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hedgefrogpresents · 2 months

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We Wrote Stranger Things Season Five But There's Gay Vampires And It's A Puppet Theater

I wrote a 95 page treatment of how Stranger Things season five would go if I got to be in charge of it and then we acted it out scene-by-scene in the Hedgefrog Puppet Theater and made our friends voice characters with us and also there's a musical number and a drag bar and Eddie is alive and he and Steve are hooking up but it is NOT romantic it is PURELY sexual and also Steve and Robin are a horse and Max gets to have a sword (as a treat) 💕🦇✨🐎💕

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beep-beep-robin · 18 days

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joyce byers would scream along to „the smallest man who ever lived“ and hopper would join in in a slightly scared but supportive way after hearing her from the other room and coming over to check on her, i just know it

#ofc mentally cursing out lonnie #jopper #joyce byers #jim hopper #stranger things #taylor swift #tsmwel #the smallest man who ever lived #joyce x hopper #hopper x joyce #stranger things headcanon #vanessas headcanons

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werdlewrites · 4 months

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masterlist - ao3 - kofi - twitter @ djomamma

share support through likes, comments, and reblogs!

summary: “Honestly, ma’am, I-” “January 1967,” she cuts in, earning a wide-eyed stare from the stranger at her side. She meets him halfway, smiling at his look of surprise. “Yeah, I was there. You’re not the first person t’ask. Just the first one that wanted t’talk, rather than shut me up.” warnings: missing persons? smoking, mentions of blackmail kinda, gov conspiracy, somethin' fishy is goin' on here wc: 2,177

If lying was so wrong, why did it come so easily? An excuse made up, barely thought out before it flew off of his tongue. It’s believable, and no one takes a moment to question it. What would the Chief of Police, Jim Hopper, have to hide anyway? A man who served his community with a firm hand and brutal words of punishment or encouragement as young rebels found themselves in his office for the third time that week. If lying was a sin, he’d be drowning in misery as the mortal line is finally severed. “It’s better this way,” he tells himself. Take the hit and act as a shield to spare others from the painful truth. A truth not everyone is ready for. So the pile of secrets grows tall like a tower, swaying in the breeze and threatening to collapse at any moment. He knows it’ll bury him someday, and it’s worth it if it means protecting fragile hearts. It’s difficult to ignore as he waits in his car, feeling the shadow loom like a heavy cloud on him while the neighborhood shines bright. It was almost like a beacon to guide him here—just outside of Hawkins, where no one knew his name. He was just another man on a morning drive. Receiving pleasant waves from strangers as they walk their dog past him. No one asks, and no one seems to care—they are too engulfed in their own stories, actively being written out. Hopper catches himself watching every individual pass through his rearview, checking for suspicious behavior or if they cast a second look. They never do, and it’s freeing. He allows his mind to settle, redirecting focus to the quiet house just down the street. A single-story home painted in pristine white with accents of gray and wooden beams to support the gable. It’s a stark contrast to the photograph in his hands—clearly redone in the years since the news article had been printed. No longer abandoned, but instead thriving with life.

A station wagon is soon slowing to a crawl before the house, climbing the small hill in the driveway. The doors are quick to open, and smiles are seen on happy faces as they linger in an unheard joke. The young couple reach into the backseats to pluck twins from their car seats, both seeming to have just woken from a long nap. Together, they seek comfort in their home and bask in the warmth of a growing family. It’s what he expects, yet it's still gut-wrenching. In the thin silver lining of hope, he had envisioned an older pair wandering in their lonesome, forever looking for their lost girl. But it was clear they were long gone, and he was back to the start. With a heavy sigh and a photograph in hand, he slips from the car and studies nearby houses. Some are more modern, while others remain stuck in the past. It was his best bet. Even if he left with nothing, the path would have narrowed by some. He starts with the house just next to the family, a simple introduction, and a quick question to follow. “I hate t’be a bother,” he would say with a nervous chuckle. “But I-I’m uh, working on a case. I just wanted t’see if you knew anything about the house next door and its previous owners?” A look of suspicion lights up in their eyes before they give only disappointing answers, shutting the door between them. He goes door to door, finding no clues, and it’s wearing him thin. He’s wasting time, knowing the longer he’s gone, the more worried his coworkers will become.

A final attempt is made as he stands on the welcome mat of a cozy home. The door was painted a dull blue to welcome you in closer, with flowers and other foliage all well kept and glowing. Various clicks of undone locks are heard one after another, piquing his interest with a raised brow. The door is barely cracked, with brown eyes peering through, studying the stranger in silence before widening the entrance. “Can I help you?” It’s an older woman—somewhere in her sixties and hardly dressed for the day. Her pajamas peeked through a thick and hastily tied robe, her lips still wet from coffee. “I’m sorry t’disturb you, ma’am. I just have a question about—" He takes a pause, suddenly finding himself uneasy under her stern stare. “Your home.” “My home?” she questions, brows pulled tight together. “Y-yeah, uh, how long have you lived here?” Her head tilts, and he can feel the uneasiness radiating from the woman—the lack of trust is painfully obvious. Hopper digs for his badge and offers it out to her in haste, hoping to keep her from running away. “I’m workin’ a case,” he defends. The unnamed woman slumps against the threshold, arms now crossed, as she finally gives in. “Since 1958,” A spark of warmth ignites in his chest, and he feels almost sickened by the race of his heart. “D’you know anything about a missing family? It would have been after you moved in. Just, uh, just down there.” Brown eyes follow after his pointed finger, and he doesn’t miss the way her arms tighten. Shoulders are now scrunched together, and lips are held in a thin line. “Nope.” It was a popular answer. No one seemed to know or care, despite singing their praises in reports. Well thought of and vanishing without any warning. Without hesitation, the Polaroid waits out in the open between two fingers, and she observes in silence. “Nothin’ comin’ t’mind?”

This time, there’s no response provided. Her stare lingers on their faces, and even after it’s been tucked away, she remains in their grip. The officer's posture sags with defeat, his heart slowing to a steady rhythm as the fire sizzles out into nothing. “Thank you for your time, ma’am,” he states with a nod of his head, already tracing over his steps to stand in the sunlight once again. By the time he’s halfway down the curved path, his hand wiping across frustrated features, she calls out. She stands where he was once, practically squirming in her skin with lips parting to speak yet unable to find the right words. “Y’look, uh, y’look like you could use a cup of coffee. Big mornin’ for you. Working a missing persons case, and all.” A heavy sigh meets his lips as he stands with hands purchased on tilted hips, pushing through the heartbreak to appear confident and stable. “I’m fine, thank you. I should really-” “I can get you a fresh cup. You could sit and relax for a few minutes.” “Ma’am, I really-” “I was just about t’do some gardening,” she interrupts with a step forward. “You could sit in the back with me.” The man remains frozen. Words have failed him, and the aggravation was building to a powerful force against someone who didn’t deserve it. She was just a lonely woman looking for someone to talk to. He’s seen it all before—until the atmosphere takes a sudden shift. “Really, officer. I insist.” Dark eyes flicker towards the siding of her home, where a tall, white fence awaits, guarding her plants. It’s suspicious—enough to shut him up—and he nodded in acceptance at her offer. She seems satisfied, nearly relieved, as she instructs him to wait at the gate before slipping into the shadows of her home.

The wait is painful yet short-lasting. Picturing the woman frantically moving through her home just to meet him on the other side, chest heavy from a hidden burden she so clearly wanted to be free of. Whatever it was, he was willing to listen. She seems breathless at the gate, offering out a mug of fresh coffee like she promised before letting him slip inside. In the distance, he can hear her muttering, “The neighbors will love this.” He says nothing just yet, watching as she flits around her yard, continuing to mumble nonsense to herself. “Everything o-?” The man is cut short as she holds a single finger to tightly sealed lips, waiting impatiently for him to take the hint, and he does so with concern in his stare. She shuffles off towards a few stacked basins, purposeful details cut away, allowing running water to spill freely on an endless loop. That, paired with the high-pitched ting from dancing windchimes, is enough to settle her rattled nerves, and she sighs out, “There we are.” Her robe has come undone in the haste, seeming less put together as she takes a seat just near a small table. An ashtray rests at the center, just next to a pack of cigarettes. Her fingers are quick to snatch it up and stick one just between her lips. “You going t’just stand there, or what?” Her eyes dart towards the empty seat just on the other side, and he caves with reluctance. This change in her had struck his interest. The coffee remains untouched, hands falling to rest between parted knees while he drinks in the dying garden. There’s beauty, still. But winter weather comes fast, claiming vibrance and turning all too dull green. “Honestly, ma’am, I-” “January 1967,” she cuts in, earning a wide-eyed stare from the stranger at her side. She meets him halfway, smiling at his look of surprise. “Yeah, I was there. You’re not the first person t’ask. Just the first one that wanted t’talk, rather than shut me up.” She takes a long drag from her cigarette, eyes cast out at nothing in particular. “So, you lied?” “T’cover my ass, yeah. You would too if all you had was on the line.” The ash is flicked away, her stature seeming more relaxed than it had been only moments ago—finding some trust in the man from out of town.

“You were threatened?” he asks, watching as her lips form a faint smile. “Threatened, paid—anything t’keep my mouth shut.” It’s all too familiar—now understanding why they were outdoors, suffering mother nature's wrath instead of warm in the comfort of her home. The woman’s sanctuary may have been under surveillance the same way his had been or still is. “What can you tell me?” A look of disbelief falls on him, unimpressed by his bravery as he marches out into the unknown. “Why are you working a case from the sixties? That’s over and done with.” Chilled hands rub together as a strong gust sweeps through, goosebumps quickly trailing along his skin. “Personal interest,” he offered. He can’t tell if she buys it, but it captures her interest, and the once-dusty book from the past begins to unfold. “Not much I can tell you. No one knows what happened."“But you knew of them, right? Who they were?” “Everyone did,” she answers with a short laugh. You could almost see her mind flipping through the pages, reliving an old life. “Got along well with everyone. Made enough of an impression for people t’worry.” She’s taken notice of his mug; coffee is still at the brim. The woman doesn’t hesitate before stealing it away, letting it drown out the taste of tobacco on her tongue. “Pretty private, though. Always the guests and never the hosts. I assumed it was related t’their…’disappearance.’” She ends with quotes. “You don’t think they ran off?” “Oh,” her answer is strained, holding the smoke hostage in her lungs before it spills out in a flood. “I think someone made them run. Random cars showing up, parked right outside their house. Men in suits at their front door every other night,” she scoffs, finally stamping out the lit end in the glass tray. “Real spooky shit.”

Together, they sit in silence. Her mind retells every encounter crystal clear, like it had only been yesterday. Hopper could only conjure up possibilities, attempting to recreate the scenes of a man storming across the yard to scream at unwelcome visitors. “They were new parents. Just barely adjusting t’life before they went missing. Poor thing was only a month old. I hate t’even think about what could have happened.” The puzzle is becoming more complete with every confession she gives, yet it’s still hard to make out. Like it’s been pieced together in the dark, squinting to find the fine lines of a story. “What was the kid's name?” The woman doesn’t answer right away, lips pursed in thought, before hushed words dance through the November air. So soft, it gives chills worse than the cold winds to kiss his cheeks.

“Nature’s first green is gold. Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower, but only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, so dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.” The poetry grips at her heart more than she anticipated, her eyes now sorrowful as she hears an old friend's voice recite lovely words from a book. “It was Lynn’s favorite Robert Frost poem. Said she would name her kid after it, whatever that means.”

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samgelina-jolie · 1 year

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Random opinion but I dont want Hopper to be reinstated as police chief at the end of s5, I want him to just be some guy who came back from the dead and has a weird bald kid now and suddenly hes married to Joyce Byers??? Everytime someone asks him what happened he tells them a different story. Their family live in a dinky little cabin in the woods (a little bigger than before with some extra bedrooms). Joyce is the breadwinner, Hop lives off his huge annual government pay off and does odd jobs for people around town. He participates in the school's bake sales.

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boogiewrites · 2 years

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Jim Hopper Masterlist

Jim Hopper

Don't Call Her Annie (Complete) : Annette Horowitz is Joyce's younger sister. She hasn't been the perfect sibling or aunt but after she finds out Will is missing, she finds herself crashing back into Hawkins to do everything in her power to help, driven by a need to prove she isn't a bad person. She hasn't been around much in the past 20 or so years, but when she comes back home she finds old friends, old habits and old feelings she'd thought she'd finally escaped. Can she really change or is she just kidding herself? Chapters containing explicit sexual content are in bold.

Part 1 Intro, Part 2 Advice & Arrests, Part 3 Bars, blankets & Bonfires, Part 4 Drunk & Discussions, Part 5 Preferences & Propositions, Part 6 Birthdays & Anniversaries, Part 7 Memories & Monologues, Part 8: Dusk & Dawn. Part 9: Valentine & Variation , Part 10 Reflection & Reassurance Part 11 Dancing & Domesticity Part 12 Music & Misunderstanding Part 13 Nostalgia & Now

Before & After : Dealing with the 1 year anniversary of her almost life-ending accident coming up soon, our main character not only has to deal with how this makes her feel, but also how it’s making Jim feel. Chapters containing explicit sexual content are in bold.

Chapter 1 Before, Chapter 2 The Day Before, Chapter 3 Preparation, Chapter 4 Pt. 1 The Anniversary, Chapter 4 Pt. 2 The Sleepover Chapter 5 The Honeymoon Phase , Chapter 6 Control , Chapter 7 Losing It, Chapter 8 Finding It Chapter 9 Figuring It Out

Summer of Hopper : Hopper is in pieces after coming back to Hawkins after Vietnam. How long will you be able to be the strong one if you are also on the edge from taking care of him? If you both break…then what happens?

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

Some Legs Are Meant To Be Broken (Complete): When Hopper breaks both of his legs, and you’re the newest employee at the station, it means you get recruited to be his babysitter. Would he be as frustratingly difficult to deal with as you imagine? (Originated from a request to write Hopper in a similar situation to Andy Dwyer from Parks and Rec when he had two broken legs. This was where that prompt took me.) Chapters containing explicit sexual content are in bold.

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

One Shots - Jim Hopper (SMUT)

An Act of Nature: You move back to Hawkins, luckily you hit it off with a friend of your stepbrothers. When Chief Hopper finally gets around to asking you out, what is it going to take for the two of you to find time alone? An act of nature?

Not the fun kind of Daddy issues: Jim Hopper is your ex-husband. The fire burned bright but you just aren’t good for each other, you know it. You both try to deal with divorce and trying to raise Jane together despite your differences. Will she end up bringing you back together, or tearing you apart? Or maybe a little of both?

Long Day, Longer Night: A long day turns into an even longer night after you find yourself alone with the Chief…yet again. (My Valentine's fic. Tried to make something romantic and wax poetic a bit.) <3

Don’t Mess With Jim: It’s been a long week without being able to see your favorite man, and you intend to make sure he remembers what he’s been missing. You’re reminded of just how powerful of an affect Jim’s words can have on you (and others).

**IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH ANY LINKS LET ME KNOW! AND IF YOU FIND YOURSELF STUCK, TRY SWITCHING MY OLD SCREENNAME “JIMJAMS83″ IN THE URL WITH “BOOGIEWRITES” AND IT SHOULD REDIRECT YOU TO THE PROPER PAGE!**

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portaltothevoid · 10 months

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For Whom the Bell Tolls - Chapter 35 - Spellbound

Pairing: Eddie Munson x OFC (Kat Ramsay), sequel to Foolin’

Summary: Kat returns to Hawkins after the battle.

Warnings: This is it. It’s the end of Kat’s story…. For now.

Word count: 3.3k

Chapter song: Spellbound by Siouxsie and the Banshees

Tag list: @munchabunch @madaboutmunson @earl-greater

The medics were working on Eddie before the helicopter was even in the air. They took his vitals and changed his bandages, applying more pressure to stop whatever ones were still bleeding. Frantically, they were writing notes on various clipboards.

An adrenaline crash hit Kat like a ton of bricks. She could feel herself spacing out as she tried to stay attentive to Eddie. The whole ride took no more than 15 minutes. They landed atop this building in the middle of the woods. It felt eerily similar to Hawkins Lab.

Eddie was wheeled off in the stretcher. The woman had held Kat back, not letting her follow. She didn’t even fight it. There was really nothing anyone could do to keep her from him anyway, but she knew the doctors needed space to assess him and make him comfortable. Soon enough, she would see him.

Kat was led a few floors down to a fancy boardroom. There she saw her Uncle Hank who shot up to greet her along with a couple of his colleagues.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” he said as he hugged her.

“Yeah, me too, honestly,” she said quietly, returning his hug. “They’ll tell me as soon as Eddie is stable, right?”

“Yes, yes, of course. He will be very well taken care of here,” Hank assured her as he pulled out a chair for her to sit.

“Where is ‘here’ exactly?”

“Knight Ridge Technical, a government research facility, about ten miles east of Bloomington.”

“Right…” she said tapping on the table. “It’s not the kind of research that brainwashes kids and experiments on them against their will, right?” With Kat’s blunt question it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.

“No, no. Nothing of that sort. That was Brenner’s thing. Here at Knight Ridge we focus more on understanding physics and electromagnetic fields, things of that nature.”

“Yeah, sure. So are we here to talk terms or…?” she trailed off.

“Terms?” The woman asked.

“Uh, yeah. Eddie and I are prime suspects in murders that One did, and ya know, opened up a massive gate between our world and the Upside Down. So I want our names cleared. Specifically his name cleared.”

“That… that will come in time. I’m seeing to it you both are going to be very well taken care of. Right now we are just trying to understand exactly how that happened.”

Kat let out a big sigh. “So my friend Max was one of his victims. Basically me and El, Eleven, piggybacked from Max’s mind into Vecna… One’s mind. We call him Vecna. Sometimes One. Sometimes Henry? Anyway. He wanted us to watch him kill Max as his fourth and final victim to, in his demented mind, ‘save the world’ more or less, but wherever El was, her boyfriend gave her this peptalk. Which I could hear too. He was telling her to fight. I thought of Eddie. And I fought like hell to get back to him. Because the all-seeing asshole showed me a live feed of the demobats attacking him. El basically finished One off while I went back to my body and then, um, sort of became a human EKG machine. Um, so yeah, we sort of stalled him for the time being, but I mean, every place One killed someone turned into a gate. When Max… died…” Kat took a second to clear her throat. The weight and reality of that statement hadn’t even registered in her mind yet. “That’s what caused the giant earthquake. I saw it from the air. Every gate connected and formed a line to the center of Hawkins. I don’t know what it means, but… He said he would be there when the rest of the world burns and falls and he’d be there to pick up the pieces, to turn the world into something beautiful. Clearly we have very different standards of beauty. If only you guys got a look at him. He doesn’t need to bag just his face, but his whole body…” Kat shuddered at the thought and then looked at everyone in front of her. They all stared back at her blankly, mouths slightly agape.

