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#that one starfish robin
cephalog0d · 1 year
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Jarro is Best Robin
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eggrolls-and-fandoms · 7 months
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Alright gang gang. Do I write fear toxin trauma reveal truth serum trauma reveal or time travel trauma reveal
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audhd-nightwing · 6 months
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anytime someone asks me “there’s more than one Robin?” i begin to vibrate at a frequency only dogs can hear and my brain goes to static and then i open my eyes hours later to find i have explained the entire history of all the Robins and their vigilante identities after outgrowing the title to some poor unsuspecting soul
(this does not include carrie or jarro. i just don’t rlly care abt carrie, and i hate jarro with a burning passion. there is no reason for me to, i just do. i hate that stupid little fucking starfish)
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xoxoladyaz · 11 months
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It Hits Different This Time
Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Rock Star Eddie Munson x Steve Harrington
Part One / Part Two / Part Three / Part Four / Part Five
“Steve.” 
He hears Robin knocking on the door, her knuckles tapping firmly against the wood.
“STEVE.”
He’s lying on the bed in Robin’s guest bedroom, limbs starfished across the plush gray comforter, staring at the ceiling fan. Taylor Swift is singing to him, blasting from the Alexa speaker next to him.
Oh my, love is a lie, shit my friends say to get me by 
“Alexa, volume up.”
“Steve – STEVE!”
It hits different, it hits different this time
“Alexa, off,” Robin says as she marches into the room. Taylor’s voice cuts off almost immediately and Steve huffs, frustrated.
“Steve, as much as I love listening to your ‘Sad Taylor Swift’ playlist, you need to eat something. Go for a walk. Take a shower.”
“I’d rather not.”
Sighing, Robin kicks his left leg until he’s made enough room for her to collapse down beside him and gaze up at the spinning fan. 
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
They lay in silence.
“It’s just – our three-year anniversary, Robin.”
“I know.”
“He didn’t even text me.”
“I know.”
“And the supermodels at the club! And the tweets!”
“I know, Steve.”
There’s moisture pricking at the inside of his eyes now. “I just – it’s dumb, okay? I thought we could make this work. But I guess I’m not as important to him as he is to me.”
“Dingus,” Robin chides, and he turns his face away so she can’t see that he’s actually crying now. (She still probably knows that he is; Robin always knows. He just doesn’t want anyone to see.) “Okay, is Eddie Munson a huge idiot? Yes, and he has been for as long as we’ve known him. Is he kind of an asshole now that he’s famous? Yes. Do I think this is the end? Not necessarily.”
Steve snorts. “It’s been four days, Robin. Nothing for four days. I think it’s already ended.”
Robin cuddles up to his side so now they’re legitimately snuggling together. “Look, all I’m saying is he’s going to be back in the state in a few days and I think you owe it yourself to at least have a conversation with him. Either you two decide to work things out and start communicating better or you decide that he’s not pulling his weight to make his relationship work and you get closure. Either way, I think you need to talk to him.”
“Yeah,” Steve sniffles. “You’re probably right.”
“Steven, I’m always right.”
“I’m sorry, do you want to talk about the Pixar question you fumbled on trivia night?”
“Dingus, I swear to god if you don’t let it go - ”
/////
Eddie’s groggy and nauseous and fuck the sun is too bright. He pulls at the window-shades as he stumbles into their kitchen, dropping his Louis Vuitton bag on the floor. The fact that he’s managing to walk while coming down from a five day bender that he barely fucking remembers is kind of a miracle. 
“Steve! Stevie, baby, I’m home!”
Silence.
What day is it today, Saturday? He’s probably at the farmer’s market with Robin. Eddie’s a few days early anyways, wanted it to be a surprise. And honestly, it’s probably a good thing Steve’s not home, Eddie needs to keep sobering up.
He pulls a fresh bottle of water out of the fridge and collapses onto the restored dining-room chairs they bought a few months ago. He tips it back and drinks it down greedily, swallowing the cool water down his aching throat. “Oh, that’s good,” he moans to himself, dropping the now empty bottle onto the dining room table.
The empty bottle that clangs against something. Squinting, Eddie opens his eyes and looks down.
There’s a small box sitting at his spot, a card laying haphazardly onto the side. It looks like someone opened it and scribbled all over what they originally wrote.
Eddie frowns and grabs for the card. It’s Steve’s writing. Whatever he’s crossed out is unreadable. Instead, all there is is the following:
I would say Happy Anniversary, but judging by the fact that (1) you didn’t return my call or even text me back and (2) the paps caught you at the club with the guys and a bunch of supermodels instead, I’m going to assume that you’re not interested in celebrating it anymore.
Eddie feels his stomach sink so fast that he’s going to lose all the water he just drank. 
Look, Eds, I am so proud of you for making your dream come true. I would never ask you to give that up or sacrifice your music for me. But I’m tired of feeling alone in this relationship. Of feeling like you don’t love me as much as I love you. Because I would do anything for you, but I think this all proves that you wouldn’t do the same for me.
Anyways, I still want you to have your gift. It wouldn’t make sense to give it to anyone else. 
Your biggest fan, Steve
He can’t see straight and it’s not because of the drugs. He can’t breathe and it’s not because of his asthma or his wicked smoking habit. 
He grabs the small box, flips it open, and chokes back a sob.
It’s a perfect replica of Aragorn’s ring, the ring he’s given that proves he is Isilduir’s heir. He’s wanted it foryears, but it was never something that he thought he could buy for himself. Sure, he could buy whatever random luxury shit without a sweat, but something so meaningful to him? Because reading The Lord of the Rings saved his fucking life in high school? His brain couldn’t deal with him buying it for himself. His therapist says it’s one of his many hang-ups regarding money and fame and his self-esteem issues, but that’s not what matters right now.
What matters is that Steve gave this to him, loved him enough to have it made for him.
And now Steve is gone.
Eddie grabs for his phone with shaking hands and checks the date.
“Fuck.”
Five days. 
He’s five days too fucking late.
He’s dialing Jeff before he can even realize he’s doing it.
“Dude, I really don’t want to be talking to you right now.”
“Jeff,” Eddie barely gets out, his voice choking on a sob. “Steve is gone.”
Jeff’s silent for a moment. 
“I’m on my way.”
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imfinereallyy · 1 year
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Eddie draws on the edge of Steve’s hip, where his shirt rides up from stretching across Eddie’s bed. He’s humming to himself a song Steve doesn’t recognize, but it soothes him.
“What are you drawing?” Steve speaks softly; something about the moment feels gentle. He doesn’t want to break it.
“Hmmm, it’s a secret.” Eddie peaks beneath his bangs and smiles.
Steve leans up on his elbows, “Well, that’s not fair; I think I should know what’s going on my body?”
Eddie only looks at him with mischief as he continues to doodle. “Be grateful, Harrington. You’re getting an original Munson for free.”
Steve can’t help the laugh that escapes him. It is just like Eddie to say something like that. Playful and mean, it makes something settle in Steve. For a long time, he only knows the pain from harsh comments or a sentence with a bite. It is a welcomed change, to feel a bubble of happiness after a light jab.
“Whatever you say, Munson. Just let me see.” Steve tries to push up further to sneak a peek, but Eddie uses his free hand to push him down to the bed. He just happens to catch Steve off guard, sending him into a sprawl that can only be described as a starfish.
“I’m not finished yet.” Eddie grabs his hips and pins him still while he draws. After a few more moments, he says, “Done!”
Steve looks at his work and releases a snort that breaks the careful tension between them. “Are those boobs?”
“Why yes, they are, and a good representation if I say so myself.”
“Do you even know what boobs look like? Like the live version?” Steve knows he should be mad at the sharpie-drawn breasts on his body, but he can’t find it in him to have an angry tone.
“We’ll no. I don’t. And I would much prefer to keep it that way.”
Steve chokes on his spit a little bit, “Did you just come out to me, Eds?”
Steve isn’t sure what he expects. Denial, maybe, Eddie taking back what he said. Steve knows he isn’t handling this right. He doesn’t think Robin would be too happy with his response.
Steve thinks maybe he should see a little bit of fear in Eddie’s demeanor. That shakiness that comes with telling someone a dangerous secret.
What he gets, in the end, isn’t something he could have predicted. Eddie smiles softly, a little bit of his tooth peeking out, and lays his head gently on Steve’s leg. He’s calm and collected. He’s happy, Steve realizes.
“Yea, I guess I did. Not like it was much of a secret, though. Are you upset?” Eddie draws soft circles around the drawing on Steve’s hip—the rough callous on his thumb contradicting his tender touch.
Once again, although the conversation should be anxious, it’s not. Eddie’s question is spoken like he already knows the answer. Maybe he does.
“No, Eddie. I’m not mad. Never would be for that. Just thought it was a funny way of sharing a secret. Though, gotta admit, a very you way of doing it.”
This time Eddie throws his head back when he laughs, before settling back down on Steve’s leg. His giggles never really settled. “Like I said, Stevie wasn’t much of a secret anyway. Well, between us, that is at least. I like to think some, if not all, the kids are oblivious.”
“Erica definitely knows.”
Eddie’s eyes widen in mischief, “Oh, for sure. Pretty sure she would kick the others' asses, too, if they gave me shit for it. And she kicks hard too.”
It’s Steve’s turn to laugh. He’s never had this before, this casualness to serious conversations. Before, Steve is used to screaming and punching, drunken confessions in the bathroom, and throwing up on the mall floor. It isn’t like this, now, with Eddie in his trailer bedroom. It’s good. It’s safe.
“Thank you for telling me, Eds. Something like that is hard to share no matter who you tell it to.”
The softness is back again, “Like I said wasn’t much of a secret. Besides, I don’t think there isn’t any secret of mine you don’t know, Stevie. I think even when I don’t tell you, you kinda already know, don’t you?”
Steve leans one arm forward, while he places his weight on one elbow. He gently takes Eddie’s face in one hand, rubbing circles in the same motion as Eddie’s thumb on his hip.
God, I want to kiss him so bad sometimes, Steve thinks.
“Yea, I already know.”
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cyborg-franky · 1 year
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And there was only one bed..
Yes more dumb headcanons <3
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"Oh no, looks like we'll have to share..." waggles eyebrows. Sanji, Brook, Ace, Marco, Thatch, Doffy, Shanks, Roger, Rayleigh "Mine!" leaps on the bed and lays like a starfish. Luffy, Perona, Doffy, Buggy, Roger, Yamato
"Want to take the sofa or shall I?" Zoro, Robin, Usopp, Franky, Jinbei, Ace, Marco, Thatch, Deuce, Croc, Rayleigh, Killer, Benn, Corazon
Dies of a nosebleed/flustered mess at the implications. Sanji, Usopp, Brook, Ace, Deuce, Barto, Boa, Buggy
"Sucks to be you, on the floor bitch." Nami, Izou, Sabo, Perona, Doffy, Croc, Boa, Buggy, Law, Kid, Mihawk
Does not matter where they sleep, will sleep in the bathtub. Zoro, Franky, Jinbei, Ace, Luffy, Sabo, Barto, Roger, Killer, Yamato
"We c-can share if you like..." Usopp, Deuce, Barto, Killer, Corazon, Yamato
Has this huge internal debate about what this means in your friendship/realtionship and while having this inside breakdown you've already taken the bed and gone to sleep. Usopp, Brook, Deuce, Barto, Boa, Corazon
Is happy to share and keeps their clothes on for your comfort. Robin, Franky, Jinbei, Marco, Thatch, Deuce, Barto, Rayleigh, Killer, Benn, Corazon, Yamato
"We can share but I do 100% sleep naked." Brook, Sanji, Doffy, Shanks, Roger, Kid Throws a fit about sharing. Nami, Izou, Perona, Boa, Buggy, Law, Kid, Mihawk
Shares but makes a pillow wall between you both. Ace, Deuce, Croc, Barto, Buggy, Killer, Yamato
Doesn' sleep, just stays up watching TV/reading anyway. Robin, Franky, Marco, Sabo, Law, Mihawk
Fights the hotel manager about not having two beds when they clearly booked a room with two. Nami, Izou, Perona, Croc, Boa, Buggy, Law, Kid
Pretends to be annoyed, is in fact thrilled at the mistake. Sanji, Ace, Thatch, Barto, Shanks
Is just fucking normal about it tbh. Share the bed like reasonable adults. Zoro, Robin, Franky, Jinbei, Marco, Thatch, Roger, Rayleigh, Killer, Benn
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jessysapphireblue · 6 months
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Akward Morning Luffy x reader
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Nickname included is Je, which you can replace. Crazy strawhats being crazy. Enjoy.
Part 2 ----> Here
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Morning dawned over the horizon, the Straw Hat Pirates waking up from their slumber. Luffy was snoring away, sprawled like a starfish across your bed, you also still sleeping, an arm over his waist, and head on his shoulder.
Loud knocking woke your boyfriend up, as he heard Usopp saying something. Yawning and stretching, he stood up and tapped to the door, hand in his hair as he opened it. "Usopp? What´s wrong?" "Ah! You´re here! I thought you-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!", his best friend began to talk but drifted off, screaming loudly at him.
"Why are you screaming?", asked Luffy. " YOU´RE NAKED!!!!". Silence came over them as Luffy looked down. "Oh, no wonder that I feel so cold" "Luffy! You-" "mmh", Usopp got interrupted by your voice, Luffy looking over with a grin. "Je is currently waking up. What is-USOPP!!", Luffy saw his best friend pale as a ghost.
Slaaming the door in his face, Luffy was confused but turned around. "He´s weird today" "Who is?", you spoke, finally up, stretching yourself. "Usopp! I guess Sanji put something in his food, or Chopper tested some medicine on him...pants pants", he said and looked around for his pants.
"Morning everyone!", shouted Luffy as you both arrived in the kitchen. Sanji looked something in between mad and sad. "Why, you lucky bastard?!" "Hm?" "Why do you slept by our Goddess again?! I want to be the one next to her" "Sanji I told you my room is always open for anyone", you admitted with a soft smile.
"But my Goddess! I mean sleeping by your side! Not that rubber idiot!!! Waking up next to you would be a blessing for my heart and soul, to see you the first thing in the morning!", he began to swoon around you.
During breakfast, Usopp poked in his food before pushing it away. "Usopp? Are you ok? Not eating?", Franky asked. "Are you sick?!". Chopper was worried. "Oi, you better eat it long nose"
"No. I can´t", he said, hands in a prayer, his index fingers touching his lips. "A stomachache?", asked Robin. "That would be better than what I saw!", he admitted. "A monster?" "Sea King?" "Your face in the mirror?", asked Zoro. "You bastard! No!!! THESE TWO!", he pointed to you and Luffy.
"Eh, did we do something wrong?", you asked. "Not that I remember", said Luffy and took his best friends plate. "Don´t you play with me! My innocence is gone!!!" "You? And innocent?", Nami was more than doubtful. "Yes! Before it clicked on them!"
"What did you do, Luffy?", asked Robin. "Nothing! He knocked and I opened and then he screamed", admitted your boyfriend before you feed him, making him shine.
"YOU WERE BUTT ASS NAKED!!!", the sniper yelled so loudly that his voice cracked, "AND SHE WAS STILL IN BED! YOUR CLOTHES WERE EVERYWHERE! YOU TWO FUCKED!!!"
Silence. "Yohohohoho, Usopp-san, I think you were still dreaming", laughed Brook. "Ah, no. He was right. Je and I slept together", grinned Lu widely, while you blushed bright red.
"WHAAAAAAAAA?!", Nami, Sanji and Chopper screamed. The rest was too shocked to speak. "Luffy! What did you do?!", Nami was about to attack him. "What? I didn´t put a baby in Je" "How the hell do you know how that works?!", Sanji was having a meltdown. "Of course I know how sex works. I´m not dumb!", protested your captain.
"HAHAHAHAHA!!! Our captain is more man than you, hentai-brow!", laughed Zoro. "Fu fu fu, was it fun?" "Robin!" "Yes! With Je it is always fun. We laugh and have fun, and kiss us a lot" "Wait...always?", asked Franky.
"Yeah, we did it a couple times already", beamed Luffy with innocence and you could vanish. Usopp stood up. "Usopp?", asked Chopper. "It was nice meeting you all, I sacrifice myself to the Sea" "USOPP NO!!!", Chopper cried. "I´m traumatized for life! Luffy and ...THIS! Is something that I never thought would happen" "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Luffy-kun, you are a real man now!", laughed Jinbe, everyone completely ignoring Sanji and Zoro fighting outside.
"Yohohoho, Luffy-san?" "Yes brook?" Brook bend down to him. "What color are her panties today?", he asked, awaiting as your boyfriend closed his eyes. "mmmh...ah! Blue like the sky" "Yohohohohoho", Brook dripped blood from his nose. "YOU PERVERT!", Nami kicked him full force outside.
You finally stood up. "Je?" "I shoot myself to the sun", you admitted, face high red as you walked out, the chaos continued.
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libraryofgage · 8 months
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SpiderPool Steddie Part One
So, this is definitely gonna have multiple parts lmao
It's been bouncing around my brain for a while like the Addams Family Steddie AU lol
Anyway, lemme know if you'd like to be tagged for future parts ^_^
----
Sister Margaret's School for Wayward Girls is, at best, a dive bar. At worst, it's a cesspit in which the scummiest people in the city gather to bask in each other's scumminess. To Steve, however, it's the perfect place to collapse after a long patrol, splayed out like a starfish on the roof as the music playing inside vibrates the building itself.
Steve takes a deep breath, setting his bat down next to him before pushing his mask to the bridge of his nose. He then lies down on the roof, wishing not for the first time that the city's light pollution wasn't so bad. Seeing the stars and hunting for constellations would really help him ignore the cracked ribs screaming inside his chest and threatening to break if he even breathes wrong.
