#tattoo artist chrissy cunningham

[hbyrde36]

Chapter 1: Under My Skin

Written for the @strangerthingsreversebigbang

Art (coming soon!) by @glitterfang

Beta'd by @penny00dreadful

Rating: E | WC: 5937 | Chapters: 1/2 | AO3 Link

Not for the first time, Eddie was really regretting his decision to book a client on a Friday night, and a new client at that. 

It wasn’t as if he had anything better to do, exactly. There were no dates on his calendar, and going out to random bars and clubs on the weekends to look for quick hookups had begun losing its appeal lately.

But it’d been a long week, and he’d much rather have been getting ready to plop down on the couch with Chrissy to split a bottle of red wine while they watched Drag Race, than preparing to do a cover up for some idiot who’d gotten his girlfriend’s name tattooed on his body, only to fall victim to—The Curse. 

Ask any tattoo artist and they’d be the first to tell you, there was no surer way to guarantee a breakup than to ink your significant other’s name on your body forever. 

And yeah, it probably wasn’t fair to judge the guy before they’d even met, but there were only two kinds of people who tended to make that particular mistake—dumbasses, and hopeless romantics. He just kind of assumed his client fell into the former camp, rather than the latter.

Eddie had just started wiping down the front desk counter, which doubled as a display case for the various accessories and body jewelry they carried trying to kill some time between his last appointment and cover-up-guy, when Chrissy came walking out of her studio.

It was one of the biggest perks, in his opinion, of owning their own shop. Not only did each of them finally have their own work spaces—no more having to listen to other client conversations or fighting over a single bluetooth speaker—but being their own bosses also meant they could decorate and customize their own studios to their heart’s content. 

The main area of the shop was a bit of a catch-all, much like his and Chrissy’s shared apartment. It featured neutral walls lined with a mishmash of all the things they loved, sprinkled in and amongst odd antiques, knick-knacks, and various pieces of unique artwork. There was everything from vintage vinyl record jackets tacked to the wall, to faux taxidermy mountings of creatures that had never existed in real life. 

Entering Chrissy’s studio was a little like stepping inside a Lisa Frank notebook cover. All vibrant rainbow colors and aggressive animal print. Eddie had painted the walls himself, color matching the exact shade of fuchsia as the adjustable chair he’d custom ordered just for her. He was no interior designer so she’d taken it from there, and though the finished product was a little too bright for his tastes, even he had to admit it was still pretty fucking metal. 

Eddie’s space was the polar opposite, featuring dark stained wood furniture and a style of decor that could be best described as a slightly more grown up version of a teenage boy's bedroom. Band and movie posters lined three of the walls, but instead of being held up with thumbtacks, or scotch tape, they were neatly laid in matching frames with thick black edging. The remaining wall held a gallery of photos. Him and Wayne from their last fishing trip, one from when he and Chrissy had received the keys to the parlor unlocking its doors on the first day that it was theirs, and an old snap of him and his high school bandmates standing in front of their homemade banner, among many others.

It wasn’t until Chrissy came up to lean on the counter with her jacket zipped-up and her purse slung over her shoulder that he realized something was up.

“Don’t forget to lock up when you're done.” She said, tapping her nails on the glass. “Oh! And can you stop and pick up some oat milk on your way home? We’re out.” 

“Wait, where are you going? Didn’t you have a client booked tonight too? I thought we were in this together, Cunningham!”

“Not anymore.” She said cheerfully, leaning across the counter to rest her elbows on the glass, leaving an ink smudge on the exact spot he had just finished cleaning. He swatted at her with the damp rag and she jerked back with a giggling-gasp.

“Mine had to cancel.”

Eddie groaned. “I hate when clients do that.”

She shrugged. “Doesn’t bother me. It’s like a free night off I wasn’t expecting.”

“Not exactly free, since canceling means not paying in full.” He grumbled.

“Oh lighten up! It’s not like we’re that behind on bills or anything.”

“Tell that to the electric company.” He said, mostly to tease her, though he couldn't help glancing up at the excessively large and kitschy skull chandelier he’d found on Amazon that definitely didn’t use high efficiency light bulbs, but he had sworn at the time was worth it for The Aesthetic™.

“Why are you always so grumpy?” Chrissy asked, jutting her lip out in a dramatic reenactment of him pouting. 

Not that he was one to pout. 

“I’m not!”

“Look at your face, you're grumpy right now!”

“That's because y- you’re…” He cut himself off with a sigh. 

He couldn't begrudge her the time off, he’d be hightailing it out of there just the same if it had been him. 

“Just get out of here.” He said, conceding defeat.

She beamed. “Okay! See you later!” She said, all but sprinting to the front doors. “Don’t forget about the milk!”

“Wait, why can’t you–” He started to ask, but she was on the other side of the door before he could get the words out.

“Oh forget it.” He mumbled, stashing the glass cleaner away where it belonged. 

About fifteen minutes later the bell above the door chimed, signaling the arrival of what Eddie assumed to be his last customer of the day. 

Except, it couldn't be.

It couldn’t possibly be because the Adonis that had just entered his humble tattoo parlor was, quite frankly, bonkers hot. There was no way, absolutely no way someone had this guy—this guy—so obsessed with them that he went and got their name tattooed on his perfect body and then just… let him go. 

It was unthinkable.

“Hi, you must be Eddie. I recognized you from your Instagram.” Pretty-boy said with a shy smile.

“Steve?” Eddie asked, blinking hard, completely unable to mask the tone of disbelief.

The other man nodded.

Shit, okay.

So this was him—Steeeeeeve Harrington. This was the guy. 

Maybe there was something wrong with him? There had to be a catch, a series of very red flags or something because all Eddie could think about at that moment was, if he ever got a chance with Steve? He’d never let him go. 

Get it together, Munson!

The bright side, of a sort, was that Steve smacked of straight guy energy, so it was unlikely Eddie would even be in the running for a chance anyway. Better to just put it out of his mind.

Though, he supposed he could still… look. It's not like looking ever hurt anyone. Not that he made a habit out of ogling the clientele. Of course, none of his other customers had ever come in wearing vintage Levi’s that fit their ass like a glove, not to mention the way they fit around his–

“Eddie?”

Fuck. 

Had Steve been talking this whole time while he’d been off daydreaming about what those sinfully tight jeans might look like on his bedroom floor?

“Yeah.” A soft chuckle fell from Eddie’s lips as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “S- sorry, man. Spaced out for a second there I guess.” 

What the fuck was wrong with him today?!

“It’s okay. I was just asking if the plan was still the same? In your last email you suggested we should do this over two appointments.”

Work question… yes, good. Focus on the job! 

“Right. With what we talked about I'd like to concentrate on just the outline today, maybe a little shading, and then in six weeks or so once that’s healed have you come back for the color. If you’re still alright with that?”

Eddie could do the whole thing in one shot if Steve really wanted to sit that long, but with something like this he didn't want to feel rushed. He’d done a few concept sketches after emailing back and forth with Steve about what he was looking for, and honestly what they’d come up with wasn’t really his usual style. He could do it, he was more than capable, but he had to wonder why Steve had picked him, out of all the tattoo artists in the city. He’d seen Eddie’s Instagram, so he knew the kind of work he usually churned out. Hell, Chrissy would have been the more obvious choice for this.

Of course, now that he’d gotten an eye-full of Steve in person he was glad he hadn’t tried to pawn him off on her. He was also really hoping Steve would agree to the split sessions, it would give them an excuse to see each other again.

“Whatever you think is best. I’m putting myself in your expert hands.” Steve said, a hint of a blush coloring his cheeks.

That was… interesting. 

Maybe Eddie had been a little bit hasty in his initial straight assessment?

Steve’s deposit had been paid, and they’d already gone over pricing through email so there wasn't much to discuss as far as that was concerned, After signing some paperwork and getting the other man’s ID scanned into the system there was nothing left to do but walk Steve back to his studio and get this show on the road.

“You can go ahead and take your shirt off, get comfortable. I’ll show you the stencil I drew up and if it looks good we can put it on and get started.” Eddie said, gesturing to his client chair.

He leaned over his desk while Steve got situated, taking a second to gather his thoughts, as well as add a small finishing touch to the transfer sketch before turning back to his client. The sight made his throat go dry. 

It shouldn’t have been as hot as it was. 

At Eddie's direction, in preparation, Steve had shaved his chest. More specifically, Steve had shaved half of his chest. The side Eddie would be working on, that sported the existing tattoo, was bare—smooth as a baby's bottom. The other side was… 

It was…

Jesus Christ.

It should have looked ridiculous actually, and it was a little funny, but honestly all Eddie could think when he stared at the untrimmed side of Steve's upper body, resplendent with the most glorious chest hair, was that it was a travesty, a crime even, that he’d never get to see the whole thing grown out in its full glory. 

The lack of a shirt also highlighted the fact that Steve was incredibly toned, much more so than he had initially appeared even through his slim fit henley. 

Eddie shook his head, praying it had suddenly become an etch-a-sketch and he could clear out his thoughts by sheer force. 

He truly didn’t know what had gotten into him. It was hardly the first time he’d worked on someone he found attractive, but usually he didn’t notice it quite this much. When you pierce and tattoo for a living you get used to seeing a lot of bare skin, including occasionally, areas typically reserved for romantic partners. Professional hazzard, but it’d never been a problem for him before. He was an artist, this was his craft, and bare skin was just another kind of canvas.

He blamed it on his current dry spell, self-imposed as it was. 

It was easy enough to go out on a Saturday and find a guy or girl to bring home for the night, but he was so tired of one night stands and meaningless hookups in bar bathrooms. Where was the substance? He wanted companionship. He wanted a partner. He wanted to fall in love. 

Eddie cleared his throat and crossed the room to hand Steve the stencil, busying himself with raising up his stool to the proper height and pulling on a pair of thick black neoprene gloves while the other man looked it over.  

“It’s great.” Steve said. 

“Good.” Eddie quietly let out the breath he’d been holding. “Alright I'm gonna put this on and have you take a look at the placement, make sure you like it, then we can get started.”

Eddie squeezed out a dime sized amount of the stencil gel and rubbed it into Steve’s chest, laying the transfer paper down in just the right way so that the final design would sufficiently cover what was underneath, assuming he had scaled it right. 

It was perfect. After a quick check in the mirror, Steve agreed. 

While they waited for it to dry Eddie double checked his set up to make sure he had everything he would need for the session.

“Ready to get started?”

Steve took a deep breath and blew it out slow. “Yeah. I am.”

His reply felt heavy, like maybe he was talking about more than just the tattoo. Had they known each other at all Eddie might have asked about it, but they were basically strangers, and it wasn’t his job to pry. 

With steady hands he set the needle to Steve's skin and got to work. 

They weren’t at it for very long before Steve started to squirm. 

Eddie ignored it at first, he could tell the guy was trying hard to keep himself still, and he wasn’t really moving enough to actually disturb the work. Sometimes it took a bit for clients to sink into the feeling, to let the pain fade to the background enough that they could relax a little bit or at least be able to keep their body from trying to react to the odd sensation. But then he noticed the light sheen of sweat spreading over Steve's upper body, and would have sworn he could somehow feel the other man’s pulse quickening beneath the hand he had pressed so closely to his heart, even over the vibration of the tattoo machine.

He should probably stop and do a check-in, suggest a breather or some water. It wouldn't be the first time a seemingly tough muscle-bound guy had struggled to sit for him. 

He opened his mouth to say something about it, lifting the needle as he took a quick glance up at Steve’s face, but what he saw had the words dying on his tongue. Steve was staring back at him, face flushed, breath coming quick and shallow, bottom lip trapped between his teeth. 

That… did not look like a face that was in pain—or rather—it didn’t seem like the pain was unpleasant. 

Fuck.

Eddie flicked his gaze quickly back down to his hands, the needle, fighting the urge to look lower. 

He shouldn’t. 

It wasn’t right.

The professional thing to do would be to ignore the reaction completely. 

But Eddie was a weak, weak man.

He looked. 

Just a quick peek, less than a half-second that his eyes wandered south, and immediately he regretted it. 

Oh fuck, fuck, fuuuck.

Suspicion confirmed. Steve was hard. He was also huge if the unmistakable outline was any indication. Eddie bit his tongue, fighting back the groan that was trying to fight its way out of his throat. 

Those jeans should be fucking illegal. The only thing worse would’ve been a pair of gray sweatpants. Now he was the one sweating.

“Sorry.” Steve said, voice strained.

Eddie stilled, lifting the machine away from Steve's chest again before looking back up to meet his eyes. 

“For?”

Steve raised an eyebrow, challenging him to continue to pretend he hadn’t noticed. 

“It’s fine, really. It… happens. Everyone reacts differently to the pain.”

Steve let out a high pitched and breathy huff of laughter. “It wasn’t like this last time.” He muttered under his breath.

Eddie tried hard not to read into that, not to think about what the difference might be.

“Do you need to take a break?” 

“No,” Steve swallowed hard. Eddie watched, momentarily mesmerized by the bob of his adams apple. “But, uh, can we talk or something? To distract me?”

He sounded so vulnerable, and a little embarrassed. It was enough to snap Eddie out of his daze. The last thing he wanted was for the person in his chair to feel uncomfortable. Talking he could do, it was one of his best things. 

“Sure, what do you want to talk about?” Eddie asked casually, getting right back into his line work.

“You.” Steve answered quickly, pausing to clear his throat. “Um, I mean, did you always want to be a tattoo artist?”

Eddie chuckled. “Yeah, pretty much. I used to spend all my time, including the time I should have been using to study or do my homework, drawing, sketching, painting, you name it, and it just kinda developed from there. I gave myself my first stick-and-poke when I was about 15. My uncle was pissed. Not about the tattoo exactly, but he was worried I wasn't being safe enough about it—sanitary and stuff. Of course, he wasn’t wrong. So, Wayne took me out the next day and we got a book about it, and he bought me all the right materials. Even let me practice on him when I graduated to a tattoo machine.”

“He sounds like a really great guy.” Steve said.

“Yeah, he is.” Eddie could feel the wistful smile spreading across his own face. “Not just anyone could step in and raise someone else’s kid like that. Just wish I got to see him more. I go back to Indiana to visit him a few times a year, but it’s not the same.”

“I don’t see my family very much either, but we’re not close.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. My parents, they’re–” Steve trailed off as if looking for the right words. “Well, let's just say they're not as supportive of my—life choices, as your uncle was for you.”

“Oh?”

