🍓Eddie's Princess🍓

Your Perspective

Scott doesn’t say hello. He just glances at you, nods in approval, and mutters, “Don’t act weird tonight.”

You nod.

The party’s already loud when you pull up, music blaring, people spilling onto the lawn with red solo cups and loud laughter.  Scott finds his friends instantly. You trail behind him like a shadow.

They cheer when they see him. A few nod toward you before turning back to whatever bullshit they were bragging about. Scott pulls you to his side and lets his hand rest low on your waist.

“You gonna smile at some point?” he asks under his breath, voice tight and forced.

You force a smile.

He hands you a drink without looking, already turning back to the group. You raise it to your lips, needing the sharp burn more than you want to admit.

Scott’s friends are already drunk. They laugh too loudly, clap him on the back, and look at you like you’re part of the package, shiny and silent. You stand there, sipping, smiling when you’re supposed to, nodding through conversations that feel like white noise.

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch a familiar shape. A mess of dark curls, a slouching walk, a smile you know too well.

Eddie.

Your breath catches.

You don’t turn. Not all the way. Just a glance, just enough to see him leaning in to say something to Shannon, who’s laughing at something he said, tipping her head toward him like she belongs there.

And he looks happy.

Genuinely happy.

Like the weight he carried around for weeks has finally lifted. Like he’s lighter now that he’s not yours.

He deserves that. He deserves to smile like that. You meant it when you thought it, when you told yourself he was better off without you, that loving him meant letting him go.

Scott’s beside you, arm slung over your shoulders like always, like a noose, and he’s grinning, eyes scanning the crowd, too self-absorbed to notice the way your whole body just stiffened.

He presses a fresh cup into your hand.

“C’mon, live a little,” he mutters in your ear. “You’re a buzzkill when you mope.”

You take the drink.

Because what else are you supposed to do?

You tip it back and let the burn chase the ache down your throat.

You sip faster. Then you’re reaching for another. And another.

But that doesn’t stop the ache that blooms in your chest. Doesn’t stop your hand from tightening around the plastic cup. Doesn’t stop the nausea rising with every beat of the music.

Scott looks down at your empty cup, smirks, and hands you another. “That’s more like it.”

You take it.

Because it’s easier to drown than to feel yourself falling apart.

And all you can do is smile, like the alcohol’s stitched your heartbreak into silence. Like you’re not watching, the only person who ever really saw you give his smile to someone else.

Like you don’t feel like dying inside.

You don’t remember how many drinks you’ve had.

Three? Five? Nine? Something sweet and pink first, then beer, then something sharp from a red plastic shot cup that burned all the way down and made your eyes water.

Scott keeps putting drinks in your hand. Keeps laughing a little too loudly, throwing his arm around your waist like he’s proud of you now, like this version of you is the one he likes best.

“See?” he murmurs at one point, lips brushing your ear. “Much better when you’re not a stuck-up little ice queen.”

You flinch, but only barely.

You’re too far gone for it to land properly. The room sways around you, music vibrating in your ribs, lights blurring into colour and shadow. You laugh, high and brittle, and lean against the wall, letting it hold you up.

Your head is spinning, light and heavy all at once. You don’t remember what was just said, but it must’ve been funny, because you’re laughing. Or at least trying to.

The sound comes out too loud, off-key. One of the jocks, maybe Chad or Kyle or whatever, says something dumb, and you giggle again, clutching your red cup like it’s a lifeline. You don’t even notice when someone fills it again. Doesn’t matter. You’re not tasting it anymore. Just drinking. Just trying to feel something different. Or maybe nothing at all.

Scott’s hand slides across your back. You flinch slightly but don’t move away. Can’t. It’s like your limbs are underwater. Like your brain is underwater.

You sway a little and lean back against the stereo cabinet to steady yourself. Another sip. Another laugh. You think someone said your name, but your ears are ringing now, and everything feels… slow.

Then someone’s in front of you. You blink.

Nancy.

She looks pissed.

“Heyyy,” you slur, forcing a smile that doesn’t quite land. “You made it.”

“Jesus,” she breathes, taking in the state of you. “You’re wasted.”

“I’m fiiiine,” you insist, dragging the word out with a smile that doesn’t quite land. You raise your cup like proof, sloshing whatever’s left.

“No, you’re not.”

Scott cuts in, all fake-casual charm as he sidles beside you. He smirks. “Relax, Wheeler. She’s having fun.”

Nancy turns to him with a glare that could melt concrete. “Back off, Scott.”

Scott’s smirk falters. “Excuse me?”

“I said back off.” She turns back to you, jaw clenched. 

A few heads turned. Curious looks. Whispers.

Scott sees it too. He hesitates.

Then he lets go.

“You’re overreacting,” he mutters.

Nancy ignores him. She steps in and cups your face gently. “Hey. Look at me. Let’s get some air, okay?”

“I’m fine,” you try to say, but the word comes out wrong. Slurred.

Nancy nods, but it’s not agreement, it’s resolve.

“Come on,” she says, and this time, you start to protest, but the words don’t form right. Your head lolls slightly. Nancy grabs your arm, gently but firmly, and starts pulling you toward the door. Your vision swims. Somewhere behind you, Scott says something, but you can’t make it out.

The cool night air hits your face like a slap, sharp, sobering, but not nearly enough. The world still tilts, your limbs still feel wrong, like they belong to someone else.

Nancy steadies you on the porch, her hand at your elbow. You slump onto the steps without much grace, cupping your face in your hands. The buzz keeps buzzing. The ache in your chest is worse than the spinning.

Nancy sits beside you, arms folded tightly. She doesn’t speak at first.

“Okay,” she says softly, crouching in front of you now, brows drawn. “What’s going on?”

You blink. Your mouth feels dry. “Nothin’,” you mumble, dragging the word out like it’s heavier than it should be. “M’fine.”

“You’re not fine,” Nancy says gently but firmly, brushing your hair back. “You can barely sit up.”

You shrug. Try to wave her off. “Just a party, Nance. I’m having fun.”

She doesn’t smile. Doesn’t play along. “Eddie told me you ended things.”

You look away, blinking fast. “Well. Yeah. Guess I did.”

“Why?” Nancy asks, her voice quiet.

“Doesn’t matter,” you say too quickly. “He’s better off. Okay? Like… way better.” You wave your hand like you’re swatting the whole thing away. “He’s got Shannon now. Good for him. Happy couple.”

Nancy frowns, watching you too closely.

You try to stand, but you stumble instead, fall right back down onto the step with a graceless thump that makes her wince.

“Okay,” she mutters, steadying you. “No more of that.”

“I’m fine, Nancy,” you slur, yanking your arm away. 

Nancy sits beside you now, quiet at first. You can feel her looking at you, hear her breathing deep like she’s holding something back.

“I should’ve stopped it,” she says suddenly, voice tight.

You blink, sluggish. “Huh?”

She shakes her head. “When you and Scott first got together, I didn’t ask questions. I thought, if you were happy… then I should just be happy for you. But you weren’t. You’re not.”

You frown, the words slow to reach you through the haze. “’M fine,” you mumble, but it sounds weak even to you.

Nancy huffs a breath, frustrated. “I wasn’t there for you. I was so caught up in all my drama with Steve, with school, with everything. I didn’t notice how different you were acting. How much you changed.”

You glance at her, your vision soft around the edges. Her eyes are glassy.

“By the time I realised something was wrong…” She trails off. “It was already too late.”

You don’t fully understand all of it, not right now, not through the fog of your drunkenness. But you hear the crack in her voice. You see the weight of her guilt. Nancy, your best friend, who always seemed so strong, so in control, is blinking back tears. And it hits you harder than anything else tonight.

You reach for her hand, your own shaky, missing it the first time. On the second try, you grasp it tightly, squeezing it with clumsy fingers.

You sit up a little straighter, though it feels like a struggle, and pull her hand into both of yours, giving it a drunken squeeze. “It’s okay,” you slur, the words thick on your tongue. “I’m okay, Nance. We’re okay.”

She looks at you for a long moment, shaking her head slightly, eyes brimming with tears. But she doesn’t pull away. She doesn’t say anything for a while, just lets you hold her hand. You can feel how tense she is, how much she’s hurting, and even though you don’t fully understand why, you try your best to offer whatever comfort you can.

You rest your head on her shoulder then, your vision blurry, your breath unsteady. But you want her to know you’re not upset with her. Not at all.

Nancy doesn’t say anything more, just wraps an arm around your shoulders and holds you close.

You don’t know how long you’ve been sitting there, forehead against Nancy’s shoulder, but everything’s warm and spinning and soft around the edges. Your body’s heavy, your head fogged, and you feel like you’re floating just a little outside yourself.

Then you hear a voice, familiar, sharp, and way too loud.

“This better be good, Robin,” Steve says somewhere behind you, sharp and annoyed. “I just blew off a date with an insanely hot chick.”

You blink blearily, lifting your head. “Steve?” you mumble, confused. You squint toward the sound, trying to make out the shape of him through the blur. Yup. There’s that hair.

Robin says something, low and fast, and whatever it is makes his whole posture change. His jaw tightens. His shoulders square. His face goes pale and then red. You can’t hear the words, but you see it in his expression.

Nancy gets up beside you. “Stay here,” she murmurs, gently. You nod, though the porch feels like a moving sidewalk beneath you.

They talk. Steve and Nancy. You watch them, slouched on the step like you’re watching a movie. They’re really talking, like they haven’t in months, no awkward silences, no fights. Just words, flowing back and forth. Nancy’s explaining something, her hands gesturing wildly. Steve’s looking at her, but his gaze keeps drifting over her shoulder, toward you.

You smile at him when he looks your way, a sloppy, uncoordinated grin that you barely recognise.

You don’t understand what’s going on, but you can tell Steve’s mad. His arms are crossed, his head shaking in disbelief. Nancy keeps pointing toward the house, toward you.

And then, in a move that’s way too fast for your fuzzy brain to process, he crosses to you in three long strides and crouches down, resting his forearms on his knees, his gaze locking on yours.

You smile again, wider this time. “Steeeve,” you draw out the word, your grin even goofier. “Didn’t know you got invited.”

“Yeah, surprise,” he says flatly, looking you over, his eyes narrowing as they flick from your flushed cheeks to the half-empty red cup dangling from your fingers, and then to the glassy look in your eyes. “You look like shit.”

You giggle, feeling the edges of the world tilt with the motion. “You look like a shampoo commercial.”

You reach for your cup, but before you can grab it, Steve snatches it out of your hand.

“Hey!” you protest, a pout forming on your lips.

He sniffs it, his face twisting in disgust. “This is straight vodka. What the hell?”

You go to grab it, but miss. Steve exhales sharply through his nose, somewhere between a sigh and a laugh, then holds out his hand toward you. “Alright, that’s it. Up,” he says, his voice steady and firm. “We’re leaving.”

“I don’t wanna go yet…” You whine, a frown tugging at your face as you try to pull your arm back. “I’m partying.”

He gives you a look, his eyebrows raised, but his tone is gentle. “No, you’re wasted, and possibly about five minutes away from puking in your own shoes.” He tugs at your arm, and you give a half-hearted protest. “C’mon, drunk gremlin. Up we go.”

You try to argue, but your limbs feel like they belong to someone else, heavy and slow. Your head spins, the room still tilting slightly. Steve’s already got his arm around you, steadying you, pulling you up with surprising ease.

Steve’s arm stays firm around you as he helps you down the porch steps, steady despite your stumbling. The party noise fades behind you, muffled laughter, music, the occasional shout, but Steve’s jaw is tight, his silence heavier than any of it.

As he guides you toward his car, he mutters under his breath, “Always the goddamn babysitter.”

You giggle, slumping into the seat, head lolled against the window. “You love it,” you murmur, eyes half-lidded.

He doesn’t answer right away, just closes your door and circles to the driver’s side.

When the engine rumbles to life, you shift your head lazily to look at him. “Steve?”

He glances at you. “Yeah?”

“Are you mad at me?”

His hands tighten slightly on the steering wheel, but his voice stays soft. “No. I’m not mad.”

“You sound mad.”

“I’m not,” he says again, gentler this time. “I’m… worried.”

You smile lazily and pat his arm. “Don’t worry. I’m fine.”

Steve glances at you sideways, clearly not buying it. “You were drinking straight vodka on some dude’s porch and couldn’t walk straight.”

“It’s called fun,” you mumble, turning your head toward the window again.

He doesn’t laugh. Just shakes his head, eyes on the road. “What’s going on with you?”

You flop your head back against the seat. “Nothin’.”

“Bullshit.”

“Just wanted to have fun,” you mumble. “Is that a crime now?”

He doesn’t answer. Just keeps driving. A minute later, he takes a turn, not toward your house, not toward his.

You frown, lifting your head slightly. “This… isn’t the way home.”

“Nope,” he says simply.

You blink again, confused. “Where’re we going?”

“To get you sobered up.”

“Huh?”

Steve doesn’t answer right away. Just keeps driving, jaw tight, expression unreadable. The neon lights of the town start to glow a little brighter, and you recognise the shape of a diner up ahead, old, cosy, open late.

You squint at it. “Wait… we’re going to Benny’s?”

He finally glances over at you with a tired smile. “Greasy fries and a Coke. Works every time.”

You squint at the window as neon lights start to come into focus, the diner sign, buzzing faintly against the night.

Steve parks and gets out, rounding to your side. 

“Come on, party girl,” he says, reaching for your hand. “Time to soak up the dumb.”

The bell over the door chimes as you stumble into Benny’s, the familiar smell of frying bacon and syrup thick in the air. The place is nearly empty, just a trucker at the counter and a waitress wiping down a booth. Steve guides you to a booth in the back, the vinyl squeaking as you collapse into it.

“Stay here,” he says, pointing at you like he used to when you were seven and he needed five seconds of peace. 

You lean your forehead against the cool tabletop and close your eyes. The world still wobbles, but it’s softer here, quieter.

Steve returns a few minutes later with a giant glass of water, a cup of coffee, and a greasy plate of fries. He sets them down in front of you with all the drama of a surgeon delivering a miracle.

“Eat,” he orders. “Drink all the water. And maybe don’t talk for a bit.”

You poke a fry and whimper. “I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Wait till I get the milkshake.”

He sits across from you, arms crossed. Watches you eat like he’s making sure you don’t fall face-first into the ketchup.

After a while, when you’ve stopped giggling and started blinking a little clearer, he asks it.

“What happened with Eddie?” Steve asks, his voice low but direct. You feel the weight of his eyes on you, even though you try to avoid meeting his. “Nancy told me you ended things.”

You shrug, still trying to pull yourself together. “I’m with Scott,” you mumble, the words feeling hollow even to you.

Steve scoffs lightly, an almost disbelieving sound. “You hate Scott.”

“People marry people they hate,” you snap, voice cutting. “Look at both of our parents.”

Steve goes quiet. That one hits.

You press your lips together, hoping that’s enough. Hoping he’ll drop it.

He doesn’t.

Steve leans forward, his tone lower. “You liked Eddie. I saw it. You looked… happy. I haven’t seen you happy in a long time.”

You press your fingers to your eyes. “Steve, stop.” 

“What happened?”

You try to hold it in. Really, you do. But the vodka’s made you soft, and Steve’s made you safe, and the moment cracks open like a dam giving way.

“Eddie and Scott… they got in a fight yesterday,” you choke out, voice trembling. “Scott was pissed, and he said he’d have Eddie arrested if I didn’t stop talking to him.”

Your fingers clutch at the napkin in your lap, your eyes brimming with tears that you can’t hold back.

“I had to end it, Steve. I couldn’t risk Eddie getting hurt. I couldn’t risk him getting suspended or going to jail.” You suck in a breath, trying to find words that don’t feel like knives in your chest. “It would never have worked anyway. He deserves better than me, and I’m stuck with Scott.”

The words sting like salt in an open wound, and before you can stop it, the tears spill over, your face crumpling in a way that makes your chest ache even more.

Steve doesn’t say anything at first. He just reaches over, gently pulling you toward him until your face is pressed against his shirt. His arms wrap around you, holding you close. He doesn’t need to say anything. He just lets you cry. 

After your sobs start to subside, Steve shifts so you’re looking at him. 

“Did you tell Eddie why?” he asks, voice quieter but insistent.

You shake your head, trying to keep your emotions in check, but the sting of the decision is still fresh. “No,” you mumble. “Because he wouldn’t have cared. He would’ve ended up getting in trouble anyway. I didn’t want to put him in that position.”

Steve’s brows furrow, frustration creeping into his voice. “You still should’ve given him the option,” he says, shaking his head slightly. “You can’t just make decisions for him like that, especially when it comes to something this big.”

You swallow, the weight of his words sinking in, but you’re not ready to admit you made the wrong choice. “I couldn’t risk it, Steve. I just wanted him to be safe. I want him to be happy. He deserves to graduate.”

Steve leans forward, eyes serious as he starts brainstorming, his hands moving like he’s trying to work through a solution in real-time. “Okay, listen,” he says, voice steady. “We can figure out ways to work around Scott’s threats. You could talk to Eddie, tell him what’s going on, and get him to lay low for a bit. Maybe we can get some proof of Scott’s threats or find a way to leverage it against him. There’s always a way.” 

You cut him off, shaking your head, your voice sharp with urgency. “No, Steve, it’s too risky.” You grip the edge of your cup, your hands trembling a little. “Eddie’s worked too hard for his graduation, for everything. If he gets involved in this, if we push it, if he gets arrested, it’ll destroy his life. It’s not worth it. Eddie deserves so much more than this shit.”

Steve pauses, his eyes softening with understanding but tinged with frustration. He lets out a deep sigh, clearly torn between wanting to help you and knowing that this situation is more complicated than either of you would like. “You love him, don’t you?” he asks quietly, his gaze never leaving yours.

You hesitate for just a second before nodding, your throat tightening with emotion. “Yeah, I love him,” you whisper, barely able to say the words, but they’re true.

Steve’s expression softens, and without another word, he leans over and kisses your forehead gently, the warmth of his touch comforting. He stands up, offering you a hand. “Come on,” he says, his tone gentle but firm. “Let’s get you home.”

You take his hand, feeling the weight of the night settle on your shoulders, but there’s a part of you that’s grateful to have Steve here, even if things are still messy. 

When he pulls up to the curb outside your house, he just glances at you, eyes soft.

“You’ll be okay,” he says. “Not right away. But you will.”

You nod, not trusting yourself to speak, then slip out of the car.

Once you’re in your room, everything blurs. You move on autopilot, change clothes, wipe off your makeup, and brush your teeth. Then you sit at the edge of your bed, knees pulled tight to your chest, arms wrapped around them like maybe you can hold yourself together.

And then it hits you.

All of it.

The tears come quietly at first. Then harder. Until you’re shaking, breath hitching, trying to stay quiet because crying too loud in this house never did anyone any good. You cry until your throat is raw and your body aches. Until you’re staring blankly at the wall, numb and empty.

You don’t know how long you stay like that.

Then…

A scrape. A voice.

“Shit!”

You freeze. Head jerks up like you’ve been yanked out of a dream.

You hold your breath.

Was that…?

Then another sound. Gravel shifting. A knock.

Soft. Hesitant.

You blink. Stare at your door like it might answer for you. But it’s not coming from there.

Another knock. Just under the window this time.

You stagger off the bed like your body forgot how to move, legs shaky, heart thudding so loud it drowns out the panic in your head. You step to the window, fingers trembling as you pull back the curtain. 

And there’s Eddie.

Hanging off the side of your house like a lunatic, panting like he’s just narrowly escaped death, breathing hard like he just sprinted a mile and made a terrible life choice at the end of it.

“Eddie?” you whisper, because you don’t trust your voice to be anything louder.

He grins up at you, crooked and exhausted. 

“Hi, princess,”

You just stare.

Because your brain can’t catch up. Because he shouldn’t be here. Because this feels too surreal, too much like something you made up in your head to survive the night. A hallucination or a breakdown or both.

“…What the hell are you doing?”

He gives you that stupid, charming deadpan. “Trying not to die, mostly.”

And somehow, that’s what snaps you out of it.

“Oh shit, hang on!”

You reach for him fast, hands grasping at whatever part of him you can get, his sleeve, his wrist, his stupid denim jacket.

You help pull him in, graceless, awkward, and he crashes onto your floor with a groan that’s half dramatic, half deserved.

Eddie groans from the floor like he’s just completed an Olympic event instead of nearly falling to his death climbing up your house. One hand flops over his face. “Okay. In hindsight… maybe not my best plan.”

You just stare at him, frozen in place, too stunned to laugh. He shouldn’t be here. He can’t be here.

Real and reckless and utterly impossible, standing in the middle of your bedroom like he didn’t just scale the side of your house in the dead of night. Like this is something people do.

He pushes himself up with a dramatic grunt, swaying slightly as he gets to his feet. His hair’s a mess, cheeks pink from the climb, and he’s still breathing like he ran a marathon, but when he looks at you, it’s soft. Hopeful.

“Hi again,” he says again, like the words might land differently now that he’s upright.

Your throat closes. “Eddie…”

You want to run to him. You want to collapse into him, cling to his shirt, beg him to stay, to fix it, to make the world stop hurting.

But all you can think about is Scott.

You swallow hard, your voice cracking before it even leaves your mouth. “You… you can’t be here. You can’t…Eddie, if my dad hears anything, if Scott finds out…”

He opens his mouth, but you don’t let him speak. You can’t. Because if you stop talking, you’ll fall apart.

“You should hate me”, you blurt, words tumbling too fast. “And I wouldn’t blame you, because the way I ended things was awful, and you deserve better, God, you deserve so much better, and I shouldn’t even be talking to you, I’m not allowed to talk to you,”

You’re spiralling now. Words tumbling, breath hitching, voice cracking open like the rest of you. 

“I didn’t want to, I never wanted to. I just… I had to. I can’t explain, but I had to. It’s not about you, it wasn’t, God, you think I don’t care, but I do, and this is just…”

“Hey”

“I know I was awful, and I hate myself for it, but I thought maybe it was better if you hated me, because at least then you’d be safe,”

“Sweetheart”

“It’s so much more complicated than you know, and I swear I never meant to hurt you, and I can’t, Eddie, I can’t…”

“Steve told me.”

Your mouth slams shut.

You go completely still.

“What?” you whisper, breath caught in your lungs.

“About Scott,” he says, softer now. “What he said. The threat. Getting me arrested if you so much as look at me again.”

Silence crashes over you.

Your thoughts scatter like leaves in a storm, too many directions at once. Steve told him? He knows?

Oh God.

Your stomach drops. You step back without realising it.

“What? No. He wasn’t supposed to, Steve had no right…”

“Hey, hey,” Eddie says, cutting you off gently, but his tone is firm. “Don’t be mad at him. He didn’t tell me to mess things up for you. He told me because he knew I’d want to know the truth. And he was right.”

You’re frozen, the weight of everything crashing back on you like a tidal wave.

Eddie shifts uneasily on his feet, unsure of what to do with his hands. He shoves them in his pockets, then pulls them back out, raking one through his hair.

“I should’ve known,” he mutters. “I should’ve seen it. The way you looked at me that day… it wasn’t hate. It was fear.”

He laughs, low and bitter. “And I was too busy drowning in my own insecurities to see the difference.”

Your chest twists.

“I kept thinking I wasn’t enough,” he says, not quite looking at you. “That maybe you just… figured it out. That being with me was some kind of fluke, and you finally came to your senses.”

You flinch like he hit you. That was never how you saw him.

“I told myself if I let you go, if I kept my mouth shut long enough, maybe I’d stop hoping.” His voice breaks a little. “But I didn’t.”

You can’t take it anymore.

“I didn’t want you to know,” you choke out, raw and cracking. “Because I knew what you’d do. I knew you’d hear about Scott and say screw it and come find me anyway, like you are right now, and he’d ruin you for it.”

Eddie’s jaw tightens, but you speak faster, desperate to get it out before he can stop you.

“I thought if you hated me, if I made it easy for you to walk away, you’d be safe,” you whisper, throat burning. “That’s all I wanted. You safe. Not dragged into my mess. Not destroyed because of me.”

