#vecna/kas

[theinkedknight]

This picture is from the new DnD book, and comes with the caption "A young Kas and Vecna muse about the destruction of Oerth". Just. Let Kas and Vecna be gay. Let them be the messy friends to lovers to enemies to lovers gay uncles of DnD. THEY'RE DOING EVIL PLANS OVER TEA AND PASTRIES. I'm not saying this is the gayest thing I've seen this week, a week wherein I do gay things myself all the time, but the Pope probably would.

[thyeternalhunger]

old days

[stevieschrodinger]

Everything is going slowly foggy. The fear is fading. Eddie's vaguely aware that it's probably because he's dying. What was terrifying a couple of minutes ago, is only vaguely of interest now. An ephemeral pressure on the back of his brain. Present, yet easy to ignore.

All he can taste is his own blood, but it's not so bad. At least he can tell Dustin how much he loves him. And Steve's there. Steve Harrington. Who knew he would turn out to be such a great guy? So, yeah. It all feels alright.

Eddie feels sleepy, vaguely aware that he's, actually, probably dying.

He closes his eyes.

There's a strange sense of vertigo, strange enough that Eddie notices he's standing up before he notices that someone's kissing him. It's a soft press of lips. It's wonderful.

Eddie blinks his eyes open, and from an inch away, he's looking at Steve Harrington.

He's standing in a kitchen. it's nice. Eddie's clean; he's wearing sweats and a tee. Barefoot. The kitchen smells like coffee, and sun is shining in through the window.

Somewhere in the house, a child sequels; Eddie startles. "Steve?" He asks, carefully. "I mean...not that it isn't-"

The child comes barreling into the room. It's a little girl. She's wearing the smallest Dio shirt Eddie's ever seen. She throws herself at Eddie's legs, screaming "Papa!"

Eddie has no idea what his face is doing as he looks down at this little girl, but Steve is taking his hand, tugging it, Eddie looks up, "it happened again, didn't it? You forgot again?"

"I...what?"

Steve scoops up the little girl, throwing her over his shoulder, she squeals again, laughing like this is the best thing ever, "come on pumpkin patch, Papa's not feeling so hot today and auntie Robin's going to be here in two whole minutes."

He looks back to Eddie, mouthing 'just wait, okay?'

Eddie, at a loss, just nods.

He creeps to the doorway, watching, fascinated, as Steve Harrington fixes the little girls hair into pig tails. Helps her get her socks straight. Helps her tie the laces on her sneakers. Gets her back pack on her, "eat your carrot sticks today, okay Ronnie?"

'Ronnie,' Eddie mouths to himself.

Watches as Steve puts her little hand into Robin's, standing on the front porch. Robin looks different. Older. She's smartly dressed.

Steve whispers something to her, and she looks at Eddie. Smiles a sad smile. They leave.

Steve stands there for a moment, waves them off, then closes the door. He seems to steal himself, and then he turns and comes back to Eddie, "I have to go to work, but, come on, let me show you something."

Eddie follows Steve into an office, there's shit everywhere, "I don't come in here often, your mess drives me fucking batshit," Steve digs into a desk drawer, brings out a notebook. "I have no idea what's in here, I've never read it. Something about...what happened. You did die. You were oxygen deprived long enough to cause a brain injury, so sometimes you...forget everything. After the second time it happened, you started writing letters to yourself. So, yeah...you call it your instruction manual, I get it for you when this happens."

It takes Eddie what feels like a really fucking long time to process this, and he can't help but notice that Steve's eyes are wet, Eddie feels crushingly guilty about it.

"Okay so what do I...do?"

Steve shrugs, "read it, I guess. You add to it whenever anything important happens...Eddie...just, the bats, they did a number on you...when you, when you look at the scars, the first time, just, brace yourself, okay and...don't forget that I love you, no matter what, I love you."

And Steve just...leaves the house. Leaves Eddie in this absolute disaster of an office. Leaves him holding a notebook that's ratty and untidy and feels like it's bursting at the seams.

Eddie reads.

So, I'm going to try and keep this simple, but I'm you, from the past, and our dumb ass has fucking brain damage...

You're not going to fucking believe this...we bagged Steve Harrington...

Hold on to your hat big boy, but we got fucking published! And if you're reading this, then you are in for a treat, because it means you get to read our genius for the first time all over again...

Okay, so this one was a bad one, we initially, didn't react so well, so, here's what I was worried about, and I'll talk you through it...

So, I need you to not fuck this up for us, okay? So, this is the Steve Harrington play book. The man is romantic, buy flowers, do nice shit. I cannot stress this enough - just pick up your crap man, he hates it when the place is messy. Now, we have to get it right so here's everything I know, I'll start at the top and work down. He loves having his hair played with, and tugged, but not too hard, gentle but firm, there's a sweet spot. The neck, the whole thing is an erogenous zone, I really can't downplay the importance of the neck...

We bought a fucking house! Look at it! Just look at it! And Eddie does, because there's a Polaroid stuck to the page.

So, this might sound dumb, and I probably should have written to you sooner, but...Steve jizzed in a cup for Robs, and Nancy turkey basted it, you know. Anyway, the point is...Rob's pregnant. With our baby. And then me and Nance got drunk, like, to celebrate, and she got all sad that her and Robin weren't having a baby, stay with me, I know this is mad as shit, but Nancy wanted our kid and their kid to grow up together....

Look, I don't know if it's the stress of like, imminent fatherhood, but we've been forgetting a lot lately, so, here's the plan for when Rob's in labor, and everything you've talked to Steve about when it comes to being the stay at home parent, okay...

The next page is just a Polaroid, a little scrunched up face. A little pink potato swaddled in blankets, and underneath it says 'Ronnie Jamie Harrington'...

And the next page, another Polaroid, another scrunched up face, another little pink potato swaddled in blankets, and underneath it says 'Stephanie Edwina Wheeler'...

Steve comes home. He looks exhausted. Like, drained. And, worried and scared and pale and lots of other things Eddie can't even begin to imagine. Eddie holds his arms out and Steve practically throws himself into them, "how long does it take, for me to get back to normal?"

Steve shrugs, "it's different every time, but it's a good sign you're still here, sometimes you run. Those times are the worst ones."

