#and he's also so sad robin and nancy are gone

[yabakuboi]

Steve notices when Eddie disappears from the party, almost immediately. Robin and the others are crossfaded and a little weepy, and Steve knows they're excited—and scared. They're all heading out next week, Robin to Chicago, Nancy to New York, Jonathan to California. So they didn't notice it, when Eddie got up for the bathroom and didn't come back.

Steve did. Steve's pretty good at recognizing stuff like that, especially when it's painfully familiar.

He's pretty loud when he crawls through his own bedroom window out onto the roof, loud enough that Eddie startles and drops his cigarette onto the asphalt shingles.

"H-Hey!" he says, all false cheer despite the croak in his voice and the sniffling—the way he wipes quickly at his face.

"Hey," Steve says, going for softness and compassion. God knows he's spent many a night out here crying by himself. He doesn't want Eddie to think he's being a dick about it. "You okay?"

"Yep!" Eddie says, pitched too high and the words crack between his lips. "Totally fine! I'll come down in a bit so—"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Eddie's teeth clack together when he shuts his mouth, falling into silence as Steve settles down at his side. Neither of them say anything. Faintly, they can hear the murmur of their friends' voices, mixed with the summer night call of forest frogs and bugs. Steve thinks about chasing fireflies in the back yard when he was little, how the dark woods are near impenetrable to Steve now, the boyhood security long stripped from him.

Beside him, Eddie wipes at his face again, his elbow brushing Steve's arm because Steve's sat himself so close. Steve, carefully not thinking about it, leans over—further and further—until his head hits Eddie's shoulder.

The sound Eddie makes is soft and broken, so Steve tucks himself even closer into Eddie's side, arm going around his back, and closes his eyes just so he could overwhelm himself with the warmth radiating from Eddie, the smell of soap and sweat and weed, the feel of Eddie's hair on his head when Eddie bows his head as he cries, hair long and curtaining the two of them—Eddie keeping Steve, pulling him in to witness his private grief.

#steddie #pre-steddie #dribble drabble #the inherent intimacy of crying in front of a friend (your crush) #this isn't much but i couldn't get this lil image out of my head #this probably lives in the same universe as the 5 minute break up drabble i posted last week #where eddie in fact got expelled spring 86 and is trying to get a GED #and he has NEVER thought about going to college but it still stings something fierce to see the others going off #and he's also so sad robin and nancy are gone #and he's scared of being alone with his big gay crush on steve with no buffers anymore LMAO #shush mal #my steddies

[kittythelitter]

Thinking about Steve getting disowned by his parents.

And he's talking to Eddie and Eddie calls him "Steve fucking Harrington." And Steve's like. "I'm not a Harrington anymore :( They took everything from me including my name." And he was like. Understandably sad about his name and his identity and the fact that his parents don't love him and all that.

And Eddie. In an attempt to cheer him is all flirty and offers his own name up for Steve to use. Steve sad laughs and says that if Eddie wants to propose he needs to do better than that.

While they're having this conversation Dustin is lurking and hears this and is outraged that Eddie thinks he can just. Give Steve his name without earning it. Steve should be a Henderson. He's basically Dustin's brother already.

Dustin complains about this to Will in front of Joyce and Joyce is like. Not if i can adopt him first.

Will mentions it to Lucas and Erica is like. Bitch he should be honored to be a Sinclair! And she tells her friends about it in front of Robin who's like. Excuse me. We are twins. He needs to be a Buckley.

Meanwhile Lucas mentioned it to Max and she's always down to compete with Dustin and also. Steve is her brother too asshat.

She complains to El about it. Hopper overhears and is like. Steve is disowned? Where's he living? I already adopted one kid in the past few years what's another.

Over the course of the next week everyone has decided that Steve is their family and he should live with them and/or take their last name.

They're all getting together just because they're all a bit codependent and need to get all together every few weeks or else they all start worrying.

Steve and Eddie are running late for whatever reason. (overslept. Steve's trying to do his hair. Steve found Eddie's 5-in-1 doesn't really matter except Steve and Eddie are together and Steve's been staying at Eddie and Wayne's new government issued house.)

By the time they arrive everyone is bickering, varying from Hopper quietly saying that Joyce already has two kids wouldn't it be better for Steve to have a parent who can give him more attention, to Max and Robin having a silent standoff to Erica and Dustin fully wrestling on the ground biting and scratching.

And Steve's like. "HEY! What the fuck is going on?"

And no one wants to admit how wild they've all gone in fighting to adopt Steve. So there's this awkward beat of silence before Dustin and Robin both break down and yell at Steve that he's their family and he should take their respective last name.

Steve is so overwhelmed he starts crying. And almost none of them have seen him cry. Like. Nancy and Robin. Maybe. And only when he's been pushed to his limit.

So everyone's like. Did we break him? Did we offend him? Did we accidentally remind him of his pain?

And he's just. Never felt this loved before.

Maybe he chooses one. Maybe he chooses all of them into a really long string of names. Maybe they develop some kind of elaborate competition to decide who earns Steve as family. Maybe there's some kind of rotation in place. Tbh I'd love to hear other people's ideas.

But I do know that the day it becomes legal, Steve's last name and Eddie's last name become the same. Maybe it's a hyphen. Maybe Eddie charges his name to Buckley-Byers-Henderson-Hopper-Mayfield-Sinclair-Wheeler (alphabetical was decided to be the most fair).

And no matter what Steve is so so loved and everyone makes sure he knows it.

#stranger things #steve harrington #steve and robin are platonic soulmates #Steddie #dustin henderson #eddie munson

[thefatedthoughtofyou]

I was thinking about inexperienced Eddie again, and then was thinking about sweet drunk Steve, and then this happened. Enjoy my dears!

~°~

So they're at a party. All the teens at Steve's house probably, it's the biggest house, with the most rooms, enough for everyone to stay over if they drink too much and can't drive home. They all pretty much have their own rooms there now anyway.

But Eddie still isn't used to being in large groups, not when the groups aren't hellfire anyway, so he's kinda quiet, sticks by steve or robin most of the time, or stays in the kitchen, eating all of Steve's food.

But now he's sat on the living room floor, next to steve, legs crossed, red solo cup in hand. There's music playing low, and steve is swaying slightly next to him, his cup his almost empy. His second cup. Or third. Eddie thinks he may have missed him refill it once. Steve's shoulder keeps brushing his and Eddie's hands are starting to sweat, his skin feels hotter and hotter everytime someone speaks.

He doesn't remember who suggested Never Have I Ever but he should have run. He should have made an excuse to leave. Or not made an excuse. He should have just fucking run for the door.

But how the fuck was he supposed to know they were gonna make every question about sex. Well, almost all of them, Nancy had seemingly taken pitty and said one about saving the world so they ALL had to drink.

But other than that, Eddie's cup had been resting on the floor near his feet, his hand resting on top it, fingers splayed, gripping it too tight probably, but he was... very uncomfortable. His fingers drum against the rim to the soft beat of the music, nervous.

He almost takes a drink when Argyle says something about kissing, even lifts his glass, but then he adds something about using your tongue in a way Eddie's never even fucking heard of and Eddie just closes his eyes, takes a deep breathe, and lowers his glass again.

"You're not drinking."

Eddie vaguely hears Steve speak, feels him lean into his shoulder.

"Hmm?" He hums back, his eyes blinking hazily as he drags them from the floor, he lets them settle on Steve's nearly empty cup instead.

"Yer not drinking." He slurs into Eddie's ear, his voice quiet. His breath on Eddie's cheek makes him shiver.

"Nope." Eddie whispers back, shaking his head once.

"Not thristy?" Steve asks, and he sounds, so genuine. Eddie looks at him, leaning to the side a bit so Steve's face isn't so close. Steve blinks at him, his eyelids heavy, he looks, very drunk. But also beautiful. Eddie shrugs, looks away again.

"Just playing the game." He mutters, glances back to Steve and sees him frown. He watches him, his brows furrowed in confusion, his eyes moving a bit, like he's trying to solve a problem in his head. Eddie bites his lip, looks back to the floor.

"You-" Steve starts, stops, his hand moves to Eddie's knee as he moves closer. Eddie's breath catches in his throat, he looks at Steve again, his face so so close.

"You didn't drink. Cuz... no sex?" Steve's brow is furrowed again. Jesus, how fucking much had he had to drink? Eddie had to have missed more than a cup or two. He snorts, can't help it. Steve looks so confused, but like he's trying to be... something.

"Yeah Steve. I no sex." Eddie nods, pats Steve's knee and gently moves Steve's hand back into his own lap.

"Not even kisses?" Steve whispers, and he looks sad now, his lips pouting as he looks at Eddie, his eyes dropping to linger on Eddie's lips for a moment before he blinks and looks back up.

Eddie shakes his head, all the air in his lungs suddenly gone. Steve watches him for a beat longer and then nods, apparently deciding something. Eddie gulps, but Steve just reaches for his cup, picks it up and silently poors half of Eddie's beer into his own.

"Steve, don't. You've had-"

"Is fine." Steve whispers back, shaking his head.

"M' running out anyway." He passes his cup to his other hand and points at himself with a little wave of his hand.

"I do... too much sex. I think." He frowns again, looks around the cirlce, hears whatever it is Jonathan says and snorts, takes another drink and then looks back to Eddie.

"See. Drinking again." Steve says, smiling widely. Eddie frowns, but looks away. His hand clenching on his cup, he almost crushes the plastic before he thinks to let go. He leans to his other side, toward Robin, her cup isn't nearly as empty as anyone else's either.

"Hey Rob's?" Eddie asks, involuntarily flinching at the laughter that rings through the room.

"What's up?" She asks, leaning into him, her eyes bright.

"I think Steve's had... too much? To drink maybe." He says it quietly. Like he's unsure. He doesn't wanna ruin the party, or the game, or the moment, or whatever. But he's... concerned. Robin's brow crinkles and then she leans forward to look past Eddie. Eddie looks too, both of them watching as Steve sways forward, almost falls onto his face and then sways back, laughing to himself.

"Oh. Yeah no. Cut him off. I'll take him to his room. Get him some water." She starts to move, like she's getting up.

"I can get it." Eddie says, his hand on her shoulder. She gives him a look, one of those looks Eddie can never decipher. He knows Robin sees more of him than he's shared with anyone. Except Wayne. But it's never judgemental, and he knows why, but its never expectant either. It's just this look she gives him.

"You sure?" She ask, her hand still on the floor like she's gonna shove herself to her feet.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm not uh... not exactly enjoying this game very much anyway. You stay. I got it." He watches her drop her eyes to Eddie's cup, and he's suddenly sure she'd seen Steve take half of it for him, because she smiles, softly, and nods.

"Okay. Thanks. Don't forget the water. And put a couples aspirin on his nightstand too for the morning. Or he'll-"

"Get a migraine.  On it." Eddie finishes, she smiles again, big this time. He pats her shoulder.

"Have fun." He says, cringing when the room fills with laughter again. He slides his cup to her and then looks back to Steve.

"Hey." He says softly, his hand hovering above Steve's knee, he decides to touch his arm instead, Steve's head sways toward him and he smiles when he sees Eddie looking at him.

"Hey." He breathes back, his breath smelling like beer.

"You wanna come with me big guy? So you can get some rest?" Eddie asks, his fingers curling around Steve's wrist. He sighs, drops his head to Eddie's shoulder.

"Rest sounds nice." He hums, nuzzling closer. Eddie laughs, can't help it, he's nervous and drunk Steve is... new. He's never been around drunk Steve before.

"Okay well not here. I'm gonna help you get to your room okay?" Eddie says, pushing up onto his knees so he can help Steve stand. He nods, lets Eddie pull him up and hold him steady.

"Are you leaving brochachos?" Argyle calls from across the circle, the others all groan, sad.

"I have to rest now!" Steve shouts at them, pointing accusingly at them, but he's smiling.

"Aww he's sleepy!" Jonathan calls back, his voice almost as slurred as Steve's, Eddie watches him fall into Argyle's side, giggling.

"Ya know what!?" Steve yells, stops, his face falling as he forgets what he was saying. His eyes find Eddie and he his lips curl a bit, his hands grab Eddie's shoulders, steadying himself.

"M' tired Eddie." He mumbles, frowning again. Eddie nods, his hands moving to hold Steve's arms.

"I know. Let's go bud." And he leads Steve away, both of them waving to the chorus of good byes and goodnights behind them.

~°~

Getting Steve to bed is easier than Eddie guessed it would be, he'd been slumping into Eddie more with each step down the hall. Eddie was pretty sure he was almost alseep on his feet already.

There was one moment of panic, when Steve was changing into his pajamas and the zipper on his jeans got stuck, and he'd grabbed Eddie's hand, guided it to his zipper and requested he fix it. Eddie had nearly yelped and stumbled back, away from Steve. But he was standing with his eyes closed, swaying on the spot, waiting for help so he could sleep. So Eddie had done his best with shaking hands to get the zipper down. Steve had slurred a thank you and shoved his jeans down so fast he almost slammed his head into Eddie's. He had jumped back then, out of Steve's headbutting range.

He'd turned his back while Steve changed and then heard the rustling of sheets and turned to find Steve getting settled beneath his sheets.

"I gotta go get you some water. And some medicine for your head so Robin doesn't kill me. But I'll be back okay?" Eddie tells Steve, he watches Steve snort, his eyelids drooping again.

"Robin." Is all he says after the laugh, and it makes Eddie smile. He jogs back down to the kitchen, grabs a glass of water and some meds, and then heads back up, passing the living room he hears hushed voices, the game apparently over now. He peeks in, sees them all cuddled together sleepily on the floor, Robin is the only one who notices him, she waves with her free hand. Eddie smiles, her other hand is tangled up with Nancy's, and runs back up the stairs.

Steve is still awake, but barely. He's leaning against the head rest, his head tilted back, mouth dropped open, but one eye pops open when hears Eddie's chains jingle back into the room.

"You came back." Steve says with a smile, his hand lifting from his sheets to reach for Eddie. He sits on the edge of the bed and hands Steve the glass of water.

"I want you drink at least half of this before you sleep okay?" Eddie says, trying to use his stern voice, knows it doesn't work. But it doesn't matter. Steve takes the glass and nods with wide eyes before chugging the whole thing. He wipes his mouth with his hand, hiccups as he hands it back to Eddie.

"Thirsty." Is all he says, he's blinking slowly again. Eddie chuckles.

"Okay awesome. Yeah. Good job. I'll refill it." He moves to get up, but Steve grabs his wrist, then slides down, laying his head on his pillows.

"Not right now. Just stay here. Promise?" Steve's eyes are closed, but his grip on Eddie is firm.

"Okay. I promise." Eddie breathes, his heart pounding in his throat. He waits for Steve fall asleep, it doesn't take long. And he goes to refill the glass, comes back and sits on the floor, his back to Steve's bed.

