He looked down at your finger then back up to your face, suspicion in his eyes. He didn’t know why you were offering him a pinky promise since they often meant nothing.

“Why would I believe you?” He raised an eyebrow. “Pinky promises never actually mean anything.” You only scoffed at him. You couldn’t believe that he actually thought that.

“Excuse me?” You glared. “Pinky promises are actually very serious and I would never break them.” You truly meant the words that were coming out of your mouth. You had made countless pinky promises with Callie and you’d have been damned if you had broken any of them.

“C’mon, Stevie,” you leaned closer to him so that your faces were almost centimeters apart. He was resisting the strong urge to close the small space between the two of you, slotting his lips between yours. “I won’t tell anyone,” you whispered and he thought for a second before holding his own pinky up.

Your fingers wrapped around each other and the two of you each gave your hands a shake before pulling away from each other completely.

“Fine,” he let out a sigh, letting his hand fall to his lap. “They’re a little scary.” He felt a little embarrassed about his confession and was hoping that you really wouldn’t laugh like you had promised. Robin and Eddie had already given him shit and he really didn’t need it from you too. He was just a baby at heart. He hoped that if he milked it enough, you’d pull him into your arms and let him cuddle into your side. That seemed like wishful thinking, though.

“See?” You asked. “Was it that hard?” You gave him a pointed look.

“No, but I think my ego is a little bruised.” He put his hand up to his chest and rubbed the spot as if he had been wounded. He was almost as dramatic as Eddie sometimes.

“Well, it is a bit too big so I think you can stand to be knocked down a few pegs.” His mouth fell open at your words and he realized that he kind of liked being insulted by you, feeling a little turned on by your jab. He noticed that a lot of girls felt like they needed to walk on eggshells around him as if they were afraid that they would have insulted him. It was as if he was some fragile thing that needed to be protected from any possible deflation.

“You’re mean,” he glared and you just let out a chuckle at his cute pout.

“And you’re a dingus. Oh!” Your face lit up as you reached for a movie from the shelf, turning it around so he could see the title. “This is a classic!” Steve had never even heard of the movie so he assumed it was Robin’s.

He had never seen you so excited about anything, but he supposed that it was due to a horror movie just made sense for you. He liked seeing that side of you. He liked seeing the bright smile on your face as your eyes lit up like a kid’s on Christmas morning.

He was nervous, however, to see just how scary the movie was and hoped that there weren’t going to be any jump scares. He couldn’t embarrass himself even more in front of you. He knew that you wouldn’t judge him, but he couldn’t help but want to be the protector. And maybe it wasn’t very feminist of him to want that for himself, but he didn’t care. He wanted you to bury your face into his neck, holding onto him for dear life. He was really just looking for any excuse to get close to you.

He turned the TV on and reluctantly put the movie into the VCR, putting the cover out of his line of sight even though he knew the thing would haunt him in his dreams. He turned to the couch to see that you had already made yourself comfortable there. You had curled yourself up against the left arm; the spot where he usually sat. You just looked so pretty there that he supposed that he could let you have the spot just this once.

He slowly sat down on the cushion next to yours and made sure to keep some space between the two of you. He wanted to be sure that he wasn’t crossing any of your boundaries. You pushed yourself further into the arm even though you wanted nothing more than to tuck yourself into Steve’s side and rest your head on his chest

“Alright,” Steve let out a sigh once he was seated. “Let’s get started.” He fully turned to face you, resting his hands on his thighs, trying his best to wipe his sweaty palms without being obvious.

“Let’s,” you agreed with a nod.

“So, I’m going to go through this as if you’re the one calling the shots.”

“Got it.”

“So, really, going to see a movie is a great way to get close to the person you’re going with.”

“Really?” Your features scrunched in confusion.

“Well, physically,” he specified. “Is it okay if I scoot closer to you?” You appreciated that he asked even though that was the bare minimum.

“Yes.” Your heart rate picked up at the thought of you actually being that close to him and you hoped he couldn’t hear it in the silence between the two of you.

The two of you moved into the center of the cushions so you wouldn’t be pinned to the armrest and you realized that he was one of the only people you had sat that close to anyone outside of your family in a non-sexual context. It was nice. That there wasn’t any pressure to make any moves and be smooth.

Steve’s bare thigh touched yours and your found your mind yet again wandering to thinking about his legs being tangled with yours as he laid on top of you, pressing the most gentle kisses to your lips.

You knew you shouldn’t have been thinking about it, but you couldn’t help it. Sex had become such a big part of your social life that it had been hardwired into your brain. It was a switch that automatically turned on when you were alone with someone that you felt physically attracted to.

You turned to Steve and he was already looking at you, patiently waiting for you zone back into the conversation. He always got concerned when you got that into your head, knowing that you were overthinking something or adding something to your ever growing list of responsibilities.

“So, a great way to initiate touch, if you’re up for it, is to,” Steve paused when he realized that you hadn’t been paying attention. You had turned your head to the left, afraid to look him in the eye, which he thought was odd considering you were always so good at making eye contact.

He slowly lifted his hand and hooked his finger under your chin, taking it between his pointer finger and thumb. He turned you to face him and he didn’t miss the light pink tint covering your cheeks.

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours, hm?” He asked, softly. Your cheeks only turned more pink and he tried to hold back a laugh at how adorable you looked.

You avoided his gaze, your eyes settling for staring at his shoulder. You had never felt this embarrassed in your life and it was in front of Steve. You were now just like everyone else and you hated that. You weren’t immune to the feeling of being emotionally attracted to people anymore. You were developing a crush, and it was on Steve Harrington.

“Nothing, Steve,” you finally got the guts to look him in the eye. “I swear.”

“Okay,” he , letting go of your chin, letting his hand fall back to his lap.

“You’re not going to press me for an answer?” Perhaps you were so confused because your parents would never let you get away with keeping information from them when they asked you a question. Keeping quiet was usually met with marks that you had to cover up with makeup and long clothing.

“No,” he shook his head. “Because if you don’t want to tell me, then I’m not going to insist.” Your heart warmed at hearing those words. It meant a lot to you that he respected that you didn’t want to tell him.

“Oh.” Your lips parted, wanting to say something else, but you weren’t sure what. You felt weird thanking him for something like that.

“Do you want to continue?” He gave you a small smile and you returned it along with a nod.

“Yes, sorry,” you shook your head, moving your hair away from your face. Steve had never seen you so out of order. Was he-was he making your nervous? No, there was no way. You didn’t get nervous, especially not around him. He was usually the nervous one.

“Nothing to be sorry for.”

“Promise?” You asked and he responded by holding up his pinky. You hooked yours around his and you both gave your hands a little shake before pulling away.

“Okay, so, again, the best way to initiate touch is just holding your hand face up, like this,” he held his hand up just like he was saying then laid it on his thigh, slowly inching it towards you. “See? This way, you can offer your hand without saying a word and you put the ball in their court.”

“Does this actually work or are you just fucking with me?”

“I can confidently say that it has a one hundred percent success rate.”

“That’s because you’re you. If just anyone tried that, they would have to relocate to a different state out of embarrassment.”

“Will you stop critiquing and just take my hand?” He gave you a pointed look and you looked down at his hand that was waiting for yours. It looked nice and soft and you wondered how it would have felt in other places.

“I didn’t know I was supposed to hold it. I thought you were just showing me.” You gingerly slid your hand into his and he was quick to slot his fingers in between yours, giving yours a reassuring squeeze.

Your heart rate picked up as you both turned to the TV screen to watch the movie that you had completely neglected. You were so aware of how his hand felt pressed against yours and it was causing your to internally panic.

It didn’t mean anything. It didn’t mean anything. You repeated the words in your head as he gently stroked your hand with the pad of his thumb. At that, all of your thoughts left your brain and for once, the thing was empty.

“See?” He asked, turning to you. “Just like this.” He continued to stroke your hand, keeping his eyes on the screen. You watched the scene before you and tilted your head to the side, noticing that you didn’t recognize what was happening despite having seen the movie more times than you could count.

“Oh my god,” you turned to face him, giving him glare. “You switched the movie!” You pulled your hand away from his in feigned disgust.

“Wow,” he rolled his eyes in a dramatic nature. “I invite you into my house and this is how you treat me?” He put his hand up to his chest in offense, shaking his head at you.

“Admit it, Steve.”

“I’m not admitting anything, honey.” The sudden use of the nickname made you want to melt. It was so soft and sweet just like him.

“Then how about I remove the movie and we’ll see?” You stood up from the couch but he grabbed hold of your waist and pulled you back down. The feeling in the air suddenly shifted as you locked eyes. His shifted to your lips then back up to your eyes so quickly that you might have missed it if you hadn’t been paying so much attention to him

“You know, I’m doing a nice thing for you and I’m not even getting anything in return.” His hands slipped from your waist and he crossed his arms over his chest. He did have a point, but you weren’t sure what you could have offered him.

“Well, you never told me what you wanted.” You leaned closer to him and he mimicked your actions, hypnotized by the flirty look on your face.

“How about this? I teach you and you teach me.” You didn’t know what he was getting at and were afraid to ask.

“And what could I possibly teach you?” There was nothing. You really didn't know how to do anything except draw and you didn’t think teaching him that was a fair trade.

“You’re kidding right?” He let out a laugh as he raised an eyebrow. You were still unsure of what he was getting at and just wanted him to come right out and say it.

“Just tell me,” you gave him a nudge.

“Sex,” he gave you a nudge in return.

“What?” You scoffed. Nope. Absolutely not. You were not having sex with Steve Harrington. That was where you drew the line.

“That’s the area you’re an expert in and clearly I’m lacking.” You let out a laugh at thinking about Steve lacking in sexual experience. He definitely didn’t get the name “King Steve” from being a virgin.

“Steve,” you moved away from him, tension rising in the air. There was a hesitance in your voice and he immediately regretted asking. He had definitely crossed a boundary.

“I’m sorry,” he shook his head. “I’m so sorry. Just forget I said anything.”

“Let’s do it.”

“What?” His eyes widened at your suggestion. He hadn’t actually expected you to agree. The whole thing had been a joke, after all.

“You’re right,” you shrugged. “You deserve something in return, so I’ll teach you everything I know.” You knew the mess you were getting yourself into, but you were slowly realizing that you’d do anything for Steve.

“Y/n, I was just joking. You don’t have-”

“I know,” you cut him off. “But I want to.” You rested a hand on top of his. You gave him an assuring nod but he was still unsure. He began to chew on his lip as he weighed his options.

On the one hand, he could have really used some pointers from someone who really knew what they were doing, but on the other, he knew how easy it would have been to cross a line where fake could easily become real.

Without putting much thought into it, you reached up and pulled his lip from between his teeth with your thumb before resting a hand on his cheek. It was warm and soft and you had to resist the urge to press a kiss to it.

“I teach you, you teach me?” You asked and he just nodded in response.

“Use your words, baby.”

“Yes,” he responded with a nod.

“Good boy.” He didn’t like how hard his dick got hearing you say those words.

“Well, since I taught you something tonight, it’s only fair that you do the same.”

“What do you want to know?” You were curious as to what he was

“I mean, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I’d say I know my way around a make out session, but it’s like-” he cut himself off, trying to find the right words.

“Like what, honey?” He could have sworn that he had melted hearing that nickname fall from your lips.

“It’s like I don’t know how to go all the way anymore.” He wasn’t going to tell you that you were the reason why. That he always envisioned your face anytime he would make out with a girl, automatically making him not want to continue. You were taking up every inch of his brain and he didn’t want you to stop.

“So you haven’t…”

“No,” he shook his head, hanging it low so you couldn’t see his face. “Not in a while.”

“How long is a while?” Steve knew you were just trying to get all the facts straight so you could really help him, but he still felt embarrassed. He also knew that you wouldn’t judge him, but he couldn’t help but compare his sex life to yours.

“Three months,” he let out a sigh. He hadn’t been sleeping with people too often, but even that was a dry spell for him. It was frustrating, especially since he was trying. Especially because the one woman who he actually wanted to sleep with couldn’t have been less interested.

You didn’t say anything in response. You just sat there, trying to figure how to approach the situation. You thought that maybe he had been exaggerating and that it had really only been like a week, but three months was a long time. Especially for Steve and how many dates he seemed to go on.

You felt bad for the guy. You felt bad that he had gotten so desperate for your help. If you were being honest, you had no fucking clue how to teach him without actually participating in the act. And you couldn’t. That would be a breach of your nonexistent contract.

“Do you want to start now?” He was caught off guard by your question. He thought he had more time, but he supposed that it was better to go for it then just panic for its anticipation for your next lesson.

“Can we?” He hadn't even thought that was an option right in that very moment. He was supposed to be helping you, not the other way around. But he had agreed, so he was going to have to go through with it no matter how much it scared him

“Whatever you want,” you shrugged. “You call the shots.” He didn’t like making the decisions. He just liked being told what to do.

