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earthlyangelbby · 2 months ago

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Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch Cherry Bomb

@corrodedcoffinfest pop-up event: It's Complicated

Word Count:3.9k Rating: M

Tags: Love triangle between Eddie, Gareth, and oc Cheryl(Cherry), Mean words, Angst, Verbal Fighting, Physical Violence(between Eddie and Gareth), Hopelessromantic!Gareth, Blunt!Eddie Gareth and Eddie’s friendship is complicated

Eddie, Gareth, Grant, and Jeff had been playing music together since eighth grade, their bond built on heavy riffs, long nights, and the kind of friendship that felt like it would never crack. Gareth hammered out the beat on his drums. Grant's bass lines filled the room. Jeff's steady rhythm guitar was the glue. Eddie, frontman, singer, and guitarist, laid down the riffs. But there was something else, something unspoken that tied Eddie and Gareth together: Cheryl aka Cherry.

Cheryl was a broken girl. Everyone knew it, especially Gareth and Eddie. She came from a rough family, never let anything tie her down, and chased attention like it was the only thing keeping her alive. She wanted Gareth’s boyfriend treatment until she didn’t. Then she’d call Eddie when she just wanted to fuck. She made it clear she wasn’t looking for commitment, but that didn’t stop her from leaning on Gareth when she needed something real. And she needed that often. She even had a nickname that neither of them came up with, Dirty Cherry. And she earned it.

It started harmless enough. Gareth was the first to fool around with her, just making out at some party, nothing serious. At least, that’s what he told himself. Then, a few months later, she started flirting with Eddie. Before anything happened, Eddie asked if it would bother him. Gareth, not wanting to make a big deal out of it, lied. “Go for it”, he said.

So Eddie did just that. And that’s how it went. A quiet, messy rotation. Neither of them ever claimed her, and Cherry officially never chose between them. But Gareth felt things for her real things. She was his first everything, first kiss, first time, first "I love you." And when she said it back, he believed her. His heart hammered against his ribs. He’d bring her flowers, write her songs. He’d stay up late, talking about anything and nothing, just to be near her. He’d skip practices, ditch his friends, whatever she wanted.

For Eddie, she was just a girl who showed up when she wanted something, a pull he never questioned. He liked the way she fit against him, the way she liked talking dirty, the way she smirked at him across a crowded room. She wasn’t his first, and he wasn’t hers.

But recently there was a night when she called him like she always did. He drove over like he always did. But when Eddie walked through the door, what greeted him wasn’t the flirty, teasing Cherry he was used to. This time, she was curled up on the couch, sobbing uncontrollably. Her face was blotchy, her mascara streaked down her cheeks. The woman who usually met him with a c’mere grin and a quick hand on the zipper was a mess.

So Eddie froze. He wasn’t prepared for this. Cherry wasn’t the girl who came to him when things went wrong. He didn’t know what to do with this. He only knew what he was used to, the teasing, the easy calls, the fun. This? This was... different. For a moment, Eddie just stood there, shifting from foot to foot, hands stuffed in his pockets, twisting the rings on his fingers, avoiding eye contact. He looked at her, a beautiful mess, but a mess that wasn’t his. He had no clue how to comfort her. She wasn’t someone he knew beyond the surface beyond the way she liked to talk dirty to him or the way she called out his name when she needed him. He awkwardly sat down next to her, but didn’t pull her into his arms, didn’t rub her back, didn’t ask what was wrong. His body stiffened, his words not coming out. He couldn’t figure out how to bridge the gap between them. It was like he wasn’t sure how to be Eddie for her, the real Eddie not the version who gave her a good time but the version who was supposed to be there when things weren’t easy. He’d been that for girls before but Cherry wasn’t like the girls he’d ever even thought he loved. She was different, crass, and typically emotionless, other than her flirty and lustful.

She cried harder, her body shaking with the weight of it. Eddie didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t Gareth. Eventually she stopped. Maybe she ran out of tears to cry, Eddie thought to himself as he got up.

She looked at him, eyes red and puffy, and said “I love you, Eddie.”

He blinked, mouth open, but didn’t say it back. Instead he said, “I’m sorry. I’ve gotta be up early in the morning. I hope you get to feeling better, Cherry." He patted her head and headed toward the door. As soon as Eddie’s van pulled out of the driveway, Cherry grabbed the phone and called the one person who had always been there, Gareth.

And Gareth came.

Because Gareth always came.

Eddie never knew for sure about what happened after he left that night. But he knew leaving that night didn’t stop her from calling him to come around. To Eddie, Cherry was just someone who showed up when she wanted something easy. She wasn’t someone who ever needed him beyond that beyond the physical. The two of them liked it that way.

But Gareth? Gareth was the one who loved her, and no matter how many times Cheryl pushed him away, he was the one she called when she needed something deeper. He was the one who held her close, made love to her slow and tender, kissed her as if she was the most important thing in the world. He knew what she was searching for in Eddie. A good time. But what she needed, what she was terrified of not having, was stability, and it was Gareth she would run to. Because, to him, she was.

And maybe, deep down, Eddie had always known Gareth saw her differently. Maybe that’s why he never brought her up, never let himself think too hard about what it meant when Gareth’s jaw tensed at the mention of her name.

They never talked about her. She never talked about them to each other, either. It was just a thing, a many years-long, tangled, blurred line thing.

But Gareth was never as indifferent as he pretended to be.

So when he sees Eddie slide into Cherry’s car after a show. He saw her laughing, tucking her hair behind her ear, looking at Eddie the way he wanted her to look at him, something inside him finally snapped.

The day after Gareth saw Eddie get into Cherry’s car, things were already simmering under the surface. Eddie had shown up at practice like usual, but Gareth could smell her on him. It was Cherry’s perfume, the trace of her lipstick, the faint hint of sweat from their time together the night before. And it pissed him off, even more than he expected.

They were all sitting around, debating what songs to play for the party they’d been hired to perform at. Jeff always had an idea to liven things up.

“Speaking of Cherry Bomb,” Jeff said with a grin, “how is Cherry, Eddie? Saw you leaving with her after last night’s show.”

Eddie, blushing a little and laughing, responded, “Oh, you know, dirty Cherry is still just as dirty as she’s always been.”

The band was set to play a set for a college party, opening with the kid who organized the event’s requested cover song, Cherry Bomb. Gareth stayed silent, his jaw tightening as he clenched his fists behind his back, doing his best to hold it all in.

They started practicing, beginning with Cherry Bomb. But as they ran through it, Gareth kept fucking up the drum beat. Feeling the sting of every ch-ch-ch-ch-ch Cherry that left Eddie’s mouth. Every time, he couldn’t get the rhythm right. After about an hour of playing, Jeff and Grant were already giving Gareth shit for messing up. He was missing the beat on the intro. The drum solo was flat. The song was a mess.

“You good, man?” Jeff called out, eyebrow raised. “You look like you’re on another planet.”

Eddie huffed, clearly frustrated with the mistakes too. “What the fuck is up with you, Gareth?” he snapped.

Gareth said nothing, his teeth grinding together as his anger rose, but he kept it locked inside, just barely holding it together.

They reset, tried again, and again, restarting the song four more times before Eddie snapped again. “What the hell is going on with you? Just focus, man.”

That was it. Gareth couldn’t hold it in anymore. He stood up suddenly, fists clenched, and lunged at Eddie, his voice full of fury. “You know what my fucking problem is?”

Jeff and Grant gasped, both of them instinctively stepping back.

Eddie, still clueless, just blinked at him. “No, I don’t think I do, man.”

Gareth shoved Eddie hard in the shoulder, his voice low and furious. “You don’t fucking deserve her. You don’t even fucking care about Cheryl.”

Eddie paused, processing what Gareth just said, then the words hit him like a slap. “Cheryl? You mean Cherry, the girl that’s been calling me to fuck her since I could drive? That’s who you’re fucking mad over?”

The words cut through the tension in the room like a knife. Gareth’s face twisted in rage, and without another word, he swung at Eddie, landing a punch square on Eddie’s jaw.

“Don’t fucking talk about her like that,” Gareth snarled.

Jeff’s eyes were wide in disbelief. “Holy shit,” he muttered.

Grant took a step forward. “Fucking just stop now!”

But Eddie wasn’t done. He wiped the blood from his lip, eyes narrowing. “Oh, you really want to do this?”

Before Gareth could react, Eddie lunged at him, knocking him to the ground with force. They grappled, their fists flying, and punching until Eddie’s fist collided with Gareth’s face. It knocked the air out of him.

Eddie pushed Gareth against the concrete floor not too hard, getting off of him. “When did this even become a problem?” his voice cracking out of pure frustration.

Gareth sat up slowly, wiping the blood from his nose with the back of his hand, eyes blazing with fury. “Oh, it’s always been a problem. But especially when you treat her like she’s just something to fuck ‘Dirty Cherry,’” he mocked the phrase, his voice full of disgust. He stood up, looking Eddie straight in the eye, chest heaving. “I’ve always known you didn’t give a shit about her, but I didn’t think you’d be this... this cruel.”

Jeff stepped between them, his voice low and shaky. “Alright, guys. Enough. Just stop.”

Eddie was still panting, one hand on his hip the other pushing his hair back. He glanced over at Jeff, then back at Gareth, his voice rough with disbelief. “She calls me, man. Asking me to come over. I mean, what? Are you in love with her?”

The tension in the room was thick as a knife, everyone waiting for Gareth’s response. Eddie’s words hung in the air, but it was clear Gareth wasn’t backing down now.

Gareth scoffs, his voice low, rough with a mix of bitterness and pain. "Yeah, I love her. Not that you’d ever get it. But you… you're just playing with her, aren’t you? You’ve got no idea what it means to actually give a shit about someone. You only care about her when she’s easy, when she’s just a warm body for you to fuck."

“Love her, huh?” Eddie scoffs. “Well, let me tell you something, Gareth. She called me a while back, you know, the usual. I figured it was just another late night quickie, just like always.” He shrugs, almost nonchalant. “I get there, and what do I find? Not the usual Cherry, not the girl who’s all playful and fun. No. She’s a fucking mess. Crying, face all blotchy, mascara running down her cheeks. And I’m just standing there, not knowing what the hell’s going on. Because that’s not who she is to me. I’ve never seen her like that before, never cared to.”

He pauses, watching Gareth’s face closely, savoring the way his friend flinches, just a little. Eddie’s smile widens. “I didn’t know what to do, so I just sat there. Didn’t ask what was wrong. Didn’t comfort her. Just waited for her to stop crying. And when she finally did… she looks up at me with those red eyes and says, ‘I love you, Eddie.’” he mocks her voice at the end.

Eddie leans in closer, his voice getting rougher, the words slow and deliberate, like he’s digging the knife in deeper. “You wanna know what I did? I didn’t say it back. Not a damn word. I just told her I had stuff to do in the morning, patted her on the head, and walked out. Left her there, crying. And. She called me again a week later. But that time it was like usual.”

He steps back, watching the realization hit Gareth. “You wanna know why? Because to me, she’s just someone who calls when she wants something fun. She’s never needed me for anything real. I’m just her fucking outlet. I’m sure she cried after I left, but who did she call right after, huh? Was it you? Because from what I can tell you’re the one she calls when she’s falling apart. I’m the one she calls when she’s bored.”

Eddie leans back, his grin cold and triumphant. “But hey, you keep telling yourself she loves you. Keep pretending she’s some prize you’ve got locked down. I’m just the guy she gets off on when she’s feeling lonely, man.”

