#uncle dustin henderson

[ebaylee422]

Mending Our Home PT. 2

Dad!Steve Harrington X Mom!Reader

Authors Note: This is a chapter talking about grief, again Pregnancy loss trigger warning! Send in a request if you want to see more Dad Steve in the future (maybe some happier stuff but I do love angst), I have a few other drafts but would love some inspo!

Summary: Conclusion of the Harrington's unplanned hospital stay, Joyce and Jim (Hop) cheer you up. Taking care of you and Steve like you wished your parents did. In Steve's exhaustion he's brought back to 1986 and the memories he wish would stay there. You blame yourself, for all of it.

Characters: Steve Harrington, Reader, Teddy Harrington (oc), Joyce and Jim, mentions of other characters ft. auntie robin and uncle dusty. Max Mayfield and Eddie Munson.

Warnings/Tags: Grief, Clarity of what happened Season 4, Body dysmorphia?, Pregnancy loss warning!

Word Count: 4.4 k

Flipping through a magazine that was on the tray table when a series of knocks stole your attention. The door opened wide to reveal Joyce running to your bedside. She looked just as exhausted as Steve. Jim Hopper followed to drop some bags on the floor, setting a water bottle and baggy of snacks on the tray by your bed. She cupped your face and grabbed your hand, kissing all over your face. Steve stood at the foot of your bed in tears, Jim came up behind him and shook up his shoulders, pushing him to the other side of the bed close to you. The adults took turns hugging you, but Steve just watched in silence, examining your body, his face holding some type of apprehension. While his hand was soft and malleable cradled with yours, warming your heart.

“You did so well honey. After Steve called us, Hop and Jonathan went and cleaned the apartment up. When you're sick of us, we're gonna stop on the drive home at Bradley's and fill your fridge. Get everything nice, ready for you to be home safe." She squeezed your shoulders again before hugging you get again.

"Geez don't suffocate the girl. What Joyce is getting too, we’re all so glad you're alive and recovering kiddo.” Hop pulled Joyce to his side, knocking your chin to the side in fondness.

"We also have been sprucing up Jonathan's old room so Teddy has a comfortable place with us. Whenever! No pressure, he's just such a good little boy." Joyce reached out for you hand leaning her hip on the free space of your bed.

“Or if Steve gets sick of sitting up in a chair staring at you.” Hopper added with a wink, poking fun at Steve.

“Watch it, oh old one,” Steve went over and started talking to Jim. Joyce was still holding tightly to your hand,

“Thank you, Joyce for everything. For coming here, being with Teddy. It means a lot.” You squeaked

“Of course, sweetie, you just take all the time you need to heal and rest." she brushed the wiry hair off your forehead.

"We're all here for you, and we have a little surprise in the waiting room if you're up for it." Hop added, craning his head towards the door.

"Yes! Eat something first you two, I'll be right back! Don't go anywhere!" Joyce jumped up running out of the room.

"I love that woman but she is crazzzyyyy..." Hop sighed moving his cap to scratch at his scalp

"A wonderful crazy that you match Hop." You giggled

"Shush, now let's open up the ho-ho's before she comes back and complains about my high blood sugar." He teasingly hit your arm with the back of his hat, grabbing the paper bag of squeaky plastic processed snacks dumping them out on the table.

"Mommmmyyyyy!!!!" The door opened wide to Joyce holding Teddy by his hand until he saw you in the bed. Running immediately to you Steve pulled him across the bed by his belt.

"Teddy! Hi baby." you cried, kissing all over his face holding him to your chest. Voice caught in your throat at his smell they way he still fit in your arms. "My sweet boy, I missed you so much." you croaked. Shoulder starting to shake, your eyes clouded with emotion. Steve rubbed your back, pinching his nose to stop the imminent onslaught of tears felt by everyone in the room.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" Teddy probed ever the smart boy, "Nana told me to be gendle. Was not gendle?"

His hands brushing your tears clumsy, holding your face in his soft and small hands. They would only be like this once, you thought. Remembering how scared you were when you found out. Now not ever thinking about changing how anything went if each outcome gave you the family you had. Only the sorrow on those few who weren't here to share it along side you.

"No teddy-bear you are so gentle," You assured your baby, because that's exactly what he was. Teddy was yours, your baby boy. "Mommy's just sad. But you, Daddy, and everyone else makes me better."

"Do you want us to take him with us?" Joyce stressed as you held Teddy, rocking him against you. The feeling of shame creeped up your throat in needing a nearly 5 year old's comfort.

"No, no, we'll either be able to take him home from bedtime, or Robin will. She wants to check in. Help me clean up the car." Steve insisted, ruffling Teddy's long chestnut curls. making them stick up in various directions.

"Steve I'm so sorry. That BMW has been through it." you rambled embarrassed, hiding your face against the pillow.

"It's perfectly okay, I'll shine her up! She'll be as good as she was on my 16th birthday."

"You should get some rest first, Steve. You look like you just spend the night in the can."

"You can sleep in a can?" Teddy perked up at his honorary grandpa,

"We gotta fine one big enough for you bear!" Joyce spun Teddy around, chasing him around the room. They both walked around the hospital with you affectively tiring you out but not your son.

"We could've brought blankets!" Joyce admonished her husband trying to help Steve with the pull out couch.

"We're in a hospital, Joyce. I doubt they don't have extra blankets for Steve's comfort. Now a pillow for that head is a whole other issue."

You giggled into Teddy's neck, as the two men bickered. Joyce left to finish making the bed.

"Are we gonna live here now?" Teddy asked you coloring randomly on the newspaper you held on your lap for him.

"No baby, just until I get a bit better." You cooed, rubbing his back he sat up to look at you.

"What's wong?" You looked to Steve who'd stopped, then back to your son. The fear in his brown eyes reflective of his father's turned your stomach sour. Steve was at you side in a spit second to distract Teddy.

"Um hey. Do you need anything particular while we're out?" Hop cleared his throat as Joyce wrap a arm around his waist covering her yawn in his chest.

"Do you have everything at home, Sweets?" your husband asked through tired eyes and a hardly contained yawn.

"They send us home with things right? I'll be okay. Maybe just Teddy?"

"Hey bub, Nana and Pop are gonna go grocery shopping. You want anything special?"

"Sheerios!"

"Heart healthy, good job!" She pinched his cheeks, "We'll give you some time together, just call the house if you need us?" They said their goodbyes and Steve shut the down behind them, leaving the Harrington's in the room together.

"Is there food here?" Steve laughs unwrapping a ho-ho for Teddy,

"Hey Edmund, we want to talk to you about something. Okay?" Steve started the conversation with saturated warmth.

"And it's okay to not understand, be sad or angry. You just tell us, we love you so much." You added moving the hair out of his eyes, just like you did for his father. Edmund was his carbon copy if that was ever a possibility.

"Otay."

"Remember we talked about being careful with Mommies tummy?" He nods chocolate smearing on his chin as he eats, "Do you know the reason why?"

"To grow my best fwiend." You sharply inhale, but Steve keeps Teddy's attention on him as your lip wobbles.

"Yeah, yeah buddy. Mommy and I wanted-want you to have a little sibling, but they weren't quite ready yet. " Steve corrects himself,

That's why Mommy and I are here at the hospital because Mommy and I, we had to say goodbye." Steve's hand reaches out for yours as an anchor. Teddy then notices your distress again, hooking his arms around your neck.

"Don't cry, Mommy. You still my friend." He tells you, brushing your hair down just like he's seen Steve do for you when your sick.

"Yeah?" You ask wetly, squeezing him. "I'm not your bestest friend?" you chide jokingly.

He laughs, cupping your ear and violently whispers.

"Don't tell Daddy..." Then hiding in your neck again.

"Okay baby." You giggle wetly, "Do you understand what were saying?"

"The stork took the baby back, because she wasn't ready."

"Almost, we still need to be careful with Mommies tummy a little longer. She doesn't feel to good, the baby made her real sick." Steve sits on the edge of the bed, Teddy seeks his comfort by leaning against Steve's chest. They both heave a sigh of relief, melting into each other's embrace with you at their side.

"But I'm better now, I'll always be here. No matter what." You brush thick locks from his eyes, some of the ends still baby blonde from his first hair cut.

"Will you have a baby still?" Teddy finally breaks a confused smile, laying his palm flat over you heart.

"Maybe someday, but right now I need to heal and give you my undivided attention!"

"This makes Mommy sad, and Daddy sad too." He asks, somber. To many thoughts and emotions running through his small body at once as he traces the shapes on your hospital gown.

"A little, but nothing tickles can't fix!" Steve grabs at Teddy's sides pining him against the bed as you both attack him with tickles. Under his chin, feet and along his sides.

"Hehehe, otay! Staph!!"

"Oh no, here comes the tickle monster!" Steve rears back pulling his elbows deep into his shirt like a t-rex's arms

"Nooo! Daddy no tickle monster!" Teddy belly-laughs holding your arm over him in protection

"Once he gets started the tickles must ensue! Only tickles!" Steve says if faux pain, pretending to tickle your sides.

"No Daddy!"

"Run Teddy! You can't save me! Save yourself from the tickles!" Teddy slides off the bed running to the bathroom and shutting the shower stall.

"Hi-" Steve says cupping your face in his hands pressing chaste kisses around your face.

"Hi." You stop his ministrations, kissing him deeply on the lips making his shoulders relax as you hold his face to you.

"When's the last time I said I love you?" taking a hypnotized breath that warms your cheeks, smelling of chocolate.

"It's a new day Mr. Harrington, but I love you too."

"You're beautiful and I love you. I'ma tell you that everyday for the rest of my days." His nose, circles around yours with humor.

"You're a dork."

"Your dork, in writing Sweets. Till death do us part-" He wiggles his ring finger in your face, unaware of his doubleganger trying to climb up your legs.

"And ickness!" Teddy yells next to Steve by the bed, frustrated.

"Ickness?! Oh no!" Steve picks up his son, shaking him into another fit of giggles. As he slams the toddler down on your cover legs, Teddy pleads for aid versus Steve. And you comply unable to resist his Harrington born charm. Pulling at Steve's shirt, pretending to go back for more kisses. You give him one on his cheek as an apology before you trap his arm under your body.

"Come 'ere Teddy, cuddle pile on Daddy." Teddy doesn't hesitate flinging himself of Steve's chest knowing he'll catch him regardless.

"Ugh! You. Are so heavy, can't stay up!" Steve plays dead, falling in his arm chair while Teddy slides down his body. Waltzing Jumping with without Steve's support back over to you on the bed.

"Daddy perished." You burst out laugh with Steve, at your baby's seriousness.

"Who taught you that word?" You ask through laughs

"Uncle Dusty, said died wasn't good. Perish is metal." He responds with an almost perfect rock and roll head bang.

"Jesus Christ-" You sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose,

"Speaking of Uncle Dusty, I think he's gonna be at bedtime tonight." Steve's head jumps up from it's place resting on the chair.

"Really?! He doing the puppet show!" Teddy's eyes nearly burst out of his skull in excitement

"I do the puppet show too!" Steve fiends offense

"But Dusty does voices, Daddy." Teddy whines

"I've never been more offended by a preschooler!" Steve holds his chest, pretending to sob.

"Get the phone for Mommy baby, we're gonna call Auntie Robin and Uncle Dusty for bedtime stories."

"Yes!" he jumps of the bed, making your heart leap out of your chest.

You dialed the house, phoneline picked up by Joyce as Robin and Dustin argued in the background. Asking for Robs to pick up her nephew. She stayed an hour, taking the car seat in her tiny car. Promising Steve to call you both before bedtime. When he came back to the room, Steve slumped back into the arm chair he'd dozed off in several times within the past hour.

"Stevie Baby, if you keep nodding off your head will pop off like a bottlecap."

" 'M sorry. Just a lot going on up there."

"That's no good." You giggled holding Teddy's Winnie the Pooh stuffy in your arms. You cried when he left it with you, wanting him to keep you company until he saw you after preschool tomorrow.

“Hmm." He stood up, pacing the foot of your bed. Unraveling a blanket laying it over you, before taking the smaller one for himself. After a few minutes he try's to dose off again, only to pop he's head back up and grip the arm rests. As he looks at you on the bed with unease.

"Steve, talk to me. Please." You press moving the blankets off your lap in mild frustration. Not directed at him yet his face crumples in a wince all the same.

"I was really scared, Y/N. I’ve never been that scared before, ever. I just-… Jesus.” He rubbed at his eyes again, slumping into the armchair. Scratching at his scalp,

“Steve.” Swinging your feet of the bed, leaning forward to halt his movements. Weaving your fingers in his, his lips pressed to your knuckles.