Six weeks later, Eddie writes to himself, "do not, under any circumstances, run away..."

Eddie thinks he's seeing things. Thinks maybe he's going senile. But he hasn't forgotten for...well, it's been years now. At least seven or eight. And yeah, Ronnie might be about to finish high school and Steve might be stressed to fuck over her college applications, but...Eddie's glad. He's glad she's spreading her wings. He's glad they managed to produce a stand up human being.

He's really glad her and Steph are trying for the same colleges, they're always going to have each other.

But yea...he's worried his mind is kind of...slipping. Hasn't told Steve. Doesn't want to worry him. They're both sprouting a few gray hairs, no need to add to those.

But sometimes. Sometimes when Eddie looks out of the window, he thinks, for a moment, that the sky is dark and...it looks like snow?

And sometimes, Eddie catches himself in the mirror, and he's sure he's dirty. A mess. Covered in blood but...no. He walks back a step, checks again. Everything is fine.

Sometimes he's sees movement out of the corner of his eye.

Sometimes, in the beat of the music or the rumble of the car engine, he swears he hears things. Sometimes a voice. Sometimes it sounds like they're yelling.

Sometimes it sounds like Steve.

And once, he blinked awake, Steve bringing him a coffee. But it wasn't Steve, for the time between startled, half asleep blinks, it was Vecna.

It gets worse.

Something isn't right. The house is empty, and it shouldn't be.

He can hear Steve, but he can't find him. And that's silly because the house isn't that big. He searches and searches, growing more frantic. He calls back to Steve, but Steve...doesn't seem to hear him.

There's something dim about the light, but the light has always been that way, hasn't it? Something...dusty, in the air. Eddie feels like he's dreaming. He has to be dreaming; there's a crack in the living room wall. A crack that spreads and lengthens until the whole house is crumbling and Eddie can see clearly now that the sky here flashes red.

That it's always been flashing red.

How did he not see before? The dust on every surface? The pages of his notebook are blank. Eddie knows. He's always known.

Steve.

Steve is here. He's hanging from Eddie's fist, bruised and bloodied and begging Eddie. Begging Eddie to stop this, to hear him, to see him. It's Steve.

It's Eddie's Steve.

Next to him, Vecna says, "finish it."

Eddie has something in his hand, the hilt of something he's sure of, long and sharp and dependable.

Eddie doesn't think, he just moves.

He drops Steve.

He doesn't need to look. Eddie turns, and he swings.

Part Two

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Steve is fighting to defend the kids from Vecna's reign, and he's actually gaining the upper hand.

Vecna to Eddie: I want you to kill Steve Harrington.

Eddie: *gives him an odd look* Okay, whatever you say, my liege.

He walks over to Steve and grabs his jacket roughly, pulling him closer.

Steve: Eddie, this isn't you -

Eddie slams his lips to Steve’s.

Vecna: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Eddie: *breaks the kiss* This is what you wanted me to do!

Vecna: Kill! I want you to KILL him! NOT KISS!

Eddie: I'm still hearing kiss! *turns to Steve* I'm not sure why he wants this to happen, but I guess it's happening!

Steve: I've got no complaints.

Vecna: MUNSON! I WANT YOU TO FUCKING MURDER HIM!

Eddie: *gasps* You want me to FUCK him? In front of the kids?! Henry! You kinky son of a bitch!

Vecna: I WANT YOU TO END HIS LIFE.

Eddie: You want me to make him my wife?! Okay, whatever you say, Henry. *Gets down on one knee* Steve Whatever Your Middle Name Is Harrington, will you be my wife?

Steve: Yeah. Okay. I'm not doing anything important right now.

Vecna sighed and turned to El.

Vecna: Okay. You can kill me now.

[apomaro-mellow]

I saw a tiktok of steve asking kas!eddie what he wanted to eat and it's the vine audio of "the souls of the innocent" "a bagel" "nooooo" "two bagel" with eddie saying a bagel and vecna as the other voice. And now I'm like a craxk steddie fic from vecna's perspective would be soooooo funny. Like imagine he resurrects eddie as kas and thinks he'll be this great asset and spy, but he's just too *heart eyes* at steve to ba a) useful and b) controlled lmao. Eddie will be sitting in on some sort of planning session and vecna piggybacking in his mind is like "finally! an advantage!" But then steve will stretch or something and eddie just hones in on the sliver of his stomach he can see and his horny thoughts are too loud for vecna to hear the "master plan" anymore

hehehehe here's the vine for anyone that wants culture

His body was badly damaged. But his mind was as strong as ever. It was child's play to connect with Eddie Munson and use the forces of the Upside Down to repair his body into something usable. The boy fought, but then he reminded him of all of the pain he'd gone through, all the regrets, the people he had to leave behind and soon enough, their goals were one. They made it to the surface and sought out those he knew.

Surely they were already planning their next counter. But he couldn't allow that. With this body though, he could blend in seamlessly. They would welcome their resurrected friend with open arms.

"Steve?"

'Ah yes, Steve.' Eddie had quite a few regrets when it came to this one. Henry didn't realize it yet, but most of his problems would come from Steve Harrington.

When he considered the biggest obstacles, of course that title went to Eleven. Among the rest, Nancy Wheeler was probably the most dangerous after that. But beyond her, the rest were mere ants. He only knew as much as he needed to know for his own ends. It was why he knew Steve was important to Eddie.

He had simply underestimated how important.

He also overestimated his control when it came to this body. He was a mere passenger. And try as he might, he just couldn't get Eddie to tap into that rage and fury that had brought him back to life.

'They left you for dead! Kill them!'

"Eddie, how's this one look?", Steve asked, turning around in the outfit he'd chosen.

Vecna found his voice drowned out with Eddie's heart thumping in his own ears. Apparently there was something fetching about Steve in his summer shorts.

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

"Hey Eddie, what d'you feel like eating?", Steve said as he perused take out menus.

'Tell him how you hunger for flesh. How you wish to rend him limb from limb and feast on his blood.'

"Chinese sounds really good right now."

'Noo!!'

"Can we get orange chicken?"

