Prompt: 90s et Eddie Munson | Rating: T | WC: 1239 | Relationships : Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Corroded Coffin&Eddie Munson Tags: Rock star Eddie Munson, interview, coming out
Summary:
After five albums and two tours, Corroded Coffin has made it. They're famous, they're beloved, and everyone want to interview the new metal phenomenon.
But now a groupie is telling everyone she's pregnant with Eddie's child.
You can't blame the guy for losing it on live TV.
The interview had barely started, and Eddie was already losing it. Corroded Coffin had made it; they were releasing album after album and everyone in the metal scene fucking loved their music. They should be talking about songwriting, their inspirations, the difficulties they had with some songs, their last album or if they were planning to go on tour soon. But no. Eddie had been on the cover of so many tabloids these last months, and, of course, that dumb excuse of a reporter had to bypass their manager’s demands and talk about the Rumor.*
“Now, we all heard the story, Eddie.” The interviewer had a smarmy smile plastered on his face, and the way he looked at Eddie was almost predatory. “So tell me, when did you first cross paths with Jessica Marsh? It must have been at a meet-and-greet, no?”
The question brought a wave of anger amongst the members of the band.
“Listen,” Eddie hissed, “for the last time, I don’t know that girl, okay? If we did meet at some point, I have no memory of it, and her whole story is just a bunch of lies.”
“That’s understandable. You must see a lot of different people when you tour, and you’re bound to forget a few faces, even those you got really acquainted with, am I right?”
Gareth intervened. “Dude, you’re pushing it. Can we get back to the album?”
“Of course we’re gonna talk about the album, don’t worry, we are all very excited about the new music Corroded Coffin is going to offer us. With a name like Thou shalt not kill, I can already say it’s going to offend a good number of people!”
“We don’t really care if we offend people or not,” Jeff answered. “Thou shalt not kill is an accusation, a way of fighting back against all the people who had tried to take us down, to silence us. To make us disappear. We open up a lot about our teenage years in a small-minded town in the middle of nowhere, and everything we had to go through growing up. This is not a nice album, because our lives weren’t nice back then, and if people are offended, I’m telling you, they are part of the problem.”
“Well, your new album sounds even more interesting! I think we all agree here that your fans are going to love learning more about your past, and how you ended up where you are.” The interviewer stopped for a second, a predatory glint in his eyes. “But I have to wonder, Eddie, you are the one doing most of the writing, right? Surely the news of your impending fatherhood must have had an influence on your creative mind?”
“Fuck, what do you want me to do?” Eddie stood up, arms flying in the air. “Should I scream it, sing it, sign it? Do you want me to draw a goddamn diagram? What will make you understand? I did not sleep with that Jessica girl, and she’s definitely not pregnant with my child.” He plopped down on his seat, seemingly exhausted by the accusation and his own answer. “I’m not the father, period.”
It was not enough to stop the man in front of him.
“Surely, with all the groupies throwing themselves at you, you could have slept with her and forgotten about it.”
Eddie buried his face in his hands and took a few deep breaths. Then, he hit the table three times with his open palm. “Rob Halford.”
Jeff immediately threw himself backward on his chair. “Fucking finally!” He almost screamed before knocking on the table in response.
Gareth pumped his fist, Freak nodded, and both did the same knock.
The interviewer looked at them with a questioning look.
“What is happening?” he asked. “Are you having a little discussion in code? Do you have secret Corroded Coffin informations the fans should know about? A collaboration with Rob Halford, maybe?”
“Funny how you’re coming back to relevant topics now,” Eddie replied, disdain clear on his face. “No, we don’t have a collaboration planned with him, even if it would be fucking metal to work with the man. But if you want to gossip instead of talking about your music, yeah, I have something to say. Nothing everyone is entitled to know, because that’s my personal life, but clearly no one is going to drop this stupid rumor, and I’m tired of it. Do you want to know why Miss Marsh’s accusations are ridiculous?”
“Oh yeah, please, tell us everything!”
“People keep saying I’m lying about not sleeping with that girl, either because I don’t want to take responsibility for my actions or because I fucked so many groupies I don’t even remember it.” Eddie leaned over the table, his eyes staring holes in the man interviewing them. “But you know what the truth is? I never slept with any of these girls who are throwing themselves at me at the end of every concert.”
“That’s not what I heard!”
“Yeah, well, reputations don’t always portray reality. I don’t sleep with groupies, I don’t sleep with journalists who want to gain information, I don’t sleep with hotel employees, waiters, bartenders, flight attendants or random people I meet on tour or at the grocery store. Do I have a healthy and fulfilling sex life? Yes. Do I have a list of hookups longer than the Lord of the Ring trilogy? No. I’ve been consistently fucking the same person, thank you very much.”
“You mean the famously single Eddie Munson is finally taken? Perish the thought! Your poor fans are gonna be devastated! How long has it been going on? Longer than six months? Which is, for the reminder, dear spectators, when Jessica Marsh says she has slept with our darling Eddie and fell pregnant.”
“It’s been years man. And no, I never cheated. In fact, I’m still dating the person I lost my virginity with, and I’m never planning on seeing anyone else. And last I checked, which was…” Eddie briefly looked at his watch, “Forty-eight minutes ago, my man does not have the necessary equipment to fall pregnant.”
The journalist choked on his spit. “Excuse me? Your man?”
