#the 4 dumbass steves are back

[javierpena-inatacvest]

Chapter 20 pt. 2- I Do

Summary: It's wedding time, baby.

Word Count: 17.4K (.....I'm so sorry)

Warnings: SMUT (18+) unprotected p in v sex, vaginal fingering, praise kink, marriage kink, big, fat, nasty, unspeakable breeding kink (holy SHIT you guys, I really went balls to the wall on this one, I fear), kind of semi-public sex (you already know these horndogs are going at it again), More getting caught (Steve is causing his own problems at this point), wedding things!!, family dynamics, mentions of death/grief, lots of emotions, alcohol/drinking, so many feelings (grab the tissues, friends), Javi being adorable with kids, Javi being so in LOVE it HURTS?!? So much joy and happiness because Javi deserves the world and more

A/N: HELLO. Part 2 is finally finished *insert Spongebob narrator voice* 4 years later 🫠 Omg y'all, thank you SO much for bearing with me as I finish this, it has been a labor of love like no other, but I am so excited to finally share our favorite couple's special day and finally GET THESE TWO MARRIED 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I would very much be lying if I said I didn't cry multiple times writing this chapter 🥺 I can't believe these two are actually getting married- words can't express how thankful I am for everyone who's wanted to stick around and read my silly little story to see these two make it to their wedding day- your support and kind words mean more to me than you will ever know 💛 Poorly beta'd bc I'm the worst, also, I've seen that sometimes people have issues reblogging things with comments that are this long (my apologies), but comments and reblogs make me wanna cry and throw up with joy, so it means a lot to me if you're able to leave a comment if it won't let you reblog with one!!!

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Never had you been so anxious to walk in a straight line. 

Because truth be told, that was all you needed to do to walk down the aisle- walk in a straight line. 

But when that straight line meant the walk to finally get to marry your future husband, to take his last name, to start the beginning of your forever together, not to mention kissing him in front of all your closest family and friends, you couldn’t help but feel the butterflies in your stomach swirling in anticipation as you waited for your ceremony to start. 

“You okay, Hermosa?” Javi asked, his thumb gently stroking your hand that he had been holding since the moment he saw you, almost as if he was refusing to let go. You looked up at him, big brown puppy dog eyes staring down at you with a goofy grin that hadn’t left his face, the sight of his handsome, broad frame easing your racing heart enough to help you remember that when you walked down that aisle in a few short minutes, he was the only thing that mattered. 

“I’m perfect.” You smiled, pressing up on your toes just enough to peck his lips quickly before someone in the wedding party needed to barrate you both again about saving your kissing until after you were finally married. “I don’t think I’ve ever had this many people staring all at me at once. Knowing my luck, I’m gonna trip and fall over this dress before I can even make it to you. Or better yet, with my dumbass decision to have David and Charlie walk me down the aisle, I’ll be lucky if they don’t push me to the ground first.” 

“Well, even if you did fall, you would still be the most beautiful woman on the face of this Earth. My clumsy, grass-stained wife.” Javi snickered, giving you a little nudge as you rolled your eyes, giving him a playful shove back. 

“Pendejo. You have both of our vows books, right? You promise you haven’t peeked?” 

“Yup, both right here in my pocket.” Javi smiled, patting his tux by his chest. “Promise I haven’t read it. Although for my sake I probably should have, because if I can’t even make it through seeing you in your dress, then these vows are gonna make me a fuckin’ goner.” 

“Bold of you to assume I had nice things to say about you in there.” You teased, raising your eyebrow as you smirked at him, making Javi shake his head as he laughed. 

“Alright everyone, it’s 3:00, it’s time to get this show on the road! Make sure you’re in order like we practiced, that you take your time walking down to the music, girls, please do not throw petals at each other, and make sure you all- Javi, where are you? You’re supposed to be at the front of this line, sir.” Connie sassed, proving to you that she really was the perfect person for the task of making sure that things ran smoothly today, bossing the group around like the captain of a well organized ship. 

“Sorry, I’m coming,” Javi replied sheepishly. “I love you, Osita.” Sliding the hand that was entangled with yours around your waist, Javi pulled you in for a kiss, much more obviously than he probably should have, considering the shit the two of you were about to get being literal minutes away from getting married. 

“Javier! Get you A-S-S up here! Kiss her all you want once you say I do!” Connie shouted, rolling her eyes at the two of you, Javi pulling away in defense with his hands raised, trying to prove his innocence. 

“Oh, I know what that one spells, Mrs. Murphy! That one spells-” 

“Javi? Please?” Connie asked again, quickly trying her best to cut off your niece, Olivia, before she could finish the rest of her thought in front of everyone else, making the group giggle at her matter of factness. 

“Okay, okay, I’m here!” Javi pleaded, making his way to the front of the procession, taking his place next to his dad as Connie did one more check through of everyone’s spot in line before giving the music an all clear to start playing. 

As you stood at the end of the line, you peeked up to see Javi turned around staring back at you with that same stupid smile on his face, completely enamored and awestruck by you, already convincing you that you were going to turn into a puddle before you could even make it down the aisle. 

But as you went to re-adjust your bouquet in your grasp, you quickly realized there were not one, but two things missing from your procession line, now about to start walking down the aisle. 

Your brothers. 

Despite having seen them only seconds ago, as you quickly whipped your head around, they were now nowhere to be found. 

“Charlie? David? Where the fuck did you go?” You whisper shouted, frantically looking around for any sight of them.

Suddenly, you heard a rustling from one of the bushes around the corner from where you had been lined up and waiting, followed by the all too familiar voices of your brothers up to no good. 

“Just finish it you dingus, I already drank the first half!” 

“Why the fuck did we leave this out here? It’s fucking warm. You got the better half, that’s not fair!” 

“It was warm when I drank it too, dumbwad. Just finish it, we gotta fucking go, hurry up!” 

As you peered behind the bush, you saw your brothers wiping their mouth with the back of their hands as the tossed a can of Miller Lite to the ground, freezing in fear as they saw your menacing and disappointed glare staring back at them. 

“What the fuck do you two think you’re doing?!” 

“It was David’s idea!” Charlie responded, pointing at his brother. 

“Charlie didn’t say no!” David responded back, now pointing at him. “You didn’t expect us to get through this sober, did you? You’re the one who asked us to marry you, so I don’t know what to tell ya, Cubby. Plus, we wanted to pour one out for Patrick since he’s the luckiest bastard out of all of us and doesn’t have to worry about fucking up marrying his little sister.” 

“God, you two are idiots. Well that thing you agreed to do is happening as we speak so can we go do that, please?” You sighed, trying your best not to laugh at your brother’s antics, knowing that you really should have expected nothing less from the pair after you and Javi had asked them to officiate your wedding, considering neither of you had wanted anything religious, and wanted someone who knew you to be the ones to do it. 

“Okay, okay!” They replied, one rushing to each side of you and hooking their arm around yours as you made your way back to your spot at the end of the processional line that had now begun to move forward. 

“Where were you 3 dumbbells? The ceremony is starting!” Your dad gruffed, trying his best to restrain from slapping each of you upside the head. 

“Cubby wanted a beer.” David replied, shrugging his shoulders, keeping his head facing forward, trying his best not to laugh. 

“Honey, seriously?!” Your mom scolded, looking at you with disgust. 

“I did not! I was trying to find these two idiots!” You groaned, eying your brothers as they shook you back and forth between them in their grasp. “I hate you both, I hope you know that.” 

“We love you too, Cubby.” Charlie smirked, knowing that for as much as you said it, there wasn’t a bone in your body that could hate your brothers. For as dumb and annoying as they were, there would never be another moment you would take for granted with them, knowing all too well that life was much too short to do anything but cherish your time together, wishing you had more time to spend with the brother who couldn’t be here with you today. 

Before you could respond, your thought was interrupted by the voice of the DJ through the speakers set up outside, your heart steadily beginning to pound at the reality that everything you had been waiting for was all about to become real. 

“Alright, ladies and gentlemen if you could please find your seats, we’re about to get started with our ceremony! Thank you so much, folks!” As his voice echoed through the speakers, a hush began to fall over the crowd of your friends and family that had gathered here, now anxiously alongside you for the ceremony to begin. 

A few seconds passed before you could hear the music beginning to play, the familiar melody of “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac ringing through the speakers- an easily unanimous pick for a song to walk down the aisle to for you and Javi, remembering the first night you had spent together in your apartment, making midnight mac n’ cheese and already falling head over heels in love with each other. 

As the beat began to pick up, your heart started to race, peaking over the backs of everyone’s heads to watch all 5 of your flower girls begin to skip down the aisle, throwing petals every which way around them as they moved.

You couldn’t help but laugh as all their little personalities shone through as they made their way to the altar- Olivia Murphy, being the oldest, most definitely was taking her role the most seriously, holding her baby sister in one hand and carefully sprinkling flowers evenly in front of her. Your niece, Olivia, was second in line to live up to her role, although, being the little ham she was, threw in the occasional twirl in the middle of the aisle to get people to look at her, along with her little waves to the crowd. The rest of the girls, Brianna, Abby and Madison, well, you were just happy that they made it down the aisle, thankful that their older sisters were at least on the lookout enough to keep them from running through the rows of your guests or dumping the entire bucket of flowers on themselves (you had learned your lesson from your rehearsal dinner that Brianna needed about half as less flowers as the others).

Your face lit up watching the girls, your heart filling with joy with the “awhs” and laughter from the crowd at their theatrics as they met at the altar with an impressively semi-rehearsed curtsy, followed by promptly running out of the spotlight and over to Connie who was waiting for them. 

Now that the flower girls had finished making their way down, the processional line began to shift forward once again, this time, leaving Javi and his dad to walk down together, Javi insisting that even though his mom would have been the one to walk him down if she was here, that wanted Chucho to be there in her place instead. 

“Ready, Mijo?” Chucho grinned, giving Javi a little nudge. “Am I going to have to keep you from sprinting down the aisle, or do you think you can manage walking?” 

As the pair began walking down to the melodic beat of the song, Javi couldn’t help but laugh at his dad’s comment, because as much as he wanted to tease him right back, he knew damn well he was so excited that he would have run to the altar if it meant he got to marry you even a minute quicker. 

“Javier?” Chucho asked, looking up at his son with tears in his eyes as the pair moved down the parted pathway between the crowd of guests. 

“Yeah, Pops?” 

“Estoy orgulloso de ti, mijo. Tu mama y yo. (I am so proud of you, son. Me and your mother.) We are so happy that you have found your media naranja (other half). Nosotros te amamos. (We love you so much.)” 

As Javi and Chucho reached the end of the aisle, Javi wrapped his arms around his dad, pulling him close as Chucho patted him on the back, pulling away to look at his son, tears now in both of their eyes, thinking about how far they had come to end up where they were in this very moment, thanking whatever greater power that had finally brought them and Lucia the peace they all desperately deserved. 

Javier Pena knew he was worthy of the love and happiness that his parents had longed for. He had finally proved to himself and his parents he really was the good man that he had hoped to be. 

“I love you, Pops. Thank you for everything.” Javi whispered to his dad, trying to fight back any more tears from falling down his cheeks. 

“Te amo mucho, Javier. (I love you so much, Javier). Thank you for finally realizing that who you are is enough. Now, stop crying over your old man and save some tears for your wife.” Chucho laughed quietly, giving his son another pat on the back with a soft smile wrinkling his cheeks. 

“Yeah, I don’t think you’re gonna have to worry about that.” Javi chuckled, shaking his head at the tearful mess he already was, giving his father one last hug before Chucho took his seat next to Connie and the flower girls at the front of the crowd. 

Steve was the next to make his way to the altar, Javi laughing at his friend’s goofy strut to greet him at the end of the aisle. Steve held out his hand to shake Javi’s before quickly pulling Javi in for another hug with pats to the back much harder than his fathers. 

“Listen, man. I ain’t good at this sentimental shit, but uh- I’m really fuckin’ happy for you, Javi. I know I give you shit, but you’re one of the good ones. She’s a lucky girl. And I hope you know you’re sure as hell one lucky son of a bitch. Love you, man.” 

“Love you too, Murph. Believe me, I know.” Javi grinned, giving Steve a slap on his shoulder laughing to himself as his friend sat down next to his wife and the girls, never imagining himself standing at the altar, happily waiting to get married while his former partner cheered him on, surrounded by his gaggle of giggly daughters. 

Feeling worlds away from Javi, your heart began to beat faster and faster, realizing that you were now only one pair away from making your trek down the aisle as your mom and dad walked down next, arm in arm. 

In classic mom fashion, your mother squeezed Javi so hard as she greeted him, that you were convinced that she was going to pop an eyeball out one of his sockets, thankful that your dad was there to reel her in enough to keep from suffocating him in her hug. 

“Javi. We love you so much. Thank you for making our daughter so happy. We’re so grateful she found you.” 

“Thank you. I love you both, too. Believe me, I’m just as grateful that she found me. Thanks for making me feel like a part of your family.” Javi replied to your mom, catching his breath through his smile after the death grip your mom had wrapped him in before looking over at your dad, extending his hand to meet his already outstretched one. 

“Jav, you’re a good man. I’m a guy of few words, but we couldn’t be happier for you both. Take care of her, okay?” 

“I will. I promise.” 

With a silent handshake and a nod, Javi and your dad had said all they’d needed to know that they couldn’t be more thankful for the love and support the other had brought you in the times that you had needed it most. 

As your parents made their way to their seats, standing at the opposite end of the aisle with your brothers at your side, the realization really hit you- You were the last one that needed to meet Javi. 

“You ready, Cubby?” Charlie asked, giving you a grin as he smiled down at you, interlocking your arm with his as David did the same on the other side. 

“Yeah, I’m ready. Hey, uh- I just, I just wanted to say, I-I love you guys.” 

“Gross.” David teased, scrunching his face in disgust, pretending to barf over his shoulder as you and Charlie laughed, shaking your head at your brother. “We love you too, dude.” 

With one final giggle and deep breath, you took your first step into view where everyone could see you, watching the guests rise to their feet in anticipation of your arrival, awestruck stares and smiles filling the crowd as you began to walk. 

Even though you had seen each other minutes ago, as you started to make your way down the aisle, smiling at Javi, the two of you couldn’t help but break into tears once again, laughing through your sobs that Javi broke before you did, trying to wipe his wet cheeks with the back of his hand while he watched you walk towards him. 

And even though every pair of eyes were on you, the only eyes you needed to see were Javi’s- The sweet, soft brown eyes that you had fallen so deeply in love with from the moment you had locked eyes with them all that time ago. They were the eyes of the first person who had ever truly seen you for who you were, inside and out, and you couldn’t be more thankful that when you looked at him, you saw your forever. When you looked at Javier Pena, you knew you were home. 

It almost felt as if time was standing still, that even in a crowd full of people, no one else existed besides the two of you. No one else mattered, and nothing else mattered- the only thing that mattered for you was Javi waiting for you at the end of the aisle, and you? You were going to finally be his wife. 

“You two are so in love, it’s fucking sick.” David whispered in your ear, helping to ease your tears as you burst into more laughter, rolling your eyes at your brother. 

“Oh shut up, asshole.” 

As you, David and Charlie finally made your way to Javi, waiting for you in a mess of happy smiles and loving tears, you had to use everything in you to keep from jumping onto him like a koala and kiss him all over his stupidly handsome face, resorting to reaching out to grab his hand instead, interlocking it with yours and giving it the tightest squeeze you could. 

“Hey, Mr. Peña. Long time, no see.” You whispered into Javi’s ear, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before took his other hand in yours, the two of you facing each other in front of your friends and family as David and Charlie took their place behind you, pulling out their notes that they had prepared, clearing their throats as they began to address the crowd. 

“Alright everyone, I uh- I guess we’re gettin’ this show on the road.” Speaking out into the crowd, Charlie began to flip to the right page of his script that you were relieved to see he had written out, your guests beginning to silence and bringing their attention to you and Javi. 

“Hi everyone, for those of you who don’t know us, we are the bride’s brothers, and we have the honor of our sister and our new brother-in-law being stupid enough to let us be in charge of marrying them today. Not to worry, 20 dollars and one course on the internet later, David and I are both legally ordained, so not to fear you two, this will all be legit, and hopefully not too embarrassing.” Charlie laughed, also eliciting giggles and eye rolls from you and Javi, as well as the crowd. 

“Well, we are gathered here today, because these two idiots have fallen so head over heels for each other, it's almost sickening. We’ve had the privilege of knowing our sister for the entirety of our lives. When we found out as kids that our mom was having another baby, and that it was going to be a girl, my brothers and I were disappointed, to say the least. We didn’t want a sister to ruin the bond that we had, and honestly, for a long time while my mom was pregnant, we went through a long baby boycott, and were convinced if we protested long enough, and hard enough, she would eventually turn into a boy, and everything would be fine.” David grimaced, shrugging his shoulders at you as you nodded in agreement, having heard this story from your brothers and parents plenty of times before. 

“And while at first, we weren’t really sure what to do with a sister, considering we didn’t even realize it was an option to pee sitting down until she came around,” Charlie snickered, making the crowd laugh again, aside from your mom, who was rolling her eyes so hard, they probably had made it to the back of her head, “Our sister ended up being one of the best things that could have ever happened to us.” 

Breaking your eye contact with Javi, you paused to look over at your brother, a genuine smile on his face, raising his eyebrows and shrugging as if to say I’m just as surprised that I’m saying this out loud as you. 

“Growing up with our sister has taught us a lot of things- Don’t challenge her to anything you don’t wanna lose at, because she’ll find a way to beat you, and thoroughly kick your ass while she does it, she’s got more brain cells that myself, Charlie, and our late brother Patrick did put together, she’s tougher than most guys I know, and she’s one of the biggest hearted people I’ve ever met.” Looking back at Javi, you could see his face beaming with joy, giving your hand a squeeze, agreeing with everything your brothers had to say, and how all of those traits had made him fall so madly in love with you. 

“So, like brothers do, we never assumed that there would never be anyone good enough, let alone even cool enough for our badass sister. And also like brothers do, we let her go through her fair share of duds and gave her shit, but when this guy came around,” Charlie smiled, pointing at Javi, “we knew that he was something special.” 

“Javi,” David joined in pointing, giving him a playful smirk, “Don’t think you were getting out of this so easy. When we first heard that our sister had made her way down to the middle of nowhere Texas and had started seeing you, our first reaction was instant disapproval, because if you lived in south Texas, you probably knew jackshit about hockey, and that was a no go for us.” 

“But,” Charlie interjected, “After talking to our sister more on the phone, not only was she starting to turn into the happy, energetic self we hadn’t seen in so long, we also learned after talking to her that you not only had been willing to watch hockey with her, but had began to openly express your disdain for the Detroit Red Wings, which made us change our opinions on you very quickly.” 

You and Javi looked at your brothers, rolling your eyes in laughter as they shrugged at you, the roar of cackles from the crowd making you grin, feeling the love from your brothers, friends and family swell in your chest, holding Javi’s hands even tighter, gazing up at him with an awestruck smile. 

“No in all seriousness, Jav. We couldn’t be happier that you not only have become a part of our sister’s life, but our family’s life, too. For those of you who don’t know, we um- we, uh-,” David gulped, taking a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears welling in his eyes, “our other brother, Patrick, um, passed away last year, and it uh, it was really hard on all of us, especially our sister. Javi, man, I don’t think you’ll ever understand how thankful we are that you love our sister so unconditionally. Better yet, that you love our family of idiots so unconditionally, because truth be told, we are not an easy bunch to love. While obviously, you can’t ever replace Patrick, I just, I hope you know that we’re so glad to have you as a brother, and that Patrick really would have loved you, man. He would be so happy that you’re the one our sister gets to spend the rest of her life with.” 

For what felt like the 117th time today, you found yourself in absolute tears, feeling the wetness streaming down your cheeks as you looked down at the #2 patch sewn on the bottom corner of your veil in a beautiful mixture of sadness and joy before looking up to see not a dry eye in front of you, both your brothers and Javi misty eyed and sniffling. Breaking his grasp from yours, Javi stepped towards your brothers, wrapping his arms around both of them to pull them into a long, tight hug, Charlie and David reciprocating as their arms patted his back. 

“Thank you guys.” Javi whispered, choking back his tears as he pulled away to look at your brothers, all of you wiping your wet faces with your hands to try and compose yourselves to carry on with the ceremony. 

“Damn, okay, well, sorry about that, folks, was not expecting that.” Charlie and David laughed, trying to shake off their unusually sappy sentiment, looking out at the crowd to see not a dry eye in the house. “Well um, well that’s enough of us yapping at you guys, why don’t we turn it over to the people you’re actually here for, and then you can cry even more because these two idiots decided to write their own vows, so good luck.” 

Staring up at Javi, you could feel your heart begin to race wildly, your hands nearly trembling as you reached out towards Javi to take the little notebook where you had written down your vows, feeling a little more at ease as you saw that Javi’s hands were just as shaky as yours, the two of you overflowing with anxious anticipation. 

It had been no question to either of you that you had wanted to write your own vows to one another. While it seemed to be that everyone else you knew had seemed to avoid writing their own vows because they weren’t sure what to say, or that it was too hard to think of things, you and Javi seemed to find yourselves having the opposite problem, feeling like there was too much to fit in a few short minutes, and that your vows were going to end up being the length of a college lecture. 

There had been a part of you that had worried you would be nervous to read what you had to say to Javi in front of all your friends and family, but as you stood there, smiling up at his beautiful, handsome face, you couldn’t be more excited to share all of the things you had written to tell your husband just how much you loved him.  

But as the two of you stood face to face, your vows in each of your hands, your stomach dropped in shock, realizing that neither of you was making the first move to start talking. Because for all the planning and preparing that you had done for everything else, the both of you had completely forgotten to pick who was going to read their vows first. 

“We never picked who was gonna go first.” You whispered to Javi, your voice filling with nerves every second you stood in front of your guests, neither one of you saying anything. 

“Oh fuck, you’re right. What do you wanna do? Do you wanna go? Do you want me to go?” Javi asked, his face mirroring yours in surprise, now frantically looking back and forth between you, his vows, and all of your guests. 

You weren’t sure if it was the teacher in you, or the fact that you were so flustered that you couldn’t think of anything else, but before you knew it, you were tucking your vows under your arm, holding one hand out in front of you flat and the other in a fist, signifying to Javi that your best solution to your current predicament was playing rock, paper, scissors. 

“Best 2 out of 3?” You shrugged, grimacing at Javi as you tried not to burst into laughter, Javi shaking his head and snickering, raising an eyebrow at you. 

“You’re ridiculous, I hope you know that. Do you wanna go after ‘rock’ or say ‘shoot’, then go?” Javi asked, loud enough for your guests to catch on to what was happening, giggles and laughter coming from the crowd. 

“What kind of psychopath doesn’t say ‘shoot’ first? Javier Peña, are you telling me that we need to call off this wedding right now because you don’t say ‘shoot’ before playing rock, paper, scissors? Because I will.” 

Everyone around you was now in full blown hysterics, including Javi, giving you the sassiest look he could muster through his laughter, holding his hands out to mirror yours. 

“So ‘for better or for worse’ doesn’t apply to rock, paper, scissors, apparently?” He teased, smirking at you with a subtle wink as he bit down on his lip. 

“Not if you’re gonna play like that it won’t.”  

“Pendejo.” 

“You love me.” 

“I really fucking do.” 

Giggling as you gestured at your outstretched fist, you began to countdown from your “rock, paper, scissors, adding an extra emphasis on ‘shoot’ as you held out rock and Javi held out scissors. With another laugh, the two of you started again, this time, you with paper and Javi with rock, smirking as you crossed your arms over your chest at Javi, the rest of your guests laughing right along with you. 

“Winner, winner, chicken dinner, Javier Peña. You’re stuck going second.” 

“Go for it, you dork.” 

As the laughter from the crowd settled, you opened your vows book, taking a deep breath as you stared up at Javi, who, despite your silliness, still had tears beginning to well in his puppy dog brown eyes before you could even say your first word. You took one last gulp of confidence, wondering how in the world you were supposed to make it through even a sentence through your speech without falling apart. 

“I never used to believe in fate. People would always tell me that ‘some things are just meant to be!’ or ‘it was just fate it happened like that!’ and no matter how hard I tried to believe, fate just never made sense to me. Well, that was until about a year ago, when fate decided to bump right into me when I least expected it.” You could feel your voice already beginning to shake, huffing in a quick sniffle before continuing on. 

“As fate may have it, I quite literally bumped into you when you were forced to come give a presentation to a group of rowdy 8 and 9 year olds. Thank god fate also was on my side that day- that I actually looked halfway presentable and wasn’t covered in spilled chocolate milk, glue, or the snot of whatever kid had sneezed a little too close to me that morning.” That one had the better part of the crowd letting out a laugh alongside Javi, easing your stress and tension about your speech while you carried on, reading the notes jotted in your booklet. 

“When I first came to Laredo, I wasn’t really quite sure what I was looking for. After my brother died and decided I needed to be as far away from Chicago as possible, there wasn’t ever really a doubt in my mind that here was the only place I really wanted to be. I spent the better half of my middle school and high school vacations here, visiting my best friend who had moved away. To me, Laredo was always a place that brought me such peace and comfort. I’m not really sure why, but there was always something about being here for those few weeks every year that made it feel like home, even when home was halfway across the country. But what I didn’t realize, was that in my attempt to find a new home for myself, I began to learn that home wasn’t a physical location, or a place you could travel to. After meeting you, Javier Peña, I found out that home was wherever I was with you.” 

Taking a shaky breath, you looked up from your vows to see sweet Javi, covering his mouth, as if he was trying to trap his tears to keep from completely breaking down at your words, his reaction only making you cry harder, trying your best to re-compose yourself before speaking again. 

“I spent so long wondering if I would ever find someone who would ever make me feel the way that you do- to love me for all of my flaws, to make me feel important, and even laugh at all of my stupid jokes that probably don’t deserve to be laughed at, but you love me enough to do it anyways. Now that’s true love.” You smirked, raising your eyebrow at Javi, making the two of you snicker between your tears. “You make me feel like the only person in the world whenever I’m with you. The only person who knows me better than I know myself. You are truly one of the most thoughtful and caring people that I have ever met. And while I could list off a million adjectives to describe all of the reasons I fell in love with you- smart, brave, determined, handsome- just to name a few, out of all of those reasons, the one that made me fall for you the most was your big heart. And while I know you’ll never believe me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to get you to see the same amazing man I fall more and more in love with every single day.”

At this point, there was not a dry eye in the crowd, watching how emotional you and Javi were as you tried to choke your way through the rest of your vows. 

“I will never know what I did to deserve you in my life, but promise that I will spend the rest of it letting you know how forever thankful I will always be that out of all the people in the world you could have chosen to bump into, that it was me. I am so excited that the rest of my life, all of the moments, big, small, and everything in between, will all be moments spent with you. That every moment will be spent with my best friend. I never would have thought that a little bit of fate would have become my forever, but I’ll always be so grateful that it is. I love you so much, Javier Peña. Thanks for being the reason I finally believe in fate.” 

Wiping away the wetness streaming down your cheeks, you could barely even look at Javi, who was an absolute blubbering mess, laughing through your tears almost to keep you from completely melting into a puddle. 

Reaching out to grab him, you took Javi’s hand in yours, squeezing it reassuringly as you took your other hand up to wipe the tears streaming down his cheeks, the both of you smiling as you looked into each other's eyes.

“And that’s why I wanted to go first. Good luck.” You chuckled, making Javi shake his head as he laughed along with you, taking another deep breath before flipping open his own vows, wondering how in the world he was ever going to make it through speaking, considering how easily he had fallen apart just listening to you. 

“Jesus Christ, well I don’t know how I’m really supposed to follow that.” Javi sighed, the crowd giggling at his remark as he opened up to his first page, staring at his words for a moment before looking back up at you, his deep, chocolate, puppy dog eyes melting you just as quickly as the first time that you locked eyes with him. 

“I’ve uh- I’ve never really been great speeches. When I sat down to write this, I wasn’t really sure where to start. I had no idea how I was supposed to fit all of the things that I wanted to say into all of this.” Javi huffed with a little shrug, gesturing to his notebook. 

