#or. otherwise known as. max(me) is being dramatic and complaining.

[maxthesillyy]

there was once a time where going into the LIS tag caused me heart palpitations. then there was a time were everything was joy and whimsy and silly… now i’m back to heart palpitations

[frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe]

Pt. 1 | Pt. 2 | Pt. 3 | Pt. 4

Secret admirer part 5!!

This one really got away from me, but I hope you like it! Also, I lied, there will be one last part :) I had planned on this being a 5+1, so I’m glad it worked out to be that way!

Now Eddie is just waiting to see what Steve tries next. Just sitting back and reveling in the fact that King Steve “The Hair” Harrington, first of his name, mom of six or seven gremlins at a time, wants town Freak Eddie “The Banished” Munson.. and apparently has for a while too.

Life goes on like normal, but now every time Eddie sees Steve after finding out he was his secret admirer, he can’t help but smile a bit bigger.

He also confronts Robin, “You knew didn’t you?”

“Knew what?”

“Don’t play that shit with me; you knew it was Steve.”

“Oh. Yeah. Of course I did.”

“You told me to unpack tapes on purpose so I’d see his handwriting and figure it out.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I also wanted the tapes unpacked. Duh.”

“Ugh you’re the worst. I can’t believe I’m chauffeuring you to Casa de Harrington, of my own volition, on MY precious Thursday off.”

Robin rolls her eyes “You aren’t complaining about chauffeuring Max.”

“Well yeah, cause it isn’t out of my way to get her.” Eddie gestures toward Max and that gets her attention.

She takes her headphones off her head. “What are you guys arguing about?” She asks irritated, “And what’s it got to do with me?”

“Nothing Max, I’m just giving Eddie a hard time about his big sappy crush.”

“Oh, you mean the one he has on Steve?”

Robin and Eddie both freeze.

“Wh—Who said it was Steve.” Eddie asks, voice flat.

“No one had to say anything; there is a reason why we call you both mom and dad. You aren’t subtle about it. DAD.” Max snarks back at him.

‘We. She said ‘We’. As in The Party has been calling me that.’ Eddie thinks. So that wasn’t just Steve trying to make him feel better that day on the phone.. They actually see him as a dad. ‘Well maybe; maybe it was just as a counter to Steve’s ‘Mom’. Why would they even see you as a role model?’

Fuck! He needs to stop his spiraling now. Otherwise he’s going to get in a mood and Steve will notice, and somehow think it was his fault and worry about him, and then no one will be having fun anymore an_ ‘What the fuck dude, you literally just told yourself to STOP. SPIRALING. and now you are doing exactly that.’

“Well then who am I??” Robin asks, putting on a fake offended tone to break the leftover tension.

“Hmmmm…” Max pushes her new glasses back up her nose “You’re like a kooky Uncle.”

“Uncle??” Robin actually sounds offended this time. “No, actually, that makes sense.”

Eddie chuckled at the acceptance of her new role, the storm that was whirling around in his head starting to dull. “Now was this a party decision, or is that just you, Mayfield?”

“Just me for now. I will make sure to plant the idea in Dustin’s head when we get there and I’m sure he’ll call a Meeting with the Council of Doofuses to get it in writing.” And with that, the headphones were back on.

Eddie and Robin share a look, and before much longer they are pulling into Steve’s driveway.

“God, I don’t think I will ever get over how dumb this house actually looks.” Eddie looked over at Robin curiously as she continued to berate Steve’s house while collecting her things, “It looks like whoever built it back in the 70s or some shit had no taste, even by that decade’s standards.”

“Buckley. You’re telling me that this whole time I’ve known you, we could’ve been making fun of these Loch Nora snobs’ houses.. together? I don’t think I will ever forgive you for this discretion.”

This earns Eddie another eye roll from Robin (and a muttered “You and your goddamn dramatics..”) as they both get out of the cab. Max is long gone, Steve’s front door standing open in her wake.

“So how did your sleepover go with Vickie anyway? You didn’t say anything about it..?” Eddie asks as he grabs his bag from the back.

“It was literally just a sleepover.. I thought the vibes were there but she wanted to talk about her jerk ex-boyfriend and about boys I like. By the way, I have an embarrassing crush on you, don’t tell anyone.”

Eddie laughed so loud, Steve’s neighbors must’ve heard him (no matter how far away the next house may be). “Damn, I’m sorry Buckley. I’m sure that Eddie guy will return your affections eventually.” Eddie joked, patting Robin of the shoulder as they stepped through Steve’s front door.

There were bags all over the entryway, and from the screams filtering down the hall from the sliding glass door, all the kids were outside and in the pool already.

Eddie kicked the door closed behind him and Steve peeked his head around the corner from the kitchen at the sound.

“Oh hey guys, just put your stuff wherever, everyone else is outside, and I’m getting the burgers ready to put on the grill. Robin, will you show Eddie where he can change?”

Eddie looked over when Steve said his name, pulling his attention back from looking at the boring interior of Steve’s house. Had he never been here before? No, not even at one of the old King Steve’s parties..

“How’s he never been over before? That’s so weird.” Robin said as she walked down the hall, waving at Eddie to follow.

