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kennahjune · 3 months

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Jealous?

Thanks so much to the amazing @rogueddie for letting me write this!!!! Hope it lives to standards :)

Eddie had a problem.

A Steve Harrington sized problem.

Said problem was standing behind the counter at Family Video while the woman in front of him blatantly flirted with him.

It wasn’t the woman Eddie was worried about— she had at least five years of age on Steve, so maybe there was cause for concern— but Steve wasn’t paying her the time of day.

Instead, he was glancing over the woman’s shoulder at Eddie, who lurked in the aisles, and kept making faces and blabbling his mouth mockingly whenever she wasn’t paying attention.

Eddie was desperately holding back snickers and snorts. He couldn’t help but let a giggle escape when Steve moved his hand in a “blabbing” motion when she said something about her ex-husband (HUSBAND) again. The woman whipped around and glared at Eddie. Eddie gave her a finger waggle wave he realized belatedly was the same one Steve does.

Steve himself was almost beet red in the face with his effort to hold in his laugh. Eddie was amazed at how long he’d lasted.

The moment the door closed behind her Steve put his face in his arms on the counter and full on cackled. Eddie was quick to join.

They were still laughing when Robin came back from the bathroom.

“Is she gone?” she asked, looking oddly between the two of them.

Steve nodded, not having enough breath to get words out. Robin sighed a dramatic breath of relief.

“Oh thank God. Cause she looked one second away from bringing up some stupid shit like her failed marriage—“

That sent Steve and Eddie into another spiral of laughs.

“There’s no way she actually did.” Robin deadpanned.

Eddie nodded vigorously. “She fucking did!”

“Four times! As if bringing up how she was newly-single would make me want her. Did she look in a mirror before leaving? She’s closer to my dads age.”

Eddie snorted, trying to get his laughter under control enough to say “Even man-whore Richard Harrington wouldn’t go within a 20 foot radius of her.”

Steve didn’t waste a second before racking on: “Doesn’t need to get too close with how far back that hairline stretches.”

Robin and Eddie laughed themselves to tears.

And that was how it went.

A woman would come into the video store, shoot their shot with Steve, and Steve would laugh about it with Robin and Eddie later.

And it was fun. Eddie found it fun. Cause he knew Steve would always shoot the girls down, however nice or rudely he has to be about it.

Until—

Until.

It was a Friday, and as per usual on Fridays, Eddie was at Steve’s. Of course, it wasn’t just him— Robin, Nancy, Jonathan and Argyle were there as well.

They’d been hanging out whenever they all could before Nancy and Jonathan went to college and Argyle back to Cali. Hence the Friday night hang outs.

Tonight was no different, except for one thing.

“So explain to me once again why we have to drive all the way out to Indy for this?” Jonathan complained.

Nancy sighed and leant into him. “Cause there aren’t any good bars in Hawkins. And everywhere in Hawkins knows that almost none of us are of legal age.”

Jonathan grumbled but conceded, Wheeler had a point.

“Besides,” added Robin. “It’d be nice to finally get the hell out and see some new people.”

“Amen.” Agreed Eddie and Argyle at the same time. They both chuckled.

“Yeah well, I’d like to go soon before my social battery drains itself dead.” Remarked Jonathan, throwing an arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders.

“We’d have left already if SOMEBODY DIDN’T HAVE TO SPEND HALF AN HOUR PRIMPING HIMSELF!” Yelled Robin towards the stairs.

Steve had been MIA since Eddie got there at least 20 minutes ago. According to Robin he was still getting ready.

“PUT A LID ON IT BIRD-FOR-BRAINS, IM COMING!” Was the reply she got from the top of the stairs, where Steve was now coming from.

Nancy and Argyle snorted at the insult, but Eddie’s mind was rather taken up by the cut-off jean shorts Steve wore that showed more of his thighs than Eddie thought necessary for anyone’s functioning brain. He was also wearing what looked like the softest sweater he owned; a dark purple one that seriously brought out the green in his eyes.

Nancy whistled, Robin clapped. Argyle grinned at Steve and said

“Hey man! That’s the sweater I got you!”

Steve grinned right back and nodded. “Uh huh! Dude it’s like— SO fucking comfy you don’t even understand.”

The sweater was a little big on Steve, hanging over his thumbs a bit in the sleeves and landing just below the waistline of his shorts. If Eddie wasn’t so focused on the many moles on his thighs that were on display, the fact that Argyle had gotten Steve a sweater may have rubbed him the wrong way.

As it stood, Steve looked good.

He looked stunning, actually, in his glasses and his hair slightly ruffled in a delicate manner and his eyes wide and bright and—

“Eddie!”

He blinked and Steve was standing in front of him, no one else in the room.

“Huh?”

Steve grinned giddily and laughed at him. “C’mon dude, you’re my ride up, remember?”

Oh yeah. They’d split everyone between his and Argyles vans.

“Isn’t Buckley with us?” Eddie asked as he grabbed his keys and headed out the door.

“Yeah, but I think she’s sticking with Jon and them on the way up.”

Eddie nodded and averted his gaze once more. There was a reason he’d skipped gym and avoided the mall.

That reason was glaring at him with all of its dotted moles and freckles and faint scars.

Jesus Christ he needed a cigarette.

The ride up was uneventful, peaceful even. Eddie let Steve have control over the radio, something Steve thought was normal but was downright foreign to anyone else. Eddie usually fought tooth and nail for control over the music but the sight of Steve singing and drumming his legs (holy shit his thighs jiggled—) and jamming out with a bright smile to whatever Tears for Fears or ABBA song he put on was worth it.

He followed behind Argyle and reluctantly sang under his breath with Steve to Head Over Heels.

The club they ended up going to was a little deeper into the city than they’d initially thought, and was slightly crowded when they got in.

Eddie was immediately hit with the smell of sweat and booze but not in an entirely bad way. In a way that told him that people here had fun.

It was bright and loud and the air tasted like fries (though Eddie might just be hungry). They took an empty table booth in a corner in the back.

After dropping their jackets off and everyone picking a seat, Steve got up to get everyone drinks.

“You want me to come with?” Eddie asked worriedly. It was Steve’s first time in Indy in a while and his first time out of Hawkins since the fall of Vecna. Sue Eddie for being cautious.

But Steve smiled sweetly at him and shook his head. “I’ll be alright, Eds. Be right back.” He knocked his knuckles on Eddie’s head affectionately and walked off. Eddie may have spent a second ogling before snapping his gaze to the table.

“So?”

Eddie looked at Nancy with a raised eyebrow. She raised one right back.

“Soooo…?”

She sighed. “Oh you’re hopeless.”

Jonathan snickered.

“Wha—“

“Are you gonna make a move tonight?” Argyle elaborated.

Eddie shot up real fast. “Make a move? On who, Steve?”

“Yea, on Steve, doofus!” Robin reprimanded.

“There’s no board to make a move on.” Eddie pushed stubbornly. Because it was true. There was nothing there.

Robin groaned and dropped her head to the table.

“Dude, relax your knee. It’s shaking the whole table.” Jonathan tapped Eddie’s leg under the booth.

“Sorry, sorry. He’s been gone a while, right?” Eddie craned his head to look around the bodies of people dancing.

Robin huffed. “Yeah, kinda. But there are six of us, maybe he’s having trouble carrying all the drinks.”

Nancy suddenly kicked his leg under the table, a lot harder than her boyfriend had earlier. Eddie winced.

“Go help him.” Nancy all but demanded.

Eddie was up and away in a second, happy to have an excuse. He faintly heard Nancy and Robin high five behind him.

He weaved through the dancing crowd, bodies jostling him and pushing him forward until he got to the bar and finally spotted Steve and—

And?

Something bubbled low in Eddie’s gut at the man standing in front of Steve. He was taller than both Steve and Eddie, well-built and had a bit of a beard going. He was leaning on the bar next to Steve, sort of caging him in. The scene made Eddie mad for reasons he didn’t give himself time to think about before he inserting himself.

“Steve!”

Both Steve and the asshole’s heads turned to Eddie. Steve’s eyes lit up in recognition and relief while the man’s narrowed in anger at being interrupted.

“You know him, doll?”

Eddie wanted to make the man spit his own teeth out. Nobody else got to call Steve pet names. Just Eddie. It was an Eddie Thing, not an Everybody Thing. Fuck this guy.

“Yeah—“ Steve started.

“Yeah, he does. And yet I don’t think he knows you.”

Eddie stood shoulder to shoulder with Steve, glaring daggers at the douche.

The man scoffed and huffed, walking away and muttering under his breath. Eddie scowled until he could see the guy and his stupid beard. He finally turned to Steve.

Who was absolutely red in the face.

“You alright, sweetheart?” Eddie asked worriedly. “He wasn’t bothering you right? He seemed like a dick, looked like one even before I got up close.”

Steve stared at Eddie wide-eyed with his pretty lips parted. He blinked and spluttered a response.

“U—um, yeah! Yeah, no, I’m— I’m good. I’m alright. I’m great! Yep, great! Uh—“

“Are you sure?” Eddie was concerned, never having heard Steve stumble over a simple sentence so much.

Steve nodded vigorously before turning to the bar snappily. Eddie could still see the red painting his ears.

“Yep! Perfect! Could you help with the drinks? I don’t think I can carry them all, thanks!” And he was off back to the table.

Eddie stared after him for a moment before slowly grabbing the other three drinks and following back through the sea of bodies.

Steve was sat by the time Eddie got back to the booth, whispering heatedly with Robin, Eddie only managing to hear Steve hiss to her “that wouldn’t work!” before noticing his presence and shutting up all together.

Eddie raised an eyebrow but let it slide while he gave Nancy and Jon their drinks. He slid into the booth next to Steve who sat between him and Robin and across from Jonathan.

For the next 10 minutes, they all talked. They talked and laughed and joked and drank. But Steve seemed more in his head than usual.

Eddie was just working up the courage to ask him what was wrong when a guy came up to their table, eyeing Steve. Eddie immediately tensed.

“Hi.”

All six heads turned to the dude who just showed up. But that didn’t deter him much.

“I was just wondering if pretty boy here wanted to dance?” He smirked at Steve, who Eddie felt tense up beside him.

“Um—“ Steve’s voice was kind of shaky, barely. But it was enough (mixed with the anger already brewing in his gut at the NERVE of this guy) for Eddie to finally step in.

“He’s alright.”

Six heads suddenly turned on him.

“Excuse me?” The asshole asked.

“You’re excused.” Eddie waved his hand in a shooing motion.

“Well I hadn’t exactly—“

“And I hadn’t exactly /asked/, now have I? Goodbye.” Eddie didn’t even bother offering a smile to hide the aggression in his tone. His message was clear: Get Lost.

The douche walked away grumbling and conversation soon resumed at the table.

“What was that!?” Jonathan asked incredulously.

Nancy and Argyle were both openly staring at Eddie in bewilderment.

Eddie shifted, but was more focused on the fact that Steve seemed to relax again.

“The dude was being an asshole. Just told him to get lost, not a big deal.”

“He was just asking Steve to dance? I don’t see the problem there.” Robin cut in.

It gave Eddie pause for thinking. She was right; there really was no problem there, so why had he been so upset about the dude asking Steve to dance. God just the thought of it left a bad taste in his mouth.

“It’s fine, Rob. I was just gonna tell him no anyway.”

Eddie looked at Steve then, who was a whole new shade of red.

“Are you alright? You’re all red again.” Eddie worried. Jonathan snorted into his drink and then winced when Steve kicked him under the table. Steve looked at Eddie.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit overwhelmed in the tight space I think. You wanna— uh— you wanna go dance?”

Eddie didn’t waste a second with his answer. “Sure.”

Eddie watched Steve and Robin have a silent conversation with their eyes and expressions before Robin grinned in victory and waved at them eagerly.

“Buh-bye! Have fun!” She sing-songed. Steve shot her a glare.

Eddie led Steve to the dance floor somewhere towards the edge of the crowd where there was less people. They really just stood there talking and sipping on their drinks while everyone around them danced.

“Hey, uh— thanks for telling him to back off. I’ve, I’ve never actually… been flirted with? By a guy, I mean— this is like— a brand new thing. But he and the other dude seemed just really creepy so— uh, thanks.” Steve stumbled through.

Eddie stared at his wide, earnest eyes and wondered how no guy had ever flirted with Steve before tonight. Even if the idea of it ever happening made him want to hurt somebody.

(Even though Eddie knows that guys have flirted with Steve before. Knows that he didn’t just make up those looks Tommy Hagan and Billy Hargrove gave him.)

So Eddie smiled and shook his head. “You’re all good, sweetheart. Just don’t want you running into the wrong guys.”

That pretty blush was back again, making Steve look even more breathtaking under the florescent lights and making his smile twice as bright.

Then they were rudely interrupted.

“Hey, babyboy.” Came an obnoxious call from behind Eddie. The guy was, again, taller that Steve, but this time he was barely taller than Eddie (a/n lemme live in slightly shorter Steve fantasy ok—). Eddie immediately hated him and his entire existence. Who just called people that? Babyboy? Was he serious or delusional?

Eddie watched Steve’s shoulders tense awkwardly while the guy spoke. His anger only grew and grew.

“Alright that’s enough dude, he’s not interested.”

The guy didn’t say anything to Eddie but kept talking to Steve which only served to irk Eddie further.

“I said he’s not interested ass face.” Eddie grabbed the guy’s shoulder. He finally looked at Eddie, seeming bored.

“He hasn’t said anything? Why not let the babydoll decide, huh?” He smirked at Steve. Eddie wanted to puke and scream at the same time. He felt like he was chewing on nails listening to this guy. Babydoll? First babyboy and now BABYDOLL??? Who the fuck was this dude? And more importantly would the possible assault charges be worth it?

“Um— yeah, I’m sorry. I’m not really interested in looking for anybody tonight.” Steve confirmed.

“Oh c’mon, doll face, don’t be like that.”

Oh the assault charges would so be worth it.

“He just said he wasn’t interested so fuck off.” Eddie shoved his shoulder. The dude finally turned to look at Eddie, leveling him with a glare that Eddie happily returned tenfold. If looks could kill the guy would have been fucking obliterated on sight.

“If he wasn’t interested then why’s he dressed like that, huh?”

Jail was looking mighty fine to Eddie.

“I’m right fucking here, asshat.” Steve spoke up. “And Im dressed like this because I look good and I know it. Not for fucks like you who have to beg for scraps to get by. I said I wasn’t interested and you’re just causing more of a headache if anything.”

Eddie grinned at Steve. It was so hot when he got all bitchy.

The asshole scoffed. “Oh so baby’s got a mouth on him.”

Eddie finally snapped, those assault charges no where in mind when he punched the guy in the face.

“Eddie!” Steve yelled, absolutely flabbergasted at the sudden violence.

The guy left after that with a threat of harassment charges. Steve took Eddie outside to the alleyway on the side of the club to get away from the crowd and to better examine his freshly bruised knuckles.

“You didn’t have to punch him.”

“He fucking had it coming.” Eddie spat through clenched teeth. He was still seething. And Steve was prodding at the bruises but that was neither here nor there.

Steve looked at Eddie, still holding his bruised hand. His eyes were wide as always and his cheeks flushed once more. His eyes seemed to search Eddie for something.

“Was it cause he was an ass?”

Eddie scoffed. “Of course! He was an ass and made you uncomfortable and—“

And I wanted to be the one to call you baby.

“And?” Steve prompted.

“And… and I hated how he talked to you.”

Steve looked down at Eddie hand, the blush rising to ears again. Eddie hooked a finger under Steve’s chin with the hand that wasn’t bruised and being held.

“Hey, you alright? You’re getting all quiet again.”

Steve’s eyes flitted back and forth between Eddie’s own before he sighed.

“Eddie.. I can’t— I don’t understand.”

Eddie pouted, confused. “Don’t understand what? There’s not much to it, honey.”

Steve cheeks pinkened again with the endearment. “Not— not that. I get that he was a dick— a massive dick attitude to make up for what he was surely lacking—“

That startled a laugh out of Eddie.

“—but I guess I don’t understand the other times? You were never like this before when anyone else flirted, so what changed tonight?”

And wasn’t that a thought.

What changed?

Well for starters, he wanted to kiss Steve. He wanted to kiss Steve senseless, shove him up against a wall and stick his tongue down his throat until he was breathless an begging for it.

So that’s changed.

But he also wanted to hug Steve and hold him right and call him things like Sweetheart and Honey and Love and Baby (which he already does anyway for the most part). He wanted to take Steve places and show him things. Wanted to give Steve every pretty rock he found and show him every cool leaf he saw.

What changed was that he wanted Steve in every which way Steve would let him have him.

But of course, Eddie didn’t express these aloud.

“Eddie…” Steve stared wide-eyed with his mouth opened in shock, his face a violent shade of red.

Or maybe he did express them aloud.

He’d drank more than he thought.

And then Steve was kissing him. Steve was pulling him in by the hand he was holding and pressing their lips together in a kiss that Eddie would never forget, not matter how much he’d drank that night.

They let go of each others hands, Eddie immediately grabbing Steve’s waist and Steve tangling his hands in Eddie hair.

By the time they’d pulled away to breathe Eddie bad fulfilled his wish of shoving Steve against a wall and sticking his tongue down his throat.

“So you were jealous?” Steve teased, playing with Eddie hair where his arms were still wrapped around his neck.

Eddie grumbled under his breath and kissed Steve to shut him up. Steve hummed and smiled into the kiss.

“Kissing me into going to make me drop it, Munson. You were totally jealous of those guys in there.”

Eddie huffed and stooped lower to kiss at Steve neck, gaining an immediate reaction with Steve’s stuttered breath and sudden silence. Eddie chuckled.

“Oh? I thought kissing you wasn’t going to make you drop it.”

Steve hit his shoulder weakly. “Shut it, asshole— mm!” Eddie bit down lightly on the side of his neck.

Then the door to the alley was opening and Robin was telling them to get their horny asses home before thy got arrested for public indecency.

So they agreed to pick up at home. And the whole ride there was filled with relentless teasing about Eddie’s apparent jealousy towards any guy who so much as looked at Steve oddly.

It’s rushed I know but it’s like 2am on a school night 😭 and I’m not upset with the results. Could it be better? Yeah. Could it be worse? Absolutely. It’s not my finest work but oh well 🤷

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strangersteddierthings · 1 year

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Porcelain Steve - Part 4

Part One🦇Part Two🦇Part Three🦇Part Four🦇Part Five🦇Part Six🦇Part Seven🦇Part Eight🦇Part Nine

"I don't think this is a good idea," Nancy says, a week later, as she takes a step back. She doesn't seem aware of the physical distance she's added between herself and Robin, but more importantly, herself and Steve in Robin's outstretched arm.

Robin frowns, pulling Steve back towards her body, eyes flicking to meet with Eddie's where he's been hovering awkwardly off to the side, feeling so very out of place. He was going to stay in the van, but when they arrived Robin had raised an eyebrow and said 'aren't you coming?' So, he'd climbed out and followed her into the Wheeler's living room, where he is now.

"What?" Robin asks.

Nancy crosses her arms and looks off to the side. "We shouldn't pass the doll around like this. The more we move it, the bigger chance of someone breaking it."

"It?" seethes Robin, "Steve is not an it!"

"Shit, no, Robin I know that. I didn't mean to say that out loud," Nancy says, then her face screws up as she immediately regrets saying that. "I don't mean that, either. I just, this is. Difficult. For me."

Eddie can't help the scoff that leaves him at that. As if Nancy is the only one taking this harshly. If she knew how long Dustin had cried into his chest two days ago she'd probably have a bit more perspective. Eddie's come to realize she's a badass with a shotgun, a great strategist in dire situations, but when it comes to being a person with emotions and feelings? He's not sure Nancy learned how to do that.

That might be unfair of him to say because he didn't know Nancy before spring break of '86 and didn't really get to know her before she packed up and went to college. This is the first summer since then, so still not a whole lot of 'hanging out and getting to know Nancy Wheeler time' has happened.

He did get to know Jonathan and Argyle, though. Got to hear about her past with Jonathan and Steve (Eddie feels a bit like an idiot for everything he said about Nancy to Steve during the worst week of his life, but he's used to being embarrassed by things he says and pretending he's not). So, he's heard about her steamrolling over people's emotions with her own logic and wants, though can concede it never seems to be intentional.

He tries to lower his hackles because Robin's already on the defensive and Eddie doesn't know Nancy. Just knows of her from people she's hurt, which is almost always a biased retelling anyway.

"Like it's not difficult for all of us?" Robin asks.

"No, that's not what I meant. Just- give me a moment!" Nancy whips around, so that neither Robin or Eddie can see her face. Her shoulders heave up and down like she's taking several deep breaths.

Eddie moves into Robin's space but hovers just beside her, unsure if she'd welcome a hand on her shoulder or not. She huffs out a sigh, as if able to read his mind, and the next thing he knows she's weaseling her way in between him and his own arm, using him as a leaning post like she might with Steve if he were, y'know, still a human and not a doll. He's not used to how touchy Robin is yet because she's only like this with Steve but he's getting there. He's not Robin's soulmate, and he's not trying to be, but he does want to be there for her while Steve can't.

"I'm surprised you're giving her space to think," Eddie whispers into the top of Robin's head.

"Yeah, well, Steve doesn't need to hear us arguing. It's like, all he hears lately."

He pats her arm with his hand since she's draped his arm across her shoulders.

Nancy finally turns around. "Can. Can we put Steve up in my room? I have to say some things that I'm not ready for him to hear yet."

"Oh." Robin says, before offering Steve out.

Nancy takes him, muttering a soft, "I'm sorry, Steve." before she disappears up the stairs.

"What's on your mind, Wheeler?" Eddie asks, breaking the silence that had settled uncomfortably since Nancy's return to the living room.

"I don't really think of Steve as an it. I don't. It's just- easier for me to think of the solution if I'm not thinking about how that's really Steve. I know that's Steve, that he's been transformed, but if I acknowledge that, think about it too much, I spiral. I've taken to just... thinking about some abstract magic doll instead of Steve. So, that was- it was an accident. I didn't mean to say it."

He feels Robin nodding her head, adjusting her stance as she crosses her arms.

Nancy continues, "I don't think Steve should spend time here. With Mike or I. We aren't- it's not going to be good for Steve. He's not going to feel welcomed or wanted here. Except maybe for with Holly, but she cannot know he's here. She'd try and play with him."

Eddie frowns. He understands that Mike isn't going to part of the Hang Out With Porcelain Steve rotation, because whatever beef they have can't be fixed while Steve's like this, and until it's fixed, that would just be torture for both of them. He's not sure why Nancy thinks she'd be just as bad, though, so he asks, "No Holly, no Mike. Why are you also a no?"

The look on Nancy's face is comical, a mix of indignation, sadness, and a bit of how can you seriously not already know the answer mixed. "Because I won't hang out with him. I can't be walking around my house with a porcelain doll that looks like my ex-boyfriend. He'll be left, probably face down, on my dresser, until someone else's turn comes around."

