Chapter 1: Chapter 1. Video Killed The Radio Star
Summary:
This Chapter is in Steve Harrington's POV. For each chapter, I plan on switching it from Steve to you to Eddie. Sometimes I will write a few paragraphs in other characters' POV, but it's rare.
Notes:
I've rewritten the chapter since they were originally posted in 2022. This series is still ongoing because I decided to come back to it.
Chapter Text
Steve Harrington's POV:
When Steve Harrington discovered that Dustin's cousin was coming to Hawkins to spend spring break at the Henderson household. He was somewhat confused by this notion. For one, you were supposedly Steve's age, and Dustin was just a freshman in high school. Two, you were supposedly this genius college student. You didn't have to pay a dime for your education due to scholarships. And three, Steve figured that even a genius didn't deserve to spend spring break with their little cousin. You deserved to go and hang out with your friends and go to the beach, or whatever genius did for fun.
Yet, knowing Dustin (who was also a genius), Steve figured that you would be this massive nerd, and it would be best to avoid you at all costs. Since he could only handle so much nerdiness. Nevertheless, Steve's unjust prejudices on you would be incorrect. Even though you were a massive nerd, and you were a genius he was incorrect on one of his assumptions. That being your appearance. The reality was you were one of the most beautiful people Steve had ever seen. He just didn't know it yet.
Steve had been having a rather shitty day. The night before, he had a date and his hopes of this girl being the one were quickly shattered. The girl he went out with was a total idiot. (Though Steve could not deny that she was hot.) He knew deep down that this thing between them would only be sexual. Which was fine after all he was a 20-year-old man and he’d never sneeze at the thought of having good sex. However, he was getting rather tired of hooking up with random girls. Steve Harrington wanted someone to be his friend and his lover. Yet, at this point, it seemed that none of the girls in Hawkins, Indiana would ever fit that description.
It was late afternoon when the phone at the video store rang. The video store Steve worked at wasn't too busy just yet. It also helped that his shift was almost over. But truthfully, Steve just wanted to get the fuck out of there.
He had another date tonight that he had to get ready for. This time with a blonde named Brandy? Brenda? Britta? Steve honestly couldn't remember. She was decent, and he had seen her come to Scoops Ahoy a few times last year when the mall was still around. The young woman would always order sugar-free ice cream. The same kind that Robin had threatened to throw away almost daily since hardly anyone ever ordered the frozen treat. Making the flavor was just a waste of space for the chain. Yet, he had no evidence since it wasn't his job to care about what a corporation did with its money.
When he picked up the phone, he heard shouting on the other end. It was Dustin calling. He sounded frantic and his words were jumbled together. Steve had to hold the phone away from his ear since he was practically screaming into the phone. Once the call was quiet he put it to his ear and said.
"Whoa! Slowdown! What the hell are you saying, Henderson?"
"I'm saying! I need you to join me in D&D tonight!!"
"D&D? I don't play that shit, Henderson. Besides, I have a date tonight. Why don't you ask your cousin?" Steve muttered into the phone. He had had serval customers rat on him for his language in the past. Especially this shitty elderly woman that always came in. For whatever reason, the crazy granny had it out for him.
"She's been on the road for like four hours! I highly doubt Y/n wants to spend her first night of spring break time with a bunch of sweaty guys playing D&D! Come on! Just move your date this one time! COME ON!"
"What to hang out with you? And Eddie "the freak" Munson? Uh, yeah. I'll pass." Steve scoffed.
"You're just jealous cause I have another older male friend."
Steve's eyes widened and gagged. He held the phone away from his ear but decided to continue this weird conversation anyway. "Ew. Whatever. Besides, I really dig this girl. I think she could... Who knows, she could be the one."
Steve knew his lie wasn't convincing. But frankly, playing shitty games all night just wasn't his thing. He loved Dustin, but D&D was such a fucking bore. Relatively speaking, it was too complex for him to have any interest in it. Truthfully, anything to do with knights and wizards just wasn’t his taste. The only thing he’d be slightly interested in when it came to the fantasy genre would be saving a maiden princess and the thought of a chastity belt.
With the jingle of the store bell, a group of beautiful girls walked in distracting him from Dustin’s ramblings about D&D. "I gotta go. There are customers. Call ya later!" With that, he hung up the phone. He’d hung up just before he could hear Dustin laugh on the other line. Both of them knew that this date he had tonight wouldn’t lead anywhere anyway.
The group of girls looked to be either in late high school or early college. They were a chatty bunch and seemed normal, but one didn’t belong. It was at that exact moment that he spotted you. He’d quickly realized that you weren't with the group of girls that had just arrived. You came in behind them, and you were there by yourself. You seemed somewhat lost and almost intimidated by the store... Perhaps, you were even intimidated by the group of girls.
Steve found it cute since he knew these girls were all harmless airheads since they often frequented the store. As he watched you walk down the store allies, he couldn't help but snicker as you mouthed the names of the titles before you.
He wasn't sure why he found you attractive. You didn't exactly dress up tonight, even though it was Friday night. Rather, you were just sporting a casual red and white striped shirt and mom jeans. Your hair was messy, and you hadn't worn any makeup. You looked tired. Yet, your eyes still sparkled. Steve had to get your number. He decided as he watched you. It's not; like he was in a committed relationship, and he hardly doubted that Brandy or whatever would be pissed off. After all, he was going out tomorrow night with a girl named Hilda. Steven knew this was his chance when you arrived at the counter with your movies. It was now or never.
You had checked out an odd selection: The Shining, The Breakfast Club, Logan's Run, and Sixteen Candles? Shit, Steve didn't even know what to think of these picks. He figured that making a comment on the films would be a good way to start a conversation with you.
"You look shocked? What does Molly Ringwald freak you out, Hairy?" You teased, leaving Steve breathless. He was trying to be cute and flirty, yet you had beat him at his own fucking game! He needed to pull his head out of his ass. With a sly smirk, Steve shrugged his shoulders and replied.
"Nah... I've just never seen anyone check out The Shining and Sixteen Candles at the same time..." It was clear that he was trying to sound nonchalant, when in reality that was the farthest thing he was from that moment in time. Up close, you were even prettier, and you smelled like spearmint. He was absolutely enamored by you.
"Yes, because one of the movie is a dramatic story about a family falling apart because they forgot about their past. While the other is about a hotel. Your point is, Hairy?" Steve narrowed his eyes at you. He wasn't sure if you were flirting with him at this point. If anything, you were being kinda cryptic. This still intrigued him.
"Why do you keep calling me, Hairy?" Steve said in practically a whisper. He cursed himself for sounding hoarse; this she-devil in front of him made him lose all composure.
"Cause of your hair. Plus, you're not wearing a name tag. So are you going to check me out?" You then bat your eyelashes at him and pierce your lips together.
"WHAT? I wasn't checking you out?!" Steve shouted causing the group of girls to look over at him weirdly. He felt his face burn but he knew better than to say anything else.
"I meant the movies. Wow. Are you always this suave, Hairy?" You raised your eyebrows in concern and Steve sighed. You were fucking with him.
"I'm sorry. It's just... I've lived in this shithole all my life, and I've never seen you before..." He decided this was it. It was time to make a move. Now or never, extending his hand, he smiled and turned on the charm. "I'm Steve. Steve Harrington." He then winked at you, leaving you to laugh.
"Hello, Steve Harrington. Can you please check me out?"
Steve groaned at this. He had struck out. Leaving him to feel like this whole thing was a fucking waste. You were so attractive that Steve was pretty sure he'd be kicking himself about this shitty attempt at flirting for years to come. He then began to do his job, only for you to continue to mock his failed attempts.
"What you didn't expect I'd give my name to you that easily? Besides, you've hardly done anything to impress me with besides having good hair, Hairy."
"Yeah. Yeah. Well, I was just kinda busy being lost in thought." He rolled his eyes playfully, enjoying your sarcasm.
"Let me guess. You saw me and thought, "She's the one?!" Because the line always works. At least in the movies. And who knows, maybe it also works in Hawkins, Indiana?" Steve grunted loudly at that. If only this woman actually knew how often he said that to himself. She would probably show him some pity. Or perhaps, she wouldn't at the end of the day, he didn't know her, and her mockery just felt playful yet cruel. Handing you the VHS tapes, you put them into a cloth bag that was slung over your shoulder. It had a college name on it. Making it obvious you were a college girl. Striking out with a high schooler was one thing but with a college girl. Fucking brutal.
"Anyway! See ya, Hairy!" With that, you laughed and took your tapes with you, leaving Steve utterly baffled and annoyed. Nevertheless, he would be a goddamn liar if he said anything other than being absolutely smitten by you. He hated to admit it, but that exchange was what did it for him. Steve wholeheartedly believed you could be the one. Even though that was a childish thing to believe.
Unlike his date that he'd attend to later tonight. It would be an inevitable failure, just like the last one and the one before that. Yet this time was because of his own doing. Instead of trying to engage in conversation with the nice girl, his mind was elsewhere. All Steve Harrington could think about was you and your perfect kissable lips. He had wished throughout the night girl next to him was you, not some has-been cheerleader. You were consuming his thoughts, yet he hadn't even gotten your name. Luckily by 9:30 tomorrow morning, Steve Harrington would have your name along with the identity of your next of kin. Luckily, Steve Harrington was so fucking screwed.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2. Play with Me
Summary:
This chapter is mostly in your POV with a couple of paragraphs that are in Dustin's POV. The next chapter will be in Eddie's POV. TW parents blackmailing their kid into doing something they don't want to do.
Chapter Text
Your POV
When you arrived in Hawkins, Indiana, you sighed. You had already known that this spring break was going to be such a waste. The only reason you were in Hawkins visiting your aunt and cousin was that your parents were forcing you. You didn't often ask your parents to pay your bills. But because this semester had been such a stressful one, you had to quit your part-time job just to focus on your studies. Which left you broke. This led you had beg your parents to pay for your rent for the last couple of months. The agreement had many flaws, however. The biggest one was that your parents believed that because you owed them money, they could force you to do whatever they pleased. That meant more trips back home, and now a trip to your cousin's house.
Once upon a time, your cousin Dustin Henderson was one of your closest friends. However, as you grew older, you focused less on your friendship and more on your studies. Now, you were essentially a friendless college student with a major caffeine addiction.
