I So Badly Want One Of Those Fic Examinations Of Steve's Relationship With Joyce And Hopper But Solely

i so badly want one of those fic examinations of steve's relationship with joyce and hopper but solely through eddie's pov like hear me out

steve and eddie chat a lot in the upside down (and later in the hospital, when they learn hop is alive). steve has taken charge of filling eddie in on the rest of their of-age crew without the kids butting in. he never mentions his own parents, but he talks about the rest of the party's a lot, especially joyce and hopper. eddie knows what it's like to desperately want someone to be your parent and trying to hide it from his own childhood, when he would try to be cool about wayne dropping him off at his dad's house. steve obviously adores joyce and hopper, thinks the world of them and legitimately looks up to them.

eddie isn't sure what he expects from a cop who came back to life and the world's most determined housewife, but he's excited to meet them as someone steve loves.

cue eddie's horror when he realizes that neither of them really feel much for steve rather than annoyance and vague distrust. that joyce trusts will with eddie, an accused murderer, in a heartbeat and still hesitates to leave him with steve. that hopper brushes off every ounce of steve's hero worship and joy.

he tries to broach the topic with steve, gently, and is heartbroken when steve genuinely has no idea what he's talking about. and not because he's oblivious, but because steve thinks that's what he deserves. he thinks that's the parental love that someone who was an asshole in high school needs, because that's what would make him a good person. he needs people to call him out constantly, obviously, because why else would they keep doing it? why would nancy? at least they're here. at least they're not ignoring him. at least they're not forcing him into a box. they just want him to be better.

like, this is the man who thanked a girl for calling him bullshit and telling him she never loved him. he doesn't Know that's not how you're supposed to handle things. no one ever taught him that.

and now eddie's gotta figure out how he can teach steve how to be loved the right way without outing himself and his huge crush on his love-starved dork of a friend.

I wanna show this man Will Wood and watch him be politely terrified and confused

"Sooo..."

"Oh, god," Steve gusts, already rolling his eyes. "What now?"

Eddie, the bastard, just grins. Steve hates how smug he looks right now. It's practically nauseating, the way his smile curves up like an evil cartoon character, his dimples cutting deep into the softness of his cheeks. For all of the things Eddie does to make himself look scary and mean, Steve can only see the boyish roundness of his face and the brattiness in his big, stupid eyes, and it's all annoying.

It makes Steve want to bite him, but last time he did that, Eddie had complained for a solid week, even though he bites Steve all the time.

"Sooo," Eddie drawls again, grinning with all his teeth on display like some stupid shark. "A little birdie told me—"

"I'll kill Robin dead. I'll shave her fucking eyebrows off."

"A little birdie TOLD ME," Eddie shouts over him, practically singing now. "That you said that I was the best thing to ever happen to you."

"I'll shave her whole damn head."

"Oh, baby," Eddie swoons, theatrical and awful, his smile a mile wide. He's so goddamn annoying. "You looove meee."

"I hate you, actually."

"Sweetheart, baby, darling, love of my life," Eddie says, draping himself over Steve's back, pressing his cheek to Steve's and rubbing their faces together like a fucking dog. "You're a terrible liar. Because you really, really looove meee."

"Shut up."

"I'm the best thing that has ever happened to youuu," Eddie sings into Steve's ear, hot breath on Steve's neck, and Steve's back straightens at the feeling. He can feel the rush of blood on his face. Eddie is so goddamn annoying!

"Shut up, Ed, I swear—"

"Because, you love meee—"

Steve gives into the impulse, turns his head into Eddie's and bites the first thing he can get his teeth around, which happens to be Eddie's cheek. Eddie squawks and digs his fingers into Steve's sides, which makes Steve yelp because it tickles.

Fifteen minutes later when Robin walks through the front door, they're still wrestling on the couch, tickling and giggling and cussing each other out. They don't notice her at all, not even when she turns right back around and leaves.

I love him and his awkwardness sososososo much he’s my baby I must protect him 🥹

chocolate chip cookie ♡

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