#angsty steddie
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I have this very vague, angsty idea floating around in my head of post college steddie where Steve ends up working for his dad's soulless company and hates it, but he has no other prosects. He and Eddie drifted apart after the whole vecna thing, or maybe this is a no upside down au, so they haven't seen each other in years.
Steve, in order to cope, starts frequenting a bar where Eddie happens to be bartender. They reconnect a little but Eddie is worried about how often Steve shows up at his bar and how often he leave completely sloshed. So Eddie decides to do something about it and somehow pulls Steve out of his depression and gets him a different job and makes him reach out to Robin (who he had been hiding everything from since she moved to Boston).
Eddie also gets a boyfriend out of the deal but that's beside the point.
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Wayne woke Eddie up. Not on purpose, he just couldn't keep his sobs from echoing around the hospital room. His nephew, close to dead, and handcuffed to the bed. A cop standing at the door.
It wasn't the first time Wayne had seen Eddie in a hospital bed. His penchant for climbing trees as a kid got him bruised up at best, a broken arm and a social visit at worst. Wayne couldn't blame them, the social workers, after what Eddie went through with his folks, but did they really need to trash the trailer? Pulling out every drawer to search for proof that Wayne was a deadbeat drug addict abusing his boy. They didn't find anything, obviously, and Wayne had a word or two to say to them when it was cleared.
But now it was Eddie who was in trouble, big trouble, and Wayne didn't know if he could yell his way out of it. He had never felt so helpless - from watching his boy get scapegoated and hunted - to seeing him pale and coughing up blood as nurses and doctors crowded him pushing him through double doors Wayne wasn't allowed to follow through - hoping that their prejudices didn't translate to the operating table.
He came back, though, 17 hours later, wheeled back into a room followed by armed police, clean and stitched up and with a stable heart rate. But he wasn't waking up, and the doctors told Wayne it was hit or miss, that at this point with no activity it could be bad news.
But then he woke up, blinking slowly upward at the white ceilings, the gravelled sound of Wayne's stilted sobs drowning out the beeping and chaos of the hospital. And the first thing he said, the first word that left his mouth, barely audible and ignored by Wayne was "Steve."
After surviving the upside down, Eddie is concerned to find out Steve has moved back in with his homophobic parents. alternate title: Eddie Munson is Not Okay (I Promise).
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I want something Steddie to start here:
Eddie
I’m sorry. This is the last letter. I know you’d hate me if you found out who I really am, and I don’t want to see that. I don’t want you to know who you’ve been telling your secrets too. You wouldn’t want me to know them. You wouldn’t want to know me.
I’m so so sorry. Goodbye - X
He read it again and again when he got home, but Eddie couldn’t figure out what he’d done or what he’d said that made them end it. Sure, it was only letters, and Eddie didn’t know their name, or what they looked like. He didn’t even have a guess about who it was. A guy. That’s all he knew. But they’d been leaving letters in his locker since the second week of class. Two months in, when Eddie was losing his mind for having no way of replying, his secret writer told him he could leave a letter in a copy of the Hobbit in the school library. Since then, it was every other day, sending, then receiving. A slow motion conversation. It was his third go at his senior year, and the letters were one of the bright points.
The joy of a great campaign session could only stretch so far. His new sheepies were excellent, most of the worst assholes at school had graduated, and even if the teachers hated him, Eddie had taken the classes twice already. He knew what they wanted him to write in their homework.
Other than suffering through the freshmen talking about their beloved idol, Steve Harrington - despite the guy being a loser who was repeating his senior year - his life had been pretty great. The notes made everything a little bit brighter.
And now? Yesterday was sort of horrible, and he'd been excited to pick up the next note this afternoon. Mike caught the flu, and took down Jeff and Gareth. The session was already going to be a one shot, but down that many players, Eddie complained all week that they'd have to cancel entirely. Instead, Dustin dragged Harrington in with him. Horrible. The guy had never played before, and was so awkward and uncomfortable the entire time that it tanked the entire session. Eventually he called time. Ended the one shot without a conclusion. Pretty explicitly explained to Lucas and Dustin why.
Explained to Steve that he should have refused Dustin's demands. That he would never fit in with them. That he knew from the minute the guy walked in, that it was doomed. That there was a reason he hated jocks, and stayed away from them.
His bad mood was made worse by the way that Dustin and Lucas defended their idol, while Harrington himself picked up his things and silently left.
Eddie was so damn excited to pick up X's note, and see whether the guy had gotten the hobbits out of the Shire in Fellowship.
Instead.
#steddie#theres a bunch of lovely secret admirer fics right now#and I love them#and my brain was simmering#angsty secret admirer au
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Moles
written for @steddiemicrofic July
prompt: one || wc: 111 || rating: T || cws: nudity, excessive fluff
~~~
"One.” Poke.
“Two.” Poke.
“Threeee--”
“Eddie, babe, you can't count them all,” Steve sighs, lying naked on his stomach. Eddie's soft now, pressed alongside him, fingertips roaming his back.
“You have no idea what I'm capable of, sweetheart.” Obnoxiously waggling his eyebrows, a wicked grin paints his face.
“You tried last night and failed,” Steve chuckles.
“Maybe you're right.” Eddie bites his shoulder, and Steve yelps. “But this time, I've got a marker.”
Head lost to the clouds, Steve's eyelids feel heavy with love.
“Four. Five. Six.”
Poke. Poke. Poke.
It feels wet, smells sharp.
“Wait,” Steve gasps, flailing for Eddie's hands while his boyfriend laughs maniacally, “you've got a what?”
#steddie microfic#excessive fluff to make up for my recent fic which was crazy angsty#i wrote this in an hour with no beta#july prompt#steddie#steddie ficlet#steddie microfic prompt#steve harrington#eddie munson#steddie fluff#queeniewritesstories
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Here's a bit from a fic I'm not sure I'll ever start writing. for context, this is Corroded Coffin's first tour and they brought Steve along (bc Eddie would never even imagine having it any other way)
Jeff and Eddie are walking towards the green room discussing the way their melodies turned out at tonight's show, when Gareth catches up to them, a little winded,
"Hey," he pants, "Freak says he wants to try that tacos place we saw on our way into town, you guys up for it?"
Jeff simply nods and Eddie shrugs, "Sounds good" he answers,
Gareth claps them in the back and says to Eddie "Awesome, I'll go ask your wife",
He goes to skip ahead between them but Eddie grabs him by the scruff of his tshirt and yanks him back, causing his head to slap itself against Eddie's waiting palm.
Jeff snorts but Gareth isn't amused.
"OW dude! What the fuck?!" he demands with wide eyes. Eddie doesn't buy it for a second, launches into the same warning he always gives them,
"I told you! if he hears you saying that he could get really pissed, and then you'll get me into serious trouble!" he still has Gareth by the scruff, so he yanks him again for emphasis,
"Do you want me to be in serious trouble, man?" Gareth shakes his head, Eddie yanks again,
"Do you want me to be in serious trouble because of you?" Gareth frantically shakes his head but holds his palms up as he weasels out of Eddie's hold, half-laughing as he turns to face them and walking backwards as they advance,
"I do NOT say it around him!" Gareth defends, Jeff scoffs beside Eddie and Eddie just narrows his eyes,
"Plus, I told you that he's into you, man!" Gareth continues, Eddie rolls his eyes at that so he can't see the significant look Jeff gives him, agreeing with Gareth.
"This again" Eddie groans, "you're delusional. Just stop calling him that altogether and we'll be good," he insists.
Gareth just sighs "Fine. Can you go ask your very platonic friend, that you share a bed with every night, if he wants tacos? Or should we not even ask his opinion?"
Eddie flicks his ear and Gareth frowns dangerously, meeting the end of his rope.
Jeff says "Okay-" and holds his hands up placatingly, but Eddie doesn't like his chances so he sprints down the hall laughing and Gareth takes off hot in his heels.
Jeff groans as Freak catches up with him,
"Children." Freak states, tutting.
---
When Steve comes back to the green room he finds Eddie and Gareth wrestling on the floor.
"Um-" he starts and Eddie, who had been making Gareth slap himself turns excitedly to him,
"Stevie!! What did you think?" he asks, wanting to get Steve's opinion on tonight's show, and probably very specifically, the melodies he and Jeff had been working on for weeks now.
Steve's lucky that Gareth pulls on his hair and distracts him by slamming him on the floor, otherwise Eddie would have totally noticed him blushing.
He'll never get over Eddie wanting his input, especially when it comes to something as important to him as his music, his band.
"OW!" Eddie shouts as Gareth pulls his hair again, reaching to pull on Gareth's nose.
That brings Steve back. He ceremoniously places his hands on his hips, and calls "Children!",
It startles Eddie into slapping Gareth's arm away particularly hard and Steve hears muttered apologies as the two of them sit up criss-cross side by side.
"He started it!" Eddie accuses, playing along with Steve's babysitter bit, "He said we shouldn't ask your opinion on dinner," Gareth gasps indignantly and tackles him again.
Steve just sighs, used to them buzzing with energy after shows.
He hears Jeff and Freak enter the room and turns to them as if they had been there all along, "Dinner from where?" he asks them,
Freak looks up from the boys wrestling and says "Remember that tacos place we saw on our way in? last Thursday?"
Steve's expression clears with understanding, he nods "Oh yeah! Yeah, that place! Okay. Sounds good." Freak nods and goes to their clothes rack.
"Soon as these two finish," Jeff comments.
Gareth has Eddie in a chokehold now and Eddie is trying to lick his arm while also pulling on Gareth's hair.
"I should record you and put it up on the internet," Steve threatens.
Jeff joins in "It'd humiliate our lead man, but it's a risk I'm willing to take" he claps his approval on Steve's back and goes to the clothes rack as Freak goes to change his outfit.