His voice cuts in, gentle but commanding. “Hey. Look at me.”

You try. You really try. But your eyes keep dropping to the floor, like shame’s holding them down.

Eddie’s face shifts, hurt and soft and heartbreakingly open. And then he steps closer, slow and careful, like he’s approaching a wounded animal.

“I love you,” he says, voice low but certain, like it’s the only truth he’s sure of. “That’s the part you keep forgetting.”

Your heart shatters and rebuilds all at once.

“I love you,” he says again, firmer now, like saying it once wasn’t enough. “And I don’t care how fucked up this whole thing is, I’m not going anywhere. We’ll figure it out. I’ll make it work. Whatever it takes.”

Your chest aches at how easily the words leave his mouth. No hesitation. No fear.

“Eddie,” you whisper, barely able to look at him. “I love you. God, I love you so much,”

Relief flashes across his face for half a second, until he sees the rest of yours. The tears in your eyes. The tremble in your hands. The fear.

“But I can’t do this,” you choke out. “I can’t be the reason your life gets destroyed.”

You wish to god things were different, that you could be with Eddie. But the words are lodged behind fear, behind panic, behind everything Scott and your father have ever drilled into you.

“Scott will find a way to ruin you,” you say, voice barely audible. “He’ll make sure you don’t graduate. And I know you act like you don’t care, but I know how hard you’ve worked. How much it means to you. You deserve to walk across that stage. You deserve a future.”

Eddie’s brow furrows. “Babe…”

“No, listen, my parents, they’d kick me out, Eddie.”

Your voice wavers, a bitter, embarrassed laugh catching in your throat.

“I mean, God, I know how pathetic it sounds, but it’s the truth. I don’t have a job, I don’t have money, I don’t have anything without them. I’m not like you. I’m not brave, or talented, or strong. I’m just… nothing.”. 

There’s a pause, a long, silent beat where you think maybe that’s it.

“You’re not nothing,” he says, low and fierce, like it offends him. Like it hurts him to hear you say it. “Don’t ever say that again.”

You finally meet his eyes, and what’s there isn’t pity. It’s fire. Love. Anger on your behalf.

“You are not nothing,” he repeats, each word deliberate, burning with conviction. “You’re brilliant. And brave. And stubborn as hell. You’ve survived things most people couldn’t even look at, and you did it alone.”

You shake your head, overwhelmed. “But I don’t know how to live without them. I don’t know who I am without their rules, without…”

“Then let me help you figure it out.”

Your breath stutters. Your whole body goes still.

“I’m not asking you to run away with me tonight,” he says softly. “We’ve only got a few more weeks ‘til graduation, right? So we take it slow. You stay on script. I won’t push. I’ll be careful.”

He takes a step closer, so close you can feel the warmth of him, steady and sure.

His fingers brush yours, barely there, like a question.

“But after that,” he says, “we make a plan. I’ll find a job. We’ll find a place. We’ll build something real. You don’t have to do this alone anymore.”

You stare at him, heart thundering.

“You really think we can?”

He smiles, soft, sure, unshakable.

“I know we can. You and me against the world, sweetheart.”

He squeezes your hand.

“Just say yes.”

Your throat is too tight to speak.

Your heart’s pounding so hard it’s a wonder he can’t hear it.

Just say yes, he’d said. Like it was simple. Like loving him didn’t come with consequences. Like he wasn’t holding out his hand in the middle of a storm, asking you to trust that he wouldn’t let you drown.

You want to say it.

You need to say it.

But the word won’t come.

So you nod. Just once. Barely more than a breath. But it’s enough.

And the second you do, Eddie exhales like he’s been holding his breath for months. Like your nod is a lifeline he didn’t dare hope for anymore.

Then he pulls you in.

His arms wrap around you like armour, like safety, like a promise you’ve never been given before. He holds you so carefully, but so completely, like he knows how close you are to falling apart, and he’s already decided he’s staying to help pick up every single piece.

You don’t mean to cry.

But you do.

Not loud. Not messy. Just quiet, shaking sobs into the curve of his neck, your fingers fisting into the back of his jacket like you’re afraid he’ll disappear if you let go. Like this might still be a dream.

He doesn’t say anything. He just holds you tighter. One hand in your hair, the other rubbing slow, grounding circles into your back. His cheek pressed to your temple. His heartbeat against yours.

“Shh,” he whispers, fingers threading through your hair. “I’m right here, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.”

And for the first time in forever, you believe him.

Eddie's Perspective

The music’s too loud. The lights are too bright. And everything reeks of warm beer and entitlement.

Eddie’s been here fifteen minutes and already regrets it.

He’s nursing a drink he doesn’t want, posted up by the stereo with Gareth, Shannon, and some girl Gareth’s been trying (and failing) to impress all week.

Shannon leans in, swirling her drink, eyeing the pack of jocks across the room with thinly veiled disdain.

“Is it just me,” she says, loud enough for Gareth to snort beside her, “or do they all look like they share one brain cell and a lifetime supply of hair gel?”

Eddie laughs, really laughs. A sharp, sudden burst he doesn’t expect. It feels good for half a second. Easy.

He follows her gaze, still grinning, eyes flicking lazily toward the jocks.

And then he sees you.

And the grin dies on his face. 

Perched on the counter like it’s holding you up. Drink in hand, hair a little messy, eyes glassy and unfocused. Laughing at something one of Scott’s friends says, but it doesn’t reach your eyes. Not even close.

Eddie’s chest goes tight.

He shouldn’t care. You made your choice. You ended things. You told him, with shaking hands and glassy eyes, that this, whatever this was, couldn’t happen. Shouldn’t happen.

But watching you now, he doesn’t see someone who’s fine. He sees someone unravelling.

Your head tips back with another drink. Scott says something, smirking, and you laugh again, too loud, too fast. Eddie’s gut twists.

He tears his eyes away, jaw clenching.

Shannon says something beside him, nudging his arm like she’s trying to get his attention again. He forces a smile, nods like he heard, but his eyes are still drifting back to you.

Later, Eddie’s by the sliding door, half-watching the party and half-listening to some burnout from geometry class ramble about wanting to try acid, just as soon as he “got his head right.” Eddie hands over a little bag of weed instead, mutters something about starting small, and pockets the cash.

Gareth’s off somewhere with his date, and Shannon's still chatting up anyone who’ll listen about her mixtape. Eddie’s only half-present, letting the noise and movement of the party blur around him.

“Hey, Munson.”

He glances up. Robin’s sliding past him, giving him a faint smile before heading for the kitchen. Her red cup’s already half-empty.

“Buckley,” he nods back, voice low, distracted.

She cracks open a beer, offers him a look that says these people are the worst, 

The guy he was dealing with disappears into the crowd, and Eddie exhales, rubbing a hand down his face before he turns to head back to Gareth and Shannon.

But then he hears your laugh.

It’s off. A little too loud. A little too loose.

You’re by the stereo with a red cup in your hand, giggling at something one of the jocks says. But it’s not your laugh, not really. It’s messy. Loose. Your smile is off-kilter, your balance worse.

Robin must catch it too, because she’s stopped just ahead, frozen with her drink halfway to her mouth.

“Shit,” she murmurs, more to herself than anyone.

Your eyes are glossy. Your cheeks flushed. You’ve been drinking hard. And not just sipping. You’re wasted.

You’re… not yourself. Not in control.

You don’t even notice when one of Scott’s friends leans over and tops off your drink again, just vodka, no mixer. You blink at the cup, laugh again, and down it like you’re trying to disappear.

Scott’s arm slings lazily around your waist. “Told you,” he says to his buddies, “she just needed to loosen up.”

One of them snickers. “Loosen up? Dude, she’s halfway to a blackout. Bet she won’t remember a thing tomorrow.”

“Guess I’ll have to carry her home.”

His friends snicker.

“Yeah, straight to bed, huh?”

Scott and his friends burst into laughter. One of them whistles. Another mutters something too quiet for Eddie to catch, but whatever it is makes Scott smirk. 

Robin hears that. She snaps.

“Absolutely fucking not.”

Eddie’s jaw clenches. He wants to swing. Hard. He grips the bottle in his hand like it’s the only thing keeping him from doing something he’ll regret.

Robin’s already moving.

She turns, eyes blazing, and bolts toward the hallway.

“Nancy!” she calls over the music, voice sharp with urgency. 

Eddie watches her go, then looks back at you.

You’re still smiling, but it doesn’t reach your eyes. Not even close.

Eddie stays rooted to the spot, heart pounding, guilt twisting in his chest like a knife. He watches as you tip your head back for another drink, your eyes dull and your smile fading.

He doesn’t remember moving, but suddenly he’s halfway across the room before he stops himself. His hands are shaking. His jaw’s clenched so tight it hurts.

He wants to break Scott’s face. Wants to punch every one of those smug bastards in the mouth.

But he can’t.

You ended things. You made it clear he doesn’t get to protect you anymore. You don’t want him.

If he steps in now, it’ll only make things worse. For you. For himself. For everyone.

Eddie stands frozen, heart pounding.

He’s never hated himself more. 

Eddie sees Nancy push her way through the crowd and head straight toward you. Relief punches through his chest so fast it almost hurts.

Thank God.

He watches her confront Scott, sharp, furious words passing between them, all tension and heat. Scott’s jaw works as he talks, smug and dismissive, but Nancy doesn’t back down. She grabs your arm and steers you away, her hand firm at your back.

Eddie doesn’t move. Not until the door shuts behind you and Nancy. You’re safe now. That’s what matters.

He turns back toward the living room, jaw tight, hands still clenched into fists as he makes his way through the crowd. He just needs to breathe. To cool off. To not punch someone in the face.

Gareth clocks him instantly from across the room, raising a brow like he already knows something’s gone sideways. Eddie just shakes his head, not now.

Shannon is still seated on the couch beside Gareth, drink in hand, her bored expression twisting into something sly the moment Eddie drops onto the armrest beside her.

“Well,” she says, kicking her boots up on the table. “Glad someone finally dragged Little Miss Harrington out of here before she drowned in that Solo cup.”

Eddie doesn’t look at her.

She goes on anyway, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“She was totally wasted. Like, can’t-stand-up wasted. Guess that’s what you get when you grow up rich and hollow. Typical Harringtons, pretty on the outside, nothing going on upstairs.”

“Shannon,” Gareth warns under his breath.

She waves him off and keeps talking.

“What? It’s true. That’s probably why Scott keeps her around. Pretty enough to show off, empty enough to control. ”

Eddie’s jaw tightens, the words hitting him like a slap. He stays quiet, trying to ignore her, but she won’t stop.

“Honestly? If all I was good for was warming Scott Wesley’s bed, I’d drink myself stupid, too. Hell, she probably just shows up, smiles, and spreads her legs for whichever jock’s next in line.“

Eddie turns, slowly. His expression is unreadable, flat, cold. Dangerous.

“You done?” he says quietly.

Shannon blinks. “What?”

“I said,” he repeats, voice like a knife sliding from its sheath, “Are you done talking shit about someone you don’t know?”

She scoffs. “Eddie. Come on. She’s dating Scott fucking Wesley. You seriously think she’s any different from the rest of them?”

“She’s nothing like the rest of them,” he says, and the words hit harder than he means them to. “And definitely nothing like you.”

Shannon's smile vanishes. “Jesus, okay. What’s your problem?”

“My problem,” Eddie says, standing now, voice sharp and quiet, “Is that you think being bitter makes you interesting. Maybe if you stopped sneering at people for five goddamn seconds, someone might actually care what you think.”

“Jesus, Eddie,” Gareth mutters, tension rising.

Eddie tosses back the last of his drink, not even tasting it. Just needing the burn. Needing something.

He glances down at Gareth, guilt flickering behind the fire in his chest. "Sorry, man. I tried.”

Then he cuts through the crowd and heads for the door, away from the music, the drinks, the sharp voices and sharper looks.

The trailer creaks as Eddie kicks the door shut behind him, the sound of the party still echoing in his ears like a bad hangover waiting to happen. He yanks off his jacket, tosses it onto the arm of the couch, and heads straight for the fridge. He doesn’t even bother with a glass, just twists the cap off a beer and sinks onto the threadbare couch, legs wide, bottle dangling from his fingers.

The room’s dim and quiet except for the hum of the old refrigerator and the occasional bark of a neighbour’s dog. He should feel better; he left, didn’t say anything he’d regret. He almost held it together.

But he doesn’t feel better.

He takes a long drink, lets the cheap beer burn down his throat, and stares at the wall like it might give him answers.

Shannon's words crawl under his skin, not because they’re true, but because he used to talk like that. About you. About all the so-called popular kids.

Plastic. Shallow. Jock accessories.

He’d lumped you in with the rest of them before he ever looked past your perfect hair and perfect smile. Before you tutored him, even when he was a dick to you. Before you laughed at his jokes like they meant something. Before he saw you flinch when Scott raised his voice and realised not everything about your life was polished and easy.

Now? Now he knows the truth.

You’re kind. Too kind. You carry everything without asking for help. You’re smart, actually smart, not just good-grades smart. You work hard and love harder and deserve more than what the world’s handing you.

And he’s still in love with you.

He sits in the quiet for a long time. Thinking. Overthinking. Running through a hundred versions of what he could say, what he should’ve said. Wondering if there’s a version of this where he gets to be the guy you choose.

A knock pulls him out of it.

Eddie blinks. Frowns. No one knocks this late. Not out here.

He stands slowly, beer still in hand, and makes his way to the door.

He opens it.

Steve Harrington’s standing there.

Eddie barely has time to process it, just blinks at him, chest still tight from the beer and the night and everything he hasn’t said out loud, before Steve says, dead serious, “We need to talk.”

Eddie scoffs, already turning away.

“If this is about the fight, save it. I’ve got enough people lining up to tell me what a screwup I am.”

Steve steps past him without waiting for an invitation.

Eddie scoffs, slamming the door behind him. “Yeah, no, come in. Make yourself comfortable. Want a drink while you’re at it?”

Steve doesn’t even blink. “I’m not here about the fight.”

He turns to face him, jaw tight. There’s no hesitation in his voice, just a calm, deliberate weight.

“I’m here because she told me the truth. And you deserve to hear it too.”

Eddie barks out a bitter laugh, pacing a few steps like he might explode if he stands still too long. “Yeah? Lemme guess, she finally came to her senses? Realised the freak from the trailer park wasn’t exactly long-term material?”

Steve’s gaze softens, just a little. “She was protecting you.”

Eddie laughs, bitter and hollow. “Protecting me? That’s a new one. Thought I was the one people needed protecting from.”

Steve doesn’t flinch.  “Scott said if she didn’t stop seeing you, he’d have you excluded so you can’t graduate, or arrested for assault.”

Eddie freezes mid-step. “What?”

Steve exhales. “He told her straight-up. One more word to you, and he presses charges. He’d twist the fight, turn it however he needed to make it stick.”

Eddie doesn’t speak. His eyes flicker like he’s trying to find a crack in the story, something he can grab onto, but there’s nothing. Just empty air and a weight he didn’t see coming.

“But… she didn’t even tell me. She just…” He swallows hard. “walked.”

Steve takes a step closer, quieter now. “She didn’t think you’d care about the consequences,”  he says quietly. “She thought you’d call Scott’s bluff. Push back, do something reckless, and end up arrested. And with your record…”

He doesn’t need to say it. Eddie already knows. One wrong move, one accusation, that’s all it would take.

And yeah, he can see it. Clear as day. The way he would’ve exploded, said something, done something, all heart, no thought. The kind of reaction Scott was counting on. The kind that lands people like him in jail, or worse.

Eddie’s breath stumbles. When he finally speaks, his voice is low, raw.

“She should’ve told me. We could’ve figured it out. I would’ve found another way.”

Steve doesn’t argue. He just shakes his head, tired. “That’s not how she sees the world, man,” Steve says, stepping closer. “Her whole damn life has taught her that people like Scott are untouchable. You don’t question guys like Scott, and you sure as shit don’t fight them. You survive them.”

Eddie looks away, his jaw clenched so tightly his teeth ache, but it’s guilt digging at his insides. His chest feels like it’s tightening, his breath shallow. His own thoughts are a mess of self-blame and regret.

“I should’ve pushed back harder. Should’ve fought for her… I was too damn busy feeling sorry for myself to see it. I let her walk away. I could’ve…”

He stops himself, shaking his head in disbelief. His voice cracks as he lets the words slip out.

“God, I’m an idiot.”

And it’s not just shame in his voice, it’s devastation. Because now, too late, he sees the truth clear as day. How carefully you hid it. How much you were holding back? How much you must’ve been breaking while he stood there, letting you go.

Steve exhales slowly, rubbing his face like the weight of everything just hit him. “Look, don’t beat yourself up, man. You didn’t see it because she didn’t want you to.  She’s good at hiding things… keeping it all inside. She’s always been like that. Always trying to protect everyone else. You weren’t the only one who missed it.”

Eddie’s eyes flicker to Steve, the hint of curiosity breaking through the storm of guilt in his chest. His brows furrow slightly, but he doesn’t speak, waiting for Steve to explain more.

Steve looks at him for a long moment. Then he exhales, leaning against the counter like the weight of his next sentence is heavier than he expected.

“When she first got with Scott…” Steve begins, his voice quieter now, more measured. “Nancy and I were falling apart. Everything was a mess. We were fighting all the time. Everything felt… off. Stupid arguments that didn’t matter, you know?”

He smiles bitterly, shaking his head. “And the whole time, she was there. For both of us. Always checking in, always smiling, always holding everyone else together. I didn’t even notice it at first, but she started changing.”

Eddie’s brow furrows. He doesn’t interrupt, but something in Steve’s tone makes him listen harder.

“She got quieter,” Steve continues. “Started asking permission for things she used to just do. Always looked over her shoulder when Scott was around, like she was waiting for something to go wrong.”

He pauses. Swallows.

“I tried to talk to her about it, eventually,” Steve says. “But she shut me out. Told me she was fine. Smiled through it. But it wasn’t just denial; she really believed it. Believed him. And I didn’t push. I didn’t want to lose her completely.”

Eddie doesn’t say anything. He can’t. The weight of it presses on his chest, suffocating him.

Steve glances over. “I’ve never been your biggest fan, Munson.”

That gets a flicker from Eddie. A half-smirk that doesn’t last.

“But when she was with you… I don’t know, man. She came back. Like the light in her switched on again. The old her.”

Eddie looks up sharply at that, like the words punched a hole through his grief. He swallows hard.

A long pause stretches between them.

“You brought her back,” Steve says simply. “Even if it was just for a little while.”

Eddie lets out a shaky breath that might’ve been a laugh if it wasn’t so hollow. He drags a hand down his face, like he’s trying to rub the shame off his skin.

“Yeah,” he mutters. “Great job, I did holding onto her.”

His throat tightens. He swallows it down.

“I thought… I thought letting her go was the right thing. That maybe I wasn’t what she needed. I mean, hell, look at me.” He laughs softly, bitter and aching. “I figured the best thing I could do was stay out of the way.”

He scoffs, bitter at himself. “But screw that. If there’s even a piece of her that still wants me, then I’m not gonna stand here and do nothing.”

Steve, already at the door, pauses. Looks back, his expression unreadable for a moment, then something shifts. A small nod.

“Then go show her she’s got a choice, Munson,” he says quietly. “Let her see she can finally make one.”

He leaves without another word. The door clicks shut behind him.

Eddie doesn’t move right away.

Eddie stares at the empty space where he’d stood. Just for a beat.

Then he’s moving fast.

No jacket. No hesitation.

Just keys in hand, and one thought in his head.

Go.

By the time he pulls up outside your house, his chest is tight, his hands still gripping the wheel like he might fall apart if he lets go.

He kills the engine. Silence rushes in.

Okay, he thinks. Now what?

He glances at the front door.

“Yeah, no,” he mutters. “Not walking into Satan’s lair like, ‘Hey Mr. I-Control-My-Daughter’s-Every-Breath, mind if I emotionally liberate her real quick?’”

He winces. Hard pass.

Then he sees it.

Your window. Light on. Curtains not quite shut. A crack of warmth spilling through the dark like it’s waiting for him.

“…Okay,” he whispers, shoving the door open. “Window it is. Breaking and entering. Really leaning into the Munson family legacy.”

He slips out of the van quietly, feet crunching on the gravel. There’s some kind of decorative lattice along the side, nothing too rickety, probably just for looks.

It’ll do.

He climbs.

Halfway up, his foot slips, scraping loudly against the siding. “Shit!” He hissed, clutching the column like it personally betrayed him.. “Okay. Cool. Everything’s fine. This is how legends are made.”

By the time he reaches your window, his fingers are cramping, his ribs feel bruised, and he’s running purely on adrenaline, bad decisions, and the kind of upper-body strength gym class failed to build.

He hesitates. 

For a split second, he wonders if this is stupid. If you even want to see him.

Still, he knocks. Once. Soft. Just in case.

Nothing.

He mutters, “C’mon, sweetheart… open up. I’m running outta dignity here.”

Another knock. Louder this time.

No answer.

His forehead drops against the glass, breath fogging the window.

“Maybe she’s asleep. Or hates me. Or maybe..

The curtain moves.

And you’re there.

Eyes wide. Mouth slightly open. Like you’re not sure he’s real.

And shit, you look like you’ve been crying. Like you have cried, hard. That raw, hollow kind of crying that leaves your soul wrecked and your chest caved in. It knocks the wind out of him.

But you’re here. You’re looking at him. And somehow, you’re still the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

Your voice pulls him from his thoughts, “Eddie?”

And Eddie goes blank.

Because all of a sudden, every word he thought he might say has abandoned him. No speech. No plan. Just your face, and his chest cracking wide open.

So he says the only thing his brain offers. The only thing that’s ever felt right, since the first time he teased you with it:

“Hi, princess.”

“…What the hell are you doing?”

Your voice is sharper than he expected, not angry, not quite, just shocked. Like you’re watching something completely unhinged unfold in real time.

Which… fair.

He arches a brow, expression deadly serious. “Trying not to die, mostly.”

You blink. Breath-catching. Like he’s cracked through whatever fog was holding you still.

“Oh shit! Hang on!”

You move fast, reaching for him, hands frantic and warm and real. Grabbing at his jacket, his wrist, his sleeve, whatever you can get hold of, and it’s a mess, a barely coordinated disaster.

But it works.

You haul him inside like it’s muscle memory.

He stumbles over the sill, crashes to the floor in a heap of limbs and denim and bruised ego, landing with a grunt that’s way too loud for the hour.

“Okay…” he groans, flopping back with a dramatic sigh, “In hindsight? Maybe not my best plan.”

His back aches. His shoulder definitely hit something. And he’s pretty sure he left a piece of his soul clinging to the siding outside.

But he’s in.

He’s in.

You’re staring at him like you still can’t believe it. And it hits him, like a slap to the chest:

You’re not laughing.

You’re not rolling your eyes or teasing him or cracking some joke about his dramatic entrance.

You’re frozen. Pale. Wide-eyed.

You look at him like you’re still waiting for the world to collapse.

Eddie pushes himself up, ribs aching, lungs still not quite working. He wobbles a little, but he gets to his feet. Shakes out his hair. Breathes through the burn in his chest.

And then he looks at you.

Really looks.

God, you look tired. Not just exhausted, bone-deep tired, like grief hollowed you out and left your skin behind. Your cheeks are blotchy, and your eyes are swollen from crying. 

And it breaks his fucking heart.

But you’re here. And you opened the window. And you’re still looking at him.

So he says the only thing he can manage, voice gentler this time.

“Hi again.”

It’s stupid, he knows it’s stupid, like maybe if he says it from a different angle, it’ll make this moment easier. But he doesn’t know what else to do. You look like you might collapse. Or scream. Or vanish entirely.

You say his name like it hurts.

“Eddie…”

And God he wants to grab you. Pull you in. Tell you it’s okay, that he’s here now, that none of this is too big, not when it comes to you. He wants to fix it, whatever it is, whatever you’re tangled in, he’ll fix it with his bare hands if he has to.

