#and i think eddies reaction was absolutely perfect

[mintedwitcher]

Okay so people keep talking about Buck's coming out scene with Eddie, and I just want to talk about this part right here:

Buck: Is that weird?

Eddie: No. Absolutely not.

Because. Because! The look on Eddie's face. The tilt of his head, the steady eye contact and the immediate reassurance... Buck needed that. He's just come out. He's just done something brand new, out of his depth, and kind of terrifying. And no matter how well you know someone, there's always that fear in the back of your mind. That horrible little voice that whispers, what if they hate me for this?

And for someone like Buck, that voice doesn't just whisper, it screams. It's been screaming since he was a child. But Eddie. Eddie doesn't give it a second to get a word in.

Buck asks, "Is that weird?" And Eddie immediately and firmly replies, "No. Absolutely not." And then he follows it up with another reassurance, almost immediately:

"This doesn't change a thing between us."

Now I'm seeing a lot of people say that Buck looked disappointed at this, but I say he looked relieved. Because Eddie is his best friend. Eddie is the person whose opinions matter the most to Buck, even above the opinions of his sister. (Hell, I think the only person that Buck will be more concerned about coming out to will be Christopher.) But I think there was still a moment, a split second of doubt where Buck really thought that him coming out to Eddie would damage their friendship.

For Buck, one of the things he is most afraid of is being left behind. Being abandoned. Seeing the people he loves give up on him. Eddie knows this, he knows Buck. Whether you view it as romantic or not, Buck and Eddie do love each other. They're family. So having Eddie double down and say, "No, none of this is weird, and I'm not going anywhere, we're rock solid," is SO important. Buck isn't disappointed that nothing will change. He's relieved. He's free.

And Eddie responds in exactly the way Buck needs him to in that moment. Reassurance, some slight teasing, and encouragement for Buck to go after Tommy. To go after the guy he can't stop thinking about. He doesn't make it this big, heavy, burdensome thing. He doesn't get overly emotional or confrontational like some cishet people tend to do when their friends come out. Eddie has Buck's back with this as much as he does with everything else.

I think it's the best coming out scene we could've gotten with these two, and I'm beyond obsessed with it.

[havecourage-darling]

I've always been yours // Eddie Munson

Prompt: "I think... I'm in love with him.” "Congrats on being the last one to find out" + the 5 ways to say I love you without saying I love you.

wc: 14K (I'm learning what brevity means y'all)

warnings: female reader, some implied sexual stuff towards the end but not really ish, friends-to-lovers, oblivious idiots in love, the beginnings of rockstar eddie.

Masterlist || AO3

1. Covering sharp edges with their hands, so you don’t get hurt.

You were going to get Max’s birthday cake absolutely perfect even if it fucking killed you, you thought to yourself as your arm ached the harder you mixed the batter.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help Nov?” Eddie asked again.

Pushing the hair out of your eyes with the back of your wrist, you huffed. “I’m okay. I think I adjusted the recipe perfectly this time. I just need to make sure there’s no lumps or the chocolate won’t-”

“I’M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU WHEELER!” You heard Dustin yell from the basement.

Eddie snorted. “Ten bucks on Mike,” he said from his place on the counter.

“I’m telling Dustin you said that,” you said, turning from your batter and shooting him a playful look over your shoulder.

He clasped his imaginary pearls dramatically. “Fair maiden, you dare betray our sacred friendship?”

Not able to keep your laugh down, you shook your head. Loud stomping alerted you to the shift of location of whatever fight was happening.

“Do not come into the kitchen with your shit!” You shouted.

Dustin’s voice floated in from the living room. “But Mike-”

“But Mike nothing!” You shouted. “You two shitheads work it out!”

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” Mike shouted, grunting right after. “Ow! Dustin!”

Eddie immediately huffed out laughter. “I’d listen to her, she’s on her fifth batch. Her face is getting whiter and whiter with each cake.”

Your hand flew up to your face, fingers coming back dusted in flour. Turning your glare to his grinning face, you rolled your eyes. “You couldn’t have told me?”

“And ruin how cute you look with all that flour on your face?” Eddie said, nonchalantly going back to the book in his hands. Doing your best to ignore the flustered expression you knew was growing on your face, you turned back to the batter. Eddie always managed to draw out reactions from you, you were sure that was the main reason why he kept doing it.

I like unnerving you he’d said. Asshole, you thought fondly, glancing at him. A good chunk of flour dusted down towards your hands at the motion. Christ, how much flour was on your face?

“I’m going to slap you the second I put this into a pan,” you threatened, trying to get it all off.

Eddie’s grin morphed into something more. “Promises, promises,” he winked.

And there went the butterflies in your stomach.

You opened your mouth to say something else when a blur of curly hair, black shirts, and a flying white shoe flung the kitchen door open.

“Guys,” Eddie warned, placing his book down.

“For fuck’s sake, what’s wrong now?” You said, putting the bowl down onto the kitchen island and stepping towards them with your hands on your hips.

Dustin was the quickest to speak up. “He borrowed the comic that I just managed to get and got it wet!”

“It wasn’t on purpose!” Mike shouted back. “I swear, Holly was eating at the table and spilled her soda!”

“Likely story!” Dustin snapped, eyes narrowing. “You’re doing it because I accidentally broke your figurines last week. I didn’t want to hit that pothole and go flying!”

“For the love of- it wasn’t on purpose!”

Dustin’s arms swung out and Mike darted left to avoid being hit. Before they could even crash together, you knew exactly what was going to happen.

As if in slow motion, you watched as Dustin shoved Mike’s arm into the mixing bowl. Without much prompting, your perfect batter, went tumbling off the island and flew with a vengeance in a million different directions. The opened bag of flour next to it, toppled right after it.

The silence as the bowl wobbled to a stop was painful. You blinked, shocked for a few seconds and nodded dumbly.

Well, that hurt more than the demobats clawing at your neck in the Upside Down.

“I’m going to rip your spines out and play jump rope with it,” you said calmly, eye twitching, at Mike and Dustin. The flour was splattered everywhere, including your new vans and the crevices no one was ever able to clean in the cracks of the linoleum.  

The two idiots shuffled closer to the door. At least they had the decency to look somewhat mortified. Before you could go through with your threat, Eddie’s hands came down to their necks and they both winced.

“Dudes, not cool,” he said, voice uncharacteristically serious. “She said don’t come into the kitchen for a reason. Now she’s gotta wait until you two assholes clean this all up before starting again.”

“Wha-” “But!”

Their protests quickly died down when he smacked them in the back of their heads.

“You break it, you fix it,” he said.

Hiding a smile, you rounded the island towards the rag by the sink and sighed. “Try to hurry, I want to get this decorated before midnight,” you said to the two apologetic teens who were already moving towards the mess.

Pushing the door out into the dining room you tried your best not to trek batter anywhere. Swiping the rag down your face and hair to get rid of any remaining flour you leaned down to help save your vans.

A sudden hand flying out towards your face made you flinch back. Falling onto your butt, you groaned as your hip smacked into the leg of the table.

Eddie shook his head, a soft expression on his face. Your eyes trailed down to where his hand was curled around the corner of the dining table. “Did I almost go face first into that?” You asked from where you were sprawled.

“Yeah, Nova, you almost cracked your skull,” he said, huffing a laugh. “I’d tell you to be more careful but it’d be a waste of breath.” Eddie tugged the rag out your hand and sat down by your feet.

“I-I am insulted.” The indignation cancelled out by the stammering. Eddie had picked up one of your, now dirty, sneakers and plopped it into his lap. He went about meticulously cleaning the chocolate off. “I can do that. You don’t have to-”

His brown eyes darted up to yours, silencing you. “I know I don’t have to; I want to.”

Mildly surprised, and a little flustered by his earnest tone, you nodded dumbly. By the time he was done, there was a pink tinge to his cheeks that you found stupidly endearing.

“There you go fair maiden. Good as new.” He bowed, dropping the rag onto the table. He offered his hand and pulled you up with a firm grip.

Warmth bloomed in your chest at the sight of his wide smile and soft gaze. “Thanks Eddie,” you said, smiling up at him.

He tossed an arm around your shoulders and pulled you towards the kitchen. “Come on, let’s go give them a little more hell,” he whispered, his breath tickling your ear.

Not one to resist, you beamed up at him and nodded. “Dibs on Mike,” you said, laughing when he did.

2. Covering you with a blanket when you look cold.

You met Eddie when you were in middle school but, you hadn’t really become friends until freshman year of high school. You were a cheerleader, one of the few freshmen on the team, and you’d caught Tommy Hagan cornering Eddie in a hallway.

You hadn’t hesitated at the sight of the stupid bully and had thrown your pompoms at his head. With a promise of a Herkie to the face, Tommy and his entourage had left you alone.

“Are you okay?” You asked him, bending over to pick up your tossed pompoms.

Eddie, however, hadn’t looked like he was two seconds away from being shoved into a locker. He was beaming. At you.

“What?” You asked, looking around at the empty hallway. “Do I have something on my face?”

“No, I just…didn’t ever think that my knight in shining armor would be a cheerleader,” he said, tone teasing.

Biting back a smile, you crossed your arms. “Why? Because we’re vapid and only care about our hair?” You cocked your hip.

“No,” Eddie said, straightening, “I swear, that’s not what I-”

Not able to help it, you burst out into laughter. “I’m fucking with you,” you said, hiding your laugh behind your hand. “I know Tommy’s little sister and she basically rules his household. He knows not to mess with her.”

Eddie smiled and you’d realized that he had a really nice smile. With a flourish, he bowed. “Well, I’m in your debt knight.”

Scrunching your nose, you shook your head. “Not a fan of the nickname?” He asked, starting towards the exit doors. Walking backwards, he drifted closer to you. “What about Nova?”

“What?” You laughed, surprised. “How’d you go from Knight to Nova?”

“Well, you’re my knight in shining armor – what’s brighter than a supernova?”

Throwing your head back, your laugh echoed down the hallway. You’d quickly become friends.

“Novaaaa, come on,” Eddie groaned, flopping down onto the sofa, “just pick a movie.” Clearly, almost a decade later, the nickname had stuck.

“Don’t rush me!” You told him, eyeing the three tapes in front of you. “Which one do you want to watch?”

Eddie’s head lolled back around to you and he smiled. “It’s your turn to pick,” he reminded you.

“I know, but-”

“Just put on Grease,” Eddie said, voice muffled by the pillow. You were about to protest, what an absolutely rude assumption, when a knock echoed from Eddie’s front door. “Pizza’s here. Pick a movie!”

Sighing, knowing that he’d had a bad week, you pushed Indiana Jones into the VCR. The smell of hot pizza wafted over to you and your stomach immediately roared – reminding you that you hadn’t had enough time to eat before your shift.

“Alright, alright, I heard you,” Eddie said, motioning to your stomach. He brought the box over, handing you some water and frowned at the television. “What’s this?”

“Indianamph Jonesah,” you said, around a mouthful of steaming pizza. You were going to miss your tastebuds but goddamn if it wasn’t a great mouthful.

Eddie rolled his eyes, pulled the tape out and shoved Grease in. Dodging your flailing arm, he dropped to the floor by the coffee table, his shoulder brushing your knee.

The opening music started and you found your eyes drawn to the screen. “What the hell?”

“I got that because I know you like to watch one of the same five movies after a long shift,” he said, picking up his own slice.

“But-”

He bumped your leg with his shoulder. “It was your turn to pick, I promise – I don’t mind. Besides, it’s starting to grow on me. It’s definitely better than Overboard.”

“Hey, that’s a good movie!”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “Right, and I’m Ozzy Osbourne.”

“Well,” you said with a smile growing, “you had the chance to bite off a bat’s head but you wasted that opportunity.”

Choking on his mouthful of pizza, Eddie laughed and shot you a soft look. “I’m glad my brush with death is something you can laugh about now.”

“Yeah, well, it’s been almost a year. Thought it was about time we all started joking about almost dying,” you said, “besides, Max started it.”

“I’ve never met another person with such morbid humor,” Eddie said, eyes following Danny and Sandy as they kissed on the beach. A flash of something shot through you but you ignored it.

You shrugged despite the fact that you knew he couldn’t see it. “I’m kinda proud of her for having it,” you said, bopping your head to the music you knew by heart.

I solve my problems and I see the light

We gotta loving thing, we gotta feed it right

Eddie turned to you suddenly, his eyes shifting. “Yeah, I’m proud of all of us.”

You grinned at him, dropping your plate onto the table and getting comfortable on Eddie’s couch. It was one of his better purchases – Wayne had chosen to accept the new trailer the state had bought him while Eddie had moved into a small one bedroom downtown. It made more sese considering it was close to the music store you both worked at.

“I’m not pausing the movie if you knock out,” he warned as you fluffed the pillow behind your head.

“I’m not going to fall asleep, when am I ever the one who knocks out first?”

Eddie shot you a look. “Did you want me to bring out a list or?”

Smacking the back of his head, he ducked and laughed when you half missed your target. “Alright, alright, I’m missing the good stuff.”

“I knew you liked this movie,” you said, nudging him with your knee. Eddie shot you a withering glare, or he tried to, because you laughed at his attempt. Amused, his eyes drifted to over your head and you were about to turn when something dropped into your lap.

Eddie pulled the crocheted blanket over your legs and let it pool around your waist. The black and white blanket had been gifted to Eddie by Robin. She’d decided she was going to learn to crochet last year and spent the entire months leading up to Christmas lost in her projects. Your green scarf was hanging with your jacket by the door. You loved this blanket and you knew Eddie did too – it was always draped across the sofa for easy access.

 “My place gets cold at night,” he said at your questioning look, “you know that. Besides, you’ll make it an hour before knocking out.”

The sweet gesture was overshadowed by his smug look and your hand jutted out to hit any part of him you could reach. “I’m not going to fall asleep.”

Both of you went back and forth, poking fun, and as you watched Danny ignore Sandy for Cha-Cha, you heard Eddie snort.

“What?” You asked, tapping your fingers along to the beat.

“I just always thought it was funny how he leaves her behind, he just goes with it,” he said.

You pointed to the cameras. “They’re on live television,” you explained sleepily.

“So?” Eddie raised his brow. “Are you defending him?”

“Of course not!” Why was this couch so comfortable? The blanket moved around you, warm hands tucking it over your shoulders and sighing when you snuggled into it.

Eddie’s knowing smile went a little fuzzy around the edges as your eyes felt harder and harder to keep open. Before you could formulate a comeback, the exhaustion of the day pulled you under. As you were entirely lost to the world, you heard Eddie murmur, “I would never leave you behind.”

3. Holding your hand when you’re falling apart.

Four years of cheerleading practice had not prepared you for what it truly meant to run for your life. Not really.

It stood to reason that you’d really never had to run from an interdimensional monster before – up until your employment at The Gap. Honestly, it was The Gap’s fault.

You’d met Robin at the first Hawkins Middle School band practice as small seventh graders. Her mom had told her she needed to get a job for the summer and she’d dragged you along with her. She had gotten hired at Scoops Ahoy and, in your defense, who was going to say no to a daily free ice cream? So, if you really thought about it – it was Scoop’s fault. And Robin’s.

The moment you saw Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington behind the counter, you should’ve turned the other way. But no, Robin was absolutely sure he’d changed. You snorted. Sure, he’d changed. Having all your friends drop you towards the end of your senior year would humble anyone. You’d been close enough to the source when the downfall of The Hair happened. It hadn’t been pretty. Especially after Nancy Wheeler decided to stick by Jonathan.

While he hadn’t been one of the few who liked to remind you of your low spot on the totem pole, he definitely wasn’t Mother Theresa. You’d seen how his friends treated Eddie’s friends – people who they deemed outcasts. Eddie had only been mostly spared because you two were practically fused at the hip. Besides, he knew that Nancy liked you – the two of you had hung out before considering you’d both been close friends with Barb. While you and her weren’t best friends, you knew he didn’t want to mess with anyone Nancy liked. Which, really, made him a selfish, self-centered asshole. And anyway, you’d seen what he’d spray painted onto the theater header.

It wasn’t until you saw him with Dustin, one of your favorite neighbors, that you’d conceded. How could someone who clearly held a middle schooler up to such high standards be that bad? Besides, Dustin was a kid – but you trusted him. Robin, of course, still held that against you to this day.

To be fair, Steve himself hadn’t won you over until he’d taken hit after hit to keep you and Robin as safe as possible. Russians in a secret lab under Starcourt injecting you with truth serum was not something you’d had on your 1985 bingo card.

You still remembered how Steve had grabbed each of your wrists so tightly that it’d taken weeks for the bruises to fade. He’d practically tossed you both under a massive table when the Mind Flayer had landed mid-food court. Robin clutched at your shoulders, Steve a steadying presence behind you.

He’d waited, for hours, as the EMTs cleared all of you outside the burning mall. And while you’d hoped that this was the last time any of your friends, new or old, had tried to save you – clearly that had been wishful thinking.

The muscles in your arms burned as you hauled yourself through the gate. Breath knocked out of you as you landed on your back, you glanced up to see Eddie’s hands stilling on the makeshift rope.

“Come on!” Dustin screamed. “Eddie come on!”

A flash of something crossed his expression and you knew. You knew he was going to do something stupid.

“Eddie!” You screamed, voice cracking in your desperation. His wide eyes struck yours and you knew the moment he’d decided. “Don’t you fucking dare! Edward Munson, you listen to me right now. Climb this fucking rope.”

“I’m sorry Nov,” he said, staring up at you with a sad smile. Without thinking, you scrambled to throw yourself down the gate but the rope dropped by your feet, cut from the source. “I love you. Take care of Dustin,” he said, eyes sincere and apologetic.

“Eddie!” You both screamed, voices hoarse.

Panic clawed at your chest. You couldn’t breathe – he was…he was going to get himself fucking killed. Spurring into action, Dustin pushed you aside as he grunted from the effort of pushing the dining table towards the middle of the room. “Come on! Those things will kill him, we gotta get back!”

Not one to be told twice, you shoved a few pieces of furniture on top of the table for good measure. You climbed up to the gate, barely able to touch the edges. Adrenaline rushed through you as you looked down to Dustin. “Give me a boost, I can almost reach it!”

Without hesitating, Dustin kneeled, hands on your calves and you used his knee to hoist yourself up. You didn’t have much time to adjust yourself but you channeled every tumbling move you’d ever done and tried to tuck and roll. Mostly successful, you only winced as your shoulder collided painfully with the metal chair.

“Okay, I’ll be right back!”

“You can’t just fucking leave me here!” Dustin shouted. You pointed up at him with all the authority you could muster.

“Try to tie more sheets together, the others will need help climbing through when they come back,” you glared at him, “don’t do anything stupid Henderson.”

Not waiting for a response, you kicked the trailer door open and scanned the field. A tornado of bats and a loud, heartbreaking, scream cut through you.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, you fucking idiot,” you said, panicking as you ran. You watched as the bats took turns diving for him, his spear barely keeping them back.

“Come on!” He screamed into the eye of the storm. Because of course he did. The idiot. You willed your legs to run faster, to just get you there so you could help. Then, they struck. Eddie’s hands whipped up to his throat and you watched him slam into the floor.

“Eddie!” You screamed, throat raw, but it was drowned out by the screeching bats. A flash of Billy being impaled, lifted into the air, and thrown like a ragdoll bubbled up to your consciousness. No, please, you begged, not Eddie, not him.

Slowing as you neared, you pulled the gun from around your shoulders and squared them like Hopper had taught you. The shots echoed despite the chaos, your blood rushing through your body. “Get away from him!” You shrieked, fighting your way through the opening you’d created.

You slipped on the unmoving body of the ones you’d shot down and slid directly into an motionless Eddie. Covering his body with your own, you raised your gun as they swooped down. Almost out of bullets, you’d just hit another when one managed to swipe you from the side – claws digging into your skin. Screaming, you waved the gun like Steve’s bat and swatted as many as you could out the air.

Shit, you couldn’t keep this up. There were too many.

Then, as if puppets that were cut, they all dropped to the floor. One slammed into your bad shoulder painfully and you cried out.

“Nov?”

The weak voice was like beacon and you quickly slid to the ground. You weren’t going to question your good luck. Pulling the leather jacket off his chest your heart dropped down next to the dead demobats and you immediately started to cry.

“That bad huh?” He joked, voice wet as blood poured out his mouth.

“You absolute fucking asshole. You dickhead,” you berated him as you tied your own cargo jacket around the gash in his stomach. Rising to your knees, you quickly pulled your belt off your waist and made a tourniquet around his upper thigh. Your hands were drenched in blood and you forced the bile down. Focus, you need to stop the bleeding. You needed to get him back to the trailer, you yelled at yourself.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Eddie’s weak hand came up to your forearm and your heart creaked as the cracks deepened. “It’ll be okay.”

“No it won’t you fucking moron, you’re my best friend – I – can’t watch you die. I won’t,” you said, hauling him onto your lap. You tried to stand but your shoulder immediately gave and you both crashed to the ground.

A sob wrenched it’s way out your throat, helpless and willing your shoulder to work. Just this time, please, please, you begged.

“Nova,” Eddie’s voice trailed off, weaker than before.

Cradling his stupid face, your hands left streaks of blood on his pale skin. Shaking, your fingers caressed his jaw. The brown eyes, more familiar to you than your own, slowly started to fade.

“Eddie, stay with me, someone’s coming okay – it’s going to be okay,” you said, entire body clinging to his.

“I-I told you this was my year,” he said, blood tricking down. His unseeing eyes searched for you, like they always did, and you realized that you wouldn’t survive this. Eddie was going to fade from existence, the entire town thinking him a murderer, and this would finally be the storm that broke you.

“I can’t live without you,” you stammered, words bubbling up in rapid succession, you had things you needed to say – stuff you needed to do with him still. You were supposed to have time – it wasn’t supposed to end this way. Jaw aching as you bit down your anguish, you pressed a kiss to his forehead and he sighed. “Eddie, please,” you begged, unashamed and desperate.

Take me, you begged the dark skies that mocked you, anyone but him.

“I l-love-” he gagged, choking on his own blood and you pressed your forehead against his.

“Sh, sh, it’s okay, I’m here Eddie. I’m here. I know. Me too,” you said, tongue sticking to the roof of your mouth. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

Sorry you weren’t fast enough, sorry you couldn’t save him, sorry for having to be the one to watch him die. Eddie’s hand came up to your wrist, squeezing once before dropping limp.

The silence around you was deafening. No, no, no, no.

You screamed, anguished, and the pain unbearable. Anger coursed through you, mixing with your overwhelming grief. It crashed into you from all angles, its hands grabbing onto you and pulling you under. Your throat hurt but you couldn’t stop screaming, all of you couldn’t stop screaming in the unfairness of it all.

“Eddie?” A voice shouted through the darkness. You whipped your head up, searching through the night for the voice.

“Steve?” You called out tentatively, hand reaching for your discarded gun. Was this a trick? You scanned your surroundings, vision blurry. No, you steeled yourself, this place had already taken everything from you – they couldn’t have his body too.

Swinging the gun towards the quick footsteps, you ignored your trembling arms.

“Hey, hey! Wait, it’s me,” Steve said, hands up. He stepped in front of Robin, his eyes on the still body behind you.

Eyes wild, you blinked away your constant tears, and loosened the hold on your gun. “Stevie?”

“It’s me, it’s me – I promise,” he said, hand coming out to take your shotgun. Handing it to Nancy, he pulled you into his arms. “What happened?” He winced when he saw your skin bleeding sluggishly.

“Eddie?” Robin whispered, dropping to her knees beside him.

Willing yourself to keep it together you nodded towards the house. “What happened?”

“He’s dead, we got him – Nance got him. It’s over.”

Feeling weak, you leaned on Nancy’s outstretched arm and watched as Steve dropped to examine him.

“He’s – he – cut the rope – I tried, my shoulder – it, oh God,” you said, scrambling towards the nearest wall and throwing up everything in your stomach. A warm hand came up to your back, rubbing it back and forth until your heaving stopped.

“I got you,” Nancy said, “I’m here, it’s okay. I’m here for you.”

He was dead. Eddie was gone. Nothing would ever be okay again.Your blood-soaked hands reached out and she clasped them. Eyes on yours, strong and steady, she nodded. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

“Nance,” your voice sounded warped. “I tried.”

She shushed you, bringing your arm over her shoulders and taking most of your weight as you crumbled. You watched as Robin and Steve grabbed him, moving quickly towards the trailer.

“What? Where are you going?” Nancy shouted.

Robin grunted under the weight as she climbed the steps. “He’s got a pulse! The tourniquets are holding! We gotta move fast!”

.

Coincidentally, the nearest hospital to Forest Park was at the town line one over. Robin had assured you that since it wasn’t Hawkins, they weren’t likely to recognize him instantly. Worry for Max joined your overwhelming weight as you glanced at the destruction the earthquake had wreaked. “Do you think he got her?” You asked, voice barely audible.

“I killed him as the clock was chiming,” Nancy said, “it only rang three times. I’ll call when we get to the hospital – they’ll be okay. We’re all okay. We have to be.”

After admitting Eddie, a concerned nurse offered you a pair of scrubs to change into. Glancing down at your clothes, you realized you were covered in blood. Eddie’s blood.

Tearing up, her eyes had softened incredibly and she helped you wash it off. “It’ll all work out honey, you’ll see,” she whispered as the blood dribbled down the drain. You’d barely felt the needle as she stitched the claw marks on your chest and neck.