“I can't do this without you, I couldn't help you-I was helpless. Max, she. She was like a sister to me and when she passed away..." His seeming composure broke then, like the last crack in a dam. Letting the water roam freely, he shook with the waves. You stood up holding him against you, his tears dampening the fabric you wore. "I was lost for a long time. Then Eddie too, with all that blood and you so scared. I can't fucking imagine... Fuck Y/N-”

"Steve..." You kissed the crown of his head, the selfish misunderstood boy King was long gone. Stomped out by his father, Russian Soldiers, a multi-dimensional power, and finally himself. When he'd look in the mirror he fought a broke until there was no longer a empty shell of a person who couldn't sleep with his window open anymore. He filled his life with those he cared for, became strong for them. He craved their presence, the good and the bad. Then he found you, you were his future a dream he now craved. You made his love for you a reality with your son. Healed him to be the man he never thought possible, kisses his scars in the dark and still loved them full-heartedly in the daylight. Proud of his name, proud of the person he was and always could be. The guilt of his love hurting, his love hurting you. Was unfathomable, but you were here. Holding him through it, even if it caused you pain you didn't show him. You were there. You were still here with him and he's breathing evened out. Nose buried into your ribs as he held your tummy to his chest. Underneath the nauseating clean hospital smell, the iron and baby wipes. You smelled like you, the very base smell of your whole being was there.

"Stevie?" Your hands carded through his hair at the base of his neck, his nose nuzzled twice into your skin until he inhaled deeply.

"Yes?" yawning through the question, eyes finding yours above him. His chin resting on your sternum, one eye winking when his neck popped at the stretch.

“I’m here, I can’t go anywhere. You could just rest your eyes for a bit." You squeezed his cheeks in your palms, making his nose scrunch in a pout. "Maybe even use the shower to relax your body. Or just come back over here,” You tugged him with you as you shifted back in the bed, leaving room for him to lay back next to you. He inclined his head to you succumbing to your plea, relieved that you could finally rest together. Laying on his side next to you, this time immediately closing his eyes and holding your hand to his chest. Rubbing his index finger over your wedding ring to sooth himself to sleep. You were still slightly upright so he nuzzled into your shoulder as his pillow source. His hair tickled your bare neck when he shifted closer.

“I love you so much, thank you.” whispering to him after his breathing deepened. Sleep came to you shortly. It felt like minutes when you were woken up for your next walk. Nearly knocking Steve unconscious so he would stay and rest. The comforting Nurse from the night before returning, confident they would release you late in the morning. There were some other issues that worried them you'd come back for checkups after discharge but you were doing well. Moving alone but assistance was recommended for strenuous activities like lifting. Six weeks starting for any very strenuous ones, like it was even a consideration presently. Despite how much you loved your husband, and loved loving him. It was just past 7 when you returned to the room, Steve gone from the bed. Knocking on the bathroom door after the nurse left, the sound of water running behind it with heat radiating from the frame.

“Yeah one second,” A squeak turned it off and there was rustling before Steve cracked the door open, a towel draped around his waist just below his V-line of his pelvis. “Hey you're not supposed to be up without someone around.” He opened the door the rest of the way revealing his whole chest and arms. Water still clung to his hair, all of his hair, it took everything in you not to look down past his pecs. The trail of dark hair shading his soft tummy begging you to run your hands along it.

“Um earth to Y/N?” ‘How has his towel not fallen, shit he’s talking to me’ He waved his hand in front of your face, the other still holding the door.

“Sorry, I’m out of it I got back from walking. So I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” You lied, still tracing the water droplets cascading along his skin.

“Yes, I’m feeling much more like myself. If you want to sit on the toilet, I could help you wash your hair after I get dressed?” you contemplated his offer, it sounded so wonderful. You still reeked of grease from your shift the day before yesterday, along with something metallic and sterile soap from your gown.

“Yeah… Please?” You felt ashamed, ears flush at the intimacy. The guilt filed in soon after. Having him worry so much, wasn't he just as burdened with emotion as you were.

“Okay sit I’ll be right back,” You put on a smile, be strong for him if no one else. He came back into the bathroom in loose sweatpants without a shirt, your eyes went wide again. “See anything you like?” He started doing ridiculous poses in the doorway to make you laugh.

"You are so corny!" You laughed, throwing a hand towel at him.

"Hey, you were totally checking me out. I still got it, bab-, Shit soap!” He skipped back out into the main room. There was a rustle of items before he appeared again with a toiletry bag. Joyce had packed for the two of you. A frown etched its way back along your face as your eyes burned with unshed tears. He filled a small tub with warm water, looking around he found a clean cup to use. He hummed a Depeche Mode song as he went.

“Steve.” You hiccupped, hands shaking in your lap finger wringing together.

“Yeah?” He asked without looking, head rocking with music only he could hear. His head whipped around when he heard you sniffle when his eyes meet yours his face fell, devastated.

"I'm sorry." You croaked out before he could ask. Tears flooding from your eyes, creating a puddle on your collar.

' I'm so sorry Steve. I don't know what's wrong with me." You gasped out through shaking sobs, clinging to him when he dropped to hold you. Torso cradled between your thighs,

' Maybe if we had gotten here sooner like you said, she-." Steve's breath stuttered, the air around you tightened as you remember being so excited. For her.

' We would've been okay. I didn't listen, this is all my fault." You shake, pulling away from him, clutching at your thighs with clammy hands. Steve brushed the hair out of your face, thumbs wiping your tears as he observed you. You were panicking, hyperventilating enough that your face and chest blushed red.

"Breathe, my love. Breathe, in-and-out." His hands moved up and down your arms, squeezing at your biceps to the tips of your fingers. "Let it all out, I got you. 'M here." He exaggerated his breaths until yours were more controlled, "I love you. We'll be okay, just like you said. One thing at a time. Remember, we still have a healthy baby waiting for us at home. Yeah? And I will always be here, we got this."

"What-what if I can't, Steve?"

"You can do anything, baby. I've seen it. This might be too soon but you made Jesus's miracle of parting the red sea look like horse play." He wiped your eyes again, everything was starting to clear again. Now you could see the tears streaming down his face, the smile didn't reach the honey of his sunken eyes.

"What if this was it? What if I can't have more babies. Our dream of a big family can't happen... Because of me?" You said with a dark edge, it was your fear since Dr. Kerr first saw you while pregnant with Teddy. Steve chortled, a quiet suppressed laugh as he pinched his nose and sniffed the remaining tears away.

"Then we'll adopt or do that other stuff like Dr. Kerr said. Hey, look at me." Steve squished your cheeks, thumbs running along your cheekbones. "I would rather selfishly keep you all to myself. Edmund can buy his time." You sniffled quickly, sharp enough it could be mistaken for a laugh.

"This is all temporary, Sweets. It's okay for us to be sad."

"Okay." You exhaled,

"I love you so unexplainably much. I love Edmund so unconditionally it physically hurts." He brought a fist to his chest, taking a deep breath with closed eyes. "We loved this baby so much, she just wasn't ready yet. And that's okay, I'll love and remember everything I learned from her."

"And what's that?"

"That I would rather go through this heartbreak 100 times a day, then ever-ever loose you. I want to take away all your pain and suffering for myself. Give me all of it, I can take it. As long as you're still here with me."

"I love you."

"I love you most."

"Not possible."

"Alright come on, Mama's, this linoleum is not forgiving on my working man knees. Turn back around and let me make you feel better."

"Is that a threat or promise?" You giggled, palms wiping at the hollow of your eyes.

"You know exactly what these hands are capable of Sweets." Steve said with a salacious grin and wiggle of his fingers, his gold wedding band glimmering under the florescent light. He washed your hair with immense care, taking the time to massage and scrub at the scalp.

"Hmm, thank you." You said after he helped wring it mostly dry. He pressed a warm kiss to your wet forehead, "Steve?"

"Yeah?" His eyebrows shot up as he hovered over you, standing abruptly. Holding one of your elbows with an open palm,

"Moses parted the red sea, not Jesus." You commented, and Steve belly laughed hard enough for you to crack another smile.

"See, I can't live without ya! There's not much underneath my perfect quaffed hair."

He gave you the privacy to freshen up other areas, but when stepping out he was half laying on the bed. With his feet still on the ground, eyes closed. You made it over to the chair before getting a little woozy, Joyce had packed a ton of options but there was no way you were getting these on by yourself. Steve’s watch went off and he immediately jumped up, putting on the shirt that was in his hands. Crossing the room stopping at the bathroom knocking. He hadn’t looked at the chair until he opened the door and looked around to find the small stall empty.

“Jesus why didn’t you call for me?”

“Was feeling rebellious, also you passed the hell out and if I don’t have too, there’s no need for me to wake you.” you twist a little bit too much adjusting yourself in the chair, causing you to moan in pain clutching your sides. 

“Hey careful,” Steve walks over to you and squatting in front of you, “tell me how to help.”

“I want to change into big girl clothes, I’d feel weird if the kids came by and saw my ass out still in the hospital gown.” You griped,

"I wouldn't mind in the slightest."

"Steve-"

"So I should stick to granny panties? Throw all the others away?" You challenged playful smirk on your lips, the smile finally met his eyes after a day of tears the brown shown with happiness. Warming through his heart, you pressed your hand to hold onto that pulse. It soothed your woes and added kindling to the hearth in your heart. When he pulled you from the chair, you felt weightless, oozing with molten love for your family. Everything would be okay.

"What? I can admire my beautiful wife in a diaper and nothing else." He scoffed offended holding your hand to his chest.

"Pfft honestly, who needs underwear? We're living in the 90s, baby!" Steve held you through the giggles. He would never leave your arms again if you let him.

Masterlist

Steve Harrington

Part one

[steviesbicrisis]

Eddie, at the hospital post Upside Down, is out of it because of meds and keeps blabbering nonsense. Dustin visits him with Steve and Eddie keeps referring to him as his son.

Dustin replies jokingly with "Yeah and this is your husband, Steve" and rolls his eyes.

And if Eddie has some memory of parenting Dustin, he doesn't recall ever being in a relationship with Steve, which makes him come to the conclusion that he must've lost his memory.

Dustin feels immensely guilty as Eddie keeps apologizing to Steve in tears, for forgetting such a "wonderful and beautiful husband".

It goes on for a few days and surprisingly, Steve gets quickly adjusted to being Eddie's husband.

When Eddie is finally better and doesn't need that many painkillers, he still remembers how he acted around Dustin and Steve.

He's too embarrassed to face them again so he asks his uncle to keep them away if they ever come to visit again. And they do.

Steve barges into the hospital room "What the hell is going on?"

Eddie can't blabber anything coherent so Steve presses "Do you want to divorce me? is that it?"

To which, for some unknown reason, Eddie takes offense to "What the fuck, Harrington?"

"Oh, I'm 'Harrington' now? great" he replies, clearly pissed "No, fantastic! You'll have a word with my lawyer."

"Lawyer??"

"I'm taking Dustin and you'll have to pay for child support!"

"You can't take Dustin! He's my kid too!"

Wayne and Dustin observe their whole discussion from the entrance door, too scared to come into the room.

"Does Steve really have a lawyer?" Wayne muses.

Dustin turns to him, scandalized "They aren't married! I'm not their child!"

[artiststarme]

Eddie wished he hadn’t survived that vicious bat attack. He was supposed to die a hero, the martyr the group remembered and told stories about, the bard that was a fighter all along. Maybe he was in their eyes.

But to himself, he was just the loser kid that the universe kept kicking down. He had intended to lay his life down for Dustin to escape, which he did, kinda. But Dustin was too inexperienced to know how to find a pulse, especially a weak and sporadic one caused by a mixture of blood loss and adrenaline. Steve dragged Dustin through the gate and the alternate dimension erupted into flames around them.

And Eddie was still there.

He woke up on the cold concrete with fallen bats surrounding him and sulfuric ash floating into his lungs. At first he couldn’t move. Why did he have to be alive and in so much pain?

His battle jacket was shredded, as was his skin, his neck was slashed, his pick necklace was missing, and the motherfucking bats had chewed off his left nipple like kinky bastards from hell. He didn’t want to fight. He wanted to lie right back down and die of blood loss like he’d intended to.

But as he thought of his Uncle Wayne, he realized he couldn’t. That poor guy had put everything on the line for him again and again just to be disappointed each time. Eddie couldn’t disappear in an unknown world without making Wayne proud at least once. And after his… eventful Spring Break, there were others he’d come to love as well. Dustin. The little kid that was so good at everything but sorely lacking in the skill of checking for pulses? Eddie had seen his character traits in Hellfire Club, the kid would never forgive himself for not saving Eddie. He had to be okay for him, to save him from his own guilt if nothing else.

And Steve. Eddie had flirted with him and he hadn’t punched him in the face. That was something worth exploring! There was no way in fuck that Eddie was going to die a virgin after finally finding another boy who might be interested. Shit, he’d never even had a first kiss. He thought Steve might’ve been going in for a kiss before they all split up and he had to find out before succumbing to the bites.

