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hornedqueenofhell · 5 months

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Holiday in... Handcuffs? Pt. 3

Pt 2

Steve woke up on the 24th to Eddie scrubbing the sleep from his eyes before blinking owlishly at him. They were both bundled under a heavy quilt and a few blankets scattered over them, a quick flex of his fingers shows that his hand is still tangled up with Eddie’s.

“Morning,” Eddie offered softly after stretching out like a cat with a yawn, fingers curling in Steve’s because he still refuses to let go.

“Morning sleepyhead.” Steve reaches out to tuck some the wild, sleep ruffle curls behind Eddie’s ear. Eddie places his hand over Steve’s and nuzzles into the touch, kissing his palm tenderly and looking at him with hooded eyes.

“I wish Hector had better timing for breaking up with me, then I could have woken you up in the way I really fucking want to.” He nips at Steve’s fingers, soothing the small nips with openmouthed kisses that make Steve want to whimper and pull Eddie over him.

But he’s a glutton for punishment so instead he asks, “I get it’s easy to say stuff like that now that you know he’s an ass but you were going to bring him here to meet your family, I’m guessing that means you felt pretty seriously about him.”

Eddie sighs and shifts to sit up in the bed, plucking at Steve’s fingers because he still refuses to release his hold on the other man. “I definitely felt more serious about it than he did. I wanted commitment and he apparently wanted an easy lay. I was the one talking about leaving things at each other’s places, wanting to do double dates with our friends and he’d always skirt around it or change the subject or kiss me. I’d hoped that this trip would make him realize how serious I was about us. And instead I found out how serious he wasn’t.”

He scrubs his hand through his hair before folding his arms over his knees and laying his head on them. “So I guess the short answer to your question is sort of. I was more serious about wanting a real relationship than I was about wanting him I think. Because I’m feeling really hard pressed to find anything even remotely warm and fuzzy feeling about him anymore.”

“That makes sense, I went through the same thing a while ago. And it was hard getting partners to understand why I wake up so early to start at the bakery or thinking I’m a workaholic because I live above my job. It’s been about two years since my last relationship because of that.”

Eddie props his chin up on his arms, looking over at Steve, “Is that why you volunteered to come? You’ve only really known me for a few hours as someone besides another customer at your shop. Then I offer you my big sob story and you saw …a kindred spirit? Was it just to not be alone on Christmas? You just got into a stranger's truck and let me drive you two hours out of the city to meet my family who you know nothing about and now we’re sharing a bed. How did you end up here?”

Steve folds his hands behind his head and stares up at the ceiling with a sigh, chewing on his lip. “Besides the fact that I know I could take you in a fight easily? Well, I feel the same way around you that I did when I met Robin. I feel like even if we don’t work out romantically, I just know that you’re supposed to be part of the rest of my life.”

“Hey now I’m scrappy!” Eddie protests petulantly before his expression melts into something contemplative, “But on the same level as your platonic soulmate huh? I think I can live with that.”

Steve’s hand wraps around his ankle and tugs him back down to the bed, bullying him into his arms until Eddie is tucked under Steve’s chin. “You were saying? I haul bags of flour darling, you’re like air to me.”

“Oh am I, you sure about that?” Eddie strains against Steve’s hold, wiggling around until he manages to get one arm free. Which Steve just grabs and uses to flip Eddie onto his back, straddling him and pinning his arms above his head.

“What now pretty boy?” Steve coos meanly. Eddie whines in response, legs trying to buck Steve off but only turning himself on more. Steve leans down to nibble along his jaw, up to his ear. “Come make cinnamon rolls with me and maybe I’ll give you a little extra sugar after.” And then he slides from the bed, dragging Eddie to the edge of the bed with him.

“You’re taking advantage of meeee.” Eddie groans as he’s manhandled about so easily.

“It only counts as taking advantage if I can’t tell how much you like it.” Steve says, pressing a kiss to his cheek, “We can cuddle on the couch while the dough proofs, come on.”

