Steddie - Tumblr Posts

Chapters: 17/? Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Major Character Death Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley, Wayne Munson Additional Tags: Steve Harrington Has a Crush on Eddie Munson, Canonical Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Bisexual Eddie Munson Summary:

Decided to do a Steddie one shot. Might do more, requests are open if you'd like me to make one for you

(Inspired by Another Life by Motionless In White)

Another Life

1986. Steve discovers he's bisexual. Falls head over heels in love with Eddie Munson. They never make it to a kiss or confessions. Because Eddie dies. But Steve vows, that he'll meet Eddie again. In another life. He'll find Eddie again. In another life. Steve dies two years later fighting Vecna. 

In 1990 Steve is reborn. Born to two lovely supporting parents in New York and they name him Alex. But by the time Alex is old enough to start remembering things, memories flood back. He remembers Hawkins. He remembers the 80's. He remembers his life. He remembers the Upside Down. And most of all. He remembers Eddie.

By the age of ten Alex came out to his parents as bisexual. The Harringtons had been homophobic. But Alex's parents were loving. Supportive. Accepting. In the year 2010 Alex is 20 years old. He's spent his life, searching and searching for Eddie. A new life.

Finally on a slow Thursday afternoon he spots it. A tattoo parlor called Aces and Spades. What caught his attention was the person in the window. Alex looked slightly different, but mostly the same as when he was Steve. He still loved his hair just as much, though it was a lighter color, blondish brown. His eyes were more amber gold than anything, but the rest of him remained the same.

And standing at the counter inside the tattoo parlor was a man that had plagued Alex's dreams his whole life. He looked exactly the same. Same wild brown curls down to his shoulders. Same beautidul vibrant chocolate brown eyes. Same style in fashion, though this man added eyeliner and black nail polish.

Alex's heart leapt to his throat. He'd vowed in his previous life to fond Eddie in the next one. And he had. The shop didn't seem to have any customers and immediately he knee what to do. He was going to get a tattoo. He prayed that Eddie remembered just like Alex do. Taking a deep breath Alex opened the door and stepped inside.

And the second Eddie's head lofted and that beautiful smile appeared, the wind was knocked out of him. He was just as beautiful as Alex remembered. This Eddie had much more tattoos and different tattoos than the previous life's Eddie, but he still looked gorgeous. Eddie stuck out his hand. 

"Hi, I'm Jayden. What can I do for you?"

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Alex shook Jayden's hand.

"I'm Alex. Um. I was. Wanting to get a tattoo."

There was no recognition on Jayden's face, just a kind smile that lit up when Alex said he wanted a tattoo.

"Sure thing, you have an idea?"

"Oh, yeah."

Together the two of them worked out what Alex wanted and Jayden drew it up. Then Alex was sitting in a chair with his shirt off. Jayden shaved half his chest so the tattoo could go right above Alex's heart. The two chatted throughout the long session, easy conversation. And Jayden was much the same as he had been when he was Eddie.

"So. The 80's look," Alex says.

Jayden's face lit up.

"Oh yeah! I really like the look. My dad was a big 80's metalhead fan so I kinda grew up with it."

Alex couldn't help but smile.

"It suits you."

Alex kept throwing out hints of their previous life, hoping Jayden remembered something. But nothing came of it. When Jayden finished the tattoo it was beautiful. Exactly what Alex wanted. Eddie's Warlock guitar crossed with Steve's nail bat.

He hoped the tattoo would stir something. And now that Jayden was actually looking at the finished tattoo, he was frowning.

"These look familiar. Don't know why, but they do."

Alex sucked in a breath.

"You don't remember your previous life, do you?"

Jayden's eyes lifted to meet Alex's, his eyebrows shooting up.

"I don't think anybody remembers their previous life."

"I remember mine. I was born in 1966. Lived in Hawkins Indiana. Rich parents who were. Pretty shitty actually. I played basketball and baseball, was on the swim team. And after high school. I met you. I mean previous life you. This," Alex says tapping on the Warlock guitar tattooed on his chest.

"Was your guitar. You were in a metal band, Corroded Coffin. A year older than me, but still in high school. And the nail bat was mine. Because we fought against an alternate dimension, supernatural creatures in 1986. That was. That was the year you died. And I died two years later. Fighting the same thing."

Jayden was staring at him now, blinking and trying to process this information.

"I. This sounds. It sounds crazy."

"I know. I know it doesn't make sense, but I remember. I remember everything. I remember vowing. That I would find you in another life. The next life. And maybe that vow is why I remember that life, I don't know."

Jayden's eyes were wide, mouth opening and closing.

"How do you know it was me? I mean in this life, how do you know it's me?"

"You look the same. Nothing about you has changed. Maybe your life and your family, but your soul. Your soul has remained the same, who you are has remained the same. What you look like has remained the same."

Jayden blinked again. 

"If all of this is true. Why. Why would you make a vow like that, I mean what was I to you?"

Alex's mouth went dry.

"We never got the chance to figure that out. We never got the chance to talk about it. We were dealing with bigger things, scarier things. But I. Jesus, I fell in love with you. And I never got to tell you and then you. You died. So I vowed that in another life I would find you again."

Jayden sucked in another breath.

"How am I supposed to believe any of this?"

"I don't know. And even if you never do. I just. At least I got to tell you this time. What you mean to me."

Alex could tell Jayden needed time so they awkwardly finished up, Alex paid, left his address and phone number just in case. And then left.

Over the next week Jayden took time off and started doing as much research as he could. He searched Hawkins Indiana 1986, pulled up as many articles as he could find. And then obituaries. He found Steve Harrington's from 1989. And then he found Eddie Munson's from 1986. 

He had been branded a murderer, accused of killing three high school students and had gone missing and was presumed dead in an earthquake. Seeing the picture of Steve Harrington had already had him questioning if all of this was real because he looked almost exactly like Alex.

And then he saw Eddie Munson's picture from his Hellfire Club group in the yearbook. And Jayden looked just like Eddie. And then visions flooded Jayden's mind. Vivid ones. Chrissy's death. Meeting Steve. Patrick's death. The Upside Down. The bats. Shredding Metallica's Master Of Puppets. Bats tearing at his flesh.

Memories. Jayden gasped and rubbed his head which was now starting to hurt. He remembered. He remembered it all. He scrambled off his chair, searching frantically for Alex's address, because calling him just wouldn't do. Once he found it, he got in his car and drove to Alex's apartment.

Alex was eating a frozen dinner and watching a rerun of Friends when he heard frantic knocking on his door. Frowning he got up and went to the door, swinging it open. Jayden was there, eyes wide and breathing heavily.

"I remember. Steve. I remember."

Alex blinked a few times.

"Eddie?"

Jayden surged forward then, mouths crashing together and hands cupping Alex's cheeks. It was a hungry and desperate kiss, mouths and tongues tangling as Alex pulled him in, kicking the door shut behind them. They kissed until they could barely breathe and finally they pulled away.

"You remember?"

"I remember it all. God, why did I tell you to make him pay instead of fucking kissing you?"

Alex started crying then. Because Jayden did remember. He held Jayden tighter. 

"God, why didn't I kiss you? I knew that wasn't what you really wanted to say, I knew there was something else there."

"Neither of us expected it to be the last time we would see each other. But Steve you found me. In another life, you fucking found me."

"I was always looking. Always looking, and I never gave up. I would spend this entire life looking for you if I had to."

"God I love you so fucking much."

"I love you too Eddie. In our previous life. In this life. In the next one. In every life."

Chapters: 18/? Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Major Character Death Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley, Wayne Munson Additional Tags: Steve Harrington Has a Crush on Eddie Munson, Canonical Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Bisexual Eddie Munson Summary:

Soulmate Part Two

Steve couldn't get enough of looking at his soulmate tattoo. It was always strange to see the black ink on his otherwise pale and empty skin. But then he would brush his fingers over it and it would hit him. A soulmate. Someone completely meant for him. And he was completely meant for someone. But not just someone. Eddie Munson.

He'd told Robin the second he'd had a chance and she'd been shocked. No one would've ever seen the two of them being paired together. But in hindsight, they weren't so different. Steve did get to know Eddie. They would spend nights down at the quarry watching the stars while they smoked and talked.

They would spend free afternoons at Eddie's or Steve's, watching movies and ordering pizza and drinking beer. Eddie had opened up about his past. A loving mother who had passed when he was six. A father who was in and out of his life, sometimes gone for years at a time. Only ever coming back to rope Eddie into illegal activities and bail.

The last time Eddie had seen or spoken to his father was when he was 18. He'd had a shot at a record deal in LA and his father had roped him into a robbery. Stealing 20 pounds of weed and selling it to Reefer Rick for $15,000 so he could go to LA. But his father had lied to him, used him, manipulated him. 