So, despite his passive suicidality that had existed since birth and the threats pelting him from the universe, Eddie pulled himself up. He grabbed his spear, the guitar at what remained of his trailer, and set to looking for a way out.

He was going to see his uncle again, he was going to hug Dustin, and he was going to kiss Steve Harrington if it killed him. Because at this point? He had nothing to lose.

[sarcasticassian]

after they get Eddie to the hospital just in time to save him from the bat bites he actually ends up in a coma for a little bit (him and Max bond over that once they’re both fully recovered because of course they’ll be fine what you talking about) and OBVIOUSLY king Uncle Wayne rushes over to the hospital once this random Wheeler girl tells him that’s where Eddie is and he sits with him and that’s how Wayne meets the most random collection of people ever

Steve Harrington (who Wayne almost refuses to believe is related to Richard because this kid is nothing like his parents) and Dustin Henderson stay practically glued to Eddie’s side, random kids that are apparently in Hellfire and some that aren’t drift in between Eddie’s room and the Mayfield girl’s across the hall, some kids from Eddie’s year (this current one) also come in to join Steve and even the undead Police Chief (??!) and his band of merry men occasionally pop in even though Wayne is pretty sure Hopper is the only one who has ever met Eddie and the less said about that the better

but goddammit Wayne likes them all, firstly because they saved his boy but once he’d started to chat to them it was impossible to dislike them, he’s especially partial to Steve, who he can chat to about sports which he’s never been able to really do with Eddie and maybe it’s because he’s spent the most time with him one on one, Robin because he recognises something in her (and maybe Steve but he isn’t sure) that he sees and knows is in Eddie, Dustin for obvious reason and little Erica Sinclair has wedged her way into a soft spot after she verbally tore into a nurse who seemed to believe the allegations even after they were cleared

Eddie wakes up to Wayne and Steve quietly chatting and he’s beyond confused to see them sat together but he’s grateful to not be alone, he clings to each of their hands, anchoring himself before he slips back into sleep and happy that the man who may as well be his dad hasn’t abandoned him

once he wakes up on one of those first few days and his Uncle had been there when he fell asleep but now he’s not but he is surrounded by pretty much the entire Hawkins gang, he slurs out a ‘wher’s Ucl Wyn’ and Erica looks him directly in the eye and says ‘OUR Uncle Wayne has gone to get some coffee with Steve’ and the others just nod and it seems that alongside Eddie they’ve also adopted his Uncle Wayne into their weird little cult, Eddie falls back asleep with a content little smile on his face as Erica grips his hand in her small one

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Eddie is still trying to control his telepathy after he comes back as a vampire. He's resting in his room when Wayne comes in to say goodnight, and Eddie ends up reading his thoughts.

Eddie: You and Claudia used to know each other?

Wayne: *sighing* Way back before she married Dustin's daddy.

Eddie: You had sex with Claudia?!

Wayne: Oh, boy.

Eddie: You had sex with Claudia?!

Wayne: We were young.

Eddie: On the hood of a police car?!

Wayne: I'll be downstairs. Sleep tight. Don't let the demobats bite.

Eddie: Uncle Wayne!

[angelynmoon]

Do you think RockstarEddie has fans that start wearing preppy clothing after they see Steve, hoping that dressing like Eddie's boyfriend/husband will get them into his pants and Eddie's so confused when he looks into the crowd one night and sees at least a dozen people dressed like Steve in cute little sweaters and nice jeans with styled hair.

And Wayne, whose been done with these two idiots since before they were dating, shows him side by side pictures of his funny dressed fans and Steve and tells him to spot the differeence al la that one meme from the Office where it says corporate wants you to spot the difference between these two pictures.

Only Eddie, this dumbass, is so in love with his Stevie that he starts listing like 100 things that are different. Making Wayne throw the pictures in the air.

Dustin films it and tells everyone something along the lines of, "we've been dealing with this man's crush on his boyfriend/husband (depending on the year) since 1986" and "i love my two dumbass dads but their love affair needs to stop" and "the honeymoon stage should be over by now it's been 5/10/20 years now, they have like ten kids/grandkids now" (depending on which year this is set)

[biboomerangboi]

If you want me to care instantly about a piece of media just add a pathetic little guy who’s a bit fucked up but he’s a good dad (bonus points if they acquired the child through circumstances rather than it’s their own kid.)

[beady-eyed-munson]

When eddie was little, wayne was the only one who could hold him without him crying or becoming restless.

Reaching out a grasping hand over his parents shoulder when theyd take him to leave.

When he learned how to walk, wayne used to have to stop and make him wait outside the bathroom because hed trail behind his legs like a shadow.

Wayne had to give him one of his flannels so he could sleep at night.

I think he knew... babies have a way of picking up on things like that..

Eddie was supposed to be his.

Eventually as life took hold, eddie saw wayne less and less.

He learned to exist by himself. not even really remembering wayne..but he always felt lost, til he was brought back to his door.

[itswhatyougive]

CAST PICS OF THE HAWKINS ADULTS AS KIDS IN THE 50'S FROM STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW SNEAK PEEK (Link)

WE IN IT NOW BOYS (gn)

[darkimpala1897]

Eddie has a pet raccoon, he found it as a baby after it's mother got ran over and he raised it. Wayne thought he was crazy but Eddie was a good parent. Even after Eddie let him go, it came around asking for pets and food.

After Eddie died, he still came around. So Wayne kept taking care of it for Eddie.

And then one day it came around with a baby in it's mouth and that made Wayne laugh for the first time in forever because Eddie was so certain it was a male raccoon but it was not.

Wayne guesses Eddie named it appropriately and it's name you're wondering is Steve

Eddie named it after Steve because he had a huge crush on him and the raccoon does in fact sorta look like Steve at least to Dustin.

And yes the baby raccoon is in fact named Dustin. Steve named it mostly because of this

Steve feeding the raccoon with Dustin well the baby followed it around.

Steve: "What's her name?"

Dustin trying not to laugh.

Dustin: "Her name is Steve, mostly because Eddie had a huge crush on you and because she looks like you."

Steve looking at the raccoon grumbling under his breath, so this is how he finds out Eddie liked him.

Steve: "Well in that case the kid should be named Dustin."

Dustin: "Touché."

Wayne coming out of the trailer holding a couple of mugs for Steve and Dustin.

Wayne: "I see you met mama Steve, she likes you both."

Dustin was holding back laughter, it made Steve smile seeing Dustin like this again.

[lunaraindrop]

I love prompt things!

How about the word...twirl? :)

Oooo! A good one! Here you go! A bit of Wayne Munson/Claudia Henderson thrown in there too!

‐----‐--------------------

In the short six months after the "earthquake" that rocked Hawkins to its core, many strange things had happened. Some bad things, yes. But some good too.

In all of the chaos with Eddie and Max in the hospital, Wayne Munson and Claudia Henderson met. To say that the two adults got along was... a huge understatement!

At first glance, Steve didn't really see much of a resemblance between nephew and uncle. Besides the obvious, Hair vs. no Hair, Wayne was shorter than his nephew. He also lacked the rich, warm brown eyes that Steve was starting to become addicted to. Wayne's were what Steve thought at a cool blue. His hands were stubby and naked, where Eddie's fingers were all long, wiggly tendons and metal rings.

All of those thoughts went out the fucking window the minute Steve witnessed Wayne meeting Claudia.

The woman went into that hospital with a mission. After hearing Dustin talk about how Wayne had barely left Eddie's side in days, Claudia Henderson bustled into the room like only a mother of Dustin Henderson could, handed a bemused Wayne a cup of coffee and a club sandwich in Reynolds Wrap, and tutted at him that he would be no help to Eddie if he didn't take care of himself. (Steve...may have got a similar speech...)

Instead of the man being offended...well, you would think Claudia handed Wayne the moon.

Once Wayne, and subsequently Eddie's jaws were picked up off the floor, Wayne opened up.

While it was quieter, more subtle, Wayne Munson flirting greatly resembled the cow-eyed, cute quipped, touchy-feely dance Eddie did around Steve. (Steve, very observant thank-you-very-much, noticed this. Feeling the flutter of something warm and cautiously hopeful, Steve asked Robin later, "Hey, do you think Eddie's been flirting with me?" Robin sputtered and fell out of her chair)

After just talking to the woman for a second time, a besotted Wayne swore to his nephew in his hospital bed, "I'm gonna marry that woman."

Well, that was only going to happen *after* Steve hints that Claudia has to ask the man out first. Apparently, Munson men fall in love hard, fall fast, and stay in love like a possessive, deranged swan. They just...have an awkward time going from love declarations to actually asking someone out.

This was confirmed by Eddie. They were once again in his hospital room. Eddie was getting close to being released, but still had to stay until his wounds healed over a little better. Steve, hating the idea of Eddie being alone while Wayne had to go to work, would hang out with him in between work shifts and volunteering at the school. This meant he was often sleeping over on the pullout cot. It was one of those mornings when he slept over in the hospital that it came up. Since it seemed like Steve and Wayne were trading Eddie shifts, Claudia was bringing them both clean clothes and something to eat. He and Eddie witnessed the exchange, where hands lingered just a bit longer than necessary on the work clothes she so nicely washed. Instead of Wayne yaki g his chances, he called her "Dollface" and "Sweetheart" before rushing to get ready to leave. Steve saw the glimmer of confused disappointment in her eyes.

Steve fully understood that feeling.

Later, Steve found himself questioning Eddie on why Wayne was like that. How the time before he gave Claudia his jacket in the chilly hospital, only to make an excuse to zip out that Eddie needed more Jello.

Eddie hates Jello. Calls it a "Gelatinous Cube" and hisses at it anytime some comes near. Steve finds it endearing funny.

"So, your uncle goes on and on about liking Dustin's mom, but flakes out when he has a chance to ask her out. What gives, man?"

Averting his eyes, Eddie shrugged from eating his chocolate pudding (that Steve smuggled in for him). "What can I say? Munson men feel deeply, but are chicken shit about rejection. We just bat our eyes and stare, hoping the one we love gets a hint and proposes first."

"You mean asks out first."

"I know what I said, Big Boy."

Steve knew he needed to leave and take Dustin (who was with Max in the other room Steve frequented) home to his mom. He *also* knew he had to have a little chat with said mom.

But Eddie had him thinking.

After their goodbyes, as Steve stood at the threshold of the door, he mustered up the courage to turn around.

"You know, Eddie. You bat your eyes at me. Like, all the time."

Eddie dropped his spoon, beautiful cow-eyes wide. "Uh..."

Steve crosses his arms, and leaned a little cockily against the door frame. "And you stare."

Eddie pulled a piece of hair in front of his face, voice going up a higher octave. "Would we reeeeally call it staring? I thought of it more practicing telepathy."

Feeling giddy and so, so in love, Steve sauntered back in.

"You're not a mind reader, and I'm not El. If you want me to ask you out, you gotta give me a better signal."

Eddie went from looking panicked to impishly intrigued. "You'd be up for that? What kind of signals are we talking about? And what outcome should I expect? You know, hypothetically."

Steve shrugged, trying for casually cool and not like his heart was going to jump out of his chest and tackle Eddie back into the bed. "I dunno, like twirl your hair? Bite you lip? Or, I don't know, say 'Hey Steve, I would really like to get to go on our first date soon' to name a few!"

Eddie's brow furrowed. "And would there be a date?"

Steve walked back in and sat on the edge of Eddie's bed, softly petting at Eddie's calf. "Oh, there would be LOTS of dates. That one would just be the one to get the ball rolling. Throw me a bone here. Hypothetically, of course. "

Tilting his head, Eddie eyed Steve and twirled a piece of his hair.

Steve held in a gasp.

"I see what you're getting at, Stevie-Boy."

Looking away, Eddie bit his lip.

"But I'm stuck in this here hospital bed. If I said, 'Date me now, you beautiful bastard!', where wouldwe go? The cafeteria?"

Steve propped himself above Eddie, hand braced against the wall behind Eddie's head.

"Hypothetically?"

"Of course."

Steve reached over to twirl a curl of Eddie’s hair. He learned closer, almost nose to nose.

"Hypothetically speaking, we could be dating for months before we even go on a single date. Busy lives, you know."

Eddie, trying and failing to look serious, canted his nose to rub against Steve's.

"That sounds an awful like proposing to be boyfriends, Sweetheart."

Switching from looking into his eyes to his lips, Steve breeched the hairsbreadth of space, kissing the supple lips he had been dreaming about, before giving Eddie's bottom lip a little nibble.

"Ha. I guess you have it right. What do you say? Want to give it a go?"

Eddie threaded his fingers into Steve hair.

"Boyfriends?"

"Yes."

"Hypothetically?"

"Hell no."

"Good."

Dustin found them ten minutes later, making out on Eddie's hospital bed.

The little shit wasn't even mad or traumatized.

He just demanded that Steve figure out how to get his mom and Wayne to figure their shit out.

Turns out all Claudia had to do was the hair twirl before Wayne caved.