~O~

Hopper went by the bodega first thing in the morning to ask about their footage. They only had a camera towards the parking lot so he still couldn’t see the kidnappers face clearly, but it was enough to get a plate from the guy's car.

Dustin had texted him updates whenever he could from Steve’s phone, it looks like the kidnappers had stopped for the night near a couple of very isolated cabins. It was the start of a location though, hopefully the plate would be able to lead him to a specific one before anything could happen to Steve.

Hopper pours himself a cup of black coffee and immediately updates the tracking board before starting to run a check on the plates. The waiting is harder than ever, knowing it’s his kid he’s trying to find. What if they’re too late? What if Steve is gone without ever knowing how much he means to the party? What if Hopper never gets to tell Steve that he thinks of him as his son?

The results come in a few hours later which is both great and terrible. Great because he’s one step closer to finding Steve, terrible because it means the kidnapper already has a record. Hopper clicks to open the file and now he has a name. Edward Munson.

His rap sheet is mostly petty stuff from a few years ago, possession of marijuana, loitering, a parking ticket he’d paid off. Nothing here even remotely hints at a jump to kidnapping but the curly haired figure scowling from the booking mugshot looks similar enough to the guy he saw tackling Steve that he feels comfortable with his conclusion. He prints out the mugshot and tacks it up to the board as well, resisting the urge to shoot the image and pretend it’s the man responsible. Before he can get too lost in the emotions threatening to bubble up inside him his phone rings, it’s Dustin.

“Hey Dust-”

“He’s moved again.” Dustin cuts him off abruptly. Hopper feels a chill run down his spine.

“Where?”

Dustin sends him another screenshot that shows the blip of Steve’s phone deep in the woods. Hopper swears violently when he realizes there’s an abandoned quarry nearby.

“Do you think he’s still…”

“We can only keep hoping Dustin. I just got a bead on who the kidnapper might be. Has Steve ever mentioned an Edward Munson?” On a whim Hopper types the man’s name into their database search bar.

“Umm, there’s an Eddie who comes by the bakery occasionally. Do you think he was stalking Steve, he’d seemed nice according to him.”

A handful of results pop up and Hopper finds himself absently saying goodbye to Dustin as he starts reading. Edward Munson’s mother died in a fire when he was six, his father Al Munson was currently serving 15 years for vehicular manslaughter and child endangerment. Eleven year old Eddie had been in the car when his drunk father crashed and killed two other people. Custody of the kid fell to his uncle Wayne Munson, Al’s brother. Forget kidnapping, this guy had budding serial killer written all over him. And now he was heading into the woods with Steve.

Hopper files a request for housing records for the Munson family and a search warrant for the apartment on Munson’s license.

~O~

Wayne loved the bourbon pecan cinnamon rolls that Steve made. Loved seeing Steve curled up on his nephew’s chest, Eddie reading softly to him, even more. The record player in the corner had some classic Christmas songs playing while a fire crackled in the hearth. Wanting to preserve this sweet moment, Wayne couldn’t resist pulling his phone out and taking a picture of them. The shutter sound caused both of their heads to snap up as they realized they weren’t alone.

“You taking pictures of us old man? You perv.” Eddie teases and Wayne flips him off before going to get another cup of coffee.

“Maybe Steve needs to take you outside and let you run around, burn off some of that attitude of yours.” He calls back out to them, Steve flushes as Eddie shouts back, eyebrows bouncing salaciously.

“He doesn’t need to take me outside for that.”

Wayne rolls his eyes before settling into his armchair and taking a deep drink of his coffee. “Okay, it’s time for you to go wear yourself out. Go take your boy and find us a Christmas tree. And if you’re lucky I won’t lock you outside after you animal.”

Eddie cackles but does encourage them to get up with a soft kiss to Steve’s hair. Steve nuzzles their cheeks together before complying, helping Eddie up off the couch. The two of them are disgustingly cute as they help each other into their jackets, using scarfs and hats as excuses to casually touch each other and pull the other close. Wayne just hopes they can keep it down tonight, an old man needs his beauty sleep.