Eddie taps twice on Gareth's arm to be released and Gareth raises both arms above his head triumphantly.
Eddie points a finger at Steve, then Jeff and says "I'm vetoing that!"
Steve frowns. "I didn't know you had vetoing rights" he teases, tilting his head.
"He doesn't" Jeff and Gareth answer in unison,
"You just said I'm the lead man!" Eddie whines to Jeff,
"I was talking about Gareth" Jeff shrugs.
Gareth puffs out his chest and Eddie shoves him, knocking him on his ass again.
Steve can't help but chuckle at them. Eddie turns to look at him with mirth in his eyes then, extends his arms to be helped up.
Steve pulls him to his feet with his heart in his throat.
"So?" Eddie asks,
"What?" Steve asks quietly,
"What'd you think?" Eddie asks again, quiet too like it's their secret, giving his arm a little impatient tap, reminding him he hadn't answered before.
Steve doesn't remember when he started smiling so big "It was good." he tells him, just as quietly, having created a little bubble for the two of them without meaning to, but not wanting to burst it.
"Yeah?" Eddie asks, the corners of his mouth twitching up,
"Mmhm," Steve confirms, starts fiddling with one of Eddie's many chains, "I think the change you made yesterday was smart, the crowd was definitely wilder tonight" he comments,
"Well, that was Jeff, 'member?"
"Hmmm" Steve hums, letting go of the chain and leaning his elbow on Eddie's shoulder to turn to Jeff,
"Well that was a very smart change Jeff!" he calls loudly, enjoying Eddie's flinch. He has to clear his throat because his voice comes out raspy for some reason.
----
Jeff frowns, confused.
"The new arrengement from yesterday," Eddie clarifies, eyes on Steve. Jeff ignores him, but takes the clarification all the same,
"Oh! thanks! Man, did you see the crowd tonight?" Jeff marvels,
Steve says "That's what I was just telling Eddie!" and they launch into specifics that Eddie misses.
He's thinking he usually doesn't like being teased but his cheeks are burning and he can't feel anything other than a pleasant warmth right now, Steve Harrington broke him.
He shakes his head and comes back to reality just in time to see Steve turn to him and say, "You did great tonight, Eds. You were super comfortable using the space on stage tonight, people loved it,"
Eddie doesn't say he was only comfortable because he had a clear view of Steve in the crowd.
"Thank you Stevie" he tells him instead. Steve smiles brightly at him. It makes Eddie want to rub his face on Steve's shoulder.
He pinches Steve's waist instead, gets all up in his space, still buzzing with energy from running around on stage.
"Help me pick something out for tacos?" he requests, hopeful. He loves the idea of Steve thinking about what would look best on him.
"Yeah," Steve agrees, grabbing the hand that pinched him and leading Eddie to the rack.
Gareth rolls his eyes at Eddie as they walk past him and Eddie flips him the bird.
#steddie#steve harrington#eddie munson#corroded coffin#steddie headcanon#pre steddie#stranger things#.#the start of this fic was a lil angsty and i think#maybe that's why i never worked on it
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steddie | 1.6k | mature | angst
cw: mentions of parental abuse (verbal)
written for @steddieangstyaugust day 21
Prompt: Please
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The second Eddie steps into the kitchen, he knows something is wrong.
Steve always says he doesn't mind doing the dishes and Eddie has given up on arguing with him about it long ago.
He watches as his boyfriend stands in front of the sink. On any day, he would find Steve whistling to some pop song, swaying his hips to whatever rhythm he has in his head as he soaps up their dishes.
He's usually happy when he does it. Tells Eddie it always helps. And Eddie can't quite put his finger on what's wrong but he's definitely not happy.
Eddie walks up to him slowly, and once he's a little closer he can see Steve's shoulders shaking. It's barely there and Eddie is unsure what to do, but when he reaches his hand and touches Steve, he knows that's the wrong choice.
Steve recoils, dropping whatever he was holding in his hand with a loud noise inside the sink and Eddie pulls back.
He's not sure what's happening, but he doesn't like it one bit.
"Hey, hey. Steve. Look at me. What's wrong baby?
Steve turns to him and his face is red and wet from the tears spilling down. Eddie feels his inside twisting, and his mind goes straight to Dustin and the kids.
Something happened to them, and somehow Steve knows it and-
"P-please," Steve says, so fucking small. "Please, don't be mad."
Eddie frowns, his brain scrambling to catch up.
"Why would I be mad?"
At first, it seems like Steve's not going to say anything but then he moves to the side and Eddie sees the sink.
The sink is a mess. And Steve is usually a neat guy so it takes Eddie one second to adjust. And then, he sees the blood.
It's not a lot of blood, but it's definitely blood. Eddie tries not to freak out because he knows it'll only make it worse
"What happened, sweetheart?" Usually, Steve loves when Eddie uses pet names, but today? Today he almost folds in on himself.
"I broke a-a mug," Steve says and Eddie has to hold himself together, afraid of hurting his feelings with the tiniest reaction.
"That's... ok," Eddie says, hoping that's the right answer. Steve doesn't relax but he also doesn't get worse, so he counts that as a win.
"No, Eddie. I broke a mug. And it's your favorite," Steve says and Eddie nods softly.
"Is it the Garfield one?" Eddie asks and Steve's eyes widen. He nods, doesn't meet his eyes.
Eddie actually dislikes that mug. It was his father's and he felt obliged to keep it, but he kept hoping it would break. Nothing against Garfield, but he would much rather not have anything to remember his father by.
"Well," Eddie looks at the sink, "I'll clean it. And you can go sit in the living room and I'll be there in a second to patch you up."
Steve doesn't move. He just shakes his head and Eddie is a little lost. Maybe his hand is hurting so he tries to grab it but Steve flinches, back hitting the sink and making a pan slide down.
"Baby, what... what is it?" Eddie asks. He's at a loss here and has no idea what to do. If nothing works, he'll have to call Robin because Steve is clearly about to have a breakdown.
"You're mad," Steve says. And... no. Eddie's not mad. Why would he be mad over a dumb mug? Even if it was his favorite, Eddie wouldn’t be made. Accidents happen and he’s honestly more worried that Steve is hurt than anything else.
"I'm not, Stevie,” he tries to sound sincere, but it’s like Steve has checked out of their conversation. Like he’s lost inside his own head.
"I broke your favorite mug. I made a... a mess. But I'm gonna clean it up."
Eddie shakes his head. "You'll do no such thing. You're gonna go to the living room and you're gonna let me clean it. And then you’re going to wait for me because I need to take a look at your hand, need to make sure it’s just a superficial cut."
Eddie moves again and Steve freezes.
"No! I'm gonna clean it," he says and Eddie is starting to get tired. He wants to fix it, he wants to help Steve, but he’s not sure how.
There’s a little voice inside his head that tells him this is not about this particular mug on this particular day. Eddie likes to think he’s a nice boyfriend. Treats Steve well. Because he does. Never did anything to make Steve think he would be mad over a broken mug and definitely wouldn’t be mad about any mess.
Everyone knows Steve is the one putting up with Eddie’s messy ass.
Then, like a lightning bulb, something clicks, and Eddie decides to try something.
"Steve," he says, voice stern, and Steve looks like he was expecting it. "Go to the living room. Right now. I'll be there in a second."
Eddie hates the way his voice sounds. He’s not being rude, just a little more firm than he would usually be with Steve.
Steve likes soft and sweet. But this seems to do the trick. He watches as Steve’s eyes fall to the ground with a small nod and then he walks away, pressing his hands together to keep the blood from dripping everywhere.
He sighs. He feels so out of his depth right now it's not even funny. He wants to call Buckley and ask her what she thinks, but he can’t right now. Steve would definitely hear it and that wouldn’t end up well.
Eddie gets to cleaning. He collects the broken pieces and feels like the mug is mocking him, telling him how dumb and useless he is. Can’t even help his boyfriend.
He’s not in any rush. Feels like Steve could use the quiet time to calm down. To maybe tell Eddie what’s happening and then Eddie will fix it.
But that’s not what happens.
Steve is sitting on the couch, head low as he clutches his hand. His sweatpants are stained with blood and Eddie knows he'll have to ask Wayne how to clean them.
"Steve," he says softly but even that makes him jump. He looks up at him and his eyes are glassy and distant. Eddie fucking hates it.
"I'm sorry," he says again and Eddie sighs. He doesn't know what's happening but he has a hunch and he's going to go with it.
"It's ok. It was an accident," he says and he can see Steve shaking his head. "Stop. I'm talking now."
Eddie's voice is calm but firm and Steve just nods, sniffling.
"I wouldn't lie to you, would I?" Eddie asks.
Steve shakes his head. That's not enough.
"Words, Steve. Would I lie to you?"
"N-no," Steve says and Eddie offers him the hint of a smile.
"Right. So, I'm not mad that you broke the mug, ok?"
Steve nods. "Ok."
"I am mad, though," Eddie starts and he sees fear in Steve's eyes. His insides twist. He's either going to nail this or ruin his relationship. "That you hurt yourself and didn't call for me. Why didn't you call me for, Stevie?"
He says the last part a little softer. Steve's eyes are on him and this is it. Either he cracks him or fucks this up completely.
"I... didn't want you to be mad," he says.
"Because of the mug?"
"Y-yeah," Steve's voice shakes and Eddie takes a step forward. "I didn't mean to, it slipped from my hand and broke, and I thought you would be mad."
"Baby," Eddie says. It's hard to keep his stance. He wants to hold Steve and kiss him and promise him things are ok, but he needs Steve to see it first. "I wouldn't. I couldn't. You know that, don't you?"
Steve doesn't seem sure but he nods. And it’s after a long sigh that he keeps talking, "my... dad. He always got mad. Always yelled at me and called me stupid."
