#and asks Chrissy if she is okay as she helps her to her feet

[momotonescreaming]

Part One (You are Here) | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

“So.” Jeff starts, voice rising over the Dio cassette Eddie put on, volume down low for once. It makes good background noise. Filling the space of Eddie’s bedroom. Not that it’s not full already.

“Okay so we’re doing this?” Eddie asks, turning around from where he was sorting through the pile of stuff on top of his dresser, stray D20 in hand. He flings himself onto his bed, bouncing on the mattress. He’s looking at Jeff with a shit-eating grin, although it’s not unkind.

“Doing what?” he replies, frowning, turning from where he’s sat at the small desk by the door. There’s not a lot of space, not a lot of wiggle room, so Jeff is immediately faced with Eddie staring at him knowingly from the mattress. They’ve known each other since middle school, since Eddie moved into town, and he can tell with just a glance that Eddie is seeing straight through him. 

It’s only fair, he concedes, he saw straight through Eddie.

“This thing you can’t stop thinking about, but haven’t told anyone. That thing?” Eddie starts, resting his head in his hands. It almost looks like he’s going to start kicking his feet like a girl in a sleepover. The kind of scenes you see in movies. All cliche and shit. “We’re talking about it?”

“Yeah.” Jeff sighs. Takes a deep breath. He looks over at Eddie, watches as his best friend raises an eyebrow, smiles, silently prompts him along.

“You know your horrific crush on Steve Harrington?” he eventually starts, fingers absently tapping at the wood of the chair he’s claimed. He can feel it swirling in his chest. The words, the feelings, all the stuff he had been running through his mind. Eddie won’t be mean about it, of course he won’t, but there’s going to be gentle ribbing and he’s really not sure if he’s ready for it. Maybe with just the two of them it'll be okay. Eddie gets it, after all, maybe better than anyone. 

Eddie just snorts. “I’m aware, yes.”

“And how I teased you for being into the preppiest jock in Hawkins?” He adds, resisting the urge to tap his foot, bounce his knee, run his socked foot along the carpeted floor.

“Also, yes.” 

“Well.” Jeff says, and he grimaces. Leaves the sentence there. He doesn’t need to finish it just yet, Eddie will pick up the pieces. Slot them into place.

He sees the exact second Eddie gets it. Watches his eyes light up as it clicks. The glee on his face is evident, the bastard. It's fucking radiating out of him, leaking out through his pores. 

“No,” Eddie gasps, scrambling to sit up on his bed, inching towards Jeff. He's gripping the sheets, the tan floral fabric strained between his fingers. “No fucking way. You have a crush?”

He just nods, humming in affirmation. 

“Well who is it?” Eddie asks, bouncing in place. He's giddy, fidgeting and not quite staying still. “C’mon, tell me. Are they more attainable than Steve Harrington, at least?”

“On one hand they're more attainable,” Jeff starts, gesturing with his hands. “Because, y'know, straight.” 

Eddie hums, nodding, eyes wide. He wouldn't ever admit it, but he was an incorrigible gossip at heart. Always wanting to know things about people. Listening when Wayne talks about the guys from the plant, picking up rumours from people who bought from him, slowly learning what's happening in the trailer park. Who was sleeping with who, who doesn't do their job, who was moving in.

So when Jeff hinted he had a crush? Eddie was all over it. He was also his best friend, so that helped.

“But on the other hand they're less attainable,” Jeff says, taking a deep breath. Bracing himself for whatever dramatic reaction Eddie was going to spout. “Because it's Chrissy Cunningham.” 

His traitorous heart leaps in his chest the second he says her name. A smile threatens to creep across his face. Chrissy Cunningham. Out of all the cheerleaders, she was the one who stood out. She was cute, and kind, with a smile that lit up the room. The curl of her bangs that framed her face, the way she matches her eyeshadow to her scrunchie. Jeff couldn’t stop staring at her. Couldn’t stop noticing things about her. 

Eddie looks positively giddy, bouncing on the worn springs of his mattress, grinning like the devil himself. Wide eyes and bared teeth, ringed fingers gripping his sheets even tighter. He’s electric, he’s vibrating out of his skin. If he were wearing his wallet chain, Jeff would hear him jingling. 

“Yes!” He exclaims, hair swinging around his face as he moves. Not unlike he’s headbanging. “Jeffery! Jefferson! Join me in Hell!”

Jeff can’t help but concede a laugh, ducking his head, almost pressing his chin to his chest. Hiding a smile, almost shy. It’s kind of nice, having it out in the open now. Having Eddie welcome him into the world of crushes on the most popular kids in school. 

“The fucking karma is so juicy right now Jeffington, oh my god! Eat shit!” Eddie adds, excitedly tapping his feet. He bounces back onto his bed, patting a spare spot of mattress beside him. “But I’m just too excited, Jesus Christ, you get it now!”

“I fucking get it now,” Jeff laughs, getting up off the chair and flopping onto the bed beside Eddie. Feeling the worn sheets beneath his back, looking up at the yellowed ceiling of the trailer. “There’s no way in Hell anything is going to happen, I know this, but fuck, she’s the cutest girl I’ve ever seen.”

“Yeah, says you and half of Hawkins High,” Eddie replies, laughing, looking over at Jeff, crossing his legs underneath him. 

“Like you’re one to judge, ‘Mr I have a crush on Steve Harrington,’ the most popular guy in school. Even him stopping throwing those parties didn't make people hate him.” Jeff laughs, gently shoving at Eddie, moving him towards the edge of the bed. “You call him an asshole and then turn around and daydream about his laugh, or his eyes, or his hair.”

“Listen,” He retorts, splaying his hands out when he talks. “I am but a humble homosexual, and even I can’t deny the fact that that preppy, douchey, jock is a fucking smokeshow.”

“What?” Jeff laughs. “You want him to slap your ass and hook up with you in the locker room? Woo you with all his dumb jock shit?”

“Literally, yes,” Eddie laughs, flopping down onto his bed now next to Jeff, the corner of his mouth pulling up into a grin as Jeff snorts. Locks eyes with his best friend, and lets his gaze soften a bit. “But tell me about Chrissy, how did this happen?”

Jeff sighs, and is only a little embarrassed at how wistful it sounds. His stomach swoops, organs melting into something soft and gooey as he paints her in his minds eye. As he pictures her. 

“I just,” He starts, and then stops. Sighs again. “I always noticed Chrissy, always thought she was pretty — because y’know, cheerleader, it's a given — but I didn’t think much further than that.” 

“Until?” Eddie asks, drawing out the word. He nudges Jeff's leg with a socked foot.

“Until I held open a door for her one time,” he sighs, giving into Eddie's prompting. “And she giggled, and thanked me, and it sort of hit me just how much I wanted to kiss her.” 

Eddie fucking yelps, grabbing and shoving at Jeff's shoulder. He laughs along with him, his energy infectious. Let's himself move along with the motions, shoving back at Eddie, bedsprings creaking underneath the pair of them. A part of him absently wonders how much of this Wayne can hear. Raising Eddie, he's probably used to it — the noise. The energy. “Jeff, you sly dog!” 

“I didn't actually kiss her,” Jeff laughs. “I just thought about it.” 

“Oh I bet you thought about it,” Eddie teases, wiggling his eyebrows, continuing to grip and shove at Jeff's arm. 

“Oh shut up,” Jeff laughs. “Like you're one to judge.” 

“Oh, I'm not judging,” he replies, stopping his shoving so they're just resting on his bed together. Hair splayed out across the mattress, fingers absently picking at his sheets. “You remember the things I've said to you about Steve.” 

“I do, yes.” 

“But,” Eddie says, rolling over onto his side, propping himself up and looking down at Jeff. “We’re not talking about how much I’ve talked about wanting to suck Steve’s dick right now.”

Jeff snorts.

“It’s more than that, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Jeff exhales, the air leaving his lungs softly, as he lets himself melt a little further into Eddie’s mattress. It’s easy, here with Eddie. His best friend, whom he knows everything about and knows everything about him in return. “I see Jason hold her hand as they walk through the halls, and hold her books for her. One time I saw them at a movie date together at The Hawk when I was out with my parents, and I want that.”

Eddie makes a noise, low and soft, as he looks over at Jeff. 

“I’ll never get it, not with her, but oh man,” he adds. “I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“I get it.” Eddie adds, voice still soft and low. “I know I talk about how hot Steve is, but I saw him and that Wheeler chick in the halls. How he’d swing her round and kiss her.”

It sort of hits him, just then, just how much Eddie wants this as well. Wants soft kisses, and romantic gestures. Intimate dates and someone happy to see him. But he can’t be seen wanting things he’ll never get. It hurts too much. 

“When we get out of Hawkins,” Jeff says simply. “We’ll get this. We’ll find people who find our metal music and shitty garage band endearing. You’ll find someone who wants to kiss you in the halls.”

Eddie snorts, but he’s smiling sort of bittersweetly while he does it. “And you’ll bag yourself a cheerleader.”

Jeff smacks Eddie’s side, waving his arm out half-heartedly. They stay like that, sitting in the silence, chilling on Eddie’s bed together. It’s nice. 

“So we agree we’re not telling Gareth about this?” Jeff says, propping himself up to look at Eddie.

“Oh we’re absolutely not telling Gareth about this. '' Eddie replies automatically. “He’ll be so annoying about it.”

“One day he’ll get a crush on a prep,” Jeff replies, smiling. “And then we’ll tell him.”

“The Corroded Coffin curse?” Eddie laughs. “Getting a crush on a prep?”

“Definitely,” he replies. “First you, now me. Frank’s next, and then Gareth is going to eat his words about those hot metal chicks he definitely has a crush on.”

“Who are definitely real, and absolutely not just models in magazines he jerks off too,” Eddie laughs, and it’s nice. Sharing this. Sharing this with someone who gets it. It’s not just that their crushes are preps, or jocks. It’s that their crushes are popular, and hot, and people who are never going to look at them twice. 

Jeff laughs, an exhale of air, and nudges his foot against Eddie’s. 

Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

[augustjustice]

That Healing Touch

AO3 Link

They stand in the Mayfield’s darkened living room, all looking at each other like they can’t quite conjure up the words for their next move. Eddie rubs a hand over his head, eyes darting away from the gazes of the others, just barely managing to bite off another Jesus Christ by digging his teeth into his bottom lip. 

They can’t be certain where Mrs. Mayfield is. Maybe she’s been cleared out because of the hellscape currently seeping through Eddie’s trailer ceiling, like he assumes Uncle Wayne has. Maybe–she’s out for some other reason. The pinched expression on Little Red’s face suggests that wouldn’t be all too uncommon, for her mother not to come home in the night. 

Eddie knows that song and dance well enough from his own youth.  

All they can do is hope for the best–that she doesn’t show up. Eddie isn’t sure what they’ll do then, but he’s gotten pretty damn good at this whole running thing, bitter as he is about it. 

“We should try to get some sleep,” Nancy finally breaks the silence, clipped and authoritative, like she hadn't just been dragged through a landscape of nightmares by Vecna’s own design. 

After Chrissy, and then Patrick, Nancy makes the third time Eddie’s seen it, a pair of eyes glazing over, ghostly white. As shaken up as it’s left him every time just to see it from the outside looking in, he can barely understand how Wheeler is still on her feet, isn’t just a quivering mess in the corner somewhere, like he imagines he would be. Full of surprises is a fucking understatement, at this point. 

“Nance–” Steve starts, one arm stretching out towards her, the worry on his face transparent. 

“I’ll be okay, Steve,” she takes a step away from him, putting distance between them.

From the thin line of her mouth, Eddie gets the sense that any comfort offered might make her reach her breaking point. Steve must feel it too, because he drops his hands as though in surrender. 

“Just…” Nancy sighs, steadying herself, “we won’t be any help at all if we’re all too exhausted to function.”

“You heard the lady,” Robin gives a wobbly, uncertain smile, “she’s in charge, after all.” 

She pulls out that old adage, like it’s a well worn joke. Eddie has the good grace not to call her out on it, doesn’t quite drawl out a sarcastic That’s not what you said in the boat, but it’s a close call. 

Steve’s eyes dart back and forth between them, lingering on Robin, the pair of them managing some kind of silent communication through nothing but frowns and eyebrow twitches. 

“Alright, alright,” he finally agrees, however reluctantly, giving a defeated nod. “I mean, you’re not wrong on the sleep thing. Not like we can play our best game when we’re totally out of it, after all.” 

There’s something in his tone, the way his gaze flits briefly to the kids and then catches Eddie’s own, that reminds him of that moment right before launching off the bank out into Lover’s Lake. Steve’s being glib, casual, the way Eddie had been when he’d refused to let Dustin get on the boat with them, the four older teens all playing along with an unspoken plan. He’s trying so desperately to seem perfectly normal for the four munchkins currently in the room with them. 

Eddie barely understands how any of the kids are holding their shit together as well as they already are, especially when he feels like he’s about to shake apart himself at any second. But behind the brave faces, he can see it, the exhaustion beginning to settle, making them look older than they have any right to.

The least he can do is play along. 

“Not the sports metaphors, Harrington,” Eddie sighs, long and loud, as he sways into Steve’s space, grin too bright. “Please, be merciful, there are nerds present.”

“Yeah, well, when aren’t there?” Steve asks, low and dry. He bumps his shoulder against Eddie’s, gratitude obvious.

“I am not a nerd!” Erica protests loudly.

“You’re joking, right?” Dustin rolls his eyes. “We’ve been over this, Erica Sinclair. You are as nerdy as they come.” 

It’s a little uncanny, because the amused but fond look Dustin pins her with almost perfectly mirrors the way Eddie has seen Steve look at Dustin himself, the way Eddie suspects he also sometimes looks at the kid.

“Plus, some of us? Are jocks and nerds, thank you very much,” Lucas says, swiveling around to Erica’s other side and shooting her a pointed look. 

“Yeah, turns out Lucas isn’t too cool for the rest of us,” Max teases, eyes crinkling at the corners as she knocks her shoulder into his. 

“That’s true,” Erica agrees, hands on her hips in a way that reminds Eddie, hysterically enough, of Harrington. “You’ve always been the one who’s way too cool for my brother, not the other way around.”

As their bickering continues, Steve catches Eddie’s eyes again, mouthing a quick Thank you while they’re all too distracted to see. 

Nancy and Robin both look a little heartened, too, by the familiar sounds of the kids arguing, their rigid edges softening.

“Nine has long since past, so you know what that means–time for bed, kiddos!” Robin interrupts the petty squabbling before it gets entirely out of their control, starting to corral them back on track. 

Several groans ring out, but Steve cuts them off with a quick clap of his hands, jumping in right where she left off, their rhythm as fluid as a well-oiled machine. 

“Yeah, yeah,” he makes a motioning gesture with one hand, the other firmly planted on his hip, “Come on, you knuckleheads, and get a move on.”

The combined force of Robin and Steve seems, miraculously, to be enough, the younger four members of their little monster-fighting brigade getting into gear to set up their various sleeping arrangements, even as they grumble about it. 

“Robin, you’re with me,” Nancy declares simply before turning on her heel and marching from the living room.

Eddie catches the subtle look Steve and Robin share again.

“Better somebody stick close by Nance after…everything,” Steve says quietly, the tightness of his voice making it clear he’s still a bit shaken up.

“I’ve got her,” Robin assures him, giving Steve’s arm a quick squeeze at his grateful nod. 

Max clears her throat, then, drawing Eddie’s attention away from the pair as they hunch their heads together and head out of the room, still talking in soft voices.

“Erica can stay in my room. There are sheets and shit in the hall closet for the rest of you,” she directs.

Eddie nods, following her and ignoring the heated game of rock-paper-scissors that’s broken out between Dustin and Lucas to determine which of them is going to claim the couch. As they make their way down the hall, they pass what must be Mrs. Mayfield’s room, catching a quick glimpse of Nancy and Robin beginning to quietly settle in for the night.

Max stops in front of a wooden door, shorter in width than the rest, and yanks it open roughly.

With a dismissive wave of her hand, she gestures at the contents inside for Eddie to see. 

“Whatever you guys need, take it.” The words are brusque, a cover for the generosity of her statement, the ease with which she’s letting them all into her space, into her home. He’s noticed it to varying degrees with all of them–it feels transparent how much they know and trust each other, the way they’re willing to give up nearly anything to help the others, to help with this entire life-risking hero’s quest they’ve put themselves on.

But Eddie’s the outsider, here, not a member of their little party, the odd man out. So it still feels like he should be especially grateful, every time they extend that willingness to give whatever they’ve got to try and help him.   

“Sure thing. Thanks, Red.”

“Night, Eddie,” she murmurs, back already to him, quiet enough he almost doesn’t catch it.  

He’s turning to retreat back to the living room, blankets piled up in his arms, when a voice behind him stops him in his tracks.

"Psst! Eddie! Hey, Eddie!" Steve calls at a stage whisper from down the hall, reminiscent of the way he'd called after him in the Upside Down. When Eddie catches his eye, Steve motions with one hand for him to follow. "C'mere."

Eddie drops the stack back in the closet for now and dutifully makes his way towards Steve. 

“Yeah, dude. What’s going on?”

Grabbing onto a loose fistful of Eddie’s leather jacket, Steve tugs him into the bathroom in one quick motion, and then shuts the door behind him with a click.

Eddie tries fervently to ignore the thrill that goes up his spine at being manhandled by Harrington. 

It shouldn’t come as all that much of a surprise, really, that Steve’s capable of it. Eddie might not know shit about sports, but he did know that Steve was on, like, pretty much every team known to Hawkins back when he was in school. So, of course he can tug Eddie around like a floppy-armed ragdoll. 

That said–Steve seems winded from the exertion, after he does it, leaning back to basically slump against the bathroom door. The move serves as a reminder that he’s a little worse for wear, at the moment, despite the fact that he definitely hadn’t showed it earlier. Not while he was busy running around the world hidden beneath their feet. 

“Harrington, seriously, man–you doing okay?” Eddie asks, wincing slightly in sympathy pains even as he tries to keep his tone light, conversational. 

“Just–give me like…one second here,” Steve holds up a finger for emphasis, the fact that his breathing is still clearly labored not doing much to soothe Eddie’s nerves. 

But he does as Steve asks, taking a moment to drink in the sight of him–a check in with absolutely no subconscious ulterior motive, thank you very much. 

And, well–Steve is a far cry from the pristine, preppy visage Eddie had gotten used to seeing swaggering around the halls of Hawkins High in his perfectly pressed jeans and popped collar polos. Here, in the lowlighting of the Mayfields’ bathroom, he’s bare-chested–apart from Eddie’s battle vest still slung over his shoulders–skin smudged with Upside Down soot, his sides mottled with angry crimson gashes where the bats had dragged him across rocky ground. 

That famous hair of his is still somehow swooping perfectly into place, though. Annoyingly enough, and as fucked up as it probably is…Eddie thinks he manages to be mouth-wateringly hot regardless, whether he’s totally polished under the high school’s harsh fluorescents or mussed and panting beneath the dim orange glow of the single working lightbulb currently flickering above the sink.

He’s gotta admit, though, in his fantasies of Steve Harrington cornering him alone in a bathroom–of which there had been none, obviously, because that would be ridiculous, not to mention colossally stupid–approximately zero of them had panned out like this.

Especially when the next words out of Steve’s mouth are a hurried, “Eddie, man, you, uh–think you can change this bandage for me?”

Eddie's eyes dart down to the scrap of Wheeler’s shirt wrapped around Harrington’s middle, the darkened stain of rust colored blood coating it–and, yeah, shit. Definitely makes sense now, why Steve dragged him in here.

“I’d ask Robin,” Steve is saying, “but, dude, you saw how she got about the rabies, and I really don’t wanna freak her out more than she already is. And Nance–well, after the shit she already went through tonight, I’m not gonna put this on her too. There’s Henderson or Sinclair, I guess, but–”

Steve bites at his bottom lip. And, sure, Eddie’s never been great in school, but he likes to think he can read people pretty well. It doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientis to put the pieces together, especially after the little show they’d put on in the living room–Steve doesn’t want the kids to realize just how badly he’s hurt, and clearly he doesn’t want to burden the girls, either. 

Eddie wonders exactly how he should feel about the fact that Harrington’s singled him out as the one he’s willing to let carry some of the responsibility currently weighing on his own broad, more than capable shoulders…and decides to take it as a compliment. 

“Harrington,” Eddie cuts him off by clapping a hand gently to his arm, meant to be reassuring, “you don’t have to sell me on it, man. I’ll do it. Happy to help.”

“Oh, okay…good,” Steve’s shoulders slump, like he was expecting to have to put up some kind of a fight. He catches Eddie’s eyes, giving him a quick, almost uncertain half-smile. “That’s–thanks, man.” 

Steve moves around him, then, allowing himself to collapse into a sitting position atop the closed toilet with a pained wince. 

“Don’t mention it. Uh,” Eddie spins around once in the small space of the bathroom, searching, “has Little Red got…alcohol pads, gauze, shit like that?”

“Under the sink,” Steve pants, one hand clasped against his side, “second door.”

That one simple sentence from Steve is enough to paint a picture in full. Steve’s been in the Mayfields’ trailer. He’s been in it enough times he knows where things like the first aid kit are kept. 

Eddie squats down, ducking his head below the counter–and spots it immediately, the slender first aid kit, exactly where Steve had said it would be.

And, sure, Eddie had at least been aware that Steve knew his mouthy little red-headed neighbor. Dustin and the other boys had often regaled him, disbelieving as he might have been, with tales of their incredibly cool babysitter, the former King of Hawkins High. Eddie had even seen Harrington’s infamous BMW parked over here a few times, a sight so surreal he couldn’t help but register it. 

But, still–there’s a difference in knowing abstractly and actually seeing the familiarity between Steve and the kids in words and gestures, his importance in their lives taking concrete, undeniable shape. 

Like Eddie had told him while they trekked across the woods in the Upside Down–the Steve Harrington of reality? Is nothing like the one he’d pictured all those years they’d shared space in the same halls and classes. 

“Seems like you know the lay of the land pretty well,” he can’t help but comment as he tilts his head toward the cabinet.

“Yeah, well, Mayfield wipes out on her skateboard a lot.” Eyes widening, as though he just realized what he said, Steve points in Eddie’s direction. “Don’t tell her I said that.”

Eddie shoots Steve a toothy grin. “You scared of a fourteen year old girl, Harrington?”

“Absolutely,” the corner of Steve’s mouth quirks up into a half smile, “and if you know what’s good for you, you will be, too.”

“Trust me, man–I’ve got a healthy respect for Red’s fearsomeness. Even if I think she’s totally a lot softer than she lets on.”

Steve shakes his head, giving him a rueful smile. “You’re not wrong there.”

Popping open the kit, Eddie surveys their supplies. There’s an assortment of things inside, including an array of bandages in a variety of sizes alongside gauze, scissors, and hospital tape. 

“Jackpot.” 

Eddie holds up an alcohol wipe, shaking the little white package triumphantly.

“Great,” Steve agrees, though he sounds ragged, eyelids fluttering shut for a brief moment as he sucks in a sharp breath.

“You need me to,” Eddie tilts his chin towards the scrap of fabric wrapped around Steve’s middle, “undo that for you?”

“...Could you?” Steve asks, a flash of hesitance and uncertainty crossing his face. 

Eddie isn’t sure if Steve really thinks he might refuse, that he’s overstepping some kind of boundary by asking, or if it’s just costing him immensely to admit he needs the help. 

“‘Course I will, man. Absolutely. Said I’d help, didn’t I?”

Steve nods, then stands up, reaching out and gripping the bathroom sink briefly in order to steady himself. 

Once he’s up, Steve shrugs out of Eddie’s battle vest. The move puts himself–and that thick pelt of his chest hair over firm pecs, the hard planes of his stomach just above Nancy’s makeshift bandage–on full display…revealing the very physique Eddie had been desperately trying to get him to cover up by tossing him the vest in the first place. 

Eddie tries his damnedest not to ogle Harrington’s body too obviously, reminding himself of Steve’s wounds, of the task at hand. The task in which he’ll have to get up close and personal with Steve’s bare stomach. 

Jesus Christ. Maybe he’s still in Hell, and climbing out of that impossible, gravity-defying hole in the trailer’s ceiling had actually all been part of some elaborate fantasy. 

Eddie squats down in front of Steve, putting himself on eye level with his stomach. He shouldn’t be glad for the stain coating that strip of white fabric, the reminder of blood–he’s not, really, obviously he’s not–but he’s not mad about the fact that the sight is helping his boner just…calm the fuck down. Because now is absolutely not the time, but the wires in his brain can’t help crossing, taking very interested note of the fact that he’s all but kneeling in front of Steve fucking Harrington on a dingy bathroom floor. 

As Eddie reaches out for the makeshift bandage, he braces one hand on Steve’s hip to steady himself, his fingers grazing against the unmarred skin just below his wound. That initial brush is enough to have Steve sucking in a sharp breath.

