#fisherman eddie munson

[steviewashere]

Want to Go Home With You (Bring Me a Home) Chp. 5

Rating:Teen and Up(May Change With Future Chapters) CW: Implied/Referenced Murder, Implied/Referenced Minor Character Death Tags: Alternate Universe - Mermaids, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, Hurt/Comfort, Dialogue Heavy, Took Canon Out Back And Pulled an Old Yeller, Mer!Steve Harrington, Fisherman!Eddie Munson, Packless Steve Harrington (kind of?), Soft Steve Harrington, Confused Steve Harrington, Lonely Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington is a Sweetheart, Eddie Munson is a Sweetheart, Steve Harrington Wants to be Loved, Mermaids with Animal Like Instincts, Future Propositioning, Lowkey Might Involve Some Omegaverse Aspects in the Future (Not Sorry), Steve Harrington Has Powers (Like Starfire in Teen Titans), Good Parent Wayne Munson, Mer!Eddie Munson

Read the first part here

Also on Ao3

🧜‍��️——————🧜‍♂️ He closes the bedroom door with a soft thud. Steve’s snuffles are still heard, even through the wall, so Eddie knows that he slipped away successfully. But the almost complete silence that surrounds him throughout the rest of the cabin leaves him uneasy, making him wish that he just stayed in the bed with Steve. He promised to not leave, but there’s something burbling inside of him—a deep seeded pocket of curiosity and unruly untrusting that he still needs to work though.

Wayne was lying about something. And, usually, Eddie would just leave it be. Usually, there’s nobody to call out when or how or if Wayne is lying, but having somebody there—this third party with an oddly calibrated sense of knowing, he makes Eddie blink and consider what’s truly existing in front of him.

There was something off. He can’t help but reiterate to himself that Wayne knew something—knew of something wrong, knew of something that went directly against what he had promised. Has Wayne killed, Eddie asked himself, was he lying about that? There was no way, though. Wayne wouldn’t hurt a damn fly. He didn’t even fight in Vietnam, he busied with taking care of the wounded—he was a bandage on a sore, not the blade in the flesh.

Eddie couldn’t just leave it alone. He wants to lay down with Steve. Wants to hold him close. Give him all the warm things in the world. Show him photographs and human things he’s probably never experienced. Take him to a movie or put him in a car. Let him taste something new—the tartness of cherries or sweetness of freshly squeezed oranges or hot dogs with ketchup. He wants to live simply and show Steve the world, smaller in comparison to the vastness of the ocean, but blinding and awe-inspiring all the same.

Instead, however, Eddie sits on the couch and waits for Wayne to come back through the door. He settles in the middle cushion. Blinks at the blank screen of the television set. Listens to Steve’s snores, as they grow in intensity and deepness. Eddie twiddles his thumbs and counts the spots in the hardwood floor. Counts down from one hundred, thinks of his mother, counts back to one hundred, thinks of his mom some more. Wonders what the catch of the day will be tomorrow morning, how heavy the winds will be so early in the day, if the saltwater will stick tacky to his loose curls. Windswept and free, that’s what he wants to be.

He waits and he waits and he waits.

Until, finally, there are heavy thudding boots on the front steps. A key in the lock. And the door widens in one sweep.

Wayne startles as soon as he enters the living room. “Thought you’d be laying with the boy,” he says, forgoing greeting.

“What do you know?” Eddie asks. There’s a bitterness to his tone, one that would never be there for somebody like Wayne. “And don’t lie to me again, I know something’s up. Tell me what’s wrong and I’ll drop it.”

A heavy, sour sigh leaves Wayne’s mouth. He trudges the rest of the way to the couch and plops down unceremoniously next to Eddie. There’s a cap on his head—camouflage and plain—that he pulls down and rests on his right knee. And in his hand, fisted tight and white knuckled, he’s holding something. “I don’t…I don’t know if it’s necessary for you to know, Ed. I don’t”—

“Bullshit,” Eddie lowly growls. He sits sideways on his cushion, facing his uncle completely. Points his finger in Wayne’s direction, leaving space so he’s not touching. “Where’d you go? What do you know? Why won’t you just tell me?” He eyes Wayne for a beat. Adds, “Steve doesn’t act like that. He’s kind and he’s curious and he’s scared. But he isn’t mean. He doesn’t hiss like that unless something is wrong—like when he got caught in the net. But instead, you’re the reason he did. What. Do. You. Know?”

Down his face, Wayne drags his left hand. Mutters, “Damnit,” and blows out a tight breath. He shoves his right fist forward, unfurls his fingers, and drops something into Eddie’s palm.

When Eddie looks down, it’s his mom’s necklace. A pendant she wore for years until she up and left, when she went missing. It’s a simple thing—just a silver locket on a silver chain. He flips the locket open and there’s a photo of him in it—baby Eddie, big brown eyes squinted, giggling most likely, a gummy smile. The same photo he’s seen before when she showed him growing up. He thought she’d take it with her, wherever she went.

“Where’d you get this?” Eddie breathes. Swipes his thumb over that picture of himself. “Shouldn’t Mom have this? Why do you have it?”

“Ed,” Wayne sighs. Softly, “Ed, you’re gonna need to look at me.”

So, he does. Met with Wayne’s blue eyes, heavy lidded and impossibly sad. Sad in a way Eddie hasn’t seen in a long time. Something’s wrong here.

“Your mom didn’t leave you,” Wayne admits, whispering. “She…she wasn’t like anybody around here. Was sorta wild. Kind and caring, gentle, nurturing. She loved you, loved the world, wanted to see so much of it with you.”

Eddie sniffs. “What are you getting at?”

Wayne looks away for a brief moment. Swallows heavy and loud, like he’s digesting the world down his dry throat. He takes a deep breath and looks back, sadder. “What do you remember about your dad, Ed?” He asks softly.

He scoffs. “What don’t I remember about him? My dad was a huge piece of shit, Wayne. No offense, I guess. But he…he was mean and he was nasty. He didn’t really love my mom, I could always tell. Pushed her around, said shit to her, turned it around on me, too. I just remember he wasn’t a good person and for some reason, he went away to jail.” He looks down at the locket again and then back up at Wayne. “Did you get this from him?” He asks, holding up the pendant.

“No,” Wayne answers, shaking his head. “I…I got that from my safe deposit box at the post office. It’s something I put away years and years ago. So that I could give it back to you, eventually.” He grinds his teeth together, jaw working, mulling words. “This was something I got to keep after the police found her,” he whispers, a confession, something deeply ashamed.

“After the police,” Eddie echoes slowly. “The police?”

“Your dad…he”—Wayne stops himself with a half-formed sob. His eyes noticeably teary and miserable, now that Eddie’s focused. His lower lip trembles, his whole body shaking with the force of his emotion. Eddie isn’t sure what to make of any of this yet.—“Your dad murdered your mom, Ed. He confessed to it, yet pleaded not guilty. Life in prison. This is all I have left of your mother.”

Eddie can only stare at Wayne in stunned silence. It’s like everything in him freezes over, locks up. Like his body forgot how to function. He can see Wayne crying quietly in front of him, can see Wayne waiting for some sort of response. There’s a thousand and one emotions flooding through him. Anger and guilt and sadness, a bitterness he’s never known, an aching he’s barely felt now pulsing through him in harsh waves.

“I don’t…he? He did—What does this have to”—

“Your mom was like that boy,” Wayne interrupts, voice snotty and wet. “She came from out there, out in the ocean. And…your dad, he was a fisherman, too. They had that sweet summer romance, they were in love for some years. Then, she had you.” He takes a moment to collect himself, to breathe through his nose and out through his mouth, doesn’t look at Eddie anymore. Like what he’s going to say next will hurt worse.

Wayne continues, “She had you when she was young. She was scared, y’know. Had a baby with human legs, even though she had ‘em, too. Your dad thought that you’d never be like her, the whole…merfolk thing.

“But you’ve always been different than what people expect of you. Except for your mom. She was bathing you one day and it just…happened. You had your gummy smile with a couple baby human teeth coming in, human ears, regular nails. But she went to scrub behind your knees, lo and behold, she was met with a short, teal tail like that Ariel girl has in that mermaid movie.

“Your mom”—Wayne breathes out something like a chuckle—“she came rushing from that bedroom, the one that’s yours now. She came rushing out to me with you in your mer form. Dangling you in the air, purring like a damn motor boat, trilling between words like she couldn’t contain herself. She was so proud of you, so proud that that part of you was beginning to show. I remember her telling me about the days you two were going to spend in the water. That she was going to teach you how to collect those pretty little pearls. She wanted to show you how to swim. She was so excited to have somebody like you.”

Eddie shuffles closer on the couch. Close enough, now, that Wayne hesitantly tucks them together. Brushes fingers through Eddie’s curls. “Dad found out, didn’t he?” He asks in a voice that’s too small to be him.

Wayne answers anyway. “He did,” he sighs. “It was ugly. They screamed at each other while I took care of you that night. Wouldn’t stop until she slammed the front door behind her. He must’ve…I think he followed her. Only he returned.” His heavy hands rub down Eddie’s shoulders, over his back, holding him close and together. “I think he scared you,” Wayne states quietly, “you were so standoff-ish from him. You closed yourself up. You didn’t like talking to him. It’s like something in you knew that a bad thing had happened. An instinct in your gut was screaming at you. It’s a good thing, too, because he was found out pretty fast after that night.”

He doesn’t think he’s breathing while Wayne holds him. There’s a lot to take in. A lot of new things to know. But one thing he doesn’t—

“Why aren’t I a merman now? How come I’m just a human, Wayne?”

“Cause your dad wanted you to be. He made sure you knew to not show that part of yourself. So you hid.” Wayne pauses for a moment. Slows his comforting movements. Looks ahead of himself. “I was scared for you,” he admits quietly, “because people don’t think of mer all that kindly, I’m sure you know now. I made sure you hid, too, but only for your own safety. Your dad made you hide because of prejudice.

“If you want to be a merman, I have no qualms with it. But you need to be safe and vigilant. There’s a reason that boy sought you out.”

“So that I can keep him safe?”

Wayne shakes his head. “I think he wants more from you than that. I think he can sense that part of you.” He looks back to Eddie, then. Brushes his hair back. Sits them back upright on the couch. And curls Eddie’s fingers around the heart shaped locket. “He wants to be safe, yes. But I think he wants someone who will understand him, make him feel less alone. Make him feel…loved.”

Eddie nods slowly, understanding. “And if I wanted to give him that? If I…if I wanted to let that part of me out so that we can be like a pact or something?”

“Then I’d tell you to just stay aware, Ed. But I want to get to know this boy first. I want to know that you’ll be safe with him.”

“Right,” Eddie whispers. Thumbs over the locket one more time. “I don’t think you’ll need to worry. We take care of each other, I promise.”

🧜‍♂️——————🧜‍♂️ Taglist (open for this work):

@scoops-aboy86 @spectrum-spectre @loveryanax @emmabubbles

@swimmingbirdrunningrock @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @azryl90

@starryeyedpoet17 @artofabookworm

[little-annie]

Steddie Mermay anyone?

***

The night sky's a hazy sort of blue-black, the stars swimming throughout the wispy clouds as fish do through the coral below the calm waters. From where he sits, wood solid below him and murky depths beneath that, Steve sees not much more than the two blending together; night sky meeting ocean waters in a never ending blur of uncertainty, intrigue and mystery. 

Whispers between lips and the ears of strangers and kin, stories have been told seemingly for centuries. Forwhat lurks beneath the clouded waters is what seals the fates of many men. Only the scarred and hardly lucky left to tell their tales. 

It'd been an elder fisherman who'd told Steve of an evening from his past. Dark eyes, porcelain skin and water wet curls accompanied by the deadly hymns of a creature that'd pierced his skin with nails black as the night sky and dragged him to what he assumed to be his death.

The docks were busy as they'd sat side by side, the screeches of gulls in the distance and the nattering of the market to their rear, old Gus had muttered with whiskey stained breath as he continued.

“ ‘twas a scary thing boy, ain't no other thought in my mind than I'd die right there. I ain't even remember much of it. Seems to ‘ave faded with time I think. Jus’ when I saw that thing's face and suddenly I was under water, bleeding from my arm and pulled along by those damn claws.”

Gus had paused for a moment then, scratching at the greying scruff of his chin as if in thought, ageing clouding eyes squinting into the midday sun, he grumbled, “Ain't even remember how I got back to town for Christ's sake. Woke to the gulls screaming something awful right here on this bench, soaked from ass to teeth, head throbbin’ and m’ arm wrapped in a mess of seaweed.”

At the time Steve had simply hummed, hat hanging low on his head shielding his eyes and mole dotted cheeks from the sun. He'd stop to take a nap in the warmth before he set out for a noon-hour fish. Truthfully he hadn't asked Gus a damn thing, the old bastard just plopped down next to him with a grunt and sorta just started rambling. 

But that was days, weeks ago now and with the nerve to find something of substance, to track down the creature he'd heard so much about, Steve was out on the waters for what felt like the 100th night in a row.

He's yet to have seen anything of grandeur, only ever the whispers of hymns in the breeze and the ripple of water when scale skinned bodies have dove from his devoted gaze. 

Though that's not to say such creatures' eyes haven't fallen upon him. 

Beyond the stillness of death tainted waters, nestled in the jaggedness of stone and rock nearest the shores, floats with a sense of ease a creature whose eyes reflect the starry onyx of the night skies and the silent but waiting silhouette of a man who it hungers for.

This being knowing with a sense of certainty that someday soon the breaking of golden flesh would be felt beneath its teeth and the sweetness of the man's very life's force on its tongue.

***

Because at 37 weeks pregnant, I don't know when I'll ever have the time or energy to finish this 💁🏻‍♀️

[rainylana]

Taste of an image: fishin’

eddie munson x female reader

You were trying so hard to stay awake at the breakfast table. After finally talking Wayne and Eddie to talk you fishing, they caved. You weren’t exactly the fisherman type, so they were skeptical.