But you don’t move. And the look in your eyes shifts.

You’re scared. Not of him.

Of everything else.

“You… you can’t be here,” you whisper, voice cracking. “You can’t, Eddie, if my dad hears anything, if Scott finds out!”

He opens his mouth, wants to say something soothing, maybe even brave. But you don't let him.

You won’t stop talking.

And you’re spiralling. Fast.

“You should hate me,” you blurt, and Eddie’s stomach twists. “And I wouldn’t blame you, because the way I ended things was awful, and you deserve better, God, you deserve so much better,”

Stop. Please, stop.

He wants to say it, but you just keep unravelling in front of him, like every second without him has been slowly cutting you down to the bone.

“I shouldn’t even be talking to you,” you gasp. “I’m not allowed to talk to you,”

“Princess, whoa”

“I didn’t want to, I never wanted to. I just… I had to. I can’t explain, but I had to. It’s not about you, it wasn’t, God, you think I don’t care, but I do,”

Sweetheart. Jesus. Breathe.

“…and this is just…”

“Hey” 

“I know I was awful, and I hate myself for it, but I thought maybe it was better if you hated me, because at least then you’d be safe”

“Sweetheart”

He can’t take it anymore. You’re falling apart, right in front of him, and he knows that look in your eyes, the desperation, the way you’re shaking, because he’s been living it, too.

“Steve told me.”

It cuts through the chaos like a blade.

Your mouth slams shut. The room goes still.

“What?” You whisper, like you didn’t hear him right. Or didn’t want to.

He softens his voice. Doesn’t want to scare you. Doesn’t want to break whatever thread is holding her together.

“About Scott,” he says. “What he said. The threat. Getting me arrested if you so much as look at me again.”

And there it is.

The silence that follows? It’s heavy. Dangerous. It crushes his ribs in.

You look like you’ve been gut-punched.

He sees it all at once, the fear, the shame, the panic rising again, and then you’re backing up without even realising it.

“What? No. He wasn’t supposed to, Steve had no right…”

“Hey, hey,” Eddie cuts in quickly. Gentle, but firm. “Don’t be mad at him. He didn’t tell me to mess things up for you. He told me because he knew I’d want to know the truth. And he was right.”

He fidgets, hands useless. Shoves them in his pockets. Pulls them out again. Runs one through his hair, wishing like hell he knew what he was doing.

“I should’ve known,” he mutters, voice cracking. “I should’ve seen it. The way you looked at me that day… it wasn’t hate. It was fear.”

The laugh that slips out is bitter, small.

Self-loathing.

“And I was too busy drowning in my own insecurities to see the difference.”

He doesn’t look at her now. Can’t. It hurts too much.

“I kept thinking I wasn’t enough,” he says quietly. “That maybe you just… figured it out. That being with me was some kind of fluke, and you finally came to your senses.”

He sees you flinch, that subtle, sharp little twist in your expression.

It makes him sick. Because you never thought that. He knows it now.

“I told myself if I let you go, if I kept my mouth shut long enough, maybe I’d stop hoping.”

His voice breaks.

“But I didn’t.”

And then you say it. Like it’s been building inside you, rotting away at the edges.

“I didn’t want you to know,” you choke, voice thick and raw. “Because I knew what you’d do. I knew you’d hear about Scott and say screw it and come find me anyway, like you are right now, and he’d ruin you for it.”

You barrel on, like you have to get it out before he talks you down.

“I thought if you hated me, if I made it easy for you to walk away, you’d be safe. That’s all I wanted. You safe. Not dragged into my mess. Not destroyed because of me.”

Destroyed because of you?

No. No fucking way.

“Hey,” he says, voice low but firm. “Look at me.”

You don’t.

You try, he can see you trying, but your eyes keep dropping, shame pinning them to the floor like you’re not even worthy to look at him. And that shatters something in him.

He steps forward. Slow. Careful. Like you’re a deer about to bolt.

“I love you,” he says, quiet but certain, because it is certain. It’s the only thing that makes sense anymore. “That’s the part you keep forgetting.”

He watches the words hit you, soft and brutal, all at once. You flinch, and for a second, you almost seem to fold.

“I love you,” he repeats, louder this time. A promise. A lifeline. “And I don’t care how fucked up this whole thing is, I’m not going anywhere. We’ll figure it out. I’ll make it work. Whatever it takes.”

It’s easy to say. Because it’s true.

He meant it before, and he means it now, standing in front of you with dirt on his jeans and his heart bleeding all over the floor.

But then your voice breaks again. And this time, it slices straight through him.

“Eddie, I love you. God, I love you so much”

His breath stutters. Relief crashes into him like a wave.

She still loves me.

But then he sees it, the fear. The way your shoulders tense. The way your hands tremble like they’re holding something fragile, and it’s you.

“But I can’t do this. I can’t be the reason your life gets destroyed.”

His heart lurches.

You’re doing it again. Making yourself the villain in a story that was never yours to carry.

“Scott will find a way to ruin you,” you whisper. “He’ll make sure you don’t graduate. And I know you act like you don’t care, but I know how hard you’ve worked. How much it means to you. You deserve to walk across that stage. You deserve a future.”

His stomach flips.

Because yeah, he’s busted his ass this year. 

But you were the first person who ever looked at him like he was smart, not just lucky when he got something right.

You gave him the notes. The hope. The damn Romeo and Juliet paper that turned into a love letter, he didn’t know how to say out loud.

And now you think he should just let all that go to keep him safe?

“You deserve a future,” you say. 

He wants to scream. Rip the world in half.

Because what kind of future is it if it doesn’t have you in it?

Then you try to talk to him again. Softer this time. But worse.

“My parents… they’d kick me out, Eddie. I mean, God, I know how pathetic it sounds, but it’s the truth. I don’t have a job, I don’t have money, I don’t have anything without them. I’m not like you. I’m not brave, or talented, or strong. I’m just… nothing.”

And that.

That? That’s the last straw.

His chest burns. His fists clench.

“You’re not nothing,” he says, low and raw, like the words are made of fire. “Don’t ever say that again.”

Because it’s bullshit. Dangerous bullshit.

You’re the strongest person he’s ever met. The smartest. The kindest.

“You are not nothing,” he says again, slower now, letting every word hit the air like a vow. “You’re brilliant. And brave. And stubborn as hell. You’ve survived things most people couldn’t even look at, and you did it alone.”

You shake your head. He watches you unravel, overwhelmed by it all.

“But I don’t know how to live without them,” you admit. “I don’t know who I am without their rules, without…”

He cuts in gently. “Then let me help you figure it out.”

And there’s a moment, suspended between breath and heartbeat, where everything feels possible.

“I’m not asking you to run away with me tonight,” he says, soft and certain. “We’ve only got a few more weeks ‘til graduation, right? So we take it slow. You stay on script. I won’t push. I’ll be careful.”

He steps closer, fingers brushing yours, just barely.

“But after that,” he says, “we make a plan. I’ll find a job. We’ll find a place. We’ll build something real. You don’t have to do this alone anymore.”

Your eyes are wide, shining.

And when you speak, it’s barely a whisper.

“You really think we can?”

He smiles, soft, steady, unshakable. The kind of smile that feels like coming home.

“I know we can. You and me against the world, sweetheart.”

He squeezes your hand, gentle but sure.

“Just say yes.”

It’s all he needs. One word. One breath.

He watches your throat work. Watches your eyes flood. He can see you fighting with yourself.

And for a second, God, he thinks you won’t. Thinks the fear still has you too tight in its grip.

But then you nod and breathe the tiniest “okay”.

It’s barely there. Just the tiniest movement. But to him, it’s everything.

The floodgates open behind his ribs.

He didn’t even know he was holding his breath until that moment. Not really. Not all of it.

But when you nod, it’s like the weight of a thousand what-ifs and worst-case-scenarios just evaporate.

You said yes.

Not quite in words. But still.

You said yes.

He pulls you in without thinking. No hesitation, no fear. Just instinct.

His arms fold around you like muscle memory, like he was built to hold you. To be the thing you can fall apart against.

And you do. 

Not all at once. Not loud.

But he feels it. The shaking. The hitched breath. The way your fingers clutch at his jacket like he’s the only thing keeping you tethered to this world.

You’re crying.

Not the kind of tears he’s ever seen you spill in public, never the glassy, polite kind her parents might accept. These are quiet and real, soaking into the curve of his neck as if you’ve been holding them back for years.

It guts him and it grounds him, all at once.

He doesn’t say anything clever. Doesn’t joke. Doesn’t flinch.

His arms tighten around you. Not crushing. Just… anchoring. One hand buried in your hair, the other tracing slow, steady circles between your shoulder blades.

Grounding. Calming. Here. I’m here.

And for once, he doesn’t feel helpless.

He doesn’t feel like the freak or the failure or the guy everyone expects to drop the ball.

Right now, he’s just… yours.

“Shh,” he whispers, lips brushing your hair. “I’m right here, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.”

And he’s not.

You could fall apart a thousand more times, and he’d be there, every damn time, helping you pick up the pieces.

Because loving you isn’t the scary part.

Losing you is.

And for the first time in what feels like forever, you believe him.

He can feel it.

And Eddie? He might not have money, or power, or a plan more detailed than “find a job, love her forever”…

But he’s got you now.

It’s not a fairytale. It’s not clean. But it’s real.

And it’s theirs.

It was Friday night, and as per usual you were on your way to Eddies trailer. Friday’s were kinda you guys’ thing, usually smoking weed and just hanging around to enjoy each other’s company.

You lived further down in the trailer park, so it was no issue actually getting to his place, it was simple really. It was early in the school year, and the leaves were changing and falling as the autumn season approached, they crunched loudly underneath the worn soles of your black converse.

I arrived, knocking in my usual pattern which consisted of two quick knocks followed by one lower knock. I knew well enough that I didn’t have to knock and I could just come inside, but it still didn’t exactly feel right to just let myself in.

He opened the door, grinning like some idiot. “Hey, about time you showed up!” He joked, “yeah, you’re always comin’ up with some smartass reply, and im not even later than I usually am. 7pm on the dot.” He rolled his eyes, letting me in and leading me down to his room. “It was a joke for a reason, sweetheart.”

One blunt in and I’d hardly been at his house for an hour, but that wasn’t anything crazy for us. However, something in the air felt more charged tonight, like we were waiting for something to snap. Eddie of course was quick to light a cigarette once we finished the blunt, he was always smoking. The one thing was that his uncle didn’t like him smoking in the house, that never stopped him.

“What was your first kiss like?” Eddie asked, blowing the smoke out of his slightly parted lips. “My first kiss? Why?” I scoffed, wondering what the hell he wants to do with that information. “just curious to see if you wasted it like I did.” I didn’t reply right away because I could only look down at his messy bedding, picking at the edge of some old blanket. “I have yet to use mine up so it would be impossible for me to have already wasted it, Munson.” I exhaled sharply, wondering if he was going to laugh in my face and make fun of me.

He sat up quicker than I’d ever seen before, suddenly making me a little more self conscious than I was previously. “You’re joking right?” He laughed, still sitting up straight as a stick and looking at me like I was crazy. “No.. so what? Who said I can’t be 17 with no first kiss.” I bit back.

There was an odd silence that stretched on a little too long considering me and Eddie were in the same room. We were never quiet for this long, “really?” He spoke, as if he didn’t believe me. “Yes really dipshit.. I’ve yet to been offered the chance, let alone have I ever had someone who’d actually kiss me.”

He scoffed again, “so whatdya gonna do 2 years from now when some guy kisses ya and you have nothing to offer?” I bit my lip, “I don’t know- it wasn’t my choice to be so.. single?” I groaned, sitting up to lean against the headboard. He leaned over to put out his cigarette in the ash tray.

“Yknow.. you could pick up a thing or two from me if you really wanted.” He suggested, acting as if he was completely unaware of the weight of those words. “You want me to learn how to kiss from you?” I said, playing into what I figured was his little joke. However, his face was as serious as it could be.

“I’m not joking with ya, sweetheart, you could use some experience.” He scooted closer to me, now sitting beside me as we both leaned up against his headboard. “You’d do that? I knew we were close, just not that close per se…” he punched me in the shoulder lightly, “I’d do anything for you, hon, you know that.”

At this point my face was bright red and I knew it, ashamed at my own thoughts which told me that I’d enjoy it more than I should. “You’re lookin a little red there. Everything okay?” He asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. “oh you know what’s wrong Eddie- that’s a crazy thing to ask-“

“No nothings wrong with it, now cmere and I’ll show you what to do.” I looked over, seeing the genuine sincerity on his face, the spark in his brown eyes. I couldn’t help moving over to face him, our faces now level with one another. “Mm serious okay? Just follow my lead.” He spoke, his voice a little too calmly.

And with that he leaned in, I couldn’t pull away, the offer was too tempting. Before I could think our lips were touching, not moving yet but there was still some sort of electricity between us that no ‘friendship’ defined.

With that, his hands slipped behind my hair, and mine subconsciously tangled into his curly locks. His face separated from mine for a moment, just to reconnect and part my lips with his tongue, softly pushing between my lips. His lips were chapped, but nothing was unsettling about everything that I was feeling.

It was like I knew exactly what to do, what rhythm to move my lips in, how our tongues should collide and dance between our parted lips. It was like something out a dream, and before I could get a solid breath I found myself pulling him down. My head hit his flat pillow that I always complained about but in this moment it felt like heaven.

He hovered above me, our lips only parting for small breaths between each pant and glide of our lips along each others. I couldn’t help it as my legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him into my solid embrace as my lips continued to roll over his. “Oh- Eddie..” I groaned out between a kiss, I could feel him grin against me.

His lips disconnected from mine, a sense of pure feral passion in his eyes as we made slight eye contact. He reconnected his lips onto my neck, working his way down. I gasped as his sucked on a particularly sensitive spot by my collarbone. “Gah- Jesus Eddie..” I moaned, my hands tugging at his hair and pulling him down firmly.

His lips continued to travel all over, leaving marks and bites everywhere. Through it all I could feel the soft warmth of his tongue occasionally peering out to get a taste.

My legs remained locked around his waist, keeping us firmly connected and joined by our bodies. I guess I wasn’t even thinking anymore, not even considering what this might do to our friendship.

Time was just ticking by, not a care in the world and zero fucks to give. The only thing that separated us was the click of his door opening, we snapped apart right as we heard his uncle clearing his throat. “W-Wayne, uh what’s up?” Eddie said shakily, not because we were in trouble but because of the pent up adrenaline still in his veins.

Wayne didn’t say much, “I was just checking in to see if you were still planning on getting your own dinner tomorrow with hellfire.” Eddie sat up, the loss of his body on mine made me shaver. “Yea- yeah i still have those plans.” He cleared his throat as Wayne nodded and awkwardly shut the door behind him.

Eddie looked back over to me, seemingly embarrassed at the interaction but also nervous as to what was to come now that we were face to face again without our tongues down each others throats.

He laughed nervously, “well I think you got the whole kissing thing down huh?” I follow suite, laughing awkwardly. “Yeah I might just have it now.. but I think it would be cool to do this more often, yknow?” His eyes widened and he responded excitedly, “like, you’d wanna date me?”

The pit turns mean in a blink.

One second, it’s a glorious tangle, elbows up and shoulders rolling, bodies colliding in the friendly way that makes strangers into a single, breathing animal. The next, the animal rears. All that heat and beer and bass compresses into a tidal shove that takes the floor right out from under you. Your boots scrape, then skid, then hover. The air sticks to your skin. Somebody’s backpack zips your forearm. Someone else laughs too close to your ear, sharp and oblivious to his surroundings, and the sound slices straight through the song and into the fear trying to claw its way up your throat.

You suck in half a breath. It goes nowhere. The crowd surges again.

It’s not panic that hits you, but raw understanding that you are in danger if you cant get out. The current keeps pushing, your center of gravity is failing, and your feet are not part of the conversation anymore. You are buoyed in a sea of bodies, unwilling, by the slam of shoulders and the grind of bodies. Your world tilts as you are almost swallowed. The barricade you aimed for a minute ago might as well be three states over, and then there’s a hand at your waist. Not a groping hand but an anchor holding you steady in a tidal wave of people.

He finds you in the chaos his rings cold and grounding dig into your hip bone, palm spreading heat through your shorts, he steps into your space with zero hesitation and a look of determination and understanding, like he knows the difference between fun and danger.

He lifts you up, It’s not elegant. You bump a shoulder and your knee snags on someone’s belt, but the way he moves is practiced, like he’s done this before and will again, no questions asked. He shoulders into the wave the way you’re supposed to surf it, uses the crowd’s momentum to slide you through an opening, and then, suddenly your back bumps the rubber-capped rail and you’re up against the barricade, and blinking at a sweep of stage lights.

The world is still loud, but it’s a different, the bass stops punching your lungs and you feel like you can breathe again. The air is a little cooler. The band’s chorus cracks open above you and the whole place lifts their hands, and under everything there’s the thud of your pulse.

He’s right in front of you, close enough that you can smell the salt of sweat and the faint curl of something sweet from someone’s spilled drink, his hand still firm at your side like he doesn’t trust gravity or the barricade to keep you upright. He tips his face down and grins at you, feral and delighted, you feel something pull softly behind your ribs.

“Looks like you’re stuck with me now!” he yells, joyfully shameless, opening with a joke to break the awkward tension. You laugh breathlessly on reflex, and it comes out a little wild. His grin deepens like that’s exactly what he hoped for.

He frees his other hand long enough to yank a half-crushed water bottle from his back pocket. It’s slick with condensation and probably not new but it is the best thing you’ve ever seen. Before handing it over, Eddie tips it back and takes a long swig himself, then flashes you a quick grin. See? Totally safe. Totally fine. He presses it into your palm, steadying it with his fingers when your hand shakes. You tip it, gulp it down too quickly then cough. He winces like he can feel the cough. Then with a gentleness that startles you more than the lift did, he crooks his knuckles and nudges your chin up, so the blood doesn’t rush out of your head, and you don’t choke. “Easy,” he shouts, softer than the bass and screams booming all around you.

He stays there like that, knuckle under your chin, until your throat stops stinging and your head clears up. Finally you get a really good look at him as he’s inches away. Brown eyes, dark even in the harsh white sweep of the strobes. Eyeliner smudged into his bottom lash, rakish probably from him rubbing at it, sweat and time. He’s got a mouth thats made to grin, and he’s definitely using it, a soft and mischievous grin curve that eases your worries. Hair curly, dark, and wild like he’d run into a storm only moment before saving you. He holds your gaze until your breathing evens and the tight tremor in your finger’s quiets, then he nods, satisfied, like you’ve passed some unspoken test in his mind.

“You don’t even know me.”, you manage when you can talk again. Your voice sounds wrecked and relieved.

He shrugs, still keeping your hip caged with his palm. “Doesn’t matter,” he says, not loud now, just close. “Crowd like this? We look out for each other.”

You nod, because arguing with that logic would be ridiculous. Another surge ripples the bodies to your left, and you flinch. He’s already moving, pivoting to slot himself between you and the tide. He plants both palms on the top rail of the barricade, and braces like a shield between you and the crowd. It’s so instinctive you can’t tell if he thought about it. His rings scrape the metal of the barricade; you hear the little teeth grinding squeak even under the music. When the waves of crashing people come, it hits his back with a fanatic frenzy. He takes the brunt of it, and you feel the shock go through him, the flex of his shoulders as he anchors himself, the way his spine bows and then holds. You never get crushed or feel the brunt of the crowd again, and he refuses to move or break.

 Sweat beads down his neck slowly as he holds steady; you want to catch it with your thumb, and you don’t even know this man. He grunts once when a particularly tall guy behind him rides the push like a battering ram, and a strangled apology bursts from you, ridiculous when you’re not the one slamming into him. You press your hands to the rail where his are, your fingers almost touching his. Heat radiates off him like a furnace that’s spent all night burning.

“Don’t worry about it! You better?” he pants, bringing his face closer so he doesn’t have to shout, so the question becomes a little private pocket between you. His forehead is nearly touching yours and you could count his lashes. The stage lights rim his curls with white like a halo.

You could answer him and tell the truth and everything you are feeling in the moment, but you don’t. You don’t say: Yes, don’t leave me. Ever. Your mouth would betray you, and your pretty sure your face probably already does. Because something in your chest has already reconfigured, by his body bracing against a tide so yours doesn’t have to. You just nod again, pulse settling. 

He flashes you a mischievous grin through wet curls that have gone wild with humidity, mouth curled in a grin, that says he’s used to getting away with things. The song ends in a crash of feedback and the band steps back from the mics to drink water, and crack jokes you can’t decipher. The crowd exhales. You lean on the rail, as the pit eases. The air shifts, less frantic, more sway. He eases too, arms softening beside you on the rail.

Til he drops his arms and finally gives you space, but only an inch. The heat remains. He offers his hand like you’re meeting in a quiet cafe instead of a roiling chamber of noise. “I’m Eddie.” and once he says it, it’s obvious; there’s no other name for the man who just shouldered down an entire section of pit with a grin and a handful of rings. You grin back in a quiet excitement, tasting the cool fizz of the present moment, like a soda on your tongue

You put your hand in his. “Y/N.”

He repeats it like it’s a good lyric. He doesn’t let go immediately, and you don’t make him.

“You from here?” he asks, eyes flicking to the stage, then back to you in the same breath.

“yeah,” you say, and you tell him a little bit about yourself and the small town you live in, the three-dollar tacos stand you’ll die for, the bus that always eats your evenings, and the bookstore where the you spend the rest of your time. He responds with enthusiasm every single time.

He shares the quick sketch of his own life, works at a guitar shop teaching lessons to people on the weekends, in his own band that he’s trying to get off the ground, and knows some of the openers tonight through a guy who drums with him occasionally. He talks with his hands even when they’re occupied, fingers twitching lightly against the rail, like his body cannot bear to be unexpressive.

The music swells again, cutting through the easy rhythm of your conversation. His voice trails off, and the crowd roars their approval as the next chorus kicks in. He shifts closer without seeming to think about it, bracing his arms on either side of you. His chest brushes your shoulder, close enough that you can feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing over the pounding bass. His breath ghosting against your ear as he ducks down to speak over the roar.

“still good?” His voice is low, pitched just for you.

You nod, though your heart’s hammering as much from him as from the music. “Yeah!” you yell back, breathless.

He grins, wicked and close, his lips almost brushing your ear. “Don't need you getting swept away again,” he teases.

You whip your head around to glare at him, and he just laughs, delight cutting through the chaos, like he’s been waiting for that reaction all night. His grin softens, though, his voice dropping lower, more sincere. “Relax. I’ve got you.”

Something flickers across his expression when he looks down at you during the next chorus, satisfaction, sure, but also a kind of joy that’s not about the band at all, and It warms you stupidly from the inside as you smile at each other.

The band goes in for the last trio of songs with the relentlessness of a freight train, and you and Eddie spend them together. He raises his arms to throw up devil horns at certain points but always lowers them to keep you from getting smashed by the people behind him. He learns the precise seconds when your shoulders tighten so he can shift and take the press for you. He tests a hand at the small of your back and you lean into it, automatic. He howls the bridge of a song you don’t know and teaches you the words by yelling them at your ear, and when you get them right, he beams.

Somewhere in between the shared intimacy, he leans down and says it near your cheek because that’s where his mouth ends up when he wants you to hear him. “You sure you can see anything from down there, short stack?”

You glare up at him without heat. “yeah, I can see your big ego just fine.”

“Must be big then.” he grins.

“Oh, it is. I don't know how you hold your head up.”

He laughs, delighted, and then, as the next chorus hits and the bodies jump, he crouches. Right there. Drops to a knee with a casual confidence that says he’s thought of this already. He taps his shoulder. “Hop on!” he yells, grin huge.

You hesitate. It’s reflexive, some mix of etiquette and sanity and the knowledge that being on someone’s shoulders in a crowd is a crazy commitment for two people who met only minutes ago. You open your mouth to protest. He pitches his voice into a coaxing taunt that shouldn’t work on you and does. “C’mon, I don’t bite!”

