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laundrybiscuits · 1 year

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The officer leans close, jabbing a finger into Steve’s chest. “You’re damn lucky it ain’t ten years ago or one state over,” he growls. “You could be looking at a felony charge, serving 15 to life. We didn’t stand for this kind of thing in Hawkins when I joined the force.”

Steve just folds his arms and gives the officer a bored look. “Okay,” he says. “Good talk. Can I see my boyfriend now?”

The officer sneers, but he steps aside to let Steve through. They’ve got Eddie cuffed to the hospital bed with another gun-toting guard in the corner.

“Jesus christ,” snaps Steve. “He’s not gonna escape, he can’t even walk right now. Why don’t you clear out and give us a little privacy, huh?”

“Sorry,” says the guard, not sounding all that sorry. “It’s for his own protection.”

Fuck. He’s gonna have to hope Eddie can follow his lead. All that practice pretending to be a wizard or whatever has to be good for something, right?

He perches on the side of Eddie’s bed and takes his hand. He can do this. “Hey, gorgeous. How’re you feeling?”

“Uh,” says Eddie, eyebrows doing something hilarious. “Steve?”

“It’s okay,” says Steve. He rubs his thumb over Eddie’s knuckles. This is the most they’ve ever touched, he thinks—the most that was just skin, no layers of denim or leather in between. Not even a layer of blood and dirt.

He swallows and keeps going, willing Eddie to develop freaky mind-reading powers all of a sudden. “I know you didn’t want to tell anyone about us, but I had to, baby. I’m sorry. I had to tell them you were, y’know, with me when…when Jason killed Chrissy.”

“You didn’t have to tell them about us,” says Eddie slowly. He’s giving Steve kind of an intense look. “Honey-pie. I’m sure there’s gotta be another way. One without as many consequences for you that you might not have thought all the way through.”

“There really isn’t,” Steve says. Thank god Eddie’s so quick on the uptake. Sure, he’s being a stubborn dick about it, but at least it doesn’t seem like he’s going to let anything slip.

“Fucking hell,” sighs Eddie. “Don’t suppose we can put that pesky little cat back in the bag. Okay. Darling angel, light of my life, corndog of my soul, who else knows?”

Corndog of my soul, Steve mouths to himself. “Just the cops. And Robin and Nancy, obviously. And—oh, remember Hopper?”

“Do I remember Hopper, he asks. Oh, pudding-pop. The late Chief Hopper and I spent so, so much quality time together over the years; he was practically a father figure to me. And just as with my actual dear old dad, his departure was cause for great rejoicing in Casa Munson.”

“Sorry to break the bad news, then. Hop’s alive, and he—uh, he knows everything.” Steve tries to communicate the scope of everything by kind of tilting his head back and forth. “He’s been…helping.”

“Huh. No shit,” says Eddie. Steve can’t tell whether or not he’s getting it. To be fair, there’s a lot to get. “Okay, gallant knight errant of mine, any news on whether or not I’m getting sprung from this charmingly appointed dungeon?”

“We’re…Hopper’s working on it. That’s why I’m. Y’know. Here. To tell you that they know about us.”

“Cool, right, understood.” Eddie closes his eyes, leaning back on his pillow. It’s so strange to see him in nothing but a hospital gown against white sheets. He looks like a wrung-out dishtowel.

There’s a commotion from outside, raised voices saying something like you let him what and haven’t even interrogated the Munson kid yet and not a legal status you fuckin—

“Time’s up, sweetheart,” says Eddie, mouth quirking up into the ghost of a smile. “Anything else you wanna say before they decide to upgrade my security?”

“Uh,” says Steve. He’d mostly been focusing on getting the basics of Eddie’s alibi across in a convincing way, and he can’t remember if there were any other details Eddie should know.

He hears the door slam open behind him, and panics. “Love you, bye,” he says, and ducks in to brush a quick kiss across Eddie’s chapped lips. The last thing he sees as he’s hauled bodily out of the room by a pissed-off detective is Eddie with his eyes gone enormous and shocked, lifting his uncuffed hand to his mouth, looking and looking at Steve like something is always going to be different from now on, forever.

(ETA: small continuation here!)

#dashed off 90% of this a little while ago based on a post that I now cannot find; I’ve been traveling and finished it up on a train this AM #but yes this is literally the same general premise as bonitabreezy's I Like to See You in the Morning Light #pls go read that instead #I know I’ve lied about this before but I’m really not planning to continue this at all! it is just a silly little thing!#also IANAL but afaik IN decrim’d sodomy in ‘76; 15 to life was the max sentence in MI for first-time & repeat offenders respectively iirc #steddie

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2btheanswertothequestion · 1 year

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(part 4 of November Paramedic; part 3 is here and the AO3 version is here.)