“Yes, my man. Cause I’m a goddam fag.” Eddie’s smile was all teeth. “You don’t like it? Deal with it, I don’t give a shit. Steve and I, we’ve been together since ’86. He gave me the inspiration for a lot of song lyrics, but most of the time I had to change the pronouns so my label would accept them.” His violent smile disappeared, leaving only tiredness behind. “Most of them still only exist on paper because being gay is apparently a crime in the music industry and my producer would not let me make a whole album about Stevie.”
Eddie buried his face in his hand and took a deep breath.
“Well,” the journalist said, “that’s not quite what we were all expecting from this interview.” He cleared his throat. “So, about that new album of yours…”
Freak’s laugh interrupted him.
“Man, you really think we’re gonna answer your questions after all that bullshit. Nah, this interview is over.” He jumped to his feet, followed by two of his bandmates. “We’re leaving.”
Gareth tugged on Eddie’s arm until he stood up with them.
The last image the journalist got of Corroded Coffin was Freak’s raised middle finger as they walked out.
@genderthings bingo prompt: dress | @stevieweek day 3 prompt: horror | background from Ibis Paint tho i made it pinkier and added the curtains. might come back to this but let's consider it finished for the sake of being on time
The Addams Family inspired horror comedy where scam artists Stephanie Harrington-Munson and her undead husband Eddie collect insurance one state at a time. (Sometimes they swap roles, and sometimes they even go as lesbians.)
Prompt: Red ❤️ Song: Daylight ❤️ Word Count: 2,498 ❤️ Rating: M ❤️ POV: Eddie ❤️ Relationships: Pre-Steddie ❤️ ❤️ Tags: Vampire!Corroded Coffin & Wayne, Canon Divergent, Use of lowercase to show Eddie's blood loss delirium, Eddie needs Steve's blood to recover from the bat attack, Of course Steve willing gives it
❤️For @genderthings Pride Things Bingo Prompt: Eddie Munson
❤️For @corrodedcoffinfest Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Red
Ao3
Eddie hadn’t felt pain like this in...well, a long time. Too long, if a few bites from fellow bats could take him down. Clearly, he hadn’t had to fight for his life enough this century.
The boys kept telling him to keep up on his training, but it was the 1980’s! Who did he have to battle this close to the new millennium? Not like he had plans to join the U.S. military any time soon. Been there, done that, got the French Revolution t-shirt to show for it.
So, there he lay, bats spinning above and around him, taking more and more bites out of him, not caring one iota that they were kin of a sort.
Taken out by some supernatural baddie bigger and badder than a vampire and Eddie couldn’t remember the last time he updated his will. It had to be sometime in the 1900’s, right? Whatever, Wayne and the boys’ll take what they want, give the rest.
He felt what little blood was left in his body slowly sludge through his veins. The thought of biting a bat flashed through his mind, but went out as soon the bats fell all around him. Rule #7: Can’t bite the fellow dead.
Shouting pierced the fog of his permanently-dying brain. NO. Dustin. Stay away. no.
Dustin crouched over him, trying to get him to respond. He wouldn’t bite him. He wouldn’t. It’d kill the kid. He was too close to final death to only take a little. He needed…
Deeper shouting.
Steve. fuuuuck.
Eddie could feel him run closer. He forced his eyes to open. Steve. so beautiful.
Beautiful Steve Harrington bent over him, talking, shouting, commanding. Now he would’ve been a good leader of battalions.
“Stay with us Eddie, we’re getting you out of here!”
Eddie flopped his head from one side to the other, trying to tell Steve to leave him. A dying vampire was too dangerous to take around people. They’ll do anything to survive. Again, been there, done that, not doing it again.
“On three, Eddie. It’s gonna hurt, but I’ve got you.”
no
“no.”
“One.”
“No.”
“Two.”
“I need- Steve-”
“A hospital, Eddie. You need a hospital. And I’ll get you there. You just keep talking.”
“No, Steve. I need- Please, Steve, leave me.”
“Not on your life, dude. Stop using what strength you have fighting me!”
Eddie shuddered, spasming against the ground and Steve’s hold. The magic of his immortality fought hard. It wouldn’t let him just die, gently shuffling off this mortal coil. Eddie couldn’t-
His hand shot out, gripping Steve’s cheek hard, pulling him down, pressing his ear to Eddie’s mouth.
“Beautiful Steve Harrington, I need you,” his voice coiled around, sinking into his victim’s heart, promising everything, promising eternity. His magic pulsed through him, pushing him to live, do whatever was necessary to fight off Death. “Need to bite your lovely neck. Can smell your blood, it’s mouth watering. Please. Say yes, Stevie. It’s the only way. Can only live if- Fuck! No!”
He shoved with the last of his might, breaking the connection. Steve fell back on his ass, staring at Eddie with wide lovely eyes, wide calculating eyes, wide remembering eyes.
“Vampire. You, not Vecna.” His eyes hardened with determination. Eddie could tell what we was thinking, even without Jeff’s telepathy power, and wanted to throw his head back and groan in frustration. Can’t this dude not throw himself into danger just once?!
“Eddie. It’ll save you? Yeah? Just need my blood? Okay. Come on, sitting you up.” Steve’s strong strong arms pulled his shoulders off the ground, sitting him up against him. Eddie shook his head against Steve’s shoulder.
“No. Steve. You have to go. I need too much. too much. need it all. please go.”
Steve cupped his head, looking at him so soft. “It’s okay. Take what you need.”