It’d taken an hour of arguing but you promised the others you could keep it together for the night as they drove back to Hawkins to figure out what was going on. Robin had kissed the top of your now clean hair, and clasped her hands with yours. “I will be back as soon as I can, okay? As fast as I can.” The fierceness in her tone had your eyes tearing up again and she hugged you tightly.

Five hours after being admitted, with no news, you received the second shock of the night.

“Hopper?” You sputtered, almost bowled over to see the ghost of your old Chief of police.

Head shaved, a few pounds lighter, but the smile that came from hearing your voice was just the same. “Hey kid,” he said, bringing you into a tight hug.

It took another hour, and the arrival of just about everyone you knew, for a nurse to let you know that Eddie had stabilized. They’d needed to operate to stop the internal bleeding, he’d needed a few blood transfusions and was placed into a medically induced coma, but he’d be alright.

“He’s…he’ll be okay?” You asked, not willing to cling onto any false hope.

The nurse from earlier stepped forward, her kind eyes wrinkled as she smiled. “Yeah, honey, he’ll be okay.”

Swallowing back your tears, you pulled her into a hug. “Thank you.”

Two hours later, while you sat glued to his side, Hopper let you know that Eddie was cleared of all charges.

“Do you want to know?” He asked.

Shaking your head, you smiled up at him for the first time in the last twelve hours. The sun peaked out from the horizon, drenching Eddie’s dark room in a warm orange light. “I don’t care how. Just – thank you.”

Hopper ruffled your hair and you leaned into his touch like cat arching for more affection. “They’ll want your statement but not until a few days from now. As far as you know, you were over Robin’s with Steve for the entire night. Her neighbor, Mrs. Matthews has already said she could corroborate your alibi.”

Smiling, you nodded. “I don’t even want to know what the U.S. government had on her.”

“You don’t,” he agreed.

It took Eddie another day to wake up. Wayne had finally convinced you to go get something to eat, I won’t leave his side sweetheart, I promise.

You balanced the two coffees in your hand as you pushed open the door to Eddie’s room. Surprised to see the entire party surrounded by the bed, you blinked, a little taken aback.

Dustin was the first to catch your eye, his grin so wide it almost split his face in two. “Eddie’s awake!” Your eyes darted to the bed, the man in it grinning up at a tearful Wayne.

“You absolute asshole,” you hissed, not able to keep it down.

The party laughed, Steve shaking his head. “Hi Nova,” Eddie said, voice hoarse, and you felt your stomach swoop as those eyes met yours. “I’m sorry.”

“You better be,” you said, handing Wayne his coffee. He promised to be back, wanting to speak to the doctor. The moment the door closed; chaos reigned. Everyone talked over each other and you watched, amused. Sipping your coffee, you smacked Lucas’ shoulder as he made fun of something Mike said.

Steve’s whistle was loud enough to pierce several eardrums and you winced. “One at time! The man just woke up from a coma.”

“Medically induced coma,” Mike clarified.

You fought the urge to smack him too.

Despite the severity of what brought Eddie to the hospital, after a week – he was given the all clear. The party was at Eddie’s new trailer, decorating the larger space for his homecoming. You’d been tasked to watch over the patient. You’d arrived early, still not entirely able to have him out of your sights for too long. As you popped your head in, you realized he was asleep.

Dropping into the comfortable chair next to his bed, you set yourself up for waiting. In the past week and a half, you hadn’t managed to find a moment alone with Eddie. There was always a party member at his bedside at all times. Or a band member. Or a parent.

Eddie’s room had quickly become well known for the noise and chattering that spilled out into the hallways. At its absence, you realized you didn’t know what to do.

Smacking his lips, Eddie’s head moved towards the door, eyes still closed. As he shifted, you caught sight of the large bandage by his neck. The purple bruising on his arms looked painful and your chest clenched at the sight of them.

It seemed that before you could decide for yourself, the silence swallowed you whole. Bringing you hand up to your lips, you tried to silence your sobs. Chest heaving with the effort, you buried your face into your hands and cried. The last week of pushing everything down and resolving to deal with it later had finally caught up to you.

Everyone has their reckoning, you were reminded. This was yours.

A warm hand came up to your shoulder, the bandaged one, and softly caressed where the tape adhered to your skin. “Hey you,” he said, sleep clinging to the corner of his knowing gaze.

“I’m sorry,” you sputtered, trying to push it back down but there was no use. Pandora’s box had been opened. Turning from him, you caught sight of his frown. His pained grunt made you whip back to him and you almost tripped over your own feet as you rushed to help. Eddie’s expression was twisted as he sat up, sweat beading at his temples.

“Lie down, you psychopath,” you said once the lump in your throat let you speak. “The bed will move for you! You just had surgery on your side for fuck’s sake.” You ducked your head, trying to avoid his eyes as you adjusted the bed to his liking.

Stubborn as always, Eddie tapped your forearm. “Don’t hide from me, not you,” he said softly, his eyes searching for yours. Giving in, you let your blurry sight find his and he sighed. “Nova, you should’ve told me.”

“Told you what?” You said through desperate inhales.

“That you’d been bottling it up – come here,” he said. You wished you could climb into the bed with him but you couldn’t, his incision still very off limits to movement. You were trying to decide where to touch, when he decided for you. His right hand opened, fingers wiggling towards you. “Come on.”

Interlocking your fingers with his, relishing in the touch, you pressed the back of his hand to your cheek. His pulse beat against yours, alive – wondrously and beautifully alive. This, this was what you needed. A moment to lose it before rearranging the bricks of your mental foundation back in place. The image of him, eyes unseeing, bubbled to the surface and despair twisted it’s venomous grip around your lungs.

Choking, you let the sob come out unbidden. Not sure you could stop it if you wanted to, you let the tears drown you. Weeping, you whimpered as you accepted what could’ve been. What you would’ve had to watch. The fact that you would’ve had something so important ripped from your grasp.

He's okay, you thought, he’s alive.

“I’m here,” he said, his voice a quiet echo of Nancy’s lost words. “I’m here. I got you.” After a few minutes, your chest stopped heaving and you could take a deep breath.

“I’m sorry,” you told him, a little embarrassed. “Thank you.”

“No, I’m sorry,” he said, pulling your hand from your face and towards his own. He pressed a kiss to your knuckles and you blinked at him.

“Why are you sorry?” Christ, you were a mess. He’d been in a coma for two days and he was comforting you. He’d almost died and you were too weak to be strong for your friend.

“I’m sorry for leaving you,” he said, “I’m sorry that you had to be the one I left behind. I’m sorry for scaring you. I’m sorry that you had to see me like that. I’m sorry for hurting you even if I’d do it again if it meant you were safe. It was scary and I’m sorry for doing that to you, no matter how important it was that I did it.”

His thumb caressed your hand and you bit back the tears that wanted to wail out to the world that you’d almost lost something that couldn’t be replaced. But the silence that fell was comforting, a soft and easy kind. One that didn’t need to be filled and his pulse was a balm soothing your raw panic.

And yet -

“Don’t leave me here alone. It’s your Sam calling,” you said, eyes on his. A small real, smile broke out on his face and he squeezed your hand.

Despite the bandages across his jaw, and the wince of pain as he shifted, you hadn’t seen someone look so beautiful.

“Don’t go where I can’t follow, wake up Mr. Frodo,” Eddie whispered and you beamed at him.

4. Telling you to call them so they know you got home safe.

“For fuck’s sake,” you hissed, rubbing your temples as you watched Robin hop on top of a bar table to dance.

Eddie’s laughter hit your ear and you shivered at the warmth. “Come on Nov, she looks like she’s having fun,” he said, chest pressed against your back. Tucking his chin over your shoulder, you finally waved down the bartender.

“Can I have another club soda please?” You asked, handing her the money. She nodded, eyes drifting to Eddie and smiling.

“You two are a really cute couple,” she said, sliding the glass towards you.

Opening your mouth to correct her, Eddie beat you to it. “Thank you!” At your glance, he shrugged. “It’s easier to go along with.”

Something in your chest tightened at the thought but you shrugged. “Jesus, Eddie, can you bring her down? She’s going to end up falling and cracking her neck.”

Eddie sighed, his warm hand coming up to squeeze your waist. “We really need to stop promising to be the babysitters,” he said, lips brushing against your temple before leaving to drag a protesting Robin off the sticky table.

“Hey,” a guy to your left said, his hair long and pin straight.

You turned to him, not wanting to be rude but also not wanting to make it look like you were welcoming any type of flirting. Eddie already had to shove a creep with a persistent attitude off of Nancy. “Hi,” you said, taking a sip of your drink.

“Sorry to bother you,” he said, a little too quiet for the noise level inside, “but is that the lead singer of Corroded Coffin?”

Relief flooded through you and your shoulders dropped. “Yeah, that’s him.”

“Holy shit, I saw his band last month when he was the opening act for Riot Act. I’m a big fan! They’ve got a great sound,” he said awed. “Sorry! I’m Jack.”

“Hey, I’m-”

“-here with someone,” Eddie’s voice floated over your shoulder and towards the straightening man on the stool.

A little surprised by Eddie’s furrowed expression, and practically thrown by the small ember of something in your spine at his serious tone, you placed a hand on his and smiled up at him. “This is Jack, he’s a fan of Corroded Coffin’s.”

Eddie’s expression completely transformed, a wide smile overtaking the sharp look in his eyes. “Oh man, thanks! Sorry, you know how these bars can get.”

“Yeah,” Jack said, brightening, “totally! Are you guys going to be playing somewhere else soon? I heard a few people say you might be going to Sold Out in Indianapolis!”

Eddie rubbed the back of his neck and you could tell he was flustered by the pink tinge to his neck. “We are! We’re going to be there for a few weekends for the next couple months. We start sometime in the summer. Still ironing out a few details.”

“That’s great! I’m sorry for asking but, do you mind signing something for me?” Jack asked, excitement growing his eyes.

Both of you thrown, you felt your own giddiness build in your chest. “He’d love to,” you answered for a stunned Eddie. “In fact, the entire band is here tonight. You’ll have to excuse everyone else – we’re the designated drivers. They might be a little drunk.”

At the promise of more autographs, Jack straightened. “Holy shit, yeah that’d be amazing. Thank you so much,” he stammered, grabbing a clear napkin from behind the bar and pulling a pen from his coat. “My friends are going to shit themselves.”

You squeezed Eddie’s hand when you saw it trembling as he signed with a flourish. Shooting you a grateful look, he walked Jack over to where Jeff and Gareth were chanting chug, chug, chug! at a teetering Liam.

Jesus, you sighed, rolling your eyes when Jeff’s excited hand swatted too close to Liam and he started coughing up the beer.

Turning back to your drink, you didn’t wait long before you felt Eddie’s palm at your lower back. “Well, that happened.”

Not missing a beat, you turned with a crumpled napkin and wide eyes. “Oh my God, sir, would you autograph my napkin too?”

Eddie laughed, shaking his head, and he shoved your shoulder. “Shut up,” he grumbled, motioning to the bartender for his own club soda. “You brat.”

Grinning, you bumped his shoulder with your own. “I’m glad I’ll be able to say I knew you when you were a nerdy freshman.”

“I’m still that nerdy freshman,” he huffed, “people just actually like my singing now.”

The band on stage switched to a fast paced song and the bar emptied a little as people flew to the dance floor. You couldn’t take your eyes off of him. They really deserved this. You crossed your fingers beneath the bar and hoped it was just the beginning.

“To be fair, I always liked your singing,” you told him, poking his chest. Eddie’s eyes shifted and you felt the same tightening again.

His eyes dropped back to yours, something new swimming in them, and your breath stuttered in your lungs. “I know you have,” he said, gaze darting across your face. “You’ve always been there for me.”

Not able to take the pressure in your sternum, you huffed. “And don’t forget that when you’re rich and famous, okay? I want a fancy BMW so I can taunt Steve with it.”

Eddie threw his head back and laughed. Instead of breaking the spell, your eyes drifted to his neck and you briefly thought about how appealing the muscles there were. Straightening so quickly that your spine audible snapped, you swallowed nervously.

What the fuck was that?

The look Eddie shot your way let you know that he’d caught whatever that was. Your mind raced in a thousand different directions but before you could choose a route to go down, a body pressed itself into your side.

“You guys, Jonathan puked,” Gareth said, matter of fact. “It was funny but then Steve started gagging.”

Liam joined in next, his eyes glazed. “Steve said he’s a sy-symp- sympat-” his face scrunched together when he realized he wasn’t getting the word out.

“He’s a sympathy puker?” You guessed, already knowing Steve wasn’t the best around puke. He was always the first domino to fall during hangover mornings.

“Ugh, you’re so smart,” Jeff complimented.

Brows rising, you elbowed Eddie. “Time to corral?” Sighing, Eddie nodded.

“Grab as many as you can and shove them into the right car,” he said, hands coming out to grab his bandmates before they could drift off. “Meet outside in ten?”

“Minutes?” You asked incredulously. “It’s going to take at least that long to get Steve to stop gagging.”

“Bet you five I can get them out in fifteen.”

Rolling your eyes, you slapped his outstretched hand. “That’s an easy win.”

And sure enough, you leaned against Steve’s car with an amused expression as Eddie tried for the fourth time to load Jeff into his van. You glanced at Robin, who was talking animatedly with Gareth about what sounded like cheese fries. A blur in the corner of your eye caught your attention and you watched Liam open the passenger door and pass Jonathan his joint.

“Jesus,” Eddie groaned, “okay you win, please, just-” he waved his hand towards your friends.

“Robin get in the car we have to go now,” you said firmly, knowing she was the hardest to convince but the one everyone would follow once she was.

Her expression morphed into indignation. “Gareth thinks bacon on fries is better than cheese! That’s – that’s treason.”

“Because it is better!” He said, clutching his head.

“Alright you two, you’re both right, how about that?” You turned to Gareth and glared until he simpered off towards Eddie without a backwards glance. “And you, into the car.”

“But-”

“I’ll tell everyone what you’re hiding in the box at the back of your closet,” you threatened. She paled and tripped in her hurry to the car. She knocked into a sleeping Nancy, who grunted when she landed in the middle seat with a loud thump.

“Byers, get your ass in gear or I’m telling Joyce!”

A sheepish Jonathan crawled into the car, jostling Robin who cried out and accidentally smacked a snoring Steve in the passenger seat. You quickly shut the door and locked them in. With a flourish, you took your bow and Eddie clapped. “I admit defeat o’great knight.”

“Knight in shining armor, please,” you clarified.

“Of course, of course.”

“You okay with your lot?” You asked, nodding to where Liam was starting to look a little green.

Eddie snorted. “Yeah, they’ll be fine. What about you?”

“Jonathan and Nancy live nearby, the rest of us are crashing at Steve’s. Like the good ol’ days,” you joked, shivering when a sudden cold gust of air blew your hair into your eyes.

A pair of hands came up to your arms, rubbing some warmth into them and you smiled. “Lucky, Gareth and Liam live in completely different directions,” he said with a roll of his eyes. You pointed to car behind him.

“You should lock them in before one makes a break for it,” you said, yawning and checking the time. Without giving you time to think, Eddie pulled you into a tight hug. Never needing a reason, you wrapped your arms around his waist and squeezed just as tightly back. His cold nose nudged your temple, inhaling deeply and you lean your face against his chest. His heartbeat fast and yours quickly matched its pace. With a soft sigh, Eddie let you go.

“Hey, but seriously, I’m so happy everyone else is finally seeing what I always did,” you told him, pinching one of his cheeks for levity.

Instead, he smiled at you softly. A small, little shy smile that made your heart flip. “Yeah?” His eyes softened, the brown deepening with his gaze. You felt your chest tighten painfully this time. Turning back to hop into your car, you rolled the window down and Eddie leaned into your space.

“Don’t let it get to your big head.” Eddie smiled at your barb but his eyes trailed down your face, the look in his gaze different. You leaned back to examine it but you couldn’t put your finger on it. “What?” His eyes darted back up to yours and it clicked. It looked like he knew something you didn’t.

A little surprised at what he saw there, he shook his head. “Nothing, nothing, see you tomorrow at work?” That sounded like a diversion. You had a full shift tomorrow but he was on towards the end at closing.

“Yeah,” you said, not sure you wanted to let go of this. As if sensing it, he surged forward to press a kiss to your cheek and you blinked, surprised.

“Drive home safe, call me when you get there, okay?” He said. “Leave a message if I’m not home yet. I won’t be able to sleep if I think you’re dead in a ditch somewhere.”

That, in the end, got a smile out of you. “Who would’ve thought you and Harrington would turn into the mothers of this ragtag group?”

“Hey,” he said, hands on his hips in a clear imitation of Steve, “you love it.”

“Yeah,” you said, starting your car and rolling up your window, “I do!”

5. Bringing you something just because it reminded them of you.

“Fuuuck,” you squawked, feet sliding out from under you. Bracing for the impact, your eyes flew open when Eddie’s hands slide through your underarms and steadied you. He pulled you up, your knees aching, and you both stilled.

“That…would’ve been bad,” you said quietly, looking down at the wet pavement outside the Wheeler’s house. Eddie’s eyes were wide, his gaze on the puddles.

“Note to self, slippery driveways might take down the mighty Nova but demobats are a walk in the park,” Eddie said, grinning when you whacked him.

“Ugh, they’re still outside,” Dustin shouted from the doorway, “come on, we’re taking a vote on which movie to watch first.”

Despite his teasing, you felt Eddie’s hand on your back – steady – as you followed Dustin towards the basement. Everyone was scattered, a few conversations going on at once. The party was back for the summer from college and, as tradition stated, a movie night was set on the first weekend.

El jumped up, grinning, and threw her arms around you. “Oh, hello,” you said, squeezing her tightly, “I’ve missed you.”

“Missed you,” she said into your shoulder, words muffled. You glanced up to see Max tucked into Eddie’s embrace. He smiled when they swapped and Max’s grip bruised you. Kissing her temple, you watched them tumble back onto the first couch – Mike and Lucas waving at you both.

You made to step towards a beaming Will when a hand on your elbow stopped you. “Hey, I forgot to give this to you yesterday at work,” Eddie said, hand ruffling around in bag. He grinned after a moment, pulling it out triumphantly. A small drawstring bag swung wildly for a moment before coming to a stop. The black suede looked soft and lumpy.

“We just started that gig out at Sold Out last week and we were looking for something to eat before we drove back. I saw this in the window of a store and thought of you,” Eddie said, making your heart flip. You reached for the bag, a gold necklace spilling out the mouth.

“It’s a sunflower,” you said, voice faint, thumb tracing the small blooming flower.

Eddie nodded, already rooting in his bag for something else. “You said that was Barb’s favorite flower, right?” Suddenly, it felt like the entire room had gone quiet.

“It was,” Nancy said, leaning over your shoulder to look at the pendant. “She loved them, her room was covered.” An old memory flashed through your mind.

You’d met Barb when you were six, in kindergarten. She’d shared her chocolate with you and picked you as a partner for nap time. She had a sweet smile and gave great hugs. She was good and kind, and you’d been angry at the world for taking her. For a lot of things.

“Sunflowers symbolize friendship. But really, they just make me smile.”

For a moment, just a brief second, you could hear her light laughter echo within your memory. Nancy’s soft smile let you know that you weren’t alone.

“I thought you’d like it,” he said with a smile and you knew he was thinking of the tulips you’d both left at Chrissy’s grave last week. “This way you can have her close by.”

Nancy helped you clasp it around your neck and smiled down at you. Sound filtered back in as she grunted and turned to the boys. “Don’t throw the remote!”

You scrambled to stand before Eddie could find a seat, your had grabbing his. He stilled, looking back at you – the unasked question on his lips. Taking a step forward for a hug, for a second time within a span of five minutes, you tripped on a forgotten figurine. Eddie cradled you to him, staggered, but steady.

“Okay, I stand corrected. Rainy driveways and dnd figurines,” he joked, the smile from his gaze fading when he realized how close you’d landed.

The world moved around you both in a blur. This moment, you in his arms, had happened hundreds of times. You’d known Eddie for years, both of you were affectionate people. But this…was different. Time slowed and you felt Eddie’s pulse ricochet within your own, his lips parting in surprise. You eyes darted down to the movement, his lips chapped and in this bubble you’d created – a thought crossed your mind.

You wanted to press yours to his. You wanted to press every part of you against his.

Then, quickly, a second thought rose from your subconscious.

This wasn’t the first time you’d wanted to kiss him. It wasn’t the first time that your heart felt like it would burst at the sight of him. You liked the way your skin felt electrified at his touch. The way he always seemed to focus on you. The way you both always gravitated towards each other, like sunflowers bending towards the sun. Your eyes dipped lower and you felt a lump form in your throat. The way…you were dying to bite into that tattoo on his neck. The way you wondered if he’d squirm against you. If he’d push you into the-

Holy fucking shit, you loved Eddie. You were in love with Eddie. Your best friend. How the fuck had you been so blind?

Stumbling, you staggered back from his touch – not able to think clearly with him so close. You ripped your arms away from him and greedily sucked in air.

“What’s wrong?” Eleven asked you, realizing you were all but hyperventilating.

Pulse roaring in your ears, you didn’t know what to say. Dumbstruck, your limbs went numb as you finally met Eddie’s worried eyes. He stilled at the sight of your expression and suddenly the rug was pulled completely out from under you because he knew. The look in his eyes was one of complete and total understanding.

And you knew that he knew - and he knew that you knew that he knew.

Your mind flashed back to the moment outside the bar a few months ago. That look in his eyes. The way he’d been acting strange recently. He looked at you like he knew something you didn’t. Struck, you’d honestly be less shocked if the ground opened up and Vecna swallowed you whole.

His own panic flooding his face, he took a step forward.

“No!” You shouted, a touch too loud, your soul flying out your body and staring down at the situation with terror.

“Wait, just wait,” Eddie stammered, hands raised like he was approaching a scared animal. “Let’s talk about it.”

“Oh shit,” you heard Dustin mutter. The rest of room went silent.

Robin groaned, a soft thump following. “Oh no, this isn’t good.”

“Right now?” Steve hissed. “What the hell changed?”

“What the hell is happening?” Lucas grumbled.

Max sighed. “She just realized she’s in love with him.”

Eleven’s eyes widened and Lucas frowned. “Congratulations on being the last one to find out,” he said and somehow that made it worse. Your face crumpled and everyone’s glare turned towards him.

“Jesus Sinclair, have you heard of tact?”

Were you the absolute last person to know?

He was your best friend – you couldn’t, this would ruin everything. Oh God, what if he’d known and he never said anything because he didn’t feel the same? What if he did? You honestly didn’t know which was scarier.

As your friends descended into chaos, you glanced back at Eddie and found him frozen too. Overwhelmed and feeling like you’d been knocked around the ring a few times, you let your flight instinct take over. Taking the stairs two at a time, you were at the basement door in seconds.

Chaos erupted behind you.

You were at the door and fucking Christ, you couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t you breathe? Was the ground shaking?

“Stay here,” you heard Eddie bark at everyone, his had tone not leaving any room for argument. Despite it all, you felt the zing of something travel down your spine at the sound of it. Before you could even analyze it for what it was, it triggered another fresh wave of panic.

You knew he’d be close behind, but you were used to running for your life at this point. Practically racing down the driveway, you scrambled into your car and slammed the door shut. Your first mistake was trying to still your shaking hand to get it into the ignition.

A body half-slammed into your passenger door and you screamed, terror taking over your rational side for a moment.

“Sorry! I’m sorry! The fucking grass is wet and I slipped,” Eddie said, backing up with his palms up. “Nova, please, don’t go. Not like this. I-”

“Nope!” You said, feeling like a stupid child but you weren’t able to process right now. You’d known Eddie since you were fourteen. That was a decade. How the fuck had you been so blind? “I can’t – Eddie, I can’t! Just give me a second, okay? I need – I need to process. Alone.”

The world felt like it was crumbling. Like you were back in the hell hole, clinging to Steve and Eddie for balance as the ground shook beneath you. Oh God, this was going change everything.

Your second mistake was turning to look at him. The knot in your chest tightened beyond belief at the sight of the heartbreak in his eyes. A flash of movement brought your attention to the several heads peeking out from the windows. Eddie’s head whipped around and you could feel his glare from where you sat. “Jesus Christ, does anyone know what privacy means?” You knew it was bad when you couldn’t even muster up a smile.

“Nov…”

Like a cornered animal, you felt tears well up. “Please. I’m sorry. Please Eddie, please.” Panic clawed up your throat, threatening to pull you under. Black dots danced across your vision.

He smiled and your heart broke at the emptiness in it. “Yeah, Nov, it’s okay. I’ll go back inside, just- take a few deep breaths before you go. Okay? Don’t drive like this. Just, deep breathing, remember?”

You slammed your eyes shut; you didn’t have the strength to look at him anymore. You nodded, taking an unsteady deep inhale. How was it possible that you were the one running and he was still thinking of you?

Not sure how long you sat there but by the time you opened your eyes, your tremor had settled and Eddie was gone. Taking a deep breath, you turned your car on and peeled away from the Wheeler house.

It took Robin and Steve exactly ten hours before they showed up on your doorstep.

“I know you’re in there asshole, open up!” Robin screamed.

