I'm teaming up with @ro15in as an artist and @steddieasitgoes as a beta for this year's @steddiebbang. I'm so excited, you have no idea. I wish I could tell you everything right now, but I have to go. Eddie is late walking his neighbor's dog again and Jeff is hovering over my cubicle and telling me to stop reading fanfiction and emailing during working hours. Rude.
We should grab lunch with Robin any day, apparently Steve is up to new shenanigans.
Kisses!
Shell
P.S.: can you please let Heather use your printer? She already asked to use mine three times today, I can't get any work done. Not that I actually want to work, but you get it.
Summary, snippet and moodboard under the cut! 💌
Summary:
Steve Harrington should stop being so nice. Or maybe he should just change his contact info to protect himself from old college friends bringing up debts he made years ago. If he had done that, he wouldn't be in such a mess, but he also wouldn't have met the most charming, hilarious, hot (and perfect for him) resident of New York City, aka Eddie Munson. The worst (or maybe best?) part is that Eddie seems to be into him and they fit great together. It would be perfect if Steve hadn't met him while pretending he is Tommy Hagan. Or if he knew how to tell him the truth without making an ass of himself.
Eddie Munson thought his comatose neighbor's big ass dog was a huge problem, but that was onl until he met Mrs. Hagan's nephew Tommy (or Steve. Who has a fucking name for a nickname? Tommy Hagan apparently). Steve just moved next door to take care of the pets, which would be fine if he wasn't the nicest, hottest, most charming motherfucker who ever crossed Eddie's life. And if Eddie didn't have so many trust issues. Steve seems too good to be true, so there's gotta be something wrong there. But what is it?
Yes. To my absolute dismay, he did. Robin, I'm so fucked. I don't think I have ever met someone so charming.
Eddie, that's his name, "oh man, just call me Eddie", he said. That's how everybody calls him since childhood, apparently. His apartment looks insane, by the way. He has so many band posters and paintings and framed pictures, it's like he lives in one of those hip bars–in a single dude way, of course, but a lot more organized that my apartment would be if I had that much stuff. Seriously, he has stuff everywhere: books, shelves full of trinkets and action figures, guitars hung on the wall, boxes of vinyls and VHS tapes. Who still keeps their VHS tapes??? And so many mugs. I think I counted twenty. He lives by himself!
But well, he told me about Tommy's aunt Doris, showed me the way he found her, showed me the pets. I'm gonna kill Hagan for not telling me the woman has a fucking Great Dane. At this point I think I should just kill Hagan and get rid of this debt I have with him, to be honest.
What do I do, Robin? I'm standing there at this insane apartment, listening to this handsome guy talk about how he likes Doris, how she's such a kind person and how he hates to ask me to drop my humanitarian work in Ethiopia just to do this, but his job performance is getting compromised and he's very sorry. So okay, I nod, I pretend I'm Tommy (whos in Bali, not in Ethiopia by the way), I tell him I'm moving in because aunt Doris's pets need someone regularly. I can tell they do. I know what you're gonna say, Robin, but those pets need me. Angel, the dog, needs to go out three times a day! And Mr. Doodles and Muffin, the cats, seem so lonely. You'd do the same if you saw the looks on their faces, I know you would.
@steddiebbang 2026 project announcement | team #038
artist: @psychotic-nonsense | beta: @midwestharpy
SUPER excited (and terrified) to announce my first ever steddie big bang project! can't believe how lucky i am to have such a BRILLIANT artist and beta reader to work with on this!!! thank you for loving s2 aus with me <3
details:
rating: M
wc: 25k~
cw: graphic violence; detailed explorations of trauma; substance abuse
tags: S2 AU; canon divergence; eddie joins the party in S2; not-quite-enemies to lovers; angst/comfort; past trauma; past child neglect and abuse; canon typical violence; discussions of foster care; miscommunication; awkward flirting; happy ending
summary:
The funny thing about wearing a mask for so long is that eventually you almost forget you’re wearing it.
Steve Harrington has spent his entire life trying to be someone that people love. That people want to be around. That people want to stay for. He’s spent so long carefully crafting this persona that he’s not even sure who he is without it anymore.
