#aryanightshade

[steddieunderdogfics]

A Haunted House With A Picket Fence by aryanightshade

Rating: Teen+

66,236 words, 6/6 chapters Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Tags: Past Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Past Jonathan Byers/Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Kid Fic, Miscarriage, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Past Drug Use, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Autistic Eddie Munson, Autistic Eleven | Jane Hopper, Past Chrissy Cunningham/Eddie Munson, Eddie and Chrissy being each other's beards, they really committed to the bit on that one lol, Steve Harrington Has a Crush on Eddie Munson, Hard of Hearing Steve Harrington, Meet Stupid, Good Babysitter Steve Harrington, Mutual Pining, Past Abuse, I continue to push the sapphic Chrissy Cunningham agenda, this is somehow the most complex family tree in existence, this was supposed to be light and cute and i dont know what the hell happened, Eddie likes watching people out his window, Frogs, Cute Kids, Steddie Big Bang 2023 (Stranger Things) Summary: 

Eddie Munson is no stranger to bad choices. It’s how he ended up a single father selling drugs to keep him and his kid clothed and fed. Dumb choices have him fleeing Chicago in the middle of the night and renting a place in his shitty hometown in Indiana while he plans his next move.

It’s also how he ends up asking his stupidly hot neighbor to babysit his daughter while he goes on a last-minute job interview, and much to his surprise, stupid-hot neighbor agrees. And it turns out he’s not just handsome, but funny, a great cook, he loves Eddie’s weirdo kid, and may just be the love of Eddie’s life.

If only starting over and escaping his past was that easy.

Why are you recommending this fic?: I really empathized with Eddie's struggles in this fic in a way that felt like the fic wounded me right in the soft parts and the relationships with the kids all felt so sweet Add link to the fic, add a link to the author (and/or tag their tumblr user): https://archiveofourown.org/works/51115021/chapters/129147205

[aryanightshade]

Eddie doesn’t vanish quietly.

His name lingers on the mouths of the Hawkins High student body as they whisper about his possible involvement the murders. That he was a freak and a queer, a murderer isn’t too far of a stretch, is it? 

To Steve, he doesn’t disappear at all. The ghost of him ensnares Steve’s every waking thought, and most of his sleeping ones too. Every time he catches sight of his own wounds in the mirror, finally starting to heal, his heart snags. Every time he thinks about Eddie rocking back and forth on the ugly yellow couch in the lake house, or the way the sun lit up the wild tangle of his hair like the filaments of a lightbulb as he laughed in the passenger seat of Steve’s car, something inside of him shudders and cracks. Steve Harrington is not what anyone would have described as sentimental, before this. Not with the distant, disinterested way his parents and friends floated in and out of his life for the last eighteen years. Sure, he latches on quickly and maybe he feels things a little deeper than he should. But he’s used to the ephemeral nature of these emotions, here and gone, a flash of bright, blinding sensation that fades like a falling star.

Or at least, he’s used to pretending that’s all they are. He’s old enough now to recognize the survival instinct for what it is. To see where it failed him, left him woefully unprepared to weather the wound of Nancy’s love that’s still ragged and pulpy around the edges.

At least he can look at her now without wanting to claw his own heart out of his chest.

But Eddie…

Steve left a part of himself in that graveyard, kneeling in the dirt. Fingers laced into the earth like he can reach into the darkness to grab Eddie’s hand and pull him free. Like he can still save him, if he just keeps trying.

What a joke.

Steve lays in a fish tank of artificial light, safe from the night at the bottom of his parent’s bathtub, and cradles Eddie’s vest in between his hands. The one they left in the bathroom the night Patrick died and Eddie witnessed the brutal way Vecna likes to kill when he’s done playing with his food.

Eddie Munson is dead.

And there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

His fingers wander delicately across the terrain of the patchwork denim draped over his lap like he’s trying to commit it to memory. If Steve breathes deep enough, he can still catch a whiff of Eddie’s scent embedded in the fabric of it. Leather and smoke and a hint of something earthy, like wet granite.

Outside, it’s dark and cold, but in here, curled up at the bottom of the empty bathtub like a pill bug, Steve is safe. Or as safe as he can get, clutching a bottle of his father’s whiskey like a shield. Its scorches a burning a path down Steve’s center, even as the rest of him feels so, so cold. Still circling loosely overhead, unanchored from his body like scissors snipping a thread as he watched Eddie disappear forever into the void. Untethered and vaporous and hollowed out by his absence.

Read on Ao3

[solowinged]

@dustednight tagged me! :) This was fun, thank you!

Put 10 songs you listen to, then tag others!

"Zero" - Ace Combat Zero OST

Prayers - Clazziquai (Honorable mention: 야간비행 (Night Flights) - Clazziquai)

Ghosting - Mother Mother

Warm Healer - Everything Everything

Blood of the Fang - clipping.

Two Trucks - Lemon Demon

Drone - Alice in Chains

Teardrop - Massive Attack

A Way of Life - Persona 3 Portable OST

Heaven's Mirror - Eternal Sonata Soundtrack Holy Orders (Be Just or Be Dead) - Guilty Gear XX OST

A few classical music honorable mentions: - Tristesse - Chopin <- fell in love with Chopin after watching Eternal Sonata playthrough lol. Featured in FMA '03 anime. lmao - Nocturne Opus 9 No 2 - Chopin <- had to learn it to pass my final piano certification - Moonlight Sonata - Beethoven <- was featured in a Detective Conan episode and was one of the reasons I started piano lmfao. - Summer Movement 3 - Vivaldi <;- because it fucking slaps

If you'd like, I tag @homo-hexual @fukkafyla @aryanightshade @aslutforgreyhair @suchandsuchplussome @abominableastronaut @blackidyll @mybuttoneyes @shamera @simmonsized @amekuudere Have at it!

[steddie-fanfic-recs]

A Haunted House With A Picket Fence

by aryanightshade

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington & Eddie Munson, Chrissy Cunningham & Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Characters: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Dustin Henderson, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair, Robin Buckley, Nancy Wheeler, Will Byers, Erica Sinclair, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Jim "Chief" Hopper Additional Tags: Past Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Past Jonathan Byers/Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Kid Fic, Miscarriage, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Past Drug Use, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Autistic Eddie Munson, Autistic Eleven | Jane Hopper, Past Chrissy Cunningham/Eddie Munson, Eddie and Chrissy being each other's beards, they really committed to the bit on that one lol, Steve Harrington Has a Crush on Eddie Munson, Hard of Hearing Steve Harrington, Meet Stupid, Good Babysitter Steve Harrington, Mutual Pining, Past Abuse, I continue to push the sapphic Chrissy Cunningham agenda, this is somehow the most complex family tree in existence, this was supposed to be light and cute and i dont know what the hell happened, Eddie likes watching people out his window, Frogs, Cute Kids, Steddie Big Bang 2023 (Stranger Things) Words: 66,236 Chapters: 6/6

Summary

Eddie Munson is no stranger to bad choices. It’s how he ended up a single father selling drugs to keep him and his kid clothed and fed. Dumb choices have him fleeing Chicago in the middle of the night and renting a place in his shitty hometown in Indiana while he plans his next move. It’s also how he ends up asking his stupidly hot neighbor to babysit his daughter while he goes on a last-minute job interview, and much to his surprise, stupid-hot neighbor agrees. And it turns out he’s not just handsome, but funny, a great cook, he loves Eddie’s weirdo kid, and may just be the love of Eddie’s life. If only starting over and escaping his past was that easy.

[steddieficrecs]

WIP/Unfinished Steddie Fics

⚠️Read at your own risk⚠️

Freak Trumps King by apatheticBlues

Okay, so not only is Steve Harrington apparently not a douche, but he’s also kind of a mess?

Now that Eddie is properly looking, he notices the slight bags under Steve’s eyes and how his face is drawn, as if he hasn’t been getting enough sleep. That doesn’t make sense– Eddie would think that Steve is living a cushy life, with his mansion and parents that probably pamper him like a goddamned baby. This Steve doesn’t look pampered at all; instead, Eddie can see a familiar haunted look in his eyes that screams he’s just like you.

••• ••• •••

If you looked up the definition of "fucked-up" in the dictionary, Steve Harrington's face would be plastered right next to it. After living through two Upside-Down debacles now, it makes sense. Eddie Munson doesn't know about that, but he does notice how similar he and the former King of Hawkins High really are.

(Set after Season 2)

Open the Door For Me by zbee246

Steve Harrington and Eddie Munson were not friends. Sure, they had defeated Vecna together, but that was about all they had in common. That is until Robin and Eddie started hanging out.

