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sp0o0kylights · 1 year

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Adopt a Jock Part 1

Part 2

Part 4

Shoutout to @bloomingconflagration for the title!!! And a HUGE thank you to everyone who left comments or gave suggestions!! I love you all you amazing, silly humans <3 <3

There comes a time during a long work shift were your average overworked and underpaid employee starts to think they’re hallucinating.

In Gareth’s case, it was when Steve Harrington walked through the doors of Palace Arcade, making a beeline right for him.

“Gareth?” Steve asked, like he was the one out of place. “What are you doing here?”

As if people just randomly stood behind the counter of retail and entertainment spaces with a nametag on.

You know, for fun.

With a great deal of restraint, Gareth managed to hold the sass back, instead opting for a far more polite; ‘I work here, Harrington. What are you doing here?”

Because no matter how much Hellfire had adopted Steve into its fold, Gareth could just not see the guy choosing to spend his free time at the local arcade.

Not of his own free will, anyway.

“Pick up duty.” Steve said, proving him right not even a second later.

“Of what?” Gareth asked, puzzled, right before Steve’s name was shouted in stereo.

A miniature stampede took place as several children proceeded to swarm him like oversized puppies, most of them trying to talk at once.

“One at a time, we talked about this!” Steve barked, loud enough to be heard over the commotion. “You’re giving me and Gareth here a headache!”

He waved his hands in a “calm down” gesture, shaking his head and looking at Gareth in exasperation. “Probably giving the people in the video store next door one too, lord.”

“Wait.” A curly-haired kid said, looking between the two older teens like he was watching the laws of the universe rewrite themselves in front of him. “You know Gary? How?”

“We are not close enough for you to call me Gary.” Gareth said dryly, for what felt like the fifteenth time that day.

This was a regular battle between him and the kids who haunted the arcade.

(One had overheard Grant call him Gary the last time he was in, and ever since, every single child that graced this fine establishment with Cheeto-dusted fingers and candy-induced sugar rushes had decided to replace his actual name with his nickname.

The fact it clearly frustrated him only egged them on. )

“We go to school together Dustin,” Steve said, as if he were talking to someone particularly dense.

“Yeah? You go to school with lots of people. You bitch about most of them.” Dustin fired back.”Plus Gary’s a total nerd. I bet you call him names.”

"Hey, language!"

Gareth’s eyes narrowed as he glared down at the little fucker. He was definitely going to remember Dustin (and equally going to watch and see what arcade games the younger teen played-- and top the score chart of every single fucking one.

He might be a nerd but he wasn’t gonna take that shit from a middle schooler.)

“Hate to break it to you brats, but your babysitter here just joined our D&D club.” Gareth replied, if only to finally one-up the little bastards. “Our DM is building him a character as we speak.”

(Which wasn't even a lie. Eddie was building a character for Steve. The guy just refused to give any input on grounds that he "wasn't going to play anyways." )

Abrupt and sudden silence, as several stunned faces stared at him.

“Oh goddammit.” Harrington cursed, as the entire herd of children turned on him in unison like some kind of hivemind horror monster.

“You joined the D&D club,” Dustin said slowly, outraged. “And you let them make you a character sheet, but you won’t play with us!?”

“What the hell Steve!” The sporty-looking one whined, clearly hurt. “You won’t sit in on our games! You said they were lame!”

“They are lame.” Steve defended immediately, pushing at sporty-kids head. It was fond though, the kind of gentle shove an elder brother gave to a younger one. It caused the kid's camo banana to fall into his eyes, which he adjusted quickly with a grumble. “Turns out the high school version’s cooler.”

“He’s lying.” That from the bitchy one, whose arms were crossed over his chest, a glare on his face. “Steve probably paid Gary to say that”

Gareth had seen that exact same stance on Steve at lunch that day, and wondered if the little asshole knew who he was copying when he did it.

“Who cares about D&D?” This from the redhead, standing with another girl giggling in her ear. “I’m just amazed Steve has friends.”

“Really Mayfield?” Steve said, looking almost betrayed. As if he thought she was going to be the one to defend him in this weird little showdown.

The girl leaning on her giggled harder, making Mayfield grin (even if she tried to hide it.) She whispered something, which the redhead outright laughed at before repeating; “Adult friends even!”

“Okay.” Steve said, clearly cutting the kids off before they could embarrass him further. “Thank you, unwanted peanut gallery, for all of that lovely commentary. Now go back to playing the games you little shits robbed me of all my quarters for, or we’re leaving.”

Henderson’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you were here to pick us up?”

“Oh I’m sorry, did Jonathan magically appear behind me in the last five seconds?” Steve turned around pretending to search the parking lot through the windows. “No? Then I guess we’re still waiting. Unless you, Lucas and Max want to leave first.”

“You’re such an ass.” Dustin huffed, rolling his eyes. “Why aren’t you waiting in the car anyway?”

“It’s raining, it’s cold, and I thought I’d come in to say hi to my friend.” Steve replied, so quickly it took Gareth a moment to realize what Steve referred to him as.

He'd gotten the friend title before Eddie.

His best friend was going to fucking freak.

“Are you done drilling me or are you going to let Max kick your ass at DigDug again?”

“Shit!” Henderson cursed, spinning to intercept the redhead as she bent to put a coin in said arcade machine. “Max, you said you’d let me keep my leaderboard score today! Max!”

“I know you said you watched kids, but this wasn’t exactly what I was imagining.” Gareth said, slumping against the counter.

(He'd been thinking of Steve watching much younger kids for one, and two, he was starting to get the idea the babysitter thing was used as an insult.

Gareth knew a big brother vibe when he saw it.)

Steve gave him a tired look. “Me neither man. Me neither.”

Then; “You fucking owe me for that D&D comment, they’re never going to shut up about it now.”

Gareth winced. “Sorry. I was trying to help.”

Steve blew out a breath. “I know. I appreciate the attempt.”

Which was better than Steve bitching at him for it, not that he’d really ever done that to Gareth.

The two of them hadn’t quite worked up the nerve to be playful like that with each other, though they had occasionally jumped in on opposing sides to arguments Eddie caused. Gareth figured they’d get there in time, but even with all the progress Steve made, he still had more off days than on.

It was a fragile line to walk with him. Especially when there wasn’t a single member of Hellfire who wanted to ruin the progress they made.

(Even if half of them would never admit to it.)

“Steve?” A voice interrupted, quiet in a way that contrasted directly with how loud the rest of the brat pack was.

Steve closed his eyes for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose with his hand as if to starve off a headache.

“Yes, Baby Byers?” He asked after a long, painful pause, turning to look at the saddest looking kid in the bunch.

“Is there actually a D&D club at the high school?”

The kid looked at Steve like he wasn’t entirely certain he wanted to hear the answer, but was hopeful for the outcome he wanted anyway.

It was the kind of thing that pulled even on Gareth’s heartstrings, and he was almost immune to anything involving giant, sad eyes after a solid year of working at the arcade.

(Never mind Eddie’s own puppy dog looks.)

Steve’s voice gentled, in a way Gareth had never quite heard him use before. “There is. You’d love it, it’s called Hellfire. I’m sure it’ll still be there next year when you come in as a freshman.”

He nudged him with his shoulder playfully, smiling when the younger boy perked up. “If you’re nice, Garebear here might even put in a good word for you.”

“Garebear?” Max repeated with a burst of laughter, appearing behind Steve like a fucking ghost. “Oh my god.”

“No.” Gareth said, bolting upright from his slouch as he stared at her in horror. “Do not call me that.”

“Sure thing, Garebear.” She outright cackled, as Steve sent him a wide-eyed, apologetic face.

“What did you just call Gary?” The sporty one--Lucas, asked, a wide grin overtaking his face.

“I swear to God.” Gareth threatened, as Steve took another dramatic look over his shoulder.

“Hey look Jonathan’s here!” He yelled, jerking a thumb over his shoulder as he started quickly walking backwards. “Come on, dipshits, we're leaving!”

“Bye Garebear!” Lucas and Max sang together, following after him.

“Harrington!” Gareth howled, as Steve mouthed ‘Sorry’ over his shoulder, all but bolting out the door.

“I like Garebear a lot better than Gary.” Another, random child informed him with a grin as he sauntered past, arcade tickets in hand.

Steve Harrington, Gareth decided, was a dead man.

Not even Eddie’s fucking crush on the guy could save him now.

xXx

“Did you know Harrington has a literal pack of kids he watches?” Gareth asked a few hours later, messing with his drum kit as he set up for band practice. "He even drives them around."

More than that though--he’d seemed almost normal around them. That was the most Gareth had seen the guy banter or act relaxed since Eddie had dragged him over.

“He’s mentioned it multiple times.” Grant replied, tuning his bass. “You have ears Gareth, use them.”

“Gareth? Listen?” Jeff teased as he dragged an amp into the garage. “I don’t think I’ll live to see the day.”

"Oh screw you guys.” Gareth growled, winging a drumstick toward his friends for the insult.

Grant, long used to Gareth's tantrums (and Eddie's dramatics) didn't look up from his bass.

Not even when the drumstick hit the wall with a bang!-- allll the way near the opposite end of the couch, entirely opposite of either him or Jeff.

"As usual, your aim is dead on." Jeff appraised sarcastically.

"Like I'd ever actually hit you." Gareth grumbled with a pout. "I was gonna say the kids are older than I expected."

He reached down, blindly fishing for another drumstick from the bucket of them next to his kit.

He came up empty.

"Hey Grantman." Gareth asked, tone changing to something mildly embarrassed. "Could I uh, could I get the drumstick back?"

He got a flat stare back. "No."

"What did I do to get stuck with such dramatic friends?" Jeff joked as he began moving all the amps he’d pulled in back into their usual places.

They hadn't had time to unload anything other than the drums after their last show and the regret was real.

"Eddie’s been standing on tables since seventh grade, you knew what you were getting into." Gareth fired back, making grabby hands for his drumstick.

"And you never grew out of being that dorky middle schooler who snuck into Hellfire games and screamed we were all going to die every time anyone made a bad play." Jeff shot back. "Yet here I am, once again wondering if I should just permanently confiscate Eddie's snacks, your drumsticks, and now Harrington's fricken spatula."

"One year. I am one year younger than you and you act like it's an entire century!" Gareth muttered, as Grant relented and leaned over to fetch said drumstick.

"We all know Eddie chucks food at people, but what'd Steve do with a spatula?" Grant asked as he tossed it back to Gareth.

He missed and nearly took out a cymbal in the process.

"He had a snit while we were making chocolate roulade cause it wouldn’t roll right. Flung the spatula around so much it splattered whip cream on his ceiling." Jeff shook his head as he finished hooking an amp up to his guitar. "I had to rescue it from him."

"His ceiling?" Gareth said in disbelief. "Wait, you were in Harrington’s kitchen?"

"Yeah?" Jeff looked up to find his friends staring at him.

Grant blinked. "The fuck?"

“Can we just play?” Jeff complained, just as embarrassed as Gareth had been.

“No.” Gareth said, retrieved drumstick nearly falling from his hands in shock. “You don’t get to casually drop that you went to Harrington’s house to help him bake and then try to get us to play right after!”

Jeff, who had done exactly that, blushed, skin darkening as he fiddled with his guitar.

“It wasn’t a big deal.” He said finally with a shrug, as if this was something he did all the time and not the groundbreaking revelation that it was.

“Did you meet his parents?” Grant said, sitting up from the couch. “What did his house look like?”

Jeff finally gave up the pretense of playing his instrument.

“I didn't, and it was kinda sad, actually.” He said, as if he didn’t live for this kind of shit.

Gareth knew better than anyone how much of a fricken gossip Jeff could be.

“His house was enormous. I only saw the first floor, and his kitchen is huge.” He set his hands apart at a good distance, showcasing just how large “huge” was, before continuing.

“But it was weird. It was like a model home. No pictures on the walls, no art, no personality to the place at all.”

“What are we talking about?” Eddie asked, finally returning to Gareth’s garage from where he’d been gathering up all the wires they’d thrown haphazardly into his van.

“Jeff went to Harrington’s house.” Grant and Gareth tattled as one.

“To help bake stuff for this Friday!” Jeff defended, the blush creeping back onto his face. “I was curious about his chocolate roulade recipe and he invited me over!”

“When was this?” Eddie asked, staring at Jeff like he’d grown a second head.

Or more likely, Gareth knew, in jealousy. But he wasn’t going to call Eddie out on that just yet.

“Yesterday. We got to talking about it in the parking lot after school.” Jeff said with an embarrassed shrug. “He said he wasn’t the best at explaining how to do things and that he’d rather show me instead.”

“Kinky.” Grant deadpanned, making Jeff sputter.

“You sure you didn’t see his bedroom, Jeff? It’s okay if you fell for the ‘wanna see my music collection’ line. We won’t judge you.” Gareth waggled his eyebrows, ducking with a laugh when Jeff went to whack him.

“Shut up, we just made the chocolate roulade!” Jeff’s ears were red now, and huh, maybe Eddie wasn’t the only person with a crush.

“Guys.” Eddie reprimanded, tone warning.

“Sorry Eds, you know we don’t mean it.” Gareth soothed. Of course, his best friend's anger was less about the gay comments or Steve’s reputation as Hawkin’s man whore than it was about Steve fucking Jeff (and not Eddie) but he had a feeling it wouldn’t be appreciated if he pointed that out either.

Eddie didn’t respond, eyes already back on Jeff. "Details, Jeffery, give us the details!"

He dropped onto the couch, flapping his hands at Jeff in his version of a "sit down" gesture.

Jeff sighed, but repeated what he'd just said for Eddie as he took a seat on the edge of an amp, placing his guitar down gently.

"I think Wayne was right. I don't think anyone else lives there but Steve. Not full-time anyway." He finished.

Which sounded like the best fucking thing ever until Gareth thought about it for more than two seconds.

Tried to imagine what his life would be like if his parents and siblings were gone. Not for a day, or even a weekend, but always.

How silent his normally loud house would be.

Thought instantly that he'd be inviting Eddie, his friends, and hell, l even Wayne, over as often as they could handle.

"The way he looked when I showed up, and how quiet he got when I left I just…" Jeff fiddled with his guitar’s strap. "I think he's lonely."

The four of them sat in silence for a long moment as they digested that.

“Hargrove kicked his ass right? And Byers?” Grant said finally, breaking the silence ad he stared up at the ceiling.

“Old news.” Eddie replied absently, jiggling his leg.

“You think his parents were around for that?” Grant continued, slowly.

No one answered outside of Eddie's leg loudly jiggling faster.

"Did you see the kids hug him or anything?"

"They're like thirteen. I seriously doubt they're pestering Steve for hugs." Gareth answered flatly.

"So he got his ass kicked, his parents are gone, he was supposed involved in that whole has leak thing…" Grant trailed off with an air of someone who expected the end of his sentence to be obvious.

“You’re doing that thing again where you think what you’re saying is obvious and its fucking not.” Eddie grumped. "Just spit it out."

His friend's head finally tipped back down from the ceiling, to face the rest of them. “Maybe the flinching is because no one ever touches him anymore unless it’s to kick his ass.”

“Oh.” Eddie blinked, body going rigid. “Oh shit.”

“That…would make sense. A lot of sense.” Jeff said slowly.

Grant put on a face that read “Duh” loud and clear.

“So what do we do about it?" Gareth asked after a moment.

"Touch him, obviously." Grant replied, like he couldn't believe the drummer was even asking.

Gareth and Eddie shared a look while Eddie rolled his eyes.

"The guy almost fell down the stairs last time I tried that." Gareth pointed out.

Never mind any other time Steve got weird over the lightest of touches. Eddie couldn't even clap the guy on the shoulder without getting major side-eye.

"No." Eddie cut in, sitting up suddenly. His eyes had gone bright, "We're going to trick him into it."

"We're going to trick Harrington into being okay with, what? Shoulder pats?" Gareth echoed, like Eddie might hear himself if his words were repeated back to him. “You realize how stupid that sounds right?"

"Shut up, listen. It's like getting a stray to trust you. You just gotta be calm and so obvious about it that they get confused and let it happen." Eddie had begun practically vibrating, causing his friends to trade uneasy glances.

They knew that look. Eddie only got it when he thought up a plan that was going to cause problems.

"Eddie, that makes zero sense." Jeff told him.

Gareth just shook his head, because only Eddie Munson could compare Hawkins golden boy with a fucking stray animal.

Even if the guy kinda acted like one sometimes.

"I just need an opening." Eddie continued, the little hamster wheel spinning in his head so fast the rest of the band could almost hear it.

If Gareth had been told two months ago he was going to be sitting in his garage, discussing the best way to acclimate Steve Harrington to casual touch, he’d have actually smacked whatever idiot dared spew such nonsense with his drumsticks.

"I did tell tell the kids today you were making him a D&D character." He said, before his best friend could truly go off on some half cocked plot.

Eddie lit up like a kid on Christmas. "Gary, I could kiss you."

Gareth made a face. "Please don't."

He clapped hard before springing to his feet. "Huddle up boys, I've got a plan."

"God help us all." Jeff muttered.

(He huddled up anyway, any thoughts of playing guitar that night fully forgotten.)

Bonus:

"Why don't you just get high and watch a movie with Steve? You're a fucking cling-on when you're high." Gareth complained the next morning, when Eddie swung by to pick him up for school.

Mostly because the plan Eddie had come up with was ridiculous.

Eddie took both hands off the wheel, pressing them against his chest in mock offense while he stared at Gareth and not at the street. “That would be taking advantage of him and I, as a gentleman, would never." He gasped, dramatically.

In his normal voice, he added: "Plus it doesn't count."

“Eyes on the road!” Gareth yelped, swatting an arm. “And you know I didn’t mean it like that. People relax more when they're high and maybe Steve needs something like that as an excuse to allow it. Hell he doesn’t even need to be high, just you.”

Which Gareth personally thought was a very insightful thing to say, so of course he had to ruin it with; “or whatever.”

"Do you recall how you kissed Jeff on the cheek when you were high and then spent the entire next month swearing up and down that you weren't attracted to men last summer?"

"That was different. I was discovering myself."

Eddie outright cackled. "Discovering yourself? What self help book did you pick that gem out of?"

"I was quoting you, you moron!" Gareth sputtered.

"If I said anything like that then I was definitely high and it just proves my point. Steve would just be uncomfortable."Eddie stuck his tongue out. "So there."

"Fine." Gareth sighed. "If we ever get high with Harrington, I'll sit in his lap."

Eddie's eye twitched. "No you will not."

Thrilled to have something to tease the elder metalhead about, a smile graced Gareth's face. "In fact, I'm calling dibs."

"You can't call dibs on a lap! And besides, you don't even like him like that!"

"So?" Gareth retorted. "It's a nice lap, looks comfortable. You don't want it, so I'll take it."

Eddie grit his teeth, grasping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles went white.

"I know what you're doing Gary. This is some bullshit reverse psychology shit and I will not be falling for it."

"Oh contraire, this is sibling bullshit, Munson. You want it, so I want it." Gareth crossed his arms and looked at Eddie smugly. "And unless you do something about it, I'm getting it."

"I hate you."

Gareth grinned, delighted. "I know."

#Gareth @ 15: LOOK AT THESE LITERAL BABIES!#The Party @ 13: SCREW YOU GARY U NERD #Steve is a mom in my head but he definitely has older brother vibes.#Like he's on that 'You can do stupid shit but only if I supervise' phase lol #I don't ship Gareth with Jeff but I can see him picking Jeff over Eddie as the Bi Test Run.#Pre steddie #hellfire adopts Steve #adopt a jock #steve harrington #Eddie Munson #hellfire club #Steve harrington whump #Sad Boy Hours Steve #0o0 fanfics #gareth emerson #jeff #grant #Next part is Eddie Munsons Ridiculous Oneshot

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wonderlandwalker · 14 days

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First Impressions | Eddie Munson x Reader

Stranger Things Masterlist / Inbox

Summary: Eddie learns that Dustin has a recently reunited sister, and from the moment he meets you he's a goner.

Content Warnings / Tags: Pure fluff, henderson!reader, tiny mention of a fight but nothing descriptive, not edited, no use of y/n

Word Count: 1.4k

A/N: Eddie brain rot cause I couldn't keep it in. Don't know if this is my best work but I'm planning to write more chapters on this so it's just a start, hope you like it

“You need a ride home after this?” It was more of a formality than an actual question, he always drove Dustin home after a session.

“Oh that’s okay, my sister is picking me up.” Dustin didn’t even look up from packing his things away, but Eddie’s head shot up.

“Your- you have a sister, since when?” As far as he knew Dustin was an only child, but now he was wrecking his brain trying to think if he had ever mentioned you before.

“I know you’re bad at math Eddie, but I just told you she’s driving so try and put the pieces together.” Dustin was looking up at him now, challenging him.

“Alright smartass, it’s time for you to shut up.” He told him as he ruffled through his hair, leaving behind an agitated Dustin trying frantically to fix it.

The others had already gone home, but Dustin stayed behind late to help Eddie finish up, a habit that became more and more common as the two grew closer. When they finished packing up Eddie locked the door behind them, and while walking to the parking lot decided he wasn’t quite done interrogating Dustin.

“If you have an older sister, how come I've never seen her around before?”

“I mean she’s been around during holidays before, she lived with dad though but they had a big fight so she’s moved here.” It seemed like a sore topic, so Eddie dropped it for now.

As they got to the entrance of the school and felt the cool air on their skin Eddie indeed noticed another car in the usually empty lot, and you were sitting on the hood of it, a book in your hands as you patiently waited. The last rays of sunshine graced your figure as if the heavens themselves were blessing you, and Eddie had never been so sure he’d seena goddess in his life. It was just like the tales he knew so well, the ones he still devoted his life to, it was as if they were becoming true. You looked up when you heard them approach, smiling at the sight of them and giving Dustin a quick side hug as they reached you.

“It’s nice to meet you, I’ve heard a lot of good things.” You held your hand out for Eddie to take, but all he could do was look at it, staring ahead as if hitting pause in a game, he stood still. He wanted to react, to not make the most horrible first impression possible, but the longer he looked at you the worse it got, getting lost in sight of your smile. “Alright, not a fan of handshakes, notes.” You chuckled as you withdrew your hand, and Eddie cursed himself for not having taken the opportunity to feel how soft your skin must’ve been. You looked at him again, your eyes piercing straight through his soul and he wondered if maybe he had found himself in one of his fantasy worlds, he must have. But the next second he shook himself out of it, because you were real, you were real and in front of him and expecting him to say something.

“I’m Eddie.” he said, nodding his head as if to confirm his own statement.

“So I’ve been told.” Another giggle slipped past your lips, and Eddie wasnt sure if it was from nerves or entertainment, but he was dying to hear more of it, even if he had to make a fool of himself to do so.

Dustins head kept going back and forth as if watching a tennis match of idiocracy. He had never seen Eddie so flustered, so used to the man flaunting with every opportunity that presented itself that this seemed quite out of character. In full disclosure, it was kind of freaking him out to see Eddie so beside himself, and it was freaking him out even further that he couldn’t figure out why. It was probably blatantly obvious to anyone else, but maybe it was for the best that Dustin couldn’t place where the tension originated from, either way, his patience had run out

“Can we go home now, I still have to call Mike to discuss our net strategies” You tore your eyes from Eddie, deciding that maybe it was for the best to head home.

“Yeah alright, maybe I’ll see you around Eddie.” You gave him one last smile as you got in the car with Dustin and drove off, but it took him another minute to pick his shambled ego up from the concrete ground as he berated himself for not being able to utter one coherent sentence. As he got in his van and drove home as well he decided he’d have to grill Dustin for more information on you the next time he’d see him. As he got to the trailer he grumbled a hello to Wayne before disappearing to his room, ignoring the backhanded comment he got about his grumpy disposition.

