The Party - Blog Posts

I’m fucking screaming right now. I’m rereading Rebel Robin and this is how she describes Mike and the party when she sees them in the grocery store.

She calls the party “feral small people”.

She also calls Mike Mrs. Wheeler’s “offspring” , “extremely pale child”, and “ghostly child with a frightful dark bowl cut”.

(Mike calls his mom “the blonde Medusa”.)

It’s so funny I cannot.

Songs I Think Stranger Things Characters Would Listen To (The Party + Erica: Edition)

Note: For these lists, I tried to include songs that we haven't really seen in canon for the characters. We know that Max likes "Running Up That Hill", we know Mike likes "Small Town Boy", and we know Will likes "Boys Don't Cry". I love those songs and they are included in these playlists but I'm more interested in using music as a way to expand on and flesh out these characters.

I have also linked to Spotify playlists for each character. If you agree or disagree with any of my picks, please let me know!

Will Byers

Will has inherited a lot of his music taste from Jonathan but it's evolved in a way that's distinctly his own. Unlike his brother, Will's music tends to be more pop-focused. He likes new wave, post-punk, and moody songs that he can listen to while he paints. I think Will really pays attention to the lyrics of the music he listens to and it serves as a kind of therapy for him.

In Between Days by The Cure

Elegia by New Order

Mad World by Tears For Fears

Lost in the Supermarket by The Clash

It's A Sin by Pet Shop Boys

Major Tom (Coming Home) by Peter Schilling

Without You by David Bowie

This Charming Man by The Smiths

Mike Wheeler

Mike is always trying to appear slightly cooler than he is. He likes classic rock in a very Eric Forman way (if that makes any sense). By the time he joins Hellfire Club, he's trying to emulate Eddie's style and music taste because he just thinks Eddie's that cool. At his core, Mike enjoys sappy songs about love, life, and heartbreak because he's a dork who likes to jam out in his room.

Never Surrender by Corey Hart

Dream On by Aerosmith

Suburbia by Pet Shop Boys

Punishment For Love by Bronski Beat

Hold Me Now by Thompson Twins

Hells Bells by AC/DC

Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams

Eighteen by Alice Cooper

El "Jane" Hopper

El is just finding her own music taste. She’s only been shown music by her friends or Hopper so she picks and chooses what she likes. Mostly that’s a lot of pop music and ballads. She also watches a lot of MTV so her taste tends to skew pretty mainstream. When Max teaches her how to put together mixtapes her’s tend to be pretty upbeat or dramatic depending on her mood. While she’s contemplating her relationship with Mike she listens to a lot of gaudy break-up ballads. 

Hey Mickey by Toni Basil

She Bop by Cyndi Lauper

The Promise by When In Rome

Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler

Talk Talk by Talk Talk

Could've Been by Tiffany

Destination Unkown by Missing Persons

Two of Hearts by Stacey Q

Max Mayfield

Max’s music taste is kind of hard to pinpoint. It’s really a grab bag of pop, rock, experimental, and softer punk. The only way I can describe it is like “spunky”. There are also moments when the music she listens to becomes more introspective and brooding. In “Runaway Max” she mentions liking The Go-Go’s and The Beach Boys. 

Dreaming by Blondie 

We Got The Beat by The Go-Go’s 

Kids In America by Kim Wilde 

The Girl U Want by DEVO

Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes 

Hounds of Love by Kate Bush 

California Dreamin by The Beach Boys 

White Wedding - Pt.1 by Billy Idol 

Dustin Henderson

Dustin is the nerdiest of nerdiest teenage boys (we wore a "Weird Al" t-shirt on his first day of high school I mean come on). He thinks that "Weird Al" is a genius for his use of parody and critique of pop culture (which, he's not wrong). He's always liked metal but it's only become more prominent for him since hanging out with Eddie so much. Being in Hellfire though has caused him to be more stealthy about his love for novelty records and one-hit wonders. He makes mixtapes full of love songs and saves up his money to send them to Suzie in Utah.

