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justmeinadaze · 3 months

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My Little Man (Steddie X You) (Part of HFOD and SS Universe)

A/N: I guess you guys would call this season 3? Lol. My angst hella took over as well as some feelings I've been dealing with lately.

Enjoy please <3.

Part of this Universe

Warnings: Demon Steddie & Human Fem Reader, No SMUT in this one, FLUFF, they love each other and their son. Demon Steddie is navigating how to be human while taking care of a pregnant Y/N.

ANGST: More or less the normal level of angst that comes with this series. The theme is grief and PTSD (from a soldiers perspective). Y/N is still struggling with the notion of her parents not being there to see Ellis grow up and the guys (especially Steve) is struggling with being raised how they were and taught to fight. Eddie struggles with feelings of enabling because of everything they went through.

The dreams probably have the most feels. They talk to their loved ones and Ellis says goodbye. Steve has nightmares that involve his dad being a dick (of course) and something that happens within one angers Eddie (blood briefly mentioned).

Word Count: 6398

"Don't you know I love you more than life itself Don't you know that you're my pride And I would not have you walking through this world Without me by your side

Go to sleep my little man Don't you weep my little man"

3 Months Pregnant

Steve sits on the bench outside of the library he had just exited from, sighing heavily as he closed his eyes and threw his head back.

Ever since the three of you got home, he and Eddie had been doing research on which human job they would best be suited for in your realm but were struggling to find much of anything. For him, it was even more difficult since he was raised to be a solider. He genuinely didn’t know how to do anything else and it didn’t help that even though you explained a lot of human behavior, he still felt slightly ignorant with many things.

“May I sit?” The demon jumped at the sound of a gravelly voice beside him. “Oh, shit. Sorry, son. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“No, it’s alright. Um, please.”, he gestures towards the area beside him causing the man to flash him a thankful grin as he takes a seat.

“How long?”

“I’m sorry?”

“I asked how long. I know the look of a fellow veteran trying to figure out how to adapt to a civilian lifestyle. How long has it been since you saw combat?”

“Oh, uh, it’s…it’s been a few years. But I did it the bulk of my life.”

“I can imagine with you being so young. I bet one of your parents was a solider as well?”

“Wow. Yeah, that’s amazing. How did you…?”

“I told you, son. I know the look.”, the man chuckles as he extends his hand. “Truman Duvall; Ex Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army.”

“Steven Harrington. Um, Sergeant in the US Army. Well, Ex.”, Steve laughs nervously as he hopes his memory of things he’s learned about humans in the past is still up to date.

“Nice to meet you. If I may ask, what were you thinking so hard about specifically?”

“My girlfriend is pregnant and I’m trying to find a job so I can help support my family. I want my son to have a better life then I did but I have no idea where to start.”

“Congratulations on the little bundle! I have four myself, two of them grown and out of the house already. My wife pretends like she’s glad they’re out but she misses them.”, he laughs. “I don’t know if you would be willing but down the street here, we have a recreation center where veterans go to relax and let loose. They’ve been looking for a counselor to lead the group therapy. I think you’d be a good fit.”

“Yeah? Um, I guess I could…”

“Look, you don’t even have to make a decision right now. Why don’t meet me there tonight? We’re having a little party get together thing. Of course, you can bring the girlfriend and you both can meet the person in charge. See if you feel comfortable.”

“O-Ok. I, um…” Steve pauses as he debates on if he should tell the truth about Eddie. That was a fight they had when it came to going home. He had been afraid that they would have to hide their relationship and he never wanted to hide or be hidden when it came to the man he loved. But this is also where he wanted to raise his son and he didn’t want to cause a commotion before you four even had a chance to settle in. What would Eddie do?

“Can I bring my boyfriend as well? He’s a veteran to. We actually met during our tour.”

Truman’s mouth pouted out ever so slightly as his eyebrows lifted in surprise.

“Oh, um, sure! The more the merrier.”

***

“Steven, oh my God, that’s amazing!”, you exclaim as you wrap your arms around his neck. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Hang on, now. I don’t have a job yet but…”

“Don’t sell yourself short, bud.”, Eddie grins from his place on the kitchen counter.

“I hope it’s ok that I kind of…announced…our relationship. We actually didn’t talk about what we wanted to do but I know if we had stayed in our realm I’d want to be honest.”

The long-haired demon opened his arms and Steve promptly placed himself between his legs with his back against his chest while Eddie rested his chin on his shoulder.

“I’m glad you did. I love you and I’m not hiding that.”

“Me either.”, you smiled as they beamed right back.

Suddenly, the happiness drains from your face before you turn and bolt towards the bathroom. You three had been home for a couple of months and within the past week some of the normal symptoms of pregnancy began springing up such as the morning sickness you were currently experiencing.

“It’s alright, baby. Get it all out.”, Eddie tries to sooth as he holds your hair into a makeshift ponytail. As soon as you were finished, you fell back into his arms and thanked Steve when he handed you a bottle of water.

“This is normal, right? Humans get nauseas like this.”, he asked.

“Yeah, honey. It’s normal. I’m alright. I think I’m going to take a nap so I can be 100% for tonight.”

“Y/N, you don’t have to go.”

“No, Steve, I want to go. I want to see where you’ll be and the people you’ll be around.”

################

“Steve! You made it.”, Truman shouts excitedly as he reaches out to shake the boy’s hand. “You must be the girlfriend.”

“Hi. I’m Y/N.”

“Y/N. What a beautiful name for a beautiful woman and this is your…boyfriend? Right, son?”

“Yes, sir. This is Edward.”

“It’s nice to meet you. Steve said you’re a veteran as well. Were you a sergeant like himself?”

“Oh, uh, no. I was more of a private I guess you’d say. But we spent a lot of time together especially on the battlefield.”

“Wow and for you two to still be so close and find a relationship through all that chaos! That’s amazing. I always tell my wife if she met me during my tour she would have hated me. A lot of civilians don’t understand the headspace you have to fall into to do what we have to do.”

Both demon’s nod in understanding and you can’t help but softly smile as you watch them interact with the other people around them. Steve was definitely in his element and you could tell in some way he felt more comfortable in this setting because he was around beings who seemed to understand what they both went through. As his new friend spoke, his eyes remained intense and focused as he absorbed everything he said.

Eddie excused himself to grab some drinks but became distracted talking to another couple and began to laugh at something they were saying. The first time you met him he expressed a particular distain for humans but he seemed to open up more since they were freed, finding something interesting in each person he interacted with.

“Hey, this is my girlfriend Y/N.”, he introduces when you walk over to check on him. “Y/N, this is Lisa and Shawn Bennett. Lisa did a tour in the Air Force flying jets and Shawn was a DJ overseas.”

“Oh wow. For the military or just on your own?”

“For the military. I’m kind of like that Cronauer guy they made the movie about. I read the reports and played music I thought would lift the troops spirits.”, the man explains.

“Kind of like me.”, Eddie whispers in your ear making you smile. “What do you two do now if I may ask? Steve and I have been searching for employment but we have no idea what would fit us.”

“Well, I actually own a store of my own selling books and comics; things like that. I’m a bit of a nerd.”, Lisa laughs.

“And I teach media and music courses at the local community college up here.”

“That sounds like a lot of fun actually. Are they looking for another music teacher because Eddie is an amazing musician.”

“Yeah? Unfortunately, they aren’t but you should consider maybe starting your own business as well. You can teach kids to play guitar or any other instruments you know and you can do it from your house or maybe the music store downtown is hiring.”

“Are you looking for a job to, Y/N? I’m trying to hire someone to help me with my shop.”, Lisa offers with a smile.

“Oh, I’d love that. I’m, uh, I’m actually pregnant though and I wouldn’t want to leave you stranded after you just hired me.”

“That’s fantastic! Don’t even worry about it. You don’t seem very far along yet. I can teach you the ropes before you give birth and that way when you come back, you’ll already know what to do!”

As you glance at Eddie, his eyes widen with encouragement as he nods his head.

“Ok, I’d love to work for you.”

Lisa claps and gives you a big hug as your demon beams behind you.

***

“Hello fellow veterans, spouses, and partners! Glad you could all join us tonight. I hope you are having some much needed fun! I do have just a quick announcement to make. I would like to introduce you to Steven Harrington who is new to Hawkins and after speaking with him I feel like he will be a great addition to our center here as the group counselor.” The man at the podium smiles as he gestures towards the demon and everyone around the room claps. “Steve, why don’t you introduce yourself?”

When he hesitates, you gently push him forward, urging him softly before he relents and nervously climbs up the makeshift stage.

“Um, hi. Sorry, it’s been a while since I’ve been seen by so many people.” The people chuckle as you and Eddie grin knowingly. “Like Thomas said, I’m, uh, new to Hawkins but my girlfriend is from here and my partner and I thought it would be better for her to be back home where she felt safe with her family so we can start raising our own. I-I-I…shit I used to better at this.”, he chuckles before glancing your way, your gentle smile comforting him.

“I was raised in a military household. My dad was a solider so that’s what I was expected to be. As soon as I was able, he handed me a weapon and commanded I train to be the best. There was no wiggle room there. It was all or nothing. When I saw war…I shut down and did what I had to. I took no pleasure in killing, contrary to popular belief.”

“The worst part about shutting down that way was how it flowed into my every day. I was as an asshole to everyone including women I dated and people I trained… except for some of the people closest to me…Robin, Chrissy, and Eddie. When Edward and I got out…I felt so out of control…so lost. I lost my identity and everything I knew. If I didn’t have him by my side… Then we met Y/N and without her we literally wouldn’t be here today.”

Steve paused, looking out into the crowd, and realizing he may be talking too much.

“Sorry. I’m sorry. Thank you so much for this opportunity and I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

The people in the room clap as he steps off the stage and you immediately wrap your arms around his waist as Eddie lightly caresses his cheek.

***

4 Months Pregnant

You beam at Eddie as he softly strums his instrument. That day after Shawn suggested it, he went down to the music store in town and applied for the job as a guitar instructor. After playing and showing off for them he got the job. He loved hearing the kids try and play reminding him of the children he watched over with Steve during their war.

Today was everyone’s day off so they were being lazy in bed with you in your pajamas and both demons in nothing but their sweats.

“Ok, this thing here says for humans you should be feeling him move around now.”, Steve announced as he gestured towards the book he was reading.

“I haven’t felt him move yet unless the occasional nausea is him saying hello.”, you giggle. Leaning over him, you grab his hand and place it on the middle of your stomach. “Talk to him.”

“Uh, I…hey, Ellis. It’s, um, your daddy. I’m not scaring him with my voice, right?”

“No, baby.”, you grin as you pet his head. “This is how he’ll get used to it though. Hearing and seeing you both in your demon form.”

“Buddy, you have no reason to be afraid of us in any form. I’m sorry your dads aren’t as beautiful as you and your mom but—”

“Hey, speak for yourself.”, Eddie teases making you laugh. “I’m a sexy motherfucker.”