He wondered if he’d ever be able to convince you he was cool, whether he’d be able to get you to agree to see him again, but after what just transpired he figured the odds were slim. Not that he’d give up so easily, he didn’t have much of a reputation to lose and if he’d be able to get you to laugh again that would be more than enough. But he didn’t get to wonder for long as Wayne knocked on his door, he was ready to tell the man to leave him alone, but the next sentence was one that confused him immensely

“Someone on the phone for you.” Wayne held the phone out to him, expecting him to get up from the bed and take it, but Eddie didn’t move an inch.

“For me, you sure?” He was still not quite sure what to do. “Unless another Eddie is living here I’m pretty sure.” He moved his hand again to accentuate the phone that was still on hold, but once again Eddie just sat there.

“If you want I can tell her to call back-” That’s when he sprung into action, snatching the phoen out of Wayne’s hand

“No! No, I got it. Thank you.” The old man simply chuckled as he left again, closing the door behind him to give his nephew some privacy.

Eddie cleared his throat once before picking up the line put on hold.

“Hello?” he asked, still not quite sure what to do.

“Hi, Eddie it’s me, just wanted to see if you were doing alright.” your sweet voice blessed his ears once more. He doesn’t know what he did to get the universe on his side like this, but he was grateful for it nonetheless.

“Yeah I’m good, listen-” Eddie figured this time he shouldn’t waste his chance, and he probably had some making up to do. “- I’m sorry if I freaked you out earlier, just never seen anyone that pretty before.” You were giggling again, and it brought the biggest grin onto his face. “You didn’t weird me out at all, it was kinda cute. I had to bribe Dustin to let me use the phone so I don’t have much time but I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go out this weekend?” Maybe he should’ve waited a beart before answering, but he was too eager to care.

“Go out, as in a date?” It got him blushing, the red creeping up on his cheeks as he wondered if that’s really what you were asking

“I mean, kinda, if you want to.” He could almost see you blushing on the other side of the line as well, and he decided it was now or never.

“I’d love to.”

“That’s great, I’m still kind of new around here, do you know any good places?” Your smile was present as you spoke, and he was already looking forward to seeing it again, now knowing he wouldn’t have to wait long.

“How about I come and pick you up, we can go to the mall.” His confidence was growing with the minute now, absolutely elated by the turn of events.

“Im looking forward to it” He wondered what you’d wear, knowing whatever it was it would look beautiful on you, and he knew he’d spend the entire date amazed at your presence.

“Me too” he said before the both of you hung up the phone, he had already started planning the most amazing evening out, and maybe, he thought, maybe this year really would take a turn for the better.

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imfinereallyy · 9 months

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Bedside Manner

for @acasualcrossfade request for "the infection has spread"

"Some birdie told me that you have been causing a fuss, Wayne, is that true?"

Wayne huffs from his hospital bed, glasses sliding down his nose. He places the newspaper he was reading on the table beside him. "You tell that Robbie of yours to stop exaggerating. It was only a small request."

Steve raises his eyebrows at his favorite patient (Dustin tells him he isn't supposed to have favorites, but he also used to cry anytime he picked up Max before him when they were younger, so what does he know) and gives him a knowing look. "Robin listens to no man, Wayne, you know this. You're better off sending that message through her wife. Besides, small? She was telling me you refused to have any other nurse help you because I wasn't here last night. Which surprised me since you are always pushing me on about taking a vacation. "

Wayne opens his mouth, but Steve presses on. "And the fact Robin was even in the room means they called a psych consult, so I can only imagine how bad it was."

Wayne grumbles like a little kid being scolded for getting his hands caught in the cookie jar. "Yea, well, it was a bad night, kid."

Steve feels his shoulders sag, he takes off his glasses and rubs a hand down his face before placing them back on. "Sorry, Wayne, I had a bad migraine last night. Nance and Robs wouldn't even let me pass the entrance. Bad news?"

"Kid, don't stress yourself out over me. I'm just your patient, and more so, I am just a cranky old man." Wayne patted Steve's knee as he sat down next to him.

"C'mon, Wayne. You're more than that. I'd like to think seeing you in and out of here the last year has made us friends. Although I gotta say, you're the only friend I have that I'll be glad if I don't get to see again, given the circumstances. So, what's the news?"

"The infection has spread."

Steve takes in a deep breath, he tries not to panic, but any infection in a hospital can be deadly, especially for a cancer patient like Wayne. "Incision site?"

Steve must not be as good at hiding his emotions as he used to be because Wayne jumps to ease his worry. "No, kid, don't worry. The surgery was a success. Just got that hospital fever, the good old bronchitis. But it just means I'm here longer than I have to. It also means my nephew is on edge, and I don't know if I can take a second longer of his hovering."

Steve laughed wetly, thankful for the topic change. "Ah yes, the mysterious nephew of yours that I've never met. The way you talk about him almost tempts me into switching to the day shift, sounds like he might be entertaining. But only almost."

"Always wondered why you were always working the nights, most of the others seem to switch. Not a big fan of the day?"

Steve shakes his head gently, "No, I like the quiet here at night. Like getting to know the patients without having to worry about fixing ten million things. Don't get me wrong, it has its downfalls. Like the doctors can be horrible at night, never tell Dr. Wheeler that or Robbie will kill me, and the food is awful. But there is something special about it here at night. So sorry, your ridiculous nephew isn't enough to tempt me."

Wayne smirked, "What if I told you he was a looker and single?"

Steve blushes slightly. He is used to patients trying to pawn him off to their relatives, it came with being a young male nurse, but typically it didn't phase him. But Steve has become close with Wayne, so hearing him suggest he get together with his nephew has him flustered. "I'm good, Wayne, thanks. Gave up on the dating scene a while ago. Not many people can keep up with a guy who works nights and suffers from severe head trauma."

"Shame, Eddie likes the nights too. I'd reckon yal would get along."

"I'm pretty sure we would need more than that, Wayne."

Wayne smiles fondly at Steve. "You don't need a whole lot to build a connection, son. Me and Linda, god rest her soul, only started dating for our mutual love of mugs. And we may not have had long together, but our love was strong. Besides, there is more yal would have in common than just the night shift."

Steve huffs a laugh, "Oh yea, like what?" The least he can do is humor the man.

"Well, you both care about me deeply."

Steve blushes again, "C'mon, Wayne. I'm your nurse. I'm kinda paid to care."

Wayne won't hear any of it, "No, son, it's more than that. You take your break in here every night. You make sure to record the game at home for me because they only have the news here. And last night, you tried to come in with a migraine, even though we both know I am the only patient you can stand right now."

Steve doesn't know what to say back. Wayne is right, of course. Steve has been spending all of his time with the man, giving him extra care. Steve isn't bad with his other patients, he goes above and beyond most of his coworkers, but there is something special about Wayne.

"You got nothing, kid, you know I'm right. Remind me a lot of my nephew. Before visiting hours ended is when I got the news of having to stay longer. Kid almost threw a fit when they kicked him out. Swore he was gonna break in to stay the night with me. I told him not to worry since you would be there, I brag about you too, ya know. When he found out today you weren't here, that boy threw a fit again. Swear he gets his tantrums from his father. Said he was gonna sneak back in tonight. Make sure I had company. That 'the man' couldn't stop him. That if he ran into you, he was gonna have a word with you."

Steve can't help the snort that shakes his body, "I'd like to see him get passed Hop first."

Wayne starts to chuckle, too, "Eds may have had his fair share of escaping the law, but no man moves as fast as Jim in a security uniform."

Steve is fully laughing now, "I know, right? It's like those pants make him aerodynamic or something. No way your nephew is getting by."

It is almost as if Steve's words summon what happens next. There in the doorway is the most gorgeous man he's ever seen, even though he is bent over and out of breath.

"Eds?" Wayne questions, clearly surprised. Steve has to mask his face and quickly before Wayne catches him ogling his nephew. Steve is finding it difficult, though. The man, Eddie, despite his out-of-breath appearance, is stunning. His long curly hair is thrown up in a bun, showing off the piercings up his ears. His clothes are simple but suiting, ripped jeans and a black band tee. Tattoos cover his entire body, and Steve wants to ask about every single one of them.

The most surprising thing about him isn't that he got by Hop (although he has questions for that later), no the most surprising thing to Steve is that Wayne somehow knew his exact type, which most people assume wrong in that department.

Eddie awakens an old craving inside Steve that he thought he had buried long ago.

"Wayne, you would not believe what I just went to get up here. The story I have for you, oh boy. You're gonna love it. Who knew security guards could move that fast. Anyway, I hope that nurse boy of yours is here tonight because I am ready to—" Eddie stops mid-rant when his eyes land on Steve, a lovely blush blossoming across his pale cheeks.

"I believe what you are trying to say is, what was it, Wayne? Oh yea, 'have a word with me,'" Steve laughs softly.

Eddie sputters, "Wayne!?!" His blushing becomes deeper as the seconds pass by.

Wayne just chuckles as Steve stands. "Don't be mad at your Uncle, I think he was just trying to make me feel better. I am sorry I wasn't here last night for the news. Got my head knocked around too much as a kid—" Steve taps his head with his knuckles, "—so I suffer from migraines sometimes. I really did try to come in, but well—you met Jim. He's pretty fast." Steve worries his lip. Eddie's eyes follow.

"Well, I can't be too mad now, can I?" Eddie swallows nervously before a smirk spreads across his face, switching from shy to confident in two seconds flat. Steve shouldn't be turned on by that. "The pretty face helps too. I'm pretty sure you could convince me to give you my kidney right about now. I'm Eddie, which I know you know by now, and you are...?"

Steve puts his hand out for a shake, "Nurse Harrington. But most people call me Steve."

Eddie grabs his hand gently and brings the back of it to his lips. "Stevie, a pleasure, really." A light kiss is placed on Steve's knuckles. Stevie, he thinks. That's a new one. And he isn't mad about it, at all. In fact, the butterflies in his stomach want him to get Eddie to say it again.

Steve catches Wayne's smug face in the corner of his eye as Steve begins to blush again.

"I'm just gonna—I'll be right back." Steve stutters.

"Leaving so soon?" Eddie says disappointed.

Steve has the sudden urge to fix the frown on his face. "No, no! Just, uh, gonna call Jim and tell him not to send out a search party. That it's okay if you stay. I'll keep an eye on you."

Eddie's face breaks out into a brilliant smile, "Really, Stevie? You gonna keep me around?"

Steve's heart skips a beat, "If I can help it."

***

#steddie #stranger things #wayne munson #modern au #wayne likes to play match maker but unlike dustin he is good at it #steve harrington #eddie munson #implied ronance #platonic stobin #nurse steve harrington #my writing #request game #steve x eddie #ficlet

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stevieschrodinger · 3 months

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Steve eats, but only because Robin puts food in front of him. Only because she reminds him it's for the pup.

Like he needs reminding. Steve often rests his hand protectively over his rounded tummy. It's reflexive, to protect the only part of Eddie he has left. He feels like he hasn't slept in months, even though he knows he sleeps often, in broken bits and pieces.

He hasn't spoken for a long time, he knows that. Everyone watches him, and everyone used to tell him the same thing, 'they're just dreams Steve, Eddie is gone.'

Steve knows though, they aren't dreams. Eddie is alive, and he's trapped in the Upside Down because Steve didn't try hard enough, didn't push hard enough, didn't say the right things to get the others to believe him.

It upset Dustin the most at first, but Dustin has also been the most adamant because he saw Eddie die, can't even entertain the idea that Eddie might still be alive, because that means he left Eddie behind. That's a lot of guilt to ask a kid to carry.

Steve knows they're talking about him again, like them whispering in the kitchen makes it any better. Steve's starving himself. Steve isn't sleeping. Steve isn't showering. Steve's mate sick even if Eddie never mated him. It's the pup. It's the trauma. It's the nightmares.

They aren't nightmares though, not when Eddie holds him close, laid on a grassy meadow under a sunny blue sky.

El is here, kneeling in front of Steve, 'do you really think Eddie is alive?'

Steve clears his throats, feels full of cobwebs and sand, 'I know he is.'

Steve's said it a thousand different ways. A million. He's cried it and screamed it and shouted it and whispered it and said it as normal and level headed as he could make it sound, 'I am absolutely certain that Eddie is alive,' no one ever believes him.

She nods, 'we will check-'

'El.' It's Hopper, in the doorway, he said 'El' the same way he would say 'No'. 'We talked about this-'

'No, you talked about this. I am tired of this, for Steve, I will check. We will check, just this once.'

And Steve feels too broken to let himself hope, but he heaves himself up off the couch anyway.

El opened a gate in the pool. There's not been water in the pool for quite some time now, and it just seemed apt. A place where there is already a weakness in the world. Perfect for El.

In the end, just to stop the fighting, everyone has gone back to the Upside Down.

Steve squints at the sunny blue sky, not at all surprised to see it. Everyone else is making suitably shocked noises. The grass is green, the trees lush. From the trees, a demodog watches them. It looks different, like it fits here, healthy and well fed now, it shakes and stretches and then lopes off further into the woods.

Everything is overgrown, like the Upside Down is reclaiming everything that One created here.

Nearby, laundry flaps on a washing line, metal band shirts and torn jeans, 'Eddie,' Steve breathes for the first time in over six months, and heads into the house.

There's a bowl of odd looking fruit on the kitchen counter. In the lounge, books. So many books, all stacked and arranged into strange little towers like they are giants in a city, and the books are skyscrapers.

Upstairs, Eddie has clearly nested in Steve's room; there are guitar bits and tools on the desk, two guitars in parts.

The bed is mounded with soft things, Steve scents a pillow, it smells like Eddie...and not.

'Where the fuck is he,' Hopper grumbles.

Steve wants to snap. Wants to scream at them all. They fucking believe him now don't they? They could have had Eddie home months ago if-

Dustin has books from the living room, in the front of each is stamped 'Hawkins Public Library'. So that's where they go.

Steve doesn't know what to do when he spots Eddie. He's crouched on a table, bare toes gripping the edge. He's pale, even more so than before, skin a pale enough alabaster that Steve can see the shadow of blue veins underneath. He's flipping through a book, back and forth, back and forth, before finally stopping and hopping down from the table, 'Eddie?'

Eddie doesn't answer, eyes trained on Steve. His hair has grown, even longer, thick dark curls that Steve wants to bury his hands in.

There's a ticking noise, a low, growling rumble as Eddie stalks closer. Things happen very very quickly, Hopper raises his shotgun, El screams 'no,' Eddie's face peels apart like the petals of a flower filled with teeth as he roars and charges at them.

Hoppers gun is jerked up by an unseen hand, his shot causing plaster to rain down from the ceiling, and then Eddie is floating in the air, roaring as his face blends back to normal and then peels apart again, furious.

El's nose is bleeding, she wipes it away.

Steve moves closer. Eddie looks strange; taller. Leaner. Just, more, somehow.

Steve reaches for him, and Eddie desperately tries to get to him in return, clawing at the air, 'put him down, El.'

'Do not do that-' Hopper starts, but doesn't finish, because Eddie lands neatly on his feet, catlike in his grace, where El drops him.

He lunges for Steve, and Steve let's himself be pulled close and gathered up, Eddie clicking and chittering quietly in Steve's ear, scenting his neck, a strange sucking sensation on his skin as Eddie's face peels apart into one big mouth.

Steve relaxes. He has Eddie back.

#eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things #steddie #omega steve harrington #alpha eddie munson #monster eddie munson #eddie muson lives #steddie ficlet #fic idea #ao3 author #the party #mpreg #mpreg belly

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wynnyfryd · 6 months

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Trailer park Steve AU part 19

part 1 | part 18 | ao3

November

As annoyed as Steve is to admit it, Dustin’s plan actually works.

(And he is annoyed, for the record. That little shithead should be glad he’s still grounded because Steve’s sorely tempted to invite him over just to give him a wedgie.)

Somewhere in the weeks following The Abduction Incident, he and Eddie become friends. Like, real ones. Friends who talk and laugh and shoot the shit in passing, who trade movies and mix tapes and ask each other if they saw the latest headlines in the morning paper.

They haven’t really had much chance to properly hang out, but Steve sees him most mornings, because he promised Wayne to keep making sure Eddie doesn’t sleep in on school days, and sometimes when they’re both around in the afternoons they’ll have a couple beers together, share a cigarette on the lumpy loveseat on the front porch of Eddie’s place.

And Eddie’s…

Eddie’s funny. Oddly charming. Theatrical and weird. Steve already knew that last part, but it’s so much better when it’s not being used as an offensive weapon against him. He likes being in on Eddie’s jokes.

Just plain likes Eddie, if he’s honest.

“Steve?”

Which should be crazy. It is crazy; if someone had told him a couple years ago that he’d be spending his free time with The Freak — that he would regret missing the guy’s Halloween show because of a Family Video shift, or that he would spend a week working up the courage to ask him if he wants to ride to school with Robin and him in the mornings? He probably would have kicked their ass for the mere suggestion.

But now he’s half-orphaned trailer trash who knows that monsters exist, so. Eh.

“Steve! Hello? Earth to Steve.”

Steve blinks, focuses on the fingers Robin’s snapping in front of his face. “Huh?” he asks dumbly.

He expects her to roll her eyes and pretend to chastise him with some butchered version of his name— ‘Steven Cardamom Harrington, were you daydreaming again?’ — but she just snaps her fingers again and begs, “A little help here? Please?” Her eyes are wide, her shoulder scrunched up to her ears with stress, and Steve realizes that:

a) he’s been staring blankly at a cart of go-backs for ten minutes instead of actually doing his job, and

b) the store is suddenly packed.

Friday night, and the rain that’s been hanging over Hawkins all week finally let up, so now everyone and their mother is apparently out running errands.

He moves to man the front desk because the line is almost out the door, and Robin buzzes around the room like a shaken can of pure panic, her bangs sticking to her forehead as she zooms up and down aisles with the restock cart. She keeps making crazy eyes at parents when they stop her to ask about new releases or the age-appropriateness of films, because the parents are distracting her from intercepting their little gremlin children, who keep putting movies on the wrong shelves on purpose just to piss her off.

“Dumbo! Does not go! In the horror section!” Steve hears her bark at a group of third graders, and he has to crouch down behind the counter for a second so she doesn’t see him laughing when she follows that up with a strangled, “Ugh!!!”

Okay.

Entertaining as this is, he’s not getting chewed out by Keith again for missing quotas because Robin blew a gasket and scared off all the customers.

“Hey, Rob?” he calls out to her as he hands a woman her change.

“What?”

“Go take a smoke break?”

He knows she doesn’t smoke. He also knows that sometimes rushes like this get to be too much for her — the noise, the lights, the chaos of a crowd (“the mouth sounds, Steve; good god, the mouth sounds”) — and she needs a minute or twelve to go stand outside in the cool air, flap her hands around and scream behind a dumpster or whatever until she calms down.

Her eyes flash at the suggestion like she’s about to snap at him, but then she takes a deep breath and marches herself out the back door without another word.

With Robin cleared out, the crowd thins out pretty quickly. Steve gets the line taken care of at a speed he’s definitely not getting paid enough to maintain, and the kids get bored of playing ‘rearrange the inventory’ and wander off to the arcade.

It’s sort of soothing, the mindless flow of it: scan, click, click, make change, “thanks for choosing Family Video,” print receipt, repeat. His mind wanders again as he works, but it doesn’t sink into its usual sludge of despair; doesn’t wail ‘house bills mom pills stress fuck-fuck’ like a tornado siren in his head until he gives himself a migraine.

No, he’s thinking about denim. About cigarette smoke.

Crooked smile; Chiclet teeth.

Patches and pins with strange names and stranger artwork.

And then he’s thinking about how this is the second time tonight he’s started daydreaming about Eddie and wills himself to knock it off.

What? The guy’s friendly with him a handful of times, and suddenly he’s, like, obsessed with him?

He’s not.

He's just… pleasantly distracted by him; that's all.

“Thanks for choosing Family Video,” he tells the last customers as he hands them their receipt. The second they turn to leave, he slumps over the counter with his head pillowed on his arms, a wave of exhaustion hitting him because holy shit that was so many people and thank god the store’s finally empty.

The bell over the door dings.

Goddammit.

Steve lifts his head, reminds himself not to scowl at paying customers because he really needs this job, but then—

“Eddie! Hey!”

—

part 20

tag list part 1 below cut let me know if you want to be added tomorrow

@heartsong18 @hellion-child @hiimlevi @hotluncheddie @jackiemonroe5512 @jaytriesstuff @littlebluejane @lololol-1234 @marklee-blackmore @melonmochi @messrs-weasley @mrsjellymunson @mugloversonly @nburkhardt @nerdyglassescheeseychick @noodle-shenaniganery @notsopersonalcharlie @novelnovella @nuggies4life @pending-dope-username @perseus-notjackson @ppunkpuppyy @questionablequeeries @remosdeerica @runninriot @sadcanadianwinter @shamelesspatrolshepherdcowboy @silver-snaffles @singmeyoursimpsong @slowandsteddie @slutforcoffein @solalasoforth @spookednsaucy @steddieas-shegoes @steddie-island @stevesbipanic @steves-strapcollection @taleah-bonnick @teatimeeverybody @th30ra3k3n @thealwithnoname @thespaceantwhowrites @thestarslittleking @thesuninyaface @trensu @violetsteve @wormdebut @yourmom-isgay @zoeweee @zombiecreatures

#trailer park steve au #steddie #steddie fic #steve harrington #eddie munson #robin buckley #my writing #my fic #steve is down ROTTEN lmao

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corroded-hellfire · 4 months

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Like it’s 1999 - Eddie Munson x Reader

An As You Wish Story

Collaboration with the peanut butter to my jelly @munson-blurbs ✨

Summary: Your first New Year’s Eve as Eddie’s girl comes with meeting all his old friends at the Harrington’s party. It turns out to be great fun, but losing track of time leads you to miss out on something you’ve been looking forward to.

Note: Wishing a Happy New Year to all of you lovelies!

Warnings: older!eddie, alcohol consumption, drunkenness, talk about shitty parents (gee, I wonder who)

Words: 4.3k

[As You Wish masterlist]

Walking up to the Harrington house shouldn’t be as daunting as it feels right now. You work here three days a week, bringing Ryan and Luke over to babysit the Munson and Harrington clans together. But you’re not coming here to work today; you’re coming for the New Year’s Eve party Steve and Nancy are throwing.

The house is now filled with friends and family of the Harrington’s, most of whom you haven’t met. And of the ones you have met, it’s only been a handful of times or in passing since you started babysitting for the Munsons. You’ve been lucky enough to become acquainted with Steve and Nancy over the past months and feel honored enough to call them not just your boyfriend’s friends, but your friends now as well. Max and Lucas will be here and the handful of times you’ve met them have been nice. You’ve had entertaining conversations with Max and even got to spend time with their daughter Tiffany a few times.

Dustin is another of Eddie’s friends who you’ve seen here and there, but never for long periods of time since he lives too far away to visit regularly. He’s bringing his new girlfriend, Jennifer, tonight, who Eddie has said is great, but this is the first time you’ll be meeting her. And she is just the first one on the list of people you’ll be meeting tonight for the first time.

Nancy’s little brother Mike and his wife El will be here tonight and you’re just hoping that Mike is as easy to talk to as his sister is. A high school friend named Will is bringing his boyfriend named Cody, but you at least are in the same boat with Eddie on this one because he hasn’t met Cody yet either. And then there’s Robin and Vickie, who you’ve been told have been together since high school. Luckily, Eddie has assured you that Robin can do enough talking for the both of you, so not to worry about any awkward conversations—well, ones with awkward silences, anyway.

Your slightly uncomfortable, yet enviably cute shoes click as you come to a stop in front of the Harrington’s door. Eddie’s hand squeezes yours and the feeling of his larger hand holding yours so safely has some of your anxiety abating. Eddie had known the moment you two had received the invitation that you would be nervous about this. He left the choice up to you if you wanted to attend or not. Being with Eddie meant getting to know those who are important to him, though. A little discomfort is nothing when you think about it like that.

“We can go, sweetheart,” Eddie tells you now that you’re at the literal threshold of the party. “We don’t have to do this.”

You don’t have to do this is what you know he means.

With as much fake courage as you can muster, you shake your head and give Eddie the best smile you can manage. “I want to.”

