#mike wheeler x el hopper

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

"I never gave up on you. I called you every night." - Mike to El in season 2.

Sending positive vibes to the Mileven Tag. I'm not a shipper myself, but I support it. By the way, they WAY he looks at her when she walks in. . .he's not in love with her, my ass.

[fifibobeefy]

milevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmilevenmileven

[princessdave]

Hopper accidentally becomes the biggest ally in Hawkins out of hatred for Mike Wheeler. El wants to date Max? Perfect, Mike is terrified of Max. El wants to date Max and Lucas? Even better, more people to keep Mike away. Will comes out to Joyce and Hop? Hopper is immediately studying up on gay culture and flagging so he can find him a Hop ApprovedTM boyfriend. He sees that nice boy Gareth cuff his jeans one time and starts inviting him to family dinner. Mike seems annoyed that Steve is spending more time with Munson? A pamphlet titled “Accepting your Bisexuality” finds its way into Steve’s jacket pocket. Hopper has never seen Mike as furious as the day Steve and Munson arrive at dinner holding hands. It’s a good day. Hopper isn’t sure how Nancy dating the Buckley girl will annoy Mike, but he’s willing to give it a shot.

[kennahjune]

No Upside Down steddie AU where Steve gradually meets the members of Hellfire (-Eddie) in and out of school and they all come to befriending him really fast because “Steve Harrington is actually a good dude”

But Eddie fucking hates it.

And this only spurs Hellfire on because they think him getting mad over Steve Harrington is fucking hilarious.

Jeff who takes a foods class in third period and Steve does to and then the teacher pairs them for a baking project and Jeff gets to go to Casa Harrington. And he realizes rather quickly that Steve really likes baking and cooking and actually knows what he’s doing and that he’s not just taking the class for an easy A.

Brian (I’ve named him Brian, yes), meets Steve in Art class. Like Jeff, he thought Steve was taking it for an easy A but when seats are changed and they sit together he realizes that, no, Steve’s actually kind of good at drawing (particularly scenery). They get to talking about one of Steve’s sketches and the rest is history.

Gareth doesn’t officially meet Steve until later, but he does see him out with the kids at the arcade. Gareth works at the arcade and there’s this particular group of kids that just irks him— turns out they’re Steve’s gaggle. He watches in begrudging amusement while Steve rounds them up like a pro.

Then Gareth officially meets him after Hellfire one day. It’s fucking windy and he’s just leaving to school to go home when the papers and sheets he was holding are fucking torn from his hands. Steve grabs the papers— there after some kind of sports practice— and makes sure Gareth has them secured in his bad before leaving with a dorky finger-waggle wave.

And Eddie just downright refuses.

And then the school year ends and Steve graduates. And he’s convinced he doesn’t have to see Steve again.

Until, of course, Mike Dustin and Lucas join.

Jeff, Gareth, and Brian are all ecstatic to share their own run-ins of Steve Harrington to the three boys who so clearly idolize him. Gareth happily recalls how Steve “tamed” them in the arcade every time he came in.

Eddie sits in brooding silence.

And then Lucas joins the basketball team. And sure— Jeff’s on the volleyball team— but basketball jocks are so much worse than volleyball jocks.

Mike and Dustin, however thrown out of orbit they were at first, seem to settle in eventually and learn to plan around it. They think that anything that makes Lucas happy is a good thing (even if it did take a bit of a talk with Will for them to realize).

But Eddie? Eddie can’t stand it.

Which is why he refuses to move the date for the final campaign.

But Eddie doesn’t even get to introduce Vecna before Steve Harrington himself is all but breaking down the fucking door.

Eddie has this whole argument in his head that quickly dwindles when he sees the pure anger in Steve’s eyes (and also because Steve is really fucking pretty holy shit).

Steve tells Dustin Mike and Erica to pack up and get to the game before he drags them and you know what?

They listen.

Including hard ass Erica Sinclair.

And then idk Steve and Eddie get into a whole fight about.

But Steve makes it very clear that he doesn’t appreciate Eddie making Lucas feel like he can’t be happy doing DnD and basketball because that poor boy deserves nice things dammit.

And Eddie sleeps on it over the weekend before hunting Lucas down first thing Monday morning to apologize.

Lucas forgive Eddie (against Eddie’s protest because let the man grovel) but makes Eddie also apologize to Steve.

Which Eddie does by showing up to the Harrington Estate.

Eddie apologizes and they get high together and the rest is history.

.

