#bff!Dustin Henderson

[shybunnie20]

Bff!Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader x Bff!Dustin Henderson

★My Masterlist

Summary: The last thing you want is to bring your friends down with you, so you decide against telling them how much you've been struggling. They find out in the worst way imaginable.

Author's Note: Thank you for another request, Anon! Writing this was cathartic because I got to channel aspects my personal experiences. I hope that reading this provides similar relief to you, reader.

Not suitable for sensitive readers! Heavy angst with a bittersweet ending. No use of Y/N. Inspired by the song Sara - We Three.

Word count: 4.8k

Warnings: MDNI 18+! Depression and anxiety, self-harm (cutting), panic attacks, suicidal ideation and attempt (overdose), substance abuse, includes swearing.

Do not proceed if the warnings are triggering for you. Read Down & to the Left instead, it has a similar theme but it's far less intense.

There are people in this world who have the luxury of not knowing what it’s like to experience mental illness. From the outside looking in, depression is nothing more than being exceptionally sad. Unsolicited advice comes with such naivety. A myriad of superficial solutions to a hardship that isn’t quite so easily soaked away by a candle-lit bubble bath or intensive exercise.

You’ve been dubbed as moody, complicated, and sensitive. These surface-level generalizations only go to show that your friends can’t possibly understand what you’re going through. At this rate, it’s not worth trying to explain the corrosion eating away at your cheeks from the tears.

Because of this, you continue the everlasting game of bloody knuckles. You have yet to say “mercy,” but god knows, you’ve come close. With one foot in the grave, you daydream about what your funeral will be like. Does anyone even care enough to know what your favorite flower is for the floral arrangements? Not likely.

In order to make it trickier for your demons to find you, it’s essential to drape a sheet over your bedroom window. Instead of them getting to rip you apart limb by limb, you dissolve into your blankets in the dark. The quietude instills a false sense of security that you hold near and dear. Sometimes it feels like that’s all that you have.

Is it lonesome? Sure. But you don’t ache for another person’s presence. When it comes down to it, apathy is what you want. Christ, what you wouldn’t give for it to swallow you whole already.

It’s common knowledge that in art mediums, blue is considered to be the color of sadness. Although, for you, it isn’t. With a flesh piercing blade as your brush, bright crimson is drawn to the surface—your canvas.

Looking in the mirror is the only way to see such a gallery of inconsistent markings. The reflection looking back at you is nothing short of a mocking image of everything you’ve failed to be.

Perhaps you’re a sucker for devastation because frankly, smiling feels unnatural. Any flicker of happiness feels repulsive and out of place. You’ve accepted that it’s just not an emotion you’re meant to experience.

At one point you’d felt envious of those who live vibrantly and carefree. You quickly learned that’s not the life you’re meant to live. As if assembled with faulty parts, you’ve always felt defective.

It’s a lot to deal with, and it has been for some time. That being said, you haven’t been going through this unaccompanied. Dustin and Eddie have always had your back. You couldn’t ask for more reasonable best friends.

Considering that you don’t open up to just anyone, you do find a little comfort in knowing that you have the option to confide in these two dorks.

The panic attacks have been occurring for a while. Somehow, the boys figured out how to help you through them. Dustin has gotten especially adept at detecting the symptoms before you’ve noticed them yourself.

However, their awareness doesn’t go beyond your experience with anxiety. You’d think that they could piece together the rest. But at the end of the day, they’re simple creatures.

Even though it’s right under their noses, they don’t realize the gravity of what you’re dealing with. You refuse to drag them into the darkness with you. They don’t deserve exposure to turmoil of this degree.

You didn’t think it was humanly possible to feel any more exhausted than you already did when you woke up this morning. Yet, another demanding day at work has proven otherwise. Not only has your brain turned to mush, but your body has followed suit. More than anything you want to lay in bed to sink into yourself. Luckily, you’re only moments away from doing so.

Colliding keychains and metal jingle while you try to insert your key into the front door’s lock. The metal slips from your shaky fingers and clatter as they hit the ground. You sigh exasperatedly and bend over to scoop up your keys. After doing so, you’re successful in your second attempt at letting yourself inside.

���Surprise!” 

The beaming expressions of Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, and Robin are convincingly mirrored on your face. You don’t even feel the disingenuous curl of your lips imitating a smile. It’s all instinct at this point.

Your eyes take in the room that’s been decorated with bundles of balloons and a handmade banner. “Oh, wow. You guys, this is-”

The sound of a party horn unfurling with a crinkle and honk causes you to jump in your skin. Dustin, having just bounced into view out of seemingly nowhere, insisted on hiding.

“You little shit,” you sigh amusedly, wrapping your arm around his shoulders to hug him with a squeeze. “I take it that you’re the mastermind behind this?”

Dustin tries, but fails to dodge your opposite hand that’s extended to tousle his coffee-colored curls. “I couldn’t let my party planning skills go to waste. It turned out awesome, if I do say so myself,” His eyes twinkle with a sense of achievement while they actively search yours for approval.

“Everything looks great, Dusty Bun. Thank you,” Your arm is still draped around his shoulder, so you give him a squeeze. He cringes at the use of his pet name as you make your way across the room to greet the remainder of your guests.

Nancy is perched on Jonathan’s lap while Robin is on the opposite end of the couch, which leaves the middle cushion available for you. As much as you don’t want to be this close in proximity to anyone right now, your body is far too sore to stand for much longer. Steve pours everyone’s beverages of choice and has Dustin deliver them from the kitchen. It takes a minute for you to find the ideal spot between your friends where your thighs aren’t touching theirs.

You drown out the lively chit-chat and music by descending into yourself. Birthdays don’t mean shit anymore. They’re simply a reminder that you just spent another 364 days pretending that you’re fine. Your preoccupation with death is always breathing hotly down your neck.

Just as your throat tightens and your eyes are on the verge of watering, the front door swings open. While balancing a carton of candles and a stack of paper plates on top of a pink bakery box, Eddie attempts to shake frizzy curls out of his face. He’s slightly winded from hustling in the hopes of making it back before you did. When his eyes meet yours, the expression of tizzy deflates. “Son of a bitch. I missed it?”

Dustin snorts mockingly while motioning to you. “Obviously, dude. She beat you by a couple of minutes.”

“God dammit!” Eddie throws his head back with a groan. “I was really looking forward to yelling ‘surprise.’ I’ve always wanted to do that.”

Eddie’s pout curls into a grin when he catches the eye roll you give in response to his belatedness. He quickly dresses the cake with candles and lights them with his trusty Zippo. Even with the pep in his step, he manages to approach you slowly enough that all of the candles remain lit.

Steve kills the lights and your friends begin to sing “Happy Birthday.” Not only is Dustin intentionally off-key but he’s ad-libbing through the whole song as well.

For as long as you can remember, you’ve been uncomfortable during the duration of the tune. Rather unsure of what to do with yourself while being serenaded. Are you supposed to be singing along? Where should you be looking? Luckily your counterfeit smile is realistic enough that it’s not obvious how uncomfortable you are right now.

Eddie crouches at your feet while balancing the cake over your knees. He grins sweetly, his honey-colored irises reflecting the swaying flames atop the multicolored candles. “Okay, baby doll. Time to make your wish and make it a good one.” He winks with a nod.

The room is hushed save for the record player continuing to spin a faint melody. You can feel everyone’s eyes boring into you and it makes you want to peel your skin off. All of your friends are buzzing with merriment but you can only think about the unorthodox method of relief you’re desperately craving. What’s your birthday wish? It’s for this to be over already.

You blow out the candles with a shallow breath and the tightness in your throat exacerbates as the dark room swells with clapping and whooping before Steve turns the lights back on. Those few seconds allow you to rid your cheeks of the tears that escaped before anyone can notice.

The last thing on your mind right now is eating cake but you force yourself to do so in order to play the part of being the birthday girl. Everyone is having a blast celebrating your existence while clueless as to how badly you want to die. Even though you’re surrounded by people who love you, it doesn’t quell the provocation from within. You can’t picture anything past this birthday and you’d be content with it being the last one.

To be honest, you’ve never been very good at coping. It’s become impossible to ignore the need to etch into the plush of your thigh. You’re not going to be able to get through the remainder of this party if you don’t get it out of your system. After politely excusing yourself, the pounding in your head thunders and you slip away to your bedroom.

