#steddie winter exchange

[arelliann]

Some frat boy Steve as a gift for @plutosrose for the @steddieexchange, hope you like it <3 <3

[doomcheese]

A very happy Steddie Winter Exchange to @sangrientojoe - inspired by one of their fic threads

@steddieexchange

[hotluncheddie]

My @steddieexchange for @lulalulens !! :) <3

wc: 3k | rated: E | tags: hurt/comfort, confessions, Christmas fluff, fingering, handjob, they both need a hug and they both get one

₊✩‧₊

It’s Dustin that causes it. Not on purpose, but he’s the catalyst. The uh, what did Robin say about movie plots? Oh, yeah, he was the inciting incident. 

The glasses had a red tint to the lens that reminded Dustin of Cyclops, and Daredevil - something he was sure Eddie would find cool. He held them up in the air as he ran through the store back to Steve. Was sure Eddie would like that they were from the thrift, that they had story - were like an artefact.

And Steve agreed, was exited by Dustin’s excitement. Exited to see Eddie’s face when he opened them. 

Always exited to watch Eddie smile. 

(He didn’t tell Dustin that, since they were still figuring things out. Keeping being together on the low until, well, Steve wasn’t sure. Only Robin and Wayne knew, and that was enough, for now.) 

So Steve smiled, agreed that it was a good choice, but also rolled his eyes, calling them both dorks for thinking looking like a comic guy was cool. But when Christmas Eve came around and the party gathered in the trailer to make it easier on Max’s still recovering body and Eddie’s still recovering reputation, Steve was exited. He shifted in his spot on the couch next to Eddie to watch his face, which was grinning as Dustin handed him the brightly wrapped box. Steve’s arm draped over the back of the couch twitched and his resolve quickly folded, he let his fingers find a wisp of curls to hold, to connect them. 

Eddie opens the case with a laugh, agreeing with Dustins references. ‘I’ll wear these on my first magazine cover.’ He declares, standing and slipping them on. ‘What do you think Mikey? Metal?’ He asks in front of them all, posing with his hand on his hips. Mikes cheeks go slightly pink as he nods and Eddie sends a wink to Steve.

But then Steve notices Eddie’s smile fade slightly as his eyes scan the room, his breathing change. Eddie, with hands clenching his hips so tight his fingers go white, looks up at the untarnished ceiling of the new Munson trailer, and squeezes his eyes shut.

‘Now, not that I don’t love you all, but Wayne allowed me one Christmas smoke and I’m hankering.’ Eddie says woodenly, clapping too loudly in the sudden, cautious, quiet, and turns for the door. 

Steve watched him slip quickly into his shoes and bring his hand up to remove the glasses, a tremor in his fingers. 

The door slams shut a moment later. 

He didn’t even put on a coat. 

Steve’s hand comes to Dustin’s shoulder as he gets up from the couch, trying to tell him it’s alright, trying to tell him not to follow. Lucas pipes up about cigarettes smelling nasty, pulling Dustin into an argument about whether his present for Max is better than Dustin’s present for Suzy. Smart kid. 

Steve grabs his and Eddie’s coats, pulling his own boots on and zipping up. 

‘I’m just gonna, uh.’ he mumbles, half out the door and looking to Robin. He raised his eyebrows, she nods. 

The yellow light from the trailer window cast elongated patches across the frozen ground, too cold now to snow but the flurry they had a few days ago still stubbornly remains in patches, glittering faintly in the light. 

Steve find him, hunched over the front of the bimmer, shadowed by the thicket of bare branches that offer the only corner of privacy from neighbouring unis. 

He approaches slow, Eddie’s shoulders are rising and falling a little too rapidly, white clouds of icy breath billowing out into the star laden sky. The glasses gripped in his hand, knuckles white.

A rogue patch of icy snow crunches under foot. ‘I know you loved it when I called you hot stuff last week, but this is taking it a little far don’t you think?’ He asks softly, draping Eddie’s coat over his shoulders in slow catalogued movements. 

