Love bites.
Rafe Cameron x fem reader
Part two to bite me!
After you disappear, Rafe finally finds you and decides that he’s going to win this final round, showing you exactly who you belong to. And maybe even return the favor of your little love bites. W. C 2.5K
Warnings! Biting! Non-graphic description of blood! Male masturbation! Oral! Male recieving! Daddy kink! Switch! Rafe! Unprotected sex! Spitting! Slight degrading! Dividers by @xxbimbobunnyxx barely proofread because I’m tired and depressed. I also wanna burn it but I promised I wouldn’t lmao. Anyway. Enjoy!
“So, let me get this straight,” Wheezie drawls as she sips her milkshake, narrowing her eyes on Rafe. “My teacher's assistant, the girl you hooked up with, is a vampire?”
Rafe rolled his eyes and glared. “I told you. You wouldn’t believe me.”
“Yup! You’re right. I don’t. It’s insane.”
“Okay so then how did this happen?” Rafe pointed at the bandage on his neck and Wheezie sighed.
“She’s kinky?”
“Wheezie!” Rafe scolded and she gave him the middle finger and continued drinking from her beverage. He sighed and pinched his nose. She would be the death of him.
But he did sound crazy. Who in the hell would believe he fucked a vampire? He hadn’t seen you in three weeks. It was like you completely disappeared. Even on social media you hadn’t posted anything and he felt like a stalker but he couldn’t stop himself from constantly checking to see if you showed signs of existence.
He couldn’t get you out of his mind. Everything about you was electric and fucking addicting. Better than any drug he’d ever taken.
“Is that why you’re obsessed with vampires and werewolves now?” Rafe didn’t respond and Wheezie snorted.
“Okay, Bella Swan.”
Rafe gritted his teeth but he couldn’t blame her for teasing him. But he was determined to find you again and if it included begging you to be with him then god damn it he would.
Another week passed before he had some luck. A new nightclub opened and the advertising was catered specifically to alternative people. It was expensive and elegant. Just like you. He dug through his wardrobe for anything acceptable and impressive enough to get your attention if you went.
Rafe climbed out of his car after paying a ridiculous amount for parking and peeked at his reflection. It would work. His long legs carried him to the entrance of the club and he paid for his way. As he walked through, he was captivated by the darkness. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, decorative wallpaper covered the walls on either side and the floor shined. People were dressed in dark clothing with luxurious material and he honestly didn’t feel like he belonged. The music was reminiscent of what you played at his house and he looked around. Searching for your unmistakable beautiful face.
Minutes went by without seeing you and he decided to try and wait. You were stealthy and if you were here, you had already spotted him. He strides to the bar, ordering a shot to spark his energy. What if you went back home? To Salem? What if he was completely wrong?
The music stopped and he naturally glanced around the room and noticed the dance floor was empty. That was until a female stepped up and the lights focused on her.
It was you.
He wanted to immediately stand but your red stained smile and tilted head in his direction left him frozen. His entire body went warm as the song played. Your body began to move slowly, your dark dress clinging to your body and curves. You still wore elegant jewelry only now he noticed you looked tired. You were beautiful. Perfect. But he could see the way your lips were slightly turned down and his stomach tightened with worry.
You extended your hand, pointing your finger at him before curling it in a come here motion, your ring shining and he shot up. He maneuvered through the crowd, including an elbow to a man who wasn’t moving fast enough and Rafe stood in front of you, inhaling your sweet scent.
“Hi, Rafe.” You leaned in and rested a hand on his chest. Rafe’s palms set on your hips and his senses went into overdrive as you fluttered your lashes at him.
“Where did you go, baby doll? Thought you left here. I’ve been looking for you.”
“Awww, did my pretty boy miss me?” You tease as you tug on his sleeve. “You wanna be my little toy tonight?”
Rafe shivered before he gripped your ass, pressing you against him as tightly as possible. “You wanna tell me why you look so tired, princess?”
“You’re such a simp,” You smirked and Rafe furrowed his brows before cupping your face. You felt even colder than usual.
“Tell me. Where have you been?”
“Hmm…I’ve been thirsty. But the drinks here just aren’t as good as they are in Salem.” Your eyes flash with a wicked glint and Rafe’s neck prickles in memory of your sharp teeth puncturing his skin.