And you do. It’s certainly better than the party your friends from school invited you to tonight. Being in a crowded and smoky bar where you can barely hear yourself think is not your idea of fun. It’s really just an excuse to find someone to kiss at midnight, then take home for some fun for the next few hours until someone gets kicked out and is forced to do the walk of shame. Not something you’d ever been interested in, really. Besides, why be there when you can be with Eddie?

Your boyfriend knocks on the door and a few moments later a grinning Steve opens it, sporting a pair of novelty “2000” eyeglasses, his hazel brown eyes peering out from the second and third zeroes. There’s music coming from the living room, and you can smell the different hors d'oeuvres that must be set out around the party area. Conversations and laughter float down to the door as well and the prospect of joining in on that makes your tummy do a little flip.

“Hey, Munson! Lady Munson! Come on in.” Steve’s clearly already gotten into the alcohol.

Eddie ushers you into the house before him and helps you out of your jacket. Steve takes both of your coats and hangs them in the closet near the front door. The host leads you further into the house and to the room where adults are milling about, glasses of different colored liquor in most hands, and smiles on almost every face. Stepping into this room without any of the children feels odd. This is where you usually wait with the younger ones while the big kids finish up their homework. Part of you wishes the kids were there because they’re always good to use as a bit of a buffer if you need one in social situations.

Tonight, all Munson and Harrington children are having sleepovers at a grandparent’s house. The Harrington girls are staying with Nancy’s parents, while the boys are with Steve’s. Ryan and Luke are spending the night at Wayne’s, as it’s one of his few precious nights off.

“You don’t mind that your New Year’s Eve plans are watching the boys?” Eddie had asked.

“Plans? Only plan I have is to take advantage of the night off and get as much sleep as I can.”

“Eddie and the lovely lady that is far too good for him have arrived,” Steve announces to the room. Your cheeks heat up at Steve’s words, but Eddie just rolls his eyes and pushes his friend out of his way.

It feels like every eye in the room lands on you and it’s making your nerves creep back up. Not everyone is looking at you, you try to assure yourself, but the jitters have settled in and have you feeling self-conscious. What if they don’t like me? you think. These people are practically Eddie’s family. I need them to like me. They’re going to think I’m not good enough. That I’m too young. Too stupid. That I’m just some young girl Eddie decided to have a fun fling with after getting divorced—

Max comes over to your side and it shakes you out of your spiraling thoughts.

“Hey!” The redhead greets. “It’s so nice to see you again.” She pulls you in for a hug that has your anxious thoughts starting to abate.

“You too!” you say. “How’s Tiffany?” Can't seem to stop talking about the kids, can you?

“She’s great. Talking and walking now, so a complete handful. Oh!” Max catches the attention of a woman about her height with chin length brown hair who stops and smiles at you. “Have you met El?”

“Nice to meet you.” El timidly but kindly extends her hand and you shake it, beginning an evening of greeting new and familiar faces.

By the end of your first lap of talking with everyone, you’re pretty sure you remember everyone’s name, but not necessarily how they all relate to one another—-except Mike. The way he and Nancy bicker at one another occasionally keeps it fresh in your mind that he’s her little brother. Not to mention, the drunker Steve gets, the more he begs Mike to call him ‘big bro.’

“You know,” Robin says, nudging Eddie’s arm with her own, “I don’t think we’ve all been together for New Year’s Eve since ‘92.”

Eddie thinks for a moment, rubbing a hand over his mouth and chin. “God,” he says with a laugh. “That was before Luke.”

“And Corroded Coffin performed!” Dustin adds, flashing a smile that seems to be missing a few teeth.

“You ever see your boyfriend being a rockstar?” Lucas asks, raising his eyebrows at you.

That certainly piques your interest. “I have not.” You turn to Eddie with a giddy smile on your face.

Sheepishness pinkens Eddie’s cheeks. “I wasn’t a rockstar,” he mumbles, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Max almost chokes on her vodka cranberry and lets out a scoff. “Since when are you modest?” she asks with a cocked brow.

Eddie narrows his eyes at Max and opens his mouth to speak, but you interrupt first. “Eddie, shhh, I wanna hear about my rockstar boyfriend!” you tease. “Did you have lots of groupies?”

He groans but drapes his arm over your shoulders as his friends begin to tell you about the band.

“I don’t even like metal, but they were good,” Robin pipes up from where she’s pouring herself another drink.

“They were weekly regulars at this bar,” Dustin explains. “They would sneak us in because we were too young to get into the bar.”

“Actually,” Max says, turning to Eddie, “so were you.”

Eddie shrugs. “I never questioned it.”

“Anyway,” Dustin continues, practically shaking with excitement, “they could play any metal song you could think of. He learned Master of Puppets in a week, and that song is like twelve minutes long.”

“It’s only eight,” Eddie protests, but his friend ignores him completely.

“Whatever. The point is, Corroded Coffin was probably the best band this town has ever seen, and it’s all because of Eddie.” He nudges him with an elbow to the ribs. “Hey, do the move!”

Eddie coughs, face fully red. “Henderson, I don’t know what you’re—”

“Yes, you do, because you’re totally blushing right now.” Dustin cackles, turning to you. “It was like this hip thrust thing, but to his guitar—”

“Okay, enough!” Eddie’s face is beet-red, burying his head in his hands. Dustin starts in again, but a glass drops in the kitchen, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Eddie Munson,” you murmur in his ear, taking advantage of this moment alone, “did you go on stage and hump your poor guitar?” Before he can respond, you tug him by his belt loop. “Can I get a private show later?”

He smirks. “Only for you, baby girl.”

As it typically goes at parties, people mingle around, always popping in and out of different conversations throughout the evening. You and Max sit on a loveseat off to the side of the room, watching Steve, Eddie, Lucas, and Will take shots. The pair of you shake your heads as you observe the men, watching in amusement as Will tries to pour more shots for everyone, no matter how much they decline.

Max isn’t quite drunk but is definitely past tipsy.

“How are you feeling hanging around with this ragtag bunch of weirdos?” she asks once the entertainment of watching the men has worn off.

You chuckle and shake your head. “It’s not as scary as I thought it would be, honestly. And I definitely wouldn’t call you guys weirdos.”

Max pauses, biting her cheek. “It’s really nice to see Eddie with someone who actually appreciates him. Who genuinely loves him, y’know.” She lowers her voice. “I’m not trying to turn this into a bitching session about his ex, but—”

“I am!” More than a few drinks in, Nancy slings one arm over your shoulder and the other around Max’s. The scent of vodka wafts from her mouth. “God, she was the worst! I don’t even know what he saw in her.” She wrinkles her nose. “She wasn’t even that pretty. Like, yeah, maybe a little bit, but not enough to make up for being a total hag!” She cackles like it’s the funniest joke in the world.

Your mind flashes back to how beautiful Brittany actually is, but Nancy’s true drunk feelings warm your heart.

“Yeah, she’s definitely a piece of work,” you say with a humorless chuckle.

“Oh honey,” Max says, “we all know that’s the understatement of the century. She’s a grade A bitch and any time you want to shit talk her, you’ve got a house full of people here ready to chime in.”

“Really?” you ask, raising your eyebrows. “Everyone here hates her?”

“Well, I’m not sure if Cody or Jennifer ever met her, but everyone else, yeah,” Max says with a shrug.

A warmth blooms in your chest. Even though you know Brittany is horrific, and Eddie knows it as well, it’s different to hear it from an outside source. His friends could see the relationship from another perspective, and it seems they came to the same conclusion: Brittany is a spawn of satan. It’s validating and it also makes everyone’s kindness tonight mean that much more to you.

“One time,” Nancy slurs as she perches herself on the arm of the loveseat, “the four of them were gonna drive to Lake Michigan for a long weekend. Luke was only like…I dunno, maybe 18 months? Anyways, poor little thing had a cough, so Brittany took him to the doctor. She comes home and tells Eddie that Luke’s got the sniffles and they’re all good to go. Turns out, Luke had goddamn pneumonia, but she didn’t want it to ruin her getaway.”

The outrage that is coursing through your veins has you gripping your glass so tightly that you start to lose feeling in your hand.

“How have none of you killed her?” you ask, making sure to keep your voice even when you really want to scream.

“Cause that moron,” Max says, nodding across the room at Eddie, “hadn’t come to his senses yet. Or at least, hadn’t let us know that he had.”

“Thank God he found you,” Nancy says. “For him and the boys.”

“I thank God I found them,” you say, the alcohol you’ve had making you a little more sentimental than usual. Though it’s something you always feel, it’s not something you’d always say out loud to people that aren’t Eddie.

Across the house, the guys are having their own little meeting. Steve leans against the counter in an attempt to look mysterious and suave, but his swaying gait gives away his inebriated state.

“Munson, could you stop staring at your girlfriend for two seconds and help me with this tray?” he asks, fumbling with a platter of cheese cubes and crackers.

“Huh? What?” Eddie stutters, Steve’s words registering after a beat. Heat creeps up the back of his neck: caught red-handed.

Will slings his arm around Eddie’s shoulders, pulling him close enough that Eddie can smell the alcohol on his breath. “Aww, you found your Cody!” Will coos.

Eddie’s nose scrunches in confusion. “I’m not following, Byers.”

Will rolls his eyes as though this is obvious information that Eddie should already know. “You found someone who makes you feel happy and warm and loved. Someone you wanna marry someday.” He waggles his eyebrows.

“Yeah, okay.” Eddie tries to play it cool; inside, butterflies flutter in his stomach. Marrying you? Sounds like a dream, one that he’s not sure will ever come to fruition.

Will is undeterred by Eddie’s sudden shyness, doubling down on his statement. “Hey, listen,” he drunkenly slurs, “I don’t need to be into women to know that she,” he points to you, “is a total upgrade from, well,” he lowers his voice, “y’know.”

Dustin swoops in, sensing that the conversation might nosedive from playful banter to pure discomfort. “Okay, let’s get you some water.” He leads Will away, shushing him as they walk.

Eddie takes a swig of beer, grateful that the interrogation is over, but then Steve gently adds, “Not to focus on the ex or anything, but you really do seem…I dunno, more like yourself lately. In a way that you didn’t with Brittany.”

“Is that a good thing?” He’d like to think so, but his insecurities often cloud his judgment like a dense fog.

Steve laughs. “Despite my better judgment, yeah. It is.” He claps him on the back. “She’s a keeper, dude. Don’t fuck it up.”

Eddie chuckles and gives a sheepish shrug of his shoulders. “I’ll try not to.”

Both men look up as they hear footsteps approaching them. Eddie’s brow furrows in concern when he sees tears in your eyes as you walk up to him. He reaches out a hand and you place your smaller one in his.

“What’s got you all upset, Sweetheart?”

You’re too tipsy to properly articulate your emotions after talking with Max and Nancy about how lucky the two of you are to have found each other, so you just murmur, “you.”

Steve laughs and scratches the back of his head. “Guess I spoke too soon.”

You let your hand fall from Eddie’s so you can snake your arms around his middle. Letting your eyes fall closed, you rest your head against your boyfriend’s chest.

“I love you so much,” you mumble.

“I love you too, princess,” Eddie says against your hair before pressing a few kisses there.

Steve can’t help but smile at the interaction between the two of you. It’s so nice to see his best friend in a relationship where he’s appreciated and loved for who he is. The way you both look at one another leaves Steve with no doubt about how happy you make each other. Wanting to give the two of you your privacy, Steve quietly slips away.

Joy buzzes in your stomach, only amplified by the alcohol in your system. You lift your head from Eddie’s chest and lean up to press your lips against his. The kiss is soft and sweet, with no urgency. When the two of you finally part, your boyfriend chuckles and licks over his lips.

“Had vodka, huh?” he asks.

“Do I taste like it?” You giggle. “You taste like beer. And a little like rum.”

“That’s ‘cause I had a shot of rum and have been nursing my beer for an hour,” he says, fingers tracing patterns over the soft fabric of your sweater covering your back.

“‘N you’re not drunk,” you state.

“I’ve got a pretty high tolerance, baby. Plus, need to be able to drive us home later. Got some precious cargo right here,” he says as he pulls your body up against his. “Are you having fun?”

“Yeah,” you tell him, grinning as you think about the good time you’re having with Eddie’s old friends. “I like your friends. Will’s funny.”

“Will is plastered,” Eddie says with a chuckle.

Before you get a chance to respond, Robin is tugging on your arm and whining about how you can kiss Eddie anytime. Eddie reluctantly lets you go, playfully rolling his eyes as you’re pulled away. It makes you giggle before taking control of your own feet again and following Robin toward an empty spot on a couch.

Robin asks you about school, how you like it, what classes you’re taking next semester, and what you’re studying. At first, it seems like these are generic questions that someone asks of a college student, which confuses you because you’d thought you and Robin would be past that stage by now. But as she keeps talking, Robin reveals that she’s been thinking about going back to school and wants to know more about what it's like. Once you know that, you’re able to give her more detailed information about what it's like on campus rather than give the stilted, robotic answers you tend to give when asked the basic questions.

Vickie slips into your conversation at some point, followed by Mike, Dustin, and Jennifer. Your drink keeps getting refilled to where you’re not sure how much you’ve had to drink by the time the conversation peters out. The only thought that can get any traction in your brain is how badly you need to use the bathroom after drinking so much.

You excuse yourself from the group and make your way towards the hallway where the kids’ rooms are. This area of the house is as familiar to you as the back of your hand from working here so much, which is a good thing as you stagger with next to no coordination. Once the bathroom door is shut behind you, it takes all of your concentration to focus on what you have to do. That leaves no brain power to pick up on the cheering that’s coming from out in the living room.

Out amongst his friends, Eddie’s asking where you are, and Vickie is the one to tell him that she saw you headed towards the bathroom. Eddie thanks her and heads towards the back of the house, eager to get to you as the time until midnight shrinks by the second. Your boyfriend turns the corner and is about to knock on the bathroom door when he sees that it’s wide open. He pokes his head inside and it looks like the room hasn’t been touched the whole evening. Realization hitting him, Eddie groans and rubs a hand over his face.

“God damn it, Harrington. Why is your house so big?”

He makes his way back towards the front of the house, figuring out that you must be using the bathroom in the front hallway, the one you’d be most likely to use when you’re here watching the kids. The buzzing house makes it difficult for Eddie to navigate his way to you as quickly as he wants, knowing how upset you’ll be if you miss your midnight kiss. Eddie swears under his breath as he looks down at his watch and it tells him it’s 12:01. Finally arriving at the right bathroom, he knocks on the door.

It swings inward and you step out, grinning when you see Eddie there.

“Hi!”

Even in his frustration, Eddie can’t help but smile at your excitement at seeing him—alcohol-fueled or not.

“Sweetheart,” he starts, taking your hand and pulling you close to his chest. “It’s after midnight.”

“No, it’s not,” you say with a shake of your head. “Cause at midnight we gotta kiss.”

“We missed it, princess,” he tells you, keeping his voice soft.

It takes your brain longer than normal to process his words, but once it does, a frown pulls at your mouth and your eyes get wide. Eddie shouldn’t think it’s as adorable as he does.

“It’s my fault,” you say. “I-I was in the bathroom. I didn’t know what time it was!”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Eddie says, wrapping both of his arms around you. He rubs his hand up and down your back, soothingly. “It’s not your fault. “I tried to come get you and I was late, too.”

“We missed our first New Year’s Eve kiss.” With a whine, you bury your face in Eddie’s chest as tears begin to fall. Strong arms hold you tightly and the weight of Eddie’s head rests against the top of your own.

“Do you want to go back out to the party?” Eddie asks after a few minutes of just holding you.

Sniffling, you shake your head.

“M’sorry, Eddie.”

“Hey.” Eddie cups your face in his hands and tilts your head up. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You and I are going to have New Year’s kisses together for the rest of our lives. And I plan on kissing you every day for the rest of forever, even after we’re dead.” Eddie feels the tightness in his chest lessen as you let out a small giggle at his joke. “So, one late kiss is nothing, sweetheart.” He leans in and presses his lips gently against yours, trying to convey the love and adoration he has for you as he cradles your face. When you pull back, Eddie raises his eyebrows at you in question—did that help?

Much to Eddie’s relief, you nod and wipe your eyes. They’re still sore and puffy, but that will fade. Plus, that’s easy to blame on alcohol consumption.

“Do you want to go home?” Eddie asks.

You shake your head.

“We can stay a little longer,” you say.

“We don’t have to.”

“Wanna have more fun with you.”

That has a small smile growing on your boyfriend’s face.

“I like the sound of that.”

The party winds down now that midnight has passed, and you and Eddie stay for a little while longer. As guests start to leave, you find yourself mingling with everyone and sharing last laughs with his old friends. Eventually, you and Eddie bid those who haven’t left yet goodnight and head back to his apartment.

By the time you arrive home, it’s almost one in the morning. Eddie tosses his keys down on the counter while you shuffle into the kitchen for a glass of water. Sleepily, Eddie follows in behind you but perks up with a smile when he glances at the clock.

“Hey, princess?”

“Hmm?”

“C’mere.”

Body just going through the motions in your tired state, you put the glass down and Eddie tugs you up against his body.

“It’s almost one,” he whispers.

“Okay,” you say, though it sounds more like a question.

“It’s about to be the New Year in the next time zone. So, if we kiss at one, I think that counts as a New Year’s kiss. Don’t you?”

Understanding fights its way through your hazy brain until it clicks. A small smile lights up your face as you nod.

“That sounds like a good plan to me.”

Eddie turns his head to look at the clock on the wall, the second hand racing around towards the nine. Your eyes track the ticking of the thin black line as well, holding your breath as you wait for the hour to strike.

Just as the second hand lands on the twelve, Eddie tilts your chin up and catches your lips with his own. A warm and fuzzy feeling that has nothing to do with your drinking envelops your body as you wrap your arms around his neck. Eddie’s hands rest firmly on your waist, holding onto you as if his life depended on it.

When you part, you rest your foreheads against one another’s. The small, dark apartment shrouds the two of you in shadow, only a sliver of the moon shining in the window giving you enough light to see each other by. The night is quiet around you, no movement breaking the peace as you and Eddie simply gaze into one another’s eyes.

“Happy New Year’s, baby.”

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x y/n #older!eddie #dad!eddie #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson fan fiction #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fic #AYW #AYWS

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moonriverrise · 1 year

Text

Dreams are supposed to be subtle messages from your subconscious, right? Then why the hell did Eddie keep having the same type of dream every single night. The same dream featuring the same boy with chestnut hair, doe eyes, and freckles sprinkled all over.

He didn’t know the boys name, but he’s around Eddie’s age based on looks. His hair is styled in a certain way, swooped to the side almost perfectly. He’s pretty strong looking and pale skinned, and has the most wonderful laugh Eddie has ever heard.

In the dreams that Eddie had, he meets this boy under a tree in a long sunflower field. He’s always there before Eddie, sitting with his back against the trunk of the tree, staring at the sky or simply laying with his eyes shut.

Whenever Eddie came up to him, he was greeted with the same phrase every time, no matter what differences are in the dreams.

“Hello, Sunshine. How are you?”

It's sweet, and it warmed Eddie’s heart in a way he never thought something could. Then Eddie would sit down and they would have conversations about their lives. Because, this boy had a life, probably something Eddie’s brain made up.

“Oh, and Dust thinks he’s so much better than me just because he’s good at Algebra. Who the fuck is good at Algebra?!”

The boy is entertaining, he’s funny, pretty, charismatic. One dream he has, turns a bit different after the greeting, which is said more solemnly. Soon afterwards, the boy asks Eddie something.

“Have you ever kissed a boy before?” He asked. Eddie has paused.

“What do you mean?”

“Uhm…do you ever think you might like boys the way you like girls?” And Eddie had to pause again, because, thats how he had felt. That’s the questions he thought about, the ones he had asked Uncle Wayne.

“All the time.” Eddie responded.

“Is it..normal?” Eddie looked over to the boy, who looks nervous, scared.

“Of course. You can like whoever you want. People who don't think that are stuck up pricks.” Eddie expressed. The boy had laughed, gently. Then laid his head against Eddie’s shoulder, and then shut his eyes.

“I have a friend, you know that one I mentioned, Robbie?” Eddie hummed. “She likes girls, only girls. I want to tell her about this, but I'm afraid. Even though I know she couldn't possibly be mean, I just don't want to be abandoned.” Eddie sighed.

“It’s okay. You just need to take your time with it, talk yourself through it.” Eddie advised.

“Sunshine?”

“Yes?”

“Can I kiss you?” Eddie had paused, once again. He looked over at the boy, who looked up at him in response, through his lashes.

Eddie traced his face with his eyes, placed a gentle hand on his face, rubbed a thumb against the boys skin, who let his eyes blink closed. He leaned into Eddie’s touch, embraced him, his being.

Eddie leaned closer to the boys face. The wind whistled loudly, and birds sang in the background. Eddie let his other hand cup the boys face, and their lips met, slowly.

It was slow, but deep. Gentle, yet hungry. They parted and Eddie stared into the boys eyes, as tears settled in them. A brief flash of panic runs through Eddie’s blood…

The boy laughed, giggled like a birds song. He wiped his eyes and whispered into Eddie’s ear.

“Thank you, for all that you are.”

Eddie’s eyes had fluttered open that morning, and he felt comforted with a sense of kindness and the ghost of tender lips against his own.

Then, Eddie got up, and got dressed, ready to go to work at the cafe down the street from his apartment in Indianapolis.

Dustin walked up to him during his shift, he was wearing a hat from that summer camp he’d gone to a few years back.

“Hey Eddie,” He said.

“Hello, Henderson.” Eddie responded, giving him a look.

“Wow! Don't have to be hostile!” Dustin joked. “You know my buddy i've been meaning to introduce you to?”

“Your babysitter?” Eddie asked while pouring creamer into a cup of coffee.

“Yeah! Steve! He’s here, sitting next to me and Robin over there.” Eddie didn’t follow where he was pointing, instead decided to focus on throwing a portable cup onto the coffee then calling out the order number as he slid it across the counter.

“Alright, hold on dude. Gare! Can you take order for just a second! I'll be back in a minute!” Gareth groaned but begrudgingly walked over to the cash register. “Thank you, I promise to spare your next character in Hellfire.”

“You better, man.” Gareth responded as Eddie walked out to meet Dustin.

They both walked over to the table and Eddie froze entirely when he meets eyes with someone so familiar.

It's the boy from his dreams.

“Okay, Eddie this is Steve. Steve this is Eddie.” Eddie waved a hand in Dustin’s face to shut him up.

“Do I know you from somewhere?” Steve. that was his name. He asked him that, and Eddie nodded slowly.

“I know you from somewhere too,” He responded. Steve’s eyes went a bit wide, and he stood, facing Eddie.

“Sunshine?” Eddie nodded, vigorously.

“Guys…” Eddie shunned Dustin with his hands again.

“Robbie is Robin- the gay friend?” Eddie asked. Steve nodded. “Dust…that’s Henderson?” He nodded again.

“What the hell?-” Robin spoke up. Steve shushed her.

“You look exactly how you did before.” Eddie said to him. Steve smiled.

“You look even brighter in person,”

#stranger things #sock meister drabbles #steddie #steve x eddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #st4 #stranger things s4 #steddie ficlet #poetic ideas in my head be makin my brain rot #so have this #i always see ppl having eddie call steve petnames (which i love) but i need to see steve calling eddie little silly romantic names #theyre so gay and so mfing cute #st #robin buckley #dustin henderson #idk if this is a modern au? or a like a soulmate au #idk what kind of au this is #just read it

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dodger-chan · 2 months

Text

Based off of this idea, originating with @rogueddie (also on ao3)

Steve was looking at Eddie. He had to. There wasn’t anything else worth looking at in the theater.

That sounded weird.

Steve was looking at Eddie. Because unlike Steve, Eddie was not bored out of his skull by the music, the overacting, the complete absence of story.

That last complaint was unfair. There was a story. Eddie’d summed it up for him on the drive over. Steve just couldn’t follow the story with all the singing being in Italian. Or German. Maybe.