The people they'd stolen from had been old coworkers of his father's, having worked for a drug kingpin. They'd figured out who had stolen from them, almost shot Eddie, burned down the Munson house and shot Officer Callahan. And Eddie, ever the sweet boy, had tried to help save Officer Callahan. 

His father knew Eddie would get arrested and tried to convince Eddie to leave, to go to LA. Eddie had refused so his father had bailed. And yes, Eddie had been arrested. For nothing more than being arrested, because nobody knew about the robbery he'd pulled off.

There were more details to the story. He'd had a girlfriend who was a scout for the record label in LA and had gotten Eddie the audition. He was supposed to move in with her in LA. He'd quit his job as a bartender at the Hideout. Principle Higgins had called him a rotten apple infecting others and blackmailed him to drop out.

His girlfriend had called him an asshole, broken up with him while he was in jail when he told her he couldn't make the audition then bailed him out. From there, no one would hire Eddie. He'd moved in with his Uncle Wayne and they were drowning in bills. So he'd turned to the only thing he could do. Selling drugs for Reefer Rick.

He'd blackmailed Principle Higgins into letting him go back to school and keep his Hellfire Club open. No, they weren't so different. Two broken boys with a shitty home life, shitty parents. Because Eddie had raised himself, lived alone from the time he was eight.

Eddie wasn't what people made him out to be. He wasn't a Freak. He wasn't a Satanist or a Devil Worshipper. He was a man with passions. He loved music, even if it was different from Steve's taste. Steve could appreciate Eddie's music because of what it did for him emotionally. He was a nerd, he loved fantasy. And Steve had a new appreciation for those things.

Because everything Eddie did, was beautiful. Steve had started going to Corroded Coffin's shows, he'd started sitting in on Hellfire sessions. And he got to see how truly happy Eddie was during those times. And Eddie got to know Steve. Parents who were never around, had started leaving Steve alone for long periods of time when he was ten.

Parents who would absolutely be homophobic. Parents who expected Steve to be perfect, unrealistic expectations of Steve. Steve loved sports because it helped him clear his head. And while neither of them understood each others passions, both made an effort to learn. Steve loved the kids because he loved helping others.

After years of being told he was useless, he loved feeling useful. The boys balanced each other out beautifully. And they both loved hard. They were perfect for each other and the universe knew that. It was why they were bound as soulmates.

As they grew closer, they fell for each other. Eddie fell first, hard and fast. But Steve fell harder. Their first kiss was on top of Eddie's trailer, looking up at the stars. The first time they made love was when Steve's parents had come home and ridiculed him for his soulmate tattoo. They'd all but announced their homophobia and their views on Eddie. 

And Steve had finally put his foot down, fought back. Defended Eddie and their connection. He'd disowned his parents, packed his bags and moved to the trailer where they made love. The first time they said I love you was on their third official date.

A picnic in the woods by Lover's Lake where they'd cuddled together, had a fire, Eddie had played his acoustic guitar and they'd gone skinny dipping in the water. It was saying I Love You that gave Steve the strength to come out. To no longer hide his sexuality with anyone. Not his friends, not Hawkins. He came out to the whole town and proudly showed off that Eddie was his soulmate.

And Steve and Eddie were the happiest they'd ever been in their lives. Two broken boys who needed love. Two souls intertwined for all of eternity. Two people the universe had deemed worthy of eternal love. Because soulmates were bound together until the end of time.

Their souls would find each other in every life. Their love would withstand any and every storm. They were meant to be. Had been soulmates in their previous lives and were soulmates in this life. The world was finally going to be ready for them. Starting with this life.

Chapters: 19/? Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Major Character Death Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley, Wayne Munson Additional Tags: Steve Harrington Has a Crush on Eddie Munson, Canonical Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Bisexual Eddie Munson Summary:

Decided to do a Steddie one shot. Might do more, requests are open if you'd like me to make one for you

Second Chance

1989. It had been two years since Eddie had died in the Upside Down. In those two years Steve had taken the time to figure out why Eddie's death had hit him so hard. He'd fallen in love with him. He was always upkeeping Eddie's grave, removing vandalism, laying down fresh flowers and sitting there for hours on end, just to imagine that he could feel Eddie's presence.

But things were changing again. Steve could feel it in his bones, in his soul. Vecna was rising again. Nancy's visions were going to come true. It was just a gut feeling. And then one of them did. It was a town wide panic. The Upside Down pouring into Hawkins.

Demobats, Demodogs, Demogorgons, other monsters, Vecna himself. Pouring out of four giant gates that had split Hawkins open. Most of Hawkins ran screaming for the hills, tried to evacuate. Some were not successful. But Steve was right in the thick of it with his trusty nail bat, along with Joyce, Hopper, Murry, Johnathon, Nancy, Robin, Dustin, Mike, El, Lucas, Erica and Max, who had thankfully woken up from her coma.

She was blind but she moved better than anyone with her other senses heightened. Steve was swinging his way through a group of Demodogs when he saw it. Eddie. He was climbing his way up through one of the gates. He looked normal, aside from his torn, blood and dirt covered clothing, the outfit he'd died in. But his eyes were not his beautiful vibrant chocolate brown. They were blood red. 

There was no recognition on Eddie's face, just pure hunger. And then fangs, right where his canines should be. Despite looking the same, he was stronger, faster. Sinking fangs into flesh, blood spurting out, drinking it down like a man starved. This definitely wouldn't help his false murder accusations. And Steve was stock still, the breath leaving his lungs.

His heart was pounding in his chest as he watched Eddie drain a body and then let go, letting it collapse to the ground. Fresh blood was smeared across his chin, trickling down the corners of his lips. It was like he was in slow motion as he turned to face Steve, blood red eyes locking on his whiskey colored ones. No recognition.

Eddie looked properly dangerous now. Gone was the sweet, funny childlike man. In his place stood a dangerous predator, locking onto its next meal. For a moment the two had a stare down. And then Eddie was lunging forward, teeth bared, fangs glistening with blood and an animalistic growl ripping from his throat.

Steve was frozen until Eddie moved, and on sheer instict he brought up his bat to block Eddie's body from colliding with his. Blood streaked lips were curled into a snarl as they wrestled with the bat until Eddie managed to rip it away, tossing it out of reach. Eddie was circling him now. Stalking his pray.

And then he lunged forward again, tackling Steve to the ground. The weight of his body pressed down on him, hands pinning him to the ground and teeth gnashing together, desperately trying to reach Steve's throat. Steve was just as desperate, grunts escaping and arm thrown out to try and reach his bat, lying just out of reach. 

If he could just stretch his arm a little further the bat would brush against his fingertips. The other arm was pressed up against Eddie's chest to hold him off, but Eddie was strong. Steve was growing weaker while Eddie wasn't wearing out at all. Tears stung the corner of Steve's eyes.

"Eddie please. Please it's me, it's Steve. You have to remember."

Still no recognition. Finally he managed to grab the bat, bringing the base to slam against Eddie's ribs. Once. Twice. Three times. Eddie's grip loosened, and it was just enough for Steve to get his knee up, right in the groin. A howl escaped from Eddie as he finally let go. Dropping the bat, Steve shifted them, one swift movement and now his body had Eddie pinned to the ground.

"Eddie come on, it's me! It's Steve!" He shouted, grabbing Eddie by the shoulders and shaking him.

He kept yelling for Eddie to remember, kept shaking him, tears blurring his vision but nothing was working. In a last desperate attempt, Steve did the only thing he could think of. He kissed Eddie. Mouth crashing down, lips and teeth colliding, tongue tasting the copper of blood and the plush softness of Eddie's lips.

It was a desperate and needy kiss, and it clearly did something because Eddie stopped thrashing. He went still, but Steve didn't care. He kissed Eddie until he had to come up for air. Chest heaving, he brushed away his tears, his own mouth now smeared with blood. And Eddie was staring at him.

No more uncontrollable hunger, just wide eyes, lips parted and panting. Then finally he spoke, voice cracked and shaky.

"Steve?"

Steve wasn't sure who moved first, but they were kissing again, just as needy, just as hungry as the first kiss, hands tangled in hair, soft sobs of relief escaping Steve between kisses.

"Steve. Baby."

Steve pulled back, trembling slightly.

"Fuck I'm so sorry. I could've killed you, shit I have killed people, my god I'm gonna end up in jail, death penalty..."

"Shhh, shhh," Steve hushed him, a gentle kiss to his lips.

"It's ok. It's gonna be ok. We're gonna win this time. And um. Fairly certain we can tell the truth now without fear of being called crazy. It's gonna be ok, it's all gonna be ok. We'll figure it out."

"I'm scared Steve. About all of this."

"I know. But I'll be with you through all of it. It'll be ok. You're gonna get your second chance. I promise."

"Second chance."

"Yeah. Second chance."

They were in their own little bubble, battle raging around them, but neither cared. Right now, all they needed was each other. An unspoken promise that they were going to get through it. All of it. Together.