“You went back home?”
You nod as you both sway to the rock music, your head tilted up at him and Rafe peered deep into your eyes.They held years of mystery and darkness. He wanted to get lost in them forever. “If you need something to taste, you can always come to me.” He said with a hardened seriousness.
You hold your head to the side and trail your gaze along his face. Rafe leaned down and brushed his lips to your ear. “Come on. Show me how good that mouth is, baby girl.”
You smile and cup the back of his head. Bringing him down, you press kisses to his neck, moving aside his collar and Rafe’s cock hardened as he felt you nip at his shoulder before you settled in the crook of his throat. Two sharp points pricked his flesh and he sighed as his eyes rolled back in his head. Your soft lips slightly open as he felt droplets fall, his head lulled as you drank from him, moaning quietly before you pulled back.
The corners of your lips were glistening and you licked your fangs. “Mmm, daddy. So sweet.”
Rafe went to kiss you but you reached up and paused him. “You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?”
“You love to fucking torture me, don’t you?” He growled and you laughed.
“You make it so easy. You’re like a little submissive puppy, Rafey. You’ll do anything I say. Won’t you?” Rafe wanted to take you right in the middle of the dance floor but he also didn’t want this to end.
“You’re really cocky,” Rafe decided to change his approach. “Is that all you can do? Drink my blood then run away like a scared little bunny? I thought vampires were scary.”
You grinned with a shrug. “Trying to bait me, huh? Nice move.”
“Oh, I’m just pointing out the obvious. I had you creaming on my cock better than any other fucker and you know it. I know your pussy is dripping right now, I can see the way you're pushing your legs together. Baby girl, try to be more subtle than that.” Rafe cupped your chin and watched you inhale sharply as his fingers brushed the exposed skin of your chest, lingering above your heart. “Now, try and behave yourself. I want you to think about how good it felt being my little greedy slut and how hard I made you cum but you’re not gonna touch yourself. No. You’re gonna wait. For me.”
You tried to catch his lips but he stood back with a wink. “You know where I live, Angel. Be a good girl for me and remember what happens when you’re not.”
It was almost impossible to walk away from you but Rafe was determined to finally meet you at your level and as he walked away, his heart raced with triumph.
He won round three.
Rafe stared at his ceiling three nights later, rubbing his eyes as sleep refused to claim him. He missed you so much it hurt. He knew he was obsessed with you but he couldn’t find it in himself to care about how desperate he looked. He needed you. He needed everything about you. He needed your sweet, tight pussy that made his cock ache just thinking about it.
His hand drifted to his boxers and as much as he wished it was you, his own palm would have to be enough for now. Rafe clutched his dick, precum leaking from the tip as he smeared it with his thumb and fisted it. He jerked it, hard and roughly as he thought about your pretty sounds when he pounded you from the back, panties stuffed in your mouth as your ass bounced. Fuck, he needed that. As his eyes fell shut and his mouth parted as he touched himself, already getting close just from the memory of you.
“Oh? Looks like someone is being a bad boy.”
Rafe stilled at the sound of your voice and sat up quickly. He saw the outline of your body standing by his open window. He could see the glimmer of your jewelry in the dark and he turned on his light on his phone. You were smiling, fangs out and your makeup was applied perfectly. Only you weren’t wearing a dress. You were wearing one of his black t-shirts without any pants underneath, showing off the perfect curve of your thighs.
“I mean come on, Rafe. Is it really fair to say I can’t finger fuck myself when you’re jerking off to the thought of me alone in bed?” You shook your head and clicked your tongue. “That's very bad.”
You slowly walked over to his bed, standing beside it and Rafe breathed heavily as you leaned down, pressing a hand to his heart. “I can hear your heart beating…racing just for me.”
You flipped the covers back, exposing his hardened cock underneath his underwear and he saw you smirk. “Looks like you need some help, daddy.” He inhaled sharply as you crawled on the bed, separating your knees as you lowered yourself down. You pulled down his boxers, spitting on his cock before you lapped at the tip, causing him to lay back and his hand found your hair.
Your tongue traced the sides, hand pumping the middle of his shaft before your lips wrapped around his balls and you sucked. He was going to go crazy as you released it with a pop and returned to his dick, pulling it into your mouth and you sucked.