Gareth’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, his entire body stiffening. The words Eddie spoke keep echoing in his mind. Cheryl telling Eddie she loves him, and Eddie just brushes it off. The pain twists in his gut, and for a moment, Gareth feels like he might actually choke on it.

His voice is low, tight with barely contained rage. "She said that? You’re... you’re really sure she said that?" His words tremble, and there's a flicker of desperation in his eyes. He can’t help it. The idea of Cherry saying those words to Eddie, the guy who never truly saw her, makes him want to snap. "You swear she fucking said that, Eddie?"

Eddie meets his gaze, totally defensive, and nods. “Yeah. I fucking swear. She said it. And I wouldn’t lie about something like that. You know I wouldn’t, Gareth.”

Gareth feels the weight of Eddie’s words crush him. A cold chill runs through him. The idea of Cheryl, broken and vulnerable, pouring her heart out to Eddie, someone who had never truly cared about her like he had sent a jolt of pain right through his chest.

Gareth’s jaw tightens. His eyes flicker between Eddie and the rest of the guys, his mind spinning, trying to make sense of everything. But the truth is, it’s too much. It’s too much to bear, and he can’t keep it in any longer.

“Everybody get the fuck out,” Gareth spits out, his voice shaking with emotion. "I said get the fuck out."

Jeff and Grant exchange looks, clearly startled by Gareth’s outburst, but they don’t hesitate. They start grabbing their things and heading for the door, leaving Gareth and Eddie standing there. The silence that follows is thick and suffocating.

Gareth doesn’t even look at Eddie as the guys leave. He stands there, staring at the floor, his chest rising and falling with each uneven breath. It’s all just too much. The anger, the hurt, the confusion. It’s all mixing together in a way he can’t untangle.

As soon as the door slams shut behind Grant and Jeff, Gareth turns toward Eddie, his eyes burning with something fierce and broken. “You think you know her? You think you know anything about her? About me?” His voice is sharp, cutting through the tension. “You have no fucking idea.”

“Alright, alright,” Eddie mutters, barely loud enough to hear. He runs a hand through his hair, the reality of the situation starting to hit him more than he’d like to admit. He’s never really seen Gareth like this, not like this.

He sighs, a mix of frustration and confusion in his voice. “I don’t get it, man. You’re sitting here acting like you have some fucking claim on her.” He pauses for a second, his gaze flickering over Gareth. “She’s not yours, Gareth. She never was. She’s never been anyone’s.”

Eddie takes a slow step back, his words hanging in the air. "I didn’t mean to drag it out like this, but it’s the truth. She’s with whoever she wants to be with, whenever she wants to be with them. It’s not a game to me, I just don’t... feel the way you do about her." He exhales, his eyes momentarily softening. "And I sure as hell don’t get why you think she’s this... perfect thing when all she ever wanted from me was a good time."

He stands there, a flicker of guilt still gnawing at him, but he’s stubborn. He doesn’t know how to apologize for this, doesn’t know how to take it all back. His gaze moves to the door, then back to Gareth, who’s still holding his ground. “But if that’s how you wanna see it, then fine. You wanna hate me over her? Do what you gotta do.”

Eddie’s words trail off, his eyes hardening once more as he turns to leave. Before he walks out the door, he throws one last look over his shoulder. "But don’t act like she’s some kind of saint. You’re not the only one who’s been there, Gareth."

With that, Eddie leaves, the sound of the door slamming shut ringing in the silence.

Gareth slid down the wall, feeling utterly drained. His anger had burned itself out, leaving nothing but exhaustion and the sting of betrayal. Tears came, silent and relentless, and for an hour, he let them fall. But by the time he got up and grabbed his keys, he wasn’t angry anymore.

Now, he was calm. The kind of calm that wasn’t reassuring but terrifying.

He drove to Cheryl’s house, barely thinking, barely feeling. When he got there, he didn’t bother knocking. The door was unlocked—of course, it was.

She was lounging on the couch in a flimsy robe, one that barely covered anything. When she saw him, she sat up, pushing her hair from her face.

“Gareth? Now’s not a good time.”

Before he could answer, another guy walked out of the bathroom, dripping wet, a towel slung low around his waist. He froze when he saw Gareth.

“Uh… who’s this?”

Gareth’s eyes darkened. “Who the fuck are you?”

Cheryl quickly stood, placing herself between them. “He’s just a friend, Gare,” she said, her voice low, trying to soothe him. “What’s up, hon?”

The guy didn’t wait for an answer. He ducked into her bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Gareth exhaled slowly, grounding himself. He had come here for one thing. He had to ask.

“When you called me at two in the morning a couple months ago,” he started, his voice measured, “was I the only one you called that night?”

Cheryl’s face paled, her lips parting slightly before she snapped her mouth shut. “Gare, what are you talking about?”

He met her gaze, steady and unflinching. “Don’t lie to me, Cheryl.”

She took a slow breath, then closed the gap between them, her fingers threading gently through his hair. “You know I love you, Gareth.”

He flinched back like she’d burned him. “Don’t.” His voice cracked, but he pushed through it. “Was I the second person you called?”

She hesitated, just for a second, but it was enough. “No, Gareth. It was only you.”

His stomach twisted. His chest caved in on itself.

He blinked, and tears spilled over. His breath came shallow, ragged.

“You’re such a fucking liar,” he choked out. “You told Eddie you loved him.”

Her face crumbled. “Gare—”

But he was already backing away. Already shaking his head. Already done.

He turned without another word, walked out the door, and didn’t look back.

When Gareth finally got home, he was a mess. All teary eyed, his head spinning from the heartbreak and the confrontation. He collapsed onto his bed, the weight of the night pressing on him. After a while, he dialed Eddie’s number. It must’ve been around 3 a.m. when Eddie’s groggy voice picked up the phone. “Hello?”

Gareth’s voice was a hoarse whisper, barely audible through the tears. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” He couldn’t stop the stream of apologies, the raw emotion catching him off guard. “Gareth? What’s wrong? I can come over,” Eddie asked, his concern clear even through the haze of sleep.

Gareth’s voice still hoarse. “I just… I went to talk to her. She had another guy there. He was in a towel, and she lied to my face…” he paused and through a babble of sobs “I’m so fucking stupid.”

Eddie’s eyes snapped open at the sound of his friend’s broken voice. “Gareth, no, listen to me, it’s not your fault, okay? You’re not stupid.”

Gareth could barely hold it together, the sobs racking his body. “But I am… I should’ve known. I should’ve just walked away a long time ago.”

“Shh…Listen. It’s okay, man,” Eddie said, soft but firm, trying to soothe him. “You’ve just got a big heart, alright? You’re not stupid. She’s the one who’s messed up.”

Gareth’s voice barely cracked out through his tears, “I’m not seeing her anymore… I just wanted to make things right. I feel like I screwed everything up.”

Eddie’s tone shifted, trying to lighten the air a bit, but it was clear he was serious. “Me neither. I wouldn’t want another busted lip. And... well, your nose might be making a new sound now.”

Gareth let out a shaky laugh, a brief moment of relief cutting through the tension. “Yeah... I guess I’ll get used to the whistle.”

But Eddie could hear how drained he was. “Have you slept, man?”

“No…” Gareth’s voice was barely there, full of exhaustion.

Eddie’s voice softened, more serious. “Do you need me to come over? I can.”

Gareth hesitated, the emotional toll too much. “No, I think I’ll try to sleep. I’m sorry… I don’t even know what I’m doing.”

“Gareth, stop. You’re not a burden, man,” Eddie said, his voice steady but full of understanding. “I’m sorry, too. But I’m glad you called me.”

Gareth sniffled and wiped his eyes, feeling the comfort in Eddie’s words. “Thanks, Eddie. I’ll be okay. Just... I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too,” Eddie replied softly. “I know you’re hurting, but you’re not alone. Get some sleep, alright? We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Goodnight,” Gareth said, his voice quieter now, but there was a bit of relief in it.

“See you at practice, man,” Eddie said, his tone light but caring. “Call me if you need anything.”

Gareth exhaled, the knot in his chest loosening just a little, finally feeling the exhaustion catch up with him. He closed his eyes, hoping that tomorrow might bring a bit more clarity, knowing Eddie would always be there when he needed him most.

#corrodedcoffinfest: it's complicated #corrodedcoffinfest #corroded coffin #gareth stranger things #eddie stranger things #Eddie munson angst #gareth emerson #eddie munson #gareth emerson angst #Real Cherry #Divider by ghoulbloggerrr #Little cherries and stars #Divider by animatedglittergraphics-n-more #MDNI #Continue reading #Authors note #Divider by adornedwithlight

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jo-harrington · 2 months ago

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Corroded Coffin Fest Valentine's Day Pop-Up: It's Complicated

Summary: Jeff, Gareth, and Dave all confront their feelings on the 30th anniversary of Eddie's death.

Word Count: 2189

Rating: M

Warnings/Themes: Grief, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Time Skip, Older!Corroded Coffin, Canonically Dead Eddie, Mention/Implication of Kas!Eddie, Post-Season 5 World/Vecna Defeated

Notes: Thanks to @corrodedcoffinfest for this wonderful pop-up. Oh I've been contemplating what to write for this for a while.

Dedicating this to my beloved @dr-aculaaa who had an idea as we were chatting about art. Has had me noodling for weeks at this point, and although this is not necessarily in line with that idea, it's a spin on it.

This can be read on it's own...but I would like to think that it can also be read as a bit of an off-shoot of my fic, As Above, So Below. There are no real plot spoilers for AASB, I just think it could happen.

You can find my masterlist here.

Please do not interact if you are not 18+.

Enjoy!

Hawkins, Indiana - March 2016

They didn't want to do it, but they knew that they had to.

They needed the closure, and 30 years was a long time to wait for it.

Because you don't stop thinking about the week your life changed forever.

The reunion almost didn't happen; they hadn't talked or seen one another in person in so long. It was the miracle, known as Facebook, that got them talking regularly again. Sending videos back and forth, commenting on each others throwback Thursday photos.

High school, then college, then jobs and families and vacations. Lives lived separate, when in another universe they might've stayed on the same trajectory together.

"Remember when we thought we were gonna hit it big?" Dave laughed sardonically after they'd greeted each other with handshakes and hugs and tears. They'd laughed and pointed out this beer gut and that thinning hairline. "Now I help people plan for retirement."

"Didn't think you were smart enough for that, Davey," Gareth chuckled, causing the older man to grab for him to try and put him in a headlock, just like he did when they were younger.

It was a beautiful day. Sun and fluffy cumulus clouds, unseasonably warm for March but none of them could complain about it.

"Leave it to us to not see each other in decades and we start off the conversation about the weather."

"You can take the boys out of the midwest but you can't take the midwest out of the boys."

They'd settled into lawn chairs, courtesy of Gareth, who hauled them all the way back to Indiana in his soccer-dad-minivan.

"Soccer, huh?" Jeff questioned mirthfully.

"Laugh it up," Gareth snorted. "I also have a kid that's an absolute menace. Couldn't be caught dead playing sportsball."

"Takes after Uncle Eddie, then, huh?"

They all went silent at that.

Because there were only three lawn chairs.

Three lawn chairs and a headstone.

They sat in front of it as though it was a television set, but there was only one thing on display.

Edward J. Munson Beloved Son, Nephew, and Friend.

The stone was chipped, weathered, covered in moss and other debris. There were also remnants of red paint clinging to the edges of the inscription.

