#just the idea of steve waking up in a panic

[solarmorrigan]

Steve Harrington is absolutely the sort of person to become emotionally dependent on a pet. He grew up lonely and he loves taking care of things, and here's this creature that loves him unconditionally and is dependent on him for care? He's a goner

He finds a kitten in his backyard, wet and cold and alone, but in pretty good shape, all things considered. It hisses and swipes at him, but it's also mewing pathetically, and Steve can't just leave it, so he manages to get the thing inside with minimal blood loss (all his) and cleans it up and feeds it. It's a lot more amenable to the idea of Steve once it's warm and dry and full, and by the end of the day, it's curled up and purring in the crook of his neck, and Steve is already prepared to die for this thing

He does recognize that the right thing to do is to ask around and see if anyone is missing a kitten, which he does do, but no one on his street or the next one over lays claim to it, and there aren’t any kind of wanted posters going up for it, so Steve decides he is now the proud owner of a cat

He names her Baby and dotes on her accordingly. (In his defense, the name is Robin's idea; she tells him that he treats the cat enough like a baby, so the name might as well fit. Steve's always been shit at coming up with names, so he just goes with it)

Baby is the world's most spoiled cat, which Steve readily admits. But isn't that what cats are for? She's a wonderful cat and she clearly deserves nice things and Steve is going to get them for her. Toys, treats, a plush cat bed, the best food, whatever he thinks she could possibly need or want. If "I work hard so my cat can live a better life" t-shirts had existed in the 80s, Robin probably would have gotten one for him and he probably would have worn it

Of course, it helps that Baby actually does adore Steve. With everyone else, she ranges from frosty to outright hostile (she's taken a particular dislike to Eddie, of all people, which is unfortunate, because Steve really, really likes Eddie); she'll consent to be admired, and she'll accept treats, and she might even let more familiar people pet her, but in the end she is very much Steve's baby. If he's home, she's stuck to his side like a burr, curled up wherever he is and purring away, content just to be with him. She still snuggles up in the crook of his shoulder at night, just like when she was a kitten, even though she's bigger now and is a bit less easily accommodated

It goes without saying that Baby is strictly an indoor cat. Steve lives right up against the woods and there are predators out there, and people in town drive like assholes, and Steve won't take the chance of her being eaten or run over or meeting some other horrible fate. He really doesn't think his heart could take it

But of course, because all cats are terrible bastards at heart (affectionate), Baby darts out the back door one day as Steve is coming in off the patio, chasing after some other small animal that Steve can't even see, and she's out of the backyard and up towards the trees before Steve can do much more than make a grab for her

And Steve, who has survived interrogations and monster attacks and many situations objectively much more stressful than this, does not panic. He does spend half the night wandering around in the trees with a flashlight, shaking a bag of cat food and calling for Baby, but that's not panicking, that's problem solving

He eventually gets too cold and too tired to keep going and has to pack it in for the night. He holds onto some shred of hope that she'll be waiting by the back door when he wakes up, wondering why the hell it's taken so long for him to come let her in, but apparently that's not the way life works, because the patio and all areas around the house are still distinctly catless come daybreak

Eddie shows up sometime mid-morning, just as Steve is preparing to head back out and look for her. He has genuinely never seen Steve so upset; he looks like he might actually cry if he doesn't find that damn cat, which just isn't something that Steve does. But he's actually fucking distraught, and Eddie simply can't have that, even if Baby is his nemesis, so he goes to the phone and makes some calls

He cashes in on favors, he makes promises, he actually agrees to pay Mike ten bucks to show up, but he gets the kids, all the older teens (the only reason Robin hadn't been there already is because Steve hadn't paused long enough to tell her what was going on), and even the Corroded Coffin boys up to Steve's house to comb the woods for Steve's damn cat

It's Eddie who finds her in the end, a shock of pale, mewling fur actually stuck in a fucking tree. The cliche nearly kills him – either that or trying to climb down a tree one-handed while holding a cat. He's surprised she actually lets him pick her up, but then again, she's been out here all night, she's cold, and at least she recognizes Eddie. Maybe this is the beginning of a truce

Or, she might go back to hissing and swiping at Eddie any time she the mood takes her, but Eddie doesn't even care, because Steve is elated to have Baby back, so fucking happy that he doesn't even seem to notice that she's digging her claws into his arm as she clings to him for dear life all the way back to the house. Eddie will deal with anything that Steve loves that much

Steve pays for pizza to thank everyone for putting their Saturday on hold to search-and-rescue a cat, and everyone warms up and eats their fill before slowly filtering back out of the house. And later, after Baby's been cleaned up and fed and properly doted on and is purring away curled up over a heating vent in the living room, Steve takes Eddie upstairs to show his thanks in a much more thorough manner

After all – Baby is very important to him, and he's more relieved than he can say to have her back, but she isn't the only thing that Steve adores

[flowercrowngods]

Steve startles awake, disoriented and filled with a slight bout of panic — as always when he takes a nap that turns into five hours of deep sleep and catapults him right into the next dimension for a while there.

Heart racing, he blinks his dark bedroom into existence, and it takes him a while to realise where he is and what woke him up.

And then the landline phone on his nightstand rings again, and he exhales deeply before reaching for it with clumsy, sluggish movements.

“‘Ello?”

“Steve,” comes Eddie’s sing-song voice from the other end, washing over Steve in a soothing way that leaves him falling back into the pillows. He clutches the phone to his ear as he closes his eyes, the smile already forming at how happy Eddie sounds. He rarely sings Steve’s name like that. He should do it more often.

“Hi there.” His voice sounds like shit. Like he just took a — Jesus Christ, has it really been four hours? Well. He sounds exactly like someone who took a four-hour nap after a shit day at work would sound like.

There’s fumbling on the other end, but it stops suddenly. “Did I wake you? Shit man, I thought it was past nap time.”

“I don’t have nap time,” Steve grumbles, actually pouting at Eddie’s words and realising only a second too late how ridiculous he sounds.

“Sure, man, whatever you say. We all know you’re actually just a life-sized toddler.”

Steve sputters, sitting up against his headboard as he gradually wakes up. “Hey! Also, I don’t think you actually understand what life-sized means.”

“Yes, I do.”

Steve shakes his head at this ridiculous, ridiculous man. “What exactly do you think a non-life-sized toddler looks like, Eduardissimo?”

“Like Dustin.”

The answer is so quick and deadpan, Steve cannot contain the laugh that bursts out of him, waking him up quicker and gentler than anything else in the world could have, and he revels in the sound of Eddie joining him. He must look so smug right now, and so damn proud of himself. Steve wants to see him. Wants to kiss that smile right from his lips and replace it with something a lot more genuine.

“You’re an asshole,” he says instead, pulling his blanket further around him as he lifts his knees to sit more comfortably.

Eddie hums, still teasing somehow with just that noise, and Steve just can’t stop smiling. “You like me so much, Harrington.”

“Hmm,” he mirrors Eddie’s hum, but even he can hear the smile on his face. “Jury’s still out on that one, actually.”

“Any tendencies yet on the verdict?”

“Nope, they can’t decide.”

Eddie snorts at that, and Steve has no idea how that can sound so sweet. But it does. He buries his smile in his knees for a bit, the blanket hot around his burning cheeks. He’s hopeless.

“Well, let me know as soon as they do, yeah?”

“Will do,” he laughs, ruining all his attempts to sound solemn. “So what’s up? Why’d you call?”

“Oh!” And suddenly it’s like a switch has been flipped and Eddie doesn’t sound teasing and smug anymore, but instead just fucking giddy! “I have a bed now!”

Steve smiles at it. At that voice, that tone, that infectious emotion. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah!” More fumbling on the other end, and Steve can only imagine that Eddie is rolling around in his newly acquired bed.

Who’s the life-sized toddler now, hm?

“No more sleeping on the floor for this Munson boy, nuh-uh, my good sir! We are in possession of a bed now. A wooden bed, no fancy headboard or anything, just…”

“Just a bed,” Steve says, feeling like he’s about to burst into a million little particles of fondness and affection and the never-ending need to kiss Eddie. To hold him. To touch him in any way he can. “That’s great, Edsie.”

“It is, Stevesie.”

“Man, I hate you so much,” Steve squints at the ceiling and laughs, actually kicking his feet, the minute breeze providing a little relief for the heat in his face.

And Eddie has no business to sound so smug when he says, “Yeah, you do.”

A pause then, and it feels loaded even through the phone. Steve clutches it closer to his face, hoping stupidly that Eddie can feel it.

“You should come hate me in my new bed.”

Steve’s breath hitches, and his brain shuts off for a hot second there. Before he can overthink this, he decides to just… play along. And listen to what his heart has been telling him for months now.

“Oh yeah?” he asks, breathless still, but his whole body tingles with just these two words. With the possibility they bring. The offer that they are. The question. The everything that’s stored in them.

“Yeah,” Eddie says, and he sounds just as breathless. “I mean, if— If you want to?”

“I do.” Steve swallows. “Right, uh— Right now?”

“Whenever.” And it sounds more like an As soon as possible.

“Okay,” Steve breathes, scrambling out of bed as quickly as possible, pulling off his shirt with the phone still pressed to his ear, letting out an embarrassing noise as it gets tangled in a mess of cord and fabric. He scrambles to free it, almost dropping it in the process. “I’ll be there in thirty.”

“To come look at my new bed?”

“Sure.”

On the other end, Eddie laughs again, but he still sounds just as breathless as Steve does. Just as excited. As fragile. Just as many fucking things.

“Alright,” Eddie murmurs, though Steve can still hear the smile. “I’ll see you then.”

And then he hangs up before either of them can get lost in their own heads about this sudden certainty of change. Steve is grateful for the steady noise of the dial tone reminding him that this is happening. But that nothing has to happen.

It’s a nice bed, he finds hours later, fingers combing through Eddie’s hair who’s cuddling him half asleep. It’s the best fucking bed he’s ever seen, if only because it led to this.

🤍 permanent tag list gang: @skiddit @inklessletter @aringofsalt @hellion-child @stobin-cryptid @hotluncheddie @gutterflower77 @auroraplume @steddieonbigboy @n0-1-important @stevesjockstrap @brainvines @puppy-steve @izzy2210 @itsall-taken @mangoinacan13 @madigoround @pukner @i-amthepizzaman @swimmingbirdrunningrock @hammity-hammer @stevesbipanic @bitchysunflower @estrellami-1 (lmk if you want on or off)

[stevie-petey]

episode two: the mall rats

Steve lazily drapes an arm over you, which Dustin narrows his eyes at. “Yeah, I mean. Sure. It’s not really a good idea for me, though. I gotta keep in shape for the ladies.” “Ugh,” you scoff in disgust at Steve’s words and shrug his arm off of you before scooting away from him. Sometimes you forget how much of an idiot he can be. That he used to wear the crown of King Steve. You turn slightly away from him and finish eating your ice cream, annoyed and slightly hurt, though you know you have no right to be. It’s not like you’re with Steve, anyways.

Summary: dreams are weird, billy is a hitchhiker, and hopper flirts with joyce in front of you (youre not sure which is scarier), somehow robin knows russian and has genius ears, you get caught in an awkward breakup showdown, and you shamefully are shocked when you discover that hawkins is anything but normal. you would think youd be a pro at this already, but at least steve is hot and really good at sneaking through windows.

Rating: general, some swearing

Warnings: swearing, allusions to violence, fem!reader, use of y/n

Words: 13.2k

Before you swing in: hello !!! new chapter, i am so sorry for the wait :/ the end of the semester has been killer and ive been super busy with my lab job (i present at a conference friday ... pray for me). heres chapter 2, she somehow ended up being 13k words but lets ignore that for my own sanity !

-

There are dandelions all around you.

Their puffs of white surround you as the seeds dance in the air and settle atop of your head and tickle your cheek. They’re soft, reminiscent of the snow that encases you every winter in Hawkins and the days you used to chase Jonathan around in his backyard.

You’re barefoot in a field that you can’t quite place. The grass below you skims against your ankles as the dandelion seeds float towards the tops of the green. It’s a familiar landscape, something tells you that you’ve been here before, and the thought is almost reassuring to you.

The sun is warm against you and there’s someone in the distance. You open your mouth to call out to them, they feel as familiar as the landscape before you does, but when you try to speak, the dandelion seeds begin to swarm into your mouth. The puffs of white seem to turn into daggers in your throat as they cut your tongue and slice inside you as you struggle to breathe.

You try to scream, but nothing comes out. The dandelions now draw blood as they continue their malicious attack on you. You claw at your mouth and cower in the field, trying to flee from what’s attacking you, but the dandelions only follow as you try to call after the figure you saw in the distance.

Stumbling blindly through the grass, panic stricken and longing for the person who had once been at the top of the hill, your foot catches on a root and suddenly you’re falling. This time, you do scream, and the dandelion seeds spill from your mouth as you fall into an endless abyss.

“Y/N!” Your eyes fly open and your body shoots from your bed; you almost head butt Dustin in the process. He flinches back, startled by your violent reaction, and he puts his hands up in surrender and backs away. “Geesh, I was just trying to wake you up.”

It takes you a few moments to process that you are, in fact, awake. Your heartbeat is still pounding rapidly in your throat. You can still feel the dandelion seeds on your tongue and the millions of little cuts they left behind.

Dustin stares at you with slight concern in his eyes and you clear your throat, trying to rid the memory of your dream. That’s all it was. A dream.

Clearing your throat again, you try to calm yourself down. “Why are you in my room?”

“Like I said, I was trying to wake you up.” Your brother says as if you’re an idiot.

“But why?”

“Did you bang your head or something last night?” He gives you an odd look and you glare at him. “Cerebro caught a Russian code, remember? You promised we’d see Steve today to talk about it!”

You rub your eyes, exhausted. It’s taking longer than usual for your mind to wake up and process everything. “I know, I know… What time is it?”

“Eight, now get up and go get pretty for Steve so we can discuss how to become American heroes.” Dustin crosses his arms, silently daring you to argue.

“There was so much wrong with that sentence,” you groan, but reluctantly throw your blankets off of you and start pulling out random shorts and a t-shirt to wear. “You’re lucky it’s the weekend and I don’t work today.”

“Blah, blah, blah,” Dustin mocks you, tossing you a white t-shirt and removing the red one from your hands. “Steve likes you in white, now hurry up.”

Your mouth drops in shock, but your brother simply rolls his eyes at you and leaves your room so that you can get dressed.

“How does he even know that?” You whisper to yourself, now alone in your room.

–

Dustin bikes ahead of you as you make your way to Joyce’s store in Downtown Hawkins. He had complained when you told him that you needed to make a pitstop there before going to the mall.

“I haven’t seen Steve in a month!”

“And Mrs. Byers is close to losing her job at Melvald’s, so you can wait the extra five minute detour it takes to deliver her muffins to cheer her up.”

Your brother had tried to argue some more, but you simply shoved a fresh baked muffin in his mouth and began to bike away.

Now, as the two of you head towards Downtown, the early morning air fills your lungs and slowly wakes you up. It’s quiet, Hawkins isn’t quite awake yet in the early hour. Only the bees buzzing past your ear seem to be lively.

You watch Dustin up ahead and briefly marvel at how much bigger he seems to have gotten in the month he was away at camp. He looks older, more mature, no longer the baby brother your mom brought home fourteen years ago.

As you’re lost in your reminiscence, you almost miss the figure that stumbles along the side of the road.

“Dustin!” You yell at the boy, weary of whoever is up ahead. “Stop!”

He hears the fear in your voice and screeches his bike to a halt. Turning around, he checks to make sure you’re okay. “Did something happen?”

You stop next to him and discreetly point at the figure a few yards away. It seems to be a boy, maybe a teen your age, but he’s walking as if he’s in immense pain. “You see that?”

“Yeah,” Dustin squints and also seems unnerved by the person’s appearance. “Think it’s anything dangerous?”

“I don’t know…” Something feels familiar about the person. Their hair, the way it’s styled, reminds you of someone. You squint as well, your eyes catch on the person’s leather jacket and the expensive brand, there’s a faint outline of cigarettes in the pocket, and the sight fills your nose with the smoke that once choked you last winter. “I think it’s Billy.”

“Why is he walking on the side of the road?” Dustin makes a face. “I know he has a car, the bastard almost ran me and the party over on Halloween.”

You tuck a piece of hair behind your ear and try to understand why you feel this tug within you to get closer to the teen. Billy is cruel, he is horrible, and the bruises he left on your neck took weeks to fully fade away. Yet there’s a concern within you as you watch him stumble, as if in some daze, and it's this worry that solidifies your decision. “Stay here.”

“What–” Dustin turns and sees that you’ve gotten back on your bike and are now pedaling towards Billy. “Y/N! Are you insane?”

“Stay here!” You order, not really understanding why you’re doing this either. “Just… Wait for my signal!”

Dustin curses, not at all liking this plan, but he listens. He tightens his grip on his bike’s handlebar and makes sure you never leave his line of sight in case you need him for backup.

As you approach Billy, you make sure to circle widely around him so that he sees you coming, before finally facing in front of him. You brake a few feet away from him, incredibly nervous for how he may react. You haven’t spoken to him since last winter, he had kept his promise to Max to leave you alone.

Billy barely seems to register that you’re in front of him. He stops as if he’s in a trance and blinks slowly at you. You notice the cut on his forehead, how there’s still fresh blood dripping from it, and something within you wants to tend to the wound. Then you notice the grime that covers his face and his jacket, and you begin to worry even more.

As you’re eying his disheveled appearance, Billy opens his mouth, and the action looks as if it takes all the energy within him to do so. “S–sweetheart?”

“Are you okay?” You ignore the nickname he gave you that makes your skin crawl. You’re more worried about his appearance. He’s sweating like crazy, almost as if he’s on drugs, and he’s paler than normal. His California tan is gone, his eyes are glazed over, he looks as if he isn’t really here with you right now.

It scares you. You’ve never seen him like this.

“‘M fine,” Billy slurs. He seems… off. More drawn into himself now, less sure of himself. Scared, even. It’s a strange sight to see: Billy Hargrove, alone and frightened, in the early morning of June. “I… I’m fine.”

His slurred words aren’t reassuring, and a part of you wants to offer him a ride on your bike. You assume he’s heading to the local pool to lifeguard, you know it’s where he spends most of his days, but you have Dustin with you and you’re still nervous around Billy.

The wounds he gave you may have healed, but some nights, when the nightmares are really bad, you wake up to his hands around your throat.

It feels wrong just leaving Billy like this, though. He’s still human, Max has slowly opened up to you about her abusive stepdad and the way he punches her brother. You know that Billy’s actions come from his hurt, but you don’t think you’re ready yet to forgive him. Not now, at least.

Reluctantly, you sigh and wave your hand to indicate to Dustin that he’s fine to start biking over. Billy doesn’t seem like a threat right now in his current state. When you see your brother start to pedal closer, you look back at Billy. “Listen, I know we aren’t… friends.”

Billy stares blankly at you, and you really hope that he can understand what you’re saying right now.

“But if you need anyone to talk to, about anything, come find me, okay?” You tell him, hesitantly placing a hand on his arm as you speak. However, when your skin makes contact with his, you flinch at how cold he is.

Before you can say anything else, Dustin finally catches up and brakes softly next to you. He looks nervously between you and Billy. “So… Uh. Ready to go, Y/N?”

“Yeah…” You pull away from Billy, your fingers almost numb from his cold skin, and spare him one last glance as you start to bike away. “Remember what I said, okay?”

Billy doesn’t say anything.

You and Dustin leave him stranded on the side of the road.

Neither one of you talk about this.

–

As usual, Downtown Hawkins is deserted when you and Dustin arrive at Melvald’s. The only two cars parked in front of the rundown store belong to Joyce and Hopper.

You hop off your bike and park it in the bike rack before carefully untying the container of muffins from the back. Dustin is slumped on top of his bike, silently complaining, and you wave a stern finger at him. “Wait here, okay? This will only take five minutes, I promise.”

“I’m telling Steve that you’re cheating on him with Mrs. Byers.”

“Not cheating if we aren’t together,” you quip, before opening the door to the store.

When you step inside the store, you’re greeted with Hopper obnoxiously yelling and jumping around as Joyce laughs and claps for him. Curious, you carefully side step the grown man and make your way over to the woman.

“Y/N!” Joyce lights up even more when she sees you, and then lets out a small cheer when she sees that you’re holding one of your signature baked goods containers. “Are those for me?”

“Always, Mrs. Byers.” You grin at her and set the container down. “They’re the muffins you really liked last week, thought I’d bake a special batch just for you.”

Hopper now joins you at the store’s counter in front of Joyce. He’s practically vibrating with his excited energy, so much so that he even smiles at you and claps a hand behind your back. “Kid, it’s like you knew we’d be celebrating a monumental occasion today.”

“What, did Jonathan finally wash his bedsheets?”

Joyce shakes her head and Hopper claps again, now grasping your shoulders and shakes you around. “No, even better! I got Mike out of my house!”

Through Joyce, you had learned all about Hopper’s utter disdain of Mike’s relationship with El. He has spent every day at their cabin since getting together, and even you have had to pry the girl away from Mike a few times to hang out with her. It’s hard bonding with El when Mike is breathing down your neck.

You’re all for young love, you think they’re adorable together, but Christ. You understand Hopper’s frustration.

“Actually,” you’re still being shaken by the man. “That does sound better. How’d ya do it?”

Hearing your question, Hopper thankfully stops shaking your shoulders and now happily points at Joyce. “It was all her. I’m the puppet, she’s the master. Joyce gave me a brilliant script to say to the kid.”

“So you remembered everything?” Joyce asks, now unwrapping one of your muffins with glee.

“Yeah… well,” Hopper pauses. “I mean, I had to improvise a little bit, you know?”

You wince. “Oh, that’s never good.”

He glares at you but continues to explain. “It turns out that getting to Mike was the key.”

His words only make you wince again, and you look at Joyce. She meets your eye and the two of you silently agree that something doesn’t sound right here. She questions Hopper further. “And you didn’t yell at him?”

Hopper hesitates, which you expected. “I’ll… tell you everything over dinner.”

“Okay!” You step in between the adults and wave your arms out, preventing whatever else is about to be said. “I’m still here, let’s remember that.”

The chief glares at you again and narrows his eyes. “You’re right, you are still here. Why are you still here?”

“Because Mrs. Byers loves me and I baked her delicious muffins.” You deadpan, which Joyce chuckles at. “And while I’m sure whatever she told you to say to Mike was lovely, I have my doubts that you actually listened.”

“She’s got a point, Hop.” Joyce voices.

Hopper sighs at you both. “Okay, maybe I said some things, haven’t told El the whole truth, but what else was I supposed to do?”

“Not lie to kids?” Crossing your arms, you make a face at the man.

“Easy for you to say, little miss Hawkins’ sweetheart.” Hopper scoffs at you. “Got any better advice?”

You roll your eyes at his words. You understand that the man is still grappling with being a father again, he’s never been one to handle feelings any better, so you spare him some pity and try to be honest with him, say what he needs to hear. “Look, all I’m saying is that the best thing my deadbeat father ever did was teach me kindness, and it broke my heart when he was dishonest in the end. Just, don’t be that way with El, okay?”

Hopper is quiet as your words hang in the air.

Joyce is quiet as well, looking between you and the chief with a fondness in her eyes. It’s not often she sees someone render Hopper speechless, and she knows that it’s one of the many things she loves the most about your relationship with him. Though she would never tell you this, she thinks that Hopper secretly has his own fondness for you as well.

When the silence stretches for an uncomfortably long amount of time, you clear your throat and change the subject. “Well! This was fun, happy we did this.”

Hopper snorts, relieved you’re moving on as well. “Get lost, kid.”

“Gladly.” You turn back to Joyce and press a swift kiss to her cheek. “I’ll see you later, Mrs. Byers!”

Joyce says goodbye as well, and when you’ve left the store, she faces Hopper with a slight smirk. “She’s a good kid, Hop.”

“She is,” he agrees, looking down at his shoes. He will never admit this to anyone else, but to Joyce he knows his words are safe. “She’s the best of ‘em.”

–

When you finally get to the mall, Dustin basically dumps his bike in a spot next to a disgruntled older couple and runs before you can even slow down. He’s so lost in his excitement to see Steve as he runs towards Scoops and leaves you to deal with his bike and the couple alone, which you groan at.

“He acts like it’s been a year,” you grumble, finally hopping off your own bike to grab Dustin’s and secure them both to a nearby rack. After mumbling a quick apology to the couple your brother practically threw a bike at, you run after him inside.

By the time you catch up, Dustin has just entered Scoops and is talking to Robin. You approach, curious to see how this event will unfold. Robin hasn’t met your brother yet, and you have a feeling that his abrasive nature will either make her his biggest fan or absolutely hate him.

It’s the Henderson charm, really.

“I’m Dustin,” your brother introduces himself as you come to stand next to him. When he notices your arrival, he motions towards you and winks at Robin. “I’m sure Y/N has told you all about me.”

Robin raises her eyebrows at the kid, and you try to cover a giggle with a cough. “I’m Robin. I’m sure Y/N has told you a lot about me.”

“I probably have,” shrug, knowing you always talk about the people you love. When Robin and Dustin both look at you with confused faces, you quickly clarify, “I’ve talked about you both, I mean.”

“Can we cut the chit chat?” Dustin asks, now annoyed by how long this conversation is taking. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Robin, but uh. Is he here?”

“Is who here?” Robin looks over at you for help, but before you can prepare her for the inevitable storm of Steve’s bizarre and endearing friendship with Dustin, the older teen’s body comes crashing through the backdoor and his sneakers squeak loudly against the tile.

“Hendersons!” Steve raises his arms in the air in greeting, an ecstatic smile on his face when he sees both you and Dustin standing in Scoops Ahoy. You and your brother start to laugh as Steve now dances around, cheering and gleeful. “You’re both here! Little Henderson is back!”

“I’m back!” Dustin cheers. “And you got the job!”

Steve is beaming and his smile is probably one of the happiest you’ve seen cross his pretty face. He had complained about missing Dustin the entire month he had been gone, moaning and groaning about how he was bored at your house now that he didn’t have Dustin to shoo away.

“I got the job!” Steve mimes playing the trumpet before he starts his intricate and dumb handshake with Dustin.

It’s a complicated process, with fist bumps and pretend lightsaber death. They had come up with it during a particularly boring snow day at your house. You watched as they thought up the handshake while you made cocoa for everyone, heart swelling as Steve was so patient with your brother and encouraged his nerdy little habits.

It had taken them almost the entire day to create what they deemed “the perfect handshake”, and as they go through it once more in Scoops Ahoy, you feel the same swelling in your chest as you did the very first time you saw them come up with the handshake.

While you gaze fondly at Dustin and Steve, Robin stands next to you and watches in horror. As Steve pretends to spew his guts everywhere, the girl leans over to you and says, “Is this what you deal with every day?”

“Yeah,” you can’t help but smile softly at the two boys. You missed seeing them together, more than you thought you had.

Robin sees the dreamy look in your eyes as you stare at Steve and she gags. Unhappy with how this day is looking, she turns to him. “How many children are you friends with?”

Steve’s smile falls and he sighs in defeat. Wordlessly he points at Robin as he looks at Dustin and raises his eyebrows in an exasperated manner. He’s had to deal with Robin’s teasing all summer, and Dustin seems to catch onto what he’s trying to tell him, so he quickly changes the subject. “Sorry we got here so late, man. Y/N insisted on gossiping with Mrs. Byers before coming here.”

“I spoke with her for five minutes.” You roll your eyes at him.

“Yeah, five minutes too long.”

“Your breath reeks.”

“You have a pimple on your chin.”

You gasp and quickly cover your face. “I do not–”

“This is fascinating,” Robin whispers as she looks between you and Dustin. “It’s like there’s two Y/Ns.”

Steve, having heard Robin, laughs. His smile had returned to his face as he watched you interact with your brother. “They’re reunited for one day and are already at each other’s throats.”

“Got a month of insults to catch up on,” you flick Steve, who winces and rubs his nose, offended.

Dustin suddenly straightens up. “Speaking of catching up…” He looks at you and tries to subtly motion over at Steve, mouthing “Russians!”, and being everything but discrete.

Steve frowns, unsure what’s happening, but you’re too busy worrying about revealing anything to Robin; she’s scarily good at reading people. Looking wearily at her, you clear your throat and tug at Dustin’s shirt. “C’mon, why don’t we get some ice cream and tell Steve about what you built at camp?”

Again Steve frowns. He had been hoping to share a sundae with you, not talk about boring science stuff with your brother. “Why do I wanna hear about some weird nerd tech–”

“Because you promised me free ice cream last night, when we called.” You interrupt, silently pleading with him to catch onto what you’re saying. “Remember?”

Something shifts within Steve’s eyes and his carefree expression now darkens. He remembers the fear in your voice last night over the phone, how you had asked him to tell you stories to fall asleep to. Clearing his throat, Steve nods and plays along. “Oh, how could I forget? Take Dustin to your booth and I’ll whip up some sundaes.”

You smile at him, thankful as always for how attuned to you he is, before you say a quick goodbye to Robin and tug your brother over to where you normally sit. Once you’re sure Robin isn’t listening, you yank at the boy. “Real subtle back there, doofus.”

“Oh, like Robin would know what Russians could mean.” Dustin grumbles as he slides into your designated booth. His hand catches on something in the seat and he tugs at it, pulling out an old Captain America comic. Holding it up, he narrows his eyes at you. “You really made a home here, huh?”

“Sure did,” you prop your feet up and dig out the Spider-Man comic you had been reading a few days ago. “The ice cream is surprisingly good here.”

“Yeah, I’m sure the ice cream is the reason you’re always here.” Dustin doesn’t even want to imagine how many hours you’ve spent in this cheesy ice cream parlor ogling over Steve. Maybe it’s a good thing he was gone most of the summer.

You flip to the last page you left off on and ignore Dustin’s insinuation. “Hey, free ice cream is free ice cream.”

“Can’t argue with you there.” Steve arrives and places down two giant sundaes onto the table. He slides next to you into the booth with a grand flourish. “Tada!”

Dustin wastes no time digging into his ice cream, making obnoxious noises as he shoves the food into his mouth. You cringe, disgusted that you’re related to him, but Steve kisses your cheek when the kid isn’t looking, and you can’t help but smile. Sneaking your own kiss to his cheek, you thank him. “You’re getting really good at whipping up sundaes, Steve.”

He preens at your praise. “It’s all in the forearms, ya know?” He makes a show out of rolling up his sleeves to show off his arms, which you giggle at with a slight flush on your face. Despite working inside all day, Steve has a nice sun kissed tan, which compliments how long his hair has gotten this summer.

Between his short Scoops Ahoy shorts and his hair streaked with sunlight, summer looks good on Steve.

In between bites of his ice cream, Dustin lifts his head up. “Quit talking about Steve’s arms and flirting in front of me, it’s gross.”

You fling a banana peel at him. “You’re the one too busy devouring his food to talk about anything else.”

“So you admit you’re flirting with me.” Steve teases, winking at you.

Dustin covers his eyes in disgust, forgetting about his ice cream entirely. “Seriously, stop it! You’re my sister, how would you feel if I flirted with Suzie in front of you?”

“I would–” You try to think of a response, but ultimately you deflate, unable to come up with anything. Frustratingly, you realize that the kid has a point; you’d be incredibly grossed out as well. “I would hate it.” You sigh, accepting defeat.