“Oh.”

“What?”, Steve’s eyes shift up excitedly.

“You didn’t feel that?”

When he shakes his head, you place his hand closer to the side you felt movement, gesturing for the other demon to do the same.

“Say something else.”

“Hey Ellis. This is your other daddy and I assure you we are very handsome.”

“Holy shit.”, Steve exhales as he grins up towards his partner. “That’s amazing.”

“I’m glad you agree, kid.”, Eddie smiles.

***

6 Months Pregnant

Eddie growls at the crib he was trying to assemble as his glowing red eyes glare at the instructions again. Over these past couple of months, you three had made your dad’s old room your bedroom and begun shifting the room you used to sleep in into Ellis’s.

Going off his personality from your dreams, you painted the room blue with images of guitars along the base boards and up along the ridges of the ceiling. Near where his crib would be, you put up pictures of everyone in his family that loved him including Robin, Wayne, Dustin, and everyone who had passed that he had been conversing with these past six months.

The boys were able to get everything a baby would need from your realm but also from theirs including those books that Eddie had wrote and some toys demons normally played with at a young age.

“Whoever invented these contraptions should be tortured for eternity.”, Eddie grunted as he tried again putting a few of the pieces together.

“You guys don’t have cribs in your realm?”

“Yeah but they were like boxes essentially. Or at least mine was. I’m sure Steven had gold porcelain or some shit.”

“No.”, Steve chuckled as he took the wrong part from his partner’s hand and handed him the correct one. “I had a regular little wooden thing with soft blankets.”

“I wish I could see what you two were like as kids.”

Since they left Maeve, they weren’t able to snap memories into your head like they were before. It hurt them more than you because you always seemed curious about them and they wished they could show you everything from their point of view, not Henry’s or Mirage’s.

“How much did Mirage show you?”

“She showed me big events more than anything. Steve always looking for his parents especially your mom. She did play sword fight with you once and you looked so happy until your dad yelled at her for ‘ruining your training’.” You rolled your eyes as Steve pet your head and sighed. “Eddie, I did see what your uncle told me about with your mom singing to you.” The demon’s glow receded in his eyes as he glanced your way with a small smile.

“Until my father told her to shut up?”

Tilting forward, you crawled over his work to kiss his lips making his smile widen as he caressed your face.

“What about your parents, honey?”

“Both my parents were amazing. My dad always loved to make us laugh. He liked being a girl dad and my mom exploited that.”, you giggle. “She would make him wear tutus while I would do his makeup and they both would dance.”

A tear left your eyes and both demons promptly gave you their attention.

“I’m sorry you guys don’t have your parents here. You both deserve better.”

“Baby, it’s ok—”

“Eddie it’s not okay.”

“Will you let me finish?”, he jokes. “It’s ok because I had my mom and I had Wayne. Then as I got older I got my other family. Steven, Robin, Chrissy, and even Dustin. Now, sweetheart, I have you two and Ellis. I couldn’t be happier.”

“I agree. I’m thankful for the memories I do have with my mom but the kids I trained and beings I fought with…that was my family. I’m so excited to see what’s in store for us, you know. See what Ellis is going to do with his life.”

You smiled as you kissed their lips before you wince and lean away.

“Ow. Little butthead is kicking my side.”

“Hey, kid.”, Eddie teases as he tilts towards your tummy. “Why don’t you stop hurting your mother and come help me make your torture technic of a crib.”

###############

8 months Pregnant

You, Steve, and Eddie walked into the house you three had been in so many times these last few months except now it was completely empty. All the furniture and everything was completely absent as you entered the living room full of people.

“Ellis?”

Everyone in the room moved out of the way to where Eddie’s mom was hugging her grandson to her chest as he sobbed.

“I don wanna go!”

“You have to, baby. Your mommy and daddies need you now. They’ve been waiting so long to see you.”

“Mom?”, Eddie asked as he stepped towards her. “What’s going on?”

She softly smiled as she handed him to your father who spun him around as he chuckled but your son just buried his face further in his neck.

“Come on, little guy. Your parents have made you an awesome bedroom and knowing my daughter she’s going to show you so many amazing things.”

The little boy shook his head as your dad kissed his temple before handing him to your mom.

“Steven, remember, you once told me that everything would be ok and you were right. I’ve watched you both take care of my baby and I assure you, you both are going to be more than ok. You are going to be amazing parents.”

He beamed at him as he wrapped his arms around the demon and pulled him in for a hug.

Your mother grinned as she reached out to touch your face as you started to cry.

“I’m scared to do this without you.”, you whisper.

Your parent’s smiles widen as she kisses her grandson and places him in your arms.

“We’re not going anywhere. We’re always right here.”, she soothes as she points to Ellis’s forehead. “Right behind that door, honey.”

“I love you.”, you son coos as each grandparent reciprocates his affection.

As both your demons come to your side, you look down to no longer see a toddler but a newborn baby wiggling in your arms. Steve gently pets his head as Eddie reaches for his tiny hand that immediately clings to his finger.

All of your eyes shoot open but yours is followed by a grunt as you place your hands on your stomach.

“Fuck! I think…”

They don’t waste any time as they collect you and your things before rushing towards the hospital.

***

“How long are they going to keep him back there?”, Eddie growled as he held your hand.

“Calm down. Y/N said this was normal. They need to clean him, check his vitals, and all that.”

“Yeah, but Steven, what if something comes up in those vitals that frightens a human.”

The other demon’s eyes flash red in warning in his direction as a low rumble leaves his chest.

“Maybe we should have had him in your realm.”, you respond groggily as your heavy eyes shift their way.

“Baby, don’t let Edward scare you, ok? He’s fine. He’s got more human in him right now than anything. Dustin said he would grow into his demon parts.”

“He also said we’re the first couple ever to do this so…”

“Edward Munson, I swear—“, Steve’s anger was cut short when the door to your hospital room opened and a nurse casually sauntered in.

“Hey Munson-Harrington family.”, she smiles. “We have little Ellis here fast asleep and everything looks good. Mommy, how are you feeling?”

“Like I gave birth.” The nurse laughs at your joke as your demons roll their eyes. “I’m alright. A bit exhausted.”

“Yeah, that’s normal, sweetheart. Good news is your baby is in perfect health. Would you like to meet him?” Your eyes fully open as you sit up, smiling softly when she places him in your arms. “I’ll come check on you three in a bit.”

Tears start to fall as you fully take him in. Right now, he seemed like a completely normal child with soft skin and just a sliver of brown hair poking out of his blue beanie.

“Hey, honey. You’re so handsome. I’m your mommy.”, you coo in a whisper as you kiss his forehead. “Oh my god, he smells so good.”, you laugh as you look their way.

Eddie was the first to step forward, sitting beside you on the bed as he caressed his son’s chubby little cheek with his finger.

“Holy shit. He’s so soft.”, he breathes. “You’re perfect, kid.”

Steve finally takes a seat as well and reaches out to feel his tiny hand.

“He’s warm to. Is that normal?” When you nod, he almost breathes a sigh of relief. “Ellis, we’re your daddies. You ARE perfect, oh my god.”

The baby squirms a bit in your hold giving them pause before pulling away.

“I think that was his way of saying thank you.”, you smile.

###########

3 Weeks Old

“Fascinating.”, Dustin muses as he rocks Ellis in his arms while swaying around the living room. “He really does look just like a little human with the soft skin and everything. Nothing has stood out?”

“Can you stop analyzing our baby and just enjoy him?”, Eddie snaps as he sighs.

“No, nothing.”, you giggle, answering his question. “And so far he seems to eat but not as much as normal babies.”

“How so?”

“Babies are supposed to eat every two hours; we’ve been feeding him every six. I was worried at first but we just took him the doctor and she said he was healthy. When I tried to give him a bottle every two he would cry and push at my hands.”

“Interesting. That has to be hard, Y/N. Him not being able to verbally tell you things like that. I hated when my kids cried in general but you…you still have that whole trial and error thing going.”

Glancing towards your demons, Eddie had fallen asleep with his head nestled in Steve’s lap on the couch who was already napping when Dustin arrived.

“It is. I appreciate everything you’ve done for us though and I know they do to. I’ve been keeping a record like you suggested should this ever happen for anyone else.”

“Good.” When he notices your gaze shift again, he takes a seat on the floor beside you and lays Ellis on the blanket between you both. “Everything ok with you three?”

“Yeah, I’m just a little worried. They were both already so protective over me and now that he’s here… Steve’s been having nightmares. He pretends he doesn’t but I hear him groaning in his sleep and feel him wake up. I asked him the other night if he still has access to my dreams and he said he can’t find the door anymore.”

A tear fell down your check as Dustin reached out to comfort you.

“As I’m sure you’ve noticed, Eddie’s attitude has been a lot shorter lately. He’s exhausted and worried about the three of us. He triple checks everything to the point that I find him asleep on the floor by Ellis’s crib because he’s too tired to make it back to our bed and would just rather be closer to his son just in case.”

“What about you? Besides the worry I mean.”

“I know I’m probably being paranoid but sometimes I feel like we’re being watched. It may just be because of our dynamic. I know not everyone is excepting like the new friends we’ve made but no one has said anything… I don’t know. Just…mom brain maybe.”

“Hm, maybe. Keep an eye on that. From what you’ve told me, you’re always pretty intuitive. Wouldn’t want to miss something you know?”

#########

5 Weeks Old

“Oh my god, Y/N, look at him.”, Lisa coos at Ellis as she holds him in her arms.

“Are you alright, Steve? You look like you haven’t slept.”, Shawn chuckles.

“Yeah, I’m doing alright. Just…little guy keeping me up.”, he forces a smile.

Your friends were having a get together for veterans and their families and since Steve worked at the center you suggested you three should go and be seen. Truthfully, you thought it would be good for them both to get out of the house as well as having him specifically spend some time with his new veteran friends to talk about anything that may be weighing on his mind causing his nightmares.

As the night wore on you noticed their soft grins return to their faces as he and Eddie mingled with the people around them. They radiated warmth as they talked about their son and everything he had done with his short little life so far.

“Have you guys started baby proofing yet? I swear when my daughter started crawling it was like she knew which areas were the bad ones!”

“Oh no, not yet. He did smile at Y/N the other day. Ellis has a beautiful little grin.”, Steve boasts.

“At that age usually it’s just reflexive. They see you guys smiling so…”

“Isn’t that all babies though? Like that’s how they learn?”, Eddie genuinely asks as the dads around him laugh.

“Yeah but who knows some babies are different! You may just have an extremely happy baby who couldn’t wait to show you guys how much he loves being here.”

Time passed and a few of the guests left, leaving the main few that you had really gotten to know. You all sat in the living room while Eddie patted his son’s back as Ellis slept soundly. Steve tenderly petted the baby’s head as you beamed at them from your place in the chair across from them.

“So how has everything else been going?”, Thomas asks as he chugs back some of the beer in his bottle.

