Eddie Fluff - Tumblr Posts

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader

Prompt: “Napping is absolutely a date”

A/N: very very very very slight mentions of spicy content at the end

You yawned deeply as you checked your reflection in your mirror. It was Friday night and you were at your house getting ready for your date with Eddie. He had a Hellfire campaign tonight so you were going to meet him at his place and head out to get dinner and a movie. You checked your face, hoping that he wouldn’t notice the bags you had under your eyes. You were exhausted but you needed this date, you had a stressful week that had ended with you pulling an all-nighter last night for a test you had today, so you wanted some fun with your boyfriend.

Once you were ready you got in your car and drove over to the trailer park, noticing Eddie getting out of the van just as you pulled up next to him.

“Hey babe!” He called out, walking over to open your door for you, a big smile on his face. He took your hand and helped you out, pulling you to him to lay a quick kiss to your lips. “I missed you.” He said against them.

“It’s only been like 4 hours.” You teased, returning a large smile while Eddie dragged you along to his front door.

“Yeah, well, it was too long. And all I could think about during the game was seeing you again.” He said, bowing a little as he gestured for you to enter through the door he was holding open.

You laughed lightly as you made your way down the hall to Eddie’s room with him following close behind you. “I’m sure they all loved that.”

“Oh totally, no one was making fun of me at all.” He said sarcastically as you sat on his bed. “But, I do stink, it was really hot in the drama room tonight, so I’m going to take a quick shower before we go, okay sweetness?” He asked as he grabbed what you assumed was a clean shirt off of the bed next to you.

“Sounds good, Eds. I’ll be here.” You said, picking up one of his music magazines to occupy the time.

“Great.” He grinned, leaning down to press a quick kiss to your cheek before heading to the bathroom.

You leaned back against his pillows as you read, getting comfortable while you waited. Before you could even notice your eyelids drooping though, you were fast asleep.

Eddie came in 15 minutes later, hair dripping water onto his shirt as he ran a towel over it. “Almost ready ba-“ He started before noticing your sleeping form. He smiled softly as he watched you sleep peacefully. He knew you had been up all night and had been exhausted all day, but you had insisted on still going out, wanting to spend time with him. He could wake you up, but he knew you needed the sleep more than you needed to see that new movie. You both could go tomorrow.

He threw the towel on the back of a chair and then gently got into bed next to you, trying not to disturb you. You were on your side, facing away from him as he slotted himself behind you, spooning you. He leaned over to leave a soft kiss on your cheek again before wrapping his arm around your waist and snuggling into you, breathing the lavender scent of your shampoo as he buried his head in your hair. “I love you baby.” He whispered before he closed his eyes contentedly and soon fell asleep as well.

You woke up a little groggy, confused momentarily as to where you were. You looked around Eddie’s room, realizing you must have fallen asleep. You looked at the clock on his end table and saw that it read 10:30pm, you had been asleep for about 3 hours. You shot up suddenly in a panic, not noticing the arm around your waist and causing Eddie to startle awake.

“Hmm, what’s going on?” He said sleepily, blinking at the light that was slightly blinding him as he woke up.

“Eddie! We were sleeping! Why didn’t you wake me up?” You scolded.

“You looked so peaceful, and I know you needed the sleep so I let you. We can go see the movie tomorrow.” He said matter of factly as he stretched.

“I’m sorry we missed our date.” You sighed sadly.

“We didn’t.” Eddie smiled mischievously at you.

“What do you mean? We slept through dinner and the movie.” You reminded with a cocked brow.

“Napping is absolutely a date sweetheart.” He informed, a cheeky smile on his face. You rolled your eyes playfully but couldn’t help the fond smile you had on your face. You went to retort a smart ass comment when your stomach growled loudly, pulling a chuckle from your boyfriend. “Let’s continue with the awake part of the date now, and I can make us some mac and cheese and we can watch that movie we rented the other day again, sound good?” He suggested sweetly.

“Yeah sounds good, honey.” You answered, helping him out of bed once you had gotten up. “Thank you Eddie.” You said softly as he took your hand to lead you to the kitchen.

“Anytime sweet thing, now how about I tell you about the dream I had while I make food? You were kissing my neck and down my chest, you did that thing with your tongue I like.” He started, a shit-eating grin on his face, pulling a shy groan from you as you flushed.

“Eddie!” You exclaimed as he laughed loudly.

“You sound just like my dream babe.”

Opposite Ends 

Chapter Nine - My Mixtape - Newest Chapter

C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 | C6 | C7 | C8 |

Chapter Ten will be out soon, enjoy Sunflowers x 🌻

Pairing | Eddie x Female reader 18+. Steve x Robin x Female reader platonic friendship

Series summary | Dustins older sister got brought into the group during the events of Starcourt mall, 3 months on she's in her senior year and the kids are starting high school. After everything that went down she feels that she has to keep them safe at all costs, that includes keeping them way from the charismatic 'freak' Eddie Munson that runs a club based on their favourite game. They've both hated each other since freshman year -with good reason-, but when keeping distance between the kids and Eddie means putting herself in the firing line, boundaries get blurred, intentions get lost & the heart speaks louder than the brain.

The story is told from both Y/N & Eddies point of view.

What to expect | Slow burn enemies to lovers, Angst - with a happy ending (fix-it-fic if you will), fluff & smut (in the later chapters). 18+ to read this story.

Series Warnings | Mentions of abuse, drug use, 18+ smut content

Chapter word count | 12 K Word Count

Chapter warnings | Swearing, allusions to Smut, violent descriptions, allusions to SA, underage drinking.

As always, any & all comments/reblogs are most appreciated - Love, P. x 🌿

Y/N | March 1986 

Being with Eddie was as natural as breathing, easy. Every moment I spent with him made the events of last year turn into a distant, terrifying nightmare, slipping to the back of my mind with every passing day. For every positive impact I had on him, he repaid towards me in ten folds, always outdoing me. Eddie fell into my life like I had been waiting specifically for him, I had just been in limbo, going through the motions of mundane day to day activities until he gave my existence meaning. 

How he had gone from being one of the people I loathed the most on the planet, to one of the few I couldn’t live without, gave me whiplash. After the first night Eddie snuck over to my house, we had fallen into an easy pattern in each other lives, as if we’d been a part of it since the beginning. 

Despite having followed the same routine for a couple of months now, butterflies still churned excitedly within me as I got ready for school, the thought of seeing Eddie making me smile as I jumped lightly trying to get my jeans on. I grabbed the blue sweater that I knew he loved most on me and paused briefly in my full-length mirror at my bedroom door to double check my appearance. 

My neck snapped back to scrutinise my face, a cold tremor running through me as I looked for a hint of the black lines haunting my skin. Deciding that it must have been the shivering shadow from the tree outside my bedroom window, I grabbed my bag and headed out through the door, slamming it shut tightly behind me. 

I hesitated in the hallway as I noticed a bundle of wires swaying gently outside of the window above the entry table, my mouth hung open slightly as I walked over to see where they led to, but they disappeared up and over the roof gutter. 

“Son of a bitch.” There was a thump and a static noise “Try tigers 86.”  Dustin’s thick voice sounded through his room at the end of the corridor. There was a whirring sound and the distant disturbance of clicking on a keyboard. 

“Holy shit.” My mom swept past me with a quizzical look as she heard his swearing, the sleeves of her colourfully checked shirt rolled up and her blonde hair pinned back.

“What’s the hold up? You guys are going to be late.” I shrugged as she pounded on his door, my school bag slipped off my shoulder with the movement. 