“I, uh, came out to them a while ago… as bisexual? They didn’t take it very well. Said I was just going through some kind of phase or crisis or something. Sorry, this is probably, like, way too much information to share with someone I just met.”

“No. it’s—Okay, maybe to a normal person it might be but I've never been what anyone would describe as normal. And… I get it.”

Eddie didn’t really have to say it. The outside of the shop sported every kind of pride flag you could think of. There were pictures right behind him on the wall of him and Chrissy at their first ever pride parade right here in the city. Not to mention his social media profiles, where he had a bi  flag right next to his age and pronouns in his bio. Steve knew, was the point, and Eddie was glad he’d felt safe enough in his shop—with him, to talk about it.

“Wayne was really good about that too.” Eddie said softly. “I’m sorry your parents weren’t.”

A comfortable silence settled between them after that and Eddie left it unbroken, better to let Steve decide which direction their conversation went from here—if he wanted to continue it. He seemed more relaxed already and his… predicament had mercifully gone down as they spoke. 

“When did you—how did you… know?“ Steve asked after a while.

“Junior High.” Eddie answered quickly, smiling to himself as he indulged in a little nostalgia. “Kinda the opposite of the usual story, I guess. I thought I was gay. I had such a crush on this boy a grade above me.  Nobody that would have given me the time of day mind you, I was a band geek and a huge nerd, but he was very nice to look at. Then he changed schools. I was heartbroken of course, which is my excuse for why I let this girl drag me under the bleachers during gym class. One second we were just sitting there talking and the next she was in my lap with her tongue down my throat.” 

“And?”

Eddie shrugged. “And I didn’t hate it. I reacted exactly the way a young boy reacts when a pretty girl is kissing them and grinding in their lap. Honestly, it blew my mind a little bit—had to reevaluate my whole world view.”

Steve hummed in understanding.

“It’s still mostly men for me but–” Eddie sighed wistfully, “Women.”

“Women,” Steve agreed reverently, letting out a soft laugh. “It was a bit more recent for me. A friend took me to a gay bar—dragged me there actually.” He started to shake his head, stopping instantly when he seemed to realize he might be moving too much.

Good boy.

Eddie smirked. “I bet you were popular.”

“You could say that. I’ve never had so many people offer to buy me a drink in my life.” As Steve went on he began to rub his hand along the chair's armrest, mindlessly drawing patterns into its surface with his long fingers.

“It’s funny, at 25 I didn’t think I had anything new to discover about myself, at least nothing big, but after that rather eye-opening evening I had to, like you said, reevaluate some things about myself. It wasn’t a huge shock I guess. Like, I had found guys attractive before—friends, celebrities, whatever, I just thought everyone felt that way.”

“Ah, the bisexual’s fallacy. Sure I think about other dudes sometimes, but only the normal amount.” Eddie said.

“How was I supposed to know it wasn’t!”

Eddie stopped tattooing as they held each other's gaze, both managing to keep a straight face for only a second before simultaneously dissolving into hysterical laughter. 

Figuring it was as good a time as any to take a short break, Eddie stripped his gloves off and slid across the room on his stool to a small mini-fridge he kept tucked under his desk, stocked with water and juice—something he always kept on hand in case a client got lightheaded.

As they sipped their drinks and both took an opportunity to stretch, Eddie decided it was finally time to put his foot in his mouth.

“So, how are you enjoying things on this side of the field? Someone as pretty as you, I'm sure you get asked out a lot.”

“No, uh, I don't know. I- I haven't really been out on any dates with guys.” Steve stuttered out nervously. “Kissed a few, but that’s all.” 

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Eddie said. He meant it too. Not only was Steve something special to look at, but he seemed like a nice enough guy. He deserved to be taken out and shown a good time. Maybe he was shy.

Steve laid back in the chair, puffing his chest out as he got back into position while Eddie slipped a new pair of gloves on. 

“Why, you offering to show me the ropes?” Steve asked, pointedly raising an eyebrow.

Eddie’s mouth went dry. 

Okay, not that shy then. Surely it was just fun friendly flirting though, right?

“Don’t tempt me.” Eddie teased back. Two could play this game.

“Why not?”

“First rule of the trade, or at least the Munson doctrine, no dating the clients.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Steve said, and without even looking up Eddie could hear the smile in his voice, a hint of–challenge accepted–in his tone.

The next hour flew by as they continued to chat, both remarking on the differences between small town life and city life, as well as lamenting how expensive it was, and how neither of them thought they’d still be living with roommates in their mid-to-late-20's.

For a while Eddie waxed poetic about Chrissy, who of course filled the roles of bestie, roommate, and business partner, which tickled Steve to no end. 

He told the other man how they’d met, apprenticing at the same tattoo parlor at around the same time. and wound up bonding for life almost immediately. They were total opposites on the surface but deep down they were remarkably similar. Eddie didn’t go into too much detail, as it wasn’t his story to tell, but alluded to the fact that he and Chrissy had the shared experience of being born to shitty parents, only to be raised by another family member. A grandmother in Chrissy’s case.

It meant that they understood each other more than most, and yeah, being around one another 24/7 also meant they got on each other’s nerves a lot, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.  

At some point Steve’s cell phone began to ring from where it was shoved in his front pocket. He apologized profusely for forgetting to switch it on silent before they’d gotten started, but Eddie assured him it wasn’t a big deal. 

Or—it wouldn't have been, except either it was some kind of emergency, or someone who was intent on reaching Steve immediately, and continued trying to call three more times. 

“We can take a break if you need to get that.” Eddie offered.

Truth be told he could use a little breather himself. All this time of being essentially face down in Steve’s incredible chest was getting to him a little bit, not to mention the way his forearm lightly brushed along Steve's stomach whenever he braced himself across the man’s body. The feel of their bare skin touching was almost too much, and more than once Eddie felt himself breaking out in goosebumps. 

“Yeah, I think we’d better. It’s gotta be my little brother and knowing him he won’t stop calling until I answer.”

Eddie busied himself removing his gloves and taking a long drink from his water bottle while he flipped through a few drawings on his side table, trying to look like he wasn’t hearing every word of Steve's side of the conversation. 

“Hey buddy, I'm a little busy right now. What’s going on?” 

Steve paused, listening attentively to the voice on the other end of the call. 

“Dustin, he’s not abandoning you. Just because he wants–”

Sighing as he was abruptly interrupted, Steve somehow made the huff of breath sound both annoyed and fond.

“Well, did he actually say he didn’t want to play D&D with you anymore?” 

Eddie’s head snapped up of its own volition. Did the most gorgeous man he'd ever seen in real life just say D&D?

“That’s what I thought.” Steve said with a satisfied tone. “It's gonna be fine. I’ll come see you tomorrow, okay? Tell your mom I said hi.”

“Sorry about that.” Steve said, addressing Eddie this time, rolling his eyes as he ended the call. “Teenagers.”

“Pretty cool little brother if he plays Dungeons and Dragons.”

“Oh no.” Steve groaned. “Not you too! He and all his little friends are obsessed with it.”

“I used to play all the time with a group back in high school. We still try and get together for a one-shot at the holidays when we’re all back home visiting.” Eddie paused, concentrating for a second on wiggling his fingers into yet another set of gloves. There wasn’t really all that much left to do, another 20 minutes or so and he’d be done with the outline. “Was he alright, your brother?”

“Yeah, he’ll be fine.” Steve replied as he sat back, getting into position. “We, uh, technically we’re not actually related—I'm an only child. But I used to babysit Dustin when he was younger and when he grew up I just sorta stuck around. It’s only him and his mom at home and I guess I thought… I dunno, like, maybe I could help? I drove him to his first school dance, taught him how to do his hair, shave, that kinda stuff.”

“That's… that’s really sweet, man. I’m sure he appreciates having you around.”

With every new thing he learned about Steve, Eddie felt like he was in deeper and deeper trouble. He’d been having a tough enough time keeping it together with simply lusting over a hot body, but now Steve was turning out to be this sweetheart of a guy and, client or not, Eddie thought he might just be worth breaking all the rules for. 

“He’s worried his friend group is falling apart because one of the guys is going out for the basketball team. He’s afraid if Lucas gets in good with the jocks he won’t want to play with them anymore.”

“As a former outcast and enemy to jocks everywhere, I can understand his concern.” 

“Are you saying we wouldn't have been friends in high school then?”

“Steve, Stevie, please. Please don’t tell me…” Eddie trailed off, stopping what he was doing and gasping for dramatic effect–hand over his heart. “Oh god, you were captain of the sportsball team weren’t you?” 

Steve giggled, his beautiful eyes sparkling with it. “Basketball, to be exact. I was the co-captain of the swim team too.”

“I knew it would never work between us.” Eddie tutted, shaking his head as he got back to tattooing. “Are you reformed, at least?”

“Once a jock, always a jock, I'm afraid. I’m a personal trainer now.”

It explained a lot, and the perks—pun absolutely intended—of Steve's day job were undeniable, but as hot as the mental image of him pumping iron was, the idea of Steve palling around with toxic gym bros all day was almost enough to have Eddie second guessing everything.

“Don’t worry though, I don’t like gym bros any more than the next guy.” Steve said conspiratorially. “My clients are mainly older women looking to maintain their strength and mobility as they age.”

Aaaaand Eddie stood corrected. “Lucky ladies.”

Jesus Christ, could this guy get any more perfect?

Steve shifted in his seat, starting to get antsy after keeeping still for so long. 

“Just a few more minutes, almost done.” Eddie murmured, tongue between his teeth as he concentrated on a spot near the curve of Steve’s collarbone.

“Do you do a lot of these? Cover-ups I mean?” Steve asked. “My roommate is the one who actually suggested it. For some reason I just never thought about it as an option.”

“I don’t know if i’d say a lot, but a fair few, yeah.”

“You, um. You can ask about it… If you want.”

Eddie glanced up in surprise. He would never have brought it up without being prompted, it just didn’t feel right, but he couldn’t deny he was curious, and if Steve was okay with it then–

“Okay, I'll bite. Who’s Nancy?”

“My fiance’. Well, ex-fiance’ now. We broke things off a little over a year ago.”

“That’s rough, I'm sorry.”

“It’s okay. Honestly, It’s… I should have probably seen it coming? We were high school sweethearts—got together before we really knew who we were on our own. But I was dumb and in love. I got the tattoo and proposed. I was so happy that day, but looking back it was so obvious that she’d only said yes out of pity or guilt, not because she really wanted to spend the rest of her life with me.”

The part of Eddie that believed in true love—and all that cheesy shit—was sad that a couple who had been together for so long, who had essentially grown up together, hadn’t been able to make it work. Selfishly though, a small piece of him was happy to learn that they’d been broken up for quite some time, lessening the chance that, if he did somehow gather the courage to ask Steve out when the tattoo was done, he wouldn’t be on the rebound.

“It was tough. I felt like a failure for a long time, like I was having to start my whole life over from scratch when I'd thought for so long that she was it for me, but it's actually been… good. We weren’t right for eachother, I can see that now. As much as it hurt, I'm grateful she had the courage to break things off when she did.”

“I’m glad you’ve been able to come to peace with it.”

“Getting this tattoo feels like the final step into letting that life go, y’know?”

Eddie nodded. Steve’s demeanor before they got started made so much sense now.

“Is there some significance to the design?” He asked, making his final line and setting the machine down. He wiped at the excess ink on Steve's skin, raising his head just in time to see the way the other man’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah, Robin. She–she’s everything to me. Like a best friend, but more somehow. I don’t think I really knew what unconditional love was before her. She’s like, another piece of my soul or something. I don’t know what I would do without her.”

Eddie froze. 

The tattoo design was a bird—a robin.

A robin.

For, Robin.

How could he have been so stupid! 

Of course, Steve was getting one girl’s name covered up with something to represent the new one. 

Jesus Christ, they were both idiots.

Eddie for getting his hopes up, and Steve for making the same mistake—twice. At least this time it was a symbol and not a name, so if he and the latest potential Mrs. Harrington didn’t work out, at least he wouldn't have to worry about covering it up.

“Everything alright?” Steve asked.

The question spurred Eddie back into action. He spread the foam soap over Steve’s chest continuing to clean the finished tattoo while his heart crawled up into his throat. 

“Yup. All good.” Eddie forced the words out.

That's what Steve must have meant about not going on dates, he already had someone at home. Why hadn’t he just said that before though? And why had he flirted with him? 

Maybe he’d felt funny at first about admitting to being with a woman after all the talk about being bisexual. Not that Eddie would have judged, but he knew a lot of people did—bi erasure was so real. He understood that, but it didn’t make it hurt any less that Steve had, inadvertently or not, lead him on. 

Eddie gently patted the newly cleaned skin dry with a paper towel and carefully applied a square of Saniderm over the area, smoothing it out as he gave Steve his usual spiel, albeit a little robotically, about how to care for the tattoo over the coming days and weeks.

He quickly turned his back when he was done, telling Steve he could get dressed, and feeling stupid as all hell for being this upset about a guy he barely knew. He’d felt something though, potential—a spark. It was more than he’d felt for anyone in a long time.

Steve got quiet, looking a little confused with the sudden 180° Eddie’s mood had pulled. He felt a little bad about that as he brought the guy back out to the counter, but it wasn’t as though he’d suddenly become unprofessional. He was just… no longer being overly friendly.

After confirming the date for his second session, Steve paid his balance and Eddie walked him to the door.  

“Have a good night, Steve. Call the shop if you have any concerns or questions about aftercare.”

Steve bit his lip. “Oh, I… okay. See you in six weeks then.”

Eddie forced a smile, waiting until Steve was out of sight around the corner to lock up, and slunk back to his studio to disinfect it so he could finally go home and sulk.

Chapter 2

All my thanks to @penny00dreadful for all of your wonderful beta work, and cheerleading, and support, and just generally being THE BEST 💜

[steddieas-shegoes]

Chapter 8

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 / Chapter 6 / Chapter 7

or read on ao3 here:  Call Me Sunshine, Send Me To Space

-------------------

As much as Steve didn’t want to leave Eddie’s lap, he knew they both needed to eat and they needed to talk before going any further.

Steve thought about the food he’d left at his apartment, and shot a quick text to Robin to let her know he would be staying with Eddie tonight. That he was doing better, but they had a lot to talk about so it didn’t happen again.

She responded while he was busy throwing together some sandwiches: a thumbs up emoji and a picture of her eating his burger.

He rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help but smile. He was relieved that she understood his feelings, and he knew her worry was reasonable, especially since he had a lot of the same concerns.

