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hellfirenacht · 5 months ago

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Wing Man 12

Fic Summary: Steve ‘the Hair’ Harrington is your best friend, and is constantly striking out. Sick of this, you two make a deal; you’ll wing man for each other. Hooking Steve up with dates is easy, but he finds himself struggling to find you a date. At least, until Dustin starts talking about his new cool friend Eddie.

Chapter Summary: You go to your audition, but things never go as planned.

CW: Unwanted flirting, Chris Morrison

5.4 Words

(1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11)

When you weren’t busy with work, talking to Eddie, spending time with Steve, or sleeping, you were working on your audition. You’d called Chris one time in the week that led up to the audition time, and in that thirty second phone call you had learned absolutely nothing about what to actually prepare for the audition.

You’d been on stage before, but you didn’t exactly have to audition for the middle school talent show in 8th grade. Everyone was forced into it, so you were put into the show by default, not that you minded. But, that wasn’t exactly a good example as your act had gone disastrously and you pushed down that memory every time it reared its ugly head.

When you thought of being on stage, you preferred to think of your first time as the Virgin Sacrifice, or the time that you had been in the school’s production of Our Town two years ago. You’d signed up for auditions as a way for extra credit, and had been cast as part of the ensemble and had even been given three full lines.

That had been the first time you had noticed Robin Buckley, actually. You didn’t talk to her at all during the audition, but you remembered her reading off the script so passionately it actually took your breath away. It had also taken Robin’s breath away as well, unfortunately, as she had finished her speech and promptly passed out cold.

The next time you remembered really noticing her was at prom a few months later when she had burst in, her dress cut up and looking damn near manic. She’d danced once with Sheena Rollands and then had been chased out of prom. You remembered this distinctly because she looked, well, way cooler than anyone there. Her hair was choppy and messy, and her dress looked like it had been hacked at as well, with stars sewn onto the new hemline. She looked like a rebel, like someone who mattered. You could never actually be cool like that, as much as you wished you could.

You had heard rumors that she was on the run from Hopper for being a runaway that night, but that seemed stupid because what runaway would run away to her high school prom?

You’d asked her about it a few weeks into working with her at Family Video, and she just shrugged and said that Paris had been the goal, but Prom was more feasible that night. You didn’t press further.

With that small shared connection though, Robin had helped you put together something that resembled an audition. Chris had said that all you needed to do was show up bu it didn’t feel right to show up to a real audition like it was your school play, so you roped Robin into helping you find some sort of speech to give as well as re-watching your video copy of the movie, doing your best to mimic the choreography on screen, both in dancing and in general blocking.

The VHS tape got a work out with the constant pausing and rewinding. You and Robin had spent a good afternoon with her directing you on your lip syncing and movements. By the end of the afternoon, the two of you had worked out something that you hoped showed that you belonged in the show.

You zipped up your jacket as you stepped out of your car, and made your way to the theater. There weren’t any cars in the parking lot other than yours, which should have been your first red flag. You had double and triple checked the time, and yes, you were set to meet up for auditions in the next seven minutes.

The sun was setting over the old theater, bathing the world in gold and red. It was late in the afternoon and as you approached the old marquis, you wondered briefly how Eddie’s lunch went. You pushed that down, not wanting to think about your crush and guy you were kind-of-sort-of seeing spending time with an old flame.

This wasn’t about him, this afternoon was about you and you alone.

Your stomach flipped as you approached the heavy wooden doors. You went to push and realized they were locked and the ‘closed’ sign hung there as if to say don’t you know what time it is? Why are you here?

You knew what time it was, you’d been checking your watch every two minutes since you parked.

Was this some sort of prank by Chris? Another false hope that you could be part of something? To feel like someone? To matter?

It was five minutes after your alleged call time, and you were about to turn around and go home and give up. Maybe you’d shake down Steve and Robin for a pity party where you could gripe and watch a shitty movie. No wait, they worked tonight. Eddie? You didn’t know if you were ready to know how his lunch went. Maybe you needed more friends.

Long shadows started to cast across the parking lot from the theater that loomed over you. Without the bright welcoming lights of the marquis, the building felt more foreboding, towering over you as if judging your worth to even be here when casual moviegoers weren’t around. You felt small, the lack of lights telling you that you didn’t belong anywhere, let alone in a spotlight. What were you really doing here?

You started walking away, and had made it five steps before you heard the slow creek of the front door opening, and the sound of someone calling out your name. You turned, and Chris was there opening the door and giving you a smile. He was fully clothed and, thankfully, not wearing those metallic gold shorts you had seen him in last.

“Sorry about the wait, I lost track of time.” Chis beckoned you in and you hesitated for a moment before following you inside.

“I thought more people would be here.” You said, trying to ignore the way Chris’s hand lightly pressed on your lower back as he ushered you into the empty lobby. The air smelled like stale popcorn and felt stagnant, like no one had turned on the air since Halloween. Your voice felt too loud in the empty room, as if your presence was a disturbance when the theater wasn’t bustling with people.

“I’m keeping the auditions private. I’ve had people come in and out all day.” Chris explained, leading you towards an ‘Employees Only’ door. “I have a form for you to fill out and then we can start.”

“You’ve been having people...?” Wait, was Chris in charge of the audition?

“Oh, did I not mention?” Chris looked at you. “My dad owns the theater now.”

No, he had not mentioned that. He had failed to mention a lot of things, actually. He didn’t mention that his dad owned the theater now, he didn’t mention it would be a private audition, and he certainly hadn’t mentioned that he was in charge of whether you’d be in or out. Again.

There have been some recent changes to management. That’s what Chris had said that night. The Halloween show had sucked because Chris’s dad took over the theater-

A clipboard appeared in front of you, snapping you out of it. You took it, looking over the form.

“It’s just to keep track of who’s been auditioning.” He said. “Basic things, name, number, any experience you’ve had.”

You took a seat in the office, while Chris leaned against the desk, watching you. You really wished he’d look anywhere else while you filled out the basic information needed. When it came to “on stage” experiences you put down your ensemble experience for Our Town and stopped.

“Feel free to put down the talent show.” Chris laughed. “I think it fits in with the show perfectly, Miss Pussy Lover.”

You winced at the nickname, and there was a voice in the back of your head that told you to crack the clipboard over his head and storm out. Stubbornness made you stay and give an awkward laugh. He wasn’t... completely wrong. Your talent show act had caused a commotion among your peers in a way that had followed you into high school. It was too much to hope that everyone would have forgotten about that almost seven fucking years later, you guessed.

“Yeah, it wasn’t supposed to be taken that way, but at least it means I’m not afraid to say dirty things on stage.” Your words felt forced, and you didn’t like how it made you feel. Making dirty jokes with Steve and Robin was a daily activity, you trusted them and had fun doing that. Making dirty jokes with Eddie was especially fun, and the attraction you felt towards him helped with that.

“Good, because that’s what this show is about.” Chris’s face looked smug.

“So, your dad owns the theater now?” You asked, trying to keep conversation focused and relevant.

“Yeah, he took over a few months ago. He bought it off the old owners, and we’ve been working with the Rocky Horror troupe since.” Chris said. “Since management is now owned by my dad, he put me in charge of it.”

Things were starting to make sense, and you didn’t like it. That voice in your head was getting louder now, saying that this wasn’t a good idea.

“So you’re in charge of the shadow cast and production?” You couldn’t keep the skepticism out of your voice.

“I enjoyed running tech for the school play, I figured I could run this.” He smirked.

Straight into the ground. You thought, remembering how Columbia and Riffraff had been talking to each other in the corner that night.

“So, did you have anyone in mind that you were wanting to audition for?” Chris asked, ignoring whatever face you were making.

“Uh, I always really liked Janet and Columbia.” you offered, trying to focus. “I actually got really bored one winter and glued pennies onto an old pair of shoes to make some fake tap shoes. I tried to learn Columbia’s choreography but I ended up slipping and spraining an ankle instead.”

That little stunt had you spending the holidays with your foot propped up on a pillow while you binged holiday movies and ate junk food. There had been worse ways to spend that week, especially since all of your friends at the time had been busy with their own families.

Chris’s laugh echoed through the small office and you would have bet that it could be heard in the empty lobby. You had meant for the story to be a little humorous, but he was acting like you’d told the funniest joke in the world.

“Didn’t realize you were such a clutz, Miss Pussy Lover.” He said as he calmed down.

“Please don’t call me that.” you said. “And I didn’t realize how slippery pennies would be on the wood floor.”

Chris’s hand clapped down on your shoulder as he retrieved the form from you. “It’s fine, it’ll be the perfect name for you while you’re with the troupe.”

“I’m not in yet, so just my name is fine for now.” you said a bit more firmly, standing up and sliding out of his grasp.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I think you’re already going to fit in.” he continued, standing way too close for your comfort. “I already like you more than anyone else who’s auditioned today. And you’re in luck, our Columbia just quit.” Chis’s eyes looked you up and down. “But, I think you’d be a better Janet. You’d look good in her outfits.”

Janet had two main outfits outside of the end of the movie. The first outfit was a simple sweater and blouse with a long skirt, sweet and modest. In the second half of the movie, she was running around in a bra and slip. It was clear what outfit he was talking about.

“Actually, let’s start with having you read for Janet.” He continued and went to the desk and pulled out a piece of paper. “How about we start with the scene where Janet takes care of Rocky when he’s scared and injured?”

Oh. You hadn’t thought about that. You took a small step back and he took a step forward. Chris wanted you to act out the part of the movie where Janet decides to seduce Rocky and sleep with him, turning her officially into a “slut”.

“I’d actually really rather audition for Columbia.” you said, handing the paper back over. Chris pushed it back into your hands and stepped forward again, and you bumped against the chair that you’d been sitting on before.

“We can have you read for Columbia, but I think we should start with Janet.” He insisted. “Janet is cuter anyway, and you’ve gotten a lot cuter since school.”

The voice in your head was now ringing every alarm bell, and before you could say anything, Chris kept talking.

“I can make you Janet easily.” he said. “She’s basically the lead. I’ve seen your energy at the shows, so I know you can handle it.”

“I... listen, I really don’t think-”

“You don’t need to think. Just listen to me and follow my direction.” Chris said, smirking down at you. He had a good six inches on you, but thankfully he didn’t move any closer. “Hey, you’ve heard of a casting couch right?”

Time froze for a second and your blood ran cold. “Wh.... what?”

“It’s fine. If you’re worried about protection, this is Rocky Horror. I have plenty of condoms-”

Chris was on the floor, grabbing his crotch before you realized what you had done.

As you burst through the lobby doors, the sound of your shoes echoed through the empty lobby. Your eyes blurred and stung, unable to allow yourself to take in the sight of the place that had been your safe haven for the past two years. In just ten minutes it was tarnished, ruined by the idea that you could ever really belong where you wanted to. You didn’t fit in here, you didn’t fit in anywhere. Rocky Horror, Hellfire, school, work, it was all the same. Who were you trying to fool? You were a background character, an npc, an extra. And that’s all you would be.

The shadow of the theater stretched and followed you to your car, not quite touching it as you hopped inside and slammed on the gas. You didn’t even care that Chris was being sleazy, you’d dealt with creeps before. This was the first time that you had kneed one in the crotch though.

It was the humiliation that every time you tried to fit in or stand out you were shoved back down. Every time you reached out to be something else, reality brought you back down to earth. You had told yourself that you were different now, that you weren’t the same person you were in high school, but was that really true? The talent show, Halloween, Rocky Horror, all desperate attempts to stand out, only to be dragged down.

You were a fish out of water, and you had been holding your breath for so long that it was catching up to you. You couldn’t breathe.

You were drowning.

Getting back home was a blur. You were probably speeding, but it didn’t matter. You just needed to get as far away from that theater as possible. Tears spilled over.

You didn’t even get to say goodbye.

Now here you were, in your room, in the dark. Night had fallen quickly after you’d left and it looked black as midnight outside, despite being early in the evening still.

The plastic gray phone in your hand droned on as you held it off its hanger. That one low note, continuous and echoing in your lonely apartment. That voice in your head that you had tried to ignore earlier was telling you something new, and this time you intended to listen to it.

The numbers you pressed were a ten note song that sung in your head every time you had dialed it over the past week.

The phone rang for an eternity, you counted. Each ring sounded like a hundred years, and as you heard that final ring start its long note, it cut off. There was a click, and for a moment you resurfaced and felt oxygen returning to your lungs for just the briefest moment.

“Hello?”

“Hey.... Eddie?” your voice squeaked over the first syllable of his name. “Sorry I... Can you come pick me up? I’m at home.”

“I’ll be right there.” There wasn’t a question in his voice, not hesitation. Just a simple statement. The last thing you heard was a distant jingle of keys and then a click as Eddie hung up, leaving you to wait for that next breath.

“So... what happened?”

It was the first time that Eddie had said anything since you had jumped in his van four seconds after he parked. You had immediately shaken your head and turned up the volume on the tape that he had been playing, needing to hear something as hurt and furious as you felt.

That had been ten minutes ago, and now you were in a place where you felt like you were finally able to talk. You turned down the volume and took a deep breath.

“Chris’s dad owns the theater now.” you said, your voice sounded so distant to you.

“He- wait, Chris Morrison’s dad owns the theater now?” Eddie repeated and you could only nod your head.

“Yeah. He owns the theater. Chris was put in charge of the show. He uh....” you took a deep breath and watched intently as the streetlights passed by in a constant flash of warm yellow. “He made a move on me.”

Eddie’s head snapped to the side to look at you before remembering that he needed to pay attention to the road.

“I thought that I was going there to audition.” you started telling him everything. You told Eddie how Chris had been using the audition to get laid and that you had blacked out and had probably kicked him in the dick when he made a pass at you.

Eddie had a stone face as he stared out the windshield, a stone face of a very pissed gargoyle.

“Did he touch you?” he asked, and you noticed he had a death grip on the steering wheel.

“Only on my shoulder.” you said. “He didn’t like touch me, touch me.”

Touch-a touch-a touch-a touch me!

You never wanted to hear that song again.

Eddie didn’t relax at that, and still looked pissed. “You really kicked him in the nuts?”

“Yeah, I remember him saying something about condoms and then he was on the ground grabbing his dick.” You said, running your hands over your thighs. “I’ve never hit anyone before.”

“He deserved it.” Eddie said.

“Yeah, but... I don’t know. I feel weird about the whole thing.” You sighed, rubbing your face in frustration. “I’m pissed. Chris hitting on me was just the cherry on top. I knew it was too easy trying to be part of this, and now I’ll never be able to go back.”

“I’ll be surprised if there are any shows after this.” Eddie said. “Everything Chris touches turns to shit. He dropped Hellfire and I had to pick up the pieces. Maybe someone will be able to pick the show back up in the future.”

It was a nice sentiment, but it did nothing but tell you that maybe one day you’ll find a piece of driftwood to cling to.

“I don’t know what to do now.” The paved road turned to dirt and gravel as Eddie pulled into his neighborhood. Trailers and RVs of different shapes and sizes were scattered around, and you could barely see the dirt road as Eddie pulled up next to one. You assumed this was his home. It occurred to you that you had never asked where Eddie lived before. You two had only ever hung out at The Hideout or in his can before.

Eddie didn’t make a move to get out after he parked. It was pretty common, the two of you sitting in here for hours just talking and getting to know each other.

“The show was the one place outside of work and home that I felt like I could actually belong.” You said, hating that you were dumping all your shitty problems on him. “Once a month I had a place where people didn’t expect anything out of me. I didn’t have to be the assistant manager, I didn’t have to struggle to fit in, and I didn’t feel out of place.”

You leaned back in your seat, rubbing your eyes to rid the tears that threatened to start up again. This was so fucking embaressing, crying in front of the guy you liked after you begged him to pick you up after a bad day.

“I know that The Hideout isn’t exactly the most, uh, glamorous place.” Eddie said slowly, knocking his rings against the steering wheel. “We don’t exactly draw a crowd, and it’s not brimming with freaks like you’re used to, but you can come any time we’re playing.” Eddie turned and grinned at you. “If you want I can drag you on stage to dance with us, if it helps. You could heckle us, too. It’s been a while since we’ve had someone throw something at us on stage. It’d keep us humble.”

You found yourself grinning back, unable to stop the rumble in your chest as laughter escaped you.

Eddie took that as a sign to keep going. “I think you’d do better at it than our normal drunks.” he continued. “See, you actually listen to our music. You’d get creative with your insults. I’ll write out copies of our lyrics and give you a head start. You can start throwing dice at us. I think I can handle being called a ‘satanist freak’ if it’s from you. Maybe you can start doing some satanic chants during some songs-”

“Oh my god, Eddie.” You laughed, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a weirdo?”

