Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sunday, September 15th, 1985

The warm September air engulfs your face, blowing through your hair as the familiar streets of Hawkins pass by. Sitting in the passenger seat, head leaning against the door frame, and Led Zeppelin playing on a cassette tape as your mom drives the route home. Your new, and old home. It still didn’t feel quite real that you were back here, not so soon, and not to stay. Though you weren’t born there, Hawkins has always been the place you think of when you hear ‘home’. It wasn’t just the town or the trailer you’d lived in, but the people here that you held the fondest memories of in your heart and formed the deepest bonds you’ve ever had with anyone.

You were born in Virginia, and lived there until you were 8 years old. Until Dad’s drinking led him to lose yet another job, leaving your mother at a loss for what to do. She was smart and skilled, but didn’t make nearly enough money to support the family at the time. Her sister, Aunt Patty, encouraged your family to move out to where she lived in Hawkins, Indiana. Maybe a big move and change of pace was just what your family needed, she suggested. So, the summer before the start of 4th grade in 1976, your family made the move to the Forest Hills Trailer Park in Hawkins, Indiana. Your uncle helped your dad get a job with him doing construction, while your mother managed to find a decent paying receptionist job. 

Your home life wasn’t great. Your parent’s relationship was tumultuous at best, largely due to your father’s drinking problems. You and your mother at times were the best of friends, other times she made you feel like you were never good enough to meet her standards, whether it was with your weight, your grades, or how you dressed. Your school life had never been great either, and that didn’t change in Hawkins. You occasionally dealt with bullies that liked to make fat jokes, but it wasn’t all bad. You also formed some good, solid friendships too. 

Meanwhile, the issues at home and with your parents’ marriage only intensified after the move. After 6 years in Hawkins, your mom had finally had enough of your dad’s bullshit, kicking him out and planning to divorce him. A couple days later, he landed in Jail for a DUI, his 3rd one to be specific. A week after that, 3 months into your 10th grade year in late 1982, a UHAUL was packed up with all your belongings, moving your mom and you back to Virginia. 

While the events of your home and school life were sometimes painful, you were grateful that they led you to seek out music for comfort and coping. Music is the love of your life, and what you always turn to when life and your thoughts feel like it’s just too much to bear. It started with the classics that your family raised you on, from Patsy Cline to Jimi Hendrix to Lynyrd Skynyrd to Johnny Cash. You loved all kinds of music, expanding your taste and catalog to a huge variety throughout the years, even beginning to work odd jobs in your early teens to fund your musical exploration. Music wasn’t just a way for you to escape, but became a way to express yourself as well. You learned how to play guitar and bass, and began songwriting as well as a means of emotional release and self-expression. It was the only thing that kept you sane through your life transitions, especially during the years living in Hawkins when problems at home intensified. Music, and him… Eddie Munson .

*Oh, all of my love, all of my love

Oh, all of my love to you…*

Your chest tightened as your thoughts inevitably went to him, how could they not? You tried your best to steer your mind away from him during the move back to Hawkins, but it was pointless. Eddie had been your best friend all those years you lived here, some of the hardest years of your life. Honestly, he was the best friend you’ve ever had. You liked to think you were the same for him, at least then. Your trailer was right across the street from Eddie’s Uncle Wayne’s trailer, Eddie oftentimes staying with Wayne for weeks or months at a time whenever Al Munson disappeared on a bender, some crime scheme, or his stints in jail. Though, you didn’t end up meeting Eddie until a few months after you moved and started 4th grade at Hawkins Elementary. 

A soft smile creeps across your face as you remember 5th grade Eddie, coming to your rescue when you tripped in the hallway at school, other students standing around and laughing at you. Your 9 year old self was mortified, so embarrassed, until Eddie appeared and told them all where they could shove it, effectively clearing the halls of students and helping you up. From then on, anytime he was at Wayne’s you two would hang out; playing make believe in the woods next to the trailer park, Eddie teaching you how to play DnD, sharing books, music, and watching scary movies. You two bonded over your pain caused by your family and Hawkins’ residents who’d branded you as outcasts. You both harbored a lot of pain and anger, sharing a love for metal music as the perfect cathartic release for those emotions. You’d become so close over the years. You often missed him during the times you didn’t get to see him as much, like whenever his Dad returned home and he wasn’t at Wayne’s as much, or when he moved on to middle and high school, being a grade ahead of you. Your friendship remained strong during those times regardless. 

But all of that is in the past. He was your best friend… though in your heart he still is, and always will be.

*I get a little bit lonely, just a little, just a little

Just a little bit lonely, just a little bit lonely*

You sigh as the song came to an end and the sign for Forest Hills Trailer Park comes into view. You hold your breath as your mother turns onto your road, Uncle Wayne’s trailer and yours coming into view. You don’t know why you feel anxious, Eddie would have graduated in ‘84, and likely gotten the hell out of Hawkins as soon as he could. Probably out in LA trying to make a name for himself in the music industry. You shook the thoughts from your head, noting the unfamiliar van in Wayne’s driveway as your mother pulled into your own across the street.

She sighs as she puts the car into park next to yours, a black ‘81 Chevy C10 truck that your father so generously gifted you upon hearing of your return to Hawkins. It’s the LEAST he could do. Your mother looked at you with a small smile, “Home sweet home”. You return her smile before both exiting her station wagon and begin unloading the last of your belongings. Your mom and you had already been back in Hawkins for a few days, staying with your Aunt Patty while coming to the trailer everyday to deep clean before moving back in. You could only assume your Dad had hit a rough patch when you heard he was being evicted from the trailer, missing a few rent payments. Around the same time back in Virginia as you were starting your senior year, your mom got laid off from her job. An old coworker from Hawkins then just so happened to tell her about an open position at her new job in Indianapolis, one that paid more than either of your Mom’s old jobs in Hawkins or Virginia. When she heard about your dad, it was decided, circumstances aligning perfectly. Upend your life and move back to Hawkins, again. You can’t say you were really upset about it, Hawkins has been home for you since that fateful day in 4th grade.

~

Eddie groaned in frustration. Searching his vest pockets, under his blanket, on any flat surface in his room for his goddamn cigarettes, patience quickly wearing thin. He huffed, looking along the floor of his room, around dirty and clean clothes thrown about until he saw the familiar package peeking out from under his bed. “There you areeee” a cheeky smile adorning his face as he grabbed it from the floor, swiftly removing a cigarette and putting it between his lips. He sat down on a chair he had propped next to the open window in his room as he lit the cigarette, taking a puff before looking out his window. Eyes landing on what appeared to be new neighbors moving into the trailer across the street. Your trailer. Wayne had told him about your dad, a small voice of hope in the back of his head wondered if you’d come back. A voice he’d quickly squashed. It’s been nearly 3 years since you’d left, and though he knew better than to think the thoughts of you would ever stop popping into his head, that certainly didn’t stop him from trying to keep them at bay.

Taking another puff from his cigarette, his attention was captured by the girl he saw across the street. Her back to him as she looks into the trunk of the station wagon in the driveway. He unashamedly lets his eyes take her in. Short, thick, curvy. Black shorts, cropped tank top, hair up in a messy bun. She didn’t look like most of the girls in Hawkins or in the magazines… and he liked, no, loved that. He couldn’t help but notice how much her body resembled yours, or atleast how he’d imagined it’d look now after the few years. He watched as she started to squat to lift a tv console out of the trunk. Being the gentleman his Uncle Wayne raised him to be, he was about to sprint over; introduce himself and help her, knowing how damn heavy those fuckers could be. Just as the thought passed his mind, she lifted it almost effortlessly, his eyes practically bulging from his head. He wasn’t expecting that to turn him on so much, but goddamn . He admires the thick arms and legs exerting that strength, unable to not notice the pronounced curve of her ass as she climbed the steps into the trailer. 

Before he could pop a semi, a burning sensation on his thigh grabs his attention. The cherry from his cigarette falling into his lap as he drooled over his new neighbor like a virgin.

“ Shit , Jesus H. Christ!” he grimaces, stomping out the cherry just as the telephone begins to ring. Groaning, he rose to his feet, nearly tripping over the clothes on his floor as he stomps down the hall. 

“Yeah, what?” he answered unceremoniously, greeted by Jeff’s voice reminding Eddie to pick him up on his way to band practice at Gareth’s. 

“Yeah yeah, I’m on my way” Eddie hung up the phone, dramatically exhaling as he turned back to his room to grab his sweetheart, and his van keys off the counter before leaving the trailer. He glanced across the street as he descended the porch steps, hoping to catch another glimpse of the new neighbor only to be disappointed as the trailer door was closed, with no one outside. 

~

You sigh, dropping the last box of your belongings on your stripped bed, glancing around at your bare bedroom, deciding on where to start. You rummage through one of your boxes, finding your radio and setting it on your dresser. You press play on the cassette you’d titled Chill Mix #3 , smiling as All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix began playing. You decide to start on the biggest feat, unpacking and putting away all your clothes. You let your mind focus on your task and the sound of the music as you move, singing along to each passing song. It was only a matter of time before thoughts and images of him slipped through the barrier, being back in the exact place that held so many memories of him and your friendship. It made your stomach turn and a lump form in your throat. You attempt to cough it away, forcing yourself to think of your other friends here in Hawkins you were excited to see again. The toothy, goofy smile of one of your youngster friends, Dustin Henderson popped into your head, effectively putting a smile on your face.

You’d known Dustin, Mike, Lucas, and Will for a couple years now. First meeting Will through his mother Joyce, who was good friends with your mom. It’d started sometime when you were in middle school, going over to Joyce’s to hang out with Jonathan and Will while your moms’ went out to shop and vent about their relationship issues. The other boys showing up a handful of those times turned into Dustin’s mom and Lucas’s parents asking you to babysit in the summer months, which often turned into babysitting all the boys at the same time. The boys and Erica came to view you as an older sister figure, and them, your sometimes annoying but loveable younger siblings. The same quickly became true for the newer member of the party Max, over your visit to Hawkins this summer. Taking a liking to you as the ‘cool’ older girl the boys often spoke of and hung out with. Though you were flattered but dismissive of the ‘cool’ label, you learned quickly that like you, Max didn’t give a damn about societal ideals of ‘cool’ and what or who a young woman should be. They were freshman this year at Hawkins High, one of the few positives you looked forward to starting your senior year here.

As you move on to hanging up your posters and decorations, you think about your other, newer friends, Steve and Robin. To be fair, Robin wasn’t exactly a new friend, you’d met her in school when previously living in Hawkins, but were never more than casual, friendly acquaintances. Steve, on the other hand, you never expected to become friends with before this past summer. You’d visited Hawkins every summer since you’d moved back to Virginia; staying with your Aunt Patty, babysitting, spending time with the kids, your cousins and your Dad. When you came to visit this summer in May, you’d picked up a job working at Scoops Ahoy with Robin and Steve. Your once casual friendship with Robin blossomed into a close one, both taking pleasure in teasing Steve day after day, watching him fail in his attempts to pick up girls after his break-up with Nancy and declining position in the social hierarchy of Hawkins. You were surprised to witness the change in Steve’s character from the Steve you knew of through middle and early high school, into someone actually likable. When Robin confessed her sexual identity to you two, it marked a milestone in you three’s friendship, along with the events of the mall fire that happened soon after. You three were nearly inseparable for the remainder of the summer after, until August rolled around and it was time for you to go back to Virginia. Robin was the first friend you called when you learned about your return back to Hawkins. Thrilled to go through her Senior year with you, considering Steve graduated this past May.

A few hours after you’d started and the sky now dark outside, you sigh loudly laying back on your bed as you finally finished putting away and organizing all your belongings. Looking around your room, you feel a wave of comfort hit you. Your room has always been your safe space, and it just feels… looks so right here in this room, compared to your room of the past 3 years in Virginia. Even with all the new decorations and posters you’d acquired since you last lived in this room years ago. You feel a sense of hope overtake your thoughts. Maybe this year things will finally work out and go right for you, feel right for you, for the first time in years. You let those thoughts linger as you walk out into the kitchen, deciding to make a sandwich for dinner. Feeling the exhaustion from the last week of moving weigh on your body, you kiss your mother goodnight, and take a relaxing shower before crawling into bed. You let the songs playing on the local ‘soft rock’ radio station lull you as exhaustion overtakes you. As you fall asleep, you cling onto that hopeful, comforting feeling before your first day back at Hawkins High tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Monday, September 16th, 1985

Your eyes slowly open, taking in the dawn sky peeking through your curtains as the sun begins to rise. Your eyes shift to the clock by your bed, 5 minutes before your alarm goes off. Yawning, your hand falls to rest on your cat Henny, peacefully sleeping against your chest. You smile as you gently pet his soft black fur, enjoying the few moments of peace before you have to get ready. Moments of peace, soon interrupted by anxious thoughts about your first day back at Hawkins High. The repetitive feeling of your cat’s fur against your hand helps to keep your thoughts from spiraling too much. That is until the sudden, loud blaring of your alarm caused him to sprint off the bed in a flash. You snort out a laugh as you quickly turn off your alarm. Stretching out all your limbs, you climb out of bed with a sigh and head to the bathroom to start your morning routine. You spend a few minutes browsing your wardrobe, deciding on what to wear for your first day outfit. Finally deciding on a pair of your favorite acid wash jeans that hug your curves, a Metallica Ride the Lightning shirt, and your trusty, worn black converse hi-tops. You turn to your vanity, beginning your usual hair and make-up routine. You kept your hair in its natural form, only adding some hairspray to your roots to add some volume. Followed by a smokey eye, winged eyeliner, mascara, and some chapstick. You grab your bag, keys, and a pack of pop-tarts, giving Henny a kiss on his head before heading out the door. 

You start your truck, turning the dial of the radio until you hear the familiar sounds of Hall & Oates. You light a menthol cigarette, a habit picked up from your parents and the stress of the last few years, before backing out of your driveway. You take note of the same unfamiliar van in Uncle Wayne’s driveway as you pull out of the trailer park. As you drive down the road, singing along to Out of Touch, you feel that familiar anxious knot start to form in your stomach as you get closer to the school. A knot that only grows when you pull into Hawkins High’s parking lot, noting all the cars and students already there. You pull into an open space in the back and park your truck, sighing as you finish your cigarette, eyes roaming among the students lingering around their cars. Starting at a new school was never easy, but starting at a new school after the year had already started was worse. Today marked the 3rd week of the school year. You hope the year was still fresh enough that no one would pay particular attention to a newer face. Who were you kidding, in a town as small as Hawkins? Of course they would notice. You groan before deciding, Fuck it, let’s get this over with. You grab your bag and begin walking toward the school entrance, not letting your eyes linger away from the main doors to meet the ones of your fellow students.

After 3 years, the halls of Hawkins High are still familiar to you, finding your way to the principal’s office easily. You enter, eyes falling onto a middle-aged woman, clad in all purple clothing and accessories as you approach her desk. 

“Hi, uhm-” you cleared your throat, prompting her eyes to lift to meet yours. “It’s my first day. My mom already took care of the paperwork. I’m here to get my locker and class schedule.” You notice the way her eyes look you over, squinting scrutinizingly in the process.

“Name?” she asks, voice monotone as she reaches for a folder of papers in the desk drawer. You give your name, watching as she shuffles through them. Your eyes briefly look around, landing on the door to the Principal’s office. You can’t help rolling your eyes as you notice the plaque on the door, Principal Higgins . Can’t wait to deal with that prick again. You look back to the receptionist as she wordlessly hands over 2 papers with your locker information and your class schedule. Her eyes never look back up to you as she quickly resumes her previous task. Your body shifts awkwardly. 

“Uh, thank you. Have a good one” you politely offer as you turn to leave. Rolling your eyes and muttering “Rude bitch” as you re-enter the halls and head to your first class.

Your first few classes of the day go as expected. Much to your dismay, your presence had caught the eyes and attention of a few of your peers. If it wasn’t for the fact that your presence in their classes is new, your looks would be grabbing their attention regardless. You did your best to be as unbothered as you could, ignoring their gazes and whispers as you focused on the lectures or doodling in your notebook. As you sit in your last class before lunch, you can’t help but feel frustrated at your predicament. Moving back to Virginia in 10th grade had fucked everything up for you. To say you were devastated after the move is an understatement. You struggled to adjust; switching schools half-way through the school year, leaving behind Eddie, your Dad, and your parents' crumbled marriage. You fell into a depression and didn’t attempt to make new friends or try to pass your classes. By the end of your 10th grade year you’d failed most of your classes, causing you to be held back and having to redo the year over again. If your family had never fallen apart and you’d never moved, you would’ve graduated this past May. 

There’s no point in lingering on it now, it’s done . The best thing you could do now is stay on top of your schoolwork, graduate next May and hopefully go off to college in the Fall to start the rest of your life.

Your eyes shoot up from your notebook as the bell rings, dragging you out of your thoughts. You collect your things, following your peers into the quickly crowding halls. You originally planned to spend your lunch period in the library, setting up your school planner and figuring out assignments you already needed to catch up on. However, your young friend Mike Wheeler on the other hand, insisted that you come and sit with the boys for lunch when you’d called and let them know you were back in Hawkins. 

~

The cafeteria buzzes with its usual chatter, as does the Hellfire table. Eddie, Gareth, Jeff, and Grant discuss the latest DnD campaign, begging Eddie for details of the upcoming one this Friday. Eddie laughs bashfully, denying their requests. Until he notices the newer, younger members of Hellfire completely oblivious to their conversation, and thoroughly engaged in their own. Eddie attempts to filter out the whines of the older members.

“I’m so happy she’s back, I can’t believe it.” Dustin remarks.

“I know! You told her to come sit with us right?” Lucas directs at Mike, who eagerly nods his head in response.

“Yeah, has anyone seen her yet?”

The other two boys shake their heads.

“I could’ve sworn I saw her on my way to 3rd period but I wasn’t sure” Dustin adds.

“Man. It’s nice we’ll actually get to go to school together, at least for this year.” Lucas says, referencing the few years you have on them.

It’s a rapid fire conversation Eddie can barely hear. Just when he’s about to interrupt and ask who the hell they’re talking about,

“Oh wait, there she is!”

Eddie’s eyes follow to where the younger boys’ eyes and small waves are directed toward, eyes landing on you.

Eddie’s movements freeze, breath hitching in his throat as he watches you. It’s like everything moves in slow motion. Your eyes quickly scan the cafeteria, uncertainty sketched across your face. Until your eyes catch the younger boys, and a breathtaking smile spreads across your face that knocks the air right out of his goddamn lungs. You giggle softly as you begin to walk towards them. And all Eddie can do is fucking stare. 

He has to force himself to blink multiple times to make sure he’s not dreaming. It’s really you. What the fuck, it’s you?? He could only watch in disbelief, brain short circuiting. In the nearly 3 years that had passed, you really didn’t look much different at all. You did seem more confident, comfortable in yourself. Your features had matured a bit more too, but you still had that same baby face; pink, chubby cheeks and soft jawline. Only now your hair is a few shades lighter and you’re sporting a nose ring.  Your body had filled out more too, the same body Eddie had practically gawked over seen from his bedroom window yesterday. Now that he has a view from the front, he can’t stop his eyes from fully looking you over. From your gorgeous face, to the faint outline of your plush stomach through your Metallica shirt, to your thick thighs that rubbed against each other as you walked. Eddie was still frozen in place as you finally approach the table, eyes not having met his yet. 

You greet the younger boys with a smile, 

“Hey buds” you exclaim happily. Your arms wrap around Mike and Lucas, giving them both a half hug before rounding the other side of the table to Dustin, ruffling his hair playfully. 

“How’s freshman year treating y’all?” You ask genuinely. You can’t deny that you had worried a bit for them. Freshman year can be rough, especially for a ‘freak’.

“Good”

“Eh”

“Not so bad” Mike shrugs, “the club has helped.” His head gestures to the other, older boys at the rest of the table. 

Your eyes follow, noting the other boys’ eyes are already on you, watching in subtle curiosity. Your eyes land on the boy sitting at the head of the table. Hair long, dark, and wild. An unreadable expression on his face, dark brown eyes boring into yours. 

Eddie. Fuckkkk. 

Your eyes widen slightly, smile faltering as you try to swallow the lump that just lodged itself in your throat. You try your best to put on a genuine smile, only partially effective as an awkward half smile tugs at your lips. 

“Hey, Eddie” you offer with a small nod.

His mind finally snaps out of its daze, reality and resentment setting in. He coughs lightly, clearing his throat as his features and gaze harden.

“Y/N” he offers, voice cold as he snatches his gaze from yours. He resumes eating his pretzels, as if your very presence didn’t just shatter his world as he knew it. 

“You guys know each other?” Lucas asks curiously.

Dustin turns his head to look up at you behind him, eyes widening.

“Wait… Eddie? As in THE Eddie… that taught you DnD?” Dustin asks.

You give him a tight lipped smile as you nod, 

“The one and only.”

You begin to fidget on your feet uncomfortably, stomach turning. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t connect the dots until now.” Dustin breathes out slowly.

“Whoa… you should totally join and play with us!” Mike quickly adds.

Abort mission. Abort mission. Your thoughts scream at you. 

“Oh, that’s alright.” You dismiss him quickly with a smile and small wave of your hand, “Anyway, I just came by to say ‘Hi’ to you guys real quick. I gotta get going.”

