#everyone freaks out when they hear what happened but Dustin tells them that Steve and Eddie need space and that they're ok

[shadowsandsunset]

You know what I go absolutely batshit for and that for some reason there just isn't enough of in Steddie fics? (For my tastes lol)

Quiet, vicious, competent Steve throwing hands to protect his people, and especially his love, Eddie.

I just really love when Steve gets to be the badass he could be. When he's not outnumbered or blindsided, he's one hell of a fighter.

And it would absolutely make Eddie's panties drop.

Fuck it, here's a ficlet 1280ish word fic:

Steve is waiting for Eddie and Dustin to come out of the game shop, sitting in his air conditioned car to beat the August heat.

The newest Dragon magazine just came out and apparently it had dinosaurs in it and his nerds were excited. What the difference between dinosaurs and dragons is, Steve couldn't say.

Steve was sitting, head tilted back against the headrest, eyes closed. He wouldn't be here at all, tired after his work shift, if Eddie hadn't asked.

In the months following spring break, Steve had come to realize that he would do just about anything if Eddie asked. He was whipped for a guy who wasn't even his boyfriend. He smiled, just thinking about Eddie.

His head snaps up when he hears Dustin shout, an unhappy, terrified shout that Steve was frankly tired of hearing after years of the upside down bullshit.

Dustin is standing, staring at the man who has Eddie pinned to the wall outside the game shop. A man who is holding a knife.

Steve feels the chill settle into his bones. He didn't carry Eddie out of hell just so some degenerate asshole can take him out. The guy's little dick syndrome will not harm two of the people Steve loves most in the world. He turns off the ignition.

Steve has gotten out of the car and across the street in seconds, grabbing the guy and throwing him away from Eddie. Steve doesn't even think before he has the knife in his right hand, against the guy's throat, holding him down as his left hand swings full force into the man's kidney. He swings again before tossing the knife to his left hand and punching the guy straight in the nose with his right, feeling the cartilage give way.

He stares down at the guy:

"Some nobody who wanted to feel like a big man. Some pissant loser who thought threatening my nerds would make his mama love him, what a piece of shit, how dare you, I should show you what that fucking knife feels like, since you were so gungho and stupid..."

Steve punches the guy one final time, knocking him out, and climbs to his feet as he hears a police siren and tires come screeching to a stop. Of course some bystander called the cops.

"What's going on here? Steve?" Officer Daniels asks. Officer Daniels was read in by Owens after the "earthquakes", he was a good man and Steve was relieved it was him.

"This asshole pulled a knife on Eddie. In broad fucking daylight, like a goddamn idiot. I stopped him before he could hurt Eddie."

Steve looked over at Eddie and Dustin, Dustin looked spooked but proud. Eddie, well Eddie looked strange: eyes wide, pupils dilated, mouth dropped open just a little bit, and standing with the bag from the game shop dangling in front of him.

Officer Daniels took their statements, called an ambulance for the dumbass still out cold on the ground and one to check Eddie over, collected evidence, and started the process to arrest the guy on aggravated assault charges.

When Eddie took off his shirt for the medics and his back was scratched and scraped from being thrown against the brick, Steve felt his fists clench. He wouldn't kill the guy but he was glad the ambulance had already taken him away just in case.

Eddie was given a scratchy scrub top to wear, his shirt was taken as evidence, his blood staining the back and Steve had seen enough of Eddie's blood, he never wanted to see it again.

Eddie hadn't spoken much, just to answer the questions from the medics or Daniels, he looked shell shocked now. Daniels told the three that they were free to go but to come to the station tomorrow for paperwork and official statements.

Steve ushered Dustin and Eddie to his car and then drove them straight to his apartment, settling them on his busted but comfortable couch, one on each side of him as he tried to get his hands to stop shaking. Adrenaline rush and crash, he was intensely familiar. They weren't leaving his sight, not for a while, not until he could breathe again.

Dustin was the first to break the silence, "Steve, are you ok?"

"I just need a minute, Dusty. Go call your mom, she's going to be worried if she's heard already." He lets Dustin off the couch, hands a bit steadier. He's still got one hand on Eddie's leg, right above his knee, and he feels the crash coming faster. He finally relaxes back into the couch.

Eddie is looking at the ground, hair covering his face. Steve doesn't know what to say. Steve just beat a guy half to death for this man but finding words is beyond him.

They remain silent as Claudia comes and picks Dustin up, kissing Steve and Eddie on their foreheads before taking her boy home.*

Then it's just Steve and Eddie.

"Do you want to call Wayne?" Eddie nods his head and stands up. Steve stands up and goes to his bedroom, digging through his closet until he finds the softest black t-shirt he owns. He changes into his "house clothes", basketball shorts and a t-shirt.

He goes back to the living room and hands the shirt to Eddie, who just holds it for a moment before he shrugs off the ugly green scrub top.

Steve can't stop his sharp intake of breath, the bandages the medics put on are still clean, but the reminder is brutally unnecessary.

Eddie finally speaks, his voice low and rough, "Wayne thinks it's best if I stay here, tonight, since he has to work." Eddie sighs, "And he told me to tell you 'thank you' for saving me again**."

"I will always save you. Always." Steve grabs Eddie's hand. Eddie stared at Steve, at Steve's beautiful imploring eyes. "I can't lose you. I can't. Not now, not ever. I love you."

"Oh fuck," Eddie exhales, "Steve you have to know I love you too, but," Eddie bites his lower lip and Steve's heart pounds, "I need you to know that seeing you fuck that guy up today, it, it uh..."

Steve pulls his hand away, is Eddie... "Was it too much, Eddie? Are you disgusted?"

Eddie quickly grabs Steve's hand, placing it over his own heart, "Sweetheart, no, it was the sexiest thing I've ever seen. I got so hard I didn't even...Christ, Steve, you're a madman but you're no monster, you're an angel of retribution, my seraph of protection, and you're so fucking hot. And you called me yours. Well, you called me and Dustin your nerds, but you have to know that I am yours, now and forever. I love you."

Steve is a bit confused...and then he remembers the way Eddie looked, right before he was taken care of by the medics. Face flush, pupils dark and wide, bag in front of him, in front of his crotch...oh hell yeah. Eddie got hard from watching him protect his people?

Steve smirked, nerves completely settled but the adrenaline crash quickly coming on.

"Eddie, baby, I want to do so many dirty things to you but I'm about ten minutes from passing out. Come, nap with me."

They crawl into Steve's bed, touching, snuggling, cuddling up close. They're both asleep in minutes, even though it's only about 9pm.

Later, in the late night or early morning, they'll have the energy to explore and touch and taste. Making each other messy and sated, pressing love into each other's skin, merging into one being of pleasure. And then they'll do it again. Forever. Always.

Notes:

*Dustin is absolutely going to talk to them about what happened, but he's got just enough emotional awareness to know that now isn't the time. He cries in the car with his mom and she buys him a milkshake and holds him. He goes back the very next morning and sees Eddie's bare ass in Steve's kitchen. Somehow that ends up being more traumatic than the knife guy.

**Steve had carried Eddie out of the upside down five months ago, Eddie looking dead but only chewed up, the bats had a paralytic and analgesic venom which Steve learned the hard way when it wore off and his sides had flared with pain. Eddie only had to spend a few days in the hospital, the bites taking flesh but not going deep enough to kill. He was so mad about his missing nipple he got it tattooed back on.

🍪: My little divider is the music notation for the opening line of Metallica's Ride the Lightning because I like it. Feel free to steal and use it.

🍪🍪: The August 1986 edition of Dragons magazine actually did have dinosaurs.

[ahsokaismyqueen]

The Evolution of Friendship Pairing - Steve Harrington x HendersonSister!Reader Summary - After Steve is attacked by Billy Hargrove, you're shocked to find the guy still attempting to protect you as you two go into the hub to try and buy Eleven some more time. It makes you wonder. Are you and Steve Harrington actually . . . friends? Word Count - 3.3k Warnings - Language and canon typical violence Steve Harrington x HendersonSister!Reader Masterlist

Things started to come back to you slowly. Like the fact that the kids were arguing, the world seemed to be moving underneath you, you were leaning against something solid, and your head hurt like hell. 

Then the memories hit. Billy showing up at Will’s. Steve defending you and the kids, and then Steve getting the shit beat out of him. You remembered thinking Billy was going to kill him if he kept going. You remembered thinking that couldn’t happen. You remembered doing a lot of not thinking as you jumped on Billy’s back and tried to strangle him to get him off Steve. 

You couldn’t remember much after that, but you were distracted from your thoughts by a voice that was very near to your ear, groaning, “Nancy?” 

Your eyes opened, and everything was a bit of a blur for a moment. It wasn't until you felt a body shifting underneath you that you realized the something you had been leaning against had been a person. When you forced yourself up, you realized that person you had been leaning against was Steve Harrington. 

Or at least you were 95% sure it was Steve Harrington. 

God he looked terrible. His face was swollen in several different places, blood still stained his skin, and he looked out of it. You watched as he reached up to touch a part of his face, and your brother, who was now also coming into focus, said “no, don’t touch it,” and tugged his hand away. 

You took that moment to look around you, and suddenly realized why it felt like the world was moving underneath you. It’s because it was. “Dustin, what the fuck?” You said, an edge of panic creeping into your voice. 

“You’re going to keep straight for half a mile, then make a left on Mount Sinai.” Lucas told Max from the passenger seat. 

From the passenger seat because Max was driving. 

“What’s going on?” You heard Steve’s groggy voice say. 

Max looked back at you, and that’s when he seemed to realize what was going on. “Woah, oh my God!” 

“Just relax,” Dustin tried to speak in a calming voice, but it freaked you out more. “She’s driven before.” 

“Yeah, in a parking lot.” Mike spoke up. 

Your heart started pounding in your chest as you flew down the road. Flashbacks flew by in your mind of another dark road, the screeching of tires, the crash of metal ripping . . . 

“They were going to leave the two of you behind, but I promised you’d be cool.” It was Dustin’s voice, but it sounded far, far away. All you could hear echoing in your mind were the ghosts of your screams for your dad and for help. 

“Stop the car! Slow down!” Steve said as Max pressed down on the gas. 

You couldn’t breathe. Your hand slid up and down your chest, rubbing the skin and trying to somehow get some air in your lungs. The car was going too fast. It was too dark. Max was going to get you all killed. “S-Stop the car.” You managed to gasp out. 

“I told you they were going to freak out.” Mike told Dustin. 

“Everybody shut up! I’m trying to focus!” Max yelled. 

A hand gripped your wrist, and you snapped your gaze over to the man sitting beside you. Steve caught one look at your face and started yelling. “Stop the damn car!” 

Faintly you could hear them yelling at Max to make a turn, but your gaze was flickering from the road back to Steve. You couldn’t tell if you were yelling or everyone else was. You couldn’t even tell what was real anymore. Your vision was flashing in and out. One second it would be Max driving the car, next it would be your dad, smiling back at you as headlights flared in the front windshield. Your heart was pounding so hard in your chest you felt like at any moment it would explode and kill you too. 

Then the car turned to the left, the tires screeched, and you couldn’t take it. You squeezed your eyes shut tight and clawed at your chest. 

“It looks great sweetheart.” 

“Dadddddd . . .” You whined. “You didn’t even look.” 

“That’s because I know without looking it’s going to be amazing.” 

You smiled, but then it turned back into a pout. “But I’ve gotta know if it’ll match Dustin’s nursery or not.” 

Your dad sighed, and took his eyes off the road glancing back at the picture you were holding up. When he saw what it was, he started to smile. “It looks as amazing as I pictured it.” 

But something else had caught your attention. A truck, heading straight for you guys which normally wouldn’t have been a concern, but . . . It was on the wrong side of the road. “Dad!” You screamed. 

But it was too late. The sound of glass shattering, tires screeching and metal crunching filled your ears. Your dad was groaning, then he was screaming. He was screaming your name, and you were pressed against something hard - 

Except that wasn’t your dad’s voice, and the something hard you were pressed against wasn’t the car. It was moving, rising and falling, and a hand held your head against it. As your senses started to flood back into your body, you realized there was another hand pressed against your back. You let out a gasp of air as the hand stroked down your back. “Jesus Christ, Dustin! Your dad died in a car crash with your sister, and you thought it’d be a good idea to drag her into a car unconscious with a kid driving?!” 

You weren’t in the car with you Dad. You were with the kids and Steve. You took another gasping breath and inhaled a woodsy and metallic scent. Steve’s cologne and blood. You were pressed against Steve’s chest and any other time you would have been embarrassed, but you were still too panicked to be thinking clearly. Your fingers curled into fists at his chest, gripping his shirt, and you grounded yourself to him. It was the present, you were not in that car anymore. You repeated the words in your mind as Dustin and Steve kept arguing. 

“I didn’t - I didn’t know that would happen. When she drives at night she’s fine.” Dustin sounded upset, and you felt a flash of guilt for how long you had kept this bottled up. 

You remembered the first time it had happened, and how it had flipped Eddie, who was already a terrible driver, out. He had pulled over and had to spend fifteen minutes calming you down. Driving wasn’t the problem. If you were driving, you were in control. You were the one who could keep everyone safe, but when someone else was driving, if they got distracted, it could mean another death. “It-it’s okay,” you gasped out, and you knew you should pull yourself away from Steve, but you didn’t want to. He was your anchor, and you were scared if you pushed yourself away you’d be thrown right back in that memory. You realized how pathetic you must look though, and loosened your grip on his shirt. “I-I I’m sorry.” You whispered.

Steve’s hand grabbed one of yours. It was swollen and bloody, but you didn’t care. It was something else to keep you in this moment. “It’s okay, stay here until we stop all right? Then we can murder these shitheads together.” 

You let out a shaky laugh, and let yourself rest back against his chest. Keeping your eyes closed, you tried to make yourself concentrate on lining your breaths up with Steve’s and not how fast the car was going. When it screeched to a halt, you let out another gasp and Steve squeezed your hand. You heard the kids moving out of the car, and then you allowed yourself to look up at Steve, who hadn’t moved. “I’m sorry I freaked out.” You told him, embarrassment heating up your cheeks. 

He was shaking his head before you could even finish. “You don’t have to apologize for that. It’s those assholes who should be apologizing.” 

A weak smile formed on your face. “I know you didn’t get to meet her, but El is pretty awesome. They want to help her.” 

“So what you’re saying is, they’re not gonna give up.” Steve said, watching them out the open door as they all ran around to gather supplies. 

You shook your head. 

Steve groaned. “Shit, shit, shit.” You watched as he climbed, well stumbled is probably a better word, out of the car.

You were still shaking, but nowhere near as bad as earlier. The car had stopped, and you were back on solid ground. You knew if you and Steve were going to keep these kids from killing themselves, you were going to have to get it together. So you took what felt like your first deep breath in years, and climbed out after him, grabbing a hold of the door when you had a momentary dizzy spell. 

“Get me my shit Henderson.” Steve said to your brother as he made his way to the back of the trunk. “I’m not going to have all of you die on my conscience.” 

Moments later Dustin was handing Steve a backpack and his bat, and handing you a flashlight and a bag of who knows what. You followed the kids to a hole that Mike and Lucas had already jumped in. Steve stumbled down before you, and once again, you found yourself worried about his injuries, and if he could even handle this. You didn’t say anything though, just let out a sigh and jumped down. 

You hadn’t even noticed Steve was waiting there to catch you, and heat rushed to your face as he put you on the ground, your faces inches apart. “Uh- thanks.” You said, your voice still a little breathless, but this time you didn’t think it was because of the panic attack. 

Steve nodded, and you took a step back, turning your attention to the tunnel around you. 

You’d never seen anything like it. It was covered in black vines with white particles floating in the air that you were sure weren’t supposed to be inhaled. There was something so . . . Uneasy about it. You couldn’t ever recall feeling so unsettled. 

“Holy shit.” You heard Steve murmur behind you. 

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s this way!” Mike yelled, pulling you out of your thoughts. 

“You’re pretty sure, or you’re certain?” Dustin called from behind you. 

“I’m 100% sure! Just follow me and you’ll know!” Mike called back frustrated. 

“Woah, woah, woah, hey!” Steve rushed forward, and you grabbed his arm to help steady him when he stumbled. “I don’t think so. Any of you little shits die down here, we’re getting the blame.” He gestured towards the two of you. “Got it dipshit?” Steve told Mike, snatching the map from him. 

As you looked forward a little bit of panic made you bite your lip. You really weren’t sure if Steve was physically capable of this right now. “Steve . . . Maybe you should let me take the lead on this.” You said, giving his arm a squeeze. 

Steve turned to you, but you couldn’t read his expression with how covered up his face was. “If I’m not letting them lead, what the hell makes you think I’d let you?” 

Irritation, and you were surprised it took you this long to feel it, flooded your body, and every bit of worry about his state left your body. Did he not think you were capable of handling this? Much less that he could control you if you decided to? “Let me?” You said, the tone in your voice telling him to reconsider his words. 

He held his hands up defensively in front of him. “Yes, yes, I know you’re a badass, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try and protect you.” Steve said, and started walking forward and gesturing to the kids to follow him as if his words hadn’t stopped you in your tracks. 

Steve Harrington, the most popular boy at Hawkins High, wanted to protect the nerdy school slut. If you had told yourself this a year ago, you would’ve thought you were out of your mind. He meant it though, you could sense how genuine he was with his words. A warm feeling settled in your chest to replace the irritation, and you were too stunned to even argue anymore. 

“Are you sure the two of you aren’t dating?” A muffled voice said, and you turned around to see Max, and below her googles you could see a raised eyebrow. 

Her words startled you so much you stumbled back from the force of them. “W-What?” 

She shrugged. “He seems to care about you a lot. Just an observation.” She said, before following after the others as if she hadn’t rocked your world either. 

When Dustin stopped in front of you, you were already rubbing your forehead, nervous about what other thing was going to be revealed to you. “What?” You groaned. 

“I’m sorry- About the car.” He continued when you looked confused. “I didn’t - I didn’t think about Dad. I just didn’t want to leave you there in case Billy woke up-”

You felt bad, reaching out to wrap an arm around your little brother’s shoulders. “It’s okay, Dustin. You didn’t know.” You started to lead him towards the others. “We can talk about it after we save Will and Eleven, okay?” 

Dustin nodded, but still looked upset. 

After what seemed like miles, and a slight scare when Dustin inhaled some of the dust things that were flying around, all of you entered a chamber. A chamber where multiple tunnels seemed to meet. “All right Wheeler,” Steve said, taking a look around. “I think we found your hub.” 

“Drench it.” Mike said. 

You all ended up covering as much as you could of the place in gasoline, and then all gathered back in the way you came, Steve in front with the lighter, and you right behind him with the rest of the kids all gathered around you. “You guys ready?” Steve asked. 

After everyone affirmed, Steve looked at you. 

You nodded. 

It didn’t take long for everything to catch fire, and your hand reached for Steve’s jacket, almost absentmindedly clutching the fabric in your fists as the tunnels seemed to come alive. The vines flew up into the air, tangling around each other. It was almost as if they were . . . Screaming. 

“Let’s go!” Steve yelled, and took off at a run back through the tunnels. 

As you had before, you took up the rear, letting all the kids ahead of you and making sure no one was left behind. In fact, you kept such a close eye on them, you didn’t see the vine until it was too late. 

Once you hit the ground, you watched in horror as it wrapped around your leg, crawling up your body and pinning you to the ground. You let out a scream, attempting to kick it off of you, but it was no use. It had you in too tight of a grip, and terror filled your body as you felt one of them wrap around your neck. You heard Dustin scream your name, and everybody started running back, Mike and Dustin grabbing a hold of one arm each and trying to tug you out of the vines’ grip. 

“Back up!” You watched with wide eyes as Steve ran towards you, and swung his bat down on top of the vines, making them almost screech and let you go. You let out a gasp of relief, and Dustin and Mike let go of your arms as Steve held one out to you. 

You took it without hesitation, and let him help pull you up. When you were standing, he didn’t let go of your hand, giving it a squeeze.

“You okay?” He asked, and the concern in his eyes was clear. 

Your heart was still pumping fast, but you weren’t so sure it was the vines anymore. Afraid to speak, you nodded, giving his hand a returning squeeze. 

That’s when you guys heard the growl. 

Steve’s reaction was immediate. He used his grip on your hand to tug you behind him, and the rest of the kids hurried behind the two of you, except for Dustin who was staring at the demodog. “Dustin! Get away from that!” You hissed. 

Dustin held up a hand to all of you. “Trust me. Please.” 

“I absolutely do not trust you right now. What the fuck-” You tried to go to him, but Steve kept you behind him, his eyes locked on Dustin and the demodog who you now realized was Dart. “Is this shit working?” You whispered to Steve as Dustin began to get some candy out of his backpack. 

“Looks like it.” Steve said, sounding as confused as you felt, but nevertheless, when Dustin gestured for you all to run past Dart, you did. It wasn’t until you heard the growling again, this time way more than just Dart’s, that you started running again. You helped Steve get the kids back up the rope, Dustin making it through when shadows started appearing on the wall. “Come on! I’ll hoist you up!” Steve yelled at you. 

You looked up at the hole where the kids were screaming at the two of you to hurry, but you knew it was too late. You’d never both get up in time, and the thought of leaving Steve down here wasn’t an option. Especially not after what he’d done for you in the car. “I’m not going without you Harrington.” You told him. 

The only part of him you could see was his eyes, darkening slightly as they looked at you. He didn’t have the chance to say anything as the first creatures appeared around the corner. You let out a noise of surprise as your back was pressed against Steve’s chest with his arm around you in an iron grip, his bat at the ready in the other. 

But they ran right past you. 

You heard Mike say Eleven’s name, and realized that she must be closing the gate. You looked up at Steve, who still had you pressed against him even though the dogs were long gone. He seemed to be in another world, staring at the spot the dogs had disappeared to. You knew you should say something, but you couldn’t help but take a second and absorb how it felt to be held so tightly. Somehow Steve felt . . . safe. It was like nothing could touch you because you knew he was going to protect you. Not to mention how it almost seemed like you just . . . fit against him so well. 

Oh god you could not be having those kinds of thoughts about Steve Harrington. That wouldn’t turn out well for anyone. 

Your hand reached up, grabbing his arm that was still around you and giving it a squeeze. “Hey. You okay?” 

The words seemed to shake him out of his thoughts, and he looked down at you, his voice a little breathless when he responded. “Yeah, you?” 

You shrugged. “I guess I’ve been worse.” You admitted. “Now, can you help me get out of here?” You asked, nodding towards the hole. 

“Next time would you just listen to me and go when I tell you?” Steve asked, letting go of you. 

He didn’t take a step back though, and you didn’t either. Instead you turned your body to face him, shaking your head. “Sorry, I won't abandon my friends to their certain death. You’re going to have to get used to it.” You said with a shrug.

You couldn’t see his face still because of the handkerchief, but there was a note of amusement in his tone when he replied. “We friends now, Henderson?” 

A smile formed on your face as you looked at him. You hadn’t even had a second thought about the words before they left your lips, and you were startled to realize that they were true. “Yeah, Harrington, I think we are.” The two of you were friends. You could share more with him than most now. 

So why did the word friend still feel weird on your lips?

[blushweddinggowns]

It had started as a rough few weeks. A rough few weeks that turned into a rough few months. It was weird, because in all honesty when it came to social standings, Will was doing a lot better here than he ever did in Hawkins. There were no Zombie Boy stories following him here, and he even managed to get a few girls to have a crush on him. He…still wasn’t quite clear how that worked out and he really wasn’t a fan of it. But they were also the only people he could talk to at school. He was way too paranoid of getting close to any guys. God forbid he got another crush on a friend, having none of them just seemed like the better course of action. 

It didn’t help that Mike had basically stopped acknowledging that he existed after they moved. He didn’t write to him, he didn’t call him, and it felt like the only time he heard his voice was when he politely asked for El over the phone. And it hurt. It hurt a lot. Especially when he still put in so much effort to get ahold of El all the time. He’d resent her for it if he could, but the only one who was having a worse time than him with the move was her. Maybe Mike was a shitty friend to him, but at least she had someone to talk to. 

But whatever. Lucas and Dustin cared, and so did Eddie and Steve. And when Jonathan wasn’t busy being high as hell, he had him too. Even Max called him more often than Mike did. Even when she was just trying to get ahold of El she’d take the time to ask him how he was, a courtesy that his best friend from freaking kindergarten couldn’t even offer anymore. 

So maybe Will didn’t have many friends in California yet, but he didn’t feel very lonely. 

Just a little heartbroken. 

But he could get past it. Especially when some of his favorite people were only one phone call away. Sometimes it made him feel a little guilty, that Steve and Eddie were his go to for talking about his problems. Especially since Jonathan was always trying to get him to open up. Even when he was zoinked out of his gourd he never failed to ask Will how his day was. Though…he did have a hard time following the plot when Will told him. 

But that didn’t change the fact that Jonathan always wanted to help. But what could Will say? I’m depressed because I’m in love with my best friend who doesn’t care about me? And oh yeah, I’m gay? Yeah, no. That wasn’t going to happen. If Jonathan of all people hated him for that…he’s not sure he could recover. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t think about it.

It was kind of pathetic, but he’d fantasize about it sometimes. Coming out to his family, everyone smiling and saying they’d love him anyway, no matter what. And if he was being honest with himself, it was technically possible, right? His brother had never said a bad word about Steve and Eddie. His mom never failed to shut the homophobic crap down when his crappy sperm donor had still been around. But it was different when it was your own kid, right? Will wasn’t quite sure. But he did know that he couldn’t stop thinking about it. 

So he called who he always did when he had a problem. It only took a few rings before someone was picking up, Steve’s familiar voice on the other end, “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me,” Will sighed, flopping face first into his bed, the phone pressed to his ear. 

He could hear the smile in Steve’s voice, “Hey kiddo, what’s up?”

God, he was such a dad. Will wouldn’t be shocked if he started wearing socks with sandals by the time he hit twenty-three. He went straight to the point, “Do you think that living happily ever after is like a real thing? For people like us?”

Steve laughed, “It better fucking be after all the shit we’ve seen.”

“I don’t mean the Upside Down stuff,” Will sighed, “I mean like…y’know. The gay.”

Steve snorted, “The gay? I’m going to have to tell Eddie that one.”