“Excuse you, I am the mean and scary freak of Hawkins.” Eddie said seriously, placing a hand over his heart. “I will not settle for anything less, sweetheart.”

Your heart jumped at the nickname and the warmth in your cheeks from your laughter intensified.

“My apologies, Mr. The Freak. I’ll be sure to address you properly next time.” you rolled your eyes, but your smile was sincere.

“Please, Mr. The Freak was my father. You can just call me Eddie.” He leaned against the seat, his side pressed against it as he looked over at you with a smile.

You offered your hand to him in greeting. “Hello, you can just call me ‘weirdo’ or ‘that one girl’ or ‘hey you.’” you said as he took your hand and shook it.

“It’s nice to be properly introduced.” Eddie said with a snort. His hands felt warm in yours despite the chill in the air.

You felt better, you were still pissed as hell and upset, but you at least didn’t feel like crying.

“I hope your day went better than mine.” With the Chris drama being put aside for a moment, you might as well pull the pin out on this conversation. You didn’t want to have it, you really didn’t, but you liked Eddie. You really really liked him, and you decided it was better to know sooner rather than later what the deal with him and his ex was.

Eddie blinked his eyes in surprise that you were the one to start the conversation. He looked thrown off for a moment, but shook it off quickly.

“Paige is in charge of a new-ish label that she’s trying to get set up in Hawkins.” Eddie started. “She wants Corroded Coffin to audition for a chance to be signed.”

“Holy shit, that’s amazing.” you said, and you meant it. You had only seen them play a few times, but each time you felt like they belonged to something bigger. Even on a small stage, they acted like they were playing in front of a crowd of thousands. “You’re gonna do it, right?”

“Yeah, I... I really can’t pass this up. I mean, I still need to tell the rest of the guys and get their input but I doubt they’ll turn it down.” Eddie said.

“Even a small label is a big deal, right? That means you’d be able to record and play somewhere outside of the Hideout.” you said.

“Paige said that she wants us to audition by the end of the year and if things go well, then she could have us in a studio by summer.”

“Wow.” you breathed out, leaning back against the seat. “So, can I get you to autograph a few things now to get ahead of the crowd? I figure one or two for me to keep then a few more for me to sell off as you get bigger.”

“Ha ha, real funny.” Eddie said dead pan.

“I’m not joking.” you said. “I got bills to pay, and you’re about to be signed. Help a girl out!”

“We haven’t even set up the audition.”

“So? She flew out here, told you that she wanted you to audition and that she could have you in a recording studio next year! I really doubt that she would tell you all of that unless she already had you planned for the roster.” you pointed out. “It sounds like the audition is more of a formality.”

“You really think so?” Eddie asked, perking up slightly. He hadn’t thought about it like that.

“I don’t know what happened between the two of you, but it can’t have been horrible if she wants to sign you still.” You added.

Eddie had an expression on his face that you couldn’t read.

“I guess.” He shrugged, but he didn’t seem convinced.

“Either way, I hope your audition goes better than how mine just went.”

Eddie took a deep breath. “Paige tried to kiss me.” he said quickly, and all that anxiety from the day shot back up.

“Oh.” You failed to sound neutral about what Eddie had just said, disappointment clear in your voice.

“No, I- I turned her down.” Eddie clarified. “After the meeting she started leaning in and I told her no, that it wasn’t a good idea.”

“Oh...?” you were searching for words, but nothing else came out.

“I also...” He hesitated for a moment, messing with one of his rings. “I told her I was seeing someone.”

“Oh!” It was your turn to be surprised, and once again you felt the warmth in your cheeks. “How’d she take it...?”

“She took it well.” Eddie said. “I don’t think she was really thinking it through when she tried. I think she just got caught up in this fantasy about me being some sort of rock hero. It’s business, that’s all it is. Paige even said that it wouldn’t ever actually work between the two of us.”

“She’s not pulling a Chris right?”

“No, she said that the audition is still on with or without any entanglement.” He promised.

“And you don’t have any romantic feelings for her?” You asked.

Eddie shook his head. “No. I don’t.”

You believed him. You didn’t have any reason not to anyway. Eddie had been up front about his relationship with Paige every step of the way. If Eddie had been a lesser person, he wouldn’t have told you that she was his ex and he really wouldn’t have said anything about an almost kiss.

Plus, when he said he was seeing someone your stomach felt like it was full of butterflies and glitter and that was something you were having a really hard time ignoring.

“Alright, I trust you.” you nodded. “At least one of us should have something good come out of this night. I’m happy for you, really. I want this to work for you.”

“Thanks.” His voice was soft. “Do you uh, want to come inside?”

When you had asked Eddie to pick you up, you hadn’t thought too far ahead of what that would mean or where you would go. You glanced at the trailer for a moment, and suddenly you were really curious about where he lived and what his room looked like.

“Absolutely, I do.” you said. After the emotional roller coaster you had just been on today, you were fine with any kind of distraction.

The two of you hopped out of the car, and Eddie swung the door to the trailer open for you and let you in first. It was a small trailer, with a living room, kitchen, and you could see the open door to Eddie’s bedroom from where you stood.

“Do you have enough hats?” you asked, stepping into the living room and looking at the many hats and mugs that decorated the walls. “And mugs? I don’t think you have enough mugs. Whatever will you drink out of?”

“Those are all my uncles.” Eddie said, shrugging off his jacket. “He’s been collecting them since I could remember.”

There were still hints of Eddie in the living room, despite his uncle's collection. A few papers were scattered on the coffee table, filled with numbers and notes next to a set of dice. On top of the tv there were a few VHS’s of old monster movies that you’d seen at your own job as well.

“Sorry about the mess.” He had made his way to the kitchen and quickly disposed of something you couldn’t see in the trash.

“You haven’t seen my apartment, don’t apologize.” you said, thinking back to the unwashed pile of dishes waiting for you in the sink at home. You should also really take out the trash and fold your laundry instead of tossing it all on the chair-

“My room’s this way.” Eddie said. It occurred to you that the last time you followed a guy into a private room he tried to make a move on you. But when you thought of Eddie being the one to lean in and tell you that he had some condoms, you didn’t feel that disgust you felt earlier. You were actually finding yourself hoping that he’d make a move as you followed him to his room.

Eddie Munson’s room looked exactly how it should. A hand made Corroded Coffin banner hung proudly over a stereo system, and the walls were more poster than paint. Every inch of the room proclaimed proudly who Eddie was and what he was about. It was loud, and cluttered, and lived in, and absolutely perfect.

You watched as Eddie tried to subtly pick up some of the empty beer cans around the room and toss them in a small basket in the corner of the room. Your eyes were drawn to the nightstand where there was a small pile of tapes which you helped yourself to go through.

“Eddie, what’s this?” You said with a snicker, holding up a cassette.

“Shit, nothing!” Eddie reached out to snatch the tape from you, but you sidestepped him, looking it over.

“ABBA!” You giggled. “Oooh, I am so telling your friends about this.”

“I’m holding it for a friend, I swear!” Eddie said defensively. “It’s not mine. I was peer-pressured. I don’t touch that shit. It’s Zacks!”

You turned the tape over. “ABBA Arrival. I didn’t take you as a Dancing Queen fan. Are you really so young and sweet and only seventeen?” You continued to tease.

“I’m not!’ Eddie tried to argue. “I’m old and bitter and an adult.”

He took a step closer to you and you took a step back as he grabbed the tape out of your hand. You bumped against the nightstand, sending a book falling to the floor.

“Oops, sorry.” you said and reached down to pick it up. It was a worn out copy of The Hobbit, and as you picked it up, the bookmark he had been using fluttered to the floor.

You grabbed the construction paper stem and held it up, noticing that you also knew how to make this kind of flower.

...You had made this kind of flower before.

You stared at it for a moment, and then looked at Eddie. Your mind raced to that night at the theater under the yellowed light of the marquis, how it felt so familiar. You thought of the yearbooks you’d looked at and how every year Eddie’s hair got shorter he became more familiar. Eddie on stage. Eddie under a street light. Eddie playing guitar.

Eddie.

“Oh.”

You remembered.

Dividers by: @strangergraphics

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#nacht fic #eddie munson x reader #wing man #eddie munson x you

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munsonfamilyband · 2 years ago

Text

So I’m aware it’s no longer Valentine’s day but enough people liked part one so here’s part 2 of my Valentine’s Post

———————————————

The past couple days had not been fun for Steve. It started on the 12th when Eddie went on a tirade about how much he hated Valentine’s day and wouldn’t ever celebrate it. Steve knew his crush was hopeless already but that was just painful to hear, especially knowing that Eddie didn’t even know it was Steve’s birthday.

When Eddie had left to go help Nancy plan her date with Robin, he had dropped his head onto the counter with a groan.

“It might have been easier if he said he didn’t like me at all.” Robin rubbed his back gently.

“I know. How does he not know it’s your birthday though? Why didn’t you tell him?”

“I don’t like celebrating my birthday usually. I mean, most of the kids don’t even know when it is, but I was going to tell him on the actual day, maybe guilt him into hanging out with me and I could pretend it was a date.”

“Dingus, Steve, platonic love of my life, that is sad.” Steve just groaned again and Robin moved away from him to get back to stocking the shelves like she had been. “At some point you need to just tell him how you feel.”

“Thanks but no thanks, I’m okay existing in ignorance.”

“Steve.” He sat up and turned to her, crossing his arms.

“Robin. You know why I don’t want to take the chance.”

She sighed, looking at the case in her hand briefly before turning to him again. “I know, and as unrealistic as it is, I do wish that the conversation you and Nancy had fixed your insecurities so you could be happy. But I know there are other insecurities there, I just wish you could get something good for yourself.” He gave her a small smile, but he knew she could see how fake it was.

Now, two days later, they were back in Family Video. Robin had insisted that she had to sleep over the night before because it was his birthday and she had woken him up with (thankfully) store bought cinnamon buns and coffee. She had also thrown glitter over him as soon as he was dressed for work, telling him that it was to set the mood for the day.

He hated it then, he still hates it now as he bends over to pick up a tape and glitter falls out of his hair even hours later. It was just after the lunch rush had ended and Steve was dreading the dinner rush, especially since it meant a hoard of boyfriends coming to get last minute movies for Valentine’s day. He just wanted to curl up on his couch with ice cream and the bottle of wine he bought himself.

Robin had been weird all day too. First it was picking out his outfit, including his so-called “ass jeans”, then it was the glitter, then she had been playing the weirdest romcoms in the store. She had somehow been slipping little origami hearts into his pockets all day without him noticing. Things really got weird when he reached into his pocket and found something that wasn’t a little paper heart - it was more solid and felt metallic. Taking it out, he found a Hersey kiss and a note taped to it.

“Rob, I know you feel bad about me not having a date but you don’t need to sneak me chocolate.” He looked over at her for her response and immediately clocked her scheming face. “Robin. What are you doing?”

“Nothing! Just read the little note! I was paid handsomely for that so you better open it.” He just rolled his eyes and looked back at the chocolate. Deciding that he might as well, he opened the note and read it.

“Sweetheart, normally you get spankings but I figured a birthday kiss was a better way to start <3”

“Robin, why the fuck did you give me this?!”

“I’m not super happy about being roped into this, I promise, but I was paid for my time. Just wait, there’s more to come apparently.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Much to his disappointment, Robin refused to say anything more. And she stayed that way for the rest of their shift, including up to the moment they parted ways so she could get into Nancy’s waiting car.

He ended up forgetting all about it when he opened his wine and started in on the ice cream, until he heard muffled music from the backyard. Climbing out of his blanket nest with a frown he worked his way over to the back door and saw Eddie standing there with a boombox raised above his head. He was looking up at Steve’s bedroom window, and he had Madonna, of all things, blasting through the speakers.

“What the hell are you doing, Eddie?” Clearly Eddie hadn’t heard him open the sliding doors and he jumped, nearly dropping the boombox.

“Steve! How did you-were you not upstairs?”

“No, I was watching a movie on the couch. Still not answering the question though.” Steve crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame to look Eddie over. For once his jeans weren’t ripped and he had a plain t shirt on under his jacket. He looked more put together than usual but Steve couldn’t figure out why.

“Shit, uh, that sort of changes my plans but I can work with this. No tower serenade, that’s fine-“

“Sorry, serenade? What is going on, Eddie?” Eddie just sighed in response before seeming to steel himself.

“I fucked up, badly, the other day. I got wrapped up in my own opinions and I didn’t even consider how you felt about Valentine’s day - let alone that it was apparently your birthday. Nancy was actually the one to let me in on it, she asked what I was planning. And uh, well, I got her to help me plan this whole thing, but I was kind of hoping that you would be in your room so that you couldn’t see how terrified I am-“

“Wait, Eddie, I’m confused, why-“ Eddie just held a hand up to stop Steve before continuing to speak.

“I was going to give you this whole speech about how I’ve been in love with you for months now but I’ve been way too scared to say anything and even though I seriously messed up, at least it gave me a kick in the ass, so uh-“

“Wait.” Steve had to stop him there, because he was getting the picture but he needed to do a couple things first.

The first thing was rushing forward, grabbing Eddie’s face in his hands and kissing him right on the mouth.

The second, while Eddie was still shocked from the kiss was to say, “hold that thought. I’m going to run up to my room and we can try again.” Grinning like an idiot, Steve ran back into his house and up the stairs. He had never been serenaded before but he was excited to try it.

Taglist

@nburkhardt @i-less-than-three-you @nelotegreitic @liketheocean @darkwitchoferie @4nemo1egend @scarletyeager @the-redthread @thev01dd

#stranger things #eddie munson #steve harrington #steddie #and here it is almost a week late but I thought it was cute #i just see eddie as a ”pebbles at the window after dark” boyfriend so a boombox serenade felt on brand

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suckerfordylansstuff · 3 months ago

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New Journey (S.H.) Chapter 9 Season 4

Pairing: Steve Harrington x henderson!reader

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

Warnings: cursing, blood, (death... sorry)

Notes: Yay, we're nearing the end of season 4 as well. Took some creative liberties with how they formed their plan on this one, but I think I haven't messed up anything from the show. The epilogue is going to come in a few hours so stay tuned! Thank you for reading, please enjoy the chapter and stay safe out there! 💕

P.S. I have some interesting ideas for one-shots that follow the story and I am planning on getting them started right away. If you have any ideas that you want come to life, ask away!

Chapter 8 << Masterlist >> Epilogue

A couple of hours later, you were ready. Everyone was suited and geared up. Your first stop was at Vecna’s house where Max, Lucas, and Erica will be waiting for the rest of you to continue the plan. After your goodbyes, Steve started driving again. The sun slowly but surely set, leaving a golden hue surrounding you and, if you weren’t nervous as hell, you would have found it beautiful.

Finally, you arrived back at Hawkins. Steve parked the trailer a little further away from the trailer park so you wouldn’t get spotted. You got up from your seat and made your way to the rest who were around Nancy, awaiting her instructions.

“Okay. I wanna run through it one more time. Phase one?” she looked up at all of you, expecting someone to answer her, Robin jumping in on the opportunity.

“After a small change of plans, we-” Robin points to her, Nancy, and Steve “meet Erica at the playground. She’ll signal Max and Lucas when we’re ready.”

“Phase two.”

“Max baits Vecna. He’ll go after her, which’ll put him in his trance.” Steve answers next.

“Phase three?”

“Me, Y/n, and Eddie draw the bats away.” Dustin said, Eddie silently agreeing by playfully annoying your brother as he ruffled his head, bringing a small smile on his face. It made your own plan even more important.

“Four.” you heard Nancy demand the final step.

“We head into Vecna’s hopefully newly bat-free lair, and…” Robin shakes the self-made bomb in her hand “Flambe.”

“Nobody moves on to the next phase until we’ve all copied. Nobody deviates from the plan, no matter what. Got it?” she asks you all and you answer back.

“Got it.”

You gather your things and start getting off the trailer one by one. All of you were silent, carefully making your way back to Eddie’s home. Steve goes in first, turns on the lights and prepares to get through the portal again.

“Be careful.” Dustin says to him from beside you, and in return Steve pats his shoulder.

“Thanks, buddy. Here goes nothing.” he said under his breath and starts climbing the poorly made rope successfully landing on the other side. A proud smirk on his face as he looks up at you and sends you a wink.

“Whoa, what does he want us to do, applaud?” Robin asks sarcastically, making you chuckle.

“Come on.” you told her when Steve finished setting up the mattress on the other side and helped her get through as well.

In no time you were all back in the Upside Down. You go outside with the girls ready to bid your goodbyes.