He knows he should lay down, should sleep. Will regret it in the morning. And he's about to, lay down, when Steve speaks behind him.

"No one's really ever even kissed you?" His voice says, and then Eddie feels Steve's fingers brush his hair, genlty. He shakes his head, not sure if Steve can see him in the dark, he clears his throat.

"Uh... not really. I don't think kisses under the jungle gym in 4th grade count in that game." Eddie says, shrugs.

"Hmmm... maybe not." His voice is still heavy, still open. There's a beat. And then.

"Is it cuz you like boys?"

And Eddie's heart stops, his stomach drops, and he feels like he might cry. He doesn't turn around. Doesn't say anything. Doesn't defend himself. And then Steve says.

"Boys are pretty. But it's scary kissing boys. Or.. or wanting to. But I bet it's nice." He sighs, and Eddie thinks he might be alseep again. His hands clawing at his own thighs, fingers digging in as they shake. His breathing is shakey too. He feels like he might shake out of his own skin and just float away.

"I guess it's just... no one's ever wanted me." Eddie whispers into the dark. He sure Steve's won't hear him. Sure he won't remember any of this anyway. And he hadn't been... mean, or... judgmental, just... asking. And honest.

And then Steve is touching him. He moves the hair away from Eddie's neck easily, like he's done it a thousand times, and then Eddie's breath catches again when he feels Steve's lips press to the back of his neck, just once, but it's a firm press, full of intent. And then he's gone. Falling back onto his pillows.

"There. Kissed you." He says, and Eddie can hear him smiling. And then, seconds later, he hears him snoring. Soft little things, peaceful.

The warmth of his skin lingers on Eddie neck. He moves his hand slowly, brushes his fingers over the spot gently, shivering in the dark.

~°~

Eddie leaves before Steve wakes up in the morning. He wants to wait. But he has a half shift at the shop today and he has to shower first. He leaves a note, tells Steve to take the aspirin. And tells him to have a good day.

He draws a little demon smiley face at the bottom. Almost signs it "yours, Eddie." But just writes his name and runs.

Work goes well. He's nearly finshed rebuilding the engine he's been working on for months. He's covered in grease and dirt, but he feels good. Feels usefull. His neck has been tingling all day.

He's just getting out of the shower again when he hears the knock at the door.

"Shit. Gimme a minute!" He calls, patting at himself hurriedly with his towel, he grabs a pair of boxers and sweatpants, yanks them on over his damp legs. Nearly falling as he does, grabs a clean shirt from his laundry basket on the floor and shoves himself into it. His hair is still up in a messy bun but he jogs to the door.

"Coming!" He yanks the door open to find Steve. Standing in the light rain that had apparently started.

"Shit. You're getting wet, come in." Eddie steps back, waves him in.

Steve hovers by the door, he's staring at Eddie, his hands shoved in his pockets, his hair looking more wild than normal. There are dark circles under his eyes. He looks tired, but his eyes are bright. Eddie takes a step back, looks to the floor, feeling nervous under his scrutiny.

"You uh... you okay? You're head feeling alright?" Eddie asks, to cut the silence. Cannot stand the silence.

"Yeah. Heads good. You're hair-" Steve stops talking when Eddie's eyes land on him again. Eddie's hand reaches up, then falls back to his side, his cheeks feeling hot.

"Oh. Yeah. I washed it this morning, before work. Didn't wanna wash it again." He shrugs, huffs a little laugh. Not sure what else to say.

"It looks nice. Like that." Steve says, then clears his throat. And that's when it hits Eddie, the look that Steve has going, he looks nervous.

"Are you okay?" Eddie asks, stopping himself from taking a step forward. Steve's eyes widen in question, and then he's nodding, his teeth digging into his lip briefly.

"Yeah I'm good. I just... I wanted to talk to you." Steve says, sighs loudly.

"About last night." His face scrunches, like he doesn't wanna be saying it. Oh. Of course. Of course that's what it is. Eddie swallows, squares his shoulders, guard up. He nods, waves his hand at Steve.

"Don't worry about it man. You were drunk." He turns, walks into the kitchen, clears his throat, hard, to dislodge the firey lump that's growing there. His hand moves without his permission, fingers touching the back of his neck.

"Wait what?" Steve's confused voice says, before he follows Eddie into the small kitchen space.

"What?" Eddie echoes.

"I- I didn't come here to apologize for anything." Steve says, bluntly, his hands out of his pockets now, they're worrying over his thighs, smoothing back and forth over his jeans.

"You... didn't?" Eddie's brow furrows, he wraps his arms around his middle, watches Steve gulp as he shakes his head.

"Then why are you here?" Eddie leans against the counter, now as far away from Steve as he can get, but Steve isn't having that, he keeps moving closer, slowly.

"I came to tell you something." Steve says, slowly, his lips pressing together before he licks them.

"Tell me what?" Eddie's voice is small, his breathing is faster than he'd like it to be, heart thundering agaisnt his ribs.

"I do." Is all Steve says. Unhelpful.

"You... do. You do what?" Eddie asks, his voice higher than it should be, Steve is still moving, closer and closer, step by step.

"Last night. You said, no one's ever wanted you." Steve speaks slowly, his eyes glued to Eddie's face.

"Okaaaay..." Eddie so lost, his brain isn't working right, he's missing something, he knows he is. He can feel it, see it in the way Steve is looking at him expectantly.

"Well. You were wrong. Cuz I do. I want you." Steve clarifies, finally, blinking at Eddie as he takes a step, placing him one step away from Eddie.

"You want- no you don't. You were drunk. Very drunk. And you just- you're very clingy when you're drunk. It's not-" Eddie's mouth runs wild, tossing out excuses because this can't be real. Steve can't be saying what he's saying. But Steve is also smiling.

"I was drunk. Yes. But I remember you saying that. I remember how sad you looked during that fucking game. I remember saying some things to you I probably shouldn't have, not without you telling me first. I am sorry about that, actually." He tilts his head forward, Eddie swallows, nods, bites his lip, his throat is burning again.

"But I also remember kissing you. I remember how hot your neck was against my lips. And I remember all the things I've been thinking about you, for months, while completely sober." He smiles, reaches out, his fingers ghosting over Eddie's wrist where its settled against his stomach.

"I've been thinking about kissing you for ages. I just- drunk me has less... self preservation." Steve smiles, it's crooked, like he's tucking his cheek in so he doesn't laugh. Eddie thinks it maybe matches his crooked smile now.

"Drunk you thinks you're a slut." Eddie huffs a laugh, Steve barks one, nods, takes that last step.

"Yeah. I kinda used to be." He shrugs, both hands reaching out to Eddie now, resting on his elbows.

"Well I'm not." Eddie says, a little more harsh than he meant to, but it doesn't deter Steve, just makes him smile again.

"I know. Kissing under a jungle gym definitely doesn't give you slut status." Steve teases. Eddie blushes, looks away, his eyes drop to the floor.

"I don't understand." Eddie sighs, brow furrowed.

"Don't understand what? Why I want you if you've never done anything?" Steve asks, blunt now too. And Eddie kind of loves it, the way he can just say it. Eddie nods.

"Why would you want someone like me? No one else does. And now I've got this. These." He points to the jagged scar on his cheek, motions over the rest of himself, to his other hidden scars. Steve moves then, fast, tugs Eddie's arms away from himself and grabs his hips, presses into Eddie's space.

"It doesn't have anything to do with that. I don't care that you have no experience. That's not... that not why I date people. Besides, it might nice. Ya know, I've never been with a guy before, we could figure it out together." There's a question in Steve's eyes, like he's asking. Eddie bites his lip, tugs it between his teeth and then lets his hands move. Rests them on Steve's shoulders, he nods,

"That could be nice." He echoes. Steve nods, presses a little closer, his thighs bumping Eddie's.

"I think so. And the scars, we kinda match. Like little fucked up puzzle peices." Steve whispers. Eddie laughs then, big, and bright. Steve pulls him closer, wraps his arms around him and hugs him, tucks his face into Eddie's neck. Eddie grabs at his shoulders, holds him tightly, his body shaking at all the contact.

"You're trembling." Steve breathes into his neck. Eddie nods quickly, feeling frantic now. Steve moves to look at him.

"That's only gonna get worse. The more you touch me." Eddie admits, feels his whole body flush, Steve bites his lip, his fingers move over the heat along Eddie's neck as his eyes darken.

"What are you thinking about?" Eddie asks, his hands tugging on Steve's sweater, he knows his hands are sweating, is pretty sure Steve doesn't care.

"I'm thinking..." he trailes off, hooks one finger into the collar of Eddie shirt and tugs it down a bit.

"I wanna see how far this goes." He brushes his thumb over Eddie's neck again, it drags a whimper out his throat, Steve's dark eyes meet his, a smile curls his lips. But it's not a sweet Steve smile, there's a hunger there now that wasn't there before. Eddie gulps.

"I'm in trouble aren't I?" He asks, body shaking as Steve tugs their hips together again, leans closer and closer, his breath ghosting over Eddie's lips as he says,

"Oh you have no idea."

Eddie chuckles, laughs into his first real kiss, before Steve deepens it, genlty, dragging a moan out of him.

Later. When they're tangled together on Eddie's bed, clothes rumpled and shoved at odd angles, Eddie's hair no longer pulled back, Steve holding him close as his breathing finally evens out, Steve tells him it was perfect. The perfect Eddie first kiss.

He tangles his hands in Eddie's hair, pulls him closer, and tells him he can't wait to see what other kinds of kisses Eddie might be hiding. Tells Eddie that any and every kiss he laughs into will be perfect. Because they're his. And now Eddie is too.

#fates endless inkwell #fei #steddie #steve harrington x eddie munson #steddie ficlet #steve x eddie #my writing #mine #my fic #inexperienced eddie munson #sweet drunk steve harrington

[qprstobin]

Stobin Different First Meeting AU where they go to prom together. This was meant to be an au post and turned into a mini fic oops (written completely within a tumblr post so sorry for the poor quality)

(edit: realized I should link the fic I was inspired by for those who don't follow me and so didn't see me reblog it earlier)

Steve doesn't necessarily want to go to prom, right? Like yeah, he'd been imagining it for a while, but now that he was very, very single it just didn't have the same shine that it used to. And he really wasn't ready to start dating yet. However, he didn't want to just, not go to prom, and also knew it would seem really weird (and pretty fucking sad) if he didn't go.

Which leaves him in a conundrum.

He thought for a while that maybe he would go with one of the junior cheerleaders. While he didn't have any close friends anymore, he was still friendly with plenty of people. There were girls that wouldn't be going to prom unless they had a senior boyfriend - some he had even gone on dates with in the past who wouldn't think a single prom date meant that he wanted a new girlfriend.

However, he is pretty sure most of those girls would have... other expectations for the night. And honestly? He isn't quite sure that he was ready to get back on that horse either.

... Not that he thought women were horses.

He's pretty sure men are normally the ones called horses in riding metaphors.

Anyway.

That left him stuck. He couldn't just not go to prom, but also didn't want to wind up trapped on an actual date with someone. So who could he ask?

His solution ended up coming from an odd place.

Robin Buckley was... quite honestly, kind of a weirdo.

She was cute, in an alternative sort of way. She never took any of his shit (he wasn't completely sure she even liked him) but also reluctantly laughed at the snarky shit he said under his breath during their Film History class. And not in the fake giggly way girls did when they were flirting, but didn't actually care about what he was saying, just the way he said it. She actually seemed to think he was funny. Even if that revelation seemed to piss her off.

The only reason he was even in Film History that semester - and therefore, knew who she was - was for the easy A. He got to watch movies in class, and watch movies for homework. He was willing to plow through a couple of shitty essays in exchange for a class that he didn't feel like a complete idiot in.

(Well, he was pretty sure Robin thought he was an idiot about movies, but just because he had trouble remembering the names and shit of characters, didn't mean he couldn't analyze the themes, fuck you very much, Buckley.)

They had gotten assigned a project together early on, and it hadn't been completely terrible. She had quickly taken over doing most of the writing portions, but hadn't thought all of his ideas were terrible. By the end of the project he thought they were even sort of having fun together.

He'd always been one to try his luck, take a little more than he was given. So, after that assignment was over, he started sitting next to her in class, not wanting that easy, if sharp, camaraderie to end. Robin rolled her eyes at him and asked him what he thought he was doing the first time he did it, but she never sent him away.

They ended up chatting more and more during down times, passing notes to each other and sharing sly comments under their breaths during the movies. Steve often had trouble paying attention at school, his mind easily wandering away, and it was almost as bad during most movies, but Robin helped keep him on track.

The class turned into one that was done for the easy grade, a last ditch effort to improve his already hopeless GPA, and became one he actually enjoyed.

The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea of going to prom with Robin. It made the night seem a little less unbearable.

He thought about making a big deal out of asking her, because he knows that's what girls (and even Nancy) had enjoyed for past dances. He quickly scrapped that idea, however, because not only did he not want to put pressure on her like that, but also she seemed to hate public spectacles like that.

Or at least when aimed at her, they both enjoyed watching drama unfold in the halls a bit too much to say she hated it completely.

So Steve waits until the end of the day, their film class being their last, to pull her into an empty classroom. She follows him without question in a show of trust he didn't realize she had in him. The notion warms him, and for some reason makes it more difficult to get the question out.

"Why do I feel like you're about to try to sell me drugs or something?" Robin asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He squints at her in offense.

"Why is that your first assumption?!"

"I don't know! Why else are you pulling me out of the hallway all secretive like, making sure no one followed us, into an abandoned classroom," she asks, throwing her arms into the air.

"The classroom isn't abandoned, it's the end of the day! Also, who does drug deals on campus, that's just stupid?" He asks rhetorically, before waving one hand through the air, as if trying to erase the current thread of conversation. "That doesn't matter, you're distracting me."

"Well then, get on with it! Some of us have practice we need to get to."

"It's like talking to the kids," he mutters to himself, "Whatever. I wanted to ask - will you go to prom with me?"

That stops Robin up short. There's panic in her eyes now, though Steve isn't sure what exactly put it there. Was his reputation that bad that even band geeks are terrified of getting asked out by him?

"You want to go on a date? With me?" she asks slowly, disbelief coloring her voice, though it doesn't hide her unease.

"No, I want to go to prom with you," he scoffs, "Not go on a date with you."

"That is a date, dingus! The person you go to prom with is literally called your date!"

"Okay, sure, maybe, but I don't actually want to date you," he said, rolling his eyes at her.

Like, okay, he understood his reputation for being... what did she call him last week? A 'huge effing rake'? But that didn't mean that he was trying to date any girl that looked in his direction. A lot of girls looked in his direction. That was too many women, even for him.

Robin relaxes a little at that.

"Then why are you asking me to prom instead of someone you actually want to date?"