Kickstarted by Eddie and Robin's sudden and seemingly peculiar friendship, Steve embarks on a grueling journey of self-discovery with Eddie Munson at its epicenter.

I was standing/you were there by LikeMmmCookies

“What’s Eddie going to do?” Dustin’s question is followed by a series of “ssshhh" and Robin adding, “Come on man, don’t ask him that, his house is gone.”

“He’s going to stay with me.”

Eddie’s face snaps to Steve when he says that, something unreadable in his eyes. Without really realizing it, Steve wraps his free hand around Eddie’s calf, thumb pressed gently to the back of his knee. “If he’s okay with that,” Steve adds softly, for Eddie alone.

Eddie regards him for a moment before slowly nodding. “He is.”

Steve rescues Eddie from the Upside Down and takes him home for recovery.

No One Listens to the Dead by billynsteve

Steve should have told Robin how he felt the moment she came out to him, drugged up on the floor of the Starcourt bathroom. But he didn't.

Now he's stuck in limbo. No school. Dead-end job, and his secret fling is wanted for murder.

OR

Steve is grappling with the fact that the world is falling apart around him. He is drowning. One night of sharing a joint leads to a second, and a third, and suddenly Steve can breathe. Eddie, the boy he tormented for years, is the air in his lungs. Until he's not. And then the world falls apart again, and Eddie isn't there to save him.

Fresh Start Fever by aryanightshade

Steve Harrington has never known love to go two ways. It's always him giving and everything else taking and taking and taking, and the Upside Down has taken more than anything.

It almost takes Chrissy Cunningham too, when Eddie Munson invites her to his trailer to buy drugs.

She lives.

Everything changes.

-

Or, Steve and Eddie get the chance to fall in love before the world ends (again).

(And again)

Your Name Here by goldenhousesys

Canon rewrite where Steve and Eddie are gayer and eventually get together. Fluff and possibly some angst later on. Also POV switches between Steve and Eddie

The trials and tribulations of thin walls and your nephews annoying friends. by itsNotThatDeep

Robin tries to speculate on Steve's type, Eddie helps, Steve's embarrassed, and Wayne wishes he wasn't along for the ride.

excerpt:

"He?!"

A moment of silence.

"...Steve Harrington. Did you have a relationship with a guy and still not realise you were queer??" Robin demands, and Wayne almost doesn't gawk at her blatantly calling Steve queer. For the second time this evening, his brain helpfully reminds.

"It wasn't a relationship" The older teen weakly defends.

took you for a working boy by pukner

"Do you--Harrington, do you know other gay people?"

"One," Steve says, and then, after a moment, "and a half."

"And a half?" Eddie boggles at him, "What does that mean?"

"He's figuring it out!" says Steve, defensively, "Taking his time, y'know? Whatever, the point is. It's cool you're gay, man."

-

Eddie comes out to Steve, and Steve's heartbroken about it for some reason. Eddie thinks Steve's dating Robin. Everyone else thinks Steve and Eddie have been dating this whole time. Robin doesn't get paid enough for this shit.

Also, Hawkins has been cracked open like a badly-baked cake, and everyone's settled into the most mundane apocalypse possible. Eddie Munson starts a radio programme about it.

Meanwhile, Steve gets his nails painted, and outsources a crisis he isn't having.

Boys Wanna Be Her by ruggedbrilliance

El comes out to the party as non-binary, and Steve has a panic attack about it. But not for the reason you might think.

Now, Steve is dealing with a gender crisis, and also his feelings for a certain metal head.

A Father By Any Other Name by towardthesun

Wayne Munson didn't hate Steve Harrington. He just really, really, really, didn't like him.

A conversation he witnesses between Steve and Dustin might just start to change that though.

⚠️disclaimer⚠️ - if you use AI to complete any of these fics i will come into your house and open a portal into the upside down

[atlasmoth96]

!! DILF STEVE ALERT DILF STEVE ALERT !!

My contribution to @aryanightshade 's big bang fic; A Haunted House With A Picket Fence (https://archiveofourown.org/works/51115021?view_full_work=true)

[bellesaysmeow]

according to @aryanightshade i have three topics i talk about, those being:

piss

peet wenzt [sic]

gerard ways bodacious tits

[tarysande]

hey do you have any Lucifer fic recs about Chloe thinking Lucifer is just mentally ill, like the God Johnson episode? or her being curious about the sort of trauma she thinks he must have endured to be the way he is, with the wing scars and whatnot? the idea intrests me but its hard to describe. or do you know any fic rec blogs i could ask? thanks!

Weirdly, I was just thinking about this yesterday. I feel like it’s a thing I might want to write about at some point (at least something short) but I haven’t done.

As for fic recs ... I am so behind on fic reading because of how busy I’ve been that it’s embarrassing. However, @ariaadagio or @thewollfgang or @whopooh or @pellaaearien or @theleafpile or @adragonstale might know of something? I’m trying to think of blogs I’ve seen actively rec or reblog fics.

If anyone else has any ideas/knows of any fics like this, please feel free to jump in!

[ahdriking]

oh my word that fucking machine fic *fans self*

ayyyy glad u like it ;) 

[aryanightshade]

Vi.

This Episode of Stranger Things is Called: Smoochy Kiss

-

{you have 17 new messages}

{Are you sure you want to delete all messages?}

{You have zero new messages}

-

Back on the porch, El is telling Wayne about the action figure Mike gave her. “He can shoot lasers from his hands because he is from space.” She’s still a safe distance away from Wayne, under the porch swing like a skittish cat, but Wayne doesn’t seem to mind, paying close attention as El wiggles the action figure’s arm back and forth. 

Eddie lingers in the shadow of the doorway, watching, mouth sweating. The pill bottle burns a hole in his pocket like a hot coal, and he wants to pry open the cap with his teeth and dump the contents down his throat. Every second standing between him and accomplishing that feels like a thousand years. He digs his thumb into the burn mark on his wrist, using the pain to direct his focus towards literally anything else. 

“That’s neat, kid.”

“Red lasers, and also green lasers. Like Star Wars.”

“You know, your daddy loved Star Wars when he was little. Used to beg me to rent those movies over and over again.”

Eddie could go back in the bathroom and take a few of the pills. Wayne and El, they wouldn’t notice. He could drive El home, carefully, carefully, climb into bed and upend the bottle. He could make it all go away for a little while. Steve, Nancy, the kiss, all of it. 

Everything you do affects that little girl.

Eddie swallows painfully around the aching desert in his throat, desire for escape ravenous and wild inside his bones. Not in front of El. 

He won’t do this around her. That’s been the only rule for himself that he’s ever managed to follow, even as he chokes back tingling mouth sweats of need. 

Shame wells up in Eddie, hot and acidic. The idea of talking to Wayne for another second while he has his stolen pain medication sitting in the pocket of his jeans is too much to handle. 

The scream of the screen door announces Eddie’s presence as he steps out into the porch, body moving without his conscious instruction, thrumming with the need to flee. It feels like he’s watching their conversation from a million miles away, mind flimsy and vaporous, as he says, “It’s been nice catching up, Wayne, but we have to go.”

“So soon?”

“Yeah. Sorry. Come on, El.”

Eddie turns at the bottom of the stairs, guilt thrumming behind his ribs like a caged hummingbird, alight with the panic of being trapped, but even that is smothered by the siren song of the drugs in his pocket. The promise of oblivion they hold in their tiny chalky capsules. “But maybe you could come by for dinner or something, soon,” he mumbles. An olive branch of sorts, to soften the blow of him running away like his house is on fire, and maybe it is. Burning down from the inside out.

Wayne stares at him, and there must be a thousand thoughts rioting behind those inscrutable blue eyes. Eddie can’t read any of them. Never has been able to. Never will be able to, because he came into world missing that link that lets him connect with other people so easily. 

“That would be nice, Eds,” Wayne says, voice low and even, and Eddie nods once, even though he knows he won’t be able to look his uncle in the eyes for a long, long time. 

Read on Ao3

[aryanightshade]

i am aware that this is... illegible

you can blame @thistimearoundmp3 for inflicting this upon your eyes

@tenfives @silverluminosity @ariaadagio @lucks-eterna @twelfthbite

Handwriting tag game -

write out your blog(s), some character names, any WIP(S) and tag others to do the same 😊

Thanks for the tag @agirllovespasta

Tagging - @rebel-without-cause-x @ottosuricato @softi92 @cutesiewoojin @sadeyesgf @angelreyesgirl and @ly--canthrope

[king-kaneki]

good luck with your studies! stay focused :-)

Thank you! ^-^ I needed that!

