Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

By all means, Steve was not having a good day. But then again, he didn't think anyone else he knew could say that they had a good day. 

He glanced at Robin, eyes roving over her as the paramedics put a shock blanket over her shoulders and said something to catch her attention. 

The world was filled with flashing red and blue lights and hurried voices and people dressed in white outfits. 

He flinched when one of the said outfits was suddenly in his vision, checking his eyes and head and ears and he heard and saw Joyce holding El close with a whispered I’m so sorry, honey and the returned wail made Steve's heart just ache and he couldn't–

~~~

Steve was tired, exhausted really, and while he didn't really feel much else besides that right now, he figured he would feel it later. 

And now, Steve's whole body felt like it was on fire in the middle of the night. Great. Everything is just…fine.

Steve groaned in his bed, feeling all of hot and cold, sweating and shivering in his plain sheets. His hair was sticking to his forehead, and his eyesight was blurry.

At some point, he must have passed out because the next thing he knew he was clearly opening his eyes to sunlight streaking through his plaid curtains.

Steve groaned, trying to get out of bed, only to crash spectacularly onto the floor. He groaned again, this time a bit more pained. 

He surged up, stumbling and grabbing various things to hold himself up as he made his way to his bathroom. His hands found the sink and gripped its edges, just to still himself for a while as he breathed. 

In, out. In, out. 

Eventually, the world slowly came back into full focus. The tremors in his body slowed and disappeared. 

Steve dunked his head in the sink and turned the water on, letting it run through and soak his hair. He sighed, eyes closing at the cooling feeling. Turning the sink off with a soft sound of the handle, he grabbed a towel and ruffled it through his hair. 

Satisfied, Steve pulled out his work clothes and internally cursed Keith for giving him an early shift at Family Video. 

He was too tired for an early shift.

~~~

Arriving at Family Video just in time, Steve stalked in, taking a moment to inventory before flipping the sign.  

He sighed, “at least I don't have to work with Keith ,” he said to himself, partially happy about that, but also partially….something. 

He was really too tired for this. 

Nonetheless, the day moved at a snail's pace, and Steve only smiled brightly at the appearance of Robin.

“Robs!” Steve cheered from his spot at the counter, “thank god you're here! Today was. So. Boring!” He whined, laying half over the counter dramatically. 

Robin snorted, shoving him as she passed, “yeah, I figured, dingus. Gimme a sec,” she said as she went to the backroom. 

Something in Steve brightened at her appearance, which he didn't really want to figure out right now.

Robin came back, eyeing him, “you okay, dingus? You look a little…” she waved her fingers, “a little like a puppy when it's family comes home.” 

Chuffing, Steve glared playfully, “There was barely anyone all day!” He slid off the counter, his chest feeling light.

Robin pursed her lips, eyes narrowing, “....okay.” She said after a while, making Steve tilt his head.

~~~

Steve got home after closing, after dropping Robin off at her home. 

His skin was itchy, his body and mind vibrating with some sort of unreadable and unquestionable excitement. 

He wanted to run , he wanted to play , he wanted food . 

Steve went to the fridge, yet nothing screamed ‘eat me!’ to him. Yet, he could feel himself salivating in his mouth, his throat making some sort of noise as he stared pleadingly at his open fridge. 

He slammed the fridge door shut and sped towards the sliding door that led to his pool, idly itching his arm. He sat on one of the chairs, staring at the gently lit waters. He scratched up his arms, then his legs, then his shoulders. 

A soft sound rumbled from his throat. 

He looked up, eyeing the stars that were starting to show in the sky, and eyeing the full moon as it started to rise over the horizon.

Something changed, then. 

~~~

He bounded along the forest floor, bouncing and occasionally sniffing the air and ground for any sort of scent. Finding a scent– rabbit –his brain oddly connected, noting a small imprint on the ground next to the scent. It was slightly off, as if not quite close to what he should eat, but it might be what satiates his hunger. 

He followed the trail slowly, scent getting stronger and stronger until– he pounced. The rabbit was fast, but not fast enough. He grabbed it and shook it violently until it stopped. He set it down and ate. He licked along his teeth and mouth after.

Then, because it felt right, because he just knew that he had to, because there was no other scent stopping him from making his own, he found a spot by a tree and staked his claim. 

My territory . Mine.  

He continued along the forest floor, ears perked up and listening. He walked.

~~~

Eddie always figured that maybe staying outside, in the dark, when everyone was either asleep or settled in for the night, was a bad idea that may eventually bite him in the ass. He just didn't think that it would be a bad idea right now . 

Dark, slightly golden, brown fur with splotches of white and lighter browns dusting along the parts of its body that Eddie could see on the wolf. The wolf, because that's what it is , standing in front of him, half hidden in the shadows and half brightly lit in the lights of the barely lit trailer park.

He stared, half frozen on his spot on the small-kind-of-porch of his trailer with a half-eaten piece of elk jerky in his hand. And the wolf stared back. 

“...please don't eat me?” Eddie asked it- he?- she?- the wolf carefully, his voice reaching a somewhat high pitch at the end. 

The wolf's ears twisted and laid somewhat flat, sticking out like someone holding their arms out to play pretend airplanes. Its tail, laid limply from what Eddie could see, gave a quick, swaying wag. 

The wolf stepped a bit closer, body slightly low to the ground, sniffing the air slightly. It stepped closer, paws slightly trailing against the dirt as its ears pressed a bit closer to its head. It whined, a soft sound despite its size. 

It licked its chops, staring intently at Eddie’s hand. Its tail wagged a bit faster as it stared. Eddie blinked, eyes slowly moving away from the wolf to look at his hand. The only thing there was– 

Ah. 

The half-eaten elk jerky in his hand made the sudden whine from the animal make more sense.

Chapter Text

He stepped closer, slowly slinking closer and closer to that delicious scent– the scent that made his mouth water and his stomach grumble. He whined at the man holding the tasty smelling treat.

What was his name? He could've sworn he'd seen him before, somewhere. But he just couldn't put a paw on it. 

The man slowly reached the nice smelling treat towards him, maintaining eye contact.

Eye contact! 

He felt his tail wag, his ears relaxing back up. He maintained eye contact as well and stepped forwards to slowly bite the treat from the man's hands. 

Delicious . 

He snapped his teeth as he ate the tasty piece of odd but good-tasting meat. He licked along his mouth after, giving the nice man a happy, open-mouthed grin. 

The man giggled, still maintaining eye contact. 

He stepped closer, now at the man's feet. He sniffed at the man's fingers when the man slowly reached forward, licking the rest of the flavor off fingertips.

He felt his tail wagging again and he huffed softly at the man, feeling brave enough to slightly jump up his front paws on the man's legs. 

The man laughed loudly. 

He panted, tongue hanging out, and gave a soft grumble. 

This man, even though he couldn't remember his name, was decidedly someone he wanted to see and visit often. 

~~~

Eddie was either very lucky, very foolish, or both. 

The large wolf in front of him was acting more like an overgrown puppy instead of some sort of growly beast. Though, it was making…some sort of growl sounds? Possibly? Eddie wasn't really sure how to label some of the sounds the wolf was making. 

Maybe he should visit the library. 

The wolf was practically all over him, half on his lap at this point, fuzzy and warm and, hopefully, happy. Eddie saw those teeth when the wolf ate. 

Eddie reached out slowly, slowly sinking his hands into the slightly thick fur, noting the slight chill in the air. 

Did wolves get winter coats? 

Another question the library might be able to answer. 

The wolf, uh, huffed? And leaned into his fingers, breath hot against his cheek. 

Eddie laughed, letting himself pet the wolf.

He was! Petting a wolf! 

The wolf's throat vibrated as Eddie ran his fingers along the sides of the animal's snout and down. 

“You're a fluffy thing, ain't ya?” Eddie asked the wolf. Then, Eddie felt himself brighten with a large smile, “Might even be the perfect name, huh, Fluffy?” 

The wolf froze, staring at him with deep brown eyes. Its ears twisted, one up and one tilted to the side. Then, it huffed at him again, sniffing along his mouth for a moment before hopping off his lap.

It turned tail and headed away. 

“I can think of something else?” Eddie tried, watching the animal retreat into the tree line. 

The wolf faced him again before it disappeared, tail giving a slow wag before it bounced as it turned back around. 

~~~

He bounded back for his…den? He wasn't sure. It wasn't quite right, it didn't smell quite right, it wasn't quite safe . 

The moon moved lazily across the sky. 

He smelled faint chlorine, approaching the concrete that he knew was technically home. He sniffed, circling the back portion of the property. 

He huffed angrily, an open growl erupting from him, his ears pressing slightly back against his skull. 

The pool…he hated it normally, but this …

He wanted to kill what created this horrible scent, though he knew he couldn't kill what created it anymore. 

It was already gone, along with the gate that brought it.