Will rolled his eyes at the redundant statement. He had learned a long time ago that telling Steve something meant telling Eddie something, and vice versa. He sighed a tiny smile on his face, “Oh what, like he’s not already next to you listening in?”

“...touché.” 

Will laughed, turning over to stare at the ceiling, “I’m serious though. Like…is it even possible? It’s not like everyone gets to magically find their soulmate at eight.”

“Is that such a bad thing though?” Steve asked, “Because no offense dude but honestly? I think you could do a lot better than Mike-”

“Be nice,” Will interrupted, torn between being defensive for Mike’s sake and amused at Steve never failing to find a way to come at him.

“I will when he starts being nice to me.”

“Well that’s just not going to happen,” Will laughed, “I’m starting to think Eddie’s right to call you a brat.”

Steve gasped, loud and scandalized. He’d been hanging out with Robin too much, “Me?! Never!”

Will could barely hear it over the receiver, but he could hear Eddie’s faint voice coming through, Yes he is!

And it was making him laugh even harder. Will missed this, so much. He missed having a place where he could just say whatever he wanted, with no worries. Even now he was looking over his shoulder, anxious at the chance that his mom or a sibling could come bursting in at any moment to catch him in the act of being comfortable. It was a confusing and weird feeling, and probably a little unfair to assume they’d prefer him to be sad and quiet over happy and queer. But he still did.

But for now he was safe. And he might as well take the chance to speak on all the things he couldn’t with anyone else, “But what if I don’t want to do better than Mike? Like…it’s stupid but do you think that um, I would ever have a chance?”

The answer was a strong no, but sometimes Will just needed a reality check from someone else’s mouth. 

Steve sighed, “I think the odds are pretty low bud. All jokes aside, even if he was playing for our team, I’m not sure if he’s the type who could even accept it. Y’know?”

Will did know, unfortunately. And if he’d never met Eddie and Steve there was a solid chance he’d be that guy. The truth stung a bit, but it was necessary, “I know, I know. But…do you think he would accept me? If he ever found out?”

“He fucking better. Otherwise I’ll-”

Will heard a shuffle on the other end, paired with something that sounded suspiciously like whining before he heard Eddie’s voice, “Will? You there? Sorry about that. I had to take the phone away before he started talking about beating up a child.”

Will grinned, happy to hear Eddie’s voice, “You made the right call. Do you think they’ll ever get along?”

“Not in this lifetime,” Eddie sighed, “And I know Mike’s not perfect, but if he’s okay with us why wouldn’t he be with you?”

“But it’s different when it’s a friend, isn’t it?” Will asked, “I’m not even sure if my mom would accept it, let alone him.”

“Well first of all, you don’t have to tell anyone shit, okay? But I can promise you that Joyce would be fine with it. And so would Jonathan for that matter. And I don’t even know if El is aware of what homophobia even is.”

It all sounded a lot more believable out of Eddie’s mouth than what was going on in his own head. But still… “What if they don’t though? What if I tell them and they kick me out or something? Or make me go to therapy?”

“Okay, on the off, off chance that you tell them and Joyce suddenly became a monster overnight, we’ll go to plan B. Steve and I will drive up there to kidnap you and you can live in Indy with us.”

Will grinned. He could live with that, “Can’t we just make that Plan A?”

“No, because your family loves you, as they should by the way. And this won’t bother them, I swear. Plus, telling them on your own terms is a lot less awkward than getting caught in the act.”

Will didn’t even want to know what Eddie was alluding to with that one. Poor Wayne, “But what if we’re wrong?”

He wanted to believe him, he really did, but stranger things had happened outside of gay people being disowned. 

“Will, listen to me,” Eddie said, his voice confident enough to make Will perk up, “I swear on Steve’s life, okay? There is no way in hell anyone in that house is gonna reject you for this.”

Will blinked, a little shocked at just how much faith he had in his family. More than he did, “Really?”

“Really. Trust me on this man, you’re going to be fine.”

They hung up pretty soon after that, mostly because El started knocking on his door for the phone. The conversation made him feel a bit better, but also…nervous. Could he really tell them? Would it all just work out? Just like that? Will wasn’t so sure. 

He decided against doing it right away despite Eddie’s own confidence. But he did start to drop a few feelers. He started with Jonathan, waiting until he was high enough for him to forget the conversation if it didn’t go well. And that wasn’t a long wait. 

He found him and his new friend sprawled out in his room, Fast Times playing in the background as they both stared into space. Though Will wasn’t quite sure he could count what Argyle was doing as staring. He’s eyes were barely open, and Will was 90 percent sure he was passed out. But that was good for him, now was as good a time as any. 

Jonathan smiled at him as he wandered in, his words kind but slurring, “Hey! What’s up? You never come in here. You wanna watch something or…?”

Will shook his head, his heart aching a little at the way it made his brother frown. Maybe he really had been neglecting him, too caught up in his own head to spend time with the closest thing he had to a Dad. 

It made him feel a little bad, but that wasn’t what he was here for, “No thanks. I just wanted to ask you something.”

“Sure!” Jonathan said, way too excited at the prospect of a simple question, but maybe that was the weed, “What’s up?”

Will shrugged, casually leaning against the door. Or at least he hoped it looked casual, because his heart was beating a mile per minute, “Steve said that his and Eddie’s anniversary is coming up soon. Do you think I should send them something?”

Jonathan tilted his head up to look at him, his eyes bloodshot with a tiny smile on his face, “That’s like…so nice dude. You’re always so nice. How are you so nice?”

“You don’t think it’s weird?” Will pressed, hope fluttering in his chest, “To be, y’know, celebrating them like that?”

Jonathan shook his head, “Nah man. It’s like…romance. Y’know? It’s sweet.”

“Yeah dude, gay guys are cool,” Argyle agreed out of nowhere, his eyes still closed,  “Good for Stu and Eggie. Gay people got like, the best hair.”

Will didn’t really know what to do with that one. But Jonathan was impressed. He jerked his head back to stare at Argyle, his voice in awe, “How’d you know he had good hair? I never told you he had good hair.”

“I bet they both have good hair,” Argyle sighed, “They alway do.”

“Are you like, psychic?” Jonathan asked, like that made any sense at all.

“Shit, you think I could be?”

Will watched as the two of them started to debate the idea, his brow raised. God, weed sure was a hell of a drug. He left them to it after that, deciding to slowly back out of the room. But he was going to chalk it up as a positive. 

preview for the next chapter (kind of) of this fic

[suckerfordylansstuff]

New Journey (S.H.) Chapter 3 Season 4

Pairing: Steve Harrington x henderson!reader

Summary: Back to Hawkins for spring break. Y/n believed it would just be a quiet time to cherish with her loved ones, but one day in and another mess had already began.

Warnings: cursing, mentions of drugs, angtsy

Notes: Okay, let's cut to the chase. The season is written and I'm going to be posting a new chapter everyday. Thanks for the patience. Please enjoy and stay safe out there! 💕

Gif not mine

Chapter 2 << Masterlist >> Chapter 4

You thought your ride there would be quiet, but of course, having Robin with you meant anything but that. You were sure Steve had talked to her about what happened between the two of you and even if you weren’t in the mood to talk about it, you were also sure Robin was dying to bring it up. You just waited to see how long it would take for her to spill it out.

So, after five minutes of silence, Robin’s voice filled the car “So, you and Steve huh? I bet you had fun last night.”

“I know you know, Robin.”

“Know what? I don’t know anything.” you sent her a sideways glance and it was all it took to break her “Fine, he told me this morning. What exactly happened?”

“You know what happened. I asked him to move in with me like I told you I would do and he freaked out for some reason.”

“Why?” you knew what Robin was doing. She was perfect at playing the psychiatrist to get all of your secrets, and you hated the fact that it always worked.

“That’s the question, why? Like, if you’re not ready, that’s fine, but don’t start acting like the mere idea of us living together is awful to you.”

“That’s how you felt?”

“Yeah… I know he didn’t mean it like that, but can’t he just communicate like a normal human being?” you voice got smaller with every confession you made.

“We’re talking about Steve here. Of course, he can’t.” she saw your face scrunching up in thought and immediately forgot about her joke “Hey. It just threw him off. I don’t know what scared him so much, but I do know that his love for you is much stronger. It’s honestly kind of annoying how obsessed he’s with you. For example, the candlelight thing he did last night? He had that idea over a month ago and he would not stop talking about every single detail he wanted to include. Also-” you sat in silence as you listened to Robin ramble on about Steve and his antics as she jumped from one point to another without trying to make sense of her narrative. It brought a small smile to your face, hearing your friend go on and on about anything and everything, a nice distraction from what’s happening around you.

It was only when you arrived at the address that she stopped talking and walked over to the rest of the group. You got out of the car and walked next to Dustin, who was handing out flashlights for all of you to see. How does he have so many of them?

You just shook your head and started looking around before walking with Dustin and Steve to the front door. You stand beside your brother as he begins ringing the doorbell once, then twice, and after getting no answer he starts pressing the button repeatedly in frustration.

“Hey, knock it off.” you hit his hand away from the bell.

“Okay. Well, that’s settled. I guess he’s not here.”

“He’s not going to come answer to anyone knocking on his door. I mean, he is a drug dealer.” you said

“Okay, so how to we get him to come out here without alerting him?”

“I don’t know.”

Right after you finished your sentence, Dustin started knocking on the door while yelling Eddie’s name “Look, we just wanna talk, okay? No cops, I swear. We just wanna help.” he knocks again “Eddie!”

“Say it louder, try telling everyone we’re here.” you told your brother sarcastically, but you accomplished nothing as he continued to do as he pleased, yelling out Eddie’s name before switching it to Rick’s.

“Don’t scream that.” Steve told him, but Dustin once again ignored everyone, his stubbornness getting the best of him.

“Rick!”

“Dustin!” you whisper-yelled his name.

“He’s not there.” Steve

“Reefer Rick!” he yelled one more time before giving up “He could just be really high…” he tried to reason with you and you just groaned, fearing your lead was getting you nowhere.

“Is that a foot?” Steve suddenly asked, pointing at something with his light.

“What?” you pushed through Dustin to take a look yourself.

“No, that’s a shoe.” Dustin said after inspecting it and before this bizarre conversation could continue, Max’s voice interrupted you.

“Hey, guys!”

You quickly walked over to her to see what had caught her attention. Before you stood a lake house, that was previously covered by the trees. The perfect place to hide, you all thought. So, you started inspecting it, Robin being the first one to poke her head inside, calling out to see if someone was here.

“Is anyone home?” she said after walking inside, you going in after her, the rest following.

The door creaked until everyone was inside as you began looking around for any clues this place could offer you.

“What a dump.” Steve said out loud as he walked in before you heard him click off his flashlight. You turned to see him on the opposite side of the boat with an oar in his hands while he began tapping the boat in front of you. It made you stop in your spot, and just watch him with furrowed brows.

“What are you doing? What are you doing?” Dustin repeated his question when Steve didn’t respond.

“He might be in here.” he responds, never stopping nudging the boat.

“So, take the tarp off.” Dustin said as if it was obvious.

“If you’re so brave, you take the tarp off.” Steve whined and carried on with his poking. You just shook your head at their behavior. At least Dustin was being cold with Steve too, not just you.

“Hey, look over here.” Max called out for you, pointing at the table in front of her. Both you and Robin stood beside her as you inspected the opened candy wraps and the empty beer bottles “Someone was here.”

“Do you think they heard us?” you questioned.

“Probably. Got spooked and ran.” Robin answered you.

“Don’t worry. Steve will get him with his oar.” Dustin joked.

“I know you think you’re being funny, Henderson, but considering everyone in this room has nearly died about a hundred times, personally, I don’t find it funny in the slight-” Steve hadn’t stop poking the oar and you ended up getting tired at both the boys’ uselessness.

“Oh my God, just take it off.” you swung off the tarp when chaos corrupted.

You yelled loudly in shock when you saw a body stand up from the boat. In surprise you pulled backward, your arms reaching out for Max and Robin to not get closer, but they weren’t the ones you had to worry about. You watched the stranger grab Steve’s body, push him into the wall with force, and place a broken beer bottle near your boyfriend’s neck. Your legs moved quickly alongside the girls, pulling you over to Dustin who kept a distance between the rest of you and Steve. Being closer to the spectacle you were able to recognize the stranger as none other than the person you were looking for, Eddie Munson.

“Eddie! It’s me. It’s Dustin. This is Steve. He’s not gonna hurt you, right, Steve?” Dustin called out for Eddie, desperately trying to calm him down before Steve quickly agreed with his younger friend. You just held your breath, your eyes never leaving Steve’s face and the bottle next to his neck.

“Steve, why don’t you drop the oar?” your brother said with a careful tone and you all watched Steve let go off the oar. But the sound it made when it hit the ground, seemed to startle Eddie and he pressed the sharp edge even further into Steve’s neck. You whimpered at the sight, your body moving forward without thinking, but Dustin stopped you “He’s cool. He’s cool.”

“I’m cool, man. I’m cool.” Steve repeated.

“What are you doing here?” Eddie finally spoke, his voice filled with fear.

“We’re looking for you.” Dustin told him.

“We’re here to help.” Robin explained.

“Eddie, these are my friends. You know Robin, from band.” your brother pointed at Robin behind him, who nervously imitated playing her instrument “This is my friend Max. The one who never wants to play D&D.” Max waved at the punk “And my sister. Y/n. You know her, I’ve told you about her.” you let out a soft hi “Eddie. We’re on your side. I swear on my mother. Our mother. Right, guys?” you nodded at Dustin’s words, the rest of the guys agreeing.

Eddie just looked at your faces for just a moment before letting go of Steve, who grunted over his relief, far away from the broken glass. At the sight you immediately moved over at Steve, not caring about Eddie, and grabbed your boyfriend’s face.

“You okay?” you moved his head to the back to see if there was any damage on his neck and let out a breath when you saw that no blood was spilled.

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” at that moment you had forgotten all about your fight and made a promise to yourself to only talk about your future once you ensured that there would be one to talk about after you figured out what the heck was happening this time.

“Eddie. We just want to talk.” Dustin had moved over at Eddie, attempting to disarm him, but Eddie flinched away “Okay.”

Eddie looked terrified, crouched down on the floor. He couldn’t look away from the ground, his hand trembling as he held on to the bottle. You weren’t sure if you were afraid of him or for him.

Robin carefully leaned down, meeting his eye level “We want to know what happened.”

Eddie shook his head, answering after his sniffles surrounded you “You won’t believe me.”

“Try us.” Max told him.

You stood before him as he started explaining what he saw. The kids were sitting in front of him, while you, Steve, and Robin were standing in the back. You hadn’t left Steve’s side as your hand grasped his arm to make sure he wouldn’t leave, that he wouldn’t get in more danger.

Eddie’s words were shocking. He explained why Chrissy had come with him to his trailer and how at some point she just lost all control over her body. He described her lifting up into the air, her bones snapping one by one. Even after all the terrible things you’ve seen, you couldn’t imagine something so horrible happening to someone.

By the time Eddie’s story ended, he was even more shaken up. He looked around at your faces and scoffed “You all think I’m crazy, right?”

“No. We don’t think you’re crazy.” your brother told him.

“Don’t bullshit me, man! I know how this sounds.”

“We’re not bullshitting you.” Max’s voice was serious.

“We believe you.” Robin tried to reassure him as well.

“Look, what I’m about to tell you might be a little… difficult to take.” Dustin said.

“Okay…”

“Do you know how people say Hawkins is… cursed? They’re not… way off. There’s another world. A world hidden beneath Hawkins. Sometimes it bleeds into ours.”

“Like ghosts and shit?” he asked, trying to understand was his little friend meant before Max answered.

“There are some things worse than ghosts.”

“These monsters from this other world… we thought they were gone. But they’ve come back before. That’s why we needed to find you.” Dustin explained to Eddie.

“If they’re back again, we need to know.” Max said and you decided to step in to see if Eddie’s incident could lead you anywhere. You already knew about the flickering lights, but any further information would be useful.

“Eddie, that night, did you see anything?”

“Dark particles, maybe?” Eddie shook his head at Max’s words.

“It would almost look like dust, swirling dust.” Dustin tried to build a picture in Eddie’s brain about what exactly you were looking for.

“No, man, there was nothing you could see or, uh… or touch. You know, I tried to wake her, man. She couldn’t move. It was like she- she was in a trance or something.” he answered you.

“Or under a spell.” Dustin said in a different tone than before, one telling you that he was onto something.

“A curse.” Eddie immediately picked up on what Dustin was saying.

“Vecna’s curse.” you closed your eyes when you realized what they were talking about. Great association by Dustin once again, you thought.

“Who’s Vecna?” Steve asked from beside you.

“An undead creature of great power.” Dustin and Eddie began explaining.

“A spell caster.”

“A dark wizard.”

Even after their descriptions Steve was still confused over Vecna, so you spoke up “A D&D character.”

Which made Dustin scoff and turn to look at you “Don’t ruin it.”

“Hey, we’re back.” Steve said as he entered the kitchen, finding you on top of the counter while you drank a glass of water.

“They got everything?”

“Yeah, change of clothes, everything they needed. Grabbed some stuff for you too, they’re in Dustin’s bag. Also told your mom and Max’s that we’re just having like a movie night/sleepover, so they wouldn’t worry.”

“Yeah, good job.”

After leaving Eddie back at the lake house, you told them that it would be best if the rest of you stayed together, to form a plan, gather information, and, also, keep everyone safe. So, you ended up in the one place with enough room and with no one else to ask questions. Steve’s house.

He had just returned from driving everyone around Hawkins to go get some stuff to spend the night at his.

You watched him take his jacket off before sighing loudly “What a day, huh?”

“You could say that again.”

Steve didn’t need to look at you for a second longer to see that you were upset. Being thrown back into the nightmare of a situation was hard for all of you, but he knew you were the most anxious one of them all. Your nightmares make it impossible for you to sleep some nights and you end up calling him to calm down. Always trying to help everyone else and not you, always trying to figure out any possible outcome, and not taking a moment for yourself.

So, when your eyes shot up to look into his and he saw how they glistened, he realized you had been crying and it broke his heart.

“Hey, we’re okay, we’re fine, right? All of us are here and okay.” he placed himself between your legs as his arms hugged your waist, pulling your body into his. Your own hands easily settled themselves around his neck while your head relaxed on his shoulder. You took a deep breath, his presence bringing you at ease.

“It can’t be the same thing again, can it?” you certainly felt like you were in denial. You knew it had to do with the Upside Down, you just hoped it would be an easier fight than the last time.

“I hope not.” his palm stroked your back in soothing circles, helping you relax.

“I just…” you pulled your head away from his shoulder to look at his face “I thought after Hopper and Billy, after their sacrifice, I thought it was finally over, and now…”

“I know.” he nodded his head, but he unfortunately didn’t know what to say to make you feel better. He knew it sucked, it was terrible and very dangerous for all of you, and he couldn’t sugarcoat that. He couldn’t hide you all away till it ended, and you all knew that the only way to get over this was with your help. No one else knew what you did and no one else could save this town than you, once again.

So, Steve just settled by placing a soft kiss on your temple before jumping on to the next topic he couldn’t stop thinking about while he drove the rest of them back “Y/n, listen, about this morning, I didn’t mean-”

“I don’t want to talk about that. I don’t care right now. I care about us- all of us.” you hugged him tighter, your face squeezed into his neck and your words getting muffled “Let’s just focus on this now, okay? We’re okay.”

“Whatever you want, baby.”

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[grandwretch]

only i must wander, chapter seven

[on ao3] [part one] [part two] [part three] [part four] [part five] [part six]

content warnings: graphic depictions of violence

a/n: this is the penultimate chapter of act one! if you've been putting it off, this is a great time to start reading.

"What a fucking night, am I right?" Eddie's voice was tense, leaning toward hysterical on its way to jovial. The van echoed silence back, the labored breathing of five tired kids the only response. 

Steve gave Eddie a small smile through the rearview mirror. He appreciated what Eddie was trying to do-- They'd never had a jokester on their team; Mostly Dustin just kept everyone from freaking out by relentlessly bullying everyone around him. It was a good attempt to keep them all from dwelling on what had just happened, but Steve couldn't bring himself to laugh. 

He would probably still be crying if he wasn't so dehydrated. 

They had loaded him into the back of the van with the kids while he'd been in the throes of his breakdown. Erica had climbed into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, not a single word spoken as he sobbed into her hair. She slept now, head on Steve's shoulder, and he tried not to flinch when the bad shocks on the van shifted her weight onto his bullet wound. 

Dustin hadn't looked at him the entire drive home. Even after Steve had stopped crying and started responding to Eddie's nervous commentary, Dustin hadn't looked up from his own shoes. Steve would honestly be worried about the kid if he couldn't feel the resentment in the air. It was obvious that Dustin was pissed, and probably at Steve, but he was too fucking tired to figure out why.

"Where am I even going, Steve?" Eddie asked, when the silence hung a little too long for comfort. 

"Not to my house," Steve said, automatically. "Or any house that might be in their records." 

"You think someone might be coming after you?" Eddie asked, eyes darting around the road behind them as if black SUVs were going to spawn into existence. 

"I have no idea," Steve admitted. "It didn't look like there were many... survivors, but if we made it out we have to believe that someone else might have, too. Plus, you know, there's no telling who they called while we were in there--" 

"They're going to blame us for this." Robin's voice was shaky and vague, disconnected from the conversation. "I can fucking feel it." 

"There's no way this gets public enough to need someone to blame it on," Steve said.

"How are they going to cover up that many explosions?" Robin demanded. Steve winced as her voice rose, and decided to count himself lucky that she was still checked in enough to yell at him. "In the middle of nowhere?" 

"Fourth of July," Dustin said, dully. He still didn't look up.

"Exactly." Steve nodded. "Besides, the public doesn't even know about the lab-- Framing this as an attack would just invite unnecessary attention." 

"So we're..." Eddie frowned, and Steve watched his eyebrows knit together in the mirror. "Waiting to see who comes after us?" 

"There's too many reasons for them to want us dead to just assume that everything's going to be okay now," Steve said, voice grave. Sure, the last two years had been light enough on the government secrets that Steve had flown under the radar, but Nancy had never let him forget just how close he had come. He'd felt hunted, watched, for every moment he and Nancy were together, and now he felt the target on his back with a certainty he'd rarely felt about anything else. 

"Why would they possibly--" Eddie tried, but Steve couldn't let them ignore this. 

"We've seen things that no other Wesen has, and left alive," Steve interrupted. He kept his voice low, not wanting to wake Erica or scare Robin, but firm. They had to hear this. They had to understand why he had never wanted to involve them in all this, and why they had to watch their backs now that they knew. "Robin wasn't involved in the last two run-ins, but my name was all over their reports. After what we saw in there, I probably know more about the Upside Down and Project Indigo than anyone besides Brenner himself. They'd have to be stupid to not come after us. And probably Nancy and Murray and Joyce, too, considering they were the ones actually paying attention the first two times--" 

"So what do you do now? How do you usually get them to leave you alone?" 

It wasn't a bad question, if only Steve had actually known the answer. Hopper and Mrs. Byers usually handled the suits, doing their duty as the only adults on their side. If a kid had to get involved, it was usually Nancy or Jonathan. The most Steve had ever done was sign a few papers under Hopper's watchful eye. Now, as far as he knew, the government had never actually come after any of them for what they knew, not since Brenner's death. Dr. Owens had felt too guilty for that. 

The only person they'd had to actively hide was El, and she hadn't had a real identity to cover up. This was going to be... difficult.

"Historically?" Steve said, wincing. "Fake your death and go into hiding."

"Should I even be heading towards Hawkins right now?" Eddie asked, "I mean, I'd take you to the trailer, but I don't want to get Wayne involved in all this--" 

"Of course not, man." Steve never would have even thought of going to Wayne with this. The man had already done more than could be expected, and Steve already felt guilty over dragging Eddie into this. If something were to happen to them, it would already hurt the old Blutbad enough to lose his nephew. There was no reason to make Wayne Munson another missing person in Hawkins, Indiana. 

No, they were on their own here.

"--and there's no way we have enough first aid to make sure Harrington here doesn't die of an infection," Eddie continued, narrowing his eyes at Steve in the mirror. 

"I think I hit my death limit for the day," Steve joked weakly. "I'm practically immortal, now." 

He tapped Dustin's foot with his own, trying to get the kid to smile. Dustin blinked down at the van floor, the frown on his face immovable. "We should go to the cabin," he said. 

"Cabin?" Eddie echoed.

"Hop has a cabin in the woods behind my house," Steve said. "My little sister lives there. It's the safest place I can think of, and I need... I need to see her." 

"Not your sister," Dustin mumbled under his breath. Steve ignored him. If the kid wanted to piss him off out of some weird sense of revenge, he would have to try a lot harder than that. 

Steve just really needed to be with El right now. She was probably the only person who would understand what he had just gone through-- Robin could, too, maybe, but she hadn't been there. She hadn't seen the things they'd done to him, and she didn't know what it felt like to die. Maybe El didn't either, at least Steve hoped she didn't, but Steve knew that whatever she had gone through in the labs, it was something close to what he had just lived through. 

He didn't know if he planned on telling her or not. He wasn't sure if that would help either of them, in the long run. What he was sure of, though, was that just being near her would help. He just wanted to hold her close for a moment, her in one arm and Dustin in the other, if the kids would allow it, and just breathe. Just for a moment. Maybe... half an hour, if the world would stop falling apart around them. 

Steve tightened his hold on Erica just a little, all the gentle care he wanted to give El with nowhere else to go. 

Hopper's cabin would be the safest place, anyway. It wasn't listed under any recognizable name, if it was listed anywhere, and Hop would know what to do. He would know the right people to call, how to keep Eddie from getting the blowback. More importantly, he would be able to get in touch with Mrs. Byers so Steve could make sure that whatever those zombies were, they didn't have anything to do with Will. 

God, he really hoped they didn't have anything to do with Will. He hadn't seen the kid lose his shit last year, but he'd had nightmares over what little Nancy and Mike had told him. He couldn't imagine what Jonathan had gone through, in those few weeks. If that kind of thing had happened to Dustin or El, Steve would have lost his mind. 

The idea that now it was happening to multiple people, that it was spreading was-- It was-- 

Steve's stomach flipped. 