“Okay, let’s do it. What’s first?” He was curious to see what you were going to suggest, if you would describe it or if you would actually touch him. God, did he want you to touch him.

“Well, before all of the sex stuff, we have to figure out what’s going on with your make outs and why they’re not working out.”

“How do we do that? Are we-are we going to make out?” He was trying to hold back his excitement but a small smile was evident on his face.

“Not if you don’t want to.” You swore you weren’t going to do anything but listen to his advice, but now here you were, about to make out with him and you were sure that you were going to like it. You couldn’t, though. Because then you’d want more and you couldn’t have it. It was just going to be a one-time thing.

“I want to.” So badly, he wanted to add, but he didn’t. He didn’t want you to know just how desperate he was to press his lips to yours. How much he was looking forward to sliding his tongue into your mouth.

“We’re doing this.” You scooted closer to him, hoping that he couldn’t hear your heart hammering in your chest. You had never been so nervous to makeout with someone and for once, you were afraid you were going to screw it up.

“Yep,” he let out a nervous chuckle.

“Can I get on top of you?” His eyes widened at your question and he wanted to tell you that you could do anything you wanted to him and he’d happily take it.

“Please,” he responded a little too eagerly and you took no time to straddle him and place yourself on his lap.

He couldn’t believe it. You were actually straddling him, about to make out with him. It wasn’t one of his fantasies he thought about when he was falling asleep.

You slowly rested your hands on his shoulders while his went to your lower back, right above your ass. You slowly inched your face towards his, giving him a chance to back out if he wanted to.

When he made no objection, you pressed your lips to his in a lingering peck. You pulled away for a second only to dive back in, capturing his bottom lip between your two. Steve was quick to return your kiss, your lips moving together slowly as you wrapped your arms around your neck to pull him closer to you.

Your hands ran through his hair and he didn’t even care that you were messing it up. If he was being honest, you were the only one who he’d let touch it.

Steve was honestly surprised he was able to react since his brain had short-circuited. Your lips were just as soft as he had hoped they would be and your hands were in his hair. He was just living the dream and hoping that he’d never wake up.

His hands pushed up the back of your shirt so he had access to your bare skin. Your tongue ran along his bottom lip and he opened up, letting you inside. Your tongue moved around his mouth in a messy manner, as if you were trying to taste every part of it. He tasted like the grape soda he had been drinking and for once, you didn’t hate the flavor.

His hands moved higher up your back, underneath your bra, but he made no move to remove it. Your shirt was moving higher up your waist and you were so close to just taking it off. You pulled away from him, the kiss getting too heated for your liking.

“I don’t see what the problem is, you’re doing great.” He knew that was only true because now he had the real thing.

“I think that���s because you’re a great teacher.”

“Haven’t taught you anything yet, Stevie.”

You pressed your lips to his cheek and moved your way down to the column of his neck, making sure to give each of his moles a kiss as you did so. You got to his neck, giving the spot a little love. You pressed gentle, open mouthed kisses to the skin before giving it a hard suck.

Steve let out a small whimper and that sounded like an invitation to continue. You continued to suck even harder then grazed his skin with your teeth which was followed by a moan falling from his lips.

His fingertips dug into your back and it arched at the sensation, bringing you closer to him. His nails moved down your back, scratching at the skin, just hard enough to leave a mark, but soft enough to not break the skin.

You diffused the bite with your tongue then moved back up to his lips, slamming yours to them. You took no time to stick your tongue back into his mouth, desperate to taste him more, sliding it roughly against his.

The kiss was rushed and messy as you tried to take what you wanted from him and he was there, pliant underneath you. He was going to let you have whatever you wanted, all he needed was your pretty lips.

You reluctantly pulled away for air and the both of your stared at each other, chests, rising and falling as you did so. You looked down into his eyes and could suddenly see what Eddie had been talking about. You could see the hearts. He had a dopey smile on his face and his brown eyes were suddenly the color of honey. Fuck, you were falling just as hard as he was.

His pupils were blown and his lips were swollen and pink from your kisses and you hated that he looked so goddamn adorable. So adorable that you wanted to kiss him all over again and tell him just how cute you thought he was.

“Was that okay for you?” You asked, flipping some of your hair over your shoulder, trying to play it off like you wouldn’t have been content kissing him all night.

“More than okay,” he smiled, his hands slowly slipping from your shirt. You were disgusted that you were actually starting to miss his touch. “You were-you were great.”

“You weren’t half bad yourself, Harrington,” you winked and he was trying real hard to not pull your back in for more. It was getting late and you should have headed home, but you still sat there in his lap.

His cheeks turned a shade of pink and you loved how easy it was to make him blush. How you could make him fold in just a few words. You were always flirting with people for the sole purpose of sleeping with them so you felt out of place flirting with Steve just because you wanted to. Because it was adorable seeing him stutter and become all flustered at hearing your words.

You reluctantly climbed off of Steve’s lap and he stared up at you, unmoving. Almost as if he was hypnotized. If you were able to do that to him just by making out with him, you wondered how he would’ve been after sleeping with you.

But you weren’t going to sleep with him. You couldn’t. Making out was one thing, but actually being intimate was off the table. You couldn’t do it. You wouldn’t. As much as you found yourself wanting him to lead you upstairs, you had to cut it short. Maybe it was because you felt weird because he was your friend or maybe it was because you were afraid of how emotionally connected to him you would have become afterwards.

“Well,” you sighed, grabbing your purse from the coffee table. “I should probably go.”

“Now?” He asked, quickly standing from the couch. You thought it was cute that he wanted you to stay but not cute enough to actually do it. You had to leave him wanting more and clearly from the way he was acting, you had been successful.

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I need to get back to Callie.” Technically, you weren’t lying. You wanted to make sure that Eddie had actually gotten her into bed on time. He could never say no and always ended up letting her stay up because she wanted to see you before she went to sleep

“Right, yeah,” he nodded in understanding. “I’ll walk you out.”

You headed for the door and Steve trailed behind you like a lost puppy. A couple of kisses and he was already willing to do whatever you asked him. Not that he needed the kisses to do it, but they definitely helped. All you had to do was tell him to jump and he’d ask you how high.

Steve was in a daze as he followed you to the door. Your make out session was playing in his head on repeat. Your hands in his hair, your tongue in his mouth, his hands underneath your shirt, your lips on his neck. It almost didn’t feel real with the floaty-feeling state he was in. It was almost as if he had taken one of Eddie’s edibles with the way he was feeling.

He opened the door for you and leaned against the doorframe when you got out onto the porch. He was looking at you so dreamily, almost as if he had been under the influence of something. It was almost cute. Almost.

“Well,” you reached into your purse for your keys. “I had a good time tonight.”

“Me too,” he nodded. A really good time.

“You can just give me a call when you have the next lesson planned and we can work around my schedule.” He already had it planned out but he wasn’t going to tell you that. He didn’t want to let on that he was actually crushing on you. That would’ve blown the whole mission.

“Sounds good,” he nodded once more and you stepped forward to plant one final kiss on his lips before heading down the steps and to your car.

He waited until your car was on the road before heading back inside. He couldn’t keep the smile on his face as he put the videotape away and cleaned up all the snacks, putting them all in containers to save for later.

He honestly couldn’t believe that had happened. Not only had he finally kissed you, but it had also more than lived up to the hype. Your lips were so soft and tasted sweet from the lip balm you had been wearing. You had your way with him and as much as he liked a soft and gentle make out, he was beginning to think that maybe he liked it rough. He actually liked the way you weren’t treating him nicely, that your were just taking what you wanted, having no regard for him at all. He was surprised that you couldn’t feel how hard his dick was. Well, if you did, you hadn’t said anything about it, and thank god for that.

He headed into the foyer and caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror by the door. He stepped up to it and could see a bruise forming on the side of his neck where you had your way with him. He turned his head to the side to get a better look and nodded to himself in approval before heading up the stairs to bed to dream about you just like he had every single night.

You headed into the trailer, immediately hiding the smile on your face. You couldn’t give Eddie any sign that his stupid scheme had worked. Despite you actually not even caring that much anymore, you still wanted him to know how upset you were with him for putting you in that position.

As predicted, Eddie and Callie were on the couch, watching her favorite cartoon when you walked through the door. They both turned to you for a split second then immediately turned back to the screen.

“Time for bed,” you said and they both whined, making no move to actually get off the couch. “C’mon, TV off.”

“Can we at least finish this episode?” Eddie asked as if he hadn’t been a full grown adult who could decide when he went to bed.

“Nope,” you shook your head. “It’s late enough as it is. C’mon, chop chop.” You clapped your hands and Callie reluctantly turned off the TV then both she and Eddie stood from the couch.

“G’night, bug,” he squatted in front of her, ruffling her hair before opening his arms for a hug.

“‘Night, Eds,” she responded with a pout.

“Oh come on. You know you can’t resist my hugs,” he still held his arms out, giving her one last chance to give in. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and his wrapped around her back before they gave each other a tight squeeze.

Eddie then stood back to his full height and headed over to you, offering you a hug as well. You took it and felt his lips right by your ear.

“Don’t think you’re getting out of telling me all the gory details. I want a play by play tomorrow,” he said before pulling away.

“No promises,” you responded as he pushed the door open and headed across the way to his own home. There was no way in hell you were telling him about your night with Steve. If you did, then he would have won. And there was nothing you hated more than admitting that you were wrong.

After Eddie was gone, you headed over to Callie who was rubbing her eyes with her knuckles, desperately trying to fight getting sleepy.

“I’m not even tired,” she whined, still rubbing at her eyes.

“I know you’re not, bug,” you replied, letting out a chuckle. She would be asleep in five minutes with how tired she seemed to be.

Once you approached her, she held up her arms as if asking you to carry her. Without protest, you picked her up and she was quick to wrap her arms around your waist, resting her head on your shoulder.

You carried her to your shared room and laid her down on the bed gently, grateful that she was at least wearing her pajamas so you wouldn’t have to fight her on changing into them.

You changed into your own pajamas and crawled into bed with her. She was quick to scoot closer to you, wrapping her arms tightly around you, resting her head against your chest. Your arms pulled her tightly to you, stroking her hair with one hand while the other rested at your back. She always insisted that the two of you sleep like this, leaving no space between you. You were convinced that she would have been attached to you if she could have been.

“I missed you,” she murmured, snuggling further into you.

“Missed you too, bug,” you stroked her hair some more before hearing her light snores coming from her lips. You were always envious at how quickly she was able to fall asleep. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out. You couldn’t say the same. You would lie awake for hours, thinking about all of your issues and your never ending to do list. It plagued your brain constantly, but especially when you were trying to go to sleep.

That night, though, all you could seem to think about was your pretty coworker. Your pretty coworker that you had formed a strange agreement with. Your pretty coworker that you kissed. And you actually liked it.

You found yourself quickly drifting off to sleep, dreaming of nothing but Steve and his pretty lips that you found yourself wanting to kiss forever. Maybe if you played your cards right, he would have let you.

[penny00dreadful]

Spies AU - Part 11

Part 1 Part 12 AO3

11th November 2015

Robin was a fucking life line. When Steve had called her after everything that happened, she’d talked him down from the proverbial ledge, stopped him from going out to try and track Eddie’s whereabouts, kidnap him and hide him away in his safe room.

She’d asked him how he even planned on finding him? The man was a master at what he did, and if he didn’t want to be found, he wouldn’t be.

So Steve was stuck pouting in the training room, sparring with anyone who’d be willing to go up against him or hanging around at Robin’s desk, annoying the shit out of her while she tried to organise and figure out their next move with Creel while also surreptitiously keeping her eyes and ears out for any sign of Eddie.

Of which there had been none.

It wasn’t that unusual. The man was a ghost and that was by design but even then there had always been whispers, rumours or an unusual body. 

But ever since Eddie had left his apartment there had been nothing.

Steve let out another loud sigh, half draped over a spare office chair that he’d been idly spinning in and half draped over Robin’s desk.

Robin who’s hair was getting more and more frazzled the more and more irritated she got with his dramatic and completely necessary sighs. 

He couldn’t help it, he was pining.

Hard.

She’d already had to put up with being told over and over again about their kiss, the lead up, the night before, all of it. 

In excruciating detail. 

Multiple times.

Steve inhaled again but Robin slapped a hand over his mouth before he could wistfully sigh one more time.

“I’d have more sympathy if you were actually moping, but you’re just here to be dramatic.”

“I am actually moping.” He said, pouting and muffled from behind her hand.

“No. A few weeks ago you were actually moping. Now you’ve mostly moved onto acceptance of your feelings but are bored and restless and bothering me at work.”

