odiwtbl

[odiwtbl]

‘86 Baby | Eddie Munson

Eddie Munson x Reader

Warnings: warning free:)

Author’s note: short lil Eddie drabble bc i love him, not beta’d

Wc: 370

---

It was a long time coming, Eddie’s graduation, and honestly, he had not stopped talking about it since he found out he would be receiving his diploma. 

The gym was stuffy, too many people in too hot weather, but you could still see the excitement radiating off of the metalhead as his name was called. He had his cap and gown on, which you had to argue with him to wear, but in true Eddie fashion, he had stuck a couple of band pins to the front of it, his beloved denim vest underneath. 

Eddie strutted to the stage, his hair bouncing behind him, the grin on his face lighting up the gymnasium. He hopped up the steps, walking towards principal Higgins, taking his diploma, and like he promised, flipping him the bird. A few gasps from prude parents were heard, but Eddie just turned to face the crowd. 

His eyes scanned the faces, looking for his favourite one. The lights behind him lit up his hair, casting him in a soft golden glow. You watched as his eyes darted from person to person, tongue out swiping his top lip in focus before they landed on you and his grin got impossibly bigger. You smiled down at the boy, tears of pride lining your lower lash line. 

If there was ever a moment you wanted to capture and keep forever, it’s this one. Eddie waved the rolled-up bit of paper at you, a small celebratory action, before spinning on his heel and climbing down from the stage. 

Eddie walked past his seat, he didn’t want to stay for the rest of the ceremony he had already told you, so instead, you met him at the exit. He walked straight into you, wrapping his arms around your waist and picking you up. You could feel the happiness expelling from him. 

He placed you down carefully, but you stayed in his embrace. Everything about this moment was perfect. After everything the two of you had gone through, everything you had to fight. Eddie deserved this moment. 

You pulled away and looked up into those brown eyes, “I am so proud of you, Eddie.”

“I told you ’86 is my year, baby.”

[odiwtbl]

odiwtbl’s Masterlist :)

started- 5th april 2022 last updated- 4th july 2022 total works- 5

i currently write for the 18+ Stranger Things characters, Eddie mainly, but i’m pretty open to any characters. my work is sfw. (i’m also rly bad at titling my works so bear w me)

Stranger Things

- Eddie Munson

Away From You

Not My Pool

Too Good to Be True

- Steve Harrington

coming soon

The Batman

- Edward Nashton

The Man from Under the Streetlight

The Man from Under the Streetlight, part 2

- Bruce Wayne

coming soon

[odiwtbl]

Too Good to Be True | Eddie Munson

Eddie Munson x Reader

Warnings: None rly as per, slight swearing, mention of a drug deal surprise it’s Eddie Munson lol

Author’s Note: writing as if he’s still alive and well and nothing bad happened haha, also this might turn into a couple of parts, honestly unsure I told myself it was gonna be a oneshot but here we are. Also! I have another sad Eddie fic where he d words if anyone wants to see it and sob

WC: 1875

---

“Yeah just give me a second, I’ll be right back” You smiled at your cheer team before excusing yourself from the lunch table, the pre-written note folded up tightly in your hand. Heading for the bathroom, you walked briskly by a curly-haired boy called Eddie Munson, or 'Eddie the Freak' as your squad and the basketball team had dubbed him. As nonchalantly as possible, you dropped the note in his lap, trying not to make it obvious to anyone in the cafeteria.

Eddie, who was in the middle of berating Dustin and Mike for asking to postpone that evening’s campaign, would’ve missed the drop-off if the small wad of paper didn’t bounce neatly off of his right thigh and into the centre of his lap. He looked up confused, brow furrowed, head flicking either side of him to see who the culprit could be, suspecting it was a possible prank, but he saw no one watching him. Eddie unravelled the note in his lap, keeping the secrecy alive and well.

‘Need $20 worth of you-know-what. Meet me at the picnic bench in the woods after the game tonight. Thanks’

Eddie looked up once more, even more confused, but slipped the note into the pocket of his denim vest, and carried on reprimanding the younger boys.

—-

It was evening now, the sun had started to sink below the horizon, casting the small town of Hawkins in a soft pink glow. The game had ended thirty minutes ago, but you were still in the girl's locker room, tucked away in the corner. The rest of your team had left already, heading out to some celebratory party at Benny’s old shop, but you stayed behind. Your cheer uniform had long been discarded, shoved into the depths of your backpack, and you were now rubbing at your legs with makeup remover.

You had been living a sort of double life since moving to Hawkins. Your parents had always wanted you to do well, be popular, have prospects. They encouraged you from an early age to get into cheer and to just fit in with the other kids, to look the same and act the same and be “normal”. But underneath your preppy facade were heavy tattoos and a slightly less-than-conventional music taste. Normally you wouldn’t care what people thought of you, but you had promised your parents that you would see cheer through until college, hopefully using it for a sports scholarship to pay for tuition fees. However, you knew better than anyone, to even make the cheer squad you had to look like them, talk like them, act like them, and show no sign of your true self. And so, there you were, scrubbing at the thick concealer on your legs to reveal your inked skin.

You weren’t heavily tatted. Not yet, at least. A decently sized Baphomet sat cross-legged on your left thigh, with Henry the flying demon accompanying him on the side of your right calf. Black Sabbath had been one of your favourite bands since ’78, so getting Henry on you only seemed natural. You had other smaller pieces on your chest and back, the most recent piece being Michael Myers’ knife from Halloween along your ribcage, but they were easily hidden with the cheer uniform.