~~~

Steve groaned, waking up in his bed. His doorbell was ringing loudly, making his ears ache. 

Knocking, doorbell, knocking, doorbell. 

“Alright!” Steve yelled as he slid out of bed and down the stairs. He opened the door.

“Robin?” He asked, surprised, “did I forget something? I thought we both had days off today- hey?!” He yelped when Robin pushed past him.

“We need to talk,” Robin said quickly, her face shockingly pale.

Steve closed the door, eyebrows furrowed, “Robs? Everything alright? You look sick,” he said, reaching for her forehead as something inside him immediately wanted to whine. 

Robin flinched away, making Steve freeze. 

She had never done that before. Not from him. A wounded whine escaped from him.

Her head snapped up, her eyes wide at the sound, “I think we should sit down for this.” 

~~~

Steve and Robin sat next to each other on his parent's fancy couch, separated instead of leaning into each other like they usually would. 

“So…” She said, fiddling with her hands, uncharacteristically at a loss for words. 

Steve looked at her, only pursing his lips together.

Robin sighed and, as if whatever she was holding back was released all at once, “Okay- so- something weird happened to me last night and I was kind of wondering if you went through something similar-?” Robin rushed, barely breathing, but not as winded as she might even usually been when she talks this way. 

Steve leaned into, giving a small sniff in her direction. 

Nothing ?

Wait.

“What…” Steve started, eyes widening as he leaned closer to sniff in Robin's direction, “Why don't…?” Steve whined sharply. 

Robin shoved him, her palm ice cold against his face, “Steve, why in the world are you sniffing me, dingus?!”

Steve grasped her wrist, palm pressing against her veins. 

She felt like ice. She smelled vaguely like nothing , the usual scent of Robin – lily and sparkling strawberry drinks– was all but gone , light and faint, as if buried underneath the smell of nothing . 

Then, Steve realized. He stared at Robin. Robin stared back. 

“Robin,” Steve stated, trying not to whine and not to place their faces together in order to scent around her, feeling around her wrist and veins where there should be something, “Where…where is your pulse?” 

Chapter Text

Steve and Robin sat in silence, only the vague sound of the house settling between them. They sat together, Robin finally letting Steve press their shoulders together. 

“Do you think the… they had something to do with this?” Steve broke the silence, not quite saying the word. Robin nodded, sinking a bit closer against him. 

“It’s the only thing I can think of– the only thing we… share,” she said softly, “I just don’t know why it’s different for you and me.”  

“Maybe they used different…I dunno, mixes? Or some shit,” Steve countered, trying to ignore the bubbly happiness he felt at her closeness. 

“Should we…tell them?” Robin started, before pausing, letting the question hang in the air. She looked at Steve, her eyes widened meaningfully for a moment. 

They sunk a little closer together, not sure how to answer. 

“Maybe. Maybe not,” Steve said into the silence, “Maybe we shouldn’t. Maybe we should.”

~~~

Robin wasn’t sure what was wrong with her. She was so hungry, but every time she looked at or even took a small nibble of something to eat her stomach rebelled. Angrily. 

For a couple of nights, she’s been breaking into various cold sweats. Her hands and limbs kept getting stiff, like she was turning to stone without any visible indicator. What was really freaky was the way she kept thinking that she saw her fingers turning purple for a moment, until she blinked, and the sight went away. She felt…cold. Cold, but unbothered by how cold she was. 

Fear welled in the pit of her stomach. 

Her mom was cooking dinner in the kitchen, humming some song under her breath. Robin stared, watching with an intensity she didn’t know she had. There was a faint sound in her ears, a pulsing, rhythmic beat. 

Her mom pulled out a knife, slicing and dicing carrots and lettuce and potatoes. Suddenly, her mom yelped, and to Robin, everything changed.

The pounding, rushing sound got louder in Robin’s ears, changing slightly as her mom turned to the sink, reaching under it. 

Robin’s stomach rioted; delighted and revolted for being so delighted. Saliva built in her mouth, and she could feel something poking against her lips. A metallic smell was sharp in her nose, smelling so delicious she just wanted to–

Robin ran to her room.

Fear filled every bone in her body as she covered her mouth, lightly pushing in a trembling finger along her teeth. She froze. Four, sharpened canine teeth– incredibly sharpened canine teeth. 

She sat on her bed, and waited for the sun to rise, her fingers tapping on her bouncing legs.

~~~

Eddie might’ve, maybe, possibly, stayed out staring at the tree line for longer than intended. To the point where the sun was just barely starting to peek over the horizon. To the point where Wayne drove up next to him, parking, and stepping out of his old clunker car with his arms crossed as he stood tall in front of Eddie’s vision. 

“What’re you doing out here, Eddie?” Wayne grumbled, gently placing a hand on his shoulder and leading him into the trailer. 

“Are there wolves in Indiana?” Eddie blurted.

Wayne paused, raising an eyebrow, “Are there- what?”

Eddie repeated his question. 

“There…well, I know somewhere there used to be, a long time ago, but not anymore as far as I’m aware, Eddie. Why?” Wayne asked, his tone deepening as he looked at Eddie with suspicion. 

“I think I met a wolf– er.” Eddie winced. That wording was not great.

“You met a WHAT!? Eddie?!” Wayne yelled, marching to the small kitchenette and grabbing a wooden spoon. 

“Not the spoon!” Eddie yelped, but it was much too late to run. 

Smack!

“OW!”

Chapter Text

Eddie went to the small library the next day, browsing among the aisles for various books about wolves– and dogs, seeing as there weren't many books on wolves that he could find, but dogs are kind of the same as wolves, right?

Eddie placed 5 books on the librarian's counter with a semi-nervous smile, “Check out, please.” 

The librarian took out a notecard, stamping it, sighed, and passed it over like she was half asleep, “sign your name in the next blank box, then it's yours for two weeks, unless you renew it.” 

Eddie did so, signing ‘E. Munson’ with a tiny pencil. He slid the books under his arms, giving a mini salute to the tired woman as he exited the library, “thank you-” he shouted, only to be shushed.

He passed by Family Video on the way back to his trailer. 

~~~

Steve couldn't take it anymore– Robin was too far away, Robin didn't smell like him enough. 

Who cared that someone at Family Video might see the strange behavior? Steve was losing his mind! His– his–! There's a word, but he didn't care to remember it right now.

He pulled Robin in, ignoring her startled squawk, rubbing his cheek along her face and neck, passing his whole body over her front and sliding around in a full circle. 

Robin stared at him with wide eyes.

Steve leaned in, his mind fully running on instinct, sniffing at her mouth and then her cheek, then back up to her mouth and suddenly his mouth was incredibly close to hers, his tongue flicking out across the side of her chin– 

Robin squeaked, high pitched, shoving him away, “Steve!” 

Steve squeaked right back, the sound oddly somewhat similar to what a bird might make only a bit deeper. 

Robin's face blanked.

There was an odd sound coming from behind them– like something smacking against something and then shuffling. 

Steve turned, but saw nothing. He looked back at Robin. 

She smacked the side of his head.

~~~

Eddie had no idea what the fuck just happened.

~~~

Steve lowered his head, looking up at Robin, who was still ranting at him in the employee break room, her hands flying and roaming in the air. 

A pleased hum came from him when he realized every move she made had a waft of his scent float around in the air. 

Robin put her hands up on her hips, her face unamused, “Steve! Harrington!” 

Steve jolted, sitting straight, “yes– I'm listening, I promise!” 

“Really? What did I just say, then?” 

Steve froze.

Robin smacked him again, and Steve gave a soft yipping sound, bowing his head and lowering himself slightly.

Robin groaned, rubbing her eyes, “Steve– you need to stop that!” 

Steve froze.

Robin poked his forehead, “you need–” she sighed, rubbing her forehead, “Steve. Human. Behavior. Please.” 

Ah. Oops?

Steve straightened, lips twisted as he winces, “shit.” 

Robin snorted, smirking, “yeah, shit.” 

The room was silent for a moment. 

“Are we really not going to tell them? I'm not sure we can do this on our own…” 

They sighed in unison, leaning against each other on the dusty break room couch. Their fingers intertwined. 

“What if…what if they…hate us or...worse?” 

