Shelly ~ 40’s ~ love to read Stranger things, Steddie, Supernatural, Leverage, Librarians, Stargate fics ~ not a writer myself, but avid reblogger - 18+ only
I like the idea of steddie trying on each other's clothes as a fun surprise or a sexy thing and them being like, "ugh, ew. No."
Steve shows up to band practice in black skinny jeans, eye liner, a black leather jacket, and one of Eddie's band shirts. Eddie's eyes go huge but not in a good way. He can't help the way his nose scrunches up in distaste. "Please go put on a polo and a puffer jacket this is not my boyfriend."
Eddie tries to dress nicely for some event, maybe a work thing for Steve, but instead of doing it his own way, he just raids Steve's closet. He's wearing a white button up under a beige sweater, light wash jeans, and his hair in a slick bun. Steve immediately pulls a face like he wants to be sick and makes Eddie at least take off the sweater and undo some buttons so at least he can roll up the sleeves and show off his tattoos.
They love each other exactly as they are and don't want the other to change for them at all.
They both get horny if the other borrows Robin's clothes, though, which is why they are both banned from her closet.
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Steve did ballet seriously until he was fourteen , the kind with recitals and teachers who pushed his shoulders down until every muscle shook. He doesn’t talk about it now. It sits in his body instead, in the turnout of his feet when he’s barefoot, in the way his spine still remembers how to bend.
Eddie finds out on a Tuesday.
One minute Steve’s bitching about hauling amps, the next he’s on the rug in the middle of the living room, dropping into a backbend that looks exactly like something out of a black-and-white training photo. His ribs stand out, his hair brushes the air, one hand wrapped around the heel of his opposite foot like it’s nothing.
Eddie is quite literally in shock at this.
“What on earth are you doing, Harrington?” Eddie manages, voice strangled.
“My back hurts,” Steve says, like that explains anything. “I’m stretching.”
“I’ve never seen someone bend that way, man,” Eddie says, because holy shit. “That’s not stretching, that’s… something else”
Steve blinks up at him from upside down. “Huh? We used to do this in class all the time.”
“Class?” Eddie echoes.
“Yeah, ballet?” Steve says it so casually Eddie almost misses it. “Danced for like eight years. Stopped before high school.”
There’s a ringing in Eddie’s ears. “You did what?” he says, strangled, because Steve Harrington, secret ballerina apparently, is already more than his crush-riddled brain can handle, and now all he can think is: if he can bend like that, what else can he do?
He drags his gaze away before he gives himself away completely, shoves his hands in his pockets and tries, desperately, to sound normal. “Cool, yeah.”
Steve’s sitting up now, looking at him with this curious little squint. Eddie squirms. “What?”
Steve huffs, rolls his eyes, and pushes to his feet. “Don’t be weird about it, Munson.”
“No, yeah, I’m not, I’m just— y’know.” He shrugs, hears himself babbling. “Ballerina Steve. Whatever.” He can feel the heat in his cheeks and turns away so Steve can’t see his face hiding under his hair.
From behind him, Steve lets out this half-laugh. “Wanna see something else cool?”
Eddie’s mind trips over itself. What else could he *possibly* have up his sleeve? “Uh. Okay. Yeah. Sure.”
He turns back around—
and Steve’s already moving, spotting some invisible point on the wall and snapping into a clean fourth position before Eddie can even process it. Then he’s turning, fast, tight pirouettes one after another, the kind of spin that should belong on a stage, not in the middle of a dingy living room. His shoulders stay level, his chin locked, feet whispering against the rug in quick, sure steps until he snaps to a stop like someone hit pause.
He’s a little breathless, hair mussed, wearing this self-satisfied smirk that hits Eddie like a truck. “Still just ‘whatever,’ or did I earn an upgrade?”
Eddie’s jaw works uselessly. Words have apparently left the building. All he manages, wide-eyed and bright red, is a breathy, “…cool.”
Steve laughs like that’s the funniest thing he’s heard all week, shakes his head, and claps Eddie on the shoulder as he walks past. “Knew you’d be into that,” he says, halfway under his breath.
Eddie stays rooted to the spot, ears ringing, and realizes two things at once: one, Steve Harrington used to be a ballerina and from what he’s just seen today, he was *good* at it. Two, Steve Harrington is absolutely weaponizing that information against him.
We are back! And this story is complete and will be 17 chapters.
In this we have a batch of award shows, but not the Oscars yet. And we met the incredible Joyce Byers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 |
~
“Take the glasses off!” “Take the glasses off!” “Take the glasses off!”
The press was relentless as Steve walked down the red carpet at the SAG Awards. He was in a simple black tux with an off-white vest and priest collar shirt.
He was still sporting his cut from ‘Black, No Sugar (Unless it’s You)’. It was a faux-hawk with frosted tips and he could tell from the reactions that people were not liking it.
He just smiled and waved at the fans who had shown up to see him, glasses firmly on his face. It was only once he got past the media and to the fan line up did the glasses come off.
A fan ducked her head and blushingly said, “I like your glasses.”
Steve grinned at her and tapped her pink tortoiseshell glasses. “Me too.” He signed her photograph and moved on to the next fan.
He finally got into the venue feeling a little stretched thin. He looked around and let out a pained sigh. He didn’t see Eddie or Elise anywhere. They were all seated together, but he couldn’t see them in the densely packed crowd.
The crowd parted and Steve let out a little gasp. There was Joyce Byers. She recently done a sequel to a Tim Burton movie and she was nominated tonight. She spotted him and made a beeline straight for him.
Steve frozen where he was. Someone as famous as Joyce Byers knew who he was. This was more terrifying than any audition ever.
“Steve Harrington,” she asked, cocking her head to the side. “Right?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he managed to croak out. “I don’t think there is a person in this room who doesn’t know who you are.”
She blushed and waved her hand at him. “Flatterer!”
Steve raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, that’s not hyperbole or an exaggeration and you know it.”
Joyce’s smile went from shy to sly. “So all the rumors that you’re just a dumb bunny aren’t true, noted.”
“My parents have tried a lot of things to sully my name,” Steve said with a shrug. “That one was the one that stuck.”
Her face and shoulders fell. “I did hear about that, honey. I’m so sorry about how you were treated. I’m glad you were able to overcome all that and still act. I’m not sure I would have had that been me.”
He smiled at her. “All thanks to Robin Buckley and her parents. Owe them so much.”
“Richard was such a charmer back in the day,” Joyce said wistfully. “And Robin definitely gets that from him.”
“And she knows it,” Steve said with a grin.
“I just want to congratulate on that absolutely sublime of a film you did with her,” she said with bright smile, putting her hand on his forearm. “If they have any sense in their head, all three of you will win tonight.”
“Thank you for that,” Steve said, positively beaming. “We all know that there is very little sense in Hollywood. It’s practically embedded in its DNA.”
Joyce laughed. “That certainly true. But there was another reason I came over. Are you familiar with the film critic, Nancy Wheeler?”
He frowned. “A bit. She was the one who broke the story of my being caught in the back of a limo with a producer back in the day. I don’t have very fond feelings toward her for that. Even if she thought she was doing her job.”
She nodded grimly. “She’s friends with my Jonathan and I happened to overhear an argument they were having over her next article for Variety.”
“Uh oh,” Steve said darkly. “That can’t be good.”
“No,” Joyce said with a grimace. “She’s writing a piece about how only people of LBGTQ+ people should play those roles and that in this day and age actors don’t have the ‘problems’ getting non-gay roles these days, therefore they should just come out.”
Steve let out a pained sigh. “Going after Eddie for not being gay and going after me for playing to ‘type’ in the same breath. That is some extra kind of fuckery.”
“Agreed,” she murmured. “I was looking for Eddie to tell him, but I spotted you first. Jon was really upset about it, especially since I’m currently dating Jim.”
“So he was looking out for his mom’s boyfriend,” Steve surmised. “Because that kind of backlash would absolutely blow back on the movie itself.” She nodded. “Thanks for the heads up. I’ll pass it along and let my agent know we’ll need to get out ahead of this.”
“Of course,” Joyce murmured. “I’ve told Jim and if you tell Eddie then we can all avoid this unpleasantness.”
Steve thanked her and then set off for where his seat was supposed to be, and thankfully Robin and Eddie were already there.
He gave each of them a hug as a greeting but when he hugged Eddie, he whispered, “There’s something I need to talk to you about of the ceremony.”
Eddie just nodded and they all sat down for the award show, Steve sitting between the two of them.
The lights dimmed and the comedian hired to host immediately started in on the jokes. Making everyone they could vaguely uncomfortable and being asinine.
Steve grimaced through the butt jokes about a couple of queer movies including their own. He really hated those kind of jokes because there were plenty of people on both sides of the aisle that enjoyed it and making it a joke only served to further stigmatize it from someone who might actually enjoy it from trying it.
First up was Steve for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.
“And the winner is...” said the rail thin blonde who looked only vaguely familiar. “Steve Harrington- ‘Dancing in the Dark’!”
Eddie and Robin were pounding on his back and congratulating him. He went up to stage and took the award from her.
“Wow,” he breathed. “There are a lot of awards worth having, but I think the greatest one you can get is when your own peers see the work you do as worthy. So thank you. Also thank you to my best friend and best director an actor could ever dream of, Robin Buckley, my co-star Eddie Munson, you make my work better just being who you are, Richard Buckley for giving me the chance, and to all the cast and crew who all came out of this movie with a hatred of Karo syrup and red dye.” He raised the award and then repeated, “Thank you!”
There was thunderous applause and he was carefully lead away as someone slipped into his empty seat.
He was brought back stage and the award was whisked away and he was given a heavier actual award that he was told to get engraved later. Then he was shoved in front of cameras and interviewers as they shouted questions at him.
“What do you say to rumors that you are dating your co-star, Eddie Munson?” was the first shouted question.
Steve burst out laughing. “God, if you believed every rumor about Eddie’s dating life, he’ll have had seventeen boyfriends and forty-two girlfriends in the last three years alone. Give it up, guys. He’s never going to come out and tell you who he’s dating and frankly, you won’t hear it from me either.”
“That’s not a no,” the interviewer said wagging their eyebrows.
“It’s a ‘none of your business’,” Steve insisted.
“Steve!” another interview called. “What’s next for you?”
Steve looked over and smiled. It was Veronica Stiles. The interviewer who had threatened to eviscerate anyone who asked him the hair question again.
“I’ve got a busy and packed schedule coming up,” he said with a smile. “I just wrapped up ‘Black, No Sugar’ with Jim Hopper and I’m on my way to play video game heartthrob and swashbuckler Billy the Blackheart. Then if all goes well you might be seeing me in tight spandex soon.”
“Oooh...” Veronica cooed. “Any hints on who it might be? Like DC or Marvel?”
Steve just smiled and shook his head. “My lips are sealed.”
There were a few more questions and then he was allowed to finally go back to his seat, award in hand.
Eddie shook his shoulder in excitement and grinned back at him.
There were a few more awards and then it was time for Best Leading Actor in Motion Picture. Steve reached out and took Eddie’s hand. Win or lose, Steve would still be proud of Eddie’s work on the film.
“And the winner goes to...” the presenter said, tugging at the envelope. “Gosh, they sure do seal these things tight.”
Eddie’s knee started jumping up and down from the sheer amount of suspense.
“And the winner goes to, Billy Hargrove- ‘Light of an Alaskan Dawn’!” she screamed.
There was a bunch of clapping and Eddie looked up at the camera as it passed over him, his disappointment evident on his face. Billy’s movie was pure awards bait and everyone knew it. It was an one-man epic about a man struggling with depression during the six months of no light in Alaska and how like the sun, he eventually came back around.
Steve leaned over and whispered something in Eddie’s ear that made him burst out laughing just as Billy passed them.
