#eddie cries about pretty rocks and gives them to steve

[hairmetal666]

au where Steve is a famous Disney kid and Eddie is a teenaged singer-songwriter. They get pushed together at events because they're close in age, but they just quietly dislike each other.

Steve's got a new show starting, a spinoff of the one that made him a household name. They hire a newcomer, Robin Buckley, to play his best friend and the two quickly become BFF in real life.

The show runs for two seasons but when it comes time to renegotiate contracts, neither star is interested. They're older now, ready to live life on their terms and not the company's, or in Steve's case, his parents.

As soon as the finale airs, Robin and Steve celebrate by going to a gay club. A few weeks later, an interview is released where Steve comes out as bi and talks about how his parents mistreated him; how they worked with the network to pressure him to be a perfect "all-American" kid even off screen.

Meanwhile, Eddie's an impossible level of famous. He's had number-one hits, won a Grammy, headlined an arena tour, achieved every dream he had for himself as a kid growing up in a trailer park in Indiana. He's not shocked by the news that Steve is leaving Hollywood, but he's flabbergasted that the guy isn't straight. When Eddie reads the interview, he gets this weird pang in his chest, almost like regret. But he never even liked Steve.

Steve isn't in the news again and Eddie doesn't think of him for a long time.

Steve goes to college. He loves it. Not because he's great in his classes, or anything, but because he's free to be himself for the first time. He makes friends and goes to parties and relaxes. He and Robin share an apartment.

After a few semesters, Steve decides to take a couple of theater classes, and is quickly cast in campus productions. In the vague anonymity of college theater he rediscovers his love of acting. No one has expectations of him, no one forces him to perform. He graduates and slowly starts appearing in small roles in Indie films, gathering critical acclaim. He feels good. Happy. Hopeful.

Eddie is blissfully unaware of Steve's career resurgence, experiencing his own musical highpoints, until the day where he's scrolling Twitter, sees a Variety headline that's getting a bunch of attention, "Steve Harrington in talks to star in Max Mayfield's first film." Eddie's livid.

"Maxine, what the fuck?" He growls when she answers his call.

They grew up together in the same Indiana trailer park. When she moved to Hollywood to start a career as a screenwriter, Eddie was by her side. And when her first script wound up on the Black List, his involvement on the soundtrack and original songs sealed her production deal.

She gives a long suffering sigh. "Munson," she grumbles. "I know you have a weird history with this guy, but I swear he's the right choice."

"He's a stuck up rich boy who's never been in trouble in his life."

"He's changed."

"Doubtful," Eddie sneers.

"Look. I'll set-up a meeting. Come hang out and you'll see what I mean." Before she hangs up she adds, "Call me Maxine again and I'll end you."

They invite Harrington to Eddie's recording studio. His hopes are not high for this meeting, so he's already a little thrown when Steve Harrington walks in, all grown up. He's in a crimson sweater, tight jeans, hair grown long so that it flops around his face in tousled waves that actually look genuine, windswept and golden. Eddie's eyes instinctively trace the scatter of moles on Harrington's face and neck, a pang of something hitting deep in his gut. Fuck, this dude is beautiful.

"Harrington," he greets, sticks out his hand. Eddie barely hears the answering, "Munson," because instead of a handshake, Harrington pulls Eddie in for a hug. Muscles bunch under the sleeves of the sweater, against Eddie's chest, and he's assaulted by the scent of cedar and sunshine and Steve. Eddie's not prepared for any of this.

They make small talk, Harrington sharing about going to college, falling in love with theater, Robin Buckley who he calls his soulmate. Eddie's head rings with how wrong he was about this guy; the pretty kid he grew up alongside who seemed to have the world in his hands. Max was right, he's perfect. Except.

"Let's get down to it, Harrington," Eddie says. Can't bring himself to call him Steve yet, feels that will somehow change everything and he's not ready. "I'll admit that Mayfield had the right idea about you, but can you sing? Play guitar? You have to perform my music, dude. That's not a small ask."

Harrington smirks, asks for a guitar. He gets it settled across his lap before he speaks. "I started taking piano lessons when I was 4. Voice and guitar at 7."

Eddie belatedly recalls that Harrington's parents were the worst kind of stage-parents, pushing their cute kid to perform even as he sobbed about wanting to play soccer with his friends instead of going to auditions. He has a moment of shame that he forgets as the other man begins to play. It's one of Eddie's biggest hits, a ballad about a teenaged broken heart from a kid whose name he can't even remember.

Harrington's hair flops in a swoop over his forehead, his fingers move across the strings with ease, skill. His voice is a rasp, close mimic to Eddie's own, but not quite deep enough. Goosebumps spread across Eddie's arms, his neck, and warmth pools low in his gut.

Steve finishes the song, looks up, cheeks glowing pink, honey eyes bright. Eddie's fucking gone for this guy. He wants so badly he might choke on it.

"Good?" Steve asks.

Eddie's embarrassed suddenly. Unsure. He tugs at his hair. "Yeah," he laughs. "Good."

He reaches out to take the guitar, the one Steve's already handing to him, and their hands brush. Eddie flushes. Their eyes meet and Steve smiles. Eddie's thoughts are consumed with the desire to kiss his plush pink mouth.

"You wanna get dinner? Just you and me?" Steve asks.

"Yeah, Steve," he laughs. "I'd love to."

🎬🎸🎬🎸

Fifteen Months Later

"Former Teen Heartthrobs Make Love Connection?"

Fans of musician Eddie Munson and former child star, Steve Harrington, were in for the surprise of their lives last night as the men arrived together for the premier of Harrington's new movie, Small Town Sins, written by up-and-coming screenwriter Max Mayfield, featuring original music by Munson. While Harrington's performance and the movie itself are garnering quite a bit of positive buzz, it's being overshadowed by gossip about Harrington and Munson's budding romance. They walked the red carpet together, pausing for photos as a duo, holding hands and flirting. When asked for confirmation of their relationship, Munson answered, 'we're bros,' before winking and pulling Harrington close.

There's a TikTok video embedded below the article, showing the men being interviewed on the red carpet. Their arms are loosely around each others' waists, and when their eyes meet they catch and hang for a beat.

"So, longtime fans of both of yours are going feral online right now because of the rumors that you two used to hate each other. Is there any truth to that?" An off-camera voice asks.

The men laugh. "We've always been great friends," Eddie answers.

"Eddie thought I was stuck up," Steve giggles.

"I did not." Eddie slaps at Steve, who gives him an affectionate smile.

"Liar," Steve answers.

Eddie leans into the camera like he's telling a secret. "Harrington here was afraid of me."

"Fuck off, I was not." They wrestle around for a couple of seconds.

Steve shrugs Eddie off, straightening his suit jacket. "Okay, maybe I was a little intimidated back then, but then this morning you found a pretty rock and cried about it."

Eddie shrieks, swatting at Steve until someone in a black suit and name tag shoos them down the red carpet.

Eddie walks off first, so he misses Steve withdrawing a hand from his pocket and saying, "Still have the rock, though." He flashes the red, grey, blue striped stone at the camera.

His gaze drifts away, landing somewhere in the distance, hazel eyes soft and heart-wrenchingly fond.

[oneforthemunny]

oh oh let me seeee

🪩🪄🧺

older!dilf!eddie, smut, domesticity.

smut. minors dni.

"You look pretty tonight." Eddie hummed, looking at your through thick lashes over the table. "Really like that dress on you, baby."

Your cheeks burned at the compliment, shaking your head with a grin you tried to hide. "Stop." You hummed, rolling your eyes lightly. "I've wore this dress before."

"Have you?" Eddie's eyes rolled down your frame, what he could see of it.

"Yes," You scoffed lightly. "I wore it to Steve's forty-second party." Your hands smoothed over the skirt of the dress under the table. "Surprised it still fit after the baby." You muttered.

"Fits really well." Eddie muttered, tongue running over his bottom lip, eyes fixed on you in a darkened look you hadn't seen in a while. It made you squirm with excitement in your seat.

"When did you tell the babysitter we'd be back?" Eddie hummed, nodding at the waiter gently before his eyes fell back to you.

"The babysitter my sister?" You snorted lightly. "I told her ten or eleven. Why?"

Eddie looked at his watch, a gold one fixed on a leather band- his nice watch. Ones he wore to special, dressy occasions, passed down to him from Wayne.

"Gives us... About an hour and a half to ourselves." Eddie hummed, lips twitching with excitement.

"Yeah? You wanting to go somewhere else?" You twirled the last bit of wine around your glass. "Wanna go to The Hideout?"

Eddie's lips curled, tongue running down the inside of his cheek. "Not exactly."

You found yourself pressed in the backseat of your car twenty minutes later. Eddie slotted between your legs, feverishly kissing you. He'd flung the seats down, flattened them so he could lay you down with him. This car, your new mom car, was a lot bigger than the tiny one you had when you first met Eddie. Much more room.

"I missed you." Eddie muttered, his breath hot against the skin of your cheek, fingers tickling down the side of your leg, shoving your dress' hem up.

"I missed you." You whined, breathy and needier than you would have liked. Your sex life had decreased drastically after the arrival of Delilah. Even after you were cleared, even after she had started sleeping through most of the night, it still wasn't back to what it was before.

And you missed it.

Clearly, Eddie had too.

His fingers toyed with the edge of your panties, a finger pressing over your clothed clit, grinning at how you arched, breath caught in your throat with pleasure.

He would have preferred his bed, maybe a nice hotel room, somewhere he could really work his magic on you. But he'd take advantage of what little time you two had without the baby, even if it was in the backseat of your car, parked behind an abandoned shop. The car rocking and shaking with every snap of his hips, windows fogging up from your labored breaths and cries of pleasure, scratching at his nice dress shirt.

[siriuslysmoking]

Hi! I’ve never done an ask but I love your writing and I was just vibing to my autumn playlist and there’s this song by the backseat lovers, I don’t know if you know of them. But it’s called Maple Syrup and I guess creative part of my brain is on because I immediately thought of something based off of that song with Eddie. Like “I saw you dancing at the show tonight, I stood in the back and I think that we both know why” or “did it hurt? When I kicked you to the curb? Now I’m all alone. I guess I’ll never learn” has some pretty good lines. Sorry this is long I’ve never done a request before, but I hope you take a listen and it sparks something for you too! x

Cutting Ties

A/N: it's ex Eddie. Steve and Reader aren't dating, bu they are both there for each other on extreme levels. Also, I know that this trope is overused.

Pairing: Eddie munson x Reader | Steve Harrington x Reader

Warnings: fem!reader, she/her pronouns, talks of miscarriage, hurt/no comfort

Summary: When bad memories come strolling back into town you try to protect the few things that you hold sacred.

-Did it hurt when I kicked you to the curb? Now I'm all alone I guess I'll never learn-

He made it big, you always knew he would, you used to talk about it when you both were in high school.

It’s been four years since he left, not wanting to be tied down. Or whatever that means.

You were twenty when he left.

Now, you had your life put together, you had a job with a stable income, you had a roof over your head. You are able to support your daughter in anything she wants to do. She’s in gymnastics and she loves it, it’s a way to get her energy out during the day.

Steve… Steve is your rock.

From the start Steve has been by your side, supporting you in every decision you make. Holding your hand while you sit in doctors appointments. He held you as you cried when the doctor left the room after announcing that you might lose her.

He sat next to you during your twelve hour labour, rubbing your shoulders are you tried to breathe.

You made sure Wayne was in Mia's life, he deserved that much, Eddie doesn't call him anymore.

You didn't know he was in town, you wish you would've. Steve agreed to meet you at three to pick the both of you up after Wayne had made the both of you lunch. The three of you started a tradition, every sunday Wayne would pick you up and either take you out to lunch or one of you would make something.

It was nice. Steve worked sundays so he would pick you up after work.

You wish someone had told you he was in town.

But when there is knocks on the door at 2:30, you meet Wayne's curious eyes, "Did ya boy get off early?"

"I don't think so." You hand Mia her brownie that Wayne had made for dessert, giving her a kiss on the forehead while Wayne goes to get the door.

"Eds! W-what are you doin' here?"

"That's not the welcome I was expecting, old man."

"Wasn't exceptin' ya."

"That's usually what a surprise visit is." Wayne looks to you and it's not like you can't let him in, so you just nod, giving him permission.

Mia has noticed the disruption, stopping mid chew as a strange man walks in. You try to obscure Eddie's view of her the best you can.

Eddie walks in and meets your eyes. He opens his mouth say something but Mia interrupts him. "Mamma, I can't see."

Eddie's eyes go wide as you slowly move over to the side. "Hi! What's your name? Are you grampa's friend?"

"I-I don't understand."

You just sigh, turning to Mia, "Baby, I'm gonna go outside and you're gonna stay and eat this delicious brownie that Wayne made you, okay?"

"otay." and just like that she begins shoving her face once more.

You softly close the door behind you after motioning for Eddie to go outside. "What- Who is that?"

"That's my daughter." You cross your arms as Eddie moves to the picnic bench, you just sit at on the bench while he paces back and forth.

"How old is she?" He knows the answer, you don't have to give it to him, but you do.

"Three."

"You should've told me." Eddie finally meets you eyes, "You should've fucking told me!"

"How?! How was I supposed to tell you? Call you? I didn't have your number, I didn't get an address. You left and said you didn't want to be tied down. What more to tie you down more than a child?" You huff, rolling your eyes at his audacity.

"Even Wayne knew?"

"Once I had her, it was hard to keep quiet." You run your hands through your hair, "It didn't take him long to connect the dots."

"He didn't tell me." Eddie looks angry, he's completely fuming.

"You stopped calling!" You throw your hands in the air, looking at him from across the table.

"Does everyone know?"

"No, they think-" You get cut off by a door opening to your left, it's not the trailer door, it's a car.

"Hey hone-" Steve pauses, looking to you, then meeting Eddie's eyes, "Munson."

"Harington?"

"Steve, will you go get Mia?"

"Uh-yeah."

"Her name is Mia?" Eddie's expression goes soft at that.

That's when Steve walks in the trailer, the door open enough for the words Mia shouts to echo out to the two of them. "Dada!"

"Hey pumpkin."

Eddie meets your eyes, "Is that my daughter calling Steve Fucking Harrington Dad?"

"She's not yours."

"She isn't? So she doesn't have my hair and my eyes?"

"She was and will never be yours, you threw away that chance when you kicked me to the curb."

"I-" He doesn't know what to say and you have no more words for him. So when Steve comes walking out the door with Mia and your bag in his arms, you just turn and get into the car.

-

-

likes are reblogs are appreciated <3

[steddieas-shegoes]

take a break

Happy Birthday CJ @tboyeddie )!!! I hope this tiny token of my friendship makes you smile, and I hope your day is relaxing and you get to do whatever you want to do. Giving you the biggest hug and wrapping you in a fuzzy blanket so you can be cozy. - Mickala 💖

rated m | tags on ao3

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

“Wayne’s just as bad as you.”

Steve looked at the giant box sitting in his living room, scribbled with little doodles and notes to their daughter, Jess. Her birthday wasn’t until next week, but since Wayne could only come this weekend, they’d arranged an early party.

He shipped her gift to their house since he couldn’t bring it on the plane.

Now Steve sees why.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Eddie said against his cheek as he came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Steve’s waist. “Nothing bad about wanting the best for our girl.”

“The best doesn’t have to be so…big.” Steve gestured to the box that was nearly his height. “What did he even get her?”

“He might’ve mentioned something about a swing set.” Eddie rocked them back and forth slowly. “But maybe it’s not.”

It was.

Steve glared at Eddie as he opened the top of the box to peek inside to confirm.

“We don’t even have anywhere to put it!” Steve whisper-yelled. Jess was asleep in her room, exhausted from a busy day at school and softball practice. “I’m not setting it up in my living room.”

“Sweetheart, we’ve got enough room on the back patio for this. It’s just one swing!” Eddie pulled a printed picture of the assembly from the side of the box. “See? Barely takes up any space. You won’t even notice it.”

“Right. I’ll just have to walk around it every time I have to take the trash out.” Steve crossed his arms. “Where are we even hiding this until her party?”

“I can make it fit in our closet.”

Steve’s brows raised in surprise.

For all that Steve used to hoard clothes, he only took up about 30% of their shared closet now. He was content with just enough to get through his week and a couple extra nicer outfits for special occasions.

Eddie, however, believed that more is more and he should get to have every shirt that looks even remotely decent on him.

Which, Steve admits, is most shirts.

“You’re not gonna make that fit.”

“How many times have you said that to me? I’ve always made it fit, right?” Eddie smirked at him, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“I’m going to bed,” Steve sighed, turning so he could hide the fond smile he had on his face.

“I’ll be in soon to make it fit!” Eddie replied.

Steve shook his head as he walked to their bedroom.

He stripped off his clothes with every intention of letting Eddie try his best.