You moaned as he lightly tapped your cheek and then tightly pulled your hair as you bobbed your head up and down, working him with your tongue at the same time as you hollowed your cheeks and took him deeper down your throat.
“Fucking shit. You’re a dirty little slut,” He huffed as he thrust his hips upward, spilling into your mouth and you moaned. He shakes violently as you continue sucking, messily overstimulating him and he finally manages to reach down. He maneuvered you onto your back, yanking up his shirt up over your head and exposed your black lace set you had on.
“Did you listen to me like a good girl?” He quirked an eyebrow and you rolled your eyes. “Mmm, I’m actually glad you didn’t. Now I have another excuse to put you in your place.”
Rafe tore off your panties, throwing them off the side of the bed and he tugged off your bra. Your tits bounced and he groaned at your hardening nipples. He leaned down, flicking his tongue on the sensitive buds before nipping at them with his teeth. “Let’s feel how fucking wet you are,” he shoves his hand down, not wasting time being gentle and swiped his fingers along your dripping core.
He shoved them into your mouth, your lips wrapped around his digits and he growled. “Taste that? That’s for me. All me. You belong to me, princess.” He smacks your ass before he slides his cock along your slit, “I’m gonna fuck you and then lick it clean.” He promises before pushing in, his dick hardening inside your tight pussy.
He holds down your wrists, “you don’t get to touch me, baby girl. You gotta learn somehow,” he breathes as you roll your hips, sucking him deeper and your eyes roll back as he moves.
Your cunt squelches as he pounds into you, the bed jerking from his strength and your legs wrap around his waist. “Daddy,” you whine and try to pull your hands loose but he shakes his head.
“Yeah? Your cunt belongs to daddy. Say it. Beg for me to make you cum and maybe I’ll let you touch me.” He licks up your neck to meet your mouth in a bruising kiss before he pulls back.
“Mmm, please! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! I’ll be good for you, I’ll be so good for you,” You choke but he shakes his head.
“Nah, I don’t fucking think so.” He pulls your lower lip between his teeth and you open your mouth, sticking your tongue out slightly.
He takes the invitation and spits inside, watching you swallow it before you shriek as your orgasm hits you. He feels your cum around his dick and he slams into you one more time before his own peak hits him. Ropes of his cum gush into you, leaking out and he buries his head in your neck.
“Bite me,” you whisper. “Want you to mark me,”
Rafe sinks his teeth into your skin and tastes slight copper as you moan loudly. He finally lets you go, allowing you to wrap your arms around his neck. “Does this mean I’ll be like you?” He chuckles and then makes his way down your body, separating your sticky thighs.
“It’s not that simple,” you respond before you sigh with pleasure as he drags his tongue along your pussy, licking up your cum with a small amount of blood in his mouth.
“Taste so good, baby girl. So you’re so sweet,” He mumbles against your clit before circling around the center, making your thighs close around his head. “Could stay down here forever,”
“Kiss me, Rafe.” He feels you pull him up by his hair and he meets your lips, mixing your tastes together.
“Don’t leave me again,” He asks between harsh kisses. “Stay. I’ll do whatever you need me to.”
You both stayed there for minutes, breathing in each other and he couldn’t get enough. “Will you be here when I wake up?” He asks, coming to a stop as he hovers above you.
“I’ll be here. I promise.” You cup his cheek, slightly stroking it and he leans into the touch. “You’re such a little simp,” you repeat from earlier and he shrugs.
“I have a thing for vampires.”
He laid on his back, pulling you to his chest and you listened to his heartbeat. “One of these days you’re gonna have to show me everything you can do.”
“Yeah? You wanna hear all my stories?” You tease in the dark and he nods.
“All of them, baby. Then maybe you’ll tell me how old you are.”
You pinch his side and he laughs. “Promise me again. You’ll stay?”
“I promise.”
His eyes drifted shut after you both fell into silence. He woke up to his alarm and smiled when he looked down. You were still in his arms.
Tagging @xxbimbobunnyxx @marchsfreakshow @slvt4jamesmarch @drewstarkeyslut @rafescurtainbangz @emsgoodthinkin @drudyslut @oceandriveab @rafesthroatbaby @theoraekenslover @redhead1180 @gri959 @voyeurmunson
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Right Here, Right Now
Chapter 9 / Chapter 10 / Chapter 11 (TBC)
Masterlist
plot: corroded coffin's eddie munson agrees to an interview for the first time in three years, alongside a new album that is most definitely about you.