You had decided to pop into the video store before arriving at your Aunt's house. You'd remember summers ago when your Aunt took you to see a Molly Ringwald film. She had gushed about how the character was similar to how she acted in high school. You didn't care for Molly Ringwald. You found her to be somewhat artificial from all of her film credits. But knowing your Aunt, if you just picked up a horror flick from the video store, and nothing else, she'd most likely rat you out to your mother. Which was the last thing you wanted. So you opted to a getting some shitty teen movies and a movie you were certain Dustin would be interested in. You recalled once that you lent your copy of Logan's Run to him years ago. So, you figured that he'd also enjoy the movie version.
When you arrived at the check-out counter, you were greeted by an odd employee. He wasn't unpleasant to look at; in fact, he was extremely sexy. However, he was staring at you the whole time as you perused the aisles of the store. This weirdo behavior had truly disturbed you. However, those damn chocolate eyes made you somewhat turned on and devious. Why not flirt with the video store clerk? It's not like you'd ever see him again?
As you approached the counter, he looked as if he'd snapped out of a dazed state. And had quickly tried to look busy. As if he hadn't been staring at you the entire time you were in the video store. Which both of you knew he had. As you put the VHS tapes on the counter he began to go through them. This was your chance to tease him and maybe even fluster him.
"You look shocked? What does Molly Ringwald freak you out, Hairy?" You ridiculed. The clerk took a second to respond. If you didn't know any better, you'd say he was in total awe of you. But those chocolate eyes told you otherwise. This man wasn't a meek flirt. He was a player.
"Nah. I've just never seen anyone check out The Shining and Sixteen Candles at the same time is all…."
"Yes, because one of the movies is a dramatic story about a family falling apart because they forgot about their past. Meanwhile, the other is about a hotel. Your point is, Hairy?"
"Why do you keep calling me, Hairy?" He finally questioned, you had begun to think he would never mention it.
"Cause of your hair. Plus, you're not wearing a name tag. So are you going to check me out?" You knew damn well that it had a double meaning, and much to your assumption, you had freaked out the clerk. You batted your eyes at him and unintentionally pierced your lips together. His pretty face just seemed to have that power over you.
"WHAT? I wasn't checking you out?!"
"I meant the movies. Wow. Are you always this suave, Hairy?"
"I'm sorry. It's just... I've lived in this shithole all my life, and I've never seen you before... I'm Steve. Steve Harrington." He then extended his hand, leaving you to laugh.
"Hello, Steve Harrington. Can you please check me out?"
Steve groaned at this. You wanted to crack up laughing. This man before you was the most idiotic flirter you had ever met. He was trying to impress you by his name. As if his name had meaning to you. Perhaps, in this town it did. But to you, Steve was a nobody. Clearly, someone was popular in high school.
"What you didn't expect I'd give my name to you that easily? Besides, you've hardly done anything to impress me with besides having good hair, Hairy."
"Yeah. Yeah. Well, I was just kinda busy being lost in thought."
"Let me guess. You saw me and thought, "She's the one?!" Because the line always works. At least in the movies. And who knows maybe it also works in Hawkins, Indiana? Anyway! See ya, Hairy!" You left laughing. You decided that when you came to return the movies, you would annoy him just as much.
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Dustin's POV
Eddie was really twisting my fucking arm! Dustin thought as he rode his bike home rather recklessly.
Dustin didn't know what Eddie would do if he didn't find someone to sub for Lucas tonight for Hellfire. He only hoped Eddie wouldn't kick Mike, Lucas, and him out of the club. Dustin knew that it wasn't likely. Eddie loved them, and his speech about other kids in Hawkins being lost sheep kinda helped reassure him into believing that Eddie wouldn't kick him out.
He just had to find someone to cover for the night. Mike had said he'd try asking Erica Sinclair (Lucas's younger sister) to play with them. However, Dustin was riding his bike in the exact opposite direction. Dustin was going home because his mother wanted him to be there when his cousin arrived. Which would have annoyed him if it wasn't for the fact that you could potentially be his only hope for his Eddie problem.
Dustin hadn't seen you in almost three years. He recalled that you were preferably quiet, and your parents and his mother did most of the talking. Years before then, Dustin remembered that the two of you were close. You had even played D&D with the party along with Nancy during the summer you had come to visit him. But that was years ago. How likely would it be that you would actually want to play it with him and a group of sweaty boys tonight? Not likely. But frankly, he was so desperate that he didn't care that the odds were against him.
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Your POV
You wanted to turn back. This was a fucking mistake. So what if your parents would be pissed off that you ditched your cousin and aunt for Spring break? You could always get another part-time job to cover your expenses which would mean no more shitty deals with your parents. Why not work until the end of time, even if it kills your already nonexistent sleep schedule? No. You agreed to this shit. This week wouldn't kill you. Not to mention your aunt most likely baked all these goodies for you, and her meatloaf wasn't half-bad. Who knows, this whole trip might be worth a damn. Not likely, but the free food would be worth it.
You got out of the car, and as you slammed the door, your aunt came rushing out with an excited expression on her face. She was holding her cat and the cat, however, did not look too thrilled by your sudden appearance. That, or the cat didn't like that the way your Aunt was holding them.
"Y/n! I can't believe you're here! I missed you so much! Dusty is going to be so excited to see you!!" She hugged you rather forcefully, leaving you to gasp in pain. You had forgotten how powerful her hugs could be. Sure, she meant well. But you didn't want to hurt from the freaking hug.
"Hi, Aunt Claudia. It's good to see you too." You said as you pat her back. You hoped that she would catch on that you needed space. Luckily, she released you, and you tried your best not to gasp with relief; you didn't want to hurt her feelings. That would only make this week even less pleasant.
She then helped you with your luggage and led you into the house. She rambled about pointless family matters the whole time, and you tried your best to pay attention. But as she sat you down with a plate of cookies, you couldn't help but notice that your cousin was not there. When she began to ask you questions about your studies, you decided it was best to change the subject since you didn't want to think about school at the moment. Instead, you forcibly changed it to Dustin.
"Speaking of school! Where is Dustin? It's after 3 pm… I'm pretty sure school should be out by now…."
"Oh! You're right. Knowing my Dusty, he could be on the moon for all I know." She giggled cheerfully upon admitting she was an absent parent. You wanted to call her out for her poor parenting but that would only make things even more awkward. "He's probably at this silly club he's a part of. It has this scary name… What was it again? House of Hades? Everlasting fire? I can't remember!" Aunt Claudia then giggled again and began to place more baked goods on the table.
Just then, the boy in question had come barging in through the front door shouting, "Y/N! DO YOU WANT TO JOIN ME FOR HELLFIRE TONIGHT?!" He was covered in sweat, and his hair was longer than you had last seen it. You couldn't help but smile and almost feel proud of how much your cousin had grown. You hadn't expected to smile upon seeing him. Yet, you did.
"Dusty! Inside voice! And say please!" Aunt Claudia corrected him. She looked bewildered by his current state, just as you were. Neither of you made a comment on his current state however, Dustin was too energetic to even let one of you speak.
"Sorry mama!" He then makes his way to the table where you were sitting. Putting his hands on the table, he then repeats himself. "Y/n. Will you please join me tonight for Hellfire!"
"What is Hellfire?"
"Glad you asked!" Dustin said rather confidently. How he said it made you believe he just enjoyed hearing himself talk. God, you hoped that Dustin didn’t grow up to be another annoying prick like so many of your fellow male classmates who just loved to explain everything to you.
"Hellfire is my Dungeons and Dragons group. We meet each friday in our school's theater room, and we play it! I'm not sure if you still play it, but I really need someone to sub for my friend tonight or else the club's leader is going to kick me and my friends out!" You wanted to say no. You hadn't played Dungeons and Dragons in years. You hardly even remember why you got into it in the first place. Nevertheless, before you could tell him otherwise, Aunt Claudia had found the movies you had picked out.
"OH! You rented Sixteen Candles! I love Molly Ringwald!!"
That sold it. It was either watch a movie tonight or play a game of D&D. You decided to choose the latter. Somehow, this was the cute guy from the video store's fault.
Chapter 3: Chapter 3. Highway to Hell
Summary:
Eddie Munson finally appears! Sorry, this chapter isn't as good as the other two. I know nothing about D&D so I skipped over them playing it. The future chapters will have more Eddie!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Eddie Munson's POV
This was Eddie's year. '86 baby! He was going to finally graduate. He was finally going to get the fuck out of Hawkins. And he was going to finally live life how he wanted. It seemed like this year was going to be perfect. Yet, Eddie couldn't help but notice that some of the younger Hellfire members were being jackasses.
Apparently, Lucas Sinclair thought that basketball was more important than a campaign. Though Eddie enjoyed Lucas and the company he brought to the Hellfire Club, he couldn't help but notice the odd resistance Lucas had to being known as a "freak." Eddie had even once overheard him in the bathroom saying he wanted to be "popular." Which deeply disappointed the dungeon master. Hawkins High had already had enough fucking jocks and popular kids. The school did not need another Steve Harrington or a Jason Carver. The school needed more freaks!
This was the dogma Eddie stood for. He believed that the freaks would inherit the earth while the jocks would be nothing but goddamn has-beens. Finally, society was changing as people who were once considered freaks were becoming popular pop culture figures like Ozzy Osbourne and Weird Al. And how could he fucking forget, David Bowie would be in a goddamn muppets movie later this summer. The freaks were taking over! The jocks could go suck it!
So, Eddie had ordered the younger members to find a replacement for Lucas so that they could play their "curse of Venca" campaign that night. Eddie, however, was expecting that Dustin and Mike would bring him a sweaty teen covered in zits, or perhaps, the teen would have some sort of lisp? Or even braces. Never in Eddie's wildest dreams would he believe that Dustin Henderson would bring the most beautiful creature before him to his silly D&D game. The woman that stood before him did not look like she belonged in Hawkins; she looked as if she belonged on the Lothlorien throne. This woman was a goddamn goddess in her own right. Meanwhile, a small child who kept glaring at him was next to the elvian queen.
"So, you brought me, players? I thought you would only bring one sub, yet here are two." Eddie said, trying to sound nonchalant. He wanted to seem cool in front of the woman he deemed an elvian queen.
"Eddie. This is my cousin Y/n Henderson. Y/n, this is Eddie Munson. Y/n is staying with me at my house for spring break. She's in college." Dustin said, introducing the two of them. Y/n waved at him shyly, making Eddie grin.
Y/n. Of course, a beauty had a beautiful name. Eddie thought. He then got up from his seat and climbed onto the table, walked across it, leaving the other Hellfire members to whine since they had spent twenty minutes setting up. Eddie gave them the bird when they cursed him and hardly acknowledged their complaints; he was too focused on this goddess to care what the other said. Once he was in front of you, he reached out his hand. Wordlessly asking you to shake it.
