#steddieweekprompts

[paprika-moony]

I'm still recovering but wanted to make something for the @steddie-week so excuse my wobbly drawings💔

1: Pining

2: Angst

3: Discover

4: Familiar

5: Together

6: True / Misunderstandings

7: Free space

[metalhoops]

Steddie Week Day 6:

True / Misunderstandings / You Looking At Me Looking At You by Ozzy Osbourne

Steve Harrington had a lot of personal downfalls. He’d come to accept most of them with age but there was one he couldn’t shake. He had a near-pathological urge to be liked. Maybe he wasn’t held enough as a baby. Maybe it was something to do with his parents or too much MTV. To hell if he knew. He just wanted people to like him. 

Steve wasn’t naive. He knew he rubbed some people the wrong way. In his life, he’d done a lot of things he’d regretted, things he could never take back. He’d been a real asshole back in high school, as everyone liked to remind him. 

There'd been a point in his life when he’d thought being popular was the same as being liked, but that time had long since passed. He knew better.  He was an acquired taste, and he’d done things he wouldn’t begrudge people for not forgiving. 

Steve had always known Eddie hated him. He didn’t blame Eddie for it, but he thought he deserved a second chance.

Back when the two had gone to high school together, Eddie had made the dislike obvious. Steve distinctly remembered a lunch where Eddie had paraded his way across the basketball table, kicked Steve’s lunch tray to the side and leaned over to tousle his hair before disappearing out of the cafeteria, retreating to the safety of the band room. Steve was left red-faced and messy-haired, gaping in his wake. 

“What the hell was that about?” Steve spat as he passed his lunch to Tommy, his appetite gone. 

“Who knows what’s going on in that freak's head,” Tommy grumbled as he picked at the remains of Steve’s food. He wished he knew. 

The one year Munson had been in marching band, he’d made a point to throw Steve off every chance he could. Basketball practice and band rehearsals coincided every Monday morning. Steve tried to make a layup in practice and Eddie had squealed his obnoxious trombone, sending him skidding across the wooden floor. He’d spent the year with perpetual bloody elbows and knees. 

He’d thought things would be different when he heard Dustin and the rest of the kids had been taken under Eddie’s wing. Steve had changed since high school. He’d gotten better. So when Steve went to pick the kids up, he’d expected a civil greeting from Eddie. Instead, what he got was a cold shoulder. 

Each time he picked up the kids, he’d get a glimpse of Eddie dashing in the opposite direction of the Beamer, hardly bothering to usher the kids off. Alright, so all wasn’t forgiven. Steve needed to learn how to live with it 

Then there was everything with The Upside Down. Eddie almost died and Steve couldn’t help but shoulder the blame for it. He and Dustin spent every day from dawn to dusk oscillating between Eddie and Max’s rooms until the two returned to the waking world. He thought he and Eddie had started to finally see eye to eye. It’d taken the world going down in flames to get them to talk, but once they started, Steve didn’t want to stop. That was until the guy pulled the rug out from under him.

“It’s okay for you to leave, Harrington. You know? You don’t have to stay with my sorry ass all day,” Eddie spoke, toying with his I.V. making Steve cringe. 

He opened his mouth as though to argue, but thought better of it. Maybe that was Eddie’s polite way of telling Steve he didn’t want him there, that he’d overstayed his welcome. 

He shoved his hands into the depths of his pockets and nodded, trying not to look like a dejected child that’d just been chewed up and spat out by an overworked parent. 

Steve managed to mutter his way through a goodbye and disappeared into the hospital hallway. He didn’t have anywhere else to be. He kept worrying something would go wrong the second he turned his back.

He pulled up a chair in the hallway outside Eddie’s room, just out of view, and sat, head in his hands, wondering why it hurt so damn much knowing that Eddie didn’t want him there. 

Steve must have fallen asleep, because he was jolted awake by a calloused hand on his shoulder. He leapt up, wide-eyed with clenched fists, seconds away from lashing out when his brain caught up with him. Wayne Munson’s hand hung in the space between them.

They’d seen more than enough of each other over the past few weeks. He, Wayne, and Dustin had spent hours sitting shoulder to shoulder in relative silence at Eddie’s bedside. Wayne had never once questioned Steve being there, which had always seemed strange. He knew at a glance he’d fit in more with Jason and the rest of the vigilantes out hunting Eddie, not the band of misfits trying to save him, but the first day Wayne had seen Steve huddled at Eddie’s bedside, he’d nodded a half-hearted greeting as though he’d belonged there. 

“Eddie alright?” Wayne asked, a tension in his voice. Steve peered up at the older man and nodded. 

“Yeah, he’s fine. Shit. Sorry. I should be going,” Steve fumbled, rising to stand only to realise his foot had fallen asleep. He tumbled to the linoleum with a string of curses. 

“Hold your horses, kiddo,” Wayne placated, holding Steve by his elbow and hoisting him up to his feet.

The commotion and the voices in the hall seemed to draw Eddie’s attention. 

“Wayne?” Eddie called, his voice drifting down the hall from the open door.

It gave Steve the perfect opportunity to shake the older man’s hold. He turned to run in the opposite direction.

“See you later, Mr Munson,” Steve called over his shoulder and headed out.

Eddie Munson didn’t have many secrets, not from the people he loved. So when he’d developed a crush on The King of Hawkins’ High, Steve Harrington, he’d needed some kind of outlet. He wasn’t going to tell the rest of the boys in Corroded Coffin, not because they didn’t know he was gay, but because he couldn’t stand how goddamn insufferable they’d be about it. 

Of all the people in Hawkins to fawn over, Eddie had somehow landed on a meathead jock. Hell, the king of the meathead jocks. It strictly went against the Munson doctrine. People like Eddie didn’t fall for people like Steve. Not if they wanted to keep their integrity, but that hadn’t stopped Eddie. He’d fallen hard and fast for his stupid hair and his idiotic, condescending grin. 

He’d needed somewhere to channel his feelings. That was where Wayne came in. He’d known Eddie liked guys from the start, considering all the colourful nom de guerres his father threw his way. He could guess it wasn’t much of a family secret. Wayne had been different though. He hadn’t made him feel lesser for it, if anything he’d welcomed it with open arms. 

“So, there’s this guy,” Eddie stated, apropos of nothing one weekend, from his spot reclined on the couch. 

From his spot at their small kitchen table, Wayne set down the morning paper and levelled Eddie with a knowing look. He grunted, letting Eddie know he should continue. 

“Jesus Christ Wayne... he’s something,” Eddie began throwing his arm over his face to hide the flush of his cheeks. 

“So, you and this boy, is it serious?” Wayne asked sceptically. Eddie snorted. He wished.  

“God no. He barely knows I exist. We don’t exactly run in the same circles. The guy’s a jock and straight as a board. He’s on the freaking basketball team, Wayne. There’s nothing about him that I should like,” Eddie acknowledged.

“Then why do you like him?” Wayne asked, taking a long sip of coffee. 

Eddie wished it were something simple. He wished he could say it was because Steve was attractive. That was part of it, sure, but if it was just looks Eddie wouldn’t feel so twisted up. 

“I just- I think he’s different. I don’t know how to explain it. His friends are honest to god assholes but I’ve seen him abandon girls at parties to drive those asshats home. He shares his food with them, and when he gives those bullshit hoorah chants before each game about spirt, teamwork and shit, the guy actually believes it.” 

“What was that about parties?”

“Did I say parties? I meant intimate gatherings where people definitely weren’t under the influence of anything,” Eddie rephrased, shooting his uncle a shit-eating grin. Wayne sighed, knowing how and when to pick his battles.  

“Have you tried talking to him?” Wayne proposed, sounding exasperated. 

“No. Christ no. I don’t know what the hell to say to him. Every time I’m around him it’s like my wisdom stats drop to zero. He probably thinks I’m a weirdo.” To be fair to Steve, it was a popular consensus amongst the kids at Hawkins High.

Wayne wrapped his knuckles on the table. It was a nervous habit that let Eddie know he was thinking. 

“Whatever you do, just be careful, kid. I know I don’t say it as much as I should but having you around... it means something, right? I don’t want to see you make your life any harder.” It was blunt and not at all comforting, but it was Wayne’s version of a pep talk. 

“Alright, good plan. I’ll push my emotions down, grit my teeth and bare it,” Eddie joked, sitting up to get a better look at Wayne, who rolled his eyes. 

“It’s the Munson way,” he spoke dryly. It was his version of a joke so Eddie laughed. 

Talking to Wayne did help. He spent the next few years of his life talking way too much to Wayne about Steve Harrington. He should’ve known one of these days it was going to turn around and bite him in the ass. 

When Wayne got the call Eddie was in hospital he was hit with a barrage of emotions: relief, panic, and worry. No one ever told Wayne just how goddamn hard it was to be a parent, let alone the parent of a kid who didn’t quite fit in. 

He’d been thrown for a loop when he found two boys at Eddie’s bedside. One looked vaguely familiar. He was one of the younger kids in Eddie’s club, but the other boy was a complete stranger. Wayne was about to throw the kid out on his ass when the fabric of a familiar denim jacket caught his attention. The boy had Eddie’s jacket clasped in his lap. He held it like it was something precious. It made Wayne pause. The young kid looked up, catching Wayne’s attention.

“Mr Munson? I’m Dustin. This is Steve. We were with Eddie during the accident.” The final puzzle piece slid into place. Steve Harrington. He’ll be damned. 

Once he knew Eddie was safe, he’d tried to pry more information from the boys to little avail but they made good company for the long days and nights that followed Eddie’s admission to the hospital. In that time, Wayne started to see the kind of person Steve Harrington was. He decided if his boy was going to be with anyone, Eddie could’ve picked a lot worse. 

Wayne didn’t push Eddie to tell him anything. He’d never been that kind of parent but at some point, he had to intervene to save his own goddamn peace of mind. 

“Who were you talking to?” Eddie asked as Wayne pulled up his familiar seat at Eddie's bedside. 

“Steve. He was waitin’ out in the hallway. Figured something happened between you two.” His nephew looked perplexed. 

“Nothing happened. I told him he could leave hours ago.” Right. Wayne was going to have to sort these two out, wasn’t he? 

“Did you tell him he could go, or did you ask him to leave?” Eddie blinked up at him, as though the thought hadn’t crossed his mind.

“Closer to the second. I didn’t want him to feel like he had to hang around,” He responded after a moment. 

“What if he wanted to stay?” 

“Why would he want to do that?” Wayne loved Eddie, but sometimes the kid was trying. 

“Because that’s the kind of thing people do when they care about you.” 

A look of recognition flashed across Eddie’s face. 

“Jesus Christ, Wayne, we aren’t a couple.” 

“Here I was thinking you’d finally taken some initiative,” Wayne grumbled. 

“I thought you told me to repress my emotions and ignore the shit out of him.” Eddie had a habit of twisting his words. Wayne tried not to begrudge him for it. He was still younger than Wayne ever remembered being. 

“That was before I knew the kid. He wouldn’t have sat on those shitty chairs for six hours every day for anybody. I don’t know what’s going on in his head, but I know you should talk to him.” 

Eddie let out an elongated groan, scrubbed his face, and muttered,

“Maybe you’re right.” 

Steve didn’t know what had brought him back to Eddie’s hospital room the following day, call it intuition or the inability to take a hint. He had the common decency to linger in the doorway.

“Hey,” Steve spoke, as he caught Eddie’s eye. No turning back now. 

Eddie propped himself up in bed and ushered Steve into the room.

“Hey,” He replied, clearing his throat. 

“Wayne told me you stuck around yesterday,” Eddie began. Steve sunk into the chair at Eddie’s bedside. He’d really hoped Wayne would keep that to himself.

“You could’ve stayed if you wanted to, Steve. I wanted you to stay,” Eddie confessed, throwing Steve for a loop. He spoke before he had the chance to think better of it. 

“I thought you kind of hated me. Figured you wanted some peace and quiet.” It was Eddie’s turn to look confused. 

He absentmindedly drummed his fingertips on the railing of the hospital cot, deliberating. 

“What the hell makes you think I don’t like you?”

Steve couldn’t help but snort, looking to the door, planning a quick exit in case Eddie threw him out again.

“Where do I start, dude? You went out of your way to make high school hard for me. Which I get. I know I wasn’t a good person, but you’ve been giving me the cold shoulder ever since. I thought maybe we were getting somewhere but... I guess I was being stupid. It’s kind of my thing.” 

Steve hadn’t meant to sound as self-deprecating as he had, but the words were out there now, hanging heavy in the space between them. It was Eddie’s turn to snort. Steve’s eyes snapped to his hands, suddenly feeling very small. He felt the solid weight of Eddie's palm pressed against his shoulder. 

“You’re not stupid. I don’t hate you, Steve. I really, really don’t hate you. You drive me fucking crazy, which is why I keep avoiding you. I don’t know how to be a normal goddamn person around you.”

