A Freak and a Basket Case: Eddie Munson x Hispanic!Fem!Reader
Chapter 4: Paranoid
Ooooh baby, this was a doozy that turned into a semi rant at the end… hold on tight lads, the mental illness is really coming in bad tonite.
Trigger warnings: MINORS DNI, homophobic comments (not from Eddie or reader, don’t worry), jealousy issues, insecurity, codependent attachment, trust issues, anxiety, implied/referenced drug use, brief mentions of intimate acts
[Masterlist] - [Previous Chapter] - [Next Chapter]
***
“Mira, look who it is! The Queen of the Nerds!”
Fuck…! Fuck, fuck, FUCK!
You were trying to be subtle, to come in without a trace. Busting a mission to make it into the house without your family smelling you or seeing your tiny eyes. You didn’t want to deal with anyone’s bullshit tonight either. Too many overwhelming feelings and intrusive thoughts were scrambling all coherence out of your already zooted out mind. And yet fate was against you from the get go. Scruffy and Tiffany blew your cover the moment they heard the key turn in the lock of the doorknob. The dogs both came barking down the hallway to the door, and of course if the dogs were back inside and not in the dog run at four PM on a Tuesday, that meant only one thing:
Your brother Jamie hadn’t yet left for his shift working security at the Hawkins Water Utility Building…
“Shut up, huevon.” You snapped quickly. “Don’t you got work?”
“I do, smartass. I got an hour before my shift starts.”
Your brother, Jaime Luiz, anglicized for the people of Hawkins as “James” (and thence forth Jamie), was seated on your ratty mustard yellow couch in the living room. You could smell the clove cigarettes he’d been chain smoking, and you hoped the stench would drown out the smell of the pot on you. He turned away from the television to look up at you, evidently your homecoming held a little more interest than Tina Turner currently did on MTV.
“Where’ve you been?” he asked.
“School.” You immediately replied, looking away from him.
You booked it past him and heard your brother sniff.
FUCK!
You quickly made your way to your bedroom and shut the door, intending to shower off the smell of Eddie’s deodorant and the reefer before Jamie had any further suspicions. You took off your Carhartt jacket and tossed it in an inconspicuous corner of the room with your backpack, narrowly missing your milk crate of vinyls in the process. After smoothing out your hair and unlacing your chucks clumsily, you were just about to go into your connected bathroom to turn on the hot water when you heard a knock and then the creak of your door opening.
“So how was school?”
As usual. No boundaries in your own fucking house. The white kids got a polite knock and gave permission for anyone to enter. In your Hispanic house, knocking was a courtesy that only your brother adhered to, albeit briefly before he eventually just decided to walk in because he felt like he owned the place as the “man” of the house.
“Shit.” You said honestly, not looking at him. “Pure shit. Tired of dealing with people.”
“Yeah? What’re they saying?”
Jamie sat down on your bedspread, arms crossed over his chest as he watched you gather your pajamas. It was the same bullshit you always wore: a black shirt with fading patches of gray that used to be purple before you got a hold of it, and bright pink dolphin shorts.
“The usual. You know how the gringos are.” You said.
“You gotta be careful when you’re dealing with that shit.” Jamie said immediately. “You know how it is; they don’t like us here, but if you keep it cool you can coast on by. Just keep it straight and don’t make waves, esa.”
“Yeah, I’m hoping it could change though.” You said.
“I got a strong feeling that it won’t…” Jamie sighed. “Anyways, that’s not why I’m here. Whose cologne you wearing?”
“Excuse me?!”
“What? Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” he sniffed. “You smell like Old Spice, and mota. And you’re walking around all tirado.”
“Who the hell has you smelling me, you cochino!” You said, avoiding turning around so he wouldn’t see your red rimmed eyes.
“Ay, don’t get mad at me! You’re the one all coming home smelling like a skunk’s ass. A la ve, your eyes are redder than the devil’s pecker too!”