Chapters: 10/10 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington's Parents, Dustin Henderson, Robin Buckley, Nancy Wheeler, Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair Summary:

Forbidden Love is now its own book on AO3. Don't worry, I have more stuff coming

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley, Vecna (Stranger Things) Summary:

One of my readers suggested I turn this one shot into a short little fic and I loved the idea, so here it is

Chapter One

1986. The Upside Down. They'd taken down Vecna but the clock had chimed four times. Max had died. The ground had rumbled, the giant gates had opened into Hawkins. Somehow Max had come back and was in a coma, probably blind and had broken legs and broken arms. And Eddie. Steve had found Dustin sobbing and holding Eddie's limp body in his lap, the swarm of bats dead all around them.

That moment had mixed feelings for Steve. He wasn't sure what to think about those feelings. Intense grief that he didn't understand, he'd barely known the guy. He'd felt the world stop spinning, he'd lost all sight of everything except Eddie. He didn't cry, though he wanted to. Instead he let anger flow through his veins.

Yes he had only known Eddie for about a week, but he had been charming and sweet and had been awakening something unknown in Steve. Eddie couldn't hurt a fly, even if he wanted to. So why did Eddie have to die? What made him so unworthy of life? It wasn't fair.

Pulling in a deep breath, he wasn't even aware that his eyes were brimming with tears. He walked over and scooped Eddie up, settling him on his back.

"What are you doing?" Dustin says, sniffing and wiping his eyes.

"Bringing him back to Hawkins. So his Uncle has a body to bury." 

Steve didn't leave any room for argument. He carried Eddie back through the gate. The next few days were a blur. Presenting Eddie's body to his uncle Wayne. Telling him that Eddie had been a hero, that he'd died to save this town. Helping Wayne organize a funeral and paying for everything.

Time began to pass and Steve did cry. He mourned Eddie's loss. He started closing in on himself, hiding himself. He stopped going to work and ended up losing his job. It wasn't that big of a deal, his parents still sent him money and took care of paying for the house. The house that was too empty.

He stopped seeing his friends, not even Robin could bring him out of his shell. The only time he ever saw them around was when he needed to go shopping and he'd cross paths with them, only offering a simple nod. Somehow, Wayne had figured out what Steve was feeling before Steve even figured it out.

Wayne gave him some of Eddie's things, old clothes, his cologne, his stash of drugs, all of his music, some of his jewelry and his acoustic guitar. Metal wasn't really Steve's scene, but it reminded him of Eddie. So he started listening to it. He'd wear Eddie's clothes, spritz them with Eddie's cologne, he'd started teaching himself how to play that acoustic guitar. 

He wore some of Eddie's rings, sometimes on his hands, sometimes on a chain. He would go to Eddie's grave every week and lay down fresh flowers, remove the vandalism and just sit, pretending he could feel Eddie's presence. His friends never stopped trying to pull him out of his shell, to interact with them.

He always turned them down. It took him an entire year to figure out why Eddie's death was hitting him so hard. First, he had a sexuality crisis. Analyzing every interaction he'd ever had with Eddie, how it had made him feel and think. He figured out he was bisexual.

Then he analyzed those moments again, in a different way. Now that he knew he was bisexual, what did those moments mean to him? And he came to the conclusion, that he'd fallen in love. Those feelings he held for Eddie were far more intense than he'd ever had for Nancy.

And all the bullshit about wanting Nancy back, that dream he'd told her about, it hadn't been real. He'd been subconciously deflecting, pretending that he and Eddie were nothing but platonic, even if Eddie was a little touchy and flirty. He'd pretended that's how Eddie was with everyone.

Coming to the conclusions that he did, Eddie's death hit him so much harder, even after a year. An intense wave of grief, like a cloud that loomed over him and he couldn't get rid of it. Not that he wanted to. He wanted to wallow in his grief. Eddie deserved to have someone grieve for him.

Then and there, he vowed that in the next life, in another life, he would find Eddie. No matter what it took, he would find Eddie again. Two years after Eddie's death, in 1989, Steve was sitting at Eddie's grave, laying down fresh flowers and removing the Burn in hell that had been painted onto the headstone.

Things were changing again. Steve could feel it, in his bones, in his soul. It was like he could feel that another fight was coming, that Vecna was coming back and he would be stronger and angrier. He could feel that some of Nancy's visions were going to come true. He could feel the change in the air.

And then it did happen. An army of monsters, pouring into Hawkins. People screaming and running, people dying. He hadn't spoken to or seen much of his friends in the last two years but he still loved them. Still cared about them. Still would die for them.

So he brought out his trusty nail bat and started fighting through the thick of monsters. His only goal was to keep his friends safe, keep them alive. Because they deserved to live. And Steve. Well Steve had a plan for himself. He was at peace with that plan.

He had a goal for that plan. It would be based on belief, luck and hope, but he had to try. Nothing and no one was going to stop him from going through with that plan. Not the kids, not Nancy. Not even Robin.

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley, Vecna (Stranger Things), Wayne Munson Summary:

One of my readers suggested I turn this one shot into a short little fic and I loved the idea, so here it is

Updated version of chapter one, Also on AO3

Another Life

Chapter One

1986. The Upside Down. They'd taken down Vecna but the clock had chimed four times. Max had died. The ground had rumbled, the giant gates had opened into Hawkins. Somehow Max had come back and was in a coma, probably blind and had broken legs and broken arms. And Eddie. Steve had found Dustin sobbing and holding Eddie's limp body in his lap, the swarm of bats dead all around them.

That moment had mixed feelings for Steve. He wasn't sure what to think about those feelings. Intense grief that he didn't understand, he'd barely known the guy. He'd felt the world stop spinning, he'd lost all sight of everything except Eddie. He didn't cry, though he wanted to. Instead he let anger flow through his veins.

Yes he had only known Eddie for about a week, but he had been charming and sweet and had been awakening something unknown in Steve. Eddie couldn't hurt a fly, even if he wanted to. So why did Eddie have to die? What made him so unworthy of life? It wasn't fair.

Pulling in a deep breath, he wasn't even aware that his eyes were brimming with tears. He walked over and scooped Eddie up, settling him on his back.

"What are you doing?" Dustin says, sniffing and wiping his eyes.

"Bringing him back to Hawkins. So his Uncle has a body to bury."

Steve didn't leave any room for argument. He carried Eddie back through the gate. The next few days were a blur. Presenting Eddie's body to his uncle Wayne. Telling him that Eddie had been a hero, that he'd died to save this town. Helping Wayne organize a funeral and paying for everything.

Time began to pass and Steve did cry. He mourned Eddie's loss. He started closing in on himself, hiding himself. He stopped going to work and ended up losing his job. It wasn't that big of a deal, his parents still sent him money and took care of paying for the house. The house that was too empty.

He stopped seeing his friends, not even Robin could bring him out of his shell. The only time he ever saw them around was when he needed to go shopping and he'd cross paths with them, only offering a simple nod. Somehow, Wayne had figured out what Steve was feeling before Steve even figured it out.

Steve had been visiting Eddie's grave when Wayne had found him. Laying down a bouquet of lillie's, and sitting in the grass, lost in thought, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"You alright there son?"

Steve blinked and wiped at his eyes, turning his head to look up at Wayne.

"No. I don't know why it hurts so much. I barely knew him."

Steve's voice cracked a little as he spoke, a little hoarse from crying.

"You knew him. Even for a little bit. It's ok to grieve for someone you knew and lost."

Wayne seemed like a kind man, someone who understood.

"It feels like. There's a hole in my chest. One that I can't fill."

A look of understanding had crossed Wayne's features then and he took Steve to the old trailer. It was mostly destroyed by the opening gate but Eddie's room had remained untouched. There, Wayne gathered all of Eddie's cassette tapes, his jewelry, some of Eddie's clothes, his cologne and his stash of drugs and put them all in a box. And then he grabbed Eddie's acoustic guitar, the one that had the words 'This machine slays dragons' written on it in black ink.

"I want you to have these. I got no use for em. I got all the pictures I need. Maybe these will help you feel closer to Eddie. Like he's with you."

Steve started crying again because was giving him a chance to grieve and remember, maybe to try and help fill that hole in his heart. He'd thanked Wayne profusely then and the two had hugged before Steve went home.

Metal wasn't really Steve's scene, but it reminded him of Eddie. So he started listening to it. He'd wear Eddie's clothes, spritz them with Eddie's cologne, he'd started teaching himself how to play that acoustic guitar. Sometimes, when the pain was too much, he would get high on some of Eddie's drugs.

He wore some of Eddie's rings, sometimes on his hands, sometimes on a chain. He would go to Eddie's grave every week and lay down fresh flowers, remove the vandalism and just sit, pretending he could feel Eddie's presence. His friends never stopped trying to pull him out of his shell, to interact with them.

