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steddielover · 7 months

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Tw contains swearing

No Shame In Running

Chapter 3

Flashback

Standing in line at the fair Steve tapped his foot, holding his wallet in one hand and a drink in the other he looked around. It had been his first time at a fair in years, not paying attention to much of his surroundings he smiled as he went on the demon tower. It was his first time going on it, sighing slightly nervous he looked to the ground. This wasn’t something he was used to. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to a fair, tugging at his black jeans and white shirt he pulled his sunglasses out of his pocket. Making his way up to the ride he waited on the step, standing awkwardly for his turn. There were too many people for Steve to back out of it and turn around now, going through with it he sat down on the contraption hoping not to plummet to his death.

“You alright? You’re looking kind of sick. No need to worry about it, it’s not too bad. Not like you’re going to fall to your death or anything.”

Hearing laughter Steve smiled somewhat, closing his eyes he tried to keep calm.

“Thanks, that’s just what I wanted and needed to hear. I’m Steve.”

Not wanting to intrude he opened his eyes once more, turning to look towards the voice he’d heard. Steve couldn’t help but like what he saw, long hair and a leather jacket with a hellfire club shirt on and black jeans with a chain belt. He couldn’t tell too much though of what he saw because it was allot to take in.

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Eddie. Eddie Munson.”

Extending his hand Steve nodded, he wasn’t sure what it was about this mysterious guy. The wait of the ride lifting into the air and dropping felt like an eternity, he wasn’t even sure if it was going yet. Feeling different with Eddie, it had just been the one encounter so far. But he made him feel some kind of way.

Feeling the wind on his face Steve looked out over the high rise of the ride. He felt safe with Eddie.

“I’ve never really done this before, I mean sure I’ve come to the fair. But it’s been years.”

Not realizing what had happened Steve felt another hand in his, he didn’t know when or who had grabbed onto the others hand. Blushing somewhat at their hands he tried to play it cool.

“It’s not every day I get to meet new people, so I understand. You’re safe with me though Steve, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Feeling some kind of relief Steve wanted to spend more time with Eddie, he wanted to get to know him better.

“What’re you doing for the rest of the day? I mean maybe we can get to know each other a bit. Or I mean maybe some other day, whatever, it doesn’t matter.”

Shrugging somewhat Steve knew this wasn’t going how he’d planned it to go. He wasn’t sure why he was nervous around Eddie or why he was feeling butterflies in his stomach. He just wanted to make the best of their time together, not sure if Eddie was open to hanging out or not. His thoughts ran rampant in his mind.

“How about Friday, just the two of us. Maybe have a picnic and go to the movies? My treat.”

Thinking a moment Steve wondered why Eddie was the one offering to treat them when he was the one who’d asked. He wasn’t too worried about it though, Steve was just trying to make his way in life. He was trying to find his way in life, there was so much he needed to learn about himself.

“Um, yeah. Sure, thanks. Funny how I’m the one who asked you out, yet here you are wanting to treat us.”

He knew he needed to find a job and fast, he was already looking. Keeping it on the down low Steve wondered what was going through Eddie’s mind, He didn’t anyone hearing them talking about going on a date. He could only imagine what they’d think of him, Steve didn’t want to be looked down upon. He was just happy knowing he got to spend some time with Eddie.

“It’s not a big deal at all. I don’t mind, we could start out by hanging out here. I mean that is if you want to.”

Not knowing the right thing to say Steve just nodded. He was content knowing they were together for the moment, looking around he tried to find something that piqued his interest, Steve couldn’t think of much to do. Wondering what would happen he hoped it would be fun for the both of them.

Shit Steve, get it together. You’re making a fool out of yourself in front of Eddie. Keep cool and collected, just have fun. Don’t let your nerves get in the way of things.

“Of course, is there anything you wanted to do in particular? I mean there’s allot of rides or food, it’s up to you.”

Finding the zero gravity ride Steve waited in line, it was one of his favorites. Not really knowing what to talk about with Eddie he wondered what it was, nothing was the same. Steve was growing up and people came and went in life, hoping Eddie wasn’t one of the people who left he couldn’t help getting the thought out of his mind.

“You sure do like the thrill, thanks again for everything. It’s been nice not having to be alone for the day, I’ve actually got someone to look forward to seeing.”

Standing against Steve’s car he didn’t want to say goodbye to Eddie, he’d had allot of fun. The most fun he’d had in a while, he didn’t want the night to end. They still had allot to get to know about eachother, but he wasn’t complaining. They still had time.

“I look forward to seeing you again soon. I don’t want tonight to end.”

Looking Eddie in the eye, Steve stood on his tippy toes. Tucked away from prying eyes he leaned in and kissed him.

——————————

Steve finished getting ready for his first official date with Eddie. Looking at the huge tiger he’d gotten from the fair he hoped he wasn’t overthinking too much. Fixing up his hair he made his way to the car, wearing a Joan Jett shirt with a jacket to keep warm he hoped there wasn’t anything to worry about.

This is going to be fun, we’ve already had a date once before. There wasn’t much to it and we made it through the night, had our first kiss. It’s just a picnic and the movies. We’ve got this. Nothing or no one can ruin our night together.

Pulling out of the driveway Steve made his way to lovers lake. Making sure he kept his eyes on the road he listened to some music, it wasn’t every day that he had a date. Let alone with someone he had only just met, Steve felt as if it was fate though that brought them together. He wasn’t used to this. Rolling down the window he tried to keep his nerves at bay, Steve wasn’t usually this nervous when it came to dates and people.

Finding a parking spot Steve turned off the car and closed the door behind him. Walking in the direction of the picnic blanket Steve smiled as he saw Eddie getting everything ready for them.

“Hey you, you made it.”

Waving to Eddie, Steve sauntered over to him. Feeling good that they were just two friends having a picnic together, at least he hoped it looked like that to the public eye.

“Of course I did, I wouldn’t miss it for a minute. I’ve been looking forward to this since the fair Steve, why wouldn’t I come? I’m not the kind of person to stand someone up, I mean unless there was a problem.”

Steve looked down at Eddie on the ground, sitting down as well he took everything in around them. Listening to Eddie speak calmed Steve’s anxiety, he looked forward to this date they’d planned. Well more like Eddie had planned, it was a bit of a surprise for Steve.

“What movie were we going to see? You haven’t told me that yet. Unless that’s a surprise too.”

Not knowing what all Eddie had planned up his sleeve he didn’t mind. Steve wasn’t used to being this spontaneous anymore, just getting to spend time with Eddie was what he wanted and needed. Everything had changed the day Eddie set foot in Steve’s life, he hadn’t been this happy since he’d been with Nancy.

“Do you really want to know Steve? I figured I at least keep that much a surprise, but if you must know, I was thinking top gun. I hope you like tuna fish sandwhiches, because that’s what we’ve got today. I wasn’t sure what you’d want.”

Looking at the sky above, Steve listened. Taking bites of his sandwhich and talking with Eddie, he was happy knowing they got the time together. He only wanted Eddie happy, Steve looked forward to spending time with him and getting to know him.

“That sounds great, anything to make you happy.”

Steve slipped his hand closer to Eddie’s, hoping he wasn’t reading too much into it. There was something there between them, the electricity and connection they had was something Steve hadn’t felt in years.

“What’re you thinking Steve? You’re hard to read.”

Looking to Eddie, Steve leaned in closer to him. Not knowing how to tell him, the heat rose, there was so much to this complexity of a man.

“You, I don’t know. I’ve not felt this way in years, first love. But it’s different with you.”

Whispering in Eddie’s ear Steve felt a shiver emanate from the both of them. Knowing this may look weird to passerby’s he didn’t mind, it wasn’t anything to him. After eating and walking around the lake a bit they made their way to the movies.

Leaving together in Eddie’s car Steve couldn’t help but feel some kind of way. Not knowing how long they’d have together for the night he wasn’t too worried, Steve wanted to make the best of their time and wanted to have fun. He didn’t want to have to think too much, sometimes it was harder not to think.

“Two tickets for top gun please. You go find our seat, I’ll be right in.”

Steve didn’t want to leave Eddie’s side, not at that moment. Standing there for a moment he read Eddie’s look as a command, making his way into the theater he picked the row closest to the top. Not realizing who was there he sat down and waited, he hadn’t seen Billy or Tommy behind him.

Steve hadn’t told Eddie about them, he didn’t want him to know that king Steve was the one being bullied now. The tides had changed, Steve had his moments and could still be a dick, but he was trying to change. Eddie didn’t know about that side of Steve, he hoped he wouldn’t ever find out about it.

“Got some popcorn and candy, wasn’t sure what you’d want. But I hope you like twizzlers and cookie dough bites, I also got us a cherry coke. Hope you don’t mind.”

Looking to Eddie as Steve turned his head from the trailers he smiled. This wasn’t something he got to do too often, he did have some money and would do anything he could to get more. He wasn’t sure if Eddie was as well off as he was or not but he didn’t want to always have Eddie pay for everything.

“Thank you, you’re the best. Thank you for making it better, for being that light in the darkness. I know, it’s cheesy. But it does mean allot to me.”

Feeling little kernels of popcorn and candy being thrown at the back of his head Steve turned around in his seat. Listening to the loud talk of Billy and Tommy just pissed him off. Knowing this would end up being trouble Steve wanted to leave and get away from them. He wasn’t looking forward to this.

“I didn’t know Stevie boy was into other guys. Fucking queer if you ask me, but it’s whatever. Glad we’re not friends anymore, never did like you much anyways.”

Trying to hear the trailers and listen to Eddie Steve couldn’t, something bubbles inside of him. He knew it wasn’t worth it trying to fight with Tommy and Billy, he’d only ever won once. They could take him down easily if they really wanted to.

“Steve, don’t listen to them. It’s fine, you don’t need to let them get to you. Just stay calm. I’m right here.”

Feeling a squeeze in his hand Steve knew Eddie was trying to tether him down to earth. Sometimes it was too much for him, even then. But he was happy knowing he did have some sort of light at the end of the tunnel.

“Fuck you guys, leave us the hell alone. Can’t you see I’m just minding my own damn business.”

Kissing Eddie on the cheek Steve tried to keep his attention on the screen, this wasn’t going as planned. His day had gone from great to bad, he knew he shouldn’t let it get to him. But it was easier said than done.

“You never had friends anyways Harrington. People just pretended to be your friend, they never liked you. King Steve, always getting what he wants. Well those days are over, what’re you doing with a freak like him anyways, I thought you were better off with Nancy. The slut with a heart of gold.”

Flushing at the words he was hearing Steve buried his head in Eddie’s shoulder. He didn’t know what to do anymore, he hated this for them. Not wanting to make a scene he was thankful knowing there were witnesses there, in case anything did happen.

“You’ve got no right bringing any of this up, you’re trying to ruin my night. I’m not going to stand for this.”

Clenching his hands together Steve wanted to just get out of there. He didn’t want to fight, he just wanted to leave. He wasn’t having fun knowing they were there.

“What’re you going to do about it? You can’t do shit. I wouldn’t want to be seen with either of you guys.”

I’m sorry it’s taken me a few days to get this chapter out. I’ve been trying, hope you guys enjoy. I’m really proud of where this is going and how it’s turning out. Comments/questions and suggestions are welcome. Anything to help me make it better :)

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blitzy-arts · 2 years

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AU where Henry is a Good Boy™, and still loves spiders, so he becomes an entomologist.🕷🦋🪲

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marya-blackbone · 1 year

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Been thinking about what might have happened if Brenner had terminated One/Henry/Vecna when he had the chance.

So, Brenner wouldn't have had Eleven searching the darkness, which means the gate from S1 wouldn't have opened, and Eleven wouldn't have escaped. The other numbers would've survived, and basically his whole program would've been a success.

Flash forward to the 90s and you have Eleven and the other Numbers as a frankly terrifying unit of remote assassins. I'm not imaginative or smart enough to get into the geopolitical implications of America having that kind of power in their back pocket, so instead I wanted to see how many members of the original cast I could realistically incorporate into this AU.