They woke you up at the ass crack of damn dawn. You had tried to be a good sport, offered a thumbs up and a smile. Now, at the diner, approximately 6:15 a.m, you were barely awake.

There voices were foggy, clouded. Your eyes dropped and your head lulled to the side, the smell of bacon and eggs filling your nostrils.

“I don’t think she’s gon’ make it, Ed.” Wayne shook his head, pointing at you beside Eddie.

His eyes went wide, catching you as you slipped into his arms, falling asleep. “Yeah, I guess not.”

[witchwrestler]

Here you will find all of my little eddie munson fics! if you have any requests (or people) you want written, drop it in my ask box if you so choose!

(no NSFW; nothing against it i just suck major ass at writing it)

ONGOING WORKS

THE PUNK SINGER (rockstar!eddie au)

part I part II

You're in a punk band. He's a metalhead. Famously, the two clash. Yet, he was still infatuated. After a messy breakup and two years of no contact, a reconnection begins when you find yourself in a difficult position.

I eat boys

part I part II

a *sort of* meet cute at a record store, and a party you reluctantly attend....(ten things I hate about you inspired)

FINISHED / TBD WORKS

hey there, sailor.

in a dreary west coast town a gruff, quiet fisherman starts coming into your bakery. friendship (or maybe more) ensues.

THE HIDEOUT

a night at the hideout (for @corrodedcoffinfest a super sick fan works challenge)

trip down memory lane

a recounting of the first time you met, the blossoming of a relationship, and the end of an era (post-season 4)

BLEED THE FREAK (coming soon)

Eddie is relentlessly bullied. It's no secret, though he sometimes wished someone other than himself would swoop in and save the day. But with 'murderer' plastered next to his name that seems far from likely.

[chaosgremlinmunson]

Mermaid au part two

Not sure how many more parts, I'm doing this as I have time, but I'm falling in love with this world.

Eddie was astounded at how different the cavern seemed from  the outside world.  He’d spent many moons wanting to escape the village of Hawkinsvine and now here he was all but stranded on this island, a fierce yet beautiful tribe of creatures watching his every move. He was surprised at how quickly the leader seemed to agree to let him stay until whenever the blood moon was, and what was this about a prophecy they were speaking of? His musings were interrupted when Stefania’s head  popped up in the pool near the entrance of the cavern. Once again he was blown away by her ethereal beauty, her deep caramel eyes shone in the moonlight and her moles  seemed to grow almost a gold color beneath its light. She swam closer to where he sat, her eyes tentative as she watched him.

“Eddie Munson,  you stare into the sky as though the lights hold your answers. Tell me, what do  you find within their  glow?” Her voice carried across the water as though it was a melody in the night air, and he felt the tension in his chest lessen when he turned to look at her fully.

“I don't know what brought me here to you, or these people but  I feel as  though this is where home should have always been. If we are to spend the next moons together until the ritual you spoke of  takes place I would like you to call me Eddie. On the surface where I was from it is what people who you are  close to or cared for would call each other, by their first names only. Here my last name means naught, and as I plan to never return there again I should lay the last bit of that life at the shore and begin anew.” His fingers played over the water's edge, though he did not notice the slight  glow from its waves near his fingertips. 

“Eddie.” The girl tried his  name for a moment like tasting it for the first time, “And you shall call me Ania. Stefania is what the court calls me as it’s  princess.” Eddie coughed his head whipping back  in her direction, eyes wide, “No need for that, this ritual is to see if you are the lost child we've been searching for. Our elder Wayne lost his offspring many years ago to a fisherman. We never did find him, but we know he is alive. His heart stone is still within the pools of family ties, it still glows like the rising  moon. My soul tells me that he may be you, and if it is such there is a life here for  you always as more  than just our guardian.” She sighed and looked  up to the moon,”To be honest with you  Eddie, I do so hope it to be true. I am to choose a husband soon, and maybe…” she trailed off before glancing at him, that shy smile on her lips  again before diving back beneath the waters.

Tag list: @spectrum-spectre

Part one:

[fastlikealambo]

the mermaid & the lighthouse. ||older!eddie x black mermaid! reader

summary: widowed father eddie munson is an experienced fisherman and down on his luck operator of one of the last barely functional lighthouses in america.

hawkins, a crumbling fishing village off the coast of maine, is slowly but surely being sold off and an oil spill by the carver oil company the previous year has all but sealed hawkins' fate to be purged of the locals and turned into a resort.

it's in the cards for eddie to sell his boat, pack up his daughter, and give into jason carver's cash offer to turn the lighthouse into a vacation home.

that all changes when a mysterious woman washes up on the rocks, an unearthly being that will change his fate and the fate of his home forever.

Trigger warnings for this chapter: Drowning, Body Horror, Mental Health Discussions, CPR

CHAPTER ONE.

'But a mermaid has no tears, and therefore she suffers so much more.'

-Hans Christian Andersen

This is a tale of mermaids, love, and what it means to be human.

But to begin,we must have an ending.

“Chrissy? Wynie? Christina and Eowyn Munson!" 

Eddie made his way through the crowded emergency room, wading through police officers, people wrapped in blankets with medical staff hovering around them and others with the same wild look in their eyes as Eddie, searching for someone in the crowd. The corridors seemed to be endless as Eddie broke out into a run past the nurses’ station towards the room but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“Sir, you can’t go back there.” The security guard said but Eddie shook them off, spotting a lone nurse.

"Please, I'm looking for my wife and daughter, they were on the ferry?"

"I'm sorry sir, we're swamped, someone should be around to talk to you shortly." The nurse said, barely looking up from her chart and it took everything within him to not scream.  It wasn’t her fault, but he just needed to know what was going on. 

"Eddie."

Eddie turned around to see Robin standing there and he immediately ran to his friend, unbelievably happy to see someone, anyone he knew who might possibly have answers, or at the very least prevent him from spinning his wheels.

"Thank fuck, I can't find Chrissy or Wyn anywhere and nobody knows anything, neither of them are picking up their phones, I'm going out of my mind Robin!" He exclaimed, running his hand through his curly hair, the few gray streaks in it shining in the fluorescent lightning. He had dyed them to match the rest of his head in what he thought was secret but Chrissy liked the grays.

 Robin said nothing, took his hands in her own and it was then that he saw the tears in her eyes, the blood on her rainbow scrubs and his heart stopped in his chest.

No.

"Robin?"

"Eddie, Chrissy and Wynie were in the water for a very long time. By the time they were brought in, neither of them were breathing on their own."

No. 

"Spare me the bullshit Robin, where the fuck is my family?" He yelled, no actual anger in his voice, just pure desperation. A buzzing noise that started when Wayne radioed him intensified in pitch and it felt like he was underwater.

"We were able to stabilize Wyn, but we had to put a tube down her throat to help her breathe, she's in the ICU, Eddie."

 The image that his mind conjured of his little girl in a hospital bed made him want to curl up on the floor but he regained his composure to ask the question he didn’t want to know the answer to.

"And Chrissy?"

"We did everything we could, I'm so sorry Eddie."

Eddie felt his knees give out beneath him, meeting the hospital floor hard, his sobs and screams echoing throughout the hallway as Robin rocked her oldest friend in her arms, no longer able to stifle her own tears.

While his daughter fought to take a breath and his wife took her last, Eddie had been fucking fishing, tossing back a few beers, shooting the shit.

He didn't even get to say goodbye.

And then an interlude of two years.

Outside of The Hawkins Middle School principal’s office, Eddie was greeted by the sight of his twelve year old daughter looking very pleased with herself despite the bruise on her face and cut on her lip, the smirk that confirmed to the world that this was Eddie Munson’s kid fading as soon as she saw her father.

“Wyn, what the fuck happened? Who did this to you?” Eddie knelt down by his daughter, taking her chin in hand to inspect her face, rage and frustration building within him but Wynie sighed and shook him off, her face shifting to the same blank expression that had graced her features since he brought her home from the hospital two years prior.

“Mr. Munson, so good of you to join us.” Principal Coleman’s head popped out of the office,  ushering him to come in. A sheepish Eddie followed, sinking into a seat across from the principal, half expecting Wayne to be sitting next to him like he was the one getting detention.

“Mr. Munson, we understand that things have been extremely hard for you both these past two years and we’ve done the best we can to support Eowyn here at school but I’m afraid violence can’t be tolerated.” 

“None of what you’re saying explains why my kid’s face is fucked up, Coleman.”  Eddie said roughly, running a hand through his beard. “But it’s the thought that counts.”

“Mr. Munson, your daughter headbutted another student during lunch, breaking her nose. The student’s mother is threatening to press charges.”

“And did you find out why? Ask any of the other students if-

“Your daughter confessed actually, rather proudly if I might ask but then again, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I’m sorry Mr. Munson, but we’ve been lenient with your situation for far too long.” Eddie stood to his feet at that.

“Situation? Her mother died! She almost died! That’s not something a juice box and a pep talk over the summer fixes!”

“Sit down Mr. Munson, I know you don’t believe it but we are on the same side. That child’s parents are out for blood but I’ve managed to keep them at bay by giving Eowyn two weeks of in school suspension, a written apology, and she will be seeing Ms. Kelley, our guidance counselor and Dr. Owens, our school psychiatrist.”

Eddie slowly sat back down, exhaustion taking away any remaining fight he had. He had a plan to keep them both above water after all that had happened, to keep her safe and try to get through each day.

He was failing spectacularly.

“ Wait, she already sees Dr. Owens, twice a week.” Eddie said, confused looking out at his daughter in the hallway who overheard everything and now hung her head in actual sadness.

“Apparently for the last month, she’s been skipping their sessions.”

Jesus H. Christ.

“So do you want to tell me what really happened?” Eddie said,waiting until Wynie was buckled into the car.

Silence.

“Wyn, we can’t go on like this, if you don’t want to talk to me, you need to talk to Owens. No more skipping sessions, sweetheart. And you have to apologize to that kid.”

“He threw Abby Henderson’s lunch in the trash. He’s been doing it all week, she won’t say anything so I did something about it.”  Wynie said softly. Eddie pulled over and turned towards his daughter who looked more and more like Chrissy with each day that passed.

“I’m supposed to say you shouldn’t have done that, that you should have told a teacher, that violence is never the answer, but honestly fuck that. You did something to help your friend and that’s important, Wyn.”

“So I’m not grounded?” Eowyn asked, the first time he had heard her voice in a few days, startling him.

“Oh you’re so grounded but not for the headbutting which is very metal by the way, but for the lying Eowyn. I’m worried about you honey,  there’s nothing you can’t tell me, you know that right?” Eddie asked, reaching for Wyn who moved away.

“I’ve got to inspect the lighthouse tonight, why don’t you come with me? We can have hot cocoa, it will be like old times.” Eddie offered, coughing awkwardly. 

Wynie shrugged, the guarded look back in place.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Eddie said, a little bit of hope in his voice as he started the car again.

Somewhere close, a storm beckoned and the sea betrayed you.

You had been watching the humans above, their ways had called to you more often than not these days, looking for him on the shoreline but he was no longer there. The human child smelled of him but a long time had passed since the sea was aflame and the scent was gone from the water.

You would wait one more day for him before leaving for colder waters and as the day became night, he was not there.

Eddie was gone.

Sadly, you left the rocks to dive under the stormy water and that’s when it happened.

Your tail, your beautiful luminous tail, began to twist uncontrollably beneath you, bloody scales shedding from you one after the other.

Then, agony.

So much pain, your bones shifting and breaking, you couldn’t breathe.

Poseidon, you couldn’t breathe.

The water that had raised you invaded your throat so you couldn’t scream as you disappeared beneath the waves, body broken, body new.

The Hawkins Lighthouse swayed a little, rain pelting the dilapidated lighthouse and Eddie and Wynie by extension. The lighthouse was nothing more than a sad landmark these days rather than the fully functioning lighthouse that saved many a ship centuries before. Still as a promise to Wayne, Eddie kept the lighthouse somewhat clean and serviced the lantern as much as he could.

“As he finished cleaning the lantern, he turned it on, the brightness got him every time but he couldn’t help but frown as the strength of the light seemed to dull with every minute that came and went. It would kill his uncle but the sooner the lighthouse was officially decommissioned, the better it would be.

Wynie stood on the other side of the tiny lantern room, wrapped in a star wars blanket with a thermos of hot cocoa, staring at the water below.  It was hard to believe that just two years ago she would zoom around the tiny room, naming everything she spied in the water, begging Eddie to quiz her on all the clockworks, fuel parts, and vents in the service room.

Now she wouldn’t even step a foot outside the cottage much less the shore.

“I’m all finished here if you want to head down. Maybe we could watch a movie or something?” Eddie asked but she was already out of the room before the question fully left his mouth.

Was this how it was going to be forever?

He had failed his wife and child that night and he continued to fall on his ass since.

This was all his fault.

“Holy shit, Dad! Dad!” 

The alarm in his kid’s voice sent him sprinting towards the stairs but Wynie burst back through the door, running to the glass.

“Dad, look! There’s something on the rocks!” She exclaimed, grabbing Eddie by the hand and dragging him to the window.

At first, Eddie saw nothing, squinting hard at the window but as the light passed over the area below, it shone brighter than it had in years, revealing something curled and limp on the rocks.

Not something, someone.

There was a body on the rocks.

“ Eowyn, Wyn, slow down!” Eddie called out to his daughter who ran ahead of him down the steep lighthouse stairs and into the rainstorm below. 

He had left his phone in the cottage stupidly and had no choice but to follow his daughter, flashlight in tow. Wynie stopped just short of the water, frozen in place so quickly Eddie almost slammed into her. His hands shook as his flashlight revealed the limp naked body of a woman draped across the sharp rocks.