“Everything has been good, man. Just focusing on them, ya know?”

“Yeah, I understand. When my son was born, that first night I checked on him every hour on the hour. Then for some reason I kept checking on my wife. I knew our son needed us both and I kept thinking ‘What if something happened to either of us?’”

“I can understand that. I, uh, before Y/N and Steve, I lost a lot of people I loved and there was nothing I could do. Now that Ellis is here…it would kill me if anything ever happened to him.”

“Do you have nightmares about it? About losing them?”

“I don’t but Stevie here does.”, Eddie answers causing Steve to toss a glare his way.

“I do but it’s fine. It’s not a big deal.”

“I had them to. Sometimes I would dream they were on the battlefield I fought in. I would run to them but I could never quite reach them.”, Thomas sighs at the memory. “What do you dream about?”

“It’s fine really.”

You’re not sure if anyone else heard but you and Eddie did as the demon’s voice fluctuated to his real one for a split second.

“Steven…”

“It’s ok, Y/N. Like I said, I get it. If you talk about it, it gives it validity right? You’d hate to manifest something like that into existence. Someone killing Y/N and your son.”

Steve’s eyes closed as his head ticked to the side.

“Ok, Tom, I appreciate what you’re trying to do but I’m putting my foot down. You’re going to push him too far and he’s already got enough on his mind.”, Eddie defended rising to his feet and handing you the baby.

“Ah, you’re the enabler I imagine. You allow him to shelter his feelings so he doesn’t have to deal with them.”

“You’re damn right I do. You humans have no idea what we’ve been through!”

“Interesting word choice. Is that how you separate people from your experiences?”

“Come on, guys, let’s head home.” As the long-haired demon grabbed his boyfriend’s arm, he remained frozen in place. Kneeling in front of him, he cupped his face in his hands. “Steven, it’s ok alright. You don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to. Let’s go home and get some sleep, huh?”

When the demon finally opened his eyes, Eddie’s widen in fear; he knew this look all too well. As subtly as he could, he got to his feet and towards the front door with you trailing after him.

“Steven—”

Once the wind of the outside hit your faces, he expanded his wings, cutting you off as he vanished into the air.

***

“Edward, baby, are you ok?”

Eddie nodded from his place on the floor next Ellis who was sleeping soundly beside him. After laying down as well, he softly smiles your way as he continues caressing the baby’s open hand.

“DO I enable him, Y/N?”

“Eddie…”

“I just…we went through so much… Every day I had to watch the man I love breakdown. Even when we were out, summoners never treated us with any kind of respect. They knew we wouldn’t be there for long. In our realm, he was hero and with one choice, he was banished and imprisoned…because of me.”

“No, Eddie. Everything you two went through was because of Henry. He killed Chrissy and framed you. Jason didn’t give Steve much of a choice. He was going to disobey orders and hurt you.”

“I always tried to make it up to him… I tried not to show my feelings, pretending I didn’t care we were trapped. Pretending I wasn’t scared and just as angry as he was. I’ve done that my whole life, Y/N. When my mom got sick, I did everything I could to make her laugh so she wouldn’t see how devastated I was. Every time my father came home upset, I acted like I was tough but I was fucking terrified, baby. I was so scared.”

A tear fell from his eye and your immediately wiped it away with your thumb.

“When he fled, I was afraid for my uncle. I didn’t even think twice when I signed up but I was positive I wouldn’t last a month out there on the battlefield. Steven and Robin helped me become a better fighter. With Chris I pretended to be more together than I was. She had enough on her plate at the time and I wanted her to feel safe.”

“It seems like that’s why you pretend, Eddie, so the people you love feel safe.”

Sitting up, he started to cry harder and you immediately crawled to him, curling up in his lap as you held him in your arms.

The sound you recognized as a portal opening grabbed both your attention as you called Steve’s name.

“Hey, no, sorry. It’s just me. I have him here though.”, Robin answered as she came around the corner with the demon leaning half-conscious around her shoulders. “My girlfriend sent me a message saying he was there at the bar. He had been babbling about how human drinks aren’t strong enough and something about you two and Ellis.”

After leading her to the bedroom, she gently placed Steve onto the mattress. When Eddie entered the room, she smiled when she saw your son’s wide eyes looking back at her.

“He woke up.”, the demon announced as Ellis yawned to emphasis his point.

“You need to let your parents get some rest, booger.”, Robin coos as she pokes his nose making him smile.

“Some of our friends said for human babies around this time smiles like that are a reflex.”

“Yeah but he’s not entirely human and that beautiful, drool filled grin didn’t seem reflexive.”, she responded. “It seems like he can handle the demon skin since he’s letting us touch him.”

“Yeah, I think that’s the potion.”, you nod as you reach out to tickle the baby’s chin. “Thank you for bringing Steve back, Robin.”

Softly smiling, she leans down to kiss your forehead.

“Seriously, you and Ellis are so soft—”

“Ay yi, ma’am. This human is ours.”, Eddie playfully scolds as he swats his hand in her direction.

***

Loud banging and clinking echoes behind the door you’re looking at as smoke occasionally slips through the seams. Taking a long exhale, you reach for the handle but someone tapping your shoulder startles you as you turn and smack the person’s face.

“Ow! Jesus woman. How many times are you going to pop me?!”, Eddie whines as he rubs his cheek.

“Edward, how did you—”

“I don’t know. I’ve been looking for the door for months. Maybe you finally calmed me down enough to know what I’m looking for.” Nodding, you kiss his lips. “So what’s the plan?”

“I think…this is Steve’s door. I don’t know. I’ve been trying to access his dreams but I haven’t been able to.”

Holding your hand, he carefully turns the knob and you both step through. Glancing down at his attire, Eddie realizes he’s suddenly in his old battle armor and you both are on the battlefield they fought on all those centuries ago.

“Why am I not in armor?”

“I mean, you weren’t there, baby.”

“What the fuck are you two doing here?!”, Steve’s father shrieks above you as he lands on his feet. “Leave. NOW. My son needs to learn his lesson.”

“YOU’VE been giving him his nightmares?”, you growl.

“Not exactly. He started having them on his own but I’ve been fueling them.”

Shifting your gaze behind him, you both watch as Steve slaughters enemy after enemy, panting as he slowly tires himself out.

“Steven! Do better! You think these fuckers are going to show mercy on your son?! You have to do what I taught you to get the truth!”

Eddie gripped Bill’s throat and angrily threw him to the ground.

“You made your hell his hell, you fucking asshole. He told me all about you and everything you did to him. You ruined his life enough! Leave him be.”

“Please. He’s doing this to himself. He’s worried about you two peasants and that thing. I’m making him better. Stronger.”

Grabbing a sword from the ground, you lift the handle and point the other end towards his throat.

“You heard him. Leave Steven alone or else I swear to God, Bill, I will find a way myself to keep you in hell.”

Growling under his breath, he tried to stand but you and Eddie forced him back down with your weapons. Huffing he suddenly disappeared as well as every other solider that had fallen around the other demon.

“Ed-Edward?”, Steve panted heavily when you noticed you both there. “Y/N? What are you…? It doesn’t matter. We need to get to Ellis or else Henry’s going to kill him. We have to—”

“Baby, look at me.”, Eddie tried to soothe as he cupped his cheeks in his hands. “You’re dreaming ok? Henry is gone and Ellis is in his crib fast asleep.”

“N-No. No? I can hear him. I can hear him crying! Can’t you hear that?!”

“Steven—”

“NO!”, the demon growls loudly as he shoves the man he loves hard backwards. “Who are you?! You’re not Edward. Y-You’re…You’re trying to trick me. Are you Mirage? Did Henry and his dad hire you to stop me?!”

“Steven…”, Eddie cried with worry as he threw the sword he was holding to the ground and held up his hands. “Sweetheart, please, it’s me. I promise. I would never hurt you like that. I would never keep you from our son.”

As he tried to step forward, the other demon shoved him to the ground.

“I-I-I need to get to my son.”, Steve sobbed as his voice cracked. “I know you’re not Eddie. Tell me where he is.”

When he didn’t answer, he pulled back and pushed his weapon downward.

The sound of your grunt filled their ears as your eyes met Steve’s wide glassy ones. When you both looked down, blood drenched his sword where it had pushed through your stomach and around your back.

“Baby?”

Looking up at him again, you smiled through the pain as blood dripped from your lips.

“Why…why does it hurt?”

The three of you opened your eyes at the same time as you sat up clutching your stomach. Lifting up your shirt, there was no wound but it felt so real. You could still feel the stinging pain lingering on your skin.

Eddie’s head slowly turned meeting Steve’s still shocked expression as is mouth hung open in shock.

“I—”

The long-haired demon’s growl cut him off as his eyes glowed bright red.

“Take us to another realm that we can fucking damage NOW.” You didn’t say anything as Steve rose to his feet with his head hung preparing a portal for them to go through. “Stay here.”

Coming around the bed, he waited for the other demon to finish as you peeked into the world they’d be going to. It was completely baron with nothing but white as far as the eye can see.

“Fitting.”, Eddie responded in anger as he and the other demon walked inside.

As the portal began to close, you quickly got up and jumped through right as it disappeared.

You knew Eddie may be mad but after what happened this wasn’t something you were going to let them handle alone.

##############

@tlclick73 @tiannamortis @steeldaisies @goodhappyfriday @paleidiot @fireeyes-on-teller-dixon-grimes

@strangerthings64 @howlingco @eddiesguitarskills

@prettypeachsworld @nailbatanddungeon @notlempet

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urlocalnonbinarybastardwrites · 27 days

Note

The gang + Tim & Curly dealing with a dark feminine lady who is oblivious to the fact she’s so seductive

Ofccccc pookie

Ponyboy Curtis

-he gets so flustered by you

-with your low, sultry voice

-seriously you could ask him what time it is and he’d be like 🥵🥵🥵🥵

-and your dark but not quite gothic, feminine outfits

-he doesn’t know many other people like you

-he feels so immature next to you

-but you have a crazy ability to make him feel things he’s never felt before

-memorized different things about you

-he asked you out with your favorite kind of chocolate and you said yes

-super cute together

Johnny Cade

-whoa

-you’re like… his dream

-he’s really attracted to you

-he thinks about you a lot, especially late at night in the lot

-he never has enough courage to go up to you and do anything about it tho

-if you ever talk to him in school he’d be so quiet while internally screaming

-one day you see him with a black eye

-you put a delicate hand on his cheek, making sure he’s ok

-he never really got fully over that

-definitely touched his own cheek after you let go like wow

-until one day dally mentions you and Johnnycake

-well

-he gets a bit defensive

-which is when dallys like you like her don’t you

-and Johnny doesn’t answer, only the tips of his ears turning red

-so dally literally pushes him towards you

-and he finally asks you out, and you say yes

-you guys are so in love with eachother

Sodapop Curtis

-he sees you walk into the DX one day

-he’s immediately interested

-I mean,it’s not every day he sees a girl like you

-you have this certain confidence

-a suggestive smirk and perfect eyeliner

-it’s attractive to say the least

-before long he asks you out

-yall are cute though

-red rose x sunflower vibes from you both

Darry Curtis

-he sees you walking by the house

-fully pops his head out the window to get a better look

-hot damn

-you’re on his level

-I mean, he’s very attracted to you

-he started asking around about you and no one seemed quite to know much

-so he went up to you and found out for himself

-and even talking to you made his knees weak, you so effortlessly came off as seductive

