#stranger thing steve

[kkpwnall]

if it wasn’t for bad luck i wouldn’t have luck at all

part one | rated t | 1270 words | cw: parental death

all my thanks and love to my beloved @fragilecapric0rnn for beta-reading 💜 you're a rockstar and your feedback was so so helpful

Eddie was born under a bad sign. That’s what his momma always used to say. Friday the 13th, and in October? He never really stood a chance and neither did anyone else he got close to. He was like a black cat walking across their path. 

[ keep reading below, or read on ao3 ]

His momma was first, of course. Cursed by the fate of Eddie’s birth from the very beginning. And if he hadn’t dawdled on the way home from school that day, if he had gone straight home just like he’d promised, if he hadn’t stopped to pick a bouquet of ditch weed wildflowers for her and got distracted by caterpillars and rollie-pollies— Well, maybe he would’ve been able to tell the 911 operator she was still breathing when he found her.

His daddy was next, not much long after. Eddie worshiped him like a hero in one of his fantasy stories, the charming, devil-may-care, down on his luck protagonist who stole from the rich and gave to the needy. But the first time Floyd brought him out on a real job, just the two of them, when all Eddie had to do was hot wire the getaway car after he heard the signal (three hoots like a barn owl), Eddie panicked. Did he say barn owl or barred owl? Was that two hoots or three? Why did the wires all look the same in the dark?

When the police cars painted him in their flashing red and blue lights, he dropped the wire cutters and ran. Floyd went down in a hail of bullets behind the car Eddie had been trying to steal, and Wayne got his own life sentence when the State dropped Eddie on his doorstep.

Uncle Wayne got the worst of it, obviously. Working himself to the bone, nights and weekends, to put Eddie through school. Not to mention senior year for a second and third goddamn time.

It was too late by the time young Eddie figured it out. By the time he decided to keep everyone at arm’s length.

It’s safer that way, for everyone.

Chrissy was just the latest in a long line. And he’d only lowered his guard an inch, a millimeter, when he saw someone just as lonely and desperate for a friend. He’d only barely started to let himself have an inkling of what an actual friendship with her might be like when—

This is exactly why Eddie doesn’t have friends. He has minions. He has little lost sheepies, he has twerps and shrimps. And that’s it. That’s enough. It has to be enough.

But all that changes the day he dies.

Or maybe it’s the day he finally wakes up. His new birthday, welcomed to the world once again in a cold, bright, sterile hospital room.

And really, the way he sees it, it’s all Henderson’s fault.

The little shit wanders in every day at visiting hours and makes himself right at home. He props his cast up on Eddie’s bed, and steals the remote to change the channel on the ancient, minuscule tv over to cartoons, and then he just… camps out! All day!

The kid will not leave him alone, no matter how cold a shoulder Eddie tries to give him. He even broke down and explained everything to him. How he’s bad luck, he’s bad news. And people who get too close to him end up dead.

But maybe the painkillers they’ve got him on scrambled his brain as bad as the bats scrambled his guts, because Dustin steamrolls right over him.

“If curses were real, which they aren’t,” he posits in his professor voice, “Your dumb curse can’t try to kill me again. It already took a shot and it missed, and the worst I got was a busted ankle.”

Eddie opens his mouth to tell Dustin that’s not how curses work but—

“And what was its goal anyway? To get you alone and friendless, dead in a ditch? Well then, mission accomplished!”

Which is… weirdly comforting when he puts it like that.

Dustin brings with him a rotating cast of the rest of the fellowship. Eddie finally gets to meet Baby Byers and finds out he’s already been recruited to Hellfire before Eddie can even say hello.

More often than not, Steve tags along too since he’s already ferrying them all between the hospital and home. Usually after he’s spent some time with Red and the other kids in her room, he’ll drop by. To check on Dustin of course.

It’s not because he likes Eddie. Don’t be ridiculous. He doesn’t even know him.

All that… before… it was just some harmless flirting to keep himself from completely losing it while he was on the run from homicidal bible-thumpers. And Steve was just humoring him.