[harringtonisms]

people like us

pairing: steve harrington / eddie munson summary: Five times Amanda Driscoll hears about Mr. Harrington’s wife and the One time she realizes it’s his husband. warnings: some angst in #4 and a slight coming out (to herself) arc, hinted at homophobia (nothing explicit) word count: 7.5k a/n: (10/18/2023): a little after a year from the original post date, i decided to go back and edit it. it's still the same story any rereaders know, but all the little plot holes and issues have been fixed and there's 200 more words to read! thank you for reading &lt;3

(og note): this is based off of this post i made! i will be doing a second part to this that follows eddie's bandmates and meeting steve! i hope you enjoy and any feedback, likes, reblogs, comments, ask, are all appreciated!

Read it on AO3

taglist: @zed-zeppeli @valenschmidt @expectocrucio @rel312 @jonathanbyersbbg @beeing-stuupid @ataztuv @noahzanehethey @ludabug @mavernanche @casualherolightbailiff @purplebellybell @phenomenal-bird @persephone13 @gleefully-macabre @darkqloszed @the-baby-goblin @aryanightshade @jojobeaner @specialagentslut-24 @goodomensgurl

1.  Monday, August 21st, 1995

Amanda was not one to be late, especially on the first day of school. Her steps echoed in the empty hallway as she rushed to her first period class. In one hand she held a tardy slip. In the other was a ripped piece of notebook paper detailing her homeroom class in smudged blue ink. 

Mr. Harrington

 U.S. History

Room 114

Having lived in Hawkins her whole life, she’d been attending the same middle school her older sister and both parents attended. This made her rather familiar with the staff at Hawkins Middle and yet she hadn’t recognized Mr. Harrington’s name. Reaching her classroom, she grabbed the handle and pushed it open. 

All the desks were arranged in groups of four and there were four groups. Hanging from the ceiling, were pieces of laminated paper designating each desk group a number. The walls were covered in different iconic historical quotes, maps of the worlds, and black and white photos of people Amanda assumed were important. On her teacher’s desk was a small globe, a pencil cup, and a clay pot full of various origamis. Her teacher was leaning against his desk, in the middle of a speech when he was interrupted by the squeak of the door being opened. All eyes landed on Amanda and she squirmed under her peers' watchful gaze. She walked shyly over to Mr. Harrington and handed him her pass. 

“Ah, Amanda! Welcome to U.S. History. Uh, here! Grab a syllabus and there’s a free seat at table two! I’m just telling the class a bit about myself.” He smiled politely at her, and motioned toward table two. At table two, Mary and Lj were sitting on the same side, facing the windows, so Amanda chose the seat across from Lj. She quietly sat her stuff down and paid attention to what her teacher was saying. 

“Like I was saying, I was born and raised in Hawkins. I walked these very same halls you did once before! It’s actually where I met my current partner, I just didn’t know it at the time. I started at Ivy Tech college before I transferred to Indiana State Teachers College to get my degree. I lived in Chicago with my spouse for a few years and taught at the local high school, before we moved back this past summer to take care of their dad and here we are! I’m also the coach for the basketball team so information about try-outs will go up soon. Now, enough about me. If you’d take a look at your syllabus…”

Mr. Harrington’s voice faded into ambient noise in the background as she looked around her classroom. He’d met his wife right here in this building, and he didn’t even know it at the time. The person Amanda would marry could be sitting right in front of her and she’d never know until she was finally with them. She glanced around and her eyes landed on Louise-Jane Brooks, or Lj as she was typically called. Amanda immediately looked away, a fierce blush painting her cheeks the same color as her hair. That happened almost every time she looked at Lj. How weird is it that someone she’s known since kindergarten made her so nervous? The sun fitted itself through the blinds behind Amanda and illuminated Lj, like she had her own personal spotlight shining down on her. Brown skin, long braids, deep dark eyes turned to honey, and freckles left over from summer time glittered underneath the light and it stirred up something within Amanda that her mind had trouble reconciling with.

“Any questions?” Mr. Harrington’s voice cut through the Lj related fog in Amanda’s mind and her hand immediately shot up.

“You said you met your wife in middle school. How did you know she was the one?” Amanda forced her eyes to stay on Mr. Harrington despite the strange urge to look back at Lj. 

“Well I didn’t know I’d marry them in middle school. I didn’t know that I’d marry them until way after college. We met in middle school. We were desk partners in our science class and they taught me how to make origami out of our homework sheets.” He picked up the little clay pot on his desk and pulled out what looked like a pencil. “They made me this little pencil for my first day teaching here.” He returned the origami pencil and the clay pot back to their spot on his desk and looked back out toward his students. “Are there any other questions?...No? Alright we’re gonna head down to the library and grab your textbooks so line up!” 

A symphony of chairs screeching against the ground and whispering voices erupted as the students lined up by the door. Much to the delight of Amanda, Lj ended up in front of her. Lj was wearing a baby pink dress with white polka dots and white flats. Amanda tapped Lj’s shoulder and waited for her to turn. She turned and Amanda had to ignore the warmth in her cheeks as she spoke.

“I like your dress!” Lj’s smile grew in response to Amanda’s compliment.

“Thank you, Amy. It has pockets!” and she stuck her hands into the pockets of the dress to show them to Amanda. Amanda went to say something but the line had started to move so she kept her response to herself. 

2. Friday, September 15th, 1995

In the weeks that passed, Amanda found herself looking forward to her first period class more and more. Mr. Harrington made learning about history much more fun than her previous teachers had. Though they had to check out the textbooks in the library provided by the state, Mr. Harrington told them to stack them along the window sill and they sat there everyday, untouched. In class, he told them the real history and explained what actually happened, what the textbooks glossed over or lied about. Instead of reading page after page in their textbooks they got to do fun projects creating poster boards, making dioramas, and even creating their own political cartoons. 

Amanda has also been early everyday. She was sitting in her regular seat waiting for class to start, when two boys walked in, talking excitedly about some band she’d never heard of. 

“Did you hear about the first Corroded Coffin show last night in Indianapolis? Apparently people were camping outside the venue for 2 nights to try and score tickets! I want to see them on tour so bad!” Mr. Harrington peaked his head up from the paper he was writing on and joined the boys’ conversation. 

“You guys like Corroded Coffin? I know those guys, we all went to high school together.” Mr. Harrington said. He looked off to the side, brows furrowed as he thought about something. “Maybe I can ask them to come for career day in October?”

The two boys gasped excitedly and started asking their teachers questions about the band and how he met them. Mary, who sat diagonally across from Amanda, sighed. Amanda watched, Mary, who had her head in her hands, gazing dreamily at Mr. Harrington. 

“Isn’t he just so handsome, Amanda?” Mary said, turning to look at her. Amanda wrinkled her nose in response. Sure, Mr. Harrington wasn’t ugly but she couldn’t see what it was about him that made all the girls trip over themselves. No matter if they were in the cafeteria during lunch or in the library for study hall, she was subject to hearing theories of what Mr. Harrington’s wife looked like, and whispers of ‘She’s so lucky’. Amanda didn’t get any of it. Still, she wanted to fit in, so she pretended. He wore the same style glasses that she did, so at least she could compliment him without lying. To herself or her classmates.

“Um, I like his glasses.” She replied. Avoiding Mary’s piercing gaze, she decided pulling her pencil bag out was a smart move. 

“I don’t know, Amy,” Lj said, looking up from her book. “I think Miss. Rosario is prettier than Mr. Harrington. She would never come to school with her shirt so wrinkled.” Lj glanced at Mr. Harrington once more before going back to her book. Mary flipped her long, blonde hair over her shoulder, before she raised her hand. Next to her, Amanda’s eyes were glued to Lj. Miss Rosario was pretty. Super pretty. If everyone was talking about that, she’d understand one hundred percent. She forced herself to look away when Mr. Harrington started speaking. 

“Yes, Mary?” 

“You don’t normally come to school with your shirt so wrinkled. Why today?” She asked. Mr. Harrington looked down at his shirt and inspected the wrinkles and huffed. He was wearing a plain blue and white striped polo, and jeans since it was a friday. 

“Thank you…for pointing that out, Mary. For your information, normally my partner irons my shirts every morning while I make breakfast, but they’ll be away for the next month on a work trip, and I was in a rush and forgot to do it.” He walked back around behind his desk and grabbed the hawkins middle hoodie that was hanging on the back of his desk chair and put it on. “There, Now no one can see the wrinkles.” He raised his eyebrows, as if to say ‘is this okay’ and Mary nodded as she giggled

“Why does your wife always iron your shirts? Why don’t you iron your own shirts and she makes breakfast?” Janet asked. 

“Well, Janet, if you must know, they like to pick out my clothes, and I’m the only one who can cook so it just works out.” Mr. Harrington replied. A few awws came from the crowd and he waved them away. “Yes, it’s all very sweet and domestic and all that jazz. Now, who can tell me where we left off yesterday.” 