“You’re not that normal around anyone,” Steve noted softly, unable to keep the comment to himself. To his surprise, Eddie laughed and squeezed his shoulder.

“I don’t know how to be myself around you.” 

Steve felt lighter, knowing Eddie didn’t hate him, but all the more confused. Eddie liked him, but he’d been trying to avoid him. 

“Why?” Steve pushed. Eddie drew back his hand. 

“Please don’t ask,” Eddie breathed, all of a sudden looking like he could puke. 

Steve remembered having seen the same petrified look once before, on Robin’s face, when the two had been high as hell in a public bathroom. He thought more about Robin, and how she complained about not being able to hang around Vicki. How she rambled. How she couldn’t act like herself. Oh. Okay.

That made sense. 

Steve was hit with a wave of relief, followed by a shock of panic, not because Eddie had a crush on him or that Eddie was a guy. No. Steve suddenly understood why Eddie hating him had gotten under his skin. Why it’d bothered him so much. 

Shit. Steve hadn’t expected to find that out about himself when he’d woken up that morning.   

“Steve? You’ve gotta warn a guy if you’re seeing clocks or something,” Eddie spoke, interrupting his thought process. 

“You have a crush on me,” Steve gaped. He’d never been one for tact. 

He watched all the colour drain from Eddie’s face. There was no way he’d expected Steve to pick up on it. It was Eddie’s turn to shift his eyes to his hands. 

“Sorry,” he breathed, after a moment. That didn’t sit right with Steve at all. 

He leaned forward and tentatively rested his hand on Eddie’s, surprising himself as much as he surprised the other boy.

“Don’t be sorry,” He spoke, squeezing Eddie’s hand. Eddie sat gaping at Steve for a moment.

“You seeing clocks?” Steve asked, shooting Eddie a shy smirk. That’s all it took to get the boy breathing again. 

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie huffed and rested his head on top of their intertwined hands. 

“You don’t hate me,” He whispered. 

“I really, really don’t hate you,” Steve confirmed with a soft smile, resting his head beside Eddie’s, shyly leaning closer, placing a chased kiss on the boy’s cheek. 

[steddieasitgoes]

Stolen Kisses & Sundae Wishes

3.4K Words | Teen and Up | ao3 link

This was written for day three of @steddie-week. The prompts I used were first kiss and discover! As always it ended up way longer than I intended! You can read it below or on ao3. Enjoy!

"You know this basement used to be mine before Mike took it over?" Nancy says, looking around the cluttered basement fondly.

"Those little thieves," Eddie teases, stretching out on the worn, scratchy blue carpet.

They're all gathered in the Wheeler's basements — the kids banished to the Byers' new place for the weekend — to celebrate one last hang out before their lives change for the better. Nancy leaves for Emerson tomorrow afternoon. Argyle and Jonathan to New York on Monday. Robin, Steve, and Eddie scheduled to get the keys to their new apartment near Indiana State in a little over a week.

They're growing up.

And yet, the basement looks like they're still kids who don't know what they're doing with their lives.

The coffee table is piled high with pizza boxes and other snacks. A soda can tower barely hanging on as Robin adds another empty Coke can. The basement should be filled with beer cans and Palm Tree Delight joints, but none of that stuff has the same effect on them it once did. Getting drugged by Russians, making a drunken scene at parties, and waking up from on bad drug-enhanced nightmare has them all acting a bit more sober than usual.

Still, there's a rawness in the air that Steve's only used to being around at parties when everyone is under the influence, feeling happy and chatty.

"I had my first kiss right here," Nancy says, patting the paisley couch.

"Oh, are we talking about first kisses, brochachos?" Argyle asks, sitting up from where he's been sprawled out under Mike's designated DnD table. "Mine was wild."

"I'm sure it was," Jonathan says, rolling his eyes at his best friend. "But I don't think Nancy meant for everyone to share their stories."

"Aw, come on, my dude. It'll be fun!"

“I don’t know Argyle. I think Jonathan’s right on this one,” Steve chimes in.

It’s not the answer everyone was expecting from him by the way everyone’s heads whirl around to face him. Sure, he spent his high school years making out in crowded Hawkins High hallways, not caring who was watching. But this feels different.

First kisses are special and awkward, and well, if he’s honest, Steve doesn’t want to hear Eddie wax poetic about his first kiss like he knows he’ll do because Eddie is a storyteller. He doesn’t know how to tell them anything unless it’s woven with dragon slaying and metaphors that go over Steve’s head.

Last week, Robin had to give him the SparkNotes version of Eddie’s terrible interview after Eddie went on a ten-minute rant about the horrors of job interviews.

“Now we have to hear your first kiss story, Stevie. It must be really terrible if you don’t want to share with us,” Eddie teases, sitting up from the floor.

“Hate to break it to you, Munson, but it wasn’t anything exciting. Just an innocent first kiss in a dark room. I don’t even know what she looked like.”

Eddie groans, tossing his head back onto the empty space next to Nancy on the couch. His hair flops around him, draping over her thighs. “You’re the worst storyteller ever! Come on, Wheeler, paint us a picture of your first kiss. Show Stevie how it’s done.”

Steve doesn’t think Nancy is going to take Eddie’s bait, but she does, and Steve’s reminded yet again that he really has no idea what goes on in Nancy Wheeler’s head. Never did and never will.

Nancy goes on to tell them about Connor Fritz. They were childhood best friends before his family moved when his mom got a better teaching job at Northwestern. The basement was their post-school hangout, but unlike Mike and his friends, all they ever got up to down here was homework until one summer afternoon.

“We were supposed to go to the pool but stayed in instead. It was our final day together before he moved, and he was really nervous. I was too. We were starting middle school in a few weeks, and now we were going to be totally friendless. And kiss-less since we didn’t go to Carol’s 11th birthday party.”

“The spin-the-bottle party,” Steve snorts in remembrance. He still has no idea how Carol convinced her parents to leave them unattended in her basement for hours. It’s a good thing they all thought kissing was sex at that age. If not, well, Steve’s certain at least one kid would have been conceived in Carol’s game closet.

“The very one,” Nancy smiles. “So anyway, we were just talking about how mad we were that we weren’t going to be there for each other, and then he said something like, “well, I can still help you with one thing,” and then he kissed me.”

“That’s the sweetest first kiss story ever,” Robin coos from the floor. She’s lying on the same itchy blue carpet as Eddie, her head using Steve’s lap as her very own pillow.

It’s easy from their position for Steve to glance down at Robin to check in with her. Robin has her own streak of jealousy that runs through her, so he can’t imagine this conversation is any fun for her either. Instead of finding her lips pressed thinly together and a vacant look in her eyes, though, he finds her smiling.

Huh? She’s stronger than me, he thinks.

“What about you, Robin?”

“Oh me?” Robin laughs dryly, lifting her head out of Steve’s lap and pushing herself up into a seated position next to Steve. “I mean, I guess it was at summer camp in 1980 with this kid whose name I don’t even remember. But uh, I don’t really think it counts since I don’t exactly, you know, like kissing guys.”

“What’s the girl story then?” Eddie asks.

Without hesitating, Steve reaches a hand out to Robin. Lets it rest on her crossed thigh before giving her a reassuring squeeze.

This is also why he didn’t want this conversation to take place.

“It, uh, hasn’t happened yet.”

“No need to fret, Robin Hood! There will be plenty of dudettes to mack out with at that fancy school of yours. So many little fishies waiting for your lips.”

Robin snorts, shaking her head. “I hope your right,” she says, ducking her head for a moment. “What about you, Argyle?”

“Picture this, my dudes,” he says, hopping up onto his feet. “You’ve got Palm Tree Delight in one hand, a beautiful girl holding your other hand. The sky is doing that weird painter with the missing ear thing it does when all the colors start twirling together. And then everything starts spinning, and the next thing you know you’re in the grass with a beautiful girl on top of you, and she’s not just kissing you for Purple Palm Tree Delight, but she’s kissing you because she wants to taste your lips.”

“See, that’s how you tell a story!”

“Thanks, my dude.”

Eddie hops up on his feet, crossing the small distance to high-five Argyle. Their hands’ clasp in the moment, turning the innocent high-five into a weird handholding moment that neither seems to want to break.

Steve absolutely isn’t jealous.

“Yeah, well, not all of us are storytellers, Munson.”

“Allow me to give you a lesson in storytelling then,” Eddie says, finally prying his hand free from Argyle’s grasp. He saunters into the middle of the basement and gestures with his hands. “Everyone take your seats, please.”

Robin snorts as she crawls over to the couch, taking a seat on the floor where Eddie previously sat. Nancy’s still perched on the couch next to Jonathan, and Argyle collapses to his left. Steve’s the last to find his spot, making himself comfortable next to Robin.

“First, you start with the set up,” he says, talking directly at Steve before moving to address the rest of them. “It was 1976. I was ten years old, and I was in Hawkins visiting Wayne for the summer. Usually, my dad would bring me out to visit for a few days, but he got caught up with “work,” you know, hot-wiring cars and stripping them for parts, so I spent the whole summer here with Wayne.

“It was a humid July day. The air thick and hard to breathe,” he says, pausing to turn to Steve again. “A good story always has details about the senses, Stevie.”

Steve rolls his eyes, but keeps listening.

“I remember I was covered in sweat ‘cause Wayne had the day off and needed to patch up the patio of the trailer after I tore it up, saving a raccoon family. Course, I had to help. I was sweating buckets. My hair was shoulder-length at the time, and it was sticking to me, and so was everything else.

“We finally finished as the sun was setting and Wayne must’ve felt bad for keeping me hostage all day — not like I had anywhere else to go, really. Everyone already had their own friends in Hawkins. I was just some weird outsider who liked to feed raccoons. So, he felt bad and told me to take a quick shower ‘cause he was taking me out for ice cream.

“I’m thinking he’s taking me to the new Dairy Queen that I saw on the way into Hawkins a month ago. But no, the old man takes me to some rundown, hole-in-the wall ice cream parlor in the old downtown of Hawkins. The part they eventually tore down for Starcourt.

“And this place. Man, I’ll never forget it. It was like ice cream threw up inside. Every wall was painted after a different ice cream. And not the normal ones, either. There was a rainbow sherbet wall and turtle tracks one. A giant abstract sundae mural behind the counter.

“Jesus H. Christ and the name! I was only 11, but even I knew the name was an issue. I mean, who names an ice cream shop The Lick —-

“N’ Bite,” Steve supplies.

There’s a sinking feeling in Steve’s stomach when Eddie turns towards him again. Eddie hates being interrupted, a fact Steve knows because he’s constantly getting reprimanded for interrupting Eddie’s story flow. Whatever the hell that means. But the look Eddie’s giving him isn’t his usual one of annoyance; it’s one of pure curiosity.

“You know it?”

Steve nods. “Tommy’s mom used to take us there after basketball practice.”

“Huh, wouldn’t expect to see your type at a dive ice cream shop,” Eddie shrugs, then launches back into his story.

There’s another five minutes of Eddie describing all the flavors he sampled that day in great detail — “they had this one called fresh and clean that tasted like Wayne’s laundry detergent. I was so convinced it was one of the ingredients!” — before Eddie finally gets to the kiss side of the story.

“Wayne’s catching up with the only guy working the place, and I really want another scoop of Sinful Cinnamon, so I figure, what the hell? I’ll scoop it myself. But there’s none left in the tub, so I head into the back. There’s this giant walk-in freezer in the back that has all the tubs in it, and it’s cracked open.”

The sinking feeling in Steve’s stomach returns as Eddie keeps talking. He tries not to squirm next to Robin, doesn’t want to draw any attention to himself, but he can feel his heart beating faster and faster as realization hits Steve.

“Didn’t you used to hide out at an ice cream shop when your parents started arguing?” Robin whispers.

Steve nods, too scared of what his voice will sound like if he answers verbally.

"The damn door closes behind me, and it's pitch black in this room, right. And it's cold. So fucking cold. I thought my eyes were going to freeze over. Course, the door is locked from the inside, so I'm thinking, great, I'm going to die in a damn ice cream freezer, and my dad is gonna have my uncle arrested for child endangerment even though my dad's done way worse when I catch something out of the corner of my eye.

"Next thing I know, there's this kid standing in front of me. I thought I was hallucinating! All I could see were a pair of light-colored eyes in front cause everything else was so dark, but then he lamely asked if I was here looking for ice cream too, and I knew I didn't imagine him cause, dammit he would have said something a lot cooler if I was."

“What else was I supposed to say? I was a kid!”

Eddie whirls around so fast, his legs tangle as he moves to face them, but mostly Steve. Robin’s mouth is open wide beside Steve, jaw unhinged like she’s about to have it broken in two by fucking Vecna. Steve can’t see Nancy, but he can tell by the quiet “oh my gods” she’s uttering that not even she was expecting this plot twist.

“You were there?” Eddie shouts, voice high pitched and eyes wide in utter disbelief.

“Woah, my dudes,” Argyle says, glancing between the two of them. “You guys were both locked in the ice cream freezer together? That’s wild.”

