archive of all of my fics. i don't have a lot of writing experiance but i thought i'd try it out. feel free to send me requests. all links go to ao3. main - jackthesnacc.tumblr.com
Having more Psych thoughts as a break from the angst in my Difficult Days story.
Picturing a new officer starting out at the SBPD calling in a murder as the first on the scene.
Carlton and Juliet head to the boardwalk where the victim was found, Gus and Shawn hot on their heels in the blueberry. The Spirits practically begged Shawn to take the case given how the victim's body was staged.
The officer is a little green, both new to the job and to seeing dead bodies, but eager to help and very sweet on the eyes if Shawn has anything to say about it, which of course he does.
"Oh my god, you're even taller than Lassie, Gus, get over here, I think we have a new record!"
The rookie smiles nervously, looking uncertainly between Shawn and Carlton.
"Uh--"
"Spencer! I thought I told you and Guster not to leave the station," Carlton blocks Shawn's path as the psychic makes a beeline for the police tape.
"When has that ever stopped us," Shawn says as Gus silently pleads with his eyes at Juliet.
The rookie clears his throat and steps forward, "uh, I can make sure they get back to the station, I need a ride anywa--"
The new cop doesn't get to finish his thought as Shawn suddenly spins, his hand draped over his forehead, and swoons dramatically.
And of course the rookie catches Shawn, dipping him low before swinging him back up to his feet.
Carlton feels his eye twitch watching Shawn's eyes widen in surprise and his ears flush pink.
Not that Carlton cares.
This is perfect actually, Shawn has someone else to harass and Carlton can stick to actual detective work without distractions.
It's fine.
He doesn't hate the fact that Shawn is now running his mouth at a mile a minute while the new officer watches with a placid, if bemused, expression on his stupid face.
Carlton startles slightly as Juliet touches his elbow and pulls him back to reality.
This is for the best. Really.
So why does his chest feel as though it's about to crack in two as Shawn reaches out to touch the other man's arm just above his elbow?
Carlton breathes out a sharp sigh, his face pinches in a scowl before eventually following Juliet under the yellow tape securing the scene with quick sure steps.
The sooner he can start cataloging the crime the sooner he can forget about Spencer.
However, Carlton doesn't see the way Shawn's eyes follow his path under the board walk, nor the way his lips turn down slightly as he watches the Detective leave without a word.
Interviewer Steve Harrington who gets decked in the face by a particularly drunk and rude person halfway through an event, and can’t fight back because it could ruin the company name or whatever, but he still needs to meet his quota, so he's walking around face still bleeding and talking to people.
Then he meets Corroded Coffin and he has to make it an extended interview cause his Co-Worker Dustin adores them. The bleeding has mostly stopped by then, but the guy from earlier bumps into his back and glares at him.
And how hasn’t he been kicked out yet, Eddie thinks he’ll definitely try something again if Steve goes out on his own and the camera man can’t stop him, so he says fuck it and Steve sits with them for the rest of the event, with the Coffin guys as his body gaurds
Which works because everyone thinks they’re intimidating and ‘scary’, but in reality none of them know how to throw a punch and they’re relying on the facade.
Steve’s nose starts bleeding again at some point during the dinner portion, and Eddie is quick to grab the napkin out of his breast coat and dab it up.
Steve probably says something like, “You do this for all the girls?” And Gareth is all to happy to explain how he doesn’t, and how on their last tour Eddie fainted from Grant hitting himself with a drumstick and getting a nosebleed.
And Eddie really wishes he could smack him except the blood keeps coming and he needs to focus on cleaning it and staying awake.
Okay so I see a fair bit of amnesia leading to forgetting that they're married or forgetting that they're a couple. Steve distraught because after the upside down Eddie can't remember who he is, or that they're together and he reverts to hating Steve because King Steve bullied Eddie, or Steve having one concussion too many and forgetting Eddie.
But what if Eddie wakes up after everything. Wakes up in the hospital. And he spent so long with a massive, raging, irrepressible crush on Steve Harrington that he wakes up and what he remembers is a relationship that isn't real. Months upon months of Eddie fantasising little domestic scenarios featuring him and Steve. Spending so much time thinking about Steve that it sort of becomes ingrained so...yeah. Eddie wakes up and he wants his boyfriend.
And at first everyone is like...wow. Steve and Eddie are together. I did not see that coming. But Steve is like, visibly shocked and confused and Eddie then starts to look like the bottom is falling out of his universe and Steve just...flips on a fucking dime. One hundred percent commited to a relationship that he literally just found out about and isn't at all real and claims that, "they weren't out yet and it just took him by surprise," and Eddie is clearly confused and in pain but also smiling at Steve like he's the god damn sun.