He should leave, call or radio for help, but something told him there wasn’t time, dead or alive, he couldn’t just leave you there.

“Stay here.” Eddie ordered Wynie, turning her around as he walked into the rocky water, slipping his jacket off as he slowly approached your body, slipping on the stones as he inched forward towards you, hands meeting your scarily chilled skin. 

Trying not to think of the possibility of holding a dead body, he wasted no time, wrapping his jacket around you and gently slid your body off the rocks and into his arms and had Wynie guided him with her flashlight to the nearest soft patch of sandy shore.

Laying you down flat, he put his head to your chest and listened, the more silence he heard the more fear threatened to overwhelm him.

"Daddy?" The terror and pain in his daughter's voice paralyzed Eddie as he looked down at the completely still woman beneath him.

This was no sight for her.

"Wynie, go inside, call Aunt Robin, tell her we found someone hurt on the beach, she'll know what to do. Put the puppy upstairs then turn the heat up and light the fireplace, just like I taught you. I'll be right behind you, I promise. Can you do that for me?" He asked, putting his hands on her damp shoulders.

Eowyn nodded deeply, straightening herself up with a fierce look of determination in her face that made her look so much like Chrissy his heart hurt even more.

"I can do it Dad." 

"Good girl! Now, go!" He kissed the top of her head and gently pushed her away.

She took off running towards the cottage and Eddie steeled himself for what was to come next.

He pressed two fingers into your neck waiting for something, anything, beneath his fingers, but the same stillness continued.  Eddie tilted your chin back, pinching your nose and sealed his mouth to your own breathing deeply, feeling your chest rise to meet his hand.

He repeated the action, breathing for you once again, hoping you sit straight up like in a movie and this whole nightmare would be over but no sooner then he had felt your chest rise with his air did it sink in, just as still.

He gently walked his fingers down to the landmark between your breasts and placed one shaking hand over the other, locked his elbows, straightened his arms, silently praying to anyone as he centered his shoulders over his hands and began to press down hard and fast, counting aloud.

"You got yourself on those fucking rocks, you can do this, come on!" He choked out, ignoring the cold that seeped into his tiring arms threatening to numb his hands but he kept going, the rhythmic sound drowning out his own racing heart, blinking back frustrated tears.  Two minutes felt like an eternity as he checked your pulse again with the same result.

He couldn't do this again.

They couldn't be tied to another death, Wynie couldn’t bear it, Eddie wouldn't survive it.

You were running out of time, he was running out of time before his daughter would no doubt come back outside after doing what she was told and be treated to the sight of another corpse.

It was at that moment that Eddie Munson decided he would not let the sea take another person, even a stranger, from him again.

Sweat and rainwater rolled down his back as he began again, each and every compression a middle finger to Death itself because he would not give up, not until you took a breath or someone ripped him off you.

Two cycles later, Death backed the fuck off.

An ungodly gurgling followed by a wretching sound had Eddie's frozen fingers flying to your neck and he let out something between a laugh and scream at the drum of a pulse beneath his fingertips. He cut his celebration short, turning you on your side as you emptied your stomach of seawater and god knows what else. 

"Let it all out, good girl, you're safe now, you did it." He soothed, alternating between patting your back and rubbing circles.  He caught a glimpse of your half opened eyes, wide and brown before they rolled back into your head and you went limp against him, shivering hard with every breath you took.

The light passed across your face and for a second Eddie swore he saw sharp teeth.

"I need every towel and blanket in the house, where's Robin?" Eddie asked, racing into the warm living room of his seaside cottage, his jacket wrapped around you to give you some privacy and preserve any heat he could give you from the journey from the shore to his home.

"Aunt Nancy answered, Mrs. Sinclair went into labor earlier, she's still on the mainland. She said she'd come herself as soon as there was a break in the storm." Wynie explained, zipping around the cottage collecting a pile of blankets and beach towels.

 Eddie set you down on the already blanket lined couch in front of the fire, quickly peeling off his own wet layers to his semi dry t-shirt underneath before  wrapping a towel around and cocooning you both in blankets, gently rubbing the heat back into you.

"You're gonna be okay, we're gonna get you nice and warm and then we'll get you some help." Eddie whispered into your ear as Eowyn gently placed another comforter over the pair of you, eyes glassy with tears.

"She's not moving, is she gonna die like Mom?" She asked quietly. Eddie held out a hand for his daughter to come forward.

"You see her wrist? Put two fingers right there, it's okay you're not gonna hurt her sweetie." Wynie did as she was instructed, touching your wrist so softly as if it was going to break.

"You feel that? That means she's alive and she's alive because you saw her on those rocks before I did. She's going to be fine once she's not so cold and your Aunt can have a look at her. You're a hero Eowyn Munson, and I'm so proud of you sweetheart." Eddie said,mussing her hair before Wyn smiled the first real smile in a very long time and  ran to the kitchen to make tea. Eddie returned to the task of warming you up, cradling you in his arms. 

"Please don't give up the ghost on my couch after I just gave that awesome speech." 

That’s it for now, I hope this is okay :)

[mmunson86]

TY for the tags my loves @boomhauer & @eddiesxangel 💗

bookstore au or fisherman au ♥ bartender au or spy au ♥ neighbour au or farm au ♥ wedding planner au or roommate au ♥ billionaire au or mob au ♥ western au or hospital au ♥ rockstar au or bodyguard au ♥ office/coworker au or firefighter au ♥ lumberjack au or deserted island au ♥ fantasy au or soulmates au ♥ modern au or historical au ♥ sex worker au or a/b/o au ♥ bakery au or academic au ♥ pirate au or babysitter au ♥ camp counselor au or werewolf au ♥ coffee shop au or flower shop au ♥ apocalypse au or treasure hunter au ♥ tattoo artist au or single parent au ♥ royalty au or vampire au

No pressure tags💗 : @abibliophobiaa @andvys @bvtbxtch @bettyfrommars @bangaveragewhitewine @blairrwaldorfs @corrodedseraphine @impmunson @eddiemunsons-missingnipple @eddiemunsons80sbaby @eddies-house @eddieschains @emmyshortcake @eddiethefreakkmunson @figmentofquinn @hellfiremunsonn @hellfire--cult @xxbimbobunnyxx @keeksandgigz @lesservillain @lokis-army-77 @lofaewrites @munsonology @m0llygunn @madelynraemunson @munsonsbtch @munson-mjstan @purplehazed-h @trashmouth-richie @taintedcigs @succubusmunson @songforeddiemunson @strangemagicc @str4ngergirlw0rld @the-unforgivenn

[ghost-proofbaby]

this or that - au edition

thank you for the tag @emma-munson <3

bookstore au or fisherman au ⋆ bartender au or spy au ⋆ neighbour au or farm au ⋆ wedding planner au or roommate au ⋆ billionaire au or mob au ⋆ western au or hospital au ⋆ rockstar au or bodyguard au ⋆ office/coworker au or firefighter au ⋆ lumberjack au or deserted island au ⋆ fantasy au or soulmates au ⋆ modern au or historical au ⋆ sex worker au or a/b/o au ⋆ bakery au or academic au ⋆ pirate au or babysitter au ⋆ camp counselor au or werewolf au ⋆ coffee shop au or flower shop au ⋆ apocalypse au or treasure hunter au ⋆ tattoo artist au or single parent au ⋆ royalty au or vampire au

some of these i simply refuse to choose. better yet, let's just combine them. fuck it.

no pressure tags: @hellfire--cult @br0ck-eddie @pastel-pillows @munson-mjstan @munson-blurbs @corroded-hellfire

(idk who's been tagged or already done it shocker i know so apologies if i tag and you already have!!)

[steviewashere]

Tonight, I'm gonna work on the next chapter of my merman Steve fic. I don't think it'll be a terribly long chapter, but I'm hoping for some substantial length.

If all things work out, I'll have it posted tomorrow morning. So, keep your eyes peeled for that.

[little-annie]

Any advice on how to make this look more like Eddie? His hair is such a huge part of his look and with it being wet, I feel like I kinda loose some of his personality. HELP!

[madaboutmunson]

Again - Part 17 (Not to be confused with 17 Again ;) )

Part 1 | Part 16 | Part 18 | Full list of Again series links inc AO3 Link

Steddie fic where Steve and Eddie are in their mid 30's and everyone has sort of drifted apart

Notes: As per the winning option on the poll I posted here is your 10K+ part of the story :)

Taglist: @adaed5 @grtwdsmwhr @swimmingbirdrunningrock @mightbeasleep, @jewellthebooknerd, @fentiibratzz @rvllybllply2014

================================================

Well…Al-riiiighty then!

That is the only response Steve's brain seems to have to what just happened. Well, what just happened several times over. Well…actually.… not just now, just before he drifted into a euphoric slumber, for however long it's been. He doesn’t know what time it is, and for once, he doesn't care what time it is either.

Steve is very much in a battle in his mind, one part celebrating being the luckiest guy in the world, the other pure fear because Steve knew it was over for him. He was gone, so very gone. Not just hook, line, sinker but also rod, fisherman, his waders, the bait box, his chair and the car he'd driven to the lake in the parking lot, all currently drowning in Eddie Munson.

How was he going to be able to resist Eddie at all now? It's not like he had much in the way of resistance anyway, but now, he basically had none. If he looked at him a certain way from now on, it would send Steve's brain back to this, and he'd be a mess. Who is he kidding? He didn't care how badly he'd got it. Steve snuggles into Eddie's chest more and resigns himself to a happy future of being Eddie's pushover. Eddie's arm is already around him, and he sees his abdomen crease slightly as he gives Steve a kiss on top of his head, and Steve happily accepts his fate.

"Welcome back, honey," Eddie says, his voice a little groggy.

"Hi," Steve answers meekly and looks up at him, causing Eddie to scoff out a laugh.

"Oh, he's quiet now, is he?" Eddie smiles a little smugly, and Steve is mortified and taps him on the side in a vain attempt at annoyance.

"I was…how dare…I mean…ok, I wasn't that loud!" Steve defends, "Besides, you were no church mouse either."

"Hey, man, I don't care. They aren't my neighbours. They don't know my voice, but they'll get used to it quite quickly, I imagine," Eddie chuckles evilly.

"What are you talking about, neighbours? I don't share walls with anyone," Steve laughs.

"No, you're absolutely right, you don't. How silly of me," Eddie says, and Steve feels satisfied he's won this one for a second, "Except you do share a street, right?"

He frowns hard at Eddie but with a confused smile, "Well, of course, I do…." Steve starts with a very condescending tone until it hits him. His face drops, and he looks to the window. It's wide open, and now so is Steve's mouth. "The window!" Steve whimpers in horror. "Why didn't you say something before, Eddie? Jesus Christ!!" Steve exclaims.

Steve gets up to close the window, and he's immediately tackled back into bed. "Steve! You can't give them the audiobook and now the movie," Eddie laughs gesturing at Steve's naked body, "First of all, it was hotter than the firey pits of hell in here! I know you have AC, dude. Turn it on! And then I was busy! So forgive me for not making the window my priority!" 

Cursing under his breath, Steve grabs a sheet off the bed in one firm pull, almost flinging Eddie straight off the other side because he pulls it with so much force and wraps it around his waist before going to the window. Unfortunately, once there, despite being one floor up, he makes eye contact with one of his older neighbours gardening, Ms Montarello's best gal pal Mrs Kensington. He tries to give one of his big neighbourly smile and wave combos, but it soon becomes awkward. In return, she sends him a thumbs up. He just knows this will be on the agenda at their next afternoon tea. Steve wishes the ground would swallow him entirely. Maybe it wasn't too late for the Russians to take him away for real this time or for him to go live in his own alternate dimension of his own construction. Steve feels a weight on his shoulder. It's Eddie's arm leaning on him. "Sorry, my sweet, I didn't mean to leave it open. I swear. I was just trying to make light of it." Eddie genuinely apologises. Steve rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

"It's ok, it's done now. Can't have been that bad. She sent back a good review" Steve imitates her thumbs up, turning to Eddie with a big goofy smile, which suddenly falls from his face when he realises that Eddie has not even attempted to cover himself up, so Steve frantically tries to share the sheet with him, as Eddie spots Mrs Kensington and blows her a kiss, "Jesus Christ, Eddie! Cover up! She can see right in here."

"First of all, how good can her eyes be? Secondly, it's our window. She shouldn't be looking in here…" Eddie continues to reason the many ways this is not their fault, and instead, it's Steve's neighbours that are little perverts, but his brain has picked up part of what Eddie said and put it in a protective glass case in Steve's mind museum.

"Our window?" Steve interrupts gently.

"Yeah, our window, that's what I said. They shouldn't be looking in here," Eddie tries to continue before sighing and looking at him. "You haven't been listening to me, have you?"

"Not much after you said, our window, to be honest," Steve says softly, wrapping Eddie tighter in their shared sheet, pulling him towards him. He can see Eddie, whilst not unappreciative, is also confused for a few seconds, and he's trying to figure it out, and then he realises, and the faintest pink blush hits his jaw.

"Oh, sorry. It just kinda fell out of my mouth. I mean your window," Eddie corrects, but Steve shakes his head.

'Nope, No way. I will not sign off on that retcon. It's our window now. If you want, that could be our bed, and back there our closet. Our bathroom, our mirror, our TV, our love seat." Steve looks deeply into Eddie's eyes, "If you wanted that, that is?" Eddie scans Steve's face, and no reply comes, "but obviously no pressure at all." Steve quickly backs off as he tries to hide the excitement inside of him that is bubbling over.

"I mean, there would be a lot to figure out, but, shit, I'd really like that. I-I'd love that, babe," Eddie finally replies.

"You would?!" Steve checks with too much excitement and receives a dewy-eyed nod in confirmation. "Oh, well, in that case." Steve wrenches open the window again, "These are your neighbours too, now. It's only fair they get to hear how loud you can be, right?" Eddie's eyes widen, and Steve scoops him up in the sheet and pretty much body-slams him back into bed.

