Star-spawned
A game of tentacles and self-discovery, for 3–5 players
One unearthly night, a ray of colourless light descended from the stars, and under its warping radiance, creatures unlike any the world has ever seen were born. They do not know the world, and they do not know themselves. Unfortunately for the world, they’re quick learners!
What You’ll Need
Star-spawned requires three six-sided dice, a large sheet of blank paper – or, alternatively, a shared spreadsheet or text document – called the Discovery Sheet, and some way of noting the values of each player’s Facets.
Some rules refer to the player to your left or right; if you’re not seated around a table, work out a virtual seating order amongst yourselves before play begins.
Character Creation
Character creation in Star-spawned is undertaken as a group, and consists of two main phases: generating Facets, and assigning Facets.
Generate Facets
Roll a six-sided die twice, reading the first roll as the “tens” place and the second roll as the “ones” place, yielding a number in the range from 11 to 66. Find the corresponding row of the following table, and write down the contents of the first column. Repeat this process for the second and third columns, and arrange the results in order to find the name of a Facet. For example, if you rolled 23, 41, and 31, this would yield a Facet name of “Desmatence”.
Generate a number of Facet names equal to the number of players, and write them on the Discovery Sheet, each in a separate column with plenty of space under it.
11–12. ab | bles | age
13–14. an | cap | and
15–16. bi | cim | ary
21–22. con | dab | ate
23–24. des | dor | dom
25–26. flam | glan | en
31–32. gen | gov | ence
33–34. gro | kin | ess
35–36. jav | lin | ice
41–42. ka | mat | ing
43–44. pur | ned | ion
45–46. re | nil | ity
51–52. sle | nov | le
53–54. sun | quir | ma
55–56. tab | sped | ood
61–62. tri | sib | on
63–64. ven | tin | ous
65–66. war | tog | yle
Assign Facets
Your character begins with a rating of 1 in each Facet generated in the previous step. Distribute a number of additional points equal to the number of players (or, equivalently, equal to the number of Facets). No Facet may have a final value greater than 3. Try to avoid having two characters with the exact same spread of Facets.
Note: at the time that you assign your Facets, you will have no idea what they mean. This is intentional.
Finishing Touches
No human eye may apprehend nor human tongue express what you are. Roll or choose up to three adjectives from the following table to define the impression you leave upon others – your form is otherwise utterly indescribable. Your nameless name likewise cannot be inscribed or uttered; you may amuse yourself by imagining the epithets that will inevitably be bestowed upon you.
11–12. ancient
13–14. bulbous
15–16. cyclopean
21–22. distorted
23–24. enveloping
25–26. fluid
31–32. grasping
33–34. howling
35–36. iridescent
41–42. lurking
43–44. membranous
45–46. nebulous
51–52. oily
53–54. porous
55–56. refulgent
61–62. squamous
63–64. tentacled
65–66. throbbing
Playing the Game
The sole pursuit of Star-spawned is to discover the world, and in so doing, discover yourselves. Play proceeds without a GM: simply describe what do you and ask the group what you see: any other player may answer.
In the course of your explorations, there must come a time when you are not content merely to observe, but find yourself driven to engage in some fashion. When this time comes, you must essay one of your Facets to work your will upon the world. This can be accomplished in one of three ways: Proposing a Hypothesis, Refining a Hypothesis, or Putting Theory into Practice.
Proposing a Hypothesis
Choose a Facet which currently has fewer than three statements written under it on the Discovery Sheet. (Crossed-off statements don’t count for this purpose.) Propose a hypothesis about what that Facet does, in the following form:
“[Facet name] must [up to six words, no more]”
This statement may freely contradict existing statements written under the chosen Facet if you wish; the ways of the star-spawned are ineffable.
Next, roll a number of dice equal to your rating in the chosen Facet, and sum their values. If the sum of the dice is equal to one of the first seven prime numbers – that is, a sum of 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13 or 17 – then your unworldly intuition regarding the Facet’s purpose has led you rightly, and the hypothesis is confirmed; otherwise, it has led you astray: either the Facet is not what you think it is, or you’ve employed it incorrectly, and in both cases the hypothesis is refuted.