Billy shot the two of them a dirty look, but wisely said nothing as he got up to give his acceptance speech. He spoke about how meaningful the movie was and how grateful he was for the opportunity.
Steve wanted to gag, it was all too much. And likely too fake, too.
The music began as Billy waffled through his speech, so he raised his award and then was led off stage.
Robin gave them a strange look, but continued the rest of the show ignoring them.
She cornered them both and demanded to know what Steve said to Eddie that made him burst out laughing.
Steve shook his head. “I’ll tell you after I tell you what Joyce Byers told me before the show, because wooboy are we going to need something light to brighten the mood.” And then he explained her warnings.
“Did you hurt Nancy Wheeler in a former life or something?” Eddie asked with a scoff. “Dated her brother? Something, anything.”
Steve actually grimaced. “Not her brother, no. But our parents were friends and they set us up, I think her parents thought that dating a movie star would get her into places she wouldn’t have otherwise. Then when she cheated on me with...” he let out a pained sigh.
“Jonathan Byers,” Robin finished for him. “Though in Jon’s defense, she told him they had broken up when they had sex. They even dated for awhile before Jon found out about the cheating.”
“Holy shit,” Eddie hissed. “I would have dumped her too. My uncle always said never date a cheater because how they got you is how they’ll get the next one.”
Steve nodded. “Yeah, that what he said his mom said, too. Then of course Jon leaving her was my fault so she stalked me for awhile to try prove that it wasn’t her fault she cheated.”
“Oof,” Eddie muttered shaking his head. “So what, is she anti-LQBTQ now?”
Robin snorted. “That would hypocritical of her considering she’s got her own girlfriend, but it’s more that she’s gone down the leftist rabbit hole of only disabled people should play disabled people, trans people should play trans, gay should play gay... etc.”
Eddie’s eyes went wide. “It’s dickheads like her that made that one British actor come out as bi after playing a bi teenager. Like the kid was barely seventeen at the time but he was forced to come out just to stop the harassment.”
“Yeah,” Steve said with a nod, “and I think she’s smelling blood in the water.”
“Fuck!” Eddie said softly. “She’s not after you, she after me.”
Robin pursed her lips. “I’ll lunch with Bob, Chrissy, and Jim and see if we can’t form a unified statement.”
Eddie and Steve nodded.
“So what was it that you told Eddie that made such a scene?” she asked pulling her phone out of her purse.
Eddie and Steve shared a glance and then Steve said, “That he must have slept his way through the SAG-AFTRA voters.”
Robin blinked at them for a moment before nodding solemnly. “That tracks. The media likes to portray Stevie here as a slut, but I don’t think Billy’s gone to an event with the same woman twice.”
Steve grinned, feral. “They only do that because I’m gay and Billy’s straight. Trust me if the shoe was on the other foot, they would absolutely be painting Billy with the same brush.”
“True,” Eddie said. “At least a made a disappointing moment more fun.”
“Don’t worry, darlings,” Robin said, putting her phone away and then draping her arms over each of them. “There is always the Oscars!”
for @corrodedcoffinfest million words celebration!
also on ao3
rated t | 2248 words | no cw | tags: established steddie, band breakup, birthday party, marriage proposal, grieving a loss of a future that never was so the future that was meant to be could exist and other such dramatics
🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻
There’s a million reasons that things didn’t work out for them. They argued about everything, had no money, their van broke down too much, and they never quite understood what sound they wanted as a group to name a few.
But they wanted it. God, did they want it.
Wanting it wasn’t enough.
Eddie always thought if they wanted it bad enough, and worked hard enough, they’d get there. Turns out, you need a lot more luck and hope. And talent. That, too.
He’s not an idiot, or oblivious. He knows they’re good for Hawkins, maybe even Indiana. But they aren’t “go to California on a dream” good. They probably never will be.
And now they won’t.
Steve wraps his arms around him from behind, kissing his neck and then his shoulder, resting his nose against his pulse.
“You should come to bed, babe,” he whispers.
He’s right. He’s barely slept for days, and getting into bed and cuddling up to Steve will help his morose mood. It’s just that he’s twitching to grab his guitar and write something. He’s dying to get in his van and drive to Gareth’s house a mile up the road and come up with a new plan that’s doomed to fail. It’s a habit now, one that’s going to take a while to break now that they aren’t a band anymore. Not officially, anyway.
“Eddie? You okay?” Steve asks, voice louder now, laced with concern. He picks his head up, but Eddie quickly reaches back to tug him back into place.
“Don’t let go,” Eddie tells him. “Stay.”
And because Steve is an angel, and Eddie doesn’t deserve him, he does. He doesn’t ask any questions or try to say anything to make him feel better. He doesn’t push him towards the bed to try to make him sleep. He just holds him.
Eventually, Eddie turns in his arms and cups his face, kissing the corner of his mouth and giving him a small smile.
“Can I play you something?” Eddie asks.
Steve grins. “Always.”
He plays for a while. Too long, going off the yawns Steve tries to hide after a few songs. He’s slowly sinking down into the bed while Eddie strums and hums, occasionally pausing to write in his notebook.
Eddie plays until Steve’s asleep, light snores coming from where he has his face buried in the pillow. When he looks up, he finally notices Steve wearing his cropped Corroded Coffin shirt.
It makes him cry. He’s quiet about it, not wanting to wake Steve and see that worried look on his face again.
He wishes things turned out better for them. He wishes that Steve was visiting him on tour instead of sleeping in a trailer he promised he’d never come back to. He wishes he could say he accomplished what he set out to do, just one time.
—
He writes songs often, but the inspiration isn’t there. It’s harder without Gareth banging on his drums, trying to find any beat that works with the melody Eddie has in his head. They could try Gareth coming up with a beat first, but that’s just not how they do things.
How they did things.
Eddie looks around the record shop. He doesn’t mind this job. The owner’s pretty cool, knows a lot about every genre of music. He plays guitar and bass, too. Sometimes on payroll days, he sets aside some time to jam with Eddie after they lock up.
It’s fun as far as minimum wage, unskilled labor goes.
Jeff comes by every Friday when he’s done with his classes, flips through the new releases, even if he doesn’t like the artists. He just likes shooting the shit with Eddie. They’ve always been like that. Even when they argued about band stuff, they’d find common ground with something else.
Gareth practically lives at the trailer on Sundays, a desperate attempt to escape his own house. His grandparents visit every Sunday and turn it into a miserable place. Eddie doesn’t mind. Steve gives them space for hours before he usually yells for them to come eat. He always gives Gareth a long hug before he leaves, like he knows that Gareth’s grieving, too.
Frankie mostly makes Eddie come to him, but he doesn’t mind. He knows it’s because he had a falling out with his parents and doesn’t want to step foot back in Hawkins if he can help it. He’ll go wherever he has to to see his friend.
But it’s tough not getting together anymore. He wishes they could all just hang out, not as a band, without the pressure, without the commitment. He wants them to be friends again, real friends.
He just doesn’t know how to make that happen.
—
“Cake is in the oven. Wayne will be here in ten to help me set up the tables and chairs. Robin’s got beer. Don’t ask me how,” Steve shakes his head as he runs down his checklist for Eddie’s birthday party. “Dustin might be late. Said he’s bringing his girlfriend and she takes forever to do her hair.”
“Sounds familiar,” Eddie teases, wrapping his arms around Steve’s waist and kissing his neck. “You want any help?”
“It’s your birthday, you’re not allowed to help.” Steve turns to kiss his cheek. “You should go get changed, though. Pretty sure Gareth said he was coming early to avoid his grandma asking if he’d found a wife yet.”
“But he doesn’t even have to lie anymore!” Eddie groans, throwing his hands up. “Fine, fine. I’ll go. You wanna help me?”
“You don’t need my help to get dressed,” Steve rolls his eyes.
“But I could use help with…other things…” Eddie wiggles his brows and winks. “You said for my birthday we could-“
“I know what I said. I meant after your party,” Steve’s face is bright red as he looks back down at his list. “Plus, I’m not wearing that under these clothes. I’ve got too much to do still.”
Eddie smacks a kiss to his lips and rushes off to get ready for his party.
Everyone’s coming.
Even Frankie.
It’s not the first time they’ve all been together since the band broke up, but it’s the first time it’s happening under Eddie’s roof. It feels like there’s more potential for something to go wrong here.
It’s the biggest party he’s ever had for himself, but 30 is a big number according to everyone who cares about him. There’s a cake that Steve made sitting on the table surrounded by cards and gifts from everyone who loves him.
Jeff, Gareth, and Frankie are all standing together on the porch. They’re not arguing as far as Eddie can tell.
He joins them hoping it stays that way.
“There’s the birthday guy!” Jeff slaps his shoulder, nearly spilling the soda in his cup when he does. “Heard we’re cutting the cake in a few minutes.”
“Yeah, Steve’s got a pretty strict schedule for that apparently,” Eddie rolls his eyes fondly. He’s never been much for a schedule, but it makes Steve happy and he’s a big fan of that. “Enjoying the party? Need anything?”
Gareth snorts. “It’s your party. We don’t need you to take care of us.”
“I know, but-“ Eddie freezes. He swallows back the sudden lump in his throat.
The final thing, the one thing out of the millions of things that ruined their band, was no doubt that Eddie could be a little overbearing and overprotective about them. He wanted things to work so badly. He pushed on things he shouldn’t have because he thought it was best for all of them. He turned down things that the others wanted to do because he thought it wouldn’t be right for their sound. He fought with Frankie to protect Gareth, he fought with Gareth to protect Jeff. He fought with Steve to protect all of them.
In the end, he tried to be too in control.
Happens to all the greats, right? It’s just not a good story when you aren’t great first.
“I know.” He says again. He gives them a smile before he rushes off to find Steve. They don’t stop him. He’s sure his realization was written all over his face.
When he finds Steve, he’s pacing the kitchen floor, Wayne trying to calm him down about something quietly. It’s a bit unnerving for a birthday party, especially when everyone’s outside.
“Steve?”
Steve’s head snaps up and over to Eddie, eyes widening comically. Wayne mumbles something about idiots and walks out the back door to rejoin the party.
“Hey. Everything okay? Cake in a few minutes,” Steve says, plastering on a fake smile. Eddie steps closer, watching the way Steve’s hands are shaking as he tries to shove them in his pockets.
“I’m good. Are you okay?” Eddie cups the side of his neck, searching his face for any other clues about what could possibly be wrong. Could he be sick? He mentioned a headache yesterday, but he seemed fine this morning.
“I’m good! I promise,” Steve reaches up to wrap his fingers around his wrist, smile changing to something more comforting and real. “Are you happy?”
The question isn’t entirely unusual, but it still makes Eddie worry again.
“Of course I am. You brought everyone I love together and made my favorite cake. And we’ve got naked plans tomorrow. How could I not be?” Eddie tries to push his worry away as Steve leans in to kiss the corner of his mouth.
It’s probably nothing. Steve’s a bit worried that the weather won’t hold up for them and he doesn’t want everyone in the house, so maybe that’s what he’s so riled up about. Wayne was probably just offering to help bring stuff inside if the storms start earlier than they’re supposed to.
“Good. That’s all I want,” Steve kisses him again before he leads Eddie back outside.
He brings him over to the cake and yells for everyone to come sing. He didn’t think people did that for adults, but he goes along with it because it’s entertaining watching a bunch of mostly tone deaf adults try to sing together. He’s beaming by the end, almost forgetting he needs to blow out the candles until Steve nudges his arm.
When he blows them out and turns, Steve’s not there.
Well, he is there.
He’s just not standing up.
He’s on one knee, holding a very simple silver band. Everyone around them is quiet.
“I knew you weren’t just throwing a birthday party!” Eddie laughs, leaning down to tug Steve up off his knee. It’s his bad knee, because he’s an idiot. “You’re gonna hurt yourself.”
“I’m fine,” Steve rolls his eyes. “Let me say this.”