So he hides behind stupid flirtatious remarks, easy to brush off when it’s always undercut with sly winks and salacious expressions. Enough to keep everything surface level. Keep him at arms length.

It doesn’t matter that his eyes still seem to linger on Eddie, even when he hasn’t said anything for a while. Or that he brings Eddie extra pudding cups from the cafeteria. It doesn’t mean anything when he stands in the doorway trying to finish one last story or joke, until the kids almost literally have to drag him out when visiting hours are over.

Because it turns out Steve is an incorrigible gossip. And Eddie’s not about to be the one to corrige him. Not when he brings an extra dr. pepper for Eddie every time he stops by the vending machine for a coke and gleefully tells Eddie which of the doctors, nurses, and shady government agents are sleeping together.

A can of coke he taps on the lid with a peculiar rhythm before he cracks it, every time.

“What’s up with that?” Eddie finally has to ask one day, when it’s just the two of them and the Price is Right.

Steve hums this confused little sound at him, tilting his head with furrowed brows as he takes the first sip.

Eddie repeats the pattern, tapping it out on his own can.

Steve blinks a few times, first at Eddie, then at the can in his hand.

“I didn’t even realize I did that,” he huffs out a laugh. “It’s uh… something my grandpa taught me when I was a kid. Y’know just for luck.”

The blood in Eddie’s veins freezes and he’s stuck like that for a painfully long moment. Propped up against the lumpy hospital pillows with his mouth half open, staring at Steve.

“For luck.” he says flatly.

“Yeah, so the fizz doesn’t explode when you open it.”

“And has that ever happened to you?” Aiming for flirty, aiming for scathing, aiming for anything that’s not desperation.

“Well no,” Steve says with an easy shrug and a conspiratorial smile, “that’s why it’s lucky. It’s like picking up a coin that’s face-down on the sidewalk.”

“Uh, I’m pretty sure it’s face-up, darlin,” Eddie says coyly, like every alarm bell in his head isn’t ringing a deafening cacophony.

“Nah see, you gotta leave those ones for someone who really needs the luck.”

“But then you get the bad luck.”

“Nah, doesn’t work that way,” Steve says, and fucking winks at him.

Eddie wants to shake him. What is wrong with him? He’s got it all backwards and it’s dangerous. How is he walking around like this?

Whatever, it’s not his problem. Steve can do whatever Steve wants. Eddie doesn’t need to protect him from himself. It’s not like they’re friends. And really, that’s the best way to protect him.

[ part two ]

[ also on ao3 ]

[migueloharafanboy]

Strangers

Steve Harrington x Eddie Munson

A (maybe) few chapters long fan fic

WARNING: SWEARING, BAD WRITING IM HAVING FUN

>> Strangers: Corroded Coffin Pt. 2

A whistle draws Steve from his slumber, the sound soft and melodic. He groans a bit as he awakens, his head reeling dangerously, the light that slips through his eyelids already burning. He turns his face into the pillow under his head to hide from the deadly light, the murky mess that’s his mind slowly beginning to function again.

“See you brought someone home last night.” An unfamiliar voice says, seeming to be joking.

There’s a short sigh mixed with a laugh, this one a bit more familiar. “It’s not what you think. It’s uh…”

“A boy?” The deeper voice asks, “y’know… that doesn’t bother me.”

“No! Fuck! That’s not what I meant!” The other voice exclaims. “He was drunk and didn’t want to go home.”

Oh, they’re talking about him. Where is he again? Steve slowly pushes himself up, taking in the messy bedroom. The door to the room is ajar, allowing him to hear the conversation outside. He stares at it for a moment, no longer eavesdropping as he tries to recollect his situation. It all slowly starts to come to him, remembering the party and the drinking, and running into Eddie Munson of all people. Wait. So he, Steve Harrington, stayed the night at Eddie Munson’s. Oh no, that could go so bad for him.