She Blinded Me With Science by Thomas Dolby 

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen 

The Safety Dance by Men Without Hats 

Weird Science by Oingo Boingo 

I’m Gonna Be by The Proclaimers 

As The World Falls Down by David Bowie 

Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley 

I Lost On Jeopardy by “Weird Al” Yankovic

Lucas Sinclair

Lucas’ music taste is pretty diverse. He likes rock music but not as hard as Mike and Dustin’s taste. I imagine he’s picked up a lot of soul and r&b music from his parents, specifically his mom. In “Lucas On The Line” Lucas is introduced to Run-D.M.C. and really takes a shine to it so I imagine he’d be listening to some rap and hip hop. My qualifications for my picks were “would Lucas sing this infront of his bedroom mirror while using a hairbrush as a microphone?”. 

Another One Bites the Dust by Queen 

Walk This Way by Run-D.M.C. 

Dirty Diana by Micheal Jackson

Juke Box Hero by Foreigner 

Easy Lover by Philip Bailey & Phil Collins 

Everything She Wants by Wham!

You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine by Lou Rawls 

Never Too Much by Luther Vandross

Erica Sinclair

Erica is eleven so she tends to gravitate towards music that's popular or that she hears on the radio. Pop and R&B make up most of her cassette collection. The music she likes tends to be very upbeat and kick-ass (these songs are all bangers so she has amazing taste). Like Lucas, she also does dorky lipsyncing in her bedroom but unlike him, she's never been caught.

Head to Toe by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam 

I Feel For You by Chaka Khan 

What Have You Done For Me Lately by Janet Jackson 

Got to Be Real by Cheryl Lynn 

Let’s Hear It For the Boy by Denise Williams

Rhythm of The Night by DeBarge 

Cool It Now by New Edition 

Swept Away by Diana Ross 

Being An Older Sister Figure to the Party

Headcanons for being an older sister to the party from seasons 1 to 3 (for now, I'll probably add more ideas that pop into my head, especially for season 4). I might even do a part two if someone requests it.

You’ve been babysitting Will since he was nine and as a result you’ve become very protective of him and his friends. 

You and Jonathan have always worked as a team to make Will feel accepted. You started coming over every weekend to watch movies or listen to music with the two of them, making sure that it was stuff that he liked. 

You listen carefully when Will tries to explain D&D to and you smile at the way he talks about “Will the Wise” and the adventures he goes on with his friends. Eventually Will’s party gives you a rundown of how to play and you participate sometimes (usually reading lines for an NPC Mike wrote beforehand).

Dustin and Lucas really like having you around. They always try to impress you with random references and facts that are pretty cringe-worthy but you find them charming. 

Even when Joyce couldn’t afford to pay you after Lonnie left you still stick around because you care about Will so much. It kills you to see how he and his friends get bullied and you try to help any way you can but it doesn’t always work. 

You and Joyce have always been really close and she treats you like a daughter. 

After Will came back from the upside down you visited him every day in the hospital and brought him a box full of his favorite things (art supplies, books, his favorite movies). 

You never really recover from what happened but you try to be a pillar of strength for him. 

When Max moves to Hawkins you quickly get wind of her home life. You make it your mission to make sure she has a place where she can feel comfortable, letting her stay over at your house whenever she needs a break from Billy or Niel. 

Max has never been traditionally “girly” but you help her feel comfortable in her femininity. Painting her nails, braiding her hair, taking her shopping for clothes because her mom is too overbearing, etc. 

She’s always struggled with finding positive female role models but you show her the strength in being vulnerable and tell her that she doesn’t have to act tough all the time.