“That hurt?” Eddie asks, spooked as he blinks up at Steve worriedly.

“All good, dude,” Steve shakes his head in answer before tilting it up to the ceiling, hands settling on top of his head.

He grips at his own hair tightly, mussing those luscious waves with the force of his tugs. The move is enough to have Eddie seriously doubting the truth of his denial. He’s got a feeling trying to argue the point, however, would get him absolutely nowhere. 

“Just keep going.” 

So Eddie does, unwinding the fabric in slow, careful movements, tongue poking unconsciously out from between his lips as he pours all his focus into the task at hand. 

He’s just managed to get off the first layer when Steve’s body gives a subtle shift, the only warning Eddie gets before the other boy sways on his feet. 

The pair of them let out an alarmed Shit! in unison just before Eddie catches Steve around the waist, careful not to press against his injuries.

“Dude! Holy shit, be careful!” he chides sternly. “You’re not gonna be a damn bit of good to any of us if you collapse on the floor and conk your head on the side of the tub or some shit.” 

Steve lets out a humorless laugh.

“And what exactly am I supposed to do about that, Eddie?” he asks, sarcasm on full blast as he gestures weakly to his belly, body still pressed close in Eddie’s arms. “Not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m not, like…exactly at full fighting shape here.”

Eddie rolls his eyes.

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about, man. Look around,” he thrusts out his free hand in exasperation at the empty bathroom. “It’s just you and me in here. So you can give up the heroic, stiff upper lip shtick for a minute, and just–I don’t know, hold onto my shoulder, or something. Jesus Christ, Harrington, scare a guy to death, why don’t you.”

Steve lets out a huff, but Eddie’s pleased to feel his body loosening beneath his touch, the line of his shoulders no longer so taut and rigid like he’s a warrior who’s about to be called right back onto the battlefield. 

“Yeah. Yeah, okay, you’re right, you’re right.”

“No shit I am, Harrington,” Eddie reaches over and bops him lightly on the end of the nose, “and don’t you forget it.”

Steve rolls his eyes. 

“Uh-huh. No one likes a smart ass, Eds.”

But Eddie can see the way the corner of his mouth quirks up into a private half smile. 

They untangle themselves then, resuming their prior positions. Miraculously, Steve does as instructed, settling a hand on Eddie’s shoulder, large palm warm enough Eddie can feel the heat radiating even through his leather jacket. He really hopes that’s not a sign Steve’s running some kind of infection induced fever. 

So Eddie returns to the task at hand, peeling back the last scraps of Wheeler’s shirt, he and Steve grimacing in unison at the way it tries to stick steadfast to his skin. 

With the wound finally free, Eddie hisses in sympathy as his eyes dart all over the bite marks beginning to scab across Steve’s stomach. They look raw and angry, bright red where all the skin has been scraped off or gnawed through. He’s seen his fair share of cuts and bruises, from brawls at the Hideout to scuffles at school, but nothing quite like this. 

"Shit, man. We could really use a Healer right about now."

Steve lets out a wry little noise of agreement, understanding enough.

“Guess that’s gotta be you, Munson,” he says, giving Eddie a jocular, almost apologetic pat on the shoulder. 

Eddie can’t stop himself from shaking his head, because Christ, this guy–all heroic, death-defying stunts and sarcastic comebacks one minute, and then big, sympathetic puppy dog eyes the next. He kinda can’t believe he’s even real, let alone that this is what the Steve Harrington is like.

Scrambling to cover up how awe-stricken he’s suddenly feeling, Eddie shoots Steve a smirk as he quips, "Admit it, Harrington. You just wanna see how I'd look in the skirt."

Idiot, Eddie mentally berates himself, posture stiffening the second the words leave his mouth. Just because you’re a sixth year senior, that’s no excuse to be a fucking moron, do not flirt with the former jock King of Hawkins High. 

After all, just because he's hurt…that doesn't mean he couldn't break Eddie clean in half if he wanted to, and flirting with a straight guy is practically a one-way ticket to just that.

So shock hits Eddie with all the force of an ice cold bucket of water dumped over his head when Steve simply huffs out a laugh, good-natured.

"You caught me," he sticks up his hands, like he's surrendering in a hold-up. "That's been my real plan all along."

For once, Eddie’s too flustered to speak, his mouth opening and closing a few times as he feels the distinct heat from a blush spreading up his neck, splotching his face and ears. 

There’s a playful glint in Steve’s eyes, then, like he smells blood in the water. It’s nice, after everything that’s happened this evening, to see them shine with something other than the foggy glaze of pain. 

“Oh, seriously, did I catch you off guard with that one for a change?” Steve leans a little closer into Eddie’s space, the corner of his mouth quirking up into a half-smirk. “What is it, Munson, cat got your tongue?”

Eddie finally recovers enough to shake his head and quip, “Can’t turn off that infamous Harrington charm for even a second, can you, Stevie? Bleeding all over the place, and you’ve still got it.” 

“Well, how do you think I get all the nurses at Hawkins General to take such good care of me when I end up there?” Steve shoots him a wink, being distressingly glib, in Eddie’s humble opinion, about the multiple trips to the ER he’s apparently got under his belt. “A little charm goes a long way, Eds.”

Eddie snorts. “Yeah, so they tell me.”

“Come on, man,” Steve waves a dismissive hand at him. “You’d know all about it.”

Embarrassingly enough, the mere suggestion that Steve Harrington finds him charming makes Eddie’s cheeks go even pinker.

He clears his throat, soldiering on quite valiantly, if you ask him. 

“Well, uh…Nurse Munson’s on duty tonight, and, in my totally accurate medical opinion, we need to get those scrapes cleaned up asap, big boy. No more dalliances,” Eddie wags a finger in his face, “and then I’ll think about letting you earn back your lollipop at the end.”

Steve laughs again. “Yeah, well, no way in hell I’m gonna miss out on that.”

But he stills dutifully, like he really is serious about being the model patient, earning back his treat. 

As he starts tearing open the alcohol pad, prepping for the next part, Eddie can’t help but shoot him a sympathetic look.

“Harrington–sorry, dude. This is probably gonna sting like a bitch.”

Steve’s grip, where his hand has settled back on Eddie’s shoulder, tightens, but Eddie refuses to shrug him away. As Steve nods his head, Eddie can see the way he’s clenching his teeth. 

“Just…try to make it quick, yeah? Lickety split.”

Eddie’s lips twitch in amusement from the dorky turn of phrase, yet another layer to Steve Harrington he finds irresistibly endearing. 

But he promises just the same. “You got it. Fast as lighting, that’s me.” 

Keeping his swipes gentle, Eddie begins to clean the wounds gouged into his sides. Almost instantly, he can see sweat beading on Steve’s brow. 

It feels kind of like a parody, of the handful of times Eddie had attended gym class, found his eyes lingering despite himself on Harrington’s glistening, Adonis-like form. Something inside him stirs, deep into caretaking mode, compelled to wipe the dampness away.  

He resists the urge, but just barely. And since there’s not much else he can do for the pain, Eddie figures conversation makes as good a distraction as any. 

“You know, I thought Dustin was full of shit before, but–you’re, uh. Totally babysitter extraordinaire, aren’t ya, Harrington?” 

“For all the good it does me,” Steve lets out a huff that’s at once amused and exasperated, and the sound is music to Eddie’s ears, breaking up the short, pained breaths from before. “Those little shitheads are total pains in my ass–but, I mean, somebody’s gotta keep ‘em alive, you know?”

“And that’s gonna be you, huh?” Eddie quirks an eyebrow up at him as he continues rubbing circles into his skin, doing his best to clean the gore and muck from the stretches that remain uninjured. 

Talking is helping distract him, too. Sure, he had patched up his dad as a kid, after a few jobs gone wrong, but, still–nothing that really held a candle to this. The less he thinks about the raw wounds spread out in front of him, the ones Steve is trusting him to help with, the better.

In honor of that, Eddie lets out a whistle. “Steeeeeve Harrington, big damn hero. Never thought I’d live to see the day.”

“Shut up, man,” Steve complains, and even though the lighting is low, Eddie would swear there’s a pink tinge staining his cheeks, “it’s not that big a deal.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, my dear Steven. It absolutely is. Total paladin behavior, in fact.”

The little confused furrow that appears between Steve's eyebrows is ridiculously cute. Eddie isn't sure how disgusted he should be with himself for what a lovesick thought that is.

"...Pala-what?"

“They’re like knights, basically. The D&D version. Championing a cause, protecting the weak and defending the innocent, restoring good to the lands. That sorta thing.”

Steve gives a short nod of understanding, his mouth forming a perfectly shaped oh. 

“I’d say the shoe–or, you know, armor, whatever–fits.” Still meticulous in his strokes with the pad, Eddie finds himself rambling. “Diving into that lake to protect the rest of us? That’s paladin 101, man. True heroic shit.” 

“I mean…it’s really not.” Steve shrugs ever so slightly, his lips tugging down into a small frown. “It’s what I’m good for, you know? Nance and Robin–hell, even the kids–they’ve got the brains part of this operation covered. They need somebody around to just…take the risks so they don’t have to.” 

Eddie’s eyebrows shoot up immediately at the implications of Steve’s words. 

“Well, well, will you look at that? Now who needs to cut himself a break?” Eddie asks, echoing what Steve said to him back in the Upside Down.

“Just the facts,” Steve says with a wan smile–parroting the phrase Eddie’s heard the youngest Sinclair use on the boys after she’s thrown out a particularly cutting remark, and not even having the decency to look bitter about it.

Eddie shakes his head, vehement. “That sounds like a crock of bullshit to me, Harrington. Don’t sell yourself short, not like that. You’re a badass, sure, no two ways about it–but those kids, out there? They’d be fucking…lost without you, man. Hell, when Buckley realized you’d gotten hurt? Looked like she was hanging on by a thread. They need you.” 

I need you, Eddie thinks, but can’t quite say it, his throat constricting anxiously around the words. Still, he catches Steve’s eyes deliberately, willing him to catch his full meaning. 

Sucking his bottom lip between his teeth to chew at it, Steve ducks his face for a second, dodging Eddie’s look. When he speaks again, it’s quiet but no less sincere.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” Eddie answers immediately, a smile breaking out across his face. “I mean, what’re friends for? You’d do the same for me–already have, even.”

“Oh, so you’re saying we’re friends now, Munson?” Steve crinkles his nose in amusement, inviting Eddie in on the joke.

“Well, I mean…hell pretty much has frozen over,” Eddie replies, playing along easily. “Besides, who else but us is there to band together, give Dustin a hard time so his head doesn’t get any bigger than it already has?”

Steve inclines his head, smile amused, soft. It’s a beautiful sight, one Eddie could get used to seeing. 

“Can’t argue with that.”

As Eddie finally finishes up cleaning the last of the scrapes and bite marks, he can feel Steve’s eyes on him, following his movements. 

“You know, you’re not half bad at this,” Steve observes thoughtfully.

Discarding the last of the alcohol pads, Eddie gives Steve a cordial half bow. “Why thank you, my liege. That’s high praise indeed coming from the king himself.”

“Never mind, I take it back. Your bedside manner sucks,” Steve says, deadpan, rolling his eyes. Then, he jabs a finger in Eddie’s direction, “And don’t call me that.”

“Guess you’re just gonna have to report me to the doctor on the floor, then…your royal highness.”

As Steve reaches out to shove his shoulder, Eddie lets out a delighted cackle, dancing just beyond his reach. 

“Strike what I said earlier, too. There’s no friendship bracelet in your future, dude, not with that attitude.”

Eddie lays a palm over his heart, gasping like he’s been hit. 

“Not the friendship bracelets, Stevie! What have I done to deserve such a cruel and unusual punishment? And after I helped heal your wounds, too.”

“Yeah, well, the job’s only half done on that front, Nurse Eddie. Better get back to it, and then I’ll think about letting you earn back your friendship bracelet. Maybe,” Steve says, mimicking Eddie’s ultimatum from earlier. “And you’d be missing out, too, dude. Just ask Robin, I come up with the absolute coolest designs.”

“Challenge accepted, Stevie boy. Prepare to witness the best bandaging you’ve seen since Boris Karloff’s The Mummy.” 

Steve’s lips twitch, like he’s trying to bite back his smile. “Thought you were trying to keep me alive, Munson, not turn me into a Halloween decoration.”

Eddie clucks his tongue. “Such limited imagination, Harrington. I assure you–I can do both.”

Gauze from the first kit at the ready, he gets right to work unspooling it, giving himself a suitable enough length to get started with ease. 

Now that they’ve managed to jump over that first major hurdle and Steve’s injuries have been thoroughly cleaned, the full magnitude of the situation hits Eddie all at once. A wave of tiredness, bone deep, rolls over him as he presses that first layer of gauze against Steve’s side, and he can’t help but say, “This whole thing is–completely and utterly batshit insane. You realize that, right?”

Steve’s got his arms raised over his head, now, but the slight tilt of his eyebrow might as well be a shrug as he looks down at Eddie, the quirk of his lips apologetic. 

“You kinda get used to it, after a while.”

“Get used to it? Jesus Christ–” Eddie groans in disbelief even while he keeps his fingers steady, holding the gauze carefully in place as he continues wrapping it around Steve’s stomach. “Don’t say that kinda shit to me, man.” 

“Sorry.” Steve has the decency to look chastened, though not nearly as apologetic as Eddie thinks he should.

“Like, sure, okay–dark wizards and magic, that’s great for D&D. But in real life? Kinda prefer that the evil alternate dimensions didn’t eat a hole in the ceiling of my uncle’s trailer, you know? Some of us need a place to live.” 

Eddie’s practically hugging Steve around the waist by the time he’s stopped talking, ready to secure his handiwork. There’s a bizarre kind of intimacy to it, Steve warm and solid in his hold, and Eddie wonders if Steve can feel it too when he glances up at him, silent communication passing between them that has Steve ripping off a long strip of medical tape and handing it down without having to be asked. 

So, needless to say, Eddie’s a bit distracted, finishing off the job and giving everything one final assessment, when Steve breaks the silence with two totally nonsensical words. 

“...the pool.”

Eddie blinks, startled enough he straightens up and gives Steve a full once over, wondering for a moment if the bats had gone for his head, too, without them being any the wiser.

“Wait–what?”

“The pool, at my place,” Steve trucks on, that determined clench to his jaw. Not from pain, this time, but something else. “That’s what it was–well, is–for me. The place, where the demogorgon attacked. It took Barbara–Holland? Nancy’s best friend. The first night that we…”

He trails off with a shake of his head. 

“Well, anyway. It doesn’t matter. I’m just saying, I get it. Maybe not to the level of, you know, having your whole goddamn ceiling ripped out, but–the Upside Down, all this shit. It takes things from us. All of us. And I’m sorry it happened to you, too, but…at least you’re not alone?”

Eddie gnaws on his bottom lip as he looks at Steve, watching the other teen wince. Like he just knows it’s not enough.

But the thing is…it is. Steve has to know that it is.

“To be honest, I think that’s the only thing that’s keeping me from just, I don’t know–shattering into a million little pieces, or something,” Eddie admits. “The fact that you guys–” 

Embarrassingly enough, his throat constricts, for a second, choking off his words. 

“...that you’re here. With me. Especially Buckley and Wheeler and Little Red–even Lucas, after I was such a shit to him…and you. I mean, you don’t even know me, not really, and the whole rest of the town is practically lined up outside with Carver, holding pitchforks…but not you. Pretty damn sure I’d never have even made it this far without that.” 

Steve clasps his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“We’re not going anywhere, man,” he promises, gaze steady, hazel eyes so serious Eddie doesn’t dare doubt him. “We’ve got this. We’ve got you.”

Eddie takes a chance, settles his hand on top of Steve’s, gives it a squeeze in return. 

“I’ve got you, too. You know?”

Steve gives a little nod, his smile warm enough to light up his entire face. 

“I know you do, man. I know.”

And, for a second, looking back at Steve, the hope floods in, and Eddie lets himself believe it. That, with this merry band of misfit monster hunters standing behind him, there’s no choice–it’ll all turn out alright, in the end.  

—

By the time they make it back to the living room–“decent” again, Steve having immediately shrugged Eddie’s battle jacket back on over his now freshly wrapped bandages, the sight of which had made something in Eddie’s chest immediately flutter–Lucas is settling down on the couch with a patchwork quilt while Dustin bemoans his fate, loudly, as he piles blankets onto the floor in something that’s steadily resembling a nest. Eddie guesses, when he didn’t immediately come back, the pair of them must have gone on their own journey to raid the Mayfield’s linen closet.

“We said best of ten,” Lucas is saying with a sigh, the picture of put-upon patience, “not my fault you suck at rock-paper-scissors.” 

“It’s a game of chance!” Dustin squawks in protest. “There’s absolutely no skill involved. How can I ‘suck’ at some bullshit game that requires no strategy.”

Lucas shrugs, unperturbed. “You tell me.”

The noise Dustin lets out makes it clear he’s gearing up for a continued argument–when Steve drops a hand on his head, distracting him with a noogie. 

“No one likes a sore loser, Henderson.” 

“I am not a sore loser!” Dustin huffs, arms crossed over his chest and lip jutting out in something that dangerously resembles a pout. 

“Au contraire, my dear friend. You’re right about that, you’re not a sore loser. You are, in fact…” Eddie holds up a single finger, Dustin’s face brightening in that moment’s worth of anticipation, “the sorest of losers.”

The blue streak Dustin swears up is worth it for both Lucas and Steve’s guffawing laugh. 

He continues muttering to himself, low-voiced and difficult to make out apart from something that sounds distinctly like traitors in my midst, as he somewhat viciously tosses more quilts onto the ground.

“Gimme that,” Steve says without heat, taking several blankets from Dustin’s hands and spreading them out, laying a solid foundation for a pallet that he quickly uses the others to build upon. “Now, come on, man, quit complaining and just…lie down.”

Given the fuss Dustin’s been kicking up, Eddie can’t help but be impressed that Steve’s instruction is enough to actually get him to comply. The powers of babysitter persuasion strike yet again, it seems. 

Or, at least…half as he’s told, since settling onto the pallet still offers plenty of back talk on Dustin’s part. 

“I can’t believe this. My theories turn out to be correct all damn night, and still I get relegated to sleeping on the carpet. How is that fair?!” Dustin huffs. 

From his position on the couch, Lucas’s only answer is to snort, shaking his head. 

Hand on his hip, Steve cocks a single eyebrow, shooting Dustin the driest of looks. There’s something deeply wrong with Eddie, he’s pretty sure, that he finds the whole thing painfully attractive. 

"Dustin, man, it’s not a competition. Besides…beats the floor of a Russian elevator," he comments, and Eddie has no idea what the hell that is supposed to mean.

Dustin tilts his head from side to side, as though considering. Reluctantly, he says, "...Agreed."

Nodding, seemingly satisfied, Steve lays down on one side of Dustin. Eddie does the same, following suit until they’re bracketing him like a pair of parentheses. A warmth settles over Eddie, pleasant and bone-deep, as he tilts his face to catch Steve’s eyes, staring back at him from over the top of Dustin’s head. 

"Scoot over, dude. Eddie doesn't want your pointy ass elbows digging into him." Steve nudges Dustin in the side, causing the younger teen to readjust with a minimal amount of grumbling. To Eddie he says, sotto, "Trust me, man, I know. Those things are like daggers or something, I swear."

“Are not,” Dustin protests, though the words sound drowsy, his eyes having already drifted shut despite all the protests about how uncomfortable he’d been.

“Are too,” Steve volley backs effortlessly. Eddie catches the look he’s giving the kid, though, and it can only be described as fond amusement.

“Thanks for the warning, kind sir,” Eddie gives Steve a mock salute, eyes sparkling mischievously. “I’ll be on the lookout for those deadly weapons being brandished in the night.”

“Can’t believe…ganging up on me…” Dustin murmurs, the last word trailing off as his breathing begins to even out. 

“You’re the one who wanted to introduce us, dude,” Steve argues softly, though it’s clear his words have fallen on sleeping ears. To Eddie he says, voice a whisper, “You believe this kid? The arguing never stops, man, even in his sleep.”

“I know,” Eddie whispers back, parroting back Steve’s own words in the Upside Down, and the pair of them share a pleased, knowing grin.

And it’s comforting, the thought that sweeps through Eddie’s mind once he’s settled enough to start drifting off, Dustin’s snoring soft between them, Steve only an arm’s length away.

They’ve got Henderson. And as for Eddie himself?

Well…Harrington’s got him.

[loveinhawkins]

When Eddie’s terrified, he feels cold—and it’s not a mild thing, not just goosebumps on his arms. It’s violent shivers: his breath catching as ice forms in his lungs, crystallising up his throat until he can barely talk.

It was bad at the middle school talent show: stuck in the wings with fellow students pressed up against him, all jostling for space. He should’ve been sweating.

And technically he was, but it was as if his brain hadn’t checked in with his body or maybe the other way round, and he kept biting down hard on his tongue as his teeth chattered.

A teacher noticed and even asked if he was feeling sick, if he wanted to be sent home.

He shook his head, felt his legs shaking; Jeff had to speak for him until it was finally the band’s turn on stage, and the ice thankfully thawed enough for him to sing.

But right now he thinks the ice is here to stay.

He’s sat back in the boat, the tarp tangled up by his feet; he can’t stop one knee from bouncing up and down erratically. He knows he isn’t really shaking because of the literal cold, but it doesn’t exactly help that it’s damp as hell in here.

He’s not alone—he’s still surrounded by quite possibly the most random group of people in history. Dustin’s leading the conversation, which has devolved into Max teasing him about some girl called Suzie.

Eddie suspects the change of tone is deliberate, that these kids who are somehow well-versed in a literal fucking war have an admirable intuition; have sensed that he needs a cool down after learning about an evil alternate dimension. Kinda like what he does if he watches a horror movie late at night—makes sure to read some light-hearted crap before he goes to sleep, so the scary shit isn’t the last thing on his mind.

Eddie appreciates the thought. If he wasn’t still repressing shivers, he might even find it sweet.

But the chatter isn’t helping.

He can’t grab a hold of it, the sounds slipping away before he can make sense of them; his mind keeps drifting away, and he’s suddenly stuck on the thought that he can’t remember what Chrissy’s last words to him were. He can hardly even recall what her laugh sounded like in the woods—like everything about her has been trapped underwater, stifled beyond all recognition.

He let her die, and he can’t even manage the decency of remembering her. What the fuck is wrong with him?

He exhales shakily. Neither Max or Dustin seem to notice, which both relieves him and sets his teeth on edge.

His lungs are tight, but he still feels a sudden urge to talk—for once wishes that he’d just bite his tongue instead.

Something’s cracking deep inside him.

He’d thought his breaking point had been reached long ago, but it keeps getting worse; as the kids talk, he can’t avoid the fact that they’ve already watched him profoundly lose it, and shame spreads from the pit of his stomach—merges with the ice, culminating in a bitter wave of self-loathing.

Leave me alone, he desperately wants to say, but he knows it’ll just come out in a scream, knows it’ll sound like he’s furious. That’s always been the way of things, at least for him: deep-seated fear hiding underneath anger.

He opens his mouth. His teeth are clacking together.

He manages to temper the feeling right at the brink so that all he says is, “D-don’t you assholes have a bed time?”

“Oh, that’s cute,” Dustin says, over the sound of Max scoffing.

Please go, just fucking go, I’m gonna fall apart and I don’t want you to see it, not again.

“Yeah, well I have a bedtime, so let’s get outta here, dickheads,” Steve says.

He sounds dry, borderline snippy. But his eyes fleetingly meet Eddie’s as he speaks, like he’s heard him somehow. Like he understands.

Dustin stands with some customary grumbling, pulling Max up with him.

“Night, Eddie. It’ll be okay,” he says, so optimistic—with an unshakeable courage that Eddie has never once possessed.

Eddie attempts a smile. Has no idea if he succeeds.

Robin’s already standing, walking off behind Dustin and Max—but then she spins, doubles back on herself; Eddie jumps at the sudden movement.

“Water!” she says, “I’ve got some in the car, you should—hang on, Eddie.”

“I’m—I’m fine, I don’t need…” Eddie’s voice is hoarse, fades out on him. He coughs, tries again, slightly louder, “I said I don’t need it!”

But Robin’s already too far away to hear him.

The quiet rustle of a jacket: Steve is still here.

Eddie lunges forward as quick as he can. His hand clasps around Steve’s wrist.

“Harrington, seriously, tell her not to bother, man. I’ll—” He swallows. “I’ll just throw it back up.”

It’s almost too dark to see, but Eddie swears Steve’s eyes are flickering over his face. He doesn’t know what he’s seeing. Doesn’t think he wants to know the answer.

“Dude, you need to drink, at least,” Steve says finally. He gently tugs himself free—stepping back with an apologetic air, slowly enough that Eddie doesn’t startle. “Gimme a sec.”