Once you’ve closed the door, you hastily shimmy your pants off and plop yourself at the foot of the bed. A blade is drawn from the top drawer of your nightstand and with a fierce inhale you sink the straight edge into the existing lines to deeply reopen them. Your teeth chew the inside of your lip and a dull ache shoots through your body. This is it, this is how you’re supposed to feel. You’re not meant to feel content, you’re destined to self-destruct. The countdown ticks on, though you don’t know precisely how much time you have left before you finally beg for mercy.

You’re brought out of your thoughts by Eddie’s zestful voice before the door opens. “Are you ready to tear into your presents? We’re-” With his mouth slightly agape, Eddie’s eyes lock onto the blood dripping down the curvature of your calf.

Well, the cat’s out of the bag. You intended to lock the door but failed to do so in your rash state of mind. You try to think of an excuse as if there’s a rational way to dismiss the damaging act. Your thinned forcefield evaporates and tears flood your vision once more. It’s awfully convenient because you can no longer see Eddie’s crestfallen mug.

Without further hesitation, Eddie closes the door behind him. He’s shaking from head to toe, eyes lingering on the bloodied razor blade still pinched between your fingers. He approaches cautiously, removes it from your hold, and places it in his jacket pocket. Out of sight out of mind. Eddie slides onto the bed behind you with his legs stretched alongside yours. After snaking his arms around your shoulders, he gently guides you backward against his chest.

He’s rigid for the first few seconds, but the sound of your wailing reminds him that his intention is to be a haven right now. You cling to him, fingernails digging into his forearms that are folded across your sternum. Eddie squeezes his eyes closed so tightly that the insides of his eyelids are splashed with tingling colors.

Every fighting gasp for air that you take between the silent screams causes panging in his chest as if atomic bombs are going off. He can’t afford to be distracted by his profuse concern because his priority is bringing you down from your heightened state. His mind is racing and yet it feels so blank at the same time. The blood transfers from your bare leg onto his jeans.

Of your friends in the living room, Dustin is the only one who hears the muffled commotion. He strolls down the hall to investigate. “Hey, guyyyys. The super awesome party I threw is out here.”

Eddie is quick to respond before the doorknob turns. “Don’t come in!” He knows Dustin will let himself in just as he had done moments ago. Eddie doesn’t want you to feel even more mortified by Dustin seeing you like this. “She’s not feeling well. Just uh- have everybody go home.”

“Did she hurl or something?” Dustin presses his ear against the door to try and determine what’s happening on the other side. You seemed fine a couple of minutes ago, how sick could you possibly be?

“Dude, please. Tell them she’s too tired for all the socializing tonight.” Eddie shushes you calmingly while you swallow your whimpers to avoid giving yourself away. “And you’ll need to catch a ride from Steve.”

Dustin doesn’t understand why he doesn’t get to stay and comfort you, he’s your best friend too. He cares about you just as much as Eddie, he would even argue that he loves you more than Eddie does. Regardless, he doesn’t bother arguing because judging by the tone of Eddie’s instruction, it’s not up for debate. He rallies your other pals to gather the accumulated trash on their way out. Dustin feels that his effort in making your birthday special was overlooked. He spent weeks planning out your party with the objective of impressing you.

Once the front door slams shut, your mental breakdown resumes in full force. Eddie scoops you up into his lap and rocks you gently. With your head bowed, your hair catches the tears plummeting from Eddie’s eyes. By the time you’ve stopped hyperventilating, your voice is coarse like sandpaper from screaming through the tears. “I’m sorry. I’m so s-sorry.” You whine exasperatedly. Your nasal passage is blocked, forcing you to breathe out of your mouth. It feels like your head is full of helium and the pressure is pushing against your eyes. It’s making it unbearable to keep them open.

Eddie rests his cheek on the crown of your head and exhales steadily to release the pent-up tension. He assumes that you’re apologizing for injuring yourself but that’s far from the truth. You’re not sorry for doing it, you’re just sorry he saw it. Eddie refuses to let go regardless of the pins and needles swarming his legs.

The two of you sit in silence, the only noises being your sniffles and labored breathing. Once the pattern has returned to normal and he feels confident that you can drink safely, Eddie gets to his feet to leave the room. He stops in his tracks when you tug at his hand in protest. You’re visibly troubled by being unattended.

“Sit tight, sweetheart. I’ll be back in two shakes.” Eddie pets your hair and you reluctantly release his hand from your own.

Upon his return, he’s gathered a glass of water, a wet cloth, and your first aid kit. Your arms are far too feeble to support the weight of the glass, so Eddie tips it attentively as you drink. “Thank you,” You say breathily between sips.

Eddie wipes dribbled water from your chin with a subtle hum. After placing the cup aside, he kneels at the edge of the bed. He looks up at you for permission and you nod weakly, wincing when he uses the warm cloth to rid your leg of the dried blood. The site is visibly inflamed so he’s being as gentle as he can. Once the wound is clean, Eddie applies antibiotic ointment and a bandage. Lastly, he presses a barely-there kiss to the site in order to help make it feel better.

He spares you much back and forth, so as to not overwhelm you. “Arms up.”

Ever so compliant, you raise your arms. Eddie pulls your shirt off and tosses it in the hamper. Prior to this evening, being half-naked in front of him would’ve been awkward. Although, having been pantsless up until now, you could give a shit. Being caught doing what you were was more undignified than wearing one less article of clothing would be.

“That’s goin’ too,” he motions to your bra, turning away from you to dig through your dresser.

While you’re tugging off the garment, Eddie runs his palm over the folded pajamas to see which ones are the softest and will in turn be the most pacifying. He pulls out a band tee that he hadn’t realized you’d swiped from him and the corner of his mouth quirks up but he can’t form a full grin.

You take the shirt from his extended reach and pull it over your head. “Okay.” You utter raspily as the cue that you’re decent and he can turn around.

Eddie hands you a tissue because he can hear that you’re only breathing through your mouth. You blow your nose harshly, far too spent to care about how gross it sounds. After clearing your airway with a few tissues, Eddie discards them and then uses the clean side of the wet cloth to wipe the remaining mess from under your nose. “There we go. That’s much better, isn’t it?”

With a sheepish nod, you scoot backward on the bed and lay down gradually, your muscles like stiffening cement. Eddie tucks you under the covers and as soon as your head makes contact with the pillow, your eyes fall closed and don’t reopen.

Minutes after you succumb to exhaustion, Eddie cries quietly to himself. For hours, he lays here watching you sleep and strokes your tear-stained cheek with the pad of his thumb. His eyes remain open, unwilling to rest because he’s fearful that something bad will happen if he dozes off. Eddie needs to guard you, even if that means he has to protect you from yourself. Losing you would be the worst thing that could happen to him.

Despite trying, he can’t get the image out of his head. The scattered scars that surrounded your fresh wound are burned into his memory. This wasn’t a one-time thing. Whatever is going on with you is unmistakably severe enough that you’re hiding it from him and have been for a while.

How is he going to tell Dustin? Maybe he'll leave it at the fact that you’re having a difficult time and omit the part about you hurting yourself. It would positively crush him if he found out. Besides, Eddie doesn’t want to jeopardize everything by violating your trust.

You made Eddie promise not to tell a soul what happened that day, including Dustin. He agreed on the terms that you’d inform him when you need help from thereon out. You wish you could keep your word but that’s easier said than done. How are you supposed to vocalize the wretched things your brain tells you? It’s a language only you can comprehend, it’s meant to torment you specifically. 

You’re not stupid, you know how much that evening shook him up. To put Eddie’s heart at ease you’ve gotten better at feigning that everything is peachy keen. Not dissimilarly, Eddie is playing pretend too. He acts as though he doesn’t see you differently knowing what he does now. Obviously, you don’t want to discuss it so he continues to act like it never happened.

Eddie thinks about it every day and he’s had an abundance of nightmares that replay like an echo. He can’t move past it because not only is he concerned that you’re still hurting yourself, but you’re also refusing to let him in. You’re effectively shutting out the person you’ve told everything. Certainly, if he tried to talk to you about it, you’d remove yourself from his life entirely.

To his credit, he’s right on the money. Not only that, but your state of well-being has worsened. The daydreaming is more vivid and you ponder what the least painful way to go would be. Existing already hurts so much, you want to feel at peace when you rest.

It has surpassed psychological pain nowadays. The entirety of your body is overrun with fatigue. You just want to be free from it all. It’s like a home invasion where anxiety and depression ransack your mind in search of valuables. Anxiety leaves no stone unturned while depression covers your mouth and presses a gun to your temple.

Dustin and Eddie are still your best friends, but you’ve met someone new. Their name is Ativan and god, they’re a treat. Although prescribed as needed for your panic attacks, they offer you access to a realm of serenity that you can’t reach without them.

