anotherhargrovebitch

*

Arriving at Eddie's Uncles tends to be something you look forward to.

You would walk up excitedly, knock on the door already hearing Metallica playing through the thin walls and Eddie swearing to himself as he'd inevitably trip over something.

He'd always greet you with the biggest smile, like nothing else in the world mattered at that moment to him - because it was true, not that you knew that, though.

But now, as darkness consumes the sky you step in after Eddie, standing clad with weapons.

"You ready?" Dustin asks Eddie who nods, waiting for him to join the others through the gate, but there's a certain hesitance in the air.

Dustin notices you fiddling with one of Eddie's rings that he gifted you for your birthday. He was the first to realise there was more between you both than a simple friendship. His ring never left you, even in the midst of a D&D battle, or during a hot summer day, it's always there. Like you always have a piece of Eddie with you, wherever you go.

Eddie turns to face Dustin, motioning for him to go ahead.

Looking through, Dustin saw Steve waiting for him with a reassuring smile, leaving you and Eddie alone for the first time in a while.

"So,"

"Y/n,"

Your voices overlap each other, and a chuckle escapes you in response causing Eddie's heart to soar. How he's missed hearing you laugh, to even see a smile grace your face and have it reach your eyes.

Stepping closer toward you, Eddie rests his hand on yours. His rings hit yours, noting how you're still wearing the one he gave you after he constantly found you playing with it.

"If anything happens tonight, Y/n," Eddie starts, but you're quick to protest. "no, seriously, baby." The pet name slips from his lips, something that neither of you is expecting to hear.

"Eddie," Lifting your left hand up, you rest it against his cheek. He's already growing some stubble, something you know he hates. "you bet your ass if something happens I will not hesitate to climb into that hellhole again to rescue you." The serious undertone does not go undetected as Eddie tenses under your grasp.

"I just," Eddie stumbles over his words, feeling your breath fan across his lips. "I need you to stay here, and stay safe for me." He asks once more, staring straight into your eyes. "Please, Y/n. For me, just, just stay safe." He practically pleads to you, his hand squeezing yours tightly.

"I will, Munson." You reason, noting the relief crossing his eyes. "As long as you come back, cause if not, I'll be running like hell to you."

Leaning forward, Eddie rests his forehead against yours. "You got yourself a deal." He whispers, opening his eyes as he leans back, trying to mentally capture everything about you from the wrinkles in the outer corners of your eyes to your smile that melts his once sealed heart.

*

It had been too long for your liking, sitting, waiting for someone to reappear, for Eddie to come back.

Removing the ring from your finger, you roll it around in your palms as a means of distracting and ignoring the thoughts at the forefront of your mind.

"He'll be okay." You tell yourself, wishing you could believe those words, no matter how many times you say them.

"Eddie! Come on!" Snapping you from your thoughts, the ring slips from your fingertips and toward the sofa. But that is the least of your worries as Dustin's voice rings through from the gate.

Standing over the gate, you can see Dustin panting heavily, staring toward something. And then you hear him, the relief of hearing his voice fills your body with warmth as tears threaten to form in your eyes.

"Dustin!" You yell, catching his attention as he clambers up the rope, falling to your side on the stained mattress.

Urgently, you check Dustin over, relieved to see he's perfectly fine.

And then Eddie appears in your view followed by the sound of screeching. "Eddie, hurry up!" Your voice rises in haste as his hands clasp the sheets, but you can tell there's something wrong. "Eddie?"

Dustin continues to shout, begging Eddie to climb up the sheets and to certain safety.

Though Eddie lowers his head, averting his attention back to the Demobats on the other side of the door, clawing through.

"You better fucking stop, Munson!" The words scrape the back of your throat when he concentrates on you. "Come on, please, Eddie, please."

Yet, Eddie's mind has been made up.

Lowering himself from the rope, Dustin watches in disbelief as Eddie slices the only way out, watching it fall into your arms.

"What are you doing?" Dustin cries out, clutching his hair in his fists whilst you stand in silence, a state of disbelief when Eddie slowly nods to you.

"Buying more time."

With that, he disappears out of sight once more, and you crumble to the ground.

"Y/n, we, we have to go back, we," Dustin cannot contain his emotions, he scrambles around the room for something, anything whilst you remain too quiet.

"No," You stand back up, resting your hands on Dustin's shoulders. "you're not going back, Dustin."

"We, we can't leave him, I," Shaking your head, you grab a hold of a chair and another, putting them in position along with the mattress you've spent many nights lying on, talking about your futures and eventually nodding off in his arms.

"'86, it'll be our year, Y/n. I can feel it!" He would clasp your sides, causing you to erupt in a fit of laughter.

Breaking from the faint memory, you face Dustin. "I told him I'd run like hell to him," You mutter. "and God, is he testing me this time."

Before more protests can be made from Dustin, you launch yourself through the portal, landing on your arm causing you to cry out in agony.

Taking no time to process the pain coursing through your arm, you run through the door, scouring the site for him.

And that's when you see it, and your vision blurs as you charge forward with all your might.

"Eddie!" You cry, watching him fall to the ground as the bats cling to his body, slowly growing in numbers. "You fuckers!" Picking up the shield Eddie created, you shelter the two of you to the best of your abilities.

Cradling Eddie's head in your lap, he watches you closely.

Acid burns through your skin as chunks are torn from you, but all you can focus on is Eddie, keeping him safe, keeping him alive.

"You, you're here." Eddie weakly states in disbelief.

Chuckling dryly, you shrug. "I told you I'd come running, Munson."

A small smile forms on Eddie's lips, looking up to see the bats flying away, the squeal in his ears is no longer deafening, and you're able to lower the shield.

"Eddie, they've done it." You laugh, taking in your surroundings of the motionless bats. "It's over." You whisper.

"I did it," Eddie speaks up, trying to take your hand in his. "I, I didn't run, Y/n." He mumbles, his gaze drifting off.

"No, no no no," You begin to panic, taking in the wounds covering his body and the large patch of blood seeping through his shirt. "this isn't it, Eddie. There is so much more to come, for you to do, for, for us." You plead, wiping his face as tears fall across his bloodied cheeks.

"It'll be okay, Y/n." Eddie tells you. "You, you gotta look after those lil sheep for me though, I know they trust and love you."

"I don't have to Eddie, 'cause that'll be your job." You remind him, your tears freely falling. "Just hang on for me, please, Eds."

Keeping him in your arms, you cry out for help. Your throat feels raw from pain, your heart-shattering in your chest as the minutes pass without any avail.

"Y/n?" Steve calls out, running toward you.

"Please, please, help." Your words tie together as you keep a hold of Eddie, leaning into him to ensure his heart is still beating.

"Robin, Nance, help me out." Steve ushers the two girls to assist.

"Just a little bit longer, Eddie, okay?" You run your fingers through his hair, noticing your hands coating crimson. "Please, for me." You weakly ask, closing your eyes as you collectively walk back toward the gate.