He always turned them down. It took him an entire year to figure out why Eddie's death was hitting him so hard. First, he had a sexuality crisis. Analyzing every interaction he'd ever had with Eddie, how it had made him feel and think. He figured out he was bisexual.

Then he analyzed those moments again, in a different way. Now that he knew he was bisexual, what did those moments mean to him? And he came to the conclusion, that he'd fallen in love. Those feelings he held for Eddie were far more intense than he'd ever had for Nancy.

And all the bullshit about wanting Nancy back, that dream he'd told her about, it hadn't been real. He'd been subconciously deflecting, pretending that he and Eddie were nothing but platonic, even if Eddie was a little touchy and flirty. He'd pretended that's how Eddie was with everyone.

Coming to the conclusions that he did, Eddie's death hit him so much harder, even after a year. An intense wave of grief, like a cloud that loomed over him and he couldn't get rid of it. Not that he wanted to. He wanted to wallow in his grief. Eddie deserved to have someone grieve for him.

Then and there, he vowed that in the next life, in another life, he would find Eddie. No matter what it took, he would find Eddie again. Two years after Eddie's death, in 1989, Steve was sitting at Eddie's grave, laying down fresh flowers and removing the 'Burn in hell' that had been painted onto the headstone.

Things were changing again. Steve could feel it, in his bones, in his soul. It was like he could feel that another fight was coming, that Vecna was coming back and he would be stronger and angrier. He could feel that some of Nancy's visions were going to come true. He could feel the change in the air.

And then it did happen. An army of monsters, pouring into Hawkins. People screaming and running, people dying. He hadn't spoken to or seen much of his friends in the last two years but he still loved them. Still cared about them. Still would die for them.

So he brought out his trusty nail bat and started fighting through the thick of monsters. His only goal was to keep his friends safe, keep them alive. Because they deserved to live. And Steve. Well Steve had a plan for himself. He was at peace with that plan.

He had a goal for that plan. It would be based on belief, luck and hope, but he had to try. Nothing and no one was going to stop him from going through with that plan. Not the kids, not Nancy. Not even Robin.

Chapters: 2/? Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley, Vecna (Stranger Things), Wayne Munson Summary:

One of my readers suggested I turn this one shot into a short little fic and I loved the idea, so here it is

Another Life

Chapter Two

Steve was swinging his way through the thick of monsters alongside his group of friends. Every time one of them seemed to be in trouble, he was right there. And every time he seemed to be in trouble, someone was right there to save him. It was throwing off his plan and he was getting frustrated. He needed to find a way to put it into action without anyone interrupting.

The next time he was saved it was Nancy who'd saved him. Then she was hugging him, and Robin soon followed. Of course he hugged them back, he needed to. Then Nancy started talking, words that were making his head spin.

She'd broken up with Jonathon. Because she wanted him back. She wanted that dream Steve had talked about. It broke Steve's heart. He loved her as a friend but nothing more and he couldn't give her what she wanted.

"Nancy I can't."

"What?"

Nancy's voice came out soft, small. 

"I can't. That's not my dream anymore. I have a different one. And it isn't with you."

He could see the moment he'd broken her heart but he had to push through. He swung his nail bat into the skull of a demodog that was approaching and then he ordered Nancy and Robin to keep fighting, to keep the kids safe. To tell the kids that he loved them. Told Nancy and Robin he loved them too.

Then he was swinging his way into the center of the army, seeking out Vecna. And finally he did. Before Vecna could attack, Steve dropped his bat and raised his hands.

"I'm not here to fight you. Not this time."

Vecna's voice came out as a low gutteral growl.

"Then what do you want?"

"I want you to take it all away. I want you to end my suffering."

Vecna's head tilted, as if studying Steve.

"Please."

This time Steve's voice came out shaky and pleading. He was ready for it all to end, he was ready to go into the next life. He had nothing left here. Because Eddie wasn't here.

"I want to make your friends watch."

With a telepathic command to all of his monsters they all stopped attacking and separated, revealing all of Steve's friends.

"Steve!!!"

That yell was Nancy and Robin, both of them terrified to see him standing in front of Vecna.

"Your friend is asking me to end his suffering. He's begging me to kill him."

Everybody started protesting, screaming and yelling for Steve to fight back, that he was loved and he wasn't alone and that whatever he was going through they could help him. They were already crying, Nancy, Dustin and Robin most of all. And Steve shook his head, indicating that dying was what he wanted. That he was ready for it.

"I'm ready."

With Steve's confirmation Vecna rose him into the air. Slowly his bones began to snap. He could feel the pain, and he could hear his friends screams. First his arms. Then his legs. Then his fingers. Then his jaw. And then his eyes, blood trickling out of them before they were smashed in and his body dropped.

Steve wasn't sure what death would be like. He expected darkness and that came when his eyes were the last to go. He felt like he was floating and then. Nothing. Just an empty void. Steve Harrington was gone.

In 1990 a baby boy was born to two loving parents in New York. They named him Alex. Alex was an energetic soul and as he grew older he loved sports, he loved the outdoors, he loved 80's pop music. In 1995 Alex was old enough to start forming memories. It was then, at the age of five, that the first memory of his previous life came.

A memory of him as a little boy, going on a business trip with his parents. Little Steve Harrington holding hands with his mother and walking down a street in Italy. From there, the memories started coming as he grew. Memories of himself at each age, but something told him he was supposed to be searching for something. 

In 2000, when Alex was ten he discovered he was bisexual. That triggered his memory of discovering that about himself in his previous life. Which in turn, triggered the rest of his previous life's memories. And then he was crying himself to sleep in his room. Because he remembered Eddie.

And he remembered he'd made a vow. To find Eddie in this new life. He remembered asking Vecna to end his suffering, to take it all away. He'd killed himself so he could come into a new life and find Eddie. When he'd calmed from those onslought of memories, he told his parents that he was bisexual.

He wasn't sure what to expect because his previous parents had been distant and homophobic. But his new parents, Alex's parents were only loving and supportive. They accepted what Alex had told them, hugged him and told him they loved him and that it was ok to love whoever he wanted.

Relief flooded through Alex, but he no longer saw himself as Alex. He knew who he was. He was Steve Harrington. He didn't change his name, he knew that would be too much, couldn't tell his parents that he remembered his previous life.

He knew that once he found Eddie, they would be Steve and Eddie to each other and to the rest of the world, they would be Alex and whoever Eddie was in this new life. And for the next ten years Alex searched and searched, hoping desperately to find Eddie in this new life. To find the man that he was hopelessly in love with. To find the man that he'd died to come back to.

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley, Vecna (Stranger Things), Wayne Munson Summary:

One of my readers suggested I turn this one shot into a short little fic and I loved the idea, so here it is

Another Life

Chapter Three

After Eddie died in 1986 he was reborn in 1987 to a mother and father in New York. His mother had been toxic, a drug addict and an alcoholic, her way of dealing with mental illness. In the end, she'd left, leaving her infant son with his father. Little Jayden.

Jayden did not remember his previous life as Eddie Munson. As he grew, his father exposed him to many things, but most noteably the 80's metal music and fashion style, which Jayden immediately fell in love with. He would dance around the house with his father, singing to Metallica or Black Sabbath, and other metal bands.

By the age of thirteen Jayden had discovered he was gay. His father was loving and supportive. Of his sexuality, of everything that Jayden was. A wild and energetic spirit. His father always encouraged him to express himself, allowing him to wear the kind of fashion he liked, or follow his passions and dreams.

If he couldn't find the clothes he wanted at stores, his father would hand down his own, just to see Jayden's little face light up with joy. They weren't poor, but they weren't rich either. They managed to get by. Jayden went through many hobbies as he grew. 

His love for music had put him on the path of trying to learn guitar. He loved all things fantasy and when the Lord Of The Rings movies came out, he was one of the first people at the theater to watch them. Most of all, Jayden loved art. He started taking art classes, learning everything that he could.

He was always drawing and doodling, whether it was in a notebook or on himself or his clothes. Thankfully those could be washed out. When Jayden was sixteen he took a special interest in tattoo designing and from there his biggest dream was to open his own tattoo and piercing shop.

At 18 he took an apprenticeship at a local tattoo shop, where he learned how to be a tattoo artist and a body piercer. By then he already had a few tattoos himself and was intent on getting more. He'd had a few relationships, but they'd all failed.

Something had seemed like it was missing and those relationships seemed to be lacking whatever he was missing. At twenty, Jayden had saved up enough to buy his own little shop. He decorated it the way he liked, goth aesthetic with the dark colors and skulls, metal band posters everywhere, a guitar in the corner.

It took a few months for him to open up his shop and when he did, he called it Aces and Spades, a homage to one of his favorite songs called Ace of Spades by Motörhead. At twenty one, Jayden's father unfortunately passed away from heart failure.

It had been devastating for Jayden because he and his father had always been close. He organized a small funeral and had his father cremated, his ashes put into an urn. He got a small headstone for his father in the closest cemetery to Jayden's apartment and buried him there.