"Because!" he says, resisting the urge to flail his hands back at her. "I don't want to date anyone right now. Most people I ask are going to expect all these things from me - they're going to want dinner, and at the very least a kiss at the end of the night if not more, or another date the very next day. Because Steve Harrington is supposed to want those things!" He takes a deep breath and runs a hand through his hair to calm himself. "But right now? I really don't."

"Well then, what does Steve the Hair Harrington actually want?" She had relaxed fully at this point, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

"I want to go to prom with someone I consider a friend, someone who makes me laugh," he says after a moment of silence. "I want to dance badly to really corny pop music and drink just enough spiked punch that I don't remember how much I hate wearing any sort of tie. Then I want to go get milkshakes or go see a really trashy midnight horror flick, just because I'm having so much fun I don't want the night to end."

That small smile has grown into a reluctant grin on Robin's face. It makes her eyes shine and her freckles pop. Steve thought that if he was in a better place, if they had met at a different time, he could have fallen in love with her.

But they had met now instead, in some shitty public school elective course, and she was the closest thing he had to a friend that wasn't a snotty middle schooler.

"That sounds... like a lot of fun, actually," she says, mischief sparking on her face. "Who would've known the hidden depths hidden behind all that hair."

"Hey!" he protests half-heartedly, unable to keep a grin of his own off his face. "So what do you say? Wanna go to prom with me?"

"I guess," she sighs, acting like it was such a trial to go to prom with him. Him! But her next words make up for it. "Since we're friends, and all. However, I still expect you to buy me dinner, though you can keep the kiss goodnight to yourself."

Steve can't help the giddy laugh from spilling out of him. For the first time in weeks, he is actually looking forward to prom.

#stobin #platonic stobin #st fic rec #mini fic #steve #robin #my writing #writing tag #this was got out of hand #all of the stuff about prom is pulled loosely from my own experiences with prom #both from it being seniors only (juniors at my school had their own dance) to what people did after prom #(i went to two proms and one group went and saw a bad horror movie after prom and i went to a diner with the other group) #also this is barely editted so there is some weird tense switches in here im sorry! #this wasnt meant to be an actual fic i had just meant to throw out the idea of steve asking robin to his prom #and steves voice got away from me quick #this was inspired by the fic i reblogged earlier today about steve taking robin to her prom

[dufrau]

just had a post pop up recommended with tags like "this is not anti nancy but she should be held accountable for her selfishness more" and im like... what selfishness exactly? like, sincerely, within the canon, what has she done that was selfish?

the only thing i can think of is that once when she was like 15 she invited her friend to a party and then decided to get laid and her friend was then eaten by a monster she had absolutely less than zero reason to believe existed in their town that was so safe Hopper says nobody has even gone missing there since 1923.

she broke up with steve? breaking up with somebody isnt selfish! if you arent happy in a relationship breaking up with somebody is good, actually!

she stood up for herself at her job instead of just dealing with it which is a problem because jonathan also works there and he's poor so she should... what exactly? like please explain what you think she should have done in this situation. there's a whole new mall at this point, also, btw. so there are probably actually plenty of jobs available for high school kids even if they do get fired from the paper. and anyway jonathan DOES call her out for this (despite the fact that he went along with her of his own volition), so if somehow you really do think she did something wrong here she was "held accountable" for it. (he also called her out in season one for the sin of wanting to date a cute boy, so in addition to her friend DYING as a result of that grave selfishness she also was directly called out for it!)

and robin is supposed to hate her and think she's selfish because she "broke steve's heart" even though like a half hour after hearing that she personally witnesses nancy putting herself bodily in the way of a speeding car to try to protect a bunch of kids and then they all take part in the same battle against this giant flesh monster during which they all risk their lives over and over and over. but robin is supposed to perceive her as "selfish" because steve, who does not hold a grudge against her himself even! said she broke his heart.

i just truly do not understand some people's readings of this character. i dare you to look at nancy wheeler for who she actually is and what she wants and not just through the lens of "she made a boy sad though".

#and also give robin more credit like damn #nancy wheeler #i just get so heated #she is literally just trying to live her life

[artiststarme]

Don't Call Me Stupid

Can I make you cry four times in one day @pyrohonk? I hope you guys like it and please leave your thoughts in the comments!

Now with a Part 2!

~*~*~*~

Steve was used to being the dumb one. He was the kid in class that would ask stupid questions that the other kids and sometimes even the teacher would laugh at. He never quite understood what teachers were saying in class or what the words written on the board were supposed to mean with their squiggly letters that jumped around. Eventually he learned not to raise his hand at all. Better to be confused than embarrassed, right?

Nancy, when they were dating, would always call him an idiot. He brushed it off at the time but looking back, it made him wonder. If he was a little bit smarter, a little more astute, would things have gone differently? Would Nancy have sought comfort in him instead of running off to Jonathan? Would he have noticed Barb’s disappearance from his yard that started all of this in the first place? He had to wonder but even that wouldn’t change anything. 

His stupidity was also a highlight point for his parents to focus on. He once was the popular jock, an airhead but one that was popular and good at sports. Now, he was just a deadbeat that barely graduated high school and certainly couldn’t get into college. He was a loser working at a dead-end job that was going nowhere in life. Ah, what pride he brought to his parents now. He could only grieve the life he used to lead every time he saw his parents staring at him in disdain. At least he had the Party… right?

It was a well known fact throughout the Party that Steve was a little slow. His brain worked at a different pace than the rest of them, a concept woefully apparent to everyone. His brain was focused on the music underlying the Russian code and the Black Widows underneath the floorboards. He was the last to connect the dots and truly only helped the Party by taking hits to the head. They only kept him around to take the hits after all. 

Even Robin, his best friend in the world, his platonic soulmate with a capital P, called him a dingus on a near hourly basis. Sure, it was affectionate now but it started as a derogatory term to poke fun at his intelligence, or lack thereof. He was a fool in her eyes, affectionate or not. Even still, he was just the dumbass that slept around with half of Hawkins, a sassy soundboard for her to bounce lesbian crushes off of. 

He was used to being called stupid but it still hurt every time. 

So in the first fight he and Eddie have as a couple, it really hits a sore spot when Eddie hisses, “what are you, stupid?”

All of the fight drained out of Steve in an instant leaving a broken, empty shell in its place. His anger melted away to reveal the hurt hidden underneath. “You should go.”

“What? No, we’re talking this through,” Eddie shook his head, giving him a look of confusion. 

“I probably won’t understand anyways since I’m so stupid. So you should go, save your breath. Whatever you think is probably right anyways.” With that, Steve walks up the stairs to his bedroom and locks the door behind him. He pulls his old Walkman over his ears and lets the sad tones of Queen’s All Dead, All Dead wash over him. 

He was sick of being treated like trash by everyone he talked to. Everyone that was supposed to love him; his parents, Nancy, Robin, Eddie, the kids. They all thought he was a dumbass. He’d tried so hard to be better, to be smarter, to be more useful to everyone else. But in his quest, he lost everything that he once was. He lost his charisma, he lost his old friends, and his hobbies to become this loser who still no one liked. 

So, he ignored his boyfriend’s knocks on his door, turned up his tunes, and planned his move away from Hawkins. If he wasn’t appreciated here, maybe he would be anywhere else.

Permanent Tag List: @doubleb11 @nburkhardt @zerokrox-blog @newtstabber @i-less-than-three-you @carlyv @pyrohonk @straight4joekeery @trippypancakes @conversesweetheart @estrellami-1 @suddenlyinlove @yikes-a-bee @swimmingbirdrunningrock @perseus-notjackson @anaibis @merricatty @maya-custodios-dionach @grtwdsmwhr @manda-panda-monium @lumoschild @goodolefashionedloverboi @mentallyundone @awkwardgravity1 @anzelsilver @jestyzesty @gregre369

#stranger things #steddie #fanfic #steve harrington #eddie munson #robin buckley #nancy wheeler #dustin henderson #eleven hopper

[wheatnoodle]

MMMMMMMMMPART FOUR BARK BARK BARK

other parts

part 1 | part 2 | part 3

—

eddie’s squished in the corner of his own couch, mike wheeler’s bony knee digging into his thigh. why couldn’t they pick someone else’s house? code red, group meeting, maybe the wheeler basement? not his tiny trailer?

one by one, they file in. nancy, mike, max, lucas, erica, robin, dustin-…dustin shuts the door behind him. he shuffles over to stand next to robin, scrubbing a hand over his face and staring at the floor.

“i bet you’re wondering why we um…we called this meeting,” dustin clears his throat, adjusts his hat so he has something to do with his hands. lucas looks around and he holds up a hand to stop dustin from continuing.

“everyone’s not here,” he says, leaning around to look at everyone. eddie sits up, takes his own glance at the group and does an internal head count.

“where’s steve?” he asks and sits up to look out his front window. maybe steve was just running late. he could’ve been far away or something, who knows. there’s a choked off sob that has his head flicking over to robin. she covers her mouth with her hand, turns to face away from everyone.

“that’s what we called you guys to talk about,” dustin says after a deep breath. he can’t look any of them in the eye.

“okay…what’s going on? You’re making it seem like he’s…like he’s dead, or something,” nancy scoffs softly. she crosses her arms over her chest, her face taking on a look of concern.

“holy shit, is he dead?” max asks. silence fills the room, all eyes on the pair standing front and center. why them? why’d they have to be the ones to deliver the news? robin wipes under her eyes, releasing a heavy sigh that turns into a groan of frustration. she turns back to face everyone.

“okay…um…a few days ago, at the bonfire, i tried to talk to steve because he…he’d been really quiet all night. like, nance and i were walking back up and he was still sitting there. so- so i went to talk to him. and he just seemed…really…out of it. jumpier than usual…s-sadder than usual?” she paused, needing to squeeze her eyes shut and clench her fists to keep from crying more than she had on the way over. “and he…he wasn’t at work for a few days. guess he called keith and told him he was sick and would be out for a bit.

“day he was supposed to come back, he doesn’t show. keith can’t get in contact with him. i can’t get in contact with him. dustin can’t either,” robin explains. she sounds exhausted.

“alright, now you’re freakin’ me out…did he fuckin’-…is he dead?” eddie cuts in, his forehead creasing in the center. he hears max’s sharp breath in and reaches behind mike to grip her shoulder.

“no, no he’s not- he didn’t kill-…he’s not dead,” is what robin settles on. her fingers are itching for a cigarette, she doesn’t even smoke. “dustin went to go check on him and he’s just…gone? like- like all of his things, his car, his pictures, him. he’s just gone.”

“what, he just packed up and left?” mike asks, his voice edging on anger. he furrows his thick brows, leaning forward on the couch. he looks ready to square up with someone.

“that’s…yeah. that’s what it looks like.” dustin sighs heavily.

“and nobody’s looking for him? after- after everything?” mike scoffs and shakes his head before pushing the long locks behind his ears. he stands up, moves to grab his coat.

“mike-“ nancy tries and rises as well. she reaches out to take his arm but he shakes her off.

“no, nance! look, he’s not my favorite person in the world, he’s your ex and he used to be a dick. but he’s family now, whether i like it or not, and i don’t fuck around when it comes to who i pick for family,” he starts, “also, it’s steve! y’know, hundred and one concussions? you want him just…out there? on his own? with his shit memory and his headaches, hell, he can barely hear! so you guys can sit here, be sad, whatever. i’m looking for steve.”

“‘scuse me,” eddie mumbles, barely even audible to himself before he’s putting his hands on his knees and standing up. he doesn’t meet anyone’s eyes, instead just slips a cigarette from his pocket between his lips and pushes through the small crowd in his living room. he can hear dustin call his name but he keeps going until he can shut his bedroom door and twist the lock behind him.

steve was gone. he may never see him again. he may never see him again. he may never get to smoke with him again and listen to the wild stories from high school that he never seemed to share with anyone else. he won’t get to shuttle the kids to his house or meet them somewhere and listen to the way steve mothers over them, fixing collars and reminding them to walkie if they need anything.

eddie would never be able to look into his eyes again. those big, brown, beautiful eyes that glow like the moon when eddie gives him his full, undivided attention. those eyes that eddie’s realizing he wishes he could look into them forever. and if not forever, maybe just one more time.

he wouldn’t be able to tangle his hands in his hair and feel the way the strands slip like silk through his fingers. it always looked so soft. and now he’d never know. eddie wouldn’t be able to hug him and god, what he would give to smell him right now and what kind of a thought is that to have about your fellow man friend? slow your roll, edster.

not that it would even matter anymore that just thinking about him makes eddie’s heart ache. because steve is gone. steve is gone.

and suddenly, all at once, eddie can’t breathe and he’s drowning in his own saltwater tears. the unlit cigarette falls from his lips and he’s sliding down the door, all dramatic movie style, until he’s sitting with his knees to his chest. broken sobs are yanked from the deepest parts of his chest against his will, collapsing his ribs with the force. he crumbles forward into his knees, pressing his forehead into the skin that sticks out from his ripped jeans. one hand is trying to cover his mouth and muffle himself, the other finds it’s way into his hair.

steve is gone and eddie didn’t know where he went. steve is gone and he left eddie behind. steve is gone and he is going to find new friends. he is going to find someone who makes his heart race and he is going to take them out on cheesy dates and dance in the kitchen at three in the morning and kiss them like his life depends on it and eddie is going to throw up oh my good he’s gonna be sick stop it stop it stop it.

he loves him.

steve is gone and eddie loves him.

steve is gone and eddie was too late. too late too late and now everything makes too much sense. all those nights he stayed awake in bed, staring at his ceiling with thoughts of steve harrington running through his brain. every time he was in the room with the jock, eddie gravitated towards him. he’d stand behind him, prop his chin on a toned shoulder and wrap an arm around his waist. tell himself it’s just because he liked making steve jump when he doesn’t see him coming, but really he just…fits. so well against eddie’s chest. and the blush that rises in his cheeks.

steve is gone and eddie loves him.

there’s a tentative knock on the door that pulls him from his sorrow and has his head snapping up. he smacks his hands against his face to swipe away any tears, scrubbing at his eyes before he stands up.

“eddie…?” it’s robin. she sounds nervous, uncomfortable. shit. they’re probably all listening to him cry like a baby. “it’s just robin. i kicked everyone else out.” is she listening to his thoughts? “um…no, no you’re just…y’know, talking.”

oh.

“oh.” he takes steadying breath and cracks open the door, only a couple inches, enough to look at the disheveled girl on the other side.

“eddie…” robin says in a sad sigh, her shoulders slumping as she takes in the sight of him. she wants to reach out and take his face in her hands, wipe his tears and tell him how they still had each other, but she knew it wasn’t the same. and right now, she feels as though she is approaching a wild animal recently caged and cornered. reaching into his space is not what he needs.

“robin.” his voice wavers and eddie’s pulling his wobbly lower lip between his teeth to chew on.