Eddie grins at him. “Carry on.”
“I know life’s been different than what you wanted. You hoped to be the next big rock star and it didn’t work out. You didn’t wanna stay in Hawkins. You probably didn’t even think you’d end up with me, but here we are,” everyone laughs as Steve smirks. “I think we’ve got a pretty great thing going here. Even when it’s not perfect, and when we still hope for more, we’re together. That’s enough for me. And I’m hoping that maybe that’ll be enough for you, too. We can’t file the papers to make it legal, but Wayne’s already got a speech ready for us to get married right here in this backyard someday if you say yes.”
Eddie wipes a stray tear from his cheek. “You have to ask me first.”
“What?” Steve’s brows raise before he realizes. “Oh. Right. Eddie, will you please spend forever with me? Wherever that may lead us?”
“Yes. Of course I will. I’d follow you anywhere.”
Everyone cheers. They kiss. It’s like a movie if movies ever showed the kind of love they have.
“Best birthday ever?” Gareth claps him on the back. His girlfriend is standing off to the side. She looks like she was crying. “Guess that puts more pressure on me, huh?”
“Guess so. Surprised you needed any,” Eddie jokes, turning to give him a hug. “Surprised she’s waited this long.”
“I’ve got a way with my hands, what can I say?”
Jeff playfully shoves him and fake gags. “Sure you do. Congrats, Eddie. Steve’s been stressed about this for months.”
Eddie turns to see Wayne hugging Steve close, patting his back.
“He should’ve known I’d say yes,” Eddie smiles fondly as he turns back to them.
“He’s just worried about tying you down for real,” Frankie says as he steps closer. “You’ve never been much for staying in one spot forever.”
“I don’t mind if it’s with him,” Eddie admits. He’s not even lying.
Saying yes doesn’t really change anything for them. They’ll wear rings, have a little ceremony in their backyard, maybe they’ll refer to each other as husbands with their friends. But they’ve already been living together for years, seen each other through so much. They make plans together, they pay bills together, they struggle and win together.
He doesn’t think he’d have that if he had become a rock star. Sure, Steve supported him while he tried. He probably would’ve stuck around for a while if they’d made it. But who knows what would’ve happened a year down the road. Two.
There’s a million reasons why things didn’t work out for the band.
One of them is so he could have this life, this future with Steve.
for @corrodedcoffinfest million words celebration!
also on ao3
rated t | 2248 words | no cw | tags: established steddie, band breakup, birthday party, marriage proposal, grieving a loss of a future that never was so the future that was meant to be could exist and other such dramatics
🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻
There’s a million reasons that things didn’t work out for them. They argued about everything, had no money, their van broke down too much, and they never quite understood what sound they wanted as a group to name a few.
But they wanted it. God, did they want it.
Wanting it wasn’t enough.
Eddie always thought if they wanted it bad enough, and worked hard enough, they’d get there. Turns out, you need a lot more luck and hope. And talent. That, too.
He’s not an idiot, or oblivious. He knows they’re good for Hawkins, maybe even Indiana. But they aren’t “go to California on a dream” good. They probably never will be.
And now they won’t.
Steve wraps his arms around him from behind, kissing his neck and then his shoulder, resting his nose against his pulse.
“You should come to bed, babe,” he whispers.
He’s right. He’s barely slept for days, and getting into bed and cuddling up to Steve will help his morose mood. It’s just that he’s twitching to grab his guitar and write something. He’s dying to get in his van and drive to Gareth’s house a mile up the road and come up with a new plan that’s doomed to fail. It’s a habit now, one that’s going to take a while to break now that they aren’t a band anymore. Not officially, anyway.
“Eddie? You okay?” Steve asks, voice louder now, laced with concern. He picks his head up, but Eddie quickly reaches back to tug him back into place.
“Don’t let go,” Eddie tells him. “Stay.”
And because Steve is an angel, and Eddie doesn’t deserve him, he does. He doesn’t ask any questions or try to say anything to make him feel better. He doesn’t push him towards the bed to try to make him sleep. He just holds him.
Eventually, Eddie turns in his arms and cups his face, kissing the corner of his mouth and giving him a small smile.
“Can I play you something?” Eddie asks.
Steve grins. “Always.”
He plays for a while. Too long, going off the yawns Steve tries to hide after a few songs. He’s slowly sinking down into the bed while Eddie strums and hums, occasionally pausing to write in his notebook.
Eddie plays until Steve’s asleep, light snores coming from where he has his face buried in the pillow. When he looks up, he finally notices Steve wearing his cropped Corroded Coffin shirt.
It makes him cry. He’s quiet about it, not wanting to wake Steve and see that worried look on his face again.
He wishes things turned out better for them. He wishes that Steve was visiting him on tour instead of sleeping in a trailer he promised he’d never come back to. He wishes he could say he accomplished what he set out to do, just one time.
—
He writes songs often, but the inspiration isn’t there. It’s harder without Gareth banging on his drums, trying to find any beat that works with the melody Eddie has in his head. They could try Gareth coming up with a beat first, but that’s just not how they do things.
How they did things.
Eddie looks around the record shop. He doesn’t mind this job. The owner’s pretty cool, knows a lot about every genre of music. He plays guitar and bass, too. Sometimes on payroll days, he sets aside some time to jam with Eddie after they lock up.
It’s fun as far as minimum wage, unskilled labor goes.
Jeff comes by every Friday when he’s done with his classes, flips through the new releases, even if he doesn’t like the artists. He just likes shooting the shit with Eddie. They’ve always been like that. Even when they argued about band stuff, they’d find common ground with something else.
Gareth practically lives at the trailer on Sundays, a desperate attempt to escape his own house. His grandparents visit every Sunday and turn it into a miserable place. Eddie doesn’t mind. Steve gives them space for hours before he usually yells for them to come eat. He always gives Gareth a long hug before he leaves, like he knows that Gareth’s grieving, too.
Frankie mostly makes Eddie come to him, but he doesn’t mind. He knows it’s because he had a falling out with his parents and doesn’t want to step foot back in Hawkins if he can help it. He’ll go wherever he has to to see his friend.
But it’s tough not getting together anymore. He wishes they could all just hang out, not as a band, without the pressure, without the commitment. He wants them to be friends again, real friends.
He just doesn’t know how to make that happen.
—
“Cake is in the oven. Wayne will be here in ten to help me set up the tables and chairs. Robin’s got beer. Don’t ask me how,” Steve shakes his head as he runs down his checklist for Eddie’s birthday party. “Dustin might be late. Said he’s bringing his girlfriend and she takes forever to do her hair.”
“Sounds familiar,” Eddie teases, wrapping his arms around Steve’s waist and kissing his neck. “You want any help?”
“It’s your birthday, you’re not allowed to help.” Steve turns to kiss his cheek. “You should go get changed, though. Pretty sure Gareth said he was coming early to avoid his grandma asking if he’d found a wife yet.”
“But he doesn’t even have to lie anymore!” Eddie groans, throwing his hands up. “Fine, fine. I’ll go. You wanna help me?”
“You don’t need my help to get dressed,” Steve rolls his eyes.
“But I could use help with…other things…” Eddie wiggles his brows and winks. “You said for my birthday we could-“
“I know what I said. I meant after your party,” Steve’s face is bright red as he looks back down at his list. “Plus, I’m not wearing that under these clothes. I’ve got too much to do still.”
Eddie smacks a kiss to his lips and rushes off to get ready for his party.
Everyone’s coming.
Even Frankie.
It’s not the first time they’ve all been together since the band broke up, but it’s the first time it’s happening under Eddie’s roof. It feels like there’s more potential for something to go wrong here.
It’s the biggest party he’s ever had for himself, but 30 is a big number according to everyone who cares about him. There’s a cake that Steve made sitting on the table surrounded by cards and gifts from everyone who loves him.
Jeff, Gareth, and Frankie are all standing together on the porch. They’re not arguing as far as Eddie can tell.
He joins them hoping it stays that way.
“There’s the birthday guy!” Jeff slaps his shoulder, nearly spilling the soda in his cup when he does. “Heard we’re cutting the cake in a few minutes.”
“Yeah, Steve’s got a pretty strict schedule for that apparently,” Eddie rolls his eyes fondly. He’s never been much for a schedule, but it makes Steve happy and he’s a big fan of that. “Enjoying the party? Need anything?”
Gareth snorts. “It’s your party. We don’t need you to take care of us.”
“I know, but-“ Eddie freezes. He swallows back the sudden lump in his throat.
The final thing, the one thing out of the millions of things that ruined their band, was no doubt that Eddie could be a little overbearing and overprotective about them. He wanted things to work so badly. He pushed on things he shouldn’t have because he thought it was best for all of them. He turned down things that the others wanted to do because he thought it wouldn’t be right for their sound. He fought with Frankie to protect Gareth, he fought with Gareth to protect Jeff. He fought with Steve to protect all of them.
In the end, he tried to be too in control.
Happens to all the greats, right? It’s just not a good story when you aren’t great first.
“I know.” He says again. He gives them a smile before he rushes off to find Steve. They don’t stop him. He’s sure his realization was written all over his face.
When he finds Steve, he’s pacing the kitchen floor, Wayne trying to calm him down about something quietly. It’s a bit unnerving for a birthday party, especially when everyone’s outside.
“Steve?”
Steve’s head snaps up and over to Eddie, eyes widening comically. Wayne mumbles something about idiots and walks out the back door to rejoin the party.
“Hey. Everything okay? Cake in a few minutes,” Steve says, plastering on a fake smile. Eddie steps closer, watching the way Steve’s hands are shaking as he tries to shove them in his pockets.
“I’m good. Are you okay?” Eddie cups the side of his neck, searching his face for any other clues about what could possibly be wrong. Could he be sick? He mentioned a headache yesterday, but he seemed fine this morning.
“I’m good! I promise,” Steve reaches up to wrap his fingers around his wrist, smile changing to something more comforting and real. “Are you happy?”
The question isn’t entirely unusual, but it still makes Eddie worry again.
“Of course I am. You brought everyone I love together and made my favorite cake. And we’ve got naked plans tomorrow. How could I not be?” Eddie tries to push his worry away as Steve leans in to kiss the corner of his mouth.
It’s probably nothing. Steve’s a bit worried that the weather won’t hold up for them and he doesn’t want everyone in the house, so maybe that’s what he’s so riled up about. Wayne was probably just offering to help bring stuff inside if the storms start earlier than they’re supposed to.
“Good. That’s all I want,” Steve kisses him again before he leads Eddie back outside.
He brings him over to the cake and yells for everyone to come sing. He didn’t think people did that for adults, but he goes along with it because it’s entertaining watching a bunch of mostly tone deaf adults try to sing together. He’s beaming by the end, almost forgetting he needs to blow out the candles until Steve nudges his arm.
When he blows them out and turns, Steve’s not there.
Well, he is there.
He’s just not standing up.
He’s on one knee, holding a very simple silver band. Everyone around them is quiet.
“I knew you weren’t just throwing a birthday party!” Eddie laughs, leaning down to tug Steve up off his knee. It’s his bad knee, because he’s an idiot. “You’re gonna hurt yourself.”
“I’m fine,” Steve rolls his eyes. “Let me say this.”
Eddie grins at him. “Carry on.”
“I know life’s been different than what you wanted. You hoped to be the next big rock star and it didn’t work out. You didn’t wanna stay in Hawkins. You probably didn’t even think you’d end up with me, but here we are,” everyone laughs as Steve smirks. “I think we’ve got a pretty great thing going here. Even when it’s not perfect, and when we still hope for more, we’re together. That’s enough for me. And I’m hoping that maybe that’ll be enough for you, too. We can’t file the papers to make it legal, but Wayne’s already got a speech ready for us to get married right here in this backyard someday if you say yes.”
Eddie wipes a stray tear from his cheek. “You have to ask me first.”