“Buckley, get out of my head. I thought you were only supposed to have that weird mind-reading thing going on with Stevie.” Eddie chided her as he followed her to a small bathroom off the laundry room.

“You’re just jealous you can’t read his mind; maybe then you both would’ve gotten your heads out your asses sooner.”

Eddie rolled his eyes and closed the door on her smirking face. Setting his pack down on the small sink counter, he started to change.

“Fuck, I don’t want to do this.” Eddie whispered to himself. He wasn’t exactly a shy person normally, but that’s what all his layers are for.. a pool party automatically called for only about two thin layers, max. And now he had the added concern about his new (admittedly metal) scars that have only just healed all the way. Scars that not only stretched the length of his sides, but those damn bats had gotten to his face and literally took his whole left nipple off. Again, metal, but also gave Eddie about 10 or 11 times more insecure feelings that he hadn’t yet learned to cover completely under his perfectly crafted bravado.

Leaving his briefs on under his trunks, and pulling his faded Metallica shirt back on over the bumpy red scars, he packed his other layers into his bag for later and headed back out to the kitchen.

He nearly crashed into Steve as he was coming out of the laundry room and Steve was passing by with a plate piled high with patties in one hand, a six pack in the other, and bag of buns hanging out of his mouth.

“Oh shoot-- Hey, you need some help?” Eddie automatically reached for the bag of buns so Steve could answer.

“Robin already went outside to claim a chair, can you take this too?” Steve handed Eddie the six pack.

“No problem, Stevie.” Eddie smiled at him and started out the door in front of Steve.

“Thanks Eds.” *SMACK*

Silence.

“Oh. My. God. Eddie, I am so so sorry, it was just a reflex I swear! Even ask Lucas, it’s a sports thing, I didn’t mean anything by it..” Steve sounded completely stressed.

Eddie took a moment longer to process the fact that Steve Harrington just smacked his ass (reflex or not), before turning back to him halfway. Looking over at Steve, Eddie’s heart clenched to see him looking absolutely mortified.

“No worries big boy, I just didn’t realize that was on the table.” Eddie said, giving him a wink, then hurrying out of the house. He had to get out of there before he did something really embarrassing like dropping everything and jumping Steve’s bones at noon on a Thursday while there was a whole hoard of children nearby.

He stepped outside to various greetings of “Hey Eddie!” the most enthusiastic of which was Dustin, who had leapt from the pool to give a still dry Eddie a completely soaking wet hug around his middle.

“Hey Dusty-buns how ar--HOLY FUCK YOU’RE COLD! gET OFF ME!”

Dustin laughed at Eddie’s misery before jumping back into the pool (almost on top of Mike, who kicked away at the last second).

“Let me help with that, sweetheart.” Eddie heard Steve’s voice in his ear as he came up from behind him to grab the bag and six-pack from him and placing them on the table next to the grill with his burgers and the added plate of toppings he must’ve grabbed.

Sweetheart?? That was new...and most certainly did NOT make Eddie want to melt into a puddle, thank you very much.

Eddie knew he now looked completely sunburnt, despite just stepping outside a whole 30 seconds ago.

‘Ok, that’s how you want to play it, Harrington? First an ass smack, and now this??’ Eddie thought to himself. Time to crank up the flirting.

Eddie turned heel and marched back inside and directly to the freezer. He knew he had to have some in here somewhere, they are one of Dustin’s favorites.

‘Perfect.’ Eddie thought as he grabbed a cherry flavored popsicle, unwrapping it, and stepping back outside, grabbing a bottle of sunscreen as he went.

“Hey Stevie, can you help me out with this before your hands get all nasty?”

—————

“Yeah sure Eddie, what do you ne__” Steve turned around from starting the grill to face Eddie at his question. ‘Fucking hell, Munson.’

Eddie was staring at him with those damn doe eyes, holding out the bottle of sunscreen in one hand, and had a cherry-red popsicle held in the other. His already red lips wrapped around the end. ‘When’d he get that??’

Steve cleared his throat and took the bottle from him “Yeah of course, turn around.”

Eddie flashed that megawatt grin at him “Thanks sweetheart.” Steve felt his cheeks turning pink at that.

Eddie turned to face away from Steve, the hand that previously held the bottle coming up between his shoulder blades to pull his shirt over his head. 

Steve noticed that Eddie didn’t pull the shirt all the way off his arms, just pulled it up and over his head so his head and back were free. A pang shot through his stomach at that ‘Of course he’s going to be self-conscious about his scars, fuck why did you think a pool party was a good idea?? Okay focus, just make sure to say something to him later on about them_oh fucking HELL’

Steve’s his train of thought imploded when Eddie decided to glance over his shoulder at Steve as he pulled his hair over the other with his free hand.

“This is going to be cold, sorry Eds.” How he had kept his voice sounding completely normal was a mystery to Steve, but now he had to focus on the fact that he’d be rubbing his hands all over Eddie.

He started at the small of Eddie’s back. Pushing the heels of his palms outward from Eddie’s spine where his fingers could come to a rest (however briefly) on either side of the older man’s waist and giving a slight squeeze.