“Need any help, sunshine?”

Eddie came into the kitchen with the blanket wrapped around him.

Steve could tell he still wasn’t 100%, proof being the fact that he was shivering under the blanket, a smile not quite reaching his eyes the way Steve loved.

Oh, did he love it, him.

He placed a sandwich in Eddie’s hand, kissing him on the cheek quickly before pulling away to finish his own.

“Eat. You probably didn’t have lunch, did you?”

“No.”

“So, eat.”

Eddie listened.

Steve ate his sandwich in silence, sneaking glances at Eddie once in a while to make sure he ate it all and wasn’t dropping again.

He looked tired.

Steve took in his puffy, red eyes, the slump to his shoulders, the shake of his hands as he brought the sandwich up to take a bite.

He’d dropped hard.

Steve needed to make sure that never happened again. They both did.

“So you’ve dropped before?”

Damn Steve, that’s not how you ask that question. Maybe let the man finish his sandwich first.

But Eddie smiled patiently at him, just like he always did when Steve’s mouth worked faster than his brain.

“Yeah. Do you wanna hear about them?”

“I think I need to.”

Eddie moved closer, shoving the last bite of his sandwich into his face so he could open his arms and wrap the blanket around both of them.

Steve giggled and kissed Eddie’s jaw.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. But I can tell you’re curious so I’ll tell you.” Eddie sighed. “The first time was when I was brand new to everything. My boyfriend at the time was interested in it, so I researched it, thought I knew what I was doing. He had me slap his face a few times while he was tied up. He had to safeword out. I dropped immediately. Neither of us were prepared properly. Chrissy just about murdered us both.”

“How bad was that drop?”

“Kind of like this one. But it was worse in a way because neither of us knew what to do. I was stuck in the drop for almost a day before he called Chrissy.”

“Is Chrissy…into this?”

Eddie smirked down at Steve and kissed his nose.

“Yeah. She’s a dom. Somewhat professionally, actually. Starbucks is her side hustle. I keep telling her she could go full time with this, but she’s worried about not having a backup.”

And that kind of blew Steve’s mind. Chrissy did not seem like the type. Then again, Steve wasn’t sure he seemed like the type to fall to his knees if Eddie asked, hands behind his back, but here he was.

Now he was thinking about that instead of their very serious conversation. Shit. Focus.

As if he could tell what Steve was thinking, and at this point maybe he could, Eddie smirked at him and nudged his nose against Steve’s, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Stay focused, sweet thing.”

Well, that made it harder and Steve was pretty sure Eddie knew that.

“The other time?”

Eddie’s smile dropped and he bit his lip nervously, suddenly avoiding eye contact with Steve.

“It was my own fault. I went into a scene with someone I’d only slept with once, we weren’t even dating. He insisted he would be fine as long as we used a safeword, and said he had no hard limits except for body fluids, so I went along with it. Turns out he really liked getting smacked around. He asked me to choke him and I did, I mean it’s one of the things I like to do usually so I figured why not. He didn’t tell me that he was a severe asthmatic, which is something you should definitely disclose before you get involved with any type of breathplay by the way, and on the third go he blacked out. He woke up within a few seconds, but the thing that was worse was that I was the one who safeworded out after that. He wanted to keep going and didn’t understand why I didn’t want to. He left and I dropped because I wasn’t able to really do any type of aftercare for either of us and he wouldn’t answer my texts or calls. That one was pretty bad, but Chrissy helped.”

Steve’s heart broke.

Someone had taken advantage of Eddie’s willingness to provide whatever they wanted, and still pushed him after he reached his limit, then abandoned him when he needed them. He couldn’t imagine doing something like that to him.

“I’m sorry that happened, baby,�� Steve said as he leaned his head against Eddie’s shoulder, letting his lips rest against the side of his neck. “And I’m sorry it happened with me. How can I make sure it doesn’t happen again?”

Eddie kissed his temple before answering.

“The main thing for me is aftercare. Even when the scene goes perfectly, I need that cool down to take care of you, which helps take care of me. We haven’t done anything that intense yet, but I think everything we do will be intense. That’s why we need to set our boundaries early.”

Steve nodded against his shoulder. It made sense; A part of Steve was nervous though.

He didn’t know what his boundaries were. He didn’t even know what his options were.

“I can hear you thinking, sunshine. Talk to me,” Eddie said as he gently tugged on Steve’s hair to get him to look at him.

“I just don’t know what I like, I guess. I don’t know what I don’t like. I don’t even know what to try.”

He probably should feel more ashamed that he’d gone this far in his life without even knowing he could go to subspace.

But this was about more than his own feelings about himself. This was to protect Eddie, himself, and whatever type of relationship they were going to have.

“You don’t have to know everything, sunshine. We’re gonna take things slow. Even if you knew exactly what you liked, we would take things slow. I’ve learned my lesson not to rush into this stuff. You’re too important to me to mess this up.”

Steve knew he was blushing, was pretty much always blushing around Eddie at this point, but he refused to look away from him.

“I liked what we’ve done so far. I know I like you taking care of me. I like being able to do what you ask me to do.”

“I like all of that, too. Do you wanna hear more of what I like? Maybe that will help you figure out what you like.”

Steve was curious, but he was also worried. What if he didn’t like what Eddie liked? What if he didn’t like anything and Eddie got bored and found someone else to do everything with?

“Stevie. Look at me.”

Steve did.

“You don’t have to like everything I like. It would be nice to share some things, but not everything is for everyone. I’m not gonna just abandon you because of you not liking some stuff.”

Steve didn’t know how he did that, the mind reading thing, but it was getting a little creepy.

“What do you like?”

“Other than what we’ve already talked about and done, I like giving pain in small doses. Spanking, slapping, bruises, biting, that’s all good when it’s only a little at a time. I like overstimulation which can be painful for subs and if you’ve never done that before, that’s something we would have to work up to. Setting rules and punishment when they aren’t followed. Cockwarming comes in handy for that. Mild, and I mean mild, degradation. The occasional slut or whore, nothing else, and only when it fits the scene. I like using blindfolds and ropes sometimes, but not a lot. Anything that’s taking care of you like handfeeding, massages, washing your hair. All of that stuff makes me feel good, like I’m providing you what you need, and like I’m keeping you safe.”

Steve didn’t even know where to begin.

He wasn’t even entirely sure what cockwarming was, though he could guess, and if he was right, he wanted to do that as soon as possible.

Eddie was watching him, waiting for a reaction of some kind.

Steve was still processing it all.

His stomach swooped when he started to think about Eddie punishing him, tying him up, leaving him in bed while he did whatever else he needed to do, leaving Steve to think about what he did wrong and beg for any touch, for forgiveness, for Eddie.

Jesus, that sounded good.

It must have shown on his face how good it sounded, because Eddie was leaning in to whisper in his ear.

“Hear something you like, sweet thing?”

“Mhm. I think so.”

But to Steve’s dismay, Eddie pulled away, though he was smiling his real smile at him.

“We can’t do anything tonight, sunshine. I’m sorry. But I’d like to know what sounded good to you,” Eddie said with a too-satisfied smile.

He knew what he was doing. Steve fucking loved it.

“Uhhhh…all of it? I mean the slapping might end up being a no. And like I don’t -” Steve took a deep breath. He could be honest. He could do this. “I don’t think I would wanna be called like, stupid or anything? Like, if you were gonna call me stuff, I just don’t think I could handle that.”

Eddie’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded.

“I would never call you stupid to begin with. I’m not into that kind of degrading. But can I ask why you wouldn’t want that?”

Steve could do this. He could give a little to Eddie. Eddie already proved he wouldn’t run at the first sign of Steve’s problems.

But it was hard to talk about his parents. It was hard to admit that they weren’t good, that they were the root of a lot of his problems, that without the life he led now, he would have been a totally different and broken person.

“My dad used to call me stupid a lot. When I was little, it was always ‘are you fucking stupid?’ if I brought home bad grades. When I got older, it was ‘how can you be so stupid?’ when I didn’t make the choices he wanted me to make. And when I finally cut them out of my life, his response was that I was ‘too fucking stupid to be his son anyways.’ So. I guess that one just hits different.”

Eddie looked like he was going to cry and there was no way in hell Steve would be able to handle it if he did.

He leaned in to kiss Eddie softly, hopefully distracting him from what he just admitted.

He should’ve known Eddie wouldn’t let it go.

He pulled away after only a couple of seconds, cupping Steve’s cheeks in his hands and letting the blanket drop from around them.

“I’m so sorry, Stevie. I’m so fucking sorry.” He shook his head sadly. “You deserved better than that. You aren’t stupid. You’re brilliant. You’re incredible. You make a difference to the people who matter. You mean the world to me. You understand me?”

Steve was not gonna cry. He wasn’t.

But the tears did fall.

“Sweetheart, come here,” Eddie said as he pulled Steve against his chest, hand holding the back of his head as tightly as he could. “You are the furthest thing from stupid. I need you to say it to me.”

Steve couldn’t.

He wanted to. He knew Eddie believed that.

But Steve didn’t believe it.

“Say it to me, sweet thing.”

And because Steve was a good listener and wanted to make Eddie proud, he did.

“‘M not stupid.”

“A little louder.”

“I’m not stupid.”

“Good boy.”

Steve should’ve known that would happen, just like he should’ve been able to hold back the whimper he let out and he should’ve been able to control the tears falling faster down his cheeks.

He should’ve.

But he couldn’t.

And Eddie didn’t make him feel like he had to.

And that’s what it all boiled down to.

“I want to try all of that with you. Can we try?”

Eddie, for once, seemed to lose control of his emotions. Either that, or Steve was hearing things.

He could’ve sworn he heard a tiny choked sound leave Eddie’s mouth before it was on his.

It wasn’t quite as hot and heavy as it had been on the couch, but it still left him breathless as Eddie licked into his mouth.

He let him.

He wanted him everywhere.

He wanted to be so surrounded by Eddie that he couldn’t find where he ended and Eddie began.

He wanted to be able to feel every breath Eddie took and every breath he let out.

And it felt like Eddie wanted the same from Steve.

When Eddie pulled away, he rested his forehead against Steve’s and panted against his mouth.

“We can try anything you want, sunshine. But we’re going slow and you need your own safeword or we’re using the traffic light system.”

“Like red for stop?”

“Yellow for taking a break. Green for good.”

“So if I said you kissing me like that is green…”

Eddie smirked and leaned in to give him another kiss.

“Then you can have as many as you want.”

So Steve took as many as he could get away with until Eddie insisted that they needed to go to bed.

He was exhausted and Steve was starting to feel drained from the day’s events.

It was easy to follow a routine together.

Change into pajamas. Brush teeth next to each other. Take turns washing their faces. Get into bed.

Eddie curled around Steve’s back so perfectly, it felt like they were different phases of the moon, completing a bit more of the final picture together than they ever could alone.

Steve didn’t even remember closing his eyes, but he remembered the way it felt to have Eddie’s lips against his ear telling him he was perfect.

————————————

If Steve could have stayed in bed all day with Eddie, he would’ve.

But he had to work and Eddie had a couple appointments, and he knew he needed to get home to Robin.

“You should come to my place tonight.”

Eddie looked at him over his cup of coffee, if it can even be called that at this point with how much cream and sugar he put in it, with a smirk.

“Oh I should?”

“Yeah, you should,” Steve smirked at him. “I want to have you in my bed for a change.”

“And you want Robin to see I’m not fucking crazy.”

“That’s a bonus, yeah.”

If Robin could just see them together, have Eddie around for a bit to understand that he was amazing, maybe she would be a bit less hesitant. Their talk had helped a lot, he could tell, but he knew it was still out of character for him. He needed to show her why.

And it would help him come to terms with the fact that he was head over heels in love with a man he just met.

Hopefully.

“I should be done with my last appointment by 7 if you want me to come straight there?”

“Please.”

Eddie walked over and kissed him once on the lips.

“Text your address and I’ll be there.”

Steve did. Eddie was.

————————————

It was fun having Eddie and Robin together.

Steve was nervous about it until they both just stared at each other, looked at Steve, then back at each other with matching grins.

“Nice to put a face to the guy who convinced Steve to abandon his abandonment issues.”

“Hey!” Steve yelled.

“Nice to put a face to the best friend who thought I wanted to murder him.”

“Hey!” Steve yelled again.

But they were both laughing and Steve loved having them both laughing. The two most important people in his life were already getting along.

It was too soon to know for sure, but it seemed like Robin was giving him a look of approval.

Eddie brought dinner, subs from his favorite deli, so they all sat at the table to eat.

“We aren’t usually this formal, so you must be incredibly special to our Steve,” Robin teased.

Steve blushed, looking down at his lap.

“Our refurbished table from a street corner isn’t exactly formal, Robs,” Steve muttered.

Eddie rested his hand on Steve’s knee, squeezing to get his attention back at the table.

“Certainly more formal than the bar in my kitchen. This is nice, though.”

He was right. It was nice.

The whole dinner was nice; Robin and Eddie talking about everything from being nerds in high school to growing up queer in small towns to their jobs.

Steve listened and watched mostly, occasionally providing some stories from college that Robin refused to admit were true. If Steve’s thoughts seemed to wander, Eddie’s hand would squeeze his thigh and bring him back.

When Steve was little, he pictured a life like this.

Maybe then it was his hand on a woman’s knee, and maybe he was living in a house instead of an apartment, but maybe it wasn’t the people or the things. Maybe it was this feeling.

This feeling that he was alive.

That he was being loved.

That’s all he’s ever wanted.

He thought he could survive with just Robin. She loved him, he loved her. Neither of them would ever be without the other, even if Robin managed to find someone to marry.

But now that he had Eddie, there was no way he could go without.

Hopefully he’d never have to.

————————————

Robin was acting weird after dinner.

Suspicious, even.

Steve pulled her into the kitchen to ask about it while Eddie went to the bathroom.

“Why are you being weird? Dinner was good, wasn’t it? You like Eddie?”

“That’s so many questions, Steve.”

“Answer them.”

“I’m not being weird. Dinner was good. I like Eddie a lot.”

“You are being weird! Like you’re hiding something.”

And now she looked even more like she was hiding something. She wouldn’t make eye contact and she kept trying to find something to do with her hands, which she only did when she was nervous.

“Robin. Please.”

She sighed, but she gave in.

“I’ve slept with Chrissy.”

Of all the fucking things he expected her to possibly say, that wasn’t even close to being one of them.

“You what?”