"Who are you? And what have you done with friendly neighbourhood Steve Harrington?!" Eddie laughs.

"Last I heard, some charismatic cult leader got their dragon claws into him, and he hasn't been the same since," Steve smiles hugely, caging Eddie in his arms. "Took out more than double his hit points, an insta-kill!" Steve adds, hovering over Eddie in their sheet tangle, diving down for a kiss before pushing up with his arms to pull away to look down at this beautiful creature, satanic or otherwise. It didn't really matter.

Eddie lets out an excitable growl and grabs hold of the sheet behind Steve to pull him in closer, "Gods be damned, Steve, this brisket is gonna be a shadow of itself, but you know I can't resist when you talk nerdy to me" Eddie adds before he's cut off with another kiss from Steve.

“Have I found the weakness of stone-cold heavy metal legend Eddie Munson? Nerdy talk? How did you get through your days surrounded by geeks, huh? Must have been a boner minefield,” Steve whispers, brushing his nose against Eddies, still in total disbelief that any of this was his life now, or at least had the potential to be. They had to work out a few other things with Jenny and the kids, but he pushes that to the side for now, focusing on the angel beneath him.

“Ok, first of all, ew! Images of the geeks I hung out with at school, or the games store have no place in my brain right now. Bad, Steve!” He attempts to reprimand Steve, but his voice is far too gentle, and his eyelids droop as he gazes into his eyes. Soon he is wiggling his arms free of the sheet and caressing Steve’s back tenderly, “And, well, it only works when a jock does it. A specific jock. ‘Bout time you caught up, though.” Eddie laughs softly, pulling Steve in tighter with the sheet, and leaning up for another kiss, but Steve pulls away playfully.

“Caught up? I’m in the lead,” Steve mutters, pouting his lips out so they almost brush Eddie’s, and his hooded eyes trail over his beautiful face. Fuck, you’re the luckiest and, at the same time, the most sorry-whipped guy in the universe, Steve Harrington. He finally makes eye contact with Eddie again, only to see his eyes roll.

“You are not in the lead, no matter how cute you are trying to be about it,” Eddie replies, unable to stop his eyes dropping to stare at Steve's mouth. Steve moves his arms further up the mattress so his hands dip into Eddie’s hair earning him an appreciative moan from his beau.

“I think you’re wrong about that,” he says quietly, “I’m in the lead. Nerdy shit, Metal, your hair, when I jump to your defence and when hold you just right. I’m miles ahead of you, Eddie. You’re still in the starting blocks,” Steve laughs gently as Eddie raises an eyebrow.

“Is that so? Hmmm,” Eddie teases. “Believe me when I say. I have many of your weaknesses tucked away, Sweetheart. I just don't use them all because it's not fair.”

“Not fair, how?” Steve says, confused, frowning and pouting a little at this revelation. Eddie leans up and kisses between his furrowed brows to relax them again.

“Holy hell, you’re cute. You know that?” Eddie sighs against Steve’s chest and blinks himself back into the subject at hand, “It's not fair because you don’t remember, and at the time, I really shouldn't have been logging these things. I should have just been being your friend. Can you forgive me for wanting to be your everything?” Eddie presses his soft lips to the side of Steve’s neck, making him see stars. “Can you forgive me for building a toolkit of what I imagined were all the things I needed to make you fall in love with me, even though I knew it was impossible?” Eddie mutters against his throat, and all Steve can do is close his eyes in bliss and attempt to concentrate on remaining propped up on his arms so that he doesn't fall entirely onto Eddie. Finally, Steve clears his throat and opens his eyes slowly with a quick breath.

“Now, that doesn't count. You said you had a whole bunch from before,” Steve tries to protest as Eddie stops mid-nuzzle against his neck.

“Oh, you want the big guns, do you?” Eddie grins, grabs hold of Steve, and turns them to the side. Steve can’t help his smile, and a trickle of giggles escapes his mouth. Eddie goes to speak, and Steve quickly puts a finger to his lips.

“With the backstory? Please?” Steve asks in an overly soft tone of pleading. Eddie crosses his eyes and bites his bottom lip, making Steve laugh.

“Can I get my turn? Backstory? Seriously!” Eddie shakes his head. “Jesus Christ, I’m beginning to feel glad this didn’t happen sooner. Limited-experience Eddie would definitely have struggled to survive a newly converted King Steve.”

“Get on with it!” Steve playfully pokes at him.

“Oh! Stefano! Never rush the storyteller! Rule numero uno!” Eddie says wide-eyed before narrowing his eyes and biting his lip, “How about a re-enactment?” Steve nods excitedly in agreement, hoping that he’ll gain another memory. “Ok, but it does mean you're gonna have to turn away from me” Eddie points over Steve’s shoulder to the wall behind him, making Steve’s eyebrows raise in disappointed surprise, “Trust me, it's only for a moment” Eddie reassures him, and Steve rolls to face the wall. He half expects Eddie to snuggle up behind him, but it doesn't happen. Eddie hasn't moved from lying face up on the bed.

“So backstory. You had come over to ours as usual, but it was clear to me you had been really upset about something, but, well, I wasn't sure if I should pry, considering you’d just been at home and I knew you're parents were back. I figured they’d upset you somehow. Anyway, I got you a beer, and we shared a few joints on my bed, nothing out of the ordinary until you rolled away. Then you opened up like a little clam, ever such a tiny amount. You said when you got home, your Dad had been drinking and was arguing with your Mom. Being who you are, I knew you’d stepped in to defend her and caught the sharp end of your Dad’s temper. You didn't tell me what he said. You just said he’d smashed one of your favourite records. I knew that a smashed record wouldn't have been enough for someone like you to get upset, and it wasn't the first time your Dad had been a drunk asshole, but it's all I had to go on. So I asked you what record it was. You told me it was Bryan Adams” Steve tries to remember what it might be but can't capture it. He twists his fingers in the sheet pooled in front of him. He definitely remembers his Dad being an asshole, but it was such the norm that Steve had trouble separating one occurrence from another. He expects Eddie probably did something sweet, like got him a replacement or offered him his own copy. Then, Steve hears Eddie clear his throat.

Oh, once in your life you find someone

Who will turn your world around

Bring you up when you're feelin' down

Eddie sings out quietly, the raspiness in his voice imitating the singer like it was an impression, and suddenly the wall in front of Steve changes, and it's dark now. The pillow he is on isn't as fluffy, and he’s curled up on Eddie’s old bed. He can see the guitar hanging there and the hazy smoke drifting lazily through the moonlight.

Yeah, nothin' could change what you mean to me

Oh, there's lots that I could say

But just hold me now

'Cause our love will light the way

Steve smiles as Eddie’s singing gets more enthusiastic and louder, and he hears himself laugh, and he expects that might have shut Eddie down back then, but as soon as he thinks that. 1986 Eddie has vaulted off the bed over him, stumbling to the floor. Steve gets up to help him, but Eddie is already dusting off his Batman Pajama bottoms. He picks up his hairbrush from the mirror and yells out the chorus, complete with eyes screwed up tight and air grabs.

And, baby, you're all that I want

When you're lyin' here in my arms

I'm findin' it hard to believe

We're in heaven

Then Steve hears something else, “BOY! IF YOU DON'T PIPE DOWN THIS GODDAMN INSTANT,” Its Wayne yelling from the bedroom across the hall of the new trailer. Eddie throws open his bedroom door and sings even louder and more dramatically.

Yeah, love is all that I need

And I found it there in your heart

It isn't too hard to see

We're in heaven.

Eddie's face quickly changes from imitating an 80’s rockstar to one of a kid about to get in serious trouble, but he has a massive grin on his face as he dives over Steve to hide behind him. Steve looks to his side, and he can see Eddie’s ringed hand holding onto his arm and his mischievous eyes peering over him, using Steve as a wall of defence against the incoming storm Wayne. And it does arrive, but as he steps into the room, he looks at them both, nods “Steve.” and then points a finger at Eddie. “Keep it down, you hear me?” he says seriously but much more gently. Steve feels Eddie nod against his side, and Wayne leaves, closing the door gently behind him. Then he reaches for Eddie’s hand.

“Thanks, man. That was pretty funny,” Steve says quietly with a laugh. Eddie shrugs.

“It was the only one I knew by him, if you’re, er, wondering about the weird choice. I don’t even know all the words” Eddie scratches at the back of his neck and then disappears behind him again, leaving his hand under Steve’s. He rolls onto his back to join Eddie, looking up at the ceiling, carefully placing their hands between them. 

“I can, uh, help you with the rest if you wanna sing some more? Just you know quietly so we don't disturb Wayne,” Steve offers nervously. He can feel his heart thundering in his chest but can hear his thoughts too. Eddie’s just being kind, don't make this weird. He was just trying to cheer you up. You’d do the same for Robin.

“Sure” He can hear the smile in Eddie’s younger voice, “What's the next line?”

He feels a pinch on his side, and suddenly the ceiling is his own.

“Hey, mister, you can’t go for that long. Even if I do look super cute in there.” Eddie says, almost sounding a little jealous of his past self.

“Sorry about that. It's just exciting to get all this new stuff. Well, old stuff back.” Steve defends bashfully, turning to Eddie.

“It was a lie, by the way,” Eddie utters delicately.

“What was?” Steve worries that somehow Eddie had made this all up, and maybe what he recalled didn't happen at all.

“You think with my sense of humour and love for playing guitar, I didn’t know Summer of ‘69? Pu-lease! Not that past-Eddie hadn't noticed him in your collection and studied that album at length. I knew all the lyrics too. I’d been practising them when you weren't around” He rolls his eyes, “In fantasy land, I was gonna serenade you with my guitar when you finally realised that out of everyone in the world, mansion-dwelling Steve Harrington was gonna settle for little trailer-trash Eddie Munson.” He laughs, “God, I was a piece of work back then.”

“Well, he wasn't wrong, was he?” Steve turns on his side to face Eddie and reaches out to guide his eyes to his own. “You’re not wrong either, though.”

“What do you mean?” Eddie smiles as he moves onto his side and shuffles against the bedding to be closer to Steve.

“Mansion-dwelling Steve Harrington did very much want little trailer….dwelling Eddie Munson” Steve corrects, holding Eddie's face in his hands, “And you were right, because you singing to me like that is definitely working for me, baby” Eddies eyebrows flash, and an excitable smile appears on his face. “Also, I lied too,” Steve barely says, leaning in for a kiss. 

“Whaddyamean?” Eddie's words are muffled against Steve’s lips, and Steve returns a tiny whisper of a laugh to Eddie’s before moving back the smallest amount.

“My Dad didn't break that record. He was probably being an asshole, though. I just wanted to hear your voice sing something sweet for me, and I didn't know how to ask for that without it being weird. I knew how kind a heart you had, and I thought the chances were slim, but I must have been so low I went for it, and you came through like you always do,” Steve says fondly, searching Eddie’s blinking bambi eyes. “With that said…Wanna make some noise?” Steve asks, trying to hold back his own laugh at his corny line. Eddie nods enthusiastically.

“Bur-a-rum”, Steve mutters next to Eddie’s ear, only to find himself clasped firmly by the shoulders and Eddie looking at him wide-eyed.

“Steve, did you just try and speak Entish to me?” Eddie asks interrogatively.

“See, I do listen”, Steve smiles mischievously.

“Ok, well, just so you know, that is a noise of disgust.” Eddie informs, but before Steve can pout about getting it wrong, his chin is scooped up between Eddie’s thumb and forefinger, “But that does not negate the effort, of the nerdiness of what you just did. I. Very. Much. Appreciate. It” he punctuates his words with kisses around Steve’s face, as he tangles him back up in the covers with him.

❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖

Much to their surprise, the brisket survived, and Eddie was absolutely correct. They were both starving, and it was a taste sensation. They didn't even carve the thing, just tore it apart in front of the TV. Both of them in actual shorts this time, in case Steve forgot another appointment, are sitting on seat cushions pulled to the floor. Eddie sat between Steve's legs whenever he tore off a piece splitting it in two and offering the other part over his shoulder to Steve. And whenever Steve stretched forward, Eddie would kiss his cheek quickly. Then once he leaned back and finished chewing, Steve would put a kiss on the back of Eddie's neck, where he'd already parted the hair, just for that purpose.

"You know, I was thinking about what you said earlier, and I just want to make sure I understand. You were asking me to stay longer than this week, right?" Eddie asks, and Steve can hear the cautiousness in his voice. Steve squeezes him reassuringly with his thighs.

"Yeah, Uh-huh, that is precisely what I meant," Steve answers confidently with no hesitation.

"But what about when the kids are here? I’m still kinda new to them, and will Jenny be ok with some stranger living with her kids?" Eddie asks again with that hint of worry.

"Hey, don’t worry. Here are my thoughts, ok?” Steve squeezes Eddie’s sides gently with his legs again. “How about this? You live in our home with me when the kids aren't here. When the kids are here, you can stay in a guest room or your RV if you want, ok? For however long you want. Until you and the kids are cool with you living here. Meanwhile, you can come with me to meet Jenny and Val. You can get to know them, and I just know they'll love you, babe. Jenny might be a bit prickly initially, but that isn't personal. She's just a mama and cares about me because we’re family." Steve leans forward, puts his arms around Eddie and rests on his shoulder, "It would be wonderful if, when everyone was comfortable with it, we added you to that concept too. Family." Steve knows maybe he's saying too much, thinking too far ahead, but this wasn't some stranger he'd met a few weeks ago. It was Eddie. His Eddie, and if there was anything he'd learned the past few days, it was this. No matter the layers that the last fifteen years had tried to bury him under, Steve's Eddie is still there, and what he knows about the Eddie he has now is also amazing. Sure, there were some bad spots for him over the last fifteen years, but that isn't who he is now, and the reason for him being that way is gone too.