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

He had thought they'd all but given up on trying to defeat him earnestly but was proven wrong when a meeting was called. Vecna felt vindication rising as everyone gathered and Nancy took the helm, laying out what had happened and what they'd done so far. And Eddie was listening intently. He knew he'd be important to their plan. He had new abilities and a connection to the Upside Down now. This was perfect! Now he'd know exactly what they were planning and they would be none the wiser. Still, no one had figured out he was looking through their trusted friend's eyes.

"Alright, listen up because there's more phases to the plan this time", Nancy said. "We've got more people and that's more ground to cover, but it's important that everyone knows their part and sticks to it." She gave Eddie a meaningful look.

'Yeess. Yeeeeeeeessssss', Vecna grinned as she began to lay out the first part of the plan.

And then Steve had to go and yawn and stretch his arms and suddenly Eddie's eyes weren't on Nancy's face anymore but on that tiny sliver of stomach as Steve's shirt rose.

'Noooooooooooo', Vecna wailed as Nancy's voice was drowned out with how much Eddie wanted to nibble on that stomach.

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

He was losing his patience with his predicament. Every time he called Eddie to heel went unanswered. It was infuriating to be reduced to this. His forces might not be ready quite yet, but it was time to put an end to this.

"I got the popcorn!", Dustin exclaimed.

"Sodas on deck", Lucas announced.

"What's the flick?", Steve asked, sitting down next to Eddie.

Vecna would call upon the powers he had and open up another portal. One that would spell the end of Hawkins and the world. Movie night be damned.

"Secret of NIMH", Dustin said, putting the movie in.

....He could wait another day. He hadn't seen this one yet.

[criminally-obsessed]

VECNA: Did you take out Steve as I requested? KAS!EDDIE: Steve has been taken out, yes. VECNA: You have my great- KAS!EDDIE: It was a great restaurant. KAS!EDDIE: We had a romantic candlelit dinner. KAS!EDDIE: Steve proposed afterwards- we’re filing the wedding papers.

[whoismartianfox]

"After everything you've done, how will you sleep at night?

"Next to my husband."

(Epic Au Steddie has consumed my every waking thought)

[rowenathesaint]

People keep saying that Eddie won’t return in the next season, but I still have hope. One of the most fundamental things in movies and shows is the gun rule (I’m not sure what exactly it’s called), which is the rule that if you introduce a gun In the story it has to be used in some way. If something is introduced (like a gun, knife, a character, etc.) it has to be used and have a purpose. Almost every single story follows this. When The Hellfire Club is playing their final game in season 4, part of their storyline is that the character Kas rescues Vecna, and Vecna returns. And then Kas is never mentioned again. To mention and introduce such an important and fundamental character would make no sense, if they wouldn’t use him to further the plot. In my understanding (which is limited, I must admit) Kas is like a vampire lieutenant who serves Vecna, but ultimately ends up betraying Vecna. It would make so much sense for Eddie to “become” Kas. Just think about. Eddie returning as a vampire like creature, who serves Vecna, and the party having to fight him. It would be such a great storyline!

I don’t know if anything I said made sense, or if I’m just yapping away. You can also most definitely find someone who will explain this better. I really hope for this to be true, but you never know. It is after all just a theory.

[fightabear]

once upon a time i wasn't swamped, and we're slowly entering the no-longer swamped era again. so here are pages  26 - 29 of my steddie comic. expect an update every two-ish weeks until i get a backlog going again.

my final fantasy comic will be getting similar bi-weekly updates.

[yours-etc]

🪱🩷 wiggly worm wednesday🪱🩷

this very special wiggly worm wednesday is for @someforeignband <3 we have been obsessing over THE steddie album— Conan Gray’s Found Heaven— for months now and it’s time i did something about it!! so here is a little blurb i wrote <3

Eye of the Night 🦇

Steve could feel something watching them as he walked Robin over to Vickie’s. He house wasn’t far from Steve’s place where they were hanging out before hand, and when Vickie rang asking if Robin wanted to stay the night, there was no stopping that lesbian from practically running out of his front door. He offered to drive her the handful of blocks, but she refused. Saying that this was probably one of the last few nice fall evenings they would get before winter made it unbearable, and she needed to let out energy before she got to Chrissy’s. Steve just laughed and told her he would walk with her just to be safe.

“Well aren’t you just my night in shinning armor!” She cooed as they left his house.

“Yeah yeah, laugh it up Buckley, but this gated community is really dangerous. A raccoon could come out and bite you at any moment,” He said leaning into her, “Racoons with rabies!”

Robin pushed him away and pointed her finger angrily at him, “Don’t even joke about that with me Steven,” she said in a stern tone that has long lost its affect on Steve.

And so here they are making the track to Vickie’s place. He hates to admit it but it is a lovely night out, just cold enough to need a jacket but not too cold that your bones start to ache. But there was a nagging feeling at the back of Steve’s mind.

Something is watching them.

Something is following them.

He tried to shoo the thoughts away, but ever since Vecna he’s always been on edge, never feeling truly safe anywhere. He’s trying to get over it, but it’s difficult when shit keeps happening in the god forsaken town. The kids all say that there’s no reason to be worried, no reason to fear, Vecna was the biggest bad guy and they took care of it, nothing else is going to happen.

Except that’s what they said the first three times. So sue him if he wants to stay prepared.

Robin picks up her pace slightly when Vickie’s house comes into sight, “Alright Steve-o see you tomorrow at work!” She runs off leaving Steve at the stop sign at the end of the road like a parent watching their child go to school for the first time, only its his best friend going to try and sleep with her long time crush she won’t make any moves on.

He watches until he sees the front door open and Robin walk in. Once she’s inside he lets out a deep breath he’d been holding and turns around to start walking home.

Steve could feel whatever it was the whole way back. He’d hear a rustle of leaves, a snap of a twig, a breath not coming from himself. The closer to home he gets the more wound up he becomes. Thank god he grabbed his keys before they left the house, and thank god he always left his bat in the trunk of his car. He’s only a turn and a few houses down when he feels whatever it is that’s been trailing him get close. He doesn’t know how he knows, but something tells him they are closer now and he needs to run. His hunch is only confirmed when the street lights start to all flicker around him.

And so he does.

Without warning.

He takes off running as fast as he can pulling out his keys to unlock the trunk when he gets there. He can hear quick footsteps speed up with him, which only pushes him to go quicker. He hears a snarl? Growl? Something not human for sure, come from the thing behind him when he takes a sharp turn down the street his house sits at the end of. It take both no time as all and what feels like hours to reach his car and get the bat out.