Maybe he misheard her. He hoped he misheard her.

“Steve.” She stomped her foot and whined. “Don’t make me say it again.”

“No. You have to because I thought you said you slept with Chrissy.”

“Yeah because I did!”

This wasn’t good. He couldn’t place why exactly at the moment, but he knew it was bad and Eddie couldn’t find out.

But then if Chrissy was a good friend of his like he’d said she was, she’d probably tell him.

Oh god.

“When?”

“When we started training together at work! It was a long time ago. She uh…helped me with some stuff. You know.”

Steve did know and he sure wish he didn’t.

He heard Eddie walking back towards them from the bathroom and did his best to not look like he was panicking.

He failed.

Eddie took one look at his face and rushed to him, quickly running his hands down his face and neck to figure out what could be wrong.

“What is it? Are you hurt? What happened?”

“Eds, I’m fine.”

“No you’re not.”

“He’s worried that you’ll find out I slept with Chrissy. But it was so long ago! I barely even see her at work anymore so I don’t even remember it happened most of the time!”

Eddie glanced at Robin, then looked back at Steve.

Then it seemed to hit him.

“Wait. You’re theRobin?”

“Uh.”

“Oh my god. Chrissy was fuckin’ obsessed with you. She was ready to propose to you after one time.”

Robin had never blushed like this.

Steve didn’t even know Robin was into sex.

She was so touch-averse, she didn’t even like dancing with people at the club usually. As far as Steve knew, she was actually a virgin and planned to keep it that way.

“Wait, really?”

Eddie nodded, still watching Steve.

“Yeah. She told me she’d never been with someone who responded so well.”

“Okay! Well! Thank you for that!”

Robin was backing out of the room and Steve was sort of endeared that someone managed to get Robin out of her shell.

“So anyway! Chrissy invited me over so…”

“Oh my god.”

Steve facepalmed as Eddie cackled.

“Will you be back tonight?” Steve asked through his fingers, kind of hoping she’d say no, but also not wanting to think about what it meant if she said no.

Eddie’s thumb was brushing across the skin of his hip bone. How did it get under his shirt? When did it get under his shirt?

“No, you guys have the apartment to yourselves. Keep it in your room, I’m begging you.”

Steve was both relieved and suddenly very stressed that Robin and Chrissy would end up in a messy situation that would leave Steve and Eddie in a messy situation.

But Eddie’s thumb on his hip was keeping him centered, grounded.

“Robin? Be careful with Chrissy. She acts tough, but she’s pretty sensitive when it comes to people she cares about.”

Steve could see Robin tense, but he decided not to comment on it. He’d let her work it out herself. She was letting him do the same, after all.

“I will,” she finally responded to Eddie.

Steve ignored the backpack she already had packed and ready to go, choosing to give her a smile as she left to let her know he supported her. She’d see his nerves right through it, but he tried.

————————————

“Have you thought any more about a safeword?”

Steve was laying back with his head against Eddie’s chest on the couch, watching a movie.

Well, a movie was on. Steve was too busy playing with Eddie’s fingers to notice anything happening in it.

They were just so nice.

“Sunshine?”

Oh, right. He asked a question.

“I think I like the colors. I’m worried I’ll forget the word.”

He felt Eddie nod against the top of his head.

“We can do that. But if you change your mind, tell me.”

Steve hummed in acknowledgement, but it was comforting to not have to say anything.

Eddie let him play with his fingers silently, running his fingers over the rings he wore, tracing along the sides up into his hand where a tattoo covered the back of it.

He laced his fingers with Eddie’s, pulling his hand up to kiss the back of it and letting his lips rest there longer than necessary.

He couldn’t help it, he loved Eddie’s hands.

He left small kisses along each finger, one at a time, taking his time to appreciate how beautiful every part of Eddie was.

“You can suck on them, sweet thing,” Eddie said softly against his ear.

Steve wasn’t even aware that’s what he wanted to do until Eddie mentioned it, but yet again, he knew exactly what he needed before he even knew himself.

He slowly wrapped his lips around the tip of Eddie’s index finger, just letting it rest there until he was sure Eddie was okay with it.

“The whole thing, sunshine.”

Steve sucked his whole finger into his mouth. He couldn’t help the moan he let out at the way Eddie crooked his finger just slightly, pushing down on his tongue and making him open his mouth wider.

“Good boy. Want another?”

Steve nodded.

Of course he wanted more. He always wanted more of Eddie, whatever Eddie would give him whenever he could get it.

Eddie slipped a second finger into his mouth as he moved down to kiss Steve’s neck.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Get them nice and wet for me,” Eddie said against his skin, sucking a bruise in a place that probably couldn’t be hidden and Steve couldn’t care less.

If he could see proof that he’d had Eddie around him, on him, in him, then he would be able to get through any time spent away from him.

He could feel his heart slowing down, his mind emptying of any thoughts that weren’t Eddie, his body going completely slack against the couch and the man behind him.

Steve had never done this before, but he treated it like he would any blowjob. No teeth, change up the rhythm, keep it wet but not too wet.

It was easy to get lost in it, easy to lose himself.

He groaned when he felt Eddie add a third finger.

Eddie was pushing in and out now, Steve’s mouth gone mostly slack at the feeling of Eddie taking control.

It was everything he needed, everything he wanted, and still not enough.

“More,” he tried to say around Eddie’s fingers. It didn’t sound like a word to him, but Eddie must have understood what he was trying to say because suddenly he was pushing his fingers as far back into Steve’s mouth as he could go.

Steve gagged at first, more from the surprise than anything. Eddie moaned behind him.

“So good for me. Taking everything I give you like you were made to, sweet thing,” Eddie said as he brought his other hand to the front of Steve’s jeans.

Steve was hard and he could feel that Eddie was too. Whatever they were going to do next, Steve hoped it would end with both of them making a mess.

A mess he wanted to clean up.

Eddie was unbuttoning his jeans, pulling the zipper down, trying to push them down with one hand while Steve continued to lick and suck his fingers. He helped a bit by lifting his hips, surprised when he pulled his boxers down with his pants.

“You want them all the way off?”

Steve shook his head. He didn’t want to stop sucking on Eddie’s fingers or get up. He didn’t want to stop this until he had no choice.

He heard Eddie chuckle against his neck.

“Gonna need my fingers for this, sunshine.”

Steve shook his head, sucking them in further so Eddie couldn’t pull them away.

“C’mon now, be a good boy. I have plans for you.”

Steve was drifting, he could tell. He knew they were barely even doing anything, he knew it was ridiculous to already feel so far from his body, but he leaned into it. If Eddie was going to be able to bring him to the edge like this every time, he wanted to enjoy it every time.

He trusted that Eddie would always keep him from falling too fast or too hard.

But the words Eddie spoke excited him. His plans would be something new, Steve could just tell.

“Wanna hear what I’m gonna do to you?”

Steve shivered. Eddie’s voice had shifted into something new, something that left Steve anticipating every move he made with a mix of nerves and excitement.

“I’m gonna use these fingers,” Eddie wiggled the fingers in Steve’s mouth as he spoke, causing him to moan again. “To touch you. I’m gonna run them up and down your cock until you don’t think you can take any more, and then you will. Wanna know why?”

“Mhm,” Steve managed to get out around his fingers.

“Because you’re gonna be my good boy and not come until I tell you to.”

If Steve wasn’t still somewhat in control of his body, he probably would have finished right then, no touching needed.

Eddie’s voice, his words, his fingers now moving in and out of Steve’s mouth on their own, all made Steve feel like he was ready to fly away. He whimpered around his fingers as they left his mouth.

Eddie took his time, which was maddening, but probably a good thing since Steve was so close to the edge already.

“Color?”

“Green.”

“Good boy. Gonna check in a lot, but you need to tell me if that changes.”

“Yes, sir.”

Oh.

Oh shit.

What the fuck?

He was no longer on the edge of anything but panic, his body rigid and his heart rate rapidly rising as he thought about the repercussions of what he just said.

He knew some doms were into that, probably a lot of them, even. But he had no idea if Eddie was. They hadn’t talked about it. He didn’t even think they had to. He didn’t know he was even okay with it, let alone into it.

But his cock was dripping. He could feel it.

Despite his panic, he was harder than ever.

And so was Eddie.

“Is that what you wanna call me when we’re doing this, sunshine?”

Eddie’s voice was back to soft and calm, probably sensing his panic just from the way his breath had hitched and hadn’t quite gone back to normal yet.

Did he want that? Was this just a one off? An accident?

Maybe so. Or maybe the fact that he was picturing other circumstances where he was calling Eddie sir and enjoying it meant it was more than that.

He nodded, feeling his face flush hot.

“You’re perfect, sweet thing. So perfect.”

Steve felt his body relax one muscle at a time, his head falling back against Eddie’s shoulder.

Eddie’s left hand drifted, finding the bottom of Steve’s shirt and rucking it up so it wouldn’t get too messy. His fingers found his happy trail, gently running his nails down to below his waistline.

Steve’s breath hitched.

Eddie let out a low laugh.

“Awfully impatient aren’t you? Am I not giving you what you need?”

Steve knew he could say no. But then Eddie might not give him what he needs at all. That’s the type of game they were playing, and that’s not what Steve wanted, not today.

He’d been picturing this too often for the amount of time he knew Eddie, and he wasn’t about to ruin it by being impatient.

Eddie would give him what he needed if he was patient.

He could do that.

“Want your fingers,” Steve mumbled, unsure of how much he could get away with begging for before Eddie pulled away.

Maybe he wouldn’t pull away at all.

Maybe he liked when Steve begged.

“You have my fingers already, sweetheart.”

And technically, yeah, he did.

He had Eddie’s fingers tracing patterns along his stomach, his waistline, his hip.

But they weren’t the fingers he had in his mouth a minute ago. They weren’t on his cock. They were purposely avoiding it actually.

Steve whined.

“Use your words, sweet thing. I can’t know what you want if you don’t tell me.”

That was a fucking lie; Eddie knew exactly what he wanted and was doing this on purpose.

“Touch me.”

“I am touching you. Is there somewhere else you want me to touch you?”

Steve couldn’t focus on the words he needed to say.

They were right there, he was ready to say them, but his tongue felt heavy in his mouth. The air in his lungs was being used for keeping him alive only at this point.

“You want me to guess?”

Steve nodded furiously. Yes, if he guessed, he’d get there.

He’d be able to feel Eddie’s fingers, maybe his whole hand, around his cock.

“Maybe you want them on your thighs?”

Eddie’s fingers ghosted over his thighs. Steve’s thighs had always been sensitive, but no one really touched him there, no one had ever kissed him there, and he wasn’t sure how much he could take before it became enough to get him off.

“That feel good, sweet thing?”

“Mhm.”

Steve’s vision was getting blurry around the edges. If he were standing, or recently concussed, he’d probably be worried.

But he recognized what this was, and he welcomed it. He wanted to let himself float away in Eddie’s arms.

“But that isn’t what you want, is it?”

“No, sir.”

“I didn’t think so,” Eddie said as his fingers trailed back up to his chest, grazing over a nipple.

Steve’s nipples were sensitive, too.

No one had bothered to learn that about him before.

He let out a high-pitched moan, bucking his hips up into the empty air at the feeling of Eddie’s thumb rubbing circles around his nipple.

“You could come from just this, couldn’t you?”

Steve didn’t know. He would love to find out someday. Today was not that day though.

“Dunno.”

“We’ll give it a shot soon, how ‘bout that?”

“Please.”

Steve’s head was fuzzy. He didn’t know where to focus his thoughts or his vision. His eyes were getting heavy, not like he was tired, more like he couldn’t put the energy into focusing on anything.

So he didn’t.

He let his eyes close and let Eddie do what he wanted.

“That’s it, sunshine. Let me take care of you. You’re so good for me.”

Steve felt his cock jump at the praise, but couldn’t be bothered to open his eyes or say anything in response. He was too content.

Eddie’s fingers fluttered back down to his waist, but the fingers that were in his mouth before were tracing his lips, silently asking for entrance back inside.

Steve let him in, moaning at the taste, at the way Eddie pushed down hard enough to make his jaw ache.

He sucked on them, letting his tongue get between them to wet them more.

Much too soon but somehow not soon enough, Eddie withdrew his fingers. Without any warning, he brushed them along the sides of Steve’s hard length, barely putting any pressure into the touch.

That didn’t matter though.

Steve bucked his hips up, unable to contain the shock of pleasure at the touch.

But the fingers were gone again, and Steve didn’t know what he did wrong. He needed Eddie’s fingers on him.

“Please, please touch me,” Steve whimpered pitifully.

“You have to stay still or I won’t. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

He was slurring his words like he’d drunk an entire bottle of vodka, but Eddie understood him. He thought maybe Eddie would understand him even if he couldn’t speak at all.

“Good boy. You stay still for me just like that. Color?”

“Green.”

Steve did stay still. He tried, at least.

He fought every urge to buck up when Eddie’s entire hand wrapped around him, the wet fingers and precum mixing together to make an easy glide as his hand worked up and down slowly.

He was moving so slowly, taking his time feeling every inch of Steve, every vein. Noticing every spot that made Steve sigh or moan, every spot that made his cock weep more precum than he thought possible.

And Steve let him. He didn’t protest. He stayed still like he was asked to, like a good boy.

That’s all he wanted to be. He wanted to be Eddie’s good boy.

Eddie was moving faster, his hand making obscene wet noises every time he collected more precum from his leaking tip.

Steve let himself move just a little. Just enough to add some resistance to Eddie’s movements, causing friction in a way he desperately needed.

Eddie’s hand froze.

Fuck, he wasn’t supposed to notice.

Then his fingers were squeezing the base of his cock, emphasizing Eddie’s point about not being allowed to finish if he couldn’t sit still.

“Mmm…please more,” Steve wasn’t even sure what he was saying at this point, he just knew he had to ask. He couldn’t let this be prolonged much longer, he’d go crazy.

“So close aren’t you, sweet thing?”

“Mhm. Close,” Steve was never this good at holding back.

He was decent in bed, he knew that. He always made sure the other person finished first, always gave more than he got, never asked for more.

But that was before he knew he could feel like this, before he knew someone would give him everything without having to ask.

“You wanna cum for me? Make us messy?”

Steve nodded, unable to make any noise that wasn’t a moan or whine.

“Turn around. Wanna see how beautiful you look.”

Steve could barely move. His whole body felt numb in the best way, except where Eddie’s hands were touching. Those parts were on fire, sending heat to all of his limbs.