Eddie sighs. Bingo.
"I'm not your dad though, am I?"
"N-no."
"Who am I?" Eddie asks and Steve looks at him and his face finally softens.
"You're Eddie. My... boyfriend"
Eddie smiles. "Yeah, I am. And I don't get mad, do I?"
"Only..." Steve says. He looks like a kid, afraid to get the answer wrong. "Only if I hurt myself and don't call you."
Eddie feels his chest filling up with pride. He nods, takes a step forward, and puts his hand on Steve's face.
"Yeah. That's right. Because it's ok to ask for help. I'll always help you, ok? I'll always take care of you, Stevie. And I'll never get mad at something like this, ok?"
Steve's eyes flutter shut. He's calmer now. He nods and nuzzles Eddie's hand.
"Ok, Eddie. Thank... thank you."
Eddie caresses his face. "You're welcome, sweetheart. I got you, ok? Can I clean you up?"
Steve nods. "Please."
God. Eddie's heart is in pieces right now. He's so sad and so angry at the same time. He wants to storm into the Harrington's house and beat the shit out of Richard Harrington.
He remembers seeing Steve walking around in school. Hidden bruises that no one seemed to notice. But Eddie did.
He's going to kill that motherfucker.
But not right now.
Right now he's going to take Steve to the bathroom in their tiny apartment. And he's going to clean him up and patch his cut. And he's going to take him to bed, to cuddle him and whisper in his hair how much he loves him.
How he's the best thing that has ever happened to him. How Steve makes him so, so happy. How he wants to spend the rest of his life with him.
But tomorrow? Tomorrow he's going to make sure no one hurts Steve ever again.
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"what's that?" dustin asks one night, eyes zeroed in on steve's chest.
confused, he glances down to where his button up has opened a bit at the neckline, not seeing anything on his skin other than the chain around his neck and bits of chest hair.
"what's what, henderson?"
the chain is simple silver, and at the bottom hidden under his shirt is a ring. he was gifted one of eddie's when they made whatever they were official. eddie let him pick, let steve trail his fingers feather light over his hands and over heavy silver until he found one he liked.
"you gonna pick one in this century?" eddie teased, looking up at him from under his lashes, smirking in the way that gives steve butterflies.
"this is an important decision," steve murmured out in a low voice, his light touch sending shivers down eddie's spine. "i can't just settle on one."
he ends up with a mood ring, one that eddie swore he only had because he needed something on his otherwise bare hand but steve knows it's because he thought it looked mysterious. sliding it off his finger is easy, placing a kiss on the pale bit of skin left behind is even easier.
it doesn't fit on his finger, not even close. he could barely squeeze it onto his pinkie but even then they had to use strawberry lube to get it off after it gets stuck.
"you don't have to wear it," eddie said, defeated with his big brown eyes breaking steve's heart into pieces.
but the thing is, steve is a little more than head over heels for him. he'd do anything to make eddie happy, make him feel loved, and being offered a ring in the first place had him feeling like he could fly. he wanted to show it off, flaunt it around like it was more than a mood ring because it was.
just because his fingers were too big didn't mean he couldn't keep the ring on him at all times. which is how he ended up with it on the simple silver chain around his neck.
the night he showed eddie for the first time, crawling up the bed shirtless to push him into the pillows with a searing kiss, was a night he wouldn't soon forget. eddie stared up at him with something that looked like love dancing behind his eyes as the ring dangled between them, glinting in the moonlight coming in through the bedroom window.
"you're wearing it?" eddie's voice was soft, reverent, as he took a hand up to cover the ring with his hand, pushing it into steve's chest right above his heart. he bent down to give eddie another kiss, relishing in the quick bite of pain that comes from the pressure of him pushing the metal into his chest.
"of course i'm wearing it, babe," steve said against his lips with a smile. "not gonna be able to get me to take it off now."
true to his word, steve never takes it off unless absolutely necessary. he wears it in his sleep, when he slides in behind eddie and curls around him. he wears it to work under his shirts, the metal warm against his skin as it thumps along with his heartbeat. he wears it around the house, when they go out on dates, when he showers. he wears it when he knows eddie will see the outline of it peeking through a tight shirt, driving him crazy.
it becomes habit for eddie to find it, fiddle with it over steve's clothes while they watch tv on the couch. they'll be pressed up against each other, limbs entwined, with his hand directly over the ring, rising and falling with every breath steve takes.
wearing it at all times, however, seems to be causing a bit of a problem. one that even dustin can see.
"don't be obtuse," he tuts as if he was chastising a child, "who gave you a bruise on your chest?"
"what are you talking about, i don't have a bruise on my-"
steve rolls his eyes and goes to the bathroom, flicking on the overhead light and pushing his chest out to get as close the mirror as possible. sure enough, sitting right above his heart, is a barely there bruise. it's a little green, a little brown, but definitely there.
there's something to be said about having eddie bruised above his heart. something to be said about having the indent of his ring pressed into his skin where he's the most vulnerable. the place where he had to learn how to take his armor off to let eddie see in the first place.
steve looks between the bruise and his face, back and forth and back again and watches as his smile grows wide, grows soft around the edges, grows into something that is vaguely eddie shaped which somehow makes it grow even softer.
he can hear eddie get home, the front door slamming as he shouts a too loud welcome to dustin and drops his toolbox onto the floor. his heart thuds a little bit like it always does when he realizes eddie is nearby, and he thinks if he could look close enough, he'd see his eddie shaped bruise jump along with it.
carefully, steve strokes his fingers over the discoloration, presses down just enough to feel it zing through his nerves like the lightning that eddie himself is. he watches as the skin turns pale before blooming back to life again.
steve thinks there's something there that he can't put his finger on. something thrumming through his veins that he can't give a name to.
"baby, you've got to come see this!" he yells into the living room.
something that he has all the time in the world with eddie to eventually figure out.
crossposted on twitter here
#bee not writing something angsty or smutty wow what a turn of events#my writing#steddie#idk just a lil something while i try to get back into the steddie groove#steddie drabble#steddie fic#steddie fanfic#steddie fluff#steve harrington#eddie munson
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nightingales
Written for @steddieangstyaugust Day 13: "Please, stay."
tags: mutual pining, mildly dub-con, slight daddy kink (1 word), hurt/comfort, hookups to lovers, idiots in love, post ss2/post starcourt
rated: M | words: 3k | ao3
"Please stay."
That halted Eddie's movements briefly. Only briefly. And then he resumed zipping up his flies and buckling his belt as if nothing had been said.
Eddie's heart trembled in his chest, begging him to obey the voice of his Adonis, but he resisted. Because he had gone into this with his eyes wide open and head cleared of any delusional thoughts.
He knew his place, knew how to get his job done, knew what parts to hide safely away from prying eyes and protruding ears, knew just the way to make every night worth the time.
And knew he wouldn't find real love in one Steve Harrington—the town's sweetheart and golden boy—however lovely their rendezvouses had been so far.
"You're drunk, Harrington," he dared a look over his shoulder, sighing when he found the bane of his existence was already snoring softly.
Unable to help himself, Eddie cursed under his breath and stepped over to the bed once more to tuck Steve under the blanket neatly, safe and sound, and lingered for a bit to admire how young and carefree Steve looked while asleep.
Mouth slacked, eyes closed peacefully, features softened from all the edges, so unlike the bone-deep exhaustion that clouded those pretty hazels with gloomy shadows.
At least, after their little arrangement started, Steve seemed to have benefited from it judging by the lack of his heavy eye bags.
Two months ago, Steve had come asking for something to help him sleep and somehow left with a bag of weed after blowing Eddie's brain out.
It was so surreal that Eddie thought he had hallucinated the whole thing while high off his ass.
Except, Steve kept seeking him out, going from paying for drugs with intense blowjobs to something more, something Eddie could give him without affecting the Munson household's finances.
Since then, Steve would wait for him at the Harrington's residence considering it was easier and safer that way, and Eddie would do his best to pound Steve so good he would conk out by the time they were done.
And yet, more often than not, Steve would already have taken a few swigs from daddy dearest's pricey liquors and would be quite tipsy by the time Eddie arrived.
Not that Eddie hated it. He was obsessed with a tipsy Steve actually. Because tipsy Steve was always sweeter, more open and pliant with everything Eddie gave him, more expressive and vocal in a way that made Eddie weak on the knees.
Then again, tipsy Steve also got quite a loose mouth.
He asked for things Eddie would be dying to give him, he said things that were too good to be true, he sang Eddie's name like prayers, and he always begged Eddie to stay.
None of that helped Eddie's stupid heart to stay at bay at all. Because the moment Steve's pretty mouth pressed on his ear and whispered "Daddy", he was a goner.
Nonetheless, Eddie hadn't survived to this day to not being aware of how dangerous Steve Harrington was.
A rich straight boy who was curious about the world around himself. Who would stamp on Eddie's heart once he got bored and decided to move on. Who would leave Eddie behind to go get a perfect family with a beautiful wife, two kids and a half, and a white-picket-fenced house.
It didn't take Eddie long to make up his mind.
He looked at Steve once more before turning on his heels to leave the room, somehow feeling less hollow and cold after two months of witnessing them together.
So long as Steve needed him, he would be there. And Eddie would make himself sacred when the time came.
———
"Stay the night?"
Eddie glanced up from the task in his hands—wiping Steve down with a warm washcloth—and smiled humorlessly.
"You know I can't, Harrington."
"Why, though?" Steve asked softly, eyes still hazy and bottom lip jutting out petulantly.
"My uncle will worry sick if I stay overnight outside," Eddie offered a half-truth considering Wayne had stopped giving him curfews since he started dealing.
"I'm flattered you wanna keep me in your chamber, princess," he leaned forward to press a kiss on Steve's forehead. "But I gotta go."