"You could put in the effort, you know. It's not going to kill you to pretend to care for a day," Robin says.

Nancy sucks in a sharp breath. "I do care! Just because I don't want to cuddle with Doll Steve and tell him all about my day doesn't mean I don't care. Just because I don't express my feelings and emotions the same way you do doesn't mean I don't have them."

"Ok, right, yeah, that was unfair of me," Robin concedes, "but what's the part you aren't saying? None of this sounds like something you had to lock Steve in your room for. It's understandable, and Steve wouldn't hold it against you, you know."

"I know! I do! That's why I can't. There's- Robin, you have to know. Steve and I aren't- we're still more like ex's than friends. It's... complicated. We're working on it, though, the being friends thing. But it's..."

"Complicated," Robin sighs, stepping away from Eddie now, halfway to Nancy before she stops walking, hands on her hips.

"That spring break, it fucked us all up, and the months that followed, but I was so- Steve and I were dancing around each other, and Jonathan and I were good, then not, on and then off and then on. And I-I led Steve on, because I would turn to him when Jonathan and I were fighting, or on a break, or whatever-" Nancy stops to take a breath.

Eddie feels something ugly rising in him, jealousy and anger. He doesn't have any right to be jealous. Steve and he are friends, and Steve's straight so it's not like Eddie ever even had a chance, but he's jealous anyway. That Nancy gets that kind of attention from Steve. That she can just keep pieces of Steve on a string, enjoying him when she wants and discarding him when she doesn't. Anger that she can just treat Steve like a yoyo and get away with it.

A little angry at Steve, too, for letting her do it.

"Did you and Steve have sex while you and Jonathan were together?" Robin seethes.

"No! No! There was one time, Jonathan and I were off-again and I tried- but no!" Nancy is pink in the face, and Eddie's surprised she even answers. It's not his or Robin's business if they did. He thinks she might only be answering honestly because it's Robin asking. "Steve said no. He told me he wasn't going to do that the Jonathan. Because he knew what it felt like to be on that side. And even now that Jonathan and I are done, moved on, Steve and I aren't- so it's complicated."

That's news to Eddie. He thought Nancy and Jonathan were still a couple. He's a little shocked to learn that Nancy is confirmed available and Steve didn't jump on the chance.

"Oh! I get it, now, why this is not a good idea," Robin says. Great that she knows, because Eddie still doesn't. "He said no, didn't he?"

Who said no to what?

Nancy's eyes snap to Robin. "What?"

"When you asked Steve to be your boyfriend again. He said no."

"He told you-?"

"No," Robin interrupts, "Steve would never, and you know that. I just know Steve, and the one thing he would never tell me about if it happened. That's why you don't want him here."

"You're in love with him!" Eddie blurts because he's also just figured it out and like Robin often does, has no brain to mouth filter.

Nancy looks to Eddie now, a small frown on her face. "Possibly. But it doesn't matter because I had my chance and it's over now. So, I can't have him here. Not while he's like this."

"I'll go get him," Robin says, leaving the living room.

"Eddie," Nancy locks eyes with him. The look on her face is pretty intense. "He told me no because he thought he was in love with someone else."

He blinks back at her. "Were you hoping he told me who? 'Cause he didn't. That's a question better left for Robin."

All he gets in response is an eye roll.

#steddie #platonic stobin #porcelain steve #i think steve and nancy could become friends again one day #but like... maybe in 1995 or something like that #after plenty of time has past #its rough to stay friends with an ex you were in love with #wheres the rest of the wheeler family you might ask #good question. out somewhere doing something #my fic

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atinylittlepain · 1 year

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Firehouse Harrington

firefighter!Steve Harrington x f!reader/f!oc

series masterlist

warnings | 18+ SMUT, wooh boy very much smut, angst, PTSD-like behavior, rough sex, slight dubcon in the beginning, seriously it's very much smut, ok???

a/n | this was inspired by a post I saw from @carolmunson about Mr. Harrington being a fireman, need I say more? Will definitely be writing for this man again.

For a long time, Steve felt like he wasn’t really great at anything. School never came easy to him, getting by with barely passing grades. Sure he was alright at sports in high school, but that faded fast. And King Steve? Well, that was all a facade. It seemed like everyone around him had some sort of talent. Nancy was a great writer. Jonathan, a great photographer. Robin was wicked smart. Eddie had the guitar. And Steve was just… Steve.

After Vecna was defeated, he felt listless, like he was just moving through life without any direction. He didn’t have the grades for college. He was stuck in a dead-end job. All his friends were moving on to bigger and better things, and he was watching grass grow in Hawkins. At least when the world was ending, he had a purpose.

But then, when Operation Desert Storm kicked off in 1990, Steve realized what he was great at. He enlisted that year, shipped straight to the gulf, because the one thing Steve knew he was great at was running towards danger and somehow figuring out how to handle it. It was the worst two years of his life, fighting a useless war that no one really understood. But it was there that he met some older men, vets who had reentered service. They told him that, when he got back to civilian life, the best job for a man with a taste for chaos would be at a fire station. And they were right.

Before he served, there was still a softness that Steve let show to the people he cared for, but something slid into place, steel plates over his heart. When he returned, he was harder, quieter. He moved to Indiannapolis, and while he was only twenty-six, he fit right in with the older men at one of the local fire stations. His days fell into simple rhythms. He smoked like a chimney, waiting for the alarm to blare so he could go into auto-pilot action. He never felt more at peace than when he was running into a burning building. It made him feel useful.

On his nights off, some of the other men at the station would usually drag him out to bars, more often strip clubs, always goading each other into trying to get laid. Steve hated it, usually getting himself so drunk he could only remember slivers of the night behind his throbbing headache the next morning. The men were downright predatory towards women, wolf-whistling and shouting from the open garage at anything with legs. Steve hated that too, but he joined in because another part of him really liked it, the false power he felt when he’d flash a smarmy grin at women passing by.

Today was no different. An uncharacteristically sweltering day towards the end of August. It was time for monthly maintenance on the trucks and Steve had been tasked with hosing them down. He was stripped down to just his white wife beater tucked into a pair of work pants, his dog tags sticking against the slightly damp skin of his chest. He heard one of the men let out a low whistle, whipping his head around in time to catch a glance of a pretty thing in a sweet little dress.

“Hey, sugar, you wanna come take a ride on a real fire truck?”

“Pretty girl, where you going so fast, come spend some time with me!”

The men continued lobbing borderline obscene phrases her way. Steve just chuckled, watching her stop, stricken by the men’s shouts. Her knuckles turned white around the strap of her bag.

“In your dreams, perverts. Go fuck yourselves.” The men howled at her retaliation. Usually the women didn’t stick around to give them a piece of their minds. She flipped them off and then kept walking. Steve couldn’t help but smile at her boldness. A brief interruption to the usual rhythm.

…

They got a call that night from the Indiana University Campus. A microwave had exploded in one of the dorm’s communal kitchens. The fire itself was not a big deal, but they had evacuated the entire building, a frantic crowd of teens to sift through outside. Steve and his team have been trying to figure out just how the microwave exploded in the first place, and it’s proving near impossible as they try to talk to hysterical co-eds. A freshman points him to that floor’s RA and Steve feels his stomach twist when he sees who she is. The same girl that flipped him and his cat-calling team off just that afternoon. She was still wearing that pretty dress, now with a large sweater thrown over it in the cooling night. When she saw him approaching, it was clear she remembered him as well, letting out an incredulous laugh before furrowing her brow at him.

“You’re who they called? Fan-fucking-tastic. Tell me, did you put out the fire with an extinguisher? Or did you just harass it until it smothered out?” Steve’s jaw is slack. The mouth on this chick.

“Ma’am, my team and I are just trying to figure out what caused the fire in the first place, then we’ll be out of your hair.” She huffs.

“Well, I don’t think it takes a genius to put two and two together. You take a witless freshman coupled with an ancient microwave and sooner or later you’re gonna have a fire on your hands.” Her arms are crossed over her chest, hip cocked to the side as she glares at Steve.

“Are you referring to the freshmen you’re supposed to be in charge of? I was told you’re the RA for the floor the fire was on.” She falters, just slightly. Steve’s got her on that one.

“Look, the fire is out, douchebag. Thank you so much for your help, now can you just let us get back into our fucking dorms?” Steve’s about to tell her what he thinks of her foul mouth, when one of his team calls him over. A resident has admitted they had started the fire by putting a metal fork into the microwave on accident. It’s a quick flurry of activity, giving the kid a stern talking to, and then clearing the scene. As the students start to shuffle back into the building, Steve cranes his neck from the truck, trying to find her again, but she’s lost in the crowd. He collapses into bed that night thinking about her very angry, very pretty face.

…

It’s Friday, Steve’s night off. He’s been prodded out to a bar by some of the other men at the station. The music is blaring and the lights are dim and all Steve wants is for the (very) stiff drinks to keep coming until everything starts to blur a little. Both of his buddies have slinked off with nameless women, getting their dicks wet while they can. Steve sits alone at the bar, nursing a few fingers of whiskey, when he hears a very familiar voice ordering a beer. He whips around in his seat, and sure enough, there she is, this time in jeans that fit too good and a little tank top. His throat tightens, and then she sees him and lets out that same disbelieving laugh.

“I must be more drunk than I thought because there’s no way in hell I’m actually seeing you again.” Steve snorts at her exasperation, throwing back the rest of his whiskey, grinning around the sting.

“Sorry, baby, we meet again.”

“I’m not your baby, dickweed. Have a nice night.” She spins to walk away but Steve, seemingly loosened up by the few glasses he’s already had, stands, grabbing her wrist to yank her back towards him. She stumbles on her feet, body pressing up against his to get her bearings.

“What the fuck is your problem? You can’t just—”

Her words die in her throat as Steve brings one large palm to rest along her neck, thumb pressing under her chin to tilt her face up to him.

“You know, you should really be careful how you run that mouth, baby. Someone might have half a mind to put it to better use.” His other hand rests on her hip, fingers dipping just below the waist of her jeans. She sneers at him.

“Oh yeah? Someone like you? You gonna put me in my place, big, tough, fireman?” His fingers on her neck firm up, pressing harder into her skin. The music’s too loud to hear, but he can feel the whimper thrumming in her throat. He splits into a snide smile.

“Oh baby, I think you want me to teach you a lesson.” Her eyes are blown wide, staring up at him, lips parted.

“Mmhm. In fact, I think you’d enjoy it.” He’s dipped down to let his lips murmur right up against her ear. He can feel the way she shudders against him. She gasps when he jerks back from her, grabbing one of her wrists to pull her behind him through the crowd. Her protests die in the thumping bass of the music.

He finds the bathroom towards the back of the bar, dragging her in behind him. It’s empty, and he locks the door before turning back to her.

They’re on each other in an instant. It’s a fight for dominance, all clashing teeth and clicking spit, hands grasping at whatever bare skin they can find. He wraps his hand around her throat, pulling back to look at her, swollen lips and darkened eyes.

“My name’s Steve, baby. I’m gonna wanna hear you saying it. Do you understand?” She nods, trying to dip back into his mouth, but he muscles her around until he’s pressing her up against the wall, digging his thick thigh between her legs to press harshly against her clothed cunt. She lets out a whine.

“I said, do you understand?” He presses against her harder, drawing a gasp from her.

“Yes.”

“Yes what, bunny?”

“Yes, Steve.” He grins, keeping his hand around her throat as he licks back into her mouth. He brings his other hand to her jeans, quickly undoing them and shoving his hand down the front of her panties. When he swipes through her folds, she moans, throwing her head back against the wall.

“Aw, you’re fucking soaked. If I didn’t know any better I’d say you like me, baby.” She whimpers as he presses hard circles into her clit, starting to grind her hips against his hand. He slips two fingers down to her entrance and she preens as he starts to thrust up into her. She’s putty in his hands, a writhing mess.

“This all you need, huh doll? Just needed my fingers to shut that dirty mouth of yours up? Look how desperate you are. Fucking slut. You like getting fucked in some dirty little bathroom by a stranger, huh? You that much of a whore?” He can feel her clenching around his fingers with his words, can tell she’s close. He takes his fingers away, and she whines at the loss of his touch.

“Asked you a question, doll. Tell me, are you that big of a slut?”

��Fuck– please, p-please keep going. I was so fucking close– please keep g-going.” He just tuts, stepping back from her, noting how unsteady he is without his hand holding her up by her neck.

“Still such a dirty mouth, I think it’s time we put it to better use, yeah?” Her mascara is running, and though she still glares at him, she nods.

“Get on your knees, like a good girl.” He starts unbuckling his belt, watching as she slowly sinks to her knees.

Her eyes widen when he takes his cock out, stroking himself lazily before stepping forward to run the head along her bottom lip.

“Gonna be good for me, baby?” She nods, gazing up at him through her damp eyelashes.

He bends down, bringing his hand to stroke her cheek before smacking her across the face. It’s light, but still enough to make her head turn, she gasps.

“Words, doll.”

“Yes, Steve, I’m gonna be good for you.” He grins, standing back upright, guiding his dick to her lips. It’s heaven as she sinks her mouth down onto his cock. When she gets about halfway down, she starts to try to pull back, but Steve has another idea. He grabs onto her hair, fisting it to keep her in place. She whimpers, bringing her palms to his thighs to try to push away.

“Shh, shh, baby. You wanna be good for me, right? You gotta take it all, pretty. Take all of me down that little throat.” He starts to cant his hips forward, until he can feel her nose grazing his pelvis, her throat constricting around his cock. He pulls her off his dick by her hair and she sputters, eyes watery and choking on air.

“Go ahead, baby. Keep being good for me.” He doesn’t even have to guide her, she dips back in, hollowing out her cheeks around his dick before taking all of him again. Steve groans when he hears her little gags. She slowly finds a rhythm, taking him as deep as she can and pulling off to suckle at the tip.

“Got a perfect mouth, bunny. Fuck– just needed something to do with it, huh?” She moans at that and the vibrations around his cock make him throw his head back.

“You like this, baby? Getting your throat fucked?” She hums in response. Steve chuckles.

“God, you really are a whore.” He looks down and can see that she’s dipped her hand into her panties. Steve yanks her back by her hair, causing her to gasp.

“Did I say you could touch yourself, doll?” She’s a mess, spit drooling down her chin, her makeup all but fucked off. She shakes her head.

“N-no, daddy.” Her eyes go wide the minute she says it, seemingly shocked by her own words. Steve’s brain short circuits for a moment before he chuckles.

“Oh, doll. Is that what you need? You need daddy to teach you a lesson?” He’s already hauling her up by her arms, pressing her front down against the sink countertop.

“Don’t worry, baby. Daddy’s gonna give you exactly what you need.” He yanks her jeans and panties down in one harsh swoop, causing her to whine from the stark chill of the air.

He runs his palm from the back of her thigh up to the meat of her ass, kneading into the skin there before drawing his hand back and slapping her hard. She jerks forward into the counter, and for a moment, Steve worries he’s gone too far, but then a long drawn out moan sounds from the back of her throat. He smirks.

“You’re something else, bunny. Why don’t you tell daddy what you need, huh?” He leans over her, cock slipping between her slick thighs. He pulls her head up by her hair until she’s looking at him through the mirror. He brings his lips right to her ear.

“What do you need, baby?”

“You, daddy. I need you.” He rears back to smack her ass again.

“Gotta be more specific than that, doll.” She gasps, “y-your cock. Please, I need your cock. Need you to fuck me, daddy, please–”

“Shh, shh, pretty baby. Just had to ask, yeah? Use your words like a good girl. Daddy’s gonna give it to you.”

He strokes his cock between her folds, groaning at how wet she is before pressing up against her entrance. She keens as he starts to push in, back arching under him.

Steve lets out a low moan, “fuck, bunny, think your pretty little pussy can take all of me? S’fucking tight, christ.” She gasps as he continues to press forward, wiggling her hips back to take more of him.

“Yes, yes, I can take it, I can take it– fuck– please keep going, Steve.” They both sigh when his hips meet the plush of her ass. He hovers over her, pressing his forehead between her shoulder blades.

“God, you’re perfect. Fucking made for me.” He presses a kiss to the nape of her neck, “can I move, baby? You ok?”

“Yes, yeah, please fuck me. Want you to fuck me, Steve.” That’s all the permission he needs, starting a desperate pace as he rolls his hips against her. His dog tags have slipped out of the collar of his shirt and are trailing the top of her spine as he continues to fuck her.

He brings one hand to snake down her front, finding her clit and drawing firm swipes across it, “need you to come for me, baby. Want you to come on my cock. Can you do that for me, pretty?” She whines as he starts to draw sloppy circles around her clit.

“Y-yes, gonna come for you. Don’t stop– fuck– don’t stop.” He’s practically laying over her now, grinding his hips deeper into her. Steve can feel the pleasure pulling taut in his spine, on the brink of snapping.

“Come, baby. Come for me.” That’s all it takes. She yelps out a broken cry and he can feel her pulsing around him. He quickly pulls out, pumping himself a few times before he’s spurting all over her ass, shivering as he comes down. They’re both breathing hard, he rests his palms on the countertop, framing her body with his arms. She’s sunk down on her forearms, head dipped between her elbows. Steve takes a few deep breaths, tucking himself away before stepping back to take in his cooling spend dripping down her thighs.

“Shit, I’m sorry. Let me clean you up.”

He keeps a hand pressed to the hilt of her spine, a reassurance as he grabs a paper towel and gets it damp before drawing it across the mess he made. She whimpers under his ministrations, and he feels his heart catch in his chest. He gets down on his knees behind her, pressing a kiss to the back of each thigh before he slowly pulls her jeans back up around her hips. Steve can’t explain it, just a while ago she was making his blood boil, but now all he wants to do is take care of her.

He steps back, letting her press up and turn around to lean back against the counter. She swipes away the drippy mascara under her eyes. Steve’s fingers flicker with the urge to cup her cheek, stroke that soft bit of skin where he can still see the dampness of her tears. She’s smiling, still a little dazed. He clears his throat.

“Wanna apologize. For that day outside the station.” Her brow furrows.

“You weren’t the one howling at me, last time I checked.”

“No, but I didn’t stop them. I know that’s not right. They shouldn’t be talking like that to anyone. I should’ve stopped them.” She shrugs.

“I’ve heard worse. I should apologize too. For being so rude that night outside the dorm. I was really stressed, you know? And seeing you brought all that rage at those bastards back. But I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. You were just trying to do your job.” She holds out her hand to him and he tentatively takes it in a firm shake. Steve speaks first.

“I’m sorry, but I’m realizing that I don’t even know your name.” She smiles and when she tells it to him, his brain starts playing it on an infinite loop, like a ditzy drugged-out drumbeat.

“Might be doing things a little backwards here, but are you hungry, wanna go get something to eat?” She grins, stepping in closer to him to let her palms span over his chest.

“Uh, yeah, you just gave me the workout of a lifetime. I’m fucking starving.” Steve feels like he’s melting under her touch. Something long dormant starting to stir.

“Still gonna have to work on that dirty mouth, huh, pretty?”

#steve harrington smut #steve harrington angst #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington #steve harrington fluff

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strawberryspence · 2 years

Text

i am in a very emo mood right now so here’s a disclaimer: i cried writing this and its very long.

Steve and Eddie have been together for seventeen years now. Both are very happy with their relationship, they’ve been engaged since they were twenty three and they haven’t looked back since. Gay marriage is legal by then in some parts of the country but not in Illinois (They’ve been living in Chicago since ‘87 when Robin started college and Steve packed up all of their stuff to follow her.) It’s not something they actively seek out, because would marriage really change anything in their relationship? They already refer to each other as husbands and they already wear wedding bands.

But kids. God, Eddie never really thought he would want kids. He grew up in an abusive environment that made him hate the prospect of procreating. At the age of thirteen, he realized he was gay and yeah, that was it, he won’t have kids, ever. But when he met Steve, Steve already had seven kids under his arms. Everyone knew about the six nuggets dreams and it’s always been a source of insecurity from Eddie, but Steve has been adamant that he didn’t need those things, he only needed Eddie. He jokes around about it, “I already have seven kids, okay? Eight if you add Robin.”

‘99 brings the first member of the Party 2.0. It’s Max and Lucas, of course, and though it was a long road to it, they made it. Max and Lucas are the two that moved out to California for college, but then moved back to Chicago to stay close to them. Eddie thinks it’s an unspoken agreement between Steve and Max, siblings bonded by trauma and love. They got married around ‘95, just a few months after Max and Lucas graduated college. Four years later, Eddie won’t ever forget Steve’s shaking hands when Max hands him Eleanor May Sinclair for the first time, her little tiny hands holding onto his finger as Lucas tells him that he was going to be the godfather. Steve smiles down at the tiny little red head, with her father’s eyes and her mother’s freckles and promises, “I am going to spoil you rotten, you’re going to hate it.”

‘01 brings the second member of the Party 2.0. It’s Jonathan and Nancy, who didn’t get married until around ‘98 because they were both too focused in their blooming careers. By then everyone had bets on how much longer before the two finally give in and get married, Argyle wins the biggest money and they still think there has been some kind of cheating. It’s a cold winter night when Nancy goes into labor. Steve and Eddie (with Robin, Max, Lucas and Ellie) takes the next flight to New York from the moment Jonathan called them that Nancy’s going into labor. Robin’s hailed as the godmother, because the skittle six all stayed close friends but there has always been some kind of women solidarity between Nancy and Robin. Eddie has to hold Steve’s hand when he starts crying when Nancy tells them her name, Barbara Arya Wheeler-Hopper. Nancy smiles at him, eyes glassy from exhaustion and emotions, as Steve holds her for the first time, voice shaking as he finally meets her, “Hi Barb.”

In the same year, the third member of the Party 2.0 is born. It’s Dustin and Suzie. That one was a looong story. After the Vecna fiasco of Spring and Fall of ‘86 (where they finally killed Vecna and closed the Upside Down for good), Suzie and Dustin broke up due to some miscommunications and because her father has been much more stricter after the Cali gang's visit. By chance, they meet again in MIT in ‘89 and remained friends for another two years (In Steve and Eddie’s dismay this led to long hours of telephone calls from Dustin pining over his ex-girlfriend-now-turned-bestfriend) before they finally got their act together when Dustin drunkenly proposes to Suzie (they don’t get married until ‘96). Steve and Eddie has come down to California about a week before Suzie’s expected labor day for moral support and just to help. Suzie goes into labor in a grocery store with Steve, while they were out buying peppers to induce labor. Steve has to drive them frantically to the hospital while a chill Suzie drinks her strawberry milkshake in the passenger seat. After 36 hours of labor, Edward Stephen Henderson was born. Eddie’s the one who cries more when Dustin announces the name, he’s also the first one in the party to hold the newborn. Eddie smiles down at Edward, laughing as he looks up at Steve, “I will do everything in my power so that you won’t end up with your father’s ego.” Cue Dustin’s protests in the back and Suzie laughing so hard she pops a stitch. Steve’s hand on his waist doesn’t leave even for a moment the whole night.