He pressed Eddie’s mouth against those two little moles. like two little vampire bites.
Eddie couldn’t stop his tongue from lapping out, licking the skin there. Salty. Sweaty. Warm. Maybe I can drink just enough for Death to stop looming. Just a little. get more later…
He ran his teeth along the muscle, feeling for the vein. His gums itched, his fangs slid down.
Eddie bit in. Steve jerked against him. Eddie’s arms wrapped around him, holding him hard. Steve’s hand gripped Eddie’s hair at the scalp.
Eddie sucked and burning red blood flooded his mouth, flooded his senses. Red heat slid down his throat. Golden light burst before his eyes. He sucked harder.
Golden liquid daylight. Burning scarlet rays of dawn- steve steve steve only steve there’s so much life in him need need, need it all
Eddie lost himself in the first rays of sunlight he’d truly felt on his skin in hundreds of years. He stood before the sunrise and felt the golden warmth saturate his body, filling every dark dying crevasse of his body, wrapping around his stormy soul, waking it up for first time in so long. He felt so so alive.
He bathed in the heat, reveling in the light.
Hands on him.
Darkness fell around him.
Strong hands ripping him away from that light. He fought hard, clawing at whoever held him flat against the cold, ashy, dead earth. Steve was his. He needed it all. It was his, all his, only his. He’d kill any vampire who tried to take it- him away.
He growled low and long, predatory dark promises rumbling from deep within.
A voice.
He knows that voice. It’s one of his. His Family.
Why would one of his try to take Steve from him!?
no
No, they wouldn’t take Steve.
They’d try to save Steve.
“We have to turn him, son.”
no
not Steve
not lovely beautiful daylight Steve
they couldn’t
he wouldn’t let them
His magic built, roiling within him. He shoved off from the ground, bursting from the bodies holding him down. He pulled Steve from Wayne’s arms, cradled him in his own, and ran.
He could hear Gareth calling him back, Jeff shouting to please let Steve live, Freak trying to use his powers of melody to stop him in his tracks.
But he could feel a spark in Steve, felt that he still lived, that his soul still resided within his body. He wouldn’t let anyone take those from him.
He jumped straight up through the red, pulsing portal, landing hard on the balls of his feet in their old home.
Eddie would get Steve to the hospital, Steve would live a happy mortal life.
Time, and his surroundings, blurred. He ran through trees and neighborhoods, through downtown, through the hospital’s doors.
He held Steve out, “Save him.”
The doctors took him away.
Eddie sat down heavy on a waiting room bench and tipped his head back against the wall, closing his eyes against the bright lights.
Red burned behind his eyelids.
He wanted the golden daylight back.
He pushed his magic outward, following the feeling of Steve, sensing that he was still alive back there with the doctors. He saw that little golden spark still within Steve, glowing and unwavering in its strength.
Eddie heard them before they made it the door. He should stand up, update them, check on the kids.
But that glow.
He just wanted to keep an eye on it a little longer. He needed to keep it safe. What if he stopped watching and it stopped glo-
“Eddie!” Dustin collapse against him, sobbing, and Eddie slammed back into his own body.
“Kid.” Eddie wrapped his arms around Dustin, hugging him tight. “Hey, I’m okay. I got Steve here in time. The doctors have him, he’s okay.”
Dustin reared back, glaring at him from a tear stained face, and spoke tense and low. “You asshole. You’re a vampire and didn’t think to mention that? You didn’t think it might be important to our battle plan? We would’ve strategized differently! And then you, a vampire, went and almost died? What, are you new?”
Gareth snickered, it’d been a long time since anyone had accused Eddie of being new.
“Yeah, asshole,” Jeff pipped up, arms crossed over his chest, “why didn’t you call the rest of into whatever little campaign this is? No, we had to feel your magic pulling life force from us to know you were dying somewhere? It’s a good thing Wayne could see where you were. ‘Cause what was your little Steve Plan there, hm?”
Eddie met Wayne’s eyes above the group, they were always tinged with sadness, but now Eddie had put that look on his face. Blood hot tears pricked at his eyes and his nose scrunched up trying to hold the tears at bay. He hadn’t even thought about Wayne seeing his death, being helpless to do anything but watch. Wayne circled the group and sat beside Eddie, pulling him in with an arm around his shoulders.
Eddie buried his face against Wayne. “I’m sorry, Wayne. I’m sorry.”
Wayne pet his hair and squeezed his arm. “I know, son. Just gotta talk to us when things are going down.”
Eddie nodded against him. “Is everyone else okay? There’s a bunch of kids involved. Wanted to keep them safe, but I didn’t-”
Wayne sighed, pulling his magic around him. “Yeah, kid, they’re gonna live. The one girl’s gonna have a battle of it, but she’s strong. And your Steve’s girl is glaring daggers at you from the other side of the room, so you might want to talk to her.”
“Wayne, she’s his friend, not his girl,” Eddie leaned back, wiping at his cheeks, “but you know that, don’t you, you old so and so?”
Wayne just shrugged with that inscrutable frowny smile gracing his face. Eddie would take that over him looking sad any day.
He stood and his boys, his Family pulled him into a squishing group hug. Their vampiric energies pushed and pulsed around him, checking him over.
They hadn’t had one of their own come this close to final death since Gareth decided to come to America via the Titanic. Thankfully, the cold just sent him into a deep hibernation sleep until they found him in a hospital. And now Eddie had almost been eaten by bats. He was sure he’d never hear the end of it once they learned about that little detail.
