#eddie munson childhood au

[beady-eyed-munson]

Weekends at Wayne's pt 1

(All images found on pinterest)

[beady-eyed-munson]

@sweetmariihs2

noah jupe as otis lort in honey boy (2019) dir. alma har’el

[dreamsteddie]

Steve and Eddie childhood friends is my kryptonite.

They meet in the woods outside Steve's house when they're eight and nine years old. Steve is out exploring because his parents are fighting again, something about a secretary and a jazzercize instructor that Steve really doesn't understand or want to listen to. He's done it before, venturing outside to explore the forest like it's his own private world. They never notice when they're fighting like that anyway and Steve always finds his way back.

Eddie, on the other hand, is new to Hawkins. He's nine years old and was just dumped on his uncle's front porch because his dad "doesn't need some brat who cries when the wires spark." Eddie was heartbroken and mad and scared and he loved his uncle Wayne but he didn't want to be comforted so he ran into the woods, Wayne too slow to catch him but calling his name.

After running a while Eddie trips on a root falling on his hands and knees, blood slowly blooming from his palms. He looks up and realizes he has no idea which way he came from or how to get back and releases all the tears he kept locked up tight since that night with the car.

That's how Steve finds him. He makes his way over, calling softly to the boy crouched by his favorite tree. The boy looks up, and the first thing Steve thinks is that he looks a little funny. His head is shaved down and his eyes are a little buggy and he's lanky in a way Steve's never really seen before. His second thought is that he always keeps bandaids in his shorts.

Together they sloppily patch up Eddie's knee and left palm, Steve pressing a smacking kiss to the other boy's knee like he's seen the other moms do for their kids at the park. They introduce themselves and Steve takes him to all his favorite places in the woods. They play knight and dragon and talk about how mean dads are until the sun starts to set.

Eddie gets nervous when the sun starts to set, not used to the unique darkness of the woods, but Steve is used to it. He takes Eddie by the hand and asks him where he entered and guides him home. Wayne finds them like that, he's clearly been doing his own forest wanderings in his search for Eddie and is quick to sweep his nephew into his arms and hold him close. Edde excitedly introduces his uncle to his "new best friend, Steve," his mood lifted significantly since that morning.

Steve waves goodbye and slips away before Wayne can insist on taking him home in the truck, but that's far from the last they see of Steve. After that night, every time Steve's parents get in a fight or his parents go to one of their long, important business dinners without him he makes his way through the woods and to the Munson trailer. The first time it happens Wayne doesn't even know what to say. Steve looks every bit the little Harrington that he is with his little Khakis and perfectly pressed polo knocking on the trailer door all proper-like.

"Hello, I'm here to see Eddie. He's my best friend."

Before Wayne can figure out what to say there's a blur of oversized black hand-me-down clothes barrelling through the door and tackling the younger boy to the ground.

"STEVE!" Eddie absolutely screeches. Wayne is half worried he might take out one of the kid's eardrums, but seeing the wide smile Eddie has plastered on his face, Wayne decides not to say anything.

From there on Steve and Eddie are thick as thieves. Steve spends all his free time at the Munson trailer playing with Eddie and the stray animals. Despite some of Wayne's concerns, their friendship remains strong through the years. With Eddie in the grade above and the grades almost completely separated, they hardly get to interact at school, which only serves to fuel Eddie's disdain and Steve's disinterest in school. Middle school is much the same. They spend almost every waking moment together in the woods or in the trailer but live almost separate lives at school. It's not even that they're trying to hide it, it just never comes up.

When Steve starts climbing up the social ladder it isn't intentional at all. He doesn't have a lot of friends in his grade, certainly not any that come close to Eddie's status in his life, so he kind of just talks to everybody. He plays on the middle school basketball and baseball teams and does well, and before he knows it people are suddenly flocking around him and vying for his attention. He doesn't pay it much mind honestly.

Eddie on the other hand never fits in anywhere. Steve and Wayne are just about the only people in his life he cares about, and despite their overwhelming love and acceptance he can't help but turn out cynical. He struggles with anger management those first few years with Wayne, frustrated with being abandoned by his dad and separated from Steve and it all culminates in him being ostracized from his peers.

It isn't until high school that the rest of Hawkins clues into what's been in front of their faces the entire time. The high school is much less separated so while they won't be sharing any classes, there are many more opportunities for them to hang out.

On day one of Steve's freshman year he's already on the roster for both the basketball team and the swim team and there's already a small group of boys hanging around his locker ready to ride his coattails. They notice Steve seems distracted, turning his head back and forth when he's not struggling to get the lock undone. When he finally manages to wrestle the thing open, Eddie makes his move.

In a move reminiscent of that first day on Wayne's front porch, a blur of black second-hand clothes and dark curls barrels into Steve from the side taking him down to the linoleum floors. The guys around Steve's locker are ready to step in and beat this guy to a pulp until they hear raucous laughter coming from the both of them. They are treated to the sight of rising King Steve and established Freak Munson rolling around on the floor like unruly puppies and don't know what to do with themselves.

When the boys calm down and stand up, arms slung comfortably around each other's shoulders, they're met with the very confused faces of Steve's kind-of-friends.

"You know this guy Steve?"

"You and Munson are friends?"

"What the fuck was that?"

Steve and Eddie share a very confused look, neither of them having realized that people have no idea they're friends. They look back at the guys with two devastating "are you dumb" faces and say:

"Uh, yeah, Duh."

--------

Years down the line, after queer awakenings, a healthy dose of heartache for them both, and a properly dramatic star-lit confession Eddie and Steve both absolutely love regaling anyone who will listen with their love story. Steve insists that he knew from the moment Eddie looked at him with those big bug eyes that he would love Eddie Munson for the rest of his life. Eddie, on the other hand, insists that's bullshit and instead insists that he was the one who fell first "it doesn't count if you were a child Sevie you didn't understand what love was!" that day in the hall when he realized how tall and handsome his best friends had become when they got up off the floor.

Either way, they both eat up the looks people give them as they share their tales of pining, self-discovery, and true love.

[hairmetal666]

TW for internalized homophobia and related bad decisions

Steve is 12 and he thinks about finding his soulmate all the time.

You're supposed to find them through touch; your life together will flash in front of your eyes. They're rare, though, soulmates. So rare that most people never find theirs. So rare that some people say they're made up.

Steve wants to be one of the lucky few. He wants it to be a true, unbreakable bond, a love he gets to have forever.

He wonders if he'll find his soulmate at school. He's popular, he thinks. Tommy would say they were popular. But Tommy's definition of popular mostly has to do with the number of kids he can get away with being mean to, and that's not really Steve's deal. Tommy is like a prey animal, the way he can find weaknesses.

There's a new boy at school. Steve doesn't know his name, but they have English together. He's too thin, with huge brown eyes, and all his clothes are too big. His head's been inexpertly shaved and he never looks anybody in the eye. It's only a matter of time before he catches Tommy's interest, and Steve wishes he could stop it somehow, but he's never been good at going against Tommy.

The day comes, of course. They're standing in the hall, the new boy walking towards them, head down, as always. Tommy nudges Steve says, "What a loser."

And Steve shrugs, starts to ask Tommy about football, if the Colts can make the Super Bowl, but the boy is nearing and Tommy is cackling.

"Watch this." Tommy sticks his foot out.

The boy doesn't react fast enough. He falls forward with a bitten off yelp, and Steve moves without really thinking, only knows he can't stand to see him fall. He catches the new kid beneath his armpits, Steve's thumbs brushing the soft skin his arms.

The world around him falls away at the touch.

---

He's sitting on the floor in the band room, Eddie--the boy's name is Eddie--next to him. Eddie's hair is a little longer and Steve's in a green polo he doesn't recognize, and he's never been in the band room in his life. They're leaning into each other and laughing and Eddie's so beautiful.

---

They're in the woods--Skull Rock, Steve thinks. Eddie's hair is curled and frizzed around his chin, and he's laughing, his cheeks pink, his dimples prominent. He tries to pull his hair in front of his face, but it's not long enough yet to reach. Steve is overwhelmed, wants to kiss him so bad. He's never had to wait to kiss someone, or been unsure, or--

He wants to kiss Eddie.

So, he does.

It's hard, desperate, not the first kiss Steve expected, but then they've been waiting for so long.

---

Steve stands in the hallway of Hawkins High. He's wearing a striped, beige short-sleeved polo, and flirting with Nancy Wheeler.

He likes Nancy, she's pretty and smart and fun. And it's easy. He can hold her hand. Can introduce her to his parents. Can take her on dates and kiss her in public.

She bats her big blue eyes at him, and he can't help but kiss her.

He pulls away gently, brushing his thumb against her cheek, and when he looks down the hall, Eddie is there, frozen. His mouth is wide, his eyes glassy.

Steve thinks the way his heart stutters must be what dying feels like.

---

He's sitting on his diving board, facing away from the pool. He smokes a cigarette and there's a bat studded with nails at his feet, what the fuck. Music thuds, shrieks and laughter seep into the cool night air.

He should be playing the gracious host. He should be having a good time. Instead, his eyes search the woods and he taps another smoke out of the pack.

"Harrington?" The voice makes him jump, hand flexing around the bat handle. "It's freezing out. What are you doing?"

He recognizes the voice now, doesn't turn, doesn't respond, can't stand to see another person he let down; another person who could call him bullshit and be 100% correct.

"Do you not have a jacket? C'mon, man."

Something warm settles over his shoulders, and he inadvertently breathes in weed and leather and cedar. He squeezes his eyes shut, like that will make the comforting, familiar scent go away. He'll have to move to shrug off the jacket, though, which would mean acknowledging Eddie's presence.

"Can you at least say something, Harrington? You're freaking me out."

"I'm fine, Ed--Eddie." The nickname falls from his lips too easily. He doesn't miss how Eddie flinches.

His hair is long now, down to his shoulders, brittle looking in the cold. He's wearing a t-shirt and worn flannel, arms wrapped around his chest for warmth now that his jacket is draped over Steve's shoulders.

Steve is an idiot. He's such an idiot. Chasing after Nancy when Eddie is--

"I'm sorry," he says. He turns to face his soulmate, then. "I'm sorry about Nancy, I--"

Eddie jerks back like he's been hit. "Fuck you, Harrington," he snarls.