They gather up an axe, a tarp, and rope from the shed before tromping out into the forest. It only takes about an hour of wandering before they find a suitable tree, Eddie teaching Steve how to make the proper cuts so that the tree falls over safely.

“How did you learn to do that?” Steve asks as they get the tree loaded up on the tarp.

“Wayne, he taught me a lot of this stuff to help me find better outlets for my emotions after my father got put away. Best thing he ever did though was teach me to play guitar.” Eddie threads the ropes through so they don’t rip the branches off the tree before handing one hand off to Steve and keeping the other. Their free hands thread together sticky and smelling heavily of pine but neither seem to mind the idea of being stuck together.

“Will you play for me sometime?”

“Of course sweetheart,” He presses their sides together and squeezes their fingers, “I’d love to.”

Wayne has already started unpacking the bins when they get back, the tree stand ready to go as the excess needles are shaken off and any broken branches are trimmed. Wayne directs Steve on which way to tilt the tree while Eddie grabs water for the base and then tightens the holding screws.

“She’s a fine tree boys, now let's get her dressed up.”

They decide on the lights and Eddie pulls out a lot of garland that he starts winding around banisters and the fireplace and even around Steve to peck him on the nose. Wayne huffs at them and swats Eddie away to stop distracting Steve unless he plans on actually doing anything about it.

Steve laughs and blushes, he’s never seen a parent be so blase about relationships with their child but considering what Eddie’s mentioned about his childhood he gets the feeling that Eddie and Wayne are a very unique case. They all hang the ornaments on the tree together, weaving in and out of each other’s spaces as they find the perfect spot on the tree.

Once the tree is decorated Eddie hauls the last two bins outside and get Steve to bring out the ladder as he starts untangling.

“We have clips drilled in along the frame of the house to make this easier so hopefully this won’t take too long. It’s gonna be getting dark in a few hours.” Untangling the lights probably takes longer than putting them up, true to Eddie’s word the clips do make things easier. And getting to watch Eddie’s thighs work as he moves up and down the ladder while Steve holds it steady really is the gift that keeps on giving.

Eddie feels worn out by the time all the lights are in place, he does not go to the gym often for a reason. Seeing the shine in Steve’s eyes though as he takes in the beautiful colors and warm glow of the tree through the window tells him it was worth it though.

“Merry Christmas Steve.” Eddie whispers, hugging the other man from behind as the brunette snaps a picture of all their hard work, and after a few tries, gets it sent off to Dustin.

“Thank you for bringing me with you Eddie, and Merry Christmas.” They stand there together, admiring their hard work until Wayne calls them in for dinner.

~O~

The warrant falls through. The judge refuses to sign due to a lack of evidence, he’s also frankly pissed that Hopper yanked him away on Christmas Eve to try and harass a guy whose record has been clean for years. And the request for residence records is still processing.

Before Hopper can start shouting or seeing if there’s any other judge who owes him a favor he can call in Dustin calls again.

“Steve sent me a picture. I think it’s where he’s been taken; there’s no caption, no call, nothing.” The boy has been beside himself with panic and grief but this, this is proof that Steve is alive. At least for now. It’s a breath of air for the party, knowing that all is not lost yet.

“Send it to me now.”

He rushes back to the station and pulls up the cabins on the map, trying to use the picture to figure out which one it is. He thinks he’s got it nailed down to two and one the second search he hits paydirt. A cabin owned by one Wayne Munson. He scribbles down the address and texts Dustin to have everyone meet at the Hopper-Byers place tonight. They’re going to get Steve back.

Pt 4

#stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #steve x eddie #steve harrington x eddie munson #dustin henderson #jim hopper #wayne munson #baker!steve #mechanic!eddie #modern au #no upside down au #comedy of errors #accidental kidnapping #steddiefic chronicles

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