[schrijverr]

A Behind the Scenes of: Eddie and Steve's Wedding

Together with Eddie and Steve themselves, Jonathan takes a look at their unlawful wedding from 1992.

On AO3.

Ships: Steddie (and other background)

Warnings: homophobia mention

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hi, I’m Jonathan Byers, the main photographer and editor of A Collection of Queer Photography. And today Eddie and Steve are with me to look at their illegal wedding in ‘92,” Jonathan starts the video.

“Hellu everybody,” Eddie grins happily into the camera, keeping up the energy he had in the video about Corroded Coffin.

“Hi,” Steve greets a little more reserved. He has his glasses on and a soft sweater, while his hair is still perfectly styled. There are laugh lines around his eyes as well as a few wrinkles on his forehead.

Steve now has his own mic, but that doesn’t stop him and Eddie from being pressed so close together that they could have shared one.

“The wedding is from page 130 to 137,” Jonathan says. “The way we built it up when putting it in was starting with the moment before the ceremony, then the wedding itself, then the after wedding nice pictures, before ending with the after wedding party.”

“And boy did we party,” Eddie grins.

“Of course we did,” Steve comments a little bitchily. “It was our wedding. We’re not going to have a boring wedding.”

Jonathan rolls his eyes fondly at the couple as he flips open the book and says: “Page 130 has Pre-Wedding Jitters on it, taken, of course, in 1992.”

The photo is of Eddie and Wayne. They’re both in suits and Eddie is fidgeting nervously with the cuff link, while Wayne is straightening Eddie’s tie. He looks like he’s in the midst of an anxious rant to Wayne, who is attempting to soothe him. They both have a flower pinned to their lapel as well as one stuck in Eddie’s ponytail.

Almost in sync, Eddie and Steve lean over to see the photo. Eddie blushes while Steve melts and comments: “Ahw you were so cute in your little suit with Wayne.”

Eddie’s smile turns a little wistful at the mention of his uncle and he says: “He’s the reason my tie was on right. I- I still don’t know how to do it. He always used to and now Stevie here does.”

Steve hugs him tightly leaning his head on Eddie’s shoulder for a second, before easing up again after he promises that he’ll always be here to do it. Eddie leans back into him and says: “You better, big boy.”

“It’s such a sweet moment,” Jonathan agrees with them. “I’m really happy I caught it. I also think it’s really funny and says a lot about the two of you that Eddie was anxiously ranting while Wayne fiddled with his outfit, while Steve was fiddling with his outfit while being ranted at in Big Day Pep-Talk on the other page here.”

Big Day Pep-Talk appears on screen. It is of Steve and Robin on it. They are also both dressed in suits with flowers pinned to them. Steve is wiping imaginary dust of his front, while Robin has both her hands on his shoulders and looks at him intently. She is talking to Steve, who is seemingly nodding along, unable to help worrying his lip between his teeth.

At that Eddie and Steve snort as Steve shrugs: “What can I say, I know what it takes to always look good.”

“I do it effortlessly, though,” Eddie teases.

“With your team of stylists, Mr. Rockstar,” Steve quips right back. Both of them are grinning happily, their snippy back and forth a big part of their relationship that neither of them takes to heart.

“You got me there,” Eddie laughs, before turning to the photo. “You and Robs make a great team, I’m glad she talked you out of getting cold feet.”

“I didn’t get cold feet,” Steve protests, before looking away. “I just maybe needed to hear it again that you would show up.”

“Of course I would show up,” Eddie says, almost affronted.

“You both showed up,” Jonathan sighs. “I don’t know why you two always need to rehash this argument. Both of you were nervous and both of you did it and you’re happy now.”

“It’s nice to repeat it sometimes,” Eddie says.

“You wouldn’t get it,” Steve immediately backs him up, dropping their argument.

Jonathan sighs, but doesn’t go into it and also doesn’t really look bothered. Instead he says: “I think these two match very well. Wayne and Robin are the most important people to you and I think it’s nice that you got to have them as back up and that the two of you mirrored each other subconsciously.”

“Hell yeah,” Eddie cheers, holding up his hand for a high five that Steve obliges happily while Jonathan flips the page.

“Okay, the concept for page 132 and 133 was to have both of you seeing each other on page 132, so walking the aisle and then page 133 had the vows and you walking back down the aisle. So the two pages are kind of the ceremony itself,” Jonathan explains. “First photo is Seeing the Groom, which is of Steve seeing Eddie.”

The photo that appears is of Steve standing in the backyard of the Hopper-Byers house. A homemade altar has been constructed behind which is Hopper, smiling proudly in his suit. On the left side is Gareth, waiting as Eddie’s best man. Robin is behind Steve on the right, squeezing his shoulder as she looks teary-eyed at whatever is happening behind the camera. The real focus of the photograph is, Steve, who is smiling so brightly it seems to split his face in two, tears sliding down his face as he cries. He seems to glow from within and breathless by what he is seeing.

“I loved seeing Steve so much,” Eddie sighs dreamily at the photo. “I mean, he’s so handsome and he cried. He told me he wouldn’t cry, but he did.”

“Of course I cried,” Steve exclaims. “I was going to marry you and you looked beautiful. Plus, you cried too.”

“Yeah, but I never denied I was going to cry like a bitch,” Eddie points out.

“No comment,” Steve says, before turning to Jonathan and asking: “So, what are your insights here?”

Jonathan shakes his head with a smile, before he starts: “I like that it seems everybody is revolving around Steve and his anticipation. Like, it is very clear that Steve is the center of the photo, but even more than that, it is who Steve is watching. There is this anticipation that underlines it all that I’m pretty proud of.”

“You were very anticipated, baby,” Steve nudges Eddie with a smile, who returns it tenfold. The two of them scoot closer, impossible as it seems.

“Beyond that, I also like the homemade element that is quite clear here,” Jonathan says. “It kind of contrasts everyone’s clothes and the traditional set up of it all, which indicated the political climate at the time. It could just be an outdoor wedding, but it was homemade because it wasn’t just outdoor, there was no other way to have it.”

“Yeah,” Eddie nods, Steve doing the same. He continues: “I thought getting illegally married was pretty metal of us, but, as much as I am anti-establishment, it would have been nice to do it at a venue and shit. To have catering or a band playing, but we couldn’t take those risks.”

“Exactly,” Steve agrees. “I mean, I always dreamed of having a wedding, settling down with someone. Part of that was my upbringing of course, since I was expected to create an heir for my father’s business and in a small town you can’t have a baby without a marriage, but I also liked the fantasy of it all. This was still one of the best days of my life, but, like Eds said, it would have been nice to have a bigger, nicer wedding. We could afford it, it just wasn’t safe.”

“That really sucked, yeah,” Jonathan says, before he grins. “But the two of you more than made up for it at your wedding in 2015.”

The two of them have matching proud grins and Eddie says: “Yeah, we did.” This time it’s Steve who holds up his hand as Eddie high fives him.

“Corroded Coffin fans probably saw some of the photos of it that were posted online,” Jonathan addresses the audience. “But those who weren’t fans back then, just know that it was as dramatic as ever. The band performed, Eddie wrote a song with extra vows, there were fireworks and Steve’s after party outfit had photos of all their time as couple together on it.”

“It was great,” Steve informs the camera happily.

“It was,” Jonathan agrees, because they know how to throw a party. “Anyway, let’s move onto Walking Down the Aisle, which is right underneath.

The photo that comes on screen is of Eddie being given away by uncle Wayne. They’re walking arm in arm down the aisle. Eddie practically clutching Wayne’s arm tight enough to bruise, though Wayne doesn’t seem to mind if you go of the way he’s smiling. Eddie is crying just as much as Steve is, though he also can’t stop the grin on his face.

“You looked so pretty,” Steve gushes. “I swear I can close my eyes and conjure you in this moment. Burned into my noggin forever.”

“Ahww, baby,” Eddie says, pulling Steve close as he makes big, touched eyes.

Jonathan lets the two of them do their thing as he talks to the camera. “This, like many photos in this book, is another example of queering scenarios that are normally heteronormative moments, which I really love doing. And it’s just a sweet memory as well.”

“We love queering everything,” Eddie cheers, freeing one arm from Steve’s clutches to throw over Jonathan’s shoulder and pull him into the hug as well. Jonathan goes quite willingly and with a smile on his face.

They move onto the next photo, which appears on screen. It is of Eddie and Steve kissing at the altar. Eddie is holding the lapels of Steve’s suit, crinkling the fabric with the force as he pulls Steve close. Steve has one hand on Eddie’s hip, the other wound in Eddie’s ponytail. He is clinging equally close.

“This one is called Declared Husband & Husband,” Jonathan states. “What I like about this is how much you’re both clinging to each other. You just look so genuinely happy to be married, despite everything that’s against to you. Sometimes joy in an image can be really powerful.”

“Ahw, you’re going to make me cry,” Eddie says. “I already cried once about being married to Steve today.”

Steve meanwhile has turned slightly away from the camera and is dabbing at his eyes with his sleeves, before turning back and choking: “I was very happy. I am very happy. I love this photo so much. We have it framed on the hearth.”

“It is a very lovely photo,” Eddie agrees, before he kisses Steve on the cheek. “And I’m happy too, sweetheart.”

Steve melts a little into Eddie’s side, the two of them practically merging into one. Jonathan smiles at them fondly, looking a little proud of himself as well.

“Okay, next photo is Back Down the Aisle,” Jonathan breaks the silence after a brief pause.

Back Down the Aisle is of Eddie shrieking as Steve sweeps him off his feet to carry him down the aisle in a bridal carry. The shriek on his face is mixed with delight as he scrambles to hold onto Steve’s shoulders. Steve is laughing widely as if he knows how much he’ll startle Eddie.

Eddie and Steve lean over to see again. When they do, Steve bursts out into laughter, while Eddie nudges him with his shoulder and exclaims: “You were such an asshole for that,” with a fond grin on his face.

“You loved it,” Steve grins back.

“Yeah, I did,” Eddie smiles dreamily as he starts to playfully squeeze Steve’s upper arm. “My husband, so strong.”

Steve rolls his eyes, before flexing and saying: “Hell yeah, I am.” Due to the sweater, you can’t really see his arms that well, but he is clearly strong, built like heavy weight champions, broad, soft, yet filled with muscle too.

“Oh my god,” Jonathan groans. “Why did I agree to this.”

“Because we’re your friends and you love us anyway?” Eddie suggests, failing to play innocent.

“And because Eds here is great publicity,” Steve adds with a shit eating smirk.

“Fair enough,” Jonathan says as he straightens up and goes back to his task in this whole ordeal, AKA actually talking about the photo. “This is another example of queering the heteronormative, which is bound to be a theme at an illegal gay wedding.”

“Hey,” Eddie interrupts with a pout. “Was it my friendship or am I just a publicity whore to you!”

“Publicity whore,” Jonathan tells him without hesitation. Despite their antics, Eddie and Steve have made him much more comfortable in front of the camera and he’s not afraid to be his own snippy self with them.

“You know what? I deserved that,” Eddie says, though he doesn’t really look hurt. Eddie will always be down to lift the projects of his friends and other people doing good things. Besides, he knows that Jonathan doesn’t really mean it and he’s having a great time.

“Thank you,” Jonathan says pointed, flipping the page.

Then he awkwardly flips it back and says: “I also wanted to add that I love the playfulness of this photo. Especially at the time, weddings were seen by broad society as this important, stiff ceremony. A lot of the time, marriages were also done out of obligation, either to hide a premarital baby, to make alliances, just for financial safety or because it was expected. These moments of joy show how much you two simply like each other and like being around each other. It makes it even more absurd that this wasn’t allowed.”

“Ahww, Jonny-boy, we should've let you do our best man speech,” Eddie jokes to hide the genuine emotion.

“Gareth and Robin would have killed me, not to mention Dustin. No, thanks,” Jonathan shudders as they all laugh.

This time it is for real when Jonathan flips the page and a new photo appears on screen. It is of Eddie and Steve, flanked by Wayne, Hopper and Joyce, remnants of tears on their faces and smiles firmly in place.

Jonathan introduces it: “This is Proud Parents. I really like playing with traditional family shoots in relation to found family and this is a great example of that.”

“These people were more parents than our actual parents anyway. It fits them better,” Eddie comments.

“Yeah, uncle Wayne took both of us in and Jim and Joyce have always been kind of there for me ever since ‘83,” Steve says. He glances at Jonathan, who nods, before he continues: “Will went missing, I also got caught up with the search. It bonds people. If Eddie and Wayne hadn’t already offered me a spot after my parents kicked me out, I would’ve been living with them. They’re the best parents ever.”

“I am very lucky,” Jonathan agrees easily.