People had gotten bored of defacing the grave a long time ago; no one cared about Hawkins anymore. No one cared about Eddie. The rest of the world had moved past the alleged murders and the earthquakes and all of the mysteries that had plagued the small town all that time ago.

Except the three of them.

That's why they were here.

"Do your kids...call him Uncle Eddie?" Gareth asked tentatively.

Jeff wasn't sure how to respond. How his old friends would react if he told them the truth.

"It's complicated."

There were a few beats of silence, before he spoke again.

"They do." Then he dove into an explanation. "They found a box of stuff at my mom's house a while back. Polaroids we'd taken at the trailer, at StarCourt, on Halloween. Copies of our fliers. Even my old Hellfire shirt. So I told them about Uncle Eddie, who taught me how not to be absolutely shit at guitar."

Gareth hummed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Come on," Dave lightly hit his arm with the back of his hand. "Don't act like you've never thought about him for the last 30 years."

"I've really tried not to."

"Then what are we doing here, Gare?" Jeff scoffed. "Why did I drive 10 hours to come and sit in front of his grave if you're gonna act like he wasn't our friend."

Gareth worried his bottom lip for a pensive minute, trying to keep his tears at bay.

"I was really angry for the longest time," he finally admitted. "My parents made us leave with that initial wave of evacuees...after the first quake. We only took what could fit in both of their cars. We left my drum kit behind. And I didn't...I didn't even know he was..." His breath hitched as he was unable to say the word; 30-year-old emotions kept it stuck in his throat. "...for a whole week."

He pulled it together, letting the necessity of stereotypical, stoic masculinity that he had to adapt over the years take over and lock away the 17-year old he used to be again. The one that had been allowed to be stupid and upset with his friends.

"Once I heard, I started to blame myself. Because if I hadn't told Jason Carver where he could've found Eddie...Eddie could've gotten out of Hawkins and he'd still be alive. And I know...I know...who could've guessed that Victor Creel's copycat killer would've been on the loose. Or that there'd be an earthquake. But he'd been running around...hiding because those assholes were looking for him."

On and on, he spouted off his theory about what that fateful week had looked like, the through line between the murders. How if Patrick McKinney hadn't been part of the group looking for Eddie, Eddie wouldn't have been anywhere near when Patrick was killed. And if that was the case, he wouldn't have died in the quake either.

Of course, Jeff and Dave still asked questions, trying to get some sense of logic out of everything that Gareth said, but he snapped at them.

"It's like Jeff said. It's complicated. I've had enough time to convince myself I'm wrong, and I still don't. That's why I don't talk about it; it's easier not to. I don't know what else to tell you."

A dog barked in the distance, a breeze blew through, and there was a flapping of wings.

"At least you believed that he was innocent," Dave piped up. "My mom and dad...god, they believed all of that insane devil worship stuff. You guys left Hawkins right away. We stayed...for almost a whole year before they decided enough was enough. They made me get rid of all my DnD books, all of my tapes. Anything that could be tied back to Eddie. I didn't even...I couldn't even say hi to Wayne if we saw him at Bradley's."

He gestured a few feet away, to another headstone with Wayne's epitaph carved into it. It hadn't been a shock to see that the old man had died. But only a year and a half after Eddie? That had been a surprising sting that they'd all felt.

"You don't know how bad it got," Dave concluded solemnly. "We might have made it out right before the second quake hit, but they never let up. Eddie Munson's name was not to be mentioned again in our house. So be lucky that you had the choice of whether or not to think about him. Because I certainly couldn't."

There was a somber tone in the graveyard for a moment as they all reflected on their years spent apart.

Because, though the subject mainly rested on Eddie...there was also the unspoken accusation that they'd all also conscientiously needed to give each other up too.

30 years was a long time to grieve over a dead friend. But had they ever grieved the loss of one another?

It had been easy to reconnect, as though they'd never been apart. They'd been excited, eager to chat online. None of them had hesitated when the possibility of this pilgrimage arose, to see each other. Now, though? It was clear to see how far the trajectories of their lives had gone from one another.

Always the one to resolve conflicts between them, Jeff suggested that they move on to another topic of conversation: lunch.

Dave ran to get the cooler from the back of his truck. It was packed with sandwiches and beers and all manner of snacks.

All Eddie's favorites.

They set an old bandana onto the ground and piled it high with a ham and cheese sandwich and raspberry zingers and all sorts of little bites that they'd left behind in their youths once their metabolisms caught up to them.

"I don't think I've had a Mountain Dew in years," Dave stated after the most refreshing, crisp first sip of the bright green soda.

"Remember when you used to be able to burp the alphabet," Jeff chuckled.

"Remember when you used to have the most toxic dorito farts?" Gareth laughed at him. "Eddie almost kicked you out of the van that one time because you just ripped ass on the coldest day of the year and his windows were iced shut."

"Remember when he kicked you out of the van for..."

On and on they went then, reminiscing. Back to old times together, rather than lamenting over times apart. The topic, invariably, strayed back to Eddie.

"Did you guys ever..." Jeff trailed off, then shook his head. "Nevermind."

"What is it?" Dave asked.

"Nah, it's stupid."

"Come on, Davey and I almost fucking cried, full snot and all, in front of you. Don't get shy now," Gareth insisted.

Jeff sighed and settled into his lawn chair as he contemplated speaking his mind.

It was silly, foolish. The first time the thought had crossed his mind, he'd been young and stupid, and he'd missed his best friend. He'd even had a dream, once, and he'd woken up crying. After that, he'd decided that he needed to move on.

But here they were now, and there was no better time than to bring it up.

"Have you guys ever wondered...if he didn't actually die?" Jeff finally asked.

The other two men's heads snapped towards him and they gave him looks that definitely made him feel like he was insane.

So, he elaborated, "I mean, you've heard of witness protection and what not. This place was swimming with the feds. They never caught the copycat killer, right? Or so we know? What if Eddie was the next victim on the list? Or he saw who the real killer was? And so they hid him away."

Jeff tapped his fingers against the sides of his soda can nervously.

"What if he did exactly what all of us did? He left Hawkins and he never looked back," he concluded.

Dave and Gareth let out sighs of relief.

"Well, we know he never became a heavy metal star if that was the case," Gareth offered. "Could you imagine if he had? Lucky bastard, I would've had to kill him myself."

"Where do you guys think some alternate identity would've taken him?" Dave wondered. "Someplace cool, do you think?"

"They probably shipped him off to Alaska or something," Jeff scoffed.

"Oh he would've hated that," Dave laughed. "Do you remember when he'd need to go out for a cigarette in the winter? Almost lit his mittens on fire?"

Jeff got out of his lawn chair and hopped around like Eddie had on the porch of the trailer, trying to keep warm because he'd never bundled up properly.

"He'd hate to live someplace warm just as much," Gareth pointed out. "Remember how insufferable he'd be in the summer?"

"Wayne would tell him to get a hair cut so he wouldn't overheat?"

They all did silly impressions of him this time, laughing all the while.

They all fell back into their seats with a sigh.

"I...It's stupid," Jeff muttered. "I wouldn't give up my life...my family for anything. But there are just some days where I wish that he would've gotten to grow up with us too. He was my best friend, and I loved him so much. And I know you guys did too. I...he...he didn't deserve this." He gestured to the headstone. "So I hope that...that my silly thought is really what happened."

The other two muttered their agreements, and they knocked cans together in a salute to the missing piece of their puzzle.

There was a beat of silence before Dave piped up again.

"You know, that's not as crazy as what I thought you meant," he chuckled.

Jeff eyed him suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

Dave lifted his soda to his lips. "Nah, it's...I thought you were gonna ask if we thought he'd actually made a deal with the devil or something."

"See, this is what we get for hanging out together after a thousand years, I was thinking the same thing," Gareth agreed. "That Jeff was about to say that he was some kind of vampire or demon."

"Oh shit, or a necromancer. Actually that could've been cool!"

"Only Eddie could've thought about a vampiric, demonic necromancer," Jeff laughed along with them. "His own homespun version of Kas the Bloody Handed."

They all complained about the last campaign they'd played with Hellfire Club, Eddie's Cult of Vecna, and then agreed that they'd plan a night where they'd play some kind of RPG-type game over Skype, in his honor.

They stayed in the graveyard until the sky turned shades of pinks and yellows, and then they parted ways with more hugs and tears and promises not to wait another 30 years before they got together again. Then they drove off into the sunset, the perfect end to their perfect day.

A day that Eddie had blessed them with, as he looked upon them and wished that he could join them too...but...that, too, was complicated.

#corrodedcoffinfest #corrodedcoffinfest: it's complicated #eddie munson #jeff stranger things #gareth stranger things #ccfest #corroded coffin #stranger things fic #aasb #kas!eddie

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thisapplepielife · 2 months ago

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Written for the @corrodedcoffinfest It's Complicated pop-up event.

Damage, Lots of Damage

It's Complicated Pop-Up | Word Count: 14,297 | Rating: E | CW: Explicit Sex, Mildly Dubious Consent, Under-Negotiated Kink, Self-Esteem Issues (Weight Related), Alcohol/Drug References | POV: Multiple (Primary: Gareth) | Relationship(s): Gareth/Goodie (Freak), Background Established Steddie | Tags: Love to Hate, Hate to Love, Idiots in Love, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Lack of Communication, Fighting and Fucking, Angst with a Happy Ending

This one got long, so it's available in full right here on ao3.

Summary:

It's pretty fucking ballsy to insult a man while your dick is in his mouth.

That's where all the teeth are.

Excerpt below:

Goodie shoves him down to his knees, and Gareth goes, somewhat willingly. He doesn't remember how this thing between them even started. He's pretty sure he'd blacked out from rage. Fighting about something that had happened, or hadn't happened, up on stage well after the fact. When it didn't matter anymore, when it should have been over and done with. Left onstage, with the sweat-soaked towels and empty bottles.

But neither of them are built to ever let anything go.

Especially not when it comes to each other.

They aren't Jeff, ready to make peace. Live and let live. And they aren't even Eddie, who likes to chase his own tail, but also knows when to give it the fuck up. No, not them. They'll beat a dead horse between them for as long as possible just to piss off the other.

Now, here he is. Knees on rough hotel carpet, because one second there was yelling, the next there was a dick in his mouth, and now they hate fuck on the regular. He doesn't know who started it. Who made the first move. Who crossed the line from fighting to fucking. But it's getting to be a habit, a bad habit, like something insanely addictive, but well-known to be goddamn terrible for you.

Nicotine, hell, heroin. Something they both should know to stay far away from, but can't. Not now. Not after they've gotten a taste. Not after the cravings have set in.

"Shut up and put that mouth of yours to better use," Goodie says, pulling Gareth's hair. It's too hard, and it hurts.

Gareth hates it.

He loves it, too.

But he'd never fucking tell Goodie that, not in a million goddamn years. He wouldn't give Goodie the satisfaction of knowing. He bites back the moan that is traitorously trying to escape.

Goodie's got two fistfuls of his hair, and Gareth lets him guide him, fuck his mouth, shit talking him the whole time. Gareth wasn't even saying anything. His mouth was a little busy, that motherfucker.

"God, you suck at this."

He doesn't. He knows he doesn't, and the way Goodie is working himself into his mouth, over and over, Gareth knows Goodie doesn't actually think so either, the asshole.

"Any random groupie picked up out of the parking lot would be better than you," Goodie says, and if Gareth could pull off and sass him, he fucking would. It's pretty fucking ballsy to insult a man while your dick is in his mouth.

That's where all the teeth are.

Read the full fic right here on ao3.