Eddie wakes on the following Saturday with an itch beneath his skin. It's been there for days now. Warm and at times aching; an inflammation.

He hasn't seen Steve again. He's been thinking of him and talking about him (or rather listened to Gareth talk about him – he's not convinced Gareth doesn't want to fuck him). But he hasn't talked to him. He could rectify that by asking Max for his number, but that'd mean facing her little freckled self-satisfaction. He's not that desperate (yet).

The bedroom is blue with mid-morning light. Outside the window, some poor bastards drive to their weekend shifts. Technically, Eddie is one of them, but he doesn't start until the afternoon, so he's taking his time yawning and stretching out of his sleep-rumpledness. The cover has pooled around his waist and his t-shirt is rucked up; he scratches the exposed skin, the itch deepening as his fingertips ghost the area above his dick.

He slides his hand down and cups himself. The first caress over his boxers punches a sigh out of him.

The calendar is in the porn drawer, but Eddie doesn't need to have it in front of him – he knows every pixel better than the furrows on Uncle Wayne's face (ew, he shouldn't think of Wayne when palming himself, ewewewewew!). Even if he wasn't so familiar with the photo, he'd be okay. After all, he's sat opposite the subject. He's seen him up close and in four dimensions. Watched him lick salt from his fingers and wrap his lips around paper straws.

The itch now burning, he lunges for the near-empty lube bottle on the nightstand and delves his hands into his shorts. Shifting so the cockhead pokes out of the waistline, he starts stroking in earnest.

He likes to go slower, stop and start and prolong it, but this time it's like a fucking race. He grips the shaft, twists, squeezes the head, pulls, while his other hand rubs his balls. Sweat beads on Eddie's face as his breathing speeds up. He needs to calm down or he'll finish before he's even started.

It's hard, though, especially as the image of Steve is solidifying at the foot of the bed. Kneeling, legs spread, Eddie's thighs resting on top of his. He's wearing the paramedic uniform, zipper down and shirt open, sliding off his shoulders. And he's smiling like that, a hungry glint in his eyes.

Fuck, what would Steve be like in bed? Would he take charge or be passive? Would he be flexible? Does he like giving oral? A guy who looks like that must be getting laid constantly; he has to be good with his mouth. And his hands, they're big, surely big enough to envelop Eddie's around his cock. Eddie prods at his taint, imagining his fingers were longer and thicker as the flats of his knuckles rub through to the muscle. The pressure is building, the tingling lighting up in his chest and legs.

Would Steve let Eddie restrain him? Tie him to the headboard, hook his knees over Eddie's shoulders, and fold him in half? Or would he prefer to hold Eddie down… push him into the mattress, palm splayed between his shoulder blades, and open him until he begged to be fucked. Then he'd spread Eddie's thighs, split him in half on that cock and pound until he screamed-

Eddie screams, hips lifting off the bed. Sizzling waves of pleasure roll over him, leaving him spasming. It came faster than preferred, but fuck it, he's too spent to be mad about it. He should have expected it anyway – November-paramedic always does this to him.

November-paramedic. Steve. Steve could do it to him, too. 'If he was straight, Max would've said so', right? The only thing to worry about then is if Eddie is his type.

(Catching himself in the bathroom mirror, blotchy and shaggy and with spunk on his shirt, he can't see himself being anyone's type.)

Someone knocks on his front door as he prepares to step into the shower. He's not expecting anyone, so he ignores it, stripping and tossing his dirty clothes in the hamper while waiting for the water to get warm.

The knocker doesn't relent. They get louder. Frantic. Shit, maybe it's someone in trouble?

When they bang hard enough to break through the door, he turns the water off and rushes out. Stopping only to grab his sweatpants from the couch, tugging them on as he walks, he reaches the door and yanks it open and

stops dead in his tracks.

There's no emergency. No serial killer running amok and no fire, unless one counts Max's flame orange hair. It's in twin braids today, and she's wearing loose gym shorts and a tank top. She has a tote bag on her shoulder and a smile on her face, but nary a sign of distress.

He slumps against the doorjamb, glaring at her. "What."

"Do you play basketball?" she asks.

"Does it look like I play basketball?"

He gestures to his lanky, shirtless frame. She gives him an unimpressed once-over. Exactly. He's about to ask if she's filled her quota for inane questions this fine morning when she looks at him with unscrupulous eyes.