Hank cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. “We’ve lost contact with Eleven after the disaster at NINA, but you said she was there?”

“Yeah, she’s on her way back to Hawkins.”

“You’re the reason that boy is alive?” someone else asked.

“Um, yeah. I– I– I panicked. I couldn’t… I can’t lose him,” she whispered as she looked at her hands on the table.

“You never cease to amaze me, ya know that, kiddo?” Hank said with a beaming smile. “So here’s what happens now. We’re going to set you up in an overnight suite here. You used an immense amount of power. To be quite honest, I don’t even know how you’re still standing right now.”

“Well, I’m sitting, but yeah, me neither.”

“You rest up and hopefully by the time you’re ready, you’ll be able to see Eddie. Sound good?”

“Yeah, sure, but Uncle Hank? I mean it. When we get back to Hawkins I want his name cleared,” she spoke sternly.

“Who said anything about going back to Hawkins? Kat, honey, you can’t go back there. The town is like a war zone.”

“Exactly. It is a war zone. And I have to be on the front lines. This fight isn’t over. It’s only just beginning.”

Hank started to stutter when the woman spoke up. “The girl and her family will be staying in their secluded cabin. Surely there’s another one nearby we could set up for them. Temporarily they can stay there until we finalize everything.”

“I like this lady,” Kat nodded with a smile as she got up from her seat. Everyone else followed suit. “Don’t know who you are, but I like you.”

“Agent Stinson,” she said as she stuck out her hand for a handshake. “I’ll show you to your room.”

~~~~~

The next day Kat was waiting outside Eddie’s room, ringing her hands anxiously. She had been called here just moments ago, but when she finally got to the room, he was still asleep. One of the doctors finally came by and updated her on everything.

“He’s very lucky to be alive, you know. We honestly don’t know how he survived. Those wounds were deep and he lost a lot of blood. He has quite the road to recovery, but luckily you got him here in time. Truly, his case is baffling. Were you aware he was clinically dead for about a minute?”

“I… um, yeah. I just, um… I went by the book to save him, I guess,” she muttered. She’d never heard or seen this person before in her life. How could she know if she could trust him? Sometimes she felt guilty for how much of the battle she relayed to her Uncle, but it just kept pouring out of her.

“Is that so?” The doctor chuckled. “We’re all on your side here. You can trust us.”

“That’s what they all say,” Kat said with a weak smile.

“I get it, I get it. From what you’ve been through… It’s wise not to automatically trust everyone you meet. Anyway, his vitals are stable. We gave him fluids when he first got here. He was able to eat this morning. His upper body suffered the most damage, so you guys should be on your way tomorrow.”

“Does everyone know what I can do here? Jesus. Wait, on our way tomorrow? Are you serious?”

“You and Eleven are like our local celebrities here. We’re all in your corner. And absolutely. This is the most miraculous case I’ve ever seen. I mean, the improvement from yesterday to today is astonishing. I’ll send you home with a folder full of his care regimen. You’ll have agents and doctors close by, should any issues arise.”

“Thank you,” she said sincerely.

“Alright, I’ll let you see him. It’s best if he wakes up on his own, but there's a chair in there for you and the TVs still on, so help yourself. If you need anything, just buzz for one of the nurses.”

Kat nodded and had her hand on the door knob, but hesitated before she went in. “Wait, just tell me before I go in there… Did you have to cut his hair?”

“No,” the doctor chuckled. “His hair is still intact.”

“Thank god. I didn’t wanna be the one to tell him. He would’ve been pissed,” Kat laughed as she entered the room.

He was lying there peacefully. Bandages covered much of his body. But the color had returned to his face. His hair was fanned out around him. She was well aware the doctor said not to disturb him, so sat in the chair and sort of… followed his directions.

At this point, she had a handle on her powers so much that she could just enter the void simply by closing her eyes and focusing on it. The TV became background noise. The light didn’t bother her. It was just like falling asleep with the lights on, in a roundabout way.

As soon as she padded across the shallow water of the void, something felt… off. Usually, she felt completely neutral here until she entered someone’s mind. This time it was different. Cautiously, she walked up to his hospital bed and went to reach for his hand. Before she made contact, his eyes flung open. He grabbed her arm with a tight grip and pulled her down closer to his level. His eyes bore right into hers, streaks of red brightened his dark brown irises. “No,” he said forcefully.

Immediately she opened her eyes, her chest heaving from whatever she just witnessed. She looked over at Eddie who was still peacefully sleeping. This was something that had never happened before. It was as if something else was there. Something else that didn’t want her seeing into Eddie’s mind.

He began to stir and slowly started to wake up. His eyes fluttered open and when he glanced to the right, he softly smiled. “Hey,” he whispered groggily.

Kat flew out of the chair and to his side. She gripped his hand tightly like if she let go he would disappear forever. “Hey, hi!” she murmured gently. “Are you in pain? Do you need anything?”

“Just you to be here with me.”

She leaned over and kissed his forehead. “I’m here.”

“Wait, they didn’t cut my hair did they?”

“No,” Kat laughed at how well she knew him. “You didn’t need brain surgery. Which is surprising considering how dumb you are!”

“Ah, here we go,” he chuckled.

“I can’t believe you! After everything I told you! Sometimes running is okay, you know! Jesus. You scared the shit outta me. I almost fucking lost you. For good. For forever! Oh my god, and Dustin! Dustin had to see the whole thing. Poor Dustin.”

“You good? Got that outta your system?”

“I– Yeah. Just… don’t fucking die again, okay?”

“Not planning on it, but hey anything can–” he started to tease, but cut himself off when Kat shot daggers at him with the look on her face. “Yeah, no, definitely not planning on it. Um, how did I, uh, get here?”

“I called my Uncle and he got you airlifted here. It’s like Hawkins Lab 2.0. Supposedly minus the brainwashing and child experiments, but jury’s still out on that.”

“You what? You called the government? So, what the hell happens when we get outta here? Am I…” Eddie spoke so fast his words almost blended together.

Kat shook her head. “No. They’re gonna take care of it. We might have to stay with El in some cabin for a bit until they get us our place, but we’re going back to Hawkins after this. And my Uncle assured me we’d be well taken care of. Both of us. Eddie, this was the safest route. The doctors over at NINA that were working with El are also working with everyone here. We’re safe.”

“Great, so we’ll basically be under witness protection or some shit?”

“Why is this bothering you so much?”

“I just want my life back,” Eddie muttered.

“In time, babe, in time. Maybe. Who knows. Vecna still might destroy the world and we did all of this for nothing,” she shrugged.

“Can’t we, like, run away to California or something? Stay at one of your parent’s houses or some shit?”

Kat shook her head solemnly. “I need to be in Hawkins. This isn’t over.”

“Yeah,” he snorted. “It’s not. Hey, does Wayne know I’m…alive?”

“I have no idea. I’m not even sure if it’s safe for him to know. We can ask?”

Eddie just nodded and stared at whatever was on the TV. Kat furrowed her brow, debating if she wanted to ask this question now, but why wait when it would just gnaw at her? “Hey, Eddie, can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

“Do you remember anything from… um, anything about–”

“Dying? No,” he answered curtly. “And I don’t wanna talk about it.”

His tone took her off guard. He never spoke to her like that. And that’s how she knew he was lying. Her theory was proving to be correct. Something was definitely off. A knock on the door interrupted, or rather saved, Kat from coming up with a response.

The doctor gave them both a run down of his status and confirmed his release for the next day, after testing out his mobility. He struggled, but was mobile. They were just mere hours away from an actual peaceful rest. Hopefully.

~~~~~

Another helicopter landed atop the Knight Ridge building while Eddie and Kat were waiting for their ride back to Hawkins. Eddie had returned to his normal self. Or at least, he didn’t act weird like he did the day before. The couple leaned against an expensive looking black car with the darkest tinted windows. Eventually, Agent Stinson finally emerged from the building with another man and woman in tow.

“Chief Hopper?” Eddie asked.

“Munson?”

“You two know each other? Oh, what am I saying? It’s Hawkins, of course they know each other,” Kat mumbled to herself.

“Hi, I’m Joyce Byers,” a woman with auburn hair and the kindest, sweetest smile Kat had ever seen held out her hand.

“Hi, I’m Kat Ramsay, nice to meet you. Byers? You must be Will’s mom?”

“Yes! You know Will?”

“We know of him. Eddie is, well, was the DM for the D&D club at the high school. Dustin and Mike would always talk about him and El. You both seem like wonderful people, I’m so happy she found you guys after getting away from that prison of a lab,” Kat rolled her eyes at the thought of it.

“You know El?” Hopper asked. He had a shaved head and the start of a beard. He looked like he was practically skin and bones under his baggy clothes.

“Very well. I was, uh, number Ten at the lab.”

“Come on, we can catch everybody up to speed on the way there,” Stinson said, urging everyone to get in the car.

When they finally got to the secluded cabin, Kat had heard all about the Russians involvement with the Upside Down and how Joyce went all the way there to save Hopper. They also told her about how they destroyed particles from the Mind Flayer and demogorgons at Kamchatka prison to help give them an upper hand. From there, Kat filled them in on everything that had happened the past week.

As they reached their destination, Stinson sighed. “I thought you said this place was livable?”

“Well it was, but I’ve sort of been in a Russian prison. Haven’t been able to keep up the place.”

“We’ll send a crew out. I’ll give you all some time. I’ll be back later to take you all someplace in the meantime.”

Everyone left a chorus of ‘thank you’s to her as they got out of the car. Mike and what Kat assumed to be Will, ran to Joyce, followed by another boy that was with Nancy. She presumed that to be Jonathan, her boyfriend… for now at least. Kat would do her best to keep her comment to herself. She noticed another boy with very long, dark hair holding up a mushroom, like he’d found gold. Nancy ran up to Kat and gave her a hug.

“Oh my god, Nancy, you’re alive!” Kat exclaimed. “Did Robin and Steve make it out too? How’s Dustin? What about Max and Lucas and Erica?”

“Yeah, our group made it out alive. Lucas beat the shit out of Jason, you would have been so impressed. He also didn’t make it through the earthquake…”

“Good riddance to him. Sorry, too soon?”

Nancy just shook her head and chuckled. “Erica is okay. Lucas has been at the hospital with Max–”

“Max is alive?!”

“Barely, she’s in a coma. The doctors aren’t even sure how she’s still alive.”

Kat looked over at Eddie and then saw El emerge from the cabin with Hopper. “I think I do,” she whispered before she ran over to El and wrapped her in a huge hug. “Oh my god, El, are you okay? How are you?”

“I am great,” she said as she beamed at Hopper. “I am happy you’re here, Kat.”

Kat was formally introduced to everyone. When Eddie met Will for the first time, they stared at each other. It was only for a few seconds. No one else but Kat noticed. She was the only one watching him like a hawk for anything out of the ordinary. The exchange made her stomach flip.

As everyone was mingling, a sudden chill went down Kat’s spin. At the same time, she saw Will reach for the back of his neck. Him and Eddie exchanged quick nods, before Will turned around to look up at the sky. Dark, ominous clouds were rolling in. Thunder rumbled and particles began to fall from the sky, exactly like ones that floated around the Upside Down. Will had grown visibly anxious, his breaths becoming short and shallow. Eddie stared up at the sky, biting his lip and tapping his fingers on the side of his leg. Telltale signs whatever was happening made him anxious too. From what Kat understood, besides herself and El, Will also had a connection to the Upside Down and to Vecna.

Together, they walked through the woods to a nearby field that cascaded down the hillside. The bottom half of it, closest to town, was rotten and decaying. Everything was covered with fuzzy film, like mold almost that puffed and spread with it was touched. Everyone stopped in their tracks, overwhelmed with the view in front of them.

El kept going to where the vegetation had died. She picked up a dead flower and examined it. Kat walked with her and knew she had seen this somewhere before. She bent down to examine it all more closely.

“This looks like how the pumpkin patch did…” she noted, looking up at El who looked at her with a forlorn expression and solemnly nodded.

Everyone looked out over Hawkins. Plumes and pillars of smoke reached up to the clouds. The biggest one was in the center of town, where all four gates met. The same red lighting that they all saw in the Upside Down was right in front of them. Anger and determination took over El’s features. Kat stood up and looked back at Eddie. He wouldn’t take his eyes off the tornado-like columns of smoke. As she followed his gaze, fury started to rumble inside of her.

Vecna wasn’t going to take Eddie away from her. Not again. The battle might be over, but the war had only just begun.

previous chapter | the end

A/N: If you’ve made it this far, you have my undying gratitude. If you’ve liked, commented, or rebloogged, even if you’ve only read one chapter, thank you. I appreciate anyone who’s taken time out of their day to read any parts of my writing. If you’ve been here since the beginning of Foolin’, I just cannot thank you enough. I wanted to give Eddie the ending he deserved and ending up creating a bad ass OC in the process. I’m still amazed I was able to see their story through to completion. Kat and Eddie will always have a place in my heart and I hope they will in yours too. Til next time!

#eddie munson #eddie munson au #eddie munson angst #eddie munson x ofc #eddie munson fix it fic #eddie munson x oc #eddie munson fanfic #stranger things #stranger things 4 #stranger things 4 fanfiction #stranger things fanfiction #nancy wheeler #argyle #jim hopper #joyce byers #will byers #mike wheeler #jonathan byers

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bisexualmultifandommess · 1 year

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I love the idea that in future if Mike and El had children Mike would always try his best to be affectionate and understanding to his kids in a way his parents never were. He would definitely try and be a better man than his father and to be fair even at the age of like 14/15 he already is.

#next gen stranger things kids would always have adult supervision on their adventures #because the stranger things kids would pay way more attention to their kids than their own parents did lmao #I think lucas and erica’s parents and dustin’s mum are the only semi decent parents #and hopper and joyce ofc but they know already #stranger things #mike wheeler #eleven #eleven hopper #mileven #mike x eleven #eleven x mike

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phantombmoll · 1 year

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And From This Slumber You Shall Wake

Archie Hopper/Jiminy Cricket x Rory Allucinor/Briar Rose

Summary: In the Fairytale World Briar Rose is caught between living the life her overprotective aunts want and the life she wants. Jiminy is searching for a similar sort of freedom, and meeting Briar might just help give him the confidence to take charge of his life. Meanwhile in the Land Without Magic with the help of a certain Doctor and his Dalmatian Rory starts to find the confidence to take charge of her life. ||Read it Here on AO3 || Read it Here on Fanfic.net||

Archie deserved better, so here's some mushy romance and fun fic featuring our favourite cricket.

#Archie Hopper #archie hopper fic #jiminy cricket #ouat fic #once upon a time #archie hopper x ofc #here it is #no one asked for it #and I don't care it's here anyway #enjoy #or don't #your choice haha #gifs aren't mine!#I always use gif urls so you can click on them and follow them to the source #hopefully #blessed are the gif makers

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oceanmusings · 2 years

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Small | Daisy Hopper

Summery | Daisy learns her dad dies at the starcourt mall and suddenly the world feels more scary without him.

TW | Parental death, grief, mention of the day Sara died, ambulances, moving, anxiety

Word Count | 1.4K

“I promise to come back.” Is what Daisy’s dad promised her before going to the Russian base. But something in Daisy’s gut just didn’t sit right with that promise. She tried brushing it off, her dad’s closed a gate last year with Eleven and was fine. She had other things to focus on.

Hours later, Daisy could hear Max’s cry’s for her brother as one of the nurses attaches a bandage to her chin before draping a blanket around her and moving onto someone else. Daisy couldn’t do anything for Max, she knew to an extent of how she felt, but her main concern was Eleven. With the cut in her leg and how much of her power has been used, far as Daisy knew she hasn’t used that much of her power before. But also how that thing inside her has affected her. Beside’s Max had Lucas

Daisy found Eleven in an ambulance with Mike, both of them holding hands again, and a nurse was checking him over. “Hey, how are you feeling?” Daisy spoke in a soft tone once she got up to the girl, taking the blanket off her shoulders and draping it around Eleven’s.

“Drained.” Eleven squeaked out, her throat sounded sore from all the yelling.

“Have…have you seen dad?” Daisy had seen Murray somewhere but no sign of Joyce or their dad. The feeling in Daisy’s gut hasn’t settled down, twisting and tugging uncomfortably.

Eleven shook her head, the knot tightened.

Where was he?

Eleven leaned on Daisy as she stood next to her, Daisy wrapping her arm around her and kept her close - despite how she still held Mike's hand. Daisy rubbed her thumb in circles on her side.

She looked away from her sister as she heard a shout come from Will, watching him run across the parking lot to his mother and have them clutch onto each other. Dad had to be around here now, Daisy knew he would be looking for them. “Can you walk?”

“Yes.” Eleven moves off the ambulance. Daisy supported her as they stepped away into the middle of the chaos and looked around, trying to find the man. Joyce was wearing a russian uniform Daisy thought so she looked out for that, he had to be somewhere looking for his girls and Daisy wanted to make sure her dad was okay. Then they would go home, maybe each take a shower, maybe watch an episode of whatever is on the TV right now. Or all pass out somewhere from these exhausting 4 days.

But Daisy couldn’t find any sight of him, not even the russian uniform. Where was he?

Daisy caught Joyce’s eye and recognized that look almost immediately. It was the exact look the vice principal had when she got Daisy from class in middle school. Then she would go into the principal's office and be informed her aunt would be coming to get her.

She remembers the day clearly of waiting in the office for hours, everyone offering her snacks or asking how she is, how she liked school. They all had the same look. The look of deep pity.

The knot tightened more. He can’t. He just can’t. He promised.

A rock had formed in Daisy’s throat as her eyes burned, she felt Eleven jolt under her arm and she tore her eyes from Joyce’s to look at Eleven. At first she worried she was hurt, was her leg hurt, was more of that weird stuff in her leg?

But Daisy saw tears sliding down her cheeks. Daisy couldn’t find herself able to say anything, swallowing her own emotions as much as she could as her throat blocked any words, but her sister needed her. Daisy blinked back the burning and guided Eleven closer until she buried her face in her shirt, crying into her blood stained shirt. She could feel the sob’s wreck through her small body. Daisy had to bite her lip to swallow down her own sob’s.