With the rest of the concealer cleaned off, you stood up, throwing the cotton rounds into the trash. Your leg tattoos were out now, the black denim shorts you had on doing no good at covering Baphomet in the slightest. You just had to hope the cheer and basketball team had really gone.

Taking every caution, you walked back through the gym and out the back doors, through the empty corridors, then headed across the field and toward the edge of the forest.

The air was warm and sticky, making your black vest cling to your skin. The heat was something you had yet to become accustomed to, you had moved to Hawkins about three months ago because of your parents’ work. It was okay here. You had ‘friends’, the town was nice, and for the most part, people left you alone, but you couldn’t help but feel lonely. Not being able to be your authentic self around the squad was tough, it all felt so fake. A few of the girls on the team were nice, but for the most part, they weren’t a group that you would choose to hang around with. Outside of school and practise you didn’t talk to the girls, every invite they gave you was shot down with a quick, “I’m helping my mom unpack tonight, sorry!” or, “I’ve got a shit ton of catch-up work to do, maybe next time?” But from your first lunch, there was a group that you knew you’d belong in. Eddie Munson’s Hellfire club, and if it weren’t for getting a stupid scholarship, you were convinced you’d be sitting with them every day.

Moving to a new town was a tough adjustment, but finding a new supplier was even harder while trying to keep up appearances. After some subtle digging, you found out that your unrequited friend-crush was a man of many secrets. And that’s how you found yourself walking into the woods to meet with Eddie ‘the Freak’ Munson.

It was getting darker now, the low light barely giving away the figure sitting at the bench. Eddie spun in his seat when hearing you approach. “Jesus! Scared the shit outta me! Took your sweet old time, didn’t think you were gonna come.”

You walked around to the other side of the table, dropping your backpack on the floor, smiling sheepishly, “Yeah sorry, I got held up.” You stayed standing, just in case. As cool as Eddie looked, you were still technically meeting a strange man in the middle of the woods. You can never be too careful. “So…” Your voice trailed off when you saw the boy opposite you just gawking. Like full on staring.

Eddie had been caught off guard, to say the least. He was sure he’d never seen anything as perfect as you. It was as if some scientist somewhere had taken the essence of what makes Eddie Eddie, and created another human out of it. His eyes wandered over your tattoos, your beat-up converse and all black attire. He made a note of how you shifted your weight from one foot to the other, while your eyes just stared back at him, a mixture of confusion and worry painted on your face. “Do I know you?” He asked incredulously. Smooth, Eddie, nice one.

“O-oh no, uh. We’ve never actually met, um, but I’m a senior too. I’m new.” Awkwardness filled every word you said, and you mentally cursed at yourself. You just wanted him to think you’re cool.

“You go to Hawkins High? No, nuh uh- not buying it.” Eddie shook his head, his curls flicking from side to side. You stayed staring at him, a hint of a smile creeping its way onto your face now. “Nope, I’ve never seen you before. I think I’d remember tats like yours.” He nodded toward your legs.

A blush lifted itself onto your cheeks at his confession of looking at your bare skin. “I promise you, I go to Hawkins High,” You laughed, “Here, let me jog your memory.” Eddie watched as your face dropped, and you took a step back from the bench.

In the blink of an eye, your face lit up with a faker-than-fake, cheesy smile. You dropped your hands in fists by your side and started shaking them, rustling your imaginary pom-poms. You started running through a short version of the routine you had just performed about 3 hours earlier. Eddie’s smiling face grew into a look of pure confusion. You finished your little show, the fake smile dropping immediately.

“You’re a cheerleader?” The boy almost shouted. He pushed his upper body away from the bench with his arms. “Now I’m really not buying it.”

You laughed again, before walking over to the bench, placing yourself opposite him, “Well you better believe it, big boy.” You moved your legs so you were sitting crosslegged under you. Eddie just stayed still, looking over you. “What?”

“As if they’d let a cheerleader cheer with those tats. Like, that’s a Sabbath tattoo.” He gestured down to where your legs would be if he could see them through the table.

“Yeah well. We all have our secrets, don’t we?” You looked over him properly now. Big brown eyes, wide with curiosity, set on soft pale skin, his eyebrows quirked upwards. He had this wild hair around him, the little flyaways caught in the wind, catching the dying sunlight, highlighting him with streaks of gold. His mouth was slightly parted, full pink lips that were chapped from being bitten, probably. A light blush, the same pink as his lips, coated his nose and cheeks, complimenting the barely-there freckles. He was unique to this town, but he was a sure sign there was hope for you here.

“So, we gonna do this or what?” Eddie asserted, opening up the tin box that had been sat on the table. You just nodded as you watched him take out a baggy. “You said $20 worth right?” You nodded again. Eddie lifted his head to look at you, “Don’t go all quiet on me now.”

“Sorry,” You blushed, “I was just watching.”

“Oh yeah, you like what you see?” A hint of a smirk presented itself on Eddie’s face, eyes shining with mischief, locked onto yours.

“Hmm. I don’t know. I think I need to see more of it.” You leant forward, propping your head up with your hands.

The blush that had made a home on Eddie’s cheeks grew more vibrant, “More-” he cleared his throat, “-More of it?”

You just shrugged softly, “Yeah, more of it. Maybe we could hang out sometime? Watch a movie?” You had no idea where this confidence was coming from, but you prayed it wouldn’t run out anytime soon.