“Make sure you fry him up.” you tell Nancy as you give her a quick hug.

“Will do.”

“Also make sure Robin doesn’t burn up on accident.” you point at your other friend who immediately looks offended.

“Hey! You’re the one who wanted to be a responsible sister and left me in the field.”

“You can handle it.” you smile at her opening up your arms wide for her. As you stepped away from them your heart clenched to say and do more, maybe tell them you love and care for them, but you couldn’t show them what was happening inside of you, or they would try to stop you. In the end, if everything goes right, your plan will be nothing but a thought you had due to the adrenaline and fear inside of you. They don’t have to know.

You start walking back to the guys, Steve’s words catching your attention.

“If things here start to go south, I mean, at all, you abort. Okay?” you bite your lip as you continue listening to him “Draw the attention of the bats. Keep them busy for a minute or two. We’ll take care of Vecna. Don’t try to be cute or be a hero or something. Okay? You guys are just-”

“Decoys.” you finished his sentence after placing a soft hand on the small of his back alerting him of your presence.

“Don’t worry. You can be the hero, Steve.” Dustin told him making Eddie nod his head.

“Absolutely. I mean, look at us. We are not heroes.” Eddie looked as if he meant to say that comically, however, his eyes showed just how scared he was. You couldn’t blame him.

“They’ll be safe.” your voice made Steve turn and face you, his arms immediately opening up to let your embrace in “Come back alive.” you whispered into his ear.

“We’ll get through this together. Right?” his question was harmless, just something to ease the situation because he knew you were going to be okay. He was actually very glad you would be far away from the real danger. At least he knew you were going to get out of this alive.

You didn’t. And the mention of your old promise to each other broke your heart. So instead of answering, instead of letting your, maybe, final words be a lie to your boyfriend, you leaned in for a kiss, a passionate one that helped ease the storm within you. He responded quickly, returning the force of the kiss back. However, your moment was broken by an annoyed voice.

“Stop doing that in front of me.” your brother whined.

“I have every right to kiss my girlfriend goodbye before going on a killing mission.” Steve argued back.

“Yeah, just not in front of me.” Dustin sassed right back at him.

“Bye. I love you.” you kissed his cheek after letting a small chuckle out.

“I love you.” he returned it. It took a small moment for him to leave your group but he eventually started walking over to Nancy, and Robin.

“Hey, Steve?” his movement stopped when he heard Eddie calling out his name “May him pay.” he gave him a small nod, and after a quick look at you and Dustin, his own journey began within the forest of Upside Down Hawkins.

You watched them disappear into the darkness before getting back to work.

“Come on, boys. Our fortress awaits.”

“Lead the way, High Elf Erida!” Dustin brought back memories with the use of your D&D name, making you chuckle on your way in.

“How are you doing over here?” your head turns to look at Eddie coming outside to check on you. You were nailing some pieces of wood to the windows so the inside stays protected when the bats get really angry at you.

“Good. Just making sure these stay up. All good upstairs?” him and Dustin were up to the roof setting up Eddie’s music gear for the plan.

“Yeah, everything is almost set. I’ll go tell Dustin to come down so we can help you.” he turned his body to leave but you were quick to stop him, thinking this would be the perfect moment to warn him.

“Hey, uh… Eddie?” he gives you his whole attention as he nods for you to continue “I need to tell you something.”

“What’s up, Henderson? Or should I say what’s down?” he chuckles a little but stops when he sees you not reacting to the joke “You know because we’re in- Never mind.”

You cleared your throat before speaking up again “If something goes south later on, stay with Dustin.”

“What?” he looks at you confused.

“I decided to stay here so I can make sure Dustin stays safe. Not that I don’t trust you, but I’m his sister. And I made a promise to myself that if something goes wrong , I’ll deal with it. No matter what.” your voice is stern, your eyes never wavering from his own.

“Wait, what? No. You can’t do that. We’re a team, you’re not supposed to throw yourself into danger. We’re decoys, remember?” he tells you, not wanting to believe what you were saying.

“I’m not asking you Eddie. I’m telling you. You haven’t seen what I have these few years. Everything can and has gone wrong. What we’re doing is dangerous, and I am willing to make every sacrifice to ensure that he stays safe. All I want from you is to stay by his side. He’s gonna need you.” you want to be strong but you can’t help it when your voice softens in the end.

“Y/n…” Eddie’s eyes are furrowed, and you decide to send him a smile to ease the heavy air around you.

“Just hold him back and tell him I love him. Okay?”

He can see that you mean your words so truly he could do or say nothing to stop you. As a game master, he has written hundreds of scenes where heroes sacrifice themselves to save their loved ones. Letting go of their own fears to help the rest. He always thought those were just stories, words on a piece of paper that never really fit into the cruelty of the real world he was in. But when he got into this mess he quickly realized how wrong he was. Your selflessness, Steve’s courage, Nancy’s determination, Robin’s loyalty, and Dustin’s cleverness made him see that.

So, he decided to respect your wishes and made a promise to himself to try and be as brave as you all were. At least try to be “Okay…”

You let a breath out when you heard him agree. You were glad Dustin was going to have one more person to look after him if you didn’t return “Thank you.”

“Are we nearly done with our fortress?” Dustin’s voice is heard before he walks out to face you. You make sure to change your demeanor immediately so he won’t suspect anything.

“Sure are, kid. Go check with Eddie what else we can use while I finish this up.” you point to the window before you and he nods his head, already turning away to complete the task.

“Great.” you notice however that Eddie is kind of stuck in his place, his mind full of thought “Come on, Eddie, or the bats are gonna getcha.”

Luckily Dustin doesn’t suspect anything and his words seem to get Eddie out of his trance.

“So pushy.”

After almost half an hour, you are finally done with the trailer. You stand back with the boys admiring your work.

“Not bad.” Eddie says and your brother quickly agrees.

“Not bad at all.”

“Now for the fun part.” you scoff at Eddie’s words.

“You mean the deafening part?”

His whole body does a 180 turn as he points his finger at you teasingly “Don’t you dear speak about Metallica that way. They’re gonna save lives.” you push his shoulder and guide him inside the trailer. You enter his bedroom and the boys freeze at the sight of it.

You can hear Eddie whimper beside you before he began walking forward again, slowly “It’s like… She was destined for an alternate dimension.” he stands before the electric guitar and calls out for your brother “What do you say, Henderson? Are you ready for the most metal concert in the history of the world.” he asks him after he picked up the guitar from its stand.

“Is that a rhetorical question?”

“You’re both dorks.” you tell them and turn to leave the room and them behind, making your way up to the roof.

The boys stare in your direction before smirking at one another, adrenaline coursing through their veins in excitement “Let’s do it.” Eddie said and followed after you.

You are not sure how much time you were waiting but finally the radio sparked to life, Robin’s voice informing you to start phase three.

“Copy that. Initiating phase three.” Dustin answers and motions for you to plug in the stereos.

“Let’s hope they hear this.” you say under your breath and turn the volume all the way up before nodding over at Eddie to start.

“Chrissy, this is for you.” he takes his pick from his necklace and starts playing his guitar. The music is so loud that for a moment you shut your ears, but the surprise quickly left you and you ended up sharing a moment of happiness with your brother as you enjoyed Eddie’s skill.

Every now and then Dustin would check with his binoculars if the plan was working. Finally, he spotted the bats and called out for Eddie.

“We gotta lock down in T-minus thirty seconds!” he signals with his hands the time you have left and Eddie nods. Your eyes keep shifting from Eddie to the creature closing in, your breaths becoming shorter and shorter as you felt like those 30 seconds were a lifetime.

Dustin continued to inform Eddie about the time every 10 seconds when finally you were down to just 5. Eddie continued to play and your panic rose.

“One!” Dustin yells and you grab his shoulders, forcing him to get off the trailer and head inside. Eddie stopped, placed the guitar down, and followed after you.

“Come on!” you called out to him, grabbing his arm and running inside the trailer quickly. The bats were right behind you, and you had only a couple of seconds to close the door and get inside safely.

Your back was against the door, panting as you tried to calm yourself down.

“Dude! Most metal ever!” Dustin said in excitement and they both began jumping up and down.

You chuckled at their antics and went in to hug them both after they had stopped. They returned it and you sighed “We’re not done yet. Get into positions.” they nodded and you all grabbed your weapons, your backs facing each other as you circled around the room waiting for any unwelcomed movement.

You can hear the bats shrieking outside, calling for you to come out. From time to time one of them would strike the trailer in hopes of tearing it but to no avail. Suddenly everything stopped which made chills run down your entire body.

“Hey, dipshits! Give up that easy, huh?” Dustin yells out and you immediately shush him.

“Is that really necessary?” Eddie asks him, obviously agreeing with you and the fact that you need to stay quiet.

Your eyes kept on searching for something to happen when noise came from above you.

“They’re on the roof.” you said, and Dustin cursed.

You followed the clattering sound, you in the front, Dustin behind you, and Eddie located at the back. You realize that the creature has made its way near the air vent. You stopped before it, holding your weapon high.

“They can’t get in through there, can they?” Dustin asks you and before you can do anything, the bat answers his question by breaking through the trailer. For a moment you were taken back but none of you held back. You began screaming and went over to stab the living shit out of them.

It was never-ending, more and more trying to make their way inside. You felt a loss from beside you and saw from the corner of your eye Eddie leaving your group. Dustin calls out for him to come back, and he does but not empty-handed.

“Get out of the way!” Eddie kept on screaming at you and you obeyed without any second thought, stepping back quickly, your weapon falling from your hands. He had grabbed his shield to close the hole in the roof and stop them from getting in. It luckily stays on there, due to the nails you had put on it.

You take a deep breath “Nice thinking.”

“Thanks.” he answers you before high-fiving your brother. You hoped this would be the end of it but the clattering and the shrieking hadn’t stopped.

“Are there other vents?” you asked Eddie and his eyes open.

“Oh shit.” he jumps down from the chair he was on and heads further into the trailer.

You pick up your own weapon again and followed him into his room but you were too late. The bats had already found the other way in. Dustin hadn’t realized you had stopped so he ran past you and into the room, but you were quick enough and were able to grab him and pull him behind you. You closed the door and began walking backward, away from the room. The bats were quickly tearing through the door.

“That’s not gonna hold!” Dustin yelled in fear when he took a look at the sight before you.

You turned your head around trying to come up with a solution, deciding on your own plan. When your eyes fell on the rope in front of you, you pushed Dustin at it “Go! Go! Go!” he didn’t waste a second and began pulling himself up. He was so focused on making it across that he didn’t realize you weren’t following behind. He didn’t see you picking up your spear once more.

“Don’t do this…” Eddie begged you, grabbing you by your arm, but you ignored his pleas.

“You promised.” you handed him the rope and got free from his hold, turning toward the exit.

You tried your best to ignore how Dustin was calling out for you to get back, finally understanding what you were doing. You weren’t sure how you were going to get the bats away but you needed to do something.

Your palm touched the knob but before you could open the door, a hand falls on your shoulder forcefully pulling you away. Your body hit the floor and when you looked up you saw Eddie open the door and after giving you a last look, close it behind him.

“No!” you screamed after him. Your feet guided you to the door which no matter how hard you pulled and pushed, could not open. He must have blocked it somehow, you thought “Eddie!” you banged on the door as you heard the shrieks slowly disappear from around you.

“Y/n, what’s happening?” Dustin called out for you, desperately trying to understand what was going on.

“Stay there! I’ll go after him!” you said and gathered your weapon again.

“No! I’m coming with you!” he said and started climbing the rope again but you couldn’t let him.

“No.” you said sternly and cut the rope which caused it to fall on both sides, your brother’s body hitting the mattress. You could see his red eyes as he looked up at you through the hole. Your heart could not bear the sight “Stay here.”

“No!” he kept on screaming for you to stop, cried as he saw you pull the mattress away from the gate on your side. For once in his life, Dustin didn’t know what to do. He only knew that he couldn’t bear to lose his sister and one of his best friends at the same time.

With the door blocked you had to find another way out. You decided to break some of the wood you had nailed on the windows and, after a bit, managed to break enough of a hole to climb through it.

The moment your feet hit the ground you looked up and saw a dark cloud in the sky. The bats were following something, or better, someone. Eddie was driving them away.

You looked around you and spotted what was blocking the door. Eddie had nailed the shield on it. You pulled it out, yanking the door open in the process, and placed it on your back. You grabbed one of the other bikes you had priorly left there and began cycling over to where Eddie was. Only when the cold air of the Upside Down hit you did you realize that tears had fallen from your eyes. You quickly dried them off with your palm and pushed your entire body to bike faster.

This wasn’t supposed to go like this. Eddie was supposed to listen to you and let you do this for the both of them. For all of them. Why did he have to do this?

After following after them for a bit you saw the bats had begun doing circles around something. Eddie must have stopped.

When you finally arrived you saw that the sight before you was not pretty. Eddie was standing in the middle as the bats flew around him. He was trying his best to scare them and fight them away. You let the bike drop to the ground and took out your own weapons. You tried desperately to break through the wall of bats but it was too hard to fight them. Each time you killed one another two appeared making it impossible to go over to Eddie and help him.

Suddenly you heard a cry and almost lost your bearings when you saw him on the ground, bats holding him down, just like they had done with Steve. You tried to run to him but something pulled your leg, bringing you down as well. The bats were all over you, scratching your body with their nasty sharp nails, their teeth finding their way to your hair, clothes, and face, but you had decided you wouldn’t make it easy for them. You kept your spear in the air, tearing wings and arms off of them with each swing. But they were too strong and too fast. They knocked the shield out of your hand. You feared you were not quick or strong enough to continue. Your breaths were becoming shorter as terror settled in. At least, you thought, you had bought some time for the others. You and Eddie achieved your original goal. Those were your thoughts while your hands were covering your face, hiding yourself from the horrors of the Upside Down.

Small cries and yells fell out of your lips every time the monsters would mark you. A sharp nail landed on your left cheek, the pain and shock taking over your entire body. You didn’t know how much longer you were able to hold on to when suddenly they stopped. Stilled in the air and fell on the ground like machines that had a switch-off button.

Before you could decipher what had happened, a pair of hands shook your shoulders and Dustin’s face was in front of you “Y/n? Are you okay? Y/n?”

Your brother’s face was a blessing and a curse to see at this moment. You were glad to see him okay, unharmed by the creatures, but the look of terror in his eyes was enough to fill your body with rage, willing to burn this place down just for him.

“Dustin? What are you- I told you to stay back!” you yelled at him even if your arms were already hugging him.

“I couldn’t.” he answered but a cough from behind you took your attention.

“Eddie.” you whispered in realization and hurried over to him, your brother following after you, limping all the way.

“Oh, God. Eddie.” he finally said when he fell down opposite of you, his hands taking his friend’s quickly.

“Bad, huh?” Eddie joked but you were in no mood to laugh even pitifully at his attempt to make you feel better.

It scared you seeing him like this. Even when you were in high school Eddie was someone you thought indestructible. You had judged him from his behavior and part-time ‘job’, familiar with the small bags he was trafficking behind the school. He had scared you, worried you when you found out Dustin was hanging out with him but now… Now you’re scared for him.

The blood on his face scared you. The wounds he had all over his body scared you, and the way his eyes were glassy fucking terrified you.

“No, no, no. You’re gonna be okay. You just need to go to a hospital, okay?” Dustin answered franticly, his hand landing on his back to lift him up. You fall into action quickly, trying your best not to hurt him even more. Your attempts were unsuccessful as he groaned and let his body fall into Dustin’s arms.

“ I think I just… I think I just need a second, okay?” Dustin nodded his head at Eddie’s words.

Your hand moved without thinking as you brushed some of Eddie’s hair away from his face “Why didn’t you listen to me?”

“Because you’re more important.” he answered without missing a beat, making your heart clench in your chest.

“Eddie...”

“I couldn’t run away this time. I didn’t, right?” his eyes were pleading with yours to answer him.

“You didn’t run.” you shook your head, trying not to let the tears fall down your cheeks.

“You were a hero.” Dustin whispered, voice breathless and you longed to stop everything to help him. But wasn’t that what Eddie had achieved? What you wanted to do?

It was only now that you realized how wrong you were to even come up with that plan… If you hadn’t, maybe now Eddie would be back in the trailer, waiting for the others to do their job. Or maybe, the bats would have gotten to all three of you. They certainly would have managed to bring the same fate to you if they hadn’t magically stopped on their own. Maybe…

“Thanks.” despite his pain, a grateful smile graced him “Promise me what you asked of me. Only you can succeed in it.” his eyes fell back to you and you shook your head. He knew the only important thing between you two was to keep Dustin unharmed. It warmed your heart to see him so cared for, your little brother finding new people to trust, and help him, to love him for who he truly is. For the longest time, before you came to Hawkins, it truly felt like it was just the two of you against the world. But, now, it wasn’t just you, and even if sometimes it could feel a little bittersweet, it made you happy to see him, and yourself, finding others who can make your lives better.