For the first time in years, Daisy felt small again. That little girl sitting in the back of her aunt’s car.

She barely realized that she was in the back of Joyce’s car instead as she took the boys but also the girls back to their place, saying something about they shouldn’t be alone right now. And something about being sorry and that she tried, Daisy couldn’t find any words to say back to her. Some part of her tried to be angry with Joyce, why did Will and Jonathan get their mom back but Daisy didn’t get her dad? She barely had any time with him in her life compared to them with their mom. But she knew Joyce, she had shown nothing but kindness and didn’t deserve this anger. Daisy was glad she was okay.

There wasn’t an extra bed at the Byer’s house, Daisy had Eleven take the couch and Daisy took the floor instead. That’s when it hit Daisy as she stared at the ceiling, listening to Eleven’s snores. A feeling curling around her as it tucked around her throat, a feeling she couldn’t identify other than the world felt more dangerous but so alone.

It would be weeks of Daisy sleeping on the floor of the Byer’s when Joyce told the four kids they would be moving, that Dr. Owen’s found a house for them to go and for Eleven to go with them for her safety. Another pang to Daisy’s heart, another family member being taken. “You are welcome to come too, Daisy, honey.” Joyce offered.

Daisy glanced around to everyone else in the kitchen - eating some take-out for dinner tonight - Daisy was the babysitter for Will long enough to know there was no way Joyce could support two college students and two newly high school students. Especially in California. But some part of Daisy probably couldn’t find herself to be farther from her own mom.

“Thanks for the offer,” Daisy mumbles, twisting the ring she was wearing. “I think I’ll stay here, try to finish school. I don’t…want to be the new kid again.”

“Do you have somewhere to stay?”

Daisy nodded, lying. She would need to ask to crash on someone's couch on moving day until graduation.

Strangely Steve was the one to offer his couch, hearing her talk about it with Robin. She was so stunned she couldn’t find it in herself to tease him. She would go to his house after moving day, not wanting to separate from Eleven just yet and make sure she was all set to go with the Byer’s. This would be the furthest she would be at home.

On moving day, Daisy could hear all the kids teasing Dustin as she helped pack and clean the last of the house. She was on kitchen duty and was packing the last of the dishes. Pulling some tape over the box, taking the sharpie out of her mouth to write ‘DISHES+UTENSILS’ in big letters and ‘KITCHEN’ on the side, capping the permanent marker and sliding it behind her ear. She picked up the box carefully, hearing the dishes clink together as it moved. She carefully brought it to Jonathan who was putting the other boxes in the truck. She turned to see Eleven hugging a stuffed animal bear close to her chest, eyes red and puffy like she had been crying. “You okay, kid?” Daisy asked as they moved from the entrance as others got the last of the boxes.

“Joyce found this.” Eleven squeaked out, sliding out a folded up note in her breast pocket. Daisy carefully unfolded it, recognizing it as her dad’s scratchy handwriting. She skimmed over it, a ghost of a smile tugging her lips. Somehow even dead he was still finding a way to lecture one of them.

“That’s-“ Daisy cleared her throat as another rock formed, “Old sap.” She mumbled and Eleven let out a watery giggle, taking the note back after Daisy folded it up again.

Daisy brought her sister into a hug, cherishing the feeling of Eleven clutching onto her shirt, closing her eyes as she tried to memorize it. “I promise to call as much as I can, and the minute I can I’m coming to California.” Daisy says in her hair. Eleven nodded into her chest.

Daisy watched her hug all her other friends and go with the Byer’s in the moving truck, not taking her eyes off until they turned down the street and left her view. Despite the rest of the kids there feeling their own grief for their friend moving, Daisy felt more alone, small, and uncertain.

#daisy hopper #stranger things #jim hopper #jim hopper x daughter!oc #original female character #jim hopper one-shot #stranger things one shot #ofc #jim hopper / daughter!oc #jim hopper / daisy hopper

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gryfflepuffinthetardis · 4 months

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Killer Queen (Steve Harrington) Season One Cast

Twelve-Year-Old Cassandra Delphia "Cassie Dare" Henderson — Georgie Henley (As Lucy Pevensie)

The Girl Who Forgot

Sixteen-year-old Cassandra Delphia "Cassie Dare" Henderson — Zoey Deutch

The Girl Who Was Distant/The Guardian

Pan Henderson — David Tennant (Crowley)

The Cool Father in Indianapolis

Steve Harrington - Joe Keery

King of Hawkins High

Dustin Henderson - Gaten Matarazzo

The Compass Genius Little Brother

Eleven - Millie Bobby Brown

The Number Who Broke the Dam

Mike Wheeler - Finn Wolfhard

The Paladin Who Fell For the Mage

Lucas Sinclair - Caleb McLaughlin

The Overlycrtical and Unsympathetic Boy Who Didn't Understand How Compasses Worked

Nancy Wheeler - Natalia Dyer

The Princess Who Screwed Up and Got Revenge

Jonathan Byers - Charlie Heaton

The Antisocial, Loner Photographer

Joyce Byers - Winona Ryder

The Mother Who Never Stopped Believing

Chief Jim Hopper - David Harbour

The Man Who They Underestimated and Regretted

Will Byers - Noah Schnapp

The Boy Who the Demogorgon Caught

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leclercstarrs · 20 days

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eternal sunshine.

pairings: lewis hamilton x fem!singer!reader x ex!carlos sainz.

warnings: mentions of cheating, carlos slander, and inspired by ‘eternal sunshine - ariana grande.’

in which you collaborate with your friend and release a song about your ex while simultaneously revealing your new relationship.

yourusername 📍 los angeles

liked by landonorris, arianagrande, lewishamilton, and 2,382,466 others

yourusername just motivation to get back into the studio ig 🍷

view 922,738 comments

landonorris one positive to this situation, we get new music 🤲

yourusername 🫡

user7 lando norris is the one and only y/n fanboy

user34 lando!! run that man off the track for us pls!

arianagrande love you girl!! 🤍

liked by yourusername

lewishamilton can’t wait to listen to the new music!

liked by yourusername

user12 shooting his shot now that carlos is out of the picture LMFAOO

user8 lewis save y/n from carlos pls 🙏

user9 y/n l/n x XNDA

user72 HE FUMBLED BAE!!

liked by yourusername

user63 guys she liked this 😭 that means he for sure cheated, they weren’t already broken up??!

user2 he’s so icky

user21 ARI X Y/N COLLAB???

user38 yesss y/n was listed on the track list for ariana’s new album as a feature on one of the songs

user75 AHHH I CANT WAIT

yourusername

liked by charles_leclerc, lewishamilton, and 3,251,655 others

yourusername eternal sunshine by my bestie ari featuring me is out now and available to stream on all platforms ☀️ so grateful that ari wanted me to be on this diamond of a song, it means so much to the both of us!

view 1,728,882 comments

arianagrande omg i love you! thank you for joining me on this song, hopefully we can collaborate again soon!

yourusername yes ofc 😭🫶🏻

charles_leclerc love the song ❤️

yourusername ty cha!! i miss you!

user7 omg cuties 🥹

user92 ohhh ik charles has beef w carlos rn 🫡

landonorris stream the song guys

liked by yourusername

user53 yesss promote her iktr 😝

lewishamilton amazing song 🩶

yourusername ty lew 😊

user12 LEWWWW? omg adorable

user38 lewis is about to steal carlos’ girl 🫣

user9 yea she’s not carlos’ girl…womp..he’s a lame cheater

liked by yourusername

user24 NOT HER LIKING YOUR REPLY LMFAOOO SHADY I LOVE HER

billieeilish be mine

yourusername ily.

billieeilish we’re collabing next

user67 BILLIE?

sabrinacarpenter hot girl activities.

liked by yourusername

chappellroan beautiful girl! love the song!

liked by yourusername

user95 Y/N…THE LYRICS ARE CRAZY

user11 did ariana write the song or y/n??

user89 pretty sure ariana wrote most of it but y/n mentioned she was doing some of the writing as well…sooo maybe 👀

lizgillz love ya both!

yourusername love you more xx

lewishamilton

liked by yourusername, georgerussell63, charles_leclerc, and 5,627,811 others

lewishamilton met gala 2024 🩶

view 2,863,720 others

yourusername 🫶🏻🫶🏻

liked by lewishamilton

user12 OMG?? Y/N?? LEWIS??

user7 so happy for both of them 😭 she deserves better than the way carlos treated her

user11 AHHH FREAKING OUT RN

user0 not her being a grid hopper, i see why carlos left her 💀

user93 ummm stfu you flop 😟! he cheated on her and she left him….booooo 🍅🍅 you suck

landonorris better be treating her well 😁

lewishamilton of course 😊

user94 HELPPP

yourusername

liked by lewishamilton, charles_leclerc, and 1,723,266 others

yourusername i found a good boy and he’s on my side 🫶🏻

view 673,829 comments

charles_leclerc so happy for both of you ❤️

liked by yourusername

alexandrasaintmleux love you. you deserve nothing but the best. 😽

yourusername love you alex 🥹

lewishamilton i love you so much my gorgeous girl

yourusername love you more xx

user39 SO CUTE

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werdlewrites · 5 months

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masterlist - ao3 - kofi - twitter @ djomamma

share support through likes, comments, and reblogs!

summary: “I’ll ask my dad,” she forces out. “Y’know, after the whole skipping school business." He smirked in response, head nodding down the hall in a gesture for us to continue on. “He’s more mad about that? Not the weed?” She shrugs, avoiding his gaze with cheeks puffed out. “Parents, right?” warning: Hopper and Steve being sweeties, cursing, mentions of drugs wc: 2,580

The holidays come and go, and the bottomless pit to rot within Autumn is slowly filled. “To hope,” they said, and he refused to allow her to slip into doubt and darkness. He’s called for time off. Time spent away from countless complaints and paperwork. He had called in the very next morning, handing over all responsibilities to Powell to bask in this new life for just a few more days. On any other day, maybe there would have been some guilt. But he makes promises with the intent of keeping them, no matter the risk involved. Hopper had endured the chaos of Black Friday only as a sheriff, taking calls for assault or stolen goods. The madness of saving money, flipping the switch of humanity, and turning most shoppers into monsters—though Hawkins had been a little different. Such a small and sleepy town became more lively, but rarely did he witness flying fists or true rage to tear people apart. It was a shocking comparison to the bigger cities; even some of the locals took their business elsewhere for more extravagant goods. That Friday, he chose to join the masses with a girl by his side.

“Don’t wander,” he warns with a firm tug of a baseball cap over her brow. “I never lose sight of you, capiche?” The girl holds up a sign for "ok," responding in amusement, “Capiche.” It’s not funny, knowing the threat is still out there. Whether it be her father or the man he works for, he is out on the hunt to get his hands on something once within his reach. Yet still, he smiles back at her, despite the bile brewing as his nerves kick into high gear. They spend hours out there, bumping shoulders with shoppers or staring through glass windows at the many deals waiting for them. She would ogle at the fineries but ultimately move on down the block, simply enjoying the chance to be out and free. Hopper is never far away, walking in her much shorter shadow with eyes cast in every direction, looking for eyes that lingered a little too long or anyone he could recognize. But there’s nothing. Hopper can feel his tension ease just enough to find some joy out beneath the sun, nearly colliding with the girl as she’s paused at another glass pane. Autumn stares in silence at the refurbished furniture, and there’s a visible interest as she leans in closer. “See anything you like?” She jumps back at his words, nearly forgetting he was there. Her response is hesitant, shrugging as she searches for the right words. “I-I like antiques. But who doesn’t?”

She’s about to continue onward, but Hopper is quick, as he’s already at the door, waving her inside. It’s a cruel joke, but she humors him, and they move between the various pieces of furniture. It’s not as busy as most stores, but busy enough for Hopper to cast questioning looks. His attention is locked on the girl as she stands near a cabinet, her fingers moving along the details. The wood is natural, though deep red wine in color. Two doors hide shelving within, and a mirror is featured in a showcase. She does nothing but admire and leave it behind, though Hopper is quick to snatch the tag. “What the hell are you doing?” Her tone is as if he’s offended her—a clear shock in her eyes while he gleams. “You need furniture for your room,” he states rather simply, while the gears seem to stick in her mind and slow function down. “Y-well, yeah, but-” “Keep lookin’ around,” he suggests as he pockets the tag—a sign that the piece is no longer available. "You might find somethin’ you like.”

They spent the weekend heaving and hauling pieces of furniture up into the attic, sweat on their brows and wild laughter as neither of them considered how the pieces would get up there. But they manage, and her room seems almost normal. Almost.

It’s Monday morning now, and Hopper is forced to head back to work while Autumn blends in amongst the students. She’s slow-moving, feeling almost jetlagged from the time spent away from class, and still struggling to work it all back into routine. She manages to drag her feet out into the dewy morning, heavy steps scuffing along the dirt as she moves towards her Jeep. Her guardian isn’t far behind her. He's nearly stumbling out in haste with a paper bag held high in the air. “You forget somethin’?” Realization hits him as he stands in the cold—there's no Steve. No boy is waiting with music playing and a silly grin on his face; she stands alone with her fingers already tucked beneath the door handle. Her other hoists the bag up for his view, stating, “I have my own. That’s yours.” Lunch is the least of his worries, as his fists fall to his hips. “Where the hell is your ride?” With a laugh, the teen shakes her head. “Waiting for me at school. Bye, Hopper.” She doesn’t tell him about the boy's confession of their deal; instead, she makes her own. He provides the space she needs, giving her time to herself as she rides to school but is glued to her side until the bell rings. He worries, and seeing her reassures him. Hopper stands at the final step and watches as she pulls away, the green Jeep slow to vanish from his sight with the lack of brush. A heavy sigh escapes, and he’s prying the fold apart to peer inside. Leftovers from the dinner prior: Beef Stroganoff scooped into Tupperware with snacks to tide him over in the long hours. It’s not what he’s used to. Not having put in a thought to his lunch and winging it when the time came. A child somehow manages to think for him when her only focus should be herself.

At Hawkin’s High, her actions are pushed back to the furthest corner of her mind. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, and even if it were, Steve was too busy occupying her time. There was no room for second-guessing. He’s at her car door within seconds of her arrival, waiting and watching out for the girl with the eyes of a hawk, swooping in the moment he spots her. He’s nothing but sunshine, and it’s hard to deflect the warmth as it sinks in through her skin. “How was your vacation?” They walk side by side, unable to feel the judgment once given, as students have now lost interest. “It was... good, actually.” “Yeah? Next year, let me come over. My dad was a prick the entire time. Almost makes me wish he’d go on another business trip,” he finishes with an awkward laugh, though it’s quick to die and fall flat in his chest as he reconsiders his wording. Kind eyes are now full of dread and regret, seeming ungrateful as his family was complete while hers was torn. “I’m sorry,” the boy suddenly states. His fingers are lightly gripping the sleeve of her sweater to guide her attention back to him—to see his sincerity as he speaks. “I-I didn’t mean-” What comes next isn’t what he expects, cut short in surprise as her lips pull into a smile. “You worry too much.” It’s almost baffling to watch her ease by the school doors, unbothered by his words, while he remains stuck in guilt. The boy has to push his way through the bodies to join her side again, sparing a confused look as he studies her. “Weekend was that good, huh?” She gives a small shrug. “I’ve had worse. Like, a strange man doing a B and E.” Steve scoffs in reply, shaking his head as he mimics her expression. But all seems to fizzle out as she pauses in the hallway, her lack of presence hard to ignore. When Steve looks back, the joy has been stripped from her eyes and replaced with something he can’t quite figure out. Her brows are pulled tight with a stare unwavering from something up ahead. “What? What is-?”

It’s Jonathan Byers. The boy always seemed to have a sleepy look about him, but he seemed more disheveled than the week before. His eyes are sunken; you can tell even from a distance that he’s been awake for too long. The boy seems almost in a daze, moving sluggishly and staring hard at the supplies in his locker as if he were trying to break through a heavy fog. “Must be his first day back. I haven’t seen him since... well, y’know.” Her eyes are lingering, and he can see the obvious interest, though nervous, as her fingers tighten around the strap. “C’mon, Aut,” he encourages with a gentle nudge of his elbow. Unknowing of the guilt she still holds close for letting Will slip from her grasp. “Go catch up.” A look of uncertainty is given, and he can only smile back, a hand now resting on her back for further reassurance. “I’ll see you at lunch, okay? Same table, same time.” He manages to pull a snort from the girl, and now satisfied, he drifts away, vanishing in the crowd. At some point in the exchange, Jonathan finds her among the wild animals. An empty hand raises to give a small wave, almost seeming like a stranger despite all they have gone through. Before the monsters and up to now. It doesn’t give her the confidence she needs, but she pushes forward to meet him at his now-cleared locker. No posters or ugly words scrawled on the surface. Exhausted eyes have lowered by the time she’s within reach, organizing all he needs for the morning in his bag. “Welcome back?” she begins, trying to pull herself out of the treacherous waters of discomfort. There’s a faint hint of a smile—weak—before lips fall to a flat line again. “What joy,” he states in a heavy sigh, flipping the door until it slams shut, his eyes landing back on her. The girl waits a moment, studying him in silence and coming up with a plan of action as he is clearly out of sorts. Will had come home, and the monsters were beaten back into the shadows. She’s certain he would be joyful on some level.

She elects for a distraction—something out of pocket to lure troubled thoughts away. “Steve’s been up my ass since you’ve been gone.” It was only half true. Knowing it had been... far longer than that, by now. He chuckles—it's lazy and halfhearted—and his eyes fall to flip through his notebook. “Y’know what they say. Kill together, stay together.” He’s not meeting her eyes; that alone is enough to set her off course. The tone in his voice only added fuel to the fire. “Yeah, a real bonding moment,” she spits back with a narrow gaze. Without further comment, he moves on, his back now facing the girl. It’s almost gut-wrenching, and she can’t bear this sudden cold shoulder—unable to place where it came from. They fought side-by-side, didn’t they? Negative thoughts are cast out as speedy steps race after him, pushing her way through bodies to walk at his side. “What gives?” He hums in response, confused and still not meeting her eyes. “Wha-?” she tries to repeat, half expecting the boy to put on the brakes for them to talk in private. He keeps moving, and she’s forced to take hold of his arm, forcing him her way. “What’s going on?” A heavy sigh deflates his body, his focus flickering elsewhere until it lands on her. “Nothing,” “‘A’ for effort,” Autumn retorts. “Try again. This time, really give it your all.” With the roll of his eyes, his body falls to lean against the wall at her side. “I don’t want t’be here.” It’s not a satisfying answer. Her neck craned forward in hopes of encouraging more from him, and he caved under her stare. “M’not sleeping. Neither is Will."Hearing his name has alarms sounding off in her mind. Having not seen him or Jonathan since the hospital, she was unable to seek either boy out to check in. “Because of-?” The teen nods at first before continuing. “He’s not sleeping because of what happened. And I’m not sleeping because of him.” There’s a feeling of guilt for asking, causing her stance to relax before it joins him on the wall. “I shouldn’t even be here,” he states in anger, frustration evident on his face as he thinks of his baby brother with one less person to care for him. “I need t’be at home. Mom can only handle so much. I-I just feel helpless here, y’know? He’s struggling, and I have t’do book reports.”