So the first person I actually thought of was Suzie because she’s a genius, and I could totally see her joining the team at Hawkins Lab, or at least being smart enough to get their attention and a job offer (though I suspect when she finds out the nature of the project, she might not be so on board). Then I thought she and Dustin could be a science power couple. Like, the Hendersons has a good ring, no?

Equally, you could have any of the members of the AV club as technicians of some description, but I don’t have any specific thoughts for the rest of the Party.

Steve is my favourite character, so naturally, I had to find a place for him somewhere. I'm thinking security guard, maybe? He’s too soft to be a handler or anything, and I don’t think he could condone the program, so either he just started out, or he guards the front door, completely oblivious to what goes on inside.

Then because I didn't want my AU to separate Steve and Robin, and also because she would actually fit in pretty well, Robin would have a job decoding and translating any messages the Numbers intercept. Probably isn’t even aware of how the intelligence has been acquired for the same reason I gave for Steve.

I can’t in good conscience leave out Eddie, so he’d be the most metal janitor ever.

Let me know if you agree/disagree with my role assignments or have any other ideas.

#stranger things #dr brenner #vecna #eleven #the numbers #suzie bingham #dustin henderson #steve harrington #robin buckley #eddie munson #hawkins lab #alternate universe #most metal janitor ever

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im-really-confused121 · 2 years

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My favourite brand of authors notes on ao3 is on stranger things fics, before and after the author watched volume 2 of season 4

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hermitcreep · 2 years

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[NSFW] The Devil Coming Inside - Chapter 2 - FULL CHAPTER AFTER THE JU

Pairing: Eddie Munson/Pastor!Henry Creel

Summary: Since the events of the first service Eddie's started having crazy dreams. Could this be Pastor Creel's doing? The only truth that Eddie knew was that something was going on around Hawkins and he would bet anything that the creepy pastor was behind it all.

Word Count: 6,274

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CHAPTER 2: LEVITICUS

"The First Disciple will bear the Censer, the Perfumes and the Spices."* --Prostrate before his Master.

Imbued with the calamity of his ancestors man does not inherently know what is best for him. The heavy hand of the Master is intended to intrinsically lead man toward a desired fate--a fate that he will be manipulated into thinking is of his own creation, though it lay written in the lines etched into the palm of his Master. The Disciple is to the Master what the ache of sin is to man. The ability to move forward, the strength in conviction of that rising number. The tightness of groin and loss of breath enough to propel the Disciple into the ever comforting hands of his Master.

His master quenches his thirst and infects his body, offering him his blood in the form of the sweetest of wines. Partaking of his holy communion will allow a bond stronger than the blood itself, the Disciple taking his Master with them--throughout his dragging days and fitful nights.

The Disciple does exactly fear his Master, however that fear is but kindling for a greater love--one that can twist the heart and bring brilliance to fruition. Dark motive in the guise of unconditional love, frothing lion in the guise of docile sheep, perverse letch in the guise of righteous man, cunning devil in the guise of unassuming preacher.

Man does not fear the dog as he believes it to be domesticated, but with the skin of that dog pulled tight over the wired hair and dripping maw of a rabid wolf, man believes he is safe in its malevolent presence--and he couldn't be more wrong.

***** 19 Days Later, 6 Sermons Conducted ***** "Vayikra..."

"Ha--ah...Nn...S-sacrifice...Hnn...Ha--ha. Offering...flesh. A-ah, uhhnn....ha."

A single light born from darkness, illuminating a podium on which sat a bible. A hand reached from pitch black, cracking open the dusty book with a deafening sound. A fingertip parted the pages, spreading open bible verses, tracing the slit of the binding--the book and fingers recognizable; familiar. Beneath the finger red would pool, dripping from it and into a silver cup, filling it. As the deep red met the surface tension caused by its circular rim, it would force over, spilling down the sides.

Gasping. Jerking. Pulsing. Awake. Damp.

Dreams had been plaguing the messy haired youth for nearly three weeks, causing him upset and unrest like he had never felt. He was reminded of a strain of marijuana that made him more fidgety and a bit paranoid, one he had long since stopped smoking, but this was like that on steroids. Eddie awoke nightly with a start, sweating, his underwear often dampened. What the hell did all of this mean? Memories of the dreams had also gotten to him, flashing across his mind's eye as he tried to go about his normal days. He had begun to feel hopeless. Usually he remembered little to nothing of his dreams, but these were vivid--and they effected him more than he cared to admit.

The eucharist, hands all over his flesh, intangible bodies entwining, the dripping of blood and a sacrament. Why?

That communion had done a number on him--one that could not easily be undone.

Getting out of bed in the mornings had proven more difficult as time went on, Eddie finding himself fatigued by the dreams that riddled his sleeping mind. But he had to get up--he had school. As much as he would like to ditch and spend the day smoking to rid himself of the incessant thoughts of bible verses and raven colored hats, Eddie had to go, already having been reprimanded for missing far too many days as it were. On the bright side, it was Friday and that meant the weekend would soothe him soon enough. Eddie needed peace-- honestly, he felt like he was slowly losing his mind.

Dressed and sifting through the dingy cabinets of the trailer's modest kitchen area, Eddie tapped his ringed fingers upon the paneled wood frantically. His sporadic thoughts and inability to sit still had been much worse since he attended that church service and he felt absurd attributing it to that--but what else could it be? He bit his lip as he snatched a granola bar from the back, assuming the thing was probably stale and had passed expiry. Forcing himself to eat it, having lost his appetite long ago, Eddie headed for the door grabbing his keys along the way.

The school day started like any other, Eddie taking to roughhousing playfully with Dustin in lieu of breakfast, picking the boy up and hugging him tight. Mike looked on, holding his books and grinning at how the two played around. Their collective laughter made others stare, but Eddie didn't mind, just happy to be so close to them. His fun was short lived though as the bell brought them to class, which meant several distracted moments of staring out the window while the teacher spewed useless knowledge at them. Normally, the male would find himself focused on a bird or the passing student, but this time he focused on a large-trunked tree. One he was sure he hadn't noticed before.

The tree reached its fingertips to the sky with not a leaf among the branches, its roots doing the same, breaking the ground around it. Eddie tipped his head, wide doe eyes staring, endlessly focused as he ignored the urge to imagine faces in the knots and veins of the bark. The great tree seemed to loom, something about it causing Eddie to feel rather troubled, though he couldn't manage to look away. His eyes then observed a hand manifest on the bark, the fingers longer than that of an average human. Eddie's brows wrinkled as those fingers touched along the shape of the bark, the appendage the only thing in view.

Just as the hand gave way to an arm, a loud thud would break Eddie's focus as a book was dropped onto his desk. Flinching hard and snapping his vision forward, he would find the object that caused the noise--that thick, dusty old bible. The same one from his dreams. The one from Pastor Creel's hand. Mouth opening wide, Eddie felt his bones shake. Looking up, he saw nothing but darkness.

"WHAT THE FUCK--"

Hands shoved the bible from his desk and Eddie nearly flung himself from it, the blackness of the room breaking into normalcy, a scene of classmates staring and a teacher in confusion and disbelief. He must have dozed off. "Edward. Are you alright? That was quite the outburst." The teacher's calm voice came, though the murmurings of "freak" and "what a fucking weirdo" danced around him, falling from the lips of his peers. Eddie cleared his throat, swallowing back his fear as he shakily settled in his seat. Class continued, but Eddie didn't dare look out the window again, feeling as if the pastor was right on the other side of that glass, staring right at him with a dripping grin.

The moment that the school day was over, Eddie ran from the building without so much as a word to anyone. He didn't even wait after to say bye to the boys, which was uncharacteristic for the metalhead as they were pretty much his only friends. Hopping in his van, the engine would rumble and he would take off, dust in his wake as he sped out of the parking lot. His hands gripped the wheel and he didn't so much as look to his radio, riding in silence, eyes direct and jaw tensed.

---

The van came to a stop and found its engine silenced, though it would not be at home. Eddie's grip on the wheel only tightened, making a soft sound as he moved his fists back and forth in contemplation. "What the hell am I doing?" He asked himself, kicking the floorboard as he raised his head and his eyes came to rest on the facade of the church, the beckoning of the porch-light sickening him. "What am I doing here, man?" Eddie couldn't believe he had come here and he was unsure of what he thought he could accomplish in this accursed place--all he knew is that the pastor had done something to him and now his dreams were fucked up and he barely got any actual rest from sleep anymore.

"Come on. Come on, man. Come on. You can do this. He's just a guy. Come on. Fuck. FUCK."

The walk to the arched doorway of the church was a blur and when Eddie rapped upon it he felt immediate dismay and regret. Only a moment passed before the doors were opened; and Eddie felt his heart drop into his stomach as his eyes met those of a wolf. There he was. Henry didn't immediately greet Eddie though, turning his back to the male to stride towards the podium, turning back as he came close to it.

"Edward. Hello. How can I be of service?" Henry's words were even toned and controlled. There was something abnormally soft about the way he spoke, the sound seeming to blanket the area, touching you gently with intent.

"Stop." Eddie put up his hands in protest, the stitching and metal hanging from his jacket's sleeves moving this way and that in the air. "Just stop it, man." Eddie breathed out slowly, looking from Henry's feet to his face, "What did you do to me, huh? I can't get you out of my head since the other day." Eddie said outright, not wanting to beat around the bush. Maybe if he talked fast, he could get out of there even faster.

Henry might have chuckled, though the sound got stuck in his throat. Rolling his lip into his teeth, he would let his eyes examine Eddie's face, "Perhaps that is a sign from the Lord that you need me to guide you back toward the path of light. The path of--"

Eddie's face contorted, "Don't give me that. No. That's not it. I...I am having these dreams, man. They're fuc--" He was in a church. Regardless of how he felt, he wasn't a savage and understood respecting a space, "Ugh--they're messed up, okay?"

"Dreams." Henry began, knowing full well what was going on with the youth. It was his hands that had put them into Eddie's mind, after all. "Do these dreams tempt you toward sin...or toward the light?" Henry asked, moving from his spot towards the middle of the few stairs to the baptismal, standing where he had the Sunday Eddie had attended. Where he gave communion.

"Wha--" Eddie was confused as he watched Henry traverse the area, unsure of the man's motive or next move.

"Come, Edward. Kneel before me again. Allow my communion to fill you once more." He gestured at the stool, which had materialized before him from seemingly nowhere, "Come." Henry smiled, but it looked to Eddie to be the dripping maw of a hungry predator, beckoning prey to lay upon his tongue. It felt sick and made Eddie's skin crawl.

There was no way he was giving in to this. Slowly, Eddie would back out of the space, his eyes fixated on Henry. The man's expression didn't change, though he knew that Eddie was slipping out once again. His hands remained in a gesture towards the stool even as Eddie closed the doors to the place and bolted for his van, gone from the place once more.

What the actual fuck.

---

"Absolutely not, man." Eddie shook his head in disbelief, disturbing curled locks.

"Eddie, come on--" Wayne seemed slightly annoyed by the resistance that Eddie was giving him, his head tipped to the side and arms crossed. He couldn't understand why asking the boy to sacrifice a Sunday or two to attend church with him was such a big deal.

"No, I don't like that place." Eddie couldn't figure out why his uncle was so set on getting him back to that place. "I told you. One time and that's it." Eddie leaned against the counter in the kitchen, having put some distance between them when the man started talking about the church. "Why do you want me to go back?" Eddie asked. He knew Wayne didn't usually have this much conviction--had he been brainwashed?

It was true that Wayne wasn't one for religion, or believing in anything you couldn't see or touch for yourself; but something about Henry's sermons had really moved him. "Pastor Creel stopped me after the service today and asked me to bring you back. He thinks that God could do you a lot of good." Wayne nodded, putting himself between Eddie and the living area, a hand stabilizing itself on the dividing wall.

"I'm telling you I can't do it. I've got some shit going on and I--" Eddie shrugged, not really sure of how to explain what he felt. He couldn't just tell his uncle that he had been having nightmares about things related to the church and the pastor. That sounded insane.