Eddie’s breath hitched and Steve saw the blush bloom under the skin at the back of his neck. Deciding to ignore that (for now) Steve said “I told you it was going to be cold.”

“Shut up, Steve, it still caught me off guard.”

Steve chuckled and continued rubbing the lotion in, making sure to do a good job at covering every inch. Not just because he was loving being able to freely touch Eddie like this, but legitimately because he didn’t want Eddie to burn to a crisp.

He got up to Eddie’s shoulders and found some of his hair had slipped from the rest. Using a single finger, Steve brushed the stray lock from where it started behind Eddie’s ear, down across his neck and over the other shoulder. Eddie visibly shuddered and Steve smiled, “Sorry, your hair was in the way. We need to get you a hair tie.”

Finished with his back, Steve tapped Eddie on the shoulder, “OK you’re all good back here, do you want me to get your front too or have you got it covered?” giving the full King Steve smirk as Eddie turned back to face him causing him to blush more.

“I_I’ve got it.” Eddie stuttered, taking back the bottle.

How Steve managed to wrench his gaze from Eddie’s popsicle-red pout, he had no clue. “You might want to get your face done sooner than later, you’re already turning red.” Steve winked at a spluttering Eddie before turning back to the grill.

Eddie started grumbling behind him and Steve heard the rustle of fabric, assuming Eddie had fully removed his shirt now. 

Glancing over his shoulder, Steve could see that Eddie was turned to face away from everyone else as he applied the sunscreen.

That pang went through Steve again, this time closer to his heart. He turned to Eddie again and came to his side so he could speak to him quietly “Hey, I know you probably don’t want everyone to see, but just know that no one here will give you shit for any of them. Or if they do, they’ll have to deal with me.” 

Eddie had froze when Steve came up to him, but then tuned his face to look at him properly.

That same damn pang shot directly through Steve’s heart this time at Eddie’s big, lovely, eyes shining with unshed tears.

“Put your shirt back on if you need to, but if you want to leave it off, make sure to put extra lotion on the scars themselves..I made sure I did on the parts I could reach from your back.”

Eddie looked even more like he was going to cry now, but smiled gratefully at Steve and nodded. Steve smiled at him softy and went back to the grill to actually get food started for everyone. 

And if he did notice that Eddie went back to his own sunchair, sans shirt, no he didn’t.

—————

Eddie had just barely sat down when Robin leaned over to him from her chair next to him “What in the actual hell was all that?”

“No idea what you’re talking about Robs.” Eddie said nonchalantly, laying back all the way in his chair.

“Uncle Robin, will you help me re-do my braids?” Max yelled from the other side of the pool before Robin could grill him any further.

‘Thank you Max’ Eddie thought. And just like Max had said he would, Dustin’s head whipped around to look at Robin who was already making room in front of her for Max to sit while she braided. 

Eddie watched as Dustin scrambled out of the pool and up to Steve “Steve, do you have a pad of paper and a pen or something?”

“Wh_what? Uh, yeah there should be one in the kitchen. The third drawer down from the phone? Wait! Dry off a bit otherwise you’ll slip on the tile.”

Dustin rolled his eyes and mumbled a “Yes, mom.” under his breath as he walked over to the pile of towels. He grabbed one off the top, barely dusted himself off with it, and dropped it on the concrete before hurrying into the house, still soaking wet. 

Eddie heard a small ‘Oh shit’ from Dustin that he could only assume meant he had slipped a bit on the tile like Steve said he would.

Dustin came back out in no time at all and called the rest of the goblins over to a small patio table on the other side of the pool. As soon as Max’s braids were done, she too went to the table, sidling up between Lucas and Eleven.

Dustin’s hand looked a blur as he would scribble something down to one thing someone said, then crossing other things out to a differnt comment. Eddie chuckled at the sight and leaned back again, closing his eyes.

After a bit, Steve walked over from the grill and sat at the end of Eddie’s chair, scooting his legs out of the way with his ass and grabbing a beer from the nearby cooler.

“You need more room for that thing, Harrington?” Eddie snarked, poking Steve’s hip with his foot before closing his eyes to the sun again.

“You need a new popsicle?” Steve flicked the end of the popsicle stick that was still hanging out of Eddie’s mouth.

“You just liked seeing me with something in my mouth.”

There was a pause, and Eddie felt the chair shift as Steve stood back up. He opened his eyes slightly when he felt the shade of Steve leaning over him. Steve’s face was right next to his, his mouth close to Eddie’s ear “And what if I did?”

‘Jesus H. Christ’ was Eddie’s only thought as he watched Steve(’s ass) walk back over to the grill.

Eddie had a bit of time to calm down after that when Steve yelled for everyone to come grab food, deciding to steer clear while the gremlins descended upon the feast and watch Steve ‘Mom’ over them all. “Grab napkins, Lucas”. “Mike put at least some lettuce on those, you need veggies too!”, “Dustin, cool it with the ketchup.”

That’s it. That was the last straw. Eddie’s in love. 