All things considered, though, it could be worse. Steve doesn't have any morning classes, Vecna didn't beat him up nearly as bad as he usually does during their fight earlier, and his accelerated healing means Steve will be able to breathe normally by morning. Robin would tell him he has a very low bar when it comes to judging how shitty his life currently is, but she isn't here, so her opinion doesn't matter. Dustin would tell him he should try not getting his ass whooped in the future. Thankfully, he also isn't here, making his opinion as meaningful as Robin's.
Steve closes his eyes, letting his shoulders relax and trying not to think about anything. It sort of works until his entire body suddenly tenses, every nerve on edge and goosebumps shooting across his arms. He shoots up, ignoring the harsh twinge in his ribs as he turns in a crouch and grabs his bat. Steve clenches his jaw, breathing harshly through his nose to keep from groaning in pain, and feels relieved he didn't completely remove his mask completely.
Over by the door leading to a staircase is a guy with ripped jeans, a worn-out shirt with "HELLFIRE CLUB" across the chest, a jean vest covered in patches and pins, and hair pulled back out of his face with a few wavy strands stubbornly escaping his hair tie. He's breathing a little heavily, his face flushed like he's just climbed a few flights of stairs. Actually, he probably has.
"Woah," the guy says, his voice soft enough that Steve would have missed it if not for the enhanced hearing. The guy clears his throat and holds up both hands, showing off a bottle of Jack Daniels in one and a bag with a grease-stained bottom in the other. "Uh, I come in peace. I didn't realize the rooftop was taken."
Steve has no clue what possesses him, but he forces himself to relax and set the bat down. "No, it's okay. I can head out," he says, staying seated despite his words. He's really hoping the guy will insist he doesn't need to; his ribs are still aching like a bitch.
Thankfully, the guy flashes a grin and slowly lowers his hands. "Nah, you're all good. Not every day I get to eat next to a hero. Want some fries?" he asks, walking over and sitting a good two feet away so there's plenty of room between them.
He tears open the bag to create an impromptu plate and puts it between them, the smell of greasy and undoubtedly delicious fries tempting enough that Steve picks up a smaller one and pops it into his mouth. "Thanks. Where are these from?" Steve asks, glancing over as the guy twists the cap of his bottle and takes a swig.
"A burger joint two streets down and one street over. On the corner."
Steve nods, making a mental note of the directions so he can get a burger before swinging home. He's got just enough in his pocket to afford one. "So, got a name?" Steve asks, figuring he's already eating the guy's fries and they're about to spend some time together on this roof. He should know the guy's name.
The guy's grin returns, and he sets the bottle down between them as well. It's tempting, but Steve doesn't trust his alcohol tolerance to hold up while his body is busy fixing his ribs. "Eddie. Do I get to know your name, too?"
Steve snorts and leans away slightly, putting a bit more distance between Eddie and his entirely too-grabbable mask. "Nice try," he says.
"Worth a shot," Eddie says, shrugging as he picks up a few fries. "So, Spider-Man, what brings you to Sister Margaret's? You enjoy the gay metal scene?"
"What's the difference between gay and regular metal?"
"Our hair is better," Eddie explains, dramatically flipping the few strands of hair escaping his tie.
Steve has to hold back a second snort, taking another fry and chewing on it before saying, "I like resting here after patrol. The whole building shakes with the music."
Eddie lights up, his eyes brightening and his back straightening some. "So, you're a fan of Corroded Coffin," he says, taking another swig of the Jack Daniels. It's only now that Steve realizes it's already a quarter of the way gone, and he wonders if Eddie's liver can handle that much alcohol all at once.
"Is that the name of the band?"
"Yep. They play here almost every night."
"I'm guessing you like them, too, then?"
Eddie hums, amusement dancing across his expression now, giving Steve the distinct feeling that there's some secret he simply isn't in on. "They're the best band I've ever heard. Their music is incredible. They really push the boundaries of the genre. And their lyrics? Amazingly layered with at least three meanings per line. I highly recommend actually coming in for a listen one of these days," Eddie says, leaning a little closer to Steve.
A beat of silence passes in which Steve holds Eddie's gaze. Or, he holds the gaze on his end; he's sure Eddie can't actually tell with the mask covering his eyes. "You're in the band," Steve says.
"Lead guitarist and singer, yes. I also write the songs."
"You're incredibly critical of yourself, really grounded in reality."
Eddie barks out a laugh. "I just happen to know my worth incredibly well."
"You have all the confidence of a mediocre white man on a job hunt."
Eddie gasps, placing a hand on his chest as he looks at Steve. "How dare you call me mediocre. I am revolutionary at worst and the second coming at best."
"You know the second coming involves, like, an apocalypse or something, right?"
"I'm Jewish, why would I bother with the fine details?" Well, Steve will give him that. "By the way," Eddie says, gesturing to Steve's bat as he continues, "do those nails actually see any use? Or are they just there to act as a threat?"
Steve looks down at his bat, considering it for a moment before carefully holding the middle and offering the handle to Eddie. Now that he's giving them a few moments of attention, he's realizing the nails embedded in the end are a little rusty and definitely need cleaning. "I try not to be deadly with it, but Vecna's got these lab-grown demon dogs and bats that always manage to break through my webs," Steve explains.
He watches as Eddie takes the bat, weighing it in his hands before shoving his palm into the nails. Steve jerks, a wordless shout escaping his throat as he launches himself over the fries and in front of Eddie. "Are you okay?!" he asks, grabbing Eddie's hand and shakily inspecting the nails sticking through it. Fuck, those are going to be a bitch to get out, and he'll probably have to swing Eddie to the hospital for a tetanus shot.
Being angry doesn't even register in his brain as Eddie laughs. "Don't worry about it, Spidey," he says, pulling his hand off the nails with a slight wince. He wiggles his fingers, letting Steve have a front-row seat to the injuries closing. "See, good as new."
And he's right. The injuries are good as new. In fact, there isn't even any scarring, and Steve almost rips his mask off to take a closer look but stops himself at the last minute. Instead, he grabs Eddie's hand and yanks it closer, turning it over to check his palm, too. "What the fuck?" he asks, looking up at Eddie, still gripping his hand tight.
"Super healing," Eddie explains. "Like, super duper. If I ever get decapitated, just hold my head to my neck, and I'll be right as rain."
"I'd rather not put that claim to the test," Steve says, frowning slightly as he runs his fingers over Eddie's palms, just to make sure the injuries aren't somehow hidden from sight.
"You know, I kissed the last guy who touched my palm like that," Eddie says, leaning in again with that grin.
Suddenly all Steve can think about is how Eddie's lips do look soft. And it has been a while since Steve actually kissed anyone. And he does think Eddie is funny. And he does find himself wondering if his smile will taste like the Jack Daniels and fries. And...and...
And Steve needs to go before he does anything he shouldn't be doing as Spider-Man.
He jerks back, dropping Eddie's hand like it burns, and ignores the ache in his ribs as he grabs his bat and stands. "I, uh, I need to get going. Thanks for the fries, Eddie," he says, hurrying over to the edge of the roof.
"Woah, just gonna eat and run on me, big boy?" Eddie asks, scrambling to his feet and over to where Steve is climbing onto the edge of the roof. "That's not very hero-like of you. You haven't even left me your name or number. How are you gonna pay me back $2.50 for the fries?"
"I had five," Steve says, turning to look at Eddie as he webs his bat to his back and pulls his mask down over his chin.
"The economy sucks, man."
Okay, he's got Steve there. Again. "Nice try, Eddie."
"Can you blame a guy? Your ass looks great in that spandex."
Steve is suddenly relieved his mask is back down, covering the furious blush spreading across his cheeks. He'd think it was just a joke, but the sincere and somewhat goofy smile tugging at Eddie's lips tells him it's more genuine than anything else. "Thanks," Steve says, giving Eddie a two-finger salute before taking a step back off the roof.
He shoots a web at the edge of the building, using the momentum to swing around the corner. His ribs are killing him with the movement, but he still manages to throw a, "See you later, Eds!" over his shoulder before he's completely out of earshot.
Later, Steve will wonder how Eddie got his super healing, if he's that flirtatious with every guy he meets on the roof of Sister Margaret's, and if he'll be there the next time Steve swings by. But that's for later. For now, he's just enjoying the breeze rushing over him and thinking about Eddie's eyes and his smile and his long fingers.
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kryptonian-bat-thing · 3 months
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Have you considered drawing Jarro, Batman's favorite son? (It's kind of crazy that a telepathic starfish has the most positive father-son relationship with Bruce tbh)
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it's crazy indeed
also jarro is probably one of the few robins that didn't die 👍
(I've got to admit he's hard to draw but he's adorable in that little costume)
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it's finally here! one month late, and a couple thousand words more than i thought it'd be! happy leap yeap!
Here's my entry for Lex's (@thefreakandthehair) Spicy Six Winter Fanworks Challenge! I had dialogue prompt #22 "Guess we’re the only two without dates, huh?”
pairing: steddie | word count: 10,446 | rated: E | on AO3: hey you really turn me on
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Why in the hell did he agree to this? It’s 20 fuckin’ degrees out and he’s outside?? In the snow?? Voluntarily?
If the boys could see him now.. “Who are you and what’ve you done with Eddie?”, “Since when do you do shit outside?”, “All this for Steve fuckin’ Harrington…”.
And that’s the rub, it is because of Steve. Hopeless crush aside, Steve is the reason he’s there. Why they’re all there in the first place.
When Steve got the call, Eddie and the other older teens of their world-saving group were just hanging out; movies, beer, snacks, a little weed, music playing low…all in all, a great kick-back. 
Then the phone rang.
It was relatively late too, 10 maybe?
Steve went to answer it of course, the conversation muffled through the living room and kitchen walls, but after a minute or so he came back. The long phone line stretched across the hall back to the hook in the kitchen.
“When is this again?” Steve says into the receiver, waving towards the sound system. Robin had scrambled up immediately, nearly falling back on her face to turn the volume down.
“Uh huh. And you and Dad won’t be there? Mm hmm.” he nods.
Eddie looked over to Robin first, eyebrow raised. She only shrugged, as does Nancy when he turned the look to her.
“And how many rooms?” Whatever the answer is causes Steve’s brows to shoot up. “Wow, okay, yeah we–” 
Eddie was closest to him, previously starfished out on the carpet, but had sat up and leaned back on his palms when Steve returned, so he could just barely hear the sound of another voice on the other end of the line.
“Yeah of course, that’d be great, we definitely will. Thanks Mom.”
Steve had sounded actually…happy to be talking to his mom. And here Eddie thought the Harringtons were objectively the worst.
“No, they’re going to love it, Mom, I promise.” another pause, “Nope. They’ll all be on their best behavior.” Steve glances down at Eddie, “We all will be.”
He scoffs up at Steve from his spot on the floor. Rude.
Steve only waves him off with a smile, “Yeah, the usual.” he says, “Rob, Nance, Jon, Jon’s friend Argyle–yeah, he’s the one from California, and Eddie.” Steve’s eyes flash down to Eddie again and his stomach twists sharply. Aw fuck, here it comes; the scolding, the yelling, the berating about how Eddie’s no good for him to be associating with, why are you stooping to his level, he’s a murderer, yadda yadda yadda.
“Yeah, he and Wayne are doin’ much better now, I’ll have to tell you about it next time, okay?” 
Uh.
What?
“Yeah, that’d be great if you don’t mind! Yep, Wheeler, Henderson, Sinclair,” He looks again at the other people in the room, they’re still just as puzzled as he is. What do the kids have to do with this? “I’ll talk to Hopper and Joyce, and I’m sure Ms. Mayfield would let Max go. Oh absolutely,”
Steve starts back into the kitchen, and Eddie can hear him all the way back to the hook. “No–Nope, it’s fine, I actually have a couple people over right now so I want to–yeah. Yep. Okay, love you too. Bye mom.”
Eddie looks around at the others; Robin, Nancy, Jonathan, even Argyle, though he’s not looking around wide-eyed at what all just occurred like the others are.
Steve comes back into the living room. “So…” he lets out a long breath, “How do you all feel about skiing?”
-x-X-x-
So yeah. Here they all are, at some ski resort up in Michigan. Boyd Mountain…or Bowie? Something with a ‘B’.
Turns out, Steve’s parents had a four-room cabin rental set aside as a perk for some deal they were trying to barter. It fell through though, and they wouldn’t be back from Colorado themselves until after the reservation would’ve expired so they offered it to Steve and whoever he’d like to invite.
They took care of everything too; got lift passes, boot and ski rentals set aside for each of them, even sent a whole ass passenger van to be dropped off in the Harrington driveway for them to make the drive; A huge 15 passenger one that even with the three extra seats, still barely held all their crap for the long weekend.
All of them piled into the van in the dark on a Friday morning, sleepy-faced and crusty-eyed; Robin as Steve’s co-pilot, and each of the rest of the older teens and the party piling in wherever they could (they’d fight about their seats when they woke up more, Eddie was sure of it).
The first rest stop on the way up went by without incident, but by time they stopped for late breakfast/early lunch at another, everyone was stir crazy. Sandwiches were passed out, gas was gotten, bathroom breaks were taken, and almost as soon as they got back in the van, Robin was snoring.
“Damnit, if I knew she was gonna tank like that I would’ve had someone else sit up here.” Steve had groused. 
“I’ve gotcha big guy, I won’t let you fall asleep.” Eddie said, now seated next to Dustin and El on the first bench behind the driver’s seat.
“Yeah, me either.” Dustin agreed.
He was snoring an hour later, El leaning into him for her own nap.
“That’s cute.” Was the first thing Robin said after waking back up.
All in all, not a bad drive. The worst part was tramping through the snow to the cabin after they’d arrived.
“Goddammit Steve, How am I supposed to get through this week in only my jeans?”
Steve sighs, “Eddie, you have made the same argument ever since my mom called; and every time you did, I told you everything would be here for you.”
He finally gets the door open, shoving it wide for them all and gesturing them in, “Get comfy guys, I’m going to grab the cooler with our groceries.”
“I’ll give you a hand,” Jonathan says, following Steve back out to the van.
The large open main floor has a full kitchen with a raised bar counter and four stools, tall peaked ceilings, a fireplace on one wall with two couches and a rocking chair situated around it, and a sliding glass door to a balcony off the back side of the building overlooking the trees below.
There’s stairs too, a set going up and a set going down, and at least one bathroom here on this floor, off the kitchen.
Eddie wanders into the living room, picks out some pieces of kindling from the bucket on the stone beside the fireplace and a couple logs from the stack nearby, and busies himself with starting the fire while the party pokes around the place.
He glances over his shoulder when he hears the fake leather of the couch cushions squeak together, only to see Argyle has perched himself on the backrest, squashing a cushion beneath his feet.
The fire takes less than no time at all, and once it’s going and he’s re-situated the trifold metal screen back in front of the fire, he sits down beside Argyle’s shins and is immediately entranced by the flames.
Steve and Jonathan return not long after, lugging their things with the cooler hanging between them.
“So how do y’guys want to split up the rooms?” Robin asks aloud, ignoring the yelling the other teens are already doing about the same thing.
“I’m not picky.” Eddie shrugs, standing up to stretch again, deciding he really did not want to be sitting anymore.
“Me either sister, whatever you decide is cool with me.” Argyle agrees. “What’re the rooms like?”
“There’s a master up here!” Max calls from above them, looming over the log railing at the top of the stairs with El.
“We walked right past it, but there’s a room with a queen off the front hall there,” Jonathan says, shuffling his bag against the kitchen bar.
“Hey! Assholes!” Steve yells down the steps, the boys must’ve gone down there. “Go get your shit out of the van and we’ll head over to the main lodge!”
The four thunder up the steps, how any of them can understand any other over the other is beyond him.
“Will,” Nancy calls as he rounds the stairs last, “There are bedrooms down there?”
“Yep!” he grins, “Two rooms with queen beds, and a bathroom.”
“I don’t mind taking one of the queens,” Nancy says, “Robin, wanna share with me?”
Robin starts to splutter, still somehow not convinced that Nancy’s got a thing for her. It’s obvious to him, but he and Steve have both tried to tell her this. To no avail. Even after Jonathan and her had confirmed they’d split and that he was moving back to California with Argyle come spring.
Steve rescues Robin from her spluttering. “It’s only fair that Argyle gets next dibs, since he’s the one that’s offered to cook for us.” he says, lugging the cooler over to the kitchen to unload it.
He’d insisted on picking up groceries for their stay, saying “There’s a restaurant, sure, but that’d get expensive quick and we’ll have a full kitchen so why not?”
“Appreciated my man; y’wanna bunk with me, Jonny?”
Eddie follows Steve, leaning on the bar across from the fridge from him, “So where’s all my snow gear, Stevie?” he asks the back of Steve’s head.
“Eddie, I swear to God.” Steve huffs in return, bending down into the cooler at his feet to fish out a couple of cartons of eggs.
Eddie does not watch how the denim of Steve’s jeans pulls tighter over any part of him, thank you very much.
“Mom called ahead and has everything we might need set aside in the main lodge, we’ll go there first before we hit the slopes.”
“Oh my god, did you really just say that?” Eddie asks as Steve stashes away two jars of jelly, one strawberry, one grape.
“Say what?” Bacon and some packs of lunch meat are next.
“Like, that’s an actual thing that people say? It’s not just in the movies?”
Steve sighs, finishing off the groceries with a couple 12 packs of pop stashed on the bottom shelf. “What is just like the movies?”
“‘Hit the slopes.’? Really?”
“You’re super annoying, you know that, right?” he says, closing the fridge and pushing the lid back onto their cooler.
“Awe, c’mon baby, you don’t mean that.” Eddie coos, slipping around the counter to cup Steve’s face in his hands, “What happened to the man who loves me for my antics, huh?”