At the end of every grueling day, the first thing you do when you get home is swig down a tablet. By the time you’ve changed out of your work clothes and crawled into bed, you’re seeping into the dimension that connects this world to another. It feels dense but it isn’t warm or cold and it doesn’t hug nor choke you. It simply carries you away from worthlessness and inadequacy.

At the thirty-minute mark, your brain has melted to slush. Your surroundings smudge together, erasing any previously discernable objects. It’s best to be in bed because with how uncoordinated and sluggish it makes you, you become one with whatever surface you end up on.

The day Eddie caught you, you learned that he truly thinks the world of you. But when it comes down to it, you need to be more secretive in order to shield not only him but Dustin too. You hate that Eddie checks in on you from time to time. You don’t hate that he cares enough to ask, it’s that it pains you to lie every time he does.

Ideally, if you withdraw from your friends subtly enough, no one will feel majorly impacted when you decide to call it quits. People say that suicide is selfish but that’s not entirely true. If anything it’s inherently selfless because you believe that you’re freeing your loved ones of the burden that you perceive yourself as.

Today is another one of those days where you can’t be bothered to get out of bed. You missed your shift at work in its entirety by having slept for 14 hours straight. It doesn’t matter. You’d much rather lie here to rot, so you did. Asleep or awake, all you can think about is that feeling of pure ease. A state beyond numbness and unconsciousness. Rather, it’s nothingness. That’s where you want to be.

You’re hanging on by a thread worn too thin. The apathy bites at your toes and gnaws its way up your body. Tears well in your eyes and drip onto your pillowcase. You feel nauseated and woozy. Living day after day has slashed you to the point of being able to see through yourself. Your headstone is half engraved, only missing today’s date.

While choking on the reasons why you should give up, there’s no flavor of justification for continuing to live. You subconsciously rip open tallied scabs on your wrist from last night’s bloodletting. The bedsheets run red, blood smearing across your skin. You can’t feel it, it’s not enough. The ringing demand is painfully loud. You have to make it stop.

The brittleness of your lungs causes you to claw for a rickety breath. Spit drips down your chin as your burnt-out throat fails to produce a scream. You clutch the sheets with bloodied fingers. Gotta make it stop. After rolling off of the mattress, your palms hit the floor before you can get to your feet.

You use the wall to brace yourself as you stagger to the bathroom. The medicine cabinet is torn open and rattling fills the small room as bottles fall into the basin below. The thunder in your brain overrides your senses, impairing your ability to see and hear. Your hips press against the sink to keep yourself vertical while you search the cabinet. 

With the desired bottles in hand, you pop the caps and they bounce when they hit the floor. You dump the contents into your palm, balling your fist to ensure that you don’t drop any. You don’t care how many are left, it just needs to be enough. With a few gulps of booze from the bottle tucked beside the bathtub, you throw back the handful of tablets and swallow thickly. The sensation of the bitter liquid searing your throat is tranquilizing in itself, ensuring that solace is soon to come.

Due to your stomach being empty, the shift hits like a whirlwind. You sit on the cold floor with your back against the side of the tub. The tears stop, your heart rate slows, and an unfamiliar warmth washes over you. Finally, the urge is satiated. As the full-body trembling ceases and the earth stops turning, your eyelids seal as you melt in the stillness.

Your phone rings twice only moments after you’ve taken the pills. Ten minutes later your front door opens and slams shut.

Dustin toes off his sneakers, eyeing Eddie while he does the same. “If she’s working late shouldn’t we just wait for her to get home? I don’t think she'll appreciate us being here unsupervised.”

Eddie shakes the spare house key he snagged from its hiding place. “She won’t even know we were here. We’re just gonna dig around real quick. My lighter has got to be here ‘cause I’ve looked everywhere.” He ties his hair back with a rubber band and shucks off his denim jacket.

“There’s no way you looked everywhere.” Dustin remarks, earning an annoyed look from Eddie.

“Yeah, no shit. That’s why we’re here, genius.” Eddie commences the hunt by lifting couch cushions and tossing around the decorative pillows.

Dustin fake scours for a beat before heading toward the hall.

“Where are you going?” Eddie dramatically shakes out a throw blanket as if it’ll make his Zippo appear like a magic trick. 

“Bathroom.”

“Seriously? I told you not to drink a whole can of pop.”

“Well, I did.” Dustin crosses his arms defensively. “And if I hold it any longer I'll spontaneously combust. Do you wanna have to clean that up?”

“Gross, no thanks.” Eddie tosses the blanket back on the couch, neglecting to refold it. “Just hurry up and don’t touch anything.”

“Why would I?” Dustin squints.

Eddie mirrors the teen’s prickly body language. “Uh, ‘cause you’re nosey as hell.” He states matter-of-factly.

“Am not,” Dustin calls out as he pivots down the hall. He stops in the doorway to the bathroom, met with the sight of you slumped on your side. “Eddie…”

“What? Found it?” Eddie cocks his head at Dustin’s statue-like stance. He approaches and peeks into the bathroom, then abruptly brushes past Dustin to get to you. Eddie’s knees bruise from the sheer force at which they smack the porcelain tile. He guides you to sit upright but your unsupported head rolls forward. “Nononono shit shit shit!”

When he scoops you up into his arms, he feels the subtle warmth of your skin against his own. Still alive. Thrust into panic mode, Eddie repeatedly taps your cheek to elicit a reaction but to no avail. Tears pour from his eyes as he secures your head to his heaving chest. “Go call for help!”

Dustin doesn’t flinch, his mouth hanging open and eyes unblinking. Utterly frozen in carbonite as he witnesses his best friend dying on the bathroom floor.

“NOW!” Eddie booms pressingly.

Dustin dashes away to dial 911. In the meantime, Eddie cradles you and sobs. “We’re here, sweetheart. We’re here now.”

After all this time, the way you’ve been feeling has finally broken the surface. Your emotions are now presented in their rawest form, revealing how broken you’ve been feeling.

“Hurry, Dustin!” Eddie beseeches through a wet cough. The tears cascade from his cheeks onto your limp body, soaking into the fabric of your shirt. “Just hold on for me, okay?” His voice cracks, “Please don’t go.” The knot in his stomach is taut while he focuses on the jagged passing of air through your nostrils.

He kisses your temple and nuzzles his blotchy cheek in its wake. “Please, god. Please please please… don’t take her from us.” Eddie is doing his damndest to keep you from slipping away by stimulating you with his voice and touch. A faint rattle spills from your throat, your brain is convinced that you’re floating but you’re sinking fast. “Dustin!”

On cue, he reappears in the doorway with puffy bloodshot eyes and a wet sheen trailing from his nose, pooling in his Cupid’s bow. “They’re on the way.”

“We gotta keep her warm,” Eddie sniffles with glossily desperate eyes. Dustin gets on his knees and complies. The two of them cocoon you in their body heat until the paramedics arrive.

The boys are forced out of the bathroom and they stand in the living room to stay out of the way. Dustin is enveloped in Eddie’s trembling arms. He buries his face into the crook of Eddie’s neck to dampen the sound of his unbridled blubbering.

Eddie shields him from looking as you’re wheeled out of the bathroom on the gurney. He has to be strong for Dustin because you couldn’t say the same for yourself.

Dustin grabs fistfuls of Eddie's shirt and tugs so hard that the seams snap. “She’s gonna be okay, right?” He rasps with a saturated cry.

“Yeah-” Eddie refuses to think for even a second that it’ll just be the two of them from now on. You’re a part of the unit, it’s meant to stay that way. He tightens his embrace, holding Dustin impossibly closer. ”She’s stronger than both of us combined. She’s gonna pull through this, I know it.” 

Author's Note Cont.: Eddie and Dustin are so proud of you for trying your best every day, even when it doesn’t feel like you have much to show for it.

Reblogs are greatly appreciated! ♡

★My Masterlist

★Ko-fi ♡

[atmilliways]

Wrong On The Money (11-12)

parts 11 & 12 of ?? | 1076 words | Teen+

Blackmail fic on Ao3 | on tumblr

Summary:

Giving the kids rides home from Hellfire meetings is wreaking havoc on Steve’s gas money. It also involves the double-edged sword of Eddie being there.

11.

Giving the kids rides home from Hellfire meetings is wreaking havoc on Steve’s gas money. It also involves the double-edged sword of Eddie being there. Two birds, one stone—but seeing him always stirs up feelings in Steve’s chest that he doesn’t know what to do with, so the audience isn’t ideal. 

