#bff!robin buckley

[streamafterlaughter]

Fundamental Differing

masterlist | playlist | pin board | chapter X

Chapter XI: Consider This The Slip

summary: the aftermath of a rough night is surprisingly calm. things might be a mess, but you’re handling it as well as you possibly could. for now, at least, things are going to be okay.

tags: angst!!!!! hurt/comfort, flirting, forced proximity, slow burn, mutual pining, fake dating, rockstar!eddie x rockstar!gn!reader, bff!robin and bff!steve

a/n: HIIIIII i’m really proud of how this turned out, very excited to get to the midwest leg of the tour soon! Disclaimer: I do not give permission to have my work reposted on other sites. Reblogs are more than welcome, but please inform me if you find my work elsewhere unless otherwise stated. Reblog to support the author!

—

December 1985

He wakes up first, the sunlight peeking through your open blinds hitting the bed. You’re still asleep, regardless of the rays hitting your entire body, and Eddie can’t help but stare. Your back is to him, the covers thrown from your body in your sleep, leaving your entire backside exposed. He traces your silhouette first with his eyes, letting them roam freely over your neck that still has remnants of his teeth, your shoulders, down your back, to your hips, and over your ass where the comforter barely covers you. Without thinking, Eddie traces the muscles on your back with a lazy finger, committing every inch to his memory.

He lets his mind wander, mostly to how unbelievable this whole situation is. To have someone to wake up to, that trusts him enough to let him sleep in their bed, that loves him, is something he never could have counted on. In a way, it terrifies him, that it’s all too good to be true. One day, he’s sure you’ll wake up and realize what a mistake you’ve made. He shakes his head at himself, ridding the thought from his mind. You’ve given him no reason to worry, he’s doing this to himself.

Present Day

Eddie’s POV

Your new look is, well, interesting to say the least. He does a double take when you get on stage, a hand flying to cover his gaping mouth. He looks from the stage, to Steve, then back to the stage.

Steve shakes his head, mouthing I don’t fuckin’ know! And Eddie snorts. You’re definitely going through something, but that doesn’t mean the haircut itself isnt fucking hilarious.

After what feels like forever, you finish your last song and exit the stage. Eddie is quick to follow you, catching up with your angry stomping. “Nice ‘do.” He nudges you as he falls in step. “Where can I get me one of those. What’s it called? The ‘Stuck In The Blender’?”

“It’s actually called leave me the fuck alone, Eddie.” You spit back, trying to speed walk away, but he keeps your pace.

“Why’d you do that?” He makes a point to sound genuine, because despite himself, he still worries about you.

You shrug. “Felt like it.”

Eddie rolls his eyes. “C’mon, what’s buggin’ you?

“Honestly?” You halt, making Eddie stop short and trip on his own feet. “You. You’re bugging me.”

It’s a jab to his ego, and he feels an ache in his chest. “Me?”

You nod, growing frantic. “You! You keep, y’know, showing up.” You wave your hands around as you speak, as if it’ll get your point across.

“I- I’m sorry, I think? I can’t really help that. We are stuck on tour together, we kinda have no choice but to show up.” His brain works quickly, trying to make sense of your words. “Is this about the song? Earlier? I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, it came out wrong. I want to write the song with you, even if we don’t-“

You wave your hand to stop him, and he does. “No, no. It’s not just that. It’s me. I’m stressed out, I don’t like that my label wants us to date. I don’t like that we’re touring together. I don’t like that I-“ You cut yourself off. “Never mind.”

“What? You don’t like when you what? Whatever it is, I won’t judge, I won’t even say a word.”

You shake your head, keeping your eyes on the sticky club floor. “Nothing.”

“Y/n.” Eddie fights the urge to reach for you, to pull you in and wrap his arms around you. He forgets what it even feels like to hold you now, what your warmth feels like.

“Eddie, really. Nothing.” And that’s final. The two of you don’t say anything until you reach the dressing room, where Eddie bids you goodnight, and is meant with a grunt as you close the door in his face.

He doesn’t have long to collect his thoughts before Robin’s behind him. “What did you do?”

He pivots, groaning. “Nothing! I- I don’t know! They won’t tell me!”

She crosses her arm, waiting for him to finish yammering. “Uh huh. Now use your tiny little boy brain.” Eddie looks for clues on her face, but gets nothing from her irritated expression. He shrugs, exasperated and defeated. “I’ll give you a teeny, tiny hint. Think about it. Why did they never tell you they got signed? Why did they never ask you for help when it came to video shoots or recording, or anything like that? Why were they so fine not coming to shows with you while you were dating?”

It takes him a second, but he gets there “Oh.” You don’t want your success to be credited to him. You want to make your own name, your own art, without being associated with Eddie. You don’t want people believing you slept your way to the top.

“Yeah, oh. You’re still so blind to how they feel, Ed, it is so irritating to watch. And before you even think about it, don’t ask me for advice. I can’t tell you anything you don’t already know. Now, if you would get out of my way, I have a friend to comfort.” She nudges Eddie with her shoulder, entering the dressing room and slamming the door behind her.

—

Your POV

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why would I do that? Why am I being so fucking embarrassing?

You’re aggressively splashing your warm face with cool water when Robin knocks on the bathroom door. “Occupied!” You flinch when you hear the sound of your strained voice, sounding how you feared it would: like you’d been crying.

“It’s me,” Robin’s voice is low, but you crack the door enough to peer out and see her standing there. “Can I come in?” You nod, and open the door just enough to let her squeeze inside. You turn the faucet back on to drown your voices out. You’ve finished crying, your face red and your eyes puffy. You sniffle, and Robin takes you in as you try to disappear. “Can you please, please tell me what’s actually going on? You can’t keep walking around like you’re fine and then pull a stunt like this. We worry.”

You cross your arms, taking in her words to heart as you try to breathe evenly. “This doesn’t leave the room.” She nods. “Not even to Steve.” You clarify, and she only keeps nodding. You want to believe her, so you do. “I’ve been worse, lately. Not sleeping, not feeling like myself. I wanted to do something drastic, so I chose to do this,” you gesture to your horrible haircut, “instead of something… bad.”

Robin makes a noise like she understands. She doesn’t, not really, but you don’t feel like giving her the gory details. “Okay, so how are we gonna fix it?”

You turn to face the mirror. One side is longer than the other, making you look like you’ve got a permanent kink in your neck. Your bangs are choppy, and the ends are cut bluntly, like you sawed them off. “I figure Harley’s seen the damage, or at least heard by now. Maybe she’ll forgive me and fix it. I don’t know if I wanna face her wrath, though.” You feel a burning in your throat, and you stifle an ugly sob as you take in your appearance.

“I may have an idea. You gotta trust me, though.” Robin’s eyes meet yours in the mirror. You’ve trusted her with your life, so you don’t see a reason you can’t trust her with your hair. “We have to wait for Eddie, though.”

Ah, fuck.

—

Eddie’s POV

He walks offstage, waving to the audience still screaming his name. He tosses his sweat soaked shirt over his shoulder, and follows the rest of the band to their dressing room. When he gets close enough, he notices you and Robin waiting outside, having a hushed discussion when he approaches.

“Eddie!” Robin greets, far too cheerfully for the way she’s been acting toward him lately. “We need your help.” Her tone suggests it’s not a question.

Eddie leans against the wall, fighting the urge to light a cigarette already. “With?” Robin motions to your hair, and he snorts. “You want me to… what, exactly?”

“Fix it. I want you to fix it.” You say meekly. “Please?” You add, looking up finally. Of course he’s gonna do it, even with that haircut he’d do anything you asked him to. “I have a feeling Harley’s gonna kill me if she gets to it first.”

Eddie chuckles, and he thinks he catches the beginning of your smile twitching on your face. “Okay, yeah. I’ll fix it. But I need something from you.”

“Depends what it is.” You cross your arms over your chest, defensive.

“I don’t think you’re in any position to be negotiating, sweetheart.” He bites his lip as soon as he says it, the old nickname slipping out like a bad habit. “Sorry.”

You don’t respond, but you enter the room like he’s invited you, and Robin follows closely. Before Eddie can enter, though, she turns around. “Go easy. They’re not in a good place right now. They need gentle hands.”

Eddie nods. “I can be gentle.”

Robin only nods in response. “Alright, I’ll leave you guys to it. I’m gonna take a nap before we get on the road. Have fun!”

“You aren’t staying?” You call out to Robin, and Eddie’s heart sinks. You still don’t want to be alone with him.

“You’ll be okay! Scream if you need me!” Robin exits the dressing room, waving on her way.

Eddie turns his radio down, lowering the blasting of R.E.M.’s Losing My Religion to a dull hum. He turns to you, standing in the middle of the dressing room while the guys gather their things to pack the bus. Eddie fills them in, apologizing for not helping them load.

“It’s fine, man. Y/n needs you more right now, I think.” Gareth says, and not with any malice. He glances at you, then back to Eddie. “How are you gonna fix that?”

Eddie shakes his head. “I have maybe one semi decent idea.” Gareth nods, and follows his band out the door.

“Okay,” Eddie turns back to you, clapping his hands together. “Let’s see what we got here. Go ahead and sit down.” Eddie motions to the vanity mirror, and you take a seat in his chair. The lights are bright on your face, and Eddie does everything he can not to stare. Your eyes are bloodshot, your cheeks red and puffy. He sees the tear stains and red nose, the giveaways that you’ve been crying. He knows you don’t usually care this much about your appearance. Something else is doing this to you, and he’s determined to figure out what it is.

He grabs a towel from his suitcase and drapes it over your front, a makeshift smock, knotting it together in the back with a stray hair tie. He’s nervous, being so close to you like this, while you put your trust in his abilities. He grabs his scissors and a comb in shaky hands, and forces himself to relax.