“Get off me, dude,” Steve laughs, batting Eddie’s hands away, his cheeks tinged pink.
‘Yes! Success!’ When did he decide he was trying to fluster Steve? Eh, whatever. No harm, right?
 “So, did you guys figure out the sleeping situation?” Steve asks the rest of the group, walking back around the bar.
Eddie follows, leaning back on the counter in his previously vacated spot.
Nancy nods, “Jon and Argyle will take the room on the main floor, us girls will take the two downstairs, you can take the master, and the boys will take the couches.”
The boys return with their bags then, and Mike immediately starts complaining about being relegated to the fold-outs. Eddie also hears Dustin and Lucas trying to talk him down, saying things like “Dude, that means we’ll be close to the fire!”, “We can throw things in it!,” and “We can make s’mores!”.
Steve doesn’t seem to hear them though, otherwise he’d be shutting that shit down. Instead, his face only scrunches in confusion, “What about Eddie?”
Nancy looks surprised for a blink, then disgruntled, like she’s pissed she forgot someone.
“I’ll just crash out here on the floor with these losers, no worries.” he shrugs.
Steve turns toward his voice, a deep crease between his brows. “That’s not fair.”
“I promise I’ll survive Stevie,” Eddie chuckles. At least he’ll be the warmest out here in front of the fireplace. “I’ve slept on worse, believe it or not, I’ll be sleeping like a king compared to then.”
Steve’s brows scrunch almost all the way together, then spring apart and settle into determined lines. “You’ll sleep with me.” he says with a nod, his arms folding across his chest.
A beat passes.
Eddie can’t resist.
He leans close to Steve’s side, “A bit presumptuous, Stevie darling,”
Steve’s face practically glows with the flush that appears in the next beat, mumbling something to himself as he walks to the door and starts to pull on his coat and boots.
Eddie pushes off the counter and follows, obnoxiously holding a hand up to one ear. “What’s that, sweetheart?” he teases, walking to his own tossed-aside boots, “I didn’t quite catch that.”
“We going to the lodge now?” he hears Lucas ask as he passes.
“Finally.” Mike adds, unhelpfully.
Steve huffs, standing up again and leaning close to Eddie’s cupped hand, “As if you hadn’t thought about it, darling.”
Four of the other ten are in their coats and boots and out the door after Steve before Eddie comes back online.
-x-X-x-
So here he is: outside. In the snow. With skis strapped to his feet. All because of Steve and his surprisingly generous parents.
He watches, amused, as Robin stands as still as she possibly can, arms spread wide, while Nancy helps strap her into her skis. As soon as the skis had gotten remotely close to being attached to her, it was discovered that no matter what section of ground they may be standing on, Robin would start to drift away. Sliding down some sort of unseen incline backwards, frontwards, and/or sideways.
Jon and Argyle are already almost to the closest lift, and Eddie watches as they do a weird half-jump onto the bench as it comes up behind them.
The gremlins had scattered after Steve’s ‘be careful’ lecture, telling them all when to be back to the van by, or back to the cabin if they will be coming off the slopes near there, telling them all to be safe and to keep to pairs or more so they can be radioed.
They’d all brought their walkies with them, and Eddie can see where the boys are still huddled together, swapping out their batteries.
He watches them split off soon after, Dustin and Lucas pushing off to where Max and El are waiting at the standing lift to the top of the training hill.
Mike and Will scoot off together in the opposite direction, toward the centermost lift a few dozen yards away.
“Guess we’re the only two without dates, huh?” He says as Steve slides to a stop on his own skis beside him.
He’d meant it jokingly, was probably going to follow it up with some jabs about being Steve’s wingman if he needed (there were already a few ladies he’d seen giving Steve some looks while they waited for their gear in the main lodge), but Steve shrugs and says: “I’ll be your date this weekend, Eds. Wouldn’t want you to feel left out or anything.” 
Eddie whips his head around to look at him, “That’s not–” he starts, but cuts himself off at the look Steve is giving him. His goggles have been haphazardly pushed up his face, trapping a few loose locks of Steve’s hair between them and the roll of his beanie, his cheeks are already bitten red with the cold, and he’s smiling so painfully sincerely under that damn teasing smirk that all Eddie can do is acquiesce.
“You better be the best date here then, Stevie,” Eddie chides, starting off toward the lift Jonathan and Argyle had disappeared up, “I won’t settle for anyone other than the bes–” he pitches forward suddenly, one of his skis sticking to the snow under it more than it should’ve.
Steve catches him, of course, and says “Will I get points taken off as ‘Best Date Ever’ if I make you go on the training hill?”
They do go to the training hill, lovingly called the Bunny Hopper, but he and Robin are thankfully saved from the embarrassment of actually being taught by the volunteers there; Steve and Nancy taking them to the slightly taller ‘big kid’ hill and teaching them there.
Surprising even himself, Eddie picks up on the motions and the feeling of being on skis easily. The whole ‘pizza’ thing about stopping was still iffy but the rest is no problem. Fun, actually.
“That was great, man! You’re a natural!” Steve beams at him, his grin lopsided from the meat of his cheeks being squashed under his goggles.
“I just had a great teacher,” he brushes off the compliment, elbowing Steve playfully.
Steve somehow grins even bigger, and Eddie’s heart stammers.
“You ready to go to the real hill now?” “This isn’t a real hill?”
He’s positive Steve just rolled his eyes under his goggles. “C’mon smartass, let's get in line for the lift.”
Eddie bows him forward, “After you, sweetheart.” 
He follows Steve to the end of the line; thankfully it’s not too long, now that it’s late afternoon and will be getting dark soon. 
Steve seems to notice this as well, lifting his goggles off his face again. “We’ll have to call the gremlins back sooner than I thought. It’ll be dark soon.”
“Stop reading my mind, Stevie.”
Steve looks over at him, squinting hard and pursing his lips (Eddie’s stupid lizard brain has a split second thought of those lips pursed around something). “Ugh! Ew, gross Eddie, what would make you think about that?!”
He feels his face blanche and scrambles to recover. “I was only thinking about our good friend Robin, Steve-o, you saying Robin is gross?” He pitches his voice higher and glances down the line to where he can see Robin and Nancy.
Robin flips her mitten up at him, and he can infer the gesture just fine, thanks.
“Shut up, asshole.” Steve laughs, pushing him out of the line on his skis.
They’re the next to hop up on the moving bench, and Steve’s…everything…seems to seize up as soon as they’re seated and on their way.
“Could you imagine?”
“Hm?” He’s still looking down anxiously, so Eddie scoots just a bit closer, pressing what he hopes is comfortingly into Steve’s side.
“If we could read each other's minds? If the bats biting us both somehow linked us together?”
It works a little; Steve tears his eyes away from the ground as it drops away from them, huffing out a short laugh, “I don’t think I would survive inside your head, it’d be even more chaotic than you already are.”
“As if your head would be any better.”
“Hey, my head is great!”
Eddie grins wickedly, “You get told that a lot, Stevie?”
Steve seems unphased, smirking slowly. “I do, actually. Why? You tryin’ t’see if it’s true?”
His cheeks start to prickle, “You offering, big boy?”
“Maybe I am,” Steve shrugs then leans closer, “Now the real question is if you’re gonna take me up on it.”
Eddie’s head reels in the couple seconds he takes to respond.
Where in the hell is all this coming from? Is it just part of the ‘date’ thing? There’s no fuckin’ way Steve is actually into him, is there? He’s always been flirty, just like Eddie is himself, but there’s no way there are any actual feelings behind it… So there’s no harm in playing along.
“I’m gonna have to now, aren’t I?” he grins back, “Gotta see if it lives up to the hype.”
Steve smirks, his eyes hooded. He’s good at pretending, he’ll give him that.
His eyes glance away, then back to Eddie’s face. The sultry look he’d been hamming up for his sake is gone, just an easy smile remains. At least this sudden flirting Steve’s decided to do isn’t going to ruin their surprisingly solid post-apocalyptic friendship.
“It’s almost time to get off, ready?”
Eddie looks ahead to where the couple on the bench before them are hopping off. They stand up off the lift easily and don’t end up in a heap, but he is starting to feel the anxiety Steve was feeling only minutes ago. How’s he supposed to get out of the way fast enough, isn’t there a drop? That looked way too easy.
“As I’ll ever be,” he gulps.
“Give me your hand.” Steve says, not waiting for a response and snatching up Eddie’s hand in his, “Okay, when I say so, you just gotta stand up. Ready?”
“Stand up, what do you mea—” he feels his legs lift a bit as the ground rises to coast under his skis, and it makes sense.
“Now!”
Wait, no! He wasn’t ready!
He stands just a breath after Steve, but isn’t fast enough, the lift continues up on its path and catches him again, forcing his butt back into the seat.
“Eddie, you gotta–”
He tries again at the same time Steve pulls him forward and he pitches forward, landing with an “Oof–” on top of Steve and forcing the breath from the other man’s lungs.
“Aw fuck, sorry Stevie!” He rolls off of him and out of the path of the upcoming lift chairs. “That went exactly as well as I thought it would.”
Steve wheezes out a breathless laugh, standing back up on his skis with no problem at all. Wait, how did he do that? How’s he supposed to get up with these things on his feet?
“Here,” Steve arranges his skis for him, putting one long side of each onto the snow, “Give me your poles, and push yourself up with your hands. You want to get your feet under you.”
He does as he’s told and walks his weight around on his hands to the fronts of his skis until he’s bent forward at his hips, standing straight out of the bend.
“...Huh.”
“Good job, man!” Steve grins, handing him back his poles, “Getting up on skis can be a bitch and a half; way to catch on quick.”
Eddie grins mischievously, deciding to be a little shit. “I dunno, you’d think my date would like seeing me bent over for him, huh Stevie?”
Steve just rolls his eyes, snapping his goggles back down with a smile, “C’mon, asshole, let’s get out of the way; the run to the right of the lift looked shorter on the map.”
Thankfully, the chair behind them had been empty, but the next one had a full four people on it and it was coming up fast.
“‘Sides,” He says, pushing off toward the top of the run, waiting for Eddie to scoot in next to him at the crest before leaning in and murmuring low into his ear, “I’d rather wait ‘till we’re alone to bend you over properly.”
Steve’s a good 20 feet away by time Eddie comes back to himself enough to follow.
They get about an hour and a half in on the hills, a grand total of six wipeouts under Eddie’s belt, and a couple others under Steve’s, with one successful landing off one of the jumps on the main drag to finish off the day.
“Didja see that?!” Steve yells, pulling down the balaclava he’d unceremoniously added to his getup about an hour ago.
“Hell yes Stevie!” Eddie calls, breathless, still coasting to the bottom of the slope after him. “You landed it!”
“I landed it!” 
Steve holds his arms open as Eddie once again fails to slow himself down properly, and catches him at the bottom in a crushing hug. His cheeks are flushed with adrenaline, bitten with the cold, his eyes bright in the setting sun and smile nearly as beautiful.
Damn he’s pretty.
Courteous as ever, Steve waits until Eddie’s arranged his feet the right way again before letting him go to spin the pack off his back for their assigned walkie.
Steve radios the party, and everyone is packed away in their van a scant ten minutes later. The older teens had already made it back to the cabin, letting themselves in off a run near there, so it was only the similarly flushed and excitement-filled younger teens babbling away in the back seats.
There’s overlapping stories of their own wipeouts (including one Robin took that Max swears was hilarious), Dustin insisting he saw a brown bear through the trees at one point, and all six debating whether or not they’d want to go to the main lodge for the waterpark tomorrow instead of back onto the hills.
They are still debating amongst themselves when they pull into the driveway. “Alright dorks,” Steve calls over the bickering, “Go inside and hang up your shit next to the fireplace so it can dry out.”
Eddie follows the troop into the living room and watches them pile all their outerwear together on the two hooks closest to the stone fireplace, then tear off downstairs where he heard there may have been a Nintendo stashed in one of the bedroom dressers.
Jonathan and Robin start methodically re-arranging the coats and snow pants on the hooks so they’ll dry easier, while Argyle pushes up off one of the couches to start on dinner. 
“C’mon Eds, get comfy,” Steve says, coming up beside him and gesturing to the loveseat directly across from the roaring fire. Eddie can already feel the burn of it across his frigid skin, “I gotta make sure I get you unthawed before I get you into my bed.” Steve murmurs into Eddie’s ear.
And isn’t that a whole new type of torment. They will actually be sleeping in the same bed tonight…the next three nights!
Steve turns back to the kitchen when Eddie drops cross-legged onto the sofa, and the tingling feeling in his cheeks has nothing to do with the fire.
It’s half from Steve’s scarily earnest-sounding flirting, but also about half from the look Robin is giving him while she takes the spot next to Nancy on the other couch.
“What? What’s the look for?”
Robin shrugs, picking up what must’ve been her discarded book from the end table between them (which she’s got the already read half curled backward around its spine, like a heathen), “Nothin’ at all, Eds.”
His face is burning hotter than the fire by the time Steve returns.
He passes them each a mug of cocoa, then flops down on the floor in front of Eddie’s knees. 
“What’s cookin’ good lookin’?” Eddie asks, surprised at the nonchalance he was able to muster up. He reaches forward and tugs on a lock of Steve’s hair without even thinking about it (and ignoring the muffled giggle coming from somewhere to Robin’s left. Oh great, Nancy’s in on his torment too?).
Steve lets out a contented hum, dropping his head back to lie heavily in Eddie’s lap, “Argyle’s whipping up some burgers.”
Eddie leaves his fingers in Steve’s hair, absentmindedly pulling them through a few tangles left behind by his hat.
Steve’s head lolls around in Eddie’s lap with the motions of his fingers for a whole thirty seconds before he snaps it back up, “Oh–ugh–wait, don’t do that,” Eddie pulls his hand away immediately, an apology on his tongue, but Steve continues, standing up and saying, “I’m all gross and sweaty, man, at least let me take a shower first. Be right back.” Steve grins, and heads upstairs to the master bedroom.
Eddie blinks into the space left behind by Steve’s departure, then Nancy is standing as well; “That’s a good idea,” she says, unfolding from her spot at Robin’s side and walking around the back of the couch, “I’ll be back up soon.” She gives Robin’s shoulder a squeeze, and heads downstairs.
Not a full five seconds pass before Robin says, “So...Steve’s super into you.”
Eddie balks at her, his eyes darting around the room automatically. Jon’s helping Argyle chop up toppings for their burgers, the two of them paying less than zero attention to him or Robin, there’s a yell from downstairs followed by laughter, the sound of a shower starting from the open balcony to the upstairs bedroom..
“You can’t just say shit like that, Birdie.” he whispers, his tone harried.
“What, the truth?”
“He is not into me.”
She nods in sarcastic understanding, “Ah, so you’re into him.”
“No I’m—” she levels him with a look. He sighs, glancing around at the no one around them, “Okay fine, yes, I am super into him. But he is not into me.”
Robin shrugs, going back to her book. “You don’t have to believe me, but I think he is. And I think you should make a move.”
“Make a mo—He’s straight as fuck, Robin!”
She gives him a glance, her brow furrowing for a split second then smoothing out. “Did he tell you that?”
“He didn’t have to.” he says, sinking back against the cushions.
She doesn’t say anything else, and he goes back to staring at the fire.
“If you make a move on Steve, I’ll finally make a move on Nancy.” she says a handful of minutes later.
He processes that slowly, takes a deep breath, then shoves his hand towards her without looking over.
She takes it, giving it one hard shake.
As soon as he takes his hand back, Argyle lopes into view with a plate in his hand, “Food’s ready my dudes.” He says, sinking into the armchair closest to the glass balcony door.
Robin snaps her book shut and sets it down on the little end table between them (the cover curls back up immediately, the poor thing), standing up and heading into the kitchen. 
Eddie has just let his feet fall to the floor and has scooted to the edge of his seat to stand up himself, when Argyle yells out “Nice tits!”
“Whose tits are out?” Eddie asks, following his gaze automatically. 
Argyle goes back to his plate. “Steve’s.” 
Uh…Yeah…He can see that for himself now.
Steve is standing at the railing of the upper floor in nothing but a towel. One hand is flipping Argyle off, and the other is preoccupied with scrubbing a second towel over his damp hair.
The towel wrapped around him is slung low on his hips, and Eddie’s eyes start to roam on their own.
Steve’s stomach is solid yet soft-looking with all its faded pink scars, and it and his chest are still as hairy as Eddie remembers; strong shoulders, solid jaw, dusty lips that pull up into a smirk, all of him is so fucking perfect.
“Hurry it up, dingus, food’s ready!” Robin calls, startling Eddie out of his gawking.
His face goes hot with embarrassment, chancing another glance up to Steve and hoping he didn’t get caught…
Steve winks at him, then turns out of sight, disappearing just as his hand comes down to grab the towel twisted around him.
His face burns, and doesn’t stop burning until long after Steve returns from upstairs.
He makes up a burger for himself, and once each of them have theirs, they call the rest of the hoard upstairs. The six teens all but destroy the remaining burgers, two whole bags of chips, and would have gulped down at least one whole 12 pack of Coke if Nancy hadn’t relegated them to one can each.
Steve’s about to herd them back downstairs when El pipes up and says that they’ve decided they want to go to the waterpark in the main lodge tonight instead of tomorrow. Surprisingly, Steve agrees to drive them over there on the condition “you shitheads are careful, and are ready to go as soon as the pools close at midnight. Got it?”
“Agreed.” they say in unison, splitting off in all directions to grab their swim stuff.
“I’m surprised at you, Stevie, letting them go off on their own.”
He just shrugs, “There’s lifeguards.”
The troops are back in the living room within ten minutes, and in their boots and out the door in 12. 