“Dusty what’s going on in there, you’re gonna be late.” She slid his roller door open as he screamed. 

“Don’t come in I’m naked!” Our Mom gasped and slammed it shut, avoiding eye contact with me as she bustled back down to the kitchen, her face beaming red. I glanced back at the wires and tip toed to his door, pressing my ears against the grainy wood. 

“I’m running out of time here.” He whispered; I opened the door back up again quietly. He was well and truly dressed and had his mouth against the talking piece of his ham radio, the voice of his long-distance girlfriend Suzie, crackling through the other end of it. I leant against the doorframe as I waited for him to notice. 

“Do you see it?” He asked nervously. 

“Yeah I see it, Yikes Dusty.” He groaned in conformation, leaning back on his swivel chair. His eyes widened as he spied me in the doorway, my lips pursed disapprovingly.  

“Whatcha doing there Dusty?” I teased, smiling wide as he faltered dangerously in his desk chair, narrowly saving himself from falling. I dropped my crossed arms and turned away, leaving his door open. 

“Hurry up, we still need to pick up Eddie and Max. Let’s goooo.” I called back loudly as he tapped his pencil against a note pad, hastily saying goodbye to Suzie. I swiped my keys from their hook in the entry way and nabbed a cold buttered piece of toast from the kitchen bench, muttering a quick farewell through a mouthful of food to my Mom, laughing as I noticed the colour hadn’t completely drained from her face. 

As I waited for Dustin and my car engine to warm up, I rubbed my temples as I leant against the head rest of my driver seat, a familiar migraine making an appearance. I hadn’t been smoking nearly as much as usual lately, as Eddie’s presence sufficed far more for a distraction than pot did for me these days. The headaches were getting worse, but I knew as soon as I seen his infectious smile and felt his warm rough hand slide into mine, I would be okay. A hot blush crept up my neck as the thoughts of last night played in my mind, bruises matching Eddie’s long fingers adorned my hips as he tried to stop me from getting off of him from where we laid on the couch at his trailer.

“Just stay.” He had purred, nuzzling his teeth against my neck, making me laugh and squirm. 

“I can’t.” His puppy dog expression had tugged at my heart strings, but I had already spent the night at his three times this week, and it was only Friday. The passenger door of my car opened letting a spring breeze ruffle through my hair, snapping me out of my thoughts. 

“AH AH AH.” I tsked, holding my hand up as Dustin slung his bag onto the floor, pausing midway as he jumped into the seat.  

He rolled his eyes as he pulled the door shut behind him. “Oh relax, your boyfriend can sit with you once we get there.” My blush deepened at his words, I pretended to ignore him as I turned back in my seat rigidly, lowering the hand break as I reversed down the driveway carelessly. 

Eddie and I hadn’t put labels on whatever we were, but we didn’t argue the title whenever it was thrown around by the group. Yes, I admitted that we hung out all the time, said and did sweet things that made Steve and Robin and the kids fake gag behind our backs. But the word boyfriend just wasn’t enough to describe Eddie, I needed something more permanent to reflect how I felt that I couldn’t live without him. Geez, I thought, as I chewed on the inside of my cheek, not paying attention as I almost hit our neighbour's mailbox, when did I get so dramatic?

___________________________________

My headache was pounding painfully behind my eyes as we pulled up to the trailer park, Max was already waiting for us on the weathered steps of her home, but as I instinctively looked over towards Eddie’s van, I couldn’t see the tell-tale cloud of cigarette smoke. I slowed to a stop on the shoulder of the makeshift dirt road and undid my seatbelt, jumping out as Max made her way over to us. 

“Give me a sec.” I called, jogging across the dead grass towards the Munson trailer. I didn’t hesitate as I tore up the steps, my shoes dislodging some of the flaking paint. I didn’t bother knocking, I’d practically spent more time here than my own home, essentiality becoming one of the permanents fixtures of the trailer. It was still early enough that Eddie’s uncle hadn’t gone to sleep after his shift yet, he was lounging comfortably in the reading chair in the corner of the living room, a half-eaten sandwich balancing precariously on his knee as he flicked the page of a beaten paper back. 

“Hi Wayne.” He jumped at the door snapping back against the wall panels as I swung it open, dusting off my feet before stepping inside. The swirling cigarette smoke create a thick haze as it made my eyes water, I left the wooden door open to let the smoke flow through the screen. 

“Hey sweetheart, that time already?” He rubbed his eyes drowsily as he checked his watch. “He’s been working a new song; he hasn’t stopped since I got home. Y’know where to find him.” He waved me on, and I smiled graciously at him as I turned down the hallway.

Wayne had accepted me and treated me with nothing but kindness since Eddie had tried to bring me home to officially meet his uncle, promising me that I had nothing to worry about when I argued against him. I had panicked that his uncle might not have been very receptive after the way I’d treated Eddie, but as I hesitated in the doorway of his trailer with Eddie by my side, he had just smiled knowingly at me, clapped his nephew on the shoulder and laughed gruffly. ‘I’m glad you cut your shit out Eds, she’s a pretty one.’ 

I followed the familiar treaded footsteps in the aged carpet towards Eddies room, the soft music from his guitar flowing through his closed door as he hummed a tune to go along with it. The raging pounding in my head slithered away with each step that brought me closer, like it knew I was moments away from being in Eddie’s presence again. I paused at his door to marvel at the sweet sound of his voice mixing with the octaves of his instrument before I slammed it open with a loud smack, sending him sprawling off the edge of his bed, his guitar sliding from his lap. 

I stepped through and nudged the door closed with the heel of my shoe as he watched me, he was shirtless, and his baggy jeans sat low on his hips from his belt being undone. The cigarette in the corner of his mouth fell to the carpet as his shocked face looked up to meet my laughing one. He quickly picked it up before it could create another burn hole in the fabric and crushed it in the ashtray. 

“C’mon Munson, what are you doing? Get it together, we gotta go.” I squealed as he launched himself up from the floor at me, wrapping his arms around my centre and throwing me down onto the messy, warm covers of his bed, quickly pressing his bare chest against me. His wild mane of hair got tangled in the space between us as laughter consumed us both, his strands of curls finding their way between his lips. He pulled his hair away from his face as he leant down to kiss me, trapping me beneath his body as I squirmed and half-heartedly pushed back against him. 

“Come on.” I giggled against his mouth as he rolled his hips down into mine, feeling his excitement growing. “We’re gonna be late for the pep rally.” He moved his mouth to my neck and groaned, flattening himself against me, his weight knocking the breath right out of me. 

“Ugh, don’t remind me. I’m only going because you’re making me.” He pulled back to look at me, his eyes softening as they met mine as he shook his hand in the air in a rude imitation of cheerleaders shaking their pom poms. 

“I don’t wanna go either, but Robins playing in band, and I have to make sure she-.” I bit my lip as Vickie’s name almost slipped past, I had told Eddie almost everything about me, but that secret wasn’t mine to tell. “I have to support Robin.” His eyes travelled down my chest as he playfully tugged at my sweater, either not noticing or not bothering to comment on my slip up. 

“You look nice today.” I cocked my eyebrows, jokingly acting offended. “You always look nice y/n.” Eddie rolled his eyes as the corner of my lips lifted. “Just nicer than usual.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck as I lifted myself from his mattress to kiss him, but something caught my attention. I pulled back and narrowed my eyes as I squinted up at something glinting on his ceiling. 

“What is that?” I questioned, he rolled off me slightly to the side to see what I was talking about. 

“What?” He snapped, panicking about what I’d found. “Oh.” Relief flooded his voice as a wide grin spread across his face, his eyes following mine.