Eddie was a true friend, and you would owe him your life and Dustin’s forever.

“I think you just proved your words wrong, Eddie.” your hand tightened around his to reassure him. His smile was weak but certainly there as you whispered back your promise “I will.”

He nodded and turned to Dustin “You’re gonna have to look after those little sheep for me, okay?”

“No, you’re gonna do that yourself.” Dustin was so emotional he could barely argue as the sobs came and developed him, his voice raised, fear controlling him. At the sound of his crying, all you could bear to do was close your eyes tight, your breath caught in your throat as cries started falling from your own lips.

“Nah, man… Say, ‘I’m gonna look after them’. Say it.” Eddie begged and only then did Dustin agree.

“I’m- I’m gonna look after ‘em…” his voice was small, exactly like he felt right now. Watching his friend die in his arms when moments before he thought he was going to lose both of you…

“Good. Cause I’m actually gonna graduate. I think it’s my year, Hendersons. I think it’s finally my year.” he smiled as if he was fine, but you could see his glassy eyes become more and more prominent “I love you man.” a few tears fell from his eyes and you are quick to catch them, caressing his cheek in a comforting way.

“I love you too.” Dustin responds when his friend begins choking “Eddie? Come on!” he called out for him, to bring him back, away from the pain and darkness “Eddie!”

But it was only a few seconds before Eddie’s body stilled and you finally let your own chokes out. Dustin was screaming out his name as he shook him. You took hold of his hands, the three of you hugging, saying your goodbyes silently.

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#steve harrington #stranger things #steve harrington x henderson!reader #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington fanfic #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things x reader #stranger things x y/n #stranger things x you #dustin henderson #nancy wheeler #eddie munson #max mayfield #lucas sinclair #erica sinclair #joe keery

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dwobbitfromtheshire · 1 year ago

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Eddie wouldn't necessarily label himself unless it was to spite religious assholes who take the Bible too seriously, and then he'll announce proudly that he's bi as in Bible. Mind you, not all of them are assholes and Eddie's debated with a few who are willing, especially when he would help them with their groceries. He doesn't think things through sometimes, and sometimes he does.

To him, everyone's sexuality was a gray blobby question mark. He doesn't like to make assumptions about that, but he did have trouble not making assumptions in other areas. It came to a complete surprise to him that Steve Harrington was exactly who the kids said he was. When Steve threw his sweater at him and when he ripped that bat in half, Eddie knew that he had to test the waters because holy shit, that was the hottest thing that he had ever seen. He came up with the cynical eyes bullshit about Nancy, just to see. . .he didn't really mean it.

He also really didn't think when he rushed off to buy them more time. He thought for sure they were going to kill him when they wrapped themselves around his throat and limbs. Suddenly, they were dropping like flies, and he was freed from their grasp. He ran back into the trailer, fixed the rope, and climbed back into the other side where Dustin tried to beat him with his fists.

"JESUS H CHRIST! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Eddie shrieked. "Stop hitting me, man!"

"You and Steve both are sacrificial assholes!" Dustin yelled at him.

He took one of his uncle's hats off the walls and started beating Eddie over the head with it. That's when the other three started coming through the gate. Steve placed his hands on his hips as he looked at them.

"Do I even want to know?" Steve asked.

"Steve!" Dustin exclaimed and pointed the hat at Eddie. "Eddie tried to be a hero when you told him not to!"

"Tattle tail!" Eddie scowled.

"What did I say, Munson?" Steve asked.

"All I heard was 'don't be cute'," Eddie said, flashing his dimples at Steve. "So, what's the verdict? Is the wicked witch dead, Dorothy?"

"Well, Tin Man," Steve said dryly. "Vecna is dead."

"Seriously?!" Dustin and Eddie exclaimed.

The answer came a moment later when the gate started to stitch itself closed before disappearing as if nothing had been there at all. Everyone looked at each other for a moment before they burst into very loud cheers. They all jumped and hollered, forming one giant group hug. Of course, Steve had to pull back, and Eddie followed. He didn't even think when he looked at Steve. There were no thoughts in his head, only the feeling of victory. He grabbed Steve by the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. He didn't think when Steve deepened the kiss or when Steve slipped his tongue into his mouth. When they broke the kiss, Eddie's eyes widened when he realized what he had done. Everyone was looking at them. Nancy was looking at Steve like she had just put the dots together. Robin was grinning, and Dustin looked like Christmas had come early.

"Shit, Steve, I'm sorry! You can totally hit me if you want to. Go ahead, right here, I deserve it. I didn't even ask!" Eddie exclaimed, closing his eyes and pointing to his cheek.

He felt Steve grab him by his waist, and instead of a punch, he felt him kiss his cheek, then quickly kissed his lips.

"Now, why would I want to punch the guy who gave me the best kiss of my life," Steve said. "Now, let's get you to the bathroom because I think the bats got a bite in."

Steve pulled his hand away and showed Eddie his own blood.

"Oh, shit," Eddie said with wide eyes and let Steve drag him away. "Wait, hold on, did you imply that I'm a better kisser than Nancy Wheeler? I fucking win."

"I'm going to blame that on the fact that you're losing blood, asshole!" Nancy laughed, and Eddie cackled.

Steve rolled his eyes as he brought him into the bathroom and began looking for the first aid kit. Eddie gazed at him fondly, not bothering to tell him where he was. He just watched as Steve leaned over to look in the cabinet under the sink. Eddie eyes raked over his lovely buttocks and grinned when Steve finally found it, holding it up like a prize.

"You knew where it was," Steve glared at him.

"Guilty," Eddie laughed.

Steve continued to glare as he pushed him gently against the sink. Eddie took off his jacket and vest to allow him better access.

"Take off your shirt too, Eddie," Steve said.

"What?" He asked.

"You heard me, Tin Man," Steve said, his eyes growing slightly dark. "Take off your shirt."

"So, that's sticking, huh?" Eddie asked. "Does this mean that I can call you Dorothy?"

"No, I prefer Scarecrow. After all, they were friends of Dorothy," Steve said, smirking and Eddie laughed.

"Smartass," Eddie said and whipped off his shirt.

He watched as Steve’s eyes raked over his body. What was there to see? Eddie was pale with barely any muscle, and his tummy was quite soft. He barely had hair on his chest, unlike Steve, whose eyes were growing darker by the minute. Steve’s beautiful hazel eyes landed on his tattoos, and Eddie watched him as he swallowed, his tongue running over his bottom lip. Steve cleared his throat, realizing that he needed to focus and to grab some guaze to put pressure on Eddie's wound that was awfully close to his hip. Of course, Steve had to get on his knees to get a better look at the wound. Eddie groaned.

"Are you alright? Did I hurt you?" Steve asked, looking up at him with soft eyes.

"Don't fucking look at me like that when you're on your knees in front of me, man," Eddie said slapping a hand over his eyes. "Just do whatever you need to do to me, and let's go!"

"Really?" Steve asked, and Eddie could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"Shut up!" Eddie laughed.

Steve giggled as he stopped the bleeding, cleaned it up, and placed a bandage over his wound. It was nowhere near as bad as Steve’s. Suddenly, there came a harsh knock on the door, and Robin's voice came through.

"If you guys are done fucking in there, we need to check on Max, Lucas, and Erica!" Robin yelled.

"I hate her. I swear to God," Steve said and sighed. "She's right, though. Um, if I ask you to check my hair for spider eggs later, let me just say that it's completely and totally Robin's fault that I'm worried about that."

"Wouldn't mind get my hand through those gorgeous locks of yours, anyway," Eddie said.

Steve smirked and slowly stood up. His mouth shot out, and he gave Eddie's nipple a quick but gentle bite. Eddie cursed.

"You did say anything that I needed to do," Steve said.

Eddie gave a quick, hard kiss to Steve’s lips and hurried to pull on his clothes.

"Fucker, you didn't need to do that," he muttered and then said with affection, "Freak."

"Only for you, baby," Steve said, gooseing him on the way out of the bathroom.

Eddie giggled, swatting at his hands. His heart was pounding, his cheeks were flushed, and he could feel his stomach fluttering with a thousand tiny bats. Yeah, Steve Harrington was going to be the death of him.

They drove away in the stolen RV again, on the way to the Creel House, where they would find Max and Lucas perfectly fine aside from Lucas having a few bruises. After that, they would drive onto Steve’s house. Although they didn't know exactly how tired they were until they all sat down. Eddie sat against the driver's seat that Steve was sitting in again. He nodded off, waking up briefly to find Dustin leaning against him and snoring. He nodded off, only to wake up again to find the rest of the kids curled up against him and Dustin.

"If you tell anyone about this. . .," Erica muttered and fell asleep in the middle of her threat.

Eddie smiled and closed his eyes. He vaguely heard Steve and Nancy's voices something about not wanting to wake them up. They did the impossible and defeated Vecna. Even though he was still wanted for murder, Eddie wasn't worried. After Vecna, his friends. . .his family, well, they could do anything, especially with Steve fucking Harrington as his boyfriend. Holy shit?! Eddie's eyes popped open to find Steve looking at him fondly.

"Come on, Tin Man, we're in Kansas," Steve said.

"You live in Kansas?!" Eddie exclaimed.

"You're boyfriend's a dud, Steve," Robin muttered sleepily.

"You should join Hellfire, Robin," Eddie said, rubbing sleep from his eye. "So I can kill off your character immediately."

Steve wrapped an arm around Eddie's waist and let him lean sleepily against him. Eddie was glad that he didn't think, not once, when he kissed Steve. He was the luckiest Tin Man in the whole world.

#stranger things #eddie munson #stranger things s4 #joseph quinn #eddie stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson lives #steddie #steve x eddie #steve harrington x eddie munson #steddie fanfiction #victory kiss #bisexual eddie munson #bisexual steve harrington #the party

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jadeylovesmarvelxo · 1 year ago

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Trick or Treat 🎃

Hello lovely, first can I just say I adore your writing and was wondering if I could request a Halloween one for Eddie?

You and Eddie take your twins out trick or treating for the first time. Maybe a family Halloween costume too?

Request by anon ♥️

Don't copy, repost, translate or reuse my work.

Fluffy family based fic ♥️

♥️

Meeting and marrying you was the best thing that had ever happened to Eddie and life got even better when you fell pregnant with twins, two adorable little girls.

Eddie loved being a daddy, loved his little family and doted on his three girls. It was safe to say you, Alice and Evie had Eddie wrapped around your little fingers.

Not that he minded one bit even if it was a source of good natured teasing from the Hellfire boys, who he still met up with once a week for a D&D session.

Eddie was an amazing father, at first he was nervous when you announced you were pregnant. Of course he was happy but he hadn't been brought up in the most stable household. Uncle Wayne was the only parental figure he had who was always there for him.

Despite his worries he eased into the role and doted on his girls, was very protective and the most amazing storyteller.

His stories were the highlight of for you and the girls, he told them nightly and he regularly acted them out with you. Alice and Evie hung on his every word.

He would read to them as well or join you when you were reading to the girls but he grew bored and embellished or told his own stories instead.

The twins were Eddie in miniature, all big brown eyes, dimples and curly brown hair. Like their father they also had a penchant for mischief and we're honorary Hellfire members as soon as they were born.

Eddie delighted in making them tiny Hellfire shirts.

Halloween was tonight and it was the first time you all were going trick or treating.

Eddie was a little emotional that his baby girls were growing up and you instantly comforted him, both of you wondering how time had flown by so quickly.

How were your girls already three years old? You couldn't believe it and didn't want to miss any moment of them growing up as it went so quick.

It was Eddie's idea to do a family costume. The girls were obsessed with Scooby Doo and Alice was determined to dress up in the Scooby Doo outfit she had seen at the store.

"Princess, we could go as Mystery inc. What do you think?" you nod excited by this.

"Alice and Evie would love it. Evie loves Velma and they have the cutest outfits at the mall.

"You wanna be the Daphne to my Fred? Eddie beams and wraps his arms around you, kissing you tenderly.

"Always but I think for this occasion you're definely Shaggy. The girls love your impression of him" he beams proudly loving making Alice and Evie laugh with his Shaggy voice.

"I'll rope Steve into playing Fred and we can meet up with him later in the night. He owes us for babysitting the six gremlins" you giggle and swat him playfully.

"Eddie, for the last time you can't call them Gremlins" he pouts and you hide your smile privaty agreeing with his assessment. You adored Steve's kids but they were a handful.

Now that it was Halloween you had been having a lovely day with the girls baking cookies and watching Scooby Doo and Winnie the Pooh all day.

Then it was time to dress up in your outfits and get ready for trick or treating. The girls looked so adorable in their costumes and are anxious to get out and enjoy the night.

"Daddy will we go to see Uncle Dustin, Uncle Steve and Aunty Robin?" Alice asks and Eddie nods as he helps her and Evie into their coats.

"Of course princess. Now come on spooky adventures await"

♥️

The four of you set out on Halloween night excited for what was to come. Alice and Evie are already hyper and hold their pumpkin baskets giggling and pointing to the different Halloween decorations on your street.

"Daddy look at the bats" Alice points them out to him and Eddie plays up his excitement but you see the slight fear in his eyes.

Even years after surviving the demobat attack, the upside down and the horrors of the past long gone and life peaceful there was still those rare times that Eddie wakes in a sweat and panicking.

That night was the worst of your life. You really thought you had lost Eddie and the grief was overwhelming. Thankfully, he oues through but it still haunted you at times.

Squeezing his hand you distract the twins and point to a witch on the roof of one of your neighbours house, she's on a broomstick, black cat in tow.

"Can we get a black cat mama?" Evie asks her big brown eyes pleading and you look to Eddie who's already melting at her puppy eyes.

He could never resist any of your puppy eyes or pouts and always gave in.

"Maybe Santa might bring you and Alice a kitty for Christmas?" you tease and the girls cheer at this.

The four of you go door to door and your neighbours are lovely, it's not long before the girls have full baskets of candy and their eyes light up as they show you and Eddie the sweets.

Eventually you end go to Steve's, the kids all play together before you all settle down to watch a cute and only slightly spooky film.

The kids eat a little of their candy as you and Eddie relax while talking to the gang.

🎃

Eventually the night winds down and you, Eddie and the girls head home.

Both of them are exhausted and Eddie carries both of them to bed while you get their pj's ready and have them all tucked up on bed.

"What about a story?" Evie mumbles sleepily and Eddie softens.

"Not tonight baby but I promise an epic story tomorrow" she nods letting out a little yawn and then she's fast asleep like Alice.

You cuddle into Eddie and he kisses your forehead.

"Uh sweetheart, I'm not very tired are you?" he raises his eyebrows and you grin catching on to what he's hinting at.

"Not a bit, why don't we go have a little Halloween party of our own?" quietly you lead him out of the twins room and to your bedroom stifling a giggle as Eddie kisses your neck.

🎃♥️

#eddie munson x you #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson x wife!reader #dad eddie munson #eddie munson imagine

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atimeofyourlife · 1 year ago

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Whumptober day 15

rated: t | wc: 1129 | prompt: Makeshift Bandages | Suppressed Suffering | “I’m fine.” Steve doesn't let any of the others know how much his injuries are bothering him

Steve knew that the bandages were far from ideal. A strip of fabric torn from a sweater that had been worn all day, including for trailing through the woods. Then getting soaked in dirty lake water before being used to wrap his wounds. But it was the only option that they had. If it hadn't been fabric torn from Nancy's sweater, it would have been from Robin's shirt which was in a similar state, or something of Eddie's that had been worn for several days on end, with even more time trailing through the woods and an extra dip in the lake, which would have been an even worse choice.

As they walked through the Upside Down, despite knowing that it was the best option available, Steve couldn't help his mind going into overdrive at all the problems with how his wounds had been wrapped. The first aid training he'd done when he first became a lifeguard kicking in and reminding him of everything that was done wrong. That it hadn't been cleaned and disinfected before bandaging. That the bandages used weren't sterile, hell they couldn't even be considered clean. Along with other dirt and debris, the piece of fabric could be leaving loose fibers in the wound. That the bandage was too thin, the wrong composition to effectively stem the bleeding. The saturated fabric keeping the wounds too wet, adding a further risk of complications. And all the different factors that could contribute to a potential infection, any diseases that the bats were carrying, being exposed to the toxic air of the Upside Down with the spores floating in the air, whatever dirt and bacteria from general wear and the lake that was on Nancy's sweater when she ripped it up. And that was just counting his bites, there was also any problems that could be coming from the road rash on his back and arms that was getting irritated with every step as the rough denim of Eddie's vest rubbed against his back. But he refused to bring it up, knowing that there were more important things to be worried about, like finding a way out of the Upside Down without attracting the attention of Vecna or any other demo-creatures.