Once they’re out the door, Robin goes back to her book, Jon and Argyle step out onto the balcony to smoke, and Eddie follows Nancy into the kitchen without even thinking about it, grabbing up the hand towel hanging from the oven door and placing himself to her right.
“Thanks,” she says, handing him the first wet plate from the mess of suds in the sink.
They work in silence for a few minutes, listening to the crackling of the fire, the clanging of silverware in the sink, the muffled voices of the two on the porch.
“Nancy?”
“Yeah, Eddie?”
“If I–If Ste–” he wasn’t sure how to ask this, how to even approach the topic, “Robin said—”
“He’d be lucky to have you Eddie, and you him.” She says, not looking up from the sink.
“How’d you–?”
“Robin tends to ramble when she's nervous, have you noticed?”
He stares down at her, dumbfounded. Her lips quirk into a smile. “She’s like that around me a lot, actually.”
“I’ve noticed.”
They fall back into silence again; on the last plate, she says, “Robin’s already had this conversation with Steve about me, so I only assume it’s fair that you have it with me about him.” She passes the last plate to him and pulls the drain from the water. 
“Just remember Eddie,” She pauses and turns to face him, one hip cocked over to lean on the edge of the counter. “If you’re gonna go for it..Steve loves with all of him at once. Don’t take it for granted.”
He sets the dried plate onto the rack beside the sink as she passes behind him, patting him on the shoulder as she does.
He wants to take a moment to process all that, but just his luck, Steve returns then, passing in behind him where Nancy just left to grab up a six-pack.
Steve hands one to Eddie as he leaves, “You okay, Eds?”
“I’m good, thanks Stevie.” he says, fixing his face into an easy smile.
The six of them lounge around the rest of the evening, slowly sipping on their drinks while they play cards in front of the fire, but there’s a catch: Eddie’s going absolutely insane.
Steve’s touching him everywhere. His thigh and foot are sitting comfortably under Eddie’s own thigh where it’s crossed above it, his arm is draped across the back of the couch behind Eddie’s shoulders and methodically twirling long lengths of dark hair between his fingers.
Eddie’s been doing his damndest to ignore it, and succeeds, actually, for short periods of time while they are playing Uno, but every time Steve leans back from dropping his next card on the coffee table, he casually puts his arm back where it was, and grabs up a new lock of Eddie’s hair to torture him with.
And each time he does, Robin gives him the same knowing look.
It’s. Agony.
He wants to relax, wants to scream, he wants to swing his leg over Steve’s lap and press him into the cushions with heated kisses, he wants to haul the other man upstairs and throw him onto the bed…be thrown onto the bed.
Finally, Nancy calls it, breaking their little bubble to stand into a long stretch around nine. Steve hops up off the couch after Robin to gather up all the rest of the cans, and Eddie helps Jon and Argyle pull apart the couches enough to fold out the beds for when the goblins come back.
He escapes upstairs after a short goodnight to the two, Robin and Steve are still bickering in hushed tones about something in the kitchen, and pulls out his bag. He’s fishing out a new pair of boxers when Steve finally gets upstairs, shutting the room’s double doors behind him and heading into the ensuite.
He left the door open in his wake, so Eddie grabs up the rest of his things and follows. He drops his pile of stuff onto the closed lid of the toilet and shucks his shirt unceremoniously, tossing it to the floor.
The glass door of the huge half-walled stone shower squeaks softly on its hinges when he opens it to start the water, squeaking again when it swings closed. He reaches up to a shelf above the toilet to pull down one of the provided towels, turning to hang it on the hook beside the shower.
It’s while he’s turning back to the hook that he chances a look at Steve.
Steve, frozen at the sink with his toothbrush hanging listlessly in the air and a glob of foamy toothpaste slowly drooping off his lip, is staring. 
Unabashedly.
At Eddie’s bare torso.
Eddie caught and cataloged this in the split second it took Steve to realize Eddie was staring back, but it was enough. 
The flirting had been one thing, a natural, goofy continuation of their friendship that led to their ‘date’ today, the soft touches and hair-playing had been another, something Eddie could explain away just as easily. Steve is a touchy guy once you get close to him, and had been with Eddie since they’d gotten closer after spring break.
But this?
He’s looking at him with the same wide-eyed look Eddie’d given him earlier: gobsmacked and slightly hungry.
Steve turns away quickly, spitting into the sink and mumbling something under his breath while he finishes rinsing out his mouth. 
Eddie snorts, shaking his head and finally hanging up his towel.
“Oh, what, now you’re gonna be all shy?” he grouses, twisting around to scowl at the back of Steve’s head. Steve looks over his shoulder to glare at him in return, his cheeks glowing red. “Really? The guy who was joking about bending me over only a couple hours ago? The same guy who was winking at me in nothing but a towel earlier?”
Steve flushes darker, and it irritates him to no end. “Honestly Steve?” Eddie starts, turning back to the shower and pretending to fix how his towel is hanging, “If you’re into me, just do something about it. Otherwise, just…back off, okay? I’m super into you but I can be a big boy about it because honestly, I’d rather keep you around as a friend if nothing else and—”
His rambling is cut off by the click of the bathroom door closing.
Eddie lets out a long breath, “Yeah.. that’s about what I expected.” Robin was wrong.
He takes a moment to collect himself, but just as he pops open the button on his jeans, Steve’s voice breaks through the sound of rushing water.
“Were you being serious?”
“Jesus H. Christ!” Eddie yelps, spinning around to face the man who’s still very much in the bathroom with him. “What the fuck, Steve?”
“Were you?” he asks, pushing off from where he’d been leaning back on the door.
“...About what?”
“About how you’re ‘super into’ me?” he grins.
Eddie crosses his arms across his chest defensively, “You don’t get to be an ass about it, Steve.”
“Sorry, sorry,” Steve says softly, reaching out to unfold Eddie’s arms. His fingers follow the length of them and grasp Eddie’s in his, “I wasn’t trying to be, promise; I’m just surprised is all.”
“Surprised?”
“Well yeah,” he shrugs, “The super hot metalhead you’ve been mooning after since March confesses he thinks you’re also super hot? That’s kinda hard to believe.”
He can feel Steve’s shirt brushing faintly against his stomach now. “I never said you were super hot.” he manages to say.
Steve catches his eyes, smirking at him with an obnoxious head tilt, “Didja have to?”
“Shut up..” Eddie snorts out a laugh and pushes lightly at Steve’s chest; he’s laughing too. “Okay, okay, now leave me alone so I can shower.” he says, pushing a bit harder this time. “I’ll be out soon and you can do with me what you wish.”
Steve’s leaning his weight against him, fighting going back to the bedroom, “Or…”
“Or?” Damn, he’s heavy what the fuck!
“I could, maybe, if you want..Icouldgetinwithyou.”
Eddie stops pushing.
Steve scratches at the back of his head in embarrassment, “I mean, I’ve been wanting to get you naked for months now and there’s a perfectly good reason right there, and I think it’d be nice to shower, y’know…together.. and wow, I am being super awkward, actually..so I’m just gonna…yeah.”
Steve gestures over his shoulder toward the bedroom but he doesn’t even move to turn before Eddie is pulling him back the other way.
He lets him go a couple steps away from the glass shower door, “Better get t’stripping big boy, can’t shower very well with clothes on, can you?” he winks, then faces away from Steve to finally shed his jeans (and for his own sanity).
Eddie can hear the split second it takes for Steve to start pulling off his clothes, taking another second for himself before pushing his jeans and boxers off his hips.
He had been trying to be in the shower under the spray before Steve was even out of his clothes, but one of his legs got caught, then he had to pause further to pull off the stubborn sock that decided not to come off with his jeans.
Which of course led to him nearly toppling over.
He caught himself on the wall, but not before Steve’s hands caught him around the waist too. “Careful, Eds.”
Oh fuck. Steve’s hands should not feel that good against his skin..also, dammit! He was trying to be all suave and cool by getting in under the water before Steve could see him fully, and now his bare fuckin’ ass is out for all to see…
Eddie laughs to himself.
“What?”
“Nothin’, I just thought I’d be…better? At this?”
“At what?”
“Stupid fuckin’—” Eddie finally gets his sock off, then sighs, “I dunno, being sexy, or mysterious I guess? Coy maybe?” 
“Why would you need to be any of that?”
Eddie shrugs, stepping out of Steve’s hold and into the shower and under the spray, staying faced away from the door while Steve follows.
“Are you gonna look at me?” he asks, voice devoid of anything but concern.
Taking a breath, Eddie steels himself and turns to face Steve in the large shower.
Steve’s expression is calm, open, but skews slightly into concern under Eddie’s gaze.
The long lean lines of his torso are just the same as the other two times he’s seen them, but they’re close now, and in good lighting too; Eddie can see a few other scars other than the ones from the bats, others he’s gotten over the years protecting the heard of goblins they’ve been co-parenting since last September.
He watches rogue droplets of water slough down the now-damp hairs on his arms, his legs, his chest, the ones that follow the path of darkening hairs down his stomach to his—
Steve steps closer, sharing the warm, wide spray of the shower with him.
He lifts his hand and brushes the damp hair back from the scar that marrs Eddie’s face and neck, stepping forward fully and cupping the puckered flesh in his palm when the hair settles wetly behind his shoulder
Eddie feels time stop for a brief moment. 
All of Steve is pressed into him and they line up perfectly, like they were made to share the same space. Steve’s other hand slides onto Eddie’s hip and it tugs him closer. Steve's half-hard length slots into place beside Eddie’s own, into the crevice where his crotch meets thigh.
Eddie shudders a breath at the feeling, opening his eyes to study the planes of Steve’s face and the way he is seemingly drooping forward into Eddie’s orbit. 
Steve’s smiling softly at him, the soft spray of water reflecting off their chests is misting up onto his cheek and lashes. His eyes are so much more green than he’d thought before, besides how little of the color he can see around the much larger pupil.
“Gorgeous.” Steve says, his voice is breathy and low, full of admiration, of longing…and it takes Eddie out of his reverie.
“Wha?” He says, eloquent as ever.
“You’re gorgeous, Eddie.”
Then, Steve’s lips are on his, tentative and sweet; soft, but becoming heady fast. 
The next time their lips meet, it’s punctuated with a short huff of air from Steve’s lungs when Eddie spins them, pressing Steve into the stone wall beside the shower knobs. He parts his lips to mumble out an apology, but Steve’s tongue decides to fill the space instead.
The hand Steve had on Eddie’s jaw snakes down to grab hold of his other hip and pulls him even closer, using the both of them to roll Eddie’s hips into his.
Their tongues slide languidly against the other, the fast pace they’d been building into falling off in exchange for slow, sanguine kisses instead.
Eddie lets out a shaky breath when they do part, blinking across the short distance between them at Steve’s kiss-bitten lips for only a second before letting his eyes fall shut with the exhale.
“Steve…is this—Is this real?”
Steve breathes out a shaky laugh of his own, “Why wouldn’t it be real, Eddie?” He asks, gently tracing the length of Eddie’s nose with his.
“I’m pretty sure I’ve had this exact dream before; are you sure I didn’t snap my neck during one of those falls earlier?”
The younger man laughs fully this time, and Eddie relishes in the slippery feeling of the wet skin of Steve’s stomach rippling against his own. He can’t help but grin in response to both the laughter and the funny feeling, his eyes opening without a second thought.
Steve looks like he’s floating, his face soft and dripping with a bright beaming smile..
“Do you need me to pinch you?” Steve asks, finally coming down from his brief fit of laughter.
“I don’t know if I want to find out this isn’t real.” Eddie grins in return.
One of Steve’s large hands leaves his hip then, snaking around to pinch the underside of Eddie’s asscheek.
He sucks in a short hiss of pain and lets out a soft whimper of something else (holy shit, when did that become a thing??) in the same breath.
“Okay…” he gulps down a mouthful of nothing, “Not a dream.”
“Not a dream..” Steve repeats. 
There’s a beat, two full breaths of more nothing before Steve spins them around and pushes Eddie back into the cold stone instead, his arm wrapped around him and up to cup the back of his skull protectively against the tile.
He presses a thick thigh between Eddie’s and does three things almost simultaneously.
The first, a second before the other two: He locks his heavy-lidded gaze on Eddie’s; two and three: presses the thigh between Eddie’s legs up, and pulls the hand at the back of his skull down along with a fistful of dark curls.
“Aahhh—ohhh fuck, Steve…” The sting from his scalp pulls a moan from his exposed throat, and Eddie scrambles to grab hold of something.
His nails dig into the slick skin of Steve’s back automatically, and he opens his mouth to apologize the same moment Steve latches onto his neck with a low groan of his own.
The hand not tangled in Eddie’s hair is starting to pull him down in waves against Steve’s thigh and hips, both of them hissing in pleasure with each pass of the other’s length against theirs.
“Mmmm, Eddie..” Steve moans, unlatching from the bruise he’s sure to have left on Eddie’s throat to lave his tongue and lips against his jaw instead. “Baby, you feel so good against me.”
“AAaahh—mmm..”
“Ooh, and you sound so sweet..” His lips trail down from his jaw back to the definitely sore spot on his neck, one that he prods lightly with the tip of his tongue before continuing on to nip at the taught skin of his collarbone, kiss lightly over the skin of his scarred pec, finally landing tongue first onto Eddie’s remaining nipple. 
The reaction to this is immediate; Eddie arches his chest further into Steve’s mouth. Steve, the sonofabitch he is, suctions his lips away from Eddie’s flushed skin in response.
“Hhnng—what the actual fuck, Steve?” Eddie glares best he can though the panting, “Get that mouth back over here.”
Miraculously, Steve obliges, sliding forward into a saccharine kiss and pulling Eddie away from
the wall and back under the spray of water.
“C’mon Eds, tilt your head back before the hot water runs out.”
Eddie just gapes at him, at his dick, both their dicks, still standing at attention, back up to his face.
Steve just purses his lips together as if holding back a grin and tugs Eddie’s head back by his hair again, soaking the strands through under the water.
He lets Steve turn him this way and that, reveling in the feeling of the other man’s hands in his hair, slick with soap on his skin, the gentle nudges and pulls relaxing him further into this weird world where Steve’s totally into him and also they’re naked in the shower together.
Finally, when Steve tilts his head back for the final time to rinse the conditioner out of his hair, Eddie decides to be a little shit, pushing his hips forward to clash their (still half-hard) dicks together.
“What are you—really? A sword fight?”
Eddie lets out a long cackle, “What? You knew what you were getting into with me, didn’t’cha Stevie?”
Doubt crashes into Eddie’s chest the instant the words escape his mouth.
He did, didn’t he? He likes him for his antics right? Oh fuck…How long would it take for Steve to get sick of his shit?
Despite Eddie’s near-crushing doubts, Steve smiles and says, “That I did.” easy as breathing, then pulls Eddie flush against him in another heated kiss.
Steve walks him backward after a moment, and Eddie drops his hands behind him to feel for the inevitable press of cold stone on his back, shuddering when it finally makes contact.
His gasp from the cold tile only seems to egg the other man on, hunching down to grip him around the backs of his thighs.
Eddie’s legs lock around Steve’s waist in panic, but pleasure shoots through him with the motion too, the horny thrill of being picked up so effortlessly along with the pressure of Steve’s stomach against the underside of his dick.
“Mmph—Steve holy shit,” he’s only just managed to thread the fingers on one hand into those sleek brown locks when he has to stifle down a long groan with a bite to his knuckle. “Hnngh–Steve, Steve, you gotta—oh fuck..”
The muscles of Steve’s stomach bunch under him as he grinds up in slow, torturous rolls..
“Oh, fuck—” the words spill out of his mouth, loud and long; his palm snaps up to hold them in as Steve pushes his shoulders into the tile behind him and leans back, leaving Eddie’s body balanced between strong thighs and shower wall.
The tile hits hard on the back of his skull when Steve wraps one of those hands of his around both their lengths. Eddie manages to look down, only to knock his head back again at the sight. 
Even with the added height of being on top of Steve’s thighs, their heads are exactly level, disappearing over and over again into the water-warmed skin of Steve’s fist.
Steve hunches forward again, pressing kisses into Eddie’s sternum. “Gorgeous.” 
“Steve...” he whispers in return, grinding as much as he can against the length slotted along his.
Again, too soon, Steve is pulling away, releasing his grip on them both.
“What’s wrong?” Eddie asks, already moving to drop his legs back to the floor. 
Steve stops him, hoisting his legs back around him and lifting him off the wall. “I’m taking you up on your offer.” He says, twisting off the now-cold stream of water and carefully stepping over the lip of the doorway through the glass door.
“My offer?”
“You said that after your shower, you’d come back out here to the bedroom and I could have my way with you.”
A half whine, half moan curls out of Eddie’s throat to his utter embarrassment.
“D’ya like that idea, sweetheart?” Steve says, grinning mischievously. 
Eddie manages to scowl at him as they leave the steamy bathroom, and is dropped down onto the mattress soon after. 
“Aw shit!”
“What? What happened?”
It’s cold as shit, that’s what.” The air-cooled temperature of the covers against his skin has him breaking out in goosebumps.
Steve winces, “Sorry, I didn’t think about that.”
What was calm and collected confidence flickers off his face, and Eddie can’t have that. “Jus’ come over here and warm me up, big bo–wait,” He sits up and stops Steve when only one of his knees has made it onto the bed. “Lemme look at you.” 
He looks down at Steve, and yep. Big Boy is very accurate. He’d felt it against him already, Steve’s too-gorgeous-to-be-real dick; he’s longer for sure, cut and curved up like something out of a wet dream. 
“Oh, definitely big boy,” Eddie grins, looking up at Steve’s somewhat embarrassed expression.
“It’s nothing special.” he shrugs, his cheeks heating up as he climbs up Eddie’s damp body. He lowers himself down lay between his legs, his dick slotting itself beside Eddie’s once again.