“I always bother you at work. Give me something to do, Robin!” His volume was getting louder along with the glares from the other analysts. “I’m going out of my mind, I haven’t had a lead on Creel in months, I’ve just been keeping his targets safe and trying to figure out Kas-”

Robin pressed her hand harder against his mouth, shutting him up with a look. 

She was right. 

He couldn’t be shouting about Kas here, where anyone on their side could hear and make the situation so much worse and anyone not on their side could get Eddie killed.

Hopper was still investigating the source of the leak, but it was slow going, combing through everyone department by department, scouring their backgrounds for anything that seemed slightly off.

But there had been nothing so far.

Once he’d closed his mouth and stayed quiet for a few seconds, Robin removed her hand with a frustrated huff.

“You’re lucky you have me, you know that Harrington? Because as it turns out I do have something for you to follow up with.”

Steve perked up almost immediately. “You’re the best, Robbie.” He grabbed her face and pulled her in, placing a wet kiss against her cheek while she tried to fight him off.

“Yes, I know, now get off me! You’re gonna cover me in boy cooties! Boy cooties are like lesbian repellent and I need to attract the lesbians.”

“Excuse you.” Steve said, poking her in the sides. “That’s bi erasure.”

“Wish I could erase you.” She muttered back.

He grinned at her. “What do you have for me?”

“A gala. Creel is holding some charity fundraising gala at his house that is almost definitely a way to launder his money or build up more connections or something equally as nefarious and sketchy.”

“At his house? Do people really do that? I thought that kind of thing only happened in The Sound Of Music.”

“He’s one of the richest men in the world, Steve.” Robin responded with a roll of her eyes. “He’s got a pretty big house.”

“Even my parents didn’t have enough space for a whole gala.” He muttered to himself.

“Your parents have nothing on Creel, babe.” She tapped away at her keyboard before pointing to an excel sheet that Steve couldn’t comprehend even if he tried. “I can get you in as a waiter?”

“A waiter? Oh no,” he shook his head, clasping his hands in front of his face, “Robin, Robbie, Bobby-Birdie-Bobert Buckley, please no.”

“Why not? It’s the best way to get information. You’ll be able to go behind the scenes and overhear conversations-”

“I know, I know but…” Steve gave her his best puppy dog eyes, “I never get to wear my tux and it’s so well fitted, I mean, you’ve seen my ass in that thing-”

She waved her hand in his face, not looking at him, scrolling through her excel sheet. “Yes, yes, yes, your ass looks edible and spankable in it, so you’ve said.”

“But Robbie,” he made his lip quiver when she glanced over at him, “I’m heartbroken. I’m pining. Don’t I deserve to feel good about myself?”

She growled in frustration. “Oh my god, fine! It’s going to take some manoeuvring but I think I can manage it.”

“Yes!” He whooped, earning hisses to have some manners from the other analysts around him. “I love you, Robbie. I owe you one.”

“Yes you fucking do. I’ll come to collect soon.”

“I don’t doubt it.” He spun around in his chair a few times before bringing himself to a sudden stop. “Do you think he’ll be there?”

Robin glanced over at him again and shrugged. “Maybe. He is a part of Creel’s inner circle after all.”

“Yeah but… not really? I don’t think? He’s… I don’t know how many of them actually know who he is. Or how many think he’s just a myth. There’s rumours Creel had hired an actor to play the part just to scare them into submission. Or that Creel makes up all the deaths. Or that multiple people do the killings attributed to him.”

“Maybe he will be. Maybe you can get on your knees- in an unsexy way, Steven, get that look off your face -and ask for his forgiveness. Maybe he won’t be and I’ll have to put up with more pining until you inevitably try to kill each other again. I honestly don’t know.”

Steve huffed. “Why don’t you know? Being omniscient is the least you could do for me.”

“I’m fucking working on it.”

18th November 2015

Steve couldn’t believe Robin had been able to swing this. 

Hoity-toity events were difficult to get into at the best of times, never mind being a spy on a mission to take down the host.

But she’d done it. 

Somehow.

The gala was fucking opulent. 

Overly opulent, not even his parents would have been caught with such a gaudy interior. 

Gold veined marble floors, multiple alcoves with life size Grecian style statues inset (though Steve had a suspicion some of them might have been original) and a high domed vaulted ceiling with small circular skylights and intricately painted designs.

It was such an overdone display of wealth, Steve wouldn’t have been surprised if Birkin bags were handed out like party favours.

Still there were worse ways to spend an evening. Sipping on champagne that probably cost $1,000 per glass and schmoozing with the rich and vapid members of the 1% now that he’d gotten all the information he needed.

He had watched everyone carefully, trying to work out who were those closest to Creel, who he bought from or sold to, who was on the higher levels. He kept an eye on the staff, observing who they tensed up around, when their smiles got a little more strained depending on who called them over, the looks they’d share with each other in passing. 

He’d drifted around the space, slinking from group to group, using his charm and his hair to his advantage, striking up conversations with dazzling smiles and big wide eyed apologies when he ‘accidentally’ bumped into someone, inserting himself into their group without them even noticing.

Steve had been trained for this, well before he ever joined The Agency, being stuffed into itchy suits since the age of seven and forced to learn how to effectively talk in that mind numbing, self aggrandising way that all of these people seemed to excel in.

The only thing that was keeping him relatively sane was the knowledge that Robin was sitting in his head. All it would take was the flip of a switch on his hearing aid communicator to be able to bitch with her once this was over.

It all bored the shit out of him, this rich people play, but he was good at it, making his way through the various groups, young and old alike, all the while keeping his eye out for Creel, the security guards and hopefully, Eddie.

There hadn’t been a single sign of him amongst all the glittering dresses and satin pants stripes and he was starting to worry he wouldn’t see him before the night was out, even though he’d had no guarantees he’d be here anyway.

Steve knew he looked damn good in his dark green tux. The jacket was resting just right across his shoulders, the pants hugged his thighs and ass a little tighter than they should have but that was by design because, sue him, he liked to look amazing and there was no need to hide an ass like his.

He’d made sure his hair was artfully loose and messy, falling into his eyes in a slightly distressed way. Giving just the suggestion of bedhead that made him stand out amongst the slicked back hair and stiff updo’s.

And he smelled fantastic. 

He had surrounded himself with bergamot and sandalwood, fresh and powdery and somewhat spicy.

And okay, maybe he had put in a little more effort with the hopes that Eddie’s eyes would be on him but he refused to blame himself for that.

He wanted to see him again.

Needed to see him again. 

He needed to present his case, convince Eddie he’d never meant his friends or his family harm, earn his trust back and then maybe they could continue to kiss about it.

Creel hadn’t shown his face yet and according to Tommy and Carol, a couple about his age who Steve supposed he liked speaking to best, that wasn’t an unusual occurrence.

“Mr. Creel almost never attends his own parties.” Carol said, waving her champagne glass around. “Too hard at work. But, more champagne for us, right?”

“Right.” Steve nodded, darting his eyes around the ballroom again. There were couples dancing, swirling together to the music being played by the sinfonietta tucked away in a corner while Steve and his two current companions were a part of the crowd off to the side. There were guards positioned at every entrance and exit, appearing relaxed and pleasant but with eyes constantly scanning the room.

Steve had done his best to stay out of sight of them. No doubt they’d been required to memorise the guest list so they could greet everyone by name and though Robin had found him a gap, she wasn’t able to get him that far in.

He’d be discovered pretty quickly if anyone looked too hard.

Though, while he was positive he hadn’t been spotted, he had felt eyes on him for most of the night. A constant feeling at the back of his neck, sticking his hair in end and nearly making him shudder. But every time he would glance around, hoping to find out which guard was watching him, but no one was ever looking at him.

Except for now.

Now there was a guard weaving his way through the crowd, the way he held one arm slightly stiff to his side telling Steve he was armed. His eyes were locked on him, never once moving, even as he turned his face and gave pleasant smiles to whoever he was passing by, he was dead set on his target.

If Steve was confronted now, on the edge of the dance floor, it would cause a hell of a scene and he couldn’t afford that. If he was lucky he’d be able to disappear into the crowd and work his way around, going through the door the guard had just vacated before he got caught.

“Just you watch. In ten years time we’ll be using bitcoin to pay for everything.” Tommy droned on. “You'll be tipping your waitresses and buying your groceries with it. And I'll be sitting right at the top. All of this?" He gestured to the opulence around them before pulling Carol into his side. "Will be the lower end of the scale for us."

“I’m sorry to have to cut you off.” Steve was not sorry in the slightest, but still. Polite society and all that. “But I really must make a quick run to the bathroom, you’ll excuse me.”

When in doubt, make them uncomfortable. Always worked.

“Oh my, yes. Please don’t let us stop you.” Carol waved him off, a little frantically, her face glowing pink.

Steve didn’t wait for any other response, ducking down as far as he could without drawing attention to himself and weaving himself back into the crowd.

Moving as fast as he could, Steve wound his way around the other guests, keeping his head low and making for the now unguarded door, but as his exit came into sight, a body appeared in front of him.

“Sir, we’re going to need you to come with us.” The guard spoke low enough for Steve to hear but not loud enough to catch the attention of the others around him.

Through the crowd Steve could see other guards approaching, the same tense posture telling him they were also armed and determined.

Fuck.

Steve put on his most charming smile, adding a little confusion on top in the hopes he could talk his way out of this.

“Is there a problem?”

The guard matched his smile. “Not at all, sir.” He held his hand out, directing Steve towards that exit he had been heading for.

Before Steve could answer he felt an arm slide around his waist, coming to settle possessively right over his hip. His whole body tensed up at the touch, ready to fight his way out if he had to.

“Sorry I’m late, sweetheart.”

Eddie’s voice washed over him, his lips brushing over his ear and sending a shiver down his spine, immediately loosening the tension in his shoulders and drawing him into his side like a magnet. He could probably sense the internal sigh of relief that Steve let out.

There was something intoxicating about having him so close. 

Close enough to smell.

He smelled so fucking good, it was unfair. 

Woody and spicy and masculine and fucking addicting. Something like leather and oakmoss and pepper was invading Steve’s senses and he had to stop himself from licking it off Eddie’s fucking neck.

Underneath it all, Steve knew he should be worried. Eddie might still have it out for him, maybe just playing with him a little bit before he killed him, like he had all those months ago when they’d first met.

But even though all that was a possibility, a strong possibility, Steve couldn’t find it within himself to care.

Eddie was here.

He was here and he was intoxicating.

“Everything alright?” Eddie asked the guards and Steve snapped out of it, realising he’d been staring at the side of Eddie’s face the whole time, healed and beautiful and bright.

The guard glanced between them, eyes lingering on Eddie a little longer than they did on Steve before nodding curtly at the both of them. “Just a simple misunderstanding, sir.”

Before Steve could respond with anything coherent, he was whisked away by Eddie’s arm across his back and his hand still held tight to his hip.

“Wh-”

Steve was whirled around, forced to bring his hands up to Eddie’s shoulders to steady himself.

“Care to dance, sweetheart?”

Fuck yeah. Fuck yeah, Steve wanted to dance but…

There was something wrong. 

Something was off.

Eddie was strung tight like a bow. His shoulders were ridgid under Steve’s hands and though his face was smiling and easy, there were small stress indicators lighting him up. Small creases by his eyes, a slight worry in his brow, a tension in his lips and his neck.

Something was wrong.

Steve nodded. 

“Yeah. I’d love to.”

Eddie’s smile grew blinding though it didn’t fully reach his eyes. Steve was pulled forward with a hand at the small of his back until he was pressed against Eddie’s body, chest to chest and swept backwards onto the dance floor.

He couldn’t take his eyes off him, going wherever he led. He didn’t know who was around him, he didn’t know where in the ballroom he was anymore, where the exits were, where the people he needed to watch out for were, all he could see was Eddie. 

He could barely hear the music over his own rushing heartbeat and thrumming blood.

He was so fucked.

How had Eddie managed to get under his skin so easily? Steve knew, he knew he was playing a dangerous game right now, putting all his trust in this master assassin to not take him the fuck out like he'd threatened to the last time they saw each other.

He was just lost in those fucking eyes.

Those eyes that were glittering under the chandelier light, reflecting the candles on various hors d'oeuvres tables while they spun.

And Eddie was staring right back, equally as intense.

They didn't speak.

Barely even breathed, too wrapped up in each other to pay much attention to anyone else.

Or at least Steve was, which was why he couldn’t help the small shocked inhale of breath as he found himself backed into a wall.

He didn’t remember leaving the dance floor, didn’t remember when they had stopped dancing and he was just being walked backwards. 

They were in one of those small alcoves, hidden behind a Grecian statue, cloaked in shadow and in their own little pocket, away from everyone else.