“You don’t have to do this, y’know.” You say quietly, almost a whisper.

“I wanna help. If you’re okay with it.” He looks at you in the mirror, meeting your eyes a second before you look away.

“Okay. Sorry, it’s really bad.”

Eddie shakes his head. “Nothing we can’t fix.” He’s not sure that’s true, but he’ll be damned if he upsets you further. He gets to work, snipping longer pieces and evening out the back. As he does, he becomes less nervous about how it will come out. It’ll be much shorter, sure, but at least it won’t look like you cut it with a weedwacker.

The silence starts to get to him. “Why’d you do it, really?” Eddie asks, not meeting your eyes.

“I wanted to feel in control.” Your answer surprises him.

“Are you feeling out of control?”

You scoff. “Yeah, very. Are you not?”

Eddie shrugs. “I’ve never felt in control. It’s never bothered me.” He likes the chaos, the unpredictability.

“I dunno. Maybe it’s tour fatigue. Sleeping on a bus, being up all the time. Can’t be too good for me.”

“How are you sleeping?” He asks, not thinking of how it must sound.

“Not well, not since tour started.”

Eddie nods. “Buses aren’t ideal, but you get used to it.” He makes a few more cuts, then stands back to admire his work. “Voila!”

You inspect your new hair in the mirror. It’s short, resting just below your jaw in choppy layers. Your bangs are still short, but they fall evenly across your forehead. You look fantastic, but Eddie already knows you can pull any hairstyle off.

“Wow. I did not know you could do that.” You turn your head to inspect the side view. “Thank you. So, so much.”

Eddie unties the towel from around your neck. “Anytime.”

“What did you want for it?” You ask, standing up to face him.

“What? Oh,” He’d forgotten he said he needed anything from you. “I uh, I want help with my makeup.”

—

Your POV

You raise an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Eddie nods, blushing. “I can’t put eyeliner on to save my life. All the rockstars do it, and I think it looks sick. But I don’t even know where to start.”

You nod, choosing not to take the opportunity to poke fun at him. He did just save your hair, after all. “Okay. Do you have any?”

“Yeah,” He grabs the toiletry back off the vanity and pulls out a black pencil with no cap. You pluck it from his fingers and motion for him to sit in the chair. He does, but his head isn’t close enough to you, so you shake your head.

“Here, sit on the counter,” you pat the top of the vanity, and he repositions himself. Sitting here, he’s about exactly your height, eyes level with yours. You take a step closer, closing the gap between you and him almost completely. You repeat a prayer in your head, not to lose your cool being so close to his face, his eyes, his lips.

You clear your throat to break the silence. “So, I have a trick,” you dig around in your pockets until you locate your lighter. “I melt the tip to make it easier to apply. Like this,” You flick the lighter, and hold the tip of the pencil to the flame for barely a few seconds. “But don’t, like, apply it right away. Don’t wanna blind yourself.” You blow on the pencil to cool it down just enough to use. “Look up, but with your eyes not your head.” Eddie tilts his head up, and immediately realizes his mistake. You giggle as he readjusts. “Good. Stay still.” Here comes the hard part. The part where you have to touch his face. You place your thumb under his eye, pulling the bottom lid open just slightly to gain access to his waterline. You take the pencil and drag it across, trying to go quickly so this torture can be over for both of you.

“How do you do this every night? This shit sucks.” Eddie talks as you focus, and you can feel his face moving under your hand.

“Beauty is pain.” You reply, switching to his other eye.

“This isn’t beauty, it’s metal.”

You can’t help but giggle. “Of course. Mean and scary.” You wipe a bit of excess eyeliner from under his eye. “Tada!”

Eddie turns around in his seat to look into the mirror. “Oh, I look sexy!” He exclaims, and you have to bite so hard on your tongue to keep from responding. The feeling in your stomach is back, like a flock of birds banging around in your intestines. Eddie turns back to look at you. “Thank you.”

You nod, still too close to his face. “Anytime.” The silence after is deafening. Your ears are ringing and you’re not sure whether it’s from the show or from the quiet between you two.

Eddie clears his throat after what feels like forever. “I gotta, uh,” He motions vaguely to the door.

You realize you’ve planted yourself between his legs, and clumsily back away from him. “Sorry! Sorry. Yeah, I should probably get going too. I’ll uh, see you later? When we leave together to please the public?”

Eddie nods, and you turn on your heel and speed walk the fuck out of there.

—

Eddie’s POV

He’s fucked. He’s fucked so bad, and he can’t do anything about it. He can still smell your perfume, mixed with the slightest amount of sweat after performing, and a little like beer that probably spilled onstage. He feels your hand caressing his face gently, and your warm breath against his skin as you concentrate. If he closes his eyes, you’re back again, leaning into him, lips closing in on his.

“You ready?” Gareth comes back in, but stops short when Eddie opens his eyes. “Shit, man, you look good! You do that?” He wiggles a finger, gesturing to Eddie’s eyes.

“Nah, uh, Y/n helped me out.”

“Oh?” His tone is teasing. “Glad you guys are still getting along. Speaking of, I just saw them. Nice job on the hair.”

Eddie grins. “Thanks, man.”

“Let’s get goin’, yeah? Washington tomorrow’s gonna be insane. You need the rest.”

Eddie nods. “I’ll catch up, I got a few things to grab first.” Gareth nods, and leaves the dressing room.

—

You’re waiting by the stage door when Eddie approaches. “You still got it on, huh?” You smile up at him, and his heart rate quickens.

“I gotta show it off while I can, there’s no way I’ll be able to do it this well.” He holds out his hand, already feeling it sweat. “Shall we?”

You grab his hand after half a beat of hesitation, entwining your fingers with his. It’s the most natural feeling in the world, your skin against his. He squeezes it gently, and feels you squeeze back, a silent exchange of reassurance.

Steve flings the door open, and Eddie’s immediately blinded by the camera flashes. Crowds of fans and paparazzi alike start shouting, crude comments and questions alike.

“Do you need a third?!” “How long have you been dating?!” “Is this a rekindled love?!” “Over here, over here!”

Eddie does his gentlemanly duty, shielding you as best as he can with his body, opening his jacket to block the view of the cameras. You’re hurried into the bus by Steve, who slams the door behind him and heaves a deep breath like he’s just run a marathon.

“Thanks, big guy.” Eddie pats Steve on the back.

“So, uh,” You let go of Eddie’s hand, and he bites back his disappointment. “How do I get back on my own bus?”

Steve checks his watch. “We’ll probably stop to get food in a bit. You can reunite on your bus in a few hours.”

Eddie whips his head to look at Steve. “A few hours?”

Steve shrugs. “It would look weird if Y/n were to just walk back out now. There’s no point in stopping until we get food, and everyone’s too hungry to wait for you guys to sort your shit. Get comfy, Y/n. Welcome to the Coffin.” Steve pushes past you both grumpily, and Eddie watches you follow.

—

Your POV

“Hey.” You tap Steve’s shoulder once you’ve caught up to him by the bunks. “What’s your deal?”

Steve grunts. “Tired. And irritated.”

“Why?”

“I'm sick of being out of the loop. I have no idea what’s going on with you two. First your hair’s all fucked up, now Eddie’s wearing makeup and you look like a rockstar again. What the hell did I miss?”

You shrug, fighting the urge to tell him everything. “Bad night, gave myself a makeunder. Eddie helped me fix it to avoid Harley’s fury. I showed him how to do his eyeliner in return. No biggie.”

Steve sighs. “Okay,” he says, clearly dissatisfied. “As long as I'm not missing anything important.”

You scoff. “Like what?”

“Like you falling back into love or something. Because I'm still betting on you two.”

“Okay, enough! I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me when we’re getting food.” You go to enter an empty bunk.

Steve stops you with a grunt. “Those are taken. Eddie’s room’s back there,” he points to the sliding door behind him.

“I’d rather sleep on the roof.”

“Sorry, I can’t allow that. Eddie has room for a second person, not that he’s used it.” You try to decode Steve’s cryptism to no avail. Why would you care if he’s used the extra space? Defeated, you shuffle off to Eddie’s tiny room, curling up against the wall in the uncomfortable twin bed. It doesn’t take long before you’re unconscious.

—

Eddie’s POV

“Alright, I’m tapping out.” Eddie puts his hand on the table of the tiny booth. “Gonna rest up before we get to Seattle. G’night.” The guys wave him off, and Eddie slides the door open to his bed. Behind it, you’re sprawled on the tiny bed, laying on your stomach with an arm up on either side of your head. Your mouth hangs open as you snore softly, mumbling every few seconds something incoherent.

The last thing he wants to do is wake you up. Instead, he slides the door closed again and pivots to face Steve. “They’re in my bed.”

Steve mumbles something before flipping over to face Eddie. “So wake them up.”

“They had a rough day, I wanna let them sleep.”

“Then fuckin’ sleep somewhere else. Leave me out of it, like you do everything else.” Steve flips back over to face the wall after yanking the curtain shut. Eddie huffs in annoyance, and opens his bedroom door again.

You’ve moved, now on your side facing the wall. There’s a sliver of floor next to the bed, barely wide enough to fit a person, but it’ll have to do for now. His bones ache with fatigue, and his head is starting to hurt. As he goes to pull a pillow from the bed, he hears you. He can’t tell if you’re awake, so he waits a beat. You repeat yourself, “Just get in.”

“What?” Eddie whispers, in case you’re sleep talking again.

You roll over, your eyes wide open. “Lie down. It’s only an hour or two until we stop and I can get off. You’re tired, I’m tired. Not a big deal.”