“Who’s Suzie?” Steve asks.

“Dustin’s girlfriend.” You say, popping a cherry into your mouth as you eagerly await the teen’s reaction to the girlfriend news.

As expected, Steve’s jaw drops and turns to your brother. No way the little twerp got a girlfriend before him this summer. “Girlfriend? Since when?”

“Met her at camp,” Dustin smirks at him, proud he’s surprised Steve. “She’s super hot, too. Hotter than Phoebe Cates.”

You roll your eyes at his insistence of referencing Suzie’s appearance, but Steve seems interested, although in disbelief as well. “No, no way. Hotter than Phoebe Cates? No.”

“Why is Phoebe Cates the gold standard?” You ask, unsure when she became everyone’s dream woman. All things considered, she’s incredibly attractive, but it’s weird that every boy you’ve spoken to about this universally finds her attractive. Steve finds her attractive, which you’re choosing not to think about because you don’t look anything like her.

Steve hears the slight bitterness in your tone and shuffles closer to you in the booth. Meanwhile, Dustin takes another bite out of his sundae and nods at him. “Mhm, she’s brilliant, too. She doesn’t even care that my real pearls are still coming in.”

“That’s great, Dustin!” You say, happy that your brother has found a girl who accepts him as he is. It’s sweet, really.

“I know, right?” He sits up straighter in the booth and smiles even wider. “She says kissing is better without teeth.”

You and Steve share a horrified look. Neither of you can believe what you’ve just heard, and you think a part of you died inside. Suddenly, the delicious sundae you’d been eating now turns to cement in your stomach at the thought of your little brother kissing a girl who enjoys his lack of teeth. “Oh, that’s… Yeah.”

“Wow!” Steve tries to mask his own horror and disgust, leaning even closer to you now to try and ground you as well. “Yeah, that’s… That’s great! Proud of you, man. That’s–That’s kinda romantic?”

Dustin basks in Steve’s praise and your disgust slowly melts away. Your brother genuinely seems happy to be with Suzie and even happier to tell Steve about it all. He won’t admit it, but you know he idolizes the teen. Steve’s word is like an oath to him, not even you have this much influence over the boy. If it were anyone else, you’d be offended and hurt, but seeing Steve flash Dustin a wink, you couldn’t have chosen anyone better for your brother to admire.

“So do you really just get to eat as much of this as you want?” Dustin motions towards his half-eaten sundae before turning to you. “How much ice cream have you had this summer?”

“A lot,” you shrug, taking another bite of your own sundae.

Steve lazily drapes an arm over you, which Dustin narrows his eyes at. “Yeah, I mean. Sure. It’s not really a good idea for me, though. I gotta keep in shape for the ladies.”

“Ugh,” you scoff in disgust at Steve’s words and shrug his arm off of you before scooting away from him. Sometimes you forget how much of an idiot he can be. That he used to wear the crown of King Steve. You turn slightly away from him and finish eating your ice cream, annoyed and slightly hurt, though you know you have no right to be.

It’s not like you’re with Steve, anyways.

Robin, from across the parlor, sees your sudden annoyance at Steve and calls out to him, “Yeah, and how’s that working out for you?”

“Ignore her,” Steve groans, not having the energy to deal with Robin’s quips and your anger being directed at him. He turns to you and lowers his voice. “I was kidding, Y/N. You know that–”

“Robin seems cool,” Dustin interrupts, not at all wanting to witness a lover’s feud between you and Steve. He left you two alone for a month, he thought he’d come back to you guys being an old married couple. Instead, he still has to suffer through your weird in between chaos.

You jump at the chance to gush about Robin, all while avoiding Steve’s pleading eyes. “She’s amazing. Genuinely one of the coolest people I know.”

“She’s not.” Steve corrects you, shaking his head. You roll your eyes at him and flick his ear, but as your hand lowers, he catches it with his and intertwines your fingers with a practiced ease. The action makes you blush and look away, still not ready to forgive him just yet. Steve sees the blush and feels your fingers tighten around his and he feels as if he can breathe again. There’s hope, at least. “So, where are the other knuckleheads?”

Dustin sighs. “They ditched me yesterday.”

“No,” Steve can’t believe what he’s hearing. “Y/N, did they really?”

“They… Kinda did.” You wince, absentmindedly placing your other hand on top of the one Steve is holding. He smiles softly at the action, momentarily forgetting about what you've just told him.

“My first day back! Can you believe that shit?” Dustin’s hurt from last night returns, which only makes you feel worse.

Steve leans forward now, invested and equally as offended as the boy. “Seriously?”

“I swear to god,” Dustin pauses to take another bite of ice cream. “They’re gonna regret it, though, big time, when they don’t get to share in my glory.”

You drop your head onto the table and groan. “Is this really how you’re going to segue into the Russian thing?”

“You’re my sister. Why would you expect anything less of me?”

“Touché.” You lift your head back up and continue eating your ice cream. It’s the only thing keeping you going right now. Steve has learned how to make your sundaes perfect, adding the peach ice cream you adore with just the right amount of whipped cream.

Meanwhile, Steve has a confused look on his face as he looks between you and Dustin. “Glory? Russians? Did I miss something?”

Dustin smiles mischievously and lowers his voice as he slides closer to the teen. You roll your eyes at his antics, knowing that the conversation that’s about to unfold will only give you another headache. You missed Steve and Dustin being together, but you didn’t miss the way they seemed to double in stupidity when together.

Looking around to make sure he won’t be heard, Dustin begins to explain. “So, last night, as Y/N and I were trying to get in contact with Suzie…” He pauses, sees that Scoops Ahoy is now filling with more customers, and lowers his voice even more to an almost inaudible whisper and covers his mouth.

You and Steve both lean forward, unable to hear him. The teen asks Dustin to repeat himself while you sit there with slight amazement. You know what Dustin is trying to say, you’re more just surprised the kid can be so quiet. It’s a goddamn miracle, honestly.

Dustin inhales deeply and again tries to discreetly inform Steve of the Russian code, but his whispers are still too low to hear. Taking a final bite of your ice cream, you click your tongue at your brother. “You’re really killing it there, buddy.”

“Dude, just speak louder.” Steve’s curious interest is now more of an annoyance.

“I intercepted a secret Russian communication!” Dustin all but shouts, which causes you to practically throw yourself over the table to cover his mouth.

“Jesus fuck!” You look around and see everyone’s eyes on you, and with your hand still clamped firmly over your brother’s mouth, you clear your throat and laugh nervously. “I mean, haha. Pardon me.” The customers give you a weird look but turn away, though Robin continues to stare at you.

Steve gently removes your hand from Dustin’s mouth and once again intertwines his fingers with yours. “Jeez, okay. Yeah. That’s what I thought you said.”

“Did you have to yell?” You sneer at Dustin, still looking around nervously to make sure no one is paying too much attention to the three of you. While Hawkins Lab was overrun by Demodogs and every scientist within it died, you’re still terrified that they still have allies watching your every move.

Not that you think the Lab is responsible for Russians, but… Better safe than sorry.

Dustin rolls his eyes at you. “Your boyfriend is the one who couldn’t hear me.”

You’re about to correct him when Steve waves the boy off and goes back to the main topic. “What does any of that mean, though? The Russian code and whatever.”

“It means that we can never catch a break–”

“It means, Steve,” Dustin sends you a dirty look. “That we could be heroes. True American heroes.”

Steve seems into the idea and you want to scream. You hate the way Dustin is explaining all of this. “This could mean danger, guys.”

Dustin rolls his eyes at you and Steve smiles wearily. “I don’t know, Y/N. It doesn’t seem so bad, ya know? We’ve fought Demodogs, how bad could some Russians be?”

You cross your arms and narrow your eyes. “The Demodogs were created by shifty government facilities. Why are we assuming Russia doesn’t have their own?”

“But… American heroes.” Steve looks heartbreakingly pathetic as he says this, and you realize now that his fixation on being seen as some hero stems from the hurt he still feels over his father. He hadn’t turned into who had expected to become, something that you know his father reminds him of every time he comes back from some business trip. You wish you could convince Steve that he’s more than what his father could ever expect him to be, but you know he wouldn’t listen.

With Steve’s pleading eyes looking at you, lost and hopeless, you can’t argue with him. Sighing, you accept that this is something he has to take part in, if only to rebuild his crumbling confidence. “Tell him what you’re thinking, Dustin.”

“Gladly.” Your brother wastes no time diving in, once more eager and excited to have the attention on him, and it’s only now that you realize he’s doing this for the same reason Steve is: they both feel abandoned and hurt. “We need your help.”

“With what?”

Dustin digs through his backpack and takes out the Russian dictionary he made you steal from work. He holds it up and shows it to Steve. “Translation.”

Steve’s eyes widen and he grabs the book to inspect it. There’s a new spark in his eyes, one that died the day his father told him he wouldn’t attend his graduation. “Holy shit.”

“Yeah,” you exhale and slump in your seat. There’s no going back now. “I just want you both to know that I hate this plan and your excitement over it, but if I don’t help then you guys will somehow end up in a Russian gulag, and that would just be on me.”

Steve shares a look with Dustin, whose sigh reflects your own. “Glad you have faith in us, Y/N.”

–

It’s Steve's idea to work on the translation in the backroom of Scoops Ahoy, and neither you or Dustin argue. Technically, he’s the only one who has any real responsibilities today with work and all, so it makes sense to stay at Scoops and hide out there.

Dustin sits at the table next to you as he replays the tape recording over and over again. Steve paces the room and eats a banana, claiming he needed “brain food” to focus on the complex Russian language. You sit with your head in your hands, trying desperately to hold onto the bizarre language that floats around the room.

After his tenth time replaying the code, Dustin pauses the recording and looks at you and Steve. “So, what do you guys think?”

“It sounded familiar.” Steve shoves a piece of banana into his mouth. You cringe at the obscene amount of food he tries to chew at once. Seeing your disgust, Steve waves the banana in your face and asks with a mouthful of food, “Wan sum?”

“It’s like you want me to hate you today,” you slap the banana away, which he chuckles at.

Dustin gets both of your attention again with slight annoyance. He didn’t miss the weird flirting between the two of you at all. “Guys, focus. What do you mean the recording sounds familiar?”

“The music,” Steve still speaks with his mouth full. “The music right there at the end.”

“Why are you listening to the music, Steve?” Dustin exclaims, exasperated.

As your brother berates Steve for his lack of Russian translating, you sit up in your seat processing what he’s just previously said. While you hadn’t thought much of it before, now that Steve has pointed it out, the music does sound familiar. You swear you’ve heard it somewhere before, but you can’t remember where or when. It’s a hazy memory, distant in your mind, yet right in front of you. It’s incredibly frustrating.

“I think Steve is onto something,” you say, but the two boys are too busy fighting to hear you.

“I’m trying to listen to the Russian but there’s music–”

Suddenly the back door swings open and Robin appears. She looks agitated after having to man the cash register all by herself while Steve hides out in the breakroom. “Alright, babysitting time is over. You need to get in there.” When she sees that you’ve erased her whiteboard and replaced her “you suck” columns with the Russian alphabet, her agitation only increases. “Hey, my board! That was important data, shitbirds.”

You get up from the table and walk up to the girl, feeling bad. While you aren’t sure what exactly her “you suck” column and tallies were for, it had been her creation that you had erased without thinking to ask. Plus, you really don’t want her seeing the Russian dictionary on the table. “I’m sorry, Robin–”

“Not you, Y/N. You’re not a shitbird,” she points over to Steve and Dustin. “Those two are shitbirds.”

“I guarantee you, what we’re doing is way more important than your data.” Dustin interjects, a smug look on his face that makes you want to scream. He isn’t at all helping the situation.

Robin begins to walk over to the boys and you reluctantly follow. “Yeah? And how do you know these Russians are up to no good anyways?”

Dustin’s jaw drops and Steve almost chokes on his banana. Seeing their stunned reactions of Robin having figured out what you’ve been doing, you sigh in disappointment. They’re such idiots sometimes. They wrote Russian on the whiteboard, out in the open, and have been playing the recording out loud, full volume, on repeat.

Of course Robin caught onto what you were doing.

Which only makes your nervous body tense up even more. You hate that you have to lie to her, you’ve become really close with her during your visits to Scoops, but you don’t want to drag her into anything dangerous. You’re not sure what exactly any of this Russian code means, but Robin has been nothing but kind to you this summer, you truly care about her, and it would kill you if something were to happen because of you.

So, despite knowing how smart Robin is, you try to think of a cover story. “We were just interested in the language. Ya know, a summer hobby.”

“I can hear everything, Y/N.” Robin sees right through your lies. “Your idiotic brother and boyfriend are both extremely loud.”

“Steve isn’t my boyfriend–”

“You three think you have evil Russians plotting against our country, on tape and you’re trying to translate, but haven’t figured out a word because you didn’t realize Russians use an entirely different alphabet than we do.”

You, Steve, and Dustin all look at one another in varying degrees of awe and despair.

Robin, seeing your stunned faces, smiles. “Sound about right?”

“How could you not know about the Russian alphabet, Y/N?” Dustin angrily whispers at you as if somehow it’s your responsibility to know the ins-and-outs of the language.

“Why would I–you know what, no.” You ignore your brother and turn to Robin, trying to alleviate the situation and prevent her from finding out anything else. She’s too fucking smart, it’s both admirable and aggravating. “Look, whatever you think you heard–”

Suddenly Robin lunges for the Russian dictionary on the table, but Steve’s quick reflexes enable him to grab the book before she can. “Woah! What do you think you’re doing?”

“I wanna hear it.” She juts her chin out in defiance, though you see the slightly hurt expression she tries to mask. She hates that you’re purposely excluding her and taking Steve’s side in this.

You wish you could tell her the truth.

“Why?” You ask in unison alongside Steve and Dustin.

“Because maybe I can help. I’m fluent in four languages, ya know.”

Dustin perks up, now more open to the idea of Robin’s involvement. “Russian?”

“Ou-yay are-yay umb-day.”

Steve and Dustin gasp, believing that they’ve just heard Robin say something in Russian, but you know better. One summer, when the party had been especially nosy and insisted on following you and Jonathan around, the two of you had learned pig latin in order to communicate without the twerps eavesdropping.

Learning against the table, you smirk at Robin. “Osay ouyay owknay igpay atinlay.”

“Holy shit!” Dustin gasps and Steve almost falls over with how quickly he looks at you in shock. Both boys stare at you in awe and you almost feel bad for their tiny little brains.

Robin can’t help but smile at you, you somehow always manage to surprise her. “Impressive, Y/N. Didn’t think you knew pig latin either.”

“That was pig latin?” Steve scrunches his face and hits your brother with his banana peel. “Idiot.”

“Steve, please don’t hit my brother with banana peels,” you pinch the bridge of your nose. It’s only noon and you’re already exhausted from today’s events. “But yes, that was pig latin.”

Dustin shoves Steve away from him and focuses on you again. “When did you learn pig latin?”

“The summer you and the party decided to stalk me and Jonathan.” You shrug, though you smile fondly at the memory. It had been a good summer, just the two of you holed up in your room as you quizzed each other on the bizarre language.

Steve, seeing your fondness at the memory, frowns. He doesn’t like the uncomfortable heat that he feels ignite within his stomach at the thought of you still being so fond over Jonathan. He trusts you, he trusts what you have, but he will never feel equal to him.

Robin notices Steve’s brewing insecurity and quickly changes the subject. She doesn’t have time for the usual hormonal drama between the two of you. All she wants right now is to decipher the Russian so that she can catch a break from Erica and her demanding need to try every free sample ever. “Back to the main point: I can speak Spanish and French and Italian, and I’ve been in band for twelve years. My ears are little geniuses, trust me.”

You bite your lip. Truthfully, Robin has the highest chance of unraveling whatever the hell is in the recording. You’re horrible with languages, high school Spanish had nearly killed you, and Steve and Dustin stand no better chance. “Robin…”

“Come on,” she begs. “It’s Steve's turn to sling ice cream and my turn to translate.”

Steve and Dustin turn to you, unanimously agreeing that you’re the leader in this situation; whatever call you make, they’ll listen. Robin sees the conflict on your face and tries one last time. “I don’t even want credit. I’m just bored and wanna hang out with you.”

Your head spins. Robin’s pleading eyes are hard to fight against and you realize that she already knows more than you’d want her to; she’s already a part of it all, whether you like it or not. Sighing, you give in. “Fine, but only if you promise not to ask any questions about whatever we may find.”

“What would I even question?” She asks, unsure why your tone is more foreboding than accepting.

You share a look with Steve and Dustin. The three of you know just how quickly something simple can spiral into chaos in Hawkins. “Just… promise me, okay?”

Robin extends her hand, just happy to finally have something better to do. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

After you shake her hand, she tosses her ice cream scoop to Steve and he hands her the Russian dictionary. Seeing the exchange sends a slight shiver down your spine. You don’t like how much it feels like you’ve just signed Robin’s life away.

–

True to her word, Robin’s ears are little geniuses.

With her helping, you and Dustin are able to speed through the translating as Steve works the register. You’re tasked with writing down the letters that Dustin calls from the whiteboard as Robin listens to the tape over and over again.

“Weird ‘r’ with a hook!” Your brother declares for the last letter.

You write it down and can’t help but frown at the message you’ve seemingly deciphered. Showing the writing to Robin, you ask what she thinks. “Are you sure it was that weird ‘r’ sound?”

“I’m positive,” she says. “C’mon, let’s go tell Steve.”

“Are we sure–” You try to ask her again, but Robin has already made her way to the sliding window and gets Steve’s attention.

“We’ve got our first sentence!”

You make your way over and lean against the window as well. Steve, holding two ice cream cones, seems excited by the news. “Oh, seriously?”

“It’s a hesitant first sentence.” You butt in, still unsure if it’s even correct.

Robin rolls her eyes at you. “Ignore her, I’m right.” Then, clearing her throat, she does an impressive Russian accent. “‘The week is long’.”

Steve’s shoulders slump, clearly having expected something better. “Well that’s thrilling.”

“Told you it was a hesitant first sentence.” Then you turn to Robin. “Nice accent, by the way.”

“Why thank you,” she tips her hat at you before focusing back on Steve. “And I know it isn’t thrilling, but it’s progress!”

And with that, Robin spins around and goes back to the table in the breakroom, eager to decipher more of the code. You’re about to kiss Steve’s cheek and say goodbye, but then your eyes land on a familiar red-haired girl and her friend standing in front of the register. You look down at the ice cream in Steve’s hands and note the familiar order you’ve come to memorize since the mall opened.

“Max? El?” You lean further out the window, pleasantly surprised to see them. “What are you guys doing here? Where’s the rest of the party?”

The girls wave at you and giggle, and you realize now that you’ve never actually seen them alone together before. Normally they’re with Lucas or Mike, so it’s a bit jarring to see them getting along so well without the boys. Jarring, but also very lovely.

“We don’t need those idiots.” Max responds, which makes El giggle even more.

Steve whistles, impressed by Max’s bluntness, and hands them their ice cream. They begin to eat the treat before a thought occurs to him. “Wait a second, are you even allowed to be here?”

You walk through the breakroom and come out the main doors to join Steve at the register. While you’re happy to see Max and El getting along, Steve has a point. Why is El here in such a public space? When you had asked Hopper last month if you could take El to Steve’s graduation, it had taken a whole debate and a fresh batch of cookies in order to convince the old man to let her come.

El is still technically forbidden from being seen in public, and yet here she is: running around Starcourt with Max.

You put your hands on the counter and lean towards the girls. They take a few steps back, now knowing that you’re onto them. “Max, El, what are you up to?”

Their eyes widen while you narrow yours, daring them to lie. Then, quickly glancing at one another, they turn around and run out of Scoops Ahoy, leaving you alone with Steve. You both stand there, dumbfounded.

“I thought I only ever had to worry about the boys.” You whisper, horrified. “The girls were supposed to be the ones I could trust.”

Steve rubs your shoulders and kisses your cheek. “You’re gonna go after them, aren’t you?”

You drop your head and sigh. “Yeah, I am.”

“I’ll tell Robin you had a babysitting emergency.” He presses a kiss to your neck now, which you shiver at, before gently shoving you out from behind the counter. “Good luck, angel.”

Steve’s kisses give you the energy you need to run after Max and El. They’re surprisingly fast as they giggle and trade ice cream cones to share. You call after them as you dodge random people in the mall, but your calls are in vain. They ignore you and continue to skip happily away from you.

“Guys!” When you finally catch up to them, they’re outside standing in front of the bike rack. “Why are you in front of the bikes–oh.”

You see Mike, Lucas, and Will unlocking their bikes from the rack as they bicker over something. Faintly you hear Mike and Lucas arguing about splitting money while Will is silent.

There’s a tension between the girls and boys that you now take note of. Normally El would have already been wrapped around Mike’s arms, but she remains by your side as Max approaches the boys. “Well, isn’t this a nice surprise?”

When Mike sees El, he drops his bike in shock. “What are you doing here?”

“Shopping.” El says as she glares at the boy.

You’ve never seen her so cold towards someone. It’s kind of frightening, honestly. “Oh, Wheeler, what did you do?”

“What did I do? No, what did you do? You’re the one who is letting her walk around Starcourt where everyone can see her!” Mike shrieks, always finding ways to blame you for his own problems.

You scoff. “Hey, I’ve only known about this for like, a second longer than you have.”

“Sure, likely story.”

“Have you ever considered not pissing off your girlfriend?”

“Have you ever considered getting a better boyfriend than Harrington?”

“Okay–”

Max steps in between you and Mike, annoyed. “Both of you shut up!” She waves her hand over El’s outfit and tries to turn the conversation around. “This is El’s new style. What do you think?”

“I think she looks nice–”

Mike cuts you off. “What’s wrong with you? You know she’s not allowed to be here.”

“What is she, your little pet?”

El clenches her jaw. “Yeah. Am I your pet?”

“What? No!” Mike denies, equally as confused as you are.

You’re not quite sure how you ended up in this situation.

“Then why do you treat me like garbage?” El questions the boy.

You frown at this and subtly step towards Lucas, desperately hoping for some clarification. “Did I miss something?”

“It’s a long story.” He sighs, and you now realize that Max must be angry with him, too.

El continues to interrogate Mike, and you almost feel bad for the boy. “You said Nana was sick.”

“She is! She is sick.” Mike lies through his teeth. You think about what Hopper told you earlier, how he had said some things to get Mike away from El, and you suppose now that it had involved some type of lie about the kid’s grandma.

Then Mike shoves at Lucas to get him to play along as well. Reluctantly he echoes his friend, though you know he’s aware that he’s only making this worse for himself. “She’s super sick, that’s why we’re here, actually.”

Mike is quick to follow along. “Yeah, we’re shopping! Not for us, but for her, for Nana.”

You catch Will’s eyes, who has remained silent this entire time, and he shakes his head at you in disappointment. You look back at Mike and Lucas now, unamused. “Nana isn’t sick, is she?”

“She is! But…” Mike fumbles over his words now. “We’re also here to get a gift for El. We just–we couldn’t find anything that suited her and I only have like, $3.50, so it’s hard.”

“It’s expensive… Had we known you were at the mall we would’ve asked you for money.” Lucas mumbles, which you flick his forehead at. “Ow, Y/N!”

El looks between Lucas and Mike, her eyes showing her hurt. “You lie.” When neither boy says anything, her hurt only grows and her voice wavers with tears. “Why do you lie?”

Again, El’s words are met with silence. Mike looks down, too ashamed to meet her eyes, and you shift uncomfortably, feeling even worse for the kid. You hadn’t expected to witness an awkward relationship feud today, and it wasn’t all entirely his fault. You know that Hopper played a role in this.

Later, when you have the time, you’re definitely going to yell at the police chief about this.

As the silence drags on, the local bus that drives everyone in Hawkins to Starcourt now arrives in the parking lot. Hearing its brakes hiss, El looks behind her and seems to make up her mind about something. Her face is stony as she approaches Mike and her words are laced with venom. “I dump your ass.”

You and Max gasp, though yours is more from shock and Max is more from being impressed.

Mike’s face falls and El whips around and begins walking towards the bus. Max follows, waving goodbye to you, and you’re left to deal with the unfortunate outcome of this bizarre situation.

Laughing nervously, you awkwardly pat Mike’s back. “You’ll… Uh, fix this, right?”

Mike slaps your hand away and marches back towards his bike. His shoulders droop and he looks tired from all he’s had to deal with today. Lucas doesn’t look any better and silently follows after his friend. Will is the only one who remains, and he drops his head to your chest and groans. “I just wanted to play DnD today.”

“I know, little bee.” You scratch his head and try to console him. “But sometimes life gets in the way. Right now Mike and Lucas need you, do you think you could help them?”

Will looks up at you. “I don’t know… Maybe, I guess.”

“Do what you can,” you kiss his forehead, wishing you could do more for him. All he’s wanted to do all summer is be a kid again, but his peers are growing older and leaving him behind. It isn’t anyone’s fault. “I gotta go, buddy. But I promise you and I will do something this week, just the two of us, okay?”

He nods, content with this, and you ruffle his hair before heading back inside to Scoops.

–

Hours later, you, Steve, Dustin, and Robin all uncover the rest of the Russian code.

You stand with your back against Steve’s chest as he has his arms draped loosely over you. Robin and Dustin stand to your left as you all face the whiteboard that has the message written on it, reading it out loud.

“‘The week is long. The silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west’.”

There’s a pause as you all take in the bizarre message. You’re extremely doubtful that it’s right. The order of the words is too abstract to possibly be purposeful. It just doesn’t make any sense.

“Are we sure this is right?” You ask the group, knowing no one else will utter the doubt that settles over the room. Steve tightens his arms around you and shrugs.

“It has to be.” Dustin mumbles, though even he looks unsure.

Robin sighs. “Well, whether or not we’re right, dingus and I have to close up shop.”

Steve groans but reluctantly lets go of you so that he can help Robin with closing. While the two teens wash the ice cream scoopers and put away the remaining ice cream, you sit with Dustin at one of the booths.

“Maybe it’s a code?”

“Dustin, we just translated a foreign language. Thinking it’s a code seems like a cop-out, honestly.” You rest your head in your hands and watch Steve count the money in the register. Feeling your eyes on him, he looks up and winks at you. Blushing, you look back at your brother. “We probably just translated it wrong.”

“My ears are right! We didn’t translate anything wrong!” Robin shouts from across the store.

Dustin perks up. “See? We have to assume we’re onto something.”

You bite your lip, still unsure, but leave the topic alone for now. There’s no point arguing with Dustin and Robin because it’s not like any of you can just ask a native Russian speaker who is correct. If it somehow ends up being a hidden code, then you’ll apologize to Robin’s ears later.

It’s quiet in the parlor after that, but when Steve and Robin have finished closing and he pulls the gate down to lock up the store before you all go home, Steve can’t help but bring the subject up again. “I mean–it’s just, it can’t be right.”

“It’s right.” Robin affirms once more, and Dustin nods at her appreciatively.

“Honesty, I think it’s great news.”

Steve walks next to you as the four of you slowly head towards the mall’s exit. It’s late, you’re tired from your long day of translating the Russian language, and you’re ready to go to bed. Then, as if somehow knowing the exhaustion that weighs upon you, you feel Steve slip his hand into yours. His fingers are warm and the touch soothes you as he gently guides the two of you.

“How is this great news?” Steve asks your brother. “I mean, so much for being American heroes. It’s total nonsense.”

“The goal isn’t to be American heroes, dummy.” You chide, tugging at your hands to make sure he looks at you and listens. “We aren’t still going to follow this, are we?”

Dustin rolls his eyes at you both. “It’s not nonsense, it’s too specific and obviously a code. And yes we’re going to keep following this. We’re onto something, I can feel it!”

“All I feel right now is a crippling migraine forming,” you groan, rubbing at your temples.

Steve kisses your head in concern, feeling bad that he’s kept you out so late. However, he also really, really would love to become someone important. Someone worthy of his dad’s favor, so he follows after Dustin, curious despite it all. “What do you mean a code?”

“Like a super secret spy code.”

“That’s a total stretch.”

You snort. “That’s what I said, but no. Why should we ever listen to Y/N? It’s not like she’s always right in the end.”

Robin winces, afraid to annoy you further, but she can’t help but agree with Dustin. “I don’t know, is it really a stretch?”

“No, please don’t tell me you believe my brother.” You’re betrayed, hurt even, that Robin would succumb to Dustin’s fantasies.

Normally you’re all for believing your brother, but Russians in Hawkins leaving a hidden code in a radio frequency that can be accessed by the public? You may have fought alternate dimension monsters and you may know a girl with mind control powers, but even this feels far fetched.

“Listen, just for kicks, let’s entertain the possibility that it is a secret Russian transmission. What’d you think they were gonna say, ‘fire the warhead at noon’?” Robin raises her eyebrows at you.

“Well… no.” You slump your shoulders, knowing that she has a point. “But–”

“Just admit we’re right, Y/N.” Dustin says, annoyed.

Robin turns to you and almost groans when she sees your hand intertwined with Steve’s. Her voice falters for a moment at the sight, but she clears her throat and carries on with the conversation. “And my translation is correct. I know that for sure, so… ‘the silver cat feeds’. Why would anyone talk like that unless they’re trying to mask the meaning of their message?”

Dustin is next to her now, hanging onto her every word as you and Steve lag behind. “Exactly!”

“It is a weird phrase,” you mumble under your breath, and Steve can’t help but chuckle at how endearing you are when you try to play the reasonable role. It’s never any use, you’re everything that hope and optimism embodies; it’s adorable.

Robin sees that you’re close to giving in and begins to ramble now. “Why would anyone mask the true meaning of their message unless the message was somehow sensitive?” Again Dustin agrees with everything she says and Steve shrugs his shoulders while all you do is sigh in defeat. Looking at your brother, Robin concludes, “Guess that confirms your suspicions.”

“Evil Russians.”

“Okay, no.” You step between them now. “What if they’re just, like, really shy Russians who want some privacy? Why do we always jump to the evil conclusion?”

Dustin shoulders you to get you to shut up, and you shove him back, starting a small spat between the two of you. He hits your shoulder, you hit his stomach, and Steve watches with amusement while Robin stares in horror.

“Do we stop them?” She asks the teen.

Steve shakes his head. “I’ve learned that it’s best to just let them fight it out. It’s been a month, they’re behind on their fist fighting schedule.”

“I heard that!” You quickly say to him before yanking Dustin’s shirt to get him off of your back.

Seeing your struggle, Robin forces your brother off of you and holds him by his arms so that he doesn’t jump on you again. Dustin complains, but quickly shuts up at what Robin says. “Focus! I’m trying to tell you that I agree with you, this is totally evil Russians.”

Dustin stops struggling against her, now elated at the idea of defeating evil foreigners. “So how do we crack it?”

You were scared that Robin and Dustin wouldn’t get along, but as you watch them bounce schemes off of one another and plan an evil Russian take down, you’re now terrified of the friendship brewing between them. It’s worse than Steve with Dustin; Robin is just as cunning as your brother is.

She thinks for a moment. “I guess we translate the rest and hopefully a pattern emerges.”

“Have we ever considered a game plan for after poking our noses where they don’t belong?” Dustin and Robin both glare at you and you hold your hands up in surrender. “Hey, I’m just saying.”