You’re greeted with a chorus of groans from the younger boys. You offer a small nod and tight-lipped smile to the older boys. Your eyes briefly glance at Eddie, whose eyes haven’t left his pretzels since first leaving yours. You tell the younger boys you’ll see them later as you begin to walk off towards the exit. Finally releasing a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. A breath that’s quickly catching in your throat again as you hear fast footsteps approaching from behind you and feel a hand on your shoulder. You relax as you turn and see Dustin’s face.

“Hey, wait. So reaalllly quick. Lucas and Mike wanted me to ask if you wouldn’t mind giving us a ride home after school?” 

“Seriously man?” You let out a genuine laugh, caught off guard.

“Oh, come onnn. You remember how much it sucks to ride the bus! Pretty pretty please??” Dustin asks, putting on the best puppy eyes he can manage. You roll your eyes and groan playfully at him.

“Fine, but whoever gets to my truck first gets to sit in the cab with me, the last 2 are stuck in the truck bed” you add. 

If you’re gonna be stuck giving them a ride, you’d at least get some entertainment out of watching them race for the best seat. Dustin salutes you before scurrying back to the Hellfire table as you turn and walk out of the cafeteria as quickly as your legs can take you.

Gareth, Jeff, and Grant share curious, confused, but knowing glances at each other and Eddie. Picking up on the undeniable tension in the air between him and this girl. Feeling their eyes on him, and before Gareth can even open his mouth, Eddie’s hand shoots up to cut him off.

“ Don’t. ” 

They’d drop it for now, but Eddie knew it was only a matter of time before it was brought up, whether by them or the newer members whom you seemed to know so well. 

~

Shitshitshit! Your thoughts rapidly fly through your head as you hightail it to the library to spend the remainder of your lunch. Eddie’s was the last face you expected to see at school, in Hawkins. Let alone sitting at a table, in a DnD club with your young friends. What the hell is he still doing here anyway? Remember that comforting, hopeful feeling you had? It was long gone now, dissipating at the sight of your old best friend. Crumbling into ashes as your eyes met his, his face even more beautiful than you remembered… and hardened as he saw you. 

You were so confused. Last you knew of Eddie was that he had hooked up with some girl who worked for a record company in LA, recording a demo tape for a record deal back in Spring 84’. At least that’s what you and Eddie’s friend from the trailer park and Corroded Coffin's drummer, Ronnie had relayed to you over the phone. You’d asked her not to give you any more updates about him after that, the news making your stomach drop. When she went off to NYU later that year, you figured the band had just replaced her with a new drummer.

You enter the library and head towards an old spot of yours, a table in the back tucked between bookshelves rarely perused by your peers. Your head falls into your hands as you plop down into a chair, sighing deeply as you attempt to calm your thoughts and breathing. All those thoughts and feelings about Eddie you’d tried to bury over the last few years were now clawing their way out of the grave and overtaking your mind. 

You feebly try to push them down again. You look at the lunch you had packed for yourself. Knowing you couldn’t stomach it right now, you pull out your planner and syllabi from your earlier classes. It only leads to your thoughts of Eddie and your school work hashing it out in your head for your undivided attention. You sigh again, already knowing which will be the winner. Leaning back in your chair, you think about how exactly you got here. How the best friend you’ve ever had could barely make any eye contact with you, and the sight of him made you have a near panic attack.

~

It had been a cloudy day in early December 1982, when you dragged your feet across the road to the Munson trailer. Sprinkles of rain began to fall, soaking into your hair as you dreaded breaking the news to your best friend. You willed away the tears that were already building in your eyes before you could even step onto Uncle Wayne’s porch. A few moments after your weak knocks on the door, it opened to reveal your best friend. His signature cheeky smile plastered on his face, quickly slipping away when he noted the somber look on yours.

“Hey, hey. What’s wrong?” He asked softly, hand reaching for your arm as he stepped out the trailer to join you on the porch. You couldn’t look him in the eyes, you knew as soon as you did you wouldn’t be able to stop the waterfall. 

“I’m leaving, Eddie…” you mutter, voice soft and cracking. 

“Leaving? W-What do you mean?” Eddie asks, confusion seeping through his voice and features. You gulp, trying to calm yourself before you continue. “Is it your dad? Is he giving you guys problems? I told you, you can come to me and Wayne if he-”

“No-No. He’s in the tank for a DUI right now a-and Mom thinks… it’s perfect timing to just get away, put some distance…” you manage to get out. You take a deep breath before willing yourself to look up and finally meet his eyes. “We’re moving back to Virginia.” 

Your eyes search his as yours begin to well with tears. Finally saying the words to him made it real, definite, final. He sighs deeply, a small frown pulling at his lips.

“C’mere…” He whispers, pulling you into his chest as his arms wrap around and squeeze you tightly. His gesture causes your tears to fall freely. You almost feel bad that you’re no doubt soaking his shirt and leaving behind an embarrassing wet spot, but the feeling of his arms around you and the sad, anxious thoughts flying through your mind distract you from it.

“It’s gonna be okay” he says reassuringly, a hand softly rubbing up and down your back.

After a minute he pulls back, hands holding both of your arms as he looks at you with a small smile.

“They have phones back in Virginia, right?” he asks, joking lightly. Anything to lessen the frown and tears streaking your cheeks. You smirk softly in response, nodding your head as you wipe your tears. “Then it’ll be okay. We’ll call a-and talk about school, new records, DnD campaigns… that dick Higgins” A brief, wet laugh escapes your mouth at his words. 

“all the things we talk about now. I promise.” He finishes, moving one of his hands from your arm to extend his pinky finger out to you. A long playful gesture you’ve done since meeting in 4th grade. You take a moment to let his words and optimism sink in. 

You wrap your pinky finger around his, offering back a small smile. “Promise.”

~

The bell signaling the end of the lunch period pulls you out of your memory. You collect your things, taking your place in the halls among your peers as you head toward your next class. Only 3 more periods to get through, that’s it. Just 3. Then you can go home, and dig into your stash for some relief from this whirlwind of a day. You take a deep breath and put on a brave face as you walk into your English class. You’re one of the first students there, quickly grabbing an open seat in the back. Settling in, you pull out your notebook from your bag, facing toward the front of the class just as a patched denim jacket catches your eye. Eddie saunters in, dropping ungracefully into a seat in the back, 2 rows away from you. This can’t be happening. You lace your fingers together, resting your mouth against them as you stare at the board, not daring to let your eyes wander towards the long haired boy.

A soft gasp coming from your right grabs your attention, 

“Hey, I know you! Scoops Ahoy right?” You look over the girl as she takes a seat next to you. She looks familiar, you’d definitely seen her a few times while you were working at Scoops this summer. Donna? Denise? Debbie? You tried remembering the girl's name, knowing Steve had mentioned it at some point.

You clear your throat before answering, “Yeah, mhm. That’s me.”

“Oh my gosh. I still can’t believe what happened with the fire. I mean, a grease fire? From that god awful Hot Dog on a Stick place? Still so crazy to me.” She states, shaking her head in disbelief. You nod softly in response.

“Yeah, tell me about it. Guess they never learned grease and water don’t mix.” You breathe out a soft laugh, “Not an experience I’ll forget anytime soon, that’s for sure.”

“For sure, I bet! Hey, I thought I remembered Steve saying something about you just visiting for the summer… I’m guessing you’re here to stay?” 

You were a little taken aback at how kind she’s being. She seemed nice enough buying ice cream, but holding a full on conversation with you in a classroom was unexpected. By the looks of her, she wouldn’t be considered a ‘freak’ by any means. Not popular, but not an outcast either.

“Yeah that’s right, at least until graduation.” you respond with a soft smile that she quickly returns.

“Cool. Well anyway, I’m glad you guys made it out okay.”

“Thanks, me too” You finish as she settles into her seat, just as Ms. O’Donnel begins to speak at the front of the class.

As you settle back into your own seat, your cheeks warm. He didn’t hear that, did he? You try to pay attention to Ms. O’Donnel as she discusses The Catcher in the Rye when you can feel eyes on you. Taking in your peripheral vision confirms it. Yep, he definitely heard that. Eddie is practically staring daggers at the side of your face before scoffing, shaking his head and looking toward the front of the class. 

It takes every fiber of his being to not storm out of the classroom right in that moment, but he actually wanted to try and graduate this year, so he stays. Leg rapidly bouncing, biting down his already short nails just to attempt to calm the nerves and emotions raging through his body. Seeing you again, then to overhear that you had been visiting Hawkins in the summer this whole time… it’s too much for him to process. He’s hurting, fucking heartbroken actually, but that’s being overshadowed by anger . He knew it. Part of him never wanted to fully admit it to himself, but now he knows it’s true. You had truly abandoned him. He’s never blamed you for moving back to Virginia. That wasn’t your fault. You had no control over it, and he knew that. What he could never understand though, was why a couple months after you’d moved, you stopped calling and returning his calls. He used to go over and over in his head if he had done something, said something wrong and could never think of anything. He had tried not to let himself linger on it for too long and put on a tough front. He had been wrong about you, he’d decided. You were just like all the other people in his life that just hurt and abandoned him. That’s what he had to tell himself to move on and not drive himself crazy. Even if part of him didn’t, wouldn’t believe it. Well now he knows. You’d been visiting in the summers this whole time, and never bothered to tell him or see him? He still doesn’t understand why, but now he knows that he was right.

As soon as the bell rings, Eddie’s the first out of his seat and out of the door. You take a deep breath, wanting nothing more than to crawl in a hole and hide, the undeniable feeling of guilt overtaking you. You know you can’t, however. You’re going to have to tough it out for 2 more periods. Eddie doesn’t even attempt it, immediately walking out to his spot in the woods behind the school to smoke, to try to calm his body and mind so he can at least try to attend his last class of the day. 

Art happens to be his last class of the day, a class that he notices upon entering, is another he has to share with you. If you had known your first day was going to go like this, you would’ve just stayed in bed with Henny all day. You shake your head to yourself, knowing this is something you won’t be able to avoid and run away from for long. Is that something you even want? You tended to avoid conflict and confrontation at all cost… but you love Eddie. You miss Eddie. You know things are the way they are because of you. You have to take responsibility for it. You had known dropping contact with Eddie might hurt him, but you told yourself it probably wouldn’t bother him that much and he’d move on quickly. The insecure part of your brain told you, you probably didn’t mean as much to him as he did to you. Seeing his reaction today at lunch, and in class overhearing of your summer visits he wasn’t included in, tells you you’re dead wrong. What the hell am I going to do? How am I going to fix this?

When the bell rings this time to signal the end of the school day, you’re the first out of your seat and the classroom. Stopping at your locker to collect the last of your things into your bag before heading to the front doors. Stepping outside you take a deep breath of fresh air, digging for your pack of cigarettes and quickly lighting one. You close your eyes as you blow out the smoke, immediately feeling slightly calmer.

Then, just as if the gods have heard your plea for some lightness to this quickly souring day, you spot a familiar BMW pulling into the front of the school. You can’t deny the smile that quickly appears on your face. You put out your cig before Robin inevitably joins, knowing her distaste for it. You stroll over to the car as Steve parks it, already jumping out of the driver's seat to wrap you in a tight hug. You giggle, hugging him back.

“Hey, haircut. Miss me that much already?”

“Hush it, Y/L/N.” Steve quips. A split second later, you hear a rapidly approaching squeal before a body is pushed against your back, effectively putting you in the middle of a human sandwich hug.

“Oh, Y/N! Thank god you’re here. I didn’t know how much more of Steve I could bear on my own!” Robin exclaims exasperatedly, resting her head on top of yours. You let out a belly laugh, enjoying the comfort of their presence and hugs before begging them to let you go. 

“So, how was your first day back?” Steve asks as you both lean back against his car. 

You roll your eyes, sighing as you shake your head. 

“That’s the last thing I wanna talk about right now” When they meet you with concerned, sympathetic looks, you add “It’ll be alright though. I’m just so happy to see you guys, it‘s just what I needed.” You offer them a genuine smile.

Out of the corner of your eye, you spot the familiar curls of Dustin rushing out of the front doors of the school. Eyes quickly scanning the parking lot before landing on you. You point toward your truck in the back of the parking lot. 

“Black truck!” you shout, trying to hold back your laughter as you watch his eyes follow your finger before scurrying across the parking lot.

“Uh, HELLO, Henderson?!” Steve exclaims, arms thrown in the air in disbelief.

“I don’t have time for you right now, Steven!!” Dustin shrieks in response, dodging other student bodies as he races for the best seat. You can’t hold it in anymore at that, throwing your head back in laughter with Robin.

“Jeez. Guess I’m chopped liver, then.” Steve scoffs, shaking his head as he looks back over to you two.

“Oof. That’s rough, bud. How will your fragile ego ever recover?” Robin remarks, rubbing Steve’s arm in fake sympathy.

“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.”

You notice Mike and Lucas run out of the school seconds later, playing out the same actions as Henderson. Cursing when they see Dustin’s already ahead of them. 

“Oh, Y/N! You should totally apply to Family Video and work with us!” Robin exclaims excitedly.

“Yeah, it’ll be the three amigos again!” Steve adds, eliciting a groan and eye roll from Robin who lightly pushes him.

“Dingus”

“While I would love nothing more, I already promised my aunt I’d work for her at the restaurant” You respond with a pout. “But, you can definitely count on me coming in to bother y’all on your shifts.” 

They have a shift this afternoon so you part ways, hugging them goodbye with promises to talk later. Steve insists he wants to hear all the details about your day, when you’re ready to share of course. You smile, waving them off as you walk toward your truck. The 3 boys crowding around the passenger door, bickering with each other. 

“Dustin was here first. You two in the back, no arguments!” You state simply as you unlock the doors. As everyone gets settled, you quickly flip through your cassettes, putting in Motorhead’s Overkill album. As you begin to pull out from your parking spot, your eyes briefly land on Eddie. He stands at the front of the school, leaning against a pillar as he smokes a cigarette. Gareth is talking to him, but his eyes are on you. Catching the events of the last few minutes, cozying up with Steve Harrington of all people. You notice Gareth’s eyes follow Eddie’s to yours before you quickly return your focus to getting the hell away from this school. 

When you pull up to a red light, you open the small back window.

“Whose house am I dropping y’all off at?” 

“Mine is fine!” Mike responds, “We’ve got some homework to work on.”

You nod before a thought pops into your head.

“Hey” you turn your head slightly to look at Dustin and the boys in the back, “How is Max doing? I didn’t see her today.”

The boys are quiet for a moment, pondering what to say, causing your eyebrows to furrow in worry.

“She’s uh- she took everything that happened at the mall… Billy… pretty hard.” Mike finally says.

“She doesn’t really hang out with us much anymore. Her and her mom moved into the trailer park actually.” Dustin adds quietly.

“She broke up with me.” Lucas says after a few moments, unable to hide the sadness in his voice.

Your eyes widen in shock for a moment before you fully turn your head back, eyes meeting Lucas.

“I’m really sorry, bud. She probably just needs some time. I’m sure you guys will be able to work things out.” You offer sympathetically, Lucas giving you a soft nod and half-smile in return. 

You sigh, elbow resting on the bottom of your window frame, driving again as the light turns green. You make a mental note to figure out which trailer she’s moved into, keep an eye out for her at school and check in on her. Hearing she’s pulled away from the group and broke up with Lucas worries you, you don’t want her to have to go through this struggle alone.

Dustin breaks the silence a few moments later.

“Sooooo, what’s up with you and Eddie?” you choke out a laugh and shake your head. Real smooth, Dustin. “I mean, from the way you used to talk about him, you two seemed really close. But I picked up on that tension at lunch. Something happened, I know it.” he prods further, like this was a mystery he’s determined to insert himself in and solve.

“Nosey much, Henderson?” you say, side-eyeing him.

“I’m just saying. We’re close with you… and now Eddie is our dungeon master, we’re getting close with him… things could get sticky if there’s some tension there, which I know for a fact there is.”

“Oh is that so?” you retort, feeling relief as you pull into the boys’ neighborhood, knowing there isn’t as much time as Dustin would like to continue pushing you for information. “Dustin, I love ya. But respectfully, it’s none of your damn business, bud.” You finish, scrunching your nose at him teasingly. He puts his hands up defensively, dropping the conversation as you pull up to Mike’s house. You bid them farewell with a smile and wave as they thank you for the ride. 

You might have sped on the drive back to your trailer, just a little bit. You still have a few more hours till your mom gets home, and you want nothing more than the comfort of home and the familiar green plant in your lungs after your day. You don’t spare a glance at the trailer across the street as you pull in, quickly hopping out of the truck and unlocking the front door. You groan in relief as you quickly rid yourself of your bra and jeans, slipping into your comfy house shorts. You grab a blunt you pre-rolled, a lighter, and your portable radio before walking out the back door and sitting on the back steps. You’re grateful your small backyard is obscured from the views of your neighbors by some trees and bushes as you light your blunt. You lean back against the stair railing, listening to the sounds of Fleetwood Mac as you let the calming effects of your weed start to take over. Even as your body and mind calm, a single question repeatedly pushes into your thoughts.

How am I going to fix this?

Chapter Text

Thursday, September 19th, 1985

The past few days since your first day had been uneventful in terms of Eddie. You continued to avoid the lunch room and opt for spending lunch in the library. Robin has joined you once so far, promising to continue so you wouldn’t ‘get lonely’, as she put it. The handful of times you’ve seen Eddie in the halls, he’d see you and immediately avoided you. Refusing to look at you and even turning to walk in another direction. The 2 classes you have with him weren’t any different, not sparing a glance your way, and either being the first or last to leave class so he wouldn’t be walking out near you. The pressure of the guilt you carried only intensified with each averted gaze and you don’t know how much more you can take. You know you have to talk to him, figure out a way to make this right but you don’t know how. Don’t know what you could even say to make him understand, make this right. You wonder if it’s even possible to recover the friendship you once had with him, but you know you have to try. Living without having him in your life while you were in Virginia was hard, but seeing him in class and the halls everyday now made it so much worse. More than you can bare, and you feel like you’re gonna crack. 

A tiny folded note lands on your desk, catching you off guard. You reach for the paper, peeking up at the teacher as you unfold it.

The trials and tribulations of the French Revolution not entertaining enough for you?

You smile at the note, glancing to the seat to your left. Robin stares back at you, wide eyed and shaking her head at you teasingly. You look back down at the note with a grin, grabbing your pencil and writing a response.

Oh, yes. I’m having the time of my life, can’t you tell?

You pass the note back to her as the teacher writes on the board. Smiling as you watch her reaction. You’re grateful to have a few classes with Robin. She had missed the first few periods of your first day for a doctor's appointment. The next day when you saw her in your 2nd period World History and 3rd period Science class, you let out a major sigh of relief. Your friendship with Robin, and Steve for that matter, happened so naturally. You didn’t have to force it or feel like you had to act differently to be more likable to them. Other friendships in your past had been different. 

Whenever you started at new schools, you felt like you had to always be funny and make jokes to get friends. You’d always been told you had a natural humor to you, a humor you often felt the need to force to be more likable. It had worked too, other kids would be nicer to you. Who knew all it took to lessen your bullying was to make a joke about the teacher’s unzipped fly? It didn’t stop the bullying and teasing all together, but it certainly helped. Still, the ‘friends’ you had made from it were never the deeper, genuine friendships like you had with Eddie, Robin or Steve. That pressure was a weight that was finally off your shoulders now. You didn’t see a point in trying to make new friends for the one year you’d be here at Hawkins High, nor did you feel the need to. Your life feels full with the friendships of Steve, Robin, and the younger party. Well… almost full. That hole once occupied by the wild-haired, metal loving, DnD ‘freak’ of Hawkins aches and looms around, antagonizing you.

It continues to loom for the rest of the day, even into your work shift at the restaurant your Aunt Patty manages. The meager Thursday night dinner rush and small stack of dishes to wash doesn’t help to distract your thoughts, no matter how hard you try. You consider making a stop after work at Family Video to get advice from Robin and Steve about what you should do. You’re getting nowhere going back and forth in your own head. Maybe hearing the words from them will help give you the courage you need to do what you know you need to.

Slow business for the night leads to you getting out at a decent time, an hour before Family Video closes. You hop in your truck and drive the mile down the street to your friends’ workplace. When you pull in front of the store, you and Steve’s cars are the only ones in the parking lot. You’d been betting on it being a slow night for Family Video too, giving you the privacy you wanted for the conversation you need to have. You’d never talked about Eddie to Robin or Steve throughout your friendship since the beginning of the summer. You know they had to have known about it, though. Steve even mentioned it once at some point at Scoops Ahoy when he tried to remember you from school, “Didn’t you use to hang out with Munson?” You’d simply walked away, the need to organize the back freezers suddenly becoming an urgent task. Steve thankfully let it go and forgot about it quickly, never bringing it up again.

You smile as you see the two through the glass doors, standing behind the counter and bickering about god knows what. The ringing of the bell on the doors grabs their attention, eyes landing on you. Robin dramatically lays her upper body limp across the counter and groans.

“Oh, my savior. Steve is boring me out of my mind and we haven’t had a customer in like, an HOUR.”

Steve rolls his eyes, hands on his hips. “I am not boring, thank you very much.” He whines before offering you a soft smile, leaning on his forearms against the counter as you approach. “How was washing dishes?”