Steve’s breath only shuddered more as Eddie removed his hands from his waist, dragging them up his body, over his shoulders, up his neck before eventually coming to rest gently, so very gently at each side of Steve’s face.

Their bodies weren’t exactly pressed up hard against each other, but Steve could still feel the way Eddie rested over him, the warmth of his chest and the various subtle bumps of a harness underneath his suit jacket telling Steve he must have various weapons or tools concealed within.

“What are you doing here?” Eddie asked, low and quiet. Almost like a secret. His mouth had turned down at the corners, his eyebrows were tilted upwards and his eyes looked so beautiful. Eddie was…

Eddie was worried.

“I-” Steve wasn’t sure what he should say, what he could say. How much did Eddie know? How much did he trust him? Did he still trust him at all? Was this the last time he’d ever get to see him again?

Funny.

He’d never thought that before. 

In all his time with Eddie disappearing and reappearing in his life, he’d never be worried he wouldn’t see him again.

But that had been worrying him for the last few weeks, hadn’t it?

Would he ever see him again?

And now here he was, holding him with so much raw care. It terrified Steve more than a knife to the gut ever could.

“I’m- I’m working.”

“Sweetheart, it’s so dangerous that you’re here right now.” Eddie brushed his thumbs along Steve’s cheeks. “Don't you understand? Creel knows.”

Steve brought his own hands down, grasping tight to Eddie’s waist, steadying himself against that wave of information. “What?” He croaked.

“He knows there’s an agent keeping tabs on him. He knows The Agency is trying to take him down. And he knew that an agent would be here tonight. Why do you think he hasn’t shown?” Eddie gripped him a little tighter, looking like he was torn between whisking Steve away in his pocket for safekeeping and shaking some sense into him. “This whole room is littered with people keeping an eye out for someone like you. Someone alone. Someone with their eyes and ears open to everything. Someone nobody recognises.” He sighed, keeping his voice low. “You must have known it was too convenient you were able to get an invite. They were kept open for this very reason. You must have known it was dangerous. Why did you take the risk?”

“I- I hoped you’d be here.”

Eddie closed his eyes, almost as if the words pained him and he tipped forward, leaning his forehead against Steve’s.

“Didn’t I tell you I’d always come find you?” He asked, softly. “That hasn’t changed.”

“I didn’t know if you still wanted to.” His fingers flexed against Eddie’s hips involuntarily. “I didn’t know if you… believed me.”

“I believe you, sweetheart. I do. I did. The minute you-” Eddie heaved out a shaky breath, pressing himself in closer, like he was trying to surround Steve completely, bundle him up into his rib cage and keep him safe there forever. “I believe you. But we can’t talk about that now, we don’t have time. I have to get you out of here.”

“Baby.” Steve raised a hand, using it to brush one of Eddie’s curls away from his face, leaving it there when Eddie tilted into it. “Are you putting yourself in danger by helping me?”

He could feel more than see Eddie’s lips press thin. 

With what seemed like a monumental effort, Eddie pulled away, trailing one hand back down Steve’s arm and giving his hand a tight squeeze.

“Come on. We have to get you out of here.”

Part 1 Part 12 AO3

Divider by firefly-graphics

@geekymagicalpotato @estrellami-1

Big thanks as always to @hbyrde36 for the magnificent beta work and to the STWG for their motivation

[ghosttotheparty]

lessons in femininity

part two of pretty girls part 1 also on ao3

Steve never intended on telling anyone.

Not a soul.

But Eddie fucking Munson pried it out of his chest, so patiently and tenderly and lovingly that Steve let him.

And now Steve is on his way to his best friend’s house because her parents aren’t home, and his hands are shaking, and he can’t really breathe, but even though he feels like he might die, he has a weird feeling he’s going to be fine.

He stops his car about a block away, taking a deep breath and squeezing the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turn white. And then he steels himself, tensing as he pulls into Robin’s driveway.

———

No, I’m fine, I just… I need to tell you something.

Robin’s had a pit in her stomach since Steve called her and asked if he could come over, anxiety and a little bit of fear knitted inside her because of the way Steve’s voice was shaking.

He gives her a weak smile when she opens the door for him, and she pulls him inside.

“What’s wrong?”

He laughs lightly, pushing his hands in his pockets. He does that when he’s nervous.

“Nothing wrong, I just… gotta tell you something.”

“What is it?” Robin asks anxiously.

“Uh.” Steve pauses, pushing his hand through his hair. “Can we sit?”

“Wanna go to my room?” Robin asks. Steve nods.

He follows her down the hall, and she shuts the door as he sits cross-legged on her bed even though there’s no one else home. He’s looking at the painting on her wall that she did when she was fourteen. A shitty ufo abducting a cow. He loves that painting.

“What’s going on?” she asks, crawling onto the bed.

“Uhm.” He takes a deep, shaky breath and pushes his glasses up. “I’m, uhm.”

“Steve,” she says softly. He shakes his head, smiling weakly.

“I’m fine, I swear,” he says, because sometimes he can read her mind. She wishes she could read his right now. He takes a deep breath, his hands on his knees, straightening his arms out like he’s bracing himself. “Okay. I’m— I’m queer.”

She stares at him, wide-eyed, and she relaxes, slumping, and her lips curve into a slow smile. His eyes cut up to hers.

“Oh,” she says softly. “Steve, that’s…”

He takes a breath.

“It’s not— It’s not just…” He pushes his hair back again. His hands are shaking. Robins’s stomach twists, and she reaches out, taking his hands in her own, pulling at them until Steve shifts. Their legs wrap around each other and she cradles his hands gently.

“What is it?”

“So…” He exhales shakily, playing with her fingers. “I like… I like men. Also.”

“Cool,” she says softly.

“But I also, uhm…” He blinks hard, swaying slightly, his hands tightening on Robin’s.

“Steve?”

“Sorry,” he says softly. “Just got a little lightheaded, ‘m fine.”

“Are you gonna have a migraine?” she asks worriedly. “Should I close the curtains?”

“No, it’s okay, don’t worry.”

“You can’t tell me you’re lightheaded and then tell me you're fine--"

"I'm fine,” he insists, laughing softly, squeezing her hands. “I’m just nervous, I’m okay.”

“You don’t have to be nervous, you can tell me anything.”

“I know,” he says adamantly. “‘S just— I wasn’t ever gonna tell you because it’s— I think it’s weird, but Eddie says it’s not weird,” he says quietly, looking at their linked hands. “And you’re my best friend in the world, so I want you to know, but I just— I don’t know how to say it.”

“You told Eddie?”

“Yeah,” he says, looking at her nervously.

“Tell me what you told him.”

Steve takes a deep breath.

“Okay. Uhm.” He looks at their hands again, tracing a line on her palm carefully like he’s drawing it. “So. I don’t think…” He hesitates, wincing. “I know,” he corrects. “I’m not just… a guy.”

She blinks, closing her fingers around his hand, listening intently.

“Okay,” she says softly.

“I’m— I’m a girl too. Kind of. I’m both,” he says choppily, anxiously, his hands trembling. She squeezes. “Eddie says he— he’s met people like me. Transsexuals and…” He takes a gasping breath, and she leans forward and presses a kiss to his forehead.

“‘S cool, Steve,” she says gently, squeezing his hands. “That’s okay.”

“I don’t— It’s not that I want to be a woman,” Steve says anxiously. “I’m just… I wouldn’t mind it? I like… being called pretty, and— and Eddie called me a girl and I really liked it.”

Robin listens, ignoring the curiosity that’s curling in her chest. (She wonders why Steve started all this by saying he likes men. Why Eddie was the first person he told about all of this. But at the same time, she doesn’t really wonder. Maybe she can read his mind the way he can read hers.)

“But at the same time I don’t, like, mind being called dude, or being seen as a man.” He’s quiet for a second. “Does that make sense?”

“Yeah,” Robin whispers. “That makes sense.”

He swallows nervously, biting his lip.

“Steve,” she says softly. “It’s fine. I’m not… judging you or anything. Not about this.”

He shoots her a look, scoffing, blinking tears out of his eyes. She wipes one away.

“Your taste in movies, sure,” she teases, and he laughs softly. “But not about this, not about who you are.”

She leans in, resting her forehead on his, and he takes a soft, gasping breath.

“I love you, Steve,” she murmurs. “Okay? No matter what.”

He lets go of her hands and wraps his arms around her neck, pulling her into a tight hug. She squeezes her eyes shut, moving forward so she’s sitting between his legs, her legs around his waist, and she runs a hand over the back of his head when she feels him inhale slowly.

She sighs when they separate, patting his cheek. He laughs softly.

“If I talk about you to Eddie how should I refer to you?” she asks.

“Uh.” He looks away, smiling softly like he doesn’t even realise he’s smiling. “He. I think. I don’t really know.”

“That’s okay.”

“We’re gonna go to, uhm, a queer bar in Indy,” Steve tells her, smiling crookedly, happily. “And he said I can try new things out. Being a girl.”

She smiles back.

“Eddie, huh?”

His face flushes red and he rubs his cheek bashfully, his eyes shining. Robin pokes his stomach, cooing, and he rolls his eyes, throwing himself onto his back.

But Robin’s legs are still around him, and she goes down with him, shouting his name. He wraps his arms around her tightly, laughing loudly.

“You’re so annoying.”

“You love me.”

“Ugh.”

They’re quiet for a moment, still giggling as they hold each other, until she sits up abruptly and looks down at him.

“How do you feel about makeup?”

“Uh. I’ve never worn it.”

“Would you like to?”

“…I’m open to the idea.”

She beams, scrambling to get up off of him, and he sighs heavily.

When she comes back with her makeup bags in hand, he’s sitting cross-legged on her bed, looking at the mural again.

“God, you really like that painting,” she says, sitting across from him.

“I want one,” he says. “When I get my own apartment.”

“I’ll do it for you,” she says lightly. “If you supply the paint.”

“Deal.”

“So, Eddie,” she says as she pulls his glasses off his face and hooks them on the front of her shirt. He rolls his eyes, blushing again. “Come on,” she says adamantly, rummaging through a bag. He watches, squinting. “I never got to gush about crushes and stuff with my friends.”

“‘S not really a crush,” Steve mutters quietly. She freezes as she’s pulling blush out.

“What’s that mean?”

Steve looks down, his fingers tangled in his lap.

“‘S my boyfriend,” he mumbles.

She smacks his shoulder.

“You asswipe, why didn’t you tell me?”

“It only happened like a few days ago,” he says defensively.

“Fine,” she says, reaching for the blush brush. “Strong tally on the You Rule board.”

He beams brightly, and the apples of his cheeks rise. Robin grins and puts the blush on them.

“So how’d it happen?” she asks, leaning back to make sure the blush is even. His left cheek is pinker, so she adds more to the right. “You and Eddie.”

“Uh.” He closes his eyes. “I think we’ve always had, like. A thing.”

“Uh-huh.” She brushes it over his nose.

“He was over with the kids for Hellfire at my place the other day. And we— Oh you’re gonna hate this.”

She rolls her eyes as she puts the blush away.

“Just tell me.”

“We went out for a smoke.”

Robin groans loudly. He laughs. She looks through her eyeshadows as they talk.

“Whatever.”

“I only went because I wanted to be near him.

“Sickeningly romantic, Steve.”

“Thanks. Anyway, I followed him out, and when I went to light my cigarette, he stopped me and said that pretty girls never light their own cigarettes.”

“Oh shit.”

“Yeah, it like… did something to me.”

“Gross.”

He laughs, and she finally settles on a colour, using her finger to brush it over his eyelid. He flinches back for a moment before he relaxes again.

“And?” she prompts. She can’t stop smiling.

“It felt nice,” he says softly. “I haven’t been called a girl since I was a kid. At least not in like… a nice way?”

“Yeah?”

“I couldn’t really, like… laugh it off. And he could tell something was up, so after the kids left, we… talked.”

“Talked,” Robin repeats slowly.

“We talked,” he insists. “I explained everything, and he was really… sweet. And then we made out for a while. And stuff.”

“Oh my god.”

He grins.

She rummages for her brushes and looks though the eyeshadow again.

“Is he a good kisser?” she asks as she starts working again.

“Mm.”

“Don’t moan—”

“I didn’t moan, that was an affirmative noise. You’re so dramatic.”

“Whatever.”

“How’s Vickie?”

“Vickie…” She sighs, smudging the makeup carefully. “She’s great.“

“But?”

“But. I don’t know,” she sighs again, touching his chin to make him tilt his head. “We’re, like… really similar. Which I didn’t know until we started hanging out. But like… We even have the same haircut, Steve.”

Steve snorts, and she swats at his nose.

“Sorry.”