“Ignore her, Robin. She likes to pretend she’s the rational one in these types of situations.” Dustin whispers to her, which you roll your eyes at. Steve kisses your cheek as a way to console you as your brother continues to speak. “Anyways, maybe the ‘silver cat’ is a meeting place?”

“Or a person.” Robin theorizes.

“Or a weapon.”

As the two of them come up with insane theories about what the code could mean, you notice that Steve is no longer by your side. Turning around, you find him stopped at one of the carousel horses meant for little kids. He’s bent over it, examining it. You frown, unsure what he’s doing, and walk over to him.

Resting a hand against his back, you lean down next to him. “Can I ask what we’re looking at here, honey?” He’s mumbling under his breath and digging through his pockets for something. Now you’re starting to get concerned. “Steve?”

“I need–do you have a quarter?”

“No?” You’re even more concerned now. Placing the back of your hand against his forehead, you check his temperature. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Sure you’re tall enough for that ride?” Robin quips as she and Dustin now join.

“Quarter!” Steve demands, nearly falling over as he tries to catch the one that she tosses him. When he catches it he quickly pushes the coin into the machine’s slot, bringing it to life. Music begins to play as the horse moves back and forth. It’s ominous, almost, in the mall’s dim lighting with no one else around.

Steve listens intently to the music, his face concentrated as if trying to understand something. As the music continues to play, you can’t help but feel that it sounds familiar. It reminds you of something, maybe a distant memory that you can’t quite recall. Wanting to understand more, you lean in close to the machine as well and mirror Steve’s actions. “The music…”

“They’ve both lost it,” Dustin mumbles when he sees that you’re also now analyzing a stupid carousel horse.

“Y/N, you helping little Stevie up onto the ride?” Robin laughs at her own joke, but you swat at her to shush her.

As the song plays once more, it finally clicks. Your mind flashes back to your conversation with him earlier in the break room as you kept replaying the Russian recording over and over again. It’s the same song. With a gasp, you throw your arms around Steve’s neck and begin kissing his face over and over again. “You’re a genius!”

Steve leans into your kisses and smiles at the praise, relieved that you don’t think he’s some idiot. Though his heart is beating wildly, he clears his throat and shrugs as if it isn’t a big deal. “I have my moments.”

“Care to share with the class, dinguses?”

Robin’s voice startles you, having momentarily forgotten where you were. Blushing, you pull away from Steve and clear your throat as well and act as if you weren’t just drowning the boy in kisses. “Listen to the song, guys.”

The seriousness of your tone causes Dustin to finally listen to the music as well. It only takes him a few seconds to piece together what you and Steve already have. “Holy shit. The music.”

“The music.” You confirm with pride, still incredibly amazed that Steve managed to remember such a small yet crucial detail. Since coming to befriend him, you’ve come to admire just how perceptive he is. Sure, he may not be a math whiz, but his emotional and creative intelligence leaves you in awe every time you see it. He’s smarter than anyone gives him credit for.

You wish his father saw this intelligence within him. Honestly, you wish more people did.

Dustin yanks his backpack off of his shoulder and starts rustling through it as he searches for something. When he finds his tape recorder, he starts to play the Russian transmission again. Hearing the audio and carousel play simultaneously side by side, it only confirms what Steve has long since figured out: it’s the same song.

Not being able to help yourself, you again kiss Steve’s cheek, giddy and proud of him. “You’re brilliant.”

He preens while Robin scrunches her nose, unsure why you’re all over the guy because of some song. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s the exact same song on the recording.” Dustin explains to her.

“Maybe they have horses like this in Russia?”

You nod at her. “Maybe? We should look into who produces these machines, it could be our new lead.”

Steve shakes his head. “‘Indiana Flyer’? I don’t… I don’t think so.”

Something seems to shift within his voice and his face now twists with slight fear. He looks as if he’s realized something awful, and you feel your own joy from earlier vanish. A chill runs through you, the same awful feeling of dread that once overwhelmed you when Will originally disappeared now courses through you again.

“What is it?” You softly ask Steve, already bracing yourself for the worst.

He frowns at the apprehension in your voice and the worried crease between his brows makes you want to smooth away the concern. You know he doesn’t want to scare you, that he’s always trying to make things easier for you, so you tilt your head at him and nod slightly; you want him to tell you. Seeing your unspoken permission, he sighs. “This code, it… didn’t come from Russia. It came from here.”

You, Robin, and Dustin all look at one another. Fear settles over the group, you can feel its heavy weight like an old, familiar friend.

“Why does everything happen in Hawkins?” You say to no one in particular, still trying to process what this all means.

Dustin sighs and Steve drops his head.

Somehow, you always end up here.

–

Steve offers to drive you and Dustin home after seeing how shaken up you are by the latest Russian revelation. Tired and exhausted and terrified as usual, you accept.

It takes some trial and error, but eventually he and your brother manage to fit your bikes in the back of the BMW.

The drive to your house is filled with awkward banter between Steve and Dustin. You sit quietly in the passenger seat as the two boys try to make light of the situation, but not even their jokes can lessen the fear that creeps into the car; none of you are sure what to make of all of this.

When Steve pulls up to your house, all that you’ve managed to do the entire car ride is make a mental note to call Jonathan about everything later. It’s not your best plan, you wish that there was more you could do, but at the very least you know that he and Nancy can help.

Dustin scrambles out of the car, desperate to escape the tension within it. “See you tomorrow, Steve!” He calls behind him before slamming the car door shut.

You snort softly at your brother, finally moving to unbuckle your own seatbelt, before Steve places his hand on yours and stops you. He’s noticed how quiet you’ve been the entire car ride and the way your eyes have clouded over with fear. He hates it. “Do me a favor?”

“Yes?” You blink at him, unsure what he could want at this hour. It’s late and your mom expects you home soon.

“Leave your window unlocked for me.” He winks at you, trying to play coy, but you see the genuine concern for you hidden beneath his actions.

You can’t help but smile; it feels as if you can breathe again. “Steve Harrington, why should I leave my window unlocked for you?”

Your smile sends a warmth through Steve’s chest as relief washes over him. He’s doing something right. He’s gotten you to smile. “Because I’m planning on sneaking in after I park my car a few blocks down so your mom won’t see me.”

Though you know what he had been implying, hearing him say the words out loud causes a wild blush to burn across your cheeks and your stomach to swoop. Steve has never done this before, sneaking into your room like some lovestruck teenager late at night, it’s been the one boundary neither of you have crossed before.

“I suppose I can do that.” You say with an air of indifference, which Steve rolls his eyes at. “Strictly friendly, of course.”

“Oh, of course.”

You giggle, finally unbuckling your seatbelt, and you exit the car after kissing the boy’s cheek. His face is warm against your lips and you’re coming to memorize the way your nose presses against the indent of his cheek bones.

When you get inside, your mom is knitting on the couch while Tews sits in her lap. She greets you with a smile and you compliment the scarf she’s making. “I’m sure it’ll be perfect for this winter, mom.”

She thanks you and wishes you a good night, noticing the bags underneath your eyes with slight concern. Inside your room, you quickly clear away the scattered pieces of paper on your desk and arrange your bedding so that it isn't strewn across the room. Steve has been in your room a million times now, and yet you can’t help but feel like tonight is different for some reason.

True to his word, within ten minutes Steve is knocking on your window. Hearing the quiet way his knuckles rap against the glass makes your heart jump in your stomach. Your body practically buzzes as you go to open the window, eager to have him close to you.

“Took you long enough,” you tease, opening the window wide enough for him to crawl through.

Steve pulls himself up with ease, his biceps strain against his Scoops Ahoy uniform, and you’ve never been more thankful for corporate policy. “Sorry, angel. Came here as fast as I could.”

You tug at his shirt and the two of you are falling into your bed. He lands on you with a soft thud and your body has long since become accustomed to his weight. As his body settles upon yours, it feels like coming home. You exhale deeply, wrapping your arms around his body, and Steve nuzzles his face into your neck and presses a gentle kiss there.

Everything swirling violently within your head now stills. The constant onslaught of worries and doubts finally quiets, and you know that despite it all, at least you have Steve.

“We’ll figure it out, ya know.” Steve’s lips move against the skin of your neck as he speaks, making you shiver slightly at the sensation.

“I know,” you start to play with his hair, needing something to do with your hands as you speak. “But… How many times are we going to keep doing this? Be the only people in Hawkins aware of what’s going on?”

Steve is silent for a few moments, allowing your words to sink in. He rolls them around in his head, he knows that the question isn’t one that comes from doubt of what he and the others are capable of. You don’t lack faith, you lack the willingness to constantly place the ones you love at risk. It just isn’t in your nature.

“As many times as needed.” He pauses again, unsure how to express to you his certainty that you’re capable of so much with all the love within you. If there’s anyone in this shitty town who is a real American hero, it’s you. “I mean, after everything we’ve been through these last two years, measly Russians are no big deal. We’ve fought worse monsters than Communism.”

You laugh, he always somehow gets you to laugh, and the sound is as angelic to Steve as your eyes are to him. He tightens his arms around you and relishes in the way your body presses against his, how he can feel your body move with every inhale of your laugh.

Then, slowly, your laughter dies down. Reality settles upon you once more and you want to believe Steve, you do, and you try to reassure yourself that he’s right… but something feels off about this. You can’t exactly articulate what it is, but there's this haze of uncertainty that you’ve never quite felt before; a vulnerability that leaves you feeling cold in his arms.

Sensing your fear rising up again, Steve tries to distract you by changing the subject. “Speaking of monsters, I recruited the little heathens to help with your birthday gift.”

The change of subject works. You raise your head and look at the teen. “You mean the party? You got them to help with a gift for me?”

“Don’t sound so surprised, Y/N.” Steve butts his head against your chin playfull. “I can make them listen to me… sometimes.”

You stare at him, knowing he’s full of shit. “Go on, tell me all about how you got them to listen to you.”

He tries to hold your gaze, refusing to back down, but he cracks after only a few seconds. “Okay, fine. It took a lot of pleading and I now owe a bunch of pre-teens money.”

A loud, full body laugh escapes your lips, and Steve laughs with you. The two of you hold one another and feel each other laugh, chests rising with glee. For a moment you feel okay again, forgetting everything else for now. You’re carefree in this moment, feeling like a little kid again, something only Steve can do to you.

When your laughs die down, you and Steve quietly lay together. No other words manage to find their way in the dark of your room, all that needs to be said has been laid to rest. His warm breaths hit the base of your neck as your nails scratch against his scalp. While you feel safe in his arms, there’s still so much that needs to be said.

Staring at the ceiling of your room, you see faint threads and strings and lines that you thought you put to rest that night in Jonathan’s room this winter. Now, they’re back again, only this time it’s a different boy within your arms. Something akin to doubt creeps in.

Steve already has all of you, you told him you’d wait, but what if you’ve missed your chance again with him like you did with Jonathan? When June began, Steve promised that you had all summer together. He calls you angel and tells you stories to fall asleep to on the phone, and yet the threads that glow above you taunt you.

You love him, you do, but you’re terrified that whatever the two of you uncover with the Russians will somehow pry you apart.

Just like Will’s disappearance had pried Jonathan away from you two years ago.

July looms over you and summer is going by faster than you thought it would. The promise of summer, one that usually leaves the nostalgic taste of honey on your tongue, now threatens to choke you.

As if having a mind of their own, your arms tighten even more around Steve, almost as if somehow you can shield what the two of you have from the dangers within Hawkins.

You hope it’s enough.

-

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[andvys]

Dancing with our hands tied | S.H.

Chapter nine ⭐︎ And I'll show you if you let me, girl

Warnings: 18+, minors don't interact. smut, unprotected sex, mentions of jealousy, mentions of weed and alcohol, a sliver of angst. this is written from Steve’s pov only!

Pairing: Steve Harrington x fem!reader

Summary: While Steve yearns for more with you, you seem to feel differently...

Word count: 10k+

Author's note: @hellfire--cult we're getting closer to all the good stufffff, thanks for putting this idea in my head and helping me with this hehe

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♡

The warmth of the sun is a welcoming feeling on Steve’s face as he wakes from his slumber. The sheets that are covering him, feeling soft on his bare body. The pillow beneath his head holds a scent that makes it smell intoxicating. He feels as though he had been sleeping on a cloud, the bed feeling more comfortable than his own.

He slowly opens his eyes, only to shut them again when the brightness shines into them. A groan falls from his lips as he throws his hand in front of his face. 

The smell of clean sheets, vanilla and something flowery fills his senses, making something in his chest flutter. 

The weight of something holding down his right arm, wakes him a little more and he opens his eyes again, a little more careful this time as he holds his hand up to protect his eyes from the sun. 

Pictures of last night start flashing in his mind when his eyes find you, cheek squished against the pillow, hair in front of your face, eyes closed and a relaxed look in your features as you’re still sleeping peacefully.

He looks away from you when he notices your hand around his arm, fingers wrapped around it as you hold on tightly, even in your sleep. His lip twitches as he stares at it, at your soft hand, at the size of it and how much smaller it is compared to his. 

He watches you for a moment, eyes tracing the spots that aren’t hidden by the covers. His fingers itch as he stares at your soft skin. He notices the scar on your shoulder, the one that a bat left, the one that you ripped off of him, saving him from a wound it would have left on his abdomen if you hadn’t saved him – you took the scar that was meant for him. 

Your lashes flutter a little, a sigh falls from your lips before you snuggle deeper into the pillows, still sound asleep. He can’t help but hold his hand out to move some of the hair out of your face, his fingertips grazing your nose ever so slightly, you don’t even budge. He wonders if you are always such a deep sleeper or if you’re just worn out from the night before. 

A smirk tugs at his lips as his thoughts reminded him of the desperation in your eyes, the needy moans that fell from your lips when he devoured you, when he fucked you, when he touched you in a way he never thought he would. 

He can’t help but react to those memories, feeling something inside of him burning with need and a deep longing to repeat the previous night with you. 

Who would have thought that Steve Harrington would ever end up in your bed? 

What would his 17 year old self think of him now?

While his teen self was very well aware of your beauty, he never was good at accepting his attraction towards you, especially when you were so mean to him – now it only turns him on. 

Steve turns on his side, about to sink deeper into your comfortable, warm bed when his eyes fall on the alarm clock on your nightstand. It’s almost 10am. Which isn’t bad… if he didn’t have to be at work an hour ago already. 

He shoots up with wide eyes, cursing. He turns back to you in panic, placing his hand on yours, “Blondie,” he whispers, trying to shake you awake, “hey… psst!” 

All that you do is turn around in your sleep, holding onto the sheets as you stay deeply asleep. 

He rolls his eyes, sighing as he opens his mouth again, he looks down and suddenly, every word gets stuck in his throat when he eyes the light pink sheets and the little bows on them. 

He furrows his brows and lifts his head, looking around the room that he realizes he had never been in before until last night, but he was too busy with you to focus on his surroundings or the girly room. 

He doesn’t know what he imagined your room to be like, but he certainly never imagined this. Light colors and lots and lots of girly decorations, aside from the band posters and the horror movie collection by the TV stand in the corner. 

The shelf across the room is littered with books and plants, tiny bottles of nail polish and perfumes. There’s pillows and a blanket on your window nook, along with a plushie that makes him smirk, the little bunny being something new he can tease you about. 

He scratches the back of his neck as he looks to his left, the nightstand on his side is littered with fashion magazines, candles and a few lip balms that are lying in a tiny bowl – strawberry and cherry flavored ones.

The poster behind your closet door catches his eye next, he can’t help but snort, “Jon Bon Jovi,” he murmurs as he stares at the long haired singer wearing a leather vest.  

Steve looks nothing like him. 

He doesn’t have the same hair nor the style. 

Is that your type of man? 

Long hair and leather vests? – Eddie surely isn’t your type, and Billy was only a friend, and yet… there was something more between you and him. 

His eyes fall back on the TV stand and the tapes, reminding him that he should be worrying about other things, right now. 

He throws the blanket off himself, his feet hit the floor and he rushes towards the clothes he discarded last night. He hastily puts his boxers and his jeans on, clinking with the belt as he struggles to fasten it in a rush. He throws on his shirt before he bends down to put his Nike’s on, not even trying to be quiet as he jumps around in a hurry, hoping that you will wake up before he leaves, not wanting to just leave without saying goodbye. 

He rushes into your bathroom, not even bothering to look at his reflection. He quickly washes his face before he looks around in search for mouthwash, you surely won’t mind. His brows rise up when he finds the bottle behind all the lotions. 

He walks back into your room after freshening up, halting in front of your bed. He feels surprised that you still haven’t woken from all the noises he made. 

You are lying on your stomach now, your bare back exposed to him as the sheets are low on your hips. 

He clenches his jaw, shutting his eyes for a moment, hating that he has to leave when all he wants to do is to get back under the sheets with you. 

What will you think when you wake up to an empty bed? 

Will you get angry with him for just rushing out that door without saying goodbye? 

Are you even gonna care?

You slapped his hand away when he tried to touch you last night, before you fell asleep. You probably won’t care about him leaving. 

He can’t wake you, he doesn’t want to disrupt your sleep and he can’t wait any longer, knowing that he will get in trouble with Keith if he shows up late, especially on a Sunday. 

And it’s not only Keith he has to worry about, it’s also Robin, who will throw one question after the other at him. 

He has no choice but to go, he steps out into the hallway and turns back to take another look at you, hesitating as he does so. 

He will explain and apologize later, that is if you even care. 

With a sigh, he tears his eyes away from you and he leaves, rushing out of the house and into his car. 

Robin is already behind the counter when he steps inside Family Video, her nose in a magazine as she taps her nails against the wood, an impatient, annoyed look in her features when she reveals her face to him after dropping the magazine on the counter. She pushes the sleeve of her flannel up, taking a look at the watch around her wrist. 

Steve rolls his eyes at her, throwing on the vest as he rushes in. 

“You’re almost an hour late, dude.”

“I know, I know,” Steve sighs, moving past her and into the backroom to clock in before he comes back to her. 

She is still standing in the same spot, arms crossed over her chest as she eyes him up and down, snorting at the mess on his head. It is a rare sight to see, he knows that. 

He rolls his eyes again, holding a finger up at her as he shakes his head, “don’t say anything.” 

He tried to tame the mess on his head when he was in his car, but the only thing that will fix the tousled hair is a shower. 

“I see the date with Heidi was worth it,” she teases him, a smirk tugging at her lips the longer she stares at the look in his eyes, they are practically glowing. 

Steve looks into a box that has been placed on the counter, he opens it to find new tapes inside, he eyes the horror movies. 

“Did you have fun?”

Yeah, just not with Heidi. 

He never had that much fun with her, he never had that much fun with anyone. 

“Mhmm.”

Robin squints her eyes at him, eying the way his cheeks flush a little, the way the blush deepens as she steps closer and stares at him. 

Steve never blushed because of Heidi, he also never came late to work after a night with her. 

“Did you stay the night?” She asks, knowing that he never stayed with any of his girls before. 

He purses his lips, and looks away from the tapes and back at her, he sees the skeptical look on her face and it makes him nervous. She knows everything about him, she knows he never stays. 

He runs his fingers through his hair, leaning against the counter as he tries to appear calm. 

“Yeah, I was really tired after we uh… you know,” he explains, shrugging a little. 

“Hmm,” she nods, furrowing her brows. 

He takes a step back, taking one of the tapes out of the box, “did you uh… did you guys have a fun time, last night?” 

“Yeah,” she nods as she looks down at her rings, twisting them, “Eddie was pretty annoyed with you though.” 

“Was he?” Steve frowns. 

“Yeah, said he couldn’t believe that you’d ditch your friends to get your dick wet.” 

He snorts, “like he wouldn’t do that.”

“He wouldn’t,” she shrugs, “oh and uh, your Blondie seemed pretty upset too, she left early.”

Steve raises his brows, “oh?”

Steve had wondered how you reacted to his date with Heidi but given your attitude towards him when he came over tells him that you must have been really upset about it – but he didn’t know that, last night. He just thought that you were having a bad day, he didn’t really connect the dots until now. 

Were you jealous? 

Were you jealous that some other girl was getting the attention that he was giving you in the past few weeks? 

“Yeah, I don’t think it had anything to do with you though.” 

It had everything to do with him, he knows it, he can feel it. He felt it last night, how you melted into him, how your anger began to dissolve the moment he told you that it was only you in his mind. 

But you don’t like him, he’s sure of it. You don’t like him. You just want to keep this game up, and have him all to yourself. 

“I’m sorry for bailing on you,” he sighs, trying to steer the topic away from you before he accidentally spills everything to her.  

“Apologize to Eddie or Blondie – actually maybe not to her, you’d probably just humiliate yourself in front of her the way you always do.”  

He snorts, nodding at her, “right.” 

“You could invite us all for pizza though, make it up to us, dude.” 

At the mention of food, Steve’s stomach growls a little. He hasn’t eaten since his afternoon snack yesterday. He was supposed to eat dinner at Enzo’s, but he didn’t even get past the drinks with Heidi. 

“I could eat some pizza,” he murmurs, “I’ll call Eddie on my lunch break. You’re free tonight, right?” 

Robin brushes past him and walks around the counter, taking the box that he just opened, “yeah but Eddie isn’t, he’s got a date tonight,” she wiggles her brows, a smile tugging at her lips, “a real date, you know? Not a sex date.” 

Steve places his hand on his hip, sighing as he rolls his eyes at his best friend. 

“I go on real dates!” 

Robin’s blue eyes flicker with amusement, “yeah right, Dingus,” she snorts. 

She steps away with the box in her hands, “I’m stacking these up, you can just… chill here and wait for another potential date to walk through the door. Oh and by the way, Nancy and Jonathan are busy tonight as well, but you can call up Argyle, I’ll call Vickie and your arch nemesis.” 

If only Robin knew that he was in his ‘arch nemesis’s’ bed last night, tangled in the sheets after your bare skin touched his and your lips met more times than he can now count, your fingers dug into his back, scratching the skin and blessing him with a pleasant kind of pain, he feels the marks that you have left on him, burning beneath his shirt and he can’t help but crave more of it, more of you. 

As everything begins to really sink in, he can’t even fight the smile off his face any longer. 

Weeks of frustration, of sexual tension and lust have brought him to a moment you both have been craving for a while now and normally the high should now be over, last night should have been enough but… it could never be enough, this has only just begun. 

And he really hopes that you feel the same. 

All day, he walks around with nothing but happiness in his features, a smile he can’t seem to hide, not even when Robin confronts him about it, teasing him about something she knows nothing about. 

He almost feels bad for lying to her but he can’t help but want to enjoy this moment and keep it all to himself. It’s only his. 

His excitement only grows when Robin tells him that you will come over later.

After work, Steve drops by the store to get some snacks and drinks before he makes his way home. He throws the keys on the counter and walks into the kitchen, putting the grocery bag on the table, he takes out the beers and soda’s and places them into the fridge before he makes his way upstairs and into the bathroom, finally taking his long awaited shower. 

He puts on a pair of gray sweatpants and a black shirt, taking his time styling his hair while his mind is still all over the place. He puts on his favorite cologne, hoping that it will drive you crazy just the way your perfume drives him crazy. 

It’s almost 7pm by the time Steve makes his way back downstairs, knowing that everyone will arrive soon, he picks up the phone to order the pizzas. 

Excitement flutters in his stomach and he can’t even find it in himself to sit still. 

He opens a window in the living room to let some fresh air in, he turns on the music and goes back into the kitchen to fill up bowls with chips and other snacks that he bought, he carries them over into the living room, when the doorbell rings two times and then another a few seconds later. Steve doesn’t even bother to go and open the door, knowing that it’s Robin. 

“Hey Dingus!” She shouts through the house the moment she opens the door. 

“Hi Steve!” Vickie greets him more quietly and a little more kindly. 

He turns around the moment the two girls step inside the room, with more snacks and beer in their hands. 

“Hey guys,” he smiles. 

Robin throws the bags of candy on the coffee table before she reaches for the beers in Vickie’s hands, “I’m gonna put these into the fridge for now. Did you order the pizza already?” 

“Yes I did, pepperoni for you,” he points at Vickie who gives him a thumbs up as she sits down on the couch, “and extra cheese for you, Robs.” 

Robin tilts her head, a grin appearing on her face as she turns to her best friend, “aw, you memorized our orders, Steve.”

He rolls his eyes at her teasing. 

“Aren’t you the cutest?” She chuckles, winking at him before she walks out of the room. 

He shakes his head, shooting a playful glare at Vickie when she continues to laugh at Robin's teasing. 

The doorbell rings again and Steve almost sprints towards the door, knowing that this must be you now. 

Vickie’s face flashes with amusement when he runs his fingers through his hair a few times before he leaves the living room. He takes a few deep breaths as he inches closer to the front door. He wraps his hand around the handle and opens the door, biting back the smirk that already threatens to break free. 

“Hey man!” Argyle grins at him as he stands next to you, “look who I found on the side of the road,” he jokes, snorting as he looks down at you. 

Steve licks his lips as his eyes find yours, his cheeks begin to hurt when he struggles to hide the smirk. 

“Hey guys.” 

“You said that like I’m some stray cat,” you snort as you look away from Steve, looking up at Argyle instead, giving Steve the perfect opportunity to take you in. 

A denim jacket is thrown over your shoulders, a simple white shirt underneath it, paired with a short pink skirt, the color almost matching the one on your glossy lips – the ones he had been thinking about all day. And then he looks at your neck, feeling disappointed that there is only a faint outline of the hickey he left the night before. You covered it with makeup, lots of it. 

“You are not a stray, but you are a cat, girl,” Argyle says to you as he steps inside, patting Steve on the shoulder, “always got her claws out, right man?” 

Steve chuckles in amusement, nodding in agreement. 

Argyle walks away from the two of you, greeting Robin and Vickie joyfully as he walks into the living room. 

Steve places his forearm on the door, looking you up and down with a smirk on his face. He feels warmth in his stomach, one that makes him crave you more and more.

“Hey Blondie,” he murmurs.

You eye him up and down just the way he did to you, and it does everything to set his insides on fire, even more.

You look up at him through your lashes as a suggestive look flashes in your eyes before you innocently tear your gaze away, your shoulder brushing his when you finally walk through the door. 

The smell of your perfume invading his space so pleasantly. 

“Hey Lego Head.” 

Lego Head. 

It almost sounds funny to hear you call him that after the night you spent with each other. 

He closes the door without tearing his eyes away from you and reaches for your hand before you can walk away from him. 

He doesn’t like the way you look down at his hand, the way your brows pull together, the way confusion flashes in your eyes before you look up at him with a look that gives him absolutely nothing. 

Suddenly, as though something had washed over your face, taking every bit of the emotions that were just behind your eyes, you look at him like you always did – before last night, before you both began playing your little game, before all the teasing. 

“Yes?” 

Steve feels a little taken aback by the sound in your voice, by the sudden change but he tries to keep his cool. 

“Did you sleep well?” He smirks. 

He doesn’t expect you to roll your eyes at him, removing your hand from his and walking away without a word, leaving him standing in the hallway, feeling more confused than ever, making his chest sting with rejection. 

The look you gave him before you stepped inside, certainly didn’t match whatever just happened. 

He shakes his head, sighing. 

Is that another part of the game? 

Or are you just trying to act like normal so no one will notice anything?

It turns out that there is something else. 

After he follows you into the living room, he quickly realizes that you aren’t playing any games, that you aren’t acting ‘normal’ either. 

Your kindness is there, just not for him, which normally wouldn’t hurt as much if your ‘friendship’ hadn’t evolved into something better in the past few weeks. 

You talk to Argyle, Robin and Vickie, and you talk to him when you have to, but all that you give to him are glances filled with nothing but frustration and forced smiles, making his skin crawl with annoyance. 

He tries to act normal, he tries to not give anything away but it’s really hard when his eyes keep moving back to yours every few seconds or so, growing more and more irritated with you and your little ignorant act. 

He tries to approach you, even as more time passes, he keeps trying to throw jabs at you, talk to you, make jokes but you only give him the smallest reactions while your friends get the better end of the stick. 

You laugh at Argyle’s jokes, you laugh at Robin when a pepperoni slides off her pizza and falls into her lap, you act normal with your friends but not with him – in fact, you act like nothing happened and it makes him angry. 

There goes his hope for more. 

The fire that you lit inside of him, quickly dissolves, making it all feel unpleasant now and he suddenly can’t wait for this night to be over. 

How can you sit there and act like you didn’t spend a passionate night with him?

Like you didn’t moan his name and begged for more, like you didn’t kiss him as though it was your new form of breathing, like you hadn’t left behind marks on his skin and on the inside of his chest. 

He stares at you, at the way you sit on your knees, skirt riding up as you lean closer to the coffee table to reach for your drink, you flip your hair over your shoulder and take a sip, moving to face him when you notice his staring. 

Steve doesn’t even bother to hide that he was looking at you. 

“How was your date last night, man?” Argyle asks as he rolls a joint for Vickie. “What was the chick’s name, Helga?” 

Robin bursts into laughter, being the last one to still munch on the pizza, “Helga!” 

Vickie can’t help but also giggle, shaking her head.

“Her name’s Heidi,” Steve corrects Argyle, still keeping an eye on you, and boy is he happy that he didn’t look away, he wouldn’t have noticed the quick eye roll at the mention of Heidi, the girl seemingly causing you more annoyance than the smirk that starts pulling at his lips again. 

“Heidi, Helga, just one and the same,” Argyle waves his head, “both weirdass names.” 

“Yeah, I agree,” you mumble with a sour look on your face. 

Oh. 

Is that jealousy Steve sees? 

“So was it like a date date, or a you know a date to get all wet and dirty afterwards.” 

Robin scrunches her face up in disgust, groaning, “don’t make me lose my appetite.” 

“Definitely the second.” 

Steve can see the way you clench your jaw, the way you poke your tongue into your cheek as you look down at your drink. 

“I’m still confused,” Robin mumbles. 

“What about?” Steve asks, not tearing his eyes away from you. 

“I thought Heidi didn’t know how to fuck?” 

At that, your eyes widen a little. 

“...Seems she learned.”

“Maybe you’re the one who doesn’t know how to fuck.” You murmur, narrowing your eyes at him.

Steve raises his eyebrows in surprise, a laugh tumbling from his lips before he can even stop it. 

You are looking at him so seriously and assured that it makes him want to scoff. 

Are you going to pretend that he didn’t make you cum twice last night? That you didn’t cry from pleasure? That you didn’t whine and beg? 

He almost wants to expose this little secret to your friends but he holds back, despite the irritation that continues to grow inside of him. 

Argyle laughs at your comment. 

“Poor Heidi.”

To the others it sounds like you’re actually pitying her but he can hear the mocking tone in your voice. 

You’re giving him that glare, the one that hides the challenging spark behind it. 

Oh, how he wants to bend you over that table and remind you of how pathetic and cockdrunk you looked beneath him the night before. 

“Oh, trust me, honey. She had a really good time last night.” 

He sees the way your eye twitches, the way your lips turn downwards for a split second before you mask the anger with something else. You tilt your head to the side, “did she?” You ask, as though you didn’t pass out after he made you come undone. 

He always knew that you were a brat, he just didn’t think that you were that much of a brat. 

“Can we please change the topic or I’m gonna get sick!” Robin throws her arms up, “I really couldn’t care less about Steve’s boring straight sex life!” 