You grumble in response, “About as exciting as watching paint dry. Decided to come and provide y’all some clearly much needed entertainment.” You say with a smile that quickly falters as you look down at your hands, fidgeting with the edge of the counter, “I um- I actually came to talk to you guys about something… maybe get some advice.” 

Robin quirks up at that, standing at full attention. Steve straightens up a little too, nodding his head at you. This is the first time they could recall you ever coming to them for advice, tending to keep most personal things to yourself.

“Of course, what’s going on?”

“So, I don’t know how much you guys remember me from before, like from the last time I lived here. But um, I used to be really good friends with Eddie… Eddie Munson. Best friends actually.”

When Steve’s eyebrows furrow, Robin’s eyebrows rise, eyes widening in recognition.

“Wait, Eddie? As in ‘Freak of Hawkins’?”

“Yeahhhh, I remember seeing you guys in the halls at school. Two cute little outcasts against the world.” She smirks as she stares off, lost in memory. Your eyebrows scrunch together, scoffing out a laugh as you shake your head.

“First off,” you point a finger at Steve. “Don’t call him that, I caught your tone. And uh, in case you didn’t realize Stevie boy, you yourself are friends with a ‘freak’.” you say gesturing toward yourself. 

“And secondly,” you turn your attention to Robin, mouth open as you ponder what to say. “Cute? Ya know what, let’s move on.”

“ Anyway … we were really close. But, after I moved back to Virginia we lost touch.” You pause, shaking your head at yourself, “No, I lost touch. I uh, stopped returning his calls. It…it was just too much, too painful to hear his voice.” You stare off into the comedy aisle, collecting your thoughts under their gaze you didn’t want to meet just yet. “I didn’t expect him to still be here when I moved back, but he is. And uh, it’s clear he’s upset. I mean he has every right to be. He even overheard that girl Debbie that used to come to Scoops talking to me in class about working there. So now he knows I was visiting in the summers and didn’t see him-”

“Wait, Debbie Harris? She was supposed to call me…” Steve mutters the last part under his breath before Robin snaps her fingers in his face. 

“Focus, Steve!” 

He gives you a sympathetic look, mouthing ‘sorry’ as he brings his attention fully back to you.

“Look. Long story short, I don’t know what to do. I can’t take having him avoid me and clearly hating me just- in my face everyday. I miss him. I know I need to fix this, I just… I don’t know how.” You finish, running your fingers through your hair.

Robin and Steve stare at you in silence for a moment, you can practically see the cogs turning in their brains. 

After a moment, Steve leans a little closer toward you. Eyes squinting as he reads your face.

“You love him, don’t you?” 

Your eyes widen, eyebrows shooting up in shock as your mouth hangs open. You quickly scoff out a laugh, shaking your head as you try to play your reaction off.

“I-Well of course I do. He was my best friend for like 6 years!”

Robin tilts her head slightly as she meets your eyes, both giving you a look that says they see right through you. You feel your throat tighten, cornered by knowing eyes.

“Alright, maybe this was a bad idea coming here-” You begin to say, throwing your hands up as you take a step back from the counter.

“No no no. Come on” Steve says, beckoning you back. When you do, he continues. “Look, the only way you’re gonna fix this is if you just talk to him and try to explain your side of things.”

“I know.” You say, sighing as you lean your arms against the counter. “I’m just afraid that whatever I say, it’s not gonna be enough. You know?”

“Well if you guys were as close as it seems, he knows you. Maybe it’ll be easier than you think for him to understand?” Robin adds, a sympathetic and encouraging smile on her face. Steve nods in response.

“And I mean sure, he’s angry. But he probably wants to fix things just as much as you do.” Steve finishes, looking at you with genuine care in his eyes. You take a deep breath, allowing a small smile to appear on your face as you look at your friends and nod softly. 

“Yeah, you’re probably right. I think I just needed to hear it from someone else. Thanks guys, I don’t know what I’d do without you.” you say, thankful to have them in your life. 

“Don’t mention it, Y/L/N” Steve says, offering a wink and a smile. You can only roll your eyes at him playfully in response. 

“Well, I know you guys gotta close up shop here soon,” you say as you glance at the clock on the wall. “Butttt, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to do one of our movie nights tomorrow after work?”

Robin and Steve turn towards each other. You laugh as Robin begins to bounce on her heels,

“Yes yes yes!”

“It’ll be a late one, but I’m down.”

“Good,” you smile. “And if I remember correctly, it’s my turn to pick.”

Steve groans in response, “Fine, but nothing too gory this time. I can handle some horror but ugh, no guts please!” his face scrunches in disgust, shaking his head as he turns to finish some closing tasks.

“Don’t worry, Stevie. I think I’m feeling something different this time.” You laugh as you grab your keys. “Thanks again, guys.” You bid them farewell so they can finish up closing for the night.

Steve and Robin gave you just what you thought they would, the validation of your own thoughts on what to do, and the push you needed to actually do it. They helped to calm some of your anxiety about it, but not all. You just need to figure out when to talk to him. Maybe you could go over to the trailer to talk to him? It definitely wasn’t a conversation you wanted to have at school. Tomorrow wouldn’t work; you knew from the boys that they had Hellfire after school on Fridays. You had to work and hang-out with Steve and Robin anyway. 

Nope, can’t do Saturday either. Maybe Sunday? Yeah, Sunday. I’ll just walk over to Uncle Wayne’s and talk to him. It’ll turn out better than you think it will. It will. You try telling yourself, attempting to carry Rob and Steve’s optimism. 

It’ll be okay. You reassure yourself as you spare a glance at the trailer across the street. Noticing a dim light through the curtains of a window you knew too well, before you shut and lock your front door. 

Friday, September 20th, 1985

Putting your conversation with Eddie off until Sunday helps to alleviate some of your anxiety. Your schoolwork and handful of quizzes you have today takes your mind off him as well. Starting at Hawkins High weeks after the year began meant you already have work to catch up on. As tedious as it is, it’s a welcomed distraction from worries about salvaging your friendship with Eddie. You’ve spent every afternoon this past week trying to complete your catch-up work, determined to get good grades that’ll help you get into college and a step closer into full adult independence. You’ve put a solid dent in the stack of schoolwork too, as well as your stash you brought with you from Virginia, needing some way to cope with the stress. You’re going to need to find someone you could buy from here in Hawkins soon.

After a last-minute study session with Robin in the library during lunch, the stress leaves you in dire need of a quick smoke break before your next class. You say goodbye to Robin, wishing her a good shift and sharing excitement over the continuation of your movie nights before leaving the library. You walk down the near empty hallway with a few minutes to spare before the bell signaling the end of the lunch period rings. You reach into your bag to fish out your cigarettes as you approach the back doors of the school near the football field, an unofficial smoking spot for students. 

Just as you begin to inhale the fresh air, it’s knocked out of your lungs as you step outside and collide with someone. A simple case of someone heading to go inside as you go out, you assume.

“Oop, sorry-” you begin immediately, falling short as your eyes rise to look at the person you’d nearly shoulder checked.

Shit. Both your eyes widen, your mouth falling open as your brain stumbles in shock, trying to figure out what to do. In the split second of recognition, Eddie’s features harden, jaw tightening. He moves to continue to walk past you toward the door you just came out of. 

Now’s your chance! It’s not the ideal circumstances, but when a chance like this falls into your lap you can’t let it pass. Just as his hand grabs the door handle, your own reaches to grab his arm.

“Eddie, wait!” you feel and see his entire body tense under your touch. You take a deep breath as your grip on his arm loosens and begins to pull away.

“Can we please just talk?” you plead, voice soft. You hear him laugh in disbelief before he turns back to face you, eyebrows furrowed.

“Oh, so now you want to talk to me?” he asks. His voice is as hard as his features, eyes glaring at you. Your breathing begins to quicken, gulping as your throat runs dry.

“Y-yes. Look Eddie, I’m really sorry. I guess I thought I was doing what was best for me, and for you. I-”

He scoffs, taking a small step closer to you. “And who are you to decide what’s best for me, huh?” his voice raises slightly. You feel your chest tighten, convinced that the blush that has no doubt started to cover your cheeks has spread there too. You feel the rise and fall of your chest as you take quick, short breaths. “You know, I really thought you were different. But you showed me you’re just like everyone else. Just throw me to the side like trash when you’ve had your use of me, right?” he finishes through gritted teeth.

You feel so fucking small. Others have made you feel this way before. Mainly your mom and some bullies in the past, but never Eddie, and that made it feel so much worse. You can’t stop your eyes from beginning to water with tears, biting your bottom lip to keep it from quivering. 

“No…No, Eddie I swear it wasn’t like that. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just-” you voice comes out weaker than you’d like, embarrassment and guilt overtaking your mind and body. 

“Well you did! You think you can just take that back like it’s nothing?” you flinch involuntarily as his voice rises further in anger and hurt. You stare up into his burning eyes as a tear falls from yours. You stand there, staring at each other for a moment before you speak up again.

“I-I’m so sorry, Eddie” your voice betrays you, cracking as you force the words out of your dry throat. You can’t think of anything else to say under his fiery gaze, your brain turning into a jumbled mess. He shakes his head at you, jaw tensing.

“Yeah? Well, I don’t want to hear it. So why don’t you scurry off to your new boyfriend, ‘King Harrington’!” he seethes out in bitterness, “and don’t give me those crocodile tears, Y/N. It’s not gonna work this time.” he scoffs, shaking his head at you in a mixture of anger and disbelief. You look at him in shock, unable to believe those words just came from his mouth.

He knows why you tend to avoid confrontation. Why you turn red and tears burn your eyes when someone raises their voice at you, or when you decide to be vulnerable with someone close. Eddie had been the only person you ever felt truly safe to be vulnerable with. Past experiences left you misunderstood, belittled, lectured, and emotionally neglected, but never by Eddie. He knows how much it takes for you to cry in front of someone. How much it takes for you to let yourself cry in front of someone. He knows, but he can’t stop himself from saying the words that’ll drive a knife right through your heart. All rational thinking out the window, his anger taking the driver’s seat.

His words transfer the same feelings onto you. Lighting a fire within your body, blazing behind your eyes. It barely takes a second for the wave of anger to crash onto you. Before you can stop yourself, your hand shoots out and connects with his cheek in a loud smack. It takes Eddie a moment to register what just happened as he stares at the brick wall his head is now facing. Did you really just slap him? You’d never hit him like that before, nothing beyond playful slaps or punches on his arm. He knew you harbored anger and aggression inside from your past just like he did, but he’d never seen you lash out on someone like this, and certainly not him. He can’t say he should really be surprised, given the hurtful words hurled from his mouth. That thought doesn’t extinguish his anger though, as he turns his gaze back onto you.

“ Fuck you!” You snap, pointing your finger in his face. It’s all you can muster saying in the moment, your whole body on fire and vibrating in anger. 

You push past him, throwing open the door back into the school just as the bell ending lunch rings. You quickly wipe your tear-streaked face with your hand as you stomp down the hallway. You take deep breaths, attempting to calm your breathing as you follow the hall to the front doors of the school. You need that smoke break even more now than before, especially if you’re gonna have to sit through a few more hours of quizzes and classes… with Eddie. You light a cigarette as soon as you step out the doors. Pacing back and forth in a short line, hoping the nicotine will help to calm your nerves. 

You expected him to be angry, you could see it from the moment your eyes met on your first day, but you never expected him to stoop so low. Poking at the sensitive spots of your psyche you’d only revealed to him. Maybe you deserved it, maybe this is your karma personally delivered by the very person you hurt. You scoff as you think over his comment about Steve. Your new boyfriend, “King Harrington”? The fuck is he going on about? You figure he’d seen you, Steve, and Robin in the parking lot after your first day. Including your hug with Steve. You didn’t know hugging a guy automatically made him your boyfriend. 

You finish the cigarette as the warning bell rings. You check your face and makeup in your compact mirror, taking another deep breath before venturing back into the school. You aren’t sure how you’re gonna be able to focus at all, thoughts still racing through your mind as you enter your English class. You refuse to meet eyes with anyone. Although you wouldn’t be meeting Eddie’s anyway, as his seat remains empty through the entire class period, as well as in your last class of the day. 

Eddie once again secludes to his spot in the woods behind the school. Pacing, smoking, and failing to attempt to focus on last minute touches to tonight’s Hellfire campaign. After a short while the sting on his cheek fades, but still leaves a red-hot warmth in its wake. Maybe he deserved it for hitting a sensitive spot of yours, or maybe you deserved it after breaking his heart. He can’t make up his mind on which is right, telling himself he doesn’t care either way. 

You waste no time darting out of your last class when the bell rings, grabbing the last of your things from your locker in record time. Your body had calmed slightly over the last 3 periods of the day since your fight with Eddie, but not your mind. You ruminate on the words said over and over, thinking of different things you wish you had said in the moment. You’re so consumed in your own thoughts you barely register the laughs and voice of some meathead standing at his locker with his buddies just as you begin to pass them.

“Watch out boys, it’s Miss Piggy” he snickers to his other jock buddies huddled around him, giggling like he just said the funniest joke on earth. Jason Carver. You just barely recognized the twerp from when you used to live in Hawkins. Though you’d learned to filter most of it out, you’d caught a few comments and looks from him here and there in the past week you’ve been here. You’d just ignored him, deciding it wasn’t worth your acknowledgement. 

Well, not today. You might regret it, but he caught you at the wrong goddamn time.

“ Jesus Christ . Grow the fuck up, Carver.” You snarl, rolling your eyes as you continue walking past them.

“The hell you just say to me?!”

Without missing a beat, you throw a middle finger in the air back at them. Not even sparing a backward glance, as much as you’d love to see the look on his face, as you step out the front doors and make a beeline for your truck. 

You hop in, quickly turning your key in the ignition. 

You’re thankful it’s Friday and you don’t have to give the boys a ride. They’ll be occupied with Hellfire after school, meaning you don’t have to deal with Dustin’s prying questions once he reads you like a damn book.

You head home to pack a change of clothes and grab the movie you picked for movie night before changing into your work clothes. 

For the first time in your life, you’re hoping for a busy dinner rush at the restaurant. Anything to keep your mind busy and distracted from the persistent thoughts of him. You get your wish, tonight is no exception to the usual Friday night dinner rush. A steady flow of dishes coming back to the kitchen for you to clean. Unfortunately, not even the music on the radio in the kitchen or non-stop motions of dishwashing are enough to keep the thoughts of him from bursting through your mind. 

However, the busyness of the night does help to quiet the thoughts slightly, and makes the hours go by quickly. Before you know it, it’s 11pm when you’re done with your closing tasks. Clocking out, you enter the cool September evening air with a pep in your step, excited to meet up with Steve and Robin. Knowing their presence alone along with one of your favorite comfort movies will help to lighten your mood a bit.

You know the two should be preparing to close around now. You pull into the Family Video parking lot at the perfect timing, just as they’re locking the doors. They throw excited waves your way, before climbing into Steve’s car and driving toward Steve’s house, your car following closely behind. You roll down your window, letting the cool night air wash over your warm face, and turn the radio on to the local rock station. 

Given the passing hours and prospect of movie night, you’ve mostly calmed down since your fight with Eddie. Body no longer on edge and shaking with anger. Your heart still carries a heaviness to it, and your thoughts mostly remain the same. You hate how hard it is for your mind to let things go, to not constantly ruminate about things.

Caught on a one-way street

The taste of bittersweet

Love will survive somehow, some way

You haven’t been able to let the feelings of hurt and anger from Eddie’s words go yet. You know they’ll stick with you for days, maybe weeks. Hell, maybe you’ll never be able to let it go. Every word he said floats through your head. Now that you’re not as activated, you recognize he was only wanting to hurt you back for hurting him. You figure his comment about Steve probably stemmed from jealousy. Maybe he thought you replaced him with Steve. The accusing him of being your boyfriend part still confuses you, but you decide it’s something maybe you won’t ever understand. 

One love feeds the fire

One heart burns desire

I wonder, who's crying now?

You don’t blame Eddie for wanting to hurt you back. Still, part of you feels like you didn’t deserve the spiteful comments. As you replay his words in your head for the 100th time today, the sting in your chest doesn’t lessen, now threatening to spread to your eyes. You cough, rapidly blinking to stubbornly push the tears away before they can even well in your eyes. Goosebumps spread across your skin as you take in the words of the Journey song playing on the radio.

So many wrongs or rights

Neither could change their headstrong ways

And in a lover's rage

They tore another page

The fighting is worth the love they sav-

You hastily turn off the radio, choosing to sit in silence for the few remaining minutes of the drive to Steve’s. You’ve managed to live without Eddie in your life for 2.5 years now. Sure, it’s hurt like hell, and this time you have to actually physically see him. But you can continue to live without him, you decide. Maybe holding onto the hurt from his words will help, make it easier to move forward without him. You don’t know, but you’re gonna have to try. That much is clear. 

You take a deep breath as you park your car behind Steve’s in his driveway. Gathering your things, you’re greeted by hugs in the middle of the driveway. You avoid talking too much about your day outside of work, opting to redirect the conversation to their days as Steve unlocks the front door, laughing at their stories of clueless customers.. If they’ve noticed your avoidance in talking about your day or an off-ness to your demeanor, they don’t mention it.

You needlessly ask Steve if you can shower to rid yourself of the smell of grease before the movie, already knowing he’d say yes.  Turns out it’s just what you need, walking back out to the living room in your pajamas feeling more relaxed. Steve and Robin have changed too, sitting on the sofa replaying the events of their shift. You notice the coffee table is already filled with your staple movie night snacks and drinks.

“So, what bloody slasher will I be forced to endure tonight?” Steve asks as you round the couch to stand in front of them.

“No bloody slashers tonight, Stevie.” You laugh as you reach for your movie in your overnight bag. “Tonight, we will be watching… Grease 2.” You announce with a smile, completely shocking Steve. Robin nods in agreement to the movie, grabbing the bowl of popcorn as she gets comfortable in her seat on the couch. As a band kid, you knew Robin would be down for it, loving practically any musical.

Steve, on the other hand, was skeptical.

“Grease…2? The nowhere near as good sequel?” He asks with furrowed brows and a slight frown.

“Steve, have you ever even watched it?” you sigh, putting your hands on your hips.

“Well, no… but I’ve heard-”

“Let me just stop you there. Look, I love the original Grease just as much as anyone. I’ve watched it at least 100 times. I even had to buy another copy of it cause I burned through the first one watching it so much. It’s a classic, yes. However, I personally prefer the sequel.” When Steve’s face continues to meet yours in confusion and disbelief, you continue. His and Robin’s eyes follow you as you slowly pace back and forth in front of them. “It’s… campy, and fun! The songs are fun, the character’s are fun. And it works because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. AND the gender reversal with the guy being the one who’s chasing after the ‘cool’ girl, learning how to ride a motorcycle and changing his style to win her attention is, I think, a perspective shift much needed in this day and age.” You ramble, pointing at Steve as his eyebrows rise, Robin watching you in amusement. 

“So yes, we will be watching Grease 2 because it is one of my comfort films and you know what… I really need that tonight.” You sigh as you finish, finally stopping your pacing. You watch as they take in your words, the shift in tone and demeanor at the end. Before they can say or ask anything, you quickly start up again.

“And besides, Steve, are you really going to let the opinions of others influence your own before you’ve even given it a chance?” You ask, looking at him expectantly. “And you’re really gonna tell me you don’t want to watch 90 minutes of Michelle Pfiefer looking totally hot and badass while singing and dancing?” you finally finish, hands on your hips as you look at him. Robin looks at Steve with a grin, completely amused as she throws more popcorn into her mouth. 

“Yeah, Steve. Are you really going to let yourself be a mindless follower and conformist?” Robin pokes, smirking with a mouthful of popcorn.

Steve sighs, realizing this is yet another argument he will not win against you. 

“You’re right, you’re right. Okay, I’ll keep an open mind!” he states, raising his hands in surrender. 

“Good.” You state with a self-satisfied smile as you pop the tape into the VHS player, plopping down on the couch in the middle of the two.

Watching one of your favorite comfort films with your best friends gives you just what you expected, completely taking your mind off the events of the day. Drinking your favorite soda and eating your favorite snacks. You and Robin sing and shimmy along to the songs, laughing at the stupid jokes and silly characters. A few peeks at Steve show he’s fully immersed, specifically in the scenes with Pfieffer, just as you predicted. You even catch him laughing at a few points throughout the film, especially during the ‘Reproduction’ number. Towards the end of the film, you feel Robin’s head rest on your shoulder. You start to feel yourself growing tired as well, the stress of the day and late night hour setting in. As the film finishes you look at Steve, waiting for his opinion.

“Alright, I’ll give it to you. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. I still think the first one is better though.” 

“Alright, that’s fair.” you say to him with a soft smile. “Thanks for giving it a chance anyway, for me.”

“Anytime.” he smirks at you before stretching with a yawn. “Well, I think I’m gonna call it a night. The spare room is open for you as usual.”

“Sounds good, besides the fact I have this big sleeping baby on my shoulder.” you giggle as you take a peek at Robin, soft snores escaping her open mouth.

“I got this” he states as he gets up, gently maneuvering Robin’s body off your shoulder and towards the arm of the couch.

You yawn and stretch as you stand, telling Steve goodnight as you head upstairs to the spare bedroom he’s let you crash in after every late movie night over the summer. You groan softly as you snuggle under the cool comforter, feeling the sweet release of sleep quickly approaching. This night was just what you needed after today. All worries pushed away to deal with later.