“i’m right here.” she’s quick to reassure him. eddie turns his head behind the door as a fresh wave of tears floods his waterline and he chokes on a whimper. he sticks his hand out of the crack in the door and she tangled their fingers together, letting him cling to her as hard as he needed.

robin rests her forehead on her side of the door, lets her own tears slip as she listens to him feel his world come crashing down around him, the same she had. she wants to scream. wants to smash all of the harrington’s windows in and set the place on fire and run into the middle of the lake with rocks tied to her feet and scream.

instead, she squeezes eddie’s hand tighter and cries with him through his bedroom door.

—

september rolls around and the kids are back in school. a whole month without steve. that’s how long she makes it before max is cracking open her lined math notebook to a blank page and uncapping her pen with her teeth.

dear steve,

i don’t know if you remember even giving me this address. you were pretty drunk when you did. but, you left, and this is the place i hope you ended up. you seemed happy when you talked about it.

things are different now. we’re different. not a good different, but i have hope. dustin is pretty mad all the time. doesn’t talk except to bitch at people which was funny at first, but now it’s pretty annoying. lucas quit the basketball team. he said that his teammates kept bugging him about what happened to you since they know he was close to you. but hey, now he has time for me to teach him how to skate. (fyi: he’s shit)

part of me wants to be mad at you. like, how dare you leave me, you bastard! but i saw how you were before you left. you were so tired. i’m really proud of you for looking out for you. i would much rather know you’re alive on the other side of the country than dead here because things got too much.

robin misses you so much. she talks about you every day even though it always makes her cry. but she keeps doing it. i think she wants to make sure everyone remembers you. she writes poetry now? all starring you or this girl in marching band. but what i mean is she’s got an outlet at least. which is good. she’s good at it.

eddie…isn’t around too much anymore. he stays in his trailer most of the time which now reeks of weed and has music blasting 24/7. i will say though, he’s been playing a lot of smiths on his guitar. can you believe it?! eddie! the smiths! which brings me to reminding you that your “special friend” seems more than willing to wait.

i hope this reaches you. you don’t need to answer or anything. i just wanted you to know that i’m happy for you. and i’m proud of you. i like you more than the rest.

that random girl,

max

—

taggie waggies:

@wonderland-girl143-blog @callme-keys @kgne-k @hagbaby420 @24-7shipping @coolestjoy30 @v3lnys @sirbackpains @definitely-not-cereal-og @alienace @starlight-archer @eli-flower @luthienstormblessed @zerokrox-blog @awkotaco24 @sundead @vintgememry @adankrivervalleynearyou

#stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #robin buckley #max mayfield #dustin henderson #mike wheeler #nancy wheeler #lucas sinclair #stranger things fic #stranger things fanfic #stranger things fanfiction #steve harrington fanfic #fic wip

[jadeylovesmarvelxo]

Distance.

Summary; With the realisation that Eddie won't return her feelings, yn decides to move on. It doesn't matter how attached she has grown to him he will never feel the same.

Protecting her heart is what she needs to do, will Eddie finally realise how much he feels about her?

Warnings; Angst, manipulations

Likes or comments are always welcome and appreciated ❤ I don't give anyone permission to copy my work.

❤

For a few months now since growing close to Eddie and joining Hellfire Club, yn had begun to fall for the handsome metalhead.

He was kind, sweet and nothing like the rumours around the school made him out to be ( mostly told by that asshole Jason )

The crushing realisation that he didn't feel the same came when he began to crush on Chrissy and they struck up a friendship.

Chrissy was a sweetheart and lovely to Eddie but that crush fizzled out quick and now Eddie had turned his attention to a girl called Dianne.

They had been dating for a few weeks and every time yn saw them together her heart would break and she felt that sting of unrequited love.

Because to Eddie, she was his pal, one of the guys and not someone he would find appealing.

Dianne was pretty, smart and in a band which Eddie frequently gushed about.

Dianne also didn't like her very much and spent most of the time glaring at her or giving her snide looks while draped around Eddie or while she kissed him.

It was obvious Dianne knew how she felt and was making it clear that Eddie would never be interested and to get over him.

Then she put it into blunt words one day while Eddie was setting up for Hellfire and Dianne sidled up beside her before she could head in and the way she looked sent yn's heart racing.

It was a mix of anger and pity.

"Sweetie, this little crush on Eddie? You know everyone in Hellfire knows right? It's kinda pathetic crushing on him when he's with me. Don't ya think?"

Dianne says it so sweetly but with steel in her tone.

It's then that yn begins to look at how she has been acting over the last month. It wasn't cool to visibly crush so hard on someone that was taken and she knew it.

Shit did Eddie know and he was too embarrassed or just to kind to let her down gently?

Dianne sniffs and a few tears leak out and she feels mortified.

"Why can't you get it in your head that Eddie isn't interested? It's so sad for you sweetie, why do you want to be second best, don't you want to protect yourself from such embarrassment? Distance yourself?"

Second best. The word sticks in her mind. That's all she ever would be in this situation and she knows all she will end up is heartbroken.

Every day Dianne will rub it in her face more and more and The Hellfire boys would think she was pathetic.

She didn't want to be embarrassed and heartbroken, she had to protect her heart.

"Dianne you joining us tonight babe? Sweetheart?" Dianne brightens as Eddie approaches them, tears gone and she giggles.

"Of course, Eddie poo" feeling sick at what Dianne has said she turns to Eddie.

"I have to go, uh. Robin needs me and Nancy" she makes an excuse up quickly and misses the way Eddie's face falls as she rushes out.

She also misses the triumphant smirk on Dianne's face.

❤

Distancing herself was harder than she ever thought possible. She had created a routine with Hellfire, it made her feel wanted and accepted.

Now she didn't know where she belonged.

Robin and Nancy were great helps, so much so that through Nancy she discovered a love for writing again and joined Nancy working on the school newspaper.

It didn't clash with Hellfire which she didn't want to give up entirely as she loved D&D.

It did keep her mind off Eddie though and extremely busy throughout the school weeks, she still attended Hellfire meetings but didn't hang around after like she used to.

Eddie approached her as she was working on a news story with Nancy about Hawkins's fall festival this year.

"Hey, sweetheart?" she peers up and smiles at Eddie the smile slipping from her face when she sees Dianne at the Hellfire table looking furious.

It's not like she could avoid Eddie entirely. She gets Dianne hated her because of her feelings for Eddie but Dianne was the one who was in Eddie's affections, not her.

"Hi" he takes a seat and looks at her confused, glancing at the Hellfire table then back at her.

"You don't sit with us anymore. It's been two weeks. I miss... Hellfire misses you" she pauses and feels her heart skip a beat.

Was he about to say that he missed her?

"Sorry, Eds I've been so busy working on the newspaper. I never miss a tournament though so it's not like I don't see you".

He pouts and it's so cute and that coupled with his big brown eyes is adorable.

"You don't hang around after Hellfire now, can't remember the last time we hung out just the two of us" he sounds hurt and her heart tugs.

Nancy who isn't affected by Eddie's puppy dog look rolls her eyes.

"Eddie, do you mind we are on a deadline" Eddie nods still looking sad and she watches him go feeling rotten about everything.

She gets up to go and apologise to Eddie and approaches the table.

"Eddie" Dianne glares at her and before she can get a word in, Dianne stands up and begins to sob.

"Babe?" Eddie asks baffled by her sudden mood swing and Dianne points to her and says loudly.

"It's her Eddie, she has been sneaking about trying to break us up! I told her to back off, it's so obvious she has a crush on you and it's such an embarrassment"

Eddie stops dead in his tracks, Dustin and Gareth glare at Dianne and her heart cracks in two.

Eddie finally coming to his senses turns to her stunned.

"You have feelings for me?" With the whole school looking in on the conversation she feels sick with embarrassment and flees before Eddie can break her heart.

❤

Steve senses her mood as soon as she heads into Family Video. He gives her a big hug and chats her ear off about his latest dates

"She is super sweet but Kaitlyn is cute and I don't know what one to choose, help me out here honey?" He pouts and can't help but giggle at his overdramatics as he flops on the floor exhausted.

"Steve, date the one you like the most" he gets up and sighs.

"But both are sweethearts but both want just sex and I'd like more than that you know? he softens. How are you holding up? With the cafeteria fiasco?"

She shrugs.

"Totally embarrassed. That's why I went home and then hid out here, I know I shouldn't have feelings for Eddie but did Dianne really need to embarrass me like that?"

Steve scowls.

"No, she didn't honey, come on. It's getting late, I can drive you home"

❤

Eddie's mind was in turmoil, yn had feelings for him? How the fuck did he never notice?

Duetin, Gareth and honestly most of Hellfire took yn's side instead of Diannes after the lunch fiasco as they were furious that she was embarrassed like that.

So was he. Saying it to him was one thing but the whole school? It was too far.

He thought he was happy but something had changed for a while now before all of this and he didn't know what? It had been driving him crazy.

What the hell does he say to yn too? His thoughts were a mess.

As he passes Family Video he notices yn and Steve walk out together and Steve's jacket hangs around yn's shoulders as he wraps his arms around her.

The image imprints in Eddie's mind. Did she run to Steve for consoling and Harrington decided he was the better man for her?

Had Eddie lost a chance that he didn't know he had? Why did he feel so fucking wrecked inside?

Maybe because he loved yn too and like a fool he didn't realise it until the last second.

And now he was too late.

#eddie munson angst #eddie munson x y/n

[eyesofshinigami]

Leave It All Behind

Rating: G

CW: None

Tags: Established relationship, fluff, new beginnings

Prompt: For @acasualcrossfade "Love is having hope for the future together"

WC: 1112

Written for @steddielovemonth Day 12

Steve stands in the middle of his empty bedroom, hands on his hips, trying to untangle the knot of emotions in the pit of his stomach. He’s not sure how to feel; as much as he hates this house and its shadows on the wall, it was still home for most of his life. They made some good memories here. Late night movies with Robin, hosting Hellfire for the club, and he and Eddie’s first time right there where the bed used to be. 

But, on the other hand, he can’t wait to get out of this place. Not just the house, but this town; he struggled with the idea for a long time, feeling like he was abandoning the kids, but they called him on that pretty early on. Now that the gates were closed and the Upside Down had collapsed in on itself, El promised that there was nothing else they had to worry about. No more fighting. No more saving the world.

They could just be people again. 

Steve’s not entirely sure he remembers how. When he thinks of his life over the last four years, it’s mostly a blur of blood and nightmares that have left him a little changed, a little broken. He knows things and sees things that he would never wish upon another human being, and most days it feels like he would never be free of the marks it has left on him.

But. But. 

The car is packed. Eddie’s van has been sold, since it would be too big to drive in the city. Their whole lives have been taped in boxes to bring with them to the apartment waiting for him and Eddie in Chicago, along with Eddie’s record store job and Steve’s waiting teaching program. 

Now he just has to say goodbye.

“You okay in here, Stevie?” Eddie calls from the doorway, his footsteps light across the beige carpeting. “What’s on your mind?”

Steve sighs. “Just not sure how to feel. I hated this place, but it also…” he trails off, not sure how to put it into words. It’s complicated.

“It kind of feels like letting go of something important?” Eddie finishes for him. Of course Eddie would be able to find what Steve was trying to say. Months of living out of each other’s pocket and loving each so thoroughly tends to do that to people. “I get it. As much as I would love to see Hawkins burn to the ground in a blaze of unholy glory… I think I would actually be sad about it.”

Steve can’t help his chuckle. “Yeah. I’ll just be glad to get gone, you know? Leave this place behind once and for all.”

Eddie wraps his arms around Steve from behind, pulling his body into a gentle sway. They’re about the same height, but feeling Eddie pressed against his back like that always makes Steve feel small and loved and cared for. “Going to be a whole new world, baby boy. Just you and me and the Big City! And, you know, maybe Robin and Nancy when they can make it down.”

That idea settles something inside Steve. Robin and Nancy are heading to Boston, three days after he and Eddie hit the road. The kids will only be a four hour drive away, practically nothing in the grand scheme of things. They’ll be fine without him, he knows, and he’s glad that thought doesn’t make him want to curl up and die anymore. 

“I can’t wait to do this with you,” Steve whispers into the empty room, turning around in Eddie’s arms so that he can rub their noses together. This wasn’t the life he had planned on having, but he’s so grateful that he gets to have it. He never thought he would find happiness and peace in someone like Eddie; frankly, he never thought he’d find it at all. He had spent so long convinced that he was going to be just like his dad, angry and bitter and mad at the world because he was trapped in a life he didn’t want but thought he had to live. 

Not Steve. He shed that shit the moment that demogorgon came after them in the Byers house, slowly shaping into the person he is now. A person moving to Chicago to start a life with the man he loves more than life itself, who is planning on being a teacher and starting a garden on their little rooftop. 

A person he can be proud of. A person he can learn to love like Eddie does.

“And I can’t wait to do this with you, baby. No one else I’d rather do this with. The words are whispered against Steve’s lips, like a secret just for the two of them, even if they both tend to wear their love on their sleeves. “Just think, in like… ten hours, we’ll be unpacked in our new place and we can break in our new bed tonight. Scare the neighbors, you know?” Eddie grins against his mouth.

Steve rolls his eyes and shoves him back, even if he loves the pleasant little shiver Eddie’s words produce. Their place. Their bed. Their life together. “Come on, you menace. Let’s go say our goodbyes and get this show on the road.” 

They walk down the stairs hand in hand, after Steve gives one last silent farewell to this room, this place. One day he’ll be able to put it away, fold the memory of this place up like a letter and hide it in the back of his drawer, never to think about it again. Today? Today he lets it hurt, just a little. 

They give hugs and kisses and noogies to the assembled crowd that’s here to see them off. Their going away party had been the night prior, a perfect send off that had Steve crying into Eddie’s shoulder when they went to bed in Eddie’s trailer for the last time. It was perfect, all that he could ask for. 

It’s not forever, but it’s definitely time. Steve’s ready. 

He climbs into the driver’s seat and gets settled in, giving a few more last minute waves as Eddie climbs in on the other side. He starts the car and pulls down the driveway, trying to swallow the lump growing in his throat. 

It hurts, but in a good way. Kind of like the way a healing bruise feels when you flex the skin. Painful, but bearable. Especially when Eddie takes his hand and holds it over the console, squeezing it tight as they make their way out of Hawkins and into their future.

Together.

#les writes things #steddie #steddielovemonth #established relationship #rating: g

[girl-next-door-writes]

You Matter To Me

Characters: Steve Harington x reader

Summary: A shared moment before heading into the Upside Down where you and Steve both reflect on what is important.

Word Count: 1000 words

Prompt: You Matter To Me

A/N: I have been going through some ‘real world’ stuff recently and this song showed up on my radar again and despite the million fics I have to write I felt this needed to be written. It isn’t perfect, I couldn’t find all the words, but if you are reading this then I want you to know that you matter.