The rest of the drive into Hawkins was quiet. Well, as quiet as it could possibly be with Eddie and Robin's compulsive rambling. Steve let them go at it for miles, their high, frightened monologues tripping over each other all the way home. He'd long since learned to half-listen to Robin's scattered theories, and it was easy to tune Eddie out with her, letting their voices merge into one humming melody in the back of Steve's head. He kept his brain focused on the quieter, more important sounds-- Erica's heartbeat next to his own, the rhythm of Dustin's breathing. Eddie's steady tapping on the steering wheel was the unceasing undercurrent for the symphony, accompanied by the soft scratch of Robin's nails against her skin. 

Steve passed the miles in a haze, and he was barely awake when they rolled to a stop in front of Hopper's cabin. He had no idea how Eddie had even found the place-- Had he really been so deep in his own thoughts that he hadn't even heard Dustin's sulking directions? 

Dustin scrambled out of the back of the van with a clatter, throwing the doors open before Eddie had even properly parked. The sound roused Erica, but Steve simply scooped her up against his chest and followed after him. As Robin and Eddie got out of the van, both still mumbling to each other quietly, Steve scanned the woods. 

The cabin was always quiet, but today the silence had a strange quality to it that Steve couldn't place. Hopper's beat up truck was nowhere to be found, but that wasn't so unusual; The man did, after all, have to put in some face time at both work and his legal address, if only to keep up appearances. Still, there was a stillness to the trees that Steve didn't like, and the absence of birdsong only made him more paranoid. 

Speaking of paranoia, where the hell was El? Hopper had warned her to hide at the first possible sign of other people, an instruction that she hardly ever followed. Half the time Steve pulled up now, she was out of the door before he even crested the last turn, sprinting to throw her arms around Steve or Dustin. If Hopper wasn't home, she'd spend entire hours lounging in the grass next to the cabin and staring up at the clouds. But she didn't call for him, and Steve didn't hear any movement from inside the cabin. 

Had El been scared off by the unfamiliar van? Steve doubted it. Eddie's shitty vehicle didn't exactly scream government, but Steve didn't think that El would just sit around and wait to be found if someone suspicious pulled up to their very secret safehouse. Besides, Steve and Dustin were here. Where was she? 

Dustin threw open the door with the nonchalance of a child who'd never had to foot the bill at Lowe's. 

"Eleven! It's us!" There was no answer from inside the cabin. "Jane?" he tried again, tentatively. Still, there was no answer. Dustin walked further into the shadows of the dark, empty cabin, and with a grimace, Steve followed. 

They had both been in the cabin dozens of times in the last month; Steve found himself there most nights Hop had to work, just to give El a change in company. Steve had never been in the cabin alone, though. El had always been there, and more often than not, Hop was, too. He had never seen the cabin in the dark, never seen the warm, brown tones of the living room bathed in grey. Being alone was something Steve had gotten used to, over the years-- Loneliness settled over his life like dust, a film over every inch of the Harrington house. Seeing it here, where before there had only been warmth and light, unsettled him. 

Erica struggled in Steve's grip, beginning to mumble under her breath in her sleep. Although every instinct told Steve to clutch her tighter to his chest, Steve forced himself to kneel beside the big over-stuffed couch by the door and settle her onto the cushions. 

"El?" Dustin called, from the back of El's room. "El, where are you? Fuck! El!" 

"Dustin, calm down," Robin said. She and Eddie had crept to the edges of the doorway, peeking in. Steve got why they might be a little hesitant to come in to the police chief's secret hideout, but he didn't have time to coax them into being normal about it. "Maybe she went out?" 

"She's not allowed!" Panic had begun to creep into Dustin's voice.

"Maybe she just snuck out with Max again," Steve said, trying to be as soothing as he possibly could with his hoarse voice. "She probably just got bored while we were, uh, gone." 

"Oh, so everyone was just hanging out without me, huh?" Dustin pouted. 

"Totally not the time, loser," Erica said, sleepily. 

Steve almost reminded her to be nice to her brother, until he remembered that, no, Dustin wasn't Erica's brother-- and Erica's real brother was somewhere out there where Steve couldn't keep him safe. Somewhere that might already be crawling with zombies or evil scientists or who knows what else. 

"Should we call... uh, Max?" Eddie asked, taking a small step into the house. 

"No, they never hang out there because Max's brother is a fucking creep," Dustin answered. "There's no telling where they are. Maybe we should call Mike and Lucas, and see if they know?" 

Steve ignored them, looking around the cabin for any sign of where either of its inhabitants might be. Hopper's jacket wasn't hanging on the hook, which meant he was wearing his uniform, wherever he was. El hadn't left anything on the table, no book or crafts, so she'd at least left of her own voilition-- Steve took a few steps into the kitchen nook, peeking at the dishes left in the kitchen sink, when he saw a note laying on the little free counter space. 

It was Hopper's handwriting, scrawled hastily and cramped onto the back of a sloppily torn off ticket. It read: 

Got a call. Going in. Be back before dinner with Steve. Love you. Dad. 

Dinner with Steve. 

Dinner with Steve? 

"Fuck," Steve cursed as the realization finally clicked into place. "Fuck fuck fuck." 

"What?" Eddie asked, crossing the room to Steve's side with long strides. 

"I was supposed to come over for dinner last night," Steve said. The note crumpled in his clenched fist. Hopper had told him to come over for dinner the morning before, and Steve had foolishly thought there would be plenty of time for family dinner after a time meeting. There had been no plans for daring rescues, after all.

Robin's face creased in confused compassion. "I think they'll forgive--"

"No, Rob, I mean that this letter hasn't moved, and the fact that's it's still here means that they haven't been home since yesterday," Steve said. He could hear the agression in his own voice, could feel himself start to shout, but he didn't know how to stop it and keep his hands from shaking. "Where the fuck--" 

Eddie's hand landed on Steve's back, a warm, stable presence. He left it there, not rubbing or patting, but just... holding. Supporting. "Maybe they're out looking for you?" he offered. 

"And they didn't try the walkie?" Steve asked. "They didn't try and find Dustin?"

Robin and Eddie shared a look. "Alright, enough," Eddie said. He spoke in that deep, fake voice that Steve himself put on when the kids were pissing him off. The kind of voice you used when you desperately wanted to seem like the authority in the group. "I get you're freaked out, Steve, but you need to take care of yourself first." 

"No, I-- Something's wrong," Steve said, and the truth of it settled into his ribs like lead. "We have to go look for them." 

What if the government knew about the cabin? What if they had known to look for Steve there, and they had found El? Sure, there was no sign of a struggle, but what if they had used Steve somehow, or Hopper-- Fuck, had Hopper actually been looking for him last night? Was it possible that in their own panic, Erica, Dustin, and Eddie hadn't heard him on the walkie? 

"I get it, man, I really do," Eddie said, his voice barely loud enough to be heard by the blood rushing in Steve's ears, "but you're not going to be able to help them without a few stitches and a nap, man." 

"They're-- No, you don't get it. They're my family, and they need me, I can't--"

"Enough!" Dustin shouted, his angry voice breaking through Steve and Eddie's quiet argument. He stood in the hallway outside of El's room, his teary eyes narrowed in anger. He glared at them both, Steve and Eddie, as if they were the ones who had taken El away, as if they had meant for him to be alone and scared. And maybe he was right. Maybe it was their fault. "You've done enough for one day, Steve," Dustin said, spitting every word out of his mouth like they disgusted him. "Stop making shit harder on everyone and just wait on the fucking bench for a second, okay?"  

Silence filled the cabin as Dustin stomped through the living room, straight past them and out the front door. 

Dustin certainly got what he wanted-- Steve shut the fuck up. Shut down, really. He could barely feel the tips of his fingers as he watched Dustin disappear through the door. He was so sick of this. So sick of fucking up so often, always in front of the kids. Erica was staring at him now, her big brown eyes locked on him as he struggled not to just let himself drop to the floor and give up. 

Eddie was the first to get his wits about him. "Erica," he said, "Why don't you go change into something you haven't been wearing all day? I'm sure Steve's sister has something you can change into." He then turned back to Steve, voice dipping low enough the kids couldn't hear. "Where does Hop keep the first aid kit?" 

"In his room," Steve mumbled. Right nightstand, second drawer. It took up nearly the whole thing, and they had extra bandages and antiseptic stuff in the gaps on the sides. They'd restocked after using half Hop's supply on Steve's head last fall. 

"Okay, let's get you cleaned up. Rob, you should probably--" 

"I'm gonna take a shower," Robin interrupted. She looked down at Steve's blood-soaked polo. "You think your sister has a sweatshirt big enough for me to steal?" 

"I think..." Steve took a deep breath, trying to remember. "I think she stole a couple of mine for pajamas last fall. They should be in there somewhere." 

With Erica and Robin safe in El's room, and Dustin doing God knew what outside, Steve silently led Eddie into Hopper's room. Whatever nervous energy had kept Eddie rambling had apparently run out, because he didn't say a word, either. Not that Steve minded. His brain wasn't exactly busy, but there definitely wasn't room for a conversation in there. He barely had room for his own thoughts; Every single emotion had to be carefully handled, or the whole damn thing would fall apart in his hands. 

Metaphorical hands. 

Although, Steve thought as he sat on the floor, leaning against Hopper's bed, his real hands weren't doing so hot either. He still hadn't got them to stop shaking, even as he pressed them against stiff, stained denim. 

Eddie pulled the first aid kit from the drawer, directed by Steve's exhausted gesturing, leaving it open as he dropped to the floor in front of Steve. He said nothing as he poured some antiseptic onto a clean bandage, only frowned at the sluggishly bleeding wound on Steve's shoulder as if it had somehow wrong him. 

And maybe it had. Steve didn't know how this zombie shit worked. He still felt like himself, but maybe it was just like the movies. Maybe Steve had doomed them all by getting bit. Maybe Dustin was right, and he had ruined everything by always trying to save the day. Then again, the zombie hadn't given him much choice, and-- 

No, Steve thought angrily. Dustin didn't get to start yelling accusations and get the privilege of Steve taking them seriously. The little shit had begged Steve to do this, practically forced him to become this monster, and now he was mad at Steve for, what? Being a monster? Not dying when a human would have long since given up? Dustin didn't get to be mad at him for this, Steve decided, and he definitely didn't get to stop him. Nobody would stop him, not when Steve had finally found the one thing he was good at. 

"You know Henderson didn't mean that, right?" Eddie asked. The man didn't look up from where he was cleaning the bite mark on Steve's shoulder, the careful dab and sting of bandage against the wound. Steve wouldn't have even thought he was the one Eddie was talking to if they hadn't been the only two people in the room. 

"I've never seen him that angry before," Steve said. "Especially not at me." 

"Stop. The kid fucking adores you, man," Eddie said, throwing the soiled bandage to the side and prepping a new one. "He's just... scared." 

Steve snorted. "I've been babysitting Dustin for over half a year now, and that kid is never scared. Not even when you beg him to be." 

Eddie froze for just a moment, hesitating before shaking his head and continuing. "He fucking freaked when you got taken, Steve," he said. His hands were steady, but he couldn't hide the shake in his voice. "I mean, we all were, but Dustin couldn't stop crying."

Steve couldn't remember if he'd ever seen Dustin cry before. Maybe once, in the tunnels, when he was saying goodbye? The memories from the tunnels were hazy, at best, and Steve had never found the right questions or the right time to ask them. Was that the last time Dustin had cried, or just the last time he had let Steve see it? Steve didn't know what to do with the knowledge that Dustin had cried without him. For him, but without him. Steve forgave Dustin a little; He was starting to hate himself, too.

"You know when you're a kid, and you cry so hard you can't breathe? I thought he was going to pass out, but he just kept going. For fucking hours, man. He was just sobbing and fighting me, trying to go back. He was convinced that we had left you to die, and I couldn't tell him otherwise, because I didn't want to lie to the little dude." Eddie's voice was choked, like Dustin hadn't been the only one crying. Steve knew what it was like, being the one left behind to care for those who weren't strong enough to care for themselves. It was a tough, thankless job, and Eddie deserved a lot better than being forced to clean up Steve's messes-- physical and emotional. 

"Dustin always throws himself into these things," Steve said.  "He cares a lot about the people around him." 

"He cares a lot about you. If he always puts himself on the frontline of this shit, it's only because you taught him how to do it," Eddie said, pressing just a little harder against Steve's shoulder as if to remind him why they were here. 

"That's not--" 

"I'm serious, Harrington," Eddie said. "If Henderson has a weird savior complex, then it's only because he wants to stick with his big brother, who has one so big he has a government conspiracy against his own parents." 

Steve closed his eyes, resisting the urge to groan. Had Dustin told literally everyone in Hawkins about Steve and Hopper's plan? "I can't believe he told you. That's supposed to be, like, top secret Party shit." 

"Oh, yeah," Eddie said, chuckling. "You have the life of a DND character, I hope you know that." 

"So they keep telling me," Steve sighed. "Well, maybe you can use it in the next campaign. Local dipshit knight pushes away everyone who ever loved him." 

"Stop with the pity party," Eddie said, pressing firmly enough that Steve hissed under his breath. "Henderson still loves you, he's just freaked because he realized his real-life hero is even more fragile than the ones he makes up with his friends. He'll come around once he catches his breath." 

"... Okay." Steve wasn't sure he agreed, with Eddie or Dustin. He knew he was no hero, even if he turned out to make a pretty good Grimm. Grimms weren't heroes. At least, they shouldn't be. High school had been a slow, stupid journey into figuring out that Steve wasn't the kind of person that anyone should idolize. 

Eddie, though, now he would make an excellent hero. Eddie wouldn't pull the kids into violence and mayhem all the time. Eddie would actually share their weird, nerdy interests without griping all the time. Eddie would be able to remember the names of all their favorite characters. Eddie was a good role model. A good person. The fact he was even here with Steve right now was a miracle. 

"You're pretty heroic yourself, Munson," Steve said. He tried to keep his voice casual, the way he did when he'd compliment Tommy or one of the other... fixations. "How'd you even track us down?" 

"You--" Eddie finally raised his head, confusion written plainly all over his face. He blinked at Steve for a moment before frowning. "Huh, okay. You didn't do it on purpose?" 

"Do what?" Steve shifted, his knees pulling to his chest. 

"You called us, man." Steve didn't know how to place Eddie's tone. There was an awe to it, like people talked about space, sometimes, or God. But that couldn't be true. Not of anything Steve could do, not from Eddie. 

"Wha--" 

"I mean, I guess not, if you didn't know," Eddie rushed to clarify. "But we felt you. It was-- Dustin lost it, and I can't blame him, because it made me feel like I was about to break wieder or something. Like-- Like a nightmare." 

Steve found himself a little offended by that, somehow, even through all of the confusion. "And you thought it was me?" 

"I mean, it was either that or a real monster had shown up." Eddie shrugged, and picked up some guaze. "We were hoping it was you." 

"And it led you to me and Robin?" 

"We followed it all the way to Lafayette. The closer we got, the thicker it got, until it was almost physical. Or I think maybe it was physical, because this storm started brewing," Eddie continued. He lowered his head again, concentrating on wrapping Steve's shoulder. "Over the power plant the clouds were so thick it was almost pitch black before the sun even set, but it never rained." 

"Fuck." There had been nothing about storms or ominous feelings in any of Grandpa Otis's journal entries. If there had been some kind of innate Grimm power meant to call for help, wouldn't World War 2 be the exact time and place you'd want to use it? Or maybe Grandpa Otis hadn't been able to use it, or maybe it was harmful in some way, or maybe-- 

"We were still trying to figure out how to get to you and Robs when everything went bad," Eddie said. 

"If that was me, I guess I can't be too surprised," Steve said. He'd been waiting for the other shoe to drop on this Grimm busines, and now here it was. Physical and peer-reviewed evidence of Steve's failure. "I have no idea how or why it happened, but it makes sense that the bogey man has better powers than punch real good." 

"Yeah." 

"Do you--" Steve looked down at the burns on his chest, the tiny biting holes left by the stun gun. "Do you think maybe it was because I died?" 

"I wish you'd stop saying that." 

"Well, I just--" Steve shrugged. "It figures my only useful power is something I'm hopefully never going to use again."

"Stop. Just--" Eddie cut himself off, and Steve watched the woge ripple across his face for just a moment before settling back into calm humanity. Being raised by Wayne Munson must have been a fucking wonder, Steve thought, as Eddie went from the maddest he'd ever seen him to slightly peeved in one long breath. "I didn't spend two days awake and hunting just for you to put yourself down like that, Steve. You're... You're not--" 

"Look, I'm-- I know it must be weird to hear it, after all your..." Steve squirmed. "Problems with my parents." 

"I don't have--" 

"But I don't think they choose to be assholes, really. It's like a fucking curse, man." Here it was, the big secret that Steve couldn't get anyone to believe. "One day I'm going to get angry enough I'm going to end up just like them to get some peace and quiet in my own fucking head. You think I don't see it coming? I know what I'm like when I'm angry, and it's not pretty." 

"You forget we went to high school together, Harrington. Hawkins had bigger, angrier guys walking through it's halls on the daily," Eddie said.  "I mean, Hargrove was a petty monster, but he was human, and--" 

"Oh, Hargrove? You mean the guy I tried to kill?" It was an exaggeration, but Steve was tired of people brushing him off.

Eddie rolled his eyes. "If that was you trying to kill him, you did a pretty shitty job." 

"It's not about how good I am at it, Eddie, it's about--" Steve swallowed, trying to figure out how to point his words to finally get them to stick in Eddie's skull. "It's about the fact that if I had just tried to talk to him, maybe I wouldn't have had to try! Maybe he might not have gotten hurt. Maybe I wouldn't have gotten hurt." 

"Yeah, or maybe he might have gotten away with whatever you were trying to stop him from doing," Eddie pointed out. 

Steve had to admit that Eddie kind of had a point with that one. Billy hadn't exactly been thoughtful or tentative in his actions against the kids. If anything, things might have been worse if Steve hadn't stepped in. But would they have? Would they really? Could Steve trust that impulse, or was it just another Grimm instinct that had gotten its teeth into him early? He weakly tried to argue his way out of the corner."That's not... I'm sure it was a misunderstanding, okay? If I had just... explained, about Lucas and Max, then--" 

"Lucas and-- He just so happened to be going after Lucas Sinclair? The guy whose little sister we just had to rescue from being kidnapped?" Eddie shook his head. "Steve, you don't reason with guys like that." 

"Maybe not! But we'll never know for sure, because I lost my cool and tried to be the fucking hero, and now Max can't bring her boyfriend home, and Tommy Hagan won't even look me in the eyes anymore, and I have these fucking headaches I cannot get rid of--" Steve sucked in a breath, the edge of a sob crushing his throat. "And it's all because I was angry and stressed and heartbroken--" 

"Did I ever tell you that my dad is in federal prison for murder?" 

Steve stopped, the panic stuck in his throat. He and Eddie held eye contact for a brief, awful moment. It was every reason that Steve hated looking people in the eyes-- He never understood what he found there, but he always felt as though his were giving away all his secrets. It felt like baring himself completely for someone who could never return the favor. For Eddie, though, Steve made himself hold still, so that Eddie could look. 

Eddie didn't have many secrets left, anyway. Steve had a feeling he'd just heard the deepest one. 

Eventually, Eddie's eyes darted back down to his hands, and Steve felt the grip on his throat loosen enough to say,"Wh-- No. I didn't even-- I didn't even think that was a thing that could happen to wesen." 

"It can. Usually if they're too human about it, or if, you know, they turn themselves in," Eddie said, and he shrugged, like the particulars of it didn't matter much. Steve couldn't imagine anything mattering more, but maybe it was less important when it was something you've known all your life.  

"Is that why..." Steve didn't know what he was allowed to ask. "Is that why you and Wayne went wieder?" 

"Nah. Wayne and my dad went wieder before I was born. Well, technically the exact day I was born," Eddie said, a bitter smirk twisting his lips. "They didn't want me to grow up like they did, the traditional way. They wanted to give me a chance to grow up human." 

"So what happened?" Steve asked. 

Eddie sighed. "When I was nine, my mom finally caught up to us. She's really traditional." Eddie sat back, leaning against the far wall. It felt easier, with a little distance between them, but Steve was beginning to miss the steady warmth of Eddie's hands. "I don't really blame her for that part. She had about as much choice in it as I do being wieder. But she sent some guys after us, to bring me back to her pack." 

"And your dad..." Steve wasn't sure if he wanted to finish the sentence. Sometimes, the way he said facts made other people hear them as accusations-- He couldn't risk losing Eddie to a misunderstanding as stupid as that.

"I don't think he wanted to fight, at first. I don't remember a lot of it, and I was hiding, so--" Eddie waved vaguely, as if he could just bat childhood trauma out of the air like a pesky fly. "My dad was never a big fighter, though. But Wayne was. Wayne was fighting. And then-- And then when the other guys started winning, well--" 

"I get it," Steve said, quickly.

"Anyway, the point is: He turned himself in, but not in one time I've seen him since, did I think my dad ever regretted what he did. And that's-- Anytime I get angry, I think about him, in that jail cell. Chipping away at his sentence with good behavior." 

Shame settled over Steve faster than it had since Barb (and, God, he could not think about Barb right now, after everything). He had killed someone today, with such ease that it made his stomach turn to think of it. Sure, Robin had helped, but he had been the one to get them into the situation-- The one who had dug his teeth into flesh. The worst part of it was, Steve knew he would have killed more, if given the chance. He had wanted to. He had been so blessedly close to it, a time or two. And there had been no noble reason for it, no righteousness to his actions. 

The only motivation that Steve had ever had was anger, plain and simple. 

Steve looked down, tears stinging his eyes. "You're a good son," he said, voice thick. "Fuck, Eddie, you're a good person." 

"No, I'm not." Eddie leaned in, one of his hands finding Steve's knee. Steve stared down at his clean, strong hands against the bloodied denim and tried not to think too deeply about any of it. "You're missing the point. I'm not a pacifist because that's the right thing to do, Steve. It doesn't make me a better person. Sometimes, it's not even because it's what my dad wants for me. I keep wieder because the alternative fucking terrifies me. If I break it, even once, I don't know what I'll do. I'm not brave enough. I couldn't sit in  a chair and stare at Wayne through plastic and smile, and know I did the right thing. I could never--" 

"Not being capable of murder is a good thing, Eddie. I get that Wesen society has kind of messed us all up, but--" 

"Steve, if someone came through that door right now and tried to kill you, I would let it happen," Eddie said. Steve looked up at him, and saw the truth in Eddie's eyes. "I would let them murder you in front of me, because I'm more scared of what happens if I try to stop it. That's not... That's not good. That's what's legal, that's what's safe, but not for a second do I lie to myself enough to believe that's what's good." 

"Eddie," Steve breathed, because he was, he was, Steve would die again just to bask in the light of Eddie's goodness, what part of it wasn't he understanding-- 

"You're not a monster, Steve," Eddie said, his voice so gentle and kind that it burned Steve from the inside out to hear it. "You're a knight." 

"I'm so fucking angry, all the time," Steve sobbed, the only argument he had left.  

"Good people get angry when they see evil. Even Jesus threw a few good temper tantrums, I hear." 

Steve choked out a laugh, strangled by sobs. It wasn't that funny, not really, especially for a guy who'd never been to church-- But it was the way Eddie said it that made him laugh, the way Eddie's voice curled around the syllables smug and expectant. No, it wasn't funny, but Steve had a very long day, and too much relief and thankfulness in his chest felt, for a moment, like happiness. 

"I know we're not exactly best friends, Harrington," Eddie continued, his voice warm, "but I'm proud of you. I'm proud to be on your side. I don't know how much of a help I'll be, but I hope I can find even a speck of your courage along the way." 

Steve rolled his eyes and let body unravel, muscles slumping with exhaustion. His feet slid across the floor until they came to a stop next to Eddie's own, the rubber tips of Steve's shoes pressing into the fabric of Eddie's. "I don't believe for a second that you're a coward, Munson. A real coward wouldn't have protected Erica and Dustin like that," he said. "And they definitely wouldn't have gone towards the freaky Grimm feeling." 

"I barely did anything," Eddie said, looking away. A blush began to creep its way across Eddie's face, subtle in the dim light from Hopper's window. "You wanna talk about bravery, we should be talking about Buckley. The balls on that lady." 

Right. Steve had almost let himself forget about the massive crush Eddie had on Robin. It was odd, because if it was someone Steve was into, he'd be with them right now, but here Eddie was. With him. Maybe Eddie was just too shy to invite himself into Robin's shower? Or maybe he was trying to keep a low profile, and make a move after the horror show was over? 

Jealousy bloomed in Steve's chest. It figured that he'd go through hell and back to make friends, and then by the end of it all they'd probably be too wrapped up in each other to remember their poor, single dipshit of a friend. Still, the jealousy wasn't enough to overshadow the good that Robin had done in Steve's life. Even in the just the last forty-eight hours, she'd probably become the most loyal friend Steve had ever had. She was definitely the most reliable. There weren't many Robin Buckleys in this world, and Steve wasn't going to let one of his stupid obsessions get in the way of him keeping her around.

"Yeah, she's kind of amazing," Steve admitted. 

"I would literally never be able to do that. To stand next to someone and have their back, no matter what happens? Literally staring down the barrel of a gun for love? Maybe we're both wrong, and Robin's the knight in shining armor." Eddie's voice was wistful, so pained that Steve shifted awkwardly under the weight of it. 

It was one thing for Eddie to crush on Robin, and another entirely for him to go around talking about how he didn't measure up to her, or how she should be with Steve instead. That kind of thing never went well. There was a year in middle school where Tommy and Steve had awkwardly tried to figure out just which of them was expected to ask Carol out, and even that childish love triangle had nearly torn apart their friendship four years early. He needed to nip this is in the bud now if he wanted to have any hope of keeping this friendship. 

"Robbie and I aren't like that. I mean, I love her, but she's a friend," Steve stressed. "We're both single. Completely unattached." 

Eddie's eyes found Steve's, solemn and wide. "Well, maybe you should change that." 

Yeah, that absolutely wasn't going to happen. 