He’s back in under a minute, passing Eddie a bottle of water with the cap already off.

Eddie drinks. Despite his protesting, he knows it’s for the best; his head is pounding. He spills the water more than once; his hand is trembling.

Steve doesn’t mention it.

“I can get you some food,” he says.

Eddie shakes his head. “I ate before. Not hungry.”

He’s telling the truth, although he can’t remember what he ate. Can’t remember much of anything.

Steve doesn’t look very happy with that response. His frown is audible when he asks, “Don’t you have a blanket or something?”

Eddie laughs, horribly false. “Why, Harrington? Wanna tuck me in?”

Steve doesn’t answer.

Eddie wants him to retaliate with what he deserves: cutting words. Wants Steve to throw out something cruel, then leave him be.

No. That’s not…

He wants… he wants…

“Don’t move,” Steve says. “I’ll be right back.”

Eddie laughs again—a little more genuine. “Can’t exactly go anywhere.”

He doesn’t know how long Steve takes. He loses track of time after the sound of the car reversing fades away; the darkness stretches out before him, and his fingers flex, tremulous, and he almost starts to believe that no-one’s found him after all, that he’s alone, that he’ll always be—

The soft crunch of tires rolling over gravel. The twin clunks of a car door being opened then closed, not too loudly, followed by even footsteps. Slow. Safe. And Eddie hears Steve singing, quiet enough that he can’t really decipher the lyrics.

He doesn’t know why he recognises it, why it’s so familiar. But he understands why Steve is doing it, the realisation burning in his throat: that Steve is signalling his approach, so Eddie knows it’s him.

“Hey,” Steve says, and there’s a gentle kind of thud—something being dropped by Eddie’s feet. Then the soft press of fabric behind him: a pillow.

Eddie manages to shift his feet a bit. More fabric. It’s a blanket.

“I just thought, like, two layers, y’know?” Steve is saying. “Not ideal with the tarp, but it should trap more heat compared to…” Eddie’s throat tightens even more. It’s so… so fucking kind.

“Thanks,” he manages.

“Hey,” Steve says again, softer—a hand lands on Eddie’s knee; his palm is warm. “You’re okay.”

Eddie realises belatedly that he’s crying again. For a little while, it just feels automatic, as if he’s detached from the tears; Steve gives him space, working around him.

And Steve’s not tucking him in really, just sort of shaking out the blanket, but he lets it fall with intention—smoothes out the creases when it gathers around Eddie’s knees.

Eddie doesn’t know what changes, just knows that he’s abruptly aware of the silent tears building into something more. There’s a false jagged sensation of something getting caught in his chest as he swallows, and he gasps, inhales sharply—once, twice; feels that panicked stutter to his breath, like when he was a kid failing at treading water.

Steve crouches by the side of the boat.

“You’re okay,” he repeats. He’s rubbing his throat ever so slightly while he says it—doesn’t seem aware that he’s doing it.

“I’m s—” Eddie chokes on the words again, a distressed hum cutting through instead. “I’m s-sorry.”

“Eddie, it’s—”

Eddie points to Steve’s throat. “C-could’ve—mm, mm. Could’ve been bad.”

He remembers the feeling of Steve’s skin against the shard of glass, remembers his stupid shaking hands—so close, too close to blood being spilled.

Just a hair’s breadth away from…

It could’ve happened so easily. Two deaths on his conscience.

“Eddie,” Steve says calmly. “It’s fine. I wouldn’t have let you.”

It’s not a threat. It’s a reassurance.

His hand falls away from his neck, as if making a point.

Eddie stares and stares—and it’s definitely too dark to tell if there’s a bead of blood on Steve’s skin, but his mind does the work for him.

Vivid, wet. It wouldn’t stop. Chrissy. Her eyes…

The ice freezes over completely, stops up his throat.

Eddie can’t breathe.

“Yeah, you can,” someone’s saying, “hey, it’s gonna pass, it’s gonna pass, okay? I’m just gonna…”

A snap.

Eddie flinches, cries out with a wordless noise of anguish.

Through the roaring in his ears, he hears, “Shit,” before a contrite whisper of, “Sorry, sorry.”

Steve. Steve’s here, guiding his hands until they’re cupped around something.

Something warm.

It starts the thaw, draws air back into Eddie’s lungs. His head clears a little. He knows where he is. Wishes he wasn’t…

He wants someone to tell him that Chrissy didn’t suffer, that she didn’t feel anything.

No.

He wants someone to wake him up, to tell him it was just a nightmare, that he can go home; he wants the universe to rearrange itself so that Chrissy never even met him—that the only trouble she ever has to deal with is which shoes to wear with her graduation robes.

“I want,” he gets out, “I want—”

“I know,” Steve says.

His hands are still wrapped around Eddie’s.

And Eddie senses the source of the heat now, a packet of some kind.

A hand-warmer.

He manages to take a proper breath, deep enough that he can smell the pillow Steve has given him; it doesn’t smell of the detergent Wayne uses, but it smells like a home at least. The dip in the middle makes him suspect that Steve’s brought the pillow from his own bed.

Eddie breathes in again. Out.

“There you go,” Steve murmurs.

Gradually the warmth against Eddie’s palms brings about a repeatedly suppressed, bone-deep tiredness. His eyes are stinging with it, and he feels like the boat’s been pushed out onto the lake; he sways forward without meaning to.

“Sorry,” he says, tongue thick.

He lifts his head to find Steve looking at him intently, brow furrowed.

“You should lie down,” Steve says quietly. “You look exhausted.”

Eddie does, turns onto his side so he can still just about see over the side of the boat. But…

“I won’t sleep,” he tells Steve through a sigh. He’s not arguing the point; it just seems inevitable.

Steve shrugs. “Just shutting your eyes is better than nothing,” he says casually enough, but it sounds too knowing, like he’s speaking from experience.

Eddie wonders what Steve sees when he falls asleep.

Steve stands up slowly. Hesitant.

“I’m—um. I’m sorry,” he says. “I’d stay, believe me, but I just—I don’t want the car here too long in case someone…”

“Go, Harrington,” Eddie says, hopes it comes out as gentle as he means it to be. “You’re the taxi service.”

Steve smiles. “We’ll be back,” he says. “Tomorrow, okay? I promise. We’ll bring food.”

“Tomorrow,” Eddie echoes. Tries and fails to push down a yawn. “Food.”

It’s not so bad, listening to Steve walking away. Eddie’s eyes close, burn with relief; in his head he follows along with the sound of Steve’s footsteps as they get more and more distant.

Car door opening. Closing. Seems farther away than before. His head is heavy.

He doesn’t expect to fall asleep. But he does his best to keep his thoughts on something light anyway. Maybe the continual warmth between his hands helps, ensures he doesn’t spiral back down to… to…

It comes to him fuzzily: why he recognised Steve singing in the first place.

Last summer, going to the mall to catch a movie, walking past an ice-cream parlor and hearing…

It was an unselfconscious kind of singing—no tension in the high notes. The sort usually done alone.

And do you feel scared? I do. But I won't stop and falter.

Eddie glanced over. Steve had been mopping, head down, but he looked up suddenly—for a moment, Eddie worried that he had been spotted. But then he watched the surreal sight of a group of children walking all over the wet floor, Steve beckoning them onward with fond exasperation.

He tapped at his wrist. “You’re cutting it fine tonight. Through the back, round the—”

“We know,” came an already distant chorus.

Steve rolled his eyes.

“And if anyone hears about this—”

“We’re dead!”

A door shut—alone again, Steve shook his head to himself. Smiled.

And if we threw it all away. Things can only get better.

Eddie remembers thinking that his voice wasn’t all that bad. It was nice.

It was…

Eddie wakes up warm.

The sight of the tarp disorients him for a few seconds—but he’s too sleepy to be panicked. The blanket against his jeans feels perfectly heavy. Keeps him still. Keeps him…

He thinks he must unintentionally drift off again; when he comes to, he feels that the hand-warmer he’s holding has gone cold. His feet knock against something, and he opens his eyes enough to see that Steve’s left more pouches. He takes one, hums when he cracks it so he doesn’t hear the…

It’s another day. He’s still here, damp wood against his back. A pillow beneath his head.

He knows the nightmare hasn’t stopped; Chrissy is still dead.

But there’s things he can touch, hold onto—evidence that he’s not been left alone, not really. He knows that Steve will come back. They all will.

His hands are warm.

And that’s something.

[stevieschrodinger]

Part One Two

I want to see Max. Billy says it the second they all leave.

Eddie sighs, but makes no attempt to fight it. He pulls the covers back and carefully, slowly, climbs out of bed. His feet are chilly on the linoleum, but socks would be slippery and Eddie just can't risk it, if he falls and busts his ass it could be catastrophic – not that he’d be able to bend to put socks on anyway. Steve has left him a worn old zip up hoodie on the chair – rescued from the trailer – so Eddie grabs that and slips it on, even though it hurts to put his arms back like that, it’s worth it for their chilly journey along the hall. Steve’s already told him that Max is only two doors down, so at least it’s not far. Well, it shouldn’t be that far, but actually it feels like fucking miles and takes what feels like twenty minutes for Eddie to shuffle along the hallway.

Conveniently her name is scribbled on a little board hanging outside her room.

Ready?

Ready.

Eddie opens the door.

Max is lying in bed, the bed is sat up a little, but not much. Below the covers, the casts on her legs look bulky. The ones on her arms sit on top of the covers, her fingers poking out the ends. The kids have drawn all over them.

She turns her head to look at the door. Must have heard them come in.

Something wells up inside Eddie, and he knows it’s Billy, such a strong sense of loss, of longing, relief, it’s a physical weight.

Hi, shitbird. “Hi, shitbird.”

Max makes a noise, tries to sit up, asks desperately, “Billy??” Eddie’s frozen there, for a second, watching as Max tries to struggle up, a lump caught in his throat. She’s blinking, her eyes as white as Chrissie’s were, “Billy please!”

“No, it’s Eddie...but also kind of yes, it’s Billy.”

Eddie closes the door and shuffles across the room, sits down next to Max.

“This is weird.”

No shit. “No shit.”

Max giggles, and Eddie can’t help but laugh with her.

She goes sombre for a second then, “I’m really sorry about the Camaro.”

I completely forgot about the stupid car. Errr...fucking tell her she can pay me back for it. Once she’s up off her ass and gets herself a job.

“He says don’t worry about the car, it doesn’t matter.”

Traitor.

Max snorts, “he definitely didn’t say that.”

Billy snorts a laugh. Uhm, hey, could you ask her...ask her hows Susan? And...Neil?

“He’s asking about Susan and Neil.”

“Oh. Well, after you died they started fighting even more and then eventually, Neil fucked off. They’re divorced now. Had to move out of the place on Cherry Lane. We’re Eddie’s neighbors now.”

She’s better off without him.

I’m not saying that. Eddie steadfastly doesn’t think about how often Susan’s car is gone. He goes not think about all the bottles he sees in their trash.

Tell her I’m glad she’s close to you then, at least.

Eddie schools his expression, trying not to react to that. What’s even worse is that Billy’s being sincere – he’s genuinely glad Eddie has his little sister near by. “He says he’s glad you’re near enough to hear my rocking tunes.”

She rolls her eyes, but Eddie can only tell because she moves her head. “Sure, yeah, listening to you fuck up the same song fifty million times in a row is such a treat.”

“Hey! I nailed it when it counted.”

The door opens then, “oh Max I didn’t realize you had visitors still – oh. Eddie, isn’t it?”

Eddie stands, “yes Ma’am-” Billy snorts, “-just come to keep my favorite neighbor company.” Susan looks exhausted, and as they shuffle past each other, Eddie can clearly smell the tang of alcohol, “Bye, Mrs. Hargrove.”

Mayfield.

“It’s Mayfield again now hon.”

Yeah, good.

What the fuck kind of name is Bilbo Baggins?

Shut up man, let me read.

Wait wait, turn the page back, you read too fast. This shit is confusing. Why are all the names so weird.

Eddie huffs a laugh, “want me to read out loud?”

There’s a moment of reticence that Eddie senses, before, okay.

Part Four

[ladykailitha]

Sweet Home Indiana Part 9

Only one more chapter to go and that's the happily ever after.

Lot of talking in this chapter. Steve and Eddie, Eddie and Chrissy, Steve and Chrissy, back to Eddie and Steve. But we get to the most brilliant idea Eddie has had since choosing to marry Steve.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

****

The drive back to the hotel wasn’t a long one, but it still felt like it had passed by in a single instant.

When he pulled into the parking lot he was surprised to see Steve leaning against one of the pillars to the covered valet parking, smoking a cigarette. His feet were crossed at the ankle and his free hand was holding tightly to the arm that held his cigarette. His head was down, but Eddie could his hair wasn’t styled and his clothes were rumpled.

He got out his rental in a hurry and tried not to run up to Steve so it was this weird loping walk/jog thing.

“Baby?” Eddie called, leaning his head down to try and look him in the eyes.

“Eddie?”

His already broken heart shattered into dust when Steve raised his head. His eyes were red and swollen, his face blotchy with tears, and his expression was shuttered.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he cooed, cupping Steve’s cheek. “What are you doing here?” If Eddie was the cause of another shop closing, he was going to start crying, right there in the parking lot, dignity be damned. “What about the bakery?”

“Robin is taking care of it,” he murmured, “she called in Claudia to help out, the shop’s fine.”

Eddie heart sank further. “But you aren’t. Why don’t we go up to my room and we’ll talk about it, okay?” When Steve didn’t say anything, Eddie backtracked. “Or we can go somewhere else if you prefer.”

Steve shook his head. “No, no. You’re hotel room is fine.”

Eddie wrapped his arms around him and led him to his room. He sat Steve down on the one armchair in the room and poured a glass of water. He got out two capsules of ibuprofen and handed both to Steve.

“Drink up, Stevie,” he gently implored. “Don’t want you getting a migraine because you’re dehydrated.”

Steve nodded and did as he was told. Once he was done, he handed the cup back to Eddie who set it on the table.

“I was making snickerdoodles and started crying and couldn’t stop,” Steve murmured. “I know I’ve been awful to you all week and I’m starting to feel like that stupid Einstein quote or whatever about being crazy.”

Eddie chuckled and ran his fingers through Steve’s hair. “Crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?”

Steve nodded and then leaned into Eddie’s touch. “I’ve missed you so much, Eds.”

Eddie knelt in front of him and kissed his forehead. Steve let out a shuddering breath as the sobs threatened to choke him.

“What did you do to me that I didn’t deserve, Stevie?” Eddie whispered. “I left you, kept running when I could have come home, demanded a divorce, came to town and shook up your life and was just going to blow out of it again, never to be seen again? After all that, what did you do to me that wasn’t in self-defense?”

Steve let out another shuddering breath. “Kevin is just a pool buddy. We aren’t dating. I haven’t dated since before you. I couldn’t. You’re everything to me and I don’t know what I did to make you hate me.”

Eddie frowned at the name before he realized it was the guy he saw flirting with Steve his first night in town.

“I don’t hate you, baby,” he murmured. “I never hated you. I was so scared that I would be stuck in this hick town my whole life. I wanted to see the world. I wanted to meet new people, but I never stopped loving you.”

“But Chrissy?” Steve asked, tears slipping down his cheeks. Eddie right there with him with his own tears.

“She needs a visa to stay in America,” Eddie said his voice shaking with each word he forced past his lips, “and if we don’t get married by a certain date, they’ll ship her off back to Barbados. She’s my Robin, Stevie. She’s my Robin.”

Steve’s eyes went wide as he gasped. There wasn’t anything in the world that he wouldn’t do for Robin, even a lavender marriage if that’s what it would take to keep her safe.

“Oh.”

Steve threw himself at Eddie and pulled him in for a big hug. “Oh, sunshine,” he breathed. “That’s horrible. Of course you need to marry her, to keep her safe. I’m sorry you’ve been carrying this around like a millstone around your neck.”

“I’m sorry, Stevie,” Eddie wailed. “I am so sorry.”

They slunk to the floor in a crumpled heap as they cried together.

Later they would get on the bed and just hold each other. But for now, they cried in each other’s arms and held on for dear life.

****

Eddie woke up for the first time in years feeling well rested and comfortable. His phone was also blasting “Hot Blooded Woman” as loud as possible.

He rolled over to grab his phone but was met with a warm body and face full of honey colored hair.

Eddie smiled and stretched over Steve to grab his phone.

“‘Ello?” he muttered, trying to keep his voice down.

“Eddie!” Chrissy shrieked. “I’ve been calling for the last ten minutes! Why didn’t you pick up?”

Eddie pulled his phone from his ear and stuck a finger in it to clear it out. “Chrissy, not so loud.”

“Well, I’m sorry if I’m freaking out that you weren’t answering your phone, Edward,” she huffed.

Eddie slid out of the bed and grabbed the room key on his way out of the hotel room. “I was sleeping, Christine. I’ve had a very emotionally wrought day and was exhausted.”

There was silence on the line for a moment or two before he got a very chastised, “Oh.”

“I’m sorry, Ed,” she murmured. “I was having my own freak out and completely forgot about yours. That was fucked up, I’m really, really sorry.”

Eddie sighed and leaned against the door. “It is what it is. Why were you calling?”

“Um...” she hedged. “It doesn’t sound so dire in weight of your shit, so...”

He chuckled and shook his head. “Now you’ve got to tell me.”

“So, um...” she hedged a little more, “I called the bakery to see if I could talk to Steve and see if we could work out custody of you or whatever, but he was busy.”

“Snickerdoodles.”

“Yes!” Chrissy hissed. “Wait! How did you know?”

“Steve came to the hotel to see me,” Eddie explained, “and told me he had been making snickerdoodles when it just came over him that he just had to see me.”

“Cute,” she said and Eddie could see her tilt her head to the side in his mind, something she’d picked up from him. “Anyway! I’ll talk more about that in a minute. I need to freak out.”

Eddie shook his head fondly. “Continue.”

“So this really cute sounding girl picked up and wouldn’t let me talk to him because apparently their giant stand mixer eats phones!” Chrissy explained.

“Let me guess, you’re freaking out about the cute sounding girl?” he murmured.

“Is–is she Steve’s girlfriend?” she asked shyly.

Eddie burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that Steve opened the door and looked down at him. “You okay there, Eds?”

He nodded, pursing his lips together. “Would please explain to Chrissy that Robin isn’t your girlfriend, please? Please?”

Steve rolled his eyes but took the phone from Eddie’s grasp.

“Hi, Chrissy?” he greeted.

“You must be Steve!” she chirped happily. “Nice to meet you at long last!”

“Likewise,” he said fondly. “Robin Buckley is my partner in a lot of things, but as a staunch lesbian, she isn’t anything but my platonic soulmate.”

He pulled the phone from his ear as she shrieked. Eddie looked up at him with the biggest grin and made grabby hands for his phone. Steve handed it back.

“Oh my god!” Chrissy cried. “If I wasn’t set to marry you, I propose in a heart beat!”

“I never took you for a U-haul lesbian,” he teased her.

Suddenly everyone stopped stock still.

“Oh shit,” Eddie said scrambling to his feet. “That’s it!”

“I’m calling Robin!” Steve cried, diving back into the hotel room.

“Get on a plane, darlin’,” Eddie told Chrissy. “I think we just solved all our problems.”

“Eddie...” Chrissy breathed. “Do you think this will work? What if she says no?”

“She won’t,” he reassured her. “And even if she doesn’t agree today, she will once she meets you face to face.”

“This is insane, Ed,” she muttered. “I don’t know.”

“Babe,” Eddie breathed. “Jeff is already out here for his parents’ wedding anniversary. Brian lives in Indy, and I bet I could convince Gare to be on a flight faster than you can book your own flight. You’ve already told the immigration lady that you were coming down here to the wedding anyway.”

She sighed and took a deep breath. “Okay, but now I’m freaking out for a different reason.”

Eddie laughed. “Because now you’ve got meet the pretty girl on the phone?”

“And is she?” Chrissy asked. “Is she pretty?”

Eddie went searching through his phone for the pictures he took during his week here and found a good one of Robin and Steve at the bar. He sent it to her.

“Stevie is hottie on the right,” he told her, “and Robin is cutie on the left.”

There was silence on the line for a few moments before Chrissy breathed. “Right, two things. One, I think you’re an even bigger asshole for leaving that behind, by the way.”

Eddie bobbed his head side to side. “Yeah, that’s fair.”

“And two holy fuck,” she hissed. “I would go down on my knees begging her to marry me even if my immigration status wasn’t the fucking sword of Damocles hanging over my head, right now.”

“Someone packing her bags yet?” he teased her.

“Look, babe,” Chrissy said seriously. “I was already packing my bags to meet your scaly white ass out there in Bumfuck, Indiana, it’s just going to be a more enjoyable experience is all.”

“See you soon, Chris.”

“I’ll message you my flight details as soon as I get them.”

“Right-o,” he said and hung up.

The door to the hotel room opened up again and Steve leaned against the doorframe.

“Robin thinks it’s a great idea,” he said softly. “One of her schools was already out there in Washington, so this makes the choice easier. Plus, this means she won’t be alone in the city like she thought she would be.”

Eddie got to his feet and put his arms around Steve’s waist. “This only clears up seventy percent of the problem.”

Steve frowned and tilted his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

Eddie cupped his jaw tenderly. “I still have a life out in Seattle. I want to be here with you, but there is so much to do before that could happen.”

Steve draped his arms around Eddie’s neck loosely. “I know that, Eds. I wasn’t expecting a miracle cure. So the only thing I need to hear from you is that no matter how far apart we are, that you’ll still love me.”

Eddie pulled him in for a hug and they stood there, half in the hotel room and half in the hall, just taking comfort in each other.

“I promise you this, Stevie,” he whispered in his ear, “that I will move heaven and earth to find my back to you. Something I should have done a long time ago.”

Steve shook his head. “No, I think we both needed to grow up before we could properly be together.”

Eddie let out a contented sigh. “Yeah, I think you’re right.”

Steve pulled him back inside the hotel room and Eddie closed the door behind him.

****

Part 10

1- @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @ravenfrog @zerokrox-blog

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @goodolefashionedloverboi

3- @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog @irregular-child @mac-attack19

4- @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1

5- @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt

6- @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95

7- @blackpanzy @amazing-spiderkeys @oldpinghai @raisedbylibrarians @kultiras

8- @swimmingbirdrunningrock @steddie-as-they-go @captain--low @micheledawn1975 @thespaceantwhowrites

9- @blondie1006 @stripey82 @w1ll0wtr33 @mcenziehughes

[pedgito]

𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 — 𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

summary: based off this request. eddie’s used to being everyone’s dirty little secret; quick hookups spur rumors spread around school that have you more than curious and eddie has to admit, he’s just as curious about you.

cw: 18+ (minors dni), cheerleader!reader, reader is also new to school, teasing banter between reader and eddie, strangers with benefits (joke, but also true), lots of horrible sex experiences with a clueless eddie (he’s just eager to please), reader having similar interests with eddie, fingering, mostly clothed sex, if i missed anything lmk!

word count: 5.5k

Eddie learned quickly that rejection came in many forms, not necessarily when he expected, but it was always there, waiting to creep up on him. His hard exterior wasn’t something that was always there either—and he wasn’t even sure if you could call it that. But, he was great at theatrics, an amazing actor, and if there was anyone better at masking their feelings—sadness, or what have you. It was him.

When he loses his virginity to the girl down the road, quick and hurried in the driver’s seat of his van, he feels like he should do more—maybe even take her out on a nice date. Truly, he should’ve done that first, but she wasn’t interested. So, after a short few minutes of unskillful thrusts, seethed inside a girl he doesn’t know much about, he comes with a pitiful groan until she can’t stand it anymore, pulling herself together swiftly and bidding Eddie a clipped, excusable goodbye.

The second time is…better? It’s the beginning of senior year—the first time, and it’s sweeter, not much longer, but Eddie isn’t as clueless when it comes to listening to his partner’s needs. And she’s just a kind, helping him figure out what she likes, bossing him around in a way that he’s too afraid to admit he likes—and he makes her come, which is a miraculous feat in itself. The sex is a little lackluster and Eddie still feel the needs to apologize. She promises him it’s okay—but she’s out of his trailer before he can even utter another word.

It doesn’t take him long to realize that he’s somewhat of a commodity—not in the positive way, but the idea of everyone wanting a piece of the freak. He was a novelty prize, another notch on the belt. Eddie didn’t really care that much, the sex was worth it, even if he had to hide how badly he wanted more than just that.

The other girls are whispering at the table when you lean toward Chrissy, her eyes linger on Jason a few feet away.

“Haven’t you heard?” One of them asks, “He’s huge—Janice wouldn’t shut up about it for a week. He didn't let her come first, though.”

“It’s always the weird ones.” Another replies, flipping their prestige ponytail over their shoulder. “If you can get past the cigarette smell—maybe it wouldn’t be that bad.”