‘Fucking hell.’ Eddie shot up from where he was laying and sat at the end of the chair instead. ‘Fucking hell..’ Eddie stood up and started pacing.

Every thought he’d ever had about Steve Harrington whipped through his mind like a hurricane. Every time he thought Steve was cute back in high school, the one (1) time he saw Steve in his Scoops Ahoy outfit before he vowed to never return to Starcourt, every time he was confused at seeing King Steve being the one there to pick up the Hellfire kids after their sessions, Steve’s reaction to being manhandled into the wall of Reefer Rick’s boathouse, his willingness to follow the kids there in the first place to come help Eddie of all people, insisting on being the one to dive into Lover’s Lake so the others didn’t have to (him stripping off his sweater when he did and tossing it to Eddie when Nancy was right there ogling him too), the sight of him sweaty, dirty and bleeding in the upside-down that Eddie just needed to get covered up before he’d lose his mind (again), then realizing his mistake too late when he now had to look at Steve in his battle vest, swearing he was catching Steve looking at his lips in the same hellscape, Steve carrying him out of there when they were successful but hadn’t all went too well for Eddie, Steve being there in the hospital when he woke up spouting off to Robin about ‘If Steve were gay, do you think he’d fuck me?’ (’...Eddie, I’m Bisexual.’ ‘Oh sweet! I can only write with my right hand..’), and then, fuck, now knowing that Steve was the one leaving him these sappy notes just because he thought Eddie looked hot in the School play? Being a mom to all these kids that didn’t get time to be kids until now?

Eddie was gone. And probably had been for a while.

By the time he came down from his spiral, he was halfway though a burger that somehow materialized in his hand.

“The fuck?” Eddie looked to Robin, Nancy, and Steve.

Steve sat up from where he was laying, already back in his own chair, empty plate sat on his leg, “Oh, uhm, you seemed to be out of it when I told you to come grab food so I tried handing you something so I’d know you’d eat. You took it and started eating so I figured you were OK.”

Eddie looked from Steve disbelievingly, to Robin disbelievingly. Then back to Steve. “Th_thanks Steve.”

“No worries, Eds.”

Eddie sat back down on the end of his chair and finished his burger, his mind adding this to his list of reasons to love Steve Harrington.

Dustin had stopped scribbling furiously on the lended pad of paper by now, and Eddie called out to him to get him to share, hoping to get his mood back on track.

“Dustybuns, what have you all been doing over there this whole time??” Dustin looks at Eddie, then back at the rest of the Council of Doofuses, then back to Eddie before they all approach the older teens laying out on Steve’s patio furniture.

Max and El came over with them too (even Erica), from where they had assuredly been watching the chaos unfold from their own sunchair. The boys were now almost bone dry. That’s how long they’d been going at this.

“We’ve had to add in a couple people to The Party Family Tree.”

“Oh yeah? Whatcha got?” Eddie says at the same time Steve says “Oh god, here we go..”

Dustin clears his throat, “OK so we start with Steve as the Mom. Obviously.”

Steve’s sat up on his lounger now, and hangs his head into his hands at that.

“Sure.” Robin affirms for the rest of them, encouraging Dustin to continue and ignoring the miserable noise Steve makes.

“Eddie is the dad.” 

“Awe, Stevie!” Eddie places his hand over his heart, “Wait, when’s our anniversary?”

"You haven’t proposed yet.” Steve says into his hands.

“ANYWAY.” Dustin sounds loudly “So Steve and Eddie are the mom and dad. Robin is our Uncle on Steve’s side, Nancy is our Aunt on Eddie’s side.”

“Wait, what? Eddie laughs and looks over at Nancy who is trying to hold back her laughter behind her hand.”

“Yeah, and Hopper is Steve’s dad so I guess he’s our Grandpa.” Steve’s head snaps up at that.

“He’s old and crotchety enough.” Mike chimes in, shrugging.

“I am Jane Hopper so I am Steve’s sister now.” El says carefully, like she is remembering exactly how families work exactly.

Steve looks like he’s trying not to cry, looking at El with a small smile.

“What about Jonathan?” Robin asks, getting into it fully at this point.

Eddie could almost feel the weirdness hit Steve and Nancy at that, like a foot of snow falling all at once.

“He’s Steve’s oldest.” Dustin states matter-of-factly.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Yeah. He’s your oldest son; you had him way too young and he has already moved out.”

“He’s a little distant, but you know he’s happy out in Cali with his boyfriend and you see him on the holidays.” Will tells Steve, smiling brightly as the other kids laugh.

Steve, Eddie, and Nancy are honestly dumbfounded at the web they’ve woven around Mama Steve; Robin is absolutely delighted to find out about Steve’s firstborn. (”Who’s the baby daddy?” she asks him, getting a loud smack on her arm for it.)

Everyone’s waiting for Steve to say something. 

He stands up, turns to face his brood, and opens his arms wide in invitation. They all crowd in around him and the mask drops off his face as he finally lets the tears start flowing.

Robin and Eddie glance at each other before throwing themselves around their hoard, Nancy coming up to Robin’s side.

“I love you guys.” Steve says, his voice thick.

