Adding Onto Steve's Crime Spree From This (and This And This)

They're being chased by a monster and yet their first instinct at hearing Dustin singing on the radio is to judge him. I love them so much.

El being wholesome with Steve. El being wholesome with Steve. The weird sibling duo we didn’t know we needed. I need more of it. I might do it….no I’ve done enough of them…

Okay, okay. But just picture this:

The kids trying to embarrass Steve all the time with photos and stories to Eddie, but El ruins it every.single.time. because she is so unbelievably wholesome when it comes to Steve.

Here is everyone pulling out scoops photos (which Eddie actually loves thank you very much) and sharing stories about his failed dates. Dustin tells Eddie specifically about the time he was teaching Lucas basketball and Lucas threw the ball too hard at the backboard and hit Steve in the face.

So they are all poking fun at Steve in his and Robin’s apartment (because in every universe these platonic soulmates live together) and there is just El who randomly chimes in:

“Steve took me to this thing called a ren faire once. It was very fun. We both looked really pretty.”

Eddie absolutely melts at the story and gushes over the photos she has.

And everyone gets quiet every time, because no one wants to criticize El, but one time Max gently goes, “You know that’s like….nice right? We’re making fun of him.”

Everyone one expects her to being embarrassed or confused but instead she simple says.

“I know. I don’t like it. Steve’s nice.”

And she embarrasses everyone, except Robin and Eddie who are the only ones Steve never gets upset with when they make fun of him. They all mumble out apologies, and Steve turns to Dustin and goes:

“This is why she gets a special section in the freezer. All different flavors of eggos.”

El’s eyes get wide. “Even the blueberry ones?”

Steve gives her hair a tousle, “Especially the blueberry ones.”

I just noticed that in this clip Steve picks up the receiver with his right hand, tosses it to his left… and then passes it back to his right to clock the guy

I just know that if Steve had a sword or something he would be doing so much extra fancy twirly shit

Steddie Angst Prompt: Nepo Steve + Undiscovered Musician Eddie

Eddie is trying to make it big in the music scene but people don’t get ‘discovered’ nowadays, even with a manager, it’s all about who you know. And Eddie gets the chance to mingle after subbing for small band who were one member short. He scores an invitation to tag along to a party. A high profile party.

And Eddie’s manager gives him a tip: the son of C. Harrington, owner of huge record label GNH, will be there and he so happens to bat for the both teams.

Nothing is said directly but it’s heavily implied that if Eddie can manage to shake this guy’s hand and flirt his way into a few dates… that can be his in.

So, okay, stringing along some rich entitled asshole born with a silver spoon in his mouth? Eddie’s game. Doesn’t hurt that the guy is easy on the eyes, even if a little too on the preppy side for his tastes.

And he does it. He gets his few dates, but no word has reached Harrington senior about his music so it looks like this might turn into the long game.

Except that Steve is sweet.

Eddie didn’t count on Steve being so sweet.

Eddie didn’t count on Steve showing active emotional interest. To spill his heart out to Eddie and reach with such lonely hands practically begging to be loved.

Eddie didn’t count on falling in love either.

Maybe Eddie can have his cake and eat it too, right?

But then, well,

Steve finds out about his original intentions.

Modern AU.

Steve is a bit clueless about social media. He had been on it for a few years but realized it was detrimental for his mental health and went on a much needed cleanse. And besides, he would get anything truly important from Robin, and anything not so important from Dustin.

And really, Dustin is the one blamed for this whole mess. It started with a clock sounding app that Steve kind of brushed off until it was everywhere. TikTok.

He didn’t download it because he heard several rants from Robin about how she swore she was going to spend ten minutes on it before suddenly realizing hours had passed. And Steve felt glad that that wasn’t him.

But soon enough, TikTok would get a little too involved in Steve’s life.

See, unbeknownst to him, Steve was getting a little famous on the app because of Dustin Henderson. The kid had posted some video of Steve giving him a lecture about the importance of calling and texting when he gets home that had gone a bit viral.