By ‘02 Max is pregnant again, Robin and Vickie’s adoption papers were processing and El’s been looking into Artificial Insemination. Will and Mike are the only two who doesn’t seem interested in having kids and are happy to just be the gay uncles that shower the kids with expensive ass gifts.

Steve’s hiding it well, Eddie will give that to him. Steve’s always been good with kids, always had that glow whenever he's around them and there is no doubt in Eddie's mind that his husband will be a wonderful, amazing father. It also helps mask the baby fever he’s had for about four years now since Ellie was born. Eddie doesn’t miss the melancholic looks he gets when it's time for Max to take Ellie home or the look he gets when they visit Barb and they have to say goodbye to her big brown eyes. Eddie knows his husband has wanted kids for as long as the’ve been together, but doesn’t say anything for his sake. So he takes a long look at his life. Does he want kids? Does he want to come home with kids in the house? Could he ever be even a sliver of the father that Steve was born to be? Would he be anything like his biological father?

He calls Wayne, talks to him for hours about every fear and doubt he has. He loves Steve so much and it hurts him to not be able to give this to him just because he’s being a coward again. Wayne soothes every shaking nerve in his body, and Eddie thinks, he’ll be fine. He’ll be fine because he wasn’t raised by John Munson, he was raised by Wayne Munson.

He’s done so much research about gay adoption that he has to hide the thick folder under a loose floor in their shared office, just so Steve can’t find it. He wants to be ready for this before he talks to Steve about it and by Christmas ‘02, he’s ready.

Its the quiet lull just before Christmas. The tree is decked out with numerous gifts, the house full of fairy lights (fairy lights they made sure would never blink), outside it just started snowing. In 24 hours, the house would be full with their family coming from different states to celebrate the holiday with them. Steve's wrapping the last few gifts, hot choco on his side when Eddie sits across him on the floor, handing him the thick folder.

Steve opens the folder with a bewildered look, his face shifting to shock in seconds. Steve looks up at Eddie with teary eyes, "Before you say that you don't need kids because I don't want kids, hear me out, okay?" Eddie reaches out for his hand, "I do want kids. I want kids with you. I've had kids with you since '86 when Dustin and Max decided to look for me. I've always wanted kids with you. I was... I was just scared that I'd end up like my dad, you know?" Steve sighs, hand tightening in his grasp, "Eds."

Eddie shakes his head, "Wait, I am not done. I talked to Wayne, you know? And I thought about it and I want kids with you, Steve Harrington. In any shape or form. If you don't want it right now, we can put a pin on it and if you tell me you never want it, then we forget this conversation ever happened. We could adopt, we could get a surrogate, hell, if I can get pregnant I will do it, sweetheart. I want a kid that's half you and half me and that might not ever be possible but we can raise and love a kid together and that'll be just as good." Steve's smiling now, tears still flowing from his face as Eddie cups his face, using his thumbs to swipe away the tears.

"So what do you want, baby?" Eddie smiles as Steve starts laughs, nodding. "Yeah, yeah, I want a kid with you. Fucking hell, Eds." Steve hops up, tackling Eddie into a hug and showering him with kisses. They stay like that for an hour, just soaking in the pure adoration and love they feel for each other.

It's not until October '05 that their kid comes home. Elijah Syl Harrington-Munson was a 6 month old boy. Steve cries the first time he holds him as Eddie embraces him, Elijah holding his index finger in his tiny palm.

"Stevie, he has your hair." Eddie comments and there's no hint of joke or trick in his voice, just full of awe and Steve just cries even more.

When Elijah finally opens his eyes, Steve can't help the tenderness that bursts through him, "Eddie, Eds, he has your eyes."

Elijah's not a Harrington-Munson in blood, but he's Steve and Eddie's son through and through. And yeah, Elijah grows to have the same brunette wavy hair, styled just like his Dad's and the same brown doe eyes just like his Pa's. Sometimes, he sits in the living room as he reads a thick book with a basketball game playing on the background, Steve and Eddie thinks he's always meant to be theirs.

They adopt more kids. Not six because fuck no. But they do have their three nuggets, half Steve Harrington and half Eddie Munson and he won't ever have it any other way.

#and they lived happily ever after #i cried writing this #the harrington-munson show sounds like a sitcom that i would 100% watch #i love my dads #steddie rants #daeheadcanons #steddie fanfic #steddie headcanon #steddie fic rec #steve harrington x eddie munson #steve harrington x eddie munson fluff

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mytheoristavenue · 2 years

Text

ST Kas!Eddie Munson x Reader 🍋- Pulling your Strings {Kinktober #3}

Summary: After awakening alone in the Upside Down, and learning to thrive there, Eddie returns to Hawkins in search of you, aiming to make you pay for abandoning him.

Warnings: Vampire!Eddie, smut, MDNI, yandere!Eddie, very slight noncon at the beginning, blood, cum eating, mentions of depression, oral (f receiving), shower sex, not my best work tbh 😅

The world in which you stood was cold, too much so for human inhabitation, but one could have easily been fooled by the rusty hue of the air, in which hellish creature flourished as they took wing. You could faintly hear distorted music from the distance, heavy metal, if you hadn't known any better. Curiously, you drew closer to the sound, being able to just barely make out a figure standing atop a some type of portable structure, a tornado of organisms surrounding him. The noise was most certainly emanating from whoever it was, but as you walked, you began to notice that, no matter how much ground you covered, you were unable to make any progress toward the scene.

You began to feel as if the were strings attached to your limbs, and that you weren't actually running, but floating, and lacking any grace at that. Glancing up, befuddled, you found yourself attached to wire that ended at a cross brace, with a ringed hand controlling your movements.

"Master of puppets, I'm pulling your strings." bellowed a voice, and almost a sing-song tone.

"Let me go!" you protested, struggling to sever your binds, finding it impossible, and only burning your fingers in the process. "Whoever you are, just please, leave me alone!"

"(Y/N)..." the stranger chuckled, dribbling their hand and making you tumble to the cracked and irritated ground, before harshly hoisting you back up. "(Y/N)." It called again, this time sternly, before doing so once more, with panic and urgency. The final toll also sounded less matured, your name being punctuated with a cracked, pubescent flare.

Your eyes snapped wide, accompanied by a painful gasp as sharp air invaded your lungs. "Dustin?" you realized, pale in the face. The boy sat beside you, Steve standing behind him, and you found yourself laying on a couch, most likely in the home of the former.

"Nightmares again?" the later asked, concerned, with calming hand on your shoulder. You nodded tiredly, sitting up more on the furniture, and pressing a hand to your temple.

"Here," Dustin said knowingly with knitted brows, holding out his hands to offer a few dusty white pills and a glass of water. "For the headache." You thanked him, before taking both and consuming the medicine with a sigh. "It's getting late," he mentioned, flashing you a glance of his digital watch. "Maybe you should just stay the night again, I bet my mom won't mind." he suggested, but you politely declined.

"No thank you, I can't keep putting you guys out. I can sleep on my own." you responded, still rubbing your temple, occasionally stretching your tired arms. "Steve, would you mind giving me a lift?" The man nodded wordlessly, grabbing his keys and cocking his head toward the door. You bid the Hendersons farewell and promised the young to return the next day.

The road home was filled with stolen glances on Steve's end and you pretended not to notice, simply keeping your gaze on the passing trees. "Look, (Y/N), I think it's time we talk about-"

"I'm fine." you interjected. "I don't need to talk about it."

The truth was, nearly a month had gone by since Eddie's passing and everyone seemed to be healing, everyone apart from you. Robin was busy with her new girlfriend, Nancy was busy with enrolling herself and Jonathan in her their dream college, Steve had been able to even go on a few successful dates. Hell, even the Hopper-Byers family was beginning to move on. The city was mending the cracks in the foundation, and life was beginning anew. But for you, every time you closed your eyes, you were back in that hell, the wrong side of Hawkins, being tormented by your guilt.

You were looking for someone to blame, someone to be angry with, someone to forgive. No matter how you looked at it, you couldn't rationalize leaving Eddie there to rot. The others should have passed him by was they were coming back through the trailer, they could have carried him. Nancy shouldn't have left you in charge of Max and the Sinclairs. Then you could have been there to fight off the bats. Eddie shouldn't have gone back, he should have just run.

Reaching your home, you nonverbally exited the car, ignoring Steve's attempts to get your attention. You just wanted to go back to sleep, even if it meant suffering through nightmares. You had long since lost the energy or will power to do anything else.

------

You thrashed among stale bed sheets, stuck somewhere between cognizance and a bad dream. Erecting with a frustrated grunt, you reached over to your bedside table to rummage for a well used bottle of sleep aid and a half empty water bottle. After throwing the pills back, you scanned your darkened room, allowing the mess and clutter to seep into your consciousness. You noted that you should clean tomorrow, though, part of you knew that wouldn't happen.

Sighing, you laid back down on your left side, facing the wall, and closed your eyes, begging to drift off, and at some point you must have.

"Why did you leave me there?" You shot out of your position, eyes straining to search the abyss for signs of life. Did you really just hear that, or was it the beginning of a dream? You noticed a dreadful stench wafting in the air, like rot, and promised yourself to tidy up in the morning, before laying your head back down. "(Y/N)..." the siren called again, making you freeze. Before you had a moment to react, a mass hovering over you, chilling breath hitting your face in an angry pattern as it screamed in a distorted manner. "ANSWER ME."

This had to be a dream, or a hallucination, maybe a side effect of the medication. "You're not real," you breathed, terror eating you up. "Y-You're just a figment of my imagination. A result of my t-trauma." you reasoned. The school counselor told you that this could happen, and that if you could convince yourself that you were in control, you would be, and it would go away.

"Your trauma...?" the entity croaked. Suddenly, you felt a strong grip around your throat, claws threatening to sink into your supple skin, yet you persisted.

"It's just a dream," you told yourself, eyes screwed shut. "Just a fucked up memory of something that never happened." You were beginning to feel a bit dizzy, as if you if you were actually starting to suffocate, and instinctually, your raised your hands to try and defend against your attacker. As you skin reached their wrist, your blood ran cold. You weren't supposed to be able to to touch a hallucination. You cautiously ran your fingers up the void's arm, feeling a stiff fabric beneath, possible a sleeve cuffed with...chains. You became much more in tune with the scene unfolding around you as your vision darkened that much more. You could feel what you presumed to be hair tickling your face and adornments on the hand that strangled you.

"E-Eddie?" you suddenly asked, more in a beg, and the entity's grip loosened substantially. "Eddie is it really you...?" You felt the weight he held onto your lighten slightly as he allowed your hand to shakily travel to your nightstand to find the switch to your lamp. Flicking it on, you fell still at the sight before you; Eddie Munson, disfigured and battle torn, bleeding all over your sheets. His eyes no longer held that milk chocolate warmth you once adored, and in fact, had no color at all, simply a pair of onyx marbles following your every movement. You could see that his wounds from the previous month's events, the ones Dustin had informed you of were still wet and untended to.

"It's me," he finally said carefully, before feeling anger bubble in his chest again. "Now, answer my question. Why didn't you come back for me?"

You felt tears slip down your cheeks. "Eddie, I tried! The gate was closed, I didn't even know what happened until the others came back without you, I'm so sorry!" you sobbed, desperately grabbing for his jacket, to which he harshly pushed you away.

His cold eyes bored into yours as he looked you over. "You left me to die, (Y/N). I thought you cared about me."

"I do, Eddie, you have to believe me!" you plead. "I hate Nancy for sending me with Max instead of you, I hate myself for listening to her stupid plan!" you raved. "I hate everyone! I hate Robin for not letting me go back for you, and I hate Steve for refusing to bring you with them on their way out! I hate Dustin for hurting himself to try to get to you instead of running for help, and I hate Mike for not being there at all!" you paused to take in a shaky breath, engulfed in this raw emotion, before continuing, wiping tears from your eyes. "I hate Max and Lucas and Erica for needing me more than you did, but most of all..." You wept into his chest as he hesitantly closed his arms around you. "Most of all, I hate you..."

"Me...?" he mumbled, dumbfounded. All this time, he'd carried such distain for you, but he never thought you'd hold it for him too.

"I hate you for not running." you sniffled. "You didn't need to be a hero, everything would have gone fine if you did. And it didn't matter anyways, we still lost. Vecna still got to Max, and now she's in a coma she may never wake up from. Dustin broke his his leg trying to save you, and it's your fault." you rambled coldly, before gazing up at him. "You're death meant nothing, and all you did was hurt us."

As your adrenaline began to wear off, you realized you never thought you'd get the chance to say the words you just did. It felt nice to have closure, to be able to stop worshipping the idea of having Eddie back, and instead, make him understand the consequences of his actions. "So yeah," you muttered, pushing away from him. "I guess we did leave you there to die, but you put yourself there, and that was pretty selfish of you."

For the first time in a month, Eddie felt something that wasn't resentment. He felt...ashamed? But why? He died a hero, didn't he? It was at that moment, he became aware of his surroundings. Your bedroom was littered with dirty clothes, molded food and drink that you'd long since neglected to take to the kitchen. There was a vase of dead flowers on your dresser, ones that he'd recognized as the ones he'd given you before spring break, and now that the lamp illuminated you, he could see that your clothes with stained and worn many times over, and that your hair was coated in a layer of grease. That didn't make any sense, you had always been so tidy, why were you living in such filth? Was this...his fault?

"(Y/N)...when was the last time you showered?" he asked suddenly, making you fluster angrily.

"Why the hell does that matter, weren't you going to kill me anyways?" you barked back. "Besides, at least I don't have month long abrasions on my body."

-----

"Just take off your shirt so I can get you cleaned up." you huffed at him as he sat on the closed lid of your toilet. Reluctantly, Eddie began pulling various articles off himself, starting with the bandana that he'd once tied around his head to prepare for combat, following with his shirt. You timidly looked away as he pulled his shredded club shirt over his head, mess of coffee curls falling over his skin as he did.

You gingerly dabbed a few scrapes with a damp rag, preparing for him to wince, but to your surprise, he kept still. "Does that hurt?" you asked quietly, as not to alert your parents sleeping a few walls away.

"Nothing hurts anymore," he answered cryptically, staring ahead at nothing in particular. "'Cept the mental stuff." A beat of silence passed between you as to processed what he'd said.

"If that's the case, I think you should just shower. It'll be quicker that way, and I can wash your clothes during." you suggested, resisting studying his physique.

He nodded in agreeance. "Okay, but you gotta shower too, You smell like shit." he smiled a bit.

"And you smell like a busted freezer full of meat." you quipped, reaching on your toes for a few towels from the high cabinet. "Just..." you began, feeling that familiar, awkward feeling you always shared grow between you once again. "Drop your clothes outside the door, and I'll toss them in the wash. I think I've got something for you to change into in the meantime."

With that, you carefully closed the door, leaving Eddie alone with his thoughts. This was not how he planned this to go. He thought he'd have his Black Sabbath - Iron Man moment, where he'd crawl out of hell and slay everyone who ever did him wrong. He'd never considered that the people that left him behind were feeling the same abandonment that he was. As he stepped into the shower and turned the hot knob, he was almost startled by the heat of the water. It boiled against his injured skin, it would've hurt if he could feel pain. That was odd, he always enjoyed hot showers before; maybe he had been cold for so long he'd forgotten what warmth was, what it felt like to be comfortable.

Eddie surveyed your selection of washes, recalling the times he'd belittled you for using so many. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, moisturizer, face wash- what was it all for again? He and Wayne always shared a 2-in-1, how was he supposed to use all this? Suddenly, his thoughts turned to his uncle and his brows furrowed. The one person who always believed in him, defended him, and he probably had no idea what actually happened. And what about Dustin? Was he really going to kill him, even after he'd hurt himself in an effort to save him? Why was he so intent to hurt the people who cared for him. It then dawned on him that perhaps, his mindset was a product of environment, or maybe he was given new life for a reason- a more heinous one at that.

While Eddie pondered the meaning of his existence in your bathroom, you busied yourself with collecting his clothes, as well as a few of your own, and tossing them into the washer, before cleaning up your room as best you could in the time you had. A part of you was deeply embarrassed to have someone you'd thought so highly of see you in such a state of depression. Halting for a moment, you picked your shirt from against your sweaty chest, before sniffing it and instantly regretting it. You did smell bad.

Just as you were about to go back about your task, you found yourself pivoting too sharply, knocking a glass of old water to the floor, shuddering at the sound it made as it shattered. Kneeling down, you carefully collected the pieces and disposed of them, deciding you'd slip into the bathroom, just to grab a towel to toss over the spill.

Gently, you rapped on the bathroom door, perhaps a bit too much so. "Eddie? I'm just gonna get a towel real quick, I won't look." you reassured before cracking open the door. You swiftly did as you promised not to, without purpose of course, but you were awestricken to find him just facing the shower head, back to you, just basking in the warmth of the droplets hitting his skin. You blushed and turned away, quickly rummaging through the cabinet to find what you needed, planning to exit without being noticed.

"(Y/N)?" Shit. You turned back to him, trying to avoid his gaze, finding him glancing at you over his shoulder.

"Y-Yeah?" you stuttered, still doing your best not to look at him.

"Do you wanna shower with me?" he asked softly. "I don't wanna be alone." You felt your heart skip a beat. This was definitely a dream.

-----

You faced his back as he faced the head of the faucet, luffa in hand, gingerly scrubbing grime from his flesh as he seemingly took inventory of his wounds. Neither of you spoke as you moved on to pouring shampoo into your palm and massaging it into his scalp, making sure to sort out any knots with your fingers. As he turned toward you to rinse it out, you turned away to lather your own hair. This went on until you'd cycled through all of your typical routine. "I'm sorry." he whispered suddenly.

"For what?" you asked, your words reverberating against the shower wall.

"Leaving you." he answered, shame laced in his voice.

"I forgive you." you smiled, neglecting to give him room to think there was a possibility that he hadn't done any wrong. "But you have to stay in Hawkins,"

"I can't." he stressed, his shoulders slumping against yours. "I have to go back, I wish I had a choice."

"Why?" you wondered aloud. "Are you afraid that nobody will accept you, or that you'll still be in danger?"

"Neither," he sighed. "Everyone will be in danger if I stay. I'll hurt people." he worried.

"That's ridiculous, Eddie, you're kind." you reassured him, instinctively turning to face him, only to find him doing the same. There could no longer be any secrets kept between the pair of you. You were both naked and on display for one another. "I know you could never hurt me, Eddie."

"That's not true," he argued. Things have changed, I've changed." his hands found homes on your shoulders, gripping them in hopes that you'd understand, before letting his stare fall downcast. "I'm a monster, (Y/N)."

"You are not a monster!" you scolded. "Why would you think that?"

"I wish I could show you..." he lamented, resting his head against your shoulder as warm water dripped from his hair and slid down your bare body.

"Then show me..." you whispered, desperate to understand. That awkward silence fell on you again, but this time more comfortable, like a wool blanket on a hot day, suffocating, but soft. Slowly, Eddie began to stand straight again, his hands finding your cheeks as he pressed the gentlest kiss you could ever imagine to your lips, inviting you to do the same. When you did, you instantly withdrew, finding him sharp as a goat head sticker. "W-What was that, did you bite me?" He shyly shook his head, looking anywhere but you as his fingers hooked into his cheeks and revealed two rows of jagged and yellowed pearls, punctuated by a pair of very prominent canines. "Your teeth are...different." you thought out loud, waiting for him to explain.

"You won't believe me if I tell you why." he stated flatly, removing his hands from his face and letting his lips fall back over his jaws.

"Tell me anyways." you insisted reaching up to touch where he just had.

Hesitantly, Eddie explained what had happened after he awoke, how Vecna had come to him and given him new life. He explained that ever since, he'd had an insatiable hunger, unfathomable strength and speed, and that the bats that once took his life, were now at his command. He had learned to not only live in the Upside Down, but thrive. For you, the last month was beginning to fall into place, and you were starting to piece together what had been happening to you.

"Have...you been haunting me?" the question shot out of your lips and into his flesh like a hollow point bullet. The answer was no, but it also wasn't as cut and dry as he would have liked it to be.

"Not exactly," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "But...I was aware."

"What do you mean ' aware'?" you pressured suspiciously.

"He's been tormenting you...but I was in on it. I'm so sorry, (Y/N)." Eddie confessed, knowing that he was the one who chose you to be targeted, and that it was the visage of himself being used against you. "I was angry, and he amplified that..."

"Master of Puppets...It was you! You were the one controlling me in my dream!" you discovered. "I can't believe I didn't realize sooner!" You began to shout, panicking him that your parents may hear, to which he slapped a damp hand over your mouth.

"I know, I know you're mad, but I can protect you now!" he whispered, unknowingly pressing you against the tile. He sighed tiredly, leaning against you and resting his head on your shoulder again. "I swear to God, I'll keep you safe."

Despite your anger with him, you felt desire brewing in your stomach, desire to have him as you always fantasized you would. Cautiously, you pushed him away, before tilting your head to catch his lips again, an action that he received well.

-----

Eddie buried himself into you as deeply as he possibly could, one of your legs hiked up over his shoulder, and his face in the crook of your neck, teeth crazing the supple flesh on your shoulder. Meanwhile, you held a pair of his fingers against your tongue, slurping on them to somewhat quiet. He steadily rocked into you, having no destination, or plan, just needing your warmth as close to him as possible, and reveling in the small sounds you made around his appendages. Occasionally, he'd whisper sweet nothings into your ear of how much he needed and missed you or how good you felt wrapped around him.

You found yourself in unadulterated bliss, having the man you'd pined over for years finally inside you, making love to you gently, his fangs threatening to sink into you. Primal and still unfamiliar urges tempted him to feed on your delicate throat but he resisted, the thought of potentially hurting or worse, killing you fending him off. As he thought, he failed to notice his pattern of thrusting slowing to a near stop, something you felt the need to comment on.

"You okay?" you asked breathlessly, chest heaving as you pulled your head from the wall. He nodded wordlessly, face hidden in your shoulder.

"I just don't want to hurt you." he whispered, panting a little from lack of energy. "I've been gone too long, just tired is all."

"Don't vampires get energy from food?" you asked, coming up with a terrible idea.

"I don't like being called that...but more or less." he confirmed, taking a second to rest.

"Sorry..." you trailed, feeling embarrassed about classifying him the way you had. "Well, um, maybe...I could-"

"No." he immediately pretested. "I'm not going to bite you. I'll just find something on the way home."

"But..." you insisted. "You don't have to take it all, right? You could just take a little bit..."

"I don't want to hurt you, babe." he reminded you, to your disappointment. "I-I couldn't forgive myself..."

You slyly tilted your head to the side and looked away, exposing delectable veins for him to fight with himself over. "What if I want you to hurt me...?" Eddie's breath caught in his throat before returning, this time heavier than before. It was obvious that he was starving for you, but was still holding himself back.