Chapter Text

Saturday, September 21st, 1985

The ever so alluring smell of bacon and pancakes invades your senses, stirring you from your slumber. You rub your eyes as you look at the clock on the bedside table. 10:35 am. You slept in, though you can’t say you’re surprised. After the day you had, you must’ve really needed it. You roll out of Steve’s spare bed, making sure to re-make it before you venture down the stairs. 

The smell intensifies with each step down the stairs and into the kitchen, spotting the stack of pancakes and bacon waiting to be picked. Steve is pouring a cup of coffee, eyeing you as you grab a plate and start loading it up.

“Morning, sleepy head”

“Morning, haircut” you respond, taking a quick bite of bacon. Groaning softly in pleasure, “You know, Steve. If you don’t figure out what you wanna do for a career, I think you’d make a great little housewife.” You smirk to yourself as you pour syrup onto your plate. Steve scoffs out a laugh.

“Yeah, I’ll get right on that. Know any takers?” You laugh with him before you catch a glimpse of Robin sitting on the couch, eating her own plate. 

“Oh, hell yes.” you say excitedly when you see and hear Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? playing on the TV. You quickly scurry over to join Robin on the couch with your own plate. Steve joins soon after, all leisurely eating your brunch and watching Saturday morning cartoons. After you’ve all finished your plates and are relaxing before eventually having to get ready for your work shifts, Steve speaks up.

“So, we gonna talk about what happened yesterday?”

You look between him and Robin, confused. You quirk an eyebrow up at him.

“Uh, what happened yesterday? What do you mean?”

“I mean , something happened yesterday, didn’t it? You seemed a bit…off.”

Goddamnit. If Dustin hadn't learned it from you, you're now sure he learned his ability to read people so well from Mr. Steven Harrington too.

“Did you talk to Eddie?” Robin asks softly.

You sigh, crossing your arms over your stomach.

“I mean, you don’t have to tell us anything. But if you want to, you know we’re here. I’m also just really nosey.” Steve adds, causing a smirk to tug at your lips before you take a deep breath.

“Yeah. I talked to him. Ran into him after lunch, literally. And uh, let’s just say it did not go well. He kinda flipped out on me. But, I kinda deserved it. Aaand, I kinda slapped him. But, he kinda deserved it.” You let yourself laugh a little, taking in their surprised faces.

“So yeah, based on that I don’t think we’ll be friends again anytime soon. At least I can say I tried.” You finish with a shrug.

Robin reaches out and rubs your arm soothingly as Steve looks at you with sympathy and in thought. 

“I’m sorry, Y/N” he sighs, “Maybe just give things some time to cool down, I’m sure he’ll come back around.” He gives you a soft, crooked smile.

“Yeah, maybe. And if not, I’m sure I’ll be okay.” you say, more to yourself than to them.

You pull into your driveway an hour later. You sit there, finishing your cigarette as your eyes linger on the now familiar van across the street through your rear-view mirror. You look longer than you’d like, finally tearing your eyes away to throw out your cig. Cutting off the sounds of Black Sabbath as you turn off the ignition. 

You slowly shuffle your way to the mailbox at the end of your driveway. Flipping through the spam and advertisements when you hear a familiar sound, a skateboard. Your eyes follow the sound, a figure shaded by the sun. You know who it is. If it wasn’t for the skateboard, it’s the flaming aura around her head under the sunlight. A big smile stretches across your face, leaning against your mailbox as she rides closer into view. When she’s close enough to see your face, her eyes widen and she nearly stumbles off her skateboard, eliciting a giggle from you. She stares at you for a second as she comes to a stop, sliding her headphones down to her neck.

“Hey, you.” you say cheerfully.

 In a second, she’s running to you, wrapping you in a tight embrace. You feel the shakiness as she inhales a deep breath.

“I’ve been looking all over for you, the ever elusive Red.” You smile as you return the hug, briefly rubbing her back before she pulls back to look at you.

“W-How?” She looks toward your trailer, “You moved back?!”

“Yep, just this past week. I tried keeping an eye out for you at school, then Dustin told me you moved here. Knew I’d catch you eventually.”

Her smile falters ever so slightly at the mention of Dustin.

“Oh, yeah. I mean, it’s a piece of shit but it’s a roof over our heads I guess.” You nod in agreement, pondering how to approach her. If she’s been avoiding the party, you worry one wrong move will send her running away from you too. You decide to go the easy route, knowing you might not get a truthful answer right away.

“You and mom doing okay?” 

“Yeah. She’s either working or drinking most of the time, so” she shrugs nonchalantly, a move you see right through. “But I can take care of myself just fine anyway”.

“Well, if you ever get bored entertaining yourself, just come and give a knock, okay? I gotta get going for work here soon, but maybe we can go out to the drive-in or something soon?”

A small smile tugs at her lips as she nods lightly.

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Oh, and you know. If you ever need a ride, I’m already giving the knuckleheads rides home after school and since we’re neighbors, I can just stick them all in the bed and give you passenger seat privileges.” You ramble before noticing the way she begins to awkwardly sway at the suggestion. “Or ya know, I can just kick them to the curb and save myself some gas with just you.” You quickly offer. She forces a small laugh before shaking her head.

“No, that’s okay. It gives me more time to skate anyway.” 

Great, I’ve already messed this up. Just add it to the list…

“Alright, well the offer’s on the table anytime. For anything.” You insist, giving her an out to the conversation as you begin to move back toward your driveway. She only nods in response, before putting her skateboard in place to ride again.

“See you later, Red.” You wave before heading into your trailer to get ready for work.

During the slower phases of the work day, your mind drifts to worries of Max. How she’s really doing, how you should approach her, how to get her to open up to you. It’s a welcomed distraction considering the other places, or people, your mind would be wandering to otherwise. You and Max had gotten fairly close over the summer, you gave her opportunities with and outside of the party to get away from home, from her asshole step-brother. Being the only other girl and older, she often confided in you. Whether it was about her brother, her relationship with Lucas, or the struggles of girlhood, you were there for her. 

Since Billy’s sacrifice to save her from the mall fire and his resulting death, she’s closed off. Isolating from everyone close to her. That happened to be something you’re familiar with. Something that helps you to understand her, something you can use. You know you need to take it slow though. Based on her initial reaction to seeing you, you know she's missed you, and know that connection is still there. There’s just some walls you need to chisel down first.

Take it slow.

That connection is still there.

Just some walls you need to chisel down first…

Those dark curls… chocolate button eyes… cutest fucking dimples you’ve ever seen in your life.

You close your eyes and take a deep breath, frustrated with your brain and your heart. Both deeply longing for him… before the shock of pain with the memory of his words hits you.

Just let it go. Move on. He’s not your Eddie anymore.

~

It was bothering Eddie more than he’d ever admit, even to himself. You . Thoughts of you swimming around his head with every emotion he could think of, was bothering him.

After your argument, he felt a bit of relief. To finally say the words he’d been carrying with him these last few years to you. To finally release the anger and pain out onto you. It felt like a weight off his shoulders in the moment. What he hadn’t been expecting was for you to match it, taking the pain and anger you felt in response, right back out and onto him. 

This whole past week you’ve been back has thrown him off. More distracted than usual. More reactive. More irritable. The other boys in Hellfire noticed, taking extra effort to not poke the bull. 

Your argument and slap left him even more distracted and off-balance. You’d thrown him off his game for Hellfire for christ’s sake. Forgetting details for the campaign that he’d otherwise would’ve had memorized, left him referencing his notes. He didn’t exude his usual dungeon master playfulness, animated voice and facial expressions coming out muted. Everyone noticed. Eddie’s own off-balanced performance reflected in his players. Nothing had ever distracted him so much to the point of interfering with Hellfire campaigns. The way Henderson eyed him suspiciously throughout the night almost set him off completely, again. He’d ended the campaign a little early, offering a brief apology and a quick lie to write off his abnormal performance on. He’d spent the rest of the night getting as drunk and high as he could in his bedroom until he passed out. 

Saturday isn’t going much differently for him. Sitting in his bed with a joint in his mouth as his fingers mindlessly strum his guitar, thinking of you. The anger he felt yesterday is now replaced with guilt. A guilt that sits and churns in his stomach, teetering on the edge of nausea. Maybe that was just the hangover, or maybe it’s from the way he can’t get the image of your tear-streaked face out of his head. Tears caused by him.

You deserved to hear how much you hurt him. Be faced with the consequences of your actions. You deserved that. But as he remembers the look in your eyes yesterday, the way you flinched, the way he caused a side of you you rarely show to come out… he knows you didn’t deserve that. He scolds himself for letting his emotions get the best of him, letting them get out of his control. You hurt him, that didn’t make it right for him to hurt you back. It didn’t even make him feel good. Maybe very briefly in the moment, just to release what he’d been holding in for so long, but it left as quickly as it came. 

He sighs as he moves the guitar off his lap, putting out his joint in the ashtray before rubbing his hands over his face, staring up at the ceiling.

He can’t hold on to this anger anymore, he knows it’s not healthy and is only hurting him more. But he can’t blame himself too much for wanting to, it’s one of the ways he’s protected himself in the past. Protected him from getting hurt. You knew that about him. The way he held onto anger at his dad, people in Hawkins, not wanting to waver and give either the chance to hurt him more. You knew almost everything about him, more about him than he’d ever willingly shared with anyone. That’s why what you did hurt him so deeply, and why he wanted to hurt you just as much. And feels like utter shit for it. 

Hey, you!

His eyes dart to his window as his brain immediately recognizes your voice. He peeks out to see you interacting with a younger girl he’d seen skateboarding around in the neighborhood and at school. His heart begins to ache watching you, watching you embrace the girl, watching the way you smile at her and ramble. God, does he miss it. Misses the way you’d ramble and rant about something you’re passionate about, the way you’d cackle and smile when he’d do the stupidest thing he could think of just so he could see it. Misses the way your warm, plump body feels against him when you’d hug or lean your head on his shoulder. 

He sighs watching you wave goodbye to the girl and walk inside your trailer. 

Maybe he could give you another chance. Now that he’s not so overcome with anger, maybe he’d be able to hear you out. Not overpower you so much with his anger that you can actually have a real chance to explain yourself. 

Maybe.

Tuesday, September 24th, 1985

Some things have changed since your fight with Eddie on Friday. Flipped, really. Your eyes no longer sought him out. You do your best to avoid looking at him whether it was in the halls or in your shared classes. Knowing the sight of him would only bring back that sting in your chest.

Eddie on the other hand, couldn’t tear his eyes away from you whenever you’re in his sight. Watching you in regret, longing, confusion, hurt, all twisted into one. Eddie’s confident in himself most of the time, except for in a few areas. This situation with you and how to handle it moving forward is one of the latter. It’s a big fucking mess he isn’t sure how to fix. He knows with the way things went on Friday after you made the first move to talk to him, that it had to be him this time to try to make things right. 

You take your time walking down the quiet halls before the end of the lunch period, hearing the distant, muffled chatter from the lunchroom. You open your locker, putting away your books from your morning classes, switching them out with your afternoon ones. Just as you finish putting the last book in your bag, your locker slams shut in front of you, causing your head to whip toward the culprit you didn’t notice come up next to you till now.

“You’ve got a smart mouth on you, don’t you piggy?” Jason seethes out, hand pressed against your now closed locker door. Your smirk at him as you lean against it.

“So I’ve been told.”

“Yeah, well I don’t know who the hell you think you are or who you think you're talking to bu-”

“You know, I remember you from years ago. The last time I lived here.” You interrupt before looking him up and down, “Jason Carver. Back then you were just a scrawny guy, trailing behind the older jocks, carrying that ever so fragile ego in tow with theirs.” You look back up to meet his eyes, brows furrowed above them. “I see you’ve grown a few inches, even bulked up a bit. Looks like that’s about all that’s changed, though.” You watch as he processes your words, your insult.

“You fat fucking bitch” He says through gritted teeth, face turning red.

“Oh come on, Carver. Don’t you have anything fresher than that?” you say flatly, cocking an eyebrow at him. You watch as his body tenses up.

“Looks like I need to teach you and that smart mouth a lesson” He says, taking a step closer to you. You don’t move an inch, refusing to give him the satisfaction of getting a reaction out of you.

“Oh no. What are you gonna do?!” You say sarcastically. “You don’t scare me, Carver.”

You watch as a vein protrudes from his forehead, face turning a deeper red. 

It all happens so quickly. One of his arms pulls back, raising in the air in the motion to slap you, but it doesn’t come. Curly dark hair appears behind him, before Jason’s thrown flat on his ass in front of you.

Eddie had been outside smoking before lunch ended. On his way back into the school, he spots you and Jason. He slows his steps, listening in on the quickly escalating conversation. You’re teetering on the edge and you don’t care. As fragile as Jason’s ego is, so is his masculinity. Eddie wasn’t sure if Jason's above hitting a girl, but he knows that’s where this could go. He creeps closer, eyeing the way Jason’s hand begins to twitch. Waiting for the string to snap, and it does. When he spots Jason’s hand raise, Eddie swoops in. With a foot behind Jason’s, Eddie wraps his arm around Jason’s front, pulling him till he’s falling back on the floor. 

Eddie was no stranger to fights, the jocks of Hawkins having taken their frustrations out of him plenty of times. He didn’t like putting himself in the line of fire, but he has and would do it in a heartbeat for the people he cares about. Despite how he’s acted, you’re one of those people.

Your eyes widen, at the fact Jason was about to hit you in the middle of the school, and at seeing Eddie before you, swooping in out of nowhere to defend you. Your eyes lock with his and everything slows down, so many emotions and words unsaid flowing between you with just a look. For a moment your mind flashes back to 5th grade Eddie, reaching his hand out to help you off the ground, worry and sympathy filling his eyes. History repeating itself. You take a deep breath as the memory hits you, staring into Eddie’s brown eyes. In that moment, it’s only you two. No one else. No white brick halls. Just you and Eddie, conveying so much to each other through just your eyes.

Jason’s groans pull you from your trance, your eyes leaving Eddie’s to look down at him. You drop down to one knee, getting into Jason’s face. Eyes popping open wide when he senses you so close. You look at him with fire in your eyes as you point a finger in his face.

“Let me tell you something, you piece of shit. I didn’t come back here to deal with your little brat boy bullshit. If I see you try to put your hands on any of my friends, let alone me, again… I will make you regret it. And don’t think that I won’t.” You hiss, voice full of steel. Staring at him with as much intensity as he held earlier. You relish in the brief moment of fear that flashes through his eyes before his face hardens in frustration and embarrassment, chest heaving with deep, short breaths. A silence falls before the bell rings to end the lunch period, breaking you all out of the moment. Jason quickly pulls himself to his feet before students flood the halls, not wanting anyone to see him in his embarrassing position. You rise with him. He fixes his letterman jacket, staring daggers between you and Eddie.

“Fucking freaks” he huffs before turning around, stomping down the hall quickly as it fills with students.

Both you and Eddie relax, releasing a breath before you’re just standing there awkwardly next to each other. You resecure your bag on your shoulder before chancing a look at Eddie, who's already staring at you. Reading you, assessing you, trying to tell if you’re okay.

You clear your throat before nodding your head at him.

“Thank you” you mutter softly. When he doesn’t immediately say anything back, your body takes the lead, quickly walking away toward your next class. 

Eddie considers chasing after you, but he doesn’t know what the hell he’d say if he did. He just watches you walk away before he takes slow steps to follow you to your shared class together.

In the two classes you have together, you can feel his eyes on you. You catch him a few times, eyes locking with his before one of you quickly looks away. 

You feel like you have whiplash. From the switch up of the Eddie you faced on Friday that hated your guts, to the Eddie who didn’t waste a second coming to defend you, with only a few days passing in between. You can’t wrap your head around it. You know he cares, he wouldn’t have been so angry before if he didn’t, but you assumed he was done with you, hated you. But someone that hates you wouldn’t rush into potential harms way to defend you, right?

A few more stolen glances and the muffled voices of your teachers’ as you’re lost in thought fills the remainder of your school day. When you leave your final class, stopping at your locker before walking out the front doors, you wonder if he’ll come up behind you, apologize for his behavior on Friday and give you another chance. But it doesn’t happen, making the walk to your truck uninterrupted. You want to chastise yourself for holding that hope, but what happened today can’t mean nothing. It just can’t. You don’t want it to.

You spend the remainder of your afternoon trying to do your homework. It takes everything in you to focus, almost giving up when the calculus problems push you right to the edge in frustration. You let out a huff in relief as you finish the problems and slam your notebook shut, throwing your head back as you slouch in your chair. Rubbing your hands over your face before you hear your mom unlocking the front door. When you note the time and sun setting through your window, you get up and make your way to the kitchen to start making dinner. You browse through the cupboard before your eyes land on a package of pasta. Spaghetti it is. 

As you wait for the meat to brown, your mind replays the events of the day. Landing back into the loop your thoughts had been stuck in all afternoon about Eddie. Trying to make sense of it all, of him. The moment your eyes locked this afternoon made your heart ache, and still does when you think of it now.

You aren’t sure when exactly you first fell in love with Eddie Munson.

The first day you met when he came to your rescue from bullies? That time in the woods when you were 10 when he insisted you be the trapped princess his mission was to rescue? The countless Friday nights you spent staying up late to watch The Midnight Special, eventually falling asleep on each other's shoulders? The first time he shared his mom’s records with you? The first time he really opened up to you about the loss of his mom, and the strenuous relationship with his Dad? That night your parents fighting got so bad you snuck out of your window and went to his trailer in tears, consoling you and doing anything he could to cheer you up? That time he almost went to fight your mom when he saw the red mark on your cheek? Or maybe it was the time he told you you’re beautiful the way you are, when your mom and everyone’s criticisms of your body weighed too heavily on your mind? 

You can’t pinpoint which event triggered the change from seeing Eddie as your friend, to your crush. What event marked the transition to being in love with your best friend, seeing and imagining him in ways beyond a regular friend would. You aren’t sure when, but you know you’ve been in love with him for as long as you can remember. An unrequited love that made your heart ache with every pet name bestowed upon you, with every flash of that devilish smile and irresistible dimples, with every use of his deep, animated voice for dramatic storytelling. An ache you’d decided for years you could stifle to keep his friendship. An ache that turned into a sharp pain hearing his voice over the phone, hundreds of miles away. A pain you’d decided you couldn’t bear anymore. Maybe if you hadn’t been in love with him, things would’ve been different. You wouldn’t have pulled away. 

So foolish. Desperately longing for things you couldn’t have. Longing so desperately you pushed away the best person in your life, the very person you longed for. A decision that didn’t take long for you to regret, but in your mind was too late to fix. Now, after today, you aren’t so confident about that.

You sit on the couch with your mom, eating Spaghetti and watching Magnum P.I. reruns as your thoughts continue. Mindless small talk about your days, vision zoning out as you stare at the tv, petting Henny who sits in your lap, and a heightened awareness of Eddie’s presence only 100 feet away. An hour later when your mom announces she’s going to bed, you ponder how to spend the rest of your night. You know you won’t be able to fall asleep yourself anytime soon, anticipating one of those nights you won’t be able to shut your mind off. 

You wander to your room, shutting your door as you reach into one of your dresser drawers for your little stash box. Sighing in frustration when you notice you only have enough left for one more smoke.

You roll a quick blunt before throwing on a flannel and slipping out the front door. You take a deep inhale of the fresh air, relishing in the cool breeze of the late September night as you begin the short walk to the little neighborhood park at the end of your street. You don’t notice the figure on the porch across the street smoking a cigarette in the dark as you walk, taking in the sound of the breeze blowing through the leaves on the trees, the quietness of the park beyond the very faint sound of some network sitcom playing on a tv.

You sit on a swing and begin to move back and forth slowly as memories flood back. This playground hasn’t changed a bit since you first moved to Forest Hills Trailer Park 9 years ago. Paint faded and chipping, old mulch littered around the playground, and rusted metal chains on the swing that creaks with each movement. Eddie and you spent countless afternoons here in the early years of your friendship. Swinging together, laughing as you’d watch Eddie do the monkey bars, spinning each other on the merry-go-round till you thought you’d get sick.

You put the blunt to your lips and light it, taking a deep inhale as you look around the abandoned playground, hoping the weed would help to calm your mind enough to get some sleep. You rest your head against the metal swing chain, feet softly kicking at the mulch and dirt beneath you. You don’t hear the soft footsteps on pavement approaching you till they’re only a couple feet away, head shooting up at the intrusion when the sound meets your ears. Eddie clears his throat, hands in his vest pockets as he stands at the edge of the playground. Your movements still at the sight of him, streetlights illuminating his figure and messy curls. When your body stiffens and you remain silent, Eddie takes a few steps closer.

“I-uh, I come in peace, promise.” He says softly, raising his hands in surrender. “Mind if I join you?” he asks, head gesturing to the empty swing next to you. You only nod in response before casting your eyes down. You take another hit as he sits down next to you, praying the calming effects you sought would kick in quicker.

You’re both silent for a while, the light wind blowing through the trees, neighborhood noises, and soft creaks from the swing set the only sounds filling the space between you. Eddie’s knee bobs anxiously before he clears his throat.

“I um, just wanted to apologize for Friday. The way I acted, some of the things I said… I let my emotions get the best of me. I didn’t really give you much room to talk, and I’m sorry for that.” Eddie says nervously, eyes turning to look at you as he finishes. You nod in response again, not looking his way.