“Yeah! I mean, sure, sounds good.” Eddie paused, before slowly placing the baggy back in the box, looking anywhere but your face. “You know, you could always come back to mine, like now, and we could chill?” You could tell he was slightly apprehensive.

Eddie wasn’t sure if you were joking at his expense, that you actually wanted to spend more time with him outside of his ‘business’. To be honest, this could all be some big set-up by the cheer squad or basketball team, and Jason Carver could be hiding behind one of these trees filming the whole thing, waiting for the finale. He wouldn’t be surprised, this is all too good to be-

“Yeah sure, sounds fun.” You smiled, before standing up from the bench. You picked up your bag, swinging it onto your back.

Eddie scrambled to follow, packing his box up and sealing it shut. He stood out from the bench and made a sweeping gesture with his arm. “This way, m’lady.” He watched as you walked past him, his eyes never leaving your face.

God, he didn’t want to blow this.

[odiwtbl]

Not My Pool | Eddie Munson

Eddie Munson x Reader

Warnings: None really. Slight swearing? Trespassing?

Author's note: trying to make up for the lil sad Eddie piece from yday :) Also I’m still not used to writing for Eddie so idk if it’s any good. Also also, not beta’d

Wc: 2215

---

“Eddie are you sure this is a good idea?” You hissed as you snuck closer to the treeline.

It was the first week of summer and Eddie, your best friend, had somehow convinced you to literally trespass and sneak into Steve Harrington’s pool. The woods you were both running through were dark, everything was quiet except the low hum of the nighttime bugs, adrenaline softly running through you gradually getting more intense the closer you got to the other boy's house.

The soft lights from the pool shone through the gaps in the trees before you, blacking out Eddie’s silhouette. “Stop being such a pussy, come on” The metalhead urged. He turned and reached out behind him, grabbing your upper arm and pulling you forward so you were next to him. His hand moved down your arm to your hand, intertwining his fingers with your own.

“What if his parents catch us? What if they call the police?” You rambled, butterflies making a home in your stomach.

Eddie just turned to face you, half of his face lit up in the soft blue light. He grinned at you, eyebrows raised, eyes shining. “Then we run.”

The small town of Hawkins had been suspended in a thick heat for the past month now. The kind of heat that constantly lingers no matter what you do to try and alleviate it, which is the only reason you had agreed to Eddie’s stupid plan, but that was thirty minutes ago, and this is now, and only now are you realising how dumb this is.

Eddie had been getting you into trouble for the past year since you joined Hellfire, and since you had become good friends. It was known that if Eddie was somewhere, you were close by, ‘like an Ettin’ Dustin and Mike would always say. The boy had brought you so far out of your comfort zone. You weren’t super shy, to begin with, but compared to Eddie Munson you may as well have been a dormouse. An unexpected friendship bloomed between the two of you, no one in Hellfire truly expected it, and neither did you or Eddie; but opposites do attract, apparently.

Stumbling your way through the last bit of overgrowth, the two of you reached the soft grass of Steve’s garden, the pool only a few metres away. The lights weren’t on in the house, 3 am wasn’t the typical time the Harrington family were up and about. Eddie dropped your hand, instead reaching for the hem of his Guns N Roses tee, pulling it over his head and fluffing up his hair in the process. You giggled as he shook his head back and forth, trying to lay his curly hair back into place. “How do I look, M’lady?” His eyes gleamed at you, a soft smirk appearing on his lips.

You huffed out a laugh, “Like a dumbass.” You jabbed, playfully shoving his shoulder. Eddie feigned hurt, holding his hand over his chest. He took a step toward you. Then another. And another, and before you could react he had scooped you up and walked you over to the edge of the pool. “Eddie, don’t you dare!” You looped your arms around his neck as a safety measure, but pulled back to look at his face.

“Tell me I look handsome.” Eddie flashed you a mischievous grin.

“Nuh uh. No way,” You shook your head, “Bribery isn’t the way to go Munson.”

He held your body out over the pool. “Just tell me what I wanna hear and nobody has to get wet.”

“Eddie I am not playing. I don’t wanna get my jeans wet!”

“Then say the words, princess.” He fake dropped you by an inch, laughing at your squealing.

“Fine! Fine! You look handsome, Eddie Munson.” You deadpanned.

“Oh come on, you can do better than that.” You glared at him while he only smiled back at you with all his teeth on show.

“…You are the most handsomest, most beautiful, most amazing person in this stupid town,” You raised your eyebrows at him, “Better?”

“Much”. Eddie spun around and placed you down on the ground, turning back to the pool to step out of his own jeans. An idea presented itself to you, one that would have been criminal if missed. You reached out and tapped Eddie’s shoulder, making him look at you, and as he did so you pushed his shoulder once more, harder this time, till he tipped back and fell in the pool.

He resurfaced, hair stuck to him, a look of shock on his face. “You little minx.” You just shrugged over him, returning the playful grin he had given you earlier.

“Game’s a game, Munson.” You pulled your own clothes off, top first, and then shimmied out of your jeans, leaving you in your underwear, his gaze on you the entire time. “You can stop staring though.”

Eddie chuckled, pushing himself softly to the edge of the pool. “Game’s a game.”

You sat down, your legs next to him in the water, Eddie leant on his arm looking up at you. “Are you coming in or what?” You looked up at the stars, a content sigh left your lips. This is where you want to be. Now and forever. “What’s got you looking like that?” Eddie poked your thigh causing goosebumps to rise at his touch.