Pairings: modernrockstar!Eddie x fem!popstar!Reader (curvy!reader, bisexual!reader)
Warnings: talks of familial death, depressing lyricism, angst
wc: 4.1k
note: I also wrote all of the lyrics in this chapter and made the images above of the album's cover and tracklist. I feel so proud of how much my hard work is paying off. DON'T USE THESE LYRICS ANYWHERE ELSE THANK YEW
Just one more mile.
You could do it. No, really, you could.
Tour really was coming up in the next six months and you had to build up your stamina now or else you weren’t going to survive. Things really were better now, though. You’d gotten rid of your personal trainer and switched to someone who did not suggest that you stop eating. It seemed like Sophia was a better fit anyways. If anything, she told you to eat more.
So here you were, on your poor attempt at a night run.
And you promised yourself that you wouldn’t think about him and how his album was dropping any day now.
Definitely, definitely not.
It was nearly midnight anyways, a few out from the witching hour but that’s not how it went for you. If anything, you were cursed with the threat of midnight being the worst hour of each day. It was like some switch flicked on and you were a mess of a woman, splayed out in bed and thinking. Furiously scribbling in a notebook as you lost to the thoughts in your head. Curled up in a ball in the shower, the white noise perfect for your never-ending thinking.
And who could forget sitting in your kitchen with a bowl of Kraft mac and cheese. Don’t forget the thinking.
Thinking about Eddie. His voice. The way he was willing to give you more than you deserved without any rhyme or reason. How desperate you felt to reconnect, to apologize profusely and beg for some semblance of forgiveness.
And now you were here, trying to outrun your problems while watching the headlights passing the windowpane.
Tried to stop thinking about how at any moment, Eddie could show up and you’d fall into his arms without any question. You’d tell him it didn’t matter. None of it did. And he’d say he wasn’t mad anymore and that he missed you and then you’d go on living like you once did.
Before you could lose yourself to wishing on headlights, a notification popped up on your phone.
Spotify exclusive: Listen to Corroded Coffin’s new album now!
Without any warning, you lost your footing on the treadmill and fell backwards. Hit your head on the floor, stunned. Let the pain throb in your head for only a few seconds before you dragged your body upright and clicked on the album.
Your eyes scanned the track list, heart pumping incessantly as a bead of blood rushed down your forehead.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Quickly, you threw yourself into the shower to wash off before grabbing headphones and padding into your walk-in closet. Situated yourself in the back corner, your body fitting snuggly in isolation.
And as you pressed that green play button, your grief washed over you at every line you called your favorite.
Welcome Home
“Dad’s disappearing acts and the award-winning smile
saying ‘sure, I’ll be comin’ back’
Well, I guess we’re both suckers for a little hope every once in a while
And, mom, is that why you stayed? Waited up praying, decaying all alone
Just so one day, you’d be able to say, ‘Welcome home’.”
Fever
“How could you ever fight a fever? God dammit, she’s more than a flame
Got her pinning me down, locked inside her heat wave
Sweat dripping, flesh gripping, I melt from her gaze
Just one more round, promise I’ll behave
Come on, darling, why don’t you set me ablaze?”
The Cost
“I ruined all the plans that hadn’t been made
Loving you as the bellbirds erupted in a haunted chorus
Rosy pink clouds turned into showers of blood and hate
I’m trying, baby, I’m trying to find a way out for us
But isn’t that the cost, darling?
Isn’t that the price of being with me?”
Tailor-Made
“We’re the only ones walking through the neighborhood
Sweetheart, don’t you think I know how to hide?
I’d never speak it, but I’d buy every house if I could
Marry you in secret, raise our kids benevolent and kind.”
Rose Petals (Interlude)
“Take a boy-turned-man, crucifying himself at your altar
Convince him your devoted infatuation will never falter
Paint his skies a vibrant pink then turn him into sheet metal
Leave him bleeding out, fractured, scattered like rose petals.”
As Good As Dead
“What’s more cliché than a man saying he’d die without your love
At least if I had an open vein, I’d feel something better than being numb
‘There’s no such thing as fate’ my thoughts screamed so fucking loud
But there was comfort in blind faith, that ill-fated crowd
Had a grip on your throat. Shit, maybe it always has
But now that I’m as good as dead, I can’t help my bitter laugh.”