Fear and maybe some shame bubbled up inside them as they looked at each other, uncertain.

~~~

Eddie flipped through pages, idly looking at the pictures and reading the picture captions. 

Reading. So much reading. And it's not even the D&D Handbook!

He paused, coming onto a certain page: Two wolves are facing one another, the picture taken in such a way that one wolf is mid-step along the other wolf's body, similar to how one of Eddie's previous neighbors' cat would rub its head and body along his hand and arm when he saw it wandering the trailer park with another cat.

Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen that other cat for a while– the neighbor's cat was wandering alone more often compared to before. 

The caption that went with the picture though, that really got Eddie's attention.

Chapter Text

Now, Eddie might sometimes be what Wayne liked to call ‘a complicated overthinker’, and while that might be true– sometimes– he wasn't so sure this was one of those times. 

Eddie was an overthinker, sure, but he was also smart– shown by the hours of pouring over D&D campaigns; twisting and weaving complex stories for his players was what he was good at, and he would forever be proud of that fact. 

His brain made this connection, connecting all the dots to the clues to the inkling on the pages he has read, and he didn't doubt what the lines said.

It made sense.

~~~

Steve sighed, rewinding several tapes back. Again. 

Robin was at some family BBQ thing, and Keith actually liked her so she got the day off with no argument. 

Steve could only be so lucky to get Keith to not scoff when he looked at him.

He sighed again, taking the tape out and putting it back in its case. Wash, rinse, repeat. 

It was mind numbing. 

The routine continued until there were no more tapes to rewind, so Steve picked them all up and set to organize them back along their shelves, slowly putting them back as he checked along the shelves for anything a customer might have messed with. 

With three more tapes in his hands, the bell jingled as it opened, followed by a scent of smoke and leather. 

Steve turned, customer service smile planted on his face, “welcome in!” 

Eddie looked at him closely, brown eyes focused oddly, like he was trying to pick open his brain and read what was inside. 

Eddie leaned against the counter, still maintaining eye contact but not saying anything in response. 

Steve cocked his head, but couldn't help staring right back. Something in Steve's mind buckled– Eddie is older, older means–

Steve's gaze bowed slightly, his head sinking down to look up at Eddie, a soft whining sound rumbling in his throat. 

Eddie grinned, exhaling a soft huffing sound, his body relaxing, “Heya, Harrington. Any good movies today?” 

Steve snapped out of it, internally cursing at himself for giving in to his random instincts again, and nodded at the leather-wearing man, “Yeah, we have some stuff…anything you're looking for in particular?” 

Eddie's ringed fingers tapped on the counter as he hummed, eyes closed for a moment before going back to focus them on Steve, “Do you have ‘Teen Wolf’, by any chance?”

Steve froze, his gaze snapping to stare intensely at Eddie, feeling his hair raise and his lips start to curl to reveal teeth–

Eddie moved quickly, eyes widening, “of course, I wouldn't mind some ‘Back to the Future’!” Eddie also bowed himself slightly, as if making himself smaller, a strangled and slightly forced sounding whine coming from him.

Steve huffed, body relaxing slightly but letting a soft but stern, quick rumbling growl at him before turning away to snatch ‘Back to the Future’ off one of the shelves.

He glared as he walked over to the computer to log the rent on the tape. 

He understood what was happening now, and two could play at that game. 

Should he be upset or worried that Eddie, more than presumably, figured him out somehow? Probably. 

But…he was harmless, right?

Eddie looked sheepish, accepting the rental charge all the same, turning on his heels and heading for the door without a sound. He waved on his way out, the door ringing as it opened and closed. 

The smell of smoke and leather lingered in the air. 

~~~

Eddie cursed himself as he walked out the door, wanting to smack himself. 

The words of the books he read in a midnight frenzy swirling in his mind as he recounts what happened with Steve. 

The test worked. It made sense, but it didn't, and thousands of questions were running through his mind. 

The sudden appearance of a wolf at the trailer park made much more sense now, but that also added even more questions to the several he was already thinking of. 

Eddie walked home, several possible scenarios popping up in his head.

~~~

Robin was, objectively, suffering. 

Several aunts and uncles and cousins and her own parents and children were running around her family's backyard as her dad cooked several food items over the roaring flame of a BBQ pit.  

The smell though. It made her feel sick to her stomach– the way the meat was cooking and sizzling, the slight burning and crunch of blackened corners of food. 

Nothing smelled good to her. 

Nothing except the thumping and pounding in her ears, which she now figured was the sound of blood pumping through veins and arteries, the very blood her family needs to survive. 

Her stomach twisted with disgust and need. 

She swallowed, trying to will away the poking she could feel starting to press against her lips as saliva built in her mouth as her eyes trailed over the view of surrounding family, every time someone walked or ran past her made a wonderful smell waft up her nose and even more disgusting saliva build up in her mouth.

She held a plate with portions upon portions of food, and felt even worse by the fact that she knew she couldn't eat any of it. 

~~~

Steve closed up the store as night fell across Hawkins, making sure to lock everything up, to close the shutters, and flip the sign.

His skin itched, and despite the minimal knowledge he had of quote-en-quote ‘supernatural mythology’ a-la-Robin, he did know, also according to Robin, that it was a popular myth that ‘werewolves’ only turned ‘fully’ when it was a full moon. 

A quick glance at the sky showed a waning moon. 

So much for the ‘popular’ parts of myth, sorry Robs.

Unless the Russian serum changed them so much that even the myths he and Robin were apparently becoming were twisted past general recognition? His brain hurt at the thought, so he shook his head as he made his way to the car.

His skin itched, and his body started to tremble as he placed his hands on the steering wheel.

~~~

After the first time, he was, surprisingly or unsurprisingly, not quite as freaked out about this as he might've should have been. But then again, maybe the fact that he has fought worse things three times before this even happened numbed him to it. 

Compared to the Upside Down and to the Russians, this honestly wasn't as bad as it could've been. 

Changing forms didn't hurt, much to Robin's surprise when he had told her about the first time. 

This time was no different.

To be honest, he didn't feel very different either, but he also knew that he was not very good at distinguishing his human traits with his new wolf traits. 

The only thing he had to get used to was the change in his vision and the way he was much smaller and lower to the ground.

He walked along the forest floor, sniffing around and finding his original spot that he scented– re-scenting it– and continuing on. 

His ears flicked and twisted as he trotted, his tail idly going back and forth as he thought and moved at the same time. 

He panted, with a soft grin, his tail sticking up as he came to a conclusion, various feelings and thoughts bubbling up to come to a conclusion of playfulness.

~~~

Eddie thumbed his baby along the neck, playing with the strings and silently plucking some chords as he hummed lightly. 

He glanced at the open book next to him on the bed, and put down the guitar to look through the pages again.

He wanted to burn every bit of this information into his mind, to memorize every bit of known interactions and behavior. The need to just know filling his very being. 

It helped that he found it actually fairly interesting.

There was a thump, and Eddie froze, looking up in alarm. 

There was another thump, and this time a slight scratching sound at the door of the trailer.

Eddie slowly inched forwards, closer and closer to the door, opening it just a crack to peek through–

“Fluffy?” Eddie blinked, looking down to see familiar dark golden-brown fur and dark brown eyes peering up at him. 

Chapter Text

Steve, embarrassingly dubbed Fluffy in this form, sat on the small porch of Eddie’s trailer and looked up at Eddie as he opened the door. 

Steve’s tail wagged slightly as he stood on his hind legs to try and sniff at Eddie’s nose and mouth, giving a soft whining sound when Eddie made a surprised sound and tried to escape the greeting. Steve’s ears quirked with uncertainty and his tail slightly pressed close to his own legs as he settled back down into a sit. 

~~~

Eddie tried to remember what these cues meant, but he wasn’t fully sure if he was remembering them right and he did not want to mess up social cues with a wolf that may or may not try to fight him if he did something wrong by accident– despite Eddie believing that he knew who this wolf might be. 

If Eddie was right. And if Eddie was right, then the next thing to figure out would be whether or not the wolf that was maybe-Steve-freaking-Harrington was even lucid between the two forms? As far as Eddie knew about werewolf myths, werewolves usually don’t remember what they do when they werewolf. 

Eddie tried to soften himself to the wolf sitting on his porch, “hey, buddy. What are you doing here?” Eddie slowly knelt next to the wolf, his mind internally screaming at the possible danger– the wolf sitting down was practically at his chest with such easy access to his throat now that he was closer, and the little surprise he had just a second ago with the wolf very easily making it to his face when standing on its hind legs made it even more terrifying. 

The wolf– Fluffy– hardly moved when he kneeled, only ears perking up and facing him as the tail on the porch moved side to side. 

Eddie glanced around to make sure no one was watching; having some sort of panic because of a wolf in Hawkins would absolutely not do. 

“You wanna come in?” Eddie asked Fluffy, noting how the wolf’s ears seemed to perk up even more, “I have some more jerky?” He offered. 