"Steve and Lucas like to play at the park. I'm not as good as them, but it's pretty fun so I join in. They're competitive and go really hard. Gets sweaty. And they always wear these tiny basketball shorts-"

"Okay, so?" he says, interrupting before the picture gets too detailed and the blush reaches farther down his chest. He crosses his arms even though he knows it won't hide anything.

Max rolls not just her eyes, but her entire head. "I'm throwing you a bone here, dumbass! Do you want to join or not?"

"Why would I want to join?"

Her reply is a mere look, but the 'are you fucking kidding me' is louder than her voice could ever be. His hands, needing something to do, begin rubbing his upper arms.

"What do you get out of this?" he asks. Because he can't think of anything. Is it simply out of the goodness of her heart?

"Meddling in your love life is the closest I'll ever get to becoming God." (Ah. Egomania. Of course.) "So?"

Eddie sighs. On the one hand, there's Steve, panting and sweating while wearing short shorts. On the other hand…

Yeah, no, there's no discussion here.

"Yeah, I'm in."

"Great. We have," she looks at her phone, "fifteen minutes until they're here."

"Fifteen minutes? Max, I haven't showered yet!"

Seventeen minutes, one change of clothes, four spritzes of body spray, and half a can of dry shampoo later, they're sliding into the backseat of Steve’s ludicrously expensive car. Eddie had been skeptical about the dry shampoo – he didn't use fancy products for his hair, didn't need them. Plain regular shampoo and conditioner were good enough, thank you very much. He'd rather it be stringy with natural grease than artificially stiffened. But Max swore by it; after covering his scalp with the dandruffesque stuff and combing it out, he has to admit it looks and feels fine. The breezy smell isn't terrible, either. He might ask her where she bought it.

"Hey, guys," Steve says, already putting the car in gear. "S'great that you wanted to join, Eddie!"

"Uh, yeah," Eddie, who was going to apologize for springing his appearance on them, says. But neither Steve nor Lucas seem surprised he's there? He shoots Max a look. She ignores him as she's rapidly texting. "This isn't really my thing, but it'll be fun?"

"We won't go all out," Lucas says. "Max doesn't play either, so we know how to take it easy."

"Mmm, yeah, they're both okay teachers…" Max says, distracted, like she's barely paying attention to the conversation. "Lucas usually helps me, so you and Steve can have each other."

"I'll be here if you need me," Steve says, flashing a front cover-worthy smile in the rear-view mirror.

Eddie just laughs weakly, already out of breath. They've hit traffic now, and masked by the thrum of tires and Steppenwolf playing on the radio, he leans over to Max's side to whisper:

"Stay out. Of my. Love life."

She raises a brow. "You mean the love life that wouldn't exist without me?"

"It would exist."

"No, it wouldn't."

"It would."

"No, you're hopeless. Have you even been on a date before?"

"Yes, I have!"

"Did Gareth ask the guy out for you?"

"No!"

Sure, there had been this one time at a party when Gareth drunkenly announced to a guy that Eddie had been checking him out the entire evening. But that's the closest either of them has ever come to asking someone out for the other. And it doesn't count anyway because it didn't lead to a date, just a mediocre makeout session. The other guy's personality turned out to be the equivalent of a toolbox full of dicks, and he wasn't hot enough to make up for it. However unbelievable it may seem, Eddie does have standards.

Max sighs, powering down her phone and slipping it into her tote. "If I asked you in advance, you'd have the time to get cold feet and cancel."

"I wouldn't've done that."

"I wasn't risking it." Her lips curl with distaste. "Steve always gets so pouty and puppy-eyed when he's disappointed. It's gross."

"Me canceling wouldn't disappoint him!"

She gives him a long look. Pitying, like she thinks he's so stupid he can't even realize how stupid he is and is sad on his behalf. "I think I'm better at judging whether or not it would."

The park they stop at is nice and big but otherwise nondescript. A dozen or so other visitors are scattered around the area, most of them walking their dogs (or in one case, cat). The adjacent basketball court is empty, however. Unsurprising given the early hour, and also relieving – the fewer people who witness this, the better. Because Eddie really doesn't play basketball. Sports, in general, is incomprehensible to him. How do you do it? Why is it 'fun'? He doesn't get any of it, thus has accepted he'll make a bit of a fool of himself today.

Except he doesn't. Not as much as he thought, at least. Steve and Lucas are both so nice and enthusiastic about it, explaining and demonstrating and explaining again. They're not playing sports, per se; more like playing games that involve basketballs and sometimes hoops. They run, dribble, shoot, steal the ball from each other, try to catch one another, all without keeping score or declaring winners. They just… play. Carefree, like children.

If high school PE had been anything like this, Eddie would've passed on the first try.