And it wasn’t because people were agreeing with what Steve was saying. They just thought he was hot.

And Dustin thought it wouldn’t hurt if Steve just… didn’t really know about the small fame he was racking up. He worked from home anyways, and he didn’t go out in public too much to be recognized. So Dustin kept up with the videos until Steve noticed one day that his phone was pointed at him.

“I’m just saying… Dude, are you filming me?”

In the video, the phone is put down and the screen goes black before some muffled arguing is heard in the background and the phone is picked up, showing Dustin shrieking while being held back. The camera flips to reveal Steve staring at it confused. “What the hell? Is this that Tiktok app you’re talking about?”

The video cuts itself off after reaching the time limit Dustin had set. But Steve is still confused and presses on a bit about it until Dustin confesses he has a bit of a fan following. Steve is now way more than confused until Dustin shows him all the videos and comments.

Of course, that leads to another lecture that has Dustin willingly admitting to being in the wrong. But Steve, as always, gives in a little and tells the kid that if he wants to keep filming then it’s fine, “But don’t post that video.”

“I won’t. I won’t. Jeez,” Dustin promises before going to his drafts and uploading the video.

And Steve thinks that maybe that’ll be the end to it. Maybe the people won’t like him now that he’s noticed the camera.

And that is definitely not the case.

The video goes very viral because not only does it show Steve closer up, but Eddie Munson, the up and coming artist, comments on it “👀”.

And fans kind of blow up over the comment, and they beg Dustin to ask him what he thinks of Eddie and his music. Of course, Dustin is more than willingly to comply.

He goes over to Steve’s and starts filming as Steve is putting the finishing touches on a homemade pizza, so he’s a bit distracted to notice. Dustin asks Alexa to play one of Eddie’s older song that’s been climbing the charts as Eddie’s name has become more well known. Steve kind of smiles and sings the words under his breath.

“So, Steve, you like this song?”

Steve rolls his eyes as he slides the pizza into the oven replying, “You know it’s my favorite.” Then he turns to Dustin and gives him a look before saying, “I told you, if you’re filming you have to tell me-”

The video cuts off and is posted with the caption @ eddiethefreakmunson this is for you.

And Steve goes on with his life without knowing anything about the way the internet is blowing up when Eddie comments, “Please tell me he’s single.”

And Dustin, being as sneaky and subtle as he can, brings up Eddie Munson that night after seeing the comment that is posted quickly after the post - he even follows Dustin, and it takes all his willpower not to freak out in front of Steve. But Steve just shakes his head and says he has no idea who Eddie is which doesn’t surprise Dustin much. Steve was never one to really look into bands.

Dustin calmly suggests, “So, I was wondering… there’s this like thing on TikTok where people are asking their parents and grandparents to rank celebrities that they don’t know. And I thought it would maybe be cool if we made a video of that.”

Steve looks at him for a few moments and thinks about it. It’s not like anything will happen if he voices his opinions about random famous people, right?

Wrong.

He just kind of shrugs, and Dustin asks to use his phone. Steve hands it over, and Dustin quickly unlocks it.

He sets up his camera and starts recording.

“Hey, you guys know Steve here. He’s agreed to rate some celebrities today, and we’re going to start with Eddie Munson. Steve, did you know that he sings one of your favorite songs?”

Steve eyes the camera uneasily and replies, “No?”

Dustin smiles. “The one I played earlier. Your favorite.”

“Oh,” Steve replies and just shrugs. “I just know it’s by Corroded Coffin or something.”

Dustin grin gets wider. “And have you ever seen a picture of the lead singer from the band?”

Steve looks at the camera again and back at Dustin. “No? But you know this. I’m not really too big on social media.”

“Alright, so can you close your eyes while I pull up a picture of Eddie Munson?”

Steve’s eyes narrow at Dustin. “I really don’t trust you but sure.” He sighs and puts his hands over his eyes not sure how he got here.