“Would you rather talk about this?” Argyle holds the joint up, grinning at her, “the weed was specially delivered from California.” 

Robin snorts, “yeah, by you.” 

“Yeah, told you, specially delivered.”  

“Well, light it up, I’m ready to try the special weed,” Vickie says, waiting impatiently. 

None of your friends notice the way you and Steve are still holding eye contact, the way you are glaring at one another, practically challenging each other to a stare down, yet like you are ready to tear each other’s clothes off. 

You are the first to break, you look away and push yourself up from the floor, smoothing down your skirt before you make your way out of the room, you pass by him, not sparing him a single glance. 

Steve’s eyes follow you curiously, watching you walk away and down the hallway, into the bathroom.

Argyle is making the girls laugh, distracting them well enough for Steve to use the opportunity to follow you, just moments later. He takes one more look at his friends before he steps out of the living room and into the hallway. The noises of laughter and music now slowly get lost in the distance as he inches closer to the bathroom. 

He leans against the wall, opposite of the door that he heard shutting after you walked in. He crosses his arms over his chest, feeling determined to find out what your problem is. 

He has his suspicions, but he isn’t very sure about them. 

Maybe this is just the way that you are, you get what you want, you use it once and then you move on, not bothering to stick with it. 

Maybe you get bored. 

Maybe you aren’t as deeply into this as he is. 

Or maybe he made a mistake this morning, after all. 

The door opens and you step out of the bathroom, only to halt in your tracks when you notice him, you stare at him for a moment before you roll your eyes at him again. 

Steve’s arms drop to his sides, he opens his mouth to say something to you, when you go to walk away. But he moves forward, placing himself in front of you, he blocks your way and places his hand on your arm. 

“Wait, please.”

The look you give him, should send shivers down his spine, but instead it makes him want you just more because despite all of this, he can only think about what happened the night before, how pretty you looked under him, how you moaned for him and begged for more, how you held on to him this morning. He knows you still want him – it’s not his cockiness that is telling him that, it’s the look in your eyes, the one behind all the anger that he’s getting more and more suspicious about. 

“What?” You mumble. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing’s wrong,” you shrug, pursing your lips. 

His desperation starts growing yet again, the want inside of him begging him to just push you up against this wall and kiss you again just the way he did before the sun rose. 

The little crease between your eyebrows is so prominent right now, showing off your irritation. 

“Come on, don’t do this again, Blondie,” he sighs, his hand leaves your arm and he can’t believe that he’s already missing the feeling of his skin on yours. “Just tell me what's wrong.” 

You stare up at him, your eyes moving from his lips to his nose and then back to his eyes. You seem to hesitate, you seem to think. 

But then, you do what you always do. 

“As if you don’t fucking know.” 

You run away. 

You leave him hanging.

And maybe if you hadn’t said these words to him, he would’ve let it go, he would’ve felt defeated, knowing that he should be moving on but this, the resentful look you just gave him, one that shows just how upset you are only begins to confirm all his suspicions.  

He will not let this go, he will not let you go, not so easily, at least. Not even when you keep acting that way towards him when he returns to the living room. 

You keep giving him dirty looks whenever you catch him staring, you keep scoffing and rolling your eyes at him, not knowing that it only spurs him on – just the way it did when you were both fifteen, stuck in fourth period together. 

He keeps staring, and you keep getting more frustrated – it’s so visible in your features, you can’t even hide it. 

It seems that the only thing you’re good at hiding is pain and sadness, these are the only things he could never notice on you, not until you decided to show him a glimpse of it, at least.

Steve can’t help but count down the minutes until Argyle, Robin and Vickie decide to leave, so he can finally have a moment with you. And the moment he gets what he wants, he almost cheers. 

“I think I might pass out if I don’t leave in the next five minutes,” Argyle mumbles as he sits up. 

“Yeah,” Robin giggles, “me too, and you do not wanna sleep on this couch, trust me, man.” 

Argyle furrows his brows, staring down at Steve’s couch, “what’s wrong with it? It’s comfy.” 

“I thought so too until I woke up with a stiff neck that one time I passed out during movie night.” 

Steve snorts, “told you, you could’ve slept in the guest room.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Robin rolls her eyes, getting up from the couch. 

“Do you want me to drop you ladies off?” Argyle asks, pointing between Vickie and Robin, “don’t wanna let any of you drive home high.” 

“Yeah, that would be nice!” Vickie slurs a little, giggling when Robin takes her hand and pulls her up. 

Steve is looking at you, watching the way you reach for your jacket as you stand up as well. 

Do you really think that he will let you leave after the way you behaved? 

After you didn’t even talk about what happened? 

“Blondie,” he says sternly. “Don’t you wanna help me clean this mess up?” He points to the empty bowls and plates. 

You squint your eyes at him, crossing your arms over your chest, “why, can’t handle it yourself?” 

Robin chuckles as she looks between you both. 

“I picked her up, dude. I’m not gonna let her walk home alone at night, especially in freaking Hawkins!” Argyle mumbles. 

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll drive her home,” Steve shrugs, “I don’t mind.” 

He feels satisfied when you glare at him, huffing in anger.

Robin shakes her head knowing that you and Steve take this thing between you both very seriously, the rude teasing, the bickering, the little fights – she doesn’t know just how far you both take these things now. 

“I helped you last time, it’s only fair if you help me now, right?” He smirks at you, satisfied with the angry look in your eyes. 

“Mhmm.” 

“Alright then,” Argyle mumbles, passing by you, he ruffles your hair, “I’ll see you around, grumpy.” 

“Bye,” Robin teases you with a sing-song voice, wiggling her brows at you, “have fun playing maid with Dingus.” 

“Thanks, Robin,” you say sarcastically. 

Vickie gives you a softer smile and a hug before the three leave the room and walk out of the house, leaving Steve alone with you – something that he had been waiting for, all night. 

He wants to confront you the moment the front door shuts, but he decides to wait, wanting to find out what you will do now that everyone is gone and it’s only the two of you again. 

He watches you closely, his eyes follow every twitch in your features, every flicker in your eyes as different emotions take over them. Your lips part, and he thinks you’re going to say something finally, but instead, you only sigh before you look away from him and get up. You start to gather the plates. 

With a sigh, Steve gets up and makes his way over to you, gently grabbing your wrist. 

“Did you really think I made you stay to wash the dishes, Blondie?”

You furrow your brows, putting the plates back down, you lift your head to look at him. 

“Oh, did you expect something else, Harrington?” 

“Yeah,” he nods, still holding your wrist, “you telling me why you’re acting like nothing fucking happened yesterday.” 

The irritation in your eyes isn’t hard to miss, neither is the anger in them. 

“Nothing. Happened.” 

He scoffs at you, shaking his head in disbelief. 

Never has he ever felt so agitated by someone else. Never has he ever felt this desperate. 

“Right! Yeah, you screaming my name didn’t happen, you cumming twice with me didn’t happen, us almost breaking the bed didn’t happen. Sure.” 

You grow flustered at the reminders and your lips part as you seemingly try to find your words. 

And Steve waits, he waits for you to say something, to explain why you had been acting that way towards him, but the longer you look at him, the more you start to pull away and with one swift movement, you pull your wrist out of his hold, you reach for the jacket that you had dropped again and you leave the room with a scoff. 

Steve rolls his eyes at you, swallowing down the anger as he follows you out into the hallway, rushing after you. 

“I’m not up for this shit, Lego head,” you mumble as you stomp towards the front door, grabbing the handle and ripping the door open, “your message was clear as day this morning.” 

The moment those words leave your lips, you confirm every one of his suspicions. That is why you had been so angry, that is why you had been acting like a brat the whole damn night. 

You’re one step out of his house when he catches up to you, he reaches out for your hand, grabbing it tightly as he pulls you back into his house and turns you back around. He shuts the door and locks it before he lifts his hand to cup the back of your head so he won’t hurt you when he slams you against it. 

Your eyes widen in surprise as your lips part. Before you can throw any more words at him, he steps closer to you, using his other hand to cage you against the door. 

The feeling of your body now back against his, makes his skin crawl in anticipation, his body aching in need. 

“Oh, waking up without me struck a nerve huh?” 

You knit your brows together as you huff angrily, lips puckering as you’re about to throw an insult at him… probably. 

But all he can think about is kissing you, and showing you just how much he wants you again. 

“Made it clear it was a one time thing so I don’t know what–” 

He brings his hand forward, letting go of your head so he can cup your cheek, before you can even finish your sentence or react to his touch, he leans forward and smashes his lips against yours, finally kissing you with his eyes closed and his body now pressed against yours. 

You gasp, almost squealing against his lips, you drop your jacket to the ground, growing tense for a whole two seconds before you melt into his touch and kiss him back. 

Steve’s thumb grazes your jawline as he tilts your head up and he presses further into you, moving his lips a little faster against yours. 

Unlike your first kiss, last night, this one is a little slower yet just as deep, if not even stronger. He keeps holding your cheek, liking the feeling of your soft skin beneath his palm. 

He lifts his left hand, removing it from the door behind you and placing it on your other cheek, his fingers getting lost in your hair as he continues to kiss you, only pulling away to catch his breath. 

His eyes open for a moment to see you chasing after his lips. He almost wants to smile smugly but he doesn’t want to ruin this by teasing you, instead, he goes straight back in, kissing you again rougher and harder this time. 

His knees nearly buckle when you moan softly and bring your hands up to his biceps, while his right hand slowly travels down your body, passing your chest and your stomach – he wonders if yours flutters just like his does. 

He nudges his nose against yours, parting your lips with his tongue and you invite him in so eagerly, instantly moving your tongue against his. Your hand slowly moves to his neck, nails grazing his skin, making him moan into the kiss. 

Steve feels something he had never felt during kisses with any other girls, but he can’t pinpoint what it is. Surely it must be lust and passion, nothing more, nothing less. He doesn’t like you, he definitely doesn’t, but you’re not just a random girl. It’s you, Blondie. The girl he always thought he absolutely despised, and that despise turned into desire. But was the desire never really there? Was he sure of that? 

Just like now, he wants more, he wants you, all of you. 

But he doesn’t know how far you are willing to take things today. 

He moves his hand down to your bare thigh, not moving it under your skin just yet. He taps it twice, waiting for the green light, waiting for you to make the move. 

You don’t stop kissing him, even as you part your legs for him, you keep going, you keep pulling him closer and closer, until he is flush against you. 

He slips his hand under your skirt, his fingers trace your inner thighs first, making you whine impatiently, practically begging him to touch you as you buck your hips up against him. He bites your lip gently as he presses his fingers against your pussy, moaning when he feels just how soaked your panties are already. He pushes them aside and slips his fingers through your wet folds, bringing his digits up to your clit. 

His dick twitches at the sound of your moan, and he is beginning to get impatient.

He could just slip inside of you with ease, you’re wet enough to take him but he still wants to stretch you open with his fingers first. 

You break the kiss the moment he pushes two of his fingers in, a moan falling as you stop moving your lips against his. You part your legs further for him as you throw your head back against the door, closing your eyes and knitting your brows together. 

Steve can’t help but stare at your face, watching the way you get lost in the feeling of pleasure as he begins to fuck you with his fingers, he doesn’t even tease you the way he wanted to all day, he needs to make you feel good, to show you how much he wanted this. 

His mouth waters at the sound of the squelching noises his fingers cause as he drags them in and out of you, his dick straining against his pants, his stomach fluttering. 

He leans closer to you, unable to hold himself back from kissing your puffy lips, pecking them a few times as he swallows your moans. 

“S-Steve,” you whimper his name again, blessing him with a sound he’s been dreaming about all day. 

He kisses you again, though while his lips move smoothly against yours, you keep breaking the kiss to murmur his name over and over again. 

You clench around his fingers, and when he presses his thumb against your clit, you whimper loudly, tightening even more around his fingers. You’re close, he can feel it, but he can’t wait any longer. He pulls them out of you again, almost chuckling at the needy whine you let out but he keeps kissing you. 

“Hold on,” he murmurs, taking his pants and boxers off just enough to free himself, he wraps his hand around his length, pumping a few times as he smashes his lips against yours. Steve moans in contentment when you wrap your arms around his neck, squeezing him as you pull him closer, clearly feeling just as impatient as he does. 

“Like hell that was a one time thing,” he mumbles against your lips as he grabs your waist with both hands and picks you up without a struggle. 

You gasp in surprise, eyes widening for a moment. You move your hands to his shoulder and hold onto him tightly as you wrap your legs around his waist. 

Steve presses you against the door as he moves his arm down, hooking it underneath the back of your knee while his other hand travels back to your core. He looks into your eyes as he pushes your panties further to the side. 

“You want me, right?” He asks as though the desperation in your eyes wouldn’t be good enough of an answer. 

“Yes.” You nearly whimper in need. 

He lines himself up with your entrance, “good, because I want you too, Blondie,” he whispers before he slams his lips back against yours and thrusts inside of you, causing you both to moan in pleasure. 

He splits you open, completely burying himself inside of your tightness, your warm wet walls gripping him tightly and he stills, giving you a moment to adjust to his size. 

He scrunches his brows together as his dick aches for more.

This feels so good, this feels even better than last night because now, he can feel you, nothing separates him from the feeling of your pussy around him. 

You are breathing heavily against him, clenching around him already and he can’t help but growl at that, you’re tight enough as it is, and you’re making this even harder for him. 

“P-Please,” you break the kiss to beg, trying to pull him even closer even though his chest is completely pressed against yours already. 

And the moment you start begging with your eyes, he can’t hold back and stay still any longer. 

He grabs your hip and he places his forehead against yours, keeping his lips on yours as he starts fucking you. Last night he fucked you roughly, but tonight… he fucks you like an animal. His fingers dig into your side, holding onto you tightly as he starts pounding you against the door, loud moans start falling from his lips, joined by your whimpers, they echo through the hallway. 

He can see the glassiness in your eyes before you shut them tightly, gasping as he picks up the pace further, and he watches you, he watches closely as you get so deeply lost in the pleasure while your chest moves up and down rapidly, your lips quiver as the prettiest sounds keep falling from them. 

He wants to close his eyes and enjoy this moment of bliss but he can’t look away from you, he can’t believe that he’s getting you like this for a second time, he can’t believe that you’re gasping and whimpering for him, because of him. That someone like you turns into a drooling, needy mess for him and his cock. 

You tilt your head to the side exposing your neck to him. 

He instantly leans in, latching his lips onto your skin, tearing another gasp out of you. 

“Steve!” 

He feels your hands on the back of his neck now, fingers getting lost in his hair, you tug at his strands, only a little but enough to make his hips falter for a second, enough to tear a whimper out of him. 

“Don’t stop, Stevie,” you whisper as you hold onto him tightly, your feet digging into his ass as he continues to ram in and out of you, roughly. 

He bites down harder on your neck, sucking on your delicate skin as his dick throbs inside of you. 

“Been thinking about you all day,” he confesses as he continues to cover your neck in marks, leaving reminders of himself on your body. 

Your walls flutter around his dick and it only spurs him on even more. 

He pulls back so he can see you again, he grabs your cheeks with one hand, turning you to face him again. You are biting your lower lip and you open your eyes to meet his, your pupils are blown, the black in them almost taking over completely, you are looking at him with such pleading and sinful eyes. 

He moves his thumb towards your mouth, pulling your bottom lip out of the grasp your teeth just had on it and he leans in to press his lips back to yours, “you’re so tight and wet around me,” he murmurs against them, “can’t believe I get to see you like this.”

He can feel that you’re growing weaker, that you can barely keep your legs wrapped around him now, you’re completely wrecked already but Steve isn’t done yet, despite feeling so close to his own high, he can’t help but want to savor this moment for as long as he can. 

When he kisses you again, he swallows every one of your moans and whimpers when he changes his pace from fast and rough to slow but harsh and deep, deep enough for you to feel him in your stomach, he’s sure of it, and by the way you clench around him so tightly that you nearly make him cum sooner than he’d like to, you confirm it. 

You’re wearing too much clothing for his liking but he still grabs at anything he can reach, your boobs, your neck, your arms and your legs before his hand gropes your ass and he digs his fingers into it so tightly, he’s sure to leave a mark. 

Your tongues meet in a feverish kiss, your noses bump into each other, you both grow breathless and yet you can’t stop tasting each other. 

Steve’s nerves are on fire, and he’s beginning to lose composure as his hips begin to stutter, he can only hold back for so long now. He quickly moves your skirt up further and presses his fingers against your clit, rubbing it in fast circles. 

The squeal you bless him with sending flutters through his chest and stomach, pride swelling inside of him when you come undone for him again. Your body grows tense for a moment, your walls and contract around him before you fall limply against him, breaking the kiss to catch your breath, you still hold onto him, burying his face in the crook of his neck. 

His moans now grow louder, even more so when your lips graze his ear and you whisper “cum for me, Steve.” 

All it takes is another powerful thrust before he spills inside of you, the whine that falls from his lips nearly startles himself. 

He doesn’t stop moving right away, he wraps his arms around you, holding you tightly as he keeps rolling his hips slowly, coming down from the high. He can feel how much you’re shaking, how your legs are trembling now. 

And you both keep clinging to each other, like you want to savor every last second of this, even when it’s now over. He doesn’t want this to end, and neither do you. 

And yet, it has to. 

He pulls out of you, cursing under his breath while you whine at the loss of him. He places you back on your feet but keeps his hands on your waist in case your knees buckle. You let go of his neck but bring your hand down to his bicep, wrapping your fingers around it to steady yourself. 

You look up at him through your lashes and his own knees nearly buckle. 

You’re quiet, too quiet for his liking, reminding him of what had gotten you upset in the first place, it fills him with guilt, knowing this could have been prevented. 

He lifts his hand up towards your face, cupping your cheek and tilting your head up again, he leans down, surprising you with a soft kiss. 

“I overslept. I tried waking you up but you were… sleeping like a log. I even moved around and made a lot of noise on purpose, hoping that you’d wake up.” 

You grow flustered beneath his eyes, eyes growing wide as realization flashes in them. 

“I– you could have left a note–”

“I should have, but I’m an idiot who was an hour late to work already and rushed out.” He explains as his fingers keep tracing your skin. 

Your shoulders slump as you sigh, “o-oh…”

He brushes your hair out of your face, tucking it behind your ear – unaware of the way it makes you feel, of what it causes inside of you, of the kind of hope it could fill you with. 

You keep staring at him, eyes flickering back and forth between his eyes and lips, though the softness begins to disappear when reality seems to pull you back. 

“Steve?” 

The shakiness and the panic in your face nearly makes his heart stop. 

“Yes?” He asks softly, as he stops touching you. 

“Y-You came inside of me…” You mumble, dropping your arms to your sides. 

Yeah, he did, and it felt unlike anything he felt before.

“Yeah, don’t worry, I’m clean,” he shrugs, not understanding the fear behind your eyes. “I gotta say, I never went in raw before though,” he chuckles as he rubs the back of his neck. 

You stare at him with something he can’t read, and then your wide eyes fill with fury and a hint of fear as a yell escapes your lips.

“I’m not on the pill, Steve!” You frown at him, pushing him away from you so you can brush past him. 

Steve’s eyes widen, his blood runs cold at your words. He quickly pulls his pants up, turning around to see you rounding the corner. 

“Shit!” He curses as he follows you, eyes glued on your back until you disappear into the bathroom and shut the door. 

He wasn’t thinking straight before, and neither were you. 

He presses his hand against the door, closing his eyes as he tries to calm his racing heart by taking slower breaths. 

“I-I’m sorry, Blondie. I didn’t know!” 

“Get me Plan B, right this second, Harrington!” 

He doesn’t even hesitate to move, he knocks his hand against the door, “o-okay, I’ll be right back!” 

He steps away from the door, rushing over to the dresser in the hallway, he picks up his keys and his wallet before he rushes out of the door. 

It’s past midnight on a sunday, the stores are all closed, but the pharmacy has a 24 hours service on weekends, every two weeks or so, and to his and your luck, this weekend is one of those. 

Steve had never done anything like this before, he never had to buy one of those pills, he certainly never fucked without protection, not even when he was with Nancy. You’re his first. He wonders if he is yours too. And why is he hoping he was? 

He didn’t put much thought into how awkward it would be to ask for a Plan B, but the moment he asked the old lady behind the counter, and she looked at him disapprovingly, he suddenly wished for the ground to swallow him whole. 

He explained that it’s for his girlfriend, the one that doesn’t even exist. 

She kept glaring at him, sighing and shaking her head. 

He slams the fifty dollar bill on the counter, and takes the small box before he rushes out with a flustered look on his face. 

“You should go to church and pray, boy.”

He ignores her comment, rolling his eyes the moment he steps out and takes a deep breath. 

Pray so the pill will work? Sure. He will try, even though he is certainly not as stressed as you are. 

When he comes back home, he finds you sitting on the couch, bouncing your knee and chewing on your nails. He feels guilty, knowing that you’re anxious because of him and his careless move. 

He finds the living room all cleaned up, bowls and plates are gone, the coffee table wiped down. 

He walks towards you, his eyes soften when your wide ones meet his. 

“Here,” he mumbles, handing you the white box that you take from his hands, right away. “I’ll get you something to drink.” 

He makes his way into the kitchen, opening the fridge to reach for the diet pepsi he bought earlier. He returns back to you, pill already between your fingers. 

“You didn’t have to clean up, you know?” He asks as he pops the can open for you. 

“I know, I couldn’t sit still though,” you shrug, taking the can from his hand. 

He sits down beside you, watching you throw the pill into your mouth before you swallow it down with the drink, tilting your head back and closing your eyes for a moment. 

The marks on your neck are deeper than the ones he left last night and he can’t help but love it, knowing that those will be much harder to cover up. 

His eyes move down your body, your chest, your stomach and then your thighs that are still trembling a little. 

“Hey,” he whispers, concern flashing in his eyes, “are you okay?” 

“Hmm?” You tilt your head back down, and place the pepsi on the coffee table, “yeah… I’m okay.” 

“Are you sure?” He asks, now looking into your eyes. 

“Yeah, thanks for this…” You murmur, pointing to the box. 

“Don’t need to thank me for that, Blondie,” he waves his hand at you, shaking his head. 

As he takes a better look at you, he notices how flustered and nervous you look. 

“Look, can we talk?” You ask, your voice now much softer than it was twenty minutes ago as you ordered him to get you the Plan B. It’s even a little shaky, and he notices how your throat bobs as you swallow harshly. 

“Sounds like you’re breaking up with me… That’s kinda harsh right after I came inside of you,” he jokes, scratching the back of his neck. 

You give him a deadpan look, shoulders slumping as an annoyed sigh leaves your lips. 

“Fuck it, I’m leaving,” you grumble as you push yourself up. 

But in his panic, he reaches for your hand and pulls you back down. Closing his eyes as he takes a deep breath. 

“No, sorry, wait… just… stay.”

He opens his eyes again, to find you looking at him in confusion as his hand is still holding onto you. 

“Stay here tonight.” 

Your lips part, your eyes moving across his face. 

“W-Why do you want me to stay?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do?” He mumbles, pursing his lips as he shrugs slightly. “I’m not like a fuck and kick out kind of guy… But if you want to leave, you can? I-I can drive you home,” he stutters as blood rushes to his cheeks. 

You pull your hand out of his grasp, shaking your head at him, “no, no… I’m tired… It’s fine.” 

He nods at you. 

You look away from him, breaking eye contact and scooting further back on the couch, now looking at anything but him as you both fall silent, too silent. 

Well this is certainly awkward, Steve thinks. 

You just fucked against the door, like two animals in heat and now you can barely look at each other. 

He can’t stand it. 

“Okay yeah, we definitely have to talk about all of this.” 

You snap your head back at him, “no, shit, Lego head.” 

He huffs at you, scratching the back of his neck as he now looks away from you. 

“Why are you so… I don’t know… aren’t you supposed to be all cocky and confident, King Steve?” 

He narrows his eyes at you, thinking that you are judging, but you’re not, you’re genuinely confused by his behavior right now.  

“You would be surprised. I’m like that only with people that don’t… know me.” 

“You’re cocky with people you don’t know or… the other way around?” 

He can’t give you the answer that you want to know. He can’t let you know. He can’t let you in. 

He shakes his head again. 

“And also the fact that you and I have a history of pure hatred… So we should talk about this,” he points between you both, redirecting the attention to something else again, leaving you a little speechless. 

You clear your throat. 

“Well, we fucked.” 

He almost wants to chuckle, but he holds back. 

“Uh huh, twice.” 

“Yeah…”

He blinks, taking a moment to come up with the right words, he presses his palms together as he faces you again. 

“My question is… are you done with those two times?”

You raise your brows at him, tilting your head to the side as you give him a puzzled look, while holding your hand up to move your hair back.

He can’t help but roll his eyes at you. 

“Can you put your pride aside for just two seconds?” He mumbles. “Cause I definitely wanna keep fucking you, Blondie.” 

For a second, and only for a second, you look stunned, before a sour expression takes over your face. 

“While you fuck Heidi?” 

Now it’s his turn to raise his eyebrows at you, you almost sound and look jealous. 

You clear your throat again, “I just want to get this right. We keep fucking… whenever. And what about the rest?” 

“The rest?” 

“Yes. Exclusivity?” 

“Well, there isn’t,” he shrugs, “I see whoever I want and you do… the same.” He almost chokes on his own words. 

If he only looked closer, he would’ve seen the look of defeat in your eyes before you looked down. 

If only he kept his mouth shut. 

If only he knew that his own rule would come back to punch him in his gut. 

“O-Okay.” 

“Okay?” He repeats your word, eyes lighting up. 

You nod, “yeah, but we should set up some rules.”

He nods too, “yeah sure.” 

He watches you take a deep breath, licking your lips as you look around the room, the room your friends occupied earlier. 

“I’m taking you don’t want anyone to know?” You ask him.

“Well… Yeah.” He shrugs, eyebrows knitting together as he stares at you confused. “I don’t want anyone to know.”

“Uh huh, right.” You mumble. “Okay. A-And, we only fuck, right?” 

“Right,” he nods, “this doesn’t make us anything, we just… fuck… yeah.” 

You blink, your lips twitch. 

“We can spend nights together, I’m not gonna kick you out,” he says, hoping that he can spend the nights with you because for some reason, he can’t get your sleeping figure out of his head. And he almost sighs in relief when he sees you nodding slowly.

“I’m not gonna kick you out either.” 

You look into each other’s eyes as you both try to read the other, both of you moving a little closer without even realizing it. 

The minutes pass and you both keep setting rules, not knowing that this whole thing will end up in shambles. 

After all… Rules are meant to be broken.

♡

tagging friends and mutuals

@prettyboyeddiemunson @taintedcigs @mysticmunson @wroteclassicaly @joekeerysmoles @sherrylyn628 @munsonlore @maroon-cardigan @ibellcipem @agirlwholovesrockstars

[stevieschrodinger]

Part one twentyfour

This chapter is NSFW

Steve wakes up. It’s still dark out, and he’s vaguely aware that something woke him. Eddie shifts again, and then makes a noise. A nightmare, Steve’s pretty sure. Steve wriggles himself closer, getting Eddie by the shoulder and giving him a gentle nudge, “Eddie. Eddie, it’s just a dream.”

Eddie comes awake with a startled gasp, hands flying to grab at the covers in panic. Steve can just about make him out in the dark, the way he looks around, orientating himself.

“You were having a dream?”

“Yeah.”

“You want to tell me about it? Was it The Upside Down?”

“No. No not Upside down.”

“Oh,” Steve lets his eyes drift closed again, settling down onto his pillow, rubbing comfortingly slow sleepy circles on Eddie’s tummy until Eddie takes his hand.

“The grocery store.”

Steve yawns, “the grocery store?” He asks, now nearly back to sleep.

“Yeah...Eddidie- Eddie- I,” Eddie swallows thickly. It’s been a while since Eddie’s referred to himself in the third person like that, and it’s probably been three weeks since he’s said his name with a stutter. Steve opens his eyes again, moving closer, more alert. Whatever it was has really shaken Eddie. He turns on the pillow to look at Steve, brown eyes all big in the darkness, catching the light with that strange silver flash, “every loaf, all...ends,” he explains, clearly distressed at the thought.

“Every loaf?” Steve asks, “they were all heels?”

Eddie nods, “you asked me for bread and...all heels. I look and look. Couldn't...find.”

“That does sound kind of stressful, actually,” and Eddie knows Steve doesn’t like the heel of the loaf. The ‘ends’ are Eddie’s favorite, so that works out.

Eddie nods, snuggling close. Well, he snuggles close for all of a minute before he’s climbing out of bed, “need to pee.”

Steve pulls the covers up over his head in preparation; Eddie leaves the en suite door wide open and turns on the light heedless of the time and if Steve’s sleeping or not. Steve hears the click of the light, the creak of the seat, Eddie peeing. The water splashing as Eddie washes his hands, and then, after, the light clicking off again. Steve lowers the covers once it’s safe.

It’s gone six AM; Steve’s pretty sure he won’t be going back to sleep, “you want to get up?”

Eddie hums, “yes. Read book.”

“Good idea. I can watch some TV.”

“Bring comforter?”

“You’re a genius.”

The couch really isn’t comfortable for sleeping, but Steve finds himself dozing while he half watches the TV. Eddie’s propped up at the other end, their legs tangled together under the warm blankets.

“Stevie love? Word?”

“Sure,” Steve yawns, “letters?” Eddie spells out the word slowly, and Steve frowns, “brillig? What the fuck is brillig? Give it here.”

Eddie just slithers under the covers, climbing up Steve to pop up at his end of the couch, half on top of him. Steve holds the book open one handed while Eddie settles under his arm, “T’was brillig, and the slithy toves…Eddie I don’t have a clue what any of this means. What the fuck is a Jabberwocky anyway?” Steve flips the cover, “Through The Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There. Oh. Like Alice in Wonderland? I mean, I wouldn’t normally suggest this to you, it feels irresponsible, but maybe we should forget this book and watch the movie instead? Just this once.”

“Okay. But read it?”

“I...okay. But don’t expect me to understand any of this.”

By the time, ‘he went galumphing back,’ Eddie has has decided to take the opportunity to get ahead on the kissing game, soft lips tracing a path up and down the side of Steve’s neck, finding the nice spot behind Steve’s ear, making Steve sigh and give up, “you’re very distracting.”

Eddie hums, “bed now?”

Steve drops the book down the side of the couch, pulling Eddie on top of him, “we can stay here,” he says, leaning up for a kiss.

“Sex? Here?” Eddie whispers, clearly scandalized, “not sex in bed?”

Steve snorts a laugh, “we can have sex wherever we want. Well, you know, within reason. Actually if we’re outside and people see us, that’s probably something Hopper would arrest us-”

“Outside?” Eddie sits up, pointing to, ‘outside,’ needing to clarify what Steve means.

Steve frowns, thinking. “I guess we’ve never had sex anywhere else, have we?”

“No. Here? Now?”

“Yeah. Need to get a condom though, give me a minute.”

“Take clothes off?”

“Yeah,” Steve slips out from under Eddie and the covers, “I like how you think.”

Eddie’s nude under the comforter when Steve gets back, his sleep clothes strewn carelessly on the floor, so he strips himself before he slips in, crawling up and settling on top of Eddie.