——————————

“Daddy! You said Uncle Wayne was coming at 3:45. It’s 3:47 and he isn’t here!” Jess whined.

“Daddy did say that. But Daddy forgot you can read a clock and Daddy should have thought this through better,” Steve said as he finished making the pitcher of lemonade that Jess had long since abandoned.

“Where is he? Is he still in the plane?” Jess looked out the window and up to the sky as if she would be able to see Wayne waving out of the window of a plane if she tried hard enough. “Dad said that sometimes planes have to fly in circles before they can land. What if he’s dizzy?”

Steve hid a smile in the fridge as he put the pitcher of lemonade on the top shelf. “He’ll be here any minute. Maybe there was a holdup with his bags at the airport.”

He was glad Eddie was working right now or else he’d be pacing the floor and being as impatient as Jess. If he knew Eddie half as well as he thought he did, he probably was.

“Maybe they lost him.”

Steve couldn’t hold back the laugh at that. “Lost Uncle Wayne? I don’t think so. It’s pretty hard to lose a person, lovebug.”

“Not sometimes! My friend Hannah at school lost her sister once at the grocery store and her mom cried for two whole hours before they found her.”

Steve’s eyes widened momentarily. “But they found her! And she was just a kid who probably didn’t listen to her mom or dad, right? And your Uncle Wayne-“

“Is here!” Wayne yelled from the front door.

“Uncle Wayne!” Jess yelled as she ran out of the kitchen and dining area to their living room. “You’re not lost!”

“‘Course not! Couldn’t get lost right before your birthday. Then who’d sing ya the silly birthday song?” Wayne picked her up and settled her on his hip.

She was turning eight, and she was quite tall for her age, so this would probably be the last year Wayne could get away with this.

“Dad knows it. Doesn’t he?” Jess asked Steve, suddenly growing concerned. “What if Wayne did get lost?”

“Your dad knows it just fine,” Wayne said, setting her down and walking to Steve. “Hey, son. You doin’ alright?”

Steve let himself fall into a hug with Wayne, doing his best not to let tears gather.

It’d been a while, okay? He missed Wayne’s hugs.

“Glad you made it. Want a drink?” Steve pulled away to grab him a beer. “Grabbed your favorites at the store last night.”

“Drink sounds good.” Wayne popped the top before turning back to Jess. “I was promised a makeover last time we talked on the phone, wasn’t I?”

Wayne was a good sport, insisted that he didn’t care if it was playing catch at the park or getting his nails painted, he wanted to spend every second with Jess. Steve was just excited to have a day go by without eyeshadow glitter on his clothes.

“I got a new lip gloss that tastes like strawberries and you will love it, it’s just a little pink, but it tastes so good,” she said seriously, folding her hands in front of her and rocking onto her tip toes. “Can I show him daddy?”

“Yes, but remember what I said. It all stays in the bathroom. Go get everything ready first while he rests for a minute,” Steve smiled at her as she clapped and ran to the bathroom. “You don’t have to let her do the makeover. She’d be just as happy doing it to herself.”

“I’m happy to get a little glitter on this face. Could use a shinin’ demeanor,” Wayne joked. “Especially after the airport lost my bags.”

Steve’s jaw dropped. “What? Do you need me to run to the store and get you stuff? Why didn’t you say so sooner? I’ll catch Eds before he leaves work so he can stop on the way home.” He walked over to the phone, only to be stopped with a hand on his arm. He looked at Wayne with furrowed brows. “What is it?”

“If you waited a second, you’d know they found them. That was why I was a bit late.” Wayne shook his head. “You ain’t gotta jump through hoops for me, I keep tellin’ ya. You doin’ okay? Really?”

Steve’s sharp inhale, his painstakingly schooled features on his face, his hands being kept busy so Wayne wouldn’t see them shake, it all added up to him not doing okay.

Wayne pulled him into a hug, one hand cupping the back of his head and one rubbing his back as he felt Steve sob against him.

“Son, what’s goin’ on? You boys need some help?” Wayne whispered so Jess wouldn’t hear. “You know I’ve got some money saved up if ya need it.”

Steve shook his head against Wayne’s shoulder.

“No, no.” He sniffed. “I mean we’re broke, but all the bills are paid and we still managed to spoil Jess for her birthday. It’s just-”

Wayne smiled sadly before pulling away.

“Everything?” Steve nodded. “I know the feelin’. You boys are doing a great job, though. I know it’s a lot right now, but you’ll get through it. You always do.”

“Just overwhelmed lately. Eddie’s been working a lot more and my classes are all labs this semester, which is so stupid, like why do teachers even need labs if they aren’t gonna be science teachers?” Steve threw his arms up. “And Jess got in trouble at school last week for fighting and she was technically right and protecting herself and another kid, but they have policies or whatever so she was suspended for a day and I had to miss class, which was a midterm day and the professor is a dick who doesn’t seem to understand that people have lives outside of the classroom. And Eddie doesn’t really understand my frustration because he hated school, so why should I care so much, right? But he’s kinda right, like, I was allowed to make up the midterm, why am I still letting it bother me?”

“Papa! I’m ready!” Jess yelled from the bathroom, interrupting Steve’s rant. “Do you want blue or purple eyeshadow?”

“Surprise me!” He yelled back before touching Steve’s arm. “We’re gonna talk about this more later, okay? Ya don’t have to hold this in, son.”

“I know. Enjoy your makeover,” Steve sniffed, wiping at the few tears that managed to still trickle from his eyes. “Eds should be home soon.”

——————————

When Eddie got home, Wayne was well on his way to being the prettiest princess Chicago had ever seen.

He barely contained a snort of laughter at the streak of dark pink blush across one cheek as he kissed Jess’ head and made his way back to the kitchen.

“Hey, sweetheart. Smells good,” Eddie leaned in to kiss Steve’s cheek, brows furrowing when he saw the red around his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothin’. How was work?” Steve’s attempt at a comforting smile failed, and Eddie let his hands fall.

“Fine. Turn the stove off.” Eddie wasn’t sure what could’ve happened between that morning and now, especially since he’d been looking forward to Wayne’s visit even more than Eddie had been. “Look at me, Stevie.”

Steve turned to him, eyes still downcast, bottom lip worried between his teeth.

“Your head being loud?” Eddie whispered, cupping Steve’s cheeks in his hands. He smiled sadly when Steve nodded. “What do you need me to do?”

Steve shook his head, unsure of what Eddie could do. They were both doing everything they could, it was just how life was going for them right now.

No way out but through.

Eddie wordlessly pulled him into his chest, ignoring his quiet protest.

“We’ll order pizza if it burns.” Eddie had $20 cash in his wallet ready to go if Steve just said the word. “You’re doing too much, sweet love.”

“Jess, I totally forgot!” Wayne’s voice echoed from across the room. “Part of your birthday present is coming to stay with me at the hotel for a night so you can swim in the pool! Did you know it has a slide?”

Eddie turned to glance over his shoulder, nodding once when Wayne gave him an encouraging smile.

“Really?” Jess squealed. “Daddy! Dad! Please!”

Steve and Eddie were nearly bowled over by Jess, her excitement making them both give genuine smiles.

“If Papa is absolutely sure.” Steve looked over at Wayne, who was nodding. “You should go pack your backpack with pajamas and a bathing suit, little one.”

“I’m not little! I’m almost eight!” Jess argued as she ran to her bedroom.

“Wayne, you don’t have to-” Eddie started.

“You both need a night off. Maybe it won’t solve everything, but it’ll give ya time to yourselves.” Wayne ruffled Eddie’s hair, ignoring his groaning and complaining. “I’ll have her back before lunch tomorrow so she can get ready for her party. Plus, it’ll keep her outta your hair while you set everything up.”

Eddie and Steve knew better than to argue further, not with that stubborn old man.

Jess was packed in record time, giving Steve and Eddie hugs and a kiss on the cheek before practically bouncing out the front door.

Wayne just laughed and waved at them as he took her hand in his to lead her to his rental car.

The silence that followed was deafening, almost overwhelming.

Steve looked at Eddie, Eddie looked at Steve.

“We’re alone all night.” Steve sounded shocked, like it just sunk in. “Just us.”

“Just us. Alone,” Eddie repeated, his smile growing as he walked forward and stopped right in front of Steve. “I’m gonna take such good care of you, sweetheart.”

Steve melted against his chest at the words, grateful that Eddie was already wrapping his arms around him, keeping him from collapsing to the floor.

The past…six months or so, really, had been so stressful for both of them, they’d barely had time to do anything, let alone take care of each other in the way they both desperately needed. Steve wasn’t even sure the last time they actually managed to go to bed at the same time, his homework often keeping him up long after Eddie went to bed.

It would all be worth it, and they still managed to do little things for each other when they could, but it still sucked trying to get through it all.

“Miss you so much, Eds,” Steve mumbled against his neck, pressing his lips to the juncture of his shoulder and neck.

“Miss you all the time, baby boy. You wanna take a bath?”

Steve nodded against him, but didn’t pull away.

He didn’t need to; Eddie lifted him up under his thighs, waited for him to wrap his legs around his waist, and walked to their small, but cozy bathroom. Jess’ bath toy basket was still by the tub, along with an open bottle of bubble bath and her fruit punch shampoo along the edge. Eddie shook his head fondly before setting Steve down on the sink counter.

“She sure knows how to leave a mess, huh?” Eddie asked, not nearly as annoyed as he probably could be. “I guess she gets it from me.”

“Forgetting to close shampoo bottles? Definitely a learned behavior.” Steve kicked his toe out to nudge Eddie’s leg as he cleaned up and started the water. “Definitely not learned from me.”

Eddie turned around just to roll his eyes. “I don’t close them because I know you’re gonna use them. I don’t just forget.”

“Sure you don’t.” Steve pulls his own shirt off as he watches Eddie pour some of the coconut bubble bath. “Which is why you must also always forget to tell me when you’re running low on your body wash.”

“Exactly! You get it.”

Steve snorted and got off the counter to unbutton his pants, didn’t wanna waste any of their time waiting on Eddie to get him undressed.

“In a rush?” Eddie said over his shoulder as he let his hand run through the water to check the temperature. “We’ve got all night.”

“Not in a rush, just don’t wanna waste a second.”

“That sounds like rushing.”

Steve poked his shoulder as he stripped off his socks. “I’m not rushing.”

Eddie finally stood up and turned around, his breath catching when he saw Steve, completely naked, watching him with his hands on his hips.

“You’re so beautiful, baby boy,” Eddie whispered, reaching his hand out to run his fingers across his chest. His scars weren’t nearly as widespread as Eddie’s, mostly focused on his side and stomach, but Eddie liked to trace along the sensitive skin surrounding them just to watch him shiver. “How do you always look so good?”

Steve blushed, never good at taking compliments, even 15 years after Eddie gave him the first one. “I have bags under my eyes that look worse than that bag you found on the side of the road and tried to convince me you could polish up to use for when we visit Wayne.”

Eddie leaned in to give him a kiss. “No one knows how good you are at imagery, it’s such a shame. But they aren’t that bad, sweetheart. And they don’t make you less beautiful.”

Steve didn’t say anything else, just pressed a kiss to Eddie’s cheek and moved him out of the way so he could get into the almost full tub.

As he sunk down, every bit of stress he had in his body left him in a long sigh. The water temperature was perfect, the bubbles smelled good, and he could feel Eddie’s eyes on him in a way that made him feel precious, cherished, loved.

“You gonna join me or just stare at me all night?” Steve kept his eyes closed as he spoke, didn’t wanna disturb his peace.

“Can I do both?” Eddie asked from right next to the tub.

Steve opened his eyes to see Eddie already naked and gesturing for him to scoot up so he could join him.

Their tub was small, definitely not built for two grown men, but they managed to make it work. Once Eddie was settled against the back of the tub, Steve settled his back against Eddie’s front, pulling his knees up slightly and letting them rest against the sides of the tub.

Eddie’s arms wrapped around his chest, holding him up so he could relax completely.

They stayed like that for a while, quiet except for the occasional hum from Eddie.

Steve let his eyes drift shut after a minute or two, focused on the feeling of Eddie’s heart beating against his back, his breath puffing against his shoulder and neck or the top of his head, his fingers making patterns against his skin and chest hairs.

Every moment they’ve had to touch each other over the last few months had been rushed, and while Steve loved when Eddie got rough, he craved the softness of this moment sometimes too.

Now that he had it, his brain was shutting down, taking a rest from expectations, even the ones he liked having.

“Doing good, sweetheart?” Eddie whispered, not wanting to interrupt him.

“Mhm.” Steve’s mouth didn’t quite want to form words, but he was able to get that out at least. “Mmm.”

Eddie’s hands disappeared for a moment, but quickly came back with a soaped up washcloth. He rubbed along his arms and chest slowly, gently, whispering words to him as he worked. Steve felt cloudy, kind of like he’d stuck his head under the water, but kept smiling to himself. He hadn’t felt this good in a while, and he knew Eddie would take care of him.

“Stevie, I’m gonna get out so I can wash your hair. Can you open your eyes for me?” Steve blinked them open and turned his head, his vision blurry and taking a moment to completely focus on the man behind him. “That’s good, sweet love. You heard what I said?”

“Mhm.”

Eddie kissed his lips briefly, not wanting to pop the bubble Steve was in, before getting out of the tub and helping Steve settle back against the wall.

He wrapped a towel around his waist and dropped to his knees, cupped water over Steve’s head slowly, meticulously.

“Good,” Steve managed to get out as Eddie started scrubbing the shampoo into his hair, dragging his nails across the roots, massaging his scalp. “Love you.”

“I love you so much, baby boy.” Eddie kissed his forehead as he helped him tilt backwards so he could submerge all of his hair in the water to rinse it. “You deserve to feel good like this.”

Eddie always said that to him, even when Steve wasn’t floaty. They’d be sitting at a restaurant with Jess and he’d tell Steve to order whatever drink he wanted because he deserved to treat himself sometimes. They would be at the park watching Jess play with friends and Eddie would tell him that he deserved to have the family he always wanted.

Eddie made sure he knew he deserved to be happy, no matter the situation.

When Eddie was done, he kissed his temple and helped him out of the tub, pulling the plug for the water to drain as he held on to Steve’s hand.

The night went on, Steve got extra care and attention, and when he finally came out of the clouds, Eddie was holding a cup of hot chocolate for him to sip on in bed.

“Thank you, Eds. Needed that,” Steve said after taking a few sips, letting his head drop onto Eddie’s shoulder beside him.

“I needed it, too. Haven’t been able to really do much for you in so long. Started to feel like maybe I was failing.” Eddie sighed. “I know it’s not our fault, but we haven’t made us a priority in a while. I’m glad we got to tonight. We owe Wayne big time.”

Steve nodded, taking another long sip. “Maybe we can try to save up and get him that fishing pole for Christmas? That one he keeps talking about like it’s his firstborn child.”

Eddie barked out a laugh. “I think if we got that for him, he’d name it. I’d be forgotten.”

“I hope you don’t get jealous of your future sibling,” Steve joked, nudging Eddie’s side. “Wayne’s got plenty of love for you both.”

“I guess we’ll have to find out, huh?”

“I think if I can pull off a few extra shifts next month during school break, we can do it.”

Eddie kissed the top of his head. “Wayne would love that.”

“Well, I love him.”

“And he loves you. He wouldn’t have offered this if he didn’t.”

“He loves you and he loves Jess, he would’ve offered for you both if not for me.” Steve set the mug down on the bedside table before turning back to Eddie with a grin. “I think we could probably find the energy to get one round in before we pass out, couldn’t we?”

“One whole round? Very optimistic of you, sweetheart.”

Steve straddled Eddie’s lap, cupping his face in his hands. “Half a round?”

“That sounds possible.”

[ellaelsinore]

Corroded Coffin gets asked to be the house band for the local Hedwig production, clearly the only musicians skilled enough for a rock opera. Eddie didn’t think the show would be fun, but the music clearly rocks, the show is entertaining, it pays and it gives him more opportunities to perform. Costume even lets him wear mostly his own clothes, embellishing his battle vest further, not budging on the obscene amount of eyeliner they insist is “necessary to the plot”. Both Eddie and Steve kinda love it, even when Eddie looks like a raccoon the next morning. It takes all of his time for months, but by the end the boys are pretty proud of what they’ve accomplished and have learned a lot from the director and production staff about putting on a real show.

Steve comes to multiple shows, in the audience and backstage. He prefers being backstage, watching from the wings. He alternates between stage right and stage left, either able to watch Eddie from afar as he plays and dances and sings harmony, or right next to him so he can tell him how pretty he looks every break for the whole show. Eddie basks in the attention he gets from the community, the snobby theater crowd impressed by the skill of four heathens with guitars and a drum kit. The actor playing Hedwig tells them that they’re by far the most talented pit band he has worked with and will keep them in mind the next time he does a rock musical.