He hunches over to kiss lightly up the scars on Eddie’s left side, lips brushing along the healed edge of the biggest one. It tickles, then it doesn’t, then does, then doesn’t, his lips pressing halfway onto skin and halfway onto puckered pink flesh.
“Steve..”
“Yeah baby?” he responds after a few more kisses.
“You’re giving me more goosebumps.” Eddie says, somewhat breathless.
Another kiss, “Mmmm.. You’re welcome.”
That shocks a laugh out of him, “You’re such a dork.”
Steve takes one of Eddie’s hands where it lays on the mattress, lacing their fingers together and pressing them back into the mattress beside his head.
“Says you.” he affirms, locking those ridiculous hazel eyes on his.
Eddie’s about to crack off another one liner, say something to…all that, but it’s completely erased from his mind when Steve ducks his head down to find his nipple again.
“Oh fuckin–nnng..” his hips buck up hard into Steve’s, who presses down into him in return.
He can feel it when Steve grins against his skin. “Shut up, asshole, that fee–ee–els so good.”
“Hmm, tell me about it, baby.” He’s grinding down slowly now, adding to the exponentially increasing Steve-addled brain fog he’s currently experiencing.
“Ahhh—I want to but–”
“But what?” Steve’s breath over the spit-slick spot on his chest sends a chill through him. 
“Oh fuck–If any of them hear us, we’re never going to hear the end of it.” he tries to warn around another stifled moan.
The Menace is undeterred, swirling his tongue around the little nub open-mouthed and hot once more before moving upwards, trailing his lips up Eddie’s breastbone until he’s sucking kisses into his throat once again. He continues up along the length of his neck until he reaches his ear, “Then you’d better keep it down, huh?”
Well that didn’t help. He lets out a long moan in response, clamping a hand over his mouth way too late.
“You sound so good though,” Steve says, continuing his slow grinding, “I can’t wait to get you alone so I can fuck you properly.”
That pulls another moan from behind Eddie’s palm. “Jesus H. Christ,” Eddie bucks his hips up as much as he can, but Steve's palms move down to hold him in place.
“Can’t have that now, can we?” Steve chides, trailing his lips down his stomach as he slides back to the edge of the bed, his eyes locked on Eddie’s.
“Wh–Why not?”
“Because I’d prefer,” a kiss above his belly button, “to choke,” a kiss below, “on my own accord.”, then swallows Eddie down in one go.
“Oh fffuuck—”
Steve hums in agreement around Eddie’s dick and the vibrations course up his spine to rattle around in his brain.
“Oh shit, Stevie, that feels so fuckin’ good.” He breathes, twisting his fingers into Steve’s hair.
In response, Steve starts to bob his head, swirling his tongue around Eddie’s on the upstroke, and sucking with fervor on the down.
“Steve, sweetheart–fuck–if you keep going I’m gonna—haah—”
“And what if I want you to?”
“And what if I want to to-together?”
Steve releases him with a wet pop, kissing his way back up to Eddie’s lips, humming in satisfaction when he reaches them, like kissing Eddie is the best part of all this.
And doesn’t that make his head spin.
“All you’d have to do is ask.”
Eddie pulls Steve back to his lips and bucks up into him again. “That’s me asking.”
Steve grins down at him and re-starts his slow, tortuous pace.
He’s rock hard against Eddie’s thigh, and this is getting fuckin’ ridiculous.
“Alright, you know what,” Eddie pushes his hips up hard and flips them over, straddling Steve’s thighs in no time at all.
“Holy shit—“ Steve blinks up at him in astonishment, like he’s surprised that he’s been flipped so easily.
 Eddie grinds down onto Steve, “You don’t get to tease me like that, big boy.”
“Is that so?” He chuckles, then groans when Eddie wraps his hand around their lengths. His hands grip onto Eddie’s thighs, squeezing tight to match the hold on them.
Eddie fucks forward into his fist, pulling his hand down to meet each thrust and watching as Steve’s head drops back onto the mattress.
He lets out a long groan. “Eddie…”
“Yeah, Stevie?”
Eddie runs his fingers over both their heads, adding to the slight slip of pre with a well aimed glob of spit that makes Steve hum out a short breathy moan as it makes contact with his head.
More noises of appreciation are pulled from the man under him as he rubs the pad of his thumb through the mess and under the head of Steve’s cock in small circles.
“Mmhm oh fuck..”
“You like that?”
“Mmhmm,” he nods dazedly “Keep moving though, feels so good, Eds.”
“You got it, sweetheart.” Eddie grins, wrapping his palm around them again and pushes forward into his fist.
Steve’s head drops back onto the pillow beneath him, “Just like that Eddie, fuck.” 
He gives them a few more strokes, then Steve’s hands start to move; his warm palms skirt along the wiry hair on his legs, one traveling around to grab onto Eddie’s horribly non-existent ass, and the other comes up to his remaining nipple, pinching it between two digits.
That did it. The hot coil of pleasure already broiling in his stomach twists even tighter. “Ahh—Stevie..I’m so close, Jesus Christ…”
“Me too..”
“Yeah? Well c’mon sweetheart, give it to me.”
A scant two passes of his hand later, Steve shoots hot across his stomach, and Eddie follows a half stroke later. 
He sinks down to the bed against Steve’s heaving ribs, tucking his shoulder under the other man’s arm.
After a few more breaths, Steve pulls Eddie into him and presses his lips to Eddie’s still-damp forehead.
“Ew gross, don’t do that, I’m all sweaty.”
“Don't care.” Steve mumbles softly into his hairline.
In return, Eddie wipes his soiled hand off on Steve’s stomach.
“Ew! Gross!” Steve laughs, shoving Eddie away with no actual intent behind it.
A few minutes later, Steve breaks the comfortable silence. “So,”
The word sinks heavily into Eddie’s gut. “So?”
When Steve doesn’t continue, Eddie turns his head to find Steve gazing at him with soft eyes, and even softer smile.
It morphs into a teasing smirk. “Did it live up to the hype?”
—--
One snooze and another heated shower later, Eddie crawls back into their bed and gets comfy while he listens to Steve pull his clothes back on to go down to the main lodge for the hellions.
He hears a short shuf when Steve’s leg skirts around the end of the bed. “I’ll be back in 15,” he says, kissing the damp hairs on Eddie’s temple. “Go to sleep, Eds.”
“Hmmm…” he hums in return, cozy as ever, and is out as soon as the door clicks shut.
Too soon, the sounds of the shitheads scrambling into the house interrupts his dozing, the door to the bedroom squeaking open not long after.
“Eds? You awake?”
Instead of answering, Eddie simply opens his arms.
He listens to Steve strip off his clothes, beckoning the man forward again when he feels the end of the mattress sink under the other man’s weight. 
“I’m comin’, I’m comin’, hold your horses.”
“My horses have been patient enough.” Eddie grumbles as Steve finally shuffles between the sheets and into his waiting arms.
-x-X-x-
“Dude! What the hell happened to your neck?! Did you get attacked by a vampire?”
“Henderson, you are way too loud for how early it is.”
“It’s 10 am, Eddie.”
“Exactly.” the barstool creaks as he climbs onto it, gratefully accepting the plate of eggs and bacon Argyle passes him.
“Leave him alone, guys.” Steve says, coming up behind Eddie on his stool and kissing his cheek as he passes into the kitchen with his empty plate.
There’s three whole seconds of silence before the younger teens burst out into a cacophony of various outbursts.
“Aw, what? Eddie! Steve’s way too lame for you to be dating!”
“Steve, did you fuck my DM?!”
“I fuckin’ knew it. I told you they’d get together, didn’t I? Dustin, you owe me 10 bucks.”
“I don’t owe you shit, Maxine.”
“Holy shit, congrats guys.” Lucas is his new favorite… Will and El too, nodding along to Sinclair’s assessment.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough; All those heading back to the waterpark better be ready to go in T-minus three minutes otherwise I’m leavin’ without you.” Steve calls out over the noise.
The complaints follow him out of the kitchen and into the tiny laundry room off the entryway.
“Why don’t you guys get yelled at?” Eddie grumbles, poking up a forkful of egg.
Robin snorts a laugh, “Because none of us are sleeping with the babysitter.”
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okay, some notes:
steve's mom is a lawyer in this canon and she's the one who paid for eddie's legal counsel/helped with clearing his name after s4
wha?? steve harrington has good parents?? insanity
"canon" hawkins is about an hour outside of indianapolis so i used shelbyville, indiana as my base and from there to boyne mountain is about a 7 hour drive. if they left at 6 am from hawkins, they'd get to the resort around 1 or 2 and have a good couple hours to ski before it gets dark again at 6 (daylight hours in the midwest during winter are a bitch.)
i did way too much research into the ski resort i based this at, only to realize that neither the cabin itself OR the waterpark were there in the 80s. so...let's all just pretend, okay?
the map above is a trail map of the resort from 1985
when i asked my husband what i should add to 'my most recent blorbos' he said 'nice tits!' so that's why that line lmao
who'da thought this'd go from skiing to shower sex? cause i didn't
i got stuck on the smut part of this for way too long and i am so glad i am a) done with it and b) that it actually turned out relatively coherent.
on that note though, i have been looking at this damn fic for so so long that i don't know if it's actually good or what. 'cause to me, it's complete garbled garbage
the title of this is from 'Object of My Desire' by Starpoint
lex i am so sorry this is late ilysm 🫶
99 notes · View notes
eyesofshinigami · 3 months
Text
Half A Heart (Without You)
Rating: G
CW: None
Tags: Established relationship, light angst, pre-rockstar Eddie, pining
Prompt: From @lihhelsing: "Love is missing each other"
WC: 1208
Written for @steddielovemonth Day 10
It was everything he’d ever wanted, getting to perform. The tour they were on wasn’t huge or anything, opening for another band, but Eddie knew it was something. It felt like the beginning of something big. He loved the way it felt to play on stage, the roar of the crowd and the heavy bass thumping in his chest as they played the songs they’d written, the songs Eddie had written. Hearing people screaming his own lyrics back to him was a high that he couldn’t describe.
It was almost enough to fill the hole in his chest.
Once the crowds had left and the lights were down, it would come rushing back in. The high had faded and Eddie was left feeling a little empty, a little sad.
He missed Steve like a lost limb.
Eddie couldn’t ask for a more supportive partner; Steve had encouraged him to go ahead and take the opportunity, even if it meant six months apart. While Eddie was traveling the south, playing for crowds, Steve was back in Indiana, studying with Robin in Indianapolis and building a life for Eddie to come back to. Even if the music thing took off and Eddie got to be the rock star of his dreams, he knew Steve was making sure he had a safe place to land.
That didn’t change the fact that Eddie missed him, missed him so hard it made him feel like he might collapse in on himself. He’d be devoured by the need to see the man he loved until there was nothing left of him to bring back home.
He waved off the other guys when they got back to the hotel. They teased him a little, but they understood. As much as Eddie had envisioned living his rock and roll dreams as a kid, surrounded by drugs and groupies and getting his fill of the high-life, none of that compared to what he had waiting for him back in Indiana.
So, he waited by the phone. He’d left a message on Steve’s answering machine earlier in the day with the number to his room so he’d have it, and now Eddie would wait. He’d wait all night if he had to.
But he didn’t. Soon, the phone was ringing and Eddie snatched it up and answered, “Steve??”
Steve laughed down the line and the sound made Eddie shiver in the best way. “Hey baby. How was the show?”
Eddie melted into the bed, talking low and telling Steve about the crowd, the response they got. Steve listened and interjected in all the right places, then they moved on to talk about how Steve’s classes were going, about how the kitten he’d found on the street was getting used to the apartment.
“I did have to hide her in the cabinet when the landlord came by. She’s a smart girl, she stayed quiet. It was like she knew!”
Steve laughed again and the sound made Eddie choke up, tears filling his eyes. He missed hearing that laugh in person, being able to see the way Steve’s nose scrunched up and he held his chest when he really got going. It made him ache. “Eds? Did I lose you?”
Eddie sniffled. “No, I’m here. I just… I really fucking miss you.”
“Baby, I miss you too. So much. Bed’s too empty without you to starfish over me and steal the covers.”
Eddie laughed wetly, wiping at his eyes. “Just one more month, and I’ll be home.”
“You’ll be home,” Steve agrees with a low hum.
He turned over and kept the phone pressed to his ear. If Eddie closed his eyes, he could pretend he was laying on Steve’s chest, listening to his voice and feeling Steve’s skin beneath his fingers. “I didn’t realize how hard this was going to be,” Eddie admitted quietly.
Steve sighs. “It’ll be okay, Eds. We’re making it work, right? And just think, if you hit it big, you can afford a fancy plane to fly home whenever you want.” There was a hitch in his voice, just barely there, and it made Eddie’s heart hurt. “You know, if it’s too much-“
“Don’t even suggest that. You’re stuck with me, you know that. I could be the most famous rockstar the world has ever seen but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but where you are,” Eddie said fiercely. The very idea of letting Steve go made him sick to his stomach. Who else would understand where all of Eddie’s nightmares that fuel their songs came from, why he refused to wear anything that shows the scars on his stomach on stage. Who else knew how to love his body even when it felt like a warzone and it hurt and twisted and made him want to scream?
No one, that’s who.
“Eddie, you know I’d be with you the end of the world. I’ve just got one more year, and then I can follow you wherever you go, we can settle wherever we need to. I’m easy, baby, and you’ve got me.”
He knew that. Eddie knew that down to his bones. Maybe that was one of the reasons why he wanted to make it big, so he could take care of Steve and keep him close and Eddie could have everything he ever wanted. It was selfish, he knew, but he couldn’t help it. “Follow me and be my kept man? Let buy you nice things like a trophy husband?”
It was Steve’s turn to laugh, the sound thick. Eddie wasn’t the only one crying. “I’d make an excellent housewife and we both know it.”
“One hundred percent, baby.” Eddie looked at the clock and sighed. The crash from the show was creeping up on him, and he knew that Steve was probably tired from school and work. As much as he hated it, he knew it was about time to cut this off. “I love you so much, Steve. Thank you for waiting for me.”
“And I love you. I’d always wait for you. A love like ours is worth it, don’t you think?”
Fuck if his boyfriend wasn’t the most romantic asshole on the planet. Steve’s words hit him right in the chest and Eddie felt more tears slide down his cheeks. “You know it. They’ll write a billion songs about our love, just you watch.”
“Don’t need theirs. I just need yours,” Steve said, before he lets out a jaw-cracking yawn. “I’m sorry, Eds. Long day. Call tomorrow before you hit the road?”
“Yeah. Get some sleep, sweetheart. You’ll be in my dreams tonight.” Eddie swallowed around the lump in his throat.
Steve mumbled out a goodbye and they hung up, and for a long moment, Eddie just listened to the sound of the dial tone in his ear before he put the phone back in the cradle. He curled up, taking deep breaths to keep from crying. He loved the thrill of performing, but he also could admit in the dark of his hotel room that maybe he loved Steve more, and even though he could have both, it fucking hurt to be without his baby.
One more month. Just one more month. Then he would be home.
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deathmetalunicorn1 · 6 months
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That was amazing! This will be my last request around Eri!Reader until you reopen your requests so I’m not spamming you! (Thank you so much for writing these, I get so excited whenever you post since your so amazing and talented!! 💞✨)
Part 14 After returning to Water 7 to heal from their battle (And happy to learn Franky is going to make them a Ship and join them) Garp the Fist comes in, and reveals to be Luffy’s Grandfather, but before he could continue beating the snot out of Luffy, Reader stops him (Garp is happy to finally meet his one and only Granddaughter Reader!)
However Garp ends up pissed when Luffy told him Spadam hit her, and wants to get his hands on him! (No one puts their hands on his Granddaughter!! NO ONE!!)
Though Reader calms Luffy and Garp down from wanting to go back/to Enies Lobby to beat Spadam up (Garp’s cackling after learing that his sweet Granddaughter hit Spadam in his ‘Royal Jewels’, as he’s very proud of her for doing that) and leaves the Straw Hats alone after telling Luffy about his dad Dragon (Not before promising to spend time with Reader and gives her one of his Rice Crackers)
For the next 3 days the Straw Hats and all of Water 7 had a huge party, with Reader playing around with Chimney and Gonbei in her bathing suit Franky gave her (Including little Arm Floats that look like Starfish/Kitties)
And with Nami’s help, Reader calls Ace to talk with him, and Ace was holding in his rage after hearing what his little sister went through (As she told him it was scary) and the fact she got slapped, but he started laughing when Luffy told him what Reader did to Spadam’s ‘Jewels’ (Whitebeard and his sons were doing the same thing as Ace, angry and furious, but proceeded to laugh hysterically after learning what Reader did to someone’s ‘Jewels’)
I love Whitebeard so much (He’s so protective and caring about those apart of his family) he’s just a giant softie
They all see not only Zoro, Luffy, Robin and Reader’s Bounties upgraded, but everyone get a Bounty themselves (And everyone screamed when Reader’s bounty Skyrocketed again at 320-350 Million)
Reader also comforts her Brother Sanji about his Wanted Poster by giving him one of her own drawings of him (It’s a kid drawing, but compared to Luffy, it’s 100x better than his art skills and she drew it out of love)
I’ll wait until next time to ask you for a Garp and Eri!Reader Special (They’re going to spend a whole day together!) it’s just pure. unadulterated. Fluff.
-It had been two days since you and your family arrived back from Enies Lobby, as many of you were severely injured, you were luckily, being the least injured, but after overworking your quirk, you were just as tired as the rest of them.
-You were so happy that Franky was a part of the crew and that Usopp was back, as you felt protective of your family, you never wanted any of them to leave- you never wanted to be apart from them.
