#what's the ship name for platonic eddie and robin?

[penny00dreadful]

So does anyone remember that post that was like "Robin and Eddie meet when she does that thing that's like 'hello, please pretend you know me so I can get away from this person' then Steddie happens?" Because I do. I cannot for the life of me find it. If anyone knows the post I'm talking about please let me know so I can link it, this is very much not my idea, it's that persons idea but the brain worms got me so here we are. 🤷‍♀️

We found it! It's this post by @wynnyfryd Thank you Anon! Obviously I went in a different direction with it but this post was 100% my inspiration so thank you for helping me find it!

AO3 link for those asking! 🖤

Robin should be royally pissed off with herself right now. She would be if she wasn’t so damn scared.

That guy was still trailing behind her, no matter the twists and turns she’d taken down different streets trying to lose him and the only thing she’d gained from it was to get totally and completely lost. It could be something completely innocent, the guy might be coincidentally going in the same direction as her but she wasn’t willing to give him the benefit of the doubt if it meant keeping herself alive.

The distance between the two of them was slowly closing as she was followed through the dark and empty streets of the city, hoping, praying for some kind of shop or restaurant or something to make an appearance so she could hide inside but apparently Robin was able to find the one street in this city where everything was either closed for the night or boarded up.

Her heart was pounding in her ears and the beginnings of tears were starting to sting her eyes and all she could think of was how sick with worry Steve was going to be in the morning when he woke up to no missed calls, no missed texts and no Robin. She’d scoffed at him hours earlier when he’d offered to go to the ‘work thing’ with her but she'd told him she was a big girl and she could look after herself and not to be such a worrywart mom.

And now she had no idea where her phone had gone, if she'd left it behind or dropped it somewhere, no idea where she was and no idea of what she was going to do.

If she’d been a bit more present in her head she probably would have noticed the loud, braying, male laughter coming from just ahead of her and crossed the street to avoid them before it was obvious she was avoiding them. But as it was she could barely see straight through her tears and panicked tunnel vision while simultaneously trying to keep an eye on the slowly encroaching guy behind her. She was practically already in the group’s space and one of them had definitely already seen her though he didn’t pay her any attention.

But even through her blurred vision and panic, she finally registered what exactly she was looking at. Four men standing around the entrance to what looked like the diviest of empty dive bars, chain smoking and being as loud as humanly possible, but that’s not what caught her eye.

Long hair, chains, leather, denim, tartan, rings, tattoos, subculture. If Robin had to choose a group of men to approach, any kind of subculture would be the best option. They knew what it was like to be other. There was no guarantee these guys were safe, but they were probably safer than a group of frat boys.

The next thing that caught her eye that nearly made her cry in relief as she got closer were the patches and pins.

A rainbow ‘A’ against a black and white striped background pinned on one guys collar, a yellow-white-purple-black patch on another's arm, a pink-yellow-blue patch over the third guys heart and a progress pride flag pinned to the largest guys pocket.

Her people.

Without a second's hesitation she made a bee-line for them, planting herself firmly next to yellow-white-purple-black patch person who had a mess of thick light brown curls that reminded her of Steve’s hair. They fell painfully silent at her arrival.

The four of them blinked down at her, with her tearfilled eyes and wild aura of panic around her they were probably, understandably freaked out.

“Hi guys!” She called out to them, probably a little too loud, hoping her voice carried back to the fucker following her, tensing as she could actually hear his footsteps approaching now.

The guy with the longest hair and the pink-yellow-blue patch standing directly in front of her glanced quickly over her shoulder before returning his gaze to her. His face split into a wide warm grin, tapping her shoulder lightly.

“Hey girlie. We thought you weren’t coming, we’ve been waiting.”

The footsteps behind her audibly slowed down. Robin laughed, a little maniacally, keeping her frantic gaze on him, not daring to turn around. “Yeah, I uh- g- got sidetracked.”

“Eddie, what-”

Pink-yellow-blue patch guy, Eddie she supposed, slapped ‘A’ patch guy lightly on the stomach with the back of his hand, shutting him up as her pursuer passed them by, giving the group a wide berth.

“Hey, no worries. You’re here now, right?”

Pride patch guy kept his eyes on the guy who’d been following her the whole time, only looking away when he eventually turned the corner, disappearing into the night.

Robin immediately felt her posture slacken now that he was finally gone, the full weight of everything coming down on her. Her tears began to spill over and her whole body shook as hysterical sobs started to pour out of her body.

“I’m sorry. I’m- I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do. I think I left my phone behind and I don’t know where I am. We only moved here a couple of weeks ago and I got lost trying to get away and- and-”

“Hey, hey. It’s okay.” Yellow-white-purple-black patch person squeezed her shoulder lightly, keeping their distance. “You’re okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“We can call someone for you, if you want?” Eddie asked, crossing his arms tight like he was trying not to reach out to her, probably worried it would freak her out more. “Boyfriend or girlfriend-”

“Or romantic partner.” The person with their hand on her shoulder interjected lightly.

“Alright Baron from the Baronies.” Eddie snorted. “But fair point, Gareth. Romantic partner or friend or whatever?”

“Um,” Robin’s voice was still shaking. “I don’t… I’ve never been good at memorising numbers…”

“Me too, terrible at them.” Eddie smiled again, pulling his phone from his pocket. Robin’s fear and panic was almost entirely gone now even though she was still hiccuping and sniffling underneath their concerned gazes. They were all firmly keeping their distance, keeping any touches short and fleeting, not moving too suddenly, trying their best to make sure she knew they weren’t a threat and it was really helping her to start feeling safe again. “But we could try to find them online? Instagram or something?”

“Yeah. Yeah we could try that.” She wiped her eyes roughly against her sleeve as she shuffled over to Eddie’s side. “My best friend, Steve, he uh- he’s probably asleep and I don’t think you can call him if you don’t have him added…”

“You can send him a message.” Eddie replied easily, handing his phone over. “And if he doesn’t wake up, we’ll try something else.” 

“Don’t worry we’ll get you home.” ‘A’ patch guy smiled down at her while pride patch guy nodded along.

Robin sniffed again. “Thanks.” She was able to conjure up a small watery smile as she opened the app and found Steve’s profile, shooting off a quick message begging him not to freak out and explaining the situation as concisely as she could.

“Here.” She handed Eddie back his phone who glanced down at it for just a second before his eyes widened slightly as he scrolled through Steve’s profile.

“Oh shit. This is your friend?”

Robin nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

“He’s… he’s really pretty.”

That managed to pull a startled laugh from her. “Oh god, don’t tell him that, you’ll give him a big head.”

“Let me see?” Gareth asked, whistling low when Eddie turned his phone around showing a photo of Steve and Robin at their last pride parade cheering with the crowd, Steve with the pink-purple-blue of the bi flag smeared across each cheek and Robin with the pinks, oranges and white of the lesbian flag draped around her shoulders. “He is really pretty.”

Eddie snatched the phone back, cradling it to his chest. “Fuck off, Gare. I saw him first.”

Robin smiled again. “Any response from him?”

“Hm?” Eddie asked distractedly, scrolling through Steve’s photos before pride flag guy punched him in the shoulder. “Ow! Wh- oh, sorry!” Eddie frantically scrolled back up before clicking into his messages again and shaking his head. “Nothing yet.” He held the phone out to show her.

“Okay.”

“What’s your address? If he doesn’t respond, we'll find a way to get you there.”

“Uh…” Robin was drawing a complete blank, only able to remember her parents home address hundreds of miles away.

“Or tell us something nearby.” Eddie added, not missing a beat, clearly picking up on Robin’s lack of an answer. “What’s on your street?”

“Um,” she closed her eyes, trying to picture it in her head, “there’s a couple of Chinese take outs, Asian food store, paint store… there’s… I think it’s a tattoo parlour? There’s designs painted on the window, a tower on either side. I think they’re from Lord of the Rings?”

“Inklings? Is that the place?”

Robin opened her eyes. Eddie was grinning at her conspiratorially. “That’s it. You know it?”

“Would you believe me if I told you I work there?”

“No way.”

“Way.”

Hope was starting to grow feathers inside Robin’s chest. She could go home, she didn’t have to stay out all night waiting for Steve to wake up and never let her out of his sight again, she could hug her best friend and drink coffee out of her favourite mug and curse at their finicky fridge and steal his hair products again. She could go home.

“Is it far?”

“Nah, only a few streets away. Ten minute walk, tops.”

“D’you- I mean… do you think you could-” Could she really ask them to walk her home after they’d already done so much for her? Would she be asking too much? Could she be putting herself in more danger?

“I can take you there if you want? Let you get back to your… Steve.” There was a slight blush dusting over Eddie’s cheeks. Maybe he did have an ulterior motive, but it wasn’t an ulterior motive involving her. If she wasn’t so wrung out and aching to crawl into her own bed she’d be thinking up teasing material to lambaste Steve with. But as it was, she was desperate to get home.

“Would that be okay?”

“Yeah.” Eddie replied, bright and easy. “It would just be me and you though,” he held his hands up in surrender, “and you can totally say no, like if you're uncomfortable or whatever. Gareth is Grant and Jeff’s ride home and you’re still on the clock, right?” He turned to Gareth towards the end of his sentence.

“Yeah, but I get off shift in about an hour so could come in if you wanted, wait around in the back room until then if you wanna go as a group?” They answered. 

“I think… I think I just want to get home.”

“Okay, cool. No worries I’ll get you there safe and sound. Here,” Eddie pulled his phone out again, “I’m gonna message Steve to let him know we’re on the way in case he wakes up,” he showed her the short message only sending it off when she gave a nod, “and I’ll get you to navigate just so we don’t get lost.” 

He handed his phone to her with the maps app open, directing them towards Inklings tattoo parlour. He was playing it off like an easy joke, instead of another way to assure her she was safe. He was making sure she knew exactly where he was taking her at all times, he was making sure she had the ability to call the police or whatever if he turned on her, he was making sure she knew he didn’t need or want her address if she didn’t want to give it. 

This fucking guy.

He definitely wouldn’t be the worst choice Steve had ever made if it did go that way.

“I don’t know how to thank all of you, seriously. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t run into you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Grant smiled at her before hesitating. “Uh, I just realised we don’t have your name.”

“Oh!” She laughed at herself, feeling lighter. “I’m Robin.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Robin.” Grant held his hand out, shaking hers once she took it.

“Likewise.”

“And don’t worry about thanking us, just pay it forward, yeah?” Jeff said.

“Plus.” Gareth took on a nonchalant tone even though they had a smirk plastered over their face. “We’ll see you again at Steve and Eddie’s wedding.”

“Shut up!” Eddie scowled but didn’t hold onto it for long in the wake of Robin’s giggles.

She sighed once the giggles subsided, a weight lifted off her shoulders. “I look forward to it.” She raised her hand in salute as the three of them headed back inside, turning to Eddie as he held his elbow out.

“Shall we?”

Robin tried to suppress her smile but took Eddie’s arm anyway. They only made it down one street and around one corner, Robin clutching tight to Eddie’s phone before he finally asked.

"So."

"So."

"Best friend Steve." Eddie twirled his rings around his fingers. "Is he…"

“He’s single.” She answered lightly. “But you might be arriving into his life at the wrong time. He’s recently sworn off men.”

“Well we’ve all sworn off men once or twice. Men are terrible.”

“Agreed.”

“Is it because of a bad ex?”

Robin threw her head back with a groan remembering the giant breakdown that had finally finally ended it. “Tommy was the worst. He’s the reason we even moved out here, there’s nowhere to get away from an ex in a small town, you know? They’re everywhere. I’m not going to go into what happened, it’s not my business to say but it was bad.”

Eddie nodded, his eyes down on the ground, running through everything in his head.

Robin could see the tattoo parlour up ahead, the glorious sight of their apartment building just a few buildings away.

“Do you think… with time… he could open himself up to men again?”

Eddie had such a tentative hope in his eyes, it was adorable really. Looking over him, she thought about the type of people Steve would constantly thirst over, blip in the matrix Tommy Hagan notwithstanding.

Lithe bodies with full lips and giant eyes, hair he could run his fingers through and something unusual about them. Something odd.

He’d never explicitly gone for someone so heavily into a subculture before but he’d never turned them down either. And based on Eddie’s job at the tattoo parlour and the way he was dressed, he almost definitely had some ink on him. That alone would be enough to make Steve swoon.