"Eddie. I've never really had anything to believe in...and ever since you were young I felt guilty that I didn't do more for you. I could have really stood up for you, been like..." Wayne let out a breath, seeming very sincere and genuine in his words--Eddie could feel that. "Well, shit. I could have made sure you had something to give you faith in yourself, in life..."

"Uncle Wayne--" Eddie deflated, "Man, this isn't about that. Or you. It's just--"

"Just what? Just you're not Christian and going to church isn't 'cool'?" Wayne lifted both of his hands and stepped toward Eddie, gently touching his chest. "Come on. I need you to go back with me. It would...well, it would mean a lot." He patted the boy and Eddie broke.

"Fuck. Sorry. F--" How could he argue when the man may as well have literally been his father. He was so good to him when Eddie was nothing more than a nuisance. "Fine." Eddie had to face his fears for once. He breathed out through his nose and lifted his shoulders, hands in the air. "Fine, I'll go."

Wayne patted Eddie on the shoulder and nodded to him, giving a genuine smile, though it felt odd for Eddie to see. Nodding as well, Eddie pushed past Wayne with respect and headed for his room. He needed a smoke after that--it was going to be a long restless night.

---

The closing of that bible could have been heard across the quarry, awakening the banshee. Its pages met in whispers and Henry picked it up from its stand, holding it over his heart, heading toward the back of the church, to a red door just to the left of the baptismal. That door opened to a small hall with a second locked door at the end of it. A skeleton key, kept on a string around Henry's wrist, would be used to open it, the door allowing entrance to Henry's quarters. Entering, Henry would sit the bible upon a pedestal near the chair in which he sat in contemplation most evenings. Hat and sports coat pulled from him and placed in their appropriate hangings, Henry would move back toward the bible, opening it slowly. His eyes nearly glowed as they looked upon it, the verses revealed to him as they had been all those years ago.

"--Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.".”

The congregation were but pigs in the eyes of Henry--this had been the information given to him. They were but a means to an end. They must drown themselves in the absolving waters of time. Henry would shepherd them to their deaths, a slaughter that would bring about power to Legion once more, an undoing of expulsion. A damning of souls to bring rise to a true god--one that would need a vessel; one with the eyes of a newborn fawn and a smile that could damn the masses.

"--and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea."

Henry sensed that Eddie would return to him at the time of the next service and he was pleased. The mind of the disciple but an extension of the master, Henry could see all that Eddie did and understood it well. Moving to the side, away from the podium, Henry would pour himself a glass of whiskey, the crystal glass welcoming the slosh of liquid. Fingers running over the bottle, where the words "Black Velvet" were transcribed, he would return the cap and move the bottle back to its rightful place. Stepping toward his chair, Henry would sit, his legs spreading--one hand resting on his knee, the other holding the crystal glass opposingly.

Henry sipped the whiskey, running his empty hand up the shape of his thigh, fingertips grazing damnable places--Eddie felt his head spin.

---

Arms crossed and fidgeting, Eddie found himself sitting upon the same pew he had a few weeks prior, his toe tapping as he chewed on the interior of his cheek. The place was full, more so than it had been the last time Eddie attended, and the swell of the space had him feeling claustrophobic for the first time in his life. "I can't believe I'm back here." He said in a loud whisper, though Dustin seemed to be the only person that heard.

"Chill out, man. It's fine. It's just church." He offered and it didn't comfort Eddie in the slightest--he may have even felt more bothered by the coddling.

Henry stood before the people once again and Eddie felt like he could throw up. Every encounter he had with the man left him with a bad taste in his mouth. It was as if he saw things that the other people in the congregation didn't. They kissed the ground he walked upon and Eddie just didn't get it. There was something about the man, something he was hiding, and it made Eddie feel like he was covered in spiders, their thin legs upsetting every follicle of his skin.

"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. John 8:44."

The message nearly made Eddie laugh with how ridiculous it was. The man may as well have been talking about himself, because if there was anyone in that building that resembled the devil himself--it was Henry. Eddie was sure of that. He wasn't even sure he believed in the Christian devil, but by every definition of the word, Henry was it. The Devil.

Henry called for communion once more and there was absolutely no way that Eddie was going anywhere near it, though the congregation seemed to line up like little hungry birds, each with their mouths open to receive that nasty, metallic wine. Maybe it was the silver goblet, but the whole of the liquid tasted like iron. Eddie remained in his seat, thinking on this and the events of recent past, resigned to stay there until the close of the service. A yawn passed from him and he realized he needed sleep--a thought that was drowned out by the calamity of devotional whispering. It seemed to stretch on for hours.

When communion ended Eddie left the church without a word.

---

The Earth cracked open beneath the church, coal embers and smoke blooming amidst the thick smell of ash and sulphur. The squealing of pigs danced through the air, the scent of burning flesh an undertone to the very whipping of air as it surrounded Eddie. Staring at the church, he found himself wondering how he had not fallen into the fiery pit beneath him--how was he still standing on a pathless terrain?

Beckoned, the metalhead denounced reason and headed toward the church, finding comfort in the cool surface of the steps once his feet found them, guiding him through the doors at the front; upon which held the depiction of seals in what looked like blackened blood--their origin unknown to Eddie.

Inside, the church was cold and damp like a cellar, the sound of whispering filling the space, echoing as it bounced off of the walls. The pews were gone, the place nothing more than an endless black room with no furnishings and no congregation. The only thing being Henry in the center, that same accursed stool at his feet. He wore the same sickening smile, his hands gesturing as they had the day Eddie had confronted him.

Eddie couldn't stop his feet from moving. It was as if he had no control over his own body, which was forcing itself forward. He screamed behind the wall of his own mind, thrashed to stop what he knew was inevitable in that moment. Outwardly, there would be no sound. He was going to kneel. He was always going to kneel.

The moment Eddie's knees hit the floor, the room fell silent, no whispers to be heard. Looking up at Henry, the man's eyes were bright and his teeth sharp as they bore themselves at Eddie through a disgusting grin. Hands found Eddie's chin and lifted his head up, guiding his lips and mouth to open. Eyes slowly closing, Eddie would feel the liquid hit his tongue and he would swallow it with fervor, as if it were the only sustenance he could ever need.

A heat filled him and Eddie cried in shame behind closed lids as he found himself unable to stop the hungry suckling of that cup's rim. As it was taken from him, he licked his lips and opened his eyes, his bleary vision coming to focus on open palms, which held white cloth. As he reached for it, he heard the bone-chilling screams of the herd. They cried for help, begged to be saved from damnation. They could not breathe. They were drowning. His fingertips touched the fabric and he felt every emotion of the dying congregation, his eyes welling with tears. Upon the white fabric, the seal appeared again, this time surfacing in bloodstains which grew as if they were supplied from the wound itself.

"What is your name?"

Soiled fabric. Sobbing mother. Hanged father.

"Eddie Munson."

Tormented youth. Pained eyes of the fallen. Adversary.

"No longer."

Bleating. Squealing. Begging.

Come. Come.

--- ***** 14 Days Later, 8 Sermons Conducted *****

The dreams were getting worse. So much worse. Eddie had made himself stay up most nights, hoping that the less sleep he got, the less he would dream--but that tended to backfire. The lack of sleep made him irritable and caused his focus issues to magnify, making school that much more infuriating--but he had to go just to get out of the house. He needed something to keep him occupied.

Part of him wanted to go back to the church and confront Henry again--but the larger part of him wanted to run away.

It was Friday again, and this time he made sure to talk to Dustin and Mike at lunch. Maybe he needed advice or perhaps he thought that talking it out might shed some light on what was going on. It didn't matter--what mattered was that he had to figure something out or he was going to end up in a padded cell.

"Nightmares?" Dustin asked between bites of food, "That's why you're acting so weird?" He nodded, thinking on how the male had acted the last few weeks and the times he had seen him at church. Eddie was an oddball for sure, but lately more so.

"Yeah, you look like shit, dude. You should get some sleep." Mike added in, eyes on a small mountain of potatoes he had been crafting into a lopsided castle.

"Don't you think I would if I could?" Eddie said, tapping his hands on the table. He had barely touched his food and found it nauseating to think of eating in the first place, "I can't sleep because I'm afraid to dream...and then when I do dream, it's all fucked up, man, it's--" He ran a hand through the front of his hair, grazing his temples, at his wit's end, "It's just...messed up."

"I know you said they're bad, but like...are they scary?" Dustin asked, tipping his head in the older male's direction, imagining demons and ghouls.

"That's not it. They're..." Eddie gestured wildly, "Ugh. They're like religious, right?" He said, shifting a bit in his seat, moving his fingers around on the table, "And they have scary shit that happens in them, but its like...hidden in mystery. You know?"

"Yeah, that sounds really weird." Dustin and Mike said in tandem.

"--and they're also--" Eddie started, then stopped, shaking his head.

"Also what, dude?" Mike said, Dustin looking on curiously.

Eddie leaned forward slightly, whispering, "They're also wet dreams." He said, not wanting the entire cafeteria to hear what he was saying, though the other boys leaning in to listen did draw a bit of attention from the other tables--the bulk of them chocking it up to the boys just being weirdos.

Mike nearly choked, Dustin laughed. Mike gave a wiggle of his finger, "Wait. You mean you--"

"Yeah. Hard. Every time. It's like nothing I've ever experienced before." Eddie inhaled through his nose and leaned back, "And that makes it almost worse, you know?" He let his head fall slightly toward his right shoulder, "Like...why does it happen?"

"I don't know, man...that's kind of--" Mike shook his head and paused.

"Fucked up? Yeah." Eddie added, chewing his cheek a bit in contemplation. What the fuck was he going to do?

Classes after lunch drug on and after a while, Eddie began to feel as if he was currently in a dream state, walking about in a blurred haze. The talking of other students seemed to drown itself out into a dense hum, breaking into the tolling of a grandfather clock. He heard it in the hallway before first bell, and again between his last two classes. There weren't any clocks in the school that he knew of.

During his last class he nearly fell asleep, but kicked himself awake at the last moment. Every meeting of his lashes had him afraid that he was going to drift away--that he would find himself in that same hell-scape, running from himself and the inevitable entwining with Pastor Creel as he had so many nights previous. When the bell tolled, he was thankful, and headed toward the exterior of the school and to his van.

"Eddie, wait up." Dustin called from a ways away, waving the older male down before rushing over to him.

Eddie gestured to his van, "Oh, hey man. I gotta go, I--"

"Yeah, whatever, man." Dustin removed a hand from the strap of his backpack to wave off whatever Eddie was about to say, "I was thinking you should go talk to Pastor Creel again."

Eddie was shocked and he wrinkled his brows, shaking his head, "No. I don't think that's the ri--"

"Listen. He's a man of god or whatever, so maybe if you tell him what's going on with you, he will have an answer." Dustin said as if it should have been the most obvious answer. He didn't understand that Eddie had already tried that and it had failed miserably.

The older male reeled, unsure, "I don't know if--"

"Hey." Dustin started, leaning over to touch Eddie's arm, "Just give it a shot." It was obvious that Dustin thought that Eddie was overreacting, and there was something in the touch of his arm that made Eddie feel like maybe the younger boy was right. This was all so ridiculous. After all, what had Pastor Creel done to personally cause Eddie distress? --Other than insisting he take communion.

Maybe he wanted to save Eddie's soul.

Right? Right. Riiiiiiiiight.

---

It was not until the squeak of his brakes and shift into park signaled his arrival that Eddie even realized he had driven to the church. Punching the steering wheel, he cursed himself for being here again, sure it would just end as it had the other times he had come into contact with the pastor and this place--Eddie would just run away. "Fuck."

Kicking up dirt as he walked to the stairs of the church's front before taking them in stride, he would find the doors open, welcoming him into the sanctuary. The sunset caused an orange and pink light to be cast upon the place, the color bleeding up the step and across the first few pews, covering them. Eddie pushed his fists into his jacket pockets as he entered, eyes falling upon Henry after a moment--the man leaning down to test the water of the baptismal, just having finished dusting.