“What?” Steve’s brows raise before he realizes. “Oh. Right. Eddie, will you please spend forever with me? Wherever that may lead us?”
“Yes. Of course I will. I’d follow you anywhere.”
Everyone cheers. They kiss. It’s like a movie if movies ever showed the kind of love they have.
“Best birthday ever?” Gareth claps him on the back. His girlfriend is standing off to the side. She looks like she was crying. “Guess that puts more pressure on me, huh?”
“Guess so. Surprised you needed any,” Eddie jokes, turning to give him a hug. “Surprised she’s waited this long.”
“I’ve got a way with my hands, what can I say?”
Jeff playfully shoves him and fake gags. “Sure you do. Congrats, Eddie. Steve’s been stressed about this for months.”
Eddie turns to see Wayne hugging Steve close, patting his back.
“He should’ve known I’d say yes,” Eddie smiles fondly as he turns back to them.
“He’s just worried about tying you down for real,” Frankie says as he steps closer. “You’ve never been much for staying in one spot forever.”
“I don’t mind if it’s with him,” Eddie admits. He’s not even lying.
Saying yes doesn’t really change anything for them. They’ll wear rings, have a little ceremony in their backyard, maybe they’ll refer to each other as husbands with their friends. But they’ve already been living together for years, seen each other through so much. They make plans together, they pay bills together, they struggle and win together.
He doesn’t think he’d have that if he had become a rock star. Sure, Steve supported him while he tried. He probably would’ve stuck around for a while if they’d made it. But who knows what would’ve happened a year down the road. Two.
There’s a million reasons why things didn’t work out for the band.
One of them is so he could have this life, this future with Steve.
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Boom, baby! We are back! And with THE chapter! This is it guys. It's finally happening.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 |
~
Steve watched as Mike made the roll for persuasion of Sir Cam. Or as the Party now knew him as, Kas the Bloody-handed.
Jeff’s character nearly throttled the half-human vampire when he learned that he had been leading them astray, but Sir Michaelis had asked for a chance.
A chance to turn the tide of the fight against Vecna.
Mike picked up the lucky die that Will had given him and rolled it.
It bounced along the table, tumbling and rolling until it landed on a seventeen. The barest minimum that Mike needed to convince Sir Cam to betray Vecna and he did it by the skin of his teeth.
Mike took a deep breath. “Kas...you were once a great paladin before Vecna took you and twisted you into this half vampire/half human form. But it is not who you are. I know the sword whispers to you. I have a pretty good idea what it says. But you can fight it. You can overcome. Be that great again.”
Eddie had to admit it was a pretty impassioned speech.
“Sir Camazotz rubs his chin thoughtfully and then nods, ‘I will help you end his reign of terror forever,’ and he pulls off the glove of his right hand, showing the blackened finger tips and claws. He holds it out to you to shake.”
Mike reached out and took Eddie’s hand. “We need your help more than ever. With his castle moving every day at dusk, we spend all day trying to figure out where it will land. But you know the pattern don’t you?”
Eddie looked up at Steve and the pair of them grinned. This was exactly what they had planned.
“Kas nods and says, ‘There are twelve regions that he lands in and it’s based on the hour of a clock. Today was the Bone Marsh and tomorrow will be the Sable Wood.”
“God damn it!” Danny growled. “That’s on the other side of the world! There is no way we can get there in time!”
Eddie smiled. “I didn’t mention the other places on the clock.”
The whole table went silent and Steve cackled with delight.
It was Brian who got it first. “Wait a god damned minute. Steven Harrington, have you been doing more than just providing materials for the campaign? Have you been helping our beloathed DM plan the story too?”
The four freshman gasped in unholy glee and they began giggling.
“Oh, god,” Jeff said, throwing his head back. “Yeah, okay. Now I see why Eddie got so defensive about the moving castle. It was Steve’s idea and he didn’t want him upset.”
Steve ducked his head, but didn’t deny it. Eddie just shrugged because to him it wasn’t a big deal.
“That is by far the coolest thing ever,” Mike said wistfully. “Steve gets to use his knowledge of D&D without having to worry about DM’ing to a large group for his first time!”
“Yeah!” Will cried. “Way to go Steve. It’s the little things that you added that made the adventure so much cooler!”
“Oh, gentlemen,” Eddie said, leaning back and putting hands behind his head, fingers laced, “you are looking at the architect of the campaign. I am but its humble builder.”
Steve ducked his head, blushing to the tips of his ears. “He’s exaggerating. I was barely involved.”
Dustin and Lucas gasped.
“Steve! Was that a ‘Lord of the Rings’ reference?” Lucas cackled with glee.
Steve batted his eyelashes innocently at them. “I don’t know what you mean.”
The entire table roared with laughter.
“Well,” Danny said shaking his head, “I don’t know about anyone else, but thank you! This campaign has been the most fun I’ve ever had playing D&D. This not a knock on Eddie’s skills as a DM. He weaves a story like nothing and no one else. But add Steve’s technical know-how and it made for one hell of an epic game.”
Eddie nodded solemnly. “I concur. Steve did a lot of the heavy lifting here. I could spend more time writing a good story because I didn’t have to spend hours and hours upon end trying to find the right balance of fun and challenge.”
Steve’s blush got even darker. “Come on, guys. It’s really not that big of a deal. I have to do something with all the stuff I have and if that means helping Eddie, then that’s the right thing to do.”
“You’re a good man, Steve Harrington,” Jeff said nodded seriously. “And I’ll personally fight anyone who says otherwise.”
Dustin’s grin nearly split his face. “Aww... I don’t think I’ve seen Steve’s face so red before!”
Steve politely excused himself and made a mad dash for the kitchen.
Dustin stood up to follow him, but Eddie waved him down. “He’s just not used to our effulgent praise. Give him a moment to collect himself and he’ll be back out in no time at all.”
Lucas cocked his head to the side. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Steve so... not embarrassed exactly...”
“Flustered,” Danny said with a huff of laughter. “You’re looking for the word flustered.”
Lucas snapped his fingers. “That’s it!”
Mike snorted and shook his head. “I’ve seen him this flustered before.”
“There is no fucking way,” Dustin growled, slamming his fist on the table. “Steve is the epitome of cool!”
“Not when he’s around someone he has a crush on,” Mike said smugly. “He acted like this around Nancy before they started dating.”
“Oh!” Dustin said cocking his head to the side. “That’s what he meant by keeping your distance at first, it’s because he’s actually shy at first and let’s them come to him. That’s why his flirting doesn’t work!”
“As thrilling as this all is,” Eddie said, shaking his head with a fond smile, “I’d like to get back to Sir Michaelis convincing Kas to becoming the Betrayer, please!”
They all settled back into the game and sure enough Steve came back out a few minutes later with cookies.
Eddie smiled up at him and Steve smiled back. Yeah. Steve Harrington was more than okay in his book.
~
Eddie was freaking out. He had D&D in twenty minutes and he had lost his voice. There were only a couple of sessions left and it was too late to cancel this one because he knew that everyone would already be there. He couldn’t even call to explain the situation it was that bad. There was nothing for it, he was just going to have show up and hope everyone understood.
He drove over to Steve’s in silence. He was even too depressed to turn on his music. He pulled up to the house and sure enough there were a shit ton of cars out front and the lawn was riddled with bikes.
He was the last to arrive.
He knocked on the door, pained and waited. Steve answered the door with grin, but it slid off when he saw how upset Eddie was.
“Hey, Eds,” Steve murmured when he saw the forlorn expression and the big puppy dog eyes, “what’s wrong?”
“CAN’T TALK!” he whisper screamed.
Steve blinked at him for a moment. “Ah! Don’t worry about a thing, I’ve got this on lock.”
Eddie wanted to ask what he had on lock, but Steve was sitting him down in his chair at the head of the table, explaining to everyone Eddie had lost his voice, but not to worry, he had a plan. Then he vanished into the kitchen for about ten minutes before coming out again with a steaming mug.
He sat it down in front of Eddie and then pulled up a chair next to Eddie.
“Uh, Steve...” Lucas said exchanging glances with different members of the club, “what are you doing?”
“Simple!” Steve said with a bright grin, “Eddie can’t speak, but I know this campaign as well as he does, so he’s going to give me his notes and I’m going to follow his directions so you guys still get a game tonight!”
Dustin cocked his head to the side. “Are you sure you’re ready to handle all of us?”
“Sure!” he replied. “Besides I’m just the mouth piece, it’s still Eddie’s notes and stuff, I’m just providing the voice.”
They all kinda looked around at each other.
“I’m down,” Danny said with a shrug. “Because the alternative is no D&D and I want to see how Steve can handle it.”
“All in favor?” Jeff asked, raising his hand. And instantly every hand went up. “The ayes have it. Let’s do this, Steve. Show us what you’ve got.”
Steve grinned and Eddie just sat there stunned, holding his mug of...he took a sip and nearly moaned when the flavors of peppermint and honey hit his tongue.
That was when he noticed that somehow Steve had found a blanket to wrap him in, so he snuggled deeper into the warm fabric.
Things were actually going pretty well, until the party turned left when they should have turned right. Instead of going to the base of the volcano where Eddie had planned the fight to occur, they had instead wandered into a marsh.
Eddie was stumped. He had no idea what to do. If they didn’t have a fight here there would be little to no experience for the night, and they needed that to get to the level they needed to be for the finale.
But Steve was on top of it. He was scrambling through the notes and when he found what he was looking for he gave a little cry of ‘Eureka!’
He showed it to Eddie and his eyes went wide, nodding emphatically. That was perfect!
Steve cleared his throat. “I want everyone to make a knowledge nature check.”
Everyone made their rolls and enough of them succeeded for Steve to say, “You recognize the signs of a Shambling Mound. Roll initiative!”
Everyone scrambled to do as they were told. They rattled off the numbers and battle began.
Taylor and Brian shared knowing smirks as Steve crafted a battle that was challenging and exciting.
By the end of the night, everyone was talking about the duo DM and how cool it was. They had something to brag about now. Most people had multiple DMs but how many of them had two at the same time?
Just the Hellfire Club, that’s who.
Afterwards it was just Eddie and Steve, everyone had pitched in and cleaned up, leaving the two boys alone.
Eddie raised up his fourth cup of peppermint tea. “Thanks for this, by the way,” he croaked.
“He speaks!” Steve said dramatically and then waved him off. “It was no trouble, can’t have our DM losing his voice before the finale.” He snapped his fingers. “Speaking of which, since we’re having it here, Erica was wondering if we could deal her in for the last battle. She already has a story lined up with why she’s showing up at the last moment.”
“Sure,” he creaked. “The more the merrier.”
Steve nodded and the paused. “How did you lose your voice anyway?” he said replacing Eddie’s now tepid cup with one that was actively steaming.
Eddie took a long sip of the tea, reveling in its soothing affects. “I may or may have not been practicing my scream singing last night.”
Steve’s eyebrows shot up. “And you thought this was a good idea to do the night before a session?”
Eddie blushed, the red going all the way to the roots of his hair and down the column of his throat. “It’s not usually this bad. It’ll be a little rough in the morning but–” he was forced to stop as his voice ran out of strength.
“But this time it didn’t come back,” Steve finished shaking his head. “You absolute dork.”
Eddie pulled a strand of hair in front of his face and ducked his head. He nodded, then took another sip of his tea, letting the steam hide the red of his cheeks.
Steve leaned on the counter, head propped up on both hands. “Though it did make for a fun session.”
Eddie barked out a rough laugh. “Yeah.”
They sat in warm silence for a while before he muttered, “When you pulled out that Shambling Mound for the marshes, God... I wanted to kiss you.”
Steve sighed wistfully. “I really wish you would.”
Eddie stared at him for a moment, before he got to his feet, setting down his mug. He came around the counter and Steve straightened up.