Note: the statistically astute may realise that the likelihood of rolling a prime sum decreases as more dice are rolled, from one in two with a single die, to two in five with two dice, to scarcely one in three with three dice. This is as it should be; the powerful are often overconfident!
If the sum of the roll is prime, find the row corresponding to the highest single die on the following table; otherwise, find the row corresponding to the lowest single die. Do not re-roll.
1. Unthinkable ruin
2. Vile ruin
3. Dreary ruin
4. Subtle glory
5. Stark glory
6. Ineffable glory
If you achieve glory, the player to your left describes the outcome of your overture; otherwise, the player to your right does. Their descriptions should bear in mind whether the hypothesis was confirmed or refuted: glory as a result of pursuing a refuted hypothesis is likely to take unexpected forms!
Finally, if the hypothesis was confirmed (i.e., the sum of the roll was prime), write it down near the top of the Discovery Sheet, under the appropriate Facet’s column, then add a question mark to remind yourself that it is, as yet, only a hypothesis. Otherwise, write it near the bottom, and cross it out to remind you that it’s been refuted.
Refining a Hypothesis
Choose an existing statement from the Discovery Sheet that’s followed by at least one question mark. Roll a number of dice equal to your rating in the statement’s associated Facet.
Next, you may – but are not required to – discard a number of dice up to the number of question marks following the chosen statement. (i.e., if there is one question mark, you may discard zero or one dice; if there are two question marks, you may discard zero, one, or two dice.) You may not discard all of the dice that you rolled – at least one must remain.
After making your discards, if any, sum the remaining dice.
If the sum of the dice is prime, your understanding of the Facet is deepened. Read the highest single die as your result, using the table above, and have the appropriate player describe the outcome. Then, add another question mark after the chosen statement.
If the sum of the dice is not prime, something unexpected happens, and your understanding of the Facet is transformed. Read the lowest single die as your result, using the table above, and have the appropriate player describe the outcome. Then, choose one:
Modify the chosen statement on the Discovery Sheet by adding, removing, or changing a single word (observing the overall limit of six words following “must”, of course).
Remove a question mark from the chosen statement.
Finally, if the chosen statement now has three or more question marks next to it, erase them and write a period in their place: the hypothesis is now a theory. Conversely, if the chosen statement now has no question marks next to it at all, cross it off the Discovery Sheet.
Putting Theory into Practice
Choose an existing statement from the Discovery Sheet that’s followed by a period. As you’re falling back on well-understood principles, simply roll dice equal to your rating in the statement’s associated Facet, reading the highest single die as your result.
Concluding the Game
Play concludes when every Facet has at least one statement followed by a period written under it. Take what you’ve learned about yourselves and collectively describe the transformation you wreak upon the world.
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Tell Me Sweet Little Lies Part 26
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | AO3
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"You boys all right?" Hopper calls, after the sound of Chief Powell reading Jason his rights has started to fade.
"Can't complain about the rescue," Eddie calls back.
"Doing a lot better than we'd be without you," Steve agrees.
"All right, just hang tight until I get confirmation that Carver's all settled in the cruiser and on his way to the station," Hopper says.
And Eddie sees the merit in that, really, he does, but Steve had dodged directly answering the question of if he was all right the same as Eddie had, and Eddie needs to see him.
He creeps off in the direction that he'd heard Steve's voice come from, sticking to the growing shadows, until he damn near collides with Steve - who must have had the same idea.
"Eddie," Steve breathes out, grabbing the front of Eddie's shirt and hauling him in for a kiss.
Eddie wraps his arms around him, holding him as close as he can as he kisses him back, every last bit of the terror he'd felt in the last however long coming out in sheer desperation.
"Eddie," Steve murmurs against his lips, his voice a little frantic like he needs to say it but doesn't want to stop kissing him. "Eddie, baby, are you hurt?"
"No," Eddie says, muffled by the fact that he can't stop kissing him, either. "No, I'm okay. Are you?"