Getting through the Upside Down was massively uncomfortable. Having to bike seven miles, barefoot, and injured was not ideal. He fell behind the others, so he could hide the winces as the movement pulled at the bites. Not wanting them to see how much it was hurting. Then back at Eddie's trailer, it was getting back through to the real world. He let the others all go ahead of him so he could try to blame any reaction to the pain on falling through and hitting the mattress, rather than them seeing him up close if he struggled to keep his face neutral as he climbed up the rope of sheets. A slight upside to Nancy getting hit by Vecna as she was about to climb the rope, was that after she'd woken up and passed through, everyone was focused on her. What she'd seen, if she was okay. It meant no one paid any attention to the pained grunt Steve let out as his back hit the mattress, or that he took longer to recover enough to shakily get to his feet. He wanted, needed, to check how everything was. If the makeshift bandages had held up well enough against everything the Upside Down had to throw at them.

So, taking advantage of everyone being distracted with Nancy, he slipped along the hall to the bathroom. Thankful that Eddie's trailer was the exact same layout as the one he'd helped Max and her mom move into a few months earlier. He locked the door behind him, and started to remove the vest. It stuck a little in places from where he'd bled from the road rash, and pulling the vest away caused the small cuts to reopen and start sluggishly bleeding again. He couldn't see how bad his whole back was, between not being able to turn his head too far without it causing more discomfort from where the bat's tail had wrapped around his neck and there only being a fairly small mirror in the bathroom. But what he could see of it looked bad. It was all red and scraped up, small pieces of stone and dirt and debris embedded in the skin. He tried to reach around to brush away the debris, but couldn't move his arms in a way that would help.

But it was his sides that was the worst. He could see spots of blood seeping through the bandage, so didn't even risk taking it off, knowing how much it would tug at the already painful and damaged areas. And he didn't even know where- or if- Eddie kept a first aid kit, or if it would even be stocked well enough for him to bandage his bites anyway. And he wasn't about to ask for one, and also didn't want to rummage to find it. Still wanting to hold up the illusion that he was fine. He shrugged the vest back on, making sure it covered any of the bloody bandages, before heading back out to the others. He really wanted a shirt, something that would hide and cover the bandages so much better. But in the meantime, he had to make do with the vest.

Steve didn't quite understand how he'd gotten away with suppressing the pain, the extent of the injuries. By the time they were facing down Vecna, the adrenaline had taken over and he could barely feel the bites on his side that were surely infected by this point. And, if he was being honest, it felt a little like Robin and Nancy had forgotten that he'd been injured. They'd been too caught up in dealing with everything else to pay much attention to something Steve had tried his best to hide.

It wasn't until they were at the hospital, waiting for news on Max and Eddie that everyone else realized how much Steve had been suppressing since he'd been dragged into the Upside Down. Robin stumbled, and caught her elbow into Steve's side, right into the worst of the bites. The pain spiked so badly that he couldn't suppress the yell that forced out of him as he clutched his side. Robin was quick to apologize, pulling at Steve's shirt to see the damage. The makeshift bandage of Nancy's sweater being saturated with his blood from where the bites had been sluggishly bleeding for over a day. Steve couldn't quite make sense of the yells for help, finally losing himself in the pain that he'd been pushing down the entire time he'd been injured.

#whumptober2023 #no.15 #suppressed suffering #makeshift bandages #stranger things #fic #steve harrington #steve harrington whump #robin buckley #platonic stobin #nancy wheeler #atimeofyourwrites

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rottenaero · 1 year ago

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And also, the reasons behind each pairing

1.Steve, Max, and Will-

C’mon, have you SEEN the SASS? I guess one could argue Dustin should also be here, but his sass™️ is reserved for his brothers. Also, imagine the gossip sessions, like Will ranting about anything and Max and Steve absolutely cheering him on because he is 100% in the right.

2.Eddie, Robin, and Will-

Queer in a small town, Barb could also probably be in this group. They all bash each-other’s crushes until Robin wants to date Nancy, and Eddie starts liking Steve. Will would absolutely still be trashed for his crush on Mike. Robin would still bash on Eddie like have you seen that man? He’ll watch the same movie on repeat until he has to being it back.

Eddie just sighs and is like, I know, he’s great.

3.Nancy, Chrissy,Barb, and Robin-

Barb and Chrissy absolutely needed more screentime!! They were both so aghhh<33 They all kinda band together to do sleepovers and stuff, sometimes El and Max are invited when they aren’t doing their own thing. I just really like the characters.

4.Steve and Gareth-

Okay guys, have you seen that Steve and Gareth cousin au??(Someone please tell me the creator so I can credit them) Steve having another extravagant handshake for Gareth and Gareth always gushing about his cool older cousin to hellfire who is just like uh-huh sure Gareth.

I know theres the idea that Gareth would despise Steve, but also Gareth inviting Steve to hellfire after he got dethroned because Steve was there for his tough times so why can’t he be there for his?

5.Holly, Erica, and Steve-

Lets take babysitter!Steve to the MAX. All the parent call him when their younger kids need to be watched, he watches Holly for the Wheelers all the time to the point where he’s her brother, and she pretends to forget Mike’s name for like a week.

Erica insists only Steve can watch her, because he’s the only one who lets her watch My Little Pony without judging her or treating her like a baby, also because he starts getting into the show. Sometimes Tina and the rest of Erica’s friends come over and rope him into letting them paint his nails. Random days Steve will show up to Erica’s school with some McDonalds for her.

6.Murray and Alexei-

Self-explanatory because c’mon, really?

7.Steve, Will, and El-

Steve ADORES the Byers siblings, they say thank you when he does stuff for them, they are usually never the source of trouble when they go out.

Sometimes Will will just be so nice that it makes Steve feel bad for what he told Jonathan in s1 before their fight, because nobody in the Byers family is a screw-up except Lonnie, who was just a giant douche and a terrible father.

The only thing Steve dislikes about them is their respective crushes on Mike, because are you serious? He’s well on his way to becoming the next town Keith.

8.El and Max-

Also pretty self explanatory, El needs a better role model than Mike, and Max being overwhelmingly confident in every decision helps. Max also tries to make sure El doesn’t push herself to hard. Oh your head hurts? Lets get you some juice, we have this new flavor you’d like. You don’t feel good? Lets take a break. You scrapped your knee? I have a first aid kit somewhere…

Etc etc, Max just always making sure El feels comfortable.

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steddiealltheway · 2 years ago

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Part Two of Alone Together :) Christmas Cookies. Part One. AO3 Link.

Steve groans when his timer goes off again, not finished with cutting out the sugar cookies he’s working on. He would be if Nancy and Robin hadn’t taken a “quick” break over fifteen minutes ago. He wipes his hands off on a towel before finding his oven mitts amongst the mess the trio had created.

He opens the oven and pulls out the pan, setting it quickly on the stovetop as he starts to feel the heat through the worn red mitts.

“Shit,” Steve says, looking at the crispy edges of the cookies. He’s going to have to tell Nancy that she was wrong for once, and Steve was right about the time the cookies needed to be in the oven. He glances off towards the hallway they were headed towards and sighs. They won’t be back any time soon.

He leans against the counter to take a break for a moment. He wishes Eddie were here to give him an extra hand baking. Maybe not ... Steve doesn’t trust Eddie with the shapes he would make or the amount of raw cookie dough he would likely consume. At the very least, he would be good company and entertainment though. Unfortunately, Eddie was roped into providing rides for the kids other than Will and Mike who had experienced Argyle’s driving before.

Steve glances at the clock realizing that there is another hour or so until the kids are supposed to be there to decorate the cookies. He stares at the phone in his kitchen and glances down the hall again.

He needs company and help, and there’s no way he wants to walk in on whatever his ex and his best friend are doing during their break.

He sighs and trudges over to the phone quickly dialing the number he memorized but rarely used. The line rings a few times then stops as a voice says, “Munson not murder residence.”

Steve winces involuntarily at the line. He wonders what type of calls Eddie and his uncle get even though they have a new home and number. “Hey, Eddie,” Steve says. He tries to ignore the sigh of relief on the other line.

“Hey, Steve, what’s going on?” Eddie asks sounding slightly nervous.

“The lovebirds ditched me, and I need help with the sugar cookies, or they won’t be done by the time the kids are supposed to be here. And you know how that’ll go over...”

“They’ll lose their shit, yeah. I’ll be there in a few minutes, don’t worry. See you soon!” Eddie says hanging up the phone before Steve can say goodbye. Maybe he’s desperate for company too.

True to his word, a few minutes later, Eddie is ringing the doorbell and making his way inside the Harrington house. Steve feels the overwhelming urge to hug Eddie, but luckily his hands are too messy to do something stupid like that.

“Hey sugar, nice apron,” Eddie says with a big smile, hands in his pockets as he slowly makes his way to Steve.

“It’s perfectly sensible, and I’m getting you one too before you complain about getting flour on your clothes. Also, ‘sugar’?” Steve asks, digging through his drawer for an extra apron, pulling out a white lacy one he’s sure Eddie will protest.

Instead, Eddie immediately tugs it on, tongue shooting out in concentration when he ties it behind his back. When he’s done – after Steve tells him to tie it in the front and spin it around – Eddie answers, “‘Sugar’ like sugar cookies.”

Steve snorts. Of course Eddie would come up with a nickname that is also a pun. “Okay, back to business,” Steve says seriously trying to hide a smile when Eddie gives him a serious look in response, “I’ll roll out the dough as you cut out the shapes using as much dough as you can. No taste testing. After everything we’ve been through, you’re not dying of salmonella. Also, no weird shapes. Just stick to the cookie cutters.”

“What would a weird shape look like?” Eddie asks next to Steve, bumping his elbow against his.

Steve gives Eddie a look. “No dicks on gingerbread men or in general.”

Eddie frowns. “You’re no fun.” Nonetheless, Eddie actually follows his rules well, all while chatting with Steve about random things on his mind, sometimes humming a Christmas tune when a comfortable silence settles between them.

Steve notes how easily they navigate around each other, gentle touches on the waist with a soft warning, and sometimes fingertips lingering for a moment longer than necessary. Not that Steve minds at all.

Before he knows it, the last batch of cookies are going in the oven, as Eddie pulls off his apron and begins to clean up the countertops. He’s well more well behaved than Steve imagined, but really, they haven’t spent too much time alone. The idea of alone time rings through Steve’s head as he unties his apron as well.

Steve makes his way next to Eddie who quickly invades his personal space as he always does. Steve sneaks a glance at Eddie and snorts. A bit of white powder is smeared across his cheek, and Steve can’t help but do the most cliché thing and gently wipe it off Eddie’s face.

“What are you doing?” Eddie breathes out.

“Getting flour off your cheek,” Steve explains, thumb gently sweeping the flour off. His hand lingers.

“Steve…” Eddie says, voice low.

Before Steve realizes what he’s doing, he’s already pulling Eddie in.

“Steve!” Robin’s voice calls out panicked from the hall. Steve jumps back immediately. “Oh my god, we fell asleep and just woke up and noticed what time it is and... Hey, Eddie, what are you doing here?”

Eddie glances towards the clock and yells, “Leaving! Shit, Dustin will be so mad when I’m late!” Eddie presses a quick panicked kiss against Steve’s cheek and runs out of the kitchen.

The front door slams as Nancy makes her way into the kitchen rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Robin stares at Steve with raised eyebrows. “So, Eddie, huh?”

“No,” Steve firmly states. “And since you two took a lovely nap, I’m going to do the same as you two clean up and get the icing ready. Also, there’s one more batch of cookies in the oven. Enjoy!” Steve yells over his shoulder making his way to the living room couch.

“He’s totally deflecting, right?” Steve hears Robin say to Nancy.

“What did I miss?” Nancy asks thoroughly confused.

Steve drifts off in the living room to hushed whispers coming from the kitchen, and he tries not to perk up every time he hears Eddie’s name whilst trying not to think too hard about that kiss.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“Steve, hey Steve, sugar. Wake up.”

Steve groans and slowly cracks an eye open catching sight of Eddie shaking him awake. This may be the only time Steve has ever enjoyed being woken up. He sits up with a groan and asks, “What time is it?”

Eddie smiles. “It’s only been about half an hour. The kids have already all picked out their cookies, but I thought you wouldn’t mind the extra sleep.”

“You’re a perfect man. Has anyone told you that?” Steve asks until he catches sight of the devious smile growing on Eddie’s face. “I take that back. You’re horrible. A menace really.”

“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the... couch.” Steve groans in response. “Come on, big boy, let’s see what the kids have left us.”

Steve allows Eddie to help him up and might play the ‘just woke up’ card a little too heavily, but he really enjoys the feeling of Eddie wrapping his arm around his waist as he assists him to the kitchen. All of the kids and adults are too busy with their own creations to notice Steve practically clinging to Eddie’s side as they walk over to the counter section left for them.

There’s a baking sheet with what looks to be all the deformed or broken cookies occupying their area. Steve huffs, “After all that, they leave us with this. What a great sentiment.”

Eddie laughs and picks at two gingerbread men – one with the head fallen off and the other with a missing arm and broken leg. He picks up the two and puts on a strangely high-pitched voice for the left cookie missing the head, “Oh, hello there Dusty-bun. I would lose my head if it weren’t for you.”

Steve puts his head in his hands and sighs deeply.

“Get it? And look, this one with the broken leg is Dustin. It’s hilarious.” Eddie says with a laugh, continuing to make the two interact. Steve peeks through his hands and wonders how he ever agreed to this date pact thing.

After they get ahold of some icing, Eddie does a splendid job making the red icing look like blood for all the broken pieces – even for the tree and star shapes. Steve finds himself joining in after giving up on trying to make his look pretty or in any way uniform. But it pays off to have Eddie giggling at whatever messed up creation Steve decides to add to their pile.

Steve glances over at the beautiful cookies Nancy and Robin are creating, then Jonathan and Argyle’s cookies covered in green icing he assumes is in the shape of weed, the three gingerbread men El, Max, and Lucas put together, the blue and yellow cookies Will and Mike make, and Dustin and Suzie’s very... interesting icing explosion creation. He glances back at his and Eddie’s and decides he kind of likes theirs the best, but maybe that’s just because he’s biased.

“So, where are the gingerbread cookies?” Mike asks the room.

“The what?” Steve asks turning around.

“The gingerbread cookies for the gingerbread houses we’re making,” Dustin explains and sighs. “Steve, did you forget to make them?”

Steve holds his hands up. “How was I supposed to remember to make them when no one told me to in the first place?”

All the kids whine and grumble about how this is somehow Steve’s fault, and really he’s about two seconds away from kicking them all out.

“Hey! Steve went out of his way to bake all these cookies for you, and this is how you repay him? By asking for more and getting upset when someone didn’t tell him of these plans in the first place,” Eddie says effectively guilting the kids into apologizing.

Steve sighs when the mood in the room goes down. “When did you want to make these gingerbread houses?”

“Today,” Mike snips back, but one look at Eddie, and he’s mumbling an apology. Eddie really needs to teach Steve how to do that.

Steve pinches his nose then rests his hands on his hips, making a plan. ��How about we do it tomorrow?” The kids and even the adults all start agreeing excitedly. “But! You will be coming here first, and helping me make the gingerbread so you can cut out the exact shapes you want for your houses, got it?”

A general groan goes around the kitchen.

“Keep it up and we’ll make you pitch in for the supplies,” Eddie warns them.

The group’s attitude spikes through the roof, unbearably thankful for Steve once again. When their fake gratitude wears off, Steve turns back to Eddie.

“Thank you for the help,” Steve says sincerely leaning slightly against Eddie’s side.

“Anytime. I was thinking maybe we could replicate the Creel house to get back at them... maybe make a little model of my old trailer after it became a gate... Oh! How about a huge house shaped like a bat?” Eddie rambles on, tongue sticking out and eyes flickering around trying to find the worst idea.

Steve laughs and nudges Eddie who stops his rambling to give Steve a blinding smile before squeezing another pipe of red frosting onto their cookies which looks suspiciously dick shaped.

“You never said I couldn’t make a dick out of frosting,” Eddie protests.

Steve’s starting to wonder how he ever would’ve made it through the holidays without him.

Part three.