You slid yourself over the edge and into the pool, with a little less than a splash, treading the water and turning yourself so you were face to face with the boy.

“I’m just… really happy right now.” You looked at the boy opposite you. Like, really looked at him. The bottom parts of his hair were floating in the water, the rest of it damp and strung around his face. The lights in the pool lit up his flyaways, creating a blue halo around Eddie. Drops of water clung to his skin, on his face and down onto his collarbones. His freckles were more prominent now from the days spent out in the sun together. You could see his eyes tracing over your face, the hint of a smile lingering on his lips.

“Are you looking at my lips, y/l/n?” You watched as his smile grew.

“Why did you have to ruin the moment, Eddie? It was about to get deep, I could feel it.” You laughed.

“Yeah well, I’ll ruin any moment if it means I get to see you laugh.”

“You’re a dork.”

“Jerk.”

“Idiot.”

“You love me.”

“Do I, Eddie?”

“Yes.”

“And you’d know that how?”

“Because I see the way you look at me.”

It felt like the air had been sucked out of your body. Like you were choking on the pool water without even being submerged. “I-I don’t- I, uh-” You stammered.

“Am I wrong?” Eddie just looked at you, plain and simple. Normally you could read every emotion that crossed his mind, but as of right now there was nothing to go off of. You couldn’t even hazard a guess.

“O-of course, I love you, Eddie. You’re like, my best friend?” You laughed it off, even though you could feel your cheeks heating up.

Eddie tilted his head, one eyebrow raised, staring down into your eyes. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.” He waited a few seconds, each one that passed felt like an hour to you. He moved his hand to your chin, lifting your face to look at him. Your heart hammered in your chest, soft waves of adrenaline passed through you. “If I’m wrong I’ll drop it. Just, tell me I’m wrong.” He spoke softly.

You looked at the man in front of you. The man you had been looking at for past year. The man that had helped you learn D&D, the man that had brought you out of your comfort zone more than anyone had, the man that had taught you how to really have fun. The memories of you both laughing together flashed through your minds eye, you could see the time you had watched Nightmare on Elm Street and it ended up in you throwing popcorn at each other in his trailer. Or the time you had gone to Starcourt and Eddie stole some twizzlers for you. Or the first time you stayed back and helped him pack up after a long D&D session and he drove you home, leaving you with an Iron Maiden cassette to listen to.

“Eddie.. I- I don’t know what to say.” You frowned lightly.

“Nah it’s cool, my bad.” Eddie dropped his hand from your face, and pushed himself off the wall of the pool, and away from you. “I shouldn’t have assumed!” He called out from the opposite side.

Your shoulders dropped, a soft sigh escaping your body. “Eddie, can you come back here.” He looked at you for a beat, before dipping under the water. What a child, you thought to yourself.

You pushed yourself off from the wall also, following suit, and diving under the water towards him. Eddie was sat cross legged at the bottom of the pool, cheeks puffed out filled with air. His hair was drifting up around him, making you giggle slightly. You swam forward, kicking your legs to reach him faster.

You sat opposite him underwater, just looking at each other. Everything around you was blue, Eddie’s entire warm colour palette taken over by the colour. You reached out and pushed his cheeks together, the air he held in them rushing out in bubbles to the surface, but he stayed at the bottom staring at you. Using your whole body, you mimed a huff, emphasising the action so he could understand your annoyance.

Reaching out and grabbing both of his hands, you kicked up and pulled the both of you to the surface. The two of you gasped for air as you broke from the water. “Can you just- listen to me.” You panted.

Eddie nodded, but looked everywhere but your face. This time you reached forward and grabbed his chin, pulling his face to look at you. “That’s better.” You flashed him a sarcastic smile. “Eddie, I don’t know what to say, because I’m not- I- I don’t. This kind of stuff doesn’t happen to me.” Eddie’s expression grew quizzical, but he didn’t speak, allowing you to continue talking. “I’m just… me. And I’ve never had anyone like me. Not even in that way! I didn’t have friends before Hellfire, I didn’t have a best friend before you, I didn’t know what it was like to have people just, like me. And I think you’re amazing, and so funny, and really cool but-”

“-But I’m Eddie Munson.” He cut you off.

“-But you’re the Eddie Munson. And I think I do like you in that way, but I’m scared that I’m not enough for you.” You finished, still holding onto his face, but now you were looking down.

A small silence fell over the both of you, the night air filling the space. The sound of the water filter running in the back the only prominent noise that could be heard. Your heart rate was picking up again, that adrenaline filling your veins once more. You shivered as the night air cooled off some of the water on your skin. The time passing was unbearable but you were too scared to move, to say anything more. You didn’t want to ruin anything. But before you could think of anything else Eddie began to speak. “I’m Eddie the Freak,” You looked up at him, it looked like he could start crying at any moment, “and you’re- you’re you.” It was your turn to look at him in confusion now, “You’re this pure creature that fell into my path, and don’t get me wrong I’m so happy you’re not, but I thought you��d be long gone by now. I didn’t want to, corrupt you, ruin you. I just wanted you to be happy. And then you stuck around, and I got to know you and-” He cut himself off.

A few hot tears had fallen over your cheeks. You didn’t know why you were crying, but something in you just felt so loved.

“Can I kiss you?” Eddie pulled himself closer to you, until your bodies were against each other under the water.