Steve doesn't answer right away, kissing him again and again, and Eddie cups the line of his jaw, cradles it in his hand for a moment before he pushes his fingers into Steve's hair, checking for any tender spots.
"Hold up for a minute, let me look," Eddie insists, but he doesn't pull away when Steve stubbornly keeps kissing him.
"Stevie," he whispers, the sound stolen up by Steve's ragged inhale.
"I'm kind of trying not to freak out," Steve admits.
Eddie registers the press of something cold and hard against his chest where Steve's still holding his shirt, the clink of metal when he shifts, and he remembers the handcuffs.
"Fuck," Eddie curses. "What can I do?"
"You're okay, right? He didn't hurt you?"
For a moment, Eddie thinks Steve might be deflecting, but the look on Steve's face tells him no, he's answering Eddie's question just fine - that's what Eddie can do to reassure him.
"He didn't hurt me," Eddie says. "He pushed me a couple of times, and one made me lose my balance, but no damage."
"Let me see-" Steve starts, but Eddie shakes his head.
"Uh-uh. You let me see first, then you can look," he insists.
A tiny smile tugs at the corner of Steve's lips. "I take care of you, you take care of me?"
"Bingo. So no trying to get fresh with me again until I've had a good look, all right handsome?" Eddie teases.
This time, Steve lets him cup his jaw again, peering closely at his face. It's getting dark enough that Eddie can't tell exactly, but nothing looks broken. He's pretty sure he's going to have some bruising, though.
"Okay," Eddie says once he's satisfied - or as satisfied as he's going to get until they're home. "Your turn."
Steve lifts Eddie's shirt up without any preamble, peering at his stomach and chest and running his fingers over his skin. His touch brushes over some of Eddie's soulmate ink, and - oh, fuck, if last time was Steve's hands in his hair and hot water washing away a week's worth of grime, this is molten heat running down his spine, the taste of Steve's tongue in his mouth, the feel of his breath on the back of his neck. Eddie shudders, lips parted in a soft gasp.
"Eddie?" Steve asks.
"Soulmate words," Eddie says.
"Oh," Steve says absently. Then, "Oh."
"Yeah. Fuck, we're doing that again once we're home," Eddie says fervently.
Steve's looking at him again, all warm and happy like he's just had the best experience of his life.
"What?" Eddie asks.
"You said home," Steve replies softly, gently tugging Eddie's shirt down and leaning in to kiss him again.
Oh.
"It is," Eddie says. "With you and Robin, it is."
Steve closes his eyes, forehead pressing against Eddie's. They stay like that, tucked in close to each other, until Hopper's voice calls out and tells them it's safe to come out.
Hopper's got a flashlight on him, and he looks them both over when they emerge, the corners of his mouth dropping down lower and lower when he looks at Steve's face and wrists.
"Hey Chief?" Hopper says into the police issue radio he's got hooked on his belt, as they walk back towards Forest Hills.
"Yeah Hop?" Chief Powell asks.
"Get the handcuff master key out and ready for when we get to the station," Hopper tells him. "And you might want to add unlawful restraint to that list of charges."
Eddie blanches. "Who says we want to go to the station?" he grumbles.
"We can't do it tomorrow?" Steve asks.
"You'll be glad you got it over with," Hopper points out.
Which is probably true, but Eddie isn't going to give him the satisfaction of saying it.
"Got it," Chief Powell's voice comes back over the radio. "Which one of them is it?"
Hopper shoots him and Steve a little look. "Better get ready to hear from Lillian Harrington."
"Ah, shit," Chief Powell mutters. "All right, see you soon."
There's no police cars when they get back to the trailer - just Steve's BMW, still parked out front next to the abandoned boxes of Eddie's things.
"Can you help get those in the trunk?" Steve asks.
Eddie wants to point out that they don't feel all that important right now, but Hopper's already crouching down to pick two of them up, and Steve's awkwardly fishing his keys out of his jeans pocket. And it's - yeah, okay, if they went through all of this on a mission to get Eddie some of his life back, he doesn't want to come back empty handed, either. He picks up the last box, tucking it inside the trunk.
