I guess you could say steve's realizing some things

Like, Imagine Steve's friends are being mean on the hallway and Eddie gets all vocal about it even though he knows he shouldn't because Tommy has a really short temper and he is out to get him but he still does and Tommy punches him and Steve, who usually stays on the sides ready to stop his friend if he gets too far, immediately winces in pain in the exact same place Tommy had landed the hit.

Steve without thinking stops Tommy and tells him to not mess with Eddie again.

Eddie, who sort of has a crush on the guy because he is HOT but also a very poorly opinion of him as an actual person, is a bit in awe but also freaking confused so he scatters while he can. Things just get weirder when Steve appears in front of him and makes him follow him around. Eddie only goes along because he thinks Steve might do something to him if he doesn't, thinking, is this what being bullied by the king is like?

So far they had walked together to their shared chem class, sat beside him and lent him his only pen because Eddie couldn't dare to tell him it was all he had on him to take notes (actually, to draw when he inevitable gets bored).

Even when Eddie bolts as soon as the class is over, Steve shows up in his cafeteria table and sits next to him. He quickly signals his friends to go away in case Steve and his friends are targeting him. But nothing happens, actually, after that Steve seems to follow HIM around, until the classes are over

The whole week goes like that, with Steve either making Eddie go along or following Eddie around. He once makes him sit in his jock's table to everyone's dismay and actually growls at someone when they dare to comment on why the "freak" is sitting with them.

He charms the professor of woodshop to let him stay while Eddie is in there and manages to team up with him in gym, preventing any of the usual bullshit people throw his way, like in dodgeball. Eddie thinks is the first time he hasn't been immediately out in a game.

They don't really talk, Eddie doesn't know what to say and Steve most of the time seems to be bored, looking around more than at Eddie. The most he has said to Steve is "Gotta piss" or "I have calc next" when he looks quizzically at him for taking an unexpected turn in the hallway.

In the little classes they don't share, Eddie's friends fuzz over him like crazy "Is he blackmailing you?" and "If you need help just blink!" but Eddie assures them that so far, nothing has happened.

By Friday, it's time Eddie has to go to Hellfire and that's when he decides to put an end to this because there's no way he will expose his sheepies to any sort of funny business Steve might be up to.

"Ok, this is getting creepy Harrington, what's up with you?"

Steve just blinks at him like it's obvious. And also like it annoys him to be here talking with Eddie.

"We're soulmates" he says finally, clearly seeing in Eddie's face that it wasn't obvious at all.

"W-what?" Eddie hurries them to a more secluded hallway, trying his hardest to not turn fully red.

Steve simply pinches himself and Eddie feels the immediate pain in his own arm "Shit" he says in a breath.

And the whole world turns around because well, his soulmate is fucking Steve Harrington and because the following around made more sense now. Instead of messing with him, he was probably making sure his friends didn't hurt him (and by extension himself) more. He looked a tiny bit like a lost puppy; Eddie's brain provides but pushes the thought back.

"Shit, indeed" Steve says in a really resigned way.

And that sobers Eddie up, because yes, Steve Harrington is a literal wet dream for him. But he is an asshole. He tells him that much, gaining a very flabbergasted expression out of him. Like it's incredible to him that someone doesn't thing he is the best man to ever laid foot on earth. Eddie is fine with that, he doesn't need (want) a soulmate that talks about him like an inconvenience, thank you very much.

"Well, now that we clarified that, I guess take care" Eddie pats him on the shoulder and turns to go. He doesn't want to deal with whatever bullshit Steve might throw around, maybe make sure Eddie doesn't go around announcing they are soulmates or knock his teeth straight out for daring to be his soulmate instead of a babe.

But he can't even get a foot away before Steve is stopping him by his arm.

He is looking anywhere but at Eddie, like he is trying to understand what it's going on "That's all?" he asks and Eddie is the one confused now "That's all you have to say?" he reproaches, an angry frown forming on his face.

"What else is there to say?" Eddie actually asks because he can't imagine what Steve wants out of this situation.

"But, but we are soulmates" he says, like he is hurting. And oh.