He’d gotten used to hearing a bunch of different languages living with Robin, and being able to tell them apart, but everything sounded different when sung. And everything was sung.

Eddie, who only spoke English and nerd, didn’t seem to have any trouble following the opera. Or if he wasn’t following it, he didn’t care. He was clearly having the time of his life, his joy reflected in the smile on his face and the sparkle in his eyes.

So yeah, Steve was looking at Eddie.

Steve looked away quickly when the music stopped and the lights went up. It would be weird if Eddie caught him staring.

“Is it over?” he asked hopefully. It sure felt like they’d been sitting there for several hours.

“It’s intermission.” Right. Halftime. Or, no, the program said there were two intermissions. So one third of the way. “You’re not enjoying it?”

“It’s not my thing, but it isn’t so bad.” Steve lied. He could get through this. He’d survived worse.

It was a good thing no one had told the Russians about Wagner.

“Want to walk around for a bit? Stretch our legs?”

----

Walking around made Steve feel like he was doing something. Something other than staring at Eddie. Though with Eddie bouncing on his toes and excited hand gestures as he gushed about what they’d just seen Steve couldn’t keep from staring a little.

“Is this your first opera?” An older woman in evening wear asked Eddie. She was smiling kindly, but Steve knew how fake those kind smiles could be. He took note of the wrinkles around her eyes, the graying roots of her hair, any flaws she might be sensitive to, in case she was about to bring up the worn knee in Eddie’s best jeans.

Not everyone could afford a tux like her escort.

��Second, actually. Steve and I saw Don Giovanni here about four, five months ago.” That had been boring, too. But Eddie had loved it, even though he’d been a little embarrassed at enjoying a snobby, rich person kind of thing. So Steve had bought tickets to another opera as soon as he’d saved up enough for two. “I’ve heard Tristan und Isolde before, but it’s different live.”

“It is, isn’t it?”

And then the two of them started talking way, way above Steve’s head, with musical terms he’d have sworn were made up. Like, harmonic was a music thing, sure, but suspension had to do with cars.

It was so much like when Dustin and Eddie talked about Dungeons and Dragons that Steve had to smile.

“And they’re off.” The woman’s escort was smiling, too. He jerked his head in the direction of the bar. “C’mon. Let’s you and I get drinks while my wife and your boyfriend talk shop.”

Steve took three full steps before the words sank in.

“Shit,” he breathed. That was why he’d spent months setting aside money for opera tickets. And why he’d needed two. And why he’d spent all of act one entertaining himself with Eddie’s facial expressions. He was in love with Eddie.

Steve turned around.

“I’m very sorry,” he interrupted the woman. He was a little sorry; Eddie seemed to be enjoying her conversation. “I need to borrow this guy for ten seconds.”

“What the hell?” Eddie asked as Steve pulled him away from any potential eavesdroppers.

“Do you want this to be a date?”

“Um, what?”

“Tonight. This. A date.” Maybe Steve wasn’t making a lot of sense. He tried again. “That woman you were talking to, her husband called you my boyfriend-”

“Oh, shit, Steve, I’m sorry- '' Eddie started.

“Don’t be. Unless, you don’t want to be. My boyfriend, that is.” Steve looked directly into Eddie’s eyes. “Because I’d really like it if you’d be my boyfriend.”

“I’d like that, too.”

They couldn’t kiss in such a public place. But once they were back in their seats and the lights went down, no one would be able to see if they were holding hands.

Steve was suddenly looking forward to act two.

#steddie #short ficlet #my fic #stranger things #i couldn't work on what i was supposed to work on #so have this instead #happy valentine's day i guess?

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dwobbitfromtheshire · 4 months

Text

Eddie, not realizing he's into men, not even when Steve Harrington took his shirt off. . .did it blow his mind? Yes. Did it realize what it meant? No. No, it was after everything, and Eddie was lying in his hospital bed, bored out of his mind. Well, at least he had this giant ass can of pretzels that Steve had bought for him. He had told Steve he liked them, and the man had run with it. The TV was busted, so there was nothing to do but watch Steve Harrington sleep.

He looked so peaceful, stretched out in the hospital chair with his head tilted back. Eddie observed how straight his nose was, pointing towards his perfectly pouty lips. He wasn't sure why, but he had the sudden urge to drag the tip of his finger down his nose until it reached his lips. Why did Eddie have the sudden urge to sit on that nose, too? Eddie scowled and shook his head, unsure of why this man's features bothered him so much that he wanted to squish his nose with his ass. There was another voice, buried deep inside of him and screaming at him: THAT'S NOT WHY YOU WANT TO FUCKING SIT ON HIS FACE!

Eddie pushed that voice back and grew annoyed that Steve wasn't wake to entertain him. He stared at the sleeping jock and then looked at the can of pretzels before grinning wickedly. He dug a pretzel out of the can and launched it at him. He watched in awe as Steve raised up and caught the pretzel in his mouth. . .all without opening his eyes. Steve chewed for a moment, swallowed, and opened his eyes.

"I fucking knew you would do that," Steve said.

"How?!" Eddie asked.

"Because I figured that Dustin had to pick it up from somewhere," Steve said. "Yeah, thanks for teaching our kid bad habits. I really love it when he throws pretzels at me when I'm trying to drive."

Our kid. Our kid. Our kid.

"Bullshit. You can't do that again," Eddie scowled.

Steve leaned back, smirked, and closed his eyes.

"Give it to me, Munson," Steve smirked.

Eddie's brain went all fuzzy for a moment before he shook his head and chucked another pretzel at him. Steve rose up again and caught it in his mouth. He chewed, swallowed, and opened his eyes. He winked at Eddie.

"Jesus H Christ, what else can you do with that mouth?" Eddie asked.

Steve stared at him, his eyes growing dark as his cheeks turned pink.

"Are you flirting with me, Eddie?" Steve asked.

"What?! No! You're flirting with me!" Eddie exclaimed in an accusatory tone.

"I have been, thanks for finally noticing," Steve said.

"You like guys? Wait, you like me?" Eddie asked.

"Guys, girls," Steve said with a grin. "What about you?"

"Girls," Eddie said quickly.

"Oh," Steve said, his face falling. "I thought with the hanky. . .oh, fuck, I am a goddamn idiot. That's what you get for making assumptions, Harrington. Look, man, I'm sorry. I kind of assumed with the hanky and the rumors that I shouldn't have listened to you, but I've had like a crush on you since, like freshman year, and I wanted the rumors to be true. Jesus, I sound like Robin. I just feel like I can be a complete dork with you, something other people never really liked about me, and I just feel comfortable with you. . ."

"STEVE! SHUT THE HELL UP!" Eddie exclaimed, breathing deeply as he stared at him in realization.

"Right, sorry," Steve said sheepishly. "I'll just leave now."

"Come here," Eddie said softly.

Steve shuffled forward, looking at him wearily.

"Closer."

Steve moved closer to the bed and to Eddie.

"Closer."

Steve’s legs were now pressed up against the bars of the bed.

"Closer."

Steve sat down on the edge of the mattress as Eddie pushed the bars down. Eddie placed his hands on Steve’s hips.

"I've flirted with guys before, mostly assholes who thought less of me because it was safer to do that than to admit the truth and to flirt with people who actually gave a damn about me. I've always thought that when I flirted with guys that it didn't mean anything, especially since I didn't want those jerks to be right about me before I knew it, but flirting with them and thinking it meant nothing, was just me being a coward and running from the truth," Eddie said. "And watching you stand here, admitting the truth about me. . . It's some of the bravest shit I've ever seen. You make me want to be brave, Steve Harrington, and when I look at you. . .I don't want to run away anymore, which scares the shit out of me. . .kiss me."

Steve leaned forward and captured Eddie's lips with his. Eddie moved gently at first, enjoying the way Steve’s lips felt. . .the way he tasted. The kiss soon turned urgent with a sense of gleeful eagerness. Steve pulled away with a gasp, laughing, and kissed his nose.

"Don't overdo it," Steve said.

"I'm sorry, I yelled at you. It's just . . . I had my crisis in the middle of your speech," Eddie said and Steve laughed.

"You're cute," he said fondly.

Eddie stared at his perfectly pink lips and then looked at the can.

"This is going to sound weird, but. . .can I feed you?" Eddie asked.

"Sure," he said.

Eddie giggled and pushed a pretzel in between his lips. Steve grimaced.

"What was that face?" Eddie asked.

"What face?"

"The face you just made."

"My face?"

"Yes, your face."

"Oh, it's nothing," Steve said.

"Are you really going to start our relationship off on a lie?" Eddie asked.

"Fine. I don't like pretzels," Steve said.

"Why did you let me feed you?!" Eddie asked.

"You're really cute."

Eddie kissed him despite the fact that Steve’s taste in men was questionable, as was his taste in snack foods. Who the fuck doesn't like pretzels?!

#stranger things #stranger things s4 #eddie munson #joseph quinn #eddie stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson lives #steddie #steve x eddie #steve harrington x eddie munson #bisexual steve harrington #bisexual eddie munson #bi4bi #stranger things fanfiction

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pinkeoni · 1 year

Text

This moment keeps me up at night—

because it doesn’t align with what we’re being told the entire season.

The point that they tell us explicitly in the dialogue in season one is that Joyce was right about everything.

She wasn’t hallucinating, she wasn’t out of her mind, she was right.

So then, if Joyce was right about everything, if she wasn’t just hallucinating Will in a bout of hysteria, why then choose to show us a clear example where she is hallucinating Will?

Unless she wasn’t.

I will admit that there is a chance that this is just a dream or a hallucination. Joyce is very sleep deprived and was just told that her son had died. I wouldn’t put it past her to have dream visions of her newly dead son. The scene is also presented as if this is the case, with Joyce shown sleeping before seeing Will and then sharply waking up after the fact.

So okay, case closed, maybe it’s looking like this really is just a dream situation after all 😂 but I wanna just entertain the harmless idea that maybe the audience is being mislead with the dream allegations.

So the scene above actually happens right after we get the first confirmation that Will is still alive, when El is able to find him singing over the radio.

So we learn that Will is still alive at the top of the episode, the title sequence plays, and then we get a scene where Will appears right in front of Joyce. The sequence of events should be enough to at least raise an eyebrow.

At the end of the episode, Joyce recieves the verification for herself when Will is able to make contact with her. I want to point out that Will is able to do so while screaming for his mom, exactly the same thing that “dream” Will was doing.

So what do I think? That Will was actually physically in the Rightside Up? That he some how got through and then decided to go back in?

Well, no, not exactly, but he could have been doing some form of shadow walking— or his consciousness travelling to the other plane.

Of course since I’m a Will has powers truther I think that his powers are at play here. Shadow walking is brought up by Dustin in the subsequent episode—

And we see this very type of thing in season two with Will’s true sight.

Was Will just seeing into the Upside Down? Or was there a projection of himself that was physically in the UD? I’m going to say in the latter option, considering that the Mind Flayer was able to physically enter Will’s body during one of these true sight episodes.

Bringing it back to the scene at the very beginning of the post, I’d like to propose that this is what Will was doing, using his powers to shadow walk into the RU from the UD.

I don’t think Will waa be aware that he was using his powers. He was thrown into a high stakes situation, scared, and desperately wanted to get back to his mom and his powers were running amuck without him consciously knowing. This instance of him shadow walking to reach his mom is similar to what happens with the lights, his powers are activating as a way to reach his mom. It’s also implicated through dialogue that the thing with the lights is because of Will.

It would make total sense for his powers to activate in this way, even if he wasn’t conscious it was powers, based on how we know powers work in the show. It’s when El remembers the strong love that her mother feels for her that she is able to unlock her ability to open gates, a unique power that El herself probably didn’t even know she had.

So all of this being said, while made to be believable that Joyce was just dreaming, there’s still enough evidence to suggest that this image of Will was a manifestation of his powers.

Think about it this way, if you wanted Will having powers to be a twist, then you would want to write it in a way where the hints are all there, but there’s enough room to believe that the opposite is also true, so you aren’t playing all of your cards all at once. If Joyce was undoubtedly awake and seeing a vision of Will, that would be way too obvious right off the bat.

#will byers #will byers has powers #el hopper #terry ives #joyce byers #stranger things #stranger things theory #my theory #byler #<- target audience

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harrywavycurly · 9 months

Note

My beloved @harrywavycurly ! I’m on anon because I’m shy. 🫣 Will we get a lil bonus chat of Eddie waking her up after her nap and setting her straight that he doesn’t hate her?? Your fluff gives me the will to live. (Obviously it’s fine if we don’t, I just know you sometimes post extras and I was curious!)💗💗💗

Hiii babes!! Awe no need to be shy but I totally get it!! I can gladly give you a little conversation with them when she wakes up from her nap! You’re so sweet and I hope you enjoy💖

-find all things One Night Stand Eddie here✨

“Eddie?” “Yeah?…oh you need help getting up?” “No I was just seeing if you were home…so..uhm I’m ready to hear…whatever the fuck it is you wanted me to hear.” “Okay…uh well…for starters I’m sorry if I made you think I hate you…I don’t…not at all.” “That’s good…I don’t hate you either.” “Good that’s good…uhm and I…I uh am sorry I haven’t…tried to get to know you more…I’m gonna try to be nicer.” “I uhm…I’ll try to be nicer as well…I’m sorry I can be…mean it’s just…a defense mechanism I’ve had since I was little…” “i get it…people fucking suck and it’s easier to be mean to them before they’re mean to you…trust me…I get it.” “We can just uh…start fresh maybe? Just try to be friends and stuff.” “Okay…well uhm I’m Eddie Munson and I don’t know if you know this or not but I’m actually having a baby soon…” “really? Girl or boy?” “Girl…her name is Dorothy Anne Munson…her mom and grandpa actually named her.” “They have great taste…” “Yeah…yeah they do.” “So Eddie Munson…what are you doing tomorrow night?” “Uh nothing?” “Would…you like to see the new Halloween movie with me?…Michael is kinda my favorite out of the big four.” “Big four?” “Yeah? You know…Michael Jason…Freddy and Ghostface..the big four.” “Is that actually a thing?” “I mean I think so? It’s what i call them…so uhm…yes or no to the movies? Don’t feel all obligated to go just because I’m carrying your baby and all.” “You’re so annoying…yes I’d like to see Halloween with you.” “Cool…oh uhm you know…there’s nothing uh going on…between Steve and I right?” “Oh uh I didn’t…think there was anything going on…between you two…but thanks for letting me know.” “I just thought maybe that’s why you get so upset when I hang out with him…it’s always just us hanging out and watching the kids…that’s it.” “You like the kids huh?” “They’re growing on me…Mike is a little annoying but Dustin and Max are fun.” “Yeah Dustin is…entertaining to say the least.” “Not to cut this moment short but uh…can you help me up? I really have to pee.” “Oh shit yeah yeah here….there…you go…uh lunch is ready by the way.” “Oh thank god I’m starving…oh Wayne said you can come to dinner…i called him before falling asleep.” “Oh…nice…are you okay with that?” “He’s your dad Eddie…of course I’m okay with it.” “Okay..uh well I’ll be in the kitchen do you want me to bring your lunch to you in bed or will you sit and eat with me on my ugly ass green couch?” “I will sit in the ugly couch…”

#one night stand convos #eddie munson slow burn #eddie munson enemies to lovers #eddie munson au #eddie munson x pregnant!reader #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x you fluff #eddie munson x reader fluff #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson x fem!reader fluff #eddie munson series #eddie munson social media au #Eddie Munson #my little dungeon master baby

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headkiss · 2 years

Text

how you looked at me then

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

summary: based on the song K. by cigarettes after sex. moving to hawkins might not have seemed great, then you met steve and everything changed.

word count: 14k

warnings: smut, slight angst, fluff, all of it!!

a/n: this is my baby.. it took so long and i really hope u guys enjoy it!!!! it’s a long one so buckle up, and please please tell me what you think!

༄

You’ve known Steve for over a year now, and you've been sleeping with him for a couple months. It was a long story, and something completely unexpected.

You never thought moving into a trailer park in Hawkins would lead you to make so many friends, but here you were. Eddie was the one you met first, because you were neighbors. He was misunderstood, an outcast. For you, though, he was just the kind person who welcomed you to the town.

Eddie showed you around, taking you to his favorite spots like the arcade, his band practices, a strange spot in the forest that should’ve scared you but didn’t, the works. You would occasionally smoke together, winding down after long days with a joint. He was a good friend to you, a platonic partner in crime.

He even introduced you to his group of friends. Dustin, the other kids, Nancy, Jonathan, Robin, and Steve. Especially Steve.

You don’t know if Eddie had some kind of motive with his talking up of the Harrington boy, but he seemed to want to sell you on him. To make sure you would give him the time of day, as if you weren’t already planning on it.

The group took you in, reluctantly on some ends at first, but they became your people. A support system and a family. Even if they seemed to have a bond that didn’t include you, something that ran deep, you were still treated with warmth and kindness.

Robin was quick to befriend you, claiming that she was tired of her and Nancy being outnumbered by all the boys, and she was ecstatic to have someone else to turn to that wasn’t Steve, as much as she loved him. Some things were better spoken between women.

As your time in Hawkins passed, your friendship with everyone grew stronger, and it was like you’d been part of the clan all along.

The kids had someone else to look up to, to put their trust in, and it felt good to be needed that way. To be loved like that.

The flirty dynamic between you and Steve was something that came easily, thoughtlessly. It just worked. Your energy matched, the tension built. You both ignored that tension, until you couldn’t anymore.

You sat in your trailer with Eddie, Steve, and Robin. Each of you sprawled somewhere in the main area, bored and in need of entertainment for the night. Most of the time just being in each other’s company would be plenty of entertainment, but there was something missing this time. It was like everyone just needed something to do.

Eddie was the one who spoke up, “isn’t there a party somewhere tonight? We should go.”

“Hell no,” you were quick to shut it down. You weren’t one for parties because of the people. You didn’t know them and you didn’t necessarily want to.

“Why so quick to say no, babe?”

Of course Steve was smirking as he said it, it seemed like it was almost always on his face when he spoke to you. He loved to tease when it came to you. You always reacted or gave it back in some kind of way and he couldn’t get enough of it. Couldn't get enough of you.

“Because! I don’t know anyone here besides you guys and I don’t really need to. Why can't we just stay here?”

Robin decided to join in next, also trying to persuade you to go out even though it wasn’t really her scene either. “All the more reason! Meet new people and stuff, it could be fun.”

“Not you too, Robs. Really?”

She just shrugged, a small smile on her face because she knew you’d cave if everyone agreed. You were the type of person to do anything for those you cared about, even something small like attending a stupid party.

At everyone’s expectant looks towards you, you sighed. Standing up from your spot on your couch, you just placed your hands on your hips—a move you might’ve picked up from Steve—and nodded your head towards the door.

“Let’s go then.”

Your friends were right, it wasn’t horrible and you did get to meet a lot of new people, which was nice. Eventually, though, the small talk got old and the drinks got gross. You grew bored despite the music and party games.

Steve noticed it when you disappeared from the crowd, of course he did. Lately it seemed like he noticed everything you did. He wished he could say he didn’t know why, but that would be a lie. He liked you, and that was that.

He made it his mission to find you, and he did. You were leaning against the counter in the kitchen, just observing the party by yourself. Steve smiled when he saw you, your hair a little messy from the heated air, your eye makeup smudged the tiniest bit. And yet, you still looked perfect to him. Effortlessly.

“What are you doing hiding here, babe?”

You looked over at the sound of his voice, Steve’s eyes already on you. He came over to stand next to you, eyeing the crowd just as you were seconds before.

“Not hiding. ‘S just getting old. The party, I mean.”

“We can go back to mine. Drop Robin off on the way, I’m pretty sure she’s only here for you anyways.”

“She’s great. What about Eddie?”

“He’s making business, we can just let him know we’re leaving. He’ll be fine.”

“So you wanna go back to your house… just you and me?”

Shit. Did he spook you? Did he ask too much? He knew you’d been friends for a few months, but he didn’t know how to read this situation. Obviously he wanted to spend time with you, and only you. But he had no idea if you felt the same. Or if you even thought about it.

“Um. Yeah, is that okay?”

“‘Course it is, Steve. I’ll go tell Eddie. You get Robs?”

“Okay. Meet me at my car?”

“Sure thing.”

You walked off after that, assuming Steve would do the same. He waited a few moments first, though, just watching the way you moved through the room. The way his eyes seemed to stay stuck on you like that. He shook it off eventually and went to go find Robin.

She was sitting on a chair in the living room, somehow almost asleep even in this noisy house. Steve shook her awake and started talking. He needed her advice.

“Robin, wake up.”

“What?”

“Wake up! I need your help.”

“Jesus, I’m awake. What?”

“So y/n wants to leave and she’s coming to hangout at mine. I said we’d drop you off on the way so it’ll just be us. What do I do? I’m gonna embarrass myself. Oh my god.”

“First of all, rude of you to exclude me. Second, just be honest, like really honest. Tell her how you feel.”

“No, I’m not doing that.”

“You ask what to do and you never listen! You’re hopeless.”

Steve simply rolled his eyes and turned to exit the house, Robin following. He couldn’t tell you how he felt, you’d be so freaked out. It was so early in your friendship, in your time of knowing each other in general. It was just a crush. It had to stay that way.

Meanwhile, you found Eddie and told him that you were leaving with Steve and Robin.

“You’re going back to Harrington’s place? Priceless.”

“What are you saying Eddie?”

“I’m saying you like the boy. It’s about time you do something about it.”

“He’s my friend, Eddie, that’s it. Seriously.”

“Sure.”

You left after that, going to Steve’s car where he and Robin were waiting as promised. Eddie just shook his head at it all. He knew Steve liked you, it was pretty clear in his flirting manner and the look on his face whenever he saw you. He also knew that you liked Steve, even if you didn’t feel it yet. Eddie just knew you two were perfect for each other.

After dropping off a very stumbly Robin and getting back to the Harrington household, you and Steve were sitting on his couch with a random movie playing. At this point, it was background noise, something neither of you were paying attention to.

You and Steve have hung out just the two of you before, but never like this. Never in the quiet and privacy of an empty house, never this late in the night when things seemed to be deserted.

It went unnoticed when you both seemed to shift closer to the other, as if it was just a reflex that didn’t need any thought at all. It was natural, easy.

You can't pinpoint exactly when the mood shifted, when it went from lighthearted flirting like usual to something more, something deeper that was full of want.

Maybe it was when his arm ended up around your shoulders, a heavy weight that led your mind to all things Steve. Maybe it was when you turned on the couch to face each other, eyes roaming and curious. Maybe that want had been there all along, dormant and waiting to escape.

You felt it when Steve’s hand was placing itself on the side of your neck as you spoke, causing a slight hitch in your words. Just the reaction he was looking for.

Steve knew he wanted you, he was never sure if you felt the same until now. He was so intrigued by you, pulled in by all that you were. While he knew he felt something deeper for you than just want, he would take anything you offered. Anything at all.

With his hand on your neck, your pulse picking up under his palm, he felt something. Something mutual.

“How mad would you be if I kissed you, babe?”

Even with the thickness in the air between you, you weren’t expecting that to come out of his mouth. Yet, you couldn’t bring yourself to be mad at all. You wanted him to kiss you, to feel his mouth on yours. What the hell was up with that?

“Why don’t you find out?”

A whispered “holy shit,” and then he was leaning in, looking in your eyes one last time to search for any hesitation. He found none.

So, he kissed you.

It seemed like the world went still when you kissed, nothing else mattered then. His lips were as soft as they looked, pressing to yours softly at first, then, quicker, hungrier.

If Steve wasn’t kissing you dumb, you’d be freaking out over the fact that Steve was kissing you. When you gasped and he slipped his tongue into your mouth, any trace of thought you had slipped away.

He paid attention to everything that made you react. Breathe harder, push yourself closer.

His senses were going wild and it had everything to do with you and your mouth. You were enchanting and soft and so pretty, and you were here, kissing him. He couldn’t help but groan when you shifted to straddle his lap, a hand braced on his chest and the other tangling itself in his hair.