Meanwhile the only one in the room to see the truth of everything that just happened is Robin Buckley.
Okay but mechanic Eddie “stuck” in Hawkins because he maybe celebrated graduation a little TOO hard and maybe ended up with a baby he didn’t intend to have and Wayne is free child care 75% of the time and the other 25% of the time he just brings his little girl to work with him because the receptionist absolutely loves her and loves Eddie and the boss knows he’s a hard worker so he lets him take frequent breaks to check on her
And then one day Steve “finally left Hawkins” Harrington shows up with a smoking engine and a dead battery and Eddie jokes that this is the worst state he’s ever seen a car in that wasn’t in an accident and Steve just blushes and says he “kind of forgot to take care of her” while he was living with Robin in the city since he never drove her so she barely survived the trip to Hawkins to visit the kids
And then Steve sees his daughter and he LOSES IT because Steve LOVES babies so he obviously holds her and talks to her and plays with her and dances around the waiting room with her while Eddie tries to fix what he can
But Eddie keeps getting distracted by them and shocks himself when he tries to jumpstart the car and it leaves a small burn on his hand that of course makes all the guys tease him and Steve immediately hears his yell and comes running with the baby and he holds her on his hip while he looks at the burn on Eddie’s hand and Eddie just watches him
You know the look, the one where someone is in awe but feels stupid about it, that one
Steve doesn’t notice but everyone else does, including his not even one year old daughter, who keeps smacking Steve in the cheek (he’s a good sport about it and keeps laughing when she smiles at him) and calling him mama even though she’s never had any reason to even learn that word and Steve just smiles at her, doesn’t correct her or stop her
And Eddie kind of has no idea what’s happening because sure, he had a crush on Steve in high school (who didn’t), and even after the demobats when he visited him in the hospital almost every day (who wouldn’t), and maybe even a little bit when he took a woman home with him who probably didn’t even care enough about him to know how proud he was of himself for graduating and got a baby out of it, but now it’s still there and it’s worse and he doesn’t know what to do because Steve lives in Chicago with Robin and Eddie can’t LEAVE
It was by accident, Steve swears. Driving a car, Eddie sitting next to him. Gremlins on the backseats chirping about some campaign.
It was by accident, when he puts his fucking hand on Eddie's knee. No thoughts in his brain. He's been so comfortable that he didn't even realise his own stupidity.
It's when the talking stops his brain comes back online. But before he manages to snatch his hand away, Eddie grabs it and just says: "nah ah ah." And puts it back on his knee with his own hand covering Steve's.
And then the talking resumes like it was the most natural thing for them to be holding hands.
Something in Steve's chest falls into place. He interlaces his fingers with Eddie's and squeezes.
There's a firm squeeze back and Steve smiles. They'll have some talking to do.
soulmates au where you start seeing color if you lock your eyes with your soulmate, rockstar!eddie
I need Steve to love Corroded Coffin so much he goes to their concerts every time they are in Indianapolis. This time is different. This time he manages to push through the crowd until he’s almost next to stage. Maybe he shouldn’t have done that. Because if he stayed behind like all the previous times, there would be no chance for Eddie – the singer – to look him in the eye. The world would not start coloring itself. The singing would not stop mid-song. And Steve would not have to run away like a kid.
Eddie deserves someone better. Someone less damaged, someone less needy and clingy. Steve’s so wrapped up in his own head in the train on his way home. He’s obsessively refreshing the corroded coffin tag on twitter, but it looks like the concert continued after.
And then for two months, there’s nothing. No news, no concerts, no paparazzi photos. And then suddenly a new mini album. It’s under Eddie’s name titled: to my soulmate.
the first snow in Hawkins in 1987 Steve drives over to Eddie's and bundles him into the bmw answering his "Stevie wtf it's snowing what are we doing?" with a "just come on, it'll be fun" and then drives him to an empty parkinglot where they take turns drifting and doing donuts in Steve's car before going to the diner for hot chocolate. Steve hopes it feels a little like a date without him asking because he hasn't worked up the courage. but Eddie cackling and grabbing Steve's arm as they slid around the parkinglot was so worth it.
Not in any bad way. Not at all. He’s just unlike any roommate Steve’s ever had before. Tommy was loud, gross, messy, and a major asshole. Billy was a violent drunk, and Steve had to evict him. Jonathan was polite, but never home.