Fluffy whined, the sound low and soft and high-pitched as he slowly stood up on his four legs, his tail wagging in a relaxed way. 

Eddie, however, was frozen with panic for a moment. 

He was still kneeling as Fluffy stood, meaning that he and the wolf were now directly face to face, and Eddie was slightly thrown by just how big this freaking wolf was. 

He really, really, really hoped that Fluffy-maybe-Steve won’t find anything he does offensive. 

He stood slowly, holding the door open for the wolf, then closing it. 

Fluffy gave a soft whine, head tilting and glancing over towards the general area in the kitchen where Eddie hoarded several large pieces of plain elk jerky. 

Eddie chuckled, heading to open a couple of bags of the jerky, gently and carefully handing the dried meat over to the whining Fluffy, who yipped and snapped the meat up in one quick bite.

~~~

Robin hyperventilated in her room, her stomach curling and raging against her with an overwhelming sense of hunger. 

It has been days since she ate normal food and since– since she became some sort of monster.

Her mom and dad kept looking at her with growing worry, asking when she ate because they haven't seen her eating, making her even more nervous, and she wanted to claw out someone's eyes– hers or theirs. Anyone’s. 

It didn't help that with her growing hunger, her sense of smell seemed to be getting better, every inhale like a sickly sweet torture. 

Robin pursed her lips together and she could feel four sharp points pressing against the skin. 

Her stomach coiled with heat, her vision shifting in some sort of way that she wasn't sure she wanted to understand right now.

Thump, thump, thump.

She could hear their beats, even from where she hid in her room, hearing their soft murmuring and feet shifting as they watched TV. 

Her parents were getting worried, she knew. 

But she didn't want to…she was worried that maybe…

Robin opened her window, trying to take a breath of fresh air, only to regret it when her senses swiftly became overwhelmed. 

Several delicious smells lingered along in the air, all but stabbing her in the stomach. 

Her mouth watered.

She took off the bug-screen part of her window with a soft pop, looking back for a moment, then swiftly hopping out the window, landing with more athletic ability that she has never had before.

Questions for later. For later. If she remembered. 

Her mind was swirling, so many sweet smells distracting her like a kid in a bakery. She walked and walked, following and changing directions towards every scent she could find, her stomach panging at her every other moment, saliva building in her mouth and throat, her canine teeth getting longer and sharper against her mouth.

She somehow had enough self control go make it into the forest– the same forest where monsters used to be, so it seemed oddly fitting for the moment. 

Something in the forest cried out and her head snapped up towards the sound. 

Heaven. 

The smell carried to her nose was heaven– her mind quieting at the lovely smell of metallic deliciousness, the smell of something she could eat.

Robin ran towards it, and coming upon it– some wounded small deer with a fresh car-sized scrape off the side of its flank, it's body limping awkwardly. 

She lunged, and the deer let out a sound she could hardly hear anymore, too focused on the delicious pumping sound and smell of its blood as red dripped down its side.

Robin was too hungry to care anymore–

Chapter Text

Her teeth attached to the deer's vulnerable throat, four sharp pricks puncturing deep. Her mouth was pressed against slightly thick fur and the warmth of the body beneath. 

The animal let out a pained sound, trying to buck weakly, its hind legs unsteady.

She tightened her hold, her head moving side to side slightly. She released, only to grip back on the neck again as she drank.

Eventually, it went down, collapsing onto the forest floor. 

Robin could feel some warmth on her face, on her lips. She knelt, smelling the delicious blood that pooled just beneath her. 

She leaned in, lapping at the blood, feeling her stomach finally becoming full, attaching her teeth to rip open the throat just slightly so she could get just a bit closer to the rest of the– 

Cooling blood weakly dripped, and she ate and drank her fill, a soft purr roiling into the air as her hands forced the deer's head further into the ground to bare the rest of the throat to her teeth.

Finally, finally, finally! 

She wasn't hungry anymore.

~~~

Eddie stared at Fluffy, the trailer silent now that the wolf ate about half of his packs of jerky before he said enough was enough. 

Suddenly the doorknob wiggled, and Fluffy's head snapped to the door. 

Eddie was so screwed.

Wayne opened the door, incredibly early from work and most definitely making Fluffy angry at his sudden intrusion. 

There was a loud, angry, growl. 

Wayne froze, face paling. 

Fluffy's ears were perked forwards, his lips lifting and curling to reveal teeth as a growling rumble came from him. The sound was similar to the sound of a motorcycle purr, only deeper and more obviously threatening.

Eddie scrambled, inching in front of Wayne as he looked pleadingly at Fluffy, “Fluffy, no!” 

The wolf paused, eyes staring intently, his growling stopped but his facial expression the same.

“Wayne,” Eddie mumbled, head slightly turned, “try to just follow what I do, okay?” 

Wayne gripped onto Eddie's shoulder, face still pale as he nodded slowly. 

Eddie slowly, slowly, lowered himself– Wayne following nervously– into a crouch, tilting his shoulders back to show his Metallica-covered chest and stomach a bit more, and letting out a pathetic-but-obviously-trying whining sound as he lowered his head.

Wayne followed similarly as well, only his whine was a bit more nervously strangled. 

Fluffy's posture eventually relaxed and he slowly moved to sit, facial expression calming. 

Eddie chuckled nervously, slowly straightening while keeping Wayne slightly behind him. 

“Boy-” Wanye started, his grip on Eddie's shoulder tight.

“Later,” Eddie whispered, wincing.

Fluffy gave a throaty sound, moving to lay down, covering his muzzle with his paw and closing his eyes. 

Huh? Eddie didn't remember that anywhere in the books he's read.

~~~

Steve groaned, wanting to shrivel up and die from embarrassment. 

Damnit! 

Now that he wasn't surprised, he could smell the connection between Eddie and his uncle– the way that their scents seemed to overlap; Wayne smelling lightly of smoke and leather and heavily of oil and metal and sweat while Eddie smells heavily of smoke and leather and lightly of oil, metal, and sweat.

He could make the familial connection easily, and something in him panged at the thought of fighting family–

Wait. No. 

‘Not his family, not his family,’ Steve thought repeatedly, cursing his instincts for being such a mess and for making absolutely no sense. 

Steve covered his face– muzzle? Whatever. 

There was a sound of wind from beyond the trailer door, and something faintly made his nose twitch. 

He got up, sniffing the ground and approaching the door, sniffing under the little crack. 

Blood, deer….Robin? It was faint, but he could smell it.

Steve gave a forceful bark, looking back at Eddie and then to the door.

Eddie and his uncle looked surprised, before Eddie carefully opened the door. Once the door was barely open enough for him to squeeze through, Steve shot out into the night and into the forest, sprinting. 

~~~

Steve sprinted, feeling like he was flying as he occasionally leapt across the forest floor, only slowing to sniff the air to ensure he was still going the right way. 

The smell of blood and deer and Robin got closer and closer. 

Steve came to a stop, ears flicking with concern at the scene in front of him. 

Robin was bent over the fallen body of a deer, greedily and loudly sucking at its neck– drinking its blood, from the metallic smell– as her chest seemed to let out a pleased purring noise. 

Steve stared, letting out a soft whine to get her attention as he inched forwards, sniffing the corpse with a growing hunger. 

Eddie was nice, to give him so much jerky. But it wasn't enough. The dead deer smelled so good, it ignited his growing hunger.

Robin's head came up at the sound, her eyes a slightly golden-yellow hue, and revealing her messily bloodied lips. She rumbled at him, the sound low and soft, and went back to draining the rest of the deer, so close to being emptied.

Steve walked closer, sniffing the body, his mouth opening and latching on to part of the deer's meat with a slight crunch, and he ate his fill, digging and eating past the flesh and hide and into the stomach.

Robin finished before him, sitting back on the ground with a slightly dazed expression as her eye color slowly became more and more her normal blue. Her mouth, neck, and even shirt were a bloodied mess. 

Steve finished soon after, lazily licking along his maw as he found a bone to snap off and chew on for a while.

Then, Steve grumbled and tossed the gnawed bone away, stalking closer to Robin, sniffing her nose and delighting when she reciprocated. His tongue licked along the mess on her skin, cleaning the blood off gently.

Chapter Text

Eddie sat on the small, well-worn couch as Wayne sat in one of those pop-up chairs that they keep in their tiny closet in case of large company. Wayne faced him, staring intently as Eddie squirmed and avoided eye contact. 

“Eddie.” 

“I know!” 

Silence. 

Wayne sighed, half grumbly half exasperated, “Eddie.” 

