Chapter Text
Routine One:
I
It’s easy to say the first time Chrissy Cunningham goes through what she calls a ‘Routine’ she is completely, utterly freaked.
In the famous words of someone that wasn’t dear to her yet, she’s a level one Bard, and she’s tossed into final boss without so much as a prior warning. Well. Somewhat of a warning, weeks upon weeks of headaches and audio hallucinations are something of a concern leading up to it. Because that’s what makes it happens, makes her aware, her being frightened beyond belief. Because what else would you be if you died at eighteen, the worst of the worst of your memories looping through your head as someone promised you they would make it all go away?
All she had wanted was for it to stop.
Or at least something to feel halfway normal. That’s when she remembers that weed is supposed to be an excellent downer, supposed to mellow you out. She had seen it, hadn’t she? Fast Times at Ridgemount High? Sean Penn had seemed pretty relaxed despite all the things that he caused, and Chrissy would really like some of that, please. And who doesn’t know Eddie Munson is a drug dealer, even she did, Prissy Chrissy.
The voices were getting worse, turning from what felt like a voice in the back of her head to actual full-on hallucinations, spiders, and a clock of all things. She thinks she’s going basket case, but much worse than Ally Sheedy’s in The Breakfast Club, not just nail chewing and a little bit of off behavior. Her mother’s worst moments are getting more and more real, and Chrissy just- Chrissy is just really, really scared. She’s desperate.
And is utterly and stupefyingly stunned by how nice Eddie Munson is when she meets him in the woods.
She wasn’t lying when she thought he was scary, mean, and just a touch too much. Who hasn’t seen his van pull up at school, blasting music with grinding snarls? Who hasn’t seen the three-time-senior with his constant loudness, his habit of making devil horns, his tattoos, and his overall muchness ? Chrissy… Chrissy never gets loud, can never get too much, because- Because I’m not allowed. A doll on a shelf, a pretty little thing to be seen and never heard unless it’s a cheering chorus. And Jason hated him, hated him so much, would get so angry every single time they clashed-
But he sees how freaked she is, and instead of making things harder, blowing her off like she thought he would, his dark eyes just take her in and-
And for the first time in a long time she is seen.
He makes her laugh. She can’t remember the last time she laughed. It feels like her laughter, even the fake kind she used to be so good at, had dried up inside her. But with him, remembering his shaved head and his shockingly good performance in middle school, it bubbles out of her like it's the most natural thing in the world.
“You’re a freak, Chrissy Cunningham,” his smile is wide, his dark eyes oh so expressive, and he is looking at her .
Not at the Cheerleading Champion, not at Jason Curver’s girlfriend, but at Chrissy, and for a moment, she can breathe.
And it’s the nicest thing someone has said to her and meant it.
“Do you have something stronger?” it's timid, her question. She can’t ask a lot of questions, she’s supposed to be smarter than that, her Mom taught her that, and each question has to be smart, and this one feels like a stupid one.
But Eddie doesn’t act like it's a stupid question. Doesn’t judge her beyond a look in his eyes she doesn’t recognize.
It takes a while to realize its worry. But he takes her to his Castle, takes her after Jason’s stupid, stupid speech, and…
She’s broken.
Shattered.
Eddie’s screams in her ears even as she feels herself break, bone by bone, piece by piece.
Chinadoll Chrissy, Cheerleader Humpty Dumpty, and not even all the King’s men can put her together again.