“Liar,” you say, but the word is swallowed by the swell and replaced by your own laughter because you’re already climbing. His hands find your thighs, warm and certain, and he lifts; you settle with your knees clamped lightly around his neck and your hands in his hair because you don’t know where else to put them and because he gave you permission with the easy way he tilts his head forward to slot you into balance. He gets his hands around your thighs and stands like it’s nothing.

The world opens. The crush falls away. The crowd is still an ocean, yes, but you’re above it now and the stage is right there, and the singer is grinning down at you. You throw your arms up and scream, full body and ridiculous.

The crowd roars at the same time you do, your laugh goes high and startled and turns into a shriek when the lights sweep your way and people look up, point, cheer. A stranger hands you a crumpled poster and you wave it like a flag. Eddie whoops beneath you and wobbles just enough to make you squeal “hey!” and swat at his hand around your thigh, which he clearly did on purpose because he’s shaking with his own laughter.

He sets his feet wide and moves with the beat, so your body becomes an extension of the music. He’s shockingly good at it, distributing balance through his knees, gripping your calves without pinching, adjusting every few seconds so you always feel secure. You can feel the cough of his laugh more than hear it, vibrating up through his shoulders into your hands.

You lean down once, voice breaking happily: “You’re unbelievable!”

He shouts something back that could be “I know!” You lift your eyes and keep them on the show, so you don’t do something absurd like kiss the top of his head like you’ve known him for years instead of an electric fraction of an evening.

When the final song barrels toward its last chorus, the whole room shifts into that feral, communal wanting for one more second, one more chord. The band drags it out, milking it. The lights hold a dark red, the sound of the last guitar rift rumbles and wails. The venue plunges into darkness, the sound cuts to nothing but breathing and ragged yelling, a heartbeat of suspended chaos before reality comes rushing back.

The venue collapses into feedback and applause; Eddie eases you down. The crowd surges with excitement and you stumble forward into his space. His hands stay on your hips to steady you and suddenly your faces are stupidly close, close enough to see the brown flecks in his eyes and the way a wet curl clings to his jaw. A drop of sweat falls off the end of his nose and lands on you, it should be gross, but you find that you could care less. Your faces are so close you can feel the brush of his exhale.He glances at your mouth and then back to your eyes so fast you might have imagined it. You don’t push it. You both look away and then back like magnets trying to be cool. Someone behind you says, “Get a room,” cheerfully crude, and you both laugh and don’t move.

“Hi,” you say, because your entire vocabulary has vacated the building except for elementary greetings.

“Hi,” he says back, like it’s a secret.

“Thank you,” you tell him, simple because anything else would underestimate it.

“Anytime,” he says, equally simple, and you believe him in a way that makes your stomach do an unprofessional roller coaster loop. 

The band shuffles off and the show ends on a high they’ve earned, lights up and house music sliding in as if the room needs easing back into a regular tempo. Bodies begin to stream out, the floor a slow river. You and Eddie get swept with them, laughing in that hoarse, post-scream way that sounds like you both swallowed gravel. 

The crowd moves like an outgoing tide. Eddie was right next to you and then somehow you blink and he’s half a dozen bodies away and then he’s gone, swallowed by the current. Disappointed you think you’ll see him at the door. You don’t. Your fingers don’t find his sleeve. Your mouth forms his name, and it disappears into the chatter. You tell yourself it’s fine, even though your chest feels a little like the last echo after a song cuts, like maybe the music should still be going but somebody unplugged something.

You think you’ll find him again after you push toward the exit, you really do. That you’ll bump into him at the merch table or the bar or the bathroom line, that the gravity of “we survived a set together” will pull you back into the same moment of time. But as the venue unspools, you get folded into the slow-motion mass of bodies trying to leave the venue. The door yawns and you spill out into night alone.

It’s cooler out here, your breath fogs in the cold night and you pull your jacket around you slightly. You inhale deeply, letting the cold sink into you, steadying the riot still humming in your chest. You aim for the back of the venue, thinking maybe you’ll loop around and wait by the alley that leads to the stage door because people cluster there, because maybe he’ll think to circle too.

That’s where they find you, two guys peeled away from a group, eyes wired a little too bright, the contrived lazy swagger of people who intend to be trouble. They step into your path, not close enough to touch, close enough that you have to stop. One is tall with a grin that doesn’t mean anything good. The other is short with a leather vest and a crust of dried something on his cheek. 

“Got a smoke?” Tall says, casual on the surface, but his tone makes it sound like he’s already after something else.

“No,” you say, straightening your shoulders.

“C’mon,” Vest says, rolling his jaw, “you sure?” He leans in when you pull back. “we're all friends here, sweetheart.”

“I don’t smoke,” you answer, shifting your weight back a step. Your eyes flick past them, scanning for an opening you could slip through without brushing shoulders. There isn’t one, the narrow alley funnels you in, and the hum of departing traffic swallows the last of the crowd noise, leaving the space too quiet, too exposed.

“Maybe you should start,” Tall says with a little snicker, like he’s clever. His friend smirks behind him, silent but complicit. “Cigarettes make friends.”

The words are light on the surface, but there’s a curl of something darker underneath, a suggestion that has nothing to do with nicotine.

“C’mon, sweetheart. You tell me you came out of there without a pack? It’s like a cultural obligation.” The first one snorts. They laugh at their own joke.

You plant your feet. Keep your voice level. “I said I don’t have any.”

“Maybe you could—” the first one begins, leaning in with the look of someone about to make a suggestion that you would definitely turn down.

A shadow drops between you and them.

Eddie bursts onto the scene like he’s been fired out of a cannon, cigarette between his fingers, lighter already sparking in his other hand. His free arm lifts in a large enthusiastic wave that moves his whole body.

“Hey! There you are,” he announces, voice too bright, too thrilled, like you’ve been playing a game of hide-and-seek and he’s finally cornered you. In a few long strides, he’s in your space, planting himself solidly between you and the two guys, shoulders wide slightly blocking your view of the two guys.

“My favorite person, thought I lost you.”He doesn’t so much as glance at the guys. To Eddie, they are unworthy of acknowledgment, too far beneath his notice. His whole focus is on you, eyebrows raised, eyes wide and conspiratorial, like you’re both in on some private joke.

“What am I supposed to do,” he continues, voice dropping just slightly, “when you disappear on me like that?”

The guys falter, thrown off-balance by his sheer volume and refusal to even see them. Offense flickers, then wavers. The shorter one clears his throat, trying to claw back a scrap of control.

“Hey, man. We saw her—”

Eddie sighs loudly, cutting him off before he can even get going, not giving them a chance to explain or smooth things over. Without a word, he fishes out his lighter and flicks it open, the flame sparking to life like a challenge. He lights his cigarette slowly, deliberately, like he’s got all the time in the world and none of it belongs to them.

He takes a long drag, giving his mouth something to do while his body does the real talking, turning smoothly between you and them. His back is to you now, a solid wall, his stance loose but unyielding. For a moment, his eyes stay closed, like he’s savoring the calm before the storm.

When he opens them, he exhales to the side, a dragon’s breath of smoke curling harmlessly away from you, then tilts his chin just enough to meet the nearest creep’s gaze. His smile follows, sharp and gleaming, all canines and no apology.

“What,” he says, mock-polite and not even pretending to be polite, “you don’t know what no means?”

There’s a beat, long enough for the challenge to land. The guys exchange a look, the kind that says they weren’t ready for this particular brand of problem. Too loud. Too public.

They mutter, some half-assed combination of “whatever, man,” and peel off toward their friends, tossing one last dumb glance over their shoulders like it might save their dignity.

Eddie watches them go with the lazy patience of a cat pretending not to be amused, smoke curling lazily around his head. When they finally turn the corner, his shoulders loosen and he drops the show entirely, exhaling like he’d been holding the moment together by sheer force of will.

He shifts, turning to face you, and looks, really looks at you. The way someone does when they’ve just found something they were terrified they’d misplaced, like the world just snapped back into focus. Relief hums low and genuine beneath the rush of adrenaline.

Up close again, he smells like smoke and sweat, threaded through with the faint sweetness of vanilla laundry detergent. His eyes flick over your face, cataloguing every detail like proof you’re really here.

“Nice to see you again,” he says, softer than the words deserve. The joke’s there, sure, but it’s flimsy cover for the obvious truth: he’d been looking for you.

Your exhale scrapes out of you shaky and honest. “Nice to see you again,” you echo, and your laugh is there in it, a small, bright scrape.

“You’re a magnet for trouble, aren’t ya?” Eddie says, his tone joking but not entirely unserious, like he’s still tallying up the chaos he just pulled you out of.

You narrow your eyes at him, putting on mock offense. “Excuse me? Pretty sure I wasn’t the one almost about to get into a fight out here.”

He huffs a laugh, cigarette hand halfway to his mouth before he pauses. After a beat, he lowers it again, like the urge to look effortlessly cool is no match for the stronger impulse not to blow smoke in your face. You notice the choice, small and deliberate, and it wrecks you a little, your heart thumping so loud you’re half-convinced he can hear it over the fading noise of the crowd.

“Oh, sure,” he says, grinning as he tilts his head down at you, voice pitched just loud enough to be heard. “Because you definitely look like somebody who doesn’t need a saving. Half the crowd could’ve carried you off without even noticing.”

Your mouth drops open, a scandalized gasp ready, but it only makes him laugh harder. There’s no malice in it, just warm dizzy affection wrapped in teasing, like he’s grateful to be laughing with you.

“Oh, you’re so funny,” you shoot back, rolling your eyes and giving his arm a shove. “Real knight-in-shining-armor.”

Eddie gasps, staggering back a half-step with theatrical horror, hand over his heart like you’ve dealt a mortal blow.

“Knight? Knight?! Sweetheart, please!” His other hand flourishes wide, cigarette held like a prop in some over-the-top stage play. “I am a bard. A roguish bard, if you please. Knights are boring. Me? I’m the dramatic, cunning, musically-gifted hero of this tale.”

You raise a brow, unimpressed. “Oh, so saving me was just… what? A side quest for you?”

“Nah,” he says, his smirk softening at the edges as his eyes linger on yours a moment too long. “I’m just the comic relief who got stupidly lucky this time.”

you laugh but the way he says it makes your stomach flip. It could mean the almost fight, but there’s something in his tone, warm and a little vulnerable, that makes it feel like he’s talking about meeting you.

Then, almost like he can’t help himself, he bumps his shoulder gently into yours, a small easy gesture of joking camaraderie that leaves your skin buzzing. When you glance over at him, he’s already looking away, pretending to study the glow of his cigarette like it’s the most interesting thing in the world.

The moment stretches, tension weaving through the quiet like a live wire. The sounds of the alley creeps back in around the edges, distant laughter and the slam of a car doors, but between you there is a fragile bubble of silence that feels like it might pop if either of you breathes too loud.

You swallow, pulse thrumming in your ears, and before you can talk yourself out of it, the words slip free.

“I couldn’t find you,” you admit, thinking how childish it sounds and saying it anyway.

Eddie freezes, like the sentence reaches out and hooks into him. His face turns toward you slowly, the grin he’d been wearing softening into something quieter, unguarded. For a heartbeat, he doesn’t speak, just looks at you, as if to make sure you’re really there. Relief flickers across his expression, low and startlingly genuine. Then he clears his throat, forcing a crooked half-smile back into place, though his voice betrays him, softer than he probably means it to be.

“Same,” he says almost sadly. “I thought that you left already.”

“I considered it.” Even though you know you were also looking for him.

He digs in his pocket, pulls out a pen wrapped in electrical tape like something rescued from a junk drawer, and a crumpled receipt from the drink stand. “Hey, uh…” He clears his throat, trying for casual and landing squarely in nervous. “Maybe we, y’know, swap numbers or something? Just so, uh, next time we don’t have to…” He gestures vaguely around, his laugh soft and self-conscious. “Play hide-and-seek in an alley.”

You blink at him, startled by the sudden rush of warmth in your chest. “Oh. Yeah, um...yeah, that makes sense.” You take the pen carefully, fingers brushing his, the touch quick but sharp enough to leave your skin buzzing.

Grinning, he flattens the crumpled receipt against the rough brick wall, cigarette tucked between two fingers. You lean in and write your number carefully, neat and deliberate despite the chewed-up surface. When you hand the pen back, your fingers brush his for the briefest second, a spark sharp enough to make you swallow hard.

He slips the cigarette between his teeth, smoke curling up around his face, and scrawls his name, Eddie, the letters messy and bold, followed by his number written with the quickness of someone who knows it by heart, but you don’t see the numbers.

You’re too busy watching his hands. big and calloused, marked with tiny nicks and ink smudges. You remember those hands firm at your waist earlier, holding you steady in the chaos. Unhelpfully, you wonder how they’d feel tangled in your hair. Which is a stupid thought, your brain really needs to calm the hell down.

Eddie tears the paper cleanly down the middle and holds out your half like it’s ceremonial, solemn despite the crooked grin on his face. You take it carefully, tucking it into the safe pocket of your bag and patting it once, like a promise.

There’s a beat. Quiet, you look at each other, both trying to memorize the face of someone you only just met. Not wanting to smoke in front of you but unwilling to waste his already lit cigarette, Eddie lifts it to his mouth and inhales quickly before turning his head to the side and blowing the smoke away from you. The motion buys him a second to compose himself, but when he shifts back toward you, there’s a flicker of self-consciousness there that wasn’t before. So, naturally, he smothers it with humor.

“I could walk you to your car,” he says, grin tugging crooked, “but I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. And with your track record, you’ll probably trip and sprain your ankle, I’ll have to end up hauling you the whole way like some gallant hero.”

You snort. “You, gallant? With that mouth?”

“It’s a multitool.” He winks. Your laugh slips out, softer than you mean for it to be, and suddenly it takes effort to make your voice come out steady.

“I wouldn’t mind you walking me to my car,” you admit quietly, almost swallowed by the night air.

Eddie freezes for a split second, cigarette paused halfway to his lips. Then a slow, warm grin spreads across his face, softer than his usual smirk, like you’ve just handed him something fragile.

“Yeah?” he says, voice pitched low, more serious than he probably means it to be.

You nod, feeling absurdly shy despite everything.

“Yeah.”

His grin tilts crooked again, playfulness creeping back in to cover the edges of something deeper.

“Well then,” he says, flicking his cigarette to the pavement and grinding it out beneath his boot, “lead the way.”

You fall into step together, the night air cool and sharp against your skin. For a few moments, neither of you speaks, the only sounds are your footsteps on the pavement and the distant hum of the city settling into night. You feel hyperaware of how close he’s walking beside you.

“Hey,” Eddie says at last, breaking the silence. His voice tilts toward sincerity, though there’s a laugh wedged into the corner of it, like he’s trying to keep the words from tipping too earnest.

“I’m glad I saw you almost get trampled.”

He glances at you sidelong, grin crooked but eyes warm, like he means so much more than he’s saying.

“I’m glad you were there to make sure I didn’t.” You smile, small but real, and it warms something low in his chest.

The walk to your car is quiet after that not uncomfortable, just full of things neither of you is quite brave enough to say. When you reach it, you pause beside the driver’s side door, reluctant to break whatever this is.

Eddie pats the roof of the car, a light thunk in the cool night air, then lets his gaze travel one last, quick, greedy circuit of your face, like he’s memorizing you before you disappear again. For a second, he rocks forward on his toes.

“You should head home,” he says finally, voice soft but edged with playfulness. “Eat something salty. Drink water. Pretend the ringing in your ears isn’t early-onset hearing loss.”

The corner of his mouth tilts up, but there’s a raw sincerity beneath the joke, as if what he really wants to say is please, take care of yourself.

You clutch the strap of your bag a little tighter, your pulse loud in your ears for reasons that have nothing to do with the show. You don’t want to open the car door yet. You don’t want this moment to end.

“Good night, Eddie,” you say, softer than you meant to.

He grins, crooked and warm, like the sound of his name on your tongue is something he wants to tuck away and keep. “Night, trouble.”

You slide into the driver’s seat and close the door, the soft thunk sealing you off from him and the cool night air.

As you start the engine, you glance up to see Eddie walking backwards toward a different end of the parking lot, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets, his grin visible even in the dim light. He raises one hand in a lazy almost theatrical wave, before he turns quickly, almost tripping as he disappears into the dark.

The folded scrap of paper in your pocket feels heavier than it should, anchoring you to this exact moment in time. You’re smiling and nothing can chase it away. Not when you pull out of the parking spot, not when the venue disappears in your rearview mirror, not even when the dark, quiet streets open up in front of you.

The smile’s got its own momentum now, joy bubbling in your chest like pop rocks. When you finally park outside your apartment, you sit there for a moment, hands loose on the steering wheel. You turn the engine off and tip your head back against the headrest, still smiling like an idiot in the dark.

Eventually, you climb out of the car and head upstairs, your steps lighter than they’ve been in weeks. And even though you tell yourself not to, you can’t help hoping just a little, for the ring of your phone, and the voice of a certain curly-haired metalhead on the other end of the line.

✦┈┈┈┈┈⛧┈┈┈┈┈┈✦ 𝖆 𝖓 𝖔 𝖙𝖊✦┈┈┈┈┈⛧┈┈┈┈┈┈✦

I went to a show, it was sick, but tragically I did not meet Eddie Munson (criminal, frankly). so, this is my copium, keyboard manifesting the man of my dreams. Anyway, this is my first fic that I'm sharing, so please go easy on me! i wanted to do something fluffy for the first one of many, don’t worry I have plans for you smut lovers... 

/) /) ꒰˶• ༝ •˶꒱ Pls Enjoy!   ○( づ♡૮)

pit etiquette sermon from a buni: look out for people, stay hydrated, wear good shoes, and don’t be weird.

✦┈┈┈┈┈⛧┈┈┈┈┈┈✦

sneak peek / next up:

✦━━━━━━━━𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕿𝖗𝖚𝖙𝖍 𝖎𝖘 𝕺𝖚𝖙 𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 ━━━━━━━━✦

✦ Eddie Munson x Reader ✦ Rating: T ✦ Word Count: 19,632 ✦

𝖘𝖚𝖒𝖒𝖆𝖗𝖞

When Eddie Munson, alien-obsessed metalhead, and Y/N, occult-obsessed weird girl, accidentally swap books in the hallway, neither realizes they’ve just traded more than paperbacks. A friendship sparks into late-night calls and unspoken crushes, until a double-dare sends them chasing each other’s obsessions. (yes, this was inspired by Dandadan 👀)

Warnings/Notes: 🕷 AU • supernatural elements • mutual pining • book swap meet-cute • dares = flirting • secret softies • hurt/comfort • dramatic nerds in love • kiss kiss fall in love

✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦ 𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖔𝖋 𝖋𝖎𝖑𝖊 ✦ see you in the next life ✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦ This post was brought to you by BUNI ✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦

He gulps the coffee down, almost burns his tongue at the scalding temperature then swears when he realises what time it is. Shit shit shit. He's already late for school, he's determined to graduate this year so no skipping any boring shit no matter how much he wants to.

It's when he's climbing inside his van that he realises he's forgotten his essay for Mrs O'Donnell's class, it took him long enough to write the shit. If this was about D&D or metal music or any one of the fantasy novels he loves then he'd ace it, but it's not and he's not interested in another fucking love story.

Honestly, he wouldn't put it past the old dragon to fail him if he forgot the essay and he can't use the excuse that a dog ate it- that got him a week's detention last time.

It's then that he sees the trailer door open that's not far from Mayfield's house and he's not seen who's moved into the new trailer so sue him, he's curious and looks over.

You can imagine his surprise when he catches a hint of a cheerleading uniform then you peer up at him, the momentum as he runs or if he's being honest tries to strut and the fact he's gawking at you causes him to trip over his feet and he nearly knocks himself out on his van door and sprawls on the ground.

"Jesus h Christ" he growls and he cringes that he almost knocked himself out because he was hawking at a pretty lady. Smooth Munson. Real smooth.

"Are you alright?" Suddenly you're beside him, kneeling in the grass and peering over him anxiously. He thinks he might have died and he's now in heaven because your fingers are in his hair and you murmur that you're checking for blood.

"Beautiful" he thinks to himself but then he realised he said it out loud and a pink blush coats his cheeks. You bite your lip and a sweet smile blooms on your face.

"Okay, I think you've definitely hit your head" You grin at him and his heart is fluttering, racing like a hummingbird's wings. Fuck, he has no game when it comes to women, usually he tries to make them laugh or makes an overdramatic fool of himself.

But this right now with you? this stumps him and makes him nervous. Eddie was rarely nervous, perfecting a don't give a fuck demeanour over the years but one look from you and he's putty. Feels shy and tongue-tied, he can't remember the last time he was ever tongue-tied.

Trying very carefully not to make an ass of himself he gets up and takes a bow which makes you giggle. "Eddie Munson at your service princess"

"I know. Your reputation precedes you, Eddie, though you're nothing that I thought you'd be like" he smiles impishly, knows exactly what you mean.

"Mmm, mean, scary and is known to make Jason Carver piss his pants" You snort and nod, eyes lighting up and he's eager to hear your sweet laugh again.

Maybe you have some jock boyfriend who would kick his ass for flirting or talking to his girl but at this moment he could not give a shit.

"Yeah and I didn't expect you to almost knock yourself out just because you looked at me" there's a shyness to your tone and he shrugs.

"It's not often that I'm graced with someone who is so enchanting Milady" he teases but it's the truth at the same time and you

"Enchanting? I've never been called that before" you seem surprised that someone could think that about you and that pisses Eddie off. If you did have a boyfriend then he was the biggest jackass in the world if he didn't show you how special you were.

And he never thought there would ever be a bigger jackass than Jason Carver.

"I've never made a complete ass of myself and nearly gave myself a concussion in front of a girl before sweetheart, guess there are firsts for everything" he hides his smile with a lock of his hair, his heart rate spiking again at the look on your face.

"Should probably get going, I'd offer you a ride but uh I'm sure your boyfriend would kick my ass if I did that and you know you're from the dark side and Hellfire would lose their shit" he's disappointed he can't talk to you more but at least you live close, maybe you would speak again.

It's only when he realises that you've walked past him and you're waiting at the van door that he comes out of his reverie.

"The dark side? We're not in Star Wars and if I was I'd be Leia and kick the dark side's ass. Also it's good that I don't have a boyfriend so you can drive me huh Munson?" You wink at him and his brain short circuits.

No boyfriend. You just winked at him. He feels like a deer in headlights then promptly snaps out of it. Feels like he's the cock of the walk as he struts to his van.

He absolutely does not nearly trip over his own feet again trying to impress you with his suave strut. Absolutely not.

The notes that you had poured your heart to Eddie had been clear to see by everyone and you felt sick to your stomach. You didn't care that people knew you were smitten with Eddie, it was the fact that he was probably disgusted that you had feelings for him.

You dreaded going to school but you knew you had to face Eddie and Jason at some point. It didn't stop nightmares plaguing your mind all night about what would happen come first period.

...

Homeroom was the first thing today before any other classes, you try not to draw attention to yourself as you slide into a seat at the back of class. However it feels like all eyes are on you today, Chrissy takes the seat beside you and holds your hand giving it a tight squeeze, it makes you feel a tiny bit better.

Mrs Jones isn't in class yet so chatter buzzes around you incessantly, your skin tingles as you feel Eddie's gaze on you a few times, try not to look up into those pretty brown eyes.

One of Jason's friends called Tyler smirks at you, he's sitting beside Jason and says loudly for all to hear. "So little miss perfect likes a freak in the sheets huh? Who would have thought?" there's a little ripple of laughter that's quelled by Chrissy's vicious glare. She's normally a sweetie so seeing her pissed shut everyone up.

Ignore him. Just ignore him you chant in your head but he still continues. "You know I was going to ask you out but fuck that. You're a dumb little bitch"

There's a collective silence as you hear Eddie's metal lunchbox drop to the floor. To your surprise he's glaring daggers at Tyler, you also notice that his knuckles are bruised. What the hell happened?