Jesus. You flung the door open and glared. “I have neighbors.”

“You look like shit,” Robin said, matter a fact, with a small smile on her face. You groaned, dropping your face into your palms and Steve sighed.

“For fuck’s sake Robin, it hasn’t even been a day,” he said, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and guiding you to the couch.

Not one to ever be excluded, Robin smushed herself next to you. Her thigh pressed against yours and you found yourself stuck between your two friends – friends you hadn’t ever been good at lying to.

“I know why you’re here,” you started.

Robin snorted. “Well duh, what’d you think? That we got up at nine in the morning to come wish you a good morning? Even Dingus knows better than that.”

Biting back a laugh at her quick retort, you caught Steve’s exasperated glance and nearly broke. “Do not enable the behavior,” he hissed. “How do you feel?”

What a loaded question.

“I feel a little numb. Sort of, like, if I don’t acknowledge this is happening then it isn’t,” you said, pinching the bridge of your nose, “which, I guess, is what got us both into this mess in the first place.”

Robin’s expression softened and you sighed. “I’m just…I feel embarrassed mostly. I didn’t mean to be so dramatic – I just…I was so overwhelmed and it felt like I was drowning. You were all staring at us and I couldn’t think – I couldn’t breathe.”

“Hey, give yourself some credit,” Robin said, “you needed space and time and you asked for it. Everyone needs to understand that boundary.”

“Except for you two,” you joked weakly.

Robin huffed, waving a hand in the air. “We don’t have boundaries-”

“-we should though-” Steve muttered.

“-once you’re tortured by Russians together, you’re bonded for life,” Robin continued, ignoring Steve’s scrunched expression.

They started to bicker good-naturedly and your mind drifted to Eddie. You felt horrible but it didn’t override your need to crawl under the covers and hide yourself from the world. The one question on your mind refused to be put to rest.

“How could I have been so blind?” You wondered, not realizing you’d said it out loud until Robin leaned some of her weight onto you.

Steve pulled himself closed to the edge so he could turn to look at you. His gaze was gentle, eyes on you. “I mean this genuinely with no judgement, but how could you not have noticed?”

You threw your hands out, Robin dodging your left one expertly. “I don’t know! I think I knew on some level and just ignored it? Its…scary, feelings this big for someone who’s your best friend. I’m so scared, I don’t want to lose him,” you admitted quietly. Steve sighed and you glanced at him. “When did you guys know?”

Steve frowned but Robin spoke first. “To be fair, I don’t think Eddie knew right away either. At least not that I could see and we’ve known each other for a while now too. I realized sophomore year,” she said. “You always had those damn starbursts around. I know your favorites are the red ones because Dustin tried to take one from your stash and you almost chewed his hand off.”

A pile of starbursts were tossed onto your kitchen counter now. “So?” You asked, confused at the connection.

“They’re Eddie’s favorites too and you always let him grab them. I don’t think he even knows you do that, to this day. Let’s not forget how any time either of you ever went on a date or, God forbid, had a relationship, the other was always in a constant mood.”

Before that could sink in, Steve stirred. “I realized when he’d come to visit you at Scoops. Remember when I’d smushed that sundae into you. We were waiting on Robin to come back, worried about the Russians and you’d insisted on staying to help us. You had finally decided I was worthy and we were laughing about something stupid Dustin had said.”

You knew what moment he was talking about – you’d forgotten to call Eddie and tell him you didn’t need a ride home anymore. He’d arrived, on time as always, and walked in on you and Steve wrestling over some spilled ice cream.

“I turned with your ice cream too fast and hit your chin. I was trying to clean it off but you’d taken a handful and shoved it down my uniform. Dustin was practically on the floor laughing and I was chasing you with the bowl. Eddie walked in and instantly hated me. I knew he thought I was flirting with you, which I wasn’t. It was something in the way he looked at me. He wasn’t mad that he thought I liked you, he was mad because he thought I wasn’t worth your time – you know? He wasn’t even jealous, just protective,” he said with a shrug. “With you, it took a while, I think. I wasn’t sure if you felt the same for some time. Not until I knew you better.”

“Oh,” you said, throat dry. “Did everyone know but me?”

Steve bumped your shoulder amicably. “Maybe. It’s obvious to everyone now but it’s because it’s like you’re two magnets. The second the other is in the vicinity, your gravitate together. It’s…natural, almost. Something you’d expect,” he nodded, blinking down at you. “Does that make sense?”

“No,” you said petulantly at the same time Robin nodded.

Rolling her eyes, she grasped your hands and squeezed them. It was reminiscent of that moment in the emergency room, her eyes wide but determined.

“What do you want to do about it?”

You shook your head. “Too big a question.”

Steve took over. “Okay…how do you feel? You can love him as your friend, or be in love with him as a person, but if you don’t want to risk that – it’s up to you. We can have our own opinions-”

“-that you two need to get your heads out of your asses-” Robin said, expression furrowing.

“-but,” he said, shooting her a look, “it’s your choice.”

Feeling like your chest would explode with it, you abruptly stood, needing the space to pace a hole in your carpet. Chewing on your nail, you flung another hand in the air and frowned. “Of course I love him, how could I not? He’s…he’s Eddie. He’s my Eddie. Sometimes, at night, before going to bed I think about it you know. I think about how we were too close to be just best friends. We did things that went far past platonic and it was addicting. I – fuck. I love him. I love him.”

Shoving Steve’s hand off her shoulder, Robin stood, her arms coming down to your shoulders and shaking you. “So, I ask again, what do you want to do about it?”

You started to shake your head but she shut it down. “No, enough with this. You’re the bravest of us all. What do you want to do about it?”

“Robin-”

She waved a hand in Steve’s direction, her blue eyes turning sharp. “Say it.”

The knot in your chest choked you as you swallowed nervously. You wrung your hands together but you knew. You didn’t feel unsettled and panicked because you didn’t want him – you felt off kilter because he wasn’t here. You’d run away when you really wanted to just be with him. You’d hurt the one person you never wanted to hurt.

“I want – I want to tell him. I need to tell him!” You said, spine straightening.

Robin smiled. “There she is.”

“Oh my God,” you said, hands coming up to your face. “I just ran away; he must be freaking out.”

Steve stood, grabbing a yellow starburst. “He was a little…freaked out.”

Guilt flooded you as Robin glared at him.

“Shit, I need to talk to him. Right now. Where’re my shoes? I need to go!” You ran around your living room, frantically looking for your converse.

How the fuck could you have just left him behind? Without telling him – without saying the words. Suddenly, you remembered.

“Fuck! He’s in Indianapolis,” you said, slumping into a nearby chair, “he won’t be back until Sunday night.”

Steve frowned, his hands inching towards a red starburst and you shot him a glare.

“I’m distressed but not dead, get your hands off the red ones,” you snapped.

Robin laughed, knowing glint in her eyes and she grabbed a set of keys from your front table. “You have a fucking car and Indianapolis is three hours away, not across the country. Get what you need and let’s go.”

.

“Get off, you’re squishing me!” Max hissed at Lucas.

“Where do you want me to go? It’s a small car!”

“Will you two shut up?” Dustin snapped.

Robin sighed from the passenger seat and you took the same left as Steve did ahead of you. “You know, I don’t know why you all thought it’d be fun to make this into a group road trip,” she sighed, “you really don’t know how to mind your business!”

You snorted at the hypocrisy of the situation and she shot you a look. Shutting up, you made sure to stay behind the maroon BMW.

“We can’t miss this,” Dustin stressed, “he’s been in love with her for the entire time I’ve known him. I can’t deal with all the pining anymore. I get to see this through!”

You glared at him through the mirror. “We are not a soap opera to entertain yourself with,” you snapped.

By the time you’d made it out to your car, the rest of the party had managed to bike to your apartment with their own nosy agendas. Once they’d found out you were going to drive down to Eddie’s gig, they climbed into your cars – not leaving room for arguing. Because God forbid any of you do something without the entire party knowing.

“You probably won’t even be let in, this is a twenty one or older bar. As in, where they serve alcohol.”

“So?”

Robin shifted around to glare at them. “As in, you’re all not twenty-one yet?”

“Robin, please, what do you take us for? Rookies?” Dustin asked, his brow quirking. “I’m basically Corroded Coffin’s manager-”

“-you’re really not,” you said, thinking of Charlie, Gareth’s cousin who handled all the gigs and scheduling.

“-and I’ve got passes to all their gigs, it’ll be easy.”

Sharing a look with Robin, she shrugged. “Whatever, don’t whine about it to me when you’ve got to stay in the car the whole time.”

Not twenty minutes later, you both rolled your eyes at Dustin’s smug look as the bouncer let them all through with bright green bands indicating they couldn’t be served alcohol.

“Shut up,” Robin hissed.

“What time is it?” You asked, grabbing Steve’s wrist. “Shit, they go on soon – I think I can still catch them backstage.”

“Go, go!” Robin urged, shoving you forward.

Shouldering your way through the crowd, you were astounded at how packed the bar was. Determined, you kept slipping through the restless horde of people. You’d gotten halfway through when a loud strum stopped you. The crowd came alive, cheering and screaming as Eddie sauntered on stage.

Your heart dropped at the sight of the bags under his eyes. “Hello Indianapolis! How are you all tonight?”

The crowd went wild and you were jostled forward, right towards the front. Eddie was a few feet away and you sighed. Of course.

The band went through with introducing themselves, like they always did before starting, and you resigned yourself to catching him after their set. You watched Eddie swing his guitar over his shoulder, adjusting the strap. You don’t know how, in the sheer amount of people in the crowd, but as his eyes swept across the front row – they zeroed in on you.

Surprised, you blinked up at him. His answering grin was so wide, it cracked your heart further. Your breath rushed right out your lungs. Frozen, you stared up at him, and wondered how you could have ever been so blind as to not notice the way your heart always leapt around him. It rattled around in your ribcage, like a police siren. Him, we want him, it shouted at you, grinning up at you when you tried to knock it back into place.

I know, I know we do, you told it.

Of course you loved him, it was Eddie. How could you ever have thought otherwise? You wanted his friendship, because that was the most important part, but you wanted more. You’d always wanted more and you weren’t going to let fear keep you from reaching for it.

Eyes not leaving yours, he grabbed the mic again. “So, I have someone important in the audience today – someone who means a lot to me. She hasn’t heard our newest cover yet but, it’s one of her favorite songs. I’ll admit, it’s never been one of mine but I changed it around a little for her and hope you all like it too.”

Raising your brows at the first few notes, you couldn’t keep your delirious laugh in when you heard him start singing.

“Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth?

Ooh, Heaven is a place on Earth.”

Eddie’s voice lowered as he rasped out the vowels, the drums transforming the song entirely.

You watched Eddie transform, he always put his entire being into the performance and you loved watching him relish in it. Bobbing your head to the song, you danced alongside the three girls to your left.

Catching his eyes towards the end, he grinned as he inhaled.

“In this world, we're just beginnin'

To understand the miracle of livin'

Baby, I was afraid before

But I'm not afraid anymore.”

A smile made it’s way onto your face as you shook your head and you knew he’d caught it by his laugh. Staying right in the middle, with the crowd’s energy pulsing around you, you sat through the entire set.

As Metallica rung through the speakers, you knew it was their closing song. Eddie nodded towards the side door and you started to make your way there.

The guard at the door stood at your approach but the door behind him opened in time for you to catch Charlie’s smile. “She’s good,” she told him, “whenever you see her around this summer, let her through. She’s with Munson.”

The burly guard smiled then. “Oh, you’re his girl? Don’t worry, I never forget a face.” He waved you through and you knew she could read the mild embarrassment in your eyes.

“Don’t worry, I won’t pry,” she said, elbowing you, “but I’m happy for you two. Anyone with eyes can tell you’re gone on each other.”

Right.

“I’ve got to help them pack but you’ve been to the green room in the back – he’ll come by when they’re done.”

Thanking her, you stumbled your way there – nerves finally taking over you. You should’ve thought about what to say – how to say it. God, why did you feel so awkward? You’d fought monsters from another dimension but you couldn’t tell your best friend that you loved him?

The door suddenly burst open and Eddie came in, guitar still in hand and hair stuck to his skin. “Hey you,” you said, standing from the velvet couch. “You were amazing.”

“Yeah?” Eddie said hopefully, putting the familiar guitar down and turning his full attention to you. “I thought you weren’t going to come.”

“There was a full house, I – I’m so happy for you guys. Are you booked full for tomorrow night too?” You asked despite knowing the answer. You needed a moment, just a brief moment of normalcy before you flung yourself off the metaphorical cliff.

Eddie nodded, a ghost of a smile flashing across his face. He knew. He knew that you knew that he knew. Because of course he did. But he was letting you take this at your pace, because Eddie never did anything you didn’t want to. He always let you lead.

He opened his mouth, no doubt ready to let you distract yourself, but you were done with the pretenses.

“Fuck it,” you said, surging forward. A flash of surprise was the last thing you saw before you slammed Eddie into the wall and pressed your lips to his.

Finally! Your heart sang, finally, we’re home.

Eddie took a second but after a beat he met you just as fiercely. His grip was bruising on your waist, his other hand coming up to the back of your neck. Not giving him a chance to take the lead from you, you ran your fingers through his hair and pulled his head back. He moaned and the sound shot straight to your stomach. Butterflies in full force, you leaned back, out of breath and saw the dazed look in his eyes.

“Nova,” he begged, unseeing eyes darting around your face. “Nova.”

“I know,” you said, right before you dove back in and pressed open mouth kisses to his neck. And then, after all these years, you finally sunk your teeth into the meaty part of his neck. Right at the base of the skull tattoo. Eddie jerked, as if electrocuted, and shoved you back. Stumbling, you let him cradle your jaw, the other lowering you onto the couch.

Needing more, you whimpered and Eddie grinned. His knee pushed up between your legs and the pressure was amazing. Your hips stuttered, bumping into his and you both hissed. His teeth worried the sensitive skin of your neck and you whined as he lapped at the bruise he left.

“Eddie,” you gasped, “Eddie, please.”

His forehead came down to your shoulder, his chest heaving like he’d run a marathon, and you both just breathed the other in. At your nudging, he dropped his weight onto you and you jerked at the hardness you felt by your hip.

“Sorry,” he said, not sounding at all sorry. “The amount of adrenaline going through me right now-”

“It’s okay,” you assured him, hand drifting down his side but Eddie caught it. “I can help,” you offered. Jesus, you wanted to help if the pressure between your legs was any indication. Eddie’s face softened, his eyes drifting down your face and he groaned.

“I want that too but, maybe we should talk first? Before going past the no return point?”

You blinked. “Munson, I’m past the no return point,” you said, matter of fact. And it was true. There was no going back now.

His answering smile blinded you and you heart threatened to burst at the happiness you found there. “Yeah?” He asked, tone a little uneven.

You nodded, fingers trailing down his face. Eddie lifted himself off you, sitting on the couch and pulling you into his lap. “Yeah, me too.”

“When did you realize? And why didn’t you tell me?” You asked, ripping the band aid off.

“Because I was scared,” he admitted, “I...think I’ve always loved you. From that moment in the hallway when you chased away Tommy and his gang of assholes. You took one look at me and I think I was yours. I didn’t want to ruin what we had but there were times where I’d catch us in moments and I thought yeah, this could work. I wanted it so badly but I didn’t want to lose you. Then, years later, I realized you felt it too. I just, wanted you to get there on your own. I never wanted you to feel like you had no choice or no out. You’ll always have me, in any form you want me.”

Your heart melted. “You’re killing me,” you groaned, dropping your forehead to his shoulder.

Eddie laughed, his chest rumbling with it. “I’m sorry but, it’s the truth.”

“I know I’ve said it before but, I love you Eddie. How could I not?” You said, cradling his jaw in your hand.

Eddie pressed his lips to yours, eyes suspiciously red, and you decided to be mature enough and not tease him.

“Hey, you didn’t answer the first question. When did you really realize?”

“To be fair, it took me a while. Everyone knew I hated Mason,” he said and you thought back to your first boyfriend who’d moved to Texas your junior year, “which made the guys tease the shit out of me but I think I fully realized it for our senior prom. I was so bummed that you were going off to college and I was stuck in Hawkins. Then, you managed to blackmail Higgins into letting me go-”

“I didn’t blackmail him, I just asked,” you laughed.

“-I knew you knew I was upset and I could tell you wanted to cheer me up. But then you did that stupid promposal-”

“Hey!”

“And you had that big bouquet of daisies. And it hit me like a fucking truck, I’m not going to lie. That’s why – I don’t blame you. It was a lot,” he said, his fingers trailing down your cheek. “We’d been friends for years at that point. It was both shocking and stupidly obvious. How could I not have realized? It took you, standing in that meadow behind my old trailer, that massive glitter poster and those flowers. It was like…lightning. One moment I was totally oblivious and then the next, I just knew.”

“Is that why you never dated anyone after that? I thought you were hung up on Joan,” you said, thinking back on the girl he dated through high school.

He smiled, looking down at you. “No, I’ve always been yours. You’re branded on my soul, Supernova. From that first moment in that old gross hallway.”

“How did you know that I felt the same? I didn’t even know.”

Your heart sung, breath completely stolen at the look he gave you. “I mean, I didn’t know-” You leaned back to shoot him a look and he snorted. “There wasn’t an exact moment! After you went to Indie State and we’d hang out there were just small moments, I promise. Like, how you’d wait up for my call when I got home after visiting you. Or, how you stayed up all night to help me study for my finals – like two years in a row. Or that time that I caught the flu and you hit every pharmacy in Indiana getting me what I needed. Or the way Wayne just downright loves you – there’s no competition. You’re his favorite.”

“Because I bring him baked goods,” you said, laughing.

Eddie smiled. “Yeah, but he’s always loved you because you care. You just – you do all these little things and I didn’t notice until I did. I don’t know.”

You mulled that over and realized he was right. The way Eddie would steer you away from sharp corners, or always made sure you walked on the opposite side of the curb. How he always knew your order or how you liked you take your coffee. You flashed back to his broken body and how you’d snapped and lost it. How he’d only thought of making sure you were okay when he woke up.

In hindsight, you realized, he was right. It wasn’t one big moment. It was a lot of little ones.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to get there,” you whispered, thumb tracing his bottom lip, “I’m sorry for leaving you at the Wheeler’s house. I should’ve been braver.”

“You are brave,” he whispered back, “I knew you just needed time. Besides, I was going to give you a week before I hunted you down.”

Laughing, you wrapped your arm around his shoulder, the other played with his necklace. “Yeah?” You felt suddenly shy.

“Yeah. Even if I was wrong and you didn’t feel the same way,” he shrugged, “I wasn’t scared enough to let you go. Romantic or platonic, Nova, we’re for life. Between Vecna and surviving ninth grade gym class together, we’re practically trauma bonded at this point.”

You laughed realizing you’d already had a lifetime of experiences with him. Eyes trailing down his content expression, you kissed the corner of his mouth. But a lifetime wasn’t enough. You wanted more. And you’d have more – you had all the time in the world.

“Yeah, Munson, we’re for life,” you agreed and leaned back down to kiss him.

Because hey, even he was right sometimes.

A/N: thank you all so much for the comments on my other fic, you cannot imagine what it means to me! This is the cover I was thinking of if anyone's interested.

[velvetcloxds]

LINGER | E.M.

word count: 1.1k

warnings: nothing really, just an idea I thought might be cute, induced by working from 8 to 8 for weeks now- mutual pining

summary: you've got a little crush on the new guy your dad hired to work with you in the office at his motel, how lucky are you that he's got a little crush on you too

part two: fleeting

You’d been staring at the booking list for far too long, and the room numbers were all starting to look the same which made your job so much harder- every time you allocated a guest to a seemingly open room, you’d find there to already be someone there, it was a grand mess and your Dad was so caught up in freaking out about the multiple double bookings that you and Eddie had been tasked with fixing it all on your own.

“I swear,” he sighed, clipboard in one hand and a bunch of keys in the other. “We’ve put out so many fires this week, they might as well give us fire suits as our uniforms,” he sat down next to you, shoulder against your own, just a little too close in comparison to how he sits next to the rest of the staff members. He smelt of cigarettes, cherry cola and too much deodorant spray, he was sure the smell of smoke would bother you, you weren’t all that sure why it didn’t. “No,” he mumbled, a little bump against your arm as he emptied his hands to be able to cover the list of rooms with his fingers. “You’ve got that look on your face again.”

“What look?” you scoffed, and had you been any less exhausted you would’ve absolutely melted when you turned to see him smiling at you, you’d found he had a way of smiling even without noticing, whatever the two of you were doing or saying, he’d be halfway through ranting and the simplest reply from you would have him grinning from ear to ear, in his own little world.

“That one that says the world is ending,” he shook his head, and reached over your arm to hang the keys on the keys board, allowing himself a chance to linger when he had to get even closer to you, pleased when you were looking right into his eyes. “I hate that look; it gives me a headache when I can’t make it go away.”

“You have a headache?” you didn’t notice how your voice dipped, he did, it made him smile again, eyes trying to take in every little reaction on your face, just like he always does, he always finds something else to make him fall a little harder. He nodded, shrugged, and looked down to your list to see if he could help move someone around. “Is that why you’ve been so snappy with me all day?” you teased, being the one to bump his shoulder this time.

“I’ve not been snappy.”

“Please, you’ve been speaking to me with perfect punctuation every time we have to check another room,” you had something for his headache, you had to drink some for your own a few minutes ago, so you didn’t even think about handing him two pills, ever delighted when your fingers touched as he took them, and it didn’t bother you half as much as it should’ve when he motioned to steal a sip from your bottle. “You’re tired, Eddie, you need to take a break, go to your room for a bit, everyone else has,” you yawned, it made your nose scrunch up a little and made Eddie’s heart do a little backflip, how you’d managed to make something so mundane seem so cute he didn't understand. “I’ll be fine, promise.”

“You’re tired too,” he noted and he wasn’t sure if he was crossing a boundary but he reached out to squeeze your hand lightly, dropped it back to the table to make a note of a room he’d found empty, blushed horribly when you looked away to try and fail to hide a tired little smile, he had no idea how giddy it made you feel. “I’d rather be tired with you than have you try and fix this mess. Besides, I only work for your dad, you have to go home with him.”

 Eddie wasn’t one to pretend he didn’t notice the passive-aggressive comments aimed at you when you were doing your best, or the unprofessional remarks when you made a mistake, or how despite your best efforts to calm the chaos it only made it possible for you to get rid of more chaos the next day. He didn’t treat your dad any differently than he would if he didn’t have a major crush on you, but he also couldn’t care much for the man, he considered how a critical man, in general, decided to be even more so with someone who’d yet to give him reason to doubt her.

“You’re right,” you sighed and when you folded your legs and leaned back in the wheeled office chair you appreciated the sight of him, he’d been running about all day, the mess of curls that was usually in the way when he was working was now tucked into a skew knot on his head, the cutest thing, you thought, the perfect view to bring some color into the lifeless office you were in. “Pity me, won’t you, and help me write out those new tags for the lost keys.”

“Only if you don’t insist on sorting them by color this time, it takes so much longer, and you know the guest won’t even notice,” you were sweetening the deal, smiling up at him as you opened your rainbow lunchbox to show off the cinnamon bun that you’d saved at lunch for the two of you to share.

“Yeah, but I notice, and it looks pretty,” he wouldn’t dream of fighting you on that, not really, but he’d fight off sleep for weeks more if it meant he’d get some extra time with you, you were sweeter when you were tired, he wasn’t sure how that was possible, but you didn’t try as hard to hide your crush on him, and he didn’t have to try so hard to hide his.

“Hmm, well you are the expert on pretty,” he noted, and he was ever smooth with it as he made sure to take a little extra time to take his half of the bun from your hands, always one to linger, to make you swoon so easily.

“I see that headache is gone,” he’d tell you it’s because you weren’t frowning anymore, point out that as soon as you smiled at him he completely forgot he had a headache to begin with, instead he just shrugged, used a stray napkin to wipe the icing from your cheek and took it all in as you hummed, happy despite the mess the two of you had to solve. Your father hired him to help you with the things you couldn’t keep up with, as your mood shifted and your knee brushed against his thigh, he considered that he was very good at his job.