His hairs all fluffed up now; at an awkward length where it covers the tips of his ears, but poofs up everywhere, not yet having the weight to start growing downwards. Eddie won’t let Steve trim or clip it or anything, insistent he wants to grow it as long as it was before. Steve figures it’s growing pretty fast though, it might make it back to Eddie’s shoulders for Christmas. It’s much more human feeling now too, still ridiculously thick, but not the almost rope like stuff he had before.

Eddie’s tummy is a little rounder too, his ribs and joints not quite so protruding. He has scratchy hair grown in on his shins and calves; the outside of his thighs. Not inside though, and still no pubic hair, or chest hair, at all. The little hair he does have on his arms is soft and sparse; kind of downy, and practically invisible.

It’s easy now for Steve to reach between them, letting his hardening cock rest against Eddie’s slit as Eddie’s legs come up to bracket them, “dining room?” He asks, in between kisses, and Steve snorts a laugh.

“Sure,” Steve’s hand wonders between them again, a fingertip tracing Eddie’s slit, rubbing up and down the top inch or so before Eddie’s cock slithers out to greet him, the black head nudging and wriggling against Steve’s fingers. “Pretty sure the table would hold you. Or you know, you could stand, I could bend you over.”

The petals open, grasping and closing in excitement, “you...behind me?” Eddie asks, frowning but clearly titillated by the idea.

“Uh hu. There’s lots of ways really, we can try now, if you want?”

“Many ways?” Eddie hips shift, and he makes a soft noise as Steve rubs the pad of his thumb over the open head of Eddie’s dick.

“You could get on top,” Eddie’s hips kick, the head of his dick gripping real tight for a moment, “you like that idea, huh?”

“Yes. Why not before?”

Steve hums, “I dunno I just…there’s been...a lot. And, all this is new and...you’re, you know. This is new for me too, I guess. So there’s that. I just didn’t want to hurt you, baby. I wanted to be sure about what we’re doing. Plus, you’re a lot better now, you know? Getting stronger.”

Eddie nods, “try stuff now. I’m ready.”

“Good baby. That’s good,” Steve leans down for kisses, “then tomorrow you can learn to ride a bike.”

Eddie’s eyes widen in horror, “no. I’ll fall over.”

“Probably,” Steve kisses him again, slow and sweet, still gently playing with the head of Eddie’s dick, “but we will stay on the grass, where it’s soft.”

Eddie grumbles into the next kiss, but reaches down to grip Steve’s now hard cock, stroking, “in the shower?”

“Huh?”

“Sex. In the shower?”

“Uhm,” Steve thrusts once into Eddie’s grasp, leaving a sticky smear on Eddie’s hip, “in my experience it’s not great. Easy to slide over, and the water will wash your...you know, your wet away. But we can. Everyone should try it once, I guess.”

Eddie’s eye’s light up suddenly, his hand gripping Steve’s dick but sitting still, forgotten for a moment, “in the car?”

Steve huffs a laugh, “sure. We’d have to go and park somewhere private though, so no one sees.”

“Not get arrested,” Eddie nods along in agreement.

“Yeah, you got it. I also don’t want Hopper knocking on the window and seeing me bare assed.”

Eddie laughs big, mouth wide, head thrown back, slightly too pointy teeth on display. Steve thrusts into his hand, against his hip, reminding Eddie what they’re doing. He gets with the program pretty quick, giving Steve a squeeze and another stroke, and it isn’t long before Steve is asking, “do you want just this, or do you want me in?”

“In. Want to try different.”

“Okay,” Steve pulls his hips back, letting his cock fall from Eddie’s grasp so he can concentrate on getting Eddie off. Steve’s never even tried to penetrate Eddie without getting him off first; Eddie can take a finger, but he’s too dry for anything else. The feel of Eddie’s cock gripping at his thumb is familiar now, the wriggle of Eddie’s dick where it’s gently caged in Steve’s grip. When Eddie starts wriggling, looking for more, Steve leans back, letting a good drip of spit land on his thumb, smearing it against the softly bobbled flesh there.

Eddie always seems to come pretty fast after that, usually pretty much straight away, really, and now is no exception. His hips buck and then press down into the cushions, thighs trying to pull together. He makes sweet little noises, little ‘oh’s and moans as Steve works them though it, letting him go once the petals relax from their twitching.

Steve leans down for a kiss, Eddie obliging clumsily. “What do you want to try?”

“I on top?”

“Sure thing, come on. But that’s a ‘me’ baby, not an ‘I’.”

“Me on top,” they shift around, the comforter falling down to pool around Eddie where he sits up on Steve’s thighs, his dick half out and hanging limply, the petals closed now, Eddie watches as Steve retrieves the condom, “I’ll try?”

“Uhm...okay. But you’ve got to be really careful with your nails, okay? You’ll tear it.”

“That bad?”

“Yeah...I mean, probably not but. It’s safer, until I get tested, I don’t want to make you sick.”

“Tested tomorrow?” Eddie says, wrinkling his nose at the feeling of the foil wrapper. He tears it carefully, maneuvering the condom so that he doesn’t accidentally get it with his nails.

“I’ll make an appointment, okay?”

“Okay.”

Eddie does a good job, squeezing the end between his knuckles rather than his fingertips like Steve does, but it works fine. He rolls it down to the base, Steve sighing at the pressure, the feel of Eddie stroking him.

Eddie stops again, suddenly, looking at Steve wide eyed, “the tent.”

Steve snorts a laugh, “tent sex huh? That’s what gets your motor running?”

“Yes.”

“You’re such a freak Munson, honestly.”

Eddie snorts a laugh, “want your dick in me, Harrington?”

Steve laughs in answer, “yeah. Kinda’.”

“Okay. I got it,” it’s a little awkward, Eddie working out how to keep Steve’s dick pointed straight up as he finds his hole by feel, the head of Steve’s cock dragging along the jelly slick slit. It’s hot to watch, and Steve can’t drag his eyes away from the sight, his hands resting loosely on Eddie’s hips, just in case he needs the support. He doesn’t though, he’s fine where he is, steady on his knees, straddling Steve on the couch. Eddie’s dick has nearly disappeared again now, the top of his slit bowed open by just the rounded black head.

He sinks down slowly, the soft clutch of his inside’s gripping Steve firm but soft as he slides down with...quite a loud squelching noise. The thick wetness that Eddie produces being displaced by Steve’s cock, dripping down Steve’s balls and the crease of his thigh.

Eddie sits fully in the cradle of Steve’s thighs with a sigh, “you okay?”

Eddie nods, pressing his tummy, “more full?”

“Yeah, feels deeper.”

“Deeper,” Eddie nods in agreement, before shifting a little. He starts with a little rocking, back and forth, figuring out what he wants to do, before he fully sits again and gives a little side to side shuffle.

Steve just waits, enjoying the sensation of Eddie wriggling around on his dick, resisting the urge to thrust up. Eddie figures things out slowly, trying different things, smiling down at Steve when Steve shifts, or make a noise. Like it’s another game Eddie’s figuring out how to win.

He eventually lifts up, just a little, before rocking back down again. Steve can’t help moving, bending his knees, shifting his hips to adjust, “still okay?” He likes watching Eddie move over him like this, his short fluffy curls bouncing. Steve strokes long lines up Eddie’s body, thumbs spread inward, rubbing across the place Eddie’s nipples would be if he had them, and back down. It doesn’t provoke any reaction from Eddie really, but Steve knows how much he just likes to be touched, to have Steve stroke across his skin.

Eddie lifts up further than he has before, cautiously dropping before he lifts up again, repeating with more confidence. Steve sighs, and shifts, the familiar pull starting to gather in his groin, everything tightening as Eddie really starts to move. He’s going a little pink on his cheeks from exertion, hands spread now on Steve’s tummy for balance, black nails tiny pricks of sensation.

Steve clenches both ass cheeks, determined not to move and dislodge Eddie, no matter how badly he wants to thrust upward.

And then Eddie stops, movements trailing off, frowning, “it hurts.”

Steve blinks up at him, the orgasm receding again as they sit still, “where baby? You need me out?”

Eddie shakes his head, “not out, my legs,” he frowns down at them, a little disgusted, like they’ve betrayed him, “can’t...go more.”

“Oh yeah. That’s okay, we need to work on your stamina, you’re fine, these things take time.”

Eddie rubs his thighs, “okay.”

“You know what would help?”

“What?”

“Bike rides.”

Eddie makes a noise of absolute disgust, lip curling at the thought, “I not need to ride a bike. I can drive a car!”

“Uh hu,” Steve chuckles, getting his knees bent and using his heels for purchase, he gets Eddie by the hips, tipping him forward and thrusting up, just once, “this okay?”

“Yes. Good.”

“Okay, you say if you want me to stop.”

Eddie answers with a kiss, and Steve finds his rhythm again, thrusting up into Eddie, jelly like come really sliding down now, coating Steve’s cock and probably dripping onto the couch beneath them. Steve can go quicker than Eddie could, picking up the pace, loud squelching noises from Eddie’s hole. Eddie’s teeth scrape ever so softly against the side of Steve’s neck, against the lobe of his ear as Steve closes his eyes and chases his orgasm.

Steve’s orgasm comes roaring back, like it knows it was denied once it banks twice as fast, his stomach tight, thighs twitching as he comes into the condom, gripped by Eddie’s body.

Steve slumps back down with a satisfied noise, Eddie chasing him for more kisses.

Part TwentySix

[queenie-ofthe-void]

Stuck

~1.5k words || rating: teen || cws: dissociation; unlabeled neurodivergencies and mental illnesses

He’s never quite sure how it happens, seeming to always sneak up on him. One minute he’s up and moving around, usually cleaning, organizing, or just meandering around the house. The next, he’s lying on the floor in the middle of the living room. He tries to move but can’t. Not because he’s physically restrained, like when the rope from the Russians cut into his wrists or how the vines constricted his neck. 

No, Steve’s just lying here on the floor, trapped in his own mind. His eyes are raw, stinging with dryness. Painful tingles pop throughout his right arm from where his head rests heavy on his bicep. His hip and shoulder ache. He can’t move or talk or blink. Can barely think. He’s not in his body. 

He’s lost. Stuck.

Getting stuck means losing time, chunks of days lost to a void. It means missing meals and unanswered phone calls. Growing up, it felt like an escape. A safe way to pass the time between eating and sleeping. He’d come back to himself, sometimes hours later, sore and hungry, mustering up energy he didn’t have. Once, his parents discovered him frozen on the ground. Mom’s yelling and Dad’s foot shoving his side brought him jolting back into his body. Like waking from a nightmare, rising from the dead chased by panic. 

It happens less now, but still catches up to him when he’s exhausted. He thinks today it was the kids– they were particularly obnoxious. Yelling excitedly about Eddie’s new campaign ideas, trucking in snow from outside after building a demo-snowman. Cooking for them, cleaning after them, getting them home safe.

Yeah, he gets how he maybe overdid it a bit. 

But with Eddie here, it’s easier. His sweetheart always knows how to help, usually checking up on him after stressful days. Hopefully he comes to check on him soon.

Because Steve can’t move. Or talk. Or even blink.

The sun is starting to set.

~~~

The Party were extra chaotic today, pushing him to the fringes of patience. He’s thrilled they’re excited about his newest campaign ideas, but god, did they have to be so unbearably loud about it? Dustin’s screeches are still rattling between his ears. Not to mention the soreness he feels from helping the kids build a snowman demo-thing and the ensuing snowball fight. 

The idea of an occult campaign has been percolating in Eddie’s brain for weeks, and after the day he’s had, he’s lost to the research. Perched on a chair upstairs in their bedroom, books are scattered across the desk and onto their bed next to him. Typically, creative deep-dives restore his energy after a long day. But when he’s well and truly exhausted, he’ll lose hours at a time to the work. Getting stuck, according to Steve. And yeah, Eddie can see how that fits.

Growing up, Eddie would lose hours throwing himself into his latest and greatest project, whether it be drawing, playing guitar, writing campaigns, reading or even the time he tried juggling. Entranced by his newest obsession, his surroundings would fade into the background. He’d forget to do his homework, to eat or drink. Hell, sometimes he’d forget to pee. Wayne’d drop a gentle hand to his shoulder– pulling him back to reality– and he’d take off like a shot to the bathroom. Every sensation hitting all at once: bladder about to burst, stomach rumbling, dry mouth, headache, body stiff and achy. 

As he gets older, it’s still a frequent occurrence. So Robin had given him the idea of setting alarms, saying it helps her remember to take breaks while studying. And he’s thankful, because it works like a charm when he actually remembers. But when he forgets, his Stevie takes care of him. 

He’ll find Eddie crouched awkwardly by the desk, eyes manic, only seeing what’s in front of him. Eddie will eat or drink anything Steve gives him, barely tasting whatever it is, just as long as he can see it. And Steve lets him be for at least a few hours so he can burn energy into whatever project he's lost himself in. All Steve cares is that he’s fed and hydrated. Usually, Eddie comes to slowly, with Steve’s fingers gently carding through his hair, or soft strokes up and down his spine.

Now Eddie breaks his own musings, eyes strained, hungry, and needing to stretch. He can’t help but wonder why his sweetheart hasn’t checked on him. 

Moonlight is shining through the window.

~~~

It’s eerily quiet as Eddie makes his way down the stairs. He half expects to find Steve stress-baking, but the kitchen is dark. 

So he checks the garage– the car is still here. And the backyard– he never sits by the pool alone. Then the front porch– maybe he went out for a smoke.

Guilt eats at Eddie as he finds his beautiful boy on the living room floor, curled into himself.

Stuck. 

He hates finding Steve like this– stuck and lost like Eddie’s engrossed fantasies. Yet so, so different. 

The first time Eddie found him, unresponsive and immovable, he spiraled into a panic so strong Steve had broken free of his own melancholy, finding Eddie hyperventilating and sobbing in the midst of a flashback. Too much like Chrissy. Like Patrick and Nancy. 

They'd talked about it. And Eddie had appreciated afterwards how Steve struggled to describe what being stuck feels like, why it happens, what to do about it. It'd helped. 

So on grey days, long nights, the holidays, or when the kids are extra rowdy, Eddie looks for the signs. He's been good about getting Steve to slow down before it's too late. 

But on rare occasions, there will be a day like today. When it’s too much for both of them.

Eddie doesn't know how long his baby’s been lying here. Doesn't know when he ate or drank or even blinked. Because he’d holed himself up, desperate for time alone to just think. To be with himself after spending all day surrounded by people. But he forgot to set an alarm, assuming Steve would be there.

He focuses on his sweetheart, slowly kneeling down next to him so as not to startle him. Remembers all of the tips and tricks Steve needs. 

"Hey honey," Eddie whispers, close enough to be present but not overwhelming. "Don't worry baby we'll get you unstuck I promise. I'm going to reach out and grab your hand now ok?" 

He continues to whisper gentle praises and reassurances as he holds Steve's hand. It's limp for a time, and Eddie is hungry, but he doesn't stop. Time is lost to them both again, until he feels a slight squeeze on his fingers. Steve finally blinks, slow and hard. 

"Hey big boy, love to see those pretty, long eyelashes.” He smiles down at his baby, honeyed hazel eyes slowly refocusing. “Alright, once for no and two for yes: do you want me to help you onto the couch?" 

A full minute passes before Eddie feels two gentle squeezes to his fingers. 

"That's great sweetheart. I'm gonna tilt you to sit up and we'll get you settled. Then I'm going to ask if you want anything. Ready?" Two squeezes.

They finally get to the couch, and Eddie can already feel a strong sense of relief at just seeing his baby move off the floor. He hears Steve's back pop as they stand, decides he'll give him a massage later. 

It goes on. And on and on. Eddie follows the process of squeezes until Steve is unstuck and back in his body. 

"Water?" Two squeezes.

"Food?" One squeeze.

"Blanket?" Two squeezes. 