He assumes Dustin is talking to the camera as he says, “So, this is the picture I’m going to… Focus. Come on. Damn it-”

“Language,” Steve lectures with his hands still over his eyes.

“See what I have to put up with?” Dustin asks and Steve scoffs. “Oh, finally it’s focused. It’s this picture if you’re wondering.” There’s a bit of a clatter on the table below Steve before Dustin continues, “Now, Steve, you can open your eyes.”

Steve’s hands fall down dramatically as he glares at Dustin. He can see his phone is laying on the table in front of him. “Now was that really neces…” he trails off as he looks down and slowly finishes, “sary… Woah.”

On his phone is a picture of a guy with longer hair, holding a guitar, and grinning at the camera in a genuine way that tugs at Steve’s heart. He realizes Dustin typed the name into Google and just went to images, so he swipes to look at more. He smiles and even laughs at the more ridiculous images with him sticking out his tongue and making little horns with his fingers and even one where he’s completely mid air wiping out on a small stage.

“Steve’s scrolling through all the pictures you find when you search for ‘Eddie Munson’ on Google if you were wondering what he’s looking at.”

The voice snaps Steve back to reality and he slightly startles as he looks at the camera. He feels a blush rise on his face as he asks, “Is it still recording?”

“Yes it is,” Dustin says sounding a little too proud of himself. “And Steve, what would you rate this man on a scale of one to ten?”

Steve glances back down at the picture and smiles. “This is the one who sings my favorite song?”

“Yep!”

Steve looks at the camera and says, “He deserves way more than a scale from one to ten but even then he’s always going to be off the charts.”

“So a ten out of ten.”

Steve scoffs, “An eleven at least.”

“And Steve, one last question.”

He hums in response slightly confused.

“Are you single?”

“Dude, you know I’m single. Why are you asking?”

Dustin smiles. “And that’ll do for this video!” He giggles as he ends it and types up something before posting it.

Steve feels like he’s out of the loop about something, but he’s not sure what. He decides it’s better not to ask. “No more TikTok for the rest of your visit, okay?”

“More than okay,” Dustin says with a smile before launching into the latest drama in his life. Steve settles in and listens while the pizza cooks.

Eddie has already commented, “Marry me?”

-:-:-:-:-:-

The next day, Steve wakes up to his phone blowing up with notifications, but what worries him the most is the twelve missed calls from Robin. He calls her and she immediately answers, “Why didn’t you tell me you were dating Eddie Munson?!”

“I’m what?” Steve says groan and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

“Your name is everywhere, dingus, talking about how you’re Eddie’s TikTok boyfriend!” Robin yells.

“I thought you offloaded TikTok,” Steve replies confused.

“Oh my gosh, that is not what you should be worried about right now. Stop dodging my question!”

Steve grunts as he gets out of bed and makes his way to his coffeemaker. “Robin, don’t you think if I were dating some famous dude that I would’ve told you, my best friend?”

There’s a huff on the other line. “Well when you put it like that…”

Steve can’t help but laugh.

“Just, these sources are really convincing! Especially with all his comments on Dustin’s TikToks about you.”

Steve freezes. “He’s commented on those?”

“Yeah, dude. It’s all over how he recently commented on all videos that Dustin posted in the past few weeks saying stuff like ‘mine.’ and ‘Gareth is about to steal my phone because I can’t stop gushing over Steve.’ And blah blah blah Steve this Steve that.”

“Who’s Gareth?” Steve can’t help but ask as a bit of jealousy twists in his stomach.

“Oh my god! You cannot be jealous because of a stranger!”

“He’s a hot stranger who sings my favorite song!”

Robin laughs hard on the other line, “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“I can’t either,” Steve says with a laugh, fully in disbelief about it all. He almost expects Robin to tell him it’s a joke, but he puts her on speaker so he can scroll through his notifications all about Eddie Munson. He takes a deep breath and decides to Google Eddie again except this time one of the top search results is “Eddie Munson and TikTok Steve.” He clicks on it and feels his heart pound at the stupid articles that claim they’ve been dating for years and his “Marry me” comment was an actual marriage proposal.