"What are you doing?" You said, leaving Eddie to laugh. Dustin and Mike were confused, yet they both kept quiet as they watched their leader's wild antics.
"What? You've never shaken someone's hand before?" Eddie teased, and he had the signature Munson smirk upon his lips. He was enjoying your shy attitude. It made him feel calm even though he was deeply nervous about screwing this up. "You know, I've heard that you have to shake the principal's hand when you get your fucking degree. I wouldn't know personally, since I've been held back for the past two years. So how about it? Why not take mine, Lady Y/n?"
You smiled at him clearly uncomfortable yet you did not let the fear control you. You took his hand and shook it. Eddie, ever the gentleman, lifted your hand to his lips and kissed it. This is what it must feel like to meet royalty he thought as he gently releases your hand.
"Oh my god! Will you two quit flirting! I'm here to play!" The little girl shouted. Taking Eddie out of his love-struck trance. He frowned at her, and with a glare that matched hers, he asked, "Yes. and what exactly do you think we are playing little girl? Does this look like a goddamn carebears roleplay group?" He wished this child would vanish and possibly burn for ruining this sweet moment with his elvian queen.
The young girl just rolled her eyes and replied. "I'm Erica Sinclair and I'm eleven you dumbass hair freak. I came here to play dungeons and dragons not suck faces and make dreamy eyes at you." Well, thank god I didn't want to suck face with you either weird child, Eddie thought as he crosses his arms. Sighing, Eddie rubbed his brow and replied.
"So you're Lucas' infamous younger sister."
"No shit dumbass! Are we going to play D&D or are we going to chat all night?!"
Eddie smirked, he looked at you briefly but shrugged his shoulders. "You can play but only if Y/n agrees."
Erica looked over at you and gave you a death glare. While you sheepishly said. "Uhhh... I'm kind of her babysitter tonight. So, yeah. She can play. Just don't do anything too weird around her."
Eddie snickered, he would never embarrass the elvian queen. That much he knew for certain. He would rather burn than embarrass such a beautiful young woman.
Eddie went back to his chair and sat down with a mighty smirk he simply said. "Then let's play."
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The campaign was a success. Eddie flirted with Y/n all night long, and Y/n even flirted back with him. Eddie would have stopped flirting with the beautiful college girl if he had paid attention to Dustin's eye rolls. However, his eyes were only drawn to the beauty. As the group packed up for the night, Eddie wanted to approach Y/n. However, the natural leader couldn't help but feel anxious. How the hell did he talk to Chrissy Cunningham today like it was nothing, yet talking to a college girl just felt like a life-or-death situation. To Eddie's surprise, Y/n had come toward him in the parking lot while he was busy taking a drag from a cigarette.
"Nice campaign." You said sweetly. Eddie couldn't help but gawk at her for a moment. But quickly, he calmed himself and reminded himself how to speak.
"Thank you, milady. I spent two months on it. If you saw my last report card, you'd know it's not an exaggeration." You snickered and took the cigarette from him and put it between your lips. Eddie's heart nearly exploded. Yet, his dead expression showed no emotion.
"Ha. I wish I had time for games. This is the first time I played D&D since my freshman year of high school." She took the cigarette out of her mouth and gave it back to Eddie. He wordlessly put it back in his mouth.
Eddie was surprised by her comment. His queen hadn't played in years? That didn't seem possible. She was a natural in every sense of the world. Continuing his chilled persona, he takes a drag of his cigarette and with a soft smile, he said this. "Really? Damn. You were amazing tonight nonetheless."
"Thank you." You break eye contact with him and seem extremely bashful. Almost as if you were falling for his silly antics. Eddie doubted it. Girls like you weren't even on the same planet as a loser like him. Especially not college girls.
They said nothing. Eddie hated this. The silence was so annoying. Yet, it wasn't completely silent in the parking lot. The stupid basketball game was over, and there were so many idiots cheering and going on about the game. Yet to Eddie, the night was quiet. Because the woman in front of him was the whole night. As the two of you stand there, Eddie remembers something that Dustin had said a lot during the game. He called you the Scarlet Knight, your character's name. However, he said something like You being a knight in real life. That genuinely sparked his interest.
"Dustin said you were a knight in real life and not just in the game. What'd he mean by that?"
You smiled brightly and took a step forward. As you put her hand on his arm he felt as though he had just been given a cheat code. You were touching him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Oh! I'm a professional fencer. Yeah, I've been doing it since seventh grade." You then looked down at where your hand was and removed it. Eddie wanted to plead for you to keep it there.
"Holy shit. That's amazing! You'll have to show me sometime."
Eddie realized it sounded extremely forward, and couldn't help but feel flushed. There wasn't a great chance of the two of you ever crossing paths again. Even if you did, you were still Dustin's cousin, and he hardly doubted his young friend would allow him to date you. But before he could correct himself. The two adults were drawn apart by the loud car horn. In the front seat of Y/n's car sat Erica Sinclair. She was glaring at the couple. While Mike and Dustin were laughing like idiots in the backseat. Clearly, they had been caught.
"Excuse me, Dustin's cousin! I have to go home! If you don't take me home my parents are going to find you and beat your ass up! So please! Stop making googly eyes at the hairy freak!"
Eddie shrugged and said, "Well, I guess duty calls."
"Yeah. Something like that… It was really cool meeting you, Eddie Munson." What you did next left him breathless. Without a word, you wrapped your arms around him and hugged him. Then just as quickly, you ran to your car and drove off before Eddie could even comprehend what had happened.
Eddie wished he could have gone to bed happy, knowing that he had flirted with a cute girl all night and that she had flirted just as much. But sadly, that wasn't his fate. Instead, his night took a stranger turn. A turn that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Notes:
Thank you for all the kudos! Please consider leaving a comment!! I love feedback!
Chapter 4: Chapter 4. Psycho Killer
Summary:
This chapter is kinda evenly spilt between it being Steve's POV and Your POV. Sorry I've been away. I am going to finish this series!! Also, this chapter includes Steve trying to figure out his sexuality. (Spoilers, He's bi.)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Steve Harrington's POV
"Steve. I hardly believe that this so-called perfect girl you're talking about is actually interested in you. Let alone straight." Robin said as she put away the returned VHS.
Typically, people would forget to rewind their movies, and they'd spend hours rewinding the videos before they even open up the store. When the store opened, it seemed like they were still rewinding the returned VHS tapes. It was definitely one of the shitter aspects of this job. Steve hated the process but had to admit that the sound of the tape being rewound was always pleasant to hear. Weirdly, his mind felt like the sound tapes being rewound. Especially now, when Robin had just insinuated that the girl of his dreams was gay.
"She didn't seem like a…." Steve said quickly, defending his crush. But he stopped before he could finish that sentence. Robin narrowed her eyes. Leaving Steve to gulp.
He recalled a conversation they'd had early on in their friendship about gender identity and sexuality. It was a new concept to the twenty-year former king of Hawkin's high. However, since he became Robin's best friend, he made a good attempt to learn as much as possible. He learned that some people weren't attracted to just one gender and were known as bisexual. This didn't mean they were greedy or indecisive; it just meant they felt attracted to both genders. However, according to his reading, that didn't mean they would always be attracted to everyone and anyone. He found sexuality to be such an interesting concept, along with gender. Though he believed he was straight for the most part, that didn't stop the twenty-year-old from wondering. What if he was bisexual? Sure, he enjoyed having sex with girls and loved boobs, but sometimes he couldn't help but fantasize about other guys every once in a while. Especially when he was younger and when he'd have to take showers after gym with the other guys. He'd learn early on that to be popular, he had to keep his eyes from traveling down in the gym. Steve wasn't sure of his sexual identity in truth. Perhaps, he was a part of the gay community? He wasn't certain.
"Uh… I mean she might be." Steve said, correcting his mistake that would have led to a lecture. Sighing, he added. "But this girl... she seemed interested. She really did Robin! But then I asked for her name and then she got all weird. Like, Robin, you don't understand there was something between us! She seemed really into me! There was a spark! I just know it!" Steve beamed, he knew in his heart of hearts that it wasn't one side and there was nothing Robin Buckley could say or do to convenience him otherwise.
Snapping her fingers in front of Steve takes him out of his trance. With a smirk, she told him this. "Yeah. That spark was probably your brain burning. You've been watching too many movies dingus. Not everyone is going to be into you, buddy. Besides, from what you've told me she sounds very classy college girl. You know... if she comes into the store again. I might want to meet her."
Steve's eyes widen. There was no fucking way he'd let his dream girl meet Robin! He wasn't ready to share her with his best friend. He couldn't risk Robin embarrassing him. He already did that by himself when he was around the girl of his dreams.
"Robin! What about Vic?" They had decided to call Vicki "Vic" during their open hours. This was to prevent outing Robin to their customers, who could possibly be bigots. After all, they lived in the Midwest, not Cal.
"Please! You and I both know I can't talk to Vic without getting all flustered. I just want to meet her. Is that such a big deal?"
As Robin then turned on the TV to set up a movie to play in the background, she happened upon a news broadcast. The broadcast said that someone had been murdered in Hawkins. And that ceased all talks of crushes and relationships.
><><><><
Your POV
Your aunt was acting weird again. She was crying about some news report on TV, and since you had just woken up, you didn't process it all. Instead, you just grabbed your pop tarts and some orange juice, and you told her that you were going to check on Dustin because you really couldn't handle her crying right now. As you went down the hallway to Dustin's room you had missed out on her saying that a friend of his from school had come to visit.
The closer you got to Dustin's room the louder you heard whispering of two voices. The first one was a female voice you couldn't recognize and the other was your cousin Dustin. Whatever they were discussing, it was clear that Dustin was upset. And as you were feet away from the door, you heard the name you had been thinking about for almost every second since last night. "Eddie." Followed by "Suspect number one" and "killer." You listened in shock until their voices grew quieter as they discussed how he could be like Ted Bundy. But then the female voice told a story about her house. Flashing lights and Eddie being scared.
As you tried listening, you leaned against his bedroom door. You didn't realize, however, that it wasn't closed properly, and you leaned too far. Making the door open. You fell forward, and the orange juice in your hands was now covering your college t-shirt, and the rest of your body in the process. The two teens watched in horror and were totally freaked out by this. But you did not feel any shame for eavesdropping. Let alone being caught in such a compromising position. In your mind, there were more pressing matters to be concerned with. You had to know the truth. Did Eddie kill a girl last night?
"Y/n what the hell? Were you spying on us?" Dustin said in a joking manner. Probably to throw off that he was having a very intense conversation.
