A Florist's Least Favorite Holiday: Steddie (Eddie POV) || 1.7k words || rating: T || fluff, author is projecting this happened to me so I steddified it
All of My Love: Steddie (Steve POV) || ~1.1k words || rating M || cws: getting high || It's my boys being soft and falling in love over a week of Led Zeppelin || ao3
The Babysitter Chronicles: Steve and The Party 5+1 ++ epilogue || rating: T || ao3
Birdie's Boys: Platonic Stobie (Robin POV) || 2.3k words || rating: G || cws: tooth-rotting fluff, humor || Robin's worried the boys have some shenanigans planned for her Spring Band Concert... and she's right || ao3
Confessions: Steddie (Eddie POV) || ~2.3k words || rating: T || cws: post-vecna, post-stancy, angst, robin buckley just being herself, not nancy wheeler friendly || ao3
Don't Hold Me If You Don't Wanna Know Me aka Steddie (-Jonathan): Steddie || WIP || rating: M || cws: ooc jonathan byers, temporary eddie/jonathan, eddie is an idiot, jonathan is an asshole, steve is very very sad, hurt/comfort || ao3
Gentle Noise: Steve & Max (Steve POV) || ~1.6k words || rating T || cws: implied child neglect and abuse
Just the Girls: Robin and Max (Robin POV) || ~1.6k words || rating T || tags: depression, child neglect, platonic stobin, max and steve have a sibling relationship
Hear Me Out, Keep Me Guessing: Steddie (Eddie POV) || 2.5k words || rating T || tags: alternate first meeting, pre-S4, fluff and angst, Steve is the best babysitter || ao3
Immortal Eddie Munson (bittersweet): Steddie (Eddie POV) || 373 words || rating G || cws: none || As the Party ages around him, Eddie's reminded of how much he's loved.
Immortal Eddie Munson (hurt/no comfort): Steddie (Eddie POV) || ~1.6k words || rating E || cws: DEAD DOVE. All CWs are listed at the top of the fic PLEASE do not ignore them || Eddie watches his loved ones age and eventually leave him behind. This is an alternative telling to bittersweet.
Stuck: Steddie (multi POVs) || ~1.5k words || rating T || cws: dissociation, unlabeled neurodivergencies and mental illness || Steve and Eddie struggle to recover after a chaotic day with The Party || ao3
Tiger Club: Steddie (Eddie POV) || ~6k words || rating: M || tags: meet cute, single dad steve harrington, dustin and max are twins, teacher eddie munson, eddie and chrissy are best friends, fluff and humor || Unaligned pick up times force Eddie to meet all of the Harrington twins' family members except for their elusive Dad, and he's totally normal about it. Ao3
Tainted: Steddie (Steve POV) || 6k words || rating: E || tags: dead dove DNE; vampire!eddie, steve whump, heavy angst, sexually explicit (steve only), hurt steve harrington, chronic pain and illness, allusions to withdrawal and recreational drug use/abuse, post break-up second chance romance || ao3
Microfics
Pin:Â Steddie || 388 words || rating T || tags: innuendos
A Desperate Fool: Steddie (ish) || 454 words || rating: T || tags: hurt/no comfort, break-up, rockstar!Eddie, ride-or-die Robin Buckley; Homesick ao3 (unfinished)
Fatherâs Day:Â Steddie || 483 words || rating: G || tas: references to bad fathers, Max and Dustin
Moles:Â Steddie || 111 words || rating: T || tasg: nudity, tooth-rotting fluff
Promises:Â Steddie (ish) || 1,111 words || rating: T || tags:Â hurt/no comfort, cheating, kid fic, custody and divorce, panic attacks, child tantrum
Cough Syrup: Steddie || 437 words || rating: M || tags: sick fic, reference to child neglect, references to sex
Poolside:Â Steddie || 399 words || rating: M || tags: extremely horny
A Different Ending: Steddie || 350 words || rating: E || tags: hurt/no comfort main character death (steve), blood, gore, body horror, grief, s4 canon-divergence, pre-steddie
Itâs a Date:Â Steddie || 350 words || rating: G || tags: excessive fluff, recovering Eddie Munson, good boyfriend Steve Harrington, established relationship
A Fairytale Ending: Steddie || 367 words || rating: T || tags: Hanhaki, getting together, hurt steve harrington, sickfic/dying (HE DOESN'T THOUGH!)