Eddie plays Wicked Little Town (reprise) every night like it’s the last time he’s going to play it. He studied the music for weeks, pouring over that particular song, first, because it’s the climax of the musical and second, it reminds him of Steve. Steve who is so much more than the stuck-up, pretty-boy jock he saw in high school. Steve who kept the party and himself alive and safe in the Upside Down, who picked up the pieces of a life that broke around him and built a new family with them. Who changed so completely that anyone from his old life would never recognize the man he had become, who sometimes didn’t recognize himself. Eddie wanted to be the voice Steve could follow, to rebuild this new life together.

Next Corroded Coffin show, Eddie plays a viciously emotional rendition of Wicked Little Town (Reprise), shirtless, black jeans low on his hips, jewelry shining in the stage lights. Robin and Nance made sure that Steve was front and center, Eddie dedicates the song to “his cosmic lover,” and plays to Steve like he’s the only one in the bar. Steve cries into Robin’s shoulder until Eddie slings his guitar over his back and hops off the stage, taking Steve’s face in his hands, kissing away the tears on his cheeks.

“You make this wicked little town worth every minute, Stevie.” Eddie kisses his forehead. “And you will never be alone again, never be a stranger, not if I can help it.” He pulls the ring box out of his pocket, not caring that they’re still in the middle of the Hideout and some asshole (Gareth) got them to adjust the spotlight to where the two men are standing in the pit. Not caring that the whole club has pulled back and is watching two men in desperate love, sharing in a moment that they should be grateful to see.

Steve laughs wetly as Eddie presents the ring, a woven silver band set with three sunshine-yellow stones, nodding before Eddie can even ask the question. “Steve Harrington, will you..” Steve crushes Eddie into a hug, whispering “yes” against his neck over and over. “You didn’t let me finish, Stevie,” Eddie laughs. Steve pulls back to look at his boyfriend, fuck, fiancé, and sees Eddie’s doe eyes misty and rimmed with red, but he’s smiling at Steve and god, Steve could look at him for the rest of his life. “Steve,” Eddie takes a deep breath, takes Steve’s hands in his. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes, a million times yes.” Steve lets Eddie put the ring on him, before finally kissing Eddie. However wicked this town was, Eddie was his home, and together they would pick up the pieces and make a beautiful life for themselves.

[mrslectermoriarty]

Headcanon Series #12

Here goes some Stranger Things stuff because I finally watched it yes it broke me so here I give you some Eddie centered Headcanons because that guy is 100% me as a fictional character and I died with him in the Upside Down which makes him a huge inspiration :)

Yes I ship Steddie so fuck off if you don't like it

1. Eddie always humming some metal or rock songs, most times without even realising it (that's how Steve learns all the great bands)

2. When Eddie finally graduates, Hellfire throws him a party and honours him with a framed picture of him and "Hail to thee our infantry, still brave eyond the grave"

3. No but seriously, they definetly honoured him post mortem

4. There is this black stray cat in the neighbourhood who keeps scratching at his door so Eddie feeds it and adopts it eventually

5. He names it Ozzy because it once brought him a dead bat as a present and Eddie still a little uncomfortable around bats almost pees his pants because no way his cat just helped him deal a little better with that trauma

6. Ozzy becomes his mental support animal from then

7. That cat is a little sceptical about the kids at first but as soon as Dustin enters, it won't let go of him because let's be honest Dustin is so Eddie's son

8. Eddie is convinced that Ozzy can read his mind

9. Or that Ozzy is from the Upside Down which freaks him out a little but untill now Ozzy hasn't tried to slaughter him in his sleep so he gets comfortable eventually

10. Eddie and Steve move together in a cute little house

11. Corroded Coffin goes on tour one day and of course Eddie takes Steve with him but the kids (who are no longer kids but it doesn't matter) won't let both of their parents "leave them alone to rot in the town" so they all join and Steve has a little breakdown because ge will end up being a babysitter again and he's not okay with that

12. Of course he is, he loves his children

13. Ozzy can't be left behind and in the end the tour bus is stuffed with people

14. The kids are Corroded Coffin's biggest fans and love to brag about how they know all members personally

15. Eddie doesn't throw his guitar pick during concerts, he hands out dices - just for the flavor

16. He will happily sign anything for you with "The Munson Killer" if you ask him about the homicides during autograph session

17. Yes, his name was cleared by the government pretty fast after the earthquake but people are still a little uncomfortable around him - he takes it with humour

18. Since its the 90s where you can only be subtly gay, Steve and Eddie get pseudo married in Mike and El's yard in autumn after the tour ends - Argyle comes down to Hawkins to be their wedding officiant (they don't regret a single moment during the ceremony, it was hilarious) Robin ist Steve's Maid of Honour and Eddie asks Nancy because honestly, Nancy may have had eyes for Steve for a while when Jonathan was back but she saw the looks Eddie and him exchanged when they thought the other one wasn't watching and that tension so she eventually sat Eddie down and told him to ask Steve out and they kind of bonded over the years after that because in the end there is an understanding among those who love Steve Harrington

19. Steve gifts Eddie Metallica cards as their 'honeymoon' - Eddie cries for half an hour

20. He pays Steve back by slamming adoption papers on the kitchen table on their anniversary in 2006 with the words "You got me everything I could dream of back then. My turn. Bam."

22. Eddie and Steve got properly married in 2014 when same-sex marriage became legal again, surrounded by their three kids and their kids with their own children - "Why do I feel so old, Eddie?" "Because you are old. Now smile for the pictures, Grandpa!"

24. And yes, of course they had very exhausting negotiations about the number of kids they'd have

[ladykailitha]

In the Midnight Hour Part 8

*wails* I am on part TWELVE and I’m still wrapping everything up. But I am going to get in done in the next day or so.

Warning for Steve falling apart.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

*

Steve paced in front of his window. Eddie hadn’t been by in a couple of days and he was starting to worry.

When Eddie finally landed on his roof, Steve was out of his window like a shot.

“Eddie!” he cried. “Are you okay? Wayne told me what happened at the motel. I’ve been so worried about you!”

Eddie snarled. “Get away from me!”

“Eddie!”

Eddie’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s going on and the longer this goes on, the more I feel disconnected from Wayne. From You. I’m getting more and more twisted and I hate it.”

“We’re working as fast as we can,” Steve said. “I know you said that we are running out of time, but there is a piece we’re missing.”

Eddie snarled. “Fuck!”

Steve shoulders sagged. “I feel I’m failing you again.”

All the anger went out of Eddie in a rush. “You can’t keep taking the weight of the world on your shoulders, man. It’s going to kill you.”

“If it does, I wish to hell it would hurry up,” Steve spat. “Everyone tells me it’s going to crush me, it’s going to kill me. When? When is going to do me in, because if I can’t have a happy life, a life free of suffering, I don’t want to live.”

Eddie felt his stomach bottom out. It felt like the first time he had been on a roller coaster. The fear eating at his insides.

“You can’t mean that, Steve!” he cried.

Steve looked up at Eddie, his heart breaking. “My whole life has been a series of unfortunate events. And it kills me to see everyone being able to move on. Even Joyce is worried about me. As if she didn’t have three children to look after. I’m not worth it. I can only hope my death means something.”

Eddie pulled Steve into his arms. “Your life is important. You’re important, sweetheart. I know it’s hard right now, but some day you’ll look back on this and think how silly you were to want to die.”

“I just hurt all the time,” Steve mumbled into his shoulder. “I get migraines now. It takes me so long to get moving in the morning because my body aches. I’m not even twenty yet and I have the body of an old man.”

Eddie just rocked him back and forth. “I think everyone forgot that you got hurt pretty bad down there, too. Other than what happened to Max, Dustin sprained his ankle, but I don’t think anyone else was hurt. Not like you were. How long were you in the hospital?”

“I wasn’t.”

Eddie looked down at Steve in shock. “You should have had stitches at the very least, Steve!”

“I didn’t know how to explain what happened, so I didn’t,” Steve murmured.

“I’ll make you a deal,” Eddie said. “I’ll stop saying my death is inevitable, if you do, too. okay?”

Steve raised his head. “Okay.” He sat back and really looked at Eddie for the first time that night. “Vecna is trying to starve you, isn’t he?”

Eddie jumped, startled. “How the hell do you know that?”

“Andy and Chase showed up for school looking less like death for the first time in months,” Steve explained. “Which means you aren’t feeding on them and you aren’t feeding on me. Which means you haven’t eaten at all in about a week.”

Eddie shuddered. “He only wants me to feed on you now.”

Steve closed his eyes. “That means we have less time than we think, if he wants me drained for the coming fight.”  

Eddie nodded. “I won’t do that to you.”

“Just take as much as you did last time,” Steve murmured. “I forgot to eat after last time and that’s why I was so strung out. In fact, give me a minute.”

Eddie was about to protest when Steve got up and slipped back into room. He sighed heavily. He should just get up and leave. But he couldn’t. Not without telling Steve why. The guy had so much going on that Eddie couldn’t hurt him.

A few minutes later Steve was back. “All right, I ate this time and had some orange juice. That should help.”

Eddie closed his eyes. “You can’t keep doing this. Taking care of other people. Who takes care of you?”

Steve just shook his head. “We just have to do what we can, until we find a better solution.”

He pulled down his collar and leaned back like he had before. But this time, Eddie pulled him into his arms, gently holding his head as Eddie sank his teeth into Steve’s neck.

Steve moaned and the things it did to Eddie. This was wrong. It had to be. Because it felt so good. Eddie lapped and laved at Steve’s throat. It tasted so good. He wasn’t sure how much he took this time. It had been too long since he fed. He was hungrier.

But he stopped. He forced himself to let go of Steve. But instead of straightening up, Steve flopped forward onto Eddie’s shoulder.

“Eddie...” he whispered, pained. “I don’t feel so good.”

Eddie lifted Steve’s head. Steve’s eyes barely focused. That had happened last time, but it felt different now. Steve had come back after a moment or two, but now he was still listless.

Shit!

Eddie had taken too much. He was going to catch so much hell from Vecna from this but he didn’t care. He was going to get Steve to help.

*

Eddie landed behind the Motel 6 like he always did because he didn’t want to risk anyone seeing him. Which was fortunate. Well, fortunate for his Uncle Wayne, not so much for the mob that had gathered there.

Jason Carver’s father stood at the forefront of the crowd, snarling. “Your nephew should have hanged for what he did to our children. But since he’s dead, too. You’ll just have to his place.”

Eddie closed his eyes. He should have seen this coming. He laid Steve gently against back wall of the motel and strolled into the crowd. They parted, whispering and hissing their fear.

His claws were out and his wings were unfurled. He looked like the devil they thought him to be.

“Unhand my uncle,” Eddie snarled at Mr Carver.

Mr Carver whirled around and slammed his fist into Eddie’s face. The whole crowd heard the sickening crunch as all the bones in his hand broke. Mr Carver screamed in pain.

The mob dogpiled Eddie and he waited. Waited until they were all on top of him. He stood up, roaring. He knocked all of them off him and scattered to the ground.

Most of them lay still but Mr Carver and Chrissy’s dad were still standing.

“You are a monster!” Mr Cunningham snarled.

“Only because of what this town made me,” Eddie sneered. “I didn’t kill Chrissy, anymore than I killed Jason, or Patrick or Fred. I wasn’t at the Creel house when Jason died. I was fighting for my life so far away. I couldn’t stop what happened to Chrissy and Patrick. I don’t know why I was set up and I don’t care.”

Mr Cunningham was starting to falter, but Mr Carver growled.

“You lie!” he pulled out a gun.

Eddie closed his eyes and turned around to face him. “What would I have to gain from lying?”

Mr Carver’s mouth opened and closed, sputtering as he tried to come up with answer that made sense. He fell to his knees, the gun clattering to his feet.

“My boy!” he cried. “I just want my boy back.”

Mr Cunningham rushed to his side and they held each other, finally grieving the lost of their children.

Eddie turned to Mr Cunningham. “Take him to the hospital for his hand. I’m sorry that they died. Especially Chrissy. She was nice to me in a world that sought to hurt me. But I’m not to blame. And neither is my uncle. Were you really going to kill a man out of grief?”

The two men looked up at him in shame and then looked away.

“Go.”

The others were coming to, so Eddie flew up to the roof and watched as they dispersed. Mr Cunningham, breaking up the mob and telling them to go home.

He helped Mr Carver to his feet and led them through disgraced crowd. The crowd followed like lost sheep, leaving a stunned Wayne Munson on the ground. He want to yell at them, scream at the injustice of it all. Make them see. But he couldn’t. What could he say that Eddie hadn’t already?

Then he spotted Steve against the wall and rushed over to him. “Steve!”

Eddie flew back down. “I’m sorry!” he cried, landing next to Wayne. “He told me to feed from him, but I think I took too much. He hasn’t moved since.”

Steve moaned.

Wayne tapped his cheek gently. “Come on, Steve. Stay with me.”

Steve opened his eyes. “Wayne?”

Eddie let out a shuddering breath. “He’s alive,” he sobbed.

Wayne sighed, too. “Grab him,” he instructed Eddie. “These old knees don’t work like they used to.

Eddie picked Steve up and followed Wayne to the front of the motel. He stopped in front of the door.

Wayne turned back around and frowned. “Well aren’t you coming in?”

Eddie whined. “I can’t. Not unless...”

Wayne’s eyes went wide. “Shit. Really?”

Eddie nodded.

“You have my permission to enter,” Wayne said dramatically.

“Now I know where he gets it from...” Steve slurred.

Eddie chuckled. “Good to see you coming around, Stevie boy.” Steve’s head lulled back again and he sighed. “Or not.

Eddie brought him into the room and laid him out on the bed. He turned to Wayne who was looking at him fondly.

“What?”

Wayne shook his head and smiled. “You think Vecna is changing you. Making you all twisted, like him. But Henry Creel wouldn’t have done any of what you did tonight. I think you’ll be just fine.”

Eddie huffed out a laugh. “Just take care of him for me?”

Wayne nodded.

Eddie ran out the door and launched himself into the night sky. He could feel how much more powerful he was. He may have taken too much from Steve, but it made him feel stronger and more alive than he had since Vecna brought him back.

Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12  Part 13

Tag List: @swimmingbirdrunningrock @panicatthediaz @renaissan-vvitch @grtwdsmwhr  @chaoticlovingdreamer @savory-babby @thequeenrainacorn @anzelsilver @estrellami-1 @steddieassheg0es @currently-steddiebrainrot @gregre369 @steddie-there @clumsywriter

[seamea]

A Steddie AU where Steve meet a famous Eddie at a Taylor Swift concert

Part 1 ♥️

___

Steve and Robin were driving in their car up to Cincinatti. Taylor Swift was blasting in the car. Obviously. It was quite hot but the two of them were laughing really loud so it was really bearable.

They were going as a « gay version » of Miss Americana and the heartbreak prince as they were calling it. Robin with a lesbian flag color themed dress and a rainbow sash and Steve with a bi flag themed shirt and a tie matching Robin’s sash. They were stunning. Robin’s dress was puffy and Steve’s crown was surprisingly quite realistic giving expensive prom realness. They also made 100 friendship bracelet with rainbow colors. It was clear that they wanted to do the most for this unique event. When they arrived at the venue Robin found their seats while Steve queued for the merch.

There were a lot of people, mainly girls but everyone smiled at him and he saw so many cute outfits that he found so original. He was daydreaming when a voice interrupted him.

« Oh !! Are you Steve the swiftie teacher? From Tiktok? ». It was a little blond girl who almost squealed. She was 11 at best.

« Yes I am! I am so excited to be here! Do you want to exchange friendship bracelets with me? ».

The girl nodded with joy.

« You know, your tiktoks helped me a lot! You taught me how to tell my mom that a girl was bullying me »

Steve alsmost shed a tear. He was about the answer her when the mom in question appeared, a bit worried right before her daughter told her who Steve was. She then smiled at him and offered her card.

« You are such a kind soul. Could I give you my number by any chance? I’d love for you to be a speaker at a event I am doing! ».

Steve smiled and thanked her. It was amazing that someone felt better because of him. After he got Robin’s and his sweatshirts, he took a look at the venue and spotted were the famous people stayed. He tried to remember the path for later to bring Dustin his wanted picture. Damn. He realized at this moment where he was.

Taylor Swift would be in the same room as him.

The concert began and the crowd was wild. Everything was amazing. Life felt good. He cried during heartbreak songs thinking of his exes, which were only Nancy and Ben, a guy from college that he’d like to forget.

During one song that Steve liked a bit less he decided to go the toilets. He was annoyed but he wanted to enjoy the rest of the long setlist.