You shook your head and replied, "Why are you saying Eddie is a killer? And why would flickering lights be related to murder?"
><><><
After cleaning up the mess you had caused and changing into new clean clothes. Dustin and the red-haired girl took you to his room and sat you down. They were quiet for a moment. Dustin was the first to speak, "Last night, Max saw something. She thinks Eddie killed someone, but that's impossible."
You scoffed at your cousin's naivety. From everything you had heard, there was a killer on the loose, and it could likely be Eddie or someone who lived with Eddie. "It sounds pretty fucking possible, Dustin. Unless, of course, someone else was in the trailer with them." You corrected him.
The two teens sighed, and the girl named Max scratched her head in somewhat annoyance. It had dawned on you slowly. But once it came into your brain, you knew it to be true. They were hiding something from you. Something wasn't adding up. Because why the fuck would they think lights would be connected to death? That made no fucking sense. Dustin wasn't an idiot. He was smart. If he truly believed that lights flickering was connected to murder then there had to be a piece of the puzzle that you had to be missing.
"Y/n? Do you trust me?" Dustin said gently, it was clear he was nervous. You had never seen him so serious. Dustin was always a happy-go-lucky kid. Yet, he looked dead serious.
"Why are you about to monologue some mythical bullshit?" You replied, assuming he was trying to pull some sort of cruel joke on you.
"No. But I wish I was. I wish I fucking was."
><><><
Dustin had spent the last twenty minutes telling you the stupidest story of your life. It began with the disappearance of a friend of his. But ended with rats who eat shit turning into a monster. Said monster was destroyed by a girl named Eleven/El. Yet, in the process of all that, she'd lost her mind control powers making her a normal human once more. The story was utter bullshit.
"Well, that's the biggest bullshit I've ever heard."
"I knew you'd say that," Dustin replied; he took a big bite of his pop tart while the girl next to him rolled her eyes and uncrossed her arms. She had been quiet while Dustin told the story. But her haunting eyes were rather compelling as he told the story. But a blank expression wasn't enough to convince you of their story. Frankly, it felt rehearsed as if you weren't the first person to hear this story. Perhaps, you wouldn't be the last either.
"Dustin, we don't have time to convince her. We need to find Eddie." Max said getting up from his bed. She gathered her stuff and began to head out of the room. Dustin had followed her actions and argued his case.
"I know! I just think she'd be a valuable asset to finding him and facing the monsters from the Upside Down!" Dustin said firmly. He looked determined and extremely passionate about keeping up this con. "Y/n is a professional fencer, and she's one of the smartest people I know. Besides, my girlfriend of course."
"You scoffed and rolled your eyes. "Just one of the smartest? But not the smartest?"
"You haven't met Suzie! But that isn't the point! I was complementing you!!"
"We don't have time! We need to find Eddie!" The girl then began to leave Dustin's room without another word, only for Dustin to follow after her.
The two teens rushed out of the room, leaving you to follow them. You couldn't believe how long they were putting on this shitty prank. Didn't they even give a shit that their friend just killed someone? What the fuck was wrong with these kids? They ignored your shouts and discussed people you had never heard of making you feel rather left out of their discussion.
"Have you talked to anyone else?" Dustin asked Max.
"No. I can't find Lucas. I can't find Nancy. And Mike's in-"
"California. SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!"
As they headed to the door, Dustin's mom was surprised to see them leaving. "DUSTY!! WHERE ARE YOU GOING!" Aunt Claudia yelled; she was practically a nervous wreck at this point. There was no way in hell you were going to help her put herself together.
"To see a friend."
"You heard the news! It's not safe out there!"
"We'll be safe! Y/n's taking us! Love ya! Bye!"
"I'm what??!" Dustin then closed the door behind you, and that's how to found yourself driving to the video store for the second time in twenty-four hours.
><><><
Steve Harrington's POV
Steve Harrington was surprised to see Dustin Henderson and Max Mayfield out. But there was a strong chance that they hadn't seen the news. Not to mention they had faced much worse than serial killers. But still, they were unaccompanied minors, no less. They shouldn't have been out especially not a day like today.
"Hey Steve!"
"You see this?" Steve said, referring to the news.
"How many phones do you have?" Dustin said without caring about what he was saying.
"Someone was murdered," Robin said as she put away the VHS tapes.
"How many phones do you have?!" Dustin said, without a care.
"Two. Why?"
"Technically three, if you count Keith's in the back." Robin corrected. At a certain point, Steve Harrington had grown numb to Robin constantly correcting him. This was proof of this.
Max looked over to Dustin and nodded her head. "Three works." With that, Dustin began taking off his backpack, leaving Steve to feel annoyed. It was always some bullshit with these kids. Of course, they were doing some shit even during the day after a murder.
"What are you doing?" Steve groaned, but Dustin continued to shove his backpack across the video store counter, knocking over merchandise and making a huge mess.
The following was a blur of Dustin saying more bullshit and Robin and him yelling at Dustin and Max to stop fooling around at their place of work. Just because they were friends didn't mean these kids could fuck around and cause chaos in their wake.
Steve had never been so annoyed that when he caught a glimpse of the girl from yesterday, he nearly ignored her altogether. But then he realized it was her. The girl he had thought about every second since yesterday. She was here again!
"You." Steve pointed at her, and she just raised her eyebrows and replied, "Me." She put her hands up in the air like Steve had pointed a gun at her. When in reality he was just ogling her once more.
"Steve, can you stop flirting with my cousin! There's more important things then flirting right now!" Dustin complained as he continued to cause mayhem.
Steve's jaw dropped. His eyes widen. Did he just say, Cousin... Cousin?! The girl he'd been obsessing over for the last eighteen hours was Dustin Henderson's cousin?! NO. FUCKING. WAY.
"Oh, so that's the girl." Robin said teasingly. But Dustin wasn't having any of it. Instead, he told Max to fill them in on what was happening. Yet, the whole time, Steve's thoughts were mostly elsewhere. He couldn't believe that the girl he liked was related to the kid he had befriended almost two years ago.
Notes:
Long time. No see. Sorry, it's been a while. I have trouble with sticking with a series. But I am forcing myself to finish this one because I hate having never finished a series all the way. Please don't comment and say, "It's okay you don't have to finish it." Like, I just want to finish a series because I feel like I can't, and I hate that. So it'll be good for me. Thank you! I'll see you next chapter! Anyway! I love you all!! Thank you for being patient!!
Chapter 5: Chapter 5. Out of Touch
Summary:
Steve Harrington comes to terms with the fact that you are Dustin's cousin. While you try to come to terms with Dustin's story of the upside-down.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Steve Harrington's POV
"Wait?! How is she your cousin, Henderson?!" Steve whispered to Dustin. You were currently in the bathroom and this was the first time he could get Dustin to himself since you had arrived. Throughout the past two to three hours Steve had been in utter horror. That the woman he had become infatuated with for the last couple of hours was the same woman that Dustin was related to. The thing was, the two of you hardly looked anything alike. He assumed that your looks were more like those of your parents. But even then it seemed like the two of you hardly looked alike you shared hardly any of the same features.
"Well, Steve. There's this thing called adoption." Dustin began as he was typing on the computer looking for more phone numbers to call for his search for Eddie. "It's when an adult takes parental control over a child because the state has agreed that they are fit to be that child's guardian. My Aunt Shirley and Uncle Todd couldn't have kids so they adopted Y/n when she was six." Dustin explained. His tone was exceptionally condescending, making Steve feel like an even bigger idiot than before.
"I know what adoption is Dustin! You just didn't mention it!" Dustin stopped his typing and gave Steve an annoyed look. Sighing he said.
"I'm pretty sure I did! You just didn't pay attention! Besides! Why does it matter that we're related?" Steve broke eye contact and licked his lips nervously. He should have said something to make it less obvious but his brain was too fried to think of any plausible deflections.
"Shit! Not you too! I already dealt with Eddie flirting with her all night! You can't possibly have feelings for her as well! Shit!" Dustin banged his head against the computer in frustration.
Eddie? Eddie Munson had been flirting with Y/n all night long? Steve thought. The same Eddie Munson that had been held back for two years, and during last year's Spanish final, he'd fall asleep in class and, once a wake, shouted "Let's go to fucking Taco Bell!" That same Eddie Munson? The one who could potentially be a murderer?! Then it dawned on him. They did meet. Last night. No! No!! No!!! The stupid D&D game! Dustin had begged him to play, and yet he rejected it. He must have asked his cousin to play, and she must have accepted it. This implied that all night they must have flirted and come closer. Not only did Steve strike out yesterday, but he was losing this beautiful woman to Eddie fucking Munson!!
As Steve continued his spiral into madness Dustin suddenly turned to him and said.
"Look. I'm gonna stay out of this bullshit. Y/n is a grown woman and she can deal with you two idiots on her own. I just ask that you use protection if you ever know what." Dustin said, in a tone that was in the most nonchalant way possible. After saying that he had turned back to the computer. And had even begun to look up more phone numbers to call as if he hadn't said what he said. Steve was pretty sure his face was the shade of a tomato right now.
Max looked up from her notebook and had a terrible scowl on her face she whispered shouted this. "WHAT THE FUCK HENDERSON! Why would you say something like that about your cousin?!" The red-haired girl glared at Dustin and crossed her arms. Dustin turned to her and shrugged.
"I don't want to be an uncle yet! That's why Max! I can't handle the responsibility! I'm too young for that burden!"
"Still! It sounds like you're in support of Steve or Eddie sleeping with your cousin and that's pretty fucking weird." From across the room, Robin nodded her head in approval of what Max had said. Leaving Steve even more embarrassed by this wild exchange. He had wished that the earth would open up and eat him whole at that very moment.
"I'm not in support of it! But I'm not going to tell my cousin not to do it! She's an adult! Her body, her choice! I'm being a feminist!"
Robin scoffed and then decided to give her two cents. "I mean it is somewhat nice to you to say that, Dustin. But I have to side with Max on this matter. It's weird that you'd even consider your cousin doing that. Like who exactly thinks of their relative doing something like that?"
That was the final straw. Steve had had enough of this buffoonery. He was embarrassed and frankly upset that anybody would suggest something so crass about you. This had to end! NOW! "Okay! Can we stop talking about sex and feminism! This is just getting too fucking weird!"
"What's wrong with feminism? Are you saying you're not a feminist, Steve Harrington?" Steve's ears burned. Instead of Robin or Max calling him out it was you. He couldn't move. He couldn't look at your face. He couldn't speak. He didn't know how long you had been standing there. And he was pretty sure he was on the verge of a heart attack.