Once it’s in his hand he turns around to find…nothing.

The street is quiet and the lights have stopped flickering.

Steve stands there and waits. He’s not stupid enough to think it left. And sure enough out of the corner of his eye he sees a figure dart to his back yard. He takes after, this time being the one who follows. But once again, when he gets to the backyard, it’s empty. The pool he should have drained moths ago sits completely still, not a single ripple being made. The only light comes from the pool and his house which is too far back to provide any kind of helpful light to him.

“I know you’re back here,” He says into the darkness.

There’s a small rustle and nothing else.

“What do you want?” He says still surveying the area. He looks around slowly trying to see if anything is amiss, if he can even make out anything in the dark.

Then he hear it, the sound of his back door sliding open. Steve is just quick enough to see the lights get turned off. He takes off immediately, barreling into his own house like he’s the fucking intruder.

Once again, there’s nothing at first.

But this time the science is broken quite quickly by a creek of the old wood floors and quick steps up the stairs.

It’s then that Steve realizes he’s being lead, played with, this thing wants him to follow this goose chase. For what though, he’s not completely sure. If it wanted to kill him there was plenty of time to do that already.

More aware of his position, he’s cautious climbing his stairs. When her makes it to the hallway it’s only his bedroom door that is open. He can feel cool air from his room window down the hall creating a chill in the house. In his room he finds an open window and something small sitting on the ledge. When he edges closer, bat still tightly gripped in his hands. The small item reflects the moonlight. It’s a ring, a fairly normal ring, silver with a blackish blue gem in the middle.

Steve has seen that ring before.

He gasps and drops his bat running the rest of the distance to the window to pick it up.

“Eddie?” He says to himself, almost like a prayer, closer to a plea, full of desperation, words getting half stuck in his throat. He looks at the ring like it’s the most precious thing in the world, holds his like it could disappear at any second. This is Eddie’s ring, the ring he gave Eddie the summer before… well before everything happened. Steve never thought he’d see this ring again.

He doesn’t flinch away when familiar arms wrap around his waits pull him back into a warm chest.

He doesn’t flinch when warm breath against the crook of his neck causes goosebumps to cover his skin.

He doesn’t flinch when lips graze his ear and soft curls brush his cheek lightly.

“Did you miss me much Stevie Baby?”

No pressure tags i just want to see what y’all are cooking up! (if you want to share!)

@theroundeviloftable @cheerscoops @someforeignband (HA i tag you back 🙂‍↕️)

And of course anyone I didn’t tag POST YOUR WORMS I WANT TO SEE THEM!!

[trashmouth-richie]

͎l͎͎e͎a͎͎v͎͎e͎ ͎m͎͎e͎ ͎i͎͎n͎ ͎t͎͎h͎͎e͎ ͎d͎a͎͎r͎͎k͎ 🦇🌑

a spooky tale of the night things went bump in Hawkins, the aftermath and how things had been affecting your boyfriend, Eddie months before you both were on the run.

tw: possession, ptsd, nightmares, drug use, cheating, vecna lives, mean!evil!Chrissy , mean!Eddie, a sprinkle of Steve and Dustin! yay we love them. Mike wheeler, ew! This runs the same course as season 4, I just thought it would be cool to see Eddie’s life before spring break of ‘86 and what it would be like if he had a girlfriend, you baby— that’s you!

eddie x fem! reader

“No, no!” 

  He could feel the razor sharp teeth sinking into his flesh, gouging his sides like butter under a hot knife. It was all too real. 

  It always was. 

  The nightmares presented around the anniversary of that day. The day you almost lost him. 

  You did what you always had, holding him close to your own body, pressing your lips to the plains of his shoulder blades, running the pads of your fingers over the pink marred scars delicately to remind him it was just a nightmare. 

  That he was safe with you.

  You weren’t around when it happened. he didn’t want you down there, instead your position was right side up with erica and Lucas at the Creel House. 

  “I’ll be fine,” He had teased, rolling his eyes as you fretted and pouted that you couldn’t go with him. He kissed the knuckles of your right hand, those infamous dimples dipped into his cheeks, “I’ll be right back.”

  Only he wasn’t right back.

  He was choking on his own blood when Steve hoisted him through the gate into the disheveled remnants of the Munson trailer. 

  A day burned into your memory. A day he still suffered from. No matter the amount of medications he was on to help numb the nightmares. 

  “It's okay Eddie,” you whispered softly into his skin, “you’re here with me,” 

  His shoulders begin to release the tension he was holding, fist gripped hands softened as much as the guitar calluses would allow. 

  He shifted his weight to his other hip, facing you. His puffy eyes moved erratically trying to gain security in your face as you smiled softly at him. 

  His hand presses to your chest to feel your heartbeat trying to mimic his breathing to yours. He’s warm, sweaty and hair a nest around his face.

  He would take it all back if he could— selling to that bitch Chrissy to make a quick buck. Running and hiding at Rick’s. Dodging your phone calls because you had been in another fight about whether or not he could just move hellfire so Lucas would be there, and why he was selling to Chrissy.  

  Moves and counter moves. And those 4 days, Eddie had made the worst ones. 

  “‘m sorry, fuck, I’m so sorry.” 

  Years had passed and it still felt like it was yesterday. The red lightning striking behind his eyelids every night before he went to sleep, a reminder of the world that crawled with demons and creatures beneath his feet, just aching for another gate to open and make the two worlds collide. 

  The embarrassment hung heavy on his features, tinging his marble cheeks pink, a silvery tear fell from his grove of lashes. 

  Guilt riddled through him from those days, and the months leading up to it, he had no idea what was happening.

  He promised Steve and the others that he wasn’t a hero, then cut the sheet and rammed through the door to give them all time.

  Scoffed and told you he’d be fine then ended up laying in a puddle of his own blood, Dustin screaming for him to stay awake. 

  Swore to Wayne that he would graduate that year, but ended up hospital bound for months and missed graduation again.

  Flashes of your face, your eyes, the sweet nectar of your lips played through his mind. Your voice was the only thing he heard, maybe it was the loss of blood that numbed him, he wasn’t sure. But one thing remained, your voice was the only thing he could hear.