“How mad would you be if I told you I wanted to make you feel good?”

He was breathless, his pupils wide with desire and his hands now on your hips, guiding you. You could feel him hard underneath you, and it was driving you crazy.

“Not mad at all.”

It was a rush from there. Shirts coming off, kisses stolen between every item of clothing removed. You ended up on your back with Steve hovering over you, both of you in nothing but your underwear.

It was heated touches and his hand slipping beneath the hem of your panties. An orgasm coaxed out of you with skill and praise and all the right words. Another kiss and a question of “Can I fuck you?” and your answer of “yes, please.”

It was the beginning of something.

Since that night, an arrangement of sorts was made between you and Steve. A friends with benefits thing that just worked.

You understood each other and what was wanted at what time. How to read what your bodies were saying, what certain looks meant when you were with the rest of your friends. One for ‘my house, later,’ another for ‘I need you. Now,’ that would usually lead to half-assed excuses and two friends leaving early. Very sneaky.

Through the months of your situation, Steve’s feelings for you only grew, though they remained a secret to you. Meanwhile yours stayed buried, in a space of your mind and soul that lived in ignorance.

Despite you and Steve believing you were secretive enough, everybody knew something was going on, and they all knew it would end in one of two ways: with the two of you happy and in love, or a horrible disaster.

Steve’s emotions towards you were clear for anyone to see. Anyone except you, it seemed. His hand would find a place on your lower back when weaving through crowded rooms, his eyes often softening as they fell on your figure, the flirting you had leaving him more flustered than ever before.

He had it bad.

Last night, Steve had the whole clan over. The kids and the other’s all together with pizza and games. It was fun and lively. Exactly what you all needed every once in a while to remind you of the brilliant support system you had.

It involved Eddie’s classing routine of trying to get everyone to give his music taste a chance, Dustin’s huge ego invading every single game, the couples trying to play on teams—except Max, who loved to beat Lucas in anything.

To put it simply, it was a long night. No matter how fun, you didn’t feel like driving home after the chaos that was that group of people, so, naturally, Steve let you stay the night.

When everyone got ready to go, and you didn’t, it gave them even more proof that the two of you were trying to hide something. It gave Eddie more proof to use to get you together, winking at you as he left.

You and Steve had sleepovers before, but always with the expectation of something more. This time, it was just a friend offering a place to sleep for another friend. No sex tonight.

It felt like muscle memory as you walked up to his room with him, changing into pajamas of yours he’s made room for in the top drawer of his dresser. Moving on to the bathroom where Steve kept spare bottles of your skincare products, ready for you anytime. Where there was a second toothbrush in his holder just for you.

You never over thought any of it, though. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for you, but friends could be sweet, too. It didn’t have to be romantic… right?

You and Steve moved around each other with ease throughout your night routines, never in the way. It was something you had lots of practice with considering the amount of late night phone calls that turned into late night visits.

Once you were both in his bed, that’s when there was a small hesitation. Do you still cuddle even if nothing happened beforehand? Was it acceptable for Steve to give you a forehead kiss goodnight in this case? Were you allowed to wrap his arm around your waist, deeming yourself the little spoon?

After that moment of wondering who will make the first move, though, you both seemed to just think, fuck it. You both turned to lay on your sides, Steve wrapping his arm around you, you scooching back so his chest was pressed right against your back, radiating warmth and comfort.

Then, a forehead kiss from Steve, whispered goodnights, and you were both asleep.

You woke up to sunlight slipping through the gap in the curtains, an arm still holding you close, legs tangled with yours. A warm chest against you and soft breaths hitting the back of your neck.

When you felt Steve shift around, consciousness coming back to him, you turned around in his hold to face him. You loved the way he looked in the morning, his usually perfect hair messy from sleep, his eyes still hazy and blinking open slowly. He looked cute.

One of his favorite things was waking up with you, because it was domestic and soft in a way that was rare for him to come by. You were extra pliant, welcoming his morning cuddles no matter the context. He gave you a lazy smile, “hi.”

“Hi.”

You reached up to push his hair away from his forehead, tender and delicate. Something a lover would do, but your morning brain wasn’t one to think too hard about your actions. The earlier hours of the day were spent together, it was like they didn’t really count, as if acting like a couple in the privacy of his room now wouldn’t matter.

He sighed happily, rolling over to lay himself on top of you, face squished against your chest and his arms hugging you close.

“Steven!”

He just giggled, knowing you were smiling too. You only called him that teasingly, trying to be serious with him when you couldn’t.

“Mmm, you’re so comfy.”

“And you’re squishing me.”

He gasped, mocking offense and pushing himself up to hover over you and let you look at his dramatically pinched face, “I am not!”

“Don’t pout at me, you’ll get wrinkles.”

“Heyyy. Don’t be mean, I'm fragile in the morning.”

“Sorry, c’mere.”

To both of your surprise, you placed both of your hands on his cheeks, pulling him down for a soft kiss to make him feel better, even though he wasn’t actually upset. You two never kissed, or did anything in the mornings. Usually, you’d just get up and get dressed. Something about today felt different.

It was a short kiss, but when Steve pulled away and looked over your pretty face, your eyes fuzzy and glancing at his lips, he dove back in. He was propped up using one arm, bent just above your head so he could stay close, the other running over your side.

Your hands shifted so one was buried in the hair at the nape of his neck, keeping him close to you, while the other was hugged around his shoulders, feeling the muscles there ripple and shift with his movements. It became heated, the kind of kiss that was bound to lead to something else, and it felt exciting, new.

Steve’s hips began to shift against yours, the morning stiffy he sported no longer ignored. You pushed your pelvis up to meet in the middle, a delicious friction that felt even better with your newly awoken senses, minds still a little bit tired, but completely focused on each other.

When you let out a whimper, Steve slipped his tongue into your mouth, the kiss going languid. Slowed down and relaxed, but just as arousing as before. Somehow, with the pace going down, it made everything better, stronger.

“Steve, please,” you whined between kisses, feeling needier with every push of his hips and stroke of his tongue. It seemed like this pocket of time belonged to only you and him, the rest of the world falling away in the midst of the risen sun and morning dew.

“What is it, honey?”

“Need you.”

“Know you do. I’ve got you.”

His hand that was steady on your waist moved down, pushing your pj shorts and underwear aside to slip his fingers down to where you were wet, a sigh escaping you when he moved up to your clit. He knew exactly how to wound you up, how to make you feel good. He had plenty of time to learn you and your body and it was easy now. Easy to get you there.

“Steve. Stop teasing.”

“Sorry. Can't get enough of you.”

He kissed you again when he slipped a finger into you, swallowing the moans you gave him. You were squirming under him, needy for anything he’d give and he fucking loved it. The way you gave yourself to him, trusted him.

Your first orgasm was coaxed out of you with the expertise of his fingers, and the encouragement of “that’s it. Atta girl.”

Your back arched enough to press your chest to his, your head digging into the pillow beneath it. He kept going until you couldn’t take it anymore, knowing the kind of whimper that was a signal of you needing a minute to come back.

Steve stood up as you caught your breath, sucking his coated fingers into his mouth before helping you strip and pulling his boxers down, both of you left bare. You’d seen each other naked many times, but in the golden glow of sunlight it was special. He grabbed a condom from his nightstand and put it on before crawling back over you, giving you another dizzying kiss before lining himself up.

“You want this?”

You nodded, arms slipping around his neck, “I want you, Steve.”

“Fuck.”

He kissed you again as he pushed himself in, distracting you partially so you’d relax for him. Once he was all the way there, he pulled back just enough to lean his forehead against yours, your noses brushing against each other at each push and pull of his hips.

“You’re beautiful. So good for me.”

“More, please.”

He could never deny you when you asked so prettily. A whininess to your voice that made him feel special because he brought it out of you. He’s the one who made you feel this way.

Steve moved slow and deep, brushing against all the right spots that had you moaning and wrapping your legs around his waist to let him in even more. He kissed you all over, a peck to your forehead, your nose, then spongy lips trailing down your neck to kiss at your throat.

Sounds escaping both of you without control, senses full of each other and nothing else. You and Steve had sex often, but never like this. Never in this intimate way that seemed much more like making love than simply fucking.

“Can feel you squeezing me, sweet girl. You wanna come for me?”

“Steve.”

“I know, I’ll get you there.”

And he did, the hand that wasn’t needed to hold himself up sliding over the hill of your breasts and down to rub circles against your clit, pushing you over the edge yet again.

“There you go. So pretty.”

Your second orgasm washed over you, and before he could even react, you flipped Steve over so you were on top, straddling his thighs and riding him slow and steady. Your hands were braced on his chest at first, but at that look of pleasure and bliss on his face you leaned down to kiss him.

With each grind of your hips, your chest would slide against his, as close as you could get. He held your hips, helping you along and making sure you were feeling the best you could.

After letting you lead for a bit, he planted his feet on the bed, giving him the steadiness to meet your hips and thrust into you. Your face was buried in his neck after that, moans falling into his ear and a hand cradling his head, the other squeezing the pillow in your fist.

“Steve. Want you to come.”

“I will, babe. Can you give me another first?”

All you could do was nod against his skin, and he felt it, giving him encouragement to speed up just enough to have you pulse around him one more time. He came with you then, a hand coming to the back of your neck to guide you to look at him. Your eyes locking in a way that was so intimate, so full of devotion it felt like the fabric of your relationship shifted right then.

“God. You feel so good. So, so perfect for me.”

The only things leaving your mouth were curses and whimpers of his name. Both of you coming and then relaxing together. You all but collapsed on top of him when you both finished, spent and completely fucked out.

“You okay, sweet girl?”

“Think you turned my brain to mush,” you mumbled against his sticky skin. He chuckled, running his hands up and down your back to soothe you, to bring you back to him.

“How ‘bout a shower?”

Together? That wasn’t something you’d done before, surprisingly. You would always take turns, avoiding the intimacy a shared shower would provide. The feelings that might escape.

This morning, everything shifted though, and it was like nothing else even existed. So, naturally, you said yes.

Neither of you were in a rush to get up, though, taking the time to come down from the events of the morning before moving over to the bathroom. You’re almost positive you would have fallen asleep laying on top of Steve if he didn’t roll you over so he was able to pull out of you and get rid of the condom. After that, he disappeared from the room for a minute to turn on the shower.

When he came back in, smiling at the sight of you so sleepy on his bed, he almost felt bad for disturbing that. He knew you wanted to wash off though, and he couldn’t deny that he was giddy at the idea of showering together. It was something couples did, not something that was mixed in with a supposed feeling free arrangement.

He walked over and scooped you up bridal style, not wanting to let the water run for too long.

“Steven! I can walk.”

“Yeah, well, I wanted to carry you.”

“You’re sweet.”

“I try my best.”

He set you down once you were in the bathroom, and you got in the shower right away. You didn’t want to give yourself time to overthink this new part of your relationship with Steve, and everything this morning might mean. The warm water relaxed your muscles, eased your mind ever so slightly.

Steve joined you quickly, stepping in behind you so his chest was almost pushed against your back. When you tilted your head to let your hair get wet, he snuck a quick kiss to your forehead that left you flustered. He was a soft person, and he cared so deeply for the people around him and you knew that. That’s why this was scary to you, because the last thing you wanted to do was hurt him or your friendship.

He reached for a bottle of shampoo, one that happened to be yours because he even kept your favorite brands of soap in his shower, and squeezed some onto his hand, “can I?”

“Mhm. You have good hands.”

“Dirty.”

“Your mind is dirty, that’s all.”

He massaged the suds into your scalp, probably longer than needed because he enjoyed the way you sighed at the feeling, the way your body seemed to calm even more under his touch.

He rinsed your hair and did conditioner too, knowing to only put it in the ends of your hair because he was an expert on the subject.

“Why’re you so good at this?”

“They don’t call me The Hair for nothing.”

You laughed, you had heard the story of The Hair and it never failed to be funny to you, “I can't believe people actually called you that.”

“What? You don’t think my hair is my best feature?”

You were facing him now, watching him wash his own hair while you stayed close to him. You thought about it. You knew he was teasing but it made you wonder. You couldn’t help but think of his eyes and how expressive they were, the sweetness of honey that was so easy to get lost in.

“Your hair is nice, but I like your eyes. Your eyes are really, really pretty.”

His hands paused in his hair, his head moving to look down at you, at the sincerity of your words. He decided then that you didn’t have a best feature, because there wasn’t a single bad one about you. You were perfect, and sometimes he’s convinced that you’re an angel that was sent to him as a protector. Someone meant to keep him grounded without any effort at all.

He was in love with you.

The thought had been floating in his mind for months, but here and now, he knew it for sure. He loved you and he thinks he has for almost as long as he’s known you. This moment of intimacy, of trust and peace, it confirmed it for him.

He was scared that if he opened his mouth to speak, he’d let those words slip out, so instead he just gave you a quick kiss. Chaste but still tender as ever. Then, he just went back to washing his hair with his mind full and his heart even fuller.

After finishing up in the shower and getting dressed in fresh clothes—yours from the drawer he left empty just for you—Steve made you breakfast, the saccharine haze of the morning still present. It stretched across the day.

The hours slipped away when you were with Steve, time didn’t really exist. You watched TV cuddled up on the couch, comfortable enough to have a nap together there. He challenged you in board games, but was ready to let you win if you showed any bit of disappointment in how it was going. You spent a bit of time reading, Steve asking if you would do it out loud so he could listen along.

It felt natural to spend so long with him, like this wasn’t only his home, but yours too. Maybe that was an odd thing to feel, but it was true. Being with Steve in his expansive house, just the two of you, felt right. Like you belonged there with him. That was another point to add to your list of things to overthink.

You had a lot to figure out because all of this had to mean something.

Steve never wanted the day to end. He loved having you with him in the house that was so often empty of company. He loved being able to spend so much uninterrupted time with you in a way that really made him wish for things he shouldn’t be wishing for. A relationship with you, for example. A real one where you would call him your boyfriend and he could call you his girlfriend. Where one day you’d become his wife and you could live together, just like this, every day.

In an attempt to stretch the best day of his life even further, Steve had the idea to ask you out. He’d do it in a way that was casual enough to pass as a friend's thing, when really he wanted it to be more.

“You hungry, babe?” He asked you from his spot on the couch, the two of you having gone back to watching pointless television.

“I could eat. Why?”

“Was wondering if you wanted to go to that diner that’s just out of town. You know, with the staff on roller skates and milkshakes and stuff.”

“Sometimes, Steven, you have really great ideas.”

“What do you mean sometimes! I have great ideas, like, hourly. At least.”

He enjoyed the way you laughed at that, replying to him with, “gosh, you’re a dork. You’re lucky I like you so much. Let’s go.”

You’re lucky I like you so much.

He knew you probably meant it jokingly, but he was stuck on it. How much was it? Enough for it to be romantic? Was there something there after all? He was convinced he’d been imagining the shift that was felt since you both woke up this morning, but maybe it was real. Maybe it was something clicking into place.

“The luckiest. C’mon, I’ll drive.”

The diner was tucked away, standing by itself on its lot outside of Hawkins. Outside, it was just a regular building with a bright, lit up sign attached to it. Inside, however, it was perfect.

The checkered floors, the jukebox sat in the corner, the pink countertops and booth seats. Everything about the space was bright and fun and you wished you knew about it earlier. At the same time, you’re glad Steve’s the one who’s showing it to you.

He watched your face as you looked around, the smile on your face and the glint in your eyes. He knew it wasn’t something huge, but he loved this diner and he’s only ever been here alone. Until now.

“This is so cute, Steve!”

“I knew you’d like it.”

His hand on your lower back guided you over to a booth tucked by the front window of the diner. When you sat down, he opted to sit next to you instead of across, and you couldn’t deny the way it made your face heat and your stomach flutter.

The menus were already on the table, allowing you to pick it up and take a look. The other menu was on the other side, where Steve chose not to sit, so, he just leaned in with his head next to yours to read it with you. His chin was perched on your shoulder, his arm slung around you and resting lazily on your hip.

“What do you think, babe?”

“Everything looks really good. Can you just choose for me?”

“You trust me with your meal? I’m so honoured.”

“Yeah. You should be.”

You both turned to look at each other, smiling at the ease you felt when chatting. Your smiles faded when the proximity of your faces was realized, your noses nearly touching. It was confusing, a question of who will move first, and will they pull away or get closer.

The small moment was broken when a waitress in roller skates approached the table, her light pink uniform and big welcoming smile coming into view.

“Hi, Steve! Good to see you again. You’ve brought someone, this time!”

“Hi, Brenda. I did. This is the girl I told you about.”

Brenda seemed sweet, and genuinely happy to meet you. It wasn’t her fault you felt a little jealous at the idea of Steve coming here alone, being taken care of by someone so pretty and kind like her. What the hell was wrong with you?

“Oh! Yes, I’ve heard so much. I’m Brenda, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Um, yeah. Hi. You too.”

If she noticed your apprehensiveness, she didn’t let it show, while Steve just squeezed your hip a little to remind you he was there. With you, not her.

“What can I get you guys?”

“Okay, I’ll have the usual. Burger and fries. She’ll have the same, and a vanilla milkshake, please. Two straws.”

“I’ll be right back with that.”

She skated away, somehow elegantly and it was impressive. You think you could like her, if you just sorted out whatever that pinch in your gut was at the wink she gave Steve before pushing off.

You looked at him, now leaning against the seat with his head tilted towards you. He was really pretty, you’d always known that. It was present here in the lighting of the diner, the fluorescent lights beaming and yet, he was beautiful.

“Two straws?”

He gave you a little tap on your nose, grinning at the cute way you scrunched it up, “duh. One for you, one for me. C’mon, pretty, keep up.”

“My bad, Steven.”

“Mhm. Said you trusted me. Did I choose well?”

“So far so good. Gotta taste it to know for sure though.”

“Dirty.”

“That’s your mind!”

“It’s your fault. You bring it out of me, I guess.”

Bring what out of him? Being dirty? You already knew that, the sex you were having spoke for itself. But he sounded like he was talking about something else, like maybe he just meant his laid back, teasing behaviour was something saved for you. Or, maybe you were just thinking too hard.

Steve loved the way he felt with you, how he could be himself without any second thoughts. He liked that you never knew him in his high school days, that you never knew him as ‘King Steve,’ only as Steve, or Steven—which was reserved for you. It was a relief to meet someone and not have their judgement of his past weighing down on him.

While you had been told about the person he used to be, you only knew who he was now. That was really special to him. Because he was proud of the person he became, and that’s who you met, who you chose to spend time with.

“I’m really happy you moved here.”

You looked at him, noting the sincerity in his words and the hand that wasn’t on your hip moving to tuck a piece of hair behind your ear. You really looked at him, at the situation. You couldn’t help but notice how much this felt like a date, and how you really wanted it to be one.

It was like a pocket of your mind had been emptied, revealing your feelings for him right there, all at once. He was the sweetest boy you ever met, with the kindest eyes and the softest heart. He was someone you wanted to spend every minute with, and you don’t think you could ever get sick of him.

He was someone you loved. Someone you might even be in love with.

Something changed there in that booth for you. How you looked at him then. It turned into something more, or maybe it was always there and the only difference was now you knew it. Either way, things weren’t the same.

“Yeah, I’m really happy I moved here, too.”

He gave you a quick kiss, without a thought. He liked kissing you, he wanted to do it and he figured that in this almost empty diner, he was allowed. He wished he was allowed all of the time; in front of your friends or anytime at all that wasn’t the two of you sleeping together.

He just wanted you to be his, and he to be yours. Completely.

A peck on your cheek followed, then your nose and forehead. When you giggled at his actions, he pulled away, looking at your smiling face and feeling special that he’s the one who made you react like that.

“You’re a great person, Steve. I mean that.”

“Stop.”

“It’s true! I’m glad you’re in my life.”

“Sometimes I think you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

It sort of slipped out, his thoughts travelling into words quicker than he could process. It was true, though. You were a vibrant light in the town of Hawkins. Exactly what he needed.

Then, your food was brought out, your vulnerable conversation cut off by hungry stomachs and a yummy meal. Steve stole fries from your plate, he teased you with fake gags when you dipped yours in the milkshake. You forced him to try it and his mind was changed, of course.

From the counter, Brenda observed the two of you with a smile. Steve told her about his feelings for you, because she wasn’t on the inside. She didn’t know any of his and your friends, and she was able to give him advice without any bias.

Seeing you in the flesh next to him was even more proof of how he felt. He was practically glowing because of you, his eyes on you with so much emotion she couldn’t believe you weren’t already together. She just shook her head and brought over the bill, giving Steve another wink because she knew.

On the ride home, he rested a hand on your thigh, keeping contact with you like he absolutely had to. You knew he was a physical touch kind of person, and today really brought it out of him.

He wanted to take you back to his, to spend another day like this one all over again tomorrow and the next day, and the next. He wanted to hold you in his sleep and wake you up with kisses and love and all of that couple shit.

“Can you come to mine again?”

“I want to, but my mom will lose her mind if I’m not home tonight. You know how she is.”

“She’s nice.”

“Because she likes you!”

“How could she not? I’m a charmer.”

“Just take me home, Steven. You dork.”

“Alright, alright.”

Even on the short drive, you managed to doze off. Steve’s hand on your leg a calming weight that kept you grounded, the lull of the music playing making your eyes heavy. Your head lying awkwardly against the seat in a way that was sure to hurt your neck if you stayed there for too long.

Steve didn’t even notice you’d fallen asleep until he pulled into your driveway, glancing over at you to say bye and finding your eyes shut and your breathing steady. Yet again you showed that you trusted him, to get you home, to take care of you. He fucking loved you.

He really didn’t want to disturb you, you looked so peaceful and he just wanted to let you stay that way. But, he knew that you had to get home, he didn’t want to upset your mom or you in any way.

Steve decided to wake you slowly, first cupping your face in one of his hands and letting his thumb brush back and forth against your skin, then using his other hand to grab the hand laying in your lap, squeezing.

“Hey, we’re here, babe.”

You shifted slightly, your head nuzzling into his palm in your drowsy state—something Steve found adorable—and breathing in deep. The boy squeezed your hand again, leaning in closer to kiss your eyelids, your cheek, then backed away again.

You blinked your eyes open then, lazy and so, so soft. “Hey.”

“Hi, sweet girl. You have a nice nap?”

“Mhm. Smells like you in here, ‘s cozy.”

“You’re cute. And we’re in your driveway.”

You hadn’t even noticed you were home, glancing out the window towards your front porch, the lights left on to welcome you home. As much as you loved your room, the bookshelf that sat in there, the stuffed animal you still kept on your bed, you wanted to stay with Steve.

He was a welcomed presence at any time, and now more than ever you knew that. He took care of you, he knew you. What you needed or wanted without a word, Steve could tell. You never had a connection like that with anyone else.

You could say with certainty now, you were in love with him. It wasn’t just your sleepy mind or a random thought, it was true.

“Thank you for today. For dinner and driving me home. You’re the best, Steve.”

“You know you can call me anytime, for anything. I love y- um, spending time with you. You’re my best friend, pretty.”

Did you catch his slip up? He certainly did and his heart was beating wildly in his chest. If you heard what he almost said, you didn’t mention it, only looking at him in that way you always did that made him weak.

Best friend. Right. You knew that, but you were also pretty sure he almost just said something that might have meant you were more. Having just woken up, though, you weren’t sure if you were just making things up.

“I love spending time with you too. I’ll see you later?”

“Of course you will.”

“Okay.”

Before you let yourself overthink it, you leaned over the centre console to plant a sweet kiss on Steve’s lips. He welcomed it, welcomed you and your taste. You didn’t let it go for too long, scared your mom might walk out and see or that you’d get carried away. So, you pulled away, pressed two more pecks to his mouth before opening the passenger door.

“Goodnight, Steve.”

“Goodnight, babe.”

He watched you walk up to your front door, waiting for your bedroom light to turn on before backing out of your driveway and taking himself back to his empty house that somehow felt even emptier without you in it.