---

He sits in the back of an ambulance, eyes swollen shut, face throbbing. He's wearing a sailor suit for inexplicable reasons, which is almost more upsetting than the ambulance. He smells like puke and something toxically sweet.

A girl is with him, one he doesn't recognize, but he feels deeply, instinctively protective of her. He holds her shaking shoulders tight, tries to whisper comfort to her through his busted and bleeding mouth.

He's pretty sure he has a concussion.

"Steve!" Someone screams over the sounds of the EMTs and firefighters, of the building burning and collapsing behind them.

Eddie bursts through the gathered onlookers and past the ring of police cars enclosing them. He's falling into the ambulance before Steve has a chance to react.

"Sweetheart," Eddie sobs. He tries to cup Steve's face, but his fingers flutter around the damage. "Sweetheart, oh my god. I came as soon as I heard. Are you--what can I--"

Steve stares at him--his hair falling from its messy bun, his cutoff Metallica tee, concern and love leaking from those brown, brown eyes--and bursts into tears.

---

They sit on the roof of his house, sharing a joint back and forth. It's chilly, bordering on cold, winter just on the horizon. They're laughing, leaning into each other, and Steve is--he's happy. Elated. Could float away with it.

Robin--Robin-- is in the bathroom, or maybe in the kitchen for snacks, and it's just them for now. They're looking at each other, smiles wide, eyes bright.

They're taking it slow. Steve knows it's important, after what he did. They talked about it, his abandoning of Eddie for Nancy, chasing what his dad told him was normal and expected.

He doesn't want to cross any boundaries, wants to do this right. How Eddie deserves. But they're leaning into each other and they're smiling, and he's so in love. Intoxicated with it, lost.

In the end, he doesn't know who makes the first move, just that they're kissing and it's like coming home.

---

He's in a building, a shed or something. It's musty and dirty, smells like oil and gasoline and a building left closed up too long. Eddie's in his arms and he's talking through hiccuping sobs.

"I didn't save her, Steve. I didn't help. I just left her there! She was broken in pieces and I--I--"

Steve holds him close, tight, squeezes his eyes closed to stop his own tears from falling. He never wanted this for Eddie, never wanted him involved. Thought he could protect him from all of Hawkins's terrible things.

They aren't alone. Robin is there, coming up to hold Eddie too, plus a redheaded girl and curly haired boy he doesn't recognize.

"We'll figure this out, Eddie." The boy promises.

"We won't let anyone hurt you. We know you didn't murder Chrissy," the girl says.

---

Steve is in a world he doesn't understand, and Eddie is his arms. Eddie is in his arms, and there's blood everywhere. He's not awake, he's not--his heart beat is soft and slow, too slow, and his breathing stutters, and Steve can't--

"Baby, stay with me." He begs as he runs across the dead and rotting landscape. "Eddie, please. Wake up, okay? Wake up for me. I need to--I need to know that you're alright."

Eddie stays limp in his arms.

"Please," he begs. "You can't leave me. We promised, remember? We promised we'd be together forever. The rest of our lives. Me and You. Our six little nuggets. You promised."

The portal back to Hawkins is less than a dozen feet away, he's so close. Eddie gasps to consciousness, but his eyes are still hazy.

"Hi, sweetheart," he mumbles.

"Hey, hi, you're doing so good. We're almost out, okay? We're almost out and we'll get you to the hospital."

Eddie reaches out a weak hand, touches the edge of Steve's jaw. "Love you, Stevie," he whispers. "Glad you were mine."

He goes still in Steve's hold.

---

The images come faster now--

A hospital room at Hawkins General, Eddie hooked to machines. Steve holds hands with an older man. They wait in terrified silence

Eddie propped in a bed, a bunch of kids around him, Steve and Robin at his side. His eyes keep sliding to Steve, like he's making sure Steve's real, that he's still there

Their bodies tangled together in a bedroom Steve doesn't recognize

Steve down on one knee in a marble room lit only by black and red candles, Eddie standing in front of him

Hand-in-hand on a cliffside overlooking the ocean. The Chief of Police, Jim Hopper, stands in front of them with tears in his eyes and a beaming smile on his face

In a big, green yard behind a cozy little house. A little boy with Eddie's eyes and curls riding on his shoulders. Eddie sprinting around with a tiny girl giggling after him, perfect imitation of the King Steve hair-do on her tiny head

In a park, surrounded by family and friends. Steve has a little bit of a paunch and wears glasses. Eddie's hair streams around his shoulders, going grey at the temples. There's a banner strung between trees proclaiming 'Happy 20th Steve and Eddie!' They're surrounded by everyone they love and it's perfect

---

The images flash too fast for Steve to catalog after that, seconds-long glimpses of a shared future, and then he's back in his body in the hallway of Hawkins Middle, still holding too tight onto Eddie's arms.

Eddie rears back, face pale and terrified, and Steve is too shocked to do anything but let him go.

Tommy's yelling, but Steve only has eyes for his soulmate, who scrambles to his feet and throws himself down the hall away from them.

"What the hell, Harrington? Why'd you catch him? That was about to be funny as hell! I bet he'd have broken his nose--you ruined it!"

Steve isn't listening. He's trying to hold on to the memories of their life together, the ones that are already fading.

The last thing he remembers is that, sometime in the not-too-distant future, he'll find his way to the band room, Eddie Munson, and the rest of their lives.

[blushweddinggowns]

“Your boyfriend,” Chirssy sighed as she picked through Nancy’s clothes, “Y’know, Steve?”

Robin blinked at her, “You think I’m dating Steve?”

That was a silly question, “Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I? You guys are all over each other.”

They were. Piggy back rides, cuddling on the couch together, constantly invading each other’s personal space. The only person worse with Steve was Eddie, but Chrissy figured that just came with being best friends for over a decade. She didn’t exactly have a frame of reference for that, considering her first real friends were barely six months old. 

Chrissy just hadn’t expected Robin to burst out laughing. Hard enough to double over.

Robin wiped at her eyes, barely managing to speak through her own cackles, “That’s-oh my god. How have we fucked up this badly?” 

Chrissy could feel a flush creep up her neck, embarrassment kicking in. She hated when she wasn’t in on the joke. It usually meant that it was actually on her,  “Don't be mean.”

“No!” Robin rushed out to say, effortlessly catching on to the look on Chrissy’s face, “No! I-I don’t mean- you’re not stupid! I am. We are. For… reasons. But we aren’t dating.”

That didn’t make any sense. Unless… was Steve leading her on? Was he the type of guy to do that?

Chrissy raised a brow at her, “So what are you doing? The two of you are attached at the hip. Unless he just drives you around everywhere for fun?”

Chrissy could tell Robin was still trying not to laugh. She was failing at it too, obvious as she hid it behind her hand. 

“Stop laughing at me,” Chrissy grumbled. 

“I’m not! I’m just laughing near you,” Robin said quickly. She turned to Steve, “Hey babe, can you come over here for a second?”

He came trotting right over, leaving Eddie to argue with Nancy in his place. He kind of reminded her of a dog, but in a cute way. Like a golden retriever boyfriend. 

Robin wrapped an arm around his shoulder the second he was within reach. She grinned at him, shaking him the slightest bit, “How would you feel about us going out some time?”

Steve stared at her, obviously confused, “Huh?”

“You, me,” Robin went on, “The whole boyfriend girlfriend shtick. What do you say?”

Chrissy didn’t expect to Steve physically cringe, like the idea completely disgusted him, “Ew, no.”

Robin scoffed but she didn’t look very surprised, “Fucking rude.”

“No!” Steve said, raising his hands to placate, “I don’t mean you’re gross! I mean it would be like banging my sister!”

It was Robin’s turn to cringe, “Dude, ew.”

“See!”

Chrissy didn’t understand what was happening. She stared at them, blurting the question out, “You guys aren’t together?”

Robin did a set of jazz hands, “Nope. Absolutely zero attraction between us. See?”

“But why?” Chrissy asked, looking between the two of them, “You both seem so perfect for each other.”

“Hey Eddie,” Steve called, a weird smile on his face, “What do you think? Are Robin and I perfect for each other?”

Suddenly Robin had that same look, “Yeah. He knows Steve better than anybody. Let's have him weigh in.”

Eddie groaned as he came over, clearly eavesdropping the entire time. He left Nancy to dig around her closet, walking up next to Steve with a sigh, “Are we really doing this? Really?”

Robin gasped, faking a faint, “Are you implying that I’m not good enough for Steve?”

Steve gasped right along with her, joining in with the dramatics while Chrissy was still lost, “I think he might be.”

“As fun as this little game is,” Eddie sighed, “I think we should just tell her. I’m tired of keeping my hands to myself anyway.”

Steve looked at him, head cocked, “You think so?”

“Why not?”

Steve shrugged, his eyes landing back onto Chrissy. His voice dipped down, more serious then before. He was talking like he was speaking to Eddie, but Eddie wasn’t the one he was staring down as he spoke, “It makes sense. I think the chances of it going badly are pretty low. The alternative wouldn’t be very wise.”

Chrissy was reminded, not for the first time, why she thought Steve was the scarier one of the best friend duo. 

But then Eddie was clamping a hand onto Steve’s shoulder, pulling him closer as he mumbled in his ear, “Put the claws away angel. I highly doubt she's like that. Plus she's been through enough for one day. Don't you think?”

It was actually pretty impressive, how easily a few words had Steve’s face transforming from scarily defensive to pleasantly neutral. It nearly looked like the words made him shiver, “I-you're right. Sorry Chris. I'm just… sensitive about it “

“I have no idea what’s going on,” Chrissy said, completely unable to accept an apology that she didn’t understand, “What is happening?”

And what did Eddie just call him? 

Eddie went on, “Well… we kind of have this thing when we’re in a near death experience. Or at least adjacent to it. Where we, well, kind of let loose? So we might as well warn you about what you’re going to see beforehand.”

Chrissy stared as Steve leaned further into him, nearly too close. No, definitely too close. He was basically nuzzling the side of Eddie’s face as he spoke, “You’re making it sound like we’re going to commit public indecency in front of her. And I’m the one who needs to calm down?”

Chrissy still didn’t get it. But her brain was still trying to work it out, fitting the weird pieces together. The way they were leaning into each other. The fact that Steve, for some bizarre reason didn’t want the best girl in the country, despite the fact that Robin was right there. How Eddie was instantly able to calm him down. 