When Steve Harrington enters the picture you’re a little skeptical. He never seemed like the kind of person who would spend his time worrying about anyone but himself and his asshole friends. You’re especially worried about Dustin trying to emulate him but soon enough you come around. He shows you that he cares about the kids just as much as you do even if its in a different way. You start to bond and anytime he worries about people still seeing him as “King Steve”, you assure him that he’s a great guy who’s doing his best. 

Eleven is your baby. After season two you make a point of treating her like a normal preteen girl. When she grows out her hair you buy her clips and look in every magazine to find hairstyles that she can wear. 

When Lucas and Max get together they break up constantly which leads to Lucas crying on your doorstep begging you to help him get her back. Lucas insists that he did it himself because he’s just that smooth (and he’s embarrassed about blubbering in your arms about missing Max). 

When Dustin comes back from camp you’re the only one who believes him about Suzie being his girlfriend. You even talk with her on Cerebro and quickly become pen pals. 

After season 3 you like to keep tabs on Erica. Mostly just to check if she’s having any problems sleeping after what happened on the Fourth of July, or sometimes just to hear her rant about her D&D character. 

You and Mike have an interesting relationship. He’s been Will’s best friend for as long as you remember and has been one of the only people who’s ever made him feel normal but at the same time he’s put that boy through the emotional wringer. 

He annoys you a lot of the time but at the end of the day you know he’s a good kid and who doesn’t have a lot of love in his life. 

Sometimes Mike comes to you about stuff he doesn’t tell anyone else. He sees you as one of the only older people in his life who won’t scold him for his mistakes. You always tease him or set him straight but at the end of the day you let him know you care.

You're the first person Will ever comes out to, and you make sure to guard that secret with your life.

At the end of the day all the kids love you and feel like they can come to you for anything, especially end-of-the-world stuff <3.

Stranger things AU

My note, Steve note.

Steve (Alice) Harrington (Future Hopper)

Stuck in the uspide down since he's 12 (1978)

El managed to make a mini opening years before 83 which led to Steve getting caught and stuck in the uspide down.

He was reading his favorite book Alice in Wonderland when it happened, and so he named this world after that book.

Steve friends

-3 Demodogs (He just calls them dogs) their names are, Diamond, Clover, Spade

-1 Demobats (Called Bats) Name Hearts

-The kraken at the bottom of the lake that raised Steve named Mom or Cheshire

Steve's Wonderland Reviews!

The areas and monsters that live there, with the danger level and drawings made by me!

-The lake also called neutral zone, This is mom's area, the fights are forbidden inside so it's 100% sure for me! Danger level 0/5

-The City, this is where Tweedledee and Tweedledum reign, Tweedledee and Tweedledum are not very complicated to face in 1v1 but in 2v1 it becomes complicated, if you do not kill both at the same time the other will resurrect the other one, super important area for any items or supplies! Danger level 2/5.

-The Forest, Joker Zone, constant combat, if you enter the forest it is to fight! The joker is not completely evil? But since he is more intelligent than most monsters and I can't guess his intention I can't help but be uncomfortable with him. Danger level 4/5

-The meadow, there is not really a "zone boss" in this area, just a bunch of really scary monsters, especially the cards/the voiceless, or the caterpillar, the cards just follow you silently and if you talk to them they start to imitate your voice, and if you stay too long they will start to imitate you physically. The caterpillar just hangs around in the ground, so it is advisable to stay hidden and up high in this area (I recommend trees)Danger Level 3/5

-The Rabbit Hole, over there you will find the rabbit and the hare, They both have a great hunting instinct and run super fast, unlike Tweedledee and Tweedledum they don't get along, They don't really share the area... rather they fight over it, The dormouse also hangs around sometimes, he likes to pick up the pieces of monsters scattered by the rabbit and the hare. Danger level 3,5/5

-The Hatter's Manor, down there is the second area that I recommend the least, the hatter is damn intelligent and adapts very quickly, with his dogs he is formidably scary. I do not recommend this area at all especially with me, he has a personal grudge since I stole 3 dogs from him (they came of their own free will) Danger level 4,5/5

-The castle of the Queen of Hearts, completely forbidden area, the queen is fucking dangerous and really weird, he is also very intelligent and powerful. Danger level 5/5

These were Steve's notes on this upside down world!