"Hey!" Eddie shouted at Henry, breaking the silence. It was not that he sounded particularly annoyed or angry, but that his fear and insecurity pushed him to overact.

"Yes. Hello again, Edward." Henry moved to stand, stepping down the few stairs, closing the space between them a bit, "Come to accuse me of getting inside your head again?" His hand rested atop his chest, the white of his top stretching over that lithe form, eyes direct.

"Shutup." Eddie waved a hand, "Look, I'm having nightmares. Is there anything in your book there about why--or how I can get rid of them?" He pointed at the bible and Henry smirked.

"Nightmares? Hm. Sounds like a guilty conscience." Henry moved his tongue along his teeth and Eddie shivered.

Clearing his throat, Eddie shifted on his heels, "No, I--"

"You know, dreams come to us as metaphors...or things with a deeper meaning." Henry began, taking a few steps closer to Eddie. His head tipped, blonde locks shifting against high cheekbones.

"What deeper meaning could there be to communion and squealing pigs?" He asked, not feeling confident enough to look Henry in the eyes, so he settled for the bridge of the man's nose.

"All that acts as a pig should be slaughtered as one." Henry whispered.

Eddie wrinkled his brows, "What?"

"Nothing." Henry shrugged it off. "Perhaps the things you speak of are...representative of yourself in that...you have something to confess. To give witness."

"I don't know what that means." Eddie said, a hand rubbing at his neck. Suddenly he felt very hot.

"It means you need to give up your sins and suffering. Confess them and be absolved in the eyes of the lord." Henry explained, gesturing behind him.

"Yeah, I'm not really--" Eddie said, stepping back.

"Come." Henry said, closing the gap further, walking Eddie back toward a pew.

"No, really." Eddie protested, feeling a sudden tightness in his abdomen, a chattering of damnation in his groin. Why?

"Come." Henry repeated, now fully close to Eddie, the young male having bumped into the pew.

"Okay. Okay." Eddie said with a shaky breath. It couldn't be worse than this.

Henry seemed endlessly pleased and turned on his heel, leading Eddie back toward the baptismal. Eddie felt the same tenseness in his skull as he had in the last dream he'd had, as if he was screaming behind his eyes to stop, to leave. He felt though, in that moment, if he had rushed out, Henry might have chased him down; something so much more predatory in the man during this meeting. Circumventing the baptismal, he took Eddie through the door on the right of it; Henry having used the same skeleton key at his wrist to unlock it.

Inside, the room was dark, the only light centered on a large confessional box in the center of the room. It was a dark wood, with two doors on the front, the one on the right for the priest and the left for the sinner. Eddie immediately recognized what the box was, but he thought it out of place. Weren't those boxes inherently catholic? Shaking his head, he felt a sudden fear like that of stage-fright. Surely Henry didn't expect him to confess or something.

The two sides of the box were presumably identical, though Henry approached the sinner's side and opened it for Eddie. Therein there was a small bench topped with a velvet cushion, a light bulb in the ceiling of it that illuminated the small space, and not much else, save the partition with the metal mesh door through which the priest could see, hear and absolve the sinner. Eddie approached and took a step in curiously, entering the space fully after a moment. The closing click of the door had Eddie turn and he would find himself face to face with Henry who had entered after him.

Why hadn't he gotten in the other side? He was so close to him. Not a breath had room to pass between them.

"Pastor Creel, I--"

The crashing of their lips silenced Eddie and he struggled against the man who put his weight against him. Eddie put his hands up against Henry, who drug his lips from Eddie's to the male's jaw and neck, the whole of it causing Eddie to tip his head back and moan raggedly. What the fuck was happening? Eddie was sure he was more confused now than he had ever been.

Stone. Pulsing.

Henry's hands explored Eddie's front and stole the very breath from his lips, finding the object of their desire already needy and aching. Sneering, Henry pulled slightly back, admiring the shape with long, dexterous digits. Eddie's head fell to the side as he breathed hot and ragged. His eyes focused on the partition and he swore he saw a silhouette, though it must have been his restless mind playing tricks on him.

Sharp claws at the opposite side of the partition. An almost skeletal face. Undulating veins and tendrils.

A low hiss. The toll of a grandfather clock.

Leaning forward once more, Henry would kiss down Eddie's front, paying attention to the way that the male arched and shifted under him. Eddie was no longer struggling, the pleasure in his mind ebbing away the fear, covering it over. Working the handcuff buckle of that belt open, Henry made fast work of a zipper, pushing down blue patterned boxers to bring forth the heated, curved girth that pulsed proudly against the open air.

Each of Eddie's heartbeats struck the center of that cock, causing it to bob feverously, engorged and alluring. This is what nations fell for--what they killed their kin and raped their lands for. Henry salivated at the sight and reached into his pocket, bringing forth a small bottle with a cross etched into the side. Eddie watched as Henry opened the spouted bottle and drenched that cock in holy water, whispering all the while.

Cock bathed in absolution, it gave hefty, thick twitches, and found home in the palm of the pastor's hand. Henry stroked that aching spire, lips touching the tip softly, whispering verse after verse against the weeping cockhead. Eddie arched over Henry, his hand gripping blonde hair, ringed fingers tight, the light catching the pig's head on his knuckle. His head tipped back and he fought the urge to thrust into that hand.

The sounds that drew from Eddie were not an angel's chorus, but a demon's symphony. Henry stroked faster and Eddie's head tipped further. His eyes tightly shut as he felt himself climbing the mounting pleasure, his cup filling to the brim. Unseen to Eddie, steam surfaced from the flesh that worked over that cock, causing a heated friction that only spurred the younger male further.

Above Eddie, the light begins to brighten, pulsing in tandem. Henry breathed damnation onto the tip of that cock, causing Eddie to groan louder, his pleasure twisting tightly until it would break, a storm of sound signaling his arrival. He came undone with vicious force, his eyes snapping open, their color gone, nothing but a white void in their place--connected with the light above him. Blackened veins briefly danced over his tensed jaw before disappearing back beneath his flesh. The guttural noise that left Eddie only culminated in the splatter of sinful cum that coated Henry's lips and hand.

He has come.

"Legion, for we are many." Henry whispered against that waning girth as he licked the fluid from it.

Several blinks brought the color back to Eddie's eyes and he suddenly felt ill. This was worse than any dream he'd had and he felt as if his heart might burst. Filthy. Vile. What was happening to him? Struggling to get free from Henry, he managed to shove past him, nearly tripping on his pants as he stumbled out of the confessional. He pulled his pants up along the way, though his belt was still undone even as he left the room.

Gasping for air, Eddie burst into the night, breaking free of the place. Henry wouldn't hear the van from where he was, but he would sense that Eddie had gone.

Having moved to the seat of the confessional, Henry leaned back against the wall of it, wiping his lips idly. Inhaling, he would revel in his own aching, dragging his eyes to the light above him. Lips spreading into a devious grin, the light would vibrate with energy--growing brighter and brighter until it was snubbed, as if it was blown.

The room was black now--the tolling of a clock filling the pregnant darkness with dense sound.

[End of Chapter 2]

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depressedstressedlemonzest · 2 years

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Chrissy Wake Up

Chapter 1: Do You Ever Feel Like You're Losing Your Mind?

There were more nightmares plaguing Chrissy as she dozed off at the picnic table waiting for Eddie Munson. Several things were wrong with that sentence, she didn't go into the woods, to the rickety old picnic table, that was where the druggies would hang out. And Eddie Munson, the school freak, who had looked at the scrap of paper tossed at him with confusion before pocketing it and finding her eyes in the cafeteria and nodding.

She needed help, she needed sleep. And she had tried everything, the school counselor didn't help, her mother certainly didn't help, she couldn't tell her friends because they wouldn't understand. Hell Jason wouldn't understand either. He would only make it worse with his concerns.

Eddie was, someone nondescript. Well, not entirely, he was Eddie Munson, school freak, the metalhead that was part of the satanic club. The drug dealer, the repeat senior. But he had stuff that could help her sleep. And that was all she wanted, was sleep.

As she had waited for him at the picnic table she was on edge, she was in an unfamiliar place after all, doing unfamiliar things. But though she was on edge, she cupped her cheek against her hand, and her eyes felt heavy.

*** Eddie was precarious as he headed to his spot in the woods. He would come here when he needed a break from the quiet, from the boisterous noises of his classmates, from the jocks, hell from even his friends sometimes. Not that he didn't like his friends, hell he loved them, but there were times when they were overstimulating and he needed a place to calm himself down. Those were the times he would come into the woods, slide onto the seat of the picnic table, and just decompress. Sometimes he's read, sometimes he'd write, work on a new campaign, and sometimes he'd smoke, even more than a cigarette.

But at lunch today when a paper wad had landed in his lap instead of just tossing it he saw who had dropped it, Chrissy Cunningham, and he knew that there wasn't malice to it, so he had unfolded it. It was a request for some marijuana, a meetup in the woods. And it was written in a fucking pink glitter gel pen.

He would have thought it was a joke, almost laughed at it, but he glanced up catching Chrissy's eye, and she had looked... off. Her normally bright blue eyes looked haunted, dark circles under them, her hair wasn't as shiny, she looked like a wreck. He ran his tongue over his lower lip and nodded.

From what he remembered of Chrissy, when they had rehearsed for that talent show in middle school together, she was kind, she had helped him with stage makeup when he had broken his mirror, she had cheered when Corroded Coffin had finished. Even around school now she was never cruel to him, her friends were, her boyfriend was, but she wasn't.

Read more HERE

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pearlypairings · 1 year

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Coffee & Contemplation

A Twin Peaks and Stranger Things 4 Crossover

Summary: Still early in his career in 1986, Special Agent Dale Cooper rushes to the aid of small town Hawkins, Indiana in the midst of a gruesome serial murder investigation. He learns quickly it won't be easy to win over the stubborn Chief Hopper or uncover the town's hidden secrets.

Warnings: Canon typical violence, mentions of alcohol/drugs/crime

Additional Tags: Weird cop-Grumpy cop routine, unlikely duos, pre-Twin Peaks crimes, Hopper never went to Russia AU, Canon divergent for sure, tag as I go with the plot here

Check out the first chapter:

Ao3 link: coffee and contemplation

#and a twin peaks crossover #stranger things fanfiction #murder mystery #dale cooper #chief jim hopper #unlikely friends #twin peaks #alternate universe #detective work #Let's solve the mystery of Vecna gang #stranger things fandom #Coffee buddies

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unfuncutioning-gay · 2 years

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002 wasn't sure what had happened exactly Peter had come in looking angrier than usual and then everyone was dead. Now he was pushed against the wall dying. Then 011 ran in looking shocked and scared he knew that Peter realized she was there.

Suddenly all of the bullying seemed stupid and he regretted it. He was the oldest wasn’t it his job to protect and help his sibling he should’ve been helping her. It was to late now and he wanted to tell her to run but he couldn’t find the strength and then Peter was pushed away. Through blurry vision he saw 011 wipe her nose. He struggled to stay awake to get up to help 011 but he couldn’t.

Peter stood talking to 011 as he tried to convince her to join him.

“Tricked me.” 011 said.

“Tricked you no I saved you.” Peter replied darkly.

“We can reshape the world remake it however we see fit. Join me.” Peter told 011.

“No.” 011 shoved Peter into the mirror.

He could see them fighting as he fought to stay conscious still straining to get up.

011 was pushed into the door and dragged across the floor as she screamed. Before Peter dragged her up as she screamed legs kicking wildly. He could see her bones begin to break and then something changed her head lowered and Peter looked concerned. She shoved him through the glass as she dropped to the ground one knee bent. As she breathed before lowering her head begin to walk towards him as he struggled against the wall. She raised her arm he begin to dissolve as 011 screamed before he vanished.

should I make them both stay in the lab or should Papa think 002 is dead and him find eleven when she escapes? If I do that should I make it someone who is already a character or make an oc.? Also should I make someone else live like 010 and should that be an OC or not?