“I think he might. Will you walk me up?” Robin asked, holding the door to the building open, offering Eddie the same kindness under the guise of doing a favour that he had offered her so many times tonight.

“Yeah, sure.”

They’d managed to make it up to the third floor, walking down her hallway before Eddie’s phone started to ping incessantly.

She turned the phone over in her hand, looking at the screen. “He’s awake.”

Robin, where are you?

Are you okay?

I’m on the way.

Please be okay.

Their apartment door was flung open just as they reached it. Steve was standing there panting and terrified, his hair a mess, his glasses askew, his jacket and shoes thrown haphazardly over his pyjamas.

“Robbie.”

Steve slammed into her, holding her tight before immediately letting go to inspect her face and running his hands over her body, checking to see if anything was wrong.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened? What do you need?”

“Steve.” Robin caught his fluttering hands in hers and squeezed, nearly crying out in relief just to have him with her again. “I’m okay. Eddie and his friends helped me.”

“Eddie-” Steve looked to the side, noticing her saviour for the first time. “You’re Eddie.”

“I’m Eddie.” Eddie gave him a short little wave and a dazzling smile that quickly dropped in shock as Steve pulled him into a crushing hug, his blush returning with full force.

“Thank you, thank you so much. I don’t know what I would’ve-” Steve took a big breath in and loosened his arms from around Eddie’s shoulders. Robin saw his eyes slowly trail over his face before very briefly flicking down to the pink-yellow-blue patch then back up. “Come inside, the two of you. Can I get you anything? Tea? Decaf coffee? A glass of water? Like, literally anything to say thank you.” He asked, ushering the two of them into the apartment.

Steve caught Robin’s eye behind Eddie’s back and mouthed ‘oh my god he’s fucking gorgeous!’

Robin snorted and thought to herself ‘sworn off men, my ass.’

#steddie #steve x eddie #stranger things #fanfic #eddie x steve #penny00dreadful #steddie fic #stranger things fic #modern au #eddie and robin #platonic stobin #robin and steve #finding safety in people through pride flags #I am SUPPOSED to be TAKING A BREAK from WRITING so I don't BURN OUT #But THIS would NOT leave me ALONE #what's the ship name for platonic eddie and robin? #is there one? #THERE IS ONE #platonic edbin #safety fic

[maxmayfieldirl]

The stranger teens polycule

#i am open to other idea btw #argyle isn't on here bc he's with eden an only knows jonathan #i still love him tho 💞💞💞 #stranger things #stranger things 4 #nancy wheeler #steve harrington #robin buckley #jonathan byers #chrissy cunningham #eddie munson #steveddie #platonic stobin #stoncy #jancy #stancy #ronance #what are the other ship names? Enlighten me

[for-my-mind-to-run-around-free]

#because I can’t decide whether I love Steve and Robin or Eddie and Steve more #and whether I love Gwen and Jack or Jack and Ianto more #platonic Jack and Gwen #stobin #platonic stobin #steddie #jack and ianto #what’s their ship name?

[steddietogo]

I’m writing Eddie in a Morticia Addams costume holy shit my brain

#steddie #eddie munson #and Robin is in Gomez Addams costume #🤯🤯🤯 #what is Eddie and Robins platonic ship name??

[stevesaxetogrind]

Truly those calling it “bad writing” that Robin and Vickie share similarities doesn’t make sense. She’s not been given enough time to be more than just a love interest, but we do have some info about her:

1. Molly Ringwald inspo, giving us shorthand about being kind of a quirky gal. Hat! Visually, she’s similar to Robin, but that’s not a bad thing because literally similar interests draw people together. She is also skirts vs Robin’s trousers. Femme/Soft Butch! You’re telling me Vickie would wear a tie? Lies.

2. Likes goofy jokes, namely Steve’s joke about Muppet Tammy. Which, Robin doesn’t laugh at Steve’s jokes that much- she dismisses them, but it means Vickie has a bit of a jocular sense of humour.

3. Vickie also likes Steve’s brand of movies, not Robin’s- which is pretty fucking funny. Again, this is not making Vickie similar to Robin, but to things shared with Robin’s Platonic Soulmate. Like, bro movies? Stupid lil jokes? I predict Steve and Vickie having a dad joke competition next season & torturing Robin with how corny they are. People like to talk about the similarities to Robin, but not the similarities to Steve! That’s kind of clever drawing Vickie closer to one of Robin’s favourite people, at least superficially.

4. Talks a lot when one on one, but Vickie wasn’t nervous/flustered in the band scene, so we can infer in more crowded spaces she acts differently/subdued - as like she was in the War Zone. This is unlike Robin who does actually ramble in group scenes, like freaking out over the thing in El’s leg, the rabies bit, or generally a lot of Season 4 where she looses her “cool girl” archetype from Season 3 in favour of chaos. Vickie seems more like she would quietly panic, as opposed to Eddie, Argyle, and Steve who all loudly go WHAT THE FUCK. Which is going to be interesting to see as the whole town is now thrown into an open gate downtown Hawkins probably releasing demogorgons every other hour like it’s Pacific Rim up in this bitch.

5. Meaningful look with Robin in the War Zone- not “oh hi band friend!” A scared/caught/dismayed look that she was there. So there is a connection, and she broke up with her boyfriend after that connection. Anything more is speculation, but the way she wasn’t looking at Robin when she gave the “he doesn’t like Fast Times” reason lets the audience draw points and maybe she felt trapped? Like it was just an excuse to pursue a different interest? Obviously because music is playing indicating a romantic relationship. We don’t have much to compare Robin with on this one, but around Keith she still had more confidence and bullshittery trying to convince him to hire Steve when Keith assumed they were a thing.

6. Vickie also doesn’t seem jealous. Robin is jealous. She was livid at Steve for being the object of Tammy’s affections, but Vickie hasn’t seemed to even look twice at Steve- even as Robin looked over at him while she and Vickie had her last scene.

For such a short amount of time in the season, I think that we have a good foundation for similarities and differences to Robin. Also, once again, it’s not a crime to avoid “opposites attract” tropes. Having similarities is good! Like, the amount of couples I know that are essentially the same archetype of queer person is not even close to zero. Especially when it comes to older queer couples who got together in the 80s/90s, they kind of morph into being one granola bar of a human being. Kind of similar with straight people when they genuinely like one another.

I hope they flesh Vickie out, but like, we’ve gotten a similar amount of screen time for Mr Clarke but no one is mad he is “one dimensional” when he is just, some exposition science guy. He’s a stock and standard teacher, has a girlfriend, and kind of goes along with explaining shit without questioning why a lot. But folks love Mr Clarke. Is it because Mr Clarke isn’t getting in the way of your ship?

I never thought I would see the day there were some true blue f/f ship wars, but bruh, Robin’s love life isn’t an A Plot so give the writers some slack. They’re human, not the devil. None of you were gleeks and it shows so fucking much. None of you lived through “angry lesbians on the internet don’t want me dating you”.

Personally I’m looking forward to Robin and Vickie getting together and maybe hopefully kicking monster butt together- or at least, Robin getting a nice little badass moment defending her gal.

#rockie #stranger things #robin buckley #vickie stranger things #robin x vickie #they’re cute!!! #this gets into rant territory I guess #currently grinding an axe #and yet #idk reblog me and let’s talk about it #I’m a multi shipper so I can kind of see all sides to why folks like and dislike shit #please don’t dismiss my points because YOU SHIP THIS YOU DEVIL

[inklessletter]

I think I've seen this film before (and I didn't like the ending)

Read it on AO3

Both Robin and Steve know that Dustin shipped them. Hard. He was the first one to actually acknowledge how awesome Steve was, and how much of a badass Robin was, so obviously, he was the most insistent on getting them together. The fact that Robin and Steve spent all of their time together, had internal jokes, teased each other constantly, Steve drove her around, had dinner at Robin's a few times a week and, practically shared the same braincell, hadn't definitely helped for Dustin's annoying dynamic to spread to the party. Soon, everyone else was dropping hints about when they were going to publicly announce that they were a couple.

It's something Robin dealt with also at home. Steve didn't lie when he proudly said "parents love me, I'm a catch," because Robin's parents actually do love him. They also seemed eager for their daughter to tell them that they were dating.

Her parents are something she can deal with on her own, but after two apocalypses together, and frankly quite bored of the same joke over and over again, Robin started noticing something in Steve. And see, Robin has a lot of great qualities, but if there's something above all that, it's that she's wicked smart.

So, she started paying attention to their tease, trying to understand why this dynamic was now affecting his very much platonic soulmate out of the sudden, and she fully understood a new layer of Steve.

And fucking hated it.

Although they shared almost everything, she didn't go straight to Steve to talk about it; she knew him well enough to know beforehand not to press him into talking about something he wasn't ready to share yet, even with her.

So the next time they teased them (soon enough, because, c'mon, get new material, bozos) she dropped the smile and asked them, begged them to just stop. It wasn't funny anymore, if it ever was.

And their stupid kids were, well, kids, and also stupid, and didn't pick up. So they continued to tease them, and Robin's patience started to grow thin. But she kept repeating to herself: they're kids, they're just kids, they're dumb by default. So she kept asking them to please, please, drop it.

And see, she can deal with stupid kids, but she drew the line on inconsiderate shitheads (and after two years of saying no, Robin reconsidered their idiocy; they were being plain mean now). So, when Dustin pried about how boring it was that they kept their relationship a secret, in front of the whole gang, again, Robin snapped.

"Who is it, Dustin?" Robin asked, curious expression.

"Who is what?"

"Who are you crushing on, me or Steve?"

"What the hell, Robin? I don't have a crush on any of you!" Dustin said, almost offended. "What's wrong with you?"

"You see, Dusty-bun, after a year and a half of prying non-stop about how crazy is that we are not sucking face and absolutely not believing it, my guesses are that you consider that one of us is so painfully irresistible that we must be obviously lying when we tell you that we are not together. So, cut the jealous crap and please tell me whose name you whisper at night, huh? Is it me or Steve? I'm dying of curiosity here."

Dustin's cheeks went bright pink almost instantly. There was a brief silence in which Robin appreciated their faces with a smug smirk. Some of them were gapping, some holding a laughter. Nancy looked away with a tight smile. Eddie's face was priceless, he stopped whatever he was doing to attentively watch the upcoming scene. Only Steve looked really annoyed.

"What? Ew, gross. I don't whisper your name at night-"

"Steve's, then?"

"No! Robin, what's wrong with you!"

"Oh my god, look at you, you're blushing! You must definitely like him! Oh, is it both?"

"I don't like him , or you! I've got a girlfriend!"

"You're so red, Dustin. I just—I guess I just don't believe you."

Robin's smile grew wider when the rest of the party started picking on Dustin, too.

"I am just saying that you two are really close, there's obviously a vibe between you two, and it's fine! I don't know why you keep denying it. Even I can feel your electricity!" Dustin looked at Steve, who raised his eyebrows, clearly upset. "Is it because his ex is here? Nancy's over it—"

"Please, don't drag me into this."

"—and what you just implied is disgusting!"

And at this point of Dustin's rambling, her smile went off.

"Which part is disgusting, exactly?"

"That—That I think of you at night or whatever!" Dustin shouted, all dramatic.

"I mean, that's pretty disgusting," Lucas added.

"So, you don't have dirty thoughts, like, ever," Eddie muted, holding a mischievous smile.

"Why would I have dirty thoughts about them?"

"I don't know, why would we have dirty thoughts about each other?"

"Can we just stop saying 'dirty thoughts'?" Mike asked, grossed out.

"Because it's a cliché!" Dustin yelled, standing in front of her, suddenly, and completely ignoring Mike. "It's bound to happen! You're always in Steve's orbit, and you're getting pretty defensive about this, you must have a reason to—"

"To what? To not be jumping on his dick right now?"

At the mention of Steve's dick, the whole gang reacted. The youngest pulled disgusting faces, but clearly amused by the turn of this conversation. Eddie was no longer hiding how much fun this was, and he was giving his full attention. Nancy looked around, cheeks pink, not really knowing how to react. Steve, though, was mortified.

After the fuzz of complaints and comments stopped, Robin spoke again.

"I have a reason, though."

Steve looked at her.

"Robin-"

"And the reason is I don't like him that way, and he doesn't like me that way, and that should be enough. And begging you to stop just once should be also enough for you to be respectful about it, but you're not. It's beyond annoying now, it's hurtful, Dustin."

She spoke softer now, and stood from her spot.