“I told you y/n, you agreed to come with me once we’ve graduated. I’m going to take a polaroid of us fucking in every state to make a photo album, I don’t want to forget a single time with you. That’s just the first one.” He jerked his chin upwards, and I peered up at the sun glinting off the reflective surface, the outline of my naked back coming into focus, my face reddened as I saw where our two bodies connected in the photo. 

“Eddie” I screeched indignantly, his expression clouding with glee at my tone. 

“I said you could take the photo; I didn’t say you could put it on display for everyone to see!” I sat forward on my elbows as he jumped up from his bed, staring at the strong contours of his back as I tried not to let my anger get sidetracked. The thought of his uncle seeing the photo sending a knot of panic and embarrassment through me. 

“Y/n, when you have art like that, you don’t hide it away.” I huffed as he looked back at me from his dresser as he pawned through the messy draws, knowing that he was going to get away with it, as he always did. Knowing that I could never stay mad at him. 

“So dramatic.” He laughed, as he tossed his curls back and forth. I slid from his mattress and made my way across the room to him, wrapping my arms around him and pressing my wet lips against his back, I traced my fingertips across the top of his waist band. He shuddered at my touch and spun around to embrace me, I danced out of his grasp before he could trap me again. He groaned as I hesitated with my hand on the door handle, ready to make a quick escape, he palmed his boner through the fabric of his jeans as I smirked at him provocatively.

“We really have to go Edward.” 

“Oh Edward. Now I’m really in trouble.” I smirked at him as I ran my tongue over my lips, laughing lightly over how well he knew me, I only called him by his full name when I was being serious, he learned to take me sincerely the hard way. 

“Tease.” He muttered, turning back to his draws and pulling a stretched-out Hellfire shirt over his head, from the small makeup stain on the collar I recognised it as the one he usually dressed me in after sex, he refused to let me wash it after I’d worn it, saying that there was nothing on God’s green earth that could compare to the smell. 

Our first fight had come after I had sneakily washed a few things when he’d fallen asleep during one of the first times I stayed over. Eddie had said I had betrayed him on every level, so now whenever he visited my home, he would spray whatever he was wearing with my perfume in case I ever pulled a stunt like that again. I didn’t argue as he slid on his vest and followed me back down the hallway, my skin prickling as I sensed his closeness behind me. 

Wayne smiled lovingly at us both as Eddie ducked his head under the main door frame to avoid hitting it and I skipped down the steps, wishing us a good day. 

The spring air whipped through my loose hair and the warm sun beat down, I turned as Eddie clapped behind me, holding his hands out towards me. “Keys.” He whistled, I stopped next to the driver’s side of my car as he pinned me against it, stopping me from opening the door. 

“Are you serious?” I gasped as Dustin and Max stared at us through the back window. 

“Deadly.” He raised his eyebrows as he held his hand out towards me.

“You’re a terrible driver.”  

“Better than you y/n.” 

“You drive like a maniac.” 

“You drive like a grandmother.” 

“Fine.” I snapped, holding the keys out in front of his open hands, I snatched them back as he reached for them. “But we’re studying tonight after Hellfire, actually studying Eds.” His face dropped as he considered my deal. 

“Fine.” He relented as I dropped them into his outstretched palm, he followed me around to the passenger side to open my door for me. Dustin and Max’s voices drifted from the back seats as I slid into mine. 

“No Dustin, I haven’t spoken to Lucas, okay? So just drop it.” Max clipped her headphones over her ears and turned her walker up as loud as it would go, turning in her seat to stare gloomily out her window. My eyes looked up to meet my brothers in the rear-view mirror as a flicker of hurt crossed his features, shrugging his shoulders as his gaze met mine. The car rocked as Eddie pulled open his door and roughly fell into his seat, his jacket brushing against my arm. 

“Your car is so low.” He complained grumbly, reaching down to let the seat back so he could stretch his legs comfortably. 

“OW.” Dustin yelled as the seat slipped back too far and crushed him. I laughed as Eddie scooted it back forward. 

“Sorry kid sorry.” Dustin reached forward to fiddle with the dials on my radio as Eddie turned the engine over, leaning back in his seat after finding a station he liked but Eddie whacked his hand away as he slid in his own tape, I looked at him curiously as I spied my name on the cover.

“I made this for you last night after you left.” He explained and smiled at me sheepishly as warmth fired through me. 

I watched Eddie cautiously as he slipped my car into reverse and slung his arm over my seat to look out the back window. He smiled as he caught me staring at him as the music started up, turning the wheel with his palm as he reached down to grab my hand with his free one, intwining his fingers through mine. 

“Gross.” Max and Dustin muttered in union as we sped off, the sound of my favourite songs being played by Eddie on his guitar, a mix of my own choice and some of his reverberating through the car. 

___________________________________

“CORNER.” Eddie yelled out as he followed Steve’s BMW into the school parking lot, sending Dustin to launch into Max in the back seat. Gravel spun beneath the tires of my car with his sharp turn, flicking up towards the hoard of students trampling the freshly mown grass, making their way towards the gym. The sea of green and white parted as Eddie drove into a park furthest away from the main entrance, quickly speeding past Steve as he rolled to a stop in the middle of the road to let Robin out. She shouted out from the open passenger window of Steve’s car as we slipped by them, smiling at me as I turned in my seat to wave at her. My eyes flicked to the rear-view mirror as Eddie slipped the gearstick into park, to look at the towering forest trees behind the red bricked school buildings. 

“Hey wait up.” Robin quickly jumped from her seat and grabbed her band gear from the back of his car before jogging over to where we all slowly piled out. Steve raised his hand from the steering wheel in greeting towards us as his eyes flicked to where Eddie was rough housing with Dustin, as he reversed out of the school carpark his smile slipped from his face, avoiding my stare as he drove past. He was dressed in his uniform for the opening shift at Family Video, I reminded myself to drop by later to check in on him.

Even though I hadn’t said anything, Dustin, Steve, Robin and Max had figured out pretty quickly the reason for my sudden return from the land of moping to my regular happy self. Eddie and I thought we’d successfully been sneaking around for about a week after he stayed at mine before Max slammed her hand down on the cafeteria table during lunch, I had just finished coming up with some lame excuse about needing to see Mr Mundy about an assignment when she spoke up, Robin nodding along in agreement beside her with a mouthful of food. 

“Oh, for God’s sake y/n. We know about you and Eddie.” She sighed in exasperation as I froze, my eyes flickering across the busy dining hall to meet Eddie’s, he was half risen out of his chair the same as I, getting ready to meet me at our agreed spot in the woods. I had slumped back into my seat, embarrassingly resigned to tell them the truth that they both claimed, ‘was so obvious, only an idiot could miss it’.  

After that, the group had welcomed him in with warm arms since we followed each other everywhere we went, well mostly welcomed him. Steve still sat on the fence about the whole thing, I figured that was mostly due to the fact that Eddie messed with his carefully stacked tapes at work when he wasn’t looking, while waiting for me to finish my shift. Steve could never catch him, and Robin and I swore that he hadn’t touched them, and that Steve was going crazy.

I had made Eddie stop though when we’d noticed that Steve was developing a little bit of a bald spot from the stress. 

Not a lot had changed for Dustin except that he was around Eddie a whole lot more outside of Hellfire and school. Our mom was thrilled, giving me pointed looks every time his hands brushed the back of mine during dinner, after weeks of her badgering me I’d finally agreed to invite him over, but only if we ordered in instead of cooking. Eddie had been a gentleman and told her that dinner was nice but not as good as her cooking, setting a huge smile on her face. Mom had insisted that he join us again soon, to which he painstakingly agreed to, I had laughed and told him it was his funeral. We had gone through the facade of saying goodbye and pretending to drive off before he walked back to mine after dark and snuck back through my window and stayed the night for the second time. 