“About that total,” Eddie says one night, in the hurried rush between the kids piling into the Beemer and exchanging bills so either no one saw or the older club members assumed it was a simple drug deal. “I need to charge interest.”

Steve pauses, peering at Eddie, whose expression and body language carry more of the tension from their first run-in than he’s seen in a while. His first instinct is to ask about his uncle, but he’s not supposed to know about that and doesn’t want to get Dustin in trouble for telling him.

So much for a straightforward total. There’s some jewelry in his parents' room that his mom hasn’t missed in months, and probably won’t ask about whenever she bothers to stop by the house next. Maybe he can sell it, help both Eddie and himself out.

“Sure, why not,” Steve sighs. 

It’s Eddie’s turn to stop and frown at him. “Really? No protest, just like that?”

Steve angles a thumb over one shoulder, pointing back at the Beemer right as one of the kids (his money, if he had any left, would be on Mike) gets to the horn. “No time,” he says with a tight smile of his own.

The car honks again as he turns to go. He was right; Dustin has shotgun, but Mike is the one leaning up from the back seat to lay on the horn. 

“Mike! Patience, dictionary, look it up!” Shaking his head, Steve starts towards the car at a brisk pace, throwing a quick “See you next week, Munson” over his shoulder.

12.

What the fuck was that, what the fuck was that?

“What the fuck was that?”

Jeff’s voice mirroring his exact thought makes Eddie jump at least half a foot in the air. Gareth and Frank are already headed to Frank’s car, a fact he notes with confusion because—

“I told them you’re giving me a ride,” Jeff explains. “Figured it’d give you an opportunity to share about whatever’s going on with you and The Hair lately.”

“There’s nothing going on,” Eddie mumbles, jamming both hands deep in his jeans pockets to tuck the wad of bills he’d palmed from Harrington safely away. He slouches off towards his van where it sits alone in the deserted parking lot.

“Then he’s shit at buying drugs,” Jeff shoots back, following, “because he didn’t take anything with him. Come on, Eddie, how long have we been friends? I was right there getting that rabies shot with you after you tried to house train a raccoon, man.”

Eddie gets in and starts the van, looking anywhere but at his friend. “What are you poking at this for? Let it go, it’s not that big a deal.”

Yes it is. Yes it is and I am in over my head, I am so in over my head it’s not even—

“Dude,” Jeff says flatly. “I can see you thinking a mile a minute.”

So Eddie cracks. He drives out to the middle of nowhere and parks in a field, and tells Jeff everything, hardly stopping for breath the entire time. He outs Harrington, which he's literally being paid not to do. He outs himself (which, nothing against Jeff, but he was kind of hoping to get the fuck out of Hawkins before anyone besides his uncle found out). He talks about how the doctors keep extending the time Wayne is on the medication, not happy with some sort of results from blood tests, and having to ask for interest.

“And he’s going to do it,” Eddie says, winded by disbelief of this fact as well as everything else that's tumbled out of his mouth like a goddamn avalanche. “He didn’t even ask how much. That must mean—I must have really intimidated him, right? What if I’m ruining his life?”

“Oh bull,” Jeff scoffs, finally elbowing a word in edgewise. “Nothing I saw tonight implied he thinks you’re intimidating. Look, wait a minute—did you just say you’re gay?”

Eddie freezes. “I . . . sort of did, yeah.”

“. . . And the best you can do is a crush on Steve Harrington? 

He flushes, pulling clumps of his hair to cover his face with both hands—mortified, but also hiding a manic grin. They’ve been friends for years, and while Eddie hadn’t expected Jeff to call him a fag and spit in his face, it would’ve been too much to expect this kind of easy acceptance.

That done, he starts patting his pockets for a joint, because god he needs one. “Uh, apparently? He’s, I mean, he looks like that, but. . . .”

“But a total douchebag,” Jeff supplies. “Man, I get it, most of the girls in this town would call me a nerd or have their boyfriends beat me up as soon as look at me.” He pauses, accepting the joint when passed to him with a look he sometimes gets when trying to puzzle out one of the traps Eddie's set in a campaign. “You’re right though, it’s weird. I never would’ve guessed blackmail because he didn’t even seem, like, mad.”

Eddie pounces on that, nodding hard. “Yeah, exactly! You know, he never even asked why I wasn’t worried that he’d tell people about me? I had an answer all lined up too, I was going to be all—” he drops into one of his villain character voices, low and gravelly— “Everyone knows I’m a freak already, they don’t need confirmation. You, on the other hand, are prime real estate for the gossip mill to go to town on.”

Jeff smirks. “Well, that’s true. But you’re only threatening to tell his girlfriend, right?” When Eddie nods again, he simply shrugs. “So, maybe he’s not worried that she’ll spread it around. I know Buckley from band class, she’s decent. Could explain why he’s so relaxed about the whole thing.”

“But then why is he paying?” Eddie wails, getting both arms in on the question. 

“No idea. Maybe all that hair is weighing down on his brain.”

“Fuck off,” Eddie grumbles, but he doesn’t mind. It's a relief to tell someone, even though he's still not sure how to feel about the whole mess.

[jaegerisim]

Dustin and Lucas are the only characters that have had an incredible relationship and insane chemistry with every character they've interacted. I said what I said.

[11eleven-hopper]

[avengers-rule103]

you know one of maybe the silliest things that's thrown me after everything in season 4 is people saying they ruined Dustin and Steve's relationship, like they were just mad at each other all the time ect, and i'm like... you guys... have you never had a friendship where you just affectionately mock each other? because imo that's the best kind of friendship, and yeah there are lines which we see Dustin draw in the car waiting for Max when Steve's like "keep talking about it and i'll punch your teeth out again", Dustin told him it crossed a line, Steve apologised and they were friends again. 🤷‍♀️ like if anything i think their relationship is better than ever through season 4, i loved their banter, i loved their teasing, i thought it was great. ya also gotta remember that Dustin is growing up and he is gonna make new friends and have new opportunities come his way that aren't always going to involve Steve, that doesn't mean he and Steve aren't gonna continue to be friends, it just might not be in the same way that we saw earlier in the show.

[hislittleraincloud]

Can't forget the Henderson Hugs ✊🏽💕✨

Xander Harris in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as played by Nicolas Brendon

Joey Tribbiani in Friends, as played by Matt LeBlanc

Enid Sinclair in Wednesday, as played by Emma Myers

Ultimate Ride or Dies, Part 3/?

Big Hugs edition

[spirit-meets-the-b0ne]

God I love Dustin Henderson so much man, I know Will is in love with Mike because only a deeply down bad homosexual would be able to say Mike “is the heart” when Dustin is alive and in the party. Dustin is the one constantly mediating in S1 between Mike and Lucas, he’s even insecure of his own newness to the group when he conciliates. Because even though the party are all HIS best friends he is able to rationalize why they might have a hierarchy based on seniority. Mike makes it clear that isn’t the case. It’s partly why Dustin is quicker to accept Eleven and partly why he’s so open to including Max “as the new kid” because that was him once. Dustin’s iconic “she’s our friend and she’s crazy!” Dustin and Lucas having parallel deviations from their code of honor in ST2 and Dustin being (so dramatic ik) literally ready to fall on the sword for his misdoings. Dustin basically involving Steve out of necessity but then cultivating that relationship to make Steve a good friend, Steve who had the shittiest friends in high school and attention for all the wrong reasons. Steve never had a true friend in his life and then some 12 year old basically gave him a crash course. In ST3 when Dustin earnestly challenges Steve’s socially conditioned need to be seen as cool only for Steve to become bffs with a band geek. A band geek who is also a lesbian that Steve would rather be seen as a rizzless hack of a womanizer than out her to anybody, even Dustin. All of Dustin and Steve. Dustin going from calling Steve a douchebag, to Eddie saying the kid worships him and thinks he’s a total badass. Dustin who in ST4 is once again demolishing social norms of high school vs middle school because FUCK, his friend is in middle school! His friend Erica, his comrade Lady Applejack, is a black girl in junior high and he dgaf what anyone thinks about it. ALL OF DUSTIN AND ERICA. Dustin teaching Erica to embrace her inner nerd, to Erica staunchly declaring “I’ve bled with him!” When asked if she knows Dustin. Dustin who is the FIRST person that Max goes to when shit hits the fan in ST4 because god damn dude Dustin is the heart. Dustin’s unwavering support of Eddie even when the evidence is stacked against him, Dustin always believed in Eddie Munson. Dustin is the only one who truly offers Wayne condolences. He is the friend of all friends. Dustin is constantly carrying the party through crisis and discomfort, he’s dedicated, he’s unabashedly caring, and he’s the character that is able to socially move across the board in every direction. I fuckin love this little curly haired drama king because these geeks would be LOST without him!!! If Dustin isn’t the heart; he’s the Central Nervous System, he’s the nucleus, he’s fucking vital to not only the party but every other tertiary character of importance. He’s constantly inspiring and providing direction. He’s a goofball, he’s wise beyond his years, he’s a lover and he’s a fighter, he always has a plan and he always has a bad idea, he’s the voice of reason and the resounding falsetto alarm of things gone wrong, he’s never done anything wrong ever in his life, one time something ate his cat but besides that. He’s my heart of the show damn it!

