Steddie Drabble, TW: child abuse.
Initially, Wayne doesn’t care for Steve. Calls him “the Harrington boy” or “Richard’s son” with contempt, asks if “Richard’s son” is coming over for dinner again and Eddie just rolls his eyes and says “yes, Wayne, STEVE is coming over at 7.” Wayne doesn’t like him because…well, he’s not stupid to judge a book by its cover, he thinks.
But the fifth time Harrington comes over, he brings a bouquet of flowers, and Eddie, well, his cheeks are redder than the spaghetti sauce Wayne’s been stirring, so that’s something.
And then the sixth time Steve comes over, he brings Wayne a Garfield magnet. It’s small, “found it at the thrifty mart with Robin, I’m sorry it’s not brand new…” Steve mumbles, and Eddie is wide eyed and smiling, and Wayne LOVES Garfield. He puts it on the fridge, pats Steve on the back, says “um, thank you son.”
They fall into a pattern, the three of them. Steve comes over for dinner every Friday night after work. He dresses clean and is polite to Wayne, helps with the dishes, sometimes brings bread rolls or licorice or beer or jokes. Eddie starts setting the table. Wayne starts laughing at the jokes. After Steve leaves, Wayne knows Eddie smiles himself to sleep. It’s different, now.
And then the next time Steve is supposed to come over for dinner, he doesn’t show. Eddie had been making macaroni and cheese all evening, grating the cheese carefully as he bopped his head to some metal song, cheerful, and then it was 7 and then it was 8 and then Wayne thought “maybe call him, Ed.”
Nobody answers. When they call again, nobody answers. And Wayne has a bad feeling about it.
It isn’t until almost 11, dinner cold and Eddie pacing, about to radio someone named Robin when Steve’s car pulls up, they know the lights so well. They run outside to greet him and Eddie freezes when Steve starts falling out of the drivers seat, face dark and pained. Wayne jumps into action. Wayne catches Steve and hauls him into the trailer, his living room, and oh god, he’s covered in bruises like he was put through Eddie’s cheese grater, and oh god, Eddie’s broken out into tears behind him.
Steve’s left eye is swollen shut, and his face is purple and bloody. His lip is split and his hair is wild, his shirt is torn, and Wayne wonders what’s underneath the shirt as he gets the first aid kit, wonders how the hell he thought Steven was anything other than an angel.
Eddie gets a dish towel wet in the kitchen and cleans Steve’s face, quiet and crying, and Wayne sets the first aid kit down next to Eddie and makes some coffee. He thinks about talking, doesn’t. Touches the Garfield magnet for good luck. He feels like maybe Steve needs it.
Steve who is holding Eddie’s wrist as he cleans him up, wincing and crying from his good eye. Finally, after a silence that gives Wayne heartburn, Eddie sits back on his heels and says whisper quiet, “your dad?”
Steve gulps, blinks. “My uh, my dad. I was writing you uh, uh a love note.” Eddie looks over at Wayne. Wayne wipes his brow. “But uh, he found it, and your name’s not uh, Edith” Steve lets out a chuff, winces again. “So he asked what was going on, and I told him. I told him. And then he said I had one minute to take it back or he’d make me take it back.” Eddie lets out a small gasp, more like a howl, and sits completely on the floor. Wayne sits down at the table, cold mac and cheese looking like a sick joke. And he’s so mad. Wayne is so, so mad, seeing this young man who so obviously loves his pride and joy, shares in his pride and joy, who brings him apples to make apple pie, he growls out
“Don’t you worry about a thing, Steven, not one thing. You stay here long as you like, hell, don’t leave. We got you, boy.”
And that’s that. Steve crumples in on himself, and Eddie pulls him into a big hug, just holds him, rocks him, coos “a love note, huh, sweetheart? For me?” And Steve nods until he nods off.
The next morning, while Robin takes care of Steve, Wayne and Eddie break into Steve’s room, clear out everything he owns, and slash his dad’s tires. That was Wayne’s idea - the least he could do for a loved one.
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Hate that trope in fiction which is like “omg u guys were in a romantic relationship this whole time and just didn’t realise it haha friends don’t act like that w each other!!! ur sooo oblivious 🙄” like no.
If they didn’t label their relationship as romantic it is not a romantic relationship. ppl not involved in the relationship don’t get to determine the nature of a relationship for the people involved in it.
-> “they’re living together” ok? people have roommates?
-> “they have a pet/are raising a child together” yeah co-parenting exists?? plenty of ppl raise children who aren’t romantically involved
-> “they hold hands” so do friends and family :/ what’s ur point
-> “they have sex” friends w benefits exist buddy
None of these actions are inherently romantic. there is no action that is inherently “romantic” - that is only determined by the intent behind the action, not the action itself; nothing is romantic unless you want it to be
Also qprs exist. plenty of qpps do things that could be traditionally labelled “romantic” with no romantic intention behind them, like co-parenting children and living together. plenty of qpps “look” like romantic relationships from the outside even though the ppl involved in the qpr would not label it as such!
I’m not saying that this trope can’t be done well or that ppl can’t realise they have latent romantic feelings for each other once they’ve settled into a domestic routine . however. i think often it reinforces the idea that all relationships have to follow certain rules/appear a certain way or they’re not really valid. trying to force a label onto someone else’s relationship bc it “looks” like what u think a certain relationship type should look like is dumb - there is no one way for a romantic relationship/friendship/qpr to look!
tldr; u can’t label other ppls relationships for them and trying to force a label onto them when they haven’t put that label onto themselves is annoying and obnoxious
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I really wanna write like the most delusional ot8 x fangirl!reader and like I have some ideas but nothing really concrete or solid to build a plot around. I was also thinking of writing it for nanowrimo and see how far I can get before posting it.
but my head is soooooooooooooooo empty. idk any ideas guys? (of course I wouldn't stop w/ my current fics but i'm nothing but a procrastinator and loooooove starting new things and watching my stuff collect dust)
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something about joel violently yanking his hand away from ellie in episode 2, and yet briefly lingering on it. the man who was repulsed by her when she was near him, despite those fatherly instincts to go to her in the museum to try and walk her away from the clicker and him running up to her when she found the skeleton in the hotel. how he was trying to keep his distance from her, especially physically, because he can’t get attached.
something about injured him at her care and protection, holding her hand right back as tight as he can because she stayed for him. she stayed for him. after being shoved away and told to go and to leave him to die, she finds them hope and runs right back down, holding his hand and telling him we’re going to be okay. how she runs right back to the man who she now loves the most in the world to save him. to stay together despite his best efforts to push her away and tell her to get to safety so she doesn’t have to experience his death. how she’s willing to stick with him and the little hope they have to get out of this. We stick together.
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