He rests his hand there, between Eddie’s shoulder blades. The rise and fall of his breathing is staggered, and shaking. He rubs circles between the two points of bone, hoping it’s soothing, trying to time it with Eddie’s breaths and is thankful as they slow somewhat, becoming deeper, less ragged. 

‘Want to talk about it?’ 

‘No s’fine. M’fine.’ He mumbles, rubbing his nose. 

‘C’mon, don’t be like that man.’ Steve says softly, his heart clenching as Eddie’s lip wobbles. 

Eddie squeezes his eyes shut, swallowing thickly. ‘It was, it was like I was back there.’ He whispers. 

‘Oh, Ed’s.’ 

Eddie rises finally, tugging at his sweater collar like the stretched material is too tight, sucking in great slow lungfuls of icy air. 

Steve prise the glasses out of Eddie’s stiff fingers, slipping them into his pocket and manoeuvring Eddie properly into his coat. He goes willingly, pliant as the adrenaline leaves his body, hollowing him out. 

‘I, I don’t.’ he sniffs, eyes brimming with tears. 

‘Shh, You’re okay.’ Steve hushes, pulling Eddie into his arms. Hand on the back of his head as he buries his face in Steve’s neck. ‘It’s okay,’ he whispers, rocking them gently, his collar slowly growing damp.  

They stay until Steve’s ears go numb. Until Robin and the kids need to get home. Until Eddie’s face is blotchy and red, but no more tears fill his lash line.

The party files out and into Steve’s car while Eddie slips back into the trailer, mumbling quiet goodbyes and closing the door behind him. 

//

‘Dustin finally took the hint that it’s none of his business why you left, and that no one thinks he caused it.’ Steve says, tossing his keys onto Eddie’s cluttered nightstand. ‘All it took was Rob, Erica and Mike all agreeing on it. My opinion didn’t do shit, obviously.’ He smirks over at Eddie, shucking off his jeans. 

Eddie grunts, just a soft puff of air from his chest. Eye staring up blankly at the ceiling, chewing on a lollipop stick. (Another of Wayne’s ‘we need to quit smoking’ ideas. It helps.) 

‘But can you call him, tomorrow?’ Steve asks, pulling his socks up and taking off his polo.

Eddie blinks over at him finally. ‘Yeah, ‘cause. Wasn’t his fault.’ He murmurs, his eyes raking over Steve. All of him soft and fragile in the lamplight: he always looks smaller somehow, without his jacket and jeans, plaid pyjama pants and worn sweatshirt softening all his edges, reminding Steve how fragile he really is.

He steps over, pulling the stick away from Eddie’s lips, dropping it in the waste basket. 

‘Come here, please?’ Eddie holds his hand out. 

Steve smiles at him, dropping down onto the bed and pulling the quilt up over them both. He shoves at the pillows and leans his head against the wall, pulling Eddie down onto his chest and wrapping him up in his arms.

Eddie nuzzles in, cheek against Steve’s undershirt, hot breath ghosting over his nipple. Steve combs his fingers through Eddie’s hair. 

‘I really thought I was okay, that I was over it.’ He whispers.

Steve hums, resting his cheek on Eddie’s head. 

Eddie swirls a pattern across Steve’s skin with his finger. ‘I, I remember, when the bats, you know’ and his throat clicks on a swallow, ‘remember looking up at the sky and the, the lightning was red. Like, it was like the whole world was made up of these big, red, fucking gashes through the grey. Everything, everything, hot and wet and bleeding.’  

‘Eddie.’ Steve’s voice cracks.  

Eddie sniffs. ’Sorry, that’s, God. Depressing as shit huh?’ His hand splays out, long fingers stretched across Steve’s pec. He clenches his fist.

‘Hush.’ Steve chastises gently, squeezing Eddie tighter. ‘You know I don't mind. I mean, I still get nightmares, and I didn’t even, I wasn’t. You.’ His throat tightens. Eddie was in the hospital, for months. 