“As am I,” Eddie says. “Sure, I got kicked out, but uncle Wayne was the very best. Without him, who knows where I would have ended up.” Eddie is quiet for a second. “I’m really glad we held this wedding, that he could be here for it, since, you know…”

Eddie trails off, but they all know what he meant to say: ‘Because he didn’t live to see our other one.’

They’re all quiet for a moment to commemorate uncle Wayne, who didn’t live to see gay marriage be legalized in the States. Steve is gently rubbing Eddie’s back, he knows it still hurts, no matter how many years have passed. Then Eddie breaks it and asks: “What’s next?”

Jonathan takes his cue to move on and reads out: “The one with Dustin. “I Knew They Would Get Along”.”

“Ah, the smug one,” Eddie and Steve say in sync, before looking at each other and bursting into laughter.

The photo is of Eddie and Steve posing with Dustin. He looks very smug as he stands with the two, while Eddie and Steve seem to be rolling their eyes.

“He was our ring bearer,” Eddie says. “He fought very hard for best man, but I had to give that to Gar and Robs wasn’t going to budge either. Though, he was my best man at our legal wedding. I think Gar is still a little salty about it.”

“Gareth just likes holding grudges over nothing,” Steve comments. “I think he’s still mad at me for that time in ‘98 when I told him I’d bring cookies when I came to watch you guys practice and I forgot. I apologized like three times too.”

“You still know the year that happened?” Eddie asks incredulously.

“I also like holding grudges,” Steve replies, looking away bitchily to which Eddie snorts.

“I have very little to add to this photo,” Jonathan states to get them moving again. “Page 134 are posed photos, so they are less snapshots. I love this one mostly because Dustin can be very smug and Eddie and Steve can be very done with his shit. Fondly, but still. This just show their relationship quite well.”

Jonathan looks back to the page and says: “Last one on page 134 is With the Kids and is just you guys posed with the younger party. Cool to skip that one?”

“Sure,” Eddie agrees easily and Steve also shrugs as he nods. He’s more than happy to let people who are used to being in these sort of settings make decisions like that.

“Okay, page 135 has two I love,” Jonathan says. “They’re more personal reactions, less posed. I got one for each of the grooms, but there are others with other people. These just say a lot. First one is the one that spawned the idea of this video; Lead Singer Gets Hitched.”

It is of Eddie being lifted onto the shoulders of the Corroded Coffin boys. They’re so proud that their emotions out themselves like they’re a bunch of jocks. Jeff and Chris are bearing most of Eddie’s weight while Gareth is just grinning widely as he tries to stabilize a manically laughing Eddie. None of their suits are done up properly and a sense of happiness and pride wafts off the image.

Eddie has a soft, fond grin on his face as he looks at the photo. He looks up after a second and says: “I just love those guys, you know. They’re the best. None of us expected to get married. Me and Gar never dared to dream, because two small gay boys in Bumfuck, Indiana and Jeff and Chris were pushed down their entire lives right besides us for being nerds, metal heads, freaks. I think none of could really believe this was happening. Any of it. It felt amazing, kind of like we made it in a different way than showbiz.”

“This photo reads as such a victory photo, a true celebration, which I think shows that,” Jonathan comments.

“It’s very jock-like,” Steve says. “And I think that’s hilarious. You just scored the winning point at the end of the match, Eds.”

“Let me have this, Stevie,” Eddie pouts with a big smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

“Of course, baby,” Steve agrees immediately and with ease, kissing the tip of Eddie’s nose as he does, which makes Eddie blush and look away.

Seemingly oblivious to the blushy mess he left Eddie as, Steve turns back to the photo and laughs as he says: “When I saw them do that I was so worried about them. I mean, they’ve done crazy stunts on stage now, but back then they were a little too close to what I had seen in high school PE class. I was so sure they were going to drop Eddie. Take it from someone, who has had multiple concussions, they aren’t fun.”

Eddie has shaken off the blush and teasingly pouts: “We weren’t that bad.”

“Eddie, baby, I love you, but you are almost on Robin’s level,” Steve tells him with the most empathetic voice. “You trip over air regularly and clip into things all the time. Jeff has broken his guitar writing stuff down, Gareth once fell of stage. You fell of stage. Multiple times.”

“That’s showbiz, baby,” Eddie grins, doing jazz hands.

“That’s you being an idiot,” Steve shoots right back, grinning as he shakes his head fondly.

“The next photo is The Groom and His Best Man,” Jonathan interrupts before they can tease-flirt even more.

The Groom and His Best Man is a photo of Robin and Steve. They’re is sitting on the ground, not caring that the grass will likely stain their suits. Robin is sitting on the ground next to Steve, legs thrown over his lap. Their heads are bend together as they admire the ring on Steve’s hand. Robin is smiling softly, while Steve still looks to be in awe, like he still can’t quite believe it.

“Whereas Lead Singer Gets Hitched is a loud celebration, this one is such a quiet awe-filled moment,” Jonathan says. “I really love the juxaposition between them by putting them on the same page, as well as showing how they’re different sides of the same coin. The loud celebration of something you didn’t think you could achieve versus the stunned silence of getting there.”

“You’re right, I couldn’t believe it,” Steve agrees, smiling at the photo. “When I fell in love with Eddie, I mourned a lot of stuff too. They don’t tell you that, but a part of discovering yourself is letting go of a future you’re not going to have. I shouldn’t be complaining, of course, I could still love a woman, so-”

“Hey, no bi erasure, sweetheart,” Eddie interrupts softly, but sternly.

“Ah, sorry,” Steve drops it immediately, giving the camera an apologetic look.

“It’s okay,” Eddie tells him. “What did you want to say?”

“Oh, yes,” Steve gets back on track. “When I fell in love with Eddie, I knew he was it for me and with that came a lot of happiness, but also knowing there were things I wouldn’t get to have. That was pretty rough at first. I grew up believing my future would follow all the steps of school, marriage, home, kids and then I was confronted with the fact that I wouldn't have all that. And that was hard, very hard. I always wanted to settle down, have kids and that just crumbled before my eyes.”

Steve takes a shuddering breath and Eddie pulls him close, softly asking: “You still good to share, doll? You can always back out.”

“I am,” Steve assures him with a small smile, before going on. “It felt like that was gone, but Eddie kind of gave that future back to me. We said screw it, if we want to have that future, we can, even if we have to built it ourselves. This photo is the moment that sank in for me. That I could still have all that and look at me now, I do.”

He looks up and smiles, before going on: “And I’m glad I shared it with Robs, because she was the person that has always been there for me. Who mourned that stuff with me. She knew from a young age that wasn’t in the cards for her and while she never dreamed of it, I know this also gave her a little bit of hope.”

“And she had her glorious gay wedding too,” Jonathan says.

Eddie, meanwhile, has gone teary eyed and quiet as he buries his face in Steve’s shoulder, hiding behind his hair as he wraps himself around Steve. Choked up, he whispers: “I’m glad I could do that for you, Stevie.”

Steve smiles lovingly at Eddie, scratching his scalp as he replies: “I’m glad too. Love you.”

“Love you too,” came Eddie’s muffled reply.

There is a cut, before Jonathan is introducing the next one: “Page 136 has a start of the night, end of the night comparison, while page 137 is what the actual party looked like when the part where people felt that they had to look nice for the pictures was over.”

“AKA the best part of the night,” Eddie quips with a big grin.

“Sure,” Jonathan smiles as he rolls his eyes. “First we have Eddie & Steve Munson, which is at the start of the night when both grooms were still looking handsome.”

“Especially Eddie, isn’t that right, Jonny?” Steve comments, leaning over to look at Jonathan.

“Don’t,” Jonathan says, hiding behind the book.

“What?” Steve replies, acting both innocent and oblivious, with an edge of mean girl shining through. “You had a crush on my husband, can’t I point out how good he looks? You agree, don’t you?”

“Oh my god,” Jonathan groans as he thunks the book against his head. “I should have never let Eddie tell you that. Besides, that was in like ‘89, I was already over it when I took this photo anyway.”

“So you’re saying Eddie isn’t handsome?” Steve asks, biting his lip to contain his laughter, while Eddie hides a giggle behind his hand.

“This feels like a trap,” Jonathan says, his voice sounding forced.

“It is,” Steve tells him cheerily. “So, I’ll let it go. The answer was that he looks very dashing and handsome, as well as very taken and happily married.”

“He does look very happily married,” Jonathan agrees gratefully.

Eddie & Steve Munson, which has been on screen throughout the conversation is taken right after the ceremony. Eddie and Steve are standing, foreheads resting against each other, hands clasped between them. Both of them are smiling as they gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes, suits perfectly in tact. A classic wedding picture.

“If I may interject,” Eddie says, saving Jonathan further. “I’d say that Stevie also looks very handsome and happily married.”

“Probably because he is,” Steve replies as he leans in close to Eddie, both of them with love sick looks on their faces as they face one another, their noses practically touching.

Either letting them be or being oblivious to it, Jonathan says: “This is again the queering of a traditional photo and, as mentioned, we juxtaposed it with the less glamorous and socially acceptable end of the night. So, right next to it is Grooms at the End of the Wedding.”

The photo is of the pair. Both of them have lost their suit jacket and tie, Steve has a few buttons undone and his sleeves rolled up, while Eddie’s dress shirt is unbuttoned all the way down, though still tucked into his pants. They both have a beer in their hand and are shitfaced. Eddie’s arm is wrapped around Steve’s waist, Steve’s around Eddie’s shoulder as they grin into the camera.

“As you can see, they’re a lot more disheveled, but what I love is the satisfied looks on their faces, you know,” Jonathan says. “They had a great night and that shines through them.”

Next to him, Steve has put his head on Eddie’s shoulder and Eddie has him pulled tightly to his side, though they’re listening to Jonathan. Steve agrees: “We did have an amazing night.”

“God, it was great,” Eddie reminisces with a big grin on his face. “I was only invited on ragers when I was there to deal – yes, I was a drugs dealer in high school, big wow – so to be at one with people I actually liked and go nuts was amazing and definitely an experience. Not at all comparable to famous people parties.”

“Can you say that?” Steve asks concerned.

“What?” Eddie asks.

“About the drugs?”

“Pretty common knowledge by now, plus statute of limitations has run out anyway,” Eddie shrugs.

“I know that, but is it smart?” Steve asks.

“Don’t see why not,” Eddie grins.

“Alright,” Steve gives in, trusting Eddie to know what’s best for him. He moves back onto the topic and says: “It was pretty close to high school ragers, but also not even close. Those parties are all people drinking and throwing up, there is arguing and people trying to be cool. This was actually fun. The only comparison is the drinking.”

“God, we were so drunk,” Eddie laughs.

“Yeah, you two fell like three seconds after I took this one,” Jonathan says.

“Really?” Steve frowns as Eddie comments: “I do not remember that at all, but that does explain why I had this big bruise on my thigh the next morning.”

“I told you it wasn’t me,” Steve crows with delight. “It was way too big to be a hickey and a weird place too, like why would I create a huge hickey on the outside of your thigh. I don’t know why you thought that.”

“It could have been,” Eddie defends himself. “We have done-”

“Let’s not get into you guys’ sex life,” Jonathan cuts them off, before the argument can get too revealing. At the interjection Steve blushes deeply while Eddie cackles loudly. “Moving on,” Jonathan says. “First one on page 137 is Keg Stand King Steve.”

The photo is of Steve doing a keg stand, held up by Eddie and Jeff, as around him Argyle, Dustin, Erica, Gareth, Lucas, Max and Robin chant. It looks more like a frat party than a wedding.

“This photo isn’t beating the high school rager allegations,” Jonathan snorts.

“Excuse you, this was a special request by my husband,” Steve says snootily. “I wasn’t going to deny him this on our wedding day.”

“Hell yeah it was,” Eddie grins happily. “Stevie here was keg stand grand master of our high school until senior year. I never got to see it myself, but I always thought it would be hot. My baby here kindly indulged me.”

Steve puffs up with pride at the words.

“God, you two are so weird,” Jonathan informs them, though it’s more a comment to himself. “But it does reflect the vibes of later in the night very well. And it looks funny next to the more respectable photo of a group next to it, which is Dancing Couples.”

Dancing Couples is of the dance floor, taken a bit earlier into the night when suits were on semi-properly at least. Front and center are Eddie and Steve dancing together. In the background you can see Mike and Will dancing, as well as El and Max, Max is leaning on her crutches with El’s arms wrapped around her neck, as well as Argyle and Nancy.

“I am going to be honest here and say that Dancing Couples was supposed to be on the left of the page and Keg Stand King Steve on the right, but we only noticed they were switched when it was too late, so this is how they are now,” Jonathan says. “We wanted a progression of the night, but that is kind of ruined. It is what it is. If we have put out a new edition, that will be fixed.”

“Huh, I didn’t notice,” Steve says, as Eddie nods: “Me neither.”