#stranger things #002 stranger things #011 stranger things #st 001 #vecna stranger things #henry creel #peter ballard #jane hopper #papa stranger things #martin brenner #alternate universe #010 stranger thing

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hellcheerficdatabase · 3 months

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safe and warm in your coat of arms

Author: @medusasfinalgirl

Rating/Warning: Teen and up audience, referenced ED

Chapter Count: 1/1

Description:

Chrissy and Eddie go thrift shopping.

Tags: Alternate universe- no vecna, I think, tooth-rotting fluff, fluff, established relationship, clothing shopping, Chrissy needs a hug, Chrissy POV, one-shot, status: completed

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p1ercedv1nylonao3 · 2 years

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TRIFECTA

(Summary + Disclaimer)

"So let me get this straight?

Your whole entire family has powers and..

you think you can help us find Will?"

- m.w

The tale of how an orderly becomes a father figure for three unique children and how the disappearance of Will Byers forces two vastly different groups of people to work together to find him.

ib::

@medium-rare-bimbo

@SerialKillerQueen on ao3

NO REPOSTS

Disclaimer :: I am reuploading this from wattpad (I'm the original author) so if there's any spelling mistakes just bare with me. I haven't written (outside of school) since before the pandemic started so I'm sorry if this is shitty. Also I don't have a real writing schedule since school has started so just be prepared for random updates.

#murray stranger things #mike wheeler #lucas sinclair #eddie stranger things #eddie munson #eleven #jane hopper #twelve #ten #001 stranger things #vecna #vecna/henry/one #alternate universe #max mayfield #dustin henderson #will byers #not beta'd

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steddielover · 7 months

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This is a fanfic of mine I’ve been wanting to get out for ages. Not sure if or how well it’ll turn out. It’s an au for stranger things 4 taking events after the upside down invades Hawkins. It contains swearing and some tough subjects like suicide attempts/self harm and language.

No Shame In Running

Prologue

Rain splattered all around, soaking Steve to the bone. Thunder rumbled in the distance, not caring one bit he took his flask from his pocket and took a swig from it. Letting the rain wash away his tears he laid down in the grass, not knowing how long he’d been there for. He pulled his walkie talkie out, Steve needed to talk to someone, it was all becoming too much for him. He hadn’t known Eddie well, but he missed him, there had been too many times where he wanted to end it all.

“Fuck this shit, why’d you have to die?”

Not really knowing what he was doing Steve wasn’t expecting to hear another voice on the other end of the walkie talkie, jumping somewhat as he heard another voice. Closing his eyes once more Steve listened, he just wanted to be with Eddie. He didn’t know what it had been that drew him to Eddie, maybe it was just the mysterious edge to the softy. Pulling a hand through his hair he switched to a more private line to talk to Dustin. There was too much going on in his head, Steve hadn’t seen Dustin since he’d gone off to college. He hadn’t really seen the kids much at all since the events happened, that one fateful night.

“Steve, where are you? I’m coming now. Stay where you’re at, I’ll find you.”

Not knowing if he was just rambling or making much sense Steve curled up in the fetal position. He’d been pulling away from everyone, cutting himself off. Slowly willing himself to get off the ground he stumbled his way back to his car to drive to where he’d been staying, it was as if he’d become a walking zombie. It wasn’t a long drive, not that he minded it, Steve just wanted to be closer. Everything had changed, it had all gone downhill, he didn’t even know who he was anymore.

Parking the car he grabbed his belongings and slammed the door behind him. There wasn’t much he could do anymore, he’d lost all interest in everything he’d loved before. Grabbing the key he unlocked the door, looking around he took in his surroundings, not giving it much thought Steve made his way to the couch for a moment. Sitting down he noticed takeout and albums strewn across the room, clothes in piles on the floor. Tugging at his soaked shirt Steve looked for a pair of dry clothes, knowing there was a chance he could get sick he didn’t care. There was nothing he could do, rifling through clothes he turned on the hot water.

Locking the door behind him Steve looked around the bathroom. Rifling through the drawer he found his blade, he’d been careful not to let anyone see the scars. He knew everyone was worried about him, but Steve couldn’t let them see the state of mind he was in. Jumping in the shower he let the water cascade down his body and scald it, the sting of the water and blade against his flesh made everything go away. Not hearing the pounding on the door Steve washed his hair and body.

“Steve, open the damn door. What’s going on in there, is everything alright? You had me scared.”

Shutting off the water Steve groaned as he heard a muffled voice on the other end of the bathroom door. He didn’t know why Dustin was there, not remembering anything that had happened he’d been in a daze and going through the motions.

“I’ll be right out Henderson. No need to be afraid. Fucking hell.”

Closing the door behind him Steve finished pulling on his long sleeved shirt and sweatpants. Taking Dustin’s appearance into account he didn’t know what he was even doing anymore. Hoping to get somewhere in life Steve didn’t know what Dustin was doing there, he just wanted to be alone. He wasn’t complaining though because it had been a long time since he’d had company.

“You look like shit Steve.”

“Nice seeing you too Dustin, what’re you doing here? There’s drinks and food here, get whatever you want.”

Throwing some snacks towards Dustin he grabbed some beer and sat down on the couch once more. Sitting in silence was sometimes best for him, although left to himself too much and it was a bad thing.

“You called me, of course I’m going to worry and come here Steve. What’re you doing here anyways, you’re not yourself. How much have you been drinking anyways?”

Shrugging as he tried to remember Steve laid across Dustin on the couch, he knew he was a mess. But who wouldn’t be, Steve knew Dustin had been just as affected if not more so in his own way.

“I know I’m a fucking mess and it could be worse, but do you even know what I’ve been through Henderson? It sucks. Although it’s nice to have the company.”

Turning over on his side away from Dustin he tried to keep calm. Nothing was ever going to be the same.

“You don’t think it’s hard on me either Steve? Yeah, I do know what you’ve been through. I was there though when it happened, you seem to have forgotten that.”

Listening to Dustin, Steve really wanted to catch up and feel alive again or something. But he didn’t know how to, there was too much going on, he didn’t want to make it worse for Dustin either though. He hadn’t even really paid attention to what he was wearing, there wasn’t much he could do.

“I didn’t forget dude, I get it. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you more, I’ve shut myself off from everyone though. So it’s not just you. But you don’t get it, I don’t think anyone will ever understand what I’m going through and I couldn’t ask anyone to.”

Steve wasn’t used to this, he didn’t want to be here anymore. He knew Dustin and the others cared, he knew they hadn’t pulled away and were trying to be there for him.

“You loved Eddie, didn’t you Steve?”

This is my first fanfic on here and I hope you guys like it and enjoy. Please bare with me, I’ll do my best to update it as much as possible. Comments and suggestions are much appreciated :)

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ghost-proofbaby · 1 year

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all of my silly little writings, in one place! please check here and my rules before you request anything ♡ warnings and word counts are included on the actual posts (unless they are for request events! then word counts are between me and god)

— KEY

angst ☾

fluff ❀

heavy/possibly triggering topics ✦

smut ❣

based off of songs ♫

— SPECIAL REQUEST EVENTS (includes writing for all characters, also individually organized by characters below)

spotify wrapped writings

twenty four hours of christmas

1k celebration

3k celebration

speak now (ghost's version)

smutty party prompts

— EDDIE MUNSON (stranger things)

fics/series

the shire is burning (ao3) (wattpad) - willow jenkins is in love with steve harrington. steve harrington is still in love with nancy wheeler. what happens when willow offers eddie munson a deal he can’t refuse? (not on here) ☾ ❀ ✦

twenty four hours (ao3) - in which eddie munson and you absolutely hate each other's guts. what happens when your friends make a bet that you can't spend more than twenty four hours consecutively together? (enemies to lovers, upside down does not exist) ❣ ☾

coffee shop blues - a series of blurbs where i heavily self project onto barista coworkers eddie & reader getting through the normal day to day while working at a coffee shop chain that definitely and legally doesn’t already exist. ❀

so scarlet (it was maroon) - two years ago, eddie munson got everything he’d ever wanted - except you. when fate brings the two of you back together, can he get the answers to all the questions you left him with? ☾ ❀ ❣ ♫

one-shots/blurbs/imagines

as it was - blurb based off of the song by harry styles. ❀ ♫

would've, could've, should've - mean!eddie based off of the song by taylor swift. ☾ ❣ ♫

what if i love you x bad omens - based off the songs by gatlin and 5 seconds of summer ❀ ♫

ode to a conversation stuck in your throat - one shot based off of the song by del water gap. cheating fic involving best friend!eddie and mentions of boyfriend!steve. ☾ ❣ ♫

moodswings - based off of the song by 5 seconds of summer. ❀ ✦ ♫

the first saturday of december - the first saturday of every december, the munson men always make time for each other. (wayne and eddie decorating for the holidays) ❀ ✦

ten more minutes - "ten minutes. give me ten minutes." in which eddie makes the two of you late for the gang's holiday party. ❣

good for one kiss - you and eddie continue with your regular christmas gifting tradition, except this year, something changes. (best friends to lovers) ❀

little bit - bestfriend!eddie blurb based on the song by lykke li. best friends to lovers? ♫ ❀

have faith in me - based on the song by a day to remember. hurt/comfort with post s4 eddie ✦ ♫

house song - based on the song by searows. just a big metaphorical mess of angsty eddie letting himself love someone. ☾ ♫

"it wasn't supposed to go this way." - taking place in "the shire is burning"universe, willow knows what is about to happen. and she won't let eddie sacrifice himself for her, not this time. ☾ ✦

"that's a lot of blood" - alternative to ^ that ^ request. still in shire universe. willow realizes she's cursed by vecna. ☾

work song - based on the song by hozier. post s4 eddie grapples with his newfound fear of death, and finds you. ♫ ☾

oh, what a wonderful feeling - when you have a bad day with your chronic pain, eddie is prepared to take care of you. ❀

summertime and stardust - you and eddie go stargazing, and it ends just as it always does. ❀ ❣

friday, i'm in love - one of these days, you'll talk to the cute boy at your coffeeshop. just... not today. ❀

who could stay? (you could stay.) - you're convinced that being loved comes with a cost. he finds a way to prove you wrong. ☾ ❀

if it were anyone else - If it were anyone else, the holding would have suffocated you. but it’s him. it’s eddie. ☾ ✦

no denture adventure - eddie questions you about the future, and tomfoolery follows. ❀

you showed me colors - an eddie munson soulmate au based on “illicit affairs” by taylor swift ☾ ♫

ours (eddie's version) - based on the song by taylor swift. ❀ ♫

long live (eddie's version) - based on the song by taylor swift. ♫

sparks fly (eddie's version) - based on the song by taylor swift. ❀ ♫

back to december (eddie's version) - based on the song by taylor swift. ☾ ♫

mine (eddie's version) - based on the song by taylor swift. ♫

a simple life - you try to clean your depression room while eddie's over, but he keeps distracting you. ❀

fictional boyfriends - eddie gets jealous of your newest fictional boyfriend from a game he got you into. ❀

when you know, you know - air hockey has never been so romantic. ❀

the seasons pass (but you never do) - he knew your reputation. he knew you had you way with half of hawkins. it was never going to end well - but that didn't stop him. ☾ ❣

it will come back - when eddie came back from the upside down, he was different. and you finally come to realize just how different the man you saved truly is one night, when push comes to shove. ❣ ♫ ✦

— STEVE HARRINGTON (stranger things)

one-shots/blurbs/imagines

nothing else i could do - based on song by ella jane. coworker!steve at scoops ahoy. ❀ ♫

can i leave me too? - based on song by the greeting committee. ☾ ♫

sweet like honey - enemies with benefits, hate-fucking. you always end up here - with steve, in the backseat of his bmw, claiming you hate him. ❣

haunted (steve's version) - based on the song by taylor swift. ☾ ♫

enchanted (steve's version) - based on the song by taylor swift. ♫

mine (steve's version) - based on the song by taylor swift. ♫

spark's fly (steve's version) - based on the song by taylor swift. ♫

— ROBIN BUCKLEY (stranger things)

one-shots/blurbs/imagines

either way, we're not alone - in which robin and jonathan have a conversation about belonging. [platonic robin x jonathan byers] ✦