‘Stevie.’ 

Eddie’s fingers are on his cheek, stroking gently beneath his eye. Steve breaths deeply through his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. 

’S’okay, you got me, we’re here. You got me.’ Eddie murmurs gently. Steve swallowing back a noise, blinking away the sting at his eyes. 

Eddie pulls at him, at the neck of his t-shirt, at his jaw. ‘C’mere, huh? C’mere.’

Steve opens his mouth, moving lower down the bed and sliding his thigh over Eddies. Focuses on the warmth and softness of his lips, the pressure of them against his own. 

Eddie pulls him closer, over and up so he’s straddling him. Their mouths still connected, teeth scraping against lips, sliding together in a way thats hot and wet and makes Steve’s whole mouth tingle. 

‘Can I? I I need. Let me, please.’ Eddie goes for Steve’s shirt, his waistband, pulling and gripping the fabric in his palms. 

Steve rests his forehead against Eddie’s, he can feel his heart beat in his ears. ‘We don’t.’ he swallows. ‘We, are you sure Eddie? It’s, you’re, you were upset.’ he lays his fingers against Eddie’s neck, pulse fluttering under his fingertips. 

Eddie grasps Steve’s hand, pulling it up to kiss at his knuckles. ‘I want to feel like I have control over something in my life Steve. I want this, with you. Let me want this.’ Eddie’s eyes are dark and wide and Steve cant help but fall right in. 

Their hands move until they’re both naked and panting against each other again. Steve grinds his hips down as Eddie whispers in his mouth. ’Come on, we, we got control over fucking nothin. Let’s have this. We have this.’ His fingers pulling at Steve’s hair. 

Fumbling around on the floor by the mattress corner Steve finds their lube. Taking a second to bite his lips and grind his hips again as Eddie sucks wet kisses across his neck.

Eddie’s hand retightens, this time at the back of his neck once Steve is close again. ‘Please.’ He speaks into Eddie’s mouth. ‘Fingers.’

Calloused fingertips tap gently at Steves bottom lips and he swirls his tongue around them, hollowing his cheeks as the hand on the back of his neck squeezes and he feels tension seep out all along his spine. His whole body going pliant and gooey. 

‘A little more.’ says Eddie, pulling his fingers out. Steve uncaps the lube and squeezes some on, having to blink hard in order to refocus his eyes. 

Eddie circles his rim and Steve licks into his mouth as a finger slips inside. They’re fully hard against each other and Steve doesn’t know which sensation to move towards most. 

‘Let me in, baby let me in.’ Eddie whispers, demanding, pleading.

‘You have me, I’m here.’ Steve moans, a second finger slipping inside and stretching him out. His skin hot and prickling as he wraps his hand around them both. Eddie whimpering into his neck.

He feels the scared little monster of want and possessive need raise inside him.  The fire in his belly morphing into something hungry and dangerous. 

‘Don’t, you, I want you to tell me. Always tell me, when you’re not okay.’ He says, whining slightly, eyes squeezes shut. ‘No, no bullshit okay? I want, let me help.’ Because, because even if he can’t fix it, he can still do something, still be enough to help a little.

‘Steve.’ Eddie’s voice is wet. His hand comes up to cradle his cheek. ‘Stevie, baby, look at me.’ 

Steve opens his eyes, the moisture on his lashes sticking them together. His chest rising and falling rapidly. 

‘I love you.’ Eddie says. 

Steve gasps, hand squeezing them both reflexively, making them groan. Eddies fingers twitch inside of him and his skin feels too tight, his mind too foggy to process anything other than the beat of his heart in his ears. 

‘You love me?’ He gasps. ‘You love me.’ 

‘I love you.’ Eddie goes back to kissing his neck, sucking a bruise and crooking his fingers just so. 

Steve laughs, delirious. ‘You love me’ and he starts moving his hand in earnest, the glide slick with their combined pre.   

He grinds himself down as Eddie adds another finger, clenching his teeth at the stretch, and feeling the familiar heat spread through him. 