Steve muttered "fuck this," and left the room. Eddie followed him. There was a charged silence after that.

"I know you maybe don't see it, but you are implying all the time that there's no other reason for us to be friends if it is not to get in each other's pants, like we have nothing else to offer. And maybe it is not my place to say, but Steve has spent the last few years trying to prove himself right all the time, and he cares about what you think because he loves you. So much. And he's not gonna tell you this, like, in a million years, and I'm breaking an unspoken vow of best friend here telling you, and I'll atone for it later, but if you keep going on with this crap he won't ever stop feeling worthless of being anyone's friend if there's nothing to get out of it."

"Robin, you know that's not what I mean." Dustin's voice was apologetic, sad.

"I know, but we asked you to stop, and you're not letting this go. This is not a riddle you have to figure out, this is just—"

Robin thought that maybe it was the moment for her to come out. If she told everyone now that she was a lesbian, they would drop it for good. She'd been thinking about it for a while now, but she didn't want to do it like this. It just didn't feel right. It wasn't.

Nancy was gazing at her with a knowing look, lips pursed. Robin didn't really tell Nancy about herself, but she seemed to understand. She was smart like that.

"Besides, I am—"

"Right. You're right," Nance stepped in. They shared a look, and Robin briefly smiled. "I think you owe them an apology."

Dustin looked bewildered. The kids were silent. Robin could read in their faces that they never thought about it this way. It took a few seconds for Dustin to recover, and Robin could swear she saw his eyes getting glassy.

"I'm sorry," Dustin said, low voice. "I'm going to—I'm going to talk to Steve."

Dustin left. Shortly after, the rest of the kids followed him, leaving Robin and Nancy alone.

"Steve is lucky to have you," Nancy said, with a soft smile, looking her straight in the eye. Robin felt her cheeks flush red. She looked down.

"I'm the lucky one, here," Robin said. "Thank you. For... for stopping me."

And then Robin's world crashed, because Nancy cupped her cheek, softly, and pressed a small kiss on the cheek.

"I've got your back."

With a smile and candid eyes, Nancy left the room, and Robin let herself fall where she was previously sitting, sighing dramatically.

She needed to talk to Steve.

Right now.

Holy shit.

Holy shit.

#stranger things #fic #ficlet #stranger things fic #robin buckley #steve harrington #stobin #dustin #ronance #nancy

[spicysix]

Fanfic Writer Appreciation day ♡

i stole this idea from @1lostsoul0fishbowl, and in celebration for Fanfic Writer Appreciation Day, i've decided to list 21 of my favorite fics! a few of them i've talked about before, and a few are very well known but still deserve to be talked about again. i'm tagging the authors if i know their tumblrs!

i divided them into two lists, a purely Steddie one (my otp y'know) and a second one for everything else (other ships, X readers, other fandoms etc)

without further ado, in no particular order, here is (under the cut cause the lists are LONG, babes):

Steddie

The One in Which a Time Loop is Fucking Exhausting. by @badpancakelol - timeloop

You're Divine by @azrielgreen - Kas!Eddie

i can give you a heartbeat by soupbitchin - ghost!Eddie

Looks like we're in for nasty weather by @geddyqueer - modern AU, ghost whisperer!Eddie, cryptids

Straight Knife Through The Heart by @relenafanel - modern AU, rockstar!Eddie

New York Hardcore by @grandmastattoo - punk!Steve

your cosmic call sign by @nancywheeeler - aliens!AU

Wild Geese by watchcatewrite - roadtrip

the most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it’s you by @greatunironic - rockstar!Eddie, found family

your love is standing next to me by @fivecenturiesverse - rockstars AU, social media fic

STEVE’S FIRST BRUISE by cairparavels - spider man!Steve

took you for a working boy by @pukner - genderqueer!Steve

this love came back to me by @strawberryspence - rockstar!Steve

i could be honest, i could be human by @steves-strapcollection

what's left of my lungs by WirtWilt - hanahaki disease

echo by @grandmastattoo - timeloop

wanna hurt you just to hear you screaming my name by DotyTakeThisDown - BDSM, sex club master!Eddie

Petals in a Storm by @inairbinad

Eddie's Memory Log by @harmonictechnicality

this demo will save your life by oh_simone - 'rockstar'!Eddie, band manager!Steve. characterization of all times

STRIKE TEN. by @metaldeads - scoops era

Others

The Entire History Of Human Desire by KidA_666 - ST / stonathan

Dreaming Of You by Koken - Marvel / stucky X reader - reader has powers

Harmless by @shurisneakers - Marvel / bucky X reader - 'villain'!Reader, lovely crack, perry VS doofenshmirtz dynamic

Hive by Rattle - SDV / sebastian X sam X farmer - there's a big plot twist here. best SDV fic ever

Trinity Epoch by @heli0s-writes - Marvel / stucky X reader / pacific rim AU (honestly anything by helios is amazing)

matters of taste by @fairyysoup - ST / steddie X reader - bakery AU

half of my soul by @graysonnightwing - ST / steve&robin - platonic soulmates get platonically maried

Over & Over by @beetlesandstarss - ST / ronance - this one hurts like a bitch but it's delicious

burning yarrow by @storiesbyrhi - ST / eddie X reader - witch!Reader, vampire!Eddie (literally anything by Rhi, but this one's my favorite)

don't delete the kisses by @stevenose - ST / steve X reader - camboy!Steve

We Tried The World by @upsidedownwithsteve - ST / steve X reader - roadtrip (again, anything by Emmy is great but her roadtrip Steve is top tier and this fic was a huge inspiration to me personally)

No Such Thing by lattebiscuit - Marvel / bucky X reader - college AU

We Got A Lovin' Thing by lattebiscuit - ST / steddie X reader

Helping Hands by MutantsandSoldiers - Marvel / bucky X reader, stucky X reader - ABO, mutant!Reader

Howler & the Black Cat by bajablessed - Marvel / bucky X reader - vigilante!Reader

Sunshine Blend Dark Roast by @icallhimjoey - RPF / joe quinn X reader - barista!Reader (again, anything by this author is an instant hit. i had to close my eyes and point at the screen to choose randomly because i couldn't pick one myself)

no good at waiting by @familyvideostevie - ST / steve X reader - farmers market AU

in a dark, dark room by @carolmunson - ST / Eddie X reader - kas!Eddie. this one just dropped and it's an instant hit. it's dark so beware!

Like Real People Do by @myosotisa - ST / eddie X reader - drug addicts, rehab clinic, beware of triggers

Bad Influence by @dearest-readers - ST / eddie X reader - pornstars AU

coffee shop blues by @ghost-proofbaby- ST / eddie X reader - barista!Reader, barista!Eddie, grumpy VS sunshine trope

WHOOF! *wipes forehead* that was some work. i obviously couldn't fit all my favorite fics of all times here, but i did my best to bring great content! (i thought about dividing into 3 lists and make an X reader specific one but....i was too tired of searching for links already lmao)

i have many other great recs in my fics recs tag here and on my ao3 bookmarks so if you trust my judgment and want more fics to read, those are always public!

shout out to all the amazing fic writers on all sides of these fandoms that i love and admire, and know that you are very appreciated on this fic writer appreciation day! ♡♡

#lui rambles #fics recs #this is not a chain in any way but if you feel inspired....you can copy the idea too

[lostinadmiration]

The gays are gaying! What’s Robin and Eddie’s platonic ship name? Roddie? Robdie? Eddin? Hellband? trumpethell? Idk anyway I had a lot of fun fucking around in procreate/doing whatever the hell I wanted 🥰

#eddie munson #stranger things #robin buckley #gay

[strangertheories]

STRANGERTHEORIES S5 post index and intro

This index is very long so to avoid clutter on my blog, I've put it under the cut.

❤️🧡💛💚🩵💜

SCROLL DOWN FOR INTRO <3 Here's my S4 index for theories and other random posts which are a bit out of date now. * means the post was written before the release of volume 2.

ST5 theories

Kas theories (Eddie and Max)

Can Vecna see through Max's eyes?

What will happen when Max wakes up?

Quantum Entanglement and ST5

The First Shadow theories

The First Shadow: what is the source of Henry's powers?

The First Shadow: why did Henry kidnap Will?

Two interesting follow up asks: 1, 2 + a small correction

X-Men and Dark Phoenix parallels

Is Henry related to Jane/El

How will S5 play out/end?

Could Mr Clarke return?

Could Kali/008 return?

Could Mike die?

Will Byers

What will Hawkins be like in S5?

Is Holly missing?

What gay Will Byers means to me*

All proof Will is gay (long post for a reason)

What Will Byers having powers might look like

Did Vecna target Will from the start?

Does Vecna want Will dead?

Vecna and Will parallels

Did Will manifest the Upside Down into Hawkins?

Will froze the Upside Down

The psychological bond between Will and Vecna

Does Will have a clone? (Bodygate)

Could Vecna out Will in S5?

Could Lonnie return in S5?

Byler

Gay Mike analysis (volume 2 is not covered)*

Shipping Byler shouldn't be stressful

Mischaracterisation of Will and Mike

Failures in Mike's writing in S3 & S4

Mike outside of romantic relationships

Byler colour coding

The Van Monologue

Why I went off mlvn

Unrequited Byler or no Byler?

Why I started shipping Byler*

Byler headcanons and even more Byler headcanons*

First date headcanons (also includes Steddie, Ronance and Jopper)

Argument for Byler endgame

Is Byler rushed?

Could Byler be Vecna'd in S5?

In defense of bi Mike

Why I like bi Mike

In defense of Byler doubters

Oh god that blew up, so here's my response

A follow up post to the follow up post

Robin Buckley

Highlights of Robin's comic

Platonic Stobin's impact on Robin (long post)

Robin centric headcanons (Ronance)

Robin headcanons pt 2*

Autistic Robin proof*

More autistic Robin content

Robin and camouflaging

No, Robin didn't drastically change personality*

Robin and ableism*

Steve is Robin's comfort person*

Ronance

First date headcanons (also includes Byler, Steddie and Jopper)

Ronance headcanons*

Ronance and overuse of boy drama (follow up post)*

Will Jancy resolve their issues? (goes on about every Nancy ship)

Why Stancy shouldn't be endgame

How would Ronance play out?

Single Nancy vs Ronance

Why I prefer Ronance to Rovickie (a discussion of fandom, canon and headcanon)

Ronance apparently doesn't center Steve enough (debunked)

Bra sharing

Fan art: post 1, post 2, post 3, post 4

General

Unpopular opinions

Eleven's character arc in S4 and hopes for S5

Long Max character analysis*

Which characters might die in ST5?

Panel with actors of Chrissy, Karen and Alexei

Homophobia and queer shipping*

Fandom bullying

Eddie's death is good actually

No, Steve isn't homophobic (to Robin)

Where Steve's character arc went wrong

Characters that I think are autistic and autistic headcanons

On neurodivergent headcanons

Autistic Eleven proof

Nancy and how audiences treat trauma

Eddie's character arc & death

The Duffers planned for more seasons after S1

Ranking of seasons, characters and ships*

Set photos plus short commentary: 1, 2, 3

❤️🧡💛💚🩵💜

Hello fellow Stranger Things fans! This is the index post of my blog, strangertheories, where I make content about Stranger Things! I've been obsessed with Stranger Things for years so I've decided to spare everyone in my life from having to hear me ranting about it and create this blog to share my thoughts. You can also find me on TikTok as forever_ronance and on Letterboxd as crimsonxclover.

I post about Byler, Ronance and most of all, theories (kind of in the name). I try to only post about ST but if I want to post about something else, I'll tag it #not ST related. I regularly answer anons if you are interested in sending me an ask as well!

If my account appeals to you, I would appreciate if you check out my posts. If you're looking for a specific post, I've got you covered- just look at the list above or see what I've posted under the tags I've tagged this post with. My personal favourite section is the ST5 theories as they're my most thought out and analytical posts but hopefully there's something up here that you enjoy. I don't include all of my posts as this index is only my important posts so if you sent me an ask and it's not on the index, that's why. Enjoy reading and thanks for checking out my account!

#stranger things #byler #will byers #stranger things theory #ronance #stranger theories #robin buckley #mike wheeler #st5 #stranger things five #st5 theory #st5 speculation #st theory #eddie munson #jane hopper #eleven #henry creel #vecna #steve harrington #autism #karen wheeler #chrissy cunningham #alexei stranger things #alec utgoff #grace van dien #cara buono #jim hopper

[stebie-boi]

“What if he’s a clockmaker… or something?”