“So I um- I figured if there’s anywhere I should start, it should probably be at the beginning. My mom was an elementary school teacher, so growing up, I spent a lot of time at Alma Pierce Elementary School. I swear, I knew that place like the back of my hand. But um, after my mom got sick and passed away, I really never thought I’d ever have a reason to back. Until one day last year, I was told to pack up my stuff to go give a presentation at a local elementary school, which turned out to be none other than Alma Pierce. My mom always used to say “La vida es graciosa, no lo crees?” (Life is funny, isn’t it?), and I never quite understood why. But as I walked back into the place where I had spent so much of my life just out of chance, I swear I could hear her laughing at me, saying “Te lo dije.” (I told you so).” 

You could hear everyone who had had the privilege of knowing Lucia letting out a soft laugh, thinking of all of the times they must have heard her say that all too familiar phrase throughout their time knowing her. 

“I had gotten to a point in my life that I had kind of just accepted that maybe this kind of life wasn’t in the cards for me. I wasn’t gonna get married or have a family, and as much as it hurt, I had learned to be okay with it. The last thing I would have thought would have happened to me after leaving the presentation I had to give that day was that I was already head over heels in love with the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my entire life, but la vida es graciosa, no le crees?” 

Giving you a little smirk, Javi could help but let a smile slowly spread between his cheeks as he looked at you, gazing up at him in complete and utter adoration, your goofy grin mirroring his. 

“Never in a million years would I have thought that I would have been standing here today, getting married to you. If you would have told me that I got to marry the most beautiful, amazing, kind, and stubbornly independent woman on the face of this earth, I would have laughed in your face. I honestly still feel like I need to pinch myself to prove that this is even real. But I guess that even if this is all a dream, I don’t ever want to wake up. Being loved by you has changed me in a way that I will never be able to thank you enough for. Being loved by you has made me a better man than I ever believed that I could be. A better man than I ever thought I deserved to be. A man who has learned to love and believe in love in ways I didn’t think I was capable of. I will never be able to thank you enough for letting me into your life and loving me for who I am, and for wanting to spend the rest of it with me.” 

Now, it was your turn to morph into an inconsolable mess, reaching out to grab Javi’s hand again, silently reassuring him that you were equally as grateful for the fact that Javi had let you into his life, too. 

“And no matter how tough, or challenging, or funny life gets, I know it can never really be that bad, because I’ll always have you by my side through it all. I think my mamá would be so proud to know I finally understand what she was trying to say all those years about life being so funny. Because it seems like life has a funny way of giving you everything you’ve ever wanted. Te amo, Osita. Gracias por ser mi todo. (I love you, Osita. Thank you for being my everything).” 

Without even thinking, you threw your arms around Javi’s shoulders wrapping him in a long, tight hug, sobbing into his jacket in a fit of happy tears, Javi hugging you right back, squeezing around your waist, gently cradling the back of your head in the warmth of your embrace. 

“Well shit… Alright, well I’m not sure if you guys are allowed to do that, but after those vows, I think we can let it slide.” David joked, trying to quickly wipe his eyes, nudging Charlie to do the same to try and pull themselves together to make sure they could finish out the rest of the ceremony. 

“Fuck, sorry.” Javi whispered, reluctantly pulling away from you, everyone in the crowd following your brothers’ suite, smiling as they brushed away the wetness welling in their own eyes from listening to your vows. 

“Well, I’d ask if anyone needs to object before we continue, but I think it’s pretty darn clear that these two idiots love each other more than life itself, so I’m just gonna skip that part.” Charlie joked, making you and Javi smirk in agreement. “Alright Miss Olivia, it’s your time to shine, do you have the rings?” He asked, your niece’s face lighting up in excitement as she nodded her head frantically, shooting up out of her seat to dash towards the two of you, carefully holding the ring box like a newborn baby bird in her hands. 

Daintily, she passed the box off to her dad before scampering over to both you and Javi, wrapping her arms around your waists to pull you close in a hug, smiling up at each of you with her toothy, goofy grin. 

“I love you Auntie Bear and Uncle Javi.” Olivia beamed, giggling in pure bliss and joy before skipping back to her seat among the guests, the both of your hearts bursting at the seams with the chores of “awhhhhs” coming from the crowd for your adorable niece. 

“Someone’s trying to get an extra slice of cake tonight huh, Miss Olivia?” David teased, your guests erupting with laughter at her not so innocent shrug to her Uncle’s question, knowing damn well she was just as much of a ham as you. “I trusted the six year old to carry these, can I trust you two not to drop them, or do you need to cry some more first?” 

“Oh shut up, David.” You sighed, rolling your eyes at your brother as you and Javi each took the rings to give one another, carefully holding the shiny gold bands in your hands, counting down the moments until you finally got to say “I do”. 

“Alright, ladies first, so I guess that means you, Cubby. You ready?” 

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more ready for anything, you dingus, get this show on the road.” 

“Alright, here goes nothin’. This is the part I actually had to practice, so God forbid I mess this one up huh? Do you,” David giggled, saying your real name instead of the nicknames you had lovingly bestowed upon you for as long as you could remember, “Take Javi to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as you both shall live?” 

“I do.” 

Carefully slipping the gold band onto Javi’s finger, you could feel your heart bursting in anticipation, biting down on your lip to try and contain your excitement, slowly pulling your hand away to let your brothers finish the second half of the exchange. 

“And do you, Javier Peña, take our sister,” Charlie and David snickered again, having to say your full name for a second time, “to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as you both shall live?” 

“I do.” 

Gently grabbing your palm and gliding the glistening ring onto your finger, Javi rubbed his thumb over the pair of bands nestled together, forever making a home on your hand, his eyes welling at the sight of the sign that you would always be his. 

Intertwining your fingers together and hands clasped in front of you, you and Javi were radiating with joy, anxiously staring back and forth between each other and your brothers for them to finally say those magic words you had been waiting to hear since the moment you had met all that time ago. 

“Well ladies and gentleman… by the power vested in us, the internet and the state of Texas, it’s our honor to introduce to you the new Mr. and Mrs. Peña.” Charlie grinned at you, trying not to burst into laughter at the near panicked look on your faces, not having heard the next set of words you were more than dying to hear. 

“Well go on, you lovebirds, kiss already!” David snickered, shrugging at the pair of you with a grin on his face. 

Before he could barely finish his sentence, Javi’s hands were cupping your face, palms cradling your jaw as he brought his mouth to yours, fireworks exploding in your stomach at the electric intensity of his kiss, so soft and tender, yet so desperate and needy, like it was the first time his lips had ever met yours, and that he never, ever wanted to let them go. 

Your hands shot up to grab his face too, a smile creeping across your mouth with your lips still pressed to his as Javi dipped you down, sliding his hand down the small of your back to hold you before pulling you back up, his lips still locked on yours like glue. 

In that moment, it seemed like time stood still, that nothing else in the world existed besides the two of you- nothing else mattered besides the fact that you were here, kissing the man that you loved more than anything in the world. 

The man that you finally got to call your husband. 

Over the cheers, whistling, and hollering from your friends and family, the both of you were finally snapped back to reality as David gave you a little nudge and a look that screamed “gross, save it for the honeymoon.” 

Reluctantly breaking from your kiss, you grabbed Javi’s hand in yours, holding your fists in the air and cheering in excitement right alongside your guests before heading back up the aisle, your cheeks hurting from how hard they were smiling. So lost in your excitement, you turned your head as you felt Javi stop, tugging you back to the middle of the aisle, smirking as he pulled you close to his chest, whispering in your ear. 

“Not so fast, Mrs. Peña. C’mere.” Grabbing your face and wrapping his arm around your waist, Javi was kissing you again, swinging you down in another dip that had you erupting in giggles and your guests cheering even louder, Javi’s smooth moves soliciting a loud “OW OW” most definitely from Steve. 

“God, I love you.” You smirked as Javi pulled you back up to stand before the two of you were nearly skipping down the rest of the aisle in bliss, racing to the back of the crowd where you had entered the ceremony, turning the corner behind the house where no one could see you, not even bothering to look over your shoulder to see who’d followed you before your lips were crashing into each others again. 

This one was nowhere near as tame as the kisses you had just shared moments ago- this kiss was a tangled mess of tongues and teeth, Javi’s hands creeping dangerously close to the curve of your ass as you tugged at the lapels of his suit jacket, your mouths moving in a messy dance as you whispered muffled and muted words between your kisses. 

“Fuck, my beautiful wife. God, I’m so fucking lucky. I love you so much.” 

“I love you so much too, Javi, I’m so-” 

“Jesus Christ, it’s been 30 seconds and y’all can’t keep your hands to yourselves? C’mon, now. Y’all gotta whole week and a half to do this without having to subject the rest of us to it, Mr. and Mrs. Peña.” Steve laughed, making the both of you gasp as he slapped Javi on the back, immediately making your cheeks flush pink in embarrassment and Javi groan in annoyance at his best man’s timely (or untimely) disruption. 

“Steve, c’mon like you didn’t have your hands all over me after we got married.” Connie sighed, now smacking the back of her own husband’s head, making him wince in pain. “Congratulations, you two. We’re so happy for you.” 

“Thanks, Connie.” You and Javi smiled, Javi still keeping his hand wrapped around your waist as the rest of your wedding party started making their way back up the aisle to greet you, too.

“Also having gotten married before, you’re gonna thank me later as I make you go find your brothers to sign your marriage license somewhere that has a little peace and quiet before you get none the rest of the night. Why don’t you guys head inside and I’ll cover for you for a little, okay?” 

“You’re the best, Connie, thanks.” Javi grinned, pulling you away towards the house, quietly sneaking in through the front door to wait for your brothers, Javi looking both ways around the seemingly empty house before pulling you close again. 

“Javi, Charlie and David are gonna be in here any minute, and they’re gonna give us just as much shit as Steve, if not more.” You giggled, gazing up into Javi’s eyes, still awestruck and giddy. 

“I know. Just one more kiss, mi esposa (my wife).” Javi smirked, tilting his head down to press his lips to yours, his thumb tracing soft circles on your cheek as the rest of his fingers cradled your jaw, tilting your eyes up towards him. “Fuck, you’re finally my wife. I don’t think I’ll ever get over that.” 

“Good thing we have the rest of our lives to get used to it, huh?” 

People weren’t kidding when they said that your wedding would be a blur- From the moment the ceremony ended, it felt like everything was moving in fast and slow motion at the same time, being pulled in every direction to talk with family members, take pictures, and make sure that things were running smoothly. As much as you and Javi were both trying to soak in every moment of your special day together, it was safe to say the two of you were feeling a little overwhelmed by the time you had gotten to dinner, and couldn’t have been more thankful to have a moment to finally sit down. 

More importantly, you were so glad that you had gotten to the point where you had a drink, some delicious food in your stomach, and the best part of the night ahead of you- dancing. 

The sun was beginning to set on the horizon of the Peña ranch as dinner was coming to a close, the clanging of forks and knives against dinner plates slowly shifting to chatter and conversation that was filling the space of the white tent that had been propped up in the backyard for your reception. 

You weren’t really sure what to expect when you had decided on a backyard wedding, but with the absolutely stunning work your mom, Connie, sister in law, and Javi’s aunt’s had put together for you, they had made a white tent feel like something out of a fairytale. String lights and greenery were strung across above you, long tables decorated in candles and beautiful garlands of eucalypts, sprinkled white and pink roses from Lucia’s garden, along with cute, colorful vintage cups that the women had collected or thrifted for your guests to use. Everything about your setup felt magical, and with the sun sinking and fading into dusk, the glow and twinkles of the lights illuminating your space only made it feel that much more incredible. 

As the two of you sat at your head table, bellies full and hearts happy, feeling a little tipsy from the extra strong margaritas Javi’s cousin seemed to be making, you were a little worried as what looked like a more than just tipsy Steve approached you, slapping a stack of index cards in front of you. 

“Listen… I’m like the perfect level of drunk to give this best man speech. Any less drunk and I’ll be too fuckin’ nervous to do it, and any more drunk I’m not gonna be able to remember what I’m supposed to say. Y’all good to keep this movin’ so you can do your first dance and then we can get this party started?” 

“Jesus Christ, Murph…” Javi sighed, laughing at his friend, now sassily crossing his arms over his chest at Javi. “This speech better be good.” 

“It’s good, and Connie approved, so you know I won’t say any dumb shit. Well, not if we don’t start soon and I keep drinking more.” Steve paused, letting out a low burp, rubbing his stomach and grimacing at the two of you, snorting at him. 

“Take it away, Shakespeare.” You smiled, gesturing your arm out to the dance floor in front of the guests sitting at their tables, chatting away. You couldn’t help but laugh as Steve confidently made his way to the front of the crowd, Connie silently mouthing “I’m so sorry”  from across the room, pointing at her husband, now ready to take the stage. 

“Hey y’all,” Steve started, bellowing his voice loud enough to catch everyone’s attention, making them pause their chit chat and focus their attention on him. “I’m Steve Murphy. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Javi’s best man. Normally it’s customary for a guy like me to come up and say a few words about the bride and groom, so lucky for y’all, I’m your guy tonight. You’re welcome, Jav.” 

The crowd laughed as Javi sighed, rolling his eyes at Steve and shaking in his head in fear of what was to come, sliding your hand over to rest on his thigh, giving your now husband a little squeeze of reassurance to have some faith in his friend. 

“I have had the pleasure of knowing Javi for a long time now. It’s been, what, 17 years now, Jav?” Steve asked, turning back to look for confirmation. 

“It’s been too long.” Javi replied, shaking his head, his witty response only making your friends and family laugh more. 

“Whatever, you grumpy old bastard. Anyways, I first met Javi when I found out that I would be his partner down in Colombia working for the DEA. Not gonna lie, when I first met him, while I’ve never admitted this until now, I was pretty intimidated by the guy. He was cool, smart, respected, even though his jeans were way too fuckin’ tight.” Steve teased, winking at Javi, making you snicker from the few pictures you had seen from back in the day when Javi was in Colombia, knowing exactly what Steve meant. 

“I’ll spare you all the details of our time down there, but through all of our trials and tribulations, despite our differences and disagreements, the one thing I always admired about Javi is that he really cared about what he did. No matter what, he always cared about trying to do the right thing for the people he cared most about. Now, believe me, if you would have asked me all those years ago if I would have ever pictured Javi here today, gettin’ married, buildin’ a house and talkin’ about startin’ a family? Well shit, I prolly woulda told you that you were bat shit crazy. But, if there’s anyone in the world who deserves every ounce of all that domestic, lovely dovey bliss, it’s this man right here.” Steve smiled softly, pointing back to Javi who couldn’t help but let his heart fill with warmth at the sentiment from his friend, your hand rubbing up and down Javi’s leg, his grasping over yours to hold it tight. 

“Javi, I know you’ll never believe me when I tell you this, but I’m real proud of ya, man. And I hope you know how goddamn lucky you are that this beautiful woman has agreed to spend the rest of her life with your grumpy ass. Speaking of which…” Steve smirked, turing back to look at you with a goofy grin, making you raise an eyebrow at whatever stupid comment was bound to come out of his mouth. 

“Mrs. Peña. I never thought I’d live to see the day Javi was so in love. When he called me a few weeks after the two of you first met, and was all jazzed and excited to tell me about this beautiful girl he had started datin’ and how happy he was, I just about damn near fell down. He never said it on that phone call, but I knew that this sorry shit was absolutely head over heels in love with you.” 

That comment had you giggling at Javi’s blushing face, his cheeks turning pink at Steve’s story, even though he knew damn well it was the truth. 

“I couldn’t think of anyone who would be more perfect for Javi if I tried. When I first met you and saw how sickeningly cute y’all were together, God’s honest truth, my first question I asked Javi was when he was plannin’ on buyin’ a ring. Glad to see that sometimes he’ll take my advice. Sweetheart, I can’t thank you enough for being so good to my best friend right there. I hope he knows how lucky he is to have someone like you.” 

Grabbing your hand, Javi interlocked his fingers with your underneath the table, softly smiling at you and gently nodding his head in agreement. 

“I also need to thank you that he’s finally got someone else to worry about him instead of me. One less thing off my back. No offense, Jav. Alright, well, y’all have probably heard enough of me yappin’, and y’all are anything like me, you’re ready for more drinkin’ and dancin’. To Mr. and Mrs. Peña-” Steve paused, grabbing the nearest drink he could find and raising it up in the air, prompting the rest of your guests to do the same. “Wishin’ you two lovebirds a lifetime of happiness. I love you guys. Cheers!” 

Over the applause and cheerful shouting, Steve rushed his way back over to the two of you, slotting himself in between your seats so his head poked out between yours, wrapping his arms around both your shoulders and pulling you in for a hug. 

“Nice work, Murph.” Javi smiled, patting Steve on the back, laughing to himself at how genuinely thoughtful Steve’s speech had turned out to be. 

“Thanks, Steve. Your speech was really great. How much did Connie have to edit out?” You snickered, looking back between him and Javi. 

“... Let’s just say I left out the part about y’all horny bastards needin’ to be better about lockin’ your doors when other people are around.” Steve chuckled, shaking both of you in his grap, You and Javi’s eyes sheepishly darting to the ground in embarrassment. 

“Fuck off, Murph.” 

“Love you too, Jav.” 

With one last pat on the back for each of you, before you could say anything else, Steve was already halfway across the tent back to the bar to congratulate himself for getting through his speech without any major slip ups or major scoldings from Connie after he returned back to his table. 

“Thank God for Connie.” You grimaced, laughing at Javi whose face was buried in his palm, shaking his head at his friend, wondering why he would expect any less from him. “...He’s not wrong, though.” 

“I’m triple checking that I lock all the doors later so I don’t give him any more reasons to be right…” Javi sighed, giving you a little nudge while the hand that had been holding yours suddenly let go, resting on your thigh over your dress, giving it a long squeeze, making your heart race in anticipation, his eyes locking with yours, telling you everything you needed to know.  

Some way, some how, Javi was going to find a way to fuck you before the night was done. 

“Javi…” You whispered, heat creeping through your cheeks, trying your best to keep from blushing as you locked eyes with him, his devilish grin and lust pooling in the dark brown of his eyes entrancing you in a way that had butterflies swirling in your core and ache rapidly beginning to grow between your legs. 

“Si, Mi esposa?” (Yes, my wife?), Javi smirked back, running his hand further up your thigh and closer to your core as his other hand came up to cup your face, thumb tracing back and forth across your skin, toying just enough to tug at the corner of your lip. 

While you had gotten a little bit of alone time with Javi today, the way that the both of you had been absolutely insatiable for each other after seeing each other in your wedding attire, let alone the fact that you were now actually married? You and Javi were both dying to try and find a second to yourselves without interruption, especially from Steve. 

So caught up in awe of each other, you and Javi hadn’t even noticed your DJ, standing next to your table, quietly clearing his throat to try and get your attention. 

“Hey, uh- Mr. and Mrs. Peña?” He interjected, loud enough to finally snap you and Javi out of the horny stare down you had entered, “Are um- are you two ready for the first dance?” 

“Oh, um- yeah, y-yeah, sorry about that.” Javi grumbled, the two of you quickly trying to snap out of the thick heat of sexual tension that had been growing between you, both readjusting yourselves in your seats as you looked up sheepishly at the DJ,  “Sorry, what did you say?” 

“I asked if you two were ready to do your first dance? If you um, if you need some more time I can-” 

“No, we’re okay, thanks.” You grimaced, trying to keep from giggling and blushing as you looked over at Javi and then back at your DJ. “You ready to dance, Mr. Peña?” 

“Never been more ready, Mrs. Peña.” Javi replied, grabbing your hand as the two of you stood up, out of your seats walking to the edge of the dance floor while your DJ headed back to his booth. 

“Hello everyone! We’re going to get ready to start our first dance with the newlyweds, so if you could please direct your attention to the dance floor, we’re about to get started!” 

Before you could even take a step out onto the floor, the cheering and clinking of knives against glasses was erupting amongst the crowd, Javi happily taking the opportunity to grab you by the waist and pull you in for a long, deep kiss, making you giggle against his lips still pressed to yours as he dipped you down, before pulling you back against his chest. 

“Show off.” You snickered, raising an eyebrow at him as he finally pulled away from your kiss, staring down at you with a goofy grin. 

“Better get used to it, Mrs. Peña. I’ve got the whole rest of our lives to keep showing you off.” Javi smirked, shooting you a wink before tugging you out into the center of the dance floor, patiently waiting for your song to start as you draped one arm around his neck, Javi snaked his hand around your waist, and the pair of your other hands joined clasped at your side. 

It was then that the melodic violin entrance to “At Last” by Etta James began to play, Javi smiling down softly at your agreed upon choice for your first dance song after lots of debate and discussion the past few months. 

At last 

My love has come along

My lonely days are over

And life is like a song

As the music began to play, you and Javi began to sway back and forth to the syrupy symphony of the song, your heart bursting and stomach filling with the same butterflies it had the first time you had met Javi all those months ago. 

“I’m glad we picked this one.” Javi smiled, the two of you circling your way around the dance floor, eyes locked on each other.  

“Me too. It always makes me think of making breakfast with you on the weekend and all the little moments I love with you.” You grinned back, letting go of Javi’s hand to drape both arms over his shoulder and around his neck. 

“It makes me think of spilling that entire bowl of pancake batter all over Bear and then having to chase him around the house to get him in the tub.” Javi sighed, rolling his eyes as he laughed to himself, tightening his grip around your waist to pull you closer. 

I found a dream that I could speak to

A dream that I can call my own 

I found a thrill to press my cheek to

A thrill that I have never known 

“Me too. God, who would have thought that a year ago we’d be having our first dance at our wedding talking about spilling pancake batter all over our dog.” You giggled, leaning to rest your head against Javi’s chest. 

“I did.” 

Looking up at Javi, you could feel your cheeks warming, staring at his big brown eyes welling with tears, trying your best to now hold back the wetness pooling under your lashes. 

“Osita, I swear, from the moment I saw you smile at me, I knew that you were the only woman in the world I ever wanted. I knew you were the one I wanted my forever with. I’ll never get over the fact that I’m the luckiest man alive. I love you so fucking much.” Javi choked back, letting one of his hands slide up your face, gently cupping your cheek as he tilted his head in for a soft kiss on your lips before pulling away for another one on your forehead. 

You smiled, you smiled 

Oh and then the spell was cast

And here we are in Heaven 

As the song began to slow, the sweet melody winding down to its close, Javi lifted up his arm to let you twirl beneath him before spinning you back into his chest and wrapping his arm around your waist to catch you as he dipped you down again, your mouths meeting in a long, tender kiss, electricity sparking between your lips and butterflies swirling in your stomach. 

For you are mine 

At last 

“I love you too, Javier Peña.” 

Over the applause of your guests, you could hear an obnoxiously loud “OW OW” from the crowd, coming from a now even more intoxicated Steve, making you and Javi laugh at his reaction, swiftly followed by Connie’s sharp jab to his ribs to get him to settle down. 

“Alright ladies and gents,” The DJ spoke over the rumble of voices at the dinner tables, “Let’s have one more big round of applause for our newlyweds!” 

As the crowd began to clap again, and Steve, threatened by another blow to his side, cheering at an appropriate volume, the DJ spoke again with the announcement you had been patiently waiting for since the ceremony finished. 

“Alright everyone, with our first dance done, it’s time for the best part of the night, the dance floor is officially open! Let’s party!” 

As the blaring intro to “Jump Around” began to blast to your speakers, your friends and family rushed to the dance floor, you let out a squeal of surprise as Javi snatched you up around your middle, lifting you up to spin you around in a fit of giggles. 

“Vamos a bilar, mi esposa.”  (Let’s dance, wife) 

The rest of the night was the best kind of celebration that you could have asked for- the joy of being surrounded by your friends and family, dancing the night away to your favorite songs, and drinking one too many margaritas with your husband was everything you could have asked for and more on your wedding night. 

It was no shock to you that your family had no problem making absolute fools of themselves out on the dance floor, happily (and drunkenly) flailing along to every single song, although your brothers’ and Steve’s enthusiastic sing-along to “Baby Got Back” was impressive, to say the least. 

And while you and Javi had expected your family to act a fool, what neither of you had expected was how excited Chucho was to bust out dance moves of his own, taking everyone by surprise as he joined all your co-workers and Javi’s co-workers (who had quickly become best friends on the dance floor), to shake his way through “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls, leaving you in hysterics, and Javi in stunned embarrassment at his dad’s antics. 

As the evening began to creep later and later into the hours of the night, a very sleepy Olivia approached you and Javi on the dance floor, gently tugging at your dress and his pants for attention with puppy dog eyes plastered on her face that almost gave Javi’s a run for his money. 

“Auntie Bear and Uncle Javi, can I pick a song? Pleaseeeeeee?” Olivia begged, pouting her bottom lip at the two of you, absolutely melting your hearts in an instant. 

“Of course, mi amor.” Javi smiled, caving immediately as he crouched down to her level, her face lighting up in delight at her uncle’s response, coming close to whisper in his ear. 

If you couldn’t have already been more in love with your husband, watching him listen intently to what your niece had to say, nodding in agreement before scoping her up to rest on his hip, you were practically in a puddle now. 

“Me and Miss Olivia are gonna go make a song request.” 

“But Auntie Bear, you have to let me dance with Uncle Javi first, okay?” Olivia quickly added, very adamantly. 

“Of course, lil Miss. Have fun, you two.” You smirked as Javi and Olivia made their way over to the DJ, watching Olivia’s face light up instantly as the DJ agreed to her request, Javi carrying Olivia out to the middle of the dance floor and setting her down on the ground as the end of the song slowly began to fade into your niece’s song choice. 

With her love for the movie, you shouldn’t have been surprised at all that her pick was “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from the Lion King Soundtrack, but even though you weren’t shocked at her choice, there was nothing that going to be able to prepare you for the gut wrenching cuteness that was your now husband, dancing with your niece. 

It had already gotten to the point in the night that Javi’s suit jacket and tie were long gone, 3 buttons undone and sleeves rolled up to his forearms, and the once neat curls of his dark hair now messily sweeping his forehead from your night of dancing, and if the sight of just how goddamn handsome Javi looked, on top of the fact he was now officially your husband, paired with the sight of him slow dancing to the Lion King with Olivia? 

Your ovaries were just about shot to hell. 

As the song played and Javi and Oliva spun around the dance floor in a fit of smiles and giggles, you couldn’t help but wish with every bone in your body that it was your daughter that Javi was dancing with, nearly falling to your knees the thought of making him a dad, on top of being your husband. And if that wasn’t enough, the two of you were finally married, and that meant half of your bargain to start trying for kids was complete- and with the other half being your house finally finishing with construction which was almost close to being done as well, you were so close to start trying for a baby of your own, you could almost taste it. 

And that? That drove you crazy enough to feel like you were going to combust. 

So stuck in your daydream, you didn’t even notice Olivia running up to you, now tugging at your dress again, letting out a little sleepy yawn as she tried to get your attention. 

“Okay Auntie Bear, you can dance with Uncle Javi now. Thanks for letting me pick a song.” Olivia smiled as you sunk down to meet her, wrapping her in a hug. 

“Of course, Olivia. Thank you for being the best flower girl today. I love you, cutie patootie. Alright, I’m gonna go dance with Uncle Javi now, okay?” 

“I love you too, Auntie Bear. I think Uncle Javi misses you, he wouldn’t stop looking at you the whole time we were dancing. I think he wants to kiss you again, but that’s gross. Yuck.” Oliva grimaced, making you giggle as she stuck out her tongue before watching her scamper away back to her sisters and the Murphy girls to dance some more. 

As you turned back, bracing yourself to stand back up, you were greeted with Javi’s large palm held out in front of you, pulling you up to greet his handsome grin while you looked up at him. 

“I’ve been told I have permission to come dance with you now.” 

“It did take some persuading, I told her I’d save an extra piece of cake for her if she let me go dance with you.” Javi chuckled, pulling you back out onto the dance floor, slowly swaying back and forth to the beat. 