"I'm telling you, it's not a good idea," he pushed away slightly, eyes still locked on your throat. "I don't know if I'll be able to stop myself."

"Then I'll stop you." you reassured. "I promise I won't let anything bad happen."

With that assurance, and Eddie's lack of willpower, he slowly drew back into you, his nose gently nuzzling your shoulder as he held you carefully. He'd never bitten a human before, only bats and other small animals he came across in the Upside Down.

You couldn't deny that it was agonizing. The pain of the puncture seared to the fiber of your very being, but to some end, it was ecstasy. You could feel the vacuum of his mouth slurping your warm blood, and beyond that, it felt amazing to be so needed. Past the hurt, you felt something else happening within your body. Eddie's member, still within you began to pulse and slowly thrust, gaining momentum with each passing second.

Inside of him, he could feel energy restoring itself, his own blood flow increasing, and his arousal maximizing exponentially. He couldn't help but fuck into you while he still was able, clinging to you and using you, stealing your life away in all forms. Before long his pace and intensity became maxed out by human standards, and you felt a gargled moan bubble out of your chest at the swift progression.

You were ensnared within his arms, his jaw still locked on the side of your neck, and cunt still desecrated by his will, serving out his desires. You clenched yourself around him, purely out of instinct as your vision began to fade, a sign of his feed having begun to take too much of a toll on your body. You felt unable to bring yourself to stop him however, fearing that doing so would end his revenging your body.

His strained groans filled the bathroom, elevating in volume and guttural need, signaling his untimely and incoming climax. "Please, just hold out for me a bit longer..." you plead, dreading the ending of this pleasure, to no avail.

"Cumming, (Y/N), fuck, I'm cumming!" Eddie whined, withdrawing his fangs from your throat as he felt his essence overfill you. "I'm sorry," he sighed exhaustedly. "I'll make it up, I swear." he promised, using you as support once again.

"It's okay, baby," you cooed, dizzier than ever now. "I'm just glad your satisfied." Your head slumped against his, before you noticed his body sliding down yours. "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna make you cum all over my face, pretty girl." he replied, sitting on his knees and delving into you, once again hiking your leg over his shoulder. He plunged a pair of fingers inside you before you could have time to protest, pumping into your sex, his fingers becoming sticky with what he left behind. To accompany this sensation, he flattened his tongue over your coated mound to find what area soothed you the most, before zeroing in on it.

One of your hands rested against the wall beside you, and the other tangled itself into his hair, forcing him to stay put, not that he minded. Shortly, your own orgasm crashed against you, having not had long to go before. You were brought to a shuddering, loud, and messy end by him, the man you'd longed for for so long. With all of your adrenaline draining from your body, you began to slide town the tile, to which he laughed and held you up as your vision finally darkened, for good this time.

-----

You awoke some time later, how much by, you couldn't be sure. Memories cam flooding back to you, and for a moment, you could have mistaken it for a wild lucid dream, if not for the stinging soreness still present in your shoulder. Reaching up to graze your fingers across it, you found soft, clean gauze when your impacted skin should have been. Just out of your peripheral, you could make out a lump in your sheets, matching up with the pattern of breathing you noticed hitting the back of your neck. Rolling over as much as you could without upsetting your injury, you found Eddie, sleeping soundly behind you, still lacking clothes. Upon realizing this, you frisked yourself, finding that you were enveloped in comfortably loose clothes. Did he dress you?

Regardless, you were simply glad to have him back, and in love with you, none the less. You felt sanguine as you drifted off, nestled in his arms, feeling as if everything now was still and alright, and what ever was left could be handled in the morning, just like your messy bedroom.

#eddie stranger things #stranger things #eddie munson #eddie munson angst #eddie munson deserved better #eddie munson headcanons #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson smut #eddie munson stranger things #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie my beloved #eddie munson imagines #stranger things eddie #stranger things eddie munson #eddie x y/n #eddie x you #kas!eddie #vampire eddie munson

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findafight · 10 months

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I find Nancy and her relationships so interesting because I feel like the show makes everything way too simply mostly in favor for Nancy. Like the narrative automatically sides with her every time.

In s2, Jonathan shouldn't have encouraged her like that when she wanted to expose the lab. In s1, Jancy was on the same page, Jonathan wanted to find his brother, Nancy, her best friend, so they were working towards the same goal. In s2, Jon didn't have the desire to expose the lab. It's Nancy who is trapped in her guilt that turned into revenge that wanted to do something. Jon had positive experiences with the new lab and realistically wouldn't want to risk putting his mom and brother, who go there weekly, in danger. Especially after witnessing the whole problem, the gate and the vines spreading, he should have put a stop to it. Both didn't know about El being alive. The lab literally was the only thing that stood between the demise of Hawkins. They were the only people searching for a cure. Automatically, Jon should have pushed back bc Nancy wasn't thinking straight bc she was too wrapped up in her shit. Jonathan helping her accept Barb's death in a different way would have been more powerful and helpful bc Nancy still struggles with it after everything. Plus, I'm a believer that the lab would have searched her bag before, knowing she had plans to expose them.

I feel like when Nancy is in a relationship or even with friends, people always have to say yes to her with no pushback. If you push back, she just moves onto someone who will say yes. Robin was her yes man in s4 Jon in s2. In s3, he pushed back the slightest, and you see the conflict that came from it (financial struggles) was never truly resolved from Nancy's part. It carried over to s4 where Jon is afraid to tell her truth that he can't afford to go to college with her. Now, the show treats Jonathan as the villain for this without asking what caused him to lie to Nancy in the first place. It's also because the narrative lets Nancy be right. I think Steve was the only person in s4 who was a bit apprehensive with the plan, and yet this is treated as something bad, or he doesn't know what he is talking about. Or within the fandom people use his different opinion as proof he doesn't get Nancy, and look at Robin who just goes along and understands she's the best suited partner for her.

I feel like Nancy doesn't grow much personally throughout the series because she never gets truly challenged. And if she does, it's resolved in a way to her favor. Like, I think she needs someone who isn't a doormat who challenges her in a way that makes her realize she has to change her behavior in certain situations. I will forever mourn the plot s4 could have gotten if they made Robin into the person who would challenge Nancy. Both girls are smart. If Robin was the driving force in the investigation god, that would already set Nancy off.

oh yeah, the show sort of hands Nancy relationships on a silver platter and we never see her actually put in effort towards them? and this prohibits Nancy from growing more than she could! It doesn't let Nancy be wrong let alone admit she's wrong. We see Mike apologize to Will, and Steve apologize to Dustin, we see Robin and Steve have back and forth and Steve trying to get robin a gf, and we see El and Max spend time together talking and getting to know each other. we see them interacting in a way that we see there is a push and pull.

But we see Nancy and Jonathan fall into bed together, Jonathan supporting Nancy's (ill-advised, even if the show won't admit it because that would mean saying Steve was right) plan to expose the lab. I think your point about Jonathan not having a reason to do that is super interesting because you're right! we know the lab is sketchy as hell, but to Jonathan they're the reason Will went missing, but also the reason they got him back. Will's been getting treatment or tests done there for nearly a year by that point, and while Jon may be distrustful of the Lab, wanting to take away the only official support his family has for what they went through doesn't make sense. What were they expecting to happen to the MASSIVE ALTERNATE DIMENSION GATE if the lab shut down? (why did owens show them lmao. why weren't they searched?) it makes no sense and just reinforces the idea that Steve had a point. I think if they had been able to have the library conversation not in public, then maybe he could have worked something out to help Nancy but alas. They didn't and people just point ot it as Steve dismissing Nancy and pretending everything is fine (when Nancy was also doing that!!)

When Jonathan does resist Nancy's idea (which isn't even UD related she just wanted to prove herself to misogynistic jerks) because financially his family needs him to have a job, and him having a job working in a field he likes and enjoys is a best case for him to get better work out of hawkinis/into uni, and honestly Jon had a sweet gig because he didn't mind the work, it was good job experience, and it would look good on a college application.

While Nancy is right that they shouldn't treat her with mockery, I can't help but think it's...incredibly naive of her? She was an intern. She wasn't going to get anything other than interviewing people for fluff pieces if she got anything other than typing/gofering to begin with. It's frustrating because living in a sexist world you do have to pick your battles. She has no power there, because she's an intern and replaceable and a teenager. It's just not realistic to me that she would think she would get anywhere or get away with trying to follow the rabies rat lead. (which is also...a boring story like oooh rat rabies? in a town where whole fields of pumpkins rotted on the vine? Very much an excuse to inset Jonathan and Nancy into the plot [season 3 is a mess and the best thing from it is robin and scoops troop which tbh makes up for it imo]) Like she could be mad and frustrated and insulted and humiliated, let her rant about that!! about her powerlessness! That's interesting and heartbreaking because there really isn't anything to do but quit then. but idk what she thought she was going into in a male dominated field in her podunk town. Not blaming her just think that writing decision should have been thought through more.

Her fight with Jonathan actually kinda made me think jancy was interesting for a second because yes!! those are real conflicting issues and priorities!! That's relationship conflict that's real and natural for the characters to have! and misunderstanding!! and then Nancy's mom (ew) gives her a speech when it's like bro. you're owed an apology but you also owe Jonathan one if you want to repair and strengthen your relationship. So she never apologizes and jon gives a half-assed apology and then they never have to talk about it again because the UD is here and that's more important!! It's another place where Nancy's development stalled and it's frustrating because it also makes Jonathan more of a doormat (sorry Jon you've been done so dirty)

their s4 conflict is so stupid to me. It goes both ways like damn Nancy if you missed your boyfriend whose family is notoriously broke maybe you should go visit him? or talk to him? It's an issue for both of them (I think it's really weird that people bring up steve's RV dream and wanting Nancy beside him to shit on Stancy but barely bring up the fact that Jonathan [admittedly in a catastrophizing spiral, but one might also think Steve, having been half eaten and going into a situation that could kill him, was also not in his most steady of mind] assumed Nancy would drop everything to be with him in California (after saying she's incredibly ambitious) and they'd have kids etc? idk it's just that both mentioned kids but only Steve mentioned his own experience with taking care of kids, wheras Jon is using that as part of his excuse for lying to her...) Jonathan lying is obviously a problem. He's "slow-mo breaking up with Nancy" and that's an issue he's got, but we only see Nancy stressed about it but also not...really do anything about it? idk we don't get to see her fight for her relationship with a boy she supposedly loves! Why not? Why can't we see Nancy's stubbornness and pride and ambition turned in the direction of saving her relationship with Jonathan? Instead of him just coming back to Hawkins and them still being a bit awkward around each other, him lying, her having been flirting with Steve for a week. Like. Why didn't we see her pull him aside and go "okay I love you. We're obviously having issues and it's absolutely not the best time but I can't take not talking to you and feeling like we're drifting!"

With the whole plan at the end of s4...yeah. The narrative/show can't let Nancy be wrong and/or Steve be right. It also needed a plan that would fail. So we get Steve pushing against the plan, treated like he's being irrational for it, and then it failing. As for Nancy needing to be challenged...I mean yeah? but also I think a key part of what she wants from romo relationships is to not be challenged! She doesn't like when her boyfriends push back against her ideas/plans, and ignores them anyways. Which is why it's so frustrating that there have been opportunities for the writers to let Nancy be wrong and learn and grow and they just...don't. They validate her decisions even if they make no sense.

And the thing is...Robin is Thee driving force in their investigation. she gets it right again and again and is the reason the connection to music is even made, But for some reason I feel like the show treats it as another Nancy Investigation Success instead of Nancy being the one that was just kinda there and also a bit mean to robin for no reason other than jealousy. The opportunity for Robin to be a challenge to Nancy's authority was there! It was there and all they would've had to do was have Robin not suck up to Nancy, have the show/narrative acknowledge it was Robin who was the reason the got any information beyond the name Victor Creel, and have Nancy realize that she isn't infallible and right all the time. It would have been so good to see her take stock and reconsider herself and her decisions and her relationships and want to make a friendship with Robin, who wouldn't be co-operative.

#findaanswers #Anonymous #nancy wheeler #stranger things #stranger things meta

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eriquin · 10 months

Text

The Trolley Problem (Formerly Time Travel AU) part 6

Steve's is running down the list of people who can help him and having no luck.

(master post)

Part 6:

It took three days before he got the chance to talk to Jonathan alone. In the meantime, he had done a tutoring session with Nancy while Barb sat one table over. He tried to include her, but she scoffed and said she had her own studying to do. This prevented him from trying to get Nancy to take his weird dream any more seriously than she had before.

Tommy and Carol were a little bit more of a problem. They rarely left him alone at school, and always had somewhere they wanted to go after school and drag him along with them. He managed to shake them off by saying that he had something he needed to do for Nancy, but they looked like they didn’t really believe him.

He moved his car at lunchtime so he was parked closer to Jonathan and had the excuse to talk to him after school. Then he made sure to rush out at the last bell in order to catch him there before he drove away. He just barely made it.

“Hey Byers, hold up a second,” he said as he ran up the hill towards their cars.

Jonathan looked startled at being addressed. He’d been about to climb into his car and leave. “What?” He peered at Steve with suspicion.

“Just... Where are you headed in such a hurry?” Steve brushed his hair back, trying to look nonchalant. This talk was already not going according to plan.

“I’ve got to get to work,” Jonathan said. “What’s it to you?”

It had never occurred to Steve that Jonathan had a job after school. Jonathan had never talked about it, but it made sense in hindsight. Robin always used to talk about having to work in order to afford stuff for school and save up for college, and he knew she and Jonathan were probably in the same boat. Steve felt a bit like a jackass for never having realized that the first time he was this age.

Jonathan was still staring at him. Steve was thrown and tried to recover. “Nothing, nothing, I just... You’re friends with Nancy, right?”

“Wheeler?” Jonathan asked, sounding surprised. “Uh, not really?” He propped his arm up on the roof of his car and shrugged. “I mean, our little brothers are friends, but I don’t know her that well.”

“Oh, okay. I just thought...” Steve scratched his head. He really needed to have planned this conversation better. “Uh, scratch that. Different question, I guess? Your little brother is in middle school, right?”

“Yeah?” Jonathan said. He squinted at Steve, then turned around to look back up the road, towards the middle school. The two schools were only separated by a short road, and the middle school teams used the high school playing fields sometimes. “What about it?”

Steve’s brain was spinning around, trying to come up with a convincing lie that would explain why he was talking to Jonathan about Will. Why would he be asking about a nerdy little middle schooler? There were on complete opposite poles of any conceivable conversation point. He couldn’t even lie and say Nancy had asked him to check in, because that would quickly get back to her through Mike. So he went with a different lie, and relied on the only vaguely respectable thing Jonathan would know about him at this point. “Does he play any sports? ‘Cause Coach wants to see some leadership skills out of me if I’m gonna make captain and I figured if some middle schoolers needed help—”

Jonathan snorted and laughed, a short bark like a fox. “No, man,” he said. “Will is the total opposite of athletic.”

“Oh,” Steve said. He let his face fall into a frown, pretending that he didn’t already know that. “Well, do any of his friends play anything?”

“Pretty sure they don’t,” Jonathan said with a shake of his head. “They’re good kids, but they’re a bunch of geeks. They’re not gonna be interested in any jock stuff.”

Steve frowned for real this time. Lucas being on the basketball team was still two years off, so there really wasn’t any good excuse for him to talk to any of the kids if he didn’t want to look like a creep. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he said.

“Look, was that all? Only, I’m gonna be late.”

“No, sorry, that’s it.” Steve backed up and moved towards his own car. “Uh, nice talking to you?”

Jonathan shrugged and waved a little bit before getting in his car and driving off. Steve sat for a while in his own car with the door open and his feet on the gravel, watching people filter out of the high school and head home. He was zero for two in his attempts to recruit allies against the upcoming danger and running out of ideas of who to ask.

He saw Robin in the halls between classes sometimes, but he didn’t have any classes with her this year. That wouldn’t start until Mrs. Click’s class senior year, which was far too late. He didn’t know how to approach her. The idea of her looking at him like he was a total stranger depressed the hell out of him, and he didn’t know how he would even start a conversation. Tell her that they’re destined to be best friends, and that he already knew all her idiosyncrasies and loved her for them? That definitely wouldn’t fly with his current reputation. She would think he was hitting on her, would instantly reject him, and then his ‘friends’ would turn their attention on her and make her life hell. He couldn’t let that happen.

So instead he went back to the drawing board. Or, at least, the notebook. He focused this time on how the people who got involved interacted right now, and how much they would believe him if he tried to tell them the truth. He couldn’t tell the kids, because he would just be some high school douchebag to them at this point. He could try Joyce, but she might think he was threatening Will or Jonathan and get defensive of them. And Hopper would only see him as the rich asshole from the wild parties in Loch Nora and speeding tickets on back country roads.

He knew of one adult who might help him—the crazy-looking Murray Bauman. But he had absolutely no idea how to contact him. He didn’t live in Hawkins and his number wasn’t in the phone book.

Meanwhile, another weekend had gone by. He’d tried to blow off Tommy and Carol again, but they dragged him out to cruise around and find people to hang with. He listened in on the conversations, but it all seemed kind of petty. Also, it was weird how much of the relationship drama he remembered. He knew which couples were going to start dating and who was going to cheat on their girlfriend or boyfriend and who was going to get dumped.

Carol noticed that he was acting weird and brought it up one time too many, and he snapped at her to leave him be. She backed off, but she and Tommy looked upset afterwards. They left him alone for a bit after that, though he could tell that they wanted to confront him about it.

The days kept slipping away from him. His parents could tell that something was wrong, too, but he was able to keep them off his case by saying that things were going weird with his friends at school. The opposite tactic might have worked if he’d thought of it before he’d snapped at Carol. He didn’t think they’d buy it now.

#the trolley problem #time travel #part 6 #my writing #stranger things #steddie

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starry-eyed-steve · 10 months

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I've been thinking a lot the past couple of days about the friendships of Stranger Things, especially the teen/adolescent group, and how people just come together with no problems, avoiding the personal conflicts that should come up. The major problem is that unlike the kids who were friends before, the teens are only together because of trauma and romance instead of friendship. The initial trio, which is the basis, didn't like each other before. Steve and Nancy were not friends. They were romantically interested in each other. Jonathan and Steve hated each other, Nancy and Jonathan were sorta friends, but not really. So that's already complicated and not ideal because Steve and Jonathan still didn't like each other after everything, and then Nancy left Steve for Jonathan, which left Steve alone until he found Robin. So that's the core dynamic of the older kids group. And because there is not enough time in the show, we get a watered-down version of those characters working together to save the world. Sometimes, they even act OOC just so we can focus more on the overall plot. You know when you watch a scene and you go no, they wouldn't say that or no, they wouldn't do that? That's how I felt the majority of time for s4. And as much as I love the found family trope and I understand why people just want everyone to get along, I genuinely believe the teen group realistically would dislike each other. And I need more fics exploring that lmao.

Stranger Things really robbed us by not giving us 20 episodes to develop characters and explore their complicated feelings to others. Like 3/6 (7 if you count Vickie) have beef with each other, there is just too much tension between Steve and Jancy it would totally affect the others. I also think if we had more time, those groups could venture out and meet more people who later become their friends. Like I'm curious about Nancy's two friends that were mentioned in s2, it would be nice seeing the main characters outside the group interacting with others. People act like the teens can only find friends within their little circle.

(Disclaimer: This is not a dig on any character, I just find it interesting exploring dynamics like this. Like give me the drama)

Steve wouldn't want to hang out with Jancy. He is still hung up on Nancy, and it hurts him to watch them together. Between seasons, they already don't hang out because why should they. And when Steve finds out or realizes Nancy let him in the belief that he was the only one who was wrong in their relationship despite the major reason for her to break up was she wanted to be with Jonathan for a long time, I think Steve, I wouldn't say he would be pissed, but he would definitely be hurt when it clicks. His entire world view would shatter, like his love life already suffers because he thinks he was a bad boyfriend, so he developed attachment issues and trust issues (hence the serial dating in s4). Nancy really did a number on him, and he never got closure from her, and we still see the aftermath years later. I also don't see Jonathan and Steve be best buddies because of that. Jonathan just doesn't want to be friends with his girlfriend's ex, who potentially still has feelings for her. Same with Nancy, why would she want to hang out with her ex, who is clearly hurting because he is still into her.

It's also implied that Jancy shit talks about Steve behind his back in s4, by Jonathan bringing up the Steve comment unprompted to make Nancy laugh, and he was genuinely shocked when she didn't this time. I mean, they don't really care about Steve's feelings. They slept together 2 days after the Stancy fight and never showed remorse for it. I genuinely don't see them being bffs, lol. I also don't see Jancy wanting to stay in touch with the others, especially Nancy, who just wants to move forward, go to college, and heal from the past few years. Her ex and his bff would be unpleasant reminders. If Jancy breaks up, both of them would go their own ways. Nothing would hold them in Hawkins. Jonathan would still have Argyle, and Nancy would make new friends at university, but both wouldn't really stay in touch with the others.

The whole monster hunting trio had so much potential to become friends if the show hadn't done Stancy and Jancy. But I can't ignore it and if they make Stonathan friends in the last season, idk if I want this because too much happened between them, it would seem ooc for both to want to spend time together outside of the UD shit.

Robin would be on Steve side. If he wasn't cool with Jancy, she wouldn't be cool with them either. She's your ride or die buddy. If you hate someone, she's like no WE hate them. Robin is also a person who would hate people for Steve, like him still trying to be civil towards Jancy because of his feelings for Nancy, but Robin is like no fuck that you hurt my bff you're on my list, I'm side-eying you. She would encourage Steve to move on by not interacting with them all together. After he receives closure, he should move forward.

With Eddie, I don't think he would vibe with Jancy either. Jonathan wouldn't like Eddie being obnoxious and loud. Yes, he might agree with him at some points, but Jonathan hates the attention, and Eddie loves it. If you think Jonathan would be at his side when he gives his little speeches during lunchtime, no way. Same with Nancy, as soon as she sees Eddie climbing that table, she immediately goes the other way. She would pretend not to know this man. Eddie's personality is too loud for Nancy to handle over time. Maybe I'm projecting on her a bit here because she reminds me a bit of me. Like she's more serious and reserved, someone like Eddie would drain her quickly, and she would snap at him sooner than later. She wouldn't find his antics cute. She would be annoyed. But there wouldn't be any bad blood between them. They just would simply find each other annoying over time so they don't really hang out. Each of them has their own thing.

Eddie would rather hang out with Stobin, I think they could handle his personality better. Like they are not as serious than Jancy and could joke with him from time to time. But he also has his band mates to hang out with, so he's not around that often.

Vickie would have no hard feelings for Jancy, but because she's dating Robin and also likes Steve I think she doesn't want to make things awkward by hanging out with them.