“Help?”

He could ask for help, Eddie would let him. Eddie wouldn’t think he was stupid for asking. He wanted him to ask for things. That’s what he’d said earlier.

Eddie gripped his waist and lifted him so Eddie could switch spots.

Steve was lying back on the couch now, looking up at Eddie with wonder in his eyes.

He was so strong, so capable, so much more than Steve could’ve imagined. He bit his own hand when he realized he’d almost said the thought he shouldn’t have been having yet.

I love you.

He thought it for the next minute on a loop as Eddie unbuttoned his own jeans and slid them down enough to get his own cock out.

Then he was everywhere.

He was above him, but he was also next to him as his hair fell along the sides of their faces.

His hand was around both of their cocks, Eddie’s hand barely able to fit around them both, but making sure Steve had the most contact.

“Want you to look at me, sweetheart. Need to see your sunshine,” Eddie groaned as his hands worked them both furiously.

His knuckles kept brushing against Steve’s stomach, his breath was hot against Steve’s lips despite the few inches of space between them.

They were both breathing as heavy as each other, both too far gone to care.

“Do it. Cum for me.”

Eddie didn’t even need to finish his sentence before Steve’s release was hitting his stomach and shirt. He could feel Eddie’s release hitting his stomach too, and they both groaned.

Eddie’s lips were on his before he could even catch his breath, his teeth biting at his lips and tongue.

“Can’t get enough of you, sunshine,” he said against Steve’s lips, drawing in a sharp breath when Steve whined against him.

“Want you always,” Steve said back, barely even awake enough to realize what he was saying.

He didn’t know if he was drifting so far he couldn’t hear Eddie’s response or if Eddie just didn’t give one, but the next thing he knew, a warm washcloth was wiping his stomach, his shirt bunched up under his chin.

“Eds,” Steve muttered, voice raspy from all of the moaning and whining he’d just done.

He’d be embarrassed about it if he thought Eddie didn’t like it, but he knew he did.

“Right here, sweetheart. Doing okay?”

“Mhm, want you.”

Eddie let out a laugh.

“You just had me.”

“Want you here.”

Steve scooted against the back of the couch, turning on his side to make room for Eddie, who seemed to give in rather quickly and joined him.

Steve immediately rolled half of himself onto Eddie, a heavy sigh let out when he could feel and hear his heartbeat under him.

Eddie’s arms wrapped around his back, pulling him against him as tight as he possibly could.

“Did so good for me. Did you like it?”

“Loved it.”

Steve was exhausted and still couldn’t quite focus on the conversation, but Eddie seemed to realize that.

He kissed the top of his head.

“Robin’s gonna kill us.”

“Hm?”

“She said to keep it in your room.”

“Don’t care.”

Eddie laughed quietly, the movement jostling Steve a little.

“Sleep?”

“You can sleep, sunshine.”

“You too?”

“I will. Just rest, Stevie.”

“Mkay.” Steve settled further into Eddie. “Love you.”

He was asleep before he could think about what he said or hear what Eddie said back.

Chapter 9

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[typical-toad]

Shared this snippet of a drawing page over on the TL a few weeks ago but not on here. So here is my little head cannon of an AU where our fave girly pop Chrissy lives and ends up learning to tattoo.

In my head Eddie and her end up becoming close friends post the Vecna situation. He helped save her from being Vecna’d after playing a very metal rendition of ABBA’s dancing queen (which he would vehemently deny knowing, saying it was an act of Satan himself that he could play it or something). He ends up getting into tattooing and she starts doing piercings, then after a few years working together she decides to learn to tattoo.

Naturally Eddie let’s her do her first tattoo on real human skin on him.

[chickensoupleg]

Chrissy lived above the bookstore.

She's always lived above it, back when she was old enough to escape the clutches of her mother. Fresh out of high school, and a runaway girl. Oh, her mother spat up a storm at that, hearing her daughter not going the path she thought she'd be.

Hah, as if. Jason was a nice guy, but he wasn't what she wanted. No, she was better off separated from him. Jason could live without her, he was a smart man. But marrying Jason and being stuck as some meek housewife to a successful man was what her mother wanted.

Well, she was successful. Nobody could say she wasn't.

The bookstore wasn't hers. When she first moved here, it actually belonged to a quaint little couple, a geriatric husband and his wife. The kind she would hear in little tales where everything was bright and happy and the only problem was finding a particularly good book.

They moved on, retired. Now the bookstore belonged to what sounded like their granddaughter. She's never met the girl before, even though Chrissy's been in the bookstore several times after the couple left, but by the sounds of it she's a nice lady.

It was a pastime, since it was right there, and she loved browsing the store. It was lit up by actual chandeliers and floor lamps, and it felt like she was stepping into some high-end library instead of a little store along the streets. There was a table in the store as well, which people were welcome to sit at and read at their leisure, purchased or not. Sometimes Chrissy would sit there with whatever book caught her fancy that day, although that usually was an art book or magazine.

It wasn't her fault, being a tattoo artist needed inspiration. She'd usually buy the books anyways, so they littered her apartment. Pages were even ripped out and taped to whatever surface she could get to, which always made her feel bad, but they were legally her possession, therefore she was free to do whatever she wanted with them.

It's why she was in the bookstore now, to be frank. One of her clients had requested a particularly interesting subject matter, and Chrissy needed the references. Her eyes scanned the shelves, mumbling to herself as she searched for what she was looking for.

It, thankfully, was in stock.

It was also well above her head, and not even an outstretched arm could do the trick.

Well then.

Chrissy huffs quietly, and takes one look around herself. There was nobody.

Good.

She turns her attention back to the book, taking a deep breath.

She can do this.

Bending her knees, she gets prepared to leap for it when suddenly the entire shelf jitters, knocking the book (and multiple others) off the shelf. Chrissy yelps as she reroutes her legs into jumping back instead of up, books tumbling to the ground.

"Oh, shoot! Curse my legs, you-!" Comes a voice, and Chrissy turns her head as someone emerges from the other side.

Standing there was a woman, hair cut into a bob and clearly having been tousled in a rather artful manner, eyes wide in embarrassment and wearing an oversized plaid shirt under a brown vest littered in buttons and patches.

"Oh! Oh shoot I'm so so sorry did it hit you? I wasn't being careful and I bumped the shelf restocking and you know how gravity goes and- Wait you're the girl that lives upstairs," The woman says, arms raised up before dropping to her side.

Chrissy blinks once, then opens her mouth. "How do you know where I live?" She definitely would remember seeing her, much less if she's told someone. There's no way she has a stalker.

Maybe she does.

The lady seems to have realised just how weird that observation was because she starts to speaks again, a blush coming to her face. "Wait, no. That sounds creepy. Uh- I'm Robin. Buckley. I'm the owner here. You know, after my nana and grampa retired? They uh- Pretty sure they've told you, since you live like- You know- And they told me you like coming down and well-"

Chrissy can't help but laugh a little, Robin deflating a little. "Oh! Wait no don't do that- Wasn't laughing at you I just-" Chrissy cocks her head in amusement, " They talk about me?"

Robin nods. "Mmmmyep. See you like another granddaughter, that's what nana says, which by the way excuse you for taking a spot in nana's heart that's my position you're lucky you're cute- UH I MEAN gee look at all these books better pick them up oh-" Robin turns and kneels at the fallen books, quickly picking them up.

Chrissy breaks into a few more giggles before kneeling down to help her, making extra sure to grab the book she was aiming for in the first place and tucking it under her arm. "I'm flattered, really. But don't worry about taking your spot in her heart, I'm sure she loves you a whole lot. Here, lemme help."

"Oh, thanks. Again, super sorry about this, I didn't know you were back here. You sure you weren't hurt?"

"Nope. Just startled me, is all. Besides, it got me the book I needed!" Chrissy taps the spine of the book under her arm, Robin taking a glance.

"Oh, you a metal fan?"

"Sometimes, but actually this is for a client."

Robin looks at her with interest before she turns to put the books back in their rightful position. "Oh yeah? Client?"

Chrissy nods, handing Robin books as she re-shelves them. "Yeah. I work across the street, actually. At the tattoo parlour."

"The- You? Oh my gosh, I never would have guessed! Wait, is that offensive? I hope that isn't, it's just-"

Chrissy giggles again, her hand raising to her mouth to cover it a little. "No, I get it. A lot of people say I look out of place. I promise I'm good though!"

Robin shakes her head, putting the last of the books up. "No, no I believe you. Really. So, what's the design, if I may ask?"

"I have to draw this one band's mascot. So... reference!" She taps the book again.

"Gotcha. I'll ring you up then, if that's all you need?"

Chrissy nods, following after Robin as they head to the register. There was already a guy there, but whatever look he saw in Robin made him step out of the way easily as she ducks behind the counter and rings her up.

"And there's your change! Have a nice day Chrissy!" Robin hands her some bills back along with the book in the store's custom paper bag, Chrissy thanking her as she slides the handles over her wrist.

"Thanks Robin, have a nice day as well! And you too Steve."

Steve gives her a thumbs up as she turns and heads out the store.

The moment she steps outside into the fresh air, she lets out a deep, deep sigh.

Oh no, she was hot.

[hellcheerficdatabase]

Cause You Hold Me Like A Woman

Author: @this-iz-music

Rating/Warning: Explicit

Chapter Count: 1/? (part 9 of The Hellcheer Fanfiction Multiverse of Madness series)

Description: Chrissy Cunningham has been 18 for over a month now but everyone in her life, including her overbearing mother and her immature boyfriend Jason Carver, treat her like a child. So, what’s the best way to prove she’s an adult? By getting a tattoo from the charismatic older and wiser Eddie Munson.

TLDR:Eddie finished high school on time and became a tattoo artist who's way more mature than Jason and is major boyfriend material.

Tags: Alternate Universe- no vecna, Tattoo artist Eddie, Chrissy want's to be treated RIGHT, fluff, smut, Chrissy POV, multiple chapters, Status: WIP

[every-aj-needs-an-angel]

Okay this one's been stuck in my head all day but I have absolutely time to write it so please share this vision with me

Try as they might, Steve and Robin couldn't get tickets to Chrissy Cunningham's arena tour, but they could get tickets to a festival she was playing.

The last thing Steve ever wanted to do was go and stand in a muddy field for sixteen hours while they waited for the headline act. But he was pretty sure Robin was in love with her favourite musician, and he wasn't about to deny his best friend a chance at love.

So he helped her make personalised t-shirts because honestly all the other bands in the line-up kinda sounded like they sucked.

His read, "Only Here for Chrissy" on the front and "I'm Steve" on the back and Robin's read "Chrissy, Will You Be My Girlfriend?" on the front and "If Lost, Please Return To Steve" on the back.

And it turned out, as they stood against the barrier in a not so muddy field, on a lovely, warm, but overcast, May day, that even bands that sucked could be fun. Even if it was only because they spent their day with earplugs in, so their eardrums wouldn't combust, bitching about each artist's lack of ability to put notes or an outfit together.

During the lunchtime intermission, the pair made friends with the lesbian couple next to them, Kayla and Jess, who were also eagerly awaiting Chrissy's set and similarly liked to mock those who committed crimes against sound and fashion. Steve was glad to have met them, they were really nice, and he felt better about leaving her to use the bathroom or to fetch food, knowing Robin was in safe hands.

He also felt better about letting her wander off, not that it stopped him from stressing out when she and Kayla had been missing for over fifteen minutes. He spread himself out to keep their places against the railing with his back to the stage, watching the crowd intently. Jess wasn't quite as chatty once they were alone, but she seemed content enough, bobbing along to the band that'd appeared on the stage.

Steve didn't turn back around to face the stage until he spotted the girls heading back towards them, he gave them a wave and turned around to look at the guys who hadn't been attempting to destroy anyone's hearing and was met with the face of the most gorgeous man he'd ever seen. Pretty face, long curly hair tied up in a bun, muscle tee showing off his many tattoos, piercings and chains and glittery Docs; Steve felt himself owl blink and blush.

God's gift to mankind was kneeling centre stage, guitar in hand making the most beautiful sounds Steve had ever heard as his fingers flew over the strings, and it was only when the rest of the band kicked back in that the man looked up, winked directly at Steve, and then jumped back to his feet, spending the rest of the song bouncing around the stage.

Steve only realised his mouth was agape when Robin finally arrived next to him and elbowed him hard in the ribs, giving him the same look she did whenever he was embarrassing in the club. He watched the rest of the Corroded Coffin, according to the backdrop, set in awe. Screaming and clapping along when they wished everyone a great day, throwing picks and drumsticks into the crowd and taking a bow; patting each other on the back as they wandered offstage.

As soon as it was quiet again, Robin wanted to know what the hell was wrong with his face and honestly, he couldn't answer her. He didn't even believe in love, not for himself at least, and he certainly didn't believe in love at first sight. It didn't stop him from spending the next couple of hours watching the faces at the sides of the stage, hoping to catch a glimpse of his new favourite guitarist, though.

As soon as Chrissy hit the stage, Steve got lost, between filming the set and watching Robin trying not to hyperventilate when Chrissy spotted her t-shirt, pointed to her, and giving her a coy little wink, blew her a kiss.

"An old school friend is here with me tonight, and I'd like him to help me out with this next track. Especially for the beauty in the front row, this is Girlfriend!"

The crowd went wild as the beat kicked in, but Steve was still watching Robin because it looked like she'd stopped breathing altogether. That was until she gasped loudly and started smacking Steve in the way she always did whenever she got overly excited; pointing wildly at the stage, and it was only when he looked over he saw Corroded Coffins guitarist bouncing up and down next to Chrissy.

Instead of the black muscle vest and skinny jeans he'd been sporting earlier in the day, he had changed into pale blue board shorts and a baggy white t-shirt that read "Hey Steve!" written in black sharpie with a giant winking smiley face underneath that could only really be seen when he swung his guitar around his back to copy Chrissy's dance moves.

The song ended, and the friends hugged, Chrissy waving him off the stage and calling out, "Eddie Munson everybody!" letting the crowd go wild for her friend before launching into the rest of her set.

By the time Chrissy had actually left the stage, Robin looked exhausted, having screamed and sung and danced herself out. They hung around a bit, said goodbye to Kayla and Jess, wishing them a safe journey home, and they were just taking one last look at the now empty stage when he heard someone yell his name...