At twenty three it was a particularly sunny Thursday when the bell above the door of his shop jingled. Looking up, Jayden saw the most gorgeous man he'd ever seen. He was tall, but a little bit shorter than Jayden. Muscular, but not too much. Little moles dotted his neck, not a lot, but just enough to draw a bit of attention.

His eyes were a beautiful amber gold and his hair was soft and fluffy and definitely styled with some sort of hairspray and it was a beautiful blondish brown color. Jayden threw one of his charming smiles and offered his hand to shake.

"Hi, I'm Jayden. What can I do for you?"

The man shook his hand, offering his own awkward, yet adorable smile.

"I'm Alex. Um. I was wanting to get a tattoo."

(Gonna leave it off here, I know this is a bit of a shorter chapter and it might seem like a filler. But since Jayden doesn't have his previous life's memories just yet, I wanted to give him a bit of a backstory)

Chapters: 4/? Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley, Vecna (Stranger Things), Wayne Munson Summary:

One of my readers suggested I turn this one shot into a short little fic and I loved the idea, so here it is

Another Life

Chapter Four

In 2010 Alex is 20 years old. Ever since remembering his previous life, Alex had spent his life searching for Eddie. Every school that he went to, every area around his home, every area around his apartment when he moved out on his own. Desperate and searching, he never gave up.

Finally on a slow Thursday afternoon he spots it. A tattoo parlor called Aces and Spades. What caught his attention was the person in the window. Alex looked slightly different, but mostly the same as when he was Steve. He still loved his hair just as much, though it was a lighter color, blondish brown. His eyes were more amber gold than anything, but the rest of him remained the same.

And standing at the counter inside the tattoo parlor was a man that had plagued Alex's dreams his whole life. He looked exactly the same. Same wild brown curls down to his shoulders. Same beautiful vibrant chocolate brown eyes. Same style in fashion, though this man added eyeliner and black nail polish.

Alex's heart leapt to his throat. He'd vowed in his previous life to find Eddie in the next one. And he had. The shop didn't seem to have any customers and immediately he knew what to do. He was going to get a tattoo. He prayed that Eddie remembered just like Alex did. Taking a deep breath Alex opened the door and stepped inside.

And the second Eddie's head lifted and that beautiful smile appeared, the wind was knocked out of him. He was just as beautiful as Alex remembered. This Eddie had much more tattoos and different tattoos than the previous life's Eddie, but he still looked gorgeous. Eddie stuck out his hand. 

"Hi, I'm Jayden. What can I do for you?"

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Alex shook Jayden's hand.

"I'm Alex. Um. I was. Wanting to get a tattoo."

There was no recognition on Jayden's face, just a kind smile that lit up when Alex said he wanted a tattoo.

"Sure thing, you have an idea?"

"Oh, yeah."

Together the two of them worked out what Alex wanted and Jayden drew it up. Then Alex was sitting in a chair with his shirt off. Jayden shaved half his chest so the tattoo could go right above Alex's heart. The two chatted throughout the long session, easy conversation. And Jayden was much the same as he had been when he was Eddie.

"So. The 80's look," Alex says.

Jayden's face lit up.

"Oh yeah! I really like the look. My dad was a big 80's metalhead fan so I kinda grew up with it."

Alex couldn't help but smile.

"It suits you."

Alex kept throwing out hints of their previous life, hoping Jayden remembered something. But nothing came of it. When Jayden finished the tattoo it was beautiful. Exactly what Alex wanted. Eddie's Warlock guitar crossed with Steve's nail bat.

He hoped the tattoo would stir something. And now that Jayden was actually looking at the finished tattoo, he was frowning.

"These look familiar. Don't know why, but they do."

Alex sucked in a breath.

"You don't remember your previous life, do you?"

Jayden's eyes lifted to meet Alex's, his eyebrows shooting up.

"I don't think anybody remembers their previous life."

"I remember mine. I was born in 1966. Lived in Hawkins Indiana. Rich parents who were. Pretty shitty actually. I played basketball and baseball, was on the swim team. And after high school. I met you. I mean previous life you. This," Alex says tapping on the Warlock guitar tattooed on his chest.

"Was your guitar. You were in a metal band, Corroded Coffin. A year older than me, but still in high school. And the nail bat was mine. Because we fought against an alternate dimension, supernatural creatures in 1986. That was. That was the year you died. And I died two years later. Fighting the same thing."

Jayden was staring at him now, blinking and trying to process this information.

"I. This sounds. It sounds crazy."

"I know. I know it doesn't make sense, but I remember. I remember everything. I remember vowing. That I would find you in another life. The next life. And maybe that vow is why I remember that life, I don't know."

Jayden's eyes were wide, mouth opening and closing.

"How do you know it was me? I mean in this life, how do you know it's me?"

"You look the same. Nothing about you has changed. Maybe your life and your family, but your soul. Your soul has remained the same, who you are has remained the same. What you look like has remained the same."

Jayden blinked again. 

"If all of this is true. Why. Why would you make a vow like that, I mean what was I to you?"

Alex's mouth went dry.

"We never got the chance to figure that out. We never got the chance to talk about it. We were dealing with bigger things, scarier things. But I. Jesus, I fell in love with you. And I never got to tell you and then you. You died. So I vowed that in another life I would find you again."

Jayden sucked in another breath.

"How am I supposed to believe any of this?"

"I don't know. And even if you never do. I just. At least I got to tell you this time. What you mean to me."

Alex could tell Jayden needed time so they awkwardly finished up, Alex paid, left his address and phone number just in case. And then left.

(Incorporated part of the one shot into this little fic to tie everything together and make everything make sense)

Chapters: 5/5 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley, Vecna (Stranger Things), Wayne Munson Summary:

One of my readers suggested I turn this one shot into a short little fic and I loved the idea, so here it is

Final chapter of Another Life

Chapter Five

Jayden ended up taking the whole week off, trying to wrap his head around what Alex had told him. At first he didn't believe Alex and he spent two whole days trying to pretend what he said wasn't real. But there was a nagging feeling that something had been missing from his life, and maybe this was it.

On the third day he finally worked up the courage to go on his computer and do some research. He booted up his computer and then went onto the internet.

"Okaaaay, Hawkins."

He typed in the name and the first thing that came up was Hawkins Indiana. He clicked on it and went through a few pictures and articles. Pictures of Hawkins High and Hawkins Middle School. Pictures of a few neighborhoods. The schools seemed familiar and so did Forest Hills Trailer Park. It was like he'd been to those places before but he couldn't pull up any memories.

The articles he read were about tragedies that had befallen Hawkins from 1983 to 1989. A Barbara Holland going missing and reported dead and a little boy named Will Byers that had gone missing, was found dead in the quarry, then miracelously was not dead and labeled Zombie Boy, both happening in 1983.

In 1984 it was strange crop deaths that were never explained, and a man named Bob had died a mysterious death. In 1985 there was a mall fire and a lot of people had died. The names that for some reason stuck out for him were Billy Hargrove and Jim Hopper, Hawkins local police chief. 

In 1986 there was a massive earthquake as well as three satanic ritual murders. Those among the dead were Chrissy Cunningham, Fred Benson, Patrick MacKinny, Jason Carver and Edward Munson, along with others that died in the earthquake.

Finally, in 1989 there was a town wide panic, that the gates of Hell had opened up and monsters had flooded Hawkins. Many had died and among them was Steve Harrington. Edward Munson had been blamed for the satanic killings, at least until 1989 when the town saw Steve Harrington die the same way the other killings had happened and by a monster that had come into Hawkins.

His mind reeling, Jayden stepped back from his computer. This was a lot of information to process and he was struggling to believe any of it was real. According to Alex, he had been Steve Harrington in his previous life and Jayden had been Eddie Munson in his previous life.

None of it made sense, yet all of it made sense. Over the next three days, memories started slowly coming back to Jayden. Memories of his previous life. He remembered his parents, Alan and Elizabeth Munson. He remembered that his mother loved Muddy Waters and had records that she would take everywhere she went and called them her plane tickets.

He remembered his father teaching him how to play guitar. He remembered his mother putting those records on and dancing around the living room with him. He remembered his father was away from home a lot. He remembered his mother singing him to sleep when he had nightmares or reading him a story before bedtime.

He remembered his mother getting sick. He remembered her dying and her funeral when he was six. He remembered that when he was eight, he started living in his childhood home alone. His father would disappear for years at a time. He had to teach himself how to cook and clean and take care of himself. Sometimes he would go without heat or electricity.

He remembered his Uncle Wayne would come by every two weeks with groceries and to check on him. He remembered in middle school he was forced to participate in the school talent show, so he'd formed his band Corroded Coffin with his best friend Ronnie and a couple of other kids, and they'd played Painkiller by Judas Priest.