Just realized I never made one of these LOL

gonna post here and repost on me other one;

• yes I have TWO Steve rp account. The way I play is that the main one, @steve-m-harrington ,is for all serious and actual believable Steve posts but @stebie-boi is my chaos/shit post/high thoughts account where I can make Steve the unhinged gremlin he deserves to be

• minors DNI

• his full name for me is Steven Michael Harrington

• he 20 he/him/his but admin is 21 nonbinary hoe who uses they/them/she/her pronouns

• I will post about Steve being high and usually I’m high myself but yeah. I post cuss words and some nsfw stuff so yeah have fun

• I will 100% be posting as my man Steve. I have a lot of little headcanons for him that I can totally share [I got my own eddie irl and we do shit so we have our own little universe LOL]

• I am willing to roleplay here, discord, insta, etc. just ask first!! I’m semi lit or higher. I just tend to match the length my partner gives!!I can write any amount of paragraphs akf usually good with a lot of I’m an avid horror movie and true crime and gore kinda girly. I just ask that my partner has their age and is comfortable telling me so I can just make sure you are over 18 and all that jazz. Thanks!!]

• I talk in character through my posts ALOT, in dms, I’ll answer asks that way AND maybe even stupid things. Who knows 🤷🏻‍♀️

• some things are I hc Steve as bi and dumb in season one: ie he doesn’t realize. Then after his arc it hits and the man is bi af. He had a glow up between the summer of 7th grade to the beginning of 8th. From braces and zit face to the Steve everyone knew in season 1! Fav movie is back to the future. Is a secret cinephile [mainly because I am and I can’t play a character who isn’t lol] he knows of Eddie and before he left his friend group, others would buy weed for him so now he talks to Eddie for se weed [may make just a post about this shiz lol]

• I ship Steddie but platonic Stancy and Stobin are fine. I will sometimes be Robin if need be and for that I ship equally Ronance and RobinXChrissy [so sorry. Don’t know their ship name!!]

• totally reach out to talk to me and if there’s other rp accounts, send them my way!!

• admin is @edge-just-edge where I like, comment, and repost some stuff. I also write and I’m an avid roleplayer. But recently I’ve been reading a lot more lol

Hope y’all enjoyed this and can’t wait to reach out and talk to you guys and maybe even make some new friends!!

#gaaaaaay #rp account #steddie #steve harrington #steve harrington rp #eddie munson x reader #stranger things #Steve harrington rp account #bi Steve Harrington #good ole shit posting LOL

[aceditwrites]

The Master List (hi)

Master List:

Hi, i’m ace. I got really bored and i need an excuse to procrastinate on my personal writing projects so i decided to start an account dedicated to just writing. So like, you can request almost anything (limits below) like if you want like a platonic fic just ask! If you want the reader to be the kid or sibling of the character, i’ll do it! You can be as specific or as vague as you want, eventually i’ll get some prompts for help but for now, you gotta wing it. Also I’ll write for like any fandom even if i dont know it, i’ll try my hardest but i’d prefer if you stuck to the list below. Anyways yeah.  (also pfp is nyurei on picrew)

So basic rules, 

If youre an nsfw account dni, also i will not write smut regardless of age given i’m a minor

No incest 

I’m currently only doing x readers, that might change in the future but for now no ocs or ships

I’d prefer if you didn’t request x reader with an actual person, (ex. Instead of asking for a Maya Hawke x reader, ask for a Robin Buckley x reader)

If you know a character’s sexuality and you dont fit, dont ask (ex. Nico is gay, I will not write Nico x fem! reader)

Please specify pronouns when requesting 

Please keep in mind i’m not a professional writer 

Please use common sense and dont do something that makes me have to update the rules

Anyways, so fandoms i’ll write for

It 2017/2019: Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak, Stanley Uris, Bill Denbrough, Beverly Marsh, Ben Hanscom, Mike Hanlon (specify if you want 2017 or 2019)

Percy Jackson: Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Grover Underwood, Piper McLean, Jason Grace, Leo Valdez, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, Connor Stoll, Travis Stoll, Nico Di Angelo, Will Solace

Harry Potter: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Cedric Diggory, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Fred Wealey, George Weasley, Tom Riddle

Supernatural: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Castiel, Gabriel, Lucifer, Kevin Tran, Crowley, Charlie Bradbury, Rowena (does girly have a last name 💀), Jack Kline (platonic only)

South park (platonic only for everyone, they’re children): Kyle Broflovski, Stan Marsh, Eric Cartman, Kenny McCormick, Butters Scotch, Tolkien Black (or is it Token? I swear its always spelled different), Timmy, Craig Tucker, Tweek Tweak, Jimmy Valmer, Wendy Testaburger 

Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous: Darius Bowman (i’d prefer if we kept it platonic with him but romance is ok i guess), Kenji Kon, Brooklyn, Yasmina Fadoula, Sammy Guiterrez, Ben Pincus, 

Marvel: Tony Stark (platonic only, so sorry) Steve Rodger, Bucky Barnes, Natasha Romanoff, Wanda Maximoff, Peter Peter, Ned Leeds, M.J, Harley Keener, Thor Odinson, Loki Odinson, Shuri, T'Challa, Okoye

The Owl House: Luz Noceda, Willow Park, Amity Blight, Edric Blight, Emira Blight, Gus Porter, Eda Clawthorne, Lilith Clawthorn, Hooty (platonic preferred, but if you freaky like that go ahead and ask for romance, see what happens), Raine Whispers

The Umbrella Academy: Luther, Diego, Alison, Klaus, Five (would he date a kid or an adult cause-), Ben (he can be alive or yall could be ghosts), Vanya 

Idk how any of this works but uh have fun

#Aced it #fanfic #x reader #platonic #romantic #it 2017 #it 2019 #percy jackson #heroes of olympus #harry potter #supernatural #spn #south park #jurassic world camp cretaceous #jwcc #marvel #avengers #toh #the owl house #tua #the umbrella academy #writing #requests open

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Endgame canon ships: Stancy and Rovickie (#1 all around ship for Robin and Steve).

Fun headcanon ships: Steddie and Eckerly or Becker? (Robin Buckley x Veronica "Ronnie" Ecker)

Ronnie is studying to be a lawyer, is Eddie's best friend, and a drummer. Ronnie looks like Eddie and Robin freaking out for a moment: "Oh my God, we have a type, Steve." It would be so funny because they really are platonic soulmates. Ronnie could still be aromantic or asexual, maybe both, but I also believe she might be a lesbian.

What would be Ronnie and Robin's ship name? Any ideas for a potential lawyer and Robin who is a linguist?

#stranger things #robin buckley #lesbian robin buckley #stranger things ronnie ecker #ronnie ecker #lesbian ronnie ecker #stranger things flight of icarus #stranger things foi #flight of icarus #eddie munson #robin buckley x ronnie ecker #rueleigh's thoughts

[panickinganakin]

stepping stones to hell ch. 9 (ronance fic)

hello! you can find all previous chapters of this ongoing work here!

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Robin pulled the rollers from her hair and combed through it with her fingers. “Does this look okay?”

Steve, who was sitting on an ugly fuschia couch in her dressing room, looked up from a stack of papers he was reading. “Yeah, I mean, it looks like it usually does if that’s what you mean.” Robin huffed and Steve shrugged defensively, “I don’t know what you mean! It looks like it normally does! Which always looks good! I don’t know what you want to hear.”

“It looks fantastic, Robin,” Eddie swooped into the room holding three plates of food. The smell of burgers wafted over to Robin and she groaned. Most venues provided decent food but normally it was just snackish stuff. She loved coming to a place that provided an actual meal.

“Thank you,” she said to him. She sat in the chair opposite of them and tilted her head, it had been three days since they had left for tour. Tonight would be their second show which meant there were barely three weeks left.

“What are you thinking about?” Eddie asked her.

“Me? Oh, nothing.” She took a bite of her food, trying to push her thoughts of being home in Chicago away.

“Nothing? You tilted your head but didn’t say a word, you’re thinking of something.”

The truth was she was thinking about Nancy. Ever since the day they had spent together Robin couldn’t seem to get her out of her brain. She tried to think back to when she became friends with Steve, she thought about him this way too, right? It was completely normal to think about your friends this much. Normally she was never really homesick on tour. Bed sick maybe, but never wishing to just be home. Ever since the other day though, she just couldn’t stop wishing tour would hurry.

“Thinking about Wheeler, huh?” Eddie said with a smile.

“Shut up.” She couldn’t even look up, she knew her face was burning red so she pretended to be extremely interested in her french fries.

“I think it’s sweet. Nancy is very nice. She’s successful, independent and humble. Ooooh, she’s also goal orientated-” Steve started.

Eddie interrupted him, “Oh, that’s a good one.”

“Thank you. She also-”

“What is this?” Robin interrupted quickly. “You two are acting like parents who are trying to get their kid to date someone they hand picked for them or something.”

Eddie and Steve exchanged a quick glance then both tried to focus on their food. “We just think Nancy would be good for you, that’s all.” Steve said softly.

“I’m not twelve. And Nancy and I? We are literally just friends. Platonic, with a capital P, remember?” Robin raised an eyebrow. Her and Steve had fought dating accusations for a long time after becoming friends. Surely he of all people would understand how nonsensical this was.

Steve went to say something but a knock on the door interrupted them. Robin stood up, sitting her food down on the green couch cushion before crossing the room.

“Uhm, Robin Bucksley?” a man in a gray polo shirt asked.

“Yep, that’s me, Bucksley,” she stood in the doorway, pausing to stare at what he had in his hand.

He was holding a small vase of flowers and with a lavender envelope taped to it. She stared at the glass curiously. Orange and pink flowers that Robin didn’t know the names of were styled beautifully inside of it.

After closing the door and crossing the room, she sat down the vase and opened the card gently. Steve and Eddie were watching her with the same puzzled expression she felt herself having as well.

Inside was a photo of a blood moon. It was sort of hard to make out and rather blurry. She let out a small laugh as she read.

Robin, I took the photo like I promised and will overnight ship it to North Carolina. I hope the timing lines up so they can deliver with the flowers. I’m so proud of your accomplishments and I’m so excited for you to read this article. I don’t think I will read you a rough draft because I want it to have the full effect.

When you get home we should celebrate and have dinner.

P.S. sorry my photos aren’t as good as jon’s.

with all my affections, nancy

Below Nancy’s neat handwriting was a note scratched that didn’t match hers

P.P.S. I learned this morning your only show that wasn’t sold out now is!! I called to have them add this but congratulations! That brings us up to two celebratory dinners!

Robin blinked slowly, reading the words over and over again before passing the card to Steve who held it between him and Eddie. She watched as their eyes darted across the page before laughing lightly. “Platonic with a capital P, huh?”

“Whatever,” Robin rolled her eyes.

She bit the inside of her cheek, sort of shocked at receiving a gift and a picture of the blood moon she had missed out on. Nancy had told her she’d take a picture of it for her. She had also told her she didn’t have to wait until Tuesday to call which made her feel bad that she hadn’t yet.

“I’m gonna go call her,” Robin stated before standing up.

She handed the flowers to Eddie and he shoved his nose in them. “They smell really good.”

The hallway was long with black paint splattered on the wall. There was neon confetti carpet like a skating rink would have. The front of the venue was nice but it was obvious the back was outdated.

The last room on the left was the call room, as they had been shown when first arriving. Thankfully it was empty. However it was a little spooky. In the center of the room was the phone on a table with only one chair. It looked very interigationy like the FBI would question people to hell in it.

She sat down in the chair, locking eyes on the phone. She knew Nancy’s number by heart, deciding to memorize it for their phone call Tuesday. What was she supposed to say now, though?

Hey, Nancy. Thanks for the flowers. Could you please elaborate on what the fuck ‘all my affections’ means? Nancy Wheeler are you a lesbian?

She let out a sigh, laying her forehead down on the cool plastic. She was acting ridiculous. Friends sent friends flowers when big stuff like selling out a show happened. But, the flowers were obviously predecided based on the fact she had to call and have someone else scribble in her P.P.S.

She thumped her head against the table gently, murdering out loud, “Just call her. Don’t be a dummy.”

She reached for the phone, pulling it off the receiver to punch in the numbers.

It rang three times before a perky, “Hello?” filled Robin’s ears.