[steddieunderdogfics]

ink you up by genesisofrhythm

@ruthofrhythm

Rating: Explicit

7,375 words, 1/1 chapters

Archive Warning: No Warnings

Tags: Minor Robin Buckley/Chrissy Cunningham, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eddie Munson Lives, Chrissy Cunningham Lives, Tattoo Artist Eddie Munson, Semi-Public Sex, Workplace Sex, Getting Together, Making Out, Hand Jobs, Anal Sex, Tattoos

Summary:

“You’re doing okay?” Eddie asked. He was steadily moving the tattoo gun, but Steve knew if he said the word, he’d stop right away. Steve nodded minutely. “Mm hm, I’m fine. All good.” Too good, in fact. Steve was becoming aware of a different sensation now. Steve felt… well, he frankly felt a little turned on. The pain was melding in his brain, mixing with the adrenaline coursing through his body, and creating a very concerning reaction. He thought tattoos were supposed to hurt. What the fuck was this? Or: Turns out the only thing Steve likes more than getting tattooed, is his tattoo artist, Eddie. And he really likes getting tattooed.

Thanks for the rec!

This rec is a part of Theme Weekend. The theme this weekend is Tattoo Artist AU.

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks or the submission box!

[n33dlew0rk]

I cyclically go back to some of my old favourites bc I'm a proud ✨music slut✨ and I was thinking about Roy Khan when he joined Kamelot. Like, the kinda uncharacteristic voice timbre for the genre and the short hair made me think of Steve.

And I don't necessarily headcanon Eddie Munson as a metal elitist, but for the sake of this little worm, let's say he absolutely is one. The nasty type, even.

So wouldn't it be hella funny if mid-thirties lead guitarist of average famous trash metal band Corroded Coffin Eddie'd find himself at a festival and suddenly smitten with power metal vocalist Steve Harrington?

Ok so, stay with me:

Eddie and the Corroded Coffin boys play some big festival in the early 2000s, not as headliners (I honestly can't see CC as that big, sorry), but still like on one of the late afternoon / early night slots. A plan they're pretty big fans of, it means they have a substantial crowd of fans and casual festival-goers listening to them, but they can get pretty buzzed and relaxed to enjoy the bigger names playing later afterwards. And they're all still in their mid-thirties so yk their lower backs hurt, sure, but they can still be menaces in the pit if they're motivated enough.

They do just that for a while, then around dinner time, someone's girlfriend (I'd like to think Jeff's bc I can totally see him not caring about genres at all) begs to go see this band she likes at one of the smaller stages. She's telling them that they just changed vocalist and this guy had to prove himself to the band by skydiving with them and that's so cool and she really wants to see them live please please please.

Eddie is not convinced, the name of the band doesn't sound familiar, but it's clearly fantasy inspired, and that leaves him with this nagging feeling that they'll end up to some obnoxiously cheesy act. He tries to divert the attention from himself and actually go eat something.

Manager and bff extraordinaire Chrissy Cunningham won't have it though, always careful with partners, family and significant others because she knows how the industry can turns artists into assholes. So she shoves all the boys towards the smaller stage, smiling wide and supportive of the girl who wanted to go there.

And wouldn't you look at that: the act IS, in fact, obnoxious and cheesy. The band has back up vocals that look more like a fucking choir. They have a keyboard that could probably replicate an entire orchestra, which means these guys are symphonic. Eddie shudders at the thought alone.

By no means the band has a big production, but they still have drape-like thingies stage-sides and candles and shit. A quick glance to the crowd has Eddie taking in so many men in leather pants and flowy-fucking-harmony-book-illustration-cover-vaguely-medieval shirts that will hunt him for a lifetime of nightmares.

Eddie groans as the band enters the stage and start playing right away. And yeah, there's no denying it anymore, it's clearly a power metal act- yep there it comes, the chirpy melodic riff and oh, oh yeah, melancholic keys and heartbreaking choir intro just joined the party. Eddie is actively glaring at Chrissy, but she just smiles and pats his back, shrugging apologetic.

And then.

AND THEN.

And then Eddie's future husband appears up there, in a puff of poorly distributed fake smoke, a too tight short sleeved black shirt, fairly normal black jeans with just a few straps on his juicy thighs, short and messy light brown hair and the sweetest boy-next-door smile.

This dorky motherfucker even dares to do a little bow to the audience.

This piece of cake with no tattoos whatsoever in sight and the attire of a very mild occasional I sometimes go to raves while vacationing in Ibiza because I have a very stable and probably boring white collar job and I need to decompress.

This absolute luscious chest forest bearer of a man struts to the barricade and starts singing with a tone so warm that it soothes half of Eddie's lifelong trauma and a lung capacity that could send at least two big tobacco companies bankrupt.

And for a minute there (or five, or ten, or whatever) Eddie kinda forgets why it was ever cringe to sing of doomed love, eternal devotion and, fucking, roses and flowers and passionate nights full of stars and promises and-

"Backstage pass" he starts shaking Chrissy's arm not taking his eyes off the charming vocalist.

Chrissy doesn't hear him right away, so she just cocks an eyebrow in a silent question, but Eddie keeps on staring at the stage like a man possessed and shouts louder "Get. Me. A. Backstage. Pass" and point a finger at Steve singing his heart out.

Chrissy snickers, not particularly surprised, and stands on her tip-toes to take Eddie's face in her hands, turning him to face her.

"Babes, you are an artist that performed at this festival", she lowers a hand to grab and wave in front of his eyes the artist pass attached at Eddie's neck.

It takes a few beats for him to gather enough brain power to understand, but as soon a as he does, he's dodging people left and right with a streak of mumbled "sorry man"s alternated with some more urgent "kindly fuck off"s to reach the front and find the nearest staff entry to flaunt his newly rediscovered access guarantee.

-

After the encore, an absolutely delicious sweat drenched Steve exists stage left and bumps directly in a very much stunned Eddie Munson with hearts in his eyes.

Steve mumbles a distracted "sorry" and starts walking around him to follow his bandmates to the green room when Eddie reaches for his wrist and nearly shouts "WAIT".

Steve turns around again, looks at his own wrist wrapped in pretty ringed long fingers, then focuses on the owner of said fingers. "Uh, yeah?"

Eddie's watching him like he's the Eighth World's Wonder and promptly answers with "Hi, my name is marry me, will you Eddie Munson?".

In the time it takes Steve to blink a few times and lightly blush before bursting out a genuine laugh, he realises two thing: one, the man in front of him (and still holding his wrist) is Eddie Munson from Corroded Coffin and he his quite frankly hot; two, Eddie Munson from Corroded Coffin spent a good five minutes of his own band's set earlier that night to climb on a tall amp and proceed with a ridiculous tirade against "all the melodic sappy panty twisting crap that's tainting true metal".

So Steve slowly cocks his head, still smiling big, gently pats his free hand on Eddie's cheek and smugly tells him "nah, wouldn't want to taint your", he tries to lower his voice to make it sound tougher, while vaguely gesturing towards him "true metal, hot stuff". He also winks at him, for good measure.

Eddie once again takes a moment to recover and totally bypasses Steve's dig blurting out a "you watched our set???", ears reddening at the tips, face shocked and mouth open.

Steve finally manages to free his hostage wrist and gives Eddie an incredulous, hopeless once over, starts laughing again and walks backstage, shaking his head.

When he notices Eddie's not following him (still stunned, not offended, to be clear) e looks over his shoulders "are you coming or not?".

Eddie unfreezes then and sprints to join him.

-

Eddie will proceed to follow Steve around for the remainder of the festival, walking on his knees and begging pretty please for a chance to explain the he actually meant other melodic sappy panty twisting crap, not Steve's.

-

The next Corroded Coffin album is kind of experimental, features Steve's vocals on one track, pisses off metal elitists worldwide and gains CC a headliner spot in the next festival line-up.

[steddiebang2024]

Feels Like The First Time  |  Teen and Up |  50k

Author: @artsadvocatetrashcan

Artist: @yellowsweater-bluevest

Beta Reader: @acasualcrossfade

[Link to fic]  |  [Link to art]

Pairings: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington

Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Chrissy Cunningham, The Party, Joyce Byers, Jim “Chief” Hopper, Jonathan Byers, Nancy Wheeler, Wayne Munson

Tags: Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Gay Disaster Eddie Munson, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington Has a Bisexual Awakening, Mutual Pining, Tattoo Artists In Training Eddie and Chrissy, Tattoo Artist Eddie Munson, kind of lol, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Are Roommates, Romantic Comedy, Alternate Universe - 50 First Dates Fusion, Platonic Soulmates Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Chrissy Cunningham & Eddie Munson Are Best Friends, Steve Harrington Needs a Hug, Memory Loss, Caretaker Robin Buckley, Hurt Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson is a Sweetheart

Trigger Warnings: Mental health struggles, anxiety attacks, memory loss, minor head trauma, caregiver burnout, mentions of doctors and hospitals.

↳ Keep reading below for a summary!

Eddie's lived in Hawkins long enough to know he wants to get out of there one day. He and his best friends have big plans to move out west and start a tattoo shop, but it all goes to the back of his mind when he jumps head-first into a friendship-turned-crush with Steve Harrington, who's plagued by a condition that makes him forget every day that passes by.

There's no way Steve can ever feel the same way about him, though. Right?

[medusapelagia]

A Magnet For Trouble - Masterpost

Written for @billybigbang2024 Artist: @akichania Beta reader: @ghostdeb

[Link to the fic AO3], [Link to the art]

Being a policeman isn’t easy, but some days are extremely harsh. After a bad shift, Jason Carver finds himself wandering in a night club, trying to forget about his problems, and there he meets the most beautiful man he has ever seen.  Billy Hargrove is a tattoo artist, proud of his queerness, and even if he finds the young policeman attractive, he’s not going to fall for a closeted guy, but there’s nothing wrong with having some fun under the sheets. The important thing is to keep sex and love separated. Everything changes when an armed man tries to rob Billy’s tattoo shop, Jason gets hurt and the line between sex and love becomes blurred.

Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Jason Carver, implied Robin Buckley/Chrissy Cunningham Rating:  Explicit Warnings:  Graphic Depictions of Violence Additional Tags:  Alternative Universe - no upside down, Modern Setting, Angst with Happy Ending, reference to domestic violence, Tattoo Artist Billy Hargrove, Policeman Jason Carver, Chrissy Cunnigham and Jason Carver are cousins, Attempted Armed Robbery, Blood and Injuries, Whump, Injuries Recovery, Smut,  Falling in love, from friends with benefit to lovers, Tattoos, Max’s father is Italian because I say so Length: 27k

Aki's art: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 4, Ch 5

[steddie-fanfic-recs]

call me sunshine, send me to space

by steddieas_shegoes

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley/Chrissy Cunningham Character: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Will Byers, Chrissy Cunningham Additional Tags: Gay Steve Harrington, Gay Eddie Munson, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Tattoo Artist Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington Gets a Tattoo, sunshine eddie munson, grumpy steve harrington, Accidental Subspace, Sub Steve Harrington, Dom Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Are Best Friends, Good Friend Robin Buckley, Guidance Counselor Steve Harrington, this is because of tumblr polls answers, what a combo, fast burn, like a damn forest fire, Steve Harrington Has a Praise Kink, Top Eddie Munson, Bottom Steve Harrington, Mildly Dubious Consent, but only brief mention and not between eddie and steve!!!, Baby Girl Steve Harrington, Sub Drop, Dom Drop, Aftercare, Soft Eddie Munson, Frottage, Dirty Talk, Platonic Soulmates, Platonic Stobin, Hand Jobs, Finger Sucking, Blow Jobs, Semi-Public Sex, Wet & Messy, Major Illness, Rimming, Anal Fingering, Spit As Lube, Past Child Abuse, Child Neglect, very mild and briefly discussed, Shower Sex, Face Slapping, Hand Feeding, Nightmares, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Edging, Anal Sex, Unsafe Sex, but it's safe because they're clean and ask first, Feminization, Overstimulation, Light Angst, Spit Kink, Cock Warming, Anal Plug, Steve Harrington Wears Panties, Steve Harrington Wears Makeup, Steve Harrington Wears Nail Polish Words: 89,621 Chapters: 18/18

Summary

“What size were you thinking? Where’s this going?” Steve pointed to the middle one, barely an inch wide. “I was thinking my wrist?” Eddie smiled at him. “Sounds good, sunshine.” Oh. That was not good. That little thing his stomach just did? Nope. Not good at all.

[hbyrde36]

Hellfire Ink

Art here by: @glitterfang

Our contribution to the @strangerthingsreversebigbang

Word Count: 10,339

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Rating: E

Pairings: Steve Harrington/ Eddie Munson

Characters: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley, Chrissy Cunningham

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Tattoo Artist Eddie Munson, Lust at First Sight, Crush at First Sight, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Bisexual Eddie Munson, Misunderstandings, Happy Ending, Getting to Know Each Other, Getting Together, Pining, Smut, Strangers to Lovers, Oblivious Eddie Munson, Idiots to Lovers

Summary:

Not for the first time, Eddie was really regretting his decision to book a client on a Friday night, a new client at that.

It wasn’t as if he had anything better to do, exactly. There were no dates on his calendar, and going out to random bars and clubs on the weekends to look for quick hook-ups had begun losing its appeal lately.

But it’d been a long week, and he’d much rather be getting ready to plop down on the couch with Chrissy to split a bottle of red wine while they watched Drag Race, than preparing to do a cover up for some idiot who’d gotten their girlfriend’s name tattooed on his body, only to fall victim to—The Curse.

Ask any tattoo artist and they’d be the first to tell you, there was no surer way to guarantee a breakup than to ink your significant other’s name on your body forever.

Beta Reader 🖤: @penny00dreadful

[steddieas-shegoes]

Chapter 16

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 / Chapter 6 / Chapter 7 / Chapter 8 / Chapter 9 / Chapter 10 / Chapter 11 / Chapter 12 / Chapter 13 / Chapter 14 / Chapter 15

--------------------------------------------------------

Eddie didn’t usually get nervous about meeting people. Even the few times he met parents, he didn’t really expect them to be a forever thing, so it didn’t really matter to him if he made a good impression.

But this was Steve. This was the person he was spending forever with. And despite his clearly complicated relationship with his parents, his mom seemed to mean something to him.

Steve explained their entire conversation on the way to his apartment, his old apartment, the one he hopefully wouldn’t move back into.

If it were up to Eddie, this temporary move to his house would be permanent, but he didn’t want to push. He knew Robin and Steve were close, and that Robin looking for a new roommate may take some time, that Steve wouldn’t want to just leave her with such little notice and no one to cover his half of the rent.