Nobody should have this much pressure placed on them, and yet he had taken it almost willingly. The role of leader, of protector, it weighed heavy on his shoulders, and although he hid it well, there were flashes of the truth hidden in those beautiful, soulful eyes; eyes you could happily get lost in, even on the worst days, perhaps especially on the worst days. Their warm richness comforting, even though the slivers of profound sadness swam in their depths. Each horror he had witnessed haunted him, words left unsaid and yet screaming as the two of you looked at each other. Insecurity, doubt, the fragility of his carefully crafted self-confident persona swam in those sad eyes, shattering your heart into a million pieces.

There were no words. The painful realization that nothing said could make things any better, caused a deep ache in your soul. Taking a seat beside him, you simply shuffled closer, tucking yourself into his side and slipping your hand into his. Interlacing your fingers, you looked down at your hands, silently vowing to stay right there by his side for as long as he would let you.

This beautiful boy had gotten under your skin, and although your emotions for him were largely undefined, he mattered to you. He was important. He was…irrevocably connected to you. How do you even begin to tell someone that? It isn’t as simple as those three overused words, and it was deeper than a romantic desire. You saw him, just as he truly was, and knew that he was enough, that your life was infinitely improved by his existence. Did he know that? Was he aware of how he touched everyone’s life? You felt an almost overwhelming desire to grip him by the shoulders and shake him until he understood that he was so much more than he believed; that he truly did matter. But instead, the two of you sat in silence, holding hands and watching the others preparing.

Steve stole a glance at you, allowing himself a moment to just be a nineteen-year-old boy, sitting holding hands with someone he cared about. It was a little addictive spending time with you. There was just something about the way you listened to him, like you heard all the parts he didn’t say out loud, and you didn’t think he was stupid or broken.

He had a close friendship with Robin, he adored his best friend, and then there were the ‘kids’, and Nancy; well, the Nancy thing was complicated. Now he also had Eddie… All these people depending on him, needing him to step up and take the lead. There was a part of him that wanted to run, to just get in his car and drive away from this hellhole and start over. If he’d gone to college then he wouldn’t be here for this shit, this would be someone else’s problem. The guilt of that thought gnawed at him and he subconsciously squeezed your hand. He was scared, but he knew he couldn’t turn his back, he would never forgive himself.

There was something different about this fight, a shadow in the back of his mind that said they might not all make it. Looking around at his friends, he felt his heart clench. They all mattered. Dustin would probably go on to cure some deadly disease or figure out a way for everyone to live on the moon or some shit. Lucas, he had a shot at becoming a pro athlete, if he focused. Nancy had a bright future as a journalist maybe, blowing the lid off government corruption and saving people… Each and every one of them had such potential to make a real difference in the world. The only person he could even consider disposable in the grand scheme of things, was himself. This might be the one thing, the moment where he might be of some importance, making sure the rest of them got through.

He was brought out of his thoughts by your head resting on his shoulder. It was such a small gesture but it grounded him, and he found himself leaning down, his cheek pressing against your hair as he closed his eyes.

“Steve?” Your voice was so quiet that he could easily have imagined that you had spoken.

“Yeah?”

“You matter to me. More than all this. More than most people.” Your words hung in the air between the two of you and he felt a tear roll down his cheek.

“Thanks.”

“I mean it. Don’t go doing anything ‘heroic’, because if something happens to you then I’m just gonna have to make a deal with the devil, or bring you back as a zombie or something, and then you’ll be screwed. You will feel my wrath.”

“Your wrath?” he chuckled, an eyebrow raising in amusement as he opened his eyes again.

“Yes, my wrath. I will be incredibly pissed at you for doing something so stupid, and for leaving me, and then making me learn voodoo so I can bring you back to yell at you.”

“Yeah, that does seem like it might be a bit of a hassle.”

“A major one. So, just promise me you will try your best to see me on the other side of all this because, for some fucked up reason Harrington, you really matter to me.”

“Okay.” He said softly, his fingers playing with yours as he took your words to heart. Turning his head slightly, he placed a gentle kiss to the top of your head and let out a deep sigh. “And, for the record, you matter to me too.”

You didn’t reply, you didn’t have to. It was obvious that the feelings between the two of you were simultaneously infinitely complex and so simple. Hopefully there would be time to explore each and every nuance of what it meant to matter to each other, but for now, Steve was content to just sit beside you and feel.

#Steve Harrington #Steve Harrington x reader #gndw fic

[anarcoqueer1994]

It all started a few weeks before Thanksgiving. They had all had been hanging out in the Wheeler's basement, the kids going on about their upcoming Thanksgiving break and what they were going to do during it. Dustin had brought up how much he loves this time of year because his mom makes the best Turkey. This quickly devolved into everyone discussing their Thanksgiving day plans.

The Wheelers had family coming into town, Robin was going to her grandma's, The Byers/Hopper family was having a little dinner on their own, etc. Everyone was spending time with their families, even Eddie mentioning that he and Wayne have a little dinner, and watch football together(despite Eddie not loving the sport, he didn’t mind it with Wayne.)

Steve, though, stayed quiet, not adding to the conversation, sometimes nodding as people spoke excitedly about their plans. Eddie notices that Steve doesn't say anything, because of course he does. He won't admit it, but he notices almost everything Steve does. He can't help it, he has it hard for the guy. But he keeps that to himself, there is no way Steve Harrington is into guys, let alone him.

He turns to Steve, "How about you, big boy?" He smiles. "What are you doing? Are your parents making you go to some big fancy Thanksgiving dinner?"

Steve's face waivers momentarily into a look of sadness, a blink and you miss it kind of thing. But Eddie saw. He saves that to the back of his head. Steve though recovered, an easy look about his face, speaking nonchalantly. Well practiced. "Nah, man. They go on vacation every year, so I just have a day to myself."

Eddie can't help to think that Steve Harrington seems to have a lot of days to himself, always being alone in that big house. It hurts to know that even on a holiday, that seems to be true. In reality, Steve's parents have never spent Thanksgiving with him, when he was younger, leaving with a nanny, and since he was 14, leaving him alone. They excused it as needing some couple time, as thier other trips without him were business trips. Steve stopped complaining to them at the age of 9, accepting they didn't care to spend time with him.

Eddie tries to match Steve's nonchalant tone, everyone staring at Steve with his revelation that even the holidays, Mr. and Mrs. Harrington were gone. Noone bothered to ask before, leading to guilt in some of thier faces, particularly Robin and Nancy. Eddie says "I mean, you can always come to my place. I'm sure Wayne wouldn't mind."

Steve shifts uncomfortablly, he looks around seeing the guilt and pity in everyone's face, hating that the attention is now on him. The last thing he wanted was to impose on someone else. He is supposed to take care of all of them, not the other way around. And now, the boy he is secretly in love with is inviting him over out of some sense of pity. He didn't want that.

"Ah...um thanks, Munson. But I'm good. I'm used to it, we never spend it together." He smiles. Eddie wants to push, knows Steve is not good, but also knows enough that Steve is stubborn, he is not going to budge. So he just nods his head and adds "Okay...well the offer is there if you change your mind."

That doesn't mean that he doesn't secretly hope that Steve will accept one of the million offers that come to him over the next few weeks. Everyone couldn't believe Steve was spending Thanksgiving alone. Even Mike tried to convince them to come over to the Wheeler's house. But every single offer, from every single person is turned down. Steve didn’t want to impose. But Eddie could see with every offer, Steve wanted to accept, a little light in his eye, but everytime it seemed like he talked himself out of it.

But that's something he noticed about Steve. Steve didn’t want to accept help, acted like he didn't deserve it. But Steve was always willing to help any of them. It killed him he couldn't help him in return, especially when Steve looked like he wanted it.

Thats how he ended up calling an emergency group meeting a few days before the holiday, minus Steve.

~~

It was Thanksgiving day. Steve sat in front of the TV, still in his sweatpants and T-shirt he fell asleep in, his hair still messy from bedhead. He didn't even have his contacts in, wearing his glasses, it's not like he was going to see anyone, anyways.

He thinks about the numerous invitations he recieved the last few weeks. Maybe he should have accepted, maybe he wouldn't feel like such shit right now. But he couldn’t take thier pity. No one really wants him around for a family holiday, heck even his own family doesn't want to be around him.

He is terrified that if he lets himself be vulnerable, allow himself to accept help, be anything other than reliable, helpful to others, they will see how useless he really is.

He is worried that one day his tricks won't work anymore, and people won't need him, and they will get bored of him. Throw him away. Despite his best efforts, he feels a tear slip down his cheek. He doesn't want to feel this.

He decides he is just going to pop one of his mother's sleeping pills, and sleep off the rest of the holiday. Tomorrow he can go back to being useful, shuttle the kids around, pretend they'll always need him.

Just as he gets up to head to the medicine cabinet, he hears a bang at the door. He freezes wondering who can be here on Thanksgiving. He thinks about ignoring it, hoping they will go away.

But then he hears a familiar voice on the other side. "Open up, Harrington! I know you're here, I seen the Beemer in the driveway!" Eddie.

What is he doing here? Steve starts making excuses in his head, as he goes to the door, ready to reject any last minute invitations Eddie is trying to push. He opens the door and starts "Eddie, I told you, I'm fi..." He stops when he looks out at who is infront of him.

Eddie is holding a case of beer, while everyone in the party (kids and adults alike) stands behind him holding various side dishes. Even Wayne, Hopper, and Joyce are there, Joyce holding a full Turkry. Eddie clears his throat "Well, you going to let us in or what? It would be such a waste of food if you don't. " Eddie stays cool, even as his brain malfunctions seeing Steve Harrington with messy hair and glassess.

Steve is dumbfounded, silently stepping aside so they can all come him. Robin stops and gives him a hug, carefully balancing the pie in her hands. He whispers "What about your grandma?"

She smiles "Thought it would be more fun hanging out with this family instead."

He can't help but feel touched "Thanks, Rob."

"Don't thank me, this was Eddie’s idea. For some reason, he couldn't let this go." She winks, knowing about Steve's crush on Eddie. Steve blushes in response. Robin walks off to join the others in the dining room, where they are setting up the food.

Steve knows he can't fight this, they are already here, may as well enjoy it. He goes to the kitchen, getting out 15 plates, silverware, cups, etc. He hears someone coming up behind him.

"Need any help, big boy? Eddie’s voice is soft.

"Uh, yeah. Can you take these plates out?" Steve asks, words he wants to say trapped behind his teeth.

"Sure." Eddie gives him an uncharacteristically soft smile. As he turns around with the plates in hand, he feels a soft pull on his sleeve. "Eddie, wait." Steve sounds sheepish.

"What is it?" He turns back around.

"Why...why did you do this? It's not like it was that important. I told you I was fine. " Steve is looking down now, eyes on his socks.

Eddie lets out a breath through his nose before setting the plates back down. He gently reaches for Steve’s chin, pushing his face up so he can look at him and see all the pain and confusion in Steve’s eyes. He gently moves his hand to Steve's cheek, noticing how Steve instinctively leans into the touch.

"Because, you were lying and I could tell. No one should be without their family on the holidays...and I'm you family now. We all are. We love you, I love you. So yeah, it was important. You're important, Stevie..."

The name slips out as Eddie notices the glassy look in Steve’s eyes. Steve whispers "Thanks, Eddie..." Steve puts his hand over Eddie’s hand resting on his cheek. Eddie notices the way Steve's eyes flick down to his lips and then back up.

This gives Eddie all the courage he needs to lean in and softly place a kiss on Steve's lips. He pulls back slightly to see Steve's reaction, relief covering him when Steve smiles back at him, moving his own hands to the small of Eddie’s neck, pulling him into another gentle kiss.

He rests his forehead against Eddie’s. "Happy Thanksgiving, Eds."

"Happy Thanksgiving, Sweetheart. "

#stranger things fanfiction #steddie fanfic #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #robin buckly #the party #stranger things #thanksgiving

[inklessletter]

The Pause

I am going to introduce you to this dynamic, that I would very much like you to consider: The Pause.

Karen taught Nancy about The Pause when she was ten because she suspected Nancy was going through a hard time at school. The Pause was half a little game, half a trust promise. The rules were simple: The Pause would start when they lifted both feet from the ground. When they did that, Karen explained, time stopped for them to take out of their chests whatever was bugging them, and as long as the game was going on, they could say anything (even swearing!) to feel better, and after The Pause finished (when their feet were on the ground again), whatever they said during that time will not ever be approached again. No judgment, no hard felings. Just release.

Nancy had The Pause present during all her life, because speaking her mind wasn't always easy. She would learn soon enough that speaking up wasn't the hard part; getting heard was.

Anyway, she found herself spreading The Pause. She used it with Mike once or twice. During those moments, Nancy recalled, it was when they got along better. Sad thing they never talked about it later.

Mike had taught The Pause to Lucas, who eventually, taught it to Max in an attempt to talk to her when she was at her worst.

Nancy used it with Steve after their first encounter with the demogorgon, and it was, by far, the one who was most affected by The Pause. She had been at Steve's a few times by then. She knew he didn't have anyone to talk to about his feelings, or what he had gone through, so she taught him The Pause.

That was when Steve fell in love with her.

Then she taught The Pause to Jonathan in Murray's place, and that's when they both learned about their true feelings.

Later on, he would use The Pause with Will, who, a few years later, taught it to El.

Steve taught The Pause to several people, though. The first time he used it, it was before the Snow Ball. He wasn't expecting Claudia mentioning his dad, and everything went downhill from that. They sat in the bed before doing his hair, and they talked about shitty dads, and unrequited crushes with the same girl.

That was the second time Steve fell in love using The Pause.

The next summer, in camp, right before confessing to Suzie, Dustin used The Pause, which gave him strength to do so. Suzie found it cute enough to actually give him his first kiss.

When they first started working in Family Video, Steve learned that maybe Nancy's legacy was the best thing he got from her. He sat on the counter a lazy day and told Robin about The Pause when he saw her weirded than normal, and she obliged and told about her identity issues. She also mentioned that the weirdest thing about that is the fact that she was starting to believe that Steve Harrington was his platonic soulmate, and she was afraid to tell him because he might break her heart if he didn't feel the same.

That was the third time.

Steve taught The Pause once more, to Eddie. They sat on his kitchen countertop, and there was a whole space between them, when Eddie told that he couldn't believe that he actually was ready to die, and he didn't know what to do with that now that he didn't. Eddie told him that he was scared that he'd gave up his place in the world, and now the world wouldn't give his spot back. Eddie told him that he was as afraid to leave as he was to stay in Hawkins, because he was starting to believe that he was falling in love with this hot jackass that was making him using a communication system that implied that they were not going to talk about it anymore in the future.

Steve broke The Pause to walk the space between them and kiss him, because those feelings were not meant to be approached just once in theit life. He needed them to be real, so he could say Steve that he loved him for the rest of his life.

That was the fourth, and the last time he fell in love using The Pause.

Funny thing is, The Pause was now a secret dynamic that everyone in the group knew, but Nancy wasn't aware by that, until The Pause came back to her.