Eddie Munson has spent his entire life just trying to survive. The best way he’s learned to do that is by not letting anyone get too close. By giving everyone some overly dramatized version of himself. Because everyone who’s ever gotten close to who he really is has either left or been ripped away.
One blurry night together bleeds into the jagged edges of the Upside Down returning. As the two of them fight off yet another wave of otherworldly forces while protecting some rather death-wish hungry barely-teenagers, their own demons suddenly demand to be confronted, leaving Steve and Eddie unable to keep hiding – from themselves and each other.
lil preview below the cut!
excerpt:
And for some reason Steve does not fucking understand.
For some reason he will continue to question for long after this.
For some reason he still won’t have an answer to years from now when they’re well and truly past this.
For some reason, Steve puts himself between Eddie and everyone else, says a quick “You might want to run” over his shoulder as he pushes Eddie toward the door with one hand, the other –
Well, in the span of approximately 1.7 seconds, Steve smiles, flips Tommy the bird, and kicks the leg out from the makeshift bar table.
The folding table holding a smattering of drinks.
The folding table holding the absolutely massive punch bowl.
Just in time for Tommy to collide with it.
And crash to the floor.
“Holy fucking shit.” Eddie laughs, hot on Steve’s ear.
Steve laughs too, actually, kind of shocking himself as he watches the punch bowl shatter – watches the greenish-red liquid spray everywhere. The fake eyes and dismembered candy fingers scattering across the floor. The partygoers shrieking as they’re coated in punch.
Tommy falls across the table as it collapses, getting completely drenched in punch and glass, the punch bowl half-beneath him as it crumbles.
Jason is hot on his heels, stumbling and falling on top of Tommy, the pair of them groaning in tandem.
“Oh–” Steve is laughing hard now.
Laughing as he watches Jason and Tommy writhe on the floor, helplessly trying to wipe the punch and glass from their…well, their everywhere, really.
Turns out glass likes to stick in things.
“Holy fucking shit.” Eddie whisper-laughs behind him again, a sentiment Steve wholly agrees with, except –
“Run, man, seriously.” Steve’s eyes are wide as he pushes Eddie a half-step towards the door, even as the laughter is still coursing through him, making him feel more alive than he has in who fucking knows how long.
“You’re fuckin’ dead.”
Which comes from a voice Steve has grown to loathe in a few short months.
Billy goddamn Hargrove.
Steve turns, watches Billy stop on the other side of the table catastrophe. People are still screaming and laughing and running around – mostly, they’re running away from whatever the fuck is happening. Forming a perimeter around the spectacle, circling them like they’re in a fucking ring about to face off.
“Running. Running now.” Eddie says, which, yeah – Steve told him to, so why the fuck is he still here?
“Dude, go.” Steve half-whispers over his shoulder, still trying to push Eddie toward the door. But, Eddie is more of a solid pillar than he would’ve imagined.
“Uh, yeah.” Eddie says with all the sarcastic merit of a 5th grader. “Let’s.”
“Wh–”
“Jesus.” Eddie’s hand wraps hard around Steve’s bicep, full-bodily yanking him back toward the patio door.
Billy is honest-to-god actually growling at them, mouth open, like, teeth bared and shit, fists clenched at his sides as he stalks across broken glass and spilled punch, when Steve…
Well.
Steve holds up a finger, somehow actually making Billy stop a foot away, surprise etched on his face. Then, Steve grabs a half-empty cup left forgotten on a shelf by the door.
“Sorry, did you want some?” Steve asks before taking a sip. “How rude of me. Here.”
Then, in some feat of King Steve of days past, he takes a big mouthful, pulls down his sunglasses just enough and winks at Billy, before spitting the drink all over Billy. “Enjoy.” Steve croons as he throws the rest of the cup at Billy and blows him a fucking kiss.
Steve laughs hard as he turns and tumbles through the patio doors and out into a run across the yard with Eddie motherfucking Munson still holding onto him.