The video store was quiet. Nobody said anything as you moved to your seat behind the counter. Once you were comfortable you simply said. "I don't know what's happening but frankly I don't care enough to ask." With that, you pulled out her Walkman and began to read your book. Completely oblivious that the heated conversation was about your potential sex life with Steve Harrington or Eddie Munson.
Steve wanted to die. He hated every word that Dustin had said over the past five minutes. Yet, he was thankful that you hadn't heard a word about what was being discussed. At least that's how you made it seem. And frankly, Steve hoped and prayed that you hadn't heard a single goddamn thing that Dustin had said. This whole weekend was cursed he'd decided as he took a long drink of his diet Doctor Pepper.
><><><><><
It was a few hours later when you approached him. Dustin and Max had gone off to get snacks. While Robin was on her break. Everyone was gone except for you and Steve.
"I'm sorry." You say as you approach Steve, you look shy almost as if you were guilty of something. In Steve’s worldview, the only thing you were guilty of was not being his.
"Whoa. What are you sorry for? You didn't kill anyone as well did you?”
Your eyes widen and you gape your mouth upon hearing this. Steve internally wishes he was hitting his head against a wall but he decided that this would be the best possible action. Which is why he brushed it off. This was hardly the least embarrassing thing he had said to you after all.
"Sorry. Wrong time to be saying shit like that. I guess I’m used to us making quick witty remarks that I just didn’t comprehend that implication.” He sighed and didn’t make eye contact with you. Yet, you continue on.
"I was rude yesterday. I'm never rude. I don't know why I acted that way. I think it's because I had been driving for over four hours and I was kinda cranky." You shrugged your shoulders and gave him a shy smile.
"It's okay. I was kinda being a jackass, yesterday. I shouldn't have hit on you. If I knew you were Dustin's cousin, I wouldn't have…."
"Hmm. Does my cousin make it impossible for anything to romantically bloom between us? If so… fancy a makeout session in the bathroom? I won't tell if you don't. What do you say, Hairy?" You winked at him and bit your upper lip in the most seductive way possible. He felt a semi coming on and before he could say or do anything. It clicked. You were teasing him. AGAIN.
"Shit, you're teasing me again aren't you?"
"Maybe." You smirked and began to look through the videotapes that were in the area. Clearly playing coy once more.
"Shit, you're worst than Robin." Steve wasn't sure if he was impressed by your flirting skills or if he was annoyed. Probably both considering you were the subject of his infatuation.
"Thank you…"
Steve didn't say anything he just kept his eyes off of you. He was worried that if he looked at you he would turn to stone.
"To tell you the truth I didn't plan to spend my break here in Hawkins. I just sort of chose it on a whim. This town is just quiet. It's a nice change from school. But now… with Eddie. I just met him yesterday. Dustin invited me to play D&D with him last night. Eddie was there and he seemed so cool. And I enjoyed the night which I didn't expect. But if he is a killer… Well, that's going to really suck. On so many levels."
"For what it's worth. I don't think Eddie did it." Steve, wasn't sure why he had said this. He hardly knew anything about Eddie Munson. Frankly, he couldn't give a shit about him since it was clear he had left an impression on you. But you looked so sad and he hated that you were sad. Obviously, Steve hoped Eddie hadn't actually killed someone. He may be jealous of the guy but he wasn't a psychopath.
"What makes you say that? Did you know Eddie in high school or something?"
Steve shrugged and smiled. Everyone knew Eddie. But he didn't know-know Eddie. Steve was in the popular crowd in high school until his later years at Hawkins. But from what he did know about Eddie. He knew he wasn't violent. Sure, he was a delinquent but he'd never heard about Eddie hurting anybody. Unlike him. Steve had hurt people in high school. He hadn't thought about that in years. Maybe he was more fucked up than he realized?
"Yeah. We weren't close. But I don't think Eddie would do that. He's not that type of guy."
"I see."
><><><><
Your POV
It was nearly 6:40pm by the time Dustin and his friends had come up with a solution to their missing Eddie problem. You were tired and hungry. Frankly, your eyes felt strained by all the reading you had done throughout the day but you were glad to see Dustin and his friend interact.
You weren't sure why they had continued on with this ruse. None of it made sense. But you didn't have the heart to break it to them that you weren't convinced by any of their antics. Lights flickering did not equal not a killer. You knew that all of this was some fucked up joke and yet you let them continue. Maybe you'd become complacent and just felt that to make it through this spring break you had to conform.
You weren't sure if Eddie was guilty. You hoped he wasn't. But the odds were stacked up against him and you just weren't sure what to believe at this moment. Maybe it all was real. Maybe there was such a place as the upside-down. Maybe there was such a person as El and her powers did exist. Maybe it was the truth. Or maybe you had come to a crazy town instead of going to Florida for your spring break like a normal college student. The possibilities were endless.
It's dark by the time Dustin, his friends and you pull up to the supposed Reefer Rick's house. The house didn't look pleasing to the eye and the wooded atmosphere made it feel creepy. It didn't help that it was cold out and you hadn't brought a jacket with you. You shivered as Dustin rang the doorbell.
It took all but thirty seconds for Dustin to start shouting for Eddie. His screams had snapped you out of your tired state. Steve was annoyed and told him to stop shouting while Robin had started calling for Reefer Rick instead. You were about to turn and go back into the car when you noticed Max. She had been lukewarm to you at best throughout the day. And unlike the rest of the gang she had strayed away from the house. You decided to follow her and it's then when you see it. Not too far away from the cabin was a shed. There was a light left on.
Max and you exchanged a knowing look. You then turned to the group and said. "There's a light on." Perhaps, Eddie was in there?
Notes:
Hahahahaha. So I fucking lied. I said I'd continue this only to not come back to it in almost three years... But you know. Sometimes you just can't let it go. And this is one of those stories I couldn't let it go. I have to finish it. AND I AM. I really don't care if nobody is interested in it since it's been so long. But I'm here to finish it. And that's final.
Chapter 6: Chapter 6. I want to be Sedated
Chapter Text
Eddie Munson's POV
It still plays in his mind. Sweet Chrissy Cunningham smiling at him. Sweet Chrissy Cunningham laughing at his stupid jokes. Sweet Chrissy Cunningham asking for his help. Sweet Chrissy Chumingham looking so small and innocent.
Sweet Chrissy Cunningham’s bones breaking and snapping like a twig. Blood pouring out of her eyes, nose, and ears. Levitating. Dying before his eyes. It’s the only thing that he can think about. The only thing that matters.
This was supposed to be Eddie's year. This was supposed to be the end of his time at Hawkins. This was supposed to be a normal spring break. But now he was a murder suspect. His uncle probably thought he was a murderer. His friends would probably think it next. And before he knew it, the whole town would probably think it. They could already be thinking it for all he knew.
Yet, all he could think about was poor Chrissy Cunningham. She’d been scared around him. He wasn’t sure if it was because of all the bullshit rumors about him that had made her skittish around him. Or if it was because she was nervous about the drug deal. But she was scared. Now she was dead.
Eddie hadn’t killed her. Eddie would never hurt anybody on purpose. He didn’t start fights. Yet he’d been in them. Mainly because people had bullied his friends, which had led him to defend them, but he’d never started a fight; nevertheless, he was typically blamed for their actions.
Eddie always knew he was troubled. Being a Munson meant you were troubled. But this year he wanted things to be different. He'd kept a low profile. (Which was pretty hard considering he liked to draw attention to himself.) He turned in his homework on time. And had even gotten a goddamn tutor for his math class just so he could pass his algebra class. That's how fucking determined he was to get out of Hawkins. But now it all seemed for not. Eddie's life was ruined now. Nothing he did would ever be the same. He was tainted by something he had never done.
However, despite all of this Eddie did not leave Hawkins. He probably should have left Hawkins. He should have driven far, far away but it was his guilt that made him stay. In some fucked up way. He felt like Chrissy Cunningham's death was his fault. But he couldn't have made her float. He didn't break her bones. He'd never make her bleed. Yet, his fucked up mind made him think that somehow, someway this was his fault.
So, instead of running he hid. Reefer Rick had been somewhat of a friend of his. The term friend was a long strength in actuality considering two years prior he would have never crossed paths with the man. It was his good-for-nothing father who introduced him to the renowned drug trafficker.
Back in the spring of 1984, Eddie had an actual chance of making it out of Hawkins for good. He had gotten the attention of a record label and had dropped out of school to pursue this opportunity. But like all things in his fucked up life it fell through. Instead, Eddie would be stuck in Hawkins for another two years. Which is how he got the position of Reefer Rick's street-level dealer.
It wasn't his first choice of a job. But he had a criminal record so he couldn't exactly go up to Family Video or The Palace Arcade and expect to be welcomed with open arms for a job opportunity. He wasn't a perfect guy like Steve fucking Harrington. He was a Munson and being a Munson, unfortunately, meant you could end up with a criminal record. Which is another reason he hated it, good-for-nothing dad. The motherfucker was the reason he had a criminal record in the first place.
Being one of Reefer Rick's little lackeys meant he had some perks. That being he knew where the guy lived and knew that the stoner didn't exactly have the best hiding spot for his spare key. This is why, Eddie decided that his place was the best hiding spot he could find for the time being. He knew the guy was out of town for the week. Taking in spring break probably in Mamaii Beach or possibly doing something drug-related. Whatever, and wherever he was Eddie knew that his house by the lover's lake was the best hiding spot he could find in Hawkins for the time being.
Perhaps, when Reefer Rick returned from his "vacation" he could help him escape to Canada. Rick was the type of guy to know a guy that could get him a fake passport. There was still that chance of him somehow being able to start over. Right?
Well, truthfully, that was just a coping mechanism. Eddie knew that deep down, there wasn't a chance in hell he would be able to get out of this alive or somehow go back to a normal life. He knew that in reality he was completely and utterly fucked.
><><><
Eddie didn't sleep that night once he arrived at Reefer Rick's home by Lover's Lake. Every time he attempted to close his eyes the sound of Chrissy's bone breaking played in his mind. Making it impossible for him to have any sort of peace. Instead, he sat up and watched TV until the broadcast went out around midnight. He then spent the rest of his night reading over his notes about Dundegons in Dragons that he had left in his van.
But that didn't last long either, since the violent images of Chrissy's body only worsened. No. For most of the night, Eddie found himself doing goddamn homework just to distract himself. Never in his life would be thankful to have to write a fucking essay about some shitty Charles Dickson novel. Even though he did the homework, he knew that it was pointless. There was no way in hell that he'd be able to turn it in next Monday morning. He was a "criminal" now. His old life was dead and buried.