He gets up quickly, the soft grey blanket falling off of him as he reaches out his arms to keep his balance. Wow he his hung over. Whatever, he has to get out of here. He looks around quickly, heading over to the window. Based on the color of the sky, and placement of the sun, it’s still early, probably before noon. He grabs at the window, quickly pushing it open. It doesn’t even occur to him that sneaking out the window like this may make him look way more guilty if he’s seen. 

“Woah, what are you doing.” He hears behind him then, making him turn quickly and press his back against the wall. Wait, it’s not as cold as he was expecting. Didn’t he take off his shirt last night? “Are you trying to climb out the window?” Eddie asks, brows furrowed and hair all messy. Oh wow.

He stares at the boy for a long moment, glancing around. “No…” He breathes, glancing at his shirt. It’s a black t-shirt, with some hardly legible metal band name on the front. It smells like pine and honey. The whole room does. “What did you do to me last night.”

Eddie barks out a laugh at that, crossing his arms over his chest. “What did I do? I helped your sorry ass. Do you know how much of a whiney drunk you are? And not to mention clingy.” That last part makes him furrow his brow. He doesn’t remember that.

“What do you mean clingy.” He says slowly, watching amusement flicker in Eddie’s eyes.

“Oh, you don’t remember?” Eddie taunts, stepping closer to him. “What about how you wanted to cuddle?”

His eyes widen, warmth rising to his cheeks. “No way, that’s not what happened.” He huffs, turning away. “What did you do with my shirt?”

“It’s hanging up. I washed out that stain for you.”

Steve blinks and looks back at the boy, unsure if he’s being serious. “...Why.”

The boy shrugs, “looked expensive.”

“No.” Steve says more firmly, walking up and poking the boy’s chest. “Why the hell are you helping me? Are you blackmailing me? Did you tell anyone I’m here?!”

“Woah, chill.” Eddie states, grabbing his wrist. “No one knows you’re here. Why would I want to do any of that?”

“Because I bully you everyday!” Steve shouts, yanking his arm away and stepping back again. “I don’t get why you’d be nice to your bully.”

Eddie rolls his eyes, turning away. “Because I’m not some rich asshole with daddy issues. I’ll take you home now if you want to leave so bad.”

Steve stares at him for a moment, slowly allowing himself to relax. He stayed the night with Eddie Munson, if anyone found out his whole image would be ruined.

“...I’ll walk.” He says, looking around as he realizes he doesn’t have his shoes on. 

“No fucking way.” Eddie laughs, “no one’s going to give a shit if I drop you off at home.”

“You don’t know that!” He snaps, anxiety creeping up in his chest. His image is just a little too important to him.

Eddie puts his hands up. “Woah, seriously, calm down Steve.” Hearing his name from the boy makes his stomach twist. He can’t believe they stayed the night together.

“Where did you sleep.” He asks in a low voice.

Eddie scoffs, looking like he’s genuinely getting irked now. “Not even in here. I slept on the couch. I’m not a fucking pervert Harrington, get over yourself.”

He rolls his eyes and finds his shoes by the door, quickly pulling them on. “Whatever, I don’t even care.” He sighs and turns to the boy, pointing at him again as he hisses out. “Tell no one of our interaction.”

Eddie stares at him for a long moment. “...I won’t if you let me drive you home. It’s too far to walk, especially with how drunk you were last night. I doubt you’d make it a mile before your pretty hair would weigh you down too much.”

Steve contemplates the boy’s words for a long moment, weighing his options. Eddie was probably right, he does feel like horse shit. He meets the boy’s gaze for a moment, searching his eyes before slowly giving in. At least he’d get away from this place way sooner. “Fine.”

“Cool. Let’s go.” Eddie says with a turn, stepping out of the bedroom.

Steve is quick to follow him out, although the sudden movements makes his head ache and spin. Eddie glances back at him to make sure he’s following, opening the front door and stepping outside once he’s sure. The two head to Eddie’s van and climb in without a word, no sign of whoever Eddie had been speaking with earlier. Steve doesn’t bother to ask, not wanting to get to know the boy any further. He can’t believe this is how he’s starting his summer.