[diazsdimples]

I am just as devastated as the next person about Bobby and Athena’s house being burned down but think about the possibilities! Walk with me here. Bobby spending 90% of his time on Real Estate websites when he’s not plotting how to get the 118 back from Gerrard. Athena noticing that his searches get gradually further away from metropolitan LA until one day, Bobby very happily shoves the laptop in front of her face and there’s a listing for a very cute looking ranch-style property. “And it’s only an hours drive on the freeway, Athena!” Athena’s initially resistant because since when has Bobby ever expressed interest in living on a ranch and also she is a city girl through and through, but Bobby finally convinces her to come view the property with him and fuck, it’s actually kinda perfect. It’s in their price range, with a lovely big house that’s got 4 bedrooms (one for them, one for Harry, one for May, and a guest room/ office), the kitchen is massive and rustic and Bobby’s like a kid in a candy shop the whole time, just bouncing around this place like an energised toddler (“it has a walk in pantry, Athena!”) and Athena starts unconsciously planning the furniture layout and some renovations. And then, and then, Bobby takes her outside and the back yard is absolutely gorgeous; there’s a patio that’s got a barbecue, a stone pizza oven, a fire pit (one outside this time), there’s so much room and space and Athena can feel herself gradually falling in love. And it’s got TWO WHOLE PADDOCKS! The opportunities are endless! They go home and she tries to act indifferent but Bobby finds her looking at the listing again and going through their finances, scoping out the local area, checking her commute time into work. They talk about it a couple more times, during which Bobby mentions the fact that he’s always wanted to own horses and he misses having chickens like he did when he was little in Minnesota, and honestly it’s her husband’s insistence and pure joy that ends up convincing her. She’s got one condition though: she gets a bunny rabbit. It’s a non-negotiable. If Bobby wants the house, Athena gets a rabbit. Bobby agrees, so they end up putting in a tentative offer, slightly under what they think it could go for, but miracle upon miracles, it gets accepted!! They finally tell the 118 (who respond with a variety of reactions, most of which being “you bought a what??”) and a few weekends later, they’re moving in their few worldly possessions, as well as setting up all the furniture Bobby impulsively ordered one night when Buck was over and pulled up a few furniture stores. Athena starts building a rabbit hutch, which turns into something more like a rabbit castle cause she’ll only have the best for her baby, and she gets her rabbit, who she names Hercules. He spends a fair chunk of time inside, on her lap as she rubs his ears. Bobby ends up buying a whole flock of hens, and a rooster that he names Maurice (and he’s never seen Tommy back up quite as quickly as he did when Buck showed him the chickens with a shit eating grin on his face). Eddie and Buck help to build a massive vegetable garden which Bobby fills with herbs and vegetables and flowers. He wants a dog, but Athena won’t allow it cause 1. She’s allergic and 2. Hercules doesn’t like dogs apparently. So he gets two horses instead, a mare and a gentle old gelding and spends his days off riding the horses (he does hire someone to care for the horses when he can’t) and tending to his garden and cooking and he’s never felt quite so happy in his life. A lot of plaid begins to work it’s way into his wardrobe and when he gets the horses, Eddie brings him back a pair of cowboy boots and a Stetson from Texas, which he initially doesn’t wear but then Athena says he looks hot in them so he brings them out when he’s riding the horses. And no one minds the long drive to their new place cause it’s so perfect, they have the best cookout there and it’s clear that Athena and Bobby are the happiest they’ve been in years.

[mrsbrookemunson]

I've seen a few stories about the reader being Eddie's secret admirer but what about the other way around? Eddie is your secret admirer and leaves you little notes in your locker. He praises you and encourages you-- maybe a little pick-me-up when you're feeling down. Occasionally he'll slip small gifts into your backpack. Anything to see you smile :)

I love this idea. This is going to be a little self-indulgent, not gonna lie.

Warnings: TOOTH. ROTTING. FLUFF. a lil angst, insecure reader, no use of pronouns, no use of 'y/n', Eddie's a little bit of an idiot, very low-key stalker!Eddie, Robin, mentions of unrequited feelings (it's rumored he likes Chrissy), not proofread so most likely grammar and spelling errors (sorry)

Word Count: 3923

Eddie Munson was absolutely enamored by you. He didn't quite know what it was that drew him to you. You weren't part of the popular crowd, you only had your small group of friends, and you always seemed to be so... self-conscious - or so he noticed.

Maybe that was where he got the idea in the first place.

He noticed you were especially quiet one day. Head down, headphones over your ears as you wrote seamlessly in your journal. He wondered what you were writing about, what you were listening to, and why you had a small frown etched onto your face.

Had someone said something to you?

You suddenly raised your hand.

His head snapped forward.

Had you caught him staring? Were you going to say something? Humiliate him? He pictured a thousand ways this could go.

"May I go to the restroom, please?" you asked, timidly.

But, that wasn't one of them.

"Quickly please..." the teacher granted.

You got up and walked out of the classroom. Eddie glanced over at your journal, a pen in between the pages, bookmarking where you left off. He bit his lip, concentrating on something before a lightbulb lit up in his mind. He glimpsed at the teacher than at the door before ripping a small piece of paper out of his notebook. His tongue ever-so-slightly poked out as he scribbled down something in a hurry before leaning over to slip it in between the pages of your journal.

The bell rang right when you stepped back into the classroom, giving Eddie the perfect opportunity to leave undetected. He smoothly slipped passed you, your shoulders brushing each other's. It sent sparks up through his body. The feeling lingered and he couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

He wanted to watch your reaction, but that would risk giving him away. He forced himself away, already planning his next plan of action.

You on the other hand were in shock.

Good job on the test. I saw you got an A. You're too smart for the rest of this school... and too pretty. - Love, your secret admirer <3

Your eyebrows furrowed a little. Neither one of this person's statements were necessarily true. There were people way prettier than you here, not to mention smarter. But, nonetheless it was nice to hear. It brought a smile to your face, but it slowly fell.

Surely, this is a joke.

You were surprised to say the least the next morning when you opened your locker and a note fluttered down, out and onto the floor. You leaned down to pick it up and carefully looked around whilst standing upright. You unfolded the piece of paper.

Did I mention you were pretty in my last note? I did't mean to sound creepy - not to say you aren't pretty because you are very pretty, I could stare at you all day. Don't read that. - Love, your secret, not creepy, admirer :)

You giggled at the slight awkwardness the writing held. It was almost endearing. Key word: Almost. You still couldn't help but think this was some kind of joke.

"What's that?" Robin asked, pointing to the note in your hand.

"Wha-oh nothing!" You stuck it in your pocket.

"Oooo, does someone have a secret admirer?" she teased

"What?! No, that's-that's silly," you denied "It was just trash, something from an old assignment."

"Uh huh, sure."

"Robin!" you scolded, annoyed. "I'm being serious."

She put her hands up in surrender. "Whatever. You. Say."

You rolled your eyes, as the two of you began to walk side-by-side to your first period.

"But, if it is a secret admirer, who do you think it is? Who do you want it to be?"

"Look." You stopped walking, cuing Robin to also stop. "Even if it is something, it's probably a joke. One of the jocks playing some cruel prank on me." You glanced behind you and saw none other than Eddie Munson standing there staring at you. You smiled when you met his eyes.

His eyes widened a slight blush creeping up onto his cheeks, as he rushed off.

Robin caught the interaction. "What was that all about?" she asked, excitedly.

"Nothing!"

"What if it's him?"

"Who? Eddie?"

"Yes, Eddie!"

You shook your head. "No. That can't be possible, wasn't it rumored he liked Chrissy a couple of months ago?" You started to walk again.

"Firstly, that was a couple of months ago, and secondly, it was 'rumored'. It was never confirmed."

"Doesn't sound unreasonable to me," you said, not trying to sound too upset. "Guys like Eddie, don't like girls like me."

"You want it to be him, don't you?"

"Forget it, it's not important. What is important is the Econ test."

Robin groaned loudly, reluctantly stepping into the classroom. You turned back to where Eddie was previously standing and with a loud sigh you entered the classroom.

Eddie's eyes were glued to you in the cafeteria. You were cheerfully talking to Robin about something and his heart couldn't help but flutter at the way your eyes lit up. What he'd give to be able to talk with you, and listen to that sweet voice of yours for hours.

He watched, intently, as your eyes suddenly caught your reflection on something. He saw the way you slumped before attempting to sit up more. The grimace on your face growing more evident by the second.

Why the Hell were you looking at the love of his life that way?

He ripped out a piece of paper and wrote something down. Standing up, he stormed out of the cafeteria and to your locker where he slipped the note in. He scanned his surroundings and saw no one around to ruin the secret before it had really even started. Whistling, as he goes to his locker. He opened it when a note fell from it. He picked it up and read it.

Meet me in the woods at 12:15 tomorrow. Bring whatever you have. - C.C.

C.C.? His eyes widened in realization.

Chrissy Cunningham wants to do a drug deal?

You smiled, softly, when you saw your secret admirer had left you yet another note.

No matter what you think, you look absolutely beautiful today - and everyday. I like you in blue. - Love, your secret admirer <3

You felt as though you were in a daze. You looked down at your blue sweater which - until now - you felt like a blimp in. Guess, whoever your secret admirer is thought otherwise. You bite your lip and tucked the note in between the pages of your journal where you'd keep - like all the rest of them - it there for safe keeping.

"Anymore love letters?" Robin asked, scaring you.

"Don't do that!" You put a hand over your heart as if it'd help slow it down from its rapid pace. "Yeah, if you consider them love letters."

"Do you want me to try to help you figure them out?"

"If you say-"

"I'll start. Eddie."

"Robin!" You slam your locker and walk away. "It's not him."

"Talk to him, be friendly, see what happens-hey, I might be right!"

"That would be the first."

"Hey!" She grabbed your shoulder to stop you. "I know it's really hard to be brave because you're scared of what the outcome could be, but think about it-if this person is being genuine, you might have something really special here."

You sigh. "I'll think about it, okay?"

Robin grins, widely. "Now, start with Eddie."

You roll your eyes. "Fine, but only to get you off my back, and cross him off the list."

It can't be him, it's impossible.

You sat down at your usual seat, now being awkwardly aware it's next to Eddie's seat. You pull out your journal, smiling when you see the note previous notes you've received. You turn back to your backpack to grab your pen but are surprised to see that there is a new set of pens next to your pencil bag. You pull it out and observe it. They were nice, really nice. One in blue, pink, red, black, orange, green, and purple. A note attached to them.

Thought you might like these since you write so much. I noticed you color code things sometimes so I bought you a couple of different colors to give you some options. Hope you like them - Love, your secret - now broke - admirer.

You laugh, pleasantly surprised. You remembered leaving your backpack on a chair in the cafeteria that morning while you used the bathroom. You tend to forget to go at home due oversleeping, leading to the frantic rush of trying to get ready in time.

Eddie perked up hearing the sound of your laughter beside him making him look over. His breath hitched in his throat - you liked his note, you liked him present, you were liking him. He cleared his throat. "What's that you got?"

You froze for a moment. "Huh?" You looked at Eddie.

He pointed toward the note. "Got a secret admirer or something?"

You bit back a smile. "Something like that." You couldn't hide your giddiness.

Eddie found it absolutely adorable. "Any ideas of who it is?"

"Nope, not a clue." You narrowed your eyes at him. "Wouldn't be you, would it?"

Eddie nearly choked, but he somehow held his composure. "Sorry, sweetheart, but it is not."

You shrugged, not even noticing the slip of the pet name in his answer. "I figured."

He gave you a confused expression. "You-you figured?"

"Well, yeah, everyone knows you-" you leaned closer toward him. "You like Chrissy," you whispered.

He gaped at you. "Chrissy?"

"Yeah."

"Where on Earth did you hear that?"

"People were talking about it a couple of months ago. Don't tell me it's not true."

His posture straightened. "What if I told you it wasn't?"

You weakly smiled. "I'd call you a liar," you replied, softly. Paying attention to the teacher as she started the class.

It made it so you didn't catch the way Eddie sunk further into his seat.

What had he done?

That was his chance to tell you how he felt, and he blew it.

Chrissy Cunningham?

Now, all he thought about for the rest of class was the fact that he was having a drug deal with his so-called 'crush' tomorrow in the woods.

Wasn't it obvious he was in love with you?

The answer is no, no it wasn't because if it was maybe you would've already pulled the plug and ask him out, but you hadn't and you wouldn't especially not after his lack of denial for liking Chrissy Cunningham.

Robin was wrong.

"You were wrong," you said to Robin, passing by her quickly in the hallway.

It was the next day, the bell for the lunch period had rung just a few seconds ago and you were briefly explaining your avoidance to your best friend.

"But, I'm never wrong!" she claimed in a shout over the crowd. "He's lying!"

You rolled your eyes, leaving the hustle and bustle of students going to the cafeteria. You needed to be alone. Alone in your thoughts, where it's just you and your journal... and maybe a few tears.

Because though Robin may have been wrong about it being Eddie, she wasn't wrong about you wanting it to be Eddie. You had gotten a note from your secret admirer yesterday before school ended saying,

I know you don't know who I am, but I need you to know I like you... a lot. And I know we don't talk that much, but I want to, because you are so amazing and why wouldn't I want to be with you? Who wouldn't want to be with you? Everyday I question myself on why I haven't bit the bullet yet and asked you out and it's because I'm afraid. Of how you'd react, of how others would react, and I don't want to risk having you hate me. Which I doubt you would anyways because you're you, the nicest person I've ever spoken to. So, please, give me time to work up the courage, don't give up on me, I don't think I could take it. I'm done now, maybe this scared you off - probably scared you off... um... bye- your secret admirer.

You thought back to how your heart squeezed as you read every word. You wished you knew who it was, so you could put their mind at peace. So, you could put your mind at peace.

You found yourself in the woods, setting your stuff down on the wooden table that was placed in the most secluded part of the area. Hardly no one goes out there. It was a place you could allow yourself to pace around and think things through.

Who is it?

That was the number one question. You attempted to conjure a mental list of possible candidates but you always drew a blank every time you tried.

Who would ever like-

You screamed as your back collided into something behind you. You spun around.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Eddie chuckled, holding out a hand.

"Eddie? Wh-what are you doing out here?"

"Confidential," he said, analyzing your overall physical presence. "You okay?" he asked.

"Define 'okay'." You dryly laugh, sitting down at the table.

He frowned and sat across from you, setting his metal lunchbox next to your stuff. "You want to tell me about it? Or do I have to guess?"

You rest your forearms on the table. "Do you ever feel like-like you don't fit in?"

He looked taken aback. "On-like-a daily basis," he answered, a wide smile taking over his face, directed toward you. "You forget you're talking to 'the freak', sweetheart."

You groaned softly.

That made his smile falter. "Why d'you ask?"

You shrugged, suddenly your hands become fascinating as you stared at them fidgeting. "Guess I haven't been feeling-" You cleared your throat, "-great about myself lately, that's all?"

He propped himself up slightly on the table. "Something happen?"

"More like someone." You glanced up at him to gauge at his expression. It held concern. You carelessly threw your hands up. "You know that admirer I spoke about the other day?"

He nodded, slowly. "Yeah."

"I've been wracking my mind trying to figure out who it is, and I just... can't. Sometimes I believe I'm a little unlovable at times."

"What?!" he blurted. "Sweetheart, that's not true, you are so lovable!"

You grew very confused by his sudden outburst, but he didn't seem to catch on as he continued.

He stood up and walked over to your side of the table to sit next to you. To have your full attention. "You are smart, funny, talented and so, so beautiful." Your heart skipped a beat. "God, who wouldn't want to be with you?"

Your eyes shot up to meet his. "What did you say?"

"Huh?" He tilted his head. "You-you didn't hear any of that?"

"No-yes! I mean what did you say at the end?"

"Who wouldn't want to be with you?" he repeated unsure.

Why wouldn't I want to be with you? Who wouldn't want to be with you? You recalled from the note.

"Eddie?" you called out in the same tone as his previous one.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to ask you this one last time, and I want you to tell me the truth." You took in a deep breath. "Are you the person who has been writing to me?"

He suddenly turned pale. His eyes nervously flickered away from yours. "Ummm..." He couldn't seem to form any words. "Maybe-well-I-um..."

You shifted a little closer to him.

His eyes moved back to focus on you and how close you've gotten. "Hi," he whispered, taking in every single inch of your face. Every flaw and imperfection.

So goddamn beautiful.

He exhaled shakily. It fanned your face causing your eyes to flutter shut. Both of you gravitating toward each other unknowingly. Your noses barely brushed each others when another voice broke the silence.

"Am I interrupting something?"

You abruptly moved away from Eddie and met the eyes of none other than Chrissy Cunningham. You gaze averted to Eddie who looked rather frantic and disheveled.

"Confidential," he said.

Oh.

"Oh," you said aloud. "No-I-um-I was just leaving." You rapidly gathered your stuff.

Eddie watched helplessly, instinctively reaching out to grab you, to stop you, but you dodged it. He got up to try again, this time he was able to catch your hand, gently grasping it. He leaned toward you. "It's just a drug deal, I swear," he said, lowly. "You have to believe me." His eyes pleaded.

You dared a glimpse at Chrissy. She looked uncomfortable as she scanned her surroundings as if anyone could be watching. At that moment it didn't seem like a lie, but at the same time your mind brought you back to the rumor, and the fact that you didn't know if that was a lie or not.

You formed your lips into a tight-line. "I'll see you around, Eddie," you bit back before pulling away and storming off.

Eddie debated on running after you, but instead he took in a sharp breath before shooting a fake smile at Chrissy. "So... let's get started, shall we?"

Your foot tapped against the tiled floors. Peering straight in front of you, not really paying attention to the lesson. How could you when you felt Eddie's eyes on you the entire time next to you? From your peripheral vision you saw Eddie writing something down on a sheet of paper. He slid his foot over to nudge yours, trying to get your attention to take the paper out of his hands.

The devil won the argument in this case as you carefully grabbed it and set it down on your desk.

Can we talk, please?

After reading it, you grabbed your pen and wrote back.

What is there to talk about?

You handed him back the sheet of paper without looking at him. You heard him sigh loudly along with a scribble of something. He pushed the paper back into your hands.

I need you to know the full story. Five minutes? That's all I'm asking for.

You thought through it. You clicked your pen twice then wrote a response.

Fine.

He let out a breath of relief.

Thank you. Meet me by my van at 4pm.

Your eyebrow quirked up.

Are you planning on kidnapping me?

If that's what it takes to get you to listen to me Does 4pm work for you?

I read that. And yes, that works for me.

Eddie's hope grew a little at your words. He prayed - to whichever god was out there, ones in which he didn't believe in - that he didn't ruin what hasn't even had the chance to begun.

'Cause God, he's in love with you.

You stood by his van with your arms crossed. The front of your shoe kicking a nearby pebble. Eddie rushed over to you.

"You're late," you said.

He looked down at his watch. 4:10, he read. "I'm sorry."

"For what? Being late or....?"

"Everything," he paused. "You know when you told me that thing about me liking Chrissy I knew I messed up."

You shifted your weight to one side. "How so?"

"Because, I thought it was so obvious how I felt for you. I thought people saw it from miles away, but I guess showing my feelings is just another thing I fail at doing in my life."

You frowned.

He continued, "I hope you know now that I've always liked you." He bit his lip. "Man, I think I liked you before I even knew I liked you." He chuckled. "I was scared though, even if you said you felt the same I was scared you'd back away once you realized what a freak I am. I'm not someone who can give you everything you've wanted... but I would try."

You smiled a little. "Eddie, I don't like you because I thought you could give me the world, I like you because-as corny as this sounds-you are my world. I never believed in the how soulmates thing, but ever since I met you, it was always you. And I have to admit I wanted you to be my admirer so bad, but my life-it never seems to go easy on me, so the first thing I thought was that it was a joke, and then when it seemed to be becoming more real and Robin of all people was telling me how she thought it was you... I didn't want to give into the hope. Then you told me it wasn't you, and I didn't have any proof to convince me otherwise."

"I'm your world?" he asked, breathless.

"That's all you got from that?" you joked.

He shook his head. "No, but it definitely was the part that lingered the longest."

"Eddie, I-"

"I meant every word I wrote, and it wasn't even half the things I've wanted to say to you for so long. Because there's so much I want to tell you, and we have so much to make up for, but that's only if you want me."

You opened your mouth then closed it. Finally you spoke, "Where do we start?"

He broke out into a large smile. "You mean it?"

"Yeah," you reply, mimicking his smile.

The two of you stared at each other for a few moments.

"You can kiss me now, if you want," you said.

"Oh, thank fuck," he breathed.

He leaned in, cupping your jaw to bring you lips to meet his. You breathed him in immediately, the smell of cigarettes, cologne, and a hint of mint clogging your nose. Delightfully suffocating you in his warmth. You wrapped your arms around his neck to bring him closer as the two of your fell in a fast rhythm, making up for at least some of the lost time, then slow and steady to savor the moment as this was something neither one of them every wanted to forget. Ever.

A note fluttered out of your locker.

"Another one?" Robin groaned.

You picked it up with a lovesick smile plastered onto your face. "Don't sound so annoyed Robin, you should be pleased."

"Just because I'm always right, doesn't mean I like to be always right."

"You're right. You love to be always right," you quip back, unfolding the piece of paper.

Morning sweetheart, just wanted to say I love you and I can't wait for our date tonight. - Love, Eddie.

"Why can't he just tell you that when he see's you at school today?" Robin asked.

You dreamily sigh. "He wanted to keep the memory of how we got together alive, so we decided to continue writing each other notes. It doesn't matter what we say in them." You eyes met Eddie's figure a few feet away from you. "It's the thought that matters." With that last word to Robin, you run toward Eddie who immediately picks you up and spins you around.

"How are you doing today?" he asked.

"Good!" you chirped. "I got your note."

"Oh, did you? Have any thoughts about it? Responses?"

"A few..." You smiled, and pecked his cheek, making him blush profusely. "I love you too."

[farfaras]

First part to this prompt I posted the other day. This is gonna be eventual steddie (sorry, stonathan) and I’m really excited. Title from the song ‘nonsense’ by Sabrina Carpenter.

I think I got an ex but I forgot him

Part 1. (You’re here)

Part 2.

-

If he heard the words: Robin and in love, in the same sentence, with the melodious voice of one Dustin Henderson, one more time. Steve was sure he was gonna lose it.

Listen, he understands where he’s coming from. The kid just wants him to be happy. But he is! Dustin just doesn’t seem to get that. Happiness doesn’t only come in the form of a relationship. His teenage brain can’t comprehend that fact just yet. He wishes he did though, because he’s absolutely insufferable about getting Steve and Robin together.

No excuse or explanation he gives is good enough. Dustin still insists that he needs to try, that this is his chance at true love. Robin is kind of the love of his life, sure, but the platonic love of his life. His best friend, his soulmate, sister from another mister. All that jazz. Dustin doesn’t buy it though.

And Steve’s tried everything! He even told Dustin about that time in starcourt when they were high off his asses. Told him that he confessed his crush to Robin but that she rejected him, and that they were best friends now and nothing else. He obviously left out the part where Robin came out to him. He’s never gonna reveal Robin’s secret to anyone. The only answer he got was that “It doesn’t even matter now! Things could’ve changed! You never know.” Steve knew. He knew that he would never be into his best friend like that, and she would never be into him. Apparently they were the only ones who knew that.

Because of all the fuss Dustin was constantly making, other people started giving their input. Thanks Dustin. They didn’t get it either, didn’t believe they were just Platonic with a capital P. They made sure they knew it too, the whole party, Nancy, Jonathan, Eddie. Not Argyle, he said that the energy between Steve and Robin was intense but completely friendly, almost like they were twins. Steve liked Argyle. Of course he had to be miles away.

Most of their friends dropped the subject after the second time Steve or Robin explained the nature of their relationship. Even if they weren’t convinced, they didn’t push. Except for one person. Yep. Dustin.

Who was currently harassing Steve at his job. He didn’t know what else to tell him. If family video wasn’t empty he would just ignore him to do his job but there was nothing to do. He couldn’t even sweep or anything because everything was already done.

“Okay well! There must be a good reason why you guys haven’t gotten together!” Dustin exclaimed. He is so fucking stubborn.

“I already told you, Henderson. We’re. Just. Friends.” He knew it wasn’t gonna do anything. It was just a routine at this point.

Dustin’s expression changed to determination. “Nuh uh. There’s a reason there. And I’m gonna find out!” Shit. Could Dustin figure out Robin? He doesn’t think so. But he’s starting to panic. What if he finds out? Robin doesn’t deserve that. He’d feel like it was his fault, and everything would go to shit.

“Okay! Okay! There is a reason.”

“I knew it! You have to tell me.” Dustin demanded. Well, Steve hasn’t thought that much ahead. He needs to come up with something and he needs to do it fast if Dustin is gonna believe it.

“Look, I haven’t told anyone this before.” Building suspense, nice.

Then, an idea popped into his head and it seemed like the perfect response to all of this. Or maybe it’s the only thing he could think of in such short notice. “I’m gay.” He blurts out. It made sense in his head, really. Robin doesn’t get outed, but she can still look at the reaction she might get when she comes out. (It doesn’t hold any kind of truth at all. Not one Steve can see right now at least.)

Dustin is just staring at him. “What? I don’t, you’re not, since when?”

“Since I was born?” It sounds like a question. Steve didn’t prepare for follow up questions to the reply he literally just crafted.

“There’s no way you’re gay.” At least he didn’t seem disgusted or upset? Is this a good or bad reaction?

“Are you not okay with it?” Steve dared to ask.

“What?! Of course I’m okay with it, I’m just. I don’t care, but you don’t really seem gay. It’s hard to believe.” At least he’s okay with it. He’s still being stubborn.

“Way to stereotype, Henderson.”

Dustin sputters. “Wha- can you even blame me? Who could believe you?”

The next words that came out of Steve’s mouth didn’t actually ask for permission to be said. “My boyfriend can believe it.” He said it so matter of fact that he surprised himself a little. The way he usually took the route of action before thinking was gonna bite him in the ass some day. Would that be today?

“Boyfriend?!! And you didn’t tell me? You don’t have a boyfriend!” He accused Steve. “Who is it?”

Oh. Shoot. Quick, brain. Who could be his boyfriend? Someone his age, that was single, and could be believed to be in a gay relationship.

“It’s Jonathan.” Why did he say that? He just broke up with Nancy, that would just seem like a messy situation. Also is he literally just doing what he scolded Dustin for and stereotyping?