“Watching you two out there is dangerous.” You smirked, raising an eyebrow at Javi as he cocked his head in confusion. 

“What do you mean, hermosa?” 

“I mean,” You paused, standing up a little bit taller, throwing one arm over Javi’s shoulder, running your hand through the hairs at the nape of his neck to whisper in his ear, “Watching the two of you made me think about how much I wanna make you a dad. And now that we’re married and the house is almost done, we actually get to start trying soon.” 

It took everything in Javi not to let out an audible moan, letting out a gulp and scrunching his eyes shut for a moment to try and maintain his composure at what you had just said to him, his grip around your waist immediately tightening and eyes darkening as he opened them, staring down at you, absolutely awestruck. 

“Fuck me.” He muttered to himself, almost shaking his head in disbelief that after all of the time you had spent talking about wanting kids and nights you’ve had wishing there hadn’t been any birth control to keep you from having them were now an almost tangible reality, “Is that what you want, mi esposa? My wife wants me to give her a baby?” 

Javi’s voice rasped in your ear, sending shivers down your spine, your stomach flipping in arousal at the hot breath of his words against your skin, knowing what had started as a sweet and simple moment of Javi dancing with Olivia had quickly shifted into a desperate want, no, need, for him to give you what you were asking for. 

As the music slowly faded into the next song, bodies shuffling and dancing to the more upbeat tune that had followed Olivia’s choice, the both of your figures stood frozen on the dance floor in a silent exchange of racing hearts and yearning glances before Javi took your hand in his. 

“Follow me.” 

In an instant, Javi was tugging you across the dance floor, the two of you dodging and weaving your way through your guests with polite smiles and happy waves, doing everything you could to try and sneak away as discreetly as possible in hopes that everyone would be too preoccupied (or too drunk) to realize that you were gone. 

But at this point, you really didn’t care whether anyone noticed if you were gone or not. Truth be told, the only thing you cared about was finally getting to fuck your husband. 

Finally making it through the worst of the maze of people, you and Javi had made your way to the back porch, quietly peeking your heads through the door, checking to make sure the coast was clear before hastily slipping inside, gently shutting the door behind you before sneaking down the hall to Javi’s room, thanking whatever higher power had let the two of you get to his bedroom in peace. 

From the moment Javi had shut the door behind him, you were all over each other in an instant, hands roaming across each other’s bodies as you stumbled until the back of your legs hit the mattress, flopping down onto the bed, Javi’s body caging yours in his frame. Your lips crashed together in a hungry clash, tongues, teeth and moans melting together between your mouths as Javi hiked up the skirt of your dress, running his hands along your thighs, squeezing the soft flesh in his firm grasp before his fingers crept towards your aching core, ghosting over the white, lacy fabric covering your cunt, already soaking with arousal. 

“Fuck, you’re so wet, hermosa. My wife’s pretty little pussy all wet for me, huh?” Javi rasped, the pads of his fingers pressing more pressure over your covered clit, making you whimper in delight. 

“It’s all yours, Javi. Yours forever, baby.” You moaned, your breath hitching in the back of your throat as Javi’s fingers dipped under the waistband of your underwear, collecting the slick pooling around your folds before plunging his two fingers inside your heat and thumbing at your sensitive bundle of nerves, pure bliss running through your veins at his touch. 

Your response had Javi practically growling, a low groan rumbling in his chest as he looked down to see the golden and diamond bands glistening on your finger, awestruck at the beautifully blissed out mess you were already becoming as his fingers curled, prodding at the spongy spot inside you that he knew drove you wild. 

“You’re so fucking perfect, Osita. My beautiful wife. Fuck- I can’t believe your mine. I love you so fucking much.” Javi groaned, his words muffled between the hot, wet kisses he kept planting on your lips, feeling your cunt beginning to clench around his digits. 

“I l-love- fuck- I love you too, Javi.” You whimpered, the all too familiar tingle at the base of your spine beginning to build as Javi’s fingers pulsed in and out of your heat and thumb circled your throbbing clit, knowing with how worked up you were and how good he felt, it wouldn’t take much more before you were coming undone around his hand. 

“I know you’re close, baby. Let go, hermosa. Cum for me so I can fuck my wife and show her how much I love her.” 

“F-Fuckfuckfuck Javi. Don’t stop, baby, don’t s-sto-ahhhhhhhhh.” 

With his thumb circling faster and harder around your sensitive bundle of nerves, and fingers plunging in and out of your weeping hole, it wasn’t long before you could feel that all too familiar tingle spreading throughout your body, your orgasm flooding through every inch of you as you came around his fingers, soaking his hand. 

“That’s it, Osita. That’s my good girl. My good wife.” Javi groaned, making you whimper as he withdrew his fingers from your dripping heat, admiring the slick and shiny mess you had made around his fingers, entranced by the way your arousal had coated his wedding band as he brought his hand to his mouth, sucking his fingers clean before beginning to work at his belt. “You taste so fucking sweet, baby.” 

You sat back up, looking over your heaving chest to see Javi shuffling his pants and boxers down his thighs, leaving them to pool around his ankles, revealing his cock, already so painfully hard and weeping with precum from his tip. Reaching down to run his fingers through your folds again, he collected your slick on his hand before rubbing it up and down his length, stroking himself to line up with your entrance. 

“F-fuck, let me feel you baby, p-please.” You whined, reaching up to grab fistfuls of Javi’s shirt, tugging him down to kiss you and lay his body on top of yours. 

“Jesus fucking Christ…” Javi moaned, slowly filling you up with his cock inch by inch until he had bottomed out against your cervix, letting you adjust to the fullness as he relished in the wet and warmth of your pussy gripping around him like a vice. 

“M-move, Javi, please, baby.” The sweet sting and stretch of Javi’s length inside you already wanting to make your eyes roll to the back of your head. 

Javi began to languidly thrust himself in and out of your heat, dragging his cock almost painfully slowly against your velvety walls, cursing under his breath at the feeling of his balls beginning to tighten in his stomach, knowing there was no way he was going to be able to last as long as he would have wanted to in the moment. 

“Javiiiii” You whined, your arms wrapping around back, nails pressing into his shoulders as his cock hit the spot inside you that lit you ablaze. His hand snaked between your bodies, reaching down to rub your clit, still slow, taking his time with each graze of his fingertips as his pace held deep and steady. Every thrust in and out of his hips had you wrecked as he filled you so fully and intensely, moaning his name over and over while he grasped the meat of your thighs, pressing your knees against your chest to stretch you open even further.  

“God you’re so beautiful. My beautiful fucking wife. Gonna be such a beautiful mom for our kids.” Javi grunted, this thrusts becoming faster and sloppier as he let the reality of his marriage and actual attempts to start trying for a family burn a hole in the forefront of his mind, igniting something even feral within him, knowing he was one step closer to finally giving you and him what you both wanted more than anything. 

For Javi to get you pregnant.

The last sentence made your breath hitch in the back of your throat, whimpering at the notion that because you were finally married, there wasn’t much stopping you from tossing out your birth control tomorrow and trying to get pregnant by the end of the month. 

“J-Javi-” You whined, trying to form any sort of coherent thought as your brain short circuited from the pure bliss and heart racing thoughts running through your brain. 

“What, Osita?”  

“I-I want you- oh shit- to fuck a baby into me, Javi. I wanna throw out the rest of my birth control- I don’t care if the house- Jesus- isn’t finished. I wanna stop taking it tomorrow. I w-want you to- fuck- fill me up and get me pregnant.” 

You could practically feel the weight of Javi’s jaw dropping to the floor, eyes bulging out of his skull, and heart beating out of his chest, so shocked, he stopped himself mid thrust, just to make sure he had heard you correctly. 

“Osita- baby, are you- holy fuck- baby, are you serious?” 

You nodded your head frantically, grabbing the collar of his shirt to pull him in for an electric kiss before leaning back to whisper in his ear, your voice sultry and low. 

“I need my husband to fuck a baby into me. Please. Fuck a baby into me, Javi.” 

If Javi didn’t have his arms already braced on the bed, there’s no way in hell he wouldn’t have fallen over in pure delight at your request, his stomach now churning with the wildest mix of excitement, lust and pride, spreading up through his chest and across his face, the brown of his eyes darkening and awestruck smile widening. 

“You want me to fuck a baby into you, Hermosa?” Javi asked, almost rhetorically, a devilish grin spreading between his cheeks as he began to pound into you again, not even giving you a chance to respond, knowing damn well what your answer was.  

If his thrusts weren’t already frantically rushed and sloppy, they most definitely were now, Javi practically on the brink of his own high just from the thought of getting to fuck you, knowing there was a real, true chance of getting you pregnant, trying to fight with everything in him to keep from busting right then, needing to make sure that you came again before he did. 

The lewd noises of your moans, wetness of Javi’s cock sliding in and out of you, and his hips snapping against yours coated the walls of the room, the both of you having no regard for anyone who may have been close enough to hear you, so caught up in the moment, that at this point, you couldn’t have cared less if anyone caught the both of you. 

“Answer me, baby. Mierda- You want me to fuck a baby into you, huh? Want me to fucking fill you up and get you pregnant? Show everyone you’re mine with our baby growing inside you?” Javi grunted through gritted teeth, pounding into your g-spot with blinding force, frantically circling your clit as he felt your cunt begin to clench tighter and tighter around his cock, knowing you just needed a little bit more before he had you coming undone. 

“Y-yes- fuckfuckfuck- I need you to, Javi, p-please baby, please, please, pleaaahhhhhhh-” 

Just like that, you could feel yourself gushing around Javi’s cock as you came, your orgasm hitting you like a tidal wave, crashing through every inch of your body, euphoria flooding through your veins, screaming his name while he fucked you through your high, desperately chasing his own. 

“I’ll give it to you baby, I- fuck me- I’ll give you everything you want. I’ll give you as many babies as you want. I’ll give you a family, I’ll give you my heart, my soul, my everything, my- oh fuck!” 

Javi’s hips stuttered, forcing a low groan to rumble in his throat as he came, the hot ropes of his spend coating your walls, making sure to milk himself of every last drop inside you, still pulsing and thrusting inside you, ensuring that nothing went to waste. 

Slumping his body on top of yours, your chests rose and fell in sync, trying your best to catch your breaths as you came down from your highs, your mouths meeting in a sloppy kiss to try and ground  you back to reality. 

“Holy fuck…” You whispered through your labored pants, laughing to yourself from the pure bliss of what had just happened, staring up at Javi with a radiant grin, brushing the sweat-dampened curls from his forehead. 

Javi hissed as he carefully pulled out, leaning back enough to see the smile on your face, gently cupping your cheek as he looked down at you with a goofy grin of his own. 

“Osita… Were you being- baby, were you serious about what you said?” 

“Jav, I don’t think I’ve ever been more serious about anything in my entire life. Is-is that okay with you?” You asked, biting down on your lip. 

“Is that okay with me?” He asked, almost mockingly, chucking to himself as he shook his head in disbelief, “We can really throw it away tomorrow?” 

“Yup.” 

“And you won’t bring it with you on the honeymoon?” 

“Nope.” You replied, popping the “p” at the end of the word. 

“And there’s- holy fuck- there’s a chance you could actually get pregnant soon?” Javi asked, his face glowing brighter and brighter with each question he asked. 

“Mmmhhmmm. Well, I mean, it might not happen right away but- Ahhhh Javi!” You giggled as your husband aggressively peppered ticklish kisses across your entire face, making you squeal and squirm in delight. 

“Fuck, I love you so much. Thank you.” Javi smiled, tears welling in his eyes as he looked down at you. 

“Jav, baby, don’t cry! Why are you crying, you dork?” 

“You’ve given me everything I’ve ever wanted. You married me, we’re gonna have a family, it’s just- fuck, I promise, that I wanna spend the rest of my life until the day I die showing you how thankful I am that you chose me. That you gave me all the things I stopped thinking I deserved. I love you so much, it fucking hurts, Osita. Thank you for choosing me.” 

Sitting up, you threw your arms around Javi, pulling him close to you in the tightest hug you could muster, stroking the hair at the nape of his neck, feeling the weight of his body melt into yours, your bodies intertangled as one. 

“Javi, you’re the only one it ever could be. Te amo más de lo que las palabras pueden expresar. (I love you more than words can say).” 

“Hey! Lovebirds! Are y’all in here?” 

Over the music and chatter of the party outside, you and Javi had been completely oblivious to the all too familiar southern twang of Steve’s voice behind the bedroom door, gently knocking from the outside after being sent on a mission to find where in the world the two of you had been for nearly a half hour. 

“Hello? Mr. and Mrs. Peña?” Steve rapped again, getting nothing in response but silence. Steve shrugged, drunk enough to have no fear to pound on the door repeatedly until the two of you showed up, now reaching down at the doorknob and giving it a jiggle. 

Steve was shocked to find that he could turn the handle, writing off the fact that they two of you would be in a room with an unlocked door after the 10 pounds of shit he had given Javi, and with his inhibitions severely lowered, he had  no problem cranking the knob and pushing the bedroom door wide open. 

“Hello? Earth to Javi and Mrs. Peña, are y’all in here or not because I- Oh Jesus Christ!” Steve shrieked, opening up the door to see you and Javi, your dress still hoisted up to your waist, and Javi’s bare ass completely on display, making the both of you scream just as loud in surprise at your unwanted visitor. 

“Murphy! Get the fuck out!” Javi snarled, quickly scrambling to try and pull your dress back down and his pants back up. 

“Jesus Fuckin’ Christ!” Steve yelled, immediately bringing his hand to his face to cover up his eyes, trying to drunkenly stumble as quickly as he could back out of the room, but, because of his intoxicated state and self-imposed lack of vision, Steve found himself colliding head first with the wall, knocking himself to the ground before crawling across the floor like a frazzled toddler, kicking the door closed behind him. 

For as devastatingly embarrassed as you were by the whole debacle, you couldn’t help but cackle at the impeccable comedic timing of the whole thing, snickering to yourself as Javi finished buckling back up his pants and helping you up to stand before storming to the door, opening it to find Steve still sprawled on the floor in an a hysteric fit. 

“Are you fucking serious, Murph?” Javi growled, completely unamused. 

“God, I shoulda kept my bit that Connie cut in my speech. Y’all do know that doors have locks, right? Might be helpful if y’all learned how to use ‘em. Just food for thought.” Steve giggled, watching both of your faces grow beet red in embarrassment and at a loss for words. 

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Javi asked, pinching the arch of his nose between his fingers, shaking his head in frustration, looking down the hallway to make sure that Steve was the only presence you needed to worry about. 

“I’m tryin’ to save your asses before someone else worse than me walks in on the two of you gettin’ it on. Y’all do realize you’ve been gone for almost 45 minutes right? Being the- oh shit-” Steve paused, letting out a giant burp,” ‘cuse me, being the good Best Man I am, I decided to try and find you two idiots before people started askin’ too many questions. So, you’re welcome.” Steve grunted, pushing himself up to stand, cocking his head at the both of, hands on his hips, trying to prove his point. “Also, do you two anything else besides fuc-” 

“Steve! Jesus Christ, will you shut the fuck up!” Javi groaned, staring down at the floor, taking a deep breath to compose himself before he decided to kick Steve right back down to the ground again. 

“...It’s really been 45 minutes?” You grimaced, looking back between Steve and Javi, shrugging at your husband that any longer, your mom would have been on a search party for you, and it would have been your whole family at Javi’s bedroom door instead of just Steve. 

“Yeah, and I’m the first to come lookin’ after ya, so again, you’re welcome. Jesus, Javi, you can really last for 45 fuckin minutes? How the-” 

“Murphy!” 

“Sorry…” 

“Fuck me….” 

“Think you and your wife already took care of that one…” Steve muttered under his breath, trying not to laugh.

“I swear to God, Steve…” 

“Okay, I’m done! I’m done! Swear!” Steve held up his hands in defense, taking a step back away from Javi.   

“Will you please just give us a minute, Murph?” Javi sighed, running his hand through his hair, trying with every bone in his body to keep his patience with his drunken friend. 

“Fine, fine, fine. 1 minute. I’m counting. Use your time wisely and appropriately, you sickos.” Steve snickered, disappearing down the hallway, only to peek his head back out around the corner. “And Jav?”

“What, Murph?” 

“Your fly’s undone.”

As you and Javi sheepishly made your way back out to the backyard, you couldn't have been more relieved to see that at this point, anyone still left at your reception was far too drunk to care that you had been missing, seeing that almost all of your guests were out on the dance floor, partying away without a care in the world, or any inkling of what you and Javi had been up to. 

“Longer than a minute, but beggars can’t be choosers I guess.” Steve chuckled, creeping up behind you with two drinks in hand, passing them both off to you and Javi. “Here. Figured I owe ya a drink. These are on me.” 

“We paid for the bar, Murph.” 

“Alright, well I guess these ones are on you, Grumpy Pants.”  Steve grumbled mockingly, holding up his hands in defense, trying not to stumble over his own two feet as he made his way back to the dance floor. 

“Remind me again why I picked him to be my best man?” Javi laughed, taking a sip of his drink, the both of you snickering as you watched Steve whip out some questionable dance moves to “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen blaring in the background and Connie shake her head at her husband. 

“Because you love him. Don’t get me wrong, he’s an idiot, but he’s a good guy.” You smiled, giving Javi a little nudge, resting your head on his shoulder as you looked out at the dance floor. “Hey-” You paused, holding up your glass and raising it to Javi’s. “Cheers.” 

“Cheers to what, Osita?” Javi asked, wrapping his arm around you, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead as he brought his glass next to yours. 

“Cheers to us. I love you so much, Javier Peña, it makes me sick. Sicker than all this tequila is gonna make me tomorrow after I keep drinking it the rest of the night.” 

The two of you snorted, goofily clinking your glasses and taking a hefty sip of your drinks as you looked out on the dance floor, your hearts overflowing with love and joy to know that you were surrounded by all of the people in the world you cared about most, even the ones that couldn’t be physically with you, to celebrate the biggest day of your life and the start of your new forever. 

“Cheers, Hermosa. I love you so goddamn much. Maybe the hangover will help distract the nerves on the flight tomorrow.” Javi smirked, taking another sip of his drink as he shook you playfully in his grasp, your faces both lighting up as you remembered that tomorrow, you be in the Bahamas for the next 10 days, where the only thing you needed to worry about was where you wanted to lay on the beach, what drink you wanted in your hand, and now, seeing how quickly Javi could get you pregnant. 

“Oh shut up.” You sighed, giving Javi a little slap to the chest before taking another sip of your drink, looking up at Javi with heavy lashes, batting your eyes at him. “You just have to remind me that I have to do some unpacking before we leave tomorrow.” 

“Unpacking?” Javi asked, tilting his head in confusion at you, the gears in his brain turning as you bit down on your lip, raising your eyebrow at him, waiting for him to piece together your clue. “Oh. Oh.” 

Javi’s eyes went wide as he remembered what you meant, heart racing in anticipation, never imagining before today that he would have been so excited to actively throw away birth control to try and have a kid.

“Can we throw it away tonight?” Javi pleaded, his puppy dog eyes in full effect. 

“I’m not sure what difference tonight and tomorrow morning is gonna make, but sure. Happy wedding present.” You giggled, pressing up onto your tiptoes to plant a long, hot kiss. 

“Best fucking gift I could ask for besides the fact I finally get to call you my wife.” 

As the end of the song slowly faded out, “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” began to play next in the background, your face lighting up in excitement and Javi’s eyes rolling, hearing the song that had been most likely the biggest controversy of your entire wedding planning process now bumping through the speakers, followed by the cheers and hollers of your guests. 

“I told you people would want to hear this song.” You said smugly, crossing your arms over your chest, popping your hip at Javi as you sassed him, making him shake his head at your theatrics. 

“It doesn’t stop it from being a stupidly annoying song.” 

“A stupidly annoying song that people love. A stupidly annoying song that your wife loves.” You teased. “Whaddya say, Peña, can you stand this unbearably stupid song to go dance with me? 

“I’d dance to this song with you a million times if it means I get to dance with you.” 

Grabbing Javi by the hand, you tugged him out to the dance floor in a fit of giggles and smiles, jumping along and dancing to the beat song after song the rest of the night with your friends, family and husband. 

You couldn't help but catch yourself stopping now and again to smile to yourself to take everything in, feeling like you needed to pinch yourself to make sure this was all really real. Just over a year ago, your life felt like it had hit an all time low. You had moved halfway across the country to try and run from your pain, desperate to find any way to bring yourself any ounce of peace in your ocean of hurt. It felt like fate had forsaken you for the worst, kicking you while you were down, and leaving destruction in its wake. 

But never in a million years would you have believed that fate would have sent you with a one way ticket to Laredo, Texas, and that trip would bring so much more than just the glimmer of hope you longed for. It had brought you peace, comfort, the acceptance you weren’t sure you would have ever allowed yourself to feel. Laredo had brought you everything you never expected, and all of the things you never thought you deserved. 

It brought you Javi- the man who single handedly changed your life for the better, loving you unconditionally for every part of your being and piecing back together the parts of your heart you had left broken.

It brought you the man you now got to call your husband. 

Fate and life have funny ways of working together to bring you the things you need the most when you least expect them. And today, as you got to marry the love of your life and your very best friend, you knew you’d be forever thankful that fate stepped in when you needed it most. 

La vida es graciosa, no lo crees? (Life is funny, isn’t it?)

@chaotic-iguana @rhoorl @whyjuliaaa @bbiophiliaa @pertinentpostmortem @angelofsmalldeath-codeine @pedrobaby @fatima-marisa @beboldbebravethings @poodlebae @kittenlittle24 @3sriracha @jungchloee @perennialdoll247 @prettyinpunk85 @partyofone3413 @harriedandharassed @pedrohoe04 @theorganasolo @endlessthxxghts @beware-my-thorns @missladym1981 @messinadresa @milly-louise @jay-zzle @the-one-with-the-grey-color @persephone-girl @bitchesuntitled @pedropascallvr @millennial-teenybopper @nastiasnow @vee-bees-blog @hopplessilse @mxtokko @its-nebuleuse @mandoisapunk @msmorningstaarr @amyispxnk @honeyedmiller @mountainsandmayhem @picketniffler @burningnerdchild @copperhalfcent @theoraekenslover @bloodyinspirationaldemon @vee-bees-blog @amyispxnk @samgirl4life @pigeonmama @pedr0swh0r3 @survivingandenduring

[juuuulez]

🔥 | kinktober #4: throat fucking, steve harrington.

mwahahahaha this was just soooo 😍😍 siiighhhh

also it kinda got a little freaky I’M SORRY i don’t know what came over me i turned evil and horny

-> prompt/kinktober masterlist <-

some orange cellophane has been taped to the bathroom light, casting an orange hue on the dimly lit room. steve’s back rests against the bathroom door, you kneeling at his feet.

your jaw unhinges, guided gently by his big hands, one on your cheek, the other in your hair. he pulls you deeper onto his cock, taking him to the hilt, suppressing the urge to gag and instead swallowing around him.

“fuuuck, baby.” he groans, panting around the words. your nose presses into the bottom of his stomach. “so good. such a good girl, huh?”

it’s almost condescending, the way he grins, managing to be cocky about it, even as pleasure tightens and swirls in his gut. but you don’t care.

it feels good, because out of everyone, steve harrington wants you on his dick. maybe halloween was a blessed holiday, maybe it made men crazy, you didn’t care. it felt good to be wanted.

your hands flex where they grip his calves, aching to touch yourself. it’s obvious in the way you squirm, trying to get some pressure on your core, needing anything to relieve it.

“y’need some help, angel?” steve asks, his hands working to pull your head back, only to take him again. “should’ve dressed up as a dog. needy fuckin’— needy puppy.”

he struggles to get the words out, your tongue massaging the underside of his thick cock. the angel wings you’d worn as costume are still on, a few hot-glued feathers falling out.

your eyes water from the pressure in your throat, and before you know it, steve is pressing the leather of his shoe down over your crotch. he uses the toe to flip up that sheer white skirt, giving him access to your dampening panties.

whatever squeak of protest you make it silenced, for steve begins to work in earnest, using his hands to still your head, fucking himself down into your throat. all you can do is sit there and take it.

his foot tilts up slightly, providing a delicious angle that you can’t resist, hips sliding down against the smooth leather. it feels so good. it feels humiliating, humping steve’s shoe, all in some random fucking kids bathroom at their dumbass halloween party.

but it makes steve grin, enjoying the sight. you’re too far gone now to care, grinding in earnest, wanting to get off.

“you’re my bitch, huh? that right?” he teases, the hand on your cheek moving to your jaw, gripping the hinge of it, keeping it open.

and you glare, narrowed eyes, unable to speak. you swore he got off to the sound of his own voice.

his cock bullied its way into your throat, pulsing with its own heartbeat. it tasted salty on your tongue, the pre smearing and sticking to the insides of your cheek. he was close.

you were too.

the pressure on your clit was just right, though somewhere through the haze, you realised just how much you didn’t want a mouthful of cum.

the action was quick, hand pattering over steve’s thigh, managing to push him away just firm enough that he listened. his cock was dripping with your saliva, red and swollen and ready.

he can’t even manage any words, fist working quickly over his length, staring down as you quickly hoist up that tiny white tank, pushing it over your breasts. it gives him the perfect view, skin flushed and spilling from a lacy brassiere.

a groan leaves steve’s throat as he spills over your chest, milky cum staining your skin. it drips down the valley of them, pooling under the wire, sticky. the sight is sinful, with you in that little angel costume, covered in him. steve would take a photo if he could.

“fuck.” he suddenly grumbles.

you look down to notice the droplets that escapes, landing in a pearly white splatter against his leather shoe. it’s shiny, too, from whatever slick seeped from the fabric of your underwear.

words don’t form before his hand is on your head again, nudging you down. “wha— steve.” you attempt to protest, but it’s futile, he’s directing your face down to his soiled shoe.

“don’t think you’re getting out of it,” he sounds so fucking amused. “clean up your mess.”

[listofwhyyouloveher]

Can I request Drunk! Reader x outsiders gang where reader wants to be picked up by Darry but is silent about it and just stares at Darry until they figure out what she wants? (Group reaction? PLEASE and Thank you if you do it ❤️)

Summary: You want to be picked up by Darry

Warnings: crude language and humor, mentions of intoxication, cigarettes and smoking

Author's Note: trying to get as many reqs done as possible, the weeks js been a little hectic xx

It was no shock to the gang that you could get a little...odd when you were drunk. Often finding little animals to pick up and share with others or randomly talking to people on the street.

They always thought your extroverted kindness was rather adorable so they always tried to plan hangouts that involved cheap liquor (not just to see you but to actually hangout).

There was an unnerving silence that surrounded you, 4 shots deep and yet to make an unpredictable move that would have the gang laughing their asses off. Instead, your eyes zeroed in on Darry, like an adorable cat trying to hunt.

"Looks like you got an admirer, Dare" Two Bit laughed, taking the cancer stick from his mouth and rolling it between his fingers. Darry looked up from his beer bottle, eyes roaming the room until they landed on you.

"She looks like she's gonna rip you to shreds," Soda joked. Your eyes never faltered from their piercing gaze, and Darry found himself staring back like it was a challenge.

"Man, just ask the girl what she wants already," Dallas interjected, his brittle New York accent cutting the air with jagged lines. Darry cracked a small smile before pointing at Steve, Pony and Johnny who had all passed out on the couch.

"Shouldn't we deal with those three first?" He chuckled, watching your hands fidget out of the side of his eye.

"Man, don't be a dumbass," Dallas's voice dropped lower, like he was trying to whisper, "you might miss out on your chance to lay her," he smirked and Darry shook his head. He pushed up from the armchair he was sitting in and walked over to you, your eyes following him.

"You alright?" He asked, genuine concern over his face. Your eyes flicked to his arms and he looks down confused.

"Somethin' on my arm?" He asked before Soda interjected, laughing so hard tears pricked his eyes.

"Whats so funny, Soda?" Darry asked, frustratedly.