Argyle, I think, is the only person who is absolutely cool with everyone. He is such a chill guy who doesn't care about the drama. So in the beginning, after Vecna is defeated, he would be like hey let's all get together to hang out, smoke some weed, and party to celebrate our win. Everyone would be excited at first, but slowly, they realize it was a bad idea. Steve would say some shit that would trigger Jonathan, which causes him to roll his eyes. Nancy then would maybe make a joke about Steve that has a mean undertone to it, which would set Robin off because only she is allowed to make jokes about Steve like that. All those microaggressions would compile until everything explodes. It would mostly be Jancy vs. Stobin with Eddie absolutely loving the drama and egging them on. He has the time of his life at that moment. Poor Argyle doesn't know what's happening and tries to calm them down with more weed, and Vickie just sits there, not knowing what to do but trying to talk Robin down.

Ever since that night, the group has split up and only comes together for important things, like the kids' graduating party, birthdays, weddings, etc. They would have civil conversations but mostly avoid each other. They all found their own circle over time with people they can hang out with without any drama. They would set all their differences aside if the world goes to shit again but hanging out afterward? No, thank you, lmao. They would fight literal monsters and would even die for each other, but friends no way.

The kids would try to get them together, but it's no use, sometimes things just don't work out, which is okay because people don't get along all the time. That also doesn't mean a character who hates another one is suddenly bad or the enemy. Or a character can only be good if they get along with everyone.

#steve harrington #robin buckley #nancy wheeler #jonathan byers #eddie munson #vickie stranger things #argyle #argyle stranger things #stobin #platonic stobin #stranger things #sandra says stuff #another long take nobody asked for

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nogitsunbae · 2 years

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Steve moved to California, after.

After Vecna was defeated, and Hawkins was safe, and everyone had moved on. Robin went to college out of state and he still heard from her, still saw her occasionally, she was still his best friend. Dustin and the party were old enough to drive, and of course he still saw them, but not as often. Nancy and Jonathan moved to Chicago. His parents hadn’t seen him in at least 6 months.

He didn’t really have an attachment to Indiana, anymore.

So he packed his bags. Had enough in his savings from his dad to start over. Drove west and with every passing state sign felt a bit of tension leave his shoulders.

Max never really talked about Billy, but when she did she always spoke about the freedom he craved in California, and Steve was starting to understand what the younger boy must have meant.

Too bad he had died before he reached that freedom.

And, Steve, well, he had liked Billy. In a way that had scared him all those years ago, but now he had accepted. Saw the wild, fierce, unobtainable boy and thought to himself “he is free.”

He was wrong in thinking that.

All these thoughts rushed through his head the closer he got to the golden state. And when he got there, and settled in, made sure to make his calls back to Hawkins to let everyone who cared know he was okay, needed a change of scenery, he started to think more about the dead boy with oceans for eyes and golden hair.

Started to see him.

He was in a small seaside town, mostly inhabited by surfers and locals who looked at his clothes and laughed, but every once and a while Steve would catch a glimpse of blonde hair, the glint of a golden necklace catching in the sun, blue eyes meeting him for just a second but not long enough for Steve to really look.

He knew Billy was dead. But he saw his ghost every time he visited the beach, every time he went to the store to grab some food, every time he took a walk down the street early in the morning.

He was going insane.

Finally, one of his coworkers (Steve could sling ice cream, back home, but here he found pizza and sharing a joint with his chill friend from work worked so much better for him) told him he looked awful. Take a day off. Hell, go learn to surf so you’ll actually fit in around here. He has a friend who gives lessons.

Argyle covered his shift and Steve went to the beach at 8 am, lugging around his new board and wondering what the hell he was doing with his life.

“Thought you’d never show up, pretty boy.”

Steve turned around, almost dropping the (expensive) surf board in the process. And there he was. The ghost of Billy Hargrove, hair grown out, long enough to brush his elbows, scars across his torso blooming like flowers, eyes as bright as the sky and as deep as the pacific.

“Billy?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Don’t cream your pants.”

Steve’s mouth opened, then closed. And… then he smiled.

“You’re supposed to be dead.”

“Yeah?”

“I saw the casket.”

“Wow, the old man even paid for a casket…” the blonde chuckled.

“I saw you die, Billy.”

“Did you?”

Steve shook his head, still smiling. Realizing all those letters addressed to Max that she insisted come to his house weren’t from Lucas or some other kid.

“How?”

“Let’s not dwell on the particulars, pretty boy,” and oh, that nickname ignited a part in Steve he had buried along with the empty casket belonging to Billy Hargrove. “You want to surf, or not?”

And when they finally made it to the ocean, past the breakers, for the first time in a long time, maybe even in his whole life, Steve felt free.

Free to surf, and swim, and splash water on Billy who just laughed and splashed him back, and Steve knew that they were both free, then. To have fun, to bask in each other’s presence, to be themselves unapologetically.

Maybe even free enough to fall in love.

#I’m listening to Santa Monica by everclear if you can’t tell #billy hargrove #harringrove #also I took some liberties w this bc argyle deserves to be buds w Billy sorry

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frecklesandfanfics · 2 years

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*deep breath*

This is gonna be a long one, folks.

So, the stupid tiktok said that Nancy’s character was assassinated in Season 4 and thrown in the garbage. She is still the same character she was in Season 2. She only talked about men and her love triangle. She’s shallow and has no depth and feeling guilty about Barb doesn’t provide enough depth to her character.

Sorry, I call bullshit.

First of all, let’s look at the “love triangle.” It’s only a love triangle to the viewer, not to Nancy. Nancy doesn’t know that Jonathan doesn’t want to go to Emerson. She only realizes how much he’s been lying to her and pulling away when she sees him in the last five minutes of the entire fucking season. She does know that he’s been folding into himself--and we see him doing that with all his pot smoking--but she doesn’t know why and it seems that she thinks whatever is wrong, she can fix when they’re at college. It’s only when she sees him and he lies to her face. She’s not a stupid woman, his attitude is immediately shady and she clocks it.

Here’s the thing: it’s not that I don’t think Nancy ever loved Jonathan, or vice versa. It’s only that their priorities and views on life are very different, and we see that first thing in Season 3, when Jonathan’s take on classism hits Nancy’s views on misogyny and they have that giant fight. They never address this argument again onscreen, which is crazy, because it’s a big one. But you know, from there they are saving the world again and then Jonathan moves to California and in their letters and phone calls Jonathan seems to be putting her off, telling her that he hasn’t gotten his acceptance letter yet.

From there we go to something essential: Jonathan doesn’t know Nancy as well as he thinks he does. In what alternate universe would Nancy Fucking Wheeler give up her dream college for a boyfriend she hasn’t seen in a year? For a boyfriend she wouldn’t even have a chance of seeing til the next year? So many people have said that Steve doesn’t know Nancy because he mentions wanting 6 kids; he never said that she should be the one to stay home with those kids. He never said she needed to give up her dreams, that he expected her to give up her dreams, or that he wanted her to give up her dreams. And it actually makes more sense for Steve to want/expect to be the stay-at-home dad, he hasn’t been able to find his way after high school, he has no expectations of becoming a lawyer or anything of that sort. He’d easily suit the role of a dad in an apron, and he has always admired Nancy’s brains and pluck. No, all Steve ever did was include Nancy in his dream, and it’s the Nancy Jonathan doesn’t understand at all: Nancy who will pursue her own dreams without being weighed down by someone else’s expectations of her.

To say that Nancy has had no growth in Seasons 3 and 4 is quite ridiculous: Season 4 is a take on horror, and Nancy is the Final Girl, the one who survives, the one who fights back, and she only inhabits this role with more comfort in every season. In S3 we see her as the intrepid newspaper gal, trying to balance her relationship with working and fighting back against the misogynistic journalists at the Hawkins (Gazette?) -- and she shows her intelligence when she knows when to run and when to fight. (And how to fight!) She yells back when Jonathan sides with her misogynistic bosses and thinks that her problems with them aren’t as real as his problems with money or being raised by a single mom or any related to class. (And here’s the thing about that fight: they were each right and wrong, but it was a dick move on Jonathan’s part to pull a whataboutism on Nancy when she was clearly having A Moment.)

The way Nancy goes after her story on the weird rats in Season 3 is such a testament to how much she’s grown to that point. She’s tenacious and doesn’t let anyone tell her it’s stupid or frivolous, not even her boyfriend. And where she has to be drunk to talk back to Steve in Season 2, she demolishes Jonathan in multiple conversations. She’s driven, intense, and purposeful, and we haven’t seen those colors on her before, though they’ve been slowly teased out over the first two seasons.

Season 4 only builds on this. Nancy has traded the free time she spent with Jonathan for being the editor of the school newspaper, so dedicated (and perhaps grown so far apart from Jonathan, judge that for yourselves) that she refuses to leave town over Spring Break. She heads to a murder scene with little care for her own safety and talks to Eddie’s uncle with kindness, not assuming Eddie is the murderer, and gets the first tip about Creel--the one that leads to them finding out about Vecna’s weakness, music. In case you’ve forgotten, without Nancy being so focused and pursuing leads to the ends of the earth, Max would have died at Billy’s grave.

Season 4 actually shows us, for the first time, Nancy in a platonic female friendship for more than one episode. Robin might be a little weird at first but she wins Nancy over; Nancy might be a little stuck up at first but she wins Robin over. The season also gives us Nancy actively worried about the younger teens, as well as considering their input and the ways they can help, and shows her leading both the older teens and the younger ones, and giving them a place to crash where they can all be together and safe. Even though Mike is in California, she gives them an excuse to stay in the Wheelers’ basement while they try to figure out the next step, and then they implement several plans...that Nancy comes up with.

Nancy isn’t the de facto leader that Steve is in Seasons 2 and 3, just by virtue of being the oldest, she elects her own damn self as the leader, to the point that Robin points her out as being in charge when asked. It’s a long way from the shaking little girl she is in Season 1, and I’m sorry this has been so goddamn long, but it pisses me off to no end that just because she’s in a “love triangle” (that only the viewer has even figured out is happening, so far) people are saying she’s a flat character, a Mary Sue, whatever. Nancy Wheeler is a great fucking character no matter her love life, and don’t you forget it.

Edit: I forgot to talk about Nancy’s guilt about Barb. Another time, perhaps.

#not the 100 #stranger things #nancy wheeler #stancy #discourse

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deathb1ooms · 1 month

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@darkstarsriseㅤ. . . ㅤharsh light. what's worse? the hangover or that you can't recall the sender's name.

ㅤ ㅤ does your internal biological clock work even when nothing else is working? somehow , that was the first thought to pop into her head as she began to regain consciousness. her eyes hadn't even thought about opening yet , the lids feeling heavy with more than just sleep. it was with this thought that the headache came , a mixture of dehydration and the aftereffects of the alcohol from the night before. it would be a rough day , but she'd get through it. it wasn't the first time that she'd drank herself into a hangover , and probably wouldn't be the last.

ㅤ ㅤ without opening her eyes , the brunette reached her arm out from beneath the warmth of the comforter to search for her water bottle. she never went to bed without a water bottle on the bedside table , a victim of the midnight thirst , but her fingers crashed into the side of something hard and smooth. brows furrowed as she jerked her arm back , clutching it to her chest as she tried to make sense of what had happened. her bedside table wasn't usually so tall , and now that she was thinking about it ― the comforter she was using to cover herself wasn't her usual. another thought brought the realization that under the comforter , she was completely nude.

ㅤ ㅤ her body tensed as she pulled her arm back under the blanket , foolishly covering herself as if that would protect her. but protect her from what , from who?

ㅤ ㅤit only took a moment for her brain , pushing past the brimming migraine that was manifesting itself in her temples , to remember the night before. a few of the girls from one of her classes had dragged her to a club that didn't really care to card people , celebrating a birthday or a passing grade or a breakup , anything was worth celebrating to these types. Nancy could remember agreeing to shots before moving to the dance floor , not really looking for anyone specific to dance with just wanting to move her body. she'd broken up with both Jonathan and Steve before coming to college , needing some time to find herself before going back and having to choose between then two.

ㅤ ㅤ that's how she knew without opening her eyes that the body laying beside her wasn't either of them. though it felt like her lids were glued shut , Nancy knew it was time to open them ― time to find out what she'd gotten herself into.

ㅤ ㅤ after a moment's pep talk , she forced her eyes to open , searching what she could past the mess of brunette curls in her face. she was laying on her side , facing away from the person who's bed she was occupying , to see a tall dresser beside the bed and a window on the other side. it was very obviously morning , and it didn't look early. that thought kicked her into gear , wrapping one arm around the blanket covering her body as she shot up. " phone? " she asked in a panicked voice. " clock? anything? "

ㅤ ㅤ finally she turned to the person laying beside her , brows furrowing because she didn't recognize him at all. she didn't believe they had any classes together , or even that he went to IUPUI. she couldn't , in that moment , even remember his name! who had she gone home with?

ㅤ ㅤ she didn't want to pull the blanket away from him , but there was no way she was standing up to get dressed and exposing herself. the fact that he'd obviously seen her body the night before didn't matter. " h―hey.... can you help me? "

#hi i didn't mean for this to be so long?????#darkstarsrise #darkstarsrise / cas #r e s p o n s e ↳ and i want to live not just survive the night.#v e r s e ↳ who gave the girl next door a gun?

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twigg96 · 1 year

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Steve Harrington HCs

With some Steddie HCs as well :3

Steve is the best big brother ever but he pulls the shittiest pranks on the kids. He is always 3 trends behind in the prank world so they always know what he’s about to do. Even El knows the Whoopie Cushion is hiding under the pillow for her to sit on most times. Dustin thinks it’s because Steve would never intentionally hurt them. Max thinks it’s because he’s too slow to realize times have changed. Robin is the only one that knows it’s because Steve gets all his “great ideas” from renting the old movies from the video store.

Steve would 100% become Tik Tok famous at any age. He’d master the all of the dances and become the biggest thirst trap on the platform. Only problem was. He was completely oblivious to it. He just liked to dance and his followers seemed to like it when he put in the extra effort to move his body a little more or take his shirt off. So he was more than happy to do as his new friends asked. Nancy, Jonathan, Robin and Hell even Argyle had warned him not to get to attached with the people sending him nice comments for what they wanted. But Steve insisted that his friends on the app liked him for who he really was. It helped a lot that Eddie was more than supportive of him and even appeared in a few of his Tik Toks. The lead singer danced along side his boyfriend (more so staring at the man than dancing but who was going to ever judge him).

One day during a discussion about what they wanted to grow up to be as children and how stupid their child selfs were, Robin had loudly proclaimed that she had wanted to become a “crayon tester”. Something her parents came up with to keep her busy on long car rides and in important public places to keep her happy and quiet as she was always talking to strangers about all their family business. Everyone thought it fit her quite well and if there was a real possibility of a job opening for a crayon tester at the Crayon factory she’d be a shoe in. Eddie laughed about becoming a veterinarian. Telling a long exaggerated story about how many animals he saved over the many years he spent living at his Uncle’s only to have Steve hold up two fingers knowing quite well from a proud Wayne himself that Eddie had saved a stray baby kitten and a nest of hatchlings once. However when everyone turned to Steve he stayed quiet. They poked and tried to pry it loose, even Nancy didn’t know what his child self wanted to be. “A lawyer like your parents?” Made the boy turn his nose up at Johnathan and scrunch his face in disgust. “And you’re supposed to be a journalist Byers?” He asked laughing to try and raise his own mood. But no matter how much he tried to change the subject his friends wouldn’t let up. So he relented. “An astronaut…” he muttered blushing and looking away in shame. “I wanted to be an astronaut. Mostly to get my parents to pay attention to me… because it seemed like when I watched the astronauts on TV with the Nanny’s… they all had a huge crowd of people cheering for them. Their whole family was so happy and I wanted that too. When I told my parents they just laughed and told me I needed to be smart to do that. I tried to get by on my grades but I just couldn’t get past the things my parents said… and my math wasn’t worth a damn so I’m freshman year I game up on that dream and started chasing sports. Figured if I couldn’t get into college for my brain I might for athletics and then… maybe mom and dad would be proud… ya know eventually.” Everyone stared at Steve their expressions ranging from heartbreak to rage at his neglectful parents. Steve wanted to take everything he said back but was swallowed in a huge bear hug instead.

During the first summer Steve and Eddie spent together, they worked in the same job. Well… they worked at the same place. They both worked at the small locally owned amusement park that opened a few years before just outside of Hawkins. Eddie and Corroded Coffin got their first real “long term gig” that promised to pay a low but even rate every Monday through Friday and Sunday with Saturdays off to do whatever or preform elsewhere for extra cash. A good amount of musically inclined people would come to the park after dark to listen to the performances so the offers to perform in bars, restaurants, clubs, and even as an opening act for one of Indiana’s better known Indie bands. Steve worked as a game attendant in a booth near the stage. His booth contained three separate games he had to man. The first was a water gun game where his “guests” had to aim jets of water at a clowns mouth and see who could get their buzzer to ring first. He found the water pressures on the first and third chairs were the highest and changed between the two to make it seem like it was random. He kept track of which chair won last to make sure the kids or people who looked like they needed cheering up would be sure to win. The second game was ring toss. That one was always rigged but had the best prizes in the whole park so he got a lot of traffic on that game. He noticed there were only around 17 bottles the rings would fit over at all ranging from small prize to large. Only one bottle would allow for a large prize however. He tried to discourage people from playing it when they had young kids who desperately wanted a prize and instead tried to encourage the other water game where prizes were almost guaranteed. The last game was a basket game. Shoot an easy one shot from like 6 feet away 3 times get a large prize. Easy right? Wrong. The hoops were rigged to have screws poking out the back to keep people from making baskets. He was instructed to tighten or loosen the screws so much based on the parks expected crowd capacity before he opened the game. He really hated cheating everyone so he was sure to tighten the screws just enough to allow for a few more baskets but keep his bosses from getting suspicious. Busy days like holidays it could get quite crowded and hectic. But on slow easy going days when Eddie and his crew showed up early to set up, Eddie would take a long walk with Steve on his lunch break to let him relax and let him know how loved he was and that all this was going to be worth it.

#stranger things #stranger things headcanons #steve harrington headcanon #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #robin stranger things #johnathan byers #nancy stranger things #argyle stranger things #first stranger things HC

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sleptwithinthesun · 1 year

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hi i really like the chicago au i made the other day so here's another lil story for it lol. not snz-focused, more of plot/establishing stuff, but the fic discusses snzkink quite a bit, so. here's 2.4K words :)

Summer is winding down.

The end of August gets closer and closer every single day, and despite the fact that Jonathan's been out of college for over a year, now, he still finds himself with a leftover sense of dread, slowly enforced over the course of sixteen years of school, digging roots into his gut. It doesn't matter that he knows things are going steady, that his job pays well enough to help keep them afloat, that he won't have to drag himself through another nine months of hell once September rears her ugly little head; Jonathan can't help the way that his skin begins to prickle with gooseflesh as soon as the slightest hint of the autumn chill starts to weave through the air.

Nancy teases him with a smile when he brings up his anxieties, but her eyes get soft all the same when she runs a comforting hand down his arm and presses his knuckles to her lips. Steve just nods and lets Jonathan drop his head onto his shoulder, whispering that he gets it after Nancy disappears to make him tea. He says that Jonathan and Nancy rescued him, when they came back to Hawkins to get him. That they saved him. That if they hadn't done that, if they hadn't chosen to let him in, he doesn't know where he'd be today.

In truth, Jonathan doesn't know, either. There was a period of time, and a long one, at that, where he thought that it really couldn't get any better than him and Nancy. Joyce didn't think they would last, but their family has an inexplicable tradition of high school love that's been maintained by Jonathan and Will, following in her footsteps. But now that he and Nancy have Steve, he can't possibly imagine what it was ever like to be without him. The past three months in Chicago with his two partners have been the best of his life, and Jonathan's in constant disbelief as to how they actually made it out of Hawkins. Just over a year ago, they'd moved into their apartment in Indianapolis, settled on their six-month lease, and quickly realized they didn't have the funds to support it. A handful of the little towns around Indiana remember their presence, watched the attempts that quickly spiraled out as they routinely tried and failed, miserably, to find jobs that would allow them to properly settle, only gaining a few months of work at a time before they'd have to pack it all up and try again. Signing absolutely nothing longer than a three-month lease and living paycheck-to-paycheck for more than a year was nerve wracking, and Jonathan's simply grateful that Chicago worked out. The city was definitely a risk, but one that they needed to take.

They're certainly not well-off, not by a long shot, but at least they're doing better than just scraping by, now. They actually have a decently-sized apartment to themselves and space to breathe.

Steve's catching his jaw in a kiss before Jonathan even fully sets foot in the kitchen, sighing into his neck with a soft, "Hey, Jon," as he wraps the younger man in an embrace. He sways a bit, lit up by the early morning light. The air coming in from the open window is sticky with August humidity and filled with the sounds of a city waking up.

"Steve," is all he manages, still not quite awake, mumbling into his boyfriend's chest. Steve laughs quietly, the sound vibrating through him and Jonathan clings tighter to him.

"Do you want coffee?" Steve asks. Jonathan, who runs a bit more than two degrees lower than the average person, whines when Steve, the human space heater, pulls away from him, but resigns himself to his fate, crossing his arms over his chest. He shakes his head; coffee's only ever made him jittery.

He clears his throat before speaking. "Nancy'll probably want a cup when she wakes up, though," he offers, and Steve nods, agreeing. The light streaming in from the window catches Jonathan right in the face as Steve turns away to get the grounds out of the cabinet, and nearly freezes when Jonathan inhales suddenly before sneezing near-silently into his elbow. His knee jerks up a bit when he does so, and he barely gets his shirt up in time to cover his face. "h'gt!"

Jonathan sniffles momentarily, pulls his shirt back down, then pauses when he notices the expression plastered on Steve's face. The other man looks oddly... flustered, strangely enough, and Jonathan has no idea how to respond to it. "Sorry?" he offers.

"No! No, don't be sorry," Steve rushes. There's no missing the catch in his voice, nor the nervous little shuffle he does as he scuffs his foot against the ground. "Bless you, Jon."

And—

Oh.

"This is about the other night, isn't it?" he asks. They've discussed it before, Steve and Nancy's shared kink in regard to his sneezing, but they've never gone into any further detail than what it actually was and the basics of what it entailed. So, Jonathan understands that it's attractive to them, but he doesn't know what about sneezing does it for them and the ways in which he can fulfill their specific interests.

Steve practically flinches with the force of his worry. "We didn't— Nance and I didn't make you uncomfortable, did we?"

"You didn't make me uncomfortable or cross any boundaries." Jonathan is quick to reassure him. "I just. Um. If it's okay with both you and Nancy, I wanted to know more about what it means for you? Like, I get that my sneezing is attractive, but I don't know what either of you want from it, if that makes sense."

"That's fair," Steve says. "Nancy and I differ a bit in our preferences, so it's probably better if we wait to talk about it until she's awake?"