And if you want to write your own, or see more entries in this pop-up, check out @corrodedcoffinfest to see other entries for the It's Complicated prompt! 🖤

#corrodedcoffinfest: it's complicated #corrodedcoffinfest #gareth stranger things #freak stranger things #gareth x freak #gareth x goodie #eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things #jeff stranger things #corroded coffin #corroded coffin fic #background steddie #thisapplepielife: corrodedcoffinfest #thisapplepielife: short fic

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alicetallula · 2 months ago

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Corroded Coffin Fest : It's Complicated Pop-Up Event - HellDrumCheer - 17.02.2025

Here's my participation to the @corrodedcoffinfest's It's Complicated Pop-Up Event 😊

"This is my boyfriend, Eddie. And this is Eddie's boyfriend, Gareth." - HellDrumCheer - 17.02.2025

That scene from Parks & Recs immediately popped into my head for this prompt ! :3

And of course, it's complicated for now, but soon enough Chrissy and Gareth will figure out they like each other too 😉💕

Done using ink pens, alcohol markers, colored pencils, acrylic paint pens, a metallic ink pen, graphite pencils and Photoshop for the background, strawberry print, the lettering and Gareth's freckles

AO3 post / Bluesky post / DeviantArt post / Instagram post / Pillowfort post / Twitter post

Without quote

Done using ink pens, alcohol markers, colored pencils, acrylic paint pens, a metallic ink pen, graphite pencils and Photoshop for the background, the strawberry print and Gareth's freckles

AO3 post / Bluesky post / DeviantArt post / Instagram post / Pillowfort post / Twitter post

Chrissy's outfit was inspired by a concept by Mochipan 😊

#corrodedcoffinfest: it's complicated #corrodedcoffinfest #stranger things #corroded coffin #helldrumcheer #gareddissy #hellcheer #edissy #helldrum #gareddie #drumcheer #garissy #chrissy cunningham #eddie munson #gareth emerson #gareth stranger things #parks and rec references #fanart #tallula03's art

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jo-harrington · 2 months ago

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I agree with Apple, there was just such a good vibe to this whole fic. It’s complicated but complicated doesn’t mean bad. It was so refreshing to read, as a lover of angst. Amazing fic.

Follow Tomorrow

Written for @corrodedcoffinfest's February pop-up event: It's Complicated!

Jeff x Eddie | Rated: E | 3.3K | No CWs apply | Tags: Pre-Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Best Friends, Dry Humping, Bisexual Jeff (Stranger Things), Post-Canon Fix-It, there's literally no angst in this btw!, Touring, having the hots for your best friend but wanting him to date someone else anyway

[ AO3 ] Summary Eddie's his type and was his first kiss, so Jeff's happy to get to do this with his hot best friend until they both move on—he knows that eventually Eddie and Steve are going to snap and do something about the brick wall of tension between them, and he's going to University next year anyway.

Excerpt

Jeff peers out at him and does a split-second sweep of his body. He smells like sweat and spray-on deodorant and cigarettes—even though he’s supposed to have quit smoking thanks to having 1.5 lungs—and he looks like any other scrawny 20-something guy Jeff’s seen naked. Still, even with the scars of crazy origin and the awkward stooping in deference to the van’s ceiling, he’s... kinda pretty, for a guy.

Eddie’s always been like that. A guy, yeah. A guy’s guy, if the first guy was the same kind of guy that Jeff is—a total metalhead nerd, he can admit it—and if that first guy also made peace with years of exceptions and complications and—

#corrodedcoffinfest: it's complicated #Fic rec

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runninriot · 2 months ago

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Another Love

written for the @corrodedcoffinfest pop-up event It's Complicated

wc: 1.966 | rated: M | tags: past friends with benefits Eddie/Jeff, newly established Steddie, unrequited love, complicated feelings, mild hurt/comfort, friendship | also on ao3

“Guys, this is Steve. Steve, these are the guys. My best friends, who will not embarrass me today. Right?”

Eddie laughs, tries not to let his nerves show by making a silly grimace in the direction of Gareth, who lovingly scoffs and rolls his eyes, says ‘You don’t need us for that, you’re pretty good at embarrassing yourself‘, just to be a little shit. And maybe that’s good, because it means they’re not pretending to be something they’re not. There’s no need to mask who they are in front of Steve, Eddie knows that.

He knows that, once they’ve warmed up to each other, they’ll get along just fine. But still, he can’t shake the funny feeling in his gut.

This is a big deal for him, finally introducing his boyfriend to the people who, apart from Wayne, mean most to him in this world. He wants, no, needs them to accept this new person in his life, because there is one thing he’s absolutely certain of – Steve is here to stay.

Gareth and Doug, being the lifesavers they are, immediately start wrapping Steve up in a conversation and it helps ease Eddie’s nerves a bit. But out of the corner of his eyes, he can see the tension in Jeff’s shoulders. Can sense his resentment of the situation even if Jeff is obviously trying his best not to show it.

He stands off to the side, pretending to tune his guitar which he’s definitely not. Eddie knows he’s already done that before even coming to the venue. Out of all of them, Jeff’s always been the closest to a professional.

It’s something Eddie admires, one of those things he loves about him.

Jeff and Eddie go way back, met long before Gareth and Doug entered the picture. They’ve been friends forever, through thick and thin, always together against the rest of the world.

He’d never admit it out loud but Jeff’s opinion matters most. And that’s not only because he’s his best best friend. It’s also because he doesn’t know what he’d do if Jeff didn’t give him his blessing. There’s so much at stake here, so much to possibly end in ruins. This is so much more complicated than just wanting his friend's approval - there's more to consider. More to fight for. So that's what Eddie is willing to do.

“Hey, man,” Eddie claps Jeff on the back trying to act casual, ignoring the twisted knots in his stomach. “Can we talk?”

“If it’s about your boyfriend, then no.”

Jeff takes a big swig from his beer, the look in his eyes unusually cold and distant.

“Come on, man. I thought we agreed that-”

“Well, I’ve changed my mind. Look, Eddie. I’m happy for you, I really am. But you cannot expect me to put on a brave face and pretend that this doesn’t fuck me up.”

His words slice through Eddie like a knife, sharp and quick, no mercy on his heart.

Eddie probably deserves it for thinking he could ignore the giant ass elephant in the room and simply wait it out. Wait for the problem to solve itself, for everything to go back to normal, back to easy. Because truth is, there is nothing easy about this.

Eddie knew from the start that this would be complicated, no matter how much he wished it wasn’t. He knew and yet, stupid as he is, he still hoped they could just... move on. Not forget but maybe lock up the memories of a different time and go back to how things were before. When they were just friends, no feelings involved. At least not those kind of feelings.

“I’m sorry, Jeff,” he says, head tilted down to avoid his friend’s piercing gaze, “I know it’s-“

It’s what? Hard? Unfair? Well, yeah, obviously. At least from Jeff’s point of view. But what is Eddie supposed to do? He didn’t choose to fall in love with someone else, it just happened. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t still have feelings for Jeff, only they’re different now. Not that he ever-

It’s a cruel thought, even though it’s true. They both know it because Eddie never pretended to be in love when he wasn’t. Was he attracted to Jeff? Oh, absolutely. Otherwise they wouldn’t have ended up in bed together. More than once. And it wasn't just the prospect of easy sex that had Eddie coming back for more - it was the thought of falling asleep in Jeff's arms. To be held by someone who makes you feel safe and cared for. He loved the kisses and giggles and how okay it was to be vulnerable and open because there's nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to hide because Jeff already knows everything about him.

The problem is, while it had all started out as casual fun between mates, something changed over time. Something Eddie noticed too late or he would’ve ended it sooner. Jeff never told him about his feelings, so that’s on him, but it is just as much Eddie’s fault because- he should’ve known anyway. Should’ve noticed the shift. But he hadn’t. Or maybe he simply refused to acknowledge it. Selfishly ignored it until he couldn’t anymore.

When he met Steve, he instantly knew he needed to put his cards on the table and come clean about what this would mean for him and Jeff. Told him about this guy he likes – ‘Don’t know if it’s mutual but I’d like to give it a shot, see where it’s going. Maybe it’s nothing but maybe- I think he could be the one.’

And at first, Jeff seemed to be fine with that. Said he understood that they couldn’t hook up anymore. Said he’d miss the fucking but ‘Eh, whatever.’

Only it wasn’t whatever.

But Eddie was so lost in his own head, so caught up on Steve, Steve, Steve that he didn’t see what it was doing to Jeff. Didn’t notice him pulling away more and more until Gareth mentioned it. Asked if something had happened between the two because they were acting weird.

So, when he finally confronted Jeff, things seemed... okay. Better. At least that’s what he thought when Jeff told him he’d get over it, that he just needed some time to adjust. Promised Eddie that nothing had changed when it came to their friendship but right now, Eddie isn’t so sure about that anymore.

And it kills him.

Makes him lie awake at night because he can’t stop thinking about all the worst possible outcomes. What if this breaks up the band? What if Eddie loses his best friend?

“I don’t want to lose you, Jeff.”

You’re up in five, someone calls from the side of the stage and Eddie knows this is the worst possible timing for a heart-to-heart. They should be getting ready, he should be talking to his boyfriend who he abandoned and left with people he doesn’t really know, in a place he’s never been to before. But he can’t step away, can’t leave it like that, not when Jeff still hasn’t said anything.

“I need you. You’re my best friend and I- I love you.”

It’s a stupid thing to say, to use this word, this feeling that is the cause for this mess and the reason for Jeff’s pain. But it’s the right word nonetheless, because it’s the truth. Eddie loves him. Maybe not like he loves Steve but different from the way he loves Gareth and Doug. This love goes deeper than friendship, soul-deep.

“I love you. You’re important to me and I know- I know you're hurt and I am sorry but I can’t change that my heart belongs to Steve.”

Eddie can’t stop, knows he should because right now, he’s only talking himself deeper into the hole he dug for himself. But he refuses to lie, refuses to try to appease Jeff with false hope – he needs to know where they stand. And if that means Jeff will tell him to fuck off, if that will be the end of their friendship, then-

“I hate you.”

Eddie’s heart stops at Jeff's words, eyes filling with tears as he braces himself for the biggest regret he'll ever have in his life.

“I hate you so much for even thinking you could ever lose me!”

They’ve got eyes on them now, Eddie can feel it, but he doesn’t care. Can’t, not when Jeff moves closer, taking one of Eddie’s hands to place it on his chest, right above his heart.

“It hurts. It fucking hurts. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be friends anymore.”

Eddie doesn’t know what to say, just sniffs and blinks away the tears blurring his vision.

“It’ll take some time for me to... get over this. But you and me, we’re bound for life, man. So don’t you ever think you’re getting rid of me. You hear me, asshole?”

Jeff smiles at him and even though there’s still sadness in his eyes, Eddie can feel that he means it.

“Uh... sorry to interrupt but, um, they said you’re up next so I-“

When Eddie turns to the voice coming from behind, he finds Steve standing there, hands in his pocket, nervously looking to the side.

“I’ll be down there somewhere. Have- have fun.”

Steve’s about to turn around, ready to step away but Eddie can't let him go like that, so he stops him.

“Baby, wait!”

He looks back at Jeff, hoping, praying to find what he’s searching for in the other man’s eyes.

“Go on, your boyfriend looks like he’s waiting for a kiss. Would be rude to leave him hanging.”

“Are you gonna be mad at me if I do?” Eddie’s not asking for permission to kiss his boyfriend, not really. But he’s willing to tone it down around Jeff if that’s what it takes.