The amount that Steve wanted to be with Robin hovered somewhere around 20%-- and that amount was only because of the strange, possessive parts of Steve's brain that thought if Robin was in love with him, he wouldn't have to share her. Nothing about that was really what Steve would call romantic. No one would ever believe that, though, because he was Steve Harrington. Steve Harrington never wanted to be just friends with a girl, ignoring Carol and Nicole and Tina and all his other female friends. He couldn't even pick up a dropped pencil for a girl without rumors flying around the school by 7th period.

What it came down to, really, was that Steve had spent much more time thinking about kissing Eddie than Robin, and there was no way for him to admit that out loud. At least, not to Eddie. There wasn't much else Steve could do to broadcast 'not a threat' because, unfortunately, most of the guys of Hawkins had never given him another choice. 

Then again, did Steve really want to give Eddie the all-clear? If Eddie thought Steve and Robin were dating, wouldn't that be the perfect way to make sure Eddie and Robin never did? Maybe it was completely terrible of him to consider, but he'd killed a man today, and a little social manipulation seemed practically saint-like in comparison. If Steve just made sure that he stayed squarely between them, then they could all three stay together, single and vaguely miserable. 

Ugh, why was he even thinking about this? There were zombies in Hawkins, and his family was missing, and he had to get Erica back to her parents, and-- The list was piling higher and higher, and Steve really didn't have time to weigh the moral cost of keeping Eddie's eyes solely on him. 

"Eddie, if--" 

"Hey, Steve? The shower's open." Robin peeked through the open door, her eyes so wide that Steve could count all the colors in her irises. He wondered if she'd heard Eddie trying to cajole him, and didn't know if he felt worse for Eddie or himself. Eddie, because he'd just tried to push the girl he liked into a relationship with a different guy in front of the girl herself. Or him, because now he had to pull himself out of this stupid little world he'd created where he and Eddie were the only people who mattered. 

Maybe dying had fucked something up in his head, because he was pretty sure that it wasn't working the way it was supposed to. There should be other things on his mind right now, right? Jesus Christ, maybe he would have to look into one of those conversion camps for himself, after this was all over. Steve wasn't stupid enough to believe any of that shit worked on actual gay people, but maybe it would on him? He just had a bad habit. Therapy worked on bad habits all the time. 

Wait. Had his mom lied about going to therapy to stop smoking? That was kinda fucked-- 

"Ah," Eddie said, when Steve stayed suspiciously quiet. "Your lady-love calls, Harrington." 

Steve flinched out of his train of thought, shooting Eddie a frown and a nasty look. "Seriously, Eddie. It's not like that." 

"Whatever you say, Steve," Eddie said, eyes fixed on a muted square of sunlight cast across the floor.

A part of Steve wanted to stay, wanted to make Eddie understand, but that was exactly the kind of thing Steve was supposed to stop doing. He struggled with himself for a moment, jaw working in frustration, before he gave up with a huff and pushed himself off the floor. Stupid, stubborn boys. God knew why Steve's brain always fixated on them when there were clever, pretty girls like Nancy or Robin around. Hell, there was probably a clever, pretty boy who didn't make Steve want to pull his hair out somewhere, right? 

"Don't get your bandages wet," Eddie called after him, as Steve stalked out of Hopper's room. 

Robin trailed behind him, oblivious to-- or perhaps just too polite to mention --the scene she'd just witnessed.

"Can I--" She paused, hands flapping nervously.  "I don't really want to be alone right now." 

Steve shrugged, gesturing to his shoulder. "Yeah, sure. I can't take a shower, anyway. I'm just going to try to get the blood off." 

It was a blessing he'd worn boxers that morning, Steve thought, as he dropped his pants. He probably should have felt worse about standing around in his underwear in front of a girl, bathroom door open, but-- It was hard to think of Robin that way. It was hard to think about anything that way right now, honestly. Steve might angst about Eddie and relationship woes, but if the guy came in and offered a blow job right now, Steve would still turn him down-- His brain was all for the teenage bullshit, apparently, but his body was still in survival mode. 

And what Steve needed right now was to wash his fucking hair before the feeling of dried blood on his forehead forced him to kill himself. 

As much as Steve missed his high-pressure shower at home, he wasn't above sticking his head under a shower faucet. It wasn't even the first time he'd done so with company; The guys on the swim team used to tease him about washing the chlorine out of his hair in the bathrooms after meets, but Steve wasn't the one walking around with sickly green highlights. It didn't bother him that Robin perched on the toilet lid as he rinsed his hair-- He couldn't even see her through the curtain of his own hair. It would be fine. Not awkward at all, really. 

So, of course, that was when Robin started talking. 

"I have something to tell you," she said. "I think." 

"Can it-- Can it wait?" Steve asked weakly, trying not to swallow any of the bloody water pouring down his face. "Look, I'm sorry, but I have a lot going on right now." 

"No. No, it can't. I'm sorry, too, but I was thinking about this the whole time I was alone in that cell. I thought I was going to die, I thought we were both going to die, and I would have died never saying it out loud, and I hated it. I hated not saying it," Robin said, her voice sounding choked.  "And I've thought about it, and after everything we've been through it makes sense to tell you. I think I'm ready. And I want to say it now, before something else happens." 

Steve paused, a familiar sense of dread pooling in his stomach. There was no reason for him to think that this was one of those conversations. Those dreaded awkward chats where girls Steve had adored wanted something more from him, the moments when he had to decide to play along or break her heart, but either way he was losing a friend. Robin had never once seemed interested in him. In any way, really, but especially not romantically. He was being too touchy. Eddie had gotten into his head, made him all... weird about Robin. They would talk about whatever it was Robin needed to talk about, and then Steve could move on. 

Except. 

What did Robin want to talk about? What could possibly have kept her awake in that cell, thinking about Steve? Something important and secret enough that she had to corner Steve in the bathroom about it? Steve honestly couldn't think of a single thing that they had to talk about that Eddie or Dustin wouldn't also be apart of. Unless-- Was it Barb? Did she want to talk about Barb? Steve didn't think he could handle that right now anymore than he could handle Robin having feelings for him. 

"Well, don't," Steve said. He kept his eyes down, focused on his hair, because that was easier than engaging with the conversation and the way his heart was pounding in his chest. 

There was a stunned silence, and then: "What?" 

"Don't tell me!" It burst out of him angrier than he meant it, and Steve stood. Dark pink water cascaded down his neck and shoulders, making rivulets of clean skin through the dirt and blood on Steve's chest. "I don't want to know." 

"What the fuck?" Robin asked, her face turning pink. Steve hated it. Robin didn't blush around him. That was-- This was-- 

"It's going to ruin everything," Steve said, unaware he was even saying it out loud. The moment he heard his own voice, though, Steve only became emboldened to continue. He was right; Why shouldn't he say so? "Why do you have to say it? Can't we just ignore it until it goes away?" 

"Wow. After everything you said, I really thought--" Robin looked away, scoffing, but Steve's eyesight had improved too much to ignore the tears welling in her eyes. "But, no, I guess it makes sense that Steve Harrington thinks I'm worse than rampaging monsters and evil scientists and zombies and--" 

"Robin, that's not what I--" Frustration overwhelmed Steve's ability to speak. He hated this. It happened every time he tried to let a girl down easy, every time he tried to keep a boundary between friendship and his hectic dating life. Steve didn't know why they always took it the wrong way-- Like there was something inherently wrong with them if Steve didn't like them. As if Steve was supposed to be attracted to every pretty girl that looked his way. As if it was owed to them, as if they could earn it by being pretty enough, popular enough, as if it was an accomplishment that they could show off. And, always, it came down to Steve being the person who took what they were owed. It was Steve denying them a happy ending. "Look, I'm super flattered, okay? You're great. I love you, I really do, but I'm not really ready for a relationship right now, and I-- I don't want to hurt you, but there's kinda someone else, anyway, and--" 

Robin looked at him sharply, and he wavered to a stop, voice shaking. Steve braced himself for the usual interrogation, the inevitable part where they tried to figure out what other girl had captured Steve's attention, which of the competition was more worthy-- Briefly, Steve considered telling Robin the truth, just to see what she would do when he said Eddie's name. The suspicious didn't settle into Robin's features like he'd expected it to, however. Instead, it was replaced by a brief moment of surprise, and then melted into something Steve couldn't quite place. 

It looked almost pained for a moment, tortured, and Steve was alarmed until Robin started laughing. Big belly laughs, clutching her stomach, the other hand on the wall to steady herself. "Steve," she tried to say. "Steve, I--" And she was overtaken by laughter again. 

Steve, still dripping, stared at her for a moment. He had missed something. Somewhere in that conversation had been a cue he missed, a hint he was supposed to pick up on. Steve had tried so hard to learn all the secret rules, always on the lookout for what wasn't being said, but things still slipped through the cracks from time to time. Being laughed at wasn't the worst reaction to a verbal screw-up, he knew that from experience, but it still didn't feel good. He flushed with embarassment, hands curling into fists at his side. 

"No, it's--" Robin sighed, looking at fondly for a moment before shaking her head and taking a deep breath. "God. Listen, Steve. I'm a lesbian." 

"I..." Steve froze. The word was half-familiar, like he'd heard it once or twice before it was replaced by a dozen crueler, hurtful words. He wasn't even sure he'd gotten the definition right, honestly. It wasn't like he'd gone around speaking to a bunch of gay people. Except, apparently, he had. Something unclenched a little in Steve's stomach, but he still needed to confirm. "Girls?"

Robin giggled, nodding, but there was a stiffness around her eyes that Steve couldn't help but notice. She was afraid. Not of the world outside, which had tried to kill them multiple times already, but of Steve. Which Steve supposed he would be, too, if he was in her shoes, but on his side of it, it seemed a little ridiculous. Anger or disgust were the last things on Steve's mind; Mostly, he was relieved. Relieved and burning with jealousy. 

It was cruel response, maybe, or at the very least selfish. Robin had obviously been struggling with this, and if Steve wasn't mistaken, he was the first person Robin had ever told. Still. He had wondered, earlier, if Robin had been like him. Just a little too possessive of her friends, losing herself in a spiral of unwanted thoughts that had no real source until it kept her up at night. Learning that she just liked girls, just liked them in a completely normal and obvious way, the way that Steve was supposed to, was something of a let down. 

Steve, not for the first time, wished he could like men that way. It seemed so much simpler. 

"Oh, thank god," he said, instead. The jealousy didn't stop the relief that he wouldn't be losing Robin, that she didn't want anything from him other than he'd already given. Robin was still laughing at him, though, and he was starting to question his own taste in friends. "Stop laughing. It's not that funny." 

"I thought you were being a homophobic dickhead for a second there, Harrington," Robin said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "I'll laugh all I want." 

Steve winced. Yeah, he had really gone all in on the yelling at her thing, hadn't he? "Ugh, I'm sorry. It's just..." He rolled his eyes, remembering what was left of his high school friendships in Hawkins. "You have no idea what it's like, constantly having your friendships ruined by stupid crushes." 

"Really? You think the lesbian doesn't know what it's like to be expected to return romantic feelings they never could?" Robin scoffed. "Every single time I talk to a boy for more than fifteen minutes, half the school thinks we're going to end up getting married. Including him. Having male friends is literally impossible." 

"Well, we can be each other's friend," Steve said. Echoing Robin's sentiment from the cell felt right; Steve liked when things fit together like that. Everything bundled up into a neat little package. Life should be like that more often, he thought, reaching for a hand towel on the rickety rack he'd helped Hopper build.

"I can't believe you're being so cool about this," Robin said. She looked him at him like he was doing something impressive, not giving himself a sponge bath in his psuedo-father's bathroom. She'd never looked at him like that when he was doing something actually cool, or had managed to do his hair in the last three days. She'd never looked at him like that ever, maybe. Steve found himself warmed by her admiration. It felt earned, but not like he'd had to fight for it-- Steve wasn't sure that he'd ever been liked this much for something easy before.  "Like, I was pretty sure you wouldn't be a total asshole about it, but I had no idea it would be this easy." 

For a moment, Steve wondered if this was when he was supposed to tell Robin that he'd already suspected... something. He didn't really know what to call it, since he didn't know how to explain his whole situation, either, but that wasn't what stopped him. Honestly, he didn't know how, not without explaining his own obsessions-- And while Steve trusted Robin, he didn't want to make this moment about puzzling out what was going on in his brain. On some level, he was still stuck on Robin thinking about it alone in the dark, Steve unmoving beside her. 

She deserved to live it. 

"Maybe last year I would have had a little freak out about it first," Steve admitted, because being almost killed by a demogorgon hadn't halted any of the nastiest parts of hate, yet, "but after everything we've been through in the last few days, there's literally nothing you could do that would make me want to stop being your friend." 

"I never thought I'd have a friend like you," Robin said. She blushed, and Steve realized that Robin was, like, ridiculously beautiful. Maybe not pretty, not like girls who studied their own beauty like an art form, but almost handsome.  Strong jaw, glinting eyes, freckles across her face. He wondered if Carol liked girls, because Robin would absolutely be her type. Was it too soon to start setting her up? 

"Like, I-- After Barb, I thought that kind of friendship only happened once," Robin continued, "I definitely didn't expect it with the King of Jocks." 

Steve grimaced, rubbing at dried blood dried on his stomach. "Oh, don't get started with that King shit. Eddie's bad enough." 

"I know, but. Come on," Robin said, rolling her eyes. "It's not like you expected us to have anything in common, either." 

They had a lot more in common than Robin suspected. Right? Steve knew he wasn't gay, probably. He just had bad habits. Would it be wrong to tell her that Steve was the same as her? Was that just another awful scheme that Steve had cooked up for attention. Fuck, he hated thinking about this. It always made him feel hunted, and that was the last thing he needed with the actual US government trying to track him down. 

"Well, we can always make up some shit," Steve said, because he'd learned a long time ago that the real secret to friendship was that you could just... decide it was real. "Maybe we can join a cooking class together or something." 

"Oh, yeah, we've got the time," Robin said, like she didn't believe it. 

Steve frowned. "The rest of our lives, really." 

She smirked up at him "Are you proposing to me right now, Steve?" 

"You fucking wish." 

Robin looked away, smile fading as the silence settled between them. "... So what do we do now?" 

Steve rubbed at his face, fighting the exhaustion that had been clinging to him for hours now. He needed to focus. He needed to be in control. 

"I should go back out there and start calling around for help," he said, trying to sound like he wasn't dreading it already. Steve had never been particularly great at asking for help, but he knew he didn't have much of a choice at this point.  He'd tried to handle things by himself last year, and look how that had turned out. "Nancy and Joyce should definitely be caught up, and it's possible that they know where Hop and El are." 

"Can I help?" 

"You can hold my hand." 

"Ew, boy cooties." 

Steve looked down at his body, still sticky and smelly but less covered in filth. It was the best he was going to get until he could get some real medical care, probably. Making Eddie bandage his shoulder after a shower would have to wait until later. "First, though, I'm going to change." 

Robin had already raided the best sweatshirt from El's stash; The rest were old, worn workout clothes from Steve's JV career. El had gotten a thrill out of another source of comfy things to sleep in, but they didn't have much use to an adult, broader Steve. He would have to steal something out of Hopper's closet-- Hopper was kinda grumpy when Steve let himself into his room, but he doubted the man would begrudge him clothing when was covered in blood. 

Erica and Eddie were in the living room, talking softly, when Robin joined them. Steve peeked into El's room, and saw Dustin sitting on El's bed, looking up at her wall of drawings. Steve's first instinct was to tease him a little, distract him from his grief, but he stopped himself. He was the last person Dustin wanted to talk to right now-- This was his fault. If he had been here, last night, El wouldn't have left. If Dustin lost her-- If Hopper lost her-- Steve would never forgive himself. 

Sequestering himself alone in Hopper's bedroom seemed like the best course of action. He changed into a pair of old sweatpants and a flannel, both of them too large but softer than anything Steve had felt in days. He let himself luxuriate in it for a moment, sighing. The moment of relaxation made the exhaustion in his body heavier, weighing his muscles down. It would be so easy for him to just lay down and go to sleep right now. He was in Hopper's house, wearing Hopper's clothes-- He was safe and warm, surrounded by the soft and familiar, and Steve just wanted to... sleep. Wanted to sleep forever and let the world pass him by. He couldn't fuck things up if he was asleep. 

"Steve?" 

He looked up. Dustin was standing in the doorway, looking at him with wide eyes, dark in his pale face. Whatever words Steve had wanted to say earlier fled his mind, unease forming a lump in his throat. He just stared, trying not to feel as equally scared of a 14 year old as he had been of a rampaging zombie. 

"Dustin," he eventually said, voice scratchy, and then Dustin was throwing himself at Steve, arms already around his waist before Steve could speak another word. Steve immediately wrapped his arms around Dustin's shoulders, ignoring the way his body burned in protest. His body could shut the fuck up; He needed this. More importantly, Dustin needed this. 

They clung to each other for a moment, Dustin breathing heavy into Steve's chest. He was trying not to cry, Steve realised, and he couldn't help but sink his hand into Dustin's hair, cradling the kid against his chest. He wished Dustin was smaller, easier to carry around and protect. He hated it when the kids cried, but Dustin was a sharper, keener kind of pain-- This wasn't just any kid, this was his kid. His brother. 

"Hey, hey, no. It's okay, Dustin," Steve soothed. He smoothed Dustin's hair down, away from his forehead, but the kid just buried his face further into Steve's chest. "It's okay. Everyone's alright. You're safe. It's okay." 

"No, it's not okay!" 

"Dustin, it's fine."

"I'm sorry," Dustin sobbed, his voice cracking the vowels into shards of sorrow. "I'm so sorry, Steve. I was angry, and scared, and I didn't know what was going on. When you came out and kept making jokes, it made me feel like I was going crazy or something."

"It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong," Steve said. He wasn't entirely sure that he should be encouraging Dustin to keep yelling at people, actually, but if anyone deserved to flip out on some adults, it was his kids. Steve definitely couldn't have handled any of this half as well as they did. "I completely get it, but you have to learn to trust me more, okay? You have to trust that I'm going to be okay, or it's going to keep happening." 

"It's not about that. I know you'll win, but you always get hurt," Dustin said. His sobs were slowing, but he still sounded utterly miserable, like he'd already resigned himself to Steve throwing himself back into the fight. And he wasn't wrong. Nothing about today was enough reason for Steve to give up. "It's always you, and nobody else." 

Steve frowned. "That's not true. Will and El--" 

"Will and El are a special case," Dustin said, unlatching himself just enough to glare up at Steve. "They have, like, magical Upside Down powers. It doesn't count." 

"Well, I'm a special case too, now," Steve said, squeezing Dustin's shoulders.  "I can take the hits better than most people can. You don't have to worry about me like I'm a human." 

"Well, I'm a Wesen, too," Dustin said, his face settling into a mask of determination. And it was a mask, because through the familiar guise of undue confidence, Dustin's eyes were terrified. "I'm not going to let you take all the punishment, anymore. From now on, if you die, I die. That's how it is." 

Steve ruffled Dustin's hair, smiling sadly. "You know, a few months ago, when I was just your dipshit older brother, I might have agreed to that." 

"You're still my dipshit older brother," Dustin said, tucking his face back into Steve's shoulder. 

"I am. But you asked me to be a Grimm, Dustin," Steve said. He didn't want to blame Dustin for this, not for any of it. It wasn't Dustin's fault anymore than it was Robin's or Erica's. But he had to know the reality of what Steve was, now, or they would have this conversation a thousand times. If something ever happened to Steve, Dustin had to accept it. Steve had to make sure of that.  "You asked me to step up and protect you and your people. So I did, and now part of the job is making sure I take the hits. You don't get to be on the front lines anymore, Dusty-buns. That's not something a Grimm lets happen." 

Dustin whimpered. "I should have kept my mouth shut. I don't want a Grimm. I want you to be safe." 

"It's not your fault." 

"It is! You just said I'm the one who pulled you into this, and now you won't let anyone help you--" 

"I do let people help me. I've got Robin, and now I've got Eddie, too. And I only have those people on my side because you pushed me to let them in, Dustin. I never would have talked to either of them about any of this if you hadn't insisted on it," Steve sighed. "You're the one who helped me figure out what I was, and you're the one who helped me get involved in a world I had no idea existed. That's how you keep me safe. That's how you help me. That's how you help El, too. I know she loves you as much as I do." 

"I could do more." 

Steve was never going to let that happen. 

"Well, this is how you help without making me watch my little brother get hurt, okay?" 

Haltingly, Dustin nodded, his curls dampening themselves against Steve's skin. "I'm still really scared," he whispered. "What if they come after you again? What if they already have El?"

"Then we'll solve it the way we solved everything else," Steve promised him. "Have you used the phone lines since we got here?" 

"Yeah. No one's been picking up, not even Mrs. Byers. I called my mom, but I hung up once she heard I was okay." 

Well, at least they knew the lines still worked. Mrs. Henderson on the hunt for her son was a wrinkle that Steve hadn't accounted for, but letting her freak out alone at home wouldn't have been any better. Honestly, Steve had kinda forgotten that the kids had parents that would be worried when they didn't come home that night. "Did she say anything before you hung up?" 

"Not really. I think she calmed down once I told her I was with you, but we're absolutely going to be grounded for the rest of the summer." 

Steve shrugged. "That seems fair." 

"What?" Dustin yelled, throwing himself out of Steve's grip like he had been personally betrayed. 

"What?" Steve couldn't believe the tender moment had fled so quickly, only for Dustin's usual self-righteousness to dominate the dynamic once again. "If you had just done what I told you to, you would have had Hopper's help finding me last night. You deserve to be grounded." 

"God, do you have to ruin, like, every tender moment, asshole?" Dustin said, like Steve was the one who had done this. "I was opening up to you!" 

"Apparently, the moment's over, Dusty-buns." 

"Ugh, you're the worst brother--" 

"Fuck!" Erica's voice was harsh, cutting through their squabble through the thick cabin walls. 

Steve and Dustin nearly killed each other trying to get to her, but by the time they made it to the kitchen, Eddie and Robin were already flanking Erica, protecting her from an attacker that did not exist. The cause of Erica's frustration, apparently, was Hopper's off-white phone, the receiver of which was still clutched in her hands. 

"What?" Dustin demanded. "What happened?" 

Erica didn't even bother telling Dustin to fuck off, or whatever much crueler, little girl appropriate, insult Erica could have cooked up. Steve figured that she and Dustin must have gotten a lot closer while Steve and Robin were in that lab. Closer than Erica was with her own brother, apparently. "Lucas never came home last night, either," she said. Her voice didn't shake, because Erica Sinclair was the strongest little girl in the entire world, but she still hadn't put the phone down. 

"Your mom must be losing it," Steve said. He would have put a hand on her shoulder if he wasn't afraid it would set her off-- Steve didn't know if they were in a yelling mood or a total panic attack situation.  "Are they at home? We shouldn't--" He stopped for a moment, asking, "God, would it even be safe to take her home right now?" 

"No way, we should call the Sinclairs back and tell them--" 

"Maybe we should go to the station--" 

Both Eddie and Robin tried to answer, but Erica's voice was louder than both of them put together. "I'm not going anywhere unless it's to find my brother!" 

There was the yelling, thought Steve, with more relief than he thought being bullied by a ten year old deserved. She had finally looked up from the phone, too, leveling Steve with a glare that would have easily killed him a few hours ago. Which was rich, really, because Steve hadn't even said anything yet. 

Eddie tried to answer for him. Maybe he had been bonding with Erica too, or something, because he spoke with confidence. "Erica, I don't think that's--" 

"I'm not a toddler, dog breath, so don't treat me like one," Erica said, her lips curling with disgust. Steve winced; Eddie obviously hadn't made as good an impression as Dustin. "If my brother is caught up in all this nonsense, I'm not going to just sit around and wait for him. He's never been able to get himself out of trouble without me, and I doubt he's going to start now." 

There was absolutely no way that Steve was getting Erica anymore involved than she already was. It was bad enough that the government knew Erica was with Eddie and Dustin right now, they couldn't risk her getting caught with Steve or Robin. They needed to keep her out of sight, or with an adult. Someone they couldn't just make go away when they realized how much Erica knew now. She had gone from an innocent little kid to someone who knew every secret Hawkins had to offer-- And that had put a giant target on her back. Eddie was right, obviously. There was no way Erica could do anything but put herself in danger.

That didn't mean they had to tell her that, though. If Steve had learned anything in the past few years, it was that kids-- especially his kids --were fucking stubborn. They would fight you every inch of the way, no matter how much logic and reason you used against them. So you had to pick your battles, and, sometimes, you had to lie. 

Usually, Steve hated lying to the kids. It made him feel like some dipshit parent, too dopey to handle his own kids. Some asshole who thought kids were too stupid to understand what was going on. When possible, he liked to treat the kids the same way he would have a high schooler-- Like an equal. 

But they weren't equals anymore. Steve was a Grimm, and they were people he was trying to protect. 

Steve couldn't let anything get in the way of that, not even themselves.

"Look, maybe we're just overreacting," he said with a confidence he didn't feel. Sure, it made logical sense, but Steve could feel that the logical didn't apply here. All of the shit that had gotten him through his life, common sense and keeping his head down, didn't apply anymore. "He was with Mike and Will last night, right? Maybe we should call the Wheelers' again and see if he's there." 

"We already called the Wheelers' three times," Dustin grumbled.

"So we'll call a fourth, goddamn it. Do you have any better ideas, boy genius?" 

No one picked up on their fourth try, either. Or the fifth. They stood around the Hoppers' kitchen in a circle, staring down at the receiver in Erica's hand. The longer it rang, the more Steve was convinced that the ringing had begun to mock them, singing like a kid on a playground. Worst case scenarios crept into Steve's head, whispering that he was too late, that the entire party had been in the hands of the government before Steve had even cleared the property line of Lafayette Power. 

"Try Max's dad next," he said, mouth dry. Neil wasn't a nice man, Steve had gathered, but he didn't seem the kind that would open the door for the cops, either. 

But there was no one at the Hargrove house. Nor at the Byers', which Steve thought was particularly strange. Jonathan might be out on a date with Nancy, but where the fuck else would Joyce be right now? Looking for Lucas? Or-- Was she out looking for Will again? He couldn't think about it, couldn't imagine the pain of living that a second time. The alternative, though, that the agents had gotten their hands on Joyce-- unstoppable, desperately fragile, Joyce-- 

Steve forced himself to deal with the problems he could handle, and turned to Robin, whose rapidly paling face belied an unease that she didn't voice. She hadn't spoken in half an hour, actually, which was so unlike her that Steve was beginning to wonder if she had been hiding some kind of injury.