He cupped Steve cheek and pressed their lips together. Steve let out a shuddering breath of relief before he deepened the kiss. Their hands came up to pull the other closer until they were flushed together.
Steve felt like he was coming home at last. Eddie felt like he was soaring. They were both right.
Hello, darlings! I am back and read to rock! I had a great hiatus, maybe not as peaceful as I would have liked due to family drama but productive nonetheless.
The purge went as well as could be expected. Rough. As it always is. If Tumblr would let me have more than 50 tags per post, I would keep you all. But alas.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
~
Will knew he was the Void. That space between the real world and the Upside Down. Its appearance was based on the person in control of the memory.
And judging from the torn up version of the Upside Down, Vecna was absolutely master here.
‘Hello, William,’ the smooth voice of Vecna echoed all around him. ‘I knew it was only a matter of time before I got you where I wanted you.’
Will whirled around, but he couldn’t see anyone. ‘Show yourself!’
‘Now why would I want to do that?’ the voice purred. ‘You don’t need to see me to know that I am in control.’
‘You won’t win!’
Laughter filled the air. ‘But I already have. Eight is already out of the game and Seven refuses to leave her side. Nine is nearing empty as is your dear Eleven. And now that I have you, my victory is all but assured.’
‘Even if I die,’ Will spat, ‘they will still come for you.’
‘I don’t want you to die!’ the voice crowed. ‘What a horrible waste that would be?! You think you survived seven days down here because you were clever? Don’t make me laugh again! We had a deal, the Beast and I. It would help me take over the world above and he would have a successor in you.’
‘The Beast?’ Will questioned. ‘You mean the Mind Flayer?’
‘Is that what your primitive mind came up with? How droll.’
Will could see the edges of the Void shaking. It was starting to open up. He just had to keep Vecna talking to keep him distracted.
‘It’s from a game,’ he huffed. ‘Something I doubt you would understand. Did you ever have fun that wasn’t torturing your sister or kicking puppies?’
‘You think you’re going to guilt me about my sister?’ the voice said wryly. ‘Think again. She deserved to die. Just like my parents.’
‘Your dad is still alive.’
Suddenly Henry was in front of him, squeezing Will’s throat. ‘You lie!’
‘The music that has been keeping us from you?’ Will strangled out. ‘We learned from your dad, Victor. He’s at Pennhurst. He’s the one who told us that the record player saved his life by not allowing you to get inside his head.’
The veneer of Henry’s illusion was beginning to crack. His skin was nearly translucent and covered in red lightning, his blue eyes were glowing, and Will could feel the claws dig into his skin.
“What is it about music, Henry?’ Will taunted. ‘What is it about music that prevents your powers from working? Does it stop the incessant ticking of the clock? Does it truly soothe the savage beast?’
Henry roared and threw Will to the ground. He clutched his head as the music began to filter through to the Void.
Will scrambled back and pushed away from the now flesh monster that Henry had become. He just needed to find the exit.
Like Max had done twice now.
He looked around frantically. And then spotted it. He used his new found powers to push Henry back to give himself more time.
And then dove for it.
~
Will woke up with a gasp in the back of Hopper’s truck, surrounded by way too many people to be safe.
“Will!” Joyce called. “You’re awake!” She gave him a big hug and kiss on his forehead. “We’re heading to one of the four gates to try and take Vecna out from the Upside Down.”
He sat up and took a proper look of the people who where in here with him. It was two of the Hawkins Lab kids, Jonathan and Hopper in the front seat. Leaning against the glass of the back window of the truck’s cab, was Robin Buckley.
“Don’t you usually go where Steve goes?” he asked her in confusion.
She snorted. “We’ve been having to split up more and more as people figure out we’re kick ass as a pair.”
“Robin,” Joyce asked, pained, “you’ll pardon me for asking this, but why didn’t you go when you had the chance? I know your parents got permission to leave Hawkins, you could have gone with them.”
She shook her head. “I go where Steve goes, and if he stays I stay. Plus I was given permission by Harvard to take a year and not have it affect my scholarship.”
“But you don’t have to,” Joyce insisted. “The Buckleys are transplants to Hawkins. You have no ties to the town. You could have left.”
Robin snorted. “I’m Steve’s family. His parents are such dog shit that mine pretty much adopted him, so if he stays we all stay. We aren’t going to let him fight this alone.”
Joyce blushed and looked away. She knew of Steve’s circumstances, because pretty much everyone in town knew that the Harringtons had left Hawkins when the first evacuation alarm sounded.
Anyone of the adults could have taken him in. Claudia Henderson was the first that sprang to mind. The Sinclairs came next. But all of them assumed that because Steve was an adult he didn’t need their help.
Well all but the Buckleys it seemed.
Kali woke up just then, before Joyce could further discuss Robin’s reluctance to leave Hawkins even for her own safety.
“Guys...” she said a little panicked, “I know I haven’t been in town for literal fucking years, but um... does the sky seem like it’s closer than it’s supposed to be?”
They all looked up.
The sky in front of them absolutely was closer than it was before.
Well, fuck.
“It looks like the Upside Down is colliding with real world,” Nancy muttered darkly. “This isn’t good.”
“This is what Henry wanted the children for, isn’t it?” Joyce hissed. “He needs their energy to merge the two worlds and anyone older would be harder to control.”
“But the only way to get to the Upside Down is through a gate, I thought,” Titus said cocking his head to the side. “We don’t have access to one, and I don’t know how Eleven opened one in the first place.”
Will and Joyce exchanged a glance.
“We don’t know how either,” Will admitted with a wince. “And since One can only do it through using others, kinda suggests he doesn’t know how she’s doing it either.”
“Don’t think I didn’t notice that you were tossing monsters around,” Kali said, sitting up. “So what’s the story with that? Because there absolutely is one.”
“Oh yeah,” Joyce said nodding her head once. “It’s a doozy, but since we have to find away to get into the Upside Down, you might as well hear it.”
~
Steve rushed to El’s side and checked her pulse. She was alive, but her heartbeat was erratic and thready. Mike was there just an instant behind.
“We need to get her out of here!” Dr. Owens growled.
“But what about our children?” one of the braver parents cried.
Ted turned to her and put his hand on her shoulder. “This was a trap to lure this kind girl to be kidnapped like our children. So we’re going to have trust them to get them back.”
The woman looked up at the house and then she nodded. “We’ll just keep looking then. The police were absolutely useless so there is no point in going back to them with what we just saw. They’d only deny it.”
She turned to the other parents, sans the Wheelers, and said, “All right, this turned out to be a bust bu–”
Just then the door slammed open and four children came scrambling out of the house with two demodogs hot on their heels.
Suddenly there were two shot gun blasts that hit the two one right after the other, slowly the monsters down so the kids could escape into the arms of the parents out on the street. Steve managed to flame them before they got to their feet, Ollie making sure they stayed down.
“Where’s my mommy?” Teddy asked, looking around at all the faces in the crowd with a heartbreaking crack to his voice.
Karen ran up to him and put her arms around him. “She works, baby. You know she’s been worried sick about you. She’ll be so happy you’re safe.”
“I can take him to her shop!” Mr. Richards said, holding his own kids tight to his chest, his wife sobbing into their backs. “It would be my honor.”
Karen turned to Teddy. “You want to go with Mr. Richards to see your mommy?”
Teddy nodded and followed them out to their car.
Mrs. Tower held on to Bianca with everything she had as the two of them just sobbed in relief of seeing each other again.
One of the other parents came up and grabbed Bianca’s arm. “Where’s my Rosie?! Why are you here and she’s not?!”
Mrs. Tower was on her feet in an instant. “You leave her alone! She’s been traumatized!”
“Where is my daughter?!” the woman continued to scream. “Where is she?!”
Ted and one of the other dads rushed forward and pulled her off of Bianca as she continued to scream and kick her feet.
“I’m really sorry about this,” Dr. Owens said coolly. “But your screaming will absolutely bring monsters down on our heads if allowed to continue.” Then he slipped a needle into the side of her neck.
The woman collapsed in Ted’s arms and he looked at Dr. Owens in shock. “What did you give her?”
“Just a little something to calm her down,” Dr. Owens huffed. “I wasn’t expecting it to knock her out, if I’m honest.”
Ted and the other dad looked at each other and then woman in Ted’s arms. They both nodded.
“We can put her in the back one of the cars,” Murray huffed. “We really need to get out of here. Preferably before tall, dark, and creepy comes back.”
Dr. Owens walked over to El where she was prone on the ground. He gently turned her over and lifted her into his arms. “We need to get her somewhere safe.”
Mike came up to him. “There is a cabin that she’s been staying at. With the military forces in shambles thanks Kali and her friends–” Murray cleared his throat. “And Murray apparently, they’ll be busy elsewhere. Plus it has the best access to a pseudo deprivation tank in the form of a bathtub.”
Dr. Owens nodded. “You’ll be coming with me. Who else is coming?”
Vickie stepped up. “I’m training to be a nurse. I think I’ll be the most help with you.”
He nodded. “Anyone else coming with?”
“Me!” Max said, raising her hand. “I need to stay with her!”
There was no explanation given, nor did Dr. Owens ask for one. He turned to Lucas.
“What’s with the look?” Lucas asked defensively, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I’m waiting for you to tell everyone that you go wherever she goes,” he said primly, jutting his chin over at Max.
Max and Lucas grinned.
“Yeah okay fair,” Lucas said with a shrug. There was a beat and then, “I go where she goes.”
Steve just shook his head. He finally turned to the kid who had run out from behind the Creel house. “Okay, I think you and I need to have a little talk about running headlong into danger when you don’t have all the information.”
Dustin and Erica looked at each and snorted in derision.
“As if we haven’t been doing same thing since 1983,” Erica said rolling her eyes. “It’s like on brand at this point.”
“And I owe you ice cream for life for that little mistake,” Steve said, snapping his fingers at her. “And you were eleven!” He turned to the kid. “How old are you anyway?”
He muttered something under his breath that sounded vaguely like ten.
“Wait!” Erica huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest and cocking her head to the side. “I know you, don’t I?”
The kid suddenly turned away and threw his hand up to cover the side of his face. “No!”
“No,” Erica said darkly. “I do know you. You’re that Tina’s little brother, Darren right?”
“It’s Derek!” the kid shouted, turning to face her. She smirked and he knew he’d been tricked into revealing who he was. “Shit.”
“Derek Turnbow,” Ted said cocking his head to the side. “You’re one Holly’s main bullies. I don’t know how many times Karen has had to go the principal because of you.”
Derek looked around him and actually saw the people who had caught him for the first time. What he saw a bunch of frightened parents and some battle hardened kids with a nerdy guy who had that look in his eye that made you cross the street to get away from. Then there was two other adults.
Those two were the real ones. One had a fucking flame thrower on his back and clearly had used one before and the other was a chick who from all indication was controlling fire. Like actual honest to God fire.
But he had also seen other people seriously tossing monsters around like rag dolls. So okay yeah, maybe these people did in fact know more than he did about Mr. Whatsit.
He sat down on the ground and crossed his legs. “So I don’t know how much you know, but I can only tell you what I’ve learned.”
“Well,” Steve said cocking his head to the side. “You best start yapping on the run, because this place will absolutely be teaming with monsters if this Vecna guy figures out how to open a gate.”
The parents piled into their cars and drove off with the unconscious woman, Ted and Karen took a walkie talkie off of Erica and were promised they would be kept in touch.
Ollie looked around and let out a sigh. “Looks like I’m coming along with this dog and pony show whether I like it or not. Lead on, MacDuff!”
They all walked off to get into the remaining vehicles. Steve turned back to see Derek still sitting there.
“Well come on,” he huffed. “Grab your stuff and let’s go.
Derek grabbed the paper he had been holding onto for dear life and hurried after them.
Made a thousand people love me, now I'm all alone.
Eddie's hair is wet from the shower. He has glasses on because it's too late for his eyes.