Autumn waits in silence, letting his anger simmer out until it’s only embers in a pile of dust. Dying out, yet ready to spark with light given the chance. “It’s bullshit,” the girl says with a hard sigh. The conversation felt a little too similar to the one she had with Nancy last week. “It is bullshit.” The girl’s head lolls to the side, studying the dark circles under his eyes and the far-off look he held. As if something in the distance held him frozen there. “How is he?” He meets her eyes briefly, his chest filling with a breath to prepare for honesty. “Not good. I-I mean, he has moments where things seem fine. Then, it’s like he’s somewhere else entirely. Like-” “Like he’s back there,” she finishes for him, almost lifting the weight from his chest. “Yeah. Then, the nightmares. But he’s trying.” Autumn lets out a long hum in thought, the idea of a boy still locked in distress, leaving her unsettled. She was squirming in her skin. “I promised him Mud Pie.” Another short chuckle is heard off to her right.

“You left him there.”

The words ring out and rebound off every nerve. She’s rattled and burdened by guilt, despite not knowing if she could have saved him. Maybe Will had come to his senses with time to recover. Now understanding, and the thought of her leaving him behind only brings discomfort. It’s a pain she can’t seem to stomach, so she bites her tongue. “You should come by,” he suggests. “I half expected you t’be camped out in our living room.” Like a deer in the headlights, Autumn is left bewildered and uncertain of what to do—or say, for that matter. “Y-yeah,” she begins with unease. “It’s just... all been so crazy.” A timid smile rises to the surface, and he doesn’t seem to catch on that she’s hiding something. Blame it on the lack of sleep or total ignorance, but he wears a look of true happiness. “I know he misses his favorite storyteller." It’s hard not to be warmed by him or the thought of the younger Byers boy nodding along to his words. “I’ll ask my d-” It’s almost too easy to say. She fell into the routine of asking her dad for permission to leave or simply telling him outright. That routine was stripped away and replaced with unfamiliarity. “I’ll ask my dad,” she forces out. “Y’know, after the whole skipping school business." He smirked in response, head nodding down the hall in a gesture for us to continue on. “He’s more mad about that? Not the weed?” She shrugs, avoiding his gaze with cheeks puffed out. “Parents, right?”

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marvelsswansong · 2 years

Text

you made me hate this city

summary: It was just a stupid bet. A way to prove Jason and his asshole friends wrong, to finally get under the blonde's skin. It was never supposed to end with Eddie falling in love, nor with him laying on your doorstep with bruised knees, begging for your forgiveness.

tags: Eddie x fem!reader, slow burn, enemies to friends to lovers, ice queen/social outcast reader, Hopper!reader (goddaughter), reader is 18+ (impli. twenties), fluff, humor, angst, happy ending tho ofc

☆ word count: 17K+ (i stg it's worth it) ☆

⚠️ 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐩��, 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞.⚠️

Winters in Hawkins were unbearable.

Eddie's fingers - dry skin cracking by his knuckles, pink lines marred by green veins poking out of his skin - shakily held up the lit joint to his chapped lips, allowing him to inhale deeply and let out a slow drag of smoke. Much like his muted breaths, the white whisps of air curled upwards in lazy swirls before dissipating into the night air, providing a momentary release from the cold.

The freezing temperatures embraced Eddie just as quickly afterwards, making him grumble in discomfort, swearing under his breath for how long Jason and his group of friends were taking to finish the damn basketball game. The heat provided from his van was rather weak - the heater having blown a fuse a week ago which he had yet to fix - and his jean jacket did little to provide any additional warmth as he grasped the lapels of the jacket and pulled it closer towards his body.

God, where were those assholes?

As if fate had been listening to his internal monologue, Eddie soon heard the crunching of snow beneath several pairs of feet accompanied by the recognizable rowdy chatter between the basketball players. Leading the group as usual was Jason Carver - the blonde's signature smug expression replaced by one of annoyance - followed by his two best friends, a brunette and a redhead who were practical carbon copies of each other (muscular airheads with big egos and loud voices). Not that Eddie could really distinguish between the basketball players at Hawkins High. They all tended to come from the same pool of people.

Tall, fit, conventionally attractive, white males from cushy upper class backgrounds.

Unfortunately, that also meant jocks were one of his most profitable clients. Hence why Eddie had dragged his van and stash of goods half-way across town during winter break in the freezing cold. Having waited a staggering twenty minutes with nothing more than a jean jacket to keep him company, he was simply looking forward to finalizing the deal and to be able to drive back home to fall underneath the covers.

"You got the goods, freak?" Nate, the tall brunette, yelled out in advance, clapping his meaty hands together. Eddie had to actively suppress an eyeroll - no matter how many times he regularly dealt with them, they'd never even gone so far as to call him by his real name. Wordlessly kicking open the back of his van, he pulled off the green tarp overlaying the interior to reveal a hefty amount of weed, neatly packaged in plastic containers and paper bags.

"What'd you want?" the metalhead asked, voice monotone and face straight - completely immune to their presence at this point. The transaction was, after all, a regular routine at this point so as to make Eddie's reactions automatic and reflexive. He just wanted to get this over with as quickly as he could.

The basketball player standing next to Nate, a slim redhead named Oliver, cut into the conversation whilst brushing falling snowflakes off of his varsity jacket with a frown.

"Give us everything, son of satan."

"Everything?" Eddie raised his eyebrows, unable to hide his surprise. Jason only clicked his tongue at that, left hand coming up to swiftly comb through his hair - the blonde was on edge, that was as clear as daylight to see.

"Yeah, jackass, just give us what you got. I'm throwing a massive party and my parents are in California for another two weeks so I need all you got."

"That'll be $1,500." Eddie slowly said, eyeing the blonde up and down, expecting the man to pull out of the deal at any moment. Instead, the jock only let out an exasperated sigh, dropping his duffel bag to the floor before digging out a wad of cash.

"That's a shit ton of money you're blowing on weed, Carver." Oliver commented, slapping his friend's shoulder.

"Not enough money to impress (Y/n) though, apparently." Nate added from the side, causing both him and Oliver to crack up at the expense of a fuming Jason, the blonde's fists clenching tightly by his sides.

"Fuck off, would you?" the blonde shrugged his friend's arm off of his shoulders quickly, eyes burning with annoyance and betrayal. Eddie knew he wasn't supposed to be listening in on their conversation, his brown eyes still focused on the stack of notes in his hands as his fingers combed through each bill one by one. But his ears perked up at the mention of your name and he couldn't help but listen in closer as Jason's teammates laughed even harder at their leader's expression of fury.

"I'm telling you. Your daddy's money and status may get you everything you want, but not even you can win over the ice queen of Hawkins High." Nate drawled, with Oliver nodding eagerly behind him.

Jason only rolled his shoulders forward at that, unclenching his jaw with a frustrated sigh.

"Well how the fuck was I supposed to know that she was going to throw her drink on me and call me a 'blonde bimbo in ugly basketball shorts' just cause I asked her out?"

The chuckle that escaped from Eddie's lips was dangerous, but he couldn't help but let out a short laugh at the recollection of your comment, subjecting himself immediately to the harsh gazes of the three jocks. Jason in particular looked offended at that, cracking his knuckles and flashing the metalhead a stinging glare.

"You think that's funny, Munson?"

Counting up to the last thousand - damn, Jason really had handed him $1,500 on the dot - Eddie looked up at Jason with a sly smile, shaking his head lightly side to side.

"Meh, just a little. Doesn't matter though. You got the cash, I got the weed." he replied before stepping to the side, signaling for Nate and Oliver to begin shoving the packets of weed into their duffel bags. Whilst they did so, Jason slowly walked forward towards Eddie, an egotistical swagger to his steps.

"What? You think you can do better, freak?

"Asking girls out? Eh, maybe." Eddie decided to goad the blonde further, enjoying the delicious cruelty of being able to toy with the fragile ego of the star basketball player. Watching how Jason's neck strained at that comment, adam's apple bopping up and down.

Suddenly, the angry expression on Jason's face melted away into a wide grin, a new delightful idea seemingly having popped into his mind.

"Tell you what, freak. Let's wager a bet." Jason's tongue dragged across his lower lips slowly, his eyes were glinting with a certain kind of danger Eddie couldn't quite place. "You think you're such tough shit, that you're so much better than me - why don't you go after (Y/n)? If you can somehow get the infamous ice queen to say yes to a date, you win."

"And what exactly would I win?"

"I'll pay double the usual for all our dealings. Heard through the grapevine your shitty trailer home's overdue for a fix, no?"

Oliver and Nate cackled behind Jason at that comment, igniting fiery hatred in the metalhead's veins. Jaw feeling stiff, he forced himself to sit up straight, staring right back at the jocks.

"... That, and you leave me and my friends alone for the rest of the year."

"For that price, you'll have to have her say yes to prom too!" Oliver yelled out from the side, to which Jason nodded.

"Get her to say yes to dates and then prom, and then we'll say you win. I pay double, you can fix your shitty dump you call a house, and we'll stop bothering you and your band of freaks. Deal?"

It was no different to staring the devil in the face, devious and cruel smirk matched with voice dripping with venom as the blonde extended one hand forward. Eddie stared at it for a few seconds, contemplating his decisions: his uncle had tried to be sly about money problems but winter was only getting colder, and now that he had Dustin, Lucas and Mike in the group, he did want the bullying to stop against his group.

Swallowing his doubts, Eddie quickly shook Jason's hand, never once breaking eye contact.

"Deal."

-------------------------------------

First week back from winter break.

Eddie has been agonizing over how to even approach you. He's only spoken to you once before.

Actually, that may be an overstatement, he thinks, now looking back.

Eddie was being blocked from accessing his locker as a group of cheerleaders gossiped in the hallways, each of them blatantly ignoring Eddie's quiet pleas for them to move. When he coughed loudly and tried to wiggle through the crowd, the two head cheerleaders by the front shot him a nasty glare, the blonde one even going so far as to look him up and down and smirk.

"Thought I smelled trailer trash. Piss off, freak."

"I'm just trying to get to my locker, Joanne." he'd deadpanned - normally, he would've just walked away by now but he really needed to get to his fucking locker for that damn history textbook.

"Well we're too busy catching up about the rager Dianne went to last week in Idaho, so you can wait, okay?" the other head cheerleader, a petite raven haired girl named Sandra, snapped. That elicited a crowd of giggles to erupt amongst the group, and Eddie sighed again, running a hand down his face in exasperation.

"Look-"

"Didn't know this was the hangout spot for superficial barbies skipping their geometry classes." you sneered, coy smirk dancing on your glossy lips. The group of girls instantly froze at the sound of your voice, causing even the two head cheerleaders by Eddie to straighten up in fear.

"What'd you want, (L/n)?" Joanne stuttered out, the low pink flush in her cheeks clearly marking her embarrassment and fear. Eddie watched in awe as you simply stared the cheerleader down, dissecting the girl's layers with one glare and a low chuckle under your breath.

"For you and your fake friends to leave, obviously. What, too dumb to even figure that out?"

"Y-you can't make us leave! You have no authority to command so." Sandra blurted out, eyes darting away to the floor when you redirected your fiery gaze at her. Eddie had to admit, you were kind of terrifying - sharp eyes drawn forward, head held high, fingers gripping tightly onto the straps of your backpack.

"Is that so?" you questioned, stepping one step closer to the crowd of cheerleaders, all of whom instinctively backed up against the wall. Pink tongue tracing your lower lips, you cocked your head to the side in feigned interest. "I guess you only ever listen to the authority of Joanne's boyfriend, huh, Sandra? When he's leaving hickies on your neck and blowing off dinners with Joanne for you?"

"You did what?!" Joanne screamed out in anger at her best friend, causing Sandra to begin running in the opposite direction. Sensing a battle brewing between their two leaders, the rest of the cheerleaders deserted the hallway, leaving you and Eddie alone in the aftermath. You rolled your eyes, shoving away the last cheerleader evacuating the scene before Eddie's left hand reached out to grab your wrist.

"W-wait." he stuttered out, hesitant. You looked down at his hand with a cold glare, before staring back up at him in annoyance.

"What."

"Thank you for standing up for me. I mean, no one's ever talked back to the popular kids for me before. It's really cool of you." he rambled, hands fidgeting by his neck, not being able to quite meet your gaze upon feeling chills run down his spine at your icy demeanor. Your only response to his comment was to aggressively shake off his hand, recoiling from his touch as if you'd been burnt.

"I wasn't doing any of that for you, Munson. They were in the way to my Chemistry class."

Turning on your heel, you disappeared into the foreground before Eddie could muster up a response.

The rumors were true, he realized. You were exceptionally beautiful - it was no wonder that you were rumored to be scouted by the cheerleaders by third period on your first day (had you not literally dumped an iced coffee over their leader when she'd approached you during lunch). Even when you were snarling at him, arms crossed in a defensive posture and chilling orbs glaring daggers into his eyes, he couldn't help but feel warmth rise to his cheeks from being able to gaze at your face up close.

But Eddie wasn't able to focus on your features much - the dip of your neck leading down to the valley of your breasts, your glossy lips and bright eyes, jaw and cheeks carved by the harsh sunlight - when you'd snapped at him and turned the other way.

Staring down at his now empty hands, he shrugged. You were indeed, an ice queen.

Cut to the present, Eddie's hiding behind the door of his own locker, peeking out at the hallway every few seconds to watch you shuffle through your own belongings. Headphones around your ears, Walkman tape bouncing alongside your side as you pull down a stack of books from the top shelf, your skirt rides up ever so slightly to bunch at your waist.

To any passing stranger, you may even look sweet at the moment - soft body hugged by the green fabric, knee high socks, lipstick cautiously being applied by the small mirror taped to your locker door.

But Eddie knows better. The whole school knows better, with the way everyone makes a point to avoid you. Cheerleaders stop walking and turn the other way, the jocks avoid your gaze and keep as long of a distance from you, and even the nerds and band geeks make sure to walk with their head down and mind their steps to not bump into you.

"What are you looking at?" Dustin suddenly jumps in, face few inches from Eddie, causing the older boy to straighten up in surprise and hit his head against the wall. Clutching his head where it's beginning to bruise, he makes it a point to glare at the curly haired freshman, who only flashes him an innocent smile.

"Ouch, what the hell, Henderson?" Eddie grumbles.

"You got that 'I'm lost in my thoughts' look on your face. And I was just curious as to what could be so interesting to have you staring off into space."

"It's nothing." Eddie quickly blurts out, practically slamming his locker shut and leaning against it with a faux grin, cool relaxed posture with his arms crossed. Dustin doesn't buy that, only frowning in disbelief, before leaning to the side to peek towards where Eddie was staring.

The only person really visible is you, thumbing through your notebooks, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"Holy shit, were you... staring at (Y/n) (L/n)?" Dustin semi-shouts out of shock, forcing Eddie to practically grab the younger boy by the front of his t-shirt and yank him backwards, narrowly avoiding the curious look you throw behind your back upon hearing your name be shouted out.

"Keep your damn voice down, geez." Eddie swears, heart thrumming with anxiety. Dustin's face only quirks up in semi-annoyance, his left hand coming up to slap across the senior's chest.

"Why were you staring at her?"

"I was not staring at her." Eddie weakly responds. It's a total lie and they both know it, with Eddie unable to even look Dustin straight in the face.

"Listen, I know you're crazy and your whole thing is going against the grain - which I think is awesome, don't get me wrong. But getting involved with her? That's a death wish, man. She's fucking scary." Dustin shudders, shaking off faux chills as you slam your locker shut and shove past a group of cowering teens, not even sparing them a second glance.

Cursing internally, the metalhead swallows his comments and forces out a grin.

"Relax, man. I'm not getting involved with anyone."

----------------------------------

Eddie finally gets the courage to talk to you on a rainy Friday afternoon. The parking lot's deserted and the sky's a murky gray, harsh showers slapping against dulled windows fogged up from the cold.

Tucking his roleplaying notebook underneath his left arm, carefree smile on his face from the fantastic D&D session he's just had, he almost walks past where you're leaning against the wall without acknowledging that you're alone.

You're so good at that, Eddie realizes: blending into the background, simultaneously being so eye-catching and beautiful to catch his attention, whilst also exuding an uninviting aura that makes his brain immediately divert his gaze elsewhere.

Tapping your converse shoes against the cement floor, your head is drawn downwards with your eyes narrowly focused in on a hardcover book Eddie can't read the name of. The entire hallway's deserted and Eddie realizes that now's the best time - more than ever - to make his first move.

"Hey. (Y/n), right?" he starts out, waving for your attention and flashing you his most charming smile. It doesn't even leave a dent on your face: lips still in a straight line, your head not even picking up to stare at him.

"What do you want?" you drawl out, flipping a page with your thumb. He fumbles on what to say next, not used to having to speak to someone who won't even look at him - at the very least, he thinks, when jocks are jeering at him or cheerleaders are insulting him, they flash him a dirty glance.

"Tutoring." is the first thing that leaves his lips and that does the job of causing you to still and look up at him with your eyebrows raised, mocking grin on your face.

"Tutoring? You do know that I'm barely passing all my classes, right?" you spit out, unimpressed. Stranded, Eddie's hands fly up in mock surrender, voice edged with nerves as he forces out a laugh.

"Yeah uh, no, I meant like... I could tutor you."

You chuckle at that - a dry, bitter sound that makes him cringe - perfectly manicured fingers curling to point accusingly at his figure.

"You, Eddie Munson, repeat senior - tutoring me? Yeah right. Fuck off, won't you?"

Licking his lips, Eddie takes in a deep breath, ready to try and persuade you again when the loud honking of a car cuts in. Looking over your shoulder, he can see the faint outline of a truck and a man sitting by the front of the driver's seat, shouting your name. He can't make out much about the man's features - the glass windows fogged up and obscured by the pouring rain - and you brush past Eddie with ease, shoulders colliding with his.