Surprisingly, there was one thing that did comfort him throughout the night. The thought of you. You were such a pleasant surprise to the young metalhead. He'd never seen anyone as effortlessly pretty as you. He'd never met a girl so quick wit and as funny as you. He'd never met anybody quite like you. Yet, for a short three hours, you had graced him by being in attendance at his silly D&D game. Just like everyone else who knew him. You would find out shortly that he was a "killer". That he was no good. That he was a monster, even though he'd done nothing wrong. You were, unfortunately, just one more person that he would disappoint. But for now, Eddie hoped that you had thought about him as a sweet guy who was worthy of your short parking lot hug. It's that thought alone that guides him to sleep in the early dawn hours.
><><><
Your POV
The boathouse seemed to be even colder than outside. You weren't sure if it was because you were scared of what you might find in the boathouse. Or if it was because the group and you were so close to the lake. Whatever the reason you knew one thing for certain, it was fucking cold.
As the group and you looked over the boathouse, the only thing that played in your mind was Jason Voorhees and his rampage on Camp Crystal Lake. Of course, you knew Jason wasn't real. But serial killers are very real. And the reality was your baby cousin had essentially forced you to look for a potential serial killer at night. So, to say you were scared was an understatement. You were fucking terrified.
You didn't scare easily in truth. You could watch horror movies until the sun came up and not pee your pants. But those rules didn't apply when you were in the dark. In a place you'd never been to and essentially with a group of strangers. So, yes. You were fucking terrified. You tried not to show it. But that had become more and more difficult with each passing second. You shook somewhat as you helped the group look for any trace of Eddie.
Unsurprisingly, the group did not seem as scared as you. This only further proved your point in this being some fucked up little game the group had decided to pull on you. You wondered how anybody could be so heartless. Maybe Hawkins just did that to people? It sucked the soul out of them.
"Are you cold?" Steve asked, sounding somewhat genuine. He was holding a bow oar and for once you found comfort in his sweet chocolate eyes. You found yourself nodding and without a word he took off his jacket and threw it at you. You gave him a small smile and put it on only to notice Dustin rolling his eyes.
"What?" You questioned your cousin. He only shrugged, which led Steve to partially scowl. Steve then took the oar and began to poke the rowboat that sat in the middle of the boathouse.
You were startled by this but said nothing as he continued his pursuit of stabbing the living hell out of the rowboat. Dustin however, did not let Steve's sudden lust for stabbing the rowboat slide.
"What are you doing?" Steve said nothing and just continued. You sighed loudly and rolled your eyes. Once again feeling annoyed by this entire spring break. Dustin repeated himself once more and Steve simply responded with, "He might be in here."
"Then take the tarp off!" Dustin said, scolding the older boy. You snickered lightly at their exchange. They acted like an old married couple. And not a second went by that you found their constant tit-for-tat humorous.
"If you're so brave. Then you take the tarp off." This shut Dustin up. Yet, the young teenager continued to watch as Steve Harrington continued to poke the rowboat. You grew tired of this act quickly and decided to look around with Robin and Max throughout the boathouse.
Not too far from the rowboat, Max found something peculiar. Food wrappers, empty bottles, and what seemed to be some sort of notebook that had chicken scratch handwriting on the cover. Robin raised her eyebrow while Max said there was a possibility that he could have been here.
"Maybe he heard us. And got spooked?" Robin declared as the two of you exchanged eye contact.
Dustin scoffed and sarcastically replied. "Don't worry. Steve will protect us with his oar."
Robin, Max, and you all turned and watched as Steve continued to stab the rowboat. His back was now arched and it seemed like he was almost having fun while doing his wild stabbing motions.
"Yeah well. Everyone in here except Y/n had nearly died about a hundred times so excuse me for wanting to be cautious." Steve said in a nonchalant tone.
You rolled your eyes. Once again, you felt like an outsider to this stupid little game they played. But the way he sounded this time had truly struck a nerve. You decided that this was it. You were done with the bullshit. You were going back to Steve Harrington's car. Once in his car, you would wait until the group came out of the boathouse. And once you were back to your car, you were leaving Hawkins and never coming back.
This whole week was a fucking joke. There was no such thing as a Demogorgon. There was no such thing as a mind flare. The upside down did not exist and the government was not secretly opening portals to another world in Hawkins fucking Indiana. NOT NOW. NOT EVER.
And then it happened.
It was so sudden. So quick. That it was a blink-and-you'd-miss-it kind of moment.
Eddie Munson had sprung out of the rowboat. Leaving Robin, Max, Dustin, Steve, and you, startled. Worldlessly and swiftly, Eddie, with a broken glass bottle in hand, pushed Steve Harrington up against the wall of the boathouse with a bewildering force. Directed at Steve's throat was the broken glass bottle held tightly by Eddie.
You were, like everyone in the boathouse, awestruck. You'd never seen anybody being held in a virtual chokehold before. Sure, you'd witnessed school fights and had even seen Dustin playfully wrestle with his friends growing up. But you'd never seen something quite like this before.
Dustin shouted Eddie’s name repeatedly. Pleading that he let go of Steve. While Robin, Max, and you stood by in shock. Unable to do anything but watch as the scene unfolds.
The look in Eddie’s eyes was frightening to you, but for some reason, you had also found it somewhat salacious in your opinion. He looked powerful in this stance. But who wouldn't be powerful with a broken glass bottle up against someone's throat?
Steve shuddered as Eddie drove the bottle in deeper, and now Max and Robin were shouting at Eddie to let him go. Dustin's tone reminded you of when a zookeeper talked to a wild animal. Pleading for Eddie to remember that it was him and that they were friends. He had even gone as far as to tell Eddie who Robin, Max, Steve, and you were, as if Eddie had forgotten.
Finally, once Eddie made eye contact with you. You spoke without thinking much about it. "Eddie... please. Can you put down the broken bottle? Dustin's right. We're not gonna hurt you."
Eddie's expression changed. His lips parted, and gently, he let go of Steve and then slumped to the floor, leaving you and the group to stare at the man in confusion once more. The room was heavy and no one spoke for a little a second. Instead, Robin and Max checked over Steve for any injuries. While your eyes lingered on Eddie. Dustin hastily moved toward him, and it was then that it dawned on you.
Eddie wasn't a killer. If he were going to kill Steve, he would have done it by now. He held Steve at point-blank range, and Dustin had talked him down. This means the man could be reasoned with, and he couldn't be some total monster that snapped people's bones without mercy. If he had wanted to kill any one of you, he wouldn't have possibly gained your trust first and killed you off one by one. Instead of scaring the group half to death with his capricious appearance. Murders don't exactly kill people in groups after all, they couldn't chase after everyone unless they were armed.
><><><
Eddie Munson's POV
Eddie shook as he sat on the floor of the boathouse. His face was away from the group of mainly strangers and two familiar faces. Never in his life would he expect Steve fucking Harrington to be "looking" for him. Let alone, his friend Dustin and his hot cousin he'd met the day before also looking for him. The group was odd with their concerned expressions and flashlights. They had somewhat reminded him of Scooby-Doo and Mystery Gang or the Hardy Boys searching for goddamn clues.
They could be amateur detectives. Eddie thought as he heard some of the group whisper amongst themselves. Dustin Henderson seemed like the type to go out of his way to solve some outlandish mystery. Frankly, Eddie could see Steve Harrington as the oblivious Fred Jones of the group. No brains, shitty fashion that made him look like a rich asshole. The girl from the band class looked like the perfect Velma with her short brown hair and bangs. While Dustin's hot cousin... She would be Daphne, even though the group already had a redhead. Dustin's cousin would be Daphne on account of how hot she was and totally out of his league. He could go on and on about how eerily this felt like a Saturday Morning Cartoon. But these thoughts ceased as Dustin Henderson snapped him out of his trance.
Dustin had done so by attempting to take his only form of weapon away from him. The glass bottle Eddie held tightly in his hand. Eddie glared at Henderson, and he stopped immediately. He then raised his hands in a way a cop would demand surrender and sat across from him. Eddie sighed and closed his eyes, and leaned up against the boathouse wall. He needed a cigarette badly. All this anxiety was bubbling up inside him, and he felt like he was about to explode at any second. If fucking Dustin could find him in less than twenty-four hours the cops were probably not far off. Eddie should have just driven out of town without a fake passport. He was so fucked.
"Eddie..." The tone of your voice reminded him of Chrissy. You sounded scared and pitiful like her. The sound of her bone snapping played in his head without warning again, and he cringed. He must look insane to the group. Cowering in fear like a madman. Fuck did he wish he was mad at least then it would all make sense.
You tried again. This time, you were even more gentle. You had even been so bold as to put your hand on his arm, snapping him out of thoughts of despair. You gave him a shy smile, it reminded him of yesterday. When he kissed your hand like you were a princess. How he flirted with you without a care in the world. Why couldn't his night have ended there?
"Eddie. Can you please tell me... Us what happened? Why are you so... what happened?" Your pretty eyes sparkled in the moonlight. He felt a whimper leave his lips. He held his breath for a moment, forbidding himself from crying in front of such beauty.
"You wouldn't believe me." He croaked. His voice had betrayed him. Eddie felt so fucking pathetic.
It's then that the redhead freshman interjected. With a smirk, she simply said. "Try us."
Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Hold the Line
Summary:
Kind of a shorter chapter. But at least I updated.
Chapter Text
Eddie Munson's POV
Eddie wanted to laugh at the red-haired freshman. He knew damn well that nobody would believe his fucked up tales. He didn't even believe it completely. Eddie was half convinced he had gone mad and none of this was happening. While also being half-convinced that this was all some fucked up dream. Eddie just wanted this to end. He wanted to go back to being the burnt-out loser who was on his third attempt in senior year. At least then he wouldn't be suspect number one in a murder he didn't commit!
Against his better judgment. He caved in. Frankly, he blamed it on the fact that Dustin's hot cousin had been touching his forearm and staring at him with her big doe eyes. If she weren't so gorgeous, he was certain he would never admit what had transpired the night prior. With a heavy heart, Eddie explained what had happened to Chrissy in his uncle's trailer.
In doing so, he altered the trajectory of his life, as well as that of the group. In doing so, Eddie Munson had made Y/n even more confused and unable to verify what was reality and what was fiction.
><><><
Your POV
You sat on the deck of Reefer Rick's lakehouse, staring out into Lover's Lake. The moon hung low, and the freezing air stung. Yet, you didn't feel cold. You didn't feel anything. Your mind was reeling with the tale that Eddie had told the group. It played in your head. His words, his whimpers, and his shaking body all played in your head as well.