"Talk about what?"

Nancy stands in the doorway, rubbing the sleep away from her eye and blinking tiredly.

"Sneeze kink stuff," Steve explains, absolutely shamelessly at only seven-thirty in the morning. Nancy raises an eyebrow at them, pointedly glancing at the clock, and then back to them. Steve rolls his eyes, and Jonathan ducks his head slightly. "He brought it up," Steve says, pointing his finger toward his boyfriend.

"Hey!" Jonathan protests. "That's not at all my fault. You're the one who got all weird when I sneezed."

"You're the one who sneezed!"

"The light hit me in the face, I can't help that it makes me sneeze."

"Oh my God," Nancy says, shaking her head fondly at them. "Hopeless, the lot of you."

Steve only grins, and Jonathan offers a little smile. "I was asking Steve about your, uh, preferences? Like, what both of you like, basically. Yeah. Um."

"You're so fucking cute," Nancy says, walking forward and gently cupping the sides of his face. "You'd do that just to indulge us?"

"Yeah?" Jonathan asks, tilting his head in confusion. "As long as it makes you and Steve happy. I just want to make you happy."

In front of him, Nancy pretty much melts. "Steve. Steve, how the hell did we get lucky enough to end up with him?"

"No idea," Steve says, and from the sound of it, he's finally taking the coffee press out of the cabinet. That's partially, if not mostly, Jonathan's fault; he did pretty much derail the entire conversation.

Nancy traces her pointer finger down the side of his face before letting her hand drop back to her side. "Let me wake up a bit first, and then we can all have a proper talk about preferences, because Steve and I are into pretty different things."

Jonathan nods. "Sounds good to me."

Nancy wraps her hands around her mug at seven-forty-eight, breathing in the scent of her coffee before taking a cautious sip and setting her mug back down on the coaster. Steve, who's sitting opposite to Jonathan on the other couch, also has a mug on the coffee table, but so far, it's remained untouched.

"Do you want me or Nance to start?" he asks, looking at Jonathan. "Either way, it really doesn't matter, but it might be easier for us to explain one at a time."

Jonathan shrugs. "I don't care. Whatever's best for both of you can work for me."

Steve glances over at Nancy, who simply shrugs and waves a hand toward him, giving the universal tacit signal for go ahead.

"Okay, so. Uh. Preferences," he starts, rubbing the back of his neck. It's his tell for when he's uncomfortable, but he sits up straighter once Nancy gives him a reassuring nod. Explain it like we did when we first started dating, she mouths. Jonathan simply waits on the end of the couch, endlessly patient.

"I honestly don't have many," he blurts. "For me, pretty much however you sneeze is enough just because it's you, but sometimes I'll get into a mood where stifles or holding back is really good, but that comes from Nancy, I think. Before her, I really didn't care at all. I do like, uh, inducing, sometimes, 'cause it feels good for me to be in control of what's making you sneeze." Steve casts a look up at Jonathan. Obviously, he's not expecting disgust; he's been with Jonathan for long enough to know that he'd never react like that. He's expecting something, though, other than the plain confusion that Jonathan meets him with.

He's the first to look away. "What's inducing?" he asks softly, almost sounding embarrassed, and Steve nearly collapses into a puddle right then and there. For all he's been worried about Jonathan thinking that he's weird for liking this, Jonathan's probably been just as worried that he's the one out of the loop, since he and Nancy share this kink and Jonathan's only now being introduced to it.

"Inducing is pretty much what it sounds like," Nancy says. "Basically, we make you sneeze, usually with something like a tissue or feather."

Jonathan nods in understanding. "And... that's it? For you, I mean?" His gaze lands on Steve, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, pretty much. If I think of anything else, I'll tell you, but I think that covers it. Nance?"

She's already nodding along. "Yep. It really hasn't changed much since we first talked about it."

"Are yours really different?" Jonathan asks.

"Yes, and no. I'm trying to figure out how to explain this." Nancy's posture straightens out, and her gaze drifts the same way it does whenever she's thinking about something. "Like, the feeling I get from it or want from it is the same. I like being in control, and I like having dominance over people, so that definitely reflects in the shit I'm into." She laughs. "I do enjoy stifles and holding back, as Steve mentioned, and inducing as well, but mostly, I just want to make you lose control. You're very composed, Jon, and it's nice to break that every once in a while, if you get what I mean."

And Jonathan doesn't look scared, not exactly, but definitely a bit intimidated. "Not really?"

"You stifle your sneezes into silence most of the time, Jonathan," Steve points out. "You're the one in control of that. Nancy, though, she likes to make it so that you can't stifle because there's no time for you to react to the feeling of needing to sneeze." He doesn't know how obvious it is that he's speaking from experience to Jonathan, but Nancy very clearly knows what he's talking about, if her confident smirk means anything.

"Oh," Jonathan says, then blinks. "Okay."

"You don't have to deal with any of this, not if you don't want to," Nancy tells him. "Neither of us need it to be happy in a relationship. Don't feel bad if you're not comf—"

"I want to do it," Jonathan interrupts. "Sorry. But. I want to, uh, do it. To do this stuff with you. If we can set boundaries?"

"Of course," Steve says, at the exact same time that Nancy states, "That's not even a question you need to ask."

Jonathan nods. "Okay. Cool. Um."

There's a long beat of silence where he's clearly trying to figure out if what he's about to ask is going to offend them, and Steve reaches across the space between them to place what he hopes is a comforting hand on his knee. "Hey. Jon. Don't worry about it, okay? Whatever you want to ask, just ask it. We're not going to say no."

"Alright," Jonathan says, and his lips quirk up for a moment. "Yeah. So, like, how far would either of you go if we're, uh, inducing?"

"We want you to feel safe." Nancy looks at him, a sad little smile gracing her face. "I know you want to make us happy, but if you don't feel comfortable with what we're doing, or don't feel safe, or want us to stop, just tell us and we will. It's more than enough that you're willing to indulge us in the first place, so we're only going to go as far as you're ready to."

"If you genuinely feel like you're losing control—more than of just your sneezes, if you feel like you can't breathe, or something like that, please tell us," Steve adds. "We're not trying to kill you."

That startles a laugh out of Jonathan, and some of the stress that's been pulling his shoulders taut releases. "That's good to know."

He shifts in his seat a little, pulling his legs up to sit cross-legged, picking at a thread on the couch when he says, "This might be weird, or whatever—"

"We're literally into sneezing as a kink, Jon, don't worry about weird."

"—but do you want a list of my allergies, or something? Would that help at all?"

Steve can feel his body tingle at the mere thought. "Fuck, please do."

For the first time since the conversation started, Jonathan's expression slips into something teasing. "Would that do it for you?" he asks, voice dropping slightly, and Steve just nods dumbly. Christ, he's dating this?

"I think you broke him," Nancy comments.

Jonathan shrugs. "If that's what he's like now, then it'll be really fun when we actually try this out."

"We're going to do shit to you that you've never even dreamed of," Nancy warns, pointing a finger at him.

"You already promised that when we first started dating," Jonathan says, teeth flashing as he smiles. "I think I can handle a little more."

#s/tranger t/hings #s/teve h/arrington #j/onathan b/yers #n/ancy w/heeler #s/toncy #c/hicago au #swts fic

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schrijverr · 1 year

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Life Is Ours, We Live It Our Way 5

Chapter 5 out of 18

Genderqueer Stevie with platonic soulmates Robin and Eddie living their best queer life.

In this chapter, the strategy of ignore it and it’ll go away as a strategy isn’t working, so when Steve notices how much his friends worry, he calls Madame Tucker and accepts something about herself. In the privacy of his house, he starts to explore, who she wants to be. He also holds a movie night with Eddie and Robin, realizing he’s bisexual and floats it by the kids during DnD.

On AO3.

Ships: none

Warnings: disassociation, internalized transphobia and homophobia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Acceptance

The weeks of waiting are not helping.

Steve should slowly be coming back to himself, much like after an Upside Down event, but instead he finds himself further and further removed from his body. But he can’t seem to pull himself back into it.

He knows he’s worrying his friends. Whenever he shares a shift with Robin, she does everything in her power to get him to talk with her. Most of the time he manages half baked conversations, but it’s nothing like their usual back and forth.

Eddie also looks like he wants to say something every time they hang out. However, he stops himself, remembering the promise he made when Steve dropped him off. Eddie knows about not wanting to be pushed around these topics. He can’t judge. But Steve can see in his eyes how badly he wants to ask if he’s okay.

It’s gotten to the point where the kids are noticing, which he hates the most. Their worried brows look wrong and he desperately tries to keep the smile and present eyes, but he can tell it’s not really working.

During DnD, he doesn’t do the deep voice for Sir Stephen like he used to and takes less initiative in fights, just going with the punches. Steve is good at that.

This time when he drops Will off, Joyce stops to ask him if he’s okay. He tells her yes, because he hasn’t allowed himself to entertain the possibility of not being okay. Even if he knows that it’s getting bad, he still holds on to the hope that it will blow over.

She cups his cheek and reminds him that she’s here for him. She knows that he’s been through more than enough and if he ever needs a hug or a listening ear, she’s here.

He nods and tells her he knows, while trying not to show how close to tears he is.

However, it’s not until Hopper calls him over to talk that he realizes how bad it has gotten. The whole Upside Down crew has gotten together. It’s nearing the end of August and they want to have a last get together, before Jonathan, Nancy and Argyle move away to college. Steve will never admit how happy he is that Robin is taking a gap year, while Eddie is working at the mechanic shop, telling everyone that college is for sheep.

Steve has been having a pretty good day, which he’s glad for. He’s helping Joyce with catering and manning the grill when Hopper needs a break. The kids all run around the new Byers house, having fun like they’re supposed to and the young adults are in a corner drinking and talking.

He knows he should be in that corner as well, but he doesn’t feel up to much talking and he doesn’t want to ruin his good day. Because if he’s too quiet Robin will try to get him to talk and Eddie will send him concerned looks, not to mention that Nancy might get that he’s not doing so hot.

The last thing he needs is his ex-girlfriend questioning him like that. Nancy can be like a hound smelling blood and he’s pretty sure he’ll break if she puts any pressure on him. He has gotten over her, but he’ll always remember how he loved her and how she broke his heart. He doesn’t need her probing questions.

So, he has retreated into helping the adults ensure the kids are okay. Even though the kids are all almost turning fifteen and more independent and smarter than he was at their age. He knows they don’t really need watching over, but he can’t help it. He gets anxious when he can’t see them and make sure they’re okay.

Suddenly there’s a heavy hand on his shoulder and he jumps a bit. He hasn’t noticed how he was zoning out until Hopper materialized behind him. “You’re strung up too tight, son,” he tells him in his gruff no nonsense tone that Steve missed more than he cared to admit.

“Sorry,” he smiles, though it’s closer to a grimace. “A bit zoned out today.”

“From what I hear it’s longer than today,” Hopper says giving him a look. “We both hate this, but you can’t keep doing this. Here, take a walk with me.”

And while Steve hates that he is going along with this, he appreciates Hopper’s way off addressing it. Because yeah, neither of them are big feelings and conversation people, but Hopper recognizes it must be done and does it.

They make their way into the forest behind the house and Steve is glad none of the other can see them, should this all go wrong.

For a while they’re both quiet, just letting the tranquility of the trees wash over them. And it’s only once they get to a small clearing that Hopper asks: “So what’s going on in that brain of yours?”

Steve pushes his glasses up his nose just to have something to do with his hands and looks away. He doesn’t really know what to tell Hopper. The nightmares have been the same as always and his fucked up head no worse than usual.

The real problem is something he is pointedly not thinking about, so he can’t really tell Hopper that he finds himself in front of his bathroom drawers more and more often. That he sometimes looks at the makeup hidden in said drawer. That he chickens out every time and hates himself for almost succumbing.

Hopper is the only adult male that has ever cared about him in a way that matters. Steve has half given up on pleasing his own father, but he desperately wants to make Hopper proud.

How can he tell Hopper that he’s becoming more and more aware of his own skin and how uncomfortably it fits on him? How can he say that he has heard a term in a gay club and it hasn’t left him since? How can he talk about the drag queens with their makeup and how right it felt on him? How can he risk loosing the respect the man has for him, who even trusts him with his daughter that means so much to him?

The answer is: he can’t.

“Come on, son, don’t make this harder on either of us,” Hopper prompts when he has deemed that Steve has been silent for long enough.

“There’s nothing going on,” Steve tells him and the lie feels bitter, but the ‘son’ he has always craved now burns, so the truth isn’t coming out either.

“I find that hard to believe,” Hopper informs him, seeing through him immediately. “Not only has Will been worried about you, but El as well. Not to mention Joyce. And I’m not blind either. I’ve seen you zone out more and more with this anguished look on your face. And I see the looks Eddie and Robin send you. Everyone just wants you to be okay.”

Steve feels himself being backed in a corner and lashes out: “I am okay. I told you that I’m fine. I am perfectly okay! I can’t help other people seeing things that aren’t there, alright.”

A quiet falls over the two of them and Steve immediately feels bad about how he snapped. He knows that if he were in their shoes and one of the kids or Robin or Eddie were acting like he is, he’d go sick with worry and push until he was sure the other is safe. After Max, no one wants to risk not noticing anything.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, not looking Hopper in the eyes. He can’t take it if it the man looks disappointed in him.

“It’s okay, Steve,” Hopper assures him, the gentle tone cracking something in Steve’s chest. “I see that whatever it is, is clearly eating you. If you can’t talk to me, that’s fine, but find someone you can talk to, because staying quiet is killing you.”

And now that Hopper said it, Steve desperately wants to talk to someone. He wants to curl into a ball and weep into someone’s arms as he spills his guts. Wants to be told that it’s okay and that he is normal and not a freak for how he’s feeling.

He knows that Robin and Eddie will give a listening and understanding ear, but he doesn’t want to break down on them again after what happened in the motel. It feels too personal. He knows they don’t really have normal boundaries between them, but it’s too vulnerable for him. He cares too much about what they think to risk having them stomp on it, no matter how unlikely.

Anyone else in the party is immediately out as well. He would never dump his own shit on the kids and on top of that, it’s too risky to tell anyone, who isn’t queer themselves about this. They’ve all seen some unbelievable shit, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be okay with this and Steve doesn’t want to get hate-crimed over this. Especially not by them.

‘Call me if you’re in a crisis. We help each other here, honey. I’m looking out for you now’

Words he had half forgotten flash through his mind. He wonders if the offer still stands after so long, but maybe- maybe he’ll be desperate enough to try.

He’s slowly starting to come around to the fact that this might be something more for him. That the makeup is something. Though he doesn’t know how ready he is to accept it just yet. He knows he’s coming closer with every night in that empty house staring at those two tubes.

The knowledge that the whole party is worried might be the push he needs to finally make that call and start believing. He hates it when his friends worry. He wants to be okay for them. So, maybe he should subject himself to thinking about his own feelings, just this once.

“I’ll try,” he promises Hopper, finally meeting the man’s eyes to convey how serious he is about his answer.

Hopper looks him over, obviously finding what he’s looking for, because he gives a curt nod and a smile. “That’s good to hear. Now, lets head back and hope Joyce hasn’t burned the burgers while we were gone. She’s a lot of things, but no hero in the kitchen.”

That makes Steve laugh and he gladly follows the chief back to the house.

When they return, they’re given some looks, but Hopper raises his brows at them daring them to ask and Steve doesn’t look like he’s had a breakdown. So, everyone decides to drop it, something Steve is very grateful for.

With some determination settling in his chest, it’s easier to focus. Like having a goal makes it easier to move forwards. He sits with the other young adults at some point and he can see the relief in Eddie’s and Robin’s eyes when he engages fully for the first time in a while.

He feels guilt bubbling up at the reaction. It must have gotten worse than he realized and he feels like a very shitty friend. In that moment, he vows to do better. To call sometime soon. He owes them that much.

However, actually going through with it is much harder when he’s at home all alone. He sits by his phone every evening fiddling with the piece of paper.

It just all sucks. He knows he should call, talk to someone, try and feel better, both for himself and his friends. He should just pick up the phone, but picking up the phone means accepting that this is a thing. That it’s not going to fade. That he isn’t who he has always thought he was.

Yeah, he has already learned that he will never be the successful business man his parents want him to be, nor the frat guy with a sports scholarship that everyone at school thought he was going to become. That’s nothing new for him, he knew that already.

But this also means he isn’t going to be the older brother to these kids, nor the cool guy they can come to for advice or protection. He isn’t going to be Steve Harrington anymore and the fact that he doesn’t know who he will become is terrifying.

Steve has never really known who he is, but with his new friends he has found parts of himself and he is so scared that this revelation will only mess it up.

In the end, he breaks on a Wednesday. He had canceled DnD night the Friday before, claiming he had a headache, just because he couldn’t bear to do the stupid voice and play his stupid little knight, who he loves very much, but hasn’t been able to stand recently.

When he told Dustin, he could hear how disappointed the kid was about it and that has been eating him up inside ever since. He doesn’t want his own shit to be in the way of the kids having fun. They have already been through so much and they deserve the world, they deserve to have be normal and dick around with friends. Steve can’t be the person taking that from him. He has to put a stop to this, he has to do something.

So, he dials the number and holds his breath as he waits for the other person to pick up.

“Hello, who am I speaking to?” comes over the line in that same voice as he heard in that backroom all those weeks ago.

He can’t help but smile a bit, even if there are tears pricking in his eyes. He says: “Uhm, it’s Steve. I got this number back in June in the backroom of the bookstore? You told me to call if I was in a crisis, so, uhm, this is me calling.”

“Oh, of course, honey,” Madame Tucker immediately replies, voice warm and welcoming. “I always thought you’d call. What do you need, doll? Are you okay?”

Tears now fall and Steve lets out a strangled sob, before sniffling: “I don’t know.”

Madame Tucker makes a sympathetic noise and comforts him. “It’s okay, honey, just let it out. It’s not easy, I know. You’re safe here. Crying is normal. I’m here, doll. You’re okay.”

So, Steve sits there in his empty kitchen and cries into the phone. He has forced himself to not feel anything about it, to distance himself from the internal turmoil until it got to the point of feeling removed from himself. Finally allowing himself to feel all the anxiety is a bit much, so yeah, he is practically sobbing.

“I’m s- so-orry,” he hiccups when taking a few deep breaths, trying to get himself under control again.

“No need to be sorry, honey,” Madame Tucker assures him. “These things aren’t easy, I know. You are allowed to cry. Want to tell me about what’s tearing you up like this?”

“I- I don’t think I’m a boy,” Steve whispers, vocalizing the truth he has been denying for so long.

“That’s okay, doll,” Madame Tucker tells him, her voice so kind and Steve wants to scream or tear his hair out or just do something.

“It’s not okay,” he says, voice cracking. “I can’t be anything but a boy. I- I have to be strong for people, they need me, I- I can’t just change who I am. It’s not okay. It’s wrong. They’ll all hate me if I tell them. I- I don’t want to be alone again.”

The tears he had managed to quell before are back in full force as he talks about his deepest fears surrounding this.

“Oh, you poor thing,” Madame Tucker tuts. “I understand, I get it, really, but I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?”

And the truth is, he trusts Madame Tucker. He doesn’t even know her real name or anything about her, but she feels more like home than this house, where he has lived his entire life. He believes that she gets it. She understands. And he needs that right now.

“I can,” he nods, glad he manages through the little sobs still wracking through his frame. He hates crying, but it’s also cathartic.

“That’s good, honey,” Madame Tucker says and he feels a bit of warmth at her words. “I know that you don’t feel right, but you are. You hear me? There is nothing wrong with you. Whatever it is you’re feeling is very valid and it’s only natural, believe me. It is terrifying to realize you’re not going to fit into the world others deem normal. But I saw your friends, doll, they love you. They will have your back. They’re not going to hate you.”

Steve knows that she is probably right about Eddie and Robin. Both have already made it clear that they support him, but what if they think it’s just the makeup. What if they think that this is too much and they hate him. And the kids are also a concern. He can’t handle their rejection.

“What if they don’t?” he asks, voice so very small, but he can’t help it with how fucking scared he is right now.

“From what I saw that won’t be the case, but if it is, you call me and I come get you,” Madame Tucker tells him, like that is a completely normal thing to offer to someone she barely knows. Not that any of this conversation is normal. Something that seems fitting somehow.

“Why?” he can’t help but wonder out loud.

“Because we look out for each other,” she echoes her words from back then. “This is a community for a reason, honey. We got to have each other’s backs. You’re one of us, so we look out for you. I am here for you. And it might suck if they turn out to be shit, no matter how small the chance, but you’re not going to be alone. I won’t let you be lonely, do you understand?”

Steve doesn’t know what he did to deserve this kindness without question or expectation and there’s a lump in his throat as he says: “I understand.”

“Good, good,” Madame Tucker smiles. There’s a lull in their conversation, before she asks: “Do you want to talk more about not being a boy, doll? I can’t promise you answers, but I’m a good listener and I don’t judge.”

Truthfully, Steve does want to talk about it. He wants someone to know, to help him figure out the mess that is his brain. So, he says: “If it’s no problem.”

“Not at all, honey,” she assures him. “Talk away.”

“It’s- uhm, I’m not very sure on what’s going on just yet,” he tells her honestly. “It’s very confusing, because it’s not like I want to be a woman. Or at least I don’t think so. But the makeup was nice and I- I liked it when you said: ‘There she is’ and I like it when Eddie calls me princess.”

Madame Tucker hums thoughtfully, then asks: “But you don’t like being referred to as a woman? Or a man?”

An uncomfortable feeling goes through him and he shakes his head. “No, I don’t,” he confirms, before tentatively saying: “I, uhm- This one girl told me about being bisexual. She mentioned something about the old use of the word of it being both male and female, but I don’t know about that. She also said transgender or transsexual, but I didn’t really understand it.”

“Do you feel like both male and female?” Madame Tucker asks, remaining patient, despite Steve having no clue what he’s really talking about.

“I don’t know,” Steve says honestly. “I don’t think so. I like being feminine, but not female. I like being strong, but not male. I just want to be me. It’s hard to explain.” He lets out a frustrated noise, unable to find the words.

“That’s okay, take your time.”

“It’s- I- I like that it’s fake?” Steve says, trying to verbalize his feelings, something he hasn’t done since he was five years old. “I like that people say it without the expectation that it’s real, but are still genuine and truthful about it. I don’t know if that makes sense. I just want to be pretty without people perceiving me as a girl or like sports and be protective of the kids without people seeing me as a boy.”

He rubs his face, knowing he’s onto something, but just having to find the right words. “I babysit this group of kids. They’re a bunch of little shitheads, but I love them. We’re more family than anything else. Anyway, they- they call me mom sometimes. It’s a joke, of course, but I like it. We all know I’m not their mom, but it fits me. It’s fake, but also real. Does that sound logical to you in any way?”