“Hey, Nance! It’s Robin, uh Buckley,” she decided to add. “Thank you for the flowers and the picture. That was super thoughtful.”

“Oh, hey! I'm glad they got to you alright. Sorry the photo was so blurry.”

“No, it was perfect. I honestly didn’t expect you to actually take the photo. Now I’m not so bummed that I missed seeing it.”

“I hope you like pink and orange, the florist said it was a good color combo and they were in season and healthy and all that flower stuff.”

“They’re perfect actually. I didn’t realize how pretty those two colors were together. Thank you, again. That was really nice. No one has ever given me flowers.”

“No one?” Nancy demanded in a shocked tone.

Robin laughed lightly and shook her head even though Nancy couldn’t see the gesture, “Nope, you’re the first.”

“That’s so crazy. I’ll have to get you more.”

Robin’s words felt like they were lodged in her throat. She could feel her face turning red. She was never good at reading signs but Nancy Wheeler was flirting with her, wasn’t she?

“Anyways, I’m excited for you to read the article! We were able to get it bumped up so it’s gonna be in the issue that drops in two weeks.”

The change in conversation had Robin shuffling for words again, “Oh! Yeah, you want it to be a surprise. I hope that’s a good thing. The things I said didn’t sound too dumb did they?”

“What? No! You did great and everyone at HQ loves it.” Nancy let out a small laugh before sighing, “What day will you be home?”

“Uhm, this leg of the tour is only three weeks. So October second is the day we’ll make it home.”

“Oh, cool! That’s not bad then! Well, I do have to go. I have some last minute stuff to run to the office. But, hey, why don’t you call me again?”

“Uh, yeah, of course. When would be good for you?” Robin pulled at the collar of her shirt, unaware of what to do with her hands. She couldn’t even make it through a phone call without getting nervous.

“I’ll be home tomorrow after four if you can call before your set? If not, when it’s over is fine too.”

“Okay, cool. Yeah, I’ll call tomorrow then. Bye Nance.”

“Bye, Robin.”

The silence that followed the end of the call had Robin blowing out a huge sigh. She laid her head against the table once more, thinking of Nancy’s letter.

With all my affections, Nancy.

What the fuck was going on? Was she just delusional? Surely this wasn’t how friends spoke to each other. “Ugh,” she groaned out loud.

“Hey, sound check, let’s go, Bubs,” Gareth’s voice greeted her from the door.

She let out one last noise of frustration before getting up to join him.

With all my affections, Nancy was all she was going to be able to think about tonight.

#stranger things #st4 #writing #fanfic #the fruity four #ronance #fruity four #robin buckley #stranger things fic #robin x nancy #nancy wheeler #nancy x robin #ronance fic #corroded coffin #ronance au #robin buckley x nancy wheeler #steddie confirmed #steddie #st fic #stepping stones

[ceo-of-sloppy-men]

I swear by the end of ST they’re all going to be so traumatized that the worlds going to end without them knowing that they’re just going to have a group home. The kids move out and immediately by a house together because it’s a “if this ship sinks we’re all going down” vibe.

So have the most unrealistic headcanons I’ve written because it’s funny to imagine this…

Steve, Robin, Eddie, Nancy, Johnathon, Argyle, Max, Lucas, Mike, Dustin, Eleven, and Will.

Joyce & Hopper get their own condo. Murray has his own house. Erica is not living with the nerd squad (She lives next door). Susie didn’t live here as she’d feel too guilty, instead dustin visits her at her prestigious college.

Nancy is the only one allowed to cook. Johnathon, Eddie and Argyle all put weed in it.

Argyle is came as a package deal with Johnathon. When Nancy attempted to dispute this, Eddie also joined in so Argyle stayed.

Most of the times they order take out as it’s easier.

Eleven started learning how to cook from Nancy, it’s a slow process but she’s making progress.

Movie nights are a tradition. It’s usually a marathon as no one can decide what to watch. They make two big bowls of popcorn (ones infused with weed)

Pizza is also a movie night tradition. Argyle insists on a Ham & Pineapple. Max would kill everyone if they didn’t order hot wings.

They have weekly upside down checks, which involve going over possession and haunting symptoms to make sure everyone’s not having a bad time.

If someone showers or baths in pure cold water everyone immediately freaks out.

Eddie has no idea which towel is his - he kept using everyone’s until Nancy stitched his name to his.

Robin, Steve, Argyle and Johnathon frequently bond over their love of women. This leads to some pretty ranchy movies late at night.

Robin has started smoking with the guys as it helps with her word-vomit tendencies.

Mike and Dustin frequently fight over what cereal to buy from the store

Eleven will only eat eggos for breakfast, however Nancy taught her waffles and now she makes those instead.

They frequently have Joyce check in on them with Hopper in tow. She brings home cooked meals and lots of hugs. It was secretly hoppers idea to come, but he won’t admit it.

Susie visits on breaks. There used to be a rule about no weed or alcohol in the house when she was over.

This was quickly broken and forgotten when Susie accidentally ate some pot brownies and love it. Eddie and Argyle coached her through it, making sure Dustin was there in case she got guilty.

Now she uses it as an excuse to try new things within a comfortable circle of friends who won’t place guilt or judgment on her.

People frequently fall asleep on the couch together. It’s usually El and Max, or Eddie and Robin, the two pairs usually watching movies into the dead of the night (platonically).

Johnathon is banned from couch sleeping as he snores and wakes up the whole house.

#stranger things 4 #stranger things headcanons #eddie munson #steven harrington #robin buckley #nancy wheeler #johnathon byers #argyle stranger things #max hargrove #lucas sinclair #mike wheeler #dustin henderson #eleven stranger things #will byers #joyce byers #jim hopper #group house

[schrijverr]

Life Is Ours, We Live It Our Way 2

Chapter 2 out of 18

Genderqueer Stevie with platonic soulmates Robin and Eddie living their best queer life.

In this chapter, Steve and Eddie recuperate in the hospital, sharing a room. They form a trio with Robin and agree go to the city after Eddie and Robin have come out to each other. The three of them go to a gay club and Steve first encounters words that will stick with him.

On AO3.