You didn’t reply, instead just closing the gap between you, your lips centimetres apart. You could feel Eddie’s breath fanning across you face, and you were fairly certain you could hear his heart pounding. Or maybe it was yours, you were too spaced out to care.

Eddie moved the rest of the way, placing his lips over yours. It was soft and sweet, and you could feel everything that he wanted to say, that he didn’t have to now. You smiled against him, moving your arms to rest on the sides of his neck. He pulled back and leant his forehead against yours, looking into your eyes, that mischievous look back where it belongs.

Eddie opened his mouth to speak, but just as he started all of the back porch lights flicked on.

“HEY! GET OUT OF MY POOL BEFORE I CALL THE COPS!”

“We should run.”

---

[odiwtbl]

Away From You | Eddie Munson

Eddie Munson x reader

Warnings: none lol it’s just sad

Author’s note: something short n sweet :) I’m just in my feels n want to experience love. also sorry for my inactivity! My bad

Wc: 731

---

“Eddie. Please. Don’t do this” You had never begged for anything in your life, not like this. Your heart felt like lead in your chest, your eyes ached, and your head felt like it was stuffed with nothing but cotton wool. 

“I-I’m sorry. I don’t want to-“ His voice cut off from a sob choking its way through his throat. He looked down at his feet, shuffling his stance around in the dead leaves and broken twigs that had fallen down from the trees surrounding you. It was fall and it was cold, but you were burning up, all of your thoughts scrambled and not making any sense. “-I don’t want to, do this. With you. Anymore.” 

You could see the tears rising in your vision, sitting along your lower lash line. You couldn’t bring yourself to look at his face, his hair. You didn’t want to get lost in the familiarity of him. His brown eyes, thick lashes. The light dusting of freckles that litter his face. The slight crease in his brow. Seeing him how you see him in this moment would be your last straw. The hours spent memorising every detail of Eddie Munson, the ins and outs, what makes him tick, where he gets his passion from, all so you would never be able to forget him. 

“I don’t understand Eddie, please. Please just- just talk to me.” With shaking hands you reached out to grab him, he just needed to feel you, come back to his senses, but he stepped back on your approach. 

 “Listen to me. I love you. I’ll always love you. I just- We can’t- This isn’t working, I- It’s over, we’re done.” Eddie switched from looking down at his shoes to looking up at the sky. The stars were visible through the gaps in the trees, cold, far away witnesses to the heartbreak. A soft breeze rippled through the forest, the wind whispering through hair. He looked beautiful. Eddie was always beautiful. The type of beautiful that doesn’t have to try. The type that was so effortlessly and flawlessly beautiful it was slightly aggravating. The pale moonlight lit up the curvature of his face, highlighting the single tear rolling down the side of his cheek into the long dark shadows cast on his neck. You could see his chest heaving, trying to hold his cries in. 

“Please just think about this Eddie. Whatever’s happening we- we can fix it,” Your speech was frantic, your head shaking from side to side, something you always did when you were panicking, “Just- please, please don’t leave me Eddie.”

He moved now, taking a step toward you, his eyes locking with yours. You could feel the sadness, the uncertainty, radiating off of him. Those brown eyes usually alight with laughter now shining with unshed tears. Eddie was holding back, you could tell. He never wanted you to feel sad, especially not because of something he had done. But that’s what he was doing right now, and it broke him. The tip of your nose was red from the cold creeping in, eyes glossy with tears, bottom lip trembling and his heart shattered at the sight. Images of you laughing with him flashed through his mind, the sound so foreign against the shallow breathing he could hear coming from you now. 

Eddie took one more step to you, closing the distance. He held your upper arms as you kept them down by your side, silently begging for you to look him in the eyes. As much as you didn’t want to, you did. You always did gravitate to him after all. The look in Eddie’s eyes said so much, yet it was all unreadable. The tears fell freely from him now, long streams tracking down his cheeks. He furrowed his brow before opening his mouth to say one final thing, but you could see the internal conflict flash across his face before he changed his mind and closed his mouth. Instead he leaned forward and placed a kiss to your forehead. His lips were wet from the tears, his breath fanning across your skin, he stayed there for a while just soaking you in. Taking his last moment to completely revel in you. 

He breathed. “I’m sorry.” Was the last thing he whispered before stepping back and walking away through the trees. And away from you. 

---

[odiwtbl]

At this point my account has turned into a Paul Dano fan page. Anyways, calling all the danonation to be mutuals 👉🏼👈🏼

[odiwtbl]

The Man from Under the Streetlight, part 2

part 1

Dano!Riddler x reader

Warnings: light stalking again, rly super brief mention of sh, Edward being a creepy lil weirdo, sfw

Author’s note: again not beta’d lol apologies, n it’s not a super exciting part 2 but o well. im not sure how many parts im going to do of this, its not planned out literally at all lol so if anyone has any ideas then lmk!

Wc: 1655

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Edward Nashton knew he had a purpose, a part to play within Gotham City. He promised himself over a year ago that nothing would get in his way of laying his plans out, and now that he had amassed a  small following, he felt as though he couldn’t let them down either. All the people that tuned in to his livestreams religiously, all the people that gave him help and offered him advice, and all the people that he could help that don’t know anything of Eddie or the Riddler. He had job to do and it was so incredibly important that he got it done. 

So why was he faced with a new distraction. 