The closer they got to the apartment, the more nervous Eddie became.

Steve looked over at him when they stopped at a red light, brows furrowed in concern.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

“Nothing, my love,” he brushed it off, kept his face forward so he wouldn’t fall for the puppy dog eyes Steve gave him to get what he wanted.

“You know, my mom isn’t that bad. I don’t get along with her all the time, but she is definitely the lesser of two evils when it comes to my parents.”

“Mhm. Just wanna make sure you’re okay with everything.”

Steve was quiet for a moment, the soft tones of a song he didn’t recognize playing on the radio.

“You know it’s okay to be worried about yourself, Eds. I’m feeling…well, not great, but kind of positive about this? I know it could turn into nothing, but my mom is kind of relentless when she’s set on something and it doesn’t sound like she’s gonna give up until I have my job back.”

Steve’s hand settled on Eddie’s knee, providing him a comfort he didn’t realize he needed.

Eddie often found comfort in putting others’ needs first, that’s what made him a good dom, a good friend, a good person. But even he needed to take a break from that sometimes. He knew it, he just didn’t actually do it.

“I’m mostly worried about you, but I am a little worried about meeting your mom. There, is that better?” Eddie asked with a small smile.

“Yes. She always comes off scarier than she is. All yip, no bite, or whatever the saying is,” Steve said confidently.

Eddie loved him. God, he loved him so much.

He watched as Steve bobbed his head along to the music, his hand remaining on Eddie’s knee and tapping his fingers, though he was completely off beat.

Eddie loved him so much, it felt like a part of him was always going to hear Steve’s name and associate it with comfort and home.

Steve pulled into his usual parking spot, sighing as he parked.

“Just don’t take any offense to what she says. She has no filter and forgets that people have feelings. I barely listen to anything she says anymore.”

Steve sounded nervous suddenly, maybe even more than Eddie had been on the way here.

Eddie turned, cupped his face in his hands, and kissed his nose.

“I’m here to support you, protect you. I want her to help you. I don’t care if she likes me or is rude to me, it’s about you being happy.”

“Eds, I don’t want her to upset you. Please just don’t let her scare you away.”

“Sunshine, I’m not goin’ anywhere, especially not because of your mom being a little mean to me. Your my home, and I’m yours, right?”

He felt Steve relax into his hands, a fond smile taking over his face.

“Yeah, baby, you are.”

“Then let’s go see your mom.”

—----------------------------------------

Robin was standing at the front door as soon as he opened it, her eyes begging him to do literally anything to help.

He almost laughed.

Almost.

But then he heard his mother, presumably on the phone with someone, and he decided he probably should be easy on her.

“Who’s she talking to?”

“It’s been someone new every five minutes since she got off the phone with you. I think this one is your father, but I’m not sure because she talks to everyone the exact same, which is like they are specks of dirt on the bottom of her shoe.” Robin rolled her eyes and turned to Eddie with a smile. “Hi, Eddie.”

“Hi, Robbie. Gonna make it?”

“Hard to say. I hope so.”

They gave each other quick hugs, an exchange of wordless support, and Eddie felt a bit better. If Robin could handle Steve’s mom, he certainly could.

“Richard, I don’t give a shit and a half if you think I’m babying him. He’s our son. He didn’t do anything wrong and he’s being punished. Our job is to help people who don’t do anything wrong and are being punished. I’ll be better off without your help, but I refuse to let you make empty threats at me or him.”

“You guys stay here,” Steve muttered, making his way into the kitchen to talk to his mom.

“I have to go. You can go fuck yourself or the newest woman who has to fake it through a few minutes in bed with you to get a new diamond bracelet.”

Anne Harrington did not fuck around. Steve could admit to himself that it was probably the best part about her.

“Oh, good, you’re home. I’ve contacted the school to let them know any future interviews involving you will also have me present. Any paperwork sent to you or requiring a signature will be reviewed by me first. I’ve already been sent the paperwork you signed, which will not hold up in court because all parties involved in the case are supposed to sign it and only you signed it. You work for a school system that doesn’t seem to understand basic law, which is concerning since they’re opening themselves up to a hell of a lawsuit.”

“It’s nice to see you, Mom.”

Anne sighed, releasing the weight of the world from her shoulders, and pulled him into a hug.

They were never a touchy family, not even when Steve was a small child. But every once in a while, usually during the most stressful times, his mom would pull him into a hug that actually felt like the type of hug a mother would give her kid.

“What a pickle this is,” she said against his shoulder, a solid six inches shorter than him, but always bigger than her body when she spoke.

“I know. Thanks for helping.”

“No need to thank me, it’s gonna be easy to handle. Now! Where’s the boyfriend?”

“Uh. With Robin.”

“Let’s go get this out of the way, then,” she said as she pulled away from him, her face back to the stern look he’d walked in on.

“Just be easy, please. He-”

“Steven, I know what it looks like when you’re happy. I know I rarely was around to see it, but it’s easy to see the glow, even with all this stress happening around you. He makes you feel loved?”

“Every second of every day.”

“Then he won’t have to worry about me unless that changes,” she said as she walked out to the living room.

Anne walked up to Eddie, his eyes wide as he took her in.

“Edward Munson. Nice to meet you. I’m Anne Harrington. I am certain I like you just fine, but let’s get right to it: my son is all that matters to me right now and if you get in his way of getting his job back or me doing my job, you will never step foot near him again, understood?”

Steve rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help the blush creeping across his cheeks. His mom had never been this protective of him, not even in high school when one of his friends tried to drag him into a legal issue with another basketball player.

“And if I ever get in the way of his happiness and future, I hope you would do whatever you can to protect him,” Eddie responded.

Anne studied him for a moment, looking him up and down and trying to figure out what her response should be.

She nodded once, turned to Steve, gave him a wink, and then looked back at Eddie.

“Let’s get Steve his job back.”

—----------------------------------------

The next three days were endless meetings with his mom, the school, and the school board.

Steve was instructed not to open his mouth except to give the same answers he’d already given, let Anne do most of the talking otherwise, keep his head up and appear confident that he’d done the right thing.

He had done the right thing, so it was easy to do.

Every moment he got with Eddie was special, his mom taking the guest room of the house and making it difficult for them to have any time alone.

But they still stole away in the evenings, when his mom decided to take a break from everything and shower and read her book for a bit. Eddie and Steve would take a bath together, Eddie washing Steve, Steve washing Eddie, touching every inch of each other with reverence as they silenced the moans with their mouths.

It wasn’t enough, but it would have to do for a while.

Steve cooked them breakfast every morning, Eddie wrapped his arms around his waist and rocked side to side, humming a song Steve didn’t know.

Eddie went to the shop while Steve stayed home and made sure his mom had everything she needed to do her job. He would bring Eddie a late lunch to take a break, and his mom would often go find a restaurant she deemed tolerable so she could enjoy a “decent salad, nobody makes a decent salad anymore, Steven.”

By the time dinner came around, Steve was feeling too much, and he had no way to feel better about it until Eddie got home.

Eddie would just know.

He’d pull him against his chest, run his hands up and down his back for a minute, then tug on his hair just right, just the way Steve craved.

It wasn’t enough to float, not even enough to drift a bit on the edge, but it was enough to make him feel like Eddie knew what he needed and would help as soon as he could.

“Your mom in the kitchen?” Eddie whispered against his head.

“Mhm.”

“She okay?”

“Yeah. Said we should be hearing anytime now about everything.”

“Did you talk about her treatments yet?”

Steve shook his head against Eddie’s chest.

“She doesn’t want to?”

Steve shook his head again.

“Want me to ask?”

“No. I just want you to be here with me when I do. Is that okay?”

“Of course it is, sunshine,” Eddie kissed the top of his head and pulled away so he could head into the kitchen to start making dinner.

It was smooth, or at least as smooth as it could be with an extra person in the house who was toeing the line between welcome and nuisance.

Eddie was making steak salad tonight, at his mom’s request, because he was incredible and a small part of Steve loved seeing that Eddie was doing whatever it took to keep her happy, to keep the peace between them.

“Hi, Anne. How’s today been?” Eddie asked as he moved towards the fridge to pull everything out to start prepping.

“It’s been another day, Edward. How was your day?”

“Had another first tattoo today. Those are always interesting,” he sent a knowing look to Steve, who was shaking his head slowly.

“Oh? Do you get them often?”

“Honestly, no. Steve was my first first in a while. This was a friend of a friend who only trusted me to do it.”

Steve froze.

Somehow, Steve had managed to hide his tattoos from his mom the entire time. He’d been wearing Eddie’s hoodies around the house and long sleeve shirts and blazers or jackets for the meetings.

Eddie must have realized what happened as he turned to see Anne’s eyes searching Steve’s visible skin.

“You have a tattoo?”

“I have two.”

“Steven, tattoos aren’t very professional for your line of work.”

Eddie was standing at attention now, ready to step in the moment Steve needed him, but waiting for a signal of any kind.

“I got them in places that can be hidden. You haven’t seen them the entire time.”

“What could you possibly have gotten tattooed?”

“Will made me a sun painting and I decided I wanted it as a tattoo. Eddie did it on my wrist. Then I got a robin done.”

“This is the Will that you helped?”

“Yes.”

“Can I see?”

Her voice was much gentler now, almost too kind compared to what Steve was used to when she was disappointed in him.

Steve rolled the sleeve of his hoodie up, holding it out towards his mom as she sat at the table.

She took his wrist and turned it back and forth as she looked at the sun.

“He’s quite talented,” she said softly.

“He is.”

“I’m proud of you, Steve.”

Steve’s heart stopped, his eyes widened, and he felt his eyes flood with tears.

His parents had never said that to him, not when he made the varsity basketball team a year earlier than most people do, not when they won a championship, not when he made swim team captain as a junior, not when he graduated high school, not ever.

He’d stopped expecting to hear it eventually, especially when he’d cut himself off from them.

But some part of him, probably his inner child who had craved hearing those words for his entire life, felt incredibly overwhelmed at the way his mother was looking at him with tears in her eyes.

He distantly heard Eddie walk out of the room, and he struggled with the combination of feelings of relief and anxiety knowing that he wasn’t right there.

“I’m sorry I don’t tell you more, or ever, I guess. I know you’ve deserved to hear it so much. I guess-” she took a shaky breath. “I guess it was easier for me to pretend I wasn’t proud because I had no hand in your accomplishments. It was selfish of me to think that way, and I know that no amount of apologies will make up for it, but I let my job and your father dictate my entire life to the point that I forgot my son needed me.”

“Mom-”

“Let me finish first, please,” she held her hand up to stop him. “As I’ve been working on this entire situation, I’ve read through the interviews the school board conducted with Will, with his mom, with his brother, with other students, with the principal. Everyone loves you, everyone is on your side. Your own principal said the school would never be the same if you weren’t given another chance, that they would never find anyone as valuable as you are. The place I went to lunch the other day saw my last name and asked if I was related to you, and when I told them I was your mom, they gave me lunch for free because you helped the owner rebuild his shed when a snowstorm collapsed the roof last winter. And Eddie. Honey, that boy looks at you like you’re his sun. I cannot believe you’ve only been together a couple weeks. I don’t think I’ve ever felt the way you two feel about each other. Robin wanted to kill me when I walked into your apartment, and I assume it’s because she knows I haven’t ever been a good mom to you, and she’s right for wanting to protect you like that. I was never around to protect you, and probably caused more pain than anything, and I will spend as much time as it takes to try to make up for it.”

Steve was crying, the tears running down his face, soaking his hoodie, his vision so blurry he could barely even see that his mother was crying, too.

She stood up and pulled him against her, her head resting against his shoulder, his head resting against the top of her head.

“Honey, I’m so sorry,” she sobbed into his hoodie, her voice muffled but still audible.

“Why wasn’t I enough to be proud of?” Steve asked, his voice breaking.

“Oh, darling, you were. I promise you were. This isn’t anything you did wrong, or didn’t do well enough, this is all me failing you. You deserved to know I was proud of you, but I didn’t stop to think about how much not telling you would hurt you. That was my fault, not yours., you understand?”

Steve nodded, letting out another sob.

Suddenly, Eddie’s hand was on his lower back, and Steve’s body instantly relaxed.

“Sorry to interrupt, but your phone keeps ringing, and I figured it must be important if they keep trying,” Eddie said quietly, softly, the gentlest interruption he could possibly have made to their moment.

Steve pulled away sniffling, wiping his eyes as his mother did the same.

He reached for his phone, a new set of vibrations alerting him to another phone call.

“Hello?” Steve answered, hoping his voice didn’t give away the emotions of the last 15 minutes.

“Mr. Harrington, so sorry to keep calling like this, but I wanted to make sure to reach you before the school board official called.”

Principal Graves’ voice sounded excited, barely containing something that Steve hoped was good news.

“Is everything okay?”

“They’re going to be calling with the scheduled hearing for all parties involved today. They only do this when they’re pretty sure about reinstating someone, so I have a very good feeling you’ll be coming back to work within the next week.”

Steve started crying again.

Eddie and his mom looked at him concerned, but he gave them a wet smile to show that he was okay.

“I’ll get to talk to Will there?”

“This is why you’re the only person qualified for this job. The person filling in for you doesn’t believe in weekly sessions with students, says it causes students to become too attached to the counselor and services. I can’t wait to see her go. You didn’t hear that from me though.”

Steve let out a laugh, his tears finally slowing down, and his head falling to rest on Eddie’s shoulder.

“I miss my kids,” Steve admitted, closing his eyes when Eddie’s hand rubbed up and down his back comfortingly.

“They miss you. We all do. We owe a lot to your mother for how quickly this has turned in your favor. This could have gone on for another month at the rate they wanted to do things. She’s an impressive woman.”

Steve watched as his mother sat back down at the table to write something down in her notes with a smile.

“Yeah, she is.”

He wrapped up the call so he could be available for the school board call, thanking the principal multiple times for her help. He knew she struggled with filing a report at all, that she was only doing her job.

When he hung up, he explained everything to Eddie and his mom, getting interrupted halfway through by a kiss from Eddie, their teeth clacking together because of the broad smiles on both their faces.

When the call from the school board came through, Steve was sitting on the couch while Eddie prepared dinner in the kitchen, having a casual conversation with his mom while she worked at the dining room table.

On Monday, his entire future would be decided, and hopefully, he’d be back in his office to make a difference.

—------------------------------

When Monday came, Robin and Chrissy met Eddie and Steve at the school board office an hour early.