-Franky was super nice to you as the others were slowly waking up, both him and Iceburg treating you to breakfast as you were the first to wake up.
-You were in awe, seeing Luffy still sleeping but also eating, unable to look away until Sanji and Nami yelled at him to wake up while Robin and Usopp were laughing lightly at the sight.
-A knock then came from the door before it burst open and Franky dropped his shoulder, wrapping his arms around you, shielding you from the debris.
-A large man then entered, a marine which made you clutch at Franky’s Hawaiian shirt, scared as everyone was quickly able to recognize this man, Monkey D. Garp!
-Luffy’s jaw was dropped, “Grandpa?!” everyone quickly turned in shock, hearing this, yelling in shock while your little hands came to your face in shock.
-Garp then made you gasp as he punched Luffy, sending him flying into a wall. Zoro and Sanji were stunned, ready for a fight, seeing that he was able to hurt Luffy.
-You pushed on Franky’s chest and you managed to slip out of his arms and you ran over as Garp stalked towards Luffy, cracking his knuckles, ready to discipline him before you ran in front of your brother.
-Your arms were spread and you had big fat tears in your eyes, “Please don’t hurt my big brother!” everything froze, seeing you protecting Luffy and Garp stammered, trying to tell you that he wasn’t going to hurt Luffy, just discipline him.
-The tears fell from your eyes and Garp instantly fell to his knees, hugging you close, “Grandpa’s so sorry little Y/N! I didn’t mean to make you cry!”
-You sniffled loudly as Luffy struggled to his feet, a bit dizzy, before you spoke, “You’re my grandpa?” Garp glared at Luffy, his eyes turning red, “You didn’t tell her about your one and only grandpa?!”
-You tugged on Garp’s shirt gently, not seeing him as someone so scary now, “I have two grandpas- you’re my second one!”
-Garp turned to stone in shock before crumbling into a sobbing pile while Robin picked you up, holding you up on her hip, he cried, lamenting that he wasn’t your first grandpa.
-He then shot up, looking completely fine, looking fired up, “So who was your first grandpa?!” he wanted to find out to take that title from whoever got to you first, no matter who it was.
-You beamed brightly, your arms lifting to the sky happily, “I’ve never seen him but I’ve talked to him with Big Brother Ace- he said his name is Whitebeard!”
-The flames around Garp seemed to increase, growing hotter as his eyes turned red, furious that his adorable granddaughter had been adopted by Whitebeard of all people and that you saw him as your first grandpa, while Garp was in second place!
-He could only imagine you (in cartoon form), in Whitebeard’s arms, laughing with him as he stood on the 1st place spot of a podium while Garp was on his knees in second place.
-Garp wasn’t going to deal with your crew at the moment, instead joining you all for a meal, you sitting on his knee as you held a cup of juice.
-Garp noticed the bandage on your head, “What caused this?” you lifted your hand to your head and Nami was the one to answer, “It was that marine, Spandam- he hit Y/N for trying to protect Robin.”
-Garp froze, turning white, hearing that a grown adult- a grown man, put his hands on a child, injuring you as he was quick to get fired up, “Where is the bas-basket case!” he caught himself, not wanting to swear in front of you.
-You didn’t know why he was calling Spandam a basket, before his face appeared in your head, and his mask did look a bit like a basket.
-Your family was also still furious at Spandam, glaring and voicing their own anger while you were eating a cookie Garp gave to you.
-Nami pointed at him, scolding him, “Oi! Don’t be giving her cookies for breakfast!” you flinched as Garp just beamed brightly, “It’s fine- it’s fine!” Sanji grabbed you, “It is not fine! She needs healthy food in the morning.” Garp pouted, wanting to spoil you.
-He then spoke again, “So where is Spandam?” a few grins appeared as Franky ruffled your hair gently, “Y/N here took care of him, with a well-placed headbutt to the family jewels!”
-Garp laughed loudly, finding it hysterical, before he ruffled your head, praising you before he stood, telling Luffy about Dragon, his dad and you had question marks floating around your head, as you didn’t know any dragons.
-Luffy told you that he would tell you all about his dad and Garp gave you a bag of cookies, “I have to leave now my little Y/N~ I’ll come back to spend some time with you.”
-You smiled up at him, holding your hand up to him, extending your pinkie finger, “Pinkie promise?” Usopp was the one to teach you about pinkie promises, and Garp as well as several others around, Usopp, Luffy, Franky, Iceberg, and Sanji, all collapsed to the ground, clutching at their chests at your cuteness.
-After Garp left and all the damage caused by Aqua Laguna was fixed, everyone celebrated! There was a huge party with drinking, eating lots of barbeque, and you got to run around with Chimney in the water, being a normal kid for one, wearing your starfish shaped water wings that Franky gave you over your wet suit.
-Franky was confused why you were wearing a wet suit as he was your lifeguard, letting you sit on his leg, asking you and you pulled your arms in close, looking down at your hands, “There’s…” you couldn’t speak, instead pulling your sleeve up, showing him the scars, at least some of them, on your arms.
-His eyes were wide, seeing his as he held your hand gently, before a hand on his head pulled him out of his shock, and you both saw Luffy there who kneeled down, seeing you showing Franky your scars, “Someone hurt Y/N- badly. We don’t know much, but all we know is that he will never touch her again.”
-You gave Luffy a small nod before you all decided to head to the ship for a private party, having a bath with Robin and Nami while the boys started up a barbeque.
-You ran out to Luffy, grabbing his hand, pulling him away from the fire, looking excited as Nami grinned, walking out with Ace’s DenDen Mushi, “Nami and I are gonna call Ace and grandpa!”
-You sat on Luffy’s lap while he continued to eat, not bothering you heard it ringing before you heard Ace, “Is this my most favorite little sister~?” you giggled warmly, “Hi Ace!”
-Aboard the Moby Dick, their own drinking party, because it was Wednesday, everything went quiet as most everyone huddled around Ace, hearing the voice of their adorable little sister and granddaughter.
-You and Ace talked about your most recent adventures, including where Robin was kidnapped and then you were taken too. Ace was furious, flames surrounding him as they all heard that Spandam hurt you- and Whitebeard was ready to call for an attack before Nami had to tell Ace that you took care of Spandam yourself, taking out his family jewels.
-It was silent on the other side, all their anger instantly leaving before you flinched back into Luffy’s arms, hearing the roar of laughter from the other side.
-Once Ace was able to breathe again, he spoke, “What else happened?” you beamed brightly, “I met another grandpa- his name is Garp!”
-Ace shivered deeply, recalling his own memories of Garp before he managed to force a smile, “Oh? And how was he?” you thought for a moment, “Kinda loud- and he cried when I told him that Whitebeard is my first grandpa, while he was my second.”
-Whitebeard beamed warmly, hearing that he was your first, but he couldn’t help but imagine Garp lamenting over the fact that he was the second.
-The following day, you woke up to loud shouting and you wandered out of your room, a little delirous as you wandered over, rubbing your eyes as you grabbed Zoro’s pants, “Why is everyone yelling?”
-He kneeled down, putting his hand on your head and your eyes went wide as everyone showed you their new bounties, your eyes immediately sparkling brightly.
-Robin then smiled, “Here Y/N- this one is yours.” You looked exited, taking it while Luffy was pouting lightly, seeing your 400,000,000 beri bounty while you were gawking, “So many zeros!”
-You quickly ran to put it up on your wall, showing the other bounties as well and you beamed, feeling proud of yourself.
-You then noticed Sanji looked sad when you came back out and you quickly found out why, because the marines didn’t have a good photo, so they used a crudely drawn one by Luffy instead and Sanji was upset because it didn’t look a thing like him!
-You quickly ran back to your room, coming out with your drawing materials Usopp had given you and you got to work, making a new bounty poster to make your big brother happy!
-It took you over an hour to draw, everyone who had seen you saw the focus on your face before you ran to Sanji, “I made it better!”
-You drew your own bounty poster, including ‘bounty’ being spelled wrong, and a children’s drawing in the middle, showing Sanji making food with hearts surrounding him.
-Sanji fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face as he held it up to the sky, overwhelmed with happiness before he cried into his elbow, thanking you warmly, making you beam before your smile grew as he put it on the fridge, “So I can see it every day!”
-You celebrated with your crew, having a big feast to celebrate the new bounties, unaware of the, literal, darkness on the horizon.
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patchworkgargoyle · 9 months
Text
Fort Munson 🌿
For Lex's Spicy Six Summer Fanworks Challenge, based on the dialogue prompt: "That’s the most elaborate treehouse I’ve ever seen." Thanks for putting all this together @thefreakandthehair! Rating: G or T (for swearing) || CW: none. || Words: ~3.8k On Ao3 Here~
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Heat sat stagnant and cloying inside Eddie’s room where he and Steve lay sprawled on the floor. Eddie had said that heat rises, so they’d migrated from the bed to the worn-in carpet, and now starfished there silently. Steve could feel the stickiness of sweat on his forehead. If there were a breeze coming in through the open window it’d be fine, but all that filtered in were the high, raspy sounds of crickets and cicadas.
Could they go to Steve’s, where the AC wasn’t busted for another week until the repair guy could come out to fix it? Yeah. Sure. It was homey at the trailer, comforting. Warm. So fucking warm. He sighed, and swore his own breath was cooler than the air surrounding them. But Steve would rather stay here with Eddie than be home alone. Lately he’d rather hang out with Eddie than do most other things, other than hang out with Robin. 
She’d teased him for it, of course, when Steve told her about his crush on Eddie. Said he’d gotten a crush on a boy that looked like a mop, scrawny and all hair, and being offended on Eddie’s behalf he shoved her off the couch. Well, he’d meant to just push her, but her balance was terrible and down she toppled. After she’d gotten over her surprise, and their swearing and giggling and retaliatory slapping had calmed down, Robin told him, “I’m excited for you, Steve,” with a sappy grin. He’d just shrugged and tried to hide his own bashful smile.
So when Eddie asked yesterday if Steve would want to spend his day off at his place, his expressive, gorgeous brown eyes sparkling, there was no way Steve would turn him down. Even if it was so hot Steve felt he’d start melting into the floor.
“This sucks.”
Steve craned his neck to look at Eddie, who was frowning up at the ceiling. His bangs had gone a little stringy. “Huh?” Steve said.
“This heat, it fucking sucks dude. This isn’t hanging out.” His arm raised to lazily flail between them both then flopped loudly to the floor again. A different kind of warmth sparked up Steve’s arm when their pinkies touched, and Steve concentrated very hard on not flinching or hooking their fingers together. “This is dying. Slowly. Uneventfully. I feel like a slow roasted chicken.”
Humming, Steve said, “Yeah.”
Finally Eddie’s head tilted to the side, facing Steve. An amused smile tugged the corner of his lips down and now Steve had to concentrate on not looking. “Sounds like the heat’s melted your brains, big boy. I can see ‘em leaking out your ears.”
It’s more than just the heat, Steve wanted to say, opened his mouth and nearly let the words escape, but he caught himself with a breathy laugh. “I think you’re right,” he replied instead.
“‘Cause I’m always right.”
Steve just raised a doubtful eyebrow. It climbed higher when Eddie stuck his tongue out.
“Well I’m right about this sucking. C’mon, I’ve got an idea.” Eddie slapped his thighs and bolted upright, rolling to his feet with surprising ease while Steve peeled himself off the carpet with much less gusto and a lot more complaining.
“You’re seriously making us move right now?” he grumbled as he stood. But he heard Eddie groan and before he realised, Steve’s hands shot out to stabilise him as he wobbled.
“Shouldn’t’ve got up so fast,” he said sheepishly.
Still holding Eddie by the shoulders, Steve snorted. “You think?” He held onto Eddie just shy of too long before letting his hands drop. “Alright, you made me get up, this better be worth it.”
“Oh it’s worth it.” Eddie winked, then led them out of the trailer–only pausing to lock up–and instead of heading to one of their vehicles he started down the road towards the dead end.
While the heat out here wasn’t as stale, it almost felt worse, the sun bearing down on them directly. The road behind them shimmered with that faint heat mirage and Steve could feel it through the soles of his sneakers. “Pretty sure this sucks worse, Eddie.”
Eddie spun on his heel and started walking backwards. “Don’t you trust me?” he asked, a coy tip to his chin.
With his life. But Steve wouldn’t say that, either. “I dunno, Munson. You’re leading me into the woods, alone, no witnesses? Kinda suspicious of you.”
“I am offended, Steve, how could you say such a thing to me, of all people?” He clutched his chest and dramatically threw his head back, only to stumble when the asphalt gave way to dirt and sparse grass. Steve jolted to try and catch him, but Eddie recovered quickly, grinning widely. “See, could a suspicious guy do that?”
Steve laughed, a little baffled. “Nah, now you’re just a klutz.”
“At least I can trust you to try and catch me, Stevie.”
The fondness Steve thought he heard in Eddie’ voice would’ve made him blush if the heat hadn’t done that already. They held each other’s gaze, standing close, just a moment in time that stretched out like a plucked guitar string left to ring. Eddie cut it off with a nod to the woods. Steve was helpless, and couldn't do anything but follow.
Grasshoppers lived up to their name, hopping through the brittle, sun bleached grass as they avoided the boys’ careless feet. Steve watched a few cling to Eddie’s bare calves before he shook them off. When they’d gotten a few feet into the treeline, the leaves above sheltered them on their walk. The shade was desperately needed. He felt like he could breathe again, even if it wasn’t all that much cooler, but he still took a moment to stretch his arms up over his head and inhale the greenness of sun-warmed leaves. Steve let his arms fall again with a small, satisfied groan, pulling the hem of his shirt back into place, and saw Eddie staring. “What?”
Eddie swallowed, then shrugged. “Told you it’d be better.”
“I know, I trusted you,” Steve teased and bumped their shoulders together. Though Eddie tried to hide his shy smile behind a lock of hair, Steve still saw it, matched it with his own. There was a certain type of gleaming pride he felt when he managed to get Eddie to smile like that. “Are we going somewhere, though, or are we just on a walk in the woods?”
“We’re goin’ somewhere. Just don’t laugh when we get there.”
“No promises,” Steve said, teasing again, and Eddie half-heartedly shoved him for it.
“Now I don’t know if I wanna show you,” Eddie said with a miffed tone. He started walking again, though, so Steve kept pace.
“Why, is this some kind of secret nerd lair? Superman’s Cave of Loneliness?”
The sheer amount of disbelief and dismay in Eddie’s face when he whirled to face him made Steve howl with laughter. “I’m sorry, ‘Cave of Loneliness!?’ I don’t even read Superman and I know it’s the Fortress of Solitude, man. It’s in the movies!” Eddie squawked.
“How is Fortress of Solitude any different from Cave of Loneliness, huh?” Eddie’s mouth opened and shut once, then again, and Steve knew he’d won. “Yeah, you can’t say shit, Eddie, you know I’m right.”
Eddie glared so venomously that Steve almost missed the charmed smile he was poorly fighting off. “Fuck you, Harrington,” he said, though his lips pursed trying to keep from laughing.
“You wish.” Steve winked, then started walking in the direction Eddie had been leading them in. When Eddie lagged behind, face frozen in shock, Steve fixed him with an expectant look until the lights came back on behind Eddie’s eyes and he scrambled forward.
The trees grew taller, wider, and more gnarled the further they walked, and the shade grew deeper. Sunshine flecked the forest floor, showing the way between the trunks and glancing off still-green foliage untouched by the summer heat. It was beautiful, but Steve kept getting distracted by the way the light caught in Eddie’s hair; the dappling made the strands of dark brown flash with vibrant reds and richer browns, and danced over his cheekbones like golden kisses. Steve wanted to replace them with his own, his chest aching sweetly with desire, but he wasn’t brave enough yet.
He could still wish for it, though. Eddie’s skin would probably feel soft under Steve’s lips. He’d take his time, too, placing one languid, deliberate kiss after the other, tracing the path the sun had left.
The bubble of his daydream popped when Eddie came to a halt in front of a massive old oak and spread his arms upwards with a, “Ta-dah!” Following his wiggling fingers, Steve saw the structure sitting snugly in the tree’s sturdy, sprawling branches.
A treehouse. The foundation of it seemed to be built from old railroad ties, bolted into the trunk, while the rest of it looked a little newer. Big, childishly menacing eyes were painted around the windows, and below those and slashed across the door was a mouth full of triangle-shaped teeth; in the middle of the mouth, on the door, a red tongue lolled out. The rest of the rounded walls looked like they’d been black once, but had now faded away to a mottled, chipped grey. A fake chimney sprouted from the roof, which was shaped like a cone and covered with mismatched shingles. While the base still seemed sturdy, the house itself was starting to look a little rickety.
“What do you think?”
“That’s the most elaborate treehouse I’ve ever seen.” That wasn’t even a lie. Steve had said it genuinely, and with a fair bit of surprise. He would’ve been over the moon if he’d seen this as a kid.
Eddie beamed at the praise. “Ain’t it? Wayne and I built it ourselves. Well, we had a bit of help from one of his buddies from the plant who does carpentry on the side, but still. Took a whole summer to build too.” He walked to the trunk and that’s when Steve spotted the rusty ladder rungs drilled into the tree. His ringed hand closed around a rung with a clicking sound.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Eddie,” Steve warned.
Rolling his eyes so hard his whole head followed, Eddie said, “Live a little, Stevie!” Hoisting himself up, Eddie began to scale the ladder easily, his hands and feet finding each placement like it was habitual. It probably was. Steve watched him climb the ten-ish feet up–and absolutely appreciated the view–until Eddie landed on the narrow space between the edge of the foundation and the door and pushed the door open on its squeaky hinges. “See, nothing to worry about. Hurry up, you’re missing the party!” he shouted over the edge before ducking into the treehouse.