“Oh, that is not a flattering picture of me,” Steve groans and keeps scrolls. “Shit! Robin, there’s a picture of you and me here!”

“No shit!” Robin shrieks.

Steve looks at the article and laughs, “They think that I’m straight and you’re my girlfriend.”

“No way!” Robin yells laughing. “Life cannot be real right now.”

Steve keeps scrolling until he suddenly closes out of the tab. Life really can’t be real. He takes a moment to settle in it. He’s probably going to be recognized a bit now until this whole thing dies down, and shit, they might try to dig into his personal life. Will this effect his job? His reputation? What are people going to find? Are they going to make crazy shit up about him?

Steve lets out a deep breath and runs his hands over his face. Some of the internet thinks he’s dating Eddie Munson. He scoffs at the idea but thinks about how Eddie has somehow commented on all these videos about him. But maybe he was drunk or something. Robin’s right. He doesn’t know the man.

“I’m in some deep shit, aren’t I?” Steve asks.

“We’re in this together, you know,” Robin replies. Then there’s a clattering sound and some freaking out on the other line.

“Robin?! Are you okay??” Steve yells into the phone.

“Yes! Yes! Sorry. Yes. It’s just…” she takes a deep breath. “Eddie Munson followed me on Instagram. And he messaged me. Oh my god.”

“What does it say?” Steve asks, stomach fluttering with butterflies.

“Holy shit, he wants to know if he can get your number and understands if not, but he can’t find your social media anywhere and now he’s freaking out about asking if you’re straight but then taking it back saying he doesn’t want to out you or anything. And this is actually really funny he just keeps sending stuff, but holy shit Steve! What do I say?”

Steve takes a moment to think about it. If he says no, the whole buzz will kind of die down, and his life might return back to normal. He could get Dustin to delete the videos, and maybe it would bruise Eddie’s ego but maybe the sources would just assume Steve was straight, it was some publicity stunt, or thing just didn’t work out. Everything would go back to normal, and he wouldn’t have to think about Eddie and the way some of his songs have gotten him through shit, or how his smile is easily the most gorgeous thing he’s ever seen.

He takes a deep breath and replies, “Okay. Uh, give him my number.” His eyes widen. This is happening.

Robin replies, “Sent! Oh my god. This is the coolest moment of my entire life.”

There’s a notification from a new number that appears on Steve’s phone soon after that says, hi uh this is Eddie :P

“He texted me,” Steve breathes out and shakily types out Hello, I’m Steve :). “And I replied.”

There’s already the bubbles that appear as Eddie types something else before they disappear and reappear and disappear again before reappearing. A message finally appears.

How do you feel about FaceTime?

Steve stares at the message and says, “Robin, I’m going to have to call you back. I’m about to FaceTime Eddie Munson.”

Life is not real.

Do i headcanon Steve with some of the same moles i have? Yes i do. Do i have a reason of why? No, not really.

I just think it’s pretty neat sharing the same moles as Steve, and because i also think it’s cool that:

Steve has two moles on his neck that kinda look like a vampire bite (Eddie goes absolutely feral about them. When he dressed up as a vampire for Hallowen he tells everyone that he did them).

Him thinking he has the usa minor in his arm for a while until Robin tells him it's missing two moles for it to be true (and saying that if it's really the usa minor 'it's a funny looking' one).

He has two moles in his right hand that, everytime someone of the Party is bored with a pen, they draw a smiley face with them (the two moles are the eyes and they just draw the mouth).

Steve has a pretty noticeable mole on his stomach, near his belly button.

Yeah, that’s it, i just love his moles.

The truth is that Steve has a lot of fun at the concerts he attends with Eddie even though most of the time he didn't understand anything of what some of the metal singers were singing. But it was fun, he wasn't a metal fan but going to concerts with Eddie were those times when they could go outside as a couple and date without people noticing.