The hotel room is sterile; everything is white and placid, innocuous in that way that's supposed to cause ease. It makes Eddie's throat close over. Automatically, he hunts down the imperfections. An old trick. Not his. But still. The base of the lamp is rusty. The abstract print of a water scene has been torn and badly repaired. Under the foot of the couch, a square of the carpet is a different colour. He takes a deep breath. He's calmer.
This is always what happens after a really good show. It's probably just adrenaline, but it sucks. He hates this part of performing. Of being on tour. He'd normally just call Steve, who'd always pick up, no matter how late it was. Natter until they both fell asleep.
But he can't call Steve, because he and Steve are not he and Steve. Not anymore. And he's got to figure out how to handle shit alone. So he puts on the soft pajamas he always buys in sets of threes and attempts to go to sleep.
His phone ringing jolts him from a weird dream about lobsters and he answers it blearily.
"Eddie? Eds, I'm downstairs and security won't let me up."
It takes him a minute to process the words. He pulls the phone away from his ear. "Steve?" he mutters.
"Can I come up?"
"Yeah."
'Cause I'm stupid and I'm damaged, and you're a disaster
When you walk into the room, oh, none of it matters
Steve doesn't look like he's been driving for ten hours. His hair is perfectly gelled, his shirt uncreased. His jeans are tight and must have gotten uncomfortable somewhere around Des Moines, but it's definitely him. Standing in Eddie's hotel room, arms folded, refusing to meet his eye.
"You're in my room," Eddie says pointlessly. "You broke up with me, and you're standing in my room. In Omaha."
"Yes."
"Steve."
"Listen, just. Let me talk, okay? Just this once?"
Eddie scoffs. Rich, all things considered. He gestures, and he knows he's mean in his posture, in the sound he makes, because Steve flinches.
"I want to say I'm sorry, but that's probably the wrong thing to say because I meant it all. In that moment, I meant it. You're selfish, and you're too loud, and sometimes you forget that the world doesn't revolve around you, and you make me so fucking angry that I could spit."
"Glad you spent ten hours' worth of gas to remind me you hate me."
"That's exactly the fucking problem, Munson," Steve sighs. "If I hated you, I wouldn't have gotten in the car this morning because a robin landed on my windowsill and I couldn't text you the photo."
"You're just used to being able to—that doesn't mean anything, Steve! I'm not leaving the band. So I'm still going to leave every other month. I'm still going to be the loud, annoying boy you fell for in high school. We don't owe each other anything."
Steve steps forward. His face is desperate; desperate to touch, to be understood, to undo the previous three months. And Eddie knows that's what his face was saying because he knew Steve's face better than his own. Which was entirely the problem.
"You can't," Eddie says. "I can't."
"Eddie, I am sorry. I-I want to go back.”
Steve’s voice cracks on the last word. Tiny thing. Barely there. But Eddie hears it anyway.
Go back.
Like they could rewind the tape and smooth out all the stretched places.
Eddie laughs once, sharp and miserable. “You said you were relieved when I left.”
Steve swallows. “I was.”
That hurts worse than yelling would have.
The room hums with the air conditioner. Somewhere down the hall, ice crashes into a bucket. Eddie can feel his pulse behind his eyes, hot and ugly.
Steve drags a hand through his perfect hair, finally ruining it. “It was quiet,” he says. “You were gone and it was quiet and I could think for the first time in months, and I thought maybe that meant something was wrong with us.”
Eddie stares at the carpet. The mismatched square under the couch.
“And then,” Steve continues carefully, “it stayed quiet.”
Eddie presses his lips together.
“And I started talking out loud because I kept thinking of things to tell you.” Steve gives this awful little laugh. “Like a fucking psycho. A dog stole somebody’s sandwich outside Family Video, and I turned around to make sure you saw it. I bought the wrong cereal because I couldn’t remember which one you hate. Robin asked me if I wanted to go to a movie, and I almost said I had to check with you first.”
“Steve—”
“And every night I kept reaching across the bed.” His voice drops lower. “Every night.”
Eddie closes his eyes.
I'm not better than this, show me what I'm worth.
Because this is the problem. Steve always waits too long to say the real thing, and Eddie always waits around long enough to hear it.
“You said I make you angry,” Eddie says quietly.
“You do.”
“Great.”
“You make me crazy, Eddie.” Steve steps closer again, slower this time, like approaching something wounded. “You leave cabinets open. You forget appointments. You derail every serious conversation with a joke because you hate feeling cornered. You collect people like strays and then act surprised when they need things from you.”
Eddie’s throat tightens.
“And you walk into a room,” Steve says, looking at him now, really looking at him, “and suddenly I can breathe properly again.”
Eddie turns away fast, rubbing at his face. “Don’t.”
“I drove ten hours.”
“That was stupid.”
“I know.”
“You can’t just show up because you miss me.”
“Why not?”
“Because I missed you too!” Eddie laughs helplessly and covers his eyes with the heel of his hand. “Jesus Christ,” he mutters. “You think this has been easy for me? Every city is another thing you’d like. Every diner has pie you’d claim was life-changing. I keep reaching for my phone before I remember you don’t belong to me anymore.”
Steve’s expression folds in on itself.
“I didn’t stop loving you, but I think me loving you is bad for you,” Eddie says.
That one hits Steve clean across the face. His mouth opens. Closes. And Eddie hates himself immediately because there it is. The thing underneath all of it. Steve asking for steadiness, for responsibility, for someone who stayed. Eddie asking for room to still be himself inside the relationship. Both of them clawing at each other hard enough to bleed.
Steve sinks down onto the edge of the bed like his knees gave out.
“I didn’t know you felt like that,” he says softly.
“You never asked.”
“I tried.”
“You managed me.”
Steve flinches again. Finally, he says, “I don’t know how to do this right.”
Eddie huffs a tired laugh. “No kidding.”
“I just know I got halfway to Iowa before I realized I was rehearsing stories for you again.” Steve looks up at him, eyes red-rimmed now. “And I thought maybe if I still wanted to tell you everything, there had to be something worth saving.”
Eddie leans back against the wall because suddenly standing feels difficult.
He looks at Steve. He is exhausted beneath the neatness, held together by pure stubbornness. The man who drove ten hours because of a robin on a windowsill.
Made a thousand people love me, now I'm all alone.
Except not entirely.
Not yet.
“You can stay tonight,” Eddie says at last.
Hope flashes across Steve’s face so fast it almost hurts to see.
Eddie points immediately. “That is not forgiveness.”
“I know.”
“That’s not getting back together.”
Steve nods once. “Okay.”
“And if you steal the blankets, I’m throwing you out into the night.”
A tiny smile tugs at Steve’s mouth. Fragile. Familiar.
“I’d like to see you try, dumbass.”
“See?” Eddie mutters, curling into the bed with a small smile and a bubble of hope. “Already ruining my life again.”
Eddie is not dumb enough and he respects Wayne too much to sell drugs out of his living room.
Despite this, Steve Harrington keeps showing up at his door to buy. He always insists that Eddie roll his joints and then insists they smoke one together so he knows Eddie isn't trying to sell him oregano or some shit.
They smoke. Steve gets too high. And then Steve accused him of wanting him to die in a car accident when Eddie tried to get him to leave, "I’m under the influence and you want me to operate a motor vehicle? You want me to kill myself? Kill me yourself if you want me to die so bad."
"I don't want-"
"Can't believe you want me to die. You-"
"Fine!" Eddie says like he says every time. "You can stay until you're sober. Christ."
"Okay."
Steve immediately gets up, walks down the hall, and face plants into Eddie's bed where he will be until he disappears in the morning.
Headcannon that Steve does not fuck with DnD but WILL play other TTRPGS and enjoy them.
He's been doing this a while, playing with Robin (gets them at indie book stores) and Erica (makes them herself). He loves them, especially the goofy ones like Erica's My Little Pony epic/horror campaign.
DnD is just too many rules, too many things to remember, too many limitations, and everyone he knows who plays it are sticklers for every little pedantic correction. That's not fun, so he won't play it.
He's really annoying about it, too. Any time someone asks him to play DnD (no one knows but the two he plays with), he always responds with something like "not my thing," or "DnD is lame," with no elaboration. He does not mention that he will play other similar games, because to him, it's not relevant.
Eddie is particularly persistent, always insisting that Steve will love it. He cajoles and makes promises and tells Steve he'll be great at it. Steve always responds with an "I know I would be" which just makes Eddie want him to play more.
When Eddie eventually walks in on the gang playing an epic, psychological horror GMed by a surprisingly in control Robin, he freaks the fuck out.
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He knows every regular. He’s probably beaten all of them at least once already.
Except this one…
This beautiful angel seems to have stumbled into the deep end.
With curious hazel eyes, a slutty little waist, and you can’t forget the visible beauty marks scattered around any visible bits of skin.
Eddie wishes he can connect the dots to the rest that are hidden underneath those expensive looking clothes.
Eddie wants to devour them whole.
But first, maybe he can get some quick cash out of this one.
He’s already going to hell, might as well clip an angel’s wings before he does.
“You lost, sweetheart?”
“My name’s Steve, not sweetheart.”
“Sorry, just never seen you ‘round here before.”
“Maybe that’s because I’ve never been here before.”
Steve’s got some sass to him.
Eddie’s becoming intrigued.
“You here for any particular reason?”
“You sure do talk a lot, don’t you?”
“Blame my curiosity.”
“Fine. I saw a flyer about this place, and it said that I could earn some money fast.”
“Know how to play pool?”
“Not really.”
Jackpot.
“How about we play a round? We can start with a $5 bet.”
“You’re on.”
So they play. Eddie is solids. He eventually sinks the 8-ball into the left middle pocket, and wins. Poor Steve.
“Better luck next time, Stevie.”
“It’s Steve. Okay, can we play again?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’ll even raise the bet to $50.”
50 dollars?! Is Steve serious?
But Eddie being Eddie, sees green.
“Only if you’re sure…”
“I’m very sure.”
So they play again. Steve is stripes again. This time however, it’s Steve who’s the one sinking the 8-ball into the top left pocket. He did it in record time too.
“Wha- Bu- How- Huh?”
“Thought I was gonna be easy money there… sweetheart?”
Then he smirks!
Eddie is in love.
“You- you shark!”
“Call me whatever you want, I’ve got my money for today. Actually, your money.”
“I think I wanna call you mine.”
“Well get in line, bucko.”
“How about we play for it. If I win, I get to take you out. If you win, I’ll grant you a wish… within reason of course.”
“Hmm. Sounds intriguing. But are you sure this time?”
“Yes.”
And somehow, Eddie manages to win, but something seems too good to be true about that.
“You let me win.”
“No I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did. Why?”
“Maybe, just maybe, you can blame my curiosity.”
“I can live with that.”
“So where are you gonna take me on our first date?”
“That’s a surprise.”
“Come on!”
“Nope.”
“Ugh fine. By the way, it’d be nice to know the name of my date?”
“Oh right! It’s Eddie. Eddie Munson.”
“Steve. Steve Harrington.”
If they date, become a couple of sharks, and fall madly in love on a pile of cash… good for them.
More Fairy Tales! Yeah, yeah, I know I’ve been doing a lot of those but here me out.
Puss in Boots. Now, I’m a little unsure of who should be be Puss, Robin or Dustin. I am leaning more on Dustin as Eddie is the supposed Marquis de Carabas.
Picture this, Eddie is left penniless after his mother dies and is left with a talking cat. A cat that offers him fame and fortune if Eddie provides him with a sack and a pair of boots.
Which Eddie finds weird, but okay, so what? He likes weird. So a sack and nice pair of boots, the two only real inheritance that he actually got, but gives them to the cat anyway.
So first Dustin goes out to Sinclairs and tells them that his owner, the Marquis de Carabas, wishes to trap on the ogre’s land, and is willing to give them one third all they trap if they help Dustin lay the traps.