Ships: none

Warnings: hospital, Steve's childhood mention, brief AIDS crisis mention and the overhanging period typical homophobia of the 80s

~~~~~~~~~

Recovery

When he wakes, he is in the hospital.

It’s not the Hawkins Hospital, Steve learns. It’s a government secret lab hospital and he and Eddie are both under observation for their bat bites. Seems the scientists took Robin’s fear of other dimension rabies seriously.

But he only learns that later, because when he wakes up, Hopper is standing over him, looking thinner and pale and bald. Which is confusing, because he should be dead, but if Steve is also dead that makes sort of sense. Then the hurt sets in and he croaks: “Ugh, I thought the afterlife wasn’t supposed to hurt.”

That makes the Hopper above him laugh softly, before he disappears and comes back with a glass of water, helping Steve drink. He says: “You’re not dead yet. Don’t be dramatic.”

“Yeah, Stevie, don’t be dramatic,” a shit eating voice comes from the bed over and there is Eddie in all his annoying glory. He is barely upright, a bandage around his neck, but he looks alive with the comic on his lap his hair up in a bun and out of his face.

“Eddie?” he asks, now ever more confused.

“That’s my name, don’t wear it out,” Eddie replies with a grin.

“You’re alive?” he has to check, because from where he is sitting, he is in a random white room with two people, who should, by all logic, be dead. It’s not doing much to convince him he’s still alive.

“I am,” Eddie assures him, face turning soft. Then it turns into a teasing grin. “I didn’t swoon like a damsel, because I didn’t idiotically let my wounds get infected, by not cleaning them and telling everyone I took care of it.”

And now that Steve looks back, that might not have been the smartest move, but they had to keep going and they didn’t have time for that, so he had assumed he’d be fine. Wrong, apparently. Still, he defends himself: “At least it wasn’t another head injury this time. I still have to get the vision in my left eye back from the last one,” before he remembers no one knows about that.

“No one mentioned you being blind in one eye, Steve,” Hopper frowns.

Immediately Steve backtracks: “I’m not blind! It’s just a bit blurred there, like a smudged window or something. Nothing to worry about really.”

Hopper sends him a look that tells him, he doesn’t believe Steve for a second. “I’m mentioning that to a doctor,” he tells him, before walking away.

Belatedly Steve yells after him: “You haven’t even explained how you’re alive!” but Hopper is already gone, so now it’s just him and Eddie in the weird white room. He sighs as the door falls close, then turns to Eddie. “Where even are we, man?”

“I don’t know, some sort of lab,” Eddie shrugs. “I’ve only been awake for a day, haven’t heard much. Max broke a bunch of bones and her vision is fucked, but she’s awake and gonna be fine. The other are fine too, by the way.”

And Steve hadn’t realized how much he needed to hear that until Eddie told him. He lets out a breath as if it’s punched out of him and says: “Thank fuck.”

Eddie fills him in that Eleven (who is totally epic, by the way) killed Venca through her powers with the help of Jonathan, Will, Mike and a new friend of Jonathan’s named Argyle (who is the chillest dude on earth).

Before he can learn more about what went down, however, the room is filled with doctors and he is subjected to all sorts of tests for awhile.

He falls asleep again when the doctors are done, too exhausted to stay awake, despite the fact that it can’t have been for more than an hour or two. When he wakes up again, almost everyone is there again. Steve has never gotten this many hugs in his life before and he doesn’t care that the pressure hurts, because they’re all there. They all made it. Steve didn’t fail.

Finally he gets fully caught up with everything that has happened, before he gets lectured because Hopper blabbed about his vision in his left eye. Which is rude. But he has only been under for four days, which is good to hear. He’ll recover completely, just has to do some (a lot) of physical therapy for his muscles, which were eaten. Yay.

“We’ll be therapy buddies, Stevie,” Eddie grins and it should be fucking stupid and he’s only telling him that to be annoying, but after everything, he can’t even be mad about it.

Eddie is part of their group now. He is already on Steve’s mental list of people to check on and his headcount list. Trauma bonding, Robin called it, Steve just calls it natural clinging. So, he just smiles fondly and says: “I’ll cheer to that,” before spilling the cup of water he holds up, which makes Eddie’s startled look morph into a snort.

They – Eddie and him – have to stay in the hospital for quite a bit and since Robin is practically glued to Steve’s side, the three of them get impossibly close, just from continuously being cooped up together.

Robin and Eddie together are mildly terrifying. Especially since they’re both out for Steve’s blood for no reason. They have mercilessly teased him for his six nuggets speech, then dragged him for not cleaning his wounds and now they’ve moved on to his ridiculous flirting and mom behavior among other things.

“Yeah, yeah, see if I drag you out of hell again,” Steve pouts, though he isn’t actually mad, after Eddie makes another overprotective mom joke. He can’t help that he wants to be sure Dustin drank enough, alright, the kid had been crying.

“I want you to know that I am grateful. However, I don’t remember that at all,” Eddie tells him casually. “For all I know, Dustin dragged me out.”

“Dustin?” Steve repeats indignantly, even though he doesn’t remember either.

“Yeah, man,” Eddie grins cheekily.

“You think Dustin could have dragged you out?” Steve raises a brow.

“I don’t know, the kid has potential,” Eddie shrugs. “I mean, if you really wanna prove it, do enlighten me about how difficult it was to carry me, like a damsel.”

And now Steve has to confront that he can’t, so he doesn’t have much proof that he carried Eddie out, other than being told and a few flashes. It’s not like he can recall it perfectly. And judging by the grin creeping over Eddie’s face, he knows that too. So, Steve just groans and says: “Rob, best friend rules, back me up.”

Robin, who had joined the teasing, but smartly retreated before Steve set his counter offense, looks up from her magazine. “Alright, normally, I wouldn't have dingus’ back.” “Rude.” “However, it was pretty cool, so I’m helping.”

“It was?” Steve asks, genuinely curious. In this weird hospital room, he has been feeling more and more settled, thinking he can be alright with being the mom-friend and temporary badass, as long as he isn’t in charge of everything. He’s this close to finding himself, he can feel it. But he hasn’t stopped to think of how others perceived his actions in the Upside Down.

In a way it’s surprising that it hasn’t crossed his mind, since has spend most of his life trying to conform to what others want to see. A giddy sort of pride bubbles in his chest.

And because Robin is practically his other half, she puts together the same line of thinking pretty quickly. She gets off her chair and plops down on his bed, giving him a hug as she grins, ruffling his hair (which has not been kept as perfect in the hospital, so he doesn’t even pretend to care).

“Okay, am I missing something?” Eddie asks from the other bed, raising an amused yet confused eyebrow at the duo.

They share a look, before Steve shrugs: “It’s a long story.” It’s the type of thing that Steve isn’t ready to tell yet.

Robin backs him up: “Yeah, you have to get tortured by Russians and barf together, before sharing secrets on the bathroom floor. It’s a whole initiation process.”

“God, I don’t even want to know,” Eddie grins, catching that he shouldn’t push, before switching topics. “So, Robbie, you were gonna tell us about Stevie’s heroics.”

“Ah, yes!” she lights up. “Like, it was obviously stupid, because you were injured as hell and I practically got carpet burn watching you slide down on your knees when you saw Eddie. I’m glad I missed them cleaning that wound, because yuck.”

“Robin,” Steve pouts. He’s not here for a lecture, though he’s getting less sure if he wants to hear about him embarrassing himself, which is sounding more likely.

“Sorry,” Robin says. “Anyway, I was freaking out and Dustin was freaking out and Nancy is trying to keep us cool, which wasn’t easy. It’s good Steve used to be lifeguard, let me tell you, because I could not have broken your ribs like that, Eddie.”

“You’re the one, who broke my ribs?” Eddie exclaims. “Those hurt!”

“It can happen during CPR,” Steve immediately defends.

“Still rude,” Eddie tells him.

Before Steve can argue CPR techniques, Robin cuts in: “Boys, boys, it doesn’t matter if Steve broke your ribs and gave you mouth to mouth, you were fine.”

“He did?” Eddie asks, voice almost a squeak as he blushes, though Steve doesn’t know why.

“A person needs air,” he shrugs casually.

Robin looks between them for a second, having a look that Steve doesn’t catch onto for once. She then quickly moves on: “Whatever, Eddie was breathing again. Nancy ordered us through the portal and when we turned back Steve was climbing through with you over his shoulder.” She gives Eddie a look, that she turns on Steve. “And then you both fell flat on your face and neither of you were conscious.”

“That doesn’t sound very heroic,” Steve tells her tentatively.

“It wasn’t in my opinion, Nancy calling you an ambulance all cool and collected was much better than you two idiots,” Robin shrugs. “But it took us all the days before you woke up to get Dustin to stop gushing about how cool it was. We assumed neither of you wanted the reminder.”

“Henderson was gushing?” Steve asks, right as Eddie groans: “Not again.”

He looks at Eddie and blushes. He knows it sounds conceited, but being cool for the kids has been one of the things he has done that he has chosen himself and actually likes. And after the past year, he can’t help but be glad the kid still likes him. But he can imagine how it sounds to Eddie, who probably knows him as egotistic King Steve.

“Yeah, it was all ‘oohh Steve was so cool carrying Eddie like he weighed noting’ and ‘oohh Eddie saved my life, he’s a hero!’ It was getting kinda annoying,” Robin shrugs.

“Dustin said that?” Eddie asks and Steve feels happy for the guy, he deserves the kids looking up to him after he what he did.

Robin realizes that too after she sees Steve proud look, because she smiles: “Yeah, all the kids look up to you, Eddie.”

“You deserve it, man,” Steve smiles.

Eddie hides behind his hair, concealing an embarrassed look and his blush. Part of Steve wants to see him, but for now he just contents himself with grinning at him. Before the conversation drifts to other topics.

A day after Hopper comes in, still looking gruff, but Steve is happy to see him, especially after being in his shoes during one round with the Upside Down. So, he greets; “Hey, Hop. How’re Joyce and the kids doing? The move back going alright.”

“They’re doing great, El is still a bit clingy, but that’s to be expected,” Hopper tells him, fondness creeping in.

“It’s still weird to see the police chief and him not immediately arresting me,” Eddie comments as Steve tells Hopper how great it is to hear that.

“Yeah, yeah, better get used to, because I have good news for both of you,” Hopper says.

“You do?” Steve asks, while Eddie just raises an eyebrow like he thinks it’s nonsense.

“I do,” Hopper says. “I have been reinstated as chief of police and coordinated with Dr. Owens on a cover story for what happened here. With that, we’ve gotten Eddie cleared of charges, so no longer wanted for murder. You’re actually quite the town hero.”

“Really?” Eddie says, eyes shining like he can’t believe it.

And Hopper confirms telling them about how Eddie has supposedly saved a bunch of kids from the murdering Henry Creel, who has been following in his father’s footsteps. He concludes: “That also means your uncle can see you now.”

“He can?!” And screw shining, Eddie is sparkling and Steve thinks it’s a great look on him.

“Yeah, kiddo, he’ll be by later,” Hopper assures him.

Steve lets them have a moment, throwing out a “Nice, dude,” before saying: “It’s not that I’m not happy for Eddie, but why is this good news for me?”

Hopper turns more careful and he softly says: “Well, your- Once we manage to contact them, your parents could come too. I’m sure they’re concerned,” and Steve knows that years as a police officer making house calls for noise complaints and his last stay at the hospital means Hopper knows there is a reason they haven’t been able to contact them.

From beside him, he sees Eddie frown and he wants to hunch in on himself. He’s more ashamed that the other now knows he’s so much of a fuck up that his own parents don’t even care, despite what Eddie said in the Upside Down. He can’t bring himself to be sad about them not even picking up the phone.

Tiredly, he suggests: “You can try calling his secretary. If he isn’t fucking her, she usually picks up the phone.”

He has never been so blunt about it with Hopper, not to mention someone like Eddie. Though he supposes that after everything he can get away with a little whining about his parents, even if Eddie has had it worse. They’re on that level, right? He hopes so, because he’s too tired to care.

There is a beat of silence, wherein Hopper gathers himself. He awkwardly coughs and says: “But that is not the only thing. Here’re your glasses, kid. You’re allowed to drive again with those. And don’t think, I won’t pull you over if I see you behind the wheel without them.”

“Aye, aye, sir,” Steve promises, smirking cheekily as he opens the case to hide how much he hates this.

It’ll be another thing that chips away part of him that fits with the vision Hawkins has of him. Steve Harrington can’t have glasses. It’s a sign of weakness, until you have gray hairs and it’ll be distinguished, his father used to say. And yeah, he has been working on caring less about being the image his parents try to maintain, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t hard.

Dutifully, he puts on the glasses anyway, because he knows Hopper expects him to. It is nice to see clearly with his left eye again, the right one only being a dummy lens, but he knows he must look like an idiot. To throw off suspicious, he puts on his best ‘The Hair’ smirk and asks Eddie: “So, how do I look?”

He expected some funny insult or dramatic joke-y exclamation back, but instead Eddie just smiles and says: “Pretty as always, Stevie.”

And he likes that more than he should for some reason.

So, he shoves the feeling away and tries to focus back on Hopper, while also ignoring the looks he is throwing them. Steve is great at pushing stuff down and smiling. He has his charms and his mother has always pressed him about how important it is to be a conversationalist, so it’s easy for him to drag Hopper into another mindless conversation about everyone.

Finally, Hopper leaves and while Steve is glad to drop the small talk, he knows Eddie well enough to realize that the moment Hopper is gone, he will ask his questions with little regard for how intrusive they might be. His mother would probably cluck and call him uncivilized, but Steve appreciates the bluntness most of the time. Appreciates that there is no double meaning for him to miss or mistakes to make.

“Your parents haven’t tried to buy their way into the secure lab, hospital, thingy?” Eddie immediately asks.

“Why would they?” Steve shrugs, too tired to lie. “It’s not like they came last time, when they were very much allowed in. Besides, I haven’t spoken with them since right before Christmas. How would they know I was in here?”

Against all laws of the universe, Eddie falls silent for a moment. Then he casually says: “Oh that suck, sweetheart. Your parents are assholes.”

He says it so matter of fact, like that is the only natural conclusion, instead of Steve not being worth the trouble as they often like to remind him. He just tells him that what he is going through sucks and that his parents are assholes.

It’s the best response Steve could have gotten, so he just snorts and says: “Yeah, you’ve got that right.”

They share a smile and Steve now gets to see the depths of Eddie’s face better. It’s a good face, he decides. Handsome. Then immediately disregards the thought and starts flipping through one of the comics Dustin left last time he was here.

When Wayne finally comes by (the next day, the second it was allowed. Steve tries not to think about it), he is asleep.