-after a while you two become close friends and before long

-he asks you out and you ofc say yes

-very cute couple 10/10 you’re both very mature and supportive of eachother

-ponyboy would have a crush on you tho lowkey 💀

Dallas Winston

-holy shit

-it’s not often he sees someone like you around

-you two definitely met whenever he harassed you on the street

-you simply cross your arms, and turn to him with a coolly neutral stare

-“Talk like that again to me and I’ll cut off your most valuable asset.” You’d snarl, walking away

-and leaving him with a smirk on his face, but he stops making the remarks

-over time he asks you out and you eventually say yes after several rejections

-but you two are a good couple

-pretty scary to run into though

Two Bit Mathews

-he sees you and

-you honestly seem so… grounded it’s hard to make jokes about you

-but he somehow manages

-but whenever you let out that low chuckle in response to his stupid jokes

-oh girl you don’t even know what you’re doing to him 💀��💅

-that’s when he realizes like oh my lord he has some feelings for you

-when you two end up dating

-you make an amazing couple

-you keep him grounded, and calm and he keeps you laughing and having fun

Steve Randle

-he didn’t even think you realized

-what you were doing

-leaning against that car in that low cut, short dress

- you raised your eyebrows

-and he realized he’d been staring for a solid five minutes

-he’s dumbstruck by you

-your car had broken down and he was helping you fix it

-when it was done you simply said “Thanks, handsome.”

-and tipped him quite well

-after a while of friendly banter you two get pretty flirty

-end up making out in your car

-then dating

-super cute together 🫶

Tim Shepard

-it’s giving mobster/gangster wife tbh

-he was in love with you as soon as he saw you

-seducing eyes, a charming nature, cunning… never hot headed but always aware

-you were absolutely gorgeous

-and you make his knees weak in a way that most people aren’t able to

-with the most everyday things

-you’d also make an amazing trophy wife

-but you were so much more

-clever, you knew how to get anyone down on their knees in less than a minute

-he knew you’d be a valuable ass…. Asset to him

-you guys are a power couple fr

-he catcalled you when he met you like Dally 💀💀

Curly Shepard

-you both clash

-you were seductive, dark, mature, with deep eyes and a sharp look that could kill

-him…. Well he was a reckless punk

-you two ran in the same circles though

-and became quite good friends

-you kept him out of a lot of situations

-and looked good doing it too

-he doesn’t think you realize how crazy you drive him

-even just looking at him, biting your lip whenever you patch him up in concentration

-he checks you out when he thinks you aren’t looking

-you’ve known this entire time

-and whenever you confronted him about it you two end up making out

-the rest is history

#the outsiders hcs #the outsiders headcanons #two bit mathews #johnny cade #the outsiders #darry curtis #sodapop curtis #steve randle #dallas winston #ponyboy curtis #curly shepard #tim shepard #urlocalnonbinarybastardwritesanswers

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cosmicqvake · 8 months

Text

I just wanna know how 7x09 goes from being this goofy, hilarious take on Groundhog Day, with moments like Daisy and Jemma casually DYING on the floor, with Deke proceeding to have a mental breakdown over it (because HELLO he just watched Daisy and his nana dramatically drop dead on the floor), while Coulson groans with annoyance about how much of a pain in the ass it is. And, of course, “phlebotinum”, and Enoch casually destroying everybody, and Coulson slowly but surely losing his mind, some cute Dousy moments too, among other absolute gems.

Then you get straight up gut-punched by conversations like Daisy and Coulson’s, about the irony of the time loop being a metaphor for his fear of the inevitable future where he will have to watch every single person he cares about die because someone “decided he should.”

Like wow. Hit me right where it hurts, why don’t you? (I could make a whole post about that conversation alone.)

Not to mention the power of Enoch’s last scene:

“Does it hurt?

It does, a bit. But it's not the physical pain that troubles me. I am acutely aware that in my thousands of years observing humans, I never used to feel lonely. I've been alone many times. To be candid, I preferred it, but it wasn't until I met this particular team of SHIELD agents that being alone meant feeling lonely. And I don't care for it. So, I am feeling, as you might expect, some anxiety now…

You don't have to. You're not alone. Daisy and I will stay with you right up until the end.

That is very kind of you. But, it's that last part, isn't it? You can stay with me up until the end, but you cannot come with me at the end. I will have to leave you and I will have to do that alone and I can't help wondering when that happens, will I feel lonely?

I can say with some authority that you're not wrong. Dying is lonely. But the feeling is temporary, at least for the person dying. The ones who are left behind… less so. I guess that's the one advantage to going first.

Yes. It's different watching your friends go before you, isn't it? I've been through that as well. It can be harder to stay than to leave. I'm sorry, Philip J. Coulson.

Enoch, the team will carry on the mission. We will survive because of you. Thank you.

You are most welcome. But Agent Johnson, while your friends will indeed survive, the team will not.

What do you mean?

I have seen the future. Carry on this mission and cherish it for it will be your last mission together.

That's not possible. Enoch, this is my family.

Of course. Yet, this is the nature of families. I have seen it countless times on countless worlds. People arrive, so we celebrate, and people leave us, so we grieve. We do what we can with the time in-between but the cycle is always there. No one escapes it. Not even me.

Which means you are not alone. You are apart of that cycle.

Like every other living thing.

Fitz... he was my best friend.

And you are a good friend to Fitz. You are a good friend to all of us.

As I have always...”

Like holy SHIT, man. I am on the FLOOR. It never fails to get me each and every damn time. I resonate on such a deep level with that entire scene, and it honestly affects me so greatly, even to this day. The emotional chokehold that it has on me is unmatched. Someone put the entire thing on my grave tbh.

I could go on about it forever, but basically, 7x09 is just my favourite episode of television ever, and I can say that wholeheartedly. Hats off to everyone who worked on that episode (and every episode let’s be real) I swear. It will forever hold such a special place in my heart.

#I can never go on about this episode enough #I am unhealthily obsessed with the entire show but especially this episode #seriously #I could go on about it til the ends of time #daisy johnson #phil coulson #enoch #deke shaw #agents of shield #marvel’s agents of shield #agents of shield season 7 #as I have always been #7x09

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ashwhowrites · 2 years

Note

If you are still taking requests, could I please request 9 from the fluff prompts “. . . sorry, I talked too much” “No no no not at all. Keep talking” with Eddie. Maybe he's rambling on about one of his passions and he is so used to people shutting him down but the reader is absolutely enamored?

Your writing fills me with pure delight and I keep trying to sneak reading it at work.💙

I am for sure still taking requests! And flattery works well on me so you will definitely get your request written with a sweet message like that!! I am so happy to hear you like to read my work and it fills you with delight. I will make sure to make this extra fluffly for you.

“… sorry, I talked too much” “No no no not at all. Keep talking”

Eddie was heading to his deal after school, walking and sitting at his usual bench. He rolled his eyes as Jason sat in front of him. "Let's make this fast." Eddie huffed out, opening his lunch box. Eddie was measuring out the weed when Jason spoke up, "So what exactly is a hellfire club?" Eddie looked up, silently puzzled. Why was he asking him about hellfire? Jason never cared. All he wanted was to make his life hell. Eddie glared as he answered with a stiff tone. "We don’t need to do small talk. This is about $30." Eddie handed over the bag filled with weed. He was thrown off by Jason's expression. He almost looked genuine. Eddie always had a soft heart, thanks to Wayne. "It's a DnD club; my friends and I play. It's a fantasy game. We form an adventuring party and explore fantasy worlds together as we embark on epic quests and level up in experience. We each have our own personalities. I'm-" But he was cut off when Jason laughed; the genuine expression was gone. "Wow, those theater classes are paying off. You truly thought I gave a shit about your freak club. " He scoffed and threw the money on the table. And with that, he walked off back to the school grounds. Eddie's shoulders slumped. He knew that not many people understood DnD and thought it was dumb. But that was one of the places he felt himself. Those kids looked up to him, and it made him feel good. He's so used to people looking down on him. It was something he knew so much about he could talk about it for hours, but no one ever wanted to listen. With a slightly worse mood than he showed up with, he went to his van to head home. ~~~~~~~ The next time Eddie got passionate about talking about a topic was with Steve. Eddie was in the middle of a rant about how horror films were truly works of art. Steve believed romance was the top tier. "Listen man, chicks dig horror films. It gets them horny or some shit." Eddie's main point was that he believed nothing got a girl fired up faster than a horror film. Eddie was not one to give up during an argument, so he started stating his facts. He goes into full detail to back up his theory. He was feeling proud of how much information he was able to bring up, but once again that feeling in his gut returned when Steve spoke up, "Okay, I got it, damn you didn't have to keep talking for so long." and he went to help a customer. Eddie felt embarrassed. He knew he got too into his conversations and would go over the top. But the feeling of someone telling you they aren't interested in talking with you or listening to you always hurts. ~~~~~~~ Eddie tried not to talk too much about things. That feeling that had turned his mood sour was something he didn't want to experience again. But once again, he couldn't stop himself in class when the topic of music was brought up. He proudly stated how he played guitar and was in a band. He was working in a group, and they had to create a song with chords. Eddie decided to take the role of the group, as his sweetheart had taught him well. The group had to share their work with the class. Eddie was passionately stating how his mind came up with certain parts of the song. He felt confident and, for the first time, smart about how well he understood the material. But then that feeling was running down his throat and landing in his stomach when a voice spoke up.