Before he can respond, you’ve turned around again, pulling the blanket up to your chin. The bed is small, leaving no way for Eddie to lie next to you without touching you. He winces as his chest brushes against your back, but he lowers himself into the bed anyway. He lay stiffly, careful not to disturb you again, but you stir slightly, pressing into his chest. It takes all of his reserve not to throw his arm around your waist and drag you closer, but he rests his hand on his leg instead. Your warmth lulls him to sleep in minutes.

—

taglist: @children-of-the-grave @five-bi-five @wiildflower-xxx @beebeerockknot @champagne-glamour @xxgothwhorexx @therensistance @chonkzombie @brxkenartt @sidthedollface2 @bibieddiesgf @gaysludge @eddiesguitarskills @littlepotatobeansworld @ghost-proofbaby @poisonedluv | send a message to be added🫶

[2jihiir0]

what if Eddie had found them in the bathroom instead … 🍨🚽🌀♡ ̆̈

[morganbritton132]

Eddie, continuing this conversation: Okay, let’s flip it. Do you know how I’d ID you if I couldn’t see your face?

Steve: How?

Eddie & Robin at the same time: Scar on your ass.

Eddie:

Robin:

Eddie: How do you know about that?

Robin: We were roommates

Steve, at the same time as Robin: We took a bath together once

Robin: …That’s true. When we had swine flu. I wore a bathing suit.

Steve: And I didn’t but I was in the bath first

Eddie:

Eddie:

Eddie: You guys are maybe a little too close

Nancy: Just a little.

[angeldreamsoffanfic]

“What’s the deal with you and Harrington?”

Robin Buckley glanced up toward the question asker, her brows slightly furrowed as she cast an inquisitive look toward Eddie Munson. He’s leant up on one of his elbows, chin cradled in the palm of his hand. His eyes are on her, large and curious, instead of the usual half-lidded expression he wears during the “adult” hangouts.

They’d all started hanging out ever since Vecna was destroyed, taking time away from the younger members of The Party to spend time all together. Herself, Eddie, Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, and Argyle. Sometimes, every once in a while, it led them all to feel normal. As if they hadn’t all been dealing with more Upside Down crap just a few months prior.

“What do you mean?” Robin instead asked, her eyes moving from Eddie’s to dart out toward the Harrington’s pool. Steve is sitting on the edge of it with Jonathan, the two boys heads bent together as Argyle watched on- a dopey almost lovesick expression curled on his mouth. A spliff dangled from Jonathan’s fingertips, rolled by Eddie but the weed supplied by Jonathan.

“You’re… not together.” Eddie’s voice is soft, and barely spoken above a murmur. Robin nodded slowly, and turned her head towards him to try and indicate him to continue. “Nancy and the kids all repeat platonic with a capital P, but I just… how did you and Harrington even happen?”

“Scoops A’hoy,” Robin grinned wide, barely able to stifle the laugh that’s on the backend of her words. She was able to catch the widened look that Eddie threw her way, before his eyes darted out to look towards Steve, before his eyes moved back to her own. “He and I worked there back when the mall was open.”

“And… what? You instantly became best friends?”

“No, actually.” Robin shook her head with another soft laugh, before she paused so she could rub her palms together. She allowed herself to twist one of her rings around her finger, brows pinched for a moment. “I actually thought he was like the worst, y’know?” Robin scoffed to herself, before she sent Eddie a look. She knew what she must look like, her eyes wet with tears and her gaze all permanently soft.

“You know how he was in school, King Steve and all that.” Robin continued on, and she flicked her tongue out of her mouth to wet the corner of her lips for a second. “And when my manager told me that I’d be working with a Steve, well… there was only one Steve in Hawkins I could think of.”

“So how did your opinion of him change then, Buckley?” Eddie cocked his head again, one of his hands coming up to twirl a strand of hair around his pointer finger. His brows were furrowed taut, creating a worry line in between them. “The kids told me about the Russians-”

“It was sort of before then,” Robin admitted with a small shrug, and she twisted the corner of her lip into a shy smile. “He raved to me, y’know? About uh, these kids. These five kids he’d babysit and shit, and it was so… soft?” Robin watched as Eddie mouthed out names to himself as he ticked his fingers, before he cast a look to her. “But he always talked about this one, Ellie, who he’d call his little sister.”

Eddie drew in a sharp breath, eyes wide as Robin let out a soft hum.

“Yeah, and I don’t know if you submitted yourself to Harrington family lore-” Robin gestured behind her toward the Harrington house with a flick of her hand, before she continued. “But I knew that Dick and Helen Harrington didn’t have more than one kid.”

“Supergirl?” Eddie asked softly, and Robin let out a soft confirming hum as she watched Eddie’s eyes dart toward Steve. Steve was still talking to Jonathan, though Argyle had shifted forward so he was able to join in the conversation.

“And then imagine my surprise when one day our stupid sailor ice cream shop is visited by none other than the Chief.” Robin shook her head with a small laugh, before she continued on. “And he was so excited to see Steve, Eddie. Like genuinely excited to see him, ordered a couple tubs of ice cream togo and then said he’d see him at home.”

“Fuck.” Eddie breathed out, and Robin let out another sigh of a laugh.

“And I asked Steve why the Chief of the Hawkins police force was visiting him at work, and Steve just…” Robin shrugged slowly, shaking her head to clear her thoughts before she continued. “He just gave me this look, like… like he didn’t actually know either.”

“Then later, he told me why he watched all of the kids. He told me that he would’ve given anything for someone to just… to just care about him when he was their age. That all he wanted was for just a person to give a shit about his wellbeing.” Robin shook her head again, before she carded a hand through her still chlorine sticky hair. “And after that my opinion just… it just changed about him.”

“Then the Russians?” Eddie asked softly, and Robin hummed as she dipped her chin in a curt nod.

“Then the Russians, and he didn’t… he didn’t even hesitate to take the attention onto himself when they started questioning us.” Robin shook her head again, sniffling. “And after I asked him why he would do that, and he told me it was because he knew I had a family waiting on me to come back home.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah, and then afterwards when we were getting seen by the EMTs? He didn’t have anyone to call Eddie. Because Hopper? Hopper was just… just presumed dead.” Robin let out a soft bitter laugh, and she twisted a strand of her hair around her finger. “My parents decided to take us both home after, and he stayed with us for a couple of days- until his concussion was okay enough for him to sleep through the night.”

“And that’s when you became best friends?”

“That’s when I decided that, Steve? He deserved way more from people than he seemed to ever fucking get.” Robin shrugged, before she cast a soft smile toward Eddie. Eddie’s eyes were glassy, wet with tears and Robin just patted her hand soft against his forearm. “That’s when I decided that he was my best friend.”

“Platonic with a capital P?”

Robin cast a look toward Steve, where the older teen already had his eyes on her. He had a hand extended, fingers wiggling toward her in a small way to beckon her toward his side. Robin stood without responding to Eddie, and she left her towel on the lounge chair she’d commandeered as her own. She took a moment though, cast a softer look toward Eddie- even as the corner of her lip twitched into a nervous smile.

“He’s not exactly my type, y’know?” Robin kept her admission soft, even when Eddie’s eyes were quick to flood with confusion. She instead cast a look toward the sunbathing Nancy Wheeler, who had one of her arms strewn over her face across the backyard where she laid in the grass.

When Robin let her eyes move to meet Eddie’s again, he has a look of pure understanding on his face.

“I think I get what you mean.” Eddie murmured and Robin simply flashed Eddie Munson a shy smile.

Eddie Munson watched as Robin Buckley walked away from him, quick to tuck herself into Steve’s side once she reached him. Steve threw his arm around Robin’s shoulders, tucking her further into his grasp- though the flow of conversation that he was having with Argyle and Jonathan didn’t even pause.

It’s in that moment when Eddie Munson realizes something extraordinarily fucking crucial.

He’s in love with Steve fucking Harrington.

---

this is gonna become a multipart fic i think btw! it will probably be on here / ao3, haven’t fully decided yet but hope you enjoyed nonetheless!

now with a part two! click here

[plistommy]

#Canon

[shares-a-vest]

Inspired by THIS picture of Joe Keery and the possibility that s4 Steve could have had the most glorious blonde highlights. we could have had it aaaaaall.

The bell chimes as Steve bursts through the glass doors of Family Video, bringing in a gust of the hot summer air with him.

"Shut the door!" Robin demands from behind the counter, lunging forward, exasperated because of course, that stupid door is getting stuck on its hinges and not closing properly right in the middle of summer. And Robin had only just managed to regulate the store's temperature after a pair of morons (aka, Mike and Will) had biked away and left it wide open.

Steve nods, looking like his blank, dingus self in his summertime attire: a baby blue polo and navy shorts that are far too short, giving Robin vivid flashbacks to their dorky Scoops uniforms. She looks down and realises he is, in fact, wearing an identical pair of blue sneakers he'd worn slinging ice creams and her mind drifts to what she could fashion in order to resurrect the 'You Suck' board. Between the outfit and his new hairstyle, he sure was regressing back to his peak 1985 lameness.

"Hi!" he announces, doing his silly little dad-jog to the counter.

"Oh my god!" Dustin shrieks, finally looking up from the VHS order catalogue he was 'helping' Robin look through.

The exclaim stirs Eddie, carefully selecting candies he is absolutely, one hundred percent going to pay for.

"Oh," he says, looking at Steve's hair, now almost entirely blonde with shining, fresh highlights. His face stays frozen in an 'o' shape as he practically collapses against the counter and holds on for dear life. Robin snickers, readying herself for some not-so-subtle teasing, but Dustin gets one in first.

"You look like a Ken doll."

Robin cackles, admittedly at her best friend's expense but, sue her. Henderson sure has a way with (bitchy) words.

Steve leans an arm on the counter, conveniently facing Eddie and smirks. "Always so complimentary, Henderson."