Huffing, Steve shook his head and followed Eddie up at a much more cautious pace. Not a single rung was loose, thankfully. At the top, he clambered onto the foundation and found the house was a little smaller than it seemed from the ground, but Eddie had wedged himself inside against the left side, still smiling, legs folded in so that Steve could crouch his way inside.
“This is, uh, a tight fit,” he grunted, smacking the back of his head on the doorway.
“Be careful,” Eddie said, and Steve glared without any heat.
“Bit late for that.”
Some shuffling, arguing, and contorted limbs later, and Steve was settled inside the treehouse. His and Eddie’s legs were practically intertwined as they sat across from each other, but it wasn’t too uncomfortable; the curve of the rounded walls was pretty nice to rest against, actually.
“This is great,” he said as he inspected the place. Cobwebs hung everywhere, and he was sure a racoon had slept in the leaves and fur piled next to him. There was a dusty red plastic kid’s chair tucked under a piece of plywood jutting from the wall that must’ve been a desk, but now held an abandoned bird’s nest. The walls were covered in crayon drawings: stick figures with swords and guns acting out grand battles against monsters, a big castle that had a flag with an ‘M’ on it, a red dragon shooting laser beams instead of fire from its mouth. Steve nodded at the dragon with his chin. “That’s different.”
Eddie snorted. “Yeah, that and the dudes with guns started when my dad let me watch Wizards way too young.” At Steve’s quizzical expression, he continued, “Animated movie from ‘77. I dunno, you might like it. It’s not your typical fantasy stuff.”
“I like fantasy sometimes, just not when Dustin keeps ragging on me to watch or read or play it all the damn time.”
“Fair,” Eddie laughed.
“Maybe we could watch it sometime, together?”
He looked pleasantly surprised. “You’d wanna watch a weird fantasy movie with me?” Steve shrugged. “Alright man, it’s a date. Just tell me when and where and I’ll procure the goods.”
Something fluttered in Steve’s belly when Eddie said ‘it’s a date,’ even though he hadn’t meant it like that. Still, that genuine little smile that lingered on Eddie's face gave him just the tiniest glint of unwanted hope.
“When did you and your uncle build this?” he asked to distract himself from the small riot happening inside himself.
“When I was eleven. I’d been living with Wayne for about a year, and he wanted to do something for me to celebrate even though I’d spent most of that year being a little shit. His friend Dale had gotten ahold of the wood for free, and Wayne had known about this old treehouse foundation,” Eddie knocked on the floor, “for a while. So during the summer he took some time off from work and we built it with Dale’s help in a week. Definitely stabbed my foot with a nail once.”
Steve looked at the construction with a new appreciation, and also a little bit of old, selfish longing. But he pushed that down. “That sounds nice.”
“You ever have a treehouse built around Harrington Manor?”
“Nah.” Steve wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his chin where they crossed. “I tried to convince my dad once when I was little. He even bought the stuff for it. Mom told him it’d be an eyesore in the yard, though, and I was too young to take it all into the woods and build it by myself. It just sat around until my dad got rid of it.”
Eddie hummed, a bitter twist to his mouth. It was a look he always got on the rare times Steve talked about his parents. “Wouldn’t it be kinda funny if that treehouse stuff you dad got rid of was the wood Dale found? This shit was all pre-cut and everything, I think.”
Chuckling a bit, Steve said, “Yeah, maybe.”
“I choose to believe it, and therefore I decree it to be True.” Head held high, Eddie smacked his fist into the floor like a gavel. Steve didn’t bother hiding the grin that crept up on him. “Twas yours once, King Steve, then passed on to become Fort Munson so that you may in the future visit the bounty you bestowed upon the Kingdom of Munson as a sign of peace and goodwill.”
“I would’ve thought this’d be Castle Munson.”
“Nope, that’s the trailer, Steve. Get it right.”
Steve laughed hard enough to knock his head against the wall. Eddie was too good at that, making Steve’s gloomy moments brighter with his nerdy antics, and while Steve figured it was the crush making everything Eddie did that much more, he hoped it wouldn’t fade. Even if it also made his chest hurt.
“Would’ve been nice if we’d built it together, as kids. If we’d been friends then, y’know?” He sighed and turned away from Eddie, not that it was easy to hide in the tight space they’d jammed themselves into. “Maybe I’d–maybe things would’ve turned out differently.”
A clean white Reebok knocked into Steve’s dirty Nike. A scolding. “ Stop beating yourself up over there or I’m gonna start doing it for you. I don’t want different, Stevie. Don’t want you any different.”
Steve hid cheek against his arms when he felt it grow red, hoped Eddie wouldn’t notice it travelling up to the tip of his ear. “I don’t think beating me up for beating myself up is helpful,” he huffed.
“Well I’m gonna. Don’t test me. I’ll use percussive maintenance on your ass.”
Steve frowned, but not at the nonsense words that came out of Eddie’s mouth. “What’s that?” he asked.
“What, percussive maintenance? It’s like when you hit the TV to make the signal come through, or–oh. Uh.”
There was a drawing next to Steve’s head, a stick figure knight kneeling and kissing the hand of another stick figure that wore a crown. He traced a curious finger over the crown and the short hair of the drawing, the yellow and black crayon still waxy after a decade of weathering. “Aren’t princesses supposed to have long hair or something?”
Eddie’s feet shuffled away from Steve’s. His heart plummeted in his chest, a drop from a rollercoaster, and he watched Eddie’s face turn inscrutable, his eyes fixed downward. Shit. What had he done wrong? The humourless laugh that followed made Steve feel even worse.
“Eddie, I’m sorry, I–”
“Sure, when you’re a kid princesses have long hair,” Eddie interrupted. His hands were locked together, almost white-knuckle tight, twitching up and down with a nervous tick Steve knew well, and a muscle jumped in his jaw. It looked like he was fighting something, whether to say something or not. All Steve wanted to do was reach out, pry his hands apart and take them into his own, but he wasn’t sure if that would even be welcome now or not.
“You don’t have to tell me, whatever it is. I put my foot in my mouth all the time, man, you can just tell me to fuck off.”
“No, I. I–I gotta. Robin said I should just, just do it, you know? Just gimmie a second.”
Steve frowned, concerned, but kept quiet, even as Eddie ran his now shaking hands through his hair. A curl got caught in one of his rings and Eddie cursed, but Steve darted forward to gently untangle it before Eddie just ripped it out. He tucked the soft strand back amongst the rest with care and met Eddie’s dark, wide, longing eyes.
Eddie groaned and hid his face in his hands. “See, Steve, you go and do shit like that and sometimes I think I can do this, but. Fuck.”
Heart hammering in his chest, Steve asked, urged, “What, Eddie?”
“That’s a prince, Steve.” The words came out as a shaky whisper and hung in the small space between them, caught in the air like dust motes.
It took Steve much less time to connect the dots this time than the last time someone came out to him. “So… you’re gay?”
A shuddering sigh escaped Eddie’s chest and his shoulders slumped. He still didn’t look up. “Yeah. I mean, I’ve had a crush on girls once or twice, but. Mostly just guys.”
Steve didn’t know it was possible to feel like this, this jumble of calm and relief and so hopeful and happy he could dance or shout or shake something. Fireworks over a still lake. He balled his fists just to keep from grabbing Eddie and yanking him closer.
“That’s cool. Good, actually.”
Eddie snorted and started to lift his head. “‘Good?’ What do you mean, good?”
While Eddie spoke, Steve quickly shuffled to his knees–staying hunched over so he didn’t bump his head again–and leaned into Eddie’s space a fraction more, hands braced by Eddie’s hips to keep from flopping into his lap. Eddie stared up at him, awed, slack-jawed, and Steve could feel his warm breath ghost across his cheeks, could see the way the summer had intensified the faint freckles that dusted the bridge of Eddie’s nose. They stood out more as the blush in his cheeks darkened.
“I like both,” Steve shared quietly, earnestly. “I like you, Eddie.”
“You… you like me?”
Steve grinned, wide and goofy but he couldn’t care less. “Yeah. I like you a lot.”
“Holy shit. Holy shit–”
“Eddie,” Steve laughed and cupped his warm, scarred cheek in his palm. He’d meant to pull Eddie in for a kiss, to finally make all those daydreams come true, but instead Eddie’s hand wrapped around his. Gently, Eddie brought it away from his face, his grasp sliding down to the tips of Steve’s fingers as he arched Steve’s hand. Then he brought it to his lips, gaze set meaningfully on Steve’s. Pressed his lips to the back of Steve’s hand in a kiss so reverent it had goosebumps breaking out over Steve’s skin, making his breath catch around the sudden lump in his throat.
“I like you a lot too, Steve,” Eddie said, still quiet, as if speaking any louder would burst the fragile and pearlescent bubble of joy around their puzzle-pieced bodies. Steve touched his forehead to Eddie’s with a watery laugh. He couldn’t help it, pulled there by a tug on his heartstrings, and his grin grew almost painful when Eddie nuzzled their noses together.
All it took was the slightest movement. Neither boy could tell who did it first; both of them met in the middle. Steve felt Eddie’s bottom lip press between his, cradled it there softly, pouring every bit of yearning and desire he’d been feeling for months into this one simple touch. When they parted with that delicate sound of a broken kiss, Steve’s eyes fluttered open to see Eddie’s still closed. A slow, satisfied smile grew, making those dimples Steve loved so much appear in Eddie’s cheeks.
And Eddie giggled. Steve hadn’t ever heard him giggle before and it made him feel like a shaken up can of soda. Quickly he ducked in and kissed him again, and again, desperate to release the pressure and hoping to coax more of that laugh from Eddie.
They kissed and laughed and held each other in the treehouse until they lost track of time, until their lips were redder than their faces and their stubble had rubbed a few spots just a little raw. When they finally came up for air, the sun was lower in the sky, painting the forest outside the open door in golden hour hues.
“I guess there’s more than peace between our kingdoms,” Eddie said, and Steve snorted into his shoulder.
“Good thing I trusted you, then.”
Eddie wound his arms around Steve and held him close enough that Steve could hear his heartbeat through the soft fabric of his old band tee. In the midst of their kissing he’d ended up sprawled between Eddie’s knees, and they’d both sunk down onto the cramped, dusty floor.
“Real good thing, Stevie.”
Tag List Lovelies: @steves-strapcollection @scarcrossdlvrs @inairbinad
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flimflamfranky · 4 months
Text
my gift to @werelichen for @op-secret-santa!! i can never a good frobin prompt so here's some art and a fic! i hope you enjoy and happy holidays!!
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The moon rose high in the sky, bright and alluring. Robin stared up at it through the window, upside down in her view from her pillow. Around her, the crew (her crew) slumbered soundly, beds pressed tight together. Robin couldn’t help a fond smile as she sat up, seeing Luffy half-slumped out of the top bunk, arms stretching down onto Sanji, who was gently kicking Zoro in his sleep, Chopper squished between them, while Nami spread out like a starfish on her other side, hand curled around Robin’s own.
Robin should be asleep with them, but this wasn’t the first time sleep eluded her, nor would it be the last. A restless energy settled into her, begging for the crisp, moonlit night. And while she knew none of them would mind if she woke them up to keep her company, they deserved the rest.
She slipped out silently from the sheets, gently to not disturb her friends. Yet, the moment her feet hit the ground, there was a rustle, and Zoro’s head popped up, eyes barely open. “R’bin?”
“I’m just going for a walk,” she whispered to him. “I”ll be back soon, I promise.”
Zoro yawned and then nodded, like she said a fact instead of a reassurance. “A’right.” His head flopped back down, and shuffled around, turning to curl around Chopper and smacking Sanji in the face, who sneered at the hand in his sleep.
Robin breathed out a light laugh, careful not to wake anyone else, and then stepped out the door into the night.
She didn’t have a destination in mind, yet her feet lead her to one anyway. She stopped at the top of the stairs, and looked down onto the island of scrap. The skeleton of a keel and hull was starting to form by the shore, bare now but full of promise. She was too far up to make out more, but she could just see a hint of movement and the smallest flash of blue, still hard at work.
She smiled to herself. Oh course.
She headed down into the flattened junk, keeping her eyes down and using her powers to guide her, until she could follow the sound of metal scraping on wood. It grew louder and louder as she picked her way past the sleeping bodies of the shipwrights and dismantlers. She rounded one last towering pile of wood, and finally set eyes on him properly.
Franky was working on a large hunk of wood, a circular shape starting to take form from the rough edges. Shavings littered his feet as he bent over, smoothing the wood down with even, practiced strokes. His stance was firm, his movements confident, completely in his element.
Robin paused for a moment to admire him. There was a lightness to him that hadn’t been there before, and she thought it suited him wonderfully. A smile stole across her face. It was almost startling how fond she had become of him in such a short time but she couldn’t imagine it any other way. She almost felt like she could spend the rest of the night just watching him, but his company would be much preferred, so she stepped forward.
“Franky,” she called out, as she approached.
Franky startled, the scrapper tumbling from his hands as he whipped around, valiantly trying to hide his work. “Nico Robin! What are you doing here?”
She covered her eyes with her hand. “I’m not looking,” she said, a smile in her voice.
There was a moment’s pause, and then Franky sighed in defeat. “Nah, it’s alright. Not much to look at right now.” Robin uncovered her eyes in time to see him wag a finger at her. “But don’t you go snooping! I want it to be a surprise for everyone.”
“I won’t,” she promised, coming to a stop near him. She bloomed a hand out of the wood, and handed the fallen tool back to Franky. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” Franky took the tool, but then set it down, giving her curious look. “What are you doing here?” He looked up at the moon like he was surprised it wasn’t the sun. “It’s late!”
“I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “I suppose I was looking for some company.”
“Aw, with me?” Franky chuckled, fiddling with the scrapper. “Did you miss me that much?”
Robin considered it. “Hmm. I suppose I did.”
Franky blinked, surprised at her genuine admission, then turned back to the wood, looking pleased. “Well, I’ll always welcome your company, Nico Robin.”
She crossed her hands, and brought over an unused stool for herself to sit on, settling a few feet away. Franky returned to his work, catching the tool on the wood and gliding it across its surface.
It was soothing, watching him. The repetitive rasp of metal cutting wood, the even wood shavings peeling up and falling gently to the ground. The crash of waves on the shore, the soft wind whistling through the abandoned ships. The movement of Franky’s arm, back and forth. It eased the restlessness inside her, bit by bit.
After a moment, Franky glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “So…how are you doing?”
That was a question Robin had become quite familiar with the past couple of days. One she still had trouble answering. Her crew had done so much for her - she owed it to them to be honest. But, at the same time, she didn’t want to worry them any further. But with Franky…it was different. He had been a steady rock during the worst day of her life.
“A little overwhelmed,” she admitted, drawing her knees closer. “So much has changed so quickly, I still don’t think it’s sunk in yet. But…” She looked up, towards the city, towards the Galley-La Company where her crew rested, safe and secure and hers. “I’m happier then I think I’ve ever been.”
Franky straightened slightly, glancing over at her as he brushed wood dust from his shoulders. “Well, that sounds like a good problem to have.”
She smiled, resting her check against her hand. “I suppose it is.”
Franky glanced at her again, looking almost…hesitant. Which seemed at odds with his brash, confident persona. She met his eyes, and raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”
Franky hesitated for another moment, and then asked, “What were they like? Those scholars of yours.”
That was a question Robin had not been expecting. She opened her mouth, then closed it, as she thought back, wondering where to even begin, when Franky waved his hand through the air.
“Never mind, actually, forget about it.” He cleared his throat, looking away from her. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories, so just-”
“No! No,” Robin cut him off. “It’s aright. It’s just…been a long time since I’ve really talked about them with anyone, outside of yesterday. And, well.” She paused, and then sighed. “It’s been a while since I’ve thought about them in any context other than tragedy.”
Franky nodded, his eyes soft, tender. Understanding. He stayed silent, and Robin took a moment to look out at the ocean, the waves almost black and white under the moon, collecting herself before starting to speak.
“They were like a family to me. With my mother gone and my aunt, well. They were the only family I really had. They treated me like one of their own. They were such a caring, eccentric bunch.” She let out a soft laugh.
“Professor Clover always called them crazy old kooks when they acted up, even though he was probably the oldest, craziest kook of them all. He would make me tea with honey in between lessons and tell me about his adventures as an explorer. He saw so many wondrous things, made so many grand discoveries, and got in trouble with the Marines more times than he could count.”
“I’d bet he'd be pretty damn proud of you, then.”
“I think he would be, too. Rint would always tease him about being more of a pirate than explorer, but I don’t think he would have minded that. Not that Rint was much better. She never talked about it, but I’m pretty sure she was a pirate, when she was younger. Nothing seemed to phase her. She could drink everyone under the table and still win at poker.”
Franky glanced back into the scrapyard with an amused snort. “Heh, sounds like someone I know.”
“She would’ve liked you. She always had a taste for the wilder things. Oh, and Busshiri, you would’ve liked him. He was the carpenter of the scholars. Not a shipwright, but he knew his way around wood.”
“Sounds like my kinda guy.”
Robin nodded. “He always wore these shirts that would say bomb, boom, any explosive word you could think of. I asked him why once, and he said that he wore destruction to remember how to create. I think he made it up on the spot, though.”
Franky gasped, faux offended. “Dismissing his wise words like that! Nico Robin, you wound me, to let such a man go unappreciated in his time!”
Robin giggled at his teasing. “Roche said something like that at the time too. He was always teasing me when I got too serious. I thought it was so annoying at the time, but looking back, I think he just wanted me to enjoy being a kid. They all tried so hard to look after me…”
A surge of emotions swept through her, harsh and overwhelming, that familiar, complicated mix of grief and anger and hopelessness that plagued her for so long. She curled inward, instinctively. She forgot herself, and was that scared little girl again, forced to face the world alone, alone, alone-
“Nico Robin?”