— NANCY WHEELER (stranger things)

one-shots/blurbs/imagines

"who put that there?" - in which nancy resorts to desperate measures to get you under the mistletoe with her this year. (includes mentioned steddie) ❀

— STEDDIE X READER (stranger things)

one-shots/blurbs/imagines

up in flames - when steve and eddie don't pay you enough attention one morning, you decide that today's a good day to be a brat. ❣

electric touch (steddie's version) - some good old fashioned filth involving electric sex toys. was supposed to be based on the song by taylor swift, but written prior to release and... i was a little off base, i guess. ❣

— ASTARION ANCUNIN (baldur's gate 3)

fics/series

the moon will sing (i loved you like the sun) - how far would you go to save the one you love? what about a stranger? ☾ ❀ ✦ ❣

one-shots/blurbs/imagines

14. "Oh, you're hard to please." - smut dialogue prompt request in which astarion decides he's finally ready to feel you again. ❣

this list will be updated as i receive more requests, or stumble upon more wonderful inspiration. ♡

#about me #navigation #my master list #do i... do i add my old writing to this?#can i even FIND my old writing on this blog?#eddie munson #robin buckley #steve harrington #nancy wheeler #writing #fanfic

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hermitcreep · 2 years

Text

[NSFW] The Devil Coming Inside - Chapter 1 -FULL CHAPTER AFTER THE JUMP

Pairing: Eddie Munson/Pastor!Henry Creel

Summary: Eddie would have been lying if he said that there wasn't something about Henry Creel that immediately caught his attention. He looked like the preacher from the cover of some old metal album, the kind that would wave in the devil to gobble up his congregation. Between the man's words, Eddie felt the power of his energy--something he would chock up to the atmosphere of the place and the fact that there was something about church that made everyone feel as if they were racing fast toward hell, reaching out for the holy hand of the maker. It was a stress unlike no other, but a comforting grip all the same.

Word Count: 7,514

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CHAPTER 1: GENESIS

A preacher's hands are a funny thing. Man looks upon his own hands and sees the trials and tribulations written in their every wrinkle. He sees his hard knocks and his soft landings bundled up in the callouses of his palm. A preacher looks at his hands and he sees every temptation that wet his lips and beckoned his tongue, every soul-guiding word and pregnant dawn. A preacher sees the end of days at the pulse of his wrist, thwarting the devil as he spills over it. A preacher should find his fingertips bathed in absolution, perfumed by the glory of his God. They should not be found beneath his belt as he howls at the blood moon and brays at the supple flesh of the virgin. His hands should find themselves in a field, leading sheep to grace with a compassionate, open palm--shouldn't they?

Hawkins was not an intrinsically religious town, nor was it a mecca for organized religion like other small towns. Like most local communities, the townsfolk seemed far more interested in basketball and local gossip than anything resembling a church service. Sure, there were fights when a rowdy team from another town showed up on the school field, but there weren't any sign-wielding extremists on street corners trying to save your soul. Truly, with the exception of a few loons, there wasn't anything 'radical' about Hawkins at all, and this extended to those that practiced any kind of spirituality. That was, until First Divinity opened its wooden doors for the first time.

The church went unnoticed by much of the town, having settled a few miles from Sattler's Quarry, just off of Kerley Boulevard. It wasn't hidden in the woods, but rather situated in the middle of a barren field of dirt, peppered with the yellowed sprigs of crops past. Nothing grew there anymore and Old Man James had sold it to the church in order to get it out from under himself. He had happily remarked, "Why till dirt when you can make money off of it", as he handed over the deed to the land. It wasn't as if the old man needed the dirt anyways, the strange drought of 1959 having killed every single plant under his father's hand--along with his mother and their beloved family dog, leaving Old Man James the last of their living lineage. In many ways, he was happy to have sold the handed-down land, the memories and blood upon it a blight against that which had well-stained it. A church would be a far better fate for the infertile patches.

The antiquated-looking building just seemed to pop up out of the very earth it sat upon, no one seeming to have witnessed its construction. Old Man James never confirmed nor denied if the church was original to his land, or if they intended to build it with old time religion in mind. Regardless, it was almost as if it had always been there, right under the noses of those who worked the land. If it hadn't, one would think a new structure of any kind would find itself on the lips of every citizen in Hawkins, especially since the mall had been the last thing to go up in years, but everyone seemed oddly quiet about it. Perhaps they had been too busy focusing on their Sunday paper and diner waffles to notice a building on the outskirts of town--or maybe it was the will of something unseen that materialized it, the ground opening up just to spit it out. No need for construction costs when you've got divine intervention on your side.

The church was off-white in color, most likely from the dirt kicked up around it, with oak steps and a dark-tinted, arched door. The panels were a dense pine with weathered spots in the very veins of the wood that shown through the cracking paint. It was not the largest of buildings though it reached a humble height, straining its fingertips toward the sky. The steeple was a black iron, the cross nothing to be marveled at, however it served its purpose in calling the flock to it like a silent siren's song. One of comfort and familiarity.

With the dark doors open in the budding morning, the sanctuary would reveal itself. With two rows of wooden pews lining the way to the podium, setting the stage for the baptismal and a hand-laid stained glass window, the church had a welcoming and comforting atmosphere that was open to all. The carpeted floor was only slightly dingy, its red color warming the entire space. Footsteps upon it would send dense thudding throughout the place, the high ceilings offering the slightest of buttress in order to maximize the acoustic range of the building itself. It was a home for worship, the mantle beckoning a sharp eye and silver tongue.

Long fingertips rested upon the podium, bright eyes pleased as they looked over the place. Pointed boot and black brimmed hat gave way to a long silhouette which was encased in ashen fabric and controlled by a postured line which met the floor. A church was only as good as its preacher, a preacher only as good as his congregation--a truth that held fast despite the flare of dense flame at his heel and seduction of his tongue. Those fingers did not aim to guide a flock to glory, but rather sweetly lull them into the ecstasy of damnation. He observed once the quarry, dragging his eyes to the lake on the opposing side, fringing the distance. The notion of placement split a handsome face into a venomous grin.

"This will do. This will do nicely." ***** 24 Days Later, 3 Sermons Conducted ***** "Come on, baby. Come on. Purr. Come on, please. Please, baby. Please."

Sputtering broke through the birds who greeted the morning, its sound a broken song of trepidation, resonating the possibility of unfortunate events. Ringed fingers tightened to a fist and hit the dash of the well-loved vehicle, quickly turning to a flat palm that would pet the dusty shape lovingly, trying to coax the firing and start of the engine. The van had never let those hands down before, having been brought to a roar time and time again at their turning--and this time wouldn't be the exception.

Eddie Munson seemed to always find himself in situations like this. It wasn't that his karma was inherently bad, but rather that he lived a life where being unlucky just sort of came with the territory. Biting his tongue and lifting his head, wild curled hair a dark halo as he looked up and into the sky, searching for some sort of fortune. Turning the key for the hundredth time, the engine would turn over and give a strained roar before humming noisily. It had started--and with a happy yowl and a fist pump, Eddie was off, heading towards Hawkins High School.

The school day went on like any other Friday. Eddie found himself conversing with the Hellfire Club at lunch about their upcoming meetings, the male becoming overly enthusiastic when speaking about his campaign. With wild hand movements, he teased the boys about upcoming enemies who he claimed could "take you all out with one swipe of its tail" giving the all-too-well-known wide-eyed awe that came so easy to him. Whether it was giant monsters, game mechanics or even the mention of dice, Eddie seemed to be very keen to discuss the game, happy to impart long-winded tirades about any and everything that came to his mind.

"--Yeah, you know...Man, he was the type of God to gather as many worshippers as he could because they were, you know...like an extension of him?" Eddie said, dropping his edition to the table, the pages open to a monster missing an eye and hand. He tapped the page with a finger adorned with the head of a pig, "I know lots of Gods could do that, but... it was like the way he could perceive through them." Fingertips touching before he would gesture outward with them for emphasis, he made his voice more direct, "His uh...His senses could reach further because he could see what they were seeing, regardless of how far they were. It even worked for people that just thought about the guy. Crazy, right?"

Mike Wheeler and Dustin Henderson were always the first of the group to be enthralled with what Eddie was saying. It was unclear if they looked up to him because he was their DM, or if they truly thought of him as some sort of older sibling. Mike smirked to what Eddie had said about the creature and forced air through his nose, his upper lip lifting, "Sounds like a pretty gnarly dude." He offered, glancing to Dustin for confirmation before looking back to Eddie, "Is he going to be the final boss or something?"

"Final Boss." Eddie smirked, dropping his head behind the meeting of his palms, "Small mind, my friend. He has so many monsters under his charge! Not to mention his worshippers!" He exhaled and when his head lifted, that smirk had turned the line of his lips into something more dubious. Eddie sat up straight in his chair then, his jacket and vest pulling back away from the front of his torso, "Along your journey you will meet many a foe--" Eddie began, his tone growing grandiose, "--Whether or not you are slain by them will be entirely up to your fate and THE DICE!"

Some of the other students around the room had begun to look over, curious what all of the commotion was about, giving a shake of the head when they observed Eddie up to his usual mischief. Mike felt small when stared at by the others and he cleared his throat, voice shrinking as he leaned forward a bit, "Uh--Yeah, Eddie, sure. I was just asking about--"

"--about Vecna?" He said aloud, to which Mike would nod and retreat back, causing Eddie to shrug and make eye contact with him, "I guess you'll just have to wait and find out." Eddie winked, licking over a canine mischievously, "Won't ya?" The look he shot to Mike was nothing short of devilish and Mike might have blushed out of sheer confrontation, giving the shyest of laughs as he looked away and focused on his lunch. Eddie was always a little weird, but there was something endearing about it and Mike appreciated that.

"Speaking of worshippers--" Dustin chimed in, hindered only slightly by his teeth, which had become one of his most charming features, "--Did you guys hear about the new church that opened up three weeks ago? My mom said that one of her friends was talking about it at the diner yesterday when she went for donuts."

"Wait--" Mike said with a full mouth, a lifted hand wielding a fork and two outstretched fingers the only guard, "--Your mom has friends??"

"Shut up, dude." Dustin shot an annoyed look at Mike and shook his head, glancing to Eddie, who gave a scrolling gesture with his hand, telling the boy to continue, "--Anyways, she said that almost two months ago some spooky guy bought Old Man James's land for it and that it looks really dusty and old even though it's new."

Eddie clicked his tongue against his teeth and gave a breathy laugh, "Sorry man. Not really in the business of checking out churches." He tapped a finger on the book in front of him again, tracing a line of text before drawing his hand over the illustration of a giant spider, the gesture clinking his rings against one another, "--Never been a religious guy. I mean, what do you expect to find there anyway? A vampire or something?"

"Vampires don't like churches. Crosses, remember??" Dustin retorted and Eddie just chuckled, the young male shifting in his seat to show that he was serious, "I was just saying it's kind of a weird thing to just pop up. Feels...creepy."

Eddie opened his mouth to speak but was immediately cut off by the bell, signaling for them to return to class to finish out their day. Standing, the dungeon master would bow, arms outstretched before looking up, eyes bright, "Well, looks like it's time. --The bell tolls for us all."

The school day continued on as planned, Eddie spending his time spacing out in class and weaving around cheerleaders to admire their 'school spirit', a few of them waving him away coyly. He wasn't exactly a ladies man, but the girls didn't seem to mind him so much. Hell, most days he even got a few smiles, which helped pass the time in his erratic mind, which seemed to flit this way and that, thinking of a million things and nothing all at once.

The last class of the day seemed to drag on for eons, but the minute that bell rang, Eddie was out the door like a bat out of hell. Though it gave a strained throttle, his van started like a dream, the charge from the morning having miraculously been enough to keep it going. He drove towards the trailer park, swerving a bit as he got distracted by the cassette player, which seemed to disagree with him about as much as the van did. Switching gears and pulling a half-eaten mixtape from the player at the same time, Eddie would bite his lip, narrowly avoiding off-roading. He managed to right both, however, and would slide into his usual parking spot, blaring Dio loud enough to alert the entire park.