"Do you want to call your parents?" Steve asked, voice low. Dustin and Erica were trying the Hargroves' again. "Your dad must be losing it." 

Robin shook her head, pulling her crossed arms tighter against her chest. She didn't meet Steve's eyes. "That's the exact reason I can't call them. If my dad ever gets wind of what happened to us last night, I don't know what he'll do." She snorted, but nothing about her looked amused. "Leave the country, probably." 

"At least let them know you're alive--"

"No, Steve."

He didn't press the issue. Robin didn't look like she felt like talking, and Steve could understand the need to keep your parents far away from the Upside Down and everything it represented. He hadn't called his parents when Barb died, and he didn't call them when he thought he might be dying, and he wasn't calling them now. It would only be hypocritical to insist that Robin's parents could make things better for her. 

"We're getting nowhere," Eddie said. He had perched himself on the narrow counter-top, watching the chaos below him in stony silence. Steve thought that maybe he was finally starting to freak out in that deep, soul-shaking way that too often looked like calm acceptance. 

"We can't just stop," Dustin said. He fixed the glare usually reserved for Steve onto Eddie, who took it a lot better than Steve usually did.  "There has to be someone." 

"Sure, we can keep calling," Eddie said, nodding.  "But I think Steve should take a nap or something." 

"Oh, fuck off, Munson." He wasn't dealing with this all day. Steve was not about to play the 'oh, poor pitiful Harrington has a boo-boo' game right now. Sure, he was hurt-- But none of them had slept recently, or eaten anything substansial. It wasn't about taking care of themselves, it was about finding out what the fuck was going on. Steve getting hurt didn't mean he got to throw in the towel-- It meant he had to dig his heels in, try a little harder. 

Robin, the traitor, nodded. "It's not a bad idea, Steve." 

"What?" Steve said. He couldn't believe this. How was he the only person taking this shit seriously again? Had everyone forgot the last fourty-eight hours? Steve couldn't just sleep through that. He hadn't even been able to sleep through it then. The last three days, Steve had been running on nothing but grief and spite, and they wanted him to take a nap? "No! I need to be awake if something happens!" 

"Okay, you can't insist you're the only guy on the frontline and also refuse to sleep or eat. Pick one, asshole," Dustin said, poking Steve in the chest, "because they're not going to work together."Eddie's mouth was a tight, pinched line when Steve's disbelieving gaze finally swung back to the Blutbad. "Seriously, Steve. You just went through hell. I think we can manage a few phone calls on our own." 

"I--" Steve huffed, his hands finding. He looked at his friends the way dads usually looked at car crashes, sitting back and looking at the disaster when it was too late to do any goddamn thing about it. "Robin should sleep, then. I've had more than her." 

"I slept while you were being tortured, idiot," Robin muttered. Steve blinked at her. He hadn't known that. He hadn't even been aware that he had been in there that long, actually-- He'd assumed that most of the time spent in the lab had been when he slept in the cell, head pillowed by concrete and misery. Had he really lain there dying, over and over again, for more than a couple hours? 

"I don't..." Steve's hands clenched into fists at his sides, nails biting into the meat of his hips. Nothing about that realization made him want to sleep. Sleep meant alone. Sleep meant vulnerable and in the dark, unseeing and unfeeling. Sleep was just death in smaller doses, and Steve couldn't-- He couldn't-- "I don't want to be in there alone," he gasped out, unaware he was telling the truth until it had been ripped from his lungs.

"Well," Erica said, "I'm exhausted. I'm going to sleep if no one else is." She gave Steve a Look, and though he could feel the capital letters, Steve didn't know if it was supposed to be a hint or a scolding. As Erica marched herself to the bedroom-- Hopper's room, specifically, which meant she was intending to share,  and wasn't that a fucking trip-- Steve looked toward the other adults in the room, aghast. 

"You're not sending me to nap time with the elementary schooler." It wasn't a question, but Eddie and Robin weren't taking suggestions at the moment. 

"Stop acting like one and maybe we'll let you join the big kids' table," Eddie said, and then turned his back on Steve, ending the conversation. Even though it meant that Eddie was facing the wall, standing still, until, presumably, Steve left to take a nap. 

He was fucking ridiculous, really. 

Steve muttered a quick, "Traitor," in Robin's direction and then relunctantly slumped off to Hopper's room. 

Erica was already in bed, tucked under the covers, glaring at the open doorway with bleary eyes. Steve stopped, hesitating. This was weird, right? 

"Maybe I should go to El's room," Steve said, swaying in the doorway. 

"If you wanna wake yourself up with nightmares in five minutes, be my guest," Erica said, blinking slowly. "Otherwise, get in the bed and shut up." 

Fair enough. 

Steve gingerly laid on the bed, over the covers. He stared up at the ceiling, wondering how the hell he was supposed to sleep. His entire body ached now that he had laid down, and his mind was still whirring with the possibility of everyone he had ever loved being dead.I The surrealness of the situation-- sharing Hopper's bed for a nap with Erica Sinclair -- wasn't helping. Steve felt vaguely like he might find himself in an entirely different dimension if he blinked too long. No, fuck going to sleep. Absolutely fuck it. 

"This is so fucking weird," he mumbled. It might have helped if he had ever slept in a bed other than his own, but he had never been great at it-- He didn't sleep over at Nancy's, or even Tommy's or his other friends. He didn't go visit his grandparents overnight, and he definitely didn't go on trips with his parents. He stayed at home, and slept in his bed, and that was it. Maybe he should just get up and go sleep on the couch. It would be loud, with all the phone calls and damage control, but he had taken naps there before. Maybe he could--

"I almost got kidnapped by federal agents, yesterday," Erica eventually said. "I think you can handle sleeping in your dad's bed." 

Oh, Steve thought. Huh. 

The thought wasn't enough to help Steve sleep-- El and Hopper were still out there, needing him, after all -- but it relaxed him enough that he faded into a foggy half-doze. He stared into the bleak haze of the room and floated along his own breath, exhausted muscles taking what little rest they could manage. Hopefully it would be enough to get Eddie and Robin off his back. 

Steve didn't know how long he'd been lying there when static filled the room. It was muffled, so quiet that at first that Steve's tired mind tried to tune it out, but his sensitive ears could hear something in the background-- Small vocalizations, chopped up syllables and vocalizations between the fuzz, like aural alphabet soup. 

Muscles protesting, Steve forced himself to sit up. 

Erica was fast asleep beside him, unmoving as the static grew even louder. The piecemeal words grew longer, still nonsensical but clear enough that Steve could finally pinpoint where the noise was coming from-- Erica's backpack had been stashed beside Hopper's dresser, and out of the open pouch stuck the antenna of Lucas's walkie. 

Someone was on the Party's line, Steve thought blearily. Who was calling this late? Why didn't they just use the phone, it wasn't like Dustin and Eddie hadn't been on it all fucking night, trying to hunt down-- Reality flooded back into Steve's mind in one cataclysmic wave, and Steve scrambled out of bed and across the floor, falling to his hands and knees in his haste. 

There was a break in the static, Steve sending the walkie skidding across the floor with his shaking hands; He'd barely had time to pick it up before a voice, distorted and reedy, came through. "Hello? Is anyone there?" 

"Hello? This is Steve! Do you--" Steve wished he remembered literally anything about the walkie ettiquette Dustin had tried to drill into his head. It seemed for once that the damn things were actually coming in handy. "Do you copy?" 

"Steve? It's Will!" There was a brief pause, and then the voice came back, a little louder and obviously upset. "Oh my god, oh my god, thank you for picking up. Where is everyone?"

Steve didn't know how to answer that without making everything else worse. Oddly enough, with a real, solvable problem in front of him, Steve felt his anxiety settle. Suddenly, the world didn't seem so vast and unconquerable-- Will was alive, and Steve could save him. Everything else was background noise. 

"Will, calm down and breathe for me," Steve said, not half as soothing as he'd meant to. "Where are you?" 

"I'm at the mall?" Will said, but he sounded confused about it, like he wasn't entirely sure how he'd ended up there in the first place. "The-- the mind flayer is back, Steve." 

Adrenaline surged through Steve's body at that little revelation, waking up every muscle that had lingered within a doze. It was exactly what Steve had feared, when he saw the zombies at the lab, and the confirmation that the Mind Flayer's grip on their reality had grown so much was possibly the worst news Steve had ever heard. 

The fact that it was Will confirming it, only made Steve's suspicions grow. 

Still, Will was still coherent enough to call for help, and none of the zombies at the lab had even been able to talk. They hadn't even seemed alive, really-- Their chests were still, and their blood hadn't pumped as much as spilled. The harsh breath between every one of Will's frightened words was enough to let Steve cling to a little hope. 

"Is he with you right now? Is he--" Steve struggled to remember exactly how Will had described last year to him, wishing not for the first time that he hadn't been on babysitting duty while all of the Flayer bullshit had been going down. "Is he speaking to you again?" 

"No! No, that's not--" Will sounded just as terrified at the prospect as Steve felt, but he also sounded relieved. "I can feel him, but I'm still me." 

Steve took a deep breath, forcing his stomach to unclench. "Okay, tell me exactly what happened. Is anyone else with you?"

"Y-yeah," Will said. "I was at Mike's with Lucas. Then the girls came over, and Max said Billy was acting really weird, and--" 

"Billy?" Steve couldn't help his immediate reaction. Rage filled his brain, and he couldn't even blame it on the Grimm side anymore-- He just fucking hated Hargrove. In the last six months, Billy had kept his side of the deal and had mostly stayed away from Steve and the rest of the kids, but that didn't mean the guy wasn't still a piece of shit. "Fucking Billy is involved in all this?" 

"I don't think it's him, anymore, Steve," Will said, quiet in the face of Steve's anger. It was enough to draw Steve short. "He's been... Well, he's been Flayed." 

Of course the kids would use their own cute little word to describe it-- Though Steve guessed he and Robin weren't much better, calling them Zombies. Still, comparing it to what Will went through last fall seemed to almost do what had happened to Billy an injustice. If Steve wasn't completely misreading things, then Billy was already dead, and there was nothing anyone could do to save him. Rage died in the face of sympathy-- He didn't feel sad, exactly. Billy had meant less than nothing to Steve, cropping up as an annoyance on his good days and a nightmare on his worst. Still, it didn't seem fair that a random teenage asshole had died before he had a chance to do better. 

It didn't seem fair that Max had lost her brother to the Upside Down like Jonathan and Nancy almost had. 

Another dead kid, Steve thought wearily. 

"Did you guys try the heat thing? That worked on you last year, right?" Steve asked. If it was possible to save Max the grief, they should at least try before tearing the guy's head off. 

"We tried that, kinda. But then he got away, so we followed him to the mall." Will took a shuddering breath, and Steve could practically feel the oncoming panic attack like it was his own. "And now the mall-- The mall--" 

"Keep breathing, Will, you're doing so well. Is anyone else with you? Is it just you and the rest of the Party." 

"Y-yes. Well, Dustin isn't here--"

Steve winced. "You don't have to worry about Dustin, bud. Does Hopper know about this? Or your mom?" 

"They were busy," Will said. 

"Oh, great, they were busy." Steve grumbled under his breath. If it had been any other kid, Steve might have taken the opportunity to tell them what a fucking idiot they had been, but not Will. Besides, Will sounded like he knew they had been digging their own hole, and he was just asking for help to get out. Besides, the sarcastic older brother schtick was only useful when it came to problems like detention or your first car wreck-- Definitely not something as serious as getting stuck in the middle of the apocalypse for the third time. 

"Steve, there's no one else," Will sobbed. "No one else is picking up." 

"I'm coming to get you, okay, Will? But you gotta let me know, bud, what's going on?" Steve couldn't just run into the mall like a madman. That had nearly gotten all of them killed at the Sinclair's, and there would be even more witnesses at Starcourt. As much as he wanted to make a break for the car without another word, he needed information. He needed a plan. 

"I don't know. We got to the mall and there were so many of them." Will sounded confused, like a man having to decode his own memories. "There's so many of them, and then they started coming after El--" 

God, Steve had been afraid of that. He wasn't sure why the Mind Flayer had come after the scientists and their experiments, but it was obviously tied to Brenner's project through more than a tenuous link through the Upside Down. It was a tangled mess of conspiracy and lies, and El was right smack-dab in the middle of it. It was becoming a full-time job just keeping her out of fights some other asshole had started.

"Is she okay?" Steve asked, his heart in his throat.

"The last time I talked to her, yeah. We got separated in the lobby, but she locked herself in Scoops with Mike and Max." "Lucas and I are hiding in the tunnels behind the movie theatre. We were going to try to get to them, but--" 

"No, don't move. You made the right call. Stay there and don't move until someone comes from you." Steve hadn't exactly been to school for this rescue shit, not like Hopper had, but there wasn't a single person in Hawkins who didn't know how to deal with a missing kid at this point. Well, except Will, apparently. 

Which made sense because he had been, you know, the one who was missing.  

"I called Nancy and Jonathan and they said they were on their way, but it's been half an hour," Will said. Which was great news, honestly, given that Steve hadn't even known how to get in touch with either of them when no one picked up at either house. Sure, it was worrying that they hadn't made it to Will yet, but at least they had been heard from in the last few hours. It was more than you could say for most of their family. "Steve. Please. I don't even know where Dustin is--" 

"Hey, no, it's okay," Steve soothed. "Dustin's with me, okay? Dustin's fine. And you're gonna be fine, too. Just focus on that." 

There was a pause. "I'm scared, Steve," Will said, voice small.

"I know. I know, man, but hey. Listen. Keep trying to get in touch with your mom, okay?" Steve struggled to keep the shake out of his own voice. The last thing Will needed was Steve's freakout on his shoulders, but everything about this was reminding Steve of every other night of terrible bullshit, a flashing neon sign telling him that things weren't over yet. "I'm gonna get some friends, and we're gonna come get you, okay? Until then, you and Lucas stay safe and stay together."

"Y-yeah, I can do that." 

"Okay. Hey, Will? Can Lucas hear me right now?"

Lucas's voice came over the line, tired and weak, but determined. "I'm here, Steve." 

Steve could almost see the determined frown that no doubt was on Lucas's face. He probably had a shaking hand on Will's shoulder, offering whatever small comfort he could, because Lucas had never been shy about lending his friends his strength. Steve's heart swelled, thinking about how much these kids had grown-- and how much he needed them to be okay. "I love you both, alright? Everything is going to be okay. We'll be there soon. That thing is not going to lay its hands on either one of you." 

"Thanks, Steve," Lucas said, voice thick. 

"Call me if you need us," Steve said, finally forcing himself to stand. His legs still shook under his own weight, but the time for rest was over. He didn't have a plan-- At least, not much of one --but they knew what they were heading into, at least. It would have to be enough. "Dustin might pick up instead of me, but I'm gonna be here, okay?" 

"Okay. Just-- Hurry, please." 

By the time Steve had made it to the kitchen, Grimm adrenaline was already pushing through his veins, burning with every step. It had never been this strong before, at least not a weapon in his face-- If he had to guess, his body was responding to its own shutdown like an outside threat, pumping him full of enough chemicals to keep himself going. He knew he was going to fucking hate himself tomorrow, if he even lived through the backlash, but he was grateful for the boost. 

It meant that he didn't have time to stop, though. Steve had no idea how much longer his body could hold out-- Long enough to get to Will and Lucas, at least, but if they fucked around in the cabin for much longer, how was he supposed to get them back out again? With shaking limbs, Steve propelled himself through the small cabin as quickly as possible, falling against the kitchen wall when his muscles wavered. 

Dustin looked up. The kid was exactly where Steve had left him, phone still clutched in his hand. Steve almost thought that he hadn't been in bed for longer than a few minutes, but he could see the setting sun through the window-- They were coming up on the second night of this bullshit already, and Steve had slept through most of the second day. It apparently wasn't long enough, though, because Dustin was glaring at Steve like he'd broken a promise. 

"You're not supposed to be up yet." 

"We have to go," Steve said, brushing past Dustin and into the living room. Robin and Eddie were splayed on the couch, looking half-asleep, but they both looked up at him with wide eyes once Dustin's belligerent protests were registered. 

"Steve!" Eddie said, scrambling upwards. "Steve, where are you going?" 

Looking down at them both, cozied up together, Steve finally paused. It would be selfish to demand them both go with him, wouldn't it? He should leave them here, where they could keep each other safe. Where they could keep Dustin safe. Maybe they would never have the future that Steve had imagined for them, but they deserved a better one than dying by his side. 

"I have to get to the mall," Steve said, tongue dry. "You guys can stay behind if you want, look after Erica, but I need to go. Right now." 

To Steve's surprise, both of them were on their feet before the last words could even leave Steve's mouth. Even Dustin, rushing up behind him, had stopped trying to argue. They were all just looking at him, determined, and-- Fuck, Steve knew it was a bad idea, but he didn't have the strength to make them stay behind. Being selfless took more energy than he had right now. 

"So, what's happening?" Eddie asked. They had started to move, their ragtag pack one living entity, but it was only then that Steve realized the rest of them were following him blind. All the facts were starting to get jumbled in his head, a bad effect of the adrenaline-- As they stepped outside, Steve took in a deep breath of the humid summer air and tried to clear his mind. 

"The zombies are at the mall," he said, frowning. "So are the rest of the kids. You do the math." 

"So we're just leaving Erica here?" Dustin sounded completely unimpressed. 

"Dustin, I don't have time for--" Steve stopped, whirling around to face him. He understood why Dustin didn't love the idea of leaving behind the kid they'd almost died to save. If he had any other choice, Steve wouldn't be crazy about leaving her, either. But the fact of the matter was, no matter what decisions Steve made, he needed Dustin to trust him. Arguing would only waste time. "Look, I get why you're being weird about this, but she's fucking ten, and I'm not taking any chances. Either get in the car and shut up, or stay behind with her." 

No one protested after that. In fact, Eddie hadn't stopped when Steve had-- He was already in the yard, scrambling for his keys. Steve winced. Eddie was a fine driver, definitely better than Steve had expected considering the way Eddie used to peel out of the high school parking lot everyday. The problem was, Steve didn't need fine-- He needed reckless, fast, and good enough to keep them alive doing it. He didn't know what a Blutbad's instincts were, exactly, but he doubted they lent themselves to driving. Not like Steve's had. 

"I'm driving," Steve called down, taking the steps in one, long stride. 

Eddie looked up at him, glancing between Steve and his car in clear concern. "Not sure I like the idea of you driving in this state, Stevie," he said. Steve tried not to take it personally. He probably wouldn't let anyone who died drive that day, either. Too bad Steve wasn't giving him a choice. 

"I'm a better driver than you, sorry, and I need control right now." 

Eddie looked at a loss for a moment, turning to Dustin with a blank, hunted expression. Steve clenched his jaw and got ready to dig his heels in-- He knew Dustin and Robin wouldn't back him up, not on this one, but he wasn't in a position to give in to Eddie's protests. It wasn't fair, but it was what was going to happen. 

To Steve's surprise, when Eddie turned back to him after a wordless glance at Dustin, he nodded. 

"I'll let you drive under one condition," Eddie said, the words thready as if the concession physically hurt him. "You don't send us away again. If shit gets hairy, you let us back you up."

Fuck. 

Steve wanted to punch Eddie for that one. Not because he didn't want to do it, but because he knew why Eddie was asking-- It wasn't because Eddie thought Steve needed to be looked after, or because he didn't think Steve could do it. Steve could handle that. No, Eddie was only doing this because he wanted a chance to be brave. He had taken everything that Steve had said on Hopper's bedroom floor and turned it against him, used it so that Steve would have no choice but to put Eddie in the line of fire. 

As if Eddie needed Steve's help to be brave. As if Eddie had to die to prove himself to Steve. As if Steve wasn't already prepared to die so that Eddie could stay just as he was, innocent and protected. As if he wasn't everything Steve wanted to be, everything good and precious and beautiful--

Dustin looked at Steve, expectantly. Waiting for him to take the bait. 

"What," Steve muttered, "did you two idiots co-ordinate?"

From Eddie's confused frown, Steve could tell that Eddie hadn't been in on it. Dustin was just taking advantage of the absolutely fucked mental status of their little group to make sure he didn't get left behind. It should have made Steve relieved, that they didn't plan this, but instead it just made him annoyed. Fuck smart little kids and fuck honorable drug dealers double. 

"Fine, everyone gets an equal chance to die today," Steve snapped, rolling his eyes. "Just get in the fucking car already, Munson. Jesus."

They piled into the van, Robin and Dustin already clutching onto the sides with wide eyes and pale faces before Steve could even get the thing cranked. Even Eddie buckled his seatbelt for the first time in the entire time Steve had known him, shooting little looks out of the corner of his eye like he wasn't sure if they were even going to make it to the mall. 

They didn't know the streets of Hawkins like Steve did, apparently. Steve ripped through town, faster than he'd ever been, but they were lucky to be coming from Hop's cabin. It wasn't a straight shot to the mall, but it was close. Tucked in the edges of the woods, all they had to do was make it through the streets of Loch Nora and past Steve's own house before they made it outside the city limits, where the mall was the only thing worthwhile for miles. 

The only traffic was kids on bicycles, Steve weaving in-between them while Eddie, white-knuckled, swore up a storm. Fucking summer vacation, Steve thought as he willed the hunk of junk faster. Fucking holidays. Fucking kids. Fucking Upside Down fuckers, always starting shit when kids were in the way, always waiting until the moment when joy and innocence hung in the air-- Always waiting for Steve to come along and smash it to fucking pieces, evil and good and all. 

He dodged another gaggle of kids, sending a pile of unlit fire crackers flying. 

"I get we're low on time, Steve," Robin shouted from the back, "but I think the van is going to fall apart if you don't slow down!" 

"Hey!" Eddie protested. "Sheila is sturdier than that!" 

Robin wasn't wrong. The faster Steve went, the worse Eddie's van sounded. It rattled terribly, vibrating so hard that Steve's head ached. He wasn't sure the thing would be drivable after this, but that was okay-- Eddie could have the fucking Bimmer until Steve could find him some other hunk of junk to deify, for all Steve cared. He just needed the piece of shit to make it to the mall. 

The tires screamed as Steve turned into the parking lot, bumper hugging the curve so tightly that sparks flew up the windshield. Steve struggled to straighten them back out again, the van fishtailing so intensely that Steve swore he could feel the axels strain underneath them. They traded paint with the car parked at the corner, but Steve yanked them back into speeding towards the employee entrance instead of careening off into dozens of parked cars. 

He almost noticed the figure too late. 

Steve swerved on instinct, panic decending as he scraped along the side of Todd's double-parked Mustang, barely missing the figure. He had no idea how he'd missed it; His new Grimm reflexes were supposed to be better than that, and it wasn't even moving. No, not it-- They. 

Slamming on the brakes, Steve frowned into Eddie's rearview mirror. They still hadn't moved, not even when they'd almost been run over. They might have been human, whoever they were, but they definitely weren't a person. Not anymore. 

Dustin scrambled over Robin's legs to peer out the slim back windows. He gasped, pressing his face against the glass to get a better look. "What is that thing?" 

Eddie rolled down the window, wanting to get a better look himself, and Steve-- 

Well. Steve threw the van in reverse. 

He didn't look. Didn't even bother flinching at the thunk of the figure hitting the back of the van, not even when Dustin scrambled away from the door with a squeak. The sickening squelch of the tires cut through all the complaints and yelling, and they all fell silent when Steve stopped again, square on top of where the zombie had once been. 

There was a moment of quiet, and then something began to thump against the van's floor. 

Eddie swallowed and looked at Steve with wide eyes. "Where did you say the kids were?" 

"Will and Lucas are in the access hallways, and the girls and Mike are at Scoops," Steve said. He looked at Robin in the rearview. "Do you have the key?" 

"Do I have the--" Robin repeated, then cut herself off with a desperate shake of the head.  "No, I didn't bring my work keys to go monster hunting, Steve." 

"Fuck, okay," Steve said. Fuck him for asking, he guessed. "Dustin, I told Will that we'd keep our channel open on Lucas's walkie, but can you call El's private channel on yours?"

"Yeah, I--" 

Gunshots cut through the night air. 

Between one shot and the next, they were off again, Steve dragging the van back off the zombie and down the lot backwards until he could swing them around and send them barreling off sideways through the parking lot. The roads were thinner in this direction, more accessways than true roads, but the crack of gunfire was clear enough that even a human could have figured out where it was coming from-- And it wasn't stopping. One shot after another was being unloaded, and from what Steve could tell, they were only stopping to reload. 

Someone was unloading entire clips into a zombie, and was about to learn the hard way that it wouldn't work.

The gunshots led them further from the employee entrance, and Steve let himself have just a moment to regret. The noise was coming from the other side of the store, near the movie theatre entrance-- And while that would be a straight shot to Will and Lucas under normal circumstances, it was also the best bet for dozens of zombified assholes getting in their way. The smart thing to do would have been to cut straight through to Scoops and get to the boys from there, but there was a difference between smart and right. There had to be. 

Because while everything human in Steve wanted to say fuck everyone else and go save his kids, a Grimm couldn't just save the people he loved. He couldn't, or he'd only be the kind of monster they told stories about. If Steve wanted to be a Grimm, he had to save everyone. He had to, at the very least, try. 

It was with frustrated, petty glee that Steve side-swiped a zombie on the way, sending it flying off to land on a parked car in a spray of coagulated blood. 

Next to him, Eddie moaned. "I knew I should have gotten the fucking insurance." 

Dustin and Robin had crowded themselves around the front seats, almost fully standing up in the back and holding on for dear life. They were straining forward, eyes wide as they tried to get a bead on what was going on-- It was no use, though. Through the blur of cars around them and the press of zombies that grew ever thicker as they neared the mall, even Steve could barely see what was going on. 

An SUV was parked in front of the mall, so far up the curb it was almost in the doorway. The closer they got, the more familiar it was-- The flash of gunfire put the puzzle together for Steve before his brain could even catch up. It was Karen Wheeler's SUV, and in front of it was her daughter, presumably, brandishing a pistol. Even the rapidly lessening distance didn't reveal the identity of the figure next to her, but Steve had to assume it was Jonathan. 