“They weren’t just locked in there, Argyle,” Jonathan hisses, elbowing him in the ribs. “They’re each other’s first kisses.”

“That can’t be true!” Eddie throws his hands in the air and begins pacing. “Steve said his first kiss was with some girl in a dark room. That’s not what I’m describing!”

“I mean, I thought it was a girl. They had long hair, and I didn’t know any guys who had long hair back then,” Steve says, pushing himself up to his own feet. He doesn’t start pacing, though, feet frozen to their spot on the floor instead. “But I did have my first kiss in an ice cream freezer. That’s why it was dark.”

“Okay, yeah, that’s, uh, that’s a little weird, but we don’t know if it was the same ice cream freezer.”

“Do you regularly make it a habit of getting locked in ice cream freezers, Munson?” Steve snaps.

He doesn’t know why Eddie is reacting like this. A minute ago, he was fondly recounting the story of kissing some boy in a freezing cold ice cream freezer, and now? Now he’s trying way harder than he ever did in school to prove he didn’t kiss Steve. As if kissing Steve is a bad thing?

Is it a bad thing?

Sure, Eddie and Steve are friends now, but maybe there’s a part of Eddie that still hates Steve for who he was in high school.

Maybe, learning that Steve took this precious first from Eddie is the final straw.

“Hey, guys, why don’t we give them a minute to work this out?” Nancy says, already yanking Jonathan and Argyle up from the couch.

Robin hesitates as she looks at Steve. He knows she’s giving him an out, but he doesn’t take it. Gives her a small nod and a tight lip smile in return and sends her up the steps after Nancy and the guys.

When Steve turns back around, Eddie’s on the couch, head buried in his hands. He takes a deep breath before carefully lowering himself onto the opposite side of the couch.

“Everything okay over there, Munson?”

“Pretty far from it, Harrington.”

Steve tries not to wince at the mention of his last name. It’s been months since Eddie’s called him anything but Stevie in that annoying tilt of his voice. But here the ugly nickname is again. Driving a dagger straight through Steve’s heart.

Steve tries to assess the situation. Digs deep into that retired athlete's brain of his and tries to come up with a game-winning plan for how to navigate this conversation. But Steve's never been good with words. It's a lot easier to find the winning move when there are actual pawns to move instead of random letters spiraling through his brain.

The way he sees it, he has two options.

Option one: apologize. For what? Steve’s not sure, but that’s never stopped him from apologizing before. It’s not the ideal plan, but it’s the only plan Steve thinks will get Eddie to look at him again. And damn, does he miss Eddie’s eyes looking at him.

Option two: take the once-in-a-lifetime shot and tell Eddie the secret he’s been harboring since a certain March night when a broken bottle was dangerously close to his throat.

Steve closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

“For what it’s worth, it was a great kiss.”

“Don’t bullshit me, man!” Eddie groans. “This is embarrassing enough as it is.”

“Wow, I didn’t realize kissing me was so embarrassing,” Steve winces, recoiling in on himself.

“That’s not—“ Eddie groans again as he finally pulls his hands away from his face. He takes a moment before he turns to face Steve. “Why aren’t you more embarrassed? I mean, your first kiss was with a guy. Doesn’t that weird you out?”

“No? You know I don’t care about that stuff.”

“Yeah, but this is different. This isn’t Robin kissing Vickie or me kissing some random guy at a club. This is you! Patron Saint of Heterosexuality, Steve Harrington, having his kiss virginity stolen by some guy!”

“You didn’t steal it! I kissed you if you remember the rest of the story,” Steve says, jabbing his finger into Eddie’s scarred bicep. “And I’d do it again, because I’m not the Patron Saint of Hetereo—whatever it is you said!”

Steve's not sure how to describe the sound Eddie emits from the depths of his throat. It's a shill, almost demogorgon-like, but it lacks the danger that comes with a screech like that. Eddie's eyes are big and wild, pupils taking over every inch of the rich, warm brown Steve's come to lose himself in.

“What are you saying, Steve?”

Steve shifts closer to Eddie on the couch, eyes glued to the shell-shocked expression on his face.

It’s now, or never, he thinks. The seconds are ticking by, and he has to take the shot now if he wants the satisfaction of the win.

“I like you, Eddie,” he whispers, loud enough for Eddie to hear but not loud enough for Robin and the rest of them to hear if they’re spying on them. Which he’s willing to bet they are. “I’ve liked you since March, and I spent the entire summer of 1976 liking you before I even knew who you were.”

“Steve, that’s—” Eddie shakes his head. “That’s ridiculous, you didn’t even know what I looked like. You thought I was a girl! It could have still been a girl! We don’t know for sure it was you I kissed!”

“Maybe this will help.”

Steve scoots closer, closing the gap between them but leaving enough space for Eddie to move away if he wants. He waits for a moment, and then another and only starts to lean in when Eddie gives him the smallest nod of his head.

Eddie shakes under Steve’s steadying hand as it moves to cup his cheek. He lets his thumb trace over the still-healing flesh of his scars as he tips Eddie’s head subtly to the left. And then Steve leans in, hot breath fanning over Eddie’s face. He watches Eddie’s eyelashes flutter shut and only when he’s certain they’re closed does he press his lips to Eddie’s.

It’s soft and tentative.

Maybe even a little bit awkward.

But then Eddie presses into him ever so gently, and the sparks fly.

Steve’s entire body breaks out with goosebumps. The same way they did all those years ago in the freezer, except this time, it has nothing to do with the arctic temperature.

They keep kissing. Gentle pecks, nothing more.

Steve’s too scared of scaring Eddie away with how deep his want is, and Eddie, well, Steve’s not entirely sure what’s going on in Eddie’s head, but he imagines he’s still reeling from this new discovery.

When they finally pull away, Eddie’s smiling. Dimples deep and on full display. He’s got a mischievous glint in his eye that Steve’s come to love from afar, but now that it’s directed at him? Well, Steve’s inside turn molten.

“Think our first kiss was sweeter, Stevie.”

Steve laughs and lets his head knock against Eddie’s boney shoulder as he buries his laughter in the crook of Eddie’s neck. “I did eat like three Turtle Track sundaes before I kissed you back then.”

Eddie hums. “Guess we better go get you a sundae then and try again.

Steve pulls away and looks at Eddie with his own face of bewilderment. “You want to? With me?”

“Steve,” Eddie jests. “I dreamt about the ice cream-flavored boy I kissed for years, until I found someone new to dream about in high school. Turns out, they turned out to be the same boy after all.”

[dreaminginpencil]

🎶 Will the hunger ever stop? Can we simply starve this sin? 🎶

so I’m gonna be a day behind because I forgot, but hey….

[farfaras]

Steddie week. Day 7: Free space. 2.1k words. Ao3 link.

@steddie-week

I’m late but I really wanted to finish the week. So here it is! The last one!

~

“What’s Eddie short for?” Steve asked Robin. They were on their break, now working at a record store after they got fired from Family Video for missing work too much.

“Why are you asking me?” She shot back. Steve simply shrugged. It honestly just occurred to him that he didn’t actually know if that was Eddie’s name or if it was a nickname.

“I was just thinking about it. You don’t know?”

“I have absolutely no idea.” That was disappointing. Robin seemed to be getting along with Eddie. Maybe they’re not that close. Would Dustin know? “You know, I think I asked him once.”

“Really? And what did he say?” She should’ve mentioned this first!

“I think he just started laughing and then deflected. Never answered me.” She stood up. They had to go back to work already. It was slow today, not much customers around so they kept chatting. “Why did you ask?”

“I don’t know.” Steve really was just curious. “We’ve all been friends for a while and I just realized we don’t actually know if ‘Eddie’ is short for anything.”

“He actually seems like the type of person to just be called ‘Eddie’. Like just ‘Eddie’, full stop.” Even if that’d be funny, it’s probably not it. “Anyway, just ask him.”

“Is that not weird?” He wondered.

“I asked him. He just didn’t tell me. Maybe you’d have more luck.” She smirked and it looked like she knew something he didn’t.

Steve narrowed his eyes. “Maybe I will.”

“You’re the one who wants to know.”

“Do you think he didn’t tell you because the name’s embarrassing or something?”

“He’s done so much embarrassing stuff, his name can’t be that bad.”

—

The next time he saw Eddie was when they were playing DnD, at Steve’s house. For some reason Eddie managed to convince Steve that hosting their nerd game was a good idea. He was sure it was his puppy dog eyes. Steve was not immune to those. Robin took advantage of that, constantly.

Steve almost forgot that he was gonna ask Eddie, it was when everyone left and it was just the two of them that Steve remembered the question he had been meaning to ask.

“Hey, Eddie.” He called out to catch his attention.

“Yeah?” They sat down on the couch after cleaning up.

“Is your name short for anything?”

He did exactly what Robin said he did when she asked him. He just started laughing, out of nowhere. Steve didn’t understand what was so funny.

When Eddie stopped laughing, he let out a sigh. “Anyway, what movies do you have?”

“Wha– you’re changing the subject! Why?” Steve was starting to get suspicious now.

“Why do you ask, Steve?” Eddie looked at him.

“I was just curious.” It’s true, Steve was curious. But now it felt like his name was actually something embarrassing, because why else would he avoid answering it in the first place.

“Sureee.” Eddie did not believe him. “To answer your question. Yes, my name is short for something.” Steve figured.

“What is it?” It couldn’t be bad. Steve only knew a handful of names that could be nicknamed Eddie, and those weren’t that bad.

“Ha! I’m not telling you that.” Eddie joyfully replied.

“What– why not?”

“I have to keep the mystery going.” He explained, tone completely serious.

“You’re not mysterious.” Steve deadpanned.

“Shut up, I so am.” Eddie bit back.

“It takes like, one conversation with you to know that you’re not mysterious.” Steve said. It was true, Eddie might have the intimidating look going on, but it was easy to overlook it as soon as he opened his mouth.

Eddie glares at him. “Are you done?”

“You still haven’t answered!”

“‘Cuz I’m not gonna.” Eddie grinned, he was just enjoying having something that Steve wanted to know. “Maybe you can guess.”

“Ugh” Steve fell further into the couch. “I don’t feel like it.”

“Just because I’m a generous and giving person,” Steve perked, he didn’t know why he wanted to know so badly. Maybe so he could use it whenever he wanted to scold him like one of the kids. “I’ll make you a deal.” Disappointed, Steve sighed.

“What’s the deal?” He asked.

“If you guess it,” Eddie put his hand on his chin. “I’ll give you something, anything you want.”

“What? Like a prize for guessing your name?” Steve scoffed. “What am I? A dog?”

“So you don’t want anything?”

“That’s not what I said.” Steve had a feeling that making a deal with Eddie was like making a wish to a genie. Eh, he would still get something out of it. “Whatever, sure. It’s a deal.” He just had to start guessing, until he got it. Shouldn’t be that hard.

“If you say so.”

“Is it Edward?” He gave his first guess.

“Well, that’d be too obvious.” Steve still waited for an actual response. Eddie rolled his eyes. “No, it’s not. Close, though.”

“Edison?”

“I’m so grateful it isn’t Edison.”

“Edmund?

“Oh god, they keep getting worse.”

“Yes or no?”

“No! Why would you think my name is Edmund? Do I look like an Edmund to you?” Eddie asked, scandalized.

Steve stayed quiet. “You want me to answer that?”

“Actually, let’s just watch a movie. That’s enough guesses for today.” Eddie went to shuffle through their options.

“I just started!” Steve protested. He should’ve known Eddie wasn’t gonna make it easy for him.

“I don’t feel like answering more. Try again later.”

Steve crossed his arms and pouted. When Eddie looked back at him, Steve stuck his tongue out, like a toddler. Eddie chuckled.

–

“Edwin?”

Eddie gave him a thumbs down.

–

“Edgar?”

Eddie spelled “no” with his fries. He proudly showed them to Steve.

Steve ate them.

–

“Edrian!”

“Where’d you even come up with that one?”

“I heard it somewhere.”

“Well, that’s not it.”

–

“Is it, like, just Ed or something?”

“Life would be easier.” Eddie dreamily looked to the sky. “So, no, it’s not.”

–

“I’m like, out of ideas, Robin.” Steve didn’t know whether to give up or look in the library.

“Maybe you need to look for obscure names, like really weird ones.” Robin made some hand gestures that he didn’t really know what they entailed.

—

“Can I get a hint?” Steve gave it his best shot at puppy dog eyes, he had big eyes, right?

Eddie wasn’t looking straight at him, he took one glance for like half a second and then decided to look forward. “I already did.”

“No.” He furrowed his eyebrows. “When?”

“With your first guess. I don’t think you need anything else.”

Steve let out a frustrated groan.

—

At the end, he didn’t guess shit.

Steve was dropping by some cookies he made, they were Eddie’s favorite. Steve wanted to improve some skills in the baking department, it was a win win. He got practice, Eddie got cookies. It didn’t mean anything else.