Eddie isn't above putting a jock in his place with his words, more now that he knows Steve is not going to mess with him by how important this soulmate thing seems to be for the jock. He would relish on the opportunity to get back for everything Steve and his friends had put any nerd, weird and freak through in this town. It would go down on the books.

But the way Steve is actually looking like a kicked puppy now prevents him for saying any of his more murderous words. Taming his wildest and boldest opinions about the king.

Instead, he exhales and steps closer to Steve.

"Look, I don't know what you expect of it, like we would suddenly be best friends and ride into the rainbow together or some shit, but being soulmates doesn't magically make me smitten with you, Harrington"

Steve seems to wince at his words but it's hard to say with the stern expression he has on his face.

"What I said still stands, you are an asshole and I don't want anything to do with you, so, I promise I´ll try not to inconvenience you with any pain and I hope you try to do the same" Eddie lays it out, it's honestly the best he can do without out right putting venom in his choice of wording.

Steve seems to mull the words over. Eddie waits a beat for any acknowledgement but when he doesn't get one, he makes his way to Hellfire again.

"What can I do?" He calls at Eddie when he is halfway to the theater’s room. Eddie turning with another confused look "What can I do then, to like, not be an asshole?" he repeats, a weird mix of confidence but also unsureness in his words, like he made a decision but doesn't know if what he is saying is the correct thing.

"I mean..." Eddie thinks it over, dumbfound, like he knows his answer to this is important but also can't get over the fact that Steve Harrington is asking him about it "stop harassing people because they are or look different" he says it like his voice is ten miles away from him, like it was the first thing to come to his mind when thinking what a decent person is like.

Steve nods like it´s done, that simple.

"And" he elongates the syllable, tantalizing if Steve is really hearing all he has to say. When Steve keeps looking at him, the green light turns on in his mind "actually say something when your friends try shit like that, you know what, get better friends, the ones you have are quite horrible people" the words rushing through his mouth, without thinking he is getting close to Steve again "Get off your throne and stop thinking you're better than everyone else just because you have money, throw parties and worse of all, ace sports" Steve is looking at him a bit bewildered, like he didn't expect Eddie to have all these opinions of him at all. Eddie still sees the hint of a smile at that last jab "Don't assume what anyone else has going on on their lives and make jokes about it, quit throwing slurs at people like they are fucking candy, listen when other people are talking and take their opinions into consideration, you don't know it all" Eddie is actually going out of breath, his eyes wild going over inside his mind to find if he is missing any important bits. There´s like a ton else he could say but it's a good beginning.

"Anything else?" Steve asks, chuckling but not in a malicious way, he looks like he filed all of his words to examine in the future.

GO TIGERS GO 📣

@chocoarts has once again blown my mind by bringing my little steddie lines to life. I don’t even have words to describe how in awe I am of choco’s skills. The lighting, the colors, the style, EVERYTHING is just so breathtaking- I’m forever grateful and honored to collab with you 💕

Concept: I say both of us! I said a pre-s4 steddie pep rally and you specified s2 :)

Literally everything else (including Reefer Rick 🤩): @chocoarts

the bare-bones sketch i sent under the cut:

What did come, however, was an unexpected change of their career path.

It started innocently enough - they went through yet another failed meeting with recording studios, they'd travelled pretty far and it was for nothing. Instead of going back to Hawkins and risking another one of Eddie's road rages, they decided to break into an abandoned house and drink their sorrows away.

That is, until their empty bottles started collecting themselves, something invisible touched Gareth's shoulder and the dusty floor started showing written messages.

Jeff wanted to flee. Gareth to faint. But Eddie and Freak just shrugged. Eddie gestured towards the approximate ghost location and said "by the power of I don't give a shit anymore, I compel you to sit down and stop it, we'll clean the bottles when we leave tomorrow."

The rattling stopped. There was a moment of silence when the Corroded Coffin actually thought it had worked, but then the ghost overcame its shock and physically threw Eddie, his bandmates and their things out.

They sat on the wet grass for a while and contemplated their whole exitence. Eddie was pretty shaken about the whole thing because he'd just managed to royally piss off a ghost and lived to tell the tale. But apart from absolutely terrifying...it was also fun?