Well, he wakes up halfway through and then decides to pretend to be asleep to give them their privacy. And tries not to look too much into the why of it all when he feels like crying while listening to Wayne repeat that he is so happy that Eddie is alive, how much he worried and how much he loves him.

It’s stupid for Steve to feel jealous about that care. He knows it is. Steve has never had to worry about money like Wayne and Eddie, never had to be put into the care of an uncle. He had everything growing up. He shouldn’t be feeling like this.

But when Wayne talks, you can feel the pride in his voice. You feel it in your bones that he cares so fucking much about Eddie. And you can feel that he loves Eddie no matter what, there are no expectations there, besides trying to be happy.

And Steve just wonders what that’s like. He remembers Robin telling him about just trying things until you find something that sticks, something that you like. Eddie knows what he likes and Steve wants that for himself too. He remembers that trip he and Robin were supposed to take before it all went to shit again. He wonders if Robin will still be up for it once he gets out of here.

Once he leaves, Steve ‘wakes up.’ He’s pretty sure Eddie doesn’t buy it completely, but neither of them mention it.

Before the strange vibe has time to settle between them, Robin comes bustling in already talking about her horrid shift at Family Video and how Steve needs to get better soon, before she will die of boredom.

Steve feels relief at seeing her, the person who has accepted him and is always there for him when he needs a shoulder. His soulmate, honestly. He can’t help his smile. “I’m sorry for my slow recovery after being mauled, Buckley.”

“Apology accepted,” she grins back cheekily. “Anyways, I heard you got your glasses and I need to see you in glasses, because you are, like, King Steve. Not anymore, of course. I mean, I haven’t seen your hair this bad since watergate, which is saying a lot. But you still have that image and I need to make fun of you for it now, even though you’re probably gonna be annoying and still get babes with them and shit.”

Her word vomit is so welcome and he loves her. He knows she will bully him for the glasses, but she won’t mean it. He always knows she doesn’t mean it. That’s why she’s allowed to do it.

So, without further ado, he grabs the case on his nightstand and slips the glasses on, before turning towards Robin and letting out a deadpan: “Tadaa.”

She keeps a straight face for all but three seconds, before she’s cracking up and calling him a nerd, blabbering about how the tables have turned. He allows her a moment to have her fun, before huffing: “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I was less clumsy than you, even with shitty depth perception, so don’t get too big of a head.”

“Was dangerous to drive before this?” Robin squeaks.

“I didn’t know that it wasn’t. I thought it was fine,” Steve defends himself. “Besides, better that we find that out now than on the road. Though, I’m sorry we missed out spring break trip to the big city. You were looking forwards to it.”

“Not your fault, dingus,” Robin informs him, her tone gentle now.

“What were you going to do in the city?” Eddie asks from the other bed.

Because of course Eddie will ask, it’s only natural and Steve is panicking, because he can’t very well tell Eddie that they were planning on finding the gay people, so Robin can be herself for a change. So, he just looks helplessly at Robin, begging her to take the lead.

Robin gives Eddie a calculating look, before saying: “To visit my friend, Dorothy,” and as she says it, it feels like more than just a cover up.

A feeling which is only cemented by Eddie’s eyes turning as big as plates, before he’s grinning and saying: “Really? I know her like that too. Is she friends with both of you?”

“Just mine,” Robin answers. “But Steve is cool with her.”

And Eddie nods like that means something to him, like that whole conversation cleared something up. So, confused Steve asks: “Was that something I was supposed to grasp or was that nonsense you made up to mess with me?”

The two share a look and Steve feels a little left out, before they come to a conclusion and Robin explains: “It’s gay code. Covertly asking someone if they’re gay.”

It takes a second for it to click, but then he sees Eddie’s nervous face. Immediately, he assures: “Oh, that’s cool, Eddie. Hope you have better taste in men than Robbie does in women.”

“Oi, I have great taste, Steve!” Robin protests.

“Muppet,” is all Steve responds, before they’re both laughing again, this time Eddie confused, though Robin assures him, she’ll explain later.

But with Eddie in the know about it, Robin can openly talk about her plans. She sounds so excited and Steve smiles fondly at her, already vowing that they’re going this year one way or another even if it kills him. And with Eddie also part of the scene, he offers up: “You should go in June. Lot of gay shit is happening then. They’re commemorating the riots in New York then. They happened in ‘69, I don’t know if you heard about them.”

“I was just born then, so no,” Robin tells him, before asking for more information.

So, Eddie talks to her. He tells her about the shitty police, the arrests, the drag queens, the transsexuals, the sex workers, the black community, the poor. How they stood up. How they raged and rioted. How they showed themselves for who they were, daring anyone to say a thing.

And Steve knows he isn’t part of that. It isn’t his history. But he can’t help but look up to these people, wanting to tap into their strength and how they found themselves and built a community of people like them, uncaring of what others think. He admires them.

They remake their plans right there in that hospital room.

The three of them are going to the city in June, Steve is driving because Eddie’s van is in need of many repairs after it had been left on a random parking lot while he ran. They’re going to rent a motel room, sharing to save costs and Robin has already declared it will be the most fun she is ever going to have.

A small part of Steve can’t help but agree, already looking forward to the getaway. Just the three of them. A few days of not being responsible for the kids or worrying, but in the city having fun like people their age are supposed to have.

It’s something to look forward to and it’s what helps Steve and Eddie as they get better and better until they are released.

Robin is still a frequent guest along with Dustin and the other brats, but Wayne also comes over more and Steve can’t pretend to be asleep each time. It’s quite obvious the man doesn’t trust him near his boy and with Steve’s last name and reputation, he can’t really blame the man. Though he can’t deny that it hurts to not have the approval of someone so kind and accepting.

He throws all his charm Wayne’s way. Tries to think of what would impress a hard working man like Wayne, while also taking in account his love for Eddie. So, he tries to talk about sport, asks after work and showing genuine interest, praises Eddie where he can within his NDA and shows a little bit of his own weird side (bragging about the kids).

However, he wins Wayne over without intending it, by not noticing the man while he talks with Eddie.

They’re finally allowed out of bed, the nurses trusting them not to rip open their stitches – a right they had to earn back after a stint where they tried to visit Max and subsequently did just that. And Steve is making the best of it by sitting on the foot of Eddie’s bed, who had the worst injuries out of them and for whom moving hurt more.

He’s sitting with his legs crossed holding a pencil and being very confused while surrounded by books. Wayne appears in the doorway behind him, right as Steve asks: “Can you read the passage to me again? The words keep jumping and I don’t get it, what do the classes mean again?”

Naturally that means Eddie has to launch into a detailed explanation about everything again and Wayne recognizes it as his fantasy game that kids at school made fun of him for. But there he stands and watches the Harrington kid listen with rapt attention, asking questions and smiling fondly at the theatrics of his nephew.

Once Eddie is done, Steve says: “Dustin’s a fighter right? I’d like to be his backup when I play. What would you recommend?”

“Paladin, holy warrior with an oath of protection, it suits you,” Eddie tells him without hesitation and Steve takes his word for it with only a little blush and duck of his head.

That’s when Eddie notices his uncle and calls out a happy greeting. Steve immediately straightens up and is already apologizing and telling them he’ll get out of their way, much to Eddie’s disappointment, Wayne sees, so he says: “You can stay, son. I don’t mind. You seem to understand his rambles better than me.”

“Oh, uhm, thank you,” Steve replies softly. “Dustin, he talks about it a lot, so I had some background. They wanna play once Eddie is allowed out of here and I thought I’d surprise them by joining, so Eddie is teaching me. That way I won’t make a complete fool out of myself.”

Wayne nods and tells him that’s awfully nice that he’s willing to try and just like that Steve has his approval. All he had done was listening to his friends, because he likes listening to his friends. It makes them happy and he feels less alone. It’s just him and that is enough for Wayne.

It feels a bit like a revelation.

His own parents don’t show, though he gets a card from France on one of the last days in there. The handwriting is that of Stacy, his father’s secretary. He knows because he has seen it on all his birthday cards and Christmas gifts.

Their walk out of the lab/hospital is victorious with Max joining them on her crutches, which will likely be permanent, or at least partially. The three have to go back for physical therapy, Steve the least and Max the most, but other than that, they’re free.

And it truly does feel like freedom. The Upside Down likely is no more, this time more certain than the ones before. They have won and now they get to move on.

Steve is luckily also right that the others will be delighted when he joins their DnD game. Even Mike doesn’t grumble about it, which is a huge win.

In the end, he doesn’t know if he’s dismayed that he actually genuinely likes DnD or if he’s happy about it. After all his complaining about the nerd game, it feels a bit like karma that it’s fun. But he also tried something for himself and liked it.

Yeah, he can argue that he is doing it because Dustin has been begging him for literal years to try it, but he knows that’s not it. He planned to do only a one shot, because he knows the kids find their first session after a stint with the Upside Down the hardest. So, he just wanted to be moral support and then leave them to it.

But it’s just fun. Actual fun.

Eddie is a great DM and all the kids try and help Steve when he’s confused about it. And when he rolls an 18 at the last second and slays one of the beasts, it feels good to celebrate with them. It puts his need for protection into something else, ensuring he can slowly let go of the hyper-vigilance in his real life, because he gets bursts of it in fiction.

So, they play DnD, hang out, watch movies and force Eddie to study so much he complains about his eyes hurting. And slowly the summer creeps near.

When June is there they decide to go Thursday the 26th till Monday the 30th. Since Eddies van still isn’t running (lack of funds, time and willing mechanics), Steve is driving and the three of them pile into the car with all their stuff.

Before they leave Steve checks in a million times with everyone, making them promise to just call if they need anything. They call him a worried mother, but he knows they appreciate it and the joke has long lost its sting. If he is their mom, then he is. He likes the role.

He is a protector and he knows he can’t bring his bat, no matter how much he wants to. But if he has a small knife with him that’s no one’s business but his own.

The car ride there is infuriating. Eddie is a horrible navigator, especially since he is in the backseat and he argues the entire ride with Robin about the radio station that should be playing. They take three wrong turns and Robin nearly pees her pants again before they can find a gas station. And it’s the best car ride ever.

It feels like the post-graduation trip Steve didn’t have and now he gets to do it with a few of his favorite people.

As expected, the motel is very shitty and they have a room with two queens. They agree that no hookups are to be brought to the room, before Robin exclaims that it is too hot to share a bed, even with Steve. And after spending weeks together in a hospital room, neither Steve nor Eddie care much about having to share.

That first night they go to a Chinese restaurant, none of them have ever tried the food and Steve is excited about it. This is what the trip is about for him, trying things and finding stuff he likes. He finds he likes Chinese food, but he likes it more to hang out with Eddie and Robin and just doing stupid youngster stuff.

During the next day, they mostly fuck around town, taking dumb pictures, making fun of hats in stores, finding the perfect mug to bring back to Wayne and checking out all the record shops, because they ‘just don’t have good music like this back in Hawkins, Stevie.’

For the evening, Eddie knows a gay club in town and drags them with them. This, Steve isn’t all that sure about. He hasn’t partied since his King Steve days and crowds aren���t his biggest friend nowadays, but this is for Robin and Eddie, so he gladly goes along. He knows this is their night, so he offers to be the designated driver, which is on brand after their stint with the Russians. Still he has to ensure them over and over again that it’s fine.

The club is strange in the best way. Steve mostly just lets his eyes glide around, trying to take it all in, but being overwhelmed by new stuff everywhere he looks.

He’s sure that he and Robin at least look like newbies and very out of place, but Eddie moves like he’s at home and it makes Steve wonder how long he’s been coming here.

They get drinks, Steve coke, Robin and Eddie beer with fake IDs that aren’t well checked. For now they stick together, trying to get used to the crowd of people. They watch as couples grind on the dance floor all sort of combinations, dressed in clothes ranging from day wear to practically bikini’s to evening gowns.

Steve loves it.

He doesn’t feel like going into the crowd himself, but happily watches as Eddie drags Robin onto the floor and spins her around. The two doing goofy moves and grinning like idiots. They’re obviously having fun and being themselves, and Steve is so glad for them, because this is their place and they deserve to be happy.

His eyes glide over more in the crowd. There are women in full suits, but also in short dresses, some are kissing, other just talking. He lets himself watch them, but doesn’t focus on them in the same way he didn’t focus on Robin like that after she came out to him.

It’s the men that catch his attention more. Mostly the outfits. They’re so diverse and Steve just wants to take it all in. A majority are nothing like what Steve has been told a man should be. There are men dressed in crop tops and short shorts, men with glitter in their hair, men without shirts and even men in dresses and full makeup.

He recalls Eddie telling him and Robin about drag queens and figures that they must be that. A part wants to go up and talk to one of them, feeling strangely drawn to the dramatic faces, sequins and glamour, but he doesn’t want to make a fool of himself either, so he stays to the side.

On the dance floor, Robin is dancing with a beautiful babe. She catches his eye for a second and lets hers grow wide with an ‘are you seeing this!!!’-look, which makes Steve smile. Eddie is in the midst of it, dancing like a maniac and somehow making it look good. He grins fondly and shakes his head, before making his way back to the bar for another coke.

Tonight is busy, so he has to wait a moment before he gets his drink, which isn’t really a problem for him. He’s content to stand there and lean on the bar.

A girl in a white dress shirt with a checkered slipover slides in next to him at the bar and orders a drink for herself, before noticing Steve and smiling. If it were another context, he might assume she was flirting, but instead he just gives her a friendly smile back.

“You new here?” she asks him, leaning close to be heard over the music.

He laughs a little and blushes, asking: “That obvious?”

“Not that much, you just look a little lost,” the girl smiles kindly.

“Got to admit that I am a little,” Steve tells her. “I’m just here for my friends. To support them and stuff. Plus, I have a car. Steve, by the way. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Brooklyn, call me Brook,” she replies. “It’s nice to see someone show up, like that.”