"Yo freak, I don't care about how you made the song. Quit talking, we have other stuff to do." Defeated Eddie headed to his seat in the back of the class, with his curly head down.

~~~~~~

Eddie was forcing books into his dirty locker that really needed to be cleaned out when a soft and gentle voice came from next to him. "Excuse me?" Eddie looked over and saw the most gorgeous person he had ever seen. Their eyes were big and sparkled. Their hair was styled to perfection. And a big smile was stretched across their faces. Eddie felt his heart literally skip a few beats. He then realized he had not answered. "Oh yes, Hi." He fumbled out with a shy smile. They laughed, and the smile got even bigger.

"I'm new and was wondering if you could help me out." Eddie's ears were attentively listening to them. It was like their voice were his new favorite sounds.

Eddie nodded quickly and put out his hand. "I'm Eddie." "I'm Y/N" They shook his hand with a soft grip. His stomach did flips at the contact. Eddie spent the rest of the day showing Y/N around, helping them get to classes, showing them the nearest bathrooms, and even asking Y/N to join his lunch table, to which they happily agreed. Eddie and Y/N were getting closer as the days passed. They shared many classes, sat at lunch together, and Eddie lied and said he studied at the library on Fridays, just to have Y/N alone at least once a week. And tonight, Eddie was finally going to ask Y/N out. He had no idea if they were even interested, but he had to take the chance. "So Y/N, any plans for this evening?" Eddie asked as Y/N hopped into his van. Y/N quickly answered with a no. Eddie felt relieved at the fact that they didn't have plans. "Would you maybe want to go out tonight? To like, dinner or something? on a date? " Y/N was caught off guard by the question. There was definitely a crush growing on the metalhead they spent all their time with. They felt a blush heat their cheeks and a smile form. "I'd love to." they answered, and they had never seen Eddie smile bigger than today. Eddie decided on a diner. Granted, he couldn't afford an expensive place, but he hoped a diner would be a good choice. "Don't worry Eddie, I've loved diners ever since I was young. This is a great choice. " Eddie felt himself smile at that and was pleased that this date was going in a good direction.

As the date went on, the conversations flowed effortlessly. His cheeks hurt from how much he was smiling and laughing. He could feel the crush growing more and more. He tried to steer the direction of things he knew he'd go over the top with. He really liked Y/N and did not want to annoy them with his constant ramblings. The date ended and he brought them home. He sealed the date with a kiss and a new hope in his chest. He felt like he was on cloud nine the whole way home. Smiling to himself and fist bumping, he was proud that he didn't get carried away in conversation. Maybe he was getting better at keeping himself composed. ~~~~ Y/N loved spending time with Eddie in the last few weeks. He was sweet, caring, and hilarious. But something kept nagging in their minds. It felt like he was walking on eggshells when they spoke. Y/N wasn't sure if they were intimating or boring. But Eddie is honest. He'd say something, wouldn't he? Y/N and Eddie were cuddling on his couch, in his small and cozy trailer. Y/N's hand was delicately rubbing Eddie's chest over his hellfire shirt. "So what is hellfire?" They asked softly. Eddie went stiff. His mind went back to Jason, and that sickening feeling arose in his stomach. He tried to stay clear of hellfire and DnD conversation because he knew he couldn't stay quiet about it. "Just a club." He mumbled with a shrug. "What's the club about?" Y/N asked as they looked up at him. They could see the anxiety in Eddie's eyes. They just didn't understand why he was so distant and scared. "Its DnD." His answers were short and quick. They weren't giving up on him. "What's DnD? I'm not sure I've heard about it.” Eddie made eye contact and he could see the curiosity in their eyes. Y/N was different from Jason. Eddie shouldn't treat them so badly. He sighed and began to describe the events of DnD.

Eddie was lost in his rant when he looked at the clock. His eyes went huge when he realized he had been talking Y/N's ear off for 20 minutes straight of just DnD. He quickly shut his mouth, mid-explanation. He reasoned that since Y/N had already zoned out, they wouldn't even notice his thought was incomplete.

But to his surprise, Y/N looked up at him, confused, "Why did you stop? Did Dustin defeat Vecna? " Eddie was lost for words. Not only were they listening the whole time, but they were asking him to continue. "Oh, I'm sorry. I talked too much, so I didn't want to bore you. " His words made their heart hurt. How could he think that they didn't want to listen to him? He never talks too much. This was the most they had gotten to hear him speak in weeks. They smiled encouragingly, "No, not at all. Keep talking. I need to know how it ends. I love how passionate you sound. " Eddie swears he fell in love right there. His chest felt like it was going to explode. He felt accepted and understood. For once, someone wanted to listen to him. Someone cared. And he vowed not to mess this up.

#eddie munson #eddie stranger things #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fluff x reader #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson request

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ghostinthegallery · 6 months

Text

Spoiler alert for The Infinite and the Divine (big spoiler, I mean it) but if you want an extra layer of tragedy to Trazyn and Orikan's messed up excuse for a relationship, consider how much of their time together on Serenade was...

...poisoned by the Deceiver screwing. It's not like Orikan didn't hate Trazyn before, but during so much of their forced cooperation, Deceiver is whispering in Orikan's head, stoking that fire. Telling him that Trazyn isn't worth his time, Trazyn can't be trusted, Trazyn's just there to be used and discarded. He isn't someone Orikan should care about. Meanwhile, Trazyn is actually starting to like spending time with Orikan. He's opening up. Yes, most of that opening up consists of explaining random shit Orikan doesn't care about, but come on, how many of us express affection by doing exactly that? We all relate to infodumping about our hyperfixations.

There is a moment where Orikan starts to come around: when Trazyn shares that he too remembers resisting biotransference. He believed Orikan and didn't go willingly to the furnaces. This is the thing Orikan remembers when he saves Trazyn from Flayer!Quellkah (a thing he did not have to do and is more surprised than anyone that he did). Finally the wall starts coming down. And wouldn't you know it, the second Orikan starts to feel something besides hatred, a new memory CONVENIENTLY pops up, showing that Trazyn actually tossed him into the furnace personally (a thing that does not make any practical sense when you think about it). And Orikan goes right back to hating him. WOW FUNNY HOW THAT HAPPENED! Almost like the Deceiver felt a little threatened by the idea of them cooperating...

It's so sad how differently they experienced that time and how much they could have accomplished if each of them had been allowed to understand the other. Trazyn did not want to fight Orikan at the end. He tries to get him to stop their battle, but Orikan has the Deceiver in his ear telling him that he has to attack. And he listens because the Deceiver is offering him exactly what he wants. An easy answer. Trazyn=bad, "Vishani"=good, no need to reevaluate his rivalry or worldviews. And Orikan gets a mountain to the face for his trouble.

Yes, they'll probably always despise each other on some level, but this makes me wonder if there's a version of events where they despise each other slightly less. What that universe might look like. There's probably fewer Deceiver shards running around.

#necrons #wh40k #trazyn the infinite #orikan the diviner #the infinite and the divine #the Infinite and the Divine spoilers #more sad thoughts about these disaster robots #but also a little hopeful #they can find common ground #at least trazyn can #come on orikan #Trazyn's not so bad once you get to know him #let him monologue about beetles or whatever #it's his love language #screw the deceiver

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ilovetulips · 2 years

Note

Can you write a Steve Harrington request where he gets pouty/jealous when Officer Callahan has a known crush on the reader (let’s say he was a senior when she and Steve were freshman) and it suggested that she flirts with him to distract him so they can get away?

steve harrington x fem!reader

the ‘house on wheels’ steve was designated to drive wasn’t exactly subtle, so it obviously drew attention from the officers guarding the trailer park that night. how were you supposed to explain the reasoning behind such an odd mix of people driving a camper-van? everyone instantly started panicking.

“shit. shit, shit! we’re screwed!” dustin shouted amongst the sound of everyone bickering. you’d caught onto a few things people said, curse words flying through the air while you sat in the front with steve.

“just- just shut up!” steve shouted, pinching his nose in frustration. successful however, as the group stared in silence at the boy.

“holy shit, is that callahan?” max said, leaning forward and squinting slightly towards the tall man with a flashlight walking towards you.

“oh for fucks sake…” steve mumbled under his breath. it was known that officer callahan had a crush on you, he wasn’t one to make it low-key. ever since you guys had a few classes together in high school because of the mixed grades system in place, he’d taken a liking to you. you’d never reciprocated those feelings, and when you’d found steve… well callahan was the least of your concerns.

“oh! oh! [Y/N], you can get us out of this. just, talk to him. he’s going to listen to you he’s like… in love with you or some shit.” eddie chimes in, unhelpfully.

“do i have to?” you reply, turning in your chair to avoid the piercing glow of the torch 10 steps away from steve’s door.

“no time. no choice, please [Y/N].”

you turn to look at steve to gain his approval, but his door is already being opened by the infamous officer. the policeman wasn’t really paying attention until he’d looked up at hearing the sound of your voice bickering with a hidden eddie; still suspect #1.

“you guys do know that this area is— [Y/N]? oh wow uhm, hey. what’re you doing?”

your eyes widen as he recognises you, causing you to turn around slowly and place a smile on your face. “ohmygosh! no way, phil? haven’t seen you in so long sweetheart, what’ve you been up to?” the faux sweet tone you laced your voice with was sickly, but you had no other choice.

he leans his hand on the driver’s side door, shifting his weight to the side. “nothing really, missed your face around here.”

“ahem.” steve cleared his throat loudly, causing the police officer’s head to snap towards him.

“i’ll come round to you, [Y/N]. driver seems a bit angry.”

he slams the door shut and walks around towards the main door on the side of the vehicle. you place your hand on steve’s, comforting him slightly before stepping towards the door and avoiding the mischievous glints reflecting in everyone else’s eyes.

“shut the fuck up, henderson. keep laughing and you’ll blow it.” you pointed towards him, before pulling your shirt down to reveal more of your chest. you’d hiked your skirt up slightly too, hoping your cleavage and thighs were enough to distract the boy outside from asking too many questions.

as soon as you open the door, an instant blush hits callahan’s cheeks. eye-level with your breasts as you slowly walk down the stairs and waving your hips side-to-side slightly, he didn’t know where to look. “are you okay, honey? you look a bit distracted there.”

“oh! yes i’m, fine. you look fine. great! you look great.” he brings his fist to his mouth, coughing into it as your smirk grows. you’d always enjoyed having an affect on people like this, something about it made the blood rush to your head. he dropped the key in his hand, it falling to the floor with a small sound.

“oh! let me get that for you…” you say, leaning down and bending over while looking up at him with sultry eyes. he had a perfect view down your shirt, his stare trained directly to your cleavage.

“phil, babe. eyes up here, yeah?”

“yeah. sorry, sorry. what are you… are you busy tomorrow night?” he’d got the courage to ask.

“mmm, not sure. how come?” you know perfectly how to give off an innocent act, doe eyes looking up at him through your eyelashes and your nail placed between your teeth.

“you- fuck. you wanna go on a date? with me, darlin’?” he had managed to back you up against the side of the van, hands placed on the sides of your head. little did you know that everyone was not only watching and listening in on the interaction, but steve was livid. his eyes flicking up to the side mirror to see him getting close to you, the reflection playing in his mind.

“oh… i don’t know. would you be able to do be a favour for me if i go with you?”

“sure. yeah, anything for you. have i told you how good you look tonight? like seriously…” he lets out a loud wolf whistle, and you have to hide your discomfort.

falling back into character, you twirl a strand of your hair in your hand and giggle. “thanks so much, officer. would you be able to let me and a friend or two through to the park, honey? we have a friend there and i’m just…” you fan your face and look up, pretending to fan away tears. “sorry. i’m just so worried about her.”

“hey. don’t cry, i’ll let you through, just this once though.” he places his hand on your face, swiping under your eyes and you could only imagine steve.

“oh! thank you so so much.” you pull him into a hug, making sure he becomes intoxicated by your scent before pulling back. “i’ll meet you tomorrow night. 7 o’clock at the diner, yeah?”

“perfect. so perfect.” he says, looking down towards your chest again.

you leave him with the sound of a sickening giggle before closing the door and leaning against it inside the camper. you feel like you’re going to be sick.

everyone looks at you with wide eyes. “holy shit. you just did that…” “[Y/N]! you fucking genius!” “oh my god, that was perfect. how’re you so good at that?”

you laugh against the door, waiting for the silhouette of the pining officer to disappear before walking back towards your boyfriend in the front seat. you see the small pout placed on his lips, and his fierce grip on the steering wheel; knuckles white with lack of blood flow.

“hey… stevie your hands are gonna hurt. don’t do that—“ you lean towards his hands, but he pulls them away and looks towards the window on his left.

“steve…?” everyone behind you were immersed in their own conversation, mostly quoting things you had said to win the officer over and fawning over your performance too much to pay attention to you and steve right now.

“are you okay? i’m sorry, i didn’t actually mean anything i said to him! i was just—“

“i know.” he scoffs, the harsh sound ringing in your ears.

you only nod in response.

he quickly stepped on the gas, the vehicle jerking back to life as you all go back to eddie’s trailer to go over the plan again. you both sat in silence, on the drive there and when sitting on eddie’s couch.

“for fucks sake steve, stop sulking. the tension coming off you two is literally making my hair frizz, so go somewhere else and sort this shit out.” robin says, quite loudly while pointing towards the both of you. you agree with her, his sulking was unnecessary as you’d already apologised. so what was the issue?

you grab his hand and guide him towards eddie’s small bathroom. leaning against the sink, you look up at him.

“what’s the matter, steve? and don’t lie to me, please. you haven’t let that pout leave your lips since i got back to the van.”

he attempts to pace back and forth in the cramped room, running a hand through his hair before finally focusing on you. he cages you in, hands either side of your hips while he stares at you.

“did you enjoy flirting with him, [Y/N]? hmm? enjoy the way he trapped you against the side of the camper?”

“what? no! are you crazy, why would i enjoy that?”

“sure looked like you did.” he looks down at you, pulling your shirt down to match how it was when you distracted callahan.

“steve… what’re you—“

“i’m so mad right now. seeing him… get that close to you while you looked like this. thinking he had a chance. fucking hell.” he sighs heavily out of his nose.

“are you— you’re jealous! aren’t you?” you prod at his chest, smirking up at him.

“of course i’m jealous, [Y/N]! i’m your boyfriend, nobody else should be able to get that close to you.”

“babe…” your hands smooth his chest before locking around his neck and pulling him towards your face. “you’re the only one for me, ‘kay? not officer callahan. he’s creepy… and his breath smelt bad. i was only doing it to help everyone.”

that earns a breathy chuckle from the boy standing over you. “yeah?”

“oh yeah. only reason i got through all of that was because i imagined it were you.”

you leaned forward, pecking his lips a few times until the small pout encasing his plush lips turned into a smirk.

“like this?” he lifts you by your hips and places you against the door, mimicking the position you had found yourself in earlier.

“so much better when you do it, c’mere.” pushing your lips together, you feel steve’s tongue lick a stripe along the perimeter of your parted lips. the passionate kiss was soon turning heated, hands fumbling over each other’s bodies and dizzy heads spinning through the hot room. that was until you’d both heard a whisper from outside the door.

you pulled away, both of your eyebrows furrowed as you looked at one another. another mumbled whisper sounded from the door, and you realise instantly what’s happening.