And it came from Robin.

Robin taught Nancy The Pause when they run accidentally into each other a random night in a park, in late 1986. Robin knew something was wrong with her, so she took her to the swings and asked her to lift her feet from the ground. Then, Robin explained Nancy The Pause rules, who listened attentively, not fully believing what was happening. She considered to come clean and tell Robin that she knew about The Pause, that her mom taught her when she was a kid, but she left that unsaid. Instead, Nancy talked about how she felt that her relationship with Jonathan was going nowhere, and she was afraid that they were making each other miserable. She also told Robin about that she might have developed feelings towards another person. Towards a girl. Robin told her that she liked girls, too. Nancy told Robin that she was scared about that part of herself. Robin said that she got it, but it wasn't that scary once you surrounded yourself with the right people.

They held hands there.

That was the first time Nancy fell in love using The Pause.

#stranger things #stobin #steddie #ronance #the pause #inklessletter #ficlet #fic #fanfic

[greyghoulclub]

It’s gonna be fine (HG relay fic)

Thank you to @writer-in-theory for passing the baton to me! Thank you to @harringrove-relay-race for hosting this event!

It was a death wish, heading into the upside down on his own. Steve knew this but he had to do it. He had to make sure, make sure that Billy was gone. To let himself grieve and move on, move on from Hawkins, from the dumb kid he used to be. He’d told no one that he was doing this in case they tried to stop him. Stepping out of the Harrington house late at night, with a flashlight and his baseball bat, Steve headed into the woods behind his house.

The woods at night were creepy enough, but Steve’s brain was working overtime to psych himself out of doing what he was doing. It felt as if his brain was at war with his heart. Logically, he knew Billy was most likely dead. His heart didn’t want to believe it though, hoping against the inevitable that Billy was somehow alive. He jumped at any small noise, whether a twig snapping underneath his shoe or an animal rummaging in the darkness.

“Just keep moving Steve,” he muttered to himself.

Eventually, he reached the portal in the trees, it was perpetually open now, since the earthquake in Hawkins. An eerie red glow illuminated the trees around him, everything was completely silent in this part of the woods, apart from the almost tide-like noise of the portal, it was like the thing was alive and had a pulse. Steve steeled his nerves, almost three years of dealing with all this shit and it still scared him, but also gave him an adrenaline rush. He wasn’t sure which one was worse.

He stepped into the world full of monsters, his only source of light was his flashlight and the occasional flash of red lightning. From where he was, he was still in the woods, remembering the route he had taken with Robin, Nancy, and Eddie to what was Lover’s Lake in this bizzaro version of Hawkins. He was heading in the opposite direction, towards the ruins of Starcourt Mall, the last place he had seen Billy.

Coming out of the woods, he saw the upside down’s version of his house, just as quiet and unlived as it was in the normal Hawkins. It was sad in a way, even in this nightmare version of Hawkins the Harrington house was still empty. Nevertheless, Steve carried on through into the town.

This part of not-Hawkins had more monsters roaming about, forcing Steve to take a more roundabout way. Demodogs and the taller, more humanoid ones, what did Dustin call them? Demo… Demogorgons. That’s it, demogorgons. The faceless monsters roamed these streets more freely, feeding on the weaker ones and fighting over territory. Steve needed to be extremely careful and not make any noise to attract them, or else he’d never make it to Starcourt. Most of them had converged on Main Street, where the larger ones were taking their share of a dead demogorgon’s flesh. So if Steve took the left off of Cherry Oak Street and took the route to the community pool, he could get to the mall without being seen. Easy enough right? The monsters were too interested in their dinner to pay attention to anything else, and Steve easily slipped by into Cherry Oak Street. Nice and easy right?

Abandoned cars littered the streets, some with the windows smashed in, some overturned with the suspension ripped out. Some were just straight up on fire. The overturned cars made good hiding spots if any demodogs came snuffling by, Steve figured the smell of motor oil would cover up his scent, although some demodogs did nearly discover him. Luckily for him, the motor oil and the smell of burning drove them away. He still didn’t feel safe as he slowly made his way through the street, looking over his shoulder every other moment. It was too quiet, all of his instincts were screaming at him to get out of there. Run like his life depended on it.

But he had to be patient, lest he become a demogorgon’s dinner.

A booming flash of red lightning sounded in the sky, all of it relegating to one place, the Starcourt Mall. Something must be happening there. Could it be the Mindflayer? No it can’t be right? They killed it last year. Billy sacrificed himself to save them all. Steve could still remember Billy’s agonised screams as the Mindflayer’s claws pierced his flesh. Steve knows Billy did it to save everyone but, but he regretted not being able to get Billy out of there before the mall went on fire. At least then he could’ve been buried properly.

Still he slowly soldiered on, moving towards the wreckage of the mall. The roof was cracked open like an eggshell. Twisted pieces of metal exposed to the sky. Billy’s totalled Camaro was in the foreground, the windscreen cracked and the engine still steadily burning. That car had been Billy’s pride and joy, it was sad to see it in such a state.

A flash of movement from within the mall caught Steve’s attention. Too big to be a demodog, too small to be a demogorgon. Steve’s heart wanted it to believe it was Billy, but there was also a chance that it wasn’t and Steve was just walking to his death. Which sometimes, if he was being really honest with himself, didn’t sound too bad.

Steve entered the dilapidated building, taking in the wreckage that was caused last summer. Shopfronts destroyed, the plants torn from their pots at the root, shattered glass and neon tubes everywhere. He chuckled when he caught sight of the Scoops Ahoy building with the sign hanging off the wall. Those sailor uniforms had been ridiculous. But he still was sure he’d seen something moving in here. Steve wasn’t sure if he was seeing things but he was sure he saw a flash of dirty blonde hair.

He wandered through the lower levels of the mall, not daring to go upstairs in case it was unstable. Nothing seemed to be in here except maybe a dust bunny rolling through. It was too quiet and Steve didn’t like it. He felt like he was being watched, or maybe he was just being paranoid but his grip tightened on his nail bat.

His brain told him he was right to be paranoid when he got tackled from behind. His bat fell from his hand and landed somewhere on the floor. Whatever had gotten him was strong, managing to get him into a headlock. It looked humanoid, from skin that looked like it was once tanned, veins that looked a darker blue than usual popped from the skin. But the voice. The voice was familiar.

“What are you doing here pretty boy?”

“Billy? Let go of me, I’m here to help you.” Steve struggled against Billy’s grip. Even though he was taller, Billy was stronger, managing to hold Steve down.

Billy laughed mirthlessly. “You’re here to help me? Why didn’t you help me when I was possessed by the Mindflayer then?” Billy put more pressure against Steve’s throat and roared at him to answer.

Steve didn’t really have a good answer for him, his best bet was that he didn’t know he was possessed. That didn’t seem to please Billy much.

“You didn’t know? Really? That’s your excuse?” Billy sounded hurt. As if Steve had told his biggest secrets. Even though after their fight at the Byers’s house after Halloween, they had started to become maybe-friends over the Christmas break, both stuck in Hawkins with nothing to do. They’d settled some differences over shared packs of cigarettes and shitty beer from the Pay’n’Go. But what could Steve say? He wasn’t entirely privy to the kid’s Upside Down plans.

“I’m not saying this to save my neck. I genuinely didn’t know you were possessed by the Mindflayer. I was busy being beaten up by Russian soldiers trying to open a gate to this hellhole because they thought I was part of the Navy from my work uniform.”

Billy couldn’t help but laugh at that. It was so ridiculous that it couldn’t be anything other than the truth. He let go of Steve in his fit of laughter.

“True those uniforms were ridiculous, how the hell would they think you were Navy?”

Steve would have laughed too if he wasn’t catching his breath.

“Uh sorry, I thought you were him,” Billy replied sheepishly, “he’s mega pissed that you guys destroyed the Creel House by the way.”

“Who Vecna? Yeah we figured, but I’m just here to get you out of here if you want me to.” Steve offered a hand to Billy, the olive branch for him nearly choking Steve to death.

“But everyone thinks I’m dead.” Billy looked sceptic about Steve’s offer, like it was too good to be true. “Why would they believe it’s me and not a monster. What about Max?”

It tugged at Steve’s heartstrings to hear Billy sound so concerned about Max, also because he probably has no idea what’s happened with her. And Steve dreads telling Billy about it.

“Something is wrong with Max, I don’t know why but I can feel something is wrong. Please Steve, tell me, is Max ok?” Billy’s tone was so desperate, Steve really wanted to lie and tell Billy that Max was fine. But he knew Billy wouldn’t appreciate being lied to.

“Max… she got targeted by Vecna. She’s in the hospital right now, in a coma. If she survives she’ll probably be blind for the rest of her life.”

Steve held Billy close as the tears fell. Letting Billy go through the motions of it all. Trying to placate Billy by saying that it’s all gonna be fine but it felt insincere since Steve couldn’t really believe that himself.

“You’re right though, it’s gonna be fine, I’ll make it fine. For Max.” Billy’s voice was still shaky but with a determined tone. “She’ll need her big brother right?”

“Yeah, she will. So you wanna get out of here?”

“Yeah.”

Now I’m passing it over to @manwrre!

#harringrove #billy hargrove #harringrove relay race #greyghoul fics

[rosewaterandivy]

Part 3. hopelessly hopeful

Summary: Rumor has it, that hometown hero-turned-teacher Steve Harrington is hot for teacher. The English teacher next door to him at Hawkins High, who also happens to be his childhood friend, that is.

Pairing: Steve Harrington x chaotic!dumbass reader

Warnings: no use of y/n - reader goes by Trouble instead, depictions of heartbreak/grief, cursing, pop-punk slander by one Eddie Munson, Thanksgiving mention, protective!robin, scheming!nancy, sad girl hours continue

A/N: Modern!Teacher AU, English teacher reader, History teacher Steve, slow burn, friends to lovers, romance. Here’s 3.7K of multi-perspective tension, sexual and otherwise; feedback and reblogs are appreciated, enjoy!

series masterlist | playlist

previous || next

Then - Fall term, Thanksgiving break

There’s only so many days you can sulk in bed. Wrapped in a blanket swaddle of your own creation, it’s almost impressive; everything you could possibly need is within reach – snacks, drinks, and entertainment options. 

“You alright?”

It’s cold.

Winter has well and truly arrived in Hawkins, frost dusting the windowpanes and an ever-present chill in the air. Brief winter winds hit the town, snow flurries dusting the streets but never enough to stick. Still too early in the season for that.

You bundle up all over - two pairs of woolen socks, a sweatshirt stolen from god knows who, and too-long sweatpants snatched from Steve or Eddie, a quilt gracing your shoulders like a cape. Your friends try not to chide your melancholy overmuch, but the stubborn part of you still misses him.

Miss his eyes. His hands. The steadying effect of his voice.

Barely a month out and you’re already slipping. Eddie took it upon himself to delete your ex’s number, socials, and whatever other vestiges of your past life he could find from your phone. Some nights you’re thankful for his pre-emptive measures, most nights you’re not.

You spend most of your weekend mornings sleeping in as late as your body would allow because any moment awake was another moment that your mind will wander back to him. You feel ripped asunder, oscillating between accepting the fact that your engagement and relationship is over, and then letting yourself grow frustrated for allowing yourself to fall into this trap in the first place.

You wish you had never said yes to him last December. Never gone to that party back in college, never given him your number, never kissed him, never made love to him. You still ache to think of him, and you can only blame yourself.

Under a heavy spare quilt (Steve’s, naturally), you shiver. Due to the cold or your heartbreak, who's to say?

Eddie heaves a sigh and joins you on the couch. “Okay, sad girl,” he says, curling you to his side. He’s gentle handling you, warm hands tucking the blanket around your prone body with light touches. You’ve been lying immobile on the couch for the better part of the morning, long enough to make it through Bladerunner: 2049 without falling asleep.

They’re all understandably concerned.

You cry at the drop of a hat now, it seems. You throw things in frustration and have a quicker temper. You stare viciously at the black hole of your phone screen. You adamantly refuse to look at yourself mirrors. You sleep fitfully at night, tossing and turning against the sofa in the loft. Only admitting defeat when Steve pads in and sleepily leads you to his room with slurred murmurs of “Jus’ take my bed, honey. S’fine.” 

You hate that you sleep best curled alongside someone else. 

And Eddie’s all the more concerned because he’s been keeping an eye on your Spotify activity. Too many emo playlists from high school for comfort. He’d nearly staged an intervention when he walked past your classroom yesterday and heard something off of From Under the Cork Tree. Luckily Steve was able to talk him off the ledge.

“Look, I know you don’t approve,” he said pulling Eddie into his classroom by the back of his shirt, “But I know that when she listens to this song–”

“The fact that you know it is cause for concern, Harrington.”

“Uh, it’s more concerning that you know this song, Munson.” He huffs and runs a hand through his disheveled hair. ”Regardless,” he pats Eddie’s shoulder, “She’s trying to move on and that’s a good thing, trust me.”

And sure, he’d give Steve the benefit of the doubt. But he still has half a mind to scrub your Spotify data and start from scratch. For now, he settles for sitting with you as the opening credits roll for the first film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, extended edition, of course.

Nancy did it on purpose, but she’d never admit it. 

Just booked the AirBnB she’d been eyeing after you’d mentioned, casually, that your parents would be in California with extended family for the holiday. You’d bailed to avoid any uncomfortable questions. 

Friendsgiving it was then. Nancy and Jonathan would join the rest of you the day after Thanksgiving for a belated celebration. Until then, you had the cabin to yourselves. 

A little cabin by tucked away in a forest, earth damp from the mist and air fresh with the scent of petrichor. The car slows to a stop and Eddie cuts the engine. Robin bounds out of the front seat, all flailing legs and arms, desperate to claim the best bed for herself.

You roll your head to release the tension in your neck and elbow open the backdoor to step out of the car. Steve jerks himself awake aided by the thunk of the trunk being slammed shut and Eddie’s whistling. You allow yourself a soft laugh watching as he rubs the sleep from his eyes, glasses forgotten in the mess of his hair.

Blinking blearily, he exited the vehicle to help Eddie load the groceries and luggage inside. Trying to outdo each other with how many bags they could carry with the least amount of trips. With a roll of your eyes, you follow them into the cabin taking care to wipe your shoes on the mat by the door.

Unfortunately, you were greeted by an unavoidable fact. Apparently, there weren’t enough beds. Four to be exact, two singles and two queens. Eddie and Robin had already taken the singles, while Nancy had specifically requested the room at the back of the cabin. Which only left the queen bed in the upstairs loft or the couch.

Quite the predicament.

You tell yourself that it’s only for a few days, then you’ll be back to Hawkins before you know it. Back to reality and the countdown to winter break. You just needed a little reprieve, a few hours drive from your small town and running into students at the grocery store. Some time and space to clear your head and get over this thing.