Jamie was so close to your face you could have slapped the grin right off of his. He had his hands on your shoulders, shaking them slightly as he tried to get you to turn around. You covered your burning cheeks.
“Get the fuck away from me, bro!” you couldn’t help the nervous pot giggles. Too high to even try and deny it.
“Come on, vieja. Whose cologne are you wearing?” He laughed.
“Oh my god…” You sighed, “If I tell you, will you leave me the fuck alone?!”
“Yes, I’ll stop bothering you.”
“… I kinda, maybe, just a little bit… might have a boyfriend now.”
“Enserio?” Jamie’s face dropped, his mouth hanging open as he searched your face for the ‘gotcha’ moment that would never come, “This isn’t like a prank, is it?”
“Nah uh, serio bro.” You laughed.
It was so worth it seeing Jamie’s smug demeanor drop into one of pure shock, almost awe.
“Oowee, and who’s the poor torcido you managed to convince?” Jamie asked.
“Not anyone you know, entrementido!” You yelled, “Jesus, you’re all fucking nosey!”
Jamie dodged the sock you threw weakly at him, laughing at your poor aim and at the way you teetered unsteadily on your feet.
“Calmase, mami! A la… Just trying to look out for you.” He laughed, “So… what… is he like a big nerd like you or what?”
How could you even deny it at this point? Eddie could pull more fantasy facts out of his ass high than you ever could sober.
“Yeah… Yeah he is. He’s into fantasy.” You replied.
“Of course he is… What’s the nerd’s name?”
“Eddie. His Name is Eddie.”
Jamie frowned slightly.
“Eddie? He’s a little gringito or what?” Jamie asked.
“Yeah. He likes Dungeons and Dragons, and the Lord of the Rings, and Dune, and music…”
“Ay dios… So my sister’s gonna turn into a nerdy pothead…”
“That’s rich coming from my marihuano ass brother!” You shot back.
“Hey, I don’t smoke pot that often!” He cried.
He wouldn’t ever admit it. Never owning up to his own mistakes like a man. Your brother could strut his shit around everyone like he was a king, but admitting his own shortcomings was not his strong suit. But that was life in your family. That was life in la raza too whether or not you wanted to admit it too. You hid the weakest points of your life under a mask of bravado whether or not you were a man or a woman, because the insults and judgement from the white community were nothing in comparison to the dressing down you got from within the confines of your own safe circle.
It pissed you off and made you angry that everyone just always wanted to hide shit to be normal.
“Bullshit! I could smell it in your room the first week we came to Hawkins, goddamn liar. I know you didn’t have any on you when we left New Mexico. So you had to have gotten it here.” You said.
“Okay, so I made a few connections here and there…” he admitted. “At least I don’t walk around the damn house reeking of it along with some dude’s cologne all mas puta like you!”
“No, you just walk around smelling like fucking Tres Flores and Tecate. Only the best for El Mas Chingon.”
Jamie’s easygoing demeanor only served to piss you off. It was like you were a tiny poodle barking at a Doberman. Immediately Jamie tried redirecting your anger.
“It could be worse, pendeja. I could smell like that weird kid on our street back in Albuquerque, remember the weird one? He always smelled like sovaco…” he put a finger to his lips, trying to remember the name that escaped him.
You knew immediately the face but not the name of who he was talking about, even high you wouldn’t forget the people back home.
“Oh fuck!” you laughed. “What the hell was his name… FUCKING RAYMOND!”
“Raymundo!” Jamie laughed. “Fucking Raymond, man… Can we at least agree that we both smell better than that torcido?”
“Whatever, bitch…” You laughed. “What the fuck made you think of him?”
“The Old Spice your vato got all over you. Raymond tried using it once to cover up the pit smell when he caught some putasos from the homegirls in Hernandez.” Jaime laughed. “Goddamn, I hope Eddie isn’t as lame as Raymond?”