Angel.

Oh. 

Oh. 

OH. 

“Uh, you okay there Chris?” Eddie asked, watching right at the realization hit her.

She was not okay. Not because of Eddie and Steve, but because this meant Robin was single. And she had been the entire damn time. 

Chrissy shook herself out of the stupid thought, just because she wasn’t taken didn’t mean she had a chance-

“Yeah, we’re kind of the queer trio over here,” Robin added, effortlessly grinding Chrissy’s train of thought back to a halt, “I um, probably should have told you sooner but piggybacking on their coming out seems appropriate.”

Nancy snorted, her outfit choices formalized as she walked over, “If you’re the queer trio what does that make me? The straight fourth wheel?”

They were all talking about it so casually. Like the thing that has plagued Chrissy’s mind for years, filling her with guilt and doubt, didn’t matter. It was normal, it was fine, and Robin liked girls.

She was pretty sure she was going to faint. But before she could her mouth was opening, “That’s- I - Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!”

Her voice came out more forceful than she expected. Though in her defense, she just found out that she had a real shot with her best friend the same day her life was in danger. She was feeling frazzled, but she corrected herself when she was met with silence, “I-I’m fine with it! Really! I j-just wish I had known.”

Nancy looked at her sympathetically, “Did you have a crush on one of them too? I get it, Steve got me the first time we started getting close. But I promise it’s not that hard to get over it.”

“No!” Chrissy said quickly, again with too much force, “I’m just surprised. T-That’s it. Everything’s fine.”

“Think you got the wrong category there Nance,” Steve mumbled under his breathe, yelping when Robin pinched his arm with a sharp glare. 

“Ignore him,” Robin said with a sad smile, “He doesn’t get everyone doesn’t have the gay gene.”

Chrissy nodded, her eyes trailing the flush that was going up Robin’s neck. Suddenly her mouth felt dry, the urge to correct her coming out full force. She shouldn’t tell them, right? It was wrong, it was bad, it didn't make sense. Because she knew they weren’t wrong. They weren’t bad. And Chrissy was so, so, tired of other people’s words invading her own thoughts. 

Nancy was laying the clothes out, the only one capable of getting everyone back on task, “Since it looks like neither of you were actually looking. I picked these out for you-”

“I have it,” Chrissy blurted out, her eyes still on the clothes on the bed. She refused to look up for any of their reactions, “The um, what you guys were talking about earlier. Me too. And I like the blue skirt.”

Nancy was the only one who didn’t miss a beat, “Ah, so now there’s four. Good for you. And I agree with the skirt, it will make you look a little taller with the heels and the elongation. We can get you to pass for a college student for sure. Robin, what do you think about the pink?”

from the next chapter of this fic

[beady-eyed-munson]

Eddie royal/medieval fantasy au

Noah Jupe in Penny Dreadful

[jaebeomsbitch]

Cherry Lips (E.M)

Pt II: in progress

Summary: Your childhood best friend steps up when your baby daddy skips town. Eddie had been with you through all stages of life, what's helping you through motherhood? Or Eddie Munson sucks out a clogged milk duct when you're in pain and eventually you finally sleep together

Pairing: Bestfriend! Eddie x Single Mom! Reader

Warnings: MINORS DNI, Titty sucking

A/N: Inspired by a reddit thread that I currently cannot find. Will update with link when I do. Smut next chapter!

You were knocked up by some stranger, a piece of shit who ran away as soon as you told him your one night stand ended in this, in the sweet baby girl. Luckily for you, your best friend Eddie was there every step of the way. He held you while you cried holding the pee stick, fuck he drove you to get it. He took you to every appointment, you eventually got tired of correcting the nurses that he wasn’t the father. 

You’d known Eddie for a long time. You were stuck at the hip since fifth grade, you can’t really pinpoint the day you became friends it just kind of happened. Your parents suspected he was your boyfriend, he was met with raised eyebrows when you first introduced him to your parents. After months of seeing you interact they grew maybe less suspicious or more like there was some unrequited love there. He looked at you like you were the sun in the sky and the waves in the ocean. You’d never really noticed or maybe you ignored it and Eddie was always too much of a coward to bring it up. Eventually the time passed where it became too awkward for him to say something…Say it, say anything really. You were friends for too long for him to finally come out with it so, he repressed those feelings. 

He slept around but never had a real girlfriend. Not that he didn’t want it, who doesn't want to have a partner? Who doesn't want to be beloved? His heart ached every time he saw you. Anytime he tried to date they didn’t want you around. They were always suspicious of you, of the way you touched him, the way you laughed around him but most importantly the way he looked at you. 

He held your hand as you gave birth to her, he yelled at your grip like the drama queen he is. His bangs stuck to his forehead with sweat, his mouth nervously spilling out words. What words? Mostly gibberish with a bit of praise about how well you were doing. You couldn’t really internalize whatever the fuck was going on. You just wanted the pain to end, whoever said childbirth was a miracle… it was a miracle anyone fucking did it. But this was your cross to bear, you wanted nothing more to be a mother even if it meant this. If it meant you needed stitches to hold you together, even if you felt bloated, and you didn't sleep most nights. 

Eddie was a godsend, he didn’t need to step up. He was your best friend not the father, the father was somewhere in florida fucking anything with a hole, probably fucking up some other girls life. But Eddie was here, he practically moved in when you found out you were pregnant. He started working overtime and put a downpayment on a house. Eddie… your Eddie the guy who promised to leave Hawkins and never return to this shitty town took on a thirty year mortgage. He refused your money when you wanted to pay rent, said he needed to move out of Wayne’s a long time ago. He didn’t know you were secretly putting money into the principal loan every month as rent. 

He was there and you didn’t know how to feel about it. You loved him for as long as you could remember. A deep rooted seed of love in your heart was planted there since the first day you met him. Since that awkward, too loud, lanky boy bumped into you in the hallway. Your heart ached, it was agonizing. Maybe if you were a different person, if you weren’t so afraid of commitment things would be different. Maybe if you weren’t a coward this would be his baby. A part of you knew though, knew that he saw your beautiful baby as his. You saw it in the way he held her after she was born, the way his dimples adorned his face as he cooed at her, and the way he loaded her in the car checking the seatbelt eight times to make sure she was secure. 

He’d wake up in the middle of the night and change her when you were too tired. He’d come home tired and hold her to give you a break. You can still remember the day you built the nursery. He went with you to the supply store to help pick out the paint, his hand on your back as you argued about which color to paint the walls. The guy working the paint station looked at you both with a bored expression. It all felt too domestic, it felt normal. You couldn’t pinpoint why but you could pinpoint that dull throb in your heart when he mockingly told you wanted to paint the walls with piss because you wanted yellow. Eventually you both decided on white, Eddie got his way. He’d read in a manual that white was productive for babies… How? You didn’t fucking know but you couldn’t argue with him when he looked at you with those big chocolate eyes and pulled you around the store gently, his hand never leaving the small of your back. 

Every night a piece of you feels broken… more like something is missing. Like there’s a tug in your heart and it leads eight feet to the wall on your right. To those ugly gray sheets and black comforter. You pad around the kitchen as she sleeps. You try and make yourself some quick dinner before she wakes up for her meal. There’s a throb in your breast, they feel tender and swollen, something that isn’t unusual but something feels wrong. They ache and feel tight, just as you turn off the stove and grasp the counter Eddie walks in. 

“Honey I’m home~~” He sing songs quietly.

“Eds” You whisper harshly trying not to crumple into a heap as you grip your tender breast. You can hear the thuds of his work boots stomping towards you. 

“What’s wrong?” He says in a panicked voice watching your head hung down in pain. 

“I- I don’t know. It hurts” You say, trying not to cry. You couldn’t freak out right now.

“Where, where does it hurt sweetheart?” He whispers, eyes wide and full of anxiety. His hands reach for you, touching you all over trying to find the source as you gasp for air. The sharp pains in your breast only getting worse. 

“My breast hurt s’bad” You silently cry, your knuckles turning white as you grip the counter harder. 

“Woah,” He says, holding you as you sway, the pain becoming increasingly unbearable like a water balloon about to pop. 

“We have to go to the hospital, somethings not right Eds” You say looking up at him, your nails digging into his forearm. 

“Your breast hurts? I- I read something in the manual about this” He says hurriedly, watching as you tremble. 

“I think I can make it better. I think you've got a clogged milk duct. Fuck sweetheart, okay. I- I have to suck on your nipple,” He says, holding you closer to him bearing your weight. 

“W-what?” You ask, maybe you just hallucinated that. 

“Yes, women have their husbands suck the blockage out all the time. Trust me, It’ll make you feel better and if it doesn't work we’re rushing towards the hospital” He almost pleads as he watches your face scrunch up with pain. 

“Okay, j-just do it” You say, the pain increases more and more. You let of your breast as he lifts you onto the counter, one of his hands on your waist and the other quickly bringing your shirt down. He was used to seeing your breasts because you liked to breast feed but this was different. You can’t even think about it because his lips are engulfing your nipple and he's sucking hard. Your hand comes up to tangle in his hair, holding him in place. The pain hurts so bad, it feels like it's shooting into your skin but also like it could pop like an overinflated balloon. Groans leave your mouth, your fingers pulling at his scalp as he continues to suck on your nipple. Small tears leave the corner of your eyes squeezed shut. 

Finally a floodgate opens and the pain starts to slowly subside. The feeling of his lips around your breast becomes a little more apparent, you blink your eyes open as he pops off your breast. 

“Did it work?” He asks, his lips covered in saliva as some of your breast milk dribbles out. 

“Thank you,” You say, voice cracking as you feel the pain fading away. Your hands not leaving his hair. You become acutely aware of the way his thumb is comfortingly brushing your waist. 

“It’s okay, you’re alright now,” He says softly, wiping the tears away. He looks down for a second before covering you back up. You stay there for a second, his hips slotted in between your legs, your fingers in his hair, and his thumb dragging across your waist. Eventually you let go of his hair, maybe you realized the position you’re in. Eddie clears his throat, stepping back from you, “You okay? We can still go to the hospital and get you checked out” He says, those big puppy eyes looking at you with concern. 

“I’m okay now, thank you for… uhm doing that” You say, your cheeks painted with a blush as you feel your blood run up towards your cheeks. 