“I understand. I don’t blame you.” Silence falls between you again before you look towards him. “Thank you again, for earlier today. You didn’t need to step in like that.” Eddie chuckles softly.

“Oh, I know you could’ve handled him just fine on your own, but you shouldn’t have had to... It’s no problem, really. Not my first run in with him anyway.” You wonder just how many times Eddie’s had to deal with Carver and the other jocks, just how bad those run-ins have possibly gotten. In a sign signaling truce, you hand your blunt to him, offering a hit. He gladly accepts with a soft smile before taking a hit.

“Since when do you smoke the devil’s lettuce?”

You giggle softly, letting a smile spread to your cheeks.

“About a year now, same with these” You say, pulling the pack of cigarettes from your pocket enough for him to see. Eddie tsk’s in response, passing the blunt back to you.

“Naughty naughty.” He teases in a deep voice, eyeing you while blowing out smoke. You tear your eyes away and back to the mulch beneath your feet, the sight enough to send a shiver up your spine. 

After a few more passes between you, the blunt is gone and you’re left to face the inevitable conversation. You rub your sweaty palms against your thighs as you work up the courage.

“I just wanted to say again, I’m sorry for how things went. For dropping contact. It’s entirely my fault and… I’m really sorry for doing that to you, Eddie. You didn’t deserve that.” Your eyes peek at him. He’s faced forward, nodding softly in response as he lights a cigarette. He moves his hips slightly, enough to turn his body more toward yours. 

“So why did you do it?” he asks quietly, dark eyes looking up from his cigarette to meet yours. A somber look on his face, a stark contrast from a few days ago. You take a shaky deep breath while turning your head to look up at the stars littering the sky.

You can’t tell him the truth. You can’t tell him you stopped returning his calls because you were so in love with him that the distance, the sound of his voice over the phone caused your heart to ache so deeply that you couldn’t take it anymore, that you’d recluse to your room and cry after each call.

“We were so close and it hurt so much to be torn apart. Every time I heard your voice on the phone… it just” you take another deep breath, “it was just a reminder that I wouldn’t see you again and that just hurt too much to deal with. I didn’t want to deal with it. So… I secluded. I avoided you. I know it might not make sense, that it might not be a good enough answer for you, but it’s the only one I have.” 

You didn’t exactly lie. It’s not the full truth but you were still as honest as you could let yourself be. He’s quiet for a minute as he takes in your words before letting out a deep sigh. 

“I guess I get that,” He does, he felt the pain too. The way his heart ached in longing every time he heard your voice, every time he’s thought about you since. It wasn’t enough for him to stop calling, but he still understands you shared the same pain during every call. “But you could’ve seen me again, you’ve been visiting in the summers this whole time.” he protests softly.

“Eddie, when I stopped calling I didn’t know I was going to come back to visit.” You shake your head lightly before turning your body towards him, mirroring his. “I mean, I figured I’d come back and see my Dad eventually, but uh if you remember, he wasn’t exactly in the best mental state when we left and was also locked up so, I didn’t really know anything about what would happen.” You look away from him and towards your lap, fingers fidgeting with the hem of your flannel. “It’s not that I don’t regret it, I do. But by the time I changed my mind and found out about coming back in the summer I was just… like, paralyzed. It had only been two months after I stopped calling, but I was afraid. Afraid it was too much time that’d passed, afraid you’d moved on and replaced me, afraid you wouldn’t forgive me… so I didn’t do anything. Just let it be. The whole time I just told myself you probably didn’t care much anyway.” Eddie blinks at you, wide-eyed as you finish before scoffing lightly.

“You really think I would’ve ‘replaced’ you that easily? That quickly? You were my best friend too, Y/N. The closest I’ve ever had, even closer than Ronnie, you know that. How could you think I wouldn’t care?”

“Come on, Eddie. You’re telling me your brain never fucks with you like that?” You ask, fingers picking a cigarette out of your pack and lighting it quickly. After an inhale you continue, “I mean logically, I know that you felt the same about our friendship. Plenty of memories and moments to prove it. But I just kept thinking back to when I first told you I was leaving. Sure, you seemed disappointed but you weren’t as upset as I was, you didn’t cry. And despite knowing I've only seen you cry like, twice before in all those years, my brain still just clung onto that. Like ‘ See! He doesn’t really care, not as much as you .’” You shake your head in disappointment and frustration with yourself as you take another hit. “It’s stupid, I know.”

“No,” Eddie answers quickly, squashing his own cigarette in the mulch with his Reebok sneakers. He looks at you, a sympathetic look etched across his features. “I know what that’s like.” You’re both quiet at first, letting the new information and understanding fall into place. You rock yourself back and forth on the swing slowly, gathering your words before you speak them.

“Look, I don’t expect you to forgive me and I don’t know what I could do to make it up to you but, I just need to say again that I’m sorry. I would take it all back if I could. I’ve really missed you.” You finish, eyes meeting his. You hope they’re portraying your sincerity as his own search your face. He looks away from you as a small smile tugs at one side of his lips, feet kicking at the mulch below.

“Yeah well… I missed you too.” He breathes out, eyes meeting yours again. A small smile tugs at your own lips. After a few moments of silence, he finishes. “I forgive you.” 

He leans towards you, pinky finger extended. You choke out a laugh at the sight, relief washing over you. You wrap your pinky around his, closing your eyes to stop them from watering as your smile deepens.

When your fingers detach, you sigh deeply and open your eyes to meet his again.

“Thank you” you say quietly, warmth spreading through your body. It feels like a massive weight has been taken off your shoulders. The optimism and hope you haven’t felt since last Sunday, before your first day back at Hawkins, creeps its way back into your mind and body. You note how much lighter your chest feels as it moves with each breath, and the knot you’ve felt in your stomach for a week begins to loosen.

You stay there for a while, lightly swinging back and forth as you and Eddie dive into discussions about new bands, albums, and movies that have come out since you moved. Concerts you’ve been to since. Eddie smiles seeing that you haven’t changed one bit since you’d left, even mentioning bands and movies he hadn’t even heard of, promising to share your tapes with him at some point. He finds himself getting lost watching you as you excitedly describe the Journey concert you went to with your cousins in 83’. Smiling when he notices the sparkle in your eyes as you rave about Steve Perry’s voice and how they played your favorite songs. Laughing as you pout in jealousy when he describes the Metallica concert he went to with Gareth earlier this year. It all feels so familiar, so comfortable. You’re so lost in conversation you don’t notice how much time passes by until Eddie checks his watch and whistles. It’s almost 11:30pm, nearly 2 hours since you first walked down to the playground. The hesitancy you held about your ability to get a goodnight’s rest tonight was gone. You feel like you’re floating as you and Eddie walk the short distance back to your trailers, Eddie telling you about Hellfire’s current campaign. 

“You know, you’re more than welcome to join us sometime. You already know half the club.” He offers as you reach the end of your driveway. 

“I’ll definitely think about it, thanks.” You give him a small smile.

“Cool. Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” He returns your smile as he rocks back and forth on his heels lightly, hands shoved into his vest pockets. 

“Oh, wait! Kind of an odd question but before I forget, do you know anyone around here that sells?” You ask as the thought of your now empty stash box pops into your head. Eddie smoked with you, you figure he knew where to get some around here.

And boy, did he. 

A bright, cheeky smile stretches across his face.

“Oh yeah, I know a guy.” He says with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes before he bows dramatically, “Your friendly neighborhood drug dealer at your service, my dear.”

Chapter Text

Saturday, October 12th, 1985

“A-Are you sure you want me to go with you for this??” You can hear the panic in Robin’s voice over the phone, making you smile as you imagine her pacing around her bedroom with a white knuckle grip on the phone.

“Yes, Robbie. I want you to come with me.”

“But it won’t be like, weird? Given my… ya know”

“Robin, you know that doesn’t bother me. Besides, who else could I possibly ask? Not Steve or Eddie… for obvious reasons. Nancy and I aren’t close enough for me to ask her. You, however, are one of my closest friends.” 

You hear her release a short exhale before she responds.

“Okay, as long as you don’t think having me there will be weird.”

“Oh my god Robin, it won’t be weird as long as you don’t make it weird!” You laugh out and smile when you hear a small laugh in return, breaking through her anxious energy.

“Okay, okay. I promise, no weird stuff.”

“Good, I’ll pick you up in 15!”

You roll over to your bedside table to hang up the phone, huffing before you get out of bed to get dressed. You throw on a pair of leggings and a baggy t-shirt. You glance in your mirror, deciding to keep your hair in a bun and go barefaced, knowing you’d have time to come back and get ready before your party at Steve’s later.

As soon as you walk out of your bedroom door, your mom flashes you a smile and comes to wrap you in a hug. 

“Happy birthday, sweetie” she speaks softly through the embrace. “Finally 18!” 

She pulls back and notices the purse on your shoulder and keys in hand. “Where are you heading?”

“I’m just going out with Robin for a bit, I’ll be back before my party at Steve’s later.”

“Alright, you wanna open your gift first before you go?” 

You spot the gift bag on the coffee table and nod before beginning to pull out the stuffing paper, mind wondering what she could’ve gotten you. 

Maybe a new pair of boots? Some new guitar strings? Some new cassettes or VHS tapes? 

Your excitement falters when you spot the neon colored clothing. You force the smile to remain on your face, choosing to avoid an argument as you pull the neon green sweater out of the bag and hold it up.
“Do you like it?!”

“Oh yeah, for sure!” You try your best to feign genuine excitement, unsure how effective it actually is.

“Promise you’ll actually wear it? Wouldn’t hurt to dress more like a girl…”

“Yes, mom. Thank you!” You answer quickly, flashing a smile her way before neatly folding the sweater and putting it back into the bag. That seems to satisfy her as she hums in agreement before turning to walk back to the kitchen.

As soon as the gift is back where you found it, you quickly leave the trailer. Groaning and rolling your eyes as soon as the front door shuts and you saunter down the steps to your truck.

Can’t even keep the nitpicking at bay for my birthday, let alone give me a gift I’d actually like.

Your mom’s not all bad. She does a lot for you and you know her heart is mostly in the right place, but her executions of showing care and concern for you often have the opposite effect, coming out critical and scrutinizing. 

You shake off the interaction, not wanting it to hamper on the good day you plan to have as you back out your driveway to pick Robin up. Smiling as you look over to Eddie’s trailer before pulling out of Forest Hills.

It’s been almost 3 weeks since the night on the playground when Eddie forgave you, allowing your close friendship to resume. You had intended to take it slow at first, let you both take time to warm up to each other again, but after a few days it was almost as if nothing had happened. Like no time at all had passed, let alone almost 3 years. You can’t really say you’re surprised considering how close you and Eddie were before the move, but you hadn’t expected your friendship to go back to ‘normal’ so quickly. You and Eddie fell back into the comfortable rhythm of your friendship, your usual banter and inside jokes quickly resuming. 

You’d even started joining the Hellfire table at lunch in the past week, though you haven’t accepted the invite to join the club just yet. You’d hung out a few times at his trailer too, listening to albums that’d come out in the time you’ve been gone and playing songs together on your guitars like you used to, only now you shared a joint while doing so. 

You sigh in content as you drive down Hawkins backroads to Robin’s house. You’ve been happier in the past 3 weeks than you have in the past 3 years. Everything feels like it’s finally come together.

You eye the brick building in a stretch of businesses on the outskirts of Hawkins as you park the truck. Tattoos and Piercings displayed in big orange letters in the front window. A mixture of excitement and nervousness fills your stomach as you turn to Robin with a smile. Forcing back a laugh as you see her nervously biting her bottom lip as she warily eyes the shop.

“Come on, let’s go!” you encourage as you hop out of the truck. Robin shortly catches up to your quick strides as you cross the street.

“W-What if the piercer is like, a major creep? Maybe we should have done like a background check or something first…” 

“Well what do you think I have you here for? I need a protector… for my hoo haa’s” you tease her playfully, a devilish smirk pulling at your lips as she looks at you wide-eyed. “Robin, everything will be fine. You don’t have to come back with me if you don’t want to.”

She shakes her head quickly, taking a deep breath as she faces the shop door.

“Nope, we’ve got this. I got your back, or well uh…” Her eyes briefly glance down to your chest before quickly looking back to the shop. “nevermind.” 

She opens the tattoo shop door, letting you go in first. For a Saturday business is slow, only one other customer inside getting tattooed. You approach the front desk where a middle aged man with shaggy hair greets you. You tell him what piercing you want and give him your ID, quickly signing the waiver for piercing and aftercare information and handing over cash for payment. With all formalities settled, he leads you and Robin to a room in the back of the shop.

“Alright uh, just go ahead and remove your shirt and bra.” He states, turning his back to you as he gathers his needles and cleaning supplies. Once you’ve taken off your upper layers and wait for him to begin, you look next to you to see Robin’s back is also towards you, standing rigidly as she faces the wall. Eyeing the seemingly very interesting cracks and chips in the wall’s red paint. You snicker at the sight.

“Rob, you can look ya know. You promised you wouldn’t make it weird.” 

“Right, right.” She says quickly as she turns around, eyes refusing to meet you or your exposed chest, deciding to now stare at the wall opposite of you. You shake your head at her as the piercer turns around and walks toward you.

“Alright, I’m gonna mark with a pen where I’ll pierce, then you can look in a mirror to make sure it looks alright.” 

He does as said, marking both sides of both your nipples, ensuring they look even before backing away so you can check for yourself in the mirror. Satisfied at the placement, you nod at him before sitting on the laid back chair.

“Good, now go ahead and lay back and I’ll get started.”

“Have you uh-pierced many nipples before?” Robin asks with a high-pitched squeak as she watches him bring over his tray of supplies.

He gives her an exhausted look before answering, “This ain’t my first rodeo, hun.”

She purses her lips, nodding her head at his answer as she continues looking around the room at anywhere but you.

“Alright, I’m sure you can imagine this is gonna hurt a bit.”

“Uh, Robin?” you ask as you extend a hand out to her, “Gonna need some support here.”

“Oh, right!” She answers after a moment, quickly taking your hand as her eyes finally meet yours, refusing to stray further south as she mouths a ‘sorry!”.

“Take a deep breath aaaand exhale”

As you exhale, a sharp pain spreads through your left nipple. You yelp out something like a mixture of a loud moan and scream, quickly grabbing Robin’s hand tightly. Curiosity gets the best of her and she finally looks, eyes going wide and mouth falling open at the sight.

“First one done, best to do the second one right away while you still got the adrenaline kick.” He states as he maneuvers to the other side of you, forcing Robin to shimmy over to the side he just occupied.

“Give me another deep breath”

You squeeze both Robin’s hand and your eyes shut as you take another inhale and exhale, a duller pain spreading through your other nipple. After some more deep breaths, you’re greeted with the news that you’re all finished.

You sit up fully, wiping your eyes as you stand and walk over to the mirror. A big smile creeps onto your face as you look at your newly pierced nipples. You’ve never felt particularly confident about your breasts. They aren’t big but they aren’t little either. You never felt like they were anything special. Ever since you first saw an image of a woman with her nipples pierced in a tattoo magazine your older cousin had a year ago, the image and idea of doing the same to your own hasn’t left your mind since.

As you eye yourself and your chest in the mirror, the new addition to your nipples gives you the boost of confidence you hoped it would. You turn around to face Robin.

“What do you think? Do they look good?”

Her head moves like a bobble head, nodding and shaking in every direction as she stares at your chest before looking up to meet your eyes.

“Uh yup. They look great” She muses, putting extra emphasis on the ‘p’.

You carefully put your bra back on, taking extra caution not to hit or snag the new barbells adorning your breasts. 

After a few minutes you and Robin are back in your truck and pulling onto the road. After making a quick stop for at the gas station for slushies, you head down the route to drop Robin back off at her house before Steve comes to grab her for help in setting up for your party.

Between sips of cherry slushies and singing along to Easy Lover by Phil Collins and Philip Bailey, Robin speaks up.

“You know, I think this whole ordeal has really added another layer to our friendship. Brought us closer, you know?” You smirk in response to her comment, and to the reaction you know your next words will elicit.

“Oh yeah, I mean now you’ve seen my tits and you now know what I sound like in bed.” you muse nonchalantly, failing to hold back the shit-eating grin plastered on your face.

“OH MY GOD” she groans loudly, covering her face with her hands as you cackle in satisfaction.

~

Eddie’s already waiting for you, leaning against your truck with a lit cigarette in hand as you shut your front door behind you.

“There’s the birthday girl!” he yells with a bright smile on his face. You roll your eyes but are unable to hide the blush on your cheeks and soft smile as you approach him.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart” he hums softly as he wraps his arms around you in a tight embrace. 

“Thanks, Eds” You return the embrace, never tiring of the feeling of his body against yours, long arms wrapping around your frame. You gladly ignore the soreness of your chest as it presses against his. You let yourself inhale his scent, the faint smell of apples from his shampoo, cigarettes, and musky cologne flood your senses. You sigh softly at the intoxicating smell and feeling of him against you before you break from the embrace.

“Ready to party?” He asks with a cheeky smile.

“Hell yeah, hop in” He jogs over to the passenger side as you turn the ignition. 

Within 10 minutes, you’re pulling into Steve’s driveway, parking next to his car. Thankfully, it happens to be one of the many weekends that Steve’s parents are out of town, leaving the house to all of your friends to have a nice little get-together for your birthday. It’s nothing short of a miracle that you, Steve, and Robin managed to get a Saturday off together too. You can only imagine what they had to do to convince Keith to cover their shift.

“So this is Harrington’s humble abode huh?” Eddie mumbles with a hint of sarcasm as you begin walking up the driveway.

“Best behavior, Munson. Remember?” Eddie scoffs in response.

“I am always on my best behavior, thank you.”

“Who are you trying to fool?” you tease back playfully as you open the front door and let yourself in.

You look around the empty living room, eyeing some liters of soda sitting out on the kitchen counter. As Eddie looks around curiously, you notice shadows and hushed voices near the sliding glass door to the backyard. As you open the door, you’re immediately greeted with a chorus of shouts, “Happy birthday!” 

You hate being the center of attention, but you can’t help but smile and laugh as you look at the smiling faces of your friends, Steve, Robin, Dustin, Mike, and Lucas all waiting to celebrate you. You step out onto the back porch with Eddie following behind. 

“Thank you, guys. This is so sweet!” You gush as your eyes look around, catching the Happy Birthday banner and table filled with snacks and drinks. You go to greet your friends one by one starting with Steve who already has an arm outstretched for a hug. You gladly abide, giving him a hug as you thank him for hosting and the effort he’s put in, leading him to scoff lightly in response.

“Of course, Y/N. I’m glad to.” 

You move to hug Robin, who hesitates for a second as she eyes your chest.

“I said don’t make it weird or obvious” you whisper through your teeth, staring at her wide eyed. She moves into action, quickly pulling you into a hug a little too eagerly to make up for her hesitation. “Don’t make it hurt either, goddamn.” you wince before you both laugh. 

You move on to the younger boys whom Eddie has already joined and squeeze their shoulders lovingly.

“I’m glad you turds are here too.” you tease as you smile brightly, spurring groans and eye rolls from them.

“Okay, that’s offensive.” Mike states matter-of-factly before breaking out into a smile. 

You wish Max would be here to celebrate with you all. You invited her, but when she heard of who all would be here, she quickly fumbled her way to an excuse, a commitment she made to her mom. You don’t hold it against her, but still, as you look among all your friends, her absence is noticeable. 

After a little while of mingling and snacking, Steve suggests a game of soccer, corralling all the boys out into the backyard. You and Robin sit at the edge of the porch, watching as the boys run around the yard, snacking on chips, and listening to your mixtape playing on the stereo.

“So uh, how do they feel?” She asks quietly. You peek a look at her as you pop a chip in your mouth. 

“They fuckin burn is how they feel.” you sigh, watching as Dustin begins to accuse Steve of playing dirty.

“ Burn ?! I-is that normal?” She nearly chokes on her chips, causing you to laugh as you shake your head.

“I don’t know, Rob. I’m sure it’s fine” you shrug as she looks lost in thought and you’re sure, anxiety. 

“Hey Y/N! Why don’t you come join us!” Dustin shouts out to you.

“Yeah, you too Rob come on!” Steve adds as his chest heaves slightly, hands on his hips.

“No, absolutely not.” Robin states plainly.

“Eh, I don’t know”

“Oh come on, don’t be chickenshits!” Dustin exclaims, causing your eyebrows to raise as you give him an ‘oh really?’ look.

“I think I’m totally fine with being a chicken.” Robin states unphased, looking at you. You share a look with her before standing up.

“Hold my beer.” You say as you begin walking out to meet the boys in the yard.

“But you’re not even drinking a…” Robin begins as you walk away, completely lost, joke flying over her head and landing somewhere in the front yard.

You fall into a 3v3 game; Steve, Eddie and you vs. Dustin, Mike, and Lucas, despite the latter's complaints of it being unfair. You’re not athletic and never considered yourself a fan of sports, but you find yourself having fun and laughing as you kick the soccer ball around and between each other. Not to mention you joined this game with a mission, make Dustin eat his words. Having Steve and Eddie on your team helps, their tall stature and long limbs aiding in bypassing the younger boys’ attempts to intercept the ball. When Steve kicks the ball toward you, you don’t hesitate. Kicking the ball as hard as you can, going airborne in Eddie’s direction for him to secure a goal. Only Mike’s big ass head gets in the way. You have to turn away to try to stifle your laughter when you see and hear the soccer ball audibly thunk! against the side of his head.