The government gave the Munsons a house after everything, it was on the outskirts of town. When he pulled up, he noticed that a letter had fallen down from the mailbox. When he picked it up he saw who it was addressed to.

Eduardo Munson.

There was no way.

Steve ran so fast his head almost clashed with the door. He knocked frantically. Eddie opened the door, Steve didn’t even wait to be invited in. He ran to the kitchen to set the cookies on the counter and raced back to where Eddie was.

“Your name is Eduardo?”

Eddie’s eyes widened. “How’d you find that out?”

Steve just handed him the letter he found on the floor. Eddie’s mouth formed an ‘O’, but he didn’t say anything.

“Well?” Steve crossed his arms.

“I guess now you know.” Eddie opened the letter to read it, he made his way to the couch and sat down. Steve followed.

“Is that why you said I was close with the name Edward?” Steve didn’t know anyone named Eduardo. Well, he thought he didn’t.

“Eduardo is basically the same name, but in Spanish.” Eddie, no, Eduardo nodded.

“Why– who decided that was gonna be your name?” Did his parents just like Spanish, or something? Steve thought. He obviously didn’t say it.

“My mom. She was Mexican. This letter is from my grandma.”

“Oh. Is it…” Steve didn’t actually know where he was going with that.

“Most of my mom’s side lives in cali, or Mexico.”

Eddie had the letter opened on his lap, Steve peeked. He didn’t want to pry, it was just a quick glance. Even if he wanted to read anything though, he couldn’t.

“That is, fully in Spanish.” His face was a mix of confusion and shock.

“Uh huh.” Eddie was holding back laughter. “What about it?”

“You speak Spanish?!” At this point, he didn’t even care if he was being loud.

“My grandma calls me regularly, like, once a month. She doesn’t speak an ounce of English.” Eddie’s face was fond. That shouldn’t be as cute as it was.

Steve’s jaw was on the floor. Never once did he expect to learn all of this just because he wanted to know if the name “Eddie” was actually short for another name. Eddie reached out and closed his mouth. Steve took some time to get himself back together. He collected the cookies and brought them back for Eddie.

“So, I didn’t guess.”

“No.”

Steve sighed, forlorn. “So, deal’s off, I guess.”

“Mmhm.” Eddie was concentrating on the letter in front of him. Steve slapped his arm. “What was that for?”

“You can read that later. I brought you cookies.”

Eddie snatched them, he started almost inhaling them. Jesus Christ. “These are great.”

“Thanks.” Steve blushed.

After that they were content to just hang out, doing whatever. Eddie told him more about his mom’s side of the family. There were a lot of family members that Steve couldn’t keep track of. He talked more with his grandma, aunts and uncle. Steve found out that his mom taught him Spanish when he was little. When she died, and his dad ended up in prison, his closer relative was Wayne so he moved in with him. His mom’s family always kept in touch, though. The last time his grandma visited was before Christmas in 1985.

“Say something in Spanish.” Steve was surprised with himself for asking that. Where did that come from?

“What am I? Your personal clown?”

“Shut up.” He rolled his eyes. “It just hasn’t registered in my brain fully, that you speak Spanish. Maybe I have to hear it.” Steve tried. It was a cheap attempt at just wanting to hear it.

“What do you want me to say?” Eddie replied. Was he actually gonna do it?

“I don’t know.” Steve shrugged. An idea came to him, he straightened up. “What about the way your grandma greets you on the phone, or the way you answer?”

Eddie scrunched up his nose. Cute. “Ugh… she’s so mushy.”

“Now I have to hear it.” Steve clasped his hands together, battling his eyelashes.

Eddie just accepted defeat. “Fine!” He was now avoiding Steve’s eyes. “Whenever she calls she always starts with something like ‘¿Cómo está mi niño hermoso?’ Or she’d call me ‘mi vida’, or ‘mi cielo’. Honestly she calls me a lot of things.” Steve had no idea what that was, nor what it meant. But his eyes never left Eddie’s lips, not once. Hearing that was doing things to Steve. He suddenly felt hot.

“What does it mean?”

Eddie flushed red. He turned to Steve, eyes deadly serious. “You don’t wanna know.”

“Oh, but I really do.” Eddie shook his head no. “You have to tell me or else I’m just gonna start calling you that.” Eddie’s face was so funny, he looked scandalized at the possibility. “What was it again? Cie- cielo?”

Eddie swung his hands and arms around. “Stop! Don’t you dare continue.” Steve mimed zipping his mouth. “If you must know. She just asks how I am and she calls me her boy and other pet names.”

Steve narrowed his eyes, assessing him. “Is that the truth?” Eddie nodded. “I’ll accept that, for now.”

They spent the rest of the day watching tv. By the time Steve was leaving the sun was already setting. Eddie walked him to the door.

“What would you have asked for?” Eddie blurted. “If you had guessed my name.”

Steve glanced down at Eddie’s lips for the second time that day. He looked up at Eddie, even if they were almost the same height. Steve shrugged one shoulder. “I’m sure I would’ve come up with something.”

Steve leaned in and placed a quick kiss on Eddie’s cheek.

“See you, Eduardo.”

He stepped outside and walked to his car. He heard a loud thumping noise coming from inside the house and chuckled to himself.

–

Bonus:

Steve: he speaks Spanish, Robin!

Robin: I heard you the first time, dingus.

Steve: I don’t think you understand the severity of the situation.

Robin: *blank stare*

Steve: I can’t believe I have to date him.

Robin: you don’t have to.

Steve: no, no. I’m gonna.

[fragilepoint]

Steddie week day 2- fluff/ fade to black metallica

[wynnyfryd]

your kiss is on my list

written for @steddie-week day 3: discover | first kiss | ‘kiss on my list’ by hall & oates. full fic on ao3

excerpt:

“Jesus fuckin– where did I–?” Eddie mutters around the screwdriver in his mouth. He pulls it free and turns to Steve. “You got any idea where the instructions went?”

“Stay there,” Steve says. “I’ll go find it.”

A plain sheet of paper face down on the desk, crumpled and smoothed out again, with a rip at the bottom corner like whoever was reading it got pissed and almost tore it to shreds before thinking better of it. Bingo.

Steve flips it over excitedly, wanting to make sure he found the right thing before he goes running back to Eddie, but it’s not the instruction page. It’s a handwritten to-do list, inked in a mix of permanent marker and pen, only a few items ticked off and the dates scratched out again and again at the top, and then, written in huge letters at the bottom of the page, lines pressed so hard they nearly puncture the paper:

stop being a FUCKING COWARD and KISS STEVE ALREADY!!!

———

thank you so much to @pizzaqueen @sharpbutsoft and @thefreakandthehair for putting this prompt week together! 💜 I listened to that hall & oates song on the way to work this morning and then 2300 words fell outta my ass in a two hour fit of fluffy mania

[cholvoq]

BloodLove

3.1K words / Explicit/NSFW / Read on AO3!

The third installment to my Vamp!Eddie AU! I wanted to do something for @steddie-week, and coincidentally this falls under Day 1’s prompt, Hunger/Pining! Tags are on AO3, happy reading!

It wasn’t a date, Eddie reminded himself. Assuming so would be incredibly presumptuous of him.

He and Steve were…something. Nothing he could put a name or a title to but something.

But that night, the night he could barely hear his own thoughts over his voracity, the night Steve miraculously came to his rescue, something changed between them.

Steve now looked at him with a glint in his eye. A fondness so palpable it drove him crazy.

“We should hang out sometime.” Steve offered today during his shift. Eddie often hung out behind the counter, as being home all the time didn’t necessarily have its perks anymore. Especially with Wayne, who still wasn’t aware of his…condition.

Eddie raised an eyebrow. “We hang out all the time.” He was honestly surprised Steve wasn’t sick of him following him around like a lost puppy by now.

Steve gave me Eddie an incredulous glance paired with a scoff. “No, I mean like— hang out hang out. Like a movie or something, at my place.”

Eddie swiveled around on his stool, propping his cheek in his hand. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” Steve smiled, the soft expression crinkling his eyes. Eddie sunk further into his hand, his own face starting to stretch into a grin.

“This month’s selection looks pretty good and between you and me, Robin’s movies aren’t really my speed.” Steve held his hand up, shielding his mouth from the side. “Plus she talks through the whole thing and it’d be nice to have at least one analysis-free movie night.”

“I heard that!” Robin barged in from a room in the back of the store, carrying a box of tapes. “At least I stay awake for said movie nights. The sound of your dad snoring is still ingrained in my mind.”

Steve tossed his hands up exasperatedly. “It was one time! And I don’t snore like a dad.”

Robin made a face as if to say “You absolutely do.”

Eddie chuckled, rising up off his hand. “I mean, I can’t say I’ll be any better Stevie, but I’ll keep quiet.” His voice sweetened suggestively, trying to elicit a reaction out of Steve. “If it’ll make you happy.”

Steve’s cheeks reddened, pressing his lips into a tight line. He held his fingers up in a pinching motion. “This close to revoking my invitation, Munson.”

Eddie grinned widely, twisting a strand of hair between his fingers. “I suppose I could stop by.”

Robin groaned loudly, rolling her eyes practically to the back of her skull. She turned on her heel and walked to the back of the store.

Steve tossed a hand up. “Where are you going?”

Robin pushed the door open. “To puke!” She shouted as the door closed behind her.

Both Steve and Eddie shared an amused look before bursting into a laugh.

Steve’s heart thumped hard in his chest and he smiled, leaning back onto the counter. “Umm…how’s 9:30 sound?”

Eddie stood up from the stool, leaning forward into Steve’s space. He could hear the blood in Steve’s veins quicken as he flicked a tongue over his lips. “It’s a date.”

…Okay. So maybe it was a date. But not on purpose. The word ‘date’ just slipped out of his mouth and now he’s standing on the Harrington’s front porch like a goddamn Girl Scout.

“Knock, dumbass,” Eddie muttered to himself, tugging on a loc of his hair. He let go of the strand and raised his hand up, hesitating briefly before rapping it gently on the door.

His thumb flew to his mouth as he subconsciously chewed at his nail, hearing footsteps and a fluttering pulse heading in his direction.

The door flung open and there stood Steve, a giddy smile immediately spreading across his face. “Hey.”

Eddie grinned, feeling some of the tenseness leave his shoulders. “Hey yourself.” He replied, subtly taking in Steve’s appearance. He smelled warm and vanilla-y, like he just stepped out of a hot shower. He wore a basic white and red ringer t-shirt, tucked into a pair of heather gray sweatpants.

“I picked up The Terminator and…Ghostbusters? Thought I’d give you options.” Steve shrugged.

Eddie melted internally at Steve’s obvious effort to pick movies he thought he might like.

“I was thinking we could also order a pizza?" Steve offered.

Eddie nodded, tilting his head. “I could eat.” Something shifted in Steve’s expression and Eddie cleared his throat. “The pizza n-not—”

He felt his own blood rising to his cheeks as Steve bit back a chuckle. “Just come in, man.”

Eddie took a step inside, raising an eyebrow. “Inviting a vampire into your house?” He joked, trying to stave off his own embarrassment. “Daaangerous game you’re playing, Stevie.”

Steve leaned closer into Eddie’s space, not breaking eye contact. “Well, good thing I’m not afraid of a little danger, hm?” His voice dropped low, rumbling deep in his throat. It caught Eddie so insanely off guard that he didn’t even notice how Steve’s pulse skyrocketed.

Eddie let out a surprised laugh. “Don’t tempt me, Harrington,” he tried to tease, but it fell flat, coming off a little more serious than he meant it to.

Steve’s heart thumped steady and fast and although Eddie was nowhere near hungry enough to feed, a different hunger gnawed at his stomach, curling hot in the pit of his belly.

“Or else what?” Steve reached behind him and slowly closed the door, hand sprawled out next to Eddie’s head. Steve’s breath ghosted over Eddie’s lips and Eddie noticed how the room sweetened, filling with the overwhelming scent of Steve and only Steve.

“Or else I might change my mind about the pizza.” Eddie licked his lips, looking Steve up and down with urgency. “And the movie.”

Steve groaned, tossing his head back. “Fuck you, Munson.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed and Eddie couldn’t help the way his mouth began to water. “D’you have any idea what you do to me?”

Eddie placed an open-mouthed kiss on Steve’s neck, grinning when he shuddered, just shy of a moan. “A hunch.”

He pulled away from his neck and Steve leaned in after him, but not before Eddie held his hand up, Steve’s lips colliding with his palm.

Steve let out a frustrated groan and Eddie smirked, finding the noise way too cute. “Jesus Steve, not even a foot into your house and you’re already trying to get in my pants? Whatever happened to hospitality?”

Eddie expected Steve to roll his eyes or give him a pointed glare, but his eyes widened as something warm pressed into his palm.

Eddie gaped as Steve kissed the palm of his hand, sending goosebumps trailing down his arms.