Steve Style

He mutated to adapt to the uspide down

Mutation: All five senses are better (especially the mouth) his heart and breathing are now super slow (almost as if he was dead) and he's faster/Stronger, and more resistant.

none of the drawings are mine, and unfortunately I don't have the artist names, because I found everything on Pinterest :( If you have them I'll take them!

People interested in a sequel? With Will's arrival, Steve's return to the normal world ?

Pov : Eddie survive the upside down and just join the babysitter club

Jonathan : You really put everything aside and came all this way for me? How did you even get here so fast?

Nancy : Three counts of resisting arrest.

Robin : Roughly thirteen cans of energy drinks.

Steve : Several traffic violations.

Argyle : Also, that’s not our van.

Eddie : I have never been so terrified in my life.

Stranger things characters as things me and my friends have say

Steve : I want to be fucked so bad.

━

Robin : Steve, can you wear my breasts please?

━

Jonathan : Mike if you touch my brother we're going to fight.

━

Erica : I'd rather test a dick.

━

Argyle : Isn't your father a thief? 'Cause he took my virginity!

━

Max : Eat pussy as long as it's legal.

━

Eddie : I couldn't aim for the hole, that's why she left me.

━

Nancy : If you could moan silently.

━

Dustin : They put a phone in my ass.

━

Eleven : Pissing together strengthens the bonds!

━

Lucas : I have a video where he suck it.

━

Will : I drink my piss without hesitation.

Dustin : Eddie, give me your bat!

Eddie : My bat??

Dustin : Don't you carry a bat in your bag?

Eddie : Have you ever met a person carrying a bat in their bag??

Dustin calling Steve : Hey Steve do you carry a bat in your bag?

Steve : Of course, I'm not an animal.

Steve : You lying, cheating, piece of shit!

Eddie : Oh, really? You’re an idiot who thinks you can get away with everything you do. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD!

Steve : I’m leaving you, and I’M TAKING THE KIDS WITH ME!

Lucas, picking up the monopoly board : I think we’re gonna stop playing now.

Dustin : I’m making a documentary about Steve life. Hopper, I want you to play his father!

Hopper : I don’t want to be Steve father.

Steve : Perfect. You already know your lines!

Joyce : Sweetie-

Steve : While I'm gone, you're in charge Dustin, Erica.

Dustin pointing his fist in the air : Yes!

Erica : Nice.

Mike and Lucas : WHY THEM!?

Steve, whispering to Max and Will : You're secretly in charge, but I don't want them to throw a tantrum.

Max : Obviously.

Will : *nodding*

El : *giggling*

Dustin : Tell us a little about yourself!

Steve : I'd rather not, I really like this group.

*The party sitting in jail together*

Max : So who should we call?

Mike : I’d call Steve, but I feel safer in jail.

Jonathan : I truly believe that water can solve all your problems.

Argyle : Weight loss? Drink water.

Robin : Clear skin? Drink water.

Steve : Want to get rid of someone? Drown them

Everyone :

Steve : What did you do?

The party :

Steve : You’re not in trouble, I just need to know if I have to lie to the police again or not.

Just thinking about non-binary Steve who wears skirts when he's home alone, because if he goes out in a skirt he's going to get punch. And imagine the party just walking into Steve's house for Dnd, and Steve is right there with his skirt and and her apron with "Best Mom" written on it, greeting the party as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

And everybody's just kind of : 😀?