A Mirage of Lovers
“There sat Elizabeth and Al,
on the front porch of their first house
Blind with momentary affection
And I swear when I looked at you,
I thought you were a lasting confection
But I swear there’s a mirage of lovers
Blurring in its reflection.”
Deluge
“It’s all there in my head, all in disarray
A cesspool of memories, a desperation for change
Fought for my life, thought it was so I could see you
Mother, I know that you’re not here, I’m still trying to heal
But please tell me now that love has always been real
Yet I wonder if you ever believed it yourself."
Hotwire
“Al loved a nice Hotwire
Pull ‘em apart, let them fray, twist ‘em till they go insane
And, yeah, I guess everyone I love is the same.”
Fallen Hero (Interlude)
“Every time I pick up a pen
It’s destined to dry out
And I refuse to go outside, refuse to call my friends
What’s the point when they’ll never understand?
I’ll leave myself behind just to have a pinch of hope
But I come back down from daydreams covered in blood
Just gotta learn to change, learn to change
Learn to accept being the fallen hero."
Intangible
“There’s beauty in the ways of intangibility
Like the touch of a woman in blushing gardens far away
The curve of her hips blooming in shades of futility
Laughter billowing like smoke lingering in the archway
And there’s places she will never be able to evade
A bouquet, a veil, a lover lying await in the shade.”
Out of My Hands
“If I could hear your knock, brought back by my revery
Each rap, each tap still committed to my memory
But that’s up to you, darling, it’s all up to you
And it’s the end I’m stalling, just for you
And I love you, baby. I love you
I hope you know I always will
Even if it’s out of my hands.”
Wayne
“There’s a new family in the trailer, I really wish I could believe it
'Cause once I thought we'd buckle under the weight of all that labor
No more scrounging up pennies for another first-aid kit
And you’re not here, Wayne. No, you’re not here.”
Lighter
“Give me back my lighter, any excuse to see you
Let it flicker, sit by the flame from sunrise ’til noon
Come running back, consider your exile foregone
I choose you in the low glow of dusk, love you ‘til dawn.”
Makeup starting to smudge, an outrageously expensive crop top and skirt still on, you threw off your pumps and let your aching feet lead you to the kitchen. Your black, white, and neon orange plaid outfit reflected vibrantly off the refrigerator light as you decided instead to make crescent rolls. Why the fuck not?
You were absolutely exhausted. Sleep hadn’t been an option for you in the last twenty-four hours, what with Corroded Coffin’s album keeping you awake and the promo you’d done all day. When you’d finally arrived back to your small California home, you were irritated and in desperate need of some food.
However, as the oven began to preheat, your jumbled thoughts kept piling on top of one another. The fog was too loud for you, having to rush to your living room to grab one of your many notebooks and pens. Sat at the island and just journaled.
It was hard enough knowing that Eddie had written all of that for you. About you. The disappointment, the self-loathing. The guilt of not feeling good enough. Searching through the past mistakes of his parents to make sense of the way you fell apart. As if that was the inevitable ending to any story he was destined to begin.
You felt sick.
And even though you ate every single crescent roll, your words just sunk into the page. You could’ve sworn a third of the notebook itself was smeared in grease and flakes and the intense shame rising in your chest. It was everything you’d hated about the last six months and more, all the goddamn childish emotions and wails of what was fair and what wasn’t. As if this hadn’t been your decision in the first place.
Enough was enough when you finished your plate.
“Okay,” you mumbled to yourself before letting out a sound of frustration. “Distraction. Now.”
Grabbing your laptop, you threw yourself on your couch and logged onto YouTube. Maybe you’d watch a deep dive on an amusement park. Catch up on some commentary. Look up that one video of baby sloths talking that usually had you crying from affection.
But there on the front page was an interview with Corroded Coffin on the new album. There’d already been over a million views despite being posted that morning. Something pooled in your abdomen as you saw the thumbnail, all the members posing together.
And you knew you shouldn’t.
But fuck it, what’s a little more salt to your never-ending wounds?
As you clicked on the video, some interviewer you hadn’t heard of popped up smiling before he spoke.