It’s quiet for a moment, but before Steve can doubt himself, Madame Tucker says: “Yeah, yeah, I think I get it. You want to fit into your role without people seeing you as something you’re not, just because you’re in that role. That right?”

“Yeah,” Steve nods and smiles, that does sound right.

“Well, that’s totally okay and normal, honey. I have more friends who feel like that,” Madame Tucker assures him. “You’re not alone, I promise.”

“I’m not?” Steve asks, overwhelmed with relief.

“You’re not,” she reassures him. “Do you want to know more about gender and being trans? I have all night, don’t worry. We’ll figure something out.”

And Steve gladly takes her up on that offer. He gets a new lesson in pronouns and learns a lot about gender and gender rolls, sexism and feminism and how those are intertwined with queer culture. He learns how transsexuals want to have surgeries to change their sex, but how transgender as a term is evolving, meaning gender anarchists, who break out of the mold and don’t want to under go surgeries.

It’s a lot, but he gladly takes it in.

She finishes with: “In the end you just have to try things and see what works for you. You can be anyone you want to be, honey, you just got to find yourself. You don’t have to share anything until you want to, but you can try whatever you want on your own until you’re ready to share. There is no shame in staying hidden until you’re comfortable.”

“Thank you so much,” Steve thanks her, knowing that nothing can convey how much this has meant to him. It’s now nearing 1:00 AM and he hasn’t felt this settled in weeks.

“No problem,” she replies and he can hear the smile in her voice. “You’re one of us now and I am here for you. Don’t be afraid to call again. I work Thursday to Sunday nights and during the week days, but there’s no harm in trying.”

“I’ll keep it in mind. Really, thank you,” he repeats, before they say their goodbyes and he hangs up.

He falls into bed exhausted, but sleeps the first good night since his last night at the motel.

After his conversation with Madame Tucker, his mind is again occupied, but now it’s occupied with thinking about himself and who he wants to be, instead of avoiding who he knows he is. It helps him be more present and he can see in everyone’s eyes that they notice too. That they’re happy about it.

At night, he locks himself in his bathroom, just in case. He gets out the lip gloss and mascara and applies them with shaky hands. It’s not perfect, but he feels more at home when he looks at himself again.

“That’s Steve, he’s their babysitter,” he tries, talking about himself as if he is someone else to see how he feels about it.

This is not quite right, so he amends: “That’s Steve, she’s their babysitter.”

Also not really the vibe, but he likes the pronoun. She bites her lip, then says: “That’s Stevie, she’s their babysitter,” and smiles. That’s nice.

“Oh, Stevie, yeah, he works here,” he tells his reflection and happiness bubbles up in his chest. That feels nice too.

She holds out her hand to the reflection and says: “I’m Stevie, nice to meet you.” His voice is obviously giddy and he hasn’t felt like this since his parents were actually home for Christmas when he was twelve. Though that giddiness didn’t last, this one does. No matter how many times she repeats himself.

He doesn’t tell anyone yet. It all feels too new, too fragile to share. Instead, she takes the eyeliner Robin forgets in his car and tries it. Looks through the magazines at Family Video and tries to recreate the looks on herself late at night.

Her parents call that they won’t be home, since their trip got extended and that he has to make sure the pool gets properly taken care off before fall.

Stevie has never been happier his parents won’t be home, as he raids his mother’s closet. She takes skirts that seem like they would fit her and tries them on.

The first time he sees himself in the mirror, eyes big, lips shiny and hips accentuated by the skirt, she cries. She just stands there and watches himself as she cries. He can’t remember if he ever cried happy tears, but there she is.

She dances around the house in clothes that feel comfortable and it feels as revolutionary as those sweaters he bought with Robin all those months ago.

When he brings Dustin to school for his first day as a Sophomore, he feels normal again. She’s smiling as Dustin rambles about his new classes and calls him a nerd when he tells her about the AP courses he’s going to do.

After everything, the school forced Hellfire to disband, though none of the members mind that much. With Eddie still in Hawkins, they just run their campaign from home anyway. Still, Dustin is a bit sad they won’t have their group anymore. So, they talk about that as well.

At school, Stevie tells Dustin: “Hey, you’re going to kill this year. Don’t worry about it, alright. You can do it.”

“Thanks,” Dustin smiles. “You too, you know. It’s nice to see you act like yourself again. I don’t know what you’re doing, but keep doing it. It’s obviously helping.”

And Stevie can admit that chokes him up a bit. She knows everyone noticed something was off, but she hadn’t realized how much they worried about her, how much they cared about her. He loves his family. He’s also happy to feel better again.

However, she’s also reminded that they don’t know why she’s so happy right now. It puts a bit of a damper on his mood that he doesn’t know if he’ll ever be able to tell them.

She reminds himself of what Madame Tucker said. There is no shame in hiding. All of this can be scary and if he doesn’t want to tell anyone, he doesn’t have to.

Maybe one day, she thinks, clocking into Family Video.

Robin is already there and grins at him when he enters. “Dingus!” she greets. “How were the kids? Did you cry over how fast they grow up?”

“Shut up, Robs,” she rolls her eyes, ignoring how she did almost cry, because that was different.

She sticks out her tongue at Stevie, before dramatically throwing herself into a ramble about Vicky and how much it sucks the other girl moved away to college, before she could find the courage to ask her out.

Throughout her lament, Stevie makes all the right noises as she listens. He missed being able to pay attention to Robin’s rambles. He hadn’t even notices how much she did until Dustin pointed out she’s back.

“Ugh, I need to be out of that house for a bit,” Robin complains. “I mean, I love my parents, but sometimes I need to be somewhere without people mentally trying to marry me off to some guy, you know.”

“We can hold a movie night,” Stevie offers. “It can be just us or we can invite Eddie, the kids if we want to make it a party, but if you want to get away from it all, they’re not the easiest crowd.”

Robin’s eyes sparkle the moment he says that. She squeals and hugs him: “I’d love that! I need a break. We can ask Eddie, but yeah, no kids. I need to relax. Oeh, we can watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show!”

He laughs at her antics and hugs her back. She smiles: “Sure, Robbie. Whatever you want.”

“I missed this, Steve,” she tells him seriously and he cringes mentally at the name. “You’ve been so distant lately. We haven’t held a movie night in weeks. I think it’ll be good for you as well.”

A stab of guilt goes through him as he realizes Robin is right. She has been blowing off her friends, first to wallow, then to discover herself. He knows that was necessary in order to get back, but he still feels bad and he vows to make it a good night for Robin. And Eddie, whom she still has to invite.

It’s a slow day and if he remembers right, Eddie doesn’t have to come in until later. So, he rings the new Munson home. After a few rings, Eddie picks up: “You’ve reached the Munson residence, if you’re calling for the cult stuff, I’m afraid you’ve got the wrong person.”

“Hey Eddie,” Stevie greets him. “Are those people still bothering you?”

“Stevie!” Eddie greets back excitedly and Stevie can’t help but smile. “Not that much, but, you know, still it pays to be suspicious of callers. But what can I do for you? I hope you’re not canceling DnD again. Those kids would love to have you there again after their first week of school.”

Again she cringes as she is reminded of her recent behavior. Luckily, she’s there to make it up him, because he asks: “Nope, I’m coming, don’t worry. I was actually inviting you to a movie night. Me and Robin are going to watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show, because Robbie needs a break from life. We wondered if you wanted to come too?”

“I’d love nothing more, princess,” Eddie tells him, somehow managing to make him feel right at home.

“That’s good,” Stevie says, twirling the phone cord without noticing she’s doing so. “I think we’re gonna go over to mine after we clock out, so feel free to show up whenever.”

“Alrighty, see you then, sweetheart. Say hi to Robbie for me.”

“Will do. Bye,” Stevie greets before hanging up.

“So, I take it Eddie is coming,” Robin asks him with a raised brow as she hangs over the counter, sending Stevie a look she can’t decode.

“Yup,” he grins at her, deciding to ignore it. Before wondering if he has left anything revealing out in the open. He thinks he’s clear. She’s been careful, always scared her parents will come home. She really wants to move out, fuck. But he almost has enough money to put down a loan on something small like the old Byers house, he thinks.

The rest of the day passes nicely and before she knows it, they’re driving to his house. Robin is fiddling with the radio, but he doesn’t care. He’s too happy to have her there. Too happy that she’s going to relax with Eddie and Robin again.

They’re barely inside when Eddie knocks. Stevie opens the door and Eddie walks in with a hug hello. Something Stevie melts into. God, he missed his friends, missed the smell of weed, motor oil and sweat.

It has truly been too long.

Eddie and Robin both move around like they live here themselves and the house only feels like home with them in it. A pang of longing goes through Stevie. He wants both of them in his life, wants to live with them and share a future. She doesn’t want to be alone.

But now isn’t the time to think about it. She’s always been too much too soon and they’ve only been a trio since this spring, last summer for Robin. He doesn’t know if they would even want to live with him. Can't blame them if they don’t.

So, he just shelves the thought and drops onto the couch with the bowl of popcorn she made. Both Eddie and Robin attacking immediately, while Stevie turns on the movie.

He has seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show before. However, back then he could barely follow along and Robin had to explain it all to him. He thought it was a bit weird then, but now she can’t tear her eyes away.

It’s like she’s looking at it with new eyes. Where she first thought she was uncomfortable about Dr. Frank-N-Furter, he now recognizes identification. He was uncomfortable, because a part of him wanted that, but he never thought that was okay and that scared him.

Now, however, she knows that she want a bit of what Dr. Frank-N-Furter has. Though, he’s surprised to find he doesn’t just want to be the doctor, but also wonders what it would be like to be Janet or Rocky, who both get fucked by Dr. Frank-N-Furter.

The revelation doesn’t tear her up inside like his gender had done. It’s like he spend all his queer freak out on that, so that she doesn’t have any left here. Or maybe, it’s easier, because he has already heard a term.

Bisexual.

It’s a bit crazy how he felt a connection to the term when he heard it. How she went though her whole gender crisis only to figure out it didn’t fit there, but on another part of him.

He has to admit, this revelation is much nicer than his other one. Instead of being filled with tears and confusion, she’s at home, surrounded by her friends and having a good time. Just another piece he clicks into place, much like that first time introducing herself in the mirror.

She knows she could speak up, say something. But she doesn’t want to break the happy atmosphere in the room just yet.

Eddie is standing on his mother’s good coffee table that she has sat at once, while Robin is dramatically draped over Stevie. Both are screaming along to the lyrics. They look like the biggest dorks and Stevie loves them very much.

When the credits roll they drop back down on the couch next to Stevie. Robin sighs: “God, Columbia is so hot.”

“I don’t know, Rocky Horror is closer to my taste,” Eddie shrugs and Stevie raises a brow at him in surprise. Eddie frowns: “What?”

Stevie shrugs: “I don’t know. Guess I thought Dr. Frank-N-Furter would be closer to your type. All dark and mysterious, full of drama and charisma.”

“Why, Stevie, it almost sounds like you like Frank,” Eddie teases. It doesn’t sound mean, more an opening and Stevie realize they both think this is what has been eating him since Indy and they’re giving him another chance to talk now that she seems more okay with herself.

“Maybe,” he admits, slouching and blushing. “He’s hot. Sue me.”

Robin lets out a loud gasp and shoots up straight, looking at Stevie with big excited eyes. She shakes his arm and giddily asks: “Are- Are you coming out to us right now, dingus? Is this you coming out? Please tell me this is you coming out. You can’t mess with me like that, Steve!”

“Yeah, this is me coming out, Robin,” Steve laughs as he rolls her eyes. “I wouldn’t mess with you about this. I’m bisexual.”

“How long have you known?” Robin asks after she has squealed loudly and shaken him some more.

“Uhm, about an hour or so,” Stevie tells her honestly.

“What?” Eddie laughs. “You continue to surprise me, princess.”

“Thanks, I guess?” he says.

“It’s positive, I promise, sweetheart,” Eddie assured her. “You just seem really chill for someone, who just realized.”

“Well, it’s easy aft-” Stevie cuts herself off, realizing he almost said ‘after all the stress about my gender,’ which he is not ready to talk about, so he saves himself: “After it’s been playing in my mind. Guess, it just clicked and I’ve known for a while without knowing?”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” Eddie shrugs, then grins and holds out a hand as he dramatically exclaims: “I hereby welcome you to the club.”

Stevie shakes it while laughing too and telling him he’s a dork.

Meanwhile, Robin latches onto his back saying: “I always knew there was a reason we clicked! Not like I knew this, but it’s like queer kinship. We find each other. This is so exciting. I’m so proud of you. And I would love you even if you were straight, but this is just something you can’t really explain and now you get me even more than you already got me and I’m just so happy about it. My own parents don’t get me like you do, you’re like my soulmate.”

“You’re mine too, Robs,” he smiles, hugging her back. “You can always come to me. We’re family.”

“God, I wished we lived together,” she sighs, leaning into the hug for a change.

Holy shit, they truly know each other so well. He literally thought the same thing earlier. Softly, he says: “I mean, I’ve been saving up for a place. I’m going to try and move sometime this year or next year. You’re always welcome.”

“Really?” she asks, in awe of her.

“Yeah, course, you know I can’t function by myself,” Stevie smiles.

“And what about me?” Eddie pouts and Stevie knows him well enough to see that’s a joke, but that there is also a real insecurity there.

Without giving herself a moment to overthink, she pulls Eddie into their hug and says: “You’re also welcome, you idiot. You’re my other soulmate. You’re the one that has to tell Robin no if she wants to do something insane to the house and gives me puppy eyes.”

“You’re a weak man, Stevie,” Eddie grins and Stevie feels happy at his acceptance, but also that familiar twinge of sadness at ‘man.’ He knows they can’t know and with him coming out as bi, they probably think less of his other behavior, reverting back to how they’ve always been.

She’ll have to tell them at some point if she wants those moments to stop, but he’s dropped enough on them for one night. He still has to get used to the idea. However, this camaraderie and easy acceptance is enough for now to give her hope. One day he can tell them. Maybe even one day soon.

So, she only says: “Shut up, Eddie,” as she pushes his head away with a laugh.

Behind him Robin muses: “I don’t think my parents will let me move into somewhere with another guy though. Not unless we’re like married or some shit. And I still have to go to college.”

“College is a scam,” Eddie pipes up, but doesn’t go into his usual spiel.

“I mean, the room is always there, if I ever do move, even if you do go to college, you can come there over the breaks,” Stevie shrugs. “And I don’t mean to live in Hawkins forever. I just want to stay until the kids go off into their own lives. They’re all smart enough for college. And I don’t want to live here forever.”

“Me neither,” Eddie sighs. “This town hates me.”

“We’ll just have to stick together,” Stevie tells him with a nudge.

“Guess we do,” Eddie smiles and Stevie realizes he is really really handsome.

She blushes and looks away, glad when Robin whines: “I wanna come too. But I have stupid heterosexual parents, who want me to become a housewife. Me! I burn eggs. Always.”

Stevie thinks for a moment. He knows that should he and Eddie move in together, people will talk, he also knows that people can start talking about Robin. She’s stealth, but not that stealthy. It’s truly a matter of time.

“You can tell your parents we’re dating,” he offers, without thinking and only realizes how good an idea it is when he has said it.

“What?” Robin frowns and Eddie looks surprised.

“It’s smart,” Stevie explains, getting excited as she does so. “Your parents won’t get suspicious of you if you’re dating me and they’ll get off your case. Plus, if we ever do want to move in together, then it’s a natural progression in a relationship, especially if it’s been happening for awhile already. It’s perfect!”

“But you love dating,” Robin stammers. “I- I can’t ask you to give that up for me, just so my mom will get off my case.”

“Robs, I care way more about you and your safety than dating,” Stevie tells her gently. “Besides, I don’t think I want to date right now. It’s not really working out for me and honestly, after all we’ve seen I don’t know if I can ever settle down with someone, who doesn’t know.”

A tear slides down Robin’s face and for a second Stevie thinks she has royally fucked up, but then Robin is launching herself at him again. She holds him tightly and whispers: “Thank you. Fuck, thank you.”

“Always, Robbie,” he says gently, rubbing her back in a soothing manner.

“You’re truly something else, sweetheart,” Eddie shakes his head with a grin, looking so very fond of Stevie that it makes his head spin.

“I don’t think I’m doing much,” he shrugs, unsure of what to do under the praise that makes his whole body feel warm.

“Exactly,” Eddie says, leaning into her side. “Just know that I’m the sexiest third wheel known to man.”

“Sure, Eds,” Stevie smiles, lifting her arm so he can fit there. “We need you to make sure there’s room for Jesus,” which makes both Eddie and Robin snort.

They all sit there for a moment, just digesting all that they’ve agreed upon. Stevie can’t be happier, he is keeping Robin safe and has ensured his two favorite people will stay in his life for a long time, even moving in at some point.

Suddenly she groans: “Ugh, Henderson will be insufferable if he ever catches wind of this.”

His misery makes Eddie and Robin laugh and after a moment, Stevie joins in as well. They’ll just have to deal when the time comes. For now, they just exist in a happy bubble and Stevie never wants to leave.

Robin tells her parents later and the three of them have agreed not to tell the kids, unless they tell them they’ve heard. Then they’re confirming. None of them want to lie to the kids, but all of them know that this is very different.

Friday rolls around and Stevie finds himself looking forwards to DnD for the first time in a long while.

Sir Stephen the Strong feels closer to who she was trying to be when she first started playing, but if she just views him as a character, then she can just focus on having fun. It’s all fake. It’s not like he can really cast healing spells, so he doesn’t have to be a man in order to play one. A thought pops up in the back of her mind, but she ignores it for now.

He makes the rounds picking up the kids and making their way to the Munson bungalow. And he realizes how much he missed their nerd talk when he hears them arguing about what the monster in the cave will be.

Stevie never bothers thinking ahead like that, she likes being surprised, it makes combat more fun in her opinion. And that way he doesn’t have to read through the manual over and over again. It’s not like the little shits won’t call out weaknesses the second the reveal has happened.

Eddie welcomes them inside, smile brightening when Stevie enters. The new Munson bungalow isn’t the biggest, but they can all sit around the coffee table on cushions that are on the ground. And with Wayne away to the night shift, they’re not bothering anyone.

Soon, they’ve been fully dragged back into the story, exploring the caves and getting attacked by a hydra.

It’s a blast to hang out with the kids again. He has been driving them to and from school and has heard all about their first week, but school days can be tiring. Right now they’re in their element and playing, which is her favorite thing to witness.

All in all, Stevie is in a great mood at the end of the session, going into the weekend feeling the happiest she has ever been.

The next week goes by quite similarly, however, Robin has invited him to dinner. Apparently her parents want to meet him properly now that he’s dating their daughter. He already knows the Buckleys vaguely, but not the best since they usually hang out at Stevie’s.

When Robin asks him, she looks incredibly nervous, like she expects Stevie to retract his offer of being her beard. He would never do that to her, she means too much to him. So, he smiles reassuringly and says: “All parents love me. I still get a Christmas gift from the Wheelers and a few cards from other exes.”

Robin snorts, but her shoulder slouch in relief.

That Thursday, she knocks on the Buckley door in his best clothes. Well, not best for her, she feels like she’s going to church. The clothes are very manly and smart and she’s a bit annoyed with them if she’s honest.

However, he doesn’t let it show as he presents Mrs. Buckley with the flowers, smiling his best smile all the way. He says: “These are for you. Thank you so much for inviting me, I’d love to get to know Robin’s family better.”

Behind her mother Robin makes a gagging motion at his suave persona that she knows isn’t him at all. But his life as prize pony at dinners with his parents have paid off and Stevie can be the perfect gentlemen when she wants to.

She charms the pants off Robin’s parents, ensuring that he will take great care of their daughter and that he does have ambitions and a future. Not to mention that all the housewives in the area will soon know about Robin’s ‘straightness’ if the proud looks of Mrs. Buckley and her eagerness is anything to go by.

Goal achieved.

When he leaves, he has a new recipe for casserole and advise about the housing market in Hawkins nowadays. He also has Robin’s eternal gratitude, though he doesn’t need it. Still, she accepts her hug and kiss on the cheek when she leaves.

Slowly summer turns into fall and Stevie tries not to be home, so she doesn’t have to warm the house and loose money to heating. She’s very close to being able to put down a deposit on a house and she doesn’t want to ruin it.

The kids haven’t caught onto him and Robin ‘dating’ and DnD has been very fun again, with him distancing himself from Sir Stephen more and more.

Not to mention all the times hanging out with Robin and Eddie. True to his word, Eddie is the best third wheel, showing up to their weekly ‘date nights’ wherein they usually hang around somewhere else and do stupid shit.

Stevie has gotten more comfortable not only in her own skin, but in her sexuality as well. He talks about boys with Eddie and girls with Robin.

He has also gone to a makeup store a few towns over, calling Madame Tucker from time to time to chat and get tips. She’s actually befriended the drag queen and it’s nice to have someone outside the party to talk to. Just to have a causal relation with another human being. Plus, he can talk with her about gender, which is nice.

She keeps encouraging her to tell Eddie and Robin about it and he knows he should, but he just can’t find the time. She doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it and she first wants to get a read on what the kids think of queerness.

He’s toying with the idea of semi-coming out to the kids. Nothing big, more like test the waters. He knows Eddie hates that he has to be dishonest with the kids, but he’s too scared to say anything. She gets that. Kids can be mean and Dustin’s opinion matters a lot to her as well.

If she comes out first, it’ll be easier for Eddie. Stevie has known the kids for longer and that means something now.

Should they react badly, it’ll kill him, but he can live through it, because those kids still call him in the night when they had a nightmare. They won’t drop him over this. He has become to ingrained in their lives. As much as she hates to admit it, they depend on her (and the feeling of being useful is great there) and she can use that.

Plus, before she says anything more to Eddie or Robin, he wants to know what the kids will think of this. Because if they react badly, he’s never telling Eddie or Robin about his gender. He can’t loose the kids over his sexuality only to risk loosing Eddie and Robin over his gender. And she can’t risk loosing Eddie and Robin over his gender and be stuck without knowing if he’s going to loose the kids over his sexuality right after.

Telling the kids about her gender is so far away that she tries not to think about it just yet.

It’s on the 24th of October that he decides to test the waters. Halloween is coming closer and if this goes well, he might try something with her costume. But first this.

Eddie is right in his element, leading them through a forest and into a town where rumors of the big fight in this part of the campaign have been heard. Then he allows them to go look for information in the town.

Stevie is in a tavern and asks what the barman looks like. Eddie says: “The barman seems friendly as he cleans some mugs and tabs some ale. He is a walking stereotype with a big belly and a red nose on a round face, with thick muscled arms.”

“I approach him and ask about any odd travelers or strange tales,” Stevie says.

“It appears the stereotype is baked into this man’s bones. His tavern is discreet. He will keep his mouth shut and people with secrets keep him in business,” Eddie tells his.

“Can I try to flirt and get information out of him?” Stevie asks.