[stevie-petey]

we don't talk about it (we don't have the time)

﹂ season one of “come home”

being dustin henderson's older sister and jonathan byers' best friend is usually an uneventful affair, but when will byers goes missing and a girl with a shaved head claims she has super powers, your duties as a sister and a best friend become a lot more complicated. (it also makes your feelings suddenly complicated, which you're choosing to ignore). (and steve harrington definitely isn't helping). (as usual).

episode one: the vanishing of will byers - jonathan smuggles you free food in exchange for friendship, will goes missing the one time you listen to jonathan, hopper doesn't really like you, and steve harrington almost hits you with his car as you're sobbing like a damn baby (in a cool way).

episode two: the weirdo on maple street - you use your limited psych knowledge to help a bald girl, you force jonathan to accept $20 and he's later an ass to you, steve doesn't know what a "missing" poster looks like, and it's really hard being a single mother to now four kids.

episode three: holly, jolly - you and jonathan talk it out and things are better (spoiler alert: they aren't), you somehow end up agreeing with steve harrington ?? then you have a minor breakdown in front of the kids and once again fail to prevent them from experiencing more trauma.

episode four: the body - you basically have a "no babe don't cry over ur dead brother ur so sexy" moment with jonathan, hopper plays mr love doctor (cute date idea: coffin shopping), and somehow nancy wheeler makes you realize that you're a horrible babysitter and an even bigger idiot. meanwhile: steve harrington is frustratingly charming.

episode five: the flea and the acrobat - you and dustin have a long overdue Sibling Moment, at will's funeral you and jonathan exchange information and surprise ! it's all horrible news ! nancy has awful timing and when you leave her alone with jonathan one damn time you and steve end up trauma bonded on her front porch #bffs.

episode six: the monster - so nancy and jonathan are a Thing now and you really just need a good nap, the three of you go shopping for monster hunting supplies (which honestly isn't the weirdest thing you've done this week), an old man sells you a sentimental knife, and steve kind of accidentally kidnaps you with a sexy black eye.

episode seven: the bathtub - your brother basically places himself on the fbi's most wanted list and el flips a van with her mind, now you have to create a giant salt tub because of course you do, nancy tries Talking About It but hasn't she read the title ? you don't have the time. sidenote: you've somehow become a steve defender during these trying times. typical. meanwhile: steve's inner thoughts are pathetic.

episode eight: the upside down - drinking game time ! take a shot every time jonathan tries ditching you or every time you almost die at the byers house, you find out that steve really is an athlete and tbh it's hot, but you know what's even hotter ? saving hawkins and reaching a tentative compromise with steve after he loans you $5 for snacks. after, jonathan makes a promise you really hope he can keep.

⌑ set between seasons 1 and 2

﹂ episode nine: the beginning - BONUS EPISODE TIME ! steve becomes bookstrorindary's favorite loyal costumer, jonathan buys you a bug for christmas, you freak out your poor coworker alex, and suddenly steve is really hot and you're feeling so many feelings (bad ! it's all bad !).

⌑ status: FINISHED

⌑ season one title based on this song x

⌑ blurbs set within "come home" can be found here x

⌑ “come home” season masterlist

*note: this is a part of my stranger things rewrite, “come home”, and other seasons can be found linked above :)

[snixx]

found a tumblr byler au where mike and will are bffs who keep talking to each other about their crushes online not knowing they’re talking to/about each other and dustin henderson is an honest to god gleek crying I love this fandom lmaooo

[corrodedcoffinfest]

Week Three: Masterlist

Week Three is over! We're over halfway finished now. You all did so great, and I appreciate your participation so much! This week, we covered 7 prompts and there were 53 total entries: 52 Fics Written, 0 Pieces of Art & 1 Other Works submitted.

Don't forget there is also an AO3 Collection if you'd like to use it!

Color-Coded Ratings Key: General, Teen, Mature, Explicit.

Day Fourteen: And the Winner Is...

Fic Submissions:

take a break to win by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: T | WC: 773 | CW: exhaustion | Tags: overworking, famous corroded coffin, friendship

JULY 14: and the winner is... by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 982 | CW: Strong language, a lot of American football talk and subsequent confusion | Tags: Jeff (Richardson is his last name in this particular story), Eddie, Gareth and Grant, and one very badass Violet Richardson, Jeff's eldest daughter

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 14 - And the Winner Is... by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 616 | Tags: Angst, brief FOI references, introduction of Phil the Manager, Wayne being the best uncle/dad in the world

Getaway Car by @thisapplepielife | Rating: M | WC: 1000 | CW: Mild Sexual Themes, Language | POV: Eddie | Pairing: Steddie | Tags: Steve is to Corroded Coffin Music Videos as Alicia Silverstone was to Aerosmith Videos in the 90s

My Occupation is Syncopation by @dreamwatch | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: language | POV: Gareth | Pairing: Steddie (background) | Tags: banter, Gareth wears glasses, not as often as he should, 90s Corroded Coffin

Day 14: And the Winner Is… by @munson-blurbs | Rating: T | WC: 518 | CW: mention of poverty and bullying | Pairing: Jason Carver x Tammy Thompson (bear with me here) | Tags: Jason Carver, Tammy Thompson, Eddie Munson, Corroded Coffin, Grammys, 1990s

The New Generation by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Language | Pairing: Hellcheer | Tags: It's time for a new generation to take on the talent show at Hawkins Middle School

Day Fifteen: Let's Talk About That Fic Submissions:

homework by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: T | WC: 990 | CW: none | Tags: therapy, gareth pov, personal growth, self-discovery

JULY 15: let's talk about that by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Dustin Henderson. That’s pretty much it. He’s the content warning. Eddie should know better than to listen to his wildly overconfident ideas. There’s also a mention of fire and injury, but no one is seriously hurt. | Tags: Corroded Coffin, Hellfire boys, Nancy Wheeler

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 15 - Let's Talk About That by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 994 | Tags: Older!Eddie, Wayne, Angst, hurt no comfort, death and grief, Eddie-centric, dialogue heavy, Jo pulls a Flanagan for the umpteenth time

Got You Good, Kid by @thisapplepielife | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: CW: Language, Smoking, Mentions of Unplanned Pregnancy, Eddie Being a Bit Lot of a Dick | POV: Gareth | Pairing: Gareth/OFC (Off-Screen), Background Steddie | Tags: Modern Day Setting, Road Manager Steve Harrington, Eddie and Gareth are BFFs, But Gareth's Keeping Secrets, So They're Fighting, Fucking Interviewers, Fucking Paparazzi, Fucking Eddie

Day 15: Let's Talk About That by @munson-blurbs | Rating: T | WC: 877 | CW: mention of vomiting and getting sick (not described), stage fright, takes place in 2024, older Corroded Coffin, loosely based on Joseph Quinn's Tonight Show experience | Tags: Eddie Munson, Jeff, Grant, Gareth, talk show, flashbacks

Stream Punk by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Language | Pairing: Eddie x Reader | Tags: Modern AU - Corroded Coffin hosts a live stream and fans notice you walk through the background

Day Sixteen: Struggling Fic Submissions:

always struggling by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: T | WC: 971 | CW: none | Tags: steddie, post-break up, modern era, open ending but assume they get back together, pre-famous corroded coffin

JULY 16: struggling by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 911 | CW: Strong language, tiny bit of angst, surgery mention but no graphic depictions of, don't worry | Tags: Eddie Munson, Gareth Emerson

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 16 - Struggling by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 901 | Tags: Modern!Corroded Coffin, Older!Corrded Coffin, memes, friendship, bickering and banter, pop culture/social media reference (link at the end of the fic)

Headlines by @thisapplepielife | Rating: M | WC: 1000 | CW: Substance Abuse, Addiction, Minor Mention of Pregnancy | POV: Gareth | Pairing: Gareth/Di (OC, Off-Screen), Minor Steddie | Tags: Clawing Your Way Out Of Rock Bottom, Tough Love, But Love

Day 16: Struggling by @munson-blurbs | Rating: M | WC: 877 | CW: drug abuse (cocaine), alcohol abuse, addiction, some comfort | Tags: Eddie Munson, Jeff, Grant, Gareth, Corroded Coffin, Wayne Munson, addiction, drug and alcohol abuse, tour life

Disenchanted Lullaby by @dreamwatch | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: depression, chronic pain, referenced drug use | POV: Eddie | Pairing: None | Tags: Eddie Munson, slice of life, introspection, the comedown after touring, loneliness, ennui

This One's For You by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: T | WC: 658 | CW: Language | Tags: A letter from Eddie to you. Yes, YOU.