Erica and Lucas, a brother and sister team who are great hunters agree. Dustin brings home one third to his master to eat and then final third he presents to the king as tribute from the Marquis.
Then he come to the Byers brothers who are great fishermen and tells them that his master the Marquis is a generous man who wishes to fish in these waters and is willing to let them keep one third of their catch if they fish for him.
They agree.
Dustin passes out the other two thirds same as before, the king very pleased with this Marquis de Carabas and talks him up to the Prince Steven about this is what a good noble is like.
Dustin goes to Hopper and asks him to make mead for the Marquis and in return he would get to keep one third of the mead to himself. Hopper agrees.
Again Dustin gives a third to king and a third to his master. His master is now living comfortably and really wants for nothing.
Then Dustin goes to the Wheelers. Nancy, Mike, and Holly are servants to the terrible ogre Vecna and Dustin promises them a third of the orge’s wealth if they tell Dustin all about Vecna.
They agree.
Dustin listens for three nights, tales of the ogre and his powers and then returns to his master every morning with these tales.
Eddie is happy with the food and drink but thinks the cat has delusions of grandeur thinking that Eddie could defeat this ogre and marry the prince but goes along with the plan for the next day anyway.
He goes out to swim as instructed and is happily splashing along when suddenly Dustin cries out, “Help! Help! My master the Marquis is drowning!”
Eddie who could swim well enough is confused until an actual Greek god dives into the river to save him and brings him to shore.
While Eddie is coughing and sputtering (not because he was drowning but because he’s face to chest of a very wet Prince Steven) Dustin explains to the King, Steve, and Steve’s driver, best friend, and advisor, Robin that Eddie or rather the Marquis de Carabas had been swimming in the gorgeous lake outside his castle he got pulled out into the fast flowing river unexpectedly. Only Robin narrows her eyes at this, but the king and prince are eating it up.
More to the point the Marquis’s clothes were back at his castle and he was very much naked and cold.
King orders Robin to dress Eddie in some of the prince’s things and let the Marquis warm in the carriage.
Satisfied that Eddie and Steve were safely ensconced in the carriage, Dustin ran on ahead to the castle. He stops at the Sinclairs and tells them to tell the pasting king that hunting grounds belong to the Marquis and how wonderful a master this man is.
They agree, knowing that if they say so, the arrangement will continue.
He does the same thing to the Byers, Hopper, and the Wheelers. Sing the praises of the Marquis and they will continue in their new found wealth.
And so they do.
Then it was time for the final part of the puzzle. Vecna is a fearsome ogre to be sure and Dustin is absolutely shaking in his boots (pun absolutely intended).
But he goes up to Vecna and butters him talking about his dense forests filled with game perfect for hunting and he wonders if the ogre could turn into a deer. Vecna bursting with pride does so.
“What a grand creature you are!” Dustin enthuses. And then butters up the surrounding farmland and asks if he can turn into a bull.
And Vecna does.
“Impressive!” Dustin assures him. Then he talks about the hives and the mead that flows like honey in his kingdom, and asks if he could turn into a bear.
Vecna does.
Dustin asks about the fish, but no. Vecna cannot turn into something that breathes water. But he does turn into a moose and Dustin nearly yelps in fear. The creature before him is even bigger than the bear.
“All large and magnificent creatures,” Dustin acknowledges. “But can you turn into something small like a vole or mouse?”
Vecna grins and turns into a mouse.
With all the instinct afforded to his noble species, Dustin is on the mouse-like form of Vecna in an instant, killing him from one breath to another.
Dustin tosses the dead mouse out the window and tidies up a bit, just in time for the carriage to arrive.
The King impressed with Eddie’s servants praising him, the large castle and all its glory offers the Prince’s hand in marriage, which Eddie readily accepts.
Steve is told later the truth and absolutely laughs delighted with ruse against his father. Dustin is made a lord and is absolutely pampered by Lady Robin who also moves in with them.
Written for @steddiemicrofic & @corrodedcoffinfest.
feeling richer
May Prompt: Door | CCF Bingo Card: 1990s | Prompt: Sheryl Crow | Song: Easy | Word Count: 599 | Rating: T | CW: Language | POV: Eddie | Pairing: Steddie | Tags: Future Fic, Established Relationship, Eddie Munson Lives, And Most Importantly Loves
Eddie sheds his coveralls at the front door. He'll pick them up later, but right now? He's gonna get away from that life, from the job that's killing his back and spirit, even if only for the weekend.
He had to pick up an extra half-shift this morning, on his goddamn Saturday off, and it really dampened his mood.
Steve's standing at the counter, blender going. Margaritas being made. When he sees Eddie, he smiles wide. It's contagious, and Eddie smiles back. The shitty morning he had sliding right off his back, just like his work clothes did moments earlier.
They can't afford an actual Cancun vacation, no matter how much they daydream about the beach. But Steve swore he'd bring the vacation to them, and Eddie was down. Definitely. For whatever Steve had in mind. Like he always has been down when it comes to Steve.
Eddie reaches for the pitcher Steve's still filling, and Steve bats his hand away.
"Shower, then drink in hand."
Eddie grins, scurrying off towards the bathroom for a quick rinse.
Hair still wet, and tied into a bun, Eddie takes the offered glass from Steve. Their backyard is private. The whole house is, honestly. And it was chosen for that specifically. They wanted the fuck away from people, and here they've found just that. Their slice of heaven.
It might not be fancy, or expensive. But it's theirs. Fair and square.
Steve has hung up old, mismatched Christmas lights along the fence in the backyard, and it kind of looks magical. It'll look even better tonight, when the sun goes down.
Eddie adjusts the radio dial, trying to surf the airwaves until he finds something good.
The grill is already hot, and Eddie stands pressed to Steve's back as Steve grills steaks, and a couple skewers of shrimp. Plus a few more made up of potatoes and vegetables.
It's perfect.
The lid of the grill closed for the time being, Steve leans back against Eddie, tilting his head to fit into the crook of Eddie's neck. Eddie hugs him tighter than he already was.
Eddie knows Steve's tired, too. They both are. Neither one of them have great jobs. Definitely nothing that can be considered easy, or fun, but they do it because it's what they have to in order to make this work. What they've done, year after year.
It keeps them in this house they love, and it keeps them fed and clothed.
It keeps them together, and happy.
After they've eaten, Steve sprays Eddie with the garden hose, and it's definitely not the beach. It's not even a pool. But they're home, and they're together. Eddie shakes his head as the water hits him in the face, and laughs.
This kind of fun is cheap, but being with Steve always makes him feel richer than his bank account will ever show.
It's late. The sunset, long gone. Eddie offers Steve his hands, pulling him up from the lawn chair. They're both tipsy, and loose. This was fun. Steve was right. But he always is. Eddie knows he wouldn't have made it this far without him.
Life hasn't been easy, not for either of them, after all that Hawkins dust settled. Steve could have gotten out. Steve could have stayed, even.
Instead, he chose Eddie.
Eddie pulls him into his arms, hugging him tight.
"Best vacation I've ever had," Eddie declares, and Steve's chest rumbles against his own, as he laughs.
"Bed," Steve says, and yes. Their king size bed is calling.
Life is hard. Being with Steve is easy.
If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @corrodedcoffinfest and @steddiemicrofic to follow along with the fun! 🦇
Written for @steddieholidaydrabbles & @corrodedcoffinfest.
if you must
Prompt: Cold | CCF Bingo Card: 1970s || Prompt: AC/DC || Song: Hells Bells | Word Count: 1000 | Rating: T | CW: Language, Mention of Weed & Beer | POV: Steve | Pairing: Pre-Steddie | Tags: Pre S3, Scoops Ahoy, Steve Finds Himself in A Predicament, An Unlikely Hero Emerges
Steve puts down the last crate of ice cream, and he hears the scuffing sound. He turns, and the box he was using to hold open the freezer door is sliding across the concrete.
He darts forward, fingers grazing the cold steel just as it latches shut.
Well, fuck.
Steve rattles the handle, but he knows it's not opening up. At least not from the inside. Corporate knew and still hadn't fixed it before opening. Just told them to be careful.
Well, obviously, Steve wasn't careful enough.
This is just fucking great. He's gonna freeze to death in here overnight. Robin takes one evening off, and Steve gets himself locked in the walk-in freezer. Just fantastic. If he survives, he's never gonna live this down.
She already thinks he's a fucking dumbass. This isn't gonna be a strong argument in his ongoing case trying to prove he's not.
Now he's gonna be dumb and cold.
It definitely doesn't help that he's in these stupid little shorts.
He jumps up and down, trying to keep the blood flowing. Then remembers that maybe he's supposed to stay still? Fuck. He doesn't know. He wasn't paying attention. He never is. He switches to rubbing his hands up and down his legs.
Breaking down the door seems impossible, but is his only way out.
He bangs on the opposite wall, hoping somebody might hear him, then takes a running start at the door, ramming his shoulder into it.
Bad idea. Fuck. Really bad idea.
Now his shoulder is throbbing, and he knows that's not gonna do shit other than hurt himself.
He's stuck.
He's fucked.
He sits on a milk crate and slams his foot into the wall. Over and over. Just trying to get someone's attention. He's pretty sure it's a hopeless endeavor.
But he'll keep trying.
Steve's shivering. It's been three hours.
He's still banging on the wall, hoping maybe a custodian will be next door. He's stretched his shirt down over his bare legs, but it's not helping a lot. He keeps banging his fist against the wall, until it gets too cold and he needs a break.
Steve's not sure bothering is even worth it. Until, someone bangs on the wall. Or maybe he's hallucinating it.
Either way, Steve jumps up, nearly getting tangled in his shirt, and bangs back.
They keep knocking with the same pattern over and over. So, Steve mimics it: Three fast, short knocks, then three long ones, followed by three more short knocks.
Someone is fucking with him.
It stops.
Maybe nobody was there at all.
Steve curls back up in a ball, trying to cover as much as his exposed skin as possible, and rests his head on his bent knees.
He's just about to doze off, when he hears knocking on the freezer door.
"Anybody in there?" he hears through the other side.
That lights a fire under his ass.
Steve rushes over to it and knocks back, "Hey! Open the door, I'm stuck in here!"
The door swings open, and there's Eddie Munson. Huh.
"Hell's bells, Harrington," Eddie says, as Steve rushes out of the freezer, shivering. He can barely feel his fingers and toes. "I could hear you banging around from next door."
Steve is so cold his teeth are chattering.
"Fuck, your lips are blue. Here," Eddie says, shrugging off his leather jacket, and Steve starts to protest, but it's warm around his shoulders, and he's not about to turn that down. He slides his arms through the sleeves, and continues his closing routine.
Eddie is watching him do it. It's a little intense, but Eddie Munson has always been a little intense. Nothing new there.
Steve is ready to be out of this fucking place. He finishes what he has to do to close up shop while Eddie stands idly by, then together they make a beeline for the door. As Steve pulls down the gate, only then, does what Eddie had said finally register in his brain.
"Next door?" Steve asks, confused. "You were next door?"
"Shut up," Eddie snaps.
"Munson, are you working at The Gap?"
"I said shut up, Harrington, or I'm shoving you back in the freezer."
Steve laughs, and waves his hands in surrender.
Eddie walks alongside him out of the mall, then smiles, "They needed a night stocker. The money's not bad. Tell anyone and die."
Steve pretends to lock his lips.
"Look at me, I'm working in a sailor suit. I'm pretty sure I don't have room to judge."
"That's true," Eddie teases, bumping into Steve's shoulder.
"Were you done for the night? Or do you need some help finishing?"
"I'm done," Eddie answers.
Steve goes to slide Eddie's jacket off his shoulders, when Eddie's hand stills his, touching his forearm.
"Hey, you wanna go to a party tonight?" Eddie asks, and with those big eyes, it seems earnest. Steve's gonna take it as such, anyway.