"Shut up, it looks good!" comes Max from the comedy aisle where she and Lucas have been standing for way too long.

Robin makes a face, knowing that all these little pocket moniless twerps are only in the store for the (not even all that good) air-conditioning.

Lucas elbows Max, offering a faint, "What the hell?"

"What?" she retorts, folding her arms. "He looks good."

The couple continues squabbling, the only intelligible words being, "he's lame", and, "but he has nice hair".

Steve runs a hand through said hair, likely knowing it's causing a store-spanning reaction because he's just that vain.

"Just got it done," he smiles like he hadn't spent the past week sitting behind the counter and not working while he was looking at hair magazines.

But he also looks like he's really only interested in impressing one very stupid, slack-jawed metalhead dressed head to toe in black despite it being the dog days of summer. Robin narrows her eyes and pokes at Eddie's bare arm in hopes of rebooting him to his annoying factory settings.

"Munson! You are being suspiciously quiet. What's say you?"

"Uhhh," he hums, looking Steve over before settling back on gawking at his goddamn hair.

"Jesus Christ!" Dustin groans, hanging his head in his hands. He gathers up his pen, paper and order catalogue and heads to the back room, continuing to act like he's an actual employee.

Eddie finally closes his mouth and gives a tight-lipped smile and Robin can practically feel Steve fawning over his devil-disguised-as-a-cherub dimples.

"It… It looks... good," Eddie mumbles, stuttering all the way and avoiding eye contact.

Robin snorts, realising the lovesick moron is just going to remain a melting puddle of goo, not worth teasing at all. She pushes off her wheely chair, sending it flying backwards as she heads for the returns trolley sitting abandoned across the store.

She misses Eddie eventually gathering himself up enough to move a step closer and quietly say, "You look pretty".

And all Steve can do is blush with a meek, "Thanks".

[steviesbicrisis]

Honestly, my biggest fear for season 5 is a jump of a few years where Robin and Steve are no longer that close.

Like, nothing major happened but they drifted apart, maybe Robin went to Europe and Steve stayed in Indiana and they promised to visit often but then life happens and you make excuses, and then 5 years pass quickly and you realize you're basically strangers.

And this is my biggest fear because it's realistic, not every friendship last forever so I couldn't even be mad at the Duffers but I've read one too many fanfics with codependent Stobin that if those two don't platonically get married it would just break my heart.

[buck1eys]

robin and steve are soulmates sorry like somehow every weird film robin reccomends that steve would never choose he ends up liking and when she's sad thinking about vickie robin swears steve can read her mind and say the right thing even though he doesn't get it because how could he know and robin talks steve through it when he's anxious and god the two of them could talk for HOURS in fact they regularly do, or they'll just swing by each others houses no problem robin has seen steve with his hair undone and his shirt off covered in bat scars and steve has seen robin ugly laugh so hard milkshake came out of her nose and ugly cry so hard the snot bubbles not because the russian spies have drugged them this time but because she trusts him to hold her when she cries, and even when they fight they're looking out for each other, steve knows robin well enough to know he can bare his soul a thousand times and she will never once go in for the kill and they both know a friend like this is a miracle you could search your whole life and never find

[strawberrybyers]

something i feel to my core that is off-screen canon is that steve and robin share a joint while gossiping in the back alley of the family video store during their breaks

[bit-odd-innit]

[A lil thing based on my list of bands Steve and Eddie would both like, specifically ELO]

Robin must recognize the near-imperceptible click his jaw makes when he yawns, the one that allegedly "drives her insane,” because when she picks the phone up the phone she barks, “WHEN are you coming home?”

Eddie chuckles. “Hello to you, my closest compatriot! You flatter me! I had no idea my absence would be so acutely felt.”

“I welcomed your absence!”

“Ouch.”

“Fool that I am, I believed your absence would grant me respite! Four blissful days without your utterly barf-inducing honeymoon phase, blech. ”

“It saddens me that you have allowed so much hate into your heart.

“Instead I’m subjected to—“

Eddie can HEAR her exaggerated pout through the phone.

“Where’s Eddie? What do you think Eddie’s doing right now? If I go outside and look up at the moon do you think Eddie is looking at the same moon? Put a bullet in my head.”

In the background he hears a faint “is that him?” And his heart flips over and bares it’s belly.

There’s a scuffle on the other end of the line, smacks of flesh on flesh interspersed with hushes of, “Fuck you.” “Fuck YOU.”  Then there’s a thump, a squawk of defiance, and a breathy, flirtatious, “Hey,” and Eddie has to lean his full weight onto the shoulder as his knees give out. “Hey.” The bank of payphones in Jeff’s dorm’s lobby don’t offer a lot of privacy so he pivots to press his face into the cool, white-painted cinderblock. “Whatcha doin’?” “There’s been a development.” A shuffle, a hiss of a needle hitting a record, a giggle.  “My raise came through,” Steve says, “And I made a purchase.”

“Oh?” Eddie asks as the distant rumble of music mounts.  “I got the cordless. And now I can do this.”  There’s a slight feedback screech and then, “🎵 In myyyyy blue world...🎵” and Eddie’s glad Steve can’t see him claw his hair across his face. “🎵 I turn to stone when you are gone I turn to stone I turn to stone, when you comin' home I can't go on...🎵 ” Steve’s voice is shaky and teasing and warm as he sings along. Eddie swoons against the cement wall, thinks, oh, okay, you’re It for me. “Not hearing a lot of feedback...?” “Baby.” And he punches the word with as much feeling as he can, pummels it with the word he wants to say but can’t, the word that’s sat dense and heavy in his chest since the moment he opened his eyes in a hospital room, felt his hand squeezed in reassurance. “Baby,” he says, again. “Mm,” Steve says, and it sounds like come home. “I’m on the first bus out.” “Okay,” he hears the same time Robin says, “Fucking WHIPPED.” “I’m going to kick Robin’s ass.” “No you’re not NO HE’S NOT” “No I’m not.” He beams. “I can’t wait to see you again.” “Of course you can’t,” he says as through Eddie can’t hear him climbing through the phone to get to him.  “You bought the ELO album for me?” he asks, and melts as Steve replies, “Honey I bought it for us.” Later he flops onto the air mattress in Jeff’s dorm, screams into the pillow. He looks up at Jeff, smiling like he still hasn’t adjusted to moving his mouth without braces. Wide, loose lipped, gummy. “You love him, don’t you?” He grumbles. He does.

[straight4joekeery]

Nancy: And then they ran into my knife. They ran into my knife ten times.

Steve: You mean you stabbed them?

Nancy: They ran into my knife.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Robin: I’ve never asked someone out. How do you even do it?

Steve: Oh, what I do is, I look them up and down and I say: “Hey… how you doin’?”

Eddie, scoffing: Oh, please.

Steve, to Eddie: Hey, how you doin’?

Eddie:

Eddie: *giggles and blushes*

~~~~~~~~~~~

*The squad™️ when they drop food on the floor*

Nancy: Aw man. *Throws it away*

Robin: Five second rule!

Eddie: Foolish germs, thinking they can stop me!? *Eats it off the floor*

Steve: *Sobs on the floor*

~~~~~~~~~~~

Eddie: What happened to Nancy?

Steve: She died.

Eddie: She what?

Steve: She died, but she’s okay.

Eddie: …Can you please clarify?

Nancy: Clarification is for the weak.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Robin: You just saved me? Why?!

Eddie: People would think I murdered you if I didn't.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Steve: We call that a traumatic experience.

Steve, turning to Robin: Not a "bruh moment".

Steve, turning to Eddie: And DEFINITELY not an "oof LMAO".

~~~~~~~~~~~

Robin: So... what’s goin’ on?

Steve: You want the long version or the short version?

Robin, hesitantly: The short one, I guess?

Steve: Shit’s fucked.

Robin: Oh. Well, yeah, that’s definitely not an optimal situation.

~~~~~~~~~~~

*Robin and Nancy are in a car teetering on the edge of a cliff*

Robin: oh my god, Nancy, backwards!

Nancy: Really, Robin? I thought I might go forwards into the river, I thought that would be a fun thing to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Robin: I’m the sexiest bitch in this therapy waiting room.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Nancy: I don't want to fight you!

Eddie: I wouldn't want you to fight me either!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Eddie: My assistance will be an act of beneviolence.

Nancy: ...Don’t you mean benevolence?

Eddie: No.

[streamafterlaughter]

Fundamental Differing

Chapter XIV: Away To Nowhere Plains

nav | master list | playlist | pin board | chapter XIII

summary: a welcome home party in hawkins, a break from the whirlwind of rock n roll fame.

tags/warning: flirting, consumption of alcohol, weed, swearing, normal chill stuff nothing insane, LOTS of use of Y/n sorry guys nicknames are for couples!!!!! slow burn, mutual pining, tension as per usual

a/n: I MISSED YOU GUYS. i’m so sorry this took so long to update, i was following paramore around the east coast for a few weeks like a crazy person. should be posting waaaay more regularly now. please enjoy! Disclaimer: I do not give permission to have my work reposted on other sites. Reblogs are more than welcome, but please inform me if you find my work elsewhere unless otherwise stated. please reblog and comment to support the author!

—

December 1986

You rub the sleep from your eyes as you wake, Eddie’s pretty face slowly coming into focus. “Hey, sleepyhead. How’re you feeling?” His voice is soft, soothing to your ears.

“Better this time around. I think you chased the nightmare off, I dreamt of you instead.” You weren’t planning on telling him, you blame your fatigue for the confession.

“Yeah? Was it hot?” He jokes, and you bite your bottom lip because yeah, it definitely was. “It was, wasn’t it?!” Eddie hops out of bed and starts pacing the floor. “Let me guess, we were somewhere cool, like the woods. We were camping! Yeah, and you forgot your tent, so we had to share, and bing bang boom we’re waking up the wildlife.” He looks back to you, eager for your confession.