“But he just broke up with Nancy.” Hmm. Did Dustin read his mind or something.

“It’s new. That’s why I haven’t told anyone.”

“Not even Robin?” Oh, crap. Is he gonna have to tell this to people? Well, he should probably tell Jonathan first that he is apparently in a relationship with him now.

“Not even Robin.” Dustin beamed at this.

“You know, even if you and Jonathan are kind of a weird sounding couple, and this is surprising… if you’re happy then I’m happy for you, Steve.” That was weirdly sweet of Dustin.

“Thanks, bud.”

After that and renting a movie, Dustin was on his way. He gave Steve a hug goodbye and hopped on his bike to go home.

Steve had a lot of things to get done now. And he hoped that the first one went well because he didn’t really have a plan B if it didn’t. What had he gotten himself into?

First things first. Asking Jonathan to be his fake boyfriend.

At least for a while.

What could go wrong?

-

Step 1. Get Jonathan to be his fake boyfriend.

Step 2. Probably get Robin in on it?

He’s not sure about that one. This situation was kind of embarrassing, he’d rather just share his embarrassment with the one person who is absolutely necessary. Also Robin doesn’t seem like the type to lie to their friends. Even if it was harmless.

Step 2. Probably get Robin in on it?

Step 2. Make a game plan.

They’d probably need to talk about how this was gonna go. Get all their facts straight in case there were any questions, which there were going to be. Plan how long this was gonna be for. He was getting a bit ahead of himself, but there was no plan B.

Step 3. Hope it’s believable.

He was already outside of the Hopper-Byers home. This shouldn’t be hard, Jonathan is a pretty understanding guy. He wouldn’t judge Steve, or make fun of him. At least that’s what Steve hoped. They’ve been developing a friendship for a while. Which has been going surprisingly well. Fuck. Was this gonna mess it up?

He got out of his car and walked to the door, knocking. El answered the door, she gave him a smile and let him in.

“Is Jonathan home?” Him asking for Jonathan wasn’t a rare occurrence nowadays, so El just nodded and pointed to his room.

He knocked to make his presence known. “Hey, Jon?” He opened the door and stepped inside the room.

“Hiya. What’s up, Harrington?” Jonathan grinned at Steve. Ah. Shit. He didn’t look completely sober. Must’ve smoked something earlier.

“Well, I wanted to talk to you. I’d rather wait until you sober up though.” Jonathan just gave him a thumbs up.

“Happy to have company.” Steve knew Jonathan was having trouble dealing with the break up. They had been together for a while and he thought that those two were gonna beat all the odds and marry each other or something. Maybe they still could find their way back to each other someday. Right now though, it probably sucked.

Nancy was off to college, Jonathan stayed here in Hawkins doing community college. There was no way of knowing how Nancy was taking it, she barely called and when she did it was kinda cut and dry. Although Steve supposed that was a way of telling she wasn’t doing so good either.

They hung out, doing nothing in particular. Just talking, listening to music and Steve sobering him up.

“Did you say you wanted to talk about something?” Jon asked. He looked sober now. Or as sober as his perpetual stoner face could look.

“Yeah… I kinda did something stupid.”

“Don’t we all.” Cute. Was he trying to make him feel better? It would’ve worked if what he did wasn’t as stupid as it was.

“No, seriously. I think this is the dumbest thing I have done.” Understatement.

“It can’t be that bad.” Jon’s words weren’t aligned with his face because it looked like he was starting to worry.

“It has something to do with you too.” With those words, Steve definitely made Jonathan start to worry. “Hear me out first!”

Retelling the events from earlier was excruciating. Steve has never felt this embarrassed before. It sounded so dumb saying it out loud.

“You really couldn’t come up with anything else? Like oh I don’t know. Saying you don’t like Robin like that?” It was like he wasn’t even listening.

“I tried that thousands of times! He wouldn’t buy it!”

“Why haven’t you just dated anyone else? To prove that you’re not hung up on her?” Interesting line of questioning. Honestly, it’s been a long time since someone has made him feel anything at all. No girl caught his attention like before. Has the upside down messed him up so bad that he can’t form romantic connections anymore?

“I just, I don’t really. Taking a break from dating sounded good to me.”

“Uh huh. Sure.” Jon didn’t believe him, whatever.

“Look I just panicked, spoke without thinking.”

“You know, I actually thought that Dustin was right about you and Robin before. But if you’re so determined to prove you’re not, to even come up with something like that.” Steve hated this. Was Jonathan getting a kick out of this?

“Are you amused? I’m kinda suffering here.” Steve lamented. “Can you just please help me?

“Oh god, what do you expect me to do? Pretend to date you to get Dustin off your back?” Yes. Please.

“Look! I only ask for a few weeks! It doesn’t have to be for long. Just, a few weeks of fake dating and then just say it didn’t work out and we decided to stay friends. All that cheesy stuff.” God, he was not being convincing at all.

Jonathan still looked skeptical. But at least he was considering it now. “I’ll owe you, big time. Whatever favor you want.” Steve offered.

Jon looked resigned now. He huffed out a breath. “I never thought my first boyfriend was gonna be Steve Harrington.”

“What?”

“Yeah. I always pictured a nerd or maybe a stoner.” He was confused now. Was Jonathan? “Yes, Steve. You should probably know if we’re gonna do this. I also like guys. And I’m assuming you’re okay with it, considering what you just asked.”

“Of course! Thanks for telling me. I’m glad you could trust me.” He was being genuine. Even if Steve was a little surprised, and now felt even more guilty about words he used in the past to insult Jonathan. All the past apologies seemed insufficient. Even so, he was happy that their friendship could develop into this.

“So? How is this gonna work? You really owe me now, you know.”

“Trust me, I know.”

So their friendship wasn’t ruined. Who knows? Maybe this could make it stronger.

[reyesranch]

I feel like atp even if there were plans to make bvddie canon theyre gone now. if tim minear is even half as petty as I am he would see that reaction and go u know what fuck you u actually don't get what you want now cause ur acting so goddamn entitled. like when tarlos fans got mad about the deleted scenes instead of appreciating them being released and his reaction was to say "okay fine then I just won't release deleted scenes anymore" (like I'm sure it was mostly a marketing decision but part of me thinks they intentionally released a scene about bucktommy just to prove a point.) idk man it's just really upsetting as a bi man to see the absolutely vile shit bvddie stans are saying and even tho I love the ship I now never want it to go canon cause they've fuckin ruined it

hey anon, at first let me agree with the fact that i do in fact also love bvddie a lot and i still love reading fics for them, the edits of them are fantastic and the fanart is S tier. it’s a great pairing with a lot of potential there IF the writers decided to ever go there but…

huge answer below

yeah, i agree. i honestly think before tommy was introduced again in 7x03 and the kiss in 7x04 that in my brain, bvddie was the most logical endgame for buck until it wasn’t.

i came into the show shipping bvddie much like a lot of new fans to the show but instead of hopping onto the tommy anti express hate train i found myself falling in love with buck and tommy together. at first i was still on board with bvddie still being endgame but as each episode aired after 7x04 i became faced with the reality of the situation (at least the way i see it) that bvddie might always be fanon and that’s ok because fandom keeps ships alive whether they’re canon or not. some of the biggest ships EVER are non-canon (i mean, cmon spirk? one of the OG MM ships?) so it didn’t really deter me from enjoying bvddie to this day. what HAS deterred me from interacting with bvddie content is toxic bvddies. i don’t like using the lil nicknames, idc if other ppl do, whatever, but i prefer just referring to certain kinds as just toxic plain and simple.

toxic shippers have made it difficult for anyone who multiships to interact with bvddie content. while there are incredibly nice & welcoming bvddie endgamers out there, it doesn’t overshadow the hateful ones in my online experience at least. i’ve blocked so many ppl over this ship discourse, which ive never had to do with any other fandom before the extent i have with 911. everyday i still find new ppl to block, you go under almost any comment section on the 911 insta and its filled with nasty comments abt tommy and only caring abt whether bvddie will be canon in s8. people projecting their hatred of tommy/lou onto the cast/crew of the show when it’s be said and proven time and time again that it’s quite the opposite. now im certain there’s bad apples in the bucktommy side as well, but from what ive seen online so far it is not nearly to the caliber of the bvddie side. ive blocked maybe a handful of bucktommy’s for being hateful towards eddie or being toxic overall, but ive probably blocked over 100+ toxic bvddies. i can only imagine it’d be worse if i was active on 911 twt which i’m not (thank god) but i have ventured into the tags before on there and let me tell you, it’s fucking horrifying how gross ppl are over there. twt is a cesspool for fandom anyways tho, the fucking asshole of fandom, it’s a septic tank really.

now im my own opinion which could be completely untrue of course, but just basing my thoughts on what i’ve seen online and interviews and such, tim seems to be really happy about bucktommy and idk how ppl believe otherwise. tim has expressed he loves LFJ and wanted him back on the show. tim showed up on set for the kiss scene. tim posting an entire youtube vibe abt bucktommy being soulmates that touches on the invisible string theory and explains how they accidentally found buck’s perfect match. tim sharing the deleted tommy scene is also huge but im waiting to see if he releases more (because i remember seen somewhere that he said there’d be more?) and if he does then great but it’s also still pretty telling to me after the whole karaoke fiasco.

oliver has said nothing but praises towards buck’s queer storyline. he quite literally said if you dont like it then watch something else. despite ppl saying he’s never interacted with bucktommy content online, that’s a lie because he has liked fanart of them.

aisha, kenneth & tracie have all expressed how they like tommy/lou and love working with him.

jlh said she loved bvddie before but is excited to see where buck and tommy go and then on an insta live said she doesn’t think bvddie is happening and was bombarded by toxic fans to the point of ending the live early.

ppl think it’s all some ruse to make it seem like bvddie is never happening so when it does happen it’s a “surprise” ……..

the nasty hate comments are doing nothing but exposing these types of ppl for who they are and that honestly to them, 911 is just the bvddie show to them. the people who run these social media accs for 911 are looking at these comments and cringing, they aren’t running to tim and abc being like “we must give these crazies what they want!” they’re mostly likely being ignored or honestly, as you said, being looked at and just reinforcing their decision to most likely make tommy buck’s endgame so as long as his schedule is open for filming.

what gets me the most about the hate these types of shippers spew online is how they aren’t embarrassed because they are so sooo convinced they will be right one day and therefore their insane, nasty behavior online will be justified. oliver stark literally left twt because of fans like this, people act like he was joking around, that he was shooting the shit probably because “he’s british and british people just have that kind of humor” which yes to a certain extent but let me just add these posts to set an example to why if oliver were still on twt he absolutely would not be happy with the way toxic bvddies are acting right now.

oliver (and ryan&other cast too) being positive abt bvddie never meant it was going to be canon of become canon one day. they do not decide these things, whether they believe it should or not. a lot of bvddie shippers come from previous fandoms where queerbaiting was there, where they were made fun of by actors of their ships, by the creators of the show! so i understand the frustration but oliver is not queerbaiting and buck is not a queerbait character when he quite literally is now confirmed bisexual and in a relationship with a man.

he’s just not the “correct” queer to these people. despite headcanons (hell even i hc eddie as queer!!) eddie so far, in canon, is not queer. by the end s7 he is still shown to not be over shannon and ruins his relationship with his son over this. ryan has stated in interviews he sees eddie as heterosexual, possibly pushing this because of the influx of ship discourse, and he’s glad to see a vulnerable and deep friendship that buck and eddie can have as a straight man and a queer man and how important he thinks it is.

every single thing that points to bvddie never going canon is like they’re being shot point blank in the chest. i get it, your ship not becoming canon sucks, but again, that is what fandom is for! shipping has never been about how canon smth is, there is 20k fics out there for bvddie and they aren’t canon. they can turn that into 40k, 100k, 1M if they really wanted to! instead they use their time and energy posting death threats, wishing death upon a gay character, bullying ppl online for enjoying a ship.

meanwhile from what ive seen bucktommys are rolling with goofy ass spy tommy theories created by antis and making jokes for our own fun.

so yes, i agree overall. they truly don’t deserve what they think they do. we didn’t whine and scream for a deleted scene. they did. we got ours without even expecting it and are having fun.

maybe if they behaved better i wouldn’t be so petty abt it. it’s a shame because of how much potential it has, unfortunately it is just not going that way atm. and even if it does one day, it is not because they paraded online with hate, it is because that’s the story tim and the others wanted to write and abc approved it.

🫳🎤

[wenellyb]

I have a theory that while many may not agree, I think there’s some truth to it. I think behind the scenes, this season was the make or break if they were going to commit and do buddie. I think that when they asked Lou to come back they still weren’t sure if they were going to commit (which is why he only got a 4 episode arc) or not. I think by the time 7x04 aired they still weren’t sure which is why Tim said as of right now he’s not planning (which isn’t a yes and isn’t a no) and why Oliver’s interviews immediately after 7x04 were still kind of neutral but still entertaining the idea of it. But I think by 7x06 they got their answer and I think Tim and the crew on the show decided to close the book on Buddie and queer Eddie. This can be scene in the sharp turn that post 7x06 interviews went: Kenny saying it’s the buck and Tommy show and bringing up BuckTommy in interviews, JLH saying to move on and talking about BuckTommy when asked about Buddie. It just further nailed in the coffin when Ryan began his hetero campaign in all of the interviews post 7x07. I think Tim has moved on from a romantic buddie plot and that is why he brought back Lou for 7x09 and 7x10 to show the audience that this is where the story is going.

I was really thinking about this after seeing that (supposed) insider going on that hour long rant and seeing how bitter they got as the season went on. It makes sense as to why you would get more bitter as your ships gets shut down behind the scenes. And do you think if queer Eddie still had a chance of happening, they would be spoiling it now? They’re only talking about it because they know it’s not happening. You don’t get bitter like that when you know the thing you love is still going to happen.

Sorry for the long rant!

Hi Anon, please never apologize for sending your theories, I love long rants!

I think you're absolutely right because I was also wondering how come they went from a 4 episode arc to 6 episode arc for Tommy, especially since his scene in episode 10 served no purpose to the story just cemented his relationship with Buck.

I agree there was a shift around episode 5.... becaise if Buck and Tommy had been temporary that would have been the perfect opportunity to let Tommy go, after the "failed" first date, but instead they doubled down on Bucktommy and not only did they stay together Buck invited Tommy to his sister's wedding, not just a regular date.

I really think they decided after ep 4 , but still weren't sure by the time episode 4 aired as you mentionned.

I love your theory and I really think you're right because it also checks out with the Lou & Oliver interview that aired before episode 9. Buck and Tommy didn't even have a lot of scenes in that episode so what was the point on having the actors do a couples interview before it aired if not to cement Buck and Tommy as a couple.

And also the cast reactions you mentionned.

I don't hate the ship at all, but I don't see Buddie happening either, there would have been at least a few hints if it were to happen and unti now, all the show has done it point out how Buck and Tommy were serious about eachother.

Thank you for the ask, I love these discussions!

[dmercer91]

Can you do nsfw and sfw head canons for Ethan Edward and mark estapa? ( btw love you account I’ve been stalking it for the last hour😂💕)

misc. headcanons, ee73

i used this one for eddy! another is coming for mark asap <3 (and thank you!)

meeting at the coffee shop you work at and he was originally planning on getting his regular but when he saw you he buffered

“what’s your go to? i was thinking of trying something new,”

you ask wether he likes cold or hot drinks, sweet or bitter, if there’s anything he definitely would not drink and he thinks your little lineup of questions is so sweet

you’re clearly a little nervous that he won’t like it once you ring it up and you pick at your nails when he first tries it

“you’ve got good taste… y/n,” he nods to your name tag

maybe the person taking you off comes up and tells you you’re good to go home and ethan takes the risk and orders another drink

“come sit with me?”

you talk for so long and when you laugh he thinks he’s died and gone to heaven

you exchange numbers and over the course of the semester, the relationship grows and you guys start dating

he’s so sweet

he buys you flowers and little trinkets he sees that he thinks you’ll like

he wants you at every possible home game, tucked in the corner by the glass where he can see you for good luck

you guys have after school naps at soph house - mark is sick of you guys being all cute and lovey

he lays on his back and you’re always tucked into his side with his arm around you

playing with his hair is your favourite thing

there’ll be times where that’s all you do for hours, just lay in his arms and twist his hair around your fingers while you talk about nothing important

he loves !! sweet nothings

his love language is probably quality time or touch but words of affirmation is definitely up there

“so pretty. my girl,” “you’re perfect, angel,”

sometimes after work you just need to sit in his arms and let him trace shapes on your shoulders and back in silence

customer service is draining and he does well with understanding that

if you’re overstimulated or tired he’s so good with boundaries and not making you more irritable

sexually, he can be a lot of different things depending on what you’re in the mood for

he loves it when you ride him but he’s perfectly happy putting in the work

he’s an ass/thigh man and i will be taking no criticism on that

kissing your thighs? heaven

leaving love bites on your thighs? he might as well have passed away from bliss

being between your thighs? having them squeeze his head? he thinks there’s no better place to be at any point in time

you riding his thigh, and he gets to sit back and tense his leg to tease you? he’d take that over actual american dollars

he is in college, and he’s used to hookups and therefore inexperienced with his mouth

however, after some trial and error, and him learning how to read your reactions to things, he’s so good

in the first bit of your relationship all he wants to do is practice

“i wanna be able to make you feel good,” while he’s literally got his nose buried into your clit for the third consecutive day

when he finally gets the reaction he’s been working towards - unbridled moans and mumbled of his name while you squirm and squeeze his head with your thighs

he lets up for one whole day before he’s kissing down your body again cause ‘he misses how pretty you taste’

he wants to try new things and get good at them all the time which is truly a blessing cause you won’t spare his feeling and say you came and he will get you there

sometimes on rougher nights he just moves you around at his will

for a college guy he’s well built and it’s both nice to look at and convenient

he likes it when you scratch at him

if he’s not getting absolutely flamed in the dressing room for being full of nail marks then he’s doing something wrong

you always feel bad when you see them and he’s like are you kidding?? i made you feel that good. this is my medal

he likes to guide your head when you’re going down on him

he’ll bury his hand in your hair or wrap it around his fist and slowly move you up and down on him

he’s not vocal in the beginning of your relationship, until you ask if it doesn’t feel good and he realizes you like him vocal

now he’s so used to letting it all out that being quiet is his least favourite thing on the entire planet

aftercare consists of a shower or bath with tons and tons of cuddling, forehead kisses and sweet praises

in conclusion; eddy 🤭

[forays-into-fiction]

The Princess and Her Throne

Adventures in bondage with Eddie. You and Eddie have a date night and talk all about your pervy delights. Then it’s back to his trailer for the night to try out one of his new ideas.

Eddie x Bambi Masterlist

Sorry if I missed anyone from the taglist, if you’d like to be added to the list please leave a reply either on the masterlist linked above or here.

Minors DNI

Contains:  Perv!Eddie/Not So Innocent!Girly!Reader, Perv!Eddie/Perv!Reader, Some Fluff But Mainly Smut, Mutual Masturbation, Slight Corruption Kink, Unprotected Sex, Sex Toys, Bondage, Overstimulation, Mentions of Oral/Oral Fixation, Cum Eating, Dirty Talk, Honorifics/ Petnames (Sir, Bambi, Babe, Sweetheart, Princess), Praise Kink, Degredation/Name-calling (Slut, Whore), Dom!Eddie/Sub!Reader

The first time Eddie tied you up he was a jittery mess, scrambling around collecting things as he went and muttering to himself under his breath. You sat on his bed watching on in amusement as he stumbles over himself.

“Safety shears… safety shears… where did I put them… ah ha!”

He sets them down on the bedside table next to you, as he turns back around you grab his arm, he gives you a curious look. You begin in a soothing tone, “Babe, you gotta calm down. You need to be in the right mindset for this, we don’t want either of us getting hurt for real, right?”

He sighs, “Right… right. You’re right, it’s just I’m… excited. And I want this to be perfect-”

“I know, babe, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Just pause a minute, take a few breaths.”

He takes a few steadying breaths before turning back to you and you decide to push your luck, giving him another instruction, “Ok, now gimme a kiss.”

He leans in pressing his lips to your own softly, you give him a sweet, brief kiss before pulling away.

“Now, what was that for?” He questions.

“Just wanted to see what you’d do…” you reply with a smirk.

“Oh, you little…” he grumbles, but can’t help the little grin peeking through.

“Ok, for real now… calmly, do we have everything we need?”

He looks over at the collection of items he’d laid out on the bed and side table, he gestures to the each as he lists them off, “Ok we got rope ‘cause duh, we got a paddle for if you misbehave…”

He pauses with a smirk before continuing, “… we got the first aid kit and the safety shears, both sets and in easy reach. We got water and some sugary snacks for after so we don’t really gotta move if we don’t have to. Towels too, the extra soft ones you got for me… ummm, I think that’s everything. There anything else you think we’ll need?”

“I don’t think so, you got it all covered… see I know you’ll always look out for me. Now let’s get to work, you can tie me up all pretty in your favourite colour… but don’t rush ok I’m not going anywhere.” You pull his hand closer to your face pressing soft kisses to his fingertips looking up at him lovingly.

He lets out a low groan, “Fuck… don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this, always so good to me Bambi.”

He looks at you with those big, brown eyes and you can’t resist pulling him in for another kiss, when you break apart you murmur affectionately, “I love you Eds.”

“An’ I love you.” He mumbles in response.

“Now, there’s something else I want you to do for me…” you trail off waiting for his reaction.

“What’s that sweetheart?”

“I want you to strip me…” His eyes light up as he grins at you and you add, “… slowly though, ok? And… leave… leave the necklace on?”

“Absolutely sweetheart, wouldn’t dream of taking that off you.”

You grin back at him, looking up at him through your lashes and squirming slightly. You were excited too, but you were containing it as best as you could. You know emotions running high and getting too worked up wouldn’t go well in this situation. Both of you needed to remain clear and level headed.

As he slips off your skirt, he looks up at you, “Ok and remember what we talked about, if you start feeling any pain that you shouldn’t, or numbness, or light-headedness… if you need to stop for any reason, anything at all you let me know, ok?”

You nod at him assuring him, “I remember and the same goes for you… if you need to stop for anything.

He turns his head kissing your thigh, right beside the tattoo, “Thank you sweetheart… really for everything.”

He continues stripping you off until you’re laid bare before him, you love the contrast of him towering over you fully clothed while you lay before him completely exposed. It has you rubbing your thighs together, slicking them with your wetness that pools between them.

His motions now are deliberate and calm, more focused than you ever usually see him as he goes over the lengths of rope. He considers his options and gets to work, looping the rope around you with nimble fingers.

Nothing too intricate at first, you’d decided, something simple for the first time trying this together, but still very pretty as you liked to say. He checked the ropes for tightness as he went, slipping two fingers between it and your body. He had you practically shivering with anticipation.

When he’s finished, he stands back to admire his work. You eye him up and down too, lingering on his bulging crotch before looking back to his face.

“So, how do I look?” You prompt him for a response.

He looks at you, eyes dark and clouded with lust as they meet your own, “Goddamn, Bambi you are perfect… you are so perfect you don’t even know.”

You giggle, “Yeah, sometimes I think we were just made for each other ya know?”

“Fuck do I know it, who else could be as filthy and depraved as this…” He palms himself over his pants with a rumbling moan.

“You gonna strip for me now?” You ask hopefully, pouting up at him.

He chuckles at your whiny tone, “All in good time, sweetheart… just let me…”

He trails off, moving onto the bed he spreads your legs with his knee slotting in between them he runs a finger down the rope that runs the length of your torso following the diamond shapes, bumping over each knot until he gets to the one he’d tied and placed strategically to sit right against your clit, pushing it into you firmly with a devilish smirk.

You gasp and moan, “Eddie…”

He chuckles and mimics your tone, “y/n…”

You pout back at him, “Why you gotta tease me?”

“Awww, Bambi c’mon it’s fun… and you know you like it…” His hand moves to your breast, framed by even more rope. He kneads the soft flesh before rolling the nipple between his fingers, eyes glinting as you raise your hips and the quickly dampening rope between your legs slides against you.

You moan again at the sensation and he reacts smugly, “See, you do like it don’t you?”

“Y-yes sir.” You whimper eyes fluttering shut as you continue to cant your hips upward searching for that delicious friction.

With his other hand he caresses your cheek, murmuring softly, “If you wanna see me strip you’re gonna have to open your eyes sweetheart.”

You wrench your eyes open gazing at him dreamily, “Lemme see you Eds, wanna see your pretty cock. I bet it’s all pink and shiny just for me. Wanna see all of you s’ not fair.” You finish with a pout.

“Shit, you know just what to say don’t ya? Alright I’ll ‘strip’ for you.”

He begins at his belt, undoing it slowly, pulling it free from the loops he pulls it taught and rolls it in his hand. You move to pop open the button on his pants, but he takes the belt and taps you with it in warning. Not hard enough to be considered a slap, but enough that it gets your attention and you retract your hands.

“Hands to yourself, eyes only sweetheart.” He taunts.

“Yes sir.” You mumble nodding your head.

He continues to undo his pants until they are hanging open on his legs, but then changes direction moving for his shirt and you whine.

“Oh, you thought I’d just whip it out let you see my ‘pretty cock’ straight away, as soon as you ask?” He palms his bulge again for emphasis.