« Shake it off aha, I shake it off » was blasting in the stadium. While walking to the nearest toilets he passed next to where « famous people stay » as he called it. That’s when he saw the celebrities. He saw him. Eddie Munson. Wearing his usual outfit : a denim jacket, a leather vest, jeans but instead of a metal tee, he was rocking a era’s tour teeshirt. He was stunning.

Steve approached the security guard and asked if he could give Eddie a friendship bracelet. He was stressed, it was his one chance. The guard nodded and called the lead guitarist of THE group of metal of the moment. Steve saw that Eddie smiled at the word bracelet. He could not believe he was meeting a superstar, Dustin would be so happy. He cleared his voice to try to sound confident.

« Hum, I have a frienship bracelet for you. If you’d like it. »

Eddie’s deep voice shone, like kittens were coming out of his mouth « Wow thanks man!! « teardrops on my guitar», very fitting for a guitarist aha! »

Steve smiled, he was uneasy and shocked by this man prettiness, as well as how nice he sounded. Eddie must have seen it because he said:

« Are you a metal fan as well as a pop fan? »

« Actually, hum, it is really embarrassing but I don’t know your music that well… My friend is a massive fan though and wanted a picture. But… I…I like some songs of yours». Steve was dying of embarrassment. He should have said something else, the guitarist would be so offended by this.

Eddie Munson was, indeed, a bit taken by surprise by this. But to Steve’s relief, he laughed really loudly.

« Don’t be embarrassed man! Do you want a selfie with me? Or an autograph for your friend ? »

« I’d love too! »

Eddie smiled at him. Steve was so happy, he met a sex symbol, pleased Dustin and Taylor Swift was in the background. Truly magical.

Eddie took a leaflet and told him: «here you go babe! Love your shirt by the way… »

Steve must have been crazy because he thought that Eddie winked at him. He then waved, flushed and went back to his seat while texting the groupchat the picture of the signature and of their selfie.

[kaymd0313]

Chapter Nine: Saturday

Warnings: Language, Angst and Drunk Parent

MINORS DNI

As I got to the bottom of the stairs I paused and took a deep breath. I stepped out into the living room. None of the lights were on, but as I walked into the kitchen I saw my dad with his head down at the table.

“Dad?” I said quietly.

I stepped a little closer to him, and I noticed he still had a rocks glass in his hand. I sat down at the opposite side of the table.

“DAD!”

He shot up in his seat.

“wHaT, what, what’s wrong?”

He focused on me and just stared at me.

He looked down at his glass and then back at me.

“I’m sorry hun, I just had a super bad day at work.”

I looked at him with tears filling up my eyes.

“Dad, you promised. You promised that NO MATTER what, you wouldn’t drink.”

I stood up.

“Like I understand having a drink here and there, but c’mon dad. This place is a mess. I had to lock my door last night, I was genuinely scared.”

His head was in his hands.

“I know I can’t take it back sweetie. But all I can say is that I’m sorry.”

I rolled my eyes and walked back into the living room. At the edge of the stairs I turned to my dad and said, “By the way, Eddie stayed over. I didn’t want him to see you how you were. So please clean yourself up, I don’t want him to see you like this.”

He nodded his head and walked towards his room as I headed up the stairs.

It’s like I had to watch over a child, ever since mom died, but I don’t want to talk about that.

I walked back into my bedroom to Eddie sitting on my bed right by the door. 

“You okay?”

The tears started to well up in my eyes again.

He stood up and pulled me into him. As I cried into his shoulder he slowly sat down back onto the bed and rolled me over. He tried to let go but I pulled him closer. He didn’t resist. He placed his hand on the back of my neck and held me close.

After a while, I stopped crying. At this point we were just lying there. I looked up at him and he was already looking at me.

“You still hungry Eddie?”

He nodded.

“Alright let’s go get you something to eat.”

Eddie got dressed and we then headed out to his van so we could go into town to get something to eat. We ended up picking this diner right in the middle of town.

As we sat down I noticed a place across the street called ‘Family Video’.

“Hey Eddie, can we go over there when we’re done?”

“Sure.” Eddie said as he was basically inhaling some pancakes.

After we finished eating, me and Eddie argued about who would pay the bill. I ended up slipping the money to the waiter so Eddie would shut up.

As we walked out of the diner Eddie grabbed my hand yet he was still mad about me paying for the bill when he wasn’t paying attention. We crossed the street to Family Video and as we walked in I noticed a boy and girl sitting at the front counter. 

Eddie all of a sudden got quiet as I walked up to the counter.

“Hey excuse me? Where is your Horror film section?” I said.

The boy sitting on the counter looked me up and down while the girl smiled at me and said “It’s in the back left, would you like me to show you?”

“We can find it.” Eddie said as he pulled me towards the back.

Once we got back there Eddie was quiet as he looked at the movies, which seemed odd.

“You know them Eddie?”

He kept looking at the movies and ignored the question.

“Alright then.” I said as I walked back up to the front counter and left him behind with the movies.

“Hi, I’m y/n. I just moved here last week.”

The girl reached out her hand which I took, “I’m Robin and this is Steve.”

“Hi Robin. Hi Steve. Is there any chance you guys are hiring? I kinda need and want a job.”

“I don’t know if we are but if you write down your name and number we could give it to the manager.” Steve said with a smirk on his face.

I saw Eddie rounding the corner as I finished writing my information down. I was holding a pretty good conversation with Robin while Eddie got the movie from Steve.

Robin handed me her number on a piece of paper and told me to call her if I ever wanted to hang out.

I waved bye to both of them as Me and Eddie walked out the door. We walked in silence all the way to his van. Once I got in on the passenger side we sat there for a moment.

“Is there a reason you’re quiet?” I asked.

“I just don’t like them I guess.”

“May I ask why?”

“y/n, I just don’t like them.”

“Well there has to be a better re-”

“THEY’RE THE TYPE OF PEOPLE TO CALL ME A FREAK. That’s why….”

“Hmm….”

We sat in more silence. I wasn’t sure what to say.

He started up the van and pulled out of the parking lot.

“Where are we going Ed?”

“To my place, don’t you want to watch this movie? Or do you want to go back to your house and wait for Prince Steve to use your number to call you?”

“Eddie, are you serious? I wrote down my number for his manager. You know, because I want a job.”

“Geez y/n, the way he looked at you when we walked in, it’s so obvious that he would try to get with you.”

“Tell me Eddie, what makes you think that I would let him get with me?!”

“Oh trust me, he will persuade you. He always gets what he wants.”

I couldn’t think of anything else to say to him.

We sat in more silence. We were close to the turn for my house and I needed to make a decision.

“Eddie, take me home.”

“y/n are you serious?”

“Eddie, take me home, please.”

Once we got to the turn he made it. I felt a sense of guilt but at that moment I just needed to be alone.

He pulled up to the pathway to my house and we sat there for a second.

I opened the door and stepped out.

“Look Eddie, if I wanted Steve I would’ve given him my number personally. If he calls I’ll hang up. I don’t want him. He wouldn’t be able to persuade me. Do you want to know why Eddie? You know what I’ll just tell you, it’s because I like you. There's no way in hell I’d like a guy like him. He seems like a brat and that’s definitely not my type. But you keep having those ideas. Have fun watching that movie by yourself.” 

I slammed the door and walked up to the house and went inside.

Once I got into my room I laid down and stared at the ceiling for a while until I fell asleep.

[eufezco]

DADS — Billy Hargrove, Eddie Munson, Jonathan Byers, Steve Harrington x fem!reader

A/N — Just some headcanons of them as dads. I'm going through a writer's block and this is the only thing I've been able to finish 🥹 I'll try to post something better tomorrow english isn't my first language

BILLY HARGROVE

Billy would go so soft for a baby girl. He would learn how to tie her hair into ponytails, braids, buns and actually be good at it. She would have his dark blonde hair with some curls too, her eyes intensively blue like his dad and a beautiful smile like his. The rest of her little face would be just like yours. Your nose, your lips, your cheeks. It was the perfect combination of you two. Billy would drive her to kindergarten and school every day, sending deathly glances to any boy who gets suspiciously close to her.

Really attentive during your pregnancy and always tries to hide how soft he gets when he sees you carrying his child. Billy also gives the best back rubs ever, his hands are big and strong, his fingers skilled as nobody's. He's always up to help you relieve some stress, you sitting in between his legs and sighing at how his hans worked on your back.

Billy's dad was an asshole and he needed to ask someone for help so he would end up going to Max's mother, the woman really glad that he comes to her before making the same mistakes as his dad. She'd teach him how to cook some basic dishes, what you could and couldn't eat, what he needed to bring to the hospital by the time you gave birth, and how to make you feel better like holding your belly from behind, helping you to shower, foot massages...

Hate to say this but he hates when the baby cries at night and would probably let you go to take care of her every single time. He would make it up for you in the morning tho, letting you sleep more time and him taking care of the baby.

Billy would never admit it but he secretly loves when Max interacts with the baby. He would act all stubborn when Max and you play with the baby, you smiling when Max softly puts her headphones on the baby's ears and play some soft music. The baby humming and trying to grab Max's walkman. Billy would watch the scene from the distance with butterflies in his stomach.

Billy would love wrapping the baby with his leather jacket like a burrito. The baby snuggling and enjoying his dad's cologne and Billy just rocking her between his arms.

He would quit smoking or at least he'd never do it around the baby. He stopped when you got pregnant, and it was pretty hard for him at first. Billy would go on night walks alone just so he could smoke but when you started to feel pain, puking, and basically needing him by your side, Billy forgot about smoking.

His favorite part of parenthood is admiring how pretty his baby girl is. She'd have these deep blue eyes just like him but she'd have the same features as you, making Billy love her even more if possible. Sometimes he would just lay on the bed with her, bumping her nose, squeezing her cheeks, or tickling her belly. The baby trying to suck on his dad's fingers every time they got close to her face, trying to grab them with her tiny little hands, and Billy just tickling her palm, making her giggle.

EDDIE MUNSON

Oh, he would rock with a little girl with the same deep brown eyes as him and with his messy curly hair too. You adoring how your daughter looks just like his dad and thinking of how she would probably inherit Eddie's personality and hobbies too (not the drug dealing, of course) like playing guitar and playing D&D.

Eddie would buy her every metal band t-shirt he could find, even if she was still a baby and won't understand nor enjoy that type of music. If there wasn't her size, he'd just use one of his on her. Eddie's shirt being bigger than the toddler and making her look like a ghost walking around the house.

Of course, Eddie stopped smoking before the baby was born, when he heard you coughing one time. Also stopped drug dealing a long time ago. He probably kept doing it after you two moved in together so he could maintain you two and not only live with your salary. But he'd find a proper job and he'd love it. He’d work at a music store, surrounded by tapes and vinyls of his favorite artists and recommending customers the best guitar for them. Nevertheless, his favorite part of the work was getting home to his baby girl waiting for him and clumsily walking to him just for Eddie to pick her up in his arms and devour her with kisses.

He's a fun dad, he's always up to play or spend time with his daughter even if he is busy doing something else, like practicing with Corroded Coffin. Eddie would stop the rehearsal immediately and the boys wouldn't care less because they also loved spending time with the little girl. But your daughter only likes one of Eddie's friends, and that is Dustin. He is always super thorough with her, tickling her belly when she was a baby and making the little her softly kick her feet and move her small arms full of joy. Dustin would also give to her all of his toys from when he was younger, her loving every action figure and every dinosaur. He's your trusted babysitter when Eddie wants to take you on a date.

Eddie would buy her her own guitar. When she was a toddler, he got a toy guitar for her so she could familiarise with the instrument, the baby just pinching the strings without any sense. When she started growing up, Eddie go t her a real one and he'd teach her some basics so she could decide if she liked it. Also, he'd sit your daughter on his lips and play piano, the two-year-old girl hypnotized by the melody her dad was playing, even though her favorite part was when Eddie let her smack the keys with her tiny hands.

Sometimes his sleep was so deep he wouldn't hear her crying at night and he'd feel guilty in the morning for you having to wake up, you assuring him by kissing his cheeks that you didn't mind. But other times Eddie would wake up even before she could start crying, it was like a sixth sense.

The baby loves playing with Eddie's long hair, sometimes pulling it hard enough to make his dad whine. Her curls would be crazy, he learned how to control them in two ponytails so they wouldn't get on her face. When she was a baby and couldn't complain about her hair, Eddie loved trying different hairstyles on her, using water to create a perfect mohican on her that got your mouth open once you got home from work "She's a rockstar." Eddie would allege.

JONATHAN BYERS

I see Jonathan with a baby boy. He's got some experience being a father figure to Will so he knows how to handle a little boy. If it's a girl, he'd have heart eyes all the time. I mean, he had El but she was already a teenager when she moved with them to California, so a little girl would be a dream for him.

He panics all the time during your pregnancy, thinking he's gonna hurt you or that he's gonna mess it up at any time. The truth is that he's super careful with you and it was practically impossible for him to hurt you, even unintentionally. Jonathan would insist on sleeping in the couch, alleging that it is for you to have more space but he's just scared of hurting your belly or you not sleeping well because of him. You'd wake up in the middle of the night and go to the living room, shaking Jonathan carefully and telling him that you couldn't sleep without him.

Jonathan relies on Joyce a lot, he'd even take notes of every advice his mom gives him, and he's got so many questions because he wants not only to be the best father but the best partner for you too. His dad was an asshole so he knew specially what he didn't have to do and what he would've liked his own dad to do, so he just needed to know what he could do for you.

You'd basically moved in with the Byers house during your pregnancy, all of them being super supportive and helping you both through your pregnancy. El and Will being the best entertainment when Jonathan was working, Hopper cooking the most delicious food you've ever tried and going to the grocery store when you were having cravings, and Joyce buying a bigger bed to Jonathan's room so you could sleep together.

The baby would be Jonathan's new favorite thing to photograph. He didn't like polaroid cameras until you got pregnant. Taking pics of you sleeping, of your and his hand on your belly... He would always have a camera around to photograph his child: playing in the park, on the first kindergarten/school day, when you dressed him up as a pumpkin during the first Halloween, and with his tiny and round face stained with cake on his birthday... Jonathan would be always taking pictures of you and the baby, keeping the polaroids in his wallet, in the glove compartment of his car, and even stuck on the wall of his place of work.

He's the one waking up in the middle of the night when the baby cries. Whispering to you to go back to sleep and kissing your forehead. Stumbling on his feet, trying to get to the baby's room as fast as he could, not even thinking of letting you handle the situation. Once the baby stopped crying, he would take him to your bed, lying him in between you two and Jonathan with one of his hands always having some type of contact with the baby to know that he's fine.

His favorite part is putting the baby to sleep. He's a pretty calm guy so it's quite easy for him to transmit that calmness to his son, the baby humming and squirming in his dad's arms at how comfortable he was and probably would start crying the moment Jonathan puts him down on his crib. He'd also help you to sleep later, having your head resting on his lap and playing with your hair until you fall asleep.

He's always telling you that you are the best mom or that you are doing so good with the kid, kissing your cheeks and giving you the best heartwarming compliments, basically making you feel so loved. Joyce told him that some new mothers sometimes felt like they weren't doing good enough for their children, so he's always making sure that you know how well you are doing and how happy and healthy your baby looks thanks to you.

STEVE HARRINGTON

Best dad ever. He would only have eyes for you and your daughter, Steve literally lives for both of you. Probably he wouldn't wait until your girl is one-year-old to start talking about having another child.

The happiest man alive when he you told him that you were pregnant. He'd kiss and talk to your belly all the time, resting his hand there, applying lotion to your stretch marks, and always making sure that you're feeling comfortable. It was like your daughter could feel when Steve was around because she'd start kicking you like crazy. "We can't wait to see you, baby.","I love you too baby, but you need to let mommy sleep."

Your baby was so loved even before she was born. And so were you during your pregnancy. Steve was by your side every minute of it. He'd cook you the most delicious meals and the sweetest cakes to help your cravings. Steve would make sure that you were drinking enough water, he'd help you to shower, and make you feel beautiful. Hugging you tightly against him, massaging every aching part of your body, and basically not letting you get up from the couch unless you needed to use the bathroom.

Steve would fall asleep with the baby between his arms all the time. Him sitting on the rocking chair next to the baby's crib falling asleep at the same time as your daughter and forgetting to put her in the crib, you going to the room to know why Steve was taking so long just to find that cute scene. Also, him sitting on the couch after work with the little girl peacefully napping on his chest, his arms wrapped around her so she didn't fall. When she was old enough to have a proper bed, he'd lay down with her and hug her against him, tell her a story and she would be sleeping in less than ten minutes. The little girl sighing in her sleep thanks to how comfortable her dad was.

Steve is always so warm, the baby loves being between his arms. When she was a toddler, she would cry her lungs out until Steve picked her up and peppered her small face with kisses while hugging her. At nights, she would sneak into your room and lay between you and Steve, or by your side so you could hug her and Steve could hug you both.