And his friends seemed to think the same. Jeff patted his shoulder and said: "not bad for a first touch with the unknown, huh?"

They stayed in the area and tried again. They decided to tape over their promotional video - not so great, they had to admit after rewatching it - and started documenting their ghostly encounters. And maybe it was just the timing, maybe it was their interactions and personalities, but it worked. They showed some of their tapes to a local TV station and they got a cautious yes, more than they ever had with their music.

They got assigned a small crew, Fred with a camera and Chrissy for sound, wrote their own episodes and did plenty of research. And they got to try quite a lot of different approaches with their ghostly friends. Eddie was amazing at taunting the ghosts, making them appear if there were any present. Gareth had a wonderfully calming presence, managing to save the CC's ass several times. Jeff was the brains, he made sure they'd always know the history of the house and the probable identity of the ghost. And Freak decided to dabble in the occult sciences with a terrifying precision. There could never be enough salt in Eddie's van for all the circles he made.

It all went well until they learned of the Creel House in Hawkins. They went there, did their research and before entering the house, they ordered some pizza for dinner. They assumed it would be over by midnight, thinking it was just another sad story of an unresolved murder, but the ghost of Henry Creel was out for blood.

Oh, and he also controlled the spiders of the house. That was new.

To set the scene: The crew had fled the house about an hour ago. Eddie was crouching behind an old table, blocking Henry's barrage of kitchen knives, shouting "IS THIS THE BEST YOU'VE GOT?!". Gareth was behind the table with Eddie, but he went more into the wailing territory with "I DON'T THINK THIS WILL HELP YOU MOVE ON, HENRY!". Jeff had blocked himself in the pantry and kept trying to identify the triggering moment - "I think he's re-enacting the murder of his mother, guys! Does that help?!" (it doesn't). And Freak gave up on salt circles and was now tossing handfuls of salt around the house with a questionable technique but unwavering determination.

Suddenly, a car horn.

Then, a bitchy male voice: "Are you coming to get your pizza or what? I have other customers to get to!"

Eddie gritted his teeth as Henry added heavy pans to the mix and hit his shoulder. "We're a little busy surviving here! Ask Chrissy to pay you!"

There was a muffled and annoyed "ugh" from behind the door and then: "Is it Henry again?"

Eddie just blinked. Gareth was more ready to answer: "Sure is! He's not a fan of our exorcism!"

And the pizza guy didn't leave. He just huffed and said something that sounded suspiciously like "amateurs".

Eddie wanted to punch him.

But before he could do that, the front door opened. Gareth held his breath, half expecting a sound of knives hitting their target.

Instead, they heard a few more steps and then: "What the fuck, Henry?!"

A faint whispering reached their ears, but they couldn't decipher it. But the pizza guy could.

"I don't care they didn't get your permission, Henry. Yeah, it's annoying, but what are you going to do? If more people die in this house, it's going to get demolished. You know that. Yeah, I know the house is old, but it's great for your spiders, right? They'd be homeless. Do you want to make your spiders homeless, Henry?"

They dared to peek from behind the table, and Eddie had to pinch himself. Because in the middle of the dusty dining room stood one of the prettiest young men Eddie had ever seen, hands on hips and arguing with something invisible.

The man completely ignored them.

"That's what I thought. Now, apologize. No, they can't hear you, so get creative."

All four CC members stared as words formed in the spilled salt: "SORRY".

The pizza guy seemed to be pleased. "Good job, Henry. Now, let me get them out of here and I promise I'll get the Party to bring you some new spiders when they capture them outside, yeah? Three knocks, slide them in a glass behind the door. Got it. Take care, Henry."

Only then did he look at Eddie and the others and frowned. "That's your cue to leave. Get your stuff and go, now." And as they were quickly collecting their scattered notes and recording equipment, he added: "and say goodbye when leaving. Don't be rude."

Four rushed "Bye, Henry!" and "Sorry, Henry"s later, the Corroded Coffin was standing on the grass outside, feeling the setting sun on their skin and smelling fresh pizza. Gareth promptly paid for the delivery, and everyone proceeded to thank their mysterious savior.

"I'm Steve," he said after they'd all expressed their thanks, "and you're stupid. Do you really do this without anyone who sees and hears them? Do you just stumble blindly into haunted houses for a fun and stabby time?"