“It’s nothing,” Steve shrugs. “We’re from a small town, I’m just happy to see them smile and be free like this.”

“Ahw, that’s so sweet,” Brook says, leaning in and showing her cleavage a little. “Hopefully you have time for a conversation with little old me, maybe take a bit of a break from watching your friends.”

And Steve has been purposefully not flirting, but it really sounds like she is flirting with him. So now he’s a bit confused. Not wanting to make the wrong move, he says: “Sorry, if this is, like, totally inappropriate to ask, but are you flirting with me? Are you also here as support? Or am I reading this wrong?”

Brook looks at him for a second and he thinks he fucked up here, already on the point of apologizing when Brook grins and says: “Oh, you really are a newbie. Don’t worry about it, it wasn’t offensive. Glad you checked. But, yeah, I was flirting, I’m bisexual.”

“Bisexual?” Steve repeats, he has never heard that word before.

“Sorry, I keep forgetting you’re new to the scene in it’s entirety, you look at home here,” Brook tells him. “Bisexual means being attracted to both men and women. Though some people still use it to say they’re both female and male, so always good to ask when someone says. But most are shifting transgender or transsexual with that last one. People are still looking for a better term for people who are not a man nor a woman in zines and stuff, but don’t worry about that.”

Confused Steve looks at her grin, a million thoughts race through his head, but all he manages to form coherently is: “You can do that?”

“You can do whatever you want and be whoever you want with whomever you want,” Brook informs him cheerfully.

From the other side of the bar a group of women call her name and she looks genuinely apologetic as she scribbles something on his hand (where she got the pen, he does not know) and says: “If you have more questions, call me. It was nice meeting you, Steve.”

“Yeah, you too,” Steve tells her a little distantly, realizing what she left is a number, right as she fully disappears into the crowd again.

Once she is gone, he sips his drink and stares into the void before him with unseeing eyes. He didn’t even know those were things that existed, but Brook just threw them around casually, like it’s a natural part of the world. Common. Just there, existing.

It makes his head spin a bit. He tries to tell himself it’s because it’s a lot of new information to take in, he remembers how he felt after he heard Eddie talk in that hospital room. However, another more hidden and smaller part of himself whispers that it sounds nice.

Steve has never fully identified with what is expected of being a man. For a long time, his father would yell at him, telling him he wouldn't raise a sissy or a fag. But Steve couldn't help that he liked making sure his friends are okay more than roughhousing with them. Couldn't help that he liked it when his mother took the time to fuss over him and his hair, instead of making his little suit dirty playing in the grass like the other kids at functions.

Besides, he likes cooking after it had become a necessity when microwave meals and take-out were tiring. He had to learn how to do his own laundry, his own dishes and keep the house clean, because his parents expect it to be clean, but fired the help. And if he finds those tasks soothing than that is only a good thing.

And it has never been his fault that his father doesn’t understand that he hates the idea of being a career man. That he wants to stay home, be married and stay home for his kids. To give his home life like his current house doesn’t have, be present like his parents weren’t, care for his kids because he knows how he needed it.

He has always been too softhearted for his father, for his friends, for what society had planned for him. But here in a dingy club in the big city with strangers and his two best friends, he feels like that doesn’t matter much.

It’s both freeing and terrifying.

Before he can spiral on the terrifying part, Eddie practically falls into the bar next to him, grin so wide it can split his face. “You enjoying yourself, Stevie?” he asks.

“Yeah, man, this is fun. People here are nice,” he replies. “I saw you talking with someone earlier, that work out?”

“Nah, I’m not really looking for a hookup,” Eddie shrugs.

“Okay, but if you are and you’re stopping yourself because you’re scared with everything that’s been happening, I do have condoms and I can give one to you no problem,” Steve tells him seriously, because he just wants his friends to be happy.

Eddie gives him a look that is both amused and a bit awed, making Steve a bit uncomfortable, if he’s honest. Then Eddie smirks: “You truly are a mom, prepared for everything. Why do you even have those with you in here?”

“Maybe because I watch the news and I want you to be safe, dick,” Steve rolls his eyes. Then shrugs: “Besides, some people are bisexual, I got a girl’s number.”

“Only you can get a girl’s number at a notorious gay club,” Eddie laughs. Though he ignores the first part of what Steve says, he can tell the other is touched, but he doesn’t push it. The crisis that’s been going on isn’t exactly a topic of conversation for a night like this.

Soon Robin is joining them, her eyes wide and bright, face flushed. Loudly and happily she exclaims: “I kissed a girl, Steve. Me! And I touched a boob.”

“Hell yeah, Robs,” he grins, giving her a high five as Eddie snorts before also congratulating her on her first gay kiss.

She is so pumped that she drags the both of them to the dance floor jumping around like a maniac and her elbows hitting Steve multiple times. But she’s laughing and Steve is laughing and Eddie is grinning like a fool too and making sure Robin doesn’t hit too many people. They must look like idiots, but none of them care too elated and happy.

It’s nearly four when they stumble out of there, all of them high on life. They’re giggling, Robin and Eddie because they’re tipsy and Steve because he’s just so happy. He has pushed all he’s heard tonight to the side to be in this moment, for once not worried about the future.

They crash onto the beds when they get home. Robin fully dressed, Eddie shedding his jeans, before passing out. Steve is the most lucid, he actually changes into pajamas and brushes his teeth then falls on the bed next to Eddie.

He just lies there for a second, listening to the breathing of Robin and Eddie. It’s peaceful and quiet and it settles his nerves like nothing else.

Beside him Eddie is warm and, as Steve had discovered in the hospital, a mover. Though maybe not. Eddie shifts for a few moments, but then his hand hits Steve’s chest and before he knows it, Eddie has gripped the shirt and dragged him close, like it was nothing. He traps Steve with his arms so that his head is pillowed on Eddie’s chest, his legs pinned by Eddie’s.

Steve can’t help but hold his breath, waiting to see if Eddie will do anything else. Move again, maybe. But it seems that holding something – holding Steve –is enough to settle Eddie. His deep breaths fanning over the top of Steve’s head.

With the peace returned, Steve lets out a breath and relaxes. A part of him tells him it’s weird to cuddle with friends, that real men don’t do this. But he pushes those thoughts away. He and Robin cuddle often enough and it’s always soothing, he can cuddle up with Eddie – who is his friend, thank you very much – and it is just a friend thing.

Right at that point the word ‘bisexual’ pops in his head again.

Immediately Steve pushes it away, he isn’t gay, or bisexual. Or, at least, he doesn’t think so. But then his mind replays Eddie tugging him into the hug like he weighed nothing and a warm flush goes through his body.

He tries to tell himself it’s because he’s embarrassed. He’s just being moved like some sort of rag doll that’s a blow to his masculinity. That’s all.

However, his mind betrays him yet again, wondering when Eddie got so strong. His hold on Steve is tight and though Steve could escape if he wants, it would be a struggle. He knows Eddie has been working out more with the physical therapy (and to be better should something else happen. Good old trauma, their old friend).

Steve lies there and tries to decide if he finds it attractive. It may just be admiration for muscles that Steve wants for himself. That’s normal behavior. That’s what he should feel.

Again, his mind betrays him by whispering how he doesn’t want that at all, that it felt safe to be dragged around like that. He likes that Eddie tucked him into his side like it was nothing, that he sunk into the mattress with peace once he had Steve in his arm, as if he could only rest with Steve in a protective hold by his side.

Before he can decide whether he likes the muscles or how it makes him feel, the hour takes him and he falls asleep.

Steve wakes up to giggling and then a bright flash. He groans and buries him deeper into the warmth that is shielding him from the world. However, the warmth shakes a bit and he hears a rumbled laugh above him. The noise makes him frown. It takes him a second before he realizes where he must be; Eddie’s chest, all cuddled up.

Shit.

He doesn’t want to make either of them think he’s uncomfortable with Eddie and cuddling up with a man, but his heart is pounding as he sits up as fast and normally as he can. He glares at the two of them, matching grins on their faces, and rubs his face as he asks: “What are you two shitheads laughing about now?”

Robin shows him a still developing polaroid, though the image is clear. It’s of him and Eddie in the bed, Steve drooling on Eddie’s chest, cuddling close, fast asleep. Eddie on the other hand is awake, his hair a mess, one arm wrapped around Steve as he flips off the camera. Written below in Robin’s messy scrawl is: ‘Indy 28-6-‘86 morning cuddles after the club’

It’s a really nice picture if Steve is honest. Fucking embarrassing too and he is blushing. But it also feels homey and comfortable. He likes it and he’s unsure why.

“You alright there, princess? Or still asleep?” Eddie asks in a teasing yet genuine voice.

The pet name is new, but it makes something float up in Steve’s chest. It always comes up whenever Eddie calls him a pet name, but he usually shoves it away. Now, however, he can’t help but note it’s the same feeling he got last night when Eddie pulled him close.

“’m awake,” he grumbles instead of letting his mind drift. “Just been rudely awoken by two assholes.”

“Ahww, you love us, Stevie,” Robin teases him and she knows she is right. She has taken to Eddie’s nickname for him and Steve doesn’t mind. He likes the name.

“Yeah, we’re so sorry,” Eddie tells him without sounding a little bit sorry. “How can we make it up to you, sweetheart.”

“Go get breakfast while I shower and I might forgive you,” Steve tells them, but he is already smiling.

“You heard him, Robbie,” Eddie says, swinging his legs out of bed and grabbing the first pair of pants he finds on the floor, putting them on. They’re Steve’s light wash jeans, but Eddie makes him work with his messy look.

He slings an arm over Robin’s shoulders and drags her out of the room, both laughing as Eddie calls back: “Don’t use all the hot water, princess.”

Then Steve is by himself in their little room and he isn’t sure whether he hates it or is glad for the brief moment of peace. He loves his friends, but he has much to think about. However, he also doesn’t really want to think about it.

With a sigh he peels himself out of bed and gets in the shower, turning on the water. The pressure is shit and doesn't get hotter than lukewarm. Yet Steve welcomes it anyway. As he washes off the grime and sweat of last night, he mulls over his thoughts.

‘You can do whatever you want and be whoever you want with whomever you want’ that’s what Brook told him.

And it’s overwhelming and enticing all at once. Steve has only known for a year, maybe two, that it’s okay not to mold yourself to whatever other people want. So, someone telling him he can be whoever he wants, is wild.

Though it’s not just that. Robin, Dustin and Eddie all have told him not to conform to some bullshit because it was expected, that isn’t new to him. Not anymore.

No what’s new is that is that Brook casually informed him he doesn’t have to just like girls, he can like boys too and that’s fine. Hell, he doesn’t even have to be a boy, if he doesn’t want to. And Steve had never even considered the possibility.

…But now that he has he can't get it out of his mind.

It feels like something illegal, like something that isn’t allowed. Exciting but also scary, like the first beer he had or the first joint, or even that first time he played DnD.

He knows that he can talk to Robin and Eddie about it. That they will listen and try to help without judgment and only excitement for him, but he doesn’t even know what he wants yet. It feels too personal, not fleshed out enough.

Steve has never been good at knowing what he wants and he just wants more information before he opens his mouth. So, he decides to make the most of this trip and ask around when hanging in queer spaces. That’s what this trip is about anyway, right?

~~

A/N

Steve is really like, ‘I personally relate to the queer things I have heard and read on a deep level and I think I’ll feel at home, but I am not queer, why would you think that?’ And just lives his life like that without question until he’s actually in the middle of it.

Also I went into this to write genderqueer Steve, I named by document ‘Genderqueer Steve’ yet it takes him 15k words to first hear about the concept… I have issues with letting my fics get out of hand, gonna be honest with y’all lmao

Doing queer research for this has been fun! USA Queer History isn’t my history, but it’s connected anyways and writing about queerness always makes me emotional

#rr writing #tw: hospital #tw: aids crisis mention #tw: child neglect #stranger things fic #stranger things #eddie lives au #eddie munson #steve harrington #eddie munson & steve harrington & robin buckley #robin buckley #platonic stobin #platonic steddie #steddie #wayne munson #uncle wayne #jim hopper #st the party #the party stranger things #OCs #Life Is Ours We Live It Our Way #Life Is Ours We Live It Our Way Chapter 2 #genderqueer steve harrington

[andvys]

PART 24

- "For her to call Eddie?" AHHHH! I MISS EDDIE! MY BOY!

- "There is no Y/N without Eddie anymore" AHHHH! Eddie x Y/N

- "I don't t think that she wants anyone right now" (meanwhile me: YES I DO! I WANT EDDIE!)

- "That's why he hasn't made a move yet" I hope he makes a move soon!!!

- "I don't think that he's ever getting a second chance" Me neither.

- CHRISSOBIN! OR ROSSY??? IDK BUT AHHHHH!!! LOVE THEM!!!

- I'm still in my delusional Enemies to lovers Steddie x Reader Era

- Chrissy angry at Robin?? It's all Steve's fault!!

-"Even if she ends up kissing then both or hooking up with them both" GIRL, THAT'S THE DREAM! STEDDIE X READER, STEDDIE X READER! Ok no, but one day!

- "The two blushing girls" I love that!!!

- I miss Heather!

- AHHH! Steve made her suffer! I hate him!

- "You have spent so many nights wondering what could have been if you and Steve have never crossed that line, if you just stayed as friends" Maybe, no pain?

- AHHH! HEATHER!

- NOOOO! SAD EDDIE!!!

- "You feel sadder than ever" NOOO!

- I'm still thinking Eddie x Reader or Steddie x reader!

- Y/N just doesn't know that her love for Eddie is not so platonic...

-Why Robin is being like that? I love the Eddie x Y/N moments! :(

- AHHHH! Y/N giving Eddie a bat plushie! They're the cutest!!!!

- "I forgot the Doritos, fuck" HAHAHA!

- "I missed you Eddie" AWWW! I LOVE THEM!

- "I missed you too, sweetheart" AWWWW!

- "You stole him for me" They can stole another one, and they could be their children... JK!!! Or not?

- "He's my little Eddie" OMG! SHE'S THE CUTEST! and that's their child!!!

- "You are so beautiful" AHHHHH! EDDIE X READER MOMENT!!!

- Eddie is the definition of perfect boyfriend

- Wearing Eddie's clothes!!! YAY!!!

- "And then I was just by myself cause I didn't want to talk to anyone" she's me fr.

- "You look down at his lips again and suddenly, you feel the urge to feel them on yours" YESSSSS

- "You're really pretty" SHE LOVES HIM!!!

- "You're always so good to me" She lives him! I know it.

- "I wish I met you first, Eddie" AHHHHHHHHH!!! GIRL!!! OMG! SHE LOVES HIM!!! AND SHE KNOWS IT!!!!

-🩷

Chrissy’s and Robin’s ship name is Buckingham 🤭

I agree, Steddie x reader would be so nice ugh (especially enemies to lovers between steve and eddie)

I’m happy you liked all the Eddie x reader moments here

and i’m happy you liked this new chapter🩷

#andy’s asks #🩷 anon