The van roars to life, stirring him from his thoughts briefly. As they begin to drive, he catches himself watching Eddie from the corner of his eye. He just can’t understand the guy. He gets not wanting to be a dick or whatever, but this seems like a lot to offer one of your high school bullies. The drive lasts forever, and there’s some quiet rock playing on the radio, but Steve keeps his attention mostly on Eddie. Discreetly at least. He desperately wants to remember anything he forgot, but he’d rather die than ask Eddie himself. He just hopes he didn’t do anything too embarrassing.

“I’ll drop your shirt off later.” Eddie suddenly breaks the silence, earning his full attention instead of a side eye.

“Okay.” Steve answers curtly, looking out the window. He can’t believe Eddie washed it for him. He can’t believe he’s wearing Eddie Munson’s shirt. “I’ll give your shirt back then.”

“Don’t worry about it, it’s too small on me now.” Eddie waves him off, suddenly pulling in front of his house. That went by faster than he thought.

“Oh, well I don’t want it.” Steve says, unbuckling slowly.

“Whatever, do what you want with it.” Eddie shrugs, watching him closely. The boy’s stare makes his skin burn, and he moves quicker to leave the vehicle.

He stands outside the van for a moment, feeling a bit embarrassed as he stares to the side. “...Thanks for helping me out I guess Freak- er… Munson.”

“Sure Hairball.” Eddie snickers, giving a curt wave as he closes the door to the van.

Steve watches the boy pull off and drive around the corner, only to quickly turn and run up to his house. He climbs around to the back and sneaks inside like usual, running up to his room. The house smells strongly of candles and rose, his mother’s favorite. Too bad the two were never around to enjoy it. He sighs as he steps into his bedroom, glancing at himself in the mirror. Wow he looks like shit. And this shirt looks stupid on him. He pauses then, slowly raising the shirt to his nose. Pine and honey… and sweat. His stomach flips and he cringes, quickly taking the shirt off. He feels weird. He should shower off and forget about this whole interaction.

[silverwingxox]

born to marry him, forced to read fanfics about him

[mister-anomaly]

starting off my return strong with a classic: itty bitty bat eddie

[actually-mentally-ill]

[cuntyarmand]

*looking into the camera like i'm on the office*

[itsdjover]

They're being chased by a monster and yet their first instinct at hearing Dustin singing on the radio is to judge him. I love them so much.

[fairyysoup]

we should meet steve's parents in st5 but it should be joe keery in a wig and joe keery with a fake beard like in back to the future 2

[lazylittledragon]

if i had a nickel for every au spawned from twitter that i SWORE i was going to be normal about

[goodkidmadcity]

when the fic was so good, you just sit and wish it was you there rn….

[whathehonestfuk]

Some guy Steve and rockstar Eddie

Steve sees Eddie out in public and partially recognizes him, no idea he's famous but in one of those I've definitely seen your face before but he can't get his concussion riddled brain to place where

Eddie meanwhile is bracing himself for either an over eager fan or based on how angry Steve's confused face is for him to start shouting about 'satan worship'

Imagine Eddie's surprise when Steve does finally approach him he simply asks 'do you know Dustin?'

[kkpwnall]

i felt like making a cover for this and posting it again before it's officially autumn. we go by the celestial calendar in this house

wanted: pool boy at the vampire mansion (rated: t | <1k words)

steve answers an unusual ad in the classifieds that’s pretty sparse on the details…

[read on ao3, or full ficlet below the cut]

divider by @saradika

It’s not a bad gig, really. Even if it stipulates in his contract that he has to be shirtless while he’s on the property. But Steve also signed the contract in his blood so he’s not sure how legal it is.

Plus the pay is insane. He quit his other jobs, and he’s basically got free reign of the pool all day. So he takes his time with the skimmer fishing out all the leaves and dead bugs, swims laps for a while. Spends the rest of the day in a lounger before adjusting the chemicals so it’s perfect by morning.