Taking a deep breath to settle yourself, and it’ll be fine. It’s just Steve. The guy you’ve known since you were in diapers, no reason to worry. He knows everything about you there is to know. Well, nearly everything. 

A sharp inhalation of air as you trudge up the steps to deposit your duffle bag on the bed. That’s it then, you and Steve would take the loft and suffer through a few days of close quarters.

Not like you hadn’t done it before.

You’d been through worse; the camping trip of 2015 comes to mind.

“Huh,” he says after shutting the front door, shoots you a grin from the first-floor landing. “I’ll just crash on the couch,” he declares, “Give you some space.”

“No, don’t do that.” 

“S’fine,” he insists, “I’m sure it’s comfortable enough.” He tosses his bag onto the sofa cushions, a plume of dust bursting from the fabric, motes lazily drifting through the receding evening sun. “Shit,” he coughs, hand waving the dust out of the air, “Maybe not.”

Your laughter is soft, quiet as if it’s just for him to hear. A shake of your head as you descend the stairs. “Not gonna happen Harrington,” and it’s a promise. 

You lean in slowly, hand warm against his arm as you slip the backpack over your shoulder and turn to go back upstairs. Your free hand links fingers with his to tug him along. He follows you willingly, like he always has.

“I don’t like it,” Robin whispers to Eddie after dinner, arms soaked to the elbow with soapy water while she washes the dishes and passes them off for drying. He hums, taking a plate from her before wiping it down with a dish towel. “This forced proximity thing is not going to work out the way Wheeler thinks it will.”

“C’mon Buckley, would it kill you to be an optimist here? Harrington’s your best friend, after all.”

“Exactly,” she nods, “Which is how I know that this whole thing,” she gestures wildly around, soap suds flying, “Is going to implode. And we’ll be left to pick up the pieces.”

Eddie shoves his tongue to his cheek in an effort not to refute Robin, even though he vehemently disagrees with her assessment of the situation. If he had to come down on someone’s side, it would be yours, without a doubt. Sure, you were sulky and sad but that was to be expected - you were mourning for fuck’s sake.

Though you were crashing at the loft until the end of the year, just until you could secure a short-term lease somewhere, when he got up for work in the mornings you were not on the sofa where he’d left you those nights before. In fact, the only thing that did remain was the quilt you’d salvaged from Steve’s bedroom.

And speaking of Steve, his door was unusually cracked open, a sliver of morning light flooding across the hallway. Soft rises and falls of conversation sound out from his room, echoes amplified in the corridor. Your bright laughter quickly shushed by Steve, the sound of rustling sheets.

Eddie smiles at the memory, setting the plate in the drying rack by the sink and turning to Robin. “I think it’s sweet,” he admits, “And I think they both need something to hold on to right now.” He leans back against the cramped kitchen’s counter, elbows bent and fingers wrapped under the edge. A shrug of acknowledgment, “Just so happens they’re holding on to each other.”

Robin sighs, knowing that he’s right. She subconsciously mimics Eddie’s posture, fingers gripping the edge of sink and eyes falling to the dishwater as she faces the basin. “I just–” she breathes, eyes flitting up to him, wary. “I’m afraid he’ll get hurt… hurt, again.”

She shakes her head and pulls the plug of the drain, water groaning its way down the old pipes. Keeps her voice low, whispering, “Eddie you’ve been there, he’s in this endless cycle with her.” She grabs the towel from him to dry her hands, “Just over and over again while she’s completely oblivious to it.”

He nods in sympathy, hand coming to her shoulder and giving a squeeze. “Rob, I get where you’re coming from. Really, I do.” He tongues his cheek once more, searching for the right words. “And as much as we care,” he gestures between them, “At the end of the day it’s still their choice.” He pulls her in for a hug, chin resting against her head.

Robin allows herself to lean on him, groaning as her head knocks against his chest. “They’re just such idiots Eds.”

She can feel the vibration of laughter from his chest, “They sure as shit are, Buckley.” He draws back, looks her in the eye, “Luckily for them, they’ve got us looking out for ‘em, hmm?”

“Yeah,” she grouses, with no real heat behind it, “Lucky.”

Steve has to all but drag you to bed, thanks in no part to the cans of hard kombucha Eddie kept sliding your way. “You’re such a punk,” you pout, completely limp in his arms as he schleps you upstairs, “Was havin’ a good time, don’t wanna sleep.”

“Right,” he grunts, dragging you up the final step into the loft, “I’m the bad guy because I stopped you from crushing cans against your skull.”

“Yeah,” Robin joins in, phone in hand as she documents what she calls ‘clown chronicles’ and Steve has half a mind to be offended at his inclusion; he may be slow on the draw but you are an actual fool, hand to god. “Why you gotta ruin my blackmail material Harrington?”

You hurumph in displeasure, purposefully wiggling to make his life even more difficult. He drops you on the wooden planks in retaliation. “Rude,” you scowl petulantly, struggling to get your arms and legs working again.

“Well, if you’re gonna be a brat about it…” Steve trails off, distracted by searching your luggage for pajamas. He makes his way through socks and pants, a shirt you swear you didn’t steal from him in college, “What the hell—“

A bark of laughter, as if you just remembered something, “Would you believe,” you can’t stop yourself from laughing, “I packed three coats and no pjs!”

Steve halts his search, annoyed. Drops the articles of clothing unceremoniously in the duffle bag. Turns to you, hands on his hips and disapproving, “You’re a walking disaster.”

In that time, you’d wedged yourself between the top of the second floor landing and the dresser, slumped against the wall and were, yup, about to tumble down the stairs. He grabs you around the middle, hefting you over his shoulder and praying you wouldn’t upchuck at the sudden movement. 

You giggle and squeal, legs kicking against his back and chest as he plops you down on the bed. He begins to peel the sweater from your torso as you bat his hands away with a lazy smile, “If you wanted in my pants Stevie, all you had to do was ask.”

Steve sputters at your innuendo, choking and coughing over his own spit like an absolute imbecile. Mutters, “Fuck you so much,” under his breath once he can think again.

“Atta girl!” Eddie shouts from the landing by the stairs, “Make him work for it, Trouble.”

“Not helping dumbass,” Steve calls out, hand scrubbing down his face tiredly. 

Eddie and Robin say their goodnights and make themselves scarce. Flopped back on the bed, he watches your breathing even out with the rise and fall of your chest. How did you fall asleep so quickly? 

“Hey, hey, hey,” Steve says, fingers snapping to wake you back up, “C’mon, gotta shower and get ready for bed.”

“No,” you whine, eyes screwed shut, “S’comfy and I’m tired.”

It’s hard to convince himself to rally and get you up again. Sprawled like a star-fish across the bed because you’re, yeah, an asshole who takes up the entire bed. His gaze is fond as you rustle against the sheets, breathes out a sigh of relief. 

He sits at the foot of the bed, knocks against your leg, “Hey, wake up.” A slow shake from your head that’s currently smushed into a pillow. “Mmm, that’s too bad,” he sighs, “Guess I’ll just go ahead and prepare a bath for myself then.”

Earlier, he’d noticed the upstairs bathroom had a nice clawfoot tub. And you are, if nothing, a slut for a good soak in the bath. It was the only way your family could convince you to go camping and backpacking in the summers, by dangling a stay at a hot spring or spa for the trip home.

Steve stands back up to really sell the idea, and wanders into the bathroom. Bless the AirBnB host because the sink and tub are well-stocked with every kind of toiletry you could want. Glass jars filled with various bath bombs ranging in color and scent, shower gels from Le Labo, and skincare from some brand called La Mer.

He turns the hot water faucet as far as it’ll go, because you like a bath “hotter than hell and twice as steamy.” Runs his fingers under the water, gauging the temperature and turning the cold water tap as he hears your footfalls against the tile. 

“Hey there, sleepyhead,” he says, winding an arm around your waist. Rolls a sleeve up to his elbow and plugs the drain deeming the temperature sufficient. 

Pulled against Steve’s side, you rub at your eyes and survey your surroundings. And, true to his word, it’s a fucking nice tub. Technically, it’s a tub/shower combo with an extendable shower head, a tasteful shower curtain pushed to one side of the basin. He nudges you to pick a bath bomb and tosses it in, colors melting into the water as it fills the tub.

“Not so bad, yeah?” 

Setting you back against the sink as you nod, Steve opens his dopp kit and grabs a toothbrush. You’re quiet as you watch him squeeze some toothpaste on the bristles and brush his teeth, his eyes meet yours in the mirror and he winks.

Easy laughter as he turns back to you, jaw holding the toothbrush in place while he helps you pull off your sweater and tosses it into the bedroom. Stumbling briefly, your palm lands against his chest where you can feel the warm beat of his heart. His brow raises, are you good?

A shake of your head, you shiver at the new sense of chill in the air, skin reeling from its loss of warmth. “Cold,” you supply with a small shrug. Gone was the buoyant, cozy happiness from dinner and the after-dinner drinks hour. A brief reprieve from your sadness that seemed to follow you like a little storm cloud. 

He finished brushing his teeth, arm guiding you along as if you’re a marionette doll and he’s the puppeteer. Not that you mind, his warm hands skating up and down your arms absentmindedly. He tucks his chin on your head and sighs.

“How d’ya wanna do this, honey?”

Reaching behind you, you quickly shut off the tap, steam from the tub dampening your arm. Hooking your thumbs in along the waist of your leggings you push the black fabric downward, hips canting from one side to the other. You feel his quick intake of breath before you hear it, the air stuttering in his lungs.

Hips successfully freed from their confines, you grip his shoulders once more to stabilize yourself. His hands settle safely at your waist, mouth open in a pant. “What do I—“

“If you could just—“ you both speak at the same time. Huffs of laughter as you compose yourself, “I’m gonna fall over if I have to wrestle these off myself.”

He swallows drily, willing his gaze not to wander too far down. “Kay, so I just—“

You chuckle, guiding his hands to the rucked up fabric at the tops of your thighs. Your fingers weave through his, thumbs leading him to the thick band. “Hook your thumbs in and tug.”

He nods dumbly, giving a cursory pull at the lycra and nylon weave. You sway at the effort, uneasy on your feet, palms steadying themselves against his shoulders. 

Standing as stark still as you could, you watched silently as he descended to his knees on the tile. Head glancing back up to you while he rolls the leggings from your thighs.

The sight of Steve kneeling at your feet nearly steals your breath. 

He swallows thickly, trying desperately to look anywhere but right in front of him. It’s not like he hasn’t thought of you before in this way. He definitely has. Because he’s a grown man who's in control of his desires, he tries not to. But because he’s a man semi-living in close quarters living with a woman he’s attracted to, he can’t help it. 

It certainly doesn’t help that he’s close enough to smell you, see the damp patch of silk on your thong, near enough to taste it, if he wanted. He bites his cheek and focuses on the metallic tang of iron in his mouth. Distracts himself with thoughts of you – your friendship, your ever-present teasing with an edge of flirtation that causes the blood in his veins to rush. 

He’s too far down now for your hands to reach his shoulders comfortably, instead, your fingers glide through his strands of hair; he bites back a groan when your nails lightly graze his scalp, tugs the leggings further down, your knees knocking together at the effort. 

“Sorry, Stevie,” you rasp, as if every cell in your body is attuned to the way he responds.

The nickname that rolls off your tongue certainly is not helping, his jeans becoming tighter as he works the fabric from your legs. He’s not sure exactly when it happened — when the friendship turned into something more for him. Somewhere between the wet plush of your lips shivering against his after the Homecoming dance freshman year, and the ABC frat party in college, he’d realized that the way he felt about you was more than friends should.

In fact, it was borderline unfriendly.

You hiss as he drags the last bit of fabric down your calves and off your ankles; the joints pop softly as you roll them out. He chucks the leggings through the doorway and rises to his full height, your mouth is open and panting — pink and wet. 

“Thanks.”

He nods, eyes trained on yours, face coloring from the effort in the heat of the room. He brings a hand up to scratch the back of his neck, “No problem,” swallows the saliva collecting in his mouth. “I’ll let you uh—” he turns to leave.

Your hand reaches out for him, cool fingers against his forearm. “You’ll come back, yeah?” Voice but a whisper against the rushing of his blood, “When I’m settled?”

Steve curses his timing because when he turns to respond, he catches sight of your back as you lift the tank-top off. Skin dotted with beauty marks and the occasional scar, his eyes open wide. The soft curve of your breast against the cage of your ribs, the delicate slope of your waist and hips.

He has enough sense to turn away when you hook your thumbs into the band of your thong. But goddamn if it doesn’t pain him all the same. You fling the silk elsewhere and he hears the water give way as you step into the tub and slide down until the bubbles cover your form.

Casually pinning your hair up in an effort to not get it wet, some bits fall to your face and have gone wavy in the heat, curling up against your chin and cheeks. “Stevie?”

He thinks you look like some sort of Raphaelite muse.

“Come back for you?” He asks, repeating your earlier question as his back slides along the basin of the tub where he sits, sighing when your hand tangles in his hair, “Always.” 

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #fanfiction #stranger things #reader insert #steve harrington #teacher!steve #the kids aren't alright - rosewaterandivy #cee writes

[idlyfretting]

they are longing to stray

(Read on Ao3)

Steve tried to ignore the empty cushion next to him, staring determinedly at the TV across the room. He’d popped in a VHS without looking at the case, before settling down with his reheated leftovers. It was some subpar action movie, one that he pretended to like more than he actually did just to annoy Robin. 

The absence of her running commentary somehow made the movie worse. 

He hadn’t seen Robin in two weeks. It was the longest they’d gone without talking to each other since Starcourt.

Steve picked at the fried rice in his lap, moving it around more than actually eating it. It was the last bit of food in the fridge. He needed to stop on his way home tomorrow and stock up. He should have done it last week, but he hadn’t really felt like doing anything last week.

He missed her.

God, this is worse than a break up. He would have laughed at himself if he wasn’t so fucking sad. 

It was like Robin had taken half his soul with him when she’d stormed out of their apartment two Saturdays ago. Like she’d packed her duffle, snagged her jacket off of the counter, and ripped his arms off on her way out the door. He didn’t feel like a whole person anymore.

One of their coworkers at the coffee shop had called them ‘unhealthily codependent’ once. Steve thought he understood what they’d meant now. 

He wanted Robin back. He’d do anything to get her to walk back through that door, call him an asshole, and stomp into her room. He’d take the silent treatment over her just being gone. Hell, he’d take five more screaming matches and hurt feelings, and words neither of them mean to say but can never take back, over this emptiness. 

The worst thing is he knows where she is. He knows the number he could call. He could beg for forgiveness, say he was sorry a million times, tell her he’d never say anything about who she wants to date ever again. 

He could say he was lying when he’d shouted that it wasn’t jealousy, even though that would be a lie itself. He could say that he didn’t know anything about healthy relationships, he had no place to judge. 