“Ed please, please let me come with. I wanna be with you.” 

  Your relationship was hanging on by threads in March of ‘86. He had loved you for years, knew every single freckle and imperfection on your skin. He loved the way you had shown up to every concert cheering for them when the bar was silent and empty. He had been the one to teach you a little about cars when you sat on the ground beside him watching as he cranked a wrench this way or that. He knew the spots to kiss below your ear to summon the pretty noises, just for him. 

  You were the love of his life, and he was yours. Two outcasts finding each other and sticking like glue. 

  But the past year had been hard on him, he was back in school again, super senior times two, and he fell deep into the facade the town had molded him into. He was angry, feeling the weight of the heavy chip on his shoulder, the pounding ache in his skull.

  It wasn’t your fault, but somehow you were the easiest to push away. 

  He became mean, became everything they thought he was, leaning into his reputation. And as much as he fooled the others you knew that wasn’t the Eddie you had fallen for. 

  The Eddie you knew was sweet. And not just a nice guy but affectionate in ways you didn’t know anyone could be. 

  He’d open doors for you, carry your books to class, pick you up before school and drop you off every day, even on days you worked at the bar wiping slimy tables, he’d wait for you shift to be over, tipping and whistling when you walked away, letting the whole bar know you were his girl. 

  He wrote mushy songs about his love for you that would make the rest of the band gag. Promising you the moon and the stars while laying out on the top of his van, Eddie was wrapped around your finger, just as much as you were around his. 

  November was the month she had left, and it was always tough for him, but that year it ate at him. The pain from abandonment spread like wicked vines in his chest and he lashed out at anyone who crossed him. 

  It hurt when he started picking fights, bickering over what songs you played in your car, tossing the tapes out the window, laughing when you got mad. It hurt worse when he ignored you all together, heated fights ending with him unplugging his phone from the wall jack, not wanting to hear your pleas. 

  He stopped calling, stopped staying for your shift at the bar, claiming he had something else to do. DnD and weed became his only escape, usually finding solace in your arms, your kisses, but he had outgrown them, outgrown you. 

  That day was the same as any other Friday. 

  He had picked you up for school, wearing his hellfire shirt and greeting you with a sleepy smile and a morning cigarette, one he had inhaled and held while he pressed his lips to yours, only breaking away and pushing the smoke from his lungs and into yours when they were screaming. 

  “You look pretty, who’s the lucky guy?”

  It was a running joke between you, but somehow the joke fell flat when it was rumored that Chrissy Cunningham was seeking him out. 

  you blew the smoke between your lips and settled into the velour seats of his van, “oh just some curly haired metal guy, always wears the old leather jacket we found in Indianapolis three years ago, super good lookin’ kind of a dick, lately.” 

  He scrubs his hands down his face, “c’mon babe don’t start this shit again.” 

  You were still hurting from your argument last night, he just couldn’t understand how it was a big deal that Chrissy seeked him out to do special k with her, at his trailer, alone. 

  “I’m not starting anything, I just think her intentions are more than getting high.” 

  “It’s an easy sixty bucks, triple what it’s worth— I’d be stupid to turn it down.” 

  “Or just stupid to do it.” 

  The two of you had argued for hours over this, ending the phone call with a slam into the receiver on Eddie’s end. And tear stained pillows on yours. 

  Crazy to think now how that was what was killing you, your boyfriend who was pushing you away. 

  You were so naive, then. Not knowing that within a day's time, Chrissy would be found dead in Eddie’s trailer and he would be missing. And whatever her intentions truly were wouldn’t matter. 

  “No need to apologize,” you whispered into the dark, fingers moving his bangs from his face. 

  He pulled away, reaching for the lamp on his side table and pulling his knees to his chest. “Thought I was past this shit.” 

  “Your doctor said the possibility of them coming back is higher than them leav—”

  “I know—” he barked, rubbing the heel of his palm into his eye, “sorry, fuck I’m tired of it— it’s been six years!” 

-

After Hellfire was over, Eddie paid Mike to make sure you got home safe, which led to you throwing the velvet bag of dice at his chest, demanding answers. 

  “So I’m not allowed to be at your place when she’s there?!” your finger nails dug into your jeans as your hands pressed into your hips. 

  “Oh here we go—“ Eddie breathed out annoyed, “it’ll take a half hour, tops.”

  “so since it won’t be that long it shouldn’t be a problem for me to be there when Chrissy and her skanky ponytail show up, right?” 

  “Well, I’m driving her there.” 

  You almost laughed in his face at his hurtful joke, but when he peered down at you, you knew his dimples wouldn’t show up and he’d tickle your sides kissing you frantically and laughing. 

  He was serious. 

  Driving that cheap tramp to his place, making a sale, doing k and then what? You could see the web she was stringing along, and you knew he did too. He was just playing dumb. 

  “.. wow munson, (a name you only called him when you were mad) hope she swallows.” 

  Rolling his eyes he muttered, “Jesus Christ sweet—” 

  “Don’t sweetheart me!” You said shoving his chest with all your might, he didn’t even tip back onto his heels. “You can use the sixty dollars to pay for your new script when you catch something.” 

  “Grow up, it’s not like that,” he grumbled, blowing you off and walking away from you. 

  “Really?” You chirped, following him to the back of his van, “tell me what it is like then, because last time I checked- I didn’t have guys over at my house without you.”

  “It’s just a sale,” he gritted through his teeth, slamming the back of the van door, “don’t fucking pretend like you weren’t doing the same shit before we started fucking.”

  That was exactly your point. And the fact that he could say it and not even bat an eye or see what her intentions were was fucking insane. 

  Your tongue pressed into your cheek and you ripped his guitar pick necklace from your neck, and threw it as his reeboks, “fuck you.”

  Stomping over to Nancy Wheeler’s station wagon, you hopped in the passenger seat. 

  “Drive Wheeler.”

  “Huh?” Mike said confused and nervous that he was the one to drive you home. 

  “Fucking drive!” 

-

  Whatever could have or would have happened between Chrissy and Eddie never did, she was dead within ten minutes of being at the trailer. 

  And Eddie fled, making a pit stop to grab the only thing important to him, the only one who would believe him, you. 