"Found this, too," Hopper comments, setting Steve's bat next to them.
Just the sight of it makes some of the tension leak out from Steve's shoulders.
"Get in," Hopper says. "I'll drive you to the station."
"It's my car!" Steve protests. "I've driven with way worse!"
"That's exactly why you're not driving now," Hopper says.
"That doesn't make any sense," Steve mutters.
"Stevie, if he isn't driving, I am," Eddie tells him. "You want me driving your car in my current state?"
"I know you've done it before, kid," Hopper adds, his voice gentler this time. "You shouldn't have had to then, and you don't have to now."
Steve looks away for a moment. Then he nods, clambering into the backseat of the car. Eddie joins him, sitting as close to him as he dares. Once they're in route - Eddie risks slipping his hand over, palm up. An offering, just in case.
Steve grabs it immediately, lacing their fingers together and holding on tight.
"How come the cops are so scared of your mom?" he asks Steve in a low voice.
There's a little laugh. "My mom's a lawyer. She's mostly a corporate lawyer now, but she was a criminal defense attorney for a while, and she'll still take some cases. She's going to be all over this."
Hopper gives a soft snort of amusement. "She's going to threaten to sue everyone from Powell to the mayor if Carver doesn't get charged the way she wants him to."
"She's a good lawyer," Steve agrees, grinning a little.
Hopper's eyes flick down in the rear view mirror, and Eddie knows he can see him and Steve holding hands. For a moment, his heart jumps into his throat - but Hopper doesn't say anything, just slips his gaze back to the road.
Flo's waiting for them with a set of keys and three steaming mugs of hot chocolate when they get to the station.
Eddie takes the keys before Hopper can, hurriedly unlocking the cuffs from Steve's wrists. Steve sags a little when they're gone, leaning into him for a moment before straightening up to accept his mug of cocoa.
"You can wait in the break room," Flo tells them. "The phone's free if you want to call your mom."
She ushers them in and closes the door.
Steve and Eddie take the threadbare couch, squished together, while Hopper plops down on a folding chair.
The phone's on a table by the couch, and Steve puts it on speaker after he dials.
"Wolfram, Hart, & Harrington, this is Lacey Shepherd speaking."
"Hi Lacey," Steve greets. "Can you connect me to Mrs. Harrington? This is Steven, one of her clients. I'm calling from a police station."
"One moment, please," Lacey says, before some truly terrible music drifts through the phone.
"One of her clients?" Eddie repeats.
Steve gives a little shrug. "She's working. She'll answer for a client."
But not for her son?
Eddie doesn't know why he's surprised, considering everything, but getting hit in the face with it like that is still a bit of a shock.
Fuck, he's going to hug Steve so hard after all of this.
Granted, he was going to do that anyway, because Eddie really wants a hug after this, but still.
The hold music stops.
"Steven?" Mrs. Harrington asks.
"Hi, Mom," Steve says.
"Steven." There's comprehension in her voice now. "What happened?"
"Jason Carver," Steve says. "He ambushed me with a gun when I was walking back to my car, threatened to kill me and my soulmate."
"Just threatened?" There's a sharp alertness in her voice now, and Eddie can hear the scratching of writing.
"He handcuffed me to a railing, took my soulmate out into the woods and shoved them around. Punched me in the face a few times."
"Punched you in the face," she repeats.
"In his defense, I was choking him with the handcuffs he made me put on," Steve adds.
"Steven Everett Harrington," she hisses. "I know you didn't just say that in a room full of cops."
"It's just Hopper," Steve says.
"No cops here now, Lillian," Hopper says.
She sniffs. "Once a cop, always a cop, Jim. You don't talk to cops."
If he wasn't for everything else he knew, Eddie might actually like her.
"What did the Carver boy say to you?" she asks.
"Uh - that he was trying to get justice and remove the curse from Hawkins. He said he believed we could do it. He was upset about Chrissy, and wanted to make us suffer. Something about planning to send people to Hell."