He sent out a pulse of his own magic to them, reassuring them back, and stepped back sending a glance to the group across the room. He had some explaining to do.
-
Hours later, after the kids and teens who needed medical attention had been seen, and Max was finally out of her first surgery, Eddie was allowed back to see Steve.
Gareth had smoothed the way, gently coaxing the nurses into believing Eddie was Steve’s family. Eddie knew how careful Gareth was about using his powers of persuasion, so he was truly grateful to him.
Steve was dozing when Eddie entered the room. He moved a chair closer to the bed so he could watch him.
He really was lovely. Like a fallen hero, he lay sheathed in white, hands clasped over his chest; Eddie thought a sword laying flat along his length wouldn’t look out of place. He reached out, brushing the back of fingers along Steve’s side-
Steve jerked, huffing out a laugh, he met Eddie’s eyes. “Dude, that tickles.”
Eddie blinked at him. “You’re awake. How do you feel? They said with the amount of blood they had to transfuse, you could have complications and side effects and-”
“Hey, Eddie, come here,” he patted the bed next to his hip. Eddie perched on the bed and Steve took his hands in his. “Eddie, I’m fine. I feel fine, no chills, no fever, no aches- well, except for my neck, but that’ll take a little longer to heal, you really chomped on hard, dude.”
He laughed and Eddie stared. Did this dude really have that big a death wish? Did he not understand how delicate mortality was? How close he came to a quick forever death?
“Steve. I should get a nurse. They can explain how much blood I took, how close you came to dying. If I hadn’t been stopped, I would’ve-” His throat closed and his face flushed, guilt and shame waged within and he gripped Steve’s hands harder. He forced out, “Steve.”
Steve pulled him forward, tipping Eddie against his body as his shook. Steve held him and soothed him, rubbing a gentle hand along his back and pushing a hand into his hair, tucking Eddie's face against his neck.
“Shhhh, Eddie, it’s okay. I’m okay and you’re okay. We’re both alive-” Eddie huffed and Steve rumbled a laugh, “okay, undead or whatever. But, here’s a secret, baby, I was always going to be okay. Even if you took it all and killed me-”
Eddie grumbled against him, “Being okay because you’d ‘be in heaven’ or whatever would not be my takeaway if I was the reason those kids had to bury you. No offense, but we’d rather-”
“Eddie, no, I mean it literally.” Eddie leaned back far enough to look at him, staring in confusion at Steve’s gentle smile. A blush graced Steve’s cheeks and he huffed a laugh, looking up to the ceiling. “Yeah, I’ve died, like, I don’t know, eight times? That I know of? And yes, a couple of those have been for the kids. So, yeah, if you had killed me, I would’ve come back eventually. Might’ve take a little bit to recover that much blood, so I guess this worked out. So now my body just needs to recover from the bat attacks.”
Steve blinked bashfully at him.
Eddie’s brain was taking a moment to process. He held up a finger and stood. Hands moving, unable to land in one position, he took a deep breath, and spun on his heel to walk to the window before spinning to walk back to the bed, he pointed at Steve.
“You’re immortal?”
“Yep! Seems that way.”
“Not a vampire?”
“Not that I’m aware? Would I definitely know if I was a vampire?”
Eddie blinked. “Yeah. You’d know if you were a vampire. Kinda hard to miss it, I’d say.”
“Hm! Well, then, nope! Not a vampire. Just your garden variety immortal guy.”
Eddie’s mouth opened, no sound came out. Is this what a vampire stroke felt like? “Do the kids know?”
Steve shrugged. “I don’t think so? But they’re smart and have seen me beaten so bad I died, so maybe? Or they think I’m hardy? Didn’t really come up.”
Eddie’s hands came together in prayer at his lips.
“Eddie? You okay?”
Yep. Just having my understanding of the universe turned upside down. Ha. Ooooh wait, we’re both-
“Steve?”
“Eddie?”
“Would you do me the honor of going to dinner with me? Once you’re fully recovered, of course.”
Steve smiled at him, radiant and golden. “It’s a date.”
🫶
Daylight - Taylor Swift
I've been sleepin' so long in a twenty-year dark night
Tip of a hat to @coffeewasamistake for finishing her card! Here are her fics:
Wedding Ink | Steddie | G | Tattoo
WC: 1230 | Summary: Steve wants to marry Eddie and wear a wedding ring to show the whole world they belong to each other, homophobic laws be damned. But Steve is a nurse, and hospital rules are hospital rules.
Strawberry | Steve & Eleven | T | Lipstick
WC: 3999 | Jane Hopper & Maxine "Max" Mayfield, implied future Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson | Summary: Max and El have fun with makeup at the Harrington's. Steve is not jealous.
Billie Jean (Eddie's not the father, dude) | Steddie, Corroded Coffin | T | 90s, Eddie Munson
WC: 1239 | Rock star Eddie Munson, interview, coming out | Summary: After five albums and two tours, Corroded Coffin has made it. They're famous, they're beloved, and everyone want to interview the new metal phenomenon. But now a groupie is telling everyone she's pregnant with Eddie's child. You can't blame the guy for losing it on live TV.
Interview with Eddie Munson | Steddie, Corroded Coffin | G | Representation
WC: 2121 | Rock star Eddie Munson, interview | Summary: A year after coming out on live TV, Rock star Eddie Munson finally ends his media break for an exclusive interview. Between a solo album and his personal projects, he has a lot to say.