Eddie gives him big ‘what are you doing?’-eyes and Stevie feels a bit bad for him. Next to him, Dustin says: “You realize that’s a man, right, Steve?”

Stevie rolls her eyes. “Yeah, I’m not an idiot, Henderson. But if anyone knows anything, it’s this guy and I have good charisma. Besides, do you think there is anything wrong with that?” he asks pointedly, not looking at Will or Eddie, but aware they’re both there. Stevie is pretty sure everyone has guessed about Will, though no one has said anything.

“Don’t be an idiot, Dustin,” Erica warns him.

Erica’s words alongside Stevie’s tone is enough, luckily, because Dustin’s eyes grow wide and he quickly assures them: “No, no, of course not. No it’s totally fine for you to flirt with the male barman. Totally. Just surprising. You’ve just only flirted with girls so far.”

“And right now Sir Stephen is flirting with a man,” Stevie tells him, letting it stay a DnD metaphor for now, confirming nothing.

He doesn’t want to get into his own sexuality, just establish that it’s a possibility and test the waters for everyone there. Looking at Eddie’s and Will’s relieved faces, Will’s also a bit in awe, so she thinks she did okay.

Mike surprises him, by speaking up: “You can do that?”

“Yeah,” Stevie assures the kid, because he’s one of his kids even if they never connected. “It’s totally fine to flirt with girls and boys. It’s called bisexual.”

She sees how Mike mouths the word to himself, Lucas also looking curious. Before he seems to realize what he’s doing and he huffs: “Okay, whatever.”

Both Eddie and Stevie sense that he doesn’t want to get into it, so Eddie jumps in: “Alright, so you can’t see if the barman would be susceptible for that. Roll for charisma and tell me what you say to him.”

Stevie rolls a 17, to which he adds a 3, so a dirty 20. He grins at Eddie and says: “I introduce myself and say: ‘This is a lovely establishment, but not as lovely as its host. You must tell me you name, fine sir,’ before I lean over and kiss his hand.”

Eddie blushes at the words and Stevie is again hit with how beautiful he is as he ducks behind his DM screen to roll something and check some notes. Stevie has been noticing more and more how handsome and nice Eddie is lately.

He’s pretty sure it’s just attraction for now and not a crush, but he knows it could be if he lets it. He doesn’t want it to be a crush. She values Eddie too much to risk loosing him because she developed a crush on him. Like Robin, Eddie is his soulmate and it’s not worth it to mess with that.

Still, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t indulge in playing Sir Stephen very well as she flirts with the barman. And walks away victoriously with the information they need.

At the end of the game, Will comes up to him while he’s doing the dishes, always giving the kids some time to catch up in private. Will starts drying and softly ask: “Are- Are you bisexual?”

“Yeah,” Stevie, doesn’t see the point in denying it. Not for Will. Not after the support.

“And that’s okay?” Will asks.

“Yup,” she assures the kid. “It would also be okay if I were gay. And it would also be okay for you to be either. Just like it would be fine for everyone here.”

“Oh, uhm, thank you,” Will says, then stays quiet, biting his lip.

Stevie recognizes it as hesitation of whether he wants to bring it up, if he wants to confirm. And he also knows how hard it can be, so she repeats the words of Madame Tucker: “You can be anyone you want to be, Will. And you don’t have to share anything until you want to, but you can try whatever you want on your own until you’re ready to share. There is no shame in staying hidden until you’re comfortable.”

Will gives him a soft smile and Stevie knows that’s what he needed to hear. They finish the dishes in silence, then Will rejoins his friends.

Once he’s gone, Eddie comes in and says: “They’ve started a movie and are ready to protest if you try to drag them home, before it’s done. It’s a sit in.”

“You’ve been rubbing off on them with your anti-society ideas,” Stevie groans, though it’s only fond.

“It’s anti-capitalistic and anarchistic, Stevie,” Eddie corrects him, before grabbing a beer for both of them and leaning against the counter next to him. Eddie takes a sip and says: “That was really brave what you did out there. I’m proud of you.”

“I haven’t really confirmed anything,” Stevie shrugs. “I just floated the idea by them. I can still deny it if I want to later. You know, say it’s just a game.”

“Still, thanks,” Eddie says.

“You thinking of telling them anything?” she asks.

Eddie shrugs, eyes far away as he mumbles: “Maybe. They seemed positive about it.”

“At least three of them are queer,” Stevie says, with an eye roll. “Even I could see that.”

“Yeah?” Eddie asks, looking like he saw it too, but doesn’t want to get his hopes up.

“Will just came up to me, he didn’t say anything yet and if he does I’m not telling you. I did confirm it to him, because he looked like he needed it,” Stevie tells him. “Not to mention what Mike said and how Lucas looked.”

“They did have curious replies,” Eddie agrees, smiling.

“Now we just have to wait, but that’s fine. I took my time with it,” Stevie shrugs. “Anyway, my point is, if you ever feel ready, they’re going to be fine.”

“When did you get so wise, eh, Stevie?” Eddie asks, grinning.

“I have my moments,” Stevie smiles back. “And I actually talk to people. I get phone numbers, just remember that.”

“Oehhh, now you’re making me curious,” Eddie says, glint in his eyes. “You don’t have a beau on the side that me and Robbie don’t know about, do you? You wouldn't deceive your soulmates like that?”

“I never should have told you that,” she groans, though he feels a bit guilty, because he is hiding something from them. “But no, I became wise because I’ve been parenting a bunch of little shits, who have only gotten more dramatic since meeting you.”

“You love me,” Eddie huffs.

“Tragically,” Stevie rolls his eyes. “Now, I have to stop a sit in, because you’re a bad influence and Erica is very much twelve with a bedtime.”

“Will I be forgiven if I help?” Eddie asks, putting on his best puppy eyes, something he doesn’t need because Stevie never really blamed him, but which always work on her anyway.

“Yeah, yeah, just come and help.”

Together they corral the kids towards the car. There are many protests, but Stevie has become the best at looking disappointed and Eddie can threaten them with the campaign, so they manage quite well as a team.

Before Stevie leaves, he stops at the door and asks: “You don’t happen to have a new character sheet lying around, do you?”

“Why? Are you planning on dying?” Eddie asks, already pulling out his stuff and rummaging through it to find one.

“Maybe. I don’t know. I won’t do anything without talking to you first.” Fuck knows she won’t with what she’s planning. “I know how much work you put into working the characters in there. I’m just a bit unhappy with my backup.”

“Yeah?” Eddie inquires, giving him a new character sheet. “I thought you found Sir Edward the Edgy hilarious.”

“He is hilarious, I stand by that,” Stevie agrees, because he knows he made the character just to fuck with Eddie. “But I also know you’ve got something big planned for that boss and I don’t actually want to do that to you.”

“You shall have to wait and see,” Eddie winks, making a mysterious gesture as he does.

“Yeah, yeah, Mr. Mysterious DM,” Stevie rolls her eyes.

They hear the honk and see Dustin sitting shot gun with crossed arms, Mike leaning over the wheel from behind, as Erica calls out: “What happened to me having a bed time?”

“See you later, Eds.”

“Bye, Stevie.”

He hurries to the car and drives them home, apologetically explaining to Mrs. Sinclair why they’re a bit late. Before he drops of the rest and returns to his house.

It’s still empty, but Stevie has stopped minding. She’s looking for a house of her own anyway, this is temporary and right now she needs the privacy. He pulls out the fresh character sheet and sits down, writing on top: Lady Stevie the Striking.

A/N:

God, even though I already kinda knew, I was so scared to tell people, to make it real. I know I’ve been using Stevie as one big projector board, but if anyone else out there is also going through this: know that you’re okay. You’re going to be okay. There are people there for you. Like literally, if you need to, just hit me up on tumblr <33

Also, I will bite anyone who comes at me for how I use Stevie’s pronouns. I also use he/she pronouns and y’all don’t get to come for me.

Btw, not me looking up actual calendar of 1986, bc I’m that kind of writer lmao

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discodeviant · 1 year

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One Swing, Just One Thing

Jonathan/Argyle | Teen | 3k No Upside Down, Light Angst

My take on the Cali move in the little Disco-verse I have in my head lol, please enjoy <3 <3

Read on AO3

There were a devastating number of things that Jonathan hated about Hawkins, not limited to its inseparable school boards and suffocating, tight-knit groups. The summers were disappointing at best, and still fucking cold at worst; winters bit at his nose and fingertips so harshly that he thought they’d fall right off. Hawkins was the town that molded his father into the crass, neglectful man that he was, and even he was scared off some years ago. On a whim, maybe, but Jonathan always suspected that he’d never loved their family in the first place. Joyce was too forgiving; Will was too young to know better than to think Lonnie’s disappearance was personal. Not that he went very far—only fifty minutes to Indianapolis—but it felt like he was across the ocean in a different world entirely. Jonathan hated that Hawkins had been breaking his mother to pieces ever since.

The time between then and now was a long, dull three years of absolutely nothing with some excitement sprinkled on top like glitter. Lonnie broke the divorce contract and took Will into the city for a week in eighty-two, which rendered the already-quiet kid fully mute for two months. In eighty-three, Jonathan won a fight against Steve Harrington in a back alley somewhere, which he still thought may have been a fever dream. Every punch and bruise left behind led to Nancy Wheeler leaving Steve for Jonathan in eighty-four and loving him until the summer of eighty-five, when college applications rolled around and pried them apart.

Somewhere in between, Joyce married Jim Hopper, whose daughter could move twenty times her weight with her mind, but those were details Jonathan didn’t like to think about.

California was on the horizon by July, and the five of them were driving into Lenora Hills in early August. Hopper said it wasn’t dirty money when it came from the source, but Jonathan was still wary of the whole thing. Hawkins was terrible, but it was home for eighteen years. It was familiar. It was where he taught Will how to ride a bike, and where he took his mother’s new wedding photos during the not-ceremony they held in front of Castle Byers. Just Will’s friends and their parents, Steve and Nancy somehow, and that was all they needed. Hawkins was every waking moment of Jonathan’s life, gone in a flash—it felt that way when he started school again.

Hawkins wasn’t creative with name-calling either. Freak was thrown around for both Byers boys, and another kid in some of Jonathan’s classes. Fuck up when the tapes he had for a middle school play were sabotaged and left for him to take the blame. Fairy caught on after Harrington called him a queer in front of Tommy Hagan (that was before Jonathan kicked his ass), and it hit a little too deep, that one. Lonnie used to say that about Will when he was around. Freak and fag and fairy and good-for-nothing fruit—F-words haunted him.

In California, though, Jonathan was little more than a ghost, and he was happy to keep it that way. He didn’t draw attention to himself or talk to anyone outside of class, and even then he stuck to his desk mates, but he was a good kid. Kind, soft-spoken like his brother, always carrying that damn camera with him so he didn’t miss anything. Californian kids weren’t as cruel as those from small-town Indiana, but they still stared. If they whispered, it was out of range. He could deal with that.

Shop class was what really threw him for a loop.

Back home, he realized that there were two types of guys who took shop: those who were interested in trade and chose to be there, and those who were put into it because they weren’t that great at anything else. Jonathan was in the former group since hands-on work was easier for him to get a handle on, and he never dreamt of going to some fancy university with top-dog academics. That was Nancy’s dream. His was simple and steady like a saw cutting through slabs of pine and the hinges holding them together. His was the freedom of choosing what wood stain to use between burned lines in the surface of a three-panel table. His was photography, in truth, but carpentry was a good fallback.

Jonathan wasn’t sure what to make of his project partner. Which kind of guy Argyle was, he really couldn’t say. On the one hand, he had a fantastic eye for measurements and made perfect cuts nearly every time, and his eyes lit up when their teacher complimented his work. He was fast too, never wasting a moment in between getting instructions and following them. On the other hand, he spoke like he was deep in outer space, and maybe he was. Argyle epitomized the doped-out beach boy with the attention span of a fruit fly in most other classes, from what Jonathan could tell. Maybe that was why he glanced in Argyle’s direction whenever he could, just for a split second of those long, long locks or proof that it was all an act. Not that he would understand why, but Argyle was a distant interest until they were told to work on a porch swing together, and he was suddenly much closer.

“Hey, so, uh… how big are we gonna make this thing?” Jonathan asked as Argyle fiddled with his pencil eraser. They sat at a table in the back, bags and papers splayed out alongside a few wooden beams that they reserved in advance. “Like… one, two people?”

Argyle looked up and nodded in thought. “Two’s cool. Or… I guess we could make it for one really big person. Or three small people.” His words sounded like they came from the long distance his eyes stared off into. Through Jonathan somehow, if that was even possible. It made him a little wary.

“Yeah, sure.”

Jonathan gazed around the room to fill the silence with something else. Other students’ chatter and sawing, hammers swinging already, a buzzsaw that went off for a few seconds. Between the boys, it was agonizing, and they mostly worked through gestures and mumbled project plans.

Throughout the week, they eased into a better conversation flow. They passed along hellos through glances in other classes, then said their heys when they made it to shop. Jonathan found himself lingering on those smiles until the next came along, and then he added that one to his mental collection. A portfolio, of sorts, of the times those smiles were accompanied by a wave or enthusiastic nod. All the while, their swing was making progress, and Argyle proved his skillful hand so much that he did most of the hard parts himself. Jonathan had fun watching.

After that weekend, they decided that Jonathan would be in charge of its more intricate designs, which he was happy to focus on. Drawing out ideas in pencil on the wood, taking Argyle’s sketches into account. And like he watched Argyle, Argyle watched him right back with intense focus. Whether the whites of his eyes were red or not, he was meticulous when filling in the lines with Gunsmoke—an orange stain they used around the edges. Once all was said and done, the swing was sanded and lathered in wax coating, and they were the first pair to finish.

“That’s one bangin’ bench, if I do say so myself.” Argyle stood with both hands on his hips, licking at his teeth as he ogled their final project. “Good work, my man.” The clap on Jonathan’s back startled him a little.

“You too, you too.”

“Hey, do you think you could help me get it out to my car later?”

“You’re taking it?”

“Yeah, man, Teach said I could. I got sisters, they’re gonna love this thing. We used to have one, but it was all grody and, like, just fell apart one day, so. Set it up there, I guess. You can come by if you want.”

“I—I don’t know—I gotta work on my paper.” Jonathan only noticed his palms were sweaty when he rubbed them down his thighs and stained the denim.

“Do it at mine, man. It’s quiet when the girls are doin’ their thing, and we can get free pizza.”

“Free pizza?” Jonathan asked, but Argyle just gave him a look that hooked and reeled like he didn’t give the line any trouble at all. “What the hell, why not.”

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Argyle clapped his hands together and rubbed them so fast that an ember should have sparked and burned the place down, but maybe that was Jonathan’s nerves thinking too quickly. Before he knew it, Argyle was packing his things and walking out backwards with a pair of finger-guns pointed at him. “You and me, Byers!”

The bell rang soon after.

“A pizza van?”

“Yeah, man! Life’s way easier when I can just throw shit in the back. Plus, my manager says it’s good advertising, and I’m inclined to agree. Come on, let’s get her in there.”

They’d waited for the school crowd to pile out before carrying the swing to the end of the parking lot, where Jonathan’s earlier question was answered. With the van’s boot open, they hoisted the swing up and into the back with little struggle—which was mostly Argyle’s doing—and walked to sit up front together after closing it.

“What toppings do you like?” Argyle asked as he backed out.

“Uh… anything I guess. I’m not picky.”

“Pineapple?”

Jonathan grimaced. “Never had it.”

“Try before you deny, my friend.”

And, well, Jonathan couldn’t argue with that for a number of reasons.

Pizza first, home second—that was their order of operations, though they decided to take the food to-go instead of sitting in a loud parlor teeming with children. Jonathan paid for a sub in case he hated the pizza, which Argyle laughed at him for. Not maliciously; Jonathan was pretty sure he didn’t have a cruel bone in his body. He was too carefree for that, too laid back, too genuine. So far, anyway, and Jonathan knew he needed a friend like him even if it was too soon to say they were friends just yet. Unless it wasn’t. He didn’t know.

Friends had come and gone, and stayed gone more often than not. Will and his mom were the only two constants for so long. His middle and high school friends were temporary, Nancy was temporary, Hopper and El might have been temporary for all he knew by that point. But that was Hawkins, where he’d been a freak for sitting in the cafeteria corner even when he got there first. That was Hawkins High, where people still talked about his brother like he’d died and come back to life even though he was only gone for a week. Those people weren’t supposed to be friends to begin with, and Jonathan didn’t try to make them friends.

But this was Lenora Hills, sitting in Argyle’s pizza van that may not have been his at all, and he was so California—so unlike Indiana—that Jonathan couldn’t help smiling.

As they pulled up to the house, he asked, “Did you grow up here?”

“Born and raised, man.” Argyle said so with pride that Jonathan could only dream of. “Closer to San Jose, actually, but it’s the same shit everywhere.” He laughed, and they stepped out. “Where’d you get swept up from? Not the city.” Boot open; Argyle pulled the swing out for Jonathan to catch the end.

“No, no,” he said. “Hawkins. It was sorta close to the city, but far-fucking-from it in every other way.”

“Where’s that, Utah?” Argyle held the other end, and they walked up the grass to where a couple of A-frames were set up with a beam joining the vertices.

Jonathan chuckled. “Indiana.”

“Oh, shit, you’re like… from way-fuckin’-out there, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess. Not that exciting. At least I’ve heard of San Jose.”

“Not missing out there either, dude, but, I don’t know, maybe I was just used to it.” They set the swing down. “Green grass or some crap, whatever shit they talk about. Anyway, lemme close the van, then, uh… we’ll go in and eat. Or we can eat out here, whatever.”

Jonathan shrugged and said, “Doesn’t matter to me. I’ll grab your bag for you.” Argyle didn’t protest and brought in the pizza while Jonathan had one bag slung over each shoulder. That said, Argyle’s was more of a sack, but it fit everything he needed.

“I gotta get a new one soon,” he said as they walked into the warmth of a well-lived-in home. Something about it reminded Jonathan of the house in Hawkins. Small but cozy and littered with half-filled coloring pages, toys on the floor, a bottle of glitter tipped over on a shelf. It smelled like honey and spice wrapped into a billowing fire, but that was in the walls and rugs on the floor. That was Argyle.

A TV sat on the coffee table in the living room, which merged with the kitchen so Argyle could turn it on while he got a couple of plates out. “Take a seat, man, my couch is your couch. And, lucky for us, it seems we’ve got the house to ourselves for another couple hours at least, so no noisy children to deal with.”

“Where is everybody?”

“Uh… today’s Friday?” Jonathan nodded. “Dad’s workin’ late, so they’re with abuela for the night. She’s up, uh—near that lake up there.”

“That’s cool.”

“Anyway…” Argyle carried the pizza box to the couch with a plate on top for each of them. Jonathan had already put their drinks on the table. “Bon appétit, my dude,” he said, holding up his slice of Hawaiian, an invitation for a toast. Jonathan met it with his own and sunk his teeth in, expecting the worst, but he was pleasantly surprised. “See?”

They both said in unison, “Try before you deny.”

“Jesus, that’s fucking good.”

“Thank those Hawaiians, man.”

“Ugh—thank you, Hawaiians—mm…”

A short while after letting their food settle, the guys went back outside to set up the swing before it got too dark. Argyle had some chains that he hooked through the arms and base before hanging it with Jonathan’s help. He didn’t do much, but it was enough to earn a high-five anyway, so he took it in stride. When they were done, they sat on it together, both just fitting so their knees touched, but it was comfortable. Jonathan was comfortable.

“You know, I’m not gonna lie to you, man, this thing could use some throw pillows,” Argyle said.

“You got any?”

“Yeaaaah, but I don’t feel like going back inside yet, so. Later.” Jonathan ate from a bag of gummy worms. “You smoke?”

He shrugged. “Sometimes. You go ahead, I don’t mind. My parents are both chimneys.”

So Argyle fished around in his pocket and pulled out a smoke that was a little worse for wear, from what Jonathan could tell, but it had probably been in there all day. “You got this stuff back home, country boy?” Jonathan looked more closely at it and suddenly understood.

“Oh.”

Argyle laughed. “Is that a no?”

“No, no, I mean, we do, just… only had it a couple times. Plus, like, my mom married a cop. Literally the chief.”

“No shit! Oh, dude, you’re missing out big time.”

“I don’t know, it wasn’t that good.”

“Byers, my man… this is the real shit. Good shit. Purple Palm Tree Delight. Well worth the pennies.”

“Purple Palm Tree Delight.”

“Yessiree.” A lighter was next. Argyle flipped it open and lit the joint between his lips, Jonathan watching with a sudden draw to the smoke leaving his mouth. “You’ll like it.”

Jonathan hesitated for a moment before taking it from between Argyle’s fingers, strong and dirty from the swing work but still so tempting to touch. “One drag,” he said. It occurred to him briefly, when he put it in his mouth and took a shallow huff, that he might have been called a fairy for this too if he were back in middle school.

Side-by-side, closer to a guy than either seemed to realize as he held his lips around something that another man’s lips had already touched. Maybe Jonathan was being childish to think that they’d just kissed. Lips to joint to lips again, his one puff turned into two, then three, then an equal share as he and Argyle passed it between each other. Argyle’s lips were red by the time it was down to a nub of embers that he snuffed with dirty fingertips and dropped into the grass.

Maybe it was naive to be glad that he was in California, sitting on a swing in his new friend’s backyard—who, yes, now, Jonathan could be sure was his friend. He knew this never could have happened in Hawkins. Not the peaceful silence as the final few minutes of sunlight disappeared, not the violet-tinted delight rolling through his arms and legs and brain. Certainly not a kiss, though he wasn’t sure that would happen in California either.

Maybe it could someday, he thought. Then he wouldn’t have to pretend that indirect contact through a joint was enough. He wouldn’t have to imagine or make believe. He could just turn his head, look into Argyle’s glowing eyes in the dark, and lean in with herbal confidence to back him up.

And they’d swing.

And they’d touch.

And even now, looking at Argyle’s profile wasn’t enough to satisfy. “Is there something on my face?” he asked, and Jonathan shook his head.

“No, just… your face.” His vision blurred as his eyelids slowly flitted closed, fighting an uphill battle to keep him awake. Everything was fuzzy inside and out, and Argyle chuckled.

“Well, I can’t exactly wipe that off, now, can I?”

In Hawkins, Jonathan wouldn’t have let his arm lean enough to the side to brush against Argyle’s. In Hawkins, his head wouldn’t have been guided to a broad shoulder with another pair of legs kicking the swing into motion again. In Hawkins, he wouldn’t have been completely and totally relaxed at the mercy of someone else, but Argyle’s head falling over his own was enough to blanket the rest of him in warmth. Maybe it was his hair.

Either way, it was Argyle. He was one thing to love about California.

#.discowrites #jargyle bingo #jargyle #jonathan byers #argyle #argyle x jonathan #jonathan x argyle #stranger things #stranger things fic

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