“I haven’t been able to keep my mind off you since that night y’know,” Steve mumbled, continuing to plant chaste kisses along the heel of his palm. His heart beat wildly against his ribs, causing Eddie to trace his tongue behind his fangs.

“Me neither.” Eddie panted, resolve growing weaker and weaker with every th-thump. “Can’t forget how you tasted either. Shit.”

Whether the sound of hot blood coursing through veins was his or Steve’s, he couldn’t tell. Eddie felt himself sway further into Steve’s space.

“You’ll be okay?” Eddie asked, eyes flitting down to Steve’s neck and back up again. “I know you’re into it and all but if you need me to stop, just say the word.”

“You’re worried,” Steve murmured, eyes briefly falling to Eddie’s mouth. “That’s adorable.”

Something about the way Steve’s voice lowered, the way his lips twitched into the most microscopic smirk, shot heat straight down to Eddie’s cock.

Eddie tilted his head smugly, taking a step forward. “You think I’m adorable, Steve?” He shrugged off his leather jacket, letting it drop to the floor.

He reveled in how Steve’s heart stuttered in his chest, cheeks flushing a subtle pink. He was also well aware of the stairs behind Steve as he took another step forward, leaving little room for Steve to go.

Steve’s mouth opened and closed, confidence seemingly evaporating into thin air. “Um—” He stumbled backward onto the stairs and Eddie took it as an opportunity, sliding between his legs and propping his hands on the step behind his head.

Eddie leaned next to Steve’s ear, thigh pressed tantalizingly into Steve’s groin. “Is that all?” he whispered.

Steve’s mouth fell open, red rushing all the way up to his ears. His eyes flickered up and down Eddie’s face, tongue flicking out to wet his lips.

“Hot,” Steve uttered, barely audible in comparison to his pounding heart. “You’re so fucking hot.”

Eddie bent down, lips grazing Steve’s neck. “That’s more like it.” He breathed, before clamping down hard on Steve’s tendon.

Blood immediately filled his mouth, thick and sweet against his tongue. Steve squeezed his eyes shut and let out a pained groan. For a moment Eddie thought he’d bitten too hard, until Eddie felt Steve rut his hips forward, dropping his head onto Eddie’s shoulder.

“Oh fuck.” He moaned, breath labored in Eddie’s ear. He slowly grinded against Eddie’s leg, cock steadily hardening against the pressure.

Eddie relaxed his jaw, extracting his fangs from Steve’s neck. He pressed his tongue against the wound to staunch the bleeding, before dragging it across his skin. Steve dug his nails into Eddie’s back, a small sound of pleasure leaving his mouth.

Eddie sucked on the puncture, eyes slipping shut. Steve’s blood warmed him from the inside out, heat rushing to his cheeks and swirling in his gut. His cock twitched in response, already beginning to ever so slightly strain against his jeans.

Steve rocked his hips underneath him, soft whimpers growing into bitten-back moans. Eddie pulled away from Steve’s neck with a small pop, a soft pant escaping his lips.

Steve’s hair flopped over his eyes, slightly flattened from his head being against Eddie’s shoulder. A sheen of sweat coated his forehead, cheeks flushed a gorgeous shade of red. His eyelids drooped low, eyes glossy with lust.

Fuck. Eddie hadn’t even touched him yet and Steve already looked completely fucked out. “Jesus Christ, Steve.”

“Why’d you stop?” Steve asked, something akin to desperation furrowing his brow.

Eddie raked his hand through Steve’s hair, pushing it back to the top of his head. “Jus’ wanted to look at you.”

The corners of Steve’s lips quirked. “Like what you see?”

“Very much, yes.” Eddie nodded, palming at the very noticeable tent in Steve’s sweats, the smallest wet spot forming at its peak.

Steve let out a long, drawn-out moan, hips jerking forward involuntarily. “Fu…” He breathed out, barely even a word.

Eddie moved his hand to cup Steve’s thigh. “Think you can make it upstairs?”

Steve huffed, shaking his head slightly. “I’m hard as fuck, my neck’s bleeding, and my arms and legs feel like Jell-O. Highly doubt it.”

The fact that just one bite could make Steve completely unravel like this made Eddie bristle with a mixture of arousal and pride. He glanced around, eyes settling on the living room. “Is the couch okay?”

“Yes please.” Steve sighed, eyebrows wrenching together.

A sly grin spread slowly across Eddie’s face. “You got it.” He hooked the hand resting on Steve’s thigh under his leg and slid his other hand under Steve’s back.

“What the fu— Eddie!” Steve exclaimed as Eddie lifted him up and off the steps with ease. Eddie laughed in disbelief as Steve’s mouth fell open in shock.

“Jesus Christ, you’re light.” Eddie’s eyes widened, walking over to the living room.

“Wh—to you, maybe!” Steve sputtered, and Eddie noticed a pink flush rise to his cheeks. He let out a snort and shifted Steve’s weight in his arms.

“Perks of being a vaguely vampiric being?” He winked and the flush on Steve’s face deepened. “Just put me down,” Steve grumbled.

Eddie approached the couch, dropping Steve’s lower half a little rougher than he meant to.

“Gen-tle!” Steve hissed, but his tone wasn’t harsh. Eddie chuckled. “Sorry, sorry.”

He carefully laid Steve’s back against the arm of the couch, before quickly climbing on top of him, settling between his legs and straddling his hips.

“Now, where were we again?” Eddie looked up, pretending to think.

Steve roughly grabbed the neckline of Eddie’s shirt, sticking his tongue underneath his bottom lip in a poor attempt to hide his smirk. “Shut the fuck up.”

Eddie didn’t even have time to come up with a witty remark before Steve pulled him forward, lips crashing into his, firm and desperate. His hands flew to cup Steve’s face and he swiped his tongue across his lips, begging for entry.

Steve parted his lips and Eddie lunged at the opportunity, deepening the kiss and licking eagerly into Steve’s mouth. A chord of pleasure was struck in Eddie’s stomach as Steve moaned breathily into his mouth, cupping the back of Eddie’s neck and kissing him harder.

Eddie felt his fangs sharpening, his arousal and his bloodlust growing in tandem. He traced his fingers down Steve’s cheek and torso before pulling his shirt hem up, exposing the trail of hair leading under Steve’s waistband.

Steve took the hint, breaking their kiss to strip the rest of his shirt off, discarding it onto the floor. Eddie did the same, crossing his arms and pulling his tee over his head. He simply stared, eyes slowly scanning Steve’s body.

Steve’s chest rose and fell rapidly, coarse hair flattened across it and dark moles spattered across his broad shoulders and collarbones. His skin puckered around his sides, where his bite wounds had scarred over.

He met Steve’s eyes, which were full of desire and want, and if he didn’t know any better, something more.

Eddie tucked his bottom lip into his mouth, letting it slide out slowly. “You’re beautiful.”

“Funny.” Steve smiled fondly, gaze drifting across Eddie’s face. “I was thinking the exact same thing.”

Eddie dove back in a little too fast, teeth clacking audibly. Steve exhaled sharply through his nose in amusement, smile too wide to kiss back properly. “Eager much?” He mumbled against Eddie’s lips.

“Sorry.” Eddie chuckled apologetically, too turned on to be embarrassed. “Big teeth,” he explained halfheartedly, smiling sheepishly to reveal his lengthened fangs.

“That shouldn’t be as hot as it is,” Steve muttered, pressing a kiss on the corner of Eddie’s mouth before interlocking their lips again, slow and careful but still charged with passion.

Eddie moaned softly, hands wandering across Steve’s skin. His eyes fluttered shut and he let his senses take the lead, listening to the heavy, metronomic thud of Steve’s heart and losing himself in the near sickly-sweet smell of lust pooling in his veins.

God. A noise that sounded like a mix between a growl and a purr sounded deep in Eddie’s throat, the involuntary sound catching him a bit off guard. He cupped Steve through the fabric of his pants, opening his eyes when Steve groaned against his tongue.

“Can I touch you?” Eddie panted between kisses, eyes flicking frantically between Steve’s eyes.

Steve threw his head back, a breathy laugh escaping his mouth. “You’re killing me every second you don’t, Ed.”

That was all the invitation Eddie needed. He sucked his cheeks in, gathering up saliva in his mouth. He cupped his hand and spat into his palm, the spit still tinged red from Steve’s blood.

Eddie reached down past Steve’s waistband and the elastic of his briefs, wrapping his hand around the base of his cock. The moan he got from that alone should’ve been goddamn illegal. Steve immediately thrust into his fist, mouth hanging open and eyes squeezed shut.

“F-uck .” Steve gasped, knocking his head back into the arm of the couch. Eddie slid his hand up Steve’s shaft and grazed his thumb over his tip, swiping precum across it.

Steve’s cock pulsed in his hand, in rhythm with the deafening sound of his beating heart. Just watching him, seeing him tremble and writhe sent a tsunami of heat flooding Eddie’s abdomen.

Eddie leaned down, still pumping Steve at a steady pace, the slick sound filling the room. He licked up the blood drying on Steve’s neck, tasting salt and caramelized sugar. The previous bite had almost completely healed over, save for two little red marks on his skin.

“Eddie.” Steve choked out, hand grasping at the cushion on the couch. “Please.” He begged, echoing himself a couple of times.

Eddie tongued at the spot, continuing to trail kisses down the column of Steve’s neck. Teasing him. He knew what he wanted. He halted his hand movement, ticking an eyebrow up. “Please what?”

“Assh-oh—” Steve’s annoyance was immediately cut off by a stuttered moan, unusually high for him, as Eddie plunged his fangs back into Steve’s flesh. He sunk his teeth further into Steve’s neck, right where the bite had just healed. His blood was impossibly sweeter, heavy and syrupy against his tongue. Eddie’s nerves felt like livewire, tingling and sparking underneath his skin. He pulled the skin into his mouth, guaranteed to leave a bruise.

Eddie resumed pumping Steve, picking up the pace. “Ah— sh-it.” Steve’s voice cracked, back arching helplessly off the couch. The noises Steve was making were straight-up pornography, ragged moans that fizzled out into airy little whimpers. He humped jerkily into Eddie’s palm, pleasure written all over his face.

“Fuck, Steve.” Eddie’s eyes slipped shut, trying to wave off his pleasure threatening to crest over.

Steve folded his forearm over his eyes, chest heaving and neck bobbing as he swallowed thickly. “Gonna cum.” He choked out, his voice sounding foreign to Eddie.

“Yeah.” Eddie panted into the crook of Steve’s neck, unable to ward off his orgasm any longer. Heat coiled tight in the pit of his belly, like a wound-up toy. His hand stuttered on Steve’s cock. If he didn’t do something fast he was gonna cum in his pants, again.

Steve seemed to read his mind because Eddie felt a hand tug at his belt, frantically undoing the buckle. “Don’t stop,” Steve said sharply. Eddie obeyed, starting up the movement again.

Steve threw the belt onto the ground and thumbed at the button, pushing the denim of Eddie’s jeans out of the way. He shoved down the band of Eddie’s briefs, gripping his cock in his hand and pulling it free from the fabric.

It was like a supernova flashed behind Eddie’s eyes as he cried out, thick ropes of cum spurting against his stomach. His abs jolted and twitched as Steve worked him through his climax, moaning into Steve’s neck.

Eddie started working his hand faster and almost immediately, Steve’s breath caught and Eddie felt him spill over, cum warm overtop his fingers. Eddie quickened the pace of his hand, plastering small kisses across his skin as Steve finished, orgasm racking his body.

Steve threw his head back as he came down, mumbling curses under his breath. His cock twitched one last time, finally spent. They stayed that way for a bit, breathing hard into the air of the room.

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie huffed, picking his head up off Steve’s shoulder. He wiped his hand on his pant leg and dragged it over his mouth, cleaning off the blood still stuck to his lips.

Steve ran a hand through Eddie’s hair, at the base of his scalp. Eddie sighed, leaning into the light touch. “You good?” Steve asked softly.

“Yeah,” Eddie said, taking a deep breath. “Never better.”

That look returned to Steve’s face, full of fondness and want. “Um…are you still up for our movie date? Since—we got kinda distracted.”

Eddie’s brain short-circuited for a moment. He blinked a couple times. “So it is a date?”

Steve’s face scrunched into an adorably confused expression. “Y—yes?” He replied incredulously. “You were the first one to call it a date.”

A blush rose to Eddie’s cheeks.“It’s a very common saying, how was I supposed to know? Cause y’know, only people who go on dates are people who are— ”

Eddie froze, eyes going a bit wide. “—dating.” His brow furrowed, matching Steve’s previous expression. “Are we dating?”

The corner of Steve’s mouth ticked up, an amused grin spreading across his face. “…Do you wanna be?”

Eddie’s face immediately lit up. He pulled Steve in, kissing him feather-soft, hands cupping his cheeks. Steve inhaled slowly, eyes fluttering shut. He kissed back, just as gently. They both eventually drew away, faces warm and flushed.