Eddie is… Well… Robin said he’s like a cat, which isn’t a conclusion Steve would have come to on his own, but since Rob mentioned it, he hasn’t been able to get it out of his head.
Eddie Munson is a bit like a cat.
At first, he was quiet around Steve. That doesn’t mean he was quiet all the time, not at all. Not only does Eddie listen to loud music, but Steve often hears him yelling in his room over one thing or another. Phone calls with his friends always have Eddie laughing hysterically and shouting happily. All behind closed doors, though. The rare times Steve’s caught Eddie on the phone in the living room, Eddie got quiet and slipped into his room.
Steve knew it wasn’t anything he was doing wrong. Eddie made sure he knew that on the first day he moved in.
(“Hey, um. I might take a while to, uh, get used to you.”)
It takes Steve’s favorite hobby for Eddie to start leaving his room.
Steve hums as he bends to open the oven door. Oven mitts on, he grabs the pan and pulls it out, nudging the door up far enough with his foot so he can bump it closed with his hip. He sets the pan on the stove and turns towards the fridge, and nearly jumps out of his skin when he sees Eddie leaning against the door.
“Sorry,” Eddie mumbles, flushing bright red. He reaches for the fridge door and holds it open for Steve. “I was just grabbing something to drink.”
Steve raises an eyebrow and takes the milk out of the fridge. Eddie leans over the door a bit to peer in. He points at a can of soda. Steve grabs it and hands it over.
“Milk and cookies would be better,” Steve laughs. “I’m about to burn my mouth on these, but it’s going to be so worth it.” He reaches over and pokes a cookie, quickly snatching his hand back at the heat.
Eddie stifles a laugh, hand over his mouth, but Steve can tell he’s smiling.
“Want one?” Steve asks. He watches Eddie as he considers. His breath shudders, and he shakes his head. Steve shrugs. “I’ll save you some anyway. They should be cool soon.”
He turns back to the cookies to gently transfer a couple to a plate with his bare hands, but by the time he moves to grab a cup for his milk, Eddie is gone, and Steve can hear his bedroom door closing with a small click.
A few hours later, when Steve’s gone through half the cookies and is laying on the couch in a cookie-coma, he hears Eddie exit his room. After a minute of shuffling around the kitchen, he disappears again. When Steve gets up to wash his dishes, he notices three things.
1. Eddie left the milk out
2. Eddie took two cookies
3. Eddie stuck a note on the fridge
Thank you, very yummy :) - E
Steve blushes and takes the note with him when he goes to bed.
Eddie is a shut-in fantasy novel writer. When he was in high school he was accused of a gruesome murder and although his name was cleared, it kind of fucked him up and made him agoraphobic. He pretty much never leaves his apartment.
Steve and Robin move in to the apartment above him and they are SO LOUD. Laughing and shouting and wrestling at odd hours. Playing video games into the night and shouting at the TV. Steve sings along to the Top 40 station when he’s showering or cooking. It drives Eddie insane but it also kind of… comforting? To feel a little less isolated? He starts to feel almost like he knows them.
Then he recognizes Steve’s last name, realizes who his dad is, a notorious conservative senator who is outspoken in his views on LGBTQ rights and is immediately distrustful and cold with Steve when he actually meets him.
But here’s the thing. Steve is actually like, a nice guy. And not just to straight white Protestants like alot of “nice guys.” So maybe Steve isn’t like his dad. He doesn’t give off the vibe. Still, Eddie is wary.
But then he starts genuinely liking Steve.
Steve smokes blunts on the fire escape like Eddie does and they meet out there sometimes, on their respective fire escapes, and start passing the blunt to each other through the grate and chatting. Steve is funny. He’s sweet. He’s a little dumb, but in a way that seems more like self-fulfilling to Eddie, like Steve has always been told he’s dumb and just believes it now. But he sometimes has these really astute insights that startles and delights Eddie. He listens to Eddie talk about his fantasy novel plots and actually seems interested.
Eddie starts to watch Steve when he goes on his early morning jogs down the street. He watches him play basketball on the ball court across the street with some teenagers, giving them pointers and encouragement. He watches Steve, jealously, as he walks girls to and from his car at odd hours. Steve’s kind of a himbo, to be honest. Eddie is falling hard for him.
Regardless of his growing crush that he thinks is absolutely hopeless, Steve and Robin are starting to pull him out of his shell. They get him to smoke with them sometimes with their friends, one of which happens to be Byers, Eddie’s own drug dealer.