For a fleeting moment, Steve seemed sobered up enough to regard him with an unreadable look, like he could see right through Eddie's lie.
But the moment just passed as quickly as it came when Steve let out a teary yawn that shouldn't be as endearing as it was.
"Good night," Eddie whispered as he pulled the blanket up to cover his sleepy boy.
"G'night," Steve smiled, small and sweet, and was off to dreamland within seconds, leaving Eddie sitting by his side and gazing at him longingly.
———
When Steve wasn't drunk, he would be more tense and on guard, which Eddie could completely understand given their circumstances.
What Eddie couldn't understand, though, was that Steve still asked him to stay.
"I, uhm, have nightmares," Steve averted his eyes, he did that a lot lately, like he was afraid Eddie would figure out the secret in them if he looked too long. "It'll help to have someone hold me while I sleep."
It was so sly of him to use that card on Eddie, knowing full well how much of a bleeding heart Eddie was.
Therefore, Eddie knew the decision had been made for him even before he opened his mouth.
"Alright, I'll stay, but only 'til you fall asleep."
It was the right and wrong thing to say.
Eddie realized with great displeasure that he didn't like the way Steve's eyes dimmed right after having brightened up just seconds ago.
When Eddie left that night, he tried to not think about the disappointment on Steve's face when the younger boy woke up to his cold side of the bed in the morning.
(He failed.)
———
Steve didn't ask him to stay anymore.
And Eddie pretended that it didn't crush his heart just a bit when Steve refused to receive the aftercare.
In response, Eddie simply fucked him harder for that so he wouldn't have any strength left to protest by the end of it.
It was worth all the glares and pouts Steve shot his way when he just gave up on the charade after a while and let Eddie take care of him again.
"Stay, please?"
It was said so quietly, and if Eddie wasn't always paying attention to Steve, he wouldn't be able to catch it at all.
Eddie swallowed dryly, wanting nothing more than to return to Steve's side and scoop him in a cuddle until they both drifted off in each other's arms.
But reality was always cruel. And Eddie had learned that the hard way. He couldn't afford to make mistakes now when everything had been going smoothly so far. Especially when his traitorous heart was constantly on the verge of running away from him.
"I can't–"
"Sorry," Steve let out a sigh. "Just... Just forget about it."
When Eddie finished dressing, he turned to look at Steve and was greeted by a sun-kissed back.
He squashed the urge to come closer and run his fingers on it, mapping out the constellations and tracing love lyrics with his lips on those moles and freckles.
Instead, he walked over to the door and saw himself out.
"Have a sweet dream, Stevie."
He lingered a bit, only leaving once he was sure Steve had fallen asleep.
———
They didn't meet quite often anymore. Steve was busy with his summer job and Eddie was well... hung up on the what-ifs.
What if Steve was also a trailer kid? What if Eddie wasn't a drug dealer? What if they both came from normal families that loved and accepted them for who they were? What if then?
Eddie liked to think they would always meet each other at some point in their lives no matter what the circumstances. Eddie liked to think they were star-crossed lovers who couldn't get together because of the period they were living in. Eddie liked to think Steve also loved him back.
And yet, Eddie had seen Steve flirt with endless girls at Scoop Ahoy, making eyes with some guys who looked like college jocks, who could guarantee him a good time once he dropped Eddie like a sack of potatoes.
Eddie had stood on the sideline and watched with burning, acidic jealousy as Steve threw his charm carelessly at everything that could breathe and walk on two legs.
When Steve turned to look at him with that same charming smile, Eddie realized it was time for him to wake up from his dream.
And so he did.
———
"Can you come tonight, Eddie?"
"Sorry, man, I've gotta sell all of this new stuff by the end of tonight 'cause the bills are due next week, ya know?"
"'S okay. Uhm, see you later?"
"See you later."
———
"Are you busy tonight?"
"Yeah, sorry 'bout that. I have band practice until midnight. And Wayne will be home by the time I'm done. So..."
"Yeah, I got it."
"Uh-huh."
"Rain check?"
"Rain check."
———
Eddie turned up the volume of his music until it drowned out the ringing of the phone.
———
Eddie bit his nails, watching Steve's beamer park outside the Mayfield's trailer, watching him talking and laughing with that red-haired little girl, watching him finally get back into the car and drive away once the sun set.
He didn't know if he should feel relieved or disappointed when Steve never looked at the Munson Trailer once.
———
Eddie jolted up by the sharp knocks on the trailer's door. A quick glance at the clock told him it was only two am, too early for the police's raid and too late for his customers to linger outside.
There was only one answer to that and he hoped Franklin would be cowed away by a broken beer bottle just like the other night.
Stumbling out of his bed and pulling up his jeans hastily, he blearily thanked his lucky star that Wayne wasn't home yet.
Because for all the patience the older man had, he didn't doubt Wayne would pull the shotgun on Franklin and well, Eddie wouldn't be sorry for the drunken bastard but he didn't want Wayne to get involved in his mess too much.
On his way, Eddie picked up his weapon from under the couch as he passed by it and marched straight to the door.
When he threw it open, scowling and ready to swing at his enemy, he was greeted by not Franklin but Steve Harrington instead.
Eddie faltered, feeling sick with worry and cold dread as he took in the sight of the younger boy.
"Jesus Christ," he dropped the bottle, ignoring the clang! it made on the floor, to hover his hands over Steve's face. "What the fuck had happened to you, Harrington?"
Steve honest-to-god giggled.
"S'not important anymore," he slurred and swayed on his feet, eyes swollen in purple and red, face caked in blood and bruises and scratches. He was a bloody mess.
Eddie pulled him inside as gently as possible, trying to stay level-headed for both Steve and himself because it wouldn't do either of them any good if he panicked now.
Carefully, Eddie guided Steve to the couch, flipping on just the lamp on the side table, knowing from experience that too much light would cause discomfort to someone who had just got beaten to a pulp.
He poured Steve a glass of water, watching him drink it slowly before getting up to retrieve the quick aid kit, clean towel, and wash his hands thoroughly with soap in the bathroom.
Once he was done cleaning the cuts on Steve's face, he applied some antiseptic cream on the injured areas—which didn't look that bad after the blood was gone.
During the whole time, Steve remained oddly silent, eyes slightly glazed over like being high or in shock, just watching Eddie do all the work and only letting out a few quiet hisses when the cuts burned.
Eddie had apologized plenty for that, wishing he could share half of the pain Steve was feeling at the moment.
Then he asked Steve about the other possible injuries and concussions, not wanting to overlook anything and receiving a simple "Yes" to both questions.
("Christ, we should bring you to the hospital, Stevie."
"No, no hospital. Please."
"... Have you had anyone besides me checked your injuries, yet?"
"Uh, yeah, the paramedics. They cleared me after a bit. 'Cause there's nothing really bad, though.")
"Can I sleep now?" Steve sniffed, sounding small and lost, making Eddie's heart ache terribly.
"Not yet, Bambi," Eddie smiled softly when those pitiful doe eyes looked at him. "We gotta bathe you first, wash away these dirt and grimes before bringing you to bed."
And he wasn't lying, either. Wherever Steve had been all night had soiled his cute sailor uniform and turned him into a real Cinderella.
"C'mon," Eddie guided him up with a hand around his waist while ducked to shoulder one of his arms. "The quicker we do it, the sooner you can get your beauty sleep."
Fortunately, Steve didn't protest and allowed Eddie to half-carry him all the way into the bathroom.
———
Eddie took in a sharp inhale when he got to see the damage beneath Steve's clothes. It was far more severe than he had anticipated and he wondered if the paramedics would've let Steve go had they seen this.
Sighing inwardly, Eddie used a washcloth and gently scrubbed all the mud and blood off Steve's body, shushing the younger boy softly when he whimpered at the stings and dull aches.
Eddie had half a mind to kiss them better, but he reined in his desire to soothe Steve's pain and concentrated on making the shower as short as possible.
By the time they left the bathroom, Steve was trembling minutely but the fog in his eyes had dissipated and he seemed more conscious than when he appeared on the Munson Trailer's front porch.
After putting on one of Eddie's old Metallica tees and a pair of red flannel pants by himself, Steve ran a hand through his dampened hair and gave Eddie a crooked smile.
"Sorry for bothering you this late."
"I wanted to help," Eddie corrected him quickly.
"Of course, I know you would," Steve swallowed, eyes flickering back and forth from Eddie's eyes to his pale tattooed chest. "But I'm still sorry for having turned up without calling ahead. I was lucky enough I didn't ruin your uncle's sleep."
"He'd do the same for you, you know that right?" Eddie raised an eyebrow, chest tight with possessiveness at the sight of Steve wearing his clothes, standing in his bedroom, and smelling of his shampoo.
"Look," Steve spoke up before Eddie could say anything. "I gotta go now."
"No," Eddie reached for Steve's hand and held on it tightly. "You're not going anywhere."
"Why?"
Eddie clicked his tongue in mild annoyance, wanting to know what made Steve think it was wise to sleep without supervision while having a concussion and cracked ribs.
"I'm not letting you go back to your place alone like this."
Steve snorted and rolled his eyes, a hint of King Steve peeking through the veil. He tried to pull his hand back but gave up once he realized Eddie wouldn't let him go.
He settled with a tired sigh instead.
"I don't want your pity, Munson."
"I'm not pitying you."
"So what is this?" Steve hissed as he raised his captured wrist and shook it lightly for emphasis.
Eddie only tightened his grasp further, paranoid that Steve would slip through his fingers like sand.
"It's not pity," Eddie met those hazel eyes, still burning with that same fire he always loved. He brought Steve's hand to his lips, pressing shaky kisses on those bruised knuckles.
He still wanted to run away. But the idea of leaving Steve caused him such unbearable pain that he just knew would break him down if he ever did it again.