“That’s good,” Jonathan smiles. “In this photo Eddie and Steve are of course the focus as the grooms, but I tried to get as many couples in the background as I could. I really wanted to show that this was a queer wedding to its core and that we’re not alone. There are enough of us to fill a dance floor. We can have our own celebrations, do softer things like this, even if the media was calling us sexual degenerates.”

“It’s a cute photo,” Steve tells him. “I love that some of the kids are in here with us. Having them there was so important to me. I’m glad they had fun too.”

“You’re so cute, I love you,” Eddie squeals, grabbing Steve’s face to leave kisses all over it while Steve giggles under the attention.

There’s a cut to when Eddie and Steve are acting normal again as Jonathan moves on. “Then on the lower left there is Making Out Without a Care.”

The photo that appears is of Robin and Rose fully making out. Rose is in a lovely dress that shows off her soft belly and ass, with a neckline that goes down south. In the background you can see Eddie and Steve hollering at the two.

“Ahww, Robbie and Rose both looked beautiful,” Steve gushes. “Robin almost didn’t invite Rose, because she didn’t want to risk it ending bad and then always having her in my wedding photos, but I told her to do it if she felt right about it. Clearly, she felt right about it and that was a correct thing to feel.”

“Robin can be such a little worrier,” Eddie comments fondly.

“Yeah, she can,” Steve agrees with a fond grin. “But Rose and I keep her down to earth.”

“They fit really well together,” Jonathan says. “I really like the story this photo tells of them being together and you two in the background giving support. It’s such a drunken club photo and I really love it.”

“We are each other’s hype man,” Steve says. “Of course I was going to be hyping her up.”

“I just support debauchery in general, but especially when my friends do it,” Eddie shrugs with a big grin on his face.

Jonathan rolls his eyes, before he addresses the camera: “As I said before, we wanted this page to be a slow descend into intoxication. First, respectful dancing, then the drinking, then the making out and then the winding down. We got most of that at least. So, the last photo is He Is Saying My Husband on Repeat.”

It is of Steve sitting on a chair, Eddie in his lap, facing him as he steadies Eddie with two hands on his hips, while Eddie loops his around Steve’s neck. Eddie’s face is mostly obscured, because he is whispering something in Steve’s ear. Steve’s face is flushed as he giggles at what is being said.

“As the title says, Eddie was just saying that over and over again,” Jonathan tells the camera. “I love this photo, because it’s such an intimate and joyous moment and I really love capturing those.”

“God, Steve truly is the most handsome and pretty boy out there, isn’t he,” Eddie sighs dreamily, as he rests his head on Steve’s shoulder, who is flushing.

“I don’t know Eds, my husband is kind of better,” he teases to get away from the embarrassment.

Eddie cackles loudly, before he replies: “I’m going to have to fight you over that, sweetheart. Since my husband is the best.”

“Square up, babe,” Steve says, jokingly nudging Eddie with his shoulder.

“As much as I love your flirting,” Jonathan interjects before it can get out of hand. “Any comments, memories other tidbits?”

“I just remember being unable to believe it,” Eddie says. “I mean, it wasn’t true legally, but it was in our hearts and I just had to keep reminding myself that I was actually married. That I had a husband. I was gay trailer trash and I suddenly had a career and a loving relationship, that was already wild to me. In that moment, I just knew I was the luckiest man on the planet. So, that was mostly for my own benefit to just keep saying that.”

“It was adorable,” Steve smiles mushily. “You’re always so cool and tough, but you’re such a softie as well and I just want to swaddle you in a blanket and keep you all to myself.”

“I totally support that,” Eddie grins, through his cheeks are obviously burning, going all the way up to his ears.

“Good,” Steve replies, sounding very satisfied with himself as he loops his arms around Eddie and pulls him close.

“You guys had a great wedding,” Jonathan says. “And you two are an amazing couple. Truly, you complete each other. As much as I complain about your flirting and dramatics, it’s been great that you’re willing to talk about it all on here with me and that I was allowed to share your story.”

“Of course, man,” Steve says, pulling Jonathan into the hug as well. “You’re our friend and I couldn’t think of a better person to have photograph our wedding and tell our story with photos. You are a master.”

“Thank you,” Jonathan says, blushing.

“Even if you have a crush on my husband,” Steve adds, ruining the moment immediately.

“Oh my god, let that go,” Jonathan whines.

“Never,” Steve grins.

Jonathan buries himself in Eddie’s shoulder, so he doesn’t have to look at anyone. Eddie, meanwhile, lets the chaos unfold around him, waving at the camera as he says: “Thank everyone for watching, I’m sure Jonny-boy here will be back. Bye.”

“Bye,” Steve waves, before going back to prodding at Jonathan, who also squeaks a goodbye before the video ends.

~~

A/N:

Shout out to Jonathan for putting up with their bullshit throughout this whole thing honestly, he’s the real MVP

[sha3mustd1e]

some random eddie hcs i have because i haven’t shared any in a hot min

screams when he sees a spider

throws up if you gag in front of him

likes to play catch with dustin, no explanation as to why

has a cat and a snake named ozzy and behemoth:o

hates bananas with a passion

allergic to pineapples

cried when he watched gremlins the first time

bites steve for fun. has literally turned it into a game of hunting steve for sport.

literally pouts like a child when wayne raises his voice.

mismatched socks always

definitely has ibs

loves horror movies but the jump scares get tf out of him sometimes and he’ll jump up on top of steve.

steve thinks it’s hilarious and eddie “doesn’t find it funny”

is nancy’s cousin and they go to family dinners and reunions together sometimes

spent christmas with wayne and steve. got the most gifts he’d ever gotten and cried so hard he threw up.

emotional little dude. he sees a sad movie? he’s CRYING

robin and him like to paint together and occasionally they have picnics together just to paint and listen to robins choice of music. she occasionally lets eddie pick.

cried when dustin and gareth came to visit him in the hospital.

frankly, cried at everything for awhile after vecna.

“healed” himself with stevie and some weed if u ask him.

that’s all for that!!

[artiststarme]

Where's The "Talk"?

Based on a prompt from @samcoxramblings. I hope this meets your expectations! Please leave your thoughts in the comments and if you have any more angsty prompts, send them my way!

~*~*~*~

After coming out to the Party, Eddie and Steve were on their toes for days just waiting for someone to give them the ‘Talk’. They were amped up, prepared to receive loads of various threats ranging in creativity and snipe. But the days came and went and no one mentioned anything. Anytime Eddie would mention expecting a shovel talk to protect their babysitter, the kids awkwardly looked between one another before changing the subject. When Steve mentioned to Robin and Nancy that no one had warned him against hurting Eddie yet, they just rolled their eyes and ignored him. Neither man knew what the Party was waiting for. 

After a week, Eddie loses his patience and asks the kids at their Hellfire session. “Okay guys, what gives? Where are the outlandish threats of violence, the creative insults about my character, the whole shabang? I’ve been on the edge of my seat for fucking days.”

“Eddie, what the hell are you talking about?” Dustin asked him, sounding puzzled. 

Eddie snorted a sound of frustration. “The shovel talk! Steve and I told you that we were dating a week ago and no one has said anything! Is this a gay thing? Are you too scared of being homophobic to say anything? I can take it!”

The kids looked uncomfortable but Mike spoke. “Look man, we just don’t want to waste our time. You and Steve aren’t going to last. I mean, look how different you guys are! You’re awesome, you DM for Hellfire, and you’re in a band. What does Steve do? He works at Family Video all day and sure, he looks kinda good without a shirt on, but he has nothing else going for him!”

Lucas and Dustin looked at him in confusion before Dustin cleared his throat. “Eddie, we know you’re not going to hurt each other. You’re both our big brothers and you’re not actually dating. Steve likes girls! I’m sure he’s just looking for a way to let you down easy. I’m sorry, man.”

Meanwhile, Eddie looked at them indifferently. He couldn’t believe that these little assholes would say that to him and at a DnD session no less! He whipped his head to look at the original Hellfire members only to find Gareth, Jeff, and Grant looking shellshocked. 

“Do you boys feel the same way?” He asked them, his eyes flashing dangerously. 

Jeff shook his head slightly, “no way, man. We just don’t know Steve well enough to give him a talk. You know we’ve always supported you, if you want us to threaten him a little, we can.”

“Yeah, we’ll threaten the socks off of him!” Grant nodded. Gareth though just continued glaring at the kids.

Eddie nodded, it seemed there was a division of true friends and posers around the table. If his little sheep didn’t want to believe he and Steve would last, he’d show them. He and Steve were for life. Eddie was like a parasite, a viral STD if you will. Once you got him, you were stuck with him forever.

“Well, thank you for sharing your opinion. Does anyone else feel that way?” He asked them. Did the rest of the Party share the same views? He desperately needed to know. 

Lucas nodded slowly, “well, yeah. Hopper says you guys are only seeing each other because you’re trauma-bonded and Robin said that it doesn’t mean anything anyways.”

Eddie chuckled sardonically. Oh so, the entire Party was against them? Fine, he didn’t need to be a part of the group that tore his life apart anyways. 

“Alright, Hellfire’s disbanded. Get your stuff and get out. Corroded Coffin, we’ll continue the campaign as a three-piece on Thursday before band practice. I’m going to go see Steve, the guy I’m in a relationship with. You know, the one that ‘doesn’t mean anything’ since we’re ‘too different’ and ‘trauma-bonded’ and ‘waiting to get let down easy’? Go fuck yourself and fuck your precious Party too.” And with that, Eddie stormed out. 

He drove straight to Family Video and was ashamed to find that frustrated tears had started leaking from his eyes. He couldn’t believe this. After all they’d gone through together with the Upside Down and psychic killers and murder accusations, being in a relationship with Steve was the tipping point? Absolutely ridiculous. He darted into the video store and didn’t even slow his stride as he threw his arms around Steve where he was talking to a customer. 

“What the- Eddie? Hey, what’s going on? Are you okay?” He asked him before turning back to the customer. “I’m sorry, could you talk to Robin over at the counter please? Have a nice day.”

Steve gently herded him into the employee lounge and pressed his teary face into the crook of his neck. “Eds, hey, what happened?”

“I’m so sorry, Stevie. I never should’ve said anything!”

“About what? What’s going on? Weren’t you supposed to be playing DnD today with the kids today?” Steve asked him. He wiped the tears from underneath Eddie’s eyes and rested a hand on the back of his neck for comfort.

“I asked the kids why we hadn’t gotten a shovel talk from anyone yet before we even started. They said that no one in the Party thinks we’re going to last. Hopper thinks we’re trauma-bonded, Mike doesn’t think we’re fucking compatible, Dustin thinks you’re faking it, and Robin thinks we’re not serious. They’re not interested in ‘wasting their time’ giving us a talk.”

Steve blinked in surprise before his face hardened. “We don’t need their acceptance or their approval. We know they’re wrong and that’s what matters. We don’t even need a talk from them. Fuck ‘em! We can give ourselves a shovel talk if our good-for-nothing-friends can’t do it!”

“Steve-” 

“I’m serious, who gives a shit about their opinions? Who are they to judge? Dustin’s dating a girl over the radio that lives in goddamn Utah or some shit. Lucas can’t judge because Max broke up with him again for like the tenth time this month. Mike’s only girlfriend was a girl he found in the woods that didn’t know any better than to date him. Robin’s never even been in a relationship so she can’t judge us for having one. And Hopper is 100% going to be in the doghouse after I tell Joyce about what he said. Fuck what they have to say.”

“But Stevie, how are we going to give one to ourselves? That doesn’t even make sense,” Eddie told him gently.

“Fine, then we’ll give one to each other. Eddie, if you break my heart, I’m going to give Wayne adoption papers and take your last name whether you want me to or not.”

Eddie sputtered, “what the fuck? What kind of talk is that? You’re supposed to threaten me with physical harm, not whatever mindfuckery that was!”

“Don’t belittle my shovel talk! Like you could do any better,” Steve scoffed at him.

“Oh yeah? Steve, if you break my heart then I’m going to break your kneecaps so you can’t leave until I win you back. And if I break your heart, I’m going to finish what the bats started.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Eddie! Are you okay? That’s fucking violent!” Steve yelled.

“That’s the point!” Eddie screamed back.

“No it’s not!”

“Yes it is, you’re supposed to threaten to hide the body with a shovel,” Eddie said like it was obvious. 

“Dingus, stop talking to Eddie and get back to work. We have a line,” Robin said exasperatedly, poking her head into the back room. 

“We’re giving each other shovel talks since you losers wouldn’t do it. You know, since this means something. I’ll be out when we’re done with that,” Steve told her bitchily. 

“Fuck off Buckley,” Eddie hissed venomously. Robin looked shocked at his mutiny but backed away regardless. 

Steve stared at the door for a moment but Eddie drew his attention back to himself with a whispered, “if you don’t hurt me, I’ll help you hide a body.”

Steve cackled and murmured back, “you already were accused of murder once, you need to stop being so violent!”