Edward was sat alone in his long-term hotel room. It was late, the small lamp next to him being the main source of light. News paper clippings and articles and maps lined the wall, creating its own unique patterns. Notes and diagrams filled what little empty space there was on one of many desks throughout the rooms. Towers of notebooks and ledgers stood precariously tall in the corners, one slight move from toppling over. Years of Eddie’s life was on display in this place, all his hard work and determination laid out in messy handwriting. If only other people could see his conviction. 

On all legal documents he still lived in the house he moved to after the orphanage, but in actuality he lived in the hotel opposite the Iceberg Lounge, just around the corner from where you worked. What started as a temporary living situation became his permanent place of residence. After living there for a month, he struck a deal with the hotel owner, paying a monthly fee in cash, all under the table and off the records, and with Eddie’s job he could easily afford it. After all, people wouldn’t come looking for him here. Not unless he wanted them to. 

He was currently drawing up a cipher for his first milestone, his first mission, he liked to call them. Normally creating puzzles cleared his mind, gave him room to think over his future work, but tonight the only thing he could think of was you. Your name and face swirling around in his mind on a constant loop. 

You saw him, not just through him like so many people in this city did. After talking to you he knew he was soon to be fully addicted, he needed an out, but even leaving you in the diner wasn’t enough. He had a little taste, but he craved more, he was desperate for it. 

“Fuck!” Look, you were even causing him to make mistakes and ruin his work. Eddie grabbed a new piece of paper and started tracing out the lines again. This is the third time he’s tried to finish this damn thing. 

After a while of writing, he decided to take a break from his work, perfection takes time after all. Pushing back from the desk, he stretched his arms above his head, his body shaking slightly. Edward’s eyes were strained and sore, working in the darkness probably wasn’t helping him. He needed something to take his mind off you, but if the puzzles weren’t working, what else would. 

He could walk down to the diner, see if you’re working. Maybe get some coffee, order it from you. Nothing more than a caffeine break. No, No! Giving into the urge will make it worse in the long run. So, what if he doesn’t talk to you? Keeps his distance, follows you to make sure you get home safely again. No! That won’t do! That’s a couple hours taken out from work, at least. He needs something brief, something non-damaging, and preferably something to not do with you. 

Spinning around in desk chair, Edward looked over the stacks of papers and piles of books. Surely there’s something here that needs to be done. He stands, the rats in the cage nearby making more noise at the sudden movement. Eddie walks past them, through to the kitchen, and braces his hands on the counter, leaning down slightly. He huffs, frustrated. Why is this happening? Why now? 

He pulls a mug out of the cupboard, filling it with coffee from the pot. It’s too hot and burns the roof of his mouth, but Eddie hardly reacts. It’s a welcome distraction, for a brief moment he wasn’t even thinking of you. He takes another sip, holding the scolding liquid in his mouth for a couple seconds too long. And then another. And another. Each time the burning getting worse, but Eddie couldn’t stop. He needed the pain. But needed more. 

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Eddie pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth, finding delight in the sensitivity of it. The air around him was cold, his cheeks and nose numb. He felt guilty for giving into his urges, but he just couldn’t help himself. It’s stupid, he knows that and hates himself for it. Eddie isn’t stupid. He’s not. But he could allow himself one more night to relieve himself. 

The lights in your apartment weren’t on. It’s 10:30pm, you were either still at work or in bed asleep, but Eddie would take his chances. He walked up to the main door of the building, the paint was chipped off and it looked old. Three labelled doorbells line one side of the door, he pressed the one at the top, ‘third floor’, and waits for it to ring. No answer. You must still be at work. 

He reached for the door handle, it obviously being locked, but it was worth a try, right? He pulled a hammer out from underneath his green parker, hitting the handle off as discreetly as one can, then using the wedge side to pry the door open. It swung open, to reveal a dark hallway. There’s one door on the left, with stairs at the end. No elevator. He pulled his mask over his head before stepping inside. 

Edward pushed the door closed behind him with the toe of his boot, looking around for cameras. Nothing, really? Moving towards the step, he was constantly on high alert for any sounds, but no one came. The floor was an old black and white tile design, the walls probably used to be white but now were a faded grey, with the odd stain here and there. 

The stairs creaked underfoot. There seemed to be no one out on the second floor landing either, and so he progressed to the third floor. Your floor. 

Your front door was the same as everyone else’s, white and standard, nothing special. Edward reached for the hammer again. He didn’t want to damage your door, but the idea of you knowing someone had been inside, that he had been inside, was exhilarating. He performed the same manoeuvre that got him in downstairs, and in front of him was your home. His heart pounded at the thought of you living here, your belongings, your food, your clothes. Excitement filled his body as he took his first steps into the first room, the living room. Your decorations were tasteful, nothing too exciting. It looked as if most of the furniture was new, plain white. There wasn’t much room in the small apartment for anything big, a small two seater sofa faced a small television. A small light blue rug sat in the middle of the floor as there was no carpet throughout the apartment it looked. A couple of houseplants placed on side tables and the floor gave Eddie the idea that you were a kind and nurturing soul. Walking through the doorway in front of him, led Eddie to a small kitchenette, again nothing exciting. 

What did excite Eddie was the door in the kitchen. It must be your bedroom. Your sanctuary from this city. Edward’s heart started beating even harder than before, his hand resting on the door handle so softly. He sucked a breath in before pushing the door open. Your room was small, most of the space being filled by a double bed. He walked over and ran his gloved hand over the blue sheets, he wanted to feel them with his skin, how soft they were, but he couldn’t risk leaving the DNA. Your smell enveloped him, light and sweet, like vanilla. Words couldn’t describe how he felt, he could live in here forever, breathe you in everyday. One day he’d have that. 