Lavender Love Sprinkled With Blood: Stobin || 514 words || rating: M || cws: MCD (Steve), gore, blood and open wounds, grief, body horror, hurt/no comfort
i do appreciate the way that we tumblr users have evolved our language to discuss our feelings related to The Character/The Guy. you used to have to just say he was hot or he was making your ovaries explode or he was a precious cinnamon roll even if he looked bad or was just kind of standing there or whatever. now you can say things like âthe creatureâ or âhe looks so sopping wet hereâ or âi want to chain him to my radiatorâ like itâs just more inclusive and adaptable to the situation
as someone on the asexual spectrum, this shift in language genuinely made me feel more comfortable and happy in fandom spaces. i've never once wanted to lick a man's abs. i HAVE wanted to chain a man to my radiator. and that's beautiful.
Tags: Emissary Stiles Stilinski, Good Pack Alpha Derek Hale, Alpha & Emissary Relationships, Bad Pack Alpha Rafael McCall, Hurt/Comfort, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Pack Dynamics, Mild Gore, Near Death Experiences, Unhealthy Relationships in a non-romantic sense, Stiles Stilinski Leaves Rafael McCall's Pack, Stiles is Rafael's emissary, Magic, Top Derek Hale/Bottom Stiles Stilinski, Good Peter Hale, Werewolf Politics, Praise Kink, the non-sexual kind
Summary:
There was no physical equivalent to what it felt like they did, so intimate it was. It was seeing each other naked, it was deep make-outs, it was dry-humping, and it was sex, but it was none of it. Perhaps, if someone opened their chest cavities, took their hearts and squished them together, thatâs what it would feel like â feeling their valves open and close, the blood pump, the muscles contract, and one heartbeat pulse right into the other.
Derek offered his hand. âLet me show you one more time.â
âShow me what?â
âWhat would it feel like to have an alpha.â
Warmth burst in Stilesâ tight chest. His stomach swooped. His spark trembled in anticipation, reaching out, striving to taste that power again. Going red under the constant gaze of those hazel eyes, Stiles put his hand in Derekâs. He couldnât help but give a small inhale at their sparks meeting once more.
Heat. Weight and weightlessness. Tight embrace and high, impenetrable walls. Power. Safety.
always a little funny to me when filmbros are vehemently anti fanfiction but love to discuss film theories. Maybe my theory is that the 2 main guys sucked each other off. And swallowed
you wanna feel how it feels (let's exchange the experience) 9/?
start here | Part 8 | AO3
Rating: E (overall; T for this section) | 4.7k for this part of the chapter
Tags: Bodyswap, Friends to Lovers, Slowburn, Getting to Know Each Other, Steve Harrington Has Absent Parents, Good Parent Wayne Munson, Disabled Eddie Munson, Disabled Steve Harrington, Class Differences, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Bisexual Eddie Munson
Summary: After the Spring Break from hell, Eddie and Steve become fast friends, with a possible hint towards something moreâŠexcept theyâre never quite sure what the other is actually thinking. But maybe, just maybe, walking a mile in each otherâs shoes can lend them some much needed insight.
Notes: The following morning, Steve gets an abrupt awakening. Then, he and Eddie face their next big challenge: making conversation with an unsuspecting Wayne Munson.
It's been a helluva year for me so far. But I've finally found myself with some much needed free time and managed to finish the first scene of the next chapter! Since it crossed the 4k mark, I figured I might as well go ahead and share a long-awaited update. My focus is back on this fic for the summer, so hoping I'll be able to share another scene soon!