He could call. But he also couldn’t. Because Robin probably didn’t want him to, wanted him to keep his apologies to himself. She probably wanted him to fuck off and never talk to her again. She hadn’t called him after all. And after a conversation with one of her friends at NYU, he realized she hadn’t called anyone except her professors, telling them she had to leave town for a bit and asking for extensions or forwarded schoolwork. Dana had asked if Steve knew what had happened.

“I’m trying not to be worried, but this just isn’t like her.”

“She’ll be back. She wouldn’t just drop out in the middle of the semester.” Steve had told himself that repeatedly, trying to soothe his own worry.

“I know, I know. You’re right. But it still doesn’t make any sense. Did anything happen? Nothing seemed wrong in any of the classes we share, so maybe it was a personal thing–” She interrupted herself with a gasp. “Oh my god . Was it a girl? I know she was talking to that one from Boston, got all flustered whenever she brought her up. Do you think it had anything to do with that?”

Steve hadn’t known how to answer that. What was he supposed to say?

Yeah, it was about that girl from Boston. But not really, I guess. It was more to do with how Robin had somehow fallen ass over teakettle in love with my ex, who had been visiting New York with her girlfriend for a few days and then kept coming back alone every weekend after that to hang out with Robin. 

And then Robin came home one morning after staying out all night with her, and said they’d kissed and then more-than-kissed and then decided they wanted to start dating each other. 

And instead of being happy for her, I opened my big mouth and said “Fuck, not again.”

So he couldn’t call Robin. Because that would mean calling her in Boston. 

Which would mean calling Nancy. 

And one: he really didn’t want to do that.

Two: he was pretty sure she’d just hang up on him anyway, especially if Robin had told her about their fight.

Three: if she didn’t hang up, all he probably would have gotten was Tina’s Halloween Party: The Sequel. Which was maybe a little unfair of him to think. But he was sad and his best friend was gone, so fuck it. He could be a little bitter. It helped him with the guilt that was eating away at his brain. 

Fuck, he missed Robin.

He dumped the leftovers into the trash, having only eaten a few bites. He washed the tupperware on autopilot. It was starting to stain, they’d need to replace the set soon. They’d… he’d? 

He hoped it was still a they. He hoped he hadn’t fucked this up beyond repair. Robin would come back. Steve would grovel. She’d call him a dingus. And they’d never bring up Nancy ever again. 

That would be difficult with Robin and Nancy dating of course, but Steve was aces at ignoring shit when he didn’t want to talk about it. And he had the feeling Robin would be okay with this one exception to their ‘telling each other absolutely everything, even when it was gross’ schtick.

He shut off the TV and the lights and made his way to his bedroom in the dark. The room he had here in New York could not be more different that the one he’d had back in Hawkins. His high school bedroom had been plucked right out of a Home & Gardens spread, no personality and absolutely no warmth. The room he was in now was painted a creamy yellow and covered in posters and pictures and paintings. The small desk in the corner was overflowing with loose leaf papers, random textbooks, and unwashed clothes. It looked more like a teenager’s room than his actual one had. 

On his first visit to their apartment, Dustin had taken one step into his room, smiled, and said “So this is what it feels like to be inside your head.”

With the lights off, Steve could barely make out anything, seeing mostly dark rectangles on the walls and messy blobs piled on the floor. He stripped down to his boxers and face planted into his bed. Sleep was unlikely, but maybe if he closed his eyes and pretended hard enough, he could get enough rest to make it through tomorrow without crying.

(Read on Ao3)

#stranger things fanfic #steve harrington #steve harrington fanfic #robin buckley #st fanfic #post season 4 #steve and robin are in new york #and they fight #and it's sad

[totally-bogus-timelady]

Make do and Mend

Fwb!Steve Harrington x Fem Reader

Chapter one : The Same Situation

Screams.

You hear the screams of your best friend. The man that you've come to love, who you'd confessed to loving straight to his face just a few days ago.

Eddie Munson was out there. His screams loud enough to be heard over the wild screeching of Demobats even from this distance. Determination overtakes both you and Dustin and eventually you both make it through the gate to the upside down, each gaining injuries as you do.

As you both finally reach Eddie you realize that you're already too late. Demobats gone, Eddie's screams have now quietened to whimpers and he lays there, small and broken on the ground.

He tells Dustin to look after the others, that it's up to him now to carry on his legacy. He says how much he loves you both and turns his head towards your tearstained face. You manage a watery smile for him as he barely gains the strength to grab your hand.

"You are so beautiful," he rasps, spluttering a little. "I wish I'd told you sooner... I... I love you."

Your words are thick with tears and sadness as you reply, "I guess we were both pretty stupid on that one huh?"

You can still hear Dustin crying next to you but all you see right now is Eddie, soaking him up for however long he has left.

You lean forward and kiss him for the second and last time. His bloodied lips struggle against yours as he tries to find the strength to reciprocate.

"I love you Eddie," You choke out. And as you pull back, you see that he's gone, his eyes staring but not seeing. You and Dustin sit with him a while longer, you still cradling the body of your best friend, the man you loved.

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You gasp and wake suddenly, startled by your reoccurring dream of Eddie's last moments. You lift a hand to your cheek and feel a dampness where the tears in your dream had bled through to reality.

You reach for the glass of water on your bedside table and take a sip to steady your nerves.

It was rare in the last two months that you had a full nights sleep. Not since you had all been in the upside down and Eddie had died.

Nancy, Steve and Robin had all succeeded in killing Vecna, El had managed to close the gates, Max was in a coma and everyone in Hawkins had gone back to normal, or as normal as Hawkins could get.

And then there was you, who was also expected to go back to normal. But how could you when the one person that made everything seem better, the one person who despite being dressed so darkly made each day brighter, was no longer here.

You get up and decide to stop dwelling on your nightmares for now, though they're still there in the back of your mind.

Looking over at your bedside table you find that you have just under an hour to get ready for work at the video store.

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Your car pulls up in the parking lot outside Family Video. You look down at your watch and see that there's still ten minutes before your shift starts and decide to get a well needed coffee from the café next door, picking one up for Steve and Robin too.

Five minutes of queueing and two minutes of frothing later you were entering the doors of Family video to a very grumpy looking Steve standing behind the front desk and a few loud banging noises coming from the stock room that you could only assume was Robin.

His elbow was leaning on the desk whilst his head was resting in his palm, frown plastered on his face.

"You know, I don't think you're gonna sell many copies of Top Gun looking like that," you remark as you walk up to him.

He huffs and lifts his eyes to meet yours.

When you started working here, it'd taken you a while to warm up to Steve. You got on with Robin immediately, like a house on fire. You'd had a preconceived opinion of Steve from all the stories about how much of a jerk he was in high school. But after a couple of weeks working with him and a day where Robin had called in sick, leaving you to work alone together, you'd found that he was very different to the Steve you'd heard about and was in fact, a decent guy.

"Is that coffee?" He asks hopefully.

You scoff, "Help yourself Dingus, I got you the lowest fat option available. I know how you are."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Says Robin, finally appearing from the stock room. "That despite you working in an ice cream shop for a whole summer -meaning you get all the free ice cream you want - the only thing you would help yourself to was the bananas. You, Steve Harrington, are a health Dingus."

Steve rolls his eyes at Robins words.

"Oh! Coffee! Thanks," Says Robin, already downing too much for a steaming hot cup, hence why you requested the barista put more cold in hers.

Steve takes a swig out of his cup, still quiet but he nods his head at you in thanks.

"Well, I'm gonna go hang up my jacket. I'll be back in a sec," You head towards the back to slip your denim jacket onto your hook, a sticky label with your name on above it. Next to yours is one that says Robin and next to hers is a sticky label with Steve scratched out and Dingus written above it instead, courtesy of Robin.

You check yourself in the small, square staff mirror next to the coat hooks. You look tired as you observe your reflection, now twiddling with the pick necklace around your throat.

Wayne had given it to you, saying that after some serious thought that he was sure Eddie would've wanted you to have it. You lift it to your lips, kissing the pick quickly before leaving.

You head back onto the shopfloor, still tugging your dark green Family Video vest over your shirt.

"I swear these things get itchier each day. You know, I don't think Keith ever washes them..." You say as you clock yourself in on the computer behind Steve. He still remains silent. Just you and him behind the counter - Robin having left to help a customer pick out a movie - you move to stand beside him so you can see his face better.

He has a soft frown on his face like he's deep in thought, brow creased and his eyes wide and sad.

"You okay?" You ask him softly. He looks up suddenly and turns his head towards you, as if just realizing that you must be talking to him.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, no I'm... I'm fine," You give him a somewhat disbelieving look.

"You sure? You're kinda quiet..."

Steve opens his mouth to reply but at that moment the bell rings. a tall, beautiful, dark haired woman walks in - one of your regulars who always gets served by Steve. Her eyes light up as soon as she sees him behind the front desk and she heads over.

"Hey Steve! I was wondering if you'd be able to help me with some recommendations?" Steve barely lifts his gaze, clearly disinterested.

"What kinda movie you after?" He drawls in a bored tone.

Not quite catching onto Steve's mood, she continues in a light, hopeful and somewhat nervous voice.

"Well I was," The woman clears her throat. "I was hoping you could recommend something good for a date?"

Steve reaches into the trolley of movies waiting to be reshelved, grabs the first one at the top of the pile and hands it to her.

"Try this one."

She looks down at the copy of 'My Little Pony : The Movie' that Steve had handed her and frowns but decides to continue with what must've been a carefully constructed plan.

"The erm... The only problem is that I have no one to watch it on a date with... Any er, any ideas on how to fix that," She sets up his opportunity to suggest he go on said date with her. Her eyes are hopeful as she gazes at him.

Steve, already ringing her up at the till simply says, "You want a bag for that?"

Your mouth drops open in shock.

"Oh... No, thanks," She takes the video from his hand looking quite deflated, turns on her heel and leaves.

Steve's already standing back in his spot looking mopey when you turn to him.

"What the hell was that? She was totally asking you out on a date!"

"What?" He frowns at you again, looking confused.

"Oh my god Steve! What's up with you?"

"Look, it's nothing okay. I'm just not in the mood for flirting with random girls today. Just let it go."

He's avoiding your eyes, something that in the past you had found to be a telltale sign that he was lying to you.

"Hey," Your tone of voice softens and you put a hand on his shoulder making him look at you as you ask, "What's really going on with you? You can talk to me you know."

A look of defeat crosses his features.

"I just... I," He huffs, poking the inside of his cheek with his tongue, "I went grocery shopping before work this morning 'cause I was out of milk, then I realized I was out of eggs and laundry detergent as well so- uh, anyway. I got all my shopping and I was waiting in the checkout que and I heard this beautiful laugh that I'd recognize anywhere, so I look a few tills over and there's... Nancy and Jonathan."

Steve's eye's go big and sad again as his frown returns.

"I know its stupid and they've been together for a couple of years now but... I guess just after everything with Vecna and how we were together it just, it just really seemed like I could get her back for a while there." Steve pauses, running his hand through his hair. "I mean, I wasn't the only one that thought it. I had Dustin nagging me about it in one ear and Robin in the other, even Eddie said-"

He seems to realize his mistake a second too late and pinches his nose between his finger and thumb. You reach up and twiddle your necklace at the mention of Eddie's name, a sharp stabbing pain going right through your heart. Steve, now feeling like an idiot, looks at your fallen expression and your watery eyes.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking... Here I am whining because Nancy doesn't love me when you're going through all this."

Steve continues apologizing, his hand waving around. You grab his shoulder again, this time to stop his apologetic spiel.

"Steve, Steve, it's okay! No I- It's okay Steve!" He stops waving his hands around and finally stops apologizing. "I mean, we're both kinda in the same situation really."

Steve narrows his eyes in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Well, we're both in love with someone we can't have, we're both trying to move on and we're both hurting right now. I mean it's different but kinda the same," You lean back on the counter.

"I guess so, when you put it like that,"

"I've not had much experience in the dating world but, you have... How would you normally get over someone?"

Steve's eyebrows raise in thought and his toned arm reaches towards his neck to scratch it awkwardly.

"Well, uh... Normally... Normally I'd just have a fling," Steve clears his throat awkwardly.

"A fling?"

"Yeah, I'd go on a date with some random girl and just have some meaningless sex. You know, just get it out of my system."

Steve looks over at the sci-fi section where Robin can be heard trying to explain to her customer why Star Trek and Star Wars are not the same and that his date wont be happy if he whips out Star Trek as a substitute.

He sighs and looks back at you, who is currently eyeing him curiously.

"Honestly," He starts, "I don't wanna go on a date with anybody right now. I just got my heart broken again, by the same girl. The last thing I feel like doing is buying flowers and going on a date with some girl I don't wanna be with 'cause she's not Nancy... I don't wanna waste my time or theirs, so I don't know what to do..."

He sighs again and slumps back into what seems to be his new favorite position on the counter. You decide to join him and press your jaw into your palm, your other hand starts to play with the slinky between you on the desk.

"I know what you mean. To be honest with you I don't want to go on a date with anyone unless it's Eddie, not at the minute at least."

Steve turns his attention from your hand toying with the slinky to your face again.

"You're right, we are in the same situation."

You turn to look at him, you mimic the gentle smile lifting his his lips. Your eyebrows furrow as briefly, a thought enters your mind. You and Steve are in the same situation. Maybe you and Steve could-

Robin suddenly appears in front of you both.

"Honestly, I just spent the last thirty minutes serving that guy and he said he'll come back tomorrow... I don't wanna serve that guy tomorrow or today, couldn't he have at least wrapped it up in one visit!"

She looks between the two of you, "Have either of you done any work since I went over there or do I have to do everything?" She says grabbing hold of the trolley of tapes waiting to be reshelved. You snap out of whatever crazy thought you were about to have.

"Oh god, Robin I'm sorry, I'll do that, You go and head off on your break," You say rounding the desk and taking the trolley from her hands.

"You sure you can handle Mr Grumpy while I'm gone?" she asks cheekily.

"Ha ha," Comes as a sarcastic reply from Steve.

"He'll be fine, go enjoy your lunch."

Robin thanks you and skips happily off to eat her tuna sandwich.

"Hey, you good?" You ask Steve.

"Yeah, thanks. I'm gonna head to the stock room and do some inventory. Give me a call if we suddenly get a load of customers."

With one last huff, Steve turns and heads towards the stock room. You watch him as he goes, one thought replaying in your head.

You and Steve are in the same situation...

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A/N Hope you all enjoyed! chapter 2 should be up soon if I can get my arse in gear as It's very nearly done.

I don't know how many parts this will end up being but it is linked to my Fwb!Steve oneshot as well, so give that a read if you're thirsty for more as that will be making an appearance in the fic eventually.

Thanks for reading! xx

#fwb steve #fwb steve harrington #stranger things #steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington smut #steve harrington x fem!reader #make do and mend