“You have no idea,” Eddie whispered.

Steve’s expression grew coy, eyes never leaving Eddie’s. “So…was that the ‘Let’s make it official’ kiss or should we do another for good measure?”

“You’re a fucking minx.” Eddie chuckled, before once again meeting Steve’s lips, smiling uncontrollably into the kiss. Steve hummed contently, hands raising to support Eddie’s neck.

They broke apart reluctantly, fingers still tracing small circles on each other's skin. Eddie tucked himself back into his pants, which were smeared with dried cum. “Whaddya say we get cleaned up, patched up, whatever—then we can vote on a movie?”

Steve’s hand raised to his own neck. He gently pressed at the bite, healing a bit slower than it usually would, since Eddie broke the skin twice. “Sounds like a plan.”

“But,” Steve started. He scooted over slightly, making just enough room for Eddie to slide in between him and the back cushions. Eddie did just that, snuggling next to Steve’s body. “I wanna stay like this. Just for a bit.”

“Mhm.” Eddie nuzzled further into Steve’s space. “You read my mind.”

Yeah. Eddie thought. He could get used to this.

[bari-the-witch]

Steddie week day 1 - Pining

Whew, I know I'm late to the party (it's almost 10 p.m. here) and I originally intended this to be a lot longer, but I ran out of time, so... here it is. Hope you enjoy!

Steve Harrington is not pining.

He’s not.

And everyone who says otherwise should probably get their eyes checked.

It’s not pining that he currently has one elbow propped up on the counter at work, his face cradled into the palm of his hand, watching Eddie goof around with Robin, wishing he’s the one getting all the attention from him right now.

It’s not pining he can’t help himself but notice the freckles dotting Eddie’s cheeks and the slope of his nose, the inviting lips currently pulled into an easy smile or how biteable his neck looks today because Eddie gathered up his hair into a high bun atop his head, a side effect of the hot blazing weather outside. A few loose strands frame his face and Steve feels his fingers twitch at the strong urge to stretch his hand out and tuck them behind Eddie’s ears.

And it sure as shit isn’t pining that he wants nothing more than to bury his hands into the thick strands while kissing him senseless until they’re nearly passing out from the lack of air.

A sigh escapes his lips as Eddie throws his head back and laughs with his eyes closed at something Robin said, exposing the long line of his pale neck in the process. Steve follows the movement with his eyes, swallowing hard at the display in front of him.

He notices too late that they stopped talking altogether, both sets of eyes fixed on him.

Shit, he must've been louder than thought.

While Robin grins smugly at him, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, Eddie furrows his brows in confusion.

„You okay there, Stevie?“ he asks concerned, cocking his head to the side. „You look a bit hot under the collar there.“

While it’s normally Steve’s job to act like a mother hen at the slightest sign of distress from the people important to him, Eddie seemed to have slipped on that glove like a second skin after the horrors of the Upside Down finally ended, developing a rather persistent protective streak when it comes to Steve’s wellbeing.

Steve’s not sure where it’s coming from. Maybe Eddie just feels guilty about something although he can’t imagine what.

Clearing his throat to buy him some time and also because his throat suddenly feels like he swallowed a bucket of sticky goo, Steve stands up straight and tries to not look like he got caught at something.

Because he didn’t pine for Eddie.

Okay, fuck yeah, maybe a bit. But no one needs to know that.

„Uh, sure. Sorry I - it’s just… I didn’t sleep much last night, so I’m pretty tired you know?“ Steve says, forcing out a yawn as he hides behind his hand to emphasize his point.

And it’s technically not a lie. He really did sleep like shit with the nightmares keeping him awake for the most part of the night again.

Eddie’s expression turns from confused to full-blown concern in a matter of seconds.

„This bad again?“

„Seems like it,“ Steve sighs deeply, feeling like a shitty friend for using Eddie’s concern to deflect from the real reason they’re having this conversation, him behaving like a lovesick schoolgirl and staring at Eddie’s neck like a creep. But he isn’t ready to have that conversation with him yet. And certainly not in the middle of Family Video of all places while Robin followed their interaction like a hawk ready to strike down its prey.

„But don’t worry, I’ll manage somehow. I mean, it’s not my first rodeo with the Upside Down,“ he adds shrugging to lessen the blow a bit.

Eddie doesn’t look like he's buying into Steve’s bullshit of it not being be a big deal, but at least he’s not suspecting there is a different reason for his behavior.

„Call me next time, no matter how late it is, okay?“ Eddie says firmly and Steve knows he actually means it.

„Thanks, Eddie.“ Steve musters up a sincere smile which Eddie immediately returns.

„You’re welcome sweetheart.“

Sweetheart.

Another one in the long line of pet names Eddie gave him since becoming friends, each one making Steve’s heart flutter more than the one he used before. And this time is no different.

Unable to tear his eyes away from Eddie, Steve feels his heart stumble, doing a whole ballet routine inside his chest that leaves him wanting and breathless. Eddie stares back at him with an unreadable expression.

To his horror, Steve leans slightly forward, right into Eddie’s personal space.

The bubble around them pops when Robin clears her throat, pulling them both out of whatever this is. For a moment, he completely forgot about her.

„Well, as you can see I’m still here, and as much as I enjoyed your little staring contest, we’re still at work, so..." Robin trails off but Steve gets the message either way.

I’m giving you an out here, dingus.

„Uh, be right back,“ Steve says as he grabs a stack of tapes, vanishing to the back of the store without another word. He didn’t even check if the tapes were already rewound before picking them up, but that’s not the point anyway. If they aren't, he can still dump them somewhere and sort them out later.

Of course they aren’t, he notices with a groan, because people are assholes and Steve hates them, so he dumps the tapes ungracefully on the floor with a loud clatter, not caring about the mess he made. What he cares about is his job though, so Steve makes a mental note to sort it out later. Steve's already on thin ice, he doesn’t want to give Keith another reason to put him further up his shit list.

With nothing else to do, Steve heads to the backroom, hiding out on the comfortable couch until Eddie leaves. He’s sure Robin will understand, because there’s no way in hell he’s getting back there after almost jumping Eddie's bones only seconds ago.

While Steve’s fairly comfortable with his bisexuality now, something Robin took a great part in because she knows exactly what he’s going through, there are still a few things he needs to sort out for himself on how to deal with all this pining and wanting.

So you see his problem here.

So he keeps all the feelings bottled up inside, because he’s afraid of screwing this up and destroying their friendship in the process.

And also because he’s a fucking lovestruck idiot who can’t tell left from right as soon as he's hit by the power of Eddie’s impossible large doe eyes.

He doesn't know how much time passed when there’s a knock at the door and Robin carefully peeks inside. „The air’s clear,“ she says gently. Steve only blinks groggily at her (did he doze off?) but still gets up to follow her outside.

„Thanks,“ Steve says after a while of working alongside her in comfortable silence. Robin may not always grasp the social cues on when to keep quiet, but most of the time she knows when he needs time and space to think.„You know, for keeping me from making an idiot out of myself.“

Robin puts down the box of sweets she brought in from the storage room and turns around to face him. „I wouldn’t say idiot because you know my opinion on this-.“

Steve wants to protest but she holds up her hand. „Shush, you know I’m right about this. What I was trying to say is that even though I’m sure Eddie would have been totally on board with this - I said shush, Jesus Christ Steve - this wasn’t the time nor the place for this. I mean, imagine telling people you had your first kiss in the middle of Family Video,“ she snorts like it’s the funniest shit on earth, shaking her head in amusement about her own joke.

„I can’t change your mind about this, huh?“ Steve asks rolling his eyes at which Robin only shakes her head.

„Nope, never. And maybe one day you'll see it too. Hopefully soon, because all that pining is making me all jittery and nervous and sure is gonna drive me crazy if you don’t pull your head out of your asses-.“

Steve looks at her fondly while she continues to ramble needing to bite his lip in order to keep himself from laughing out loud, because Robin started to flail her arms around like one of the blow up thingies they have in front of every car dealership.

It’s a lost cause though, because she looks absolutely ridiculous, and soon, Steve finds himself howling with laughter, the worries of the last few hours melting away like ice in the sun.

[n4tek]

Day Two: Bitter Sweet

… a bit late posting it here hahahjajs

[inklessletter]

Hell pit

This is the second version of this that I made for @steddie-week. Again, I truly hope this is okay.

Day 4 - Hurt/comfort

First, he punches the door so hard that the lock breaks.

Then it's hard to breathe, well, it was hard to breathe before, with all those fucking morons talking shit about him.

Then he realizes that he got himself in a hell pit of hatred, full of messages talking about someone no one knew in that godforsaken place.

He tries not to scream again.

He doesn't achieve it.

Then he gets a sharpie and erase the hate, the lies, the disrespect.

He's panting, he's sweating.

It is still hard to breathe.

He swallows around nothing and tears are forming when he puts the nib in a blank space.

this town owes you an apology

And it feels good, even if it is for a second.

Air comes easily now in and out his lungs.

The panic attack is fading, he can feel his hands again, he can breathe again.

Steve leaves the stall when he's in control of his body again, to keep helping people that don't deserve help.

---

@mentallyundone

[inthewychelm]

the sequel for a vampire’s guide is probably gonna take longer than i realized, so i thought i might post a sneak peak of what i was writing today which happens to fit the @steddie-week prompt, day three: discover

Eddie flicked on the light switch as he stumbled into the bathroom. He stared distractedly at the texture of the walls while he grabbed the nearest towel. He only glanced up at the mirror as he approached the sink before throwing himself back in shock. Eddie didn’t know what he expected to see in the mirror but he almost hadn’t recognized himself. 

He took in his appearance, the black shirt he’d been wearing for days since his Hellfire tee had gotten torn up by those demo-bats. He had some scraps on his arms, the fingers that clutched the towel looked foreign somehow. Eddie stared at his own face in the mirror, shiny with the sweat from his nightmare. But his eyes looked sunken in, the dark circles under his eyes appear more prominent to his pale skin. Eddie couldn’t remember his skin being that pale, he almost looked--- Well, he looked like a walking corpse. 

Eddie stared bewildered by his appearance, which is how Steve found him moments later. He was mulling over the horrifying possibilities of the smeared blood around his mouth as Harrington entered his view. His reflection looked frantic and on guard. 

“Eddie! What happened? I heard a noise, are you hurt?” 

Eddie blinked between the mirror and Steve. Trying to understand if either were real. He blinked slowly as he shook his head. Steve sighed once he vaguely answered his question. Eddie belatedly realized he hit the door when he was surprised by the sight of his own reflection. He must’ve made a loud noise that alerted Steve. Did he wake Wayne too?

“Wayne?” He whispered. Steve, seemingly much calmer, leaned back to glance out to the living room. He squinted, presumably to search for Wayne’s sleeping form in the dark corner of the trailer. Steve’s chin jerked in a short motion, hinting that he spotted Eddie’s uncle. 

“Still asleep.” Steve confirmed. He looked back to Eddie, some concern still lingering. “So what happened?”

Eddie glanced briefly back to his reflection. He ran a hand over his face and groaned. 

“Just wasn’t expecting this.” He mumbled, waving a hand halfheartedly at his reflection. Harrington scrunched his brows in response, eyes darting between Eddie and the mirror.

“Didn’t think you had a reflection anymore?” Bless his heart, Steve really looked like he was trying to understand but was totally lost. And managing to make fun of Eddie in the process. “Shit, are you actually considering Mike’s insane theory?”

Eddie didn’t hear any judgment in Harrington’s voice, just that he was trying to keep up with the conversation. 

“Fuck you Harrington, not what I meant. I just didn’t expect to see myself looking like I just crawled out the grave.” He retorted defensively. “And there’s blood on my face, fuck, looking like this must’ve freaked Wayne the fuck out.”

Steve had the decency to look almost ashamed. He glanced down at their feet on the tile. 

“Yeah. We, uh Wayne too, meant to clean up. Your wounds mostly, the dirt also.” Steve was gazing up at him through his lashes as he stuttered. “But you--um, kinda freaked out anytime someone got close.”

“And if it helps, I think the blood is from the nightmare? So Wayne hadn’t seen that.” Steve offered in a soft voice. 

“Jesus fuck,” Eddie huffed out a wild laugh. “ Thought I had I managed to snack on somebody in my sleep.”

The thought was absurd, but he couldn’t help the manic giggles that slipped out. Harrington watched him peculiarly, as if he wasn’t sure if he should find Eddie so amusing. He quickly joined Eddie in a quiet laughing fit, shoulders knocking together as they shook. 

“Nope.” Steve breathed out between chuckles. “But I think your hypotenuse is two for one.” 

Eddie didn’t understand what that comment meant but it just made him laugh harder. He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, tilting his head to urge Steve to expand. 

“Y’know, the pale skin and your pointy teeth are a maybe, but you do have a reflection.” Steve bared his teeth and mimicked fangs with his fingers.

Eddie marveled at Steve for a moment as the laughter wore down. How was he real?