  You had never seen him like that before. His eyes were wider than they ever were. At first you thought he was fucked up on some bad shit, maybe Chrissy convinced him to do some coke or even worse. 

  “Aww the princess wouldn’t put out?.” You seethed before attempting to slam the door in his face, he caught it with a thick hand and shoved his way in. 

  His face was ghost-white pale, eyes wide and scary like he was a little kid and witnessed a true monster lurking beneath his bed. 

  “Shut up, we have to— c’mon,” he grabbed your wrist and drug you up the stairs to your bedroom, once there he began opening up your drawers and tossing clothes onto your bed. 

  “What the hell are you doing?” you protested, trying to stop him from ripping your entire room apart. 

  “I can’t,” and this was the first time you saw your boyfriend break, he was always strong, holding you when your own mom left with her many boyfriends, brushing your tears away at the end of a sad movie, but here he was, tears stinging his eyes, crying while he held a combination of his clothes that you kept in your dresser and yours. “…can’t explain— right now, please baby, fuck please! Help me!” 

  you did as you were told, opting to ask questions later, you nearly tripped down the stairs with how hard Eddie was dragging you behind him, he stopped in the kitchen and grabbed the first food items he could think of, and thirty seconds later you were in his van, watching him wipe tears from his eyes as he sped through town. 

—

He had never told you the most frightening part of his nightmare, and it wasn’t the bats or vecna or the way he felt like he was suffocating. Or Chrissy’s body snapping like a fucking twig under a bears claw, it was worse than all of that. 

  “It’s the same thing over and over again,” Eddie said between puffs of a cigarette, your warm hand rubbing his back like you always did on bed nights,  “I’m lying there almost dead, and I can see Henderson, feel the bats teeth, but…”

  “It’s okay Eddie, it was traumatizing— but you’ve come a long way, and I’m so proud of you.”

  The truth is what scared him the most. 

-

  “You’re scaring me Eddie,”

  “Yeah- well I’m pretty fucking scared right now too, I have no idea what I— fuck I’m losing my mind.” 

  His foot was pressed flush with the floor, no time for stop signs. 

  “Just tell me what happened so I can help!” you yelled, unable to calm yourself out of fright.

   He turned to look at you and you swore he aged 10 years, “She’s fucking dead, I don’t know how, I don’t know why. She flung into the air like a fucking squirrel or some shit and then she- she, and then she snapped.” 

  “She snapped? Like she went crazy? Like a witch?”

  “What? No, not like a witch! She snapped like her bones fucking snapped and then she fell to the ground and she was— dead.” 

  “Jesus.” 

  “We need to hide, it won’t take very long for someone to notice there’s a dead bitch in my living room.”

  —  

  “You were right.” 

  “What?”

  “She— Chrissy, she wasn’t there that night to buy from me. I didn’t, I swear to you, I had no idea.” 

  “It was so long ago Eddie, it doesn't matter now.” 

  “It does..”

  -

  “I wanna be with you.” 

  Running from the cops, finding out about the upside down and helping your new found friends discover vecna and his curse still couldn’t stop you and Eddie from bickering. 

  He was pissed that you had dove in the water after Robin and Nancy, even more pissed when you resurfaced and found you helping Nancy wrap up a badly bleeding Steve. 

  You were mad that he ate all the honey comb back at Rick’s before you even woke up, leaving you with a rumbling stomach and a growing hatred for him. 

  And worst of all, you were still upset that you were both in this mess. Imagine if he had just listened to you and Chrissy would have died at her own house or better yet at Jason’s. You and Eddie wouldn’t be reeking like an ogre’s armpits and your socks and underwear wouldn’t be soggy.

  And now he didn’t even want you with him.

  “I’ll be fine,” he said with an eyeroll, his chin dipping into the green vest, “I’ll be right back.” 

  -

  Chrissy didn’t come over for drugs, the minute her door slammed in the van she was all over him, rubbing his thigh and walking her nails up his chest. 

  It felt good to be wanted by someone else. He wouldn’t deny it. He felt like you were his past and he wanted something new, something… more. 

  Someone like Chrissy Cunningham. 

  She wasn’t prettier than you were, but she was cute, and he had a crush on her for as long as he could remember. 

  Plus, her boyfriend was the biggest asshole in all of Hawkins High so how great would it be to find out his girlfriend was cheating on him with the freak? 

  He thought of you.

  His girl.

  Your smile, your witty little jokes, the way your curves felt in his hands, how you were the first girl to actually give a shit about him. 

  He loved you, goddamn he fucking loved you. 

  He started second guessing everything that was happening. Suddenly Chrissy’s nails felt like talons and her perfume smelled like rancid rotting fruit, he pushed her away in disgust, and her eyes flickered a sinister shade of milky blue. 

  But before anything could happen, before her lips could even touch his, and before he could tell her to get out and find another way home, she was dead. 

  —

Blood was fountaining from his mouth, he made Dustin promise to take care of the others. And before Dustin could beg him to stay, he heard your voice. Pretty and musical, 

  Eddie bear. 

  You had called to him like an angel. 

  My sweet sweet Eddie, how fucking dumb are you? 

  He couldn’t get away from it, he tried to focus on Dustin’s voice but it was no use. 

  I’m glad you’re dying, you worthless fuck. Now you can lie with that whore, forever. 

—

  “I— I know it was Vecna, but it— fuck baby it’s your voice.” 

  You didn’t cry easily, not anymore. But the tears hit the tops of Eddie’s bare shoulder before you can catch them. And you sob into his neck. 

  “I love you, sweet girl— I’m sorry I’m so sorry.” 

  It wasn’t a secret how much you didn’t like Chrissy, even now when she’s been buried for years you still couldn’t forgive her. 

  You had heard what her plans were when you were stacking paint supplies for Ms. Greenly in the supply closet earlier that week. Her locker was right next tk the closet door snd you could hear everything she was saying. 

   She was talking to Carol about her plans of seducing Eddie, how he had become so hot this past year, how Jason wasn’t filling her needs anymore. But maybe if she got under some trailer trash like Eddie— it would help her appreciate how good she had it. 

  She had just wanted to use him for her own benefit, using the fact that he had liked her years before to win him over. 