‘Eddie, baby, m’close.’ he gasps. 

Eddie speeds up, pumping his fingers inside him, grinding his hips up into Steve’s hand. A needy string of ‘ah ah ah’s’ is all he can manage as his vision tunnels. His thumb swiping over their sensitive heads before gripping them tighter, moving his hand faster. 

Steve doesn't know who spills over his fist first, but Eddies fingers were working relentlessly inside him, scissoring and pressing until he couldn't hold on any more, the spool of him unraveling itself completely as he came all over them both.

Panting, he looks down at Eddie below him. His hair splayed out, haloing his flushed cheeks and bitten red lips. Steve marvels at him, watches Eddie drag his clean hand across his face, combing his sweaty bangs away from his forehead. 

‘Hey’ he says, voice soft and wobbly. 

Eddie smiles up at him, cheeky, reaching up and spreading some of the cum into Steve’s skin where it splattered up as high as his chest hair. Steve giggles, feeling loose and happy. 

‘Hey’ he says again, and Eddies eyes flick to his. 

‘I love you.’ He whispers. 

Eddie beams softly as him, his eyes shining.

Steve leans down, kissing him, not caring about the mess between them as he splays his hands across Eddie’s chest, sinking into him and he swears their hearts beat in time. 

They kiss until he can feel Eddie falling asleep beneath him, his mouth moving slower and weaker until its just Steve pressing their lips together, feather light. 

‘Don’t fall asleep on me just yet.’ He says, nipping at Eddie’s lip and laughing at the low growl he receives. ‘One sec, kay?’  

Eddie squeezes him, mumbling out and huffy little ‘one’ just to be annoying before he lets Steve up. He goes to the bathroom to wash his hands and comes back with something to wipe them both off with. 

Eddie is completely pliant as Steve swipes over his chest and crotch, lifting his hand to get between his sticky fingers. The only tell that he isn't fully asleep is the singular cracked eyelid that allows him to follow each of Steve’s movements.

He tosses the cloth into the dirty clothes pile, which isn't his favourite of Eddies organisation choices but right now he doesn’t really care about anything other than crawling under the sheets and wrapping Eddie up in his arms. 

He falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow. 

//

Steve wakes in that slow rolling way that happens when he knows theres nothing needed of him, when his body and mind relaxes enough to let him sleep until he doesn't need to anymore.

He stretches and flips onto his front, shoulders popping deliciously and he just breathes there, eyes closed, until the smell of coffee permeates his reprieve. 

pulling Eddies discarded sweatshirt on and a clean pair of boxers he shuffles into the kitchen, knuckling his eyes and yawning until his jaw clicks. Something in the back of him mind marvels that he can wander into the kitchen without the use of his sight and make it there just fine. Another part wonders, vaguely, how his hair looks, but those thoughts are quickly trounces by the chair he falls into and the steaming mug that Wayne places before him. 

‘Merry Christmas kid.’ 

Steve smiles up at him, the first sip of coffee making him shiver. 

‘Didn’t know hair could do that, must be a Christmas miracle.’ Wayne mumbles from behind his own coffee cup in his gruff, deadpan way.

Steve just scowls at him, taking another sip before he combs his fingers through his hair in an attempt to smooth it down. He feels the strands fling right back up to where they had been and shrugs. 

‘My present to you. Be grateful.’ He says.

Wayne grunts, his eyes sparkling, and he stands to start cracking eggs into the heated up skillet. But not before ruffling Steves hair.

‘Ed, get off the damn phone and come get this bread toastin’.’ 

Eddie’s leaning against the wall with his back to them, phone cord tangled around his fingers. He’s back in his pyjama pants from last night and Steve realises with a burning stab that he’s also in the polo he discarded on the floor yesterday. 

‘Yes. No. Dustin I gotta go, Wayne’s calling. Yeah, we’ll swing by tomorrow okay? Me and Steve sure, yes, okay. I know Dustin, I know. You’re fine. Okay, see you tomorrow. Bye, yes, bye.’ Eddie finally hangs up the phone, sounding exasperated but when he turns he’s already smiling. 