He should probably be relieved. A month ago, maybe even last week, he would have been. Steve had never been the one in charge of figuring things out-- He mostly just hung around and provided backup to whoever got left on the bench. It was always a relief when someone smarter rolled up with all the answers. Now, though, Steve was vastly aware of all the context Nancy and Jonathan were missing, how fragile they were as humans-- And, while Nancy tried her best, there was no way Jonathan was going to be any use in a real fight against zombies. He may have been able to hand Steve's human ass to him, but-- 

"What the fuck is Wheeler doing here?" Robin whispered harshly, as if Nancy might hear her. Both the humans were in clearer view now, Jonathan watching them come with wide eyes. He didn't move, either two afraid or unwilling to leave Nancy behind-- Nancy, who didn't even spare the metallic roar of the van a first glance. She didn't move from her practiced pose, pistol emptying bullet after bullet into a steadily approaching zombie.

The zombie was coated in blood and full of holes, but Steve could still catch glimpses of white cloth and blonde hair underneath-- 

It connected all at once. 

"Billy?" Dustin shrieked in Steve's ear the same time Eddie said, voice full of disgust, "How is Hargrove involved in this shit again?"

Steve should have put on the brakes twenty, no, thirty feet back if he wanted to stop in time. He didn't. He didn't even take his foot off the gas. Nothing in him wanted to stop, nothing in him wanted to show mercy. He was so sick of these fucking zombies. He was so sick of going through the worst days in his life and the having to look at Billy's Hargrove's skeevy little mustache. 

"Um, Steve," Robin said, unreasonably calm for someone who had passed the point of no return. "Do you think... maybe the original people are still in there?" 

It was a good point. Steve had decided more out of self-preservation than any logic that the zombies were incurable, never able to return to who they once were. There was a chance, however small, that every zombie he tore was an innocent person that died because Steve was too impatient to think of another way. Wasn't that exactly what he had been afraid of, all this time? Wasn't that exactly what he had regretted with Billy, just last year? Wasn't that the one thing he'd wanted to change about himself?

He'd already killed one person today. He didn't have to kill another. 

But Steve thought about Eddie's father. And he thought about Billy's hands around Lucas's throat. 

"Fuck it," Steve said, and then they hit the curb. 

The next split second was a blur of speed and violence, entirely out of Steve's control. The car caught air when they hit the curb, just enough momentum to send it flying past Nancy and her mom's SUV and into Billy-- And further. 

The box office was the only thing that stopped them from flying into the mall. They crashed into it full-speed, glass flying in all directions, and the front of the van crumpled like tissue paper against the firm stone column that served as its foundation. Billy wasn't so lucky. He missed the box office entirely, and the momentum from the van sent him flying through the doors, out of sight. 

The shouting started before Steve could even catch his breath. Dustin and Robin's voice melded together, Eddie's a low, miserable mumble, but it was Nancy's voice that stood above them all. Confident in her own authority, Nancy Wheeler stood outside the shattered driver's window and pointed her pistol through it. 

"Get out of the car! Everyone out, right now!" 

Steve didn't so much as step out of the car as let himself fall. The fact he caught himself before he fell to the glass-littered concrete was more of an accident than anything. He heard Robin and Dustin tumble out of the back door, muttering to themselves and each other. Eddie seemed entirely unphased by Nancy or his own brush with death-- He rounded the van and collapsed against her side, next to Steve. He pressed his forehead to the ruined metal and made low, mournful noise. 

"God, Sheila," Eddie whispered, low enough the humans couldn't hear it. "What the fuck has he done to you, babygirl?" 

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Harrington?" Nancy asked. Steve pulled his eyes away from Eddie's dramatics to blink tired eyes in Nancy's direction. She still hadn't lowered her gun, Steve noted with no small amount of resignation. It didn't look like she was going to put it down anytime soon, either-- Steve knew that pinched look at the corner of her eyes, the worried face of a girl who wasn't being taken as seriously as she would like. "Who are you two?" 

"I wish I could ask you the same question," Robin muttered. 

"Nancy, this is--" Dustin began, and maybe it would have been better to let the kid smooth things over. That was how Nancy and Steve had operated, since everything last year-- Everything was about and for the kids, and if Steve got involved in anything, Upside Down related or not, it was because one of the kids brought him in. It was Nancy's world, and Steve was just a visitor. 

He couldn't let this fall into the same patterns. Sure, it would be a lot easier, and Nancy would forgive the kids a lot faster than she forgave Steve-- But the Wesen world was Steve's, not Nancy's. She could help, if she wanted, and Steve would welcome it-- But he didn't have to ask permission here. He didn't have to fear her judgement. For once, Steve was the one in control. 

"Remember the Wesen I was telling you about?" Steve asked, wincing. 

Over Nancy's shoulder, Jonathan's eyes widened. His eyes bounced from Robin to Eddie and back again, before offering a small, unsure wave. 

"Hey, Eddie," he said, voice tense. "Didn't expect to see you here." 

"No kidding," Eddie said, but his eyes were locked on Nancy's gun. 

Which, of course, still hadn't budged. All the fear and anger was gone from Nancy's face, but it had left determination in its place-- An emotion that was often Nancy's most dangerous. Steve had never been able to read Nancy very well, one of the many reasons they hadn't worked out, so he wasn't sure exactly why there was still a gun in his face-- She probably had a good reason, because Nancy always had a reason, but he had to admit he was starting to get a little annoyed. 

It was the second time she'd pointed a gun at him. Steve was beginning to wish she'd just shoot and get this all over with, so they could move on to more important things-- Like saving their kids. 

"Put the gun down, Nance," Steve said. He was afraid he sounded condescending and exhausted-- He almost always did, when he got this tired, but he was never sure how to stop it. 

If Nancy took umbrage to his tone, though, she didn't remark on it. Instead she said, voice brittle, "I've seen a lot of people act really weird today, Steve, and I just watched you kill someone. The gun stays." 

"You--" Steve swallowed a sound that might have been a growl, or might have been a sob. Neither would be helpful. "You unloaded how many clips into that guy and you think I killed him?"  

"Steve," Robin said, voice low. She grabbed Steve's hand, squeezing gently, and Steve watched a frown flicker across Nancy's face. 

He wanted to fucking scream. 

"I've already gotten shot once today," Steve said, once he found the ability to speak through all the anger. "If you think another bullet will take me down, you're welcome to try." 

Something that looked a lot like realization settled over Nancy. Her eyes roamed his face, his clothes, his bloodstained skin, and Steve tried not to take it personally that she was only now realising that Steve still looked like he had recently crawled through hell. It wasn't enough for her to lower the gun, but her eyes softened. For a moment, he was finally looking at that girl again, the girl who had held this same gun to his face two years ago, her eyes full of fear and anguish. The girl who threatened to kill him just to keep him alive. 

"Steve, what happened?" she asked. 

Dustin had, apparently, enough of letting Steve take control of things. He bullied himself in between Steve and Robin, breaking their hands apart.  "Nancy, I know this looks suspicious, alright, but you have no idea the day we just fucking had," he said, and if Steve sounded condescending, then Dustin sounded imperious. "Erica almost got kidnapped by the government, and then--" 

A growl, feral and distinctly familiar, cut through Dustin's words. 

Eddie had his back turned to the rest of them, looking into the darkened doorway of the movie theater. He had woged-- Steve could tell without even seeing his face now, from the claws on the tips of his fingers and the animalistic slope of his shoulders. Every muscle in his body was rigid, primed for combat, and Steve could feel his own body adjust into a broader stance, like a sympathetic reaction towards combat. 

There was a rustling noise from just inside the doorway, and then a zombie with a matted, blood-streaked blonde mullet shuffled it's way through the ajar door. 

Billy Hargrove, dragging his broken body like an old doll, took a step into the light.

[cherubcameron]

Warning: head injury, blood, a panicked Steve

Editing me: shit forgot to mention this story was inspired by one written here. Where reader falls off of maxs skateboard. So yeah I wanted to write a hurt/comfort story

The first time Steve cried around you and the kids, was when you had accidentally cracked your skull. You’d been playing around with the kids, chasing after Lucas.Forgetting that your mom had just mopped the floor. When you slipped and hit your head, knocking the wind out of you. At first you were to disoriented to realize what had happened. Your eyes were scanning the room, reaching your arms around to grasp where you were. You could taste the metallic taste of blood.

“Steve! Something- something bad happened!” Lucas is yelling but you can’t move. Max is on the floor, trying to help you. —Everything begins to blur.

“Shit. Shit. He’s going to freak.” Was that Dustin?

“Hey, can you hear me? It’s me, Mike. Hey.” But it’s like their voices are swimming and becoming one single voice.

Someone hits the floor but you’re not sure who. Not until someone yanks you into their arms. You hiss out from the pain of being moved so abruptly. —They’re wailing, you’d never heard anyone wail in such a panicked way. Your heart lurches.

“Robin! Call 911! Robin! God, Robin!” It sounds like your boyfriend, Steve. But everything is beginning to turn black at the edges.

“S-Stevie.” Is all that comes out of mouth. You can barely see him but there’s tears in his eyes.

“I’m here, baby. Just hold on, okay. Please, please don’t die on me. Please. I need you.”

You try to nod your head, but it hurts too much to move.

After a while, the ambulance finally comes. You’re on a stretcher, your eyes staring at nothing.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:

It takes hours and Steve isn’t relenting. He’s pacing the waiting room, back and forth.

“Steve, we understand you’re nervous. But you’re making everyone around us nervous too. Please sit down and have some water.” Robin says, trying to persuade her best friend to sit down.

“You should- you should have seen her, Robin. She was-.” He can’t form anymore sentences because he’s crying. Crying in her arms. Robin holds him close, rubbing his back.

“I know. I know. She’s going to be o-okay, I promise.” Steve can tell she’s crying now too because he can feel her tears falling down near where his head was on her arm.

Your mom and dad are talking to a doctor. He’s explaining that so far you’d been responsive. That they just need to add stitches to the back of your head. You’d lost a lot of blood, though.

“Come here, Nino.” Your mom tells him, he’s instantly placed in her arms. She holds him so tight, he knows how scared she must be too. The kids had stayed behind, Steve knew being in a hospital was going to be too much for them. So he said he’ll update them as much as he could.

Night comes and it’s the first time Steve can’t sleep. Because usually you’re with him. Not tonight, tonight you’re in a hospital room.

“It’s going to be okay.” Robin says.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:

“Steve, wake up. We have news.” It’s your dad, Steve awakes with a strain in his neck. Blinking a few times, trying to remember where he is. Finally, everything comes back to him and he’s getting up so fast. Your dad moves backwards.

“Is she okay? Is she-.” He doesn’t want to say it but he waits. Waits for their response.

“She’s okay, she’s awake. Come on.”

The first thing he wants to do is get flowers for you. But he’s too eager to see you first. You’re staring at the ceiling when he walks in with your parents to see you. There’s a tray over your bed, with orange juice and breakfast. But you don’t seem interested in it.

Your mom instantly runs into your arms and then your dad. Finally, once they’ve spoken to you. They leave Steve with you. Robin had left hours ago to work.

“I was so scared, I was scared you were going to die on me.” He’s crying all over again and he’s holding your hand so tightly. You look at him with worry.

“I wasn’t going to leave you. J-just like that.” He kisses your hand over and over. Then his lips are on you, pecking. You pull away first to touch his face. To know he’s with you.

“I’m sorry I scared you back there.”

Steve let’s our a dry chuckle and he continues to kiss your hand.

“You almost gave me a heart attack.”

The door opens again and Robin is coming in with the kids. Dustin and Lucas instantly run on the other side of the bed to stand near you. Will and El stay back as Max and Mike approach your bed.

“You really hurt yourself back there. We were scared we lost you.” Dustin says.

“You doing okay?” Lucas asks.

“Does your head still hurt?” Max asks.

“Alright, alright, let the girl breath.” Steve says as you chuckle.

“I’m okay, don’t worry. And yeah, only a little. It could have been worse.” You say, everyone is asking you questions. Steve is still holding your hand and not letting you. You squeeze his hand to assure him, you’re okay now, everything was going to be okay.

[loveswrites]

Alive Poly Harringrove x reader

Poly! Billy x Reader x Steve

Time it took me: Probably around 4 hours while watching a movie and cooking dinner.

Word Count: 1614

I wrote this for me but I wanted to post it so here you go my loves! <3

"I don't want you to go." Billy said firmly.

"Wait what? You need me, you can't win this without me! Eleven can't win without me. She's not strong enough." You said, shaking your head.

"No you're not going!" Billy yelled, making you jump.

"Billy, you know she's right.. We need her, El can't do this without her." Steve said, running his hands through his hair. His eyes were slightly glossy and red. 

There was a new force of evil running through the veins of Hawkins. It was stronger than anything you've ever fought before. El has lost multiple times to it and so have you. The group has started to call it Vecna. You've had dreams about it, you've had visions about it. You've seen each and every outcome of this battle. 

You've seen them fail. 

Win.

Die. 

You've seen you lose Yourself and everyone you love and care about. 

Billy.. Steve.. El.. Max.. everyone. That was your power. The gang Nicknamed you the fortune Teller or fortune cookie. You can see the future of everything and everyone. Every decision they make you can see their life path and purpose switch. Rather the ending is good or bad you can see it all. But you can’t necessarily tell them what happens or you lose sight of that person's path of life.

When you and El escaped from the lab you both were frightened to death. Both were scared of getting caught and taken back to Dr Brenner. You two were his favorites. And from your visions you knew he would stop at nothing to get you both back until he was dead. His ending was always the same. So much that you stopped looking for a different ending.

 He chose his life.

 And he chose his path.

You were a year older than El. You knew a lot more about life than she did. Only things from your vision though. You still knew very little. But that didn't stop you from immediately having a crush on Steve when you first saw him. You liked everything about him. From his big head of hair to his try hard charm. He liked you as well but he felt like the age gap was too much. Though you already knew that you saw the vision. You would always tell him small things about his future that you were sure would happen just to freak him out. 

Anytime Steve would talk about a girl or having another crush you'd always shrug it off and say "I don't know why you're so pressed about it, we're all gonna end up together anyways. You just have to wait for Billy" Each time he and everyone else would ask "Who's Billy?" "What are you talking about??" They all questioned you until Billy came into town a few months later.

When Mike,Lucas and Dustin came fussing about MadMax all you could do was smile. when they asked you why you said "Billy's here." They would tease you about having an imaginary boyfriend until they saw that Billy was MadMax's brother. 

"That's impossible." Lucas said.

"It's like she's a wizard! No guys hear me out-" Dustin yelled in excitement.

"No, that's crazy!" Mike screeched.

That was until you met Billy. He was busy yelling at Steve about something you can't remember about what. You walked into the room and when his eyes landed on you his eyes softened and his voice lower. The rest of the gang was there, staring at the scene unfolding in front of them.

"Hello Billy." You said softly, smiling at him.

"Do I know you pretty girl?" He questioned softly, frowning his eyebrows.

"You feel that flutter in your chest? It's a sign that you already know me Billy. You've felt it for a couple of days haven't you?" You said walking closer to him. As you did Steve backed up a little from Billy's grip.

"How did you know that?" He whispered tilting his head.

"You shouldn't fight with Steve like that. We'll be together, all three of us. I wouldn't want any fighting when I'm around. It's a headache." You finally made your way to Billy. Bringing your hand up to his check you tucked his hair behind his ear. To which he leaned his head into your hold. 

"Who are you?" He questioned.

"You already know."

Approximately 2 months later from that day You, Steve and Billy started dating.  It was very bumpy in the beginning. Steve and Billy fought a lot no matter if it was about you or not. But you always were the only one to be able to break them up and for them to just kiss and make up like big boys. 

Everyone was shocked when you three started dating besides El. She knew your visions were always real. Soon after everyone did too. Whenever you didn't want to do something and you were adamant about not going somewhere. They all knew something bad would happen so they all would just stick with you. The group has grown to trust your judgment. To the point they would ask you pointless questions about their day to day life.

"Can I go to the grocery store?" Joyce asked, holding onto her purse looking at you. 

"Yeah? Why wouldn't you be able to?” You questioned.

“Just checking.” Joyce said, walking away with a soft smile.

“Is this going to be a good brush for my hair or am I just wasting my time?” Steve asked, holding up a brush for you to see.

“Your hair will tangle up easier.” You said as Billy tightened his hold on your waist.

“Damn it.” Steve said, walking to put the brush down.

“Is Mike ever going to pay me back?” Lucas said, running up to you panting out of breath.

“Most likely not.” You said shrugging, flipping the page of the magazine you were holding.

“I told you! I knew it!” Lucas yelled to Mike.

“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about! She doesn’t know what I’m gonna do in the future!” Mike screeched out.

“Like hell she does!” Dustin yelled out.

“You’ll die! I can’t let that happen.” Billy said, shaking his head. 

He started to pace the room. A sign that you’ve learned that he does when he's scared or nervous. You're sure he's feeling all of those things right now. Billy is way more protective over you than Steve is. Steve will be protective over you till a certain extent. Billy will protect you to his death. He refuses to let anyone hurt you. Even himself. 

“Way to throw good vibes in the air.” Steve mumbled under his breath.

“I’m not fucking around right now Harrington!” Billy said pushing Steve a little too hard to your liking.

“Billy, I will be fine. But I can’t sit around and watch you all die knowing I could have tried.” You said without even thinking.

“All of us?” Robin questioned.

“Oh great. Just great! She’s confirmed our death and you guys still want to go?!” Eddie said, jumping up from the sofa. 

“We’re gonna die..” Nancy said, looking down.

“I- It’s a path but it’s not the only one! Billy I have to go or else it will be the only path. As much as you love me I can’t let that happen. I would never be the same. They’re my family.” You said keeping eye contact with Billy. His eyes were facing the ground. His eyes kept moving like they were searching for something but you know it was his attempts to keep his tears in. 

“I- I..” Billy struggled to say. You walked closer to him with your head tilted a little.

“Billy, I have to go.”

“I can’t lose you. You're all I have. I can’t live a life without you.” Billy said lowly. His voice cracked a little but you heard him perfectly fine.

“You won’t lose me. I promise. And I’m not all you have.. You have Steve.” You said promising and in attempts to make him feel better.

Billy let out a bitter laugh.

“We fight like dogs.” He huffed out.

“Because you love each other just as much as you both love me. Just in your own ways.” You said softly grabbing his billy lifting it up slightly so you could see better. Wiping his tears you kissed his lips softly. 

“We're going to be okay. I promise.”

“Pinky promise?” Billy and Steve said at the same time making them look at each other as Steve moved closer.

“Pinky promise.” You answered softly, smiling.

Steve kissed your forehead and brung the three of you into a small group hug. You all felt each other relax in each other's hold. With this you saw their life paths change. They’d stick together no matter what happened tonight and that was all you needed. If there was a sacrifice that had to be made, Your two lover boys would have each other's backs to the end.

“So are we still going?” Eddie asked, making you three break away from the group hug.

“Yeah we are.” You said nodding. 

“And are we all going to live?” Erica questioned.

“If that’s what you call it.” You said starting to walk away.

“Wait what?! What do you mean by that?!” Eddie screamed.

“Oh hell.”

“That’s it! We're doomed!” Dustin said.

This would be one hell of a fight and all you knew was One of you was not walking away from it alive. And you would be damned if it was one of them.

There all you have.

And no one was going to take them from you.

[nburkhardt]

Heyyy girlie!!!! Came to give you a prompt for you to try! Hope you enjoy this little angst fest.

Also to be very honest, I was listening to "Friends on the Other Side" as I was thinking about this prompt lol.

Steve gets cursed by Vecna and he is shown instead of horrible things happening to him and the people he cares about, he is shown actual events of people ridiculing and insulting him. Dustin calling him names, Robin shown distain whenever he talks, Eddie flat out ignoring him for DND, Hopper saying how he feels bad for Steve. All things angsty!

And Vecna says, "See? They don't care about you. But I do. You and I can give each other what we never were given - A true family."

And Steve accepts, while everyone is oblivious to what they have created.

Imagine the DEVESTATION when they all discover that it's entirely their fault Steve is now a puppet under Vecna's control.

You can decide the ending there!

Anywayyssssss, hope you have a good day!

(Also the prompt you asked is on its way!)

I want to begin to say that when I originally read this prompt I was dying. It was already hurting me reading this then i decided I could do it. I could write it out. But I went with Steve as a victim instead of puppet, thought that would also be so good. Like just imagine with me real quick before I get into the fic… maybe he gets infected by the bats and that’s how Vecna uses him and it isn’t until it’s too late for anyone to save him. OR OR Eddie becomes Kas and them along with Vecna is unstoppable because none of The Party wants to fight them. ANYWAY, onto the fic:

WARNING: Major Character Death, lots of hurt and no comfort.

——————

He doesn’t notice he’s cursed until it’s too late.

His hearing has been shit for a while, so hearing the clock ticking is too much like the nearly non-stop buzzing already in his ears. The grandfather clock is shown to him while he’s in the middle of looking around at the school. It looks like it belongs there.

The vision?

It’s his actual memories.

It’s reality, it’s too much, it’s draining.

An old memory of his dad calling him worthless, his mom pushing him away when he’s hurt and the endless babysitters that brush him off. There’s memories of Tommy and Carol hanging off him but putting him down for wanting to hang out just the three of them instead of a party with drugs and alcohol. There’s the “bullshit” and “you’re an idiot” from Nancy thrown in there.

The memories with Robin before they became best friends, memories of her making fun of him for another girl telling him no. The memories of all the kids putting him down or demanding things of him while calling him asshole.

The only reason he realizes it’s fake, that he’s one of Vecna’s victims is the quick fake-memory of Eddie. He doesn’t have many memories with the guy, he’s talked to him maybe a few times before this week.

The fake-memory starts with a promise of weed, of Eddie agreeing to meet him but it ends with Eddie laughing at him before walking away.

It’s then that he stops, the panic is still there but he’s standing still and slowly the area around him fades and in it’s place is the Upside Down.

“Oh Steven” a voice speaks up and he freezes, “Isn’t it time to realize they don’t care? That the love you give is wasted?”

He shakes his head, hands covering his eyes to think and wipe away the tears, the evidence of how true it is. He can’t move, he’s frozen and he feels more than sees Vecna come up to him.

Hopefully the others have noticed him, he thinks, hopes they’ll notice. They do care, in their own way- he knows this. Robin cares, says they’re soulmates.

She has to care… right?

(Eddie notices Steve first. How still he is and then he notices his eyes and it makes him freak. Robin pales when she notices and immediately shakes him, begging him to knock it off.)

There’s a noise, movement in front of him and he refuses to move his hands. Doesn’t want to give Vecna the satisfaction of knowing it’s getting to him. He’s fucking twenty years old, he can handle this. Max managed to beat him and she’s fourteen.

There’s a sigh, and it’s close. Too close. He feels something grab hold of his wrist and he shuts his eyes as his hand is forced away, “Steven, Steven, Steven. Why are you fighting? They don’t love you, they don’t care. With me, you’ll be cared for, you’ll be loved and away from all those who hurt you. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?”

He feels his wrist being pulled away, tries to fight it but Vecna or whatever it is pulling is stronger. He holds still and keeps his eyes tightly shut.

“My, my. You are stubborn, Steven.” Vecna lets out a cruel laugh, “Why fight me, you know you’ll lose”

Fighting is all he has. It’s all he’s known. He’s fought his whole life, he couldn’t stop even if he wanted to, it’s his reality. It’s who he is.

Steve Harrington is a fighter. Has been since he was a little boy. Memories of his dad yelling, of kid bullies and eventually his mother pulling his arms as he panics. Fighting is what he knows, just, he loses.

Losing is easy. Winning is hard and it seems, he isn’t supposed to be a winner.

Vecna must know this, because his arms are yanked down and it’s such a shock, his eyes fly open and he’s face to face with Vecna.

A vicious smile on Vecna’s face, “Stop fighting me, Steven.”

He shakes his head, ignoring the stinging of his eyes and the pain in his wrists. He can do this, he can hold off like Max did. The others should know what’s happening by now.

He isn’t weak.

There’s a hand on his cheek, it’s gentle and it hurts how much he craves it. Without his say, he leans into it. It’s been so long, a few tears betray him falling down his cheeks.

“With me, you’ll be cared for.” Vecna speaks out with a soft tone, something he didn’t think was possible that’s willing to kill anyone, “you’ll be loved and respected”

(Steve is floating, he’s floating so far up that no one can reach him now. There’s tears falling from his glazed over eyes. Everyone is screaming, trying helplessly to get to him.)

“come now, we both know you’ll lose.”

He’s not fighting the tears anymore, they’re falling freely and he wishes for someone- anyone to save him. Wishes to be stronger, be the person he always wanted to be.

But he’s so tired. He’s so exhausted and so fucking sad. Tired of being someone he’s not. Tired of ignoring the sting of words, jokes from his friends.

He wants, he wishes.

Wishes for exactly what Vecna is promising.

Blinking hard and he breathes, not fighting against the vines holding him now. Looks up towards the red sky, it’s scary.

It’s nothing like he wanted.

But he doesn’t know anymore.

“You’ll be okay, with me” Vecna says, it’s not a promise and it’s not soft. It’s sinister, it’s just a saying.

He knows and hates himself.

Hates how tired he is as he gives up.

He knows he’s a victim, a pawn in Vecna’s plan.

It doesn’t stop the relief he feels, even as he listens to Vecna’s sinister laughter at him.

(His arms are broken, Steve’s arms are broken. He’s still floating and his arms are bent in different directions. There’s screaming, crying and everyone is shaking.

How did they miss this? How did they not know?)

Letting go is the easiest thing he’s ever done. Even with the knowledge that he’s a victim and it’s disappointing to his friends, it’s letting the bad guy win.

But he’s tired, so tired.

There’s no pain for him, not anymore. With this he doesn’t need to try, doesn’t need to ignore the jokes or the poorly disguised mean behavior towards him. Doesn’t need to be useful to be around those he thought of as family.

He doesn’t need to fight anymore.