“Hi, my name is Marcus Sanderson and today I’m interviewing one of the most successful metal bands in recent history, Corroded Coffin. They have been hitting commercial success lately, after their incredible album, Fire Shroud, held electronic influences which have begun to redefine and evolve the genre for the modern age.
"Their most recent album, Elizabeth & Al, has only propelled them forward. I was given the rare opportunity to talk to Eddie, Jeff, Gareth, Grant, and Ronnie about not only their writing and producing process, but their personal lives.
“First, we’ll open up with a cover of one of the band’s favorite songs of all time, ‘Solitude’ by Black Sabbath.”
It cut to the band and you couldn’t help a frustrated whine leaving your mouth at seeing him again. And, Jesus Christ, Eddie was fit like a daydream, donning a black Guns N’ Roses t-shirt with dark jeans and a long-sleeved plaid shirt tied at the waist. A shiny leather jacket, some custom-made Converse with Corroded Coffin across the bottom. Rings and bracelets galore, an obsidian choker hanging low on his neck. Black eyeliner that had wings along his lower lash line.
You didn’t think you’d ever felt so fucking weak for him.
He stood without his guitar for once, his full attention on his singing. Jeff, Gareth, Grant, and Ronnie were all decked out too, makeup mirroring Eddie’s. All looking refreshed and well-rested. You noticed there was someone else there in the background playing the flute and as they started the song with a gentle solo, it sounded ethereal.
“My name, it means nothing. My fortune is less
My future is shrouded in dark wilderness.”
Eddie avoided the camera, eyes darting around the room. You could see his fingers shaking, white-knuckled around the microphone despite the stability of the stand.
“Sunshine is far away, clouds linger on
Everything I possessed, now they are gone
They are gone.”
Absentmindedly chewing on your lip, you couldn't help but let it sink in. This wasn't just the band's favorite Black Sabbath song—this was Eddie's. He'd told you how the song ripped him apart. How he'd rather die than to ever relate to it personally.
“Oh, where can I go to and what can I do?
Nothing can please me, only thoughts are of you
You just left when I begged you to stay.”
He leaned back as he began to change the notes of the lyrics, his voice building into a belt. Like it was a wail, like he was the most furious man alive.
“I’ve not stopped crying since you went away
You went away…”
The instrumental sounded, the flute having its own solo. Extending the moment, extending the devastation that was demolishing your soul.
Eddie was crying now, wiping the corners of his eyes in the background. Smearing his eyeliner like he didn't care, nose tinged pink through the makeup. And when he came back to the mic, you could see the pain sitting in his eyes. All glassy, all excruciatingly fragile.
“The world is a lonely place, you’re on your own
Guess I will go home, sit down and mourn
Crying and thinking is all that I do
Memories I have remind me of you
Of you.”
The footage blurred, fading before cutting to Eddie sitting alone in a chair with the interviewer opposite him. Like they were in a house, all casual and at ease.
“We’re starting off by talking to the front man, Eddie Munson,” Marcus said to the camera, smiling before turning his attention back to Eddie. “It’s nice to see you, man. You look great.”
Eddie chuckled. “Great to be back.”
Marcus nodded. “That cover of ‘Solitude’ was incredible, by the way.”
You could see some color flood into Eddie’s cheeks. “Ah, thanks. Thank you.”
“Do you feel like you’ve been in a period of solitude?”
“Uh, to be honest, kinda. I know people are, like, freaking out just ‘cause I haven’t been in public.”
“Where’ve you been?”
“Just making sure I’m focused on the work,” He gestured to himself before mimicking a pushing motion “and not on the external stuff, you know?”
“As we all should. Would you tell me a bit about your new album? Personally, I’m curious as to why you specifically named it Elizabeth & Al.”
“Yeah, uh, those are my parents’ names. My mom passed away when I was a kid and my dad…well, he wasn’t the best. But I just couldn’t stop thinking about what happens when two people who love each other just end up falling apart. Like, you just feel like you’re as good as dead, you know? And I wondered if my parents had that sort of crash and burn before she died.
“I don’t talk about it much, but my dad had a lot of issues with addiction and gambling and crime after my mom died. I didn’t grow up with the generic parent bleep. It was more like I was his friend than a son and sometimes I was a business partner. And, I don’t know, I grew up thinking that love could’ve been so simple if he gave just a little bit of effort. But I still thought he and my mom had a simple love.”