All technically true, and Eddie sure as shit isn't going to volunteer anything that puts Jason Carver in a better light.
"I knew that boy was unstable," she mutters. "The whole police force was wrapped up in looking for some insignificant gutter trash, and they're letting the real threats go around right under their noses."
Right, shit, so much for liking her.
Eddie slouches down, until he sees the anger in Steve's eyes. As nice as it would be to let him say whatever he's going to - Eddie puts a hand on his arm, shaking his head.
"You tell Chief Powell to call me after you're done giving your statement," she says. "If I don't hear from him in less than an hour, he won't like the outcome."
"Yes, Mom," Steve says.
The dial tone rings out in response.
"I don't want her to talk like that about you," Steve says immediately.
"I appreciate it," Eddie says, reaching out to gently brush his fingers against the bruise appearing on Steve's cheek. "But you've taken enough hits for me tonight. You can save swinging at your mom for later."
It wasn't until he said it that he recognizes the feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knows Steve doesn't agree, knows he's made it very clear otherwise, but - part of him can't help but feel like this is his fault, like Steve wouldn't have had to go through tonight if Eddie wasn't his soulmate.
He doesn't say anything, but Steve narrows his eyes anyway.
"You're my soulmate," Steve says. "I don't regret it."
Hopper clears his throat, and Eddie jumps, his hand dropping away.
Fuck, he can't believe he almost forgot he was there.
"Hop," Steve says.
Hopper shakes his head. "He's your soulmate, right? Whatever that means, you got nothing to fear from me."
There's a beat of silence, then, "At least it's better than Mike Wheeler, anyway."
Eddie barks out a startled laugh, clamping one hand over his mouth.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Hopper grumbles. "I'm sending the little shit to you when he gets on my nerves."
It's not long before Chief Powell comes to take their statements. They give him the same spiel that they gave Steve's mom, with a little more detail about how Jason was trying to make Eddie confess.
Chief Powell sighs. "Boy's not saying much in there. I think he finally gets how much trouble he's in. I better go give Judge Ellison a call, then get Lillian on the phone."
He scrubs a hand over his face, then looks at Hopper. "You sure you don't want your job back?"
"Nah," Hopper replies with a grin. "It's all yours."
Steve doesn't put up a protest when Hopper gets into the driver's seat of the Bimmer this time. He just reaches one hand out, and Eddie takes it, giving it a soft squeeze.
"The whole motley crew's probably at your place by now," Hopper warns them as he drives. "Your girl called a code red. The only reason we didn't have the rest of those numbskulls showing up at Forest Hills in a panic is because she'd already called 911, and the police were on their way as soon as they heard Jason Carver and gun. Joyce took the kids and Argyle over to wait with Robin, so I'm sure the rest of them are there too."
Sure enough, the Wheelers' station wagon, Argyle's van, the Byers' car, and his uncle's truck are all parked outside when they get there.
Part of him thinks so much for getting to kiss Steve senseless, but the bigger part is touched that they're all here like this. He sneaks a glance over at Steve, sees a slightly stunned smile, and gives his hand another squeeze.
Hopper walks in first, mostly so he can fend off the immediate rush at the door.
Robin's the only one that gets past him, flinging herself at both of them and hugging them.
"I'm okay, Robs, we're okay," Steve whispers into her hair.
She hugs them tighter.
Then she steps back. His uncle is in her place immediately, folding Eddie up in his arms - and then hauling Steve in to hug him, too.
"I'm okay, we're okay," Eddie says.
Finally, his uncle lets go, too, letting the crowd get a better look at them.
"What happened?" Dustin demands. "Robin said Jason locked Steve up and dragged Eddie off somewhere!"
"Handcuffed," Steve says. "But I got free."
"Handcuffed?" Erica repeats flatly, shoving her way to the front of the group.
She looks him and Steve up and down. Eddie can see the way the fire in her eyes burns hotter and hotter as she lingers over the welts around Steve's wrists, the bruises on his face, the dirt and blood on Eddie's own hands. He hadn't noticed that before now, but he must have ripped at the edges of a couple of his fingernails, digging his hands into the ground like that.