New headcanon: As a way to make amends with Max for how he behaved at the Byers’, he would give her and the party rides to the arcade whenever needed 🥹

I'll never get over the fact the year book implies Billy used to drop off a bunch of the kids at the arcade

Steve after seeing a lonely child:

Steve didn't graduate because of his dad. He graduated because he worked his ass off all the while dealing with the after effects of yet another encounter with the Upside Down, a broken heart, and suddenly becoming a single mom. Kudos to Steve for graduating on time and being a single mom. It's tough out there. And you know, those kids have better shown up with a large colorful poster board. Anyway, he's not stupid. He's just said and done stupid things. . . Haven't we all?

Bonus:

El not realizing it's a joke and just straight up calling Steve 'mama'. He doesn't have the heart to correct her. I mean, eventually, she does realize, but it's gone on too long that it's just become a habit.

I just really love the visual image of Steve at a Corroded Coffin concert at the Hideaway but in full preppy style. Like no effort to be metal or punk or even rock, just full polo shirt, khaki pants, sweater around the shoulders. And like...he doesn't dress this way all the time, not so...purposefully, so everyone is a little confused why he's going all out for the concert, like he's going to look SO out of place.

but little do they know he's doing it entirely on purpose because he knows it drives Eddie absolutely batshit insane to see Steve all slutted up like this, and Steve's a little mean and wants Eddie to suffer because Eddie won't fuck him in the week leading up to a show because it distracts him from practice and stuff. So anyway, Steve rocks up to the Hideaway looking like Eddie's biggest wet dream.

Bonus: douchey prep jock Steve

Steve didn’t know how he ended up in this position.

On his knees in a high school parking lot.

In front of Eddie ‘the freak’ Munson.

“I said beg.”

That’s how.

It was all Dustin’s fault.

He just had to have their stupid game at Steve’s house for his birthday.

- 10 min earlier-

“Please Steve! Pleaaaasse!!!!!” Dustin stomped after him. The rest of the kids following behind him.

“Fine. Ok. Just quit it.”

“YES! You’re the best! I can’t wait to tell Eddie! Look there he is! EDDIE! EDDIE! ED-“

“What is it Henderson?”

“Steve said we can have my birthday campaign at his house! Isn’t that awesome!”

“Pshh,” Eddie grumbled. “I’m not going to King Steve’s mansion. Ever.”

“What!?”

“Sorry kid thems the rules. It goes completely against everything I stand for. I refuse to desecrate my beloved campaign by exposing it to jock headquarters.”

“That’s ridiculous Munson. Stop being a baby and just do it.”

“Sure,” he paused. “If you beg.”

“What?”

“I said beg.”

Steve dropped to his knees on the spot. He was instantly confused. Why did that have such an effect on him? He felt…comfortable.

Eddies face was beet red. Steve could almost see the smoke coming out of his ears.

“Steve?” He heard Robin somewhere behind him coming from the band room. “Dustin why is he on the ground?”

“Shhh!” He thrust a finger in Robins direction and gave a nod to Steve.

Steve cleared his throat and looked at Eddie giving him his best puppy dog eyes.

“Please Eddie,” he pleaded. “Come over to my house and perform for the kids?” He pushed his bottom lip out.

Eddie stared at him for another couple of seconds before surging forward and hauling him up into his arms and-

Kissing him.

“WHAT!” Robin yelled.

“WHAT!” Eddie yelled back. “He looks like that and I’m NOT supposed to kiss him?!”

Steve felt lightheaded his body turning boneless and into dead weight. He looked around at Robin and the kids wearing matching expressions of shock. He looked back up at Eddie and shrugged his shoulders, giving him the ok.

Eddie pulled him back in for a second kiss more passionate than the first.

“WHAT THE FUCK” Robin yelled.

“God Robin, relax, people are gay, don’t be homophobic.” Dustin snarked at her.

——-

Comment 🫵

Dustin moved to the window by Steve’s front door and pressed his face to it.

"Robin. . .why is Steve talking to Santa?" Dustin asked and turned to look at her.

"Oh, he knows him very personally. He called him over for you guys," Robin said.

"Steve knows Santa?!" Dustin shrieked. "He never said!"