I might actually make this into something, it’s already pretty fleshed out but eh

[glimmerofsaturn]

i apologize for the person i’m going to become when season 5 of stranger things comes out.

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

[bebx]

no because why is this so funny in my head like😭

[harringroveera]

See, Steve? Billy’s totally into you!

[miwiromantics]

They should just defeat vecna in the first two episodes and the rest is just the gays figuring out who they are. Byler and rovickie going on double dates together. Jancy planning for their college lives. Steve moving on and spending time with Dustin. El figuring out who she is with Lucas and Max. Joyce and Hopper planning their wedding. Argyle, Eden and Suzie visiting Hawkins and Dustin officially introducing her as his girlfriend.

That’s what it should be. That’s all. That’s the whole of season 5.

[lkmo-ntes]

Something I don't think we talk about enough is the vines LITERALLY TIGHTENING when Mike says I love you to El.

THEY TIGHTEN. THEY HOLD HER BACK. SHE IS BEING CHOKED TO DEATH, AND MIKES CONFESSION LITERALLY MAKES IT WORSE.

He didn't save her. He stopped her from resisting, he gave her sense. He calmed her down, but he didn't save her at all.

Plus the faces that both of them make right before the confession. Mike does the classic Finn Wolfhard I'm-about-to-lie-lip-bite, and El is crying. She's not having fun, she's not happy about Mike finally saying it, she's literally dying. It’s not a wholesome love confession if it’s even a real love confession at all.

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

You know what's weird. Will may be jealous of El, but would he hate her? No. He loves Mike, and he loves El. . .she's his sister. I don't know why there is fighting amongst the two ships (one side being meaner than the other). I think if El found out that her brother loves Mike, she would either step aside or offer to share him. Both ships are valid. Yes, it's canon that Will loves Mike. It's canon that Mike loves El, that El loves Mike. I don't understand why Mike can't love them both. Would it be weird? Maybe, but then again, so are monsters from another dimension who faces open up like a flower. If there's anything that I learned about my own past anger over ships, it's pointless fighting about who's ship is more valid. We're all here to have fun. Plus. . .El and Will making schedules on what days they get Mike and then having meetings to discuss Mike's behavior. Sometimes, they have the meeting in front of him. I do think either they both step aside or they come up with a solution that makes everyone happy because El, Will, and Mike have really big hearts even if Mike doesn't show it in the same way that Will does. So, maybe I'm weird for liking both Byler and Mileven.

Lmao, imagine Hopper's face if he finds out Mike is dating both of his kids.

[drangues]

el is putting 2 n 2

[evilbookworm]

AND WHEN EL SAYS “Those words weren’t for me. I think you know who they were for.”

WHAT THEN?!?!

[mikeslawyer]

more of these because i’m so sad

[kennahjune]

Part 2 of my s3 Steddie :D

Tag list: @anaibis @marklee-blackmore @hellowhatthehellisgoingonhere @swimmingbirdrunningrock @clumsiluni @just-a-tiny-void @estrellami-1 @goodolefashionedloverboi @mugloversonly @skyewaytohell @lololol-1234 @conversationswithamillennial @maya-custodios-dionach @nuggies4life @luthienstormblessed @blu3stars @samsoble @finntheehumaneater @thatonebirthstone @bird-with-pencils @swiftielouie55 @queenie-ofthe-void @paintsplatteredandimperfect @monsterloverforhire @krazyperson @literatelobster @jaytriesstuff @hippieg1rl420 @beawritingbooks @nightoffury @irregular-child @colidamae @stevieboyscoffee @martinskis-lydias

Holy shit!! I’ve never made a tag list before?? Thank you guys sm for being so into it!! And without further ado;

…

Steve woke up with the initial thought of “what the fuck”. So he could automatically assume his day was going to go great.

Out of his room, down the hall, down the stairs, through the living room and into the kitchen is where he finds Jonathan and— oddly enough— Robin.

Steve was used to finding Jonathan with him after one of his “episodes”. Usually he or Nancy will help him through it the best they can, laying with him or sitting with him wherever he is.

The idea of Robin in his house doesn’t even occur to Steve as weird until Robin says, “Sorry for the intrusion, uh… you really freaking worried me, man.”

Steve blinked— then, without taking his eyes off of Robin, asked Jonathan “Where did I have my episode at last night?”

Jonathan had the decency to look sheepish about it. “Uh— pfsshh, you had it at work, Steve.”

“And how bad was it?” He looked at Jonathan.

“You collapsed and had to be carried to the break room to rest. And the fact that you don’t seem to remember much of anything is also saying a lot.”