"Oooh you're in luck sweetcheeks, maybe Munson likes you back and the two of you can be freaks together"

You're fraying control over being calm snaps. Screw this. You weren't going to sit and let him run his mouth or let anyone like him or Jason make you cry again.

"You can admit to everyone you're jealous Tyler it's okay. We all heard about the little problem you have, Stacy told us all about how disappointing you are" you fake a sympathetic smile at him and his eyes nearly bug out of his sockets.

Jason looks ready to say something but you don't give the satisfaction of listening to the bullshit he says. "I couldn't be less interested in what you have to say Carver, you're a pathetic, nasty little worm"

While sassing Jason you miss the look of awe on Eddie's face. Gareth snorts at Eddie's stunned look.

"Dude, I really do think I'm in love" Eddie murmurs sounding almost reverent. Gareth sighs. Maybe now Eddie knew it was you that sent the notes the two of you could get together and he could get a minute of peace.

Meanwhile you lean back in your seat relieved as Mrs Jones comes in. There's still a question that's nagging at you though.

"Chrissy, why are Eddie's knuckles bruised?"and that's when Chrissy launches into the tale of how Eddie punched Jason after you left yesterday.

Hearing this makes a small bubble of hope build up inside of you. Maybe just maybe Eddie feeling the same for you might not be as hopeless as you first thought.

...

After a few fruitless attempts Eddie manages to track you down as you're coming out of cheer practice with Chrissy. She gives you an impish, knowing smile as she leaves you and Eddie to talk.

Telling Jason and Tyler what you thought about them made you feel a little bit better for a while, boosted your shattered confidence but now Eddie was around and you could feel that confidence crack.

What was he about to say? Was he going to tell you he was disgusted?

"You don't have to be nervous princess" you feel your nerves dissipate at his soothing tone.

"I know you thought the notes were a joke but they aren't Eddie, I've really fallen for you. I was crushing on you for such a long time. That's why I wrote the notes in the first place, I was worried if I told you in person that you would be disappointed" the words all come out in a rush and you feel relieved getting it all out.

He shakes his head. "I mean I would have been surprised but the way you spoke in the notes...how could you ever think I'd ever be disappointed sweetheart?" His words fill you with hope, a warm and fuzzy feeling in your chest.

"You know because I'm from the dark side" you murmur and he frowns. His hand reaches out to hold yours and you wince at the bruising on his knuckles.

"You didn't need to do that Eddie, I don't want you hurt" he shrugs as if it's no big deal.

"It was worth it. You're worth it"

Eddie gently takes your hand and kisses it, "I fell in love with you through what you said sweetheart, I want to know all about you. I don't give a fuck about who you're friends with or if you're part of the dark side. I just want to be with you".

A slow smile works it's way on your face and you lean forward and kiss him, continue kissing him until you're both a little dazed and smiling goofily at each other.

"Uh maybe we could go out for Milkshakes after school, if you want princess?" you nod feeling the bubble of excitement in your belly.

After all that worrying you were going on your first date with Eddie and you couldn't wait.

Saturday nights were always reserved for you and Eddie.

Once he found out that you also had a deep love for WWF he wouldn’t let you watch The Main Event with anyone else. That’s how Saturday nights had become your favorite night of the week. Hellfire on Thursday’s always a close second, those were the nights you got your best friend to yourself. Those were the nights that made you realize how hopelessly in love you were with with the metal head. You’d never admit it out loud, hell you hardly could admit it to yourself. Eddie brought a comfort to you, a comfort you never wanted to lose. Love was messy and cruel and you knew, you just knew the hardships in life would break you two. That’s what happened to your parents so why wouldn’t it happen to you? Eddie’s at home life was just another testimony to add to your list of evidence. You were more then content with this little bubble you had built around you two, confident in your ability to hide your real feelings just sitting under the surface.

You blame Hulk Hogan and Jim Beam for tonight.

You two were always so high energy when you were together, especially on these nights. It was so easy for you to lose yourself in the matches with him, feeding off each other. There was never any embarrassment when you’d both be screaming at the TV or jumping from you seat when a finishing move blew your mind.

Eddie and you are Squeezed together on his love seat practically vibrating with excitement as The Warriors intro music starts playing. You try to ignore the heat of his thigh pressed tightly against yours. Cursing yourself for picking shorts today, something about his denim touching your bare skin was sending you into a silent frenzy.

“Alright kids, I’m heading out.” Wayne’s gruff voice breaks both your attentions from the TV. He can’t help but smirk at the excitement thats written all over your faces, happy his nephew had someone to spend what he knows are lonely nights with. Wayne could see clear as day the way you stared at his nephew but he was letting Eddie figure that out on his own.

“I promise I won’t let y/n burn the house down.” Eddie grins slinging an arm over you in what you thought was just a casual gesture, but as you feel his muscles start to constrict around your neck you don’t realize your in an arm chokehold till your eyes are face to face with the crotch of his black jeans.

“Eddie! Let me go asshole!” You immediately start fighting against his grasp needing to get out of this position immediately. Was the universe working against you tonight?

When you finally break free you give Eddie a shove before turning around to see his Uncle was already half way out the door chuckling to himself at the sight in front of him.

“It’s not her I’m worried about. it you she’s probably the only reason this place is still standing.” He teases lightly. “Be good.”

“Yeah, yeah get to work old man.” Eddie’s tone is exasperated but the playful glint in his eyes gives him away. You loved catching moments like this. The soft side of Eddie you would get on these nights is what made you realize the depth of your feelings for him, especially once he started to get soft on you.

When Wayne shuts the front door Eddie’s up almost immediately when he sees a commercial break, lightly jogging to his room. It’s not unlike him to surprise you with some kind of booze he had stashed under his bed, always whatever he could manage to swipe from the corner store. It was never the fact he was drinking he was trying to hide from his uncle it was the having to explain where he got it.

When he comes back there’s a shit eating grin spread across his face as he shakes the small handle of brown liquid, as he gets closer you realize its a bottle of Jim Beam.

“Jesus Christ Eddie, Jim Beam? I was expecting beer.”

Rolling his eyes, Eddie takes his place next to you on the couch and you swear his legs are spread even wider as he leans back into his seat.

“It’s a special occasion sweetheart, it’s The Main Event before Wrestle Mania. I was scoping this out for days just for this.” Eddie’s looking at you like he can’t believe you’d expect anything else.

All you can think about is the fact that he just called you sweetheart. The pet names were new, you’d noticed he started casually sprinkling them in a few weeks ago. Princess, sweetheart, and now pretty girl. He dropped that one during the last campaign and if it wasn’t for the looks on the rest of the boys faces when the endearment left his lips you’d do your best to think nothing of it. But it was the only thing you thought about for the last two days.

“My mistake Munson, don’t get your panties in a bunch.” You tease snatching the bottle from his hand before twisting off the cap taking a swig, its warm going down your throat and when you meet Eddie’s eyes you don’t know if its the shot that’s making your insides turn to mush or the look he’s giving you.

“Just throwin’ em back huh?” Eddie grins grabbing the bottle from your hands, and you feel his calloused finger tips brush against yours. The light touch making your body react and you don’t understand what’s happening to your self control tonight.

“It’s the Main Event before Wrestlemania.” You counter back arching an eyebrow using his own logic against him.

“Touché, you got me there.” He winks before mimicking your previous actions, you can’t help but laugh at the sour face he makes after the bottle leaves his lips.

“God that is AWFUL!” He keeps smacking his mouth in hopes the bad taste will somehow leave his taste buds.

“It’ll get better as we keep going.” You giggle reaching out for his arm in reassurance. He tenses under your sudden touch, his big brown eyes look at your hand before making their way to your green ones. You can’t place what you see dancing behind his pupils when he licks his lips and they tug into a small smirk.

“Promise?” You swear he’s looking up at you from underneath his lashes. Was Eddie flirting with you?

The sound of Randy Savage’s intro music saves you from having to figure that out, your eyes darting back to the TV screen.

“Quit being a baby.” You finally settle on snatching the bottle from his ringed fingers again tipping it back, welcoming the harsh burn.

The excited energy from before finally returns to Eddie’s living room when Hulk Hogan makes his way into the ring, the show demanding the attention from both of you. You spend most of the match completely enthralled, passing the small handle back and fourth between each other. You don’t notice with the match having you both on the edge of your seat, also had you drink almost half the bottle. You definitely don’t notice how Eddie grips your knee every time there’s a close count out.

When Hulk Hogan finally gets Randy Savage to tap out Eddie’s grip on your knee is released as he stands up to whoop loudly, raising his fist in the air. His actions make his Iron Maiden shirt ride up slightly giving you a small glimpse of the happy trail on his stomach. The universe was definitely testing you tonight.

“What a fuckin’ match!” Eddie’s ecstatic when he turns around to look at you. His doe eyes are glossy and slightly blood shot, a result of the cheap liquor.

“Yeah, that was wild! The way that he picked him up and slammed him down like it was nothing?!” You can’t help but match his happiness when you finally gather the words to speak, Eddie and the whiskey making your brain fuzzy.

“You think I could do that? Like pick someone up like that?” He’s flexing his arm squeezing the muscle on his shoulder to try and gauge his physical abilities that way. You didn’t mean to laugh at him but you couldn’t stop it from bubbling out of your chest.

His brown eyes snap to you on the couch head thrown back gripping your stomach to try and regain control of yourself. Maybe if tears weren’t welling up in the corner of your eyes you would have noticed him position himself in front of you. It wasn’t until you felt the heat of his breath fan across your face that you opened your eyes enough to see him towering over you. His hands resting on either side of your hips on the couch caging you in.

“Are you laughing at me?” While the smirk on his face was menacing the look in his eyes show you slight nervousness. Almost enough to make you feel like maybe being this close has the same effect on him. You finally let out the breath you didn’t know you were holding.

“Why I would never! It’s completely believable for you to have the same athletic abilities as the WWF superstars Eddie.” Sarcasm is dripping from your words and his eyes narrow at you. The gesture makes your thighs press together.

You can feel his hands slowly make their way from the couch cushion before the heat of them are against your thighs. The squeeze he gives them is so gentle that your almost don’t know if it’s your imagination.

“You’re gonna regret those words pretty girl.”

Fuck. Pretty girl? Again?

Before you can react his grip tightens at the dip of your knees, and your being lifted off the couch. You knew Eddie was strong always having to watch him and Garett interrupt band practices with their impromptu play fights after taunting each other all day, but you didn’t think he was pick you up like a rag doll strong. The new knowledge goes straight between your legs.

You can’t help but squeal when you feel weight less for a second as he gives you a gentle toss up hooking his arms under your knees causing your legs to dangle on either side of his shoulders. His eyes are level with your stomach, the bottoms your breasts brush lightly against his forehead as your lean forward for balance, your fingers gripping into his waves for dear life.

“This isn’t TV Eddie, you need to put me down!” You try to sound serious but the uncontrollable laughter leaving your mouth doesn’t exactly sell it for you.

“Eddie The Banished has over zealous newcomer right where he wants her.” Eddie’s doing his best announcer voice as you feel his legs start to move you two towards the direction of his room. “It looks like yet again y/n’s mouth wrote a check her ass can’t cash.”

“I’m gonna beat your ass for real Eddie if you don’t put me down.” You tug at his hair a little harder to try and get his attention. When his eyes meet yours from between your legs you’re not prepared for the view from this angle, your body’s natural response to push your thighs together is stopped by his iron clad grip. You see something you couldn’t put your finger on flash over his face when he feels the movements of your legs and your cursing yourself for not having better control.

You don’t realize your falling until your back hits his mattress hard, almost knocking the air out of your lungs. Eddie’s laughing from between your legs, arms still loosely wrapped around just above your knees, his warm cheek is pressed against the smooth skin of your thigh. Your heart swelling at the pure joy that’s radiating off of him in this moment. You wanted to bottle it up and keep it for yourself for a rainy day.

“You almost killed us Munson, are you happy with yourself?” The smile on your own face threatening to break you in half.

He doesn’t move from his position after his laughter subsides, his grip on your legs tightening slightly before he responds.

“You know the maid didn’t clean my room today.” Referring to the combat boot he tripped on there’s a light tint of pink on his cheeks and your fingers twitch wanting to reach out.

That’s when you see the opportunity you couldn’t resist having positioned himself perfectly to use your favorite finishing move on him. His eyes go wide when he sees your thighs start to close in on his neck. He try’s to catch them before he can be trapped in but he’s too late.

“In a turn of events Eddie The Banished has been pinned by so called over zealous newcomer will he do the self respectful thing and tap out?” Mocking his announcers voice you tighten the muscles around his neck.

Of course Eddie doesn’t give in doing his best to try and break free, thrashing his head wildly against you. You’re too busy laughing at him that you don’t realize how close his movements have positioned his face to where you had only dreamed about him touching. The place he effects you the most. It’s when his nose accidentally runs the length of your covered folds that you notice, a load moan falling from your lips.

The silence that falls between you two is deafening and you wish you could somehow disappear into his mattress. When you go to release your hold on him his hands grip tighter to your thighs keeping them where they are, his nose runs along your length again this time with more pressure then before.

“Eddie.” Your voice is shaky when is comes out still trying to figure out if this was really happening or not, but then he does it again and your body shudders making you realize this isn’t a dream.

“Sweetheart, are you making a mess of your shorts for me?” Hearing Eddie talking to you like this sends another wave of arousal to your core.

“Open your eyes princess.” So lost in your thoughts you hadn’t realized you closed them.

When you finally open your eyes and look down the sight makes you bite down on your bottom lip another loud moan begging to come out. He’s rested between your plush thighs, the heat of his blown out stare makes you want to squirm, his tongue darts out licking along his bottom lip just inches away from your fluttering core. You can see his hips rutting lightly into his mattress needing the friction. He looks needy.

His fingers dig deeply into your warm skin “I said is this mess all over your shorts for me?”

Eddie’s dominant tone adds to the mess that’s building inside your panties, A fantasy of yours after you saw the handcuffs in his room. You’re mad that you’ve deprived yourself of the sight in front of you for so long, you don’t think you’ve ever been this turned on.

“Yes, Eddie.” Your voice is barely above a whisper.

“Yes what?” He’s not happy with your simple answers having thought about this moment himself for years. He runs his tongue flat along the wet spot on your shorts causing you to throw your head back and your hips push forward chasing him.

“Yes, I’m soaking through my shorts for you Eddie. I’m always wet when I’m around you.” You finally confess looking back down at him your bottom lip tucked between your teeth.

“That must’ve been really painful not being able to do anything about it huh?” He’s gentle with how he speaks but you can hear the condescending tone laced underneath it, he was getting off on how desperate you were for him. Still you can’t help it when you nod.

His finger tips trace down the length of the outside of your thighs until they hit the black denim of your shorts. They slide underneath the material squeezing tightly at the doughy flesh of your ass, groaning when he’s met with the lace trim of your panties.

“Lets get these off hm?”

Still only nodding, your voice leaving you Eddie makes quick work of the 4 metal buttons of your high waisted shorts his fingers curling around the top of them he pauses his eyes meeting yours.

“Are you sure you want to do this? You can tell me no and I’ll stop right now.”

Of course Eddie’s still making sure your comfortable, even seconds away from getting your pants off. You were a fucking goner.

“Are you sure you want to do this Eddie? I don’t think I can go back to normal after this.” You finally say wishing you could read his mind.

“I thought it was obvious.” He’s smiling so hard you can see the dimples in his cheeks “I’ve had a crush on you ever since you and your mom moved into the trailer park three years ago. If we do this, your gonna have to move away to get rid of me.”

“What if it doesn’t work out and we ruin everything? I can’t lose you Eddie.” All the reasons you’ve fought this for so long come rushing back to you now that the haze of lust has temporarily subsided.

Eddie pushes himself up, sliding his body against yours until you are both eye level with each other, still nestled between your legs. Propping himself up with one arm, his fingers reach out to brush the stray hairs from your worried face.

“I’ll always be here for you, even if life somehow fucks us up. I’ll never be able to stay away. Not for long.” the look in his eyes is so sincere that it almost brings tears to yours. “I love you.” He says the last part so quiet that you almost don’t hear it.

“I love you too Eddie, I always have.” Your confession comes out in a whisper and you can’t help but take his face in your hands crashing your lips into his. Finally giving into all of those years you fought against it. He doesn’t hesitate moving his lips against yours, his tongue begging for entrance licking at your bottom lip. Quickly granting him access you both moan into the kiss as it deepens. Both of you taking advantage of this opportunity to explore every inch of each other’s mouths trying to memorize exactly how it feels, Neither one of you wanting to forget any detail about this moment.

When you finally break away to catch your breath he makes quick work of the slope of your neck dragging with his wet lips across your skin, licking and biting at the soft flesh addicted to the sounds he elicits from you.

Your hands find their way to the bottom of his shirt, tugging gently silently begging for him to take it off. He sucks hard onto the sensitive spot behind your ear before pushing him self up on his knees. You watch with baited breath as his fingers curve under the hem up his shirt slowly dragging it up and over his wild curls. The view is even better then you could have ever imagined. His chest was smooth till it hit the happy trail you had gotten a glimpse of earlier and wanted to follow it, the demon head tattoo you had only ever seen the one time he flashed it to you at Hellfire was clear as day now. His pick necklace hanging above the dip of his neck. Pushing yourself up slightly you don’t stop yourself from reaching out this time, running your finger tips over the toned muscles of his abdomen watching them flex under your touch. Your nails drag through the rough hairs of his happy trail and it makes him suck his bottom lip between his teeth closing his eyes at the sensation.

“You’re so handsome Eddie.” You can’t help yourself as you eyes hungrily take in all the newly exposed parts of him.

When his eyes open there’s a look of adoration that dances inside them, he reaches out to cup your cheek in his hand, the cool of his rings biting into your hot skin.

“It’s your turn now pretty girl” His smile is gentle when his hand leaves you to join the other at the bottom of your shirt pulling it up. Eddie takes in an audible breath when he sees the black lace bra, he knows that it must match the lace he felt wrapped around your ass.

“Lace set y/n? Are you sure your plan wasn’t to seduce me tonight?” He can’t help but arch an eyebrow at you his grin turning lopsided.

Red takes over your neck and cheeks, you wouldn’t dare tell him that you made sure to wear a matching set anytime you knew you’d be alone with him. Despite your personal protests, you never wanted to not be prepared in case it ever happened. And now sitting here in front of him, you don’t regret your choices at all.

“Last time I checked you’re the one who wanted ‘wrestle’” you give him air quotes dodging his question.

Chuckling to himself Eddie shakes his head at you, his bangs falling messily in his face.

“Shut up, I’m trying to get you naked.” He teases pulling you against his chest, Taking advantage you start peppering your own open mouth kisses along the nape of his neck. His fingers tips brush against your back as he makes work of your bra clasps. Once he has them unhooked they ghost up your spine before gliding up to your straps, he takes his time pulling them down the curve of your shoulder. Bending down as he plants a soft kisses where the straps rested. His hair tickling the side of your cheek, you can feel how hard he is under his jeans.

“Let me see you.” His voice is low next to your ear and it makes you shiver.

You push yourself away from him leaving just enough space between you two for him to get a clear view as your bra falls away from you. Suddenly feeling vulnerable in nothing but your unbuttoned shorts, you’ve never been this exposed to Eddie. You can’t help but feel self conscious under his gaze as he greedily takes you in.

“Fuck - Sweetheart.” He lets out a loud breath through his nose. “Have you seen yourself in a mirror? Fucking perfect.”

Eddie’s words overwhelm you.

“Eddie, please just touch me. I need you.” Your voice shakes when you reach out for his hands bringing them to your breasts, your nipples hardening instantly under his touch.

His eyes close tightly when he feels how your body reacts to him a low growl leaving his chest. When his eyes open they are completely black and you can feel yourself dripping down your thigh, pressing them together desperate for some relief. Your words causing a shift in his demeanor.

“You need me huh baby?” His voice comes out like a purr as he bends down to capture one of your pert nipples in his mouth.

“Shit- Eddie!” You gasp as his tongue swirls around the hard bud before taking it between his teeth, your hands are buried in his hair holding him closer. When he’s finally satisfied with both he lets the one he’s working on fall from his mouth with a loud pop. His big doe eyes are almost unrecognizable when they meet yours, he looks like he’s ready to devour you and you can’t help the shudder that runs deep through your body. His hard on looks painful pressed against the zipper of his jeans and all you want to do is help him. Reaching out you cup the swollen bulge with one of your small hands, making him close his eyes at contact. He’s rock hard. A surge of confidence fills you knowing that you were the reason for how fucked out he was right now.

“Who’s got you so hard baby?” Its your turn to indulge in his torture.

He doesn’t give you any time to answer, grabbing your hips harshly twisting you around. With your back against his chest you can feel just how labored his breathing his. With out warning he ruts himself into your ass so hard you have to grab ahold of his bed frame in front of you to keep your balance a needy moan falling from your lips. You wanted him so bad.

His fingers dig into your sides begging to bruise your soft flesh pulling you flush against him, his lips trace down the shell of your ear and it makes you shiver.

“You know who’s got me this hard. Those fucking shorts had me readjusting all night.” His right had leaves its place on your hip and finds it way into your pants pushing past your underwear his fingers trace up your soaking entrance, his middle finger dipping lightly into your hole and you can’t help but flutter around him.

“Fuck, she wants me so bad she’s trying to suck me in pretty girl.” You can feel the proud smirk against your skin. “And she’s so fucking wet.”

You were starting to get impatient with how slow he was going, your body almost in pain with how turned on you were. Reaching behind, you do your best to undo the button of his jeans, when you succeed you shove desperately trying to get to what you want so badly. His hands are quick to leave their spot from teasing your entrance to grab your wrists, his grip is tight.

“Don’t just grab at me, use your words.” His tone I commanding and it adds to your desperation.

“I need you to fuck me Eddie. Please just fuck me.” The last part comes out as a whine and if you weren’t so lost in him you’d want to slap yourself for sounding so needy.

“Good girl, was that so hard?” You can feel the cockiness radiating off of him as you hear the jingles of his chains still giving you what you want shimmying out his pants. The weight of his dick hits the small of your back pre cum wetting your skin at contact. Your grip on his bed frame tightens a whimper leaving your mouth as you push yourself back against him needing more.

“Needy aren’t you?” He’s taunting as he nips at the skin of your shoulder blades, his hands making quick work of your shorts before he’s leaning back. “I just wanted to see these panties first pretty girl. You wear these for me?” All you can do is whimper pressing your thighs together tightly trying to relive some of the pressure against your swollen clit.

His fingers knead the fat of your ass cheek before spanking lightly testing the waters.

“I asked you a question. Did you wear these for me?” His lips are against your ear again and your feel him finally start to push the lace down your hips.

“Yes.” You bite your lip ready to confess to him what you swore you wouldn’t. “I wear them every time we hang out...just” You can’t finish your answer when you feel two of his fingers dip into you without warning. Your head falls back against his shoulder a loud moan echoing through his room as you feel yourself griping tightly at the slow motion of his fingers. He pushes them even deeper and you can feel the metal of his rings at your entrance, your mouth hanging open in a silent scream. He was so deep.

“Just what? Just in case you let me fuck you sweet heart? That’s so fucking cute.” He chuckles darkly in your ear removing his fingers from their place inside of you to draw figure eights on your swollen nub and your eyes roll in the back of your head.

Your grab of his hands stopping his motions tired of his teasing, you waited too long for this.

Twisting around you push with enough force to knock him on his back, the view of his hard on is even more intimidating from this angle. Eddie’s shocked expression immediately turns hungry when he sees you kick of your panties completely, he can see how wet you are from here. Its almost a reflex when he reaches out to wrap his fingers around himself for relief. A hiss leaving his mouth, sensitive to his own touch but his eyes never leave yours.

Crawling up him you let the tip of his cock run down the length of you before you rest yourself perching at his tip and it makes him throw his head back with his bottom lip tugged tight between his teeth a mental image he never wants to forget.

