the shire is burning… so mordor it is

a.strange.inkling

master list

a little more of the oneshot if chrissy was the one to sub for lucas

…

“ALRIGHT!” Eddie announces loudly with a thunderous clap of his hands as he and Chrissy re-enter the auditorium. “Focus up, freaks! The cheerleader stays. The campaign continues. Hellfire is back on.”

All of the boys just stand there staring at the two of them in astonishment, eyes wide, mouths agape.

“Are you deaf?!” Eddie shouts in annoyance waving his arms up and down. “The game's back on! Let’s go!”

Startled to life, they quickly jump into action to get their places set up. It looks like they were all in the middle of a heated discussion concerning Sinclair’s substitute.

“Hell yeah!” Dustin celebrates quietly, giving Mike a high five.

“And anyone who treats the lady with anything other than the highest level of chivalry,” Eddie warns darkly as he strides back to his throne. “Answers to me.”

Chrissy ducks her head shyly as she shuffles back over to Mike and Dustin who thank her profusely for staying.

Eddie rolls his eyes heavily as he plops back down in his throne.

It’s one thing to see her all sweet and smiley around her own kind, like Carver and the basket bastards, it’s an entirely other thing to see her around his rabble of rejects.

He’s never been great at sharing.

Kevin dims the lights and the room grows quiet as everyone sits down.

Gareth, taking his marching orders very seriously, pulls a chair out for Chrissy (next to him of course), “M’lady.”

Eddie deadpans, trying to focus on getting all his shit in front of him back in order.

“Oh! thank you.” Chrissy smiles nervously, sitting down in the offered chair politely, the picture of poise and grace.

“No problem,” Gareth says, taking a roll for charisma before the game even starts, falling into the seat beside her. “I’m Gareth, by the way.”

Eddie side eyes the exchange. Well, Gareth the Great has certainly changed his tune.

“Hi, I’m Chrissy,” she replies shyly.

“Oh yeah I know, we’ve met before,” Gareth tells her, leaning back in his seat smugly.

Chrissy tilts her head to her shoulder curiously. “Have we?”

“Yeah, you saved my life actually.”

Eddie’s gaze snaps to Gareth, no longer pretending not to listen to this conversation.

Chrissy’s brows jump up beneath her bangs. “I did?”

“You did!” Gareth chuckles, excited to relay the tale that Eddie recalls immediately. “Two years ago! You probably don’t remember, I was just a little freshie and I was about to get my ass kicked by Tommy H, then you swooped in and you saved me.”

“That’s right! She did!” Jeff confirms this with a slap to the table. Eddie quickly steadies the wyvern from toppling to the ground. Fucking mind the minatures, Jeffery!

“Really?” Dustin asks excitedly.

“Yeah,” Gareth tells him, sliding his arm around Chrissy’s chair like Eddie wouldn’t notice. He’ll fucking break it. “She grabbed Tommy’s fist before he could hit me! She was so brave!”

It takes Chrissy a few seconds, but the whole messy ordeal begins to come back to her. “Oh my God! Yes! I remember you!”

Eddie frowns, glaring darkly at Gareth across the table and the 14+ score on his charisma check.

He was there too! And if he recalls correctly, he kicked Tommy H’s ass to save stupid Gareth’s life.

“That’s awesome!” Mike chimes in, smiling over at Chrissy. “Tommy H was no small dude.”

“Not even Steve could take him down!” Dustin adds.

Eddie lifts his arms in silent exasperation, but no one is paying attention to him.

“She was like half his size,” Gareth regals, putting a hand on her shoulder. “But she still tried to stop him.”

“It was no big deal.” Chrissy waves her hand dismissively, blushing at all the sudden praise and attention from the room she wasn’t welcome in just twenty minutes ago.

“I have never forgotten that day,” Gareth tells her sincerely. “Totally metal of you.”