"Can I change clothes first?" Steve asks, looking down at himself.
"If you must."
"I must. I need a warm shower, even my bones are cold."
"Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital? Hypothermia kills, you know," Eddie says, and Steve is pretty sure he's not dying of hypothermia. At least not yet.
"I'm okay. Your jacket helped. Thanks."
"Wear it home. Just bring it back to me when you come out tonight."
Eddie smirks, and Steve grins back at him. Steve's not sure if it's meant to be a move, but it sure feels like one. It'd be one if Steve was doing this for a girl.
"Yeah, okay. I will. Thanks again. You saved my ass."
Eddie breaks off, heading towards his van.
"No biggie. We'll be out at the quarry," Eddie says, inviting him again, and Steve nods. Sure. It might be fun. Eddie surely has weed, and Steve can bring some beer.
"Meet you there."
If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @corrodedcoffinfest and @steddieholidaydrabbles to follow along with the fun! 🦇
Notes: Eddie, a year later in the Upside Down, what do you mean you don't know Morse code? Steve, having just mimicked what Eddie was doing, is none the wiser. 🤣
Also, how else would Eddie know Mike's wardrobe came from The Gap, huh? 😏🤣
Bingo Card: 1990s || Prompt: Sublime || Song: Smoke Two Joints | Word Count: 1487 | Rating: T | CW: Mention of Previous Deaths, Previous Drug Use | POV: Steve | Pairing: Steve & Erica, Steve & Gareth, Steve & Corroded Coffin, Steddie | Tags: Future Fic, Set in Tuesday's/Wildflowers 'verse, Formerly Famous Corroded Coffin, Steve Has Realized It'll Never Be Over, The Crash Was Just The Beginning
"Hey, long time no—," Steve says, and is immediately cut off.
"—I've filed the documents to seal them up. Stop them from being released to the public," Erica says, and Steve is confused. "Don't worry."
Worry? He's supposed to be worried?
"Uh, seal what up from the public?" Steve asks.
"Have you not talked to Nancy?" Erica snaps, and no, was he supposed to today?
"No?"
"Goddammit, she was supposed to call you an hour ago. Do I have to do everything myself? I'm already trying to chase down Gareth, and I've been stuck playing phone tag with incompetent lackeys all day. Why don't they have half of a you in that operation over there?" Erica snaps.
And Steve laughs, because he knows they are completely functional over there. They've got a good crew. She's just used to him being at everyone's beck and call.
But he can't dig into that. His heart is somewhere in his throat.
"What's going on?" he asks, because what the fuck now? They've just got Eddie settled back on solid ground, and he's already on edge that Gareth's traveling again, filling in with Mud for this leg of their tour.
There will be no upsetting the apple cart that Steve has very carefully balanced.
"Toxicology is back," she says.
"And…? Are there surprises?" he asks, sitting up straighter, grabbing his notepad and a pen. This wasn't something he was worried about. It wasn't even on his radar. "Jesus Christ, were the pilots—"
"No!" she cuts him off, "No. Clean as a whistle, both of them."
He's relieved. He wouldn't want to go through any sort of legal battle that might ensue if they were being criminally negligent. It was an accident. It's better for everyone if it stays exactly that.
Suing will gain them nothing but more heartache. It can't bring back what they lost. Nothing can.
"Erica. Are there surprises?" he asks again.
"No?" she says, but she doesn't sound confident in that answer. Which is out of character.
"Just spit it out," he tells her. Pull off the band-aid. She hasn't beat around the bush a day in her life. She'd better not start now.
He starts making a list of everyone who died, so he can take notes.
"Weed, lots of weed," she says, and well, no shit. He would have tested positive for weed after being on that flight, if testing him had been important. It definitely wasn't, not with the trying to keep him alive and everything.
"That's nothing," he says.
"Goodie was on Valium," she says.
He's not surprised. It wouldn't have been the first time.
"Yeah, no shit. He was scared to fly. An excessive amount?"
"No, I don't think so. Just with the weed…" she trails off.
"Yeah," he says. It's never good optics when you start listing out drugs, plural. No matter what the cocktail, the public judges harshly. Especially when most of them will only see newspaper headlines, looking to sell copies.
Eddie and Gareth were clean now, though. So, that's—
Eddie and Gareth were clean, right?
"Eddie and Gareth were clean, right?" Steve asks her.
"Yes. Of course," she says. Then there's a pause, "I mean. They weren't tested. At least not that I know about. They didn't go to the morgue. But, I believe they were clean. Don't you?"
Steve does, and he relaxes, all this about a couple joints? It makes him think of their early days, when they were still traveling by bus. There was a night, late, too late, when they were all a little lit that they sat around playing guitars and singing Smoke Two Joints. Eddie was always up on new music, of all genres.
Now, Steve doesn't know the last time Eddie asked about the new releases or what has charted. It's like that part of him is just gone. At least for the time being.
But that night, music was still alive and well:
Eddie is on the couch, laying on his back, strumming Dragon Slayer. A cigarette dangling from his lip, making the words coming out of his mouth a little hard to understand, "I smoke two joints in the morning."
And Jeff follows it up with the next line, "I smoke two joints at night."
Gareth's pounding on the table, setting the ska beat with his hands, "I smoke two joints in the afternoon, it makes me feel all right."
And then Goodie cuts in, "I smoke two joints in time of peace, and two in time of war."
Then, Eddie takes it back, "I smoke two joints before I smoke two joints, and then I smoke two more."
They all laugh like it's the funniest thing they've ever heard, and Steve shakes his head, going back to his paperwork.
He misses those days like a sudden ache in his heart that he wasn't prepared for today. It's like he's getting clobbered by the knowledge they're never gonna get over this. Eddie's never gonna get over it. Eddie's never gonna be the same again. And it's not that Steve hasn't understood that before now, he has, most definitely. But so much of the past few months he's had to dedicate to just getting himself back on his feet, that he hasn't had a whole lot of time to sit and process it all.
Erica's voice pulls him back to the present. "Steve, are you listening?"
"Sorry, what'd you say?"
"I said Billy had a cocktail going on, but nothing to clutch your pearls over."
"No heroin, no speed?" he asks.
"Cocaine is the hardest hitter on the list."
Is he just too steeped in the entertainment business that he thinks nothing she's told him is anything to get riled up about?
The public shouldn't be surprised about some goddamn weed.
"Then why the full-court press? Billy wasn't flying the plane. He wasn't even famous. Goodie was scared to fly and had prescription drugs in his system. This feels like a non-issue."
"Well. We figured Eddie wouldn't like it being released. No matter what it said."
That's true. He won't. But he doesn't like the media to even breathe in his direction these days. They're still gonna.
"Let me call Gareth," Steve says.
"Steve Harrington, if you have a backdoor way to get a hold of Gareth without the hoops I've been jumping through for the past two hours, you will tell me. He's my client."
Steve laughs. He supposes Gareth is, technically, but unless Gareth's been committing new crimes, Steve's pretty sure Erica's not actively representing him.
"He got new charges I don't know about?"
"Fuck that. He better not," she snaps.
Steve laughs. Good. That's good.
"So, what I'm hearing is Goodie had Valium and didn't share. I had to be fucking roofied to keep my back from protesting being subjected to that plane," Steve complains. "I'd kill him if he wasn't already dead."
And Erica laughs. "None of us should have been subjected to that plane."
It's dark, but that's the only way they know how to cope. If they aren't morbid, if they don't laugh, they'd never stop crying.
These have been the hardest six months of Steve's life.
Physically, mentally.
He's pretty sure emotionally comes next.
Making sure Eddie's head is staying above water. Making sure Gareth isn't gonna slip away from them while they aren't looking.
He's juggling the best he can, and for the first time in a long time, he doesn't feel sure he'll be able to keep the balls in the air.
Steve calls the number.
Gareth picks up after three rings.
"He okay?"
"Yes," Steve reassures.
"What's up?" Gareth asks.
"Erica called. Toxicology is back, and the media is probably gonna get it sooner rather than later. She's trying to keep a lid on it, but I think she's just kicking the can down the road."
"I swear I'm clean," Gareth says.
Steve laughs.
"Not everything is about you," Steve teases.
"Oh, how bad was it?"
"I'm not concerned, but Erica's not wrong that Eddie's gonna work himself up into a lather about anything at all getting out. I don't think we can prevent it."
"It'll be okay. Did you call The Moms?" Gareth asks.
"No, but I will. I'll give everybody a shout so nobody's blindsided."
"Good, good," Gareth says, then there's a little pause when Steve thinks maybe he's lost him, "Eddie will be okay. It'll blow over soon."
Steve knows what he means, knows he means the toxicology stuff, but none of this will blow over, ever.
"Thanks for calling me. If he really loses his shit, let me know and I'll get right there."
Steve nods his head, he knows Gareth would, too, "Thanks, kid. You're doing great out there. The reviews are fantastic."
"Thanks, Steve. It's not the same without…well, it's not the same."
And Steve knows how true that really is. Nothing is the same.
If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @corrodedcoffinfest and follow along with the fun! 🦇
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The darkest moment of Eddie Munson's life is not the one where he dies.
It's the five days that come next that try to break him.
In the hours that follow his last breath, Eddie lives a little life that he'd never even dared to imagine, let alone dream in the ever after.
There is a house, one he owns, with a little line of cedar trees instead of a fence out back. It has a fireplace, just because they're cozy. In this house, the heat never disappears on some late March day right after they're allowed to turn it off for non-payment. The kitchen is airy and bright, and the fridge, he can tell, is always full of food.
There's also a husband. A legal one. Wedding photos on the walls, their family and friends all smiles as they are captured forever in laughing gazes. The man with hazel eyes gazes only at Eddie, whose face beams with pride and contentment and security.
There's a dog who's name he knows, but will never remember on day six. He's a handsome thing, big and black and smart enough to run agility trials with his husband in the spring.
There is a little girl, with bright red pigtails that neither of them can claim responsibility for. They speak of her hair as though it is a wonder, and she is growing up proud of her firey locks.
The dreamed memories are terrible. Horrendous. Drawn of pain and sorrow. And even while dead, he can feel the edges crumbling, sharp, jagged things meant to cut him into ribbons. He hates these five days.
On the sixth day, though, the sun shines bright. The real sun. An actual sun. It is orange and full and tinted by the window of his hospital room. It's beam is interrupted by a sleeping head, one that stirs as Eddie groans.
One that looks up at him with large hazel eyes and an expression of relief tinged with longing.
Eddie's dark days end when Steve Harrington smiles at him. The shadows recede and he remembers what it is to feel safe.
"Bit dramatic, Eddie. Dying?" Steve said, tone light and airy, like the magnolias that had bloomed in their yard in his death dream. "You could have just asked me out."
Currently sat imagining every switch and outlet cover in the trailer having monsters, dragons, and guitars shittily painted on them because the Visiting Child, Eddie, wanted to help decorate the trailer and it was the best way to keep him both involved and out of trouble.
Little gaptoothed Eddie sat at a card table outside regaling Wayne's aged dog with the stories he's painting half on the cover plates, half on the newsprint covering the table.
"An' an' an' then he takes the guitar and it's AN AXE and SHWOOOM off goes the dragons head!" there's paint on the dog where Eddie swung his brush, the dog went from snoozing to In Mild Peril in a matter of seconds.
They're still painted when Eddie moves in when he's older, the ones in his room end up a little more worse for wear because Eddie has a Moody streak.
Then post S4 where Vecna dies and Eddie lives but everyone is still displaced and part-quarantined due to the disconnected rifts, sneaking into military guarded territory to pry the plates off the walls because Wayne mentioned them Once, or hell maybe it's Eddie who mentioned it and Steve does it, orchestrating a stealth mission with Lucas (and Max's guidance, she's mad she can't join because recovering from injuries but she does send them for something from her place too).