"Well that went well." Eddie sarcastically comments under his breath.

Maybe this bet isn't going to work out, he bitterly thinks, kicking a small pebble in his way.

Then it's Monday. And thank god for Ms. Rogers of his American History class - because she announces a new group project, and the pairings just so work out to pair you and him together. Eddie has to conceal the rush of joy and relief when he sees his name hastily scrawled next to yours on the whiteboard, keeping his face straight and outwardly disinterested when he sits down next to you.

"Hey there, partner." he jokes, sliding his chair closer to the table. Your gaze remains fixated on your nails, your only acknowledgment of his presence being the rolling of your eyes. "How's life?"

"Life is life, Munson." you spit, harsh gaze shifting a fraction to cast him a dirty glance. It makes him feel small, goosebumps rising across his skin from the way your lip snarls and your voice tightens.

"Right, well, now that we're project partners we'll probably be seeing a lot of each other. Do you wanna meet up after school to discuss the basics?" Eddie trails off slowly, cautiously trying to survey your reactions.

He's silently bracing for another cruel remark - or maybe a disinterested eyeroll, coupled with a middle finger to his face - but to his surprise, you huff out a quick sigh and unclench your jaw.

"Fine. The library at 3.30."

"Oh actually, I was wondering if we could do later because technically we're supposed to have a Hellfire campaign tonight-"

You hold one hand up to his face, forcing him to shut up, before throwing him an annoyed glance.

"Do I look like I care? Reschedule."

All other arguments die in his mouth when the teacher begins to talk, signaling for everyone in the class to fall silent and redirect their attention to the front of the classroom. Eddie shifts to look forward, but he can't help but quickly glance at you from the corner of his eyes.

You look agitated, teeth biting down on the end of a yellow pencil, grinding down onto hard wood. Shoulder tensed, body braced forward as you lean onto your propped up arms. Eddie realizes then that he's never seen you relaxed. Or seen you smile, or hell, be anything other than aggressive and tense.

The thoughts of the bet with Jason re-enter his mind, which he's quick to scrub away in an attempt to pay attention. Above all, he supposes, he'd like to at least pass this fucking class so he's not a fourth time repeat senior.

The end of the school day arrives in a flash, it seems, with him anxiously jumping up and down on the balls of his feet outside the library whilst waiting for you to appear. He nearly jumps out of his skin when he then feels a warm hand on his back, twisting around clumsily to see your non-amused expression staring back at him.

"Come on, Munson. I don't have all day."

The first half an hour is painfully awkward. Eddie keeps on throwing jokes - "if I have to read another passage about a dead white man, I think I'm going to die myself" - and thoughtful compliments - "that's a really good idea, (Y/n), thank god we were paired together or else I would've failed" - but you don't seem the least bit deterred. Sitting at least five inches away from him, shoulders hunched over as your gaze remains fixated on the stack of papers strewn over the table surface. There's a permanent frown on your face, pulling down and wrinkling your features, coupled with an unwavering silence.

Eddie wonders what it'd be like if you smiled instead.

"So what do you think? I reckon pretty much everyone's going to do the easy topics - the ratification of the constitution or the fight for independence. So maybe it'd be better if we did something different, like maybe how the two party system emerged?" Eddie suggests lightly, leaning back on his seat, flashing you a hopeful smile.

You don't even look up at him, shrugging your shoulders.

"Sure, whatever."

"If you think there's something else we could do, I'd love to hear it." He's practically begging you to speak at this point, considering he's been the one filling the silence in the room for the past half hour.

"Don't have any ideas."

"You sure?"

"YES! Jesus christ, Munson, are you deaf?" you snap, looking up at him angrily.

"Alright, god, I'm sorry that I'm trying to include you in OUR project." he retorts, feeling his patience run dry. "You know-" He lets out a dry laugh, running a hand through his hair. "I've been nothing but nice to you the past few weeks-"

"Why is that?" you press, voice suddenly quiet.

"W-what?"

His breath catches in his throat when you make full eye contact with him, yellow embers reflecting in your orbs from the light bulbs hanging overhead.

"I'm confused as to why you've been so nice to me lately, Munson. What's your end game?" you question, slamming your book shut. Eddie blinks at you silently like a fish out of water - what the hell is he supposed to say to that? It must look awfully odd from your point of view, he realizes, for you two to go from strangers to him trying to talk to you all the time.

But what's he supposed to say? "Jason Carver and I fought and we got into a bet that I could seduce you and bring you to prom because you're this notorious ice queen."

Yeah right.

Exhaling quickly, he just cocks his head to the side and feigns calmness.

"Maybe I just wanted to get to know you better."

"Me, seriously?" you scoff, clearly not believing him.

"Yeah! Look, I... I know what it's like for people at this shitty high school to not take you seriously or to make you feel like a complete outcast. I figured you could use a friend! Because no offense, I have the Hellfire Club, but I've never seen you with anyone but yourself."

He's being pretty sincere with that statement, and it seems to come through as you raise your eyebrows slowly in response, unreadable expression on your face.

"You've been... watching me?"

"Not in a creepy way! Just consider it, like, one outcast looking out for another."

It's the slightest change, a reflex that lasts for less than a second, but he catches the end of your lips twitch ever so slightly to indicate a grin. It disappears just as quickly it appears, but he catches it nonetheless, and it makes hope blossom in his lower abdomen.

"... Alright." you surrender, gaze slightly softer, voice no longer aggressive and defensive. It's impossible for him to conceal his joy at that.

"Really?"

"Yeah, Munson. I suppose I could be a bit nicer to you. But-" you poke him on the side with a spare pencil. "No promises. No pushing me into anything. We're hardly acquaintances, let alone friends. But I suppose if we need to work together on this stupid project together, we might as well get along. Okay?"

Eddie nearly pulls a muscle with how fast he nods in affirmation.

"Okay."

---------------------------------------

Tuesdays and Thursday evenings are from then on reserved for after school meet ups to work on the project. You're still characteristically you - full of mean comments, sassy eyerolls, judgmental gazes and all. But he does notice that as time goes on, you're snarling at him less and loosening up ever so slightly.

He's yet to seen you smile, however, though he's gotten close a couple of times. Like when he slipped on a banana peel whilst walking out the library with you last week or when yesterday, he made a dumb joke about a horrendous illustration of Thomas Jefferson in the textbook.

On a windy February afternoon, you two end up staying a bit later than expected. Eddie leaning against the wall, sitting on the carpeted floor with his legs crossed as he pours through five heavy leather bound books, you're hunched over a shitty desk lamp and a cup of coffee as you highlight passages from a textbook. Neither of you have cared to check the clock or have registered the fact that it's been a full two hours since the librarians notified you two that they're heading out.

"I think my brain's melting." he complains, slipping down the wall slowly in a dramatic fashion. You shoot him an amused glance, tongue clicking against the roof of your mouth.

"Tough luck, devil boy. We've still got a lot more to read."

Eddie groans, rubbing his eyes with his metal ring clad fingers.

"I know, but it feels like we've been reading boring books in this stuffy room FOREVER now!"

The two of you pause at that, it suddenly dawning on both of you that the rest of the library seems oddly... dark. And quiet.

"Shit. What time is it?" you ask aloud, standing up so quickly that you topple your chair over. The nearest clock - hanging behind a row of oak bookshelves - indicates that it's nearly six thirty pm.

Far, far, later than anyone would be at school.

It's a scramble to dog-ear pages, organize the books in their relevant places and to shove all your belongings in to your respective bags before racing down the hallway to the front doors, which of course, are locked.

"Well, I guess we're gonna die here." Eddie remarks, dropping his hands from the front doors with a sigh. You slap him across the shoulder at that, though this time the action's more playful, more tongue in cheek.

"Relax, Munson. All we need is a phone, do you think the front office's phones still work?"

"Yeah. I would know, because they made a call to my uncle this morning to complain that I came in an hour late to first period."

"Classic Eddie." you comment, to which he visibly stiffens and stares down at you with awe. "What?" you press, confused at why he's suddenly looking at you like that.

"You said my name. Not Munson, not devil boy, not an insult."

To his quiet surprise, you seem to get embarrassed at that, eyes dropping to the floor as you shift nervously on your feet.

"I mean, that's your name, right? But if you prefer I call you like Munson instead I ca-"

"No, no." he lets out a gentle laugh, and a thought passes by your head like a bullet train that you really like it. It's soft, it's melodic, it's sweet: taste of sweet potatoes coated in cloud sugar on your tongue. "I really like hearing you say my name. Say it more."

Your lips quirk up again, signaling a potential smile, but it's not fully realized. But your shoulders do drop in a more relaxed manner, and you flash him an ambivalent glance.

"Sure."

After using a spare hairpin in Eddie's pocket to pick the lock to the front office, you jump over the counter to slide over the surface and reach the phone behind the desk. Eddie makes a joke about how you'd make an excellent spy - to which you throw him a dirty glare and signal for him to shut up - before you make a phone call. To whom, he doesn't know. But it's clear that you care for this person, as your voice becomes lower and less agitated.

"Hey. Yeah, sorry for worrying you. I was staying late with my project partner for American History and then... we lost track of the time and now we're locked in. Do you think you could come over and get us?" you pause, Eddie supposes it's to allow the person on the other line to respond. "Alright. Sounds good. See you soon."

"Who'd you call?" he quizzes, curious as he helps you slide off the desk, allowing you to grasp at his shoulders to jump off securely. He chooses to ignore the way his skin tingles with electricity when your soft hands grip at his skin, heat wrapping around his upper body.

"My godfather. But it'll probably take another half an hour for him to arrive so we should probably camp out by the front doors till then."

There's a good five minutes of uninhibited silence after that as you two sit by the front entrance. You're sitting across from him leaning against the lockers: one leg straight, the other propped up by your chest as you rest your arms on your knee and twist your body to look out the window. Eddie's sitting a few inches away from you, legs crossed, toying with the rings on his fingers.

It's not a tense silence, but it is boring.

"I didn't know you had a godfather." Eddie decides to say, looking up at you cautiously. "That's cool."

"Cool, huh?" you quip, tearing your gaze away from the window. "Not many people think that. Most people think it's fucking weird that I live with my godfather instead of my biological parents."

"Well most people are assholes and idiots. Don't listen to them." he argues, lacing his fingers together.

"That's true." you agree, nodding ambivalently. "What about you? You and your uncle? You two live by the trailer park, right?"

Neither of you delve into too much personal information - the conversation's restrained to surface level things, before somehow melting into a heated discussion over music. It turns out that you're a huge music fan, front pocket of your bag overflowing with cassettes, notebooks crumpled by the weight of your walkman and headphones.

"Listen, I can appreciate a good Billy Joel song and all, but Black Sabbath is god." Eddie insists, uncrossing his legs and gesturing frantically with his hands.

"Oh, please, Eddie! You're just saying that because your exposure to Billy Joel has primarily been Uptown Girl. He has some serious deep cuts, like you can't tell me that you're able to listen to Vienna without getting emotional."

"Hey, you can get PLENTY emotional to Black Sabbath."

"Really?" you quip, poking him in the shoulder, forcing him to fall back down on his heels. You're fully smiling at this point, eyes light and wide, lips outstretched into an actual grin. He really likes this sight, he thinks. The light even seems to hit you differently when you smile - carving shadows down your jaw, glittering light kissing your hairline, halo around your hair.

"Really. Pinky promise." Eddie argues, poking his pinkie finger out at you. You stare down at him, fully amused, shaking your head sideways at his antics.

"I'm not gonna pinky promise you shit." you mock, crossing your arm.

"Aw, come on." he leans in teasingly, backing you up against the lockers. He doesn't realize it, but your breath hitches in your throat at the action, as it hits you that he's so close that you can count the individual freckles adorning his cheeks and smell the mixed scents of pine, fresh rain and weed emanating from his jacket.

You both break away from your respective positions at the sound of the front doors unlocking, with a very unimpressed look on Hopper's face as he links back the keys to his belt and raises his eyebrows at you.

"Are you sure it was the project that made you late and not being with your boyfriend?" he drawls, forefinger outstretched to gesture between the two of you. You stand up so quickly you practically stumble forward, stuttering your words - you're so mortified, you can't even look at Eddie.

"Jesus, dad, NO! He's just a friend."

"Friend, huh?" Eddie teases, elbowing you on the side, to which you elbow him back harder (making him groan out in slight pain). He watches as the police chief's blue eyes narrow in on his figure, dissecting him with a single glance, before returning to stare at you. It registers in his mind that Hopper's eyes soften when they land on you, a small grin appearing on his aged face.

"Alright then. Good to see you've made friends, (Y/n)." he comments. You roll your eyes, slinging your bag over your shoulder.

"Speaking of which, Eddie needs to get going. Right?" you rush out, practically shoving Eddie forward. Eddie nods awkwardly, shooting the older man a (what he hopes is) charming smile before winking at you.

"Right. Thank you, sir, for saving us. (Y/n), I'll see you next Tuesday for the final bits of the project?"

"Yeah, see you."

The moment you hop into the front seat of Hopper's truck, you can practically feel the intensity of the the rush of thoughts in your godfather's mind, his heavy gaze alternating between the road and your anxious figure shifting against the leather seats.

"So... this Eddie. Your friend, huh?" he starts out, quiet.

"Just drive, Hop, jesus." you say out loud, leaning your head against the window, rubbing your temples in a soothing manner as if to cure a headache.

"Not commenting on it, sweetheart. Just saying it's nice to see you open up and make friends."

"A friend, dad. One. Singular." you correct, to which he just waves off your comment with a blow through his lips.

"Still. Maybe this'll help you adjust a bit better. You have been adjusting alright, right?"

He pulls over into the driveway of his house, hands lingering over the steering wheel as he glances over at you worryingly. Hopper's always been a protective godfather, never intrusive but often keeping a close watch on you from the background. You don't blame him for worrying, considering the whiplash of a turn your life's taken in the past few months.

Leaving your parents in New York, packing two bags of clothes before hitchhiking across the country to come all the way down to Hawkins to live with your godfather. Your 'real' parents are practically dead to you, hence why you've chosen to call Hopper 'dad', and you consider El to be your real life little sister.

You figure you're already asking so much of him: to take you in as his non-biological daughter, to provide you a place to sleep and eat, to pay for your schooling as you catch up on two years of high school you took off in New York. All of this, combined, has led you to be less than transparent about how you've been adjusting at your new school.

In fact, Hopper wouldn't even know anything about how you don't really have friends if it hadn't been for Mike and his big mouth, and El's sweet concerns being expressed to Hopper.

"I'm doing okay, dad. Seriously." you assure him, patting down on his hand, squeezing it comfortingly.

When your bedroom door finally closes behind you that night, it dawns on you as you're staring up at the ceiling - you've made a friend.

For the first time in a while, you fall asleep filled with joy and giddiness.

------------------------------------------

"Do you wanna come see my band play tonight?"

Eddie asks you on the final day of your project, closing your locker door for you, peering up at you with his doe like eyes. Your mind's been swimming with anxious thoughts all day - you're afraid that the only thing keeping your friendship afloat with Eddie is the project, which is due to be turned in today, and you're not sure what's going to happen once it's done.

So it's actually kind of a relief to have him beg you to see his band perform tonight, relief that you can't help but spill out into a small grin reflected on your lips.

"Corroded Coffin's playing tonight?"

"Yeah! And it's gonna be radical. Some of my other friends are gonna be attending too, so you won't have to show up alone."

"Aren't minors not allowed in seedy bars?" you tease. "Your friends are like, all freshman boys."

"Hey, I have friends that aren't Henderson or the other kids! Seriously, Steve and Robin are cool adults in their twenties and they will be there too."

"I don't think imaginary friends count." you continuously tease, walking away from him, as he follows right behind you.

"They're NOT imaginary! I swear, they're real people with real jobs and hobbies." Eddie pouts, looking like a kicked puppy. It's adorable, really, and you can't help but chuckle at his sad expression.

"Alright, alright, I'm joking! Sure, sounds good. When and where is it?"

"The downtown bar by the bookstore off the 45. Door's open at 7, but realistically we won't be playing till like 8.30 so feel free to come by then. I'll tell Steve and Robin to wait for you outside. They're cool, I promise."

You can't help but bite your bottom lip at that, anxiety gnawing at your chest.

"Are you sure? I just... I don't know if I'll get along with your friends, that's all. I mean, it took us like forever to be friends ourselves." you comment dryly.

"Pfft, you'll get along with them super well, don't worry! You're cool, they're cool, that's all you need."

All protests die in your mouth when he smiles at you like that, so you sigh and surrender to his demands.

"Alright, fine."

The bar's packed and loud, you think, flashes of yellow and red light emitting from the dingy entrance as you cross the road towards the establishment. There's already a line of people outside but there's two people in particular who stick out like a sore thumb amongst the crowd of black and edgy looks - a girl and a boy around your age, mid-playful argument.

The guy meets your gaze and then waves you over, soft smile on his lips. He's quite cute, you think - not your type, but there's an undeniable charm to him, wavy chestnut brown hair, soft features and slight muscle definition to his thighs and arms. The girl's grinning at you and she's also pretty, short brunette bob framing her lively face quite nicely.

They're also dressed more for the park than a metal concert, but you suppose you haven't done much better (throwing on just a t-shirt and jeans over a pair of sneakers).

"Hey! (Y/n), right?" Steve asks, as you nod in response, slightly intimidated at the presence of these new people.

You do vaguely remember Hopper mentioning a guy named Steve once over a phone call with Joyce, but other than that you don't know too much about him. But Steve seems really nice, welcoming you into the group instantly, gently pulling you towards the two of them and away from the rest of the hectic crowds.

"I'm Steve. Nice to meet you. And this is Robin, my best friend and eternal pain in the ass."

"Cap your ego, Harrington. Don't listen to him, besides, us girls have to stick together, right?" Robin quips, pulling you against her and winking at you. You can't help but giggle at that, what with the way Steve's face then scrunches up into a haughty frown.

It turns out that they're a delightful pair to be around. Robin's sarcastic, witty and funny, and her no-bullshit attitude and dry sense of humor pairs nicely with Steve's slightly egotistical, flirty and outgoing nature. And with a bit of alcohol dancing on the tip of your tongue, you find yourself loosening and completely comfortable by the time the band comes out to play.

The music is loud - so loud that it reverberates through your body, so loud that it feels like the whole building shakes with the booming of the speakers - but it's also delirious and addicting, jumping up and down in a sea of people to the ear-splitting music.

The three of you stay long past after the show's wrapped up, leaning against the counter of the open bar with dopey smiles on each of your faces.