Robin and Steve beg him to come to a party they’re throwing to celebrate Steve getting into nursing school. Eddie doesn’t want to, doesn’t want to cram himself into a tiny apartment with loud music he hates and a hundred people he doesn’t know and watch Steve drape himself all over whatever girl he has picked out for the night. But he goes. Steve just looks so damn happy and proud that he got into the nursing program.
At the party, Eddie is shocked that Steve spends most of his time with Eddie, bringing him drinks, talking about his hopes for nursing school and Eddie’s newest book, trying to get him to dance to the awful music, giving Eddie these charming little smiles and soft touches to his arms and lower back. Despite himself, Eddie is having a good time. Even if he’s confused a hell about the signals he’s getting from Steve. They’re not signals, of course, Steve is just a friendly, touchy guy. And he’s a great friend. He wants to make sure Eddie has fun.
Steve goes to mix him another drink and gets caught in the kitchen by a couple of girls and Eddie tries not to glare. Robin and Nancy sidle up to him.
“Looks like Steve’s got his mark tonight, huh Eddie?” Robin says, and winks at him, to Eddie’s confusion.
Eddie swallows down the cold lump of jealousy in his throat. He chuckles humorlessly as he watches Steve laugh and joke with the two girls in the kitchen. “Yea, looks like. Listen, I’m gonna head back downstairs. I’m getting a headache from all this music. Tell Steve I said ‘bye.’”
“What?” Nancy looks shocked. “You’re just gonna… leave? I thought you and Steve were having a good time?”
Robin and Nancy share a worried look. Eddie sighs. “I was, I did. But I don’t wanna hang around all night and cramp his style. No one likes a cockblocker.”
“Eddie, what the fuck are you talking about? Steve has been all over you all night. I was talking about you, dumbass.”
Eddie’s brain short circuits. “What?” Then, “What?!”
Robin and Nancy just give him “duh” looks.
“Steve’s not into guys!”
“Uh, yea he is. He’s clearly into you.”
“I see him with girls all the time, like a different one every week!”
“He’s kind of a slut,” says Nancy with a shrug.
“But his dad-!”
Robin cuts him off with an snort of disgust. “-Disowned him when he came out bisexual to his parents.”
Eddie’s entire world view is flipped upside down. He begins to hyperventilate. He feels light headed and the alcohol, which he’s had quite a lot of, isn’t helping. Robin and Nancy continue to look at him like he’s an idiot. He looks over at Steve who meets his eyes across the crowded apartment with a wink and a salacious smirk.
Jesus Christ. Jesus fucking Christ. Steve invited him to this party to shoot his shot.
The first time Eddie had insisted Steve stay the night, he and Eddie had stayed up late watching a movie and Steve had looked like he was about to pass out. Eddie wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if Steve had fallen asleep at the wheel on his way home, so he’d told Steve to just stay. Then he’d gotten up to brush his teeth and had come back to find Steve already zonked out on the couch. From that very first time, Steve has always fallen asleep before Eddie.
When their movie nights run long, Steve starts nodding off against the back of the couch, and then later against Eddie’s shoulder. On nights when being alone just doesn’t feel like an option, when occupying the same bed just seems like the most practical solution, it’s always Steve whose eyes slip closed first, who starts up that whistling little snore that he vehemently denies when he’s awake. Later, Eddie finds out that Steve will fall asleep even faster with Eddie all wrapped up around him, arm tight around Steve’s waist.
Once, when they head out to the lake to smoke in the back of Eddie’s van, doors thrown open to let in the clear night, Steve falls asleep half on the mess of blankets Eddie had thrown down as cushioning, and half on top of Eddie. Eddie himself doesn’t really sleep that night; it isn’t safe for them to both fall asleep – not out here, not like this, but Steve looks so fucking exhausted that Eddie doesn’t really want to wake him. Steve drives them home in the morning, and Eddie catches a nap then.
The only exception, really, is on the nights when Eddie has nightmares, when Eddie is feeling jumpy, when Eddie can’t help but look at every fluttering shadow as a threat. Then, Steve will sit up against the pillows and pull Eddie back against him and promise to keep watch; and with Steve solid and steadfast at his back, Eddie can’t help but fall asleep.
At least, Eddie had assumed that was the only exception.
There's a pot of water getting close to boiling on the back right burner of the stove, and Steve keeps a close eye on the pan on the front left burner as his special recipe homemade tomato sauce (the one Eddie can't get enough of) simmers away.
He's humming under his breath — Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy, he heard it on the radio earlier and it's been stuck in his head since — stirring the sauce periodically.
The big pot starts to bubble, so Steve sets the wooden spoon down and reaches for the pack of noodles, box already cracked open and waiting to be overturned into the boiling water.