And she was back here again, on the shore of the scrap island, the ocean heavy in the air, breathing uneven, body shivering. Franky hovered over her, hands outreached but not touching, face so openly worried, and something inside her loosened.
“Are you okay?” He asked, voice low and soft. His hand hovered closer and she leaned in, resting herself against his palm, arms looped around his wrist in the semblance of a hug.
“I’m fine,” she mumbled without thinking, so used to ignoring her hurt. Franky leveled her an unconvinced look, and Robin paused. Was she fine? Her body still shuddered slightly, but the emotions had dulled, softened, and there was a…lightness. Relief. Grief tempered by nostalgia and joy, by the reminder that she was no longer alone.
“I think I’m better than fine, actually,” she said, a smile blooming across her face. She squeezed Franky’s hand. “Thank you.”
Franky relaxed, and though she didn’t want to, she let his hand fall away, and he stepped back to lean back against the uncarved wood. She did follow him though, moving to stand next to him, crossing her arms to rest against the wood.
“You scared me there, Nico Robin,” he said, half serious, half teasing. “I get it, though. The past can be complicated.”
She tilted her head in a silent question. Franky shrugged, and then looked away, almost bashful.
“Me ‘n Iceburg…we used to be close. We fought almost all the time, but he was like a brother, ya know? And then I went and messed it all up. But when I came back, Iceburg, he was…still so mad but he missed me. He was happy to see me again, despite it all.”
Franky paused, looking back towards the partial built hull. “I’ve got a lot of good memories from back then. And they’re still good, but…they hurt now. And doin’ this now, like back then, with him…” He trailed off.
“You used to be a shipwright,” she said. That had been obvious but she can see the complicated emotions mixed up in it now - the grief and anger and almost hatred of something you still love and need so much.
“Not anymore,” Franky said, a touch defensively. “This is an exception.”
“...it suits you.”
Franky didn’t meet her gaze, eyes fixed past the shore of the small island. “Doesn’t matter. This’ll be the last one.”
She recognized what the lightness she had seen earlier was - he was happy, building ships. And that happiness scared him, like he didn’t deserve to feel it at all. That made a protective indignation rise up in her, a fierce desire to protect that precious happiness of his.
She realized that's what Luffy and the others had felt, standing on that government building, flag burning above them.
“You should come with us.”
Franky startled, whipping around to stare at her with wide eyes. “What?
Robin was startled herself. She hadn’t meant to say that aloud, but she had meant it. “Luffy is planning on asking you. To be our shipwright, that is.”
She saw it again - that mix of grief and longing and joy. He wanted that - wanted to say yes, to join them, to live his dream.
But still, he turned away. “I-I can’t,” he said, voice raw. “I owe this place too much.”
Robin felt that sharp protectiveness again, to take him anyway and make him hers, part of her crew, but she tucked that away for now.
Franky glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “I’m sorry.”
She shook her head, “It’s your choice.”
Silence stretched between them, heavy longing and regret, but she savored it anyway. Part of her wanted to make it last forever, but her crew pulled her back just as strong. She couldn’t stay.
“If this is goodbye, then,” she started, turning toward Franky, leaning a bit forward to look up him through her lashes. “May I have a kiss to remember you by?”
Franky softened, expression incredibly fond, and he reached out, wrapping his hand around her waist and pulling her close. “For you, Nico Robin, of course.”
She smiled, and rose up on her toes, hand resting on his chest, his head dipping down until their lips met. It was soft and tender, passion nipping at the edges. The waves crashed behind them, matching their push and pull. He fit against her so perfectly, and she could imagine how perfectly he’d fit into her family too.
But that was a desire that would have to wait. She relaxed back onto her heels, pulling away just slightly, still close. She looked up at Franky, meeting his fond gaze, sad and sweet. Her hand lingered on his chest, machinery thrumming warm under her fingertips before finally pulling away, already chilled again by the night.
“I’m glad I got to know you, Nico Robin,” he said, his voice a low rumble.
“Me too, Franky,” she said. She couldn’t bring herself to say good-bye, so she ran her hand down his arm one final time, then stepped out of his embrace and walked back into the night.
~
As she slipped back into bed, next to Chopper and Zoro this time, arms wrapped around her and Luffy slipped down to snuggled into her side, still half-asleep. She ran her fingers through his hair, at his relaxed, open face, and decided she deserved to be selfish. She bent over to whisper to him.
“Franky looked so happy, building our ship.”
Luffy grinned, and she slipped her hand down to thumb at his dimples, just under his scar. “Good.”
“You won’t take no for an answer.” It was more a statement than question, because she already knew what he would say, but Luffy still huffed a laugh.
“Nope!”
Robin grinned. “Good. Now go back to sleep.”
Luffy dozed off again almost instantly. Robin settled down, wrapping her arms around him, safe and warm amongst her crew, and she slept.
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mugeesworld · 4 months
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Cuddly Chubby reader x Strawhat Crew (Platonic)
Haven't wrote something in a WHILEEEEE BABES LIKE DAMN I FEEL LIKE I HAVEN'T PAID MY CHILD SUPPORT OR SOMETHING BUT ANYWAYS WE BACK BITCHES. and I'm feeling wholesome.
Context: Reader is a chubby gal (femreader) and the Strawhat crew being as close as they are with each other show love or friendship in different ways. And for y/n the crews just really likes to cuddle with her in a comforting platonic way. So here are some head cannons that make me smile.
Includes: Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Robin, Chopper, Franky, Brook, And Jinbei
Not proof read
Luffy
Luffy is definitely the type of person to be very touchy and not realize or understand that some people don't like being hugged. So he will do it to anyone in his reach if he considers them a friend.
Speaking of hugs. Luffy love hugs. Especially hugging you. While you're minding your business on the ship, it doesn't surprise you anymore when you feel really long arms wrap around you.
And though you might not mind the hugs from Luffy. Sometimes he just won't let go. He'll hold on like a leech. Like a kid holding on to their parents leg so they can't walk.
At some point their was definitely a incident where he just didn't want to stop hugging you. So for however long he decided to stay wrapped around you, He was clinged to you like he was in one of those baby carriers. He had to be prided off when you start getting tired of carrying his ass around.
And all while this was happening he's just giggling. Doing this just because you give the best hugs he says.
Also when he gets really tired after running around with Usopp and chopper on the ship (not likely but hey let's go with it) he'll just walk over to where ever you're standing/sitting and lay on you. "Y/n *cough cough* I'm dying help meeeee" and he'll just lay across your legs or something till he catches his breath THEN HE'S UP AGAIN.
I think Luffy would just really dislike the feeling of being cold. So whenever it's cold and y'all are sailing bro does not leave your side at times. When winter comes around all you'll hear is "Y/n I'M COLDDDDDUHHHHH!" The crew tried giving him a bunch of blankets putting him next to fire but he would always complain about the cold unless y/n was there with him.
I feel like he would also just come into your room randomly when he's bored and just lay on you. Full starfish. Covering you completely cause he can't read a room and understand you're busy. So you might be doing something while on your bed and then the door will just open and without a word being said bros laying down. Just chillin.
Zoro
Now we all know zoro loves his naps and will do that crap anywhere. And you just can't stand to see that man rest his head on some hard ass wood floor. It's Makes you cringe. Like that shit gotta be uncomfortable... So one day he was laying next to you and you got tired of seeing that crap. And you don't say anything you just sigh and lift his head up and move your thigh/leg under him. He opens his eyes for a second surprised but he soon goes back sleep. Not saying anything, but is grateful for the pillow.
And from then on y'all never spoke about it. It was just something y'all did. Everytime he would want to take a nap and you were sitting down he would just walk over and lay his head on you. No words exchanged. But he did enjoy it. And he would never admit it but he took really good naps when laying on you. And everytime he would try to sleep on the floor he would struggle to fall asleep cause he was used to you.
And yes he could easily just grab a pillow. But nah... He chooses you.
(This one a bit sad idk how I came up with it honestly)
And this might be stretching but if he ever has a night mare or can't sleep he would come to your room. Opening the door. Looking stressed out or sweating and that's all you needed to know. All that was needed between you two was a nod. And once you did that he would enter and once again fall asleep on you. Even though he usually sleeps for a long time whenever he would sleep in your bed at night he would never be there in the morning. He would always wake up before you. Not because he didn't like you or something but because he wants to respect your space as much as possible. And also I don't think he would want the crew to find out cause they might want to talk about it. But he knows with you, that your want push it and he just enjoys having someone there.
Though one night when he seemed stressed and came in there you said "wanna talk about it? I'll listen."
After being silent for a bit he responds "This is enough. Thank you... Y/n"
And you just hum In response. Zoro might be a man of few words but you knew he needed rest and you understood him and understood he might not want to talk about it but still wants to be comforted.
I might go as far and say you're the only person on the crew that has seen zoro cry cause one night he came into your room with tears running down his face. His eyes wide. Yet his face expressionless. Coming to you cause you're the only person that knew about his nightmares. Immediately understanding he had a really bad nightmare. Saying "I'm sorry dear..." getting up from your bed and giving him a hug which he surprisingly excepted hugging you tightly back and shuttering a bit before you pat his back.
Zoro not really being a fan of physical affection like hugs but in that moment and with you he needed it and was ok with it...
"Come. Rest now" you say before sitting down on your bed again. Him not saying anything only the sound of sniffles before it goes quiet meaning he fell asleep.
Shit I'm going to hell for that one. THAT WAS SAD. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO WHOLESOME. It just kept coming. My fingers just kept going y'all. I just had to keep adding on huh.
Nami
I just know Nami loves you. You're her best friend. If y'all share a room like her and robin do she definitely shares a bed with you and will ask you to cuddle all the time if not every single night.
I bet she called you cuddle bug at some point 😭
Or will get mad if you don't lay down with her. "Y/N HURRY UP AND COME TO BEDDD I NEED MY BEAUTY SLEEP WOMAN! Are you trying to make me have bags??! So inconsiderate!"
Will always blame her lack of sleep on you.
Ik she stingy with that blanket too. And doesn't want y'all to have separate ones but she will always still yalls "shared" blanket for herself.
Usopp
I don't know if usopp would be someone that's wants to cuddle but I think he would always hug you when y'all greet or say your goodbyes. Also just sometimes in the morning or at night when y'all just wake up/are about to rest.
I also think we would just do it when he's tired. Like he just got done fixing something with the ship and sees you. Giving you a nod before walking over and giving you a tired hug.
Or y'all will just be standing somewhere beside each other and he will throw his arm around you. Swaying a bit.
Sanji
Now it's not like it's a secret everyone on the crew likes your hugs so it's a known thing for them that you will always hug them. And sanji took that crap to his advantage.
Nami and robin never let him hug them cause of his weird ways but he knows you won't turn him down. So everytime you return back to the ship or even just walking into the kitchen for breakfast he can't help but stop whatever he's doing and running towards you with open arms. "Y/n my loveeee! Good morning!" "Y/n! My angel you're back!"
A few times even knocking you back cause he was so excited.
He would never touch you in a weird way though. And the first time he hugged you he asked to and you said he didn't have to ask that it didn't bother you. So he won't ever take that for granted. He might be a perv but he's still a gentleman.
When you return back to the boat after shopping he would always be the first to greet you. Not even waiting for you to get on the ship. He just jumps onto the ground and runs towards you. (Slowing down right before y'all hug so he doesn't hurt you) Offering to carry whatever you’re carrying then talking excitedly about what he had made for her or what he planned to make.
Chopper
Chopper is a lot like luffy. He's very grabby. Except he can't stretch so instead he will either raise his arms up to be picked up or will just climb up you like a mountain.
Sitting on your shoulders as you work. Sometimes sitting in your lap taking a nap as you work.
Chopper would also ask if he can sleep with you sometimes. He didn't really have a excuse. He just liked it. He would try his best to make one up though!
Especially during the winter. It would just be you chopper and luffy sometimes at night cause they are both cold and apparently you ar the only think that helps.
Robin
I don't think robin is big on physical contact but she still finds a sense of comfort being around. Even if it just the two of you reading beside each other, yalls shoulders touching, you resting your head on her leg as she reads to you or maybe the other way around. She enjoyed the small things.
And though they might not be a big deal or very obvious she still likes them and looks forward to yalls reading time.
Franky
Now I just know Franky likes to cuddle. Can't tell me different. Physical contact and spending time together is his love language
He loves when you ask him about something he's working on in his shop cause he will happily sit down in his rolling chair and let you sit on his lap and he explains everything.
Also Franky just really likes carrying people. He likes being helpful. So he will always offer to carry you. And if you say yes he would carry you in one arm/hand or let you sit on his shoulder.
I think he would just want to hug you like a teddy bear. Franky is a older man so if you joined the crew in your teens or as a early adult I bet he would start calling you bear, little bear, T bear. I think he would have a few silly pet name he called the crew at times.
Very fatherly vide to Franky. He gives off Major barbecue dad vibes.
Also he is mostly metal so I know he gets cold easily.
Brook
Brook would feel really awkward about hugging you are first I think. Not only cause you're a pretty girl but because well.... Their's not much for you to hug
So he might say "But I'm all bone! Yohohoh" when you offer him a hug. But you just laugh and shake your head at him. Giving him a hug which he really likes to his surprise.
He was scared that it wouldn't be the same as when he had mest on his bones but to his surprise it did for some reason. Which he found really comforting.
And though people might not like to hug him cause he's all bones he knows you will. And eventually he was the one that started hugging you instead of you hugging him.
Jinbei
Id sell my soul for jinbei to give me a hug bro. Like I just know he gives hugs like those plus size southern old women. (Iykyk) imagine him with a southern accent in like a woman voice saying "Come here baby" 😭😭😭 HELP "give me some sugar"
So let's turn the tables instead of jinbei wanting to hug you. YOU go to him. You wrap your arms around him the best you can and he tries to hug you back but he might just pat your head or put his hand on your back.
He won't turn you down. I think everyone on the crew also likes hugging him like they like hugging you. So I'm sure he is used to people jumping on him.
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riality-check · 1 year
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Out of all the languages she knows, Robin thinks English is the worst.
It’s so… restricted. English has a lot of words, and it has a lot of fun words, but they’re all so broad. English has a few words that mean a lot of things. It’s confusing and takes five more sentences and mental gymnastics to understand the specific meaning of a phrase that could be conveyed much better in Spanish or French.
This is part of the reason why she wants to learn German, once she’s got a good enough grasp on Russian. They have specific words, and they actually use them. That and it should be pretty easy, as a native English speaker.
Reading Cyrillic was fun and all, but her brain needs a break.
All of this, of course, is the subject of her latest ramble to Steve since her parents already know and no one else listens to her the way he does.
(She repays the favor when baseball season rolls around, and he starts spitting stats at her. She thinks that if the word problems in school were about baseball, or if he believed in himself enough to take a statistics course, he would have kicked ass at math.)
“There’s only one way to say I love you in English, and that’s so stupid!” she says, starfished on top of Steve’s bed. God, his sheets are soft. “In other languages, there’s ways to say it to friends, to family, to whoever you’re dating-”
“Wait, really?” Steve glances at her in the mirror. His hands fuss at his hair, which, as always, looks fine.
She’s a little jealous of that.
“Yeah,” she says. She sits up and shakes her hair out of her face. “Like, in Italian, you say ti amo, which means I love you, to who you’re dating, and that’s only if it’s super serious.”
Steve straightens the collar of his shirt, the blue one with the white stripe, and turns back to her. “What do you say otherwise?”
“Ti voglio bene,” she answers automatically.
“What’s that mean?” Steve asks. He moves sits down across from her, tucking his knees to his chest.
That can’t be comfortable in jeans, but that’s what Robin has affectionately dubbed Steve’s listening position, so she knows he’s paying attention and actually cares.
“I means I love you,” she says.
“No, like…”
“Oh, do you mean the literal translation?”
“Yeah,” Steve says. “What’s it mean?”
Robin wracks her brain for a few seconds before she remembers. “It means I want you well.”
Steve cocks his head at her in the way that reminds her of a curious, confused dog.
“It doesn’t translate super well,” Robin says. “So it doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
Steve shakes his head. “No, I think it does.”
“What do you mean?”
“Like, if you love someone, you want them to be happy and healthy,” Steve explains. “You want things to be good for them. You want them well.”
And Steve says he isn’t smart.
“It makes a lot of sense when you say it like that,” Robin says.
Steve cracks a small smile. “Can you teach me how to say it?”
“What, ti voglio bene?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay,” Robin says. She reminds herself to not get too excited because that’s weird, then promptly throws that thought out of her head.
She’s with Steve, and she can be as weird and excited as she wants.
“Repeat after me. Tea.”
“Tea.”
“Vole.”
“Vole.”
“Yee.”
“Yee.”
“Oh.”
“Oh.”
“Ben.”
“Ben.”
“Ay.”
“Ay.”
“Okay, ti voglio bene,” Robin says.
“Tea vole-yee-oh ben-ay,” Steve says, awkward and stilted.
Robin itches to correct his pronunciation, but she stops herself. She remembers that it’s really hard for native English speakers to get from the “vole” to the “yee” and have it sound correct unless they grew up speaking those sounds.
Mentally, she thanks her nonna for insisting on correct pronunciation.
“Not bad,” she says honestly.
Steve picks at the cuff of his light wash jeans. “It wasn’t great.”
“It wasn’t bad,” she argues.
“I think I’ll stick to English,” Steve says.
“Okay,” Robin says. “But you’ve got potential.”
 “I want you well, Robin,” he says, and then he grimaces. “That sounds prettier in Italian.”
“Everything sounds prettier in Italian. Even insults.”
Steve laughs, and Robin nudges his leg with her foot.
“I want you well, too,” she says, and she thinks that it might actually sound better in the language they both understand.
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