Eddie groaned, flopping dramatically onto the couch, “I know, Wayne! I know-” 

“Do you, boy?” Wayne all but hissed, gruff exterior but worried underneath, “do you?!” 

Eddie flapped his hand, worrying his lips, “I’m sorry, okay, I just…I thought…there’s…” Eddie squirmed again, wondering just how much he should even tell his uncle. Would it be okay to tell him? Would it be dangerous? 

Would his uncle laugh and think he was crazy? 

Wayne frowned. 

~~~

Steve and Robin went home– to Steve’s home– together. Once Robin regained herself from her hungered frenzy, she stared at Steve’s wolfish form and immediately started to cry, only crying even more when she looked down at her bloodied shirt and the mostly-clean smearing of blood on her hands. 

Steve nuzzled her hands as best as he could, wanting to do anything to help her feel better. 

He led the way, all the way to the back area of his pool where he chuffed at the gross smell– still gross and wrong– and led her through the slightly opened glass door, where Robin opened the screened part easily. 

Steve nosed her hands, turning to look towards the laundry room then back at her. 

Robin, lovely Robin, understood and nodded, slowly making her way as Steve followed close behind, his nails lightly scraping at the floor.

She’d been silent the whole way. 

Steve whined at her, nudging her legs when she paused in front of the washer and dryer. 

Robin idly pet his head and ears, her free hand going for the cabinets to look for stain remover. She looked the bottles over, finding one that might work, as well as some white vinegar, and nudged the washing machine open. 

Steve looked away and closed his eyes as he leaned his body on Robin’s legs. 

Then came several sounds; rustling and a slight jostling against Steve as Robin’s legs moved, the sound of the bottles of detergents and stain removers opening and pouring, scrubbing, more shuffling, and the sound of a hanger being removed by the door in the fancy laundry room followed by another rustling sound.

“You can look now, dingus,” Robin said into the silence as she closed the washer door and started it with a couple of knobs turning and a button press.

Steve looked up, ears pricked in concern as he slowly stood on his hind legs to press his paws as gently as he could onto Robin's shoulder and chest. He whined, slightly worried, licking across her nose and sniffing her mouth. 

“Alright, alright, dingus, it's- I'm fine, I'm okay…” Robin tried softly, slowly petting his sides and ruffling his fur slightly.

Steve backed down, returning to all fours to lead her out the laundry room and to the main room, where the large and pristine couch laid in front of a large and expensive tv. 

Robin collapsed onto it, and Steve followed suit, practically laying on top of her with another whine.

Robin huffed, a half laugh half sigh, petting through his fur. 

~~~

“Steve and Robin have been acting weird lately, right?” Dustin asked, chewing the sides of his fingers, looking around at the group he'd gathered. 

Nancy and Mike glanced at each other and shrugged, “I haven't noticed much…” Nancy murmured. 

Dustin shook his head, “No, there's definitely something weird going on with them!” 

“Maybe they're dating and trying to hide it?” Mike chimed in, unhelpfully. 

“No way, man! They deny it everytime!” Lucas added, smacking Mike's arm, “if they were dating they would tell us!”

Dustin sighed as Lucas and Mike started arguing. 

“Should we…like…watch them?” Max suddenly said, a nice change from her usual silence and avoiding behavior. 

Dustin still wasn't sure how he managed to convince her to come.

“Follow them?” Dustin added, nodding at Max's slumped form.

Nancy rubbed her forehead.

~~~

Eddie sat at the lunch table, deep in thought, his knee rapidly jiggling up and down, his fingers laced together under his chin as he stared.

“Dude, what are you doing?” Gareth said, eyebrows raised, “if you stare any harder, she might actually explode.”

Eddie scowled, clicking his tongue as he finally looked away to glance at the others at the table– who were all staring at him incredulously.

“What's wrong with you lately?” Jeff asked, “why are you staring at the band girl so much?”

Well! If Eddie was right, Robin may or may not know, but, given that Steve was acting so strange with her that one time he saw at Family Video, Eddie was leaning more towards may.

The problem was how much did she know, if she knew? 

Eddie couldn't just up and ask her out of the blue!

Oh but he so wanted to know!

If she knew, how much she knew, and if she might be like Steve were questions that were constantly running through his mind.

The Hellfire table threw straw papers at him.

~~~

Robin's neck hairs were raised all day, the feeling of eyes on her rarely leaving. It was even worse at lunch; her skin was crawling at the feeling of being watched, but everytime she looked around the feeling would go away. 

Half of her wanted to bare her fangs at the maybe-threat, and the other half wanted to die of shame for even thinking that. 

She swallowed.

Since…the deer, she wasn't as hungry as she had been before, but even then she could still feel something in the pit of her stomach that seemed to be growing over time. 

…The deer. 

Oh, god…

Her breathing picked up slightly, the feeling of warmth on her fingers and on her mouth and spilling down her throat and into her stomach and filling her with such delighted ecstasy was too much; her stomach dropping to the floor as fear and shame and disgust built up–

“Hey, you're… Robin, right?” A soft voice came from the side.

Robin jumped, accidentally smacking her not-eaten food tray as her head snapped to the voice. 

A soft-looking cheerleader stood in front of her, strawberry-blonde hair put up in a nice ponytail with a little bow and blue eyes equally startled.

Robin felt her jaw drop slightly, though she had enough sense to quickly erase that expression, “uh-?”

The cheerleader fiddled with her sweater sleeves, “sorry, I didn't mean to scare you…you're Robin, right? Buckley? In band?” 

“Y-yes?” Robin answered, not sure what else to say. 

The cheerleader smiled, slightly blinding, “good! Oh- I'm Chrissy.”

“Hi?” Robin blinked, not telling the girl that she had already technically known her name.

“Um, you're good at- at French ‘n stuff, right?” 

Robin only nodded.

“Do you think you can help me…with it?” Chrissy asked softly, looking a bit concerned at Robin's silence.

“Y-yes?” Robin squeaked. 

Chrissy’s smile was even more blinding, “great!”

Chapter Text

He woke up on the couch, falling out with a yelp when he rolled over. He stood, making his way over towards the patio, the door of which was still slightly open, his nails making a slight clicking sound on the floor until he sat by the pool, his tail laying on the concrete.

He sniffed, itching his side for a moment as the pool water moved slowly with the wind, the trees rustling gently in their own little musical melody as the wind ruffled their leaves.

He snorted his nose at the putrid smell that still managed to linger, feeling his ears twist as his tail swished up slightly.

He walked over to the line where the forest met flat grass and reaching concrete, and stepped in, the trees and their branches seemingly accepting him in their tall embrace.

He was hungry, and he could smell rabbit somewhere near.

~~~

Robin and Chrissy sat together in the library, several French notes on the table in front of them and Chrissy’s French book open to a bookmarked page. 

“So…” Robin trailed off, lips twisting to the side. 

Chrissy looked over, “I hope this isn't bothering you, I just heard good things from the teacher…” 

“No, no, no bother at all!” Robin squeaked, shaking her head, “I just…what do you need me for?” 

“Oh!” Chrissy flushed slightly, “I didn't even explain, did I…um- I need to keep my grades up to keep cheerleading but my French grades haven't been the best lately…” she mumbled.

Robin nodded, “okay, what are you struggling with?” 

Chrissy fidgeted, and Robin tried to ignore the slight thumping in her ears.

~~~

Eddie was losing his mind. 

Wayne had not left him alone since the. Er. Incident. 

Yes, Eddie knew that his uncle Wayne could sometimes get into these moods where he wouldn't let Eddie out of his sight, but this was becoming excessive. 

Eddie couldn't even go to his room!

“Wayne. Please,” Eddie begged, wanting to pull his hair out as he was forced to sit on the couch next to Wayne to watch sports, of all things. 

“Eddie. No.” He responded. 

Eddie groaned, crossing his arms.

~~~

Dustin called Steve's house at least 5 times. Each one, no answer. He radioed at least 10 times. No answer. 

Dustin felt jittery and uncomfortably warm and what if something was really wrong? 

He made up his mind, grabbing the radio and setting it to channel 4, “guys, I think this is a code yellow. Steve isn't answering his phone or his radio and-” Dustin rushed, feeling lightheaded and breathless.

“What do you mean Steve isn't answering?” Nancy and Mike responded together over the radio, a slight squealing sound in the background– Holly, most likely. 

“I said what I said,” Dustin snapped into the static, reiterating, “he's not answering.”

~~~

He wandered through the forest, occasionally stopping to mark claims to territory and to catch rabbits to delve into their delicious meat, his hunger sated slightly with each snack-sized meal.

He made his way towards a familiar scent, following the wind as it blew, leather and smoke. 