Then Erica turns on her heel. "I'm going to call Tina."
"Tina?" Eddie asks, confused.
"She's the biggest gossip at Hawkins Middle," Erica replies. "Jason Carver is a ruined man."
"He's already in jail!" Steve calls.
"Yeah, and when I'm done with him, everyone will know what a psychopath he is!" Erica shouts back as she slams the door to the study down the hall.
Nancy makes this little giggling snort sound - the same one he heard her make when he was in the hospital, what feels like forever ago.
Apparently it was a good sound, because she's smiling.
"She's going to be a terror when she gets to high school," Robin says fondly.
"Yeah," Steve agrees. "I'm so proud of her."
"Ugh," Lucas groans.
"Luckily, she's got better friends than I did, to keep her grounded," Steve adds, looking out over all of them.
Joyce worms her way to the front, looking both of them up and down just like Erica.
And just like Erica, there's a ferocity to her as she takes them in, though hers burns cooler.
"Oh, honey," she murmurs. "Come on, let me look at you in the kitchen."
There's a moment of silence, then she looks at them.
"Both of you, now," she orders.
Well, not that much cooler.
"Hopper, will you order pizza for everyone? I know it's late, but I'm sure we could use it," she calls back as she ushers them into the kitchen.
She points them both to the kitchen table, and what the hell else is Eddie going to do but obediently sit? She digs into the freezer, gets out an ice pack and wraps it in a towel, then gently places it over Steve's eye and cheek.
"Hold it there for a little while," she tells him.
Then she wets another towel and comes over to Eddie, taking his hands in hers and gently cleaning them up. She looks at him with such softness and warmth when her eyes catch his that, horrifyingly, he feels his chin quiver a little, and he has to look away.
"I haven't gotten to tell you," she says quietly. "It was a very brave thing you did, helping fight against One."
"It doesn't feel like it," he finds himself admitting.
She hums softly. "Because you were scared?"
"Terrified," he agrees. "But because I didn't do enough."
She makes a tsk noise, wiping away the last of the grime and wrapping a bandaid around the tip of his finger, where a drop of blood had sprung up. "You're here. That's more than enough."
Jesus Christ, he's not going to cry, he's not.
She takes pity on him, patting his hand one more time and then going to check on Steve.
"That goes for you, too," she tells him as she lifts up the ice pack to take a peek, then puts it back down. "You think I haven't noticed that it's always you?"
"They're kids," Steve protests softly.
"So are you," she tells him, in the kind of tone that manages to be both gentle and leave no room for argument. "And you are worth more than how much damage you can take for them."
"Okay," Steve says, one hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
She tsks at him, then gently cleans the dirt off of his face and hands.
"There's juice and stuff in the fridge for everyone," he says.
"You're a sweetheart," she tells him.
Eddie snorts before he can stop himself.
She raises an eyebrow at him. "You have an opinion on that, Edward Munson?"
Shit.
"No ma'am," he says quickly, even though he knows it's a lie.
Steve drops the ice pack away from his face, grinning. He looks - a little punch drunk, a little like how he'd light up so high every time the house is filled with people. "That was a lie," he stage whispers to Joyce. "He definitely has an opinion."
She tries to hide her smile. "Oh? Enlighten us."
Eddie groans. "Look, I love Steve, okay, he's the kindest, bravest, best guy I know, but he's way too much of a bitch to be a sweetheart."
Steve cackles, head tilting back as he laughs.
Joyce has one hand over her mouth, her eyes wide and glistening with what looks like unshed tears. Eddie frowns, tries to think back to what he said - fuck, he'd said love, okay, but everyone knows Steve's his soulmate now, and he hadn't said what kind, so there's no way she'd assume -
She reaches out, takes one of their hands in each of hers. "Will you boys come to dinner on Sunday?"
Steve's brows furrow in confusion. "Well, yeah, of course."
"Good. Will and El missed you," she tells Steve, then nods at Eddie. "And I think Will's unsure about it, but I know he'd like to be in that club of yours. I think having you around, together, will be nice."