 3. Tuesday, October 3rd, 1995

“Yo, Mr. H, what’s that thing on your nose?” It was right before class began, and Mr. Harrington had just turned around from writing their new essay prompt on the board. Right in the center of his face was a scratch, from the bridge of his nose to underneath his eye. Amanda was by the door, sharpening her pencil for the lesson.

“Well Good Morning to you too, Gerald. That thing on my nose is a scratch. My partner came home for the weekend and we ended up adopting some kittens last night. Three of them actually, so in the whole mess of transporting 3 kittens back to our home…” He gestured to his face and then shrugged. 

“What did you name the kittens?” A voice said from the back. 

“Sabbath, Kirk, and Abba.” His lips pursed, as if he was trying to suppress his smile. 

“Why those names?” Amanda asked before she could stop herself. She recognized Abba because her older sister was always blasting it through her walkman, but the other two names were unfamiliar. She assumed they probably also had to do with music but she wasn't sure what they were references to. 

“Well Sabbath and Kirk are nods to my partners favorite bands. The last cat was named Abba because I occasionally play them and my partner loves to tease me for it. Says I need to be introduced to ��real music’.” Mr. Harrington had an exasperated look on his face, but you could hear the fondness in his voice as he talked about his partner. He glanced over at his origami pot, which Amanda noted now had a black cat added to it. She spun to walk back to her desk with her newly sharpened pencils when Lj walked into class, beating the bell by a few seconds and immediately caught Amanda’s attention.

“Woah, Amy! You wore your hair down today?” Lj said, and stopped when she saw the redhead by the door. Amanda typically kept her hair in a ponytail and her bangs neatly trimmed just above her eyebrows to keep her curls from falling into her face while she worked. Today though, she had a black and white striped headband settled behind her bangs, the rest of her curly hair falling down to her shoulders. “I really like it like this. You look extra pretty.” Lj offered her a small smile and made her way to her seat. Amanda's hand flew to her hair and her jaw fell open a bit, eyes tracking Lj’s movements as she walked away. 

Lj thought she was extra pretty with her hair down. Extra. Like she always thought Amanda was pretty, but with her hair down…she was more, pretty. Additionally pretty. Especially pretty. Her gaze slowly left Lj and landed on Mr. Harrington who was watching her with an expression on his face that she couldn’t quite place. He shook his head in amusement and then pointed to her desk with his chin. It took her feet a few seconds to catch up with her brain and move, but she made it to her seat. As she sat down, Gerald called out to her teacher.

“Wait Mr. H, I’m confused. Why did y’all get 3 kitties in the first place?” Mr. Harrington sighed and ran a hand down his face, wincing when he made contact with the scratch. 

“We couldn’t separate the siblings. Or, my partner didn’t want to separate them and…who am I to stop them. So we got three kittens.” His eyes widened like he still couldn’t believe it. 

“Will you bring them in so we can meet them?” Kendra asked hopefully. Amanda knew she wanted to be a veterinarian so it made sense that she’d ask. That was the cool thing about going to school with the same kids all her life. She knew so many little things about them and what their aspirations were. Gerald was out of this world smart so he’d decided he would either be a lawyer or a doctor, whichever paid more. Mary wanted to be a famous actress, Janet loved science, and Lj was a writer like no other. 

Amanda imagined hanging out with Lj in the future. Lj as a world famous journalist for the New York Times and Amanda working somewhere with numbers. They would both live in New York because Lj would want a friend there and they’ll live in the same apartment to save money and they’ll share a room because what if it’s lonely and she’ll get to wake up to Lj and fall asleep with Lj and grocery shop with Lj and

Amanda sat up straighter in her seat and shook her head as if to shake those thoughts out of her mind. She reminded herself to leave those types of thoughts to when she was alone and tuned back into the ongoing conversation.

“Sorry Kendra, can’t do that. I have a kid in my third and seventh period classes with allergies to fur.”

“What if your wife brings them, and then after this class period, she takes them back home?” Someone else suggested. Mr. Harrington chuckled to himself and dropped his head, letting it hang for a moment.

“That won’t be possible, they’re on a work trip, remember. Maybe I’ll bring a picture in so you all can see.” He offered, looking around to see if that would appease his students. 

“But we want to see your wife! You’re always talking about her!” That comment came from Mary. Mr. Harrington laughed again and Amanda wondered what was so funny. 

“Ok ok, I see what’s going on here. You’re trying to get me to talk about my personal life so we don’t start those essays today huh? Unluckily for you, I was a student once so I know all your tricks! Come on, let’s get class started.” A few tried to protest, but eventually they grabbed their notebooks and flipped to fresh pages. 

As Amanda worked, her hair continued to fall into her face. She resisted the urge to tie it back into its signature ponytail, instead opting to tuck her hair behind her ear constantly. Louise-Jane Brooks thinks Amanda Driscoll is extra pretty with her hair down and Amanda decided it was normal to want another girl to think she’s pretty, so she kept her hair down.

 4. Friday, October 13th, 1995

“Mr. Harrington, what was high school like for you?” 

That day, the eighth grade class had a field trip to the high school now that their first marking period was nearly over. The class was pretty chatty now that they were back in their classroom waiting for the dismissal bell to ring. They were all standing around Mr. Harrington’s desk, a few sitting on the student desks behind them. They quieted down when they heard the question asked. 

“I was pretty popular in high school, was co-captain of the swim team, fought some monsters, skipped prom, then I graduated and met the love of my life.” Mr. Harrington was staring upwards, like he was checking off an imaginary list in his mind. Immediately, a gaggle of questions were shouted out at him. His eyes widened in shock and he put his hands up in surrender. “Woahhh guys, one a time, let me see some hands. McKenzie, what’s your question?”

“I thought you met your wife in middle school?” A few ‘yeah’s came from the group as they recalled what Mr. Harrington told them on the first day of class. 

“That is technically right. I did meet them in middle school and we were friends for that science class we shared. Then we drifted apart until after I graduated. We reconnected during the whole fighting monsters thing after high school and ever since then it’s been me and them.”

“What do you mean by fighting monsters?” Another person asked. Mr. Harrington only shrugged. His arms, which were hanging down by his sides, wrapped around his stomach. “Whatever you think it means, Kevin.”

“He’s probably talking about some game or movie,” Someone commented from the back of the group to their friend. Mr. Harrington didn’t acknowledge them, only staring out the window. The kids begin to break off into separate conversation when the bell rings to dismiss for the day. 

“Hey Amy,” Lj said, approaching her as the crowd started to disperse and leave Amanda, Lj, and their teacher behind. Mr. Harrington yelled out a ‘See you tomorrow and made good decisions!’ as he sat back behind his desk. The two girls were standing in the aisle between table one and table two, a few feet from the front of Mr. Harrington’s desk. She noticed her teacher start to look for something on his desk. 

“I’m surprised you’re still here, normally you're first out the door.” She commented. Amanda smiled at the thought of Lj paying that much attention to her.

“I have Chess Club afterschool today so my mom will get me at four. I don’t have to catch the bus.” Lj hummed in acknowledgement before speaking again.

“So…I just moved to a new house, and I finally finished decorating my room. If it’s okay with your mom, my mom said I could invite people over now.” Lj had a delicate smile on her face as her fingers played with the hem of her t-shirt before being stuffed into the pockets of her jeans.

“Um, yeah of course! I’d love to! How do I tell you if my mom said it’s ok?” Amanda said, smiling so widely she knew her cheeks would ache later. 

“Uhhhh,” Lj looked around, before taking a few steps and grabbing a marker out of Mr. Harrington’s pencil cup. Amanda trailed behind her. Lj grabbed Amanda’s arm and wrote down a series of numbers on her forearm. Amanda could see that Mr. Harrington was now fumbling for something within his desk. Lj let her hand fall from Amanda’s forearms to her hand. 

“There. That’s my home phone number, just call me when you ask your mom! I hope she says yes. I got this jewelry making kit so we can like, make bracelets and stuff! Bye, Amy! Call me! Even if you can't come over!” Lj squeezed Amanda’s hand before letting go and walking out the classroom. 

Amanda was rooted in her spot, the path LJ’s fingers took burned into her skin. Having feelings for Lj had gone from manageable to completely unbearable from that one interaction. How was she supposed to walk around everyday not aching to touch her again? To feel the weight of Lj’s hand in hers and have her small, kind, infectious smile directed at Amanda. Her fingers traced the numbers on her arm as she reimagined her Saturday plans. She was shaken from her daydream when a throat cleared. Her head snapped to the source of the noise, and she met eyes with Mr. Harrington. Realizing he watched that entire interaction, her smile dropped. She knew exactly what he was thinking. It was the same things her parents whispered in the kitchen when they thought she was asleep in the living room.