"Man, you are something else, Y/n" Soda said, joking with you. "She wants you to hold her," he flicked his wrist lazily, adding soke dramatics to it.

Darry looked at you confused, "Really?"

"What're you waiting for, Super? Pick 'er up!" Two hooted, and Dally and Soda laughed wildly.

Your big eyes stared up at him with a doe like quality, and he sighed, reaching around you and pulling you up. You let out a small laugh, wrapping your arms around his chest to secure yourself.

"Happy now?" He asked, a small smile playing at his lips. You just laughed harder.

"C'mon, Y/n, let's get these babies to bed," he said, tilting his head to Steve, Pony and Johnny who were still peacefully asleep.

[piratefishmama]

Fake it till you make it | Part 4

‘Boundaries’ were harder to settle on than they'd expected them to be. Eddie didn’t seem to want to put anything on the “strictly no” list. Even when Steve suggested sex should be on there Eddie just wiggled his brows and claimed a week in a cabin with him might change things.

Steve found that hilarious enough to laugh at (much to Eddie's adorable pout) but also too fair to disagree with.

They were two healthy, queer, adult men! What was a little consensual nookie between fake boyfriends?

Plus he couldn’t tell if Eddie was joking or not so he put that on the mental ‘maybe a boundary’ list that may or may not be tested.

Steve wasn’t about to completely rule it out either! He had a healthy libido and Eddie wasn’t unattractive. He… actually was pretty damn attractive.

Nice eyes, nice hair, nice lips, nice voice, nice han— anyway, they had a whole week together in a romantic chalet, pretending to date.

Anything could happen. Especially if they didn’t rule anything out. And ruling it out only made it seem more exciting, like it was dangerous. Best to just not rule it out.

“What about kissing?” Steve pondered aloud, a small frown on his brow

“If I’m not ruling out sex, Harrington, I think kissing should be fi—"

“No, dumbass, not ruling it out, I mean… it’s gotta seem like a thing we normally do right? An you gotta stop calling me Harrington, it’s Steve. Boyfriends don’t call each other by their last names.”

“I’ll have a mental list of pet names prepared before the day ends, don’t you worry, Stevie, but what do you suggest? Are you thinking we should practice?” Eddie leaned forward a grin stretching on his lips that almost seemed predatory, like he was expecting Steve to stumble through a rebuttal, expecting him to back down or to apologise, but no, Steve wasn’t some simpering maiden who’d bashfully turn him down.

Steve was an experienced ladies man with a reputation for being… for lack of a better term, a bit of a hometown slut.

Even if he had no practical experience with men, that didn’t stop him from exuding confidence as he moved onto his haunches and crossed the very short distance between them, forcing that mischievous little shit right back into his spot as Steve basically climbed from his hands and knees into Eddie’s lap, watching in satisfaction as all that mischief just kind of…

Drained from his face.

Drained and replaced with wide-eyed rosy cheeked surprise, his hands extended out either side of himself to avoid touching Steve’s body. Adorable.

“Maybe we should.”

“Ah—uhm—heh—y-yeah I mean—m-maybe not here though, yeah?” He talked a good game, he put on a damn fine front, but Eddie Munson wasn’t exactly swimming in cock. Wasn’t even paddling. Or wading the cock waters.

No he was mainly just suffering in queer silence on dry land with just good ol leftie and a few skin mags to make himself feel better. Although the image of Steve Harrington in his lap? Oh yeah that’d do him for a few months.

Sad that it ended so fast though, with Steve backing his perfectly plush ass right back into his seat quickly after, holding his hands up in mock surrender, accepting the stuttered rejection like a champ.

“Wherever you feel comfiest, man, but I suggest we figure that shit out fast, we don’t have long before this trip an you’ll have to meet them before we go so we’re going to have to be comfortable with each other, especially if it’s an environment where we have no excuse to not be comfortable.” If they were in public? Absolutely they’d have many excuses readily available.

The chalet? Not public. In fact it was quite big, the only reason he was so sure his parents would bring someone for him was because it was big enough that they could do their own thing for hours without crossing paths. Sure the bedrooms were close to each other but there were other rooms to fuck around in.

Damn thing had two Jacuzzi’s and a sauna. Not to mention a home cinema to fool around in.

They’d be hoping that he’d spend some easily obtained alone time with this mystery person. God he’d be being pimped out by his parents. How had his life come to this?

“You want me to meet them before we go?” He was just expecting to turn up on the day and be ‘Steve’s new boyfriend’ that they’d never met and would just have to accept would be in attendance. In that scenario he assumed Steve would just get the okay from them to have him come and that be that but—

Clearly his imagination was not even remotely true to real life. “Uhh… yeah, they’ll wanna know who they’re spending a week with, Eddie, c’mon, fake dating starts like… now…”

“So can I charge you from now?”

“Dude that’d be double��”

“Aren’t you rich?”

“I work minimum wage at Family Video for crying out loud, no I’m not rich. My parents are rich, I make enough to keep the lights on and keep my fridge stocked while they’re away. C’mon man… I can do a week, I have savings that’ll cover a week but two weeks? That’s fourteen-hundred, dude, I can’t—” Two weeks was stretching things uncomfortably far. Like… going into debt kind of far. He couldn’t ask his parents for money because they’d wanna know what it was for and for him to get a receipt and Eddie didn’t do receipts. Or refunds. “I might actually starve.”

“… Fine.” He almost argued, you live in a McMansion Steve, I live in a trailer park, but then… Steve did actually work at Family Video, wouldn’t just do that if he didn’t have to, who’s to say his parents paid for anything for him? Who’s to say they didn’t pull the ‘you’re an adult now, son, we’ll let you live here but you have to pull your own weight’ shtick parents were apparently so fond of? God what if they made him pay rent?

Eddie really didn’t know anything about the Harringtons.

Steve clearly didn’t go to college, so… maybe his dad wouldn’t hire him for a role he wasn’t qualified for? Unlikely but not impossible if recent discoveries concerning Steve Harrington were to be used as a reference point. Couldn't assume anything about him. “Fine?”

“Yeah, fine. How about, instead… we stick with my original rate an call it a flat seven hundred, fifty per day, an we start now? We can head to the trailer park an figure shit out there, deduct today so it’s only six fifty cause we’re brainstorming. My uncle may be home, but he should be asleep now. He works nights. We should be fine… unless you wanna head to yours and go in blind, take a ‘we’re figuring things out together awkwardly’ approach to it?” That’d track, he could do awkward, he could probab—

“Nah, they’d never think I was awkward at dating, even though you are a guy.” Of course they wouldn’t. Their lady killer son would never be awkward about dating… he wasn’t either, that was the kicker. He’d got all the way up in Eddie’s business not five minutes ago and looked comfortable doing it, like he actually would have practiced kissing in the back of Eddie’s beat up old van.

Holy shit he could have been making out with Steve Harrington in the back of his van.

He said not here, yeah?

What the shit was his problem?!

Was he actually completely insane?

He was going to be a virgin forever.

“You good there, Ed?”

“Huh?” He squeaked. Eddie Munson did not squeak, but yet, there he was. Squeakin away. “Oh! Y-yeah yeah, just coming to an abrupt unfortunate conclusion, yep, I am a-ok completely and totally oooone-hundreeeeeee— okay I came to a very real realisation that I could have been basically making out with you for ‘practice’ in the back of my van in the bushes where nobody could interrupt us and that could have gone anywhere cause it’s comfy back here yet i decided to tell you ‘not here, yeah?’ like a perma-virgin so— yeah.”

“Jeez… maybe you could pull off the awkward boyfriend thing.”

“…So about that fourteen hundred.”

Part 6

[steddieunderdogfics]

This week’s writer spotlight feature is:  @wynnyfryd! Wynnyfryd has 34 fics in the Stranger Things fandom and all of them are in the Steddie tag!

i don’t know, you figure it out

Plot Holes

biting you biting you biting you- oh! kissing you!

Satanic Ritual: DO NOT WATCH!!

She's got some of the FUNNIEST writing in this fandom, and it's very snappy too like. She's an editing demon for sure, she can take a concept that I'd think would take paragraphs to explain and find the right words to make it hit just as hard with like, two sentences. I also really really love how descriptive her metaphors are, really visceral sometimes, and she's really good at writing realistic life events but still making them fun to read about even when it's about like, devastating shit. The sex she writes is also intense as hell! -- @griefabyss69

Below the cut, @wynnyfryd answered some questions about their writing process and some of their recommended work!

Why do you write Steddie?

I am but a humble bisexual — I see two beautiful brown-eyed men makin’ beautiful brown eyes at each other, I go a little insane for two years. It is what it is.

What’s your favorite trope to READ?

late-night moments of quiet hopeful hesitant intimacy over a shared joint or cigarette. Thin wisp of smoke between them, stars dancing in their eyes. Yeah. YEAHHHHHHH 

What’s your favorite trope to WRITE?

This isn’t really a trope so much as a dynamic, but I love a good dipshit 4 dingus dialogue-heavy scene. Don’t get me wrong, I think Eddie and Steve can both be very smart and knowledgeable in their areas of interest/expertise, but these are two young dudes with no access to the internet. I love letting them be confidently incorrect dumbasses. Just ‘yes and’-ing each other’s stupidity while an exasperated third character begs for mercy.

What’s your favorite Steddie fic?

Well, this question is impossible and furthermore rude. This question came into my home and didn’t take its muddy boots off. This question never mailed me a thank you letter for my lovely wedding gift. That blender was expensive; the absolute nerve. No but seriously, I think The Lathe by palmviolet is going to stay with me forever.

Is there a trope you’re excited to explore in a future work but haven’t yet?

I’m a big fan of doing canon divergence from different jumping off points — the beauty of having characters live in the same small town their whole lives is that you get so many great opportunities for these “what if our paths crossed sooner” moments.  I have some very loose notes for a S3 fic where Eddie is the movie theater employee who finds Steve and Robin in the bathroom after they escape the Russians, and I also have an old WIP set between S1 and S2 where lifeguard Steve rescues Eddie and then spends the summer teaching him how to swim. Would love to revisit those after I finish the trailer park AU (which I will be referring to as TPAU because my fingers are tired and because ‘toilet paper au’ makes me laugh.)

What is your writing process like?

Uhhhhh. 😂 I mean, for TPAU, basically just insert the scene from Dune 2 of Paul’s first sandworm ride: I’m shaking I’m sweating there is sand in my nostrils and I am surely about to die— oh wait, maybe I’ve actually got this? Am I actually doing it? Oh shit, look at me go!   For one-shots I like to use a more structured outline and bracket method. I start by dividing my doc into numbered scenes, with each scene getting a notes section and a prose section, like this:

This format gives me a lot of freedom to switch up the order of scenes and to move between scenes so I avoid writer’s block. I can also jump ahead to scenes I really want to write without making a mess of my outline. Once I have something written in the prose section of each scene, I go back and work on replacing each bracket with prose until there are no brackets left. Lastly, I create a new blank doc and copy the prose over in order so I can read the full fic and work on edits from there.  

Do you have any writing quirks?

I have been known to abuse a semicolon. And an em dash. And a conjunction at the start of a sentence. Yes, I do have ADHD.   I’m also a lyricist, so I feel like my prose tends to stray into poetry territory pretty often.

Do you prefer posting when you’ve finished writing or on a schedule?

When I’m finished! Which is probably why I tend to stick to one-shots; I get impatient and want to post stuff the second it’s ready.

Which fic are you most proud of?

‘i don’t know, you figure it out’ for SURE. I’ve never written a fic this long or stuck to a writing project this consistently in my life. Like ever. The last time I even came close was my first NaNoWriMo when I was 16, which was, uh… years ago, plural, and I’ll leave it at that. 😂

How did you get the idea for i don’t know, you figure it out?

“There’s a dead rat on his doorstep.” That’s it. That first sentence/scene popped into my head while I was bored at work, and then I started thinking, “hey, you know what? I don’t know that anyone’s ever done a fic where Max and Steve trade places for S4; that might be fun.”  And then NaNoWriMo was coming up, so I thought it would be cool to try live posting a fully improvised fic every day for a month to see how many words I could write. And then this tragic wet cat version of Steve Harrington grabbed me by the throat and took over my whole life.

When writing Satanic Ritual: DO NOT WATCH!!, what was something you didn’t expect?

How SAPPY these two got!! My god, boys, I’m trying to write smut over here, stop having a beautiful existential crisis! (I blame Briston Maroney for that though lol, I think I listened to ‘Body’ like 1400 times that month.)

What inspired Satanic Ritual: DO NOT WATCH!!?

@inklessletter posted this totally gorgeous art of Steve and Eddie recording themselves kissing, and I promptly lost my mind.  

What was your favorite part to write from biting you biting you biting you- oh! kissing you!?

This exchange: Steve: “What? I’m just asking!” Robin: “You’re being embarrassing!” Steve: “No, you’re just embarrassed. There’s a difference.” Like it’s just so them lmao

How do/did you feel writing i don’t know, you figure it out?

You know when you set out on a long hike in the summer and three hours later your calves are screaming and you’re covered in sweat and your sunburn’s starting to itch and this one horse fly won’t fuck off and your cell phone doesn’t even get service out here so literally WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF, and then you climb that last hill and look out on the most beautiful landscape you’ve ever seen in your silly little life? Basically that.

What was the most difficult part of writing Plot Holes?

Ooh, that one was fun! The only real difficulty was trying to keep it to a microfic because the concept could definitely be fleshed out to a full story — @griefabyss69 and I were joking around about “what if someone did ‘plot hole’ for the @steddiemicrofic prompt fill?” and then that fic just fell out of my head in about 15 minutes. 

Do you have a favorite scene and/or line from any of your fics?

For sure! I’m currently super proud of the graveyard scene in the most recent update of TPAU — I don’t write true horror often, but I love horror so it was really fun to give it a try! Favorite line from any fic is probably this reference to ‘You’re Divine’ in my fic Monsoon Season because I love uncomfortably-aroused prude Eddie, and his internal monologue cracks me up every time I think about it: Freddie Monsoon’s debut novel is called The Fourth Chime, and it is, as far as Eddie can tell, the first installment in a series of unapologetically filthy fuck fests about a man whose lover gets flung into an alternate dimension during an apocalyptic event and miraculously returns as some sort of… sexy bat-boy with a fucking horse dong and a bite kink. Critics are calling it “the most romantic novel of the last decade.” It’s me; I’m Critics.

Do you have any upcoming projects or fics you’d like to share/promote?

My main project right now is finishing TPAU if it kills me, but beyond that, I have a few one-shots for @subeddieweek in the works, including a collab with @griefabyss69 that I’m so so SO excited to share. It’s hot, it’s funny, I can’t wait for y’all to read it. 

Outside of these questions, Is there anything YOU would like to add?

First of all, as @wormdebut would say: I think you’re pretty. Thank you so much for all your hard work! I love this blog, and I love answering questions <3 Secondly: - Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. - Toss cubed sweet potatoes and parsnips, sliced sweet onion, and fresh garlic in a mix of olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary, and then spread in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.  - Bake for ~40-45 minutes. (Potatoes and parsnips should be soft without being mushy when you poke them with a fork.) - Prep your sauce: I made a dijon drizzle situation by mixing olive oil mayo, a dash of dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a splash of water, but you could also add a little dab of hot sauce, bbq sauce, or different mustards. Basically just grab like four condiments out of your fridge and play around with the flavors you like until you make a mix that’s thin enough to pour. - Drizzle roasted veggies with sauce. - Enjoy a very tasty side dish (or do what I did and eat the whole sheet as a meal like some sort of parsnip goblin because you were too lazy to make the main dish after chopping all those veggies) okay thank you love you byeeeee

Thank you to our author, @wynnyfryd, and our nominator, @griefabyss69! See more of Wynnyfryd's works featured on our page throughout the day!

Writer’s Spotlight is every Wednesday! Want to nominate an author? You can nominate them here!

[hbyrde36]

Times Like These (The Anniversary Edition)

CH 1 CH 2 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch5 Ch 6 Ch 7 Ch 8 Ch 9 Ch 10 Ch 11 Ch 12

Chapter 13: Epilogue

WC: 5937 | AO3 link | Explicit

A soft knock on hollow wood roused Eddie from sleep. It felt strange to wake up normally, not crying out or gasping for air—actually, waking up at all felt a little foreign after weeks of hardly sleeping at all. 

“Ed?” Uncle Wayne’s voice carried through the door.

Eddie glanced over his shoulder. Steve hadn’t moved, was hopefully still fast asleep, so he gently extracted himself and pulled on the first shirt within reach. He tiptoed to the door, only opening it enough to look out, and used his body to hide the view of his bed. Wayne was safe, but he and Steve hadn’t even really labeled what they were to each other yet, let alone discussed if they were okay with other people knowing. 

Wayne looked down at Eddie's chest, frowning, “‘M sorry to wake you when you’re finally gettin’ some sleep, but the kids‘re here.”

“Like, Max?”

“Like, all of ‘em.”

Oh, what the fuck. 

Eddie scrubbed a hand over his face… and then nearly jumped out of his skin when Steve’s voice, mid-yawn and raspy with sleep, came from the bed behind him. 

“Ugh, what are they even doing here, do you have Hellfire today or something?” 

Wayne lifted a single eyebrow. “Who’s your friend?”

“Uh—”

There was a rustle of fabric as Steve moved around behind him, getting dressed. Well, putting a shirt on anyway—Eddie’s shirt.

Oh.

Eddie looked down and, yup, that was Steve’s polo shirt he had on. 

God he was such a dumbass sometimes.

Wayne craned his neck, trying to see over Eddie’s shoulder—and clearly Steve didn't care if the other man saw him or he wouldn’t have spoken up, so Eddie stepped back, letting the door open the rest of the way as Steve slid up beside him. It seemed this meeting was happening right here, right now, whether he liked it or not, so he might as well accept it.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir. I’m Steve, Steve Harrington.” Steve smiled, sticking his hand out for Wayne to shake, which the older man took—as if they weren’t all standing in Eddie’s bedroom doorway at who knew what time in the morning, in their fucking underwear!

But it was fine. 

“Good to meet you too, son. I hear you’re one of the people I have to thank for findin’ my boy and gettin’ him to help. Didn’t see you ‘round the hospital, else I would’ve shown you my gratitude sooner.” 

Steve's smile faltered—and fell. “No. I, uh—I wasn’t. I’m sorry I wasn’t there, I should have been. I–” 

Eddie took his hand, squeezing, and leaned in to press their sides together. 

Wayne shook his head. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me, and anyways it looks like whatever it was has worked itself out now. S’long as you boys are bein’ safe, that’s good enough for me.”

“Wayne!” Eddie hissed.

“Go see to your audience. They’re mighty interested in that fancy car out there, which I'm assumin’ belongs to Steve, so….” Wayne glanced between the two of them, chuckling. “Have fun with that.”

For the second time in as many minutes Eddie felt like an idiot. Steve’s car was parked right outside the trailer, hiding him had never been an option. Again, he reminded himself that Steve didn’t seem to mind, had known his car would be out there for all to see in the morning when he decided to stay last night.  

“Try and keep it down though, will ya? I’m gonna go catch some sleep before my shift tonight.”

Wayne shuffled away down the hall and back out to the living room where he’d spend the day sleeping on an old rollaway bed. Eddie felt a pang of guilt, like he always did when he thought about all the things Wayne had sacrificed to raise him, up to and including giving him the trailer’s only bedroom. He tried to give it up, on multiple occasions, but Wayne wouldn’t hear it. 

“I guess it’s time to face the music about disappearing, and—” Steve glanced down at their clasped hands.

Eddie looked down too, considering. This thing between them, whatever it was, felt so new, and fragile. It was one thing for Wayne to see them together, Eddie was already out to his uncle and accepted by him, and Steve had known that, but the kids? That was different—it was a lot. 

“We don’t have to tell anyone anything you're not ready for, Steve. We can always say you came over to hang out and it got late and you slept on the couch. They wouldn't think anything of it.”

“No. I don’t want to hide, not from our friends.” Steve chewed on his bottom lip. “Unless—you don’t want them to know?” 

“Sweetheart, I would tell the whole world how I felt about you if it was safe. Of course we can tell the party. I think we can trust them, and technically, all of them but Will and El saw us make out once already, not our fault they don’t remember.”

Steve grinned, and pulled Eddie in for a kiss. It was little more than a peck on the lips, a light little thing in comparison to all they’d done the night before, but it still took Eddie’s breath away.

They pulled apart reluctantly, and set about finding and putting pants on. Eddie wondered if he should offer to switch their shirts back, but he was sort-of loving seeing Steve in his clothes, and as much as the polo was something he’d usually not be caught dead in, it was much softer than it looked, and came with the added perk of smelling like Steve.

“So, um, what is it we’re telling them… exactly?” Eddie asked as he slipped his shoes on. Maybe It was silly to feel so nervous about asking the dreaded ‘what are we’ question after they’d already said I love you, but he couldn’t help it. It was all feeling a little too good to be true.

Steve strode right over, taking Eddie’s face between his hands. “Boyfriends?”

Eddie nodded, sagging in relief as he raised his hands to cover Steve’s where they cradled him. 

Steve leaned in the press their lips together one more time, whispering, “even if that word is too… small for what this feels like.”

For a moment Eddie could do nothing but stare in awe at the boy in front of him. He wasn’t used to things working out. He’d never expected to fall this hard for someone, and he’d certainly never dreamed that someone would love him with the same ferocity, but there it was being reflected back to him through Steve’s eyes. 

“You’re something else, Harrington. You know that?”

-

Just as Wayne had said, the entire group of kids, minus Erica, were clustered around Steve’s car almost like they were guarding it, or making sure Steve couldn’t take off and drive away without going through them first.  

As soon as they set foot outside, Dustin threw himself at Steve, wrapping arms tightly around his middle before suddenly pulling back to punch him in the chest.

Steve rubbed at the spot. “Hey!”

“You ignored me… for weeks! I was worried about you!” Dustin yelled, hitting him again.

“I know!” Steve shouted back, then sighed, deflating. “I know, and I’m sorry. I was going through some stuff, and I got really in my head about it, but I shouldn't have pushed everyone away. That—that wasn’t cool.” 

“What happened? And why did Eddie get to see you before I did?”

Eddie stepped in then, he couldn’t let Steve take all the flack when they were at least equally to blame for this whole mess. “Don’t be too hard on him, Henderson. It was my fault. I–” 

“No,” Steve cut him off, taking his hand and lacing their fingers together. “Eddie and I had a… misunderstanding, but–uh, we worked it out” 

Dustin’s eyes widened, tracking the movement, head tilting as he seemed to really look at them for the first time. “Steve, what are you weari—what the hell is happening right now?”

Eddie didn’t know what he expected, but It wasn’t quite the reaction he’d hoped for. “Look, if this is going to be a problem for you guys, at least—”

“No! God, no." Dustin shook his head, holding his hands up in front of him, placating. "I’m sorry. It’s not—it’s fine!. It’s… pretty awesome, actually.”

Lucas cleared his throat. “We’re just surprised, is all."

“Yeah! Because of Steve’s reputation and everything.” Dustin clarified. 

Max snorted. “I’m not.”

Mike, Lucas, And Dustin gaped at her, while El and Will quietly watched from the sidelines. 

“What do you mean you're not surprised?!” Lucas snapped.

She rolled her eyes. “Are you morons blind?”

Mike crossed his arms, face pinched as he rounded on Steve. “So what, you just decided to suddenly be gay now? Or were you gay this whole time and just messing with my sister before?”

Eddie had never wanted to snatch that little prick up by the back of his neck more. 

“Keep your voice down, Wheeler! Before you out us to the whole damn trailer park!” Eddie hissed quietly, realizing far too late that the front of his trailer probably wasn’t the best place for this conversation, but they were in it now. 

In his defense he hadn’t expected any outbursts. Surprise? Maybe… probably, but no outright hostility—though young Wheeler only seemed to be pissed at Steve rather than both of them, so maybe it was more of a personal thing than a gay thing?

“Sorry.” Mike grumbled. 

“And no, we’re not ‘suddenly gay’ now, and it’s not something you choose or decide, shithead. It’s more like something you discover about yourself, when you’re ready. Some people figure it out at a young age, like me.” Eddie tried very hard not to let his gaze flit towards Will, who in their limited interactions had started giving off a vibe. Instead he looked at Steve, and smiled warmly. “But, for others it takes a little time.”

“Like me.” Steve said, smiling back at him with a soft look in his eyes. A look that completely dissolved as he turned to Mike, “And I’m bisexual, Michael. So, no, I wasn’t messing with your sister. Liking Eddie now doesn’t mean I didn't like her then. I like boys and girls.”

“Wait, that’s… Is that allowed?”

Oh. 

Suddenly the boy’s anger at Steve might make little more sense. 

Steve softened. “Yeah, Mike. That’s allowed.”

After a moment of silence Mike bristled, realizing everyone was looking at him now. “Whatever. I’m going back to Max’s.” He kicked rocks, literally, and ran across the way to the Mayfield trailer, sitting down on its steps, sulking.

“Hey Steve, so now that you're talking and leaving the house again, can we have a sleepover?” Dustin asked. 

Steve gave him an unimpressed look.“ Shouldn’t you guys be going after him or something?”

Lucas waved a hand. “He’ll get over it.”

Dustin tipped his chin in agreement. “You know how he gets, he’s fine. Now, what do you say?”

“I don’t know guys.” Steve said. 

“Pleeeeeease?”

Steve slid his eyes sideways, looking to Eddie for an opinion. 

Eddie shrugged. As much as he wanted more alone time with Steve—like, a lot more—he knew he wasn’t the only one who’d been missing him.  

“Fine. But you all need to get your own rides, and give me a few hours to get ready. Seven o’clock at the earliest, you hear me? And make sure your parents know where you’re gonna be.”

The kids all lit up, even Max cracked a smile.

“Yes!” Lucas cheered, before turning with Max to go back to her house. 

“Thanks, Steve!” Dustin shouted over his shoulder, him and Will joining the retreat, only El lagged behind. 

“Everything alright, El?” Steve asked. 

“I am really glad you’re feeling better. I wanted to come see you right away but–”

Steve drew in a breath, a horrified look of realization coming over his face. "Oh my god, El, you remember too! I'm such an idiot, I didn't even think!"

Eddie squeezed the hand he was still holding and felt his own heart drop. With everything else it hadn’t occurred to him either.

"It's okay. Robin told me you were sad, too sad to see anyone.” El said. 

“I’m so sorry, sweetie, I should have realized—I should have checked on you. Are you okay?”

“I think so. I told my Dad everything. I felt bad… guilty at first. I thought it was all my fault because I was the one who failed to stop Henry so many times. He says it's not, and I am trying to believe him."

"He's right," Eddie said. "None of this was anyone’s fault but Vecna’s. Trust me, I felt the exact same way throughout the loops. I thought, here I was, given chance after chance and I just kept screwing it up. It wasn’t my fault, or yours, or Steve’s. We did the best we could, and yeah, it took a few tries to get it right, but we did. We did it together. El, you were absolutely incredible in there, facing him down on your own. I never would have gotten out if it wasn’t for you. You saved me."

“I think we all saved each other, but I am sorry that I did not remember, that must have been scary by yourself.”

"No. No more apologies. That’s not on you or Steve, and I won't have either of you feeling guilty about it for another second.” Eddie said, his gaze flitting between their faces. “Okay?”

El nodded, offering him a small smile. 

Steve sighed. “Okay.”

-

A short while later they were walking into Steve’s house. Eddie had snuck back inside to leave a note for his uncle about where he’d be before they took off in the other boy’s BMW.

“Sorry about the mess,” Steve said as they crossed the threshold into the living room, rubbing a hand nervously at the back of his neck. “I, uh, I didn’t realize how bad it’d gotten.”

Eddie looked around. The air was stale, beer cans strewn around the coffee table, a few left where they’d fallen on the floor, along with several pizza boxes, some dirty clothes, and the couch was piled up with a pillow and blankets in a heap. It was very not like Steve, but it also wasn’t that bad. “You call this a mess? That’s adorable. You’ve seen my place man, c’mon. This is nothing. We can have this picked up in ten minutes—tops.”