Oh.
Oh.
"Of course, Mrs. B," Eddie says, exchanging a look with Steve.
She squeezes both of their hands, smiling softly at them a moment longer. "Are you ready to go back out and face the questions?"
They are, and they do.
Eddie takes over, dropping into DM mode to spin the story of what happened into something a little more colorful, a little less scary - and manages to cut his poetic waxing about Steve ripping the railing off and choking Jason while handcuffed short when Robin pointedly nudges him.
He's just about done when Erica emerges, looking very satisfied with herself.
"The whole school knows all the details of what a creep Jason is now," she says. "Both schools, by morning."
Steve picks her up, twirling her around.
She shrieks.
"Steven Everett Harrington, you put me down!" she shouts at him, kicking her feet.
Eddie notices she doesn't actually do anything to try to get him to let her go, and her shrieking is definitely the more gleeful variety, but he doesn't point it out for fear of the verbal dressing down he'd get.
She flips her hair when he finally sets her down, loudly commenting, "Ugh!" as she storms off to the couch.
"Me next," El requests, holding her arms out to him.
Steve immediately picks her up, smiling wide and playful as he spins her around to the sounds of her delighted laughter.
When he sets her down, he turns to Max - who was apparently waiting for that, and promptly throws a couch pillow at him.
"Don't you dare! What, just because I'm a girl! How sexist is that, why don't you try to twirl one of the guys?" she demands.
Steve tilts his head like he's considering that. "Okay," he agrees.
Eddie expects him to chase down Dustin or Lucas - but instead, the next thing he knows there's a pair of arms around his waist and Steve is hauling him up to twirl him around.
He cackles, draping his arms over Steve's neck and tipping his head back. "Come on, Harrington, put those muscles to use and twirl me faster," he teases.
Steve spins him around again, then sets him down, beaming at him.
Joyce whacks him on the shoulder.
"Quit that," she scolds. "You should both be resting. Go, on the couch, the both of you."
"How does Erica even know your middle name?" Eddie asks Steve once they're settled on the couch, after Uncle Wayne, Hopper, and Joyce have gone back into the kitchen.
"I know everything," Erica replies smugly.
Dustin scoffs. "Sir Everett is Steve's paladin. She only knows because he told us when we played."
In his indignation, he says it loud enough for the whole room to hear, and Lucas, Mike, and Will's heads immediately swivel over to look at them.
There's a moment of silence, as Dustin seems to realize what he just said. His eyes widen, gaze cutting over to Steve.
"You told!" Erica shouts delightedly. "Shotgun privileges revoked for a year!"
"You played with my sister?" Lucas asks, sounding betrayed.
"What the hell!" Mike agrees. "He was our friend first!"
Steve raises one eyebrow at him.
"You were!" Mike insists. "We even made you a part of the Party and gave you a walkie everything!"
"You sure that wasn't just to con your way into free movies last summer?" Steve teases, hands on his hips.
"Steve," Lucas protests.
"I think we're forgetting that Dustin knew about this," Will points out.
"Will, come on!" Dustin whines.
"All right, how about this," Steve says. "Will, when are you running one again?"
Will looks thrown. "Me?"
"Yeah, you," Steve says.
"Oh, I, uh. I don't know." Will's gaze cuts over to Eddie, then skitters away so quickly he's not completely sure it happened.
Yeah, looks like Joyce was right about him being uncertain. Eddie remembers Steve saying that Will was leaving his party behind and didn't want anything to play for a present, but his friends clearly hadn't done the same. Eddie can see how that'd cause some conflicting feelings.
"I've heard a lot about you," Eddie chimes in.
He feels Steve tense briefly next to him, then relax when it's clear Eddie isn't lying.
"What?" Will asks, looking back at him.
"Oh, yeah. Not to my face, of course, before spring break these little shits were terrified of me - and I already mourn the loss - but I heard them talking." He clears his throat, making his voice all high and squeaky. "'Can you believe that? Will never would have done that! Will would have given him a whole backstory! Will's introduction was ten times more interesting!'"