before thinking twice, you open the door. as suspected, multiple bodies tumbled to the ground; none other than lucas and dustin. they smiled dopily up at you and steve, whose hand was tightly gripped on your waist.

“what’d you hear?” steve dared to ask.

“nothing! just some weird, water sounds. sounded like eddie’s pipes have gone bust or something.”

you can’t hold in your laughter, giggling in the two boys’ confused faces as steve joins you. they look at each other, even more confused than before, then huddling together to whisper again as they walk back into the main room.

“you should get jealous more often, harrington.”

“hm?” he hummed into the top of your head.

“so you can kiss me like that again. my legs nearly gave out.”

he chuckles again, before picking you up bridal-style and walking you back to the main room. “can’t have that now, can we? how else are you gonna show them thighs off to officer heart-eyes tomorrow night?”

you smack his chest with a smile, “you’re such an idiot, steve harrington.”

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doctordumblesstark · 1 month

Text

Things I loved about season 3 of Alex Rider

Yassen as Alex's mentor and guardian

Julia Rothman as the vengeful leader of Scorpia, she plays Alex and Yassen very well, pulling the strings behind their backs.

Mrs Jones. Just wow. Her scenes were so powerful, just all around impressive

Nile and Yassen's relationship

The water bottle fight. World class.

Alex being sassy and a little brat

Alex complying when Yassen declared the training over after refusing when previously told to stop.

Albert Bridge! The way they immersed Blunt and Alex in showing what really happened was a wonderful piece of film work.

The planning of the operations Alex carries out with Yassen, just gave me so many Devilverse vibes

The department actually having Alex's back and them working together. Especially the rescue mission from the home secretary.

Alan Blunt getting character development and not just being a cartoonish bad guy as he is in the books. I actually prefer this more rounded version of Blunt

The action scenes were better choreographed, more visually impactful and really well done. The overall mix of action, dialogue, stealth, drama and humour just was well done

Malagosto. Not surprising that with how they have chosen to depict the department (in constant darkness!) Malagosto would be underground, but it really worked well with the aesthetics they have chosen and makes sense in the universe. Also the rivalry between Alex and the others... I'd be worried too if the newbie gets a single room when I have to share with the others ;)

Scorpia's threat level. They are a really well balanced opponent to the department, making them hard to take down and in charge and control for most of the season with the department having to work incredibly hard to take them down

A great balance between technology/gadgets and old school spying. Really felt realistic and good use of Kyra, Smithers and Scorpia tech without it becoming a trope like Batman's utility belt

The overall more rounded off storytelling approach and more realistic character representation

Things I thought were unrealistic or unbelievable

Jay not knowing his brother is into film, when he clearly knows Tom and Alex are not going to the beach. Tom's character is shown again and again as a film buff and we all know his desire for pursuing a film career

Also felt weird of dropping that in and then never resolving that storyline. What was Jay's purpose other than some comic relief and one piece of wisdom and for Tom to show he chooses Alex over himself?

Jack saying "if Alex can do spy shit so can we". What an utterly stupid line. That's not how it works, Alex is trained and has skills you guys don't have. There are many good reasons Alex is good at this and not many for the rest of you to think you'd be too.

Kyra saying to Tom not to say anything to the police and then answering the police officer after Jack has already essentially freed them

The whole conversation between Jones and Jack in the garage was confusing. It felt like they switched roles halfway through.

#alex rider #alex rider series #alex rider season 3 #alex rider spoilers #yassen gregorovich #mrs jones #alan blunt #tulip jones #julia rothman #scorpia

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pixiecapsalt · 8 days

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okay my thoughts on the ending

i dont have any criticisms really or questions i think im gonna watch fhe revelando tomorrow so everything i’ll leave to say after i watched that

i cannot describe how heart wrenching it was to watch liz and thiago go through that. you just cant comprehend how it is for someone to stay waiting for years and just aging. i just feel so heavily for them because i just know that was agonizing and to see how liz acted afterwards broke me. cellbit definitely knew the right way to go with the writing in that combat because i wouldve accepted some gruesome death but it being mentally tortuous and liz losing so much of her life is another level of devastating.

then theres thiago which i already predicted was going to die the second he sacrificed himself with that symbol but the way everything played out was so fucking sad. he waited so many years for them to not be in the blast zone knowing he’d die. being unable to do or say anything to them. fuck. he loved them so much and died saving their lives. till the very end. he loved them so much.

liz lost her best friend. their dynamic was so important to her character and he really was her rock. and seeing liz without a thiago is. man. liz lost so much. they all lost so much. the ending had the perfect atmosphere of: was any of it worth it? did it even matter in the end? so much loss and so much pain. and it only led to so much more and its horrible and i detest the doctors for what they did to these innocent people and they all died not knowing. they had no way to live or understand. they all just died.

btw im crying while typing this lmao the more i think about it the more devastated i get.

all i can think about is when cesar felt like there was no going back when they were first entering that forest because theres no moment quite was accurate as that one. they were never coming back the way they arrived. they lost so much. it pains me to think about all their happy moments as a team when they played never have i ever and that damn cemetery scene. they were still so happy and together despite having lost so many people. they still had each other. and they lost even that by the end. they were never coming back from this. nothing was ever going to be the same again.

i kept thinking about when verissimo says oh youre team hope now right? and they still are but it felt so empty without thiago. i just thought back to his speech to liz when she wanted to shoot the old guy. saying hope was all they had. and now hes gone

liz’s attitude and fury towards verissimo in the end was just a direct parallel of the last mission when she had lost alex and daniel but now she lost thiago and she lost everyone she had from that mission and now its only her and she lost part of herself as well.

in the end it just felt like loss. only loss. and i know thats intention and fucking good writing but wow. theres no satisfaction in anything that happened.

i want so badly for them to be together again and happy and laughing and they just supported each other so well throughout the mission.

their first group hug and their last

in conclusion um. yeah o segredo na floresta is not for the weak. i honestly considered quitting at two points in my watching of it. its so incredibly sad. props to the players for roleplaying so damn hard and making me fall so in love with their characters and friendship that i wanted so badly for all of them to make it out okay even though i knew they wouldnt. props to cellbit for writing such a great story and building this world. props to the entire ordem team cause holy shit they are the backbone of all of this.

10/10 would rewatch and cry again.

#epi 16 #osnflivevodding

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ourflagmeansgayrights · 1 year

Note

Hey! On your poll I was going back and forth between yes and secret third thing BECAUSE I do think Izzy displays homophobia in the show. However, I interpret the incident you referred to as mostly misogyny i.e. that "real men don't show feelings." I think the derogatory words and actions towards Lucius and Stede are way more homophobic, but they're connected for sure.

I think the emphasis on boyfriend is making fun of him for being emotional that a man he loves isn't there and he wanted to remind him that (to Ed's understanding) Stede didn't care enough.

Tldr - izzy is homophobic for reasons outside of this scene, but his gorilla grip on societal standards of men bleed into his view of queer men, especially those who aren't "masc" enough for him

anon my beloved i must apologize in advance bc i had a very weird and emotionally draining day today and i am very tired right now. so i don’t know that this is going to be coherent. but also i like this ask and i want to say words about it before that poll expires tomorrow so i’m just gonna slap some shit together here and hope it makes sense

so first thing’s first, i definitely agree that izzy does homophobia all over the show. the reason i picked out this scene and that line specifically is because imo “pining for his boyfriend” literally sounds like a dumb middle school boy bullying his classmates on the playground. which is to say that it sounds like the most simple-minded homophobic taunt in the world. like i always think abt this scene in the last season of the magnus archives when the main character and his boyfriend roll up to some dumb meathead bully type who goes “who’s this, your boyfriend?” and the whole fandom was like “wow i can’t believe this guy is homophobic.” bc even if the bully is literally correct and the guy is actually his boyfriend, saying “boyfriend” in that tone is saying “boyfriend” like it’s an insult. which, clearly, is homophobic.

so yeah mocking ed for the pining bit is kinda more on the “boys don’t cry” misogyny side of things like you said, but the way izzy tilts his head and draws out the first vowel in “booooyfriend” to me reads like the single most straightforward and undeniable instance of izzy being homophobic in the entire show. bc even if (and this is a big if) izzy doesn’t actually care abt ed having a boyfriend and is just trying to goad ed into being blackbeard again bc izzy needs blackbeard to feel safe, the way izzy is choosing to go about bullying ed into being blackbeard again is through grade school level homophobic taunting.

however you are not wrong that there is also misogyny going on in that scene. and that is because these things are all so deeply intertwined it’s impossible to say where one ends and where the other begins. and this is where i don’t think i’m going to be able to maintain coherency lol but i’m gonna do my best!!!

like the thing with homophobia is that at it’s core, it’s about men not doing gender right. bc gender roles in western society are a fucking shitshow and the expectations for how men and women are supposed to behave extend into every facet of people’s lives. like we all know the basic “boys don’t cry, women are caretakers, men are tough and macho, women are soft, men are hard, etc etc” stuff. but one of the biggest areas where society has strict expectations of how men and women should behave is about sexuality.

men are expected to be attracted to women, obviously. but also men are often expected to be overtly sexual. having a high sex drive is tied to many guys’s concept of their own masculinity and their sense of personal identity. like this should feel like common knowledge right, the idea that some guys build their identity around “getting bitches” or whatever?

(the societal expectations for women and sexuality are a whole other shitshow that people have written entire essays and articles and books on, but im not gonna get into that here bc we’re talking abt ofmd, and this show is focusing on challenging society’s ideas about what it means to be a man)

the other thing with gender roles, and with male gender roles specifically. is that of the two genders that western society has expectations for, manhood is seen as superior. so when a guy is unable to perform masculinity to society’s standards, he is seen as less than a man. and what’s less than a man?

a woman.

men who fail to adhere to a certain expectation of masculinity are insulted by being likened to women. it’s why guys will literally say “don’t be such a girl about it” when another guy gets emotional about something. hell, it happens to stede in the show!! calico jack calls him “the big gal,” the british describe him as “a heavyset woman in a silk dressing gown.” stede is someone whose gender presentation does not match what is expected of him At All, from his clothes to his crying to his picking flowers to just his mannerisms and how he is. and stede has faced constant ridicule because of this.

so like. it all gets real tangled together. and a lot of the time it’s hard to say which is “more” present, homophobia or misogyny. insulting a man by calling him gay, insulting a man by comparing him to a woman, those things go hand in hand. having a gorilla grip worldview on how men “should” behave leads people to policing how men, both cishet and queer, perform gender and experience attraction.

so like, izzy’s general vibe of not caring if ed has gay sex, but absolutely caring if ed bottoms during that sex and caring if ed actually falls in love and cares about a man? that concept of masculinity, which calico jack is also shown to adhere to? homophobic. just like how his treatment of stede and lucius for being “less masculine” is homophobic.

#ask #anon #mine #txt #og #ofmd #ofmd meta #our flag means death #izzy hands #izzy critical #s1e10 #this post is barely even about ofmd anymore lol #i’m sorry i have no idea if any of this makes any sense at all i am so fucking tired rn #also my throat hurts from yelling ahahahaaa

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borderline-gays-club · 5 months

Text

12/17/23 12:16 AM

I feel like I'm always playing catch up. And this has been an ongoing problem for a very very long time. At least since highschool. possibly before. And I now know its because of all my fun mental problems that work together to make my life a chaotic mess (less so now). But now I'm in a place where Im asking myself: how do I just exist without feeling like I need to get everything done right now. Like i cant fucking relax. And the problem is that there is some level of reasoning to it, but at the same time I need to find a balance, cus either way working crazy all the time is just gonna burn me out and cause me more problems in the long run. I have gone through so many periods in my life where I'm severely depressed and incapacitated and then hypo mania kicks in and I can do everything. So in the time periods of mania I would "make up" for all the time I lost and it was a vicious cycle. Even though my bipolar symptoms are currently managed with medication, I look back the past 10 years or so and I'm like wow. I lost a lot of myself bc of my BPD. and I guess thats where alll my current urgency is coming from. BPD took a lot away from me. Time that I can never get back. And I can't say I regret it, because with the tools I had back then, it just wouldn't have been possible to have made different choices. I will say, with every step of this journey in my life, I really have always been trying. Even at my worst I was trying to find ways to not be so miserable. I really wouldn't give up. Its in these moments of reflection that I can really say that my will to live has actually been very strong this whole time. Even when i wanted to die. I still tried. The times that i basically gave up on myself was when my miserableness was being blanketed by obsession/FP shit. That was the perfect way to completely lose hold of myself and dedicate every fiber of my being to that other person. and it would feel euphoric and would get me out of depression. Its terrible. literal addiction shit. These are the times that I mourn because it really does feel like regression. And as much as i dont want to treat myself like a project that must always get better over time, it really just feels tragic how much of my 20s I've lost to losing myself in other people. But this is all time i cannot get back. There is no point in regret. And also, I cant regret decisions I couldn't really make. A lot of this lost time is really due to lack of care that I needed. From my parents, from doctors. I was simply emotionally and medically neglected, and I did my best with what I did have. All I can do now is to strive to live in my truth. but first i must figure out what my truths are. Because I still don't really know what self means. Im figuring it out tho. *last note: mayb i just need to view time differently. I'm viewing it as a linear thing, but I know that time is not really linear. Life is certainly not linear. I think I still view my value with what I do and what I create. This is something I'm working through. I think the question is also: Who am i if I did not make things? Where would I place my self worth without being able to make things? theres always a lot to work thru.

#actually bpd #bgc #bpd #bpd thoughts #quiet borderline #actually borderline #bpd shit

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schrijverr · 6 months

Text

I Dig You 2

Chapter 2 out of 8

Robin is tentatively excited for her first internship: an archaeological dig in the Netherlands, where she has been studying. However, when she gets there, Steve is there too. The dick of their uni that she now has to work with. Great. But being stuck digging for six weeks makes people bond and maybe he isn’t too bad. Maybe he can be her friend.

AKA an archaeology interns, modern, enemies-to-friends stobin au

On AO3.

Ships: none

Warnings: none