What do vampires need with a pool anyway?

The four guys stay in the house whenever Steve comes by, but they're friendly enough and wave at him through the dark tinted windows.

One guy ogles him the whole time he works. Not that he really minds. So what if Steve gets to work early, just to put on sunscreen? Who’s gonna know if he puts some extra flex in his muscles while he works? And who cares if they’ve got the cleanest pool in all of Indiana? It’s not hurting anyone.

But Steve's drawn to him the same way he was drawn to the ad in the first place, with his long dark curly hair and unending collection of black band shirts. His crooked smile and dimples and shining brown eyes.

It's just... they've never once spoken. And Steve is dying to get to know this guy who makes the goofiest faces at him. Who was pissed when Steve laughed the first time he did, hands up like devil horns, tongue lolling and eyes crossed. Until Steve made his own face back.

This guy, who plays elaborate charades with Steve through the glass, trying and failing to do the classic walking-down-stairs bit. Who went boneless when one of the guys in his band (? coven? pod? Ask Dustin what a group of vampires is called.) dragged him away while Steve mimed crying, waving an imaginary hanky at him. This guy, who clutched his heart and fell over when Steve lowered his shades and winked at him one day.

And it's because of those shades that Steve has to drive all the way back to the mansion late one night to retrieve them from his usual chair.

When he gets there, someone’s floating in the pool. Someone, with long curly hair spilling all around their head. Someone, wearing all their clothes, and Steve can't tell from the weak pool light if they're face up or face down, but they sure as hell aren't moving.

His lifeguard training takes over between one step and the next, as he bolts for the pool, launching into the water, and throwing himself forward with broad strokes.

Except when Steve gets to him, the guy isn't drowning, he’s sputtering and swearing and pushing away from him in the water. “What are you doing here?!”

“You're not drowning...” Steve says blankly, trying to catch his breath as he treads water.

“No! And thank you for the rescue, Lancelot, but you need to get out of here.” His long hair streams over his face as he spins while Steve paddles around him to make sure he’s really alright.

“Lancelot?” he asks, just to keep the guy talking, to hear more from his honeyed voice. Better than anything he could’ve ever imagined.

“A knight in shining armor,” the guy mumbles, trying to hide his face. “A hero rescuing fair damsels and slaying vile beasts.”

Steve chuckles, but doesn’t miss the venom in his last words. He catches him by the upper arm to stop his spinning. “No, I know who Lancelot is, it’s just–”

It’s just he’s even prettier close up. It’s just his skin is freezing cold in the sun-warmed pool water. It’s just he’s looking at Steve, caught somewhere between a grimace and a grin, and his teeth are so so sharp.

“I’m Steve,” he says, moving closer. Entirely entranced by the pool light, the moonlight, the starlight, glimmering in his eyes. Steve’s hand has a mind of its own, rising out of the water to cup the guy’s cheek with a wet palm, “And you’re…”

Gently traces his lower lip, runs his thumb over the sharp canine, careful not to touch the pointed tip.

“You’re beautiful,” Steve breathes.

The guy surges forward, reeling Steve in with a hand on the back of his neck, and kisses him fiercely. Steve kisses him back just as fervently, wraps his arms around his waist and kicks out with his legs to keep them afloat, as his tongue slides past the guy’s teeth to swirl and dance with his.

It's messy and uncoordinated and they sink and bob in the water as they move against each other. The guy's fingers tangle in the shaggy hair at the base of his neck, twisting and snagging. Steve groans and stretches a broad palm up between the guy's shoulder blades, pressing further into him, drinking all of him in.

“It’s Eddie,” he says, pulling back and panting when they finally part. “I’m Eddie.”

Steve grins at Eddie and kisses him again, pushing them through the water towards the edge at the shallow end of the pool. He can think of better uses for his legs right now.

[also on ao3]

[arelliann]

Continuing my slutty 80s crop top agenda

[artrealla]

these pieces have a companion fic!! go read it its AMAZING

[runraerun]