"I care for you, Steve," his voice cracked as he confessed quietly, "I care for you a lot."
Steve breathed in sharply, eyes glassy with unshed tears and lips quivered.
"Then why did you never stay?" He asked softly. "Why did you always leave even when I begged you not to?"
Eddie stepped in closer and used his free hand to hold on to Steve's as well.
"'Cause I was scared, sweetheart," he whispered. "Scared of having my heart broken. 'Cause I knew, always do, that I don't deserve pretty things like you. That I can't give you all the good things that you deserve."
"So I'm begging you now," he blinked away his tears and looked at Steve beseechingly.
"You don't have to–"
"Please, stay," he pleaded. "Please give me another chance to show you how much you matter to me. Please trust me to make it right this time. Please."
Steve became worryingly silent at that. But Eddie still waited patiently, knowing it was a lot to take it all at once. Even Eddie himself was reeling from what he just said.
"You ignored my calls."
"I'm sorry."
"You always left although I begged you not to."
"I'm sorry."
"You lied to me."
"I'm sorry."
"You didn't tell me what I did wrong," Steve mumbled, lips wobbling and nose turned pink.
That cut him deep.
"No, sweetheart, no," Eddie tugged him closer and embraced him gently, heart swelling with fondness when Steve melted in his arms.
"You did nothing wrong, baby, it's all my fault," Eddie sniffled, walking them both to his bed carefully. "I'm so sorry for making you think that way."
As Steve let out a wounded noise and started shaking with small sobs, Eddie cried with him and stroked his back soothingly, knowing he would kill and die for this boy in a heartbeat, knowing that he could never not be in love with Steve Harrington.
When they finally settled on the mattress together, Eddie spooned Steve from behind and pressed kisses everywhere he could reach.
Steve giggled quietly, too exhausted to say anything but still leaning into Eddie's warmth all the same.
Eddie knew they still had a lot to discuss to make their newly found relationship really work, but as he listened to Steve's soft snoring, he was certain they would be fine this time.
As long as they were together.
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@steddieangstyaugust Day 7: Moonlight
wc: 792 | Rated: M | cw: Smoking
Tags: Steve Harrington Angst, Post-Coital, Aftercare (Kinda, it's more about Steve wanting aftercare), The Beemer, Hooking Up, Undefined Relationship, Angst With a Happy Ending
'Like Clockwork'
Steve shimmies to a seated position but doesn’t bother hitching his jeans up. The Beemer’s windows are all clammy and misted now, despite the clear and warm summer’s night.
He swipes a sweaty palm over the window to reveal a brilliant moonlit night cast out over the abandoned cornfield he parked in. Steve looks up at the moon, resting his head against the cool glass, turning just enough so that his flushed cheek can get some relief.
He still feels hot all over, his body still tingling with after sensations. It’s a feeling Steve has relished each and every Thursday night this summer. Sitting here, all sated and a little sleepy, his own spend drying tacky on his tummy as his partner wriggles about beside him.
No – not his ‘partner’.
Not his boyfriend, either.
Friend? Fuck buddy?
Whatever Eddie is, he is indeed, squirming about like he always does afterwards. More accurately, he is ass up as he searches in the front cab for wherever his jacket and smokes got to.
Like clockwork, he’ll offer Steve one when he finds them. And, as always, Steve will decline with a burning sensation in his throat that runs the length of the fading scar on his neck.
They’ll get dressed with great efficiency, handing each other misplaced clothes, slipping on shoes and tossing anything else aside before they get back into the front of the car. Steve will drive back into Hawkins township as Eddie fiddles with the radio dial and offers commentary about every station.
Then, he will drop Eddie home and watch him skip inside, where the guy surely offers up some excuse to his uncle as to his whereabouts.
Steve will then head home and slip in through the back door to avoid his parents. He’ll fall asleep half-undressed and wake to the sounds of his alarm clock radio with thoughts of next Thursday night. Like clockwork – like he is Marty McFly, or something.
And that’s the problem, Steve thinks as he looks up at the moon.
“A-ha!” Eddie exclaims, plopping back into position next to him and shaking the whole back seat.
He sits close enough that their bare, sweat-sheened arms touch flush together. It makes Steve tingle in a way that is the complete opposite of what happened mere minutes ago. He tears his eyes away from the bright moonlight to find Eddie reaching out, like clockwork.
Steve frowns.
“No,” he says, unable to help the way it comes out, all strained and small.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
The thing is, Steve liked it in the beginning. Maybe even loved it. And it’s not like he hadn’t done this kind of thing. He had parked out in this very field in his precious cars plenty of times. Sometimes because his parents were home. Others because every makeout spot in town was occupied.
At one point, it was part of King Steve’s famed repertoire.
And he still likes most of it. The sex. The feeling of Eddie all over him – in him. Filling him up and touching him and giving him everything until it all spills over.
Eddie tosses over his maroon polo (the move that always comes after the offer of a smoke) and Steve balls it up in his fist.
“I want to… Cuddle and... be warm.”
He hates that his voice breaks at the end of it and he hugs in on himself, twisting his shirt up with him.
And Eddie moves closer still and reaches to manoeuvre Steve’s jeans all the way up.
“We’ll go back to my house, Big Boy,” he says as a small, cheeky smile tugs at the corners of his lips when he gets to tucking Steve back into his underwear, “I’m gonna wrap you up all tight and cozy in my bed, even if I have to sneak you in through the window.”
Steve has no idea where Eddie’s pack of cigarettes got to after that. He simply tossed them aside, insisting that he drive them both back to the trailer.
They sneak inside, past Wayne who is asleep in his armchair as an episode of Dragnet plays on the television. Eddie supplies Steve with some makeshift pyjamas – loose sweatpants (black, of course) and a band T-shirt.
Steve doesn’t know the band, but he likes it anyway. Just like the way he feels as Eddie curls in close behind him, holding him tight as he positions the two of them on his cramped single bed.
He thinks he might love Eddie as the guy leans forward and presses a kiss to his cheek.
No, he does love Eddie, Steve knows as he shuts his eyes, their two intertwined bodies illuminated by the moonlight peaking in through the blinds.
#woohoo my first angsty august post!!!#i wanted to do 'hooking up in steves car' but the sadder version#steddie#steve harrington#eddie munson#steddie ficlet#steddieangstyaugust
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don't you forget about me (part two)
(part one)
Steve doesn’t know how long they sit there in silence, waiting. It’s making him insane. The seconds pass too slow; the seconds pass too fast. His mind is a storm; his mind is empty. He’s feeling too much; he’s not feeling at all. He paces the room; he sits catatonically against a wall. He needs to get out of here; he needs to stay.
He’s been here before, just barely over a week ago, tense and anxious and despairing and waiting for news. But waiting to hear if Eddie will ever remember him again really should not feel this much worse than waiting to hear if Eddie will ever fucking breathe again. Steve thinks there must be something wrong with him. He’s being selfish and stupid. His pathological fucking need to be loved is not what’s important right now. Eddie is alive and awake and okay and that’s the only thing that really matters. That’s the only thing he should really care about.
Steve’s pacing again now, yanking his hands through his hair as he does laps around the room until Eddie finally appears in the doorway.
Eddie must’ve just cracked a joke or something because the nurse is laughing as she pushes his bed into the room and he’s got this adorable grin on his face. Steve’s heart twists in his chest and he nearly bursts into tears all over again because god does he want nothing more than to press a kiss to those dimpled cheeks.
“Good news, boys,” Eddie announces. “My brain is fully intact.”
“There’s no physical permanent damage to his brain,” the nurse elaborates. “His amnesia is likely a result of psychological trauma and the temporary disruption of brain function from blood loss and lack of oxygen that occurred at the time of his injury. But there is no obvious reason why he shouldn’t regain his full memory, given time.”
So there’s hope. Steve breathes a sigh of relief.
“That is good news,” Wayne agrees.
Steve asks, “How much time?”
The nurse gives an unhelpful shrug. “Impossible to say. It could be anywhere from days to months, or even years. I’m sorry, there’s no way for us to know.”
Years. “Okay.” Steve pinches the bridge of his nose. He can keep it together. He can. “Thanks,” he tells the nurse. “I, uh-” He makes the mistake of looking at Eddie who looks right through him, and Steve can’t keep it together anymore actually. “I gotta update the kids,” he mutters, backing his way towards the door. Wayne nods in acknowledgment; no protests this time at Steve’s excuse to leave.
“See ya, Harrington,” Eddie calls after him, casual, impersonal, like they're nothing more than acquaintances passing by each other in a high school hallway.
Steve can’t get out of that hospital fast enough.
He makes it to his car in record time, slamming the door shut and sinking heavily into the driver’s seat. A ragged sob tries to claw its way up his throat now that he’s finally alone, but he forces it back, staving off his breakdown for just a little bit longer. As much as it was an excuse, he really does have to update the kids.
Steve fishes his walkie out of the glove box. “Code - whatever, I don’t know. Code Eddie,” he says. He doesn’t remember the kids’ system of codes, nor would he be sure which one this news falls under even if he did.
“Is he okay? Is he awake?” comes an immediate, eager response from Dustin. “Over.”
“Yeah, he’s awake, and he’s fine, except he’s got pretty bad amnesia. The doctors say it should be temporary, but right now he doesn’t remember anything since May of ‘85,” Steve explains, trying his best to keep his voice even.
“Steve, come pick me up and take me to see him,” Dustin demands, “right now. Over.”
“Me too. Over,” Mike chimes in before Steve can respond.
“And us,” Erica adds as well.
Steve pauses for a second, both to steady his own breath and to make sure no one else wants to jump in on this too, before he reminds them, “He won’t know you, any of you.”
“I don’t care,” Dustin says, bossy as ever. “Just come get me. Over.”