“ Ow !” he exclaims dramatically, hand holding the side of his head. You bite back your laughter as you face him, the snickering laughter from everyone else doing little to help.

“I’m sorry, bud. You were in the way!”

“In the way?!!” he shrieks in response, leaving you to only shrug apologetically. 

“Alright, walk it off. Don’t be dramatic. Here, we’ll even give you the ball!” Steve attempts to mediate, his offer seemingly settling Mike as the younger boys get back in formation. It does little to help though, as Steve shortly reclaims the ball for your team. 

A moment later you’re all huddled close with the ball stuck being kicked around in the middle, waiting for someone to manage to kick it out. In a moment of an innocent mistake and careless obliviousness, Dustin accidently pushes back against you and elbows your chest as his attention and body follows the movement of the ball. 

Your face scrunches in pain and your hand shoots out to grip the back of Dustin’s shirt. The rest of the boys go on unfazed, the distraction allowing an opening for Steve to kick the ball out of the circle. You take a deep breath before opening your eyes and meeting Dustin’s wide-eyed gaze, knowing he’s in deep shit. 

“Oh, you better run.” You whisper with a sinister smile on your face. You loosen your grip enough to let Dustin pull away and get a head start as he sprints off before you set off after him. After Steve scores another goal for your team, everyone watches in amusement as you briefly chase Dustin around the yard. You may be a bigger girl and not the most athletic, but you can still run pretty damn fast when you want to.

“Who’s the chickenshit now?!” you yell out teasingly as you begin to gain distance on him, holding back your laughter as he screeches out “I’m sorry”s. When you’re close enough, you wrap your arms around his midsection, lifting and spinning him around in circles as he screams, before you put him down and give him a good noogie. After you both regain your breath, you wrap your arm around his shoulder and give it a light squeeze before you walk back to rejoin the group.

“Well I guess that’s a good point to end it on,” Steve begins as he laughs softly. “a 6 to 2 victory!” 

“A proper victory for the birthday girl.” Eddie smiles at you. You give him a bashful curtsey in return, making him laugh before you all return to the porch to lay back and relax.

You and Eddie sit next to each other on one of Steve’s outdoor loveseat chairs, smirking as the younger boys bicker about the soccer game. Eddie lights up a joint, taking a hit before passing it to you. Extending his arm to rest behind your head.

“Listen, you little shits lost fair and square.” Eddie states with a self-satisfied smile.

“Yeah, well I’d wonder who’d win if the two oldest and tallest people here weren’t on the same team.” Lucas pushes.

“Yeah, a rematch of sorts” Dustin adds in agreement. Causing you to laugh as you exhale your hit.

“That’s about as much running as you’ll get out of me for the next month so, maybe next time fellas.” You state simply with a smile. 

The conversation thankfully changes topic as you and Eddie continue sharing his joint. You let your head rest back gently against his arm as you relax from your physical exertion, letting the small touch ground and soothe you as you look around, watching your friends happily. Steve steps out of the house with a platter full of hamburger patties and hotdogs ready to be grilled. You smirk at the image of Steve standing at the smoking grill, in Dad at a cookout mode.

“Only thing missing is a ‘Kiss the Cook’ apron.” you quip toward Robin, whose eyes follow yours before breaking out into a giggle with you.

“Oh, I’m definitely getting him that for Christmas.” she hums in amusement.

Everyone is buzzing in conversation and light-hearted laughs with each other as music plays in the background. The beginning of a particular song catches your attention. Lucas’s eyes turn to meet yours at the exact moment yours turn to look at him as Let’s Groove by Earth, Wind, and Fire begins to play. Neither of you can resist the temptation, standing from your seats to sing and dance along together. Smiling and laughing as you break out into a half choreographed dance you’d done many times before. 

In the years prior, you’d loved babysitting Lucas and Erica the most. Beyond Lucas’s well-mannered but playful attitude with you and the similar sass as you that Erica embodied, going through Mr and Mrs. Sinclair’s collection of funk and RnB records was one of your favorite things. That, and the 3 of you spending all afternoon coming up with your own dances to the songs, often mimicking moves you’d seen on Soul Train. Everyone is all smiles as Dustin decides to join, doing his own rendition of the robot dance as he slots in next to you two.

Eddie watches the scene from his seat. It’s honestly heartwarming for him to witness first-hand the relationship you have with the younger boys. How you handle their attitudes and join in on their antics. Watching as you take on the fun but sassy older sister role gives him hope he can have a similar close friendship with them too, given his own still new but growing friendship with the new members of the club. 

At first, he tries not to let his eyes linger on you too much, not wanting his desire for you to be so obvious. But your body is calling out to him, pulling his eyes back to you as he watches your hips sway, the jiggle of your thick thighs, and with the way you shake your ass Eddie swears he’s going to die on the spot. He’s all of a sudden getting hot, and the already cooling temperatures from the quickly setting sun can’t be to blame. The slightest movement in his jeans sends him scurrying inside for a ‘bathroom break’ as he pleads to the gods there aren’t any more dance songs on the rest of your mixtape.

When the song ends and the boys sit down to take a breather, you venture over to Steve who is intently focused on the hot dogs and burgers sizzling on the grill. You take a sip from the can of Cola you carry before clearing your throat.

“So uh, how’s your wieners looking, Steve?” You hold back a laugh as you see the spatula he holds go still and his head slowly turns to look at you, giving you a ‘really?’ look as you stare at him with a coy grin. You hear a snicker from Dustin before he joins in.

“Hehe yeah, Steve. Are they nice and juicy?” he asks, sending the other boys into a giggling fit as Steve groans.

“Ah great, look at what you’ve started!” he says to you dramatically in a serious tone, but the slight upturn of the side of his mouth doesn’t fool you, breaking out into a full blown smile when you poke his side. 

You stand there with him, teasing him with comments like “Oooh, nice flip there” every time he turns over a burger. Shimmying and singing I Can’t Go For That to each other when it starts to play, a tradition of sorts started during numerous car rides before.

When Eddie returns from the bathroom, he spots you and Steve at the grill, standing particularly close, singing to each other. He can’t deny the ping of jealousy he feels at the sight. Suspicions of what kind of friendship you and Steve have exactly continues to brew ever since he first saw you in the Hawkins parking lot with him. He decides it’s time for a drink, grabbing a can of beer from the 6 pack he brought out of the cooler and resuming his previous seat. He’s thankful when the boys pull him into a DnD conversation that keeps his eyes from lingering on you two.

When the burgers and hotdogs are done, everyone digs in. The early evening hour and soccer game working up everyone’s appetite. After the food is all settled and everyone involved in conversation, you feel a light nudge at your side from Eddie, who greets you with a smile.

“Drink for the birthday girl?” He asks, a cold unopened beer in hand pointed toward you. You hesitate for a second as you eye the can, never having drank alcohol before. Growing up with your Dad had been enough to keep you away from it.

“Come on, you’re in a safe place with friends.” Eddie gently probes.

“Yeah, you know the spare room’s open for you too, don’t have to worry about going anywhere.” Steve adds. 

You notice that Steve and Robin are already sipping on their own beers and with one last look back at Eddie you decide to let your guard down. Nodding at him as you take the beer from his hands and open it.

“Hey, can I have one too?” Mike asks enthusiastically, “I mean what safer place to do it than here?”

“Nice try, Wheeler. I don’t think so.” Steve quickly answers before taking a sip from his own beer. You hear the boys’ groans in the background as you take your first sip, Eddie’s eyes watching you before your face turns and you stick out your tongue.

“Ugh, that tastes like shit!” You’re met with laughter by the 3 older teens, “How the hell do you drink this?”

“Oh come on, it’s not that bad.”

“Well it certainly isn’t good.”

“I’m pretty sure I’ve got some rum and pineapple juice inside. I could make you a sweet drink?” Steve offers as he’s already rising from his seat to go inside.

“As long as it tastes better than this!”

And that it does. You hum in approval at the first sip, barely noticing the faint taste of alcohol over the sweet flavor of pineapple juice.

As the sun finally sets and a cool breeze flows through the air, the group moves out into the back yard where Steve has set up wood for a bonfire. Steve, ever the Dad of the group, comes prepared with supplies for s'mores. Insisting there had to be some kind of dessert considering you didn't want the traditional cake and candles, not wanting your friends to make too much fuss over you.

You bask in the warmth of the bright flames, aiding in the warmth already flowing through your body from the alcohol as you move on to your 2nd drink. That warmth grows as you look around at your friends circled around the campfire, smiles on their faces as they roast marshmallows that end up sticking to their lips, and Lucas dramatically telling his best rendition of a ghost story to the group. 

What a perfect day. This is everything you could ask for for your birthday. Nothing extravagant. Just quality time with your favorite people in this world. 

You let your eyes linger on Eddie as he watches and laughs along to Lucas’s story. Watching the flickering warm glow and shadows that the fire casts on his face. You admire the dimples in his cheeks and his plump, pink lips. His warm chocolate eyes as they look to meet yours, feeling your eyes on him. You blush and smile back at him, hoping the alcohol in your system and warmth from the fire are good enough cover for your red cheeks as you tune back into Lucas’s story. 

After a while the younger boys opt for going inside to set up their blankets and pillows in the living room and watch tv before bed.

Now on your 3rd drink, you’re feeling what you assume people call ‘tipsy’ at this point. 

“Goodnight, Dusty bun! Goodnight, Mikey! Goodnight, Lukie! Don’t let the bed bugs bite!” You call out lovingly after them as they walk the short distance back to the house.

“Dusty bun, huh?” Eddie asks curiously with a cheeky smile.

Steve almost excitedly spurs into telling Eddie about Dustin’s girlfriend in Utah, and their favorite song from The Neverending Story. You smile as you watch them interact. You’d initially been worried about having the two together, once being on opposite ends of the social hierarchy at Hawkins High. But given Steve’s personal growth over the past few years, you knew it was a matter of time before Eddie warmed up to him and saw him for who he is now, not the “King Steve” he’d known before.

You fish out a cigarette from your pack and light it, sinking into your chair as you take the first inhale. Your eyes shoot open as you hear the opening bass line to one of your favorite songs, Eyes Without a Face by Billy Idol.

“Oh my god I love this song!” you practically whine, standing up from your seat to dance along, eliciting a laugh from Steve. 

“Uh yeah, we know. You only insisted on playing it every time we’d go for late night drives this summer.” He smirks as he takes another drink from his beer.

“Uh yeah, because it’s one of the best songs ever!” you insist as if it’s obvious before you move a step away from the fire, hips swaying with the beat. Drink in one hand, cigarette in the other.

“I will admit it has grown on me.” Robin adds looking at Steve before smiling as she watches you. 

I’m all out of hope

One more bad break

Could bring a fall

You sing along as your body moves with the beat, putting your cigarette in your mouth to let your fingers play along to the bass line and guitar solo on your air guitar. You can really feel the alcohol now, the way your limbs feel both heavy and light at the same time as you move through the cool breeze, the giddy and sentimental energy flowing through you.

“Oh Robbie, come join me!” you plead, motioning her to you with your free hand. You’re lucky she’s just drunk enough to agree and join you in her best attempt at dancing along. Eddie and Steve watch with bright smiles, Eddie’s heart warming at the sight. 

He didn’t think his feelings for you could deepen any more, but here you are once again proving him wrong. Watching you be so carefree and playful, the way you passionately sing along to every word, the sway of your hips. He can’t get enough.

It’s all gone too soon as the song ends, leaving you pouting before you pull Robin in for a hug. The alcohol also working to numb your nipples, you discover.

“I love you, Robbie. Thanks for coming with me today.” You mumble in her ear as you embrace her tightly.

“Anytime.” she whispers back, returning your embrace.

“I love all of you guys” you say as you turn back to face the two boys sitting by the fire, only slurring your words slightly. “This has been the best birthday ever.”

You give a lopsided smile as you walk to Steve’s side and wrap your arms around him.

“Thank you, Stevie. So so much.” you mutter into his side as he laughs softly, rubbing your arm.

“Anytime, hun.”

You stumble slightly, losing your footing as you pull away from his hug. 

“I’m good, all good!” You slur as you steady, putting your arms up and giggling.

“Maybe it’s time we call it a night, the fire’s starting to die anyway.” Steve suggests as he sees how much the alcohol is hitting you. You groan and pout in response but ultimately agree when your body continues to sway as you stand in place, Steve asking Eddie if he can take you inside.

“It’s the first bedroom on the right up the stairs.” 

“Come on, princess. Let’s get you to bed.” Eddie says softly as he wraps an arm around your waist to support you, fingers lightly digging into the soft flesh there. You smile, giggling to yourself at the pet name as you put your arm around his shoulder, letting him lead you into the house and up the stairs.

As soon as you catch sight of the bed you plop face down on it, sighing in pleasure as you nuzzle your face against the soft pillow, eliciting an airy laugh from Eddie. You turn on your side to peek at him.

“Who you laughing at?”

“You, silly. You gonna sleep with no covers on?” He asks, motioning to the comforter you’re laying on top of. You groan in annoyance before standing up, quickly flipping up the comforter and crawling underneath and settling back in. You watch as Eddie takes off his vest and jacket, laying them on the end of the bed before going back downstairs to get you a glass of water.

You sigh and find yourself staring at the wall as your body sinks into the bed. You think back over your good day spent with your friends, and finally having your first drink to celebrate your 18th birthday. You aren’t sure what triggers it, but your mood quickly takes a turn as you begin to hear inklings of your mom’s voice in your head. Warnings and cautions thrown at you over the years about drinking, about your Dad. Pressures to be responsible and not follow in your father’s footsteps.

You need to be careful. Alcoholism runs in the family, you know.

You don’t want to end up like him.

The thoughts weigh on you heavily, worry and guilt quickly overtaking your mind. You’re so consumed by it you don’t hear Eddie’s footsteps coming up the stairs, only taking in his presence when you see his jeans enter your vision as he stands in front of you, putting the glass of water down on the bedside table. At first he thinks maybe you’ve fallen asleep, until he looks down at your face and notices the look in your eyes as you stare off in the distance and the frown set on your lips. He quickly squats down to be face level with you, eyes searching your face as his hand reaches out for your shoulder.

“Y/N, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” 

You take a shaky inhale before you look at his worried face.

“W-We’re not gonna end up like our Dads are we?” you ask quietly, sadness seeping through your tone as you look deeply into his eyes.

He looks at you confused before it hits him. 

“Hey hey. No.” he reassures you, softly rubbing his hand up and down your bicep. “Just because you let yourself have fun and drink a bit with your friends doesn’t mean you’re going to be like your Dad, okay?” He watches as your expression begins to soften, taking in his words. “And you tell that little voice in your head to fuck off alright?” You give him the exact reaction he wanted, breaking out into a smile and giggling at his words. 

He always knows how to make you feel better. His reassurance and touch helps to calm your worries, but as you look into his eyes, guilt hits you again at your own words. Your insinuation that Eddie could end up like his father. You shake your head at the realization.

“That was a silly thing to say, I’m sorry.” Eddie watches you as one of your hands reaches out to his face. His breath hitching as he feels the pads of your fingers graze his cheek, moving strands of hair out of his face and tucking them behind his ear. “You could never be like him, Eds. You’re too good.” 

Eddie stares into your eyes for a moment. Your words, your touch, the look in your eyes as you stare into his has a grip on his heart, squeezing it as he’s overcome with it all. He struggled to believe those same words when he told it to himself, but hearing them fall from your lips is different. Helps him to believe it’s true. That, and the way you always saw him , when all anyone else in town saw when they looked at him was Al Munson. Casting a shadow over him. A shadow you’re familiar with. 

He smiles softly at you before looking down at the floor, taking a deep breath and gulping before he speaks.

“I know you uh- said no presents but I’ve got something for you.”

 He looks up to meet your eyes again, taking in your curious look before he reaches his hands behind his neck and unclasps his necklace, holding it out to you. Your mouth falls open at the gesture, eyeing his red and black guitar pick necklace he’s worn for years that’s now resting in his hand, outstretched toward you. Your heart flutters at the sight.

“E-Eddie, your necklace?”

“I want you to have it, so you’ll always have a piece of me with you. Honestly should’ve given it to you a long time ago but, better late than never.” He offers you a shy smile. 

You quickly sit up and wrap your arms around him as you try to stop your bottom lip from quivering at the sentimental gesture, the alcohol making it much harder to do so. There’s so much you want to say, so many thoughts running through your head but none of the words meet your lips. You’re left speechless as Eddie returns your embrace before he pulls back and stands up, putting the necklace around your neck and clasping it in place. You look down at the pick now resting against your chest, your thumb caressing it.

“Thank you, Eddie. It means alot to me.” you gush as you look up at him, mimicking the wide smile already on his face.

“No need to thank me, sweetheart. Looks better on you anyway.” 

You roll your eyes at him before resting your head back on the pillow, fingers still lingering on the pick around your neck.

“Alright, I’ll let you get some rest.” He sighs before walking to the end of the bed. When he reaches for his vest and jacket, you speak up.

“Wait… why don’t you just stay in here with me tonight?” He stares at you for a moment, mouth hanging open slightly as he thinks of your proposition. “I mean, unless you want to sleep on the floor with the kids in the living room. Come on, it’ll be like old times.” 

He caves in a little too quickly, giving you a nod and a soft smile as he moves his vest and jacket to a chair in the corner of the room. He turns off the bedroom light before walking over to the other side of the bed. You’re ashamed at the little wave of excitement that rushes over you when you hear the metal clink of him undoing his belt buckle, undressing down to his boxers before he climbs in under the covers next to you.

You settle into the bed facing each other, sighing in content as you get comfortable. Though you aren’t touching, you can already feel the warmth radiating from his body inches away. It isn’t long before you’re slipping under, dozing off into a deep sleep as one hand grips the guitar pick hanging from your new necklace.

Eddie’s fingers twitch at the close distance to you. Watching you through the faint moonlight shining through the window as you drift off to sleep. Though it’s not the first time you've fallen asleep next to each other, it’s the first time you’ve done it in years. The same thoughts and temptations he’d held at each sleepover before haven’t changed now. 

He wants nothing more than to caress your bare skin and pull your body against his. Rest his head on top of yours and inhale the scent of your shampoo as his hand softly rubs your back, soothing you to sleep. 

He lays there watching you, wondering if he’ll ever get the chance to do it. Wondering if he’ll ever have the guts to tell you how he feels and make you his. If you even want him like that. If you even see him as anything more than just your best friend.

He sighs before settling into his spot in the bed, deciding that being here with you like this is enough, for now.

Chapter Text

Friday, October 18th, 1985

After over 3 weeks of relentless pressure and questions of when you’d finally join the club from Eddie and the trio of younger boys, you finally cave in. It’s not that you hadn’t wanted to join, quite the opposite in fact. You missed Eddie’s creativity, enthusiasm, and dramatics when it came to campaigns. You always had so much fun when you’d join the younger boys’ campaigns over the years too, their bickering providing you with far more entertainment than the game itself. 

You’d initially been a little apprehensive about joining given the older members, not wanting to feel like you were intruding. That apprehension dissipated once you started joining the Hellfire table at lunch, quickly fitting in and joking around with Gareth, Jeff and Grant. Eddie wouldn’t have tolerated anything different, prepared to step in if the older members didn’t quickly accept you. This is a club for the freaks and outcasts of Hawkins to be fair, the idea that any of them wouldn’t quickly accept you, fellow outcast and long time friend of Eddie’s, would be almost out of question.

The only other issue with officially joining Hellfire was the meeting time on Friday evenings, when you’re scheduled to work at the restaurant. You didn’t think your Aunt Patty would be willing to let you go from working one of the restaurant’s busiest nights, but after much pleading and ensuring it’s for a school club meetings, not forgetting to mention how good it’ll look on college applications while leaving out the fact it’s for playing Dungeons and Dragons, she eventually relents and moves you to working Tuesday nights instead. It’s not an even trade at all for your aunt, switching from working a busy Friday night to a slow weeknight, but you sure as hell won’t mention it.

When you first walk into the theater room, you already wish you had joined sooner. It’s the perfect placement. Your eyes are immediately drawn to the stage lights that cast a glow around the room, the lit candles surrounding the game table, adding to the no doubt intense atmosphere you’d learned to expect from Eddie’s campaigns. Your eyes trail along the table to the throne-like chair placed at the head, Eddie already sitting in it with his face buried in his playbook. You smirk at the sight, typical Eddie going all out. He turns to greet you all with a wide, but sinister smile.

“Welcome, my sheep! Please, gather round so we may begin the grand trek to Mackbar!” he booms, voice deepening as he continues. He looks at you specifically, gesturing dramatically at the empty seat to his right.

“Special seat for our new member, m’lady.”

You giggle at his antics as a giddy excitement fills your belly, quickly walking over to claim your spot.

“So kind of you, Master.” you retort playfully as you take your seat. Eddie tries to hide the way the word falling from your lips makes his stomach do somersaults, on top of the way his red and black guitar pick necklace he gave you looks hanging around your neck, resting against your chest as if it was made for you.

“So, still a gnome cleric if my memory serves me correctly?”