Steve stood there, thinking long and hard about yesterdays events.

“I remember Billy coming in and saying something about Max. Then he said something about Dustin that pissed me off. I don’t know. After that… who the hell?..”

Munson.

Holy shit.

Jonathan must’ve clocked the moment of realization cause he walked over and patted him on the shoulder. “Yeah, man.”

Steve groaned and hurried his face in his hands. “That’s so embarrassing!” Was his muffled complaint. Robin— the asshole— had the nerve to snort at him.

“Hush, Buckley! Ugh I hate this.”

Jonathan was rubbing his back now, barely hiding his own snickers and laughs. “Come on—“

“I have to go,” Steve said quickly and went to turn around to leave.

“Where are you going? This is your house!” Robin retorted.

“I have to go apologize!”

Jonathan snagged Steve’s wrist and prevented him from going any further. “Go sit down, Steve. You can apologize later.”

Steve begrudgingly obliged, sitting at the small kitchen table that was usually used for his dads drinking. He crossed his arms and put his head down. He’d fucked up his vision again when he spun around too fast to leave. Jonathan sighed and came up to rub his back again. Physical touch helped Steve a lot during times like these. Especially during the vertigo.

Robin took the seat next to him. “So, two concussions? If you were having such a bad time why didn’t you just call in?”

“Cause I’m constantly late to work and the only reason I haven’t been fired and kicked on my ass is because you keep covering for me so I figured I had to return the favor,” he replied in one breath.

They were silent for a couple of minutes, just basking the each others presence. Until Jonathan stopped rubbing Steve’s back, let his hand rest there, and then patted between his shoulder blades twice before going over to the pantry.

“You need to eat something before you do anything. Robin can you get him a cup of water, please?”

Robin nodded and stood to get it. Steve groaned. “I can get my own water, Jon.” but he’d made no attempts to move from his seat. Jonathan muttered something about toast.

“Considering the fact that yesterday you just about passed out on your feet and how a few minutes ago you nearly fell over just by turning too fast, I’d like to differ.”

Steve huffed, knowing he was right. He heard the toaster start and glass was set down gently in front of him. He lifted his head and eyed the water.

“I didn’t poison the damn thing, dingus.” Robin tapped her fingers on the table.

Steve snorted and finally took the glass. He was done with it in seconds.

“Christ,” Robin muttered while refilling it for him.

When Steve was just about done eating his toast and downing another cup of water his house phone went off.

“I’ve got it.” Jonathan stood.

Steve shrugged and stood himself— slowly this time— to put his dishes away. Robin remained seated and watched him.

Jonathan huffed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Steve furrowed his eyebrows and walked over, trying to hear the conversation.

“Yeah— no I’ve got it, don’t worry. I love you to. Bye.” Jonathan hung up and sighed heavily.

“You alright?” Steve leaned on the wall next to him.

“Yep. Great. That was my mom, by the way. And apparently the kids are all on the loose in Forest Hills, looking for Eddie.”

What the fuck?

“What the fuck?”

“Yeah.”

“So…” Robin stood. “I’m going with Steve?”

…

Max was curious. They all were. Just who the hell was Eddie Munson? Steve had never mentioned him before, but from the looks of it both Jonathan and Steve knew him.

Will had wanted to ask Nancy about him, saying how Jonathan said they all went to school together, but Mike refused to ask Nancy about any of this other than asking about migraines.

So they were on their own.

Max took her skateboard and the boys took their bikes (Will riding with Mike) and the four of them made their way to the trailer park.

Max was running on borrowed time, telling Billy that she was going over to the Byers’. And if that’s not where she is in the next 2-3 hours when he comes to pick her up then she’s done for.

But it’s fine. They figure out where Eddie Munson lives in no time. It’s not a very big trailer park, and “Eddie Munson” seems to be a pretty recognizable name. A nice old lady named Miss. Bottomette pointed them right down the street from her own trailer.

The four of them made their way over, dumping their bikes (and skateboard) in the yard— not bothering with kickstands. Max and Mike shoved their way in front of the other two, both going to knock at the same time.

Mike gently shoved Max to the side when the door opened, now all three of them being behind him. Standing at the door wasn’t Eddie Munson, unless he’d aged 50 years in past 24 hours. The new man was a lot older, and was just a bit taller than Mike. He looked the four of them up and down before leaning on the doorway and crossing his arms.

“What can I help you kids with?”

Will gulped. He didn’t like adults and especially not ones with heavy western accents that look like they’d kill him if he so much as breathed wrong.