Steve catches Eddie’s hand as he shuffles back into the kitchen, kissing the back of it and preening as Eddie kisses the top of his head. 

‘Happy Christmas love.’ Eddie mumbles into his hair. 

Steve sighs, happiness swelling in him. 

‘Dustin wants us over tomorrow, he got new D&D stuff he wants me to see and he specifically requested your presence.’ Eddie says and starts putting bread in the toaster.

‘Bet if he knew you said it like that he’s get all weird, he only ever says nice stuff about me when I’m not there.’ 

‘He’s obsessed with you Stevie, that can make a person act weird.’ Eddie refills his coffee. ‘He’s fine though, now, by the way.’ 

Steve nods.

‘Speakin’ of weird, after that first time you took Ed to the drive in he came back with a real bug up his ass, wouldn't stop talking about-‘ 

Wayne is stopped abruptly by Eddies hand across his mouth. 

‘Okay old man, enough with that.’ Eddie says, voice an octave higher than normal.

Steve grins as Eddie peaks over to him through his hair. Grins harder as they start to bicker, continuing to make breakfast in the tiny kitchen. 

He’s definitely planning on asking Eddie about that later. But for now, he enjoys the comforting warmth that spreads through him. The feeling of home. Of being loved. 

₊✩‧₊

sorry this is posting after the holidays but its done! we did it! hope u all enjoy!

Tag list: @scoops-aboy86 @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @pearynice @marvel-ous-m @hickeysgodcomplex

@cheesedoctor @chickensinrainboots @chameleonhair @wheneverfeasible @hbyrde36

@bookworm0690

[urdreamgirls-dreamgirl]

call it what you want, T, Steddie

If it wasn’t happening to him, Steve would think this whole entire story sounded like an absolute fairytale. Two lifelong best friends traveling home for an end-of-summer visit together after years spent assuring everyone they were just friends, no really, we’ve never even thought of each other like that! and realizing they’re deeply in love with each other just before it’s too late. It sounds like the plot of one of those Hallmark movies Steve is always begging Robin to watch with him at Christmastime.

But it’s kind of difficult to appreciate the romance of it all when it’s his fiancée telling him that she’s actually been in love with someone else all along.

OR: After Nancy breaks off their engagement, Steve is forced to move in with Eddie Munson, practically a stranger, who's also going through a breakup... with the guy Nancy left Steve for. When the two get invited to their exes Christmas wedding, they decide to do the most logical thing: pretend to be happily in love.

~*~

My fanfic for the Steddie Winter Exchange is finally here @steddieexchange!! Happy holidays/winter time/New Year to my giftee @starthecozy. I couldn't fit every single trope in here, but I tried my best and I hope you like it. :)

[becomingfoxes]

𝒊 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒕, 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒑 𝒍𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓

@steddieexchange exchange gift for Lea! @thisusernameisunavailable01

Read it here ❄💙

[greatunironic]

my gift for @tedewitt as part of the @steddieexchange is now up on ao3!! i was very excited to dip my toe into the omegaverse for this gift, and i sincerely hope you like it tara!!

tags, summary, and link below!

summary: It started innocent enough, if these things could, like, even start innocent. Maybe it was better to say it started with good intentions, if maybe misplaced ones. Steve had just wanted to help a friend out, right? And if it helped him out too, you know, then it was —

Well, it was what it was, okay? And what it was was a guy who was in a bit of a bind, and another guy helping him out, and if just so happened that it was a sex thing, too, and if it also so happened that it was with the only alpha Steve had ever harbored an itty bitty, teeny weeny, inconsequential crush on (which, like, kill him, a little, because riddle him fuckin’ this but why was he always holding a torch for dorkasses), and if it also also so happened that Steve putting himself in this situation made that like a million fucking times worse because Steve was, like, genetically incapable of not falling in love with the wrong person —

tag list: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson; Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Steve Harrington's Parents; Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Friends With Benefits, Miscommunication, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Rejection Sickness, Fingerfucking, Oral Sex, Comeplay, Praise Kink, Biting, Fisting, Implied soulmates, Referenced Infertility, Hand-Wavy Omegaverse Medical Discussions, Intersex Omegas, Wet and Messy, Oral Fixation

on ao3 HERE

[lihhelsing]