Eddie truly didn't have much of an agenda after arriving to the trailer, planning to smoke and play guitar for the bulk of the evening--homework be damned. Stepping in noisily, he would gently kick the door closed with his foot, the dingy white of his sneaker squeaking across the faux wood paneling as it came to a latched close. The space was slightly dim, the television flickering projected light into the room, illuminating his uncle's face, which was now turned to him in silent greeting.

"Hey, Uncle." Eddie said, lifting his hand to give a half-hearted salute, meandering into the area. Apt to rock back and forth from heel to toe for a few moments before excusing himself to his room for the remainder of the night, Eddie began to fidget, turning slightly to show his intent.

Wayne Munson was sitting on the edge of an old, well-loved couch, the cushions long passed their ability to hold their fluff. He had his arms resting on his knees, his posture carrying the weight of his thoughts. Wayne's eyes set on the boy, brows lifting, "Eddie. Let me talk to you for a second."

Eddie looked a bit struck by his Uncle's communication. "Okay. What's got you so talkative?" He asked, his hands lifting in odd little movements as his body pushed towards the other male, pulling him a couple feet closer, "Normally I can't get two words out of you, man."

"I was just thinking. You're kind of a rebellious kid..." Wayne said, scratching at the scruff of his chin, the cigarette in his fingers long since extinguished, "Maybe you need some structure in your life that I can't quite give--" His eyes flicked from the floor to Eddie's face, seeming serious.

"Man, this sounds heavy." Eddie said as he showed his palms in resistance, "Is this because I sold drugs to that girl? I thought that was cleared up."

"Eddie. Eddie, listen. You're not in trouble." Wayne sighed, sitting up a bit straighter, his hands searching for his lighter idly.

The boy lifted his hand, having procured his own lighter from seemingly nowhere, "Okay, then what? I mean, you're freaking me out here. You're looking at me like you're about to ask me to leave the Shire." Eddie seemed curious and worried, his body shifting, disturbing the bandana in his left back pocket.

"That's not it, I--" Wayne paused only to light his half-burnt cigarette. The smoke pushed from him and his fingers met his temple, "I've been going to that new church. First Divinity."

"Uncle Wayne. Church isn't really my bag." Eddie exhaled, gesturing at himself, bringing eyes down his front, "Heh. I mean, look at me, I'm--" His head shook, fluffed hair whimsical in the way it moved.

"Would you just shut up and listen, boy?" Despite his words, Wayne seemed compassionate in the way he related to Eddie, "This isn't about God or saving your soul. --Not about your 'devil music' or whatever you want to call it." He pulled air through his cigarette, situating the filter between his lips, "The preacher has a good way of talking and some discipline might give you a little more focus." Wayne's eyes squinted as he let the smoke leave him, eyes on Eddie as he hoped he would get the gist of what he meant.

"--and you don't think I'd burst into flames the second I stepped in there?" Eddie smirked, showing his teeth.

"This isn't a joke. You can ignore the 'god stuff' as you call it, but I think you'd benefit from the actual message." Wayne gestured at Eddie, "Stuff like "Do unto others" and "Break bread with the less fortunate"."

"Uncle...I..." Eddie didn't honestly think that this was a good idea. Bringing someone like him into a place like that. It would just seem as if the male was up to no good. He thought for a moment on his relationship with Mike and Dustin, kids that he took under his wing. His thoughts shifted from them to some of the girls he'd spent his free time with, the ones that he'd rather not name, but he held in sweet regard, "I 'do unto others' enough." He teased.

"I'm not talking about the girls, Eddie." Wayne shook his head. This kid was going to be the death of him. He exhaled, "Look, just go to the Sunday service for me. I don't ask much of you."

"Fine." Wayne had a point. He had been the only stable thing in Eddie's life, the only father figure he'd ever really had--and if he was honest, Eddie did owe him quite a bit. The man let him stay in his house, eat his food and disappoint him time and time again without so much as a torment, "--But only once. Then I'm out of there."

"Fine." Wayne would take what he could get, satisfied with the outcome, knowing it was like herding cattle to get Eddie to do anything he didn't intrinsically want to do. Wayne felt pleased, and after he finished his cigarette he would snub it in the nearby ashtray before leaning back onto the couch, resigning to relaxation.

*****

The dust from the quarry had kicked up over the field, despite it being a few miles away. It made the scene look as if it were something out of an old storybook, a devotional set in the past. First Divinity stood steadfast in the Sunday morning light, beckoning believers to it like a neon sign advertising salvation. It was a modest size and its off-white color and arched doorway seemed as normal as any other church the town had observed since it was established. Those that gathered before it were a modest people, a mash-up of townsfolk who didn't really seem to match. They didn't have an observable lean, represented by all; from electrician to councilman.

Eddie's van came to a halt atop the gravel in a small plot that had been sectioned off for cars to settle. As the engine turned off, the blaring metal music would fall to silence, the van finding itself slightly crooked in its parked position. Hopping from the driver's seat, the door slamming behind him, Eddie would run a finger down the rusted white stripe of his van before pushing the ringed hands into his pockets; turning on heel to face the church. God did he feel out of place already. Approaching, he would find himself greeted by his uncle as well as the judging eyes of at least a baker's dozen churchgoers.

"So, uh..." Eddie moved his hands a bit, pockets lifting in a curious gesture, his eyes focusing on his uncle as he tried to pretend the man was the only person there. He thwarted the eyes of the others who stood around, "...What are we waiting for?"

Wayne seemed annoyed already, but he would be lying if he said that he wasn't happy to see the boy, "--We are waiting for the doors to open." Wayne explained, his tone signifying how the answer should have been obvious, "When the preacher's ready, they'll open for us to go in. Until then--" He shrugged, "--we wait."

Leaning back on his heels, Eddie felt himself quickly grow bored of standing next to his uncle, idly listening to words being thrown this way and that. Something about tithes and tiny crackers; he wasn't sure. In scanning the small crowd of people, the depth of his hues would come to rest on a familiar face: Dustin Henderson. The boy had mentioned that his mother was interested in going to the church, but Eddie didn't realize that meant that he would be in attendance. Staring holes into the younger male, Eddie would wait for Dustin to notice him, and when the boy did, he lit up like the fourth of July.

"Eddie!" the small-framed boy called out affectionately, "Eddie, hey!"

Wasting no time in traversing the gap between them, Eddie would greet Dustin in kind, quickly pulling Dustin into a bear hug, "Hey man. I'm so happy to see you." Pulling back, Eddie leaned down slightly, just to get on Dustin's level, "This place is already so weird. I feel so...uh, out of place, you know? Sore thumb and all."

"I know what you mean. My mom wanted to come, so she drug me here." Dustin said, gesturing back towards the woman with a crooked smile, "Why are you here though?"

"My uncle wanted me to come. Thought um..." He paused to think, shifting his weight awkwardly, "...Thought I'd come so he'd get off my back and stop acting like I don't do anything other than smoke, play D&D, and listen to music--"

"That is all you do though." Dustin chuckled lightly, his cheeks eclipsing his eyes a bit.

Eddie playfully punched Dustin's shoulder, "Yeah, but THIS makes it seem like I don't." He said, trying his best to convey that he was doing this so that his uncle would stop shooting him passive looks and shaking his head when Eddie walked by. He thought that perhaps it would make him seem a little bit less than a hooligan if he complied just this once.

"I gotcha." Dustin said, nodding and needing no further explanation. It made sense to him. If Wayne was Eddie's only parental figure, why wouldn't he want the man to think of him as at least grateful of the roof over his head. Dustin patted Eddie's shoulder and tipped his head slightly, "It's gonna be fine. Don't be too weird about it. It's only an hour or so. You can be back to planning the campaign in no time."

"Oh yes. Can't wait to leave here just to plan a plot surrounding turmoil arising from Gods and monsters--" Eddie paused, biting his bottom lip with a cheeky smile, eyes bright, "--guess it's not that different."

Although conversations amongst the church goers began to buzz, gaining volume until they reached a steady hum, the wooden doors easily silenced them as they creaked open. Eddie, along with the others, turned head to look in the direction of the sound. He noted two women, one at either door, their faces covered in sheer black lace and dresses of the same color. The hem reached the floor, making them look like some sort of specter. Eddie noted to himself that it felt like they were about to attend a funeral, not church. He shot a look to Dustin, who shrugged and immediately turned his focus back to the doors; and the women--so Eddie did the same.

The walk to the church was only about sixty feet from where Eddie stood prior, but it felt like miles. With eyes on the place, it almost looked as if it was looming, shading the lot of them as they entered. If there were anything to mirror their actions to sheep, it was this. They, without so much as a guiding word, moved up as a flock would, clamoring into a kind of line; heading towards the church. Each person took the few steps to the door and walked through, passing the lace-faced women as if they were not even there, the explicit goal of finding a place at the pews garnering their full focus.

Eddie would hang back, but took his place in line near the end next to Dustin, making sure he wasn't the last to enter though as he didn't want the focus to turn to him. Walking through, he would cross the threshold with a bit of hesitation. It wasn't that he had anything against church, it was just that he truly felt as if he did not belong there. Religion was something that fringed the music and aesthetic that Eddie subscribed to, but he wouldn't have defined it as a symbiotic relationship between the two.

The interior of the church was as modest as the facade, holding simple furnishings and well-loved pews--they looked as if they had possibly been donated when the church was erected. It was a basic structure, stretching back from the doorway into the sanctuary, a row of pews on either side of the room. The shape of the place was broken by the natural light coming from windows near the ceiling and archway-lined hallways which flanked the pews; making for easy access to any part of the sanctuary without having to traverse the center aisle. The stage at the far end of the church held before it the podium at which the preacher would give his sermon; the steps behind it leading up to a baptismal area behind crepe-colored curtains, golden back-lit crosses suspended above the in-ground basin on the wall. There were three, no doubt for the trinity, their styles differing and color untarnished.

Dustin's mother took a seat at a pew just a few rows back from the front, motioning for Dustin to follow, to which he would drag Eddie with him, hoping the older male would hang close to him for the duration of the service. Eddie settled in the spot he'd ben led to and reminded himself that this wouldn't last all day; that in just a few hours he could be back in his room. Unsure of what to do, other than wait, he would cross his arms so that he was sort of hugging himself. He didn't know what to expect, but the quiet was rather eerie, unlike the silence that occurred naturally--this silence was pregnant and for several minutes it did not so much as contract.

Hyper-focused on the silence, Eddie would nearly jump out of his own skin when the doors latched closed. His first thought was that the lace-faced women had locked them all inside and this was going to be some sort of high-fantasy torture-porn by Bible beating where they were all held captive and subjected to some sort of bizarre punishment for simply being human. However, if that had been the case, wouldn't people have stopped coming or warned him of what was about to happen? Eddie shook his head--he'd been reading entirely too much Heavy Metal. Taarna. Yeah, Taarna would have made this situation better.

If anything could have broken him from his Taarakian daydream, it was the sound of pointed boots as they met the maroon carpet of the church's floor. Eddie sat up straight upon hearing the rhythmic footfalls and would let his eyes focus on the man who they had been coming from--the preacher. The man was tall, his body an intimidating line from crown to toe-tip. He wore black slacks, sportscoat and buttoned vest, the line of which tightly rested atop a white long-sleeved undershirt with a collar accented in a stark black that matched the rest of his outfit. Atop his crown a circle-brimmed hat rested, his golden hair falling from it about his ears and fatally high cheekbones. Something about his lithe frame and powerful presence sent shivers over Eddie's shoulders beneath his vest and jacket, his hands gripping his arms a bit tighter as he regarded the man. His name was Pastor Henry Creel.