“Oh hell no, bro.” You grinned, taking your clothes into the bathroom and dropping them on the countertop over your Gillette Supermax hairdryer, “Eddie’s the real deal, vato. He’s a metalhead... Puro chingon.”
Jamie mock whistled, clearly unimpressed. While your brother appreciated metal music, he still had the typical machismo mentality that long hair and tight pants were for girls, and any metathead he saw in public was branded cruelly for life by your brother. You could already hear the homophobic insults he was thinking about Eddie in his head just by the tone of voice alone.
“Eeee… So if he’s a metalhead, does he have like all the long hair like a girl, and the leather jackets and shit?” Jamie asked.
“He’s not gonna wear a fucking leather jacket in this heat you idiot.” You said, “But he does have a battle vest he made himself. And he’s got the ripped skinny jeans, the rings… He even plays in a band!”
“What’s the name of the band?” He asked.
“Corroded Coffin.”
“… Corroded Coffin?” Jamie looked genuinely confused, before he burst out laughing. “Corroded Coffin?! The hell kind of name is that joto shit?”
“Shut up asshole!” You hiss, “You just don’t get the genius behind the name; it’s metal as fuck! Dare I say gothic as hell too! Just perfect for me, you know how I’ve always wanted to be all goth.”
Jamie laughs even harder. It’s just like him. Typical bullshit sibling banter, but the way he’s so dismissive of you and of Eddie… it makes you angry and defensive.
“Dios mio… you’re probably his wet dream then, all dressed in your black clothes like you’re going to a fucking funeral.” He laughs.
“Simón! He’s my Paul, I’m his Chani. I’m his Leia, he’s my Han. He’s my Alan, I’m his Madison…” you rattled off names of every couple you could think of in the media you consumed.
After a while, when the reefer made you forget what you were even saying, you turned to see Jamie with his cheeks puffed out. Clearly trying not to just burst out again laughing in your face.
“… You’re such a fucking weirdo, esa.” He said, voice strained.
“Oh shut up and leave me alone!”
He did laugh at that, and it took everything in you not to beat the crap out of him.
“Okay, okay… I’m sorry.” He wheezed.
There was silence for a beat. You didn’t know what to say anymore, and neither did he. You were about to just kick him out of your room when he finally spoke up again.
“You sure you’re not rushing into this?” He asked gently. “Because if you’re already comparing yourself to stupid ass movie relationships, it sounds like you’re already falling for the guy…”
“Hey, I can go as fast or slow as I want.” You snapped, “Eddie said relationships don’t have rules. We can go at our own pace. Whatever feels right to us. And it feels right to jump on the chance before someone else gets to him.”
“Just so long as you promise me that you won’t rush to do anything stupid. I don’t want you getting hurt, and I don’t want you getting pregnant either.” He said.
“A la maquinas bro! What the hell do you think? I know I sound desperate, but I’m not that goddamn desperate to get knocked up to keep him.” You whined.
“You’re already jumping into this way too fast. You’ve known him what, like a day or two? I don’t know how many times I’ve seen this shit happen: girls meeting guys and falling in love, then the next thing, sas, she’s popping out a kid in nine months. Don’t think you’re any different from other girls, mami.”
“I know I’m different.” You growled, the irritation coming back full force. “I know it… Eddie said I was, and everyone else knows I’m different too...”
“Yeah but… You’re still just as vulnerable as any other girl. You’re already falling for it now. If you fall so easily, you’ll end up all fucked up in the end. I’m just trying to look out for you, just be careful with this Eddie guy, okay? He’s some virgin nerd. You don’t know what he’s after-…”
“… he’s not a virgin…” you said softly.
Jamie paused his rant, looking up at you wide eyed.
“What?! You… how the hell do you know that?!” He demanded.
“He told me…” you mumbled.
“… how many girls has he been with?”
He leaned forward, waiting for an answer.
“He said he had an ex that he did it with all the time in his van…” you admitted, “And that there were a couple girls at the high school that wanted to do it with him on a dare.”