“No, this is my problem, and your arm–”

“Is fine.” Eddie insisted. “Why don't you go get us a couple trash bags.”

They worked together, and just as predicted it didn’t take long at all. He gathered up the laundry, tossing it all into the washing machine, while Steve took care of the trash and wiped down the tables, the two of them meeting in the middle to straighten couch cushions and fold blankets. 

“Were you sleeping down here?” Eddie asked.

“Tried to. I was struggling, and angry, and I missed you. Thinking about sleeping in that bed alone after all those memories came back just—” Steve shook his head. “Not that down here was any better. I know it was only a short time that you were here with me, really, but it’s like you seeped into the walls.”

When Steve finished with the blanket he was working on, he hugged it to his chest and sat down. “It was one of my happy memories, one of the places I went when I was running from Vecna. Here, on this couch, with you.”

Eddie tilted his head, taking a seat beside him. 

“You’d just cooked for us. I was so tired, and you tried to make me go to bed, but I wouldn't listen.”

“And you fell asleep anyway.”

“And you let me sleep on your shoulder for the whole movie. That night—that was when I really started to fall for you, in that loop at least.”

Eddie rested a hand on Steve’s knee. “Me too.”

-

They moved on to the kitchen next, which was in pretty good shape apart from a sink full of dishes, something Eddie couldn’t really help with, so he hopped up onto the counter to supervise and keep Steve company. 

Well, he tried to hop up on the counter at least, a task that was made much more difficult with the use of only one hand. After his second failed attempt, Steve gripped him around the waist and lifted him up on his perch before wordlessly getting to work. 

Eddie swallowed hard, feeling his cheeks warm. He could get used to being manhandled like that, and judging by Steve’s little smirk, the other boy felt the same way.

It should have been boring sitting there watching as Steve scrubbed plates and glasses, but as corny as it sounded, Eddie was just happy to be around him. Steve kept looking at him too, to the detriment of his task, as he repeatedly sloshed water over himself when he got stuck staring for too long. 

The third time it happened Eddie had to laugh. “What? Is it my hair?” He shook his head making his curls bounce around wildly. “Have I been walking around with bedhead all day and you didn’t tell me?”

“No, it’s just— a part of me can’t believe you’re here? I know it was my own doing, but I was going crazy all alone in this big fucking house.”

Eddie rested a hand on his shoulder, just able to reach from his spot. 

“I should be used to it by now, the whole being alone thing. I’m sure you’ve noticed that my parents aren’t around much. It’s… not a new thing.”

“I did.” Eddie admitted. “I figured you’d talk about them when you were ready.”

Steve smiled sadly, returning his attention to the sink as he went on. “I was eight the first time they left me alone for the weekend. I was terrified, slept with all the lights on, thought every bump in the night was a robber breaking in. The older I got the longer they would stay away. They’d swoop in every now and then, just long enough to make sure I knew how disappointed they were that I wasn’t living up to their expectations. When my dad found out I wasn’t going to college they stopped coming home altogether.”

“What about graduation?”

“They stopped by, about a week after the ceremony, to yell at me for not having a job yet, even though I’d already told them I had the interview at Scoops. That’s the last time I spoke to them in person.”

“Wait, they didn’t come home when you got hurt at the mall? I know they would have thought it was just a fire but, didn’t the hospital call them?”

Steve tensed, and very deliberately did not look at him. 

Eddie sighed. “You didn’t go to the hospital, did you?”

“Didn’t need to.”

“Baby, you were drugged and tortured.”

“That’s actually part of why I didn’t go. Didn’t think I could handle facing another guy in a white coat.”

It was hard to argue with that, and of course it was in the past now, but that didn’t stop Eddie from wanting to. “So you were just here alone after all that?”

“No, um, Robin–” Steve broke off with a breathy laugh. “Ok, this is going to sound fucked up but that was another one of my happy memories, actually. Robin, she snuck out of her house and into mine that night. She didn’t need to sneak, of course, it’s not like anyone else was here, but she didn’t know that at the time. It was crazy, this girl who barely tolerated me before everything went down—suddenly, here she was, climbing through my bedroom window, insisting on taking care of me.” He shook his head. “I don’t think I could live without her now.”

“Pretty sure she feels the same way about you, sweetheart. So it’s been almost a year since you’ve seen your parents?”

“Yeah, they bought a place in Chicago when my dad was offered a new position in his company there. Said I could stay here until they sell the place, as long as I had a job and kept it clean.”

“I’m sorry.”

Steve gave half a shrug. “It’s—I don’t need or want them in my life anymore. If anything I'm grateful it’s allowed me to still be here for the kids through all this shit without having to deal with them.”

“Still, you deserved better.”

Steve shut the faucet off, drying his hands before wedging himself between Eddie's legs where they hung off the counter, throwing arms around his waist. “Thank you.”

Eddie yelped at the contact, the front of Steve’s shirt was cold, and wet, and it was seeping into Eddie’s clothes now too, but he only held Steve tighter, and didn’t let go. 

“I think we’re both going to need some dry clothes after this.” Eddie said. 

Steve nuzzled into his chest. “How about a shower first?”

-

This wasn’t exactly how he had pictured it when Steve suggested they take a shower together. Not that Eddie would have turned the opportunity down, under any circumstances, but the plastic bag tied and taped around his casted arm, while necessary, was decidedly unsexy.

He looked ridiculous.

However, Steve didn’t seem to agree, if the hungry looks he was throwing Eddie’s way as they undressed were any indication.

Though Eddie was more than capable of washing his own hair one handed, had been doing so since the hospital, Steve insisted on taking charge from the moment they stepped under the spray together, working shampoo into his scalp until it formed a lather, letting it run through the end of his curls as it rinsed out. 

Eddie was in heaven, the feel of Steve's fingers combing conditioner through his hair was unlike anything else, and the occasional tug when he got caught up on a knot had a warmth blossoming low in his belly, and something else growing between his legs. 

He tried to hold it in but a quiet moan slipped past his lips as Steve coaxed his head back, rinsing it again, and it was all Eddie could do not to palm himself.

Suddenly Steve’s broad chest was pressed up against his back, mouth hovering just behind his ear. “Don’t hold back on my account.”

Eddie shivered, trying to press his ass back to feel if Steve was as affected as he was, but the other boy was keeping his hips a polite distance away. 

Tease.

Next, Steve took up a bar of soap and a washcloth, and began to painstakingly wash him from head to toe, reaching around to get Eddie’s front and finally pressing his own hard length against the swell of his ass. 

Eddie moaned again, long and loud this time so Steve would know exactly what he was doing to him. 

It was as close to being worshiped as he could imagine, and he’d never felt so cared for and so fucking turned on in his life, convinced that if anything more than water touched his cock right now, he’d be painting the shower wall in seconds with his release.  

Thankfully Eddie got a short reprieve as Steve stepped back to turn the soap on himself, and he took several deep breaths, purposely not turning around to watch the show that was happening right behind him. He thought he knew where this was going, and he didn’t want their fun to be so short lived because he couldn’t get himself under control. 

But then Steve was done, and in the blink of an eye he spun Eddie around, pinned him against the wall, and dropped to his fucking knees, and Eddie knew he was screwed. He would never last, but the exquisite image before him certainly would—seared into his brain forever. 

He wasn’t too far gone to check in though, to make sure Steve wasn’t pushing past his comfort zone. “You don’t have to.”

Steve licked his lips, glancing up at him through his eyelashes. “I want to.”

Jesus Christ

“Are you sure?” Eddie reached down to cup Steve’s cheek, running a thumb over his bottom lip. Steve’s eyes fell shut, the tip of his tongue darting out to lick at it like a reflex.

“Fuck.” Eddie breathed.

“Please?” Steve begged, letting his mouth fall wide open. He knew exactly what he was doing and any lingering worries Eddie had completely fell away.

“Since you asked so nicely.”

Eddie caressed Steve’s face one last time before letting it go, taking himself in hand, and began to feed his cock inch by inch between Steve’s lips. 

-

Predictably, Eddie had come embarrassingly fast, but so had Steve once they switched places, and after a final rinse off they both collapsed, naked and partially damp onto Steve's bed.

“We can’t fall asleep. The kids–” Steve mumbled.

“They won’t be here for at least another hour. I won’t let us fall asleep, I promise. I just want to hold you for a while.” Eddie said, throwing an arm over Steve, pulling him in close.

“This was one of my happy memories. Laying in here with you.”

Steve turned in his arms to face him, running fingers through his sodden curls.

“The last night before we went after Vecna, when everyone fell asleep in the living room but you and I snuck up here.” Eddie tucked himself under Steve’s chin, hiding his face. “Did you…”

“Did I, what?”

“Did you kiss me that night? On the top of the head?”

Steve groaned like he was embarrassed. “I thought you were asleep!”

Eddie chuckled. “Almost. I was never sure it wasn’t just a dream.” His lips dragged against the skin of Steve's neck as he spoke, and he was just starting to suck a bruise into the side of his throat when the doorbell rang. 

Steve groaned.

“They’re early,” Eddie grumbled as they both untangled themselves and got up.

Steve went right for the dresser to pull clothes out for them, and Eddie couldn’t help but notice a certain t-shirt in the other boy’s hand. 

“Mine.”  He snatched it up greedily. “But I’m not putting it on yet, my hair is still too wet.”

“As long as you put pants on. I don’t think we need to scar them like that—although maybe it’ll make them think twice before showing up early next time.”

“That’s an idea.”

In the end, Eddie did slide a pair of sweatpants on, for his own modesty, and followed Steve down the stairs to answer the door, a towel slung over his shoulders to catch any drips.

Steve grasped the handle, raising his voice as he threw the front door open. “I thought I said seven o’clock you—” And clicked his mouth shut abruptly when he came face-to-face, not with Dustin, Max, or any of the others, but Robin and Chrissy standing on his doorstep.

Robin crossed her arms over her chest, eyes narrowed as she took them in. “Dustin called me.”

Steve grit his teeth. “Oh that little–

She shrugged. “Scoops troop for life.”

“Wait, did he tell you about us?” Eddie asked.

“No, just about the sleepover. I–” Robin glanced over her shoulder at Chrissy. “We—assumed the other thing when he said where and when they’d run into the two of you.”

Eddie scoffed. 

Run into them, as if the gremlins hadn’t been lying in wait, ready to pounce.

Chrissy nodded. “Oh, and fair warning I'm pretty sure the kids also told Nancy and Jonathan about your little shindig too.”

“Great.”

Eddie wound his arm around Steve’s lower back, rubbing his thumb back and forth along his side. “Hey, like I said this morning. No one has to know that you’re not ready to tell. I can keep my hands to myself while they’re around, and we can make sure the kids don’t—”

“And like I said,” Steve gently cut him off, leaning into him. “I don't want to hide, and maybe I don’t want you to keep your hands to yourself.”

“Ugh,” Robin groaned. “You guys are gonna be gross about this aren’t you?”

“Don’t be homophobic, Buckley.”

“At least put a shirt on.” Robin rolled her eyes, shoulder checking him on her way by as she and Chrissy finally came inside.

“Fine.” Eddie whined, giving Steve’s side one last squeeze before he yanked the towel off and rubbed at his head. In a huff he headed for the bedroom, and Steve’s swim team shirt. At least time he could actually enjoy wearing the Harrington name like a brand across his back. 

“I’m really happy for you guys. It’s good to see you like this.”

He heard Robin say to Steve as he climbed the stairs, while the rest of them headed to the living room. 

“What, vertical?” Steve asked, a hint of laughter in his voice. 

“No, smiling.”

-

The sleepover turned out to be exactly what everyone needed. They had won the war, and now, finally, their little group was complete again. 

Nancy and Jonathan did eventually show, and stayed for quite a while, though they didn’t sleep over—they also seemed very unsurprised when he and Steve told them about their relationship.

Was it possible he and Steve were not as subtle as they thought?

Even Hopper and Joyce paid a visit on their way to dinner, taking advantage of their most trusted babysitters to have a night out for themselves. Steve was the one to share their news that time, again to less than surprised faces. 

Joyce got teary eyed, hugged them both, said how happy she was for them, and how it didn’t change anything. Eddie just hoped Will had been in earshot, so he’d know he had a mom who was ready to accept him whenever he was ready to accept himself. 

Hopper was pretty quiet about the whole thing, but made a point to hug Steve and shake Eddie’s hand before they left, which was a shock all on its own, and probably the closest thing Eddie was going to get to a stamp of approval. 

He’d take it. 

-

Later that night, or early the next morning depending on how you looked at it, considering it was nearing 2am by the time everyone else fell asleep and Steve and Eddie had snuck away, they were finally back in bed, as wrapped up in each other as they could be. 

“So, what do we do now?” Steve asked softly.

Eddie kissed the corner of his mouth, and reached down to knead his ass. “I didn’t think you’d want to fool around with everyone else right downstairs, but if you insist—”

“No,” Steve huffed a laugh, wriggling around till Eddie moved his hand. “I mean, you’re graduating soon, right? And I guess I’m wondering what your plan is, what’s next for you.”

“Stevie, I’m just starting to accept the fact that we’ve survived this insanity, I have no plans. I guess I’d like to get a job? Sort of over being the town drug dealer after all this, y’know?” Eddie reached up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind Steve’s ear. “What about you, big boy? What do you want now that the Upside Down is gone for good?”

He couldn’t help recalling how Steve’s last answer to a very similar question had been to make it to 21, and hoped that had changed now.

“I don’t know. Robin will be heading off to college in the fall. I thought once about following her, but I was too worried about being that far away if something happened. I never thought we’d be in the clear like this.”

“Where’s she going?”

“Indianapolis.” Steve heaved a heavy sigh, as though the nearby city was on another planet.

“That’s only like an hour away!”

“But, what about the kids?”

“You know they’re not really kids, right? And they have parents.” Eddie propped himself up on his elbow to look the other boy more solidly in the eye. “Vecna is gone, for good this time. They’re safe. Besides, the little shits will be driving before you know it, and until then you can visit whenever you want.”

Steve looked down, fingers playing along the sheet. “You trying to talk me into moving away, Munson?” 

“If that’s what you want.”

“What about you—us?”

“I could always come with you… if you’d want that.”

Steve’s eyes snapped back to his. A little wider than they were before. “B-but what about Wayne?”

“I’m almost twenty years old, I think it’s time for Wayne to have his bedroom back, and me moving out is probably the only thing that’ll make him accept it.”

“Isn’t it a little soon for us to be talking about living together?”

“Maybe—probably,” Eddie grinned, letting out a long breath. “But, we’ve established that we’re both crazy, right? And we have time, it’s not like it would be happening tomorrow.”

“Seriously though, you would do that?”

Eddie reached for him, and they shuffled around until they were wrapped up closely together again. “In a heartbeat. As long as you want me around, I'll be here. So yeah, I’m all in.”

-

Six months later found them, and all the belongings they could fit in the back of Eddie’s van, flying down the highway towards their new place—a two bedroom apartment in Indianapolis they’d be sharing with Chrissy and Robin while the girls went to school. 

The two friends had finally managed to get their own shit together after that first post-Vecna sleepover. Bolstered by how open Eddie and Steve were and how accepting the group had been of them, the very next morning Chrissy finally worked up the courage to make a move—to Robin’s immense relief. 

Then Chrissy received an acceptance letter from the same school Robin was attending, and all the pieces just sort of fell into place. 

Steve sold the BMW. They wouldn’t need two cars in the city, and it was worth more used than Eddie’s van would have gotten brand new. Indy wasn’t like Hawkins, there’d be plenty of public transportation, and the money he made would be more than enough for the two of them to live on until they found jobs. 

“Are you sure this is okay? That we’re not moving too fast doing this?” Steve asked from the passenger seat, as they took the final exit that would lead them to their future. 

It wasn’t the first time Steve had said those same words over the last few weeks. He’d also asked the day they put their deposit down, the day they told Wayne they were leaving, and the night they started packing. Steve seemed to think Eddie was going to suddenly change his mind or something, as if he was less than absolutely head over heels in love.

“You say that like we haven't spent every waking moment together since we got together. How many times do I have to tell you I'm all in on this, on you, before you believe me?”

“Sorry.” Steve sunk down in his seat, cheeks going a little pink.

Eddie held his hand out over the center console, whining and wiggling his fingers until Steve finally cracked a smile and took it, lacing their fingers together.

“Do you think we’ll be happy here? That it’ll feel like home someday?” Steve asked.

“I think wherever we are will always feel like home, as long as we’re there together.”

Special thanks to @penny00dreadful for being the best beta, friend and cheerleader.

Reblogs are always appreciated! 💜💜💜

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[literaryavenger]

Broken - part 4

Summary: You get woken up, still in Bucky's bed, by a very unpleasant guest.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Warnings: Minimal use of Y/N. Language. Innocent and broken Bucky. Tony being an insensitive asshole. Reader still being dramatic, lol. My poor attempts at being funny.

Word Count: 2.4K

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

A/N: I finally finished this chapter! I have some ideas for like one more chapter but after that I do not know where to go with this. excellent. Yes, it will take a while for me to keep going. Sorry. It's also getting harder to choose a Bucky photo to put here, lol.

Masterlist

You wake up to the sound of someone near you yelling. Again.

Slowly, You open your eyes, taking a moment to adjust to the morning light.

After you’re no longer blind, you look for the source of the noise that woke you and see a very angry looking Tony yelling at Steve.

Something about 'how dare he go near her' and 'if she gets hurt I'll kill you both', those are the only things you're able to understand between the yelling and your still half-asleep mind.

It takes you a second more to realize that you’re not in your bedroom, so you look next to you and see Bucky already awake, watching the scene that's unfolding before you without making a sound.

The fear and hurt on his face are like a bucket of cold water that wakes you up completely.

You turn back to the other gentlemen and, finally, you’re able to comprehend what's happening. 

Apparently Tony and Steve went looking for you in your room to talk about yesterday and, not having found you there, asked Jarvis where you were.

The AI promptly snitched on you, and Tony came barging in to 'save' you from Bucky, Steve hot on his trail.

Steve obviously wouldn't let Tony hurt him, so, Tony being Tony, is being a dramatic bitch acting as if he walked in on Bucky straight up choking you and not the a good way and not just two grown ass adults peacefully sleeping.

So Tony started yelling about wanting to do something drastic about the situation and waking up both you and Bucky in the process.

Because fuck sleep, right?

You’re not really sure how long the current events have been going on for, or how long you just sit and watch after waking up, trying to get a handle on reality.

All you know is that the moment the words 'he's gonna kill her and it's gonna be your fault too' come out of Tony's mouth, you've had about enough of both of them.

You take both of your shoes, which were in front of the bed where you left them the night before, and throw them at the screaming idiots with as much strength as you could master which, when you train everyday with a trained assassin that pushes your limits further and further, is a lot of strength.

You hit Steve in the back of his head and Tony deadass in the face. Thank god for Clint's lessons. And for the fact that you were wearing combat boots yesterday.

The second Tony gets hit, he turns to the bed with a murderous look on his face, probably thinking it was Bucky, but when he sees you wide awake and with a satisfied smile on your face he quickly pieces things together and calms down a bit.

Steve is just confused, but when he also realizes what is happening, he looks kind of amused at the sight of you and Bucky on the same bed.

When the men's attention is finally away from each other and on you, you ask the question you’ve been wanting to ask since you were very rudely woken up. "What the fuck are you two dumbasses yelling for?"

Steve cringes at your choice of words but seems to think better of saying anything seeing that you're already pretty pissed at them.

"Hey! You don’t get to ask questions right now!" Tony’s still yelling and suddenly you wish you had more military approved shoes to throw. "What the hell do you think you’re doing sleeping with this monster?!"

"Tony, stop with the name calling, for the love of God!" Steve says, clearly as exasperated with him as you feel.

"Yes, for fuck sakes, Tony, stop. You can’t just keep showing up every time I’m near Bucky acting like he’s planning my murder!" You feel Bucky tense up next to you at your words, so you turn towards him "alright, poor choice of words, but the sentiment remains."

You turn back to Tony, who's about to say something, surely some more insults for Bucky, but you don’t give him a chance.

"I’m getting really tired of your judgment, of you thinking you know what’s better and making decisions for me. I thought I was clear yesterday: I don’t care what you think Bucky is, I have a brain of my own and can make my own decisions based on my own opinions. The Bucky that I met is nothing like you say he is, and I’m not going to avoid him just because you have hang-ups. I’ve been kicking ass since before you decided to play superhero and definitely can take care of myself. I don’t need to be saved from anything, especially not from Bucky, who’s been nothing but quiet and sweet and right now is about the only person in this tower who has never lied to me. Now, get the fuck out of here and, unless somebody’s ass is on fire or dead, do not bother me. And you better leave Bucky the fuck alone or I’m going to be pissed. Clear?"

You honestly didn’t think that would’ve been the end of it, but to your, and Steve’s, surprise Tony merely nods his understanding before stomping out of the room.

"Same goes for you, Captain Dumbass. Out, now." you tell the blond super soldier, who looks like he was dying to say something.

Thankfully, he thinks better of it and, with one last smile towards Bucky, leaves the room.

You sigh, relieved that they’re gone, but now the room is eerily silent. Just when you can’t take it anymore and are about to say the first thing that goes through your mind, Bucky finally says something for the first time since you woke up.

"Thank you." it’s so quiet that you almost think you imagined it, but when you turn to face him you find him already looking at you and he keeps going "You didn’t have to do that. You know, defend me. So, thank you."

"Don’t worry. He was being an ass, he deserved it." you smile at him "Let me know if he bothers you again, I’ll be sure to shove one of his helmets up his ass." he smiles at you, but it falls almost instantly.

"I don’t deserve your kindness…" he looks away from you and it breaks your heart a little.

"You actually believe that, don’t you?" you say quietly, more to yourself than him.

"Bucky, look at me." you say with the same soft voice you had yesterday while you were helping him.

You wait patiently until he looks you in the eye and when he does, you slowly move your hand towards his face. When he doesn’t pull away or stop you in any way, his eyes never leaving yours, you let it sit on his cheek.

"I hope you know that I really meant what I said. I don’t think any of the things Tony does. It doesn’t matter to me who you were, I see who you are now and that’s what’s important. Everyone deserves kindness, but, based on everything I’ve heard these past two days, I think you might deserve it more than anybody. The world failed you once, I’ll be damned if I let it fail you again. Okay?"

He looks at you with teary eyes and, before you know it, he's giving you a hug much tighter than yesterday, almost like he's afraid that if he lets you go you’ll change your mind.

"Okay." he whispers into your shoulder when you hug him back just as tight.

You can’t help the smile that creeps onto your face. There’s just something about Bucky that draws you to him and maybe, just maybe, the feeling’s mutual.

You let Bucky decide when he’s ready to let go and after a few minutes he does. You give him one last smile and then move to get out of bed, when his voice stops you again.

"Can I ask you something?" you look back at him nodding. "yesterday, at the gym…" he starts and you tense a little, knowing where he was going with this so you decide to cut him off before he even gets the chance to ask anything too specific.

"It was nothing, I was just angry and needed to work off some energy" you get up and put on your shoes while you talk "honestly sometimes I lose track of time while I’m working out, it’s no big deal."

He must’ve seen the change in you tone and body language, because he quickly says "I’m sorry, it’s none of my business, I didn’t mean to make you mad."

You stop on your tracks as you were making your way towards the door, turn around and look at him.

He seems to feel actually bad just at the thought of upsetting you, which makes you feel guilty for giving that impression. This was just a topic you weren’t ready to talk about.

"I’m not mad, Bucky, I promise. I just don’t particularly want to talk about it." he nodded his understanding. "tell you what, I was thinking of taking a quick shower and changing and then going to the big kitchen to get some breakfast. How about we meet in 15 and go together?"

He seems to hesitate a bit at the idea of going to the kitchen where everybody else is going to be, and you can't blame him.

You yourself would gladly avoid everybody, but the big kitchen is just better stocked than the one on your floor.

"C’mon nobody will bother you and, if they do, they’ll have to deal with me. I’ll make us pancakes." you add with a smile, trying to convince him.

Finally, with a smile, he nods. Nobody can resist pancakes.

With a victorious nod of your own, you leave his room and go next door to yours where you take a shower and change into some comfortable sweats.

About 15 minutes later you come out of your room to find Bucky already waiting for you, leaning on his door. As soon as he sees you he pushes himself off his door and smiles at you, then you both make your way to the elevator in silence.

It's a comfortable silence, not like the one before in his bedroom, this was one you didn’t feel the need to fill, and apparently neither did he.

You make your way to the kitchen and you pat one of the stools at the island, signaling at Bucky to sit. He does and then watches as you make your way around the kitchen picking all the necessary things.

You work in silence, but you can feel Bucky’s eyes on you the whole time. Not like it bothers you.

It isn't like when guys ogle you in bars, where you know what they’re thinking just by the look on their face, and is never clean thoughts.

No, Bucky’s gaze feels like being seen for the first time in your life.

Somehow you just knew he wasn’t thinking anything dirty, every time your eyes meet his and you give him a smile he gives you the cutest smile back, and you can't help but think that his face looks like a little kid’s on Christmas.

You somehow feel like he's just so amazed by you and he makes you feel like you're the only person in the world at this moment.

Every now and then a different Avenger enters the kitchen, but you do your best to ignore them all. You're still pissed and don't feel like yelling at anyone else today.

You finish making pancakes and make a plate for Bucky and then one for yourself. Knowing he's a super soldier and probably has as fast a metabolism as Steve’s, you give him a generous serving, still leaving plenty for everyone else.

Yes, you're angry, but you aren’t cruel.

You sit down next to Bucky and smile at him when he says a quiet ‘thank you’.

You watch people come in and out, throwing a thank you for the pancakes but then giving up when you won't even look at them.

That is, until Scott came in. He sits in front to you while he eats some pancakes, and when he's finished he tries his luck. "Hey, Cassie’s coming over later. Do you want to hang out with us?"

You narrow your eyes at him, pointing your fork in this direction. "Are you using your cute daughter to get me to talk to you? ‘Cause that’s a dick move."

You hear Bucky chuckling and turn your head towards the amazing sound with a surprised smile on your face, but before you can comment about it, Scott answers you.

"Can you blame me? You won't talk to any of us, what’s a guy gotta do to get his best friend back?" He says laughing.

You turn back to him and can't help but laugh at the pout he's giving you. "Fine, you win. Just stop making that face, please, you look like a sad puppy."

"That’s why it works!" he laughs victorious "She’ll be here around eleven. See you later." he puts his plate in the dishwasher and leaves. You do the same thing with yours and Bucky’s plates and then turn to him.

"Ok, so I have a couple of hours before Cassie gets here. Do you have anything planned for today?" he shakes his head no and you hum in response, but before you can propose anything Steve comes into the kitchen.

"Hey Buck, ready to go?" at Bucky’s confused look, Steve elaborates "We have a meeting with Fury. We need to discuss your hearing, remember?"

"Oh, right…" is all Bucky says, glancing at you before he gets up while looking at the ground.

He almost looks sad at having something to do today, even if it’s something important. Steve looks from you to Bucky a couple of times, but your attention is solely focused on the brunette, still trying your best to ignore Steve.

"Well, I’ll find something to do." you tell Bucky, getting a little closer to him.

"Come find me when you’re back? You know, to tell me how it goes?" you try your luck and, when he looks up, his eyes are a little wider, even if he was smiling, clearly surprised that you still want him around.

"I will." he says. You return his smile and give him a quick peck on the cheek before making your way to the elevator.

"Bye, Bucky." you say as you get on it, and hear him say ‘bye’ while the doors close, as you think about a way to make yourself busy for a little while.

You completely miss the way Steve grins at Bucky and the groan that Bucky lets out at his friend's stupid face before going his own way with him.

Part 5

Taglist: @aesthetic0cherryblossom @buchi91 @sapphirebarnes

[novacorpsrecruit]

THEME: Steddie Fics that fucked me up (so you should read them too)

There Are No Incurable Ills by indigofudge (ao3)

T | wc 28,486 | cw depictions of wounds/blood, illnesses, infections, sepsis

Summary: /Eddie blinks rapidly. Tears gather in the corners of his eyes. His chest heaves in panting breaths. “Dustin,” he says, jagged as it leaves his mouth.