They continue to date until marriage is legalized in the state of Illinois, where they move shortly after they deliver their truly remarkable shovel talks. As payback, they get a marriage certificate at the courthouse and don’t invite anyone from the Party to act as witnesses. Instead, Uncle Wayne, Jeff, Gareth, and Grant surround them and hear the clerk declare them husbands. 

(Hopper and the rest of the Party find out at Christmas that year and everyone loses their shit in synchrony. They all learn a valuable lesson that day that Eddie Munson holds the meanest of grudges.)

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[hbyrde36]

Chapter 17! (FINAL!)

Steve Harrington: Vampire Hunter

ao3 link

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8

Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12

Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16

CW: Smut

-Eddie-

The moment Steve was cut off from him would forever rank high on the list of the most painful moments of Eddie's life. 

Not physically, that distinction would likely always go to the day he’d been killed and turned. Honestly, what Henry had been doing to him from afar on that stage had been no picnic either, but losing Steve shattered his heart.

For months Eddie had been able to feel him like a comfortable weight in the back of his mind. For a precious hour or so they had been fully open to each other, their love passing between them like a current. Strong and vibrant and sure, even in the midst of the fear and uncertainty of battle. 

Then it was just… gone. Ripped away in the blink of an eye.

For a truly horrifying second he thought Steve had been killed. Angela was on top of him and Eddie couldn't see what was happening. He screamed Steve’s name and dropped to his knees, too hurt and weak from losing his human servant to put up any sort of a fight when someone came to drag him down off his platform. He was almost glad that death would be coming for him too. 

Only, it didn’t.

He realized what must have happened when Angela finally rolled off of Steve and helped him to his feet. 

Eddie was hanging on to consciousness by a thread, but still he was terrified of what kind of future Steve would have tied to a creature like Angela. The only bright side was that at least now he wouldn't take Steve down with him when he died.

Because Eddie would die.

It was over, they had lost.

He’d failed to save the city.

Deep down he had always known the way this fight was going to play out.  

Halloween night would be a bloodbath and it was all his fault for thinking he was powerful enough to take this position in the first place. At least the man he loved would live to fight another day, he only wished he could be there to see it.

Try as he might, Eddie couldn't really follow the conversation that was happening around him, but when he saw Steve weidling the ornately carved wooden stake it was all too easy to figure out what Henry intended. 

There was something sadly poetic about the fact that it would be Steve who ended his life. It was another thing he felt like he’d always known. Either Steve would fall in love with him, or he’d kill him. Eddie never imagined that fate would bring both of those possibilities to pass but sometimes the universe has a sick sense of humor. 

He smiled at Steve, trying to let him know that it was okay to do what needed to be done. There was no saving Eddie, but he could make it through this if he played his cards right.

The blow never came. 

Eddie always knew that Steve was extraordinary, it’s what had attracted him to the other man from the beginning, but he was also full of surprises, never quite doing what people expected. 

From one breath to the next Steve had taken down Owens and Henry both, like it was nothing. For a split second Eddie felt a surge of relief, the greatest threat in the room had been taken down, but a moment later he felt only sheer panic as he watched Steve shove a blade right through Angela's chest. Ensuring his own death as well as hers.

Because no human servant in history had ever survived their master’s death.

Steve was dying and Eddie knew nothing except that he had to get to him. Somehow he found the strength to move, rolling himself off the edge of the altar to land hard at the other man’s side. They looked into each other's eyes until Steve could no longer keep his open. Eddie continued to gaze at his face anyway, holding his hand tightly as he faded away. 

The young witch, who had been standing at Henry’s side right up until she’d inexplicably switched teams to help take him down, approached. She laid her hands on Steve carefully, one on his head and the other on his chest. Eddie didn’t protest or even bother to question it, Steve was already dying, it’s not like she could make it any worse.

Dustin and the other hunter called Nancy both appeared suddenly, falling to their knees next to where he and Steve lay.

“Get your hands off of him!” She shouted at the girl, who completely ignored her.

“What's happening?” Dustin asked, voice trembling.

Eddie was still so weak that it was difficult to talk but he forced the words out anyway. “Angela, she took him from me. She gave him all four marks and made him her full servant right in the middle of the fight, cut us off from each other.”  

Dustin's eyes went wide. “But, he killed her. Does that mean he? Oh my god… ” 

Eddie could only nod as Dustin broke down in tears. He knew how much Steve meant to the kid and watching him realize he was about to lose him, only made his own heartbreak that much more unbearable.

“I still don’t understand! Why are you letting her touch him!” Nancy shouted again. This time all her anger was aimed at Eddie instead of the girl, as if this were all his fault. Maybe it was. 

Before he could attempt to respond to her, the older man who'd come in with her and Steve got between them. He spoke softly as he pulled Nancy to her feet and tried to coax her away.

“What if you give him the first mark again?” Dustin asked, recapturing Eddie’s attention. “Would that work? Would it save him?”

In all honesty he wasn’t sure. Angela was dead, in theory her marks would be gone, fading at least. 

Fading with Steve.

It was possible, maybe, but as much as it pained him Eddie wouldn't even consider trying.

“I won’t do that to him again. I ignored his wishes before and he hated me for it.”

“But mad is better than dead, Eddie!” Dustin insisted.

Eddie almost laughed. If the kid only knew.

He shook his head. “You don’t understand. You don’t know what you're asking me to do. If he manages to survive this somehow, he’ll be free. No marks. Not from me or anyone else. It’s all he wanted and I won't take that away from him, not even to save his life. Never again unless he asked me to do it himself.”

Dustin would have probably kept pushing but the fight between the older man and Nancy reached a fever pitch behind them. She pushed past him looking as if she would knock the girl out herself if that’s what it took to get her away from Steve, but the man stopped her again with a firm grip on her wrist.

“For the last time, she’s helping him! Can't you feel it?” The man hissed.

Nancy glowered at him.

He studied her face curiously. “You can't. You can’t feel anything can you? Huh, never known a null to be a hunter before. It’s impressive, if dangerous.”

Eddie couldn’t help but watch their exchange. There was something strangely familiar about the man. He wondered who he was to Steve.

“What did you call me?” She said, eyes narrowing.

The man pinched the bridge of his nose and Eddie got the distinct impression that he was barely holding back from screaming at her.

“A null, someone without any magic, not even the ability to sense it happening right in front of you.” He explained with a shake of his head.

“Oh.” She said, deflating slightly.

“She’s anchoring him here, trying to keep him in his body.” The older man said.

“Steve is strong. He wants to stay so badly but his spirit keeps trying to go. I am helping.” The girl added, speaking for the first time though she kept her eyes trained on her work.

Nancy looked between all of them then turned and stalked off with a huff.

“I’ll talk to her.” Dustin said, sniffling as he got up to follow.

Eddie glanced up at the older man, struck again by how familiar he looked, something about his eyes. “Thank you, uh… “ He trailed off.

“Wayne.” 

“Wayne.” Eddie nodded in greeting as best he could. “Are you like Steve, an animator? Is that how you knew what she was doing?”

“Yes, I suppose it’s similar enough to what we do that I could feel her intention.” Wayne began, smiling down at Steve fondly. “And while I do raise zombies, even trained your boy there once upon a time, there’s no one like Steve.”

Eddie smiled too and had to choke back a sob. Wayne was right, there was no one like his sweetheart. 

Wayne crouched down and placed a comforting hand on Eddie’s back. “Don’t give up on him just yet, He’s got power like nothing I ever felt, just doesn’t like to use it. If anyone can beat the odds, it’s him.”

The gentleness was almost too much for him to bear and Eddie started to shrink away from the touch out of pure self preservation, but suddenly he remembered where he’d seen the older man’s eyes before. It was a very long time ago.

“What did you say your last name was again?” he asked, blinking up at Wayne, dumbfounded. 

“I didn't,” Wayne chuckled. “I was adopted as an infant but my birth name was Munson.”

Eddie sucked in a sharp breath. “So you’re my… ” He trailed off, too tired to try and count back the generations.

“You can just call me uncle Wayne if you like, everyone else does.”

It surprised a huff of laughter out of Eddie, a true miracle considering the current circumstances. “Technically wouldn't I be the uncle in this situation? I am far older than you.” He pointed out.

Wayne shrugged as if that was irrelevant.

Eddie looked back at Steve, heartened to see that his chest was still rising and falling, and that the lines of his face had smoothed out into something more relaxed. He now looked more like he was sleeping and less like he was fighting for his life.

“You love him?” Wayne asked.

“More than anything.”

“Good.”

-Steve-

The first thing Steve noticed as his consciousness gradually returned to him was that he was somehow still alive. A shocking revelation, considering. The second thing he noticed was that for the first time in a long time he was completely alone in his own mind and body. 

There was no trace of Angela in his head. 

He’d done it. She was dead, had to be. He was sure, it was the only way he was free of her. God only knew how he had survived her death but he’d worry about that later. 

The last thing he remembered was looking into Eddie’s eyes as they both lay broken and bleeding on the floor. He tried to sit up before he’d even opened his eyes but his limbs felt like lead. 

“Eddie?! Eddie!” He attempted to shout but the words came out breathy and weak.

“Steve?” A faraway voice said, and then someone was shaking him. “Steve, are you awake?” They said again much closer this time.

Wait, that was Robin’s voice. What was she doing here? No, no it was too dangerous for her.

“Rob?” He croaked out, still unable to really move.  “What are you… no… not safe.”

“It’s alright, you’re alright. Can you open your eyes?”

When he did finally manage to open his eyes, he got a glimpse of Robin's face for about 0.2 seconds before squeezing them shut again. The light streaming in through the windows hurt. 

“Bright.” He said, wincing. 

Windows? 

Not the theater then, or the underground even. He wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

He tried to remain calm and began to notice other little things around him. Like the softness of the bed underneath him. The familiar smell of his laundry detergent, and the pinch of an IV in his arm.  

“Shit, sorry. Hang on.” She said. A moment later the light behind his eyelids dimmed and he cracked them open once again. 

Robin's face swam into view and she broke out into a watery smile. 

He tried to return it but he was in enough pain that he was pretty sure it came off as more of a grimace. He was still so confused, but at least now he knew where he was, lying in his own bed at home, even if he didn’t know how that was possible.

Robin disappeared briefly and returned with a cup of water and a straw, allowing him to take a few small sips. 

Much better.

Steve cleared his throat. “Eddie, is he? Robin, did he?” He couldn't bring himself to finish the question or even the thought. He had to know, but he wasn’t sure he could handle it if he had somehow survived and Eddie hadn't. 

“He’s fine, Steve. I'm a little more worried about you right now. How do you feel?”

“He’s alive then? Are you sure? Are you sure he’s fine?” He couldn't get his last image of Eddie out of his mind. It was all he could see when he closed his eyes. 

“Yes, I'm sure.” She said, exasperated.

He tried to sit up again and found that this time he could. He unceremoniously yanked the I.V. out of his arm and tried to stand. He had to go, he had to get up out of this bed and find Eddie, wouldn’t rest until he could see for himself that he was okay. 

“Steve! Stop! what are you doing?!”

His legs buckled and he would have fallen if not for Robin catching him around the middle. She lowered him gently back to the bed. 

“I have to find him, you don’t understand. I… “ Tears welled up in his eyes, spilling over to roll down his cheeks as Robin knelt, throwing her arms around him. He buried his face in her shoulder and gave himself over to it. She held him tight as sobs shook his body. She rocked them slowly, petting his hair and whispering comforting nonsense to him until he calmed. 

She pulled back and held his face between her hands. “I get it, okay? Eddie told me everything, but you need to rest. You don’t have to go anywhere to find him, he’s here. He’s been at your bedside as much as he could. The only reason he isn’t sitting here right now is because the sun is still up. He and Dustin are holed up in your basement.”

Steve gulped. “How long has it been?”

“You’ve been out for quite a while. That’s why Joyce had you hooked up to that I.V. I wanted to take you to the hospital but Wayne was adamant that you’d be happier at home so she volunteered to keep an eye on you.”

He was touched that the wererats cared enough to do that for him. He’d have to find some way to thank them. 

“I do hate hospitals.” He said eventually.

She rolled her eyes. “So I heard.”

They sat in comfortable silence for a while but hard as he tried Steve still couldn't stop worrying about Eddie.

“What time is it?” He asked.

She checked her watch. “4:00 in the afternoon, why?”

It would be dark soon. Eddie might already be awake for the day.

He looked at her, eyes pleading. 

“Oh no you don’t. Those puppy dog eyes don’t work on me. You need to stay. In. bed. Your vampire will be up here as soon as the sun goes down.” 

“Please?” He begged. “I have to see him.”

“Fine.” She sighed heavily and stood, pulling one of his arms up and over her shoulder to help him stand.

“How do I look?” He asked through gritted teeth and they made their way slowly, one step at a time through the room.

“Like you’ve been half dead for 3 days.” She muttered.

“Rob,” he groaned.