That's when Eddie shuffles into the kitchen.
"Mm, smells good in here," he says, joining Steve at the stove. He drapes himself over his back, like the clingy koala he secretly is. He tucks his chin over Steve's shoulder and curls his arms around Steve's middle, hands dipping beneath the fabric of his shirt to press against the soft of his stomach.
"Should be ready in ten," Steve tells him, leaning back into Eddie’s touch.
"Good, m'hungry," Eddie replies, pressing his lips to the side of Steve's neck. He bares his teeth, bites down just a little.
It makes Steve laugh softly, squirm a little to get Eddie to quit it. "That tickles," he complains, and Eddie laughs into his skin.
"Can't help myself, baby, you just taste so good," Eddie says, then presses a kiss to the spot — an apology.
"Grab me a clean spoon?" Steve asks, giving the sauce another stir.
"I guess," Eddie responds with a pout, not wanting to let go. He keeps one arm around Steve and pulls away from his back just enough to allow him to stretch his other arm out to rifle through the silverware drawer and snatch up the requested spoon.
"Thanks," Steve says, taking the spoon. He tips his head back to press a kiss to Eddie's forehead, as best as he can from the awkward angle.
He sets the wooden spoon aside, and dips the clean spoon into the sauce, cupping his palm beneath it as he brings it up to his lips for a taste. "Hm," he hums after the test, smacking his mouth as he tries to figure out what's missing. "It needs something else."
Eddie taps the side of Steve's hand. "Lemme taste," he requests.
Steve dips the spoon back in, then twists in Eddie's arms to hold it out for him.
When Eddie leans in, he bypasses the proffered spoon and instead catches Steve's mouth in a kiss.
Steve laughs into the kiss, the smile that breaks out across his face getting in the way.
"Tastes perfect to me," Eddie says, grinning wide enough that his dimples leave deep indents in his cheeks.
Steve rolls his eyes fondly and pushes his hand into Eddie's face. Eddie just catches his wrist and turns his head so he nuzzles his cheek into Steve's palm.
Eddie does eventually let Steve guide the spoonful into his open mouth after, copying Steve by smacking his lips. "Maybe some salt?" He suggests, and Steve nods.
Eddie doesn't wait for him to ask for it, just darts across the counter to their little spice rack, pulling the salt from its spot. He hands it over to Steve, and takes up his place behind him once more.
Steve starts to hum again as he adds the salt, stirring it in. He makes it to just before the chorus and stops, bending down for another taste.
That's when Eddie decides to pick the song up himself, only he starts to sing it out loud instead. He keeps his voice soft, but lets it fill their little kitchen as he warbles out the lyrics.
The sauce is simmering, the pasta is cooking — nothing needs their direct attention. So Eddie takes it upon himself to snatch up Steve's hand, take a step back, and twirl him around.
"Eddie!" Steve cries out in surprise, and he goes spinning back into Eddie's arms, facing him this time.
"Steve," Eddie says between verses, amusement dripping, then swings him right into a happy little dance, matching the pace of the song as he croons the lyrics out.
Steve laughs as he stumbles into Eddie's arms, and tries to protest, tries to say, "But dinner!"
Eddie just waves a hand. "Dinner will be fine," he tells Steve. "Dance with me." And he wraps his arms around Steve's waist so that Steve has no choice but to loop his around Eddie's neck, and sways them around.
The dying golden light of the day streams through their curtains, painting the kitchen in a warm glow, and Steve allows himself to be led through it to the smooth cherrywood of Eddie's voice as he sings out the jaunty lyrics to the song he knows Steve loves.
As the song comes to a close, Eddie finishes it with a flourish, and tries to dip Steve, who squawks out in surprise and clutches tighter onto Eddie's neck, laughing and smiling and warning Eddie not to drop him.
When he rights Steve again, Steve shakes his head and reaches up to cup Eddie's jaw, to guide him in for a kiss. Slow, deep, toe-curling.
"You're ridiculous," he says. "I love you."
Eddie's smile glows, his eyes sparkle. "I love you, too." And he leans in for another kiss.
(If they end up making out a little, pressed against the kitchen island, and the pasta overcooks a bit, well, it's just the two of them eating it, so it doesn't really matter.)
By then, dinner is pretty much ready, so Eddie reluctantly leaves Steve's side to fetch the plates, and Steve drains the pasta and adds it to the sauce.
They sit across from one another at their tiny little table, knees knocking and legs tangled beneath. They hold hands over the tabletop and share twin smiles as they enjoy their meal together.