That was his first interaction with Chrissy Cunningham. She'd sat with him before the talent show and talked to him, pointing out that her mother was there to see her do her cheer routine, but he'd picked up on some issues, though he'd never questioned it.

He remembered high school, and the torture he'd endured. Being labelled a Freak, a Cultist, among other things. He remembered that he had been bisexual, but he remained steadfast, that in this life he was gay. He remembered Senior Year, 1984. He was 18 years old. 

Whenever his father would come back into his life, it was always to try and rope Eddie into some illegal activity. At 18, Eddie was a bartender at The Hideout, a little dive bar in town. It was where his band was allowed to play, Tuesday evenings for an hour. In previous years he'd tried to kiss Ronnie and it turned out she didn't like him that way but they'd still remained best friends.

She was supposed to get ready for college. His father had strode in, roped him into stealing 20 pounds of weed and selling it to Reefer Rick for $15,000. He'd only agreed because he had a girlfriend who'd scouted him and gotten him an audition at a record label in LA and he was going to move in with her. He was poor so he needed $5,000. 

He'd had a gun pulled on him twice, the second time he'd been shot at. He'd quit his job, Principle Higgins had called him a rotten apple infecting others, blackmailed him into dropping out of high school by threatening to ruin Ronnie's chances of going to college. 

The people they'd stolen the weed from had been his fathers old coworkers, worked for a drug kingpin. His father had lied to him, manipulated him. They'd set fire to Eddie's childhood home, burned his mothers records, which he'd tried to save but to no success. They'd shot a cop, Officer Callahan outside the burning house.

His father had tried to tell Eddie he needed to run, that he'd be arrested just for being a Munson. But Eddie had refused, tried to help Callahan, tried to put pressure on the wound and stop the bleeding. And his father had stolen his keys, took off with his van. Bailed on him.

He'd been arrested, he'd called his girlfriend to tell her he couldn't make the audition. She'd freaked, called him an asshole for possibly ruining her job and broke up with him. He'd been bailed out and then moved in with his Uncle Wayne, who'd managed to save his guitar from the wreckage.

He'd noticed his uncle drowning in overdue bills so he'd tried to get a job. No one would hire him so he'd turned to dealing drugs for Reefer Rick, who'd said if he ever needed it, he'd have a job with him. He'd found out Higgins was a drug addict and blackmailed him into letting him go back to school and keep his D&D club Hellfire Club open.

He'd failed senior year. Twice. Ronnie and another guy from the band had gone off to college and he had two new members, Gareth and Jeff. Throughout these memories coming back to him, Jayden tried to put them off as just dreams, because they would only come to him when he was asleep.

But on the seventh day, Jayden was starting to go crazy. So he'd done some more research. He'd found a picture of Steve Harrington, and his mouth dropped. Alex looked almost exactly the same, though his hair was a lighter blondish brown than Steve's and his eyes were more amber gold than Steve's.

Wanting to dig deeper, he found a picture of Eddie Munson in 1986. And all Jayden could do was stare. Because Jayden looked exactly the same as Eddie Munson did. The only difference was that Jayden liked eyeliner and black nail polish. He had more tattoos and different tattoos than Eddie Munson.

And then visions flooded Jayden's mind. Vivid ones. Chrissy's death. Meeting Steve. Patrick's death. The Upside Down. The bats. Shredding Metallica's Master Of Puppets. Bats tearing at his flesh.

Memories. Jayden gasped and rubbed his head which was now starting to hurt. He remembered. He remembered it all. He scrambled off his chair, searching frantically for Alex's address, because calling him just wouldn't do. Once he found it, he got in his car and drove to Alex's apartment.

Alex was eating a frozen dinner and watching a rerun of Friends when he heard frantic knocking on his door. Frowning he got up and went to the door, swinging it open. Jayden was there, eyes wide and breathing heavily.

"I remember. Steve. I remember."

Alex blinked a few times.

"Eddie?"

Jayden surged forward then, mouths crashing together and hands cupping Alex's cheeks. It was a hungry and desperate kiss, mouths and tongues tangling as Alex pulled him in, kicking the door shut behind them. They kissed until they could barely breathe and finally they pulled away.

"You remember?"

"I remember it all. God, why did I tell you to make him pay instead of fucking kissing you?"

Alex started crying then. Because Jayden did remember. He held Jayden tighter. 

"God, why didn't I kiss you? I knew that wasn't what you really wanted to say, I knew there was something else there."

"Neither of us expected it to be the last time we would see each other. But Steve you found me. In another life, you fucking found me."

"I was always looking. Always looking, and I never gave up. I would spend this entire life looking for you if I had to."

"God I love you so fucking much."

"I love you too Eddie. In our previous life. In this life. In the next one. In every life."

(Most elements of this chapter is Eddie's canon past from the book Flight Of Icarus. It's just a brief summery but this is a disclaimer. I do not own any elements from Fligh Of Icarus, just adding it into this fanfiction to give backstory to Eddie and the memories of Eddie that Jayden recovers when they start coming back to him)

I love the whole Eddie is gay trope, I really really do, it's great. That being said, I do think that people really should start reading Flight Of Icarus. It gives us a beautiful backstory on Eddie set in 1984, we get information on his parents, it gives us a backstory on certain Eddie scenes in the show, it's a wonderful read. On top of that, it gives us an emotional and sexual relationship between Eddie and a woman. Confirming that Eddie is in fact into women, which would indicate that he's bisexual. It just gives us more information on Eddie. You're more than welcome ti say he's gay, but I think that canonically he's bisexual

So I know I've been reading a lot of fics where the third member of Corroded Coffin is named Freak. I feel like that's because people don't actually know his name. But I looked it up and his name is Doug Teague. So you have Eddie, Gareth, Jeff and Doug. You're more than welcome to keep his name as Freak or whatever you'd like it to be. Just thought I'd announce that his name is Doug for those who don't know

I love the whole Steve's parents started leaving him alone at a young age. But what if it's reversed? In Flight of Icarus Eddie's mother dies when he's six and he's raising himself and living alone by the time he's eight. So what if his father starts leaving him alone after his mother's funeral? Little six year old Eddie, who's father left for a couple of weeks. Then a couple of months. And then a couple of years. I just think that's something we could explore. Also in the book, Eddie doesn't move in with Wayne until his house burns down when he's 18

Can somebody please write a Rockstar Eddie Munson and Personal Bodyguard Steve Harrington fic? I need this

you know, i  would be fine if Eddie didn't show up in season 5. BUT only if he could finally finish school in season 4, his name is cleared and he left Hawkins with his boyfriend  to become a cool musician. and then their 6 little nuggets would come to visit them. 

Eddie awoke slowly feeling haisy and befuddled, but worm and strangely safe. He was lying on something comfortable but decidedly not a bed. He opened his eyes to see sunlight streaming through a window, a car window, bathing the interior in seapia tones. For a moment he wondered if he was dead and had some how scraped his way into heaven. But the the troubling pain in his sides reminded him he would never swing that, and he was in fact in the backseat of a very clean, very preppy car that was playing a slightly worn out tape of ‘all the stories we could tell’ by the everly brothers. Someone was singing along quietly and it was so soothing that Eddie was tempted to simply go back to sleep. Lucky for him what he didn’t have in bravery he made up for in survival instincts and waking up in the backseat of an unfamiliar car definitely required some questions answered.

“Where am I?” He asked in a scratchy voice. He singing stoped.

“Oh, sorry I didn’t wake you did I?”

“Steve?”

“Yeah, uh. We’re on our way out of town.”

“Why?” He asked.

“Well because you just had to play hero Munson. Your lucky Vecna died when he did those bats could have done some real damage.”

“Feels like they did plenty of damage.” Eddie muttered. “What about everyone else?”

“ everyone’s fine, your our biggest issue right now.”

“Gee thanks.” Steve chuckled in response.

“Seriously, everything is gonna be fine. Owens is working on clearing your name. The kids are fine and the Byers are back in town.”

“So” Eddie said sitting up and repressing a groan, “why the sudden road trip then?”

“Well we’re working on clearing your name, key word being working. It didn’t seem like a good idea to have you recovering from demobat bites in a town that’s witch hunting you.”

“Oh” Eddie responded dumbly “good idea.”

“Well thank robin and Dustin, he’s trying to get in contact with your uncle by the way so don’t worry about that.”

“Ok, so where are we headed to?”

“This conspiracy theoriest that’s been in on this stuff for a couple of years. Murry Buemen, he’s weird, and will probably aggressively phicoanilise us, but it’s a good place to hide out and recover

Spidey AU where both Steve and robin get bitten but there are truly terrible at keeping there identity’s secret so it super useful when someone accuses one of them of being Spider-Man/spider girl the other can show up to prove it’s not them.

Reporter Nancy wheeler is losing all respect from her coworkers by continually be so sure that robin/ Steve is spidey only to be proved wrong five seconds later.