“No—no way.” A smaller redhead butts in, “He looks like he showers once a month.”

You give Chrissy a quizzical look, to which she quickly answers, “They’re talking about Eddie. Eddie Munson.”

She points a few tables away, a gaggle of rowdy boys surrounded together and laughing loudly at something Eddie had said, his feet pressed against the bar under the table as he leaned back, arms crossed behind his head.

You'd noticed him the first day, a hell of an introduction, his voice bellowing down the hall as he chased down a younger student. Dustin was his name, if you remember correctly. He'd collided into you harshly, forcing you to the ground. An apology dies on his lips before it can even come out, helping you up wordlessly before disappearing just as fast.

Your palm raises to rest against your chin, lips pursed in concentration. His side profile is mesmerizing, the soft point to his nose, pillowy lips, “Is it true?”

“About his…” Chrissy, bless her heart, she couldn’t utter the words, quickly shaking her head, “I wouldn’t know.”

She pauses for a moment, chewing on her lip.

“He’s not mean, though.” She tells you quietly, “I’ve talked to him a few times—he’s not what people say he is.”

“Oh?” You ask, intrigued.

“He’s easy to talk to.” Chrissy admits, “It’s—it’s not important. But hey, you should try and ask him about his D&D club, I know you told me you play it—“

“Isn’t that against cheerleading rules?” You say jokingly, though it could be considered social suicide.

“I’m cheer captain.” Chrissy reminds you. “They might not like it, but I don’t care.”

You smile slightly. Chrissy was a warm light in this rather dark, dull school. She’d dragged you into her circle the second she spotted you a month ago—her personality was infectious, you couldn’t explain it.

“Okay,” You agree, “I’ll see what it’s all about.”

Eddie spots you in the doorway, hand posed to knock on the already open door, offering a subtle, but polite smile.

“Uh—hi,” You start awkwardly, “I was wondering if your club still had room for one more, but I know it’s the middle of the year and if—“

“Are you free after school?” Eddie asks, hands pressed to his hips, “Say—seven-ish?”

You laugh softly at his brazenness, instantly hooked by his unnatural charm, “Uh—I have cheer practice, but I should be able to make it. Are you sure I don’t have to like…try out or something? Pass a test?”

Eddie snorts, “So you’re a Chrissy disciple?”

“Hey—no.” You start with a stern tone, “Chrissy is sweet—“

“I’m joking,” Eddie interrupts, shaking his head, long curls flowing over his shoulders, “no, there’s no test. Just show up.”

You tilt your head slightly, “Okay,” You nod, “I guess I’ll see you then.”

“We start at seven, doors locked.” Eddie tells you, “If you’re late, you’re out.”

You give a weak, two finger mock salute. “Oh, I’m very punctual, don’t worry.”

And to your own credit, you show up five minutes early. Part of you was hoping to beat the obvious stares of the rest of the group, but you should’ve expected they’d already be seated and ready to go.

“She lives to see another day,” Eddie boasts lowly, already deep into his DM voice—you can’t help but chuckle at it, taking the free seat next to him at the table, “they didn’t eat you alive for wanting to come here?”

“What they don’t know won’t hurt them.” You shrug.

Eddie’s always been everyone’s dirty little secret, so it doesn’t surprise him when you decided to omit your Hellfire club meeting to your stuck-up friends.

“Uh, who’s she?” A younger kid asks, curly hair tucked tightly under his baseball cap. Dustin.

You and Eddie both say your name at the same time, causing you to turn your head to look at him.

“I…never—“ Told him your name, is what you try to say, but Eddie interrupts just as quick.

“You did, remember?” Eddie interjects, and you’re inclined to agree, given how his face flushes red with embarrassment.

Fine. You’ll bite.

“Oh, yeah,” You agree with ease, “sorry—I completely forgot.”

The campaign goes off without a hitch and you defeat whatever big, bad monster Eddie had concocted for the night—your steadfast and quick thinking cements you as a temporary part of the group, but while the group immediately takes to you, they’re still weary to newcomers. It made sense. They all seemed like good, genuine friends—unlike the people you surrounded yourself with.

Eddie approaches you after while you’re rummaging through your bag for something, pulled from your panic as he speaks beside you, everyone having already left.

“Chrissy mentioned you before,” Eddie explains without elaborating, “that’s how I knew.”

You nod slightly, “It checks out.” You offer with a soft laugh, “She’s mentioned talking to you a few times.”

Eddie smiles tightly, eyes wandering around anxiously. If you didn’t know, he wasn’t going to say. The last thing he wanted to do was rat Chrissy out for buying from him, not that it wasn’t already blatantly obvious.

Eddie huffs softly, a chortle, “—said you weren’t like the others, I guess that’s partly true.”

Your hands still, shoulders slumping as you looked over at him. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re still one of them,” He teases kindly, ringed finger motioning pointedly toward your cheer outfit, “it’s like a cult, isn’t it?”

He isn’t wrong, but to be bunched in with that group, it’s blood boiling.

“You don’t know me,” You tell him carefully, “I’m nothing like them.”

Eddie shrugs, taking the hand that’s tucked securely behind him and throwing a blob of cloth your way. You catch it clumsily, clutched to your chest as you stare down.

“I guess we’ll see,” Eddie grins, cheeks dimpling at the corners, “—we wear them on Friday’s.”

It’s a conflicting issue with your uniform, but nothing you can’t handle. It’s almost like he’s daring you to wear the shirt, brand yourself as a nerd in the eyes of everyone else. A freak, just like he.

You unzip the top of your cheer uniform, snug half-tank hidden underneath. Eddie doesn’t even have the courage to look away, despite how bold you’re being. You slip the shirt on over your head, the quarter sleeves rubbing at your elbows. Eddie’s staring at you like you’ve grown a second head.

“What?” You ask innocently, “It’s Friday, isn’t it?”

Eddie snorts a laugh, turning on his heels to grab his own bag, keys jangling in his hand.

“You drive?” He asks over his shoulder.

“Uh, no,” You reply, dismissing your bag and zipping it back up, “I usually ride with Chrissy…and Jason.”

“Bummer.” Eddie retorts humorously.

You laugh at his comment, subconsciously agreeing.

“They’re already long gone, I imagine.” You admit, staring at the clock on the wall that read close to nine.

“Do you need a ride?” Eddie ask curiously, now making his way back toward you.

You smirk at the offer, shaking your head.

“I’m a big girl,” You assure him, “I can walk.”

Eddie makes a noise of disapproval, shaking his head.

“Forgive me if I’m being too forward,” Eddie begins, “but there’s no way I’m letting you walk alone this late. My uncle would kill me if he found out I let a girl walk the streets of Hawkins at night without offering her a ride.”

You sling the bag over your shoulder, “Well, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him—or you, I guess.”

Eddie’s not letting up though—eyes softer, pleading slightly. Normally you’d run the other direction, but Eddie had a strange aura to him; intriguing, comforting, something you couldn’t quite put your finger on.

You cave, releasing a quiet sigh. “Fine.”

Eddie smiles then, arms extending as he bowed forward, motioning toward the door. “Your chariot awaits, m’lady.”

There’s a stark difference between the Eddie everyone talked about and the Eddie in front of you—you were more partial to the latter.

Eddie bounced with energy, unabashedly moving to the rumbling off the heavy rock music that played through the speakers, it’s only when he sees your eyes on him that he tones it down, shifting slightly in his seat as he mumbles a soft, “Sorry.”

You watched with amusement, adoring the way he fell into the tune of the song, never caring who was watching. Eddie’s learned to brush everyone’s opinions aside, no matter if they bothered him or not.

“Nono, I get it.” You quickly soothe his worry, shaking your head, hands clutched in your laps where your legs were crossed in the seat. “Black Sabbath is really good.”

“No way,” Eddie says with a half smile, feeling like he’s being pranked. He’s got one hand clutched on the steering wheel, head turned toward you slightly, “you listen?”

You shrug, “When I can—my parents would disown me if I brought any type of vinyl like that home. They’d say I’d switch to the dark side and started worshipping the devil.”

“So it’s Blondie and Madonna for you, huh?” Eddie asks, an exasperated nod coming from you.

“I have a few tapes for my Walkman—Exodus, Whitesnake, but it broke a few months ago.”

Eddie takes a left in the opposite direction of your house, turning down a dark road.

“Eddie,” You say slowly, eyes flicking up toward the windshield, “where are we going?”

“Quick detour.” He responds, head tilted over his shoulder, lashes fluttering as he blinked, the ever apparent charm oozing from his tone.

You really couldn’t understand the rumors now.

“Defenseless girl with a stranger in their car,” You’re being dramatic, mostly at the expense to make Eddie laugh, but also to calm your rapidly beating heart, “middle of the night—all alone, are you sure you’re not a murderer?”

“Not a murderer,” Eddie confirms, “Or a devil worshipper, or any of the other stuff everyone says about me.”

“You seem to claim the freak title.”

“It’s subjective,” Eddie counters, “people like to treat it as if it’s a bad thing. I don’t see it that way.”

A silence settles, the music filling the lull.

“I have a spare Walkman that I don’t use,” Eddie tells you, the dark road venturing into light, a small neighborhood lines with trailers, “I was gonna lend it to you.”

“That’s mighty trusting of you,” You say, eyeing him suspiciously, “what if I lose it?”

Eddie shrugs, leather rubbing against itself on his jacket. He pulls to a stop outside of the trailer, his home you’re assuming. “I guess I’m trusting you.”

And if Eddie was flirting, you were oblivious to it.

He definitely was.

“You can wait here if that makes you feel better.” Eddie offers, hand pressed to the door handle.

You take a quick glance around, unsettles by the eerie silence, a culdasac covered in trees and a forest that stretched for miles. Not a chance. Besides, you were curious.

“Nope,” Your lips pop, swinging the door open before he can even process your response, when your feet hit the ground you turn toward him, an expression of wonder crossing his face, “—give me the grand tour?”

Eddie shakes his head in disbelief, following your actions and taking the lead toward his front door, your softer footsteps following closely behind.

“You thought I was gonna murder you a few minutes ago,” Eddie says as he fingers with his keys, slipping the key into the lock, “what happened to that?”

You shrug, “I’m trusting you,” Eddie turns to you slightly, eyes downturned toward the gravel, you peek up on your tiptoes as his hand turns the doorknob, “don’t make me regret it.”

“Sorry if it’s a mess,” Eddie feels the need to say, even if he doesn’t mean it. He was used to living in chaos and filth, both and him spent minimal time in the trailer if they weren’t sleeping or eating a quick dinner—it was his sanctitude, but he didn’t like being cooped up all the time, “—and for the smell.”

Your nose scrunched up in question—it smelled overwhelmingly like cigarettes, the ashtray on the counter filled to the brim, and faintly of black coffee and liquor. It wasn’t bad, not by any means, but it wasn’t something you were particularly used to.

“Back here.” Eddie nods, playing with the ring of his left hand as he lead you toward the backend of the trailer, door opening to revealed another cluttered room.

The mess seemed more…organized. Less haphazard throwing around and more like an overicumulated mess of items that Eddie wasn’t able to part with. The walls covered in posters and self-made art, shelves covered so deeply you couldn’t see the original wood finish, his bad half made and stained in certain spots. It’s so typical and predictable to his personality that you can’t even be surprised by it. Eddie quickly scatters about, shoving a pile of clothes into a laundry basket and kneeling down to sift through his cabinets, pulling out a small plastic box.

You take a seat on his bed, smoothing the blanket out under you before you plop down, feet kicking at the shaggy rug. You spot the guitar a moment later, in all it’s glory, it was beautiful.

“That just for show?” You ask, pointing toward the item hung on the wall. Eddie turns to you, then to where you’re pointing, a wide grin breaking out on his face.

“No,” He says proudly, making a small ‘ha!’ sound when he finds what he’s looking for, “I’ve played since middle school.”

You spot the second guitar nestled in the corner. A true collector he was and Eddie Munson surprised you once more, proving he was more than the silly rumors everyone spoke about him.

Eddie slides the Walkman into your hands, pushing on his knees as he rose, “Do you play?”

You shake your head furiously, “Absolutely not.”

Instead of urging you out of his room, Eddie takes a careful seat beside you, palms outstretch behind him, legs crossed at the ankles. You tried and failed to ignore the small sliver of skin that peaked out below his shirt, a patch of hair disappearing under his belt line, the obvious ridges of toned muscles visible underneath his shirt. Eddie seems to notice, waiting a few seconds longer before leaning forward, eyes catching yours.

You offer a friendly smile, a hint of your thighs peeking out further underneath your skirt as you crossed your legs, rubbing your hands over your exposed calves.

“Can I ask you a question?” You ask timidly, curious brain getting the best of you. “But, don’t take it the wrong way.”

“You make fun of me for being a cheerleader,” You tell him, an obvious observation, “but you’ve fucked half of my friends.”

Eddie ignores the idea that he’s being talked about so openly amongst you, instead asking, “Are they really your friends though?”

And he’s right on the nose, because he’s not that clueless, “No, but—why are you being nice to me?”

“I’m nice to everyone,” Eddie defends feebly, earning a deadpan look from you, “—well, most.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“I try not to judge people off of initial impressions and the shit people say about them,” It’s exactly what you’d done to him in the beginning, “why can’t I be nice to you? Do I need to have some sort of hidden agenda?”

“Do you?” You challenge.

“No—no,” He shakes his head, voice cracking slightly, “you’re a sweet girl but I would never—“

“Fuck me?” You ask crudely, smiling at him salaciously.

“Take advantage of you,” Eddie corrects you swiftly, “or try to make you feel uncomfortable—why, do you feel uncomfortable?”

“No,” You shake your head, slipping the Walkman to the floor beside your feet, “I guess I’m just curious.” You shrug, hand tucked under your thighs, legs squeezing together slightly as Eddie flexes his arms from where they rested against his knees. You could smell him from this angle—and yes, he did smell like cigarettes, and a little like weed, but he also smelled like cheap cologne and leather, a concoction of scents that invaded your senses and your brain, a pulse sent straight to your core.

“Of?” Eddie asks with a soft laugh.

“They say you’re, well,” and suddenly you feel shy, gaze flicking to his crotch, causing Eddie to glance down in response, “—considering how much I have to hear about your dick, I just wanted to know if the rumors were true.”

“So that’s what you ladies do all day?” Eddie asks, tongue resting against the ridge of his top lip, eyes narrowing on you. “Talk about me?”

“Not me,” You correct, “Them.”

Eddie’s been enough situations like these to know where it leads and you’re a pretty girl, all imperfections and quirks included, Eddie can’t help but buy into whatever game you’re playing at.

“And what do they say?” Eddie asks, a soft and curious tone to his voice.

“It’s nothing nice, usually.” You tell him, face scrunched up, “Do you really want to know?”

“I’ve gotta confirm the rumors somehow, don’t I?”

You smile to yourself, eyes turned down to your feet where they shift against the rug. “They talk about how you don’t shower and you stink and you can’t make a girl come—not that it’s possible for any man to accomplish that.”

Eddie opens his mouth to speak but you continue.

“But, apparently your dick is huge—so that somehow makes up for it.”

These aren’t the types of talks he has with Chrissy—a girl much more innocent than you. It’s a peek inside the inner workings of a group Eddie’s never cared too much about, but it’s intriguing nonetheless.

And for once, Eddie’s at a loss for words.

“You’re—“ Eddie says with a hint of disbelief, breathing out a laugh.

“Not like most girls?” You ask expectantly, “That’s cheesy—you’re better than that, Eddie.”

“No,” Eddie responds in turn, chewing idly at his bottom lip, “—I was going to say you were hard to figure out.”

Eddie pauses, considering how mortifying it might be to admit what’s rattling in his brain—he takes his chances.

“I have a confession to make.” Eddie admits, urged on by your attentive look, eyebrows raising in question. “I might’ve been the one to ask Chrissy about you—not the other way around.”

“Eddie,” You tease, “do you have a crush on me?”

Eddie laughs, “I wouldn’t call it that.”

“Then?”

“I saw you that first day—before Chrissy swiped you up, before I pushed you down in the hall. I knew.”

You laugh at the memory fondly, but whatever he’s getting at, you’re not following.

Eddie elaborates, “You’re not one of them.” He flicks at the loose threading of your skirt, black shorts hidden underneath for your modesty, “It’s cute, though.”

Your nimble fingers grasp his wrist before he can pull away, cold chain pressing against your fingers from the leather band wrapped there. You were quiet, but your mind was screaming, yearning for something you knew you shouldn’t indulge in.

“I can show you,” Eddie suggests, his hand relaxing in your grip, rising up the side of your thigh to squeeze, guiding your legs apart gently until they’re no longer crossed, “if you want.”

You nod, barely a jerk of your head, letting Eddie switch the dynamic, his palm covering your own hand, guiding it over the seam of zipper, the hard line of his cock pressed against the material. That was enough to prove his point, but a touch wasn’t enough—not when he was already this hard, having not even touched you; hard at the mere thought of you.

“Eddie,” You say on a shallow breathe, eyes lifting up towards his—those wide, wet doe eyes staring right back, curls framing his face in a way that softened his features, “do you…want to?”

Fuck. The word couldn’t leave your lips, caught in your throat as his cock pulsed under your touch. Eddie doesn’t think twice, of course he does.

It’s a rushed, “Yes.” a gruff tone followed by Eddie releasing your hand to wrap around the back of your neck, pulling you toward him in a searing press of your lips, fighting for the dominance you give to him so willingly, leg hiking over his lap until you’re settled over the middle, knees pressed into the old mattress where they bracketed his hips.

Eddie’s kisses are hot and overwhelming, gusts of breath against your lips as his tongue pushes inside, mewling desperately as you returned the fervor, delicate hand reaching under his chin to tilt his head up, disconnecting your lips for a brief moment.

“Condoms,” You tell him, “do you have any?”

Eddie nods tensely, eager lips wanting to reconnect. You pull back teasingly, a toothy grin growing on your face.

“I don’t have a lot of time,” You remind him, “so—we should probably hurry this up.”

Eddie tries to ignore the reoccurring theme in his life—and he’d held out a small tinge of hope that maybe this could be different. He was willing to swallow the pain, be the bigger person.

“Okay, okay,” He stammers, leaning away to grab at the open condom box on his bedside table, avoiding your amused gaze as he rummages inside, yanking the small foil packet from the box, “uh, should we—“

And suddenly he feels like a blushing virgin again, shrinking underneath your gaze. You looked at him intently, analyzing every part of him. You weren’t sure what type of guy Eddie was and you weren’t going to let yourself forget this so easily.

“No, here’s fine,” You assure him, perched at the edge of his bed, “—let me, hold on—“ You stand for a brief moment, slipping your underwear and shorts down in one quick moment, leaving you bare underneath that skimpy cheer skirt. Eddie tries not to stare, to linger, but his hands press along the tops of your thighs, warm palms kneading into the skin, staring up at you with an awestruck gaze, not realizing you’re speaking to him until you’re judging his shoulder, “—your pants, Eddie. Unzip them.”

“Shit, yeah,” Eddie comes to, shaking away the daze, “sorry.”

Eddie struggles with the clasp of his belt, leaned back slightly as he fumbles with it. You can’t stand his anxious, shaking hands and assist him, yanking the belt away with a snap when it’s finally free, climbing back on his lap as he yanks at his jeans, pulling them down far enough to free his cock, aching as it arches up toward his belly in all it’s glory—you could easily say the rumors were true, the tip blushed a soft pink as the precome that leaked from it stained his shirt.

Eddie squeezes gently at the soft mound of your ass, rubbing your cunt against him for a brief second, his breath heavy as he exhaled.

“I know we’re on a time limit, but I don’t want it to hurt,” Eddie interrupted quietly, hands traveling around to press against your hips, forcing you to sit fully on his lap, feet tucked up behind you against his knees, “Can I touch you?”

He was right—the thought of taking him inside of you so suddenly, it was daunting.

“Mhmm.” You reply softly, a melodic hum.

Eddie slips a hand under your skirt, eyes locked on your face to watch your reaction, brow furrowing at the first touch of his middle finger of your clit, circling briefly before gliding through your folds, dipping inside you carefully. He pumps once, twice, your slick wetting his finger as he pulls back out, the friction enough to have you whimpering out loud—and if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, Eddie introduces a second finger soon after, your hand squeezing at his broad shoulder, steadying you as your body shook with his movements. His mouth was hung open slightly in concentration, eyes half-lidded as he watched you sigh and lean back into his hold, a solid hand pressed into your back to keep you there.

Your hips rock against his hand, a gentle movement, eyes squeezed shut from the overwhelming sensation—his skilled touches and you’re absolute inability to not be turned on by simply being in his presence, let alone like this. You weren’t sure you’d be able to handle waiting for his cock, the laugh that slips from his chest enough to send you down a spiral. But, he’s pulling away just as quick, the sound of a foil packet ripping in the close distance.

He slips the condom on wordlessly, gaze locked on the space between you both, the rubber snapping slightly as he struggles to be swift, face scrunching up in concentration.

Eddie’s always been one to try and take his time—though that isn’t always the case, like now, but he still wants to make things enjoyable, as difficult as that may be for something as nonchalant as a quick fuck.

“Tell me if it hurts,” Eddie says softly, breath hot against your neck as he lifts your hips with one hand, the other steady or his shaft as he guides himself toward your entrance, pressing gently, “I’ll slow down.”

“You really underestimate just how much I can handle.” You joke teasingly, breath hitching as he pushes at your hip slightly, tip of his cock breaching you.

It isn’t nearly as uncomfortable as you’re expecting, the first gentle thrust of his hips—the stretch stings, but it’s nothing but a dull ache amongst all the other things you’re feeling. Warm, calloused hands on bare skin as they sneak under your Hellfire shirt, wrinkled and smelling of Eddie like he’d had it shoved away in his bag for weeks. Soft, wet lips pressing against the underside of your chin from where Eddie’s head is tilted up caused by the small height difference from where you’re positioned in his lap.

His features are more noticeable like this, rough from a distance but even softer up close—chocolate brown eyes staring up at you so wantonly, blinded by pleasure. His hair is mused around his face, bangs askew from where he’s pushed them away slightly, having reached a length a little more uncomfortable than normal. He’s present and watching, gauging every reaction you have, thrusting his hips a little faster until you’re moaning out, desperate hands burying into his untamed hair and pulling, his lips leaving your skin and his neck pulled back taut.

“Fuck that’s—“ Eddie sighs, another subtle hair pull from you as he stretches his thighs wider, forcing you to fall against him in support, “—no one’s ever—“

You gasp, laughing against his face from where you’ve leaned slack against him, lips dragging along his cheek, “No one’s ever pulled your hair? You’re kidding?”

Eddie shakes his head with difficulty, chuckling as you pulled a bit tighter. “That’s a fucking shame.” You tell him honestly.

Eddie nods in agreement, hands spreading out over your thighs as he squeezes, forcing himself impossibly deeper, nudging a spot inside of you that has you keening forward, a choked off moan leaving your mouth.

“Again,” You gasp, “Fuck, do that again.”

Eddie smirks, devious edge to his expression as he thrust into you harshly, your face burying into his neck at the motion, muffling your cries.

Eddie mimics your actions, ringed fingers winding into your hair and pulling, forcing your face away from his neck, whimpering at the speed of his thrusts, clenching around him in desperation. Eddie’s incredibly noisy, something you had been too distracted to pay attention until he’s holding you up, forcing you to look at him. He’s daring, bold—confident considering the circumstances. He barely knows you—but he knows well enough that he’s already addicted. Addicted to you noises, your subtle expressions, your ability to keep up with him in conversation and give back just as much as he gave, it was refreshing despite how he knew things would end.

It was rushed, grabbing hands, irregular thrusts that were driving you mad, animalistic in the way Eddie’s teeth grazed against your jaw, sucking a light bruise into the skin—you weren’t quick enough to tell him you didn’t like marks, but you also couldn’t find it in your to care. But, you were despair touch, desperate to come, so you opened your mouth and begged, embarrassed over how pitiful you sound.

“Your hand—“ You say rushed, pulling at his wrist. Eddie nods jerkily, letting you guide his hand toward your cunt, his thumb pressing over your clit suddenly, knowing just what you need, “fuckfuck, Eddie—“

“Trying to prove those rumors wrong, sweetheart.”

You let out a strained laugh, dying out on a loud moan as Eddie rubs quick circles over your clit, alighting a bundle of electricity the starts in the pit of your stomach and hits you hard, hips rocking needy against his hand.

Eddie follows after just as fast, moving his long arms to encircle your waist, coming undone under your touch with a whine, mouth hung open slightly as he breathed out a harsh breath that swallowed up by you, a soft kiss pressed against his lips.

A silence drags over, nothing but the combined sounds of your breaths until Eddie finally speaks, breaking the blanket of tension.

“Thoughts?” He asks timidly, helping you off of his lap slowly, hips aching as you stood. “Concerns?”