Edward wanted to take so many things from your place, but with breaking the door in he knew you’d be expecting things that are worth money to have been taken, not the mundane things like pieces of clothing or any of the framed pictures from your bedroom. 

After spending another few minutes walking around you apartment, looking in every cabinet and drawer, Edward forced himself to leave. He closed the front door as best as he could, before making his way down to the main entrance. He stepped out onto the sidewalk, the coldness rushed straight back to his fingers. You should be wrapped up nice and warm tonight, he hoped you took a warm enough coat to work. 

As he crossed the street, reading to make the walk back to his own ‘apartment’, he saw your figure crossing a couple feet down from him. His heart jumped, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He wanted nothing more to stop you, talk to you, hear your voice. But he walked into the shadows cast down by the monorail above them. Edward waited for you to enter the building. You were obviously concerned by the broken front door as you pushed it open tentatively. You should call someone before going inside. You stepped inside, your gait sped up as you rushed up the stairs. 

Edward turned down the street before seeing the lights turn on in your apartment. Sometimes things are best left as a surprise. 

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[odiwtbl]

the corrupt business practices that rot the core of gotham may be ugly, but that doesn’t mean your website has to be. hi, i’m the riddler and I’m here to talk to you about squaresp

[odiwtbl]

The Man from Under the Streetlight

Dano!Riddler x reader

Warnings: light stalking ig, sfw

Author’s note: this is my first time posting on Tumblr lol pls be nice.. criticism is v much welcome but be gentle. Also my first time writing with the whole ‘you’ thing instead of pronouns so im not sure if it works, and also I can never tell what tense im writing in so bear with. Not beta’d either, send it. Also no y/n :) enjoy lmao

Wc: 2082

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Your day could not be going any slower. It was one of those gray days in Gotham, which, granted was pretty much everyday in the city, but today was especially dull. The rain had been on a steady drizzle, soaking through anything within minutes, leaving the diner with little to no patrons. You had been working since 1pm, it now being 9:30 and you had only served maybe six people. It’s a surprise you hadn’t gone absolutely insane due to boredom. The diner was small and had always been family run. It had been serving the Gotham citizens for the past 60 years, although you were sure no one would really miss it if it weren’t here. The things the building had seen over the years, it was extremely close to the The Iceberg Lounge, setting it up nicely for some interesting happenings.

As you wiped down the counter for the hundredth time, you looked up through the windows. The streetlights had been on for a few hours now, the sun setting earlier and earlier, a warning sign that winter was still oncoming. Streams of water collected and ran down the edge of the sidewalk, carrying bits of trash and debris. People hurried by with their coats drawn and hoods up. While Gotham wasn’t the safest of places to live, the people had always interested you. So many faces, so many stories. You could people-watch all day, it being the best thing to pass the time on dead shifts like this one.

A man with a bright red coat, maybe a gift from his wife or girlfriend. A woman pulling a child along, the umbrella she’s holding mainly covering herself leaving the little one to get wet. Another woman stepping out of the corner store, throwing her items in her bag hastily before stepping out into the rain.

A tall man with mousy hair, stepping under one of the streetlights, the light catching his locks causing them to glow like a halo. Little raindrops caught on the lenses of his glasses, fogging up his glasses. Round cheeks that were tinged with red from the cold. His breath leaving in little puffs of cloud in front of his face. Every step or so getting bumped by a passerby. You could tell he was unsure of himself, not knowing how to command his presence. There was something about him that made you watch for longer than normal. Longer than necessary. His eyes darted up and around him as more people jostled him about, before looking through the window and catching yours.

You looked away quickly, making yourself look busy, pretending that you weren’t just completely gawking at a stranger. After a few moments of fake wiping the counter, you looked back up to where he was, only to see the spot under the streetlight empty and the movement of the sidewalk back to normal again.

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You were the prettiest thing Edward Nashton thinks he’s ever seen. He’s never seen eyes as wide as yours, eyes that were actually looking at him, not through him. The subtle expression you were making as you looked him over, ingrained in his memory. The way your skin flushed pink with embarrassment upon being caught. Yes, definitely the prettiest.

That’s why he was stood in the alleyway beside the diner. Waiting for you to lock up and walk home. He just wanted to make sure you were safe, that’s all. He could be your guardian angel. Watching from afar, keeping you safe and clean from the filth and the rot of Gotham. He would do that for you because you deserve it, he could tell.

If there was one thing Edward was, it was patient. He’d been standing in the rain, in the cold, in the dark, for the past three hours now. Listening for the sound of the door closing, your soft footsteps along the sidewalk. He’d wait however long it took for you.

Another twenty minutes passed before he heard you closing up. You walked past the alleyway, not seeing Edward, not seeing anyone. You had your headphones on, Edward could even hear your music leaking out slightly as you walked by. How were you supposed to hear if anyone was about to attack you? About to follow you? How were you supposed to keep yourself safe if you weren’t aware of your surroundings? That’s why Edward stayed behind, you can’t look after yourself the way he could.

He kept a safe distance from you, the streets now practically empty. It was about midnight, Edward thinks. You shouldn’t be out this late. You should be home, safe.