There is a pause, and Steve feels Eddie's chest rise and fall quickly. It's not until a little droplet hits his arm Steve realises that Eddie is crying because he's doing it entirely silently. Steve closes his eyes almost to hide from the pain of realisation of why anyone would have developed a silent cry in the first place. So someone at some point couldn't hear them. He squeezes Eddie as tightly as he can with his whole body, "I got you," Steve whispers, "Like I said, not until you want it, ok, not until you're ready, even if that's never. Even if you only wanna be with me when the kids aren't here, and you wanna still have your slice of freedom. No matter the arrangements or weird convoluted plans, I'm not going to give us up unless you tell me it's over. So you're safe to be yourself. I adore you." Steve tries to comfort Eddie with his words too.

They sit like that in silence for a little while longer until Steve feels Eddie's body calm in his arms. Then through sniffles and sharp intakes of breath, Eddie manages, "A-and-and W-Wayne?" Steve doesn't remember hearing Eddie stutter this badly before. Then, in a repetitive, soothing motion, he gently rubs Eddie’s arms to try and help calm him down a little more.

"Of course, and Wayne, Jack and Morgan, Gareth and Annie, and all those huge lumberjack siblings of hers. A small frog you befriend on your way home. Whatever you come with, Eddie. As long as it doesn't endanger my kids, I don't care, and I know you would never do that" Steve smiles against Eddie's hair as he envelops him back in his arms again.

"N-never," Eddie repeats, taking a deep breath and quickly wrapping his own arms over Steve's, holding on tightly. "I-I-I," Eddie grunts in frustration, and Steve guesses it must be because of the stuttering. Eddie loves words, and Steve imagines maybe this was why. A little boy with a stutter, overcoming it and using that power to talk about anything and everything. All the way until storytelling and performance become an integral part of who he is as a person. 

He hears Eddie take another deep breath, "I'd like to stay." he manages and takes yet another deep breath, "When the k-kids are here, I-I-I," another frustrated sound before another round of deep breaths, "ssssstay in the RV. Un-until they're ok with it" another pause, and Steve can hear Eddie trying to form some words, but they aren't coming out. Finally, he huffs, breaks free of Steve, pushing his arms away, gets up suddenly and storms out of the living room, and Steve hears the front door slam open.

"Eddie!!" Steve yells after him. His heart is pounding. He said he wasn't going to run, but now Steve has pushed him too far too quickly, and he's just bolted. Steve's legs feel like they've filled with the weighted lead of absolute fear as he gets up to chase after him, but before he even gets to his feet, the front door slams again, and a furious-looking Eddie is back storming towards the Hi-Fi clutching a CD in his hands.

"Eddie, what the hell is going on?! Jesus Christ! I thought you'd gone," Steve exclaims with a sigh of relief, sinking back to the cushion on the floor, looking at a hunched-over Eddie who is hitting the buttons so hard Steve can hear him doing it. A song starts playing, and Eddie stomps over to a bewildered Steve. His nose is still scrunched up in frustration as he sits on Steve's thighs, his eyes ringed red from crying, and he captures Steve's face in his hands, clutching at it a little too hard, but Steve doesn't care about that, he's still relieved that Eddie didn't run away. Steve opens his mouth to apologise, but Eddie puts his finger against Steve's lips and forces him to look at the Hi-Fi. Steve doesn't know what's going on, so he just takes it as Eddie wants him to listen to the song, so he does.

I got to tell you what I'm feeling inside, 

I could lie to myself, but it's true.

There's no denying when I look in your eyes, 

Girl, I'm out of my head over you.

I lived so long believin' all love is blind

But everything about you is tellin' me this time

It's forever, 

this time I know, and there's no doubt in my mind

Forever, 

until my life is through, 

Girl, I'll be loving you forever

Steve feels Eddie's grip finally loose on his face, and he takes the opportunity to turn to look at him. Eddie is frantically looking at Steve for understanding. Steve's mind is a whirl, he doesn't know quite what to say, and he sees Eddie's shoulders sink in defeat as he hangs his head to start to turn away. Steve grabs Eddie's shoulder and lets the words fall out, without a quality control check, "I hear you. I mean, I heard you. What the guy is singing, right?" Steve sputters and hopes to God he's right that this wasn't a set of lyrics he's misinterpreted, but when Eddie's eyes meet his again, he's sure it's what they're saying, "You love me? Forever, right? Like he was singi-" Steve tries again, he probably should be more embarrassed about the desperation in his voice, but he isn't going to let this just pass him by. He wanted to be right so badly. However, the only answer he gets is Eddie diving in for a kiss, his tattooed arms thrown entirely around Steve's neck, and once the initial surprise is over, Steve wraps him up in his arms again, dipping him back into a deeper one. Steve takes the action as a yes, and his heart beats fiercely in his chest, afraid and eager simultaneously. His head swims with possibilities again. He loved this man so much, maybe too much and never enough all at once. He raises his knees and squeezes his arms to pull Eddie in as close as he possibly can. Physically wanting him to know that Steve would always keep him safe from harm of any kind. Forever. "I love you," Steve whispers against his mouth before kissing him again.

He hoists Eddie to his feet with him, leading him in a slow dance around the living room to the remainder of the song, with huge smiles on their faces. Steve holds him close, then twirls him around some until Eddie lets out a small laugh.

"I thought when you said you needed time, it would be longer than a couple of hours," Steve playfully teases Eddie, "But I suppose maybe something completely mind-blowing might have happened in those few hours to change that, maybe?" Steve mischievously tries to coax Eddie back out of his non-verbal state.

Eddie hits him on the upper arm with a light tap, "Again with this Ego", Eddie laughs, and Steve is relieved to hear him talk again. He’d never seen that happen to Eddie before, or at least he can’t ever recall that happening, but rather than dwell on it, Steve opts to continue easing Eddie back to normal. 

"You love it," Steve says with a wink as he gently sways him to the music.

Eddie pulls a face that looks like he wants to be annoyed but is too amused, "How I wish you were wrong about that, babe. I feel like I've roused up a monster from hibernation."

"A monster, huh? No one's called it that before," Steve says with a smirk.

Another arm tap, "That is not what I meant! And you know it!" Eddie laughs that light dusting of pink across his cheeks appears.

"Oh, how's it feel to have the tables turned on you, sweetheart?" Steve says in his best Eddie impersonation.

"Ok, now that's weird. Stop that immediately!" Eddie laughs and takes a deep breath looking into Steve's eyes, "I guess….I was confused because I didn't feel worthy. You said what you said, and I absolutely wanted to say it right back, but then I thought, Christ, maybe he's just all caught up in this, and he's not thinking about what I've done, you know? So I guess I didn't need time. I just needed courage, and then when I finally got the courage, I was so overwhelmed I couldn't even speak. Overwhelmed with good things, I mean. You're just so good to me." He says, leaning against him as Steve gently sways them around the room.

"Worthy? No, honey. If anything, you're the prize here. Smart, funny, beautiful, kind, and smoking fucking hot, by the way. Just ask our neighbours. Two of them would agree and might be plotting my assassination as we speak! Maybe more now?" Steve pouts out his bottom lip and shrugs.

"Ok, ok. We could fight this out all day. So let's call it even, shall we, Mr Most Eligible Divorcée? '' Eddie laughs.

"No way. Consider me Mr Most Ineligible, absolutely obsessed with his future husband," Steve smiles at his own joke. Half-joke. Not a joke at all.

"You know people are gonna think we're insane, right?" Eddie says against his chest, "We went on our first date Sunday night, it's now Wednesday, and we're moving in together."

"Let them!" Steve frowns as he protectively holds Eddie closer. "Let them think what they want. My whole existence has been doing things to fit into boxes, so I can get by in life. The few times I went off track, life was tough, but I made it. My little family made it in our own unusual way." He thinks for a second, "And, you know, maybe I'm tired of exhausting myself over what other people think when I'm often wrong about it. It's just that old mentality from my parents and their circles. I've been wrong about it twice today already. Monty loved ogling you in your underwear, and the one person I know who heard us earlier gave me a thumbs up. Maybe the only opinions that should matter are those of the people I love and those who actually make an effort to be in my life because they are the people I need. They keep me going every day." He presses his hand against Eddie's cheek and he looks at him. "Like that book said. The people that mind don't matter, and the people that matter don't mind. Even if they are right, and we are crazy," Steve smiles with a sigh. "So…just so I'm not running away with my own thoughts here, could you tell me what you wanna do regarding this," Steve gestures around them and then between them, "about us. Even if it's just like a brainstorming stage. I'm just very conscious I've been blabbing on for a while now" He laughs a little and guides Eddie back to the floor cushions, but this time they face one another cross-legged and hold hands.

Eddie beams at him, "Ok, well, I'm gonna try my best."

"Hey listen, you need to take a break or anything l, just say ok, or if you can't say, we'll get a signal like….um….I don't know….um… tap your bats. I'll always be able to see that, right? Or whatever you think is easiest."

"That sounds ok, sure" Eddie takes one pair of their held hands and taps them on his arm to check, "Yeah, that'll do for now" He smiles and takes a huge deep breath as if preparing himself to speak quickly "So, in case it wasn't abundantly clear. I am absolutely, totally, stupidly in love with you. I never want to leave you for longer than I have to. I wanna stay here with you. I want you to tour the country with me. I wanna be part of your family. I want all of you as part of mine." He smiles at Steve and laughs, "I want a lot of things…sorry…I must sound crazy. I feel crazy. This is crazy right?" His vast smile erupts with the most heavenly laugh Steve has ever heard as Eddie shakes them from side to side in excitement.

Steve squeezes Eddie's hands tightly in his own, "Maybe? I don't know. One person's crazy could be our normal, though, right? We could do all those things." Steve's eyes shoot down to Eddie's arm to see if he reaches for it, but he does not move their hands.

"Yeah, we could," Eddie says softly, with a sweet happy smile on his face, "We could definitely try" Steve's eyes move cautiously back up to Eddie's, and Steve nods in agreement. This. Is. Happening. He still can't quite believe it, and his brain quickly flicks back to that thought from earlier. Eddie pacing this living room, a babe in his arms, and he's singing, cooing, and then he looks up at Steve with that huge grin. Then it flicks to watching Eddie being walked down an aisle by Wayne. Then it's rolling over in his bed to a mass of curls, and he feels the tears prick his eyes but tries to blink them away quickly. He reaches forward, touches Eddie's bat tattoo with their joined hands, making Eddie laugh, and pulls him in for a hug. "Holy shit, Steve. This is wild." Eddie mutters into his hair as he holds Steve against his chest. "I think we should call someone. Make a royal proclamation," Eddie says grandly, flourishing his hand in the air. Clearly, overcoming an emotional blockage injects Eddie with pure fuel. What did the kids used to say? Something like he was revved up. Eddie gets to his feet, yanks Steve to the kitchen table, and starts looking at his cell phone. 

He taps the number into the conference telephone and puts his finger to his lips at Steve as the phone rings and a familiar voice rings out.

"STEVE?!! HOW THE DEVIL ARE YOU?" Dustin yells down the phone.

"No, it's not Steve," Eddie says seriously, hiding his silent laughter behind his hand.

"Whaaaaaat the fuuuuuck?" there is a little rustle over the line, which must be Dustin rechecking the caller's name on his phone, "Eddie?"

"Yes, it's me, you little shit," Eddie scolds, desperately trying not to laugh. "I notice you haven't even bothered asking how I am, not like your precious Harrington, huh?" Eddie pretends to be insulted.

"But wait…what the hell…hang on! Hang on! How are you calling me but my phone says Steve."

"Oh my god, it's like I don't even fucking exist. Steve, Steve, Steve. I don't know why your phone is being a dick. You know what, man. Forget it. I'll call you back when you've stopped daydreaming about Harrington. Urgh" Eddie ends the call and bursts out laughing. Steve looks wide-eyed at him. "Look, that kid cannot resist a mystery. He'll call back shortly, guaranteed!" And as the words leave his mouth, the conference phone rings. Eddie gestures for Steve to answer.

"Yello, Harrington residence!"

"Steve?"

"Henderson!! How are you?" Steve says enthusiastically, shrugging at Eddie, who is indicating with his hands for Steve to continue.

"Fine now, I think. The weirdest shit just happened," Dustin says, taking a breath.

"Can I go back to planning my campaign now? Or do I have to babysit your phone calls some more?" A familiar voice chides Dustin.

Steve and Eddie turn to one another with wide eyes and open mouths.

"Erica?!" Steve blurts out in surprise.

"I told you to keep your voice down! Now Steve knows everyone will know," Dustin complains.

"Oh, thanks a lot!" Steve huffs.

"What do you mean? Everyone already knows! Because my brother can't keep his stupid mouth shut, and you stupidly told him at Christmas after too much of Joyce's eggnog," Erica states 

"I'm not gonna keep us a secret from my best friend, your brother. That's just deceitful. I would never do that. It's family." Dustin raises his voice, and Steve can almost hear the hand gestures.

"You keep talking to me like that. You're gonna have something else to tell everyone when I leave you all alone by your nerdy ass self!" Erica snaps back

"Erica, no, come on. I didn't mean it like that." Steve hears Dustin's voice trail away from the phone. Eddie is leaning over the conference phone, staring at it, and desperately waiting for the next part of his real-life soap opera. "You know, I just get passionate about stuff sometimes, and I was freaking out because of the whole Eddie thing. I haven't heard from him in years. Come on, Sprinkles, I'm sorry, please!"

"Fine, but you're on thin ice, Dustin, thin goddamn ice! And you're taking me out for dinner in….twenty minutes as an apology, so finish up with Captain Hairspray" Eddie looks at a gobsmacked Steve and slaps his hands over his mouth to contain his giggles.

There is a scramble for the phone, "Ok, so you know that now" and a little awkward laugh from Dustin. "Hope you didn't mind, just something weird happened earlier. Anyway, how are things with you? How are the kids?"