After a good long moment, Mike pipes up from somewhere toward the middle of the pack “Okay this is great but it’s still a million degrees outside and somehow I ended up in the middle of this furnace.” 

They all chuckle and separate from each other, some wiping tears away with their hands and others (Mike, Max, Erica) jumping back into the pool to disguise how wet their face may or may not have gotten.

Still wiping his tears away, Steve yells at them to “Dammit get back out so you can put more sunscreen on!” to choruses of “Yes, mom.” and more laughing.

“...So if Stevie and I get divorced, who gets which kids?” Eddie asks, and immediately has to start dodging Steve’s attempts to tackle him into the pool.

Dustin picks up the pad of paper and flips to a new page as the rest of them start yelling at him who they’d want to “stay” with.

----------

A few hours later it’s getting cooler, a sign of the fall to come. Steve manages to coax everyone back inside with the promise of pizza and movies.

Eddie and Robin had gone in before the rest of the kids to get changed and start piling pillows, blankets, and even a couple mattresses onto the floor of the living room. Pulling everything out before the rest came in and started getting changed. Eddie is the first to plop down on the massive floor bed, right in the middle.

Robin fell back onto the couch that was now an acting headboard, “So, any more news on the secret admirer front?” she asks, nudging him with her foot.

“Boy do I have a story for you, Robs.” Eddie grinned.

“You mean about your latest rose?” Max came into the room with El, piling themselves on Steve’s armchair with the fluffiest blanket in the pile.

“The one exactly, Red.”

“Ok good, then I can Ignore you for the next two hours.”

Eddie threw a pillow at her head at that.

“Max was there when you found it?” This time it was Will and Mike coming in with their bags of snacks and finding a spot to lay out.

“Actually, she was there when the guy left the rose.” Max said from the chair.

There was a clatter from the kitchen, then Dustin came barreling in from where he was helping Steve with dishes. “So you know who it is??” he asked Max

“No doofus, Eddie was with me when the guy left the rose at Eddie’s trailer.”

Another clatter from the kitchen.

“You OK Steve?” Robin asked.

“Peachy.” he called back.

“Wait, so you guys saw him leave it? So you know who it is??” Dustin continued.

Lucas came down the steps then, Max’s walkman in his hand. He handed it to her before getting comfy in front of the girls’ chair. Erica following and squishing herself into the corner of the loveseat.

“We saw him, but couldn’t tell who it was.”

“So here’s the thing,” Eddie starts “I was with Max that night while her mom was at work, my uncle was at his shift, AND my van was in the shop. My trailer was dark and both cars were gone. Of course he’d think it was safe to be a bit bolder and leave this one right at my doorstep.”

Being met with ‘Ahs’ of understanding, Eddie continued: “But what he must not know is that trailer walls are thin, and I know what the gravel outside my place, and that second squeaky step on the porch sound like when someone walks on 'em. So when we heard it from Max’s living room, we looked out to make sure it wasn’t some person trying to vandalize my shit again.”

Steve had come into the room and leaned against the doorframe a bit earlier, dishtowel thrown over his shoulder, and now looked like a deer caught in the headlights. ‘Gotcha.’ Eddie thought.

"But alas, the night was dark, and we could barely make out a figure before whoever it was ran off into the night.” Eddie waggled his fingers like he was telling a scary story

“They walked to your house??” Dustin asked

“No dipshit, they probably didn’t want to be recognized by their car” Mike shot back.

“Who has that recognizable of a car?” came Will’s small voice

“Besides Steve? I don’t know.” Erica chimes in

“Me??” Steve asked, actually confused

“Yeah Steve, everyone knows your beemer.” Dustin said, rolling his eyes.

“So when I went back home, the rose was there.” Eddie pulled it out of his inner jacket pocket. “This one says “Think of all the things We've shared and seen, Don't think about the way things might have been” Eddie sings the line.

“Wow, your voice is really pretty Eddie.” Eleven says, breaking the silence that followed.

“Thanks, supergirl.”

“Eddie those lyrics have to be a clue” Dustin says, always the analyzer

Eddie makes eye contact with Steve from across the room and smiles fondly.

“I know.”

_______________________________

Pt. 6 will be here!

Now on AO3! Several Notes of the Most Amiable Nature

Thank you to @lunaraindrop and @starkdusk for being the first ones to encourage my ‘Steve is a jock and would smack Eddie’s ass accidentally’ brainrot 🥰

Tagging everyone I can!!: @allbymyselfexceptformycactus @cutiecusp @lilfroggies @panicatthediaz @bigboyandmetalhead @pluto-pepsi @funnymagicman-named-dandy @cringeisdeadandsoami @minjintea @saramelaniemoon @thegingerrapunzel @lightwoodbanethings @largechaos @kato-hoeven @stevesworldxx @notsopersonalcharlie @estilosexy @original-cypher @gleefully-macabre @disasterlia @imnotsureiexist @blurryjoji @nightmareglitter @deleataecount @withacapitalp @quevadilla @aringofsalt @werewolfpeterparker @lipglossanon @edmunsn @maya-custodios-dionach @straight4joekeery @sideblogofthcentury @iamsotiredman @ladydorian05 @resident-gay-bitch @undreamingscatworld @haluton @tsukiwashere @eddiehashands @wrayofmoonshine @2btheanswertothequestion @a-bun-danceoflove @xstevex-world @infinityonsighhh @buttonupintoblue @lallagoupsidedown @homeofthepeculiar @nightmareglitter

[michaelmilligan]

Day 15 of B&B's (@drgarth and @starrynightdeancas) Holiday Advent Calendar Event! (Midam plus some lovely queer characters. Love my man Max and his potentially queer sister Alicia. And anyone remember Wendy? No?? Well now you do.)