2026 Big Bang project reveal time! I'm so excited to get to work with @lamoabss as the artist for this Big Bang project! I'm thrilled you were interested in teaming up to work on my NFL Steve AU submission! I can't wait to have so much fun!❤️
Details:
Rating: E
Estimated Word Count: 60,000-65,000
Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Eddie Munson & Robin Buckley, Eddie Munson & Gareth, Steve Harrington & Robin Buckley
Characters: Robin, Gareth, Wayne, Dustin, Tommy, Chrissy, Goodie, Jeff
Tags: Sports AU, American Football, Modern Setting, NFL Football Player Steve Harrington, Hobby Shop Owner Eddie Munson, Getting Together, Falling in Love, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Closeted Steve Harrington, Gay Eddie Munson, Secret Relationship, Boys in Love, Happy Ending
Summary:
If there's anything Eddie Munson knows, it's that he doesn't give two shits about sports, or the people who play them. Professionally, or otherwise. It's practically the charter entry in The Munson Doctrine, despite growing up with his Uncle Wayne glued to games on the television year-round. Sports just don't interest Eddie. Never have, never will.
Enter, Steve Harrington.
Henderson dragging this football player into his store wasn't in Eddie's game plan, but, well, Eddie supposes there's an exception to every rule in the book. And now, here Eddie is, living a sports-filled life he never could have predicted.
Eddie learns about football.
Eddie cares about football.
It's honestly quite troubling.
Excerpt:
"Jesus H. Christ, look at that thing," Eddie says in a barely hushed whisper, reverent, eyes trained on Steve on the jumbotron screen at the end of the field. He looks to the other side of the field, because that screen is even bigger. It's trained on Steve as he swings his leg high into the air.
He's right there.
It's right there.
"Gareth. Look."
Gareth scoffs. "Would rather not."
"But you can see it, right?" Eddie asks, eyes glued to the live feed of Steve's lower body, his crotch, being projected into the stadium. It's all Eddie can focus on. The camera operator must be a perv. He deserves a raise. Why didn't Eddie bring binoculars? Fuck. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. "I'm not hallucinating it?"
"No, unfortunately everybody with eyes can see it. White pants? With that hog? Children are here."
Eddie laughs, "God bless tight white pants. I think I love football. I wonder if he'd wear them for me, up close and personal? For science."
The woman behind him says 'ew' through a laugh, but she leans forward, grasping both of Eddie's shoulders, making Eddie jump as she squeezes a little too hard, her lips resting near his ear, whispering, "Hi. Eddie? You're Eddie, right?"
Eddie nods. She continues:
"Great. He's not out. So can you just be cool? And less horny? Please?"
He turns. She's a cute lesbian. Well, he thinks so anyway. His gaydar is very rarely wrong. Steve did confuse it a little, he can't get everyone right on first impression. Why is she footballing? She doesn't look like she'd enjoy that any more than Eddie would. And why does she know his name?
"Nearly everybody around you are season ticket holders. They know exactly whose seats you're in. Just. Be quieter with your cock color commentary. Please and thank you."
Eddie swallows. He never would have thought of that.
"They come to every game?" Eddie asks, because, like. Seriously? That doesn't sound fun.
"Every game," she confirms, "and I'm really happy for him. You're cute. For a boy. But. Zip your lip. Got it?"
Eddie nods.
He knew she was as queer as he is.
"I'm Robin, I'm his best friend," she says, finally introducing herself.
Eddie turns, "Does Henderson know that?"
She rolls her eyes.
"He's a little shit. He can say whatever he wants, he's always running that mouth of his. But I know the truth. Who is here right now? Me. I don't see him, do you?"
Eddie grins, "I own a hobby shop. Henderson is a regular. That's how I met Steve."
She raises an eyebrow, "I am aware of exactly who you are, Eddie. If you have any other questions, just ask."
Eddie grins, wickedly. "I do have one."
"Okay," she says, suspicious. Rightfully so.
He leans back, getting closer to her, "Is it a cup?"
She sighs, rolling her eyes as she slumps back in her seat.
He raises an eyebrow, waiting.
"It's not," she grits out, and Eddie is delighted with this information.