“No problem. Just let me know if you feel it again and I’ll help, okay? Don’t feel embarrassed” He gives you a small smile. Without you asking he helps you off the counter, his strong hands holding your hips as he places you down on the floor. He says something about needing a shower as he leaves to his room, stopping by to check up on the baby. 

You stay frozen, your knees weak at your interaction. Eddie was so effortlessly sweet, he’d spent months reading every baby manual he could find in the library. Anytime he was out of town he’d pick up a new one trying to find every tip and trick to help you. Your heart pounds in your chest as you try to return to make dinner. Your thoughts full of Eddie, of the grip he had on you. How would his calloused fingers feel on your skin? How would his tongue feel against your sensitive nipples when you weren’t in pain? Fuck, no don’t imagine your best friend like this. He wasn’t your anything, he was just helping. 

You have dinner with Eddie, he tells you about all the new work gossip like nothing ever happened thirty minutes ago. Not that anything did happen, it wasn’t like he fucked you on that counter. No matter how many times you’ve imagined it before, especially the night he brought you here the first time… You were getting sidetracked again. You can’t help but notice the crinkles in his eyes as he laughs about something that happened at the shop or the way his hands move wildly as he tries to speak quietly. That is until there's a cry in the nursery, without taking a second glance at you he paces towards the room scooping up your daughter. You walk into the room watching as he rocks her “Shhh shhh, I’m right here honey. It’s okay” He soothes. 

“I think the little munchkin is hungry,” he coos in a baby voice turning towards you. You walk closer to them and grab her, she’s already suckling on the fabric of your shirt before you can pull it down. 

“Wow, we got an eager girl” Eddie laughs. We. You chuckle pulling down your shirt and adjusting her so she can latch on. Eddie looks away, “Need company?” He asks as you sit down on your nursing chair, he hands you a pillow to rest your arms on. 

“No it’s okay you’re probably tired. Get some rest” You say looking up at him. 

“But I haven’t seen my little pumpkin all day,” he pouts, fingers wiggling towards her. 

“Eds really, you don’t have to. You had a long day at work,” You say feeling guilty for relying on him so much. He waves his hand pulling up a seat and sitting down. 

“I want to hang out,” He says, yawning. You can see how tired he is, the way he’s already started trying to blink the sleep away but Eddie is stubborn. He sits there watching you both for a second but his eyelids get heavier and heavier until he falls asleep in the chair. You try to nudge him awake but he doesn’t wake. It isn’t until she’s finished eating and you've burped her that you are able to stand and wake him up. Your hand gentle on his shoulder as you shake him. 

“Eds, Eddie, time for bed,” You say softly. He groans, slowly cracking his eyes open, you caress his face, “Time for bed.” He nods his head, standing up at a snail's pace. He puts a kiss on her forehead and then yours before he stumbles into his room and crashes onto his bed. You stand there stunned, Eddie was affectionate sure but he’d never kissed your forehead. He was sleep deprived, that’s all that it was. Guilt gnaws at you, knowing he’s so tired because of you. Because his heart is too big and he’ll do everything in his power to help you even when he doesn’t have to. 

You spend some time getting her to settle down and fall asleep again before you leave the room. Your hand hesitates over the phone. It was late, like really late but you needed to tell someone how you felt. God, maybe you needed a therapist. Your fingers work over the buttons, you press the receiver to your ear as it rings, it doesn't click until almost the last ring. 

“Hello?” A sleepy voice says. 

“Robin, fuck sorry for calling so late,” You whisper. 

“No, it’s alright. I haven’t heard from you in a week. I was starting to get worried, "she says. 

“Rob… something fucking weird happened today,” You say, your heart pounding in your chest as you keep glancing over to his bedroom. 

“Oh my god is she okay? Do you want me to drive over there? I’m getting my bag,” She says frantically. 

“Robin, she’s completely healthy. Calm down,” You say in a hushed tone. 

“Oh thank God,” She breathes out. “What happened?” she asks curious as to why you’re calling her almost near midnight. You always called on her during the day. 

“Today… I guess I had a clogged milk duct and I didn’t know but that shit hurt like a mother fucker a-and…God this is so embarrassing,” You groan as silently as you can, not that Eddie could hear, he’s a very heavy sleeper except when it came to your baby’s cries. 

“Oh my god, this sounds juicy. Spill it out, bitch,” She says.

“Eddie sucked on it until it got unclogged” You whispered hurriedly. 

“WHAT,” Robin yells over the receiver. 

“Shh- shut the fuck up you’re gonna blow my ear drum out,” You say biting your nail. Your eyes keep flicking towards his bedroom like you're doing something you’re not supposed to. 

“Holy shit give me the play by play… Actually–. God I just know this is one of your depraved fantasies,” She laughs loudly. 

“Hardy har, I should give you a comedian of the year award. But… He literally pulled me onto the counter, whipped it out and started sucking like it was a normal thing to do. I was in so much pain I didn’t have time to freak out but I’m kind of freaking the fuck out,” You whisper.

“I do deserve an award. So you’re telling me he manhandled you and helped you… Girl that sounds like your wet dream. Weren't you always talking about–” Robin says.

“Shut the fuck up, this is serious! He acted normal when we had dinner but like… I mean he sucked my titty. Is that not supposed to be weird? Like it’s weird right?” You start pacing the kitchen. 

“Or are you making it weird? I think you’re overthinking it. Unless there's something else isn’t there? You like him, I mean everyone in fucking Hawkins thinks he’s your baby daddy anyway. What happened… Oh my god did you like it you dirty dog?” She gasps. 

“Yes, fine okay I sort of liked it and there was this moment,” You hush hurriedly. 

“A moment?” Robin is intrigued

“He didn't move after he helped. He was rubbing my hip until he knew I was okay, he asked me like forty times, and then he pulled me off the counter. Fuck and then he did the thing” You groan. 

“The thing?”

“He fucking went after the baby as soon as she started crying like it was out of instinct. Fuck Rob… I’m in too deep,” You sigh. 

“You wanna hear my opinion?” Robin says, you hum in response. 

“He’s had a massive fucking crush on you since like forever ago. Everyone can see it, he looks at you like you're the next coming of Jesus Christ,” She says

“No he doesn’t,” You immediately deflect. 

“Are you actually serious? He fucking bought a house for you. Eddie Munson, the guy who despises Hawkins, bought a house… for you. He comes home and takes care of your baby, he spends his days off with you two. When was the last time he’s even had a fling? Fucking two years ago? That man is in love with you, you’re just in denial and he’s just a coward,” She rips into you. 

“But what if he isn’t Rob? What if I tell him and he- he doesn't feel the same? I couldn’t live here anymore, fuck I couldn’t even look at him. I- I don’t know I’m just so fucking scared of losing him….” You feel the tears in your eyes spring forward. 

“Hey, hey no one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to tell him but I’m glad you finally admitted it. I just want you to know that I’m a thousand percent sure he’s fucking more than head over heels for you. He’s like stupidly in love with you… You could have the dream life. The white picket fence, the husband, you know the whole shebang if you just told him.” She sighs. 

“I don’t know Rob. I need him in my life, I can’t fuck this up. He’s like the sun and I’m just some shitty little weed that’ll wilt and die if he’s gone,” You say, trying to get rid of the tightness in your throat. 

“Hey you are not a fucking weed. You are a fucking Magnolia, this huge tree full of love and life. Don’t sell yourself short or I will drive the ten hours there and personally kick your ass,” She scolds. 

“How does one impersonally kick someone's ass?” You laugh. Robin always knew how to make you feel better.

“Don’t change the subject. Now you have to confess your sins. Since when did you start liking him?” She asks like you’re still in high school. 

“Ugh you’re annoying. Uhh… I don’t know I think I always did but it became like a thing in sixth grade. We were at this stupid party, I don’t know why my parents let me go. It was just like a bunch of tweens jacked up on soda playing spin the bottle and seven minutes in heaven and I had to kiss some random guy. I kept wishing, praying, hoping it landed on him and it kind of clicked. God and he was so fucking weird looking back then too. Like his arms were too long for his torso,” You laugh. 

“Oh? You’ve been holding out. Now I gotta see some photos of you two back then,” Robin laughs imagining how Eddie looked back then. 

“I was worse, I was going through a weird bangs combed over phase and I had these big chunky glasses. Ugh I don’t even want to think about it,” You groan. Then there's a cry in the nursery, “Shit I gotta go. I’ll talk to you tom- today and you can catch me up on your date. Alright byeeee,” You rush. You hear a faint “Bye” as you put the phone on the hook and walk back towards the nursery.

[missjashin]

It’s been some time and Dustin and Steve go to see Wayne. Maybe he is moving out of Hawkins and they go to help with packing or maybe they just wanna check on him and he is reminiscing Eddie. Either way he has punch of old photos out. School photos, birthdays, first concerts, various different types from different ages.

One photo really catches Steve’s eye tho. It’s a group photo from the early 70s, taken in the summer. Steve asks Wayne “Why do you have this?”, seemingly little shocked and bewildered by the photo. Wayne looks at the photo and smiles telling it was taken in a summer camp Eddie once went. “That’s my boy” Wayne tells pointing one kid among the others. Dustin also looks at the photo and smiles. It seems like a good and happy memory.

So Wayne and Dustin get little puzzled when they hear choked sob coming from Steve. He is trying to hold it together but not really succeeding, his hands in his hair pulling so hard it can’t be comfortable. Just walking away from them now, fighting the tears. Rather weird and strong reaction for a mere summer camp photo, especially coming from Steve… Till you take a little closer look at the photo.

Because yes, with his buzz cut hair and thousand watt smile there’s little Eddie. Little Eddie who has his arm over another kid’s shoulder, pulling closer a little boy with a sweet smile, chestnut hair and tiny moles dotted on his face.