( Tag list for my lovely @eddiesbabe95 )

#steddie #steddie fanfic #steddie christmas #steve harrington #eddie munson

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schrijverr · 1 year ago

Text

I Found Myself a Cheerleader 1

Chapter 1 out of 28

Bumped to the lowest step on the social ladder after his fight with Billy, Steve gets roped in with the cheer team. What starts as a favor to help them out when one member breaks her leg in turn for protection from the brunt of the bullying, sets the universe on a different path.

He befriends Chrissy and grows as thick as thieves with her. Over the summer he adds Robin to his friends as well. Meanwhile Eddie seems to have taken an interest in the fallen king, but Steve can’t figure out quite yet why Eddie is talking with him. Flirting with him?

On AO3.

Ships: eventual steddie & buckingham

Warnings: period typical sexism, period typical homophobia, internalized homophobia, child neglect mention, bullying, f-slur

~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 1: The Deal

Steve has quit the basketball team after winter break. Before winter break he was technically still on the team, but not allowed to play due to his concussion. Now he is healed enough to get back on the court, but Billy has turned most of the team against him, which makes playing impossible. Hence the quitting.

However, now he has a slot he needs to fill if he wants to make it into college. He can’t join some braniac team, he’s barely scraping by. Going back to swimming also isn’t an option, since the swim team is practically the same as the basketball team and he doesn’t fancy drowning.

He wishes he could just continue playing basketball. That it wasn’t that bad. That he could man up and make it through. But he can’t, he really can’t. He likes his bones in one piece and the doctor said another concussion might be the end of what his brain can take.

So, he sits longingly alongside the court and watches the team train, aching to just have an activity he is good at again. To not feel like such a failure.

A loud and frustrated sigh pulls him from his thoughts and his eyes are pulled to the cheerleaders that are also practicing in the gym. The captain of the cheer team, Molly, throws up her hands and says: “It isn’t gonna work like this.”

“No need to snap,” Heather, one of the other girls, scowls. “Mary can’t help that she’s sick. She’ll be back after the weekend and then we’ll train the whole thing properly.”

“I know that,” Molly snaps. “But it’s throwing everything off and we need to get this routine straight. We can’t afford to have anyone missing.”

“We know,” Heather rolls her eyes, still posed to fight.

Molly sighs and says: “I just need this competition to go well.”

Heather softens at that and places a hand on Molly’s shoulder and smiles: “We’re gonna kill it. Don’t worry too much, Molls. Lets just run it again, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” Molly smiles, before loudly clapping her hands and getting everyone back into position to go from the top.

Without realizing Steve has ambled closer to the cheerleaders. He startles a little at the loud clap, before watching at the routine starts up again. He has often watched the cheerleaders, they’re at the sides of big games and the team always stared together.

However, he has never really paid any attention to their training. Right now, though, he watches in awe as they toss each other in the air and keep smiling as they tumble about.

Since he is aware of it, he can clearly see where one of the girls is missing. When some of the girls are lifted some shapes are uneven and a few stay on the ground with an annoyed look. Certain formations are also incomplete. At one point one of the girls nearly falls, because someone who is supposed to be there isn’t.

The routine comes to an end and Steve can clearly see Molly, who is on the cusp of breaking down again. In Steve’s opinion it doesn’t look that difficult, well, what seems to be missing that is. It’s just holding someone up. Not like he has to do a back flip.

He hasn’t consciously realized what he’s doing until he’s tapping Molly on the shoulder. She startles and turns, before getting big eyes and smiling softly as she greets: “Hi, Steve.”

While Steve’s popularity has gone down considerably since Billy showed up, he is still well liked under the female student body. He smiles back at her and says: “Hi, Molly. Uhm- This is really stupid.” He rubs the back of his head, suddenly aware of how much he is not allowed to do what he is about to do. “I-” he lets out a breath and decides to go for it. “I heard you talking earlier, about missing someone. Can I help?”

It’s quiet and Steve immediately regrets even looking in their direction.

A boy doesn’t do cheerleading, it’s a girls sport. Barely even a sport. Just a thing they do to look pretty. He has no business being close to it beyond asking a cheerleader out. He has already plummeted vastly in popularity, the last thing he needs is gay rumors floating around. No matter how true they’d be.

He just wants to be helpful, do something he might be able to for a change. But he didn’t think it through and now he’s done something stupid. Like he always does.

Steve is about to take it back, play it off as a joke or just walk away if nothing comes to mind in the next second, when Molly lights up. “That’s perfect!” she grins. “Mary is a base position, which should be easy to teach. Thank you so much.”

Some of the other girls send him some weird looks, but after Molly’s relieved thanks, he doesn’t have the heart to turn away. So, he awkwardly shrugs: “It’s no problem, not like I have anything better to do.”

He is ignored by Molly, who turns around and addresses the others: “Go over parts you’re struggling with for a little. Lisa, Karen, Susan, come here!”

Three girls come their way as the others devolve into doing their own thing. Molly asks him: “Are you warmed up?”

Steve doesn’t think this will be that much effort, so he nods. It’s honestly his mistake, along with staying in his jeans and shirt.

He is shown the proper way to hold up a flyer. He hadn’t even realized before now that there were multiple positions in cheerleading. However, here he is. He is filling in for a base, so he’s holding Karen, the flyer, along with Lisa, the other base. Meanwhile Susan is the back spotter, she is the first to catch Karen should it go wrong. It’s important to catch the flyer properly or one can risk hurting the flyer quite badly.

Within a few minutes Steve gains so much respect for cheerleading, something he and the other guys have always put aside as some easy girly thing.

As he lifts Karen, he can feel her muscles under his hands as she has to keep everything tense as to not loose her balance on just their hands. Lisa is also a lot stronger than she looks, holding half of Karen’s weight along with Steve. He is already sweating through his polo and he definitely can’t keep smiling as he does this.

After a while he is able to get it. Molly is satisfied with his progress and deems it enough to call everyone together again. She says: “Okay, we can’t go through the routine, because Steve doesn’t know it and he isn’t going to learn this quick. So, we’re just going through the pyramids slowly, alright?”

She gets cheers back and instructs Lisa to make sure Steve knows what to do as everyone moves back to position.

Lisa is his saving grace, because Steve can’t keep up with how easily they all shift between position, creating structures out of just their bodies, before flipping down, tumbling around and doing it again.

He hadn’t realized how much mental space it takes to keep track of everyone’s position. He is very impressed with all the cheerleaders and he is genuinely having fun.

Cheerleading is a physical activity that he’s actually quite good at, throwing Karen around with ease and watching her fly. And for once he isn’t being pushed around.

A part of him knows that he shouldn’t be having fun, that he should have never even offered to do it and play it off as trying to get a date if someone asked. But it’s hard to keep the happiness away or not reply to the high five Lisa offers when they pull off a tricky stunt.

So, it’s not until the basketball team takes a break and he is spotted that the pit in his stomach, that he felt when he first offered, returns. He’s holding one of Karen’s legs when he hears Billy sneer: “Look at that, Harrington’s turned from a king into a princess.”

He can’t risk hurting Karen, so he grits his teeth as he hears the rest of his former team snicker. The stunt still needs to be completed, so Steve tries to tune them out as they bounce so Karen gets the height she needs for a flip.

Once she is safely on the ground, Steve looks at his old teammates, who have all collected to laugh at him. His cheeks burn with shame and he looks to the ground. He just wanted to help, do something nice for a change.

A hand on his arm, makes him look up. Lisa is looking at him with a kind and concerned look. She quietly says: “You don’t have to stick around. We get it. Mary will get better and we’ll pick up training Monday again.”

Steve is quite tempted to take her offer. To just run and be a coward, because a coward is better than being tossed for the tigers. Being a coward is better than being a queer.

However, before he can, Molly is speaking up. She overheard what Lisa said and doesn’t want to stop training. She needs Steve there. She crosses her arms and says: “All of you stop laughing right now, or you’re not getting a date from a cheerleader for the rest of the year. Steve was gentleman enough to offer help when we needed it. Maybe take an example.”

That shuts the boys right up. Steve knows what they talk about in the locker room, almost all the boys there want a date with a cheerleader. A bit of fun at Steve’s expense isn’t worth blowing that chance over.

Billy’s face goes through an amusing journey of emotions. In the end he scoffs and turns away with a: “Let the ballerinas do their thing.”

Molly’s face contorts in a hateful look, before she takes a deep breath and lets it go. Steve honestly admires her ability to do so.

She turns back to Steve and puts on big eyes as she clasps her hands together and says: “Please, Steve, stay for a little. We really appreciate your help. You’re such a gentleman, I mean that, you know. A knight in shining armor. Please, stay a little more, we’d all owe you.”

If he hadn’t grown up around his mother and seen how Molly plastered on the dainty, pleading eyes, he wouldn’t have realized this was a manipulation. She is playing into his masculinity and implying he could score a date if he stays.

Luckily for Molly, Steve is having too much fun to turn down a reason to continue, so he pretends to fall for it. He puts on his best smirk and replies: “I mean, how could I refuse a lady in need of help.”

She brightens up, this time the smile is genuine and Steve feels even better about his decision to fuck what anyone thinks. He has already been kicked to the bottom of the ladder. If he has to be here, he might as well do something fun.

He discovers that cheerleaders train almost more rigorously as the basketball team. He is there for another hour, running through the drills again and again. By the time they go home, he at least knows where to stand to not be in the way, though the arm movements escape him.

As he leaves, Lisa gives him a soft smile. She isn’t the loudest, but Steve quite likes her calm and steady presence. Throwing Karen around together has created a bit of a bond. So, he smiles back and says: “Bye, Lisa.”

“Bye, Steve,” she says. “Thank you for staying. Molly has been really stressed about practice lately.”

“Oh, it was nothing,” he tells her, looking around for a second, before he admits: “It was quite fun actually. You girls are crazy strong. I never realized.”

That makes Lisa let out a laugh and she grins: “We’re full of surprises,” before they truly say goodbye and go their separate ways.

Steve has been avoiding showering at school with the basketball team out to get him, so he gets into his car in sweaty clothes. Today he’s relieved his parents are never home. Explaining why he’s sweaty in his day clothes to his father would likely be the last thing he did.

Another thing he is relieved about, is that it is weekend. He hopes that it either doesn’t go the rounds that badly with no one stuck in one building and that by the time Monday rolls around the excitement will have died down.

He gets radioed by Dustin, asking him to drive him and the rest of the nerd squad to the arcade. He agrees easily, needing the distraction.

Because what Steve hadn’t counted on, is how the cheerleading would get stuck in his head. He had expected it to be a one time thing, something nice that would keep his mind of basketball for a bit, but instead he can’t help but think back on how much fun he’d had.

Cheerleaders have a very different team dynamic from basketball. There is more yelling of good jobs and needing to work together, instead of people trying to steal the spotlight and pushing each other around. It was quite nice.

Plus, it felt great to exercise again. And it felt much more like a team sport with Karen needing to trust him and Lisa to keep her upright and to count on Lisa to do her part, while Steve did his. He can’t deny that a part of him wants to do it again.

So, he drives up to Dustin’s house, then the others and listens to them gush about the campaign Will is running, making the shy boy blush. Then they move on how Max still has the high score, but she’s gonna meet them there and Dustin will observe her strategy, then beat her.

Steve doubts that, Max is a beast in the arcade. However, he lets Dustin live in his world as he watches them go nuts, lending the group quarters when they start to come up short.

He muses that these kids have a hobby they like. He used to have that, but basketball is kind of off limits right now. Even playing just for fun is ruined, since those games are mostly the basketball team or people who are friends with the basketball team. All of whom now hate Steve.

He still shoots some hoops alone in his backyard and swims laps in the pool (albeit with less ease after Barb), but he wants to do something with other people again.

Once more his mind drifts to cheerleading, but he quickly pushes that thought away. Cheerleading is for girls, he already got enough shit as is, he doesn’t need more. Besides, Mary will return and they won’t even need an extra person.

It’s not going to happen, so he should let it go and find something new.

“For the last time, zoomer isn’t a thing,” Mike complains loudly. Lucas jumps to Max’s defense at that, something that isn’t appreciated and the group devolves into squabbling over DnD categories again.

Steve wonders if he should pick up DnD. Dustin has explained it to him a few times, but it sounded hard and the thought of having to face Eddie Munson and his crew made Steve’s stomach churn.

He knows it’s his own fault that such a group will probably not welcome him with open arms, but it still isn’t a great feeling. Now that he is paying attention to others than the basketball team more, he can’t deny that the Hellfire club seems to like each other a lot more. Something that Steve will never get to experience, because he burned those bridges before they could even form.

Maybe he could join band. His parents forced him to learn piano when he was younger, though he doubts piano is part of band. Besides, he has seen the people at the band table. He likely won’t be welcome there either.

Honestly, at this point the only place he might not get shunned is the Hawkins High school newspaper, but that will be because of Nancy and Jonathan, which will only make it all the more mortifying. No thanks.

Contemplating his position, he lets out a deep sigh. Then yelps when a voice next to him suddenly asks: “Are you okay, Steve?”

He looks down to see Will looking up at him with concerned eyes. Steve forces a smile onto his face and assures the kid: “Yeah, baby Byers, I’m okay. You doing good? Need a quarter?”

“No, it’s fine,” Will tells him. “I was just asking, because you look sad. Mom told me to keep an eye on you. She wants to make sure you know you can talk to her about what all happened. You sure nothing’s bothering you?”

Will says it with the ease of a kid, who isn’t fully aware of when they are sharing too much, but the words hit Steve right in the chest.

After the Upside Down bullshit, he hasn’t been sleeping as well and there is no one really to lean on. He is distracting himself with school and driving the kids around. His parents aren’t home to notice anything, yet here Joyce is, showing more care than any adult ever has for Steve.

He has to swallow as to not break down and ruffles Will’s hair as he clears his throat. “That’s sweet, kid, but I’m good. I promise. Just thinking about school.”

At that Will nods with understanding and it hurts that this little kid knows more about what Steve is going through at his age. No one should have to struggle with kids being mean, but Will especially doesn’t deserve it with all he has been through.

To distract from the moment, he holds up a quarter and says: “Wanna bet I can beat Dustin’s Pac-Man high score?”

Will giggles: “He’ll be so mad if you do. It’s his only pride after Max took over everywhere.”

“Lets go boil his blood,” Steve tells Will, even though he isn’t even good at Pac-Man. However, it will make Will laugh and then he can make the kid try, paying for it, because he saw how Will ran out of coins a bit ago.

The weekend passes further until it is Monday and he is parking at the school. He isn’t looking forward to walking in there, not able to predict what he’ll find. He doesn’t like being unprepared in social situations.

As he walks down the hall, he gets a few weird looks, but no one says anything about it. Maybe Molly’s threat about the dates worked and no one is daring. Steve hopes so.

His luck doesn’t hold up, sadly. During first period a note is handed to him with a crude drawing of him in a cheering costume, the word princess written above it. The door to a classroom is opened for him with the comment: “Ladies first.”

Steve honestly finds it more childish and annoying than hurtful, except that it keeps hitting home what he already knew. That he wasn’t supposed to do that and there is something wrong with him, because he actually enjoyed himself, because he even thought of doing it.

Because cheerleading is for girls. It’s not for boys and the fact that Steve did it and enjoyed it means that somewhere in his brain there is something wrong with him. He already knows that there is something wrong with him, but having it spelled out for him?

It’s soul crushing.

By the time lunch period rolls around, he already knows that he doesn’t want to be in the cafeteria right now. It’s still too cold for anyone to sit outside, besides stepping out for a smoke. So, he sets up camp on a wall outside and eats his lunch. Rather cold than a target.

About halfway through lunch, he hears someone approaching. He steels himself for whatever is coming his way. He turns around, surprised to see it’s Molly and Heather, Lisa running after them as if she is trying to stop them.

She doesn’t make it in time, because Molly is already there. She is staring him down and Steve wonders what she has heard to make her look like that. Uncertain, he asks: “Can I help you with something?”

“Emma broke her leg,” Molly says in lieu of an answer.

“Okay?” Steve replies.

“We need someone to take her place in the competition two weeks from now,” Molly explains further and it starts to click what she is asking.

“No,” Steve denies immediately. He wants to say yes, he would love to do more if he were to listen to the little voice in his head, but he can’t. He has already seen what just one time helping out did to the tatters of his reputation, he can’t imagine what everyone will think or say if he took part in a competition.

Frustration creeps into Molly’s face and she protests: “But Lisa said you told her you had fun. You were good at it. Why not?”

“Molly, no.” Lisa is finally there. She looks apologetically at Steve and says: “I didn’t know she would do this when I mentioned it. I’m sorry, Steve.”