Reminiscing // Winter Blues // “Blue Christmas”

Max let out a deep sigh when Adam put a drink in front of him.

“I thought you liked Sex on the Beach – you know, the drink. Anything else, I can't attest to,” Adam said as he sat down next to Michael, who immediately wrapped an arm around him.

“Don't mind him, he's been like this all day.” Alicia waved it away and took a sip of her Martini while reaching for the bowl of peanuts that the bar had on every table.

“Sorry for having an emotion once in a while,” Max grumbled, glaring at his sister. She just shrugged.

“Anything specific, or are you just feeling the winter blues?” Wendy sat forward in her chair, leaning her arms on the table. One fingernail clinking against the beer bottle in her hand.

Max sighed again. “It's just depressing, you know. It's already Christmas again and...”

“And you still don't have a boyfriend,” Alicia said.

“Shut up.” Max pouted, glancing at Adam and Michael. “I mean yeah, but... mean. And it's not just that.”

“You're also bummed out that I'm the better witch.” Alicia grinned when everyone else rolled their eyes.

“You know, sometimes I forget that all of you are, like, weird,” Wendy said.

“You were kidnapped by a guy who sells human body parts to monsters,” Alicia reminded her. “But sure, we're the weird ones.”

“Hey, that was just something weird that happened to me. Otherwise I'm perfectly normal!”

“So am I,” Adam said cheerfully.

“Adam, you're over a thousand years old, I don't think you qualify-” Michael started, but Max cut him off.

“Screw the age, you have an archangel inside of you. Which...” Max eyed Michael. “Kinda jealous, 'cause he's hot. But it's also decidedly weird.”

Michael looked at him in confusion, as if the idea that someone other than Adam could be attracted to him was the weird thing here. Or maybe he was about to point out that the human form they saw was only an illusion, and didn't even come close to what he actually looked like. But Adam didn't give him time to say any of that.

“Look, I'm just some guy from Minnesota.”

“Yes, and I'm just some guy from Heaven,” Michael said.

Adam elbowed him. “You're not helping.”

“Oh, I know. I wasn't trying to.”

“Aw,” Wendy made. “Aren't they cute?”

“Disgustingly,” Alicia said with a straight face. “Now can we pick on my brother again?”

There was some shuffling under the table, and Adam was almost sure that Max and Alicia were kicking each other.

“Ouch,” Max said accusingly.

“You started it!”

“No, you did!”

“Kids, kids! I don't care who started it, but you're both gonna end it right now.” Adam grinned when they both glared at him. “Damn, I've really wanted to say that, just once.”

“Ugh. Old men are the worst,” Alicia complained, flicking a peanut in his direction.

“Now look here, young lady-”

“So do we like, not actually care what Max is sad about?” Wendy asked, raising an eyebrow at them all and not looking overly concerned.

Michael shrugged. Adam made a vague hand motion. There was some more shuffling as Alicia kicked Max under the table again (allegedly).

“Wow, you're just the best friends a guy could ask for.” Max huffed in consternation. “For the record, I'm sad because mom is dead and can't be here. There, I hope you're all happy now.”

“My mom's dead too, you're not special.” Adam slurped his own cocktail noisily.

“I never had a mother,” Michael said.

“Well I'm happy to report that I still have both my parents.” Wendy looked between them, then shrugged. “But my aunt Donna apparently hunts monsters and is friends with known serial killers and angels, if that helps.”

“I was eaten by a monster once because my dad killed its dad,” Adam added. Michael took his hand under the table.

“Oh my God, stop being so dramatic, people.” Alicia shook her head and grabbed a handful of peanuts. “The next person to come out with a sob story will be pelted with nuts.”

“I think you should all dance,” Michael suddenly said.

“Dance?” Max raised an eyebrow at him.

“Yes. Physical exercise – which includes dancing – releases chemicals in human brains that-”

“Wow, you've never been less sexy than at this very moment,” Max interrupted him.

“Excuse me, knowledge about the human body is very sexy.” Adam squeezed Michael's hand.

I don't actually mind him finding me 'not sexy', Michael said in their shared mind-space. His tone was soft, almost amused, as if he found it cute that Adam was getting offended on his behalf.

Max scoffed. “Okay, clearly, you two are made for each other.”

“That's not true. It was not my Father's plan for me to possess Adam. At least I don't think so.” Michael frowned.

“Babe, it wasn't meant that literally.”

“Well I'm taking it literally.” Michael huffed.

“Weirdoooos,” Wendy said cheerfully.