“No, you’re not. Anyway, she’s really cool, and I do like her, ‘s just… We went out a while ago and our waitress and another customer both thought we were sisters. Not even friends, Steve. Sisters. Which, like, I go out with you, people think we’re siblings, that’s fine, that’s kinda funny, you know? We’re best friends, we can be siblings, whatever. But a girl I wanna date? God, it was so awkward, Steve.”

“So you’re not seeing her again?”

“I don’t think so,” she sighs. “Maybe it’ll be more fun to hang out with her without, like… trying to be in a relationship with her? Think I’d like to be her friend. And…” She trails off, pulling her hands away from Steve’s face.

“And?”

She exhales, his chest tightening.

“God, I’m an awful friend.”

“I just told you I’m a girl with a dick and you said ‘That’s cool,’ and promptly started doing my makeup. You’re a good friend, Robin.”

He opens his eyes and looks at her. The makeup looks nice.

“And what?” he prompts softly.

She fidgets with the makeup brush in her hands, spinning it the way she spins her pens.

“I think… maybe part of the reason I’m not super into Vickie anymore because I might be kinda, really into, uhm. Nancy.”

She looks up at him nervously, but he just smiles.

“Cool.”

“Steve. It’s not cool.”

“It’s cool.”

“Steve.” She glares at him halfheartedly. “…It’s not cool.”

“It’s fine,” Steve says, smiling, leaning forward in emphasis.

“She’s your ex.”

“She’s my friend.” He reaches up and holds her chin. She can tell that Steve can’t see her clearly, his eyes not entirely focussed on her, but it doesn’t seem to matter. “And you’re my best friend. And I want you to be happy.”

She frowns, her eyes burning.

“You should go for it,” he says, letting go of her. She pulls his face closer, and his eyes fall shut.

“She doesn’t even like girls,” Robin grumbles.

“You don’t know that.”

“And you do?”

He shrugs.

“I didn’t know I liked guys for a good while.”

“‘S true,” she mutters.

Steve smiles absently as she finishes his makeup, even when he tells her not to stab his eye with the mascara.

She leans back when she finishes, satisfied. His eyelids are a shimmery pink, soft blue fluffed out around his lash lines. His eyelashes are dark and long, his cheeks pink, and they flush even pinker when Robin says softly, “You look pretty.”

“You think?”

“Here.” She pulls his glasses off her shirt and hands them to him, reaching for the pocket mirror as he puts them on. His eyes widen when he looks into it, his smile softening.

“Oh.”

“You wanna try on a dress, pretty girl?” Robin asks, grinning.

“Can I?”

Her grin widens, and she scrambles out of bed to her closet.

He goes to the bathroom down the hall to change, and she sorts her makeup out as she waits.

“Robin, I don’t know…”

She looks up, and the makeup bag slips from her fingers. Steve is standing in the doorway, looking down at himself. The dress is blue, matching his makeup, and the skirt flows when he shifts his weight.

She sits heavily on the bed as he looks up at her.

“Woah.”

“Woah?” he questions, rubbing his hands over the dress. “Good woah?”

“Yeah,” she says, grinning, looking him up and down. She picked the dress for him to pick because it fit her weirdly, but it fits him perfectly, hugging his waist and chest. “You’re keeping that.”

“Wha— I can’t just keep your dress, Robin.”

“It doesn’t even fit me, Steve,” she says, still looking at him. “You’re keeping it.”

He looks back down at the dress quietly, running his hands over it slowly, and his lips curve into a small smile.

“…Okay.”

“Do you feel pretty?”

He pauses, swaying slightly and watching the skirt twirl.

“Yeah,” he says softly. “I do.”

“Gimme a spin.”

He does, grinning brightly when she squeals excitedly as the skirt twirls around his legs.

“You gotta show Eddie,” she says, bouncing up and down in excitement. “He’s gonna love it.”

“You think?” Steve asks in a small voice, nervously.

“For sure.”

He tackles her onto the bed, and she cackles, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

“Can I do your makeup?” he asks after a minute. “Will you teach me?”

“Oh my god, yes.”

Steve is a fast learner. His hands are gentle as he runs the brushes and his fingers softly over her skin, and she thinks she could fall asleep here.

They take photos with her Polaroid when he finishes. One for her, one for Steve, and one more for Eddie, the bottoms all inscribed with S + R 1989.

She makes Steve take some makeup home with him the next day, just for days he wants to feel pretty. And for when he goes to Indy with Eddie.

~~~~~~~~~

“Munson residence.”

“So formal, Eddie.”

Eddie grins, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes to listen to Steve’s voice, slightly staticky over the phone.

“Gotta be, just in case. What’s goin’ on, sweetheart?”

“Not much, I just…”

Eddie tilts his head.

“Just?”

“Uhm. Can you come over?” Steve asks softly.

“Are you alright?” Eddie asks, standing up straight, furrowing his brows. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, no, I’m— I’m fine, baby, I just… I have something to show you.”

“To show me?” Eddie repeats, raising his eyebrows. “Is this a surprise?”

“Yes?”

“Am I gonna like it?”

“I think so?”

Eddie grins, licking his lips and looking across the room at his shoes.

“I‘ll head over in a few minutes. ‘M cleaning the kitchen for Wayne.”

“Okay. More time for me to get ready.”

“Get ready?” Eddie repeats, raising his eyebrows, smiling and biting his lip. “My interest is piqued.”

“Good.” Steve is quiet for a moment, but Eddie can practically hear his smile. “I miss you.”

“It’s been two days, babygirl.”

“God, tell me about it.”

“…I miss you too,” Eddie says quietly, pulling his hair to hide his face.

“Lame.”

“Okay,” Eddie says, rolling his eyes, still smiling. “I’m gonna clean faster than I’ve ever cleaned in my life and then I’ll head over.”

“Okay. Uhm. Just come upstairs when you get here, don’t knock or anything.”

“Oh, I am so curious,” Eddie says adamantly, his stomach fluttering.

“Go clean.”

“Going cleaning. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Lame.”

Eddie hears him snort as he hangs the phone up, and his hands flap joyfully as he heads back to the kitchen.

If he speeds on the way to Steve’s, that’s no one’s business but his.

He kicks his shoes off at the door, looking around happily at all the shit the kids have left behind. Jackets and hats and worksheets and pens and dice.

“Stevie,” he sings as he heads up the stairs, and he knocks a quiet rhythm on his door before swinging it open. “Hey, sweet— Oh.”

He freezes, his smile falling as his eyes land on Steve, sitting on the edge of his bed, smiling up at him.

He’s wearing a dress.

A pretty blue dress that fans out over his knees as he kicks his socked feet, holding the edge of the bed. His eyes blink behind his glasses, his eyelids shimmery and pink, his lashes dark. His cheeks are flushed.

“Hi,” he says softly.

Eddie leans against the wall, shutting the door without blinking, and he slides to the floor. His mouth is hanging open, his eyes wide, and he exhales sharply. Steve giggles softly.

“Stand,” Eddie says softly, absently, and Steve does, standing and holding his arms out, swaying to make the skirt twirl a little bit.

“Wow,” Eddie breathes.

“You like it?”

Eddie blinks at him, his eyes scanning over the way the fabric of the dress stretches over his waist, the way the neckline dips to show his chest hair, the way the thin fabric of the short sleeves flutter when he moves. Eddie looks at his face, at the blush on his cheek and his shining eyelids, the way the mascara makes his eyes even brighter.

“Eddie?” Steve says softly, and Eddie blinks.

“You look beautiful, princess,” he whispers.

Steve’s face turns even more pink, and he slides his hands over the dress.

“Really?”

Eddie scoffs, gazing up at him. His whole body aches with the desire to touch him, and his chest is tight. He can’t really breathe.

“Jesus, Stevie.”

Steve grins, twirling the skirt again, and then he sits in front of Eddie, crossing his legs and draping the skirt over his lap carefully.

Eddie moves forward, swallowing thickly.

“Can I touch you?”

“Please.”

Eddie reaches out and slides his hands over Steve’s arms, squeezing his biceps gently, and he leans in, pressing a kiss to his shoulder over the fabric.

“So pretty, Stevie,” he murmurs, kissing the side of his neck.

“Robin showed me how to use her makeup,” Steve says quietly. Eddie looks at him, at the shimmer of his eyelids.

“You did a good job.”

“You think so?”

Eddie reaches up and touches his face gently, brushing his thumbs over his cheeks, under his glasses. He gazes at him, at his eyelashes and the moles that spot his skin. His lips.

He runs his thumb over his bottom lip, pulls at it a little bit, smiling with Steve is pliant and parts his lips like Eddie’s going to press his thumb into his mouth.

“You ever think about lipstick?”

He kisses Steve before he can answer, and Steve smiles against his mouth, reaching to hold his face. His hands are soft.

“Might be a problem if I can’t keep my lips off you, though,” Eddie adds softly, holding Steve’s chin.

Steve hums.

“Could be fun to get it all over your face.”

Eddie’s eyebrows raise.

“You are… awakening things inside me.”

Steve giggles brightly, tugging at Eddie’s shirt and moving up onto his knees, pulling Eddie forward and then pushing him to lay on his back on the floor.

Steve crawls over him, straddling his waist, setting the skirt delicately, and Eddie feels like he could cry.

“You look like a fucking angel,” Eddie says softly. “Holy shit.”

“What’s your favourite colour lipstick?” Steve asks, grinning, settling his weight on Eddie. His hands press over Eddie’s chest.

“Red,” Eddie says softly.

“What kinda red?”

“…Bright.”

“I’ll find some,” Steve says softly, leaning down, pressing on Eddie’s chest. He presses a slow kiss just beside Eddie’s mouth. “Mark you up.”

“Oh my god,” Eddie says weakly, keening as Steve starts to press kiss over his cheeks and jaw. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.”

Steve is gigging against his skin, gripping the front of his shirt.

“You okay?”

“Stevie, I got the prettiest girl in Hawkins holding me onto the ground and lovin’ on me, I’m so fucking okay.”

Steve sits up to take his glasses off, and he sets them aside before burying his face in Eddie’s neck.

~~~~~~~~~

It’s starting to rain by the time the girls get to Steve’s house. Erica pulls her hood up over her head and El is covering her eyes with a hand as they follow Max up the stairs, where she bangs on the door obnoxiously.

It takes a few seconds before Steve flings the door open, his eyes wide.

“Jesus,” he says when his eyes meet Max’s. “What the hell?”

“We’re having a girls’ day,” she says, looking up at him. He looks different these days. Lighter. His hair looks softer. His cheeks are pinker. And he smells different, warmer, less like a guys’ locker room.

“Okay?” he says, looking at Erica and El. “Why are you here?”

“They’re doing maintenance at my place,” Max says. “The guys are all at the Sinclairs’, and Jonathan and Argyle are getting high at the Byers-Hoppers’.”

Steve blinks blankly at her.

“We’d hang out at the quarry or something, but…” She gestures at the sky, and his eyes follow, looking at the dark clouds and the sprinkling rain. “Can we come in?”

“Oh, yeah, sure.”

He holds the door open for them. Max punches his side gently as she passes.

They go to the living room after kicking off their shoes. Steve takes their coats and hangs them up by the door.

“You guys need anything?” he asks as they get settled on the sofa.

Erica sets her chin on the back of it, looking over at him in the entry of the living room.

“Can you feed us?”

“Uh. I can order pizza.”

“Ah, fuck yeah,” Max says. Steve clicks his tongue.

“Language.”

“Can you get one with pineapple?” El asks. “Please?”

She’s Steve’s favourite.

“Yeah, sure,” he says, smiling. “Even though it’s gross.”

“Try before you deny,” El says lightly, turning to open her backpack. Steve scoffs.

“You spend too much time with Argyle.”

“He’s funny.”

Steve goes to order the pizza. Max puts on a movie while Erica and El sort through their nail polish collections, discussing which colours they want.

Erica chooses a vibrant purple. El chooses a coral pink. Max chooses a dark blue.

While they wait for the pizza, Steve brings them soda. Mello Yello for Max and Pepsis for Erica and El. Max sees his eyes linger on the nail polish, on Erica painting El’s nails carefully, meticulously. He seems to get stuck for a few seconds, watching almost curiously.

So the next time he comes in with a bowl of chopped apples and grapes and strawberries, she stops him.

“Hey, Steve?”

“Yeah?”

“…Can I paint your nails?”

She’s almost joking, prepared to laugh it off, prepared for him to scoff and roll his eyes and say whatever. But he looks back at her for a moment, and then—

“Yeah, sure.”

El gasps in excitement, wiggling for a moment in her seat as she reaches for the bag of nail polish, careful not to mess up her nails.

“Wait, really?” Erica says, looking up at him, her eyes and smile wide.

“Yeah, why not?”

“What colour do you want?” Max asks as Steve sits on the floor in front of the sofa, looking up at her.

“You guys pick.”