Eddie, who Nancy has telling all her theory’s reloses what Steve and robin are doing after the second time. He tells no one because he thinks it’s so damn funny to wartch Nancy tear her hair out in frustration.

Welcome to me writing a season 5 snippet that I personally love.

Ok so the Russians come back to Hawkins ( I rly don’t care why but that plot line has been continued through two seasons and it seems like they would tie it off with the rest of the show) none of the party knows why but they need to find out.

Robin and Steve get nominated/ volunteer to spy on them but in the process they get discovered. Steve holds them off so robin can escape and gets captured by the Russians.

When they can’t get any information out of him they decide to ‘throw him to the beast!’ (Same idea as with hopper in s4) they put Steve in the arina alone and the door on the other end slowly opens and the camera focus Steve’s disbelieving face as he whispers

“Eddie?”

Commence boathouse scene 2.0 where Steve just nearly succeeds bringing Eddie back to himself, and then escaping.

The rest of the season is full of Eddie almost loosing himself to the hive mind and Steve bringing him back to his humanity.

My life has changed, I have had a Spiritual experience

It's Only Forever

By Hbyrde

Is a Steddie/ The Labyrinth mix and it's glorious. I could cry. I cannot suggest it more

Okay here's another one! (Steddie Parallels to Lumax in season 2 after the party finally manage to convince Steve to join a Hellfire campaign. This parallel comes from the scenes where the party (Mike) continuously ostracize Max from joining their gang despite claiming they want her to join) TW: This ones kinda angsty....might do a part 2 ;)

Despite all of his complaints and utmost refusals to ever actually play Dustin's nerdy Dungeons and Dragons game, Steve was, much to his own disbelief, pleasantly surprised when the Dungeon Master/newly cleared Eddie Munson 'formally invited' him to tag along for their next session.

Steve liked to believe that he and Eddie had become good friends ever since the whole Vecna/End of the world thing. They hung out pretty often now that he and his uncle had been given a new place to live as a sorta 'Sorry your town tried to hunt you for sport after accusing you of mass murder/keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you', kind of deal. It had been a tad awkward to be around eachother with nobody else the first couple of times yet as the weeks went by, Steve was about as comfortable opening up to the guy as he was to Robin. Almost. Robin would always be his number one. But if Eddie had shown him anything over the last few months or so since the first time he came over to his place, it was that he would never look down on anybody for being different. Hence why Steve found it easy to be so vulnerable with him. Eddie was a damn good listener and while not exactly one for giving advice, he always seemed to know how to make him feel calmer. Steve would try to do the same, resulting in a pretty solid bond between the two polar opposites. That label reminding Steve of the phrase 'Opposites attract' which after many long insightful conversations with Robin led Steve to believing that it was true. It wasnt as though he wasnt aware that what he felt for Eddie was a little more than a normal friendship and he knew what being attracted to another person felt like. Hell, Eddie wasnt even the first guy he'd had a crush on. Yet there was never another guy in Steve's life that had ever made him feel so accepted that he allowed attraction to develop into a full blown crush. He liked Eddie. He really did.

So when Eddie invited him to tag along for his latest campaign, not the first since he was released from the hospital but the first since Will and El had officially moved back to Hawkins, Steve found himself actually wanting to go. It sounded like fun with everyone being there. Yet the meaning behind the word 'everyone' suddenly made him hesitate. Everyone would involve not only the kids, himself, Robin, Johnathan, Nancy and Argyle. It also meant that the rest of the Hellfire club, Eddie's friends would also be there too. And it didn't take a genius to work out that they wouldn't really be happy with former jock King Steve hanging out with the nerds, if Eddie had told them at all. Why else would he have refused back before Spring break when Dustin called him asking him to sub for Lucas? Well....aside from the fact that there was no way he was missing Lucas's championship game after all the practice they'd put in during the semester. He was damn proud of that kid. And he wanted to show him that he supported him. He'd been so invested that he'd hardly said two words to his date all night.

Eddie had told him that he didn't have to play, that he was fine to sit with Robin and the rest of the crew and watch. They'd been playing in the Wheeler's basement since the club had been banned from the school, hence why Nancy was there to greet him when he knocked on the door with Robin at his side. Her sunny smile at the sight of him did alot to warm the chill of his anxiety.

That was another thing that he couldn't regret about what happened over spring break. Following their first bout with Vecna, he and Nancy finally had the chance to properly talk about what happened between them and while he may have regretted coming on as strong as he did, nothing would make him regret the friendship he had with her now. If anything they were closer to eachother now than when they were dating. It felt good to be allowed to love her again, even if it was a different kind of love than before. She had also apologised for the way things ended between them and she had grown alot since then. Steve had tried to tell her she didn't need to apologise, which Nancy had fiercely disagreed with, telling him that no matter what she was going through he never deserved to be treated like that. At the time Steve hadn't felt like there was anything to forgive, but she had looked so relieved when he told her he did. It had made him think alot about who he used to be, how much he had suffered as a result, how much he felt like he deserved most of it. But as Nancy, Eddie and Robin, most of the group would vehemently remind him, they saw him as a good person deserving of good things. Steve was really trying to believe that himself.

Nancy led them down to the basement, laughing lightly at something he said on the way down before he was faced with the rest of the group. Everyone else was already there. Dustin, Lucas, Will and El all rushing to give him a hug while Mike as someone not overly keen on physical affection gave him a half smile and wave. Max greeted him from the corner where she was sitting in her wheelchair, gesturing for him and Robin to come and sit on the empty seats on either side of her. Steve smiled impossibly wide as he and Robin followed the redhead's orders, forgetting for all of a few seconds why he was so worried. Then that chill in his spine returned with a vengeance when his eyes landed on the no so concealed glares Eddie's friends were casting his way whilst the man himself seemed blissfully unaware, shooting Steve a soft smile that Robin had not so helpfully dubbed as his Steve smile. It put him a little more at ease in any case as he smiled back. Within the next few minutes the campaign began, prompting Eddie to slide right into his alter ego of Dungeon Master Extraordinaire.

It didn't escape his notice when he caught one of them, Gareth? He'd never really actually met any of them before tonight but he'd heard Eddie talk about them plenty. Anyhow, Steve watched as the younger teen's eyes remained fixed on him as he leaned over to his friend sitting next to him, Steve knew his name was Jeff, to whisper something in his ear. The other boy's eyes flickered back to him for a millisecond before looking away and releasing a snicker. Steve's anxiety came crashing down on him once more, worsening the longer the game continued as the rest of the group seemed fully invested in their game. Their other friend, Steve was sure his name was Grant, was sitting the second closest to Eddie with Will being the only one between the two. Steve wasnt sure how much time had passed since he realised that the three had been whispering to eachother and sniggering about him, but just before the club decided to stop for a break, Grant muttered something towards the other two boys. Steve obviously couldn't hear it being as far away as he was, but it seemed that whatever it was Will had caught the jist of it if the look of surprise followed by the guilty look he sent towards Steve was anything to go by. Ever the one to keep a close eye on his brother, Johnathan seemed to notice Will's sudden change in demeanor too, turning a suspicious glance to the Hellfire boys before looking back to Will, the two seeming to have a silent conversation with eachother from across the room. Steve tried to wave it off with a smile when Will looked back at him but the upset frown remained fixed on the boy's face. It looked as though El had also caught on that something was wrong, looking at her brother curiously as though she was trying to read his mind.

It set off a chain reaction with the rest of the kids as Max and Mike noticed something was wrong with El, causing Lucas to notice Max, and Erica and Dustin catching on to the tension that had made it's way into the room. The moment Eddie called for a break, it appeared as though he had also noticed their seven youngest members weren't really paying a great deal of attention. Will practically leapt to his feet claiming he was going to grab something to drink. El was quick to follow after him with Mike in tow. Johnathan paused for a moment before following them as well. Steve's stomach clenched with the realisation that Will was likely going to tell them both what he'd heard. Argyle seemed to take Jonathan's absence as a reason to come and take Robin's chair as she excused herself to go upstairs and get a drink with Nancy. Steve tried to listen to whatever it was the man was saying, he really did though he was clearly already high enough for him and Johnathan as he continued saying whatever was on his mind. Steve could still feel the three pairs of eyes still burning into his skull as he continued to ignore them. They didn't like him. Whatever. They didn't need to act like children about it. The better question on Steve's mind was how the hell Eddie hadn't noticed what they were doing. Should he say something? Maybe go over and break the ice. Let them know he wanted to make an effort to know Eddie's friends. That he wasn't the same person he used to be, if he was ever really that person.

"So, Stevie. How are you enjoying your first encounter into the satanic nightmare that is DnD?" Eddie piped up startling the man in question.

It was sat that moment that Steve realised he hadn't said a word since they had started. His mind drew a blank at the question, not anticipating for anyone here to actually talk to him until the had to drop them off at home. He knew first hand how seriously his children took this game.