Jeff scoffs, lets go of Eddie’s hand and takes a step back.

“So mad. But I’ll get to have you all to myself for the next 40 minutes so I guess it’s fine,” he jokes and it feels like a peace offering. Like maybe it’s the first step to better, before hopefully they can go back to how things were when everything was good, not complicated.

“I love you,” Eddie says again just because.

“Love you too, man. Now go take care of your man and then let’s get this fucking show started.”

Eddie nods, taking another moment to look at his best friend before walking over to Steve.

“Everything good with you and Jeff?” Steve asks quietly as Eddie wraps his arms around his middle to pull him close.

“I think it will be, yeah.”

Eddie's glad he never made a secret out of his past with Jeff, couldn’t bear withholding something so crucial from Steve. He needed him to know that no matter what, Jeff will always play an important role in his life. That if Steve wanted to be with him, he’d have to accept that there will always be a place in his heart that’s occupied by someone else.

Steve throws a look over Eddie’s shoulder and smiles to himself before leaning in to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek.

“Is that all?” Eddie asks when his boyfriend pulls away, leaving him longing for more.

“For now,” Steve confirms with a wink, “Your friends are waiting.”

With that, he wanders off into the crowd and Eddie, for the first time in weeks, feels a weight lift off his shoulders and heart.

Maybe it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Maybe it just needs time and trust and mutual understanding.

He’s willing to try, willing to do everything to make this work

Because what he’s definitely not willing to do, is to give up one love for another.

#corrodedcoffinfest #pop up events #it's complicated #eddie munson #jeff stranger things #steve harrington

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punkrockmlchael · 2 months ago

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Best Friends

Masterlist | Corroded Coffin Masterlist

Jeff x Gareth ; Platonic Eddie x Gareth

(Both Jeff and Gareth are in their early 20s)

This fic is for: it's complicated pop-up event by @corrodedcoffinfest ; the prompt is "it's complicated"

Warnings: 18+ mdni, Feelings galore, Lots of sappy and sad/awkward conversations and so many confessions, Smut: Oral (Male Receiving), Cum Eating

Synopsis: Jeff and Gareth were supposed to be best friends forever. Unfortunately, Eddie Munson came along and ruined their friendship real quick. Finally, Jeff has had enough.

Word Count: 3.8k

“Best friends forever!”

Those were the three words that Jeff and Gareth had uttered to each other when they were seven years old, camping in Jeff’s backyard for the night. They sat beside each other in their superhero pajamas bundled into their sleeping bags. A small electric lantern in the corner of the tent was their only light source, illuminating the small one person tent that was still big enough for the two young boys. That very night they did everything together—they declared they’d be best friends forever, they shared laughs, they shared screams and tears as they jumped at the sound of the wind rattling a tree branch, they shared a blanket, they even stayed up most of the night talking.

Not a deep talk, really, I mean, how deep and meaningful of a conversation could two seven year old boys actually have? No, they just discussed the books they had to read for school, they discussed how funny it was that Grant tripped and fell on his ass on the playground in front of the girls, they discussed how the girls in their class were gross and had cooties. You know, all the typical things boys their age talked about. Oh, those two were so innocent and cute—time was so different back then.

Gareth giggled while Jeff laughed, the sound of their laughter and giggles filling the small tent they sat in. The two boys were side by side that entire night as they stared up at the top of the tent, cracking jokes only a seven year old boy could find funny. At some point Gareth yawned and sighed, moving closer to Jeff subconsciously. The little fluffy haired boy turned his head, looking at his best friend with a small smile.

“Are you sure we’re going to be best friends forever?” Gareth asked softly, watching the shadows of the night dance across Jeff’s face. Jeff turned his head slightly, catching Gareth’s eyes.

“Why wouldn't we be?” Jeff asked, looking at the other boy in the tent. Gareth shrugged, looking back up at the top of the tent before closing his eyes.

“I don’t know, just, you know… making sure.” Gareth mumbled softly, snuggling under the blanket more.

“We’ll be best friends forever, I’m sure of it.” Jeff replied, nodding as he did the same thing, getting comfy under the blanket next to Gareth. He sighed, staring at the top of the tent thinking over their conversation.

Surely they were best friends, and they would stay best friends forever.

Right?

…

Wrong.

Because, Eddie Munson swooped in when Gareth and Jeff were freshmen in high school and put a damper on their friendship real quick. And, poor Eddie didn’t even really know what he did or that he did it; he had no intention of coming between two best friends. He was simply just trying to become friends with the younger boys because they all shared the same interests—the same music tastes, the same nerd hobbies of dungeons and dragons, the same stupid and immature humor.

Eddie just saw so much of himself in the younger boys. That’s really the main reason why he befriended them; he wanted to take them under his wing and show them the ropes of Hawkins High and beyond. Eddie wanted the younger boys to know that they had a friend in him whenever they needed it.

Unfortunately, Gareth had fallen under Eddie’s spell both fast and hard. Turns out the slightly older boy had a contagious and carefree attitude; he was a freak and he wasn’t ashamed to show it to anyone around him.

And, Gareth admired that about Eddie; he admired that no matter who came at Eddie for how different he was, Eddie just didn’t care. Eddie was Eddie, through and through.

Not to mention, Eddie Munson was just—everything Gareth wanted to be and more.

In Gareth’s eyes, Eddie Munson was perfect. He was funny, he was witty, he was charismatic, he was just… Eddie Munson.

And for all the reasons Gareth loved Eddie, Jeff hated Eddie. Well, hate is such a strong word… more like: Jeff hated that Eddie took his best friend from him.

It was always Gareth and Jeff against the world, and it was supposed to be like that until the end of time.

Gareth and Jeff were supposed to share the awkward and fun parts of life together. They were supposed to have their first beers together, cringing at the taste of the poor quality alcoholic beverage that Jeff had stolen from his dad’s collection. They were supposed to have their first smoke session together, struggling to roll a joint while they sat with each other getting high. They were supposed to talk about the girls in their class together, discussing who they liked and how they wanted to do them. They were supposed to have all the dude and bro talks through highschool, discussing the new stupid thing that made them both pop a boner. They were supposed to be college roommates that got drunk together, laughing about their most recent hookup mishaps. They were supposed to graduate college together and move into an apartment together because, of course, they would still be single after college.

You see, Gareth and Jeff were supposed to be inseparable—together forever. Best friends forever. Only now, just a short five years after highschool they were so disconnected it was painful. If it hadn’t been for Corroded Coffin, Jeff truly wondered if he would still be seeing Gareth this far into his life. There were days where it seemed the two had really only interacted due to the band itself, and even those interactions were forced and limited. It hurt Jeff, really.

Jeff just wanted his best friend back; he wanted things to go back to the way they were when they were kids. He wanted to yell at Gareth, to scream at him for abandoning him and leaving his side when he needed him the most. But he also wanted to hug Gareth tight and never let him go because he missed him that much. It’s funny, really, Jeff didn’t know it was possible to miss a person you still occasionally saw but then it finally hit him one day: Jeff missed the old Gareth. The Gareth that would drop everything to spend time with him, the Gareth that wanted to stay up late talking music and stupid jokes, the Gareth that would pop in from time to time just to ask Jeff how he was doing. Yeah, that’s the old Gareth; the Gareth that Jeff fell in love with.

And now Jeff was stuck, because how do you overcome this feeling? This pain? This… betrayal? Jeff wished he could quit the band; he wished he could move back home and never see the boys again… but he knew he couldn’t do that. It didn’t matter how much he hated what was happening in his shitty life at the moment… he knew he couldn’t be the reason Corroded Coffin disbanded. That would have been a harder pain to live with.

Tonight was hard, though. Because tonight Corroded Coffin was playing back at the Hideout in their hometown of Hawkins, Indiana. They had played this venue countless times before, they knew it and the crowd that showed up there like the back of their hands. They knew how to play with that crowd and with each other… but the last few shows have been a little, well, lackluster to say the least. And Jeff might have been the one to blame for that.

Jeff just couldn’t get out of his own head no matter how hard he tried. He couldn’t stop thinking about their fluffy haired drummer with the bright blue eyes and dorky crooked smile who always had such a look of concentration on his face while drumming.

Jeff just couldn’t stop thinking about Gareth Emerson.

“What are you doing?” Jeff asked Grant as he walked onto the Hideout stage for soundcheck. “And, where are Eddie and Gareth?”

Grant shrugged, tuning his bass while he waited for the others. “Who knows with them,” he said, swearing to himself as his bass continued to strum out of tune. “Last I knew they talked about getting lunch or something, they asked if I wanted to go but I declined… I figured they would have asked you to go with them.”

“No, why would they?” Jeff scoffed, reaching for his guitar. “I’m surprised they asked you,” he added bitterly. Grant looked up from his bass with a sad smile, it was almost as if he could read Jeff’s thoughts before Jeff even had them.

“To be fair,” he started, “I was standing next to them as they made lunch plans; it very well could have been a pity invite.”

Jeff slung his guitar over his shoulder, looking up at Grant. “There it is,” he mumbled to himself, beginning to strum some cords.

He got to work meticulously tuning his own guitar as he walked around the small stage, reminiscing on the memories the four boys had shared in this venue years prior. Usually those memories would bring a smile to Jeff’s face, but not today. Today he didn’t want anything to do with those memories. In fact, he even rolled his eyes when he heard Eddie’s voice and Gareth’s laugh ring through the stage area. There was a time when Gareth’s laugh would bring a smile to his face, it used to be able to light up even his darkest of days, but right now? All Jeff wanted to was play the show and head back to his house to drink and sleep in his own fucking bed. It had been far too long.

“Hey, guys! Ready to soundcheck some songs?” Eddie asked, walking onto the stage. Grant looked up at him and shrugged while Jeff’s back continued to face them all, strumming along to his own beat in his head. “Jeff? Are you ready to soundcheck some songs?” Eddie asked, walking towards the other guitarist.

Jeff turned slightly, looking at Eddie. “Sure,” he mumbled, ceasing his strumming. “Whatever gets us closer to our show.”

Eddie smiled, not really picking up on Jeff’s feelings. He walked towards the microphone stand center stage and turned to the drummer, a smile on his face. “Hit it, Gare!” Gareth took his seat behind the drumset and clicked his sticks together gently before he started the beat of their most popular song. During the entire soundcheck, Jeff had kept his distance.

And that continued through to the show. Despite all the old friends and family that had come to see them perform tonight, Jeff just couldn’t do it. He didn’t have the energy to put into his performance so he played along on autopilot at his microphone stand. He strummed along to the music perfectly while he glanced up at Eddie and Gareth, watching as Eddie moved around the stage. He moved towards the drumset gracefully, continuing to sing before he walked over towards Grant and leaned against the bassist without missing a word. Eddie eventually made his way towards Jeff, smiling as he rested his arm on Jeff’s shoulder, watching him strum along to his guitar solo perfectly. Eddie nodded and smiled, making his way back towards the center stage while Jeff turned around slightly, taking a deep breath before he walked around the stage while strumming. He never stayed in one spot for too long, though. And, he made sure to stay away from the drummer—especially during their drum and guitar duet. Normally, Jeff would be right up next to the drumset, strumming his guitar with so much passion while Gareth drummed in perfect time, smiling at Jeff.

But, not tonight. Tonight Jeff was avoiding Gareth like he was the plague.