He can rest.

~~~~

The sound of bones breaking and screaming makes him want to run away. But he’s stuck in place, face wet with tears and his throat hurts from screaming.

He can’t look away.

Up in the sky is Steve Harrington. Floating much like Chrissy, eyes glazed over and frozen. The difference, tears are freely falling down his cheeks. His arms are now bent in different directions and he can’t look away.

He hears everyone around him fall down, sobbing still. He’d look around, but he can’t look away from Steve.

Refuses to look away.

Refuses to run away.

How did they not know? How did they miss this? Why didn’t Steve mention anything? What happened? How did this happen? How did his friends, his family not know he was hurting?

The sounds of everyone around him sobbing, the sound of Steve’s body break is making him wish to be deaf.

This is all too much.

This is too heartbreaking.

It feels like losing.

Hearing a loud crash, really sets reality in. They are losing. They lost the moment Steve stopped moving and his eyes glazed over.

It’s with that, that makes him fall to the ground with tears falling down his face. His gaze falling onto the pile of limbs that was Steve Harrington.

That was the man who willing to dive into Lover’s Lake to find a gate, the same one to bite a demonic bat because it was choking him, so determined to be the last one out of hell.

How did they miss this?

What are they supposed to do now?

————

I’m sorry 😭

I couldn’t turn it around, I couldn’t figure out how to make this with a happy ending. So I didn’t and it’s heartbreaking, I made myself tear up so much I had to stop writing the other night.

If you have any prompts or ideas, send them my way!

Permanent Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @itsfreakingbats @mysticcrownshipper @artiststarme @thereindeerlady @justforthedead89 @ronniescontinuum @freyaforestafay @harvesteee (if you want to be added, let me know!)

[madlyn5ever]

I have a list of songs I think the duffers need to use in ST5, and I’ve just added another one so I thought I’d share my list and my thoughts about each one:

Just Another Day- Oingo Boingo

(this is almost the whole plot of this show, -specifically season 4 and what it set up for s5, but, yeah. The first line is literally “there’s life underground” and it talks about crimson red sky’s and people d-wording and the temperature increasing -ik it’s not as fitting bc the temperature would drop bc he likes it cold, but the reference to temperature at all works. And so much more)

This Town- The Go-Go’s

This one would be ironic (on purpose) because of it’s line “this town is our town, it is so glamorous” and when I picture the song I picture it in a night setting, but I think it could work for a day time or even afternoon-evening low sun setting, with everyone on bikes even Robin, Nancy, Steve, and Jonathan (I forgot to include him I think I forgot he existed -or would be there maybe?- for a moment)

Is This Love?- Whitesnake

(for a Robin romance scene. I am respectfully open to other ships in my comments for this but in my head it’s always only been for Robin. Vickie or Nancy I don’t care -I am ronance 4 ever but I respect Vickie-but I feel like since it’s probably going to be Vickie I’m inclined to say it’s for them.

BUT! I also see this moment having Nancy in the background looking on as she has a moment where she either realizes she loves Robin or she already knew and is just really sad bc Robin likes Vickie. I can see vickie being behind them on an asphalt road and Nancy see’s her over robins shoulder and nudges her and that’s when she goes over and they have the moment. Maybe Steve even comes up next to Nancy and sympathetically puts a hand on her should because somehow he just knows, or Nancy told him.

HOWEVER. I could also see this being a split moment with the song, where they happen to be under the one spot of light that’s shining down, and it’s either Vickie, and a true romance/flirting/shy feelings scene, or an accidental moment where you’re like wait holy shit this song is playing right now when Ronance is talking under that one spotlight. And it’s super unescorted and crazy as fuck and we all freak out. (Nancy does her signature half smile/smirk thing and let’s put a small chuckle because robins such a dork, and nothing too real happens yet but we somewhere)

Walk-in’ In Hawkins

I know this is just a score from the show, but it’s my favorite and as much as it was made for a specific vibe in a specific season for a specific reason, I’m petitioning that they bring it back just because I love it so much.

(It sounds really good on vinyl btw.)

Forever Young- Rod Stewart

I think this one would be good towards the end, like, after everything, we get this song, and it’s like one of those montage moments you’d see in the moment right before or during the credits of a movie, and they’re telling you where he characters ended up, with like the shit of them doing something freezes and the words come up on screen?

But minus that and maybe it’s just them all doing various things after everything is over (I don’t necessarilysee the duffers doing the cheesy but sweet where are they now thing, except I can see Dustin smiling with a cake in front of him for some reason, but I could see this song playing maybe either in a car as it drives away, or on a speaker considering it basically started with Jonathan’s record collection and him showing will The Clash. So Jonathan could’ve the guy putting on the music.)

Let’s Hear It For The Boy- Denice Williams

Purely for a Steve scene. Not connected to any of the women in the show this song is just for Steve and himself. It’s romantic nature doesn’t matter. To me this is a good song for a Steve moment. OR!! It starts with Steve but the moment cuts to a Will and Mike scene and it’s like, wait is this actually for Byler

Trinere-

If they go into the early 90’s something by Trinere? I haven’t decided what song yet, but I grew up on this Trinere and friends CD my mom would play in the car and I really think something by Trinere would be cool.

Rick Astly- (I’m not gonna Google how to spell that)

Are we gonna get Rick rolled? They have t done it yet and for an 80’s show that popped up right around the rick roll hype years it’s a bit of a shock and disappointment thing. (This one is so unserious I don’t need a Rick roll, but duffers.. if you wanna.)

Kate Bush- Army Dreamers (or any Kate bush song)

This one just because I need Max’s love of Kate Bush to be shown more, especially if she’s gonna be in a coma for who knows how long. Lucas playing Kate Bush on a boom box for her and then the song being important to the story would just be, chefs kiss.

Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac- Edge of Seventeen or Landslide

Listen. LISTEN. For the time jump. The kids are probably going to be on the literal edge of seventeen. That, and Nancy and Robin are going to be just past that age, and therefore also on the edge of it because they were recently seventeen on to eighteen.

And I think this could be a really cool tie in to their loss of innocence at such a young age, and their teetering on the edge of being kids. It’s an idea, I think. Let me know if this one’s a stretch bc I don’t know maybe I just crave Stevie Nicks.

now LANDSLIDE. This one could be really good for any sort of scene. A Jancy break up, a Byler awkward start into a relationship. A Mileven break up but decision to be best friends instead, Mike realizing he’s built his life around Eleven being his girl, or Will being his best friend all these years, and mikes own changing into something he’s afraid of.

The wheelers would dominate this song is all I’m saying. The wheelers being so landslide coded is all I’m saying. Anyway. The wheelers need some start-of -something-positive emotional turmoil this season.

Borderline- Maddona

Something Madonna to call back to Max and Elevens friendship, but I like this song so I’m picking this one (I love others others too but this one came to mind first)

Indigo Girls-

Again, if they go into the 90’s can we please get some indigo girls? I’ll pay. Duffers I don’t have a lot of money but I’d pay you to put some indigo girls in there for Robin PLEASE. I feel like Nancy would like them too so also for her.

Shiny Happy People- R.E.M

(Can’t for the life of me remember if they’ve used this already but I’m pretty sure they haven’t)

It would just be so ironic and so on point for the traumatized teenagers (and Erica) to have this song in the soundtrack.

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head- B.J. Thomas

Okay this one could work so well for a transition sequence (or a few) where they go into (if they all split up which seems to be something that’s obviously gonna happen),

The other group doing whatever they’re supposed to be doing. Idk this song sounds so much like a song they’d use to transition to the next scene. And it’s not intensely here or there plot wise but could work for a moment where they’re trying ti get something to work (I see a will and his group scene that switches to a hopper and his group scene, unless hop is part of wills group, y’know?)

Let me know if you have any thoughts on this or other ideas for the soundtrack! (I had others but I forgot half of them and the rest don’t fit anymore because I’ve been compiling this for months)

[stevieschrodinger]

Okay so, hear me out. This is just a slither of an idea. So, Hawkins, the labs, the experiments, the kids...but what if the supernatural world is a real thing there? So like there's just vampires and werewolves and witches and stuff just...going about their day. In the background.

So, Eddie's not human. He can pass, and does pass, but he isn't. And he's wierd, partly because he's not human at all, but partly because he doesn't fit in either world. Maybe he's a werewolf with a bald ass and his pack rejected him, or he's a vampire that absolutely loves modern culture so doesn't fit in, like, at all. Maybe he's 1/10th unicorn but all the other unicorns are perfect Nordic blondes and Eddie just doesn't make the grade.

So yeah, Eddie passes for human, but he will never fit in this world. But his doesn't fit in his people's world either. And then Chrissy happens, and Eddie freaks the fuck out because, not only what happened, but because he went to Chrissy because he could smell the pregnancy, smell the crushing depression. Or maybe because he's a unicorn, and he could FEEL it. But, when what happens happens, not only does he have to witness it...but he can SENSE it too. Sense the evil. Smell or feel that there's something other in there, something otherworldly and just...not right.

So when Steve Harrington turns up with his kids...all feeling like family too each other, and all definitely telling the truth...Eddie goes with it. He trusts them.

Coincidentally, whatever Eddie is means he heals whatever damage the bats do to him, and when Steve and him and Dustin and everyone are standing in the trailer together, staring at Eddie, who looked dead ten minutes previously, Eddie figures, fuck it. If they can deal with Vecna...then they can deal with this.

So he tells them.

[sulfur-eyes]

Alright alright hear me out. Post-Vecna, everyone lives. I need the party to go to karaoke night just to sort of celebrate and get their stresses out. Half of the kids are asleep, Mike, Will and El curled up on a couch totally knocked out. Dustin, Lucas and Erica are playing some game in the corner because who likes karaoke? Not them.

Steve- who has totally lost all tolerance he previously had to alcohol- believes he can still drink as much as he used to in high school and ends up extremely drunk. He clambers up to the stage. Nancy tells him to sit down and relax before he falls over, Robin knows whatever he’s going to do is going to go straight to her blackmail list, Argyle cheers on. Eddie just watches with interest.

Steve picks Head Over Heels by Tears for Fears because of course he does. He’s a sap who likes Abba and Madonna when nobody is looking. Why not Tears for Fears.

The song starts and Steve stumbles before clearing his throat and- hey what do you know he can actually sing. Maybe not great while he’s drunk but it’s on pitch and he seems to put enough effort into not swaying for it to sound decent.

He’s focused on the lyrics, eyes scrunched shut because yes he’s memorized the lyrics, gripping the stand to the microphone. The microphone itself a little to close to his lips.

“Something happens and I'm head over heels. I never find out until I'm head over heels. Something happens and I'm head over heels.”

In that single moment he opens his eyes again, blinking blearily before looking to Eddie and pointing in his vicinity. It’s close enough for everyone to tell where he’s pointing. Eddie’s sitting far enough away from any of the others for it not to be obvious.

“Ah, don't take my heart, don't break my heart. Don't, don't, don't throw it away.”

Who knew the king of Hawkins could sing, who knew the king of Hawkins had the hots for Eddie ‘the freak’ Munson.

The next morning Steve swears it was a collective hallucination. It was not true and that there must have been something in the beer. He wasn’t pointing at Eddie- just the party in general!

Everyone- including Steve himself- knew that was bullshit. And that very night Steve would show up at Eddie’s door and ask if they could talk.

[sunflowergirl522]

Girlfriend?

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader

Summary: The gang finds out Eddie has a girlfriend after he almost dies in the upside down and you come in and fix everything. A shameless fix it fic

Word Count: 1891

“You’re gonna have to look after those little sheep for me okay?”

“No you’re gonna do that yourself!” Dustin cries as he looks down at the man he looked up to laying in his arms.

“Tell me you’ll look after them.”

“I’m gonna look after them.” He can barely get the words out. “But you’re gonna be right there with me, you hear me.”

“Listen I need you to tell my girlfriend I love her, she needs to know that I was still thinking about her in the end.” Dustin can barely register the sentence going into even more shock when he brings up having a girlfriend.

“Your girlfriend?” The thought of Eddie having someone back home gives Dustin a newfound strength as he stands up and carries most of Eddie's weight on his shoulder he propped his friend on. “You’re getting through this, and you’re going to tell her yourself.”

“Even if I make it to the trailer you’ll never be able to get me through the portal. Just promise me you’ll tell her, I’m sure she’s on her way back after the voicemail I left her.” He lets out a chuckle, regardless of how much pain he’s in, at how he’s imagining you leaving your grandma's house in a huff. You were always so adorable when you were angry.

Steve, Nancy, and Robin meet Dustin at Eddie’s trailer and start freaking out immediately at the state Eddie’s in. He can barely pay attention to them slowly feeling his world go dark and fear starts to grip him tightly. He doesn’t even notice when Dustin hands him off to Steve before getting something to climb back in with. He only snaps back into it when Steve slaps him across the face to wake him up.

“What the hell man!” 

“Good, you're still alive. I’m sending him through!” Steve yells to Robin and Nancy through the portal before starting to lift Eddie up. “You’re heavier than you look Munson.” The girls try to catch him but he still falls onto the mattress and groans in pain.

“Shit, careful I’m delicate.”

“This assholes definitely going to be fine.” Steve helps Nancy start to get Eddie’s jacket off once he’s through and looks at Robin and Dustin. “Go get washcloths and some cold water so we can try to keep him awake while we clean him up.”

The cold water and alcohol they pour into his bites helps to bring him away from the brink of death. It’s not too long before he’s able to stand on his own while the others clean his wounds better than just dumping stuff in them. Nancy acts as everyone's nurse as she switches between Eddie and Steve and Dustin while Robin stays by Eddie’s side to make sure he doesn’t start fading on them again.

When the door to his trailer slams open everyone's attention goes to it. They’re expecting it to be the cops or some of Jason's friends so they’re shocked when a fuming girl storms in.

“Edward Joseph Munson! What the fuck is going on?!” You freeze when you take in the scene in front of you. Your eyes widen at the injured teens spread out around the living room before locking eyes with Eddie. Yours softening as you see the state that he’s in. “Eddie? Baby what happened to you?” You're breathless as you take in his still slightly bloody torso and the wound on his neck.

“Sweetheart, what are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?!” Your anger comes back and you start to make your way towards him. “Did you think you could leave me a message like that and I wouldn’t drive all the way home?” 

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Nancy steps in your way to prevent you from getting any closer to Eddie. That just infuriates you more, what’s this girl think she’s doing preventing you from getting to your boyfriend.

“I’m Eddie’s girlfriend. Who are you?” Her eyes go wide and her mouth opens and closes as she tries to find words.

“Girlfriend?” Steve and Robin speak at the same time and look at eachother with wide eyes. Meanwhile you just push past the girl in front of you.

“Jesus christ Eds you’re gonna need stitches.” You inspect the wounds on his sides, hands tentatively touching his skin. “You still have that sewing kit I left here?” He nods still shocked that you’re here when just moments ago he thought he’d never see you again. When you go to grab it from his room Dustin smiles and looks at Eddie.

“I like her.”

“Yeah me too.” Eddie can’t help but smile when he sees you coming back from his room already starting to rummage through the bag.

“What are you smiling at?”

“You.”

“Did they already clean these?” You roll your eyes and ignore his response as you pull a chair out and sit next to him. Eddie nods down at you watching as you start to thread your needle.

“Woah what are you doing?” Robin asks, rushing closer to the two of you.

“Stitching up my boyfriend, what does it look like?” Eddie flinches as you start your work. “Don’t worry I’ve cleaned him up enough after bar fights to know what I’m doing.”

“She’s gonna be my own personal nurse once she’s done with school.” The way he stares down at you with lovestruck eyes leaves everyone silent again. 

“Hi, I’m Dustin.” He limps over to sit next to you and extends his hand.

“Hi Dustin, I’m Y/n. I’d shake your hand if I wasn’t preoccupied.” You glance at him out of the corner of your eye.

“Right, right.”

“It’s nice to meet you though, Eddie’s told me a lot about you. Says you’re like the little brother he never had.” 

You and Dustin fall into comfortable conversation while you work, the others observing and trying to get a hold of Lucas, Max, or Erica. You tell Dustin about how you were in school with Eddie and you started dating sophomore year after you asked him to teach you how to play DnD so you could play with your cousins. You had never joined Hellfire club but you would constantly sit in on their campaigns. You tell him about how he was supposed to graduate with you originally and how he failed the next year because he spent too much time visiting you instead of going to school. And then Dustin told you about how he met Eddie and all the fun times they’ve had before explaining what’s been going on and why Eddie’s so injured.

“Yeah, that explains why doofus here left me a message telling me how much he loves me and that if he doesn’t make it to take good care of his baby.”

“You have a kid?” 

“God no, he meant his guitar.”

“Baby you should’ve seen me in there, I put on the most metal show of my life! Finally got to play Master of Puppets.”

“Did you finally perfect it?” You can’t hide your excitement about it and he nods at you. “You’ll have to play it for me when you’re all healed up.” With that you finish closing up his other wound and back up from him.

“You’re not gonna kiss them better Sweetheart?”

“I’m still mad at you Edward, you had me scared half to death.”

“Edward?” Steve snickers after hearing Eddie's full name for the first time, not having been paying attention when you yelled it earlier.

“Shut it Harrington.” 

“Who are you guys again?” You turn to face the three young adults across the room from you.

“I’m Robin. This is Nancy and Steve, we're sorta friends with Eddie, mainly Dustins though.”

“Well thank you guys for taking care of him, sorry I was so rude when I first got here. I was just worried about him.”

“It’s cool.” It’s then that Lucas and Erica burst into the trailer.

“Jesus Sinclair what happened to you?”

“Max is in the hospital, they don’t know if she’s gonna make it, we need to go.” Lucas says in a rush the same time Erica answers ‘Jason.’ As everyone piles into Steve's car you hang back with Eddie and Dustin pauses and glances between the others and you guys.

“Hey, what do we do about Eddie?”

“I have an idea about that actually. Do you guys think you could drop us off wherever he stashed his van?”

They don’t see or hear from either of you for two days. After getting dropped off at the van you rushed him into it before hopping in the driver's seat and heading to your grandmas so he could shower and get some clean clothes on before resting while you figure out exactly how to go about your plan. Once eddie was rested enough up you’d drive back to Hawkins with him and tell the police a lie about how he’s been helping you take care of your ill grandma so he hasn’t even been in town to commit these murders. You’d then bring up how Jason never liked him and he knew most of the victims so it made sense for him to be the real murderer and to frame Eddie. You had only been in contact once with Dustin with him telling you that Jason died during the ‘earthquake’ and that he had attacked Lucas. So that could help play into your plan, you asked him if Lucas would be alright with hinting that Jason was the one to attack Max and haven’t spoken to him since.

“Hey, don’t be nervous, it's all going to work out okay?” You grab one of Eddie's hands as he drives into Hawkins. You could tell he was getting lost in his head.

“What if they just bring you down with me?”

“They won’t, you have an airtight alibi now so you aren’t even going down. My grandma said she’d even vouch for you being there if they need to ask her because she loves you and knows you could never do something like that.” You kiss his cheek when he pulls into the police station parking lot. “Just relax Eddie bear. Let me make it all better.” 

“Eddie!” Dustin yelled running towards him when he spots the two of you in the school's gym.

“Careful Henderson, I’m still injured.” He holds Dustin back when he goes to hug him.

“Did it work?” The younger kid looks over at you with curious eyes.

“Like a charm. Really we have Lucas to thank for that though, if he wouldn’t have been on board with the whole lying to the cops thing I don’t know if they ever would’ve eaten up the whole Jason theory the way they did. There should be a report about it on the news soon.”

“Eddie? Y/n?” Wayne drops his bag when he spots his nephew. “Thank God you’re okay.” He tears up as he pulls Eddie into a hug and you let go of his hand so he can properly hold him back knowing that he’s going to get emotional too. When the two of them part, Wayne looks over at you. “C’mere.” He pulls you into a hug too before whispering in your ear. “Thank you for taking care of my boy.”

“I always will, you know that.”

Eddie Taglist: @starbxcks​

[fhrlclln]

i’m here | eddie munson

SUMMARY -> you’re worried and scared searching for your missing boyfriend, eddie munson.

eddie munson x fem! reader

masterlist

GENRE -> fluff, comfort

WARNINGS -> use of sharp objects, tiny bit of violence.

WC -> 663

a/n : just a small fic that gives me comedic relief and butterflies at the same time. scared eddie = reader comforts him.

likes, reblogs & comments are greatly appreciated !! <3

enjoy !!

you were shit scared. fear was in your mind the whole walk to reefer rick’s house. your nerves were on edge, the thought of your boyfriend that was missing was slowly ticking your anxiousness. eddie was nowhere to be found the day the cops pronounced chrissy cunningham’s death inside of his and his uncle’s trailer. you were almost were going to march up to his place to check on him but jason carver found you first. you understood jason’s pain, you knew he loved chrissy, and would do anything to avenge her death even killing your own fucking boyfriend. you actually escaped his clutches before he could even test you further to know the whereabouts about the missing eddie. one priority was in your mind as you sought for dustin and the others. luckily, they had the same plan as you. find eddie and you were worried as shit, you couldn’t bare the thought eddie somewhere alone, in danger and possibly fucking being hunted now by those jocks.

“if you want to help us and save your boyfriend then we are absolutely going to his drug dealer’s house.” dustin argued, knowing you who complained that might be not the best of ideas. well, but here you are. holding a flashlight as the rest of the group got inside the shack. you were exploring around, shining every spot you could deem where he could be hiding. it was enough for you to actually just see him if he’s okay and well— and you missed him. a lot.

“WAIT, WAIT—“ you jumped hearing the screams and yells and clutters inside the shack. your heart leaped out of your chest as you sprinted inside to see what’s going on. afraid some other godly creature had attacked either of your friends. everyone was still as blank, you followed the situation seeing as dustin was practically trying to now get your boyfriend’s weapon off of steve’s neck. your breath shuddered, tense and a little calm finally seeing him. you were silent, seeing as dustin spewed words to eddie that he was okay and they were looking for him.

“eddie, we are on your side. i swear on my mother!” dustin gestured. everyone agreed, you slowly crept behind them, worrying for steve seeing the death grip eddie had on him and the broken beer bottle pointed directly on his pulse point. eddie had the look of distrust, still afraid knowing his situation. you didn’t know what truly happened when he was supposed to sell drugs to chrissy that night, all you knew he was just scared. anxious and probably much freaked out. a long moment of uneasy silence covered the entire shack as you now make your way in-front of dustin, who was relieved you were finally here.

“eddie.” your soft voice called out. eddie’s eyes widened as he tore his gaze from poor steve and now to you. “i’m here.” you whispered, inching closer towards him with open arms and a look of understanding on your expression. everyone held their breath, seeing as you gently removed his armed hand away from steve’s neck. steve stumbled, coughing a bit as everyone helped him up. eddie’s face scrunched up, eyes turning soft as he tossed away the broken beer bottle to embrace you. you sighed in relief, caressing his back as he buried his face on the top of your head. he inhaled your scent, his nerves calming down and every single thing that happened to him gone for a moment. in a bliss, he held you tighter seeming to not wanting to let you go.

“jesus christ, you’re here.” he finally spoke, pressing his forehead against yours. you gazed upon him, offering a small smile. his eyes were watery and you could tell he would break down in any minute now once you asked him if he was okay. “you’re here.” he repeated his words, kissing your lips, not minding the audience behind the two of you. you hummed in satisfaction, soft lips molding against yours just like every single time.

“i know. i know. you had me so worried, eddie.” you sighed between his lips. eddie hummed, enjoying the feel of your warmth in his arms. enveloping him like a soft warm blanket of comfort. the thoughts of jason hunting him and what had happened to chrissy easing off his mind now. a sudden cough interrupted the two of you as you quickly turned around, embarrassed. max and robin were holding smiles as dustin rolled his eyes, the situation was supposed to be serious and steve was full on mommy mode. arms were crossed and he looked absolutely defeated what just happened to him a while ago.

“yeah, i just had a really sharp object pointed on my fucking throat. can anyone kiss me too?”

[navnae]

No because let’s figure this out, I just saw a tiktok about how Steve threw his shirt at Eddie when he clearly could’ve thrown it on floor of the boat, or give it to Robin or Nancy but decided to give it to Eddie instead.

This is what makes Steve and Eddie’s relationship so complex because on the outside we’re supposed to get the vibe of them not liking each other but then they turn around and do shit like this.

Steve reaching for the walkie talkie when he hears Eddie’s voice then immediately taking charge to find him, Eddie invading Steve’s personal space whenever he got the chance, genuine happiness and softness around each other, Steve telling Eddie not to be so hard on himself, the stolen glances done when nobody else is looking, both of them having rough experiences with family but making sure that their the best role models for Dustin, when Steve asked about what car Eddie didn’t shut him down with a slick remark when he easily could’ve because that’s what everyone does to Steve but shockingly his “rival” didn’t, the flirty gestures towards each other, then with their final moments Eddie made it his MISSION to call out only to Steve once he realized that they were separating and this was probably going to be the last time he’s ever going to say anything to Steve again.

Lastly Steve being hesitant to look at the board that had Eddie’s photo on it after everything that happened. It was obvious he wanted to look but kept his head at this angle instead of just looking. We never got to see what Steve’s initial reaction was when Eddie died but I like to think that it was a heavy feeling in his chest knowing that he was gone. Part of it was feeling bad for Dustin knowing how important Eddie was to him but he started to realize he developed these feelings for him that Steve thought were for Nancy because that’s what felt right at the time. Steve got it wrong and he hates that he didn’t get to tell Eddie how he really felt about him when he had the chance.

Their story could’ve been the best thing that’s ever happened in season for if it was written better and more risks were taken. Steve deserved his self discovery storyline when he started having trouble with women and later on he could’ve realized maybe it because he’s tire of the same thing, that’s when Eddie comes in. Eddie is different from anything Steve is used to in many different ways which is why they would’ve been perfect (opposites attract). Then Eddie’s story could’ve been taking Steve’s advice and giving himself some slack but still feeling like he didn’t need to run, Steve would be the one to tell him that running away doesn’t define him in the slightest. Eddie never thought he would take anything that Steve Harrington says but here he was listening to him like his life depended on it.

In the end they were perfect for each other, going from “hanging out with Eddie ‘the freak’ Munson, yeah I’ll pass.” “I wouldn’t save your ass under different circumstances.” (I can’t remember how he said it but you get the point) then going to “Eddie’s a wanted man we can’t just go for a hike in the woods.” “I couldn’t grasp the fact that Steve Harrington, is actually a good dude.”

I don’t understand how people think that they couldn’t work when they were written this way with so many moments between them even small ones that are too quick if you blink you’ll miss it. Steve and Eddie deserved better and they deserved each other.

(Sorry for the rant but I hate wasted potential)

Also Eddie giving Steve his vest??? LIKE COME ON HE WAS INTO THAT MAN!

[scoupsahoy]

sometimes you spend two hours out of your tuesday talking about the persistence of the "steve harrington is an idiot" narrative which is basically the most consistent thru-line in the entire show

sometimes you are watching stranger things 4 and eddie munson calls steve harrington "a pretty good dude" and "oh no," you think "is this the first positive thing anyone's said to him this season?" and then, even worse, "oh god, is this the first time in the show that someone directly tells steve that he's a good person?"

and then you write a lot of words about it

like. let's take a journey.