Steve's favorite part of coming home from work is finding his daughter waiting for him to play with her, you'd tell him that he needed to rest, but there's no way he's going to sleep instead of playing with her, he wouldn't care about if he's exhausted. He'd also love when you and her would fall asleep waiting for him. He'd give each of you a kiss and get into bed too.

He loves movie nights with you and her. Steve would rent movies for her all the time. He knows her favorites and he could watch them with her for the entire day, he'd find himself after mumbling the words of the Disney songs. When she was a toddler, Steve would fall asleep during the movie and when you'd shake his shoulders softly to wake him up, he'd say that 'there's no strong plot'. You'd smile at him. 'Of course not baby, it's a movie for children.'

Steve would sit the baby on his lap and try her to say 'daddy'. He could be there for hours, smiling at his daughter when she would try to mumble something similar to what her dad was saying, waving her hands happily and letting her head fall into Steve's chest when she was tired of trying. He'd kiss the top of her head and let her rest before keep trying. "Baby, I need to feed her-" Steve shushed you, and you raised your eyebrows. "She almost got it..." Both of you looked at the baby babbling until she got to say clearly the word 'daddy'. "Yes, yes, yes! That's my girl, well done!" Steve kissed all her little face, making her giggle.

[pinetreeshapedtriangle]

I have stranger things brainrot so have some fruity four headcanons (there’s a lot, so sorry)

- Steve’s parents made him learn piano, mostly as a show of wealth. They made him learn classical, but when he started teaching himself songs he liked, they stopped paying for lessons

- Wayne bought Eddie his first guitar (Wayne likes country or folk rock music, so that’s what Eddie learned to play in his early years)

- Robin collects rocks, if she’s out you can bet on her having at least 3 in her pockets at all times. She gifts them to people (Nancy keeps them all in a special Robin box)

- Nancy tells everyone her favourite book genre is mystery, it’s actually romance. She steals books from her mom

- Steve can sing, not insanely well, but good enough to surprise people. His parents never let him though, so he’s self conscious about it. But if he’s drunk enough he’ll sing along to his music

- to add onto the above head cannon, he’ll sing El lullaby’s if she isn’t feeling good

- Nancy gives Eddie hair care tips. She even takes him to get a perm in secret, he forgets he can’t get it wet and ruins it within 5 hours (she took pictures though, somehow Steve gets them all)

- Everyone borrows Nancy’s makeup. She pretends it bothers her, but she starts buying extra so there’s always enough (Steve uses lipgloss for the first time and Eddie snorts pop out his nose when he sees)

- Robin has bad sensory issues (canon) so Nancy finds her clothes that don’t irritate her, and gives her the idea to flip her socks inside out so the seams won’t bother her

- Robin loves listening to Nancy talk about her journalism stories. She always asks about them, and even suggests issues for Nancy to look into

- Nancy hates pickles. They’re not Robins favourite but sometimes she doesn’t mind them. Nancy gets so happy to finally have someone to take her pickles, Robin doesn’t have to heart to tell Nancy she’s getting sick of them

- Dustin gets Steve a mug with ‘best big brother’ written on it. Steve cries

- Eddie makes fun of Steve’s fancy hair care products. But he uses them once and they make his hair feel and look great, so he secretly buys the same products for home. He denies it vehemently

- after the Russian interrogation, getting high gives Steve panic attacks. He tried smoking with Eddie after Vecna, and Eddie held him through the panic attack. Eddie was extra careful with labeling his edible treats after that

- Nancy puts ads for Corroded Coffin concerts in any paper she works for, the crowds are always a little bigger after that

- Robin and Steve make corroded coffin shirt for the fruity four. They’re pretty horrible, but Eddie loves them. Asks for more for the rest of the band

- Eddie LOVES ketchup. Almost to a gross degree

- Robin and Eddie flirt very obnoxiously with each other in public. They think it’s hilarious

- Steve and Robin tell everyone they’re actually cousins just to get the dating rumours to stop. They swear Jason said ‘so what?’ after hearing this

- Eddie and Nancy start hanging out more, at first Nancy was helping him study but they actually got along great. Once Steve asked what they talk about and they both said ‘you’. They call themselves the ‘Steve’s type squad’ (they actually gush over a romance series they both read. Eddie would rather die than admit this)

[midnghtprentiss]

from e.m, with love. - eddie munson

pairing: eddie munson x fem!reader (she/her)

warnings: exes to friends to lovers (crazy), alcohol, cursing, fluffy.

a/n: i have this idea and i have to do this. eddie and the reader break up a few years ago because he goes out on tour with his band cause he's getting famous and the reader stay to finish college. a few years later eddie come back for a vacation sees the reader and keeps leaving things at her door.

Eddie was pretty surprised by the rain in Hawkins. What a heartwarming welcome, he taught before jumping out of the car to the porch of Wayne’s new home. 

After Eddie starts making money he gave a lot to his uncle because he knew he deserved it after everything he did just to raise him. No money in the world was enough to show his gratitude for the man. 

‘’Kiddo, come in it’s raining a lot.’’ Wayne called the man that was so happy to see his uncle and gave him a tight hug. 

‘’Missed you, Wayne’’ 

‘’Missed you too, kid. But you need an urgent shower.’’ He mocks letting him go. 

It took Eddie a while to get ready for dinner and it feels like he never left, like the city that hated him was feeling like home again. He misses you though and it’s weird coming back even after all these years and not seeing you with a cake or something else greeting and kissing him. He knew that you were proud of him and that’s true, everyone knows how proud and happy you are because he accomplished his dream. 

You were in your apartment when someone knocked on your door a few times, just for the footsteps you knew it was Max and El. The girls always came over to study for college and hang out with you. This time they were with a bag for the weekend. 

‘’Hello girls, come in.’’ You said letting them in. 

‘’Eddie is back. He’s staying for vacation, two months!’ Max was breathless and you laughed at her. 

‘’Good for him, Wayne told me at lunch. He needs a break from all the rock and traveling.’’ El gave you a look before crashing on the couch. 

‘’He asked about you for Steve and Jonathan.’’

‘’He knows my number if he wants to call. By the way, we are going to the fair tomorrow.’’ Yo warned them before going back to the kitchen.

Eddie never came back after the break up and just thinking of seeing him again makes your stomach burn. Was he different? Is he going to pretend you do not exist if he sees you? You’re dizzy just imagining all of this because for some stupid reason you wanted him to sees you. 

Unlike last night the rain was gone and the sun bathed Hawkins again. It was a sunny Saturday and you were ready to start the day. The girls were already awake when you found them doing breakfast. 

‘Good morning, Ladies’’ You greet them stopping when you notice Steve, Robin and Lucas. ‘’Morning Strangers.’’

‘Max told us to come so we can go to the fair together’’ Steve said, giving you a hug. 

‘’We found this in your door.’’ Robin gave you an envelope. 

The handwriting was unforgettable enough to make your legs shake. You opened to find a mixtape and a note. 

‘’Hi stranger. I miss you so much that's making me crazy. Hope we can talk someday. Did this mixtape with your favorite songs.

Love, E.M’’

‘’You’re kidding! This is the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen!’’ Max cried before looking at you. 

‘’We don’t know if it’s him, can be anyone.’’ You said putting it on the coffee table. 

‘’Lie to yourself and we pretend to believe.’’ Steve rolled his eyes while sipping his coffee. 

Eddie was anxious enough to keep walking on the porch like crazy. For the first time in years he was wearing a clean pair of jeans and a light shirt with some old all stars he found. It was crazy that his life changed enough to find reporters in front of his uncle's house. Eddie was waiting for the only men possible to take him to the summer fair. When he sees Dustin’s car he lights up. 

‘’Henderson!’’ Eddie shouts running after the boy. 

‘’Munson you asshole!’’ Mike punch him lightly in the arm and hugged him. The man was do excited that when he finally sees Will he cried.

"Boys, look at you. All grown ups." He smiled proudly at them. "Let's go, we have a fair to go."

The car ride was filled up with laugh, jokes and some songs Eddie was writting. The boys admire him for all he been through and he admired the boys for being what they always were.

"She's gonna be there, you know?" Lucas said almost whispering.

"Let a note and a mixtape at her door this morning." Dustin stops looking at Eddie.

"Man, you're crazy. You date all of kinds of women and still think about this one."

"Crazy, right? I mean, she's amazing, smart and brilliant. What can I offer her?"

"She have lunch with your uncle every week. She's always asking about you and still single." Will rolled his eyes.

"We are going to help you." When the boys arrived to the fair it makes Eddie shake on his knees.

You came with a part of the gang, finding Nancy with Jonathan and the twins Oliver and Samuel. She smiled gladly when see your face, you gave her and Jonathan a quick hug before holding the twins in each arm, but not fazt enough to make Samuel stays.

"Hi baby, your antie missed you." You gave him a few kisses making him laugh but he wanted to go with Steve and you let him go.

"You need to see the candy selection this year." Nancy pulled you to one of the many vendings.

You end up crashing into someone appoligizing a few times but when you look up you see him. You smiled and before you can say anything he walked away.

Eddie was breathless. He was impressed in how beutiful you looked. The green dress falling between your tighs your hair down on your shoulders. Your perfume, damn it, he loved that perfume. He was shooked in how you became more of a confident woman than ever.

"That was weird, sorry." He was taken away from his mind when Mike crossed his arms in front of him.

"You're stupid! She was going to say something and you walk away. You ran, Eddie!" Mike was pissed but Eddie laughed bringing all the attention back at him.

"I'm going back there and say hello. I can do this." He was nervous and his hands were wet.

Eddie come back and tried to find you but at that time you were far away from the fair. You were about to go back into your apartament when you see another gift on your door. A note and a mixtape.

"Sorry for that. I was terrified. You look amazing. Green looks good on you. It always did. I think about you when I wrote this one.

Love, E.M"

You feel like a teenager again back on the days when Eddie Munson was the best boyfriend in the world. The way he pulled you in, the way he danced with you while your favorite cheesy songs were playing. The way he kissed you and touched you on the right places. He was your dream.

When you played the mixtape your heart was beating faster than ever. His voice was calm and the song was romantic unlike what he used to sing. It was about you. He fucking knew how to make a woman blush.

The next days you still recieved notes and mixtapes without even exchange a word with Eddie. You were kind annoyed and pissed for that so you do one thing. Called Wayne's home.

"Hello?" Eddie picked up.

"When you are going to start acting like a normal person and just show up to talk, Munson?"

"Wow. I, hm, I..." His words were gone.

"Just came fr a coffee. I'm giving you twenty minutes before I called the cops for a stalker." You hung up looking at the walls.

What have I done, you repeated a lot of times under your breath. You changed for a dress pretry quickly. A blue dress, the same you used when Eddie came home for the first time before the break up.

In ten minutos you doorbell ring. When you open up you see him. You smiled and looked at him a little surprised when you see a box in his hands.

"Hello." He greets you.

"Come in." You let him in. It took you a few seconds to close the door cause his perfume was amazing. "Pretty surprised you know how to speak." You tease him.

"Well, I know how to do that but under pressure I forget." He laughs. His sweet laugh. "This is for you." He gave you the box. "There's notes, a few letters from different moments of my life after we broke up."

"You didn't have to. I was pissed because I missed talking to you and listening to you. " He shake his head cause he feels the same.

"I heard you are kinda important in the university. A professor, hm?" He gave you the same look he used to when he was proud. "I watched one of your lectures when you were in New York. I cry in the end because I could say to everyone 'hey guys, that's my girl' but i couldn't."

"Eddie. We needed that break. How I am supposed to sleep not knowing if you were sleeping with a group or getting high or doing whatever it's the crap you do on tour?"

He knew that. But he never did any of those things when you were dating. He couldn't live knowing that you were dissapointed.

"Fuck that coffee I need alcohol. Want some?" You get up going to the kitchen find your wine.

"A beer please" he followed you cause he need to keep an eye on you.

You gave him the beer filling your glass with wine and taking a good sip.

"I watched one of your shows. Went with Robin and Max." He knew. Max called him to tell but you three stayed in the crowd. "You are pretty good and the guitar? On point."

"That guitar? It has your name. I got it after us." You looked at him reaching for his hand.

"I have a student that have a tattoo with your face. He doesn't believe that we used to date. I'm too hot for you, Munson. His words, not mine."

Eddie burst out laughing and you smile. Seeing him happy was a delight. He was more mature on the things you told him.

"Still think about you. A lot. It's suffocating. Being around you is peacefull almost like floating. Not saying that we should come back together but I want to start over. I want to make this work." Eddie was talking and it was almost like a fall.

"We can start this as friends. We can be friends and go slow. I can make my way with the distance but I can't handle staying away forever. One last try. I know I sound like a crazy man but I want to marry you, have my kids with you and stay with you for the rest of my life." He continued and you listen carefully all of his words.

"We can try, Eddie. One last try."

And right there in that moment you and Eddie come back stronger than ever, ready to make the future belong to you and him only.

[btch3sluvme]

Well, this is my Stranger Things Oc! (Hope ya like her ^^)

Her name is Anne, she does have a surname but she doesn't like it!

She is 15 years old in season 4 (that making her the youngest of the group without counting Ericka) and spend practically all her evenings inside the walls of her bedroom drawing and listening to her fathers favourite rock bands

She is a Lesbian! 🏳‍🌈♥

She has mixed skin and aquamarine eyes full of eyelaces. Her hair is somewhat curly and is the same color as almonds (medium lenght). She wears girly clothes, she just can't help but feel so pretty in such pieces of clothing! Her outfit is like this:

She is a very sweet teenager, she cares for everyone that made their way into her heart (in a platonic or romantic way) and is a rock music fan! Spanish bands like: -La Frontera. -Siniestro Total. -Tequila. -Seguridad Social. and -The Refrescos Are her deaydream at school!

She has mommy issues, but anyways Nancy makes the role of a mother to her so... problem solved!!

She loves when Steve babies her and her friends like they were naive 6-year-old kids. She thinks it's adorable!

She has a very good relationship with her father, he cares for her heatlh and well-being (and about his too!) and isn't too protective although he gets kinda worried when Anne disappears for 2-3 days without warning (*cough* *cough* that's the upside down world's fault *cough* * cough*)

She is in deep love with Eleven, her heart fluthers everytime she smiles at her or talks to her and she can't help but want more about her! But she is aware that El loves Mike and that Mike loves her back, so she just watches from afar how the two of them look so happy... It hurts her so much to see how deeply El's love for Mike is! But she won't do anything to try and make them break up, she knows that El is Straight and even if she made the two of them break up there is 0 chance of Eleven loving her back and it would be a lose-lose for everyone, so instead of that she decided that if two people were happy one could stay with her heart broken.

Later on (in the ends of season 3), Anne finded out that Will was gay and had a crush on Mike, so one night the two of them had a deep talk in Will's room and vented to each other about how much it hurted them to see the person they loved with another!!

They both cried so much that they fell asleep on Will's bed that night. Jonathan entered to turn off the lights and to throw a blanket over the two of them.

Anne laid eyes on Eddie (platonically) the first time she saw him, and later on that day Dustin introduced them to eachother and they both clicked in a way that only sibilings could do!

After that Anne began to get attached to the black haired boy. She wasn't in love with him, that's for sure, but since Will left to California she felt very lonely, and Eddie made her feel like the huge hole that Will's heading to California left it was finally complete!

When all of the upside down dimension/world in season 4 happened she sometimes felt like she could die any were any moment and that lead to her search for protection by clinging onto any friend of her that was near when she felt that way. That lead on Steve carrying her piggyback style in more than one occasion, on Nancy hugging her, on Robin ruffling her hair or on Eddie taking her hand by walking.

All of the group knew that she was the youngest of the group and that she only wanted to feel safe, so everyone in the band incluiding kids (Dustin, Max, Lucas) moms (Nancy and Robin) , the cool uncle (Eddie) and the babysitter (do I even have to explain this-? Steve Supremacy 😌) cared for her and tried to give her the protection she was searching for so desesperattly.

Im not really into ST but she seens so nice :) also IVLOVE HER OUTFIT, IM GONNA STEAL IT, also La Frontera is so good omg, my mom loves it

[saxafimedianetwork]

We unearth little-known tidbits of information about the King of Pop Michael Jackson’s life, on what would have been his 60th birthday

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

1. He was born in Gary, Indiana. He remains the city’s most famous resident, with Gary never recovering from the loss of its factory industry in the 1960s. That said, it’s also home to Jesse Powell, Kym Mazelle and Sista Monica Parker.

2. His parents had musical ambitions of their own. Mother Katherine Jackson played the clarinet and piano, and aspired to be a country and western singer. Father Joe was a guitarist and made extra cash performing in local R’n’B bands.

3. His first public performance was in 1963. When he was 5 he sang Shirley Bassey’s Climb Ev’ry Mountain at a public event organized by Garnett Elementary School’s Kindergarten.