A knock on the door pulled Steve from sleep with a jerk, startled to be woken up by anything other than the sound of his own alarm clock.Â
âUp and at âem, boy!â Wayne Munsonâs familiar, gravelly voice called out. âYer rideâs here!âÂ
As Steve blearily blinked open his eyes, it took a minute for reality to fully catch up with him. After all, it wasn't that unusual to wake up and find himself staring at the bizarrely named band posters plastered all over Eddie's walls, his prized guitar mounted beside them.Â
âWhat ride?â Steve muttered, confused, as he sat up.Â
Because, last he checked, he was basically the unofficial taxi service around here. At least, as far as Robin and the kids were concerned. Hell, Eddie too, now that heâd taken to bumming rides to school from Steve.Â
Not that Steve minded. He already had to stop by Forest Hills to pick up Max. What was one more? Eddie and Robin could make all the soccer mom, car pool jokes they liked, but he hadnât exactly seen either of them turn down the offer to get driven around. Â
Steve reached up, rubbing the sleep from his eyesâŠand a long, dark curl fell forward, tickling his skin as it brushed against his cheek. Now fully awake, he yanked his hand back, wide-eyed as he finally registered the silver rings on his fingers, the tattooed cluster of bats flying across his pale forearm.Â
Realization hit him like a mack truck.
âOh, God,â Steve groaned, collapsing back onto Eddieâs worn mattress and throwing an arm over his eyes, pressing that black inked skin close and flattening Eddieâs bangs to his forehead in the process. âCome on, seriously? Itâs not over yet?â
He had totally been hoping he and Eddie would wake up this morning and everything would be back to normal. Like suffering through aâobviously pretty bizarreâ24 hour head cold that ran its course, came and quickly went.Â
So much for positive thinking. Steve should have known better, after dealing with whatever fresh hell the Upside Down had thrown their way year after year.Â
Resigned to another day of Hawkinsâ weirdness, he sat up and started climbing out of bed. The sudden movement made Eddieâs abdomen twinge, clearly still agitated from yesterdayâs basketball game.Â
Steve gritted his teeth, that stinging pain stirring up visions dripping with the vivid, sticky red of Eddieâs exposed blood and bone and muscle, an aching souvenir for all the gaping wounds that the doctors had to stitch back together later.
Grimacing, he pressed a firm, soothing hand to his stomach, like he could make up for all the times heâd missed out on offering that kind of touch to Eddie himself.Â
You're still here, Steve thought forcefully, patting Eddieâs side. The same words Steve had comforted himself with night after night sitting by Eddie's hospital bed, waiting for him to wake up. He felt a little strange thinking them when Eddie wasn't actually in the room with himâŠnot exactly. The scars still felt like a reminder, though.Â
You're still here.
That was one upside to this whole thingâSteve getting the chance to put up with the pain in Eddieâs place. It was the least he could do, really, after Eddie had sacrificed his body to protect them all.Â
As he stepped up to the dresser, the ache beginning to ebb away, he found himself caught up by something else entirelyâthe reflection of Eddieâs bare chest in the mirror. Steve couldnât quite keep himself from staring, lips parting involuntarily.Â
Thanks to that shower at his place yesterday, it wasnât like this was the first time heâd gotten up close and personal with his crushâs body since this whole thing started. Hell, before that even, given the weeks heâd spent helping Eddie out after the hospital released him.Â
Still, there was a luxury in being able to justâŠlook. More than the fleeting glances he did his best to avoid. Like back when heâd often found himself on shower duty, standing just outside to make sure Eddie didnât slip before helping him wrestle into his favorite Black Sabbath shirt, lifting his arms over his head still a struggle. And way longer than the peeks Steve currently stole any time Eddieâs shirt rode up while they sprawled out together in his bed, the metalheadâs tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth in concentration as he rolled them a joint to share.
The truth was, Steve had always been into it, watching his crushes. Not in, like, a creepy wayâhe wasnât out here peeking through girlsâ bedroom windows or anything, thank you very much. Even if Nancy had teased him mercilessly back when they were together, just because one time he mentioned she looked cute when she was sleeping.
He justâŠreally liked feeling close to the people he cared about. Girlfriends, teammates, the munchkins he babysat for, his platonic soulmate of a lesbian best friend.Â
I mean, of course he didâwho wouldnât?Â
But thisâŠthis was closeness on a whole other level. Like Eddie, however unknowingly, had opened up his ribcage and let Steve crawl inside, tucked him away safe and sound beneath his skin. And Steve had done the same.