You cackle at his guess. “Not even close, man. You were a fucking rockstar. Got up on stage at The Garden, and everyone was there for you. Kicked some fucking ass, might I add.” You leave the part where you jumped on stage out, not wanting to give Eddie any ideas for future Corroded Coffin shows.

“Can I tell you something?” He plops back down next to you, shaking the bed. “Remember the party? When you told me the band could be something, and I told you that was never really the plan?” You nod, and he sighs, “Well. I was lying. It’s been the only thing I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid. What you said meant a lot to me, and I wanted to believe you, but we’d just met, and I wasn’t sure if you were being serious or if you wanted to get in my pants.” He grins, and you know he’s joking.

“It was both, obviously!” You backhand him, and he fakes being hurt. “But mostly the former, I really meant it. I do mean it! You’re talented, you’ve got a great group of friends.”. You open your arms, and he scoops you into his, wrapping his legs around your waist like a koala. He mumbles something into your neck, sounding embarrassed. “What was that?”

He removes his head from your shoulder. With his legs still curled around you, he grasps you by the shoulders, as if to steady your already unmoving frame. He looks deeply into your eyes, and though he looks exhausted, he is absolutely stunning. You fight everything in you to jump him there, forget about a night out with friends, and just ravage the boy in your arms all night instead.

“I love you.”

You swear your heart stops. In fact, you are definitely dead. You died, flew into some deluded version of Catholic Heaven where you get everything you want, no consequence. Eddie tries to read your expression, and you hope to god he can because you sure don’t know what the fuck to feel. “You don’t have to say it back, in fact, don’t. Not yet. But I mean it.”

“I-“ Eddie cuts you off with a kiss, and you let him. You close the tiny gap between his chest and yours, and kiss him to convey all the feelings your words aren’t capable of.

“Now, put on something sexy, we’re going out tonight.” Eddie rolls off of you, snatching his towel from his chair on the way out of the room.

Holy shit.

-

Your POV

“Is anyone here to pick us up?” You ask, linking your arm with Steve’s as you exit into the terminal. The airport is bustling with families on their way to Disneyworld and Martha’s Vineyard for their summer vacations, meanwhile you’re about to spend a week in one of the most traumatizing towns of your young adulthood.

“Yeah, Nance and Jonathan are- and speak of the devil!”

Nancy and Jonathan approach from the other side of your gate, and you take off running. Nance catches you in her embrace, squeezing you tightly as you fall into her arms. “Hi, baby!” You squeal, keeping your old friend close.

“Hi, honey! It’s so nice to see you!” When she lets you go, you move to hug Jonathan as Robin and Steve say their hellos. Eddie and the guys are further back, sending waves to them. Nancy doesn’t accept that, though, and throws herself into Eddie. “Hey, Ed.” She mumbles into his shoulder.

-

Eddie’s POV

“Hey, Nance. Long time.”

“Too long!” She separates herself from him and backhands his chest. “Visit more!”

Eddie scoffs. “Hey, you’re in Boston now, don’t give me that shit!”

“Sure, but I come home every summer. I know you’re big and famous, but this is still your home!”

“How is the big guy?” He’s talking about Dustin, eyes betraying a glimpse of who Eddie used to be.

“He’s good. He misses you. We didn’t tell him, or any of them actually, that you were coming.” Nancy’s shy, suddenly.

“Because we weren’t sure if you actually were.” Jonathan explains, and Eddie nods, pressing his lips together. It makes sense, he’s made plenty of empty promises to visit already, only finally pulling himself together because of you.

“But you did! You came! Both of you came, which is even crazier. But it’s great! We’re having a party tonight, Steve’s hosting, we can all drive over together.” Nancy blurts, her mind moving faster than her mouth can.

“A party?” You ask, voice raising an octave higher than it usually sits. You sound nervous.

“Well, what us casual folk consider a party. You guys will probably see it as a pathetic attempt at one.”

“Oh, please!” Steve interjects, “My parties are never pathetic. I was the king!”

Eddie groans dramatically. “Yeah, yeah, man. We know, you peaked in high school.”

“I did not.” Steve crosses his arms, and your laugh draws Eddie’s attention back to you.

“I for one would love a Hawkins style party.” You add finally, a real smile spread across your face. “It’ll be nice to see everyone.”

Nancy nods, taking your carry on from your grasp. “Great! Let’s get you settled.”

“Did you book us a hotel? Eddie asks, surprised. That’s above any level of friendship he’s had with these two specifically.

They both laugh. “A hotel? You’re staying with us!” Oh, fuck.

—

Your POV

“So, my parents happen to be away for the week you’re all here,” Nancy starts, unlocking the door to her childhood home, a building that housed many a party, many a D&D game. “so we have it to ourselves! The couches up here and downstairs, the guest room, and obviously Robin and Y/n will be sleeping with me, to catch me up on the Hollywood Gossip.” Nancy winks at you, and you smile. You’ve missed her, missed Hawkins, despite everything.

“When are the kids getting here?” You ask. You mean Max, specifically. You owe her some money. Eddie and the guys make their way downstairs before Nancy answers,

“They’re at Dustin’s, they’ll be over later today. Something about needing to catch up on the news?”

You bring your palm to your face. “Shit. I was gonna tell you over drinks, lots and lots of drinks, but uh, there’s a rumor flying around that Eddie and I are, y’know,” You trail off, fidgeting like an embarrassed child.

Nancy brings her manicured hand to her open mouth, quick to hide her pity. (It doesn’t work.) “Oh, god. Are you? Sorry, that was rude. How are you handling it?”

You laugh, unfazed by her curiosity. “I don’t really know what we are right now,”

“So you’re something?” She smirks.

You roll your eyes. “We’ll always be something.”

She shrugs, a truce. “What are you gonna tell them? Tell Dustin? You know how he gets.”

You shake your head. “That’s Eddie’s problem.”

Nancy chirps a laugh, placing your suitcase at the end of her bed, and Robin’s backpack beside it. “Fair enough. But didn’t Max bet you the break up wouldn’t last?”

You snort, “Yeah, I owe the kid fifty bucks.”

“If I’d known we were putting money on it, I’d be freaking rich!” Robin teases, and you try to smother your grin. She’s right, she’d been betting on you and Eddie reconciling for the past two years.

“Sorry, Bob. Ya snooze, ya lose!”

“Speaking of snoozing, I need a nap before this party. Pretty sure I broke my neck on the plane.”

-

Nancy rouses you and Robin from your slumbers gently, shaking your shoulders while whispering that “It’s time to get up, rockstars!” The time on her old alarm clock blinks 4:15PM, both you and Robin had slept the day away. You take your time getting up, stretching your limbs slowly as your eyes adjust to the sunlight, streaming through the blinds. Your stomach growls loudly, and Nancy chuckles. “Pizza’s on the way! We’ll eat before we go to Steve’s. For now, though, go get dressed. Remember your bathing suits!” She’s in Mom mode, taking care of you and Robin while running around like a crazy person.

You dig through your suitcase, coming up empty handed. “I don’t have a bathing suit.”

Robin rolls her eyes. “Yes you do!” She takes your suitcase from you, pulling out the skimpy bikini from beneath your piles of clothing. It’s black with cherries on it, and teeny tiny. You bite your lip in embarrassment. It’s a cute bikini, but it’s super inappropriate to be wearing around the kids.

Robin seems to read your mind, though. “They’re all adults now, y/n. You don’t need to walk around in a mumu. Plus,” she wiggles her eyebrows teasingly, “we both know who’ll love this number.”

You groan, snatching the fabric from her grip. “Fine! But you have to wear your yellow one. I’m not gonna be the only one walking around almost-naked.”

She giggles, agreeing. “Doesn’t bother me!” She finds her suit in her backpack and leaves the room to let you change.

-

Eddie’s POV

“So, why are we staying here if we’re having the party at your place?” Eddie asks before biting into his pizza.

“Because Nancy insisted on staying here, but she can’t host a party to save her life. Plus, I have a pool.”

“Your parents have a pool. You live in a tiny apartment in Seattle with two other people.”

Steve shoves Eddie’s shoulder. “Man, shut up. At least I have friends to live with.” Eddie’s face falls, and Steve notices immediately. “I’m sorry. That was too far.”

He shrugs. “It’s alright, you’re not exactly wrong.” He’s glad he’s not home right now, it gets lonely there. The thought of seeing all of his friends again, though, is still overwhelming him. He has no idea what he’ll say to Dustin, or worse, what Dustin will say to him.

Before Eddie can panic further, though, you and Robin enter the kitchen. You’re in shorts and a tight black t-shirt, the strings of your bikini visible underneath. Your short hair is clipped to keep it out of your face, the vibrant color having faded since the beginning of the tour. You send a small smile his way, melting Eddie’s insecurities, even temporarily. He can’t seem to peel his eyes from you as you walk over to the counter, helping yourself to a slice of pizza. He has to fight the urge to walk over to you, wrap his arms around your waist, rest his head on your shoulder. It practically pains him, when you’re out of his reach.

“Eds?” You snap him out of his trance, waving a hand in front of him.

“What?” He shakes his head, as if to rid the image from his brain. “Sorry.”

You grin shyly, and Eddie could melt at the sight. “I asked if you’re ready to go?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m all set.”

Your smile widens, and you hold your hand out for him. He takes it, expecting you to drag him out to the car, but you pull him hooking, hooking your arm around his. “Okay, then. Shall we?”

He can feel the eyes of the room on the pair of you, his cheeks warming. You don’t seem to notice, only looking up at him, your eyes shiny and warm.