“Dustin’s safe.” Steve’s thumb swipes at his cheek, brushing away the tears as they start to fall. “You did what I explicitly told you not to do, but he’s safe.”

Eddie just stares, shiny eyes searching Steve’s face with pupils blown wide. Then he breaks out into a soft grin. It’s tender, almost shy.

Fuzzy static pinches at Steve’s chest. He swallows distractedly, unable to pull his gaze away from Eddie’s. “Just let me- let me finish patching you up, okay?” /

OR

Steve secretly harbors Eddie in his house while Eddie recovers. Unfortunately, battling blood poisoning and sepsis without antibiotics is not as easy as it seems - which is, granted, not that easy. And Steve, in the proper Harrington spirit, has decided to shoulder this burden all by himself.

Honestly I think this is one of the first Steddie fics I ever read and I still think about it.

Post season 4, Dustin begs Steve to go and get Eddie’s body. Steve wants to say no, not wanting to go back to the Upside Down, but if it makes Dustin feel better, he’ll do it. By Lady Luck herself, Steve finds Eddie — alive but barely breathing. He knows he can’t take him to the hospital, so he takes him to his house where he attempts to nurse Eddie back to health. Steve does his best to take care of Eddie while lying low from the law, Eddie’s still a wanted man.

But is the antibiotics he’s giving eddie good enough to heal Eddie back to health?

Hands Where I Can See Them by Solarmorrigan (ao3) @solarmorrigan (tumblr)

T | wc 29,177 | no cw

Summary: Eddie thinks that he and Steve have a good thing going; being friends with benefits is honestly a pretty sweet deal. Steve is a great friend, the sex is great, everything is great. Except for the fact that Steve hadn't realized they were only friends with benefits

Except for the fact that Steve thought they were in a relationship

Except for the fact that Eddie doesn't realize how much he'd valued that relationship until it's gone (and he's trying his damnedest to get it back)

When I say crying, screaming, throwing up, I mean it. This fic hurts so fucking good 😭 Miscommunication to the fucking T. When this was being posted on tumblr in parts I almost couldn’t read it because of how much my heart ached. Eddie Munson is a fucking dumbass and he better be kissing the ground Steve walks on.

Of Space and Time by Appledagger (Ao3) @appledaggerst (tumblr)

M | wc 56,372 | cw MCD, drinking to cope

Summary: In 2073, the world is still moving forward despite arid climates and the quick relay race between man and machine. Within the walls of the hospital center at Vecna Labs, Steve Harrington has just woken up after an accident inside the depths of the classified sections of the lab. Stricken with amnesia, he is brought to Edward Munson’s home to recover and to be observed during his recovery after experimental treatments had brought him back from the brink of death.

In Edward’s home, Steve finds question after question. Why does Eddie seem to hate him so much? What do all the observations have to do with his accident? What exactly is going on with his malfunctioning mind, and what does this all have to do with Creel and Vecna’s tech monopoly? All the while, Steve struggles with the feeling that there was something more to his relationship with Eddie that he can’t quite understand.

What the fuck.

Okay for real, I fucking love this. I don’t read much sci-fi but this is so fucking good, Philip k dick is in shambles. It’s hard not to hate Eddie in the first half of the fic, but slowly you understand why he’s so cold to Steve.

This also got Sleeping Sickness by City and Colour on my Spotify and I fucking cry every time it comes on shuffle. Thanks for that 😭🖤

Tuesday’s Gone With the Wind by thisapplepielife (ao3) @thisapplepielife (tumblr)

E | wc 184,150 | cw drug abuse, airplane crash

Summary: Corroded Coffin's leased plane went down on June 13th, 1995 in the woods of Louisiana.

Ten people on board died.

Eddie Munson survived.

Before he survived, he really lived.

First off: I’m going to be 85 in a nursing home talking about this like it actually happened. My grandchildren will know about this fic and believe that corroded coffin was a real band.

This AU goes back and forth between the present (a documentary) and the past (1989-1990s). It follows Corroded Coffin as they’re doing small Midwest tours and looking for a road manager. Steve Harrington happens to fall into Eddie’s lap, and after much persuasion, Steve joins the crew. As the story goes on, the band grows in popularity and their little crew grows larger and larger.

Please read the author’s note before starting! This fic is dear to me but it aches so much. This is a love story, but it’s so fucking real with real struggles and it’s painful but so is life. I don’t know how many times I’ve cried reading this fic.

The Perfect Loving Nightmare by purpleweekend (ao3)

E | wc 95,344 | cw memory loss, internalized homophobia | spice 🥵🥵🥵

Summary: He laid back first onto their couch, deciding he just needed to sleep it off. He had plenty of time before Eddie would be home. He could take a shower and hide the evidence of his own stupidity when he woke up.

He let his eyes slip closed, head throbbing all the while.

Everything would be fine.

Okay technically this is part 2 of an amnesia series, but somehow I found this one first and read it and cried. I read Living the Unknown Dream afterwards. I don’t think you have to read these in order, I kind of liked reading this one first then going to the second one and going “Oh! That’s what happened!”

By the title of the series, you guessed it, it’s an amnesia fic! Steve hits his head and lays down. When he wakes up, there’s someone in his house, checking on him. Trying to manhandle him off the couch and — oh, there’s blood. Steve wants nothing to do with this stranger, he wants his parents. The stranger, nearly in tears, convinces Steve to go to the hospital. At the hospital, Steve finds out that the stranger is Eddie Munson. His supposed husband.

And the head injury he got is one of many, and with the previous brain damage (that he doesn’t remember receiving), they’re unsure if he will ever get his memories back.

Smut is peppered in between the angst and it’s very good, and very hot. You’ll cry then read smut and cry and read smut and — you get it.

You’re Divine by Oonionchiver (ao3) @azrielgreen (tumblr)

E | wc 259,565 | cw suicidal ideation, read the tags | spice level: 🥵🥵🥵 again, read the tags!! Not gonna be everyone’s cup of tea

Summary: ‘Blood?’ Eddie says again.

Eyes black but for the slice of iridescent white in the centre. His teeth are sharp, his hands are weapons and Steve thinks maybe he’s made a mistake doing this without telling Eddie first. Eddie’s focus lowers, it moves to his left hand which is…

Oh fuck.

It’s dripping blood onto the floor.

‘Shit,’ Steve says, takes a single step back, swallows. ‘Eddie, I’m so sorry, fuck.’

Eddie can’t seem to look away, can’t bring his ethereal gaze back up where it belongs. Steve thinks he should run, he should flee. A tiny part of him knows Eddie will chase him. Eddie will catch him, outrun him easily.

It's more than a little fucked up how that thrills him.

Azriel’s bio on Twitter at one point read “wrote that fic that fucked you up,” and holy fuck they weren’t kidding. I think about this all the time.

After season 4, Eddie’s gone. Or, so they thought. Steve finds Eddie outside his house, covered in the grime of the Upside Down. He seems … off. Wrong. But Steve is more than happy to have him back and will do anything to keep him. Steve comes to terms with Eddie’s other, willing to do anything to keep Eddie here. To keep Eddie with him. Eddie … well, not so much.

There’s a lot of lovely scenes and scenes that I cherish fondly. Then there’s the quarry scene that makes me want to cry my heart out. The smut is not even exempted to the angst, please be warned.

Azriel has a companion fic going on right now with Eddie’s point of view. It won’t make sense unless you read You’re Divine first.

Please remember to leave kudos and comments on the fics you read/enjoyed! Support your writers 🖤

Prev fic rec: my favorite fucking idiots

[ladykailitha]

Well Met By Moonlight Part 8

And we're back! Are you guys getting my tags, the engagement dropped again. I know that in America there was the holiday but it kinda dropped off before that and I saw other blogs that didn't have their tags work at all. So let me know if you aren't seeing all my posts.

Steve talks to Keith, learns some unsettling news and Robin is awesome.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

****

Billy Hargrove was a racist, chauvinistic asshole with a savior complex longer than his dick, but he was also one hundred times the better man than Dr. Martin Brenner. Granted Brenner was scraping the bottom of the ocean, but Steve was grateful for not having had to deal with him when he was around.

He also knew that he wasn’t going to speak to the Dominus today. He was going to speak to his second in command, Keith Prince.

He didn’t like Steve, and Steve didn’t know why. But considering that despite the last name, he looked more like a toad than a prince, Steve had a pretty good idea the dude was just jealous of Steve’s good looks.

He walked up to the coven, bare ass on display, having just shifted.

“The fuck do you want, Harrington?” Keith snarled. “And why can’t you come dressed like decent folk?”

“Because I’m a werewolf, Keith,” Steve sighed. “The fastest way for me to travel is to wolf out.”

Keith rolled his eyes. “You could always send Carol or Robin to do your dirty work. That is what keepers are for, aren’t they?”

“That’s isn’t happening in this or any life time,” Steve growled. “Not after you propositioned Robin the last time I sent her here on pack business.”

Keith just sneered. “What. Do. You. Want? I’m busy!”

Steve sighed. “Tell your Dominus that we may have the public school system to blame for the raise in hunters and to ask his thralls what they’ve heard.”

Keith scoffed. “He already knows about that shit and they don’t know nothin’.”

Steve’s spine stiffened at the tone and the fact that Billy already knew about the thing with Josh.

So either he had Lucy in his pocket, or there was a spy in his pack. Neither was an option he wanted to entertain.

Steve showed his teeth, forcing Keith to back down.

“You shouldn’t lie to an alpha, dumbass,” he snarled. “I can smell the stench of the lie coming off you like stale weed. You tell your Dominus that if he thinks he can push me around, remind him what happened to the last asshole who crossed me.”

Keith straightened up and bowed his head. “My apologies, alpha.”

Steve snapped his jaw at Keith before shifting back into a wolf. A wolf that could look Keith in the eye. He showed his teeth again and was gratified when he smelled the scent of urine wafting from the vampire.

He leapt through the door, leaving the scent of urine, lies, and fear far behind him.

*

Steve came back in time to see Josh off to his parents. He watched as Josh chatted happily with them over everything he did.

“…Did you know that a single werewolf could eat up to thirty pounds of meat a day? But not raw, that’s a myth...” Josh prattled on, his parents giving each other amused glances behind his back.

Steve turned to Tommy, the keeper that was hiding in the crow’s nest near the entrance.

“It sounded like he had fun,” he said, as Tommy leapt down in front him.

“Carol wanted to straight up adopt him,” Tommy said with a sneer.

“She always did have a soft spot for strays,” Steve murmured as Tommy fell instep next to him. “Especially strays that love shopping.”

Tommy nose twitched. “You went to that vampire mongrel’s again, didn’t you? I can smell him from here.”

Steve smacked Tommy’s head. “He’s not a mongrel just because he was made instead of born. Where are you kids getting these ideas? Jesus Christ.”

He snorted. “Whatever, I can still smell him.”

“I saw the mayor and visited the coven too,” Steve said dryly. “I was doing my duties as an alpha. There is something wrong in this town and I am going to figure out what.”

Tommy sniffed again. “Yeah, I get it. I don’t want Hopper back as the alpha anymore then most of this pack, so you better figure it out, before you get yourself killed.”

Steve pushed him playfully. “Shut it, Tommy!”

Tommy laughed. “I bet I can beat you to the center, no shifting.”

“You’re on!”

*

Steve was in his hut? Cottage? Living structure? He was never sure what to call all the little houses that was in the compound. Hell, he didn’t even like the word compound, really. It felt cult-ish. Which they weren’t.

Werewolves had tried living in towns for millennia and it never worked out well for the werewolves. They would get blamed for everything from failed crops, high infant mortality rates, and plagues.

So they started forming their own communities inside towns. Much like the Vatican and Italy.

Well whatever anyone called them, it was home.

Steve was at home, playing cards with Robin.

“So what did you think of Josh today?” he asked, drawing a card.

“I bet Tommy whined about it all the way back to the center of camp,” Robin said with a scoff.

“It’s actually fucking ridiculous how much the pack is so...so...” he threw his hands in the air frustration. “Fuck I don’t know the right word for it. But click-ee?”

“Clicky?” Robin asked. “What the hell does that mean?”

“You know, a click,” Steve said. “The jocks, the cowboys, the goths, the freaks. A click.”

“Ohhh...” she said. “A clique.”

Steve frowned. “Isn’t that what I just said?”

Robin half shrugged. “Sort of. But yeah, I’ll agree to the pack becoming more and more cliquey. It’s become very insular since...” she paused to think. “Actually I don’t when it started, but it’s recent. I just can’t tell you how recent.”

Steve hummed. “It’s becoming a problem and one I don’t know how to fix. I mean Josh and Chance here will help not only them realize that we aren’t monsters, but that regular humans aren’t monsters either.”

Robin nodded. “It’s certainly a step in the right direction. You need to get out more in the community. Do Q&As at the town hall and middle school.”

Steve scratched his cheek thoughtfully. He placed all his cards down. “Out.”

“Skunked again!” Robin shrieked. “How are you so good at this game?”

Steve just shrugged. “Why not elementary schools?” She stared at him blankly. “For the whole Q&A thing.”

“Oh, that,” she said, waving her hand. “Because despite there being an actual werewolf in the school no teacher or parent would agree to you speaking to kids that young.”

Steve sighed. She was probably right. “’K, so middle schools and town halls help with the community at large but what about the pack?”

She just shrugged. “That’s something you should really talk to your alpha female about, you know.” She scooped up the cards and began shuffling them.

Steve sighed. He did know. But he also knew that Nancy was still very much a conservative when it came to pack dynamics. She had actually turned him down twice because she felt that the alphas should be mated.

It wasn’t until Steve asked her and she couldn’t come up with a logical, non-sexist reason why that should be the case that she accepted the role.

“I love her dearly,” he said instead. “But I just kinda want to spit ball some ideas with you that I can take to her. So I don’t look stupid.”

Robin shoved his shoulder playfully. “She doesn’t think you’re stupid.”

Steve scoffed. She really, really did.

“Okay,” Robin conceded. “Maybe a little.”

“There is also the little matter of the spy,” Steve grumbled.

Robin grimaced and chewed her bottom lip. “You know it’s Tommy, right? Please tell me you know it’s Tommy.”

Steve frowned. “No. Why would it be Tommy?”

She sighed and scooted close to him. “Steve, he’s been hanging on Billy’s coattails at school. He’s always talking about how great Billy is on and off the court. Hell, if I thought Billy liked boys I wouldn’t be surprised to learn Tommy was sucking his dick.”

Steve ran his fingers through his hair. “But I need to make sure. I just can’t go accusing people without proof.”

“I don’t think you should accuse him at all.”

Steve reared back in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, dingus,” Robin said slyly. “You make sure to tell Tommy things you know you want Billy to know. Because a spy you know is better than one you don’t.”

Steve gave her a big hug. “I wish you were my alpha female.”

She hugged him back. “I know.”

“Have you thought about asking for the bite when you turn eighteen?”

She shuffled back a bit and put her hands on her knees and then nodded. “Yeah. I’ve talked to my parents about it. They’re uneasy about having a werewolf for a daughter.”

Steve sighed. “I’m sorry. Maybe the town hall meetings and the Q&As with kids will help.”

She nodded.

“Thanks, Steve.”

He kissed her cheek. “Between you and I we are going to change the world.”

She looked at him shyly. “You really think so?”

“I know so.”

Robin pushed his shoulder again. “You are such a sap.”

Steve laughed. “Yes, but you knew that.”

She looked at the scar on his neck and then reached out to touch it. “I’m sorry they did that to you.”

He shivered at her touch. “I don’t mind it.”

“I do, Steve,” she said fiercely. “They hurt you because they were afraid of you.”

He sighed. “When my parents died, the Franklins were the only ones in town willing to take me in. The only people who knew about the silver collar they made me wear was just the three of us until I turned eighteen.”

“How did no one else know?” Robin asked gently.

“I only wore it when they were home at home,” Steve murmured. “I wasn’t forced to wear it at school. Just at home where I ‘might’ hurt them.”

“It’s still cruel.”

Steve just shrugged.

“Whatever happened to them?” she asked after a moment or two of awkward silence.

“Officially or unofficially?” Steve asked with a smirk.

“There’s an official story?” Robin said eagerly.

He laughed. “Sure is. They are currently on a business trip to...” he looked at his watch, “Tokyo, Japan.”

“What the hell?” she gasped excitedly. “What’s the real story?”

“Only Wayne and I know where their bodies are buried.”

Robin giggled and kicked her feet. “That’s amazing!”

Steve smiled at her fondly. She really was his platonic soulmate.

****

Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20

Tag list: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @artiststarme @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 @pyrohonk ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @goodolefashionedloverboi @bookbinderbitch @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @i-must-potato @danili666 @carlyv @rozzieroos @wonderland-girl143-blog @itsall-taken @justforthedead89 @emly03 @bookworm0690 @littlewildflowerkitten @vecnuthy @redfreckledwolf @scheodingers-muppet @mira-jadeamethyst @just-a-tiny-void @potato-of-the-lord @goosesister @tinyplanet95 @anaibis @she-collects-smut @irregular-child

[missvelvetsstuff]

No Benefits

Bucky Barnes x Reader, Bucky Barnes x Sharon Carter

Summary: Reader and Bucky are best friends until a drunken hook up. Bucky wants a friends with benefits situation because he doesn't feel ready for a relationship but reader knows that will lead to a broken heart.

Then Sharon Carter comes to work with them.

Notes: Steve and Tony are around but retired, everything else is mostly canon

Chapter 4

Warnings: Swearing, angst, Bucky's a dumbass, Sharon sucks

Cookie jumped up, dropped her phone on the bed and took a fast shower before rushing up to Nick Fury's office, in a t-shirt, leggings and wet hair, for an emergency meeting. On her way there she texted Dylan and Iris to meet her in her office in an hour. She crossed paths with a number of other agents rushing to their assignments. Everything was on lockdown and high alert as they tried to work out where Sharon and Bucky had gone.

Cookie hurried into Nick's office to see Maria, Sam and did a double take when she saw Steve Rogers amd Tony Stark at the table. She felt her stomach drop, must be serious if they were coming out of retirement.

A flash of red hair caught her eye and she turned her head to see Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton huddled together.

Cookie swore internally, she had a tenuous work relationship with the Black Widow, who hadn't taken Cookies close friendship with her former lover very well. Cookie realized that Steve and Nat might be the only people here who knew more about Bucky than she does so of course they were called in but she knew that working with Nat would be a challenge.

Steve and Clint weren't a concern as she had a good working relationship with both, when the two Avengers had been involved in the past.

Tony saw her and winked "No breakfast cookies, Cookie?"

Everyone chuckled and Cookie smirked at Tony as she took a seat and snarked back "Sorry Mr Stark, sir, didn't have time to grab any but if you want to come to the common room there are plenty."

The rest of them sat down and Nick started by explaining the current situation before Sam and Cookie gave their insights into Bucky's recent behavior.

Cookie noticed that Steve looked concerned while Natasha was leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face, staring at Cookie.

The Russian spy made Cookie nervous after a threat that was made when Nat saw Cookie and Bucky cuddled on the couch in the common room, watching a movie. Nat had told Cookie to stay away from her man under threat of violence but tried to play it off as a joke when Bucky snapped at her.

The meeting lasted just over an hour and everyone left for their own work spaces to keep an eye on the manhunt. The quinjet was prepared to take off as soon as they had any sightings of Bucky or Sharon.

Every agent worldwide was notified to be on the look out and warned that Barnes was on Sharon's side. Deadly force was only authorized as a last resort.

On the way back to her office, Cookie was near tears. She knew that something had changed about Bucky and now she understood, Sharon was not only manipulating him but had figured out how to brainwash him, or something. She knew how Bucky felt about being controlled after his time with Hydra. She knew that this would devastate him, if they could even bring him back. She wiped her tears, and got to work checking in with her informants around the world with the hopes that someone could find them.

Iris came up behind her and tried to look over Cookies shoulder "Any luck finding your boyfriend?"

Cookie bristled "What the Hell Iris? Where have you been? I texted you over an hour ago and you wander in now? and why would you sneak up on me like that? And he's not my damn boyfriend, we're not really even friends anymore."

She turned and glared at Iris "Why are you fucking around when we have a situation here? Get back to your desk and contact all your people, everywhere, to see if we can find them. Dylan can give you any information that you need."

Iris shrugged and wandered away "I will, I just needed to stretch and get some coffee."

Cookie shook her head, Iris was a great analyst but in recent months had been getting too full of herself and seemed to think the rules didn't apply to her. Her skill was the only reason Cookie hadn't fired her but Iris was really pushing her luck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bucky was sitting in his room, flipping channels when there was a knock at the door. He answered the door and smiled when he saw Sharon but frowned when he saw Cookie standing next to her. Cookie kept saying that Sharon was the Power broker and played a recording of Sharon saying she was the Power Broker and wanted the Winter Soldier for her enforcer. Sharon pulled a gun out and shot Cookie in the heart, then looked at him with a creepy smile and grabbed his hands, refusing to let go when he tried to pull away. His head started hurting and everything became a blur before he jolted awake, breathing heavily, head still aching. He sat up and rubbed his face, confused because that wasn't what happened. He tried to remember the encounter from the day before but it made his head throb even more.

He saw that Sharon was curled up next to him, like every other time he woke up, and he noticed he had lost another half a day. Then he looked around and realized they weren't in his room at the compound. Or Sharon's. He didn't remember going anywhere and worked to get up without waking Sharon.

He looked out the window and saw nothing but trees surrounding them. He checked out the house, more like a cabin, with one bedroom, a cellar and a loft. He checked the gps on his watch and saw they were way upstate, near the Canadian border. He was relieved they hadn't gone far but confused as to why they were here.

Bucky was distracted when Sharon woke and called him back to bed. He planned to ask her what was going on but she tried to distract him with sweet words and her nude body.

Bucky closed his eyes and stepped away from her. "Sharon, what's going on? Why are we here? I don't remember leaving the compound. Why do I keep losing time?"

Sharon smiled, and for the first time since she arrived at the compound, it made him uncomfortable "Don't you remember? You saw Dr Cho yesterday morning, she told you a head injury on your last mission was causing the blackouts. Don't worry baby, I've been with you the whole time."

Bucky's head started aching again "Hurts when I try to think about what happened with Cookie. I've never known her to be so completely off in her conclusions. What if- aarrgh!" he grabbed his head and stumbled before sitting on the bed.

Sharon moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him "Don't worry, Buck. I've got you."

Bucky jumped away from her "No! Every time you comfort me or we fuck, I lose hours and shit keeps getting worse. Tell me right fucking now, what are you doing to me, Sharon?"

Sharon sat up and sighed "I'm just trying to help baby. I hate seeing you so upset and in pain, please let me help."

Bucky shook his head and shouted "NO! Not before you tell me what's going on."

Sharon stood and shook her head "No Barnes, you don't give me orders, it's the other way around. You should have gotten back into bed, it's more enjoyable than what's coming."

Bucky backed into the wall "What are you doing Sharon?"

She sighed "Just taking care of business."

Bucky felt a sting in his neck and looked at her "Wha whut what have you-" and fell to the floor unconscious before he could finish his question.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sam showed up at Cookies office with fresh coffee and a bagel around 11am and forced her into a needed break.

"Come on Cookie, I know you barely slept but you need to take a break once in a while."

Cookie took a drink of coffee "I know, Sam but we have to find them. She's controlling him somehow. I played audio of her saying she's the power broker and wants the soldier to be her enforcer but he didn't hear what was said. I don't know what she did but she got into his head he's not himself."

Sam nodded "That would explain a lot but how? They got rid of the soldier in Wakanda."

Cookie shook her head "No, they got rid of the trigger words but the soldier is most likely still buried in his psyche. As far as how? I don't know, that's what we need to figure out so it can be reversed but first we need to find them."

Cookie thought for a minute before grabbing her phone and making a call "Hey Bruce, it's Cookie. Yeah, I know this shits crazy. So on that subject, I could use your help. Helen's too." she paused listening "I know, you're not an M.D. but you know about biology and biochemistry." she explained what happened with Bucky "I need you, and whoever else you think might have knowledge on brainwashing, drugs and hypnosis." Pause "Yeah, like how could one potentially wake the Soldat without the trigger words?" Pause "Exactly." she hummed "Thank you, I knew you'd understand. Ok and try to keep it vague with anyone who doesn't have that level clearance or is outside of the Avengers" she listened "Yes. Yeah we also need to figure out, if one were controlled with the aid of hypnosis or drugs, how we could snap them out of it. Right, exactly. Ok. Ok, I'll be in my office for the foreseeable future." She chuckled "Sleep? I've heard of such a thing but never experienced it myself." She laughed out loud "Ok Bruce. Keep me updated. Ok, thank you."

She looked back at Sam "They're gonna look into known methods and hopefully we can find an easier and faster way to handle the Soldat than tranqing him."

"What about Sharon?" Sam questioned.

Cookie growled "Bullet between the eyes sounds like a fitting reward for her. If she is taken alive I can't promise I won't make her wish she were dead."

Sam's eyes grew wide "I don't remember you ever being so bloodthirsty before, Cookie." He smirked "She took your man, right?"

Cookie shook her head "No, I'm not planning to renew my friendship with Barnes. He was an ass to me before she got here but no one deserves to be controlled, abused, like that."

After Sam left, Cookie continued to reach out to everyone she knew until Iris came back into her office, holding up a tablet "Hey boss, I think I found something"

Cookie nodded "Bring it over, let me see." Iris handed her the tablet and Cookie looked at her, confused "Map to a safehouse in Harlem? What's this about, Iris?"

"Sharon's personal phone pinged from a local cel tower. I bet they're staying at that safe house."

Cookie shook her head "Why would they stay at one of our safehouses? Sharon should realize we'll check all of them."

Cookie did a double take. Did she just see Nat pass by her office?

Iris persisted before Cookie could check

"I have a strong feeling about this and need you to come with me."

Cookie furrowed her brow "Take Dylan, I'm a little busy."

"Please boss? I can't find him and don't want to give them time to get away."

Cookie relented and they hurried to Iris's car. When they sat in the car Iris grabbed something from her purse and flicked it towards Cookie.

Cookie slapped her neck and her eyes grew wide before they started closing "Ouch! What was that? Iris, y y you-" and slumped over in her seat.

Iris rolled her eyes and started driving North.

@erelierraceala @capswife @ozwriterchick @cjand10 @wintrsoldrluvr @mrsbuckybarnes1917 @browneyedgrli @greatenthusiasttidalwave @hhiggs @dontworryboutitsweetheart-blog @behindmygreyeyes @pattiemac1 @mrsbuckybarnes1917 @calwitch @mrs-bucky-barnes-73 @ordelixx @blackhawkfanatic @casey1-2007 @scott-loki-barnes @selella

Chapter 5

[brbsoulnomming]

Tell Me Sweet Little Lies Part 8

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | AO3

-----

The next time he's got something of a breather, they're all building weapons in a field gathered around a stolen camper. He breaks from wrestling around with Dustin, comes to plop down next to Robin in the spot Steve recently vacated.

"Hey, uh. So how often does this happen?"

Robin shoots him a look, one eyebrow raised as if to say there's a whole lot of 'this' happening right now, dumbass, what part of it do you mean?

Eddie jerks his chin up, head swinging in the direction towards Steve and Dustin. "He just got munched on by a swarm of goddamn demon bats, and now he's out there prancing around and no one's looking at him like he should maybe sit down a minute? Like no one cares, this is just business as usual."

Her face crumbles, and Eddie feels like an asshole. He didn't mean to imply that she didn't care about her best friend being bat food.

"Every time," she says softly, before he can try to backtrack.

"Oh." What the fuck is he supposed to say to that? "Right, Jesus. Well. Harrington's a big boy, I'm sure he-"

"No," Robin cuts him off. "You don't understand. He does this every time, it's - you remember last year, when Steve and Billy Hargrove showed up to school looking like shit? Hargrove tried to go after Lucas, and Steve pulled him off. They beat the crap out of each other. Hargrove hit him over the head with a plate, so hard that Steve blacked out. And the little shits - they put him in a car and took him with them to go to these tunnels to the Upside Down, because we couldn't just leave him in the house, Robin, what if he choked on his own blood or Billy woke up first?"