Tonight Metallica was playing, it was the first time they would see them now that they moved to Chicago and well Eddie is pretty excited and Steve does his best to keep up with him, he even recognizes some songs.

When they play Master of Puppets a shiver runs down his spine, and even though he can't touch Eddie like he would like to because they are in public, just looking at him is enough to make him feel better, because his Eddie is alive and he is right where he belongs.

As the concert is about to end, the band starts playing a song that Steve immediately recognizes....

"That's our song!" Steve exclaimed with excitement.

"What are you talking about?"

The song was soft, different from the ones Metallica usually played, the stadium was less noisy than before because the audience was concentrated on the opening notes. Steve approached Eddie with a bright smile and whispered:

"That was the song we were listening to when you kissed me for the first time."

Eddie looks at him with complete love, desire and affection. They are so close to each other and yet they can't get any closer, it hurts but it comforts him to know that he will go home with that boy.

"I'm going to spend a lifetime kissing you Steve Harrington, until we are allowed to kiss throughout the entire setlist of a concert"

Eddie whispers in his ear and kisses his cheek, his lips barely graze his cheek but with that he seals the promise. Immediately he pulls back and instead wraps his arm around Steve's shoulders, Steve smiles without taking his eyes off the stage and places his hand on Eddie's, as the song plays he discreetly intertwines their fingers.

----

The song is Fade to Black btw. Metallica played in Chicago on November 17, 1988, that is the concert attended by these two lovebirds. ✨️

Jealousy works on Eddie. Much like flattery.

If you want all of Eddie's attention, giving yours to someone else is almost a surefire way to make that happen.

Because of this it takes Eddie far too long to realize that jealousy doesn't work on Steve.

It finally clicks into place for him on the night he decides to give up on Steve Harrington. It's been years of friendship and flirting and Steve has never taken the next step. (Eddie hasn't, either, but that's not the point.)

The point is it's been years. Years of ups and downs, of coming out to each other, of Corroded Coffin getting signed and rising in fame. Years of Steve job hopping until he settled in at a local little bookstore in Indy.

Years of Eddie never having a serious relationship, and neither did Steve. They just danced around each other, Eddie trying his best to make Steve jealous enough to make a move. But he didn't.

He never did. Never does.

And now he's here, back at the gay bar that he, Steve, and Robin used to be regulars at when they all first moved to Indy in the fall of '86, making the night of some random guy who was wearing a Corroded Coffin band shirt. They're grinding together more than actually dancing, faces so close that they'd be kissing if either of them would just pucker their lips.

And it's out of habit, of checking that he might see the green-eyed monster lurking within Steve's features, that he looks. His eyes flick from the face of this random fan to Steve, and he sees it.

Not jealousy. Never jealousy.

Instead, he sees what he's been missing all this time.

He watches as Steve catches that Eddie is looking, watches as Steve schools his features into a supportive smile that doesn't reach his eyes. Watches as Steve gives him a dorky ass two thumbs up.

Eddie stops dancing, tells the guy he's been dancing with he has to go, and beelines to Steve.

Because he saw.

He saw that he can't make Steve jealous because all he's been doing is making him sad.

Steve's eyes go wide in surprise, but he goes easily when Eddie takes his wrist and tugs him along.

"Eddie, man, what's up?" Steve asks once they're outside, his brows furrowed in the way they do when he's confused and concerned.

"You're in love with me," Eddie gasps, a revelation and an accusation all in one.

And Steve. Beautiful, perfect Steve, doesn't deny. In fact, he has the audacity to shrug sheepishly with one shoulder. "Of course, I am."

"What do you mean of course!?"

"I didn't- it's not a secret?" Steve cocks his head. "Or, I thought you knew."

"No! I mean, I knew you were attracted to me. We've- there's been so much flirting that bit was obvious, but this. This. God, Steve, you look like I'd just ripped your heart out and stomped on it. And I didn't know."