4. His father was the first to notice the talent in his children. He would invite music executives to the family home, where The Jacksons would audition in the living room.

5. James Brown was his major inspiration. The late Godfather of Soul inspired Jackson to hit the stage. Speaking at his public funeral in 2007, Jackson recalled how, “Ever since I was a small child, no more than like 6 years old, my mother would wake me no matter what time it was, if I was sleeping, no matter what I was doing, to watch the television to see the master at work.”

6. He made his recording debut at 9 years old. It was on Big Boy by The Jackson 5, which was released by a small label in January 1968. It didn’t sell in large numbers, but it was enough to notify the major labels that these kids had talent.

7. His love for books began as a young teen. His early favorites were Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving and The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. He reportedly amassed a library of more than 10,000 books.

8. His relationship with his sister La Toya was based on their love of practical jokes. His favorite was tormenting her with fake spiders and tarantulas. He would place a suspect creature on the phone in La Toya’s bedroom and would then call her and wait for her scream.

9. He began touring as an 8-year-old. As part of the first run of shows in America’s Midwest, The Jackson 5 supported soul legends Etta James, Gladys Knight and Sam & Dave.

10. He was never particularly fond of his voice during early recordings with The Jackson 5. Despite the acclaim, he would often lament the high pitch of his voice in later interviews, describing it as similar to that of Minnie Mouse.

11. It could have been The Jackson 6. Nearly 18 months before he was born, his mother gave birth to a set of twins, Marlon and Brandon. As a result of a severely premature pregnancy, Marlon survived but Brandon passed away 24 hours later.

12. Berry Gordy initially wasn’t a fan of Michael and his brothers. The star-maker and head of Motown Records dismissed the idea of signing them to his label, preferring to focus on Stevie Wonder. But he was eventually convinced to give them a shot and he signed them up in 1969.

13. You may not know her name, but Suzanne de Passe had a big role in his artistic development. She was assigned as a mentor and stylist to The Jackson 5 after they joined Motown. That relationship extended to Michael’s solo career, and she was the first one to see him rehearse the iconic dance The Moonwalk in 1983.

14. The Jackson 5’s global hit I Want You Back in 1969, was originally written for Gladys Knight and The Pips and Diana Ross. What’s unusual about the song is that the lovelorn lyrics are sung by Michael, who was barely in his teens at the time.

15. ABC is the first of Jackson’s songs that 50 Cent recalls hearing. Speaking to NME in 2015, the rapper said the track was responsible for him becoming a fan. “I’ve always loved MJ, so I guess it was probably a good place to start music: right here, with the ABCs.”

16. He broke barriers from a young age. When he was a 12-year-old with The Jackson 5, the group became the first black male group to release four back-to-back chart-toppers with 1969’s I Want You Back and 1970’s ABC, The Love You Save and I’ll Be There.

17. There was solo life before Off the Wall. For many, Michael arrived with 1979’s Off the Wall, but he released his debut solo album, Got to Be There, in 1972. It was a solid collection of soul and pop, with covers of Leon Ware’s I Wanna Be Where You Are and Bill Withers’s Ain’t no Sunshine.

18. He won his first and only Golden Globe in 1972. For Ben, a song he wrote for the 1972 horror film of the same name.

19. He always had his ear to the clubs. Jackson was a frequent visitor to the legendary New York City club Studio 54, where he was exposed to beat-boxing, which was an early harbinger to the upcoming hip-hop movement. He went on to incorporate the vocal technique into many of his future songs.

20. His first venture into film was The Wiz. He starred as a scarecrow in the title role of The Wiz, an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. The film was horrible, but it was here he struck up a life-changing partnership with Quincy Jones, who went on to produce his biggest albums.

21. Quincy Jones nicknamed him “Smelly”. This was during their time on The Wiz. “I used to call Michael ‘Smelly’, because he wouldn’t say ‘funky’. He’d say ‘smelly jelly’.”

22. He broke his nose in 1979 during dance practice. He then consulted Hollywood favorite Dr Steven Hoefflin who reportedly performed Jackson’s first rhinoplasty.

23. He only worked with the best. In addition to enlisting Jones to produce the 1979 blockbuster album Off the Wall, the songwriters who helped him on the record included none other than Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.

24. Unlike many of his peers, Jackson hated singing from a sheet. While recording Off the Wall, he spent the evenings learning lyrics and harmonies, and would arrive at the studio the next day singing them off by heart.

25. Prince visited him during the Off the Wall sessions. Speaking to The National, Quincy Jones recalled how Prince arrived “into the studio like a deer in the headlight – clothes and shirt off – but he was always competing with Michael”.

26. He was the only musical mind behind one of his biggest hits. Off the Wall was full of songwriting collaborations, but Jackson was solely responsible for one of its biggest tracks, Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough. He decided to write the song after constantly humming the melody at home.

27. The change on 1979 single Rock with You. It was originally called I Want to Eat You Up, but that was deemed too risque for Jackson’s heartthrob image.

28. Off the Wall was almost a hit for Karen Carpenter. The hit title track from Off the Wall was originally written for the late Karen Carpenter’s debut solo album. She declined to use it and Jackson made it a top 10 hit instead.

29. The tears in She’s Out of My Life are real. Jackson would break down in tears at the end of each studio take. “We recorded about – I don’t know – 8 to 11 takes, and every one at the end, he just cried,” producer Quincy Jones said. “I said, ‘Hey – that’s supposed to be, leave it on there.’”

30. Jackson surrounded himself with talent in both the studio and the boardroom. With Off the Wall he secured the game-changing royalty rate of 37 cents wholesale per sale. It went on to sell more than 20 million copies.

31. Thriller was a blockbuster fueled by frustration. Despite big sales and critical acclaim, he was irked that Off The Wall didn’t win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. “It was totally unfair that it didn’t get Record of the Year and it can never happen again,” he told manager John Branca. Thriller went on to win a record-breaking eight Grammys in 1984.

32. Billie Jean doesn’t exist. Despite being the subject of one of his biggest hits, the woman – who in the 1983 song admits she is carrying Jackson’s unborn son – is pure fiction. “The girl in the song is a composite of people my brothers have been plagued with over the years,” Jackson wrote in his memoir Moonwalker.

33. Billie Jean was the first video by an African-American artist to air on MTV. The video revealed Jackson’s new look of a leather suit, pink shirt, red bow tie and his signature single white glove. It was a style copied by kids throughout the United States. It caused one school, New Jersey’s Bound Brook High, to ban students from coming to class wearing white gloves.

34. Jackson introduced his famous Moonwalk in 1983. It was during a live performance of Billie Jean for the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever concert special. He was taught the move by veteran dancer Jeffrey Daniel, who went on to be hired as Jackson’s co-choreographer.

35. Jackson was a music investor from 1983. He bought the rights to select music from funk pioneers Sly and the Family Stone, and the iconic Dion DiMucci songs The Wanderer and Run Around Sue, before landing the rights to the 4,000 song catalogue of ATV Music Publishing, which included the lion’s share of The Beatles’ songs.

36. Jackson’s Beat It was a fiery single … literally. When Eddie Van Halen recorded his blistering solo, the sound of his guitar caused one of the studio speakers to catch fire.

37. The gritty music video for Beat It was a landmark production. The lavish production cost US$100,000 (Dh367,250) at the time. It was set in Los Angeles’ Skid Row and featured up to 80 real-life gang members from the notorious street gangs the Crips and the Bloods.

38. Toto were heavily involved in the making of Thriller. Keyboardist Steve Porcaro co-wrote Human Nature, and Steve Lukather contributed rhythm guitar on Beat It.

39. Thriller was almost Star Light. The lyric “thriller” in the track of the same name was originally “star light”. The decision to change it was down to marketing appeal.

40. PYT (Pretty Young Thing) was never performed live by Jackson. Despite being a well-received single from the Thriller album, the star never featured the song in any of his live sets.

41. Thriller was included in the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. The music video for the title track was also placed in the National Film Preservation Board’s National Film Registry of “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant films”.

42. It was with his seventh album, 1987’s Bad that Jackson really came into his own as a songwriter. He wrote nine of the 11 tracks and co-produced the album with Quincy Jones.

43. The title track for the Bad album was supposed to be a duet with Prince. But the latter walked away from it due to the opening line “Your butt is mine”. “Now, who is going to sing that to whom? Cause [he] sure ain’t singing that to me, and I sure ain’t singing it to [him],” Prince said in a TV interview with American comedian Chris Rock.

44. The smooth 1987 ballad I Just Can’t Stop Loving You is a duet with singer Siedah Garrett. She was the third choice after Barbra Streisand and Whitney Houston rejected the offer.

45. The Way You Make Me Feel was his mother’s request. Jackson wrote this track after his mum asked him to write something with a “shuffling kind of rhythm”.

46. Man in the Mirror is one of the few music videos he is hardly in. Other than appearing at the end standing in a crowd, the video is a montage of major events and historical figures.

47. His Superbowl XXVII half-time show in 1993 was game-changing. His pyrotechnics-laced four-song set was watched more than the game itself. It has set the standard for half-time shows ever since.

48. Michael Jackson’s 1991 album Dangerous was hot property. Five days before its release, three armed men broke into a music warehouse in Los Angeles and stole 30,000 copies.

49. The explosive video for Black or White was directed by Hollywood stalwart John Landis. It starred an 11-year-old Macaulay Culkin fresh from his starring role in Home Alone.

50. The music video to Scream was, at the time, in 1995, the most expensive ever produced. It had a US$7m budget. The menacing and arty video starred Jackson and his sister Janet.

51. Even when he wasn’t trying, Michael Jackson broke records. His album Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, released in 1997, remains the bestselling remix album of all time, with more than six million copies sold, after virtually no promotion.

52. Jackson consistently mixed music with charity work. He was behind a series of Michael and Friends concerts in Germany and Korea, which featured performers such as tenors Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli, as well as rockers Slash and The Scorpions. The money raised went to the non-profit organization War Child.

53. Jackson’s final studio album Invincible was the bestselling album of 2001, despite moderate reviews. It features the song Unbreakable, which had, until then, the unreleased vocals by slain rapper The Notorious BIG.

54. After years of scandals and court cases, Jackson re-emerged on the music stage by announcing his final live tour This Is It. The first 10 shows alone, to be held at London’s O2 Arena in the summer of 2009, would have netted him £50m (Dh236.49m). The residency was extended to 50 shows, but the tour was cancelled following his death on June 25, 2009.

55. This Is It was his first posthumous release. With the This Is It tour abandoned after Jackson’s death, the tour’s title track became the first of many posthumous releases. The song was originally written in the 1980s by Paul Anka.

56. The secrecy of Xscape. Michael Jackson’s second posthumous album, released on May 13, 2014, was such a big deal that journalists were invited to secret listening sessions around the world days before its release. The session for this region was held at Dubai’s now-closed Qbara restaurant.

57. The life and times of Michael Jackson were discussed in detail at the inaugural Dubai Music Week in 2013. It featured a sold-out special panel session on Jackson’s career featuring producer Quincy Jones and other collaborators, the late Rod Temperton (via live video feed) and singer Siedah Garrett.

58. Abu Dhabi and China were discussed as possible sites for the world’s first Jackson family-themed hotel called Jermajesty. Speaking exclusively to The National in 2013, Jermaine Jackson said he was looking at Yas Island as a possible site for the hotel, which would be filled with Jackson family memorabilia. Nothing has been built as yet.

Read also: Jermaine says Michael Jackson was on the verge of converting to Islam

59. To celebrate Michael Jackson’s 60th birthday today (August 29), a large street party was held in New York City last Saturday to celebrate his life. It was organized by the director, and his collaborator, Spike Lee.

60. It is only fitting that the Apollo Theater in New York is hosting its legendary Amateur Night today. It was on the same stage that, in 1967, The Jackson 5 launched their career.

60 Things You May Not Have Known About Michael Jackson

[saltyobjecttheorist]

Close Reading ‘The Path’ Season 1 Episode 1.

This is not really a recap. More of a series of observations regarding the storytelling, symbolism, and subliminal foreshadowing in The Path.

 I’m not an academic and this may all be obvious stuff to you guys but the show made an impression on me for its use of visual symbolism. I thought I’d start at the beginning but I’ll be referencing future plot lines and episodes. There is a LOT of foreshadowing in this series, appropriate given that prophesy is a major theme and I will be talking about what is being foreshadowed. so if you haven’t watched both seasons you might want to stay away from spoilers. 

 For more erudite discussion of symbolism on the show please see the wonderful @theyellowsnake who says all perfectly. 

So The First Episode of Season one of the The Path is pretty much the perfect Pilot. It sets the scene and leaves you hungry for more.

There is a little too much exposition in there . But it also, almost subliminally,  tells you everything you need to know about… Well… Everything. Every twist, every character, every hidden agenda is right there in the pilot. If you’re looking closely enough. 

SPOILERS from here on in folks. For both Season 1 and 2.

Intro Scene: Rindge Trailer Park.  

The Trailer Park. Symbol of American poverty, destroyed by a literal act of God.

The ‘ Church of Faith’ sign, Church destroyed, useless and empty

The Schoolbus on its side destroyed.

Both Church and School as institutions have failed this society, a ruined society as symbolised by the trailer park. They are unable to offer sanctuary or comfort to these people. They have not been able to fulfil their purpose. IE. to prevent people from sliding to the bottom of the economic and spiritual ‘ladder’ in the first place.

A woman clutches her baby and literally cries “Somebody help me!” Into the chaos. “Oh God!”

We meet Mary. Crawling through the trash. She looks for water and finds antifreeze or similar poison.  She tries to drink again from a pipe and someone stops her, that water is also poison.

Poisoned water is a huge part of the Book of Revelation in regard to the Apocolypse.

“ Revelation 8:11

The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter like wormwood oil, and many people died from the bitter waters.”

We hear the sound of Horns. Like the horns of angels at Armageddon. ( Also Revelation 8-11)  It’s no wonder Mary later compares Cal to an angel.

Mary climbs the garbage heap. Metaphorically this is the start of he rise from the ashes of her old life. As well as an early climbing metaphor.  She sees Cal from the top of the trash mountain. This is their first moment of connection. Even though he doesn’t see her. Something about him is compelling to her.

Here come the Meyerists into this apocalyptic scene. But to them it’s no metaphor. They believe the end times are really coming. The Tornado is, for them, a real harbinger of doom.

Its a curious thing that when institutions fail people. When the Law, Healthcare, Schools and Church fail to provide what they should. That is when religious cults step in to fill the gap. This is well illustrated here.

Mary gets what she needs the most at the at moment. Not water (she barely drinks it). She gets her salvation, her Angel. We don’t know yet that she’s been waiting for him since she was a little girl. 

The Woman with the baby gets her prayer answered.

“What do you need’? Cal asks the shocky old man. He wants the picture of his wife- all he has left of her memory. Cal doesn’t try to get him to calm down. Or lead him away from the carnage like an EMT would. “Help this man find his wife!” He shouts, as though its the most important thing he can imagine. Because he knows in a spiritual sense , it really is.  In that moment the old man needs that scrap of paper more than water or medical care. 

The Meyerist eye is prominent. They “See” the people’s need. “Need” is often reference thought the series. “There is so much Need!” the characters say repeatedly.  The Church, the School, the Hospitals, the Society itself have all metaphorically failed us. 

We ( humans)  are let down in a spiritual sense by religion that offers no real substance, physically by bad or absent food and medicine, mentally by a schooling system that doesn’t educate the whole person. The list goes on. The Meyerists think they are the answer to this very real need. In this way the show is quite a scathing social commentary. 

As a viewer I’m subconsciously  pumping my fist in the air saying “ Yay Cult!” Although I don’t even realise how I’m being manipulated yet.

Animated Credits Scene:

Four figures climb a mountain, presumably this is an interpretation of Meyerism’s origin myth and the figures are Steve, Silas, Felicia and Bill. With Steve reaching enlightenment at the summit of Huayna Picchu. 

But there is an alternative interpretation: 

Look at the placements of the credits:

The close up of the climbing figure’s hands as he struggles up the rocks in the rain remind you of anything?  Mary’s climb up the garbage heap visually mirrors the climb in the intro. 

Emma Greenwell - Mary’s real name.

This is not an easy climb. Its a struggle. The man makes it to the top, stands at the summit and raises his arms in victory. He made it.

Hugh Dancy Cal’s real name. 

The figure could just as easily be Cal, who, like Mary ( except in a  more metaphorical sense), has struggled to the ‘top of the heap’ through his own personal suffering and stands victorious. Having finally made it into a position of power. This is one of many themes that connect Mary and Cal. (More on that later.) 

We see The Future : Tornado -Fire - Flood.

A Tornado ( the one that levels the trailer park.)  Is the opening of Season 1.