Day Seventeen: "This One's For You" Fic Submissions:

love doesn't wait by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: M | WC: 685 | CW: implied/referenced sex | Tags: famous corroded coffin, side steddie, jeff's love story, love confessions

Serenade by @medusapelagia | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: None | Pairing: Steddie

JULY 17: this one's for you by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 969 | CW: Grief, loss of a friend | Tags: Hurt/no comfort, Eddie Munson, Gareth Emerson, Elliot

Stayin' Alive by @thisapplepielife | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Language | POV: Eddie | Pairing: Steddie, Mention of Pre-Robin/Vickie | Tags: Post S4, But Eddie Lives, But Is Still Recovering, Getting Together, First Kiss, The Band Has a Surprise For Eddie at The Hideout, Steve Harrington Just Wants To Help, Henderson Too

Know When To Hold 'em by @dreamwatch | Rating: T | WC: 999 | CW: death of a parent, depression, grief, referenced drug abuse | POV: Steve | Pairing: Steddie | Tags: Wayne Munson, Eddie needs a hug, protective Steve, hurt/comfort

Day 17: This One's For You by @munson-blurbs | Rating: T | WC: 541 | CW: I cried writing this, canon-compliant, breaking the fourth wall | Tags: Eddie Munson, love letter, fanfic writers

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 17 - This One's For You by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 638 | Tags: Grief, Peace, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Intentionally Left Vague, Character Death (You can read it as Eddie visiting his mom OR Jeff visiting Eddie.)

Rock 'n Roll All Night (Or Until Bedtime) by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: G | WC: 1000 | CW: None | Pairing: Eddie x Reader | Tags: Snowed in during a blizzard, Eddie’s daughter Eliza proves just how like him she is.

Day Eighteen: Freak Fic Submissions:

Get Lucky by @mrsjellymunson | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: longing, self-deprecation, ogling, allusions to sex | POV: Grant (Unnamed Freak) | Tags: Eddie, Gareth, Jeff, Grant, The Hideout

frankie by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: M | WC: 930 | CW: temporary character death | Tags: canon-adjacent events, frankie pov, eddie munson lives

JULY 18: grant by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: chronic illness, celiac disease (which was fucking hard to get a diagnosis in the 90s), a tiny mention of weight loss if you squint, food aversion | Tags: Grant (Unnamed Freak), Eddie Munson, Gareth Emerson, Jeff, gn!Reader

Charles III by @thisapplepielife | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Language | POV: Goodie (Freak) | Pairing: None | Tags: Band Practice, Goodie & Gareth, The Birth of a Nickname, He's Goodie Goodwin the First

The fourth member of the band by @medusapelagia | Rating: T | WC: 994 | CW: None | Pairing: Freak & Eddie

Day 18: Freak by @munson-blurbs | Rating: G | WC: 643 | CW: canon scene, Grant (Freak) is neurodivergent, anxiety | Tags: Grant, Eddie Munson, Gareth, Jeff, Dustin Henderson, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair, Hellfire, Corroded Coffin

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 18 - Freak by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 961 | Tags: Friendship, new friends, a bit of self deprecation, teenage angst, typical teenage snark, Freak #3 is named Dave, whats the friendship thing where you think someone's a raging bitch/asshole and then that ends up being your best friend? yeah that...

Hello, I've Waited Here For You by @dreamwatch | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: period typical attitudes to women, period typical homophobia, internalised fat shaming, period typical sexism, sexist language | POV: Matt (Freak) | Pairing: Steddie, Matt/OC | Tags: Falling in love, CC is a family, secret relationship

That's Not My Name by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: T | WC: 687 | CW: Language | Pairing: None | Tags: Why is it that no one knows his name?

Other Submissions:

Eugene Faulkner: Fluff Alphabet @hawkinsmafia | Other Type: Character Alphabet | Rating: G | CW: None | Pairing: Eugene Faulkner x Reader (no assumed gender)

Day Nineteen: In the Garage Fic Submissions:

from garage to library by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: M | WC: 930 | CW: mild language | Tags: they're really just trying to make it, they're all idiots

JULY 19: in the garage by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Some douchebag neighbor (typical Hawkins), strong language. No slurs but the dude isn’t real nice. Hashtag SatanicPanic | Tags: Corroded Coffin, Tim Emerson, Douchebag neighbor Marty (def not based on a real life douchebag neighbor Marty from my childhood or anything, nooo)

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 19 - In the Garage by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 690 | Tags: Older!Corroded Coffin (it's the late 90s...), the pure boys will be boys energy, car speak thats probably wrong

Sweet Talkin' Lola by @thisapplepielife | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Language | POV: Jeff | Pairing: None | Tags: S4, "Welcome to Hellfire" Missing Scene, Misheard Lyrics, Band Practice

Day 19: In the Garage by @munson-blurbs | Rating: G | WC: 732 | CW: Principal Higgins is an ass, anxiety about being accepted, divergent from FoI | Tags: Eddie Munson, Gareth, Jeff, Grant, Principal Higgins, Corroded Coffin

Untitled by @br0ck-eddie | Rating: T | WC: 322 | Pairing: None

Check Him Out by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: T | WC: 977 | CW: Language | Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader | Tags: Eddie gets a nice surprise at work when you come in with a car problem.

Day Twenty: Under the Covers Fic Submissions:

under the covers by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: E | WC: 962 | CW: angst with an unhappy/open ending | Tags: friends with benefits, gareth/eddie, unrequited feelings, anal sex, mention of steddie

JULY 20: under the covers by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 944 | CW: Protected p in v sex, angsty sex, the accidental slip of someone else’s name | Tags: Gareth Emerson x fem!reader, Gareth x unnamed female groupie

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 20 - Under the Covers by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 937 | Pairing: Eddie Munson x OC | Tags: Unofficial official Hymn of Heaven, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Eddie is simping hard, Fluff, allusion to monsters and nightmares, DnD references

Louisiana Rain by @thisapplepielife | Rating: E | WC: 1000 | CW: Sex, Brief Mentions of Past Trauma/Loss | POV: Gareth | Pairing: Gareth/Di (OC) | Tags: Future Fic, Established Relationship, Marriage, Post-Corroded Coffin, Gareth & Eddie are BFFs, Traveling Sucks, Delayed Flights, Coming Home, That Middle of the Night Quiet

Untitled by @br0ck-eddie | Rating: T | WC: 308 | Pairing: None

Day 20: Under the Covers by @munson-blurbs | Rating: T | WC: 656 | CW: None | Tags: Eddie Munson, Gareth, Grant, Jeff, Erica Sinclair, Lucas Sinclair, Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, birthday party, cover band

Safe Haven by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: G | WC: 922 | CW: fear of thunderstorms | Pairing: None | Tags: fear of thunderstorms

Rambin' Gamblin' Man by @dreamwatch | Rating: M | WC: 1000 | CW: period typical homophobia (alluded to) | POV: Steve | Pairing: Steddie | Tags: secret relationship, sharp suits, Steve Harrington is stupid for Eddie Munson, Fluff but make it lustful

[steddie-fanfic-recs]

home (is wherever you are)

by sealetters

Rating: General Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Nancy Wheeler, Wayne Munson, Dustin Henderson Additional Tags: 5+1 Things, Steve Harrington is a Sweetheart, Fluff, Gift Giving, Soft Eddie Munson, the fruity four are bffs here, Comfort No Hurt, Short & Sweet, no beta we die like papa, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Domestic Fluff, they love each other sm ur honor, I make my own canon Words: 2,641 Chapters: 1/1

Summary

‘I don’t have the luxury of buying you all that you want and deserve, but I do have a pen, some papers, and all my love for you. I hope you enjoy this little thing I’ve been trying to put together for the past two months now.’ Or, five times Eddie shows off his gifts from Steve, and the one time he gives him something in return.