“Your mom coming?”

“She had a phone call with her doctor this morning so she should be here soon,” Steve said.

They’d talked over dinner a few nights before about her treatments, and how she had been putting it off for work, but also putting it off because she was scared. Steve told her she had to take care of herself, that her health needed to take priority, and if she needed to have support through it, he would be there.

Eddie took it a step further, and offered her the guest room during her treatments so she didn’t have to be alone.

Steve loved him so much.

“Should we wait inside?” Chrissy asked, holding onto Robin’s hand.

“You guys go in. I just wanna talk to Steve for a second,” Eddie said, wrapping his arm around Steve’s waist.

Chrissy smirked, but didn’t say anything as she guided Robin inside.

Steve turned to Eddie, nervous smile on his face.

“What is it, baby?”

“I just wanted to say that no matter what, I’m in this with you. We’ll figure it out if things don’t go as planned, and nothing with us is going to change. You’re an incredible person and counselor, sunshine, and if they can’t see that, they don’t deserve you,” Eddie pecked his lips quickly to emphasize his words.

“Thank you, Eds. I love you.”

“I love you, sweetheart.”

With one more quick kiss, they parted, and made their way inside to find the room the hearing would take place in.

When they found it, the Byers were already there, and Will looked ready to vibrate out of his seat when he noticed Steve walk in.

He looked to Joyce, silently begging for permission to go to Steve. When she nodded with a smile, Will shot up out of his seat, nearly tripping on his own feet to run towards him.

Steve nearly fell backwards with the force of the hug, Will’s arms wrapping around him as he let out a sob. Eddie held them both up as Steve found his balance again, smiling down at them.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything to anyone. Mom’s trying to put together a fund for you so you can still pay your bills and Jonathan booked a show and the band is gonna give up their money from it to help you. And I made you a painting, but I couldn’t give it to you because Mom said it would possibly be worse if we tried to talk to you while they did everything. And I hate the new counselor, she’s terrible. She said if I need weekly services I should see a therapist and didn’t understand that we can’t afford one, that’s why I talk to you, but she just kept saying there are ‘resources for people in poverty’ which, we know, but they’re terrible and there’s a long wait list or else I would have already tried and-”

“Woah, buddy. Take a deep breath.” Steve helped him take a couple deep breaths and smiled down at Will. “It’s gonna be okay. Even if today doesn’t go well, I can still help you somehow. And you don’t have to worry about the money, you guys are amazing, but I’m doing fine.”

“Mom brought you a check already today. You can’t leave without it.”

Steve shook his head.

“Keep it. Use it for art supplies or something. I’ve got my bills paid and if today goes well, I’ll be back to work very soon.”

Will looked like he wanted to continue to argue, but Anne walked in, followed by Principal Graves and a few school board officials that Steve recognized as the interviewers for the case.

“You must be Will,” Anne said as she walked up to them.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Oh, don’t do that. I fear I’m looking much older than I wish to these days and that doesn’t help. I’m Mr. Harrington’s mom, Anne.”

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Anne.”

“You’re an outstanding artist, Will. I’d love to commission you for a piece for my office when you are done with school for the year.”

Will’s jaw dropped, and Steve couldn’t help the little giggle he let out.

His mother had only told him about that plan the day before, and he wholeheartedly agreed with it.

“Like, for money?”

“Of course. We’ll discuss it more when we get past this little bump in the road, okay?”

Will nodded, his mouth still open in shock.

“Attention everyone, please take your seats so we may begin,” a loud, deep voice echoed through the room.

Everyone followed instructions quickly, silent agreement that this needed to be over with as soon as possible.

Steve was nervous. He’d done okay up until this point, relying on his mom to explain technical things to him and Eddie to help him stay grounded and relaxed as much as possible.

But neither of them could do that now. Now, it was up to everyone at the front of the room to make a decision, a decision they probably already made, that would determine if Steve left here with a job or without one.

“As all of you know, I am the lead official investigator for this case, Mr. Hammond. We have spent many days conducting individual interviews with all parties present, as well as group interviews and other individual interviews with students and teachers at the school. We are here today to allow both sides to state anything they may have left out during interviews before we make our final recommendation on Mr. Harrington’s employment.” He cleared his throat before turning to look at Joyce and Will. “We will begin with you both. You are not required to add anything, but if you feel there is anything else you’d like to say, now is your chance.”

Will stood up immediately.

“I’d like to say something, please.”

The group in front nodded.

“Mr. H has been the best thing about school for me. He’s helped me really feel comfortable with myself, and helped me make new friends, and helped me understand that my art can be special to me and can provide a future for me if I try hard enough. No other counselor or teacher has ever been there like he has. My grades have suffered since he was sent home,” he sighed. Steve didn’t know that, and he felt anger rise up as he thought of the counselor in his place turning Will away while he struggled. “I haven’t been able to focus on my portfolio. I get encouragement from my mom, but she works hard and sometimes it’s just nice for someone who isn’t related to me to offer their support. Mr. H was that support for me, and no matter what decision you make today, I know he will do his best to still give it to me in whatever way he can.”

“Thank you, Will.” A woman next to Mr. Hammond gave him a smile. “Anything else?”

“No, thank you.”

Will sat down and Joyce hugged him, whispering something into his ear that no one could hear.

“Mr. Harrington, now is your chance to speak. You may say anything you wish to discuss your actions.”

Steve looked at Anne, who nodded at him encouragingly. They’d agreed the day before that she would only step in if things got ugly, and it seemed calm enough that he could speak on his own.

“Thank you,” he said as he stood. “I believe I spoke a lot during my interviews about how much my students, not just Will, mean to me. I got into this profession because I want to be a support for kids who may not always have it. That isn’t to say Ms. Byers doesn’t support him, but she’s a hardworking single mom, and it does take a village to raise a child, as we all know. When I first met Will, he barely spoke to anyone, he was barely passing his classes, and he was on his way to being a statistic that doesn’t look good for the community, the school, or himself. After a few sessions, he started opening up a bit more to me, and I saw a major improvement in his grades. He started making friends, he started becoming more involved in school activities like art club, and even got encouraged to apply for an elite art program. As you all are aware, his mother barely makes enough money to pay the necessary bills, and an art program like the one Will deserves to be a part of requires a lot of funding just to apply. He came to me as a trusted person to ask for help, which is something we encourage all students to do without fear of punishment. Instead of that happening, he was punished. I was punished as well, and trust me, it’s been difficult, but this entire time, I’ve been worried more about the impact this will have on Will.”

Steve looked over at Will, who was wiping tears from his face.

“My boyfriend Eddie was the one offering financial assistance. If you remember, he knew the Byers before we were even together. He knows what Will is capable of and didn’t want him to lose out on a big opportunity for his future because of a couple hundred dollars. I supported them because Will deserves it. If our job is to care for these kids, and make sure they have bright futures, then that’s what we did. Punishing any of us for it seems like the opposite of what our mission is. It’s been a privilege to be able to provide Will, and many other students, a safe place to be themselves, and I hope to continue to do that in this school.”

Steve sat down before anyone responded, his mom squeezing his shoulder and Eddie taking his hand.

“Thank you, Mr. Harrington. If you would give us all a few minutes to deliberate in the other room, we will be back shortly,” Mr. Hammond said seriously.

As they filed out, Steve’s nerves grew exponentially.

His legs were bouncing up and down until Eddie’s hands were on his knees, putting pressure on them to keep them still.

“Look at me, Stevie. That’s it, good boy,” Eddie whispered to him. Anne was busy speaking with Joyce and Will, so they were practically alone. “You did amazing. They’d be idiots not to reinstate you. If you’re not back in your office tomorrow, I’ll move us to another school district so you can find a new job. Will can come, too.”

Steve let out a small giggle at the thought of moving their entire lives just so he could have another chance to be a counselor somewhere.

“Everyone here knows you did the right thing. That’s what matters most. We’re all proud of you.”

Steve nodded.

He looked behind him at Robin and Chrissy, who both waved when he looked back, their hands still clasped between them.

He sat silently for a few minutes, looking down at his lap, trying to believe Eddie’s words, but not get his hopes up too much in case things went badly.

The door opened.

The group walked in.

No one’s face gave anything away.

Steve’s nerves grew, but Eddie’s hand in his kept him here.

“Thank you for your patience,” Mr. Hammond stated. “At this time, will Mr. Harrington please stand?”

Steve stood, his legs wobbling slightly as he let go of Eddie’s hand.

He felt every eye on him.

“Mr. Harrington, you understand that this has all been following a very strict policy in regards to confidentiality and personal relationships with students?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You understand it was our responsibility to fully investigate all claims made to ensure the safety of the student in question?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You understand that reinstatement of your position will still show this investigation on your record?”

Steve heard Will cheering before he truly registered what was being said.

“I’m sorry?”

Mr. Hammond smirked. The rest of the group was smiling at him.

“You’ve been reinstated as of today. You may resume your position as guidance counselor as early as tomorrow. Please keep in mind any future claims will require an immediate suspension of duties. Please stay here while the paperwork is drawn up for signatures. Thank you all for your cooperation.” Mr. Hammond turned to Will. “And good luck to you, Will. Your art is quite spectacular and deserves a place in that art program.”

“Thank you!” Will said, maybe a bit too loudly for the location and occasion, but it just made everyone let out laughs at his excitement.

Eddie was suddenly pulling him into his arms, kissing the top of his head and saying so many lovely things that Steve could barely hear.

“You’re incredible, oh my God, I’m so happy for you,” he whispered into his ear before Anne got in between them.

“Let me hug my son!” She said half-jokingly. Eddie let him go so he could be enveloped in his mom’s arms. “I’m so proud of you, honey. I knew you’d be fine.”

“Probably not without you,” Steve admitted.

“Maybe, maybe not. Important thing is you get to go back to work and make a difference for these kids, right?”

He nodded and then got wrapped up in Robin’s arms.

“You did it dingus! You get to be back with the rugrats!” She was bouncing up and down, making the hug a bit awkward, but Steve was used to her energy.

“Congrats, Steve. I’m so happy for you,” Chrissy added from behind her.

Steve felt loved.

So many people came to support him, to show him that no matter what decision was made, they were on his side. That he mattered.

But he didn’t really start crying until Will was hugging him again, thanking him over and over again for being the best and for not giving up and for caring so much.

He let Will sit next to him while he signed all the paperwork, his mom reviewing everything before he did so.

Will was telling him all about the piece he started working on in art club, and how he thought it was good enough for his portfolio, but kind of wanted to get his opinion first. Steve listened, unable to stop smiling at his excitement.

It was contagious, the excitement.

Everyone in the room seemed to feel it, all of them practically bouncing in place as they waited for Steve to finish.

When he did, Anne took everyone out to a celebratory brunch, bribed Joyce to keep Will out of school for the whole day with the promise of the best mimosas she’s ever had.

As Steve rode home after in the passenger seat of Eddie’s car, he looked down at his sun tattoo.

Somehow, despite every cloud in the way, he was still shining.

“You okay, sunshine?” Eddie was looking over at him out of the corner of his eye, a smile pretty much permanently plastered on his face since the decision was made.

“I’m perfect,” he replied.

He’d never been perfect before. He’d never thought perfect was attainable.

But perfect to him wasn’t the lack of problems or imperfections, it was knowing that even with them, he was happy.

He felt bright. He felt warm. And with Eddie next to him, he felt like the sun.

epilogue

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[billybigbang2024]

The Billy Big Bang posting season starts on November 1st and Team #5 will be posting their collaboration through November 20th! The banner and artwork is by @akichania / Akichania and the fic is by @medusapelagia / Medusapelagia, betaed by @ghostdeb! Be careful or the little preview below might pull you in just like their collaboration will!

Fic Title: A Magnet For Trouble

Rating:  Explicit

Warnings:  Graphic Depictions of Violence

Relationships:  Billy Hargrove/Jason Carver, implied Robin Buckley/Chrissy Cunningham

Characters:   Jason Carver, Billy Hargrove, Chrissy Cunningham, Heather Holloway, Robin Buckley, Max Mayfield, Original Characters

Additional Tags:  Alternative Universe - no upside down, Modern Setting, Angst with Happy Ending, reference to domestic violence, Tattoo Artist Billy Hargrove, Policeman Jason Carver, Chrissy Cunnigham and Jason Carver are cousins, Attempted Armed Robbery, Blood and Injuries, Whump, Injuries Recovery, Smut,  Falling in love, from friends with benefit to lovers, Tattoos, Max’s father is Italian because I say so

Length: 27k

Summary:

Being a policeman isn’t easy, but some days are extremely harsh. After a bad shift, Jason Carver finds himself wandering in a night club, trying to forget about his problems, and there he meets the most beautiful man he has ever seen. 

Billy Hargrove is a tattoo artist, proud of his queerness, and even if he finds the young policeman attractive, he’s not going to fall for a closeted guy, but there’s nothing wrong with having some fun under the sheets. The important thing is to keep sex and love separated.

Everything changes when an armed man tries to rob Billy’s tattoo shop, Jason gets hurt and the line between sex and love becomes blurred.

[robindrake93]

A Little Scandalous (6186 words) by robindrake93 Chapters: 2/2 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Chrissy Cunningham/Eddie Munson Characters: Chrissy Cunningham, Eddie Munson Additional Tags: POV Third Person, Chrissy Cunningham Lives, Eddie Munson Lives, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Stripping, Mutual Pining, Requited Love, Tattoos, Tattoo Artist Eddie Munson, Eddie Munson is a Sweetheart, First Kiss, Future Fic, Recreational Drug Use, Holding Hands, Kissing, Sharing a Bed Summary: Chrissy asked, "Who did your tattoos?" "I did," Eddie said. "I'm self-taught." "Will you do me?" Chrissy asked. Eddie's heart skipped a beat. "Uh…" Before Eddie could gather his wits enough to say that yes, he would absolutely do her, Chrissy added, "I mean, I want a tattoo. Will you give me one?" Eddie's heart raced. "Yes, of course."

[hellcheerficdatabase]

I Love It Loud

Author: @illyrianmalfoy

Rating/Warning: Teen and up audience

Chapter Count: 1/1

Description: Tattoo artist Eddie Munson plays his music too loud, florist Chrissy Cunningham is fed up.

Tags: Alternate universe- no vecna, Tattoo Artist!Eddie, Florist!Chrissy, drabble, fluff, Eddie has a crush on Chrissy, Eddie is obvious, Eddie is annoying, on purpose, alternating POV, one-shot, status: completed