As much as it might have annoyed him that they were still stuck in Hawkinsâ latest whacky predicament, Steve could admit, at least here alone in Eddieâs bedroomâŠa part of him liked it, too. At least a little bit.Â
So he let himself enjoy the opportunities their newfound intimacy opened up while he had the chance. Like being able to stare, uninterrupted, and map the dark lines of the tattoos on Eddieâs skin heâd only ever glimpsed before.Â
Eddie was usually so covered up in his layers upon layers, getting to see that much bare skin? Well, that was a rare treat.
So first, Steve brushed a thumb over the creepy puppet guy on the inside of Eddieâs arm, before dragging his gaze up to the spider crawling along his chest. His eyes dipped lower, then, taking in the torn impressions of some kind of demon thingâSteve only recognized the shape for what it was because Eddie had mourned its loss in the aftermath.Â
Eddieâs scars broke up everything, lighter than even the pale skin that surrounded, raised slightly to the touch. They matched the patches up Steve's own sides and back except tenfold, spreading across the entirety of Eddieâs stomach and chest.Â
Steve knew the metalhead had been shy about letting him see them, but heâd meant what he said. All the sight did was remind him how brave Eddie had beenâstupidly, stubbornly, painfully braveâand, just like the twinge in his side, how lucky they were heâd made it back to them in one piece.Â
But Steve found himself soon distracted from the scars by the glittering nipple ring winking up at him.Â
The fact that he could actually feel the weight of that silver piercing, the gravity of it, as it tugged on Eddieâs remaining nipple? Was seriously trippy. The sensation alone had Steve licking at his bottom lip, fingers itching to touch it all over again.Â
He held off, though. It didnât feel right, not without Eddie there. Even if they had agreed toâŠscratch all each otherâs itches, Steve was pretty sure that wasnât code for âgo wild and fulfill all your secret dirty fantasies.âÂ
ButâŠman. He gave himself a mental pat on the back for not giving in when it was right there, tempting him like crazy.Â
Steve shook his head, determined to stop checking Eddie out and finally focus. âGet it together, Harrington. Jesus.â
After allâŠhe needed to get ready for school. How Steve felt about the idea of that was pretty obviousâhis annoyance written all over Eddieâs face in the mirror, nose crinkled in disgust.
Letting out a long sigh, he squared his shoulders.Â
As much as he dreaded sitting through another boring, endless day at Hawkins Highâan experience Steve thought he had finally put in the rearview mirror for goodâit was important.
Because Eddie was going to graduate this year, and there was no way in hell Steve would do anything to mess that up.Â
So, he got to work.
First things firstâhair. While a few long strands had already wriggled out of the loose bun Steve slept in overnight, he was careful as he freed the rest of Eddieâs usually unruly locks.
Steve couldnât help but let out a pleased giggle at the dark curls that cascaded down around him, shaking his head and making them bounce.Â
Apart from the face mask, the shower heâd taken at his own house yesterday had been (mostly) quick and routine. After all, with years playing sports under his belt, Steve was well-practiced at hopping in and out just long enough to get the grime and sweat off.
But once Eddie had dropped him off at the trailer last night, Steve relished the opportunity afforded to him. Heâd headed straight to the bathroom to give Eddieâs hair the time and attention it really deservedâtreating it to the expensive conditioner and curl defining cream heâd smuggled out of his own stash, his touch delicate as he dried each lock with an old t-shirt and not a towel.Â
Just that tiny bit of TLC had done the trickâEddieâs curls were looking fuller and healthier already.Â
And Steve wasnât done there.Â
Picking up the water bottle heâd stashed on Eddieâs dresser, he gave his hair a quick spritz. Next came the mousse, which Steve applied liberally. Honestly, it felt nice, working his fingers carefully through those long tresses, helping to shape it.Â
For the finishing touch, he whipped out another can of his trusty Farrah Fawcett hairspray, a foolproof method to make sure Eddieâs bangs held.Â
Finally flipping Eddieâs hair back into place, Steve turned his head back and forth, admiring every angle of those dark, shiny waves. Eddie would be shampoo commercial ready in no time, if Steve did say so himself.Â
âAll they needed was the Harrington magic touchâand Iâve still got it.âÂ
Congratulating himself on a job well done, Steve turned to the closet.