Dustin refused to acknowledge us as anything but friends, subtly nudging my door open wider whenever he passed us sitting in my room, intrusively invading our conversations if he saw we were laying on my bed together, giving Eddie death stares. As a result, we kept our more, physical activities to when we were at his trailer, or in his van, or at our spot in the woods or after a corroded coffin concert in the bathroom… 

Someone slipped their hand into mine as I watched the tail end of Steve’s car disappear around the corner, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“You okay y/n?” I tightened my fingers around Eddie’s as I looked up to his warm brown eyes glinting in the sun, his face filled with care and concern exploded joy within me. He held the mixtape he had made for me up in the air, sliding it into my pocket when I nodded with a small smile on my face. He traced small circles on the side of my hand, tugging me towards the gym with everyone else. 

“Max, Max.” Someone called out and I prodded her shoulder as Ms Kelley ran over waving to get her attention, she stopped and turned to where I was pointing, pulling her headset off. We all paused and waited for Max until the counsellor stared at us and waved us on, clapping her hands together and turning back to talk to her. 

“We’ll catch up with you later I guess.” I muttered to her, I let Eddie pull me forward again and I tugged on Robin sleeve as she stood still, staring back at Ms Kelley with her mouth hanging wide as people pushed in against us from all sides. 

“Shit.” Groaned Robin “I’m going to be late.” She tossed her schoolbag at Dustin and ran towards the gym, struggling to shove her band hat on top of her thick head of curls as she shoved people out of her way. 

The sounds of Cheers and screams erupted from the building as we made our way through the throng of bodies, I followed Dustin as he spurred forward with purpose across the room, not questioning where he was leading us. I felt Eddie turn rigid behind me and I looked back to give him a reassuring smile, squeezing his hand as he let me lead him forward, his eyes were darting all over the place, examining the teams' mascots running around and my old cheer squad as they danced out a choreograph I’d learned a hundred times over. This wasn’t his scene, and I appreciated his effort in venturing past his comfort zone for me. His jaw clenched as the Hawkins High basketball team ran into the gym, their sneakers slapping against the polished floor as they burst through a paper banner lead by Jason Carver.

My stomach churned as we came to a stop on a bleacher next to Mike Wheeler, the heat of the mass of bodies surrounding us engulfing me in seconds, I swung my hand back and forth to fan myself as I watched Jason snatch the microphone from its stand, the rest of his team lining up behind him as they hovered behind the cheerleaders dancing. 

Eddie wrapped his arm around my waist as he whispered in my ear, low enough to not catch the attention of Dustin as he turned to talk to Mike. “Are you okay?” I twisted my head to get a better look at him as he tucked me into his body protectively, starring daggers at Jason, the look in Eddie’s eyes reminding me of the night I had told him what happened. 

___________________________________

We had been sitting at the bottom of my driveway in his warm van after watching him perform at The Hideout, his jacket drenched in the smell of him was draped around my shoulders, we’d been reminiscing on the first time he’d been in my house as we passed a joint back and forth, and he'd questioned why I’d been so upset. I hadn’t wanted to even think about reliving what Jason had done let alone talk about it, but as Eddie sat there tracing light patterns up and down my arm as he waited for my answer, I knew that I wanted, no, needed him to know what happened. 

He had let me get through my story without interrupting me once, just holding my hand and squeezing it when I became too choked up to continue, Eddie had wiped my tears and shaken his head when I said I didn’t know why I was overreacting, murmuring to me that I had every right to be upset. He had let me drench his shirt in my salty tears, holding me for what felt like hours as I cried into his chest, stroking my hair and tightening his arms when I buried in against him. When my last sobs had finally wracked my body and my breathing had evened, he had pulled back to look at me with a vulnerable expression.

“You’re perfect y/n, I am so sorry. I am never going to let anything bad ever happen to you again, okay? Here.” He had tugged his hand from mine and slipped off the simple silver ring on his pinkie finger, sliding it over mine and placing a soft kiss there before bringing his lips to each of my finger tips, my raw bitten nail beds glowing red in the moonlight. 

“As long as you have it, I will always be here to protect you.” If possible, my heart had swelled full of even more affection for Eddie, threatening to suffocate me as I threw my arms around his neck, overcome with tears for a whole different reason. After sneaking him into the house under my mom’s sleeping nose, he had stayed with me the whole night in my room, reading ‘The lord of the rings’ out loud while I fell asleep against his chest. 

And protect me it had, I had gotten into a habit that I had picked up from Eddie, to twist the ring around my finger instead of picking at my nails, they were thankful for it as they now grew to a healthy, pretty length. He hadn’t gotten angry then, sensing that in the moment I had just needed him there with me, but each time he saw Jason at school his anger grew, no longer taking the bullying in his stride, sometimes voicing his violent thoughts and staring at him with the same look in his eyes that he had now, just waiting for a reason to arch up to Jason, until he would notice the look on my face and force a smile, assuring me that everything was okay and graciously distracting me with contagious laugh. I constantly worried for Eddie, that he would lash out at Jason, but after the last fight between them just before winter break, the basketball team hadn’t been coming after him or his Hellfire club as much, thankfully not providing Eddie with a reason to go after him. 

Screechy feedback sounded around the gym as Eddie’s eyes bored into mine, probing my face for an answer, but as long as I was in his arms, I would never not be fine. I leaned up on my toes to press a soft kiss under his jaw as Jason’s sickening voice echoed through the microphone. 

“Ugh, get a room” A fiery head of hair appeared at Eddie’s elbow as Max made her way through the crowd, sending us a disgusted look. 

“Yeah, we’ve got one, and it’s right across from where you live.” Eddie shot back, laughing at the look on her face as I elbowed him. The school band started up in a chorus of music as the cheer team finished their routine, I looked over through the crowd of uniforms to spot Robin falter slightly as her crush Vicki turned to look at her mid-performance. 

“Look, I’m not saying that my girlfriend is better than yours. It’s just that Suzie’s, like, a certified genius.” Dustin’s voice broke over our unenthusiastic claps and I turned to look over at them. 

“You do realise that El saved the world twice, right?” Mike shot back, crossing his arms over his Hellfire shirt. Dustin screwed up his face and held up a finger. 

“And yet you still have a C in Spanish.” The crowd erupted in a deafening cheer as the band drizzled off and the Cheer team did a series of spectacular flips, jogging off to the side to make room for the Tiger Basketball team to take the centre stage. 

“Good morning Hawkins High.” I swiveled my eyes away from Jason as his fake thank you speech echoed off the walls, letting his words turn into a droll in the background, my eyes came to rest on Lucas Sinclair standing in the line of players, painfully sticking out of place as I watched him wave in our direction, Max tightened her arms around her and turned towards me, ignoring him. 

My eyes snapped back to Jason as he mentioned Billy’s name, finding his stare already trained on my face, I felt Max stiffen at my side and I shot Carver a look of distain, hating him for speaking on something he knew nothing about and comparing it to a stupid basketball game that was playing tonight. Eddie, my brother, his friends and I stood still as everyone around us burst into cheers. 

“Tonight?” Mike gasped.

“How is that possible?” Dustin yelled.