Fuck Around and Find Out | Steddie, Stobin | T | Crop Top
WC: 1583 | Summary: Robin gives Steve a makeover. Eddie is going to regret his mean comment about Steve's clothes.
Home is where the heart is | Wayne & Eddie, Steddie | T | HRT
WC: 1184 | Warning: Implied/Referenced child abuse | Summary: Eddie meet his uncle Wayne in a hospital room. From that point, his life improves significantly.
Mary's son | Steve Harrington's mother/Karen Wheeler | G | Karen Wheeler
WC: 608 | Summary: Karen Wheeler has complicated feelings about Steve Harrington. She's mature enough to admit it's because of his mom.
A lesbian and a straight bi guy walk into a bar | Stobin, Steddie | T | Leather community
WC: 862 | Summary: Robin goes to a gay bar with her emotional support Dingus. They weren't expecting to cross paths with a leather clad Eddie Munson.
Prompt: Crop Top | Rating: T | WC: 1583 | Relationships : Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington&Robin Buckley
Summary:
Robin gives Steve a makeover.
Eddie is going to regret his mean comment about Steve's clothes.
It starts with a comment. A mean one, perhaps.
Okay, scratch that. Eddie had definitely been too mean this time.
For his defense, his whole thing is going against the grain. Fuck conformity, right? And Steve is his friend, but no one can deny that the guy’s wardrobe is the quintessence of conformity. He wears jock clothes, all the time.
But still. Eddie’s comment was mean.
And now he’s stuck in hell.
He really walked right into that one.
------
“Robin, what do you think about the way I dress?” She looks up, startled.
“What?”
“My clothes. Is there something wrong with them?”
She considers it. Steve is wearing typical boy jeans, with a typical boy polo-ish shirt. She looks down. His shoes are boy shoes.
“You dress like a guy, Dingus.”
He winces.
“Okay, but do I dress like a guy who dresses well? Or more like an asshole?”
“Where does it ever come from?” Steve is Steve. He can spend more than twenty minutes doing his hair in the morning, she saw it. He is a bit like a preening peacock, her boy. He can be insecure about some things, like his romantic life, but she has never seen him be worried about his clothes. He was the high school king, he knows how to dress. Something is up.
“Did someone told you your clothes weren’t nice?”
Steve hesitates. Bingo.
“Steven, who was it?” She tries to do her best Nancy imitation, but she can tell by the closed look on her best friend’s face that it’s not working that well.
“No one. It’s nothing! I just wanted your opinion, that’s all.”
She drops the magazine she was reading on the table and turns toward her boy.
“Listen, babe, there’s definitely something going on. I’m not asking for a name,” she’s going to get it anyway, whoever made Steve feel insecure is going to DIE, “but if you want my help, I need to know what the problem really is.”
Steve drums his fingers against the table. She waits.
“Eddie doesn’t like my clothes,” oh that bitch “apparently I dress, like, full jock. So, like an asshole I guess?” He looks small, for once. It’s not something she can tolerate.
Munson is an idiot, but she can’t exactly murder her best friend’s crush and bury his body in the woods. She doesn’t have the upper body strength needed to dig a hole big enough for his sad ass, and Steve would probably cry if the guy died, instead of helping her with the body. And they worked hard to save him from Vecna and like, half of Hawkins, so that would be a waste.
And damn it, she likes him when he doesn’t put his foot in his mouth. With a bit of effort, he could be a good boyfriend for Steve. But before that, he must suffer for his crimes against her best friend.
“Eddie is a dumbass who preaches about nonconformity but shit on everyone who has different tastes than him. Don’t take his stupid criticism to heart.”
Steve is silent for a moment. When he finally talks again, his tone is dull.
“I know, but he’s not totally wrong. I still dress like King Steve.”
Hum. Eddie may have hit something important here.
“Forget about Eddie for a second. Do you like your style?”
Steve looks down, biting his lip.
“Yes? Sort of? But I feel a bit boring sometimes.” He looks up. “Remember when we went to that gay bar in Indianapolis?”
Like she would ever forget about Steve flirting with lesbians for her. It had been so weird.
Strangely effective, though.
“Yes, Dingus, I remember the gay bar.”
“Everyone was so cool, I felt a bit underdressed.” He sounds small, again. She can’t stand it. “Sometimes I feel like I’m stuck in the body of Steve From Before. The Asshole. So when Eddie told me I dressed like a jock…”
Robin feels her throat tighten. She had no idea Steve was hurting this way. She has to do something, and quick.
“Do you want my help? We can play around with clothes. See what you like.”
“Like a makeover?” Steve smile is faint, but there. It’s the important part.
“Yep.” She leans toward him. “A total reverse breakfast club.”
Steve whines and bury his face in his hands. “They did Allison so dirty.”
“I’ll reverse Allison you, babe.”
Steve’s smile is like a ray of sunshine.
“Let’s do it.”
Steve looks at the scissors in Robin’s hand with trepidation.
“You’re sure about that?”
“Be honest. Are you going to wear that tee-shirt ever again?”
The fabric in his hands is both stained and ripped. The bottom of the tee-shirt has fallen victim of Steve’s drunk shenanigans after a winning game. It had been fun at the time, but there had been no way of salvaging his clothes afterwards. He had thrown his shorts in the trash, but the tee-shirt had still s somehow ended up in the back of his closet.