“That wasn’t what it looked like. I don’t have a crush on Lj.” Mr. Harrington only raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips. 

“I…I didn’t say you did.” He replied. 

Amanda’s cheeks burned a deep red as she realized he didn’t say that. He didn’t say anything. She assumed she knew what he was thinking and just dug herself into a hole. She looked away embarrassed, feeling the burn of restrained tears behind her eyes. She’d just come to terms herself with what those feelings inside her meant. She wasn’t ready to deal with what it meant to openly like girls. But now she’d have to, Mr. Harrington was going to tell her mom. 

“Please don’t tell anyone,” She whispered, looking away when a few tears fell. Mr. Harrington’s eyes widened in shock. He jumped up from his desk, walked around to the front, and kneeled in front of Amanda.

“Hey, hey, hey don't cry. I won’t tell anyone anything you don’t want me to. There’s nothing for me to tell, Amanda. Promise.” He reassured, his hands flailing about in front of him as he spoke. He offered a comforting squeeze on the shoulder before shifting to sit criss-cross in front of his desk, using it to lean on. 

Amanda watched Mr. Harrington as he sat on the floor and made himself comfortable. He looked up at Amanda and patted the spot next to him. She sat down with him, legs stretched into the aisle in front of them and her back pressed up against Mr. Harrington’s desk. She took her glasses off and wiped her eyes, and Mr. Harrington pushed his glasses into his hair and began to speak. 

“If I may ask, what is it… that I'm not telling?” He asked, voice gentle. 

“I don’t think you’d understand.” She said, voice shaky with unshed tears. 

“Maybe…maybe not. But you never know unless you tell me. If you want to, of course.” He said as he watched Amanda carefully.

“How do you feel about your wife?” She asked him, finger aimlessly prodding at the linoleum floors. 

“My partner is the best gift that I could have ever been given. They’re the most gorgeous person I’ve ever laid my eyes on. The kindest, most compassionate, and genuine person I know. And they’re hilarious, they make me laugh like never before. I used to dread going home, but now that they’re there, I can’t wait to get back to them everyday. Everything leads back to them, and I’m never not thinking about them, or missing them, or loving them. They are the center of my universe and every planet surrounding it.” 

The two sat in silence for a moment after. Amanda wondered what it would be like to love a girl so fully. To love a girl so much that her mere presence made the stars shine brighter and air seem crisper. To love a girl, and be free to tell anyone who asked. 

“I want,” she started. “I want to be allowed to feel that way about a girl.” Amanda nearly whispered the end of her sentence, the force of hearing her voice admit that out loud for the first time knocked the air out of her.

“You are allowed to feel that way about a girl.” Mr. Harrington said, shifting to face Amanda better. She turned to look at him, red rimmed eyes meeting earnest ones. “My best friend and her wife moved to San Francisco so that they could. They’re much more open minded out there. When I lived in Chicago, you heard about people like us out there way more than you did here in Hawkins.” Amanda’s brows knitted in confusion. 

“People like us?” She asked. Mr. Harrington nodded. 

“People like us,” He confirmed. Amanda let the weight of both their confessions settle in the air. Other people felt this way. Mr. Harrington did. And so did his best friend and her wife. And the people in San Francisco and in Chicago. She wasn’t the only person who felt. Amanda let her worries be temporarily soothed by the comfort of knowing she wasn’t a freak or a mistake. She wiped her eyes again, put her glasses back on, and pushed herself off the floor. She looked up at the clock which read 3:12. Chess Club started in three minutes. 

“I have to go, I don’t want to be late…but thank you, Mr. Harrington.” Amanda said, voice quiet. 

“Anytime, Amanda. My door is always open.” And she didn’t doubt that. Not many people in Hawkins knew how she felt, but Mr. Harrington did and that was more than she thought. 

 5. Monday, October 15th, 1995

When Amanda walked into her homeroom class the following day, the first thing she noticed was the new poster up by the chalkboard. It was a plain beige rectangle with rainbow patterned letters, spelling out “YOU ARE SAFE HERE.” Amanda’s breath caught in her throat. Her eyes immediately searched for Mr. Harrington, but he was busy talking to one of her classmates. She walked to her seat, reveling in the warmth that grew in her chest from how nice it was to be cared for like this.

As Amanda placed her arm on her desk, she felt the delicious bite of the gems on her bracelet sink into the skin of her wrist. She lifted her wrist to inspect the new jewelry she made with Lj. There were pink, orange, and red beads patterned on her bracelet, while Lj’s had a pink, blue, and purple pattern. Both bracelets however, had “LJ&AMY”. Her right hand came up and she ran her fingers over the beads, and smiled fondly as she remembered her weekend with Lj. Memories of bracelet making, pizza, karaoke, and sharing a banana split sundae filled her mind. Amanda looked ahead of her and saw that Lj was already staring at her. She smiled at her and waved shyly. Lj giggled and waved back. 

“I like your bracelet,” She said, smiling back at Amanda. Amanda stuck her hand wrist out proudly to show off the bracelet Lj helped her make. 

“Why thank you, it’s custom made, one of a kind,” She laughed again, but was interrupted by one of her classmates yelling over the chatter in the classroom. 

“How was your weekend, Mr. H,” Gerald asked. 

“It was pretty good. I went down to Lovers Lake with my partner and they had a picnic set up. It was very sweet. They even made me a flower crown by hand. We also saw some of our friends from back in the day.” He responded.

“Wow, Mr. H, your wife sounds mad sweet.” Gerald responded, his fingers absentmindedly twirling one of his locs. 

“Right,” Kendra piped in from the back corner. “Everytime you say something about her it’s always something so gentle. Like she taught you how to make origami, and she irons your clothes, made you adopt all those cats, now a picnic at Lovers’ Lake and a handmade flower crown? She’s like, the sweetest woman in the world.” Kendra said, recalling all the kind things Mr. Harrington’s partner did for him.

“I wish you guys paid this much attention to what I say when i’m teaching, how did you even remember all of that?” Kendra only shrugs and Mr. Harrington sighs. “Anyways, what about you guys, what did you get up to this weekend?” Immediately Lj’s hand went up and Mr. Harrington called on her. She reached her hand out to Amanda, who immediately clasped her fingers around Lj’s.

“Well Amy came over to my house and we did a bunch of fun stuff like go to the mall and get pizza, but we also made these matching bracelets.” Lj then stuck their conjoined hands in the air so their classmates could see the bracelets, even if it was a bit awkward with all that space between the two girls. 

Amanda’s grin grew impossibly bigger and she looked at Mr. Harrington who raised his brows in pleasant surprise.

“That’s very nice girls, my partner and my best friend have a matching pair of purple converse that they decorated together actually. Janet, what about you? How was your weekend?” Mr. Harrington went on, letting his students tell him all about their weekend before they started class. Amanda couldn’t pay much attention to what her classmates were saying though, savoring every second Lj kept her in hand in Amanda’s.

“Don’t you think it’s kind of weird how Mr. Harrington never just says ‘my wife’?” Mary whispered to her tablemates. Amanda froze for a moment, considering Mary’s words. Lj squeezed Amanda’s hand before letting go and picking up her pencil to take notes since Mr. Harrington was now starting the lesson. Amanda didn’t follow her lead. Instead, she ran back every time Mr. Harrington brought up his wife. 

“Then I lived in Chicago with my spouse for a few years…”

“...normally my partner irons my shirts every morning…”

“Everything leads back to them, and I’m never not thinking about them, or missing them, or loving them.”

Why didn’t Mr. Harrington just say ‘my wife’ instead of ‘my partner’? Why did he always say ‘they’ instead of ‘she’? Amanda’s mind reminded her of their conversation afterschool on friday. 

“When I lived in Chicago, you heard about people like us way more than here in Hawkins.”

People like…us. 

Her eyes darted to the new poster hanging up in their class. You are safe here. Her eyes drifted to Mr. Harrington as the realization dawned on her. Why Mr. Harrington was so specific about how he referred to his partner. Why he didn’t have a picture of them on his desk like her other teachers do. 

Mr. Harrington…doesn’t have a wife. He has a husband.

 +1. Tuesday, October 16th, 1995

It was career fair day so after lunch instead of heading to her algebra class, Amanda met up with Lj in front of the gym to browse all the different jobs that came to present that day. She almost tripped over her feet in excitement once she spotted Lj. She quickened her pace, nearly running over one of the 6th graders. The two girls embraced before linking arms as they walked into the gym together. 