The kids start noticing Eddie zoning out in deep thought for small periods of time.
They start theorizing about what type of hell he’s planning for their next D&D session. Only, it gets more and more concerning as Eddie appears to get deeper into thought and concentration.
A few days later, the party is absolutely terrified about what in the world he could be plotting that could be so horrendous and complex.
One day, he’s zoned out for a full thirty minutes which is way too long for Eddie. Finally, Dustin snaps and yells, “What are you thinking about?!”
Eddie breaks out of his daze, and with a soft smile he replies, “Steve.”
((Thank you @kurtkankle for the idea/calling me out on zoning out about Steve all the time))
sorry @landwriter but I saw one of your tags on the way past the other day re: is there any fic where Dream just greets Hob in the New Inn by kissing him and I have NOT been able to stop thinking about it since so this one is your fault/for you <3
—
Hob’s been planning for decades what he’s going to say to his stranger when he turns up again, which he will, because they are friends, and that’s that. Hob knows a friend when he has one.
It just. Takes a second, to get the words out, when his stranger is actually there, in the flesh, just like Hob remembers him but also clearly different, clearly not the same man… creature… being… who walked out on him a hundred and thirty-odd years ago.
His lips are parted to say it, you’re late, when they’re suddenly otherwise occupied.
It’s soft, so soft, sweeter than he would’ve thought his stranger—his friend—capable of, sweet enough to make Hob’s insides clench to the point of wonderful agony as he learns the rainwater and ozone taste of a mouth he has, okay, wanted to kiss for a small handful of centuries.
It’s also mercifully quick, which is just as well, because immortal he may be, but mortified he would be if the pathetically needy desperate noise welling up in his chest had managed to escape before he’s even said hello.
There’s only a half-inch of space between them, his stranger’s hand curled around his shoulder, just as bony as Hob always imagined and about a hundred times stronger.
“Hello, old stranger,” he manages, any desire to be a smartarse about this having dissolved into the warm liquid of his insides. He can’t even bear to open his eyes, too afraid his friend will be gone when he does.
“Hello, Hob,” comes the response, the low rumbling response that’s always played havoc with Hob’s soft parts and is much, much worse in this context.
A gentle thumb strokes Hob’s cheek. He still can’t make himself open his eyes. Should he pinch himself, to make sure he’s not dreaming?
Because he has, just quietly, had this dream before.
“Quite a greeting,” he manages, impressed by how he only sounds like he’s run up a flight of stairs and not an actual marathon.
Because he has, just quietly, had this dream before.
His stranger hums. “Will you take it as an apology?” he asks. “I believe I may owe you more than one.”
Hob risks cracking his eyes open. He’s got to, eventually.
Seeing his stranger smiling, really smiling, so that his pretty blue eyes sparkle in the afternoon sun, makes it more than worth the risk.
“I would beg forgiveness at length if necessary,” his stranger says.
Hob, somehow, melts even more. He’ll be a puddle on the floor in a minute.
“Nothing to forgive,” he says, in earnest. He was never really angry. He’s never really been upset. He’s just been waiting. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t kiss me again.”
Meet Ugly Part Five. Hehehe... Part One. Part Two. Part Three. Part Four. AO3 Link.
Eddie glances at the clock every two minutes, half paying attention while Mike plays. He feels bad, but Mike clearly hasn’t practiced so it’s easy to ask him to play “Should I Stay or Should I Go” and start and stop at the sections he’s having trouble with. After a while, Mike entirely gives up, which drags Eddie away from the clock.
“It’s hopeless! I’m never going to be able to get it in time for Will’s birthday!” Mike says with a familiar scowl.
Eddie pats him on the shoulder and asks, “How are things going with him?”
Mike flushes red and absentmindedly starts playing Will’s song. “I mean... they’re fine. It’s just hard because I don’t know if he even likes me. And it’s not like I can ask. I wish I could tell someone that knows him about these feelings. But it’s not that simple.”
Eddie nods, sympathetic and painfully understanding. He glances out the window and finds Nancy talking to some girl and looking a bit... smitten. Eddie perks up a bit and asks, “Why don’t you tell Nance?”
“Ew, gross. No,” Mike says, stopping his strumming. “One, she’s my sister. Two, I don’t think she would be comfortable with me being... you know.”
Eddie nods again while Mike continues playing, finally getting the difficult section correct. “Dude, you did it! That was awesome, man,” Eddie says with a wide smile. He high fives Mike, and glances back at the clock.
Two minutes left.