You huff a quiet laugh, reaching down for your underwear and slipping them back on. “Shut up,” You say fondly, wiggling your hips until they’re set, watching as Eddie moved around the room to dispose of the condom, fixing his pants back up, “—it was good.”

He’s waiting for the but—but it never comes.

“I really need to get home though,” You remind him, offering a subtle smile, “if you don’t mind.”

“Uh, yeah—“ Eddie replies awkward, returning to your side and leaning down to grab the Walkman. In the midst of everything, you’d completely forgotten it, “—let’s go.”

And you feel like an idiot, anxiety and nerves running through your body. If you don’t say it now, you’ll never get it out.

“How early do you get up in the morning?” You ask randomly, watching as Eddie pulled a confused face.

“Eight.” He answers simply.

“But, school starts at eight fifteen—“ You shake your head, hands held out to stop him in his place, “—anyways, do you want to stop for breakfast on Monday?”

Eddie pauses, stricken with shock.

You notice his uneasiness, “Or not.”

Eddie’s eyes narrow, suddenly realizing that silence isn’t an option in this situation, “No, no, no—We can, we totally can.”

“But?”

“I don’t really—“ Eddie stops, trying to mince his words down, “girls don’t typically stick around to hang out, you know?”

“That’s ridiculous,” You laugh slightly, “oh—you’re serious?”

Eddie nods, “I’m just surprised, is all. But yeah, I’d love to.”

“Thank god,” You sigh, “another morning in the car with Chrissy and Jason and I was going to lose it.”

Eddie makes a face, asking for you to elaborate, eyebrow raised subtly.

“They’re so grossly in love.”

And love—you just couldn’t stand it.

“So, pick me up at seven?” You ask hopefully, arms crossed over you front, Walkman gripped in your hand.

Eddie smiles wide, “Sure.”

Eddie’s so used to rejection and abandonment that he almost can’t believe it’s true, but you’re living, breathing proof. But like he’d suspected, there was just something special about you. Something different.

Please consider leaving a comment or reblog if you enjoyed this fic! It’s makes a huge difference. ♡

[transmascsteveharrington]

Chrissy starts working as a trainer at a gym and drags Eddie along with her. He is reluctant at first not a fan of sports and definitely not a fan of gym bros. But Chrissy points out that he doesn't have to become a gym bro and that it'll be good for his mental health. Eddie still hesitates, says he doesn't know how the weight-lifting machines work and how it's all intimidating and how he won't be comfortable. Chrissy just rolls her eyes.

"A) you can always ask me how the machines work that is literally my job," she says. "And b) you don't have to use the machines, you can always just come to the different classes we have. I teach spin, whole body, and back. You really should just try it out."

It's how Eddie finds himself in an old shirt and a pair of far too-warm jogging pants sitting on a bike surrounded by older ladies pedaling for his life while Chrissy shouts motivational orders from the stage. It's hell, his lungs hurt, his legs ache and at the end of it he is ready to die. He's had a fulfilling life. Only that his mind is as quiet and clear as it hasn't been in months. And while his body is sore it also feels weirdly good. Sure it truly is a pain the next day, but it's also kinda nice?

So Eddie keeps coming back. At first he only visits Chrissy's classes but with her encouragement, he branches out, tries out different classes with different trainers. He isn't a fan of the zumba and step arobics classes, he does have two left feet and the trainer Tommy's voice is super grading.

He does really enjoy the leg and the back work classes though. The exercises are the perfect mixture of challenging but not too hard, the music is surprisingly decent and of course it does help that their trainer Stevie is probably the hottest guy Eddie has ever laid eyes on. He's got gorgeous hair and broad shoulders and his thighs, god his thighs. Stevie always wears the shortest shorts showing them off. They jiggle during some exercises and Eddie wants to bite them, lick the sweat off them, get his head crushed by them.

And the worst part is that Stevie is not only hot, he also happens to be so nice that Eddie can't help but crush on him. He always offers easier variations of exercises, always stresses that weights and resistant bands are optional and never makes anyone feel bad for taking a break. In fact he does remind them constantly that it's okay to take a break, to have some water, to do it in a way that's comfortable to them.

He is also one of the few trainers who jumps off the stage to make sure people have the right posture. He's always respectful, always asks if he can touch before he does. Eddie almost considers messing up his posture just so he can get Stevie's hands on him. But Stevie just walks past him and gives him a smile and a, "very nice posture, good job!"

Usually, Eddie is more the person to dish out praise and watch people get flustered, but Stevie's words reduce him to a puddle and he almost drops his weights. It's literally the worst possible moment to get a boner, but Eddie is a weak weak man and Stevie's shorts are oh, oh so short. Especially when he does squats, back turned to the class to really show them how to push their butts out. It's a miracle Eddie makes it to the end of the class. Eddie knows he doesn't look attractive during the work outs, his hair frizzy is face red, spots of sweat soaking through his shirt. Still, sometimes it feels like during the classes that Stevie just has eyes for him. It's probably just precaution because Eddie looks like he might die any second, but sometimes Eddie allows himself to hope, to imagine that this attraction isn't just one-sided.

It all kinda goes to shit on a very hot summer day. Eddie has to really drag himself to the gym, head already swimming from the heat. He doesn't cope well with summer and only the promise of Stevie's short shorts get him into the gym. Only that when he gets into the workout studio Stevie is not there. Instead, there is an intense looking guy at the front, who introduces himself as Billy, and Jesus do all trainers have to have a name ending with an -y sound? Is that like a law or something?

Billy's class is as intense as he looks. He constantly barks orders, doesn't remind them to take breaks and doesn't show them easier variations of the exercise. Instead, he shouts at them if they slow down or are opting for the lighter weights. He is an absolute asshole but Eddie is honestly considering leaving if he wasn't kind of scared of the spectacle Billy would make. But it's so hot and the class is so hard and he is feeling dizzy. He tries to slow down only to get shouted at again but before Eddie can even try to get back to the exercise his vision starts to swim and then everything goes black all of a sudden.

He hears angry shouting as he slowly comes back to himself.

"I told you to fucking take it slow!"

"Not my fault there are all sissies Harrington. Whatcha gonna do? Get me fired?"

"That's exactly what I'm going to do!" Eddie slowly opens his eyes to find Stevie hovering above, an absolutely furious expression on his face. The second he notices that Eddie is awake his gaze softens instantly.

"Hey, sweetheart," he says gently and okay this has to be a dream. Or worse. No way Stevie is calling him sweetheart.

"Am I dead?" Eddie asks and earns a hearty laugh from Stevie. God, he instantly wants to make Stevie laugh again, the sound is addicting.

"No, baby, you just passed out because someone," Stevie glares at Billy, "doesn't know how to fucking take care of people."

"He's clearly fine," Billy hisses back, "just lazy. He should just get up."

He lowers his hand, clearly with the intention to push against Eddie's shoulder but he doesn't even get close because Stevie catches Billy's wrist mid-air.

"Don't you dare fucking touch him," Stevie snarls. "And get the fuck out of my gym."

"Chill," Billy tries but Stevie isn't having it.

"You endangered a client, you were reckless and an asshole and you now almost touched him without consent, get out of my fucking gym!"

It shouldn't be so hot, but righteous fury looks good on Stevie and Eddie just fainted, he is allowed to find this hot, as a treat. Billy, thankfully gets the message and fucks off. Worried, Stevie turns back to Eddie, hands hesitatingly hovering until Eddie nods, giving Stevie permission to gently touch his arm.

"I'm sorry about him," he says as he takes Eddie's pulse. "I know I shouldn't have let him cover my class. I'm just glad someone bothered to call me this time."

"This time?" Eddie asks, trying to keep his voice steady, but it's hard with Stevie's fingers gingerly wrapped around his wrist. It's not the first time someone fainted in Billy's class," Stevie sighs. "But I'm gonna make sure it's the last time!"

Eddie tries to sit up but Stevie quickly places a hand carefully, but firmly on Eddie's chest and okay, yeah, Eddie is about to pass out again from that touch alone.

"Woah, take it slow," Stevie says and hands him a small packet that almost looks like candy wrapper and some water. "Here take some dextrose," he says and Eddie gratefully takes it.

The dextrose is sweet and tastes like artificial strawberry. Eddie wonders if Stevie's pink lipgloss as the same taste.

"Thanks," Eddie says once he has swallowed the dextrose and he does feel less dizzy actually. He finally can take in his surroundings and notices that they are no longer in the studio but what looks to be an office.

"How did we get here?" he

asks confused and Stevie suddenly blushes. "I...uh...I might have carried you," Stevie admits and fuck off, that definitely is going to make Eddie's top ten of sexual fantasies, he is furious he had been passed out for it.

"Do you think you'll be fit to walk?"

"Why, are you offering to carry me again?" Eddie asks with more bravery than he should be allowed to have.

"I only do that after date three," Stevie says and instantly looks like he wants to slap himself and Eddie's mouth goes dry. Still, he leans forward with a teasing grin and asks, "Oh, is that so?"

Stevie blushes only worse, why does he on top of being kind and hot as fuck also have to be so adorable, Eddie curses internally.

"Tell me Stevie, do you go on dates with clients a lot?"

"It's..uh Steve, they make us change our names slightly so they are more approachable or gym core or whatever," Stevie-, no Steve, says. "But I don't. Go often on dates with clients. Just the one? If he would like to?"

Part of Eddie still thinks that he died and there has been a horrible mistake and he went to heaven. He usually doesn't trust good things, especially not too good to be true things. But Steve seems so genuine and actually nervous. Over the past few months he's gotten Eddie to challenge himself, to grow and to push himself, so what's one more little leap of faith.

"I have it in very good authority that your one client would be absolutely delighted to go out with you," Eddie says and a blinding smile appears on Steve's face. He looks like an excited puppy and god he is going to be the end of Eddie, isn't he?

"Awesome, that's great," he grins and takes out a card with his number on it .

"You should give me a call, we can have dinner." Eddie's hands shake slightly as he takes the card, but he doesn't mind. If Steve gets to be a little bit nervous so does Eddie.

"Sounds great...wait you don't just eat steamed broccoli and unseasoned chicken, do you?" Steve

just laughs. "God no, look I like to work out but I am by no means a gym bro." And thank fuck for that, Eddie thinks.

"How does pizza sound?"

"Sounds pretty perfect to me," Eddie grins and punches Steve's number into his phone.

Just as promised after date three Steve bridal carries a, this time conscious, Eddie and Eddie finally gets to mark up those pretty, thick thighs with his teeth.

,

[fkinkindagauche]

Hot Knife

Posting just a snippet here of a one-shot I wrote while work was super slow the past few days and I had this song stuck in my head non-stop (Hot Knife by Fiona Apple). It's omegaverse, which I know is not everyone's cup of tea, so you have been warned! Full tags on AO3.

Read the full fic on AO3

Rating: Explicit | Relationship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, mentions of Chrissy Cunningham/Robin Buckley | Tags: AU No Upside Down, AU Omegaverse, AU College, AU Modern Setting, full tags on AO3

I'm a hot knife, I'm a hot knife

I'm a hot knife, he's a pat of butter

If I get a chance, I'm gonna show him that

He's never gonna need another, never need another

“Him,” Steve said confidently, nodding across the dining hall at a gangly man with a mess of long brown hair who looked like he'd just walked out of a Mötley Crüe show.

“ Eddie Munson ?” Robin asked, nearly spitting out the mouthful of soda she'd just taken.

“Is that his name?” Steve asked, watching as the man - Eddie - nearly tripped over his own feet walking to a table.

“He's not exactly your type, Steve,” Robin replied. 

“I smelled him in the elevator. He's my type.”

“Okay, but he's, like, a huge fucking nerd. He's a music major. He plays Dungeons and Dragons. And he's in a heavy metal band.” She just kept listing things, like it was going to do anything to change Steve's mind.

He waved a hand at her dismissively. “Don't care,” he said, still watching. Eddie was talking to the other people at his table now, gesturing vigorously with his hands then throwing his head back and laughing loud enough that Steve could hear it across the dining hall.

“If you start something with Munson your swim team friends are finally gonna actually disown you,” Robin said. “You being friends with me was bad enough.” 

“Yeah, I think I’m at the point where I’m okay with that. They’re boring.” He had spent his sophomore year becoming increasingly annoyed with his teammates, who seemed to want to stay mired in the same types of people and pastimes they’d experienced in high school. He had enjoyed it during his first year, it had been nice to have continuity and had made the transition to college less jarring, but now he found he was looking for something more , and they all wanted to stay the same. 

He had met Robin in one of his classes, a geeky girl who had no interest in sports beyond what she observed from her section in the marching band, but she constantly made him laugh, and she was an omega, his first real omega friend. He had always been the only omega on the swim team, a bit of a freak of an omega given his large size and muscle mass. The other guys on the team had a tendency to completely forget about his designation, given the scent patches he wore all the time.

“I’m gonna go talk to him,” Steve announced, pushing his chair back. 

Robin shrugged. “Your funeral,” she said, and Steve rolled his eyes. He knew he was a very attractive and charismatic man, Eddie would probably be excited to be approached by him. 

Steve walked over to the table, Eddie still deep in conversation with his friends as he approached, not even looking up at Steve. A couple of his friends glanced up with confused looks on their faces, but Eddie just continued holding court. 

Steve sat in an empty seat directly across from Eddie, who finally acknowledged his existence. “What do you want, jock boy?” Eddie asked, derision evident in his tone. “I don’t sell to athletes, that’s a surefire way to get expelled while you just get a slap on the wrist.” 

Oh, he was a drug dealer. Robin had left that bit out of her list. “I’m not here to buy,” Steve said, holding out a hand. “I’m Steve Harrington.” He hit Eddie with his best bedroom eyes. He knew Eddie couldn’t smell him through the scent patch, but surely he’d heard of Steve Harrington, omega swim team superstar.

Eddie just stared at Steve’s hand, not extending his own. “Can I help you with something, Harrington?” He sounded annoyed. “Or are you just here to stare and interrupt our conversation?”

Okay, that was unexpected. This was not going the way Steve had expected. He typically had no trouble picking up alphas, in fact they tended to be the ones throwing themselves at Steve. He could deal with this, though. Just a little pushback. He’d try again when there weren’t so many people around, maybe Eddie was just shy.

“No, just wanted to introduce myself,” Steve said, smiling. 

Eddie waited for a moment then waved his hand away from the table. “Well, introduction done. Run along, jock boy.”

Steve stood, walking back over to Robin who had dissolved into snorting laughter at the table. 

“Oh my god, you just got shot down so hard,” she said between laughs. “How’s it feel, King Steve?” 

“He must not get subtlety, I might need to be more explicit,” Steve said, refusing to let his confidence take a hit. 

Robin wiped a few tears away from her eyes. “Sure, Steve. It definitely couldn’t just be that there’s one alpha out there in the world that won’t immediately whip their knot out for you at the first sign of interest.” 

***********

Eddie wasn’t sure what Harrington had been doing talking to him, if not to buy drugs. Maybe he was still angling for that, just trying not to scare Eddie away. Eddie knew who he was; everyone knew who Harrington was. Not just the golden boy of the swim team, but an omega with a pussy made of gold, to hear some of the alphas talk. 

He was also a cocky asshole too convinced of his own importance, and Eddie didn’t want to have anything to do with him. 

“What did Harrington want?” Gareth asked, like he hadn’t been sitting there right next to Eddie through the whole conversation.

“Don’t know, don’t care,” Eddie said, and looped the conversation back around to what they had been talking about before, the upcoming campaign for the D&D club. He didn’t want to waste any more breath on that man.

************

Steve really tried to give up on Eddie after that first flop, but he found he couldn't stop thinking about him. When he'd caught a whiff of him in the elevator it had triggered the strongest response he'd ever had to a scent. The most immediately noticeable notes of his scent were pretty typical alpha scents, something in the woody family with cloves mixed in, but underneath that Steve could catch hints of something sweeter, possibly jasmine, maybe even vanilla. Not typical alpha scents. Layered underneath all of that was just a hint of patchouli. A thoroughly sophisticated scent. 

He'd tried to describe all of this to Robin to explain why he wouldn't give up yet, but she found his hyperfixation on scents in general annoying, and even though she was an omega she had never been able to pick apart a scent as well as he could. Robin's lack of interest notwithstanding, he was too intrigued to give up after just one miss. 

As luck would have it, after swim practice the next day he found himself in the mailroom at the same time as Eddie,  who was filling in the address on an envelope. It seemed like Eddie never wore scent patches; Steve was once again surrounded by his scent as soon as he walked into the mailroom. Eddie didn’t even look up as Steve walked in and grabbed his mail.

“Hello,” Steve said when it became clear Eddie wasn’t going to acknowledge him.

Eddie looked at him, frowning, and his scent went a little sour. “What do you want?” he asked.

“Just… saying hi,” Steve said awkwardly, not sure how this man kept robbing him of his typical charm.

“Alright, you’ve completed your task, run along,” Eddie said, waving a hand toward the door. The hostility was a bit shocking to Steve, who had always managed to skate through life liked by everyone around him.

“Did I do something to you at some point that I don’t remember?” Steve asked, perplexed. 

Eddie sighed and rolled his eyes. “No, Harrington. I just have very little time for drug seeking rich boys who could get me expelled if I sell to them.” 

“I’m not looking for drugs,” Steve protested. “I’m just trying to talk to you.” 

“Sure, sure,” Eddie said, looking like he very much did not believe Steve. He finished writing on the envelope and threw it into the mail slot, brushing past Steve as he left the mail room, not even saying goodbye.

Steve was honestly a bit shocked. He didn’t think anyone had ever been that mean to him, especially not anyone he was showing interest in. He was really going to have to step up his game.

************

“Steve, you forgot your scent patch again,” Robin said as he sat next to her in the dining hall. 

“I didn’t forget it,” he replied. “I intentionally didn’t put one on.”

Robin furrowed her brow. “I thought you stopped needing to do that to get laid a while ago.” 

Steve sighed. “I thought so, too. But it appears there are still some people resistant to the powers of my scentless charm and reputation.” He looked over at the table where Eddie was sitting with his friends.

“What do you know about him?” he asked Robin, nodding toward Eddie.

Robin looked over her shoulder, following his gaze and sighing. “Really? You're still on this?”

“Yes, I’m still on this.”

“Is this just one of those things where you feel slighted by his rejection so now you need to relentlessly pursue him just to prove you can?”

“No, I told you. It’s his scent.”

Robin made a frustrated noise. “You are so weird about scents, Steve. I mean, I’m an omega, too. I have a nose. He just smells like an alpha. Maybe like an alpha who spent too long in a New Age bookstore, but not in a compelling way.” 

“Well he wouldn’t smell that good to you . I think we’re scentmates,” he declared, but Robin only rolled her eyes. 

“Okay, first, those don’t exist. Second, you claim you’ve found your scentmate at least once a semester, yet you never seem to want to keep them around after the novelty wears off. Doesn’t seem like a fated pair situation to me.”

“None of those were real! This time it is.” He was well aware of how ridiculous he sounded, but it was true. Sure, he’d really liked the way all those other people had smelled, but this was much more visceral. He felt drawn to Eddie in a way he had never experienced before.

“Okay, Steve,” Robin said with a long-suffering sigh. 

The person sitting next to Eddie stood to leave, and Steve took his chance. He stood up and walked over, sitting down next to Eddie. “Hi Eddie,” he said, leaning in as close as he could without risking a punch to the face, so Eddie could get a good whiff. 

Eddie turned to him and glared, but Steve could see his nostrils flare and his eyes widen incrementally before his face snapped back into neutrality. “This is getting old, Harrington. If you don’t want drugs then could you please tell me what you do want so I can never speak to you again?” 

Not a promising response, but at least he’d gotten a little bit of a reaction. “Just wondering if you’re free this weekend,” Steve said. “There’s a party at the Sigma Chi house.”

Eddie laughed in his face, stopping when Steve frowned. “Christ, are you serious? Absolutely not, I wouldn’t be caught dead at a frat party.” 

Okay, yeah, maybe Steve had miscalculated there, it was just the first thing he thought of. “Right. They’re not great. What do you usually do for fun on the weekends?”

“What is this conversation?” Eddie asked, looking more confused than pissed off at this point. “What is your aim here, Harrington? Is this like some sort of prank with your jock buddies?”

Steve made an exasperated noise. “I don’t even hang out with them anymore outside of practice and meets. Not sure if you’ve noticed but I pretty much just spend all my time with Buckley now,” he said, motioning towards Robin.

“I haven’t noticed, because I do not give two shits about you. I don’t even give one shit. No shits are given. Now go away and stop bothering me, you’re putting me off my food.” He pointedly turned his back on Steve, who got up and walked away, a little shell-shocked. He heard a few snickers from Eddie’s friends. 

Plopping down next to Robin, Steve put his head on his arms. “That didn’t look like it went well,” Robin said, patting Steve on the back. “Was he not immediately entranced by your luscious scent?” 

Steve half-heartedly threw an elbow at her. “I could tell he noticed it, but it didn’t help. I think he really doesn’t like me.”

Robin made a sympathetic noise. “This must be very new for you, to not be liked.”

“It is,” Steve whined, sounding pitiful even to his own ears. 

“I mean, you have to admit. You probably have, like, nothing in common with him,” Robin said. 

“How can I know that if he won’t even talk to me?”

“Okay, fair,” Robin admitted.

“What do you know about him?” Steve asked, picking up his head. 

“I already told you everything I know - D&D, heavy metal, and music school. You are interested in none of those things.”

“I could be, though,” Steve said. “Does his band actually have gigs?” 

Robin sighed. “I don’t know, Steve. Are you seriously going to keep pursuing this?” 

“Yes, absolutely. I will not back down from a challenge.” 

Read the full fic on AO3

[dual1pa]

the tribute

Warnings: THIS IS SAD, talks about Eddie's death, death in general, quick snippet of eddie dying, crying, trauma, eddie's gf's speech at his funeral, talking about seeing someone die

eddie munson's girlfriend at his funeral

SPOILER ALERT

She sat with her arms folded together while sitting near the front of the church, at times she picked off the black polish that was chipping off her nails.

She was sure her eyes were red from all the crying she had done for the last few days.

-

Seeing the love of her life, the person she thought she'd marry one day. (She knew this cause they talked about it constantly)

"You and I are gonna get hitched one day, babe, I know it," he said while driving with the windows down, breathing in the warm summer air.

She could cry just thinking about it.

She was there when Eddie died. She couldn't describe the pain she felt, like she was being stabbed over and over again by an invisible knife.

She continued to kiss his forehead and repeated that everything was going to be alright - but they both knew it wouldn't be.

He wanted the last thing he saw to be her, and it was.

-

She didn't want to be there - but probably not for the same reason everyone else didn't want to be there - she didn't even think the priest wanted to be there.

Of course, there weren't many, but a few of Eddie's family showed up to mourn the loss.

Most people thought Eddie was a monster, that he was the one who murdered Chrissy - he didn't - it was some monster from another world.

But who could she explain that to? No one listened... or cared.

The only people that knew the truth were seated next to her or behind her.

She sat next to his uncle in the front row, who encouraged her to sit with him, he told her she was family.

When it was her turn, she gently got up from her feet and walked up the stairs, looking at Eddie's casket and a huge picture of the man she loved and tried not to cry.

She looked around at the looks on everyone's faces, her best friends, Nancy and Robin gave her supporting smiles all while Dustin, the kid Eddie was closest to the most, wiped a tear from his eye.

"Uh, hi everyone. I know most of you know who I am but for the past two years, I am, uh was, Eddie's girlfriend. We met when I was a sophomore and he was a junior. It was like we clicked instantly, even though we had different tastes in music, movies, and celebrities, we just... connected. Most people knew Eddaie as Eddie 'The Freak' Munson, but I knew him as Eds. I was the only one that could call him that though, someone in his club, excuse my language father, The Hellfire Club, heard me call Eddie Eds, so he said it and was almost punched in the face. 'My girl can only call me Eds' he said to him. It almost made me laugh so hard that I fell out of my chair."

She had to stop herself from crying, even though she couldn't help it.

She quickly wiped a tear away and continued, "I know most of you think my boyfriend is a monster. he is nothing of the sort. i get faces everywhere I go in this town and I hear what people say about me, 'the monster's girlfriend' and all that. It's not true, if some of you got to know him on a personal level, you would know that. But I didn't come here to convince you anything - I'm here to tell you about my Eds. eddie died a hero, he was looking out for his friends, his family, me, and the world from the unexplainable, the reality no one wants to listen to."

She took a deep breath and read her next sentence, "When Eddie died, I saw it. I wouldn't wish witnessing the death of a loved one on anyone. it's vile, cruel, and not to mention traumatizing. there's no right words on how to explain how i felt watching him die. the man i knew i was going to marry one day."

She grabbed the front of the podium and shielded her face from the crowd so one could see her sobbing, except the priest of course.