He somehow made his way to a porch, sniffing the vague familiarity of it. He quirked his ears with uncertainty, then turned and left.

He trotted, panting slightly as he enjoyed the smells around him, crossing over a long pattern of wood with metallic smell–railway, walking closer and closer to the shining lights and the closer and closer sound of creaking and something– laughter, a corner of his mind provided. 

He reached there eventually, leaving the treeline where two-legged things–children–people– played on the creaking thing–swingset– swinging into the air and giggling.

There was a scream, and a larger two-legged–people–woman–mother– grabbed her children, carrying them in her arms and running.

~~~

Dustin was panicking now, slowly and quickly getting closer to being beyond panicked. 

“Where. Is. He?!” Dustin hissed, hands in his air as he paced back and forth.

Everyone else shrugged. 

Useless, the lot of them!

Dustin groaned, wanting to throw something, “Mike, where's Nancy?!” 

Mike looked like a deer in headlights, uncharacteristically stuttering, “um- something about- um- test? Study?” 

Dustin wanted to scream.

“That's it!” Dustin cried out, stomping to the phone.

~~~

Eddie's mind was swirling.

“What even is sports?” He groaned, rubbing his eyes as a headache pounded his brain like a hammer.

Wayne chuckled, finally changing the channel now that his sports was over, “you'll learn to love it,” he joked. 

Eddie squawked, “how dare you!” 

The phone erupted, ringing loudly among the sound of the TV. 

“I'll get it,” Eddie said, getting up, “Devil summonings and rituals, how may I help you today?”

There was a sigh from behind him, and through the speaker of the phone. 

“Eddie–” Dustin's voice came through, quick and panicked and breathless.

Eddie listened, eyes widening and eyebrows raising.

~~~

Eddie pulled up to Dustin's house, his van rumbling as he left it on but exited to knock on the door, “Dustin, open–” 

The door immediately flung open, Dustin and the rest of Eddie's newest Hellfire sheep, as well as his newest neighbor, surprisingly, all immediately making their way out and heading for his van. 

Eddie followed, arms crossing, “I– hey, Dustin– what–” 

Eddie was flabbergasted at the children's incredibly serious but pale faces. 

Dustin's face was stern, and his tone was sassy, “We don't have time for this, Eddie! A party member is missing and we need you to drive us because it's faster, so let's go already!”

The tone of this child. Why was Eddie here again?

Ah, right. Something about Steve Harrington is missing or won't respond, not that Eddie could fully understand the breathless rambling of a panicked Dustin that well, but Eddie could piece it together.

Eddie sighed, and then there were several sounds; like a crackling-pop of lightning echoing through the air, one after another.

~~~

He ran, tail tucked between his legs as his ears pressed against his skull, running across several yelping and jumping people as yelling came from behind him.

He wanted to go back, he didn't want to be here anymore, he just wanted them to go away– the ground next to him suddenly exploded, making him yelp and scramble away as the ground around him kept popping and cracks sharply reverberated in the air.

He leapt and ran some more, twisting and turning to try and avoid the plaid-wearing men as they gave chase and ignored several people on the sidewalk who were either yelling at them or trying to make them stop. 

He ran further, only just making it past the abandoned swing set and he could see the forest line and he was almost there and– 

There was another sound, another crack in the air, and pain shot through his leg as he let out a loud yelping whine, disappearing finally into the trees as the men in plaid stopped, their hunting rifles pointing threateningly.

Chapter Text

Eddie drove, ignoring the partially-delighted-but-also-terrified squeals of the gaggle of children, swerving down the main part of the town, where a noticeable crowd of people were hanging out right at the edge of the arcade and the entrance od the forest.

Eddie's stomach dropped, a thought appearing in his mind and starting to run wild as soon as he also saw a flash of two large men wearing plaid, with very obvious gun straps over their shoulders.

Eddie suddenly pulled over, driving into a free spot and parking. He leapt out, ignoring the confused yelling behind him. 

“What's going on here?” He softly asked a mother who was cradling her toddler to her chest. 

The mother glanced, gently bouncing her child, “some idiots opened fire in the middle of people who were shopping just for some poor wild dog,” the woman snapped, shushing her toddler.

Eddie's stomach fell, and he watched the plaid-wearing men arguing with someone in the front of the crowd for a moment before slinking away, back to his van where the children were glaring. 

“What the hell, Eddie!” Dustin screeched, nose scrunched and eyes narrowed. 

“I- okay, so, I know this might sound crazy, but I-I think I know where Steve might be, but he might be…different,” Eddie sighed, running a hand over his face. 

The kids fell silent.

“What?” They hissed in unison.

~~~

Robin and Chrissy jumped at the strange sounds– Robin momentarily thinking they were fireworks–which they learned was gunfire when someone ran it to gossip loudly to the librarian soon after the sounds stopped. 

Robin stood, the sound of the wooden chair scraping harshly on the floor, “I-I'm really sorry, Chrissy, but I have to go-” Robin said quickly, grabbing her backpack and stumbling for a moment as she lunged for the door.

“Let's do some more, uh, later, ‘kay?” Robin said as she left the library.

She saw Chrissy’s wide eyes and heard a soft “okay” as she left the building. 

She followed the noise, the way there was so many smells leading towards one spot just a couple blocks down the street.

She looked over when she made it to the arcade, where the crowd seemed to be one big cloud of noise, and there was just a hint of a particular scent that she couldn't quite put her finger on from all this overwhelming mess of smells and just to the side of her–

Eddie's van?

Said metalhead honked the van's horn, wiggling his fingers at her as the person next to him slowly rolled down the passenger's side window, leaning out.

“ROBIN!” Dustin yelled, despite her being right there, “do you know where Steve is?!” 

Robin froze, head snapping towards where people were starting to disperse. Now, she knew what that smell was. 

Steve. Steve’s blood. 

Robin saw red– figuratively, this time– and wanted nothing more than to hurt and drain the two men in plaid as they passed her nonchalantly, smelling of gunsmoke and of Steve's fear. 

She got closer to the van, and she could tell she was making its occupants afraid, could feel how her face was set like stone in a blankly furious expression. 

Even Dustin leaned back into the car, away from where he leaned out the window, and Robin ignored the light touch of pain in her chest at the fear, his heartbeat picking up audibly in her ears.

Pinpricks jabbed against her lips, her fangs fully grown from her fury, but she could care less. 

“I know how we can find where Steve is.” She said, and she knew as soon as she opened her mouth that the others could see.

“What the fuck, Robin?!” 

If Steve was here right now, he would smack Dustin over the head and scold him, but he wasn't, so Robin did instead. 

“Language, dingus-two.”

~~~

He whined as he limped along the forest floor, lifting his leg as much as he could to avoid using it too much.

He knew that he was leaving a bloody trail, but he was tired and hurt and he just wanted to find a little temporary den to hide in and lick his wounds. 

He whined sharply when another flash of pain went through his leg, making him stumble slightly.

He walked a bit further, ignoring the fact that he found his original den– with its large pool and empty feeling– and walked even further past it. 

Further, further. 

He wanted to be far away from the pain, to find a nice den to heal in that would keep him safe.

He came across an interesting, abandoned den; made of old wood, with brightly colored scribbled things that he feel like he should be able to understand, old and dirty blanket or cloth of some sort slightly flapping in the wind covering the entrance. 

He smelled it, walking around the outer part slowly.

Abandoned, certainly. He felt like he should know what and who, but he couldn't. It smelled well loved, it smelled safe.

He stalked close, nudging the makeshift door with his nose and slowly entering.

The den was cute, filled with various objects and trinkets that smelled faintly familiar. A soft cushion-kind of item laid on the floor, slightly flat from use.

He slowly moved to lay on it, curling up enough to lick at the wound on his leg, only whining occasionally as he did so.

Eventually, he stopped and adjusted his position, letting his eyes close and resting his head on top of his front paws as he fell asleep.

~~~

The van was quiet; Robin surrounded by staring children, minus Dustin who was in the front, as Eddie drove, his radio noticeably off.

They stopped at the Harrington house. 

“He will either be here or close by,” Robin said softly, trying to ignore the children that still haven't made a sound. 

“Is Steve like you?” Mike asked in that particularly petulant way.

Robin sighed, “if we find him, you'll probably figure it out,” she said instead of answering.

She wanted to keep as much of the truth to her chest as possible, however stupid that might seem. 

The kids and Eddie followed her as she made her way around the back of the house towards the pool area. 

She sniffed the air, ignoring the way the gaggle of children made questioning sounds.

“He was here, but it's more like he passed by. He moved further that way,” Robin said, already walking into the small brush of forest as rustling footsteps followed.

As she walked, the smell of his blood was getting a bit stronger.

She ignored the children as they gained confidence and started to ask questions, voices overlapping.

“Alright, maybe leave Robin alone,” Robin heard Eddie mutter to the kids. For them or for her, she didn't care at the moment.

They came up across some sort of manmade…tent? Treehouse but without the tree? Fort?

Robin stopped and so did the kids. 

“Why are we here? This is Will's!” the kids exclaimed, not quite noticing the way the cloth door moved aside.

Robin looked over, and in the corner of her eye she noticed how Eddie froze.

Growling answered them instead.