It’s been a couple of days since the diner, since the time spent with Steve that taught you so much. That day made you realize you loved him, made you aware of how you felt and what you really wanted. You wanted him as your boyfriend, as your future and hopefully forever.

You had seen him since, but not separately from the group. It was full of glances and smiles and teasing. Your dynamic hadn’t really changed, at least not when you were around others, you weren’t sure you could say the same for your alone time.

Tonight, you had plans with Steve and the older crew. There was a bar type thing outside of town that seemed exciting enough, more so than the Hideaway, and with the fake IDs Eddie got you all, you’d be in no problem.

You were finishing getting ready in your bathroom, grateful you were the last person on the way to the bar because you needed the extra time. You were carefully applying your mascara when you heard the honk outside, letting you know your ride was here.

You hurried down the stairs, trying to put your shoes on as quickly as possible on the way, then, you were out the door. You spotted Eddie’s van right away, quickly walking to the back door.

The van was spacious, but always seemed to look full with your friends in it. Eddie in the driver's seat, Robin in the passenger seat with her feet up on the dashboard, Jonathan and Nancy sitting next to each other in the back, and Steve, wearing the sweetest smile at the sight of you.

Your dress was beautiful, but maybe he only thought so because you were the one wearing it. Your hair styled in a way he wanted to ruin, to mess up with his hands. He had it so bad for you and he knew it. Everyone did, really.

“Hey, babe! You look amazing.”

“Thanks. You too, Steve.”

Eddie groaned dramatically, but he was still smiling, “okay enough flirting and get in! Let’s go!”

This time, you listened to Eddie, climbing into the van and shutting the door behind you. Steve didn’t know what came over him when he tugged you down by your waist to sit on his lap, but he was glad he did when you let out the cutest surprised gasp.

He was more comfortable being touchy with you without the kids around, without their incessant questions and lack of filter. Here, he felt like it was more okay, like nobody would really say anything even if they wanted to.

They all knew about Steve’s feelings for you, even if he’d never told them. He became a very transparent person and that vulnerability was more amplified when you were involved. They were also fairly sure there was something going on, and that you felt the same way he did. The two of you weren’t really that great at hiding it.

You were shocked at his actions, considering his usual restraint around your friends, but you can’t say you weren’t buzzing because of it. You settled in his lap, his arms around your waist to keep you steady. It was nice, to feel like you were really his.

If the others felt a type of way about the couple-ish behaviour, they didn’t show it. They just kept the conversation going as normal as it would. Poking fun at Eddie’s driving, asking Robin if she was ready to dance without falling over, checking Jonathan’s temperature because he must’ve been sick if he agreed to going out like this.

It was all in good spirits, spilling laughter and a happy atmosphere.

The closer you got to the bar, the bumpier the roads were, and Steve noticed. He could feel you shift and bounce in his lap every time the car would hit a pothole, could feel you trying to squirm back into a comfortable position after getting jostled a little.

He was about to lose his mind.

When you shifted around again, he gripped your waist harder, stilling your movements.

“You gotta stop moving so much, pretty.” He was whispering, so quiet that you were the only one who could’ve heard him. His mouth by your ear and his hands holding you still.

“What?” You turned your face towards him so your lowered volume could be heard by him. You saw the look on his face, the deep breathing in his chest. Then you felt him. He was hard. “Oh. I’m so sorry.”

“‘S okay. Just try to be still for me.”

“I will. We’re almost there. Sorry again.”

“Not your fault you turn me on.”

“Shh! Steven!”

“Oh stop, they're too loud to hear us.”

You shook your head and turned back towards the front, trying your best to remain steady so Steve could get a break. You were flustered at the reminder of the affect you had on him, of how you made him react to your body without knowing it.

You and Steve joined back in on the main conversation after that, hearing the tail end of Robin’s story about an angry customer from the day before. It was hard to focus, though. With the hands splayed wide against you and the thoughts about what could be.

Eddie pulled into the parking lot of the bar shortly after that, turning the car off then glancing at the rest of you with that mischievous look that could only ever be an Eddie face. “You guys ready to get fucked up?”

“Who says we’re getting fucked up?” Nancy, the supposed responsible one, replied.

“Well, miss Wheeler, since I’m the chauffeur and can’t drink tonight, you’re all doing it for me!”

You giggled at your friend's train of thought, “sounds like a solid plan, Eds. You’re gonna be in charge of all of us?”

“Yes and I’ll be great at it! You’ll see.”

Steve leaned his head against yours, “enough chit chat, let’s get in there!”

“Patience, Steven.”

But you were already getting up, and getting out of the van, Steve following. Everyone else did, too, and you all made your way towards the doors, IDs and your best poker face at the ready.

As promised, you got in easily, and then you were all headed to order drinks. Steve’s hand found yours in the crowded space, gripping it to make sure you stayed close to him and he knew you were there. It was sweet, and you squeezed his hand because of it.

Drinks were ordered and downed, the second round for sipping slower. At first, you all stuck together, trying to talk over the noise, but eventually you split off. Nancy and Robin pulled you onto the dance floor with a new drink in hand before you could protest. Steve and the other two boys finding a spot to stand and lean and watch you all, making sure you were okay.

“So, Steve, when are you gonna fess up?”

“What?”

Eddie rolled his eyes. You and Steve were driving him nuts because he knew about the feelings and he knew it would work. It was just taking so long.

“Oh, come on Harrington. That you love her? That there’s something going on. We can all tell.”

“Nothing’s going on.. um. Yeah.”

“Back me up here, Byers.”

Jonathan had a way of speaking that was very persuasive, very matter-of-fact, and that’s why Eddie roped him into the conversation. He needed assistance in his match-making task.

“Steve, it’s kinda obvious. You look at her like she’s the sun, or something. Just admit it.”

You look at her like she’s the sun. Maybe that’s because you are, in a way. The brightest star that keeps him warm and relaxed and cheery. He only hoped he wouldn’t get burnt in your rays.

“Okay. So what? She’s my friend. Yeah.”

“Cut the bullshit. You love her and there’s something there. Just tell us. We can give great advice.. look at Byers over here, he’s in a great relationship.”

“Jesus, we’re having sex. You happy?”

“And you haven’t told her how you feel because..?”

What a great question that was. Steve didn’t even know the answer, because there were so many reasons. You might not feel the same, you might get totally freaked out and pull away from him. Or, you could love him back and he could ruin it because he thinks that’s what he’s best at. Messing things up.

“I don’t know.”

Jonathan spoke more reassuringly, “trust me, she feels the same way. She talks to Nancy about you.”

“Oh. Good to know, thanks.”

You talked about him? Was it good? Did you worry about every little thing like he did? Worry about whether he felt the same way or how to go about things in the future?

That was a lot to think about.

He didn’t have the time to do so, though, because when his eyes were back on you, he saw a guy talking to you. He saw you laugh at something that he said and then he saw him hold out a hand to dance with you. He saw you take it.

He felt like shit.

You were tipsy, just enough to be giggly and happy. When the stranger asked you to dance you didn’t even realize he was flirting, you only agreed because you lost Nancy and Robin and this seemed fun.

Steve downed his drink and walked onto the floor, his eyes focused on you and that fucking guy you were dancing with. In your defence, there was a distance between you and the stranger, not even touching other than the hand he held. That was enough to make Steve jealous, though.

When you saw Steve walking over you waved to him with excitement. Your grin was inviting and it almost made Steve forget about why he was walking over there in the first place. Almost. But the stranger came into view once more, and his jealousy flared up again.

“Steve! Dance with me!”

You let go of the stranger when Steve got close, opting to hold onto him instead. You stumbled a little and Steve caught you with ease, the stranger disappearing into the crowd. You weren’t even drunk, only slightly fuzzy, but it was enough that mixed with the atmosphere, you were feeling extra giddy.

He felt his past annoyance fade, because you were literally tripping to be with Steve instead of that guy. He was who you wanted to dance with, really. Who was he to deny you of that?

“Show me your moves, pretty.”

You wrapped your arms around his neck, his going around your waist loosely to give you room to move. You grinned at him, happy to have the contact and time with Steve. Your hips swayed to the best of whatever song was playing, eyes locked on Steve and his on you.

“Why aren’t you dancing, Steven!”

“You’re too good, I can’t compare.”

“Don’t care, dance with me.”

“You’re gonna have to teach me, honey.”

“‘Kay. So just listen to the music, right? Then you gotta move to it.”

He tried, but ended up looking more like a dad at a barbecue than a pretty boy in a bar. You bit your lip to hold in your laugh, but failed, and he pouted at you for it.

“What?”

“You’re gonna need so many lessons.”

“Hey! I’m not bad. Maybe it’s my teacher's fault.”

“No way. You said yourself, I’m too good.”

“Got me there,” he kissed your cheek, distracting you with his soft lips. The lightest touch from him managed to take your mind off of whatever was happening beforehand. It was baffling to know that someone had that much power over you, but you felt safe knowing that person was Steve.

Steve continued to try and dance the way you instructed, often failing but eventually getting better, able to keep rhythm with you. You were having fun, not a care about the world around you.

After a while, your mouth was dry from the lack of a drink and constant movement, “Steve, ‘M thirsty.”

“Don’t move, I’ll get you some water. Sound good?”

“Mhm. You’re the best,” you gave him a quick peck and he was off. You didn’t really think about kissing him, it was a reflex that you couldn’t control.

From different spots scattered around the place, your friends all collectively saw you and Steve’s quick kiss. Various reactions of eye rolls, smiles, and eyebrow raises ensued but they were all thinking the same thing. When would you two finally get together?

After the collective moment of briefly watching you two interact, they went back to whatever they were doing before. Eddie trying to convince the bartender to give his band a slot, Robin playing a game of darts against a random stranger, Nancy and Jonathan creating narratives for strangers throughout the place.

You waited for Steve and stayed put as promised, but got antsy when he was taking a while. To be fair, it had probably only been five minutes, but any time without him felt longer. You stood on your tip toes trying to find him, when you did, you wished you hadn’t.

He was talking to a girl, a pretty one. Damn it.

Her hair was shiny and soft and seemed perfectly in place even in the sweaty atmosphere. Her smile perfect with teeth that looked super clean and white. Worst of all, her hand was on his arm as she laughed at one of his jokes. Jokes that should be meant for you.

Jealousy was a bitch.

You wanted to push your way over there, to nudge her away from him and take her spot. You wanted to have your hand on him and you wanted to be on the receiving end of his humour. You hated the feeling, like reality was coming back to you because he wasn’t yours, he never had been.

Then, the stranger from earlier was next to you again.

Steve was graciously turning the girl down. She was really pretty, seemed nice, too. She wasn’t you, though. He made some kind of self deprecating joke to make her feel better and he shifted at the arm she placed on him. Lately the only touch he welcomed was yours. He apologized to her, grabbing his two waters off the counter and turning around to find you.

He didn’t like what he saw.

The guy who you danced with for like two minutes earlier in the night was back, leaned in way too close to you for Steve’s liking. Rationally, somewhere in his mind Steve knew it was probably just so you could hear him. But, that’s the funny thing with jealousy, rational thoughts go out the window.

He wanted to storm over and push the guy away from you, to tell him to fuck off and stop trying because you were his. But that was a lie. You weren’t really his, and he wasn’t yours. You weren’t doing anything wrong, you weren’t even touching the guy and still, Steve was fuming.

Instead of storming, Steve walked as casually as he could muster until he was behind you, wrapping an arm around your waist and tugging you against him. You stumbled a little, surprised because you didn’t see him coming, but when you smelled Steve’s cologne, you relaxed into him.

“Here’s your water, babe.”

“Thanks.”

You chugged it down, and while you drank, Steve stared the other boy down. He was conveying a message with his fixed gaze.

She’s taken. Go away. She’s with me, not you.

The guy walked away, muttering something along the lines of ‘asshole,’ under his breath and retreating. The relief Steve felt was immediate, because you were in his embrace, after all.

You finished your water, feeling refreshed and clear. The song playing was a great one, and you started to sway again, this time right against Steve who was still holding you against his front. This time, he moved with you easily. His hips grinding against your ass not so subtly and you loved it.

It was getting arousing, the way he groaned in your ear when you moved a certain way, the grip on your waist tightening as if he had to let out tension somehow. He was turned on and you knew it, you felt it.

When you pushed yourself into him harder, he couldn’t take it anymore and leaned down so his mouth was next to your ear, “bathroom. Now.”

He was walking away before you could muster a reply, but he knew you’d follow.

You did, staying a few paces behind him but making sure you could see where he was going. He walked into the hallway with the bathrooms with you in tow, heading into the furthest one from the rest of the bar.

As soon as you were through the door, he was rushing to kiss you and press you against it, flipping the lock so nobody would disturb you. He pushed himself against you, his hands wandering all over like they couldn’t settle. You had one hand in his hair, the other squeezing his shoulder.

It was like all of the built up tension throughout the night had finally snapped. The car ride over with you on Steve’s lap, the glimpses of jealousy, the dancing together that eventually brought you here.

The kiss was a mess of tongues, fast paced and probably the most heated you’d ever felt with Steve. You didn’t know if it was the environment of the bar, if it was the shift from the perfect day rearing its head, or if it was everything you couldn’t say being conveyed.

Steve pulled you off the door, walking you over to the sink and helping you to sit up on the counter where he could fit himself between your thighs. His hands cradled your head for a minute, kissing you again with so much passion, so much force, your mind was a blur of Steve and nothing else.

His hands then traveled up your legs, pushing the skirt of your dress up along with them until it was up around your waist, leaving your underwear in sight. His kisses shifted down to your neck, then he pulled the collar of your dress down to suck a hickey into your skin where it could be hidden later. A reminder for you, and nobody else.

Then, he was kneeling, his lips now moving up your legs until he was teasing the insides of your thighs, riling you up.

“Steve.”

“Hm?”

“You’re teasing me.”

“Thought you liked to be teased, pretty. You’ve been teasing me ever since you got into the damn van.”

You scoffed, “you’re the one who pulled me onto your lap.”

“Always blaming me, huh?”

You were about to reply when you were cut off by your own gasp at the feeling of Steve’s fingers finding your clit over your underwear.

“Steve, come on.”

“What is it, honey? Tell me what you want.”

Your hips were squirming, searching for relief, “please touch me. Mmm, want your mouth.”

“Only because you asked so nicely.”

Definitely not because he’d been dying to taste you since he had you on his lap. He moved your panties aside, and leaned in to lick a stripe up to your clit. He was calculated and quick, knowing exactly what to do to please you.

You leaned back, holding yourself up with one hand and the other buried in his hair, your legs thrown over his shoulders. You couldn’t help but moan when he sucked your clit into his mouth, grateful for the blaring music that blocked out any noises you made.

As good as he was making you feel, you couldn’t wait any longer to have him, so you pulled him back using your grip on his hair. He looked up at you, slightly concerned and confused.

“Something wrong?”

“Not at all. Just don’t wanna wait anymore.”

“Yeah? You want me?”

“So bad.”

He stood up, letting your legs fall from his shoulders and leaning in to kiss you. His hands were busy finding his wallet, then the condom that was in it. The kiss grew messy due to Steve’s distraction, and you moved to kiss at his neck, giving him some room to breathe.

While Steve ripped the package open, your hands worked quickly to undo his belt and his pants, pushing them down along with his underwear enough to free him of his confines.

He groaned, slipping the condom on and tossing the wrapper aside before pulling you closer to him so you were sat on the edge of the counter. Your legs wrapped around his waist, arms around his neck.

“Still okay? You’re ready for me?”

“Yes, Steve. Please.”

“I’ll take care of you.”

Steve didn’t waste any more time, lining himself up and pushing into you with ease considering how wet you were, and how in tune you were with his body. He gave you a second to adjust, but when your legs squeezed around him, pushing him deeper, his resolve collapsed.

He pulled himself out of you almost completely before pushing back in, quick, hard, deep. His grip was tight around your back, keeping you steady and close. Steve was a careful partner, even in more intense moments like this one.

Something about the way he was fucking you, the added roughness to his actions had your mind losing focus of anything that wasn’t Steve.

“Fuck. You feel so good,” he was breathing heavily, moans falling into the space between you. He kissed you again, but it quickly became an uncoordinated thing because of his pace. The kiss broke but the two of you stayed close, your mouths hovering over each other to breathe in every sound.

It wasn’t long before he felt you tightening around him, your pelvis squirming against his because you were close. He drew back enough to snake a hand down to your clit, giving you the added sensation you needed to reach your end.

“That’s it. You’re gonna come for me, huh?”

All you could manage was a nod, your mouth agape to heave in as much air as you could, your eyebrows scrunched with that expression he knew you made before you came.

“Go on, pretty. All over me.”

“Fuck. Steve.”

Your head fell back, your orgasm hitting you as hard as Steve’s movements. He kept going, pushing you through it and making it more intense than it already was. He pulled out of you when he could tell you were sensitive, giving you a moment to catch your breath.

“You didn’t come?”

“Not yet, babe. Want you to again. Can you?”

“Shit. Yeah.”

He lifted you off the counter, setting you down and spinning you so that you faced the mirror, bent over the sink with Steve standing behind you. He nudged your legs apart so he could fit between them, your skirt still flipped up to give him access.

Steve’s eyes locked onto yours through the mirror, checking your face to see if you were ready to go again, and your eager nod told him you were. He pushed into you again, his pace picking up right away. His hips smacking against your ass, an arm around your middle and a hand teasing your nipples through the fabric of your dress.

Your eyes squeezed shut at the heat of it all, the overwhelming pleasure leaving you completely fucked. Steve didn’t like that, though, and he moved a hand onto the back of your neck.

“No. Open your eyes.”

You obeyed, it was hard not to when he used a commanding tone that was harsher than what you’d heard from him before. Your eyes opening and looking at him in the mirror yet again.

“Good girl. Watch me fuck you. Who’s making you feel like this?”

“You, Steve. Only you.”

“That’s right, only me. Nobody else can get you like me, huh?”

Your response got stuck in your throat after a hard thrust from Steve, a moan coming out instead. He was so completely lost in you that he didn’t really know what he was saying, only that he wanted it to give a message.

Mine.

He never thought he’d be a possessive person, but he supposes being in love with someone who he only has sex with would complicate things. Love wasn’t what he was conveying with this round, he was fucking the jealousy out of your systems, reminding himself that you only gave yourself to him this way. For now, at least.

He pulled you up from your spot leaning on the countertop, your head falling back onto his shoulder and your hand grabbing the back of his head. His pace kept up through it all, chasing his high as well as yours.

“Please.”

You didn’t even know what you were asking for, relief, anything at all. You were encompassed by Steve and his feel, his smell, you didn’t have time to think about anything other than how he was making you feel.

Your legs were shaky and Steve’s grip around your middle played a big part in keeping you upright. He was working you both up to a sweat, foreheads damp and bodies warm.

“Can feel you squeezing me, pretty. You gonna come again?”

“Yeah. Don’t stop.”

“Never gonna stop with you.”

You couldn’t stay up anymore, and collapsed over the counter yet again when you felt your second orgasm coming on, and Steve followed. He leaned over you while he got you through it, encouragement and praises muttered into your ear between his own moans.

“Fucking shit,” he came with you then, his hips losing rhythm until he was stilled in you and all that was left were sounds of you two trying to catch your breaths.

When the two of you came down, Steve’s previous roughness seemed to melt away completely, his hands running over you and his forehead against the back of your shoulder.

He got up after a couple minutes, pressing a soft kiss between your shoulder blades and pulling away from you to get rid of the condom and right his clothes. He came back to you with a wad of toilet paper in hand, wetting it in the sink and then using it to clean you up.

You hissed at the sensitivity, and he kissed your back again and whispered an, ‘I know, you’re okay,’ into your skin.

He fixed your clothes for you after that, pulling you up and turning you around so you were facing him. Your eye makeup smudged and your forehead shiny with sweat, but your mouth was twisted in a lazy smile.

He brushed your hair away from your face, “did I hurt you?”

“No, you were perfect.”

“Okay. Okay, good.”

He was concerned that he was too harsh with you, letting his emotions get the best of him. While he knows you would tell him if he did something wrong that had to do with sex, he couldn’t help but worry about you.

“We should probably get back out there.”

“Maybe we should fix your makeup a little, honey. You look like you just got fucked.”

You laughed, “that’s completely your fault, you know.”

“Yeah, so let me help.”

He ran some paper towel under the faucet, getting it damp and then using two fingers to grip your chin and tilt your face up to him. He swiped away at the makeup beneath your eyes, his touch soft and careful. When he was satisfied with his job, he pecked your nose and moved to let you look.

You smiled at his softness after sex, his willingness and need to take care of you even in the aftermath. He came back to hug you from behind, to kiss your cheek and your neck once and then perch his chin on your shoulder.

“Still pretty even with a fucked up hairdo.”

“Again, your fault.”

“I know, sorry. Can't help it, I like having my hands on you.”

You glanced down to where they were resting on your stomach, “yeah, I know. I like it, too.”

“That’s my girl.”

That’s my girl. Did he mean that? Did he really want you to be his? You really hoped so because you wanted that more than anything. Tonight was yet another shift in everything, the open affection, the neediness and jealousy that brought you to the bathroom. It had to be more than just sex, there was no way it wasn’t.

That scared you almost as much as it excited you.

“‘Kay, I’ll let you fix your hair and wait in the hall. Sound good?”

“Mhm. Thanks, Steve.”

You shared a quick kiss, another thing that felt like something a boyfriend and girlfriend would share. Something soft and languid. Easy.

He backed away and left the bathroom to let you finish up, and was startled by Eddie walking into the hallway at the same time.

“There you are, Harrington! I’ve been looking for you all over. It’s time to go, Robin and Nancy said so. So we have to listen.”

“Oh, yeah. Okay.”

How long had he been in there with you? Shit, Eddie was about to witness you walk out of the same bathroom.

Just as Steve thought it, you walked out into the hall and stopped short when you saw Eddie talking to Steve. Both of their heads turned to look at you, and the long haired boy smirked teasingly because he caught you. Red handed and all.

“Well, look who it is!”

“Um, Steve was just helping me fix my.. hair. Yeah.”

“Okay, sure he was.”

Steve shook his head, turned to look at you and attempted to change the subject because this was awkward. “Eddie said it’s time to head out, you ready?”

“Sure, lead the way.”

You trailed behind the boys, Steve turning to make sure you were still there every couple seconds. Eddie noticed it, “real discreet, Harrington.”

“Shut up, Munson.”

The drive home was much more relaxed than the way there, everyone subdued and lazy from the quiet of the car. You sat next to Steve this time, his hand on your leg and your head on his shoulder.

Neither of you cared about any ideas the others would get then, it wasn’t even on your minds.

Besides, they all knew anyway.

They got to your house first, and Eddie turned to look at you with a smile, “we’ve arrived at our first destination, miss.”

“Thanks, Eds.”

“‘Course, see ya.”

A chorus of ‘bye’s and ‘goodnight’s from your friends, a squeeze on your leg from Steve, “I’ll walk you up.”

“Okay.”

You got out of the car, and Steve came along, walking with you up to your porch which really wasn’t far at all, but the gesture was sweet nonetheless.

You paused at your door, Steve’s hand trailing down your arm to grab your hand in his.

“I had a good night. I really like you, pretty.”

Your breath caught, because that could have easily been an admission of feelings. You weren’t sure if he was saying it that way, or if he even realized. He called you his best friend, that must be what he meant.

“I really like you too, Steve.”

“I’ll see you soon?”

“Yeah, you know you will.”

“I’m that irresistible, huh?”

“Shut it, Steven.”

He just smiled and shrugged at you, and he leaned in to give you a slow kiss. He was fully aware your friends were probably watching, but he wasn’t worried about that because they knew enough already. He wanted to kiss you, so he did.

You returned it despite the shock you felt at him giving you a kiss goodnight in front of the prying eyes of your nosy friends. You loved Steve, and you’d never turn down a kiss from him.

He pulled away, squeezing your hand that he still held, “Goodnight, babe.”