You pout, before admitting reluctantly, “…maybe.”

“Well, maybe someone needs a little lesson in patience…” you grumble and he laughs at your reaction, “… don’t worry, I’ll let you see my cock, let you see all of me… but before we really get into it you’re going to cum just by grinding against that rope for me. I might touch you in other places, but I’m not going anywhere near that desperate little pussy until you do.”

“Fuck… Eddie…” You gasp.

“You got that sweetheart? You think you can do that for me? Make yourself cum on this rope like a good little slut?” He tugs on the rope making it pull taut between your legs.

The knot presses into your clit, the two strands that ran either side of your cunt, slipping between your folds and you wail, “Fuck, yes, yes, yesss… I’ll be your good little slut. Cum all over this rope… then… then can I have your cock, sir… please?”

“After that you can have whatever you want Bambi.” He leans in and lays a kiss on your forehead, “But now watch me as I strip for you and keep grinding against that rope.”

You nod and do as he says while he proceeds to rid himself of his clothing, going so far as to slip each ring off his fingers one by one before even considering removing his pants. You whine and moan, desperately moving your hips in search of release. 

You gasp at the sight when he finally does remove his pants and he moves back to kneeling between your legs, you can see a considerable wet patch staining the front of his boxers.

“Like what you see?” He teases.

“I-is a-all of that pre-… pre-cum…?” You ask wide-eyed, staring down at his tented boxers.

“Uh huh sure is sweetheart.”

“God that’s fucking hot… lemme see it Eds… p-please…” Your hand come up to twist at your nipple as you beg.

“Alright sweetheart, you were such a good girl after all… so patient.” He palms at his cock before slowly rolling down his boxers to rest beneath his heavy balls. His cock bobs between his legs, flexing as more pre-cum dribbles out of the slick, ruddy head.

Your motions quicken, your whole body glistening with sweat, panting. He runs his hand along the underside of his length pausing to circle the tip with his thumb with an exaggerated, borderline pornographic moan. He pulls his hand away, pre-cum stringing between his fingers and the head of his cock. 

He spits into his palm, not that he needs it, you know he’s only doing it to get to you and it does you moan wantonly your free hand twisting into the covers on the bed. Then his hand returns to his shaft, spreading saliva and pre-cum all over himself moving to tug on his balls with a breathy moan of his own.

“Jesus, fuck wanna suck on it so bad.”

He chuckles, grinning down at you, “Oh, yeah? Tell me… tell me how bad you wanna suck on my cock… balls too huh?”

You answer, hips thrusting erratically, panting and moaning pathetically while you torture your poor little abused nipple, “Absolutely yes balls too, sir. I-I… hngh… I’d start with that perfect cock of yours… swallow up all your pre-cum… mhhhh… th-then I-I’d move down to your balls… suck on each of ‘em while I rub your shaft… fuck… get all messy with drool and pre-cum… shit, I’m gonna cum Eddie…”

“Yeah, you gonna cum thinking ‘bout sucking on my cock? Go on cum like the good little slut you are.” He groans.

With one final thrust against the rope between your legs you explode with a cry of his name. Your walls clamp down on nothing, thrusting into empty air before collapsing bonelessly into the mattress, chest heaving with exertion.

You look up at him, his hand around the base of his cock in a vice-like grip, he breathes out in awe, “Holy fucking shit Bambi that was hot. You really wanna suck me off that much?”

You nod weakly, “Uh huh… but could… could we maybe do that another time? Really want you to fuck me now… split me open with that big dick and cum deep inside me…”

“Jesus H Christ it was taking all I could not to fucking pin you down and just take you… god yes I wanna fuck you…”

You reach out and grab for him with shaky hands and he descends upon you capturing your lips between his own in a heated kiss. His hand travels the length of your body, pulling the sodden rope from between your folds, spreading it either side of your dripping cunt before guiding the tip of his cock to replace it. The knot still sits upon your sensitive clit rubbing against it torturously as he sinks into you with a guttural moan.

He rolls his hips unevenly with stuttering motions, you can tell he’s holding back, you hook a leg behind him, urging him deeper. He lets out a strangled moan, “Fuck… I’m not going to last… I’m fucking ready to cum right now. Please…”

“Just let go Eddie… fuck me.”

At your encouragement his hips quicken slamming into you at a punishing pace, tears flow from the corners of your eyes as the rope continues to push against your overworked clit and you feel another orgasm approaching. 

He tugs on the rope around your neck, grabbing the guitar pick necklace in the process, you’re dimly aware that he’d left his chain bracelet on too, pink ribbon peeking out.

“I can feel that you know… the way you’re slowly getting tighter and tighter, quivering all around me… you gonna cum again?” His voice is deep and rumbly sending a shiver through your body.

“Yes, sir!”

“Go ahead cum on that cock you love so much and I’ll give you what you want… my cum deep inside you.” He growls.

You whimper already coming apart and pulsing along his throbbing length and as promised he paints your walls with his thick, hot seed.

He collapses on top of you pressing his sweaty body into your own, gasping for breath. You stroke the back of his head and he presses soft kisses into the skin beneath his face.

“I fucking love you so much y/n.” He sighs, his tone deep and full of meaning.

You kiss the top of his head, responding earnestly, “I love you too Eddie.”

He pushes off of you, dopey grin plastered across his face, his softening length slips out of you followed by a stream of your combined fluids. He reaches over to the bedside table cracking the seal on a water bottle before sliding his hand under your head, propping you up and placing the bottle at your lips, tilting it gently so you can drink. You make a sound and tap on his arm twice and he pulls the bottle away, “You good? Had enough?”

You nod and swipe a hand over your lips “Mhh hmm.”

He takes a swig from the bottle too before placing it back on the bedside table and moving to release you from your binds, his calloused fingers rubbing at the skin soothingly in certain places. When the rope is free, he reaches for a towel cleaning you off and then himself before moving to lay beside you and scooping you into his arms.

You sigh, melting into his touch, he interrupts the silence with a laugh before reaching over to the bedside table plucking something out from the pile of snacks. “You want a lollipop? Ya know, since you wanted something to suck on so bad.” He teases.

You give him a playful shove, “Hey!” You protest, but then consider it a moment, “… actually I would like a lollipop.”

You take the offered candy, unwrapping it and placing it between your lips. He grins at you before his expression shifts a little more seriously, “So how are you, really? That was good right? Not too much?”

“Oh, that was perfect… I am a little sore, but it’s not too bad-”

He cuts you off quickly, “Where does it hurt? Tell me what I can do to help.”

“I’m fine really, just sensitive… a little swollen… we’ve got aloe gel, right?”

He nods hastily reaching for the first aid kit, he shuffles through it finding the bottle and holding it up.

“Do you think you could rub it over my clit and… well that whole area really, but be very, very gentle.”

“Of course, princess I’ll be super gentle.”

He squirts some of the gel into his palm, rubbing it over his fingertips before spreading it over your swollen folds with a feather-light touch. The cooling sensation soothes you, he leaves your clit til last, you jump a little when he brushes over it and he apologises profusely when you do.

You hook a finger under his chin, “Now get back here and cuddle me mister.”

He hovers over you for a moment and removing the lollipop from your mouth, you pull him in for a kiss, sweet and tender, showing you bear him no resentment.

When he settles in against you again you ask eagerly resuming your sucking on the sweet treat between words, “So, how was it for you? Did you like seeing me all knotted up in your favourite colour? You wanna do it again some time?”

“It was fucking amazing sweetheart… God do I want to do it again. I want to do that so much, whenever you want sweetheart just say the word. I’ve already got so many more ideas for all that rope you’ve got.”

You giggle at his enthusiasm, “See made for each other.” You hold out the lollipop for him to have a lick and he takes it from you, you reach for the water again.

He sucks on the lolly before replying, “I know exactly what you mean Bambi.”

He takes the water from you when you’re done and places it back on the bedside table.

You feel your eyelids drooping and drifting closed, you mumble, “‘M tired Eds…”

He runs his hand over your back rubbing gently, “‘S ok, you sleep, I’ll deal with the rest of the clean-up. Such a good girl for me tonight… tomorrow we can go out get some milkshakes just hang out yeah?”

“Yeah, sounds nice Eds, g’night.” You hum as he pulls back the covers from the bed. He manoeuvres you beneath them ignoring the mess of cum splattered all over them, that’d be an issue for another day.

 As you settle in, he brushes a few stray hairs back from your face, “Sweet dreams princess.” He murmurs kissing the top of your head.

This time when he tied you up, he was testing out one of his ideas, he’d tied you up many more times since that first night always coming up with new things to try. Each time was just as good as the last, even if not all of his ideas worked out as planned, you had fun regardless. You’d even spotted a few doodles of different rigging designs and knot diagrams scattered in the corners of his notes and on random bits of papers it made you grin every time.

This time was interesting, he’d asked you to bring along your magic wand and you were very curious as to how he was going to incorporate it.

When you got to his trailer, he’d greeted you with a kiss telling you to put your bag in his room and come right back. You do as instructed and find him waiting by the door with his keys. You look to him in confusion, “Where are we going? I thought we were going to try out one of your new ideas?”

He laughs as you pout up at him, “And you say I’m insatiable… it’s date night Bambi. We’re going on a date and then we can come back to play.”

You light up at the mention of a date, “Ooooh, where are we going Eds?”

“Well, I was thinking we go for a drive, listen to some music, talk a bit, you know. I packed a little picnic type thing… nothing too fancy or too heavy… cause ya know, after… well, yeah anyway, find a nice spot under the stars just you and me…”

You sigh, “Awww, Eddie that’s so romantic.”

He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, “Yeah? I mean it’s not much, like I said nothing fancy, but-”

“But nothing, I love it.” You grin at him and press a kiss to his rosy cheek.

The two of you make small talk and listen to one of his cassettes as he drives you out to a quiet, secluded spot in the forest that backs onto the trailer park. He’s picked out a very pretty spot, with a nice little clearing. He parks the van and turns to you, “So do you wanna sit outside or we can set up in the back of the van… which ever makes you more comfortable?”

“I wanna sit outside, look up at the stars with you.” You hum happily.

“Ok, sweetheart, gimme a minute to set up then I’ll come get you, ok?”

You giggle, “Ok, Eddie.”

You can hear him opening the back of the van, sorting through the items he’d packed for a few minutes. You want to look over your shoulder or in one of the mirrors, see what he’s up to, but you resist.

A few seconds later he’s at your door, opening it, extending a hand for you to take. He helps you out, closing the door before leading you around to the back of the van where he’d laid out a blanket and some pillows. Some lanterns that look like they may have come from Thatcher Tires are scattered about to provide light.

 He’d opened the picnic basket and spread out the food as well, little homemade sandwiches that looked like he’d made himself, a little unevenly cut, a container of fresh strawberries with the tops cut off, another with some cream by the looks of it and finally a cheap bottle of sparkling wine with some plastic cups.

“So, uh yeah… this is it, I guess. But um… remember we can’t have too much of the wine if we’re gonna do what I have planned alright?”

You squeal and throw yourself at him, “Eddie this is honestly the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me!”

“Really? I mean I didn’t do much and it’s all pretty cheap stuff. Hell, I borrowed the lanterns from the shop.”

“What have I said? it’s not about how much you spend or how flashy something is, it’s about spending time with you, being close to you. And you put in so much effort, don’t sell yourself short.”

“Stop it… c’mon sit down so we can get started.”

He leads you over still holding your hand while you lower yourself to the ground, letting go when you’re settled and tucking your legs up beside you smoothing down your skirt. He sinks down opposite you offering you the plate of sandwiches, you take one and dig in as he takes one for himself.

“Mmmm, this is very nice did you make ‘em?”

He answers bashfully, “Yeah, I did… I know they’re not perfect… cut ‘em a little wonky and everything’s popping out the sides, but I tried.”

“You did very good, and they taste good too, is that mustard you used?”

“Yeah, um does it work…? I mean I know you like mustard…”

“It works very well. May I have another?” You smile at him brightly.

And he scrambles for the plate thrusting it towards you, the sandwiches slide a little but remain on the plate, you giggle, “Thank you.”

He returns your smile, “No problem. Here let me get you a drink.” He cracks open the bottle pouring a little for both of you, extending your cup towards you and you accept it graciously. He takes the last sandwich for himself, chomping down on it.

You set down your cup after a few sips and reach for the strawberries and cream.

You hold one up observing the shape, “Hey, look Eds it looks like a love heart, the way you’ve cut off the top with that ‘v’ shape.”

He looks at the berry between your fingers considering it for a moment, “Huh, yeah I guess it does Bambi.”

You dip it in the cream and pop it in your mouth with a satisfied hum. “You want one?”

“Yeah sure.”

You pluck one out dipping it into the cream for him and hold it out for him placing it in his open mouth. He chews and swallows before offering his thanks.

The two of you share a few more strawberries ‘til they’re gone and you dip a finger straight into the leftover cream sticking it in your mouth and sucking it before venturing with a line of questioning that sends a heat rising to your cheeks.

“So, I’ve been wondering… what other pervy stuff have you done that I don’t know about? You know like the thing with Eddie Bear.”

“Oh… ummm, you… you sure you wanna know that, Bambi? I mean it was kinda… actually really-”

You cut off his stuttering, “Yes, I want to know, c’mon you should know by now I would never get mad at you or judge you for that stuff. If anything, it’d probably turn me on.”

His breath catches in his throat, “Yeah… I mean if you’re sure. I mean I got pretty ummm… I still feel guilty about at least half the pervy shit I did when we were first dating. Maybe… maybe it’s ‘cause you didn’t know, maybe it’ll help to tell you about it?”

“Please tell me Eds, I do wanna know.” You flash your puppy dog eyes and he groans.

“Alright, well… one thing I used to do is… um, I’d jerk off using your lotion and umm when… when I’d finish, I’d cum inside the bottle. Liked to imagine you rubbing it all into your skin the next time you used it. Did the same thing with your body wash the handful o’ times I showered at your place. Then when I did shower there… fuck… I’d get so turned on, just surrounded by your smell and then it’d linger on me all day and I’d just have to jerk off constantly.”

He awaits your response grimacing slightly at the brief silence as you stare back at him mouth having dropped open. “Oh, fuck Eddie that’s… that’s sooo fucking hot. You’re telling me all that time I was rubbing your cum into my skin, goddamn… but you stopped doing that?”

“Yeah, of course I stopped it’s… it’s weird Bambi and besides now you let me cum all over you whenever I want or inside you… Jesus, inside you… fuck…” He trails off with a groan.

You give him a smug little grin, “Yeah, that is good, isn’t it? But you know if you wanted to you could keep doing that, with the lotion and stuff. I promise you I don’t think it’s weird, I’ll even leave a bottle at your place for when I sleep over. Is there anything else you did that you wanna tell me about? I did some stuff too ya know… I could tell you about that. If you want to take turns?”

He’s practically drooling at the suggestion, eagerly taking you up on your offer, leaning in closer, “Shit, Bambi what’d you do?”

“Well, I think it goes without saying that I’d think about you all the time when I’d finger myself or use my toys… adult and otherwise. I mean I still think about you whenever I masturbate and when you gave me the necklace…”

You pull said necklace out from under your lacy collar, showing off the guitar pick hanging off it, “… I like to tug on it, hold it tight in my hand…”

You look up at him through your lashes before continuing, “… reminds me who I belong to.”

He lets out a strained whine, “Jesus H Christ! Yeah… you got anything else?”

“There was one time… who am I kidding, I say one time but I did it a few times with different ones too… I uh used to steal your shirts and wear them while I got off, liked having your smell around me too. I’d also put them on Eddie Bear when I humped him sometimes too. Washed ‘em all before I returned them though. You gonna tell me some more now?”

You inch closer to him, leaning in as well, reaching for him cautiously until just your fingertips brush along his on the blanket beneath you.

“Well… I did something a little similar to that… a little creepy though…” He turns his head away in shame.

You admonish him, taking a hold of his hand fully “Hey, you are not ‘creepy’ ok? Come on look at me Eds.”

He does so at your urging and you press on, “Do I look, creeped out… or weirded out… or freaked… or any other negative word you can think of?”

He takes a moment to look at you, assessing you seriously, tentatively coming to a conclusion, “No… I-I don’t think so…”

You answer firmly in agreement, “Right, because I’m not. So, tell me what you did. I love you and there’s not a lot that could change that. I’d maybe even go as far as to say nothing that could change that.”

He looks at you warily, “Kiss me first?”

Still holding his hand, you close the distance between the two of you moving to sit in his lap, straddling his legs as you kiss him with abandon. He ends up having to brace himself with his arms stretched out behind him leaning back with the sudden force you’ve applied. You can feel his hard dick pressing up into your clothed, dripping folds but you make no move to take it further.

When you part breathlessly he looks up at you, “Thanks, I dunno why but it still makes me feel guilty… the stuff I did.”

You brush his long curls behind his ears, “Babe, you don’t have anything to feel guilty about with me. I love you as you are. I want you as you are. Now tell me what you were going to say, before… this.”

He takes a steadying breath, “I-I used to steal your panties and jerk off with them… into them. The dirty ones… I mean. Uhhh…” He looks to you and you nod encouragingly, he continues, “I’d do all sorts of stuff with them, smell ‘em… taste ‘em or like scrunch them up and stuff them all in my mouth… like… like how I made you that one time in Lovelace…”

“See that wasn’t so bad, was it? I actually think that is very fucking hot I’d love to see you do that one day… if you’d let me?”

“Really? You wanna watch me jerk off with your panties?”

“Absolutely! Have… no that’s silly.” You shake your head.

He grabs you by the chin stilling your movements, “No, tell me, what is it?”

“Um have you ever thought about wearing a pair of panties while you… rub yourself through them? Don’t… don’t know if any of mine would fit you right… I mean when you’re hard, God you’re fucking big…” He smirks at that, you babble on, “We could get you your own pair… if that’s something you’d be interested in?”

“You wanna see me wearing panties now do ya?” He teases.

“Only… only if you want… but yeah, yeah I do.” You mumble shyly.

“Princess, don’t you know I’d do anything for you?”

“Really? You’d do that for me? It wouldn’t… I dunno make you feel…”

He stops your train of thought quickly, “It’d make me feel amazing if it meant you got turned on by it.”

“O-ok so I guess that’s another thing we can try… do you wanna head back to yours now and you can show me what your new idea was? Been dying all night to find out, especially how you’re gonna use the magic wand.”

“Shit Bambi I’m half-tempted to just throw you in the back of the van and take you right here after all this dirty talk… but yeah, yeah we can head back.”

You help him pack up and pile everything into the van, somehow the drive back seems infinitely longer than the drive there as you squirm in your seat. When you get back you hover beside him at the front door, hands creeping over him as he fumbles with his keys. He almost drops them in his haste, but manages to get the door open.  He stands aside gesturing for you to go first, flipping on the lights as he enters.

“So, there’s something I gotta set up before we start, I’m pretty sure it’ll work… and if it does, oh man are we gonna have some fun with it.”

“Always with the teasing, hurry up and show me.” You whine.

“Haven’t we done this before… do you need another lesson in patience? You’re gonna get it tonight either way I suppose… especially if this works.” He smirks.

“C’mon you’re killing me here.”

“Alright, alright I’ll be a few minutes, just gotta…” He looks across the room, making his way over to the little two-seater dining table picking up one of the chairs.

He mumbles to himself, “Gonna need this…” he turns to you, “You did bring the magic wand, right?”

“Yeah, in my bag. Want me to get it?”

“No, that’s ok I’ll find it. You’re not gonna get a peek that easily. Wait out here, make yourself comfortable and I’ll get you when it’s ready.”

“Fine.” You grumble in defeat and he chuckles at you before making his way back to the bedroom.

A few minutes pass before he’s emerging with a satisfied grin, those few minutes had felt like a lifetime to you, your head snaps up to look at him desperately, “Ready?”

“Absolutely, sweetheart… don’t know if you’re going to love it, or hate it or both, but it’s ready.”

He ushers you into his room and you see his little creation, he’d taken a length of rope looping it around the legs of the chair and over the seat where your magic wand sat, also wrapped in rope. You look at it curiously as he watches for your reaction, “Can I show you how I think it’d work?” he asks cautiously.

“Yeah, of course… what do you need me to do?”

“Well, ideally you’d be naked and tied to the chair as well, but for now just sit down so I can check the positioning.”

You move closer and he lifts the toy pulling it away from the seat so you can sit yourself down. He slides the bottom of your skirt up and lowers the toy, the head rests perfectly against your clit, the rope holding it in place and pressing it into you. 

You gasp, “Oh… I see. So, um I sit here you tie me up and switch on the toy and just… let it go…”

“Yep, that’s the idea… um what d’ya think?” He asks shifting self-consciously.

“Babe, you are a genius I swear… so we gonna test it out for real?”

He laughs, an easy grin settling across his face, “You bet. Up you get… need you naked for the next part. Don’t need to make it anything special either just take off your clothes.”

You nod and rise stripping off quickly ‘til you’re left in just your panties and bra, the guitar pick nestled between your breasts when you look back over at him an idea coming to mind. 

You unclasp your bra and add that to your pile of clothing before sliding off your drenched panties and pressing them into his hand, “You can do whatever you’d like with these.”

“God yes I fucking will… you take a seat now and let me tie you up.”

You do so eagerly, re-positioning the toy between your legs as he retrieves another length of rope, binding you to the chair carefully. He stands back taking in his handiwork humming in a satisfied way before turning on the toy to the lower setting.

You give a low moan as the vibrations begin and he kneels between your legs, spread and bound to the chair. He leans in kissing your thigh, biting and mouthing on the skin beside your tattoo while slowly ramping up the intensity of the vibrations.

“Don’t… don’t you want to get undressed as well? Touch yourself a bit?” you gasp.

He detaches from your leg with a pop, bringing a hand up to rub over the mark he’d left there, “Oh, I will sweetheart. Don’t you worry about me, you just sit there and enjoy the ride.”

You strain against the ropes that bind your arms, you want to reach out and touch him… touch yourself… anything. He’s tied you up well and there’s no way out just yet. You whine and squirm and he ups the intensity on the toy again.

“I know sweetheart, I know. Eyes on me, alright?” He rises and begins removing his own clothing, tossing it down beside your own.

You watch intently, even more desperate to touch him, now that he’s left in just his boxers. You thrust your hips as much as your restraints will allow, the vibrating head of the toy rubbing against you as you pant and moan.

He looks down at your panties clutched in his hand, sliding down his boxers and stepping out of them. His weepy cock bounces up to slap against his navel leaving a sticky smear there. 

He looks back at you writhing in the chair, maintaining eye contact as he uncrumples your panties and slides them on, up over his own legs. His hard length stretches the fabric unlike it had ever been, his cock sits trapped under the waistband pointing up at him, pre-cum flowing from the tip dribbling down to join your own wetness.

He begins palming himself over the fabric eyes never leaving your own. You let out a strangled moan and answers with a smug grin, “Oh, you like that huh? Wanna watch me ruin your panties, stretch them out with my fat cock? Cum in them so it can join your wetness that’s already soaked them?”

“God, yes p-please sir… didn’t think you’d try that straight away… fuck… and I’m sooo close too…” you whine in response.

“You can cum if you like… but no matter how many times you do I’m not turning off that toy until I’m done… and you know how long I can hold off for…”

“Jesus, fuck… shit… hmmm… Eddie… please…” You can feel your orgasm fast approaching, slick walls beginning to flutter around nothing, pressing into the toy as much as you can.

“Fuck, sir I’m cumming!” You wail, straining at your bonds, limbs shaking, the toy continuing its steady pace.

You’re already a little sensitive from your first orgasm but still the toy continues buzzing away and he makes no moves to slow or stop the vibrations, just as he’d said. 

You try to wriggle away from the feeling but the ropes hold you in place and the further away you scoot from the toy the more firmly it presses against you with its own ropes holding it down.

He chuckles at you, “Oh, princess was that a good one? Did you like that, cumming all tied up, toy strapped to you, watching me touch myself over your panties?”

You whimper, “So good… feels sooo good… al-almost too good Eds, fuck.”

You look down at his hard cock, straining against your panties, his hand rubbing over it lightly as pre-cum flows from the pink, glistening tip freely. He moves his hand down rolling his balls around in the damp fabric and you let out a pathetic whine. He grins, watching you just as intently as you focus on his cock.

And all too quickly another orgasm is fast approaching chasing down on the heels of the first. You throw your head back, eyes rolling, mouth dropping open with a gasp as wave after wave of pleasure comes crashing down over you.

It trickles down your spine and radiates outward, a delicious tingling that emanates throughout your entire body. You quiver as you come down from your high and you know it’s no use but you still try to wriggle away from the toy buzzing away, bullying your poor oversensitive, little clit.

He moves closer, standing between your thighs, towering over you. He tilts your head towards him and dives in for a kiss, one hand still palming at his erection. He pulls back his head giving you a smirk as he takes in your fucked-out appearance, both hands moving to slide over your tits, smearing them with his pre-cum as he kneads the soft swell of your breasts. 

He toys with your nipples, your legs shake and pull taut against the ropes. You moan pathetically you can feel yourself dripping, making such a mess of the chair under his ministrations.