“I’m guessing they didn’t.”
Eddie let out a shaky laugh. “Yeah, no. My dad was never really good at maintaining, like, any kind of control. And it’s so weird ‘cause all he ever did was try to have control over things. But it was self-sabotage, I think. He was never in control over his life. It felt so predestined.”
“What about your mom?”
He shrugged. “I’m not really sure. I think she just wanted love. Like, grasping for that shred of love that he provided every once in a while. ‘Cause it’s not like my dad was incapable of love. Just incapable of giving her everything. Maybe I’m projecting now, but you know what I mean.”
“So, is this album from the perspective of your parents?”
“Not exactly,” Eddie said, shaking his head. “They’re kinda just the reflection, you know? Like what I say on ‘A Mirage of Lovers’. Our parents end up being a kind of mirror we hold up to ourselves. And I think it’s up to us to decide if we’ll continue that cycle or not—especially in the face of heartbreak and loss. ‘Cause you can easily sit there and accuse yourself of being like your father or your mother. But ultimately, you’re just you. You’re not your parents.”
“And you wrote all of this within the last six months, correct?”
“Yeah, it was weird. Like, I just couldn’t stop writing. I was in such a dark place and the only thing I did was sit and write. And the band is so bleeping incredible. I showed them what I was thinking, and they were super, super receptive to it. And we got to work and got it done faster than anything else we’ve made.”
Marcus smiled, something genuine and real, shaking his head in disbelief. “That timeline really does shock me, just because it’s so seamless. There’s all these tiny details and every song just flows into one another.”
“Thanks, man. That means a lot. We kinda thought that having all the songs connect was sorta like, um, a stream of consciousness, essentially.” He started gesturing with his hands and you knew he was getting more comfortable. It almost made you smile. “Like, these thoughts all run together in a big loop. Like having one of those corkboards with all the evidence and red strings, you know? All of it just ends up running together and there’s no concrete answer. It just is.
“And, man. Jeff, Gareth, Grant, and Ronnie are just the best. They know me better than almost anyone and they seemed to automatically get what they needed to do. Just, like, boom, boom, boom. One after the other, we just got everything right. No one else helped produce this album and I think it shows just how much we’ve learned and evolved over our careers.”
You felt something freeze inside you when the interviewer mentioned your name.
Eddie tried his best to seem unaffected, but you knew he was starting to squirm. You could see the top of his knee as it bounced.
“Are you two still together?” Marcus asked. “What’s the story there?”
Eddie’s eyes wandered the room, probably trying to calculate the best way to go. You selfishly wanted him to say nothing about the breakup, to refuse to confirm that it was truly over.
He cleared his throat before scratching his temple.
“My relationship with her is private and just between us. It always has. But I guess since I finally have a chance to say whatever I want to say, I want to make it very clear that the way the media has treated her has been just disgusting and unwarranted. She is not some plastic, shiny doll for everyone to point and laugh at."
Eddie then straightened his posture as he looked straight into the camera. "Oh, and let me be clear. If you’re sitting there talking about her bleeping body, then you are a piece of bleeping bleep and I hope you burn in hell.”
Just like that, Marcus Sanderson moved on, the shot cutting away to a shot of the rest of the band sitting on a couch. But you weren’t listening anymore. Your head was swirling with a concoction of disbelief and epiphanies. Something…clicked.
Because you’d never had a partner mention you on a public scale. Never had a partner willing to scream your love from the top of the world and still retain privacy. Never had someone so willing to defend you despite your faults. Despite your arguments and downfalls.
And you were realizing that you…had done none of that for Eddie.
You’d sat there, in a dreamy haze because Eddie gave you everything he had. But had you really done any of those things back? Had you given him an ounce of what he gave you?
You thought back to the AMAs, when you walked around your answers. Nearly yelled at him for standing up for you. Dropped his hand when he wanted to tell you how proud he was. Hell, you even broke up with him because of what other people said. He thought you wanted nothing from him, that you weren’t interested anymore.
You never even said you loved him to his face.
You treated him exactly the way all your past partners treated you.
Eddie Munson had given you his world and you’d given him a fraction.
“I fucked up,” you whispered before you really processed what was happening. “I FUCKED UP!” you screeched, scrambling to stand up and check your phone.