  “Plus,” she added, “have you seen the dog he’s dating? Barf.” 

  You may pried open her locker after that, and you might have poured red paint on her Pom poms. But it wasn’t anything she didn’t deserve. 

  Eddie never told you about what he heard when he was fighting for his life that night. 

-

  You had cried so hard when Steve rolled up to the creel house and hollered for you to get in, Eddie was sprawled in the back nearly dead. You jumped in beside him, holding his head in your hands and asking a frantic Dustin what had happened. 

  The rest of the days were a blur. Eddie was stable but in extreme amounts of pain. Feeling guilty that he was the one to come back and Max was still in a coma, bones shattered like Chrissy’s were. 

  You rarely left, visiting every hour you could and sharing Eddie’s hospital bed. 

  “I’m sorry baby, I’m so fucking sorry,” he repeated it almost every hour, you thought it was for him almost dying and refusing to let you come with, but now you understood. 

Six years has passed and you both left Hawkins the week after he was cleared from the hospital. Both unable to stomach the idea of staying in a town that quite frankly was formed on the hubs of hell. 

  Hawkins was your home, but it was filled with toxic memories. Ones that you and Eddie had put behind you, ones that never got brought up. 

  You were in love again, no longer fighting, promising to be together until you were both old and gray. Eddie was the same boy you fell in love with in the band room years before, sweet as can be. Your hero. 

  And maybe it was Vecna’s curse brewing that wedged between you and Eddie to begin with. Vecna saw that he was valuable, much more use to him as a leader among an army of the undead than just an undead soldier. 

  That was Will’s theory at least, explaining why Eddie was distancing himself, why his head hurt all the time why he became so mean and vile, and why he was driving you away. 

  Vecna acted through Chrissy, taunting and teasing him, coming into his dreams and promising him power, riches, and companionship. 

  The nightmares were like a ticking clock, acting on the same four chimes as Vecna worked, four nights of hell for not obeying his orders, for not joining him. 

  For now, he waited in the shadows. He’d wait for however long it took. Waiting for his right hand Kas, to return. 

[thyeternalhunger]

High Magus is resting now go disturb him

[stevieschrodinger]

Part One Two Three Four Five

Eddie smells fresh and clean, his hair is fluffy and...really quite long now. Steve is vaguely aware that cutting curly hair is like, a separate thing to cutting straight hair. Like a totally different thing that needs to be learned. But still, Eddie doesn’t want to get an actual hair cut, and he seems to have a strong aversion to the idea of going outside and dealing with strangers, but his bangs are really getting in the way now, so Steve just carefully snips, a little at a time, not taking too much off. Steve uses his fingers to fluff Eddie’s bangs, snipping again at the curls that are longer than the others, “what do you think?”

Eddie stands, inspecting himself in the mirror, “yeah. Thanks Steve.”

He uses the towel to flick stray hairs off his face, wafting his shirt a little, scars showing at his midriff. He catches Steve looking, so Steve shuffles away, making an excuse, “I’ll get a broom.”

Steve sweeps while Eddie wipes stray hairs off the counter. “Anything else I can help with?” Steve offers.

Eddie sighs, looking a little squirely for a second, before he clearly comes to a decision, “I, the kids have been...asking me to run a game?”

“Right,” Steve starts slowly. He knows Eddie has the books out sometimes, knows he’s planning campaigns when he has the energy to do it, but he blows the kids off every time and they don’t push, clearly able to sense Eddie’s still...recovering.

“I think I want to try...I’ve got an idea for a campaign, just a little one. Just an afternoon.”

“Of course, I think...that’s good. If you feel up to it. Do you need my...help?” Steve has no idea how he could possibly help.

“Yeah...could I...talk you through the campaign, see what you think? And on the day, would you help me set up?”

“Yeah, yeah of course. Anything you need, okay?”

“Okay...thank you.”

“They won’t concentrate if they’re hungry, trust me.”

Eddie just watches as Steve makes up a tray of sandwiches. Some deli meat and cheese, some just cheese, and some he pushes his luck with, adding lettuce and cucumber to the mix. Who knows, they might eat it.

He has eggs boiling, and when the timer dings he cools them in the sink, tipping away the boiling water and running cold over them so he can peel them, “want an egg?” He offers one to Eddie, who, surprisingly, takes it, eating it in small bites.

Eddie’s more of a grazer, and he rarely sits and eats a full meal with Steve. Steve just keeps making extra of whatever he’s having, just telling Eddie where it is. It’s at least half gone most of the time, so Steve takes it as a win.

There’s a bowl of boiled eggs, a tray of sandwiches, a big serving bowl of chips and jugs of fruit juice out on the side by the time Steve is done. “I dilute the juice a little,” Steve confesses, “too much sugar in it. Those kids are hyper enough.”

Eddie actually smiles.

Steve moves the table and chairs while Eddie watches, “you got your map? And your shield thingy?”

Eddies goes, coming back laden with his books and his notes. A second trip brings out the hand drawn map, the shield thing that he unfolds in front of the seat at the head of the table.

“I think you’re going to do great,” Steve tells him. Eddie just nods, extra quiet today.

Maybe he’s saving his energy up for the kids. Or maybe it’s nerves, who knows? Either way he’s fiddling with his hair, starring at nothing, free arm wrapped tightly around himself. Steve can’t leave that.

Eddie almost startles, when he gets close, not realizing until the last second that Steve’s in front of him, “hey, come on, it’s okay,” and Eddie accepts the hug easily. Eddie sighs big in Steve’s embrace, settling, “you smell different to him,” Eddie whispers.

“Better or worse?”

“Neither...just different.”

Steve swallows thickly, giving one last squeeze before they part. Steve finds things to do in the kitchen while he tries to gather himself together, the kids will be here any minute.

The kids are watching a movie. Steve’s pretty sure the evening went well; whenever he stuck his head in the dining room, they all seemed engrossed, at least. Every now and again, there would be raised voices, or cheering, so, yeah, Steve figures they had a good time.

When Nancy’s car pulls up in the drive, Eddie tells Steve, “I’ll be a minute,” and then sheepishly slips out the front door.

Steve sees him in the passenger seat, talking to Nancy. He figures something emotional. Probably. Something Steve is too stunted to handle. Steve’s glad really, that Eddie has the girls to talk to about all this stuff. And then immediately feels a little guilty for escaping the burden of whatever that conversation is.