~~~

With an injured leg raised off the ground, a tail between his legs, ears flat against his head, teeth bared and a slight puffing of his brown fur, stood Fluffy-now-confirmed-Steve.

Growling at him, at the kids, at Robin.

Eddie's mind screamed, this wasn't right at all, this behavior matched his books more than slightly, this behavior was more wild than before.

The Fluffy Eddie knew didn't act like this, minus the slight incident with Wayne.

Eddie slowly brought the kids behind him, noticing how Robin also looked shocked. 

This wasn't typical behavior to her either, then. Not good.

Chapter Text

He growled at them, awoken so suddenly, so tired and in so much pain. 

The two-legged–woman–know her?-- stood tall in front of him, her blue eyes wide for a moment before she inched forwards, her voice low as a soft rumble came from her.

He paused, her approach giving a recognizable scent; him. 

She smelled like him. 

She- oh. 

Steve felt his head clear, and he whined, getting rid of his threatening demeanor quickly, recognizing Robin and his kids and Eddie? 

Steve bowed his head, shame in his gut, his ears no longer flat but pricked with uncertainty. 

Robin immediately fell next to him, her knees on the leaf-coated ground, her fingers sinking into his fur as she pulled him into a sort of hug.

Steve whined again, wanting to disappear, but rubbed his head and cheek along any part of Robin he could.

There was some more leaves rustling behind Robin, the kids slowly approaching, looking afraid but interested, curious but cautious. 

Steve hated that they were afraid of him for even a moment.

He whined louder, hiding his face against Robin's frame as she pet down his neck. 

“It's alright, Fl- Steve,” Eddie's voice chimed in softly, surprisingly, as he was next to kneel beside Robin to run a hand through Steve's fur, “We were just startled– we're not afraid of you.” 

Fingers brushed down his back.

Steve glanced under part of Robin's arm, the kids still slightly away, and still looking uncertain. 

Oddly yellow hair moved first, Max not really having to kneel or bend to be close to his face, “It's okay…you're still our dumb babysitter, just…fluffier,” Max said softly, turning a quick glare to the boys.

Lucas was the first to agree, obviously, and the rest of the kids slowly muttered agreeable as well. Minus Mike, who was elbowed by Dustin viciously until he caved. 

Steve yelped when Eddie placed a hand on his leg, his body catching up before his mind did as his head twisted towards the offending appendage with a snapping of his teeth and a rough, low growl.

Eddie quickly raised his hands, a soft whined effort coming from his throat, “sorry, Fl- Steve, just wanted to check your leg!”

Steve huffed, flicking an ear at him before turning back to Robin. 

“Why are you still like this, dingus?” Robin asked, eyes worried, “why…why are you still a wolf? Did you even go to work today?”

Steve's ears flicked back and he let out a low whine.

~~~

Robin sighed, feeling her eyebrows furrow, “dingus,” she scolded lightly, playfully rubbing Steve's head.

Steve yipped, seeming a bit happier now, and leaned up to press his muzzle against Robin's mouth, sniffing rapidly before licking the corner of her mouth and chin. 

She rolled her eyes, chuffing at him like he sometimes did. 

Steve's kids inched closer, getting over themselves quickly in the way that they normally do, already asking question after question. 

Steve huffed, suddenly zeroing in on Dustin with an intense look. 

The kids squirmed under the gaze, then squealed when Steve– completely ignoring his leg injury, Robin will have to scold him later– did a small bowing movement; his tail sticking up in the air and wagging as his front paws, chest, and head went low to the ground. He wiggled for a moment, then leapt up, faux-chasing-while-limping Dustin and the other children.

Robin huffed, crossing her arms and relaxing. She glanced over at Eddie who was muttering under his breath. 

~~~

Eddie muttered as he watched Steve, in wolf form, do everything behavior-wise that the book from the library showed, and muttered, naming each behavior he recognized, wanting to keep them memorized.

Robin gently brushed their shoulders together, her head making a motion towards Steve as he chased around the shrieking children, “I take it that all your mumbling has something to do with that?” 

Eddie nodded, tilting his head to the side as he and Robin continued watching the others play around, “see that, there?” Eddie asked, subtly gesturing to how Steve bows and wags his tail at Max and Lucas, “its..it's like a playbow– like what dogs do. It invites play, obviously, and it's supposed to be some sort of..bonding thing?”

Robin snorted softly, “of course. It suits him, don't you think?”

The kids fell over with loud yelling and teasing shouts at Steve as he barreled on top of them, tail wagging like a dog and licking at their faces as he made soft huffing and whining sounds. 

Eddie smiled, “it does.”

~~~

Steve's mind was conflicted and happy and confused. Part of him was screaming about how they were fully grown, they didn't need to be treated like they were young pups while the other part argued they're still just kids, they still need someone to take care of them.

He could argue with himself later, he was too satisfied to have them all starting to smell like him and to smell their individual scents, which were no longer sad or upset. 

They didn't hate him, they didn't fear him. 

He was so happy.

Steve turned his head and ears towards Robin and Eddie and chuffed loudly at them, irritated at them for being so much further away than he would like, and let out a soft, but loud and long, howl because it felt right.

Chapter Text

When Steve started his howl, everyone joined in– with varying degrees of successful howls. 

Robin joined first, followed by Eddie and the kids in quick succession. Robin's howl was by far the best of the others, but Steve could appreciate the effort. 

His tail wagged, quick and languid. 

~~~

Eventually, everyone led wolf-Steve back to his fancy house, albeit slowly due to his limping leg. 

Robin opened the cabinets in search of a first aid kit, finding one under the sink. She grabbed it, turning to find a wolf-Steve laid on the floor by her feet. 

“Steve,” she worried, kneeling once more to gently tap his muzzle, “Why are you still like this? I don't think I can help you with all your fur…” 

Wolf-Steve chuffed and let out a soft, open mouthed groaning sound, flashing a hint of teeth. 

Robin tapped his nose, quirking an eyebrow, “How you can still be sassy like this, I don't think I'll ever understand,” she chided. 

Wolf-Steve's jaw dropped in a grin. 

She rolled her eyes, “Steve…please.” 

There was a soft sound, and the wolf form in front of her slowly shifted with a slight crunching and fur changing color and shortening. 

Steve sat in front of her now, his clothes and hair rumpled, one part of his pants openly weeping red. 

Oddly, the smell of his blood didn't immediately scream delicious to her, even now, when she wasn't filled with concern or rage. Now that she was paying attention, she was pleasantly surprised.

She rolled up his pant leg, noting how high up the wound was on his human leg versus his wolf leg and looked at the wound closely, “Good news…looks like it went clean through,” she murmured, idly grabbing for iodine and then glancing at the box.

“Sutures?” She asked, looking at him.

Steve paled slightly, shaking his head, “no. the butterfly bandages, please.” 

Robin nodded.

She knew. Needles were still…a sore spot. For both of them. 

She worked slowly, trying her best to clean the wound and to not hurt him more.

~~~

Robin called Keith at Family Video, coming up with the very believable lie that Steve got sick and fell, and that he couldn't come to work but didn't have time to call and please don't fire him, Keith, it really wasn't his fault!

She hung up with a smug smirk, hearing Steve groan at her side. 

“Why does he like you so much?!” Steve squawked, irritated but smiling, their shoulders pressing together. 

She shrugged, flipping her hair in a dramatic way, “Well, you know.” 

“No! I don't!” 

~~~

With Steve safely at home, and after a several-hours long cuddle pile, everyone eventually started to nag Steve to drive them home. He sighed, yielding with a shout, “alright! Everyone, car, now!”

The kids scrambled, making Steve slowly trail after them, his leg now bandaged underneath his still-bloodied jeans. 

Eddie and Robin hung back, matching smirks on their faces as they casually waved him off. 

Steve gave a two-fingered wave as he got into his full car, rolling his eyes at the fact that an argument had somehow already broken out again despite barely 5 seconds passing. 