“Jesus Christ, kid,” Steve mutters to himself. He sucks in another breath; it wobbles dangerously. He’s just about reached his limit on how long he can keep himself from falling apart. “I- I need a minute, alright?” he manages through the walkie. “Can you just give me, like, an hour? And then I’ll take you guys to visit Eddie.”
Steve doesn’t wait for a response before he slams the antenna closed, tosses the walkie aside, and finally, finally lets himself shatter. That sob rips free from his throat, followed by another and another and another. Tears flood from his eyes; his nose runs. It’s an ugly, gross, visceral cry that leaves him exhausted and raw and aching to be held by the time the last sob shudders out of him. Drained and hollow, he craves the embrace of someone who knows him, someone who loves him.
He sweeps up his broken pieces, wipes the mess of tears and snot off his face, and drives to Robin’s house.
“Steve, oh my god.” Robin pulls him into a hug the second she opens the door and sees the look on his face. Steve clings to her. “What happened?”
“Eddie’s awake,” he mutters dismally.
“Oh! Not the tone I’d expect you to deliver that news in, but okay.” Robin pulls back, looking at him with narrow-eyed concern and confusion as she analyzes his puffy eyes and red nose and swollen lips. “And you look like you’ve just been crying because…?”
“Because he doesn’t remember me, Rob,” Steve sighs. “He doesn’t remember anything from the past 11 months.”
Robin’s eyes go wide now. “Shit,” she says, so plainly it startles a short laugh out of Steve.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “Shit.”
She asks him more questions as she walks down the hallway so they can talk in her room. Steve once again reiterates what was said at the hospital.
“So you didn’t tell him you two were a thing?” Robin asks, closing her door behind them.
“Of course I didn’t.” Steve flops back onto her bed. “I didn’t want to spook him.”
She sits beside him. “You didn’t want to spook him,” she repeats, looking down at him with raised eyebrows, “but you told him about Vecna.”
“Well, yeah. I just-” He lifts his arms to gesture vaguely into the air as he tries to explain himself. “I mean, imagine how you would feel if you woke up in a hospital and some random guy you’ve spoken to maybe twice was by your bedside telling you you’ve been in a relationship with him for the past 9 months.”
“Uh, I don’t know, dingus, probably about the same as I’d feel if said guy told me I’d nearly died fighting some evil twisted creature from a hell dimension,” Robin retorts.
Steve drops his hands onto his chest with a huff, shaking his head. “No, trust me. He seemed far less surprised by that than he did to hear that we were even just friends,” he says, a bit bitterly. Tears are pricking at his eyes again as he looks up at his best friend. “You didn’t see the way he looked at me, Robin. All he saw was King Steve.”
Robin softens, snark replaced with sympathy. “That sucks, Steve. I’m so sorry.”
Steve sighs in agreement that yes this really fucking sucks. He sits up and scoots back so that he’s slumped against the wall, hitting the back of his head against it. “I think I’m a horrible person,” he admits, just venting now, “because of course I’m glad Eddie’s alive and all I really want is for him to be okay, and I know the nurse said he should remember eventually, but there’s still some sick part of me that thinks maybe it would’ve hurt less if he had just died.”
“I don’t think that makes you a horrible person,” Robin assures him as she settles next to him, shoulder to shoulder. “I think you’re just grieving, and grief is weird sometimes.”
“It was one of the worst things I’ve ever felt,” he mutters, “when he looked at me without recognition. To see it on his face, just the- the absence of everything that we’d built. I’ve never felt so- so- I don’t know, it was like I couldn’t breathe. He just- he doesn’t know that I love him. He…he doesn’t know that he loved me...”
Because that’s what it is, isn’t it? It’s not that he’s lost someone that he loves, it’s that he’s lost someone who loves him. Because Eddie’s not gone, just his love for Steve is, and that’s what’s tearing him apart. It’s the fact that there’s one less person in the world who loves him. It’s the fact that Steve’s got this big gaping hole inside of him that’s always made him so desperate to be loved, liked, wanted, needed; and his biggest fucking fear is becoming obsolete. He could probably trace it back to his parents, the first to forget him, the first to stop loving him, but the fact remains that now Eddie has fulfilled that fear too. Now Eddie has carved that pit a little deeper, a little darker, validating the voice that whispers within it and tells Steve that he is forgettable, unlovable, so easy to abandon and erase.
“Well, I love you,” Robin tells him, like she can read his mind (which, at this point, she probably can). She slides an arm around his shoulders, hugs him close. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
Fragile as he is right now, Steve falls apart again in her arms, and she holds him together. Because she knows him, because she loves him.
It’s a quieter cry this time, soft and sniffly. Whereas the last one wracked through his body and left him fatigued, this one flows from him almost gently, and when his tears finally subside and he lifts his head from where it had been buried in his friend’s shoulder, Steve actually feels a little bit better, a little bit stronger. Which is good, because he’s gonna have to face Eddie again soon.
“Thank you,” he says quietly as he pulls away from Robin, wiping at his eyes and glancing at the clock on her nightstand. It’s definitely been an hour by now, probably more. He stands. “I have to go, I promised the kids I’d take them to see Eddie.”
“Then I’m coming too.” Robin stands with him. “For moral support.”
Steve gives her a grateful smile. “I love you so fucking much, you know that?”
“Yeah.” She grins at him. “I know.”
~
The nurses have changed his bandages and upped his morphine, so Eddie’s considerably hazy now but at least he can raise his headrest and prop himself up a bit without nearly blacking out from pain. He’s boredly flicking through channels on the shitty TV in front of him, alone since Wayne had to leave for work, when Harrington returns followed by a very unexpected group consisting of Robin Buckley and four strange children.
“Sorry,” Harrington announces their presence with an apologetic shrug, “I know you don’t know them anymore, but they insisted.”
“Eddie!” a pudgy, curly-haired kid shouts before Eddie can even react, coming barrelling towards him and trying to hug him.
“Ow!” Eddie yelps, pain flaring even through the extra morphine. “Fucking Christ, kid! Be careful!”
The kid jumps back immediately, eyes wide. “Shit. Sorry.”
“S’fine,” Eddie grumbles.
The kid looks at him expectantly for a moment before seeming to realize, “Oh, right, you don’t remember me. I’m Dustin.”
“Ah, so you’re the guy I sacrificed myself for,” Eddie mutters, and Dustin looks a little sheepish. That means these must be ‘the kids’ Harrington had been talking about earlier. He surveys the group for a second. “Actually, I think we have met before,” he tells Dustin. “And you too.” He glances at a pale, dark-haired kid. The other two - a Black boy with a flat-top and a younger Black girl - look less familiar, though. “There was this, uh, open day thing at the high school for next year’s incoming freshmen; I talked to you about Hellfire.”
“Yeah!” Dustin’s whole face lights up, so bright and infectious it makes Eddie grin too. “Yeah, you did!”
“So you guys joined the club, then?”
This sparks a very animated conversation about D&D, the rest of the kids (Mike, Lucas, and Erica, as they soon reintroduce themselves) gathering around his bed now too to join in. It makes him feel a bit more like himself again, familiar, normal. Except, of course, for the fact that they’re not only talking about how they defeated Vecna in Eddie’s “totally epic” and “sadistic” campaign (adjectives courtesy of Dustin and Mike respectively), but also filling in more pieces of the story of how they defeated him in real life too. Still, it’s nice, fun. He totally understands how he could’ve gotten attached to these kids.
At some point, Eddie glances over to find Harrington hanging back and just watching them talk, fondly, wistfully. Robin whispers something to him and he sort of smiles, just a trace, and whispers something back. They seem close, intimate. Eddie wonders if they’re dating, and then he wonders why that thought makes him feel a bit sick. He waves them over. Harrington looks like he’s about to protest, but Robin gives him a Look and he allows her to grab his hand and drag him to join the crowd around Eddie’s bed.
“So, what’s your deal, Buckley?” Eddie asks her. He doesn’t know her very well, they’ve only crossed paths a few times in the bandroom, but right now that makes her the most familiar person in the room to him. “Are you and Harrington a thing now? Is that how you’re involved in all this?”
Robin wrinkles her nose and drops Harrington’s hand. “Ew, no. Definitely not.”
“She’s my best friend,” Harrington says.
Eddie snorts, doesn’t know why he finds that so comical. (He’s starting to get tired and it’s making him loopy. Or maybe it’s just the morphine.) “You've got a funny choice of friends nowadays, don’t you? Me and band geek Buckley and a bunch of nerdy freshmen.” He looks at Harrington with incredulous amusement. “Who would've thought, huh? Steve Harrington, collector of geeks and freaks.”
Harrington doesn’t seem to find it as funny. He shrugs. “Yeah, well, it’s better than King Steve, collector of asshole bullies and shallow one-night stands.”
“Yeah, ‘course it is,” Eddie agrees through another huff of laughter that breaks off into a yawn. “Didn’t mean it as a bad thing, Stevie. Was a compliment.”
“Alright.” The barest hint of a smile flickers across Harrington’s face now, but then he’s looking away and corralling the kids and saying, “We should head out, let you get some rest.”
And Eddie kind of wishes he’d stay.
(part three!)
taglist: @romanticdestruction @daydreamsandcrashingwaves @paintsplatteredandimperfect @hallucinatedjosten @mugloversonly @estrellami-1 @alongcomesaspider @thatonebadideapanda @tell-me-a-secret-a-nice-one @dragonmama76 @wxrmland @nuggies4life @sirsnacksalot @myguiltyartpleasure @marklee-blackmore @vinteraltus @sebastiansstanswhore @0happyeverafter0 @scarlet-malfoy (only tagged people who explicitly asked to be tagged; if you would like to be added or removed from this list please lmk!)