"Holy shit, my dad's gonna be so mad that I'm this tipsy." you comment, leaning onto Robin's shoulders for support.

"Really?" she teases, amused.

"Seriously. And the fact that he's the police chief probably isn't going to do me much favours."

"Hopper's your father?" Steve asks, surprised. He remembers in the back of his mind Hopper mentioning that he's taken in another kid a while ago, but he hadn't pressed the older man for details.

"Godfather, actually, but he might as well be my dad. Considering I left my shitty biological parents in New York."

"To shitty parents." Robin announces, raising her glass of whiskey into the air. Steve and you clink your glasses with hers in agreement.

"To shitty parents."

"Looks like someone's had a lot of fun." Eddie comments from behind you the moment you down the shot, your head slow to catch up with his presence before it hits you all at once.

"Eddie!" you squeal out, dropping the glass onto the counter and spinning around to envelope him in a fierce hug. He's wholly unprepared to catch your embrace with the speed and force with which you wrap your arms around his waist, causing him to stumble backwards.

"You were amazing! Like seriously, your guitar solo was the best part of the whole night." you gush and Eddie's glad that the harsh lighting of the bar is able to mask the slight blush creeping up his cheeks.

"Aw, thanks. Did Steve and Robin treat you alright?" he asks, looking up at his friends.

"More than alright, we nearly stole your girl." Steve teases, to which Eddie only scowls, waving away his friend's suggestive teasing.

"Alright, Harrington, keep it in your pants."

Robin and Steve continue to smirk at Eddie, making exaggerated lovesick expressions and throwing kisses at the two of you, none of which you're catching because your head is still buried against Eddie's chest. Eddie has to subtly - but fiercely - tell his friends to cut it out, gesturing with his hands and throwing nasty glares their way.

"Fuck, I really need to sober up though." you mumble, straightening up, stumbling ever so slightly on your feet.

"Yeah, and I'm beat. Wanna split a cab, Buckley?"

"Sure do, Steve. See you two kids around." Robin slyly adds, quickly exiting right after Steve to leave you alone with Eddie. It's clear what they're trying to do, but Eddie can't really bring it to himself to care when you tug at his sleeves, still tipsy and tired.

"Can we drive out somewhere cold and empty? If I go home now, Hopper's gonna be real mad about my alcohol consumption. Even if I'm over 18, that man is... protective."

Eddie chuckles, nodding, brushing away a stray strand of hair from your eyes.

"Alright then. Guess we're driving to the park."

On the way out to his car, his left hand resting on your back as he guides you into the front seat, Eddie meets Jason's eyes from across the road. The jock is leaning against his car, nursing a beer bottle in his right hand, whilst his group of friends rustle and joke around with each other by the gas tanks.

An unshakable feeling of disgust rises up in Eddie's throat, heart clenching at the way the blonde's eyes shift down at you, then on to Eddie's hand on your back, and how then a semi-impressed grin spreads on Jason's lips. The blonde ever so slightly nods at Eddie, as if confirming their bet, before returning to his conversation with his friends.

"Eddie?" you call out his name, breaking him out of his trance. "Everything alright?"

He's being paranoid, he tells himself. He hasn't even done anything yet, if anything, he's nowhere near "winning" the bet - you're just friends, that's all this is, leading you back to the car and helping you sober up by a park.

"Yeah. All good." Eddie forces out, faux grin and all. There's an odd bitter taste filling his lungs, but he breathes out slowly, reminding himself that he's not doing anything bad.

He's just a friend, taking another friend, to the park.

Sitting on the swing set, his fingers trail down the linked metal chains, small smile on his face as you childishly swing back at forth with your legs kicking out in front of you. It's your way of sobering up, you insist, and he can't complain - it's clearly making you very happy, the smile on your face permanent. It's a nice sight, a rare sight, one that he's keeping tucked in to the crevices of his mind for later.

"Be careful." Eddie chastises, watching you soar higher and higher towards the night sky. "I don't want you to break a bone or something. Think Hopper would be even more if you break a bone than if you show up a bit drunk."

Slowing down your movements, you scoff, but there's still a lazy smile on your face indicating that you're not really mad.

"I hate it when you're right." you mumble, drawing a loud laugh from Eddie's lips, head thrown back and all.

"I'm always right, (L/n)." he challenges, knocking his swing into yours.

"Sure, Munson. Except the times you're not. Which is almost every time."

"Almost."

Silence settles over the two of you again, the creaking of metal as you both lazily swing back and forth being the only sounds in the night, pale moon marking the shift into midnight. Eddie's fiddling with his rings absentmindedly, not really sure what to say or why he suddenly feels nervous sitting next to you, until you pick your head back up and speak.

"Thanks."

"For what?" he's confused and surprised.

"For inviting me. For letting me meet Steve and Robin, you're right, they're really cool. And like, I don't know. Thanks for being my friend, I guess." you look down immediately after finishing your sentence, hot embarrassment coursing through your veins, Eddie's soft stare too much to bare all at once on top of your heartfelt confession. The confession that tugs at Eddie's heartstrings, guilt pouring over him in waves.

"Yeah, so-"

"It's just crazy to me, you know?" you interrupt. "That you'd want to be friends with me. That anyone would want to be friends with me. I know I was a bitch when we first spoke. And uh, maybe I still kind of am. But you just... you're different, Eddie."

You pause for a tender moment, legs spreading as you shift your swing closer towards his, so that your knees are brushing against his and you can place a warm hand down onto his lap.

"I feel like you really see me. Not this whole 'ice queen' bullshit or whatever people are saying at school. The real me, the person behind all the walls and defences raised up. You kept on trying to get to know me even when I was pushing you away and being cruel to you. And it was thanks to that that we ended up becoming friends. So... yeah. Thank you, Eddie. Sincerely."

It's hard to shake off the shame now coating his lips, his skin burning and feeling sticky underneath your pure, innocent gaze and soft touch. He forces a smile, fingers uncurling from the metal chains of the swing to pat down on your warm hand, trying his best to maintain the neutrality of his voice.

"Y-yeah. No problem, I guess."

-------------------------------------------

Things shift after that night by the swing set.

Despite the history project having ended, he ends up seeing you even more regularly than before. It's because you end up taking a part-time job at Family Video after befriending Steve and Robin, and also because you start intermittently dropping by to watch his band pratcitce after school or swing by randomly to Hellfire Club sessions, at the insistence of El wanting to see Mike.

At this point, all of Eddie's friends know who you are. It was comedic at first, to see how Gareth nearly choked on his tongue and refused to make eye contact with you in your presence, and how all the freshman boys - Dustin, Mike and Lucas - pretended to be interested in a bunch of random sheet music thrown around the room to avoid having to look at you.

"Relax, kids, you can stare at her." Eddie had to say, laughing as he placed an arm around your shoulder. "Stop scaring them, (L/n)."

You just scowled at that, shrugging off his arm and sighing dramatically.

"I'm not trying to do that! It's just my reputation preceding me. I'm not as mean as I seem, I promise." you emphasized, turning to address the boys face to face. "I'm just here because Eddie promised to let me play for a 'taster' session of sorts."

"You're... joining Hellfire?" Dustin meekly asked, being the first out of the three to gain enough courage to look up at you. To his surprise, you didn't scowl or flip him off, if anything, you looked quite approachable and friendly standing next to Eddie, who was smiling at you with so much pride.

"Not sure if I'm necessarily joining, but... this meathead won't stop talking about this damn game so I wanted to see what all the hype was about."

The other boys loosened up after seeing how relaxed Eddie seemed to be around you, mock hurt on his face as he dramatically clutched his chest, stumbling backwards as if he'd been shot.

"You wound me with such harsh words! Now I can't promise that I'll go easy on you when we start playing."

"Why would that matter?"

"Duh, I'm the dungeon master, so everything you can do in the game is basically up to me. Or what you roll on the dice, but mainly up to me."

"That hardly seems fair." you commented, flashing the young boys a look of disbelief. "Is that really how this works?"

"Yeah, which is why we basically always have to gang up against him." Lucas replied, drawing a genuine laugh from your lips. It was the final straw to break the tension in the room, everyone loosening up and welcoming your new presence in the group.

"Sounds good, freshies. Us against Eddie, we can definitely take him." you winked at Eddie, rolling your shoulders forward. "Watch out, Eds."

It's late spring now, verging on summer. Eddie's lost count of the amount of time you two have spent together, be that in between periods at school (skipping classes together by the bleachers) or sneaking into the cinemas without paying on a tipsy game of truth or dare.

Eddie catches himself fully lost in your presence - watching your hair flip in the wind behind you whilst he drives with his window down, surveying how your delicate fingers toy with the fabric of your jacket when you're deep in concentration, counting your slow breaths as you lean against him in a darkened parking lot out of exhaustion - until the illusion is shattered for him by way of remembrance.

It's a bet.

But it doesn't matter, not really, he'd always tell himself. You two are still friends. And Eddie's not forcing it, being friends with you is natural, spending time with you is something he genuinely wants.

It's a hollow way of consoling himself, but it's the only way he's able to justify continuning to hang out with you and to slyly avoid Jason or his stupid best friends' constant pestering about how the bet is going.

"We're still just friends, Carver." Eddie gritted through his teeth, skillfully stepping past the blonde to get to his van. Jason didn't seem to like that response, one hand reaching out to grab at his wrist and yank him backwards.

"Listen, freak. I'm impressed, not gonna lie, that you even managed to become friends with her. But the bet was over dating her and getting her to go to prom. It's now, what, end of April?" the jock chuckled, tapping his two front fingers against the expensive watch around his wrist. "Time's running out. That said, I lose absolutely nothing if you lose the bet so actually-"

The blonde pulled away, victorious grin on his pink lips. He looked like a coy predator playing with his prey, smug cruelty rolling off of him in waves.

"Yeah, don't make a move. I'd love to win this bet."

Looking down at where Jason's filthy hand was wrapped around his wrist, Eddie roughly shook off the basketball player's grasp, glare fuelled by the heat of a thousand suns.

"I'm going to win the bet, Carver. Don't get too cocky."

"Did you see what Nate did yesterday?" you question him in the present. Eddie's lying down on the carpeted floor of your bedroom next to you, legs bent in a 45 degree angle, hands supporting the back of his head. You're lying down with your feet propped up on your bed, your eyes meeting his in a sly manner.

"Not really, why? What'd he do this time?"

"He tried doing a backflip during the lunch period and broke his left wrist. Cried like a little bitch about it, too."

The image of the tall, overconfident jock wailing like a child makes Eddie snort.

"That's hilarious."

"It's what he deserves too. He's a total creep." you shudder, remembering how he tried to hit on you on your first day of school. "Though, he did cry a bit more when I sprained his fingers because he tried to grab my ass on my first day."

"He did what?"

"Yeah, I know. Real fucking creep. Don't know why he bothered, either, the jeans I was wearing that day were super ugly."

"I highly doubt that." the comment slips out of Eddie's mouth unconsciously, piquing your curiosity enough for you to shift your body to the side to stare at him with confusion.

"What'd you mean?"

"Oh! Just like..." Eddie scratches his neck, avoiding your gaze. "I highly doubt that the jeans you were wearing were ugly. Just like, I don't think anything you could wear could be ugly."

You sit up at that, legs crossing underneath.

"You calling me pretty?"

"Well, uh-" he stumbles over his words, cheeks flushing vibrant pink as he begins to rattle off in an incoherent manner. "Yeah, I mean I always thought that but yeah you are. Objectively speaking. But also like I think you're pretty, is it hot in here suddenly or-" his hands fly up to the collar of his hellfire club shirt, pulling at the sides as if to let in cool air.

"Are you serious?" you sound shocked, in disbelief, which only confuses Eddie in return.

"Of course I am. Why... would I lie about that?"

You shrug, bringing a juice box to your lips.

"Figured if you thought I was pretty we wouldn't still be friends. That's a compliment you give to someone who's attracted to you, not someone who's just your friend."

"Oh." Eddie then comments, pausing ever so slightly. "Who says I'm not attracted to you?"

His daring question lingers in the air for a few baited breaths, the atmosphere in the room shifting in the microseconds it takes for that sentence to leave his lips and for him to suddenly shift closer to you.

"... I'm attracted to you too." you choke on your words, it barely being a whisper, but Eddie catches it nonetheless. His left hand comes to rest on your cheek, eyes staring right into yours that you think he must be able to see through your soul.

"Can I kiss you?"

You don't think you can speak. You're left to nod quietly, hoping that it's enough. And it is. The force with which he kisses you - he blames it on the months and months of pent up adoration - backs you up against your bed, your legs falling backwards as your back meets the soft mattress. He practically crawls on top of your lap, kiss messy and deep, strands of curly hair clouding your hazy vision.

When it's done, fresh air filling your lungs instead of the intoxicating scent of Eddie, muted taste of beer and mint chapstick dancing on your lips, you two stare at each other with wide eyes before bursting into a fit of nervous laughter.

"So... what now?" you question lightly, hands still gripping his forearms.

"Let's go on a date? Arcade after school on Friday?" he suggests.

"We already do that every week, doofus."

"I know, but this time it'll be different. I'll hold your hand and buy you dinner afterwards."

You pretend to think about it, humming quietly before nodding with a wide smile.

"Deal."

You fall asleep in his embrace that night, face squished against his upper chest, body rising and falling alongside your slow breaths. But Eddie can't sleep. The euphoria he's feeling is underlined with sickening guilt, a gnawing clawing sensation in his stomach, a harsh whisper in the back of his mind that none of this is real.

He's lying to you.

But what he feels for you isn't a lie, he reasons, so it's fine. He's driving himself insane with these internal arguments, subconsciously pulling your sleeping figure closer towards himself as his fingers clutch onto your waist tighter.

Burying his head into your hair, inhaling deeply, he attempts to quiet his thoughts. It'll all be over soon. Graduation is looming. He's just got one more part of the bargain to hold up - asking you to prom. It'll be over soon, it won't get worse....

Right?

------------------------------------------

"I'm really glad she's dating you."

Hopper comments two months later, looking over from the driver seat of his truck as Eddie jumps up straight upon being addressed by your godfather. The two men have spent countless times together - whether it be Eddie lounging on the couch in the living room whilst waiting for you or Hopper knocking on Eddie's trailer door to ask why you still haven't come home - but it never stops Eddie from getting a bit nervous around him.

He wants to make a good impression on the police chief for numerous reasons, but above all, because he's your father. Your only parent at this point. So even if it's something as casual as hitching a ride from Hopper the day Gareth had to borrow his van, Eddie's still a bit on edge when he's sitting in the passenger seat next to Hopper.

Upon seeing the younger man's eyes widen in surprise, Hopper chuckles, the sound a low rich baritone.

"Have to admit, the day I picked her up from school that day you two kids got yourselves locked inside and she called you her new friend... I felt that there was something more to that word. Friend. And despite your, um, questionable activities-"

Eddie flushes with embarrassment at that.

"You've always been good to her. And it's doing her wonders, I can tell. She went from this isolated, broken shell of a person to... Someone with friends her age. A job. Someone who smiles and laughs and says yes to spontaneous plans. I know it's not all you but you've been a big part of that so thank you." Hopper grumbles out, coughing awkwardly, not used to such heartfelt confessions. It makes Eddie feel even worse, almost making him want to sink into his seat.

"It's no big deal." Eddie forces out, voice strained and almost breaking because he's choking on recurrent waves of shame, guilt twisting like sharp veins around his chest and squeezing his heart. His mind is still foggy and reeling from the guilt when the truck finally pulls up by his trailer, and you come barreling from the inside of his trailer to hug Eddie.

"Didn't know you'd be here." Hopper comments, crossing his arms. You roll your eyes.

"I think I'm allowed to come over to visit my boyfriend, dad."

"Mmhmm, just make sure you're home by eleven."

"Midnight."

"Ten thirty."

"Eleven thirty."

Hopper pretends to be annoyed, sighing deeply, but he still smiles and ruffles your hair before leaving.

"Fine. See you then, kiddo."

Your legs thrown over his lap half-hazardously, Eddie can't really focus on the VHS tape you've generously 'rented' from your workplace - "Please, as if I'll get in trouble. The only employees are me, Robin and Steve and our boss basically never comes by." - as another character gets gruesomely killed on the screen.

"You're not watching the movie." you complain half-way through the movie, putting down the popcorn bowl to stare incredulously at your boyfriend. He only smiles in response, shaking his head sideways, symmetrical face framed by his long curls.

"Can't focus. You're too pretty." he offers, and you chuckle at that, his whining tone and pleading eyes melting your heart. You clamber on top of him, legs caging his body in between your thighs, as your hands come up to cup his cheeks.

"Aw.... Thanks, babe. But you really don't have to tell me that every day."

"I'd tell you that you're pretty every day just to see you smile like that." he admits softly, boyish grin on his lips and mischievous glint in his eyes. You open your mouth to respond with a sassy comment when someone knocks on the door loudly, accompanied by a furious set of even louder knocks.

It's your sister, El, jumping up and down anxiously before her eyes fall upon your familiar figure.

"El, what's wrong?" you question immediately, climbing off of the couch and rushing to cradle your younger sister's face in your hands. She doesn't look physically harmed nor does she look particularly upset, just anxious to see you.

"I'm bored and Mike canceled on me last minute." she complains, stretching her arms out over her head. "I heard from dad that you were here and I wondered if we could like... hang out. We don't have to, if I'm intruding I can-"

You look at Eddie with a pleading gaze, but you honestly don't even need to convince him, as he's already fluffing up the pillows and shaking off the popcorn crumbs from the blanket strewn over the sofa.

"Nonsense, nonsense! You're totally welcome to join us. Just be careful with your sister - sometimes she screams really loudly at the jump scares." your boyfriend teases, winking at you. El giggles at that and you send the metalhead a harsh glare.

"I do not."

"You totally do, babe. But it's okay, I still find you hot."

"Is there popcorn left?" your younger sister then questions, wiggling out of your grasp to stare at the television with eyes full of wonder.

"I'll make more, why don't you two get comfortable." you quickly suggest, knowing Eddie's kitchen like the back of your hand. You take the quiet moments which follow to admire how Eddie interacts with El, your vision only slightly obscured from behind the counter.

El's rattling off about something you don't really understand but Eddie seems totally entraced by her, delighted smile and eager nodding, gently encouraging your younger sister to continue her story whenever she gets nervous that she's talking too much. Your sister looks wholly relaxed in his presence, shoulders lax and fingers thrumming gently against a cushion she's holding against her stomach.