There is a prominent flash of lightning. Which is perhaps a portent to the lighting that scars Eddie and kills Steve.

The Fire ( Richard’s self immolation and burning of records room) closes Season 2.

The Flood… Could be foreshadowing of season 3. It seems to wash away the structure of the burning building. Much like the water scandal coverup helped wash away Sarah’s trouble regarding the blackmail ( using tapes Richard set on fire in same building). 

 Or it could be a symbolic flood washing away the movement forever?

We see the barns, the compound growing in size and number.

A figure running in room - Eddie in the therapy room?

Snake wrapped around Steve’s corpse. Open to interpretation as the Yellow snake symbolises psychic ability as well as betrayal in folklore. It also symbolises Cal at various points in the tale. (Hugh Dancy even starts to look snakelike toward the end of season 2.)  A lot has been said on this elsewhere. It is perhaps not an accident that is portrayed wrapped so closely around Steve. Snakes are rarely positive symbols to a western audience. In a religious context we are reminded of the serpent in Eden. ( More on that later too.) 

Speaking of Eden. Heres Adam and Eve. Or Eddie and Sarah or whichever archetype you choose. Accompanied by the name of the literal creator God of this particular universe: Jessica Goldberg. have I mentioned that I love symbolism?

Scene: Dinner at The Lanes:

Lane means Path… Glad thats out of the way. Now on to saying grace.

“Thank you for this gift of bread to sustain these vessels, our bodies, so that we may have the energy to create a more beautiful world and break through our blocks and barriers in this life and ascend the ladder of enlightenment so that someday we may be free of these earthly forms and live as light together in the garden. We express deepest gratitude for this day, and every day, for the gift of this passage, and that we found the ladder. There is one spirit whose name is Truth.”

So this sums up their whole belief system in a few seconds and its great because the show doesn’t hammer you over the head with the basic tennants every five minutes after that. they just assume you get it. It also has beauty and a sinister undertone, lets never forget that they’re a doomsday Cult.

But lets look closer:

“Give us this day our daily bread” says the Lords Prayer. The daily bread is just what sustains us for this  day. Its the bare minimum of care, which so many people don’t get.

And whom we see in this comfortable scene, the Lanes have a comfortable life, if not extravagant. They have what they need. Their needs are met.

Have you guys heard of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?  it’s a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five tier model of human needs often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid… Sound familiar? 

Someone Like Mary doesn’t even have the lowest level of needs met. She couldn’t even get clean water. Her basic safely was compromised and she was terribly abused by the people who should have loved her.

Sarah has her Psysiological, Safely and Love/Belonging needs met. It’s debatable if at this point in the series she has fully achieved the Esteem level but she’s well on her way there being an 8R and well respected within the community. It’s the last level. Self- Actualisation, which is problematic for her (and all the characters). Because its the level no Cult can allow its members to reach. Particularly that pesky ‘ Acceptance of Facts’ one.

Eddie, upon his return from Peru is struggling with this level. With his own Self-Actualisation. He knows his Esteem needs are at odds with the truth. And while he lives a ‘Life of Lies’ he isn’t getting his needs met. He NEEDS to live an authentic life. Its the only thing he can do. His ‘path’ leads toward truth one way or another. Hence the great irony of the Meyerist creed: “There is one spirit whose name is Truth.” … That, at least, is a lie. The Truth in this series is multifaceted and subjective. 

Cal pretends to be at the top ( of The Ladder and The Pyramid.) But he ascended in a dishonest way. Though nepotism, prostitution and maybe blackmail.

So while he struggles with morality, problem solving and the sad acceptance of facts he is also struggling with the Esteem level. He so desperately wants to be respected and he has no real confidence ( see his self help tapes for evidence.) And while he struggles with that he is also struggling with the Love/Belonging level. Because the one thing he really can’t have is intimacy. For reasons that later become clear. He is a lonely person. he has no real friends , no family and no sexual intimacy, ( he’s either a virgin or celibate when we meet him.) His image is one of a Self- Actualised leader. But he is living a lie. In truth he’s still a child desperate for safety.

In fact I speculate that the truth of the matter is that each Meyerist convert entered the Movement while struggling with Need. I think that If they left the movement they would revert back to the same point they entered it. Because the movement provides for them ( or should) but it doesn’t give them Self- Actualisation, which is what they need in order to be independent and masters of their own fate.  

So we have the usual Exposotional Dinner Talk. we learn that Eddies just back from Peru. Cal is coming, Steve is writing and Russell is a useless asshole. Also that for a person to ascend the latter all the way they probably shouldn’t get married. Hawk isn’t old enough to start the Ladder yet and everyone feels bad about the tornado.

We like these guys, weird Peruvian drug trip religion aside they seem like our kind of people. (Except Joy though , she’s goddam annoying.) We find ourselves identifying with and liking members of a closed religious cult. This is quite an achievement for the writers.

Sex Scene 1:

Until the slip scene. because no one in history, male or female has ever been aroused by a slip.

The sex though. is it necessary? Not really… But yes really. Much like in real life, the way people fuck on this show tells us a lot about their emotional state. Its code for all the things they can’t say.  If that happens to line up nicely with a networks desire for lots of sex on their show then… Cool I guess. Also. the eye is front and centre because Meyerism is at the centre of their personal life in an uncomfortably voyeristic way. No one has privacy in this place. Not really. There is a disturbing disrespect for boundaries within the extended Lane family and within Meyerism in general. and maybe cults in general too.

Eddie and Sarah are emotional sex havers. They laugh, they cry, they make eye contact. The whole things very uncomfortable for the viewer who may be watching with their parents, but very intimate. Contrast and compare:

Scene: Cal’s return:  

Cal. The no sex haver who reunites with old flame Sarah. He pretends to be over it. He isn’t. She broke his heart by leaving him for  Eddie when they were young. How young? We never know,  Eddie and Sarah were  likely in their mid- late teens when they Met. We don’t know how long Sarah and Cal were together or when they met.

Can we assume that they grew up on the compound together? I think so. Cal mentions to his mother on Episode 3 that, while they used to live in tents, they now have a campus. So he probably grew up there with Sarah, Russell and Tessa. But he’s been in California for three years happily avoiding the East Coast winters. ( he doesn’t like the cold because his drunken sot of a father did, in fact, keep him in a tent in the middle of winter.) Its perhaps worth noting here that he is returning to his childhood home. This is important because its where his neurosis re- surfaces. Its where his pain lives.

Anyway he meets Sarah, knows her well enough to see something wrong and immediately twists it to his advantage. Its the first, rather obvious , look at his manipulative personality. But he’s sincere when he says its good to see her. And that he’s going to “come stalk you , like old times.” He probably did too. hanging out with Eddie and Sarah to be close to her, or maybe to them both, for friendship but certainly with an agenda of infiltrating their relationship. Which is probably why Eddie doesn’t trust him. We don’t either. Because he’s always acting. Pretending to be someone he’s not (  Self- Actualised leader of men. ) We only rarely see glimpses of the real man beneath.

School: Hawk and Eddie scene.

No Symbolism here but I love the relationship between these two. Hawk is annoying in the way teenagers actually are annoying not in the way precocious “ Talk like adults with philosophy degrees” teenagers on TV usually are. Both he and Summer are excellently written in this respect. Eddie is a real dad, not a perfect dad. Just a guy who enjoys time with his kids. Hawk hates school. Didn’t we all?

Scene:  Mary Sees Cal again/Conversation with Eddie:

So like so many scenes on this show , what appears to be a throwaway moment of filler is actually telling us something. While the music and stylised camera work distracts us from the dialogue between Cal and Eddie this is what they’re saying (according to the closed captions.) 

Cal: “Hey, man, I’ll come join you later. Sit in on your testimonial.”

Eddie: “Oh, no. You don’t have to do that. Same old story. You’ve heard it a million times.”

Cal: “Are you kidding? I love your story.

Gets me fired up every time.”

Cal wants to sit in on Eddie’s testimonial, despite the fact that he’s heard it many times and its depressing as holy hell. Eddie would rather he didn’t. Why?

Skip ahead to Eddie telling his story. Interesting, isn’t it that we barely learn anything about Eddie’s life before Meyerism?  So lets look at the facts. What do we know about Eddie Lane at this point?

He had an unhappy home life. We know this because he lived with his older brother instead of his parents ( The original script had a line about his mother being mentally ill which they later edited out, because I believe it would have made future twists too obvious. The subtext is still there.)

He loved his brother. His brother killed himself. Eddie Has. Not. Dealt. With. It. This is so clear. His own dialogue tells us this. He ran. Ran from the situation and straight into a cult.

He starts telling his story. His relationship with his brother was “the one thing he had.” And when he lost it he lost part of himself. He breaks down, he can’t finish the story. Meyerism didn’t heal this particular pain. Cal to the rescue!

“ Oh yeah and then you found us and it was all cool right?” He essentially says.

So Cal does probably step in here to help Eddie. But at the same time theres something censorious about it. He is clearly steering the story in a different direction than it was going? Something is missing from Eddies narrative. Perhaps the fact that he is still suffering, that despite the ladder, his brother’s death is still an open wound for him. ( This kind of adds a layer of creepy to Cal’s assertion that he “Loves him like a brother” Later on.) Also…What happened between ‘Discovered Johnny’s dead body’ and ‘ Ended up in a bookshop’?

Something smells fishy.  But we are told enough to piece a few things together. There was some mental illness in his family, he doesn’t want to look too deeply at his past. He had a lot of anger. (When he arrived he was murderously angry. (We learn this later from Sarah.) That’s not what he looks like now though. Not at all. Meyerism’s victory or his own? Was Sarah his saving grace?

In a way Eddie is the biggest enigma on the show. Maybe even moreso than Steve.

Which brings us to…

Scene: Sarah talks about Steve. 

And the fact that she thinks the light shines out of his ass. Literally. 

So this is our first proper introduction to Steve:

We are told that he lives so deeply in truth that he is one with the Light. His followers believe him to be an ascended master of sorts and therefore an immortal spiritual being rather than just a man. and once again and one of many times… There is a dichotomy between what we are being told and what we are seeing. The sound and the visuals are often at odds on this show. 

Because hanging behind her on the wall is a picture of a dude. A dude named Steve. and he’s handsome, charismatic looking I guess but just as prosaic as his name ( Which incidentally means’ Light Bringer’ in Hebrew.) . (He also has that same high collar, uptight shirt thing going on as Cal does.) This is one of may times that the placement of the Steve photo is telling us something. 

Later Eddie reads to Summer from the junior edition of The Ladder. Whilst having a very confusing existential crisis.

 And we learn about Steve’s past. What do we know about Steve?

He was a military doctor, who did terrible things to soldiers at a hospital. Had a crisis of confidence, lost his shit and took a very long walk… Also I dare anyone to say that isn’t Kodiak in the illustration. 

Sooo… What do you guys know about Project MK Ultra? 

From Wikipedia: 

“Project MKUltra – sometimes referred to as the CIA’s mind control program – is the code name given to a program of experiments on human subjects, at times illegal, designed and undertaken by the United States Central Intelligence Agency.[1] Experiments on humans were intended to identify and develop drugs and procedures to be used in interrogations and torture, in order to weaken the individual to force confessions through mind control. Organized through the Scientific Intelligence Division of the CIA, the project coordinated with the Special Operations Division of the U.S. Army’s Chemical Corps.[2]

The operation began in the early 1950s, was officially sanctioned in 1953, was reduced in scope in 1964, further curtailed in 1967, and officially halted in 1973.[3] The program engaged in many illegal activities,[4][5][6] including the use of unwitting U.S. and Canadian citizens as its test subjects, which led to controversy regarding its legitimacy.[4](p74)[7][8][9] MKUltra used numerous methodologies to manipulate people’s mental states and alter brain functions, including the surreptitious administration of drugs (especially LSD) and other chemicals, hypnosis,[citation needed]sensory deprivation, isolation and verbal abuse, as well as other forms of psychological torture.” 

Read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_MKUltra

Lovely. 

So… You guys Steve was totally one of those mad scientists. Who tortured Vietnam soldiers to try an achieve mind control with drugs ( and also sarin gas and other agonizing tortures. This isn’t a bit of weed and a walk in the woods. These people were psychopaths of the highest order.) 

Lets me just repeat that… To  achieve mind control… With Drugs. Does this throw up any red flags for anyone else? 

What else do we know about Steve? I mean FOR SURE He went to Peru and started a cult. Which used Ayahuasca and other drugs to induce hallucinatory states. 

Manipulation into shared delusions? Maybe. Theres no doubt Felicia believes she burned her hands on a Burning Ladder of Truth. But her husband Bill reminds her that there was a bonfire… And that they were ‘Really High.” He wouldn’t have had to convince many people, just a handful, to engender belief in many. 

Ok so lets give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he did have an ethical crisis while working for the CIA… He still used drugs on people… Afterwards. 

And then theres the trope of the Morally questionable doctor who runs to South America. Don’t tell me we’re not supposed to get slightly Megele-ish vibes from this guy. 

Then we cut from Eddies Life of Lies directly to Cal’s life of lies:

Scene: Cal and Mary.

So this scene has a lot going on in it but I think the main takeaway the first time I saw it was that Cal was married to The Ladder. We’re not sure exactly how much he believes in it at this point or how much he’s manipulating Mary into becoming an acolyte. But upon Re-Watch… Oh boy.

So Cal doesn’t have personal relationships. Certainly not with newbies. So why does he go out of his way so much for Mary?

Well the thing is that she has now met her basic needs. Remember our pyramid of pop psychology?

So she’s no longer about to die, she’s physically safe, had a shower, has a place to stay. Now she wants a sense of love and belonging. Which she tries to get by the only means she knows. Sex. Boy did she ever pick the wrong guy.

Or did she?

Heres the thing. Cal is also stuck at this level. He and Mary have the same need. Officially there is a huge power disparity in the relationship and its highly inappropriate. He may be a leader and she may only be a possible. But under the skin they are both needful of the same thing and can’t ever get it because they’ve been damaged so badly. It’s doubtful that either of them will ever move beyond this need.

This scene tells us everything we need to know. Though the performances mostly. Theres a disturbingly childlike quality to both of them. Visually compounded by Mary’s little girl nightie and butterfly underpants.

When Cal gently rebuffs her advances, Dancy’s performance tells us a few things. (In interviews from Season 1 era He described Cal’s relationship with Steve as ‘Complicated.’ I’m sure they had the back story planned from the outset.)

For those into micro gestures. When he said the word ‘ Sex” he flinches and wrinkles his nose in disgust. There is a lot of barely repressed anger in that tiny moment. Because he understands Mary’s Damage. Really understands it. Unfortunately.

They are also reflected in the window, and refections of one another figuratively speaking. Which is why they both love and hate each other at various points. But never, ever do we get the feeling that they don’t understand one another.

Mary says “ All my life I’ve had this fantasy that one day an angel would fly down from the sky and save me.” She feels as though she is fulfilling her destiny. This may be the only time in her life that an authority figure hasn’t taken advantage of her. 

At that point there is a moment of recognition, almost elation from Cal. That could be interpreted as religious fervour at having saved a soul. But I believe it’s meant to be identification, the discovery of a kindred spirit.

“We were meant to find each other.” He says. he doesn’t say “ You were meant to find us” or “the movement”. But “Each other.”

Where was his Angel? Who does he call an Angel later in the series?

“My colleague is a fucking angel.!” He tells John Ridge in episode 5 and to Sarah in Season 2 “I miss your light. The way you looked at me that saved me as a kid.” Suddenly his obsession with Sarah takes on a more tragic, if more disturbing angle. She was a ray of light in his otherwise miserable childhood. He sees her, we learn later, as a role model for what is good and right behaviour. What does this tell us about his other role models in the movement?

Scene: Eddie’s Retreat.

We see the retreat at the Cousco compound. Which appears to be a converted Spanish church. Interestingly a lot of Catholic imagery is associated with Eddie on the show.  In the courtyard Silas is helping a bald dude, Miranda Frank is dancing, and Eddie is tripping balls.

Ayahuasca as a therapeutic substance helps people come to term with their past trauma. Causing them to re-live it. In a Arthur Janov “Primal Scream”, cleansing sort of way. They come out of the experience feeling reborn and with neurosis cured.  It is not a particularly safe drug cocktail however. It can be an especially strong potential trigger for those predisposed to Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Dissociative Disorder and other psychosis.

So we can see what Eddie might not be having a particularly good trip, what with his past trauma and all. And unsurprisingly his brother comes back to haunt him. With a secret message. In the hallway to Steve’s room is an Owl sculpture. 

Silas’ totem is an owl. Presumably this is his main hangout. As well as a shamanic symbol of wisdom the owl is a Gnostic symbol of demons, illness, disease and death. There are some oil painting on the wall which look like Steve might have painted them ( They look a bit like his ‘flowers’ from season 2.)  