She does a decent impression of Henderson, there, higher pitched and shrieking, but Eddie is too busy being more and more horrified to comment on it.

"Steve woke up, and what does that dipshit do? Grabs his fucking nailbat, makes sure he's the first one down there and the last one out. They see Steve, and they see-"

"A hero," Eddie says quietly.

"They see someone invincible," she replies, even quieter. "So it's not real when he gets hurt, you know, because they see him take hit after hit after hit for us, and he just comes back up swinging, just keeps going to make sure every one of us is safe."

Eddie thumbs over the spot on his hip, where the first I don't need to go to the hospital had appeared, and feels - he doesn't know. "For us?"

Robin pushes the heel of her hand into her eyes, rubbing away what he's going to pretend aren't tears. "Fourth of July, Starcourt Mall. We got captured. He made sure their attention was on him. They tortured him, barely touched me."

She wraps her arms around her stomach, hugging herself with her palms pressed against her sides, fingers splayed wide like she's holding something close. There's more there, it's obvious, but, well. It's just as obvious that she doesn't want to talk about it.

"Then he crashed a stolen car into Billy Hargrove's Camaro with me riding shotgun."

Eddie gapes at her. "What the fuck?"

She raises and lowers one shoulder. "Billy was going to hit Nancy and Jonathan and the kids. I mean, it might have been the drugs, but I was on board with the plan."

His mouth opens, then closes again. "This is so fucked. You know this, right? Tell me you know this."

Robin makes a face. "I wish I could say that and know for sure that it wouldn't be a lie. I mean, I've only been in on this for like nine months, but it kind of sucks you in."

"Jesus fucking Christ."

Her expression turns a little wry, a little wait and see, you're one of us now. "Yeah."

Eddie doesn't know what the fuck to do with that, so he settles for watching Steve. Steve, who was captured at Starcourt mall, who told Eddie that he'd been captured by Russians who didn't like his attitude and apparently wasn't lying, whose experience fits the words that are still etched on Eddie's skin. "….he got tortured?"

Robin doesn't say anything, so after a few moments, he turns to look at her again.

"What's that face you're doing?" she asks, which is rich when she's the one looking at him like he's a puzzle she's trying to figure out.

"It's just-" He gestures at Steve in a motion he hopes conveys the sheer fucked up everything. "He was tortured!"

Steve Harrington was tortured, and then he lied and said the others were hurt more, and Eddie didn't want him to be his soulmate because he was one of the popular crowd.

Robin's still staring at him, her brow furrowed, when Dustin's shriek echoes across the clearing.

"This is a stupid idea, Steve!"

Everyone turns to look at them, and Steve throws up his hands. "I would have thought you of all people would agree with me!"

"What, agree with you going to get yourself killed, and all of us with you?" Dustin demands.

Steve rolls his eyes. "A little credit, please? I survived demogorgons and demodogs and Russians and the Mind Flayer and, uh." He pauses. "What're we calling the creepy bats?"

"Demobats," Dustin says with authority, like Steve Harrington talking about demogorgons and the Mind Flayer is nothing out of the ordinary, even though it's definitely messing with Eddie's head.

"Right, demobats," Steve agrees, as though they weren't in the middle of a screaming argument, then promptly picks it back up. "I think I can manage an angry jock!"

Dustin snorts. "Right, like you managed Billy Hargrove?"

The silence that follows that is deafening.

"Dude," Steve says softly. "Too far."

Dustin's expression drops, looking somewhere between chastised and extremely guilty. "You're right, I know, I'm sorry."

Steve jerks his head towards Max and Lucas, an almost imperceptible movement, if Eddie wasn't watching him so closely.

Dustin looks over to them, clearing his throat. "I'm sorry," he calls. "Anger over Steve's stupidity blinded me and made me just as stupid."

There's a pause, then Lucas calls, "Even stupider!"

"Even stupider!" Dustin agrees.

Max rolls her eyes at them, but she doesn't look as stricken anymore. "You're both dumbasses."

Steve's watching her when Eddie turns back to look at him, but he must think that's as good as it's gonna get, because he focuses his attention back on Dustin.

"Anyway, Nancy agrees with me, so we're doing it. This was just a courtesy heads-up."

Eddie glances over at Robin, relieved when he sees her looking over at him in the same way. They share a look that he's pretty sure is mutual exasperation over whatever Steve's thought of that is apparently going to get him killed.

"Hey Dingus!" she calls. "You want to share that with the rest of the class?"

"We're going to talk to Carver and the team," Steve replies. "We can't fight Vecna and avoid them at the same time, not with how hard they're gunning for Eddie."

"What?" Eddie demands, scrambling to push himself to his feet. "No no no no, come on, Wheeler, I thought you agreed that was a terrible idea!"

"That was before we ran into them at War Zone," Nancy says. "Steve's right - Jason isn't going to stop. We have to get him and the others off our backs, or they could ruin the whole thing."

Reluctantly, they all gather in the camper again.

"All right," Steve says, clapping his hands like they're all in kindergarten and ignoring the unimpressed looks everyone gives him. "Game plan."

"We divide into two teams," Nancy picks up, just as serious business as she was when they were plotting to take down Vecna. "Team one stays with the RV and keeps making weapons. Team two heads into town to run surveillance-"

Erica gives an unimpressed huff. "Run surveillance, who needs to run surveillance when you've got me? I was at his last little inspirational production, and I know there's supposed to be another town hall meeting tonight. Two guesses who's going to be there to try to run it again?"

Steve and Nancy exchange a glance.

"All right, team two heads into town to make sure we're at the meeting before Jason gets there," Nancy says.

"So who's on team two?" Dustin asks.

"Me and Nance," Steve replies immediately.

"And me," Erica chimes in.

"And Erica," Steve agrees without hesitation, which makes Nancy give him a funny look.

"Steve is my bitch after our last 'operation' together, and he knows it," Erica says, complete with air quotes around operation.

Steve just shrugs, looking resigned, and - yeah, okay, with what Eddie knows of Erica Sinclair, he'd probably do the same thing.

"No one listened to me last time," Erica adds. "I'm gonna make damn sure they regret that."

Nancy raises her eyebrows, but doesn't protest.

"That's it," Steve finishes. "Maybe Robin or Lucas, if you one of you wants to, but no one else. Sorry guys, but it has to be people that no one would believe would be friends with Eddie."

Which - ouch, but yeah, Steve has a point. Still-

"Buckley?" he asks. Lucas he gets, because Jason and the others must have trusted him to let him in on the initial freak hunt, but Robin?

Robin shoots him a withering glare. "I've played soccer, and I'm in the marching band, did you forget? The band that goes to every one of the basketball team's games and plays for them, the band that you usually disparage in the same breath as the jocks when you do your little table speeches? You think I haven't commiserated with some of the soccer players and cheerleaders about perfectly good lunches crunched under your heels?"

Eddie - doesn't actually know what to say to that. A week ago, he would have jumped all over her for conforming to the school's expectations, pumping up the jocks and riding the coattails of popularity, but - but this isn't a week ago. Monsters are real, people are dying, Eddie's probably going to die, and these people are the only ones who know anything about how to stop it.

This is the party, and he's just been an NPC this whole time.

"Oh," is what he settles on, hating how stupid it makes him sound.

"Hey, those table speeches were cool!" Dustin protests.

"They were obnoxious," Robin says with a sniff.

"They're Eddie," Steve says, and Eddie turns sharply to look at him.

He's rolling his eyes, and he sounds just as fond as he does exasperated, the same tone he's heard him use on the kids when they're being little assholes, and it twists something in his gut at the same time as he makes him want to hide behind his hair.

"It's not a bad thing to rail against primitive social constructs such as popularity," Steve adds.

Eddie - stares at him, his brain screeching to a halt as he attempts to process what Steve Harrington just said to him.

He manages to catch Nancy looking at Steve in a way that's a little bit impressed before Dustin is shouting again.

"Hey!" he yells, slapping Steve on the arm. "I said that to you last summer, you can't just take credit for that!"

Steve slaps at Dustin's hand. "You said I needed to move on from them, you didn't say anything about railing against them!"

"It's the same thing!" Dustin protests.

"Can't you just be happy I listened to you?" Steve asks.

"Oh, for once." Dustin rolls his eyes. "When are you going to realize all of my advice is genius?"

"Again with the ego, man, come on-"

"Boys!" Robin shouts.

The two of them startle, looking over at her with twin expressions somewhere between sheepish and irritated.

Eddie valiantly rallies his brain back into working order. "I still say this plan is stupid. What do you really think's going to happen when you publicly align yourselves with the freak?"

"Oh, we're not going to publicly align ourselves with you," Nancy says.

"We're going to publicly tear Jason down," Steve adds, and there's a gleam in his eye that Eddie hasn't seen since he stalked the halls of Hawkins High with Hagan and Perkins at his side.

So the party splits again.

Nancy, Steve, and Erica head out on their side quest. Robin does end up going with them, though she makes it very clear that she's just there to sit in the back with her hand on the walkie in case things go to shit. Eddie stays with Dustin and Lucas and Max, and tries not to feel -

Well. There's a whole lot he wants to feel. Anger and bitter resentment and fear and self-hatred and outwardly directed hatred and a sick hope and confusing fondness, all tangled up into a messy ball that seem to cancel each other out.

So mostly he tries not to feel exhausted, and tries not to let it bounce too hard the other way into mania. It mostly ends up in him alternating between goofing around with Dustin and obsessively checking over his handy work on his shield.

Eventually, after far too long, the wandering half of the party returns - and even without saying anything, it's clear it was a success. The four of them are so damn pleased at something going right that it seems to be catching, both Dustin and Lucas crowding in and demanding details.

"Jason's a suspect now!" Robin says gleefully.

"He's a person of interest," Nancy corrects. "But it's enough that I don't think he's going to be rallying many people to his cause."

Eddie stares at them, aware his mouth is open and he probably looks flabbergasted, but he can't seem to make himself do anything about that.

"How did you guys manage that?" Dustin asks.

"I told you they were going to regret not listening to me," Erica says, tone just as smug as her face.

"Excuse me," Steve chimes in, in what's clearly supposed to be an imitation of Erica's voice. "But is anyone else going to get to speak at this one, or are the police and the mayor going to let a seventeen year old boy lead a town hall meeting again?"

"Again?" Robin straightens up, jumping on that with all of Nancy's fierce tenacity. "Can you clarify that for the press, Chief Powell? Is Jason Carver involved with the investigation into these murders?"

Nancy bats her eyelashes, lowering her voice and looking as dumb and concerned as possible. "Wait, wasn't Jason dating Chrissy? Now, I may have missed the last meeting, but I've watched every episode of Magnum PI and Miami Vice. Why is the victim's boyfriend leading the investigation? Isn't that, uh, a confliction of interests?"

"Watch what you're implying, Harrington," Erica growls out.

Steve raises both eyebrows. "You about busted in my door looking for my brother and his dumb friends. I just think we all have a right to be concerned about someone who shows violent tendencies to a child being involved like this."

"I saw what that freak did to Patrick!" Erica says, making her voice high and whiny.

"You were at the scene of the third crime?" Robin jumps in, still clearly Nancy. "Was anyone else there who can confirm your version of the events? No? So we only have your report of who was there?"

"Patrick McKinney?" Nancy asks, wrinkling her nose. "Bummer, man, the way people close to you keep dying. Glad I graduated already."

"I remember him when you came to my house," Steve as Erica says. "Wasn't he the one who said you guys were taking things too far? What a coincidence!"

Robin tilts her head, looking like she's trying to remember something. "Didn't Fred write that article about the basketball team and hazing rituals? If I remember right, Jason Carver was the only one he mentioned by name."

Nancy smiles, and it looks - strange, on her face. All haughty and smug, with too many teeth. "Hazing rituals, is that what's going on here? Couldn't hack it with the legacy Billy and I left for you, huh, Carver? Who's next? You're looking for Lucas Sinclair, right, you pissed that he's the one that scored the winning shot when you missed it?"

"And then Tiffany Callahan shouts Chrissy wasn't happy!, and half of the cheerleaders are talking about how she was upset and kept saying she didn't want to talk to Jason about it," Robin says. "Jason looked like he was a second away from lunging over and strangling her, and Tiffany's soulmate got up in his face."

They keep going, tossing pleased little comments back and forth, roping Lucas and Dustin and even Max in, crowing about how Eddie's out of the limelight and -

Part of him wants to stay, well aware that he's literally watching a campaign unfold in real life in front of him, that he could let himself be folded into this strange little party and bask in their jubilance at a quest completed. But the other part of him is just going too much, it's too much.

He steps back, quiet and unseen, until he can duck around the other side of the camper and crouch down. His forearms brace against his knees, head hanging down between them, as he tries to just - to just breathe, not let himself vibrate out of his own skin.

This is turning into the slowest of slowburns omg, but they will get there eventually!

----

Part 9

Taglist (hopefully I got everyone, and always happy to add more!): @vampireinthesun @koibug @estrellami-1 @mentalcyborg @allbimyself26 @questionablequeeries @the-s-is-silent @whimsicalwitchm @a-gae-af-racoon @tinyplanet95 @n0-1-important @velocitytimes2 @swimmingbirdrunningrock @newtstabber @jcmadgirl @roblingoblin285 @lexyvey @paperbackribs @goodolefashionedloverboi @evix-syne666 @raisedbylibrarians @stxrcrossed186 @nightmareglitter @greekgeek24 @starman-jpg @crazyhatlady86 @affablevixen @imfinereallyy @manda-panda-monium @deleataecount @prideandsensibility @chaoticvictorianspirit @maydillydally @disrespectedgoatman @scarlet-malfoy @i-less-than-three-you @hbyrde36 @hallucinatedjosten @dragonsandgayships @arepaconchocolate @g4ys0n @novelnovella @bisexualdisastersworld @ghostofyourvampiregf @scarletyeager @pettrichore @nerd-and-nervous @hiimlevi @queenie-ofthe-void @cinnamon-mushroomabomination

[craziness2345]

Chapter 4

So I suck lol I'm sorry this one took so long school and this mixed does not go well at times. I hope you like this chapter and i promise i will bring next chapter out by next week i'm going on vacation and the drive is 16 hours so i'll have time to work on this! let me know how you guys like this chapter please!

_________________________________________________________

It was weird how our dynamic changed within a week. I haven't had a single nightmare since i started staying with Natasha and wanda it still confuses me why they've been so adamant on me staying with them each night there was a few nights in the beginning of the week where i tried to sleep in my own room feeling bad for bothering them but each time they’d just go straight in my roo to lay with me instead.

I gave up after that and kinda just got used to it i liked not having the nightmares and for once in my life since i was younger i felt safe and protected it was nice having that feeling. It also caused us to get a lot closer. I felt like I was always with them. Now one of us was with the other or together all at the same time. 

But that changed when wanda and natasha had to go on a mission but the worst part about this mission was it was no contact nor was there a set day for them to come back either. It was both nerve wracking and I hated how it made me feel knowing I shouldn't be feeling this way. Sighing to myself i see Natasha and wanda head on over to me dressed in there undercover clothes “ Will you be okay? Wanda asks worriedly.

I nod “ Don’t worry i’m a big girl “ I comment reassuringly even though deep down i know i’m struggling i just show  a happy face” be careful please” I say softly worry evident on my face. Natasha smirks “ It’ll be wanda and i and captain america everything will be fine” Natasha says. I roll my eyes “ Okay “ I laugh giving them each a hug “ But seriously i want my two best friends to make sure to be safe” I say not noticing the small frown on the two red heads faces when i had said best friend. By the time I looked up they were back to smiling at me. “ So have a safe trip and be back in time” I say as they nod giving me one last hug before they head out onto the quinjet steve following not long after he gets out of the elevator as he waves at me before leaving. 

I sigh and slouch in my couch “ so you have a thing for my sestra and her girlfriend L/N Y/N “ I jump off the couch meeting yelena's eyes as mine widen “ Wait what!?” I exclaim my eyes bulging as Kate walks in giggling “ Yelena leave her alone” She says sitting on the couch.

“ What? I’m just stating a fact i mean she gets all googly eyed on them” Yelena says as my cheeks redden “ She nots wrong Y/N and you’re even acting all depressed “ kate point out softly causing me to slouch in the couch again my face beat red. I let a loud scoff pass my lips “ I am not acting depressed” I say dismissively. I decide to sit up as Kate snorts “ Okay Y/N “ She says softly. 

I hear yelena snicker “ You’re such a love sick puppy” she comments” You know Y/N L/N you should well tell them” She shrugs as i give her a dirty look “ there’s Nothing to say to them” I snap as yelena raises an eye “ тупица”  ( Dumbass) I give her a dirty look “ I gotta go “ I grumble annoyed as i stand up and leave kate and yelena teasing me as i leave.

I decide to head into the elevator and go up getting off i head straight to furys office barging in as he looks up instantly” Do no- Oh Y/N what is it” He calms instantly as i sit in the chair across from him shrugging” Nothing just wanted to hang with the old man” I tease. 

He gives me an unamused look” I’m not old” HE corrects causing me to smirk “ Oh yeah yeah that’s what old people say” I tease as he gives me another look rolling his eyes he goes back to his paperwork “ what do you actually want ? “ He asks as I go serious. “ I wanted to know if you have any leads on him” I say, sitting straighter, fur humming and pulling out a folder. 

“ Honestly nothing after he left the hospital went dark” he says. I frown at grabbing the folder looking at the medical records. I scan over all the people looking at the picture. My heart was aching at what I was seeing. I close it, the guilt hitting me. 

“ Stop, I know that face, it was an accident. “ HE tries to reassure me as I look away hiding my emotions. “ Right,” I mumble, not believing a word he says, “ Just let me know if you find anything else,” I say standing up.

Fury sighs watching me leave “ You know i will” He says gently a tone he only ever uses for me as i leave his room . The image of my brother still embedded in my skull as I walk down the hall the memories of that night and his and my fathers screams of pain I shut my eyes taking a deep breath to control that memory before heading out needing a coffee.

I head down a street once I leave the avengers tower heading to a small coffee shop. I head inside placing an order for a caramel mocha. Thanking the barista, I sat down at a booth to stare out at all the people walking down the streets. I let my mind wander worried about Natasha and Wanda. I wonder how long they will be gone for. Knowing how no communication missions  go, it could be a few days or weeks. I shudder at hating this already.

I curse myself silently hating how i feel knowing it wasn’t right when they were together as well. I sigh to myself drinking my coffee before doing a double take standing up. I head out of the coffee shop looking through the crowded streets in a hurry. I know he was somewhere. I swear I saw him cursing when I didn't see him. I rubbed my temples, deciding to head back as I thought back to the figure I saw across the street. 

He looked like Jake. I swear that's who I saw the burnt side of his face but maybe I was hallucinating? Yeah I had to be there's no way that was him. I started walking back to the tower, my thoughts jumbled up by what I thought I saw.

______________________________________________________

The two weeks go by as I start to slowly struggle to sleep feeling like someone was watching at times I swore I saw my brother but I try to put that thought at the back of my mind since I've been struggling to sleep. It made more sense. It was my exhaustion fucking with me.

We still had no word from Natasha and Wanda. I did get some words out of fury, finding out that they might be coming back soon from the mission. That did get me a bit more upbeat. I start heading back to the tower as it starts to pour down tremendously. Cursing, I toss my coffee in a nearby trash can as I decide to take a short cut and go pull my hood up over my head. 

As I walk down the alley I feel some type of sharp pain in my shoulder groaning. I move my hand pulling it out of my shoulder. I realized it was what looked to be a tranquilizer dart. Unsure what the liquid was, I started to feel woozy moving my head. I blink seeing a figure walking down with a gun that I assume had the dart in it. I try to furrow my eyes moving to use my invisibility but struggle to.

The dark figure walks closer humming his face completely covered” sorry but you’re powers ain't gonna work i gave you a nice dose that stuns you're powers” The deep distorted voice says stumbling back words i curse before stumbling to run away the figure chuckles deeply “ Who i love a good game of cat and mouse” he starts following me slowly as i pass down another alley stumbling some more i blearily pull out my phone hitting the emergency button that sends to the tower hoping they can get to me in time. 

Everything starts to blur as i end up hitting a dead end i curse to myself turning around to make another run for it i freeze seeing him standing there “ i think this is the end of the game and the line” He says “ that tranquilizer should be doing it’s job by now “ He says coming closer as i start to slide down the wall.

“ Your friends won’t be saving you either they are a little preoccupied with a bomb in downtown “ He chuckles as i completely black out the last thing i remember his him picking me up before everything goes dark.

[lihhelsing]

Hate That I Loved You

Now complete on AO3!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 ↓

"Are you nervous?" Chrissy asks him as she fixes his hair inside the limo. Eddie smiles tightly at her. 

"No."

She rolls her eyes and Eddie lets out a long breath. 

"A little."

"Don't be," she says and Eddie is the one rolling his eyes now.

"Wow, Chris. Very helpful."

She pats his face affectionately. "Seriously, it's going to be fine. The music video is going to be a success, you're getting another grammy nomination and you're probably going to become the most insufferable person on earth."

Eddie lets his head falls back and closes his eyes, trying to get enough air in his lungs. The car feels stuffed and hot and-

"Hey. Just breathe," Chrissy says. She places her soft hand on his shoulder, but it's not the same. The voice is wrong and the touch is wrong and everything is just…

"I'm fine," he says and Chrissy frowns because she doesn't believe him, but she knows better than to fight him over it. 

"What are you worried about?"

"What I'm not worried about? I'm worried everyone will hate the video, I'm worried Lou is going to show up here even though I explicitly told him not to. I'm worried people will hate the music, say it's too much."

Chrissy doesn't seem fazed by any of that. "The song is not too much, the music video is perfect, we already ran pre-tests and everyone loves it, Lou is not getting anywhere near this place tonight and all security is aware of him and with clear instructions to get rid of him right away. Now. What's really worrying you?"

Fuck. "What if he shows up?"

"Lou is not-"

"Not Lou. Steve. What if Steve shows up?"

"Don't you want him to?"

Eddie opens his eyes and almost laugh at how confused Chrissy is looking right now. He's such a mess. 

"I don't know. I want him to. I miss him. I invited him. But he hasn't responded and I'm not sure if it will be worse if he shows up or if he doesn't."

Chrissy smiles then, and Eddie doesn't get it. It's not something nice or sweet. Eddie fucked up again, even when he said he wouldn't. He cleared the air with Steve. Apologized for being a jackass when they were together. 

Then Steve said he was happy, and Eddie couldn't possibly risk that. He couldn't risk going back into Steve's life knowing he could ruin everything again. So he took a step back, watched him as Steve noticed the change and he let him fucking leave. 

At least, this time, Steve was the one that left. It was all on him and if he also wasn't sure, if he was happy just how he was, then Eddie was glad he didn't mess it up. 

"Ok, here's the deal. You can't control whether or not Steve shows up. But you can control everything else. You can get out there and have a killer launching party. You can read the awesome speech I wrote to you and you can have fun with your band. If Steve doesn't show, then you probably have your answer."

"What if he shows up?" Eddie asks, hand pulling at a strand of hair anxiously. 

Chrissy bats his hand away. "Then you'll also have your answer, sweetie."

"But, like… What do I do, Chris?"

"You don't let him leave this time, dumbass."

Easier said than done. 

-

As soon as he steps into the red carpet, Eddie is a new man. He's still nervous, of course, but it's easier to put on the mask of rockstar Eddie who doesn't really care about anything when all those people are watching. 

He answers a couple of questions, takes a lot of pictures and moves along, waving at some fans that are standing outside and promising to come talk to them once the event is over. 

He walks straight on, doesn't look back. He sees the boys already there, standing at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for him so they can all go inside together. The place is amazing, there's food and drinks and everyone that's anyone is there. 

Eddie is ready. And then. Then he is not. 

"Eddie?"

He whips his head around. Wishes he could stop meeting Steve like that. Wishes he could prepare himself for the blow that it is to see him. 

He's beautiful. Looks like a dream in a fitted suit. 

But he's fidgeting with his hands, eyes a little glassy. He's nervous, looks like he's holding his breath while Eddie doesn't answer him, just stares, dumbfounded. 

Right. He needs to answer him. 

"Steve, hey," Very eloquent. "I'm… Surprised to see you here."

Steve flinches visibly and Eddie needs to keep his damn mouth shut. Before Steve can say anything or give him an excuse to bolt out of there, Eddie takes the steps he needs to get to him. 

Then, his voice is nothing more than a whisper. 

"I'm glad to see you here."

Steve blinks and his expression softens. 

"Thanks for inviting me. It means…" Steve trails off, his words getting lost somewhere between Eddie and all those people around them.

Eddie can see flashes going out and there's a part of his brain reminding him they are in public. He grabs Steve's hand. 

"Wanna get out of here?"

Steve looks taken aback. "You mean, go inside? Yeah, sure, I think we-"

"No, I mean get out of here. My car is still outside, I can take us anywhere."

It takes a second for Steve to process what Eddie is saying. He squeezes his hand and nods his head. 

"Yeah, ok."

Then, they are off, hands linked together as Eddie pulls Steve in the opposite direction of everyone that's getting on the red carpet. There's still flashes going off and he hears people calling his name but the only thing he cares right now is the feeling of Steve's hand on his and the certainty he's not going to let him leave again. 

-

The light of his phone illuminates the inside of the limo. Everything is quiet, Steve is pressed up on his side even though there's all this space inside the car. He reads Chrissy's messages that he's been ignoring for the past five minutes. 

'Where are you?'

'Eddie, seriously!! Pick up the damn phone!!'

'People are saying you left!!! where the fuck are you?'

His fingers are hovering over the keyboard when a new message comes in, the loud sound echoing through the silence. 

'that times photographer said you left with a mysterious man so either this is Steve and you're fixing things and I'm giving you a pass or you can get your skinny ass back here because you won't miss this premiere for a random hookup'

'just warn a girl next time! and use protection!'

Eddie locks his phone with a loud groan, and Steve chuckles beside him. 

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah, Chrissy is just about to kick my ass when I see her again, but it's fine."

"We can go back," Steve offers and Eddie finally looks at him. The lights come and go as the car moves and Steve's eyes are still shining. 

"I don't want to go back," Eddie says and then, "I want to be here with you."

For some reason, that seems to be enough for Steve to snuggle a little closer to him. They don't talk much during the rest of the drive, but all Eddie can feel is how right everything is. 

- 

His house is big. He knows that, objectively. He doesn't even care that much, he mostly just likes that he has space for all his instruments, has a small studio for when he's feeling restless and enough space for the band to hang out and crash whenever they feel like it. 

He likes it because it feels like home, but the wide-eyed expression Steve is giving the house right now also makes him feel a little self conscious. He knows Steve doesn't care about that stuff, but it's weird to know Steve knew his uncle's trailer and now is seeing this. 

It makes him afraid Steve won't see him as the same person anymore. 

Eddie takes a deep breath and tugs Steve's hand until they are moving again, walking inside the house. He doesn't have a plan, doesn't even know why he brought Steve back to his place because if this is Steve letting him down easy, it's about to get really awkward. 

"Want something to drink?" he offers, hand still curled around Steve's, doesn't know if he knows how to let go. 

Steve shakes his head, eyes the couch and it's crystal clear. He wants to get this over with. Eddie can understand that. 

"Ok, so…" Eddie says when they are sitting down. They aren't holding hands anymore and Eddie misses it.

"Let me talk," Steve says in one breath. Eddie is a little surprised. "Can I go first? I just…"

"Yeah. yeah. Ok"

Steve flexes his fingers and bites his lower lip. 

"Ok," he says, resting his hand on the couch. Not touching. Is that a sign? Are things about to go badly between them? "You hurt me."

Ouch. Eddie flinches even though Steve's expression remains soft. His words are harsh. 