“Looks like our time is coming to an end. Make sure to practice, okay?” Eddie says, sure that it goes in one ear and out the other no matter how much Mike likes this Will kid. Mike nods nonetheless and starts packing up his things.
Eddie’s heart beats abnormally fast, unsure what is about to happen. He opens the door for Mike and finds the girl Nancy is with to be talking about a mile a minute, quickly halting when she spots Mike.
“Holy shit, Mr. Harrington was right about you being here, Ms. Buckley.”
“Language!” Nancy and Buckley say at the same time – catching each other’s eyes and smiling. Mike rolls his eyes.
Steve approaches the group and asks, “Was that a detention, call home, or just a warning ‘language,’ Ms. Wheeler? Ms. Buckley here says they’re all warnings.”
Buckley smacks his arm and gives him a look. Nancy laughs and says, “In this case, I would agree with Ms. Buckley that it’s just a warning.”
Eddie’s mind completely blanks out as he realizes Mr. Harrington is Steve. Which means Steve is likely a middle school teacher alongside Nancy who taught Mike of all people. Which also means Eddie had a middle school teacher handcuffed to his bed. Jesus.
“You alright there, Eds?” Nancy asks.
Eddie realizes that everyone is looking at him. He smiles easily. “Yeah.”
Everyone else lets it go, but Steve holds eye contact with Eddie for a few seconds and raises his eyebrows at him. Eddie nods, signaling he’s okay. Steve smiles at him and turns to listen to whatever Mike is asking Nancy. Eddie catches onto something sounding like “lunch,” then Nancy is rolling her eyes.
“You better walkie them before I show up at their houses.”
Mike sets his guitar case down and digs through his backpack retrieving a walkie quickly. “Dustin, Lucas, and Will come in. Mike here...” Mike says, running out of the store to continue the conversation. The first name sounds familiar to Eddie, but he can’t recall why. Maybe Mike had mentioned him before.
Nancy hefts up the guitar case and with a tight smile says, “I guess that’s my cue to leave. It was good talking to you, Robin.” She gives Robin a genuine smile and then nods at Steve and Eddie. “Good seeing you,” she says to them before leaving the store.
“Give me like ten minutes to process what just happened,” Robin says to Steve and goes to the nearest chair and sits in it, head in palms.
Eddie shoots Steve a look.
“She gets overwhelmed sometimes,” Steve says with a concerned glance toward Robin.
Eddie nods and has the sudden realization, “Robin is the roommate you told me about.”
“Yeah,” Steve says with a big smile and eyebrows slightly raised in what looks like astonishment over the fact Eddie remembered. As if Eddie hadn’t replayed that night over and over in his head.
Eddie looks around and makes eye contact with the store manager, Keith, who openly, boredly stares at him and Steve. “How about we talk in the guitar room?” Eddie suggests, already leading Steve towards the room he was just in with Mike. Robin doesn’t acknowledge that they’ve passed her, looking lost in panicked thought.
Eddie closes the door as soon as Steve gets in the room, accidentally trapping him against the door. Steve’s eyes flicker down to his lips, and Eddie backs up until the back of his legs hit a chair. He sits down quickly.
He knows he likes Steve, just from the brief interaction he had with him when they first met and now. Maybe even wants to date him. He looks at where Steve lingers at the door, waiting for Eddie to speak.
He definitely wants to date him.
But he thought the same thing when he met Brian. Fucking Brian ruining everything. Eddie puts his head in his hands. “Sorry,” he says into the quiet room.
He can hear Steve sit in the chair across from him. “Hey, you have nothing to be sorry about,” he says softly.
Eddie slowly looks up and takes in Steve’s kind face. He seems so perfect. Which is exactly what Eddie doesn’t need right now. Steve doesn’t deserve to be a rebound. That is, if Steve even has feelings for him.
God, he’s spiraling.
“So, you teach guitar?” Steve asks.
Eddie’s grateful for the obvious distraction and takes the bait easily. “Yeah, I have been for a few years now. I used to think my band would get discovered when I was in high school, but here I am,” Eddie says, with a flourish of jazz hands. Steve smiles sadly at Eddie as if he can relate. Maybe he can. Now’s not the time to think about it.
“So, you’re a middle school teacher?” Eddie assumes.
“Yeah, I guess you gathered that from Nancy. I can’t believe you know her.”
“It’s a small world,” Eddie says with a small shrug.
“Maybe it’s fate.”
Eddie’s heart flutters and he can feel a blush rise on his cheeks. Damn he’s smooth. He clears his throat. “What do you teach?”