"...No.”
“Then we can cut it!” Robin crows, triomphant. « We’re keeping the sporty look, because that’s very you, mister let’s run at 6 a.m., but we make it different. More fun. A bit slutty, too, if you want. »
Steve blinks. There’s something interesting here. If he can make something wearable to a gay bar…
It’s a thought. Maybe next time they drive to Indianapolis, he will not feel so out of place, like he doesn’t belong. Maybe a cute boy will look at him and not just see a stupid jock. He could kiss a boy who’s not dating a girl or is one bad morning away from breaking his face.
Maybe Eddie would change his mind about him. Who knows.
“Alright. Let’s do it.”
He grabs the scissors.
“Wait, wait, wait!”
Steve freezes.
“Put it on first, if we’re doing this, we’re doing it right.”
Ten minutes later, Steve is wearing jean shorts Robin procured from whoever knows, and a newly cropped tee-shirt. He… doesn’t dislike the way he looks. It’s fun. A bit sporty, a bit slutty.
“What’s the verdict?” asks Robin, sprawled on his bed.
“Yeah. I think I look okay. I sort of dig it.” He hesitates. “I’m just… not quite sure it’s the best top ever.”
“But you like the length?”
“Yeah, definitely. It’s flattering. I wouldn’t wear it all the time, but on occasion, when it’s hot outside, it could be fun.”
Robin clasps her hands together.
“Perfect! Now that we have something cute for the summer, let’s find a good club look! Something a bit more in-your-face.”
Steve blinks. Stare at his bare stomach. At the shorts. He is already very much exposed. What does she want him to wear, mesh? Nothing?
“What?”
She’s already on her feet, rummaging in the pile of clothes on the bed to unearth her bag.
“We’re going shopping, Dingus! I know a couple of good thrift stores not too far from Hawkins, and you need clothes with more humph. I can’t do miracles, and sports uniforms and polo can only get us so far.”
Oh no.
What did he get himself into?
----
As stated previously, Eddie is in hell.
Maybe his mean comment was the straw that broke the camel’s back. He did a number of questionable things in his life, and now he has to pay the price for it.
“Do you want something to drink, Eddie?”
In front of him, his skin gleaming with sweat in the sweltering sun, stands Steve Harrington. Wearing tiny shorts.
And a fucking crop top.
It’s yellow. The exact color of his sweatshirt, the one he had thrown at his face just before diving into Lover’s Lake. Eddie feels like it needs saying. Steve Harrington is wearing a lovely little crop top that puts his whole toned stomach on display.
“Eddie?” Steve is frowning, like his exposed skin is not currently wreaking havoc on an innocent guy’s mind. Eddie’s brain is about to leak out of his ears. “Did you hear me? I asked you a question.”
He wants to answer, he does, but his tongue is stuck to the roof of his mouth. He can’t talk, at all. Which may be for the best, because “the sweat of your toned stomach” is maybe not the answer Steve is waiting for.
“Mmmmrrrr.”
Steve blinks and walks toward him.
Jesus H. Christ.
A huge hand is put on his brow, and for a second, he truly believes he is dead. Steve Harrington is leaning over him, half-naked, touching him.
This is insane.
“I don’t think you have a fever. Did you stay in the sun for too long, Eddie? You look a bit unwell.”
Finally, finally, Eddie finds the strength to talk.
“Never been better, my liege. Anything from your royal stores would be greatly appreciated, but if I could have a beer, I would be grateful.”
Steve snorts and takes a step back. It would be a tragedy, except it puts him back in the sun, and the light reflects on his sweaty, toned abs.
Eddie is in heaven.
Eddie is in hell.
“Okay, if you can be dramatic, you’re fine. I’ll get your beer.”
He turns around, and now, Eddie has not only a glorious view of his fantastic ass, but he can also see his lower back, and, oh.
He has dimples.
Steve Harrington has two little dimples on his back.
Prompt: Tattoo | Rating: Gen | WC: 1230 | Relationships : Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson
Summary:
Steve wants to marry Eddie and wear a wedding ring to show the whole world they belong to each other, homophobic laws be damned. But Steve is a nurse, and hospital rules are hospital rules.
It’s not that Steve dislikes jewelry. Honestly, it’s kind of the opposite.
Take Eddie’s rings, for example.
His boyfriend has a few of them, all bulky and impossible to ignore, and he barely takes them off to shower. They are always on his hands, even when he plays guitar, even when he sleeps. And he is so full of life, his man, always waving his hands around, rings catching the light with each movement, gleaming.
The way he touches him is no better, warm hands and soft metal sliding across his skin, gripping, grabbing. Loving.
Steve likes rings. Especially Eddie's.
He’s just not allowed to wear jewelry at the hospital.
Becoming a nurse had not been easy, but after the whole mess that happened with the Upside-Down, after breaking Eddie’s ribs, each snap resonating like thunder in his arms when he was trying to breathe life back to Eddie’s lungs, after everything the nurses at Hawkins Memorial had down for them, strong and caring when the whole town had wanted to crucify Eddie… Steve had known.
He loves his job. He has finally found his place in the world, one where he can help people in need. No day is really easy, but the rewards are worth the long shifts and the random hours. Being a nurse makes him feel useful in a way he had been craving for years.
He just wishes he could wear a ring.