“‘Night.”

He walked off while you unlocked your door and went in, shutting it behind you and leaning your head onto the wood because what the fuck? Tonight was definitely something you’d have to work yourself up over later.

When Steve got back in the van he was met with everyone’s eyes on him, some smiles and some eyebrows arched at him.

“You’re so gone for her it’s insane.”

“Thank you for the revelation, Robin.”

“Why aren’t you guys dating yet?”

“It’s complicated.”

An exasperated breath from Eddie was heard by everyone, “it’s really not. You guys love each other, simple. Just be honest and then voila! It’s pretty clear to literally everyone that you’re a thing, just make it official and put us all out of our misery.”

Steve just turned to look out the window, he wasn’t in the mood for an intervention or a spell out of what he knew he should do. He was scared to be honest and open, having been hurt in the past because of it.

“Just drive, Eddie.”

It’s been almost a week since that night, and things between you and Steve were.. different.

You haven’t had sex since then, no late night phone call that could only be one person, no sleepovers, nothing. You only saw him when you hung out with the others, and it was strange.

You missed him, you missed his touch and his smell and his cuddles in the morning. Being in love with him only made it worse.

You, of course, overthought that night at the bar. Did he ditch you for that girl he talked to? Was he freaked out because your friends knew and he didn’t want anything to do with you if it wasn’t a secret? It felt like he was pulling away from you and it was scary, terrifying.

Steve, on the other hand, realized something after the bar. He realized that you had feelings for him too because why else would you welcome his touch so readily at any moment, why else would you treat him the way you did. Maybe Eddie had a hand in this realization, but either way, it was finally in Steve’s head.

He felt the change in you and it scared him. Of course Steve wanted to be with you, but he was so nervous that something would go wrong. The last thing he wanted was to lose you and your friendship because he couldn’t take care of you properly as a girlfriend.

Even though he’d been treating you as his all along, the title made it more real. Made it easier to lose.

The pouring rain was the perfect backdrop to both of your emotions lately. The confusion and indecisiveness on what to do next lingering.

Your thoughts were running wild, faster than you could keep up with, but you knew the one thing you needed to do was be honest with Steve. You needed to tell him how you felt before he pulled away completely, because you weren’t letting that happen. He treated you like a lover would, and you were ready to stop ignoring that.

His house wasn’t too far from yours, so you decided it would be a great idea to bike over in the rain to see him. You guessed people really do act like fools when they’re in love.

A knock on the front door brought Steve out of his whirling thoughts of you and what the hell he was going to do.

He walked over and opened the door to find just the person he was thinking about. You stood in front of him, drenched from the rain and panting. Still beautiful.

“Hi, Steve.”

“What the hell are you doing? You’re gonna get sick. Get in here.”

He pulled you inside by your sleeve, running up the stairs to get you a towel and a change of clothes because he couldn’t go a minute without making sure you were alright. He could worry about why you showed up unannounced after you stopped shivering.

Steve came back and wrapped the towel around you, rubbing his hands up and down your arms to give you warmth then kneeling to untie your shoes and help you slip them off. You could’ve done it yourself, he knew that, but he liked to do things for you anyways.

When he stood, he handed you the clothes he brought down for you, some sweats you left in your drawer, and ushered you to the downstairs bathroom to change.

“Go, put these on then we can talk, okay?”

“Okay. Thank you.”

You shut the door softly behind you and changed as fast as you could. Partly because you wanted to talk to Steve as soon as possible, and partly because you were really cold. Biking in the rain was a stupid thing to do but you were about to drive yourself insane with your stressed out thoughts.

Steve was who you needed to see, so you came to see him.

Once you changed, your wet clothes hung up in the shower, you walked out to find Steve. He was sitting on the couch in the living room, his head turning when he heard you approach. You walked around to the front of the couch, sitting down when Steve patted the spot next to him.

“Is everything okay?”

He couldn’t stop worrying, wondering why you showed up this way when usually you’d call him and he’d drive. Something had to be wrong for you to go out in the pouring rain and end up on his doorstep.

It was especially concerning to him because he knew things were off the last few days, and he knew he was pulling away from you for no good reason. He was only doing it because he loved you so much and the idea of messing anything up scared him.

“Yeah, it’s fine. I just wanted to talk to you.. if that’s okay?”

“‘Course it’s okay, honey. I’m here for you. What’s going on?”

You had to take a deep breath to prepare yourself, to get ready to spill your heart out to Steve. It’s what you came here to do, and as much as you wanted to back out, you couldn’t. You had to see this through even if it’d break you in the process.

“Ever since that night at the bar, things have been weird, don’t you think? We haven’t done anything just us and I miss it. I’ve just been thinking so much and I wanted to come and see you. I wanted to know what was going on because you seem to be pushing me away, and if you wanna end it that’s, um, that’s fine just tell me now.”

Steve was frozen, taking in all of the information you just dumped on him at once. He heard it all but he couldn’t get past the part where you said the reason you came to see him was because he was pushing you away, being different. He had no idea you cared enough to risk a cold—which was like, your least favorite thing ever—just to see him.

“You came all the way here because I was acting differently?”

He was so fucked.

“Yeah. Is that weird?”

“No. No, it’s really sweet. I’m sorry for making you feel bad.”

“Stop. That’s the thing, Steve, you don’t make me feel bad. You do the opposite, really.”

Oh god, you were gonna do it. You were about to confess your love for him and there was absolutely no turning back now. Your heart was pounding in your chest, your palms clammy.

“I do?”

“Yeah. You make me feel so good. Like, the best I’ve ever felt and I don’t just mean.. you know. I mean all the time. Just being around you.”

Holy shit. It was happening. Steve could tell where this was going and he was buzzing. He wanted to tell you first, but he supposed you were braver than he ever could be. He could feel your nerves, though, and he reached over to grab your hands that were fiddling in your lap.

Your eyes flicked to his when he did, encouragement and care written all over his face. It was enough to get you to keep talking.

“So, um. Ever since I moved here and Eddie introduced us, you’ve been my closest friend, and I want to tell you I think you always will be. But, I was hoping maybe we could be more than that?”

“You mean…”

“I mean I’m in love with you.”

“Really?”

Steve was someone who needed reassurance, who needed to know everything because he hated being blindsided, and you knew that. You knew pretty much everything about him.

“Yeah, really. For a really long time. I realized that day, with the diner and stuff. But, I think I’ve loved you since we started.. ya know. I just never knew it.”

“I can't believe this is happening.”

“I’m sorry if it’s not what you wanna hear.. we can forget about it and-”

“No! No, it’s not- I love you, too. I’m in love with you. Have been for months.”

“We’re idiots, aren’t we?”

“Completely. But I do love you. I’m better when I’m with you, better because of you. I want to be with you, and I don’t wanna hide it anymore, okay?”

“So, I’m your girlfriend?”

“Yeah, pretty. Can finally call you my girl.”

“I’ve been yours.. I never thought about anyone else.”

“Me either. I think you're it for me and it’s scary. I don’t wanna lose you and that’s why I’ve been distant. I’m sorry.”

You understood where he was coming from, and you knew that he had a lot of baggage from his past relationships and childhood, you only hoped he’d let you be there to help him carry it. To take some of the weight off his shoulders.

“It’s okay, Steve. Everything’s okay. I love you and nothing’s gonna change that.”

He pulled you into him then, his hand on the back of your neck to guide your lips to his. He kissed you without any restraint, putting all of his love for you there and it felt incredible. It was honest and raw and it was a promise of the future. One with you two together.

You were the happiest you’d been, Steve was fully yours and he was kissing you like he wanted you to know that. You only pulled away when you ran out of breath, leaning your forehead against his and squeezing his hand that was still in yours.

Steve pulled away and smiled that devastating smile at you, his hand still a comfort weight on the back of your neck, his eyes soft and sweet.

“Sleepover?”

“I kinda already told my mom I was staying here.”

He shook his head at you, “presumptuous of you, pretty.”

“I’d like to call it hopeful. And smart! I was thinking ahead.”

“Of course you were.”

The night was full of touches and kisses and teasing. Your dynamic stronger than it was before and it was perfect. It was everything. You cuddled in bed without any hesitation at all, your head on Steve’s chest and an arm tossed over his stomach, his arms hugging you close.

As you were dozing off you felt a kiss to your forehead, an ‘I love you’ spoken into your skin. You said it back and then, you were asleep.

When Eddie found out about your relationship with Steve being official, he practically screamed ‘finally!’ before giving you a hug.

“I knew you guys were gonna end up together! Eddie the matchmaker, you’re welcome.”

You and Steve looked at each other and grinned. You were thinking the same thing: maybe you really should be thanking Eddie because if it weren’t for him you two would’ve never met. If it weren’t for him you would’ve gone your whole life without knowing the best boy that was Steve Harrington.

“Thanks, Eds.”

Steve looked at you, and everytime he did he practically had hearts in his eyes. His emotions were written all over him.

“Yeah. Guess I owe you one, Munson.”

And it’s just as good as I knew it would be / Stay with me, I don’t want you to leave <3

༄

if you enjoyed, please reblog! it would mean a lot!

#steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington fic #steve harrington x you #steve harrington imagines #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington x y/n #stranger things #stranger things fic #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington requests #steve harrington one shot #steve harrington story #stranger things fanfic

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rainylana · 2 years

Text

“Nobody’s fool.”

Eddie Munson x reader

summary: inspired by the song nobody’s fool by cinderella. requested by @rhoads56 <3 includes a slip n slide’, trailer park toddlers and love confessions:)

warnings: language, strictly fluff it’s just so damn cute, eddie and reader are head over heels in love lmao, wayne being a mood, mentions of panic attacks and nightmares, weed and pornography, little bit of tears and some sexual tension, but not graphic. just a little smut, but again, not graphic. ultimate fluff i can’t. like really- i love this so much<3

a/n: also! thank you guys very much for the kind messages these past few days:) i really do love you all so much.

taglist!

@ariesl0ves3ddiemuns0n @eddiemunnson @eddiemania @supercalifragilisticprincess @imdoingbetternow @antigoneidk @blowing-mikey @chaos-incorp @ches-86 @avobabe87 @mic429 @averysblog @justaproudslytherpuff @livasaurasrex @ultimate-sdmn-trash @underthebatcape @delilahtaylorsverson @no0neknowsm3 @kellysimagines @cosmic-lavender @flowers-and-tsukki @bellasfavoritesweatpants @insomniac-nerd-posts-things @catherinnn @imangy @ahzysauce @softyutae @rovckwells @ohlovelyhollow @tessiemessie @xx-hospitalforsouls-xx-blog @tripthlightfantastic @noturmom15 @lexthemess21 @imabadarsebard @fionnthebandersnacc @heeyitsg @kaqua @getbillzoned @genuine-possum @nothisispatric @fvcking-gxddess @lillianofliterature @kneelforloki @actuallybarb @edzmunsonswife @itiscj @dream-alittlebiggerdarling @grace--03

Wayne leaned against the railing on his back porch, elbows resting on the old wood with a cigarette dangling between his lips. He chuckled every now and then at the scene set in front of him. All of hellfire was in his backyard, shirts off with bright, sunburned skin as they played in the neighbors hose, colorful swimming shorts that stood out like a sore thumb. They stuck big long trash bags to the wet grass, making a slip n slide’ to entertain themselves in the 96 degree weather.

What was most amusing to the man was, however, was how differently his nephew treated you than everyone else. He watched you scream and carry about as Mike directly sprayed the water in your face, Eddie picking you up by the thighs to toss you both down the slippery tarp. He knew damn well that you were both head over heels in love with each other, especially Eddie. He’d tried time and time again to get him to talk about it, but the boy always turned beat red and chalked it up to nothing.

Grass stuck to your bodies, glued to your torsos from sweat and water. You were wearing a bikini, and your skin was marked red from how many times Eddie manhandled you and tossed you both down the hill. Your stomach hurt from how much you were laughing, the kind of laugh where you got stuck in silence and almost broke your insides.

Summer vacation was here, and it was hotter than hell, so Dustin had brilliantly came up with the idea for the trash bags and water hose. Even some of the neighbor kids waddled over in their swimsuits and rubber duckies. Tommy, his five year old neighbor, dragged his plastic kiddy pool over and filled it up. The Munson backyard was filled with life, and it warmed Wayne’s heart to see the sight.

“Look at my knees, you asshole!” You a screeched through laughter, pointing down to your red, scratched knees. “You’re gonna kill me if you don’t quit throwing my down this mountain!”

He sputtered our laughter, slipping on wet grass as he tried to stand up. “It’s- oh, god, it’s hardly a mountain, y/n.” He panted, hair sticking to his firm chest and making swirling designs. “Wanna go again?”

“My turn! My turn!” The little neighbor girls chanted, running up to Eddie with open arms. You laughed and stepped back, ushering Eddie to play with them first.

He wiggled his brows at you and clapped his hands, gathering the girls in his arms before he started down the slippery slope. You screamed again when Lucas sprayed you with the highest mode of the hose, backing away quickly as you threw a plastic floaty at his face.

You couldn’t see him, but from down below the hill, Eddie’s eyes had morphed into hearts, watching you. You looked absolutely beautiful, soaking wet and covered in clips of grass and mud. The kids pulled at his arms trying to get him to play with them, but he couldn’t look away from your beauty. He was mesmerized, and Wayne smirked, not missing the action.

Everyday he fought urge to kiss your lips, to tell you just how much you meant to him, how often you visited his dreams, but it was too complicated. You were best friends, and he was terrified of ruining what you had, and so were you. You both were too damn awkward to express your feelings.

Hours later when the sun began to set, the neighbor kids went home and so did the hellfire crew, besides you. You helped clean up the yard and made sure the kids got home safely with their toys, cleaning up the trash that Mike kept forgetting to throw away. Eddie helped, but his eyes always scanned over your figure, not being able to help himself. You stole your own glances, too, dazing off at the smooth, toned muscles of his chest that were scuffed in dirt.

“You kids hungry?” Wayne stepped outside to the back porch, beer in hand with a cigarette behind his ear. “I ordered a pizza. Y/n, why don’t you stay for dinner, hmm?”

You smiled, panting out a breath from the work your did, wringing out a beach towel in your hair. “Sure! You think maybe I could use your shower?”

“You know where it’s at.” He nodded toward the door, setting down on a lawn chair and kicking his legs out.

“Hey, Eddie!” You turned, calling over to him as he rolled the hose back up to return. “Can I borrow some of your clothes? I’m gonna take a shower!”

He almost dropped the damn thing, growing hot at the idea of you in his clothes. “Oh- oh, yeah! Sure!”

Wayne rolled his eyes. You disappeared inside the trailer, leaving the boys to themselves, and the older man watched with an amused look as Eddie trodded up to the porch. “So,” He raised a brow. “You had a nice day, huh?”

Eddie stopped immediately, eyes narrowing in curiosity. “Yeah? What’s that..that look for?” Water dripped from his hair, big puddles staining the wood beneath his bare feet.

“Nothin’.” Wayne shrugged his shoulders. “Just like watching a damn romance movie when you’re round’ each other, is all.”

“Shh, shh!” Eddie panicked, flapping his hands in a rush. “Jesus- Wayne, come on!”

The older man laughed, holding up his hand in apology. “Okay, okay, sorry. Shit, kid, you don’t hide it very well, though. Them boys were whisperin’ all day about how you kept starin’ at her.”

“Who?” His eyes widened, stepping closer to his uncle. “Was if that shithead Wheeler? I swear to god, I’m gonna ring his neck.” He gritted his teeth, taking a shallow breath.

“He’s one of ‘em, yeah.” Wayne nodded, taking a quick sip of his beer. “Him and that Henderson kid. They got a point though, bud. You’re both clearly crazy about each other.”

Eddie gulped, freezing at his words. He always grew extremely uncomfortable when he talked about you..well, potentially sharing feelings. It scared him too badly to think about it. He knew he could never act on them. It wasn’t worth the risk, was it? He couldn’t risk ruining what the two of you had. He loved you too much for it.

“Shut up, old man.” He grumbled, plopping himself down on the porch step, placing his head in his hands. He sighed with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“Come on, don’t freak out.” Wayne smirked, noticing the shortening of his breath. It had been a while since the boy had a panic attack, but it didn’t take much to overwhelm him. “I just don’t get why you’re so scared to talk to her.”

Eddie groaned into his hands, the night cold against his wet, exposed skin. He reached out to grab your pink towel, wrapping it around his torso. “Because we can’t be more than friends.”

“I didn’t know you could read the future.”

“Wayne,” He pleaded desperately, running his hands through his wet curls. “Drop it, already.” He fiddled with the rings on his fingers, biting the inside of his cheek in attempt to ease his frustrations.

“Okay, bud,” His uncle sighed amusedly. “Sorry.”

A total of thirty seconds passed.

“You want me to tell her?”

“Oh, my god, Wayne!” Eddie wailed, turning around to glare at him.

“Well, shit,” His uncle scoffed, holding up his hands. “It’s getting old watching the two of you stare into each other’s eyes all…all romantic and crap.”

“We don’t!” He jumped up. “We..we don’t!”

“Okay, okay, just…tell my why you’re so scared of telling her how you feel, huh?” Wayne sighed, widening his eyes in close frustration. Eddie may have been twenty years old, but he acted like he was seven.

“Because!” He groaned, flinging water in every direction. “Because, Wayne! She’s my..she’s my best friend. She might not feel the same way and I- I can’t risk loosing her. She’s too important to me.”

It was like talking to a brick wall, and Wayne knew that no matter how much he tried to persuade him to open up to you, it would be damn near impossible. That was just how Eddie was. He was an over-thinker. Wayne knew that better than anybody.

“Can I say one more thing?” He sat up, resting his elbows on his knees, placing down his beer bottle. “Then I’m silent. Swear.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, leaning against the railing. “You are whether I wanna hear it or not, so sure.” He squeezed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge between his nose.

“Listen, kid, I love ya’,” Wayne raised his brows, smirking subtly. “But, you’re a damn mess, you know that? I raised you, so I can say it. All I’m saying is that…well, you’ve never had a girl in hellfire before she came along. You never even hung out with girls. Remember that kid who punched you in middle school when you tried to kiss her?” He chuckled, warning a cringed look from Eddie. “She feels the same way, bub. Trust me. I’m old, so you have to. We all know she does.” Wayne stood up and gave his nephew a reassuring squeeze before he went inside, leaving him alone to his thoughts.

Maybe his uncle was right, but that didn’t change anything, did it? It wasn’t worth the risk. He loved you too much for it. He’d rather have you as a best friend than to not have you at all, even if it meant he’d be living a lie.

•

“You should stay the night.” Eddie said to you over his shoulder, peeking out of his bedroom curtain. “Looks like rain. You shouldn’t drive.”

“It’s only rain.” You smiled, flipping through one of his dirty magazines on his bed.

“Yeah, but still,” He pursed his lips. “I’d feel better if you stad.” He turned to look at you, and smirked coyly at the sight of you holding his beloved copy of busty ladies. “Find something you like?”

You chuckled and shrugged. “Was just curious.” You said before tossing it to the end of the bed, smiling up at him. You were wearing his black sweats and his red, corroded coffin tee, hair still slightly damp from your shower. Eddie no longer was covered in grass clippings anymore, now wearing great sweatpants, his chest bare and muscular. His hair was dry and frizzy above the muscles, eyes slightly red rimmed from the joint he’d been smoking.

“I’ll stay.” You blinked tiredly, curling up with his soft blanket.

He hummed, satisfied with your answer. “Good.” He muttered, crawling on the bed up to where you were, settling back on a pillow against the headboard. “Smoke?” He offered you the joint.

You rolled onto your back, neck propped up from the pillow. You took the joint from his slender fingers, taking a small inhale and closing your eyes. You passed it back to him.

“Today was fun.” You blinked slowly, relaxed. The room was glowing in a soft, orange tone from his bedside lamp. You always loved sleeping over.

“It was.” He agreed, resting an arm behind his head. “Kids wore me out, though. Kept throwing those stupid toys at me.”

You giggled, chest vibrating with the sound. “They like you.”

“Everyone likes me.” He looked at you smugly, and you smacked his shoulder playfully.

“Uh, huh.” You scoffed, taking the joint back and placing it between your pink lips. “You’re a real casanova.”

He narrowed his eyes at the foreign word, giving you a weird look. “Casanova? What’s that mean?”

You past the blunt back and rolled your head to the side to look him in the eye, snorting once in his face. “A charmer.”

He smirked. “So you think I’m charming, huh?”

His high eyes twinkled in orange glow. He looked angelic, and it almost made you sad more a moment. He was so insecure of himself, despite what he said. You only wished he knew how beautiful he was. You wished he knew how much you loved him. But you’d never be more than friends.

“It also means a man who has a lot of lovers.” You raised a brow, smiling coyly.

He squinted his eyes, lips parting. “What makes you think I have a lover?”

You gave him a deadpanned look. “Eddie. You have a whole stack of porn under your bed I pretend isn’t there. I’m sure you have a few ladies around town that you like.”

He widened his eyes slightly, giving you an incredulous look. “If I wasn’t mistaken, y/n…I’d say you just called me a whore.”

You laughed and rolled your eyes. “No, I did not call you a whore. I’m just joking you big baby.”

He smiled at your smile, nodding. “Whatever, baby.”

You both giggled until a comfortable silence ensued, the high slowly making you tired. You yawned quietly, turning to face him and curling up against the pillow. He did the same, only a foot of length between your shoulders. You stared at each other with red eyes. “I hope I don’t have any nightmares tonight.” You said softly.

You were prone to them, always had been. Eddie knew this. He also knew that they weren’t as bad when you had someone with you. He closed the distance by wrapping an arm around your back, pulling you into his chest and cuddling you. You nuzzled your face underneath his neck, hand placed on his waist. He pulled the quilt blanket up to your shoulders, hand softly playing with your hair. “I’ll be here if you need me. Try and sleep.”

There was so much more he wanted to say.

•

For some reason unbeknownst to him, Eddie was awake four hours later, the room pitch black besides the white glow that the moon peeked through the curtains on the window. Your body was pressed against his ever so tightly, limbs entertained with blankets tangled at your meet. You must have gotten hot, he figured.

He was staring at you, studying and memorizing all the details of your face while he could. He knew this wasn’t right, feeling the way he did about you, but he couldn’t help it. It was driving him crazy. He wanted to love you with everything he had, but nothing was worth the risk of losing you. You were too precious to him.

And for some reason, yet again, unbeknownst to him, your eyes fluttered. He stilled fearfully, but it wasn’t quick enough. Your lids open, but you did not jump away from the pair of brown eyes that were glued on your face. You smiled softly, and Eddie wondered if you were actually awake. Your fingers twitched up and you wrapped a digit around a dark curl, tugging on it lightly.

He swallowed roughly. “Are you awake?”

“Mhm.” You said hoarsely, eyes still blinking sleepily. Your nosed almost touched by the tips, just barely, and he gulped at how…how intimate this felt.

Maybe it was the fact you were extremely tired, but you couldn’t help but stare at him, just like he was doing with you. Maybe it even made you feel confident. You had the urge to look at his lips. Eddie’s heart started to race, feeling guilty for looking at you with such longing, but he couldn’t look away. Your faces melted away with the comfort you had just felt, morphing into…nervousness and…lust.

He took his hand off your back, gulping as he tried to pull away. “Don’t.” You said meekly, making his eyes widen.

“Don’t?” His voice was unsure.

You blinked nervously, licking your lips. “I like..I-I like when you hold me.”

His heart dropped to his toes, face burning red. His eyes scanned yours, switching back and forth. “You do?”

You nodded.

Staring at his hand in mid air, he slowly, slowly placed his hand back to the plates of your shoulder blades, your knees pressing together. “Like this?” He kept looking at your nose, not being able to hold your stare.

“Yeah.” You whispered. “Yeah, like that.”

He was so pretty. You could stare at him forever. During hellfire meetings you always got caught in daydreams just watching him sit in his throne. At school you got caught multiple times by teachers just ogling him. Your heart would swell ten times larger at his wide smile, the way his shoulders would brush against yours in the cafeteria line. You wished so many times to hold his hand, to build up enough courage.