When he makes a dumb joke and El laughs, the warmth blossoming in your chest worsens. You feel lightheaded, stomach filled with love, eyes glazed over in pink hue. You almost drop the popcorn packets on the floor when you realize what this is.

Love.

You love Eddie.

You're not surprised, concealing the smile on your face as you turn away and pop the paper packet into the microwave. Eddie's your first real boyfriend. First friend turned lover, first friend in Hawkins, the person who introduced you to your new group of friends - Steve, Robin, and now Nancy and Jonathan as they swing by Family Video ever so often.

It was inevitable then that you'd fall in love with Eddie.

It's all you can think about for the rest of the night, in between stupid jokes thrown in by Eddie and comments of awe and shock muttered by El in between mouthfuls of popcorn, until she's practically falling asleep on your lap. Checking your watch, you realize that it's nearly 11:30 anyways, so you'd better get home.

"Do you think you could drive us back?" you question quietly, whispering as you gesture to El's sleeping figure. Eddie nods, turning off the television and gently pocketing his car keys as you lightly shake your sister awake and strap her into the backseat. She mumbles incoherently, asking sleepily where you two are going, to which you only shush her and assure her that Eddie's just driving you two home.

The conversation in the car is light and spare - it's late at night, El's still sleeping in the backseat, and unbeknownst to each other, you both have a lot on your minds.

Eddie's fixated on how much he likes you, how much he's scared of losing you and how it's almost been two months of dating you. You're transfixed on the realization that you love Eddie, the tall metalhead who loves his guitar and D&D, the boy with copious jean jackets and an oddly obnoxious charm that broke down your walls brick by brick. The constant wondering if he feels the same, the worries that you're overthinking it, layered with the euphoric rush of adoration and infatuation makes you almost sick with joy.

When the familiar outline of your house comes into view, Eddie piggybacks El into your house as you open up the front door for him, allowing him to gently tuck your sister into bed before you close the door. You accompany Eddie back out to the driveway, fingers anxiously twitching by your sides as the confession sits on the tip of your tongue. It's burning your mouth to keep it in, heart beating at a million miles per minute.

"What's on your mind, princess?" he gently asks you, the sour expression on your face giving you away in a moment's notice that you're clearly deep in thought. But nothing could've prepared him for what you said next.

"I love you." you blurt out. "I actually, wholly, undoubtedly love you."

Eddie freezes at that, grin falling ever so slightly, eyes wide and unblinking. You take it as a bad sign, fumbling over your words desperately as you try to salvage the situation.

"I-I know that might be kind of quick because we've only been dating for two months, but if you think about it we've been friends for almost like three quarters of a year, so it's not-"

"No, no." your boyfriend quickly reassures you, hand cupping your chin to stop your talking and to focus your attention on him. You realize that up close, you can better make out his features in the dark: he's smiling brightly, eyes fawning and voice gentle. "It's not quick. I realized I loved you many weeks ago. Was just waiting for you to catch up." Eddie adds, winking at you.

You laugh at that, nodding eagerly, tension dissipating from the night air in an instant. The boy then kisses you gently under the pale moonlight, his tongue slipping in to trace your bottom lip when you moan out in surprise, the strength and passion with which he presses into your mouth catching you off guard.

Eddie's kissed you a million times at this point, but this time it feels different to you. It feels like a million unsaid "i love you"s wrapped into one, delicate touch burning golden tattoos alongside your skin as his hand dances up your waist, pleasant melodies ringing in your ears even when you pull away to catch your breath.

"So... you love me and I love you, I guess." you breathe out into the cold air, affirming reality for yourself by speaking out loud.

"Yeah." Eddie replies, licking his lips to chase the aftertaste of your cherry lipgloss.

"Two people in love. How romantic." you joke, smiling.

Eddie doesn't respond to that, only pressing another shaky kiss to your lips before bidding you goodnight, his knuckles turning white with the strength with which he grips the steering wheel on his drive back. His anxiety has snowballed past its tipping point, his head a toxic warzone of jumbled thoughts, nauseous feeling causing bile to rise up to his throat that Eddie needs to pull over to the side mid-drive.

His heart feels like it's being crushed.

He can't stand it anymore - the lying, the secrets, the way you look at him like he's the only thing that matters in this cruel world. And now, it's undeniable. The truth is staring him right in the face.

You said you loved him.

And fuck, he loves you.

It's gone too far. He's fallen too deep. He's sinking into a bottomless pit and he's dragging you down with him.

And for what? Eddie bitterly ponders, smashing his hands down onto the steering wheel with anger. A stupid bet with a jock?

He needs to call it off.

He makes a beeline to the locker room the next morning, frantically tearing through the school hallways in search of Jason. Unfortunately, the best he can do is to run into Oliver and Nate post-shower, flicking each other with wet towels before Eddie coughs and demands their attention.

"Where's Jason?"

"Pissed off the coach so he's doing another lap. Why, backing out of your bet like a pussy?" Nate teases, drawing a howling laugh from Oliver. Not that Eddie cares. It just frustrates him because first period starts in a few minutes and if he's late one more time for chemistry, he knows it's another detention slip being put into his hands.

"Just tell Carver to meet me by the bleachers during lunch. It's important. And yes, it's about the bet."

Eddie thanks god that you don't share any classes with him today. He doesn't think he could stomach it, looking into your innocent eyes and letting you kiss and hold him softly when he doesn't deserve your love.

He feels as if he's in a trance the whole day, going through the motions of life, eyes empty and mind buzzing with static as he nods along to one lecture after another.

The only thing to jolt him awake is when, in between his second and third period, he hears a familiar set of voices whispering from inside the janitor's closet. It's Dustin, Mike and Lucas, with Dustin clearly pained and tired whilst the other two boys whisper frantically amongst themselves.

Privacy be damned, Eddie opens the door and flicks on the light, jaw clenching with anger the moment the small space is enveloped in bright light and he sees the shiny black bruise blossoming on Dustin's forehead.

"What the hell happened?" Eddie quickly questions, closing the door quietly behind him. He's far too tall for the enclosed space, head awkwardly brushing up against the ceiling, his limbs stretching into mops and cleaning supplies, but he can't give a shit. His veins are coursing with anger, worry tightening his chest as he surveys the extent of Dustin's injuries - the curly haired boy only sighing and refusing to meet the senior's gaze.

"Jason Carver happened to him." Lucas cuts in, voice also tense and angry.

"We were hanging out by the entrance and Dustin decided to stand up to Jason and his teammates for bullying us and, well.. he didn't like Dustin's smart mouth." Mike comments quietly.

"So what, that bastard punched you?!" Eddie exclaims, hysterical.

"He didn't punch me, relax. He just knocked me up against the wall and I happened to slam my head against a brick out of place."

"A BRICK?" Eddie screams, causing all of them to cringe at the sudden loud noise. "Shit, Henderson, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, seriously! I mean, just another Monday, right?" Dustin tries to joke, flashing the older boy a reassuring grin. But it does little to quiet Eddie's fury and guilt, not being able to protect his fellow Hellfire Club members in their time of need.

Lunch time rolls around achingly slow, Eddie munching on his homemade sandwich quickly whilst waiting for Jason to show up by the bleachers. The blonde makes his appearance a full ten minutes into lunch, striding across the green fields in large steps with a scowl on his face.

"What's so important you had to cut into my lunch time, huh?" he growls, clearly annoyed.

"I'm calling the bet off."

"Huh?"

"The bet. I'm fucking over it. I don't care about the money. You win, okay? Now let me out."

Eddie attempts to shove past the blonde but it's like walking into a brick wall, Jason's left hand flying up to Eddie's chest to stop him from walking away before shoving him backwards.

"You're backing out now? When prom's just around the corner and you've already got that bitch riding your dick? I'm surprised, freak." he cruelly comments, cocking his head to the side in fake interest.

"Yeah, I'm out. Now let me go."

"I'm just surprised, that's all. Thought you'd stick by the bet, especially with what happened to that twerp this morning. What's his name, Justin?"

"It's Dustin." Eddie grits, fists clenching by his sides.

"Yeah, whatever. You want to give up the money we bet on, cool, whatever. But a part of our deal was that I'd - along with my friends - lay off of your band of freaks. If you want to call off the bet, that offer is also taken off the table."

Jason's words hang in the air, metaphorical black smoke filling Eddie's lungs and restricting his airways. He feels like he can't breathe, hands clawing at his skin, heart beating at a million miles per minute whilst he mulls over the blonde's words.

All he can focus on is the panicked and scared looks on Lucas and Mike's faces, and the shiny bruise on Dustin's forehead. And Eddie's being given the choice for them to not be bullied for the rest of the whole year, to finally not be terrorized every time they walk into school.

"Still want to call off the bet?" Jason mocks, extending a hand forward. "Shake my hand and it's over."

Eddie stares at the blonde's outstretched hand in silence.

He doesn't shake it.

-----------------------------------------

You can barely sit still, the low humming of Billy Joel flowing from your record player barely settling your nerves as you shift back and forth between your bed and the full length mirror in your room, criticizing every stray hem of your dress. There's a quiet set of knocks against your door and you yell out that you're not ready yet, expecting it to be Hopper.

"It's me!" El announces. "I can help you get dressed, if that's okay?"

Dropping your dress onto your bed, you open the door with a large smile, the excited and eager expression on your younger sister's face too sweet to reject. She sits on your bed with her legs dangling off, watching as you hold up different fabrics up to your chest and ask for her approval. After a several tries and pleas for you to "spin around", you two settle on a nice baby blue doll dress with a sweetheart neckline.

"Can I try doing your mascara?" El then asks quietly, pointing to the mess of makeup littered on your vanity. You laugh, nodding, closing your eyes quietly as her shaky hands attempt to carefully brush through your lashes with the wand. To your delighted surprise, she's a master at it, even going so far as to blend out your eyeshadow perfectly when you hand over your brushes to her.

"What shoes are you wearing?" she asks immediately after that, practically bouncing with excitement.

"I'm starting to think you're more excited about me going to prom than I am, El." you tease, opening your closet and pulling out a pair of sparkly white heels.

"Oh, I can't help it!" she gushes. "It's like all the romantic movies I watched, they always end with the girl and the boy going to prom. It's so romantic." she dreamily sighs, landing on your bed with her back on the mattress.

"Does that make me the protagonist?" you joke, strapping on your heels as you lean down towards your feet.

"Duh. And it makes Eddie your love interest."

"Very handsome, very charming, love interest, I'd like to add." Eddie suddenly cuts in, standing behind your door with a smug smile on his face. It fades into a soft, adoring grin when he sees you in your dress, dolled up and pretty yet still so naturally you. He hopes you can't tell that he loses his cool at the sight, voice slightly strained and tips of his ears flushing pink. "You look absolutely gorgeous, princess."

"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself." you comment, throwing him a flirtatious wink. It's no lie, he cleans up well - the suit is a little awkward on him in some places, but the clean cut look makes his jaw stand out more, lean muscle straining the fabric perfectly.

"Shall we get going, my dear love interest?" you joke, offering one arm forward. El scrambles off your bed to hold open the door for you as Eddie wraps one of his arms around yours, nodding.

"We shall." he puts on a horrible posh accent, making you laugh at his antics. Hopper asks - no, practically demands - to sneak in a couple polaroids of you two together before you're burning with embarrassment and desperately shoving Eddie out the door, calling out to your father that you'd be back by midnight.

By the time the two of you pull up to the gymnasium, the party's already started. You're buzzing with anticipation and nerves when Eddie gently helps you hop off of his van, eyes burning with so much adoration that you can't even meet his gaze without melting.

"Bet you that the punch is gonna suck." he whispers into your ear, the flashing lights overhead blinding your eyes ever so slightly.

"Meh, that's why I did this."

You hike up the skirt of your dress to reveal a bottle of vodka strapped to your thigh, Eddie watching in awe as you twist off the red metal cap and pour him a shot into a red solo cup.

"God, I fucking love you." he moans, practically whining it against your lips. You smirk.

"I know."

Eddie's not thinking of anything but how beautiful you look - so carefree, hands thrown up in the air, bubbly laughter erupting from your throat when he dips you or tugs you towards the food stand - that he doesn't even register Jason and his boys' persistent gazes throughout the night. It's only when you declare that you need some fresh air that he's broken out of his lovesick trance, his jacket finding home on your shoulders as you two lean against the wall of the school building.

"Having too much fun?" Eddie teases, knocking his shoulders against yours.

"Definitely. That, and the three shots of vodka and all the pizza grease is melting my brain."

"Ditto."

Eddie's shoulders tense when he hears sets of footsteps approach, accompanied by the drunken yellings of Jason and his friends. Hands flying to your waist, he pulls you upwards, unreadable expression on his face.

"Let's go back inside." Eddie suddenly hurries out, clearly panicked. You frown, confused.

"We literally just came outside."

"I-I know, but uh, let's go-"

"MUNSON!!!!! There's the man of the hour." Oliver screams, cupping his hands together to amplify his voice across the parking lot. Eddie freezes in place, trapped, as you scowl and cross your arms over your chest.

"Piss off, asshole." you bark back, stepping in front of Eddie protectively.

"Oh, got your little bitch fighting your fights now, impressive. You trained her well, freak." Nate drawls, practically tripping over his words with how drunk he is. Eddie can hear his heartbeat ringing in his ears, panic settling in.

"Don't talk about her like that." he manages to choke out, standing up on shaky legs. But he falters under Jason's gaze, green with envy and red hot with anger, as the blonde steps forward in front of his friends.

"Come on, freak, you can drop the act now. You've won the bet, fair and square."

"What bet?" you stumble backwards in shock, frantic eyes flying to Eddie, who is now suddenly refusing to meet your gaze. "Eddie, what's going on?"

"Ah right, of course little miss ice queen would be confused! Let me break it down for you, sweetheart." Jason practically shouts, clapping his hands together with a gleeful smile. "Back in December, your little boyfriend and I waged a bet. This loser thought he could do a better job asking out girls than me, so I said that if he could get your prissy ass to say yes to a date and to prom, he'd win."

"What?"

Eddie doesn't have the courage to look at you. He's sparing himself the trouble of having to see the crestfallen look on your face, of having to actually see for himself the way your hopes come crashing down into a pile of rubble, to be standing in the aftermath of his destruction.

"We're all impressed that he managed to succeed." the blonde jokes, his two friends eagerly nodding from the back. "Guess we underestimated your abilities, freak." Jason reaches forward and punches Eddie in the shoulder, knocking him back against the wall.

"(Y/n), I can explain-" Eddie starts out lowly, but you're not willing to hear any of it. He can see it in your eyes: in a moment's notice, you've pulled back up all your defences, warmth and kindness disappearing behind your walls as your voice drips with venom.

"Fuck off, Munson."

The laughter of the basketball players continuously rings in Eddie's ears as he chases after you, desperately trying to catch up to you as you run across the parking lot.

"Please, just hear me out-"

"NO." you announce firmly, spinning on your heels and staring up at him with burning hatred. You've never stared at him with anything other than fondness and warmth the past few months. It's then gut wrenching that the fury with which you're glaring at him now - the lack of any kind of kindness or playfulness in your eyes - is unprecedented.

"You know, I knew this was too good to be true." you start, voice shaky. "God, you have no idea how many fucking times I found myself thinking throughout the course of our relationship - no, even when we were just fucking friends - that I didn't deserve this. That there was a reason no one wanted to be my friend. But I was a fucking idiot, because-"

You choke on your words, a sob hanging by the edge of your lips, but you bitterly swallow it down. You'd be damned if Eddie gets your tears on top of everything else.

"Because I thought this was my reward. I was thinking, finally, after all these years of suffering, I could get something nice. New friends, new family, a boy who liked me for who I was... But I realize now that I was nothing more than a joke to you. A sleazy bet with the sleaziest douchebags in school."

"(Y/n)-" Eddie tries again, he can feel you slipping through his fingers and it's breaking him, heart aching to just have you in his arms again. But all you do is shake your head sideways, gritting your teeth as you shrug off his jacket and throw the fabric against his chest.

"Don't fucking talk to me again. If you even so much as look at me, I'll ask Hopper to step in."

"At least let me drive you home." he quietly mutters. "You don't even have a car."

"Save it. I'll take the bus."

Eddie stands there staring at his jacket in his hands, your perfume still lingering in the fabric as he watches hopelessly you walk away into the dark woods.

"Fuck." he breathes out, tears stinging his eyes.

He's fucked up. Really, really badly.

------------------------------------

Steve and Robin both glare daggers into Eddie's back as he shuffles through the aisles of Family Video, both of them pretending to be busy when he'd first entered the store and muttered a quiet "hello." They're pissed at him, for good reason, of course, but it's awkward to know that his friends (who are also your friends) have all turned on him.

It's even more awkward having to make excuses as to why you're no longer showing up to band practice or to D&D sessions to the oblivious freshman and his other friends like Jeff and Gareth, who always looked forward to your sarcastic comments and humorous quips to pass the time.

"Just this, please." Eddie says, throwing a VHS tape of Evil Dead onto the counter. Both Steve and Robin stare down at the tape, then at Eddie, before resuming their conversation behind the counter as if they've never seen him. Eddie rolls his eyes, suppressing a deep sigh.

"Come on guys, this is childish. This isn't even for me, this is for Gareth."

"Then why didn't he come here and rent it himself?" Robin interrogates, tone harsh and dry.

"Got held up doing house chores by his mom. Just scan this damn thing, I'll pay, and I'll be right out of your eyesight, okay?" Eddie's practically pleading at this point and Robin sends Steve a knowing look, forcing the other boy to jump off of his seat and begin to mindlessly scan the tape.

"That'll be $2.50."

In between the painfully awkward and silent transaction, Eddie's looking at everywhere but his friends' faces. Their silent frustration, disapproval and disappointment is too heavy to bear, alongside the heavy guilt and crushing depression he's been experiencing the past two weeks since prom.

"Why'd you do it?" Steve blurts out mid-handing off the tape to Eddie, causing Robin to slap her best friend across the shoulder for his outburst.

"What?"

"I just, I don't get it. It doesn't make sense. I saw - we both saw -" Steve gestures to Robin, sending her a warning glare. "How you looked at (Y/n). How you spoke about her. How much you loved her. What'd you even bet for?"

Pocketing the tape into his back pocket, Eddie sighs slowly, contemplating whether or not to tell them the truth. But hell, he's got nothing to lose at this point, he figures.