Although this was the first chance heâd had to actually dress Eddie, he still stuck pretty close to the metalheadâs signature style. Not that the messily folded stacks of concert t-shirts in various shades of black really left him that much of a choice.Â
Still, the dark denim jeans he pulled on were a tiny bit tighter than Eddie usually wore them. Steve recognized the pair immediately, the same ones the metalhead threw on every laundry day. He had long ago noticed they perfectly clung to what little ass Eddie had.
The Iron Maiden shirt heâd picked out was so worn, it felt ridiculously soft between his fingertips. But the way it stretched across Eddieâs chest, plus the fact the sleeves had been ripped off at the shoulders, had way more to do with Steveâs choice than anything else.Â
Steve pulled it over his head in a slow slide, careful not to wrench Eddieâs side or muss up his curls in the process.Â
Once the makeshift muscle shirt was in place, he flexed impulsively, curiosity getting the better of him. The movement made the weird little dragon dude on Eddieâs upper arm ripple in the mirror.Â
Steve gave Eddieâs bicep a squeeze. âHuh.â
For a guy who flailed around like such a noodle man most of the time, he was surprisingly toned.Â
Now dressed the part, Steve grabbed Eddieâs leather jacket and battle vest. Despite the fact that the layers were going to cover up the gun show, he shrugged both on, committed to completing the look.Â
The weight of the denim draped over him felt comfortingly familiar from Steveâs time tromping through the Upside Down in it, the vest his only shield.Â
Steve had returned itâwith a tinge of reluctance, not that he was ever gonna mention that part out loud to anyone but Robinâback when Eddie got out of his stint in the hospital. A homecoming present he handed over on the drive to Eddie and his uncleâs newly commissioned trailer.Â
Slung over his shoulders now, the fabric still smelled so strongly of Eddie. Not that everything didnât for Steve at the moment, what with their wholeâŠsituation.Â
But the mixture of Old Spice and weed smoke wafting up to his nose was practically PavelowâPayloâthat little guy with the dog and the bell that Dustin was always going on about. It helped, basically, having it wrapped around him again. Made Steve feelâŠsafe, if he was being totally honest.Â
So he kind of got it, the title it had earned, in that moment.Â
Battle vest.Â
Wearing it, Steve felt like maybe he could pull this off, get through a whole day of school as Eddie.Â
After snapping the last of the metalheadâs accessories into place, Steve gave himself one final once over in the mirror, smoothing down some of Eddieâs errant flyaways. The conditioner and hairspray certainly helped, but hair care and maintenance wasnât an overnight kinda thing. It took effort, not to mention patience.Â
At least, Steve guessed, if they ended up stuck like this for a while, heâd have plenty of time to keep working on that.Â
He tried to squelch the anxiety that flared in his chest at the thought.Â
âBrace yourself, Harrington,â he muttered to himself, âitâs just like a big game. You just gottaâŠkeep your head in it. At least until the clock counts down, and that final buzzer sounds.â
Steve could just imagine how annoyed his favorite metalhead would be if he could hear him.Â
Tainting the sound of my very own voice with sports metaphors again, Harrington!
Steve shook his head, a peel of laughter bursting out of him at the image. The force of it was so strong, Eddieâs teeth briefly flashed at him in the mirror, his dimple peeking out. It wasnât quite Eddieâs usual cackle, but close, and, even though he hadnât managed to get it out of his actual crush this time, the sound was still enough to send warmth spreading through him.
He seriously needed to get ahold of Dustinâs camcorder before everything was said and done. Record some of this for leverage, to tease Eddie with after the fact.Â
Shooting Eddieâs reflection one parting wink and a finger gun, Steve grabbed that famous lunchbox of his and went out into the hall.Â
As he stepped into the living room, voices pulled his attention to the kitchen.