“Nope. I’m a chaotic good wood-elf fighter named Vadania Moonflower.” you state confidently with a smile that Eddie quickly returns, eyebrows shooting up to his bangs.

“Mmm very interesting, I like it. Suits you well.”

The sound of Dustin clearing his throat breaks you both from the trance you’re in as you smile cheekily at each other, Dustin displaying a smirk of his own as he watches. With everyone settled in their seats with their figurines set, drinks and snacks waiting, Eddie begins the campaign. The deep theatrical voice he uses to set the scene and the party’s mission immediately draws and sucks you in. Soon finding yourself completely engulfed in your character and the world set for the game. 

Everytime you’d joined in or watched the younger boys' campaigns over the years in Mike’s basement, you’d often imagined what it would be like to bring the boys and Eddie together for a campaign, two parts of your world combining so to speak. You smile as you look around the table now that it’s finally happening, utterly entertained at the interactions between Dungeon Master Eddie and the boys, the curveballs they throw at Eddie’s expectations for the game. He won’t admit it so easily, but he loves the way the new members keep him on his toes, sparking his creativity in those moments when things don’t go as planned. 

He’s missed a lot of things about you over the years you’ve been gone. Seeing you utterly engrossed in his campaigns, now with more confidence in your character and abilities, is one of those things. Butterflies flutter in his chest as he watches you enact your character’s fierce disposition and fighting abilities, readily at the front lines to defend the party at any inkling of danger. 

It’s a place where time doesn’t exist, not when you’re completely immersed in the elaborate story and gameplay set out by Eddie. Although to be fair you often feel that way when you’re with him in general, so consumed and grounded in his presence that time flies by. 

Tonight is no different. Before you know it you’ve reached the end of tonight’s campaign, on a cliff-hanger at that. The time on your watch reads 8:33pm, 2 and a half hours having passed since you first took your seat at the table.

You decide to stay back and help Eddie clean up and collect his supplies. 

“So what did you think? You have fun?” You smirk at the question as you throw away empty Mountain Dew cans.

“I think that I’ve really missed playing DnD with you,” you admit, letting out a breathy laugh. “Yeah, I had a lot of fun. I’m glad I came.”

“Yeah, me too.” He says, offering you a shy smile as he blows out the last lit candle.

Once everything is all packed up you walk out of the school together side by side, paying Eddie compliments for the campaign, compliments that you can almost swear are causing a blush to adorn his cheeks.

As you approach your cars, Eddie turns to you.

“Hey so uh I was wondering, how do you feel about taking up another one of our old traditions tonight? Horror movie night, what do you say?” He asks, hands tucked into his jeans pocket as he sways back and forth. “That is if you don’t already have plans?”

“No no, I’m free. I'd love that.”

“Perfect” he sings with a bright smile before gesturing to his van parked next to yours. “Just follow me to my castle then, sweetheart.”

Uncle Wayne’s trailer is a place that has always brought you comfort, a safe space in a way for you over the years. That sentiment extended to Uncle Wayne himself too. Anytime things were bad at home, Wayne ensured his door was wide open for you and it always was. Even when Eddie and you would play your guitars’ in his room a little too loud at times, he never said a word. He never had anything but kind words for you as a matter of fact. 

You’ve only been able to see him once since you’ve been back, greeting you with open arms and a smile. Since he’s taken up night shifts he’s usually asleep during the daytime, leaving the trailer to Eddie on nights like tonight where the sounds of screaming victims from the TV won’t wake him from his slumber.

You make yourself comfortable, taking your usual spot on the worn loveseat sofa in the living room as Eddie rummages through the kitchen cabinets.

“What’s on the lineup for tonight?” you ask as Eddie returns to the living room with a bowl of popcorn and 2 cans of Coke. He smirks at you as he sets them down on the coffee table before turning around and sifting through tapes under the TV.
“Well I figured, what better movie to mark the recommencement of our movie nights… gotcha” he begins, finally finding the movie he’s looking for before turning back to you, raising the tape for you to see, “than your favorite movie. Still your favorite right?” He asks, VHS tape of Halloween in hand. 

You smile brightly, “Of course, you know me so well.” 

He returns your smile, turning back and inserting the tape into the VHS player, almost giddily jogging over to turn down the lights around the trailer before joining you as the opening credits begin. 

You both lean back into the loveseat, getting comfortable. Feet propped up on the coffee table, bowl of popcorn resting between you, shoulder to shoulder on the small sofa. You can feel the warmth radiating through his Hellfire tshirt to yours, finding yourself resisting the urge to lay your head on his shoulder like you’ve done many times before. All those times had been from sleepiness and comfortability with each other, you don’t want to acknowledge that you now craved the notion from purely wanting to feel more of his touch. Especially now after having him back in your life after years away, knowing he missed you too. But that urge stems from deeper feelings, feelings you have to continue burying if you want to keep him in your life after you’ve just gotten him back.

Neither of you speak for a while as you watch the movie you’ve both seen countless times you could recite it word for word. The very first movie you and Eddie had ever seen together at the theater, begging Wayne to be the adult to accompany you two. 

Eddie reaches down to his lunchbox resting by his feet, flicking open the lid and quickly finding the joint he’s looking for. He hands it over to you with a smile.

“Care to do the honors?”

“My pleasure.” you take the joint and lighter from his hands, quickly lighting it and passing it back after your first hit. It’s a ritual you’ve quickly picked up over the last 3 weeks since your rekindled friendship.

Mid-way through the joint as you watch the high schoolers in the movie, a question you’ve been holding off asking crawls its way to the forefront of your brain. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask… why exactly are you still at Hawkins High?” you question with a slight teasing in your tone as you pass the joint to him, “I mean I know it’s not because you’re not smart.”

When he sighs and a small frown forms on his lips in response, you almost regret asking. 

“It’s a long story, bunch of bullshit.” he takes a drag before looking at you with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, “And why exactly are you at Hawkins High, hmm? Miss Super Senior herself.”

“Well technically I’m not a super senior, thank you very much.” You roll your eyes at him playfully before sucking in a deep breath, “I’m not repeating my senior year. I failed 10th grade after the move, so…” you finish with a half-hearted shrug, casting your eyes back to the tv as you take another hit. 

Eddie silently watches you as your words weigh on him. It’s not that he doubted you’ve told him the truth about how hard the move was, about how much it hurt. But hearing that it hurt so much that you flunked that year of school made it all really sink in for him. 

He wants nothing more than to wrap his arms around you, pull you in for a hug with whispered wishes that it never happened. He resists though, he just got you back in his life, he can’t take you leaving again. He settles for extending his arm along the back of the loveseat behind your head, and decides to open up to you.

“I… some things happened my first senior year back in '84 that uh, pretty much made it impossible for me to graduate. Dad came back.”

Your eyes are quickly back on him, readjusting your body to face him more as you wait for him to continue. You’ve always known Eddie and his Dad never had a great relationship, an almost entirely absent father who cared more about himself than being there for his own son. 

“I was living on my own at the house at that point. Then one day he’s back. I tried so hard to hold on to all that anger I had towards him, but he knew how to weasel his way through me with that ‘Munson charm’, telling me just what I wanted to hear. He had a ‘job’ that he insisted he only wanted me, needed me to help him with. I just so happened to really need the money… I’d met this girl, Paige.”

You were waiting for that part. You’d already heard of it, of her, from your mutual friend Ronnie over the phone at the time, but it didn’t stop your stomach from dropping at the mention of her name from Eddie’s own mouth.

“She happened to be at the Hideout one night when we were playing, visiting back home from LA. She was a junior scout for WR Records, offered to help us record a demo to send to her boss. Except her boss only liked me, got me an audition. We uh started seeing each other, she even offered for me to move in with her in LA. But I needed the money to get out there so… I agreed to do the job with Al. Stealing weed off a truck transporting it cross-country.” He scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief as he thinks back to the memory. Your eyebrows shoot up at the revelation, the bullshit Al Munson dragged Eddie into.

“We did it too. Sold it to Reefer Rick, and I got enough money to fix the van up and make the move out to LA. Except Al lied to me. Used me. He knew who that weed belonged to. An old boss he’d already stolen from. I came home the day before I was supposed to drive out to LA to his henchmen we stole from at the house. He gave them back the money that was left but… they shot off their guns, set the house on fire, shot Officer Moore.”

“Jesus Christ, Eds” you breathe out in shock, a million thoughts running through your head.

“I know. They scurried off but I went to try to help Moore, you know, do the right thing but Al… he did what he always did. Looked me in my eyes, told me I was the one changing the plans. I begged him to stay, for me… but he just left. Again.” 

“Eds I…” Before you can reach your hand out to his shoulder with a consoling touch or mutter how sorry you are, he quickly starts back up.

“I was so stupid for trusting him again. For believing he came back for me, hoping that he’d stay for me.” He shakes his head at himself, quickly crossing his arms over his chest.

“No. Eddie, look at me.” 

After a moment he finally brings his eyes to meet yours, defeat and disappointment displayed in their brown irises. Your hand reaches out to rest on his shoulder.

“You’re not stupid. You’re not. Of course a part of you still wanted to believe he’d be a real damn Father for once. It's not your fault he preyed on that, your vulnerability.” 

You watch as his face and body slumps slightly with a sigh, offering you a small one-sided smile.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” he mutters softly before his gaze turns to his fidgeting hands. “That’s not even the worst part. I um, I lost Mom’s records in the fire. They were in the living room where the fire started. I-I tried but, I couldn’t save them.” He stammers dejectedly, voice cracking as he relives the painful memory. “I managed to replace one of the Muddy Water’s records but, that’s it…That was all I had left of her.”

You give his shoulder a squeeze, taking a deep breath as pain and anger course through you, a heaviness weighing on your chest. You know how much those records meant to him, his mother’s ‘plane tickets’ as she called them. You cherish the memory of the first time he shared them with you, of every time he’d tell you the early memories he has of her, dancing around the living room as they played.

“Those fucking assholes.” you seethe, shaking your head to stop the angry tears from forming as you hear the pain your best friend went through at the hands of his dad and his old ‘co-workers’. You look at him with his head down and immediately pull him to you, wrapping your arms tightly around him. His arms quickly wrap around your waist, burying his face in your shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Eddie. I know how much they meant to you.” 

You didn’t know it, but feeling your embrace is exactly what he needs. He wished he could’ve had it that night. Convinced it would’ve made that living hell of a night just a little better. Sitting in that jail cell with Officer Moore’s dried blood still under his fingernails, wishing you were there despite the resentment he held for you at the time. 

He holds you a little longer before he collects himself enough to face you again. Squeezing your hand as you part before relaxing back into his seat, turning his body to fully face you.

“That’s not even all of it.” He scoffs out a laugh before sighing, rubbing his hands against his jean-clad thighs. “Spent the night in the slammer. Moore vouched for me after he got out of surgery, that I tried to help him.”

“So they let you go, right?” 

He shakes his head in response before meeting your curious, wide eyes.

“Nope, not unless I made bail. Hop told me they were still investigating the arson of the house.”

“How long were you stuck in there?” You prod further. The image of Eddie traumatized from his house burning down with his mom’s records in it, watching someone get shot in front of him, trying to save him, and watching his Dad leave him again, while stuck in a jail cell is pulling at your heart strings. The regret of not being there, not talking to him is only intensifying in the process. Maybe if you were still in Hawkins, let alone still talking, you could’ve helped, stopped this from happening in some way. The reality of if you actually could’ve is murky, you know, but you can’t stop the thoughts from coming in nonetheless.

“Only till the next morning. Paige. Hop gave me one phone call. Didn’t go well to say the least.” He shakes his head, crossing his arms again before stretching his body out slightly, knee resting against yours. “She was uh, pissed that I let her down. Ruined our chances. You wanna know what she said to me when I told her I was in jail?” He asks, bitterness rising in his tone as his eyes squint. Your head moves forward slightly in response. 

“‘What did you do?’” He scoffs. “Not ‘What happened?’ Not “Are you okay?’ That whole time she fed me this story. ‘Barback turned rock hero’. But in that moment I knew she saw me the way everyone else in this town does. A fuck up. Guilty. Stuck under Al Munson’s shadow. Didn’t take me too long after to realize that that relationship wasn’t built on anything more than what we could do for each other. Making me a rockstar, making her look good for her boss and get a promotion. She did wire the money to bail me out though, so there’s that. Then I never heard from her again.” He finishes with a shrug, silently reading your expression that’s twisted in confusion and annoyance. You shake your head as you take it all in.

“You deserve so much better. All of it. But with that specifically, you deserved a better first relationship than that. One that’s based on genuine connection, not just what you can get out of it.” You pause, hoping you aren’t revealing yourself too much. “I’m glad she helped bail you out though.”

After a moment of pause, your curiosity gets the best of you. 

“So, was she the only girlfriend you’ve had since I’ve been gone?” You ask with a cheeky smile, hoping to play it off as a teasing question from a friend, a question to lighten the mood just a fraction.

“Well, we technically never labeled it but yeah, the only person that ever got close enough to that. She uh- however was not my first .”

Your eyes widen in shock at the same time your heart falls to your stomach.

“Oh really?” you try your best to tease as a slight blush appears on his cheeks.

“There was 2 girls before. Wasn’t anything serious though. Just one night stands with girls that saw me as a conquest, daring themselves to sleep with the freak so they could run back and tell their friends about it.”

You’re tempted to ask who, no doubt you probably knew the girls. Something in you told you it was better that you didn’t know, so you bite back the question lingering on your tongue, only nodding your head in understanding.

“Yeah, I know what that’s like.”

His eyebrows shoot up, looking at you curiously, demanding elaboration.

“Oh?” 

You fidget uncomfortably under his gaze, but you feel it’s only fair to tell him your story after all he’d just laid out for you.

“There was only one guy, Justin. Earlier this year back in Virginia. I thought it was something different, something real, serious.” You sigh, gaze moving to stare off into the trailer as the score of Halloween in the background fills the silence. “When he avoided me at school and in public, I knew on the inside, but I still held onto hope. No one had ever given me attention like that before, showed any interest in me. Well one Friday night he got what he wanted, I let him be my first. When he stood me up the next day, I knew. When I walked into school that Monday to all the whispers, eyes on me, Justin laughing with his friends when I walked by… I knew. I was just a conquest too, the fat girl.” 

“Fuck that guy.” he sneers, drawing your attention back to him. “You know you’re so much more than that, right? That you deserve so much more.”

His look, his eyes, his voice, it’s all so intense and sincere as he stares at you. You gulp under his gaze and force a small smile.

“I know. I just feel like that’s all guys will ever see when they look at me.” You murmur softly.

“Those are just guys that aren’t worth your time, princess. Guys that aren’t even worthy of your presence.” He insists, putting emphasis into the final words.

You offer him a real smile this time at his words, the way they fill your heart and cheeks with warmth.

“Yeah, you’re right.” 

The bright smile he gives in return nearly takes your breath away, like it always does. That ‘Munson magic’ Eddie always insisted he didn’t seem to have, didn’t inherit from his father. The things his smile does to you, his eyes, just a look… you’d be damned that he doesn’t have that magic. 

You just wish he felt the same way about you. You try not to let yourself read too much into his words, delude yourself into hoping he sees you as more than just his best friend. He’s only being a good friend, saying all the things a friend is supposed to.

“So uh, what about you and Steve?” he questions quietly, confidence faltering in his voice.

You give him a confused look, eyebrow cocked.

“What about me and Steve?”

“Well I uh just thought-”

“Steve and I are just friends, Ed.” you laugh out in surprise, Eddie trying his best to act nonchalant as he mouths an ‘Oh’.

“I mean I will say he’s grown a lot over the years but that doesn’t mean he’s all of a sudden into fat girls now.” When Eddie gives you a curious look with his eyebrows pinched together, you quickly add on, “And no, I’m not saying that in a self-depreciating way.”

“Sooo, you do like him?” He asks slowly, accusingly.

“No. Even if he did like me like that, Steve’s not really my type.” you state simply, easing the worry that’s been swimming through Eddie’s head since he first saw you two together. He plays it off well, only nodding his head in response.

The intensified score as Laurie is chased by Michael Myers in the climax of the film draws both of your attention. You let the conversation sit in the air, like heavy smoke slowly drifting through the trailer as you watch the end of the film. Even the electrified but gentle brushing of skin as both your hands fish around the popcorn bowl between you doesn’t bring your eyes back to each other and off the television screen, not yet. 

When the credits start rolling Eddie gets up, taking out the tape and turning the TV channel to Miami Vice . He settles back onto the loveseat with you before lighting another joint. After you take a hit and pass it back to him, you decide to pick up the previous conversation again. Nervously sharing a thought that’s lingered in your head since Ronnie first told you about the LA girl Eddie met and the band’s demo.

“You know, I hope you don’t take this the wrong way but, I’m kind of glad the whole moving to L.A. thing didn’t work out.”

His eyebrows shoot up, head tilting as he looks at you curiously and surprised.

“Why is that?”

“It’s not that I don’t want you to chase or live your dreams, to be happy.” You insist as you begin, “It’s just that when I imagine it, I think about you falling into that scene and lifestyle. Turning into someone else. You know, one of those rock stars that only cares about alcohol, drugs, which groupie you’re gonna sleep with that night… it just doesn’t sit right.” 

It turns your stomach is what it really does, making you feel nauseated as you imagine him surrounded by girls who would never give him a passing glance if he wasn’t on a stage. 

He smirks as he takes another hit, taking in your words, your worry. 

“Yeah, as rough as it all was in the moment… I’m glad it didn’t happen either.” He sighs, smirk faltering. “I hadn’t even gotten out to LA yet and it was already changing me. Ronnie saw it, called me out on it but I didn’t want to see it. I let Higgins pressure me into dropping out, take the blame for all the torment the jocks were putting onto us, the club. So I left it all behind; school, the club, the band, my friends, me…” He shakes his head at himself as he passes the joint to you, a small frown creasing his cheeks. “I promised myself I’d never do that again, abandon myself and everyone I care about.”

“I can understand why you wanted to, you know, to chase after it. Given everything you’ve been through, I do. But it’s not worth it, to lose yourself and everyone else.”  

He nods his head softly in agreement before taking a deep breath, dramatically stretching out his entire body with it on the already crowded small couch, knees pushing into you. You roll your eyes and playfully slap his knee, instantly lightening the mood as a giggle escapes his mouth.

“What about you, huh? You don’t wanna be a famous rockstar, singer/songwriter?” he questions teasingly.

“No, thank you. Surrounded by a bunch of big egos, controlled by a label, having no privacy, having a bunch of attention on me? Not for me. I don’t know though, maybe I could find a solid middle ground. Like sell my songs off to labels, maybe run my own independent recording studio and learn how to produce? Still get to play and make my own music. Kind of like still a part of the industry, but not fully immersed in it, you know?”

Eddie nods, a small smile gracing his lips.

“Yeah, that does sound like a pretty good middle.”

“Mmm, just gotta get through graduation first.” you hum, drawing a sharp laugh from Eddie.

“Well needless to say, all of that shit that happened,” he gestures with his hands. “is why I didn’t graduate my first senior year, it’s not like my grades were good enough to graduate anyway but,” he shrugs nonchalantly, eyebrows and head moving with it. “The grades didn’t exactly improve much the second year either…”

“How the hell did you even get Higgins to let you re-enroll, anyway? As much of a hardass as he’s always been for you.” 

Eddie’s back straightens instantly, excitement overtaking him as he leans towards you with a big smile.

“Get a load of this shit. So during one of the many times he was chewing me out in his office, I saw this pill bottle in one of his desk drawers. I didn’t know what the hell it was… until I went to Reefer Rick’s house. When I moved in with Wayne after the fire I decided to start selling for him, help Wayne out with the bills, you know, when I see the same exact pills Higgins had in his desk at Rick’s house. Turns out Mr. Higgins has a little bennie problem.” 

“Holy shit!” You breathe out, eyes widening in shock. Eddie’s energy is contagious, filling you up with the same excited energy as you hang onto his every word.

“He wanted to blackmail me to get me to drop out, so I figured I might as well blackmail him to let me back in. Not only did I get him to let me re-enroll, but he has since been a proud sponsor of Hellfire club.” Eddie leans back as he finishes, a self-satisfied smile stretching across his face.

“Oh my god !” You laugh out incredulously. You raise a hand and Eddie instantly goes in, slapping it in a little celebration. “Nicely done, Munson.”

“Thank you, thank you” He says bashfully as he bends into as much of a bow as he can while sitting on the couch, making you giggle.

“He’s not gonna let you stay a Senior forever though, you know.” You tease as you put out the dead joint in the ashtray.

“Yeah yeah, I know. But this is it. This is gonna be the year, ‘86 graduate. I know it. I just gotta get through the hell that is Ms. O’Donnell’s class.” He groans as he throws his head back against the couch, rubbing his hands over his face.

“Well, you know, I’m not exactly a 4.0 scholar myself but we do have that class together. I can help you study, help us both get to that finish line.” You offer him a sweet smile as he pulls his head back up, opening his fingers over his face to peek at you through them before removing them completely when he sees you’re serious. In a second he’s off the couch and onto the floor on one knee in front of you, bowing his head with a hand over his heart.

“Lady Y/L/N, if you would honor me with the bestowing of your great wisdom and knowledge, I would be forever in your debt.”  

You throw your head back with a cackle at his dramatics and deep, theatrical voice. 

“You may rise, good Sir. It would be my honor to assist you in your mighty quest for the elusive high school diploma.”