[hazardworld]

Part 2 of Monster Town. Part 1

------

30 minutes later, Steve was snacking on another fish, watching Dustin pace as he angrily ranted in front of Robin and Eddie, who had tagged along purely because Robin needed a ride and Dustin wasn’t letting Steve "escape," even after Steve reassured him he wouldn’t try anything.

He would’ve tried something.

He wasn’t their problem to deal with.

"So you’re telling me not only has Steve kept his monster status from me, his bff for life, but he’s also risked his life because of his shitty parents telling him to restrict being himself?" Robin gave him a pointed glare as Dustin confirmed, whereas Eddie just raised an eyebrow, purple eyes laced with befuddlement.

"Guys, look, it’s not your problem! My parents are shitty, sure, but this isn’t an issue any of you should deal with, especially you, Eddie."

"Bullshit, Harrington." Steve’s brow furrowed as Eddie rubbed the side of his face, exasperated, with a small smile. "You and your stupid fucking martyr complex, wasn’t it you who told me I was part of the Party now, anyway—"

"And when one party member requires assistance, it is up to the other members of the party to provide that assistance!" Eddie raised his hand towards Dustin as if to say, 'exactly, you shithead,'

"See? You listened to my problems, now I’ll help you with yours, deal?" Steve nodded slowly, hugging his arms to his chest and looking away from the rest of the group. That didn’t last long though, as he was being yanked up by Dustin, and soon, pushed by Robin and Eddie, to where he quickly realized the pool was.

"Guys I literally just got dry—"

"Shut it Steve, I’m seeing your fish form, even if I have to possess you to get in there myself!" Steve let out a puff of air. It wasn’t like he was resisting, honestly, so before he got close enough where Dustin would fling him in, he spun himself to the side, making his friends all crash into the pool themselves.

Whoops.

So sad.

"STEVE!" Dustin’s voice was the first one he heard, angry, sure, but not in danger (poodles can swim, right?). He sighed, smiling lightly at his younger brother and best friends’ pissed faces. Robin shot him the finger, and he returned it right back.

"Fuc—St’ve!" And then there was Eddie, sputtering and splashing, and immediately, Steve went into panic mode, diving in and keeping the man up above the surface as he caught his breath.

"Eds, you ok?" Eddie nodded, coughing out water.

"Yeah, shit, I uh—" Eddie froze, eyes widened, staring at the pool floor. Steve raised an eyebrow, was there a bug, a spider or something? He looked down, and immediately realized Eddie’s distress: Steve’s tail had wrapped itself snugly around Eddie’s ankles, keeping Eddie afloat, but also 100% tied down.

Also, not to mention it was Steve’s tail, which was weird, because usually he had to contemplate the change before he made it, but this time he’d dove in and gone full form without even thinking.

And also, it was Steve’s tail.

On Eddie’s skin.

Fuck.

He started to loosen it, drifting away, but Eddie quickly put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"No, no, it’s keeping me upright, keep it there, just…" Eddie bit his lip and looked away, Steve pretending not to notice the red blooming his cheeks, "you’re real pretty like this, Harrington. No wonder the girls find you so irresistible." Eddie finished off with his signature cocky smirk.

"Found, Munson. Stopped using sirenspeak after Hellkins round 1," Steve watched as not only Eddie, but Dustin and Robin’s eyes all widened.

"Holy shit, that’s why all your romance tips were such bull! Because you’ve never actually tried to swoon someone!" Steve sputtered and crossed his arms indignantly.

"Of—Of course I’ve tried to swoon someone, Henderson! I’ll have you know, I only used sirenspeak to get Nancy to notice me, not make her fall in love with me. That I did by hand. Besides, in a romantic context, it’s really only good for one-time things, the whole premise being to kill the person after, so…" He gave a weak smile, shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah, you’re too sweet to kill people, Steve," Robin smirked, and Steve stuck his tongue out and gave her a little splash. She phased it out while putting up two middle fingers, and Steve rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. It’s also against the law, Rob, in case you were wondering." Robin laughed lightly as she flew herself up out of the pool, grabbing Steve’s towel from earlier. Dustin quickly followed up the pool steps and shook himself off, which left Eddie, who was still bonded to Steve by his ankles.

"So how is this gonna work, Stevie?" Steve smirked.

"I’ve got an idea," He laid his upper body back onto the surface of the water, and gently moved Eddie up and back until he hit the edge of the pool. "Let me know when the lip is on your kneecaps." Steve moved Eddie up and down until he was given an indication, and Eddie took the obvious hint to sit, and Steve finally unwrapped himself. He then moved himself next to Eddie, and crossed his arms over the edge, plopping his head on top.

"So, you never learned how to swim, eh Munson?" Eddie rolled his eyes, blushing in embarrassment. He crossed his own arms and kicked the water in front of him.

"Yeah, yeah. We didn’t have a local pool close enough for me to walk to in Indy, and by the time I got here it was kinda too old for someone to be using a floaty for reasons other than relaxing." Steve nodded.

"Fair, fair. I feel like it’s pretty useless If I try, but if you wanted, one of the other party members could come teach you here? I promise all the insults you get will be in good company." Eddie chuckled.

"So sure I’m that bad already, Stevie?" Steve felt his cheeks heat up the the nickname.

"No, but you’ve met Erica. That girl will take every excuse to tell you what you’re doing wrong." Eddie laughed. Steve decided he loved Eddie’s laugh.

"Damn straight, man." Eddie pooled some magic into a glowing purple ball, and tossed it in his hand. "That girl is a fucking powerhouse," The two sat in silence for a minute, and Steve turned his attention on the house, to where Dustin and Robin had both disappeared.

"You know," Eddie spoke up, and Steve immediately turned to him. His magic ball rested in his hand now, not being tossed. "I wasn’t lying when I said you looked real pretty like this, Harrington." He looked Steve up and down, and Steve gulped.

"Really?"

Eddie frowned, tossing the ball once before it disappeared into his hand, the magic returning to its source.

"Aren’t you supposed to be? Catching the attention of humans to devour and what not?"  Steve chuckled and shook his head.

"No, dude. I had to explain this all to Dustin before you got here, but like, sirens aren’t entirely meant to look pretty, we’re meant to kill. Mermaids are the pretty ones." Eddie hummed, his frown forming into a smile showing off his own fangs, glinting in the sun.

"Well you look plenty pretty to me, Stevie." Eddie leaned over and ruffled his hair, making Steve’s face grow hot. Before he could respond, however, the sliding door opened up to a sauntering Dustin and Robin.

"We have a way to try and get you to a natural form, Steve!" Dustin’s voice boomed across the pool deck. "Monsters who shift forms like you and me usually shift out of fear!" Steve raised an eyebrow.

"Dustin, you and I both know that’s not tr—" Dustin grinned.

"Just get on out of the pool, Steve!" Steve groaned, shifting back to his bipedal form as he climbed up and out next to Eddie, who stood as Steve’s more aquatic features faded away. Steve noted his second set of fangs stayed, as if they had already gotten used to themselves being there in the two times he’d moved them there that day.

Suddenly, Robin disappeared, and within minutes, Steve was tossed and tugged around blindly. Ahh, so Robin was trying to spook him into shifting? Two could play at that game.

He felt the magic rush into his throat as he started to sing to her. He was only singing for friendship, not romance, since romance wouldn’t’ve worked on her. As the notes kept coming out, the forces gripping his arms started to loosen and still as Robin slowly took her corporeal form again, enamored with his voice.

He swayed along to the song a bit as he willed Robin to dance with him, and they did for a few seconds before he stopped and booped her forehead with a finger. He felt the magic drain back down to wherever a siren’s magic resided, and Robin groaned and rubbed her head. Steve looked around to find Dustin and Eddie gaping.

"Did you—Did you just—" Steve laughed lightly.

"Yeah, Dust, I just used sirenspeak. But in my defense, as the person who taught you to form shift, fear is never the best way to shift! I know what I’m doing, Henderson." Dustin rolled his eyes.

"Says the person who didn’t even know they were binding their form, Steve!" Steve passed Dustin the finger, and he stuck out his tongue.

"I feel…like I got hit by a bus. Did I survive?" Robin grunted out, pressing two fingers into the gap between her eyebrows.

"You did, Robin," Robin groaned disappointedly as Steve turned his attention to Eddie. "Eddie, I have some of your pain potion things in my bathroom. Think you could help Robin?" Eddie nodded once, and ushered Robin back inside with calm whispers.

"So what are you gonna do, Steve? Figure it out yourself? Because I don’t think that’s been working out for as of late." Dustin panned his hand from Steve’s head to his feet, frowning.