#still angsty sorry#we're getting there tho! this will have a happy ending eventually! i promise!#i finally get what ppl mean when they talk abt setting out to write a oneshot and ending up with a longfic bc it's happening to me rn#steddie#steddie angst#steddie fic#steddie fanfiction#steve harrington#eddie munson#stranger things#fanfic#mine#1k#dyfamsteddiefic#<- specific tag for this fic
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I saw a video today that said, “It’s very uncomfortable as an adult when your friend starts to date somebody who sucks, and you’re all looking at each other going ‘Guys, if this is the person who makes them happy…I think collectively as a unit we can agree that we would rather see them sad. So what's the plan?’”
And immediately went: modern Steddie AU were Steve dates his high school friend Tommy and everyone is tearing their hair out over how awful he’s being treated.
Ft. the Party, led by Dustin, hounding Eddie “I could get a man in a SECOND, I just CHOOSE not to date” Munson for help
However:
Eddie is mostly thinking the entire thing is a joke (King Steve and Tommy Hagan? Gay? Together?? Nice try Henderson.) until he runs into Robin. She laments that yeah, they’re bi, but more importantly, Tommy is fucking awful and Steve refuses to see it.
2. Eddie, maybe, kind of, still has a crush on Steve ("Stop laughing Gareth, everyone has--had! Had a crush on him!") and the guy was never THAT bad in high school---but Tommy Hagan definitely was and a little revenge would be fun.
and finally;
3. Instead of going with the kids' well intentioned but very misguided “Let’s get Eddie to Steal Steve” plan, Eddie meets up with the Robin/Nancy/Jonathan/Argyle/Chrissy dream team to figure out how to prove to Steve that Tommy is horrible.
Bonus: Robin and Nancy come up with a full proof multi step plan that involves Eddie pissing off Tommy in ways that look completely innocent. The hope is that Steve will see how controlling and unreasonable Tommy is, and break it off.
This hurts no one and just highlights to Steve Tommy's behavior.
Of course, Eddie goes off the rails immediately upon meeting Steve.
Instead of following The Plan, he, with the kids permission and help, gets Tommy to get blow up about THEM.
This is far more successful.
Bonus x2: A large amount of shenanigan's with the kids vs Tommy are involved. As is a scene were Steve breaks down and admits he knows Tommy is terrible, but Tommy puts up with him and Steve "knows how he is."
Eddie goes home, prints out a picture of Tommy and throws cheap ren fair daggers at it for at least three solid hours while he tries to think up ways to prove to Steve Harrington that his parents are wrong, hes very lovable actually.
In fact Eddie would very much like a shot at trying it out, thanks!
(It is also, inevitably, successful.)
#steddie#modern meet cute#SOMEONE TAKE IT FROM ME I CANT HAVE ANOTHER WIP#also I personally am very picky about fake dating tropes or “stealing” tropes#cause you cant steal a person#but also#the trope is naturally exploitative and thats hard to do right#not to say I havent seen people do it WELL cause I have#just that its a hard one for me personally#anyway#Eddie munson#steve harrington#tommy hagan#stranger things#Eddie is a gremlin whose been on all of two dates and had three hookups but hes never telling the children that#angsty#so desperate for love Ill take any scraps I can get Steve Harrington#is a personal favorite of mine#and not in that whiny way#I mean in a realistic way#homeboy out here knowing that half of what he says is stupid but he believes it anyway and has a lot of issues from his parents#so you have to DRAG this shit out of him#or if youre Robin you dont HAVE too but Steves excellent at dodging#excuse making#and generally making everyone think hes making sane decisions#he is not#eddie clocks this instantly lol
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Steve's house was quiet, seemed almost empty, but for the cat wandering through the back yard, chirping at the birds in the trees. Eddie crouched by the fence, called the cat over. She trotted to him, rubbed up against his legs, purred as he scratched her chin. He heard a car rumble, tires rolling over gravel out the front. Eddie slipped back into the thick of the trees, the cat following after him, cloying at his jeans. He jostled her off, shushed her mewing with pets as he attempted to peer through the gate at the right angle to see who had pulled up. The heavy weight of thick boots came down on the gravel, Eddie shrunk into himself, tried to search for Steve in his bedroom window, wondered what he must be feeling, hoped they hadn't started any therapy yet. Eddie's heart was thundering in his chest, his palms sweaty he wiped them on his jeans. He couldn't let history repeat itself, couldn't let what happened to Brad happen to Steve too. The guilt was already too much to deal with, the added pressure of barely surviving horrors beyond comprehension only adding fuel to his fears. They had made it out, they had made it out holding hands and having hope, and every day since he woke up in that hospital bed the hope had been knocked back. His nightmares hadn't helped, the tortures he'd endured reimagined in his slumbers, where he was again trapped with demons chewing at his flesh, with loved ones cracking open in the air. And trapped in his unconscious he watches, helpless again.
Awake he does all he can to keep in control. He began keeping timings, running notes of his and Wayne's daily routines. When and where Wayne gets to, how long before he's back. He writes about the guards and the other tenants. He puts his meds into alphabetical order, into chronological order, into colour order. And then he crushes them, sprinkles them into the plant pots, knows they only make his mind more fuzzy, makes him feel less in control.
Crouched in the Harrington's garden he counts backwards from eight. Seven six five four three two one. He pulls out a blade of grass from the ground. Eight seven six five four three two one. Another blade. He tells himself Steve will be fine, Steve will be fine. He counts backwards. He counts backwards.
read more on ao3
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There has to be something that prompts the first letter Steve sends to Eddie. And that first letter is short. It’s a note not a letter, scribbled on note paper and slipped, folded up into Eddie’s locker. If it was a week or two later in the year, Eddie’s locker would have been too messy for it to be noticed.
It’s the kids, obviously it’s the kids that are at the core of Steve paying attention to Eddie. A few comments while he drives them home about how Eddie pushed back on some of the bullies, how Eddie made Dustin feel not just accepted, but impressive, for playing DnD and being a big nerd.
So Steve writes a note saying that Eddie’s ability to be himself, to be smart and proud and loud, is something Steve admires. Mentions that he’s never been able to do that, and that the person he is? Eddie wouldn’t like him nearly as much as Steve likes him.
When he sees Eddie smiling at a wrinkled paper for the next days, Steve tries to be brave. Eddie was already on Steve’s list of Don’t Think About Him, but seeing him smiling like that? The idea that Steve is the one who made him smile? He leaves another note the next week talking about how Eddie is pretty on the outside too.
Steve truly, genuinely, believes that if Eddie knew who he was, that smile would die. Eddie would be disgusted.
That belief doesn’t lessen until he tells Eddie he could leave a reply. Even then, it’s weeks and weeks of letters back and forth - Steve’s are always shorter than Eddie’s - before Steve starts thinking maybe Eddie would like him anyway. He’s trying to be a less awful human being now. Robin and the kids help, but sometimes someone at school will piss him off, and he reverts to being an asshole. It isn’t gone, just a trait he tries not to indulge.
He can’t tell Eddie about the monsters, but he can talk about grief and loss and fear. Most people in town knew someone that died at Starcourt well enough to be grieving. He shares his fears and doubts.
In reply, Eddie talks about his dad and his dreams and how he embraced the labels classmates gave him. Lots of secrets. How he hates that he’s selling drugs, but can’t/wont get a standard job. How he’s scared of becoming his dad.
They talk about the terror of being who they are and how they are in Hawkins. They talk about AIDS and, without the modern terminology, talk about comphet.
Steve inches closer to confessing. Eddie never pushes, but can’t hide how badly he wants you to know. He wants to help with the migraines his admirer admits to having. He wants to learn how he smiles and what his voice is like. Eddie talks about how he’s sure there’s nothing Eddie could learn that would make him hate his admirer.
There are half a dozen discarded letters when Steve asks Eddie to meet. Instead of sending them, Steve watches from a distance, and tries not to directly talk to Eddie. They see each other at school, but interacting might unravel what Eddie’s promised, and Steve is terrified to lose the potential, so he hides.
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I've seen a few secret admirer Steddies going around where Steve's the one giving the notes (which I LOVE! I feel like those aren't as common)
But I headcanon Steve as having the worst handwriting. Therefore, I present platonic partners in crime CheerKing (is that right? Idk)
~~~
Under no conditions would Steve ask Carol to write the notes. But he's always liked Chrissy, and she seems trustworthy.
They strike up a deal. Chrissy will dictate Steve's notes and drop them in Eddie's locker herself. In return, Steve has to act as her fake-boyfriend to keep Jason at bay.
Then SHENANIGANS! Eddie gets feelings for Admirer, he sees Chrissy slip a note in his locker after Hellfire one evening. He's never had someone crush on him before, and he's straight (cue internalized homophobia, childhood trauma, big feelings for Steve he can't process) so he tries to convince himself he likes her.
The only problem is she's dating King Steve. Eddie hates the guy, with his stupid shiny hair and his big brown eyes and his moles and his smile... why does he get all the girls? Chrissy's the first girl to ever like him and of course Mr. Dreamy is dating her. They're not even clingy like he was with Wheeler so he probably doesn't even like her that much, just sees her as a rebound.
Eddie actually replies to the notes, leaving them in the library books Admirer tells him to. Steve knows Eddie likes Admirer, the pieces of Steve he shares in the notes, and it's the only way Steve gets to talk to him and he lives for it. But instead of Eddie asking who Admirer is, Steve watches as Eddie starts flirting with Chrissy. Steve gets all hurt and jealous because he thought Eddie was gay but now he's unsure. Still, he can't give up getting Eddie's replies, so he keeps writing.
Does Chrissy play along to keep Steve's secret even though this guy is crushing on her? Chrissy really likes Eddie, but she likes him as a friend. She decides to not tell him he's mistaken, because she wants to keep getting invites to band practice at Gareth's so she can spend more time with their cute friend Jeff.