“Um— we’re just looking for an uh, an Eddie Munson, sir,” Max tagged on from behind Mike. Will reached over subtly and grabbed someone’s hand, he thinks it’s was Lucas’. Why the hell was this guy so scary?

The man had a gleam in his— something like amusement. It kind of pissed Mike off but he knew better than to get pissy with an adult he’d just met. Especially with how Will was reacting to him.

“Well,” the man chuckled, “I’m not sure what you kids need with ‘im, but he’s not here right now. So why don’t you go back home, huh?”

He went to close the door but Mike spoke up. “Wait! Please— we uh— we really, really need to talk to him. Even if it’s just for a couple of seconds!”

“If he’s not here do you know where he is?” asked Lucas.

The man studied them all closely, his eyes raking over them each individually. As if they were threats. Mike nearly scoffed to himself.

Finally the man gave in and sighed. “Why do you wanna see Ed so bad?”

Max tapped her foot really hard on the wooden porch. When everyone jumped and looked at her she put her hands up. “Sorry! Got excited.”

Lucas spoke up this time. “We, um— wanna thank him? And ask him a few questions I guess. He helped out one of our friends yesterday and we really really just want to talk to him, please. Sir.” he tagged on the “sir” like an after thought.

In the next few moments, they found themselves piling into the very small, very cramped trailer living room.

“I’m Wayne, by the way. Wayne Munson, Eddie’s uncle.” he finally introduced himself. He raised his eyebrow at them. Oh yeah, they have to introduce themselves as well.

“Oh! Um— I’m Lucas. Lucas Sinclair.”

“Er— Max Mayfield.” she crossed her arms.

“Mike Wheeler.”

“Um, uh—“ Will grabbed Mikes hand “—Will Byers.”

Mr. Munson’s eyes seemed to study Will extra hard. Mike gripped his hand and squeezed to let him know he was there. Even Max and Lucas moved in slightly closer to Will. They didn’t understand why this guy seemed to come off so mean.

“Hey Uncle Wayne! What’s taking you so long at the door, man?” The man of the hour showed his face at the end of a small hallway. His brain seemed to short circuit at the sight of all the kids in his very small and very cramped living room.

“Um, hi?” Lucas greeted awkwardly.

Eddie leisurely made his way into the room with him. “Aren’t you Harrington’s kids from last night?”

“We’re not his kids,” Mike grumbled under his breath. But he couldn’t deny the spike of joy that came with the title.

Mr. Munson looked at Eddie like he’d lost his mind. “Harrington’s kids?” he put extra emphasis on “Harrington”, as if it was actually so weird.

Max rolled her eyes.

“Yes, Harrington’s kids,” she said under her breath with heavy sarcasm.

Lucas shot her a glare and she grunted.

“Well—“ Eddie clapped his hands “—what can I help you kids with?”

Mike and Max eyed each other, trying to decide who was going to start. Turns out; it was Will.

“We wanted to talk to you about yesterday,” he spoke up timidly. Mike squeezed his hand.

“Ok,” Eddie accepted. “Hit me. What’s up?”

Lucas was the first this time. “Why were you so willing to help Steve?”

…

When Wayne went to get the door Eddie didn’t think it’d take 20 minutes. And he also didn’t think that going out to check on him would lead him to finding four little kids in his living room. More specifically Steve Harrington’s kids.

He should’ve known it was to be bombarded with questions.

“Why were you so willing to help Steve?”

Well shit.

“Cause I’ve had an undying crush on him since he first came to the high school in his freshman year and I wasn’t going to turn up a chance to help him out and maybe talk to him and then I realized it was actually a lot worse than I thought so I stuck around to make sure he was ok.”

Yeah absolutely not.

“Because he needed help. The guy couldn’t even stand on his own.”

Lucas eyed him but handed it over to Max.

“Why were you so chill about his migraine? I mean you said it yourself: he could barely stand on his own. Most people would’ve left the moment someone else got there if not before.”

Little Red held a strong point.

“Cause I knew he needed help. Simple as that.”

No. Not “simple as that”.

“Did you know him in high school? Back when he was dating Nancy?” Little Wheeler asked.

Now this; this was a conversation he really didn’t want to have. He sighed, maybe a little harsher than intended, and answered “Yes. I knew him in high school and when he was dating your sister.”

At this point Wayne had left to the kitchen. But Eddie knew he was listening in, making sure they didn’t cross any lines.