Steve relaxes back in his chair with a small smile – clearly loving what he does. “Gym. I wasn’t blessed with the brains that Robin and Nancy have, but I’ve always loved working with kids.”
“I understand that. I used to basically adopt kids when I was in high school – outcasts or whatever you want to call them. And I failed my senior year two times before I finally got my shit together. Really living up to the Munson name,” Eddie says with a humorless laugh. Christ. Maybe he should keep the trauma dump to himself like Brian always told him to.
“If only I could live up to the Harrington name,” Steve replies, lost in his own world of thought.
Eddie has to remind himself that Steve is nothing like his ex.
Eddie reaches forward and rests a hand on Steve’s knee. Steve rests his hand on top of Eddie’s and squeezes.
Eddie’s heart flutters. He squeezes Steve’s knee once and forces himself to remove his hand no matter how much he doesn’t want to. Maybe one day he’ll keep it there. For now, he’ll just have to roll with the dice.
Eddie remembers something. He starts digging through the papers in his guitar books, probably looking as frantic as Robin’s thoughts seemed. Finally, he finds the sheet he was looking for and hands it to Steve.
“I know that it’s been a while, and the kid’s birthday probably passed, but I did manage to draw up a few ideas for the dice set. You said he was a bit obsessed with fireballs, so I was focusing on that. I think my favorite would be the red and black with the yellow numbers.” Eddie watches as Steve stares at the sketches with his jaw slightly dropped.
“You drew this?” Steve asks in awe, glancing up from the paper.
“Yeah,” Eddie says sheepishly.
Steve stares at it for a few more moments smiling brightly. “These are really good, Eddie. Do you mind if I take it with me?”
“Thank you. And I don’t mind at all, but let me make one adjustment,” Eddie says, grabbing a pen from the depths of his bag under his chair. He takes the piece of paper and scribbles on it quickly. He hands it back to Steve. “My number so maybe this time it’ll work out.”
Steve breaks out into a wide grin and folds the paper carefully, following the fold lines from before as if terrified he’ll ruin it. “You should go with me to the store you told me about. Dustin’s birthday hasn’t passed yet, but it’s coming up soon.”
Eddie gets stuck on the name again. “Dustin... as in Mike’s friend Dustin? Holy shit, the dungeon master, Will, is Mike’s Will.”
“Like I said – fate,” Steve says with a shrug and small smile. He glances out the door and jumps. “Do you have that pen?” he asks Eddie, not explaining his reaction.
Eddie nods and holds out the pen to him. Steve grabs his hand and holds it still, grabbing the pen with his other hand and scribbling on Eddie’s forearm. A somewhat familiar number is left on Eddie’s arm.
“Just to make certain that it works out this time,” Steve says opening the door to the practice room.
Eddie jumps when he finds Robin standing on the other side, still looking a bit frantic. That explains what Steve saw.
Steve shoots Eddie an apologetic look and introduces them, “Eddie, this is Robin, my roommate. Robin, this is Eddie, my...” Steve trails off.
“Friend,” Eddie fills in for him.
Fuck.
Eddie just friend zoned him.
Robin shoots Steve a look, and something in Steves expression breaks for a second. But Eddie thinks maybe it’s for the best. He shouldn’t rush into anything after just breaking up with Brian... right?
“Right, my friend,” Steve says tensely.
“Nice to meet you, Eddie,” Robin says holding out her hand. Eddie grabs it and shakes it. Her eyes fly down to black ink on his pale arm. Her eyes widen.
“Steve, not to cut your visit short, but I’m starving.” It’s genuine enough that Eddie can’t tell if she’s just a really great actress and giving Steve an obvious out or if she’s actually hungry. Maybe both.
Nonetheless, Steve grabs Eddie’s shoulder and squeezes it. “Call me. Or I’ll call you,” Steve says letting go of Eddie’s shoulder and walking away with Robin.
“My last lesson is at five,” Eddie calls out.
Steve turns around and winks at him, “I’ll call you after.” He walks out the front door and grabs onto Robin’s arm as she begins talking at, what seems like, a mile a minute again.
Eddie glances towards the counter where Keith is still staring at him boredly. Eddie shoots him a warning look. Keith dumbly says, “What?” as Eddie closes the door to his guitar room.
He sits back in his chair, staring at the spot where Steve was sitting at only a few moments ago.
Friends.
That was okay. Eddie needed more friends. Just friends. Friends who were kind and funny and unbearably attractive...
Eddie shakes his head. He can’t have another Brian situation. So, he’ll just test the waters with Steve – not rushing into anything this time. He can definitely do this and not form an enormous crush on this Steve Harrington.