Steve knows there’s something up, from the quiet way Eddie’s watching him. He has something on the tip of his tongue, Steve can tell; it doesn’t come until the next day.

“I’m...moving back in with Wayne. Nancy said she’d help with my stuff, tomorrow, probably.”

It feels out of left field, Steve made unsteady by it for a second before he redirects. Eddie is an adult, and Wayne is family, Steve can’t keep him here.

He remembers the state of Eddie’s room, the stench of alcohol and stale sweat and fresh vomit, “will you be alright?”

“Yeah I...I’m pretty sure I’m done with the drink now, if that’s what you’re asking?”

It kind of is what Steve’s asking, but also, it isn’t, “well. Kind of. But...besides that, will you be okay?”

Eddie shrugs, “I think I need to...find some work, or something. Start standing on my own two feet, if I can. Be a...person.”

Two days ago Eddie couldn’t even face getting a haircut because he’d have to speak to a stranger, so it all kind of stinks of bull to Steve, “if that’s...what you need to do. But...you know you can always be here right? No matter what? Don’t feel like you have to go, or anything.”

“No...I know. You’re...you’re a really good guy Steve. And I...appreciate everything, you know? Really.”

“Yeah, I mean, yeah, no worries.”

It happens way too fast. Eddie’s meager belongings are boxed, his clothes are in trash bags, and apparently Wayne has redecorated Eddie’s room at the new trailer.

“I could have taken you?”

“It’s fine...Nancy’s good to help,” Eddie pulls a pensive face, "I really gotta’ get my van sorted, she hasn’t even been started for...months. Hell, I don’t even know if she will start. I should...go and deal with that.”

“Okay.”

Steve carries out two boxes and then makes himself scarce, doing a final once over. It’s not like Eddie’s going far; if he leaves something here by accident, Steve can just drop it out to him, it’s not like it would be an issue.

Still, he finds some last bits of clothes, forgotten in the dryer. Steve folds them before he carries them from the utility, stopping at the corner of the lounge, just out of sight. He shouldn’t listen to Eddie and Nancy’s hushed conversation, but he does.

“Wayne’s fine,” Nancy’s voice is low enough Steve has to strain to hear it, “he’s fine if you’re here or there. You need to do what’s best for you Eddie.”

“I can’t...I want to stay here.”

“Then-”

Eddie cuts her off with a frustrated noise, speaks with a fierce whisper, “I love him. I love him so much it hurts because I don’t know if it’s him I love or some magical Steve I dreamed up, okay? He keeps, doing things Nancy. You don’t understand. He keeps being so nice, and good and just...Steve. He’s just so much like my Steve and I can’t fucking stand it any more, okay?”

“Okay,” she shushes him, comforts him, “hush, okay, it’s okay. It’ll be okay, whatever you need.”

Steve takes the clothes back to the dryer; he’ll pretend to find them in a couple of days.

[theladyhellfire]

LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN.

Hear me out… 👀

If they do bring back Eddie (Kas!Eddie) and he’s Vecna’s little manipulated toy to hurt the gang more - I need him to come into the scene with War Pigs playing.

The scene is set:

It would be so good.

“Generals gathered in their masses” The gang all looking out over a hill. Fucking military cars everywhere as the Upside Down seeps into the Hawkins. Red lightning, vines. Demodogs. All taking over.

“Sorcerer of deaths destruction…” Vecna standing there, a shadow of the mindflayer behind him filling the sky as the flashes of lightening create that ominous world-ending moment.

“In the field the bodies burning… as the war machine keeps turning.” Everything is looking fucking hopeless. Military guys are standing in fucking fear. Seeing these creatures for the first time. While the kids, Steve, Robin, Nancy, Jonathan and Hopper and Joyce have just dreaded this moment. Trying to think of what to do to save their town. To save the World yet again.

“Death and hatred to mankind….” Another figure comes into view. Head down slightly, bat-like wings outstretching as he looks up at them. Scarred skin, red eyes, inky black veins up his arms and neck.

“Poisoning their brainwashed minds…” Steve sucks in a sharp breath. Dustin’s face falls as his chest heaves. It’s Eddie - but it’s not. Eddie’s dead and all that’s left is his likeness, filled with Vecna’s rage and hunger for devastation. Not recognizing his friends. Only feeling an insatiable need for blood and death.

I need it. I NEED IT

[acowardinmordor]

Bedtime angst related to prior thought from a while back.

Time travel Kas. Where V is going to lose, so sends Kas back to like, the day before spring break, and Kas doesn’t have super duper powers, but he makes it easier for V to channel power topside. Which means that he watches gleefully as Chrissy dies, and hides the body. Tracks down Fred soon after to help. They find Chrissy, the town realizes who must have done this, and he sorta kinda did, so they’re not wrong chasing him down.

Dustin was convinced something was wrong with Eddie when he agreed to postpone Hellfire, but no one believes him. When rumors start about Chrissy and Eddie, Dustin is still the one who insists they find him and help him, convinced that this isn’t Eddie.

Patrick dies in front of Eddie and the Party, and Kas puts on a great show of being paralyzed with terror. It’s the perfect way for him to join up with the others and get the last one. Get Max. Except Kas didn’t have time to hide Fred, and the party is genuinely smart. They speed run the research, and Max is in headphones, surrounded by people who love her, and she’s holding it off, even with Kas in the room.

Sometime the next day, Dustin sees Eddie have something like a seizure, before clutching his shoulders and rambling about being in danger to Max, that he’ll do to her what he did to the others, that they need to keep him away from her. A few seconds, that’s all. Then he snaps out of it, and tries to brush it off. He’s annoyed and pushy, but Dustin is pushier. Within an hour, there’s a second episode. About Max and the Creel house, and a warning about bats.

That’s when Dustin, who knows Eddie well enough to understand his references, and smart enough to put it together, realizes that it wasn’t Eddie confessing that killed those people, it was a little bit of Eddie shining through the cracks of someone else.

[criminally-obsessed]

STEVE: *looks at Kas!Eddie* STEVE: Baby boy. Baby. STEVE: *looks at Vecna* STEVE: Evil.