Some of his coworkers are married, and they either keep their wedding band on a chain around their neck or take it off before their shift and store it in their locker.
He could do the locker thing, realistically.
But he can’t get out of his head the absolute panic in his coworker Mary’s eyes, the high pitch of her voice, her harsh breathing and her shaking hands when they had ended their shift at the same time and her ring wasn’t in her locker.
She had found it, eventually, because, of course, she had left it at home and had forgotten all about it in the frenzy of hospital life, but the fear had lingered. She had stopped wearing her ring, keeping it in a jewelry box on her bedside table. Just in case.
And the thing is. Steve and Eddie can’t get married. Not legally at last. They have been talks of backyard wedding, one day, maybe, but the ring… The ring is a problem.
It eats at Steve. Days and nights.
He can’t imagine getting married and only having a ring to prove his devotion to his husband. Not when he can’t wear it all the time and could lose it at any given moment. All his wedding dreams end with his ring disappearing and Eddie looking at him through tears, asking if he doesn’t love him anymore.
When he finally opens up to Robin, she’s kind about his fears. Understanding in a way that speaks about years and years of feeling out of the norm. Different. Kept from enjoying so many things that other people take from granted.
“It’s okay to feel like that, Steve. It’s scary to realize your love is not something people are going to accept, especially when another typical married couple thing is out of your reach.” She squeezes his arm. “You have coworkers who wear their wedding ring around their neck, right? Maybe you should do that when you finally take that step with Eddie.”
Steve swallows, his throat tight, fighting through the burn in his eyes.
“Northwestern Memorial has a very strict policy about jewelry. The only pieces nurses are allowed to wear are wedding bands on necklaces. And you have to provide a wedding certificate for that.”
“So, they wouldn’t…”
Steve loses the fight against tears.
“No, they would never let me wear any ring given by Eddie.”
“Oh, babe…” Robin arms wrap around him as he sobs.
“Say, Stevie…” Her voice is wavering. She seems so unsure of herself, in a way that differs from her usual anxiety-fueled ramblings. “I could maybe marry you? Legally, I mean. Then you would marry Eddie, and you’ll be able to wear your wedding band around your neck.”
Steve’s burrow deeper into Robin’s embrace. He can’t deal with not being held right now.
“Thank you, Rob. But it wouldn’t be the same.”
They hug for a while, before Robin manages to make him laugh with a crazy anecdote about her least favorite coworker. They end up playing a drinking game in front of Star Wars, and Eddie is woken up at 2 a.m. by his very drunk boyfriend sliding in his bed.
“Hey, Eddie, Eddie?”
“Wot?”
“You know I love you, right?”
“Mmmrrr.”
“I love you a lot, Eddie, like… like an insane amount. Scientists cannot quantify how much I love you, and…”
He is stopped by a kiss.
“Love you too, sweetheart,” Eddie tiredly wraps himself all around his boyfriend, octopus-style. “But please, go to sleep.”
_______________________
They’re celebrating Nancy’s promotion in a gay bar when Steve has a revelation.
The girls want more drinks, and Steve grumbles but leave the warmth of Eddie’s arms to bring them cocktails.
“And a beer for your humble servant, please, my liege!”
And a beer for Eddie, apparently.
The bartender is only vaguely familiar, and he is pretty sure the guy wasn’t there two months ago. Steve flags the man down, and watches with a smile as he shakes Nancy’s elaborate cocktail. He is putting on a show, but Steve can tell it’s not really meant for him, not with the wedding band glistening on his left hand and the wink he throws at the new waiter.
The wave of jealousy hits him unexpectedly. It must be nice to wear proof of your marriage in front of everyone like that, and to be able to flirt with your husband at your own place of work without having to watch your back. Maybe he should hang up his scrubs and go into bartending.
Steve shakes his head. He loves his job. He is being ridicul…
He frowns.
What’s that just underneath the guy’s wedding band?
The bartender winks at him this time, playing with the ring.
“Had this one for almost two years now.” He points at the waiter. “It goes with that one.”
“What’s that?”
“Hum?” The bartender blink, then smiles again. “Oh! Look.”
He leans over the bar and shows Steve his hand, palm up. He pushes the ring out of the way, and just underneath, the initials S.W. are written in black ink.
“Scott Williams. That’s my man.”
“It’s a tattoo.” Steve says numbly.
“It sure is, darling.”
“I can get a tattoo.” Steve cannot breathe. He can have that. He can etch Eddie’s name into his skin, keep him there forever.
“Hey, don’t forget your drinks!”
Steve turns back to the bar, disoriented, and grab the tray the bartender is nice enough to give him.
“You okay, man?” He asks, visibly worried.
“Never been better.”
He walks past the crowd without seeing it and reach their group. Robin’s head shot up at his arrival.
“You’re alright, Dingus?” She frowns. “You look a bit shell shocked over there.”
She yelps when Steve put down the tray heavily on the table, drinks splashing.
“Hey, what are you…”
Steve climbs on his boyfriend’s lap.
“Eddie,” he cradles his face with both hands, reverent. “Will you marry me?”
Prompt: HRT | Rating: T | WC: 1184 | Relationships :Wayne Munson&Eddie Munson; Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson. Warning: Implied/Referenced child abuse
Summary:
Eddie meet his uncle Wayne in a hospital room.
From that point, his life improves significantly.