1:13am.
Immediately dropped it, watching it slide under the couch.
“FUCK!” you screamed again.
Dropping to your knees and enduring the carpet burn, you reached down and felt around for your phone. But you froze as you felt something else, something smaller in size. Pulled it out, recognizing Eddie’s lighter immediately.
You flicked the lighter on, only encountering sparks the first two times. But when you watched it transform into a flame, something in your chest began to ache. It was the kindling of a once-wet fireplace, the first stroke of fire you’d felt in months. Teardrops fell freely down your chest as you found the will to fight.
Fight for what you knew you could never live without.
Fight for Eddie.
Give me back my lighter, any excuse to see you
Come running back, consider your exile foregone
Without any thought, you stuffed it into your top, found your phone, and popped up to search for some socks. Barely registered the color before yanking them on. You didn’t care how dressed up you were or how oily your face felt. How exhausted your body was or the residue of a crescent roll sticking to the side of your mouth.
You had to get to wherever Eddie was, and you had to get there now. If you didn’t talk to him tonight, you didn’t know if you’d make it to daylight.
But where was he?
The thought made you pause, hands shaking as you thought.
And before the panic could completely consume you, you called the one person who seemed to know everything.
“Woah, hello there.”
“Jeff.”
“Hey, long time no see. Where you been?”
“Jeff, I’m sorry, but I really need you to tell me if Eddie is in California right now.”
“Uh, yeah, he is.” You tugged your white Keds on, breathing a sigh of relief. “He’s been holed up in his place for the last few days. Why?”
“I just need to talk to him,” you said, nearly out of breath as you started sprinting to the garage. “I need to talk to him.”
“Ever thought about calling?”
“Nope.”
Jeff’s laughter rang through the receiver. “You’re crazy, girl. I’ll give you that one.” A huff left your nose as you climbed into your car. “You gonna tell him you’re in love with him?”
“Yeah, yeah I am.”
“Finally.”
“Are you mad at me?” you asked, dreading any answer he’d give.
“Not at all. Just don’t leave him hanging this time, okay? He hasn’t been okay in a really long time.”
“Neither have I. I’m hoping to fix this and let it stay fixed.”
“Go get your man.”
As the garage door lifted, you noticed the pouring rain.
Of course it started fucking storming within the last hour and a half you’d been home. Of fucking course.
“Bye, Jeff,” you said quickly.
“Bye, girl!”
As you filed out of your driveway, a black SUV was already pulling out behind you. The protection was part of the job. You knew this. But sometimes, you just wanted to tell Scott that you had shit to do on your own.
But there was no time for this.
You just continued to drive, letting the soft hum of “The Long And Winding Road” by The Beatles lead you right back to the very place you knew you belonged.
“Scott,” James acknowledged.
“James.”
It felt like a showdown, Scott stepping in front of you at the gates. As soon as you’d arrived, you’d been prevented from pulling into the driveway. And it was James who’d crossed his arms over his dauntingly ripped chest, staring you down like you’d committed a crime.
You couldn’t blame him.
“What’s the situation?”
You tried not to roll your eyes. “I need to talk to Eddie.”
“It’s two in the morning. Kid finally fell asleep for once.”
“Let her in, James,” Scott said. “They’re people. Just let them figure it out on their own without us.”
“I really want to fix this,” you explained, earning a lifted eyebrow from James. “He’s everything to me and I know I screwed up. I know that. But I want to at least try to mend this. I’m a fucking idiot. Just…please.” Your eyes began to water. “Please let me try.”
James gave you a hard stare for what felt like ten minutes. Like he was assessing the risk.
But then he opened the gate, stepping to the side.
“Thank you,” you breathed, rushing past him to the door.
You knocked quite rapidly, your heartbeat matching the pace. Heard it pulse in your ears. Teetered on each foot as the adrenaline continued to catapult you further into madness. Waiting and waiting and waiting until—
There he was, barely visible in the glow of the front porch light, eyes squinting. Messy curls frizzing, wearing a white t-shirt and gray sweatpants. No accessories, no socks on his feet.
It seemed like he finally registered it was you when he straightened his posture. Eddie gazed down at your body and back up again, eyes widening with every passing second.
“Hey,” you finally whispered.
“Hey.”
bless @strangergraphics for always having the sickest dividers.
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