Steve is silent for a moment, a small frown on his face as he processes Eddie's words. "Oh. I thought you knew. Y'know, that it was just a part of our friendship."

It makes something sour within Eddie. "I- what? What do you mean 'part of our friendship'?"

"The- our thing. The flirting. We flirt but it's never more than that. It's like, uh, like a warm up. We flirt and then go out and I help you get laid by just being me. Y'know. Like how people want what they think they can't have, or that they want something just because someone else also wants it? That's what I do for you. I thought- well, I thought you knew. That it was part of your whole thing."

"My whole thing!? What thing? There's no thing!" Eddie feels like an asshole suddenly. Eddie had been trying to use those other guys to make Steve jealous, not make the other guys jealous using Steve. How had he not known? How had he not seen?

"Your kinky thing!" Steve hisses, high pitched and even though he's almost 30 Eddie sees that Steve is blushing. "That you like to be watched or whatever."

"I don't have an exhibitionism kink!" The few people who are also outside the bar turn to look when Eddie shouts but he does his best to ignore them. In a quieter voice, he asks, "why would you do that? Why didn't you ever just tell me you loved me?"

"Because I didn't want to actually hear you reject me?" Steve is now looking at Eddie like he's grown a second head. "I could survive the not having you, dude, but I don't think I could continue to be around if you'd actually said- if I heard you. What's this about, Eddie?"

"I wouldn't have rejected you," Eddie pleads, "I was- I won't reject you. Jesus, Steve, you're the only one I've really wanted!"

Eddie watches with horror as instead of happiness, Steve's face crumples.

"Don't," Steve says, voice water. "Don't. Just- don't. We- I can't be who you want. We can't- I'm fine. I'm fine with how we are. With how this always goes. Don't."

Eddie swallows down the immediate argument that wants to come. He's messed this up. He's fucked up so bad and wasn't even aware he was doing it. Steve's in love with him, apparently, and thought that Eddie knew and was okay with using Steve's affection to get with other people.

And he can't even- he can't even be mad that this is the conclusion Steve came to, because it's what he's been doing.

Clinging to other people, dancing with them, eventually taking them home. Trying to make Steve jealous enough to make a move, when he should have just been making a move. Pulling Steve onto the dance floor, clinging to Steve.

Going home with Steve.

"I think we need to talk sweetheart," Eddie says, "I've been- I've been doing this all wrong. I've gone about this the wrong way. Can we go home and talk?"

Home is, of course, the original apartment they all shared. A little two bedroom place where Robin and Steve shared a room until Robin moved into a place with her girlfriend. Then it was just Eddie and Steve until Corroded Coffin got signed.

And Steve still lives there. In that apartment that still has Eddie's name on the lease, just in case.

Steve swallows thickly, and Eddie sees the years of unintentional wounds behind his eyes. Years of thinking Eddie didn't want him. Even so, Steve nods.

"Yeah. We can talk at home."

Adding to this post, imagine them being famous in the future.

Eddie becoming a rising star as soon as he gets out of Hawkins, his band corroded coffin entering the music scene and having massively popular songs. People are getting more intrigue for his past murder charges, but he gets easily defended once he gets a solid fan base (and the fact that he was absolved of those charges).

And Steve entering the acting scene at the same time, him and Robin being just some extras in a movie for the extra cash, but the director falls in love with the sibling-like duo, making them a cameo where Steve acts like a buffer, making the male character jealous so he can make a move.

It was a simple role, just a few minutes of screen with one-liners of dialogue, but to the surprise of everybody—except for Robin—Steve killed the role. Maybe it was his eyes that enamored everyone, his kicked puppy look or his smile, but he became the nation's sweetheart. 

After that, he got cast for more minor roles, and little by little established himself as an actor, to the point of being the lead more frequently. 

With that, the two of them are well established in their own fields, working hard and being well-known. So it's not rare that at some point they end up in the same event.