[xspeter]

soon :)

[steddieas-shegoes]

bear hugs - prologue

part of the @steddiebang2024 | rated e | part 1 of 12

prologue - pregame warmups

Steve Harrington had to give it to his parents; They really knew how to capitalize on their son’s talents. He had no interest in sports until his dad took him to a Chicago Blackhawks game and suddenly it was all hockey, all the time. He begged to stay up watching every game, even on school nights, citing the fact that he had to watch to be the best player ever. He spent three to four nights a week at the rink in Learn to Play lessons, quickly followed by player clinics. On his first day on a real team, one of the coaches noticed his flexibility and immediately convinced his parents to let him try goalie. He never looked back. At only seven, Steve was the best goalie in his team’s division, which wasn’t saying much, but definitely made his parents and coaches proud. He was the goalie none of the other teams wanted to face. Their kids just couldn’t score on him. When he was 11, and starting to play in extremely competitive spaces, his team welcomed a backup goalie. Steve got jealous of Eddie Munson immediately. He was good. Maybe even better than Steve when he actually tried, which meant Steve had direct competition for ice time. They switched every other game, which was normal on travel teams and professional teams alike, but Steve fucking hated it. What if scouts came to a game where Eddie was in net instead of him? What if he lost more games than Eddie? Eddie didn’t even have his own equipment, how was he supposed to play on AAA teams next year? All it took for Steve to get the hell over himself was Eddie taking a puck to the head in practice and he realized that there could and should be space for both of them. The goalie shortage was real, and both of them were good enough to make it as far as the NHL. Steve sat with Eddie through his concussion evaluation, ignoring the coaches insisting that he would be fine and Steve shouldn’t miss out on practice. He watched as the rink trainer looked in his eyes, made sure he could move his extremities, and asked him basic questions about himself. It was terrifying to know that all it took was a puck hitting his helmet just right to bench him for two weeks. Steve figured he’d love being the starter for that entire time, but all he could think about was how Eddie should be sharing this spot with him. Eddie didn’t let it get him down; Still standing at the glass behind Steve for every game, banging some unknown drum pattern every time he made a good save, giving him a thumbs up if he happened to let one in. When he got back, they were inseparable.

continue reading on ao3

[medusapelagia]

15 The summer camp

written for @steddieangstyaugust (prompt: Childhood) and @augustwritingchallenge (Prompt: secretly alien ) Rating: teen and up Relationship: Steve/Eddie TW: implied violence Words: 1912

Eddie fucking hated the summer.

Yes, fucking, even if that was a bad word, and Wayne would be really disappointed in Eddie but it wasn't his fault if it was the third year Wayne sent him to the stupid summer camp with the stupid kids of the stupid plant for two entire weeks.

Eddie was twelve, he was old enough that he could have stayed home alone, but no, Wayne signed him up for the stupid camp, again. Eddie cried and screamed, he even begged and promised to eat all his greens and not play loud music by night, but nothing convinced Wayne. 

So here he is, sitting in the back of the stupid bus, alone, with his tape player to the maximum volume just to piss Wayne off. He always says that he's going to ruin his hearing blasting music so loudly, but Eddie doesn't care. It's the only way to isolate himself from those mouth breathers.

They all have the same age, more or less, the younger is Jonathan. who is ten, the oldest is Eddie, who is going to be twelve in a couple of months, and in Wayne's opinion that should be enough to have fun. It's definitely not. All those kids wear fancy clothes their moms buy for them at the mall, while Eddie is always wearing second-hand clothes way too big because Wayne says he'll grow into them. So right now he's wearing a very sick Metallica t-shirt that's way too big for him, and a pair of jeans cuffed so many times he lost count.

As soon as they get there the camp counselors are going to divide them into units, or Dens, and Eddie will try to do his best to find a place where to hide and avoid any kind of physical activity the counselors will propose. No swimming, no rafting, no riding, no archery. He has enough books in his backpack to keep busy for the entire duration of the Summer camp.

***

When they arrive, the same smiling faces welcome them. Eddie wonders if it's possible that in three years none of those young men graduated and got a real job. So pathetic. He grabs his bag and waits for the same stupid rituals that will divide the kids into two different groups, when he notices a tiny boy, half hidden behind a tree. He doesn’t remember him from the bus and he’s wearing some clothes that are way too big. His jeans are dirt at the knees like he felt playing through the woods. 

And he’s not the only one to notice him. Andy is pointing at him, grinning with his stupid minions, while four-eyes Alex finally turns and sees the dirty boy.

“Hey, you. Why are you hiding? We are all friends here. I’m Alex, and I’m going to be your counselor. Can you tell me your name?”

The boy seems unsure for a moment, but in the end, he mutters, “Steve.” in the softest voice Eddie has ever heard. 

Alex grabs his name list, reading the names one by one two times before finally finding the boy.

“Steve found you! Our latest addition, huh? Did your parents leave you here alone?”

Steve nods quietly.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, they probably thought we were already here, but don’t worry! We are going to have so much fun together this summer." Alex promises, putting a hand on the kid's back and gently pushing him toward the rest of the group.

"Ok, everyone, this is Steve. It's his first year here with us at the Hideout Camp, so give him a warm welcome."

A choir of Hi, Steve, fills the air, while the kid tries to put up a strong face, but Eddie can see tears in his eyes.

Fuck. Those kids are going to tear him into pieces in no time.

Alex and Jacob start to divide the kids into two groups, and Andy, the son of the plant's HR Director, keeps grinning, pointing at Steve. Eddie knows that he's planning some stupid and dangerous prank because he has been his victim in the past years, so when Eddie is assigned to the Moose Den and Andy to the Teddy one, Eddie decides that maybe, for once, he could care about someone else, so the steps toward Steve and shakes his hand, "Hi, do you want to join my Den? I'm in the Moose one and it's very cool."

It isn't. They both suck, but at least Andy isn't there.

Steve turns toward Alex, unsure, but four-eyes winks at him, "It doesn't happen often that someone asks you to join their Den, Steve. It's a great honor."

"Ok. Well. Thank you. I'll join your Den." Steve replies softly, and Eddie doesn't lose any time and drags him far away from Andy.

As soon as they are far enough from Alex, Eddie whispers, to Steve’s ear “Ok. So. Andy is a prick. Stay away from him and you’ll be fine.” 

He doesn’t wait for a reply, he just walks to the end of the line, waiting to get to the last bunk where he could hide and read all the books he wants for the next two weeks, but when he turns the annoying kid is at his side, smiling brightly.

“I’m Steve.”

“Yeah, I know.” Eddie snarls back, not interested in the latest.

“You should tell me your name." Steve insists.

"Why should I? What are you? A cop?"

"No, I’m not." Steve replies, scared, staring at Eddie with his huge doe eyes, “I’m just a kid.

"If I tell you my name will you just fuck off?" Steve nods, eagerly, so Eddie sighs, and turning his back he adds, "Eddie."

"That's a nice name."

"No, it isn't. It's a shit name. Now can you leave me be?"

"But… you asked me to join your Den!" Steve protests.

"Only to save you from Andy. Now you know you have to avoid him so we can part ways." Eddie replies, grabbing his backpack and following Alex toward their bungalow. He doesn't turn to see if Steve is following as well, it's none of his business, or so he thinks, until he feels a sweaty little hand taking his and he finds Steve smiling brightly at him.

"We are going to be best friends."

Fuck.

This Summer Camp is going to be hell.

***

Even if it’s his first year at the summer camp, Steve seems to outshine in every game or activity the counselors propose to them: archery, obstacle course, climbing, Steve attends every activity and is always the best, and what's worse, it's that he's always dragging Eddie with him. When Eddie protests that he's not strong enough for the canoe, Steve makes sure they are on the same one and does his best to row for the both of them. And when he complains that he doesn’t want to play water balloon dodgeball, Steve hits him first and Eddie starts running to get his revenge.

At the end of the day, they are tired but happy when the counselor gathers them all around the campfire to share some horror stories.

No, Eddie isn’t happy. He’s living a nightmare. Two weeks are almost gone and Eddie hardly finished one of his books, because every time he hides somewhere Steve tracks him down like a fucking bloodhound and drags him somewhere to do something.

“Why are you always so eager to do stuff!” Eddie complains, resting on the grass, and staring at the sky.

“There are so many things to do! And I want to learn them all! I’m not going to have a lot of time to learn and we are going to leave soon.”

“You live in town, huh? That must be cool” Eddie comments, ripping a blade of grass and starting whistling with it. At the sound, Steve covers his ears, shaking his head, and for a brief moment, Eddie could swear he saw a tail. An honest to god tail! Slim and thin like a mouse tail, but still a tail!

“Steve?!” Eddie asks, looking at him worriedly, but Steve keeps covering his face with his hands.

“Why did you do that?” Steve cries.

“I’m sorry, I was just whistling, I didn’t know you didn’t like it. I won’t whistle anymore,” Eddie promises, throwing away the blade of grass.

“Never again?”

“Never again,” Eddie confirms, and Steve slowly lowers his hands.

“Steve…” Eddie asks while they walk back toward the kitchen to have lunch with the others, “Do you… do you have a tail?” 

Eddie isn’t a scientist but he knows humans have no tails. Still. He saw Steve’s tail.

The other boy looks at him, his eyes wide with terror while he bites his lower lip, “Why are you asking?”

“I think I saw a tail when you covered your ears.”

“A tail? Does little Steve have a tail? Let's check!” Andy says, grabbing Steve's pants and trying to strip him in front of everyone.

“Let me go! Let me go!” Steve cries, kicking and screaming, but Andy and his friends have almost immobilized him.

“Stupid prick! Let Steve go!” Eddie yells, biting Andy’s arm. He will be kicked out of the camp but he doesn’t give a fuck. Steve is his friend and he won’t let anyone hurt him! But they are two against five, and there’s no way Eddie can manage to free Steve. Maybe if he ran toward the kitchen he could ask a counselor’s help. 

Eddie doesn’t even have the time to make a plan that the slim pink tail appears once more and this time it grabs Andy’s ankle making him fall on the ground, then it yanks another boy until Steve is finally free and standing, moving his tail like a whip, threatening the boys to get closer.

“Steve?” Eddie calls, confused, and when the chestnut boy turns his eyes are big and wide, and his skin is a grayish color.

“Steve?” Eddie calls again.

“I’m sorry Eddie. My parents sent me here to learn how to survive your world.”

“In my world? What the hell are you saying?!”

Steve doesn’t have time to reply because a bright light starts to shine above them and when Eddie lifts his eyes a flying saucer is standing above them.

“What’s going on?” Eddie asks, confused and terrified.

“Those are my parents. They came to take me away.” Steve replies, grabbing Eddie’s hand, “But don’t worry. We’ll meet again. I promise. Just… don’t whistle around me, ok?” the kid asks and then he disappears.