Jeff felt like he had been successful in avoiding Gareth all night, both during and after the concert. It had become like a second nature superpower recently—Jeff would look to the side, avoid eye contact with Gareth and make a beeline in the opposite direction whenever the drummer even thought about coming near him. Jeff assumed he would be able to stay away from Gareth all night; he assumed he would be able to keep his distance all night, drinking his thoughts and feelings away before he was finally able to crawl into his bed for the night.

Jeff thought and assumed it would work. Unfortunately for him, it didn’t.

“What the fuck is your problem, man?” Gareth finally asked, cornering Jeff in his kitchen. It had been days, months, hell, maybe even years since Jeff and Gareth had had a one on one conversation without Grant or Eddie around to moderate it.

Jeff shrugged, swirling the amber colored beer around in his cup before he downed the rest of it, looking up at Gareth. “I don’t have a problem.” He replied, moving to pour more beer in his cup. Gareth finished his beer, glaring at Jeff.

“Yes, you fucking do.” Gareth snapped, following after with his arms crossed. “You’ve been nothing but short with me all day, and it’s been like that for at least a week. You’ve literally been ignoring me. What the fuck did I do to you?”

“Nothing,” Jeff took another sip of his beer, his eyes trying to land on anything other than Gareth.

“That’s bullshit and you know it.” Gareth spit out, glaring at Jeff. “Dude, what happened to us? You’re my best friend.”

“Am I?” Jeff spit back, looking at Gareth. “Because it actually seems like Eddie took that role from me years ago. We’ve actually been so distant that I actually don’t even know at this point if I can call you a friend, let alone my best friend.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, you’ll always be my best friend. I’m allowed to have other friends, you know.”

“Yeah, well, you’ve changed, Gareth. I don’t think I want to call you a friend.” Jeff said, downing the remainder of his beer before he set the cup on the counter and moved towards the stairs. He walked up the stairs to his room, with Gareth hot on his trail.

“I’ve changed because we’re supposed to, Jeff!” Gareth scoffed, following after him. “We’re not fifteen anymore; we’re supposed to grow up and change; that’s the point of life!”

Jeff stopped, turning towards Gareth. “While we’re supposed to change, it’s typically meant to be for the better. We’re not supposed to forget about the people that actually care about us along the way!” He snapped, glaring at Gareth. “You completely threw me away for Eddie. We were in high school and you threw me to the side because you thought being with Eddie would be better for you.”

“Is that really what this is about?” Gareth asked, staring at Jeff. “So, what? Are you, like, jealous that I’m close with Eddie now? That’s a new low, Jeff. Even for you.”

“I’m not jealous of Eddie!” Jeff groaned, opening the door to his bedroom. “I would never be jealous of that freak.”

“Then what the fuck is your problem?” Gareth questioned, following Jeff into his bedroom.

“Oh, yeah, no, come on in.” Jeff walked towards his bed, flopping down while Gareth stood in the doorway. Gareth closed the door behind him and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You didn’t answer my question.” Gareth said, moving closer to Jeff’s bed. “What the fuck is your problem?”

Jeff sat up on his bed, glaring at Gareth. “You want to know what my fucking problem is?” He shouted, “you’re my fucking problem.”

“I’m your problem? How the fuck am I your problem?”

“Gareth, my problem is you! You left me, you tossed me to the side for Eddie and it fucking hurt! Do you know what it feels like to be second best? Do you know what it feels like to think your best friend doesn’t want you anymore? Do you know what it feels like to be forgotten?” Jeff snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I never forgot about you!” Gareth replied quickly, looking at Jeff. “I never tossed you to the side!”

“Yes—you did. And, you know what? I don’t feel like having this conversation so, just, go.”

“No.” Gareth shook his head, stepping closer to Jeff. “I’m not leaving until you talk to me.”

“Then, get comfy. Because I’m not talking to you.”

Gareth pursed his lips, looking at Jeff. He took a seat next to him on his bed and leaned back against the headrest. “I know you’ll talk to me. I’ll just sit here until you do.”

Jeff rolled his eyes, glancing at Gareth. “Good to see you're still a stubborn little asshole.”

“You love it,” Gareth mumbled, smirking slightly.

“Yeah, that’s kind of the fucking problem.”

“The fuck do you mean by that?” Gareth asked, looking at Jeff with a raised eyebrow.

“I mean—that’s my fucking problem. You’re my fucking problem. That’s the problem. The problem is that I love you.”

“You love me?”

“Don’t act so fucking stupid.” Jeff replied, looking away from Gareth. “I think you know it’s pretty obvious that I love you.”

Gareth thought for a second, looking back at Jeff. “What if I told you that I loved you too?”

“Yeah, right. You know you don’t need to spare my feelings here.”

“I’m not sparing your feelings,” Gareth replied, rolling his eyes, moving closer to Jeff. “I’m telling you the truth. I love you too. That’s the reason I pushed you away—I felt like if I pushed you away then maybe I would lose these feelings for you… I was wrong.”

Jeff looked up at Gareth and raised an eyebrow, “you love me?”

“Yeah. I have loved you since we were in high school,” Gareth responded, leaning closer to Jeff. His lips brushed over Jeff’s gently, a sock of electricity flying down Jeff’s spine.

“You have?” Jeff spoke softly, looking at Gareth.

Gareth nodded slightly, moving closer. He pressed his lip against Jeff’s fully, embracing him in a soft and warm kiss. Jeff sighed, his lips moving against Gareth’s in a slow motion as he tested the waters. Jeff’s hand moved up to find Gareth’s face, caressing his cheek gently as he pulled him closer. Gareth’s hands rested on Jeff’s chest as he moved closer, running his tongue over Jeff’s bottom lip gently. Jeff gasped into the kiss, pulling away slightly.

“Sorry,” Gareth mumbled, looking up at Jeff with a slight blush on his cheeks.

“No, you’re fine, just… wasn’t expecting that,” Jeff admitted, leaning in again. He kissed Gareth’s lips again, pulling him closer. Gareth smiled slightly, kissing Jeff back. He ran his tongue over Jeff’s bottom lip again, only this time Jeff’s lips parted slightly, allowing Gareth the access. Gareth’s tongue found its way into Jeff’s mouth, exploring every inch within as their tongues danced for dominance. Eventually, Gareth’s tongue won.

Gareth pulled away, leaving soft kisses down Jeff’s jawline and neck. He moved slightly, pushing Jeff back on the bed before he crawled on top of him, playing with the hem of his shirt. Gareth pulled Jeff’s shirt up gently, pushing it up over his toned stomach and chest. Jeff helped him, throwing his shirt to the side in a hasty move. Gareth looked down at Jeff, running his calloused hands up his body gently.

“You’re so pretty, you know?” Gareth murmured, leaving soft kisses on Jeff’s neck again. “Can I show you how pretty you are? Can I show you how much I actually do love you?” Gareth whispered into Jeff’s ear.

Jeff’s breath hitched slightly, a soft moan escaping his lips as Gareth’s hands continued to explore down his body while his lips left soft and sweet kisses over the sensitive skin of his neck. “Yes, please,” Jeff replied softly, his eyes closing slightly as Gareth began trailing kisses down his neck. Gareth took his time, kissing down every inch of Jeff’s body. He kissed down his neck, over his collarbones, down his chest and down his stomach making sure to show Jeff just how much he really did care and love about him.

Gareth looked up at Jeff, watching his reactions to his kisses. Jeff’s eyes were half lidded, looking down at Gareth with a small smile. Jeff ran his calloused fingers through Gareth’s fluffy hair, pushing it out of his face gently as he leaned down to leave a couple soft kisses on Jeff’s hard erection through his jeans. A moan escaped Jeff’s lips as he watched his friend, tugging on his locks of hair gently.

Gareth unbuttoned Jeff’s jeans gently, unzipping them as he tugged them down his body slowly. Jeff raised his hips slightly, giving Gareth some help. Gareth tugged Jeff’s jeans and boxers down gently, watching as his rock hard erection sprung free, hitting his stomach. Jeff groaned as the air hit his sensitive cock.

“Fuck,” Gareth moaned, looking up at Jeff. “God damn, you’re even prettier than I thought you’d be; so big too,” Gareth commented as he wrapped his right hand around the base of Jeff’s cock gently. He pumped it a couple times before he leaned down, leaving soft kisses on the overly sensitive tip. Gareth wrapped his lips around the tip of his cock, sucking it gently as he looked up at Jeff.

Jeff groaned loudly, his fingers curling on Gareth’s locks tightly. “Fuck, Gareth,” he moaned out, looking down at him, “god, keep going.”

Gareth smirked slightly, bobbing his head gently. He moved his head down slowly before he bobbed his head back up, repeating the process a couple of times. It was true that Jeff was too big for Gareth to fit all in his mouth so he used his hand to work on the part of Jeff’s cock that he couldn’t fit in his mouth. Gareth used his left hand to fondle and massage Jeff’s balls gently as he continued to move and bob his head.

Jeff groaned loudly, tugging on Gareth’s hair harder. “Fuck, Gareth,” he sighed, closing his eyes ad his hips bucked up, causing Gareth to gag around him slightly. “If you keep doing that I’m gonna cum,” Jeff groaned, looking down at Gareth.

“Mm,” Gareth hummed around Jeff’s cock before he pulled away slightly. “Yeah? Come on, cum for me. Cum in my mouth,” Gareth mumbled, moving back to suck on Jeff’s cock. He swirled his tongue around the head of his cock, looking up at Jeff with a smirk.

Jeff moaned loudly, twitching inside of Gareth’s mouth. He thrusted his hips up again, whining as he released ropes of cum inside Gareth’s mouth. Gareth groaned around him, swallowing everything Jeff gave him. He bobbed his head a few more times before he pulled away, leaving kisses on Jeff’s inner thighs.

“Fuck, Gareth,” Jeff sighed, watching Gareth kisses his way back up his body. Jeff shuddered slightly, his body feeling like it was burning with each kiss Gareth left. Gareth kissed his lips softly. Jeff sighed, kissing Gareth back gently. “I love you,” he mumbled against Gareth’s lips.

Gareth smiled into the kiss, pulling away slightly. “I love you too.”

tagging some people I think may like this! @keeryhours ; @the-witty-pen-name ; @the-unforgivenn ; @hawkinsmafia ; @iitsmandii ; @pupwrites ; @writhingg

#punkrockmlchael #stranger things #corroded coffin fest #corrodedcoffinfest #famous corroded coffin #gareth emerson stranger things #jeff stranger things #jeff x gareth stranger things #best friends #it's complicated #gareth and jeff stranger things #gareth x jeff #jeff x gareth #jareth #jeff and gareth stranger things

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steddieas-shegoes · 2 months ago

Text

uh oh, feelings

for @corrodedcoffinfest popup event 'it's complicated'

rated e, 18+, minors dni | 4,512 words | cw: open ending, steve/gareth sex | tags: established steddie, NOT cheating they're all super cool and fine with this, eddie watches, virgin gareth, first time, bottom steve, top gareth, blowjob, anal fingering, anal sex, left open on purpose because i'm insane and might continue it

also on ao3

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“Dude. You’re making me sad.”

Gareth groans. “I don’t care. I feel pitiful.”

“That’s ‘cause you are,” Eddie pushes his shoulder. It’s playful, but there’s a hint of actual annoyance in it and Gareth doesn’t want that. “There’s, like, a whole crowd of women out there who would fuck you if you asked.”

“I don’t want the whole crowd of women. I want one woman, maybe two.”

“You’re not going from zero to two. So knock down your expectations a little,” Eddie starts. “Also, just throwing this out as an option: plenty of men would be interested in you, too.”