“Okay, you know what?” Adam put his free hand on the table. “We should dance. Because we can either stew in our own juices, or we can get out there and have fun. And who knows, Max, maybe your sweet dance moves will attract someone's attention.”

“For the last time, this is not about-” Max cut himself off when his eyes fell on something near the counter. No, not something, Adam realised, but someone. “But you know what? Sure. Let's do it.” He got up and made a beeline for the counter, presumably to ask the bartender to turn up the music a little.

Usually at this place, the dancing started later at night, but they didn't really care. A few people even joined them once they started, but the bar wasn't very full yet. Adam just ignored the few weird looks they got, and kept dancing with Michael. They were pretty good at that, but then they had almost a thousand years of practice and could literally hear each other's thoughts. So really, it would be unfair to compare their to anyone else's dancing.

Still, Adam thought smugly, they were the best. And if Max got to strike up a conversation with a handsome stranger because of how insanely good his friends were at dancing – well, that was just an added bonus.

[puckinghell]

Stars and Supernovae | February

Summary: As soon as you meet Tyler Seguin, you know you’re destined to be best friends. Sometimes you wonder if you’re destined to be more, but life keeps getting in the way. Perhaps it’s just not written in the stars? Note: This is Part 6. Part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5

“Hmm,” you hummed, figuring that was the only appropriate response since you had absolutely no clue what your conversation partner was talking about.

“Do you want another coffee?” You zoned back in just in time to hear Max’s question, and nodded with a polite smile. “I’ll get you one.” You watched as your date made his way over to the coffee counter.

It wasn’t fair, not really. Max was in your physics class, and had helped you with your project, and then, when it was done and your grade was an A, had asked you out on a date. You’d said yes, because, really, why not? He was tall and slender, with auburn red hair, cleanly shaven, always dressed up but never overdressed. He was like, everyone’s perfect son in law. And he was nice, smart, polite, and even funny, every now and then.

But he wasn’t Tyler. He didn’t make you laugh so hard your stomach hurt and when his green eyes found yours, you didn’t feel like the world around you disappeared with a snap of his fingers. He didn’t get fiercely and ridiculously overprotective of you when some guy bumped into you in the street, didn’t yell “watch where you’re going, bud!” He paid for your coffee without sighing and complaining about how tough it was that the patriarchy had made it necessary for the guy to pay, just because he knew it riled you up, he didn’t laugh as you argued with him and he didn’t tap his fingers against your hand, telling you he was just joking, and he would pay for whatever you wanted him to because you had enough problems 'fighting for rights and shit'. He didn’t even have a dog, and that, that really was just too much.

Then again, even though you’d known it wasn’t fair to go out with the guy while you were still so clearly hung up on your best friend, you’d still said yes. To the first date, and then the second. You’d said yes when he’d asked if you wanted to come home with him, and when he’d started kissing you, you hadn’t said no. You’d said yes to the third date then, too. You’d gotten drunk on that one, and ended up in his bed that night. And then, the fourth date, he hadn’t even really asked anymore, he’d just asked when you were available. Which was now.

You’d hoped that being with a perfectly nice boy would take your mind off your heathen of a best friend, but so far, that had failed. Instead, it had made you think about Tyler more; had made you appreciated how easy it was, to just be with him. How comfortable it was, to be yourself around him. How perfect he was for you.

You sighed, and smiled at Max as he returned with your coffee.

“So, any plans this weekend?” Max asked, and you knew you should tell him the truth; you weren’t really planning on doing anything. But then he would ask you if you wanted to do something with him, and well…

“I’ll be busy, work and stuff,” you lied through your teeth.

“I understand.” And damn it, he did, too. Why couldn’t you just like him? “How’s your cousin?” He even remembered that your cousin was sick. You didn’t think Tyler ever remembered anything you told him about your family.

Speaking of the devil; your phone started blaring a familiar song. You swiped it away and when Max raised an eyebrow, you shrugged. “Just my best friend. He’s probably just bored. I’ll call him later.”

But then your phone rang again. And then it pinged, and it pinged again, and then rang again.

“Please answer it,” Max laughed. “I think it might be important.”

“Sorry,” you apologized, then finally picked up the phone. Making your way outside with it against your ear, you hissed: “This better be a fucking life threatening emergency, Segs, or I swear to God…”

Tyler chuckled on the other side, telling you it wasn’t such an emergency at all. “Why, you busy?”

“I’m on a date.”

“With the guy that’s bad in bed?” You groaned in frustration. You should’ve never told Tyler that Max hadn’t been so good in bed. Well, you hadn’t even told Tyler; you’d told Katie on the phone, you’d just happened to be on Tyler’s couch, and he happened to be right there. It wasn’t that Max had been bad, you’d just not felt anything electrifying, no sparks, the way you felt them when Tyler did so little as look at you.

“I’m hanging up in 3, 2, 1,” you started, but Tyler interrupted you.

“Jamie is going to try and get Katie back.”

If you were a dog, your ears would’ve perked up, as energy suddenly surged through you. You had told Tyler how miserable Katie was, and he’d told you that Jamie wasn’t a load of sunshine either, and then he’d promised he’d try and talk to him, but you didn’t actually think anything was going to happen. Jamie was stubborn.