Eddie's patience always pays off. He's got Steve set up on the couch, hydrated and relaxed, with his favorite movie playing softly. He’s managed to grab a bowl of cereal for himself. They're cuddled and warm with Steve’s head in his lap. Eddie glides his fingers up and down the sore side of Steve’s body, gently squeezing as he goes.

~~~

Steve comes back to himself surrounded by love. 

His eyes sting and his mouth is dry. He doesn't know what time it is, but notices the sun has long set, moonlight shining through the curtains. The bones in his neck crack and his joints pop as he stretches.

But he's warm under the blankets, tucked into his boyfriend's chest as they watch the teddy bear Star Wars. Eddie's loosely twirling the hairs at the nape of his neck, lightly tugging and sending tingles down his spine. There's a glass of water and crackers on the table in front of him. 

Getting stuck inside his head terrifies him, something he dreads as much as the night terrors. 

But with Eddie, it's easier, happens less often. And when it does, he always wakes up to love.

~~

This was a pure self-indulgence fic. An exact recreation of my relationship with my partner. It fits my headcanon for the boys perfectly (though I'm obviously biased haha)

[starrystevie]

18+ | cw: somno, smut | crossposted on twitter

eddie's loud, he can't help it. in everything he does, he's big & dramatic & commands the attention of the room. it's one of the reasons steve falls for him in the first place. when they're fucking in a tiny trailer with thin walls however it becomes a problem.

it only takes getting caught once with wayne's all knowing stare the next day when steve comes to pick eddie up for a date. he snuck out the window that morning to avoid being found but it turns out eddie's loud mouth did the work for them the night before.

if anything, steve's proud that he can fuck eddie enough that he can't keep his mouth shut. turn his brain and limbs to mush as he rattles out curse after curse, praise after praise. proud that he can get eddie so thoroughly fucked that his name is echoing off the walls.

at first it was cute, bending down to smother eddie's mouth with a kiss to swallow yet another too loud moan. at first they'd giggle when eddie would shout steve's name as he hit his favorite spot that set his nerves on fire. at first steve would whisper filth in his ear hoping he'd take the hint and quiet down to his level, slowing his hips to roll in an agonizing pace. but nothing worked. steve would still pound into him and eddie would still yell like they had the world all to themselves.

"you should just fuck me when i'm passed out," eddie moaned as they took advantage of wayne's overnight shift. "it'll -fuck- it'll be like the best wet dream i could ever have."

steve's hips stuttered as he thought about it, and then picked up even harder when he pictured it. "yeah? want me to keep you quiet, baby?"

it didn't take long for them to finish, took even less time to start round two after they got hard again while planning out the details. turns out they both are a little too into the idea of steve taking him apart when he's asleep.

the first time, eddie wakes up halfway through while steve is blowing him and is too excited to go back to sleep so he resorts to biting into a pillow to keep quiet. the second time, steve's too afraid of eddie waking up again so he settles with fucking into his own fist and then coming all over his bare ass. eddie wakes up while the sun rises to the sheets stuck to him with his cock hard and red which gets them both going again.

they finally hit the sweet spot after a while of trial and error.

they fall asleep curled around each other like they always do, only this time eddie's ass has been thoroughly stretched and steve falls asleep with his half hard cock nestled between his cheeks. when steve inevitably wakes up, skin sweaty where the two are pressed together, the fun can begin.

it doesn't take too long for him to get hard again, it doesn't take too long for him to slip his freshly lubed fingers into his ass, it doesn't take too long for him to get his cock fully surrounded by heat as he slides fully into eddie.

eddie snuffles against the pillow and steve freezes, an excited panic thrumming through his veins, until his boyfriend quiets back down with one final small whimper. he rolls his hips slowly, listens to the ambient noise in the trailer for any signs of someone else being awake and gently brings his hand up to cover eddie's mouth. just in case. just like eddie asked for however many times ago.

fucking into eddie when he's pliant is everything steve could have dreamed up. nothing will compare to being able to fuck exactly how they like to, loud and electric and fast and perfect, but this? grinding his hips with his nose pressed into the back of eddie's head, every inch of him on edge as he waits to either get caught or succeed, is a thrill in and of itself.

he comes probably too fast, too turned on by the whole thing. he comes buried deep in eddie, twitching out every last drop, keeping his hips pressed close. he comes with his mouth wide open on eddie's neck, teeth skimming over sensitive skin, whispering out curses that even the best ears couldn't hear because they're only meant for eddie's.

steve pulls out, sleepy & sated, reaching down to run his fingers through the mess of come & lube that follows. eddie whimpers something quiet & sweet so steve gives him his fingers against his lips like a reward for being good. for being quiet. for trusting steve like he does.

eddie's sore when he wakes up in the morning. he grimaces against the pull in his ass as he goes to stand until he realizes what happens. reaches between his legs to feel how tender his hole his. looks on the sheets and sees where he came against them in his sleep.

he wakes steve up with his mouth. considers it a much deserved payback until he's squirming against the mattress & whines out eddie's name.

"you fucked me?" eddie asks as he pops off with a grin. it's not a question that needs to be answered nor is the next one. "did it work?"

steve groans as he tangles his fingers in eddie's hair, bringing his mouth back where he wants it. mutters out a few curse words as eddie trails his fingers over his balls. "what do you think?"

"i think you need to shut up before i'm the one who has to keep you quiet now."

they have wayne's schedule memorized and eddie uses his standard early saturday morning shift that day as an excuse to make steve get as loud as he can, his name echoing off the walls this time around, driving him crazy with his lips and tongue and fingers.

little do they know that wayne now has his fingers plugging his ears with a grimace, wishing he hadn't swapped shifts with gary for the day, contemplating going in to work anyway to escape his loud ass nephew and his loud ass boyfriend.

[steddieas-shegoes]

i love you enough

for @steddieholidaydrabbles prompt 'roadtrip/vacation' rated m wc: 995 cw: nightmare, implied sexual content tags: friends to lovers, getting together, love confessions, first kiss, loosest way to reference vacation is staying in a hotel

------------------------------------

"Steve...Steve!"

His eyes opened wide as Eddie's hands shook him awake.

"Jesus Christ, man. I thought I'd have to push you off the bed," Eddie sighed, his hold on Steve's shoulders loosening but not going away.

"Sorry," Steve gasped, his breath caught in his chest like he was about to have a panic attack.

This nightmare had been different.

Instead of Robin dying under the mall, it was Eddie. Instead of Steve being able to convince the Russians that he should be taken, Eddie convinced them he knew all they needed to know.

It was the exact type of falling on the sword Eddie would do.

Steve's eyes landed on Eddie, who was watching him silently, looking like he was doing his best not to cry.

"Eds? You okay?" Steve's voice cracked.

"Shit, are you?" Eddie asked back, letting out a disbelieving laugh.

"Yeah, sorry I woke you up."

"You're kidding, right?"

Eddie looked mad. He sounded mad.

"No, I'm really sorry. I know you don't sleep so great, either, so," Steve shrugged. "I wouldn't blame you if you wanna go down the hall to the girls' room."

Eddie blinked at him, silence making the air feel thick with an awkwardness they hadn't had between them in months.

And then Eddie's hands were cupping his face, almost lovingly.

"Do you ever think about how other people care about you?" Eddie asked, barely more than a whisper. "Or how seeing you suffer and then apologize for it breaks our hearts?"

Steve's mouth was opening and closing like a fish, searching Eddie's eyes for the answer he wanted.

"You have no idea how much people love you, do you?" Eddie's forehead rested against Steve's.

"I-"

"Stevie. I need you to listen to me." Eddie breathed out slowly. "I can't imagine how much you've seen. I know you've told me, and I've seen some of it myself, but half of the shit you've done? Just to keep everyone safe? And you keep seeing it in nightmares all the time. It never goes away. You're so strong. You get up every day and go to work, and cart the kids around, and bring me to appointments, and cook dinner for me and Wayne, and help Robin with her girl problems, and then you go to bed and have to worry about what monsters will be waiting for you. And then you wake up the next day and pretend it didn't happen, but we all know it did. I know it did."

Steve sniffled.

"And here I am, shaking in the corner of my bed because I think I hear a noise outside my window one time." They both let out a laugh, but Eddie continued before Steve could interrupt. "I was scared. I tried waking you up when you first started making noises. You sounded like you were hurt. And then you said Dustin's name and I could feel you shaking. And then-"

"And then I said your name."

Eddie nodded.

Steve placed his hands at Eddie's neck, almost mirroring Eddie.

"You died. But it was the Russians. You convinced them you knew something to distract them from me and the kids, but you didn't so they just kept...they-" He let out a sob as tears fell down his cheeks. "They did to you what they were gonna do to me."

"Oh, sweetheart."

Eddie's lips were on his.

It shouldn't be happening like this, a part of Steve thought.

It should be romantic and sweet, maybe after a date where Steve used all the charm he's been saving just for Eddie, maybe when the reason for the wetness against their cheeks was because of rain instead of tears.

But in a way, it was always going to be like this: admitting too much at the wrong time, saving each other from pain.

Regardless of all the ways it should be and all the ways he wished for it to be, it was perfect.

When Eddie pulled away, he let out a small laugh.

"Robin said this would happen as soon as I said I was staying in your room."

"She said I would have a nightmare that left us both crying and kissing in a bed that is definitely big enough for us to not be cuddling, but we definitely were?" Steve asked with a smirk. "She's good, but I don't think she's that good."

"Oh, shut up," Eddie lightly smacked his shoulder. "You know what I meant."

He did. She'd said the same to him.

"Well, maybe if you hold my hand, I'll be able to fall back asleep?" Steve suggested.

"Yeah, I could do that. Or..."

"Or?"

"Or I could..."

"You could?"

Eddie nipped his bottom lip.

"I could kiss you in...other places..."

"Eds, just say what you wanna do," Steve giggled.

"Fine! I could suck you off so you can sleep!" Eddie laughed.

"You could do that, yeah," Steve nodded, pretending that wasn't enough to rile him up.

"I could. If you want."

"Is it just to help me fall asleep?" Steve asked, suddenly nervous that this wasn't anything more than helping out a friend.

"If I wasn't completely clear before: I love you. I love you enough to sacrifice myself in your nightmares, I love you enough to do stupid physical therapy sessions that I hate because you get sad when I don't go, I love you enough to make Robin take a room with Nancy and Jonathan so I could stay right here with you, and I love you enough to suck your dick to help you sleep."

Steve snorted.

"Be my guest, then," he gestured down at his lap, watching Eddie literally lick his lips.

Just when Eddie was breathing against his stomach, ready to move further down, Steve stopped him.

"Wait!" Eddie looked up at him, eyes wide. "I love you, too. Need you to know that."

Fondness poured from Eddie as he pressed a kiss to Steve's stomach.

"I know, sweetheart."

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Eddie: *bisexually panics when he drinks* Why the fuck is everyone so hot?! You're hot. *points to Steve* You're hot. *Points to Chrissy* You're hot. *Points to Nancy* You're . . . Your hair is weird. *Points to Jonathan* You're hot. *Points to Argyle*

Argyle: Thanks, brochacho, you're hot too!

Eddie: *Points to Robin* You're pretty but not in a sexy way because I respect you too much as a lesbian.

Robin: *much less drunk* Thanks?

Eddie: *Points to Vickie* You're pretty, but I respect you too much as Buckles' girlfriend. I can't think of you sexually. Everyone is hot except for those three *holds up four fingers* Let's all bang.

The next morning, Eddie wakes up on Steve’s living room floor to Steve, standing over him in amusement.

Eddie: I panicked again, didn't I?

Steve: Yeah, you propositioned the entire room. . .well, almost the entire room. Everyone except Vickie and Robin. And Jonathan.

Eddie: Oh, man.

Steve: We all thought it was a good idea, so we went ahead and did it. We all . . . *thrusted his hips forward* . . . fucked.

Eddie: *shrieked* What?!

Eddie groaned and clutched his head.

Steve: Just kidding.

Eddie: I hate you.

[stevesjockstrap]

Santa Claus is Coming To Town

Rated E • Stevie/Eddie • read on ao3

Written for @stevieweek Holiday Movie Marathon: Santa Clause Counting it for @steddiesongfics too

Santa Stevie/Elf Eddie, I’ve seen the Santa Clause movies too many times, Getting together, elf magic used inappropriately, transfem Steve Harrington

“Thank you so much for coming so last minute, honey,” Claudia gushed, hugging Stevie as she was pulled inside into the hall. “Dustin is excited you’re going to be babysitting.”

“Mooommmmm!!” Dustin shouted from the dining room. “I’m not a baby!”

Stevie laughed quietly with Claudia as they walked to the other room.

“Of course you’re not, Dusty buns. We know you’re very mature and adult for an eight year old,” his mom winked across the room as she pressed a kiss to his head. “Now be good for Stevie, dear. There’s tons of food and I’m sure he’ll want to be in bed early so Santa can come.”

Dustin perked up at that, nodding aggressively. “I sure will, mom!”

Claudia grabbed her purse and was gone, having to help at the hospital due to call offs and the emergency room was already packed.

Helping herself to the home cooked meal on the table, they settled in for the night.

“We have to read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas! It’s tradition!”

Stevie rolled her eyes but agreed, snuggling in next to him in his bed with the book.

“What’s ’a rose such a clatter?’” he frowned.

Pointing at the words, she explained, “Arose means — it came. And a clatter is a big noise.”

“Why do they have to use such weird words?”

“…Merry Christmas and to all a good night!”

“Stevie! Wake up!”

She groaned, looking around. It was pitch black, she was still curled up on the couch. “What’s the matter?”

“A clatter!”

She rubbed her eyes, not understanding at all what was happening. “What?”

“It’s Santa! You know, the big noise! He’s here! C’mon!”

He pulled her off the couch and out into the front yard. She rubbed her eyes again.

“What the hell?” Dustin elbowed her. “Lay off, kid, my cussing is the least of our worries right now,” she hissed.

On the top of the house, there was a real sleigh with eight real reindeer. She blinked her eyes a bunch, then looked around for a camera crew or something.

“Hey look!” Dustin pointed up at the roof again, where a tall man in red had appeared. “It’s Santa! He’s real!” 

The shout apparently shocked him, and he misstepped, losing his balance and toppling off the roof.

They could only stand there as the man hit the ground in front of them, as they watched his body disappeared, leaving only the red suit.

“You killed him,” Stevie whispered.

“I didn’t mean to!” He cried, looking around starting to panic.

Stevie felt drawn to the suit, somehow knowing there would be an answer inside.

“What are you doing?” Dustin hissed at her.

“I have no idea,” she responded, but then held up a small card that was in a pocket of the suit. “Look.”

Dustin snatched it from her. “If anything happens to me, put on the suit and get in the sleigh, the reindeer will know what to do. What does that mean?”

She turned to go back inside, the rational part of her brain finally clicking on, but she ran into a ladder that had come from nowhere. “What the fu-“

Holding her head, Dustin came over to investigate. She almost laughed at the face he made, but then he was scurrying up the ladder to the roof. “Wait! Hey!” She called. Remembering the suit, she hastily grabbed it from the ground before climbing up after him.

The reindeer did not look impressed. The front one snorted as she appeared on the roof. “Same to you,” she scoffed. “Now what?” She asked Dustin.

“Put on the suit!”

She looked down at the pile of red in her hands. “No way, we’re going to leave all of this alone and go back inside and call the police and maybe your mom. This is nuts! This is just a dream, or like a hallucination.” The reindeer snorted again. “Shut up!”

Dustin, however, was standing inside the sleigh. “Come look at this!”

“Ugh,” she huffed, stomping over to climb up into the massive vehicle. “This is too much, we gotta go- woah!”

The reindeer had taken off, sending them down into the seat and flying so fast the lights around them turned into streaks. As suddenly as they had started, they stopped. They were on another roof, who knows where.

“Oh my god,” Dustin whispered. “We have to keep delivering the presents.”

“What?” She cried. The first reindeer turned around and nodded at her. “For real? How are we supposed to do that?”

“Put on the suit!” He pointed down at the floor where the red fluffy thing had fallen.

Something inside of her knew that was what she was supposed to do. With a sigh, she slid her legs into the pants, pulling them up. “This belt better be really freaking magic,” she muttered.

Tying the sash around her waist and then the belt, she held her arms out to Dustin who gave her a thumbs up. She turned around to show the reindeer, the front one huffing at her impatiently. 

“Alright, alright. Now what?”

Dustin threw something at her and she caught it, then screamed when Santa’s sack started floating over her head, taking her with it. “This is nuts!”

She blinked and she was being sucked down the chimney under her. “Holy shit,” she muttered, looking around the dark house.

There was a small child asleep on the couch, so she tried her best to walk silently in the big boots. She set the toys under the tree as quietly as she could, 

“Santa?” A tiny voice startled her. “Why are you a girl?”

She stopped short, toy doll in hand. “What are you, my dad? You want this doll or not? Go to sleep!”

The girl closed her eyes, but as Stevie turned to approach the fireplace, wondering how she was supposed to go back up, the voice behind her reminded her, “You’re supposed to eat the cookies and drink the milk.”

She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. “Jeez kid, it’s my first day can you give me a break?”

Whipping around to find the small end table with a Santa-shaped plate, she grabbed a cookie and took a bite. While the child watched, she made sure to gulp a bit of the milk down.

“Merry Christmas, now go to sleep,” she grumbled.

Thankfully as soon as she stepped into the fireplace, she was pulled up by the bag and found herself standing on the roof again.

Dustin perked up when he saw her. “How was it? How’d you get back up?”

“Christmas magic, Dusty buns, obviously,” she sassed. 

Once she was sitting down the reindeer took off, but stopped at another house. “The bag is empty, guys! I-“ she picked up the sack to show them but found it heavy once more. “Oh man, this is going to be a long night.”

“Yeah, the best night ever!”

The novelty wore off at some point for Dustin, who curled up on the seat and fell asleep. Stevie rolled her eyes, figures.

“Oh shit, wake up dude, look at this!” She elbowed him until he blearily peeked one eye open. They’d stopped again, but this time not at anyone’s house. There wasn’t much to see, snow whipping around them. It felt familiar somehow, like a strange sense of Deja vu. But she’d clearly never been here before.

The reindeer took off, leaving the sleigh in the wind. “Hey! Take us home!” She looked finally down at Dustin who could only shrug.

“Look!” He pointed out into the horizon. She blinked the snow from her eyelashes, then rubbed her fists into her eyes. It couldn’t be. “It’s an elf!”

Whatever the stranger did, the sleigh was then lowered into a vast room full of people and noise.

“Santa’s workshop! I wish I had a camera!” Dustin whispered excitedly, looking around like he was instead trying to memorize every inch of the room.

“Excuse me,” Stevie called once they’d reached the ground. “Who’s in charge here?”

Deadpan, the closest person said, “You are.” Before walking quickly away.

“This is all such an amazing practical joke, but I’m ready to go back to reality now.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” A deep voice came from behind her. She spun, and gulped as the coat around her opened and she was reminded of her crop top and high waisted leggings as the attractive man’s eyes wandered over her.

He was a couple inches taller than Stevie, who was already towering over all of the people around them. The long dark wavy hair cascading past his shoulders over his dark flannel shirt gave him a grungier look than everyone else in the room in their more flashy outfits. What stole most of Stevie’s attention however were his dark eyelashes outlining his chocolate brown eyes.

“Who are you?” Dustin asked.

“Eddie,” he said shortly. “And you are?”

“Dustin. Dustin Henderson.” 

“Of course you are,” Eddie grinned, his eyes never leaving Stevie. “Okay Santa, lets get you more comfortable.”

“I’m not Santa,” she argued, but he had turned and was already walking away. She had to almost jog to keep up with him. “If that’s the problem, Dustin was the one who made him fall, I had nothing to do with it.”

“That’s not true!”

“You read the card, correct?”

“What card?”

Eddie huffed and pulled them into a room. “The card in the Santa suit. In putting the suit on, you fell subject to the Santa clause. You accepted the contract.”

She stared at him. “The contract? It was a tiny frolicking- filibustering- what?”

He smirked at her. “It’s Santa’s workshop, babe. No swearing.”

“You’ve gotta be sleighing me. Jiminy Christmas.”

Dustin piped up again, “How did she sign a contract? It was just a tiny card. She didn't do anything.”

“Thank you, Dustin. Do you have it?”

Stevie glared at them but stuck her hands in the pockets of the pants and pulled out the card in question. Eddie took it from her and placed it behind a magnifier on the table. “What does this have to do with the guy who fell off my roof?”

“Nothing, now. This isn’t about Santa Claus, the person, but Santa clause, the clause.”

“My brain is going to explode,” Stevie grumbled.

“It’s all here — In putting on this suit and entering the sleigh, the wearer waives any and all rights to any previous identity, real or implied, and fully accepts the duties and responsibilities of Santa Claus,” Eddie recited as the words without looking as she followed along on the card. 

“What does that mean?” She asked, knowing the answer.

“It means, you put on the suit, so you’re Santa.” He let his eyes wander down her again. “Albeit not the usual type, but you’ll do. Let me show you to your room.” They looked at each other for a long moment before he held the door open for them. 

As they walked down a winding hallway, he continued. “You’ll leave tomorrow morning. You have eleven months to get your personal affairs in order and you’ll be expected back here after Thanksgiving. I’ll send the list to your house.”

“The list? What list?”

Dustin again helpfully supplied, “You know! He’s checking it twice? Gunna find out who’s naughty and nice!”

The crowd of elves continued the song loudly, echoing around the huge space. “Santa Claus is coming to town!”

Eddie yelled menacingly, “Alright, get back to work!” Then he turned and winked at her. “This way, c’mon.”

The room was the coziest place she’d ever seen, full of soft fabrics and toys, the bed made up with more pillows and blankets than she could count. Dustin immediately crawled into a play tent in the corner and was snoring before Eddie appeared again with a pile of clothes.

“You’re not what I expected,” he murmured as she wandered over to the window.

She laughed, a little sardonically. “I get that a lot.”

Eddie looked upset for a moment, then it was gone before she could study him. “Not in a bad way, of course. Unfortunately it’s been centuries of boring old guys. I look forward to seeing what you bring to the position.”

She got lost in his sparkly eyes and he moved closer, seemingly just as interested. However as soon as she thought he’d lean all the way, he pulled back and shoved the clothes into her chest.

“Get some rest, Santa,” he said with a smile.

“It’s Stevie.”

The smell of coffee woke her, and when she stretched she almost toppled off the couch.

Wait. The couch?

“Morning, Stevie dear. How was your night? I hope Dustin didn’t give you too much trouble.”

She looked around, nothing seemed out of place at the Henderson’s. The tree, the sounds of Claudia tinkering around in the kitchen. Then Dustin made his appearance by sprinting down the hall and sliding on his socks through the dining room.

“Oh my god! You’re still here, and you’re in the pajamas!”

Claudia came out to see what all the fuss was. “Oh yes, very festive pajamas, honey. Did you bring those with you?”

Stevie looked down at herself, confused. She’d gone to sleep in her own clothes. Seeing the red satiny set made her jaw drop.

“It was real! Mom, last night Santa came! He fell of our roof and Stevie put on his suit and we delivered the rest of the presents! She’s the new Santa Claus! It was awesome! We went to the North Pole and we met the elves-”

They both stared at his mom as she held a hand up. She sent an unrecognizable look to Stevie and she knew she was in trouble.

“No, Dustin, it must’ve just been a weird dream. Maybe we ate too fast, or-“

He cut her off, running back to his room with a shout.

“Look at this! How is this not real?”

Stevie had to walk around his mom to see what he was holding. It was a gorgeous, old fashioned snow globe. As they all watched, Dustin shook it and a tiny sleigh pulled by reindeer flew across the atmosphere.

“Eddie gave it to me. He told me I had to take very good care of it for him,” he explained seriously. 

Claudia seemed even more concerned now, understandably. “Eddie? You brought a boy over here?”

“He’s not a boy, mom! He’s an elf! And no, we met him at the North Pole!”

Stevie could only stare at Claudia, unable to come up with any excuse whatsoever for this. “I-I’m sorry, Mrs. Henderson, this is all my fault. He got into some candy last night and we read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, he probably stayed up too late and had a strange dream. I promise nothing bad happened, and we didn’t have any guests over.”

“But Stevie!” Dustin stomped his foot and she immediately shook her head at him, begging him with her eyes to stop arguing.

“No, it’s okay, buddy.” She swallowed past the lump in her throat then looked back at Claudia. “And, I’ll understand if you don’t want me watch Dustin anymore. I’ll, uh,” she shook her head sadly. She wasn’t sure where the rest of her stuff was, or where the clothes she had changed out of were. 

Claudia sent Dustin to his room, and Stevie went home feeling miserable. What in the world had happened last night?

The next few months were intense. She couldn’t go anywhere without people staring at her, Claudia and Dustin were distant, and she was having very vivid dreams.

Claudia had taken it about as well as could be expected, for your eight year old to be obsessed with the idea that his babysitter was now Santa and talking about it and the North Pole throughout the spring, even after several adults sat him down to try to reason it out with him. Stevie had gotten this information from Nancy, whose mom had been called in as part of an emergency mom group to provide backup.

Stevie herself was changing. She’d gained about thirty pounds, but most of it went to her boobs, hips and ass. Everyone in town assumed she had been getting work done. She couldn’t very well explain what was happening, so she had to ignore all the whispers behind her back and the dirty looks. Her hair was suddenly lighter, too. It wouldn’t hold dye at all, creepily reverting back to the white blonde waves by the next day every time she tried. 

Then there were the dreams. A lot centered on delivering the toys, speaking with children and elves about toys, but there were a handful of others — where Eddie was featured — and they were unlike any dreams she’d ever had before. She’d wake up and her body would be sore and achy like she’d run a marathon in her sleep. 

“Thinking of me again, sweets?” Eddie’s deep voice rumbled against her neck as he stepped up behind her, wrapping his hands around her waist.

“Always,” she murmured happily before turning in his arms and meeting his lips.

It wasn’t long before their clothes disappeared in dream efficiency, and she was crying out as she was taken apart over and over.

Just as she had convinced herself that she was going insane, there was a knock on the door. A delivery man held a clipboard out to her and she scribbled her name without looking too closely.

The phone rang in the other room and she called out for the guy, “Just put it inside here, please.” 

After a few minutes on the phone, she realized she could still hear boxes being set down. 

“What is all of this?” She walked back into the entryway to stacks and stacks of red shiny boxes, some as tall as she was. 

The delivery guy was walking down the stairs of her apartment, waving to her. “Wait!”

But she sighed. Just her luck.

Going back inside, found a box that had an envelope attached. Here’s the list. Check it — twice! Yours, E

“Ugh, that bastard, how am I supposed to-“ she screamed as someone tapped on her shoulder. Spinning around, she was met with the smarmy grin of one particularly attractive elf. “Oh fuck, Eddie,” she gasped.

He stepped closer, flashing a grin at her and letting his eyes drift over her figure. “I do like the sound of that, sugar.”

She covered a moan with a small cough as the now familiar swoop in her belly made her think of her dreams.

“Do you happen to have, like, powers?” Stevie looked at him seriously.

He pushed her hair over her shoulder, tracing a finger down her jaw, making her shiver. “I like the new look, by the way. Suits you.”

“That isn’t an answer, you know,” she huffed. Her attention was drawn to the boxes around them. “Could you use your fancy magic powers to maybe, move these? Or shrink them? Robin already thinks I’m actually losing my mind.”

Eddie tapped his chin with a long finger, “I could, maybe. Where would you like them? Hypothetically, of course.”

“My bedroom?” She regretted it as soon as a feral grin appeared on his face. But where else could they go?

“Inviting me into your bedroom? Seems naughty.”

She shouldn’t have been shocked, but magically they were standing in her bedroom and all the boxes were stacked neatly against the far wall. 

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” he shrugged a shoulder, his eyes wandering down her figure. “Now back to the topic at hand. I think you’re the only new Santa who looks better after their transformation.” 

Stevie felt her cheeks heat, feeling underdressed in her own bedroom as Eddie continued staring at her. 

The feeling that always plagued her when she’d gotten this far with someone before crept up. She looked away, not wanting to ruin this but wanting to be clear from the beginning. It wasn’t as if Eddie knew her very well, or had been privy to the things she’d been dreaming.

“Uh, there’s probably something you should know, Eddie. A-about me, I mean,” she couldn’t look at him.

He reached for her though, tipping her chin up to look at him fully. “I think I might know already,” he said softly. “Dustin may have given me the shovel talk before you left on Christmas.”

“Oh.”

He spent another long moment staring into her eyes, while she was unsure of what to do next. “So, you don’t mind?”

Eddie shook his head, inching impossibly closer. “Definitely do not mind. I think you were made just for me, if I’m being honest.” He finally closed the gap between them, and Stevie gasped as her lips tingled against his.

Pulling back a tiny amount, he chuckled against her. “Sorry, elf magic. It’s hard to hold back, especially when I’m all worked up.”

Stevie shrugged and closed the distance again. It took another second before something sparked in her memory. “Hey, you wouldn’t be able to mess with dreams, would you?”

He winked and simply said, “I plead the fifth,” before pulling her closer by her waist and deepening the kiss.

His hands started wandering and she gasped again as the tingling spread wherever he touched. She had to pull away as he cupped her breasts through her thin cami, panting against his shoulder.

As his hands starting traveling down, a strange buzzing startled them.

“Nutcrackers,” Eddie swore. She giggled but then tried to see what he was looking at. A tiny pager-like object in his hand was blinking red and green. “I have to go. Read over the list and I’ll see you before you know it.”

She tried to hide her disappointment as she pulled him into another slow teasing kiss.

As the holidays approached, she slowly started realizing this may be real. She knew kids names without asking and knew if they were on the nice list or naughty list. Sometimes even adults. She had crazy sweets cravings, making more cookies in a week than she’d ever made in her life. 

“What is happening with you?” Robin asked again as she walked into the kitchen to find her baking again.

“Sweet tooth, what can I say?” 

Her roommate eyed her suspiciously. “Uh huh. You still think all of this is just side effects of your new meds? Maybe you should call your doctor back.”

“Yeah, maybe I should make an appointment,” she offered.

“Your hair looks even lighter than it did this morning when I left.”

Stevie hummed and set the timer for her cookies.

Pack whatever you can’t live without, I’m Santanapping you tomorrow. XO -E

She grinned at the note left on her bed, trying to decide what that meant.

At noon the next day, she blinked and almost fell over as she was standing in the cozy room at the North Pole instead of her apartment.

“Welcome home, honey,” Eddie teased her, coming up behind her and pulling her hair away from her neck to place his mouth there.

“You could’ve warned me, what if I was in the shower or something?”

His hands grabbed her waist and pulled her back into him. “You’re right, next time I’ll have to plan better. Bring you wet and dripping right to me,” he promised darkly.

“Oh frost, I mean- that’s going to get really old,” she whined.

“You get used to it, I’m afraid,” he laughed. “But you’re right. Come with me.”

They did garner some stares as he lead her hand in hand down the hall, but a quick glare or reminder to get to work from Eddie made the elves scatter.

Just as she was about to ask where he was taking her, he put his finger up to his lips and quietly opened a heavy door, pulling her inside.

Staying quiet, they got past a few elves in what she could now see was a stable. He grinned at her and pulled her up into a smaller sleigh. 

“Push this for me, sweetness,” he asked, pointing to a handle.

“Me?” He nodded at her and she complied, the sleigh starting forward as she did. “Holy snowballs.”

She flew the sleigh out the doors and above a snowy landscape. “This is amazing,” she breathed.

“I think you’re a bad influence on me,” Eddie chuckled.

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, one of us definitely is.”

“Stop anywhere you’d like,” he suggested.

“Oh yeah…” She’d almost forgotten their adventure had been for a purpose. She let up on the handle, slowing down to look around for a spot.

Finally the sleigh settled in a small clearing surrounded by a ridge and trees.

“Very nice. You went secluded, I’d have thought you were a bit more of a show off.”

She laughed. “Maybe next time,” she teased.

“Oh really?” Eddie sassed back before pulling her to straddle his lap.

Predictably even though the sleigh wasn’t covered, they stayed warm and the wind didn’t touch them. She assumed it was the sleigh, but it also could’ve been Eddie.

His hands went to her waist, but quickly settled instead cupping her ass. “Can I compliment you again on your new Santa figure? I swear it’s like you’re my very own Christmas present. Maybe after seven hundred years I get something after all.”

Stevie pulled back to look at his face. “Seven hundred years?”

He laughed, nodding, but his eyes were serious. “Don’t look at me like that, most elves live thousands of years. I promise I’m not like robbing the cradle or anything.”

She glared at him. “That wasn’t really what I was thinking. I do like older men, for the record.”

He met her glare, pulling her closer. “Well I guess that settles it then. For the record, I’ve never done this with a human, much less a Santa.”

“Awww, a newbie, huh?” She stuck her tongue out and he leaned forward to nip at it.

“Watch it, baby.”

“Or what?”

She squeaked as her clothes disappeared with a snap of his fingers. Even though the cold wind wasn’t able to reach them, her nipples hardened and she got goosebumps.

“So gorgeous, Stevie,” he drawled, letting his gaze drag down her form. After a moment of enjoying the attention, she began pulling at his shirt, earning a small laugh as he shrugged out of his layers.

He was pale, his dark hair making his skin seem even lighter. She briefly wished they had a mirror, her light hair against his dark would be beautiful. He hung onto her tightly, then she realized his legs were bare. 

“Couldn’t wait any longer,” he explained. She rocked forward and they both cried out as their lengths slid against each other.

He leaned down to suck a nipple into his mouth and she groaned. “Fuck yes,” then she giggled once she realized she could swear again.

“There’s my girl,” he murmured. She rutted against him harder, but then backed off.

“Do you have, um, did you bring any-“

“Don’t need it.” He snapped his fingers again and her eyes rolled back.  He slid two fingers around her hole, where it was already slick and ready. 

“Oh my god,” she panted.

“Just Eddie will be fine, princess,” he teased. 

She groaned, pulling herself up with her hands on his shoulders. “Please fuck me already.”

Together they angled his cock so she could lower herself onto it, their mouths meeting as they settled into a rhythm. He apparently couldn’t help but squeeze at her, his hands never staying in one place. The tingling sensation traveling around her body was driving her closer and closer.

“Wait,” Stevie gasped.

He stopped, holding onto her and gazing up at her with his sparkly eyes. It took her a moment to remember what she wanted.

“Wanna, um, can we-?”

“Anything, beautiful,” he groaned.

She slid off of his lap, turning around to bend over the front of the sleigh. “Fuck, you’re perfect, baby. Look at you,” he growled as he stood. He grabbed handfuls of her cheeks and spread them, staring down at her hole before lining back up.

Unable to hold back, he pushed in roughly, Stevie having to hold on so he didn’t send her flying out of the sleigh. This angle was sending lightning up her spine with every thrust, and as she got closer, Eddie reached around to wrap a rough hand around her dick. The tingling was multiplied now and she knew she wouldn’t last.

“Gunna, oh fuck Eddie, coming!” 

He made a low keening noise as she clenched around him as she came, and after a few thrusts she felt him spill inside of her.

When she opened her eyes again, they were cuddled together in the huge bed back in the workshop.

“A girl could get used to this,” she murmured.

To be continued?

Divider credits to @/strangergraphics

[riotwritesthings]

An Agony We Deserve (Throwing Off Sparks)

WinterIron - M, 3k, WIP - reluctant soulmates, thriller/horror?, canon-typical violence, loss of control, panic attacks

There are legends. Soulmate bonds have started and ended wars, they used to reshape the world without any warning. People would change in an instant, abandon and betray everything, become completely unrecognizable, but those are just legends-

It can’t be-

But they are.

See what happened was. I thought about this post so hard that it broke my writer's block. I have no plan for this, I'm just following vibes and vague ideas and hoping the muse doesn't abandon me. If you're feeling brave, let's see where we end up!

Happy spooky month, here's my interpretation on soulmates as a horror concept.

---

Chapter 1: we locked eyes

Tony manages to slap his hand over the barrel of the handgun just as it levels with his face.