Heres the thing… Is Eddie experiencing a moment of genuine clairvoyance here? I thought at first it was all a drug trip and he hadn’t really moved from the courtyard. His brother’s ghost certainly leads him to the room. But…

Isn’t this compound actually where the movement is storing Steve? Could Eddie conceivably have wandered of while tripping and stumbled into Steve’s room? We do find out later that he literally got up and walked off somewhere for a while because Miranda Tells Cal so in Episode 4. Once again the truth is subjective but maybe less so if witnessed by more than one person. He also, quite possibly saw more rooms on the way.

Eddie sees a vision of Johnny twice more in the series. Once on the shore at Coney Island in S1  and once in his near death vision of the garden in S2. All three times Johnny is guiding him towards a major spiritual decision. But two out of the tree times Eddie was tripping on Ayahuasca. The time at the shore could be a genuine moment of psychosis, we don’t know. Eddie doesn’t either. It seems real to him, and he wasn’t expecting it.  

Either way. He knows  Steve isn’t a immortal ascended ball of light. And those extra rungs that were supposed to enable them to ascend to the garden ‘aint coming, and by extension Cal is lying to them all. Thats a lot of doubts for one day.  

Scene: Eddie and Sarah fight:

The thing about Meyerists is that there supposed to be 100% honest at all times, as a result they are actually secretive as hell. Eddie lies repeatedly to Sarah during this scene, she assumes he’s sleeping with someone else, specifically Miranada Frank. , and he lets her think that because its less painful than the truth.  

There is curious bit of dialogue here.

“ Sarah: All right, I love you, and I chose you.

Eddie: You chose me?

Sarah:  I chose you.

Eddie: What do you mean, you chose me? Chose me over Cal? Is that what this is?

Sarah:  No, no! That is not what I am saying.”

What does this tell us about their relationship? It’s important to her that she “Chose” him. But everyone chooses their partners right? I mean, unless they have an arranged marriage. and the Meyerists don’t… Do they? ( more on this later. I have a theory.)

In any event. She clearly feels that she took a risk on him ( maybe because he was a convert, an outsider, and she was the golden girl of Meyerism who was ‘supposed’ to end up with Cal? Eddie reacts so strongly to this, perhaps because it implies that he held her back from her birthright somehow?

So maybe the subtext here is “ I sacrificed so much to be with you, how could you cheat on me after that?”

” Look at me.

You are everything to me, okay? You’re it.

I remember the day.

I never imagined a future for myself before you,

but then there there you were with that glass of water,

and I didn’t have to try to imagine one anymore.

I had it.” 

Reassuring her, she is the be all and end all for him. She is his salvation. Period. He was suicidal when he met her and she saved him. ( Much like she ‘saved’ Cal as a child.) Sarah as saviour figure is also a running theme on the show. (NB:We'll see Eddie as "Chosen One" again too)

‘There you were” he tells her , remembering when they met ‘ With that glass of water…”

Oh hello WATER my old friend! 

 We can imagine a young Eddie, bereft and suicidal, thirsty being given comfort by the Meyerist movement. Water. the shows favourite symbol of salvation. Actually the shows favourite symbol period. Besides Ladders. She pulled him out of his private apocalypse. Just like Mary at the trailer park. They gave him survival. His doubt is a very big deal. He stands to lose everything.  As he says to Allison in the next scene:

“I don’t know what the hell I’m doing here.

You know,

I was high as a kite,

so what I saw, or what I think I saw, was it real?

You know, I mean, was the vision of my brother even real?

I mean, am I gonna blow up my life,

a life that I love,

because of something I don’t even know if I really saw?”

Yes he is. Because he feels the truth of it in his bones and he can’t live his life without Self- Actualisation. He is willing to give it all up for his personal truth. He loves her more than anything. But he will give her up if he has to. Contrast with Cal who holds onto his past infatuation and can’t let it go. 

Speaking of which: 

Scene: Sarah visits Cal. 

Ok so this scene tells us an awful lot and is pretty damn creepy.

The Meyerists have no boundaries, we knew this, so Sarah going to tell her friend Cal about her marital problems is disturbingly par for the course. 

Also I think Cal painted that bird. Remember he used to enjoy art once?

Then theres the dialogue:

“I was so scared of you when we were young.

Before Eddie.

You’d sneak into my bed.

Your hands were like fire.

I thought, “This guy could never really love a person.

Not for the years.

He needs too much.”

Firstly… WHAT??? He sneaked into her bed and felt her up? And she was scared? Ok so she seems to be implying that it was exciting but… Also HOW young are we talking here. This seems like a rather strange normalisation of something dark. 

So Cal was probably sexually inappropriate with other kids his age. No surprises there its a classic sign of sexual abuse. We also learn that he couldn’t be emotionally intimate in the way she Wanted because he NEEDED too much. 

Hello Pyramid my old friend.

 He was stunted forever in survival mode because of Steve and couldn’t quite crack the sex and romance thing. And the horrible thing is that he remains silent the whole scene and literally can’t seem to respond to her because the dude is literally so full of secrets if he speaks he will open the floodgates and destroy the Earth. 

So this is where we come to my theory: 

That terrible dialogue: 

Its so out of place. It doesn’t sound like her. ( She even quotes it like someone else said it.) 

But you know who does sound like that?  “ Flowers on Your Walls of Doom”, arch manipulator of the young, Steve.

On the few occasions we hear Steve speak in flashback. He sounds theatrical. Almost Shakesperian. 

My theory is… That Cal’s later behaviour with Mary and Sean the ‘arranged marriage’  is part of an abusive cycle. I think he repeats what was done to him. I think maybe Steve sent a young Cal to Sarah’s bed in the first place.

 In the same way Cal later sends Mary to Sean. Then gets a full report from her. THAT scene in ep 4 is very reminiscent of incest or something like it. 

Oh and would you look at who’s watching them from the photo on the wall Behind Cal?

Hence why Sarah “Chose” Eddie. But for some reason didn’t have the agency to “Choose” Cal.  Maybe Choosing Eddie was her one act of real agency within the movement? Lets not forget she nearly ran away with her sister. We might want to ask why? 

Then perhaps Steve sent Cal away. Because he couldn’t have him getting to close to anyone. Offering him a life of vocation instead.

I don’t know for sure  but it seems like something like this might have happened. And here’s why… 

Scene: Cal and Mary visit Dad/ Plato’s Cave:

Right after this scene, Cal goes straight to Mary and suggests they “make it better” with a visit to her dad. Going to Mary is  something he often does when his past comes back to haunt him, because she is,to him, like his inner child. She is his past writ large, open and honest and bleeding on the floor. No secrets. He acts out through her, processes his own trauma through her. How self aware he is about it is debatable. But his meeting with Sarah seems to have triggered him.

When you understand a bit more about Meyerism it’s shocking just how off the script Cal went by going to her Dad’s place and beating the shit out of him. Why did he feel the need to do it rather than just give her some Ladder Therapy? If he believed in Meyerism wouldn’t he try and get her  to forgive? to move beyond it?

Because when she says the Ladder won’t help make it better he knows thats true, even if he can’t admit it to himself yet. And he goes very, very transgressive. Almost as though the act of violence is a rebellion against everything Steve stood for. Although at first all he wants is an apology. Demanding Mr. Cox to kneel and grovel in the dirt for forgiveness. ( Which is actually pretty Meyerist of him.) Its also possibly exactly what he would like from Steve.

But the turning point comes when Mr. Cox spits in his face. THEN he loses it. We find out later that Cal used to hand out flyers on the street as a kid and people used to spit on him. He may have a neurosis about it. But the whole confrontation with Mr. Cox becomes more about him than Mary at this point. If it ever was about her at all. But he does give her exactly what she needs. Vengence, justice, closure. And as a viewer, honestly. I was cheering the crazy bastard on. 

So what do we know about Cal at this point?

He doesn’t believe, deep down, in what he’s preaching.

He has a lot in common with Mary.

He has a terrible temper.

He is capable of extreme violence.

He doesn’t appreciate being spat on. At all.

This does not make for a safe cult leader.

But it does beg the question whats more dangerous, a cult leader who doesn’t believe in his own propaganda, or one who does? Think of The Branch Davidians or Heavens Gate. Or the very Steven Meyer-esque David Berg and The Children of God cult? Belief can be a very dangerous thing too.

The scene is beautifully edited with Cal’s Plato Speech. Illustrating his hypocrisy even while he preaches.

Plato’s cave.

My favourite scene. Ironic and the perfect analogy.  Cal essentially narrates his own life story without knowing it. The guy is somewhat less self aware than he pretends to be… And now we know it for sure.  It ties into the episode title;  “What The Fire Throws.”

Shadows of reality. We all live in our own version of reality with our own version of truth. Eddie has decided he’s had enough of this one. Cal is actually heading in the same direction, belief wise, as Eddie but he’s trapped in the institution in a way that Eddie isn’t. Steve literally made him paint a false reality for himself and without it he’s staring into the abyss. 

Sarah has never even questioned her shadows. She was born in that cave. He presents the perfect argument against religion, and closed communities in particular. All the while railing against regular society and the untruths therein. The point is. There are many cults and we all live in one. Do we put our faith in a person to lead us? Eddies path is a lonely one, because the Room of Truth can only fit one person at a time. Would I let him lead me? Well.. I’m not pumping my fist and yelling “ Yay Cult!” anymore. 

And as a viewer? We are presented with a reality on screen. And we are manipulated by that reality and shown shadows of reality, angles on things. This story isn’t all it seems. Theres an element of 4th wall breaking here too. Because it looks , at points, like he’s preaching right out of the screen. 

And speaking of TRUTH:

Eddie admits his. But not to the people he loves. To a stranger in a motel room. Because sometimes the lie you’re living is the one you love the most. 

[satan-is-obsessed]

this is what immediately popped into my head as i read how Steve entered the studio and i couldn't stop laughing, I'm so sorry, i loved it tho 🫶🏻

au where Steve is a famous Disney kid and Eddie is a teenaged singer-songwriter. They get pushed together at events because they're close in age, but they just quietly dislike each other.

Steve's got a new show starting, a spinoff of the one that made him a household name. They hire a newcomer, Robin Buckley, to play his best friend and the two quickly become BFF in real life.

The show runs for two seasons but when it comes time to renegotiate contracts, neither star is interested. They're older now, ready to live life on their terms and not the company's, or in Steve's case, his parents.

As soon as the finale airs, Robin and Steve celebrate by going to a gay club. A few weeks later, an interview is released where Steve comes out as bi and talks about how his parents mistreated him; how they worked with the network to pressure him to be a perfect "all-American" kid even off screen.

Meanwhile, Eddie's an impossible level of famous. He's had number-one hits, won a Grammy, headlined an arena tour, achieved every dream he had for himself as a kid growing up in a trailer park in Indiana. He's not shocked by the news that Steve is leaving Hollywood, but he's flabbergasted that the guy isn't straight. When Eddie reads the interview, he gets this weird pang in his chest, almost like regret. But he never even liked Steve.

Steve isn't in the news again and Eddie doesn't think of him for a long time.

Steve goes to college. He loves it. Not because he's great in his classes, or anything, but because he's free to be himself for the first time. He makes friends and goes to parties and relaxes. He and Robin share an apartment.

After a few semesters, Steve decides to take a couple of theater classes, and is quickly cast in campus productions. In the vague anonymity of college theater he rediscovers his love of acting. No one has expectations of him, no one forces him to perform. He graduates and slowly starts appearing in small roles in Indie films, gathering critical acclaim. He feels good. Happy. Hopeful.

Eddie is blissfully unaware of Steve's career resurgence, experiencing his own musical highpoints, until the day where he's scrolling Twitter, sees a Variety headline that's getting a bunch of attention, "Steve Harrington in talks to star in Max Mayfield's first film." Eddie's livid.

"Maxine, what the fuck?" He growls when she answers his call.

They grew up together in the same Indiana trailer park. When she moved to Hollywood to start a career as a screenwriter, Eddie was by her side. And when her first script wound up on the Black List, his involvement on the soundtrack and original songs sealed her production deal.

She gives a long suffering sigh. "Munson," she grumbles. "I know you have a weird history with this guy, but I swear he's the right choice."

"He's a stuck up rich boy who's never been in trouble in his life."

"He's changed."

"Doubtful," Eddie sneers.

"Look. I'll set-up a meeting. Come hang out and you'll see what I mean." Before she hangs up she adds, "Call me Maxine again and I'll end you."

They invite Harrington to Eddie's recording studio. His hopes are not high for this meeting, so he's already a little thrown when Steve Harrington walks in, all grown up. He's in a crimson sweater, tight jeans, hair grown long so that it flops around his face in tousled waves that actually look genuine, windswept and golden. Eddie's eyes instinctively trace the scatter of moles on Harrington's face and neck, a pang of something hitting deep in his gut. Fuck, this dude is beautiful.

"Harrington," he greets, sticks out his hand. Eddie barely hears the answering, "Munson," because instead of a handshake, Harrington pulls Eddie in for a hug. Muscles bunch under the sleeves of the sweater, against Eddie's chest, and he's assaulted by the scent of cedar and sunshine and Steve. Eddie's not prepared for any of this.

They make small talk, Harrington sharing about going to college, falling in love with theater, Robin Buckley who he calls his soulmate. Eddie's head rings with how wrong he was about this guy; the pretty kid he grew up alongside who seemed to have the world in his hands. Max was right, he's perfect. Except.

"Let's get down to it, Harrington," Eddie says. Can't bring himself to call him Steve yet, feels that will somehow change everything and he's not ready. "I'll admit that Mayfield had the right idea about you, but can you sing? Play guitar? You have to perform my music, dude. That's not a small ask."

Harrington smirks, asks for a guitar. He gets it settled across his lap before he speaks. "I started taking piano lessons when I was 4. Voice and guitar at 7."

Eddie belatedly recalls that Harrington's parents were the worst kind of stage-parents, pushing their cute kid to perform even as he sobbed about wanting to play soccer with his friends instead of going to auditions. He has a moment of shame that he forgets as the other man begins to play. It's one of Eddie's biggest hits, a ballad about a teenaged broken heart from a kid whose name he can't even remember.

Harrington's hair flops in a swoop over his forehead, his fingers move across the strings with ease, skill. His voice is a rasp, close mimic to Eddie's own, but not quite deep enough. Goosebumps spread across Eddie's arms, his neck, and warmth pools low in his gut.

Steve finishes the song, looks up, cheeks glowing pink, honey eyes bright. Eddie's fucking gone for this guy. He wants so badly he might choke on it.

"Good?" Steve asks.

Eddie's embarrassed suddenly. Unsure. He tugs at his hair. "Yeah," he laughs. "Good."

He reaches out to take the guitar, the one Steve's already handing to him, and their hands brush. Eddie flushes. Their eyes meet and Steve smiles. Eddie's thoughts are consumed with the desire to kiss his plush pink mouth.

"You wanna get dinner? Just you and me?" Steve asks.

"Yeah, Steve," he laughs. "I'd love to."

🎬🎸🎬🎸

Fifteen Months Later

"Former Teen Heartthrobs Make Love Connection?"

Fans of musician Eddie Munson and former child star, Steve Harrington, were in for the surprise of their lives last night as the men arrived together for the premier of Harrington's new movie, Small Town Sins, written by up-and-coming screenwriter Max Mayfield, featuring original music by Munson. While Harrington's performance and the movie itself are garnering quite a bit of positive buzz, it's being overshadowed by gossip about Harrington and Munson's budding romance. They walked the red carpet together, pausing for photos as a duo, holding hands and flirting. When asked for confirmation of their relationship, Munson answered, 'we're bros,' before winking and pulling Harrington close.

There's a TikTok video embedded below the article, showing the men being interviewed on the red carpet. Their arms are loosely around each others' waists, and when their eyes meet they catch and hang for a beat.

"So, longtime fans of both of yours are going feral online right now because of the rumors that you two used to hate each other. Is there any truth to that?" An off-camera voice asks.

The men laugh. "We've always been great friends," Eddie answers.

"Eddie thought I was stuck up," Steve giggles.

"I did not." Eddie slaps at Steve, who gives him an affectionate smile.

"Liar," Steve answers.

Eddie leans into the camera like he's telling a secret. "Harrington here was afraid of me."

"Fuck off, I was not." They wrestle around for a couple of seconds.

Steve shrugs Eddie off, straightening his suit jacket. "Okay, maybe I was a little intimidated back then, but then this morning you found a pretty rock and cried about it."

Eddie shrieks, swatting at Steve until someone in a black suit and name tag shoos them down the red carpet.

Eddie walks off first, so he misses Steve withdrawing a hand from his pocket and saying, "Still have the rock, though." He flashes the red, grey, blue striped stone at the camera.

His gaze drifts away, landing somewhere in the distance, hazel eyes soft and heart-wrenchingly fond.