keep it steddie, baby

Written for @corrodedcoffinfest.

An Ounce of Prevention

Prompt #5 - Perm | Word Count: 1000 | Rating: T | CW: Language | POV: Gareth | Pairing: Gareth & Goodie, Gareth/Di | Tags: Future Fic, Gareth Has Personal Experience, Nobody Will Listen To Him Though

Now

"You want a what?" Goodie asks, turning to look at Gareth.

"You heard me," Gareth snaps, "My mom said she'll do it. She went to beauty school. At least for a while. She dropped out, but anybody can do a perm. You can buy a box to do it at Melvald's."

Goodie laughs, "Yeah, okay. You do that. But you'll regret it. Your hair is curly enough. You don't need a goddamn perm."

"Well, I don't want it as curly as yours! Just, more like Eddie's, maybe."

"Mine is natural! Yours is natural. Trust me. You'll look like Grandma Mabel if you do it. Just don't. You ain't gonna look like Eddie no matter what you do. Those are just facts."

"I'm still doing it."

Goodie slackens his jaw, giving Gareth a look, that look, the one where he clearly thinks Gareth is an idiot and stubborn. Then finally says, "Can I at least watch this trainwreck happen?"

for @corrodedcoffinfest day 4 prompt 'headbanger's ball'

rated t | 770 words | no cw | tags: established relationship, older steddie, famous corroded coffin, slice of life

📰📰📰📰📰📰📰📰📰📰📰📰

Steve can’t do anything but laugh. It’s not that funny, but he’s picturing the reaction. Eddie’s gonna lose it.

He closes the magazine and sets it down on the counter. Eddie will be home soon and it’ll be the first thing he looks for. He’s been waiting for the official article for months.

Dinner simmers on the stove while he texts Robin. She only recently convinced him to “stop being an old man” and just text her sometimes instead of calling her to ask one simple question. He pretended it didn’t hurt his feelings, but she’s right. He called a lot about silly little things that are better off as texts. This isn’t a silly little thing, but he’d rather wait to call her when Eddie’s home.

Eddie runs into the room. It’s an impressive feat considering he’s about two years away from needing a hip replacement.

“It’s here?” He shuffles through the mail on the counter before finally setting his eyes on the magazine. “Did you look? Is it bad?”

Steve schools his face as he turns to look at Eddie flipping through the magazine.

“It’s not bad.”

Eddie freezes and looks up at him, squinting his eyes suspiciously.

“But it’s not good?”

“I didn’t say it’s not good.”

“But you’re acting like it’s not good.”

Steve rolls his eyes. “Just read it. Your glasses are on the table.”

Eddie walks over to the table and grabs his glasses, sits down in a chair, and starts reading. Steve turns back to the stove and waits.

“What the fuck.”

Steve smirks.

“Any band featured on Headbanger’s Ball is surely past their prime, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still make a statement in music. Eddie Munson and Jeff Clark are changing the way indie metal artists get heard.” Eddie puts the magazine down and glares at the wall. “Past our prime? We’re both still good at our jobs. That’s the whole point of this article!”

Steve decides to be a good husband, even though he really wants to laugh. He walks over to Eddie and rubs his back.

“I think they meant it as a compliment, honey,” he consoles. “Like even at your ages, you manage to stay relevant.”

“That’s like saying even at your age, you still have a nice ass.”

Steve kisses the top of his head. “And I do. So, accept that they still think you’re doing great things, even if they gave you a backhanded compliment.”

“I can’t believe this,” Eddie mutters as he keeps reading. “It does get better. But they forgot to mention Will.”

“He won’t mind,” Steve says as he walks back towards the stove to shut everything off and grab their plates. “He would insist he’s barely involved anyway.”

“You’re right.”

There’s silence for a minute, just the clinking of serving spoons and tongs as he places the chicken and vegetables on plates.

“I can’t believe they called us old by bringing up the Headbanger’s Ball.”

Steve snorts. “The guy who did the interview probably wasn’t even born when that was on TV. Give him a break.”

“Oh god. He could be our kid. He was so young.”

“I don’t remember a son…” Steve kisses the top of his head before setting their plates down on the table and sitting next to Eddie. “The two daughters call us old all the time, though. I’m shocked you don’t remember.”

“They mean it in a different way.”

Steve shakes his head. “Speaking of our angels—“

“What did they do?” Eddie is right to be a little worried. They both took after him with their energy, attitudes, and lifestyles. It was a bit stressful when they were teenagers, but now that they’re both adults, it’s somehow worse. Genetics didn’t even need to have anything to do with it.

“They might have already made comments online about the article.”

Eddie pulls his phone from his pocket and immediately goes to their social medias. He’s much better with technology than Steve, but that’s not too surprising. As a musician, he constantly has to adapt to the next new thing. Steve didn’t even get a washing machine with a timer until a few years ago when his Whirlpool finally shit the bed after nearly 25 years of service.

“They’re so mean to me,” Eddie pouts as he sets his phone down and takes a bite of his dinner.

“They love you.”

“I know.”

“And I love you too.”

“I know,” Eddie smiles at him.

“Even if you’re past your prime.”

Until I met you.

There is a guy across social media platforms who comments under everything Eddie posts with a little 'Eddie Munson Fun Fact.'

It's very annoying because these facts range between mundane to embarrassing, and they're all true. This is clearly someone who is from Hawkins and went to school with him but Eddie has no idea who it could be.

Their profile picture is a poorly made ice cream cone and all their non-Eddie related posts are about StarCourt Mall conspiracies.

He'll post a little thank you to the fans or give updates on show dates, and without fail, Ice Cream Guy is there like, Fun Fact: Eddie Munson is a three time senior.

Fun Fact: Eddie Munson fell off a cafeteria table into a trash can once.

Fun Fact: Eddie Munson is a String. Cheese. Hater.

This guy is trying to get him canceled by Big Cheese.

Eddie's label hates him but his fans like him so Eddie kinda just deals with it because the engagement is good.

And then Eddie comes out.

He lets the whole world know he likes men and Ice Cream Guy is the first to comment under the post like, Fun Fact: I knew it.

Followed by: Fun Fact: Eddie Munson has a crush on me.

Eddie comments back: Prove it

Ice Cream Guy replies: Fun Fact: Ask me on a date first, freak

Eddie replies: How would I know it's you if I don't know who you are??

Ice Cream Guy says: You'll know.

Eddie's fan eat this up. They start bringing ice cream to his shows. They start making ice cream themed fan merch. They're drawing NSFW fan art of Eddie with a sentient ice cream cone.

Robin: No, you're not. You're a closed book. You're a book with a little lock on it.

Robin: I’m your best friend and I don't even know your middle name

Steve: You've been in my wallet. It's on my driver's license.

Robin: I didn't look.

Robin: Out of privacy.

Steve:

BAILEY’S 3K CELEBRATION —🫶🏼 for @djotime

"The thing I loved about the character and loved that they gave me is that he kind of has a change of heart and realizes the error in his ways. And I think right now there's kind of a lot of opportunity for that, for people to sort of choose to do the right thing. The show is about a group of outcasts that come together and you can be from all walks of life. But I just love that the character kind of makes that choice. For that reason, it was a just real pleasure to play for 10 years." — Joe Keery