Barnes pulls the trigger.

The sound of it is deafening, hitting Tony like a physical blow, but the bullet stops abruptly when it hits his gauntlet-covered palm. It still stings like hell, but his face and brain remain intact.

Even as he fits his thumb over the slide lock, preparing to pull the whole thing away from the rest of the gun, Tony feels a smirk tug at his lips. He flicks his gaze up to direct his smug look at the rampaging soldier-

The entire world falls away.

Except that’s not strong enough. The entire world shatters in an explosion of razor-sharp pieces that slice through Tony’s mind, through his entire being.

The large open lobby is still in chaos around him, but all of the noise of shouting and approaching footsteps and even the ringing in his ears is suddenly so far away. Like it’s coming from the end of a tunnel, or the top of a well, and he’s falling.

There’s no ground beneath his feet. There’s no air around him, his lungs are collapsing. His heart lodges somewhere around his throat and he can’t breathe-

Barnes has such blue eyes. Cold and fierce but bright, wide, and Tony is lost.

He can’t tear himself away. Why would he?

There is nothing else.

Just the sparks dancing along his nerves and the pull in his chest and the realigning of the entire fucking universe around him.

Tony can’t tell if his head is spinning or if it’s everything.

Where-

What was he doing here? It was important, he knows that, but everything is gone-

All he knows is-

Barnes blinks and the world snaps back into place.

Except it snaps back wrong.

Like the center of gravity suddenly isn’t where it’s supposed to be. All of the colors are wrong, too bright and too rich. The air tastes electric.

Tony drags in a shuddering breath and he has no idea how much time has passed. A second. A lifetime.

Barnes is blinking rapidly now, like he’s trying to wake up.

At least Tony remembers why he’s here. He remembers all of his goals so clearly.

Stop this mess from becoming any more of an international disaster. Help Steve, if he can. Find out the truth.

He still needs to do all of that, it’s important.

His thumb falls away from the slide lock as Barnes lowers the gun. Barnes doesn’t actually pull out of his hold.

They’re still just staring at each other.

Tony needs to- to figure out what the hell happened here and how to fix it-

They need to-

The sound of footsteps are right behind him now, two sets of them, and he doesn’t think.

He spins on his heel, hand raised, and sends off a repulsor blast.

His blood runs cold as Natasha skids back across the polished floor and collides hard with one of the countless scattered tables. Sharon freezes a couple of feet away, staring at him with wide eyes.

He can’t breathe.

Natasha is still standing but she winces as she steps away from the table at her lower back. She hesitates, clearly confused, eyes darting between Tony and Barnes.

Tony doesn’t have any answers for her, even if he could speak. Why did he do that?

He still can’t fucking breathe.

Sharon lunges forward and Barnes’ hand wraps around the bend of Tony’s elbow, pulling him out of the way. Barnes puts himself between Tony and the attacking agent like a solid wall and it feels-

Tony shoves that incomplete thought away with the same vicious force that Barnes shoves Sharon down through another table.

He still feels so off balance. Like he’s waking up from a life-long dream. He’s relieved when Sharon curls around herself with a groan and doesn’t try to get up.

This isn’t right. Tony is supposed to be helping stop Barnes from breaking out of here, not- not looking for the exits-

Natasha is moving towards them again and Tony needs to help-

He needs to help her, he should- he should grab Barnes again, hold him so Natasha can-

Tony can’t even finish the thought. He’s still frozen in place.

None of this is right.

Barnes catches Natasha’s fists just as easily. Tony is all too familiar with the way Natasha swings herself up around Barnes’ shoulders, ready to strike, and he- he can’t-

He needs to-

They need to-

No, fuck. Tony can’t get it together, he can’t think. Everything is still sideways, it's all too bright.

Natasha brings her elbow down hard onto Barnes’ head, and Tony-

Reality finishes shattering around him.

He finally moves and things start to happen so damn fast. He sends out so many pulses of disorienting energy that the heat of the repulsor starts to burn his palm. Natasha hits the far wall and crumbles, and guilt twists Tony’s gut. He doesn’t stop to think.

Barnes' hand wraps around his arm again and Tony follows. More counter-terror agents approach them as they cross the room. Tony repulsors them. Barres takes care of any that get too close. They keep moving.

They have to get out of here.

It’s not until they’re approaching a staircase that Tony stops and says, “No.”

The helicopter is too exposed, too obvious. But Tony doesn’t need to explain.

Barnes goes tense for just a second. His fingers twitch against Tony’s skin. His eyes are fever-bright as he looks at Tony and nods.

So blue. Tony is still falling.

They turn down a hallway. Tony knows the way to the secret service tunnels. Barnes is following him now, hand still wrapped around Tony’s forearm. The contact feels like touching a live wire and Tony’s heart keeps stuttering in his chest. The strong grip feels like a brand, like a shackle-

Unbreakable-

T 'Challa steps into the hallway, blocking their path. Tony’s hand comes up again without thought, palm out and fingers spread in clear threat. He can’t stop himself.

“Stark,” T’Challa says, his eyebrows furrowed, “why are you doing this?”

Tony opens his mouth but nothing comes out. He doesn’t have an answer. He can’t say it.

Barnes’ hand tightens on his arm the second T’Challa moves, and the chaos resumes. Tony's body moves faster than he can keep track of, than he wants to keep track of. He doesn’t want to think about what he’s- why he’s-

T‘Challa is clearly aiming to subdue Barnes and Tony can’t- he can’t let that- The repulsed burns his palm again, but the prince is quick. T’Challa’s hand swings at his face and Tony can’t dodge it.

He doesn’t have to.

Barnes is there. He grabs T’Challa’s arm with both hands and an audible snap echoes through the empty hallway.

Tony wants to throw up, he wants to stop. Instead he puts his palm to the side of T’Challa’s head and activates the repulsor.

It embeds the man halfway into the wall where he stills with a groan and Tony wavers on his feet. His hand is going numb and every fiber of him is screaming.

He’s still off balance, he still can’t breathe.

But he grabs Barnes by the wrist and they keep moving. Down the hall and then they’re practically tumbling down the dimly lit stairwell. They make it to the service tunnels. The tunnels lead to a parking garage, but the doors are locked.

Somehow Barnes’ gun found its way into his free hand, and Tony lifts it while Barnes works on the lock. When the doors swing open there’s a guard standing in their way, his hands shaking around his own gun.

Tony pulls the trigger first.

The man crumbles, bleeding, and bile rises in Tony’s throat.

Oh fuck, why can’t he stop?

Barnes pulls him along and Tony doesn’t protest when he picks their getaway car. Barnes smashes in the window and Tony hotwires it as easy as breathing. Tony drives.

Within minutes they’re blending into traffic in a nondescript sedan. When his phone starts to ring Tony passes it over, and Barnes crushes it in his metal hand without instruction.

They keep driving.

---

They don’t stop running for thirteen hours.

The entire time, they don’t speak. They don’t need to.

Tony’s stomach is still rolling.

He doesn’t sleep, even when Barnes takes over driving near the end. He’s too tired to consider questioning the rundown farmhouse that Barnes finds near the northern border of Lithuania.

It’s not like he’s been thinking through a fucking thing since-

Barnes leads the way into the one-room shack, and Tony doesn’t let himself think. He watches Barnes drop stiffly onto the worn couch.

Tony is trying so hard not to think.

Everything is still wrong. He’s exhausted but energy is still buzzing beneath his skin. Electric and terrifying. He can taste static on the air and his heart rate is still- He doesn’t-

"What the fuck?" Tony finally bursts, his voice hoarse, “why- what the fuck just happened?”

Barnes doesn’t look up from staring at his own palms. “You know,” he says heavily, “you’re too smart t’ pretend you don’ know what this is.”

“No,” Tony snaps. He spins on his heel and starts to pace. He doesn’t make it more than three steps towards the door before his head starts to pound, his chest pulling tight. So he paces the other direction, not looking over at Barnes as he repeats, "No, there’s no fucking way."

“You got another explanation?” Barnes demands. His breathing sounds ragged, too-quick.

Tony refuses to look over.

"I don’t- how about a mental breakdown?" Tony replies. His own breathing is shallow and shaky. "Why else would I- unless your Hydra brainworm is fucking contagious-"

"Wh- no," Barnes says around a harsh bark of laughter.

“- Then I don’t- something else must have-”

“No,” Barnes says again, "you know what this is."

Tony whirls on him, glaring, but Barnes is still hunched over himself. They’re both breathing too hard, too fast, Tony can hear the air wheezing in and out of his lungs.

It can’t be-

“You helped a fugitive escape custody,” Barnes says flatly, not looking up from his hands. “I was- you broke my orders with a word. Why else-”

“Shut up,” Tony snaps, "I am not your- we are not soulmates." His voice is too loud is his own ears, ringing oddly. “That’s- this shit doesn’t happen anymore.”

There are legends. Soulmate bonds have started and ended wars, they used to reshape the world without any warning. People would change in an instant, abandon and betray everything, become completely unrecognizable, but those are just legends-

It can’t be-

But they are.

Tony makes a strangled sound as the truth that he’s known all along starts to really sink in. He’s not even trying to breathe anymore.

Barnes mutters something under his breath, too low for Tony to catch. Then he repeats it, over and over as he drops his face into his palms, and eventually Tony can make out the words.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m-”

The wave of guilt that crashes over Tony is unexpected and infuriating.

He doesn’t want an apology, not from Barnes- Not when-

Neither of them chose this, but that’s kind of the fucking point, isn’t it? Tony wants an apology from the goddamn universe, not from the man hyperventilating on the shitty couch.

And the worse Barnes’ breathing gets, fast and too deep until his entire body heaves with it, the more Tony wants to- he doesn’t even know, but he can’t-

He can’t stop himself.

Tony marches across the room, his body once again moving without any input from his brain. Like a puppet on strings. Without the adrenaline of a fight it's even more obvious how completely out of control he is.

All that fucking time and effort trying to take back control of his life and his legacy, even if he has been regularly fucking it up, and now this-

By the time he’s standing in front of Barnes his own chest is rising and falling nearly as quickly and Tony hesitates, trailing to a stop. Now that he’s here he doesn’t actually know what to do, he has no plan, all he knows is that it’s physically impossible to do nothing.

Every breath Tony takes burns through his lungs and Barnes is starting to hiccup on every inhale, what Tony can see of his face going ghostly pale.

Tony can only watch numbly as his hands move, reaching out, and not knowing what he’s going to do is fucking terrifying. So he makes a decision instead.

He buries his fingers in Barnes’ wild hair and it feels like being electrocuted. Tony’s grip clenches tighter as a current of something that damn sure feels like electricity flows up his arms. They’ve both stopped breathing entirely. Tony’s chest is too full of something-

It feels-

Barnes doesn’t resist when Tony yanks on his hair with shaking hands, letting Tony pull his face up out of his palms. He lets Tony pull until his head is craned back, loose strands of hair falling out of his face as they stare at each other.

His eyes are wide and bloodshot. Still so damn blue.

"Breathe, stupid," Tony finally manages to wheeze. He has to drag in a shuddering, painful lungful of air before he can add, “I’m having the panic attack right now, and I don’t share.”

The laugh that Barnes chokes out is edged with hysteria. His gaze moves over Tony’s face, looking for something, and when Tony forces himself to take another shaking inhale Barnes follows along.

Tony takes another breath, and so does Barnes. It’s easier than Tony expected, shoving everything aside to just focus on getting air in and out of his lungs.

Maybe because they’re finally touching again.

Barnes’ hair is surprisingly soft. It's hard to ignore, even if Tony is doing his best not to notice. Barnes’ skin gives off a heat that radiates up Tony’s arms, into his chest, and it is slightly loosening the knot of panic wrapped around Tony’s heart.

They continue to stare at each other, breathing in time.

Slowly Barnes raises one shaking hand to grab blindly for Tony’s hip. He holds on like Tony is some kind of life line, wrinkling the expensive fabric. It’s hard enough to bruise and it feels-

Everything is still sideways.

Reality has been pulled inside out, too bright and harsh and messy and it's never going back.

Even the faded colors of the farmhouse are too saturated, the weak overhead lighting nearly blinding. Tony can feel every stuttering beat of his heart through his entire body.

But standing here like this- close- touching-

It feels right.

That thought has barely settled in his mind before Tony is ripping himself away, stumbling backwards. He immediately feels off-balance, untethered, and he nearly trips over his own feet as he retreats the few more steps it takes to put his back against the far wall.

This can’t be happening.

But it is.

Tony is living a legend. He’d abandoned all of his plans the second he’d looked into Barnes’ eyes, everything he’d gone to Berlin to do. He’d betrayed his teammates- attacked Natasha-

His breath catches wetly as bile rises in his throat. He really- this isn’t supposed to-

But it's happening-

All the air has vanished from the room. He can’t breathe again, lungs closing up as he tries desperately to think of any other explanation.

There’s nothing. And even if he could find another reason, he knows-

He knows it's true. He has a-

No-

Tony has to get out of here, go-

Anywhere.

His head starts to pound, throbbing in protest, and Tony groans as he lets himself slide down the wall. He squeezes his eyes shut and thumps his head back against the rough wood, breath rattling in his chest.

He can feel Barnes watching him. He keeps his eyes firmly closed. He doesn’t- he can’t deal with this.

When Barnes finally speaks, what he says is, “Lemme know when you’re done with th’ panic attack, I call next.”

His voice sounds a little better, a little more stable, and it actually sends a bolt of relief through Tony. Followed quickly by a fresh wave of irritation.

“Fuck off,” he snaps back, the words rough and wavering.

Barnes doesn’t reply, and Tony keeps his eyes shut.

He’s not sure which is more upsetting, the very thought that Barnes might leave, or the soul-deep certainty that he can't.

Chapter 2

[citizen-sade]

Rain Check

Inspired by this text post:

-------

Eddie glanced from his guitar to the digital alarm clock on the side table next to his bed, where he'd been idly strumming for the past hour, not really trying commiting the tune to memory.

He realized the upbeat lyrics of Bruce Springsteen in Steve’s off-key tenor from the bathroom two doors down had trailed off long ago. He vaguely wondered if he’d dozed off again.

Eddie grinned wryly as he recalled learning the hard way about Steve’s singular habit of falling asleep in the shower.

***

He bounced his leg impatiently, eyes darting to the bathroom as the minutes ticked closer to 8:00. Steve had been in there awhile and it was almost time for the Miami Vice marathon.

7:00 turned into 7:15... then 7:30... 7:35... This was stupid. He didn't even like Miami Vice. It was Steve's idea. So, what the hell was taking him so long?

Eddie set the bowl of popcorn on the coffe table before heading down the hallway and rapped his knuckles on the bathroom door, "Dude, what are you doing in there? Did you get lost?"

No answer.

Clouds of steam wafted out the door as he opened it to the sound of running water.

“Goddamn. Hot enough in here for you, Harrington?” he asked as he used the sleeve of his t-shirt to wipe off an area of condensation from the mirror above the sink.

He stared at the reflection of the seafoam green shower curtain behind him, waiting for Steve to peek out and ask him what he wanted, but his stomach sank when that didn’t happen.

“Steve?”

Still nothing. He inhaled deeply to steady his nerves. Dramatic though it may be, he couldn't help but think back to the time he'd discovered a former bandmate in a similar manner, unconscious in a hotel bathtub from an overdose. He was lucky Eddie had found him when he did, the dipshit.

But Steve was different. Steve Harrington wasn't a junkie. Steve Harrington was smarter than that.

Although, it wasn't like he'd given Eddie a comprehensive list of any potential health issues. Not that he'd asked for one.

Eddie licked his lips nervously as he turned towards the bathtub. He sighed, scratching the back of his head.

“Very funny, Harrington."

Nothing.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other before reaching for the shower curtain, half-expecting Steve to jump out at him.

“Ha!" The exclamation hung in the air as Eddie yanked the curtain to the side, revealing the lean, naked form of his boyfriend on the floor of the ceramic tub, slumped against the side.

“Oh, fuck—ohfuck—okay—uh—Hey! Steve! You okay?”

Eddie reached in to shut off the water and sat on the edge of the bathtub to lean over Steve, shaking him gently by the shoulder.

“Shit... shitshitshit... Steve! Hey!" Eddie eyed him with mounting panic, mentally compiling a list of emergency phone numbers, "Wake up, damnit!”

“Mmm—” the jock stirred, his forehead creasing under his dripping hair in annoyance as he mumbled, “five more minutes.”

Eddie stood up and cocked his head in bewilderment, "What the fuck?”

“Wha—” Steve sniffed groggily, “what’s going on?”

Eddie raised his hands to his hips, “Are you kidding me?”

Steve cracked an eyelid to glance quizzically at him, “Oh, hey, Eds. Everything okay?”

The cold air against his wet skin suddenly reminded him of where he was and he looked up at the trickling showerhead, his face reddening as he scrambled to cover himself.

“Oh, damn,” he groaned, running a hand over his face, “did I fall asleep again?”

"Asleep??" Eddie blinked in surprise but sighed with relief, “Again?! Is this a thing you do regularly?”

“I—uh—“

“You scared the shit out of me!”

“Gee, man, I’m sorry—"

"Thought I was gonna have to drag your naked ass out of there myself."

"It’s just a thing I did—do—ever since I was a kid—”

Eddie scoffed playfully, “Well... don’t fuckin' do it again.”

The sheepish grin he received by way of an apology all but dissolved any trace of genuine exasperation. It was a dumb thing to be mad at him for, anyway.

Eddie rolled his eyes and grabbed the towel from where it hung on the wall to throw it at Steve, hitting him in the face.

“Dry yourself off before you get all pruny. The show's about the start!”

***

It wasn't until later, during a moment of intimacy on the sofa, Miami Vice muted in the background and Steve's eyes locked shyly on their intertwined fingers and the prominent veins that traveled up Eddie's forearm, that Steve had explained how he'd adopted the practice of locking himself in the bathroom as a kid. The running water was enough to partially drown out the sound of his parents arguing in the living room, and he would stay in there a little longer each time, allowing the steady rhythm and comfort of the warm water to lull him to sleep—until he would inevitably be startled awake by the sound of his father slamming the front door behind him in a rage, followed by a hurried knock on the bathroom door and his mother yelling from the other side that he was on his own for dinner. Again.

In Steve's defense, he didn't do it every time... and in Eddie's, he couldn't just not tease him mercilessly for it when he did.

Eddie laid his guitar aside. He was careful not to make too much noise as he snuck to the bathroom, expertly opening and closing the door behind him without a single creak. Once again, the only sound to meet his ears upon entering was the hiss of the water.

He slowly drew back the shower curtain to the familiar sight of Steve curled up beneath the steaming water, damp hair clinging to his flushed cheeks.

Eddie smiled fondly at the shallow rise and fall of his chest and heaved an exaggerated sigh, reluctant to disturb the serenity of the moment.

But they had a game to catch. Lucas would be taking inventory of the party from the basketball court, and God forbid he and Steve show up late to anything together. He could hear the obnoxious kissy noises and prying questions now.

Eddie leaned in to wrap his fingers around the cross-handle knob and, with a quick twist, turned it as far to the left as it would go without shutting off completely.

Steve shrieked, cursing incoherently and clambering to shut off the freezing water.

“SHIT!” he panted, eyes wide when he realized he wasn’t alone. In a daze, he grasped the shower curtain to pull it closed, but instead, managed to tear down the metal rod that it hung from. The curtain rod bounced off his head and clattered against the tile as it came to rest in Steve’s lap.

“Gah! Fuck!” he hissed.

Eddie snorted and clamped a hand over his own mouth to keep from laughing as Steve glared daggers at him behind a veil of wet hair, looking like a drowned rat.

A very pissed off drowned rat.

The vision of the so-called King of Hawkins High—usually so smooth; so collected—now fixing him with what was obviously supposed to be an intimidating scowl while sitting naked and waterlogged in his bathtub made Eddie cackle so hard that he had to brace himself against the bathroom sink.

“I’m glad my suffering is so amusing to you,” Steve mocked.

“You should have seen your face, Harrington!” Eddie wheezed as he doubled over at the waist.

Steve blinked and shook his head, tossing his wet hair out of his face.

Eddie's laughter trailed off, “I’m sorry, babe, but you've been in here forever!”

“Oh, shit, you’re right. What time is it?”

“Almost 5:30.”

Steve groaned as he shifted to get his feet under him but failed against the slippery tub floor.

"Damnit, you need to put something in here."

"You mean, like, those... adhesive rubber ducks?"

"Yeah," Steve sneered, "I mean, like, those adhesive rubber ducks."

Eddie watched with glee as Steve made a second attempt to stand and extended his arm, "Don't just stand there, Munson, help me!"

"Okay, okay! Jeez," he grasped Steve's wrist to help him up, only to be yanked off his own feet, falling over the side of the bathtub and into Steve’s lap as he reached up to turn the water back on.

“You dick!” Eddie screeched, "what the hell—" he froze as his words melted into Steve’s mouth.

He instantly relaxed into him, the lukewarm water beating down on them all but forgotten as the tip of Steve's tongue teasingly slid past his lips. Eddie purred against his mouth and Steve withdrew with a cocky smirk. Eddie started as if to protest, but exhaled a heavy breath and hung his head.

“Alright. We're even."

“Mm, let's get you out of these wet clothes,” Steve said, tugging on the hem of Eddie's soaked t-shirt.

“Woah, there, big guy,” Eddie splayed a hand on Steve's chest in a gentle halting motion, “did you forget we’re on a schedule?”

Steve paused, immediately dropping the Casanova act with a petulant huff, “Aw, man!”

Eddie chuckled and pecked him on the cheek as he rose, pulling Steve up with him. He wrung his damp, unruly hair out over the bathtub before twisting to grab a towel and unceremoniously throwing it at Steve’s face. He then grabbed one for himself.

Steve cautiously stepped out of the tub onto the worn plush mat, securing the towel around his waist.

Knowing they couldn’t afford to waste anymore time, Eddie resigned to getting ready in the bedroom so as to allow Steve and his Hair™ their allotted time alone—but not before planting a playful smack on Steve's ass. Steve yelped and grumbled under his breath as he turned to his reflection and the white aerosol can with the picture of Farrah Fawcett that smiled at him from the counter.

Suddenly the door opened again and Eddie peeked in, "Hey, Harrington."

Steve paused mid-spray and rolled his eyes at him in the mirror, "Yeah?"

Eddie clicked his tongue with a wink and the cringiest finger-gun gesture he could manage, “Rain check.”

[findafight]

how do you think a Stobin body swap would go down? (any season/scenario/au you fancy)

definitely depends on era!

pre s1? Screaming. chaos. yelling and panic. Robin is having a crisis about somehow being in the body of her nemesis. Steve has no idea who he is and that is freaking him out.

post s1? same for robin, but Steve is like ahhhhh what the fuck? ok this sucks but at least I'm not dying? not the weirdest or scariest shit to happen to him. it's not a monster trying to kill him? so it's mostly fine. He should probably tell nancy though. Also robin is mad because she would absolutely blame steve lol.

post s2? (I'm not even going to delve into during a season really because. that complicates things so much.) depending on when, if steve's still beat up robin may take pity on his pathetic sadboy self. She'd also be pissed because now she has to deal with a concussion. Steve is like woah. heart: still broken. Life: getting weirder. Head: no longer concussed! should probably figure out how to not be in someone else's body though!

pre s3? hilarious. they're coworkers. robin blames steve for this. they are scooping ice cream. dustin's there and robin is like listen i am NOT your babysitter I am just in his body. look over there. do you think that's me? Robin? spinning the scooper? no. go to him with whatever you have.

post s3 they wake up and are like huh. hm. this is a pickle! and steve is like what a fucking second i am NOT going to highschool again!! that's the biggest issue they have. Robin says she's gonna make him look bad in front of babes. steve threatens to flunk robin. They barely question it though. very much a "ah. well. this makes sense. may as well happen" they want their bodies back but aren't particularly fussed about it.

at no point is gender an issue they stole that from each other a long time ago without realizing it.

[illwilledomen]

Rambling about an idea I had because I love traumatizing block men:

Steve, while being very strong, can’t control his strength. Despite the fact he can kill most creatures and people with ease if he wanted, the thought of even just hitting someone makes him genuinely nauseous — both due a mixture of being raised with pacifistic villager customs and his deep-seated fear of everyone around him dying/leaving him (his entire civilization exists as long-dead fragments you can’t blame him).

However, he panics in stressful situations and can’t keep a clear head when he’s terrified. There’s a point where his brain sort of shuts off and (being a golem) his robot brain takes over to eliminate the threat. So he basically blacks out, turns into an Emotionless Killing Machine on the assailant(s) and wakes up to a bloodbath. Very distressing, understandably.

So anyway, with that out of the way, I’ve been turning a scene over in my mind. The illager empire is hunting players down, and in this scenario, steve is cornered by some big 6’something nasty sadist vindicator dude about to get a lifetime supply of emeralds from scoring this short-nosed little freak. Hes scared, freaking out, when suddenly he just…goes dead calm, his eyes glazing over. And then BAM! His fist flies forward like a bullet into the guys throat and kills him instantly. The rest of the patrol approaches, shocked to find one of their best guys stone cold dead on the ground and dead from some serious blunt force injury. They look to see Steve, dazed, shaking and petrified, glancing between at the blood on his hands and the vindicator.

And better yet, the Soothsayer is a part of that patrol since he’s one of the illager partisans in charge of catching dem players, so while the other pillagers are like Holy shit 😨 the Soothsayer goes up to Steve and praises him (perhaps playfully scolding him for killing one of their best men as if it was practically nothing). He hugs Steve, but Steve is rigid with fear, both of himself, the illagers and The Ramifications. Soothsayer assures Steve he “isn’t in any trouble” but implies he ought not to go back to his village for fear of banishment for His Crime, coaxing him into coming back to the mansion and letting it blow over. Heheheheheheee

[steddiehyperfixation]

aftermath

my @steddieexchange gift fic for @resande! here's some canon complaint kas/vampire eddie angst with a little side of hurt/comfort and a dash of fluff at the end <3 also happens to fit one of my @steddiebingo prompts: panic 6.3k words | rated t | ao3 link

People are always saying that dying is like falling asleep. But as Eddie lies there choking on his own blood, he thinks this is very much not like falling asleep at all. It’s not peaceful or easy or safe. There’s no sense of his soul being carried gently from one life into the next. It’s painful and terrifying and fucking heartwrenching, tears caught in his throat as well as the blood as he spends his last moments struggling to speak, trying to give the poor kid crying over him some parting words, some small comfort. Dustin’s already going to be traumatized for life from this, it’s the least Eddie can do.

Eddie’s breath rattles. Death rattles. His vision darkens, thoughts growing sluggish, and, oh, maybe this is the part that’s like falling asleep. The dull numbness spreading through his body, the looseness and heaviness of his limbs, the soft swooping sense of release as everything goes black.

He even dreams. Hazy scenes float in and out of his vague awareness, disjointed and nonsensical, as dreams often are. Breathing in the fresh forest air under the stars… Laughing with the kids… Kissing Steve Harrington... Maybe this is heaven. Blood on his hands and in his mouth… Fear and hatred burning in his friends’ eyes... A horrible creature with the appearance of a man skinned and scarred and mutated beyond all recognition of humanity standing at his side... Or maybe he’s in hell. The monster telling him, “Kill them, kill them all...” The air filling with sounds of pleading and screaming… No. No. This must be hell. A nightmare. He doesn’t want to know how this one ends. He sinks back into the blackness and he doesn’t dream again.

And then he wakes up.

Gasping and shivering, Eddie’s eyes fly open in the undeniable sharpness and solidness of reality. He’s acutely aware of his own body, of every sensation in and around it. A physical form feels almost foreign to him now after so long of dreaming untethered. Being alive is such an assault on the senses, has anyone else ever noticed that? He’s never felt so real, so cold, so hungry. “Fuck,” he gasps out as he heaves his upper body up from the cold hard ground he’d been laying on.

He’s sitting in the dirt, on the blood-soaked earth of a recent battlefield. Bodies of dead Upside-Down creatures lie scattered all around, including the corpse of his nightmare monster-man, whose head now sits quite a few feet away from its body. No human bodies lie among them, thank god. The humans, his friends, are all still alive, their victory apparently recent and the relief of it still fresh as they tend each other’s wounds and collapse into one another with tearful hugs. The sound of Eddie’s movement gives them pause, a collective apprehensive breath rippling through them. They all turn to look at him.

“Eddie!” Dustin’s face lights up and he moves as if to run towards him, but Steve almost immediately shoots his arm out to block him, holding the kid back with a firm hand on his chest as he steps protectively in front of him.

“Is that really you?” Steve asks with narrowed eyes and a voice harsh with distrust.

“Yeah, of course it’s really me,” Eddie answers. “Have I ever been someone else?” He means to say it like a joke, but his humor dies in his throat under the wary glares of not just Steve but everyone else as well. Even Dustin’s face has fallen into a hesitant frown. And suddenly the idea doesn’t feel all that funny; suddenly it seems like a very real possibility.

Robin is the one to confirm his growing fears. “Yeah, actually,” she says plainly, “you have. You just were.”

“Oh.”

It certainly explains things: how he got here, alive and back in Hawkins, when the last thing he remembers was dying in the Upside-Down; why he feels so unused to his own skin now; why his hands and face are currently sticky with blood that’s not his own; why Steve won’t let Dustin get close to him; why none of them will quite look him in the eye. Someone or something else had been parading around in his body, wreaking havoc or doing who knows what for who knows how long, while Eddie had been dreaming none the wiser. He shivers again, his stomach twisting, because not only is he cold and hungry still, now he’s also guilty. Guilty of something that’s made his friends afraid of him. He looks over each of them. They all appear to be in rough shape, not one of them unmarred by deep scratches or bruises; Steve even has a large bandage covering the side of his neck, the bloodstain seeping through shaped just like rows of teeth. Eddie can’t help but wonder which of those injuries were inflicted by his hands, if the claw marks on Dustin’s arm would match his own fingernails, if the bite on Steve’s neck would match his own teeth.

He rises unsteadily to his feet. Everyone takes an instinctive step back, flinching away from him, and Eddie raises his hands in what he hopes is a non-threatening gesture (although given the amount of blood they’re covered in, it might not actually be all that comforting).

“I, uh, I’m sorry f-for whatever I was, whatever I did,” he says shakily, “I don’t know what happened. I don’t know- but I-I’m me now, I promise. I’m me, I’m Eddie. Good old confused and terrified Eddie.” He punctuates the end of that sentence with some self-deprecating jazz hands and then immediately cringes at himself. Back from the dead and still a loser, some things never change.

Dustin looks up and over at Steve. “I believe him.”

Steve frowns, his expression carefully guarded. “Yeah, well, we all believed him the first time around too, and look where that got us.”

“I didn’t,” Nancy speaks up. “The first time around, I never totally trusted him the way you guys did, but I think I believe him now too.”

“Yeah, Steve, I think maybe this time we really did get an extra win,” says Robin.

“Maybe.” Steve doesn’t sound entirely convinced, but he does relax his protective stance somewhat in favor of crossing his arms and turning slightly to look at the rest of the group while still keeping Eddie warily in his peripheral. “Anyone else care to chime in?”

“I never really met the real Eddie, so I wouldn’t know either way,” the remaining older teen of the group, who Eddie recognizes as Jonathan Byers, says with a shrug. “Do you guys, like, feel anything?” Jonathan directs the question towards two of the kids - his little brother Will and a girl with a growing out buzzcut, who Eddie assumes is probably that superpowered girl El he’s heard so much about.

Eddie watches, twisting his rings around his fingers as they all talk about him like he’s not there.

Will and El both shake their heads. “One is dead,” El says, and Will agrees, gesturing vaguely at the back of his neck, “There’s nothing there anymore.”

“So then obviously that’s the real Eddie,” Erica says like anyone who thinks otherwise is hopelessly stupid. “It was all a hivemind, right? Cut off the head and the body dies? Well, we cut off the head. Literally. Nothing under Vecna’s control could’ve survived that.”

So the beheaded monster-man corpse must’ve been Vecna(/Henry/One). Gross. For some reason Eddie had been picturing a much cooler-looking villain than that. Not that that’s at all relevant right now though. Bigger things to worry about.

“She has a point,” Lucas adds. “Kas was part of Vecna’s hivemind, so if Vecna is dead then Kas is dead too.”

“Kas?” Eddie questions, briefly drawing some of the attention back to him.

“That’s what we called you after we figured out that you…weren’t you,” Dustin explains. “As in-”

“As in Kas the Bloody Handed, Kas the Betrayer. Right. I get it.” Eddie’s more than familiar with the D&D character Kas, the deceptive and disloyal vampire who serves as the dark wizard Vecna’s right-hand man right up until Kas ultimately betrays him too; Eddie had only just used him in his own campaign. It fits, bloody hands and deception and all. Vecna’s minion. Eddie wonders if when the kids named him they did so with the hope that he might eventually fulfill his namesake and turn on this world’s Vecna as well, help them defeat him. He hadn’t.

Guilt again, running deep and dark and ugly in the cold hollow of his veins and his stomach. Guilt and hunger are really not a good mix. If his stomach twists one more time he thinks he might throw up. If there would even be anything to throw up. Did Kas ever eat?

The rest of the group has returned to squabbling amongst themselves over whether or not Kas could possibly exist outside of Vecna, and Eddie is just another problem to them, something to solve. He stands on the outside, trying to swallow down how uncomfortable he is, all his pain and fear.

He fidgets with his rings again, stares at his stained hands. Kas the Bloody Handed. For some reason, curiosity or instinct maybe, Eddie finds himself bringing his fingers up to his lips and licking tentatively at the blood still dripping from them. The tiniest touch and the sweet metallic taste explodes across his tongue, instantly bringing some relief to not only his hunger but the cold he feels as well, as if the blood is warming him from the inside out. His mind clears of everything except the craving of that relief. He laps up more, licking his hands clean. He shoves his fingers in his mouth to suck the remaining blood from them like a lollipop, and something sharp pierces his skin.

“Ow, shit,” he hisses, pulling his hand away and watching as the tiny pinprick wounds on his fingers close up and disappear within seconds. The sudden pain had snapped him out of whatever daze he’d just been in, and now the true horror of it all can begin to set in. Eddie lifts a shaking hand back up to his mouth and carefully feels along the edges of his teeth. Sharp, pointed. Fangs. Fuck.

“Uh, guys?” he calls out, interrupting whatever debate is still going on about him. “Your Kas didn’t happen to also be a vampire, did he?”

The attention turns towards him again, and his question receives the wary response of, “Yeah, why?”

Eddie grimaces, lips drawn back just enough to reveal the sharp new points of his teeth. “I, uh, I think he might’ve left something behind…”

“I fucking knew it,” Steve sneers with a bitter sort of vindication. He gestures sarcastically towards Eddie as he raises a bitchy eyebrow at everyone who’d spoken up in defense of the vampire. “You guys were saying?”

“Wait, that doesn’t mean he’s still Kas though,” Dustin protests.

“Look at him, Steve, he’s terrified,” Robin says. “That has to be real.”

“Kas was a good actor.” Steve looks at Eddie like it pains him to do so, a million contradictions in his expression. Though his face softens slightly, his eyes are hard and conflicted, so many unreadable emotions behind them. “I know that more than any of you. Besides, how else do you explain the fact that he’s still a vampire?”

“I’m not Kas,” Eddie insists, though no one really seems to be listening to him. He takes a deep breath and wills his fangs to retract - and, miraculously, they do. Maybe it will be easier if he looks more normal again.

He really shouldn’t have said anything. He should’ve kept his sharp new teeth to himself instead of reigniting everyone’s suspicion. He’s not sure what he was thinking, only that he’s so fucking scared he needed to do something, and maybe some stupid desperate part of him was still clinging to the hope that his friends might give up on trying to solve him and start trying to help him. But clearly that’s not going to happen anytime soon. There's no comfort to be found here. He’s on his own with his fear and it's threatening to overwhelm him.

But he can't have a breakdown, not now, not here, not with these people. Eddie takes another measured breath and tries to redirect his growing panic into something safer, something more productive. Agitation maybe, frustration.

It's not too hard. Everyone is theorizing again.

“What if the vampirism wasn’t actually because of Kas?” Mike is saying. “What if it happened separately from Kas, like a mutation in just the body that maybe made it more viable for Kas or whatever, but not necessarily connected to him?”

“So when Kas died with Vecna, the mutation still stayed,” Will tacks on, nodding like it makes total sense. “It might even be what’s keeping the body alive still.”