Eddie had to swallow down a very bitchy response of his own. "Sorry to stroke your ego even more, pretty boy, but a man of your talents is hard to come by."

And Steve, to Eddie's massive shock, just cocked his head and fluffed his hair, probably out of habit, but damn. "Well, consider yourself lucky because I'm open to job offers," he said with a wink that brought Eddie back into his teenage fantasies. "You need someone like me, and I assume you pay better than pizza delivery. Do you?"

Turns out, their producer was willing to get one more person on board, especially when they finished processing the leftover footage from the Creel house.

Steve was an amazing addition. He was snarky, self-confident, easy to look at and most of all, he was fun and compassionate. Watching him communicate with ghosts of kids and help them move on made Eddie's icy heart melt.

But one day they were on a site of an unfortunate teenage death, Steve was chatting with the ghost of a 17 year old girl like they'd known each other for ages, he was laughing, cracking jokes, and then:

"No, he hasn't kissed me yet."

Eddie turned around on his heel and stared at Steve, snickering to himself and talking to a misty figure next to him. And worst of all, they were both staring right at Eddie.

"Hasn't even asked me out, no. You'd think he'd be interested, but I guess I'm doing something wrong."

And Eddie's head short-circuited, and all the repressed fantasies from nights next to Steve in their trailer came back with vengeance. He howled and threw himself at Steve, kissing him right on that bitchy mouth. "Doing something wrong?! Steven Harrington, those shorts of yours are doing everything right, but how about you say something, huh?!"

Steve returned the kiss to the cheering of the CC guys, Chrissy's clapping and Fred's disgusted noise, and shrugged when they broke apart. "I knew you'd get it, eventually. Oh, and Heather?" he turned to the ghost. "You're the best wingwoman ever, in this life and after."

Four good things came from this ghostly encounter:

After the kiss, Gareth finally gathered enough courage to ask Chrissy out. She said yes.

The episode with Heather became the most watched episode of the CC's show.

Steve and Eddie remained in an equally blissful and teasing relationship for the rest of their lives.

And finally...

Steve stared at the pamphlet in his hand, handed to him by one of those zealots that have been posting up on street corners and in parking lots ever since the “earthquakes” totaled Hawkins. He rolled his eyes and was just starting to crumple it up in his hand as he walked to his car before something stopped him.

He paused, brow furrowing slightly as he frowned down at the paper.

1. Is too "nice" to be true.

Steve was so used to being called an idiot by everyone, to being condescended to, that he had started taking it as just a simple matter of course. At least, until Eddie entered their little friend group.

Now, Eddie seemed to make it his life life’s mission to compliment Steve at least once a day, always with a smile to let Steve know it was meant genuinely, and even stood up to their friends’ playful bullying when it went to far.

He never made Steve feel stupid. Never made Steve feel like he was alone. He was just…really, really nice. More than Steve had ever thought was possible, at least when directed at someone like him.

It had taken a couple months of it for Steve to realize that Eddie meant it too, that Eddie wasn’t making fun of him in a way that Steve didn’t understand. Not only that, he went out of his way to do things for Steve, like offering to be the ones to drive the kids around when Steve had had a long day, or when his migraines were acting up.

He was just…really really nice. It was one of the things Steve noticed first about him. Huh.

Steve looked at himself in the mirror from all angles. Maybe, even just a year ago, he might have squashed all of this down and pretended he was just like any other All American white boy in a Midwest state. Except a year ago he still carried the baggage of his failures and was trying to be someone he was not.

And then Robin Buckley, with her ‘You Rule, You Suck’ board, entered his life.

Now, he was able to fully appreciate how much he had never been able to get Eddie “the Freak” Munson out of his head. He might have played it off had this situation never arose, might have been able to keep his lies to himself secret, but…well. It was a good thing Vickie’s locker had been right next to Eddie’s.

Admittedly, he did feel a little guilty about using the lip gloss that Nancy had left at his place, but then she had let him borrow some before back when he worked at Scoops, so really…was it that bad?

He just hoped that Eddie liked the taste of strawberries.

If Steve was lucky enough to find out.