"Okay, do you still bel - ," Robin started to say.

"WHY IS STEVE KISSING SANTA?!" Dustin yelled, his face pressed to the glass.

"Oh, well, Steve’s been a very bad boy this year, and he's trying to work his way back onto the nice list," she replied.

"BY SEDUCING SANTA?!" Dustin yelled. "That's not how you do it!"

Mike, Lucas, Max, Will, and El entered the hallway.

"What's going on?" Max asked.

"Steve knows Santa! He called him over, and now he's cheating on Steve with him!" Dustin yelled.

"What? Is he trying to get on the nice list or naughty list?" Mike asked.

"Fuck this," Max swore.

They all spilled out onto the front lawn with Robin following after them.

"You guys do know that Santa isn't - "

"STEVE!" Dustin yelled.

"Oh, goddamn it," Steve cursed as he pulled away from Santa. "I've ruined - "

"Are you cheating on Eddie?!" Dustin yelled, his hands on his hips. "You're my brother, and I love you, but if you ruin this relationship with Eddie, I'll never forgive you!"

"That's sweet, Henderson, but completely unnecessary," Santa said and pulled his beard down to reveal Eddie. "Surprise!"

"Oh my god!" Dustin exclaimed.

"Don't beat yourself up, Dustin, it's an easy mistake to make!" Eddie said cheerfully.

"Why didn't you tell us?!" He asked.

"Uh, well, Steve wanted to keep it a surprise, and I thought you were old enough to know," Eddie said.

"It makes sense now, Eddie wasn't here last Christmas!" Mike exclaimed.

"And it makes sense why his wounds healed so quickly," Lucas said.

"And why he can drive so fast," El said.

"And why he is so good with animals," Max said.

"And kids," Dustin said.

"He's great with kids and storytelling!" Will exclaimed.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Eddie asked.

"I don't know," Steve frowned.

"He loves elves and Lord of the Rings!" Lucas exclaimed.

"Oh my god! Eddie's Santa Claus!" Dustin yelled.

"I have to call Nancy!" Mike yelled.

"We have to call the rest of the party!" Dustin yelled.

Robin, Steve, and Eddie watched dumbfounded as the kids ran back inside.

"Do they still believe in Santa?" Eddie asked.

"This is the first time I'm fucking hearing about it and we've known them longer than you," Steve said.

"Maybe since they know that the Upside Down exists, they think other things like the North Pole exists," Robin said.

"Makes sense," Steve frowned.

"I am NOT telling them that I'm not Santa," Eddie said, crossing his arms. "You do it, Steve!"

"I'm not doing it!" Steve yelled.

"I'll do it!" Robin yelled and then paused. "After everything they've been through. . .don't they deserve to believe in a little bit of magic?"

"I don't know. . .we would be lying to them, Robin," Eddie said.

Meanwhile, the kids were watching them argue from the window.

"So, how long do you think it'll take them to realize that we don't actually believe in Santa Claus?" Max asked.

"A while," Mike snickered.

"Eddie should have done a better job at hiding the Santa costume," Max said.

As Robin, Steve, and Eddie fought on the front lawn, the kids watched with freshly made hot chocolate and Christmas music playing in the background. Snowflakes began to fall from the sky, dancing around to land on the ground.

"The mood is right. The spirit's up. We're here tonight, and that's enough. Simply having a wonderful Christmastime. . ."

Steve Harrington who has been trying for weeks (maybe even months) to woo Eddie and keeps failing UNTIL he makes an offhand comment correctly referencing one of the groups nerd books. Weeks and weeks of using smooth lines that have never failed him until Eddie, and this is what gets him the guy? Nerd lingo he’s learned purely through osmosis.

Steve who is just standing there like “really? That’s what did it for you? Jesus Christ I can’t believe I’m going to kiss you.”

Eddie, completely shocked by this turn of events: “you want to kiss me?????”