“Chingao…” he breathed, “Have you guys…”
“NO! No… no he…”
You two had hit at least third base at Lover’s Lake through two layers of nylon tights, and denim, grinding in the van until there was an embarrassing wet spot on the fly of his ripped up Wrangler jeans. He came, you came, and it had been the first time you had been so goddamned careless. You’d opened your legs to him, and he’d stopped you short.
“Sorry sweetheart. Normally I would, but not this time…”
“He said he didn’t wanna do it like that in the van while we were too high out of our minds…” you replied, recalling the way he’d almost withdrawn completely away, “He said… He said he wanted us to be sober, for it to be special…”
“Well… at least he wanted it to be different… Just watch it with him, don’t fall too hard for it, entiendes?” Jamie said.
What difference did it make if it was the right thing to do? You were already bitter and moody about it, feeling rejected and all types of ways about how this night had gone down. And that wasn’t the only thing you were bitter about…
“I won’t fall for it. I won’t because… ugh… I’m so fucking pissed, bro…” you growled.
“Why?” Jamie asked.
“Because he didn’t fucking wait!”
You kicked your wicker laundry hamper, pouting and stomping like a petulant child.
“Fucking cochino ass vatos, bro! Just going along with whoever showed a passing fancy, instead of waiting for someone to show up who really cared… Why… why didn’t…”
The feelings were bubbling and frothing in your stomach, hurting you physically from the shock in taking in his revelations in the van. At first, you’d been too high to understand what Eddie was saying. And then the more he rambled on about his previous little sticky fumblings with sex, the angrier you got. What the fuck, you’d thought. Feelings of possessiveness and jealously had plagued you and made your heart hurt, and you had to pretend that his rambling about how you were special and different and how he wanted things to be better quelled the jealous fury.
“Why didn’t that dumbass wait for me?!” You finally sobbed.
Jamie began to laugh.
It was ugly. It was unchecked. It totally invalidated everything you felt. But he began to howl.
“Serious?!” He exclaimed, “You don’t own this guy, he had a life before you. You’re just being all celosas!”
“Shut the fuck up, cabron! No I’m not!” You cried.
“You are!” He laughed, “You’re jealous of girls that ain’t even in the picture anymore!”
Hold it back… hold it in… don’t go for him unchecked… because if you did it now you’d fall flat on your ass and only make your brother laugh harder.
“It’s not fucking funny!” You whined, “It’s not funny, you ass… Eddie’s… he’s the only guy that’s ever paid any attention to me… He’s perfect for me… Why couldn’t he just wait and hope that there was someone out there, that I was out there…?”
“Because that ain’t how shit works, mensa.”
Jamie suddenly looked serious, as if attempting to speak to your jealousy to quell its fury.
“Eddie’s his own man, he’s a person. He’s got his own needs and wants outside of you. You can’t expect someone to just sit on their thumbs waiting just because it’s what you want them to do. This is why I’m worried about you getting so attached. You’re already hurting yourself getting hung up on the what ifs…”
Jamie paused, but because he usually just said shit, he continued.
“And for real, your way of thinking is pretty selfish.”
“But…”
He held up a hand to you.
“Do you even hear yourself when you’re talking?” He asked, “I know you’re high right now, but goddamn dude. You’re basically reducing Eddie to nothing more than an object, like he’s a possession. That ain’t how real love works. You can’t get all worked up because he’s got a past that didn’t revolve around you.”
“But… but’s not fair, because I wouldn’t have treated him like the other girls did…” you tried to defend yourself.
“Mami, who cares? You ain’t above them just because you would have been nicer to him, regardless if they were shitty or not. You don’t know them, nor do you know what went down. I’m not saying it’s wrong to wait for the right person, but just because you made that choice to stay ‘pure’ or whatever doesn’t mean you get to act like you’re all bad and so better than everyone else-…”
“BUT I DIDN’T GET THAT CHOICE!”