Eddie was there already, talking animatedly with Mr. Munson as they waited for his ânephewâ to join them. The older man looked on in amusement while Eddie chattered away, his gestures broad and theatrical in a way Steveâs never were.Â
âŠWell. Except for when he was majorly pissed about something, or trying his damnedest to get a point across to Robin or Dustin.Â
Lucky for them, Mr. Munson didnât know Steve that well. Sure, they were friendly enough when they ran into each other at the trailer, and the way Steveâd helped out during Eddieâs recovery seemed to shake off any suspicions the older man initially seemed to have about the Harrington name. But while Eddieâs uncle had never been anything but kind to him since, they werenât exactly buddies or anything, not close enough for him to notice if something about âSteveâ seemed slightly off.Â
He did catch the sound of Eddieâs Reeboks, however, and turned to Steve as he crossed the small space towards them.
Mr. Munson gave him a nod, voice gruff but warm, âMorninâ, son.â
And even though the words werenât meant for him, not really, the open, fatherly affection in them was enough to throw Steve. He was struck by the simultaneous, conflicting need to straighten up proudly and duck his head, uncharacteristically embarrassed.Â
That confused feeling only grew stronger when Steve saw the way Eddieâs expression faltered as his uncleâs gaze slipped away, something that had to be homesickness briefly crumpling his borrowed features.Â
The look made Steveâs chest ache, like Eddieâs longing was echoing inside him. He felt a flash of guilt that heâd enjoyed how warm and parental Mr. Munson sounded, even for just a second.
âUh, yeah. Hey, Uncle Wayne,â Steve greeted awkwardly, crowding into the cramped space with them. The smile he gave Eddie came way easier. âStevie.â
With him now in armâs reach, Mr. Munson gave Steveâs back a warm pat. Steve stiffened, shooting Eddie a pleading look he hoped screamed, Help me out here, man! For a second, he almost wished swapping bodies had come with a bonus side effect of being able to read each otherâs minds.
âŠAlmost. Robin would probably kill him if he âcombinedâ like that with someone other than her.Â
Fortunately, Eddie could read him well enough even without superpowers.Â
Dropping into a bow, he loudly declared, âAnd my greetings to you, good sir!â
Steve suppressed the urge to shake his head. Now if Eddie could just work on being subtle, they might actually get somewhere.
Mr. Munson darted a narrow-eyed look at âSteve.âÂ
âYou been hanginâ around here entirely too much.â
Steve felt as though Eddieâs heart had sunk into his stomach, choked by sudden fear. Maybe Mr. Munson hadnât been as cool having a Harrington in his home as heâd thought. Â
âBeen spending so much time with Edâs startinâ to rub off on you. Spittinâ image of him, just then.â
As Wayne went to refill his coffee mug, turning away from them, Steve shot Eddie a pointed look.Â
Sheesh. I hope youâre happy with yourself.Â
He could practically hear the, Lighten up, Harrington, no need to get your undies in a twist. The old man barely even noticed, that came along with the metalheadâs answering shrug.Â
Maybe Steve hadnât been that far off the mark with the whole mental link thing.
But he was quickly distracted from the thought as, now that he was closer, he fully registered what Eddie was wearing where he slouched against the Munsonsâ counter.
A black poloâthe darkest Steve owned, no contest, and one he had honestly completely forgotten aboutâwith the leather bomber jacket heâd gotten at The War Zone slung over it, and a pair of dark wash jeans to tie it all together.
Steve gave Eddie a pointed once over, raising an eyebrow. âThatâsâŠnew. You, uhâŠdefinitely look a little bit different, Harrington.âÂ
Unable to help himself, he reached forward, curling his fingers into the collar of the dark polo.Â
âJesus, man, whereâd you even find this?â
âOh, what, this old thing? Ya like?â Eddie grinned, all teeth, clearly enjoying the fact that Steve couldnât exactly call him out on it in front of his uncle. âJust a little something I dug out of the back of my closet. You know, thereâs all kinds of interesting shit back there.âÂ
Heâd already had to put up with Eddie finding that stupid ass Scoops uniform. God, Steve could only imagine what other embarrassing stuff heâd dig up, snooping around his room unsupervised.