“They call it a tournament; you win one game; you go on until there’s only one team left.” Max leant forward across Eddie and me to look at Dustin, their expressions moving to Eddies in shock, but he wasn’t paying attention as he stared down at my face, watching my reaction after Jason had mentioned Billy. 

“Come on.” I murmured, laying my hand against his lean stomach under his shirt. “Let’s get out of here, we’ll see you guys at lunch.” I called back over my shoulder as I headed out of the gym, ignoring the hands that shoved back as I pushed my way through the crowd, ignoring the stares and whispers towards us as people noticed us together, never letting go of Eddie. 

___________________________________

I flinched as Mr Mundy’s chalk screeched against the board as he wrote out an equation, each stroke sending a violent vibration of pain through my head. I placed my face in my hands and leant down against my desk breathing in the scent of mouldy wood, turning my head to the side to peak through the curtain of my thick hair as Eddie tapped my chair leg with his shoe. 

“Are you okay baby?” His eyes flicked up to the teacher as he moved closer to me, flashing his hand out to push my hair away from my face as he looked at me concerningly. I grunted and buried my face back into my fingers as a flare of agony pulsed through me. I heard something rude muttered on my right as Eddie’s eyes snapped up angrily, but I ignored it, breathing through my mouth as a wave of nausea washed over me. My heart stopped for a moment as the icy thought of pregnancy flashed in my mind, before I remembered that I had just finished my period. I took a deep breath as Mr Mundy called on me for an answer. 

I lifted my head and squinted at the callously scrawled letters on the board, quickly doing the math to give him the answer so he could leave me alone. 

“Uh… It’s 36.” He looked disappointed like he had hoped to catch me out on the wrong answer. 

“Yes.” He sighed, turning back to the board. “Moving on. Carol –“ I froze as my eyes landed on my reflection in the dirty windows lining the far side of the classroom on my left, the trees in the forest behind the school swaying slightly behind the image of my skin crawling with festering black lines. The face stared back at me as the iris’s darkened until they turned black completely. A ringing buzzed in my ears as it drowned out the drone of the teacher, I ripped my eyes away from the window and took three deep breaths, telling myself that when I looked back up it would be gone, just like it always did.

I was vaguely aware of a strong hand wrapping around my elbow, but my head swam as I glanced back up at my reflection, the wriggling black lines worming their way into the eye sockets and spewing from the mouth. 

I’m coming for him.

I shot up from my seat, knocking Eddie’s hand from my arm and interrupting Mr Mundy. 

“Miss Henderson.” He exclaimed, but his shouts of protests quietened as I fled from the classroom, leaving my bag behind and my textbook still sprawled open on the desk as I pushed my palms against my eyes, trying to hold my brain back from blasting through my skull. My sneakers slammed on the linoleum as I threw myself forward, barely making it into the girls toilet down the empty hall before I flung the door open and collapsed to the floor in the end cubical, my cheek flattened against the cold patterned tiles, curling over in a ball as I pressed my fists into side of my head. The pressure behind my eyes raged like someone was beating on it from the inside out, my body convulsed as I couldn’t hold back the next wave of nausea, I gripped onto the side of the open toilet and pulled myself up just in time, narrowly missing the sleeve of my sweater as I heaved. I slouched against the stall door once my stomach was empty, wiping my face with the back of hand. 

Someone snapped the bathroom door opened, I straightened my shirt and tucked my hair behind my ears as I readied myself to stand up, the pounding in my head lessening with each step that brought the stranger closer. I got my feet under me and halted, my breath catching in my throat as the mixed smell of musk and clove cigarettes invaded my nose. 

No

It wasn’t possible 

I shot my hand out against the wall in front of me causing it to wobble a little under my weight, my breathing sped up as the sound of heavy footsteps stopped just outside the stall I was crouched in. 

Billy’s voiced sounded through the fragile walls. My eyes snapped closed as I hyperventilated. 

“Y/n.” His voice didn’t belong to him, not the real him anyway, my mind flashed back to the flayed Billy. My vision blurred as my legs shook, I took a deep breath to try to steady myself and launched myself from the floor, balling my fists at my sides as I prepared to face anything. As I turned towards the main door, nothing but empty air stood in front of me, the echoing sound of Billy’s voice ringing off the cracks in the walls.

I watched it move out of the corner of my eye, so slowly that the seconds ticked by like hours, I turned to face a contorted version of me crawling through the mirror onto the dirty bench, her gruesomely snapped neck turned completely to the side as it paused to watch me shake. The hairs on my arms stood up as it unfolded itself in front of me, its limbs jerking out at odd angles as the fluorescent light above us flickered. I squeezed my eyes closed as tears filled them, but when I hesitantly let them flutter open, it had moved so close to me that I could see the black lines throbbing under its skin. I stumbled back in shock, a scream building in my chest as it lifted its claw in my direction. 

I’m coming for him

A violent image of Eddie’s lifeless body being ripped to bloody shreds forced its way into my mind, jamming itself down my throat until I was choking on the metallic taste of it. Tears streamed down my face as my scream faltered on my lips, the world tilted on an unnatural angle until my vision dwindled to thick blackness.

___________________________________

 Eddie | March 1986

The two youngest of my club slammed their lunch trays down in union against the top of our table in the cafeteria, interrupting my tantrum, the silver cutlery on them rattled loudly as Gareth chocked on his drink. 

“Society has to blame something. We’re an easy target.” Warner’s large frame shook in his seat next to me, his black leather jacket rubbing against his Hellfire t-shirt as he tossed his head angrily. 

I’d been in the middle of dramatically reading aloud from a newspaper which warned of the dangers of D&D, when I notice Little Henderson and Wheeler sliding into the empty chairs. I tossed the article aside carelessly next to my half-eaten lunch to lean froward impatiently, crossing my arms against my chest to hold my growing anguish inside of me. 

“Dustin.” My hair fell forward over my shoulders and tickled my chin as both his and Mikes faces flashed up to meet mine, prettified expressions reflecting back at me. 

“Where’s y/n?” Dustin eyes narrowed in annoyance at my mention of his sister, if my nerves weren’t electrified with worry over her, I would have laughed. 

“Shouldn’t you know?” He raised his eyebrows and shook his shoulders as the chatter died down around us nervously, Mikes gaze flicked between us as his picked apart the piece of fried chicken in front of him. 

The slurping of Gareth’s milk carton as he drained the rest of it, broke through the silence. 

“Yeah I should, but she ran out of class earlier like she’d seen a monster, and I haven’t seen her since.” I jiggled my knee up and down in frustration, the sound of the chain lining my jean pocket tinkled into the air as I swung my head back and forth to look through the crowds of students to stare over at Robin and Max, the former raised her eyebrows at me curiously, the question reflected in her wide blue eyes. 

Where’s y/n? 

My eyes shot over to the table filled with hulking figures clad in white and green basketball jerseys, laughing as they re-enacted out moves from their stupid game last night. A surge of panic and violent anger shot through me as Jason Carvers eyes met mine, his steely smile leaving his eyes as we glowered at each other across the room. I brushed the thought that he had done something to my girl away from my mind, she was probably just sick and decided to go home, or she might have remembered an assignment due and got caught up studying. Wherever she was, I would find her and make sure she was okay.

I had collected her books and stuff she’d left behind on her desk after Calculus finished, sticking my head into empty classrooms in the hallway and even getting a freshman to check the girls bathroom for me, after I’d swung by the library without any success, I’d figured she’d be with Robin and Max at lunch, but seeing her empty chair where she should have been rightfully laughing and stealing blushing glances from me across the crowded cafeteria, shot stabs of pain through my centre. 