They stopped by the doctor table and the accounting table, and ran past the construction table giggling. They visited the journalism table so Lj could talk with the woman there. She had a short, curly bob and a name tag that read “Miss Wheeler”. Amanda looked around and spotted Mr. Harrington toward the back of the fair talking with another man with unruly, curly hair. The long haired man smiled at Mr. Harrington and knocked the educators shoulder with his own. 

Amanda told Lj she would be right back and headed in their direction. Upon arriving, Mr. Harrington’s friend stepped away from him and approached Amanda. He was wearing a t-shirt that said “The Devil Was Once an Angel” and ripped black jeans. He had many rings on his fingers and various chains hanging off his belt loops. He had multiple tattoos all along his arms and stuck to the front of his chest was a name tag that read “Mr. Munson”.

Looking at his display, she saw a speaker, quietly playing metal music and a black and red electric guitar on a stand next to it. There were pictures of the long haired man on stage with 3 other guys and a notebook open with what looked like song lyrics. Next to the notebook, there were some tickets for a band called ‘Corroded Coffin’. Amanda racked her memory trying to remember why the name sounded familiar. 

“Amanda!” Mr. Harrington greeted. He turned and faced Mr. Munson. “Mr. Munson, this is that student I told you about. Amanda, this is Eddie Munson, lead guitarist, lead vocals, and songwriter for his band.” Mr. Harrington looked at Eddie proudly, and placed a hand on each shoulder, in a weird sort of side hug.

“Thank you for that lovely introduction, Mr. Harrington,” Mr. Munson said, grinning widely. He then turned to Amanda. “What kind of music do you listen to, Red?” He had his hands clasped together, his two pointer fingers pressed against his lips. 

“Uhh, I guess I listen to a lot of pop music. My older sister introduced me to someone called Madonna? I mainly listen to my sister's old tapes so whatever she has,” Amanda responded. 

Mr. Munson gasped, dramatically clutching his hand to his chest where his heart would be. 

“Oh you poor thing! You’re a lost little sheep, just like Stevie here. He only listens to whatever’s on the top 40. AKA, Not. Real. Music.” She giggled and Mr. Munson smiled at her in a way where she knew he was only teasing. Amanda could see Mr. Harrington roll his eyes but smile, as Mr. Munson grabbed the speaker that was on his table. He pulled it closer to the front of the table so she could hear the music playing better. Mr. Munson looked around quickly before whispering to Amanda. “You won’t tell anyone if this song says any bad words will you,” His questioning gaze turned into a devilish grin when Amanda smiled and shook her head. “I knew there was a reason you were his favorite” Her feet tapped in excitement as she glanced quickly to her teacher. 

Mr. Munson turns the music up slightly and lets the heavy bass and electric guitar fill the air around them. 

“That is my band's latest single, ‘Trials’. It’s about some stuff that your teacher and I went through back in high school.” He said.

“You guys knew each other in high school?” Amanda asked, bewildered. How did her polo-wearing, mr. popular, not a hair out of place history teacher become friends with a man so completely different from him?

“Well we knew of each other in high school, we were friends in middle school for a little while. We reconnected around this time of my senior year. 1986, can you believe that was 10 years ago, Stevie?” Where had she heard that before? Where did she know this man from? She can’t recall ever seeing him before, so why do his words sound so familiar? Amanda pushed those questions out of her head, and instead decided to ask him questions about his work since that is what he was there for.  

“Do all the inspirations for your songs come from your life? How do you not run out of things to write about?” Amanda asked. 

“What a wonderful question, Red. I do get a lot of inspiration from my real life. Take this weekend for example, Me and Mr. Harrington—or Mr.Harrington and I, Miss O’Donnell would kill me if she heard me say that.” Mr. Munson said that last part to Mr. Harrington before he turned back to Amanda. “Like I was saying, Stevie and I went out to the lake and afterwards we got to meet up with some of our old friends. I got some inspiration from that experience to write about reminiscing on good times. The song that just played for you right now, is also about the past but it’s about how the past changes us today. So while I may use the same base for songs,...” 

Amanda started to lose focus as Mr. Munson explained his songwriting process. Mr. Harrington also said he was at Lovers’ Lake with his partner and that he met up with old friends this weekend. She understood them hanging out as old friends, they knew each other since middle school apparently. But how could Mr. Munson have been at Lovers’ Lake too? 

Amanda looks at Mr. Harrington, opening her mouth to ask a question when she stops herself. Mr. Harrington. That’s who she’s heard this from before. She looked back at the tickets on the table. “Corroded Coffin” She realizes that’s the band he was talking about that one day. She runs her entire conversation with Mr. Munson back in her mind matching it to the things she heard Mr. Harrington say in class. 

‘’The last cat was named Abba because I occasionally play them and my partner loves to tease me for it. Says I need to be introduced to ‘real music’”

“You’re a lost little sheep, just like Stevie here. He only listens to whatever’s on the top 40. AKA, Not. Real. Music.” 

“We reconnected during the whole fighting monsters thing after high school.”

“We reconnected around this time of my senior year.”

“Stevie and I went out to the lake and afterwards we got to meet up with some of our old friends.”

“I went down to Lovers Lake with my partner…We also saw some of our friends from back in the day.”

Amanda looked away from the table, looking between both Mr. Munson and Mr. Harrington. Mr. Harrington was watching Mr. Munson as he explained something Amanda wasn't paying much attention to with rapt fascination. His eyes were soft and his smile was adoring. His arms were crossed casually across his chest and he leaned slightly toward Mr. Munson, like the musician had a magnetic pull on him. 

Like Mr. Munson was the center of his universe. 

Amanda gasped loudly, effectively cutting off Mr. Munson’s spiel and drawing attention from a few of the neighboring tables. They all turned away when Amanda’s face broke into a wide grin, assuming her gasp was from excitement. Both Mr. Harrington and Mr. Munson were staring at Amanda with confusion on their faces. 

“Are you…okay, Red?” Mr. Munson asked as he stepped backwards to inspect Amanda, consequently getting into Mr. Harrington’s personal space. Her history teacher didn’t budge when there were only a mere few inches separating them. She peeked around them, searching for Lj and finding her talking to Gerald in front of the lawyers table. She turned back to the two men in front of her and kept her voice low when she spoke. 

“Mr. Harrington doesn’t have a wife,” She paused for dramatic effect, something she learned from Mary, and let the two men share a glance before looking back to her. “He has a husband.” She clapped her hands, excited by her discovery. It all made sense now. Realization washed over both Mr. Harrington and Mr. Munson. They looked at each other, Mr. Munson pursing his lips to suppress a smile and Mr. Harrington with both hands on his hips and an exasperated look on his face.

“How did you piece that together from my presentation?” Mr. Munson asked, head tilted in amusement.

“It wasn’t your presentation, it was the stuff you said before you started talking about the music. Mr. Harrington talks about you all the time in class. The stuff you said right now matched up to what Mr. Harrington said before and all the signs, the poster, ‘People like us...It just clicked right now. What all that meant.” Amanda said, hands waving wildly in front of her. They froze mid-air when another realization washed over her. Her eyebrows knit up in confusion as she looked Mr. Munson over once more. 

“You…with the tattoos, and the rings, and the chains, and the all black clothes…adopted three kittens? And you iron Mr. Harrington’s clothes every morning? And planned a picnic out on Lovers’ Lake? You taught Mr. Munson to make little origamis? Made him a flower crown? That was you? But you look so…” Amanda paused looking for the words. Mr. Munson glanced over his shoulder at Mr. Harrington with the widest grin she’d ever seen. “You look so, not the type.”

“I told you all those years ago, Stevie. Forced conformity. It’s killing the kids.” He turned back to Amanda. “It’s 1995 Little Red, people are so much more than their stereotypes.” 

Amanda stared at Mr. Munson, soaking in all the new information, when another question popped in her mind. 

“Wait. If you’re both boys, how did you get married?” She kept her voice low, so the other tables wouldn’t over hear her. Mr. Munson crouched down to Amanda’s level. 

“Well, to the government, marriage is a piece of paper saying ‘This is who I chose!’. And tax benefits. We didn't need a piece of paper and a big fancy party, though we did have one, to say that we chose each other for life. I love him. And the government doesn’t get to tell me if that’s okay or not, it is okay.” Mr. Munson then looked up at Mr. Harrington from his spot on the floor. They shared a look, one that said a million more words than they’d be allowed in such a public place.