“I’m not some fucking thing!” Eddie finally snaps. “And I’m right fucking here!” Predictably, there’s a collective flinch at his outburst, startled eyes snapping to attention. He huffs, pulling agitated hands through his grimey, tangled hair. “Look, I’m not a threat to any of you, alright? In fact, all I really wanna do right now is just go home and take a nice hot fucking shower because I’m exhausted and filthy and clearly I’m just freaking you guys out by being here. So if you’re all done trying to figure out what sort of monster I am, can I get going now or are you guys gonna try to stop me?”

There’s a bit of an awkward pause at that, like no one’s quite sure what to say or how to say it.

“You, uh, you can’t go home,” Robin tells him, a little apologetic scrunch to her face. “Not because we won’t let you or anything, it just kinda…doesn’t exist anymore.”

“Your trailer was destroyed when Vecna split the world open and your uncle moved to some government-paid-for house miles outside of town,” Nancy explains. “He was told you were dead, so…”

So Wayne didn’t have a reason to stay in Hawkins anymore, especially not if he had enough government hush money to afford somewhere nicer. Eddie can’t fault the old man for that, although this news does waver his current ability to keep holding himself together. He forces down the emotion rising in his throat. “Right.”

“You stayed at Steve’s last time,” Dustin offers helpfully, earning him a glare from Steve, which he then makes worse by amending, “Or, well- Kas did, while he was pretending to be you.”

Eddie graciously manages to ignore Dustin’s complete inability to read the goddamn room, and looks at Steve instead. “I take it that’s not an option this time?”

“I don’t know.” Steve crosses his arms and frowns as he considers Eddie with those fractured eyes of his. “You can use my shower,” he decides finally, “just so that the sight of you wandering around covered in blood doesn’t send the whole town into another witch hunt again. But beyond that…I wouldn’t count on it.”

“That’s good enough for me,” Eddie says. He just needs to get out of here, as if a change of scenery might change his situation. Everything else he can figure out later when he’s not so singularly focused on trying not to fall apart.

“Great,” Steve says dryly, like he might already be regretting this decision.

He turns away from him again for more conversation Eddie's not part of anymore. But at least they're not talking about him this time. It's mostly just a basic discussion of what everyone's doing next: who's going to update Max (who apparently is currently blind and wheelchair-bound and couldn't be here for the main fight), who's going to stay and help dispose of all the Upside-Down creature corpses, when they're gonna regroup next, how long El thinks it will take for her to recharge enough to be able to use her mind powers to check on the situation in Eddie's head. Okay so maybe some of it is still about him.

Steve makes a comment about how his task is to “babysit the vampire,” and Robin must’ve caught the way Eddie grits his teeth a bit at that because she ducks away from the rest of the group to talk to him.

“Hey, Eddie. Cut him some slack,” she says, gesturing with a dip of her head towards Steve. “Kas messed with all of us, but he messed with Steve the most. This is especially hard for him, just give him some time.”

“Yeah, okay.” Eddie folds his arms over his chest, his fingers pressing into his biceps like it might help to press down everything roiling inside of him. He’s getting antsier and antsier by the second, and Robin is absolutely not helping. His guilt flares again and so does his irritation, the two mixing like oil and water. He can’t even begin to imagine what awful things Kas had used him to put everyone through, and of course he understands that, but at the same time it’s not like this is all that easy for him either. No one seems to appreciate that Eddie is also having a terrible fucking time right now too.

“Oh, and you should know - if you somehow are still Kas and you fuck with him again, I will personally make sure that you join Vecna in the beheaded freaks club in the afterlife,” Robin adds, perfectly matter of fact, and Eddie doesn’t doubt her.

“Yeah, alright, Robin, I get it,” he assures her before she can say anything else to make him feel even worse. “You don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Good.” She nods, apparently satisfied enough with his response, and the tiny half-smile she offers him then is the closest thing to sympathy or apology he’s received all day.

“Are you ready to go?” Steve approaches, swapping places with Robin as she falls back to rejoin the rest of the group.

Eddie nods, dropping his arms and rolling back his tense shoulders. “Lead the way, Stevie.”

Steve flinches. “Don’t call me that.” He turns sharply on his heel and starts walking off in long, quick strides.

Eddie nearly has to jog to catch up to him. “Sorry.”

Steve doesn’t respond and the rest of the walk to his house passes in a thick and heavy silence. He can still hardly seem to look at Eddie, always staying a few steps in front and keeping his eyes fixedly forward with the same sort of steeled and measured determination that Eddie is also currently employing. Like maybe they’re both trying not to have a breakdown.

Thankfully this horribly uncomfortable journey does not have to be suffered through for very long, and they soon emerge from the woods into the Harrington’s sprawling backyard. If Eddie was in any state to, he might’ve made some comment or joke, some dig about Steve’s rich-kid house, but now he stays quiet, mutely following Steve inside.

Steve gathers up a fresh towel and some clean clothes for Eddie to borrow. “Here. You can use the bathroom down the hall, second door on the right.”

“Thank you,” Eddie says, sincerely. Steve only nods, looking away from him again.

And now Eddie is finally alone, in the biggest bathroom he’s ever seen in his life. His entire trailer could probably fit in here three times over and that’s only a mild exaggeration. There’s a huge mirror above two sinks, a jacuzzi bathtub in one corner and a fancy shower with glass doors in the one adjacent, and in the center of it all there’s even this large circular cushioned seat, perfectly in front of the toilet just in case you wanted to have a friend come sit and chat while you take a shit. Again, this would be a comedy gold mine if only Eddie wasn’t already too distressed to appreciate it. Instead he hardly even takes a second to look around before he simply strips off his filthy clothes and makes a beeline for the shower.

The second those glass doors close behind him and the warm water hits his back, that flimsy little wall he’d been trying to build up around his emotion crumbles completely and all his fear and guilt and everything else tears out of him in a ragged sob that wracks through him so completely his entire body shudders and convulses with it. Another sob breaks through before the first one’s even finished, and then another and another and another. He’s choking on his tears, hardly able to breathe. His thoughts aren’t helping either, set free and spiraling through every awful thing he hadn’t been able to let himself dwell on earlier.

What did you do? You were used, violated, your hands have drawn blood, maybe even killed, why didn’t you stop it? His mind berates him, blames him. Kas had hurt and damaged and destroyed, every act seeping into and staining the vessel he’d used to do it, and then he’d left Eddie behind to carry the weight of it all on his own. Left him in the body of a monster, in every single way. You’ll need to draw blood again to live, drain the life of another living thing to sustain your own. Who or what will you hurt next? You’re a monster. A monster a monster a monster.

He’s never felt such despair or so trapped in his own skin. I can’t live like this. He sinks to the ground, curled in on himself and gasping, drowning, drowning in the roar of his mind and emotion and the water still beating down on him from the impassive shower head above him. His thoughts are becoming less and less complex or coherent with every hyperventilating breath until they ultimately solidify into simply: I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t.

A hesitant knock on the door startles him suddenly. Maybe if he wasn’t so lost inside himself and the sound of his own sobbing he would’ve heard the footsteps passing by and then passing back, a wavering pacing before the knock even occurred, but he hadn’t, and so it startles him, his rapid breaths now freezing entirely for a moment.

“Eddie?” Steve’s voice floats uncertainly from outside. “...Are you okay in there?”

“I’m fine,” Eddie manages, voice raw, and his lungs take the opportunity to resume with breaths even more panicked than before, as if to make up for the previous few seconds of suffocation.

“Are- You don’t sound fine,” Steve says after another moment of hesitation. “You…you kind of sound like you’re having a panic attack.”

Yeah, no shit. Eddie only curls up further, knees to his chest, arms in a death grip around his legs. He can’t find the breath to speak again. He can’t he can’t he can’t.

A few more seconds stretch by and then Steve knocks again, softly. “Can I come in?”

I can’t. Eddie couldn’t move to unlock and open the door for him even if he wanted to. His body won’t listen, too stiff, too busy shaking. I can’t. “I can’t-” Aloud this time, quick and broken through his gasps. “I can’t- I can’t get up.”

A much longer pause this time. Maybe Steve’s left. Eddie doesn’t know, doesn’t care - can’t care, mind too full and too loud. And why wouldn’t Steve leave? He’s already made it clear he still thinks Eddie is a monster. A monster a monster I can’t

Something clicks in the lock and the door swings open. “Oh, Eddie…” Steve whispers at the sight of him, immediately rushing to open the shower doors, turn off the water, and drop down to join Eddie on the floor. He pulls Eddie’s tense and trembling body into his arms and holds him against his chest.

Eddie’s head falls into the crook of his neck, too close to the artery there, too close to the sound of Steve’s blood and the monster inside of Eddie. He dips his head lower, tucking it under Steve’s chin instead. Safer. “I don’t- I don’t want to be a monster, Steve,” he sobs, in all the choppy, shaky speech he can manage. “I can’t- can’t live like this. I can’t.”

“Hey, it’s okay, you’re gonna be okay,” Steve murmurs; soft, soothing voice. A hand comes up to gently stroke Eddie’s hair. “Just breathe, Eddie, you need to breathe. Can you do that? Can you breathe with me?”

Eddie can feel the slow, steady rise and fall of Steve’s chest beneath his head and he struggles to breathe in tandem with it. He manages one breath, two, but the third one breaks and shudders into another bout of hyperventilating.

“It’s okay, you got it,” Steve encourages, gentle and patient, still holding him, still stroking his hair in time with his even breaths. “Just keep breathing, keep breathing. That’s it,” he says as Eddie sucks in a deep inhale and tries again.

Slowly, very slowly, Eddie’s breath finally begins to consistently match the rhythm of Steve’s, and his shakiness starts to ease.

“There you go, good,” Steve continues to whisper. “That’s good, Eddie. You’re okay.”

Eddie’s recovered enough for some of the tension to drain from his body and he lets himself sag further into Steve’s chest with a heavy sigh. His coherence returned, he lets out a shaky, sniffly little laugh, hoping it doesn’t sound too bitter as he says, “Does this mean you believe me now?”

“Yeah,” Steve says quietly. “Kas never would’ve cried like that.” He holds Eddie a little closer, fingers curling in his hair. “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you before.”

“S’okay,” Eddie mutters. “I get it. Robin said-” His voice wobbles still, tears pricking back up into his eyes. He takes a deep breath. “Robin said Kas messed with you more than the rest. What- what did he do to you?”

He can feel Steve shaking his head, his chin brushing against the top of Eddie’s hair. “Don’t worry about that.”

“I want to know.”

Steve is quiet for a moment. “Kas- well, you know he pretended to be you for a couple weeks before he turned on us, so he really fucked with everyone’s heads, but with me…for some reason with me he decided to fuck with my heart too,” he says finally, still incredibly vague and not actually offering much at all in the way of explanation, but Eddie gets the gist of it just fine.

“Oh.” It makes a little more sense now, the depth of pain in Steve’s eyes, why he found it so hard to look at him, why Robin was so protective. Kas hadn’t just betrayed Steve’s trust and friendship, he’d seduced him into thinking they were something more than that and then broke his heart too. Eddie feels like he might cry again. “I’m so sorry…” He lifts his head and sits up a bit, suddenly finding it kind of cruel to keep being cuddled up to Steve like that.

“It’s okay, it wasn’t you.” Steve’s arms fall away from him and he leans back slightly as if to give Eddie some space. His tone is reassuring enough, though his gaze has become avoidant again.

Eddie hadn’t really wanted Steve to let go of him, but maybe that’s cruel too. He pulls his knees back up tight to his chest, and it occurs to him also that he’s still quite naked.

This has evidently occurred to Steve too, because he’s already turning away to reach for the towel that Eddie had, in his rush earlier, dropped unceremoniously on the floor just outside the shower. “For your modesty, dude.” He cracks a lopsided smile as he tosses the towel over Eddie’s lap.

“Thanks,” Eddie returns the smile with a soft chuckle, grateful for the attempt at levity in the face of the awkwardness that’s beginning to settle back between them. A brief moment of respite before Steve shutters his expression of genuine affection and Eddie’s mind returns in force to all its guilt and worry.

Selfishly, he wishes Steve would still hold on to him, because he still feels like he could fall apart again at any moment. That wouldn’t be fair to him, though, and so Eddie simply holds himself a little tighter, arms wrapped firmly around his knees. Beside him, Steve has shuffled into a similar position, a little less tense and hunched maybe but still just as uneasy.

It’s a game of looking and looking away, eyes never quite on each other at the same time, neither of them sure what to say or what to do, only with a sense that there is something more that should be said or should be done.

“Um-” Bringing this up won’t help anything, in fact it will probably only make things worse, but Eddie starts to ask one of the questions on his mind regardless. “You said Kas messed with your heart, so did-?” He pauses, hesitates, then rephrases, “When I was…gone, I wasn’t really, um, aware of anything, but sometimes I would have these dreams, just little bits and pieces, and in some of them- in some of them I saw us kissing. So did that, uh- did that actually happen?”

Steve looks over at him. “Yeah.” He nods. His eyes land briefly on Eddie’s lips and then guiltily dart away. “Yeah, that actually happened.”

“Okay.” Eddie takes a breath, tapping his fingers against his shins, nervous to find out just what else exactly his body had been used for. “And was it only kissing, or did we- did you guys…?”

“No,” Steve is quick to reassure him, his eyes going wide as he shakes his head. “No, it was just kissing, that’s it, nothing else happened. We realized it wasn’t you before our, uh, relationship could progress that far.”

Eddie exhales in relief. “Good.” That probably would’ve sent him into another panic attack. Not that he’s necessarily opposed to the idea of sleeping with Steve Harrington, he’d just very much prefer to actually be there and present in his own body for that if it ever were to happen. So it’s a good thing it didn’t while he wasn’t. That worry, at least, is eased.

But something about the way Steve is looking at him - or rather not looking at him - is still stressing him out. He glances at Steve who glances away, and there’s still more that they’re not saying.

“There’s something else, though, isn’t there?” Eddie presses, his fingers resuming their nervous drumming. “Something else happened that you’re not telling me?”

Steve shakes his head again. “It’s nothing, it’s not- it’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“Right, that’s super reassuring,” Eddie huffs. His mind could spiral through a thousand awful possible things it could be if he’d let it, and he’s trying very hard not to. “What- Did Kas hurt someone or something - like, seriously?”

“He bit my neck, tore up Dustin’s arm, and got Robin’s face pretty good too.”

Eddie had gathered that already. “But that’s not the thing you’re not telling me.”

“No, because it’s stupid. It’s not anything Kas did, it’s not a stain on your hands. He just knew how to get under my skin, is all. Don’t worry about it,” Steve insists.

“Too late, I’m already worried about it,” Eddie says, getting frustrated now. “And clearly you have something you want to say about it, otherwise you would’ve gotten up and left by now.”

Steve blinks like this analysis has thrown him. “I haven’t gotten up and left by now because I wanted to make sure you were okay. But I can get up and leave if you want me to.”

“For fuck’s sake, Steve!” Eddie bursts out. “Can you just fucking tell me!?”

“Fine!” Steve snaps back, then sighs and softens his voice, “Fine. Kas was a liar, I know that, so it really doesn’t matter anyways, but fine.” He runs a hand through his hair, hesitant and reluctant, wavering through a few false starts as if unsure of exactly how to tell it. “He’d just attacked us after we confronted him with our suspicions. I mean- his teeth had just been in my neck, the jig was up, and now he was just saying whatever he thought would hurt us most in that moment…”

Eddie nods with impatiently widened eyes, urging him to stop stalling and get to the goddamn point already.

“He told us you were dead, gone, whatever, but that he had access to all of your old thoughts and memories and feelings,” Steve finally starts approaching the point. “Kas never actually cared about me, he told me that and it wasn’t a surprise, but then- I mean, he could’ve just gone for easy and brutal and told me that you never gave a shit about me either, but no. No, Kas was so clever with his cruelty…” He falters again here, a bitter exhale and an awkward pause, not quite looking away from Eddie but not quite looking at him either.

Eddie curls apprehensively over his knees. “The suspense is killing me, man. What the fuck did he say about me?”

Steve takes a deep breath, as if to steel himself. “He said that you did give a shit about me? I mean, he said that he had just been going off of what was already there in your head, that he only…went after me the way he did because of the thoughts and, uh, feelings that you already had about me - or for me, I guess. I know he was probably lying though,” he barrels on before Eddie can even begin to react to any of that. “I think he just thought the ‘what if’s and ‘what could’ve been’s would drive me crazier, you know, hope always hurts more, and it did, he was right, but it’s fine. I know Kas was just a liar and a jerk and I shouldn’t believe a word he said-”

“Wait, Steve-” Eddie interrupts his nervous rambling, sitting up a little straighter. “Steve, he wasn’t lying - not about the, uh, my thoughts and feelings and stuff at least, not really.”

Steve finally looks at him, eyes a little bigger with surprise and a tentative hope. “He wasn’t?”

Eddie shakes his head in confirmation. “No, he wasn’t.” He shrugs, feeling nervous and strange, like a little kid with a crush as he admits, “I mean- Well, I mean, yeah, I’ve thought about you. Like, in school I’d always had a sort of…curiosity about you, I’ve always looked at you, of course I have, you know, you’ve seen you. And then when we actually spent some time together, I mean yeah we were stressed out and fighting monsters and shit, but I don’t know, I liked just being around you, I really did. So- It’s not like it really got the chance to develop all that much or anything, but yeah, the thoughts and feelings were there- are there. I, uh, like you, or whatever the kids are calling it these days.”

“Oh.” Steve's face slowly spreads into a smile. “Really? That’s good to know. I, uh, like you too, obviously. I just wish we could’ve been figuring this out under better circumstances.”

“Yeah. You know, in any other context, me naked on your bathroom floor would actually be the perfect circumstance,” Eddie jokes, wiggling his eyebrows playfully. Steve laughs, a genuine burst that brightens his whole face, and, oh, Eddie would do just about anything to make sure that light stays in those gorgeous eyes forever. “I mean, seriously,” he continues teasing, “what the hell else are you supposed to use this bathroom for? There’s even a cuck couch in here and everything.”

Steve snorts, shoving at Eddie’s shoulder. “Shut up.”

“But I guess it’s just not as sexy when I look like a drowned rat and my face is still all red and puffy from crying, though, huh?” Eddie laments, his theatrics embellished with a mock pout.

“Says who?” Steve smirks and sits up on his knees to shuffle closer. He lifts a hand to Eddie’s cheek, gently tilting his face up. “I still think you’re beautiful.”

Eddie blushes, heart and lungs and brain rendered suddenly utterly useless. His dramaticism has shorted out and all he can manage is a flustered “Shut up.”

“I mean it.” Steve smiles at him, so softly, so warmly. Hard to believe that only a mere minute ago they were in the midst of the world’s most awkward conversation ever. Not that Eddie’s complaining at all about this turn of events though. Steve’s thumb brushes over his cheekbone. “And if you’re okay with it, I’d really, really like to kiss you - the real you this time.”

Yeah, Eddie is definitely not complaining. “I’m absolutely okay with it,” he says, the words barely past his lips before he’s getting a hand in Steve’s hair and tugging him closer.

They meet in the middle in a slow, sweet kiss, lips sliding together unhurried. The panic that had been sitting in Eddie's chest for so long is now entirely replaced by something warm and sparkly blooming through him, the remainder of his tension and worry melting away in favor of savoring the simple feeling of Steve's mouth against his. It's the sweetest thing he's ever tasted, a tenderness he's never known before. He could get lost in it forever.

Forever, however, happens to only be about 30 seconds, the kiss breaking when their growing smiles soon get in the way.

“Hmm,” Steve hums as they pull apart grinning, cradling Eddie’s face in both hands now.

“What?” Eddie asks breathlessly.

“Nothing, it's just, you’re softer than Kas was,” Steve muses. “I like it.” He kisses Eddie again, brief but lingering. Their foreheads rest against each other as Steve smiles softly at him and says, “I’m glad you’re you again.”

[stevieschrodinger]

Eddie goes zero to sixty when he wakes up. He expects to be dead, so the strong smell of disinfectant and boiled hospital food comes as a shock that, at first, he doesn’t believe.

But then the irregular bleating of the heart monitor next to him starts to sink in, the beeps sounding way too fucking fast and that stresses Eddie out even more. He tries to escape out of the bed, gets tangled in tubes and wires, agony burning up his side and through his stomach, practically falls out of the bed when his own legs won’t hold him.

The floor is rock solid and stone cold, and that just ratchets Eddie’s panic further, because now he’s stuck and he can’t escape and there are people – people he doesn't know – touching him, all talking all over each other and it’s so much, too much to handle, the overload -

“Holy shit kid,” a voice Eddie would recognize anywhere, mostly because he’s been warned by that voice so many times about getting caught dealing and carrying and, “Jesus, give him some room a second.”

“I thought you were dead,” Eddie rasps out, voice totally fucked.

“Yeah, well, thought the same about you kid,” Hopper answers, stoic and honest as always.

“I can’t stay here,” Eddie finds his hands twisted up in the material of Hoppers jacket.

Hopper nods, knowingly, “back into bed, give me half an hour.”

Eddie agrees, holds onto that, because the lights are too bright and the noises are all so fucking loud and even the sound of his own breathing is annoying.

“Kid,” Hopper raps on the door frame, and every fucking pair of eyes in the room swivels to him because literally everyone rammed into Max’s room is a kid to Hopper. He narrows it down a bit, looking at Steve, “Munson’s awake.”

Half the people in the room shoot up, Dustin’s fastest despite his fucked up ankle, so Hopper sticks an arm out, wraps him up, stops him even though the kid is screeching and wriggling in his hold, “just Steve, the rest of you stay here.”

There’s a roomful of complaints, but something in Hoppers tone must relay the urgency, because they do obey in the end.

“So, he needs somewhere to go.”

Hopper nods down at Steve, “Owen’s can wrangle it, but it’s got to be somewhere known, somewhere that has the space, somewhere...private.”

Steve gets what Hopper’s laying down, his place is the only place that makes any sense, “yeah, of course.”

Because there’s no question.

Eddie limps across the threshold, most of his weight supported on Steve’s shoulders. They take one look at the mountain of stairs and divert straight to the couch. Steve can see that Eddie’s in pain, that he’s restless, that he can’t settle, “what can I do?”

“Nothing. Nothing. Feel like there’s...fire ants or something, crawling all over, under my skin.”

Steve tuts. Not having a suggestion for that. Eddie’s face contorts again and he’s sweating. The nurse was very fucking clear about the pain meds, and Eddie can’t have any more for another couple of hours at the earliest. Steve doesn’t state that out loud; he’s pretty sure Eddie doesn’t need reminding.

He comes back with a cool sodden towel, feeling helpless, but the second it hits Eddie’s skin Eddie practically screeches and they know that isn’t the answer, so Steve throws it in the laundry.

“I don’t know what to say man, shower? Like, a hot one?”

“Dressings,” Eddie bites back, white knuckled and almost writhing now on the couch.

“Maybe...we should take you back, maybe they can-”

“No. Fuck no,” Eddie’s words bitten out, panicked.

“Okay okay,” Steve surrenders, palms up flat, “what then?”

Eddie’s eyes flick over the back of the couch, he can’t see the stairs from there, there’s a wall in the way, but his expression looks pained just at the thought, “I’ll try anything once.” He tries to make a joke of it, tries to make out that he’s okay, but he’s clearly in fucking agony and Steve has no idea what to do for him so he agrees readily.

Making it up the stairs takes them fully half an hour, Eddie having to wait, panting, on every single step. Steve’s never felt so helpless in his life (excluding that one time Max floated in the cemetery), it’s torture watching Eddie suffer, watching him try and keep in all the pained noises, only to fail miserably.

He manages a half hearted joke about King Steve giving him a sponge bath when they make it to the turn near the top, the wider step on the corner giving Eddie somewhere safe and secure to lean.

Steve doesn’t laugh, “how are you feeling now?”

Eddie swallows, throat clicking dry, “it’s worse. It’s like there’s...like something's under there, moving around,” Eddie draws in a hissed breath, face crumpling, “hurts. So fucking much.”

Steve doesn’t even know what to say to that, so they get moving, and those final four steps are worse than all the others combined. They shuffle through Steve’s bedroom and into the bathroom, and when Steve clicks on the light Eddie makes an agonized noise and Steve clicks it off again immediately.

“S’bright,” Eddie mutters, squinting at the floor, greasy, sweaty hair sticking to his forehead. He looks ill. Washed out. No, gray. He looks like he’s gone gray in the dim light coming through the small bathroom window.

“Okay, okay, no problem,” so Steve turns to get the water going, trying to figure out how the fuck they’re going to do this considering Eddie looks exhausted and half dead already. He hears Eddie make a noise, there's a soft thump, and Steve turns back, concerned.

Eddie’s gone.

He’s just...gone.

His clothes are in a heap on the floor, bloody dressings mixed in, and Steve yells, hopping backward and nearly dragging down the shower curtain, when the pile shifts. Wings emerge. Tails.

Steve recognizes it instantly. It’s a fucking demobat.

“Fuck. Fuck fuck,” Steve backs away, edges his way through the door, thinking of the nail bat in the boot of his car. He usually brings it everywhere with him, when he can, but he was too concerned with getting Eddie into the house to think of it.

He doesn’t take his eyes off the thing as it flops around, trapped in Eddie’s clothes. Steve darts the rest of the way, scouring his room for a weapon and giving up fast; the kitchen, a knife; that would be easiest.

Steve runs for it, closing his bedroom door tight so the thing can’t escape. He runs down the stairs, grabs the biggest knife in the block and then takes the stairs two at a time on the way back up.

Steve opens his bedroom door cautiously, point of the knife sliding through the gap, just in case the thing is flapping around in his bedroom. It’s not, it appears safe.

But Steve knows the danger, he was nearly killed by just one of those things so he isn’t taking any chances. Steve waits a second with the door open...he realizes he can hear it. It’s not making the horrible high pitched screech that he’s used to, it sounds more like...well, it sounds like a whimper. It actually sounds kind of pathetic.

Steve creeps closer, only to find the demobat hopelessly tangled in Eddie’s clothes, it’s struggling only making it worse. Steve stands for a moment, staring. Eddie’s gone...and now that little creature is in Eddie’s clothes.

Eddie. Shit, Steve has a terrible feeling about this, “Eddie?”

Steve creeps a little closer, still pointing with the knife, “Eddie, man, if that’s you, you’ve got to give me something here,” Steve begs desperately. There’s still no response, “oh fuck me, I’m loosing my godamn mind.”

Steve kneels, moving a little closer, “Eddie?”

The Demobat’s strange, worm like head appears from under Eddie’s shirt and sort of...mewls. It’s pathetic, really. The open, rounded mouth in filled with rows of tiny, razor sharp teeth. It’s got four eyes, two above the mouth, and two more set behind that, and they all blink in turn, strange slits opening and closing slowly.

It makes another little noise. “Okay. Okay, lets, try...oh man I am so dumb. Dustin’s never going to let me live this down,” Steve slowly offers the back of his hand to the thing, reasoning that if it bites him, the wound won’t be too debilitating than if he looses a finger or something equally terrible. He waits, watching, poised to drag his hand back at the first sign of danger. He doesn’t need too though, because the demobat potentially formerly known as Eddie, snakes out a too long, thin black tongue, and licks a sticky smear on the back of Steve’s hand.

And that’s all. It sits still, staring up at Steve will all four of it’s beady black eyes, watching expectantly.

“Okay. Okay. I’m going to trust you. But if you bite me I swear to…” Steve mutters to himself as he carefully untangles the bat from the pile of clothing, it’s tails and wings well and truly wrapped up with the material.

It’s not awful. It feels kind of cold, but the skin isn’t like, moist, or anything, it’s very dry and kind of scaly. The wings are more leathery, and the tail is...well, it kind of feels weirdly hollow.

“Okay, I got you Munson. God that’s so weird,” Eddie’s body snakes up Steve’s arm a little way, wings flapping clumsily as he tries to right himself. Steve has to fight his instinct to throw the thing off, the last time a demobat was this close to him it nearly strangled him to death.

Despite climbing all over Steve, Eddie wraps his tail around his arms and chest...but not his neck. Not even close. Kind of like, even in this form, he knows.

Eddie ends up hooking the ‘elbows’ of his wings into Steve’s shirt and just...huddling there. Not doing anything, tail wrapped firmly around Steve’s arm, one wing against Steve’s chest and the other against his back, hugging Steve’s shoulder.

Steve stares at himself, and Eddie, in the mirror, “well, fuck.”

With no idea what the hell he’s supposed to do now, Steve heads to bed. It’s been a bit of a day, and whatever the hell this is can wait until tomorrow. He crawls into bed, carefully lying down. Eddie seems to get it, movements still slow and very clumsy, he shifts completely onto Steve’s chest, sort of walking on the joints of his wings, curling up.

Steve lies there, staring at the ceiling in the dark, “I guess this is...maybe not the weirdest thing to happen?”

Eddie makes a soft trilling noise.

Fuck.

Steve wakes up slowly, very aware of the warm weight on top of him. He blinks, vision filled with a mop of brown curls. Eddie.

Steve is hugging Eddie. Eddie is mostly on top of him. Eddie is very naked under Steve’s hands and his very obvious erection is digging into Steve’s thigh and, “Eddie, you’re people again!”

Eddie lifts his head, squinting, opens his mouth and says, “mrrrrp?”

It’s eerily reminiscent of the noise he’d made last night, as a demobat.

“You’re a dude again, dude.”

Eddie blinks. It seems to take a long time to process before he finally, finally croaks out, “coffee.”

Steve wholeheartedly agrees.

Steve slips out of bed, Eddie either isn’t acknowledging or hasn't noticed his boner situation, so Steve figures there's some sort of bro code here and just ignores it too.

While coffee is brewing, Steve figures his only possible course of action is to call the smartest person he knows. He will never admit that out loud, but luckily Henderson answers on the second ring, like he’s been waiting for Steve to call him.

“Dustin-”

“Can I come see Eddie yet?”

Steve sighs, “I’m great, thanks for asking, so cool of-”

“Steve.”

“Yeah. Yes, come over.”

The little shit doesn’t even say goodbye. He just hangs up.

Steve takes a coffee up to Eddie, who is buck naked and sprawled ass up over Steve’s bed, “okay, Eddie come on, Dustin’s on the way.”

Eddie groans, crawling out of bed, Steve heads over to his wardrobe to dig out something for Eddie to wear so he isn’t obviously staring at all of Eddie’s nakedness. There’s a thump and a, “shit,” that has Steve spinning back around, Eddie sat on his ass on the floor, looking confused.

“You okay?”

“Legs. Apparently you can forget legs really fast.”

It hadn’t occurred to Steve when he woke up, but it does now. All of Eddie is pristine; there’s not a wound, mark, scar bruise, anything on him anywhere. Steve has to step closer, kneeling in front of Eddie to prod his chest, Eddie swats at him, “you’re all healed up.”

Eddie stops swatting at Steve and prods himself instead, “holy shit. I am.”

“Well...that’s a positive, right?”

Eddie hums, and Steve goes back to digging him out a sweater and some sleep pants and boxers. That’ll do for today. Eddie’s a little wobbly when he stands, so Steve hovers in grabbing distance, but Eddie gets dressed without incident.

Steve offers him the coffee from the nightstand, now cool enough to drink. Eddie takes an enthusiastic mouthful and Steve watches as Eddie’s face goes through a series of...something, his mouth obviously full of coffee. His face is definitely doing something. And then Eddie just opens his mouth, “bleaugh,” letting the coffee just...run back into the mug.

And then he hands it back. To Steve. Who takes it reflexively, “I’ll just...I’ll go and get rid of this.”

“Where is he?”

“Okay, okay, firstly, I need you to not freak out.”

“Steve,” Dustin stares at him, “saying that is guaranteed to make anyone freak out.”

“Yep,” Steve agrees, “I mean it though, Eddie is absolutely fine, I swear it.”

“But. There’s a but isn’t there, Steve why is there always a but with-”

“He turned into a demobat last night. Like just, was a bat. And I didn’t know what to do, so we went to sleep, and then this morning he was Eddie again.”

Dustin’s face is a process, before he finally settles on, “are you sure?”

Steve rolls his eyes, “yes, yes, I’m sure. He was Eddie, then bat, the Eddie again. It wasn't complicated, just fucking weird.”

“Right...so where is he?”

Steve opens his bedroom door to find...absolute carnage. His bed has moved, the mattress is off the frame, there’s blankets and pillows strewn everywhere, feathers swirling in the air.

“Eddie?”

Eddie pops up on the other side of the bed, shirtless and frantic looking, “I didn’t, I didn’t do anything, it just, it just...it just exploded.”

Steve stares, the feathers settling. Eddie’s actually naked again and appears to be building some sort of fort on the floor of Steve’s bedroom, Steve blinks, “the pillow doesn’t matter Eddie.”

Eddie nods decisively, “good.” Then, after a moments thought, “do you have more?” And then he’s back on his hands and knees rearranging his fort, like a feral racoon or something.

“Dustin’s here, do you want to maybe come and talk to him?”

“It’s the scientific method Steve!”

“We are not throwing anyone off a roof, anywhere, any time, ever.”

They both turn back to Eddie, watching as he eats another spoon of raspberry jelly straight out of the jar.

“You got any ketchup?” Dustin asks, going back to food again.

“That won’t prove either theory, ketchup is red and sweet.”

Dustin turns to him, “Steve, that is possibly the most intelligent thing you’ve ever said to me.”

Steve’s ready to slap the little shit at this point, but Dustin’s face is earnest. Apparently Dustin actually means what he just said. Like, sincerely.

So Steve lets it go, and Dustin suggests, “we need something sweet but not red, and something red but not sweet.”

“We should go to the store,” Steve adds, then stares at Eddie for a minute longer; he’s basically fucking the neck of the jar with his tongue, “I’ll call Nancy to go to the store for us,” Steve adjusts.

Dustin nods, turning the page of his notebook.

Nancy drops grocery bags on the counter while Robin hops up next to her, “so, I thought we could make red jello and add a bunch of salt or something, I got some soup for him to try, some more jelly just in case, and some more ketchup since you said he really likes that. Two tubs of salsa…”

Steve rummages in the bag next to her, when Eddie pops up next to him, Steve hadn’t even heard him come into the kitchen. Eddie wedges himself right in there, pushing Steve back with a hand and then...hisses. Hisses at Nancy. Like, makes a hissing noise and bears his teeth. Steve just moves, lets Eddie push him back, while Nancy watches, wide eyes and surprised.

She takes a few Steps back herself, closer to Robin, and tries a tentative, “Eddie?”

He just hisses again, before snapping, “mine!” at her.

And then he disappears, there’s a light thump on the kitchen floor. Everyone watches as bat Eddie extricates himself from his clothes, movements much better this time around. He half climbs and half flaps his way up Steve’s body, until he gets to around waist height and Steve grabs at the thickest part of Eddie’s body to help him out. Eddie climbs the rest of the way, draping himself around the back of Steve’s neck, tail wrapped under one armpit, Eddie standing on his wing joints on the opposite shoulder. He hisses at Nancy again.

“Holy shit,” Nancy says.

Dustin is frantically scribbling in his notebook.

Robin, once she’d got over the shock of Eddie’s transformation, laughed and laughed and laughed. Even Nancy was smirking at them. The way Steve was absently stroking over Eddie to keep him mollified, and that Nancy couldn’t come within ten feet of them without Eddie getting all riled up again.

“So, you and Eddie huh.”

Steve just rolls his eyes.

“He’s feeling plenty threatened by Nance,” Dustin adds, really, really, unhelpfully.

“Probably because they were a thing,” Robin speculates.

“So you and Eddie are like, dating?” Dustin asks, and whatever Steve’s face does makes Robin laugh and laugh and laugh again.

Eddie actually manages a graceful glide off Steve’s shoulder and onto the nest/fort/thing Eddie had constructed earlier. Steve was going to try and tidy it before bed...but from the way Eddie is wing walking across it, pathetically dragging the edge of a pillow in his tiny mouth, Steve guesses that he’s not.

It’s also been a bit of a day, and he can’t really be bothered.

He climbs into bed, Eddie flapping out of the way and then climbing his way carefully up onto Steve’s chest.

This is my life now, Steve thinks, as he stares at the ceiling.

And then gets winded, when the very small demobat lying on his chest is suddenly a full sized man again. Eddie nearly headbutts Steve in the chin and Steve rolls over to dump him off, panicked and with the breath knocked out of him. Eddie makes a pathetic and somehow accusatory trilling noise, like this turn of events is all Steve’s fault, before he rolls over and flops over Steve again.

Apparently, cuddling is a thing they do.

Eddie makes a noise like a purr when Steve rubs his hand up and down the naked skin of Eddie’s back.

So, yeah, this is Steve’s life now.

There is more of this series on AO3 - Stevieschrodinger