It’s not something he would ever say publicly, but Eddie was so glad his father had broken both his leg and arm when he had pushed him down the stairs. The fact that he had done so while totally drunk in the middle of the day, in full view of three neighbors and the very same cops who were coming to arrest him may have been part of the reason he was so happy about it.
It had hurt. It still did, even with the meds he was under. His body felt like a giant bruise, and he had nearly fainted when he had seen his arm bent in a really, really abnormal way. Said arm was now in a cast, along with his leg, and it sucked. At least his right side had taken the brunt of the fall, and he was still able to write and eat almost normally.
He didn’t know where he was going to end up now that his dad had been locked up, but after two days spent at the hospital, a social worker showed up with a vaguely familiar man she introduced to him as Wayne Munson. His uncle. Or “that fucking fairy,” according to his father.
Eddie was hurt, high on painkillers, and in presence of an authentic degenerate. The kind of person who was different from everyone Eddie had ever met and was proud of it, enough to get in trouble with the pigs for being involved in a riot. That was insane.
As soon as the social worker left them alone, Eddie started to vomit all his problem for Wayne to hear. The man listened in silence, barely nodding a few times to encourage him to talk. When Eddie finally ran out of secrets to tell, Wayne only said one thing.
“So, you’re a boy, right?”
And that was the end of it.
A couple of days later he found himself in small-town Hawkins, while his father was probably in the clink for good, this time. He was now the proud owner of the only bedroom in his uncle’s trailer, because according to Wayne, teenage boys needed their own space.
Three days after his arrival, Wayne sat him on a chair and carefully buzzed his hair. Eddie watched each lock fall to the ground, feeling strangely bereft. Afterwards, he kept running his hand against his bare scalp, fighting against the burn in his eyes.
Wayne put a hand on his shoulder, firm but kind. “It’s safer like that, son. You’ll be able to regrow it soon enough.”
He left the next day, having arranged for a woman living two trailers from them to watch over Eddie for the weekend.
“Don’t tell anyone you were not born a boy, you hear me?” Wayne told him just before the neighbor arrived. “I can help you be yourself, but you have to be careful if we want it to work.”
“Never?”
“As long as you’re still a kid. Keep it under wraps at least until you can vote.”
The neighbor was blind as a bat, made the best casserole in the state, and called him Edward in such a nice tone that by the time Wayne came back, he had decided that he liked that very, very much.
He was still going to go by Eddie, though.
It turned out Wayne had a lot of friends, and all of them were the wrong sort. Not the kind that ended up in jail for grand theft auto and assault, like his dad, but the kind dear ol’ Al Munson would have called “a bunch of degenerates that should be hanged.”
Wayne came back with a stack of falsified papers, a box, zines, and a whole spiel for him.
By the end of the week, he had been enrolled in the local middle school for the next year as “Edward Munson” and was starting to wince less and less each time his uncle stuck a syringe in his thigh.
Eddie spent the last of the spring and most of the summer holed up in the trailer, writing page after page in a notebook and devouring each book Wayne brought him from the local library. By the time school started again, his arm and leg were healed, the duvet on his upper lip had slightly darkened, and his voice was cracking.
Ten years after his first trip to the ER, Eddie had been left in the tender care of nurses way more times than most people, and he had almost always gotten along with them.
That one, though, was his favorite.
“Hiya, nurse Harrington. Nice scrubs.”
Steve dropped his key in a bowl and turned around to face his boyfriend.
“Hi, babe.”
Eddie stretched his neck, and Steve gave him a quick kiss when he passed by the couch in the way to the bedroom. Fifteen minutes later he was back, wearing his pajamas, his hair damp and in disarray.
“Rough day?”
Steve slumped on the couch and curled up against Eddie. “Could have been easier,” he mumbled.
“I made lasagna.”
His head shot up.
“You did?”
“Yep. Followed your recipe to the letter. It’s in the oven.”
He got a kiss for his trouble. Then another.
By the time his watch biped, they had been making out for nearly ten minutes.
Steve pushed his boyfriend back a bit.
“Is that for you shot or for the lasagna?”
“For my shot.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Eddie smiled dopily and leaned back on the couch. Soon Steve was back with a syringe and a wipe.
“Take your pants off, will you?”
“My, my, nurse Harrington, you’re taking some liberties.” He shuffled out of his jeans, throwing them to the other side of the room. “Aaaall ready for you, my good sir.”
Steve laughed and sat down beside his boyfriend. Eddie immediately put his legs on his lap and lied back.
“Stick me with the boy juice, sweetheart.”
The only answer he got was a kiss on his thigh. Steve cleaned up a square of skin with the cotton wipe and emptied the syringe.
“Ouch,” Eddie said in his most indifferent tone.
“Awww, did that hurt, baby?”
Eddie had been jabbing a needle in his thigh daily for the last ten years and was thinking about getting a new tattoo. He could barely feel needles anymore, and his pain threshold was very high anyway. But being the center of his very caring boyfriend’s attention was always nice.
He batted his eyelashes.
“Yes, terribly.” Eddie sat back and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s neck. “The pain is immeasurable, my liege. I need your lovely kisses to make it all better.”
Steve put down the needle with a laugh and dropped a quick kiss on his lips. “And now?”
“Still hurting…”
They were still laughing between kisses when Steve pushed Eddie down to better make out with him on the couch.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
“Hey, what’s that sound?”
“Oh, that’s just the alarm for the lasagna.”
“What???”
“It can stay in the oven for a bit longer, don't worry. No! Come back here!”