“Looks like I’m the one who pinned you Eddie The banished.” His eyes snap up at your words and before he can protest you take him in, completely bottom out.

“Jesus-fuck” Eddie screams, his fingers grabbing harshly to your waist, there’s a light sting of pain at his size but when you feel him twitch inside you it sends another wave of arousal through you coating him even more as you start to rock your hips. You hands are spread across his chest and you have a perfect view of his fucked out expression, his mouth is slightly open, eyebrows furrowed together in concentration and his eyelids heavy with lust.

“You feel so good Eddie. So big. So full.” Your hands leave his chest so you can move faster, his tip hitting your sweet spot and you’ve waited long enough to cum.

“You gonna cum princess?” His tone sounds sweet when he asks you and all you can do is nod feeing your self getting dangerously close to falling off the cliff you’d be climbing.

In the blink of an eye your high is ripped away from you, Eddie grabbing your hips firmly pulling himself out of you. Flipping you over Eddie rests himself between your spread legs his hard cock resting against your entrance. His pink mushroom tip hits your clit with every breath he takes and it makes you rock hips against him desperate to find your orgasm again.

“Over zealous new comer yet again gets herself into trouble with her smart mouth. Eddie The banished is in for the pin.”

Your eyes widen at realization of this words and just like you did to him he doesn’t give you anytime to answer before he’s bottoming out inside of you. Your scream is silent as he some how feels even bigger from this angle. Feeling generous Eddie gives you a minute before he pushes himself back up on his knees, hooking his arms under your thighs lifting your bottom half up with him. You are completely at his mercy from this position and you can feel your walls tighten around him again in anticipation.

“Will she do the respectable thing and tap out?” He arches and eye brow at you slowly twirling his hips and it feels so good.

Meeting Eddies’s eyes you push your hips up into him taking him deeper and it makes his eyes roll in the back of his head. “I’m not fucking tapping out, so why don’t you fuck me?”

You swear you hear him growl at your words, his grip tightening around your thighs as he begins thrusting into you hard and deliberate your tits hitting your chin with every stroke.

“Such a dirty fuckin’ mouth pretty girl. I’m gonna make you cum harder then you ever have and then you’ll learn to challenge me.” One of his hands reaches between your legs, his fingers find your clit and it makes your head fall back a low moan falling form your lips as his thrusts continue to hit that sweet spot inside of you once again.

Between his fingers working your swollen nub and the deep strokes of his cock you could feel the coil start to tighten in your stomach again. The only word you knew was his name, it’s the only thing that left your mouth as he continued never slowing down.

“Look at me, I wanna see your eyes when you cum, I can tell your close baby. Cover me, tell everyone who’s making you feel this good. Fuck all I’ve ever wanted was to see you cum.” Eddie’s words are dunk with lust as he watches your green eyes open and meet his. Your walls are sucking him in as you can feel yourself start to fall apart at his words.

“Fuck Eddie, I’m cumming.” You gasp as his tip hits at a slightly different angle, your mouth falls open as you watch his dark eyes hungrily devour you as your orgasm washes over you. The feeling of you coming undone around him makes Eddie’s orgasm dangerously close behind you, his thrusts getting sloppier as your walls continue to flutter around him.

“Shit- I’m gonna cum.” You can feel his grip loosen around your thighs to get ready to pull out and you clamp your legs around his arms so he can’t move still milking him, his eyes go wide at your actions

“I said I’m gonna cum, Shit-fuck I can’t stop.” His words come out as a whine as his eyes close tight his cock twitching inside of you before he’s painting your walls with himself. You don’t think you’ll ever get enough of this feeling, thankful for birth control. Eddie’s body finally collapses on top of you still not daring to pull himself out, you both lay there for a second catching your breaths, with your arms wrapped around him you enjoy the feeling of being connected. Something about it makes you feel complete, like there was a piece of you that he held and you didn’t know how bad you needed it until now.

When Eddie finally breaks away from you he’s propping himself up on his forearms so he’s eye level with you, there’s a shit eating grin on his face and you know he’s about to ruin this moment.

“So I definitely won that match.”

You roll your eyes so hard you think they might get stuck in the back of your head.

“It was a no contest match sorry.” Your snort pushing him away but he doesn’t budge.

You two used to talk at school and were on good terms. After he failed to graduate twice you became classmates and got so so so so so close. The truth is that he always had a crush on you, but regardless of that your friendship is real and runs deep.

When you were looking for a place to stay after deciding you needed some time away from your family, Eddie told you that you can stay with him -his uncle is barely at home anyway- as long as you do the cooking. Least to say, you accepted the offer.

You listen to him playing his electric guitar, he keeps you company while you study, you have laughed and cried together. He doesn't mind you're not a complete freak like him, but more of a black sheep at school. There have been rumours you're dating and at first you liked being dramatic about it. Unfortunately for him, you're actually dating someone now so the "being dramatic about it" has stopped. Eddie doesn't enjoy your romantic interest taking your attention away from him, but he respects you too much to say anything that could even remotely throw you off.

You are roommates, you have your rules, your movie nights... and he's a gift from God you can't lie. He has learnt and accepted your every little quirk and peculiarity.

Sometimes you make hot chocolate and play Scrabble with Dustin and him. Sometimes you play with his hair while he's stoned. He has significantly cut down on smoking all this shit since you moved in.

Eddie isn't the jealous type, but the pit at his stomach envious type, the delicate disappointment that he can't have you the way others do type.

You'll be his first and last kiss.

Eddie drives you everywhere with his trashy car. He's the best company you could have ever asked for. You love your friend. You wish more people could see him the way you do.

The night is uneventful with you falling asleep on the couch as per usual. In the morning, Eddie wakes you up by ruffling your already messy hair and singing "you are my sunshine" in an ear bleeding frequency.

You're too sleepy to care and just stretch, your lack of a bra not going unnoticed. An awkward giggle is all he lets out, but internally he's so grateful for his hair covering his ears. They're burning too intensely for this time of day.

You get ready for school. It's all routine.

After school, you have your shift at the same place Mrs. Wheeler works in. At least it's quiet.

At this point you feel too bored for your own good, not to mention how your date canceled on you a third time in a row. You return home so done with life. Your hero, Eddie, has prepared the hot water just for you. He welcomes you in by telling you that you're late and have missed the DnD match, but he quickly realizes you're not in the mood.

You're so mentally exhausted, fed up and frustrated with your canceled date that you try to kiss him, wrapping your arms around his neck. Eddie gets a little hurt because the rules say no pitty fucking amongst pals.

When there's no reaction from him you just pull back and shrug. You won't show how embarrassed you actually feel. Not in this already pitiful state. Eddie knows about the canceled dates.

He does try to move on and get some snacks and a movie ready. He is flustered... your breath was so hot on his face... good thing he has time to shake the feeling off while you shower.

"The grime has been washed off!"

"We can talk about it, ...if you want to that is?"

Eddie is genuinely worried about your emotional state and he makes you open up and even break down in his arms. You have been living in denial but your love interest has been distancing themselves from you.

After this crying session, with you holding onto Eddie's warm body and wetting his Hellfire Club shirt with mascara tears, you put on a horror film. He even lets the fact that you're wearing your now ex's hoodie drop. Even though the revelation makes his chest tighten and his breath canal feel like it's been blocked.

You fall asleen on him.

He can feel the outline of your curves and your breasts pressing against him but the way he's holding you is gentle, like he's afraid you'll break into a thousand small, sharp pieces if he squeezes you too hard. You're even snoring softly, completely drained from all the crying.

At least you can't notice the silent tears running down his face. It's unfair. He's choking up in all the unsaid things. He had to see you crying over someone that doesn't even appreciate you while he was there. Exposed to you, ready to give you all he had.

Is he not your best friend? Who is there painting your nails and giving you scalp massages when your period headaches torment you?

Maybe if his mother hadn't abandoned him he would have been able to ask her for advice. He feels like crap now. Are you really that blind? Do you take him for granted to such an extent as you showed him tonight?

Another morning comes, but insecurities gnaw at Eddie. He can't fake a smile when you yawn and open your eyes, realising you're still wrapped around him.

"You look like shit."

Normally he wouldn't mind your choice of words at all, probably finding something even worse to say to you, but in his fragile state... Eddie snaps.

"It's not funny y/n! Do you think it's funny when someone spends the night sleepless?!"

You tilt your head, your mouth forming a straight line.

"I didn't mean to-"

"Oh no, I don't wanna hear it! Are you really as insensitive as you let out?"

"Edds I... I-"

"Shut up! Just shut up! I can't take it anymore! You have me wrapped around your finger y/n, feeding me hope and baked goodies.. but I've never heard a single I love you Eddie, not a single I actually care for you Eddie... Nothing!"

His big eyes are glassy now, tears threatening to spill down his freshly shaven cheeks. It breaks your heart to see him like this.

"B- but I do... I do love you!"

Your voice cracks as you feel your own eyes swelling up with tears.

"Then prove it! Prove it goddamn it! Wear my hoodies, worry over me for a change... Just please... Please-"

All the energy and anger have vanished from his expression and tone. Your gaze has softened as well and he feels like he's melting under it.

You extend your arms, wrapping them tightly around him. Eddie returns the embrace like you're gonna vanish into thin air if he doesn't hold you close enough to be able to feel your heartbeat against his own.

"Have I been so blind?" you ask without breaking the hug.

"Yes you glorious idiot of a girl..."

The pout... the melodrama. He's okay now. You stay like this for a while, missing your classes but at least settling into the conclusion.

You two belong together.

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my masterlist

I found a flash drive with all my shifting scripts from quite some time ago, so since I'm still in this stupid writer's block I thought it'd be fun to work on some already existing stories. I had to edit this ALOT, but it came out cute ngl✨

You two used to talk at school and were on good terms. After he failed to graduate twice you became classmates and got so so so so so close. The truth is that he always had a crush on you, but regardless of that your friendship is real and runs deep.

When you were looking for a place to stay after deciding you needed some time away from your family, Eddie told you that you can stay with him -his uncle is barely at home anyway- as long as you do the cooking. Least to say, you accepted the offer.

You listen to him playing his electric guitar, he keeps you company while you study, you have laughed and cried together. He doesn't mind you're not a complete freak like him, but more of a black sheep at school. There have been rumours you're dating and at first you liked being dramatic about it. Unfortunately for him, you're actually dating someone now so the "being dramatic about it" has stopped. Eddie doesn't enjoy your romantic interest taking your attention away from him, but he respects you too much to say anything that could even remotely throw you off.

You are roommates, you have your rules, your movie nights... and he's a gift from God you can't lie. He has learnt and accepted your every little quirk and peculiarity.

Sometimes you make hot chocolate and play Scrabble with Dustin and him. Sometimes you play with his hair while he's stoned. He has significantly cut down on smoking all this shit since you moved in.

Eddie isn't the jealous type, but the pit at his stomach envious type, the delicate disappointment that he can't have you the way others do type.

You'll be his first and last kiss.

Eddie drives you everywhere with his trashy car. He's the best company you could have ever asked for. You love your friend. You wish more people could see him the way you do.

The night is uneventful with you falling asleep on the couch as per usual. In the morning, Eddie wakes you up by ruffling your already messy hair and singing "you are my sunshine" in an ear bleeding frequency.

You're too sleepy to care and just stretch, your lack of a bra not going unnoticed. An awkward giggle is all he lets out, but internally he's so grateful for his hair covering his ears. They're burning too intensely for this time of day.

You get ready for school. It's all routine.

After school, you have your shift at the same place Mrs. Wheeler works in. At least it's quiet.

At this point you feel too bored for your own good, not to mention how your date canceled on you a third time in a row. You return home so done with life. Your hero, Eddie, has prepared the hot water just for you. He welcomes you in by telling you that you're late and have missed the DnD match, but he quickly realizes you're not in the mood.

You're so mentally exhausted, fed up and frustrated with your canceled date that you try to kiss him, wrapping your arms around his neck. Eddie gets a little hurt because the rules say no pitty fucking amongst pals.

When there's no reaction from him you just pull back and shrug. You won't show how embarrassed you actually feel. Not in this already pitiful state. Eddie knows about the canceled dates.

He does try to move on and get some snacks and a movie ready. He is flustered... your breath was so hot on his face... good thing he has time to shake the feeling off while you shower.

"The grime has been washed off!"

"We can talk about it, ...if you want to that is?"

Eddie is genuinely worried about your emotional state and he makes you open up and even break down in his arms. You have been living in denial but your love interest has been distancing themselves from you.

After this crying session, with you holding onto Eddie's warm body and wetting his Hellfire Club shirt with mascara tears, you put on a horror film. He even lets the fact that you're wearing your now ex's hoodie drop. Even though the revelation makes his chest tighten and his breath canal feel like it's been blocked.

You fall asleen on him.

He can feel the outline of your curves and your breasts pressing against him but the way he's holding you is gentle, like he's afraid you'll break into a thousand small, sharp pieces if he squeezes you too hard. You're even snoring softly, completely drained from all the crying.

At least you can't notice the silent tears running down his face. It's unfair. He's choking up in all the unsaid things. He had to see you crying over someone that doesn't even appreciate you while he was there. Exposed to you, ready to give you all he had.

Is he not your best friend? Who is there painting your nails and giving you scalp massages when your period headaches torment you?

Maybe if his mother hadn't abandoned him he would have been able to ask her for advice. He feels like crap now. Are you really that blind? Do you take him for granted to such an extent as you showed him tonight?

Another morning comes, but insecurities gnaw at Eddie. He can't fake a smile when you yawn and open your eyes, realising you're still wrapped around him.

"You look like shit."

Normally he wouldn't mind your choice of words at all, probably finding something even worse to say to you, but in his fragile state... Eddie snaps.

"It's not funny y/n! Do you think it's funny when someone spends the night sleepless?!"

You tilt your head, your mouth forming a straight line.

"I didn't mean to-"

"Oh no, I don't wanna hear it! Are you really as insensitive as you let out?"

"Edds I... I-"

"Shut up! Just shut up! I can't take it anymore! You have me wrapped around your finger y/n, feeding me hope and baked goodies.. but I've never heard a single I love you Eddie, not a single I actually care for you Eddie... Nothing!"

His big eyes are glassy now, tears threatening to spill down his freshly shaven cheeks. It breaks your heart to see him like this.

"B- but I do... I do love you!"

Your voice cracks as you feel your own eyes swelling up with tears.

"Then prove it! Prove it goddamn it! Wear my hoodies, worry over me for a change... Just please... Please-"

All the energy and anger have vanished from his expression and tone. Your gaze has softened as well and he feels like he's melting under it.

You extend your arms, wrapping them tightly around him. Eddie returns the embrace like you're gonna vanish into thin air if he doesn't hold you close enough to be able to feel your heartbeat against his own.

"Have I been so blind?" you ask without breaking the hug.

"Yes you glorious idiot of a girl..."

The pout... the melodrama. He's okay now. You stay like this for a while, missing your classes but at least settling into the conclusion.

You two belong together.

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my masterlist

I found a flash drive with all my shifting scripts from quite some time ago, so since I'm still in this stupid writer's block I thought it'd be fun to work on some already existing stories. I had to edit this ALOT, but it came out cute ngl✨

~~~

"I hate that we couldn't pick which musician to research. Like why can't we do Dio?" Y/N mumbled as she began to write down notes.

Eddie never lifted his head so fast, he looked away from the computer towards Y/N. Her eyes were on her paper.

"You listen to Dio?" Eddie let out a breathy laugh. He was shocked, to say the least. He never thought the cute nerd would listen to a band like that.

"Who doesn't," Y/N laughed, she finished writing the sentence and looked up. She gulped when she noticed Eddie's warm eyes staring at her. A smile of adoration on his face, it made her stomach flip.

"Damn, there's more than just brains and beauty to you, huh?" Eddie joked as he went back to the computer. His words repeated in Y/N's head as she sat stunned. Did he just admit she was pretty?

~~~

Y/N cleaned her room at a rapid pace. Eddie was going to be over any minute and she was terrified. She was positive Eddie had seen the inside of many girl's bedrooms and she did not want to leave a bad impression compared to the rest.

~

"Can we take a break? My eyes hurt." Eddie groaned as he fell back against her soft bed.

"Sure, I'll grab us some water." Y/N offered, as she went out of the room. Eddie stood up, and his socks landed on the soft carpet. He walked around her room. He took in her huge collection of books, many he never heard of before. He looked at her wall of music. Band posters were on the walls and cassettes were neatly placed on a shelf. He had to admit, she had great music taste.

Her closet was cracked open, and Eddie couldn't fight the urge. He cringed as the door creaked as he opened it.

"Pretty girl," Eddie smiled as he grabbed the acoustic guitar that leaned against the wall.

"What are you doing?"

Eddie jumped but kept a tight grip on the neck of the guitar.

"Uh, sorry. I was snooping." Eddie confessed, "You play?"

Y/N blushed at the thought of him snooping, embarrassed of what he found and thought.

"I've always wanted to, but I'm not very good. One of the things I couldn't teach myself." Y/N laughed sadly.

"Sit, I'll teach you," Eddie said, he sat on her bed

"Um, are you sure?"

"Pretty girl in my lap as I teach her the thing I love? Yeah, I'm sure." He smirked as she slowly walked over. She sat the water down on her side table.

She coughed as she sat on the bed, next to him.

"Can't teach you all the way over there," he teased, she swallowed her nerves when he moved behind her. He placed the guitar in her lap and wrapped his arms around her.

"You smell nice," Eddie said against her ear. Y/N felt her tongue go numb, too nervous to respond.

She placed her fingers on the guitar and Eddie's ghosted over hers. She tried to focus on his directions and movements, but his breath hitting her neck sent her somewhere down south.

After an hour, she successfully could play a few chords.

"That a girl," Eddie praised as he placed the guitar to the side. "Unfortunately, I have to go home."

"Oh um yeah, thanks for teaching me," Y/N said shyly as Eddie put on his jacket.

"Pleasure is all mine," Eddie winked.

Y/N stared at the spot where he once stood for what felt like hours.

~~~

After spending a full month together, Y/N didn't want it to end. Their assignment was turned in, and now they didn't have a reason to see each other.

Y/N found a way. She sat on the phone all night trying to win tickets to the Dio concert, on Friday night. She scored the tickets and couldn't wait to tell Eddie the exciting news. She raced through the halls spotted his curly hair and headed his way.

"Eddie!" She said excitedly as she bounced on her feet. She ignored all the friends surrounding him. Her eyes were on his. She felt her excitement dissolve when Eddie's eyes looked panicked. He looked at her and his friends, she swore he looked like he was going to throw up.

"Yo dude, who's this?" one of his friends said as the group laughed and nudged Eddie's arm.

"Some type of little girlfriend?" Another one was added on

Y/N blushed at the thought of being Eddie's girlfriend. It wasn't like she didn't think about it with all the flirting and soft touches.

But Y/N ignored in and continued.

"I scored tickets to Dio! This Friday night, you and me?" She was proud of herself for making it through the sentence without shaking.

Eddie's friends laughed....loud

Their screeches could be heard blocks down from the school. But she kept her focus on Eddie. He stood frozen. He didn't say a word as he stared back at her.

"Oh, how cute. Little nerd has a crush on ya, Munson!"

"Looks like someone has a date on Friday."

"Atta boy, another one on the list."

"I uh..uh" Eddie stuttered

"Do you think he's actually going to say yes?"

The crowd around them got bigger as the school watched.

Y/N felt his friend's words stab her in the chest. Now she felt like she wanted to throw up. Her eyes watered as she looked around, everyone was staring and waiting for Eddie's reaction.

"Are you going to say something?" She meant it as a question, but it sounded like a plea. Like she was pleading him to tell them they were wrong and that they had something. That their moments meant something to him.

Y/N saw the Eddie she knew disappear in his eyes, and she knew he was going to land the final blow. She stepped back as she tried to brace herself.

"Do I know you?" Eddie asked, he pretended to look confused as his friends laughed.

"Eddie, don't," she whimpered, but it didn't matter. It was popularity or her, and she knew it wasn't a fighting chance.

"Look, sweetheart. I am flattered, but there is no way in hell I'd ever go out with you." Eddie smirked as his friends nudged him and they all fist-bumped behind his back.

Y/N didn't say a word, she nodded sadly and turned around. She pushed through the crowd as the tears slipped down.

"Oh, poor baby is even crying!" A girl's voice announced, then laughs followed.

Y/N shoved the tickets in the trash before she ran out.

Eddie was dead to her.

~

Eddie gulped as she raced off. His friends still hyped him up as he felt the hallways closing in on him. He stepped forward as she threw the tickets in the trash, but he stopped.

He felt guilty, he felt so fucking guilty. He wanted more than anything to spend his Friday night singing along to his favorite band with the cutest girl he'd ever met. To hold her hand as they walked in, to dance like idiots during their favorite song, and to talk about it for days after.

But he panicked. He wasn't supposed to like someone like her.

~~~

After Y/N embarrassed herself in front of the whole school, her life went to hell.

She couldn't walk in the halls without people laughing and pointing.

She dreaded music class. She kept her head down whenever she walked in, she felt his eyes burn into her. But she refused to look in his direction. She should have known Eddie would only like her behind her bedroom door. She should have known he was incapable of liking her shamelessly.

The cafeteria was loud as Y/N walked to her table, Robin was already sitting and picking at her lunch.

"Hey Y/N!"

Y/N looked over her shoulder, she groaned when she realized it was coming from Eddie's table.

"Turns out Eddie does wanna see Dio!"

Y/N looked to Eddie who kept his head down. She looked back at his friend confused.

"Just with a hot cheerleader, not you!"

The table erupted in laughter as she bit her lip. She knew Eddie wouldn't speak up so she turned around and walked to her table.

"I'm sorry they are dicks," Robin said as Y/N sat down.

"It's whatever." Y/N shrugged

"Um Y/N?"

Y/N looked up and was shocked to see Eddie standing there. She looked behind him and noticed his table was watching.

"Yeah?" She asked quietly, it hurt to even look at him.

"I'm so sorry for everything," he whispered.

"Is it like a trap?" she asked confused, as she suspiciously looked back at his table.

"No, I just re-"

"Whatcha doing here, lover boy?" Eddie's friend appeared next to him.

"I was...umm" Eddie nervously stuttered, the panic in his body again. He looked at Y/N's sad face and back to his friend's accusing one.

"Not trying to talk her up, are you?" His friend asked with a chuckle.

"No, of course not! I was just telling her to stop calling me. Chick won't leave me alone." Eddie faked laughed. His friend seemed to believe him, laughing with him, as they walked back to their table.