You weren't sure what to think. It all seemed ridiculous. It all seemed fictitious. It all seemed like utter bullshit. But you were certain of one thing. You were certain that Eddie Munson had not committed murder. That Eddie had not done it.
Why did you believe that Eddie had not done it? Because any other killer would have taken pride in what he had done. Especially because what had happened to Chrissy had been so gruesome. So, violent. So, evil. So, unholy. That any other killer would have been boastful of their actions. But Eddie had cried. He was cowardly. He had run from his uncle's trailer. He had hidden. It wouldn't make sense for him to cry. To show mercy and compassion to Chrissy and to be ashamed of what had happened. None of it made sense.
It seemed that in Hawkins, Indiana, logic and normalcy were not commonplace. That this unsuspecting town in middle America had secrets that only a few knew. One of these few seemed to be your young cousin, whom you had not seen in years.
It all was too much. Your head pounded, and you wanted to scream. The doubts that you still held on to had grown less upon hearing Eddie's story. But now, a new emotion had taken center stage. Fear. If this were all true, how the hell could you protect yourself, much less your cousin? How could you face a monster that could snap people's bones without even touching them? This was some superhero-level shit. And you were just a mere college freshman. What the hell could you possibly do?
The smell of smoke had taken you from your spiraling thoughts. You turned and found Eddie with a cigarette between his teeth and an unsure look on his face. He looked paler in the moonlight. Perhaps, he was just as lost as you were by all of this sudden information. Probably even more so, considering he had witnessed what had happened to poor Chrissy. You couldn't imagine the pain he felt.
"Dustin told me that you don't exactly believe what he's been telling you." He took a drag and sighed. He rubbed his face and stared out into the lake, unable to make eye contact with you. He took a step forward and continued.
"I don't blame you. I wouldn't believe any of this shit if it weren't for - if it weren’t for... last night." Eddie grunted and took another drag of his cigarette. You wanted him close. Which is why you found yourself ushering him toward you. You had even scooted to the other side of the deck, making room for him to sit by you.
Eddie had followed your wordless commands and sat next to you. It was clear that he was unsure of himself. Frankly, you were, too. But your compassionate nature had gotten the best of you. Which is how you found yourself holding onto Eddie's hand. Eddie had stiffened as you touched him again. Normally, you weren't this touchy-feely with people you hardly knew, but you knew he needed it. And against your better judgment, you found yourself giving in to him. The two of you sat there in front of Lover's Lake for a while. Basking in the early spring air and the sound of frogs croaking. It was shocking how spring had come so prematurely to Northern Indiana. But that was the Midwest, unpredictable and unreliable.
"I do believe in you... for what it's worth." You whispered to him. You shyly glanced over at him, only to find him staring at you in astonishment. His pretty brown eyes were blown out, and the cigarette that hung from his mouth had dipped. Eddie looked beautiful in this lighting.
"You do, huh?" He scratched his neck and shook his head. "I guess it's nice to know that at least five people in this stupid town don't think I'm a killer." Eddie took another drag and continued to stare into the vast lake once more. You squeezed his hand, and just as you were about to speak, the sound of Steve's car honking startled you.
Because of the sudden shock, you found yourself unable to control your movement. And began to lean forward, as you were inches away from falling into the lake, something stopped you. Eddie. He had grabbed you and pulled you closer, preventing you from falling into the frigid water. In this new position, the two of you were close. So close that if you moved forward just a few inches, the two of you could easily kiss. That is, if it weren't for the fact that Eddie had a cigarette between his lips, of course.
For a split second, you thought about what it would be like to kiss him. You knew he'd taste of smoke. But would he be gentle or rough with his lips? Would he be passionate or unsure of himself? Did Eddie moan when he kissed, or was he quiet? Whatever the case, you were certain that his lips would be a perfect distraction.
"Jesus Christ! Can you stop making out and get in the car!" Dustin yelled from Steve's car. From the hill, you spotted Robin, Max, and Steve all standing there watching the two of you. You felt embarrassed, and Eddie's face had flushed a bright crimson. Neither of you said anything as you pulled away from each other. You just stare into each other's eyes, shell-shocked.
As you climbed into the car, you still felt flushed. You knew all eyes were on you as you sat in the back with Max and Dustin. You wanted to justify what had happened. Well, rather, what didn't happen? You wanted to scream from the rooftops that no, you weren't making out. Just hanging out! But it felt useless. Everyone in the group just kept staring at you, and it made you feel more and more ashamed.
Nonetheless, you were pissed. Did it really matter if you kissed Eddie? The two of you were grown adults, and as long as it was consensual, you felt like it shouldn’t matter! But it did matter. You weren't someone to kiss a guy that you hardly knew. But there was no way to explain that to them without sounding genuine. You felt like the odd one out in this group of supposed monster hunters. You felt like a tart.
"They weren't making out Dustin." Steve abruptly said. His brown eyes caught yours through his internal rearview mirror. They looked concerned and searching. "You just scared them half to death by honking the horn at them."
You silently nod your head and give Steve a shy smile. You didn't expect him to stand up for you. Perhaps, you shouldn't have been treating him so poorly. Sure, he was a player, but at least he was decent enough to defend you.
"Thank you, Steve." You all but whispered into the night. Steve smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
"It's no problem."
Steve Harrington's POV
It had been a while since Steve Harrington had felt this feeling. His past self wouldn't have felt it or cared about it all that much. But the man he had grown into did. Jealousy. It flared in his chest, making him feel rotten to the core. It made him feel pathetic, immature, and stupid.
Why couldn't he give off that seemly natural flirtatious aura Eddie Munson had seemed to have with you? How could he be losing his mind and potential future girlfriend to a guy who was so weird? A guy who made him feel so weird. The weirdest part was when he was held against the wall by Eddie Munson while he held onto that glass bottle. That exchange made him feel so off. In truth, Steve Harrington felt so fucking weird by all this.
He was mad at Eddie and at you in some sense. But he would never take that anger out on you or Eddie, for that matter. What good would it do? It would change the situation at hand. So, Steve did what he could do best. He decided to try harder.
Chapter 8: Chapter 8. Breakfast in America
Summary:
Sorry, it took me so long to get back to this. I've got a lot of one shots in the works. But my goal is to finish this before season 5 comes out so I gotta get to it!
Chapter Text
Steve Harrington's POV
Trying harder meant compliments, pointless gifts, and of course, donuts. No matter what Steve Harrington had tried with the ladies throughout the years, he knew one thing for certain: Girls loved sweets.
Steve had woken up bright and early and drove to the local bakery. There he bought a dozen donuts. Two chocolate, four glazed, three Boston creams, and three sprinkled donuts. (They were for you, but with the amount and variety, he could easily claim they were for the group.) Today was the start of Robin and his week off from work. This meant that they could spend the whole day figuring out what to do about Eddie's problem.
Eddie was pretty demanding. The night before, Dustin had suggested that Eddie make a list of items he needed before they left. The reasoning behind this was that Eddie had mentioned offhandedly that the cabin didn't have a lot of food. So, Dustin insisted on getting him supplies without a second thought. Eddie's list was nothing but a mandatory list of junk foods. Honeycomb cereal, Yoohoo, Cheetos, ham slices ( it should be noted that he didn't ask for bread just ham slices), Bugles, Cheez-its, pretzels, beef jerky, Jolt-Cola, Hostess Chocodiles, so many other snacks that made Steve want to roll his eyes.
However, Dustin insisted that if Eddie said that he needed it, then he needed it. Steve would have fought with Dustin about how most of Eddie's demands were pointless purchases. But he was too tired to do so. That and of course, he didn't want to draw unwanted attention from the other shoppers in the grocery store. After all, these snacks were supposed to go to the town’s number one suspect in a murder case. If it was found out that the group knew where Eddie was or was even followed it was game over.
Steve made eye contact with you while you were picking up some of the items on Eddie’s list and gave you a soft smile. “I forgot to ask. How’d you sleep last night?”
You shrugged your shoulders and sighed. “I mean. Not super well. Kinda hard to do that considering what’s been going on.”
He remembered how it first felt when his life changed forever, how he was so disoriented when he walked into the Byers’ household. The Christmas lights. The gun Nancy Wheeler held. The scared look Johnathan Byers gave him. It was all so overwhelming. His introduction to Hawkins' true madness was rapid flashing lights and a monster nearly twice his height.
While yours was just tales that could easily feel like they were a science fiction comic book, he didn’t blame you for not believing in all of this yet. Steve often wished he didn’t believe in it. Perhaps, that’s why he partied more, drank more, and lived life on the edge more since the fall of 1983. It all changed him. He was no longer that stupid kid who was two steps away from becoming a high school has been.
He was now Steve the… what was he? Steve the monster killer but can’t tell anybody about it? Steve the kind of guy who hooks up with girls just to feel something? Steve the guy from Family Video… Maybe he was a has-been? What a terrible thought to have at 7:40 in the morning.
“How’d you sleep by the way?” You said snapping him out of his trance. Steve sighed and ran his fingers through his curls and put his hands into his jeans.
“I slept okay." He then shrugged his shoulders and gave you a lazy smile. "I got you something.”
You raised your eyebrows and stepped closer. “Like a gift?”
He chuckled. “Hey now. I didn’t call it that. You did.” Steve playfully shoots you some finger guns leaving you to laugh at his awkwardness. You took a step closer and your smile brightened.
“What’d you get me, Hairy?” Steve smirked as you got closer. In all honesty, he was starting to like the stupid nickname you'd given him. Maybe it was because it could easily be mistaken for his name. (At least to those who didn't know him.) Or it could be the fact that it was your first inside joke between the two of you. But whatever it was he found it cute.
“He got donuts!” Robin called out from further down the store aisle. Max shushed her while Dustin was too busy packing the shopping cart full of more junk food. Still clearly too determined to fulfill Eddie's unreasonable desires.
“Damn, I was hoping it was a diamond ring.” You say playfully.
Steve's eyes widened as he averted eye contact with you. He'd gotten used to your playful flirting. But he knew deep down that if you asked for the moon he’d give you the whole fucking moon if you asked. At his best attempt at seeming cool Steve put his hand on your shoulder and looked deeply into your eyes and said.
“Give it time, honey. Good things come to those who wait.”
The look on your face was priceless. Nothing but shock and bewilderment was cast upon your pretty little face. He wished he were brave enough to kiss your lips. But the thought of Eddie kissing you yesterday made him back off. But it wasn't the thought of Eddie's lips on yours that made him back off in jealousy. But the thought of your lips on Eddie's. For the first time in a long time, Steve Harrington was starting to question if he truly even knew himself.