"It’ll work just fine now that I know what’s wrong!" Steve snapped back.

"You’ve been binding for so long you might not know how to get it out on your own!"

"I think I can do things without a idiot 15-year-old nerd trying to baby me every step of the way!"

Oooh, too far. Even though he tried not to show it, Dustin’s ears flattened against his skull and his tail tucked tight between his legs. Steve sighed.

"Sorry, pup. That went too far." Dustin perked back up, though cautious.

"No, no you’re right. Sometimes I forget that not everyone needs my help with everything. That was my bad, Steve."

"Still shouldn’t’ve snapped at you. It was bitchy and unkind." Dustin smirked.

"You can make up for it with a hug." Steve snorted and opened his arms. Obviously, Dustin could get a hug from him anytime. Not only was companionship and touch something instinctually needed for werewolves, but Dustin was his little brother. Obviously, Steve was gonna let Dustin hug him whenever he wanted.

"Did you two finally make up?" Steve heard after a few minutes, and the two released. Standing in the sliding glass doorway was Eddie, with Robin behind him, hands on her hips. "I don’t think either of us would make for good mediators." Steve rolled his eyes and ruffled Dustin’s hair, making the kid laugh and bat his hand away.

"No, neither of you would," Steve grinned at his friends, "Eddie, you’d just avoid the issue and move on, and Robin, you’d get too anxious about it to even get involved,"

Eddie shrugged, and Robin sighed. Steve was very emotionally intelligent; he couldn’t tell if it came with the territory of being a siren or if it was just him, but if there was anything he was good at, it was reading people’s emotions.

And like, swimming or something.

"I can’t help it, I’m skittish towards conflict!" Eddie grinned, raising his hands in surrender.

"I’d like to prove you wrong but the only rebuttal I can think of is about Hellkins 4 and I’d really rather not think about that right now," Dustin commented, and the atmosphere of the room changed instantly. "Can we change the subject?"

"Let’s talk about Steve!" Robin supplied after a minute, "We don’t know much about sirens besides the whole," she made rapid circles with her hand, "shifting and sirenspeak thing. What else can you do?"

Part 3!

[stevesaxetogrind]

I have a plot bunny, it’s been done before but Stephanie Harrington is in my head. Consider, Season 4, trying to convince Robin that Vickie is also a tits girl:

“I feel it! Vickie likes boobies, she’s like me!”

“I’m not taking my ex’s advice on which girls like-”

“Boobies?”

“Ew stop saying it!”

“What? I’m a girl. You’re a girl. Vickie’s a girl. We all have boobies. We all like boobies Robin! Boobies, boo-”

“Shut up!”

“Don’t say that to your favourite ex.”

“You’re my only ex.”

“Well then as your ex turned bff- which Robin we didn’t even date- I say I have a great feeling. Fast Times doesn’t lie!”

“Fast Times isn’t even that good a film.”

“Don’t let Vickie hear you say that. Phoebe Cates would never. Take it back!”

“Nope.” Robin grinned that stupid smile of hers.

“How can you ever touch Vickie’s boobies is you don’t even take an interest in her interests?”

“Oh my god, stop saying boobies!”

“You said it too this time.” Steph smirked, “its funnier this way.”

“I give up on you.” Robin sighed, leaning against the door as they rolled into the school parking lot.

People milled about, completely uninterested in former Queen Bee Steph Harrington dropping off band geek Robin Buckley. Which was good. Robin liked it better that way.

She turned to Steph, tentative. “I’ll see you tonight. Are you going to take a date?”

Steph shrugged noncommittedly. “I’m giving Nance a life, she’s covering it for the paper so hopefully I don’t have to look like a total loner. But I got to support my best friend and her future girlfriend.”

Robing could only laugh when Steph started nudging her, enthusiastic to the end.

“High school is so last year for you, stop caring about popularity. Who cares if you go alone?”

Steph shook her head, “You can take the popularity out of the girl- violently and with monster goo from another dimension, but is it a crime to care what other people think? I’ve got to live in this town, shop here, talk to people- I’m not like you Robin, I’m not going to go to college… do you think I like little old lady Paulson giving me pitying looks about ‘ruining my face’ in the mall fire?”

Robin gave her a withering look. It didn’t stop her.

“Also Rob, I’m taking a break from men. Most girls think I’m some kind of disabled skank, and any girl who used to be able to tolerate me is either away at college or is caught between cheer loyalty and social suicide. I’m the one who couldn’t even make it into Tech as Head Cheerleader- you think they’d want supports but no-”

“Steffie honey, I don’t know your weird sports terms.”

“Okay point. Emily and Chrissy, maybe Tina S, are the only tolerable members of the Hawkins student body left and they’re all cheering tonight. I’m going to sit behind the band with you and cheer on Lucas. It’ll be fine.” She sounded like she was assuring herself more than Robin.

“Okay loser, you’re allowed to make new friends.”

“Or I could focus on the ones I already have. I don’t want Lucas to think the only reason I’m there is because some guy dragged me there to get laid.:

“Oh yeah. Huh, maybe you could sit with the kids. Everyone knows you babysat Henderson.”

“Yeah maybe. I know they don’t like sports, but it’s the Championship. I’m sure they’d grab some good seats at least.” Steph looks considering at which might be worse. At least she’d have someone to talk to, even if they were her freshmen friends. Especially since Nancy would be busy for most of the game.

“Maybe they’ll even let Lucas play. It’d be good for you all to cheer together! Little supporters’ section.” Robin suggested.

“God, I hope so, he’s been practicing a lot. I know he’ll do so well if they just give him a chance.” Steph smiled. She’d have played basketball for the school team if they’d scraped together enough girls for an inter-murals league, but it was just her and Laura C. No one else wanted to do anything that close to tomboy material. So, it’d been a lot of fun playing with Lucas when she’d drop Dustin off to their little summer game nights.

Robin gestured up at the school, bell about to ring. “Well, this is me dingus. Love you Steph. Wave to me tonight.”

“Love you too, see you Robbie.”

[ao3feed-byler2]

Why Would You Ever Kiss Me? (I am not even half as pretty)

by elhaspowers

It is the 4th anniversary of Prince Will's disappearance and nobody know what happened to him. On that very same day, Mike meets a talking frog who is a little shit.

-------------

Byler! The Prince and The Frog AU

Words: 1671, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M, Multi

Characters: Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Lucas Sinclair, Dustin Henderson, Jonathan Byers, Nancy Wheeler, Joyce Byers, Jim "Chief" Hopper, Robin Buckley, Vickie (Stranger Things), Lonnie Byers, Henry Creel | One | Vecna

Relationships: Will Byers/Mike Wheeler, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper, Robin Buckley/Vickie

Additional Tags: Will Byers Loves Mike Wheeler, Gay Will Byers, Will Byers Needs a Hug, Will Byers Has Issues, Will Byers is a Little Shit, Gay Mike Wheeler, Maxine "Max" Mayfield & Mike Wheeler Friendship, Cursed Will Byers, Lesbian Eleven | Jane Hopper, Bisexual Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Step-Siblings Will Byers & Eleven | Jane Hopper, Eleven | Jane Hopper is a Sweetheart, Lonnie dies lmao, Sorry Not Sorry, this fic was written to spite another fic which i hated so very deeply from wattpad, so this fic is very self-indulgent, god bless my bff's soul 'cause he beta read this shit, adelaide being self-indulgent for several chapters, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, No Smut, expect a lot of frog slander, I have very severe trauma with big warty frogs so take that as you will, do i love drawings of cute frogs? yes, do i hate them irl? also yes, we exist, Author is a Mike Wheeler Apologist, Alternate Universe - Fantasy

from AO3 works tagged 'Will Byers/Mike Wheeler' https://ift.tt/HN02zB1

[11eleven-hopper]

[come-along-pond]

Challenge: Make an ST oc based off what you get from this game https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8No6oE4/

I took many creative liberties here, taking parents to also mean personality.

Parent 1: Argyle. Parent 2: Robin. Enemy: Murray, BFF: Lucas, Crush: Dustin.

Mavis Buckley.

Mavis grew up with her older sister, Robin, practically raising her. Mavis was laid back and her classmates referred to her as a ‘hippie’, she didn’t have many friends, but managed to build a friendship with Lucas Sinclair.

Growing up, Mavis always had a crush on Jonathan Byers, but when her sister accidentally drags her into an underground Russian base, she’s stuck with Dustin Henderson and a new crush develops. For some reason, Murray makes Mavis the butt of the joke, and Mavis gains both an enemy and a father figure.