Steve was too busy watching his own feet to see, but he just knew she was rolling her eyes at him again. “He's been worried sick. He’s not going to care what you look like.”

Logically he knew she was right and not even the promise of a shower would have stopped him from seeing Eddie as soon as possible, but he still felt self conscious as they made it out of his bedroom and rounded the corner. 

The door to the basement was down a short hallway, there were no windows in the direct area, but even so Steve made sure to open it slowly and carefully. Before he knew what was happening he was being transferred from one set of arms to another and found himself enveloped in Eddie’s cool embrace.

The vampire buried his face in Steve's neck, and he in turn buried his in Eddie’s curls, inhaling his familiar and comforting scent deeply as the painful tightening in his chest began to ease.

“What are you doing here? You should be resting.” Eddie said, the words muffled where his mouth was pressed to Steve's skin.

“Had to see you.” Steve replied, unable to keep his voice from shaking.

They stood at the top of the landing just holding each other for a long time, neither saying a word until finally Eddie lowered them to the floor, cradling Steve in his lap. 

Eddie kept stroking his hair and Steve's hands kept wandering under Eddie’s t-shirt, fingertips gliding over bare skin, both unwilling to stop touching for a second. 

“I’m sorry I wasn't there when you woke up.” Eddie whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of his head.

Steve leaned into him and sighed. “The sun.” 

“Yeah.”

“I love you.” Steve said, turning so he could rest his forehead against the vampire’s. “I know you felt it, but I never said it, and– “ his breath hitched, throat tightening at the thought of how close he came to never getting to say it. “Now that we can’t… I need you to know, to hear it.”

“I love you too.”

A little while later, once the sun had finally set for the day, Eddie carried him back to his room and drew a bath. He wasn’t sure where Robin had gone.

Eddie stripped him of his clothes and then made quick work of his own before getting them both into the tub. He carefully washed Steve's hair and body, making him feel more precious and cared for than he had since he was a small child. 

“What happens now?” Steve asked as Eddie pulled him in the settle against his chest.

“Well, we should probably get out soon and dry off before you fall asleep and drown.”

“You say that as if you’re not already holding me up.” 

Eddie let out a breathy puff of laughter against the back of his neck before pressing a kiss there. Steve squirmed, heat rising in his blood from more than just the warm water, but he wouldn’t let himself get distracted.

“You know what I mean, us.”

“What happens between us is up to you. I want to be with you, in whatever capacity you’ll have me. Hell, I'd ask if we could move in together right now, but I have a feeling that might be a bit too much too fast.”

Steve made a little hum of agreement, though it sounded wonderful actually, never having Eddie out of his sight again, within reason anyway, but there was a lot they probably needed to figure out before jumping in with both feet. 

“And the other thing?” 

“I don’t know what to say.” Eddie shrugged. “You no longer bear any of my marks.”

“Does it bother you?”

“No.” Eddie answered quickly. “I… this is all you wanted, to be free, so no, I can't regret that they’re gone.” 

“But do you miss it?” Steve asked. He wasn’t even sure why he was pushing except that, hypocritical as it would be, maybe a small part of him missed it, and he wondered if their new lack of connection would change things. 

Eddie hesitated, groaning “Steve– ”

He turned in the water to sit more sideways in Eddie’s lap so they could see each other better, thankful that the tub was big enough to allow for it. “It’s okay, if you do.”

“Of course I do. Having that connection to you, it was amazing. Even when you hated me I had this little piece of you riding around in my head.” Eddie smiled to himself. “Our shared dreams were pretty incredible too.”

Steve's cheeks were set ablaze with the reminder of their earliest encounters, and he had to stop himself from daydreaming about reenacting one of two of those scenarios in real life. He promised himself he’d revisit those thoughts again when he was a little more healed.

“So it wasn’t all about the power you could gain?” Steve asked. 

He was teasing, mostly. Although he believed that he meant more than that to Eddie now, he still felt like it was as good a time as any to get his worries and fears out in the open. It was nothing they hadn’t discussed before, but he hadn’t been ready to listen then, hadn’t been willing to believe Eddie could have anything but dark motives. Now he was ready to hear the truth.

Eddie smoothed the damp hair back from Steve’s face. “I marked you the first time to save your life. Not just because you were hurt, but because I knew what you were walking into and even back then I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to you. I knew it would give you a better chance at surviving Billy. The second mark I'll admit I did to save myself. I didn't even think about what it would mean for you, and I'm so sorry for that. I was grasping at straws and the connection to you was right there and… I’m not proud of it.”

“It’s okay.”

“Is it?” Eddie asked softly. He sounded so small and fragile. He stared down at the water, refusing to meet Steve’s eyes anymore. “Because I mean, fuck, I even did it to you a third time after you told me you’d have rather died than been marked at all.”

Steve’s heart sank. He had said that, and at the time he’d meant it, but after nearly having to watch the man he loved die, after coming so close to having to stake Eddie himself, his perspective had changed. 

“Robin begged you, you were saving my life– ” Steve tried to interject, to defend Eddie’s actions, but the vampire kept beating himself up.

“But I didn’t even consider other options! I could have… I should have tried harder, called a doctor or something, anything.” Eddie finally looked back up, meeting Steve's gaze once again, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Will you ever be able to forgive me?”

“Eddie,” Steve breathed, sliding around the rest of the way until he was straddling the other man’s hips. “I already have.”

Eddie surged up to capture his lips in a sweet and lingering kiss. He was being so gentle, so careful with Steve in his current condition. He knew he was weak and still healing but what he wanted from the vampire now was anything but gentle. 

Steve clung to Eddie’s shoulders, as much to pull the other man closer as it was to keep himself upright. He deepened the kiss, grinding down into Eddie's lap as best he could and was rewarded with the vampire’s half hard cock sliding between his cheeks. 

“Want you.” Steve said, breaking the kiss and panting into Eddie’s mouth.

“Baby, we can't,” Eddie argued, even as he thrust his hips upwards, pulling a desperate whine out of Steve's throat. 

Suddenly Eddie’s arms locked around him. One wound around his waist, the other tucked under the swell of his ass. The vampire stood with ease holding all of Steve’s weight. He tried to wrap his legs around Eddie but the muscles just wouldn’t cooperate, not that it mattered. One second they were stepping out of the tub, water dripping off both of them to splatter all over the bathroom floor, the next they were beside Steve's bed and he was being gently laid down on top of fresh sheets.

He felt a chill as the air hit his soaking wet skin, but he had a feeling that he wouldn’t be cold for much longer. 

Eddie stared down at him, eyes wild with hunger that had nothing to do with blood as he climbed up onto the bed to settle between his legs. He kissed and licked and sucked the water from Steve’s skin until he reached the place where he was achingly hard and equally dripping.

The vampire flattened his tongue, licking a wide stripe up the underside of his cock and Steve was reminded of that very first dream all those months ago, where Eddie had dropped to his knees in the alley. He’d also bitten Steve’s inner thigh, which, though it hadn’t actually happened, had terrified him then. The idea of it now though was anything but scary. He wanted Eddie inside of him in every way possible, fangs, fingers, cock, all at once preferably. 

Sadly he knew he wasn’t up for it tonight, but that was fine. They were alive and in love and there would be many more nights in their future to explore all the ways in which he wanted Eddie to ruin him. 

Eddie began to work him by hand, holding only the head of him between his lips, swirling his tongue and being oh so careful to keep his fangs out of the way. Steve writhed under his touch, his orgasm building already though it’d only been a few minutes. He tried to hold still but couldn’t stop from bucking his hips a little, greedy for the feel of Eddie’s mouth on him. There was a brush of teeth and small pinprick of pain that only added to Steve's growing pleasure. Eddie moaned around him and that was all it took to push him over the edge. He came hard, remembering too late to try and muffle his shouts of ecstasy. He could only hope Robin had taken a walk or something. Eddie worked him through it, catching his release on his tongue and swallowing it all. 

Eddie moved up to lay next to him, pulling Steve into his side. He made a valiant attempt at reaching for Eddie to return the favor, but he was too tired to move his arms. 

“Don’t worry about me sweetheart.” Eddie said, kissing his way up the side of Steve’s jaw. “This was just for you, rest now.”

“You’ll stay?” 

“Until the sun drives me away.” 

“Could move the bedroom into the basement.” Steve said through a yawn.

Eddie brushed his fingers up and down Steve's body, caressing every inch of bare skin he could reach. “You don’t want that.”

“I do if it means you can stay with me.”

“That sounds an awful like moving in talk, I thought we agreed too much too soon?”

Steve let out a contented sigh. “Taking it slow is overrated.” He said finally, right on the verge of falling asleep.

Over the next few days Steve received a lot of visitors. 

Joyce came by the morning after he woke up to see how he was doing physically, and apart from insisting that he needed a lot more rest, said he looked like he was well on his way to a full recovery. 

Jane was with her too. The wererats had apparently taken her in following the battle, and Will and Gareth had promised to help find her sister in Steve’s place since he would be out of commission for a while. 

She laid her hands on him, much the same way Eddie had described her doing the night he almost died, and gave him a more mystical checkup. She looked mildly concerned, it seemed his power wasn’t returning to him as quickly as his body was healing but she was confident it would come with time. She promised that when it did, she would work with him to harness his magic and learn to wield it more effectively. He could honestly say he was looking forward to that. 

After that first night Steve had doubled down, asking Eddie to stay and also to move the contents of his room into the basement. Dustin saw the writing on the wall, and had graciously agreed to move out of Steve’s place and go back to the theater underground to spend his days and give them some privacy. He still came by often, usually driven by Wayne who had taken quite a shine to him.

His father even deigned to visit one afternoon, mostly to see if Steve was lying about being ill, which was the story Robin had come up with to explain his absence from work. Things started out uncomfortable and only got worse when Eddie rose for the day and came up from the basement. Bert took one look at the vampire and lost his mind. Steve had already been ready to hand in his resignation upon his return to work, so it was no big loss to quit on the spot, and even less of a loss to tell his father that he had no interest in being his son any longer. 

That had felt good, and it was a long time coming.

Nancy never showed. Steve wasn’t really surprised, and he wasn't upset by it either. He had no doubt she was aware of his connection to Eddie now, their relationship. She might have fought on their side in this particular battle but he knew she would struggle with him being so close to another vampire. Dustin was one thing, she’d known him since he was a kid, but Eddie was nothing but a bloodsucker to her, a stranger whom she’d been hired to kill on more than one occasion. He wasn’t afraid she would come after them, not really, but he knew she’d need some time to process things at the very least. She did text to check up on him once she heard he was awake, and that was enough for now. 

The last visitor, and the one he was looking least forward to, was Hopper. Not that he didn’t want to see the man, he just hated lying to him. 

The chief had heard, of course, about the show at the theater on Halloween eve and Steve’s starring role in it. 

Steve had worried briefly about being brought up on charges for killing not one but three people, well, two vampires and one human servant, but it seemed Eddie’s vampires had done well in getting rid of the bodies.

Everyone who had been in the audience that night had believed that it was all an act. Eddie was being heralded in the press for his state of the art special effects. 

Hopper had seen a few videos online and was skeptical, a feeling that only got worse as he was blown off time and again, first by Robin and then Wayne, when he had tried to get in touch with Steve during his coma. 

In the end, after he’d convinced Hopper he was recovering from a nasty flu, he’d assured him that the whole thing was indeed all a show, and the older man had no choice but to accept it. He did wonder why Steve was involved, and he took that as an opportunity to open up to the chief about his relationship with the Master of the City. He kept it brief, no details of their past since he didn’t owe the man that, and it was all too incriminating for words. He simply said his boyfriend owned the theater and had asked him to be in the production. 

It took a moment for the information to sink in, and Hopper gave several long blinks before responding. 

“You’re a grown man so I'm not going to sit here and tell you what you should and shouldn’t do with your life, but I hope you know what you’re doing there.”

“I do, Hop. I promise.”

The older man nodded. “I know you better than to worry if this will interfere with your work, I know it won’t, and as long as he makes you happy, then I guess I’m happy for you.”

“He does. He really does.”

Steve knew that the future he and Eddie faced would be difficult and uncertain at times. When their relationship went public, and it was only a matter of time until it would, they would be thrust into the spotlight. Not everyone would be happy for them. 

He was still a vampire hunter and Eddie was not only a vampire but the most well known one in the country. 

Steve would still hunt down the bad guys and bring any vampires to justice who deserved it, but he would also stand up to support his friends, family, and all law abiding monsters. 

Some would view them as an abomination but many more would see them as proof that love is love, and humans and vampires as well as other creatures could exist side by side in harmony. 

And If their mere existence together could make others in unconventional relationships feel more confident and comfortable being seen? Then it was absolutely worth it.

Thanks forever to @penny00dreadful for being the best friend, cheerleader, and beta in the whole fucking world💜

[dwobbitfromtheshire]