She looks genuinely distraught and Steve instantly feels bad for her. They had built up the most camaraderie together. She obviously felt the same and despite the fact that they needed someone, there was already enough solidarity between them after one practice that she would stick up for him against the cheer captain. That never happens in basketball.

“Let her try,” Heather cuts in, backing up the cheer captain. From what Steve had seen, Heather isn’t afraid to stop Molly if she thinks the other goes too far. Right now she apparently agrees with her friend, though.

Lisa sends him another apologetic look that he answers with a reassuring smile.

Molly gets the attention back on herself and says: “Look, I know why you’re saying no. Trust me, I get it. But this competition is the biggest of the season. It’s statewide and there will be college scouts there. You don’t understand, I need this competition to go well.”

She looks at him with intense eyes and Steve knows this so well. Right now she isn’t trying to manipulate him, she is talking to him as a fellow athlete, whose only chance to get into college is a sports scholarship.

And a part of Steve wants to think fuck it and say yes. He is already hanging on the bottom, might as well do whatever he wants. But he can’t be like the party, like those kids who don’t care and just have fun. He can’t be anything but a Harrington.

“It’s just two weeks,” Heather pleads. “The competition is in two weeks. We’ll train every day so you get it down, you do it once and then you can walk away. We won’t ask more than that.”

“I can’t,” Steve says, sounding apologetic. “You know, I can’t. I should have never offered to help Friday. I don’t even know why you would want to associate with me. You’d be better off trying to convince one of your own friends.”

Molly huffs: “All of our friends are already on the cheer squad.”

“And most girls aren’t able to get strong enough to do the lifts in two weeks,” Lisa adds quietly, joining her friends. She obviously also wants him to say yes, even if she feels bad for how his words were being used against him.

Heather agrees too: “And we can’t teach them how to stunt or catch either in that time. We already know you can fill in as a base. Emma is a base too.”

The more they beg, the harder it is for Steve to say no. He doesn’t want to say no, they all know it, but he has to. He will only be here for half a year more, then he’ll be off to college. He’d like to say in one piece until then and this will be counterproductive.

“Think of it as a deal,” Molly tells him.

“A deal?” he repeats.

“Yeah, the cheer squad is big,” Molly explains. “At least one of us is in all of your classes. We can offer you protection, a social barrier and you can pay us back by doing the competition.”

“I don’t need you to protect me,” Steve scoffs, though it is quite obvious to everyone in Hawkins High that Steve is a prime target without backup. Now that he stopped performing King Steve, it’s like everyone can see all that is wrong with him.

Clearly Molly thinks the same, because she raises her brow at him. She says: “I’m serious, Steve. I know it’s nonsense, but we’re the girls the guys want to get with and the other girls want to be. And cheer squad sticks together. When Tommy harassed Karen at a party, we all agreed he wouldn't get a date. And look at him. He’s with Carol now.”

Steve remembers the cheer squad turning against Tommy, neither of them had ever figured out why until now. Carol has always considered herself too cool for the cheer squad and Steve wonders if her dating Tommy is a rebellion against them.

“If you say yes, Billy won’t have another date with a cheerleader ever. You’ll sit at the cheer table surrounded by girls. If one of the basketball boys wants a date, they have to be nice to you,” Molly lays it out again. “Just think about it for a second.”

Molly is terrifying, Steve decides. If she ever decides to go into business, she’ll be unstoppable. It’s hard to find reasons to say no. He likes it and his father isn’t even home to be mad about it. His parents will be back next month, by that time everyone will have forgotten about this. They’ll never even have to know.

“Does the deal still stand after the competition?” Steve asks. He is also the son of a business man, he might not like it, but he knows the trade well.

“It sticks till the end of the year and if I make it into college and you have to repeat a year, it extends to next year too,” Molly promises. “Lisa will ensure it.”

“I don’t think that will happen,” Steve protests, but he feels quite relieved. He holds out his hand and smiles: “You got yourself a deal.”

“Yes,” she cheers, shaking his hand, before using the movement to pull him from the wall. “Come on,” she tells him. “No more moping outside. It’s way too cold.”

The four of them make their way inside. Steve is a big believer in seeing is believing, so he still braces himself when they enter the cafeteria. However, no one is willing to risk a cheerleader getting caught in the cross fire.

He gets many glares, but he has long since learned to keep his head up and ignore it as he follows the girls to their table. When he gets there, multiple faces erupt in smiles and Karen excitedly asks: “Did you agree?”

Steve is taken aback by how happy they all are with the news. All of them practically cheer when he nods and they pull him in their midst as they start explaining the competition to him. It’s overwhelming in a good way. Their excitement is infectious and it’s the best lunch period he’s had since before Halloween.

When lunch period is over, Heather hooks her arm around his and smiles: “We have History right now, right?”

“Yeah,” Steve agrees, a bit stunned how seriously she takes it without making a big deal out it. He should probably be embarrassed that he is being protected by a group of girls, but he can’t bring himself to care much when Heather rips up the note before it reaches him and he isn’t tripped up again in the hallways.

He has an escort for the entire day and after the last bell has rung, Susan walks with him to cheerleading practicing, because that is what he has agreed to.

This time, he knows better than to try and do this in his normal clothes, so he changes in a toilet stall, feeling a sense of solidarity with all the less sporty kids he’s seen doing that throughout the years.

They start with a warm up, which Steve takes very seriously after how sore he’d been all weekend, as he ignores the looks of the basketball team when they see him stretching with the cheerleaders in his gym clothes.

Those fucker probably thought he would be running far away from them and not dare to do anything they would dislike ever again. Steve feels a smug sense of defiance as he moves to touch his toes.

The others easily slide into splits and Steve honestly has no clue how they do it. Lisa makes eye contact with him from where she is relaxing in a split and quirks a brow at his confused expression, like she can’t understand what is weird about the situation.

“How do you do that?” Steve asks as an explanation. “How are your legs not killing you right now? That’s so fucking impressive.”

Understanding dawns on her face and she softly laughs: “Practice and patience. I’ve been doing cheer since middle school.”

“Wish I could do that,” Steve comments.

“Don’t let coach hear that or she’ll make it her mission to get you there and let me tell you, she is a hardass,” Lisa informs him.

Steve honestly hadn’t considered the fact that the cheer team would also have a coach and anxiety creeps up at the idea of having to face her. Before he can bolt, they’re interrupted by Ms. Miller, who teaches geography. “Everyone gather around,” she calls.

Reluctantly Steve follows after the girls, trying to stay out of sight of Ms. Miller. However, it’s for naught, because Ms. Miller asks: “Molly, have you found someone to replace Emma?”

“Yes, coach,” Molly says. “Steve is helping out.”

Ms. Miller frowns and Steve feels the heat gathering in his cheeks as everyone parts so she can see Steve. Awkwardly he smiles at her and waves. “Uhm, hi, Ms. Miller.”

“It’s coach Miller here,” she tells him. “I expect you to take this seriously. Are you able to do that, Steve?”

“Yes, coach,” the answer comes naturally.

Coach Miller smiles: “Good to hear. Do you have any clue what we’re doing?”

“Uhm, I subbed for Mary Friday, but other than that, no clue,” Steve answers honestly. “Except that it’s for a competition.”

Surprise flashes over coach Miller’s face at the confession, but it is quickly replaced by glee. She claps her hands together and blows her whistle: “Alright everyone, we’re going through the whole thing from the top. Slowly. Make sure Steve knows what’s happening next.”

Everyone immediately starts moving. For a second Steve stands there unsure of what to do, then Heather comes up to him and smiles: “You’re in my group. Come on.”

He easily follows her as she walks towards two other girls. She introduces them both. First she points to a Latina girl with a high ponytail. “This is Sofia, she’s the other base. Look to her for clues.”

Steve nods and shakes Sofia’s hand. He doesn’t have any classes with her, because he thinks she’s a junior. But he has seen her around in Nancy’s AP Honor courses when they were still dating.

“And this is Chrissy, our flyer,” Heather introduces a red hair shy looking girl.

“Hi,” she greets.

“Hello,” Steve replies with a smile he hopes is reassuring. He’s pretty sure the girl is a sophomore, who knows him only by reputation. He doesn’t want to scare her.

After the introductions, Steve is positioned into the starting position. They go through the entire routine at a snail’s pace to ensure Steve can follow along. Today they’re just focusing on being at the right place, tomorrow they’re primarily running through stunts and he’s told that the arm movements will come later.

Like Friday, Steve is having a blast. Sofia is super smart and hilarious. She makes all sorts of jokes under her breath that have all of them struggling not to crack up under the harsh gaze of coach Miller.

Chrissy is also nice and very caring and enthusiastic when she gets out of her shell a little. The only thing is how tiny she is. Steve feels like he’ll break her ankle if he holds her too tightly.

The atmosphere is also so much more fun. Coach Miller is strict much like the basketball coach is, but she still yells out encouragements too. And between the cheerleaders themselves, they’re constantly calling out: “Well done!” or “Oh my god, that was so good!”

If anyone in the basketball team were to do that, they would’ve gotten weird looks and called a fag or something. Steve doesn’t miss it, but he’s sad that all of them are told not to even encourage each other. The most they are allowed is a slap on the back. It doesn’t seem fair.

But he alone can’t change anything about that, so he finds himself in the limbo of smiling when he gets a compliment, but being too awkward to say anything himself as practice goes on.

At they end they all do their cooling down together. Molly takes a place close to Steve and grills him the entire time about how confident he is he can get it before the competition. Steve assures her that he will, though he adds that he doesn’t know if he can keep smiling. “I don’t even know how you all do that,” he tells her.

Molly laughs at that and answers: “Oh, Steve, you are such a guy, you know.”

“What?” he asks, a bit confused and unsure what could have gotten that response.

“Come back to me when you walked a day in heels,” she says instead of answering. “We’re used to smiling through the pain.”

Steve privately thinks that doesn’t sound very healthy, but he keeps his mouth shut, unsure he wants to have this discussion.

They disperse to the changing rooms. Steve contemplates going home sweaty again, but he’s in just his shorts now and it’s still way too cold outside for that. Plus, the basketball team is still going, so he hurries through his shower, hoping he’ll be done, before they get there.

However, they’re done quicker with their punishment laps than Steve expected. So, he’s in the middle of pulling his shirt on when they flood into the changing room.

For a second both Steve and the team freeze, staring at each other in some sort of stand off. Then play is pressed again and Steve is suddenly face to face with Billy, who spits: “What, hanging out with the freaks and little girls wasn’t enough for you, Harrington?”

Steve takes a deep breath, trying not to let it get to him. He replies: “I’m just helping out, Hargrove, you know, doing something nice? Ever heard of the word nice? Or did you skip that lesson in kindergarten?”

Billy bristles and steps forwards, pushing Steve back onto the bench. He gets right up into Steve’s face, who is hit in the face with the stench of teenage boy sweat. He wrinkles his nose, which is the wrong thing to do, because he is grabbed by the front of his shirt and Billy spits: “Those girls can’t help you here. I’m not done with you.”

“Well, I am done with you,” Steve answers coolly, reaching for his bag. He has tried fighting Billy before, that didn’t work out. Now he just hopes he can flee. Let him be a coward, it’s not like anyone here still respects him.

Anger flares up in Billy’s face again and he reels back, probably to hit Steve. However, he is still holding Steve’s shirt, but Steve never managed to put it on properly. So, before the hit lands, he slithers out of it and onto the floor, rolling away and snatching bag as he shoulders his way through the rest of the team, who are luckily too stunned to stop him as he breaks free.

In the hallway, he runs into Lisa, who looks at him in surprise. He looks downs, realizing he’s shirtless and gives her an awkward smile. “Uh, this is intentional?” he says.

“Harrington!” they hear Billy bellow from the changing room and Steve starts power walking away from the changing room, pulling Lisa with him and putting his sweaty shirt on again.

“Are you okay?” Lisa asks with concern.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Steve smiles at her. “Just going to change at home next time.”

“For what it’s worth, I think it really sucks that they’re treating you like that over this,” Lisa tells him genuinely.

“I get it,” Steve shrugs. “I mean, it’s not exactly conventional, you know. Everyone probably thinks it’s a little weird. Hell, I don’t even know why I offered Friday.”

“Still, you’re just doing something nice,” Lisa argues, a small frown on her forehead. She isn’t the fighting type, but she does get frustrated.

“Don’t think they care,” Steve laughs. “They already didn’t like me before this either. They just have something else to hold against me now.”

Lisa’s frown deepens, but she doesn’t say anything.

Steve honestly doesn’t feel like talking about it, so he changes the subject by asking: “You have a car, or want a ride home?”

“I mean, if you’re sure,” Lisa says.

“Of course,” Steve says. “It’s no trouble. And you can tell me more about the terms on the way. I have no clue what coach Miller is telling us 90% of the time.”

That makes Lisa laugh and they set off towards the parking lot together. Luckily, Billy doesn’t try anything with Lisa nearby. Steve tries not to question it too much. He’s tired of trying to figure out what Billy is thinking.

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spicysix · 1 year ago

Text

i was a no (never 'maybe'?)

"Robin takes her by the waist with one hand as the other reaches her face for a caress. Their eyes meet and Chrissy smiles before tilting forward. Her skin is silky smooth and as their lips meet there are fireworks- “Whatcha’ doin’?” Eddie’s voice is right by her ear. ❀ She’s pressed against a door, and Chrissy’s hands are on both sides of her head. She smells citric, her hair’s up in that cheerleader ponytail with the bow to make it better. Her lips are glossy, and Robin knows they taste of berries, and she confirms it once Chrissy leans in and their lips meet. There are fireworks- “What are you doing?” Robin wakes up from her daydreaming with Nancy’s voice behind her." or: Robin has a chronic problem of daydreaming about her crush.

warnings/tags: pining, friends-to-lovers, farmer market!AU, Robin is gay and oblivious, everyone else is gay and a meddler, fluff!! word count: 3.8k author's note: happy buckingham taking over jargyle jursday - so i guess it's Buckingham Bursday? anyway. and happy pride! 💚🏳️‍🌈 entirely based on the song and music video of 'chance' by Hayley Kiyoko (lesbian Mother yayyyy). you decided this one, remember that poll? heh, thanks for that. also shoutout to the ST rarepairs discord server for the help coming up with what everyone in this farmer market sells. hope y'all like it, happy reading! ♡

↳ ao3

Robin takes her by the waist with one hand as the other reaches her face for a caress. Their eyes meet and Chrissy smiles before tilting forward. Her skin is silky smooth and as their lips meet there are fireworks-

“Whatcha’ doin’?” Eddie’s voice is right by her ear.

“SHIT!” she shrieks, startled, before turning to face Eddie as he has a knowing smirk on his lips. Steve is behind him, trying to hold in his laughter. “I’m not doing anything!” she defends herself even if she knows they’re not gonna buy it.

“If you’d just let us meddle, you’d be together by now,” Eddie says as he shrugs.

Robin’s eyes go back to where they were just a few seconds ago. Chrissy is now talking to a client, a candle in their hand as she tries to make a sale. Robin knows that one, it’s the Lemon Meringue. Robin has three of them. The client should buy it, even if the delicious refreshing citric smell is not what makes them, Chrissy’s smile should do it. It’s what does it for Robin, anyway.

“I’m not gonna let you two idiots meddle. Either this will happen by god’s own will, fate’s written words, me growing metaphoric lesbian female balls, or it won’t happen at all!” she answers without taking her eyes off of the client putting down the Lemon Meringue and picking up the Passionfruit Martini. An excellent choice too. Robin once had six of them from when Chrissy started trying them out. She’s down to just one now, finally.

A loud bleat interrupts her train of thought, and Eddie’s screaming goat scares Hennifer Aniston and she starts cackling loudly as well.

“Jesus Christ, get out of here with your Baphomet,” Robin shoos Eddie and he laughs before pulling the rope around the goat’s neck. Robin picks up the chicken, Hennifer’s a very cuddly one so she calms down once she’s in Robin’s arms.

“This one’s Phillip, babe, you’re mixing them up,” Eddie says.

“They all look the same and you know it!” Robin fights back and he just waves a hand in the air, not caring about Robin’s antics. He knows she’s just mad because he’s a meddler.

“So do your chickens, by the way,” Steve notes as Robin puts Hennifer back in her little playpen.

“They do not! Stop siding with your boyfriend, don’t you have jam or pies or cakes to sell or whatever?” she retorts once again and Steve laughs. “You gay people don’t take care of your own lives and want to meddle in mine! Absurd!”

“We’re bisexual, don’t erase our sexualities! You’re gay people too, Bobbin, and my love life isn’t disastrous as yours is so I could be a good adviser.” He shrugs before leaving a few bills on Robin’s counter and picking up a tray of eggs she had separated for him earlier. “But you’re right, I do have jam and pies and cakes to sell. See you later, Bobs.”