She seems to be weighing something, but finally she leans forward, "Do you know what Reddit is?"
Eddie rolls his eyes. Yes. He's new football, not earth. He nods.
"Check the NFL Bulges subreddit, then. He's a frequent post subject. I hate that I know this. I should not have to know this."
Eddie laughs, absolutely thrilled that this is a real thing that exists. Maybe he can get down with football.
Eddie Munson's Guide to Demons, Hellhounds, and Other Minions of Satan
@steddiebbang project #013
Time to reveal my project for the 2026 Steddie Big Bang! Excited to work with tombfiends and @drwhoisginnyholmes this year, it's gonna be a blast.
Rating: M
Estimated Word Count: 10-15k
Relationships: Steve/Eddie, Steve & his parents, Eddie & Steve's parents, Eddie & the CC Boys, Steve & Dustin
Characters: Dan [Mr.] Harrington, Olivia [Mrs.] Harrington, the CC Boys, Dustin Henderson, Robin Buckley
Tags: Humor, Misunderstandings, Steve Harrington Has Good Parents, Catholic Wayne, D'art Lives, 'Demon' Steve Harrington, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Eddie Munson is Oblivious and Bisexual, Bisexual Steve, Steve is Eddie's Bisexual Awakening, Aftermath of Starcourt, S5 Doesn't Happen Don't Worry About It, Minor Canon Divergence from S2 Onwards
Summary:
After El closes the inter-dimensional gate to the Upside Down in November 1984, D'art doesn't perish thanks to the protective powers of sugar. He goes on to form a bond with his new 'pack' of humans and continues to evolve in unexpected ways. The demodog eventually comes under the primary ownership of Steve Harrington. Steve, recovering from his severe concussion and without sports to keep him occupied, is still in search of a friend who isn't thirteen years old.
Enter Eddie Munson. Eddie's second senior year is supposed to be devoted to important things like figuring out how to break the spirits of the newest members of Hellfire with a diabolical 50-foot tall goose-dragon, or passing Kaminsky's next test for once. But that's before he comes across the fallen king of Hawkins High and his pet hellhound. And what is Eddie supposed to do with the information that Steve Harrington is apparently a demon in disguise besides figure out what the guy's diabolical intentions in the middle of nowhere Indiana are? He clearly has no choice but to undergo an undercover mission and befriend Steve, all while resisting his hellish charms as the two of them grow closer.
or:
Four times Eddie Munson is convinced Steve Harrington has to be a demon, and one time he finds out the much weirder truth
Enjoy a snippet below the cut!
February 1985
Two albums (filled with music that Eddie would never admit to finding catchy) later, Steve finally got up to use the bathroom.
Eddie sprung up and put his totally not all that ill-conceived plan into action, pulling out his canteen filled with the finest and holiest of waters Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy had to offer. Or more accurately, the finest water Eddie could pilfer while Wayne was busy talking to the priest outside, but that was fine. This was in service to ensuring the devil couldn't walk among them at full power!
Steve had left his glass of water sitting there completely defenseless and half-full on his desk, so Eddie gulped it down as fast as he could and replaced it with his contraband H₂O. Surely this would prove his theories correct at last. Worst case Steve's human shell would melt off and he'd head back to hell for a little unexpected leave time.
When he returned, Steve took a sip and…nothing happened. He smacked his lips a couple times, scratched his stomach, then went right back to his spot at the top of the bed without a care in the world.
Goddammit!
You know, now that Eddie thought about it, maybe the anti-evil properties of holy water were lost when one committed a sin to obtain it. Perhaps it had to be freely distributed to the masses during Mass. Plus, Wayne had been thrilled he'd wanted to go on Sunday for once. The power of a disappointed father figure could really mess with the aura given off by the…water. And Jesus. Or something.
Regardless of any higher authority's opinion on the subject, Eddie was back to square one once again.
Here is my Art piece for the @sthbigbang 2026, for the fic "Running on a False Start" by the lovely @goodbye-susan!