Amanda looked away from them, the connection between the two becoming almost suffocating. It was so surreal to be standing in front of two people who understood what she was going through. They went through it already and came out the other end. They were living breathing proof that it’s not always this hard, and it’s not always this confusing. That one day you’ll be able to wake up every morning next to the love of your life, no matter their gender. You’ll get to visit your favorite spots from your childhood as you grow old together. That we get a fancy wedding and the promise to be together forever too. They were proof that our fate isn’t subject to becoming a forgotten name in the newspaper for a case the police won’t try to solve. People like us, get to have our happily ever after, and Amanda was looking right at one. She couldn’t quite put into words what that meant to her.

On top of that, Mr. Munson wasn’t anything like she’d expected. Besides the fact that she was expecting a woman up until yesterday, he wasn’t anything like she expected for someone who presented themself like he did. He was kind and gentle while being loud and dramatic. He picked flowers for his husband with the same hands he used to shred electric guitar. He was unapologetically himself, even if that confused some people. Amanda looked forward to the day she could say the same about herself.

Mr. Harrington offered Mr. Munson a hand, and helped him off the floor when Lj approached the table. 

“There you are Amy, I was wondering where you went,” Lj immediately reached for Amanda’s hand and interlocked their fingers, like she couldn't go another second without touching Amanda. Mr. Munson offered a small, knowing smile.  “Are you done here? I heard the veterinary table is giving out cookies shaped like dinosaurs!” 

Amanda looked away from Lj and back up at Mr. Munson and Mr. Harrington. 

“After the promotion ceremony, and we’re officially high schoolers…am I still allowed to come back and say hi?” Amanda asked. Sure, it was only October but Mr. Harrington had already changed her life in such an irrevocable way. When she gets her first girlfriend or when she moves away to find people who are like her, it’ll be because Mr. Harrington was the first person who told her that it was okay and that she wasn’t alone.

“Of course, Amanda. Come back anytime! I’d love to hear about how high school goes for you. Even beyond that!” Mr. Harrington said. They shared a smile, and she let Lj pull her away. 

“So you talk about me in class all the time, huh?” Mr. Munson teased as Amanda walked away.

“Go back on tour,” was her teacher's reply.

—

I don't know if i really have the words to explain what this fic means to me and how cathartic it was to write. Thank you for reading <3

[allhailthemightyquattro]

Laura’s Deckerstar Fic Recs (Part 8)

You can find the complete list (minus rec notes) at my Ao3 Bookmark page.

Disclaimer: These recs have no real ranking and are simply being shared in the order in which I bookmarked them. And just because I say more about some than I do others, does not mean that those fics are “better” or that I like them more.

It’s Not The End Of The World by SpinnerDolphin (Good Omens crossover)

Rating: Teen Status: Complete Word Count: 1,277 (1 chapter) Author’s Summary: Chloe really wishes that Lucifer had told her that he had a son BEFORE said son shows up in the precinct with dire warnings that somehow concern her sex life. She'd say 'like father like son,' but that might end poorly. Nice kid, though.

Rec Notes: This is a very amusing, light-hearted one-shot in which Adam has just learnt about sex ed and travels to LA to warn Lucifer and Chloe not to make another antichrist. Definitely a must read for those who like both Lucifer and Good Omens.

No One Steals From The Devil by violent_ends

Rating: Explicit Status: Complete Word Count: 5,390 (1 chapter) Author’s Summary: Chloe notices that Lucifer's eyes turn red whenever he gets particularly jealous and possessive of her, so she decides to push him over the edge, because why the hell not.

Rec Notes: Got a kink for Lucifer’s red eyes? Don’t mind a bit of jealous/possessive Lucifer? Then you should definitely read this fic! The fic is restricted, though, so you can only view it if you are logged into an Ao3 account.

Honey and Sulphur by Arlome

Rating: Teen Status: Complete Word Count: 2,455 (1 chapter) Author’s Summary: Lucifer can still smell the fumes of Hell, even seven years after his escape.

Rec Notes: A nice 5+1 fic which gives us some nice introspection from Lucifer and highlights his love of Earth, his inability to ever truly be rid of Hell, and, lastly, his hatred of Heaven.

Of Honey, Sulphur, and Bone by aryanightshade

Rating: Mature Status: Complete Word Count: 34,633 (4 chapters) Author’s Summary: During the fight with Peirce, Lucifer underestimates Pierce’s ruthlessness. It’s just for a second, but one second is all it takes for it all to go wrong. Or, once again the Sinnerman takes Lucifer to the desert, but this time they have company.

Rec Notes: Another great example of Cain being the big bad crime boss villain he supposedly was. The first chapter is mostly scenes from the Season 3 finale, but it deviates from canon near the end, setting up the rest of the story. A warning, though: if you don’t like whump, this is not the fic for you.

Angel in the Streets by LuckyDragon

Rating: Explicit Status: Complete Word Count: 60,305 (15 chapters) Author’s Summary: Chloe has never been one to give up without a fight, and she will do whatever it takes to find a way to bring Lucifer back from Hell. Meanwhile, in Hell, Lucifer too searches for a way out, one that won’t leave Earth and all of his loved ones defenseless. The two of them plan to find their way back to each other…

...but when we make plans, God laughs.

Rec Notes: Honestly, this fic is worth the rec just for the pun alone (”Angel in the streets, Devil in the sheets”), but there are so many things that make this fic great. You have: winged!chloe, Lucifer thinking Chloe is dead and all the angst that comes with that, Ella finding out the truth and then going into major “science nerd” mode, Lucifer meeting John Decker, Michael being a dick, reunion smut, and of course the aforementioned pun.

[thewollfgang]

Do you, by any chance, still do fic recs? If so, do you know any good fics with lucifer being kidnapped? (If not, ignore me, and hope you have a nice day!)

i sure do, whenever someone asks for em :) Please mind the ratings and tags and be a responsible reader, some of these are pretty dark.

Here are some I’ve enjoyed:

Castaway by  ariaadagio // @ariaadagio

The Devil is real. A sentence Chloe Decker never believed until Lucifer Morningstar burned out her skepticism with his hellfire eyes. It's a "Hell" of a reality shift, but Chloe realizes she may not have time for gradual acceptance when she discovers that one of the bodies in her most recent murder investigation isn't human. Worse still, the next target might be Lucifer. A story that begs the question: who prays for Satan? [Post-S3 finale continuation. Deckerstar.]

Caging the Devil by Hircine_Taoist

Instead of flying away with Chloe, the bullets, and thus the cards, fall differently for Lucifer and the Detective. Trapped and fearing for the Detective's life, the Devil threatens to do all he can to send Hell to Cain. Pierce realizes his best chance of living out the rest of his days is to keep Lucifer imprisoned and vulnerable. While their friends desperately search for them, Cain seeks to keep the two locked away. Forever.

Keeping a clever detective and the Devil caged, however, is no easy feat. Meanwhile, Chloe and Lucifer are more vulnerable than ever, and forced to face some uncomfortable truths about their relationship while still trying to assure they both survive.

Of Honey, Sulphur, and Bone by aryanightshade // @aryanightshade

During the fight with Peirce, Lucifer underestimates Pierce’s ruthlessness. It’s just for a second, but one second is all it takes for it all to go wrong. Or, once again the Sinnerman takes Lucifer to the desert, but this time they have company.

The Chain by petrichorishly // @petrichorishly

Roadtrips solve everything, right? So, things should work out fine, when Chloe takes Lucifer on a roadtrip to Vegas after ignoring him for two weeks straight.

give me mercy no more by nosecoffee // @nose-coffee

(that's a kindness you can't afford)

She’s backlit from the lights in the shelving, and she looks almost ethereal. She’d punch him if she knew he was thinking something like that. “And why would someone kidnap you just to dump you in the desert?”

Lucifer has to admit it’s a good point. “Hope that I'd overheat?”

Domini Canis by WhenFandomStrikes 

When a strange and mysterious group of religious zealots known as the Domini Canis come to Los Angeles in search of the divine, they manage to kidnap Lucifer, Amenadiel, Charlotte and Chloe. The results of which brings a lot of secrets out of the dark and into the light.

[ariaadagio]

Aria’s Long List of Lucifer & Deckerstar Fic Recs (Part 6)

Hello, all!  It seems like it’s about that time again to continue my fic rec series!  I haven’t had a ton of time to read since the S4 finale because I had a pretty hellacious summer, after which I’ve been so focused on writing.  Hence why this has taken so long.  

DISCLAIMER: These recs are organized by author, and the order is not meant to imply an order of preference.  All recommendations are completed fics unless otherwise noted.  If anyone knows the @ tumblr names for any of the authors I missed tagging, or if I got anything wrong, please let me know.  Lastly, this is just a list of things I’ve read that I really enjoyed, and I want to spread the love.  That’s it.  Period.  It’s not politics, and I have no ulterior motives, okay?  