You were at the breaking point. Fuck him. Fuck him! He didn’t know you. You realized then and there, Jamie didn’t even want to understand how you felt about all this.
“That’s a fucking crock of shit…” you hissed. “I didn’t get that choice to save myself for someone! Everyone else made it for me because no one fucking… Those girls he was with got a choice to do it with someone, Eddie got a choice to do it with someone… I didn’t get no fucking choice! No one… no one even wanted to…”
It’s too goddamned much. It’s too fucking much to think about. Your mind is a whirlpool, Charybdis incarnate as you’re pulled in twenty different emotional directions. No one gave you a choice to decide who you wanted to give yourself to, and god knows there were plenty of guys back in New Mexico who you would have shared everything with. You weren’t as prudish as everyone believed you to be. Frankly the thought of having sex thrilled and excited you, it was special attention that was exclusive to the individual, and Jesus Christ you wanted special attention. Any kind of attention really. So in those vulnerable moments of awkwardly awakening your thoughts and feelings, you began your hunt to find someone to share this love with. There were a lot of guys you projected a fantasy into. Each was a clone of some Prince Charming who didn’t exist. Comprised of qualities you naively believed a lover should have, a smattering of this and that: someone who could share your passion in music, someone you related to culturally, a lover of books, someone who lived with their head in the clouds as you did, those who had a zest for life and living that you had lost… They all had some amazing quality you’d projected onto them, and yet not a one gave you the fucking time of day.
The results were the same: they’d look you up and down, and then make the decision. A resounding no. They looked at you, with your baggy black clothes and oversized jacket, and they all thought the same thing: not a fucking chance in hell. No matter how hard you tried to understand why there was so much resounding rejection, you never could quite figure it out. All you knew was you were nothing to them. You were furniture. And if you went scrambling after them, trying to be what they wanted you to be, they spoke down to you. As if you were a child. As if you were stupid. Everyone did…
But not Eddie…
You think you’re the only one in this van that does weird out there shit?
Eddie had grabbed you by the backpack. Staked his claim on you. Stolen you from Hawkins High like a bundle of contraband…
We’re both weird.
The two of you could throw Dune references at one another, and he’d listen eagerly to you talk about the other books you’d read… not once did he ever judge or call you a fucking child. Only one other person in the world didn’t judge you either, and he was nowhere to be found…
We’re both freaks…
Eddie said he would lend you his copy of The Lord of the Rings, because you’d never read it before. Then he said something about how you were prettier than the Lady Galadriel… You wanted to get to that part of the book to confirm if that was a good thing or not. You wanted to know everything about him and share things with him, to fit in, to feel affection…
I don't care if you're weird. I like it.
Eddie taught you to do the tongue thing… With the promise of teaching so much more…
I like you…
“Get out of my room.” You said lowly to your brother.
“Hey, wait a minute-…”
I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer…
“Get. Out. Of. My. Room.” You hissed.
“Hermana-…”
“GET THE FUCK OUT!”
You didn’t wait to hear his sputtering protests. With a strength you didn’t know you possessed, you shoved Jamie as hard as you could out of your room, slamming the door behind him and locking it deftly before turning on your record player so loud it set off the barking of your dogs.
Jamie didn’t know shit from fuck. No one did… They didn’t get it. They were all just fine, going through their mundane lives like nothing was wrong, when everything in the entire world was wrong. The world wasn’t like in books. The world was messy and complicated and stupid… And it just wasn’t goddamned fair.
But deep down, you knew you deserved the pain. The world had your hand in a box, a poisoned needle at your throat. To move away, to flinch even the slightest bit, was to forfeit to death.
You weren’t going to let that happen. So you decided to go with what you knew: keep your mouth shut, your head down, and give Eddie Munson whatever in the hell he wanted. Even if you had to pretend like certain things didn’t hurt you.
I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer…
14 notes
·
View notes