“Yeah? Like who?” Gareth scoffs.

It’s not that he hasn’t thought about it. He has. Plenty of times. More often than he’d ever admit to anyone, especially Eddie.

“I dunno. Steve?”

Gareth blinks once, twice.

“Steve who?” He only knows one Steve and that Steve is very taken by the man hounding him about his virginity right now.

Eddie throws the pillow he’s holding at Gareth. “My boyfriend, Steve! ‘Steve who?’ Fuck, dude, how many Steves do you know?”

“I dunno! Sorry for not assuming you want me to sleep with the love of your life I guess!”

“Everyone wants to sleep with Steve,” Eddie shrugs as if he’s cool with everyone wanting to sleep with Steve.

“Not everyone,” Gareth insists, but he’s not actually sure. Steve is the hottest guy they know. “I don’t think.”

“But you do.”

Gareth stays silent. This feels like a trap. He doesn’t think Eddie would get pissed or anything if he admits it, but he doesn’t want Steve to find out.

“It’s okay if you do. Steve would totally fuck you.”

Gareth’s mouth drops open. “He would not.”

“He would,” Eddie nods. He’s smirking like he’s teasing, but Gareth thinks he’s actually being very serious right now. “Ask him.”

“I’m not gonna ask your boyfriend if he’d fuck me!”

“Don’t ask him outright!” Eddie throws his arms up. “Jesus, no wonder you’re a virgin. Flirt with him, see if he flirts back.”

“Is this some kinda fucked up friendship test?” Gareth stands and starts pacing. Steve will be on the bus any minute and there’s no way he should hear any of this conversation. He’ll cut off Gareth’s balls for even suggesting he cheat on Eddie. He’ll hang them out the tour bus window while Gareth dies on the floor and post an ad for a drummer at their next stop. “Or are you testing Steve? I’m not gonna be a part of that, man. Steve loves you and I’m not getting in the way-“

“Dude. It’s not a test. Get it out of your system and then maybe you can focus on something other than your miserable state of existence,” Eddie walks to his bunk and Gareth is reminded immediately that they’re all sleeping on the bus tonight. Eddie’s plan isn’t gonna work.

“It can’t be tonight,” Gareth is surprised at his own words, shocked that he’s apparently entertaining the idea of fucking Steve. Getting fucked by Steve? “Is Steve a top or bottom?”

Eddie laughs loud enough to make Gareth flinch.