"Oh, the kids are great, and I'm doing really great, too, actually," Steve says, flashing Eddie a knowing smile.

"Haha! No way!! I hear it in your voice, buddy! Seems like we're both doing great in that department, huh?" Dustin enthuses with a sweet laugh.

"Yeah, really great, they're around here somewhere if you wanna meet, well speak to them?"

"Oh my god, is it serious, Steve? Is it like big-time serious relationship stuff? Oh my god! Oh my fucking god!! Yes, I gotta meet them."

"Why are you cursing so loud? You want the neighbours to complain again, hmm?" Erica complains.

"No honey suckle, no. Steve's found someone. It's serious, isn't that great?"

"Ohhh, now it makes sense…wait, you don't get it do you? Seriously?! Oh my god, why am I even dating you? I know they call you a genius at work, but as far as I can see, you're still at least fifty per cent dumbass. But, Steve, I'm happy for you both, and you still owe me ice cream!"

"What do you mean? Wait, come back here. What do you mean I don't get it?!" Dustin calls after her.

"Eighteen  minutes, Dustin." She reminds him.

"Wow. Erica, huh? What happened to Suzie?"

"Yeah, that ran its course. We branched out into different scientific fields. And Erica…phew…well, she keeps me on my toes…let's say that. However, Steve, as you can hear, I've dug myself into the dog house here. I'll call you back later. It's great to speak to you. Love you, man."

"Um, love you too," and the line clicks off.

"Well, so much for that one. How about we call Wayne, huh?" Eddie asks.

"Yeah, let's see what the old timer is up to" Steve smiles, but something is swirling in his stomach. A nervousness.

Eddie taps in the number. 

"Yep?" A gruff voice answers.

Eddie widens his eyes at Steve and nods towards the speaker.

"Uh…hi…hello Mr Munson it's…"

"Sunshine?!" Wayne enthusiastically asks, and that's when Steve nearly falls apart entirely. He always had that rough texture to his voice, but the way his age has crept around it, adding wear and tear, makes him sound a little more frail than tough but still that tender Wayne Munson from 1986. Steve's hand reaches out and grabs onto Eddie’s shoulder.

"Yeah, it's me, Steve," He manages to reply with a massive smile, a rogue tear spilling from his eye because Wayne remembered him, and Eddie gives his hand a squeeze and a big reassuring smile.

"Everythin' ok, Sunny? It's not the boy is it?" He says, and Steve can hear him groan, getting out of his chair and reaching for his keys.

"No, I'm good, Uncle Wayne. We're good. Everything's ok" Eddie takes over, and Steve hears the keys hit a surface and a soft thud, which must be Wayne flopping back into his chair.

"Better than ok I'd wager if you're callin' me together?" There is another voice in the background, and then he hears Wayne yell back, "It's Eddie…yeah, he's fine…I'll ask him about those Broadway tickets, sugar, but I think they'll be all sold out."

"He thinks it's years ago. He thinks I'm still in New York," Eddie whispers to Steve.

"Sorry 'bout that. Jack doesn't like feelin' left out.  Anyhoo, were you callin' just to say Hi?"

"Well yeah, kinda, but er, I guess, this is as good a time as any…I've got intentions for your nephew, sir." Steve says, flashing a charming smile at Eddie, who shies away a little like he's blushing.

"Oh?" Wayne says in surprise.

"Yeah, I thought, as Eddie wanted to call, I may as well ask you now. Do I have your blessing?" A genuine nervousness descends onto Steve. Wayne was a nice guy, but Eddie was basically his son, and if he said no, that could be a huge problem.

Wayne cackles loudly down the phone, "Hoooo boy, you're gonna try an' make an honest man outta Eddie?" Wayne erupts with laughter again, "You have my blessing, sure, but also my deepest sympathy."

"Oooh, you old goat, I swear you're lucky I'm in such a good mood!" Eddie tries to be annoyed but ends up laughing anyway. 

"How long do I have to get a new suit?" Wayne chuckles

"Oh, the actual event won't be for some time, I imagine," Steve says with a laugh of pure relief.

"Just consider that and the paperwork formalities we'll address much later," Eddie adds.

"Well, sounds like you got it all covered. You boys are always welcome here, and your little 'uns Sunshine. Eddie said they're just like ya. Bet that makes you mighty proud," Steve chews on his bottom lip to stop bursting into tears. Eddie shifts his chair around, drapes an arm around him, and Steve’s hand smooths along his back and grips onto the back of Eddie’s neck, "Do they know?" Wayne asks.

Steve sniffs, "Oh yeah, they knew before us, I think. They've definitely had their say on the matter, very smart and maybe a little on the sassy side too."

"Just like their old man," Wayne chuckles, and that pushes Steve over the edge, and he can't hold the tears back anymore, and Eddie cradles him into his chest and strokes his hair.

"Ok, well, we're gonna go, but I'll call you tomorrow, maybe sort out a visit?" Eddie covers quickly.

"Really?! Well, that'd be great. I'd need to get the guest room sorted, so give me a few days' warnin'." Wayne says excitedly.

"Hey, don't get doing yourself a mischief over chores. I'll help you when I get there, and anything else, call the cleaner and send me the bill. Otherwise, I will arrange a regular carer for you too!" Eddie threatens, and Steve would probably laugh if he wasn’t crying so hard. The only thing Eddie could threaten Wayne with was someone employed to take care of him.

"Well, alright then", Wayne reluctantly grumbles. "It was great to hear from you, Steve, don't be a stranger, ya hear? I'll speak to you tomorrow, Eddie. Love ya both" Steve tightens his grip on Eddie like he can't hold him hard enough.

"Love you too," they reply in unison. Steve mostly speaks his goodbye into Eddie's shoulder. Eddie ensures the phone call has ended properly and then turns his attention to Steve. Rocking him gently and rubbing circles on his upper back.

"Hey now, shh, shh, it's ok. You're ok, babe. Everything's ok" Eddie soothes until Steve releases his grip leaving little pink finger marks on Eddie's skin.

"Ah, shit. Sorry. I tried to keep it together," Steve says, turning away from Eddie, wiping his eyes and tries to get out of his chair, but Eddie gently pushes him back down into it and stands up.

"Tell me what you need. I wanna do it. What were you gonna do?" He says with a sigh, his face in a slight frown.

"It's ok, I can do it. I'm just being over dramatic" Steve tries to laugh it off and tries to stand up again. Eddie repeats the same motion.

"I didn't say you couldn't do it. I said I wanted to do it for you. So water?" Eddie gestures at the sink, and Steve nods. "You want ice in it?" Eddie asks, moving towards the refrigerator, but Steve shakes his head in a no. Eddie brings him the glass and puts a coaster underneath it before placing it in front of Steve, his eyes moving over Steve quickly, looking for clues, "You wanna talk about it?"

"It's not a big deal. I'm just not used to people, well, older people being proud of me" He shrugs a little, and Eddie softly closes his eyes in understanding for a second."I know that's dumb. I'm my own man, a parent myself. It's just when I'd visit, and sure, I don't remember a lot, but I do remember he showed me love, and I didn't even have to do anything to get it. I didn't need to be a star athlete, or-or earn a stupid jacket, or get straight A's or know what college I wanted to go to, or be a Wall Street success. And that's not because Wayne didn't care about what I was gonna do. It's because he would care about me the same whether I got those things or not."

"You listen to me. Anyone who can't see what a great man and Dad you are is just plain fucking stupid, ok? You don't need them. You've got the rest of us." He shuffles closer to Steve, "It took me a long time to realise that myself, but I got lucky. I got Wayne. That doesn't mean it doesn't still hurt sometimes. Like, why wasn't I enough for them? But the truth is nothing would ever be good enough for them because they just projected their failings and insecurities onto us. We can't marionette-fix problems that aren't ours. We have no context or instructions for them. Deep down, they don't like themselves very much, and when they couldn't stand to see what they'd done, they left us to rot, but we didn't, babe. We thrived. Call us weeds or flowers. We bloomed in those harsh conditions. We made it. We're happy. They're still miserable somewhere" Steve nods in agreement.

"You're right. I know you are. It just still stings sometimes when someone who knew me for a blip makes me feel better about myself than he ever did, but he's still my Dad, you know. My Mom is just, I dunno, she tries, but ultimately they're a package deal." Steve wipes the tears from his eyes again.

"I know, honey. I know that. I just don't want you to think for a second that it's your fault. It's not. It never was. It was all him." Eddie reassures him. "Besides, I mean, now you're basically my husband. I have to officially share the old goat with you, right? But not just all the nice bits. You can have his tantrums at technology, too," Eddie says, reeling back in his chair, making Steve laugh and giving him a small genuine smile. Eddie leans forward again and looks straight into Steve's eyes. "Look, anytime you wanna talk about something, or like you just did, show me you need me, do it. I'm not great at always picking up on things. You, Morgan and Wayne, are the people I'm best at, but sometimes I still get it wrong. Sometimes I might miss things, but regardless, I'm gonna be right here. You don't need to apologise for getting upset. You're a human being, and you aren't on your own anymore, babe. Let me help. Tap my bats" He pulls Steve's hand to his arm.

Eddie kisses the back of each of his hands. He takes a deep breath. "I love you. You are mine, and I don't know if you remember how precious I can be about my stuff, man, but Wayne will tell ya, I don't play nice with people that mess with my prized possessions. Also, I've been watching violent movies since I was about five, and all the bullying makes me quite resilient to taking a punch, and I could probably talk a person into a coma. So I got all that covered, sweetheart. Not saying anyone else didn't do a good job at looking after you. I'm sure they did. But the fact remains they aren't gonna do as good a job as me."

Steve looks at the man opposite him, and maybe for the first time in his adult life, he trusts someone can take care of him. Perhaps he could let go sometimes, and Eddie could catch him. Hand trembling, he reaches over and taps Eddie's bat tattoo, and he feels a breath shudder out of him as he releases control, and Eddie gives a small smile. "Drink your water, sweetheart. I'll be right back." 

Eddie leaves him for a few minutes, but Steve notices he's humming, and the further away he gets, the louder he hums or sings. Steve can hear things moving around, the front door opening and closing, and usually, he'd jump to see what was happening, but he just leans back on the kitchen chair and lets it happen.

Eddie returns and rubs his shoulders gently, "Alright, sweetheart. You ready?" He asks softly, and once Steve nods, Eddie takes his hand and walks him into the living room. Steve looks around and gasps. 

The living room is in darkness, the blinds and curtains are all closed, and occasional slivers of light try to break through the gaps, but it is minimal and probably wouldn't be around for long. Steve can see the DVD menu for The Breakfast Club on the TV. Near the coffee table is a cooler of beers and sodas, a selection of snacks in bowls around the table, and some interesting-looking rolled cigarettes, which probably were not cigarettes at all, Steve guesses. Out of the sofa cushions, Eddie has constructed a high-walled nest over where they sat earlier. It's full of blankets and pillows from Eddie's RV. 

"Everything, ok? If you don't like anything, just say ok. Priority is making you feel better, not worse, by stressing you out, alright?" Eddie asks, placing his hand on Steve's lower back and guiding him around. 

"Yeah," Steve says quietly, looking into Eddie's soft sparkling eyes, "Perfect", he adds with a half-smile.

Steve goes to sit as they were earlier, and Eddie tuts, "No, nope. Scooch yourself forward there, honey." Steve does as asked and immediately finds himself draped in a soft, technicolour crochet blanket, and Eddie sits behind him, his legs on either side of him. He presses play on the movie. With the cushions stacked around them like sandbag walls, Steve feels like he sheds something, and though he feels vulnerable, he feels protected. He lets his whole weight fall back against Eddie, who immediately wraps his arms around him and kisses his temple.

Steve smiles to himself. He knows this place won’t last long. It was entirely too warm, but it felt so good.

"That's it, Sweetheart." Eddie runs one hand through Steve's hair and the other he keeps around his chest, pulling him close, keeping Steve completely enveloped. He should feel more on edge without his usual defences. His armour. The armour that is ready at a moment's notice because he's never without it. The set that helps keep everyone safe, but Steve has to shoulder the weight of it, and he's been wearing it for so long parts are so tough and rigid it can be uncomfortable. Causing unseen scars to wear their way into his very being. But Steve feels safe in this entirely different set of armour. It is soft and pliable, yet solid and sure. It has no weight and comes with no burden, and it fits him perfectly like it was made just for him. 

Because it was.

Because it's Eddie's love.

And sooner than he would like, he drifts off to sleep.

❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖

Sometime later, he's woken by the answering machine's loud click and whirling. Sitting up and rubbing his eyes, he turns to find a completely flaked-out Eddie against the sofa. Head slumped back and mouth wide open. He decides not to move too much in case he wakes him.

"Please leave your message after the tone."

BEEEEEEEP

Then Steve hears the most high-pitched scream, and Eddie jolts awake, bumping into the back of him but instinctively wrapping Steve in his arms.

"Wh- who the…wha was that?" He mutters as Steve is about to stand up when the scream stops, and a familiar voice is heard.

"Oh. My. God! I can't fucking believe it. Are you guys serious? Like for real, for real? We have to meet up, we have to now!! We should… yeah, we should throw a party…right? Oh my god. Oh my god. Incredible news." Dustin yells excitably.