~~~~

Chapter 2: Cohabitation

Oppositely to what Robin had feared, Steve isn’t a douche!

It’s nearing the end of week two of digging and Robin has to admit that Steve has become her friend and favorite colleague.

As the two on the bottom of the ladder, they stick together, arguing about who has to walk back to get the forgotten picture board or who should dig in the area with all the iron that is horrible for their shovel.

However, they also delight together in being on an actual dig. Put six has proven to be more fruitful than put five and they’re actually finding shit there. Honestly, it’s not until Robin frees a sherd from her spoor and excitedly turns to Steve to exclaim: “Look at this big guy,” that she realizes that they are friends.

Steve immediately looks over and his eyes grow wide: “Wow, that’s the biggest sherd we’ve gotten so far. I have the find bags and cards here.”

Robin rushes over to him, sherd still in hand. As she gets a ziplockbag, she hands Steve the sherd so he can look. Most of the others aren’t that excited about it anymore, but Steve is.

She rambles: “I’ve been working at that thing for forever now, honestly. I almost got scared it was so big that it would be stuck there, since it’s still the first part of the coup, you know, so then it would be very difficult to get the surface neat. And it would have to be stuck in there until we were finishing the coups. What if someone took it?”

“I mean, they probably would have covered it, right? Or drawn the coup immediately so we could finish it and remove it,” Steve says, though he doesn’t sound completely sure.

“It could have broken,” Robin moves on to another worry she had, her previous anxiety soothed.

“Don’t worry about that too much. If you break it, you just increase the amount of finds,” Bas interrupts, startling them both. “Do you know how to fill in the find card yet?”

“Uhm, spoornummer, putnummer and date right? I don’t think the coup has multiple sporen,” Robin replies.

Bas nods, but says: “Don’t forget to tick off during what stage you found it and fill in the level and material,” he smiles kindly. “I’m assuming you gathered it was ceramic?”

Robin smiles back, though she’s sure it’s more awkward than she’d like. “Yeah, I had. I’ll go fill that in now.”

The find cards or vondstkaartjes, though Robin has a hard time pronouncing that, are pre-printed with a find number, so there won’t be accidental doubles with so many people writing them and have the project number pre-printed too. The rest have a blank space to fill in.

Robin fills it all in with the waterproof fine liner, very aware of Bas, who is leaning over her shoulder as she does. On one hand she is grateful that he’s checking that she doesn’t mess up the administration of the dig that will be used to interpret the site, on the other hand it is very stressful to have him there.

Relief courses through her when she is done and Bas nods: “Well done.”

Once Bas is gone, Steve leans over her shoulder to look at the card. He comments: “Your handwriting is shit, Buckley.”

“Oi,” she exclaims, pushing him a bit, but being careful, since he’s near his coup and she doesn’t want it to crumble.

Steve doesn’t even move, just gives her a wide grin, before handing back the sherd so she can put both it and the card into the bag, before she returns to clean up her coup. He’s still an annoying twat, Robin thinks, but it’s fond now.

On Tuesday of the third week, Robin arrives late, apologetically telling Jeroen: “I am so sorry, my train was delayed.”

“Don’t worry about it, OV screws everybody over from time to time. Not like you could help it,” Jeroen replies casually, like it’s alright and Robin recognizes OV as the Dutch short way of saying public transport. Living here for two years has her under the impression that public transport is amazing, especially compared with the USA, but she has heard a lot of Dutch students complain about it.

“Still, I’m sorry,” she repeats, unsure if she’s alright to go to work now.

“It’s no big deal, it’s not like you did what Sjors did,” he says, then calls out to one of the workers: “Ey, Sjors, tell Robin about that time your bus didn’t come and you decided to walk instead of wait for the next one, because you didn’t want to be late.”

“Fuck you, Jeroen,” Sjors calls back, though it’s goodnatured. Everyone seems pretty relaxed with one another, Robin has found, the camaraderie is nice.

“He was two hours late. If he’d taken the next bus, he would’ve been half an hour late,” Jeroen tells her with a chuckle. “Now I’m sure you know what to do?”

Robin nods furiously and is grateful when she’s dismissed, hurrying to grab a shovel from the shipping container functioning as storage shed, before hurrying to where the others are digging.