Dustin’s voice cut through my thoughts as I half raised out of my chair, swiping her bag from between my legs and slinging it up over my shoulder. 

“So uh, speaking of monsters, uh, Lucas has to do his uh, balls-in-laundry-basket- game.” He gestured towards me with a laugh, as I stared back icily, my patience running thin as my mind turned over where I might find y/n. 

“So… he’s not gonna be able to make it to Hellfire tonight.” Mikes gaze probed my face as Dustin laughed, his voice trailing off as he took in my expression.

“Anddddd I know there’s no way we can beat your sadistic campaign without him.” Gareth’s, Jeff’s and Warner’s eyes flashed between the two of us as his words washed over them.

“So me and Mike, we we’re talking.” Mike turned away from Dustin as he waved his hands between their chests. “Shooting the shit” he turned back to me as I stared back unblinkingly. “And we were thinking that maybe we might…” He stuttered over his words as Mike huffed beside him. 

“Postpone!” He yelled, interrupting Little Henderson, I sighed and shut my eyes as the table erupted around us. 

“Postpone!?” 

“Can’t just drop this on us!” 

“Over my dead body.” 

“Shuttup.” I yelled, they fell silent as Gareth groaned in frustration beside me, his face contorting as he bit back a remark. “You’re saying Sinclair’s been taking in by the dark side?” I asked as Dustin nodded his head, avoiding my gaze. 

“Something like that.” Mike stupid face looked over at me with his mouth hanging open. 

“Something like that.” I repeated, sneering as I threw a hard piece of food at him. A senior with glasses and a frizzy perm looked back at me frightened, as she passed our table. 

“Jesus Christ.” Little Henderson huffed, dusting his crumbs off of his hat.  

“And rather than find a sub for him.” I continued, drawing out my words slowly so the pair of morons wouldn’t miss what I was saying. “You want… you want to postpone… the cult of Vecna?” I let my brows raise in disbelief as Mike floundered to find the right words. 

“I…I don’t want to postpone it. We don’t want to postpone it. It’s just that most of the subs… will be at the championship game.” I wrenched myself from the table and turned away from them, my eyes flashing back over to Carver as y/n’s tear-soaked face burned in my mind. I balled my fists and I strolled over to stand behind the freshman. I leant down to their level and slung my arms over their shoulders. 

“You boys, are the future of Hellfire.” They smiled unsure as I tightened my grip on both of them. I pulled Dustin closer to me as he drummed the table with his fingers. 

“I knew it the moment I saw you. You sat on that table over there, looking like…” I relinquished my grip on Mikes collar to point towards the table at the corner of the hall. “Looking like two little lost sheep.” They giggled nervously as my smile slipped a little. 

“You were wearing a Weird Al T-shirt, which I thought was brave.” I turned to Dustin as he slowly nodded his head. 

“Thankyou.” He whispered. 

“Mike, you were wearing whatever shit your mommy brought you from the goddamn Gap.” The members of Hellfire exploded into laughs as I tensed my arms, ripping Little Henderson and Wheeler up from their chairs. They both froze under my hands as I lead them around the table. 

“And we showed you that school didn’t have to be the worst years of your lives, right?” 

“No, no no.” They agreed together.

“Okay, well I’m here to tell you that there are other little lost sheepies out there who need help.” They followed my fingers as I pointed it around the dining hall at the plethora of students sitting by themselves. 

“Who need you.” I spun them back to face me. “And all you guys gotta do, is get your Bo-peeps on and go find one.” I pulled them into my body to shove them harshly away from me, shaking my head at their quickly retreating figures as they stumbled, and Mike looked to Dustin for conformation. I jogged back around the table to snatch up my metal lunch box and y/n’s things. 

“Where are you off to Eddie?” The overhead lights glinted of Jeffs braces as he smiled widely at me, the rest of the table watching me knowingly as I bounced with anticipation. 

I turned back to look at them as I headed for the exit door that opened right onto the school field. “As for me, I’m off to find my girl.” 

___________________________________

My mood darkened further as the last shimmering rays of the blazing orange sunlight disappeared beneath the horizon, a warm spring breeze ruffled my vest as I looked around the full school car park as students returned to watch the championship game, music, shouts and the Cheer mantra pouring out of the gym. I squinted as headlights poured over me, momentarily blinding me as I held up a hand to cover my face, anticipation curled in my stomach as the car turned into a park as I looked to see what colour it was, disappointment washing over me when I didn’t recognise it as y/n’s cream Ford Escort. 

It was Steve Harrington though, and I had half crossed the road to ask him if he’d seen y/n around before he jogged around to the passenger side and helped a blonde out of the seat, wrapping her hand around his arm as they headed off with the rest of the crowd. I sighed as I stepped up from the sidewalk, heading back into the dark school building. When I hadn’t been able to find her anywhere after I practically tore the school apart looking for her, I had half hoped she would turn up for Hellfire tonight. An ugly ball of nerves and fear brewed in my abdomen, the only relief being y/n’s pretty bright eyes, filled with life so that I knew she was safe.

She hadn’t been at home sick either when I dropped in after school, there was only one place I was going to double check after the campaign, but if I didn’t set eyes on her by tonight, I was going straight to the new chief of Hawkins Police, my bad reputation with them be dammed, I’d start the fucking search party myself if they didn’t do anything.

“Hey Eddie, come on.” I turned to see Gareth and Jeff waving at me from the end of the dimly lit corridor, I followed after them to take my seat in the stuffy drama room, the finale of the campaign laid out in front of me on the dusty tabletop. 

As Mike and Dustin walked in to stand at the door, I thought for a wild moment that they had gotten Lucas to make the right choice, but as she stepped forward from the shadows with a full-size American Flag wrapped around her shoulders, the overhead theatre lights reflecting on her familiar features, I realised that she definitely had to be a Sinclair. 

“Absolutely not.” I rested my elbows on the arm rests beside me, bundling my fists together.

“You asked for a sub. We delivered.” Dustin stood next to her as he gestured over to where she stood in her four-foot glory, grasping a pink folder against her chest. 

My chair creaked as I leant forward. “This is Hellfire club, not babysitting club.” My heart twisted as I thought back to the same words I had muttered to y/n months ago when she had stood in front of me in the same way. 

“I’m eleven you long haired freak.” I grinned in shock at her voice, she might have looked like Sinclair, but she had bigger balls than him. 

“My my, the child speaks.” I looked around at the other Hellfire members standing by side. Warner chortled as I launched myself from my throne across the room.  

“So, what’s your name, child?” She stepped forward to meet me halfway, Mike and Dustin’s faces watched us nervously.

“Erica Sinclair.” She said proudly, puffing her chest out as she didn’t back down from me. I pulled my lip back as I chuckled at her tone. 

“So this is Sinclair’s infamous sister.” I didn’t need the conformation as she turned to look back at the freshman.

“He’s sharp.” She teased, causing the others behind to snigger, I snapped my neck at them, they fell silent as they caught my glare. 

“What’s your class and level?” I challenged. “Level one dwarf?” The guys erupted into raucous laughter, setting a smile on my face even though I was sure it was forced. 

“My name is Lady Apple Jack. And I’m a chaotic good half-elf rogue, level 14.” The laughter died down behind me and the grin faltered from my face. “And I will sneak behind any monster you throw my way and stab them in the back with my poison-soaked kukri. And I’ll smile as I watch them die a slow, agonizing death. So, we gonna do this? Or we gonna keep chitchatting like this is your mommy’s book club? “ 

Little Henderson and Mike shared an impressed glance as I stared back at her unflinching eyes, as she waited for me to challenge her again. Seconds of heavy silence passed by before I extended my hand into the space between us, smiling as I nodded approvingly as whispers broke out around us. 