He croons down at you in a teasing way, pinching your nipples firmly, “Awww, you gonna cum again Bambi? Be a good little slut for me and cum again,”

“Fuck…wanna be good… I’ll be good for you… so good…” He tugs on your necklace and the chair rocks slightly as you thrust up into the toy weakly.

“That’s it, sweetheart. You are such a good girl. Wanna see you fucked so dumb you can’t even remember your name.”

“Oh god… fuck I’m cumming again.” You sob out as you are overtaken once more by that tingling that spreads all over your body, your slick channel gushing and pulsing all over again. You quake with aftershocks but he lets the toy continue its torturous assault on your swollen nub.

He laughs as you writhe in the chair, tears leaking from the corners of your eyes and still the process continues.

“Please sir… pleeeaase.” You don’t even know what you’re begging for panting and moaning desperately, sweat and slick running off of you in rivulets.

“If you give me one more… just one more I’ll untie one of your hands and you can touch my dick through these pretty little panties… how’s that?”

You mumble unintelligibly nodding and whimpering.

“Good, bet you can’t wait to see me cum for you… get these panties all stained with both of our fluids… when we’re done, I’m gonna keep these…” he hooks a finger under the waistband, “… little souvenir for me, keep them all dirty and stained and maybe next time we can do one for you to keep… you want that sweetheart? You wanna keep a pair of panties all gross and crusty with cum like the nasty, depraved little whore you are?”

A broken moan escapes your lips his, words sending you into overdrive, “Hngh… fuck yes… hmmm… Jesus want that… wanna watch you cum for me…”

“Then you know what you gotta do… one more, scream for me Bambi and then I’ll let you touch me.” He growls and reaches down pushing the magic wand against you firmly.

As you’re swept away once again you do scream, chanting his name over and over like a prayer until your voice cracks with a pitiful whine. “Ple-please Eds ‘s to-too much…” You sob and he relents only just.

He turns the toy to its lowest setting but still leaves it on. Untying one of your arms, he rubs over the skin before guiding your hand to his throbbing, leaky tip, “Remember what I said? That doesn’t get turned off ‘til I’m finished.”

You nod weakly, lazily rubbing your hand over his length, his clasped around yours guiding your motions, grunting and groaning above you.

“P-please sir… cum for me… I-I can’t take anymore… please…”

He thrusts against your hand fervently chasing his own end, “Shit, so fucking pretty when you beg you know that… fuck… hngh… gonna… gonna cum.”

A torrent of thick, white hot cum erupts from his tip, coating your hand and his, trickling down and seeping into your panties as he gasps. He’s quick to turn off the magic wand, pulling you into a kiss once he’s done so. 

When he pulls back you look down at your messy hand and his. You bring your hand to your mouth licking it clean before grabbing at his and doing the same. He mutters under his breath, something you don’t quite catch but you definitely hear a ‘Jesus H Christ’ along with a few other expletives. 

He reaches over to the bed behind you pulling out a water bottle, holding it to your lips and urging you to drink. He stops when you grab his arm and gets to work loosening all the rope.

He kneels between your legs, hand brushing over your cheek, gazing up at you lovingly, “You wanna shower or just wipe off and head to bed?”

 You groan, “Need a shower… ‘m all sticky an’ sweaty…”

“Alright, princess up you come…” he stands and scoops you into his arms.

As he carries you towards the bathroom you smile and nuzzle into the crook of his neck, mumbling, “You’re still wearing the panties…”

He chuckles, lowering your legs til your feet hit the cold tile of the bathroom floor, “I know sweetheart, I’ll take ‘em off in a minute.”

He supports you as you stand on shaky legs, pulling back the shower curtain and adjusting the spray of water as it comes on while you speak, “That was really fucking hot Eds, what’re we gonna call this little invention of yours?”

He considers for a moment while testing the temperature of the water with his hand, “Ummm… oh… ha I got one. How’s the ‘princess’s throne’ sound?”

You giggle in response, “What’d I say… genius. That is the perfect name for it.”

 He guides you into the tub and under the warm water, quickly peeling off your panties from his legs and joining you in the tight space.

You lean back against him humming appreciatively as he begins shampooing your hair, massaging your scalp soothingly. When he moves to soap up your body, you feel something prodding against the swell of your ass, “Ah, Eddie is that…?”

“Yeah, sorry sweetheart. Don’t worry I’ll take care of that myself, you just relax now,”

“But, what if I wanna help?” He doesn’t need to see you to know you’re pouting.

He chuckles, “Alright then if you insist…”

You spin around to face him pressing a hand to his chest, you run your fingers over his tattoos before trailing your hand down his body ‘til you reach his hard length. “So, you used to jerk off in my shower, hmmm?”

He gasps as you begin sliding your soapy hand along his cock, “Uh, yeah that’s right.”

“Tell me how you did it? What did you think about?”

“W-well… shit Bambi, you’re really gonna make me say this stuff again?”

You flash your puppy dog eyes at him, “Please?”

“Fuck ok… well, I didn’t mean to the first time, it just kinda happened ‘cause I was so turned on. I could smell your shampoo, your body wash… started imagining you what you would look like all wet and soapy like you are now…” His eyes rake over your body and he bites his lip with a low groan.

“Yeah, what else?”

He begins thrusting into your hand, matching your movements, “I was all soaped up with your body wash and it reminded me of how I’d used your lotion before… so, I did the same thing with that. I-I got some of the suds and started rubbing… oh, shit just like that…” He groans before continuing to babble.

“… started rubbing my cock and then I remembered how close you were… sitting just outside the door. I wondered what it would be like if you came in and joined me… not the way I thought you’d really react then, the way I’d want it to go… not all that different from how it actually might have gone, now that I think about it.”

“You’d come in and strip off without me noticing and you’d slip in behind me… reach around and grab my cock, you’d say you’d been waiting so long for me to show you how it’s done, that you wanted me to teach you how to fuck. So, I’d turn to face you, ask if you’re sure and you beg me to fuck you ‘right here, right now’ and I do… shit Bambi, I’m close… you wanna roll my balls around a bit?”

As soon as the words leave his lips, you’re adding another hand teasing his heavy balls, cupping them in your palm, tugging on them gently. You look up at him, his face scrunched up adorably, “You said you liked to imagine me rubbing your cum into my skin, you wanna cum on me now? All over my tummy… if it doesn’t wash away, I’ll let you watch me rub it on my skin.”

He lets out a strangled groan, “Fuck… oh fuck I’m cumming.”

His length jumps in your palm, you can feel his balls drawing up as they empty, shooting rope after rope of thick cum across your lower half. You push him back against the tiled wall behind him, stepping out of the spray of the showerhead almost completely.

“Look Eddie…” you urge him, bringing a hand up to your abdomen running it through his release, spreading it around in circles. Your hand moves lower tangling into the thatch of hair at the apex of your thighs, “You even got me here.”

He groans, the sound resonating deep from within his chest, “Fucking Christ Bambi…”

“See, now wasn’t that better than just ‘taking care of it yourself’?”

“You’ve got no fucking idea… c’mon we need to get you cleaned up again and then it’s bed.”

“Yes, sir.” You reply with a grin and he spins you around, pushing you back under the water.

Taglist: @hard-candy-writing @strangerthings1983fan @hellfirefiend @cluz1babe​ @needylilgal022 @zestychili @sahaadculture @adequate-superstar @eddiemunson95 @jabersplatt

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Part 2 of Black Bandana!

Just as Robin is about to open the door  and return to the hovel she and Steve consider a job, the door bursts open in front of her and  Eddie Munson blazes past. She barely has time to process his greeting, let alone how red he looks.

"What was that about?" She questions, just briefly looking back at him as she makes her way to the counter, only to find Steve standing there looking shell shocked.

And quite possibly redder than Eddie was.

Robin might not be able to figure out what's going on in the Munson brain, but one look at Steve has her dropping their lunch on the counter in a hurry as her eyebrows shoot up and she leans in to whisper dramatically.

"Did something happen? You didn't tell him-?"

Despite still looking beyond flustered, Steve manages to snap out of it just so he can push her shoulder. "What? God, no- Rob, are you kidding- no, no.... He just uh. I.... I'm not sure what just happened, actually."

He takes a deep breath and runs his hand through that signature hair of his, and as Robin rolls her eyes and rounds the counter he's already got his hands on his hips as he enters his 'thinking mode'.

She takes a seat on another of the counters and reaches for her food, eager to find out just want transpired while she was out.

"Okay then dingus, you know the drill- from the top,"

Steve does a little head shake and starts pacing, taking a moment to go through it in his head, trying to figure out where exactly the top of the situation was. After a few moments of scrunched eyebrows and more head shaking, he finally looks around the store, making sure it's empty again.

"Okay, well... I guess... I mean I guess Eddie came out to me?"

Robin throws her hands up, the fries she was about to shove into her mouth forgotten in her excitement.

"What?! Well that's- that's perfect then right? I mean I told you so, first of all, but then. What's with all the...?" as she gestures to him, pointing out how tense and confused he looks.

Steve rolls his eyes, "No Robs, it's not perfect- it was a shitshow! It was totally an accident, it was like I forced him to say it- and he looked so terrified, I really didn't know those eyes of his could get any bigger. Someone came into the store and he ran away before I could even respond, I don't think he thinks..."

Another sigh as his voice drops a little to mumble,  "He probably thinks I'm gonna punch him or some stupid shit,"

Robin frowns. "An accident... he came out to you on accident." Nodding a little like she gets it. She immediately shakes her head and squints, definitely not getting it at all.

"How did that happen, exactly?"

Steve leans against the opposite counter, the red returning to his face as he crosses his arms. "I guess... you know that bandana he always carries?"

She nods, "The one you stole to get a reaction from him, yeah. I assume he came to get it back like you wanted- so what went wrong?"

"Well- that's just it- you know how I had it in my pocket this morning? Just like he always does? I guess when he came in he saw, and he absolutely freaked the hell out. Jumped over the counter and nearly gave me a heart attack over it,"

Robin laughs, “Over the bandana?”

“Because it was in my pocket,”

She stares at him blankly.

"Because.... it was in your pocket."

He nods.

They blink at each other in silence for a moment, before finally Robin pulls her head back and makes this confused little sneer, setting aside her lunch altogether.

"What the fuck?"

Steve throws his arms up in exasperation, "I know! He freaked out and started talking about how it was some 'symbol' or something and then when I asked what it symbolized he said- he said it means he's gay. Which, okay, cool! We knew that Robs- but now what?!"

He sighs again and slinks down the side of the counter until he hits the floor. Robin doesn't even wait until his butt lands before she's on the ground with him, cross legged and resting her head in her hands.

"Okay, well... first off, forget the bandana thing. Your local lesbian's never heard of it so it can't really be that big of a deal, right? And what, so you wore it like that too. Not technically wrong..."

He rolls his eyes, "Eddie doesn't know-"

"So tell him, dingus! Like I've been telling you to! But no, Harrington has to 'put the moves on him' instead of just using his big boy words,"

She huffs softly and punches him in the shoulder lovingly, which Steve whines about.

"Ow, Robs- okay, I get it, I get it- he's not going to want to talk to me though,"

"Doesn't matter, if you don't do it then I'm making you do the closing clean for the next week, you hear me?"

Steve groans even louder this time, putting his head in his hands before running them through his hair, the classic Steve Reset Button(tm).

He nods, "Alright I'll go. You're worse than Dustin sometimes, you know that?"

She smirks and stands up, offering him a hand and yanking him back up too. "If Dustin was the one helping you with this you would have killed him by now, so we both know that's not true,"

--

Eddie jumped back in his van and sped back home just as fast as he legally could. Actually- that was a lie, he was definitely speeding. By a lot.

He had to get as far as he possibly could from Steve Harrington, and he had to do it yesterday.

After screeching into the trailer park and turning the ignition off as fast as humanly possible, he bolted inside and ran to his room, debating just how many things he really *needed* if he were to run away on the spot.

He’s seen what happens to gay kids in Hawkins, knows it’ll only be worse for him. The last thing he needed was to be both the falsely accused murderer AND the faggot. Not to mention the heartbreak of having Steve be the start of it…

Part of Eddie knows Steve wouldn’t. He really does try to believe it. But his instincts take over.

He grabs an old duffel bag and starts scrambling to put clothes in it, not bothering to check whether they're clean or dirty, just moving on anxious, paranoid instinct.

Thoughts race through his head about what Wayne will say, and how far away he should be before he calls. His heart aches at the idea of leaving behind Hellfire and his band, but he doesn't think he could stand to let either of them see him after Steve finds him and throws the first punch, or whether the kids would even care once he inevitably told them too.

He starts a pile at the foot of his bed, debating how much he can fit in the van, planning to leave during the night, figuring he has at least enough for gas to the next major city. He gets so caught up in his silly little escape plan that he doesn't realize how long it's actually taking him to "pack".

There's a knock on the door and Eddie nearly has a heart attack,  jumping from the sound and immediately kicking his dresser,  all thoughts completely gone from his head as he curses at the pain.

"Son of a FUCKING bitch, shitting stick- mother fucker- I'll be there in a damn second!" he huffs as there's a second, more timid knock.

Without thinking about any of the things he had just a moment ago been panicking over, he limps to the door and swings it open, ready to berate whoever bothered him, only to stop dead when he sees...

Steve. Of course it's Steve. He's not even taken off his stupid work vest yet and the little bottlecap button Eddie had made him last week was staring right at him from his chest.

Steve waves shyly at Eddie and starts to say something, but Eddie can't hear it, already backing away and starting to blabber, "Listen man- I was- I was joking earlier! I wouldn't- there's nothing to- you really don't have to hurt me or anything, I swear-"

Steve stays on the porch, looking a little stunned. No, not stunned... hurt. Or- maybe worried? He looks kind of like if you kicked a puppy and then threw it in the pool, except sadder.

Not actually, probably, but as far as Eddie's concerned, the look on Steve's face hurts him about a hundred times worse than a sad puppy could.

Steve puts a hand on the back of his neck, the other held up to show he means no harm, sighing, "I'm not gonna hurt you Eds, I'd never... I just wanted to talk, I um. I thought..."

He stammers for a second, unsure what else to say, caught in between thoughts and clearly unprepared for how Eddie had reacted.

Eddie can't help but relax a little. No matter how worried he was, being around Steve always made him relax, but seeing him like this? How was he supposed to be scared anymore?

Eddie groans a little, "Just- get in here Harrington, you're killing me- if there's some mob on their way you better get your shit together before they get here,"

Eek, here it is, part 2! Sorry for making y'all wait, I am famously bad at working on things so thank you all for your patience 🙏 There WILL absolutely be a part 3, (maybe a part 4 if I want to get spicy), so I'll try to tag as many people for that one as well. And thank you all so so much for your sweet comments! I've been in such an art block lately, so writing something for a change and getting all this positive feedback is so encouraging 💜

Tag list! I tried to get everyone, but tumblr was weird with some of them, so I hope you're seeing this if you asked <3

@goodolefashionedloverboi @newtstabber @plutoshelm @jestyzesty @bisexualdisastersworld @sofadofax @bornonthesavage @awkwardgravity1 @trikigirl271 @thegayestpersonever @precursprandthedragon@mightbeasleep

@cherixxx69 @baron-zemo-trash @ilikechocolatemilkh @justforthedead89 @alienace @4nemo1egend @lifeisnotsobadonceyoustopcaring @breealtair @shinekocreator @sleepdeprivedflower @justanothergirlwithobsessions

@bxlthazar @thegingervulcan @questionablequeeries @my2amgaythoughts @doilooklikebees @gobbledy-gluk-gluk @luthienstormblessed @joruni @drinkingforthesociallyanxious @largechaos @dangdirtydemons @faery-god

@satan-is-obsessed @vi-an-te @beckkthewreck @kori-dearest @the-s-is-silent @hellomynameismoo @commonxsenss @blues-tunes @lizard-dyk3 @the-long-gone-souls @paddington22017 @imeverycliche @tungledotfuck @inmoonywetrust @dreammetheworld08 @dazedandinked @escapingthereality

[stevieharringtonwifeguy]

hey, yall like t4t lesbian steddie? how about transfem eddie beefing coming out to her girlfriend Real Hard?

also on ao3 here

--------------------------------------------------------------

Eddie has never been able to control her mouth. Honestly sometimes she wonders if she has some kind of medical condition that makes her incapable of saying normal things at the appropriate time. 

And this is a real problem when trying to figure out how to tell her girlfriend that she might kinda wanna be a girl too maybe. Because instead of sitting the love of her life down and calmly explaining that she’s been doing some thinking and might want to experiment with her gender more, Eddie just holds it all in until she projectile vomits the information at the worst possible time.

They’re snuggled in bed, hazy in post-coital bliss, Stevie burying her face in Eddie’s neck and nuzzling in with her nose like a kitten looking for milk. It’s adorable. Eddie half expects her to start making biscuits on her stomach.

And so when Stevie sighs contentedly, hums a little, “My boy,” with so much love in her voice Eddie kind of wants to cry, she’s not ready for the wave of wrongness that crashes over her, smashing the cozy, contented vibe in the room like it’s an actual tidal wave ripping the trailer to shreds.

So she does what she always does. Fucks it up.

“No I’m not,” she says, voice choked with panic.

Stevie stiffens against her. “What?” she asks.

“I’m not your boy,” Eddie says. “It’s not- I-”

Stevie draws away from her, and Eddie already misses the warmth. She keeps her eyes screwed shut, doesn’t want to see Stevie’s reaction to the information that her boyfriend is actually her girlfriend. And yeah, the logical part of her brain knows that it absolutely is not an issue. Stevie’s a lot of things (beautiful, wonderful, perfect, a teensy bit of a bitch but just enough to keep things interesting-), but she’s not a hypocrite, so the trans thing is obviously fine. And Stevie was well known for making her way through most of the female population of Hawkins High before she came out, so the girl thing is also obviously a non-issue.

But. That mean little voice in the back of Eddie’s head. The one that listened carefully to every bad thing anyone ever said about her- freak, monster, trash- and quietly stored them away just to take them out again when she’s alone at night. That voice is real loud right now. 

It tells her she’s imagining things, that she’s just looking for another way to be different. That Stevie will just think she’s trying to copy her, and worse than that, she’s copying her badly. It whispers that sure, Stevie liked her as a guy, thought she was attractive then, but she’s probably going to be so ugly as a girl that any attraction Stevie’s managed to muster for her weird lanky man-body is gonna just shrivel up and die. And she doesn’t even really like girly things, which she knows because she dressed up as Frank N Furter that one time they all went to see Rocky Horror, and the makeup had felt gross on her skin and the corset had been too tight and the heels had hurt- and if she’s not gonna commit to femininity what’s even the point of trying to tell people she’s a girl?

Eddie is so lost in her own head that it takes her a second to realise that Stevie has gotten out of bed. Eddie sits up, watching in confusion as her girlfriend flits around the room in search of her clothes. 

“Stevie?” Eddie asks, her voice small. “Wh- what are you doing?”

Stevie sighs, shakes her head a little. “What does it look like I’m doing, Eddie?” Her voice sounds watery, and she won’t look Eddie in the eyes, using her voluminous hair as a shield as she pulls up her jeans with shaking hands.

Eddie’s heart breaks. She doesn’t think she ever expected this, that Stevie would just leave, even on her darkest nights alone. “But- why?”

Stevie finally looks at her then, her face incredulous even as it’s streaked with tears. “Why? Why would I stay, Eddie, if this- what, was it just- just bullshit?” she says, getting more heated as she speaks, hands flying in that way Eddie usually loves because it means her girl is really getting riled up. Now it feels terrible to see, like the final nail in Eddie’s coffin. 

“I can’t believe- fuck- this is the second time I thought- I mean it’s gotta be me at this point, right? Like, fool me once-” Stevie cuts herself off with a sob, before scrubbing her face furiously and looking around the room. “Where the fuck is my jacket???”

“I don’t- what do you mean, second time-”

Stevie scoffs. “I mean, sure, you didn’t actually say the word ‘bullshit’ but that’s- you see how it’s the same right? Like, even if you didn’t- if you didn’t want me anymore, how could you-? You knew about Nancy, Eddie, and you still just-” She scrubs her face again and heads to the door. “You know what, fuck my jacket.”

And Eddie is not the smartest. Her three senior years can attest to this. But she can tell she’s missing something here, because what the hell does Nancy have to do with anything? So Eddie goes over the last couple of minutes, everything Stevie said, everything she said, and- oh. Fuck.

“I forgot the second part of that sentence.” 

She literally cannot believe how stupid she is. Stevie’s already out the bedroom door, and Eddie prays to every god who’s never believed in her that she hasn’t left the trailer entirely, because fuck knows if she has Eddie will probably never see her again. At least not for several months, and even then, only with Robin standing off to the side trying to kill her with her mind.

“Stevie!” She calls, running through the trailer at a speed she frankly didn’t think herself capable of. “Stevie, please wait! I didn’t mean to- I forgot the rest of the sentence!”

Stevie stops at the door of the trailer, turns around with an eyebrow raised in the kind of ‘I’m waiting, make it good’ expression she uses whenever the kids try to explain why they were acting like little shits this time. It’s ruined a bit, by the tears still streaming down her face and the tremble in her disapproving frown, but she’s trying. 

“Baby, I’m so sorry, that’s not what I was trying to say- I didn’t even realise how it sounded- I love you so much and I’m sorry I made you doubt that for even a second,” Eddie pleads, her own tears running down her face.

Something in Stevie’s posture seems to soften a little, but her hand stays on the doorknob. “What- what else would you be trying to say there, Eddie?”

“I-” Eddie can’t look at her, so she looks at her own feet. “I’m not your boy, I’m your- I don’t really know. Girl? Something? Uh. If you still want me to be.”

It’s quiet for a moment. Eddie doesn’t look away from her feet.

But then, strong, warm arms wrap around her. A hand gently pushes her head into a neck. A pair of lips press into the top of her head.

“Oh E- baby,” Stevie says, softly. “I love you so much, no matter what. Of course you can be my girl, if you want.”

Eddie nods into Stevie’s neck, holding her so tight she’d be a little worried about hurting her if she wasn’t well aware Stevie was way stronger than she’d ever be. “Yes please,” she says, voice small.

Stevie presses another kiss to the top of Eddie’s head, pulls back to hold her face gently in her hands. “Love you so much, baby. And it’s with love that I have to ask- what the hell is wrong with you.” Eddie snorts, and Stevie smiles like that’s what she was aiming for. “That was the worst coming-out I’ve ever seen. And I’m including the way I came out to Dustin.”

Eddie fully laughs then, and Stevie smiles too. That really had been awful. Dustin had found Stevie’s collection of feminine clothes and underwear and had taken it upon himself to lecture her on how weird it was to keep ‘souvenirs’, until eventually Stevie had been so mortified by the picture he was painting that she had to come out just to get him to shut up. He’d since made up for it by being her staunchest defender (Eddie and Robin notwithstanding), but the whole thing was still painful enough that whenever he was being annoying Stevie could now get him to shut up with just a particularly pointed look.

“I know, it was- I got all up in my head,” Eddie says. She places her hand over Stevie’s, gently turns her head to place an apologetic kiss on her wrist, right against her pulse point. “I really am sorry. I love you.”

“I know. Now, at least. Although I hope you realise I’m gonna be using this against you for like, the rest of our lives. Good luck trying to get me to turn off the ABBA, considering you very briefly broke my heart.”

Eddie groans, just like Stevie wanted her too, but honestly ‘the rest of our lives’ sounds pretty good to her.

[lover-of-mine]

I have realized what is making my head explode when a BT post accidentally goes through my tags!!!! They are completely ignoring Buck is bi. They are acting like my aunt in the early 2000s. I may not have been fond of all the LUs but they were valid relationships. If Taylor had not fucked up who knows where that relationship would have gone. I mean clearly nowhere once Eddie was out because once Eddie broke up with him he spiraled and kissed Lucy. But they are still valid relationships and at this point in time I don't see how Tommy is better than any of them. To be honest he has the worst traits of Abby and Taylor but the screen time of Ally. So frustrating.

Well, when have people ever been normal about bisexuality? But here's the thing, every relationship Buck had so far had his own set of issues that somehow have been reduced to the way he was dating women, which is fucked in so many ways and the amount of times I have to stop myself from picking a fight because of bucktaylor it's actually hysterical to me because we're seriously at a point where I need to defend the validity of Taylor's place in Buck's life. Like, how did we get here? Because here's the thing, do I think Buck and Taylor were meant to be? No. Do I think Buck would've clung to her until he literally couldn't anymore if her actions hadn't hurt his family? Absolutely. I see Buck going as far as panic proposing to her if that particular situation hadn't happened, just to have someone. Because they had chemistry and Buck kept trying to force that to become love. Taylor was wrong for Buck for a multitude of reasons, but none of those reasons were because she's a woman and Buck is gay. And the relationship with Tommy is not gonna magically last forever just because Tommy is a man. Tommy is this weird amalgamation of all of Buck's love interests with Ali/Ana levels of screentime and he doesn't magically have a fighting chance just because he has a dick and people can't seem to see this. And I think that's crazy. Because Tommy was given to us in an episode that had the theme of not recognizing people, while actively making us think it was about someone else and then they did the Kim storyline and I want to scream because people can't see the parallels. And the more I look at it the more insane I get because he's all of Buck's love interests smashed into someone who's Eddie two steps to the left with none of the things we love about him. But somehow he's perfect because he's not a woman. The only thing Tommy has going for him is not being a woman. You turn him into one and none of the things he did would fly. Letting Buck get away with physically hurting Eddie? Leaving him in the curb? Not dressing up? Making a kink joke after someone Buck loves almost died? Picture those scenes with Lucy and tell me anyone in the fandom would be shipping them. Let alone fighting for them the way people are right now. But he's a man so he gets a pass and that's so fucking weird. Evan Buckley is bisexual but getting dicked down isn't going to magically make everything perfect. Jesus.