I had the pleasure to write for @pearynice yet again and I couldn't be happier! I went for a modern AU with baker!Eddie and hockey player!Steve and I hope you love it as much as I do!

Chapter 2 will be coming your way in early 2025, but I hope you can enjoy the beginning of this story now!

This fic is part of the @steddieexchange. Thank you mods for hosting such a fun event! ♥️

READ IT HERE!

[little-annie]

Happy (Post) Holidays @inflomora-art ❄️♥️ I'm sorry it took forever! I plan to get the remaining chapters out this week, so keep them peepers peeled for updates!

❄️❄️❄️

Was it a bad idea? Most likely. Could it potentially get him disowned? Honestly, Steve wasn't entirely sure. Was he going to go through with it, to prove his point no matter what? Well, he has always been told he was stubborn, be it for love, a cause, or plain stupidity.

In the comfortable chaos that is his and Robin's apartment, where nothing matches and everything is thrifted or picked off the side of an Indianapolis street, Steve doesn't think twice about it when he edits his dating profile.

He leaves the pictures the same, and the age of course, but his bio is what he chips down to several select words.

It's sure to turn a few heads, and maybe potentially garner a few negative responses, but hey, how else is he going to prove a point to his parents?

Ignoring whatever the hell French film it is that Robin's watching and burrowing into the corner of the couch a little deeper, Steve reads over his profile one last time before he saves the necessary changes.

Steve. 27. Straight, but looking for a guy to bring home to my ignorant parents for the holidays.

An hour later, when Steve has more or less become one with the couch, and he's dreading the remaining hour left of Robin's film, he feels the girl stiffen where she’s lazily rubbing his socked feet. “Steve… What the hell are you doing? Why did my cousin Drew text me to see if you still need a date for Christmas?”

“I—well—” It's complicated. “You see…”

❄️❄️❄️

keeping reading on ao3!

✨️❄️HAPPY @steddieexchange ❄️✨️

[malikat24601]

Sometimes You Have To Work On Christmas |  Explicit  |  12k

A Steddie Winter Exchange fic for Finn! 🖤

Author: Malikat22

A gift for: @duckybeloved

Beta Reader: @midsummer-semantics

[Link to fic] 

Pairings: Eddie Munson / Steve Harrington

Characters: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrigton, Wayne Munson

Tags: No Upside Down, Holiday Fluff, Enemies To Lovers, But Barely, Eddie's Just Dramatic, More Like Idiots To Lovers, Mutual Pining, Steve Harrington Has A Crush On Eddie Munson, Eddie Munson Cannot Admit He Has A Crush On Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington's Date Night Special, All The Moves TM, Eddie Is Helpless To Resist, Gay Eddie Munson, Steve Speed Runs His Sexuality, Dude Doesn't Even Blink, His Thought Process Is: Pretty Boy Must Kiss And That's It, Getting Together, Accidental Love Confessions, Blow Jobs, First Time Hand Jobs, First Time Together, Aftercare, Wayne Munson Knows What's Up, Good Uncle Wayne Munson, Two Idiots Falling In Love At Christmas

Trigger Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

↳ Keep reading below for a summary!

The Hawkins Grand theater was always open on the holidays, and it was, without fail, the worst fucking day of the entire year for one Eddie Munson who always, always had to work it. Cold, bored and miserable, he sits in his little ticket booth, selling tickets to the same fifteen soggy patrons that he sees every single year, as dull and gray as the slush they tracked in. Fifteen soggy patrons and… Steve Harrington?