It's still exacting. After two hours (hours!) of playing, Eddie is feeling it in his legs and lungs. It's good, though, the sting and the burn. He's slick with sweat and his hair is frizzing out of its tie, but he's accomplished something. When the muscle cramps hit later on, he'll be happy about it for once.

He's still quick to agree when a rosy-cheeked Max suggests they take a break. Sitting on the edge of the court, sharing the water she brought, they watch as Steve and Lucas play for real. And it's, wow. Poetry in motion. Eddie knows nothing about basketball, but he has to assume they're both good. By his analysis, whatever it's worth, Lucas has more natural aptitude but Steve has the experience, at times pulling feints that stump Lucas. This conclusion is vindicated when they at several points stop so Steve can coach Lucas through the maneuvers.

They're both impressive. Mesmerizing. When they first arrived, seeing them step out of the car did a number on Eddie's poor, gay heart. Those shorts are short, and their jerseys display just enough arm and throat to tantalize. And now? When they're getting into it? Giving each other a run for their money, giving their all, until they glisten and their clothes stick to their skin?

No wonder Max likes to join them, the little pervert!

"Do you play basketball now?" Max asks, snapping him out of it.

He squints at her. "You're a voyeur, Mayfield."

"You're the one who's drooling."

"Am not," Eddie says and surreptitiously wipes his chin, just in case.

"Sure." Max pushes to her feet. "Hey, Lucas! You're supposed to help me with my throws."

Steve and Lucas, in a battle for the ball, break it off. Lucas beams at her.

"Yeah! Let's do it!"

Max and Steve switch places, Max grabbing the ball on the way to her spot in front of Lucas, and then Lucas' hands are all over her. On her shoulders, her elbows, her hips, correcting her grip and her stance. She's smiling like a cat with a canary dipped in cream, pressing her back to his chest. He's basically embracing her, and by the time she shoots they've melted together.

Jesus. How can these children be bolder and smoother than Eddie ever has?

"Cute, aren't they?" Steve says between sips from his water bottle.

"Yeah. What's their deal?"

"They used to date. Shit went down and now it's complicated." A bit of water dribbles out the corner of Steve's mouth after an especially sloppy swig. Eddie's stomach is one big butterfly. "I think they belong together. Just need to find each other again first."

And then it happens: Steve offers Eddie the bottle. His breath hitches; he accepts it with a trembling hand. Raises it to his mouth and puts his lips where Steve just put his lips. Hoooooooly shit. There's a metal festival going on inside his ribcage, his pulse like a bass drum in his ears. Beat a little faster and he'll risk cardiac arrest. 'Death by indirect kiss' has a kinda romantic ring to it.

He swallows and asks at a higher frequency than usual, "You known her for long?"

"She was thirteen," Steve says, too busy staring wistfully at the kids to notice Eddie's newfound resemblance to a dog toy.

"Jesus."

"Yeah."

Eddie rolls the bottle between his palms. Maybe he can smuggle it away when Steve isn't looking. Take it home and cherish it forever. Never pour the water out or wash it. Put it on a pedestal and give it a plaque that said 'I have Steve Harrington's spit in me' and be envious whenever he read it.

(Christ, he's a creep.)

"How did you get to know them?" he asks, giving it back. He doesn't trust himself with it.

Steve drinks again, so now they've both gotten a taste of each other. Cool! Third base, or whatever. "I was kind of their babysitter."

"Really?"

"Yeah. No. They were too old for babysitters, it was more like… giving them rides. Being there when they…" Shaking his head, he fully turns to Eddie. His face is dead serious business. "Like, these kids are nerds. Or just troubled. Or both. It was hard sometimes, so they needed someone."

"And that was you?"

"Not always. Remember Nancy and Jonathan? They're Mike and Will's older siblings, respectively. They did much more. But, y’know… Nancy and Jon have ambitions. They're going places. They've been in those places, and now they have new ones!" He smiles, sweet but with a hint of bitterness. "They were busy. So I filled the gaps. Also, not everything was… Like, Nancy is the toughest, strongest person I know. But she's also a bookish, 5'4 girl. She couldn't break up brawls or scare off bullies. Not permanently at least. And Jonathan, he packs a punch when he wants to. You won't think so when you see him, but he does. But he still needs to get into the fight. I don't. I could just show up and people would leave. Because I'm bigger and, uh, my reputation kinda precedes me."

"Really?" Eddie makes a show of looking Steve up and down. He's strong, anyone can see that, but he doesn't look like the type of guy who gets in that kind of trouble. "You got a rep as a fighter?"