Your apartment wasn’t far from the diner, maybe a fifteen minute walk, and Edward was proud of you for taking a well lit route home. Maybe you do have some street smarts after all. He stood across the road after you had entered the building. It wasn’t the nicest of places, but for Gotham it wasn’t so bad. Some minor deterioration on the outside, the fire escape seemed to be covered in rust and grime, and the windows on the ground floor were boarded up. He prayed that that wasn’t your apartment, how would he keep an eye on you if he couldn’t see you?

The lights on the third floor flicked on and Edward held his breath. You passed by the right side window and through to the left, turning the light on in the new room. His eyes lit up seeing your face again. The back of your head was lovely, but nothing compared to your face. Your beautiful face. He wanted to hold your face, feel your skin in his hands, your breath on his face. He wanted you. All of you.

His breath hitched as you turned you back and removed your work uniform. You need blinds, anyone could watch you. You stepped away from the window, moving further into the room and out of sight. But he stayed just in case. A glimpse of your head was all he needed. Edward stood and watched through your window well into the early morning. The sun was almost coming up by the time he left to go to his own home, the sky turning from black to a blue colour. He imagined what you would sound like on the walk to his apartment. He wandered what you smell like, what your laugh sounded like, how you take your coffee. Edward was desperate to know every little part of you, how your brain works. He needed to know. And he will, he’s sure of it.

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The next morning was gray like the one previous, but at least it was dry. You didn’t have a long shift today either, only the breakfast shift which you didn’t mind too much, it always seemed to pass by relatively quickly.

You could tell the diner was busier today on the approach, the booths that lined the windows were all full, mostly with the regulars. The people of Gotham love a routine, you thought to yourself.

The bell above the door chimed as you pushed it open, the familiar sounds and smells soon engulfing you, everything as it normally is, except for one person.

Their back was to you, hunched over, writing something. Your heart jumped when you noticed the familiar mousy hair and slightly awkward posture. It was him. The man from under the streetlight.

Taking a deep breath, you breezed past the counter and through into the back to put your bag away, forcing yourself to not look back at him as you passed. What is he doing here? It must just be a coincidence, right? Too many thoughts crossed your mind as you started to almost panic. There’s no way he’d come out to see you. You had been thinking about him all night, from your walk home to lying in bed. This had never happened before. Your brain had never been so consumed by something, by someone, before. There wasn’t even a reason for it, not one that you could think of. He was just a stranger caught in the rain, you just happened to see him. It was all a case of right place, right time. So why were you almost obsessed?

You placed your bag and coat into your locker, pushing the door shut and twisting the dial to lock it. The chef, Michael, was the only one in the kitchen this morning, already 6ft deep in tickets and orders, but he still grumbled out some sort of greeting as you called his name hello. Generally you got on with the people you worked with, it was only a small team, but the other waitresses were decent enough, you all looked out for each other on shifts which was nice. After all, it’s important to stick together.

As you pushed through the doors that led out behind the counter, you had to force yourself to think about something other than the man from yesterday. You could feel his eyes on you as you picked up one of the notebooks from behind the till. You could feel his eyes on you as you went over to one of the regulars, Danny. You could feel his eyes on you while you filled up empty mugs and took away empty plates.

At last, after twenty minutes of constant watching, he seemed to have settled down, turning back to whatever he was working on, scribbling away and murmuring to himself. It finally gave you a chance to look at him. Really look at him.

His brow was furrowed in concentration, his right eyebrow jumping occasionally as he thought something over. It looked as if he had forgone a haircut for a little too long, his almost brown but significantly blonde hair dropping down into his eyes. He had a strong nose, paired with a softer jaw, his side profile resembling that of a Greek statue. It looked like he had blue eyes, but that you couldn’t be sure of from this distance. Slight stubble coated his chin. And he looked tired, so tired. His eyes were slightly sunken, dark circles painted underneath. You could look at him forever, you think. He’s interesting.

You sucked a breath into your chest, before walking over to him.

“You need a top up?” You questioned, looking down at his slightly empty cup. You were stood opposite him, behind the bar. Up close you could see he was writing into a ledger, his writing messy and barely legible, you couldn’t even hazard a guess as to what it said.

His hands stilled at the question, his head snapping up almost too quickly. His eyes, that you could see now were a blue-gray, were wide looking at you, as if he were surprised you had even spoken to him, “Uh- Oh, y-yes. Yes, please.”

You smiled politely as you tipped some fresh coffee into his cup. Like his presence suggested, he seemed to be on the shyer side, not that you minded. It made a nice change from the type of people you have to deal with in Gotham.

“I’ve not seen you in here before. What’s your name?” You couldn’t help yourself but to ask his name, you were too curious to go without it.

“I’m, uh, Edward”, he replied, pushing his glasses back up to the bridge of his nose.

“Edward… It’s nice, suits you.” His cheeks turned pink with the compliment, he thought you were just being friendly, like you must be to all your customers, but you really meant it. It’s a nice name. You told him yours shortly afterwards, him tripping up once more on his reply. You excused yourself when another customer called out for a refill.

Edward. It’s a strong name. Eddie suits him more, you think. You made yourself busy, wiping up tables and carrying out food, occasionally glancing over at Edward. Really you wanted to go over and talk to him more, but decided against it just in case you came off too strong.

You heard Michael call for you from the kitchen, something about a ticket not making sense. You made your way over to the hatch that was behind the counter, leaning through the gap slightly to answer him.

Once again you could feel a pair of eyes glued to you, following your movements, but by the time you turned back around hoping to get another look at him, Edward was gone.

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part 2