season 1: nancy doing her little "you are an idiot steve harrington" bit, which as been talked about, but also the fact that tommy and carol are constantly making fun of him for liking nancy, almost in a "aww he doesn't know that he's pathetic" kind of way. barb thinks he's an idiot. jonathan thinks he's an idiot. we know what happened when the duffers wrote him, he was supposed to be an idiot. nancy thought he was using her for sex, and she wanted to rebel! she didn't want to date him even though steve was just so clearly fucking besotted. even the kids thought he was trouble!

on top of that: we know that his parents are never home, that they think it's pathetic that he lost his fight with jonathan (probably just threw money at the situation honestly). we know he's popular, but decidedly not well-liked.

BUT. he's like. a good guy. he apologizes to jonathan for the shit he said. he would apologize to nancy later but he knew he fucked up with jonathan. called jonathan a queer, a freak, said shit about his family, he knew it was over the line and he wanted to fix it. he ran when he saw the monster but he came back inside to save them anyway. nancy gets back together with him. he buys jonathan a new camera and has nancy give it to him as a gift because he knows jonathan wouldn't take it from him. he is smart!

concussion tracker: 1

season 2: he writes his college admissions essay, but nancy doesn't think it's good, no one thinks it's good. he knows it's not good. he's visibly nervous about it, knows his parents are going to be disappointed if he doesn't get to college. there's no more "you are an idiot steve harrington" but a wider acknowledgement that he is Not Smart. he doesn't make the Right Decisions. not to his parents, not to nancy, not by listening to the government and not talking about barb, not by being worried about his family because the government will take everything away from him.

he's a fool in love. he doesn't even realize that nancy doesn't love him. she challenges him when he says so, too, calls him crazy for it, but he's right. he heard her say it to his face and he almost lets her pretend it never happened because he loves her so much.

he's not popular anymore, either, not in his senior year, not without tommy and carol, not with billy around. he can't even keep his girlfriend, that one everyone told him was a red flag, the one that is way smarter than him, way too good for him, he's only really making her worse and she thinks so too. steve, you're so stupid for thinking everything is okay when it's bullshit! when it's obviously bullshit, everything was and you clearly didn't care and everyone knew this was all smoke and mirrors except for you.

he's still good, though, still a good guy. he gives dustin bad (but well-meaning) advice. and the thing is that he doesn't even realize that it's bad advice. it always worked for him! harrington you idiot! naive. girls don't care if you like them, youre pretty! don't you know that's why?

still, he's good! he goes to nancy's place to ask for her back and to apologize even though he knows he didnt do shit wrong. he unquestioningly takes dustin where he needs to go, protects them all from billy even though he can't fight: really, very stupid of him to try. he loses and is literally passed out for a good chunk of time but the kids are okay! he can't see or hear but he knows that if he doesn't chaperone them into the upside down that they'll probably die so he gets up and does it.

he sends nancy to go be with jonathan because "i'm a pretty shitty boyfriend, but i'm not a half-bad babysitter" (and he says this literally knowing he didn't do anything wrong. he really believes he's a pretty shitty boyfriend. he's gotta be, he's too stupid for her, not good enough, couldn't make her happy, didn't let her be right in the way that she needed to be and that just must be a universal truth). it's supposed to be humbling when he takes dustin to the snow ball, now that he's the babysitter guy, he's finally been humbled! thank god! he had such a big ego before!

concussion tracker: 2

season 3: he didn't get into college (probably because he never ended up editing that college admissions essay) (probably also because he's had two serious head injuries) and he's really fallen from grace, now. girls don't even want anything to do with him, partly because he didn't get into college, partially because he's convinced he has no game. he's insecure about it, too, because even dustin has a girlfriend from his smart nerd camp and his advice from last year didn't turn out to be any good. and not to mention what is dad thinks about him.

and steve just. doesn't hesitate for a second to help dustin with the russian spy thing without even knowing it had anything to do with the upside down. like this was no longer life and death, dustin is just his friend and he likes him. and he still helped him even when he was struggling with translation, and he was the only reason they found out it they were operating from the mall, even though everyone else thought it was stupid that he was so focused on the song.

and then he gets tortured, and manages (for the most part) to protect everyone else, takes a fucking massive beating for it, only mentions a single name when he's drugged.

and this part is extremely important to me as a robin buckley defender to the death, she straight up tells steve all about how awful he was, how big of a dick he was in mrs. click's class. and he agrees! he knows! it's hit him that the person he was in high school was this miserable asshole who didn't care about anyone else even though we've only seen a version of steve that tries and cares. nobody remembers all that. not even steve. and later he confesses to her and is straight up waxing poetic about how much fun she is and how much he likes spending time with her and how great it is to be her friend. and yeah, he likes her, he has eyes and a brain. and she shuts him down and it takes about five seconds for his brain to recalibrate.

he's good. doesn't even take a full 1986 minute to feel sorry for himself, to feel stupid for barking up the wrong tree again. doesn't take a full aids epidemic world minute to be on her side. no shit this is the guy who called jonathan a queer and immediately went to apologize. he's used to it. he's used to being wrong and he's used to transforming his love into something platonic.

he doesn't hesitate to run his car directly into billy's or back in the direction of the mind flayer. he's unafraid. he's brave. no one calls him brave to his face but they all think it.

and then right at the end, he's trying to get a new job at the movie store, where he almost doesn't get hired because he's too stupid to know anything about movies and-- isn't it funny that he walks into that cardboard cutout that was right in front of him? there goes steve harrington. the bumbling idiot.

concussion tracker: at least 4 (he got his shit rocked by the russians at least twice)

season 4: this is where it gets good. it's where it gets interesting. by which i mean it gets awful and i hate it. it's where i want to rip my hair out of my head and eat it.

spoiler alert: ive only watched volume 2 once and im currently rewatching volume 1 (which actually sparked this rant obviously), so it's going to be a bit brief talking abt v2 compared to v1

just in the very first episode, we get: steve getting negged by his date about how he was bad at basketball, steve talking about how he wants a real relationship with someone who gives a shit about him instead of just... using him for sex, steve being vocally jealous about dustin's other older male friend, steve being the only one who saw lucas win the game (other than nancy who has like never spoken to lucas) and no one acknowledging it. he's like in an accumulative like five minutes of this episode probably.

in the next few episodes, we get a lot of dustin (bless him) straight up calling steve an idiot for

suggesting they contact the police on account of all of the horrible things theyve gotten involved with and the murder that just happened

not knowing how a compass works

being careful in rick's shed in case someone tries to kill them

not knowing how walkie talkies work

not knowing where the walkie talkies are?

then there's nancy who sticks him with the kids because he isn't smart enough to pretend to know things about psychology, they need a certain type of student, says that they're not even kids anymore, that it'll be easy, as if he's only capable of the easy tasks. meanwhile the kids are constantly fighting him because they're smart and know each other well and honestly do not want to be babysat. meanwhile instinct tells steve that max is in trouble and he's right and they still fight him on it.

there's the way robin dustin and eddie tell steve how he needs nancy back (even though he's like respecting her relationship with the guy that She Left Him For) (even though she told him directly and explicitly two years ago that she was never in love with him and that their relationship was bullshit) (even though last summer he told robin all about how he would probably always love her but he knows they wouldn't work again and he's ready to move on)

and like. nobody makes long speeches about what a great guy they think steve harrington is. they all figure: he must already know. only cares about his appearance and getting girls. didn't even bother going to college. probably will skate by on his parents' money. he was popular and a dick and he's kind of an airhead. but who cares, man? it's just steve harrington.

this is the worst for me, man, is when he thanks eddie in the upside down for saving his life, and eddie immediately deflects, and steve has no shit whatsoever to say. he goes up to eddie away from the girls and starts a conversation with a guy that he was convinced was a murderer, a guy he called a freak until they saw each other (eddie: hunt the freak, right?), and starts the conversation to be like: hey! thank you! those girls know how much they mean to me but you don't and i want you to know.

eddie's like "dustin told me you were a badass and i didnt believe him but he was right" and steve is genuinely like. thrown off. dustin doesn't tell him this stuff! he thinks steve is indestructible. and then the good part: "i guess i couldn't accept the fact that Steve Harrington was actually a good dude. rich parents, popular, chicks love him, not a douche?"

because people always stop before they get to that part! steve has rich parents (who cut him off and are never shown because they're never home), steve is popular (or, he was back in high school but we already went over that fall from grace), chicks love him (except they historically absolutely resolutely do not, not the way he wants to be loved by them, not nancy or robin or the girl he takes to the basketball game.) -- but not a douche? when i say this might be the only genuinely nice thing said to steve about his own character in the entire show i'm really struggling to find evidence otherwise. it's honestly nicer than 95% of the shit ever said about steve, to his face or anyone else.

really, the only thing steve is good for, the only thing he has acknowledged himself for being good at, the only thing other people have openly acknowledged he was good at: babysitting

which makes the end of the season hurt all that much more, doesn't it?

he's never been allowed to hang out with the older kids. not since season 1 (even though nancy and jonathan would have 100% died if he hadn't come back). and he loves those kids. he's good at being there for them. he's stood up directly from more than one serious brain injury and immediately did the right thing by them, for them, sacrificed himself for them, only really complained about it in season 4 because at that point it becomes personal, not circumstantial. he's not asked by the kids to help, he's asked by the older people who don't think he can handle any more than them.

i'll say this, too, because it hurts my feelings and idk where else to put it: when max is running up that hill, she calls for dustin and lucas. over and over again. when eddie calls the party over the walkie, he asks for dustin and nancy. steve is always there but no one asks for him. he's going to be there. he's going to instrumental in helping them. but they do not ask for him when theyre scared or in trouble. nobody does and he comes back every single time. he's always there to hear their desperation but he knows he's not who they want!

and i feel like the steve harrington that they want us to think existed would have a snarky comment every time: "i'm here too, you know" but he doesn't. something tells me he doesn't expect to be wanted.

it's just something i noticed.

and then volume 2 hits. they have this big plan. for once, he goes with the big kids. him and his two girls. he trusts eddie and dustin to keep each other safe. he lets max and lucas keep each other safe. he does this even though he always always makes sure they are safe first before saving himself. always. (getting the kids out of the upside down, getting the kids out of the rapidly closing russian elevator, ushering them out, actively putting himself in danger, using his body as a shield. he walks into battle every single time expecting to sacrifice himself for these kids. and this time he goes with robin and nancy to fight the big bad, leaves the smaller things to the kids who desperately want him to stop babysitting them. he figures: max and lucas can handle it themselves, they told me time and time again. dustin and eddie are close and they understand each other in a way i dont get to understand dustin, they can handle it themselves.

steve harrington, you bumbling idiot, listen to them for once! they're smarter than you, anyway, you really hold them back.

and then what? eddie dies, right there in dustin's arms. eddie who is the only person who has actually genuinely told steve that he's a good person that he likes spending time with. even though he told them both not to be a hero. because he knew he wouldnt be able to save them this one time. and dustin had to watch.

and then what? max dies and then lives and then gets put in a coma. he wasn't there like he was in the graveyard. he was the only reason they realized soon enough back then and this time he wasn't there to save her from vecna.

and then what? lucas and erica are nearly killed by jason and the other basketball goons, genuinely violently hate-crimed. and like. steve was wildly popular. he fell from grace but you know jason probably respected him in some weird jock way, would probably listen to steve as like a fucking white guy. and steve can throw a punch

before the got in the fight he and robin were like: i think we're going to lose

and i know steve feels like: i stepped away from my post. the only thing i was good at, the only thing anyone respected me for. i set up this plan and it got people killed. i was tired of being the babysitter and! now! look!

concussion tracker: still probably at least 4 but also i'd like to mention that he gets strangled literally twice this season for like a significant amount of time which is decidedly bad for your brain

tldr: steve harrington, fiercely loyal, canonically neglected, chronically self-sacrificial, disliked at some point by every single character on the show, constantly underestimated, openly self-conscious about his intelligence (both before and after sustaining several severe brain injuries) and how other people perceive him and if people like him and want him around, has given everything for the entire party and he needs to get something back in season 5.

he needs someone other than nancy to tell him he's a good person and a good force in their lives. he needs his final story arc to not be about his romance with nancy (they both need this). he needs dustin to open up to him about eddie's death. he needs someone to trust him with something other than their physical safety. he has never once turned someone away.

and, because he's my blorbo and i want to see him suffer, just a little bit, i want the show to acknowledge how badly he would take the blame for eddie and max and lucas specifically. it is the one time he was not there, it was the one time they lost. he's my steve harrington and i get to project my massive guilt complex onto him as much as i damn well please. and then i want someone to tell him how good he is. for the love of fucking god.

[persage]

The Sweetest Thing-S. HARRINGTON

Summary : Getting back to your normal life is difficult, everyone faces it in their own way. Lately you've been baking non-stop and no matter how bad you are at it, Steve Harrington will eat every single cake you make just to see you happy. However, he will be forced - literally - to tell you the truth after the umpteenth food poisoning.

Tags: None, just pure Fluff and Steve Harrington being head over hells for you

I just wanna thank @i-always-come-back-xoxo for the amazing idea!

"No! No it won't happen again. Ever. I object" Dustin shakes his head forcefully to underline his words and reaches out to push away Steve Harrington's hands while he is squeezing a dangerously ugly looking cupcake and bringing it to the mouth of the kid, in an ambush from which Dustin feels - to be completely honest - rather threatened. And no, the little purple butterfly made of sugar that you have put as a decoration doesn't improve the situation at all, which is simple and also frightening: in recent weeks, you have had a craving for making cakes and pastries that no one understands but that everyone indulges in. Like a particularly sadistic Santa Claus who enjoys giving terrible and almost poisonous gifts, you give them to your friends and any excuse is good for doing so: Jonathan's first job as a newspaper photographer, Nancy's college acceptance letter, Will's award for his painting, the compliments Lucas has received from the basketball coach and Max learning a new skate stunt or Mike's B in chemistry. Even Suzie's birthday is an occasion for you to bake a cake and you don't care if she lives far away and you don't  know her at all, it's is still an excuse to give Dustin something sweet to eat since he won't be able to be with her.

Today's excuse is the Eleven's  C in the  grammar test, not an achievement that deserves a disproportionate amount of cupcakes, as she herself admits, so when you show up at the cabin in the woods with a frighteningly large basket of sweets, the expressions of your friends is not enthusiastic at all and even if you prefer to ignore it you really notice it and silently walk away to smoke.

"Now you eat this damn cupcake" Steve scolds him, trying to force the food into Dustin's mouth, who disgusted rejects it again. He cares about this stupid cupcake like his own life depends on it, maybe Steve will never admit it outloud and he thinks he's also pretty good at hiding it, but he hates to see you sad and cares very, very much about you. To be fair Robin says he doesn't hide it at all, that he's completely incapable of doing it, physically. Hiding his crush on you would be like asking him to go against gravity.

"I don't have a crush!" That's all he can answer.

"I don't want to die! This is torture Steve" Dustin almost screams and Steve slaps him on the back of the head to make him stop. He doesn't want you to hear. "He's not entirely wrong." Robin backs him up, smelling another cupcake and quickly pulling it away from her nose. "I think it's charred" she comments, watching it crumble in her hands. "Yes this is disgusting and y/n will never have to know it, so you" Steve points at Robin. "and you" He then points to Dustin. "And you all will eat what she has made for us with so much love" There is something authoritative in Steve's tone and if it wasn't for Nancy, who certainly isn't scared by her ex boyfriend freaking out about a dessert, maybe to be honest Jonathan would be folded from Harrington's words .

"You know I love y/n but we've been eating everything she makes for weeks. Someone should really tell her baking it's not for her"  The Wheeler girl says crossing her arms over her chest and glancing towards the window where she can see you fidgeting with your cigarette between lips.

"Do you want to break her heart Nance? No because this would certainly be the perfect way to do it" Steve comments as Mike rolls his eyes. "Yes, but in this way y/n destroys my stomach" It is his ironic intervention  but he is also more annoyed than the others. Insensitive, insensitive Wheeler, Steve thinks, shaking his head. Is it possible that no one understands you except him? Steve looks for a while at the cupcake he holds in his hands like a bullet that could kill him, then he turns towards you, beyond the glass of the window the sunlight reflects on your hair and you are so beautiful, so damn beautiful and sweet and special that the idea that others don't know how to appreciate you drives him crazy. He doesn't want to admit it but your new cooking fixation almost scares him, he's afraid there's something worrying you that you can't talk to them about.

The truth is that your friends are facing big changes, some of them are really becoming adults and some others are growing up before your eyes and you have the feeling of standing still, of doing nothing for them, of not being good enough to show them that you love them and that they are your family: that's why you bake, because you feel it's the only way you can give them something of your own, a piece of you, of your time and effort. Yet their expressions make you fear that you have exaggerated, that you are always too much, that you are wrong. You've always had this problem, you don't know half terms and half measures, if you love you love deeply, hard to the point of perhaps making people hate you. That's why you never had the courage to let yourself go with feelings, that's why after years you still haven't told Steve that you love him or Nance that she's your best friend or Max that she's the sister you never had. You try not to think about it and with the last draw of your cigarette you find the courage to go back inside.

"Don't do it Steve" Robin whispers, seriously worried. " It could be carcinogenic"

"Dude" Dustin says placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I have loved you"

Steve looks at the cupcake uncertainly, his attention is captured by the door that opens revealing your figure. He smiles at you, hoping that in these weeks of terrible ordeals, you've finally learned something and with an almost trembling hands he brings the dessert to his mouth. It only takes one bite to realize you haven't learned anything and to realize that Steve Harrington has only two options: spit it out now and let you down forever (erasing any chance of success in his 5-step plan to get married and have kids with you in the future within the next four years) or end up in hospital with a second food poisoning within a month. Needless to say, he chooses the latter, without a doubt and without thinking too much about it. Honestly he would do it again a thousand times anyway.

"Mhhhh it's the best thing I've ever eaten" He says, pretending so badly that your gaze goes from the still full basket to Steve's now white face - which has lost color all of a sudden - and then to the doubtful expressions of the others . Max is the first to approach the basket, silently grabbing a cupcake and eating it with a smile on her face closely followed by Lucas and Will, who approaches you to give you a kiss on the cheek and thank you. "Next time I want Eggos though" El comments, giggling as she bites her muffin. You smile and nod. "For you Eggos El, got it"

"You don't eat it?" Jonathan asks you, taking a second bite with difficulty. “Oh no, I'm not a big fan of desserts… They're all for you” you reply, giving him the biggest smile in the world. A smile so wide and happy that Steve has never seen a more beautiful one, for this reason he nudges Jonathan without restraint when he ironically replies. "Oh you're lucky, good choice"

"You should try them you don't know what you're missing" Robin hastens to comment, glancing at her best friend. "Next time, I promise" And now all eyes are on Steve, because it's clear that there doesn't have to be a next time and it's clear that he'll have to tell you. After all, the brilliant idea of ​​lying to you about your baking skills was his, from the beginning.

Love makes people do stupid things, like let themselves be poisoned like this.

Two days later they all have stomach problems, someone more, others less, and Steve receives a call from Nancy, lying in bed with a vomit pan next to her. The conversation sounds more like a threat than a chat between friends . "Tell her" she simply orders without admitting replies, then she hangs up. The only survivor of this sweet massacre is Eddie, who was unable to eat anything due to his allergies. "I'll find a recipe for you too" You swear to him. "Oh you don't have to bother y/n, really." He pauses the "I'm serious, don't do it" He chuckles.

His presence during these days prevents you from missing others too much and Steve has to admit - as well as being a little jealous - that he hates Munson because it also prevents you from noticing the amazing coincidence that all the people who has eaten your cupcakes are now sick. And if you don't notice it by yourself it means that Steve will have to tell you and he really,  really doesn't want to. He's not ready.

But it happens, when he decides to visit you on a Monday morning and catches you in the act. You open the front door for him with a quantity of flour on your face, clothes and face that looks like you blew up a whole package, and he can't to hold back a  laugh while he wipes your nose. "Has a hurricane passed?" He asks.

"I'm still having trouble organizing myself when I bake, but I'll improve on this too" You reply, walking towards the kitchen as he follows you.

"What are you baking?" He question uncertainly, analyzing the bowls on the table. "I'm trying to make a cake for Eddie, you know with his allergies he never got to taste anything" You reply. Eddie, Steve tries to ignore his stupid jealousy. "That's nice of you" He crosses his arms over his chest while he watches you go back to kneading with far too much violence, so much so that it seems you're tormenting the flour. "You should be more delicate in your movements" He advises you. You roll your eyes. "Isn't it enough for you to be an altet , prom king and the hero of the city, now also a baker! Then what, a chef? A rockstar?" You try to hide irritation in your voice, the truth is that for once you want to be good at something and you want Steve to notice. He sighs and goes to wash his hands before walking up to you, he gets behind you and grabs your  own hands, showing you the right movement.

"You know when I turned twelve my mother stopped organizing my birthdays, she was never there and neither was my father. Sometimes they even forgot to call me, let alone buy a cake. So I decided to do it by myself, no, not buying the cake but making it myself. Cooking helps me, it's not only the fact that I had to learn to survive on my own relatively early, but it helps me de-stress." You turn to him, blinking without words. You've never thought his situation was so terrible, Steve has always masked the absence of his parents and his own traumas behind a smile and even now, although there is a sort of melancholy in his eyes, he continues to smile. Suddenly your problems, your anxieties seem small and useless and you feel ashamed of them.

"I'm sorry" You whisper, voice coming out broken.

"And for what?"

"I've never noticed" He comes closer, caresses your hand so small under his. "Hey. That's okay, I'm just saying that I can help you. I have a thousand talents by the way" He plays down and you smile.

"I feel I'm getting pretty good."

This time Steve can't mask the change of expression and this time you can't ignore it.

"What's up?" You ask uncertain.

"I've come to tell you something" He begins, continuing to squeeze your hands gently. "We appreciate what you do, really.."

"But?" You interrupt him, trying to stop the intrusive thoughts: but you're exaggerating, but we think you're crazy, but we're not your friends, but you should give us our space.

"But y/n, I don't know how to tell you... you're a bad baker. Like terrible to be honest. " You stay silent as a weight lift from your heart. "Oh God I really don't want to offend you, we've tried to wait to tell you but yesterday Nance called me, she threw up again, she was feeling terrible and so were the others and they couldn't take it anymore" You burst out laughing. "Are you telling me that in recent weeks you have been ill and still have continued to eat my desserts?" He nods, relieved to see you calm and happy. He doesn't know why he expected to see you cry, I mean it's  y/n we're talking about, the same girl who bravely fought so many monsters, he knows you're strong, he really does but maybe this is what love is: wanting to avoid any disappointment, even the smallest. And Robin is right, there's no reason to keep denying it, Steve Harrington loves you with every part of his being.

"I forced them to eat lately, they were starting to rebel against the idea, that's why they've sent me to tell you"

You shake your head. "You are crazy, you shouldn't have eaten this crap." You say, pulling free from Steve's grip only to point at the misshapen dough. "But you all are also adorable. You are" You continue.

"We love you and we know you do it for us. And also we had hope you would have improved at some point to be honest" He explains, without moving away from you, so close that you're almost crushed between his body and the table. He smells like home and safety and all the good things in life.

"I think this cooking thing is more a way to erase the fear you know, not only to show that I care about you all. It helps me, keeps the nightmares away. Sometimes when I can't sleep I cook and I feel better" You explain, with a little shame bowing your head. With his hands still covered in flour, Steve grips your chin between two fingers, gently he raises your head so that you can look at him and his dark eyes are filled with an emotion that you don't remember ever having seen or felt, so intense that a shiver runs down your spine. He would like to take all of your nightmares, your bad memories, your pain and make them his and if he could go back in time he would do everything to keep you out of this cursed story of the upside down even if this means erasing years of your relationship and returning to the starting point: when Steve Harrington was a douchebag you deeply hated. He would, to make your life better, but he can't and all he is able to do is give you comfort and everything he owns.

"It's honestly way better than our ways of copying, I mean Nancy literally has an arsenal in her room, Jonathan needs to smoke at least a joint to sleep, Robin calls me every damn night and makes me talk to her until she falls asleep, sometimes she runs away from home to come to me cause she knows damn well she will find me awake. And you know what's my brilliant method is? To guard the house, walking around like a zombie  with the bat in my hands. I keep it under my bed and sometimes I hit the air for no reason so trust me you are handling this  way better than us." Without thinking about it you throw yourself into his arms, clinging to his torso and hiding your face in the hollow of his neck, moved by an inexplicable overwhelming affection.

"You know you might come over here sometimes, if you can't sleep." You confess, realizing too late how out of place and misunderstandable your words are. But he hugs you back and places a kiss on your head and you are glad Steve can't to see your face turning red.

"Does anyone need cooking lessons here then?" He asks laughing, while he lets his hands dirty with flour run through your hair, caressing it and at this point you don't even care anymore who's dirtying who, there's just you and him and the burning smell of something you left in the oven, the minty scent of Steve and his words.

"Someone told me there's a great teacher around"

He puffs out his chest in satisfaction and pulls away from you just far enough to look you in the eye.

Sooner or later he will tell you that he loves you, it will happen because he feels his heart overflow, it will happen because he feels that it is his destiny. You are. And you will bake a cake together for your birthday then maybe, if he is lucky enough, for your children's ones. One day, not today. Today he is just your friend Steve who teaches you how to cook, who erases your fears, who creates new happy memories with you and promises to always be there. There is nothing more precious in the world.