“You’ll find out soon.”

~~~

Soon is two days later, when they finally have a two day break so they can stay in a hotel. None of them stray far, always choosing to be in adjoining rooms and getting room service instead of trying to go out. It’s just easier; no worrying about being seen by fans or trying to book enough security for them to stay safe.

Goodie and Jeff are in the hot tub downstairs, probably trying to pick up chicks, so naturally Gareth is sitting in Eddie and Steve’s bed while they finish their dinner. He’s not worried about being a third wheel, especially not since Eddie told him that Steve would fuck him. He’s still not sure he would.

“Steve, you’ve taken most of Hawkins’ virginity, right?”

Eddie rolls his eyes, huffs a ‘smooth’ under his breath. Steve doesn’t even flinch. He finishes chewing, swallows, and sits back in the rolling chair he insisted on staying in while he ate.

“I wouldn’t say most. A good chunk,” Steve smirks. “Why? Trying to take someone’s virginity?”

“Yeah. Mine.”

Gareth slaps his hand over his own mouth. He feels absurd. He feels like he might puke. He thinks his heart is trying to escape his body via his throat or maybe his ass. He’s unsure if gravity is involved at all, actually.

“You’re a virgin?” Steve chokes on nothing. “Eddie, you didn’t tell me he’s a virgin.”

“I didn’t know you needed to know this about my best friend,” Eddie laughs, ignores the way Gareth is watching them with wide eyes.

“I can’t believe I couldn’t tell,” Steve is shaking his head, looking more disappointed with himself by the second. Gareth isn’t sure what to make of it. He thinks he’s supposed to feel ashamed, but he doesn’t. Not yet. “I can spot them from a mile away.”

Eddie snorts, but doesn’t comment. He’s stuffing his face with his dinner, and Steve’s eyes are focusing on Gareth in a way he isn’t familiar with from anyone, let alone…Steve.

“Uh…how exactly do you know from looking at someone?” Gareth dares to ask.

“Oh, it’s easy. I can’t tell you, but you might figure it out soon,” Steve answers, shoving another bite into his mouth and then standing up.

“How will I figure it out?”

“Because you won’t be a virgin anymore.”

“O…kay?”

There’s no way it’s this easy, right? There’s no way Steve is offering to fuck him and there’s no way Eddie’s just okay with it.

“Eddie, what’s your color on this?” Steve asks.

Eddie looks between them for a moment. “Green,” Eddie smirks. “But I’m watching.”

“Watching what?” Gareth knows what. He can’t believe it’s happening, but he knows.

“You cool with fucking me? Or do you prefer me fucking you? I’m good either way.”

Straight to business it seems. Gareth is chubbing up a little already. What the fuck is going on?

“Yeah, uh.” Gareth swallows around his nerves. He performs in front of thousands of people every night. He can fuck Steve Harrington. “Yeah, I can fuck you. That’s good. Cool.”

Steve raises a brow, looks to Eddie, then back to Gareth. “Is it because he’s gonna watch?”

Gareth shakes his head. He’s fine with that part. Honestly, it might help keep him from throwing up if Eddie’s there. Eddie’s seen him in every state of undress, and every emotion, and he trusts him more than anyone else.

“Is it because it’s me?” Steve steps closer. Gareth’s asshole tightens. It happens when he’s nervous, okay? It’s like fight or flight, except no matter what he chooses, nothing’s getting in his asshole or out of it.

“I mean, it’s not not because it’s you. I’d be nervous about anyone. I guess it’s just…like you do realize that you’re with Eddie, right?”

Eddie and Steve both laugh and it makes Gareth feel dumb.

“Yeah, I do. I love him a hell of a lot,” Steve finally says. “And he loves me a lot. And we both love you and want you to stop moping.”

“You’re not in love with me though?” Gareth has to clarify. He loves Eddie, and he loves Steve, but not like that.

“No, dude,” Eddie exclaims. “Neither of us wanna make you a third. You just need to get over this thing in your head that losing your virginity is the end all be all of your life or something. I can’t stand the face you make anymore. Steve’s sick of me complaining. We love you in the way where if we have to see that face anymore, we’ll bury your body on the interstate so.”

“Right. Okay.” Gareth nods because that makes sense. It’s hard to figure out how this is gonna work later on, after he’s seen Steve like this, after Eddie’s seen him like this. “So, we’re doing this.”

Steve doesn’t answer with words. He gets close enough to pull Gareth into him, kisses the corner of his mouth as a test.

It’s a little weird, but that’s because he was under the impression they wouldn’t kiss. He assumed this was a get in, get out situation. Get the job done and move on. He didn’t expect it to be soft.

“C’mon,” Steve whispers as he pulls back, smiling encouragingly at him. He takes his hand and leads him to the bed. “You know how to get me ready?”

Gareth nods. He’s messed around with himself plenty of times to know what to do, what feels good, what’s too much. He doesn’t know what Steve likes, but he can figure it out as he goes.

Steve takes his shirt off. Eddie groans.

“You look so good,” he groans. “I wanna touch you, too.”

Steve rolls his eyes. “Not now. Let Gare have this, baby.”

“He can…he can touch you. If you want,” Gareth says. “I dunno if I want him to touch me, though.”

Eddie’s hand goes to his chest dramatically. “No? My nimble fingers aren’t good enough? Fine!” He smirks. “I’m good just watching. This is for you. I get to touch him all the time.”

Steve is slipping his pants off quietly, letting them have this moment.

“Normally, I’d make you take my clothes off, but I think you know how to do that,” Steve teases. “Unless you’re unfamiliar with this model of jeans.”

“Levi’s?” Gareth takes his own shirt off. “Half my closet is thrifted Levi’s, dude.”

And then they’re both standing in just their underwear. Gareth’s in boxers that he doesn’t remember washing in his last round of laundry, and Steve’s standing there in the tightest gray underwear Gareth’s ever seen, already half-hard.

His dick is huge. Like, way bigger than Gareth’s, maybe also Eddie’s. He’d need to see them both at once to compare, but-

“We’re gonna use colors, even though it’s not a scene, okay? Just so you’re comfortable. Red is stop, yellow is pause, green is good. Use them anytime. If Eddie sees something I miss, he’ll ask you randomly, okay?” Steve pulls his underwear off.

He’s just…naked. Comfortably standing in front of Gareth with his dick out and leaning to the left, getting harder the more Gareth watches him. Who knew Steve was into being watched?

Gareth drops his boxers and he is fully hard. Achingly so. His dick pulses when Steve’s eyes drop down to get a look. Steve’s lips curl up into a smile.

He walks up to him, drops to his knees, and gets his hand around the base. Gareth’s breath catches.

Steve licks a stripe up his dick, sucking the head into his mouth before he takes him all the way down.

“Jesus,” Gareth moans. He’s got pretty good stamina when it’s just him. His dick is sensitive, but he knows how to edge himself. He kinda likes doing it on nights when they’ve got a hotel. He can shove his face into the pillow and get himself close four, five, six times before he shakes apart. He doesn’t know if he can hold back with his dick leaking down Steve’s throat. “Do you not have a gag reflex? Fuck.”

Steve smiles around him somehow, and Eddie is trying hard not to make noise, but Gareth can hear him huffing a laugh against his hand.

Steve pops off for a moment, looks up at him with a grin. “You can touch me.”

Right. His hands immediately go to Steve’s hair, threading through the locks and pulling him in again. He’s under no impression that he’s in control here. He’s just gonna try to keep both hands on the steering wheel while Steve hits the gas pedal.

His fingers tighten when Steve’s tongue swirls around his tip. Steve moans. The vibrations are enough to make Gareth’s legs feel weak.

“Shit. Bed, bed, bed,” he’s saying as he tugs Steve off of him and to his feet. He crushes his lips to Steve’s, any lingering doubt in his mind that this was gonna ruin their friendship long gone. He’s gonna fuck Steve and make him feel good, and Steve’s gonna return the favor, and then he’s gonna keep annoying Steve for the rest of time.

He could throw Steve on the bed, but Steve’s faster. He pushes Gareth down on his back, straddles his hips, and pushes his hands above his head.

Shit, that’s hot.

“How am I gonna get you ready if you have my hands way up there?” Gareth is nothing if not a little shit.

But Steve is also a little shit.

“You’ll figure it out,” Steve’s ass is brushing against his dick and he’s trying not to think about how it will feel inside him. But the more he thinks about not thinking about it, the more he realizes he’s gonna be inside Steve very soon. His restraint is flying out the window and up the street.

He feels Eddie’s eyes on them, but he’s decidedly not thinking about what he might be doing. If it were him in Eddie’s shoes, he’d be jacking it relentlessly.

Gareth is pretty strong. Like, he plays drums every day. Got used to lugging equipment around before they had people who did that for them. Started lifting weights occasionally when no one was watching. He likes being strong, he likes the way his muscles ripple when he’s beating the hell out of his snares and cymbals, angry but beaming from ear to ear.

He likes the way Steve moans when he throws him off of him, switching their positions in less than two seconds.

He doesn’t feel the need to say anything. Steve’s blushing, a pretty pink color across his face and neck, and his lips are swollen from sucking his dick and biting his own lips. Seeing Steve like this is life-changing.

It’s not a falling in love moment, but it’s a moment where he can see why Eddie did.

There’s always a certain charm floating around Steve, and it shifts now, while he’s under Gareth. It’s brighter, damn near blinding. Steve’s glittering gold, intensely blazing as Gareth’s hands run down his chest and sides. He adjusts so he’s sitting between Steve’s legs, pushing them back.

He hears Eddie groan from a few feet away. He’s ignoring it.

“You guys have lube?” Gareth asks.

Eddie throws a bottle on the bed.

“Thanks.”

Stupid of him to assume they went anywhere without some. They fucked like rabbits. He’s pretty sure if Steve could get pregnant, he would have had at least two accidental babies by now.

Gareth stares at the bottle in his hand.

“Still green?” Steve asks quietly.

“Yeah, sorry.” Gareth opens the bottle and uses entirely too much. It’s a different brand than he uses, and he’s nervous, and he can feel two sets of eyes watching his every breath and it’s- “Yellow.”

Steve sits up and takes the bottle from him. He hears Eddie step closer for a moment, as if he’s gonna try to fix it even though he isn’t technically involved in any of this.

“What’s going on?” Steve asks, soft, careful. Unlike any way he ever talks to Gareth.

He kinda hates it. He likes when Steve’s a bitchy know-it-all to him. He likes when Steve gets frustrated at the way he pretends to be dumber than he is about band stuff.

“I just need a minute, I think,” Gareth admits. “This is a lot.”

“Okay,” Steve waves Eddie off and places both hands on Gareth’s face. It’s intimate. It blocks the outside world from view. It feels like it’s just them right now. “It won’t hurt my feelings if you wanna stop. It’s not me, it’s you.”

Gareth snorts. There’s the bitchy Steve he’s always loved.

“I don’t wanna stop. I just realized I’m fucking my best friend’s boyfriend while he watches and it’s taking me a second to wrap my head around that being a normal thing,” Gareth explains. He’s ignoring the way Steve’s dick is rubbing against his. He said yellow, so they have to stay paused until he’s mentally good to go. He knows that much.

“Should Eddie not watch?” Steve asks. As if Eddie would allow Gareth to fuck Steve without being there.

“No, that’s-” Gareth sighs. “I don’t care if he watches. It’s just a lot.”

“Yeah. You’re doing good, though.”

The praise sinks deep into his skin, courses through his veins. He isn’t able to hold back a whine. Holy shit, where did that even come from?

Steve looks thrilled.

“Oh. Well, this is interesting,” Steve says around a smile. “Didn’t think it would go like this.”

“Like what?”

Gareth feels unmoored. Something’s shifted. The entire room feels darker, heavier.

“Stevie, be nice,” Eddie says from a chair. Gareth didn’t even know there was a chair in the corner.

“I am being nice,” Steve doesn’t look away from Gareth. “This is just shocking information and I’m taking it in. Learning. Growing.”

“What information?”

“We won’t do anything with it tonight. But we’ll talk about it after. You gotta stay safe if you decide to try anything with someone and I won’t let someone hurt you.”

“Try what?”

“Later,” Steve pats his cheek and lays back again. “Whenever you’re ready, I’m right here. Take your time, honey.”

The name feels like honey, dripping between them and making them sticky. Gareth wants to lick the word from Steve’s mouth.

Gareth watches as Steve puts his hand on his own dick, lazily stroking to keep himself hard. He can’t look away. A bead of precum falls, drips down his length until his thumb swipes it up, rubs it into his skin.

He licks his lips.

His fingers ghost over Steve’s hole.

“Good?” Steve asks, breathless.

“Green,” Gareth answers as he slides a lubed-up finger into him.

He’s tight, but there’s really no resistance. Steve’s relaxed. Gareth’s relaxed.

Steve rocks back into his touch, eyes glassy as he silently begs for more. It’s easy to read him when he’s like this, wanting more, being greedy in ways no one else ever sees. Steve’s a giver, the least selfish person of all of them, but not now. Now he wants.

Now Gareth is gonna give.

He’s three fingers deep when he manages to find Steve’s prostate. It’s easier on himself, he realizes. He’s spent years figuring out what makes himself tick. He has to watch every rise of Steve’s chest, every twitch of his brow, every bite of his lip. This is finding what makes someone– Steve– feel good, and doing it so they find pleasure.

Gareth sees why they fuck like rabbits.

Steve’s back arches off the bed as he flicks his fingers just right, rubs until he’s sure Steve’s gonna squirm right off the bed. Eddie’s barely even a thought in his mind right now, but he can feel his gaze. He’s making sure Steve’s taken care of, and he’s making sure Gareth doesn’t need to back out. He’s taking care of them in the only way he knows how.

He wants to hand over the reins. Steve’s taking what he’s giving, but he wants him to take more.

He doesn’t know how to verbalize that without sounding desperate.

But something switches between them and Steve seems to just know.

He’s an intuitive guy.

Steve sits up, waits for Gareth to remove his fingers. He pushes Gareth back on the bed, so his head is resting at where the sheets have gathered at the foot.

He straddles him again, throws his hands up above his head again, smirks again.

“Condom?” Steve asks.

Gareth knows from his mom, from health class, from Eddie, from Steve he should say yes. If this were a stranger, he’d say yes.

But this is Steve, who insists on everyone getting tested every three months like clockwork, who has only slept with Eddie for the last six years, who would never even ask if he was at all concerned about their safety. He’s letting Gareth make the call on something that’s normally important. It’s not a test, it’s just Steve letting him have control.

“Can we do it without?” Gareth’s voice is barely more than a whisper. He’s shy. Why the fuck does he feel shy?

Steve nods, soft smile taking over.

“But never do it without with anyone else unless you’re in a committed relationship and both clean,” Eddie says from the chair, ever the mother hen.

“Yes, dad,” Gareth rolls his eyes.

“Don’t call me dad while you’re fucking my boyfriend,” Eddie says.

“I’m not fucking him yet,” Gareth’s words end in a whine as Steve slides down on his dick. He’s so fucking tight, Jesus Christ on the fucking cross. “Holy shit. Is it this tight all the time?”

Steve breathes out, halfway laughs, halfway trying to not whimper.

“Eddie usually does four fingers first,” Steve says. It doesn’t even feel weird to hear him talk about what Eddie normally does.

“Should I have done four?”

“No, honey. Three is good,” Steve leans down to kiss him.

Gareth’s stomach flutters.

He’s inside Steve. His dick is in Steve’s ass.

Steve lifts his body up, falls back down. He holds onto Gareth’s chest, thumbs at his nipples, finds a rhythm.

He knows Steve is athletic, has always been that way and probably always will be that way. He’s got endurance that no one can match, probably not even Eddie. He’s stronger than Gareth by a mile, and it shows when his thigh muscles tighten and relax as he rides Gareth into the mattress.

His pace picks up. Gareth’s hands hold onto his hips, but he’s not really doing anything. He’s just along for the ride.

What a ride it’s been.

“Fuck, yes, there,” Steve gasps suddenly. His legs start shaking. Eddie makes the most high-pitched whine Gareth’s ever heard. It’s a lot all at once and his brain is dumbed down to processing how good he feels and nothing else. “Fuck me, honey. Harder.”

It’s ridiculous how easily he goes along with Steve’s demands now. Normally, he fights him on everything just to be annoying.

But Steve wants him to go harder and he wants what Steve wants.

His grip tightens against Gareth’s hips and he plants his feet against the bed for leverage. If Steve’s wants to get fucked harder, then Steve’s gonna get fucked harder.

“Shit, yes, feels so good,” Steve pants.

Gareth doesn’t know if he’s always like this or if he’s playing it up a little to make him feel more confident for whoever he fucks next. Either way, Steve’s making this a hell of a fun time.

“Is it good for you, honey?” Steve asks.

How he remembers to ask is beyond him. Gareth can’t do anything but nod and moan. He feels sweat beading along his forehead and neck. He doesn’t do this much work unless he’s on stage.

“Tell me how good it is.”

Gareth whimpers. He didn’t even realize he could make that noise.

“So good. So tight, Steve, shit,” Gareth is moving faster now, and he’s really not sure how it could feel good for Steve at this point, but Steve’s eyes roll back in his head and he comes all over them.

He’s impossibly tighter through his orgasm and it brings Gareth to his own peak. He’s shaking through it, not even sure what he’s saying. His hips stutter and stop and he’s filling Steve up with his cum. It’s already dripping back down his own dick, making a mess on the hotel bed.

Steve is brushing his hair out of his face, kissing his jaw, whispering about how good he did. It’s helping and also making it harder to keep this from getting complicated.

No one warned him about the attachment. He figured it would be fine, he could get off with Steve and then they could pretend it didn’t happen or joke about it. He’s crashing from a high he’s never experienced and he’s realizing how stupid he was to think he could ever look at Steve the same.

“Shit, Eddie, come here,” he hears Steve say, but he doesn’t really feel anything anymore. He knows he’s not inside Steve anymore, which kinda sucks. He likes the warmth, might already be a little addicted to it. “It’s okay, Gare. We’ve got you.”

Strong arms wrap around him, familiar in the way they don’t hesitate to pull him close. Eddie’s always been a cuddler, and he’s always known how to hold Gareth when his head’s too loud. Right now his head is silent, but his arms provide the same comfort.

A warm washcloth is on him and he blinks his eyes open to see Steve cleaning him up. Eddie’s behind him, holding him against his chest. He’s fully dressed and Gareth is not.

But he just fucked his boyfriend in front of him, so he guesses this is probably fine.

Eddie’s humming something. He doesn’t recognize it, but he’s still feeling a little out of it.

“Hey, honey,” Steve is next to him now, his hand on his chest. “You with us yet?”

“Mmm,” is all he can reply with.

“It’s alright. Take your time.”

A few minutes pass. He feels less like he’s having a crisis about feelings for Steve and more like he just got fucked within an inch of his life.

It’s a good change.

“Hey,” he says.

Eddie’s arms tighten around him. Steve smiles.

“Hey, bud,” Steve says, and it makes Gareth laugh.

“What happened to honey?” He jokes. But he did kinda like it. More than he probably should.

Steve gently smacks his chest. “I was making you feel special, jackass.”

Gareth sighs. “I know. I did.”

Steve has his underwear back on, but nothing else. Gareth can feel his thigh brushing against his. He’s a hairy son of a bitch.

“Was it good?” Steve asks.

“It was great. Thank you for doing that for me,” Gareth hates how his voice sounds now, a little broken, scared.

“You don’t have to thank me, Gare,” Steve says, careful and calm. “I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t want to.”

“It’s true. Steve’s a stubborn bitch,” Eddie butts in. “Can’t get him to do anything he doesn’t wanna do.”

Gareth giggles, ducking his head down. He still feels a little delirious, maybe a little too sleepy for this conversation.

“You wanna stay with us tonight?” Eddie continues.

“Can I?”

“‘Course you can, bud. Need me to get you anything?”

Gareth shakes his head. He just needs sleep. Maybe in the morning, once he’s separated from this a little, he’ll have some coffee and a bagel and he’ll get over this feeling in his chest that’s trying to override the adrenaline of finally having sex.

He doesn’t know what to make of it right now.

But one thing his mom always says is to sleep on hard feelings. If it’s important, it’ll be there in the morning, and it might make more sense.

He sure hopes so.

#steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #gareth stranger things #stranger things #corroded coffin fest #steve x gareth #steve x eddie #bottom steve harrington #top gareth #eddie is just here to watch #and to take care of his best friend when the feelings kick in

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