@steddieexchange

[mixsethaddams]

A gift for Ace @steddieexchange

[shushmal]

I wanna tell you (wanna hear)

For @metalfreaks86, my gift to you for the @steddieexchange! Please forgive me for my lateness, I hope you still enjoy!

Rated: E — Check the tags and author's notes for more info!

Summary:

Hawkins is a small town, everyone knows everyone—and Eddie has been in school with Steve Harrington since kindergarten. They were in the same third grade play in elementary, they were square dance partners for a week in seventh, and they had three years in the same remedial math classes in high school. Eddie knows his way around Harrington’s house as well as any other teenager in Hawkins does, went to all the same house parties, the same field parties, the same lake parties. Hell, Eddie has sold Harrington weed countless times, he’s one of his best customers because Harrington pays extra for Eddie to roll for him. So, how the hell did Eddie not know Harrington was an omega?

Read it here on Ao3!

[kavehinpink]

click to read ❄️🎄🩷

i had a blast writing this for @salchica for the @steddieexchange this year!

[spookysnarkyem]

❄️ feeling lonely and so cold ☕️

a gilmore-esque steddie au written for the @steddieexchange as a gift for @meggiejolly

read here

[oiveyzmir]

Merry (Munson) Christmas, Everybody!

My @steddieexchange gift for the incredible @karies-art !

Sorry for posting so last minute, hope it's worth the wait 🤍

WC: 7.3K | Rating: E

⋆⁺₊❅⋆ ⁺₊❆⋆

“So,” Steve starts after a long silence, “any plans for Christmas?”

It takes Eddie’s brain a moment too long to realize Steve’s talking to him; he’s far too busy (pathetically) watching his friend’s lips curl around the cigarette he smokes, and the way his eyelids flutter ever so slightly when he exhales the cloud of gray smoke out into the night sky. Steve’s eyes are fixed on the twinkling stars above them, so he doesn’t notice Eddie staring at him.

Or so Eddie hopes.

It had become some sort of a routine; they lay out on top of Eddie’s van nearly every other night now, smoking and joking and doing nothing together. It’s not that serious, but Eddie finds himself looking forward to spending his nights with Steve all day long like a schoolgirl with a crush. Not that he has a crush on Steve, obviously. It’s just nice to be around the guy; sue him.

“Ed?” Steve asks again, turning his head to look at Eddie who very nearly jumps out of his skin with surprise.

“Huh?”

Steve chuckles and Eddie’s heart melts. “Christmas Eve? Tomorrow? Got any plans?”

“Oh! That. Nah, man, Munson Christmas isn’t in another month,” Eddie shrugs and drags on his own cigarette to keep himself warm. It’s not snowing, at least not yet, but it absolutely could with how cold it is out here. He thinks about asking Steve to huddle up for warmth but then thinks better of it. “What about you? Are your parents back for Christmas this year?”

He shakes his head. “No, I’m spending it with Dustin and Claudia this year. Wait, what’s Munson Christmas again?”

Eddie gasps, placing a horrified hand on Steve’s bicep. “Steven Harrington!” He cries. “Has’t thee not hath heard about the most wond’rful holiday of the year?”

Steve makes a point of rolling his eyes, but Eddie can see him trying very hard not to smile. His eyes dart, just for a moment, to Eddie’s hand clutching his arm. “Don’t go Shakespeare on me, man.”

“I’m sorry, Stevie, The Bard took over me for a second there,” he laughs and drops the hand from Steve’s arm and, wait, did Steve pout? “I’m just really passionate about Munson Christmas, you know?”

“I don’t know, that’s why I asked.”

“I really haven’t told you about it? Weird. Anyways, Uncle Wayne and I celebrate Christmas Eve on January 24th. His boss at the Plant pays him double for working on Christmas, and we really need the money, so we just made the decision to push Christmas back a month. Made a whole bunch of traditions about it, too.”

“Like what?” Steve asks, lying on his side and propping his head up on his wrist. He watches Eddie like he actually cares about whatever it is he’s saying, which does absolutely no weird shit to Eddie’s heart, thank you very much.

