#as if its not enough that ive got a bazillion st*ddie fics completed on ao3

[paint-music-with-me]

This movie hasn't even come out yet but I am thriving in the chaotic potential it has as a Steddie AU.

It's called Ticket to Paradise and its premise is: divorced couple go to their only child's wedding and try to sabotage it due to their own insecurities about why they got married to begin with.

Listen I know it sounds weird but idk I love it? It's very exes to lovers trope and I love the trailer!

Now hear me out:

It's years down the line, I wanna say, maybe Dustin is in his early 20s right? He decides to marry Suzie for sake of plot.

He moved out of Hawkins for college, while Steve is stuck where he is. So that distance is felt and it makes Steve feel like shit though he tries to push it aside.

Meanwhile Dustin made a new friend called Eddie in college. Obvi, D&D club. Ofc Dustin gushes about Eddie to Steve and Steve obvi gets a bit jealous.

So lo and behold, Dustin sends a wedding invitation to Steve, out to Hawaii or some tropical paradise, ok? And ofc Dustin names Steve as his best man yay! And he's also sharing that title with Eddie so there's that. (Steve tries not to dwell on that a bit)

When Steve arrives, he gets all ready to meet this Amazing Eddie Munson that he's heard so much about. And when he actually meets him?

Boom! He was a goner! Absolute love at first sight....though he won't ever admit it because oh wow, Eddie is a bit of a firecracker.

He won't lie, Steve does feel a bit out of place. Dustin has these new friends and he can still get in groove with everyone from Hawkins. Steve feels like it's already an honor to be named Best Man, he didn't need to be vying for Dustin's attention. He can't help but fade in the background until

Eddie just won't let Steve be alone. They get into all kinds of messes around the island! One time when Steve wanted to swim in a secret pool he found in the tropics out of the resort, obvi Eddie followed - it was full of leeches. Another time they were supposed to do a scavenger hunt - they got lost. When they had to do a performance for the bride and groom, they accidentally threw a shoe at the DJ and knocked them out (they didn't perfect their choreography).

Bottom line is that this wedding was the most fun that Steve had in a long time. All the feelings of inadequacy and loneliness faded when he was with Eddie.

Maybe - just maybe - coming to Dustin's wedding alone wasn't going to be the downer fest he thought it would be.