Let's make it even more complicated! Instead of Tammy Thompson, Robin has a crush on Chrissy and sees her slip a note into Munson's locker on her way out of band practice and decides she's going to tell Steve to take him down a peg and hopefully breaks up with Chrissy. They then have a bathroom scene: she's been watching Steve and Chrissy for months and tells him how it's fucked up that he follows Eddie around, stares at him across the cafeteria, etc (she's saying it's bc Steve's jealous / Steve thinks she's calling him out). So he confesses, and cries. She feels like an asshat so she comes out too. They're just two gay idiots in love with straight people (only one of them is wrong. Sorry Robin!! Idk how to fix that part).
Steve starts coming with Chrissy to Hellfire night. Steve's doing it for protection from Jason, who's getting increasingly angry about Chrissy and Eddie. Eddie thinks Steve's being nice because he's sizing him up, trying to insert himself in between him and Chrissy in some macho way.
It all comes to a head when Jason catches Chrissy hanging with Jeff in the library (she's told Jeff EVERYTHING and is picking up Eddie's last reply). Jason hears them talking about Eddie planning to ask Chrissy out and decides to follow Eddie out to the quarry after school. Robin saw Jason pull out behind him and runs to tell Steve before he starts practice.
Steve rushes out and saves Eddie, then brings him home to patch him up. Eddie's pissy about it, Steve thinks it's adorable but frustrating. Jeff and Chrissy stop by the trailer when Eddie misses practice.
Eddie confesses his feelings to Chrissy, but she's holding hands with Jeff. Steve's forced to admit he's Admirer, sending Eddie head first into a sexuality crisis. But it's happy ever after so it's all good.
We get platonic hellcheer, platonic kingcheer (??), platonic stobin, Jeff x Chrissy (corrodedcheer??), and Steddie.
Idk there's something here but I don't want to write it lol Too many POVs and through lines for a person who already has a million WIPs.
#it'd be funny and angsty#I'm imagining She’s The Man levels of chaos#this was a lot and i dont think i have some of those ship names right#no buckingham unfortunately. it's probably doable i just didnt have the brain power#steddie fic idea#steddie#steddie prompt#queenie's wips#queeniewritesstories#stobin#eddie munson#steve harrington#chrissy cunningham#robin buckley#secret admirer idea
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there's just something so delicious about friends-to enemies-to lovers
barely teenage steve and eddie who have a devastating end to what they both thought would be a forever friendship. maybe it's a misunderstanding or maybe it's just teenage angst that felt impossible to fix in the moment.
but i am feral over the idea that the only reason steve ever became 'king steve' strutting around with tommy and carol with his aloof, semi-mean girl attitude was because of the falling out with eddie. that he did it so he didn't feel so much hurt over it. still has no idea what he did to make eddie suddenly hate him.
same with eddie. he definitely liked metal and nerdy shit all along, but maybe he only leaned into the whole 'forced conformity, it's what's killing the kids' freak persona to guard himself. as armor. because he fucking misses steve as much as he hates him. so he glares and makes snarky comments. finds his solace in DnD and his band.
they fight with words and shoulder shoves in the hallway. each of them too proud to ever talk it out and fix things. to the point that their peers don't remember that steve and eddie used to be inseparable. everyone but steve and eddie forget the obvious affection and closeness they once shared.
it takes a bunch of freshmen to put them back into each other's orbit.
it takes the upside down, a dead cheerleader and an evil wizard for them to actually get along again.
because steve is meant to hate eddie but the moment he sees the trailer and hears the word 'murder' he feels like he might throw up.
Please, god, not eddie.
only to find out he supposedly murdered chrissy cunningham. despite all the animosity between the two of them, steve knows in his soul that eddie would never kill anyone.
even when he's against a wall with sharp glass pressed to his neck, heart racing as he looks into the eyes he tries not to think about, steve knows that eddie won't actually hurt him.
steve has the urge to stay with eddie at the lake house and make sure nothing else happens to him. instead, he stops forcing himself to be an asshole towards eddie. it's exhausting and he's never truly meant it anyways. the upside-down shit is threatening the one person he hoped would never be a part of it.
it takes eddie watching steve get pulled under lover's lake and attacked by demon bats to realize that the biggest misunderstanding was of his own thirteen year old self's feelings. that he could've lost steve and he'd have never even told him the truth of why he let their friendship implode over such a ridiculous misunderstanding.
that he wanted more than friendship and that scared the hell out of him at thirteen.
he sees steve bleeding and throwing himself into danger over and over. realizes that yeah, steve harrington is a good guy. his own personal munson doctrine is fundamentally flawed and untrustworthy and he's in love with this stupidly brave man, maybe since forever.
make him pay means i'm sorry, i love you, please be safe, come back.
it takes eddie nearly dying and his steve carrying him out of hell for eddie to realize that steve never hated him either. that what eddie always views as aloofness and superiority was hurt and steve trying to deal. regardless of whatever lays in the past, steve holds him together with his hands and begs eddie to stay. whispers that he loves him, always has loved him, always will love him.
eddie thinks about all the years they lost due to teenage angst and fear. fights to keep his eyes open and stay, because steve his sobbing and begging him not to go.
and when eddie finally wakes up in the hospital, it's steve and uncle wayne next to him. steve won't leave his side, maybe ever again. neither of them with any desire to ever look at each other with anything but love.
#steddie#friends to enemies to lovers#friends to enemies#enemies to lovers#feeling mildly angsty but still a sucker for a HEA#angst
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steddie | 888 words | angst | mature
CW: drug use, implicit violence
Written for @steddieangstyaugust Day 3
Prompt: "The sunset looks lovely, don't you think?"
Part 2 | Part 3
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"The sunset looks lovely, don't you think?"
Eddie looks up from the joint he's rolling to find the only face he never thought he would see out here.
"King Steve," he says, and maybe it's his imagination but Harrington seems to flinch at his words. "What can I do for you?"
Eddie goes back to rolling his joint. There's a part of him that thinks this could be a trap. Last week the entire swimming team had to do a test to make sure they were all clean and one of the guys didn't pass it.
He didn't pass it because Eddie had sold him some stuff the week before so maybe now Steve was here to put Eddie in his place.
Eddie lights up the joint and takes a long drag. If he's going to get a beating, then he might as well do it while high out of his mind.
"I was hoping you'd sell me something," Steve says. Eddie looks at him with the joint between his lips, trying to assess him.
"Sorry man, I'm all out," Eddie knows best than to create evidence against himself.
Steve looks at the open metal lunchbox on the table and raises a brow. "Really?"
"Really," Eddie says. He doesn't bother closing it and he doesn't mind if Steve knows he's lying.
"Jordan told me all I had to do was say that bullshit thing about the sunset and you'd get me something."
Eddie turns his face to blow out smoke. Fucking Jordan. He had come up with that password phrase to avoid getting in trouble. If people really wanted to buy something, then they would have to come up to Eddie and say it.
"He lied," Eddie says and he can see Steve's getting annoyed.
He gets up and put his joint out, pocketing it for later.
Eddie could definitely use a few extra bucks this week because their kitchen sink stopped working and Wayne doesn't get paid until the end of the month, but it's not worth the risk of getting in trouble. Eddie knows the money he brings home is what helps keeping them afloat, even if Wayne likes to pretend he doesn't know where Eddie gets it.
He closes his lunchbox and moves to walk past Steve, but feels a hand wrapping around his wrist, stopping him.
It's not a strong hold, he could easily break free and walk away, but Eddie stops. He doesn't think he ever got this up close with Steve, which is both thrilling and terrifying.
"Please, man," Steve says, his voice is really low and he's wearing sunglasses, so Eddie can't see his eyes. "I just need something to get the edge off."
Eddie looks down to where they are touching and feels a fucked up thrill going down his spine. Steve's hand is big enough to circle his wrist without much effort and Eddie wonders how it would feel to have that in a different scenario.
He wonders how it would feel if Steve were to grab him and throw him down on the table. He could probably hold both his wrists with one hand, and Eddie would be helpless to do anything but take whatever Steve wanted to give him.
Steve moves and Eddie doesn't even flinch, thinking he might get what he wished for after all, but Steve just takes out his sunglasses and Eddie's breath catches in his throat.
Steve has a big bruise around his left eye. It's ugly and it can't be older than a day. It must hurt like hell and Eddie has to fight the urge to touch it.
"My head is killing me," Steve offers. He looks defeated and Eddie can't ignore the way his heart twist at the words.
Eddie should ignore it. He should pull his arm away and walk out, leave him out here alone. But Eddie is not a fucking monster.
He picks up the barely smoked joint and offer it to Steve, who lets go of Eddie's arm and takes it immediately.
Eddie decides not to think about the absence of his touch, and instead watches as Steve puts it between his lips and how that essentially means their lips touched, somehow.
Steve is giving him a hopeful look and Eddie should walk away but instead he picks his lighter and lights him up.
The first drag floods Steve's expression with relief and he lets out a low moan that makes Eddie's whole body tingle.
"How much do I owe you?" Steve asks, already moving to get his wallet. His arm brushes Eddie's but he doesn't seem to mind the proximity.
"Consider it a free sample," Eddie says and Steve eyes him suspiciously.
"You gotta let me pay you," Steve says and Eddie has to stop himself from saying 'you can pay me with something other than money.'
Even if he doesn't say it, Eddie is under the impression the words float around them like ghosts. Steve raises a brow and Eddie has to laugh it off before he starts taking off his clothes.
"Don't worry, big boy. Enjoy your free sample."
And with that, Eddie retreats before he does something stupid like kiss King Steve. That would get him a beating for sure and Eddie likes a little pain, but he probably wouldn't like that.
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