She hums at him as he leaves for his own stall. The peak rush hours are closing in and Robin will get busy soon. She knows the chicken in a playpen gathers attention, and so does the little poster she has containing the chicken’s informations — name, age, personality. Kids love them. And the parents love the eggs, she’s been on the papers once with her high-quality chicken eggs. She’ll start getting her regulars in a few minutes and she’ll have to deal with her stall all alone because Nancy couldn’t help her in today.

Yet, she lets herself lose a few minutes more staring at Chrissy’s stall. The client is leaving with a Tangerine Drizzle — they clearly like the citric ones. Chrissy is counting the money and storing them away in her little detailed wood box, an Argyle Original. She doesn’t notice Robin staring, she never does.

A client approaches, and Robin lets out a sigh. She’s got work do to.

❀❀❀

She’s pressed against a door, and Chrissy’s hands are on both sides of her head. She smells citric, her hair’s up in that cheerleader ponytail with the bow to make it better. Her lips are glossy, and Robin knows they taste of berries, and she confirms it once Chrissy leans in and their lips meet. There are fireworks-

“What are you doing?” Robin wakes up from her daydreaming with Nancy’s voice behind her.

She squeals and turns around too fast, and the cornflakes in her bowl fly out and scatter around on the floor. The chickens are happy with that. Nancy is leaning against the fence, and the knowing smirk on her lips says it all.

“You really have to make a move, this is getting pathetic,” she says as Robin finishes spilling the corn.

Robin leaves the chicken coop and marks the tally on the mental note of tasks to be done.

“What’s with you bisexuals and your inability to stay away from my love life. I don’t wanna hear it from Ms. I Have A Boyfriend-In-Law.” She rolls her eyes as she starts going back to her house and Nancy follows after snorting.

“Jon and Argyle are pansexual, don’t erase their sexualities. And it’s called a polycule, by the way.”

“I’m not erasing-” Robin starts, but stops herself once she sees Nancy’s playful smile. She’s just teasing. “You people will be the death of me.”

Nancy just laughs again and they enter Robin’s house.

Chrissy’s there.

“Robin! Hi!” she greets excitedly when she turns around and sees them entering.

“Chrissy, hello,” Robin’s gotten better at not stuttering when she’s around her crushes. It took her half her life, yes, probably, but at least she’s got it now. She doesn’t ramble and babble awkwardly anymore. “Is there something I can help you with?” She’s also a professional.

“Steve asked me to get some eggs for him? Said he’s got a big order and can’t find the time to stop by himself,” she answers, that beautiful smile of hers still on her lips. Nancy is already heading to the place where the eggs are stored.

Robin narrows her eyes as discreetly as she can while her mind runs. Steve has no big orders this week. Robin knows that, because Steve lets her know every time he does, because she’s gotta separate the eggs for him. He would’ve told her about a big order.

Lying, meddling son of a bitch.

“Here it is, Chris,” Nancy shows up with two dozen eggs and Robin narrows her eyes again.

Chrissy hadn’t said how many eggs Steve asked for.

Lying, meddling sons of bitches.

“Thank you so much!” she says to Nancy before turning to Robin again, who’s just standing there acting weird. “Your birthday’s coming up, right? You’re gonna throw something?”

“Uh, yeah, next week. I don’t know, I’m not much of a partier. Maybe just a nice brunch,” she says, and Chrissy’s still looking at her with expectancy. “If I do, I’ll be sure to let you know, of course! You’re always invited.”

Robin’s answer widens her smile, and Chrissy looks down at her feet with blushed cheeks. Robin feels like screaming. She’s so fucking cute.

“What’s your favorite fragrance again?” she asks and Robin snorts.

Yours, she wants to say. She holds it in.

“Um,” she looks around.

There’s one of the Lemon Meringues on the table by the door. The last Passionfruit Martini is on her bedside table. She knows there’s a Cherry On Top somewhere in her office, and a Blackberry Cobbler in the living or the dining room. She’s been meaning to get a Tangerine Drizzle since she’s seen that client buying one that day, but she’s also been thinking a lot about a Banana Boat to replace the last one she had in the bathroom.

“Ambrosia Salad?” her answer is more of a question, because of course she can’t decide, but it seems to be enough for Chrissy. She tilts her head like a puppy dog — so adorable, really, Robin’s about to implode — and smiles again.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she says. Robin’s heart is about to flutter out of her chest.

She hands the money to Nancy, who’s the one now just standing there, but she’s not being weird like Robin was, she actually has that annoying know-it-all smirk. Robin wants to strangle her.

But then Chrissy comes closer and leaves a kiss on Robin’s cheek, and maybe Robin is about to defy every single rule of the universe and become a puddle, liquefy instantly to the floor. Her cheeks are burning, and her brain seems to have short-circuited and, seriously, it’s fucked up that a single little blonde girl has so much power over her. That shouldn’t be allowed.

Chrissy leaves and Robin watches through the window as Chrissy crosses her lawn. She throws kisses to the chickens and Robin feels like she has no more place in her heart to fall in love even more, and yet she still does. Robin stares until she hops up on her bike and leaves, and she doesn’t notice Robin staring, she never does.

“Bet you wanted to answer ‘her perfume’ or something sappy,” Nancy says behind her and Robin turns around too fast, head going dizzy.

“Will you shut up!” she yells, and Nancy laughs.

“Robin, seriously. Talk to her! I could cut through the tension between you two five minutes ago.”

Robin doesn’t answer, instead, she comes up with a random topic to talk about. Jonathan’s and Argyle’s woodworking, or whatever. How’s that going? Selling lots of wood… works? Nancy lets her change the subject, because she knows Robin sucks at talking feelings, and honestly, Nancy kinda sucks at it too. With each other, at least.

“I wanted to say her actual skin smell, which is much better than any cheap or expensive perfume on the market, by the way,” she still teases back before Nancy leaves later that day, and Nancy laughs loudly and Robin lets herself giggle too.

When it doesn’t hurt like a bitch, being in love is actually kinda funny.

❀❀❀

They’re lying side by side on the grass, and their fingers are intertwined in between their bodies. Chrissy rolls to her side and so does Robin, and their noses almost touch. She’s got that pretty smile of hers that makes her blue eyes shrink until they almost disappear, her little wrinkles show how much she smiles all the time, and it makes Robin’s heart beat so fast. She leans in to kiss her, and the stars above them twinkle and there are fireworks-

“What doing?” Robin’s startled by a tiny voice beside her.

She’s sitting on the park grass, her back against a tree and she could’ve been more undercover if she had just remembered to put her sunglasses on her eyes instead of resting them on the top of her head.

“Doing nothing, Holly,” she answers, and the smallest of the Wheelers just shrugs and sits beside her on the grass.

“She’s pining. As usual,” Dustin answers, and only then Robin sees that the entire Party is there.

Holly doesn’t mind the answer, probably doesn’t even know what the word means, and just starts ripping grass out of the ground. Will and El sit close to Holly and start playing with her. Mike stands and hovers above the three of them, all knight-in-shining-armor pose.

“Huh, the babysat become the babysitters. Steve handed you the business keys?” she asks as the rest of the teenage menaces approach. “It used to be the other way around, you know? It was one guy with a gaggle of children, and now it’s one child with a gaggle of guys,” she finishes.

“Yeah, world’s funny that way, don’t try and change the subject, your pining is disgusting,” Dustin retorts and Robin rolls her eyes.

“Now the teenagers are meddling too, what have I done to deserve that?”

Robin stops looking at them, puts her sunglasses over her eyes this time, and focuses back on her initial interest. Chrissy and Heather are a few feet ahead having a picnic, far enough not to listen but close enough that Robin has a privileged view. They had picked a few flowers and Heather had weaved a few of them into Chrissy’s braided hair. She looks beautiful, like a fairy or something. Robin wants to be Heather so badly, touching Chrissy’s hair so absently, handing her flowers and basking in the late winter sun with her. If she didn’t know Heather was painfully straight, she would’ve been painfully jealous.

She swears she’s not stalking. They got here after she did. She just lost interest in the book she was reading before they appeared. But Chrissy didn’t notice her staring anyway, she never does.

“You and Chrissy have made it the entire town’s problem with your longing and yearning and lack of action. We’re obligated to see it, so you’re obligated to listen to our complaints until one of you actually goes ahead and asks the other out,” Max is leaning against the tree but Robin doesn’t tear her eye from Chrissy to look at the redhead.

“You’d be such a cute couple,” Lucas says and Robin wonders what kinds of sins she had committed to be karmically pestered by a gaggle of teenagers about her private business.

She’ll talk to the others later, tell them to get a hold of their younger siblings. They are so out of line.

“Look, you children don’t understand, okay? I don’t want to risk our friendship, because I like her very, very much. And this is a small town, and we have to see each other weekly and if things don’t work out it’ll be very awkward. There’s so much at risk, things that you kids have no idea about, and I will not! Risk them!” I won’t risk us, she wants to say.

They all look at her for a while after her heart-gutting speech. She looks back, defying them to say anything, and she’s almost sure she’s won her made-up staring challenge when they look at her with sympathy. But Erica ruins it.

“This is not about the gay thing, is it? Because, like, half of our group is part of the rainbow community, birds of a feather or whatever. Girl, we’ve been knowing.” Lucas hisses at his sister for her lack of touch, and she shrugs. “Just the facts.”

Robin takes a deep breath and starts thinking how she’ll answer that without cursing or being very rude and possibly scaring the Little Wheeler forever. Holly doesn’t deserve her rage, she’s clearly the best sibling in that family.

“She doesn’t even like me back, okay? Just the facts,” she mocks through gritted teeth. “Let’s just drop this,” is the best she can manage in a really dry tone, and she thinks it’s enough when they all go quiet again. Until Will speaks.

How did Steve manage, honestly? The man’s a saint, he’s gotta be. Kids are infuriating.

“Robin, I promise we’ll stop talking to you about this, and you don’t have to do as we say,” he says. “But, really. Just consider the possibility of talking to her. If it goes well, and I think it will, it really pays off,” he finishes and Mike, who’s still hovering and looking around as if a monster is about to appear out of nowhere, actually blushes. It’s almost cute.

Robin gives Will the smallest of smiles, that woman-love-woman to man-love-man solidarity smile, but doesn’t answer him. Doesn’t let them know that she’s considering following the advice coming from fucking teenagers (who all seem to have better love lives than she does, but that’s not the point).

Damn you, Will The Wise.

❀❀❀

She’s coming in Robin’s direction, the sun making her blonde hair shine bright and her skin glow, but her smile’s the most blinding of it all. She smiles at Robin in a way no one ever had, and it makes her warm inside. Chrissy’s finally close enough to touch, and Robin doesn’t hold herself and takes her face in between her hands. She smells of chocolate chip cookies in the oven, of laundry softener, of a flowery garden, she smells of home. Robin’s eyes almost tear up simply at the thought of her, and she can’t keep it in, she say’s ‘I love you’, and Chrissy answers, ‘I love you too’ before leaning in to kiss her, and Robin knows there are fireworks-

“Robin?” Chrissy’s voice sounds uncertain and it snaps Robin out of it.

Okay, she really is pathetic. Daydreaming about the girl while she’s talking to her, wow, this has reached a new level of absurdity.

“I’m sorry, so sorry!” she sputters, cheeks burning, hands sweating. “You were saying?”

“Just… happy birthday,” Chrissy smiles, hands Robin a gift box, but it’s such a small smile. A shy one, not good-shy, but fearful-shy. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

Robin can only nod, and she hands the gift box to Steve so he can keep it safe for her. No one around her is making any noise, and she knows they’re being watched by all these meddlers, so she glances at Joyce before turning to Chrissy again.

“Inside,” she almost whispers, before turning around and heading for the Byers’ house.

They’re having her birthday brunch there because Joyce’s porch is the best and her backyard is one of the only ones without animals or trees or woodworking stations. She also loves hosting, so it’s a win-win situation. Argyle cooked, Steve baked, Hop’s working on the barbecue and everyone’s having a great time.

Or, was. Until Chrissy appeared, made Robin’s brain stop working and now there’s that weird tension in the air. Robin knows she fucked up, she fucked up big time, but oh god, Chrissy looked so beautiful. She looked so beautiful every day, but she had such a pretty dress on today, and her hair was up in that cheerleader ponytail with a bow to make it better, and she has a shiny lip gloss that makes her lips look so kissable, and she smells of honey and coconut, and Robin wants her.

Robin wants her so badly, and Robin dreams of her when she’s asleep and when she’s awake too, and she has never wanted someone this much. And she has never known so deep inside her soul, how she can’t have someone as much as she knows she can’t have Chrissy. Robin’s not a particularly insecure woman, but she knows Chrissy would never pay her any mind.

“Why do you hate me?” Chrissy asks once they’re inside, and when she turns around to face Robin her eyes are wet.

“WHAT?” Robin yells, then cups her mouth for a second. “I’m sorry, shouldn’t have yelled, but. What?”

“I don’t understand. I keep catching you looking at me sometimes, but then you look away immediately and sometimes you look almost angry. You don’t hold big conversations with me, you seemed pissed at me that day with the eggs, and just now you weren’t even listening as I was talking.” Robin is in total shock as Chrissy starts listing things on her fingers. “It wasn’t like this! We were friends, Rob, and suddenly you started being so weird. Why invite me to your birthday if you don’t want me here?”

Yeah, they were friends and then Robin caught feelings. And apparently made it weird. Maybe she wasn’t as good with the girls she liked as she thought she was. She stopped rambling and babbling awkwardly, sure, but now she apparently shuts them out. Definitely not great either.

“Chrissy, I want you here, I do!” she says, and her voice falters because Chrissy has no idea how much Robin wants her. “I’m so sorry I made it weird, I just…” She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and remembers Will’s words. Oh wow, that’s pathetic for sure. “I don’t wanna be just your friend, Chris. I want more.”

She opens her eyes to face her demise because if she’s gonna be turned down she’s gonna take it proudly.

“You want… more?” Chrissy asks, and she takes a step further into Robin’s space.

“Yes. I like you. So much. So much, it’s pathetic.”

“You… like me?” she asks again, eyes wide open, and Robin gulps before nodding. Oh, god, here comes the blow. “Oh, Robin.”

Robin has no time to ask ‘what?’ because Chrissy throws her arms around Robin’s neck and their lips touch.

For real.

There are no fireworks, actually.

Fireworks are deafening loud, they’re bright and blinding. They jet, they spiral, they splatter. They can be scary, they’re everywhere and they’re overwhelming, and they’re too much sometimes. Just like Robin is most times. Loud, spiraling, everywhere, and overwhelming. Too much.

Chrissy’s kiss is not too much. It’s just enough.

It’s calm, and it’s relaxing, and it’s giving and giving and giving, but it’s receiving just as much. It’s stillness in a once stormy ocean, it’s silencing of all the high-pitched sounds that can be deafening, it’s thrilling in a way that makes Robin’s heart stump loud but rhythmically. Robin’s body loosens up, tension and anxiety leaving her, brain going quiet in, for once, a good way. She’s not overwhelmed, her senses aren’t screaming at her, she’s focused on the present moment. Chrissy tastes of fruit, of course she does, and she smells of home because it’s what she is. Her skin is warm as Robin holds her with no intention of letting her go, but it’s nothing like her dreams.

Because it’s real. And it’s so much better.

They separate their lips but their foreheads are still touching.

“You have no idea how much Eddie and Heather have been pestering me to talk to you,” Chrissy whispers almost against Robin’s lips, and she snorts.

“Oh, I sure do.” She wants to hate her friends for being right all along, but she can’t find it in herself to be anything but insanely happy.

“We’ve been two blind idiots, haven’t we?” Chrissy giggles, and it’s angelic as a sound can be, and Robin wants to crack Chrissy’s ribs open and live inside her chest. She nods at Chrissy’s question.

“I was so sure you didn’t like me,” she admits. “I looked at you all the time, daydreaming of this all the time. Reality’s so much better.” She tightens her grip around Chrissy’s waist to prove her point, to prove to herself it’s real.

“You didn’t see me staring right back.” It’s not a question, because the answer is obvious.

“I was too much of a blind idiot to see it, apparently.” She smiles and she leans in and she kisses Chrissy again. Because, oh god, she can do that now.

“But you see it now?” Chrissy asks.

“My eyes are wide open, Chris. And I see you now.”

#buckingham #buckingham fic #buckingham fanfic #buckingham oneshot #robin buckley x chrissy cunningham #chrissy cunningham x robin buckley #stranger things fic #stranger things fanfic #lui writes

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