He got up and asked her if she wanted to take a break and he would finish what was on her paper.

"No, no. I'm okay. I want to read this," she said.

"Sorry. Uh, yeah, if he would have proposed to me before we finished high school I would have said yes. He made me laugh, cry, angry, happy, heard, and just made me feel special. He stood up for me, he held me when i failed a test that i studied so hard for, made me laugh with his dumb jokes. When I introduced my family, at first they were pretty skeptical of the way he dressed or how he styled his hair, but he eventually won them over and they wanted him over for dinner as much as possible. I'm going to miss all those things about him, I'm going to miss his touch, his laugh, his smile, his kisses."

She looked over to his picture and finished her speech, "I'll miss you my Eds. Rest easy, baby."

She folded up the crumbled-up piece of paper and went back to her seat.

She felt many hands on her back and hand as she got through one of the hardest things she'd ever done.

[darklilacs]

How to talk to your crush? Advice number 1 - don’t talk about your nipples

✨️✨️✨️

Cupid was a bastard. There’s no other explanation for why he had made Eddie fall in love with the most “out-of-your-league” boy ever.

Eddie’s poor heart skipped a bit every time Steve Harrington was near. Yeah THE Steve Harrington -retired king of Hawkins High; the most beautiful person Eddie had ever seen; a weird, pretty creature created to haunt Eddie’s dream, through sweet fantasies full of kisses.

Eddie was hopeless. He was a man enough to admit that. He needed help to woo his future husband. And who’s the better option, if not his favorite three apples tall person- Chrissy?

She had a plan. A vision, if you will. She made him buy a fancy spy shit (a wireless earpiece and a microphone). She will tell him what to do through mic and Steve's heart will be his!!

He walked into Scoops Ahoy with a stupid assumption, that he got it. 

“Ahoy, I’m Steve and today I will be your captain. What can I get for you?” Steve smiled.

Oh.

Oh, this is great. He is in a good mood. 

“Ahoy! Can I get a U.S.S. Butterscotch?” Eddie said, losing all of his confidence.

Wow, he almost lost his shit 30 second in. A new record. 

“Talk to him. Say something interesting. You have to intrigue him.” Chrissy voice almost gave him a heart attack. Steve's presence makes him forget about the fact, that she was watching and was trying to give him advice and commentary. 

Something interesting. Okay, he can do that. 

“Did you know, that the skin on your tongue has the same texture as your nipples?” Eddie leaned on the counter nonchalantly.  

He could hear Chrissy facepalming through the earpiece. 

“Something interesting about you, dumbass.” Chrissy tried to save the situation.

You have to give it to her. Maybe she couldn’t stand another love song with the message: “Straight boy (derogatory) doesn’t want me and I'm sad about it”?

Steve looked at him, puzzled.

Yeah, Eddie definitely made an impression on him. But different than he had hoped for. 

“Did you know that my tongue has the same texture as my nipples?” 

“STOP TALKING ABOUT YOUR NIPPLES FOR GOD’S SAKE,” Chrissy didn’t bother to be quiet. Her scream was audible from outside, where she should be hiding behind fake plants. 

“Congratulations,” Steve laughed. 

Holy Shit. 

He laughed. 

Angels started to sing in his head. Eddie felt in that moment like a new God’s favorite child. 

He will spend at least thirty minutes writing about it in his diary, while kicking his feet. 

“Is there anything else you want to share with me?” Steve asked, giving him an ice cream. 

“I have a choir in my head,” Eddie informed him, without a second thought. 

Shit.

He didn't wait for Steve's reaction. He couldn’t handle it. He threw the money on the counter and left quickly.

[eddieandbird]

Can I request a fluffy Eddie x Chrissy fic where Eddie teaches their daughter how to play D&D?

Of course! Thanks for your request, lovely!! - bird

Dungeons and Dads—

tags/warnings: fluff | 1.4k words | hellcheer!parents | baby/child ment

———

The kitchen was filled with the sound of the Chrissy humming along to the radio and carrots being chopped on the counter. Even with the light noise, she was still able to hear the smacking of her toddler’s feet as she ran into the kitchen. She set her eyes upon her baby girl who was already tugging at the hem of her dress.

“Mommy, look!” Natalie held up one of Eddie’s shiny, red D20 die in her tiny hand.

“Oh wow! You found one of daddy’s dice,” She cooed, her focus split between her child and the cutting board.

“Daddy dice,” Natalie mimicked and Chrissy scrunched her nose back at her response. She was endlessly amused at how Nat’s little voice developed more and more each day.

“That’s right, it’s daddy’s dice. Why don’t you go ask daddy how to play, huh? Mommy still has to make dinner,” Chrissy spoke in an exaggerated tone.

Stomps sounded down the hallway right as she gave the suggestion. Chrissy smiled, already knowing it was her husband, Eddie emerging from his home office.

“Heard my name. Do my girls need me?” He bellowed playfully. “Hi, Natty baby,”

When Eddie’s eyes fell upon his daughter waddling around, he swooped in and picked her up. A fit of high-pitched screaming and giggles escaped Natalie as Eddie picked her up.

“Daddy dice!” Natalie squealed and opened her hand to him.

Chrissy affectionately rolled her eyes. She knew Natalie adored them both, but Nat had always been more interested in whatever her dad did. She was a daddy’s girl to a T.

"You found daddy's D20? You found daddy's D20, huh? How'd you even find that thing?" He excitedly asked, peppering her face with kisses.

“Daddy dice!” Natalie repeated, holding it up and pressing it into his cheek. Chrissy thought that Eddie would probably complain about that red mark on his face later, but she didn’t meddle in their interaction. It was far too sweet to interrupt.

“Ow, ow, okay. This isn’t for Daddy’s face,” He chuckled, taking the die out of her hand. “Jeez first you go bother mommy, now you wanna beat up on dad huh?” He blew raspberries into the crook of Nat’s neck, only encouraging her to scream louder. Chrissy’s eyes twitched as she fidgeted with her ear in response to the sound.

“If your concerts weren’t enough to make me deaf, Nat’s lungs will finally be the killer,” She affectionately scoffed.

“Sorry sweetheart,” Eddie apologized with an amused smile. Chrissy was unable to fight back a smile herself.

“I’m still setting up dinner, hun. Do you think you could show Nat how to play D&D while I get everything ready?” She came over and squeezed Eddie’s arm, then kissed his cheek.

"Of course, I can," Eddie grinned, shifting Natalie onto his hip.

"You hear that, Nat?" Eddie asked in a dramatic tone. "We're gonna show you the most important game ever invented."

He led her down the hallway towards his office. He flicked on the lights and placed Nat at his table.

“Go easy on her, Eddie! She can barely count to ten,” Chrissy called out between giggles, getting back to cooking dinner. She kept an ear out for her husband and daughter as she slowly stirred the pot on the stove.

“Don’t worry! I’m a dad, I know what I’m doing!” Eddie called back to his wife in the other room.

He then brought his attention over to his daughter who was looking at him with all the love in the world, but at the same time looking like she didn’t have a thought in her mind. He took a moment to admire her, the small human she was, who was a splitting image of him. Every time Chrissy told him Nat looked like him, he couldn’t help but feel immense pride. A joyful sigh escaped his lips before he spoke again.

“Okay Nat, what do you wanna be? A knight, a mage, or a princess?” He brushed her messy brown locks out of her eyes.

“Princess!” She squealed, patting her hands on the table.

"I don’t even know why I asked,” He shook his head, knowing it was his influence. He loved reading Natalie fairytales before bed. “A princess, huh? That's a very powerful choice. Alright babe, so your job is to be the most charming and gracious princess in all the land."

Eddie paused for a moment, wondering how much she'd understand. But he wanted to make this fun for her, even if she didn't grasp all the nuances of the game yet.

“Princess!” Natalie cheered. Eddie smirked at her misplaced enthusiasm.

“Okay Princess Natalie, you have stepped out of the kingdom to take a relaxing walk in the woods. There, you see a big, majestic deer. It has a pretty bad booboo on its foot, so do we help him or do we run away?”

Eddie sat back in his chair and looked at his little one. He admired what a good listener she was, always following her daddy. He hoped that this was going to be the start of their favorite bonding activity.

“Aww… Help him, daddy!” Natalie whined.

“I agree,” Eddie pointed to her with an impressed smile. He picked up the D4 and placed it in her hand. “So now we gotta roll the die and see how well we put a bandage on his booboo,”

Natalie threw it down on the table, causing Eddie to chase after it. She snickered as she watched him nearly fall out of his chair for it.

“Let’s see how you did, darling… A three! Not bad, baby. We gave the deer a big bandaid for his booboo,” He clapped and smiled. Natalie did the same.

Eddie gave his daughter a small pat on the head, his heart bursting with joy at her innocent reaction.

He continued the game, guiding Natalie through a small series of challenges as a princess. Each time, Natalie chose the good and friendly option, never straying from her kind-hearted nature. He couldn’t help but think fondly that she got that side of her from Chrissy and not her mischievous dad. Nat refused to fight every shady soul in the forest, so eventually Eddie gave up and gave her nonviolent quests only.

While Eddie loved seeing Natalie’s joy, a part of him couldn't help but wish she would think about the consequences of her actions. But he knew that would come with time, he just continued to play and have fun with his little princess.

Judging by the clinking in the kitchen, Eddie could tell Chrissy was just about finished with dinner so he quickly conjured up a happily ever after for his baby girl.

“Alright time to bring Princess Natalie back to her castle. How is she going to get home from the woods?” Eddie lowered his voice, trying to convey to his girl that this was a big finale.

“School bus!” Natalie demanded with her small finger pointed in the air.

“Oh-okay, school bus… in the woods. Sure, that sounds good,” He tried to hide his confusion from Nat. She had made a lot of strange decisions in her campaign, but somehow this one caught him off guard the most. “Roll a four or higher, little one,”

Nat picked up the die again and threw it. Eddie caught it expertly, knowing the general area she would throw it in by now.

“Let’s see, let’s see…” He squeezed his eyes closed then dramatically gasped. “A six! Congratulations, Princess Natalie, you have successfully retreated to the castle,” He threw his arms up in victory.

She raised her arms in response, her tiny voice crying out “Yay!”

“One of these days we’re going to have a way hardcore campaign, hm? You gonna be a DM like your daddy, huh?” Eddie asked her, getting silly nods in response. He picked her up, lifting her into his arms and carrying her close to his chest, "For now, let's go see what mommy cooked up for us. I think she has dinner ready,"

Once in the dining room, Eddie gently plopped Nat into her highchair, ensuring her chubby little legs were properly situated in it. Chrissy swooped in right behind him, setting a small plate of pre-cut food on Nat’s table.

“Hi, Princess Natalie. Did you take the school bus back to the castle?” She carefully brushed Nat’s hair back and tied her bib around her neck.

“Yeah,” Natalie said then babbled nonsense to her plastic toys that Chrissy had left her.

“You heard the whole thing, babe?” Eddie raised a brow and smirked before wrapping an arm around Chrissy’s waist.

“Yep. Unfortunately, it looks like Nat is gonna grow up loud like her daddy,” She took his cheeks in her hand and kissed his forehead before taking a seat.

Eddie followed with a mischievous grin. “Next mother’s day, I’ll be sure to get you some earplugs with your flowers,”

[hbyrde36]

Times Like These (The Anniversary Edition)

Chapter 1

Chapter 2: Hold Your Peace

WC: 4695 | AO3 link

“Are you sure you have it?”

At the sound of Chrissy’s voice Eddie’s eyes snapped open, though he didn’t exactly remember closing them. For some reason he was a bit more disoriented this time when he–

…This time?

There she stood in the middle of the room again. Chrissy—alive, and breathing, and beautiful, and…

Holy shit!

Was this really happening again? 

Had he, despite his own stupidity, earned another chance at redemption?  

In an instant he was across the room, placing gentle hands on either side of her face. She blinked up at him, eyes wide, too surprised at the gesture to move away. Eddie knew he only had a few precious moments until Vecna would take her again. There was no time to explain anything, but he had to ask the one simple question that’d been plaguing him since the beginning of the last loop.

The last loop. 

Jesus, he was really buying into this thing wasn’t he. Hard to deny it when the proof was standing right in front of him.  

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart, and I know this isn’t gonna make any sense right now, but I need you to humor me, okay? Can you tell me your favorite song? Please?” 

He wasn’t above begging. At this point he would do just about anything to not have to watch this poor girl die again in the most awful way imaginable. 

“Oh!” Chrissy squeaked, furrowing her brow and sputtering for a moment before answering, “We Belong? By P-P- Pat Benatar?”

She said it like a question, as if she were unsure that it was the right answer, but Eddie knew it had more to do with the odd circumstances of the situation at hand.

He smiled broadly, pleasantly surprised at the answer—surprised to have gotten an answer at all, really. He stroked a thumb across her cheek once, still in a bit of disbelief that she was real, and let his hands fall. 

“Pat Benatar, huh?” He said, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded to himself, already thinking furiously about how he was going to pull this off.  "Okay, yeah, I can work with that. Stay here, I’ll be right back.”

Eddie bounded to his bedroom, bypassing the black and red Warlock hanging from its place of honor on the wall, and instead grabbed for his old acoustic guitar that was sitting in the corner collecting dust. 

He rushed back out, unsurprised to find Chrissy already in the enemy’s thrall. As her feet slowly lifted off the ground he did his best to recall the song. It still played on the radio all the time but Pop-Rock wasn’t exactly his style, and he had a habit of switching stations whenever the ballad came on. He hummed out what little he could remember and strummed a few chords to get a feel for the notes, working in the few lyrics he knew as he tried to muddle through his own uniquely awful rendition of the song. 

He faltered for a second, almost dropping the guitar as her first limb bent back with an audible crack. He choked on a sob, but did his best to continue to sing and play through his tears and the tightening of his throat. 

It wasn’t working. He knew it wasn’t working but still he kept on. It was the only help he had to offer now, and on the off chance that she could hear him, he hoped it would give her some comfort to know she wasn’t alone in her last terrifying moments.

He didn’t stop until her lifeless body fell, landing hard on the carpet in front of him.

Eddie screamed his frustration wordlessly as he knelt down beside what was left of Chrissy Cunningham. A girl he had barely known, who he hadn’t shared more than two words with before all this shit started, but who he would give anything to be able to save. 

She’d done nothing wrong. She deserved to live, and selfishly he yearned for the opportunity to get to know her. They hadn’t shared much, a brief conversation at the picnic table that had mostly consisted of him goofing around to try and make her smile—to cheer her up because it’d been obvious to him right away that she was struggling with something. He thought they could be friends, given the opportunity. The Freak and The Cheerleader, weirder things had happened.  

“God.” Eddie gasped, gripping onto her hand that was already growing cold. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I didn’t do better. I… “ He trailed off, letting her hand go as he rose stiffly to his feet, rubbing aggressively at the wetness on his face.  

“Next time, I- I’ll learn the song if it kills me.” He let out a wry laugh at himself and the irony of his choice of phrase, looking back at her one last time before walking out the door. 

-

He’d promised Dustin that he would tell him as soon as possible about the loops, and briefly Eddie considered heading straight to the kid’s house. But, it was getting late. He didn’t want to scare Henderson’s mom, and truth be told he needed a little time to get his shit together anyway. 

Might as well let the little guy get one last good night’s sleep in before all hell broke loose.  

Eddie parked his van in the woods and walked the short distance from its hiding spot to Rick’s house, just as he had twice over, using the key under the mat to get inside. He knew he should probably get some rest himself, having not had more than a few scattered hours of sleep here and there in… christ, like two weeks now? 

Did sleep debt accumulate in a time loop or was the gauge on his fuel tank reset each time he went back? Not that it mattered, he was too keyed up and nervous about how in the hell he was going to explain all this to everyone tomorrow to sleep.  

Instead he tore through the drawers in Rick’s kitchen until he found a notebook and a pen, and spent the rest of the night writing down every single detail he could remember about what had happened, or would happen, over the next few days—committing it all to paper in case his nerves got the best of him and he forgot something important. 

At dawn he reluctantly moved to the boathouse. From all his time spent here so far he knew it was unlikely that anyone would notice him sneaking around, at least not until Jason and his goons showed up, but at this point he was running on autopilot and figured, better safe than sorry. 

Eddie paced inside the small shack restlessly until finally he heard them, voices outside, Dustin, Steve, and the others calling his name. This time when they approached the door he didn’t hide, he called out, “yeah, Henderson. It’s me… uh, come on in.”

Dustin barged right in at his reply, but was quickly pushed aside by Steve, moving past to get between him and Eddie. Max and Robin eased in behind them and closed the door.

Steve eyed him warily, taking on a protective stance, and Eddie couldn’t really blame the guy.

He also knew exactly how fucked up this was about to get, so he took a big step back and raised his hands, wiggling his fingers to show they were empty. No reason to make Steve more skittish than he already was. “See, Harrington? I’m unarmed.”

“I told you.” Dustin grumbled as he muscled his way past Steve, walking right up to Eddie and throwing his arms around him without hesitation.

It knocked the wind out of him in more ways than one. 

Eddie was a touchy guy by nature, always ruffling his friends’ hair, or throwing an arm over their shoulders, and it wasn’t like Dustin hadn’t hugged him before, but somehow this felt different.

He hadn’t even explained himself yet. Dustin had absolutely no proof of his innocence and yet here the kid was gripping him tight, face buried in his chest as he mumbled something that sounded like, “I’m so glad we found you, I know you didn’t do it.” 

There was also the fact that he’d died in this kid’s arms twice now, and Eddie was pretty sure he’d be hearing those heartbreaking cries in his dreams for the rest of his life, however long that might be. 

Eddie slowly lowered his hands as he kept eye contact with Steve, trying to convey with his eyes that he was okay, that he wasn’t going to hurt anyone.

“I’m glad you found me too, buddy,” He said, smiling sadly to himself as he patted Dustin’s back.

The kid pulled away a moment later, gesturing at everyone else. “Eddie, these are my friends Steve, Robin, and Max”

“Yeah,” Eddie snorted. It was funny enough to ease a bit of the tightness in his chest. Even if he hadn’t been through multiple rounds of hell with these people, Dustin had to realize he never shut up about them. ”Yeah, Henderson. I know who they are.”

Steve was looking at him apprehensively still, like he might snap at any minute. He wished he knew what to say to make the guy chill out. 

“No need to look so stressed, Steve. I swear, I didn’t–” Eddie paused, swallowing past the sudden lump in his throat, voice shaking when he went on. “I didn’t kill her.”

The feelings that he’d been swallowing back all night started to bubble to the surface as he thought about Chrissy, and he honestly wasn’t sure how he was going to do this without falling apart. 

“It’s okay.” Robin said, stepping out from behind Steve for the first time and approaching him. “We just want to know what happened.”

“We want to help.” Max added.

Eddie nodded absently, clearing his throat. “I know,” he said, and couldn’t help noticing how Robin and Steve shared a confused look at that. “And I'll tell you everything, I just, uh– I need a quick word with Dustin first? Alone.”

The kid tilted his head, but shrugged and motioned to the far corner. 

Before either of them could move, however, Steve stepped between them again. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

Dustin rolled his eyes. “Dude, come on! It’s fine. It’s just Eddie!”

Steve gave him an unimpressed look and assumed what Eddie had begun to think of as his– mom stance—hands on his hips accompanied by a disappointed glare. “I don’t see why he can’t say whatever it is he needs to say to you in front of all of us.”

“You’re being an asshole.” Dustin spat. “Eddie is my friend. He doesn’t know you, and maybe there’s something he doesn’t want to share with the whole class, hmm?” 

Steve pursed his lips, his face and body language making it clear that he had no intention of budging on this. “I’m sorry. I know it might seem harsh, but it’s my responsibility to protect you and I can’t do that if he’s keeping secrets.”

Eddie sighed heavily, this whole thing was already so fucking exhausting. 

He got where Steve was coming from. To him, Eddie Munson was still nothing more than The Freak. A drug dealing super-senior who regularly stood on lunch tables to perform tirades about the dangers of conformity. He didn’t know yet that they would come to trust and rely on each other in a way neither of them would have ever expected, Or, how Eddie had, against his better judgment, jumped into Lover’s Lake and helped save him from a swarm of Demobats– twice. Steve couldn’t know that they bonded a little when they were stuck in that awful place, or that before he died, Eddie had started to consider them friends.

He understood all of that, but it still sucked. 

“Fine, we’ll do it your way.” Eddie said, and plopped himself down on the floor. He was too tired to do this shit standing up.  

The others joined him, sitting in some semblance of a circle as Eddie began his tale. 

He started off easy, matter-of-factly telling the same old story about Chrissy approaching him to buy drugs, and how he hadn’t had what she was looking for on him, so they made arrangements to meet later after the game. He detailed most of what happened at the trailer, keeping the part about trying to play the song for her to himself for now. 

The silence was thick when he was done, and Eddie let it settle around him for a moment as he prepared for what he needed to say next. He saw Dustin open his mouth to speak and it gave him an idea about how to convince them of the truth.

“I know what you’re going to say,” Eddie said quickly, before the kid could get a word out.

“You really don’t. Look, you know how–”

Eddie cut him off. “Actually, uh, I do. Fuck… “ He trailed off and took a deep breath. “This is gonna be, like, really hard to believe, but I need you to let me say it– all of it, before you ask any questions. Okay?”

The foursome all turned, looking away from him for the first time since he’d started talking, to share a loaded look with each other. Eddie, on the other hand, only had eyes for Steve, knowing it was his approval he needed. That he would likely be the hardest to convince.  

“Okay.” Steve said with a little nod. 

Eddie dropped his eyes to the floor and let it all out in a rush. “I know all about the Upside Down. I know Will Byers was taken by a demogorgon in ‘83. I know about the mind flayer and Billy Hargrove, and that …something happened with Steve and Robin involving some Russians at the mall. Though honestly, I’m still waiting to get more details on that one.” He paused briefly, chancing a look up to see how everyone was taking his little monologue. 

“I know all these things because you told me, before.”

Steve looked absolutely livid, but the fire in his eyes wasn’t aimed at Eddie, it was Dustin he was staring daggers at. 

“Damnit, Henderson!” Steve shouted, running a hand through his hair roughly. “I can’t believe you told him all that stuff, man! You know we can’t do that! Think of the danger you put yourself in by blabbing, not to mention the danger you put Eddie in by telling him! I mean, shit! Did you not stop to consider what sort of threats were included in those NDAs we all signed?”

Eddie was more than a little taken aback by Steve’s apparent worry for his safety. 

“I’m touched by the concern, Harrington. Really I am, but Henderson didn’t tell me all that stuff until I was already involved. You all told me things.” Eddie hesitated, raking a hand down his face. This was getting messy, he needed to just spit it out. “I… I’m stuck in a time loop. I’ve lived last night and the next few days twice over now. This is my third go-around.”

He slipped the little notebook that he’d filled from cover to cover out of his pocket, and tossed it to Dustin, who caught it clumsily.

“When I got here last night, I wrote it all down. Everything that’s going to happen. Well, the stuff I was there for at least.” Eddie chewed nervously on his thumbnail, darting his gaze to each of them in turn and taking in their disbelieving looks.

“I know this is crazy, and you probably don’t believe me, but I swear it’s the truth. I didn’t tell anyone last time until near the end because–” He stopped abruptly, blowing out a long breath. If he told them what he’d really thought they’d think he was certifiable for sure. “Because, I honestly wasn’t sure what the hell was going on. I told you, Dustin, at the last minute and you made me promise to tell you again as soon as possible if I got another chance. So here I am, telling you.”

A long moment went by where no one spoke, and Eddie was sure that he had botched this whole thing. There was no way they believed him. He still had Henderson’s family secret in his back pocket, and he’d pull it out if he had to, but not in front of all of them.

“What resets the loop, Eddie?” Dustin asked suddenly—quietly, a slight quiver to his voice. 

Eddie looked the kid in the eye and knew without a doubt that not only did he believe him about the loops, but he had already done the math, figured out the catch. Too smart for his own good sometimes, really, but in this case it was almost a relief. As much as he would have liked to protect Dustin from this particular truth, there was no way around it. 

“I died.” Eddie said, eyes falling once again to the floor, unable to face Dustin as he confirmed his suspicion. 

“We go into the Upside Down to fight the bad guy, and I die. Then, I open my eyes and I’m back in my trailer, minutes before Chrissy gets attacked.”

Dustin said nothing else in response, quiet in a way Eddie had never seen. Max and Robin just looked like they wanted to throw up, and Steve looked skeptical, obviously gearing up to argue, or at the very least ask some follow up questions. Which was fair, he supposed.

Before Steve could so much as open his mouth though, Dustin shoved the notebook in his face.

“You read it first, Steve. Just give him a chance.”

“Fine.” Steve said, snatching the book out of Dustin’s hands and cracking it open, taking one last hard look at Eddie before starting to read through it. 