Eddie looked over his shoulder and mouthed "Sorry" but Y/N rolled her eyes.

~~~

Even if Eddie agreed to go to the concert, he wouldn't have been able to go.

Instead of sulking in his room about his poor decisions, he was stuck in the upside down.

"Dustin and Eddie you go to the trailer and lure them to you. Then the second the bats come, get back inside the trailer. Do not come out!" Steve said, his finger pointed at Dustin.

The group went to their positions and prayed their plan would work.

~

"QUICK WE NEED TO CREATE MORE NOISE TO LURE THE BATS AWAY FROM EDDIE AND DUSTIN!" Steve screamed.

"I KNOW WHAT TO DO!" Robin yelled as she grabbed the radio.

~

A panicked Dustin screamed over the radio as the bats began to chip parts of the trailer away. Eddie tried to swallow his fear but he knew this was it. He lived his life, did he have any regrets? So damn many.

He hated that he couldn't fix things with Y/N. He hated that she wouldn't get the closure she deserved, she wouldn't get the apology Eddie had been practicing for weeks.

If he knew his life was going to end so short, he wouldn't have wasted it on popularity. He would have picked her.

Eddie closed his eyes as he felt the cold air rush in, the bats were loud as they began to swarm into the trailer. He cried out as the bats clawed and nipped at his skin. He yelled for Dustin to run and not stop.

Eddie wasn't sure who to pray to but he did. He prayed as his clothes were torn and he felt blood rushing down his chest.

Then suddenly, the bats stopped.

A loud ring of music began to blast, Eddie knew he left his guitar on the top, and the sound wasn't coming from it.

The bats raced out and chased the sound.

"Who's doing that?" Dustin asked

"I have no idea. You okay?" Eddie asked, checking on him before he grabbed his weapons.

"Yes. Let's go!" Dustin said as he climbed out of the trailer.

Along with the bats, Eddie and Dustin raced. Eddie ran as fast as he could and Dustin jumped on his bike.

Eddie ignored all the pain he felt as he kept running. As he got closer, he realized it wasn't a song. It was the same few chords over and over.

And Eddie knew those chords.

Eddie felt even more panic in his chest as he guessed who was playing it. In a selfish way, he hoped it was someone else. It was wrong but he prayed it was someone in the group, and not her.

"WHO IS THAT?" Dustin screamed as he threw down his bike and prepared his weapons.

"It's Y/N," Eddie gulped as his eyes took in the sight of Y/N playing the guitar. She didn't have any protection, simply standing in her normal clothes as she risked herself for everyone stuck in the upside down.

For a second, everything was silent. The guitar stopped. Eddie's eyes caught hers. Both stared at each other as time slowed.

"I FORGIVE YOU!" Y/N screamed, the tears flowed down her cheeks as she threw the guitar to the ground.

"NO!" Eddie screamed, but it was too late. The bats already found her. Her body was taken to the ground as she screamed in horror.

"GET HELP!" Eddie screamed at Dustin, he didn't look back at him. He just ran to her.

He started swinging everywhere, he heard thuds and screeches. Eddie used every ounce of anger and hurt that his body held as motivation to swing the shit out of these blood suckers. The agony screams coming from Y/N's lips made him move faster.

Dustin called for help on the radio, he wasn't going to leave them alone. He quickly joined Eddie and began to swing.

Eddie didn't have time to yell at him, in the moment he was grateful the kid didn't listen to him. Together they cleared the path towards her. Eddie thought he felt the greatest amount of fear, but when her screams stopped he knew he was wrong.

~

Y/N felt like she finally caught her breath. She gasped as her eyes opened. Bright white lights shined above her that caused her to shut them again.

"Y/N?" She heard a relieved voice say then a warm hand intertwined with hers.

She slowly opened her eyes, a familiar brown eyes looked back at her. He was covered in dirt, blood stained clothes but he still was the prettiest man she'd ever seen.

"Hm, even in heaven you look the same." She said, her voice cracking with every word.

Eddie laughed and grabbed some water. He softly put it against her lips and helped her lift her head to drink.

"Well you haven't made it there yet." Eddie joked. "You had all of us scared."

Y/N looked around the room, but no one else was there. "You are the only one here."

Eddie scratched his head, "they were, but the nurse said only one person at a time, and well I called dibs for six hours." He said as he looked at his watch.

"Why?" She asked, from what she's learned he wanted nothing to do with her.

"I know it's incredibly hard to believe, but I have feelings for you. I know I've been a dick to you and I'm sorry for all the pain I caused. It's pathetic that it took you nearly dying to grow balls and be honest. But before you showed up, I was positive I was going to die. And all I thought about in that moment was how you deserved an apology and that I regretted not taking my chance with you." Eddie confessed. His hands were still in hers as he sat on the chair next to her bed. His eyes were red, and his cheeks were wet.

"It is pathetic, Munson." Y/N snapped, but she kept her hands in his. His touch was warm and soft, a feeling that reminded her she was still alive.

Her heart wanted to hug him and cry. But her head wanted her to keep her pride and tell him to fuck off.

"Did you mean it? When you said you forgave me?" Eddie choked out, sniffling back his tears.

"I prepared to die and I didn't want to ruin your life even more." Y/N confessed, sadness flood through her body as she remembered how worthless she felt because of him. He was the only person in her life that made her feel loved, but hated at the same time. In the end, that was the only experience she had with love and she was okay to die with that in mind because at least it was someone she'd die for.

"You never ruined my life!" Eddie promised, his wet lips kissed her hand as he sobbed. "You are a gift in my life, okay? I've never felt so happy around someone and so alive. I'm an idiot and I made all the wrong decisions. But I swear on my life, I'll make this up to you if you give me a chance. I love you."

Y/N snapped her head as she felt her heart race. The machine gave it away as it beeped.

"You love me?" She whispered, tears flowing down her face as she looked into his eyes.

The Eddie she knew was behind them.

"So damn much. I know I don't deserve anything and I definitely don't deserve you. But I'll do it all right this time. It'll be us and that's all I want."

"Is that why you saved me?" She choked out, she remembered his arms carrying her as he screamed for help. The fear in his eyes and the panic in his voice. He didn't have to come save her, but he did.

"The second I heard those chords, my heart fell out of my chest and my only goal was to get to you before the bats did. I'm very angry with Robin for putting you in that position, but she knew you'd do it to save me. And you deserve someone who'd save you back."

Y/N didn't say anything, she unlaced her hand from Eddie's. He tried to ignore the disappointment he felt.

She sat up slowly then placed her hands on Eddie's cheeks, before he knew it, she leaned in and smashed her lips on his. He felt his stomach flip a thousand times as he reached forward to hold her waist. He kissed her back with everything he had left in him. The kiss tasted of blood and dirt, but it was the best kiss he's ever had.

After a few moments, she pulled away and gasped for air. Eddie leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes still closed as he tried to memorize the feeling of her lips on his.

"I love you too." She whispered, before her lips attached to his again.

Eddie meant everything he said. He was going to prove he was worthy of her and her love.

Tags!

“What?” From his position at the end of the couch, feet propped on the coffee table and head lolled onto the cushions, he shrugged. “It’s a simple question. Would you fuck my clone?”

A beat of silence passed, in which you realized this was one of those moments where Eddie wouldn’t let the question go until he was given a satisfying answer, and you sighed. “I don’t think that’s the question, Eds,” you countered. “Isn’t it usually, ‘would you fuck your own clone’?”

With a dismissive wave of his hand and a scoff, Eddie finally sat up and turned his full attention to you, screaming teenagers and chainsaws forgotten now that he had something better to capture his attention. “That one’s boring,” he reasoned. “We know all the arguments. This is a different question, new arguments.”

“I think we’re fine without arguing,” you teased, reaching for the nearly half-empty bowl of popcorn. “Just watch the movie, Eddie.”

From the corner of your eye, you watched as a look you couldn’t quite recognize flickered across Eddie’s face. However, just as quickly as it appeared, it was covered with a raised brow and a teasing grin. “We’ve seen it a hundred times already. Anyway, what I’m getting from this is, you would fuck my clone. Interesting.”

Eddie did little to hide his amusement as you rolled your eyes and tossed a piece of popcorn at him. “I didn’t say that,” you argued, despite yourself - despite knowing that you were walking into a conversation you weren’t yet sure you wanted any part of.

A hum, unconvinced, met your ears as he reached for the bowl and plucked it from your hands. “Okay,” he prompted, ignoring your outraged huff. “So, tell me. Would you?”

There were a handful of ways you could respond to his probing. The first, shut down his question with a point blank refusal, phrased as a light-hearted joke that did little damage to his ego and even less to your already fragile nerves. The second, play into his game and debate the pros and cons of sleeping with his clone, the ethical ramifications, the conversation he clearly wanted. Or, the third, admit to him a fact that you’d concealed since the summer of 1984.

Any way you could have him, real Eddie or clone, you would take it.

That was, solidly, not in the lead. So, you opted for the second approach.

“Jeez, Eds,” you sighed, stealing popcorn from the bowl now resting on his lap. “I don’t know. Maybe,” you conceded. “Depends, I guess. Is he, like, total you or some weird, kinda fucked up clone? Like, is he totally evil or incapable of coherent thought or, I don’t, off somehow?” As an afterthought, you joked, “More so than the real you, anyway.”

“Rude.” There was no bite in the declaration, only a fond amusement that made your chest ache, but you did your best to ignore it as he hummed. “Clone’s a totally normal, complete carbon copy. Everything about him is exactly the same, down to the last hair.”

“So, no aspirations to rule the world or become, like, the next Leatherface?”

Eddie grinned. “That’s my backup plan, you know, if music doesn’t work. So, guess it’d be his, too,” he admitted, only breaking into laughter when you grabbed a pillow and smacked him with it. “Seriously,” he relented, “nothing weird. Just another me. Everything you know and love, times two.”

With a sigh, you lifted your legs onto the couch and hugged your knees to your chest. “Then… I don’t know,” you admitted, voice barely audible over the screams still echoing from the television. “Maybe?”

“It’s a yes or no question, babe,” he reminded you, brows furrowed and eyes narrowed as he studied you. “Shouldn’t be this hard.”

That look, the one that you had difficulty placing, returned and despite your uncertainty as to what it was, you were certain that you didn’t like it very much. Doubt, or maybe hurt, were the closest emotions you could identify though neither made much sense to you in the moment.

Still, rather than ask, you rolled your eyes. “What’s the point of this conversation?”

There was none, it was just for fun - a debate, like the thousands of others you’d had over the course of your friendship - and Eddie said a much as he shrugged. “Isn’t one,” he declared, offering you the last handful of popcorn. “I just want to know if you’d fuck my clone.”

When you refused, he returned the bowl back to the coffee table before reaching for your ankle. With a gentle tug, he encouraged you to rest your feet on his lap as his fingers began to tap a beat that only existed inside his head against your skin. “Why does it matter?”

Eddie shrugged once more, though this time, he glanced at the television rather than you as he answered. “Because I asked and you always answer.”

“I do,” you relented, sighing as you also spared the screen a glance. “Well, what’s the right answer, then? There has to be one.”

This time, he shook his head as the tapping of his fingers grew a touch faster. “Right answer’s the true one.”

For a moment, you simply studied Eddie. His side profile, bathed in the warm glow of the television, was the picture of concentration as he watched a scene you’d seen a thousand times before. Only, you knew him well enough to see the telltale signs that he was in no way paying as close of attention as he should’ve been.

The slightest tick in his jaw, the quick bite of the inside of his cheek, the delayed blinking; all signs that he was waiting more intently for your answer than he wanted you to believe.

Rejection - no matter how hypothetical - never seemed possible when it came to Eddie. So, you sighed and conceded, “Okay, fine. Sure, I’d fuck your clone.”

Eddie hummed, seemingly unsurprised and feigning nonchalance as he nodded as if the answer confirmed something he already suspected. And there were a thousand ways in which you expected him to respond; none of which could’ve compared to him declaring, “So, you’d fuck my clone but not me.”

Again, rejection was not an option. However, you had no intention of admitting to him that you’d wanted him for years. There was no world in which you could see yourself admitting to him that you thought he was beautiful - with his doe eyes and playful grin. Telling him how you felt would likely end in an awkward silence at best and a ruined friendship at worst.

So, you opted for a careful denial. “What? I didn’t say that.”

“But you’re not saying anything to the contrary,” he countered, turning his head to spare you a cursory glance. There was something there, beneath the amused glimmer in his eyes, that unnerved you - something far more serious than you were expecting - but as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.

When you shot him an unimpressed glance, cutting your eyes at him before returning your attention to the television, he shrugged, teasing grin never faltering. “I never said that. I answered a hypothetical and you’re reading into it.”

Eddie met your perhaps too sharp denial with a raised brow as he gave up the guise of watching the movie. “So, am I wrong?”

“Would you stop putting words into my mouth?” You huffed as you reached for the bowl of popcorn, desperate for something to distract yourself from making a confession you knew you would regret. “I never said that. All I said was that I’d fuck your clone, I answered the question.”

“Okay, fine. You never said you wouldn’t fuck me but it’s never happened. Never even sort of, almost, maybe happened,” he reminded you - as if you needed it. “So, you would fuck my clone but not me. Why?”

“Because we’re friends, Eddie,” you shot back, resisting the urge to roll your eyes as you popped a piece of popcorn into your mouth. “I’ve known you since I was ten.” 

The excuse sounded weak in your own ears, but it was all you could muster without breaking down and confessing that you would, in fact, sleep with him. If only he’d ask. If only it wouldn’t destroy your friendship. If only it was that simple.

Still, Eddie was relentless. “But my clone would have all my memories, totally the same person,” he reminded you. “He’d be your friend, just like me. But you’d fuck him. So, why not me?”

“This is stupid,” you huffed. “Why do you care?” He’d never pushed so hard, not in pursuit of a hypothetical question meant to pass the time, and you were genuinely curious why he seemed so interested in your answer, or your lack thereof.

“I’m a naturally curious person,” he argued, shrugging as he squeezed your ankle. “It’s just a stupid hypothetical. C’mon, why would you hypothetically fuck my clone but not me?”

There was little doubt in your mind that he would continue pushing until he got the answer he was looking for, especially as it seemed that he’d already made up his mind that he was right, so you shifted yourself in a huff. With your legs now hugged to your chest, eyes on the television to avoid meeting his gaze as you admitted in a snap, “God, okay. I’d fuck your clone because it’s the closest I’d get to being with you without actually destroying our entire relationship. Happy with that answer?”

“What?” Eddie sounded genuinely surprised and you could feel the warmth of his gaze burning into your skin as you purposely kept your gaze on the television.

“If your clone is you, all your memories, your mannerisms, your looks, I’d fuck your clone because then I’d get to see what it’s like to be with you,” you admitted, words escaping despite every fiber of your being telling you to be quiet. “I’d get everything without the risk of losing you when I fuck it all up.”

Eddie shifted closer then, careful to keep a few inches of space between you but no longer nestled into the opposite edge of the couch as he tipped his head to get a better glimpse of your face. “What do you mean, when you fuck it up?”

Frustrated tears - at admitting a secret you swore would follow you to the grave, at allowing him to get under your skin when he was simply asking an innocent question, at allowing yourself to get so worked up over something so simple - stung at the backs of your eyes as you huffed. “I’m… you know me, Eddie. I don’t,” you sighed, cutting yourself off, before taking a deep breath. “I’m prickly. I don’t do well with romance. I freak out and run,” you reminded him. “Even if you felt the same, if we worked out enough to not have our friendship go down in flames, there’s still a chance I’d fuck it up and I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to run from you.”

“Hey.” Eddie shifted even closer, close enough for you to feel the warmth of his body, and sighed when you refused to glance at him. Regardless, he exclaimed, “That’s why we’d be different.”

“What?” Of all the things you expected him to say, that was the last. With furrowed brows and tears still lining your lashes, you tipped your head to glance at him. “Why?”

“Because,” he began, meeting your eyes for the first time in what felt like hours, “when you try to run, I know what you’re doing. When you get all weird or try to push me away, I know it’s not really you wanting me to go. I know you. I get you, just like you get me.”

“Eddie.”

Of all the ways you’d expected him to react, of all the ways you expected him to acknowledge your feelings for him, returning them was not on the list. For years, you’d convinced yourself that there was no way he would return your feelings, there was no way you would ever be able to acknowledge those feelings without losing your best friend, and there was still a deep-rooted fear that, despite his seeming certainty that his understanding would make a difference, any attempt at a relationship would only end in heartbreak.

That didn’t seem to matter to him as he pressed on. “I’m serious. It’s us,” he continued, this time reaching out to press a hand to your knee. “It’s always been us, always will be us. There’s nothing you can do to get rid of me. Not now.”

“You can’t know that,” you sighed, though it was nowhere near as confident as you hoped it would be. “We can’t see the future.”

“We can’t,” he agreed. “Not yet, anyway, but the nineties seem promising.” When you rolled your eyes, barely suppressing a smile, he laughed. “But that’s the fun part. We do our best to make our own future. It’s always going to be together, might as well come clean and really be together instead of making ourselves miserable pretending.” Before you could respond, offer another half-hearted refusal, he pressed on. “What do we have to lose?”

“Everything.”

Eddie shook his head, completely unconvinced that anything bad would come of allowing yourselves to try. “I don’t believe that. Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out. We always do.”

“How can you be so certain?” You wished you had an ounce of Eddie’s certainty, his true belief that the pair of you could make it, but you were skeptical. Neither of you had much luck in life, neither of you had much outside of one another, and losing him would be far too great.

However, you were tired of pretending that a shared future was not what you wanted. 

The possibility that your future could go up in flames, that you could destroy the best friendship you’d ever had, worried you. It kept you awake at night. But now knowing that Eddie felt the same, that he wanted the same future you did, there was no way you could turn him down.

For all your fear, for all your hesitance, saying no was not an option.

“Because we’ve been in love for years and nothing bad has happened yet.” He said it as if it was the most obvious answer he could give, as if it made all the sense in the world, and if you really stopped to think about it, it did.

“Can you promise me something?”

Eddie shifted ever closer, nodding easily as you reached for his hand. “Anything.”

“Can you promise me that no matter what happens, we’ll always be friends? Even if we don’t work out, if something happens, promise me that we’ll still be there for each other.”

“I promise. Nothing hypothetical about that,” he agreed, corner of his mouth lifting when you offered a soft smile.

The moment stretched around you, nothing existed outside of the pair of you as Eddie tugged you into his side. It was easy, natural, and you melted into his touch despite the fear lingering in the back of your mind.

There was a brief worry that this could be a mistake. That allowing yourselves to intertwine your futures so thoroughly would only end in heartbreak, but he was right. For as long as you could remember, it had been you and Eddie. There was nothing that had managed to wedge you apart yet. And pretending had no guarantee of working in the long term.

So, you decided to dive in to the deep end and allow yourself to truly fall. There was no situation, real or hypothetical, in which he would allow you to hit the ground.

No matter what, you knew that he would be there to catch you. 

________________________________________________________

Author's Note: I spent my entire day in meetings. All the meetings. So many meetings. I also have a dentist appointment on Wednesday and I am Terrified. So have this.

~~~

"You're so hot," Eddie mumbled against Y/N's lips. They stumbled into his house, lips locked and their bodies heaving.

"So are you," Y/N said as she shut the door behind them with her heel. Her hands worked on Eddie's belt as he unbuttoned his dress shirt.

"What time do you have to meet your dad for dinner?" Eddie asked as he dropped his shirt to the floor.

"In an hour, but it's at that gross pizza shop he knows I hate," Y/N rolled her eyes as she tugged Eddie's pants down. He stepped out and kicked them to the side then removed his socks.

"Better make sure daddy's good girl is well-fed then, huh?" Eddie smirked as she whimpered at his words. Her stomach flipped and her thighs clenched.

She dropped to her knees and watched as Eddie took off his boxers. His hard cock inches from her face and she drooled at the sight.

"Ready?" He asked, his thumb swiping across her bottom lip, her obedient eyes watched his every move. He loved how submissive she was when it came to him. Just one snap of a finger and she'd run away from her life and follow him.

"Yes," she said and opened her mouth. She clenched her thighs as he gripped his cock, he placed his lip on her tongue. She moaned at the familiar feeling as he pushed himself down her throat.

He pulled her hair back and held it, he moaned as she began to move her head up and down as she sucked him off.

~~~

Y/N sat in the hot car as Eddie filled up the car with gas. A road trip ahead of them to the beach, bags packed in the back. A romantic getaway that she could not wait to start.

She smiled as the door opened and Eddie jumped in. His tattooed arms glistened in sweat from the short time outside, his tank top sticking to him. He started the engine and the AC blew and released them of the hot weather. He pushed his sunglasses into his hair and pecked her lips.

"Oh look it's your dad!" Eddie said, pointing straight ahead. Y/N snapped her head to look through the windshield, her dad stood filling his tank.

"Oh my god," Y/N whispered, she quickly ducked her head down and hid.

"I think we should go say hi," Eddie teased with a smirk as he looked down at her.

"Not funny," she snapped, slapping his thigh. She jumped when Eddie honked the horn, a growl leaving her lips as she smacked him again.

"Oh, he's looking! Say hi to your daddy, don't be rude." Eddie teased again, loving the way she looked up at him terrified, yet pissed off.

She didn't move a muscle, she watched as he flipped her dad off and quickly grabbed his hand.

"He's gone," Eddie said, Y/N slowly peaked over and sighed when her dad was gone.

"You are such an ass," Y/N shook her head as she buckled herself in.

"Yeah, but you love me"

~~~

"I'm going to grab the beers," Eddie said, pecking her cheek as he rounded the corner in the store. She pushed the cart and grabbed hot dog buns from the shelf. She grabbed a few more things before she went to the next aisle. She froze when she saw the back of her dad's head and Eddie's huge smirk.

"I see you didn't become a rockstar," Jason scoffed as he glared at Eddie. "Life must be so unfulfilling. No wife, no kids."

Y/N was mouthing "no" but when did Eddie listen?

"I am so glad you brought this up!" Eddie exclaimed as he smacked Jason's shoulder. "I am not married, but I found someone who will be."

"Yeah right," Jason mumbled, pushing Eddie's hand off of him.

"It's your daughter," Eddie said, his eyes flashing to Y/N's horrified face and back to Jason's shocked face.

"I'm shitting with you man, but you should see your face," Eddie laughed, smacking Jason's chest before he walked off. Y/N raced to hide behind the corner, slapping Eddie the second he was in sight.

To Eddie it was a fun little game, giving his girl a heart attack kept him a child at heart. But the ring in his nightstand reminded him he was all grown up.

Tags!

“I’m sorry baby,” He muttered, grabbing your hips and pulling you between his legs after you placed a wrapped present for your cousin into one of the cases. “I know how much this meant to you.”

“It’s okay,” You said, waving your hand in the air like you were trying to push away your sadness. “There will be more Christmas’. It’s not every year you get invited to play KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas.”

“I told Curtis it wasn’t a good time,” He said, placing his chin on your stomach as he looked up at you. You were sure the angle wasn’t flattering but he didn’t seem to care one bit. “But he pushed it. Even scheduled some interviews with a few magazines and TV spots. I’m about ready to fire him.”

“Please don’t fire Curtis,” You said, pushing your hands through his hair. “He’s doing his best with a needy rockstar like you.”

“Needy?” He asked, his eyes wide, brows hiding in his bangs. “You think I’m needy?”

“Well yeah,” You smiled a little. “I distinctly remember you telling me that you ‘need just one more’ for about two hours last night.”

“Hey, you got to cum like six times. Who got the better end of the deal here?” He laughed, pinching your ass a little so that you would jump a bit. The two of you stared at one another for a few quiet seconds before he sighed. “Fiiine, I won’t fire Curtis. Kinda like the guy anyway.”

Laughing a little you lean your head down to touch his forehead with yours. “We’ll still have New Years.” 

“Wouldn’t want to miss the one year anniversary of meeting you.” He smiled, and kissed you on the nose making you giggle. “Let's finish getting you all packed, you have an early flight tomorrow.”  

Together you moved around your room, both gathering the things on your list, double checking once everything was packed that you indeed had everything you needed for a two week trip to upstate New York. Presents included.

The next morning Eddie walked with you into the airport in Indianapolis, hand in hand, both of you dragging one suitcase behind you. It was loud in the building, the sounds of planes landing, taking off, people moving quickly from one side of the airport to the other to catch their flights home, or work, or even to just get out of the cold Indiana weather for a few days. Airports always had a funny energy to them. The buzz of adventure. 

“Alright,” Eddie said as he led you over to the line to check in. “Gotta get you checked in. Don’t want you missing this flight, your mom would murder me.”

“No she wouldn’t,” You laughed, leaning your head on his shoulder as he grinned down at you.

The line moved quickly and soon it was your turn. The pretty airport worker gave Eddie a flirty grin, complete with an unnecessary “accidental” hand touch when he passed your ID and his credit card over the counter to her. He had insisted on paying for you to be upgraded to first class for both flights, you had tried to argue but he wouldn’t hear it, it was almost six hours in traveling with one layover and he wanted you to be comfortable. He even made sure your bags were checked and would be transferred to the new plane so you wouldn’t have to re-check them. 

You watched with slight amusement as the girl behind the counter continued to try to get his attention past normal work communication. It didn’t bother you much anymore when people would flirt with him. Eddie made it very clear that he only had eyes for you and when his hand went around your waist to pull you closer, the smile on her face dropped. The rest of the transaction went by with no interest from her end when she passed your tickets over to him.