NOTE: You can find my previous five rec posts here (part 1), here (part 2), here (part 3), here (part 4), and here (part 5).

And, so, without further ado!

The Devil Goes to Shul by @arlome.  Deckerstar.  7k words.  Post-S4.  In which Lucifer meets a Rabbi.  This is such an interesting commentary on the differences between the various Abramahamic religions’ perceptions of the Devil.  Rabbi Schulman is a well-drawn, fascinating, fantastic character.  A fic that’s great food for thought, with a dash of good humor, and a little smut thrown in for good measure.

Of Honey, Sulphur, & Bone by @aryanightshade.  Deckerstar.  35k words.  Post-S3.  In which the end of 3x24 goes a little differently.  Cain captures both Lucifer & Chloe and takes them prisoner, absconding with them to his bunker in the desert.  This fic has some graphic blood and gore scenes, so be wary if that’s a trigger for you, but the revelation; Chloe’s dueling panic, doubt, and empathy; the beautiful hurt/comfort; and the emotional pulse of this story makes for a riveting read.  

The Ghosts of Picnic Table #29 by @elleflies.  Deckerstar.  Maze & Chloe.  ~50k words when completely posted.  Post-S4.  This story is technically a WIP because it’s still in the process of being posted, but it’s already completely written, and I know it’s good because I betaed it and got to see how it all ends up, so I feel confident recommending it, now.  A year after Lucifer departed, Chloe is still grieving his loss, when an unusual case at a haunted picnic table crops up, and she enlists Maze’s help to investigate.  Lots of female bonding and fun in this story.  And a ton of emotional intimacy and mutual pining for Deckerstar when Lucifer mysteriously starts showing up in Chloe’s dreams.  

Boom by emynii & @obliobla.  Lucifer & Dan.  4k words.  In which Lucifer & Dan get trapped under an exploded building, and the only thing that’s stopping Dan from being crushed are Lucifer’s fanned out wings.  Cue revelation.  Cue platonic Douchifer stuff.  And have some hurt Lucifer and hurt Dan to top it off.  A lovely mix.  

Trouble by Design by @hiromystory.  Deckerstar.  Lucifer & Dan.  76k words.  Originally recommended as a WIP, now it’s done!  A post-S3 Deckerstar scenario told in novel form. My favorite thing about this story is actually the author’s in-depth exploration of how Dan might react to a Devilish revelation.  Hint: not well.  Hiro deftly tackles Dan’s feelings about some of the questionable stuff he’s done through the lens of him now knowing the punishment that awaits him, and it’s both captivating and heart wrenching.

Guilt by liannabob.  Deckerstar.  22k words.  Post-S3.  In which Chloe doesn’t take the revelation of Lucifer’s devil-ness all that well, and dire consequences ensue.  This fic.  Was.  So.  Angsty.  The idea of Lucifer slumming in Hell loops for things he loves about Earth is just ugh.  So good.  And awful at the same time.  But in a good way.  And I promise the payoff for this angst is so touching and very worth it.  

Patrick the Bartender Is Not Paid Enough for This Shit by liannabob.  Patrick.  15k words.  Canon-compliant S1 fic.  I know, I know.  Patrick, you’re saying.  Who the hell is Patrick?  Remember way back in the S1 pilot, when that bartender pops up from behind the bar, after having given Maze some head, and Maze is all cat-caught-the-canary, “You can go, Patrick.”  Yes.  That Patrick.  This fic basically takes that character who never got a single line and gives him a whole personality and backstory and POV.  The premise of this fic is that pretty much every employee at Lux low-key knows (and is fine with the fact) Lucifer is the actual Devil.  And it’s.  AMAZING.  HYSTERICAL.  And PERFECT.  If you never read another OC fic in your life, at least give this one a shot.  You won’t regret it.

Smoke & Mirrors by @theleafpile.  Deckerstar.  80k words.  An all-human mobster AU.  In which Lucifer is the Devil of Los Angeles, and Chloe is still a homicide detective for the LAPD, who gets involved with him against her better judgment.  This fic manages to maintain the integrity and essence of the characters we know and love, while simultaneously transporting them to an entirely new premise, and I loved it.  I love theleafpile’s lyrical writing style.  And I love the little bits of mythology she injects that suggest … this “all human” AU might not be what it seems on the surface.  It takes a special kind of writer to pull off this kind of transformative AU, and theleafpile does it aplomb.

The Free Parking Jackpot Rule by lilith_morgana.  Deckerstar.  3.8k words.  Interstitial, canon-compliant S3 fic.  Offers a little bit more context for the unicorn Trixie painted on Lucifer’s cheek in S3 on monopoly night.  A concentrated shot of angst, with some lovely characterization to boot.  

The Delusional Devil by @maimat2.  Deckerstar.  25k words.  Late S2 era.  A casefic case-study on Chloe’s empathy.  Based on the premise that she naturally assumes Lucifer’s wholly human self has some kind of mental trauma or disorder.  When Lucifer starts acting more … more, she assumes he’s losing his grip on reality.  I loved the touching way this story delved into Chloe & Lucifer’s friendship, and of course I loved all the hints of Lucifer’s otherness, which were tempered by Chloe’s human perceptions.    

I Will Fear No Evil by @miahclone.  Lucifer & Dan.  18k words.  An interstitial S4 piece, arguably canon-compliant until proven otherwise.  In which Lucifer & Dan are taken prisoner by some cultists, and Lucifer is subjected to an exorcism that goes horribly wrong.  WARNING: if you suffer from emetophobia, this fic will be extremely triggering.  I don’t have emetophobia, and I still got a bit queasy.  There is also some pretty graphic blood & gore.  This is quintessential whump.  But this is well worth a read if you’re a sucker for Dan & Lucifer platonic bonding, hurt Lucifer, hurt/comfort in general, endings that make you go, “Whoa! New head canon!” and humor in the face of shit circumstances.  Which I very much am.  So.  There you go :D

De Profundis by @mswyrr.  Amenadiel & Lucifer.  3k words.  Post-S4.  Amenadiel offers Lucifer a solution to the problem of Hell needing to be ruled by an angel.  A beautifully written brother-bonding fic, and, honestly, I think it’s the most straightforward way to fix how S4 ended. 

Time Heals All Wounds by @notonelineff.  Deckerstar.  23k words.  Post-S3.  Fills in the blanks for how things could have gone after S3.  Lucifer is in dire need of medical aid, and Chloe tries to help.  Satisfying hurt/comfort, and a lovely resolution.

Ouroboros by @pandainthestars.  Deckerstar.  3k words.  Events happen slightly differently in 4x09.  Chloe & Lucifer chase after Kinley.  Lucifer goes full-Devil when they’re in pursuit, not when they’re at Lux, which prompts some very interesting/poignant discussion between Chloe & Lucifer.  I loved Chloe’s assertion of the ouroboros metaphor.  A quick, angsty read.  

A question of faith by @pixelbypixelfanfic.  Ella & Lucifer.  2.1k words.  A post-reveal fic for Ella, in which Lucifer & Ella discuss her faith.  A poignant, thoughtful little piece that I really enjoyed.  

Soup Kitchen by @tarysande.  Deckerstar.  1k words.  Speculative scene-replacement, S4.  A heart-wrenching little interstitial scene for 4x03 that looks at how things may have gone if Lucifer hadn’t already been pushed by Father Kinley into doubting Chloe’s intentions.  

my definition of holy (changes with each loss) by @thewollfgang.  Deckerstar.  3k words.  Post-S4.  So … this fic doesn’t end happy.  At all.  Beware if that’s a problem for you.  But if you want some delicious, cutting, heart-wrenching angst to roll around in for a while, this fic is your jam.  The concept of Chloe praying to Lucifer intermittently, giving him updates, sending him her love, as she lives her life on Earth, and he’s stuck in Hell is just … oh, my god, my heart.  

drunk in love by @thewollfgang.  Deckerstar.  4k words.  Post-S4.  This fic isn’t in alphabetical order with wollfy’s other fic on this list, but I’m doing that intentionally, because if you want a happy ending for the previous nuclear angst bomb, I recommend head-canoning this as your ultimate resolution, where Lucifer & Chloe are reunited, and everything is gooey and perfect and the world is puppies and kittens.  I live to see tipsy Lucifer & Chloe at Lux through the perspective of their friends/found-family.  I hope we get something like this in S4.

The Trouble with Brittanies by @theyahwehdance.  500 words.  A hysterical little ficlet in which Lucifer calls Chloe and asks for help with the Brittanies.  I saw this ficlet evolve from a live discussion that made me laugh so hard my belly hurt.  I mean, it’s an honest misunderstanding ….