Her fanfic is so nice and well paced, I also loved how she portrayed each character of the Heroes Team. Especially Amy and Tails, they're my favorites and the ones I noticed more. But also Eggman and Metal were spot on. Also, in the end, it is just a nice story about how a good talk can help a friend in need (looking at Sonic 👀)
I did my best to make a mock comic cover in the style of IDW, I hope I have done a good work!
If you want to see another art for this fic specifically, Chek out @pretzlforpresident
(Under the see more is a version without the title!)
Project Announcement for the 2026 @steddiebbang | Team #021
Artist: @lyphyshard | Beta: @jordyn-undead
🪦🪦🪦
When Andy and his friends beat up Dustin and practically sacrificed Jake the Snake over Eddie’s grave, the consequences are deadly. Eddie returns to Hawkins, and Steve, as a Zombie. In love and hungry for brains.
But not Steve’s…
One by one, Eddie stalks, and kills, each boy that decided to screw with his friends. Eats their brains and is slowly regenerated, including the milky dead eyes that gave away what kind of creature Eddie had turned into. Steve finds out later that Eddie didn’t just come back because of the sacrifice. He came back for Steve. Steve eventually runs away with him and buys a trailer to keep Eddie safe.
🪦🪦🪦
Steve jumped back when he spotted the dark shape in the middle of his pool, floating and almost hair-like before the flood lights went off again, making Steve curse. He just turned them on from the switch near the door and swallowed his nerves. Whatever it was, it wasn’t moving, so Steve chanced it.
He slowly and cautiously opened the sliding door, stepped out onto the concrete of the back patio, and inched towards the pool with his bat held high. Gripped tightly in both hands. When he reached the edge, he gasped before dropping the bat. There was someone at the bottom and his lifeguard training suddenly jumped into gear as he plunged into his pool to grab whoever it was, hoping he wasn’t too late.
He circled their body with his arms before pushing off the bottom of the pool so Steve could surface them both. He swam them over to the ladder, using every bit of strength he had left to haul the person out with one arm. He struggled for a second on the last metal rung before he finally yanked them out and onto their back.
When Steve could get a good look at whoever it was, he yelped high and loud to echo through the trees. The long shaggy hair that was drenched and laying on the pavement like some wet creature of its own. The metal band shirt that Uncle Wayne swore up and down was the only thing his nephew should wear for his final rest. The hands still adorned with those silver chunky rings that Steve would never be able to forget as they clutched his jacket and a broken bottle.
“Eddie?! EDDIE?!” Steve yelled out before he was panicking. He backed up before falling on his ass, staring at his friend who was supposed to be dead, and looking at Steve through milky white eyes.
Eddie grinned his signature smirk but Steve didn’t return the gesture. The brunette was horrified and shocked, almost frozen in place and holding his breath out of fear. How could Eddie be here if he was supposed to be dead?
“Breathe, big boy,” Eddie said in a soft but strained voice, knowing how this must look. “Don’t be scared.”
We’re currently about to open our third and last round of Beta Claims, and we’re opening this round for people who haven’t previously signed up for the bang but still want to participate.
We still have some amazing projects left unclaimed by betas and would love to have everyone paired up by the end of our third round.
A friendly reminder that there’s no previous requirement to join as a Beta, even if you haven’t done that kind of work before.
If you are interested in joining us this year, please fill out this form, and a mod will be in touch with you.
The third round in Beta Claims will happen May 24th, 12pm - 6pm PDT.
Super exited to bring my project #32 @steddiebbang fic for 2026 from it's super secret potting shed.
In true me style I'm drawing inspiration from a childhood favourite, the wonderful 1986 musical extravaganza The Little Shop of Horrors.
The lovely @al-at-once picked my idea to create art for and wants to help it grow and I can't wait to see what they do with it!
And I get to work with the amazing @artsadvocatetrashcan again as my poor unsuspecting lab experiment / beta... i promised i wasn't going to write 180k words on this one and they better make sure I don't!
🪴 🌱 🌿 🌾 🌵 🏵 🪴 🌱 🌿 🌾 🌵 🏵 🪴 🌱 🌿
Get a teaser below the cut !