Eddie shrugs it off and takes another drag of his cigarette, avoiding Steve’s intentful gaze. “We wear stupid hats. Buy each other stupid gifts. Watch stupid movies. A big celebration of stupidity.”

“God, I love your uncle Wayne,” Steve laughs. Eddie won’t ever admit how giddy the sound of it makes him feel. The musician in him cries at him to record Steve’s laughter, to preserve it, to make it into a melody he can listen to on repeat for the rest of his life. But that’s pathetic, and a whole new ballpark of weird, so he shoves it away.

He does try to make Steve laugh as often as he can, though.

Steve lies back, putting out his cigarette on the van’s roof. “That sounds like fun.”

“Hey, you can join us this year, if you’re not doing anything on the 24th?” Eddie offers as casually as he can.

“I wouldn’t want to impose-”

“Dude,” Eddie cuts him off. “You are officially invited. Need me to do it in Shakespearean or..?”

“Please don’t,” Steve laughs, sounding almost relieved.

“Art thee sure? f’r we both knoweth I can–”

“Shut up!” Steve laughs again, and Eddie has to cover his giant grin with the crook of his arm. “So, like, should I bring anything?”

“Nope, no need. Unless you’ve got a really ugly hat. If not, I’ll give you one of mine.”

“I have something, yeah.”

“Good. Dinner starts at eight,” Eddie says, than thinks again. “Probably. Hopefully. Could be at ten for all I know.”

“Got it,” Steve smiles and sits up with a grunt. “I gotta go, I promised Robin I’ll help her pack for her flight tomorrow morning.”

“What does she need you for?”

“Adult supervision,” Steve replies simply.

Eddie chuckles at that. “Oh, that makes sense. Make sure she doesn’t hurt herself zipping up her suitcase.”

“Hey, that could be lethal!” Steve protests.

“Yeah, if you’re a fucking hamster. Wait, actually, now that I’m thinking about it…”

“Oh my god, Eddie, shut up,” Steve tries to hide his amusement with a hand down his face, but his brilliant smile shines through.

Eddie kinda wants to kiss him. He looks away.

Steve doesn’t go. Instead he sits silently with his back straight and his eyes on the stars, and Eddie closes his own to keep himself from staring. He wonders what goes through his friend’s mind. He wonders that a lot lately. He wants to pry Steve open, find out what makes him tick, know every part of him like the back of his own hands. To make a melody not just of his laughter but of the entirety of him. He wants to have him.

He has to consciously remind himself to stop thinking about his best friend like that.

Steve speaks up again and it makes not thinking just a little bit easier. “I really gotta go. Bye, Ed. See you at Munson Christmas.” Steve says while getting up, and as he turns to climb down the van he stops. “I’ll make sure my hat is way uglier than yours.”

And then the asshole fucking winks.

Eddie’s heart somersaults in his chest and he can feel his cheeks and ears growing red hot. No one’s there to look at him anymore yet he still hides his face behind his mane of curls, trying to shudder his stupidly pathetic and pathetically stupid crush away. He groans loudly when it makes absolutely no difference.

He thinks he hears Steve laughing from beneath him. He chooses to believe he hasn’t heard anything at all.

read the rest on AO3 ♥

[kayleeofcamelot]

One Night in the City

a Story for @steddieexchange

for my giftee @puppy-steve. It was an honour to work on this story for you. I really hope you enjoy what I came up with. <3

Beta read by wonderful @fkinkindagauche, who helped me out a lot.

Special thanks to @jemmacdraws for allowing me to use her beautiful art in there.

[hellfxresundays]

Is this a 4am posting for @steddieexchange? Yes. Do I particularly care? Not really. This gift was gonna be done and delivered and by God it was.

Without further ado: @kavehinpink for the Steddie Winter Exchange, I had the pleasure of writing for you!

Title from Best Friend by Juice WRLD. Enjoy :]