“Teeth?” He scrunched his nose, not understanding how that factored in Steve’s clearly sleep-tired logic of the topic of Eddie’s possible dead-undead status. 

“Yeah, you got those pointed canines,” Steve rambled, not catching on to Eddie’s confusion. “S’prolly a coincidence, because you can’t jus’ grow new teeth. But it’s funny, ‘cos Mike thinks you might be a vampire.”

The fuck was Steve on? Eddie didn’t have pointed teeth. His canines were disappointingly dull. A fact that had tempted to getting proper costume vampire teeth, not the cheap plastic ones, to terrorize the Hawkins High student body every October. So Eddie was well aware of his lack of fangs, so to say. 

“I don’t have fangs, Harrington?” Eddie whipped his head in Steve’s direction, squinting his eyes like it might help him parse out what Steve was getting at. 

“Huh? Yeah, you do!” Steve squawked back. “Li’l teeny baby ones, but you got some.”

Steve was gesturing wildly with his hands like Eddie should know what he was talking about. Eddie huffed and shuffled to walk around Steve to get to the mirror that he was blocking. Teeny baby fangs, he muttered exasperated as he leaned forwards over the small countertop. Harrington’s gotta be going insa---

Except, there they were. He got a small peek as soon as he pressed a finger to his upper lip, raising it only slightly. Just a quick glimpse of a dull point hanging lower than his other teeth. 

Eddie dropped his hand suddenly, mouth slacked open. That was new, he knew there was no way they popped out overnight. But he also knew that was not how his teeth normally looked. Eddie took another deep breath and lifted his lip to get a better look. 

The aforementioned new fangs were by any means sharp. Rather than the squarish shape of what he remembered of his teeth, his tooth narrowed into a distinctly fang shape. Though the ends were fortunately dull with a rounded tip. As he stared in wonder at the discovery, he noted several shallow cuts on his lip. Eddie got the notion that the introduction of his apparent new fangs and his recent night terror might be the cause for the blood smeared on his face. 

“Teething these gonna be a bitch.” Eddie grumbled absentmindedly. 

“So I’m getting the sense that those haven’t always been there?” Steve interrupted Eddie’s marveling. Eddie dragged his eyes away from his current fascination, shooting him a sarcastic look. “Cool, cool, maybe the vampire thing is real. Fuck.”

Eddie couldn’t help giggles that slipped out at the dumbstruck look on Steve’s face. 

“Fuck this, ‘m going back to sleep.” Steve whined as he stumbled out the bathroom back to Eddie’s room. 

[metalhoops]

Steddie Week Day 4:

Familiar / Hurt/Comfort / Here Come the Tears by Judas Priest

Eddie and Steve had never been close before the world went to hell. They’d known of each other, as everyone knows everyone in small town, middle America. They’d gone to the same school, smoked behind the same abandoned buildings and knew all the best places to make the worst decisions, but they hadn’t done it together. They were disparate figures, drifting around each other’s edges. That all changed in 1986 when through fate or chance the two boys had been flung together. 

By the summer of 1988, they’d grown into and around each other like vines beneath forest foliage. They’d become inseparable, familiar. Steve showed up outside the garage at closing time, the Beamer tearing down the gravel path, leaving a trail of dust in its wake. When Robin and the kids weren’t around, Steve drove fast, throwing caution to the wind. No one else knew that about him. Eddie did. 

He didn’t know what to do with all of the pieces of Steve that were uniquely his. He felt the illogical urge to write them down, catalogue each one as though designing a character for a new campaign. He wanted a record of each minute detail of Steve. 

“Your yuppie boyfriend’s tearin’ up the drive again, Manson,” Eddie's boss, Frankie, hollered from his spot behind the service desk. 

In the year he’d worked at the garage, he’d never seen the guy move from behind his desk, yet his hands were always grease-stained. Eddie hated his boss, but the job paid well enough. He was saving up to high tail it out of Hawkins, where nicknames like ‘The Freak’, and Frankie’s newest addition ‘Manson’, as in that Manson, the one with the cult in the 60s, weren’t so widespread. 

“I was off twenty minutes ago, Frankenstein. You want him to stop kickin’ up dust you could just let me off on time,” Eddie grumbled, grabbing a spare rag and trying to scrub the worst of the grease and engine gunk from his hands and overalls.  

“You think that carburettor was going to replace itself? You wanna finish on time? Work faster,” Frankie noted, punctuating his point by kicking his feet across the desk. Charming. 

Eddie made his way to the car, drummed his knuckles against the passenger door and waited as Steve leaned over to push it open, his precious seats covered haphazardly with one of Eddie’s ruined bandannas. This was their habit, how the two worked. Steve was wearing sunglasses, which usually meant he was fighting off a migraine. They’d been more frequent in recent months. Eddie blamed the hot weather. 

“How was your day?” Steve asked, starting the car.

Eddie flopped into the passenger seat and groaned. He let his body lay slack and boneless as the leather seats cradled him and the cool air from the A.C. took his breath away.

“That good, huh?” 

“Everyone’s cars decided to break down on the hottest day of the year and Frankenstein’s still giving me shit about being a cult leader. I think the dude used to hold out hope for you since you were the town's golden boy, but now he thinks there’s some kind of Stepford wife thing going on.” 

Steve snorted as he turned onto the familiar street leading to The Harringtons’ house. 

“I saw Dustin today. The kid wanted me to remind you, you’re picking the twerps up on Monday,” Steve informed, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel. The guy had no sense of rhythm, but Eddie never had the heart to tell him. 

“Remind me why you can’t,” Eddie muttered as Steve’s house came into view. 

“Because I work late and you get off by two.” 

“I thought you said my van was a ‘death trap’. I could always take your car,” Eddie proposed with a devilish smirk. 

That car was Steve’s baby. Not even he was allowed to drive it, save that one night in Indianapolis when Steve was drunk and Robin broke her wrist. They’d spent five hours together in the emergency room. It’d brought back all the wrong kind of memories for Steve and Eddie could tell. 

Steve and Eddie talked about everything except Eddie’s stay in hospital and defining the liminal space between platonic and romantic, their relationship had been drifting for the past six months.  

“In your dreams, Munson. You staying at mine tonight?” Steve asked, pulling up and walking around to open Eddie’s door for him. 

He always made excuses about Eddie getting engine oil all over the passenger door, but he thought Steve liked playing chivalrous in the same way he liked playing up his less-than-stellar reputation.  

Steve kept asking him to spend the night. Eddie had his own drawer in Steve’s room. He couldn’t help but feel like he was asking him to move in. Eddie kept turning him down, not because he didn’t want to, but because he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life in Hawkins, even if it was with Steve. He’d tried to convince himself he’d be able to do it, so they could get out of their goddamn stalemate and get on with the rest of their lives. Yet, Hawkins had always been inhospitable for the likes of people like him and the person Steve was becoming.

“If you’re cookin,” Eddie agreed, unbuttoning his overalls.

By the time Steve found his keys, Eddie had managed to strip the sweat-slicked clothes from his body and dumped them unceremoniously on the front stoop. The good thing about rich people’s houses? No neighbours for miles. 

They followed the same old routines. Eddie made his way upstairs to shower while Steve started prepping for dinner. Once Eddie didn’t smell like the inside of a boys' locker room, he returned to find Steve spaced out in the kitchen. 

Eddie’s heart was a hummingbird in flight. Steve’s body was stock still, his eyes a thousand miles away. 

“Steve,” Eddie breathed, signalling his approach. 

He tried to focus on the kitchen. This wasn’t two years ago. Vecna was dead. 

He laced his fingers into the crook of Steve’s elbow and finally caught the boy’s attention, the pot on the stove having boiled dry. 

“Migraine?” Eddie asked as Steve’s eyes snapped shut, frown lines marring the landscape of his forehead. 

“Yeah,” Steve confirmed through gritted teeth as Eddie guided him to the couch, switching off the lights on the way.

“Looks like you’re going to have to put up with the Munson special then, eggs on toast,” He breathed, sitting down beside Steve and guiding his head into his lap. 

He’d sat through a couple of Steve’s migraines. Sometimes they were fast and painless as a sun shower, other times he’d spend hours disorientated and puking up his guts. There wasn’t much Eddie could do for him, but sit there and be with him for it. In sickness and in health, all that crap. Eddie wasn’t sure when he’d become close enough to Steve that he’d sit through anything with him, but he knew now he would. 

“Stevie, you know when I get outta this hellhole, I’m taking you with me, right?” Eddie breathed, feeling the sudden need for candour. 

Sometime in the space between getting to know Steve and getting to love Steve, they’d crossed the line from familiar to familial.

Steve’s face nudged against Eddie’s palm, his forehead beaded with sweat. 

“I’d like that,” he confirmed. 

“We’d have to take Robin with us, though,” Steve added after a beat, causing Eddie to let out a breathy chuckle and dip down to press their foreheads together.  

“Fine by me, long as you’re there.” 

[angeldreamsoffanfic]

sooo looking forward to participating in this

Steddie Week Prompts

Each day has a word, a trope, and a song to choose from as a prompt!

May 22: Hunger / Pining / Somebody to Love by Queen

May 23: Bittersweet / Fluff and/or angst / Fade to Black by Metallica

May 24: Discover / First kiss / Kiss On My List by Hall and Oates

May 25: Familiar / Hurt/comfort / Here Come the Tears by Judas Priest

May 26: Together / Established relationship / Hold the Line by Toto

May 27: True / Misunderstandings / You Looking At Me Looking At You by Ozzy Osbourne

May 28: Free space / Free space / Freedom by Wham!

Steddie week will run from 22-28 May when you can post a fanwork inspired by one (or more) of the daily prompts and tag this blog when you post. Any kind of fanwork is welcome and you can pick just one prompt, do multiple, merge them together—whatever you want!

Check the FAQ for more detailed info

Thank you to @sharpbutsoft for the promo image! And to the @thefreakandthehair who will be helping out

[farfaras]

Steddie week. Day 6: True / Misunderstandings. 1k words. Ao3 link.

@steddie-week

Inspired/based on this tiktok.

~

“Are the small crispy fries your favorite?” Eddie asks once they start eating. They’re sitting on the floor by the coffee table. Their favorite take out’s making an appearance once again.

“What?” Steve turns to Eddie, before taking a bite out of his burger.

“Well, I’ve noticed you gravitate towards those. Are they your favorite?” Oh, Steve does do that. That’s not why, but he can see why Eddie would think so.

They usually share a plate of fries, mirroring what they did during their first date. It sort of became a thing to keep doing it. Steve thought it was cute.

He shakes his head. “No, not at all.”

Eddie seems surprised by this. “Then why do you only eat those?”

“Oh. I just noticed you tend to go for the long soggy fries. So I eat the crispy ones for you.” Steve easily explains.

Eddie lets out a small laugh. “Steve.”

“Yeah?” Steve stops eating. Is it weird that he does that? “What’s funny?”

“The crispy fries are actually my favorite.” Eddie rests his chin on his hand, leaning on the table. He looks extremely amused by this.

“Huh? But you never… really?” Steve is so incredibly confused.

“I just start with eating the soggy ones to leave my favorites for the end.” Well, that’s just something Steve never thought of doing himself.

“Why would you do that if we’ve been sharing?”

“It was just a habit, I guess.” Eddie shrugs. “And then well, I thought you liked the crispy ones too so I just kept eating the soggy ones, so you could enjoy them.” He says. Like that’s not the most adorable, considerate and thoughtful thing someone has done for him. It’s something so small, but it feels so big.

“But the soggy ones are actually my favorite!” Steve exclaims. He grabs Eddie’s shoulders and gently shakes him.

The only thing Eddie does is just burst out laughing. He’s laughing so hard he falls down on his back. Steve can’t help it, he gives in to the laughter too. This is so ridiculous, and it could’ve been completely avoided!

“You’re telling me,” Eddie starts once he seems to have started to calm down. Still on the floor, on his back. “We’ve both been eating our least favorite fry.”

Steve nods. “Yep.”

“For months!”

“Months.” Steve confirms.

“Just because we thought the other liked our favorite kinda fry.” Eddie takes a deep breath, he’s calmed down completely now.

“We really thought.” Steve shakes his head, a disappointing look on his face.

“When we could’ve been eating our favorite kinda fry.” A pause. “For months!” He yells.

“I mean… it’s kinda on us for never asking?” Steve rationalizes. They just assumed. And for the looks of it, they didn’t even mind making that teeny tiny fry sacrifice for each other.

“That’s true.” Eddie sits back up, crisscross in front of Steve. “How long were you gonna keep doing that?”

“Doing what? Eating my least favorite fries so you could have what I thought were your favorites?” Steve thinks he could keep doing that for the rest of his life. Even if him and Eddie weren’t together anymore. He’ll always want Eddie in his life, so he’d keep doing that. Always.

Eddie nods. “I mean, at some point you would’ve gotten tired of it, right?”

“No.”