But you could never be more than friends. It just wouldn’t work. You were too awkward to pursue such a thing, and Eddie- well, there was no way he felt the same way. Did he? If you were honest with yourself, some unconscious part of yourself knew. It was just too obvious, but you were in denial.

It was painful how much you loved him, and it pained you that it couldn’t be anything more.

“Hey,” He noticed the pull down of your lips, eyes misting over your irises, and his eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong?”

Had you had a nightmare?

You shook your head and looked down embarrassed. “Nothing.”

He saw a single tear fall past your lid, and he looked at you unsurely. “Y/n,” He dipped his head down to level with you.

You wanted to kiss him so bad it was making you cry.

His thumb lifted your chin and brought your shiny eyes up to his chocolate ones, flickering over your face for evidence of what was wrong. He waited for you to say something.

“It’s stupid.” You gulped bashfully, not able to hold his stare.

“Tell me.” He said gently, hand dropping to your shoulder.

All sense of nerves from him went away at the sight of your discomfort, and it was only you that was left feeling uneasy and scared. “I’m afraid of what you’ll say.” You sniffled, and his eyes narrowed slightly, lips parting.

You were terrified of loosing him. Was it worth it? To lean over and kiss him? Was just one little peck worth loosing him? Was it worth ruining what you had? It wasn’t. You had to be stronger than that.

A loud clap of thunder made you jump clean out of your skin, whimpering under your breath that made his heart shake. “Hey, hey, it’s okay.” He closed the distance and wrapped his arm back around you, pulling you close to his chest.

You buried yourself as close as you could to him, allowing yourself to shed quiet tears that he couldn’t see, though he could feel them against his bare chest. “Just a storm.”

Storms didn’t even scare you, but tonight you were extremely worked up. The feeling of your soft breath warmed his pale skin, and your fingers lightly traced the shape of the tattoo on his chest. His chin laid against your shoulder, hand against the back of your hair and stroking your locks comfortingly. Soft rain hit the tin rough, calming your anxieties and allowing you to relax against him.

And as more seconds melted away, the more aware you were of the position you were in. You stiffened slightly in his arms and he felt it, making him aware of the close proximity. Your eyes locked, pulling away ever so slowly, audibly gulps and nervous licks of the lips, fingers freezing on bare skin. Your breath started to come out in pants.

Wayne’s words started to run through his head, like a loud alarm that he couldn’t turn off.

“I’m afraid of what you’ll say, too.” He whispered, words soft against your ears as he blinked across from your, his eyes still slightly red from his previous high.

“What do you mean?” You squinted in the dark.

He took a breath. “What I’m thinking about.” It came out in mumbles, twirling the fabric of your shirt between his middle and index fingers.

You looked down at your fingers that rested just below his hipbone, picking at your skin nervously. He could feel your knuckles barely ghost over his navel. Years and years of silence was what you both held, a heavy secret that weighed greatly on your shoulders.

“I’ll tell you if you’ll tell me.” Eddie cleared his throat, the words coming out despite really wanting to be spoken or not.

Your eyes widened slightly, peeking up at him, the tips of your noses touching, your hips against his own. “I- okay.” You stuttered.

A single minute passed. You staring at him, and him staring at you, hearts in your throats and stomachs bubbling with nerves. Eddie thought he was going to pass out, and he had the urge to get up and run away in the thundering rain. As much as he wanted to kiss your lips, he was too afraid, so he did the only thing he could think of.

He took his hand from your shoulder blades, bringing it between the two of you. He took his index and middle finger and pressed them to his lips, puckering just ever so slightly. Keeping his eyes on you, he placed them on yours, making your breath hitch in your throat. He kept them there for just a few seconds before sliding them down your chin and to your neck.

“Was- uh, was that okay?” He said breathlessly, staring at his ringed fingers against your neck.

“Yeah.” You nodded, gulping audibly, heart pounding in your ears. You wanted to burst into tears, honestly. You weren’t sure what you had planned to do, but you found yourself pulling back up his hand, placing the fingers back to your lips. You kept eye contact, placing a soft, delicate kiss to the tips. His lips parted, and you opened your mouth very subtle, your teeth grazing his callused pads. “Is this okay?” You blinked hazily.

He nodded quicker than you had. “Uh- yeah.”

The movements of your lips came to abrupt, and you choked on a breath. The room filled with a tension that you had not met before.

Sexual tension.

His thumb went to your jaw, and through some will of his own, he pushed his middle finger into your mouth, and he gasped when the tip hit your tongue, making you stifle out a moan.

Your eyes both tripled in size, face burning immediately red. Oh, god. He felt his cock harden underneath his sweatpants, and he began to panic slightly, knowing damn well you could feel it against your thigh. And then it was like you’d both been switched on with frenzy.

Eddie couldn’t help it. He pressed his soft, thick lips against your own. The desire was too strong. It was no where near as…messy and sloppy as he imagined. He didn’t have enough courage for that. It was just a hard, forceful peck that made your noses scrunch together, your body pushing back slightly at his weight.

You gasped when he pulled away, eyes blinking rapidly and lustfully. Your stomach tightened at his taste, and you reached up, as he was know slightly above you, and pulled him back atop of you. Your arms wrapped around his broad shoulders, and his forehead collided with yours as your lips attached once again. It was more forceful, needy this time, and he rolled you both over so he could tower of you. His curls hung above your cheekbones, settling his legs between your thighs. His hands cupped your cheeks, and it was like you both sucked the soul out of one another.

Lips nipped and bit, tongues licked and danced. Your teeth cracked together. You were whining into the kiss because it just felt so good.

“Oh, god,” He groaned into your mouth, tilting your chin up to kiss you deeper. You were eating each other alive. “I love you so much. Fuck- fuck, I love you, baby.”

You nodded against him, wrapping your legs around his waist. “Oh, I- Eddie, I love you.” You pushed your pelvic bone against his cock, whimpering at the euphoric feeling against your virgin body. “I love you. I love you.”

Breath was hot against your faces, and before you could make any further moves, the sound of Wayne’s alarm blared from the living room, making you both still immediately. You both gasped and pulled away, looking at each other with wide eyes. It was like you’d been dunked with cold water, and you blushed three million shades deeper than your pale complexion.

Eddie strained his ears, listening as he heard the sound of his uncle’s boots against the floor. Boy, he knew his uncle would be proud. He swallowed, looking down at you in a slight panic, adrenaline coursing through his body.

You took your legs off of him, fixing your hair away from your face. You sniffled up at him. He wanted to back away and cower now that he had lost his momentum, but he wouldn’t allow it, and he didn’t want you to go back into your shell. He leaned back down and gave you a silent peck, pressing you back into the pillow, hand gripping your waist. “Y/n,” He pulled away in a whisper, looking at you through his lashes, forehead pressed against your own. “I..I do. I love you.”

You nodded, leaning up to kiss him again. You pushed your tongue into his mouth, making him groan and send vibrations into your lips. “I love you more.”

#eddie munson #stranger things #eddie munson x reader #stranger things season four #joseph quinn #eddie munson imagines #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson one shot #eddie munson headcanons #eddie munson series #eddie munson blurb #eddie the brave #eddie the freak munson #eddie the banished #eddie x you #eddie x y/n

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shopcat · 1 year

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HI. this is the steve harrington autism post. source: i have the steve harrington style autism that makes me autistic about him

to preface this i would like to say i am working off of personal like interpretation and thru the lens of my own experience :0... also this is long lol <3 so, tl;dr, here are the autistic traits or things that are caused by autism i believe steve showcases, (except.. do read if you like <3):

sensory issues -> wearing only ever the same style of clothes, adjusting/touching his hair, (potentially) eating certain foods

stimming -> walking in place to think, fiddling with small objects, spinning/flipping/throwing objects to keep himself focussed or entertained, listening to music

scripting -> repeating phrases/words aloud and practicing what he's going to say, repeating the "plan" aloud

routine -> strict hair routine with specific steps, was in routine sports with strict rules/timing and enjoys them otherwise, driving robin to school every day without even knowing she couldn't bc it was routine, working jobs that require mindless but engaging tasks including organisation

poor grasp of social cues, especially with girls, and saying the "wrong" thing at the wrong time (including the 6 little nuggets speech, "he ate dustin's cat", confessing to robin, etc)

other people feeling like they have to tell him things he's "missed" socially (dustin telling him he likes robin, eddie telling him he likes nancy)

likes to set/follow rules and is upset when people deviate from them (i.e. max wanting to leave in s4)

out of-the-box/atypical/lateral thinking

delayed processing of thoughts/concepts/complicated subjects especially in high-intensity scenarios

picking up on small details (like background sounds in large areas or recognising something) that other people don't pick up on

fixating on certain things (hair, clothes/shoes, sports, etc)

high pain tolerance/sensory dysregulation (shaking off concussions/consistent, continued ability to function while severely injured)

inability to conceptualise his OWN mortality/safety and engaging in at risk situations with little thought other than instinct + making impulsive choices

developmental differences/delays (literally crawling backwards)

poor grades in school/not getting into college

trouble regulating emotion

poor self esteem due to feeling worthless :(

i also have adhd so i also keep this in mind a little and obv at the end of the day this is just my own interpretation + autism is a spectrum :) NOW. i will go into detail >:)

SOOO i'm not sure if steve was deliberately coded as autistic but i DO think they intentionally in one way or another coded him with a developmental disability of some kind!! which i will talk about first!!

this is shown particularly in season 2 in a couple different instances and continues into season 3 at undercurrent ..

we've discussed this a little before but i also think this is why when people like to just describe him as genuinely "dumb" it like hurts people's feelings 😭 my feelings... and that's not intentional ofc but while it is a personal insecurity of the character himself that is being ironically picked at, positively or not, by those who love him in fandom, it's also evident of something happening under the surface that people may be unaware of imo

i think he display a out of-the-box, atypical or lateral way of thinking combined with delayed processing in a way that is very typical to neurodivergent behaviour!! and more...

in season 2 we get a really nice little look into his psychology about it when nancy is reading his college admission essay (that he presumably asked her to do) and he's sitting there SO nervous and full of doubt and worked up about it he's like. basically twitching 😭

he says "it's crap i know" and nancy's like no it's not! and he's like "ugh it's not good..." sooo stressed out.. and nancy says it just needs some reorganising, which is INTERESTING!!! someone who is insecure in his own skills and inability to get his thoughts across in a succinct way + has good, complex ideas that translate poorly when he tries to explain it out loud or in text + a host of insecurities pre-rooted and explicitly about his own intellectual "failings" all = a very neurodivergent read of Steve Vs School i think

also, maybe a tangent, but: in that essay itself nancy says he starts by using one of his basketball games as a metaphor for his life, then he confuses the metaphor by comparing it to the war his grandfather was in. nancy says she doesn't see how they're connected and he's like "um. it connects because we both won" (i actually think she's being very sweet in this scene!! idg when ppl say she's mean here)

ik this wasn't the show's intention and just extrapolation but i find it really cool + interesting that there IS a war of some kind that steve could talk about that HE fought in, there is a description of high stakes combat where it's him VS them and he is the only one who now has to make this high stakes, risky choice, instead of playing it safe like he always does that relates directly to his life as a metaphor and he DOES feel connected to his grandfather in this sense...

but he can't actually talk about that. so it's basketball. and it's a slightly clunky metaphor that makes it seem like, trite, like oh silly steve, basketball isn't WAR. the essay itself is actually really well-written and evocative!! but to me signifies this inability to directly translate what he's thinking, hence it needs a little "rearranging", or maybe it's a little "all over the place" even

(also, that he crumpled up the entire essay and dismissed it entirely and fell back on nihilistic thinking and "i'll just work for my dad i guess". he already had cast disbelief upon his own ability to thrive because he feels he's not good enough :( )

his failing grades, which ended in not getting into college, tech or otherwise, is a big part of his post-highschool arc i think. to me it also shows sympathy to a problem many young neurodivergent (in every which way, btw) people face, including myself, and is potentially a really almost kind portrayal of the capability of a person not being wrapped up in their intellectual or i guess SCHOLASTIC endeavours and "achievements", and that you can be successful and "useful" to others in different ways :0

to call him dumb and really mean it (both in and out of show -_-) after all this is a certain kind of disservice i guess? like okay i think a little jokey joke is fine and also absolutely RELATING is fine (and another extension of another one of my points which is basically just "he's just like me fr" can actually = "he's JUST like me... like For Real". he's dumb in the way i'm dumb and we're both not actually dumb) but let's all be cool okayyyy

beyond school, i think he displays SOO many behaviours both characteristically and even like in his physicality that build to this beautiful conclusion... i think steve is this guy who was served up to be an initially one dimensional being who proved himself again and again to have a multitude of complexities beneath the surface :). i think his literal entire character arc is adjacent to the autistic experience LOL... perhaps...

he showcases a certain need and comfort in routine in a variety of ways, like:

being interested in sports both watching recreationally (which have timed matches and he HAS to be there on time, too) and as the hobby itself. sports are a high-routine activity with strict rules and rituals, before, after and during, as well as the extra work you have to put in otherwise!!

ESPECIALLY something like swimming, which is all about certain timing (and an individual-based sport as opposed to the team-based basketball) which he took for years!! (and actually got his cpr verification for, which you absolutely don't need to just like. be on the swim team. but it would be the "right" way to do it LOL) (also idk how it worked in 1980s fictional indiana but you need your verification a year in advance to actually do anything with it where i live!! which means he did it FROM freshman year)

driving robin to school every day, and then presumably picking her up for work sometimes too, despite not even knowing she COULDN'T drive herself because he was so dedicated to this routine (and friendship :D <3)

his hair routine!! it's SO specific (four puffs EXACTLY!!! no more no less... and when it's DAMP not WET) and i am honestly of the mind it's actually far more complex of a routine he even makes it out to be .. and i am willing to bet the multi step experience of it all is sooo long and has to be just as specific too. also extra points for it being something he does that aids in his own self-image and would make him feel like he's putting himself together.? so to speak

i think, in a way, that he owns about 9 pairs of shoes and most of them are white sports shoes with a colour accent + he's been shown to wear the colour accent that matches his outfit more often than not. which i spose is a certain kind of. ritual or routine or something.

he also shows a whole host of sensory issues/complexities/...things!!

he wears the same style of clothes like CONSTANTLY. almost everything he owns is either a soft sweater or a polo shirt, plus the same style of jacket he cycles through, all of which are well-worn (despite him being like, rich) :) the exception is that colourblock denim vest (which i think is the exception for him too because he just wanted to look like marty mcfly. which is so autistic)

i.e. wearing something that you know is comfortable over and over that doesn't give you a poor sensory experience, and continuing to buy the same style of clothing because you know it's safe to do so because he FEELS comfortable. super autistic trait. beloved prep trait as well i also just think he doesn't actually care what he wears but whatever

he also sometimes favours tight clothes and sometimes looser/baggier ones (think one day the s4 blue/white polo and jeans, the next a sweater and loose chinos) which indicates to me possible different sensory needs in the day by day...

he also wears a lot of undershirts, including with the scoops ahoy uniform (which could've been to avoid a POOR sensory experience)

he adjusts/runs his fingers through his hair and makes sure it's in a nice state at an almost compulsive level but it's also like an afterthought kind of. it could also just be a sensory thing to want to retouch his hair and play with it and follow through with the prior routine of it Looking Good + a grounding technique for sure

along with that he stims a LOT, including the thing where he has to twirl or throw ANYTHING in his hands up to and including -> a lighter, the baseball bat MIDFIGHT, a torch, a phone MIDFIGHT, his ice cream scooper, keys, his sailor hat, a banana, a random ball he found... he's also very fiddly and tends to sort of be happy sitting quietly and doing something over and over like that (this is also a trait with adhd :) )

the jobs he worked are relatively low intensity despite customer interaction and had him working with his hands plus at FV there's a lot of sorting/organisation. also "not my TAPES man" because he already sorted them and now it's ruined 😭

you tend to see him taking a little moment for himself in the background of scenes a lot, sometimes with robin as well!! he kind of just wanders off and does his own thing but in the wake of the high emotion, high adrenaline various combats in-show it makes sense, even more so if he just needs a little moment to himself to unwind

he walks/paces to think!!!

the reason he and robin only even threw up in season 3 is a) the stimulating lights he noticed that then b) over-stimulated them

this one's a little less obvious but he listens to the same kind of music and listens to it LOUDLY when he's stressed 😭 he also doesn't turn it off even if he like, technically should like on the way to fight monsters. i think he just likes music a lot tbh but also very autistic to me (and also a reason why he and eddie would be friends and/or kiss on the mouth)

one of the biggest things that sounds off to me is his social interactions :0 he is hailed as this like, ladies man but almost near constantly plummets to the earth in insane social blunder which personally i love actually (and it extends beyond these situations too!!). all the hottest boys are autistic...

i know that this is to show him just like, losing his charm...? and that he peaked in highschool or something and i do love his patheticness but it's also sooo autism. one of the reasons i actually think he's gay (lol) is his compulsive need to try and "land" a social interaction with a woman, then fail, while also not "feeling the spark" with the women he DID land and failing to see why (like his date at the basketball game). he's constantly seeking companionship but it feels like it's just out of his reach and he doesn't get it... sigh... and that it's definitely in part bc he feel he can't relate to them because HE'S so different i think. for whatever reason. multiple.

in season 3 the ENTIRE you rule/you suck board is like a beautiful shrine to this... he's honestly so funny . but like constantly awkwardly flirting and somehow saying the wrong thing every time whilst also not getting that they're Not responding to him until they like, leave, which is like. a statistical unlikelihood to me of times this can happen without something else going on in his little brain. i also like that he "invented" a makeout point bc that opens up the ability to just go um. let's go to skull rock. and the person would be like oh okay yes i am going to makeout with steve harrington.

beyond just girls or failed flirting or whatever a lot of his interactions with the kids or his other friends ping to me as having trouble with social cues and some accidental bluntness!! a FAVOURITE being -> "dart ate a cat?" "no. what? no." "what are you talking about? he ate mews" "who's mews?" "it's dustin's cat" "STEVE..." 😭😭 i love him. also him suggesting he could work his charm on the dean of the school and nancy being like... not that kind of charm.

oh another good moment for this is in the epilogue to season 3 actually like he's trying so hard to show he's seen Some movies (but only remembers the significant/stand out details) and then when robin's like can you give us a moment he's just like. Why. and does this funny little head shake movement. and robin does the steve -_- and he backs away kubrick staring... beautiful scene

he also falls victim i think to saying the wrong thing at the wrong time which is a lot of the time not necessarily his like FAULT ofc but suggests further little issues or . unalignmentd with social interaction. the entire 6 little nuggets speech to nancy to me is one of these situations (and maybe the convo in the woods with her?? idk) where he's kind of just talking and digging a hole and the other person is sort of just sitting there. it's also shown with like "like the germans?"

ALSO, a lot of the time people end up coming to him specifically and sort of like... telling him what to do/how HE feels?? and i think he just sort of goes along with it. in season 3 dustin tells him he has a crush on robin until he kind of talks himself into it and then he accidentally crash-fails for a second time by confessing to her at a sort of insane time as well (not that i think he actually had any feelings for her!!). and in season 4 eddie does the SAME with nancy which is almost spectacular.

alsoo while i think he struggles with certain social cues i also think he's very emotionally intelligent and he picks up on people's feelings easily which i guess someone could say it seems to counter? other autistic traits (silly) but to me i think. autistic people are aware of PLENTY of social cues sometimes the cue is just stupid -_- and i can read other people's emotions for sure in fact i'm almost like hyper attuned to it i just don't know how to RESPOND to it a lot of the time. whereas steve picks up on dustin's nerves at the snow ball and reassures him accordingly (and so cutely..), then picks up on robin's emotions after his confession and near-immediately course corrects after her confession in order to make her laugh!!! he was also really good with picking up on nancy's feelings and knowing exactly what to do about it/using forethought about it (like idk holding her hand when they were having sex or something to ease her nerves but also noticing she was upset at the library) when they were together at least 🤔

there are also a number of other various things very dear to me that i have no where else to include. LIKE:

his high pain tolerance!!! he's able to shake off torture, multiple concussions, various beatings with little to almost NO actual repercussions. in s4 it was actually really interesting how he was feeling bad enough to almost faint after the bats but once he was patched up he was "fine", and acted like he was fine for... the rest of the entire show. he did a backflip. high pain tolerance is an offshoot of a sensory dysregulation!!

specifically a lack of filter and moments where he goes "too far" especially when he's struggling with an emotional dysregulation of sorts, like with dustin in s4 or even with jonathan s1, but also like. the dumb faces he was making behind his date's back.

"when i was a baby, i crawled backwards"!!! autistic children can have different development i.e. their early CHILDHOOD development that can present itself in a variety of ways!! atypical to the norm crawling/walking is one of them (also matches up with robin taking 6 months longer to walk than other babies which she Also said to nancy and i think this is significant of something and i don't know what. maybe it's just funny. also stobin soulmates ofc).

to me, being the guy who mid plan debrief is the one saying "so let me get this straight" AND that he's the one asking the necessary questions to get everyone's minds (and in the 4th wall sense the literal plot) moving suggests that he both feels the need to want clarification of like, plans/instructions and what the situation is so everyone is caught up and he didn't get it wrong, and that just speaking it aloud helps cement it in his mind (which is also scripting as well i believe). also his ability to ask the RIGHT "wrong" questions suggests out of-the-box thinking as well (i would say both of these are also an adhd trait!)

his friendship with robin is honestly a point for me LOL. robin is an example of a character i do believe IS intentionally absolutely autistic coded, especially in season 4 but also 3, and his bond with her seems to be a personal one based in trust in each other and their own similarities... in season 4 when they're lamenting their love lives and say they should "just combine" is so important to me.. ugh

he's very particular and possessive about his belongings in an almost pedantic way (c'mon man not my SCOOPER! and wipe your feet before you get in my CAR and honestly even that he refuses to let max drive it fullstop, a little bit)

he also ate. SO many bananas at scoops i think for a time being it ended up being a safe food which literally happened to me as well. a very small thing but i like it

he scripts!! ie he repeats words and phrases aloud as a form of stimulation and getting himself to think or practices what he's going to say before things so he's "scripting" it (his "i'm sorry wtf am i sorry for" speech before he runs into dustin in s2)

he gets along better people who, by majority, aren't in his peer group i.e. the kids!!! and even robin and nancy were a little younger! he is very genuinely friends with the kids and it is Very Genuinely so sweet, but particularly with dustin too i found it sooo... <3

he also shows like these moments of high-intensity like silly child-like qualities of (autistic) joy LIKE when he sees dustin in scoops and they have their little lightsaber fight (which they. had practiced and made beforehand) that is just so sweet to me...

he picks up on things that other people don't!!! as the Normal Guy in a group of people he typically ends up settling in that role BUT he's multiple times picked up on small details that other people don't or DIDN'T notice, which is a neurodivergent trait!! he recognised the song in the russian recording, recalled where it came from like. right after + was the only one who heard dustin in the upside down + other things like noticing when someone's missing from a room

i also think he may be prone to like. i guess sensory overload/emotional dysregulation when he reacts what i think is appropriately to these HUGE scary scenarios but everyone else is like chill out and therefore it's inappropriate to them that he's losing his mind about it. but as time passes and he gets used to it all it lessens for sure (most evident in season 1) but there are moments where he struggles to reign in his truest reactions to things i think LOL. he is also just very dramatic tbf ☝️

his other vague neuroticisms but specifically commenting when things aren't Correct or Right or Safe including complaining about the sterility of the needle he was being injected with mid TORTURE

when he defaults to sports metaphors bc that's the easiest thing he can relate to in s2. god

100% of autistic people i talk to about this all go OH YEAH he's so autistic. tbh i think autistic people relating to a character can be enough of a diagnosis to me. peer diagnosis...

i just think so :)

in conclusion...

#steve harrington #🍦#WARNING . this is like 3k #sts

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