Once you were all checked in, Eddie pocketed his wallet and grabbed your hand to start walking with you towards your gate. Checking his watch, he handed you your tickets. “We have an hour to kill. Want some coffee?”

“Yes, please,” You nodded, putting your tickets in your purse, you let his hand go so you could wrap your arm around his waist. His arm automatically goes over your shoulder. 

Finding the airport coffee shop quickly, Eddie placed your orders and together you waited until it was ready. Grabbing your orders he walked with you towards your gate, taking a seat facing the large windows so you could watch the planes come and go.

“I’m going to miss you.” You pouted at him, taking a sip of your hot drink. The coffee warmed you from the inside out making you feel slightly better. 

“I know, baby.” He said playing with the ends of your hair with the hand not holding his own cup of coffee. “But it'll only be two weeks and then we'll be together again. Plus you can call me whenever you want.” 

“That’s true,”

All too soon your flight was called over the loudspeaker and it was time to board. Finishing your coffee you tossed the empty cup into the trash can as you both walked towards the gate. Turning you hugged him tightly, giving him a kiss when you leaned back a bit to see him. 

“You have your tickets?”

“Right here.” You said pulling them out of your purse.  

“Call me as soon as you land at JFK for your connection and again when you land in Ithaca.”

“Yes, Sir,” You smiled up at him sadly, you hated leaving him and this time you both would be on opposite sides of the country. “And you’ll let me know when you get to LA right? Don’t make me worry about you.”

“You know I will.” He smiled, pulling you close to kiss your forehead as the flight attendants called for first class passengers. Eddie nodded a bit before he looked down at you. Tapping the point of the pick on your collar that poked out a bit from under your scarf he smiled. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” You smiled sadly. “I'll see you in two weeks.” 

“Be safe, be smart, and have fun with your family.” Kissing you once more he moved his arms away from you and put his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket as he watched you take a step back. “Tell your mom sorry I couldn't make it.”

“Break a leg rockstar.” You smiled with a nod once more before you turned and got in line.

He waited until you were through the gate turning back to give him one last wave before watching you walk down that long hall and into the plane. He even waited until your plane was taxiing onto the runway, watching through the large windows as the plane took off, taking you away from him. This was going to be a long two weeks he decided as he turned and left the airport alone. 

You rarely flew growing up and even less now but when you did most of the time you just chose economy, since you had to pay for it yourself, your father didn’t want to spend any money on a ticket that would take you to his “alcoholic ex-wife”. But now you were practically melted into your first class seat on the second flight heading towards Ithaca and you wondered why you fought Eddie on this. It was so comfortable, the chair was large and could fold out into a bed, plus there was so much leg room just to stretch out if you wanted. No crying babies, no one accidentally elbowing you as they adjusted in their seat, and best of all you were in a window seat, watching as the world below flew by. 

At the start of the last leg of your trip you had pulled the CD player from your purse and put the headphones over your ears turning it on so you could listen to the Corroded Coffin demo that Eddie had given you, for the one billionth time. You loved that you could still hear his voice even though you would be thousands of miles away from him. A tap on your shoulder made you jump a little and when you looked over one of the flight attendants was smiling down at you, so you paused your cd and pulled the headphones from your ears.

“I’m sorry I didn't mean to scare you.” She laughed a little. 

“Oh no it’s fine. I should have been paying more attention.” 

“I just wanted to let you know that we will be landing soon and your tray needs to be in the upright position.”

“Thank you.” You smiled as you turned off the CD player and pushed it back into your purse as you prepared your spot for landing and she walked away to assist the other passengers. With your seatbelt on you watched as the ground grew closer and closer, the town of Ithaca getting bigger and bigger. The plane jolted and the tires squealed as you landed and sighed a small smile growing on your features as your plane was taxi’d to an open gate. 

In a line you followed all the other passengers out and into Ithaca Tompkins International Airport making sure you had your purse securely on your shoulder as you dug inside to turn on your phone. Once loaded you hit Eddie’s saved number and held the phone to your ear but all you got was voicemail. You had spoken to him earlier when you got to JFK but now he must already be on his way to LA. “Hey baby, it’s me. Just wanted to let you know that I landed in Ithaca just fine, going to grab my bags and head to my moms. I love you, have fun at the concert. I’ll talk to you later.”

Hanging up you shoved your phone into your pocket and continued your way down to the baggage claim. As you came through the archway that led to the front of the airport you heard your name be called by a deep voice. Turning you smiled, throwing your arms out into the air as you ran to your stepfather. He looked the same as he always did. Tall, dark, and handsome. Decked out in plaid and denim with his warmest jacket on. “JOEL!”

“Hey kid!” He laughed as he hugged you. “How are you? How were your flights?”

“Good, good, everything was good!” You laughed as you hugged him back. “I'm so happy to see you!”

“You're by yourself?” He asked as he looked around hoping to catch a glimpse of your plus one. “Your mom told me your new beau was coming. I was hoping to meet him.” 

Sighing, you shook your head. “Duty called unfortunately. It's not every year you get picked to play KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas so he had to go. He hated having to cancel on us at the last minute. But you'll meet him in the spring when you and mom come out to visit.”

“Life of a rockstar.” He smiled a bit, throwing his arm around your shoulders in a fatherly way walking you towards the baggage claim. “Let's get your stuff and head on home. Your mom's cooking your favorite tonight.” 

Christmas in LA was a lot different then Hawkins. No snow covered the ground, there was a slight crispness in the air, and the sun was still able to keep you warm during the day. The only things he hated about LA was that you weren't here with him and the layer of smog that laid over the city. 

Eddie groaned as he lifted his guitar case over his shoulder and grabbed his own suitcase from the back of the van so he could follow the rest of the boys inside of the hotel that they would be calling home for this trip. He was a little jealous of Jeff and Gareth, they were able to bring their girls with them for this trip, watching Andrea and Lizzy talk animatedly about the pretty Christmas decorations made him miss you that much more. Knowing you would be right there with the girls pointing out the cute little snowman statues that sat next to the large decked out pine tree in the middle of the lobby. 

“Just wait here guys. I'll get us all checked in,” Curtis said as he gestured for them to relax.

“You have been pouty the whole way here Eddie Bear.” Lizzy said as she broke off from Andrea to bump her hip into his. “I'm sorry you had to miss Y/N's family party for this. I know how much you wanted to be there.” 

“It happens,” He shrugged using one hand to push his sunglasses up onto the top of his head letting them get lost in his curls. “There will be more Christmas’. We both knew going into this that I would have to fly off sometimes.”

“She call you yet?” Brandon asked from his chair he found to sit down on. 

Looking at his watch he took note of the time. You should be there by now and dropping his arm he reached into his pocket to grab his phone to turn it on. “I forgot to turn it on after we got off the plane.” 

“I'm sure she left a message.” Lizzy said, rubbing his arm a bit. 

Like magic the little notification popped up showing he had a voicemail. Smiling he pressed a few buttons and held the phone to his ear, the robot voice spoke for a few seconds before your voice started. He felt like he could breathe easier knowing that you were safe on the ground and heading to your moms. “She made it. I'll call her once we get into the rooms.”

“Alright guys and gals.” Curtis said as he came back to the band with a packet of key cards in his hand, he started to pass them out to the band while he explained what was happening. “Okay, tonight we have to be at the venue to check in and get settled, tomorrow you play at eight pm, and then the rest of the week is photoshoots, a few late night tv show spots, and interviews. Then home on Christmas Eve.”

‘One day too late to be at the party.’ Nodding, Eddie grabbed the key card Curtis held out for him and followed the group as they moved towards the elevators. With all the people and their luggage all trying to load into the small space a few of the band members had to take a separate elevator. 

Coughing a little to clear his throat Jeff looked over at Eddie as he pushed the button for their floor. “I have an idea if you wanna hear it.”

“About what?” Eddie said, looking over at Jeff.  

“The guys and I have been talking and we think that after the show and a few interviews you should go to Ithaca and be with Y/N for Christmas. You can cut out early on Friday night and be there for the party on Saturday. The guys and I can handle the rest of the interviews and the TV spots.”

“Curtis will be pissed.” Eddie chuckled a bit as he thought about it.  

“We can handle Curtis.” Lizzy said, leaning her head on Eddie’s shoulder. “Plus, you do everything he asks, don’t feel bad about taking time for you.”

Biting his lip Eddie thought harder about the idea. He could do it. He’d have to look up times and spend a fortune to get there but he could do it… and seeing the look on your face would be worth the ungodly long flight and jet lag that he would be dealing with. Looking over at Jeff took a breath. “You sure it’s okay? If I just bail on you guys like that?”

“We want you too.” Jeff nodded as the elevator dinged on their floor. Looking over at Eddie he smiled. “This is your first Christmas with your girl. You should be there.”

Nodding a little the trio moved out of the small space and into the hallway of the hotel. Scratching at the back of his neck Eddie laughed a little. “Looks like I have some flights to book.”

Slapping him on the back Jeff smiled at him before he took Lizzy’s hand and together the two of them walked down the hallway towards their room. “See you later Munson.”

“Later.” Eddie smiled as he started down the other hallway towards his room. 

You smiled as Joel pulled his truck to a stop in front of the house he shared with your mom. It was a cute two story colonial with a lot of history from what you were told. You loved it here. It looked like a home out of a fairy tale. The four bedroom home was so different then your dad’s grand house in Indianapolis, it was cozy, welcoming, and made you feel at ease. You couldn’t wait to get inside and see your mom. 

“Home sweet home.” Joel smiled before he opened the car door and stepped out to grab your bags from the back of the truck. Looking at the street in front of the house he noticed a few cars sitting on the street. “Looks like your Aunt Lisa is here. Which means Jack and Annie are here. Jack’s been a little punk lately.”

“He’s like what? Fifteen now?” You ask as you follow suit and jump from the car, pulling your jacket closer around you and moving around to the side of the car to help Joel. 

“Something like that yeah,” Your stepdad said as he passed you a bag. 

With both bags now on the ground the two of you rolled the cases up the snow covered pathway to the porch, stepping to the side you let Joel open the door before you both entered the warm home. The fire burning in the fireplace keeps the cold at bay.

 “Honey!” Joel chirped as he closed the door behind you. “We’re home!”

Sounds of excitement echoed from the kitchen as the sound of rushing feet brought your attention to your mom who ran into the room straight for you. “My girl!”

Laughing, you let her take you into her arms to squeeze as you hugged her back. “Hi Mama.”

“My girl! Oh how I missed you! Come in, come in.” She took a step back and looked around the living room. “Where's Eddie?” 

“Work.” You smiled a bit. “He's sorry he can't make it.” 

“Who's Eddie?” Your cousin Annie asked as she looked up from her game console.

“Y/N's boyfriend,” Your mom said, holding her hands out for your jacket. “He's a famous rockstar.”

A snort came from Jack who was lounging halfway off the recliner in the corner of the living room with a magazine in his hands. “Yeah right. A famous rockstar.”

“He is!” Your mom said defensively. 

“It's fine mama.” You smiled at her handing her your jacket and scarf. “We don't have to prove anything to him. Let me help Joel take these upstairs and I'll be right down.” 

“Don't worry about it. I got this. You go hang out, relax, have some coffee. These will be in your room.” Joel said, waving his hand at you as you went to grab one of the cases. 

Rolling your eyes jokingly at Joel, who only chuckled at you as he started up the stairs, you let your mom drag you into the kitchen where your Aunt Lisa was pulling out some homemade chex mix from the oven. 

“Y/N!” She exclaimed, placing the hot pan on a corkboard on the counter before she tossed the oven mitt off and held her arms out for you. “Give me a hug!”

“Hi Aunt Lisa!” Moving over you to her you wrapped your arms around her giving her a big hug. “I’ve missed you!”

“You look great!” She said as she moved back to get a good look at you. 

“So do you! Where’s Uncle Tim?”

“He’s working. Last day before his holiday vacation.” Your Aunt said as she waved her hand in the air. “Aren’t you supposed to have some big rockstar with you?” 

“He’s working too. The band got invited to play a concert for a popular radio station. Couldn’t pass it up.” You smiled with a shrug, you missed Eddie but you were so proud of him.

“Is that something we can watch on the TV?” Aunt Lisa asked as she moved back towards the counter to fiddle with the chex pan.

“No, I don’t think so.” Shaking your head you moved towards the counter leaning on the other side.

“That’s too bad. I would love to see what this guy looks like!” She winked, “Your mom says he’s a really eighties rocker. Got the hair and everything. What did you say his band was?”

“I think he’s hair metal?” Your mom says as she starts up a fresh pot of coffee. 

“Thrash metal.” You corrected as you stole a still hot piece of the seasoned cereal popping it in your mouth. “Like Metallica.”

“Jack listens to them.” Aunt Lisa muttered. “Maybe he's heard of your boyfriend's band.”

“Probably,” You shrugged as you snuck a second piece. “They're pretty popular.” 

“Those are for the party!” Your mom scolded, smacking you lightly with a towel she grabbed from the counter when she turned to see you chewing. 

“Okay, okay..” You smiled cheekily at her before stealing a third piece. 

“Y/N!”

The night came and went and the day of the concert was upon the band. They sat in the trailer the radio station had provided for them, Gareth tapped his drumsticks on his leg to keep his hands busy while the others made sure their guitars and Brandon’s bass were in tune. Curtis sat there with his palm pilot in his hands, fiddling with the stylus as he checked on the band's schedule for the next few days. 

The sound of his ringing phone grabbed everyone's attention and Curtis put his phone to his ear. “Hey Allen! Give me one second.”

The band and the girls watched as he left the trailer and as soon as the door was closed Lizzy and Andrea turned towards Eddie. Andrea leaned forward to rest her arms on the back of his chair. “So did you buy those tickets?”

Smiling Eddie nodded his head a little, his hands still playing a few chords on this long loved Warlock. “Yeah. By this time next Friday I will be in the air to surprise my girl for Christmas.”

The girls squealed in joy for a moment before Andrea leaned over the back of the chair to hug him around his shoulders from behind. “Good! I would’ve killed you if you didn’t!”

Eddie chuckled as he placed his hand on Andrea’s arm giving it a few little pats. “Yeah, yeah.” 

Curtis stuck his head back into the trailer after a few minutes. “You’re on deck guys.”

Excitement ran through Eddie's veins as the band stood from their spots and headed out towards the stage. It was always the same, no matter where they perform, no matter how long they’ve been doing it, the adrenaline high they got from being on stage was something that never faded. 

All he had to do was get through this concert and a few interviews and he would be on his way to you.

That’s all he wanted. 

You spoke to Eddie a little while after the show once he was back in his hotel room, he called you to tell you how awesome it was. He was tired, he always was after a show, he put so much of himself into performing that he was usually left exhausted for a few days but he was also really amped up. You could practically feel the energy coming off him through the phone. 

“I wish you could have seen it baby! It was awesome!” Eddie gushed at you from over the phone as he flopped back onto the bed. “The crowd had so much energy, they made a mosh pit, there was almost a fight!”

“And you didn’t even want to play this concert,” You teased. You were laying on your bed with your Nokia to your ear as you cuddled up under your blankets wearing one of Eddie’s shirts that you stole for comfort.You had even spritzed it with his cologne when he wasn’t looking so it would smell like him.

“Yeah, I would still rather be with you but.. Shit it was fun babe.” 

“I’m glad, baby.” Chuckling you stared up at the ceiling trying to imagine his post concert glow, hair frizzy, covered in sweat, and a smile so bright it could outshine the lights of Las Vegas. You heard him sigh, completely content. 

“How was your day? I didn’t ask you that before I’m sorry.” 

“No, no, you’re fine baby.” You giggled, brushing it off. “Compared to yours my day was pretty boring. Went last minute christmas shopping with mom, there’s this cute little cafe in town that I think you’d like actually.”

“I can’t wait to see it one day.” ‘Maybe next Sunday when I’m in town’ Eddie thought as he smiled to himself. An idea popped into his head as he placed his hand on his stomach, phone sex was always fun. “So not to sound like a total cliche.. But… what are you wearing?”

A smirk pulled on your lips as you looked down at your body, “Oh nothing special. Just one of your shirts and some flannel pants.”

“One of my shirts huh?”

“Mhm.”

“Is your door locked?”

“It can be.” 

“Why don’t you be a good girl and go lock your door for me hmm? Then I want you to get back into bed and get comfy for me.”

“Yes, Sir.” You hummed as you removed yourself from your warm bed and towards your door, taking a moment to hear if anyone was up downstairs. Thankfully it sounded like everyone was asleep and once the lock was clicked into place you rushed back to your bed cuddling under the blankets again to keep the chill away. “All cozy now.”

“Good girl,” He praised in a sultry voice, still raspy from singing, and you felt heat start to fill your cheeks. You loved when he used that voice. “Now I am going to give you some instructions and you are going to listen to everything I say, sound good?”

“Yes, Sir,” You nodded even though you knew he couldn’t see you. 

“Are you warm enough?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good. Here's what I want you to do. I want you to take your pants and panties off, spread your legs, and put your fingers on that pretty little pussy of yours. But you have to be quiet, not a single sound or your can't cum got it? Don’t need to wake everyone in the house.”

“Yes, Sir.” You breathe out as you follow his instructions, holding the phone between your ear and shoulder as you shimmy out of your sleep pants and undies, kicking them to the side as you spread your legs, holding in a little gasp when you place your fingers between your folds. You could feel how wet you were getting just from hearing him command you over the phone. It felt wrong doing this in your moms house but you couldn't find it in you to care at the moment. Maybe tomorrow you would be a little ashamed but not now. 

For the next hour Eddie edged you both. You could hear him groaning, letting out little whimpers, and breathing heavily as he jerked himself off, stopping when he told you to stop so you both were on the same path towards that cliff's edge into complete euphoria. 

He could hear your breathing over the phone, how hard you were working to be a good girl for him. At one point he even had you place your phone by your cunt so he could hear the sounds as you fingered yourself. He knew you were close, he knew you like the back of his hand by now, and he knew you wouldn't survive another edge. “You ready princess? Play with that pretty clit again. Slow circles. There we go. You can make a little noise, baby. Are you close?”

“Uh huh,” You muttered. You hated how wrecked you sounded compared to him. Besides his moaning he sounded perfectly normal. 

“Uh huh," He mocked. “Brains are completely gone now. Countdown from five and you can cum.” 

Your brain broke at his words and you don't know how you did it but you were able to count down between deep breaths and once that little word left his lips you knew you were gonna be a goner. “F-four… Five...”

“Cum.” 

You did. You both did. You had to drop the phone to slap a hand over your mouth to keep in your loud whimpers as you finally fell over that edge, that twisted coil in your gut now completely unwound. All you could do was mutter ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you’ over and over again brainlessly as you heard him groan over the phone.   

Slowly you moved your hand around the bed to find the phone that was lost in your blankets until you were able to grab it and bring it to your ear again. “Holy shit.”

Eddie laughed as he heard your voice pop back up. “Damn I’m good.”

“God I hoped no one heard that.” You laughed lightly through a sigh. 

“I hope everyone heard that! Fuck should record that for the next album.” He laughed again when you scolded him.

After that night the days flew by with you wondering around town with your mom and getting your grandparents house ready for the party, while Eddie and the boys were being driven from place to place, photoshoots, interviews, TV spots and by the time Friday night rolled around he was exhausted as he packed the last remaining items into his bags so he could catch his redeye to Ithaca from Burbank. 

As far as he knew Curtis still had no idea and he was ready to have his phone off until he got to Ithaca to give him enough time to come up with what to say to his manager. Zipping up his bag he threw it over his shoulder along with his guitar, did one last check of his room and headed out of the door. 

Jeff was just about to knock when the door opened and he smiled at Eddie. “Ready to escape from LA?”

“Absofuckinlutely.” Eddie said with his own smile. “Get me out of here. I have a girl to see.”

“Curtis is in his room,” Jeff said as he walked with Eddie to the elevator. “Should be there all night, Lizzy is staying back and keeping an eye on him. She’s going to distract him if he starts to even look like he’s going to your room. We want to give you a good head start.”

“Thanks man,” Eddie said as the doors opened and they walked into it. “I owe you big time.” 

“Don’t worry about it.” Jeff shrugged as the doors closed and he pressed the button for the lobby. “Maybe you and Y/N can help me and Lizzy run away for a while.”

The two men laughed as the small room descended, taking Eddie out to the lobby and into a waiting taxi. Jeff waved as he watched the car drive away.

The day of the family party was here and you had gotten up early that morning to bake a few batches of cookies for the event. Running on a cup of coffee and only a few hours of sleep it was a mad rush getting through the day as you went about making sure you had all the presents, treats, and other things for the party ready to pack into Joel's truck to take over to your grandparents home. 

Throughout the day your family trickled into the small home until the building was so full you could barely find a place to sit. Drinks of all kinds were flowing and the place smelled delicious with all the food your grandmother, mom, and Aunts were cooking up in the kitchen. You took it upon yourself to organize the tables full of treats and other pre-dinner snacks. 

You were pleasantly surprised that not one of your family members mentioned the whole mess with your dad. It was nice to just forget about it. Soon the sun started to set and the stars peaked out through the clouds. You had tried to call Eddie a few times but all you got was voicemail. Looking at the clock you sighed as you pulled your phone out to call again but one of your Uncles came over to give you a hug.

“Hey Kiddo!” He said as he ruffled your hair a bit. “How’ve you been? Still baking?”

“Hey!” You smiled as you pushed your phone back into your pocket. “Yeah, I'm still baking! Got a little shop and everything. I made those cookies you like!”

“You spoil me!” He smiled as he took a few from the plate.

You were about to make a quip back when your phone started to ring in your pocket. Pulling it out of your pocket you smiled when Eddie’s name was flashing on the screen. “Excuse me.”

Moving away from your Uncle you pressed answer and put the phone to your ear. “I have been trying to get a hold of you all day!”

“I saw. I’m sorry baby something came up and I had to turn my phone off.” Eddie said as he pulled his rental into an open spot miraculously in front of your grandparents home. He looked through the passenger window at the crowded living room through the front window. He had to admit he was a little nervous but he shook it off. He wasn’t here for them, he was here for you. Popping open the driver door he stepped out and moved around it to lean on the passenger side one hand in the pocket of his leather jacket. “Can you do me a favor, sweetheart?”

“What?” You asked as you smiled at one of your little cousins who ran by you.

“Can you go to the front yard and just look at the stars for me? I bet it’s beautiful outside.” Slowly he started to walk up the sidewalk to the front door of the home.

“Outside?” You laughed, moving from your spot in the kitchen to grab your jacket from the closet. Slowly pulling on your coat, you waved your mom’s curious look away, as you head towards the front door. Pulling it open you stepped out of the house and stopped as you stared in shock at Eddie who was standing just three steps away from the porch with his phone to his ear. Dropping your phone you squeal and rush from the home watching as he moves forward to catch you when you practically jump from over the steps. “What are you doing here?!”

“I wanted to spend our first Christmas together.” He said as he wrapped his arms around you. Pressing the disconnect button on his phone before he pulled you in for a kiss. Leaning his forehead against yours when you both pulled back.

“But the band…” You asked, your breath leaving you in little puffs. “All your interviews…”

“Coming here was their idea. Curtis is pissed but I will deal with that later.” He smiled back at you. 

“You flew all the way over here just to be with me for Christmas?”

“Baby, I would fly across the world to be with you on a random Tuesday.” He smiled. 

You moved back a little so you could fully see him, the cold was making the tip of his nose a little red and snow was starting to collect in his hair. “How did you even know how to get here?”

“Joel.” Eddie shrugged a little. 

Shaking your head you laugh a little as you pull him back in for a kiss. Mumbling an ‘I love you’ against his lips. 

“I love you too.” He smiled and kissed you a few more times. 

A few wolf whistles and catcalls got your attention and when you both looked towards the front door you laughed as your entire family was standing there watching you, heat flaring in your cheeks as you buried your face into Eddie’s chest. Jack looked particularly shocked when he recognized Eddie. 

Laughing, your mom pushed his shoulder a little. “I told you he was famous!”

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