“So if you knew him in high school, when he was an asshole— don’t kick me he was!— then why were you so nice? Cause most people he talks to from high school seem to hate his guts.”

“Jonathan doesn’t hate his guts!”

“I said “most people”, Will!”

Well golly damn they hold a lot of good points today. Before he got to answering the question there was another knock on the door. Max flinched and moved closer to Lucas.

“I got it,” Wayne said as he made his way over.

When he opened the door Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley, and Jonathan Byers were all there on the porch. Wayne looked back and forth between the two groups before sighing and saying, “Why don’t we all step outside? Trailer ain’t big enough for all of ya.”

So that’s where they all went, outside on the front yard. Wayne sat on the porch steps while Eddie hung back.

“What the hell was the point in this?” Asked Steve, scolding the kids.

“We just wanted to ask him some questions!” defended Lucas. Will hung back by Jonathan but nodded his head.

“Questions.” Steve deadpanned.

Max huffed and Steve’s glare turned on her. She crossed her arms and looked away, seeming to close in on herself.

Steve sighed and pinched his nose, turning around and grunting before turning back around. “Ok, here’s the game plan.” he clapped his hands. “You four—“ he pointed at each of the kids “— are going to apologize to Mr. Munson and Eddie.”

The kids all started to grumble and protest.

“AND THEN—“ he continued loudly over them, making them shut up “—you are going to all go home to your own houses. We will talk about this tomorrow when I don’t want to fucking strangle you.”

“I can’t.” Max huffed.

“Cant what?” Steve asked.

“Go home. Especially not with you. I told Billy I’d be at the Byers’ and he’s expecting me to be there in the next half hour.”

Steve’s entire face dropped and he rubbed a hand over his face. “Max.”

She folded her arms and looked down. Steve sighed and placed his hands on his hips. “Ok, it’s fine. Change of plans; we’re all going to the Byers’! You four go apologize now and then load your bikes and board into my car as best you can.”

Eddie stood through their half-assed apologies while Steve stood back conversing with Jonathan. When the kids made their move to get their bikes and skateboard Eddie moved over to stand next to Steve. While the kids loitered around for a moment. Steve turned on him when he noticed his approach.

“What were they bothering you about that was so important Max lied to Billy?”

Eddie smirked and answered “oh you know; questions.”

Steve groaned.

They stood in silence while Steve watched Jonathan quietly scold Mike and Max for something.

“You can use my van.”

“What?”

“My van. To bring their bikes? There’s no way in hell they’re all fitting into your’s or Byers’s car.”

Steve watched as Mike and Lucas argued about the bikes while Max and Will talked behind them. He sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face in agitation. Steve placed his hands on his hips again and hit the inside of his cheek. Eddie watched him closely, finally noticing the ruffled hair and the plain gray t-shirt and way to short basketball shorts.

“Did you come over here straight from bed?” he asked.

Steve looked at him, squinting in the sun. “Yeah? What of it?”

“Dude it’s like 2pm.”

“Migraines knock me out.” he shrugged.

Another moment of silence went by until Steve sighed. “If you really don’t mind, letting us use your van would be great.”

Eddie watched Mike’s bike fall out for the fourth time and nodded. Just in time for Mike and Max to both call out in a whiny tone “STEEEEVEEEE!!”

Steve huffed and whined back “WHAAAAAT?” Eddie snickered.

“The bikes aren’t going to fit!” Lucas yelled, throwing his bike on the yard.

“Yeah I realized that. Thankfully, Eddie’s very nice and has offered to let us use his van.”

Mike and Lucas’ eyes lit up. “Can we—“

“Absolutely not.” Steve shut them down. “You four are going to ride with Jonathan and Robin back to the Byers’ while I run around with Eddie to drop off your bikes.”

Eddie nodded, not knowing what else to do.

Mike huffed.

“Steve,” Max called out quietly. “You’re not dropping mine off, right?”

Steve’s face softened and he smiled at her exasperatedly. “No, Max, you can toss your board in Jon’s trunk.”

She nodded and looked hesitant to walk away. The boys had already gotten in the car, and with one look around Max gave in and quickly hugged Steve. He patted her back and ruffled her hair and then she ran off to the car.

With final goodbyes and a promise to Robin to just call in sick next time, Steve and Eddie were left alone, Wayne going inside to take a nap.

Steve clapped Eddie on the shoulder. “Looks like it’s just me and you now, Munson.”

Oh boy.

…

Guess I am gonna need that part three 😭😭

I’ll take tags for part 3 if you guys want :)

Part 3 :)