As Steve read, Eddie could almost see the animosity draining out of him. The scowl that had been stuck on his face since arrival smoothed out into a concerned frown, and worry lines appeared at the corner of his eyes. It was a good sign, but as the other boy turned the final page, an awful thought occurred to Eddie, and he realized he’d made a huge mistake. 

“Wait. Steve, stop. I think I fucked up here.” Eddie said, wringing his hands. “I shouldn’t–I shouldn’t have told you any of this. Not yet.”

“Wait, what?!” Dustin shouted. 

“Why?” Steve asked.

“I swore to Chrissy that I would save her, I have to go back. I have to–” He cut himself off leaving the word unsaid. “I shouldn't have burdened you all with this shit, not when I knew I had to do it all over again. I just… I wasn’t thinking. I promised Dustin right as–”

Steve cut him off mid-spiral, scooting across the floor to sit in front of him. 

“Eddie, man. Listen, I understand, believe me I do.” Steve paused, fidgeting with the notebook with one hand while reaching out with the other to place it tentatively on Eddie’s shoulder, and even through all his layers of clothes he could feel the other boy's warmth sink into him.

“You said you know about what happened to Will in ‘83, but what you might not know is… that same year Nancy’s friend Barb was also taken by a Demogorgon. She– died in my pool, the Upside Down version of it anyway. She died on my watch and-” Steve hesitated, taking a deep breath before going on. 

“I get the kind of guilt you must be feeling right now, okay? I lived it– am still living it, but if we have the chance to save you and kill whoever this Vecna creep is? We should take it. What if this loop thing has a limit? What if this time you don’t get to come back? Do you know what that would do to us when we’ll know we could have saved you?!”

Eddie couldn’t help feeling a certain way about Steve sharing that with him. In all the days, and repeats of days, that they’d spent together so far, it was the first time the other boy had told him that story. 

“I get what you’re saying, Steve. Shit, it’s pretty much the same thing I'm trying to say. I'm sorry that happened to you, but tell me something, and be honest. If you had even the slightest chance to go back and save Barb, even at your own risk, wouldn’t you take it?”

Steve’s eyes, which had hardened again in frustration by the end of his own speech, softened as he took in Eddie’s words. He gave a single reluctant nod of agreement and squeezed his shoulder before letting go. Eddie missed the contact immediately. 

“But you can’t! That’s like, suicide!” Dustin screeched, probably feeling a little, or a lot betrayed by Steve taking his side. 

“Not if I plan on coming back it's not. Sorry, Henderson, I know you don’t like it, but this is my choice, alright? I’m not leaving Chrissy behind. End of story.”

“B-b- but...” the kid sputtered.

“Stop.” Steve cut in. “He’s right, Dustin. I hate it, but it’s his decision. This thing is happening to him, and even if we want to help, we have to respect that and hope we get another do-over.” Steve sighed, turning his attention back to Eddie.

“So, how do you wanna do this?” He asked, looking deep into his eyes, the air between them suddenly impossibly heavy. 

Because Steve knew what was coming now. 

He’d just finished reading about all the fucked up shit that was about to happen and now he was looking to Eddie for direction. Jesus H. Christ, he was really regretting not thinking this through, because the only answer he had was to do nothing… keep everything the same to make sure that the outcome was the same, and that meant putting them all through the ringer. It meant Steve getting hurt, nearly drowning, nearly dying– again.  

“I know it’s not fair to ask this, now that you’ve read that.” Eddie said, gesturing at the little notebook still resting in Steve's hand. “but I think the best thing to do– the only thing to do, is to let things happen the way they have been for now. Not tell the others, keep it between the five of us.”

“I’ve been through worse.” Steve shrugged, seemingly unbothered save for a tightness around his eyes that Eddie might have missed if he wasn’t paying attention. 

“Besides, if it works we won’t remember any of it anyway, right?” He continued. “And then we can finish this for good. You save Chrissy, and we’ll save you.”

“If you're sure.” Eddie said, offering him an out. If Steve really didn't want to do this he wouldn’t force him, he could always try and find another way to… cause the reset.

“Yeah, I'm sure.”

-

Dustin continued to argue with both of them for a while, but now that Steve was on his side Eddie knew that was it. Eventually the kid quieted down, accepting the fact that he wasn’t going to change anyone’s mind. 

As the others prepared to leave, knowing they needed to find Nancy and Lucas to let them know the Upside Down was back, and maybe try calling the Byers in California, Steve lagged behind, using giving the notebook back to Eddie as an excuse. 

“Do you need anything?”

“Might be a long shot, but could you get me a walkman and a Pat Benatar tape?”

Steve pursed his lips, thinking, but it only took him a moment to put it together.

“Chrissy’s favorite song?” He asked.

“Yeah. I went into it this time knowing I had a second with her before the attack, so I asked. I did try—to play it for her, I mean. I didn’t have the tape, it’s not exactly my type of music, y’know? I'd heard the song once or twice though, so I gave it a go on my guitar, but it wasn’t good enough.”

Steve gave him a small sympathetic smile. “Robin likes Pat Benatar too, and I actually have a few of her tapes in the car. Headphones too, but how will that help? You won’t still have it with you after–”

“No, but I learn a lot of songs by ear. if I listen to it over and over again now while I can, when the loop restarts I should be able to play it for her, get her out like you’ll do for Red.”

Steve raised his eyebrows and actually looked a little impressed. “You’re-” He cut himself off, as if changing what he was about to say at the last second. “You’re not anything like I thought you’d be.”

Eddie let out his first genuine laugh in far too long. It looked like they'd be doing the same song and dance every time. Of all the things he had to repeat, getting to know the real Steve was the one thing he didn’t mind. 

“Right back at ya big boy.” Eddie said, throwing Steve a wink before he went back out to his car.

-

Eddie listened to the song dozens of times over the following days, concentrating on learning every single word and note as a distraction from everything else that was happening around him. 

He was worried at first, when he was finally brought into the fold with the others who weren’t privy to the conversation in the boathouse. But Steve was true to his word. Neither he or Dustin, Robin, or Max, said anything about Eddie’s predicament, and he never once complained or so much as gave Eddie a dirty look, even when he was grabbed by those vines and dragged through the lake, down and out the other side. He did catch Dustin giving him a few sideways looks here and there, but the kid said nothing. 

Eddie was grateful for that. He didn’t exactly want to die. He certainly wasn’t looking forward to feeling the bats gnawing on his skin again, and he didn't need any outside influence making him lose his nerve when they were so close to the end.  

When the time came, Eddie considered not cutting the rope. It wasn't like it stopped Dustin the first or second time, not to mention that he hurt his leg dropping down from the hole without it, but what if that small delay was the only thing that kept the kid safe? It wasn’t worth it, just in case. If something went wrong he could live with, or rather, die with knowing Dustin would suffer only a sprained ankle and not something worse. 

It was a bit more difficult this time to find the will to fight so hard against the oncoming hoard, when all he wanted was for it to be over so he could see if the third time would be the charm, but he was too worried that any deviation from what he knew would change things. Maybe he had to die in just the right place, at just the right time, to set things in motion to send him back.

So he ran, and he fought, and he bled, and found that the pain didn’t bother him quite so much anymore. He was getting used to it. 

It might have been his imagination but Dustin’s limp looked more pronounced this time as he approached Eddie’s broken body. He felt horrible for causing this kid, his friend, so much suffering.

Dustin fell to his knees next to Eddie and began to sob uncontrollably, and for the millionth time Eddie wished he could somehow spare him this. He could only hope that the loop would start over again and no one but him would have to remember.

“Don’t cry, buddy. Please.” Eddie forced out around the blood filling his mouth. “I’m gonna fix it.” He coughed, struggling to take his final breaths.

“I love you, man.” Eddie said. 

Dustin bowed his head. “I love you too.”

Chapter 3

Thanks to @penny00dreadful for being the best beta, friend and cheerleader.

Reblogs are always appreciated and if you want to be tagged, just let me know! I'd be more than happy to do so 💜

Taglist: @hitlikehammers @pearynice @cranberrymoons @thoroughlycollected @blubblesandink @finntheehumaneater @brbsoulnomming @estrellami-1 @hellion-child @mentallyundone @manda-panda-monium @spicysix @kikidoesfanfic @dreamwatch @lawrencebshoggoth @stillfullofshit

[xoxo-sarah]

I Wanna Be Yours || Part 11

Part 10 | part 12

↝a/n: I feel out of love with this series after chapter 4, if you can't already tell by the effort I put into the chapters after. I refuse to just scrap it through. Also ⚠️ I need help on picking a song for this fic. I have been listening to different songs from the 80's to see which one should be reader's favorite, but then I had the idea that I could just use the song that this story was based off of (since the series kinda went off the tracks with the original plan). I Wanna Be Yours by Artic Monkey's is a good song and I could make it work. Obviously it wasn't released in the 80's but this is fiction anyway, so it doesn't really matter. Should I continue looking for better songs or use I Wanna Be Yours?⚠️ Your opinion would be highly appreciated 🩷

↝pairing: Robin Buckley x fem!Wheeler!reader

↝Warning: not proofread, possible spoilers, cannon events, nosebleed, flashback of flashback from chapter 3, pining, cursing, not proofread

↝⎙ 7.30.24

“Couldn’t we have tried a road, or something just slightly less creepy?” Robin and Nancy were walking ahead of you, treading through the dead forest of the Upside Down. Steve and Eddie were a little behind you, deep in conversation.

“I think we’re getting close. We’re out of here. Don’t worry.” Robin nodded at Nancy’s reply, before falling in step with you, leaving Nancy to lead the way.

You weren’t sure why she fell in step with you. You hadn’t said a word since the mini earthquake. “Feel any better?”

You cleared your throat, “Yeah, I guess.”

“I would say you need to eat something, but I highly doubt the food in the pantry would taste any good.” You couldn’t help but crack a smile, appreciating her trying to lighten the mood.

You decided to play along, “I don’t know, there might be some saltines.”

Before Robin could reply, the ground shook again. You feel the opposite way of each other, where you had landed harshly against a tree. You felt the pain shoot through your shoulder, through your arm to your fingertips.

“Okay, second on my list of least favorite things: earthquakes. Seriously, I’m unsteady enough as it is.” Robin seethed, looking up in time to watch Nancy run off. “Nancy! Where are you going?”

Looking up, you mentally cursed your sister and the thoughts her brain came up with. As soon as the ground stopped shaking, you all ran after Nancy, yelling out for her.

You ran until you found her, overlooking your neighborhood. “Come on.” She walked forward, toward your house.

It was weird, seeing your house standing. The water of Lover’s lake was dried up, trees dead, but your house stood, surrounded by the dried out version of the trees you, Nancy, and Mike would play in as kids.

Nancy took a deep breath before opening the front door.

“Ew,” You stepped over the vines littering every inch of the house.

“Might be time to get a maid, Wheeler.” Robin stepped beside you, watching her next step.

“Come on, I don’t want to stay here longer than we have to.” You followed Nacy up the stairs, falling back as they made their way to her room.

Steve turned back half way up the stairs, looking into the living room, but you paid him no mind.

Your door to your room creaked open. You set your eyes upon your room. The same tacky paint laid on the walls, pure nostalgia. It was from your childhood, which you covered up when you hit sophomore year. The memory of you and Chrissy played in your mind.

She spent so much of your friendship trying to get you to open up- to be yourself. ANd you couldn't even get her to open up about what was bothering her. You could’ve asked.

“The way he looked at you!” Chrissy continued to gush, kicking her feet in a 'schoolgirl' way. She stared up at you with her head in her hands, laying on her stomach. Homework was long forgotten.

“He looks at everyone like that.” Rolling your eyes, you turned back to your dresser, looking in the top drawer for a certain shirt you were meant to have worn the day before. You were pretty sure Nancy had stolen it at this point. Wouldn't have been the first shirt that had just wound up missing just for you to see either in Nancy's clothes basket or on her. “I saw him look at Mrs. O'Relle and I thought he was going to combust. He's just a naturally flirty guy. I don't even think he realizes it most of the time."

“Oh, okay. Yeah.” With her tone and the smile on her face, it was obvious she didn't believe a word you said.

After closing the drawer harder than you meant to, you turned, glaring at the girl. “Anyway… I don't like him.”

You regretted the way you said 'him' as soon as it rolled off your tongue. But you tried to play it off cool. However, she didn't.

“So there's another guy!” You were quick to shush her, with it being night and Holly had already been put to bed and the fact you did not want your parents or siblings knowing anything about your love life. “Sorry.” She moved to sit up, watching as you sat on the edge of the mattress. “So…?”

“So what?”

“What's so special about this guy?” She said it as if you were stupid for asking.

“Nothing. Well, not like-” Closing your mouth, you couldn't find the words. Your eyes danced around your room, taking in the tacky paint from your childhood that you have yet to cover up. “He's different.” No matter how much she tried for you to meet her eye, yours stayed glued to the wall In front of you.

After a few moments of silence, you glanced over, her face telling you to continue. Her smile was so sweet, happy for you.

“He's nice.” She. She's nice. But Chrissy didn't need to know that. This is the first time you've told her about anyone you have ever fancied in the 5 years you two have been the best of friends. She was over the moon. “He's smart. He looks good in blue or green.” Chrissy noticed the way your lip twitched into a small smile at the thought of this mystery 'man'.

“What does he look like?”

“Light-brown hair, blue eyes.” You began fiddling with your nightshirt. “Tall. Taller than me, at least. Uh,” You glanced back over, not wanting to be telling her this anymore. Sure, you've wanted to tell someone how you felt, how a girl you barely talk to could make you feel all kinds of giddy without meaning to. But this was too much. “Actually, I don't want to talk about this anymore. If you don't mind.”

Before she could reply, you clicked your lamp off, leaving you to get under the blankets in the dark.

Robin's nice. She's smart. She looks good in blue or green. She had light-brown hair and pretty blue eyes. She is taller than you. She is beautiful. She is someone you couldn't even admit to liking to your closest friend.

You know Chrissy would never judge you or make you feel less than, but it was just different. It always would be. Sadly.

“He sounds nice, like someone you should admit your feelings to.” Chrissy spoke up after a moment of silence, of which you had stared above you, darkness blocking the color of the ceiling. You nearly scoffed at her words. But you settled on humming in agreement, or maybe just to satisfy her.

…

Chrissy was never one to judge.

The worst things always happen to the best people.

“Y/n?” You heard Nancy yell, frustration clear in her tone. Scrolling out of your room, you leaned against the doorframe, the pain in your shoulder slightly subsiding. “‘83, the year Will went missing.” Nancy stared at you, “We’re stuck in the past.”

“I’ve noticed.” you deadpanned, growing frustrated at the whole thing. “I don’t know why you're looking at me like that. It’s not like I have access to Vecna’s brain and know everything about this stupid place and stupid vines, and this stupid shit flying around in the air.”

You frantically waved around you, the bits flying around you, like a fly that keeps annoying you, getting on your last nerve- “Wheeler, hey, chill out, yeah?” Eddie stepped forward, bringing his hand to your shoulder. You instinctually recoiled, not wanting him to touch it and make it begin to hurt again. You put your arms back down at your sides, looking up at them. Their looks of confusion turned to concern. You felt your nose running. Blood coated your fingertips when you went to rub at where something wet was leaking onto your top lip.

“Dustin? Dustin!” Steve yelled from somewhere else in the house. You waved them off when they hesitated to leave as you tried cleaning up your nose. You grabbed the nearest dark clothing in Nancy’s room before going after them. “Dustin! Can you hear me, Dustin?” Steve frantically circled the kitchen and dining area. “Dus-Hello? Hel-Hello?!”

“Maybe he really does have rabies.”

Nancy ignored Robin, watching with concern, “Steve, what are you doing?”

Steve swung around, shining the flashlight into everyone’s eyes. “He’s here; Henderson. That little shit, he’s here. He’s like…He’s in the walls or something. Just listen.” He put his hand up, motioning for you to be quiet and listen. “Dustin. Dustin! Dustin, can you hear me?”

You could faintly hear Dustin’s voice, leading to everyone yelling out for him. STeve took a break, “Alright, either this kid can't hear us or he’s being a total douchebag.”

“Will found a way.”

“What?” Steve turned to Nancy.

“Will,” Nancy realized, staring up at Steve, “He found a way to speak to Joyce through the lights.” “Lights?” He trailed behind, watching as she tried to flick the lightswitch.

“You okay?” Eddie shoulder cheeked the one that wasn’t hurting, making sure to be gentle. You sniffed, “Yeah, it stopped bleeding.”

He pursed his lips, “ ‘m not talking about your nose. You about had a meltdown up there.”

“Sorry,” Your voice was only a whisper.

“No need to apologize. Shit is about to make me breakdown, too.”

“It’s all so much. There might not even be anything we can do.”

Eddie watched as you ranted. He knew you weren’t the talking type, much less the venting type. But he knew you hadn’t had time to properly grieve. He knew you wouldn’t give yourself time to do so until they figured out more about Vecna. You would burst at any moment, and they would only be able to watch as you did.

Robin watched your face, slowly watching as you crumbled more and more throughout this week. You didn’t deserve Vecna’s curse, she knew that for sure.

Steve spoke, “Guys, you seeing this?” You turned toward him, following where he pointed his flashlight at the light fixture hanging from the ceiling. The bulbs glowed, flickering a little. Particles swirled around like dust in the air. The bulbs sparked as you stepped closer. Nancy raised her hand, moving it to the sparkling particles. It was so much prettier when it was glowing and not in your face.

“Woah,” Eddie stared in awe.

You could still hear Dustin’s voice.

Steve raised his hand, doing the same as Nancy had. Soon, you all had your hand up, gawking.

“It…tickles.” Steve drew his eyebrows together.”

“It kinda feels good.”

Eddie smiled at Robin in agreement.

Nancy jerked her hand back, “Does anyone know morse code?”

“No,” you all shook your heads.

“Wait, does S.O.S count?” Nancy looked at Eddie, “Is that…is that good?”

By now, the only people who haven’t taken their hands away were you and Robin. Your hand tingled as you looked over at her, a slight smile on your lips. Although the rest of the upside down was dark and gloomy and gross, the lights lit up her face a little. It showcased her cheekbones, the tip of her nose, and her chin. Her eyes left her hand, catching your eyes. Even though the light didn’t illuminate her eyes, you could make out the specks of blue and green. Your eyelids half-blinked, too scared that if you fully closed your eyes, even for a second, that Robin would disappear or look away.

“Excuse me, ladies.” Eddie stepped forwards after talking to Steve and Nancy, explaining the plan. You had pulled your hand back as soon as he stepped closer, as if you had gotten caught. Robin had a hard time watching as you did so. Were you too scared to simply be seen holding eye-contact with her? She could hide her disappointment easily, she thought, atleast.

You had gotten through to Dustin on the other side. Now, you all kneeled on the side of Nancy’s bed. The kids had the idea to get Holly’s Lite-Brite, and communicate with that, as they kneeled in the same place in the other dimension.

“Okay,” Dustin yelled to be heard, “You guys seeing this?” Nancy raised her hand, the same light radiating in the particles.

Dustin’s cackle could be heard, before he said that they were unplugging it. As everyone stared in awe, you caught something- someone- in your peripheral. Robin smiled at the image in front of her. All frustration dissipated in your body. Your shoulders relaxed. Even if you were on the edge about Vecna and his cures, as long as Robin kept smiling, it would be okay. Maybe that was a delusional way of thinking but it made it all easier. Or maybe spending your last moments staring into her eyes makes it less scary. Your last moments don't matter- not when Max is in the same boat as you Blinking back to reality, you heard Dustin yelling, “We think Watergate isn’t the only gate. That there’s a gate at every murder site.”

“Does anybody understand what he’s talking about?” Nancy questioned, watching as everyone shook their heads. She wrote a question mark in the dust, waiting for an answer.

“Seriously?! How many times do I have to be right on the money before you trust me?” Dustin’s frustration was clear as day. Steve sighed, “Jesus Christ, this kid’s gotta get his ego in check.”

“It’s his tone, right?” Eddie leaned over, agreeing with Steve.

“I know.”

Nancy ignored the boys, like she has been doing this whole time. “So, how far is your trailer?”

You felt your blood run cold. No way you had to go to the place Vecna had sucked the life out of your best friend.

“Seven miles.”

The rest of the conversation went over your head, your only thought being Chrissy. Unknowingly to you, someone was watching you, sympathy in their pretty eyes.

It was so easy for everyone to forget that you were going through something. Even if they noticed how odd, quiet, and distance you became, they didn;t make it a priority to ask. Robin noticed- the headaches, nose bleeds, the distant look in your eyes- she noticed it all. There was a checklist in her head of your symptoms and she didn’t like how it was looking. You flinched when you felt something graze your knuckles. Looking down, you noticed Robin's hand beside yours, palm open for comfort. Your eyes shot up to hers, to find that she was looking away, acting like she wasn’t trying to silently comfort you. Robin had to fight back a grin as she felt your hand slip into yours.

Your eyes were trained on the gate in Eddie’s trailer's roof. It’s like you were in a trance. The pulsing red pulling you in, but at the same time, keeping you glued to your spot. “This is where Chrissy died. Like, right right where she died.” Eddie broke the silence, grimacing at the memory.

“Jessica?!” Chrissy stopped painting her toenails, fixing her back and gawking up at you. “The one everyone thought the Steve Harrington boy was going to end up with?” Your lips formed a thin line. You and Jessica had talked about the rumors. The two of them hadn’t even interacted much, only interacting as much as you had to with the other people in your grade. Jessica thought the rumors were funny, you not so much.

“Yeah, safe to say she’s not his type.”

Chrisst bit her cheek in amusement. “So,” She went back to hunching over her knees, beginning to paint her nails once again. “Are you together now or…?”

Your movements stopped, frozen in thought until you closed the nail polish bottle in your hand. “I don’t know, i mean” Sure, you liked her, but it was all fun in games. It was just complicated. Jessica was pretty, nice, witty, but it always felt like something was missing. Her touch was nice, her green eyes were pretty, her pink lips felt soft, but it wasn't what you pictured when you fell asleep. Her lips weren’t what you yearned for. “What we have is fun, but…” Your voice trailed off. Chrissy gave you a sympathetic look, finishing your thought for you, “She’s not Robin.”

•© 2021-2024 by xoxo-sarah on Tumblr•

• My work is not to be translated, copied, modified, and/or reposted on any other site without my permission. [!I don't give permission!]

🫧 Taglistׂׂ ૢ ~ @overtrred28 @ihatepeanutss @jovana1234578 @dobbycarl @kyleeservopoulos @marirxse @ch-3-rry

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

The Right Place in Time

Summary: What if Steve was in the woods with Chrissy and Eddie getting weed for his headaches?

@disrespectedgoatman @estrellami-1 @darkrose517 @panicatthediaz @mandriice @nightmareglitter

Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six - Chapter Seven - Chapter Eight - Chapter Nine - Chapter Ten - Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Eddie's POV

Jesus H Christ! He buried his face into Chrissy's neck as they drove back to the Byers. It was completely quiet. The only sound was Steve fingers tapping against the steering wheel. Even Dustin was quiet in the back seat. Lucas chose to ride with Wayne and Max. Chrissy had her feet in Steve's lap again so that she was touching him. Eddie was pretty sure they were all shaking. He never wanted to see Red like that again. He remembered the first time he really talked to her and how she was sitting on the steps of her trailer, trying to act like she hadn't been crying. He approached cautiously, but she still looked skittish.

"Just because we listen to the same music doesn't mean that we are the same," Eddie had said and paused. "Not to speak ill of the dead or anything."

"Wouldn't have anything nice to say about him anyway. . .except for the fact that he saved my friend's life in the fire," Max said. "How do you know?"

"He brought you once to pick up his drugs. You were asleep. I thought it was shitty of him to leave you sleeping in the car without rolling down any of the windows. Didn't say anything, though. One look from that dude scared me shitless," Eddie told her and paused again. "You can still hate him for what he did, you know? One good thing doesn't necessarily erase all the bad. It would take a lot more good things to do that. Holding onto that hate, though? Means he wins, he got under your skin. If you ever decide to forgive him, it should be on your terms. . .not on his."

"Aren't you a thousand year old senior? How the hell are you so smart?" Max said, and Eddie had laughed. "My mom is snoring. I think she's asleep. She drinks a lot, I hate it when she drinks."

Eddie let her know then that they kept the door unlocked, so if she had ever wanted a place to hide out at their place, it was available, as was Granny Ecker's. After that, Wayne would walk out of the trailer for a "smoke break" whenever she did come over and would clean up her mom so she wouldn't have to. Both Max and Eddie knew immediately what he was up to. Like his uncle, apparently, Eddie was a sucker for lost sheep, and Max Mayfield was a lost sheep. He wasn't going to lose her.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Chrissy's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Max," Eddie said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Me too," Chrissy said.

"We're going to stop this bastard," Steve said, his voice thick as well.