*****

Henry Creel was born a broken boy to broken parents in 1947 and it was apparent by the time he had hit puberty that he did not fit in with any of his peers nor did he fall in line with the expectations of his parents. His mother, Virginia Creel, moved them to Hawkins, Indiana in 1959 after a windfall of funds landed in her lap from the death of her great-uncle, a man who she would have described as 'overly friendly'. She, along with her husband Victor Creel, had hoped that the new home would be a fresh start for Henry and his elder sister Alice, thinking that the change of scenery would lend to helping Henry grow, that it would help him to 'find' himself--though the only thing he would discover would be a large nest of black widow spiders that had taken residence inside a bathroom vent.

The spiders were misunderstood yet powerful, their venom, appearance, and reputation causing them to be reviled and feared despite their size and fragility; thus giving strength to the their weakened form. Henry craved this revelation--and from the twisted tangled web of those very spiders, he would find it. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, he observed the very object that would bring this revelation about--a glinting gold just out of eyesight. Not fearing the spiders of whom he found kindred, he would reach a hand down, fingers seeking out his prize. From the depths of that sticky silk he would pull the object, white tendrils straining before breaking over its surface, revealing the worn leather and gilded glint of an antique Bible, its yellow pages flanked in gold leaf with tarnished prints of long-vanished fingers.

The Bible was no doubt well loved, with dog-eared pages giving way to doodles of massive spider-like beasts and notations of preferred passages, the hand-writing as delicate as it was crude, drawing Henry's eye like a moth to flame. As his fingers moved over the ink-filled indentions, he felt as if a power was kissing at his fingertips; just as he had upon first seeing the black widow--he felt the kinetic energy of something greater than himself, something that could mend his broken humanity.

Henry found himself studying the pages of that text as if they held the antidote to life's mundanity; which he had grown to despise. He knew that it was human to follow the dismal structure of time and the "mindless play" of life itself. Born to reproduce, born to die. The Bible seduced Henry with its meticulously woven words, its mentions of damnation and twisting of souls. It was in the book of Mark where Henry would see the word of his rapture for the first time: "LEGION". The word would be found littering the pages there-after, the obsessive writing intriguing Henry, even at such a young age. Reading over the story contained in those passages caused Henry to feel great intrigue. The story told of an entity using its telekinetic and telepathic abilities to send a herd of two-thousand pigs running into the lake to drown--the same entity that would possess a man, gripping his very soul in its blackened clutches as it bore its name to Jesus himself-- "LEGION".

Henry's lips formed the word silently at first, following the letters with his focused eyes. When he uttered it aloud, he felt himself quiver at how powerful the word felt on his tongue--he may have even smiled. Touching the word again, the previous owner's handwriting seemed to speak through him. "Legion," it repeated and so did Henry's lips allow it to pass. With the third iteration, the grandfather clock on the lower level of the home would sound, giving Henry quite the start-- the noise a bit out of place as the time did not call for a toll.

"Legion." And the clock thrummed again, mere minutes from its last sounding. Henry's breath hitched and he looked to his door, the wooden portal creaking open slowly, the dark outside of it seeming thick with the need for intrusion. Brave as he was in the nest of spiders he was here as well, hopping from his bed and heading towards the darkness, its black tendrils reaching for him and enveloping him the moment he was within reach. He welcomed them, feeling the dense power bloom inside of his body, hardening his very marrow.

Henry would keep the Bible at his side as if it were as vital as his very breath. Most evenings the young boy would find himself obsessively tracing the letters written therein, caressing the curve of every line that made up "LEGION". He could feel himself changing, though it would not surface in his physical appearance, which was still very meek and unassuming. Finding comfort in cultivating the power that was growing inside of him, Henry began to focus entirely on the path that the darkness unfolded before his feet, the tar flecking at his heels as he moved through it.

A slew of dead animals would be found in the weeks following, each of them mutilated in the clutches of Henry's budding 'salvation'. The massacred animals and their desecrated corpses were blamed wholly on wildcats and packs of wolves, which only incited Henry's father to become more paranoid and worried for the safety of his children. Victor's watchful eye did not please Legion, so it had to be plucked from him. The man made better food for the pigs than he did a father in the eyes of Henry.

*****

"My brothers and sisters, flock and fellowship. Good and divine morning." Nimble fingers moved with damning intent up the sides of the podium's pedestal, coming to rest about the corners, culminating in a grip that seemed to hold the gaze of every person under that roof. A cunning smile spread across Henry's face, eclipsed by that black hat. Reflected in his expression was a bountiful harvest not yet come to pass, of imminent will and control, "I come to you as that of a newborn fawn. Vulnerable am I before you, opened to offer myself and message."

Eddie would have been lying if he said that there wasn't something about the man that immediately caught his attention. He looked like the preacher from the cover of some old metal album, the kind that would wave in the devil to gobble up his congregation. Between the man's words, Eddie felt the power of his energy--something he would chock up to the atmosphere of the place and the fact that there was something about church that made everyone feel as if they were racing fast toward hell, reaching out for the holy hand of the maker. It was a stress unlike no other, but a comforting grip all the same.

Henry Creel had grown to be a luminous man of what some would call God. He was lengthy in limb and long in torso, his face baring a strong bone structure and overly tense jaw, his eyes direct and hypnotic in their light hue. He had let his hair grow past his chin, thinking the color and cut framed him well--and he'd be right. His father would have hated it. The stitch of Henry's clothes hugged him, making the onlooker feel lust and shame should their gaze linger too long upon him--temptation was the skeleton key. This was not lost upon Eddie. Though the young man hadn't found himself ever attracted to a man, there was something about the contrapposto stance and pointed toe that made him shift uncomfortably in his seat.

"Today I shall speak on the offerings of flesh." Henry began, his accent hard to place, his voice sounding far away and far too close all the same, like an old radio recording played through a Walkman, "The pound of flesh and the blood moon under which the devil feasts. An angel. A demon. I am." Henry continued and something about the words that fell from him had Eddie focused for the first time in years, confused as to what this message was truly saying. He may have looked to Dustin, but he didn't recall that, his brows wrinkling and lips slowly parting. Henry didn't yet look at him, though he scanned his flock, "Your dues are but an offering of flesh, guarded by the shining light of God and yours alone to give...or protect in his name." His tongue may as well have been forked.

There was a low murmuring of agreement in response to the words that Henry spoke, and the sound made Eddie flit his gaze this way and that, immediately distracted by every pitch and tempo-fall of sound. When the depth of his doll-like eyes rolled back to Henry, he was met only with solid eye contact, which held him in that gaze like a man stunned. Henry lifted his chin and his lips slowly spread into another smile, this one knowing, as if he could read the very soul of man, "I am naked before you, giving myself to you in hopes that you do the same for me." Henry said, his tone softer now, though everyone seemed on the edge of their seat as they listened. Eddie, however, found himself shutting his legs tightly. Henry breathed slowly, "Subject yourself to my hands, my word." Yep, that did it.

With one hand still gripping the podium, Henry would hold up a worn black book; the Bible he had forever kept at his side. In Henry's hands, the cross was upside down, visible as his grip caused the book to tremble lightly--not unlike his congregation. "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality...Galatians 5:19--" His eyes once again scanned, though Eddie would swear he lingered on him a second time, "--and this is the sin of man, the calamity of human need and primal urge 'For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries...' Mark 7:21".

All of the talk of sin and sex had Eddie antsy, his knee bouncing as his toe pushed his leg repetitively from the floor, causing the lightest of sounds to resonate from the chain at his side--no one seemed to notice. He licked over his lips and glanced down at his hands, trying his damnedest to figure out why he had come. This was all so foreign and strange--and now it was causing him a discomfort that he was sure many would say was hell at his back, beckoning. Sure. A half-smirk crossed Eddie's lips, an expression that was broken when he noticed the bulk of church goers moving to stand. Looking to Dustin, who urged him to move as well, Eddie wrinkled his brows in confusion, "Wha--"

"Dude, get up." Dustin whispered noisily, gesturing for him to move from where he sat upon the pew, "We have to get in line for the grape juice and crackers."

Communion. Fuck. Eddie fumbled as he moved from his seat, nearly falling into the floor. The clamoring made Wayne run his hand over his face, turning his back slightly so that no one associated him with the calamity his nephew was causing. A pin could have been heard dropping in that sanctuary, but Eddie sounded like an entire bundle. Standing with a playful grin, he showed his palms in truce and then righted his jacket, moving where Dustin had gestured only to find himself in the aforementioned 'line', Dustin right behind him.

Glancing down the row of people, Eddie could see Henry as a man would see a mirage in the desert, blurred yet looming, "I thought this only happened in Catholic churches. I mean--maybe they all do it?" His ignorance for Christian practice was truly telling of how many times he had been in any sort of church, "...I thought in normal churches they just--" Eddie gestured wildly and Dustin looked amused, "--I don't know. They passed it out? Little cups and uh...like a platter?"

"This is the same thing, we just have to do it one at a time." Dustin said, forever optimistic even in the face of something so foreign to them, "It's not that weird."

The line moved and Eddie did his best not to bump into the patrons in front of him. For some reason Eddie seemed slightly panicked. He turned to Dustin to give a frantic whisper, "It's weird, man." His voice was elevated, a tone that Dustin knew meant Eddie was really uncomfortable. Staring down the line, watching as each person stood before Henry, kneeling to take the flesh and blood, Eddie wanted to run. Something was off and he thought to himself that this had to be cult activity. The younger male offered a hand to Eddie's arm to calm him, but it didn't seem to work.

With only an elderly woman between him and the preacher, Eddie found himself wishing he had just bowed out. He could have said something about it being blasphemous for him to take part since he wasn't a Christian; but that would have outed him as an outlier--and the community already seemed at odds with him for his attire and loud 'devil' music. Damn small towns. He didn't need another strike against him. The woman knelt and Eddie watched her, observing the offering of cracker and cup. The entire process took only a minute before she would stand, satisfied to have him touch her shoulder and whisper something to her, before turning to head back to her seat.

Now, with no one between them, Eddie stood before Henry. Their eyes met and a hand with elongated fingers would slowly motion for the metalhead to kneel. He couldn't make a scene. As he moved, knees coming to rest on a short, red upholstered, wooden stool which had been sat there for this purpose alone; Eddie could not deny that something about it was undeniably sensual. This feeling was reflected in the subtle strain of his zipper and tightening of his abdominal muscles. He would later curse himself for letting something like that effect him, but for now he was hyper-focused and by every definition enthralled.

The next minute seemed to last for days. Henry moved forward and touched the tip of a finger to Eddie's bottom lip, tracing its line down to his lightly stubbled chin, tapping it once. Somehow Eddie knew what beckoned him and he opened his lips, showing the thick pink of his tongue. Upon it, Henry would rest the Eucharist, the thing purposely placed with the cross facing upside down. Eddie's tongue trembled beneath it, but as the hand gestured further, he would close his mouth and swallow the thing whole. A silver goblet would then be brought to his lips, dexterous hands pressing the thin line of the cup to that quivering tier, pressure gentle. Eddie's lashes fluttered and he allowed his lips to slowly open, unto which Henry would tip the cup and not grape juice, but rather a thick metallic-tasting wine would dash across that muscle, flooding as it rushed down Eddie's throat. It was a modest gulp of fluid and as the cup pulled away, Eddie felt himself twitch harder than he ever had--and not once had he broken eye contact. A hand was then placed on Eddie's shoulder, the contact like searing flame and cold stone all at once--Eddie could feel his muscles reeling Henry leaned down, lips a breath from the curve of an ear, "I am the patron of the crash and sword. I am the Holy Lord."

Oh. Oh.

Eddie trembled for a split second before breaking that contact and blinking rapidly. What the hell just happened. An expression that should have only belonged to a fearful pup would bloom across Eddie's face, his body shifting awkwardly to put space between him and the preacher. Henry grinned and Eddie broke, nearly kicking the stool as he clumsily jumped up and ran from the place, passing the seemingly endless line of people who awaited a similar fate. Henry merely stood, raising a hand to quiet anyone who had been stirred by the commotion. Righting the stool with the toe of his shoe, Henry would gesture the next patron to kneel upon it, the sound of Eddie's van roaring the only backdrop to the continued communion.

[End of Chapter 1]

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