It could be anything, a festival, some awards, just a party of famous people—the point is, they are in a public space, surrounded by people that have no idea they know each other, and like an instinct, they act like swore enemies.

Their minds are so used to associate:

"being in public" + "hide true relationship and have fun" = "fake hate each other"

Becuase years of pulling that stunt in their teenagehood that like reflex they spit second-hand insults. 

Like– they lock eyes on each other and instantly looked up and down in the bitchiest way possible. Honestly, at this point it has become their own weird way of flirting, the more vicious the comment the more they will drive the other crazy.

Of course, neither of them realize what they were doing until they both were making out in the bathroom, squirreling away from the vent, going to the closest hotel and waking up the next day with friends/acquaintances from their own jobs field asking for the latest gossip of the industry.

The way Robin would laugh her ass off, only to act like a toddler, pointing fingers and giggling at the two dinguses when they realize what they have done.

It was not intentional, and now everyone who was in the event thinks they hate each other's guts like old times.

The public doesn’t know yet, the reporters still not hearing about this until well-respected journalist, Nancy Wheeler (who has already written about each of them, one for Eddie and one for Steve), makes an article about their long complicated story.

(No, she isn't being petty, Mike, she just thinks it’s funny, and it’s not like she is lying, they do have a long and complicated story, it’s just a little to the left, she just isn't saying some things)

The next time someone interviews one of them, they are asking about the other, why they hate each other, if there’s some drama, why they didn't know they knew the other, etc.

Long story short, they pulled the same bit they did in school, but now by accident and to the whole country (and the world when they start getting more international).

They tried to clarify but fell on deaf ears, people thinking is just to safe face or keep appearances, after all the habit doesn’t quite go and they always ended up flirting with insults in every event they are together.

They definitely start to enjoying it and play along after a while.

Not only that, but they enjoyed it even more when years later, in a random day, they posted their X years wedding anniversary photos with their family.

Everyone lost their shit after that.

Ophelia's Son: Addams Visiting

Author's note: I'm not going to let Cleopatra actually visit Hawkins. I'm pretty sure the Party would immediately kill her. Also I do have more ideas to play with in this world so I'm not saying it's over forever, just for now.

Summary: A storm is forecast for Hawkins so what better time for the Addams Family to come and visit

Continuing on from Ophelia's Son Smoking What Will Grow and Abigail

/\

There was a storm due. Steve had been debating since hearing about it whether he should invite everyone over for a sleepover or just prepare to drive through the storm fetching anyone who got upset. Robin and Eddie had already invited themselves over and had been laughing together about his worrying.

The knock at the door stopped the laughter and had them all glancing to the closet he’d stored the nail bat in. Steve chuckled at the realisation they’d all done it and went to answer the door without grabbing it.

“Hello, um, Aunt Morticia and everyone. Come in. I didn’t know you were visiting.” Steve blinked at the half dozen people stood on his doorstep, including the giant carrying all the suitcases.

“Good lad, Steve. We saw the weather forecast and simply had to come.” Gomez greeted, shaking his hand rapidly before he’d held it out. “Lurch will bring everything in but you’ve got some wonderfully ominous woods Wednesday was begging to explore on the drive through. Hope you don’t mind us arriving then going out for a walk immediately.”

“In a storm?” Eddie asked, sceptically.

Morticia beamed at him, “Of course. What better weather. And the moon is full too which is wonderful for the skin when it spears through.”

“We’ll prepare rooms for you all while you explore then.” Steve agreed easily, letting Lurch past.

He would definitely need more blankets if the party needed comfort through the storm now, but extra company wasn’t a bad thing at all.

/\

Morticia had been close to frowning as she took in the Harrington house, but forced a smile for Steve, saying, “Oh it’s got a Je ne sais quoi about it, charmingly but far too bland.”

“Tish! That’s French!” Gomez stumbled out of his chair ceasing her arm to start ravishing it.