He realizes too late how rude he's being. Fortunately, Steve just snorts good-humoredly.

"More like I got a rep as someone you can't win against. If someone said 'Steve Harrington beat us' I could say 'no' and that's it. Even with two black eyes, people would believe me. Jonathan, though? He could have an airtight alibi. Eyewitnesses, security footage, the works! But if he was accused, people would find a way to pin it on him."

As he speaks, Steve's voice gets louder, the words tumbling out. He sounds upset, like he knows what he says is indisputably true, but he's not yet used to knowing it. The fire he spits it out with must surprise him, because his eyes grow a size before he reels himself in. Kicking at the ground, he clears his throat.

"But, uh, it didn't happen often," he says. "S'not like we fought every week. Mostly it was stuff like him dropping them off at the arcade and me picking them up. Or I let the kids use my pool for their birthday parties and their families had me over for the holidays when- if my parents weren't in town. That stuff. Just helping each other out."

He looks at Eddie, his smile tight at the corners, but shrugging like it truly isn't a big deal. Just helping out. Just being kind. Because these people, these kids, mean something to him, so how couldn't he be good to them?

Eddie's head is spinning. He recognizes that 'being a paramedic' and 'caring about people' typically go hand in hand, and he shouldn't be left in a fucking daze over the revelation that Steve is nice to his friends. Yet. The confirmation has turned him into a bubble floating in the wind.

"You wanna go again or get something to eat or…?" Steve asks, popping the moment. Eddie blinks the shimmer off his retinas.

"I haven't eaten yet, so I'm starving."

"You haven't eaten at all?"

"Uh, no? I woke up and, um, I- I mean, and then, Max was there and she kinda sprung this on me fifteen minutes before you arrived?"

Steve stares at him. Eddie stares back. The basketball thumps against the asphalt. Steve's expression screws into annoyance.

"Fuck," he groans, dragging a hand down his face. "I'm so sorry."

"What?"

"You didn't… If you didn't want to come today-"

"No! No, I did, it's been fun!"

"Really? Because they keep doing this. Trying to set me up."

Eddie chokes on his saliva. "S-set up?"

Steve nods, rolling his eyes. "They think I don’t have enough friends my age. Which I do! Not many close friends, but I don't need any! I have Robin." His face gains a pink tint. "Um, but that doesn't mean I don't want to get to know you better. I do."

"Cool," Eddie says. The world is spinning again. "Me too."

"Well." Coughing loudly, Steve waves to catch the kids' attention. "Let's get something to eat."

The remainder of their time together passes in a leisurely blur that Eddie watches from the sidelines. Not as in he doesn't engage with the others, but as in he engages with them on autopilot while his actual consciousness hangs around like an apparition. They get tacos from a food truck and ice cream as dessert, courtesy of Lucas who talks Steve into it. Something about Steve owing his little sister, but since she isn't there he should buy for Lucas instead, or something. Despite his grumbling, Steve doesn't seem too perturbed about paying.

It's a little past one o'clock when Steve drops them off, saying they should do it again before driving off. Max smirks at him as they reach their apartments, saying 'you're welcome' and tossing her braid over her shoulder. Eddie flips her the bird, which she doesn't see since her door is already closing.

The first thing Eddie does after stomping inside is collapse face-first on the couch. The second thing is groan into the cushions as he remembers he still has work this afternoon.

"Dude," Gareth says later that same evening. Half-filled character sheets and messy notebook scraps are spread before him on the kitchen table, where he's finishing the description of his character so Eddie can sketch it. "You went on a date."

Frowning, Eddie stirs the pancake batter harder. It's all mixed, but the stove is from circa 1860 and takes forever to heat up.

"No we didn't," he says. "Max and Lucas were there too."

"Dude, you went on a double date."

"It wasn't a date! I'd notice if it was."

"He said he wanted to get to know you better!"

"As a friend."

Gareth sighs, tapping his pen on the table and leaving ink stains behind. "He's a guy. Guys don't say 'I want to get to know you better' when making friends. That's flirty talk."

"It's… not," Eddie says, unsure. It's not, right?

Gareth plants his chin in his palm, fondly shaking his head. "This guy is into you. I'll make you see it. Just wait."

Eddie doesn't know if he should interpret it as a promise or a threat.

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Part 5

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#steddie fic: november paramedic #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #steddie #steddie fanfic #eddie munson #steve harrington #gareth stranger things #max mayfield #lucas sinclair #lumax #just like with cars I know nothing about basketball #but this time eddie is equally ignorant so it's ok #gareth wasn't supposed to be in this part at first but I realized it wouldn't be the same without him #so he squeezed in at the end #my writing

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