When she gets there, Steve immediately asks: “Where the hell were you?”

“My train was delayed,” Robin answers, trying to find a spoor to coup.

“Your train?” Steve frowns, confused. “You’re getting here by train?”

“Yeah, of course, dingus, I have to come all the way from The Hague, that’s a bit far by bike,” Robin rolls her eyes. “Not all of us have money for a car.”

“I don’t have a car,” Steve says.

“You don’t?”

“Nah, it’s actually more inconvenient when trying to navigate through the city. I’m glad cities back home were built for cars, those Dutch streets are small,” he shudders.

“So how the fuck are you getting here?”

“I bike?”

“What? All the way from your house? That’s on the other side of the country,” Robin exclaims, he must be pulling her leg.

“Of course not,” Steve says in an ‘are you stupid’-tone. “I’m staying at the camping nearby in one of those vacation homes.”

“Isn’t that like massively expansive?” Robin asks, not able to fathom doing that, even though it sounds way more convenient than what she is doing.

“I mean, a little bit yeah. Out here it’s less expensive than by the coast though, that’s for sure and it would be cheaper to stay in a tent, but with all the digging it’s nice to have your own shower, you know,” Steve shrugs. Then asks: “Have you really been coming by train every day?”

“Yeah. What else would I do?” Robin shoots back.

“Don’t you have to get up like crazy early then?” Steve asks, sounding horrified.

Robin can’t believe this: “Yes!”

“No wonder you’re so grumpy in the mornings,” Steve mutters.

“I am not grumpy,” Robin exclaims.

“You’re a little grumpy,” Astrid interrupts them, mortifying Robin. “Now you can dig and talk at the same time. If we go on like this, we might clear out put six a little ahead of schedule.”

They both quickly apologize and get back to digging as Robin silently mourns how unfair it is that she has to travel so long every day.

Once the break rolls around, she has gotten over the injustice a little, though she is pretty sure she’s never going to get fully over it. Steve won’t be a jerk anymore in her eyes unless he does something big, but she is reminded of their different wealth status again, something that has annoyed her about him in the past.

Which naturally means that Steve is going to surprise her again, since he lives to thwart her expectations for some reason. Because when he sits down next to her to share her sunscreen, since he always forgets, he offers: “You can also stay at the vacation home if you want. It’s not like the height of luxury, but it’s like half an hour by bike from here.”

“What?” Robin asks, unable to have a different reaction from the shock.

Steve blushes a little: “It already has two bedrooms, one is just empty right now, so it’s not like I would have to switch or anything and it’s way more convenient. But you obviously don’t have to, I just thought I’d offer, since I have the space.”

“I- uhm, I appreciate it, Steve, but I- well, I can’t really afford to pay half,” Robin admits, hating that fact, because money and her lack of it has always made her uncomfortable.

“You- you wouldn’t have to,” Steve tells her. “Uhm, I have a trust fund, which is such a douchy rich person thing, I know, but I mean, I don’t care if you don’t pay. I’m paying the same amount anyway. If it bugs you that much, you can help pay for groceries and help clean up so I get my deposit back.”

Unsure why she’s arguing with a bad thing, she says: “You don’t hate having people in your space?”

Steve looks a little pained and Robin is convinced he’s about to take it back, but then he squares his shoulders and replies: “Nah, and it’s just for a few weeks. No biggie.”

Robin considers it for a moment. If you’d asked her if she’d ever consider that offer two weeks ago, she would have called you crazy, but digging in the sun together is a bonding experience, especially when you’re the only two there that don’t speak the language.

Getting to stay in the vacation home would be super convenient. She’d get to sleep in more and not have to deal with public transport at ass o’clock in the morning. On top of that, she’d be able to shower off all the dirt sooner and not have to do all the housework alone.

However, what if she read Steve wrong? What if this is a move he’s pulling on her? She hasn’t known him that long and she thought him a dick before this, is sharing a small vacation home and thus being stuck with him 24/7 a smart move?

But she knows that’s not Steve. She can admit that she was wrong about him. He’s been nothing but nice and he seems to be genuine. If it all sucks, she can always pack up and leave, it’s not like she’s signing a contract.

“If you truly don’t mind me not paying, then that would be really nice, Steve,” she says after a small silence.

A big smile breaks out on Steve’s face, like he’s actually excited about it, but not in a creepy way. It is a bit like a puppy honestly. He says: “Great. I think it would be smart if you brought your bike with you on the train tomorrow and a bag for at least this week, you can always pick something up in the weekend if you forgot.”

“I will, thanks again,” Robin smiles back. Maybe this will be good for her. You know, making a closer connection to someone than ‘I see them around at the faculty’.

“Course,” Steve says, before starting up an inane topic and leading the conversation in a different direction.

The next day, Robin is a little nervous as she goes to work with her bike and big backpack with all her stuff. It’s early enough that the trains aren’t filled to the brim, so people aren’t that annoyed with her taking over the designated biking area in the trains.

She had to go earlier, because she can’t take the bike with her in the bus, so she has to ride her bike from the station instead of being able to take the bus and walk the last part. However, she doesn’t mind that much, since this will be the last super early morning of the dig (she has decided to be optimistic about living with Steve instead of listening to her anxiety. It’s not fool proof, but she pretends it is).

Still, she is still a little nervous when she arrives, fearing that Steve changed his mind or thinks she’s weird for even taking him up on it.

But when she gets there, Steve is also just arriving, giving her a big grin as he calls out: “Like your bike, Buckley, hope you can keep up with me on the way back.”

“I can bike faster than you, Harrington,” Robin yells back, unable to stop her smile. Steve is good at making her not worry, she hasn’t met many people, who can make her stop worrying.

“We’ll see about that,” he says, locking his bike and accompanying her to the shack – or keet as the others keep calling it – so she can put her bag down and have it be safe and locked away for the day.

Despite the moment, Robin feels a little awkward all day, somehow expecting Steve to tell her that of course he doesn’t actually want her there and that she is really weird for accepting it and packing a bag and bringing her bike all the way here.

So, when they finish out the day, locking everything into the shipping container to prevent theft, she hangs back, grabbing her bag slowly, so she won’t have to wait for Steve and be marked as weird and just know she was tricked, because he has already left.

However, that doesn’t happen, he’s happily waiting for her by their bikes, grinning: “Hopefully you’re not such a slow poke on the bike, you still have to out-bike me.”

A weight is lifted off her shoulders at that and she replies: “Don’t get too cocky over there. I’ve been biking to school since I was eleven.” It is not that big a flex, since most of the Dutch students she has met have been biking to school since they were four or five, however Steve is also American, so it might be impressive.

“You might have me there,” Steve agrees, like he didn’t used to be a star player back in high school (Robin knows, she has heard the bragging, though most of that was Tommy, another American student that she has pleasantly avoided for the most part, since he is studying law instead of archaeology).

But she ignores that and gloats more as she gets on her bike, speeding away from the construction site as Steve yells that she’s not playing fair and that they have to go left at the end of the street there.

She’s completely out of breath and only half a meter a head of Steve when she pulls onto the camping.

“Okay, okay, I concede, you bike fast,” Steve says, panting a little, before locking up his bike and chaining it to a tree next to a very small vacation home with a small little terrace.

“I am the reigning bike champion,” Robin exclaims, pretending to receive cheers, before going to lock her bike and get her bag.

Steve has already made his way to the door and is unlocking it, saying: “I have kind of given up on leaving the sand outside, so don’t worry about that. I’m just going to give it a good clean before we leave.”

Robin does like that he said I instead of we, however, she is raised better than that, so she says: “We are going to give it a good clean. I’m tracking way more sand.”

And it’s true. Robin doesn’t know how all the others manage to have a bit of sand on their legs while hers are always covered from the top of her work shoes to the bottom of her cargo short. But they are and she can’t figure out why only hers are when they’re all sitting in sand the whole day.

“Oh, you don’t have to, but thanks,” Steve smiles, before holding the door open for her, a move she would protest, had she not a heavy bag with her.

Steve follows her in and points to the doors as he rattles off: “My bedroom is there, bathroom is here and your room is there. We have a small kitchenette in the living room over there, but it’s so cramped that I usually chill outside. If you dump your stuff, you can have first dibs on the shower.”

She just nods along and thanks him again, not protesting the offer of first dibs, because she always feels gross and sweaty.

What Steve goes and does in that time, she doesn’t know, but she quickly liberates a towel and her shampoo as well as her body wash and a clean set of clothes, before going into the bathroom, which is as tiny as the rest of the vacation home.

The toilet practically touches the shower stall and the sink takes over most of the space outside the shower, so it’s very cramped. However, the water pressure could be worse, so Robin doesn’t complain.

She leaves her shower products on the little shelve in the shower next to Steve’s, a little surprised and curious to see his shower regimen, which is more elaborate than she’d expected out of him. But then again, he’s been surprising her all summer.

Robin finds Steve outside at the table there sans shoes and socks, just soaking in the air it seems. “I am done, shower’s free,” she tells him.

He startles a bit, but plays it off well and disappears into the home to take his shower. While he does that, Robin explores a little more.

As Steve had said, the living room is cramped as fuck. There is a small couch that can’t really hold two people and one counter, sink, oven-microwave and a mini-fridge. Nothing great. But taking a look inside, it does seem that Steve has actual meal ingredients, not microwave ones, which is good, because Robin’s parents have always stressed the importance of eating as much unprocessed and homemade food.

With her exploration done, she makes her way outside after grabbing her laptop. Steve is right, it’s way too nice to try and sit in that living room there.

When Steve is finally done with his shower, Robin is halfway through her daily report. Steve wordlessly joins her outside and opens up his own laptop, starting on his own work and checking the pictures he took that day for reference. Robin has to admit she hadn’t expected Steve to take it this seriously and she feels a bit bad as she realizes how judgmental she had been towards Steve.

That night Steve makes dinner, asking if Robin likes pasta. Robin can be picky about food, but isn’t going to make a fuss, fortunately Steve dissuades her fears as he says: “I am a picky eater, so it’s not going to be a culinary masterpiece. Hope you don’t mind.”

“I’m a picky eater too,” Robin says, a bit softly, because she has been taught to be embarrassed about it, though she feels a bit better about it when Steve deflates in relief and smiles at the comment.

“Twins,” Steve jokes, holding up his hand for a high-five.

Robin has never been the kind of person people want to high-five and she feels like there is a wrong answer as she slaps his hand, mercifully not missing. It feels weird, but nice to be included. Robin is really starting to like Steve. She hopes this whole cohabitation thing works out.

A/N:

It sucks when you don’t do a university internship and then you have to travel pretty far, I got lucky that I was able to borrow a car and I have family all over, but some people I know did camp, but in a tent, not fancy enough for a vacation home lol

#rr writing #stranger things #steve harrington #robin buckley #platonic stobin #stobin #archaeology #archaeologists stobin au #stobin au

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