"We should get going to the cabin," Steve muttered pulling away from you. You looked stunned as he did so. Almost disappointed. But you shrugged it off quickly and nodded your head.
Eddie’s POV
Like the previous night, Eddie didn't get much sleep. He was up at the crack of dawn; due to nightmares of Chrissy Cunningham's twisted bloodied body. And he had a raging headache because he was hungover so he could forget about Chrissy Cunningham's twisted bloodied body. He was in desperate need of coffee and painkillers. He was tempted to smoke some weed but without the snacks that he requested, there was no way he'd be able to come down from his high in a peaceful state.
Instead, Eddie reread The Lord of the Rings: The Silmarillion, since it was the only book in his van. And had decided that focusing on distractions was his vice to the madness that was now his life. Yet, his mind was still elsewhere as he read the book he'd read many times over. Eddie was thinking about a girl. And it wasn't Chrissy, thank god for that. His mind kept going back to you and how you almost kissed last night.
Sure, if the two of you did kiss it would have been an accidental one. But it would still have been a kiss nonetheless. It's pathetic, but it'd been so long since Eddie had had a kiss that he couldn't remember the last time he had been given one. Of course, he remembered who the last person was who kissed him. That had been Paige. But that was two years ago. Back when he had had a fair chance in life. A fair shot at getting out of Hawkins for good. But like everything in Eddie's life that'd slipped away. Leaving him nothing but a shell of a man.
Eddie sighed and closed his book loudly. He rubbed his eyes harshly using the palms of his hands and groaned. He was exhausted. But he was too anxious to sleep. His mind was too loud and he felt like nothing could calm him down.
That is until he thought about the lullaby his mother used to sing to him. Before her passing, she'd sing to him each night as a means for him to have something to remember her by. He had been too old for lullabies but his mother had insisted on it even though there were times when he'd protest. Eddie couldn't remember most of the words to the lullaby she'd sing to him. But he remembered her voice and the sound of it even after all these years was what brought him peace. Especially in times of need.
><><><
Eddie had awoken to the sound of a car arriving. He was disoriented as he awoke and soon realized that he must have fallen asleep under the rowboat’s tarp. He felt sticky and desperately desired to take a shower. For a second he wondered if he should just jump into the lake to bathe.
But then Eddie heard the slamming of the car door. Leaving him to spring into action. With the broken glass bottle in hand, he rushed to the window. Were Dustin and his friends already back? Or had the cops found him? He wasn’t sure and frankly, he was about to shit himself either way. As Eddie looked out the window of the boat shed he found that he couldn't find anything out there. And that made him more nervous. Was he going insane like how Chrissy had? Was he being played with by that evil wizard?
Just as Eddie was near a bit of false security he was just imagining it all. The door to the shed opened and he pointed his broken glass bottle to the intruders. Only to find Dustin and his friends had come back and in their hands were the supplies he'd requested.
"We got grocceries!" The girl from band class said. Eddie sighed deeply with relief. He'd never been excited to see people bring in groceries before.
Once the gang of misfits came into the boat shack. Eddie began to attack the box of Honeycombs and chugged the Yoohoo. Steve rolled his eyes at him as he began to devour the food like a madman. Normally, Eddie would have called Steve out for his rude actions but he was too hungry to care. However, when he caught you staring at him Eddie stopped eating so frantically and became embarrassed. There was no way you'd like him if he were such a slob. So, he decided to eat much more slowly. After a while, Dustin began to speak.
"So we hacked the police station using Cerbro."
Eddie raised an eyebrow at him. The kid never mentioned a thing about owning an X-Men device. As far as Eddie knew that thing was only in the comics.
"It's this device, Dustin made to talk to his girlfriend." You said interrupting Dustin before he could ramble onward. Eddie nodded his head and smirked.
"Didn't realize the kid had a girlfriend." He chuckled. You giggled back and replied.
"Me either." The smile you flashed him made Eddie feel much calmer. You were truly an angel he thought. Just your presence alone could calm him.
"Okay. Just let Dustin talk for a second, lovebirds." Max spat out before Eddie and you could say anything else. Eddie blushed and averted his eyes. While you flashed her an annoyed look.
Dustin then went on to explain that when they used Cebrero, they found out that the police thought without a shadow of a doubt that he had been the one to commit the murder. This deeply displeased Eddie. Which is why he began to binge eat once more. However, he did this without caring if he was sloppish in nature.
The group was silent as they watched Eddie binge-eat. Eddie was certain that it was clear to the group that he was freaking out internally. He felt so defenseless and stupid. How the hell could he talk his way out of this? He's seen the murder shows on TV. The last person who saw the victim is always the police's number one suspect! There was no way he could get out of this! It was game over for him!!
The girl from band class - Robin then chimed in to say. "We've actually been in a similar situation to this before. At least, everyone but you and Y/n that is." You nodded your head in agreement. And Robin then continued.
"Well, Steve, Dustin, and Max have been through this kind of thing more times than I have. Their monster was more smoke-related while the monster I dealt with last summer was more human flesh-related."
It's at that moment that you begin to have a panicked look as well. Eddie found it somewhat comforting to know that he wasn't the only one freaked out by such a notion. How could Robin act so nonchalant about facing a human flesh type of monster?! Was everyone truly crazy?!
"Robin you're losing them." Steve groaned and he shook his head. "Look the bottom line is that we've dealt with this thing before. But in the past, we've had this girl to help us out of trouble. But she moved to California and lost her superpowers."
"Is that the girl, Dustin mentioned yesterday? Eleven?" You blurted out before anybody could say otherwise.
"Jane." Max corrected. There was a bit of venom in her tone as if she was annoyed by the mere existence of your presence. Which deeply annoyed Eddie in contrast. He wasn't sure what the redhead problem was. All you'd done was ask a question. And yet, she was being defensive for one true reason. Maybe there was something else going on? Whatever it was. Eddie just wanted it to be known that he was on your side.
"Anyway! We're in the first stages of our usual attack plan. We just need to brainstorm on what to do next. My first guess is we need to collect some weapons and get ready for whatever this son of a bitch will throw at us." Steve said with a confident grin on his face.
"Harrington, you're making it sound like we're about to go fucking invade Vietnam," Eddie joked as he was trying to lighten the mood.
He had expected that Dustin at least would have cracked a smile at his lame joke but the look on Henderson's face was nothing but serious. Which only stressed Eddie out further. If Dustin Henderson didn't find his joke funny then that must mean that this crisis was much dyer than he originally thought.
It was then that the group of young adults heard the sound of sirens in the distance. With each passing second they became closer. And in a flash, the group told Eddie to hide underneath the tarp once more. After a few minutes passed someone had returned. Eddie didn't move. It's irrational but he started to think that the police were there to take him away. That somehow they'd convinced Dustin and his friends to give him up and that if he came out from the tarp he'd end up in handcuffs. But then he hears it. The sound of your soft voice.
"Eddie, can you please come out? I promise the cops aren't here. No one is gonna hurt you."
"Can you swear on your mother's life?"
"I swear on my mom's life and my own." Your voice sounded shaky but not shaky enough to make Eddie not want to follow your command. He pulled the tarp off of him and was met with you smiling at him softly. You looked so beautiful in this pale morning light that Eddie couldn't help but wish to play with your hair. He then looked around the shack and found the two of you were the only ones there.
"Steve, Robin, and the kids are gonna go find out what the police are doing. I've got them to agree to let me stay here."
"You're gonna stay here... with me?"
"Yeah. I mean. I'm kinda sick of being in car all the time." You shrugged your shoulders. "Besides, I think hanging out by a lake during spring break is a much nicer than being in a car stalking the police."
Eddie chuckled. He couldn't quite believe his luck. That the pretty girl he'd been crushing on wanted to stay with him. But it quickly dawns on him that you're most likely here because it's obvious that he has a crush on you. And that the gang probably wanted you to watch him. So you could make sure he didn't flee while they went to investigate what was happening down the road. It was a clever idea. Dustin was probably the one to suggest it.
However, Eddie didn't care if that was the case. At least you'd keep him calm and he could spend more time with you. All he wanted was to feel safer and in the last forty-eight hours, he hadn't felt safe since he was playing D&D with you. You were the perfect distraction to the trauma that had played in his head since Friday night.
With a shrug, Eddie stuck out the box of honeycomb cereal toward you. Hoping you'd take it. You did, and you took a handful and ate it. Leaving Eddie to smile. He then made room for you on the rowboat for you to sit next to him. He pats the space next to him and you take the hint and come and sit next to him. The two of you sit in silence as you eat the dry cereal it's only after a few minutes that Eddie decides to ask you a question.
"On a scale of one to ten. How screwed do you think I am?"
"Am I allowed to say a number over ten?" Eddie gave you a stink eye which made you chuckle and playfully hit his thigh. "Sorry. I was just joking... Uh. I don't know. If I'm honest."
"But do you believe what they said about those monsters?"
"I didn't at first. But now..." You trailed off and Eddie nodded. He knew exactly what you meant. In a way, the two of you were in the same boat when it came to all of this. Literally.
"Do you wanna get high?" You whispered leaving Eddie speechless. He didn't expect you to smoke weed. You seemed so put together compared to him. After all, you were this fabulous college student who could fence. Yet, you had asked it. If he were a brave man, he would have proposed to you right then and there. However, instead, he just smugly said.
"Fuck yes."
terroirods on Chapter 1 Wed 08 Jun 2022 05:00PM UTC
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SADlSMS on Chapter 3 Tue 14 Jun 2022 03:27AM UTC
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spider_starry on Chapter 3 Tue 14 Jun 2022 01:22PM UTC
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ThatAuthorLD (Guest) on Chapter 3 Tue 14 Jun 2022 06:15AM UTC
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spider_starry on Chapter 3 Tue 14 Jun 2022 01:20PM UTC
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ThatAuthorLD (Guest) on Chapter 3 Tue 14 Jun 2022 05:54PM UTC
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Itsjustmelove on Chapter 3 Tue 14 Jun 2022 09:13AM UTC
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Sweethrt.indigo (Guest) on Chapter 3 Tue 14 Jun 2022 03:04PM UTC
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spider_starry on Chapter 3 Tue 14 Jun 2022 03:28PM UTC
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Mary (Guest) on Chapter 3 Fri 24 Jun 2022 05:14PM UTC
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Itsjustmelove on Chapter 5 Thu 22 May 2025 05:37PM UTC
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spider_starry on Chapter 5 Fri 23 May 2025 12:55AM UTC
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