He listens as they bicker together, and they eventually settle on a shade of pink so pale it’s almost white. Max expects Steve to argue or wrinkle his nose at it, but he just smiles and sets his hands out on the sofa for them to work.

“How do you do that so neatly?” he asks curiously, watching El’s hands.

She shows him, reciting everything Joyce told her a few years ago, carefully pressing the brush up near his cuticles, holding the tip of his finger to avoid getting paint on the skin around his nails, and he watches raptly, open-mouthed as if in awe. Max catches Erica’s eye over his head and they both giggle.

The pizza arrives as El is painting his right hand, holding it up close to her face, her brows furrowed adorably in concentration, and Erica goes to get it. Max holds slices in front of Steve’s face for him to take bites from as his nails are painted, and Erica does the same for El.

El asks Steve if he wants to try putting the top coat on her nails. He does, seemingly remembering everything she said, his eyes wide, brows furrowed, tongue poking over his lips in concentration. El smiles the whole time.

They put on another movie when they finish with everyone’s nails. Steve won’t stop smiling, glancing at his while they finish the pizza and fruit. El curls up against his side after she finishes eating. He presses a kiss to the top of her head.

Max lays her head on El’s lap, closing her eyes when she feels her fingers run through her hair, carefully untangling it.

When she wakes up, her glasses are on the coffee table next to the empty pizza boxes. She sits up slowly, squinting, and finds them before she looks at the others.

El is still laying against Steve, her cheek squishing against his chest, and Erica is on his other side, her legs across his lap, her face on his shoulder. Steve’s glasses are crooked, and his mouth is hanging open, his head resting on the back of the sofa. Max smiles, rubbing her face.

She stands, wobbly, when there’s a noise in the kitchen, and she quietly exits the room, squinting again, this time out of suspicion.

Eddie is at the stove, humming to himself as he scrapes eggs on a pan.

“Eddie?”

He turns, raising his eyebrows. He’s wearing a frilly apron, the words #1 MOM across his chest, a gag gift from the boys to Steve.

“Mornin’, Red.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Came by to see Stevie,” he says lightly, turning back to the stove. “Walked in on that sweet cuddle fest in the living room. I considered joining but I didn’t wanna wake you guys up.”

“Huh.”

She stretches, yawning and looking around the kitchen. Her eyes catch on the fridge. There’s a new Polaroid photo stuck to it with the drawings Erica and Will have given Steve. (There’s one of him as a knight. Max thinks that’s Steve’s favourite. He wouldn’t stop staring at it when Will handed it to him.)

She gets closer. Even with her coke-bottle glasses, her vision isn’t very good.

“You took a picture?”

She stares at it. Her own sleeping face, partially hidden by her hair, El’s hand resting on her head. El’s face on Steve’s chest, his arm around her, his other around Erica. In the photo, the pink of his nails is barely visible, but the angle shows the bottles of nail polish on the coffee table.

“Yeah,” Eddie says, scooping the eggs into a bowl. “Had to. Walkin’ into a cute scene like that. I’d paint it if I could.”

She snorts.

Eddie sits on the table when he finishes cooking. (Eggs and french toast, like was in a mission to use every egg in the fridge.) She sits down she can lay her head on his leg as he sips her coffee.

“Will you give me a tattoo when I turn eighteen?”

“I don’t know how to tattoo people, Red.”

“Will you take me to get a tattoo when I turn eighteen?”

“Yeah, sure. What do you want?”

“Hm.” She nuzzles into his leg, and he sips his coffee noisily, running a hand through her hair. She’s grateful he doesn’t have many rings on. “Maybe some Kate Bush lyrics.”

“Fuck, that’s smart. I should get some.”

She snorts.

“You a Kate Bush fan?”

“Definitely,” he says, his voice echoing in the mug before he sips again. “Kept you around, didn’t she?”

She tries, unsuccessfully, to suppress a smile.

The others join them after a while. Steve looks more awake than El and Erica, and Max wonders if he woke up and just stayed there for a while.

As the girls are serving themselves, Steve joins Eddie at the coffee maker. Max watches as Steve holds his hand up so Eddie can see his nails, smiling almost proudly. Eddie smiles in a way Max has never seen before. He looks like he might cry. They exchange a few words that Max can’t hear, and a nod, and then just as Max is about to look away, Eddie lifts Steve’s hand to his lips and pecks the back of it, his eyes shining.

Max’s eyebrows fly up, and she expects Steve to smack him away with a good-natured laugh, but Steve twists his hand to hold Eddie’s chin for a second, and then he turns away. He’s smiling. Eddie is gazing at him.

Max tears her eyes away, trying to suppress her own smile.

It makes sense, she guesses as she places slices of french toast on her plate. Why Eddie walks into the Harrington house like he lives there. Why last week he was wearing a red sweater that Max knew belongs to Steve. Why he calls Steve Stevie. Why Steve’s eyes follow him around every time the Party hangs out. Why he wears Eddie’s red guitar pick around his neck. (It’s usually under his shirt or sweater, but he has a tendency to fidget, and Max is observant.)

She douses the french toast in maple syrup.

“That is so much syrup, holy shit,” Steve says, staring at her plate, wide-eyed.

“It’s the food of gods, Steven.”

“Christ.”

She sits next to Erica so Steve and Eddie can sit next to each other.

[thatgirl257]

"Steve has powers, how could you forget?" series bonus (a tumblr exclusive)

The whole series that comes before this

March 22, 1986 - the day after Crissy Cunningham crumbled on Eddie’s ceiling

Steve feels the sharp tip of the broken bottle press against his neck. “Eddie, what the hell, man?”

Dustin, Max, and Robin are screaming at Eddie to stop, but Steve can tell they’re not getting through to him. There’s a fire in his eyes that’s somehow foreign. It’s like fear, rage, and regret have all been bundled up into one Molotov cocktail and thrown into Eddie’s skull. 

“You promised,” Eddie hisses. 

Steve winces, the pressure building on his windpipe. “What are you talking about?” 

“You said you wouldn’t do it again,” Eddie’s voice breaks. “Why did you do it again?”

“Eds I didn’t do anything, you gotta believe me,” Steve pleads. His vision is beginning to swim and Eddie’s grip isn’t only getting stronger, the bottle shard only pressing harder into his skin. “Eds, I don’t want to hurt you, but if I pass out–”

Eddie quickly releases him, letting Steve crash to the floor of the boat house. He gets between the others and Steve, keeping them from running to his side as he coughs and heaves in gasps of air. “You promised not to hurt anyone anymore–and I actually believed you, you son of a bitch.”

“Eddie, what is going on?” Dustin yells. 

“Chrissy!” Eddie bursts. “Last night she was at my trailer for a deal, and then she-she stopped talking, she stared into space. I tried to wake her up, but nothing worked. All of a sudden she was floating and then…” Tears drip down Eddie’s cheeks. “Then all her bones…she died just like Brenner did...” His gaze turns hot with fury and fear again. “Just like you promised you wouldn’t do!” he yells at Steve. 

Steve carefully rises, his hands in the air. “Eds, I don’t know what happened to Chrissy, but I swear, Eddie I swear to god it wasn’t me.”

Eddie just stares for a few long moments, evidently deciding what to do next. He swallows hard and his eyes soften, exhaustion seeping into them. “We need to find who did it.”

“Yeah,” Steve sighs, “We’re gonna find who did this and make sure they pay for it.”

“Whatever it takes?” Eddie asks softly.

“To a point,” Steve responds. “Eds, I made a promise–I’m never doing that again.”

Eddie’s gaze flicks away. “I believe you.”

“Finally,” Dustin sighs dramatically, “Now can we please get moving? It won’t be long before that civilian militia finds this nice little hideaway. Unless you’ve forgotten about Mr. Television-Pastor Jason Carver.” 

“No, Henderson I haven’t forgotten that douchebag.” Steve rolls his eyes, “How could I forget?”

[gay-little-bitch]

Personal Lies pt 5

Pt1 Pt2 Pt3 Pt4

Ao3

This chapter has smut so be warned :)))

Steve's pov:

The silence is way too loud and both Eddie and Steve are staring at each other, frozen. Neither dares to break the silence for a long while. After a few minutes, Eddie is the first one to speak. "I'm so sorry about Gareth man. He doesn't know anybody's boundaries. He knew you saw the video of me and kinda overstepped." He starts to pick at his fingers until they look close to bleeding. Steve wants to grab his hands and kiss them till they feel better.

"It's fine man. I really don't mind it. I have to apologize for Robin though, she probably played a part in this too." Eddie waves his hand as if dismissing the apology. "Nah dude it's fine, I don't mind." They both stop talking for another few minutes until this time, Steve is the one to break the silence. "Do you wanna do something? Ya know since it looks like we're not leaving anytime soon." A look between confusion and interest crosses Eddie's face.

"What do you mean by... something?" Steve gets up from his seat and walks over to the couch that Eddie is sitting on. "Well, since I think you're hot and you clearly think the same for me, then why not have a little fun?" He sits down next to the rockstar and reaches out his hand to caress his cheek. "I think that they want us to do something and then they'll let us out. It's only gonna happen once and then we'll forget about it." As much as Steve really doesn't want to forget about something like this, it might be the only way that he'll get Eddie.

Steve takes the finger that is closest to Eddie's mouth and swipes his thumb over his lips. "How do ya feel about that baby?" Eddie looks at Steve, stunned. A pretty pink blush spreads across his face. "I- Yeah I guess so. " They both lean closer to each other and as soon as their lips touch, Eddie lets out the most delicious whine. The kiss starts out sweet and cute but quickly becomes rough and desperate.

Steve moves so that he's straddling Eddie's lap. At this point both of them are rock-hard and straining against their pants, Steve takes that as an opportunity to grind his hips down and have Eddie make more pretty noises. They kiss for a little longer but as Steve goes to open Eddie's pants button, he's shoved down onto his back. "Here's what's gonna happen, sweetheart, you're gonna blow me but I'm not going to return the favor. You can get off on my boot or something else but I'm not doing it. Got it?"

Steve is surprised by the shift in dominance but he still goes with it. "I want to see you be a little slut and use whatever Daddy gives you." He nods once more and then he's pushed to the floor on his knees. Eddie stands up and pushes down his pants, along with his boxers. Now Steve is no stranger to sucking dick but Eddie is the biggest he's seen. IT'S AS THICK AS A FUCKING COKE CAN FOR GOD'S SAKE! He looks up from the ground as Eddie basically prys his jaw open. "Be a good girl and open up for me."

Steve swallows and leans his head back. "Yes, Daddy." Even though he's never called anyone 'daddy' it just feels right with Eddie. He opens his mouth and lays his tongue on his lower lip. "Good boy." Eddie grips Steve's hair and slowly pushes him onto his cock. "Fuck, baby. Your mouth is so fucking wet." He clearly doesn't want to hurt Steve but he can take it, he's a big boy. He bobs his head a few more times before he takes Eddie down to the hilt. "Shit! Fuck! Oh my god, you fucking slut."

The hands in Steve's hair tighten as he looks up through his lashes at Eddie to see his head thrown back, bearing his adam's apple. Steve's cock was already hard before he got down on his knees but at this point, his erection was painfully pushing against the zipper of his pants and he had to do something. He moves closer to the boot on the floor and presses his dick against the toe. The sound of Steve's moans is suppressed by the cock in his mouth.

At this point, Eddie starts to whine high-pitched. "Shit Steve. Your mouth is like fucking heaven. Good lord." Eddie is super talkative but Steve doesn't mind. He thinks it's hot. The sound of Steve choking on Eddie's cock is like music to his ears. After a little while of Eddie talking and talking, saying things like 'You take my cock so well baby' and 'You're so good at giving Daddy what he wants,' his breathing starts to sound shaky and his hips start to shudder.

"Fuck! I'm gonna cum, baby. Can I cum down your throat?" Steve loves the idea of having Eddie shoot hot ropes of cum down his throat so he hums around his cock in the form of approval. Steve is still continuously grinding down onto Eddie's boot and fuck does it feel good. Something Steve learned about himself today, was that he loves being told what to do, even if he had to get himself off.

After a few more seconds of bobbing his head up and down, the hand in his hair tightens even more than before. Before he knew it, Eddie cums down Steve's throat, making him choke. Eddie pulls his cock out of Steve's mouth and firmly grips his jaw between his index finger and his thumb. "You're doing so well baby. You can cum." The approval for his release makes Steve cum, still grinding against Eddie's boot.

He can feel the wet spot that was already there get darker and darker as he cums in his pants like a fucking teenager. Before he can feel embarrassed, Eddie forces him to stand up and pulls him into a rough kiss. Once again, Eddie pulls away and Steve lets out a whine. "That was super fun baby boy but I hear Robin and Garth coming down the hall." If he had to pick a mood killer it would be his lesbian soulmate and some guy he barely knows. He runs back over to his couch as Eddie pulls his pants back up.