And the whole party is in the background like: “he has for a while thank you for finally catching up before we took drastic measures”

I saw this post and it gave me flashbacks of a few days ago when i was going to my campus and a bike with some people dressed as and elf and Santa Claus passed right in front of the car.

Now, imagine that but with Steve as Santa and Robin as the elf.

Bonus points if instead of a bike is Eddie’s van full of the Party dressed as some Christmas character and when they get out they look like a Christmas version of a clown car.

Eddie walked into Steve’s house to find the kids crowded around the entrance to the living room. He looked in to find Robin and Steve hanging upside down on the couch, looking depressed.

Eddie: What's going on?

Dustin: They got rejected by a cult today.

Robin: And the thing is, we didn't know it was a cult.

Steve: And when we did figure it out, we didn't want to join, but suddenly, they wanted us!

Robin: And now they don't!

Steve: What the hell does "too perfect" even mean?!

Max: Why are you upset they rejected you?! They kidnapped you!

Robin: And it's nice to feel wanted sometimes, Maxine!

Eddie: Okay, where the hell is this place?

An hour later, Eddie stormed back into the house, brushed past the kids, and threw himself down next to Robin.

Robin: You get rejected, too?

Eddie: They just looked me up and down and shook their heads! Then, when I demanded answers, they threw me out! What the hell kind of cult is this?

Steve: It's a rude cult.

A few minutes later, Hopper came to pick up Will and El.

Hopper: *looking into the living room* What the hell happened?

Will: Go easy on them, dad. They got rejected by an entire cult today.

Hopper: What?!

Steve and Eddie being chaotic childhood friends, gaslighting everyone they know.

It started when one of their teachers wanted the students to make pairs with someone they didn't know or get along with; therefore, friends couldn't make the project together.

Of course, Eddie wouldn't pass the opportunity to be dramatic and annoy a little bit the teacher, acting like it was the worst thing to ever happened to him and throwing himself on Steve's desk, making the other roll his eyes in a fond way.

It was the beginning of the year, but in small towns most of the kids knew each other since before, so it wasn't that weird of a request; but the teacher was also new, so they didn't know the relationships of the kids very well.

That's why when a small kid with a rebel vibe, starting to grow his hair and going to a more dark look, annoys them and says it would be a nightmare to do the project with a preppy kid, clearly rich boy vibes and in his way to be popular, they knew who they were putting the kid with.

The teacher smirked, thinking they did well; meanwhile, Steve and Eddie were trying not to grin and communicating with their eyes to not messed up and go along with it.

They ended up having to act like they hate each other in front of the teacher so they could carry on with the project, but what about the rest of the class who knew they were friends?

They follow along.

Maybe it's to gain Steve's favor, maybe they thought it was funny, or maybe they thought it was about damn time they stopped being friends, that it was a good way to finally separate them and make Steve fully part of the jocks and Eddie less intimidating for the rest of the outcast.

Anyway, the whole class goes along with it, and Steve and Eddie, like the dorks and drama queens they are, decided it's a funny bit to keep.

At some point they were too deep into it, having to act for the rest of the year like that because of the project and somehow convincing the whole school. Their friends to enemies story becoming popular knowledge.

Steve and Eddie now just think it's too funny to stop, so they continue to gaslight everyone.

Eddie? Steve? No, thanks; I hate that guy.

Anyway, they going to high school, and the whole mess with the upside down happens. At that moment, Steve is so happy to being able to keep Eddie away from it.

I just love a clueless Eddie trying to figure out what's happening to his (finally) boyfriend at the same time the Party is clueless about the relationship between their dungeon Master and their babysitter.

—

+Extra (imagine them being famous in the future)

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 spin-off everyone wants of stobin working different jobs but make it through all the canon. MAKE THEM BE FRIENDS EARLIER.

I love platonic soulmates stobin and them becoming friends before canon??? Yes please. Please give those two more years of happines and friendship and being stupid teenagers together.