Eddie glanced at him, and he could tell Steve was seconds away from crying. He placed his hand on the back of Steve’s neck and watched as he leaned back into his touch. Steve sighed as Eddie caressed the back of his neck. When they pulled into the driveway, Wayne was pulling in behind them, which was crazy because he had left with Max first. The explanation came when Max climbed out with Lucas, licking an ice cream cone. Eddie raised an eyebrow at his uncle.

"What? She was upset. When you're upset, you get an ice cream cone," Wayne said. "I don't make the rules, son."

"If you wanted an ice cream cone, you should have gotten possessed by an evil wizard," Max shrugged and stuck her tongue out at Eddie.

She was still shakey and pale, but Eddie could tell the ice cream was helping. He laughed and ruffled her hair before walking back into the house. Of course, Gareth opened his mouth to complain about the ice cream, but when he saw the serious look on Eddie's face, he stopped.

"Shit. What happened?" Gareth asked.

Eddie gave them the rundown on what happened, and Gareth cursed.

"You okay, Red?" Jeff asked, and Max shrugged. "Yeah, I get that."

"So, now what?" Frank asked.

"Now, we wait until the others get back," Wayne said. "Decide what we're going to do next."

They waited for them in a tense but comfortable silence. Max was finishing her ice cream while leaning against Wayne's arms. Eddie smiled softly. It was nice that Max had an adult to lean on, and Wayne was a good parental figure to have around. The secret knock came a few moments later, and the others came into the house.

"I'm just thankful I'm back in my own clothes again," Robin said.

"You definitely look a lot better," Vickie said with a grin. "Very se - oh!"

Chrissy had gotten up and thrown herself into Vickie's arms, hugging her tightly.

"What happened?" Nancy asked.

"Vecna tried to come after Max," Steve scowled. "Luckily, she had her Walkman with her."

"Yes, you were right about the music connection, Wayne," Nancy said.

"Pretty smart for a Munson," Wayne said proudly.

"Probably the smartest in the room, I'd say," Max said, and Nancy laughed.

"Hey!" Eddie exclaimed. "You're lucky you get a pass, Red."

"Vecna is definitely the one who killed Victor Creel's family. He went after Victor's trauma from World War 2, and from the way Victor described it, his family was killed exactly the way Fred was," Nancy shivered, and Vickie squeezed her shoulder.

"Why the hell is he doing this?" Frank asked.

"Do you think maybe he's trying to get into our world from the Upside Down?" Dustin asked with a frown.

"You think he's possibly using people to form gateways?" Nancy asked.

"Maybe," Dustin shrugged.

"When Barb disappeared, it was quick. I didn't even hear her scream. She was sitting by the pool, and then she was gone. He could have used her to open a gate," Nancy said. "And then a demogorgon dragged her in the Upside Down. I never wanted to look at Steve's pool after that so I didn't."

"You think he's been trying to get out since then," Dustin said.

"Wait, what about in 84? Why didn't he try to get out then too? When the sickness was spreading and the demodogs created those tunnel things?" Steve asked.

"Maybe it wasn't big enough," Dustin said.

"Shit," Nancy cursed.

"What?" Eddie asked.

"No, it's a stupid theory," Nancy said.

"There's nothing stupid here, darling," Wayne encouraged. "Go on."

"I think it's possible that he might be trying to bring the Upside Down into Hawkins," Nancy said. "Make this place his own or maybe build it for El. That's what the Mind Flayer said before. That he wanted to build it for her."

"Shit," everyone cursed, and they went silent as it sunk in.

"When exactly did he get trapped in the Upside Down?" Frank asked.

"Does it matter?" Lucas asked.

"It does!" Nancy and Dustin said together.

"El never told us how she escaped Hawkins Lab," Dustin said.

"Because she doesn't remember," Max replied.

"Exactly. She was weak and disoriented, which meant that she had already used her powers. It had to be something big," Dustin said.

"Like trapping someone in the Upside Down?" Nancy asked.

"I think. . .I think he might have been trying to use Barb and Will to open the gates, or maybe they were his first expiriments," Dustin said.

"No, because Will was being kept alive, remember?" Nancy said. "And then Barb was killed. He didn't need her."

"Okay, so he needed Will alive. Why?" Dustin asked.

"I don't know," Nancy said.

"Maybe he's trying to build an army," Eddie said.

"Could be. For El, maybe?" Dustin asked. "Like a weird twisted way of courting her?"

"No, I think it's her power he admires," Nancy said.

"She doesn't have any powers," Max said. "Not anymore."

"Maybe not now. Has anyone tried calling the Byers?" Nancy asked.

"Tried calling them when we were at Steve's, but I didn't get a hold of them. Joyce has that telemarketing job, so she keeps the line pretty busy," Dustin said.

"Well, we'll wait until night fall, and then we'll check out Lover's Lake," Nancy said. "Check and see if there's a gate. There are trees so it would be more secluded than the parking lot."

"How would we check for a gate in Lover's Lake?" Jeff asked.

Dustin grinned and pulled out a compass. Eddie drowned out Dustin's explanation as he went over everything in his head. If this fucker was as powerful as they said he was, how the fuck were they supposed to defeat them without superpowers? Holy shit. Has it really been only like two days since he met Steve and Chrissy in the woods. It felt like a lifetime ago. Fuck. They both took his hands in his, as if reading his mind. All of this was just happening way to his fast.

Chapter Thirteen

[astorytotellyourfriends]

"I can't let you back on the road in that fire hazard," Eddie says, huffing with laughter. "If there was a mechanic's code, I'd be breaking it." A giggle slips out of Chrissy's mouth before she can stop it. "Is it really that bad?" "Yep," Eddie replies, nodding his head as he sucks his teeth. "It's really that bad." "Well…" Chrissy feels a little thrill of confidence flow through her as she smiles at him, "...then I guess we're even after all."

happy one year anniversary to chapter 1 of if we don't leave this town, we might never make it out 🍾

i loved writing this fic so much and i miss this little universe i created all the time, so i thought what better way to honor the anniversary than to give you guys a little peek at what life's like for Eddie and Chrissy a few months after the last chapter ends. i hope you enjoy 💛

when we begin again

The roar of an engine and the crunch of gravel outside of the garage doesn’t startle Chrissy like it used to. She’s long grown used to all the ambient noise that she hears on a daily basis from Eddie’s garage, even with the door to the office closed. There’s only so much sound that the simple wood can muffle, but it’s okay. Chrissy doesn’t feel the constant need to look over her shoulder anymore.

Sure, sometimes when she and Eddie are out somewhere she’ll get that tingly feeling on the back of her neck that makes her anxiety rise and she can’t help but fear that someone is watching her, but Eddie’s always there to keep her grounded. To protect her.

He makes her feel safe in a way she never thought possible. And yeah, sometimes she wonders if maybe she relies on him a little too much, but it’s only been a few months. She’s still healing, emotionally speaking anyway, and someday she’ll really learn to stand on her own two feet.

Still, having a safety net isn’t such a bad thing.

The door to the office creaks open - Eddie refuses to grease the hinges because it always announces his (and anyone else’s) presence so there’s never a worry of someone sneaking up on Chrissy when she has her back turned - and Chrissy looks over her shoulder to find Eddie rocking back and forth on his heels, fighting a large smile.

“What?” she asks with a laugh, staring at him curiously as she slowly gets up from the desk.

“I have a surprise for you.”

Chrissy tilts her head, feeling excited but nervous as to what this surprise could be. If it was another mixtape, he would’ve just waltzed right into the office and plunked it into the stereo already. It can’t be a meal, given that it’s the middle of the afternoon, but Chrissy can’t seem to come up with another idea of what he could possibly be surprising her with.

“What is it?”

Eddie extends his hand, his palm wiped clean of the streaks of grease that continue from the wrist up, and Chrissy doesn’t even think to hesitate before she takes it.

He leads her out of the office and through the garage, to the bay at the far end that she could’ve sworn was empty this morning after Mrs. Henderson came to pick up her Buick the day before. Whatever car is sitting in its place is much smaller than that, but Chrissy can’t tell what it is because it’s covered by a tarp.

“Stand right… here,” Eddie says as he gently guides Chrissy to stand right at what she assumes is the front end of the car, “and close your eyes.”

“Eddie…”

“Just for a little while,” he promises with a soft kiss to her cheek. “Five seconds - maybe ten. Please?”

Chrissy lets out a little breath and presses her lips together to hold back a smile, dutifully raising her hands to cover her eyes a moment later.

“That’s my girl,” Eddie murmurs, drawing a giggle out of her that she couldn’t have stopped if she tried.

As she listens to Eddie pulling back the tarp she imagines what he must look like; she has no doubt in her mind that whenever she opens her eyes the tarp will be all bunched up and shoved off to the side, making her wonder why he even bothered with it in the first place.

“Okay!” Eddie’s grin bleeds through his voice and Chrissy’s own mouth curls into a smile as she hears his footsteps come closer to her. He puts one hand on her elbow before he steps behind her, pressing his chest up against her back and all but enveloping her as he puts his mouth to her ear. “Open your eyes.”

She pulls her hands away from her face as Eddie’s hands settle on her waist, and while her first instinct is to turn around and look at him, as soon as her eyes focus on the car in front of her, she can’t look away.

“I… Eddie…” she lets out a surprised laugh, “what is this?”

“It’s a car,” he answers with a chuckle. “A 1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle, to be exact.”

“I know that,” Chrissy mumbles, pushing her elbow back against his ribs - not enough to hurt, but enough to show her annoyance at his snark.

“Okay, Miss Smarty-Pants,” he teases as he leans in to press another kiss to her cheek. Chrissy turns her head to catch his mouth, moaning ever so softly as he kisses her back.

“Whose car is it?” she asks when he pulls away.

“Yours.”

Chrissy’s jaw drops. Eddie slips out from behind her and walks back over to the car, his excitement growing more and more pronounced as he starts to ramble.

“I got a real good deal on it because it needs some work, but it runs and it’s a hell of a lot better than that hunk of junk you rode in on—”

Chrissy shakes her head a little; he’s never going to let her Gremlin go.

“—but since you’ve been saying you wanna learn more about cars, I thought why not get one that won’t fall apart and, y’know, it can be our weekend project, or whatever.”

“Eddie…”

He looks up at her, his smile faltering for the first time.

“Do… do you not like it?”

“No, it’s not—”

“Is it the color? We can totally change it, that’s not an issue—”

“Eddie,” Chrissy pleads as she rushes forward, throwing her arms around his neck and pushing up on her tiptoes to hold him tight. “I love it.”

“Yeah?” Eddie lets out a relieved breath and wraps his arms around her in return, laughing when he speaks. “You do?”

“Yes,” she says as she rocks her feet back down to the garage floor. “You shouldn’t have, though. How much—”

Eddie cuts her off with a kiss, chuckling into her mouth when she tries to wriggle away.

“Don’t worry about it, sweetheart.”

“But—”

“I told you, I got a good deal!”

She frowns at him, but it doesn’t last long when he presses his forehead against hers and nudges her nose with his own.

“I wanted to do this for you,” he murmurs. “I want you to have a car that’s yours. That’ll get you where you need to go if you ever…”

Chrissy’s breath stutters as Eddie’s grip on her waist suddenly tightens. He goes stiff against her for a few seconds before he forces himself to relax, and she quickly brings their lips together.

She knows what this is. He’s giving her an escape route. This is his way of saying if you ever feel like you need to leave, I want you to be able to. He loves her enough to know that she deserves to feel like she isn’t trapped.

“I love you,” she whispers breathlessly as she clings to him, pressing her body against his as much as she can; if she could wrap herself around him any more, she would.

“Love you,” he says, lightning-quick in return. “Love you so much, Chrissy I—”

“I know.” She runs her fingers through his hair and kisses him again. “Thank you.”

Eddie fully relaxes against her but neither of them pull away from the other. Chrissy tucks her face against his shoulder and he does the same into the crook of her neck, and they just stand there for a while in each other’s embrace.

She doesn’t want to leave - she can’t imagine ever wanting to run away from Eddie like she did before - but knowing she’ll have the means to do so with his blessing? That means more to her than words could ever say.

[ashwhowrites]

Punishing Chrissy by splitting her open with your strap?? Please and thank you!

Ps I love your writing!

Before my partner and I got together, you will not believe how many times I've thought about something like this. I truly think Chrissy would look gorgeous taking (my) a thick strap and definitely during a punishment.

Ps thank you so much! 🥹

I hope this is what you wanted :)

Never proofread

Dom reader ( use of strap, Chrissy likes to be embarrassed and belittled)

~~~

Y/N knew by dating the head cheerleader that many boys would drool over Chrissy. That ex-boyfriend like Jason Carver would stop at nothing to win her back. Any boy she gave slight attention to would become obsessed with her in seconds, like Eddie Munson. Then there were young boys, like Dustin and Mike, experiencing love for the first time but didn't exactly hold a threat.

Everywhere Y/N turned, she'd walk into a pit of hormonal boys that wanted to be under Chrissy's skirt. It didn't help that Chrissy was an angel. A perfect golden child with a bright smile that made everyone weak. It didn't help that she was so lovely to everyone. It was impossible not to fall at her feet. But Chrissy didn't see the desire in all the boys' eyes, she just thought everyone wanted to be friends. And Y/N hated that.

~~~

"Hey so Eddie needs help with some science, is it okay if I come over later than we planned? Just like by an hour? Your parents are still gone, yeah?" Chrissy asked, her blue eyes looking apologetic, but a sweet smile on her lips.

Y/N groaned, that was an hour less she got to spend time with her girlfriend. And with her parents gone, she and Chrissy had quite the night planned.

"Yeah that's fine Chris, but I might start without you if you keep me waiting." Y/N winked, pecking Chrissy's cheek as she walked away. Making sure she swayed her hips a little extra to tease the poor cheerleader.

"HEY! NO" Chrissy shouted after her. Y/N looked over her shoulder to see Chrissy against the locker, a pout on her face.

Y/N smirked and blew her a kiss.

~~~

Chrissy wasn't paying any attention to Eddie and she felt horrible. She tried so hard to teach the boy the lesson but her head was stuck on the idea of her girlfriend touching herself. Y/N didn't have patience when she got horny. It was either help her when she asked or she would it herself and make Chrissy watch. And Chrissy did not want to just watch.

"Okay Eddie, I really need to go," she said quickly, standing up and collecting all her books.

"but you said until six, that's still half an hour," Eddie said confused, he needed the help but also wanted to spend time with her.

Chrissy looked at his sad eyes and felt the guilt on her shoulders.

"You're right. Let's try again but I really need to leave at six."

Eddie nodded and smiled as she sat back down.

~~~

Chrissy was panicking, Eddie offered to drive her but his van didn't seem to want to do the work.

"Eddie, I can just call someone," Chrissy suggested, Eddie continued to look under the hood of his van.

The clock is getting extremely close to ten minutes after six. She had until six-thirty to get to her girlfriends or her night would be miserable.

"It's okay! It's working" Eddie cheered.

They both got in the car, Chrissy telling him the directions to Y/N's house.

"Are you two having a sleepover?" Eddie asked turning out of the school parking lot.

"yeah, something like that," Chrissy said, playing with her fingers as she stared at the tiny watch on Eddie's wrist.

"Oh, that's fun. What type of girly things are you guys going to do? Paint each other's nails and talk about boys?" Eddie laughed.

"We don't really care to talk about boys" Chrissy joked, she knew that Eddie had no idea Y/N was her girlfriend and sadly it wasn't something Chrissy could come out and say whenever she wanted.

"Are you and Jason going to get back together? I know he's been talking about it." Eddie said, trying to dig for information for himself.

"Absolutely not. Done with him" Chrissy snapped, even his name made her blood boil. She can't believe she was that dumb to like him, even love him.

That relationship taught her many things and the main thing was that the way he treated her was nothing compared to what Y/N offers. Chrissy thought relationships were one-sided, she felt she had to deserve sweet things like flowers and dates. She thought there was nothing anyone would love about her once they got past the cheerleading exterior. But Y/N showed her so much more than that. Chrissy learned to love parts of herself she didn't think was possible.

And now thinking about her just made Chrissy want to be with her even more.

"Okay well, you are here and right on time!" Eddie cheered, Chrissy smiled and yanked off her seat buckle. She was getting ready to tear open the door when Eddie touched her arm.

"Can I ask you something? I'm sure Y/N won't care, it'll just be a minute."

Chrissy went back and forth in her head. A minute wasn't long, but a minute in Y/N's world was a minute too long.

As Chrissy battled in her head, Eddie used it as an opportunity to speak.

"Would you want to go on a date this weekend? Go see a movie at the theater?" Eddie suggested.

Chrissy didn't want to ever hear him ask that question, because now she had to reject him and hurt his feelings.

"I'm not looking for anything like that, I'd just like to be friends." She said, finally making her way out of the car.

She didn't bother to hear his response, racing into Y/N's house.

"I'M HERE. I AM SO SORRY." She yelled, running up the stairs and heading for the bedroom.

"You are late, princess," Y/N smirked from her spot on the bed. From what Chrissy could tell, she hasn't started without her. Fully clothed, flipping through a magazine as she laid on her stomach.

"Just by a little," Chrissy whined. Y/N's eyebrow quirked up at the sound of Chrissy's whining.

"Well, I already knew you would be late, I finished like ten minutes ago." Y/N shrugged, no regret on her face.

"That's not fair! You didn't give me a chance. What if I did show up on time? " Chrissy argued, crossing her arms. Her attitude was revealing, another thing Y/N didn't like.

"Well you didn't so we don't have to play that game." Chrissy was growing annoyed at Y/N's responses.

"Well, do you even want me here? I mean Jesus, I might as well stayed with Eddie." Chrissy snapped. Y/N's eyes hardened in seconds, the magazine being tossed to the floor.

"Oh? Is Eddie worth more of your time?" Y/N tested, slowly rising up on the bed, and kneeling on her knees as her challenge hung in the air.

"No," Chrissy said immediately, the anticipation of what Y/N could be thinking was making Chrissy clench her thighs.

"No, no. I don't think that's what you said." Y/N clicked her tongue, moving off of her bed to stand. Walking slowly to Chrissy's nervous frame.

"I didn't mean it." Chrissy gulped hard, her eyes watching Y/N's every move.

"So are we just saying things we don't mean for fun? Let me try, I wasn't planning on you fucking me. I planned to fuck you like the cock slut you are." Y/N mocked, turning her head to the side to show fake pity.

Chrissy moaned at her words. Already feeling a wet patch growing in her underwear. "Will you, please?" Chrissy begged.

Y/N laughed at the girl, shaking her head as she cupped Chrissy's jaw. "I didn't mean it."

Chrissy felt like she could cry. She was so turned on, so desperate, and she felt stuck. She wasn't sure what the right answer was.

"I'm sorry. Please, I want to be good." Chrissy pleaded, slowly dropping down to her knees as she looked up through her eyelashes.

"Yeah? Tell me, did he make a move on you?" Y/N asked, her touch returning to Chrissy's jaw. Holding her head in place.

"Um yes ma'am, he asked me out on a date." Chrissy squeaked out. Trying to keep her breath steady when Y/N's touch squeezed her jaw.

Y/N smirked, a chuckle leaving her lips. "Not surprised, where to? Where did he think he was going to take my pretty girl to?"

"Movies." Chrissy replied, keeping it short and straight to the point.

Y/N felt the jealousy burning through her veins. Imagines of Eddie's slimy hands working their way under Chrissy's skirt in a dark theater. She knew exactly what Eddie wanted.

"Strip and get on the bed " Y/N demanded. Stepping back to give the girl space to stand.

Chrissy nodded immediately, rising to her feet and yanking off her cheerleading uniform. Hickeys from past nights lingered around her upper thighs. Y/N licked her lips as Chrissy removed her bra, her small tits bare to the cold air. Her nipples hardened immediately. Chrissy took off her underwear, walking past her girlfriend as she made it to the bed.

"Such a good girl. Lay on your back and show me your pretty pussy." Y/N ordered, feeling herself grow aroused as Chrissy's legs spread open. Wetness sliding down on to the sheets below.

Chrissy felt shy underneath her girlfriend's stare but knew better than to hide herself away. Allowing Y/N to soak her in.

She watched as Y/N reached under her bed, grabbing out Chrissy's favorite strap. Chrissy clenched at the sight of it. Always loving the way Y/N fucked her with her cock.

Y/N removed her clothes, standing naked as she called Chrissy up with her finger. "You want my cock? Get it ready."

Chrissy nodded, sitting up and putting the strap on her girlfriend. Pressing soft kisses to her stomach as she strapped it on Y/N.

Leaning back once it was on. Watching as Y/N lubed up her cock, Chrissy could feel herself throbbing.

"God you are so fucking hot." Chrissy purred.

"I'm going to ruin your pretty pussy." Y/N practically growled, Chrissy barely had time to react before the tip of Y/N's cock was sliding into her.

"Oh my god, you are so fucking big." Chrissy whined. She could feel her walls stretching open to take in her girlfriend's cock.

"Way bigger than that freak will ever be." Y/N said, using her hands to hold on to Chrissy's hips, pushing herself fully into Chrissy's cunt.

Chrissy screamed as Y/N didn't bother to be gentle. The second her cock was fully in, she was sliding it back out. Just to pound into Chrissy all over again. A fast pace, hitting every part of Chrissy's cunt, and hitting it hard.

"I...fuck...I" Chrissy tried to speak but everything came out in broken moans. Y/N would never admit it, but Chrissy knew she loved claiming her more than anything. Something Y/N couldn't ever do unless it was within an empty room. Whenever she had the chance to remind Chrissy exactly why Y/N will always be the best Chrissy has ever had, she proved her point until Chrissy was sore and her cunt was used until it quit.

"Should I go slower so you can get your pathetic words out?" Y/N teased, changing her pace to go slower. Sliding in and out of Chrissy's cunt, her wetness covered Y/N' cock. Y/N could see how wet her cock was when she pulled out, leaving just the tip in.

"No, no. Alllllll." Chrissy moaned, trying to push her hips to take in Y/N's cock.

"But you can't even speak. How embarrassing for you. I slow down to help you out but all you want is to be stuffed full of my cock. Chrissy felt embarrassed by Y/N's words but she couldn't deny how close she was just from the words alone.

Y/N took pity on her, pushing her hips against Chrissy's and burying her cock all the way in. "I know exactly why he wanted to go to a movie theater."

Chrissy could hear her girlfriend's voice, but her brain wasn't comprehending any of it. Just the sound waves hitting her ears. The feeling of Y/N's cock deep in her, and the slow circles Y/N began to rub on her clit. She was seeing stars, shapes, she couldn't tell if her eyes were open or not.

"Bet he wanted it to be nice and dark," Chrissy gasped as Y/N did one hard thrust. "So no one could see when his hand slipped up your thigh," another hard thrust. The circles on Chrissy's clit went faster. "I bet he'd tease your slutty hole, tease those pretty lips before using one finger to feel how wet you are." Another hard thrust, the orgasm was building in Chrissy's stomach.

"Probably thinks he'd know just how to finger you, hit the right spot," she grunted, hitting the exact spot that made Chrissy scream. "Like that? He would think it would be so easy to make you fall apart. He doesn't know anything."

"Close." Chrissy managed to get out. Her fingers scratching down Y/N's back. Hooking her legs together around Y/N's waist, keeping her locked against her.

"Yeah? You gonna be my good girl and cum? Soak my cock? Isn't this so much better than being with him?" Y/N mocked, her tone was harsh and demanding, something Chrissy loved hearing. Loved being put in her place, loved being fucked when she was wrong.

"God, yes! So.... much better. Love... when ....shit shit...you fuck me." Chrissy panted. Y/N admired the way Chrissy's tits bounced with every thrust. The way her mouth opened when Y/N pinched her clit. The way Chrissy's hand moved down their bodies, her fingertips holding herself open as Y/N pounded into her.

Y/N rubbed Chrissy's clit faster, bringing her closer to her orgasm. Using her free hand to trail up to Chrissy's neck. Wrapping her hand around her throat, the vibrations of Chrissy's moans hitting her hand.

"Cum for me." Y/N demanded, tightening her grip on Chrissy's throat, rubbing her clit as fast as she could while keeping it in a rhythm. Chrissy squeaked as she rocked her hips into Y/N. Moaning and screaming as she felt herself clench around Y/N's cock.

"Right there, yes, yes, fuckkkkk" Chrissy panted as she came. Squirting all over Y/N's cock and fingers. Soaking the sheets below. Feeling her own body being covered in herself. Her skin turned red, knowing the mess she made.

"Oh look at that." Y/N teased, slowly removing her cock, using the tip to collect more of the mess Chrissy made and pushing it back in. She loved the way Chrissy's cunt kept trying to push her back out.

"Such a mess you made. Making a mess of my cock, of my sheets, and even yourself." Y/N continued to tease. Removing the strap completely, stepping back to take Chrissy's used body melting into the sheets.

No man had anything on her.