“No?” Eddie raises a skeptical eyebrow.

“For you, every time we had fries; I would’ve kept doing it.” Steve is so very much aware how sincere his voice sounds. It shouldn’t feel like a confession, but it sort of does.

Eddie looks for any trace of hesitation on his face, or signs that he’s just joking. He’s glad he doesn’t find any, because there aren’t any.

Eddie clutches his chest where his heart would be, then he puts his hand on his forehead as if he was swooning. The drama queen falls back on the floor again. Steve rolls his eyes, he’s pretty much used to his antics at this point.

“Oh dear! Steve! Steve Harrington would make such sacrifice? For me? Little old me?” Eddie’s eyes are closed. Maybe because there’s a danger of breaking character if he looks at Steve directly. “Give up his favorite fries? No one possesses this amount of selflessness.”

“You were literally doing the same thing.” Steve tries to remind him.

Eddie ignores him in favor of continuing his dramatic monologue. “Heavens. It must be true love.” Eddie sighs. He opens his eyes abruptly, panicked. “I mean. Uh- um.”

Eddie sits up so fast, Steve worries if he’s dizzy because of the sudden movement. He doesn’t look dizzy, just mortified. Which he shouldn’t be, because for a while Steve has noticed that somewhere along the first time he and Eddie properly interacted and their time dating, he’s probably fallen in love.

Who is he kidding? He absolutely loves this fucking dork. This dork who couldn’t control himself and had to declare his love during a dramatic monologue about fries. Fries.

Steve takes Eddie’s hands in his. Gentle and comforting. “Eds, baby. Relax.” He gives his hands a squeeze.

His curls bounce as he nods, trying to compose himself. He evens his labored breaths.

“It is.” Steve says. Eddie tilts his head up, just enough to look him in the eyes.

“What is?”

“Love. It’s true love.” Steve rests their foreheads together. “No matter the thing, how small, or how big it is. I would do anything for you, Eddie.”

The smile Eddie gives him is blinding.

“I love you, Steve.” Eddie kisses his nose. Makes him giggle.

“I love you, too, Eddie.”

This kiss feels different than the rest. Not because of how gentle, slow and soft it is. But because it’s the first kiss after they’ve expressed their love. It feels charged with truth, finally out. And it feels fantastic.

When they part they cannot help the dopey grins that are plastered over both their faces. Steve feels giddy, not because of what they just said. He’s just also excited. He thinks that even if they have lots to figure out, their future has never looked so bright.

“I think our food’s cold now.” Steve kisses his cheek.

Eddie just throws his head back in laughter.

[blasvemous]

Okok repost because this fits Day 2 of @steddie-week fluff prompt 💖 and maybe bc I'm obsessed with the disaster trio

Eddie is sick...

(first time I've written something, not sure if it will become a regular occurrence or not but, I hope its got a good mouth feel for ya)

Steve and Robin were in the middle of a heated debate over what movie they were going to watch tonight when the apartment door slammed open, rattling the poorly hung picture frames on the wall.

Steve immediately moved into a defensive position as Robin grabbed the closest thing to her that could be used as a weapon. They crept down the hallway, ready to pounce on whomever, or whatever had barged into their haven.

They heard the intruder before they saw them. Quiet grumbles and groans came from the entryway; the sounds of items being tossed about and the door being thrown shut. Steve and Robin only relaxed once they recognized the voice rounding the corner.

Eddie chucked his shoes into the corner, pointedly ignoring the shoe rack that Steve had put by the door. He kicked the door shut and trudged down the hall, prepared to shower and collapse in bed, when he saw two dark figures watching him in the darkened doorway. He let out a small shriek as he lunged for the light switch.

Before him now illuminated by the weak overhead light was Steve, phone receiver in hand raised and ready to strike; behind him was Robin, with a deadly look in her eye, holding a plastic ladle like it was a baseball bat. 

Eddie began to laugh at the ridiculous sight when he was cut short by Robin tossing the ladle at his head.

“Hey! What was that for?” he grumbled as he rubbed the sore spot on his head.

“You know you can’t just barge in like that!” Robin practically screamed at him. Steve moved forward to check Eddie’s head, “We didn’t know it was you! We could’ve hurt you!” Steve said as he went to lock the front door and check for any damage to the cheap plywood structure.

Eddie puffed his chest up, “Well I’ll have you know, I’ve received terrible news, that which has left me in a dreadful mood, I fear that you have only exacerbated the issue with your large spoon throwing!”. Steve rolled his eyes and met Robin’s equally amused stare.

“It’s a ladle, not a spoon,” said with all the bitchiness Steve could muster. 

Of course, Steve would know the particular cookware vernacular. 

Eddie, seething with annoyance, prepared his retort.

“Well you would know, wouldn’t you?” He shoved passed the two of them moving to collapse on the couch in a dramatic flourish.

“The hell does that mean?” Steve said as he tossed his hands in the air. He looked at Robin, gesturing at the metalhead who has now become one with the old musty couch.

"Can you believe this?” Steve looked to Robin for a response. She shook her head and released a small sigh, as she shoved Eddie over so she could sit.

“What’s the bad news Eddie?” Robin tried to be comforting in case it was a serious situation but kept a healthy amount of suspicion in her mind since it was Eddie after all.

Eddie half-heartedly rolled over. “I dare not say it aloud, for fear may consume me whole”, his lip quivered as he spoke. He doesn’t know if it was the trembling lip or the small strangled noise he made that softened Steve up, but here he was leaning over Eddie with concern all over his face.

“What’s going on? Is it code red?” Steve glanced toward the counter where the walkie was placed, panic overtook his tense frame. Before he could move to grab it, Eddie was grabbing his wrist, yanking him away. Steve crouched down, petting Eddie's hair and making concerned eye contact with Robin.

Eddie cleared his throat before he spoke, “‘Fraid not Steve-O. It's far worse!” He moved his hand to dramatically drape it across his forehead. Robin grabbed his hand to look him in the eye.

“I need you to cut the drama act and tell me what's going on,” she said frantically. “Like on a scale of failing senior year again” (“Hey!”) “To Vecna zombies, what are we talkin’?” She spits the last sentence out like it was demobat flesh.

Eddie looked toward Steve ready to crack another joke, but the damn Ken doll of a man was rooting through the closet pulling out the emergency bags and his bat. 

Shit, shit, shit.

Eddie sat up quickly, jostling Robin who was manically chewing her nails, eyes flicking between the two men like she was trying to decide which fire to put out first. 

Before Eddie could even get a word out, Robin tackled him to the floor. She began shaking his shoulders. “Just tell us what’s happening!! I can’t take it anymore!” She managed to yell out between her shaking assault on Eddie's shoulders.

Eddie squawked, trying to wriggle out from under Robin. “Steve! Are you just gonna stand by while she gives me shakin’ Eddie syndrome?!” Man, Robin was stronger than she looked.

Steve took one look over his shoulder and dropped everything, deeming Robs the more dangerous threat. The frazzled metalhead grinned up at his personal knight in shining armor, well at least until Steve joined in on the Eddie abuse.

With Robin violently shaking him by the shoulders and Steve manhandling his face like a stress ball, Eddie was preparing for his imminent death.

“Eds, I need you to tell us what's wrong or else I’m grabbing the walkie and radioing the whole party. So, you can tell us or you can tell the six children with severe PTSD reactions.” Steve spoke with a deadly calm that rattled Robin enough to stop her assault. 

Eddie swallowed, trying to digest the threat without choking. ”Fine, fine. I surrender! Release me!” he gasps, attempting to catch the breath that was punched out of him the moment he was shoved to the floor.

Without Robin’s steel grip on his shoulders, he was able to squirm out from under her and escape the two beasts he calls ‘friends’. Eddie stands, attempting to smooth out his hair; across from him, the shining twins stood, arms crossed and hips popped out in motherly disapproval. 

Steve’s expression held a sternness that was rivaled only by Robin’s next to him. 

Never one for a moment of silence, Robin spoke first. “Eddie. Tell us what’s happening. Now”. The air seemed to thicken in the room; Eddie’s skin felt itchy and uncomfortable. The tension was nauseating, he knew he was in trouble, and he was uncertain if he could peacock his way through this.

Rubbing his hands over his face and groaning, he falls on the couch once again. “Ok, ok, I’m sorry.” Eddie’s face was grim and cold, lacking the sunshine he normally exudes. “I got diagnosed with something, but before you start worrying, it's not contagious like that. So, you guys are safe and all…” He took a deep breath in, “But if you want me to move out, I get it. I don’t want to make either of you uncomfortable”. 

Steve’s eyes are glassy with unshed tears; Robin’s lip is quivering as she blinks rapidly. They both miss the small spark of mischief that flickers in Eddie’s eyes. Before Eddie can even come clean and get to the punch line, they pull him up and wrap him up in a suffocating hug. His face shoved into the warmth of Steve’s chest and his side compressed against Robin. Both their arms were like vise grips around him, locking Eddie in place. 

Eddie was quiet, not for a lack of words, but a lack of air; he couldn’t fucking breathe. Robin loosened her grip and Eddie gasped for air as she tried to speak through sniffles. “We love you Eds. Of course we don’t want you to move!” Steve nodded vigorously in agreement, “Yeah we want to support you, man. This is scary, but we’ve handled scary before”. 

Steve pulled him close for one more squeeze before letting him go, Robin still clung to his side. She pulled back a bit before she said, “Did you really think we would let you deal with this alone? You’re our friend, Eddie”. Her voice was full of hurt and anxiety, Eddie wanted to soothe her and fix it. 

“Well, no I didn’t think that, bu-”

Steve interrupted, unable to let Eddie finish his thought. “Look I know what you’re going to say, but Eds, it could’ve been any of us! Your sexuality doesn’t make it your fault, ya know” Steve was earnest as he spoke, which made Eddie even more bewildered. 

What did his sexuality have to do with anything?

He stepped back, hoping the small distance would help bring clarity to the situation. “Ok, I think there’s been a mix up here, 'cause I’m lost” he holds up his hands in innocent surrender. Robin and Steve, the terrible twosome, stare back at him in equal confusion.

“You’re confused? I’m confused!” Robin throws her hands in the air, Steve stares blankly at the floor trying to puzzle out what the hell is happening. Robin spun on her heel, “Wait, Eddie, what were you diagnosed with?”. She had a gleam in her eye, she figured it out.

Eddie pulled his hair in front of his face, and shamefully flopped back onto the couch, shoving his face in between the cushions. 

“Mhmnngmhhn” his words too muffled to make out from under the mess of hair and old couch stuffing.

Robin exasperated, looks at Steve, tossing an awkward gesture in Eddie’s direction. Still confused, Steve leaned forward to pull the grumbling mop of hair out from the cushions. Eddie released a loud groan, squishing his eyes closed so he didn’t have to look at Steve’s concerned face. 

Steve squished Eddie's face in his hands and looked him in the eye to say, “Hey can you repeat that for me? I don’t speak couch.” Eddie’s mask of perpetual sorrow and shame broke for a moment to let out a small chuckle. Robin rolls her eyes and plops down next to Eddie, “We just wanna help” she says tentatively like she might scare him away. 

Shoving his head back into the couch crevasse, Eddie screams “I SAID… mnhngnmmh”.

A loud clap breaks through Eddie’s pitty fest and makes him sit upright. Steve is standing before him, hands on hips. “You’re killin’ us Eds. I’m calling the party.” 

He grabs the walkie, “Hey guys-” 

“I SAID I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH GIGANTICUS GENITALIUS!” Eddie’s face was red, the vein in his forehead ready to pop, panic and guilt in his eyes visible. Once the words leave his mouth he lets out a scream and tries to crawl underneath the couch, a space that obviously would not fit a grown man. In a whimper of failure, he falls back on the couch hiding his face behind Robin’s shoulder.

After an uncomfortable silence, he only peeks out when he feels Robin shaking next to him. She’s laughing, “She’s fucking laughing!” Eddie was angry, no wait, he was relieved? 

As he went through the 5 stages of grief, he spun around to look at Steve. Steve whose face is bright red and his eyes tearing up as he holds back hysterical giggles. And Eddie just stands there, baffled, as he watches his two friends collapse onto the floor in a cramp-inducing fit of laughter. Once the shock passed, Eddie fell apart and joined them on the floor, his bright smile and dimples out in full force. 

“Giganticus Genitalius”, Robin squealed in between hiccuping breaths of air. Eddie smacked her arm only for Steve to retaliate by giving him a vicious noogie. They spend way too long laying together on the floor, repeating the awful joke back and forth until their stomachs hurt from the laughter. 

“We thought you were dying!” Steve manages to choke out. Robin soberly sits up and looks at Eddie, “I thought we would have to have the safe sex talk again”. Her serious attitude was met with a pillow to the face and a screech that sounded a lot like Eddie saying “We said we would never speak of that again!”.

Once the laughter died down, and they were breathing hard, Steve spoke quietly. “Really, we’re glad you’re ok Munson”.