***

Years have passed since Eddie’s encounter with an alien, that’s what he’s convinced it was.

None at the camp did remember Steve when Eddie came back and even if he did numerous research about the mysterious boy or other alien appearances he never managed to find proof that it wasn’t just a kid's dream.

In the meantime, Eddie has become a writer, and most of his books are sci-fi books about a hero alien called: Steve.

He’s mindlessly signing some copy of his last novel, the same script with everyone, “Hey, thank you for coming. What’s your name?” and then writing the same custom dedication, “To (insert name). Thank you for being with me during this new adventure.”

Kimberly, Jonathan, Francis, one name after the other Eddie writes the same sentence over and over until a familiar voice makes him finally lift his head.

“Steve. Name is Steve.” 

[beady-eyed-munson]

Wayne cooking little Eddie's food in alittle extra butter because the poor boy was so skinny when first got him

[carolperkinsexgirlfriend]

Steddie Upside-Down AU Part 111

Part 1 Part 110

Steve twitches through his morning classes. Something had flipped within him when he’d wrapped his pinkie around Eddie’s and Eddie shook his hand like that would amplify the promise. The trepidation had fled as he’d looked up into Eddie’s trusting face. Now he’s excited. 

He wants to tell Carol first, always. Steve needs her colorful commentary to make this all feel real.

Each class seems to tick on longer than the last. Lunch should be a relief, but they’re not alone. Carol waggles her eyes at him, making pointed head tilts toward Eddie that Steve hopes he misses. Steve kicks her under the table and makes conversation with Doug, determined to ignore her for the rest of the break.

Steve considers skipping his next class, but that’ll only make the minutes stretch longer as he hides away, waiting for Carol to be free. 

So he stays, staring at the clock, barely cognizant of what class he’s in, much less what the teacher’s saying. Barbara would not be impressed. 

Steve’s the first one out of the room when the bell rings. He rushes to the library, where he knows Carol will be heading. 

Steve’s just glad her study hall lines up with gym; Tommy’s bound to be more hostile than usual, and Steve wouldn’t mind giving him another day or two of space before he has to see him again. 

The halls are crowded as people rush to their next class before the bell rings. Steve misses her approach in the crowd as she’s dwarfed by everyone around her, but luckily, she’s not one to miss a chance to bitch.

“Are you going to tell me your stupid plan now?” she demands as she saunters past him, heading toward the library. 

Steve latches onto her forearm and tugs, ignoring her complaints as she runs a few steps to keep up with his fast pace. 

“What the hell, Harrington?” she asks, elbowing him in the ribs. “Where are we going?”

Steve rolls his eyes. “We can’t go to the library,” he replies, pushing the side doors of the school open and pulling her out into the cool air with him. “Way too many witnesses.”

“And that means we’ve gotta be out in this cold?” He doesn’t bother responding as he tugs her through the parking lot and to their destination. “Seriously?”

Steve pulls the passenger door of Eddie’s van open and slides in, leaving it open for Carol to clamber up after him. “He never locks that side.”

She closes the door behind herself, encasing them in the safest place Steve could think of on school grounds. It’s chilly, but nowhere near as bad now that the wind’s locked out. 

Steve sits in the back on Eddie’s stained carpet, propping his feet up on the hump where the tire travels partially into the body of the vehicle. Carol picks her way through Eddie’s belongings and trash to settle across from him, throwing one of Eddie’s abandoned hoodies at Steve’s face to make room.

“We couldn’t do this in the bathroom again?” she asks, wrapping her arms around her own knees. “It’s at least warmer in there.”

Steve throws Eddie’s hoodie back at her and she slides it on with a shrug. “Less dirty at least.” 

“Smells less like piss.” She locks their legs together, just like last time, settling more fully into the side of the van now that she’s bundled up. “Now tell me your plan.”

Steve nudges his foot into hers as he tries to string his thoughts into words. As familiar with his idiosyncrasies as Carol is, she knows not to rush him. 

“You know my thing with my closet?” he asks.

She nods. Tommy was the first one to bear witness to him sliding into his closet when his parent’s voices raised, but Carol was the first person to slide in after him.

“Well, he does, too.” Steve’s looking down at his own twiddling fingers, smiling. They’d barely known each other that first time, but even still, they’d stayed pressed together, and Eddie hadn’t asked. “So, I’m going to bring him there, and tell him how I feel.” 

When he looks up from his hands, Carol’s staring at him like he’s a bug she squashed beneath her shoe. “That’s it?”

Steve glares as he replies, “that’s the first place I ever wanted to kiss him!” When she just keeps staring at him, he continues, vehement in his own defense, “and it’s where he saved me.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to just give him roses?”

“It’s romantic!”

Steve kicks her shin, and it’s not long before they’re all-out brawling. Carol grabs his hair and pulls, so he bites her forearm in retaliation. Hard.

She shrieks, shoving him off and scuttling away, laughing. “Freak!”

“Loser.”

“Poser!”

“Loverboy.” 

Carol says the last one with a suggestive drawl that makes Steve’s cheeks heat. He crosses his arms and glares across the van at her. 

“Whatever, Perky Perkins.” 

Carol gasps, holding her hand to her own chest in faux shock. “You promised to never use that one!”

Steve kicks out his foot again, gentler this time as he links their legs back together. “I never promised anything.”

They’re smiling at each other like capricious middle schoolers. Steve’s in love. 

“You’re sure he’ll like it?” she asks, gentle this time as she smiles at him. 

Eddie’s always been able to read him, root around in Steve’s brain until he finds the meaning behind each action. 

Steve nods firmly, just once.

Carol rolls her eyes. “Alright, well, let’s at least practice what you’re going to say.” She clutches onto his calf and squeezes. “You be Steve, and I’ll be your devoted lover.”

She flutters her lashes like the lead in a romance movie, leaning forward and puckering her lips for a kiss. Steve laughs, shoving her face away from him. “Shut up.”

They do practice, Carol beaming and laughing at him in measure at each sentence he stumbles over until they’re both satisfied. 

Steve’s not sure what time it is, but the period’s got to be counting down. Neither of them make a move to get up from where they’re now sprawled on the carpet of Eddie’s van among all of his abandoned things. 

“Are you going to tell him about me?” she asks. Steve turns his head to look at her. Her eyes are damn near twinkling as she continues, “and Tommy?”

She shuffles her shoulders like she’s shaking her tits, but she doesn’t get up for it, so mostly, it just looks like her back’s itchy. 

“Yeah,” Steve replies. It had never been a secret, really, but Tommy was too painful of a button to push, and he’d been all tangled up in Carol until yesterday. “Are you going to tell Barbara?”

Carol shrugs, twitching her fingers out to latch onto the belt loop of his jeans. “Maybe.”

They stay like that until the bell rings a few minutes later, both rushing out of the van to get to their respective classes. 

Now that plans are set and Carol’s informed, Steve can settle back into his skin. He wants to do it today–whisk Eddie off to his house and plant one on him. But the day’s not over yet, and Eddie wouldn’t cancel Hellfire for flood or famine, so tomorrow’s got to be the day. 

Steve loiters in the drama room after school, half-assedly working on homework as Eddie leads his session with an iron fist.

He lends half an ear to the proceedings, smiling down at his work as all the guys clamor for Eddie’s blood in raised voices. Steve’s afraid the commotion never seems to get them kicked out.

Even when the session’s over and they’re alone in the van, Eddie never asks if Steve’s ready to spill.

He doesn’t ask when they got home, or over dinner, or that night when they lay side by side in bed. 

He continues not asking all throughout the next day–between driving, and classes, and lunch side-by-side. Steve feels Eddie’s silence like a pinky around his finger. 

It’s not until they’re back at the trailer, the entire weekend stretched out in front of them that Steve links his pinky with Eddie’s and says, “I figured it out.”

Eddie looks down at their pinkies, smiling goofily as he asks, “you're ready?”

Steve thinks about Wayne’s words–you’re part of this family no matter how things shake out, and Eddie’s firm, I’m not giving you back, in the face of his parents abandonment. “I’m ready.”

Eddie makes a noise of surprise when Steve moves to the front door, dropping his schoolbag at his feet. He hesitates at the hook by the door before pulling his own keys down for the first time in months. 

Eddie doesn’t ask. 

The leather smells clean, that new car smell lingering even after these long months, as he slides into the driver’s seat of the beamer. Eddie settles into the passenger seat, the first signs of trepidation on his face. Steve can’t blame him. There’s dust caked into the vents, dirt and leaves covering the windshield. It’s been a long time since she’s been for a drive.

Steve turns the key in the ignition, turns the wipers on to clear the debris, and drives. 

The driveway seems longer, now that he’s used to the Munson’s short walkway. All the windows are dark and empty, almost looming down at him. Steve feels small, suddenly, like he’s a child still, and this is his home. He’s at the mouth of his hungry house, and it’s going to swallow him.

But then Eddie reaches over to squeeze his arm. He looks three seconds away from pushing Steve out of the driver’s seat and forcibly driving them away. Steve smiles, warmth settling back into him. Tug, tug. 

Steve looks back up, and it’s just a house, the only ghosts the bad memories he’d made in it.

He turns the ignition off, and gets out of the car, ready to head into the lion’s den one last time.

Part 112

[stevesbipanic]

@steddielovemonth Day 26: Love is a fire that never goes out. @sidekick-hero

"We need more logs! I want a big fire!"

"We haven't even gotten the fire started, Eddie, Mr Samson said we needed twigs first."

"Bet I can find more twigs than you!"

"You're on!"

It took the two young boys an hour to actually get their fire going, Eddie insisting on trying to start it with rocks for half of it. All the other camp kids were roasting their marshmallows by the time the first few sparks ignited in their little fire pit.

"We did it, Eds!"

"I told you, we're master survivalists, Stevie."

They stayed huddled around their fire for hours, curled up with one blanket and ate their way through a whole bag of marshmallows til their tummies ached and their eyelids drooped.

"C'mon boys, time for bed, you're going home tomorrow."

In their tent they pushed their sleeping bags closer together, still not wanting their last night to end.

"You'll write, won't you Stevie?"

"Of course, Eddie, you're my bestest friend in the whole wide world!"

Eddie giggled reaching out to take Steve's hand.

"I wish I lived in Hawkins with you, then we could play every day together."