“Welcome to Hellfire.” 

Erica slid her eleven-year-old palm into mine and shook it firmly. 

___________________________________

I hung back as my club thundered down the hallway, watching them pat each other on the back as their shouts of glee echoed off the lockers, Jeff leant over to bang on them excitedly, setting them off in a ringing rattle. I crossed my arms and leant against the door frame with a smile as they pushed the glass doors open into the night air, Dustin high fived Erica as he jumped into the air and kicked his heels together, turning around to embrace Gareth as they got lost in the crowd of people filing from the gym, waving pom poms and colourfully decorated signs around as they swarmed to find their cars. 

I basked in the moment of their victory for a split second before I spun around, ripping my vest and jacket that was hung over my chair inside of the drama room and jogged down the now eerily empty and cold corridor, pulling them on over my arms as I headed for the back door, the brisk air whisked my hair around my face as I hesitated on the landing outside, pulling a cigarette from my vest pocket, I cowered over to protect the flame of my lighter from the wind. I stood up straight and inhaled deeply, watching the cherry of my smoke blaze red hot before jumping down the steps. 

Loud shouts of laughter spread along the outside of the building out of eyesight as I jogged across the darkened field, the wet grass squelching beneath my sneakers as I took long strides, keeping up the same pace as I jumped over the fence and headed to our spot in the woods, my heart clenching excitedly as I convinced myself she would be there waiting for me. Icy disappointment drenched me as I burst into the clearing, darkness pressing in from all sides as I stared around at the empty table, eery silence bursting on my ear drums as I fled the scene, panic ripping its way up my throat as my mind spun, wondering where the hell she was. I paused as I broke free of the tree line, watching a large group of uniform clad students crossing the field, their laughing faces glowing under the moonlight as they passed cans back and forth. 

I shoved my hands further into the pockets of my jeans as I warned myself away, knowing I should probably take the outskirt path of the field because if I ran into Jason Carver in this state, I had no doubt that I’d take out my frustrations and worry on his preppy, snobby face. I had half turned away before I spied a head of loose, flowing hair that I would recognise anywhere, glistening in the moonlight beside them. I launched myself over the chain link fence before a sane thought had the chance to enter my mind, angrily jogging over as she walked in between Jason and his cronies, facing away from me as they headed to the school parking lot. She was wearing the same thing I had seen her in this morning, except she had someone’s basketball jersey slung over her shoulder now. Black rage fired through me as I watched Jason reach over to pull her into his side, the groups laughter drifting back to me over the wind. 

Dark shadows swirled across us as the bright moon ducked in and out between the thick clouds above, an urge of violence pulsed through me as Carver stroked his fingers up and down her arm, picturing myself peeling them from her and snapping them individually. I called out as soon as I was close enough to smell the stench of grog radiating off of them. 

“Y/N.” She tensed as she heard my voice cut through the night air, slowing her pace automatically as the basketball team turned to face me, their faces lighting up like Christmas had come early as the saw me. 

“What the hell are you doing here.” I snapped at her, ignoring the insults that the jocks surrounding her, were throwing my way. My blood ran cold as she turned to face me. The spring breeze that turned icy after the sun set, whipped her hair around her head wildly as the others passed beer cans back and forth as their eyes flickered between us. 

Warm eyes that had stared at me adoringly for the past three months that healed every raw wound beneath my surface. Soft lips that had kissed every inch of my body and wiped away excruciating nightmares when I woke up in her arms. Gentle hands that had caressed my hair and trailed across my bare skin as she wrapped herself around me, where nowhere to be found as y/n turned to stare at me. Hate clouding her every feature as she narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips like I was something disgusting. My stomach dropped at as she glared at me unflinchingly, panic setting in as I struggled to understand what was happening. 

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve been looking for you?” She remained tight lipped and silent as Jason laughed beside her, my eyes flashed to his flushed face menacingly, pure unyielding rage flooding through me as he brought his beer to his lips. 

“Yeah, she’s been busy Munson.” He raised his brows and gestured to where she stood shaking slightly, I ran my eyes over her body, noticing that my favourite blue sweater of hers was messily buttoned up, like someone had tried to fix it in a haste. My stomach dropped as I looked back at her face, the blood draining from it as she avoided my stare. 

My thin wall of resistance snapped as I turned and launched myself at Jason, my fists already balled up at my side. He dropped his drink as he measured up to face me, his cronies flying in behind him to back him up. But y/n was quicker, she wedged herself in between us, placing a small hand on both of us as she turned to face him completely, resting back against my chest. 

“Stop, stop Jason. I’ll catch up with you okay, just… just give me a minuet.” She shoved him slightly when he didn’t move, his eyes blaring into mine as I breathed deeply, my chest heaving as I stared him down. 

“Go.”  Y/n shouted, jostling his shoulder. “I’m right behind you okay.” She promised. He glanced down at her between us before smirking back up at me, spinning around and whistling to his team as they followed after him. My eyes didn’t leave his back until they were well out of earshot, their swaying figures growing smaller in the distance as they crossed the fresh grass. 

Y/n stayed pressed against my chest facing away from me as I stared over her head, refusing to move. The night air washed away her heat as she sighed and stepped away from me, shivering, wrapping her arms around her core before she turned to face me. 

“What the fuck y/n?” I spat out at her, rage and hurt throbbing through me as the quietness closed in around us, looking down as she hung her head. She took a long, deep breath before squaring her shoulders. She looked back up at with me foreign, steely resolve in her eyes. 

“What?” She spat back, venom dripping from her tongue.

“What do you mean what? What the fuck is this?” I swore, searching her face for an answer. 

“What did you expect Eddie?” She looked back at me like she had no idea what I was talking about, or why I was so enraged. 

I took a cold breath to steady myself as her words made my head swim, threatening to choke me and pull me under. “Y/n, please just tell me what’s going on?” I begged, letting my anger slip from my face so it was just pain that shone on it. Something raw flickered across her features before she clenched her jaw, her eyes hardening. 

She turned to leave, and I shot my hand around to trap her wrist, sparks flew up my arm as my skin brushed hers, she spun back to face me as her eyes flashed. I thought back to the first night at hers, and the promise I’d made her. 

“Stay?” I pleaded, watching her mouth as I waited for her to swear the same thing that I’d done for her. Pain glimpsed on her face, too quick that I almost missed it. 

“Edward.” My heart dropped at my name, as she took a breath and looked back up at me. 

“This was nothing, the past few months.” She uttered the words as she scoffed and looked away at the last of the crowd trickling out of the car park, their headlights disappearing over the hill. 

“Eddie I was bored for god sakes; did you really think that I could like the Freak? That anyone could? Fuck man, I just wanted to use you to piss off my mom, but that clearly didn’t work, and I couldn’t keep up pretending. I can’t stand you, this entire thing was a joke, I planned it Eddie. And you were stupid enough to fall for it.” She leaned froward on her toes as she spat the last part at me, revulsion spreading across her face as she watched the damage her words cut through me. 

“It meant nothing.” I stumbled back a little as I mumbled for her to stop, searching for the lie in her cold, empty eyes. 

It wasn’t there. 

I held up a hand in the air between us like I could shield my heart from the final blow that was about to crush it forever, beyond repair.

Y/n stood up straight and looked me up and down, sighing, like I was a pathetic, broken creature that she pitied. The silver moonlight broke through the clouds for a second, illuminating the honest crevice’s on her pretty face. 