-

Mere hours later, Steve’s parents’ house is full and loud, music bumping through the surround sound speakers. Eddie’s in the kitchen nursing a beer when Dustin enters. He’s grown taller and more muscular since the last time Eddie’s seen him, and the beginnings of a beard pepper his face, making him look more like a man than the last time he’d seem the boy. Susie’s on his arm, smiling kindly when she meets Eddie’s eyes. “You wanna drink, Dusty?” She asks sweetly, and Dustin nods. She exits the kitchen, leaving the boys alone.

“What’s up, Dusty?” Eddie tries to joke, extending his hand for Dustin to shake. He swats it away, instead pulling Eddie into a much needed hug.

“Hey, Eddie.” His greeting is muffled by Eddie’s shoulder, and Eddie returns the hug without shame, wrapping his arms around Dustin’s shoulders. The two stay like that, long lost brothers seeing each other for the first time in years.

“Missed you, man.” Eddie finally says when Dustin breaks the hug, holding Eddie at arm’s length. “You're lookin’ great.”

“I’ve been hittin’ the gym a little, check this out,” Dustin flexes a bicep, the beginnings of muscle protruding from his arm. Eddie chuckles, nodding an approval.

When the small talk dies, neither speaks at first, unsure of where to take the conversation besides the elephant in the room. “How’s tour treating you?” Dustin finally asks, taking a seat at the kitchen island. Susie returns with two sodas, handing one to Dustin and sipping the other.

Eddie shrugs, taking another sip of his beer. “It’s been alright, pretty standard stuff.”

Dustin chuckles, and the sound is deeper than Eddie’s used to. “Standard, huh? Touring with the ex love of your life?”

Eddie rolls his eyes. “Right to the point, huh?”

“Obviously, man! I haven’t seen you in years, and the one time you come back, it’s with all this new information I’m not aware of! You know I hate being out of the loop!”

“I know, and I owe you a lot of information. Trust me, I wanna tell you everything,” Before Eddie can continue, you’re stumbling into the kitchen, giggling drunkenly with Robin as you wobble to the coolers in the corner.

“Hi, boys! Oh my god, it can’t be. Is that Dustin freaking Henderson?!” You gasp dramatically, pulling a big smile from Dustin as he approaches you. You swing your arms around his neck, having to get on tiptoes now to reach him. He wraps his arms around you, and you sway as you hug him tightly.

“Hey, Y/n.” He greets warmly, then releases you to hug Robin with the same welcoming arms. “Hi, Bob.”

“Hey, buddy.” Robin hums, rubbing Dustin’s back as she hugs him closely.

“Sorry to interrupt, I know you guys have a lot of catching up to do. But we’re about to play chicken, and I need a partner.” You look from Dustin to where Eddie is, leaning against the counter, opening his fourth beer of the night.

“What, me?”

You roll your eyes. “Obviously, silly. C’mon! It’ll be fun.” You’re wasted, eyes glazed over and posture loose. It’s impossible to say no to you.

“I’ll be out in a second.”

“Okay!” You sing, hooking your arm through Robins again. The two of you exit the kitchen, into the back yard. Eddie can’t look away as you peel your shirt over your head, revealing a tiny black bikini top.

“You haven’t changed a bit, Munson.” Dustin taunts as Eddie pulls his stare from your silhouette.

“What are you talking about?”

“Seriously? You can’t tell me that is how friends look at each other,” He mimicks Eddie, staring open mouthed at the wall, eyes wide and unblinking. “It’s pathetic!”

“This is why I haven’t come back here, Henderson.” Eddie teases, backhanding the kid’s stomach. “Can’t deal with your know-it-all bullshit.”

Dustin snorts a laugh. “Hey, man, I'm just callin’ it like I see it.”

-

Your POV

You dip your toes into the cool water while you wait, letting the feeling contrast with the alcohol induced warmth of your body. You feel a presence sit next to you, another pair of feet meeting yours under the water.

“Hey, kiddo.” You greet her, leaning your head on her shoulder.

“What’s up, big shot?” Max leans her head on yours, her way of hugging you without committing to it. She looks the same, despite being a little taller, and maybe her hair’s gotten a little longer.

“Oh, y’know. Same old.”

She snorts. “Word on the street is you owe me some money.”

You groan, pinching the bridge of your nose. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll get that to you this week. Nice to see you, too.”

“Hey! It is nice to see you! I haven’t in a while, I’m sorry.” Max wraps her arms around your shoulders. “I missed you, y’know.”

“I missed you too, Maxie. How are things?”

“They’re alright. I don’t live here anymore, that’s a big plus.”

“Oh yeah?”

She nods. “Moved out after college, got a place in the city with Lucas. I’ll show you some time this week maybe?”

You nod. “For sure.”

“But enough about my endeavors, how are you? Y’know, with all this shit going on?”

You shake your head. “I dunno, dude. Weird, I guess. Everything’s weird.”

“I take it you and Eddie aren’t officially back together, then?”

“Not exactly. But not, not together. Does that make sense?”

“Not at all. Good to see you two haven’t changed too much.”

You giggle, nudging her shoulder with yours. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, c’mon! You two used to dance around the idea of dating before you started. You think we didn’t notice? I was fifteen, not stupid! It took you so much time to admit you liked each other, then even more time to figure out you needed to break up. Now here we are again, watching Eddie and Y/n tiptoe around their feelings for each other.”

You sigh, the alcohol not letting you fully grasp what she’s saying. “I hate when you’re right.”

She grins smugly. “I know, and I’m sorry. It happens a lot.”

Before you can respond, Eddie throws the screen door open. “Who’s ready to play some chicken?” He’s very drunk, but not in the sad and angry way you’re used to seeing him lately.

Max gives you another grin, and you roll your eyes before getting to your feet. “You’re in for it now, team Scoops.” You point across the pool, where Robin and Steve stand in their bathing suits discussing strategy. Eddie shoves his pants to the ground, revealing a too small pair of swim trunks you're sure have belonged to him since freshman year. He tugs his shirt over his head, discarding it with his pants in the grass. You do your best not to stare at the tattoos scattered on his torso, littering his arms. You refuse to look further than his chest, not risking even a glance at his waist, his hips. Instead of gawking like you want to, you pay close attention to undoing the button of your cutoff shorts, shimmying out of them and tossing them onto the chair beside you.You’re completely exposed, standing only in the tiniest bikini you own because it was the only one you could find before leaving.

As much as you don’t want to draw his attention, the feeling of Eddie’s eyes on your body surges your confidence. Without looking back, you get into the pool, taking each step slowly to adjust to the temperature. It’s fairly warm, and you say a quick thank you prayer. You definitely cannot be walking around with pointy nips right now. Eddie wades in behind you, splashing you in his wake, steps clumsy. Once he’s settled, he turns to face you, squatting so the water reaches his chest.

“You ready, sweetheart?” You try not to seem fazed by his slip. He stopped calling you that after you broke up, and the only times he has since then, he’s apologized for it. Now, though, with his guard down and his judgment obscured, he smirks at you like he knows what he’s just done. You pretend you don’t get it.

“Sure thing, Munson.” No pretty boy, not even this drunk. He’s not yours, not now.

If he notices, he doesn’t let it show, keeping the same expression as he motions you forward. You’ve done this hundreds of times, over the course of the few summers you had in Hawkins. You and Eddie used to drive over on Fridays and stay the weekend with Rob, Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan, babysitting the kids and enjoying your time as immature adults while you still could. It feels the same, even after all those years have passed, you’re still in the same small town, with the same group of friends, playing the same stupid games. You climb onto his shoulders, and try not to react when his hands grasp tightly on each thigh, locked on either side of his head.

“Alright, listen up!” Dustin has gathered the rest of your friends beside the pool, while scattered guests you barely remember from your semester in high school crowd around to spectate. “This is Drown The Chicken. The first person to fall off of their partner loses. There will be three rounds, each one five minutes. A shot of liquor will be taken by the loser after each round. If both opponents fail to knock the other off of their partner, a tiebreaker will take place. Today, the tie breaker will be…” He pauses for dramatic effect, and Mike takes the opportunity to slap his legs in a drumroll. “A shotgun race!” The whole backyard cheers, and you groan. The worst thing about these kids being in college, is that they’re too young to realize drinking is not the only thing adults do. It is one of the most fun, though.

“Both members of each team will shotgun a malt beverage of their choosing. First one to finish wins the tiebreaker for their team, and therefore the round! At the end, the losers will have to drink a shot of the winners’ choosing!” The four of you nod in understanding. Regardless, you know you’ll have to drink at some point. “On your mark, get set, GO!” Will clicks his timer, and the party guests start cheering, egging you on. You hear shouts of, “I’ve got ten on Munson and L/n!” and “Kick his ass!” and Robin reaches for you suddenly, catching you off guard. The music is cranked through the speakers, giving the match a soundtrack of Pixies’ Here Comes Your Man. Steve wades toward you, Robin clutching a handful of his precious hair to keep her balance. You take advantage of his winces of “Ouch, Rob, not the hair!” and shove, sending Robin almost entirely backwards. Steve catches her at the last second, wobbling as he tries to keep her out of the water.

“Lucky shot!” Robin shouts, stretching her arms out toward you. You lean back, and Eddie catches you, gripping your thighs tightly on his shoulders. He moves with you, saving your equilibrium, and you stretch towards Robin. The two of you tangle your arms, while the boys below you swat at each other, hurling meaningless insults and taunts. Finally, you gain the advantage, shoving Robin’s shoulder with enough force to send her backwards, slipping quickly from Steve’s grasp. She splashes into the water, submerged up to her neck. “Shit.”

“That’s one for team Hellfire!” Dustin claps his hands loudly as he hands your opponents each a shot, and you giggle as Robin struggles to climb back onto Steve’s back, their skin now slippery with pool water.