What was next? His porn stash?Â
Sure, he knew under his mattress wasnât the most creative place to hide it. But Steve hadnât exactly planned for the possibility his crush would wind up basically living in his house totally alone.Â
All the leather and chains in those skin mags heâd picked up on his and Robinâs gay little excursion to Indie were bound to raise a couple questions. The tips of Steveâs ears burned just picturing it.Â
And the devilish smirk Eddie was still sending his way? Didnât exactly help, when it came to pumping the brakes on his runaway thoughts.Â
âYou know, just thought Iâd, uhâtake a page out of your book.â Cocking his head and rocking forward on his heels, the metalhead swayed close to Steve, shooting him a wink. âWhat, man, donât tell me you donât think tall, dark, and handsome works for me?âÂ
Steve really thought he should have been immune to Eddie invading his space, especially when he looked just like himâbut the way he flustered automatically proved that wasnât true.Â
âOh, is that what youâve been doing, boy?â Mr. Munson directed the question to Steve, looking slyly amusedâprobably, Steve thought, at his ânephewâsâ speechlessness. âCoulda fooled me.âÂ
Fortunately, before Steve was forced to respondâhe didnât think he had it in him to try and good-naturedly bicker with Eddieâs uncle the way the metalhead always didâEddie offered a much needed distraction.
Because being up close and personal was clearly bringing certain things to his attention, too. In an abrupt, cartoonish show of shock, Eddie widened Steveâs eyes, the pair of them going big and round and so, so hazel in the early morning light.Â
He still looks like a total Bambi, Steve thought affectionately.Â
âWhoa, whoa, whoa,â Eddie flailed, arms pinwheeling through the air before he finally pointed an accusatory finger at the top of Steveâs head, âWhat the hellâd you do to mâto your hair?â
It was Steveâs turn to preen, his smile smug. Fluffing the curls with one hand, he tossed Eddieâs hair back and forth, biting back a giggle while the metalhead gaped at him in horror.Â
Man, that really was as fun as girls always made it look.Â
âWhat do you think? Cuz, I gotta sayâŠpersonally, I think your advice worked like a charm. I mean,â his grin turned cocky, âyou are the hair care master, after all.âÂ
Eddie spluttered in disbelief. âChrist alive, man! Like that, Iâyou look like some kind of uh, uhâwell-groomed, yappy little lap dog!â
Mr. Munson snorted, covering up the sound quickly with a coughâalthough, given the coffee heâd been sipping, maybe it was only partially an act.Â
This time, Steve was the one gasping in outrage. âUh, I so do not! The curls totally look pretty like this!â
Eddieâs borrowed cheeks flushed a deep crimsonâwhether from anger, or embarrassment, or even bashfulness, it was hard to say.Â
But, wellâŠhe always did say flattery worked on him. So, Steve bet on the latter and hoped for the best.Â
âCome onnnnn, you know you like them,â he needled, sing-song. Then, Steve hit Eddie with a lethal combinationâa pout and a heavy dose of those doe brown eyes of his, well aware how irresistible they were.Â
Eddie barked out a disbelieving laugh. âRest assured I know no such thing, man.â
âSeriously? You canât pay me even one tiny little compliment after all my hard work?â He pinched his fingers together in demonstration. âI mean, I thought you, you know, gave up all that mean, high school shit and were working on being super nice now.â
Though he was partially teasing, saying the words still made Steve swallow hard.Â
He knew he could be plenty bitchy when he wanted to beâRobin and the kids reminded him often enough. But the truth was, Steve really was trying to do better. Andâhowever accidental it might be on Eddieâs partâhe didnât want to leave Mr. Munson with a bad impression, end up risking the older manâs hesitant tolerance of him.