“You meant nothing.” Her eyes never left mine as she twisted my ring off of her hand, letting it tumble and fall through her thin fingers onto the wet grass beneath us. 

___________________________________

 Y/N | March 1986

I cringed as the sting of whiskey slid down my throat, taking another swig of the bottle as the first mouthful didn’t do anything to lessen the pounding in my head. I let the bottle rest between my knees, I was sitting on a fallen tree stump outside of the abandoned ‘Benny’s’, the flames of the raging fire in front of me burning into my face, sending sparks up into the pitch black night but I couldn’t care, I welcomed the pain as a distraction from the night. Cold air whipped behind me as I brought the tip of the bottle back to my lips, scrunching my eyes shut and tilting my head all the way back.

“Careful there sweetheart.” I looked up across the circle of the basketball team, the shadows from the fire flickering across their drunken expression, to see Jason watching me, his face swam in and out of focus as my grip slackened on the glass, raising it in his direction as he walked over to me. “It’s strong that stuff.” 

“I think I’m old enough to say when I’ve had enough Carver.” I sneered, dangerously swaying back and forth as I took another deep gulp, spilling some down my front. 

“Yeah she’s a big girl, did you see the way she handled that Freak, Jason?” Andy, one of his teammates called out from across the group, leering at me as Jason slumped down next to me. My eyes flicked up to meet Lucas Sinclair’s, a stab of pain and embarrassment pulsing through me before the alcohol crushed it, Lucas stared back at me terrified as Jason ran his hand up and down my leg. 

“Mmm I don’t know Andy; I think she liked the Freak.” A dangerous chuckle ran through the circle, everyone’s eyes suddenly trained on me, I looked around for a friendly face, suddenly realising that I was the only girl. My vision blurred together as everyone’s identical uniforms mashed together, I swept my head back and forth to try and find Lucas again, but he’d disappeared from the group. My stomach churned as Jason leant in close to me, trapping my jaw between his fingers as he forced me to look at him. 

“So what about it y/n? Did you like the Freak?” His breath washed over me as I stumbled back against the tree log, trying to pull myself from his grasp. The world suddenly turned on its axis as his fingers tightened. He brought his lips to my ears so only I could hear. 

“Did you let that Freak fuck you y/n?” I ripped myself from his grasp and I tumbled back against the fallen tree, my legs gently swaying off of it as my head smacked against the bark roughly, I felt Jason’s cold fingers trace my bare skin above my jean waist band as I laid back, ignoring me as I cried for him to stop, the alcohol slurring my words together as laughter surrounded me. Jason shushed me as he moved beside me, his body blocking the fire as he moved above me.

“Y/N.” It wasn’t the voice I wanted to hear, but it still sent a feeling of safety through me, I turned my head to watch Steve storm across the beer can littered dirt patch to where we all sat, his hair flapping wildly and his blue jacket whipping in the wind, shoving the basketball players out of his way as his swung his bat full of nails around menacingly. Jason’s heavy form was ripped off of me, cold air caressed my bare skin from where my shirt had been pulled up. 

“Get off her asshole.” There was a thud and the sound of something smacking flesh as a groan echoed into the night. I couldn’t see who he was talking to but I heard the footsteps fall back. 

“Yeah? Try it.” I watched the shadows dance as Steve swung his bat back and forth, dropping it the side as he leant down to pick my drowsy form up, leaves and broken bark fell from me as he lifted me up, sliding me easily over his shoulder before picking the bat back up. He pointed it at the group of basketball players as he stormed back past them to keep them away, I was swaying dangerously as I pressed my hand against my mouth, watching the trees of the forest reach out after us as Steve jogged around the side of the building back to the main entrance. I groaned as he emptied me into the back seat of his car, parked hastily across the carpark of the abandoned restaurant. 

“Are you gonna be sick y/n?” I shook my head as he lowered himself to my level, searching my face concerningly, not believing me as I gagged. 

“I’m gonna get you outta here okay? Just please tell me if I need to pull over, God what were you thinking y/n?” He tucked my legs inside the door before closing it lightly, jogging around to the driver’s seat and slamming it closed behind him, quickly locking it as he turned the engine over, the car purred to life beneath me as it vibrated with power. 

“Steve.” His eyes flashed to mine in the rear-view mirror, sadness crossing his face like he knew what I was going to ask. 

“How did you know where to find me?” I hiccupped as the whiskey threatened to make a reappearance. He sighed as he slid his car into reverse, turning the heater on for me as I shivered. 

“Eddie.” He mumbled, turning back to look at me with pity reflecting on his face. 

I fell back against the seats as the excruciating pain in my head, and the anguished pain in my heart pulled me under into dark blissful serene depths. 

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My head lolled back in the crook of Steve’s arm as he stumbled under my weight on uneven ground, panic shot through me as I recognised the beat up blue and white weather boards of Eddie’s trailer, I struggled against Steve’s chest, but he took a left and jogged up a different set of stairs. He kicked the wire door with his shoe three times, shrugging his shoulders and breathing heavily as he looked around us. Max’s sleepy voice drifted through the silent night as the door opened up with a slight smack against the wall, her annoyed tone turning to one of shock as Steve pushed past her through the entry way. I slipped in and out of consciousness as he laid me back against a bundle of blankets on the sofa in the trailer living room, slipping a couch pillow under my head as I turned away from him. 

“What’d you bring her here for?” Max whispered angrily as she slammed the door back shut behind us, rushing over to tuck the blankets around me and brush sticky hair away from my face, her voice faltered as she noticed the tears streaming down my cheeks. 

“Well I couldn’t very well take her to her house, and my parents are actually home for once.” He crossed his arms and scratched his chin as Max turned towards him. 

“What happened?” She tugged her oversized blue jumper around her thin frame tighter, Steve lowered his voice, but I could still hear him. 

“I think something happened with Eddie, he called me – she was drinking with Jason and the other guys.” As I reached up for feel for another pillow to drown their voices out, my fingers brushed something hard, I pulled Max’s Walker from between the cushions. My fingers fumbled with the buttons as I reached down in my pocket, pulling the tape that Eddie had made and switching it out with the one that was already geared up to go. I clumsily slipped the headset on over my ears as I pressed play, the sweet sound of Eddies guitar playing my favourite song echoing around my skull as I turned it up as loud as it would go. 

My breathing came easier as my pounding headache slipped away with each beat of the song, I lent up against the pillows to watch as someone’s faltering headlights flashed across the window into Max’s living room. My breathing froze in my throat as I watched fog swirl across the brake lights of Eddies’ van as he screeched to a stop into his makeshift park across from us. I felt someone come up behind me as my body ran cold and my heart stopped beating, watching the familiar blond ponytail bob back and forth as she jumped from his passenger side wearing her cheer uniform, as she skipped around the front of his van. 

Eddie’s deep voice started singing in my ears through the headset as I watched Chrissy Cunningham follow him up the stairs, smiling sweetly as he opened the door for her. 

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Authors Note | As always, if you've reached this far down than thank you for reading & I hope you enjoyed it. Um, yeah. I don’t really know what to say about this one :/, I had to take several breaks while writing.

Let me know what you thought, take care Sunflowers 🌻

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Eddie Tag List } @dotslabyrinth @chanaaaannel @lem0nb0iii @xcarabear @projectcampbell @munchabunch @grungegrrrl @sammararaven @ches-86 @alinepichi @halbhohehalluzination @kalalikalas @thetrashqueen23 @bruh-tato-chap

I hope you enjoyed the Ninth chapter! If you would like to be added to my Eddie tag list, let me know! :)

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