Shit. Eddie was still waiting for an answer.

"Its good." He replied a little too quickly. "I-Its really cool."

Not his most eloquent response, he knew. But still, who could blame him for not paying attention when the force of the stares he was receiving was making him feel like his head was about to explode!

It seemed that whatever he said was the wrong thing to say from the way the smile slipped from Eddie's face.

"You know if it's really not your thing, you don't have to stay for the rest. We're probably gonna call it soon anyway, looks like your children aren't really invested either."

Shit he sounded upset. What did he say? What could he have done wrong? He was just sitting here.

"No-No! It's not that, its-" Steve started to say until the sound of one of the boys snorting at any attempt he made plucked on his nerves. Eddie glanced at Gareth confused as the rest of the party glared at him.

"Something funny?" Max bit at the boy causing him to promptly wipe the grin off his face.

The rest of the group started filing back in. Jonathan was the first back in the room, footsteps heavy against the wooden stairs, almost angry sounding. That was nothing compared to the cold expression on his face aimed solely at the three boys that had been making fun of Steve all night.

"Woah! Byers, man! Wheres the fire?" Argyle asked catching on to Jonathan's bad mood almost immediately. The man said nothing but gestured for Argyle to scooch back over to his seat as Robin and Nancy came back down the stairs with the same tension filled entrance. Robin took her seat back next to Max crossing her arms over her chest and shooting daggers at the three with the same intensity they'd been giving him since they arrived here causing them to wither under her gaze as any human would. Steve swallowed thickly suddenly feeling very put on the spot. It was pretty safe to say that Will had told them what he heard. Case in point, Mike and El came down th stairs hand in hand with Will behind them almost as though they were creating a barrier as he pointedly refused to look anywhere but his feet. Meanwhile Nancy grabbed hold of her chair that was previously placed beside Johnathan and dragged it over next to Steve, who looked over at Johnathan questionably. The younger man merely met his eye before nodding at him. Steve looked over at Eddie, who was following her every move as his frown drew deeper and deeper right until she sat down next to him.

"Are you okay?" Nancy asked him placing her hand delicately over his. It was a simple question. One that would've been much easier to answer if he wasn't painfully aware of the fact that Eddie was staring at him. No. He wasnt okay. He felt completely out of place. He was uncomfortable. The only reason hed agreed to come here was looking at him like he'd ran over his dog for some reason and he could feel people whispering about him all over the room. He just wanted to go home.

He watched as Eddie looked a little further to his right and followed his gaze to land on Robin, who's eyes quickly locked onto Eddie's. It looked as though they were trying to communicate something to eachother with Eddie's pointed look of hurt before Robin shook her head. Steve was just about reaching the end of his patience. Why wouldn't someone please tell him what he had done wrong?

But then one of the boys mumbled something else under his breath which then prompted the other two to snicker loudly. He could tell from how quickly he turned his head that Eddie had heard whatever they said. By this point El, Max and Erica looked as though they wanted to blow their heads up with how hard they were glaring at them. But then Steve looked at the four boys sitting around the table with the other members of Hellfire and, Oh God, every single one of them looked betrayed, pissed off and hurt.

But then he looked back at Eddie. There was no way he hadn't heard what they just said. He needed to see what he would do about it. His already plummeting hope was rapidly sinking lower and lower the longer it took the man to react. He watched as Eddie's eyes wandered back over to him and Nancy, right to the point where her hand was resting on top of his and then...

He smirked.

Hell he looked like he was trying not to laugh right along with them.

And fuck if that didn't sting.

But with how shitty this night had made him feel, Steve didn't even have it in him to process how hurt he was.

He was pissed.

Scoffing loudly Steve launched himself out of his chair almost toppling it over in the process.

"Seriously?!" He yelled, voice cracking at the last syllable.

And just like that, any trace of contempt was erased from Eddie's face, turning swiftly into shock.

"Steve-" Robin reached out to him but he quickly brushed her off.

"Screw this. I'll be in the car." And with that he stormed out of the basement.

It was only then that the three who started all this became all too aware of the death glares being shot at them from all directions.

"What the hell is wrong with you guys?!" Dustin exclaimed, sending a particularly wounded look at Eddie, whom had gone from smug in the sense of hiding his jealousy to remorseful in a matter of seconds as he quickly realised his mistake.

He barely paid any mind to the question however as he quickly shot up from his seat and ran after Steve. The man was already halfway up the street heading towards his car when Eddie spotted him.

"Steve!" Eddie called out to him.

The younger man didn't stop walking to his call as he spoke without looking back.

"Leave me alone, Munson. I've had my fair share of playground insults for one day."

Munson. Not Eds or Eddie. Back to Munson because of one stupid mistake.

"Steve, please just hear me out, man. I'm so-"

"Why the hell should I? Are you gonna pull my pigtails now too?" Steve cut him off, finally stopping to look at him.

"Steve-" Eddie tried again.

"I thought you wanted me to play your game! I thought you wanted me in your group! God I can't believe I fell for that." Steve cackled. "Did you even tell your band I was coming tonight?"

"Of course I did. But...Gareth, Jeff, Grant, they're weird about this kinda thing. It's just their way of being protective."

Steve barked an incredulous laugh, "Yeah, that's one word for it."

Eddie sighed, "Steve, you don't understand-"

"No, you're right, Eddie! I don't! I've been sitting there all night while this has been going on. It's been miserable. You invite me to watch you play your game the you all start whispering and giggling and talking shit like we're in the seventh grade or some shit! I don't need that kind of bullshit, Eddie!"

Eddie fumbled for words for a moment before replying, "They're just not used to it, you know. I've never had a friend like you before. They just want to make sure that..." Eddie quickly cut himself off before he said the wrong thing.

"That what?" Steve asked brokenly. And, oh...there it was. The look of complete hopelessness. The glassy tint to his eyes was a kick straight to Eddie's ribcage.

"That what, Eddie? That I'm not gonna hurt you? Lure you into a false sense of security and then jump you? After all we went through back there, all we're still going through, you can't even bring yourself to tell them that won't happen? Why? Because I played sports in high school suddenly that means I'm as bad as Jason Carver and all those other assholes? Is it because of who I used to be? Or is it because you all still think I am that person?"

Eddie winced as he was reminded of the gruesome fate he'd been told Jason received for all the shit he caused all those months ago.

"Steve.....Steve, no that's not true! I...." Why the hell was it so hard to get his words out? Why couldn't he say exactly what he wanted to say? Why was it so hard for him to tell Steve the very thing he'd wanted to tell him for months? He knew exactly what he wanted to say to Steve, what he wanted to do and be with him. But everytime it looked as though they were getting somewhere, something had to go and crash right through it. Tonight along with his friends, the fault lied with his own jealousy.

Steve laughed wetly under his breath.

"See? You can't even say it. I know that for some people my past will never die. Somehow the asshole I was will always find his way back to the surface for the people I've hurt no matter how deep I bury him. King Steve, mister funny, mister cool, grade A douchebag who peaked in high school, doomed to spend the rest of his life working dead end jobs and forcing himself through loveless relationships pointless in the inevitable truth he's destined to be alone. Because God forbid he ever tries and change so that he feels a little more like a human and less like a dead shell of a man so that he doesn't end up back in that box his parents tried so damn hard to place him in before they just gave up and left without a word mere months before the literal earth started collapsing beneath his feet!"

Throughout his outburst, Steve let the unshed tears fall, unless he merely hadn't bothered to notice them. He couldn't look at Eddie anymore. He didn't want to see the look of pity he was almost certainly giving him right now. If hed only looked back, he would've seen how wrong he was.

"Stevie...." Eddie whispered brokenly, making one final attempt to reach for him.

"Just! Just forget it. Okay? It was stupid of me to think that I could be something I'm not. Why did I even bother?" Steve turned away, getting into his car and closing the door. In a split second, Eddie was bypassed by Robin and not really to his surprise, Lucas and Erica. The two siblings didn't say a word to him as they climbed into the back seats of Steve's car. Steve waited for another moment, probably waiting to see if anyone else needed a lift before starting the car and driving away.

Eddie wasn't sure how long he'd been standing there but by the time he turned to go back into the Wheeler house, Steve's car was long out of sight. He just wanted to grab his shit and leave. He didn't care if he left something behind. He just wanted to leave.

Yet by the time he got back to the basement, it didn't look as though he would be getting his way anytime soon. Dustin was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, eyes hard and arms crossed over his chest. The only others remaining besides the two who actually lived there were the ones he was supposed to be driving home, Gareth, Jeff, Grant, and Max. Nancy was sitting beside the redhead now. It was only then that he noticed said three boys sitting at the table looking thoroughly chastised and honestly a little scared.

"Eddie," Dustin began, his pained expression from earlier gone, now something much more serious.

"I think we need to talk about Steve."