On the twenty-third day of September, in an early year of a decade not too long before our own, the human race suddenly encountered a deadly threat to its very existence... This terrifying enemy surfaced,as such enemies often do, in the seemingly most innocent and unlikely of places.
A dying suburb on the edge of the big city. Hawkins was not the thriving metropolis it had once been.
The money upped and left years before, leaving little behind in its rush to kick up dust and go. The shadow of wealth still clung to the buildings, looming structures that once held finery and grandeur now housed thrift stores and discount wear houses. Laundromats and repair shops filled the spaces where coffee shops and bakeries had used to fill the street with sweetness and life.
Eddie Munson lived here. In this suburb of the forgotten, the ones that couldn't or wouldn't escape, the ones who were left behind. But he dreamed big.
He wanted to get out; he wanted to escape the shit hand that the world had dealt him. Eddie had come to the city looking for his big break, and he stayed because going back to his Uncle Wayne out in the boons would mean admitting he had failed.
He was alone. The rest of his band had called it a day, and now he lived in the tiny one-room apartment below the flower shop that had offered him work because he knew how to use a hose and could tell a weed from a rhododendron.
He didn't know much, but he knew plants, and that had saved him from returning to bumfuck nowhere with his tail between his legs.
Creel Flower Shop was exactly what you would expect from a plant shop in a built-up city suburb where most people only had a window box, or if they were lucky, a balcony to grow. Nothing new or exciting sat on the shelves; no, this was not a place for that, as much as Eddie would like to put his self-taught talents to better use.
Mostly, the owner, Henry Creel, left him to his own devices, and he filled his days with pottering around the shop, filling orders for the contract clients. The only thing that kept the shops' heads above water was that the Henderson's at the funeral home kept them in business. And when he wasn't fashioning wreaths for the dearly departed, the proximity to the subway meant occasional businessmen passing through from whatever whore house they had frequented, buying a bunch of perfectly cut roses to appease some of their guilt when they got home.
Eddie had a lot of time to think and curate his own little slice of paradise up on the roof.
You wouldn't think it if you were looking at him. The ripped jeans, the tattoos, the long hair, and the rings didn't exactly scream green fingers. But Eddie loved plants, the weirder the better.
Vriesea, Flaming swords, and Hemerocallis grew side by side, blooming under his careful care. He filled his spare time hunting for something new, something exciting, something that would make him famous. Eddie Munson, botanist to the president. Admittedly, it wasn't as cool as metal god. But at least he wouldn't have to rely on anyone else for his success.
On this day, it was a day just like any other.
Until it wasn't.
Eddie often bought plants from other local vendors, people who also liked the strange and unusual. Bauman Botanics and Exotic Goods sold everything from houseplants to bootlegged Russian vodka; the inventory varied depending on how much the owner, Murray, liked you, or how much, and what you could do for him in return.
Eddie had several exotic plants that he would never have seen in real life if it weren't for Murray's eccentric nature. So he didn't even bat an eyelid when the man in question flounced out of his shop, adorned in bright blue underpants and a housecoat looking like a bargain basement pimp.
He greeted Eddie by gesturing towards the table along the storefront. Showing off his new saplings, fully grown succulents, and sweeping vines that Eddie inspected with curiosity, even if he was not looking to buy.
Out of the stock before him, Eddie already had cuttings and mature plants in his collection, so nothing had caught his eye. Nothing piqued his interest, not even the creeping vine that seemed determined to snuff out the death's head clematis that bordered the shop door.
He was just about to say as much when the bright sunshine around them suddenly faded, darkness fell, and the street became quiet and subdued.
A total eclipse of the sun.
It lasted a second, if that, and Murray looked just as confused as Eddie felt. Nobody had mentioned they were due for a solar eclipse, yet there was no mistaking the astrological phenomenon currently taking place.
And just like that…
It was over. And when Eddie turned to ask Murray if he had any idea what that was all about, he noticed it.
A plant unlike anything he had seen before, nestling into a coffee can and leaning towards the returning sun.
Eddie reached to grab it, sure that the plant trembling was entirely in his mind.
It didn’t look like any of Murray's other plants, but he sold it to him anyway.