"I'm sorry, Ste-"

"I'm talking."

"Oh. Sorry. Go ahead."

"You hurt me. Back then, when you left. And then last month, when I flew across the country for you and you pulled back. I don't… I can't take it anymore, Eddie. I don't think I can handle getting hurt by you again."

Steve closes his eyes. When he opens them again, they are a little glassy like he's about to cry. Fuck. Eddie is not doing too good himself, and this is worse than he imagined. 

"But I also don't know if I can let this go. Let you go. It feels like we keep missing each other and doing things the wrong way and I don't want to do anything wrong anymore. I want things to be right and I want you."

Eddie blinks as Steve's words sink into him. He's not sure what he's supposed to be feeling but there's something shaped like hope trying to emerge from inside of him. He wants to grab it and keep it. 

"Steve, what are you-"

"I'm not done," Steve says and Eddie shuts his mouth. "I gave you the benefit of the doubt, you know? You pulled back after the shoot and I figured you were overwhelmed. Tired. Sad. Your jackass ex was there, you had to shoot for three days straight and the song is really heavy I just… I made excuses for you but I need to know, Eddie, because it's killing me."

There's a long silence before Eddie realizes Steve wants him to talk. 

"Sorry. I-"

"Stop saying sorry."

"Sor-. Shit. I mean… Fuck, Steve."

Steve keeps his face neutral as Eddie struggles over everything. He doesn't understand what Steve is saying and he's afraid to think it's what he wants because he never gets what he wants. Not when it comes to love. 

"You pulled back. You made me leave because it would make you feel better, to think this was my choice, but it was never my choice. It wasn't my choice when you left all those years ago, and it wasn't my choice last month. I would never choose to leave you, Eddie. Don't you see it?"

"But I keep hurting you!" he says because it doesn't make any sense. Steve shouldn't want anything to do with him. 

"And I keep coming back because I fucking love you and I hate that I love you. Still. After everything."

Eddie's heart is almost beating out of his chest and when Steve looks away from him, it breaks a little. He moves on the couch, closer to him, and his hand finds Steve's chin so he can tilt it in his direction. So he can look him in the eyes when he says what he needs to say. 

"Steve. Fuck. I know you don't want to hear it but I'm sorry. I'm sorry that my egotistical ass hurt you. I'm sorry that I made you think you needed to leave and I'm sorry I left you. That was the last thing I wanted. I wanted you more than anything. More than music and fame and whatever. Things only make sense if you're here and when you showed up for the shoot… That's when I realized it. I need you. I love you. I'm sorry it took me this long to realize I never stopped loving you. Please, please tell me I can still fix this."

Steve blinks quickly, his eyes are a little wet and Eddie wants to run but he can't. Even if Steve tells him to go fuck himself, he owes it to him to sit there and take it. 

But instead of cursing him or pushing him away, Steve nods. It's almost imperceptible, but it's there. 

Eddie feels like floating away. "Can I kiss you?"

Steve nods again and Eddie feels like he's moving in slow motion. His hand cups Steve's jaw and pulls him in until their breaths are mixed. He's eager for the kiss but he wants to memorize everything about this. About Steve. 

How he closes his eyes and his eyelashes glow with the tears he was holding back. How he opens his mouth a little and licks his lips, waiting. How his hand grips the couch hard, as if he needs something to keep him grounded. 

Eddie's free hand finds his waist and pulls him until Steve is almost on top of him. He pushes his hair back, counts every freckle on his face and wonders how he lived without him for so long. 

Never again. 

Eddie dips in, lips brushing Steve's and heart hammering in his chest. The kiss is slow, sweet, soft, but it kicks in his muscle memory and soon he's giving Steve what he wants. Just how he liked it. His hand finds the hem of his shirt and he touches warm skin, hopes Steve will let him take them to the bedroom later. 

For now, he kisses him, and Steve kisses him back.

[nburkhardt]

Somebody loves you, you got a friend (part 4)

Part 1, part 2, part 3

Please don’t look too closely at things if it doesn’t make sense…ignore it hahaha. (I edited it and tried keeping to a timeline, but I think screwed up somewhere lol)

Telling Eddie is terrifying.

Steve’s little over a month along, his doctor said something about seven weeks? Maybe eight? He’s not entirely sure to be honest and he’s getting off track right now.

He’s pregnant with Eddie’s baby and he’s currently standing on the stairs of a trailer, specifically, Eddie’s home. He’s nervous and scared, because this is huge and they’ve only been dating for two months. The ultrasound picture in his back pocket is burning a hole and he has to remind himself of his mom’s words.

“You’ll be okay, even if Eddie doesn’t stay”

But god, he wants Eddie to stay.

The door is pulled open and the alpha is all smiles, “Stevie! What a surprise-“ the smile fades a little as Eddie sniffs, “what’s wrong?”

“Can- can I come in?”

Eddie wordlessly moved aside, letting him in before closing the door and he feels eyes on him as he paces. “Stevie, what’s going on?”

He stops and simply pulls out the picture, “um, so, I’ve felt like shit for the last few weeks and my mom had me take this- well- um,”

Steve will be the first to admit; his way with words is absolute shit.

Eddie’s mouth drops as he finally sees the picture. It’s still only a blob, even just looking at the picture he, Steve, can still hear the heartbeat.

The silence is suffocating and they’re still only standing in front of the door, Eddie’s holding the picture in his hands and Steve is biting his bottom lip and shoving his hands in his pockets, then without much thought just blurts out “I’m keeping it”

Eddie just nods and Steve can’t tell if it’s a good nod or a bad nod. But at least he wasn’t thrown out.

“I can- can I?” The alpha mumbles out and looks up at him, he has tears in his eyes, “are- are we okay?”

He doesn’t know what’s been asked, but with the phantom heartbeat beating in his ears and Eddie looking like he does- Steve just moves and wraps his arms around the alpha.

“We- we’re okay. As- as long as you don’t hate me for being a dumbass and not being on birth control”

Eddie’s arms are tight around him and he feels his lips against his temple as a laugh bubbles out of him.

“I think, it’s not just your fault here, Stevie”

~ ~ ~

Telling Eddie’s Uncle Wayne is a whole lot easier than telling his own dad.

Luckily his dad is too afraid of his mom to do anything to him and luckily Eddie’s uncle is a man of little words.

“You both made a mistake,” the older alpha told them, “everything will be okay, I’ll help you both”

And that’s that, from Wayne at least.

His dad, looks at the picture as if it personally offended him, then promptly decides to leave. He doesn’t even yell and doesn’t say all the things Steve isn’t supposed to know about his mom. He packs his stuff, saying “You’ll have everything you need, but I’m leaving”

And once he’s gone?

They technically celebrate. Even though his father just walked out on them all because his son is pregnant at sixteen. He doesn’t want to know how he would’ve reacted if he knew the baby’s father.

His mom is laughing and crying. She has a glass of wine, her hands are shaking. For once he can’t tell how she’s actually feeling. All he knows, her scent filling the room is an odd mix of happiness and sadness.

“Oh Steve, I didn’t-“ she looks sad, but somehow happy, “Baby, him leaving is a good thing. I’m just, overwhelmed. He was,” she shakes her head and grabs his hand to squeeze it, “he wasn’t nice, I should’ve known and should’ve left him a while ago, you’re the only good thing he’s even done to me. I’m sorry I allowed him to be so, so hurtful to you”

He’s going to blame the crying on that he’s pregnant. Even with how much he loves his mom, how much they get along- hearing her apology meant so much.

———

I hope everything seems in line, I’ve been going back and forth on my wording. Tbh it’s probably all over the place still. Anyway, yay Eddie didn’t freak out 🥳 well I mean, he did but he didn’t? Hahaha

Next time we’re going to school AND the CC boys make an appearance ❤️

Taglist: @spectrum-spectre @itsfreakingbats @mysticcrownshipper @artiststarme @thereindeerlady @justforthedead89 @ronniescontinuum @freyaforestafay @littlewildflowerkitten @zerokrox-blog @callme-keys @maya-custodios-dionach @rajumat @yellowdevilkitten @munsonfamilyband @steddierthings @tartarusfairy @mx-jinxous @zombiethingy @lunaticmarunatic @izzy2210 @carlyv @thelittleclare @estrellami-1 @sierra-violet @grtwdsmwhr

(if you would like to be added to this OR my permanent tag list, let me know!!)

[gyokujyn]

WIPs word search

Tumblr phantom tagged me in a post from @bromcommie prompting to find certain words in your WIPs and I am desperately avoiding responsibility, so let's fucking go!

My words were space, sharp, sweet and home.

Believe it or not, I found one relatively small snippet that ticks 3 of those four boxes. This is another part of that LEO!Steve/Felon!Bucky thing I shared some of a few weeks ago.

Steve licks his lips as another peal of laughter rings out and he shouldn’t let himself be goaded, but Bucky knows him, knows every button to push, and he’s suddenly back in Bucky’s space, fingers laced in his hair, tight against his scalp as he towers over the man.  He’s got Bucky held at a sharp angle against his thigh, his head pitched back as far as his neck can bend, his hands still chained to the table and stretching the bounds of the chains as far as they’ll reach.  He can barely swallow with how far back his head is wrenched, but he’s grinning with his bloody teeth like there’s nowhere he’d rather be.  And, maybe there’s not. “Aw, Stevie,” he chokes out sweetly, straining to brush his cheek against Steve’s thigh, “all you had to do was ask nicely.” He moves his face like a cat brushing up against Steve, his stubble catching rough against the inside of Steve’s pant leg, and the coarse drag of it goes straight to Steve’s dick.  Bucky’s holding his gaze, still sharp and steady, but playful and if it were another time and another place, Steve would have done it.  Steve wouldn’t even have had to ask.  He thinks back 20 years to warm bourbon and cold beer and passing out on a shitty futon in the dark with every inch of this man’s skin pressed up against him, peeling their bodies apart in the small hours just so they could crash back together one more time, one more, just once more before the morning. “You never had any idea what was good for you, huh?  Never knew when to quit while you were ahead.” Steve knows the taste and smell of this man by memory, has counted every freckle with his tongue, can draw the soft lines of his resting face in his sleep. The betrayal would have been easier if that hadn’t been the case. “Testing my patience isn’t going to get you anything you want.” “Then go do your job, you fuckin’ boy scout,” he laughs, but there's no humor in it, drawing out the ‘f’ so bloody saliva sprays across Steve’s crotch, “cause we both know you need me.”

And for the last word, a Stucky Wakanda breakup fic that I only have dialogue for so far. The whole document uses this word 7 times. Here's 4 of them.

“And, you, you dumbass, I left you home and safe and what did you do?  Volunteered to let some Kraut experiment on you like the damn Nazis you had such a hard-on for that you came to the front lines on purpose!  And, you lived, you lucky bastard, got this cushy Captain America gig and you almost get yourself killed, for what?” “For you, Bucky, I couldn’t just leave you there.” “For me?  Yeah, okay, but, be honest–it was for you, too. They tried to send me home, Steve, but I–I couldn’t–how was I supposed to go home? You were gonna die out there without me and I was going home to nothing. And, so I stayed. I stayed and I fought and I died and I spent a lifetime meting out the kind of violence I never wanted any part of and you’re here standing in my doorway asking me to come with you?”

Lemme tag some people I know are working on things rn.. @blackwood4stucky @katie-delaney @thepiper0fhameln (who isn't gonna play, but we love him anyway) and @amaraangelicus

Your prompt words are: press, choke, dark, and memory.

If you see this post and you've got WIPs you wanna procrastinate on, lol, tag me and join us!

[frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe]

i'm outta my head over you Pt. 6

prologue (Pt. 1) | Pt. 2 | Pt. 3 | Pt. 4 | Pt. 5 | AO3 | playlist

ok, i really love this one; i hope you guys do too!

today's @steddie-week prompts are: together and Hold the Line - TOTO

C’mon, Munson, get your shit together. You’re the music guy here!’ He tells himself. Okay yeah, that’s true, but that doesn’t mean he’s great about expressing feelings. ‘ That’s what the music’s for, dumbass. ’

Eddie spends the rest of the night and into the next morning pouring over what other songs he could add to the B side of Steve’s tape (and what songs he’s gonna use for the Party Tape…he’s gotta have a blank tape around here somewhere…).

He has a couple contenders, he just doesn’t quite know how they fit yet. Steve had a reason or an explanation for each song on his side, so Eddie wants to do the same. Only problem is that the songs that already do remind him of Steve, are ones Steve’s already put onto the A side.

Fuck, has he been telling him his feelings all this time? The first half of Steve’s side of the tape were his go-to songs whenever they’ve hung out together, while Eddie was recovering at his house.

He goes to sleep that morning with a handful of possibilities, but nothing concrete, then is awoken just before lunch by his phone ringing. 

“Shit,” Eddie hops up groggy and disoriented with sleep, but scrabbles down the hall to the phone so Wayne doesn’t wake up.

“Munson residence, the fuck d’ya want?”

“Eddie! Ste– Ok, rude.”

“Rob? What’s up, Birdie?” Eddie scrubs his eyes with the back of his hand.

“Steve’s coming back a day early!” Eddie’s hand freezes. “Do you have the tape done??”

“N-no, no I only have three fuckin songs on it! Damn it, I thought you said he was coming back tomorrow!”

“Hence the call telling you he’s coming back early. He’s landing in Indy at noon, will be here by 3, and somehow Dustin’s already found out so now I’m roping you into ferrying Steve’s children to the arcade with us after he’s back.”

“Hey, they’re my children too!” Wait, what? “Wait, I didn’t say that. Why’d I say that? I don’t even want kids.”

“Nope, too bad. You already said it. You and Steve have joint custody of the shitheads.”

“We’re divorced now?”

“You were married in the first place?” Robin snarks back then mumbles, “Didn’t I just have this conversation?”

“What?”

“Nothing. You coming with or what?”

“No, Buck, I gotta finish his tape now!”

“Too bad, you’re coming. And I’m going to tell Henderson you are so he won’t let you back out.”

“Robin don’t you dare-”

What is with her and hanging up on him??

He’d just gotten back to his bedroom door when the phone rings again. Just barely stopping himself from screaming, he goes back to the handset.

“Hello..?”

“Dude. Would it kill you to sound excited?.”

“Henderson, your sarcasm is not appreciated this early in the morning. And why would I be excited about being volun told to pickup you hellions for the arcade?”

“‘Cause you like spending time with your friends, maybe? Now, do you and Max wanna come pick up me and Lucas? Steve will pick up Will and El at theirs, and pick up Robin and Mike on his way.”

“Sounds like you’ve already got everything planned out, Dusty.”

“Your exasperation is not appreciated this late in the morning.”

“...I don’t have to come, you know.”

“But you know you wanna.”

“Do I?”

“Yes. See you at 2:30.”

Just once , Eddie’d like to be the one hanging up on someone else.

Whatever. Looks like he’s got plans this afternoon.

Eddie looks at the clock on the wall above the fridge. Four hours. Now, does he nap, or does he eat and start getting ready?

They’ll probably grab pizza while they’re at the arcade…nap it is.

Eddie wanders back to his room and is out as soon as his head hits his pillow.

—

Miraculously, he wakes up exactly two and half hours later; just enough time for a shower and to get ready before picking up his half the goblins.

He showers, scrunches a majority of the water out of his curls (Steve’d shown him that little trick, would start on about “Eddie, we went over this! You gotta take care of your curls!" and, "They’re so gorgeous and you’re soooo handsome and hot and I totally wanna pull that hair when I fuc—” OKAY maybe that last part was just wishful thinking, but Steve’d definitely have a conniption if he shows up today with flat hair), and gets dressed.

From the extra spluttering their feeble A/C is doing, and the not-at-all refreshing breeze that crawls through his window when opened, Eddie can confirm that it’s definitely too fuckin’ hot out.

He pulls on his most ripped, well loved pair of black jeans, the holes in the knees long since flayed mid-thigh to mid-shin, a sleeveless cropped Metallica shirt, and his vest.

Grabbing up his rings and chain, he leaves a note for Wayne as to where he’s gone, slides his feet into his reeboks, and heads out the door, keys in hand.

He’s just got the back end of his chain hooked around his hip when he makes it to Max’s door.

“Y’ready Red?”

“Just a minute! It’s unlocked!” she calls back through the door (and slightly cracked window over her sink)

“Need any help?” he asks, closing the front door behind him.

“Nope, just gotta get my other shoe on and I’ll be good. Did you bring the van over?”

“I…did not. That’d probably be a good idea, huh?”

Whoops. He spins back around and jogs back across the street to hop in his van. By time he’s parked outside the Mayfield trailer, Max is hopping her wheels over the threshold onto the tiny step outside the door.

“Whatcha want me to do?” He’d learned real quick not to just start doing things for her, no matter how much he assumes they’d help. Max did not like anyone thinking they have to help her with every little thing, so now they all make sure to ask what it is she’d like them to help with before doing it.

“I just need to lock the door and you can help me into the van. You’ll probably have to come back for the chair though.”

“Of course, your highness.” he gives her a low bow while she locks her front door. “Your hand please, m’lady.” 

She rolls her eyes, but takes his hand. 

Max is able to walk across flat areas pretty well and for an OK amount of distance before getting too tired, but the breaks to her leg really did a number on her. 

She’s got steel pins all through her leg, and has just gotten out of her cast so she wants (and needs) to walk more often to get her strength back up, but has her chair to get around much easier.

So until she gets stronger, she needs help going up and down stairs, and will need help getting up into Eddie’s van, but should be okay for a while once at the arcade.

Once she’s settled, Eddie goes back for her chair, loads it into the back of his van, and they’re off to Henderson’s.

He and Lucas are already waiting out front when he pulls up.

“About time.”

“Dustin. It’s literally 2:31. Calm the fuck down.”

“You guys better get all your swearing out before you see Steve again, you know he’ll go all mom on you.” Lucas laughs. “Here, I’ll start. Hey Max, how the fuck are ya?”

They’re all in so Eddie starts off towards the arcade.

“Hey, show some fuckin’ respect for your mother, Sinclair.”

“Shit Eddie, didn’t know you were our goddamn father.”

“Of course he didn’t fuckin know, Steve hasn’t gotten his shit together enough to propose.”

“Damn, alright, calm down”

“Don’t fuckin’ tell me to calm down! I swear, I’ll put my foot straight up your ass.”

“Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuckfuckfuck.”

All four bust out laughing at that, not quite able to catch their breath before one of them is saying some random curse. 

They’re all red in the face from laughing so hard by time they pull into the parking lot between Steve’s beemer and Nancy’s station wagon.

Dustin runs in immediately after the van stops, and Eddie slyly leaves his keys with Lucas so he can lock up after helping Max, heading inside himself

Now, up until the exact moment he saw Steve (2 whole seconds ago), Eddie thought he was taking the whole “Steve Harrington has big sappy feelings for you” thing really well. Perfectly, in fact! 

No freak out, no huge feelings of doubt, just full focus on ‘responding’ to him.

But now, seeing him again after finding this out…It’s a wonder he doesn’t collapse. 

This beautiful, perfect, amazing man standing in front of a whole herd of teens (two of whom are at eye level or taller than he is now) with a scolding glare, hands on his hips, and flanked by the two most badass ladies he knows…wants him.

Eddie Munson.

It still doesn’t seem real.

Eddie immediately wants to be simultaneously on the other side of the planet, and wedged so close to him that they’re basically the same person.

“Pizza in an hour and a half!” Steve yells after the herd as they disperse. Even Robin and Nancy head off toward the skee-ball machines.

“You okay big boy? You look like that trip took a lot outta you.” 

‘Wow, nice one. You just got here and you’re asking him why he looks gross? Great job, Doofus.’ Why does his inner voice sound like Robin?

He looks over, and Eddie sees his face light up. “Eddie!” he breathes, pulling him into a tight hug.

Steve lets him go, and reaches up to rake through his travel-mussed hair. “And yeah, it was fine, always nice to see my grandparents.”

“Yeah, Robin mentioned you needing to go over their will or something? Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, they’re—“ he cuts himself off with a half-hearted chuckle, “They wanted to meet with my parents and I to let them know that their estate is being split 50/50 between us when they pass. Like, half to me and half to both of them.”

“Damn. It’s nice to know I’m marrying into money.” Eddie jokes, leaning into Steve’s side to whisper: “Max spilled your secret on the way here; I promise to act surprised when you finally get the guts to propose.” he whispers with a wink.

Steve’s face turns bright red, but he smiles all goofy. Fuck, he’s cute.

“Aw shit, I really wanted it to be a surprise.” He says, his voice getting gravelly with how low he’s speaking. 

It most definitely does not make Eddie flush red himself, nor do his jeans start feeling tighter, thank you.

Steve gently pushes Eddie back, his hand lingering on the back of his arm a moment too long before his fingers trail down and off his elbow. He starts again, back at a normal volume. “But yeah, Richard and Denise were not happy; I was surprised, though. I’m really appreciative that my grandparents would do that for me.”

“Okay, so it was good news! Why the…” Eddie gestures to all of him. “…glum.”

“It was just the plane ride man, I flew from Cali to Indy with a screaming baby next to me. It was hell let me tell you.”

“I bet.” Eddie winces.

“Plus, Robin stole my favorite tape while I was gone so I couldn't even listen to it on the way here. And that’s been like, the soundtrack to my life lately. Felt weird coming home and then not having it in my car already.” he shakes his head “I dunno, it's dumb, but they are my favorite songs.”

“I know what you mean,” Eddie nods, his heart in his throat. “Can't you just like, go get it back from her house?”

“She’s ‘gotta find it’.” He sighs, throwing up air quotes around Robin’s flimsy excuse. “Which for her, is code for ‘I lost it.’. It's no big deal though, it’s just music.”

“Nah man, music is important, you can communicate a lot with it.”

Steve just shrugs again, a good ol’ ‘What can ya do?’ , so Eddie pats Steve’s shoulder sympathetically and walks over to the far wall of machines. He leans up against the one that Max is bashing away at and looks around the side, like he’s watching what she’s doing.

“What’re you doing over here? You’re not gonna beat my score, Munson.” she snarks from her perch on one of the arcade’s few padded stools.

“Huh?” He looks at the cabinet. Dig Dug. “Oh. Wouldn’t dream of it, Mad Max, just came over to try and look cool, scope out the scene,” ‘Scope out the scene’?? WHO ARE YOU?? “Don’t mind me.”

She just rolls her eyes, “For some reason, Steve already thinks you’re like the coolest guy in the world. You don’t need to fake it.”

Eddie blinks down at her. “OK, seriously, how do you know so much?”

“I dunno; something about losing one of my senses? Or maybe my brush with death left me wise beyond my years…” she sighs wistfully.

He snorts, “Oh yeah? Then I should be way smarter.”

“Yeah, you should be.” She fights to keep a straight face after that one. Damn that was slick.

“Good one, Red.” he pats her once on the shoulder, then goes back to watching her play. It’s actually pretty impressive being that she’s got brand new coke-bottle glasses she should be wearing.

“I’m not gonna wear ‘em. I look like a doofus when I do.”

“Aw, I thought you just said I was cool!” he pouts.

Her mouth twitches up at that. “No, I said Steve thinks you’re cool. I think you’re a Doofus.”

“Exactly! And if the big man himself thinks I’m cool, then you’d definitely be cool.” He leans in and looks around conspiratorially, “and I have it on good authority that the rest of these goblins think whatever he thinks is cool, is cool too.”

She smiles, and her game bleeps to an end. “Yeah, they all do think he’s like, the greatest ever.”

“And you don’t?”

Her face blushes a soft pink. “Shut up, Munson. How do you know so much?”

He stands up straight and grabs hold of his vest lapels like some stuffy professor. “I’m smart ‘cause I died,” he says in a haughty tone “...or something.”

A couple of unhinged barks of laughter burst out of her. “I’m gonna go with ‘or something’.”

Eddie spends the next hour trying to mess up the other shitheads’ games. 

Smack a wrong button here, a poke under Dustin’s armpit there, general fuckery. 

And every time he and Steve pass one another, there’s some sort of touch. 

He didn’t notice it the first time, thinking Steve really did need to hold onto him while passing behind him. A classic midwestern “Ope, lemme just sneak by ya” just to get close to him.

When he looked back, there was no one at the cabinet behind him.

So Eddie gave it back tenfold the next time he encountered the party’s beloved babysitter.

Walked behind him on his way to where Mike and Lucas were now trying their hand at DigDug, and gently squeezed his hip.

Steve jumped about five feet, but it was worth it when Steve came up to his side later and wrapped his arm around Eddie’s lower back, settling his large palm briefly on the exposed skin of his hip and stomach where it peeked out from under the cropped shirt.

Eddie immediately felt the need to pull his hair up; Fuck is it hot in here?

Bun secured, and Steve gone off to bother Robin and Nancy at the air hockey table, Eddie knew what he was going to do next. 

He left Wheeler and Sinclair to continue to lose to Max, heading toward the water fountain. 

Steve’s standing with his back to Eddie’s path so when he passes, it’s just too easy to reach out, grab a lock of hair, and pull .

He’s rewarded with the sound of a poorly muffled moan (that he’ll be thinking about forever, thanks), and Steve is gifted an unobstructed view of his ass while he bends over to get a drink.

Eddie stands when he hears Steve’s panicked “Robin, can I talk to you a second?”

He comes back to take Robin’s place next to Nancy where they’d been playing two on one with Steve.

After a beat, Nancy says, “I hope you’re ready to have Robin as a permanent third wheel.” She’s still looking forward at the other end of the table.

Hah! That’s hilarious. “Won’t be as bad since you’re the fourth.” Eddie shrugs, then puts his fist out towards her, also looking off to where he can see Steve panicking at Robin.

Nancy’s knuckles knock into his, and he’s never felt closer to anyone in his life.

Only one half of the Harrington-Buckley twins come back, coming up to her girlfriend and linking their fingers behind the folds of Nancy’s skirt.

“Mama Harrington is getting the pizzas now; we’ll go get some tables pushed together, will you herd the cattle?”

“I feel like they’re more like cats. Especially that Max one, she’s got her claws out like, all the time.” Eddie says, half over his shoulder, as he heads off, hunting down the gremlins.

Mike and the elder Sinclair are still nowhere near Max’s high score, Dustin’s getting berated by baby Sinclair over how bad he’s doing at Donkey Kong, Will and El are together at the Polybius cabinet, Max in her chair now at El’s side.

‘ That’s all of them right? ’ Eddie counts them in his head while he looks around. Yep, that’s all of them.

He heads back to the little arcade pizzeria area, freezing in his tracks as he rounds the corner into the open arched doorway.

Every little thing he’s ever noticed about Steve Harrington over the last however many years feels like they’ve just been building to this moment.

Every damn day spent thinking he was the most beautiful person to ever grace the halls of Hawkins High (he is), every story he never believed about how badass he was from the mouth of his oldest adopted kid, every moment he spent shielding each of these people that have become so beloved in Eddie’s life.

Every painful scar, every dreadful day spent healing with Steve at his side, every. Single. Thing. Has built up to this one.

The most mundane of them all. 

The nine most important people in his life, the biggest family he never wanted but now can’t even think about a life without them, sitting around three tiny tables and clamoring over one another for a slice of the pizzas in the middle of them all, being hovered over by Steeeeeve Harrington.

“Careful Mike, don’t put your elbow in Dustin’s face! That thing’s sharp…Max, do you want me to grab you some? What kind do you want? No, Ellie, sweetie, I’ll hand it to her, no powers needed today, okay? Will, which pop do you want, bud, you gotta speak up so Dustin doesn’t drink all the Vernors. Lucas, will you grab some more napkins—no arguments you little shits, everyone needs napkins. Erica, are you good? Okay, good. Ed—where’s Eddie, he needs to eat too…”

Oh.

Oh.

Part 7 here!

yes, i did have the wonder twins playing Polybius.

also, mayfield/munson sibling vibes are so important to meeeeee.

also also, i love max getting adopted by steddie just as much as dustin BUT you cannot tell me she doesn't also have just a lil' crush on steeb.

tagging the lovelies: @hellomynameismoo, @messrs-weasley, and @manda-panda-monium