Maybe not exactly friends friends at the beggining, yk, like the dynamic they had in scoops before everything went cataplum-boom-bla-aaaaaa. And bond like stray cats with interwined souls.

They working at Benny's dinner in the first season, being the ones to found El, freaking out and bickering the whole time about what to do because that’s a child, that’s almost 100% an abused and probably now homeless child, wtf.

I know Benny barely appeared like 10 minutes in screen MAX (and i'm being generous) but i love that man and in this universe he survives thanks to those one-braincell-sharing dinguses.

They being the ones to take care of El and protect her, they know they should call cps but hey, when they tried to call she found out and throw the phone with her mind so they supposed that isn't an option now.

Robin bringing a photo of Will by accident, Jonathan and Joyce sharing it with everybody just in case and El going "i know where he is" So they suppose are going to search for a missing kid now, ig.

They bumping into the Party and everything snowballing from there.

Steve still ends up hitting a demogorgon with a nailbat btw. And losing their jobs. How? Idk, probably they quit because the feds are keeping a close eye on them and they don't want to make trouble for Benny, who knows. (The real reason is that Robin accidentally broke the machine to make milkshakes and is too afraid to tell Benny so they run off before someone figures it out)

Then they went to get a job at the Hawk, i know that in Rebel Robin it said she worked there for a while but i'm not sure when or in what so let's just say it was at this time.

You can think in a lot of little things they would get up to, like annoying couples in the middle of make up sessions, eating the pop corns that nobody bought at the end of their shifts, snuck in movies that nobody went to see when they have slow shifts and laugh out loud for how bad they are, etc.

Then the second season happens and the mall is open. The Hawk has to fire people because there’s not enough money and ended up being Steve and Robin, who had guess.

Now everyone knows what happen after that, scoops ahoy and family video.

Just let them be silly in different jobs together.

I love Steve has bad parents as much as the next person AND i eat that shit up in every fic i read, but, but– i saw a tiktok with those "what creature is watching you depending on your month" slideshows, so now i have the image of Steve having some shadow parents stuck in my head.

Therefore, now i had to add that to him having bad human parents but at the same time some shy, protective and loving shadow parents.

He doesn’t consider the Harringtons his parents anymore; excuse me, his parents are those shadows that seem to stare at your soul with their bright, pure white eyes and none existent characteristic features apart from their silhouettes. Thank you very much.

He loves them.

So every time someone asks Steve about his parents, he has to make mental gymnastics about if it's OK to talk about the shadow ones or if it's a situation where he has to lie through his teeth about the biological ones.

Steve is just happy to have someone who cares about him and goes to see his games and recitals (because you can pray Steve plays the piano away over my cold death hands) even when no one apart from him (and a few unlucky ones– Eddie, i'm looking at you) notice them.

I wonder how that might work; the party must have their own theories about Steve's parents; none of them it's about them being literal shadow creatures/ entities, though.

I think most of them think they are neglectful; no, they’re not; you just can’t see them because they don't want Steve's friends to freak out.

After the fight with Billy, Steve needs someone to wake him up and take care of him for a bit; he said his parents would do it, but every time someone goes to check on him, he's alone. And Hopper gets suspicious because he doesn’t remember the last time he saw the Harringtons.

Also, Billy starts having so much bad luck and can not stop seeing these shadow figures everywhere; it's probably just his imagination and a bunch of coincidences.

Why is Steve so calm about monsters? It has nothing to do with his parents being literal shadow creatures, ofc. And if in the middle of fighting demodogs he got some help, nobody noticed it.

I just– imagine the party's reaction when they found out? Gold.

Robin is the first to meet them, ofc, following the whole party and then Eddie realizing that "THEY WERE YOUR PARENTS????" When he processed enough the fact that yes, he wasn't seeing things in the corner of every basketball game he went to stare at Steve.