Also, since you mentioned Eddie coming out, something that I've been thinking about since we found out it was supposed to be Eddie, a Buck who thinks he's straight finding out Eddie has a boyfriend would shortcircuit. I legit think they could not find a way to write Buck's reaction to Eddie being queer that didn't end with him figuring his feelings out so they switched things up, so Buck would for sure would've gotten there once Eddie got there because he would've had big feelings about it and Buck is not the repressed one.

[biasbuck]

BiAsBuck’s ficrec Fridays

Happy Friday everyone. Back again with another round of the fic I've been reading this week. You can find previous rec lists here.

A reminder I'm here for all buddie/bucktommy/buddietommy configurations, and I'm always on the lookout for more henren fic to read, so please send author and story recs my way! (Feel free to self rec!)

21 June 2024

it's always on the tip of my tongue by @littlespoonevan omg 😭 smacked in the face with my closet romantic demi Eddie feelings. After (most of) the events of season 7, Eddie's reflecting on his past relationships and his conclusion “I don’t think I know how to be in love anymore.” But through therapy he realises what he thought he believed about love might not be what he actually needs, or deserves. Buck is steadfast by his side, supportive as ever. This fic, part one in a tbc series, absolutely stole my heart. Beat for beat it delivered in beautiful characterisation, introspection and self reflection, and such a wonderful arc. I felt incredibly seen, and can't wait for the next part!

eyewall by @vgreysoncellars and now for something completely different...so much smut! 'Tommy finds out that Buck and Eddie have been jerking off together for years without ever talking about it, considers knocking their beautiful empty heads together, and then figures out something better to do with the two of them instead.' Glorious (lengthy) buddietommy pwp, in which Tommy has the patience of a saint and Buck and Eddie are maybe not so oblivious dummies. Hilarious and yet heartfelt, bless you Tommy, what are we gonna do with them?

Echoes of Your Name by @usersiren a fic from 2022, feeling lonely and exhausted whilst working three jobs in Texas, and needing an outlet for his stress, Eddie is recommended an audio erotica site by a well meaning friend. He soon discovers the dulcet and sweetly submissive tones of EvanEssance, and is hooked. But when he moves to LA and joins the 118, there's something familiar about his new friend Buck. I really love the 'sex hobbyist' depiction of Buck having fun in this, and the way Eddie slowly finds his confidence.

everything's coming up milhouse by @henswilsons another from 2022 but in all honesty, I started here and then proceeded to spend the entire week reading LITERALLY EVERYTHING @HENSWILSONS HAS WRITTEN (apologies for the kudos influx) and they're ALL just absolutely golden buddie feelings, so. Go go go. But starting here, Eddie finds viral internet fame as the personable and unintentionally hilarious Mr LAFD Updates Man, and has to find ways to handle his new found recognition...and maybe stop accidentally flirting with Buck from the work account. Just the most delightfully funny and heartwarming perfect pick me up fic.

True (It Follows Me Around) and Could Go to Hell (But We'll Probably Be Fine) by @sonofatoasterwaffle last week I recommended Got Your Six and then immediately realised there were new instalments in the series, in which Tommy, Buck and Eddie continue to navigate the kink scene, shibari, and their new found dynamic. *fans self* yes and please and thank you.

heaven and hell were words to me by @goldenbcnes is a henren oneshot in which Hen reflects on her family, with Karen, Denny, Mara, and the 118, and her habitual loving text message: About to go somewhere you can’t follow. I love you and I’m coming home to you.

Potato Salad by @lazybakerart a funny and charming Josh POV bucktommy fic post-7x06! '"I'm sorry," Josh says, "You had a hot gay pilot in your back pocket this entire time?" god I love Josh POV so much, and now I need to see his reaction to Tommy (and Buck's bisexuality) on screen, pronto.

Until next week! Happy reading.

[mazzystar24]

Hi, a 'BT' here! (Although I also happily ship buddie too because multishipping is so valid!) I come in peace and just looking for some discourse if that's okay? I saw the ask in regard to apparently BTs are saying that all the focus on rg means he's leaving? I haven't seen anyone say that on either side so a strange one huh!

But it was more your comments in terms of pushing for Tommy to replace Eddie as lead when Ravi is right there and I just wanna say I agree! And I have seen many bucktommy shippers including myself pushing for Ravi to be main cast. He absolutely should be and deserves it and is an absolute darling angel and I love what he brings to the whole dynamic!

My biggest hope for Tommy is for his to be recurring much like Karen! Speaking of, there's another character I'd love to be main cast and who I think is ahead of the queue in front of Tommy to be main cast. Heck I'd love if all of them got to be main cast but, as much as I love bucktommy, I definitely can see there's an order to who should be main cast and don't want any 'queue jumping'

One other thing I want to out out there as food for thought, is that on both sides I see a lot of discourse thrown out through anonymous asks of 'oh the bts are saying this' or 'the buddies said this ridiculous thing!' And something I would love both sides to seriously consider is... did they really? Or are there just a few people out there who feed on the chaos that it all brings and will send out anon asks that they know will increase this 'fandom war'and pretend they are kn the other side when doing so just to get a reaction and give ammunition to 'their' side to make it seem like one side is delusional and the other side isn't?

Tldr I just wish we all got along and stopped taking messages intended to stir up hate as gospel.

Peace and love

Glad you agree on the Ravi/ main thing front!

As you know I want tommy out already so no recurring hopes from me sorry 😔💔 ngl at first I was like hmm it can be interesting and I’m not opposed to exploring bt and their potential dynamic and maybe they can redeem him and make him likeable it’d be perfect (like my comparison was if they wrote him like Hannah from bones) but like buddie endgame but as eps went on both he and a section of the fandom became so insufferable to me that I’m like I don’t care about the potential juicy storylines I just want this man off my screen - but it’s totally cool if you like him and ship them it’s just not my cup of tea

For the other part I totally get what you mean and that may be the case like I totally agree that that is possible but I hear like so many things that happen in the bt fandom secondhand cos I’ve got so many of the toxic/annoying ones blocked (my block list is a mile long genuinely) and so many have me blocked too but usually stuff that my anons mention will be talked abt by more people in the fandom (like this is) or like there have been times where if I ask my anons for elaboration links ss etc and they are able to do so

That’s why half the time when I reply it’s more so like “damn didn’t know that if that is the case then xyz” you know? Or if I saw something I’ll mention it and be like oh yeah I saw xyz and this is my opinion on it or answer

Also like I’ve first hand seen things that are like 10x worse or more delusional than the “rg must be leaving and s8 lfj main” thing like no lie some of this stuff makes that seem tame in comparison so it’s like the chances they’ve said this are like HIGH

Genuinely I agree with you on that last point I do wish that this fandom was how it used to be and more peaceful but certain things I follow this kinda mental rule I’ve always had which is that I won’t respect a disrespectful opinion

Like from the very start of the discourse I’ve been very oh let ppl ship what they want and enjoy their fandom space and from the start I’ve encouraged proper tagging to help people do that and like even if you’re fully delusional abt your ship I fully respect that (not saying YOU are but I’m saying like let’s say one side is like yesss they are getting married in s8 and having a baby on the first episode I would genuinely just mentally be like woah that’s a bit delulu but love that for you and move on)

My only issue really has been where people from the bt fandom (not saying they are the only ones who do this but I’m saying personally speaking it’s what I see and what I experience also not saying it’s all the bt fans and I do try to say that as much as possible) being disrespectful whether this be through being racist, being ableist or rude to the buddie fans just to boost their ship

Like I’m so not against hating stuff like seriously idc hate whatever you want rant about it and make twenty posts and make so many jokes but when you’re being disrespectful or when it crosses certain bounds it’s like you’re a piece of shit

Anyways I got carried away but thanks for being so nice and respectful in your ask 🫶

[scarletttries]

Eddie Munson Fluff Alphabet (Stranger Things)

Pairing: Eddie Munson (Stranger Things) x Reader

Rating: Pure Fluff

Word Count: 4.2k

Author's Note: I've been really enjoying writing these alphabets lately, and there's been a lot of great Eddie Munson on here lately so I wanted to write this fluff for him 🥰 Requests for alphabets open while I'm away!!

a -affection (how affectionate are they? how do they show affection?)

When you first start dating Eddie he finds it hard to put his feelings into words or actions; he never thought he'd be someone's boyfriend and he really doesn't know what he's supposed to do. He'd be worried about kissing you or holding your hand in public, scared the reaction from others would put you off him all together, but in private he would absolutely shower you in cuddles and kisses as long as he knew you were happy about, his lap quickly becoming your favourite seat. He'd also definitely leave you little notes in your locker with the sweet words he'd be too nervous to say to your face, watching apprehensively as you unfold them and breathing a sigh of relief as a bashful smile spreads across your face at the content. He'd also be the kind of guy he just wants to do you a thousand favours; if you need to go somewhere, he'll drive, if you're hungry, he's got a snack in his backpack you can have, if you need to study for something, he'll try harder to help than he ever has for his own school career.

b - beauty (what do they admire about their s/o? what do you think is beautiful about them?)

Eddie will never understand when you tell him his beauty is both inside and out, thinking you like him despite those things not because of them. Over time, when you comb your fingers through his hair, staring into his deep brown eyes, placing gentle kisses on each of his tattoos, he'll finally start to accept that you think he's handsome, even though it was kindness and passion that made you fall in love with him.

There is nothing Eddie doesn't worship about you. Your smile is like sunlight, your laugh the sweetest noise in the universe, the way your body moves is hypnotic, and he knows in his soul there has never been anyone as kind and smart and interesting, and perfect for him. Even if he's not sure what he ever did to deserve you.

c- cuddles (do they like to cuddle? how would they cuddle?)

After a lifetime of very limited physical affection, touch-starved Eddie would be a cuddle machine. The first time you straddled his lap to kiss him and then rest your head on his shoulder, he could have cried with the joy it brought him, squeezing you against his chest and threatening to never let go. Now he takes every opportunity to pull your chair next to his so he can feel your thigh press against his, and movie nights require you curled against his chest for the full duration. He loves when you let him sneak into your bedroom for a sleepover so he can spend all night clinging to you, and wake up with his hands on your warm skin, a position he wants to wake up in everyday for the rest of his life.

d - dates (what are dates with them like? do they plan them out or are they spontaneous?)

Being a dungeon master takes more planning and organisation than you might expect, so don't be surprised when Eddie applies that same dedication to being a boyfriend. He'll always make a plan for your next date before the current one has ended, needing to have another day with you to look forward to. Dates are usually pretty simple, movie nights at home, sitting by lovers lake when the weather is nice, the occasional trip to the one bar in town that lets Eddie's band play. Sometimes Eddie wishes he could treat you to more special dates, but you reassure him that as long as you are together, everything is perfect.

e - ending (if they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Eddie's never had someone else interested in him, so he'd not really been in a position to end things, but if he needed to he'd be direct and honest. He knows what it's like to get your hopes up only to have them cruelly dashed so he'd want to avoid causing that pain to anyone else. Luckily he will never need to do that with you.

f - fiancee (how do they feel about commitment? how quick would they want to get married?)

Eddie grew up without the traditional family dynamic he saw his classmates have, which made him jaded about the whole institution when he was younger. But when he falls head over heels, heart aching in love with you, and you actually love him back, he suddenly realises that this little family of two could be exactly what he's always desperately wanted. He would be so, deeply, committed to you from the moment you agreed to your first date with him that it would feel like second nature to picture a future together. It wouldn't take him long to think about asking you to marry him, but then it might take him a while longer to actually get the nerve, struggling to believe he might actually get to keep you forever and worrying you'll think you're both too young and it's all a bit soon. He has to force himself to wait until you've both graduated, only holding his diploma for a few short hours before he's down on one knee, feeling like a little kid and a grown man all at once.

g - gentle (how gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Has there ever been a boy as soft and gentle as sweet Eddie? He's been through more pain and heartache in his 21 years than anyone should have to, so you know he's doing everything he can to protect you from ever feeling that way. Every word he uses is sweet and carefully chosen, his thoughtfulness shining through in his every action towards you. And when he touches you with a nervous shake to his hands, like he can't quite believe you actually want him to do this, every touch and hold and squeeze will be delicate and soft; he knows just how precious you are to him, and wants to handle you accordingly.

h - hugs (do they like hugs? how often do they do if? what are their hugs like?)

To Eddie your hugs are like the first breath of oxygen after years of drowning in a cold, dark sea. The first time you threw your arms around his neck and cling to the shell-shocked boy, your chest pressed against his until gradually his arm ensnared you too, he was sure it was the warmest he'd ever felt. He nuzzled his nose into your neck, letting his eyelids flutter shut as he inhaled the comforting scent that is 100% you, and felt like he was home. He thought about that hug for weeks as he tried to find an excuse to hug you again, starting to hug all of his friends for the smallest reasons to make it seem like that's something he did with everyone. Now he knows he can just open his arms to you and give you that pleading look, and you'll hold him in your arms once again until all his troubles seem so much more manageable.

i - injury (how would they act if they got hurt?)

When Eddie gets hurt he thinks nothing of it. If anything he'll just apologise for the inconvenience of having to go wash himself up, caught completely off guard when you insist on coming with him, cleaning up any grazes so tenderly that but the time you're done Eddie is leaning into your touch, his wide eyes glassy at how sweet it feels to be cared for by you.

If you're the one hurt, Eddie will be in a panic, blaming himself and insisting on driving you straight to the hospital for your papercut. He is much better when you are more ill than injured though, taking the opportunity to insist you do nothing all day, and let him fetch everything so he can sit beside you and enjoy doing nothing together.

j - jealousy (how jealous do they get? what do they do when they're jealous?)

Eddie knows in his heart of hearts that you're too good for him, so when he sees someone who's better at school, or more popular, or from a less dysfunctional household talking to you, he goes from jealous to despondent pretty quickly. He wants to be the kind of guy who confidently struts over and wraps his arm around, leaving no question in the guy's mind that someone already loves you, but he can't quite will his feet to walk towards you and instead he finds himself frozen in place watching his worst nightmare unfold. When you spot him staring hopelessly in your direction you'll have to excuse yourself and be the one to plant a loving kiss squarely on his lips so that he can smile again, secure in his faith that you would never do anything to hurt him.

k- kisses (what are their kisses like? where do they like to be kissed?)

Oh my god, kissing Eddie would be such an experience. He's waited a long time to be able to regularly kiss someone he loves, picturing how your lips would feel on his from embarrassingly early in your friendship, sure that he'd never get that chance and happy just to be in your life in any capacity. So when you finally ease your lips against his for the first time, he can scarcely believe how much better it feels than he ever could have imagined. He can feel his stomach doing flips as he works up the nerve to apply a little more pressure, scared to breathe in case he somehow ruins this perfect moment. Even a thousand kisses later he will never take them for granted, stealing a kiss at every opportunity and cherishing the buzz it always brings, cheeks creasing into a smile immediately after. A kiss on his lips will always be his favourite, but his also overflows with adoration when you place a quick peck on his cheek, or softly press your lips to his forehead when he's having a bad day. And when your lips find his neck or start blessing each of his tattoos, well this boy feels like he must have died and met an angel at the gates of heaven.

l - love language (what is their love language?)

I think Eddie likes to show his love through his words and acts of service. He'll leave you little notes and tell you every day how much he appreciates you, and he's the first to offer help even before you ask for it, the thought of making your day a little easier or better his absolute purpose in life as your boyfriend.

When it comes to receiving love, he is more of a quality time and physical touch guy. Just be there for him, keep turning up, stay with him even when it's not a fun or exciting a day, and slowly it'll start sinking in that you truly love him. Add in holding his hand when you're walking together, or laying your head on his chest while you curl up in his lap, and Eddie will be falling for you quicker than he would have ever thought possible.

m - mornings (how are mornings spent with them?)

Eddie is not a morning person at the best of times, but when he sleeps over on a school night and you have to get him up to take you to class, be prepared for some truly pathetic whines about how he needs more time in bed cuddling you, the outside world so much colder than between your sheets. On the weekends when you can have a slower start to the day, Eddie will be so happy waking up by your side, holding you close and wishing the moment would never end.

n - nights (how are nights spent with them?)

As a night owl through and through, Eddie feels like he can spend some of his best time with you in the evenings. Even when he's just chatting about an album as you get ready for bed, or watching the stars sat on the hood of his van hours after he was supposed to drive you, he feels like that time is so special, when there's no expectations and endless privacy, like you are the only other person in town and he's exactly where he's supposed to be.

o - open (when would they start revealing things about themselves? do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

At first Eddie would be guarded. He's been bullied for so long that he thinks any scrap of information he gives away will just come back to haunt him in the form of mockery. Besides in his mind, the less you know about him the better, each new fact potentially being the one that's going to finally drive you away. It wouldn't be until you start opening up about the tougher parts of your life, or the less favourable things about you that Eddie would trust you enough to do the same, surprised how easy it is to unburden himself when it comes to talking to you.

p - patience (how patient are they usually? what tends to wear their patience thin?)

Eddie struggles to be patient with himself, constantly frustrated by his own shortcomings and setbacks. He's so conscious of feeling like people are always mad at him, that he would make sure that he never makes you feel the same way - showing you limitless patience without ever raising his voice or making you feel bad when he has to wait for you. Do the same, praising his successes and consoling him when things go wrong, and slowly he'll start to show those small kindnesses to himself too.

q - quality time (how do they like to spend time with you?)

Eddie would sit and watch a wall of white paint dry if he could do it holding your hand. There's something about being with you that means he's never bored, your presence elevating any moment by just simply being there. You'll spend a lot of time sat in the trailer doing almost nothing, or out driving to remote spots in Hawkins where you can just be together with no distractions. If you want to see a movie or play D&D that's great too, but honestly as long as he's with you Eddie can't get enough quality time.

r - remember (what is their favourite moment in your relationship?)

Eddie was so unbelievably terrified to finally tell you that he liked you as more than a friend, he thought it might be the worst day of his life. First his van wouldn't start and he had to wake Wayne to drive him to school, where he was late to his first class and didn't get to talk to you when he'd hoped. He felt like he spent the whole day trying and failing to find you, his courage wavering as he considered backing out of his confession, a lifetime spent as your friend more than enough for him. By the afternoon his stomach was in knots so he skipped last period to sit in his favourite spot in the woods, not expecting any business and hoping the peace would let him pull himself back together.

He cradled his head in hands and felt like a fool for thinking anything could come of telling you how he feels, bolting upright at the noise of leaves rustling on the floor beside him,

"Eddie? I hoped you'd be here, I missed you this morning." You beamed as you approached, concern creasing across your brow at his obvious emotional turmoil, "Did something happen this morning?"

"Nothing, just the van wouldn't start so my uncle had to drive me, and we were a little late getting here." He gently shook his head and tried to send away his raised hopes with the gesture, wanting to just enjoy being here with you today.

"Oh I'm sorry, that sucks. I can give you a ride home if you like?" You offered hopefully, Eddie forcing himself to hold in a disappointed sigh, sure that if you didn't already pity the three-time senior, you would once you saw where he lived. "Eddie, are you okay?" He finally forced himself to turn on the little wooden bench to face you, concern clear in your caring eyes and forcing the truth out of him,

"No. I'm in love." He was sure he could see heartbreak in your eyes at the words and you gulped and tried to regain composure, in his mind watching a friendship crumble into pieces all around you.

"Have you told them how you feel?" Your voice quivered at the question, a pit of despair opening in your stomach at the thought of Eddie being with someone else, kicking yourself for not telling him how you feel sooner.

"Not yet."

"Then can I do something, while I still can, before you do? Just in case it changes your mind." Your words were a few steps ahead of your brain as they rushed off your tongue, eyes drifting to Eddie's lips as he nodded at your question, bracing himself to be talked out of ever telling you. Instead you shifted closer to him until your knees bumped against his, placing a hand softly on his thigh and leaning forward until after weeks of wanting, your lips finally met his. You could almost hear your heart hammering in your chest at the gesture, the soft embrace of his willing mouth sending electricity through your veins, willing you to lean in a little more, to memorise the taste in case you'd never get to kiss him again. Finally, reluctantly, the two of you parted, you shifting slightly back in your seat to give him space to process.

"I don't understand." Eddie breathed out truthfully, not sure how such a singularly spectacular moment was supposed to do anything to change his mind.

"I'm in love too. But with you. I thought you should know before you, you know, confess to someone else." He had spent the morning so convinced that he'd never get the words out that he had scarcely imagined how it would feel to hear you say the very same words to him. But here you were, looking at him hopefully before he'd even told you the depth of his love for you, worried about some fictional rival in his heart like he had ever had eyes for anyone else. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry or just fall to the floor and accept that he would never feel luckier than he did when you kissed him, the moment of silent contemplation doing little for your nerves.

"I'll still drive you home either way." You said with a polite firmness, worried about putting him in an awkward spot, until finally his brain propelled him across the bench and back to your kiss, the second even more special for the feel of your soft smile against his lips. You wanted him too.

s - security (how protective are they? how would they protect you? how would they like to be protected?)

As someone who's spent a lot of time being pushed around, judged and spoken down to, Eddie would feel immensely protective over you when you're dating, worried that any association with him will put you under the same scrutiny. He'll try and keep his distance in the halls, thinking he's protecting you by not showing just how close you are, surprised by the way you constantly seek him out, unafraid to thread your fingers through his in front of the whole student body. He doesn't realise quite how much those gestures protect him from himself, your unashamed feelings for him starting to silence his inner critic after years of bullying, making him kinder to himself and less prone to bouts of withdrawing into himself now that he has you to keep him from being isolated.

t - try (how much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Eddie is the king of putting in effort. Every day he'll go out of his way to make sure you never feel unappreciated or like you have to face anything on your own. There's not a favour he won't do for you, and he's always communicating so you know that if there's something on your mind that he understands and you can face it together. When it comes to gifts and anniversaries he always does the best that he can, but he knows it's not about the material things for the two of you, his priority making sure you both have time set aside to really appreciate each others company, wherever you may be spending the day.

u - upset (how do they act when you're upset? how do they act when they're upset?)

Eddie is used to having to hide his low feelings and keep them to himself, so when you first get together, he would fall back into that habit, never wanting you to be burdened with his sadness. Over time as he gets the privilege of supporting you when things get tough, he realises that part of being your boyfriend is being open with you and slowly he'll start to tell you about the bad days, letting you coo over him and stroke back his hair, feeling like his burdens are much less heavy after an hour spent cuddled up with you.

v - vanity (how concerned are they with their looks?)

Its not that Eddie is vain in the traditional sense of trying to look as attractive as possible to others, but he cares about the way he looks because it's a way he can express his personality and feel more comfortable in his skin. And when you tell him that you like the way he dresses, or his hair looks extra nice one day, it will give validation of those efforts for years to come.

w - wildcard (a random headcanon for them.)

Eddie is so so scared for you and Wayne to meet. He can't put his finger on why - you both love him, you both look after him, everything should be fine. But deep down he dreads the first time he brings you to the trailer and you and Wayne exchange frowns and then his life becomes awkward and difficult just as you were shining such a bright light on it. Its inevitable though, and one sunny afternoon you huddle together on his floor desperately studying for a Spanish quiz when Wayne walks in. Eddie's ready for a full stand off, but of course when you meet Wayne, that man that practically raised the sweet gentleman you love, you can't help but gush. And Wayne meets the person that has his nephew going to school on time and smiling day in day out like when he was a little kid, the warmth in your eyes when you talk about Eddie immediately obvious, and he's so pleased. And Eddie is in the middle of you two forming a watertight bond and feels like an idiot for not making this happen on purpose sooner, the two sources of love in his life aligning to look after him.

x - x-ray (how easily are they able to read you?)

Once he's past the initial blindspot of not being able to tell that you are just as in love with him as he is with you, Eddie pretty good at reading you. He's so used to watching your expression in painstaking detail as he admires your every feature, that he can tell pretty quickly when something is playing on your mind. He'll usually try and wait for you to tell him in your own time, never wanting to overstep, but if something's clearly eating you up inside he'll go out of his way to make space for it to come up 'organically'.

y - yuck (what things do you do that they hate?)

At first Eddie finds it endlessly stressful how you see the best in everyone. He's so used to seeing everyone's underhanded tactics, the worst of their pack mentality, that when you say you're giving people a chance, he's immediately terrified that you're going to get hurt. Over time, he's comes to accept that it's not naivety or even optimism behind this - it's a lived truth that when given the chance, as you gave him a chance, you bring out the best in people, something he grows to be thankful of every day.

z - zzz (what is a sleep habit of theirs?)

He grabs your hand. Like the minute the lights are out and the quiet chatter of jokes and the future and everything that the two of you have to look forward to comes to its natural, comfortable end, he will hold your hand, dozing off clinging to you like a life vest in the overwhelming storm of life. If he wakes up in the night and he's let you go, he will find that hand again, unable to drift off without his tangible link to you.