Eddie checks his watch, "It's fucking 2 in the fucking AM!!" He says through gritted teeth, "Stay here, babe. I'll be right back," he says as softly as he can, gets up, stalks to the phone and picks up the handset this time. "Listen here, you little shrimp!" He starts angrily, then silence. Steve, groggy and with eyes barely open, can’t help but peek around the cushion fort. "Well….thank you," Eddie says with a sweet bashful modesty, "Alright….yes! I'm aware," he says defensively, "Yeah, actually," he lets out a giggle and twirls the handset cord around his fingers, a big grin on his face, "Of course, I do....No, Dustin….Yes, of course, we were….Wow, didn't need that mental image….Yeah, I will….Uh-huh sure, tell ‘em, oh wait, little Wheeler is connected to Big Boss Wheeler, hold on….BABE? CAN DUSTIN TELL THE OTHER LITTLE SHRIMPS, OR DO YOU WANNA TELL ANYONE YOURSELF” Eddie yells, poking his head out of the kitchen. Steve waves him to continue. “No, you’re good….Yeah, man, love you too," he says sweetly. Then he clicks his fingers, "Oh, hold up, dude, I forgot something. DON'T CALL THIS HOUSE AT TWO FUCKING AM OR ANY SINGLE-DIGIT AM EVER AGAIN UNLESS IT IS A GODDAMN EMERGENCY!! GOODNIGHT!" he yells in his gremlin voice, slamming down the phone, jogs back to Steve, and just stands there looking at him for a while.

Steve rubs his eyes with a yawn, "He was just excited, honey. That's all" Steve raises his arms towards Eddie and waves him back towards the enclosure of soft furnishings.

"You know, sweetheart, you being so soft on those kids is precisely why he thought he could call you at 2am to explain he finally figured out we were together,"  Eddie says fondly, stepping slowly towards Steve.

"You love him too. I heard you." Steve smiles sleepily.

"Oh, so if you love him, he can just get away with whatever. Is that what you're saying, sweetheart?" Eddie asks with a smile.

"No, he was just excited, you know." Steve sleepily waves him over again, but Eddie raises a finger.

"Be right there, babe," he says before disappearing. Steve snuggles back up in his blanket and decides to fully lie down. 

A few moments later, he hears rapidly quickening footsteps, and the cushion wall to one side of him explodes with a manically smiling Eddie. Thankfully the layer of cushions that fell on Steve first softened the landing of Eddie on top of him.

"Eddie! What the hell, man?" Steve says, looking up at the enormous crazy smile on Eddie's face as he fidgets until his legs pin down Steve’s arms, “What are you doing?” Steve laughs.

“Writing my memoirs, of course!” Eddie’s eyes flash with that crazy look. He cracks his knuckles and wiggles his fingers in the air before focusing intensely on Steve’s chest and starts tapping on it lightly with his fingers. “Dearest Reader,” Eddie begins wistfully before raising a hand to the side of Steve’s face. He gently strokes his cheek before administering a slight sharp tap to it. “DING!” He says daintily.

Steve laughs, rolling his eyes, “Ok, ok, I get it.”

“You are my typewriter. You don’t talk.” Another light tap to his face “DING!” Eddie grins. “Double line spacing, babe,” Eddie's fingers start tapping away again, “Today has been quite the rollercoaster, I must say, but never the less a pleasurable ride, for today my escort was non-other than The Hair!” Eddie taps Steve’s face again. “DING! Oh, you know what? I might make a little space here for an illustration….DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!” A rapid succession of light, playful taps to Steve’s face.

“I know what you're trying to do. I’m not going to get annoyed” Steve is suddenly a lot more awake and deliberately defiant, “This isn’t my first rodeo. I am a father of two, Eddie.”

Eddie puffs up his cheeks and scrunches his nose in annoyance. His eyes narrow as he looks at Steve. He licks his thumb and wipes it across Steve’s forehead, “Simbaaaaaaaa,” he says. The wet saliva in the cool night air that Steve cannot wipe from his face is kind of annoying, but he’s been through worse. He blinks confidently up at Eddie with a slight smile.

Eddie leans back a little, taps his chin thoughtfully, and seems to have a Eureka moment, “Ok, this is your last chance. Just admit that there are things that people you love can do that are simply unforgivable, Steve, and this doesn't have to happen” Sure of himself and a little mischievous to best Eddie, Steve shakes his head in a no. Eddie lets out a dramatic sigh, “Ok, I guess you’re right, and it is like two in the morning. You win, Steve,” and Eddie lies down flat on the cushions on Steve, releasing his arms. He rests his chin on the pillow on Steve’s chest, “Party pooper,” he pouts, and as Steve motions to console his sore loser boyfriend, quick as a flash, Eddie's hand goes to the side of Steve’s head. Suddenly Steve feels a slight pain, and Eddie cackles loudly, pulling his fingers into Steve’s eye line. In between his fingers is one grey hair. Steve loses all composure.

“Eddie! If you pluck those things out, two grow in their place!” Steve clutches at the side of his head, and Eddie springs to his feet quickly to get out of reach of Steve. “After what you just did, you think you can outrun me?” Steve huffs as he struggles out from underneath a pile of soft furnishings, but all it does is make Eddies smile wider, and his nostrils flare.

“I know I can outrun you!” he boasts.

“We’ll see about that, you little shit!” Steve says as he tears after Eddie at full speed. Eddie yelps and runs into the other reception room, creating a standoff around a small coffee table. Eddie laughs wildly and makes a beeline for a door to the garden, and Steve chases after him in the darkness, hot on his heels, but he’s always just out of arm's reach. Suddenly Eddie stumbles down the other side of the hill by the basketball court, and Steve’s heart is in his mouth with worry, but as the garden security light flashes on, he can see he’s back on his feet, and then suddenly something occurs to Steve. He stops a little way back from Eddie, “You won. I got annoyed. Why are we running?” Steve asks, catching his breath, almost laughing himself. Eddie shrugs, looking at the floor and then looks back up at Steve through his lashes and sways from side to side a little. “You wanted me to chase you, didn't you?” Steve realises and folds his arms whilst Eddie tries to put on his most innocent face.

“A jock got mad near me, so I ran. Sue me. Then I remembered he’s my angry jock.” Eddie says with his hands at the small of his back as he kicks at the floor, a small smile reappearing on his face. “And he’s pretty handsome, you know? Even if he will end up with two grey hairs tomorrow. I’ll still find him handsome. Well, probably,” Eddie adds mischievously, and Steve is already running at him. Another hilarious noise of panic leaves Eddie as he tries to make it back to the house, but Steve cuts him off, and he has to double back and go further around. Then, with an audible plink, the security light goes out, and the area is plunged into darkness again. Eddie rounds the corner, and Steve can see him illuminated by the pool lights but keeps to the shadows. Eddie stops and looks uncertainly around, “Steve?” He whispers, a little worried. Steve waits a few seconds, “Ok, very funny, Steve! You can come out now,” he says. Steve pauses for another second for Eddie to face him, then charges to tackle him, sending them both flying into the pool with an almighty splash.

Steve pulls Eddie to the surface, and he gasps for air, “There’s my little drowned rat, nerdy guy,” Steve laughs, “Gotcha!” he says, pulling Eddie close to him.

“Oh no!” Eddie puts the back of his hand to his head dramatically, “Whatever shall I do? I’ve been captured by a handsome man in his heated pool.”

“Well, you could start with an apology, maybe?” Steve suggests.

“Oh, that’s a shame. But, you know, I’m not very good at those.” Eddie smirks, looking into Steve’s eyes.

“No?” Steve says quietly, caught in the tractor beams of Eddie's obsidian-looking eyes in the darkness, only highlighted by the reflection of the pool lights. 

Eddie shakes his head in a no, and his hands come up from the water to capture Steve’s face. “I am, however, very good at kissing things better,” Eddie says, his gaze dropping to Steve’s mouth.

Steve chuckles lightly, “I don’t think that’s where you did the damage, babe.”

“You don’t think so? Maybe we could start there? A process of elimination, maybe?” Eddie raises an eyebrow.

“Whatever you say, Doc,” Steve mutters, wholly lost in his love, as Eddie drags him back under the water surface with a kiss.

[freakfangstm]

Valerie Ashburn sighed as she aimed the flashlight into the umpteenth thicket for the last hour, looking for the stray cat mama with a litter that had been seen around here. The nights were still cold and the people that had spotted the cat thought she was injured. She and her babies would most likely die if they didn't found them and brought them into the shelter.

Which was the only reason Valerie was out here, in the woods alone with only a flashlight, especially after all that had recently happened in Hawkins. Only an injured animal could outweigh the creepy feeling of terror and danger lurking inside the forest. Not to mention this area was where they had found one of the bodies, Fred Benson. The whole town was convinced that Eddie Munson was the killer, except for his friends. Valerie had her doubts, mostly because it didn't fit in with the image she had of Eddie back when they were in school together. Despite all the shit the jocks and their little goons had thrown at Eddie and his friends, she had never seen him get violent. Sassy for sure, and with an ability to walk all over each and every jocks nerves - which she had found quite amusing, to be honest - but he had never attacked anyone or instigated a physical fight. She just couldn't see him enjoy hurting someone like how the victims had been hurt.

She shook her head, trying to focus. Eddie Munson wasn't her concern at the moment. He had disappeared, or most likely died in the earthquake which had turned Hawkins into something out of Dante's Inferno and she needed to get a grip and find a cat.

"Here, kitty, kitty," she tried again.

It hurt, everything. His bones felt like they where made of sharp glass that stabbed into his muscles and nerves when he dared lift his limbs. He had remembered dying. Dustin was there. The bats had been killed, so that had to mean Vecna was dead. Eddie felt like he was floating, like his body wasn’t his. Somehow. His brain felt like it was filling with water, a painful pressure built itself into his skull. Clogging his ears and Eddie clenched his jaw. Though it didn’t compare to the pain in his stomach. A thirst in his throat that made his tongue curl.

There was a sound, it came from a few feet. A sickly snapping noise, a heavy weight thudding the forest floor a few feet away from the woman. It's followed by a gasping sound and low hissing. A crouched being sat crouch on all fours, digging its fangs into a cat that it had caught silently. The poor animal hadn’t even had the chance to yowl out when sharp claws snapped her neck. The person wore a greenish fisherman's jacket, bandana tight around his head. Dark jeans, dirty with a odd bullet belt. His or her hair was long and curly. But it was now a mess, with twigs and a odd ash stuck to the curls.

Eddie pauses his feeding when a light flashes by his arm and the brunette peers ove. Their eyes lock and his are wide, all blood shot, with red pupils blown. Looking like a deer caught in headlights. His lips, chin, now and mouth covered in blood, iris’s glowing in the darkness like an animal. Eddie drops the dead feline and backs up with a hiss, eyes angry and tense.

It was so dark. He couldn’t move. Where was he? Why did he smell blood? It's irony tang was staining the tip of his tongue. Make it stop. The pain was dulling to an annoying ache. And he closes his eyes.

Suddenly Eddie groans painfully and slumps to the ground. Seemingly unconscious. Well, least you found the kitty.. But you also found something else.

[thefvrious]

added new muses to the muse page, lmk if you want a thread with one of them!

Eddie Munson – Joseph Quinn -- musician

Denver Loubriel – Joseph Quinn – crime scene cleaner

Remington Arnoult – Jamie Campbell Bower -- scientist

Francisco Abernathy – Clayton Cardenas – dog rescue owner/operator

Cesar Castillo – Oscar Isaac – owner of oddities & bookshop

Gordon Hamilton III – Dominic Sherwood -- lawyer

Neve Walker – Megan thee Stallion – cosmetologist

Soledad Bravo – Roberta Colindrez – baseball player

Mitzy Kirkpatrick – Mia Goth -- dancer

Robin Bell – Ben Hardy – personal trainer

Quinn Peters – Yvie Oddly – gas station attendant/drag queen

Spencer Sullivan – Ryan Ashley – tattoo artist

Michelle “Micki” Martin – Kirby Howell-Baptiste – financial advisor/witch

Valentina Silva – Barbara Ferreira -- model

Libby Whitlock – Danielle Campbell -- artist

Cristobal Rodriguez – Edgar Ramirez – sociology professor

Janessa Spade – Alexa Demie -- actress

Zachary Levine – Dominic Fike – tattoo artist

Damien Briggs – Yahya Abdul-Mateen II -- pediatrician

Cameron Thatcher – O’Shea Jackson Jr. -- pharmacist

Giana Bianchi – Natasha Liu Bordizzo -- grifter

Benz Lawson – Chai Henson -- fisherman

Cassidy Clarke – Taika Waititi – tattoo artist

Drew Marley – Jessica Henwick -- mutant

Genevieve St. James – Josefine Frida Pettersen -- student

Jesse Driscoll – Hermann Tommeraas – phd student

Bodhi Aguilar – Aron Piper – rapper/actor

Gillian Cromwell – Lisa Teige -- bartender

Neo Madison – Park Solomon -- student

[steviewashere]

To everybody who reads my merman Steve fic, I've got an idea and I wanna know y'all's input.

I've already mentioned in the most recent chapter that Steve's mer family had been killed by fishermen. But he trusts Eddie. He's close to Eddie. Has even begun to sort of "court" him, if you see the use of pearls as that in the fic.

Now, I was thinking that maybe Steve is inclined to follow Eddie, to be friendly and overly close with him because he senses something that Eddie doesn't know. That, now stay with me, Eddie's part mer. I have this idea that maybe Wayne isn't mer, which means that Al (Eddie's dad) wouldn't be mer either. But Wayne is wary of Steve and Eddie's little budding relationship, because (though he trusts Eddie mostly) he worries that Steve will see a similar fate as Eddie's mom. Where she was killed by the hands of a fisherman, somebody she trusted. And that person was Al.

I feel like there's this opportunity for Steve to mention that he senses something about Eddie that's not abnormal, but incredibly rare. And then Wayne has to sit down and explain to Eddie his whole background. What Al did. Who his mom really was. Why it's important that Eddie had to stay close to the ocean.

Anyway. Thoughts? Should I do this?