“Nice moves.” Eddie cranes his neck, and you meet his eyes. His face is soft with intoxication, his guard lowered. Yours is higher than ever, though, and you look away before he can reel you in any further.

“Round two!” You repeat the motions, this time while Smells Like Teen Spirit blares from the radio, and your former classmates yelling and cheering for their preferred team. Robin catches you by surprise, kicking one of your knees enough to throw you off balance, then shoving you to the side. You topple off of Eddie’s shoulders, into the cool water. You stay there for a second, keeping your eyes closed to avoid looking at Eddie’s surely disappointed expression.

But when you dare to peek through one eye, the other still tightly shut, he’s smiling at you. Not his usual toothy grin, the one he gives to his friends. His smile is soft, lips pressed together as if to stop them from quivering with a rogue giggle.

He’s drunk, you remind yourself. You have to remember he’s drunk.

“What now, Munson?!” Steve sends a splash at Eddie, and he scoffs in mock disgust.

“Boys, please, you’ll have plenty of time to play mermaids after Eddie and I kick your ass.” Eddie giggles as you climb his back, repositioning yourself on top of him. It’s more difficult, now that both of you are soaked from the neck down. Dustin hands you both a shot, Eddie’s whiskey and yours vodka, and you both down them easily.

“Final round, people! This round wins it all! See Max to confirm your bets. Are the teams ready?” The four of you give variations of a confirmation, and Dustin shouts, once again, “On your mark… get set… GO!” You square your body to hold better balance, as Eddie and Steve approach each other slowly. Eddie’s hands grip your thighs tightly, and you hope he can’t feel the heat growing between your legs. Not now.

You continue to dodge and dance around each other, narrowly missing one another as you swing your limbs, stretching and reaching for Robin as Eddie tries to sneak around Steve’s guard. After five long minutes, Dustin startles you with the newly found volume in his voice. “TIME’S UP! WE HAVE A TIE!” You can hear the conflicting emotions of the crowd, probably correlating to their own predictions. “Y’all know what that means!” The four of you sulk as you leave the water, defeated by the dreaded tie breaker.

Lucas passes you each a can and a miscellaneous tool to puncture it with. You’ve barely grown to like beer, even after months of being surrounded by it, but it’s the only thing available that you’re physically able to shotgun. You’ve chosen a Red Stripe, in honor of your teammate.

“The rules of the tiebreaker are as follows: You will puncture your can when I say go, and you will chug for thirty seconds before opening the top. The first person to finish their beverage wins the tiebreaker for their team. Got it?” Eddie groans a confirmation, while you and Robin nod and Steve taps each side of his face lightly to psych himself out. Dustin counts you off again, and you each stab your cans, quickly rushing the liquid into your mouth. Will counts from 30 out loud as he watches the timer, and the crowd is eerily quiet, focused on the race in front of them.

“30! Crack ‘em open!” You do as you’re told, quickly snapping the tab of the can to relieve the pressure. You can tell you’re slowing down, grossed out by the bread flavored piss water sliding down your throat. Luckily, though, Eddie is devouring his own, his head tilted to make sure he’s getting all of it. The feeling between your legs has returned, and you quickly shoot your gaze to Robin, who’s also struggling to finish her beer. In reality, this is a race between Steve and Eddie, winner takes all. All in this case is bragging rights, and probably a horrible hangover.

Eddie is the first to finish, lifting the can above his head in celebration. Thank god, too, because you definitely shouldn’t consume another shot.

“We have a winner!” Dustin runs between you and Eddie, hoisting each of your wrists to the air as the backyard guests cheer and boo and yell. You chance another look in Eddie’s direction, admiring his whoops of victory as he high fives his bandmates.

_

Eddie’s POV

It’s 3AM as the party starts to die, and people he’d never spoken to in high school approach him to say their goodbyes. Eddie is pulled into hugs, handshakes, and conversations with his former bullies, and girls that never looked at him twice. Though his eighteen year old self would be relishing in this sudden change, he’s tired. He knows it’s not real, that none of these people even care about his art. They care that he’s famous, and that they know someone famous. But the only person in this room that knows him is behind him, falling asleep on the basement sofa.

“Hey, Y/n?” Eddie is finally able to approach you, after breaking away from another pointless conversation. “You wanna get going?”

Your eyes slide to his face, glassy and warm with inebriation. “Aw, you’re leaving?” You pout, staring up at him, and he could melt. You’d been talking about going home not five minutes ago, but it’s clear your brain has stalled.

“Only if you wanna. We can stay as long as you want.”

“I can come with you?”

He can't help but laugh, you’re so cute like this, so soft. “Of course you can.”

“I thought you were sick of me.” Your face slips slightly, lips twitching into a frown.

“What?” Eddie shifts so his whole body faces you. “I could never be sick of you.”

You shrug, clearly not understanding the gravity of his words. “I dunno, we’ve been in close quarters since tour started, I don’t mind giving you space if you need it.”

It’s Eddie’s turn to feel his own drunken insecurity surface. “Are you sick of me?” It’s barely a whisper, but you hear him.

Your eyes widen quickly, shocked at his words. “No! Eddie, of course not.”

“Okay, good.” He flashes you what he knows is an unconvincing smile. “You wanna go home?”

You shake your head. “Can we go for a walk?”

-

Predictably, you end up back at Hawkins High, the parking lot pitch black in the buzz of a summer night. Even looking at it, Eddie feels the chill of his memories washing over him. This is where he was stuck for six years, where Steve had shoved him into a locker their freshman year, where Jason Carver had made his final senior year miserable. It is the building that harbors Eddie’s darkest thoughts, where the seed of his shame had sprouted from. Where he had to deal with Chrissy’s death, and being framed for it.

But it was also where he met you. Where he’d introduced you to some of his closest friends, where he sat with you at lunch every day, dancing around each other until after midterms. As much as Eddie still hates to admit it, and as horrendously tacky as it sounds, high school is where he’d fallen in love.

Eddie lets his eyes wander in the darkness, knowing you won’t catch him in your hazy state. Your arms hang limply by your sides as you stare up at the school building, seeming to admire it. He wonders how being here must make you feel, as someone that left as soon as they could. It hadn’t been easy for you either, restarting your entire social life in your senior year.

“Do you ever miss it?” Your words catch him off guard, your voice almost inaudible even in the quiet.

“Hell no,” He scoffs, and feels you shift beside him. “I spent way too much extra time here to even think of missing it.”

“Okay, maybe not the actual, physical place. But, don't you miss how easy it was?”

“You’re joking, right? We fought an underground of Hell Monsters, Y/n, that wasn’t what I’d call easy.”

You groan, and he chuckles at your drunken frustration. “Christ, okay, I mean how small our world was, before all that hell monster shit. We didn’t have to worry about people outside of Hawkins, outside of the little bubble of our friends.”

“And you miss that?” He’s genuinely curious. You had always been looking to move, spread out beyond the small town your parents dragged you to. He never expected you to miss it.

You shrug. “Sometimes, yeah. Despite everything that happened, I was happy here. I had a home.”

Eddie’s vision blurs with the implication of your words. Of course, you’d had a physical home, but you'd also had him. And Steve, Robin, Nance, the kids. You’d never had a solid friend group in Boston.

“I miss parts of it,” He finally confesses, turning his head to fully look at you again. “Some more than others.”

You look for him, finding his eyes easily in the dark, and he adjusts quickly to see you better.

“You think things will ever be that easy again?” There’s a hint of optimism in your voice, and it begs him to join it, just for a second.

“I really, really hope so.”

-

Your POV

Somehow, you and Eddie find your way back to Steve’s, tiptoeing clumsily through the front door to a mass of passed out Hawkins alum. Steve is sprawled on the couch, while Dustin and Mike are on the floor beside him. In the basement, Will and El are cleaning the empty bottles and red solo cups from the absolutely destroyed basement, bobbing and weaving around members of Corroded Coffin and DDA, and they inform you Lucas and Max have gone back to Nancy’s already. Upstairs, the rest of your friends are in respective bedrooms, sleeping to prepare for their unavoidable hangovers.

“There’s one room left.” Eddie leads the way to Steve’s parents’ bedroom, the only one left untouched by party guests.

You peel the heavy comforter back, shimmying off your shorts, so tired and so absolutely plastered at this point, you don’t realize he’s watching as you untie your bikini top, letting it fall to the floor.

“Whoa! Um,” Eddie spins himself to face the window, losing his balance as he does. Even though he can’t see you, he still smacks his hands over his eyes. “I, uh, I’m gonna go find a spot on the floor.” He begins to sidestep towards the door, still refusing to look at you without a top on.

“Eddie,” You know the alcohol is making you flirty, and you’ll probably regret this tomorrow, but fuck it. You’re on vacation. You tug on Eddie’s shoulder, turning him to face you. He keeps his eyes glued to your face, barely blinking, definitely not letting them wander. “Stay here.”

He clears his throat, wincing. “Y/n,” Your pout cuts him off. “What’s that face for?”

“It’s weird, hearing my name out of your mouth. It was always sweetheart. Or baby, or pretty, or love. Now I’m just Y/n.” Your words slur together, exhaustion taking hold. You let your fingers dance up his bare arm, his shirt still somewhere in Steve’s yard. Still not daring to move his eyes from your face, he has an answer almost immediately.

“You’re not just Y/n, you’re Y/n! The Y/n, actually, a songwriting, vocalizing, rockstar badass. I’ve seen it firsthand.”

“Well then, the Y/n wants the Eddie Munson in bed with them.” It’s a bold choice of words, but you don’t care. You need him right now, even through the thick fog of the liquor.

“I want to, you have no idea how badly i want to, Y/n, I promise you that,”

“Then why won’t you?”