Steve gripped his little hand tightly, "One day when we're big we'll have houses next door and a tunnel connecting them so we can hang out all day, no bedtimes!"

The next day, through hugs and sniffles they made sure the other had their address. The letters would stop a couple months later.

Steve often thought about what happened to his friend, why did he stop replying? Eventually, Steve stopped sending the letters, too.

That summer became a distant memory as Steve finished middle school then began high school, becoming King Steve. He thought briefly about his time at camp as he hugged Dustin goodbye the summer of '85.

It wouldn't be until the summer of '86 that two boys would find themselves around a campfire again.

"You ever go to summer camp?"

"Oh, once! It's a little hazy, that was the summer before dad went to jail and I was in foster til Wayne found me. But I remember loving it, there was a boy who I wrote too before everything happened. We used to wish that I lived in Hawkins with him, I have to admit I had a huge crush on him looking back."

The memory felt thrust back into Steve's mind, campfires and swimming and huddling in tents. He passed a marshmallow to Eddie, the fire crackling in front of them.

"Mmm I loved camp too, told this boy once when we were big we'd have tunnels under our houses, wonder what he'd think now knowing he's been staying across the hall from me?"

Steve turned towards Eddie, hoping Eddie remembered what a young Steve had wished, "I think I had a huge crush on him too."

"Stevie, you're that Stevie?"

"Would you forgive no tunnels if we shared a bed again?"

"I'd like that, sweetheart, although young us should know we're even more master survivalists now."

Steve laughed, "We would've been demogorgan dinner as kids!"

Eddie joined his laughter, "I still think if I got the right rock I could start a fire."

One day Steve would tell him that starting that campfire together lit a fire in his heart that burned for the rest of their lives.

[hairmetal666]

A continuation of the childhood sweethearts first kiss fic...

Eddie is 10 when he get his first kiss. A lot of people wouldn't consider it a real first, It's a dry press of chapped lips, chaste and sweet, but it remains the best kiss he's ever had, the one that means the most.

It's the summer before he moves to Hawkins--spending the school break with his Uncle Wayne--before he's known to the town as a loser weirdo freak, and he makes a friend. A boy golden bright as the sun, who steals Eddie's heart at first glance and keeps taking it again and again and again--not by force, but by his pure kindness, by his surprisingly wicked sense of humor, by the joyful way he experiences the world.

They run through the woods of Hawkins, ride bikes until the streetlights glow, swim until they fall asleep on a pool lounger, spend their nights in a tent in the wide Harrington backyard. He's not known around town yet, so the parents don't hate him, call him trash, fear for their child's reputation. He's just a boy still, his faded clothes and worn tennis shoes can be blamed on northing more than the consequences of a summer spent outdoors. Though, maybe it's just that Mr. and Mrs. Harrington aren't around enough to notice.

On his last night before he returns home to his parents, they make a fort in Steve's bedroom, find all the blankets and pillows in the house, create a cozy structure just big enough for two. They share all their secrets, their hopes and dreams, and as night becomes morning, Steve whispers, "Eddie...can I kiss you?"

Yes is the only possible answer he can give, and as Steve's mouth touches his, Eddie knows he will never love anyone else, not for as long as he lives, not if they never even see each other again.

He belongs to Steve Harrington, body and soul.

---

Eddie moves to Hawkins a year later. His first day of school, two months into the semester, he sees Steve in the hallway. Eddie's whole face lights up as he sees his friend, but--Steve's eyes slide right past him. He sees Eddie, no doubt about it, but there's no light of recognition, no excitement, no joyful reunion.

After a few years he accepts that Steve will never acknowledge him. He almost succeeds in not letting it bother him, and it's for that reason that it doesn't break his heart when Steve falls for Nancy Wheeler. It doesn't kill him to see Steve's beaten face after his fight with Jonathan Byers. It doesn't keep him up at night, watching Steve lose all his other friends. He doesn't hate jocks and rant on cafeteria tabletops just in the hope that Steve will look his way.

Everything changes after Nancy and Steve break-up and Hargrove beats the shit out of him. Whatever high school social cachet Steve still has disappears overnight, but dethroned King Steve still doesn't notice Eddie. He's made his peace with it. Moved on. He's an adult now, basically. He's going to graduate high school and move to the big city and he'll meet so many guys and never ever think about Steve Harrington ever again.

---

He's smoking a cigarette in the little-used bathroom up by the auditorium. His eyes are half-closed, imagining shapes in the tendrils of smoke.

The door bangs open, shocking him upright, the cigarette falling to the floor.

Steve Harrington stumbles inside, hands covering his face, blood pouring through his fingers.

"Steve!" Eddie yelps, can't help it when there's blood, when Steve is hurt.

Like always, he doesn't even bother to look at Eddie. It shouldn't shred his heart to pieces but Eddie's always been weak for Steve.

"What happened?" He asks, even though he knows he shouldn't care.

"Doesn't matter," Steve answers. He's standing at the sink, blood splattering the white porcelain red.

Acting against each one of his sharply honed instincts, Eddie rushes to the nearest paper towel dispenser, ripping half the roll off.

"Move your hands. Relax your head." He's surprised when Steve does as he says.

Eddie uses the paper towels to staunch the flow, pinches at the bridge of Steve's nose with his thumb and index finger. "How do you not know how to fix a bloody nose?" he mutters.

"I know how," Steve argues. "I just--" he pauses, swallows hard. "Why are you helping me?"

He doesn't know how to answer this question. He shouldn't be helping Steve.

"I don't know."

They don't talk again, not until the bleeding stops, and then Steve says, "It was Hagan, the motherfucker. He shoved me into a locker and I didn't have time to get my hands up."

"He's a dick," Eddie agrees. "It's not broken, though."

Steve shrugs. They fall silent again, neither moving. "Thanks," he says. He doesn't look at Eddie.

"Would have done it for anyone."

Those hazel eyes stay fixed to the linoleum as Steve nods. Eddie doesn't know what to do next. If he should leave or press for more that he shouldn't want.

But then Steve lets out a gulping kind of sob, is falling against Eddie's chest, and Eddie wraps his arms around him, holds him so tight even he can't breathe.

"Oh, Stevie," he whispers, and without really thinking, he pulls them into the nearest stall, shutting the door behind him.

Between his cries Steve repeats, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Eddie can't tell him that it's okay, so he combs his fingers through Steve's hair and holds him, fighting off his own tears.

Eventually the sobs stop and the tears dry up, but Steve doesn't break their embrace.

"I shouldn't have ignored you, Eddie," Steve says into the quiet. "You didn't deserve it."

"Why did you?" Thinks it's his right to an explanation, after everything.

"I wrote to you. After you left. Was gonna visit Wayne and get your address, but then my dad found them. He said, 'boys don't write letters,' and ripped them up. He told me if you ever showed up in Hawkins again we weren't allowed to be friends. The next week he'd signed me up for every available sports league in town.

"I was so excited when I saw you at school, Eds. I couldn't believe you were here. I panicked, though, and decided to pretend like I didn't recognize you. It was easy, not having to decide what to do, so I just...kept doing it. I wanted my dad to be proud of me."

"I'm sorry he did that to you, Stevie. For what it's worth, I would've loved to get those letters. I would've written back."

Steve laughs a little. "I know. I'm so sorry I hurt you. I've regretted it every day, but I had no idea how to make it right."

Eddie shouldn't want more. He knows that he's lucky they've even had this moment, but he always needs to push.

"You could try now," he says.

"Hmm?"

"To make it right. You could try now."

A smile illuminates Steve's perfect face. "You mean it?"

Steve's hand slips against Eddie's cheek, moving up to card through his hair. His thoughts scatter like fractures of light, as Steve touches him in a way he only imagined in the midnight depths of his wildest fantasies.

Their second kiss is just as soft and sweet as the first, their lips coming together in a gentle press.

They separate, and his fingers immediately go to his mouth. "You--did you--" He squeezes his eyes shut, takes a few deep breaths. "You can't kiss me like that unless you mean it, Steve. You can't just--"

"I meant it. I meant every second. I never stopped missing you. I hated that I made it impossible to be your friend. It's been eating me up for years. I want to make it right."

"I need time," he says. His voice trembles. " I want that too, Steve, but after everything, I need to know I can trust you."

Steve nods and gives him a small smile. "I'll do anything, Eds."

---

They hangout almost everyday, and Eddie finds that, underneath all that King Steve bullshit, he's still the boy Eddie fell head over heels for at 10, golden and bright and so lovely. Still mean, still funny, still owns Eddie's heart.

Steve doesn't kiss him again, and that's for the best no matter how much Eddie longs for it.

A little over a month later, Steve invites Eddie to his house again.

He follows Steve up to his bedroom--just as terribly plaid, just as empty of things that made it Steve's--except there's a pillow fort built against the bed.

"What's this?" Eddie raises an eyebrow and stifles a smile.

Steve rolls his eyes. "You know what. C'mon, get in."

They're a little too big for a fort now, but they squish inside, limbs tangling until they end up in a giggling heap.

"A fort, Stevie?" Eddie asks once he can talk again.

Steve's smile is soft. "These last few weeks have been the best of my life. You're my best friend. And I was just wondering--" he falters here for the first time, breath stuttering. "Can I kiss you?"

Sparks erupt in Eddie's chest, his smile so big that it hurts. What a fool he was, to think he would ever stop loving Steve Harrington.

"Please," he answers.

[blushweddinggowns]

Jonathan didn’t know how else to say it but…Steve Harrington was weird. Like really, really weird. And he wasn’t even talking about Steve and Eddie. He thought Harrington was plenty weird all on his own. 

Jonathan really didn’t understand why Eddie was always marked as the strange one in the duo. To him, Eddie made perfect sense. Poor background, unique interests, drug dealer, loud and obnoxious as a coping mechanism, but still managing to be a pretty good guy all around. It was normal for a guy like that to be a little out there. 

But Steve didn’t make any sense to him. Zero. Zilch. 

Because he was rich, handsome, athletic, a total jock in every sense of the word. Half the school wanted to get in his pants, while the other half desperately tried to figure out how he got so many girls. By all accounts, he should be an asshole. Someone who basked in his own popularity, not someone who literally shunned it. Steve was the only person he’d ever met who had it all, and didn’t care. 

All he seemed to care about was freaking Eddie Munson of all people. They had been attached at the hip since grade school and even with Eddie disappearing for two years, Steve was right back at his side nearly the moment he got back. 