"Happened over a weed dealing. I was just talking shit, really, because Jason's ego was bruised after being rejected by (Y/n). We bet over me being able to successfully ask her out to a date and then to prom. If I won, the conditions were that Jason would buy for double - and I knew that Wayne was tight on money, and the trailer's been long overdue for a fix. And he also, uh... said if I won the bet, he'd stop bothering me and my friends."

Eddie doesn't notice it, because he's staring down at his hands whilst rambling, but Steve and Robin exchange a sympathetic glance as Eddie continues to pour his heart out.

"I tried pulling out a million times. But for one reason or another, I could never do it. I was a coward, don't get me wrong, but... when she told me she loved me, I knew it'd gone too far. I was so intently committed to breaking the bet off, consequences and money be damned, but then I saw Henderson had a bruise on his face from Jason roughing him up." Eddie swallows nervously, throat feeling prickly and dry. "I couldn't back out of it then. I didn't want any of the kids to get more hurt when I could prevent it."

"Oh, Eddie..." Robin says quietly, placing a warm hand on his arm. He only shakes her off though, forced grin pulling his lips apart.

"It's whatever. Point is, regardless of good intentions or bad circumstances, I was a fucking coward. And a liar. And an asshole. I broke her heart and I deserve all the bad things in the world for that."

"Does she know any of this?" Steve presses, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"No. I haven't spoken to her since prom. Never even so much as drove past her home. Pretty sure Hopper would shoot my tires flat if I tried, anyways." Eddie weakly jokes.

"You should tell her. If not for you, than for her. She deserves to know the truth."

The metalhead only sighs at that, shaking his head lightly in denial.

"She already knows the truth, Steve."

"Not the bet, but the reasons behind the bet. Your feelings through out the whole thing. How you tried to pull out but you couldn't. I mean the whole truth, Eddie." Steve insists, unwavering.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with this loser." Robin dryly comments, flicking Steve's forehead. Steve scowls at that, sending the brunette girl a playful glare before turning around to stare at Eddie.

"Seriously. Let her know the truth. It'll both do you good."

"If I were you though, I'd bring chocolates as a peace offering or something, because I did hear that Hopper got a new rifle last week." Robin adds, swinging her legs off the counter as Eddie rolls his eyes.

"Gee, thanks, Buckley."

"Don't sweat it, Munson."

"....Thanks." Eddie quietly whispers, genuinely touched by his friends' advice. Their words continue to replay in his mind like a broken record on his drive back home and out of the corner of his eyes, Eddie continues to see a phantom outline of you. Sitting next to him, singing from the driver's seat, hair being ruffled from the open window.

You're still haunting him, he still can't stop thinking about you. Mulling it over, he realizes that the least he can do is to try. Try and talk to you, to iron things out.

He just hopes you're willing to listen.

---------------------------------------

Eddie doesn't think he's ever felt this nervous before.

Standing by your front porch, throwing small pebbles at your bedroom window late at night, hoping that you notice the odd sounds and look outside. It's weird - a part of him is screaming at him to run away, that this was a mistake and that he should run into his van and drive home right now. But there's another part of him, one which is stronger and louder, reminding him that he has to explain himself to you.

He sees you lean out your window with a confused expression on your face, eyes scanning the night sky and trees before landing on his figure. You roll your eyes and slam your window shut, forcing him to escalate his plan.

The next time Eddie's knocking on your window he's precariously balancing on the slippery roof tiles, gripping onto your windowsill for dear life and hoping you have enough mercy in your heart to let him in. You're still scowling when you open your window back up, but this time there's a hint of care and worry in your eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing? You got a death wish, Munson?" you hiss, careful to not wake anyone else in the house.

"Well you weren't going to let me in the normal way, so I had to do the next best thing." he weakly offers, fingers turning white. "Are you going to let me in so I don't die, then?"

You click your tongue, swearing under your breath.

"Just because I don't want to attend your fucking funeral." you warn, stepping back and letting him climb in through your window. He practically falls onto the floor face first, limbs awkwardly tumbling forward, his left arm catching his fall ever so slightly in an effort to save the bouquet of flowers and chocolate from getting crushed.

"H-here." he shakily offers them by thrusting the items into your hands, which you cautiously take before throwing it behind you on the bed.

"Thanks. You can leave now."

"Wait, wait, wait-" he rushes to block off your access to the door before you can push him out the bedroom, making you stomp your feet in frustration.

"What, Eddie? I'm fucking tired, it's a Wednesday night, for fuck's sake."

"I know you don't want to talk to me. But it's fucking killing me that you don't even know the whole story. Please, hear me, out. Just five minutes, and if you still want me to leave, I... I will."

You should be laughing at his face. You should be your usual coldhearted self, uncaring smirk lacing your lips as you shove him out the front door and throw the flowers and chocolate back onto his chest. But you can't find it in yourself to do so.

Damn Eddie Munson and his handsome face, you think. You also can't deny the lingering affection you hold for him, and fuck... you have missed him. Greatly. The amount of times you've cried in the past two weeks is a testament to that.

The worst harm's already been done, you think. Might as well hear him out.

"Fine. You've got five minutes." you say, and you can see his face light up visibly with joy and relief.

"Thank you. The bet, listen, it... it happened during a drug deal. Jason was pissed that you'd rejected him and I was just trying to push his bottoms and toy with his fragile ego by boasting that I could probably be better with girls than him. He knew that I was having money issues and the trailer needed to be fixed, so he cut me a deal. If I got you to say yes to a date, then he'd start paying double for our weed dealings." Eddie rushes out, speaking so fast that he has to catch a deep breath in between.

"Then I added I wanted him to stop bothering me and my friends at school. Especially now that I got the freshman kids to look out for, I just wanted his word that he'd stop bothering them all. In return for that, however, it was additionally agreed that I'd also have to get you to say yes to prom."

"That's... oddly sweet of you. Kind of." you mutter, thoughts running a million miles per hour at the revelation. You figured that the bet was just a joke to exploit you. Not something Eddie agreed to in an effort to protect his uncle and his friends.

"It's really not, because I hurt you. I knew from the beginning that this was wrong. I had this persistent, sick, stabbing sensation in my stomach all throughout our friendship that this was wrong. I tried to lie to myself that I hadn't done anything bad yet, because we hadn't even started dating, but I knew it was only a matter of time before we became real. And once that happened, I..." he chuckles sadly, gaze lowering to the floor.

"I liked the illusion of us together too much to pull back. The bet was always lingering in the back of my mind, sure. But I liked you too much. I love you too much. So I ignored it. Even if it was fake, it felt real whenever I got to hold you and kiss you."

He runs a quick hand through his hair before resuming.

"And then the night that you told me you loved me, I panicked. It was like I was finally awake, like icy cold water had been dumped over my head and I saw what a fucked up mess I'd gotten us into. I told Jason the next day that the bet was off, but... he held the end deal of our bargain over my head. The part about no longer bullying my friends. And Dustin had gotten a black eye that morning from a rough altercation with Jason and I... I didn't end up backing out of the deal because of that. But I tried to get out. God, I tried many, many times. Maybe not as strongly as I should've, but there were numerous times where I tried to get out of the deal." Eddie affirms, pleading.

"So... all of that. All the lying, all the secrets, all the play pretend... was it worth it?" you whisper out loud, hands clutching at your sides as you hug yourself and look up at him.

"Yes." Eddie responds automatically, confident. "Because it meant I got to have you. And I never faked my feelings for you. Not even once. That was all, always, genuine."

You're left to stare at him in silence, teeth tugging at your bottom lip as you reflect over his words, Eddie taking in shallow breaths as he carefully surveys your reaction. He can't read your mind right now, he so badly wishes he could see what you're thinking because your expression is kept tight and neutral through it all.

"Do you... still want me to leave?" he whispers quietly. You don't speak, you don't nod nor deny him, you just continue to stare at him with a blank expression.

It's enough of an answer for him.

"You do, huh?" he chuckles, the sound as hollow as his heart. "It's fine, I uh, knew you wouldn't want me again after this. But you... you deserved to know the truth. Again, I'm so sorry for hurting you. I love you though. And I never lied about that."

He's hoping that you're going to stop him from leaving. That this is going to be the breakthrough moment in those romantic films, where you cut him off from speaking with a fierce kiss and whisper forgiveness against his lips, pinning him against the door.

But you don't even twitch. You just silently nod, unreadable expression on your face, and let him brush past you and walk down the stairs silently.

Eddie's heart stills feels heavy, grieving the loss of you and your love. But his shoulders feel ever so lighter, knowing that he's done the right thing by apologizing and explaining himself. He still feels like shit, he still thoroughly plans on smoking at least two packs when he gets back to his trailer, but he feels like he can breathe a tiny bit easier now.

"Wait."

Your voice suddenly rings out from behind him, your front door hanging open behind you as you've clearly ran through the house in a rush. Eddie jumps up in surprise, bewildered that you've chased him down the stairs.

"Y-yeah?" he stumbles out, pulling away from his van door.

"I forgive you. Sort of, I mean, it'll take a while for me to get over it and to fully trust you again but I... I still love you. Do you still love me too?" you whisper, doubtful.

Eddie almost wants to laugh at that question: that you'd even think for a second that he's spent any moment of the past two weeks being anything but in love with you.

"Of course I do, princess. Never stopped."

"Then that's all that matters."

This kiss tastes and feels totally new. Salty tears, mint toothpaste, your shaky fingers grabbing his as Eddie pulls you in impossibly close.

He's trying to memorize every aspect of you, having been starved of your presence for too long, committing every single aspect of you to memory. How you taste against his lips. How your body fits right against his when he places an arm around your waist. How your hair tickles his neck from this angle, moonlight shining a halo around the crown of your head.

You try to pull away a few times to catch your breath, but he doesn't let you, your giggles being swallowed by another needy kiss.

Eddie doesn't ever want to lose you again. Not even for a second.

a/n: if anybody actually read to the end of this story... thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart. This story has been a true labor of love, sweat and tears and countless hours of work. Whilst I was re-editing this I realized I kind of don't like how it turned out but I worked so hard on it and I already announced I was gonna post it so here it goes, I guess.

I've had this concept of a social outcast x Eddie reader with a enemies to lovers trope thrown in for a while so I'm just glad that I got it out my system. Totally nervous and completely unsure of how this will be received (my longest fic to date) but it's out now. Thank you for reading ❣️

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portaltothevoid · 10 months

Text

For Whom the Bell Tolls - Chapter 33 - The Last in Line Holding Out For A Hero

Pairing: Eddie Munson x OFC (Kat Ramsay), sequel to Foolin’

Summary: El and Kat fight to get the upper hand over Vecna.

Warnings: vecna is an asshole.

Word count: 1.6k

Chapter song: The Last in Line by Dio and Holding Out For A Hero by Bonnie Tyler

Tag list: @munchabunch @madaboutmunson @earl-greater

Tears welled up in El’s eyes as she took in all that surrounded her. She looked over to see Chrissy’s remains as well as the other victims, immortalized like trophies in what looked like dilapidated pillars.

An ominous ticking of the grandfather clock that floated past them was so loud it was almost deafening. Chime. The sound that had haunted her. Kat’s eyes immediately found it and narrowed upon finding it. Then it was her turn to discover all of his victims. The second she saw Chrissy, she was swimming in rage. She tried and tried to riggle herself free, but the more she struggled, the tighter her restraints became.

They saw Vecna walking with Max, limp, hanging over his shoulder. He threw her on the ground with a thud. El could do nothing but gasp. Vines did the work of capturing her and pulling her up so that she was suspended as well, her arms outstretched. Vecna stood, quietly admiring his work until El’s voice echoed around them.

“Papa is dead!”

Slowly, Vecna turned his head.

“Fucking finally,” Kat whispered harshly through gritted teeth.

“I know what he did to you,” El cried. “You were different.” This had piqued his interest as he walked ever so painstakingly slow toward them. “Like me. Like us. And he hurt you. He made you… into this. He is the monster, Henry. Not you,” she practically sobbed as she took in a shuddering breath. “Not you!”

“You’re right,” Vecna agreed. “You and I,” he said, again only inches from El’s face as his eyes darted between the two girls, “we are different. And Papa did hurt me, but he was no monster. He was just a man. An ordinary, mediocre man. That is why he sought greatness in others. In both of you. And me.” He reached up with his more human-like hand and lightly brushed El’s chin. “He could not control us. He could not shape us. He could not change us. Do you not see, Eleven, Ten? He did not make me into this. The both of you did.”

Vecna filled their heads with the vision, the memory of what happened to him when they both annihilated him after the massacre at the lab. How his body burned while he flew through this other dimension. “At first,” Vecna continued, “I believed you had sent me to my death, to purgatory. But I was wrong. I was somewhere new. I became an explorer. An explorer of a realm unspoiled by mankind. I saw so many things, and one day, I found the most extraordinary thing of all, something that would change everything. I saw a means to realize my potential. To transcend my human form. To become the predator I was always meant to be. I had seen it, in visions, as a child. It has called out to me. This. This is who I was destined to become.”

“It was you… It was always you,” El whispered.

“All I needed was someone to open the door. And together, you did that for me. Without even realizing it. Didn’t you? It called out to each of you too. And when you did realize, you chose to resist.”

El was inundated with flashbacks of saving her friends from a demogorgon by obliterating it the same way her and Kat had banished One. Meanwhile Kat was flooded with memories of trying to dull the pain of being different, of trying to dull the pain of not using her powers.

“So I sought a means to open my own doors,” Vecna continued. “I sought… your power.” He reached out to touch El’s cheek again, as he slowly turned to face Kat. “The addition of your power… I could not have imagined a better outcome. So don’t you see? Once again, together, you have freed me.”

“No,” El whimpered. “You don’t have to do this. You can still stop this.”

“It is over, Eleven. Your friends have lost.”

Vecna showed them each member of the party. Lucas was battling Jason, who had been tipped off about activity at the Creel House. Then he showed them Dustin screaming for Eddie as he was overrun with demobats. He was kneeling on the ground, having dropped the flame thrower to try and loosen the one around his neck. Reaching out, he tried to feel around for his spear, but more and more kept swarming. They reached for his limbs, pulling them until they were out straight. They heard his anguished wails as the bats bit into him.

Fury erupted from Kat. “Eddie! NO! Let him go, you fucking bastard!” she bellowed. She couldn’t even see how Robin, Steve, and Nancy were in a similar situation to them, the only difference is the vines were slowly suffocating them.

“There is nothing you can do to stop this now. Hawkins will burn and fall and the rest of this senseless, broken world. And I will be there. I will be there to pick up the pieces when it does. And remake it into something… beautiful. There was a time when I had hoped to have you, both of you, by my side…” His grip tightened on El’s chin as he pulled himself closer to her face. “But now I just want you to watch.”

“Last I checked, I wasn’t into this cuckold shit and definitely didn’t peg you as a voyeur, but then again, what do I know?” Kat taunted him, trying to delay him as much as she could.

Slowly, Vecna turned to her. “Did you think any other outcome was possible, Katrina? You have nothing. You have nothing left. No friends. No weapons. Nothing. You are alone.” Before Kat could make another snarky rebuttal, vines quickly coiled around both her neck and El’s. “And now, no air.” Tears streamed down Kat’s face as she gasped for breath knowing Eddie’s fate, knowing she was trapped, knowing she was helpless.

He made his way over to Max. He stroked her face. “Don’t be afraid. Try and stay very still. It will all be over soon.” His demonic fingers unfurled and slowly covered Max’s head.

“Max!” El managed to cry out.

“N-no, t-take me,” Kat whispered hoarsely, but she went unheard. The vines had her in a chokehold.

Suddenly, as if on a loudspeaker, El and Kat could hear Mike Wheeler’s voice. Kat tried so hard to listen, but Vecna was making her watch Eddie be eaten alive by his flying minions.

“El! El! Can you hear me? El? I don’t know if you can hear this, but– but if you can, I want you to know I’m here, okay? I’m right here and… I love you! El, do you hear me? I love you!” His voice echoed around them.

Kat continued to cry as she thought of Eddie. She thought the last thing they had said to each other was ‘I love you’ and how she knew, deep down it was goodbye. But there’s no way this could be it, right? Everything she had been through, alone, with her friends, everything they had been through… This couldn’t be the end. It just couldn’t be.

“But the truth is El, I don’t know how to live without you. I feel like my life started the day we found you in the woods. And I knew right then and there, in that moment, that I loved you. And I’ve loved you every day since.”

Flashes of Eddie pestering Kat to hang out with him, to see his band, to talk about music with him hit her. The first time she showed him her powers and how he didn’t run away. He never ran away from her. Their Christmas vacation in San Francisco. How they jammed with Metallica after their New Year’s Eve show. How he was always there. He always saved her. And now, she was going to save him.

“I love you for exactly who you are. You’re my superhero and… And I can’t lose you! Okay? Do you hear me? I can’t lose you! You can do anything. You can fly. You can move mountains, I believe that. But right now, you just have to fight, okay? El, do you hear me? You need to fight!”

El looked over at Max who was crying out in pain. She looked over to Kat, who was looking back at her. “Fight,” she mouthed.

“Together,” Kat mouthed back.

They both closed their eyes and relaxed, focusing on letting the vines release them. Vecna was right. They did create him. This super-villain that Vecna responded to, Kat vaguely recalled Dustin and Lucas talking about something they dubbed the Mind Flayer, tried to reach out to them, but as he said, they rejected it. That means, they all harness either the same level of power, or a piece of it. And that’s enough.

They have their power and the will to fight. To fight for what they believe in. To fight for the ones they love.

The restraints around their ankles, wrists, and necks loosened. The vines were retreating. However, Vecna dug his talons into Max, into her essence, into her very soul. Time was running out, but there was still enough left to save her.

Together, they floated to the ground, landing on their feet. “Hey, asshole, you’re wrong again. I’m not alone,” Kat jeered. Vecna’s head twitched, like he wanted to turn to face them, but was too preoccupied with his attempt to kill Max. El and her joined hands and with a deafening scream, they pulled their power deep from within, extended their hands and launched so much energy at Vecna that he went flying. He was propelled backwards, his limbs flailing trying to grasp anything, but his momentum was stopped when his back met a pillar of vines. Their power kept him suspended in place as he howled out in pain.

“Kat, GO! I’ve got this,” El stressed.

“El–”

“Get back to your body! His body!” Kat didn’t protest. Without a second thought, she let go of El’s hand and closed her eyes. She felt herself fall back into her physical body.

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#eddie munson #eddie munson au #eddie munon angst #eddie munson x ofc #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson x oc #eddie munson fix it fic #eleven #el hopper #stranger things #stranger things 4 #stranger things 4 fanfiction #stranger things fanfiction

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