“Because I shouldn’t. I can’t.” He’s blunt. There is no arguing, he’s made up his mind.

And still, you prod him with inquiries. “Is it because we’re drunk? Because I trust you. I know you wouldn’t hurt me, Ed.”

He sighs, his hand finally moving to caress your burning cheek. “It’s because we’re drunk, but not because I'm scared of hurting you. I can’t let our first time together in two years be something you’ll regret tomorrow, but I also can’t chance either of us forgetting it.” He says it quietly, like he’s had the volume on himself turned down. You’ve heard him anyway, but it takes you a second to digest what he’s said.

“Okay,” You accept his answer, and before he can turn to leave you add, “Can you just sleep next to me?”

Eddie hesitates for a second, searching your expression. He must find an answer, because he nods. “Okay, sweetheart. But I gotta have you put a shirt on. For my own sake.”

You giggle, the satisfaction of hearing your nickname making you malleable to his words, nodding in agreement. Eddie exits the bedroom, and returns a bit later with a piece of fabric in his hand. His shirt. Of course it’s his shirt, what was he gonna do, give you Steve’s to sleep in?

You’re surrounded by his smell, his warmth, instantaneously. You crawl into the king sized bed, pulling the covers up to your chin. You hear Eddie’s pants drop to the floor, before he climbs into bed, hoisting the covers to slide underneath them. You scoot back, and he knows now to wrap his arm around your waist, without the weird hesitation and awkward shuffling before you give up for the sake of comfort. Eddie rests his face behind your neck, the warm exhale of breath tickling your skin.

“Goodnight, baby.” He mumbles into the fabric of your-slash-his shirt, and your body vibrates with glee.

“Goodnight, baby.”

-

tag list: @children-of-the-grave @five-bi-five @wiildflower-xxx @beebeerockknot @champagne-glamour @xxgothwhorexx @therensistance @chonkzombie @brxkenartt @sidthedollface2 @gaysludge @poisonedluv @eddiesguitarskills @kellsck | send a message to be added🫶

[findafight]

Do you like Robin as a character or is she just a quirky lesbian to you.

[chaosangelmp3]

the way ppl mischaracterize nancy and robin to fit the roles they have created for them that just aren’t them make me go like NANCY ROBIN GET BEHIND ME

[angeldreamsoffanfic]

“So how did you know?”

“Know what?”

“Y’know, how did you know.”

“Dingus, I’m gonna need you to spell it out for me here, the Russians did a number on how many of my braincells are actually working.”

“How did you know that you liked girls?”

Robin Buckley immediately pushed herself up so she was resting on her elbows, head tilted to catch Steve Harrington’s eyes in the low light of their hospital room.

They weren’t originally even going to go to the hospital, if Robin was being honest. They had just wanted to slip away back to their respective homes, but then Melissa and Richard Buckley caught wind that Robin was hurt. Then the both of them realized that Steve’s parents (if Robin has to use that term to describe them) had less than zero intention of sending anyone to pick up Steve.

Then EMS made the light suggestion of both of them probably needing to go to Hawkins General Hospital… and well, while Melissa and Richard did tend to lead toward more natural remedies… one couldn’t fix a concussion or a drugging with an unknown substance with essential oils and hope.

“Robbie? Did you OD over there?” Steve had himself up on his elbows, easily mimicking Robin. That’s the thing that makes the inside of Robin ache, that he’s so like her. She knows that she’s an only child, knows that, but sometimes Steve’ll just… do something and it makes her question it. Makes her wonder how she spent so long without him, without another brain and two legs and arms and so much hair. “Robbie?”

“No, I am still alive.” Robin slowly spoke, before she let out a soft sigh. “Why do you ask?”

“Like-” Steve huffed as he shook his head from side to side, before he used the one hand that was free from the pulse monitor and saline drip to card through his hair. It’s sleep ruffled, and if he uses product (Robin is sure he does), it’s for sure gone. Steve looks up though, and his eyes are so earnest that it causes something to hurt inside of Robin. “never mind just ignore- fuck - just ignore me.”

“I couldn’t ignore you if I tried, you idiot.” Robin let out a huff, and she winced as the PICC line in her arm shifted as tilted to be able to fully face Steve on her side. “But I just, dingus, this is out of left field for even you.”

“How so?”

“Did you even know that, that people like me even existed until a couple of hours ago?” Robin kept her voice soft, especially as Steve huffed out an indignant sounding sigh. Robin sighs though, and then she cards her own hand through her hair, and forges onward. “I think I’ve just… always known.”

“Always?”

“Yeah like-” Robin shrugged, a careful movement of her shoulders. “When I was like, eight? My uh, parents sent me to this camp thing- like summer camp kind of like what Dustin went to? But with, y’know, with the swimming and archery and dude I was fucking awful at it.” Steve let out a soft and watery laugh at Robin’s rambling, and that gave Robin enough power to continue. “But we uh, had these like songs we had to learn? And there was this uh, girl counselor there that had to teach me because you know, that was her job.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, and uh. She couldn’t have been older than I am now but man…” Robin let out a slow whistle, and allowed herself to fully melt into the hospital cot she’s laid up on. “All I could think was that I just wanted to be with her. Like not even kissing because I thought kissing was gross then, still do now kinda but anyway- I wanted to like, hold her hand and shit. Do the cheesy stuff I’d seen in the movies, y’know?”

Steve huffed out his own laugh, and he tilted his head to lean against his pillows instead of facing Robin. Robin watched though, quiet for once, as Steve swallowed once and then twice- before he cleared his throat.

“I knew it existed before you.”

“What?”

“It.”

“Dingus-”

“Girls liking girls.” Steve’s voice is barely above a whisper, even as Robin can hear him gulp in a lungful of air. “And boys liking boys.”

“You did?” Robin kept her voice quiet, gentle, as coaxing as she could- especially when she could see Steve’s throat bob. “Dingus?”

“I…” Steve doesn’t continue, and that’s enough.

Enough to Robin that she pushed herself up, and ignored the pain that ricocheted down her spine like needles. Ignored Steve’s hurried ‘what are-’, as she stumbled out of her hospital bed and right to Steve’s. She made sure to drag her IV pole and the monitor with her, situating it as best as she could next to Steve’s. Robin huffed quietly as the pain trickled down her spine, and she couldn’t help but smile as Steve curled his hand carefully around her wrist and tugged.

Robin got comfortable, let Steve fret over her as best as he could, his fingers only ever-so slightly trembling as he made sure that the line in her arm wasn’t kinked up. They were pressed close, side to side and hip to hip, and Robin tilted her head down until it was rested on Steve’s shoulder.

“Wanna keep going, Stevie?”

“No.”

“But?”

“I…” Steve huffed again, a small indignant noise that Robin mimicked.

They sat like that then, just the two of them for a moment, before Steve continued slowly.

“I’ve never, told anyone this- like I’ve told Tommy H. so much shit about me - but this is… Robin this is different.” Steve speaks in a hurried and stilted way, like he’s stringing together bits and pieces of sentences, and it shouldn’t work.

But it does because he’s Steve and she’s Robin.

And truthfully, Robin likes that. That they’re Steve and Robin. SteveandRobin. RobinandSteve. Likes that the two of them are so in tune that even her own mother didn’t want to separate them.

That had to mean something in the end, didn’t it?

“Tell me, whatever… whenever.” Robin murmured as she turned her head so she could press a soft kiss to Steve’s shoulder. The hospital gown is thin enough she can feel the heat of his skin from up under it, and that’s grounding. Grounding even as Steve drew in a shaky breath, audibly swallowing again. “Whenever you’re ready, I’m here.”

“I didn’t uh, notice Tammy in Ms. Click’s class or uh, you for a reason.” Steve slowly spoke, eyes wet, and Robin can hear his sniffle as he tried to reign his emotions back. “Ms. Click made him sit uh, right by her desk at the front of the room.”

And oh.

Oh.

If that doesn’t immediately settle something that just usually writhes around in Robin’s chest.

“Him?” Robin is gentle, gentler than she thinks she’s ever been.

“Uh, yeah… Eddie Munson?” Steve huffed out an almost dry laugh, the only thing that he does that ever remotely reminds her of his time as his high school “King Steve” persona. “He uh, got this bat tattoo right before that year’s Thanksgiving break and all I could do was just… gawk at him.”

“And then what?” Robin knew she was pushing, searching for information, but she can’t help it. Not when Steve is right next to her, hip to hip and thigh to thigh. Not when he’s like her. In all the ways that matter.

“I went home and screamed into my pillow.”

Robin immediately smacked Steve’s thigh with the knuckles of her left hand- grinning in triumph when Steve let out a squawk of laughter.

“Eddie Munson?”

“What about him?”

“He’s… he’s a total dud!”

“No he’s not!”

“He stepped in my mashed potatoes once! That is totally total dud material!”

“No way!”

“He wants to be like, like a metal singer!”

“He has a band! Dreams!”

“Do you even know if he can hold a tune?”

“Well, no-”

“Total. Dud.”

Robin grinned wide as Steve launched into a very quick defense about Eddie, and she decides then and there that Steve and her? They’ll be just fine.

Especially if she can get Eddie to come into Steve and her’s orbit just a bit, to see if the crush is still there.

Because while Robin may not have all of the gay knowledge in the world, there is one thing for a complete certainty that she knows.

The black hanky that Eddie kept in his pocket?

Well…

Robin chuffed to herself, before she tilted so she could lay on her side- nose tucked into the place where Steve’s neck and shoulder met.

Right before she falls asleep though, Robin does a very important thing on a mental whiteboard.

You Rule: 1

You Suck: 0

hope you all enjoyed! truthfully think this is one of my favorite things i have written. love platonic stobin. <3

[infinite-orangepeel]