He didn’t go to parties, never bragged about his conquests unless someone asked, and even then he was always incredibly vague, and from what he’d heard from Nancy, he didn’t even sleep at his own house 90 percent of the time. If you were looking for Steve Harrington, all you really had to do was track down Eddie Munson.

Jonathan had only purchased weed a handful of times in his young life, but every single time Steve had been there. Either in the van waiting when Eddie dropped something off, or sitting right next to him on the park bench, popping gum and reading a comic book while Eddie did his business. 

And he was…intensely protective over him. Which was weird considering how Munson was scary enough in his own right, at least on the outside. Like getting into multiple fights, protective. Making girls cry who had the audacity to say anything about Eddie’s antics, protective. Like cursing out an actual teacher, protective. 

Like comforting your best friend after a near death experience instead of your literal girlfriend protective. Who did that? And maybe it hadn’t been official back then, but still. You’d think you’d spend time cuddling your crush in your lap instead of your childhood buddy. And there was also the weird hair smelling thing they kept doing. He hadn’t looked too closely at the time, but Steve had turned to bury his face in Eddie’s hair every few minutes after the 83 showdown. He hadn’t seen a repeat of that since, though. Maybe…maybe Eddie had gotten demon guts in his hair? And Steve had been trying to find the source?

He didn’t fucking know. He just…didn’t get him. And now he got him even less. The guy pulled freaking Nancy Wheeler as his girlfriend, and he didn't spend every possible waking moment with her? 

But it wasn’t just him prioritizing Eddie over Nancy. It was the fact that he didn’t care that Nancy was with him more often than her actual boyfriend. Which was fantastic for Jonathan, even if it was a bit of a double edged sword. Because Nancy was gorgeous and so fucking smart and cool and…and Jonathan liked her so much he kind of wanted to die.

And he couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Even if he’d come close, way more than once. There were probably a dozen times where he’d almost kissed her. And the last one would have happened if they hadn’t been interrupted. They had been talking next to his car during lunch, Jonathan couldn’t even remember what it had been about. He just remembered that he had said something to make her laugh. And she looked so freaking beautiful when she laughed. She looked pretty all the time, but something about seeing her happy made her jump from a 10/10 to a 15. 

The sun was in her hair, and her eyes crinkled in that cute way that he loved, and Jonathan had been leaning in before he knew it was happening. And if Steve and Eddie hadn’t walked by right in that moment, it would have happened. He had jumped nearly ten feet in the air when he spotted him out of the corner of his eye, fully expecting Steve to start tearing into him for being so close to his girlfriend. 

But he just smiled and waved when he saw them, and went right back to their conversation before walking off. 

See? Weird.

He didn’t know why it didn’t bother Nancy more, how little he cared about what the two of them were up to. Part of him was praying it was because she was falling out of love with him, and all of the romantic tension they had together wasn’t in his head. 

But he just couldn’t bring himself to make that final step. Mostly because he was busy trying to take care of Will most of the time. Even if he got his way he wasn’t exactly in a position to be a good boyfriend. His little brother came first, especially after everything he had been through. And he was struggling, Jonathan could see it. And he spent most of his spare moments trying his damndest to get Will to open up. It hadn’t worked. But he kept trying.

But there was another part to it too. He…he didn’t want to be that guy. The kind of guy to make moves on a taken girl. Especially Steve’s girl. Both him and Eddie had risked their lives last year helping them out, and what? He was going to thank them by breaking Steve’s heart? He couldn’t bring himself to do it. 

Even if Eddie wanted him to. Which was just one more thing he didn’t get, the weird encouragement Eddie would give him when it came to his best friend’s girlfriend. If Jonathan mentioned a movie he wanted to see, preferably with her, Eddie would always be sure to keep Steve busy on friday nights for her to be free. If Jonathan had his mom’s car for a week and really wanted to be the one to pick her up in the morning, Eddie would conveniently find a reason that Steve couldn’t. 

It was weird, and kind of fucked up, but Jonathan had at least a small idea on why he was doing it. It was pretty obvious, after you got a little closer to the two of them. Eddie was in love with Steve. But Steve wasn’t in love with Eddie, not when he had Nancy on his arm. It explained why he monopolized all of his time, why he hung around them on their dates, why he was so open to letting another guy swoop in on her. 

He never actually asked him about it. It felt like a fucked up thing to say, especially if he was wrong. But Jonathan couldn’t think of any other explanation. So he kind of just…went with it. At this point it felt like he was Eddie’s co-conspirator to break them up, even if it was never explicitly said.

Which was fucked up, on both their ends. Yeah Steve was weird, and kind of a bitch, but he was a good guy all in all. He was Eddie’s best friend for a reason. 

So Jonathan held back his feelings. Or at least he did for as long as he could. But then Nancy came to him for help to expose the Hawkins lab. And they ended up on this crazy fucking adventure together. And he just fell more and more in love with every wild stunt she did. 

And then they kissed at Murray’s and Jonathan didn’t have the strength to say no. How could he? It just…happened. And okay yes. He feels bad for Steve. But he doesn’t regret it. Not even slightly. And maybe that made him the biggest asshole in the world, but it was hard to care when Nancy freaking Wheeler wanted him of all people. 

It was pretty easy to shove the guilt right out of his mind. That was until they saw Steve and Eddie next, right in front of the Hawkins lab. Steve had instantly brightened at the sight of her, immediately sweeping her up into a big hug. 

And Jonathan couldn’t bring himself to watch it. He just couldn’t. Because that was probably going to be the last time they hugged like that. He was already in too deep and there was no way in hell that he was going to let last night be a one night stand. He hadn’t exactly asked Nancy to break up with him yet, but he was going to. 

Because he was a dick like that, apparently. But maybe they could find a way to do it…kindly? If that was even possible. And if there was anyone who would be able to help soften the blow for Steve, it would be Eddie Munson. 

Jonathan walked up to him as the other two started talking. He jerked his head to the side, “Hey can I talk to you for a second?”

Eddie nodded, following him over to a safe distance from the car. He didn’t really think Eddie would be mad at him for what he did. But he was still a little nervous to say it out loud. 

He avoided saying what he truly wanted, deflecting with a question, “So um, Steve and Nancy, how uh, serious are they?”

Eddie stared at him like he’d magically grown a second head, “Huh?”

“They’ve almost been together for like a year now right?” Jonathan pressed, “Is he…y’know. In love with her?”

But Eddie was still looking at him like he’d asked something insane. He narrowed his eyes at him, “Are…are you kidding me right now?”

“What?” Jonathan asked, almost as equally confused as Eddie, “Why would I be kidding?”

Eddie raised a brow at him, “You think Steve and Nancy are dating? For like, real? After all this time? After last year. That’s what you think?”

Jonathan really wished Eddie would just tell him what the hell he was talking about instead of emphasizing every other word. He crossed his arms over his chest, feeling oddly defensive when he asked, “What else am I supposed to think?”

He hadn’t expected Eddie to bark out a laugh at the question. It took a second for him to compose himself to talk again while Jonathan looked on, more confused than ever. 

Eddie eventually straightened, holding a fist in front of his mouth while he struggled for the words, “Jonathan, dude, last year you saw me in his lap. With my arms around his neck. While he��kissed me to make me feel better.”

Jonathan blinked at him, “Huh?”

He hadn’t remembered the kissing part. And in his defense he had been a bit distracted with the news that his brother was alive. But the hair smelling thing…had…had Steve been kissing the top of his head that whole time? Right in front of him? 

Eddie looked way too amused at Jonathan’s shock, “So what do you think that means bud? Is that something you do with your friends?”

“But Nancy! And all the other girls-”

“Fake, fake, fake and fake,” Eddie said with a grin, “That boy’s all mine. And has been for years. Him and Nance are just friends. Really good friends but that’s it.”

Eddie put a hand on his shoulder, voice softening a little but still a little too tickled for Jonathan’s liking, “We all kind of thought you knew man. I guess I underestimated our own acting skills there.”

Jonathan slowly nodded, even though his brain was still struggling to catch up with everything he’d said. But it made sense. It actually made perfect sense. That’s why Steve didn’t care that he was all over her, that’s why Eddie had been so encouraging, that’s why Steve was so fucking weird. The guy had been basically married since he was in third grade. 

“Holy shit,” Jonathan finally breathed out, “That makes so much sense.”

But then a realization hit him, “Wait, so all of this time Nancy has been single?”

“And ready to mingle,” Eddie added with a wink, “Though if it helps, you’re the only one she’s set her sights on. That and Tom Cruise but I think you still have good odds.”

As wonderful as that revelation was, it kind of also made him want to smash his head into a wall. How could he have been so blind? 

“Don’t worry about it,” Eddie said, like he could read his mind, “We do actually try to hide it most of the time. It’s not completely your fault for not seeing the hints.”

He only had one more question, a stupid one but he still wanted to be sure, “So um, hypothetically. If I, uh, slept with his fake girlfriend, he wouldn’t be mad about it?”

Eddie laughed, “He’d be ecstatic. Half the time those two talk is about you. He’s been waiting for you to make a move as long as Nancy has. And he will definitely get a kick out of this conversation when I tell him, that’s for damn sure.”

Jonathan nodded. That was…some pretty fantastic news. Besides the sting that he could have had her weeks or even months ago, it was a good fucking feeling to know that they hadn’t done anything wrong. It was kind of weird, knowing that Steve Harrington of all people was gay. But he didn’t care. That might have been how his dad tried to raise him, but his mom had stopped all the homophobic shit the second he ditched.

He was raised better than to judge two people for being happy together. And the fact that they trusted him with something so big made him feel…kind of special. Definitely not like an asshole. The two of them wandered back to Steve and Nancy and Eddie didn’t hesitate to pull him into his arms. 

Jonathan watched as he whispered something to him before kissing his cheek, like it was the most natural thing in the world. And for them it probably was. He saddled next to Nancy. He didn’t exactly have the confidence to be that affectionate in public like those two did, but he’d like to work his way up to it. He gently took her hand in his, blushing at the way it made her smile. 

She squeezed his hand back before shuffling a little closer to lean into him. He didn’t have much time to indulge in it, not when the lights all suddenly came back on. But as they all hurried inside, he couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.

From the latest chapter of this fic