After a moment of watching this Steve looked away a little awkwardly, “Um, I’ve set up spare rooms for you. Yours is top of the stairs, second to the right. If you want privacy or, you know.”

“Much obliged,” Gomez agreed, now carrying Morticia up the stairs, kissing the back of her neck when he could. “We’ll talk later.”

“Steve, remind me never to speak anything other than English around any and all Addams’s from now on.” Robin asked after they’d heard the door shut. Granmama’s insistence that they’re in love over some Russian made a lot more sense if that was Gomez’s reaction to French. She did not want to test if it applied to other people speaking foreign languages or not.

Steve glanced at her, smirking, “I might be suffocating you if you do. Just to avoid whatever love dust is.” He snickered to hear Eddie’s yelp as he’d been finishing off the rooms somehow.

“Glad we agree.” She nodded briskly, “Now how are we going to make the kids witness that so they’ll stop trying to set us up?”

“I’ve got some French cook books I think,” He said after a moment, deciding to ignore the possibility of it occurring that night or just because of the kids nosiness about his relatives now, "Could do a family dinner.”

“Perfect.”

In the reactions of his Aunt and Uncle Steve had momentarily forgotten that there were also two kids staying with him. Granted they’d both quickly gone to entertain themselves and each other but he was usually more alert over anyone younger given his kids likelihood to get into deadly situations.

He was reminded of them by Pugsley coming through frowning. “Cousin Steve, you don’t have any tunnels yet.”

“No Pugsley, I’ve not found any.” He answered mostly hoping he wasn’t about to be told about Upside Down tunnels again. Having it happen once with Dustin was beyond enough/

“We’ll start making them now.” Wednesday offered, climbing out of the closet, cuddling a headless doll and his nail-bat. “Any pipes to avoid?”

Steve reached to take the nail-bat back, sighing, “Try the office for house plans cause I don’t know.”

“Thank you.” Robin shared a glance at him as the kids ran off. Neither had to speak to know they were both wondering if kids really were just looking for ways to die all the time and how neither of them had done that.

/\

The storm passed without any of the Party asking for comfort beyond radio confirmation everyone was okay and Steve now wished it was still going.

Gomez had declared after breakfast that it was time he got Steve acquainted with Zen Yogi and flipped into a headstand.

“That will hurt my flowers. Are there any other poses?” Steve asked, hand going to his hair and the sunflowers that he’d kept growing through the few experiments they’d done since the first one.

“Well, yes, but this is the most important one to master.” Gomez genially explained, somewhere he’d gotten a newspaper to read and had pulled a cigar out of his pocket, already lit somehow. “At least try it once. It’s wonderful for inner strength building.”

Eddie laughed, “Steve does need to work on his core muscles.”

“Nope, no more jokes like that.” Steve knelt, eyes narrowed as he worried over the flowers he was increasingly fond of. “If it damages my flowers, I’m stopping.”

He had done a few headstands before but not often so took a moment to get stable, during which Morticia clapped her hands together with a joyful noise, “Wonderful and if I may say, I’m thrilled to see such variety of plants growing. Ophelia always stayed so limited with daisies when there are much more delightful plants.”

Her warm tone had something in Steve relaxing, a worry they’d dislike or judge him over the flowers dissolving. “It’s become an experiment for the kids, testing what will grow. I’m pretty sure Dustin has theories over what should grow well in brains as well as what soil type my head it.”

“Gardeners?” Morticia sounded pleasantly surprised about the experiments. “Oh I wish I’d known. I’d have brought Cleopatra with us. She is a dear vine.”

“Maybe if you visit again you could bring her.” Steve decided not to question a plant being spoken about like a person. After all some of the ones growing on his head definitely felt like that to him now.

He came out of the headstand when the conversation seemed to have ended, immediately checking the hallway mirror to see if the plants and flowers were okay. Seeing they were he relaxed and moved to curl up between Robin and Eddie for the rest of the afternoon.