In spite of Steveâs pleading, Eddie still looked seconds from throwing a bombastic Munson tantrumâflailing arms, stomping feet, the works.Â
But instead, he shut his eyes tight for a brief moment, shook his head, and sucked in a deep breath.Â
âYeah, well, first of allâI wasnât that much of a dick in high school. Absolutely not so much Iâve gotta run around, constantly trying to atone for my wicked ways,â Eddie insisted, eyes blinking open to catch Steveâs, hazel meeting brown. And, like the night before when heâd said Steve didnât compare to the Billy Hargroves and Tommy H.âs of the world, some small part of Steve, grateful and relieved, gave a flutter. âAnd secondâyou can do whatever you want with your hair, Eddie boy. No need to consult little ole me.âÂ
Even Steve could read between those linesâEddieâs words said one thing, but his emphasis spoke for him, loud and clear.Â
Mr. Munson gave a contemplative hum, expression considering. âDefinitely different, son. But, sâpose you gotta try new tricks every once in a blue moon.âÂ
The older man reached out, giving Eddieâs newly defined curls a fond ruffle. Steve managed not to dodge his hand, still feeling a swell of pride at such open, paternal support...even as his inner voice shrieked about Eddieâs uncle mussing up all his hard work.Â
âSee?â Steve shot Eddie a pointed look. âM-my Uncle Wayne likes it.âÂ
âSo he says. But Iâm pretty sure you once told me he complimented your sixth grade buzzcut, too, and weâve all seen how that turned out. Yearbook photos tell no lies, Eds.â
âNo way, it wasnât that bad,â Steve argued, remembering the picture well. âI was a totally adorable kid, all big ears and chocolate button eyes.â
Eddie sputtered, actually rendered speechless this time. Steve watched him silently mouth chocolate button eyes, his current, far lighter eyes wide with disbelief. Mr. Munson looked between the pair of them, amusement plain on his face.
âBut, uh, speaking of schoolâŠâ Steve shoved up the sleeve of Eddie's leather jacket, letting out a frustrated huff when he registered that the Casio watch heâd thoughtlessly slapped on wasnât working. Still busted, no doubt, from the involuntary dip Eddie had taken in Loverâs Lake.Â
Reaching out, he tugged Eddieâs arm towards him instead and checked the time.Â
âThatâs what I thought.â Steve gave him a quick pat on the shoulder. âWe better get a move on. Donât wanna risk any of us being late.âÂ
Wayne let out an amused huff. ââSpect thatâs the first time youâve worried âbout being punctual in your whole damn life, boy.âÂ
Finally recovered, Eddie simpered, looking like a cat whoâd just caught the fattest, juiciest bird.Â
âAll my good influence, sir.â He laid a hand over his chest in mocking sincerity. âA regular Boy Scout, me.âÂ
âYeah, yeah,â Steve rolled his eyes, steering the smirking metalhead out of the kitchen. âLetâs go, Harrington!â
But that strong, now increasingly familiar hand clapped down on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.Â
âHold your horses there, boy,â Mr. Munson said, quiet but firm. âLemme talk to ya for a second.âÂ
Steve shot Eddie a panicked look, but the expression Eddie sent back was equally as helpless. Still, he took his final, reluctant steps out onto the porch, having been plainly dismissed from whatever private father-son chat Eddieâs uncle had in mind.Â
Only years of practice kept Steve from shifting on his feet uncomfortably under Mr. Munsonâs careful, measured stare, the older man looking him over from head to toe. Countless memories washed over him, the many times heâd been called into his fatherâs office for a reprimanding just out of the sight of his friends playing through his mind on a loop.Â
âNow, son, Iâve never said nothinâ about how you fix your hair, and I donât intend to start. ButâŠâ Mr. Munson cast a quick glance toward the trailerâs closed front door, âdonât go changinâ to suit somebody else, ya hear? Just keep on beinâ you. For the right sorta personâthatâll be plenty enough.â
Steve got it, better than he ever had before. Why Eddie had always marched to the beat of his own drumâwhy he felt like he could. Having somebody else in your corner, ready to defend your choices, no matter what the outside world might say or think? It feltâŠreally nice, even if he was just borrowing the feeling for a while. After all, Mr. Munsonâs pep talk was for Eddie, not him.
âNo, no way I will,â Steve hurriedly assured him. âI promise.âÂ
And that was a promise he felt sure of making, even if he was doing it on the other boyâs behalf. After all, who could Eddie even want to change for? Nobody came to mind.
âGood man.â With a nod, Mr. Munson gently herded Steve out onto the porch. âNow go on, git. And take care, boys. Try not to land in any hot water.â
Eddie threw an arm around Steveâs shoulders, grin shit-eating. âIâll keep an eye on him for you, Mr. Munson. As the golden boy of Hawkins, I consider it my sworn duty to help a citizen in need.âÂ
âOh my God, dude, shut up,â Steve complained, giving him a shove.
Shaking his head at their antics, Mr. Munson gave the pair a final wave, then let the door shut behind him.
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