🎀

i fear he's far too endearing

Kevin talking about how amazing Joe is 🥹

Eddie sees this one day when they're in the parking lot of Family Video together and genuinely gets concerned that Steve's having, like, a mental breakdown or something. So that's how he introduces himself to Steve.

*knocks on driver's side window*

*Steve notices and rolls down his window* "Oh, hey Munson, what's up?"

written for ‘micro' | wc: 555 | rated: t | cw: no archive warnings apply | tags: pre-relationship, post-s4, eddie's scars, pining, soft boys being soft

@steddiemicrofic

Everybody thought he was okay. The kids, his uncle.

He’d been out of the hospital for months now, and most of the aches had faded—though not disappeared—from the physical therapy.

His scars were pink and silvery, and even the ones that had totally fucked a few of his tattoos he’d come to terms with. Had overpowered the voices in his head to instead embody them as metal and sick as the originals.

Except...except one.

One he couldn’t help but stare at in the mirror. That he couldn’t hide away on the shitty days. One that people’s eyes couldn’t help but steal glances of.

“Eddie?”

He startled, smacking his knee into the cabinet as he turned to find Steve hovering in the open doorway. Because Eddie was an idiot who didn’t remember to close doors all the way.

With a furrowed brow, Steve scanned the bathroom. “What are you doing?”

Well, shit. Eddie’d gotten so caught up in his own misery, he’d completely left Steve waiting on him in the living room.

“Sorry. Got distracted.” Eddie cleared his throat, trying to slip past.

But Steve, hands planted on the doorframe, didn’t move.

Eddie dug his nails into his palm. “Let’s go watch the movie, yeah?”

Steve refused, scowling now. “No, seriously. If something’s wrong, I—somebody needs to know before you keel over on the drive home.”

Shame crept up Eddie throat.

Steve had carried Eddie out of that hellhole, and held the pieces of him together with his bare hands. The little Eddie remembered was punctuated with Steve’s voice, over and over, Don’t you dare fucking die, Munson.

“It’s so stupid...”Eddie touched the corner of his mouth, at the textured patch of skin.”I already had fucking dimples, and now it’s three times worse. On only one side of my face.”

Steve shifted in the doorway, quiet for a moment.

“It’s not the worst thing ever,” he offered. “Small, really. Tiny. Minuscule. Micro.”

“Micro?”

“It means small.’

Steve only thought he was helping, ever the baby-sitter, soothing where his charges need him. With the best of intentions, but Eddie had never been one to believe a sugar-coated lie told right to his face.

“It’s not, though.”

The thing existed, always. Pulled at his mouth when he spoke, when he tried to smile in the way he used to.

And, like, Steve didn’t get it. Even that damn scar around his throat had healed better than most of Eddie’s, visible only in specific lighting. And he was...Steve Harrington. A few scars weren’t exactly tanking his chances in the dating pool.

“You’re not the same.”

Eddie froze. Stared at Steve, unsure whether to be more insulted or shocked.

“Your body moves in ways it didn’t before. To keep from hurting, even though it still hurts. They’re always there, and it’s like everyone can always see them.” Steve’s hand dropped to his throat, then his sides. “They’ll never go away.”

Fuck.

He was always wrong about Steve. Who saw more of Eddie than he thought possible.

“Steve—”

And then Steve was in the cramped space of the bathroom, his face so close to Eddie’s before his lips pressed to the marred skin at the corner of his mouth.

Gentle. Soft, and careful.

Eddie couldn’t breathe.

“You didn’t fucking die, Munson,” Steve said, pulling away. “And that’s all I care about.”

Steve: How would I know?

Dustin: You were - Mike, hold on. Steve, you were a bully.

Steve: I wasn't a bully. I was like, just an asshole. I never beat anyone up, other than Jonathan and-

Dustin: That's debatable.

Max: You're not asking the right question. Steve, quickest way to ruin someone self-esteem.

Steve: Oh. Group booing.

Max: Everyone boo Mike

Max: Boooo

Dustin: Booooo

He uses a silly pseudonym and lowers his voice to a sultry whisper, to disguise himself and set the mood. His becomes a cult favourite, a shared secret around town.

Rumours swirl around Steve's age group that he might be the host because, well... Some of the advice this radio love guru is giving out is very specific. Steve earned a reputation for a reason *wink.

Eddie listens. Oh boy, does he.

Huddled under the covers with his radio on low (even though his uncle is mostly at the Plant at that hour), Eddie has developed an embarrassing crush on the host. Context clues have helped him figure out it is someone around his age but, with three separate senior year books at his disposal, he can't quite pin down who it might be.

Imagine his surprise when he realises it is Steve (who he also has a crush on). Is it still two separate crushes if someone is masquerading as an Anonymous Radio Sex God?

Anyway, he about near falls out of bed when he hears Robin chiming in and a very Steve-and-Robin squabble ensues, live on air.