To be fair, Tyler was more stubborn.

“It took me a while,” Tyler admitted. “But he knows he made a mistake. He misses her. That’s all I needed to know. So, we, well, I, came up with a plan for him to get her back. I just need your help.”

“I’m listening,” you told him. As Tyler spoke and explained his plan to you, a smile spread across your face.

“And the coach is okay with this?” you asked, finally.

Tyler laughed. “Montgomery doesn’t know. I’m assuming Chubs will have to do bag skates for a week straight. But it’ll be worth it if it works. What do you think?”

“I think he has a pretty good shot,” you said earnestly. “Tell him I’ll get her there, and he’ll have to do the rest.”

“Neat.” Tyler sounded smug. “You and I are a good team, Shiny.”

You sighed as you looked through the window, where Max was sitting, waiting patiently. “Yeah, I guess we are.”

“I don’t understand why we have to be here,” Katie complained as you pulled open the doors of the American Airlines Center.

“I told you, I just have to grab my wallet. I left it at Tyler’s yesterday and he accidentally took it to practice with him.” You were lying, of course, but it was for a good cause.

“Why can’t I just wait in the car?”

“Because you’re my best friend, and Tyler is my best friend, and Jamie is his best friend, and you’re just going to have to deal with it, because I’m not losing any of you,” you snapped. Katie fell silent at that, like you knew she would. If you knew her at all - and you did - she actually really wanted to see Jamie, she was just scared. Scared cause it would hurt.

Please let this go well.

You walked through the hallways towards the rink, the sounds of skates slashing against the ice and pucks banged against the boards ringing in your ears already. Katie had started to walk slower and slower, and you had to grab her hand and pull her along because otherwise, you would arrive hours later. When the familiar green jerseys came into sight, you felt her stiffen next to you.

“Come on Kate, don’t be a wuss,” you told her sternly. Then, a little softer: “It’s not going to be easy for him, either, you know?”

“Is he…” Katie swallowed. “Is he doing okay?” It was the first time she’d allowed you to see that she still cared about Jamie, and it lifted your spirits with hope.

“Let’s go find out,” you said, and then you pulled her along with you, up to the boards. “Segs!” you yelled, and one of the figures on the ice turned around.

Tyler shot you a look and then elbowed the person next to him in the side. When Jamie turned to you, Katie inhaled sharply next to you. Then, Jamie skated over to you, Tyler on his heels.

“Hey, Chubs,” you smiled at Jamie. “Katie here was wondering if you were doing alright.”

“Y/N,” Katie hissed, the tone of betrayal on her voice, and she kicked you against the foot, a little too hard, as you yelped in pain.

“He’s been better,” said Tyler, swinging his arm around his mate’s shoulder, as Jamie seemed to have lost his ability to talk. “How about you, Katie?”

“She’s not doing so well either,” you answered for your friend. You were pretty sure Katie was going to murder you. Unless this worked.

“You should get some lunch together and talk about how miserable you’ve been,” Tyler grinned, and that’s when Jamie finally seemed to remember that he was supposed to be the one carrying this show.

“Right,” he said, clearing his throat. “Katie, I want to, uhm, talk to you, if you, like, have some time…”

“She’s got time,” you interjected when Katie didn’t speak. “She’s got time right now.”

“But we were going for lunch,” Katie finally spoke, her voice too high and too shrill.

“No, we’re not. I’m canceling on you right now. So now you need a new lunch partner.”

“Jamie has practice.” Katie’s voice had gone colder, more distant, as the root of their issues was brought to the surface again. Hockey first, girlfriend second. Except…

“Fuck it,” Jamie whispered, and then his voice got louder, what you called his 'captain voice' booming through the rink. “Listen up! I’m gonna drop out, I have to tell Katie here why I’m an idiot and how I’m planning to stop being an idiot in the future, if she’ll give me a chance. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

“But, we’re in the middle of practice,” Rads said, dramatically clutching his hand to his chest. There was a cheeky sparkle in his eye and you suspected Tyler had given him a script.

“I don’t care.” Katie’s eyes widened in shock as Jamie took off his bucket and stepped off the ice.

“That’s gonna be bag skates for a while, Benn.” It was coach Montgomery who spoke.

“I don’t care about that either,” said Jamie stubbornly. “I’m sorry coach, but this is something I have to do.” Montgomery shrugged, and you noticed a slight hint of a smile glide over his face. Jamie put his arm around Katie’s back and slowly guided her through the tunnel. Tyler sent you a smirk and high fived you.

“This is all really great, apart from the fact that I am now out of a lunch partner,” you pouted.

“If you wanna wait an hour, I can get lunch with you?” Tyler giggled. “Or would you like me to walk out of practice too?” There was a mischievous glimmer in his eyes.

You sighed. “The problem is I know you would do it, too.”

He winked at you. “Anything for you, Shiny.” And as he skated back towards center ice, you couldn’t help but wish everything was different, and Sabrina wasn’t there and neither was Max. You couldn’t help but wish he meant it.