Steve notices him staring at his dick and he looks down to once again be reminded of his ruined pants, he picks up the closest pillow and places it in his lap. Just in time, Gareht and Robin step through the door laughing but they automatically stop when they look at Eddie and Steve. "Guess that didn't work." Robin dramatically pouts and so does Gareth. They decide to call it quits and say their goodbyes, assuming that their plan failed.

Once Robin and Steve are out of the room, she decides it's time to ask questions. "Did you guys talk at all?" He answers with a soft shake of his head. "Really? Damn. Silent sex must suck." That breaks Steve out of his thoughts of what just happened and he turns his head to his best friend in confusion. "What?!" She looks him up and down twice but the second time she stops at his dick. "You came in your pants and it is not subtle." She rolls her eyes and gets in the car.

This is the opposite of what he wanted out of this. Now Robin has the satisfaction of knowing that her plan went just as she planned and now she's not gonna stop. "You're gonna force me to hand out with him again aren't you?" She turns towards Steve with a big smile on her face. "Damn right I am Steve-o." Steve pushes her hand away and sighs. Fuck.

Notes:

Hi!!!!!! Sorry for the long wait on this update. A lot has happened in the past few months :( My mom and dad spilt up, my mom came out as a lesbian, and my dad started doing drugs again 💅 ya know simple shit :)

Anywayssssss I hope you like this smutty chapter and I hope my writing got better :))))))

Tags: @down-sizing-redux , @gay-stranger-things , @satan-is-obsessed , @this-is-moony-lovegood , @impeachy , @maraudersfavoritewhore , @robinbuckleymybeloved,  @hyperfixationgoddess , @fandomz-brainrot , @mightbeasleep , @ali-just-ali , @beckkthewreck , @novelnovella , @beeing-stuupid , @ourautumn86 , @newtstabber , @love-kurdt, @deleataecount, @sebastiansstanswhore, @newtstabber, @mightbeasleep, @hiscrimsonangel

[lady-lostmind]

title: Temptation Heat, Beats Like A Drum

summary: Eddie wakes up alone in the Upside Down. He turns to Steve for help.

POV switches between Eddie and Steve.

Or: A Vampire Eddie fic. (TW blood)

Excerpt:

He shouldn’t have come down here with them. He should have sat in the house like a good vampire with his pre-packed bags of blood where he couldn’t hurt anyone. But no. Now he’s here, stuck in a cramped bathroom with Steve, and he’s looking at him like he’s ready to…what? Let Eddie feed off him? That’s insane. They’ve just been staring at each other for what feels like a damn eternity and-

“Let me help.”

A manic laugh huffs out of Eddie and he tugs at the end of his hair. “I’d rather not add killed Steve Harrington to my list of traumas and regrets, honestly. So I’m gonna go ahead and say…abso-fucking-lutely not, man.” He knew it. He’s trying to offer himself up. Freaking idiot. Doesn’t he understand there’s no way Eddie will be able to stop if he lets himself begin? 

Steve grins and a soft chuckle slips through his lips. “You won’t kill me, Munson.” 

Eddie’s mouth hangs open, dumbstruck. “Do you have a death wish or something, Harrington?” His throat is killing him. Steve’s scent is filling the air around him, suffocating his control, pulling him in. Steve takes a small step toward him. Eddie trips over his feet as he scrambles back into the bathtub, plastering himself against the wall to put as much distance as possible between them. There’s a soft knock on the door and then Robin is pushing her way into the small room as well, her scent mixing in the air with Steve’s. 

“Everything alright in here?” She asks cautiously. 

Eddie can feel how hard her heart is beating in his own chest. He rolls his eyes and gestures frantically to Steve. “Tell him I can’t, Rob. Tell him this is the stupidest idea he’s ever had in that thick head of his.” 

Robin’s eyes shoot to Steve and she smacks him on the side of the head. “Are you serious, Dingus? I just told Nancy there was no way this is why you came up here. You’re going to let him bite you?”

Steve’s face flushes and shrugs. Eddie picks up the sudden rush of blood to his face and how his blood takes on a similar hint of nervous energy that he had earlier. “Do either of you have a better idea?” He looks between them, like he knows they won’t have any other good options. “How bad is it, Eddie? Like it was in the kitchen?” He’s looking right at him, his voice free of judgment or accusation. 

Eddie sighs and slides down to sit in the ash covered tub. “Not quite. Not yet.” He picks at a worn spot on his jeans, refusing to look up and meet Steve’s eyes again. 

Steve nods. “Okay then, that’s good.” Eddie rolls his eyes but doesn’t comment.

“I’d rather do this before it gets to that point though, if you don’t mind.” 

“Steven. You can’t just go around letting vampires suck on your neck. What if Eddie can’t stop?” Robin’s voice is taking on that rambly tone it gets when she’s nervous. 

Eddie holds his hand out in emphasis. “Thank you. Exactly my point, Buckley.” 

Steve leans against the wall like this is the most casual conversation, like Eddie can’t hear the way his heart is pounding in his chest.  “I trust you, Eddie.”

Eddie lets his eyes flit to Steve’s. Dammit, Harrington. “I don’t.” He says definitively. 

Steve rolls his eyes like this is a ridiculous conversation as he reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small knife and flicking it open. Eddie’s eyes go wide as he tracks the movement and Steve presses the blade to his wrist, slicing a small cut. Eddie can faintly hear Robin having an absolute fit, but he can’t make out any of the words. Can’t focus on anything other than the very strong smell of Steve’s blood rushing into his nose, the way his throat flares angrily and he has to dig his fingers into his knees to keep himself from launching across the room. His eyes are glued to the spot on Steve’s wrist that is welling with red, dripping off the side. His other hand is holding Robin back, not letting her staunch the wound, pushing her to the door and practically manhandling her into the hall before shutting the door behind her and turning the lock. 

“What the fuck, Harrington?” Eddie scrambles to his feet, plastering himself against the wall, his whole body screaming at him to lunge forward. To take. “Are you fucking kidding me, man? You can’t just-” Eddie pulls his fingers through his hair, tugging at the ends. “fucking cut yourself like that!” His arms are flailing in front of him like a rambling lunatic. There’s a lot of yelling and commotion outside the door as Jonathan and Nancy are filled in. Eddie can feel his control slipping as the scent from Steve’s blood fogs his brain. He watches in horror as Steve slowly steps forward, holding his wrist out in front of him, blood dripping down from his fingertips and onto the floor. Eddie tracks each drip, watching as it hits and pools by Steve’s feet. “Come on, Munson. You’re wasting all the goods.” Steve’s voice barely falters, a cocky grin pulls up the side of his mouth. But Eddie can hear how fast his heart is going. He can smell the adrenaline lacing his blood. But the light taunt does something to him. Sets off something he can’t ignore and he finds himself pressing Steve against the wall, tugging his wrist level with his face and inhaling deeply. He registers every small reaction that crashes through Steve’s body as he realizes how quickly the situation has turned. He hears the way his heart stutters and slams into his throat, picks up on the way his blood takes on a…smokey scent, lingering in the back of his throat. That’s a new one. Eddie tries to place the emotion attached to that as his eyes meet Steve’s, staring into blown pupils and feeling his quick breath hit his cheek. Eddie’s mouth pulls into a terrifying grin as he locks his fingers securely around Steve’s wrist and brings it to his mouth, latching his lips over the open wound there and pulling the blood into his mouth, letting it pool on his tongue.

[rogueddie]

Steve got very lucky in middle school. If anyone other than Tommy had decided to befriend him, he's not sure they would have put up with him so long. And Tommy told him when he was doing something weird, told him what he should be doing instead. Without him, Steve would never have been popular in high school. He would've been seen as the freak.

It makes him feel weird, sitting with Robin and Eddie at one of the tables in the trailer park. They're everything he was taught to avoid. And Tommy had worked very hard to teach him the 'social rules'.

But he loves them. Even when they joke about him being 'the normal one'. Out of all the friends he's had come and go, they're easily the best. They don't even comment when he starts to slip back into his odd behaviors, when he stops trying so hard to follow 'the rules'.

He can still remember that first time he'd refused to force himself to talk. It was one of those days when it felt like so much effort. Plus, he just didn't want to.

So he didn't. He grunted a lot, hummed or shrugged. Robin didn't act like he was behaving any different, though she had looked a little confused at first. Then she'd just gone with it. She'd even nudged when it looked like Eddie was going to push. They didn't treat him any different that day, they didn't ask when he started talking again the next day.

It was always like that. They just... went with it.

Even when Eddie had accidentally prompted Steve into... well, a lecture. He'd just asked a few questions about the picture of a car Steve had framed, the only thing he has for decoration. He'd asked a couple things about it and, almost an hour later, Steve realized that he'd just been talking the whole time.

"Sorry," Steve grimaced, keeping his eyes locked on the picture. "Didn't mean to, like, bore you. Whatever."

"Nah. It's interesting. It's also kind of cool to actually hear you passionate about something. Wouldn't have thought it was cars though."

And that had been it. If anything changed, it was just because Eddie would ask about cars more often. Would almost push him into talking about all the little things he found fascinating. Almost like he wanted to hear about it- but Steve knew that wasn't the case.

It didn't make sense.

"Why do you keep asking about this shit?" Steve had finally snapped one day. "Do... I mean, you don't find this interesting, do you?"

"Not at all. You do though."

"So why do you keep asking?"

"You like it," Eddie shrugged, finally looked confused. "You let me go on rants about guitars and shit. You don't care about any of that."

"That's different though!"

"Is it?"

"Yes! It's..." Steve flounders for a moment. He doesn't know how to explain it. "It's just... it is."

"Well, it isn't to me. I like hearing about all the little nonsense you find interesting."

"But it's-"

"Steve." Eddie leans forward, grabbing his hand. Steve stares at their hands, slowly shifting so their fingers are entwined. "You get so excited when you talk about all your little car facts. It's adorable."

"It's not... weird or annoying?"

"You think I'd be put off by something weird?" He snorts, looks hesitant for a moment before lifting their hands up, pressing a light kiss to the back of his hand. "It's something you enjoy and makes you happy. Why would that annoy me?"

Steve tries to swallow, his mouth feeling painfully dry. "Am I reading this right?"

"Yeah. I think so, anyway. I can't figure you out half the time. You're gonna need to take that risk, baby boy."

So he does. And he's right.

[mcueveryday]

If I Only Could

Title: If I Only Could

Pairing: Eddie Munson x ofc (named), Steve Harrington x Platonic!ofc (named).

Word Count: 2931

 Summary: Dawn, Eddie’s girlfriend, feels like she can’t go on without him in her life, making her friends worry about her. Steve takes it on himself to comfort her.

Warnings: VOLUME 2 SPOILERS. Angst, pure angst. Character death (I’m sorry), blood, depression, mentions of sex, Steve being the best big brother ever (that’s a warning in itself).

Author’s note: So… I made myself cry while writing this. I also had to watched episode 9 again, so I cried even harder. I know I was gonna make a fix-it fic, but I’m a sucker for angst, and ngl the idea for this came after I got an art piece I commissioned. (art by @devovart on Instagram)

So… enjoy? Cry? I’m sorry?

-----------

“Anyone seen Dawn”? Robin asked as she, Steve, and Dustin got out of Steve’s car and walked to Nancy’s house, where the rest of the gang had been meeting for the last couple of days to plan a way to save Hawkins.

“She hasn’t left her room in two weeks,”’ Dustin said, looking at the floor as he walked. “I went to her house yesterday, her mom let me in but I couldn’t talk to her. Her door was closed and she was crying when she heard me.” The teenager sighed. “Her mom says that she doesn’t cry as much now, but she doesn’t leave her room at all.” He stopped at the door and looked up at his friends. “We need her here, she’d be a good addition to the team.”

“I don’t know, man. Eddie’s death hit her pretty badly.” Steve replied, placing his hands on his hips.

“I’m sad about it too, but we need to fight this,” Dustin argued back.

“Yes, but he wasn’t your boyfriend, Dustin,” Robin said, looking down at him.

The trio stayed quiet at the door, all looking down at their feet when Steve sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

“You guys go in, I gotta do something.” He said, turning around and walking fast towards his car, taking his keys out of his jeans pocket.

“Where are you going?” Robin asked.

“Steve, we need you! Steve!” Dustin shouted at him.

“I gotta talk to her.” Was all Steve said, closing the car door and starting the engine, driving off.

-----------

“It’s so hard, I don’t want to do it anymore!” Dawn said, throwing her arms up in the air, Eddie’s guitar falling on her crossed legs.

Eddie just chuckled and moved from his sitting position on the floor to stand. “Come on, princess, don’t give up.” He said, making his way to sit behind her on his bed, a leg on either side of her and his arms going around her, grabbing her hands and guitar.