[steviewashere]

Want to Go Home With You (Bring Me a Home)  Chp. 4

Rating:Teen and Up (May Change With Future Chapters)  CW: None, at least for now  Tags: Alternate Universe - Mermaids, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, Hurt/Comfort, Dialogue Heavy, Took Canon Out Back And Pulled an Old Yeller, Mer!Steve Harrington, Fisherman!Eddie Munson, Packless Steve Harrington (kind of?), Soft Steve Harrington, Confused Steve Harrington, Lonely Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington is a Sweetheart, Eddie Munson is a Sweetheart, Steve Harrington Wants to be Loved, Mermaids with Animal Like Instincts, Future Propositioning, Lowkey Might Involve Some Omegaverse Aspects in the Future (Not Sorry), Steve Harrington Has Powers (Like Starfire in Teen Titans), Good Parent Wayne Munson

Read the first part over here

Read the fifth part over here

Can also be read on AO3

🧜‍♂️—————🧜‍♂️ When they make it back to shore, Steve’s trembling. His sharp baby teeth chattering together. Arms wrapped firmly around his naked torso.

“It is so cold,” he bemoans. His curled nails dig softly into the fatty flesh of his biceps. Legs bouncing where they’re hooked over the side of one of the benches. There’s rows and rows of goosebumps riddling his skin. And his hair keeps whipping around him every single time they’re hit with a gust of wind.

Eddie clicks his tongue on the back of his teeth. “Yeah,” he sighs. “Guess I did forget to mention that. Sorry, Steve. But good news is that we only have to walk some five minutes and we’ll be back at my cabin, how’s that sound?”

“Good, Eddie. I want warm.”

He comes to a slow stop at the dock. Throws the rope over the side and hops out onto the hardwood, wrangling the rope to tie against one of the support beams. Gently, he takes Steve’s hands and helps him step down with him, his legs wobbling with the effort. He swipes his thumbs over the backs of Steve’s freezing hands. “You’re gonna hate me,” Eddie murmurs, “but when we get there, you’ll need to wait outside for just a couple minutes, alright? I have to see if my uncle is home. And if he is, then I’ll need to figure out a way to sneak you inside.”

Taking Steve over the sand is an arduous journey, Eddie sorely notices. He should’ve guessed, he supposes, having to keep Steve upright and moving. It’s hard to lug him back to the cabin. Every single step is a new moment for them both to end up face down in the sand pits, cushioned by shards of shells and possible broken glass beer bottles. But, somehow, they make it. And Eddie hates having to leave Steve out here on his own, shivering and almost naked on his doorstep.

Hates everything a little more when he steps into the main living space of the cabin, only to find his uncle sitting on the sofa with a hot mug of coffee. He looks up from the Sears catalog he’d been browsing, eyebrows raised and mouth pinched. “Thought you were out there fishing today,” his uncle gruffly remarks.

“I tried, Wayne,” Eddie states, which is true. Even if he didn’t try quite as hard as he should’ve. “Wouldn’t give me a good bite.”

Wayne hums. “So if I asked about that figure I saw you walking up with, you’d tell me…”

Eddie’s eyes widen. Of course Wayne would see through the fucking windows, you absolute moron, he can’t help but chastise. “What figure? I walked up here all by myself,” he nervously garbles out.

“Just bring the guy in,” Wayne sighs. “It’s forty degrees out right now and he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Might as well take a stray in for a few hours.” He flicks the catalog between his hands, readjusting on the sofa. When Eddie makes no show of movement, though, Wayne simply looks up again and raises an eyebrow. “If you were going to sneak him in, I was going to find out eventually. You’re a terrible liar, Eddie. Now, bring him in, fetch him some warm clothes, and you can introduce me, yeah?”

Hesitantly, Eddie gives a slow nod. “Uh…Yeah, fine. Sure. Just—Wayne, promise me something.”

“What kind of hogwash shit have you gotten yourself into, boy?”

The question is neutral, but Eddie still minutely flinches anyway. Wayne doesn’t get mad, not really. But he definitely makes it known when Eddie’s being a dumbass. Hopefully, though, he doesn’t actually get pissed. “The guy I found,” Eddie starts slowly. “He’s—Well, the guy’s not from around here.”

“So he’s an immigrant? A tourist? Why’s that supposed to matter to me, Ed?”

Eddie sighs. Bites his bottom lip. “Yeah. Fine. Let me just bring him in. Just don’t freak out.” 

Hastily, Eddie makes a quick exit to the front porch. Steve’s still sitting on the first step, hunched over his new knees, looking down at his toes. Watching them cautiously as they flex in the sand. He looks up when Eddie steps in front of him, wide eyes and curious brows. “He is home?” Steve asks.

“Yeah, unfortunately he is,” Eddie answers. “I don’t know how he’s going to actually react, Stevie. But he found out that I was bringing somebody with me. I was being kind of stupid and didn’t remember the windows and he saw you and now he wants to meet you and I just—“ He stops at the softness of a palm on his forearm. Eddie nods, swallows. “Don’t be disappointed if we have to find somewhere else for you to stay, okay?”

“Will not like me?”

“I think he’ll like you,” Eddie says, half-unsure, half-hopeful. “But I can’t promise anything.”

“I am cold.”

“Let’s get you warm, Stevie,” he says softly, reaching out his hand. “He can be mad later.”

Eddie walks through the door first, gently dragging Steve behind him. Then, when Wayne’s focus is back and the Sears catalog has been set aside, he finally ushers Steve forward. Standing just off his shoulder. A hand placed on his upper back. “This is the guy, Wayne. His name is…Well, his real name is Steven, but I’ve been calling him Steve.”

With a wary stare, Wayne takes Steve in. His eyebrows raising in slow increments with every feature he catalogs. At the claws wrapped on his elbows, the baby teeth that shine through his attempt at an inviting smile, the ripple of gills on his ribs, and the trembling legs. He swallows thickly, eyes wide. “Where,” Wayne asks slowly, “where did you find this so called ���Steve’?”

His thumb, nestled between Steve’s shoulder blades, rubs soothingly when he senses the spark of anxiety. “The ocean,” Eddie quietly answers, “I caught him in the net. And he was sweet and lonely and cold. I’ve uh…I’ve been going down to see him everyday.”

“Caught him?” Wayne asks, “Like a fish?”

“He’s a merman,” Eddie states simply. He calculates the reaction, though.

Wayne’s impossibly wider eyes and his high-arched eyebrows. The small gasp and the drop of his jaw. He stands from the couch and shuffles over, standing right in front of Steve. “And he’s a person,” he points out.

Eddie nods once, firm, but anxious. “He—uh—has this ability to take on things that he…kisses?”

“And you kissed him?”

“He kissed me, Wayne,” he states. “But I liked it. I didn’t mind.”

“And…And now he’s in our home.”

“Listen, Wayne,” Eddie rushes to say, “if it’s a problem, I can use my salary to get him a motel room for a few nights. He just—I don’t want him to go back down there. He’s alone with no family; they’re all dead, Wayne. Dead. All he wants is somewhere warm. We have…There’s a space heater in my room and I know how to make soup and I’ve got extra clothes. I’ll figure this out, just please don’t turn him away.”

Steve’s smile wavers as Wayne reaches out and gently grasps him by the shoulders. “Can you turn back?” Wayne asks, though not unkindly.

Over his shoulder, Steve shoots Eddie an apologetic, nervous look. But he glances back at Wayne. Answers softly, “No. I am human now.” He inhales sharply, trembling fiercely. “Please no hurt,” he quietly pleads, “no hurt me, please. Not like my mer.”

“Ed, what does he mean by that?”

Eddie swipes his hand down Steve’s back and hooks it around his waist. Holding him firmly, yet as gently as he’s able. “Fishermen killed them,” he states lowly, “but we don’t do that.” He raises an eyebrow at Wayne. “Right? We don’t do that.”

For a moment, they all just stare at each other. Steve at Wayne. Wayne at the both of them. But he doesn’t speak. And in that lull, Eddie notices something odd. There’s a glint to Wayne’s stare. Something that sparks and blazes. The way a fire trying to consume a house does, trying to devour secrets and memories, attempting to not let any of it get out and away. As if it’s trying to hide a previous destruction. But Wayne looks to Eddie like that, not Steve.

No.

It’s like he’s remembering something that Eddie wasn’t privy to. And even if he was, he’s not sure he quite realizes what it is. A thing locked behind a chest in the back of his brain.

Then, Wayne smiles. It’s plastic, but there. And Eddie’s afraid to question it.

“Of course we don’t do that,” Wayne says easily as looks back at Steve. But then his eyes do that thing again. Blazing. Creating uneasy storms. “Us Munsons don’t do that,” he states, steadfastly avoiding Eddie’s gaze.

Eddie furrows his brows when Steve stumbles into him a bit. Falling back against his chest, out of Wayne’s grip. His eyes flicker between the two Munsons. And he hisses quietly under his breath.

“Lying,” is all Steve mutters.

He catches Steve’s side profile. The snarl to his lips. Aggressive scrunch of his eyebrows. The flare to his nostrils. His fingers are bent in sharp angles at his sides, claws shiny and ready to strike. He chuffs at Wayne when he tries to reach out.

“What?” Eddie quietly asks, “Wayne, what’s he talking—“

“Go get him in something warm,” Wayne demands not all that kindly. “Keep him out of sight for now. I have some errands to run.” And then he sidesteps the both of them, grabs his coat and keys by the door, and slams the cabin’s door behind him.

Eddie gently ushers Steve towards his room, ignoring the way he poises at the door, waiting. Like he’s expecting Wayne to come back. Like Wayne’s something dangerous. But that can’t be, Eddie tries to reason, Uncle Wayne wouldn’t hurt a fly.

He knows his uncle. Wayne’s too soft for that sort of violence.

Whatever Steve knows, though, makes something in Eddie swoop uneasily.

But he keeps a level head. Throws a pair of sweatpants and a worn-in sweatshirt at Steve. Makes his bed as the other changes. And lets him get safe under the covers.

“He is lying,” Steve quietly, viciously states, “he is a liar.”

Eddie sits beside Steve on the bed, criss-cross, vacant. Wondering what the hell his day has turned into. But his hackles raise and he snaps, “He’s not, Steve. Quit saying that.”

For all the ferocity that Steve previously wore, he now softens. Hurt. His eyes grow big and shiny. He whimpers as quiet as he could possibly manage. And he scoots away from Eddie, which burns him to his core. “Don’t hurt me,” Steve whispers, “I trust you.”

“Never,” Eddie adamantly promises. Or at least, he thinks he can promise that. A part of him trembles though. An area in him unexplored, suddenly awake and searching. Looking for a danger that isn’t there. “I’d never do that, Steve. Believe me. Believe Wayne. He’s right. The Munsons don’t do that.”

Steve watches him warily. Then, he murmurs, “You don’t know.”

Eddie scoffs. “Know what? I don’t know what you’re talking about, sweetheart. You’ve got nothing to worry about. I’ve got nothing to worry about. We’ll be fine.”

With that, Steve seems to make a decision. There’s words on the tip of his tongue, Eddie can notice that. But whatever he wanted to say dies immediately. Instead, he smiles something soft, yet not all there. His eyes a little more vacant. Sort of desolate. He whispers, “Right.” Reaches out a shaking hand, pats the back of Eddie’s left. His skin finally a little warm.

He turns his hand over and grips firmly to Steve’s. Interlocks their fingers. “I wouldn’t let anybody hurt you, Steve. You’re my friend. And I love you.”

“Love you,” Steve mutters. “I sleep now?”

Gently, Eddie nods. “Go ahead and sleep a while. I’ll make soup when you get up, okay?”

“M’kay. No leave, okay? No leave.”

“Okay, Steve,” Eddie murmurs as Steve’s eyes drop closed, “okay.”

As Steve lays there, snuffling against the old, flat pillows, Eddie couldn’t stop his mind from wandering. Why was Steve so determined that Wayne was lying, he has to wonder, Have they met before? 

It seemed likely, but Wayne put on a good mask if so. There was no way they recognized each other. Eddie couldn’t put his finger on the blazing look in Wayne’s eyes, though. Why, rung out in his head. There was sharpness in Wayne’s stare. A deep remembrance. The way he gets when reminded of war. Of Vietnam. Of honorable discharge and losing some of his buddies, of making acquaintances that’ll never be seen again.

A trauma, that’s what it was. A deep, unrelenting, resurfaced something in Wayne’s brain. And all of it was solely focused on Eddie’s face. On his adamant promise that Munsons didn’t kill. At least, the Munsons that mattered.

He knew something. Wayne knew something.

And even if Steve is a new friend, a person Eddie was still trying to figure out, he was able to call Wayne’s bluff immediately. He knew something, too.

Eddie was never one to enjoy sitting out. So he’ll prod. He’ll meddle.

He sits criss-crossed on the mattress, arms over his chest. Waiting.

He’ll wait however patient he needs to be for Wayne to come through the door again.

Who was the man that Eddie ran into in the living room of his cabin? And why was he lying?

🧜‍♂️—————🧜‍♂️ Taglist (open for this work): @scoops-aboy86 @spectrum-spectre

@loveryanax @emmabubbles @swimmingbirdrunningrock @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @azryl90

@starryeyedpoet17

[steviewashere]

For the WIP ask game....Mer Steve pleeeease I'm so obsessed with that fic ❤️

I'm so glad people are just as obsessed as I am with this one. Here's another little bit from Want To Go Home With You (Bring Me a Home). <3

More than nine sentences, but it's whatever.

——— He looks up from the Sears catalog he’d been browsing, eyebrows raised and mouth pinched. “Thought you were out there fishing today,” his uncle gruffly remarks.

“I tried, Wayne,” Eddie states, which is true. Even if he didn’t try quite as hard as he should’ve. “Wouldn’t give me a good bite.”

Wayne hums. “So if I asked about that figure I saw you walking up with, you’d tell me…”

Eddie’s eyes widen. Of course Wayne would see through the fucking windows, you absolute moron, he can’t help but chastise. “What figure? I walked up here all by myself,” he nervously garbles out.

“Just bring the guy in,” Wayne sighs.

——— Ask me about my WIPs