The car sped off, heading for a route towards Mike’s home first and leaving Robin and Eddie behind.

~~~

Eddie’s notes - according to the many (many) books!

• Calls
• Bark - come here/attention/alert/warning
• Squeak (???) - something about pups? - playful/distress/pain/communication (what???)
• Woof (??) - also something about pups!? - communication?
• Whine - attention/hunger/submission (how do these relate????) - willing to nurse/feed pups??????
• Growl - warning; to other wolves or perceived threats?
• Growl but mean? - angry/threatening; with ears forward and teeth bared (also puffing up?)
• Growl but…weak? -angry/fright; ears back (shorter than mean?) and body low to the ground, teeth bare but not as much(?), tail tucked

• Ear position 
• back/pressed against skull - suspicious/fear/submission
• pointing forwards and slightly out (?) - concern or aggression ???? assertive or interest?
• “Airplane” - uncertain 

• Tail position
  • Confident vs ‘submissive’ = confident tail is stiff, ‘submissive’ tail is…wiggly?
  • Straight up in the air = extreme. confident. 
  • Low or close to legs = relaxed or submissive somehow
  • Tail tucked between legs = fear/submission 

• Body behavior/language
  • Rolling - playful but also submissive/showing submission
  • Playbowing - like the name suggests
  • “Grin” - opening the mouth slightly; friendly
  • Sniffing nose/face/mouth - greeting/get-to-know/friendly 
  • Licking face/mouth - same as sniffing??? - get-to-know to the EXTREME!
  • Dancing???? - want to play??

Chapter Text

Robin and Eddie waited for Steve to come back, making idle talk and generally somewhat awkward standing and hovering around each other. 

Steve coming back was honestly a blessing, and Robin heard Eddie sigh gratefully as soon as the front door opened again.

~~~

Steve stared at Eddie and Robin. 

“So…” he hummed, looking around, “Eddie, want some food?” He asked, gesturing towards the direction of the fridge.

Eddie and Robin blinked, and Eddie nodded quickly, scampering over, his hair flying and rings shining.

Steve gave Robin a look, and she shrugged. 

Steve held out his arm, and Robin froze, her eyes going slightly wide, “are you…okay with that?” she whispered, so low that Steve was surprised he could hear it. 

He nodded, “of course I am. You're my Platonic Soulmate.”

Robin made a sound, her eyes softening and shining as she slowly leaned for his arm, her teeth already showing in small pinpricks as she attached gently to his arm. 

Surprisingly, Steve didn't feel much, only a slight tingling numbness, and maybe some joy at giving one of his best friends something they can eat.

Eventually, before it could really get late, and after Robin started to word vomit about how her parents might get worried if she stayed away too late, Steve waved Eddie and Robin off as Eddie drove her home, his van clunking and vibrating with music.

~~~

Robin ate slowly, the food making her stomach churn uncomfortably but was otherwise…alright to eat– at least enough to pretend that she ate dinner with her family.

It certainly wasn't filling, much to her chagrin. Not like a certain something else would be– the lingering taste of Steve's blood remaining slightly in her mouth; spice and mint, an oddly flavorful combination.

Her parents– and grandparents who came for a surprise visit– were idly chatting in the background. 

Robin's ears perked, and the chatter came into focus–

“--Pastor Dave apparently gave some queer shelter for a couple of days in the church!” Her grandmother cawed, cross necklace glinting in the dining room light as she speared vegetables on a fork. 

Robin's stomach dropped, a rock settling there instead, a hint of fangs coming out just for a moment in a hidden hiss and baring of teeth.

Her grandfather nodded, and her parents gasped, “no!”

Her grandmother continued, “yes! Pastor Dave has lost his mind– I know we must love the sinner and hate the sin, but I am absolutely shocked at such atrocious behavior! Such a man will not go to heaven for even supporting such depravity!” 

The world went out of focus, and Robin stood abruptly, “I-I feel sick. I'm not hungry. May I go?” She asked, stiltedly polite. 

Her parents nodded, and her grandmother shot Robin a kind look, “alright, dear, if you feel sick later, tell us, and I'll make you some chicken soup!” 

Her grandmother's voice was so kind, so different from the acidic vitriol just seconds earlier. Whiplash.

Robin's stomach churned and her chest ached. She nodded, “Y-yes, ‘course, I’m going to bed I think, goodnight, l-love you," she forced the words out between her teeth.

Her family beamed, smiles bright and sympathetic, “goodnight, little Robin, we love you! Hope you feel better, sleep well!” they chimed somewhat in unison. 

Robin, speeding-but-not-running, went up the stairs to her room, closing the door and locking it slowly. 

Her breath hitched as the pain in her chest increased, words flying over and over and over in her mind– 

Her hands flew to her mouth and she slowly sank to the floor, her legs too shaky to even let her bother making it any further, and she cried– silently screaming in her head and her heart. 

The sick feeling in her stomach grew, pains from the meager food portion she managed to eat and hunger pains for something more filling, but she was more sure about the pain in her chest– suffocating and squeezing, like a python coiling around her body– slowly stealing breath and crunching bones. 

The world buzzed around her. 

Depraved, depraved, depraved.

Robin wanted to peel out of her skin like a demented spider during a molt. Wanted to curl into a ball and stop existing. Wanted to become an anemone and exist in the ocean. 

Wanted Steve to make this feeling go away, like he always did. 

Depraved, depraved, depraved. 

Robin opened her window slowly, and slunk out, the cool air making her face feel more hot than it probably wouldn't have been if it wasn't for the tears.

Chapter Text

Robin stumbled along the sidewalk, her ears ringing and a sharp pang of hunger - fear - regret swirling in her stomach like a soup gone wrong. The sky was quickly changing to a deep, dark blue-navy– a sign of descending night. 

Her only company was only the barest hint of soft lights on portions of the sidewalk.

“Robin?” A soft voice came from behind her, making her jump what felt like 12 feet in the air as she turned.

Chrissy waved slightly, her eyes wide, as she panted lightly in the air between them– a sports top, long athletic pants, and headphones draped around her neck leading to a walkman in a fanny pack, “Robin?” she asked again, her voice softer somehow, her eyes shining with something like worry.

Robin jolted, and the ringing in her ears stopped. But now, there was a delicious thumping in her ears– the sound of blood, warmed and pumping a bit more furiously than usual. Not to mention the smell coming up Robin’s nose; a soft vanilla mixed with salt. 

Her mouth watered, and she knew that she was making Chrissy even more worried, which made Chrissy take closer and closer steps, reaching out to gently grasp and hold Robin’s arm–

The ringing came back, her teeth sharpened and pushed through parting lips. Her mind went fuzzy, but there was a slight squeaking sound in her ear as warmth spilled into her mouth, and she drank . 

~~~

The flavor was so much different, different from the way the deer tasted, different from the way Steve tasted. It was sweet and velvety, like how chocolate and caramel could be. 

She felt it dribble down the twitching and warm neck and internally whined at the partial loss, her body moving before she could really think about it, pulling her fangs out to lick at the streak, not really noticing but hearing a soft squeak again as something grabbed part of her arm and waist. 

~~~

Chrissy’s day was, admittedly, very weird in retrospect. She got the guts to ask Robin for help while ignoring the way the smell of the cafeteria made her stomach nauseated, which led to her and Robin at the library for a while, until Robin left after some general small-town weirdness that Chrissy honestly didn’t care to learn about. 

She got home, walked on eggshells with her mother, and ate only what was given to her while ignoring the way it felt like eating rocks, and how bland it all tasted. 

Then, it was time for her to go jogging, as per her mother’s encouragement, despite how late it was getting.

Then, Chrissy had to doubletake when she realized she was coming up to Robin’s frame in the distance. She slowed as she got closer, calling out Robin’s name. Robin jumped– an admittedly cute gesture that made Chrissy think of one of those little rabbits in her math class. 

“Robin?” Chrissy repeated, feeling her eyebrows furrow a little. No response, only wide-eyed staring. Chrissy got closer, reaching out, ready to ask Robin what was wrong-

Robin suddenly grabbed her shoulder and tilted her head, and Chrissy’s eyes widened when she realized that Robin’s lips were revealing four long and sharp points– like those vampire-creatures in that movie she watched once when her parents went away for an anniversary dinner– and she squeaked when those teeth attached to her neck, not painful but tingling. 

Robin suddenly pulled away after a moment of greedy drinking– which Chrissy only knew from the way Robin’s throat made somewhat audible sounds, or maybe that was just because Robin was so close – and licked a stripe up Chrissy’s neck in a way that made her face burn and another squeak to come out of her from the unexpectedness of it all, and Chrissy’s hands immediately grappled for Robin’s frame, grabbing her upper arm and waist to hold on. 

Robin pulled away slightly, her eyes noticeably unfocused as she licked her lips clean of Chrissy’s blood.