“You just gotta show her some love,” He kissed her temple as he moved her hands around the guitar to place them in the correct position.

Dawn scoffed. “That’s easy for you to say, you’re like a guitar god.” She mumbled, pouting. Eddie chuckled a bit more, pecking her cheek, and started playing a soft tune for her.

“You’ll do it just fine, don’t worry.” He whispered in her ear, leaning his head against hers as he played.

Both of them sat on his bed in silence, the only sounds around them were the tune coming from Eddie’s guitar and the birds outside.

“Eddie?” Dawn whispered.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“I love you.”

Dawn could feel Eddie’s smile against her short curly hair, could feel how he let go of the guitar to hold her to his chest, one hand going to her face to turn her to look at him.

“I love you, too, princess.”

He leaned in, connecting his lips to hers in a sweet kiss, holding her tighter. When they both let go, he pressed his forehead against hers, running his nose on hers, both with smiles on their faces, eyes closed.

“Dawn…” Eddie said.

“Yes?” She replied, not opening her eyes.

“...Dawn…”

Dawn opened her eyes and moved back, her confused look morphing into terror as she took him in.

Blood covered his neck, dripping from his mouth, staining his beautiful white teeth a bright red. She tried moving away from him, but he held her tighter.

“Dawn!” He said louder, repeating her name over and over, getting louder every time, holding her tighter, not letting her get away from him.

“DAWN!”

She woke up with a start. She sat up on her bed, looking around, only to find herself in her bedroom. Dawn took a deep breath to calm herself down, letting the tears run down her face.

“Dawn.”

She tensed up, startled as she heard knocking on her door.

“Dawn, open up.”

She recognized Steve’s voice then. She groaned under her breath and rubbed her eyes, trying to wake herself a bit more.

“Dawn, it’s Steve. Can you please open up?”

“Leave me alone, Steve.” She said loudly, hearing a gentle sigh coming from her best friend.

“Honey, please. Let me in.” He waited for her to say something or to open the door, but her response was silence. “Dawn, I’m worried about you, please let me in.”

Her eyes started tearing up again, gasping a bit to get herself together as she removed the covers off of her and stood up. She walked to the door, taking a deep breath, not ready to face anyone.

Steve waited patiently as he heard her steps, the happiness he felt when he heard her unlock the door vanishing in a second when he saw the state she was in. Her dark curly bob was a mess, clearly not being washed or brushed in days, face and eyes red and puffy from crying, tear stains down her face. But what hurt him the most, was to see her wearing Eddie’s Hellfire t-shirt. Seeing her like this broke his heart- how did the spunky, sassy, funny girl he knew turn into this empty shell?

“Hi,” she mumbled, not looking up at him.

“Hey, honey,” Steve whispered. She moved aside to let him in, and closed the door behind her. Steve took a look around her room, noticing all the tissues crumbled on the floor, her unmade bed, the clothes on the floor…

Dawn sat down on the edge of the bed, still not looking up at Steve, playing with the hem of Eddie’s shirt.

“You saw me, I’m fine. You can leave.” She said under her breath, making Steve’s worried frown become deeper.

“How about you and I go to the library, get some books, then go get some ice cream? We can get cookie dough ice cream if you want. That’s your favorite, right?” Steve sat down next to her, a hand on her shoulder.

“I don’t want to go out. I’m fine. I want to be alone.”

Steve sighed. He stood up and, placing his hands on his hips, he spoke.

“Dawn, look at me.” He said with a stern - yet gentle - tone to his voice. But the girl in front of him didn’t look up. “He wouldn’t want you to be like this, you know that.”

Dawn snapped her head up at him, an angry look on her face as her eyes filled with unshed tears. “Oh yeah?” she said through her teeth.

“How do you know, huh?” She took a deep breath. “Maybe if he didn’t want me to be like this, he would’ve gone up the rope. Maybe if he didn’t want me to be like this, he wouldn’t have gone back.” She stood up and walked towards Steve. She could see that moment again, playing across her mind like a film, a film she never wanted to see again but it kept playing over and over without stopping.

-----------

“That’s not gonna hold!” Dustin shouted as the demobats were about to destroy the door to Eddie’s room in the Upside Down.

“We gotta get out of here!” Dawn said, walking backwards and holding her shield as she did.

“Let’s go! Let’s go!” Eddie screamed as he and Dawn faced the door to protect Dustin as he climbed up the rope.  

Once they heard Dustin fall into the other side, they turned to look at each other. “It’s your turn, princess,” Eddie whispered, looking her straight in the eye as she nodded and dropped her spear and shield.

Jumping up, she grabbed a hold of the rope and pulled herself up as fast as she could, losing her breath once she hit the mattress on the other side, Dustin pulling her up and off it.

“Eddie, come on!” Dustin urged, standing up next to the mattress as both he and Dawn looked up at Eddie as he dropped his weapons and jumped to grab the rope.

But, when he heard the door to his room cracking, Eddie stopped moving.

“Eddie?” Dawn said, watching Eddie turn to look at the door. “Eddie come on!” She shouted, fear marking her features.

“Eddie,  you’re so close! Let’s go!” Dustin urged, jumping on the mattress.

Fear took over Dawn as she watched Eddie let go of the rope and look up at her and Dustin. “Eddie, what are you doing?!” She said quickly, going to climb the rope, but Dustin grabbed her around the waist to stop her. “Dustin, let me go! Eddie!”

She escaped Dustin’s grip and jumped on the rope, starting to pull herself up when she felt gravity taking her down. She looked up and saw Eddie with his spear in hand, moving the mattress off the floor. She looked next to her and saw the rope. He cut the rope. Eddie cut the rope.

“Munson how dare you!” She shouted at him as she stood up.

“Eddie, stop! Stop!” Dustin begged him.

“Eddie, don’t do this!” She screamed as tears started to pool in her eyes.

“I love you, princess.” He said, with a bow, then turned up to look up at them again one last time.

“Eddie, what are you doing?!” Dustin asked.

“I’m buying more time,” Eddie replied, then ran out of the trailer.

-----------

Dawn’s breath was picking up as she stared up at Steve, glaring at him as her whole body shook from the anger she was feeling.

“If he didn’t want me to be like this, maybe he wouldn’t have left me! Maybe he-” A sob interrupted her as her shaking legs gave up and she fell to the floor.

Steve watched as Dawn kneeled on the floor, a hand covering her mouth and her other arm holding her up, back shaking as the sobs wracked her body.

“Y-you weren’t there!” She said between sobs. “You don’t know what happened, you didn’t see it!”

She continued sobbing for what felt like an eternity for her, letting out all the tears that; even though she’d cried nonstop during the past two weeks; she felt like she was crying all the tears she had saved from that day.

Steve kneeled down next to her slowly, careful not to startle her, and gently placed a hand on her back, running it up and down her spine.

“Then talk to me, Dawn,” he whispered. “Tell me what happened.”

Dawn sniffed, leaning her shoulder on Steve’s shoulder. “I… I see it happening, again and again, every day, Steve. It-it’s like I’m there again, and-and-and I just can’t take it.” She whispered.

Steve stayed quiet, allowing her to breathe her way through this, continuing to rub her back.

“It was horrible, Steve. He… he was surrounded by the bats and-and I couldn’t get to him soon enough.” She said, gaze far away, eyes glassy. “J-just a tornado of bats around him, attacking him… I saw him go down,” she sniffed, “I-I-I ran as fast as I could to get to him, but I… I just wasn’t fast enough…”

-----------

“Eddie!” Dawn screamed as she ran, watching as a demobat wrapped its tail around Eddie’s neck, dragging him down. She could hear Dustin behind her screaming for Eddie, but the poor boy had hurt his ankle when he fell into the Upside Down, not waiting for Dawn to set up the mattress for him.

Through the screeches from the demobats, she could hear Eddie’s cries as they bit into his flesh, making her run faster than she ever run before.

Just as she was about to reach him, the demobats went all down, as if they had died at the same time. Dawn hesitated for a moment, looking at Eddie laying on the floor, not able to see his chest rising.

“No…” she whispered, “no no no no, Eddie!” She then sprinted to him, Dustin right behind her. The moment she reached him, she kneeled down and pulled his face to her, his beautiful brown eyes in pain, but the moment his eyes found hers, he smiled a blood-covered smile.

“Hello, princess.” He mumbled through his teeth, clearly in pain.

“You’re- you’re gonna be okay. We-we just have to get you up and to a hospital, okay?” She said as she pulled him up to her lap. “Dustin, help me get him up!”

“I need a minute, princess.”

“O-okay…” Dawn whispered, trying to keep her tears at bay, Dustin sitting next to her.

“I didn’t run away this time, right?” Eddie said through clenched teeth, but with a smile.

Dustin shook his head rapidly, whispering “no” over and over.

“No, baby, you didn’t run,” Dawn said through a teary chuckle.

“You’re gonna have to look after those little sheep for me, okay, Henderson?”

“No, Eddie. You’re gonna do that yourself!” Dustin said, barely able to keep himself from crying.

“Eddie we’re getting you out of here!” Dawn said, tears freely falling down her cheeks.

“Say it, Henderson” Eddie whispered.

“I’m… I’m gonna look after them,” Dustin’s voice broke as he said it.

“Thank you, man. I love you.” Eddie said, looking at Dustin.

“I love you, too.” He whispered.

Eddie then turned to Dawn, who squeezed her eyes shut as she sobbed.

“Lady Dawn…” Eddie whispered, his hand weakly looking for hers, but squeezing it tightly when he found it. “Look at me, darling.” She did, seeing Eddie’s gentle smile.

“This is our year, baby. We’re gonna graduate, and we’ll get married right after.” He said making her laugh a bit.

“Going straight to Vegas.” She replied with a broken voice.

“Getting married by an Elvis impersonator and the whole shabang.” He said as tears ran down his face.

“I love you, princess.” He whispered, eyes locked on hers as he took off one of his rings.

“I love you too, Eddie.” She whispered.

“Take this”, he said, placing the ring in her palm, not taking his eyes off of her. She nodded, taking his hand in hers and raising it to her lips, placing a gentle kiss on his knuckles.

Eddie started choking then, eyes slowly losing focus as a tear ran down the side of his face.

“No- Eddie don’t! Eddie don’t leave me!” Dawn begged him.

“No no no Eddie!” Dustin cried.

Neither of them could stop Eddie from taking his last breath, both falling on him as they cried on his chest for their lost friend and, in Dawn’s case, the love of her life.

-----------

“He died in my arms, Steve,” she mumbled, eyes still on her hands. “He died in my arms and I couldn’t help him.”

“I…I had to leave his body down there, I couldn’t even give him a proper funeral! He’s still down there and there is nothing I can do about it!” She sniffed, and Steve turned to wrap his arms around her and bring her towards him, letting her cry into his chest as she wrapped her arms around his torso.

“And…” she sobbed, “And this fucking town still calling him a murderer when he was a fucking hero! He sacrificed himself for them, and they still think he’s a monster when he’s not!” Her voice broke. “My Eddie was sweet, funny, gentle, soft, and a hero!”

Steve kept quiet as she went on, knowing that she needed to let it out. He just rocked her back and forth slowly, running his hand through her hair.

“I just… if I only could trade places with him…” She whispered.

“How do you think he’d feel if you were gone?” Steve whispered back, “Don’t you think he’d be just as sad as you are right now?”

Dawn kept quiet after that. She knew Steve was right, but she just couldn’t find it in her to live without him in her life.

“I know you miss him, and I know his loss hurts so much, but try thinking of the happy memories you had with him, and try to think that he’d want you to live your life to the fullest.”

Pictures of Eddie went through Dawn’s mind as Steve ran his fingers through her hair. When they first met on his second time as a senior. When she started tutoring him. When he realized her favorite bands were Queen and Aerosmith. When he asked her out and took her on their first date - burgers and milkshakes. When he asked her to be his girlfriend and when he kissed her for the first time -  a picnic under the stars at Lover’s Lake. All the times they cuddled under the covers after sex in his trailer… all the beautiful memories they made together that she won’t ever forget.

“And,” Steve continued in a soft tone, “you can go out there, help us destroy the Upside Down, and you can avenge him. Prove to this hellhole what kind of man Eddie really was.”

Dawn looked up at him through wet lashes, Steve looking down at her with a soft smile. “What do you say, honey?”

Sniffing, Dawn let go of Steve’s torso and stood up, wiping the tears off her face. She walked towards her vanity and grabbed one of her old necklaces, taking the charm off it. She opened a drawer and stuck her hand in, grabbing something Steve couldn’t see. She placed it inside the chain and wrapped it around her neck, turning to look at Steve.

It was then that Steve could see Eddie’s skull necklace around her neck, making him smile a bittersweet smile.

“Let’s do it.”

--

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