All right, maybe he's playing it up a bit - but he had overheard them talking about the differences in his and Will's styles a few times, and there were times that they liked Will's better.
"I wasn't the only one who DMed, though, Mike used to do it, too," Will says, face a little pink.
"Yeah, but you're way better," Mike says earnestly. "Remember how long my last couple of campaigns took me to plan and how quick we finished them?"
"Tell you what," Steve says. "You both work up one together, and Eddie, Robin, and I will play."
Jesus Christ, it's like Christmas came early.
Eddie cackles. "Just wait, boys, you haven't seen me as a player yet."
"Why am I roped into this now?" Robin protests, but it's the tone of voice she uses when she's going to do it, she just wants to bitch.
"We'll all play," Jonathan cuts in, glancing over at Nancy and Argyle. "Right, guys?"
"Oh, for sure. Bring it on, little dudes," Argyle agrees.
"Fine," Nancy says, rolling her eyes, but she's smiling. "I'm not dressing up, though."
"Dress up?" Eddie repeats, pouncing on it immediately.
"No!" Nancy retorts immediately.
Eddie wriggles, twisting so he can peer at her from over Robin's shoulder, eyes wide and beseeching. "Come on, Wheeler," he whines.
She glares at him, managing to hold it for a few seconds before she caves. "Fine! Remember this when it comes time for your study sessions."
Shit, that's right.
…eh, worth it.
"Dress up?" El repeats.
"Yeah, but boring dress up, not fun dress up like at the mall," Max says.
Eddie clutches his heart. "Mayfield. Don't you want to be a maiden fair? A tiefling princess?"
Max narrows her eyes at him.
El squeezes Max's hand.
"If I get a mace," Max says. "And I get to hit Munson with it at some point. I'll consider it."
"Deal!" Eddie immediately agrees.
He's pretty sure she means her character, and he can sacrifice a few hit points.
…she definitely means her character, right?
Eh, still worth it.
"Wait, there's costumes now?" Steve asks.
Eddie drops himself back over Steve. "Don't worry, I've got you covered."
Steve pulls a face. "Great," he mutters, voice dripping with sarcasm.
Mike and Will, who'd bowed their heads together to have a quick, fervent discussion, separate to look back up at the group.
"Okay," Will says. "We'll let you know when we've got it worked out."
The pizza arrives not long after, and even though he, Steve, and Robin already put away one earlier - that feels like forever ago, and he still devours a few more slices.
Eddie kind of expects some of them to go home at some point that night, but they never do.
Uncle Wayne takes the guest room that Steve told him he could have, and Joyce and Hopper end up in the other one. The rest of them all crash out in the living room, on couches and chairs and in sleeping bags.
No one bats an eye when he, Steve, and Robin tangle themselves up in each other.
Eddie falls asleep surrounded by his family, and thinks - there's no better feeling in the whole damn world.
Just one more part left, and then this will finally be wrapped up!
-----
Part 27
Tag list (always happy to add more for the last bit!): @vampireinthesun @koibug @estrellami-1 @mentalcyborg @allbimyself26 @questionablequeeries @the-s-is-silent @whimsicalwitchm @a-gae-af-racoon @tinyplanet95 @n0-1-important @velocitytimes2 @swimmingbirdrunningrock @newtstabber @jcmadgirl @roblingoblin285 @lexyvey @paperbackribs @goodolefashionedloverboi @evix-syne666 @raisedbylibrarians @stxrcrossed186 @nightmareglitter @greekgeek24 @starman-jpg @crazyhatlady86 @imfinereallyy @manda-panda-monium @deleataecount @prideandsensibility @chaoticvictorianspirit @maydillydally @disrespectedgoatman @scarlet-malfoy @i-less-than-three-you @hbyrde36 @hallucinatedjosten @dragonsandgayships @arepaconchocolate @g4ys0n @novelnovella @bisexualdisastersworld @ghostofyourvampiregf @scarletyeager @pettrichore @nerd-and-nervous @hiimlevi @queenie-ofthe-void @cinnamon-mushroomabomination
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