He looks up to you with a smile, bowing his head with his hands pressed together in front of him.

“You’re a mess.” You remark with a giggle as he bounces back onto the sofa next to you.

“And you’re the best.” he bumps his shoulder with yours, breath fanning along the sensitive skin of your ears, sending goosebumps throughout your body.

“I know.” You shrug, popping a piece of popcorn into your mouth before turning your attention back to Miami Vice as the sound of his laugh fills your ears.

Chapter Text

Friday, October 25th, 1985

The cool October night breeze caresses your skin as you step out the doors of Hawkins High, the excited chatter of the club members following behind you. When you hear quick steps approaching behind you, you turn to see Eddie fall in step next to you.

“So remind me again why you’re bailing on me for our only just recently reinstated Friday movie nights?” he questions, feigning offense. You scoff out a small laugh as you dig for your keys in your bag, approaching your truck parked next to his van.

“Because I already told you, I’m taking Max out to the drive-in.”

“Oh yeah, what movie are you gonna see?”

“They’re playing Silver Bullet tonight.”

“Oh man. Yeah, I’ve heard about that one. Looks really good, I’ve been really wanting to see it.” He leans against his van, putting on the dramatics and fake disappointment that you see right through, unable to stop the big smile from creeping onto your face as you watch his little show. 

“Oh is that so?” you tease, popping out your hip as you cross your arms, amusement written across your face.

“Come on. What, you think I’m gonna dampen your girl party?” 

You roll your eyes.

“Under any other circumstances, I’d insist you join along. But Max… she’s already been isolating herself enough as it is, anyone else being there would just close her walls right back up, you know? And I’m trying to bring those walls down so…” 

“Yeah, I get it. I’m only teasing. I hope you guys have a good time. Tell me if the movie's any good, yeah?” He offers you a soft smile, a smile you return that quickly turns into a smirk as you watch the younger boys approaching.

“Uh huh, you too” you respond, gesturing with your eyebrows as you unlock the door to your truck.

Eddie’s eyes follow yours behind him, shoulder’s quickly slumping at the sight and question he already knows is coming.

“Hey uh, you mind giving us a ride home?” you overhear Dustin ask as you start your engine, quickly leaving Eddie to fulfill the drop offs you’ve done countless times since the beginning of the semester.

You turn the knob on your radio through the channels of static till the sound of the opening credits come through your speakers. With a bag of popcorn and slushies set between you, you and Max settle against your clothed truck seats, focusing on the huge screen set out 100 feet away in the big field now filled to the brim with cars full of other teenagers seeking a scary late night flick. 

You let yourselves get pulled into the film, mindlessly funneling popcorn into your mouths between sips of cherry Icees. You find yourself wondering how to spark a deeper conversation with Max. As much as you don’t want to force her to open up, with each week that passes you’ve only grown more worried and concerned for her. You’ve spent some brief time together since you moved back, giving her a ride here and there given her mom is always working, but this is the first extended time you’ve been able to spend together. As you’re lost in thought, the sound of her throat clearing from the seat next to you grabs your attention.

“Hey, I-uh, just want to say thanks. For bringing me. This is the first time I’ve gone out and done anything in a while, so…” She mutters almost shyly, hesitantly. You offer her a genuine smile that relaxes the tension in her body.

“Anytime, I’m glad you could join me. I’ve missed this, you know, our girl time.” You offer, pulling a smirk and eye roll from her. As your eyes move back to the movie, hers drift to examine your Hellfire shirt.

“Since when are you in Hellfire?” she asks curiously.

“Oh, well since last Friday. Once me and Eddie made up I decided to join.” You answer, shrugging nonchalantly as you look down and admire your new Hellfire shirt Eddie rushed to get made for you.

“Made up?” She prods with an eyebrow cocked.

“It’s a long story.” You answer dismissively as you shake your head, assuming she wouldn’t be interested.

“Oh, so you got to hear all the gossip about my relationship back in the summer but I don’t get to hear about yours?”

Your eyes widen as you look at her with a smirk, caught off-guard by the witty remark you always knew her for but haven’t seen much of in the last few weeks. 

“Eddie and I aren’t in a relationship. We’re just friends, Max.”

“Uh huh.”

“I’m serious!”

“Well, I still wanna know the juicy details of the ‘making up’ you two did.” She insists, crossing her arms across her chest as she settles further into the passenger seat of your truck. 

You scoff out a mix between a laugh and a groan before letting your eyes survey her again.

“There’s no ‘juicy’ details, not that I’d tell you if there was anyway .” You emphasize before continuing, “We just have always been best friends, ever since I first moved to Hawkins. We got close pretty quickly. But then I moved back to Virginia and…”

“And?”

“I um, I stopped talking to him. Stopped returning his calls.” You answer with a sigh, meeting her blue eyes as they begin to reflect a knowing feeling.

“Why?”

“It was just too painful to deal with, to hear his voice, to be reminded of the loss that came with the move. It’s like, being so overcome with that pain that you just avoid everyone, let alone that person that it’s attached to. Sometimes it just feels easier to be alone in your pain.” You end with a shrug despite knowing how true some of that may ring for her too.

She pulls her eyes from you to the sweating cup of slushie in her hands as she nods briefly.

“Yeah, I get that.” Is all she offers in the moment. You let a few seconds pass by before you continue.

“I mean I ended up regretting it but, it was just too easy to get stuck in the pain and then the anxiety, you know. I never spoke to him again till I just moved back. We had some brief hurdles to overcome but, we talked things out and we’ve been able to start our friendship again.”

She nods again, briefly lifting her eyes to meet yours again with a forced smile before turning her gaze to the movie.

“I’m glad you guys worked things out.”

“Yeah, me too.” you mutter softly as you turn your own gaze back to the movie. Part of you is hoping this is a small step in the right direction. Hoping that Max takes the fact that you can somewhat understand how she’s feeling, what she’s going through as a sign you’re a safe space for her. Someone she can open up to and who will actually understand. 

Opening up about your own experience with Eddie, and your struggle with depression and isolation is your first step, initiating the bigger conversation with Max in a way. So you leave it at that, leaving it to her to decide what she wants to do with it as you attempt to get yourself back into the film you can tell you’ve already lost key information in due to your conversation.

The drive back to Forest Hills is silent besides the sound of the breeze blowing through the cracked windows and your joined hums along to the Kate Bush Hounds of Love cassette playing through the speakers. You pull into your driveway close to 11pm, turning to Max with an almost shy smile as you shift into park. 

“Did you have a good time?” You ask with a hint of nervousness as you search her face and body language. She leans forward in the seat, nodding her head gently.

“Yeah, thanks again.” She reassures you. You remove your keys from the ignition, but stop yourself from opening your door and getting out when you notice her hand hesitating on the door handle.

“Hey, what’s up?” you ask, voice soft. Her body leans back slightly, but her eyes still refuse to lift from the floor of your truck to your eyes.

“What you told me earlier about you and Eddie. I just- I know how you felt.”

“I know, sweetie.” You reply with a sigh, leaning back into your own seat. When her eyes look up to meet yours, you elaborate. “That’s why I told you. So you’d know I understand. I won’t lie and say I completely know everything you’re probably going through, but I do know some of it and... I just hope you know I’m always here, no judgment.”

She takes your words in and lets them settle, staring down at her fidgeting hands as she musters together the courage to let you in, like she had so easily before all summer. But this is different.

“I just… I feel so guilty. I can’t escape that night, that image of Billy, even in my dreams. He-He sacrificed himself for me and I just…watched.” You listen to her intently, giving her the space to say all she wants before you speak up.

“I understand why you feel that way. I still get flashbacks and nightmares of that night sometimes too.”

“You do?” 

“Of course. Living through something like that, it’s gonna stick with us. And that guilt part? That’s normal too, there's even a name for it. Survivor’s guilt. You blame yourself for what happened, maybe you even wish it happened to you instead. But you are not to blame, Max. None of that was your fault.”

“Still, I just stood there and watched, I was frozen. Maybe I could have done something, maybe I could have helped.” She stutters out, pain and frustration sketched across her face. Your heart breaks at the sight, at seeing her carry all the responsibility for what happened on her shoulders, weighing her down for months.

“I hear you. I know it’s frustrating, eating you up. You’re mad at yourself, wishing you could change what happened. Have you ever heard of fight or flight?” When she nods, you keep going. “Well, that’s not all there is to it. Freezing is also a very normal reaction to something traumatic. You didn’t have a choice, your nervous system decided for you.”

She looks at you, wiping a tear as it falls from her eyes.

“Really? You're not just making that up to make me feel better, right?”

You shake your head in reassurance, both taking a deep breath against heavy chests with the weight of the pain.

“I was there with you too, Max. It all happened so fast, even if we hadn’t frozen… there’s nothing we could have done.” 

Flashbacks hit you as you speak, seeing Billy get trapped under falling pillars and rubble from the mall fire, and his instant death from the crushing weight. Rubble that would’ve fallen on Max. 

She reluctantly shakes her head in agreement as you finish, the same memories flashing through her mind, knowing you’re right. Beginning to let herself believe it. Letting you chip away at the weight she’s been carrying, letting herself feel the small relief that comes with it.

“I know you’re right. It’s been hard to try to convince myself of it but… hearing it from you too. It helps. That’s not all of it though… I think about how much I hated him, all the thoughts I had about him. I’d lay in bed at night and wish something bad would happen to him.” She whispers, shame bleeding through her words.

“Max” you breathe out in empathy at her confession, reaching out to grab and squeeze her hand, pulling her attention back to you. “Wanting someone who did nothing but torment you out of your life does not make you a bad person, and it doesn’t make you responsible for what happened to him, either. Billy was not a good person, but everyday I am so grateful he had enough good left in him to save you. Because you are good and you deserve to forgive yourself, hun.” You pour your heart into every word, staring intently into her blue eyes as tears now freely stream from them and fill your own waterline. You see her breath stuttering in her chest before she throws her arms around you, both quickly closing the space between as you embrace each other.

“You are so loved, Max Mayfield. Don’t you ever forget that.” You mutter out the words you know she needs to hear. You know the dark place the guilt, shame, and trauma have taken her too well. You hold her for a minute until you feel her arms begin to slip from you. As she comes back into your vision, an idea hits you.

“I know something else that might help. Why don’t you write him a letter?” She looks at you in slight confusion, so you push further. “I’m serious! Write him a letter with everything you want to say to him, what you’ve been holding in. Go to his grave and read it out loud like you're actually saying it to him, let it all out. And then, burn it, bury it, I don’t care. As long as you get rid of it in some way. Say what you want to say to him, and then let it go.”

She considers your words for a moment before she nods.

“Yeah, that actually doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”

“I’ll even take you, I’ll stay in the truck the whole time too. You just let me know, okay?” You offer, voice soaked in sincerity.

She’s quiet sitting there, lost in thought as she fidgets with her zipper. After a moment, you hear her voice quietly croak out.

“I wish you were my sister.”

It’s a whisper, a nervous confession you could’ve easily missed had all of your attention not already been on her. You greet her with a smile as she chances a look from her hands to your face, wiping the fallen tears on her cheeks with her jacket sleeves.

“We may not be blood, but I’ll be your older sister for as long as you’ll have me.”

When she returns your small smile, you raise your hand in front of you, pinky finger extended. A short giggle at the lighthearted childishness of it escapes her mouth before she wraps her pinky around yours. 

Soft smiles, dried tear stains, and a promise to always be there for her.

Thursday, October 31st, 1985

Halloween Night

You examine yourself in your vanity mirror, fluffing your hair you spent nearly an hour on to make sure it’s perfect. Purple eyeshadow matching your purple dress, sharp winged eyeliner. You smile at yourself, hands following the way your dress accentuates your wide hips before flowing out around your thick thighs. Looking down at your high heels, you wish you’d picked a different character to dress up as, already foreseeing the pain your feet would be in at the end of the night.

With a sigh, one final look over in the mirror, and the clock nearing the time of the scheduled meet-up with your friends, you turn off your lights and close your bedroom door.

“Don’t you look cute!” your mother exclaims as you enter the living room, hands covering her cheeks as she gushes over you. You bashfully roll your eyes but share a big smile with her.

“You like it? It looks good?” You ask with your arms spread out, giving a little twirl.

“You look beautiful, honey. I wish you’d dress like this more often!” You stop yourself from giving a less than bashful eye roll this time, but can’t deny that you feel and look good in this dress. 

“Don’t stay out too late, it’s still a school night!” She gives you a kiss on the cheek as you part, you give her the reassurance you’ll be back before 11 as you head out the front door. 

The sound of your heels clapping against the cement fills the silence of the neighborhood as you begin crossing the road toward Eddie’s trailer. Your head shoots up when you hear a low whistle, eyes landing on Eddie as he sits on his porch steps with a smug grin on his face.

“My, my, my. Look at you.” he mutters, observing you as you approach. The darkness of the night casting a shadow over him to hide the way his eyes rake over your exposed thighs, dress swishing against them with each step. He hasn’t seen you in a dress since you were kids and your mom had more control over your outfit choices. Seeing you now, he thinks it’s one thing he might take your mom’s side on, you need to add more dresses to your wardrobe.

“Yeah, yeah. Take a picture, it’ll last longer.”

“You know what, I think that’s a fantastic idea. Bring a camera?”

“Shut up.” You giggle, slapping him on the shoulder as you stand beside him.

“What?! You look nice. I can’t tell my best friend she looks nice?”

“Whatever you say, Munson. Besides, you know your pants are supposed to be khaki right? Or atleast brown!” You tease as you pull at a loose string around the knee of his ripped black jeans.

“Hey, at least I got the shirt right.” He retorts as he points at his green shirt, literally the only item of clothing he's sporting to mimic his character. 

Both your heads turn at the sound of feet approaching. You smile at the sight of your red-headed younger friend. Ever since that night at the drive-in, that Sunday when you gave her a ride to Billy’s grave, she’s slowly started coming back around the party again, beginning to let everyone back in and you couldn’t be happier. You wrap your arms around her for a quick hug as she joins you and Eddie.

“I’m so happy you came!” you beam, pulling a laugh from her as you move your bodies side to side in the embrace.

“You look good.” She remarks with a quirked eyebrow as you part.

“Thanks, Red.” 

Eddie stands up from the porch steps during your greeting.

“Nice to officially meet you, Mad Max. Who are you supposed to be anyway?” He asks, both of you examining her outfit.

“Dr. Sarah Bowman from Day of the Dead. Already had everything I needed for it in my closet.” She answers with a shrug, gaining a nod of approval from both of you.

“Well, we ready to get this party started?” He asks, dangling the keys to his van from his fingers. 

With that, the three of you load into Eddie’s van and head to pick up the boys before going to the final meeting place of Steve’s house. Steve ensuring all of you his neighborhood is the best trick or treating spot in town. Full of well-off families who give out full-sized candy bars.

When you pull up to the end of Mike’s driveway to pick up the three boys, your eyes widen and mouth drops open in disbelief at the sight of Dustin. While Mike dressed up as the Hulk, Lucas as Indiana Jones, you can't believe your eyes when you see Dustin clad with dog ears, a tail, and collar.

“No fucking way.” you laugh out in disbelief.

“What? You can’t have the gang without Scooby!”

You and Eddie try to bite back your chuckles, shaking your heads at the sight.

“Oh, I can’t wait till Steve sees this.”

“Just get in the van.” Eddie finally gets out between bits of laughter, cheeks turning red.

“See? We’ve even got the Mystery Machine van too, only thing missing was me.”

When Eddie and you share a glance, it only sends you into another bout of laughter as he shifts into drive, rolling out of the neighborhood toward Steve’s.

When Steve’s door opens to reveal him in full Fred get-up, with Robin next to him as Velma you smile brightly, the costumes suiting them both so well.

“Oh you’ve got to be shitting me” Steve exhales at the sight of Dustin who only greets him with his ‘pearly whites’.

“I had nothing to do with this” you claim defensively, hands up as you approach Steve and Robin, the latter’s face adorned with a shit-eating grin. When Steve sees it, the hands go on the hips.

“Rob- Seriously?”

“What? What are we just gonna have Shaggy, Daphne, Fred, Velma and no Scooby?”

“That’s what I said!” Dustin interjects in agreement.

“I can’t believe this” he mutters.

“I have to admit, you showed some great ingenuity with the costume, though.” Eddie adds amid Steve’s groans. When his eyebrows shoot up in response, looking at Eddie in disbelief, he retorts. “What? The kid’s creative, what can I say?”

“Thank you” Dustin finishes with a smug smile.

“We all look great, okay? Now, we gonna take these rich folks for all they’ve got or what?” You press, pushing everyone to begin the trek down the streets of Steve’s neighborhood, younger kids taking the lead.

Only a few houses in, the streets are littered with kids and teens in costumes. You talk amongst yourselves, commenting on your favorites and the craftiness of a few of the ones you see.

You’re filled with warmth watching the younger teens walking ahead, watching Max let herself come back out of her shell. You don’t miss the shy glances shared between her and Lucas either, smiling at the sight. While Eddie and Robin are deep in conversation about band, Steve falls in step next to you, sharing your gaze ahead.

“That’s cute” he remarks watching the two. “How did you manage that?”

“I don’t know, just told her what she needed to hear I guess.”

He peeks a glance toward Robin and Eddie before leaning closer to you.

“So, when are you and Eddie finally gonna get your head out of your asses and get together?”

You stagger in your step, taken aback as you look at him like he just spawned a second head.

“What?” Is all you can scoff out.

“Oh come on.” he remarks, hands in his pockets as he saunters down the sidewalk before he leans closer once again, “You’re not as subtle as you think you are.”

You roll your eyes at him, but the warmth filling your cheeks and smile tugging at your lips gives you away.

“Is it that obvious?” you whisper worriedly.

You two stop at the end of a walkway to a house as the rest of the group goes to the front door.

“Well to me and Robin, yeah. But obviously not to him.” 

You watch as they begin their walk back towards you, admiring the smile on Eddie’s face while amongst conversation with the kids. 

“He doesn’t see me like that. I’m just his best friend.” You decide with a sigh, slightly shaking your head before looking back up to Steve who’s observing you with a sympathetic smile.

“Are you kidding? He’d be crazy not to, you’re a total catch.” he says, playfully bumping your hip with his. 

“Thanks, Stevie.”

Eddie’s smile falters slightly as they approach, catching sight of you and Steve standing there staring and smiling at each other. Being dressed as Fred and Daphne, a couple, doesn’t help either. He doesn’t believe you’d have any reason to lie to him that you don’t like Steve as more than a friend, but as he eyes the way Steve smiles at you, the ping of jealousy in his chest tells him he’s not too sure Steve’s on the same page. Maybe it’s the way he looks at you, maybe it’s the way Steve’s playful with you like he is, and Eddie knows the deeper feelings that underlie his own teasing nature with you.

When your breath-taking smile turns to him, those thoughts falter slightly and he can’t help but flash his dimples right back at you.

“You know you’re sharing some of that loot with me, right?” You ask him, bumping his shoulder as he falls in step next to you as you continue your walk through the neighborhood.

“Psh, I’ve worked hard for this. Should’ve brought your own pillowcase and ring some doorbells if you wanted some candy.” He smirks at you, dark eyes glimmering in the night.

“Uh huh, you’re all talk, Munson. We both know by the end of the night half that bag is coming home with me.”

“Hmph, well I suggest you start putting in the work if you want some of this sugar.” 

The thoughts that immediately run through your head from his teasing remark make your cheeks flush and send a jolt right to your core. You squeeze your thighs together as you walk, attempting to push the sensation away. Thoughts and feelings like this about Eddie are reserved for late nights in your room. As much as you tell yourself it’s wrong, it’s getting harder and harder to resist. The way he teases you doesn’t help either.

The slowly intensifying, pounding pain and soreness from your feet in the cramped purple high heels is a welcomed distracting sensation. You groan softly to yourself as you look around and realize you’re only halfway through Steve’s neighborhood. A glance toward Robin’s red sneakers solidifies your decision that you should’ve followed her steps, switching out the character’s heels for much comfier shoes. 

You look around your group of friends and decide to say fuck it and suck it up. It’s your favorite holiday and you’re with your favorite people, you’re gonna enjoy it despite the pain in your feet and unwelcomed bodily sensations Eddie’s words and looks are striking into you.

As you continue through Steve’s neighborhood, joining in the trick or treating activities despite the few sideways glances from homeowners you earn as teenagers asking for candy, you’re reminded of all the things that make Halloween your favorite.

The cool autumn air.

The changing colors of the leaves that have begun to adorn the streets and sidewalks.

The costumes; from scary to funny, store bought to homemade.

The decorations; glowing orange pumpkins with an array of designs carved into them, orange and purple lights hung along the porches, scarecrows and ghosts littered amongst the lawns.

The slasher films waiting to be watched at home while eating the mountain of candy earned from knocking on your neighbors doors.

The way Dustin takes every chance he can get to say “Ruh roh Raggy”, and the way you and Eddie can’t stop yourselves from giggling every single time. 

You breathe it all in, grounding yourself in this shared moment with your friends you’ll never forget, a permanent smile settling in on your face for the night.

A smile that not even Jason and his idiot friends can stop from creasing your round cheeks. You’re so consumed living in the moment that you don’t even notice them until you hear a loud

“Hey!” Both you and Eddie’s heads turn and spot them across the street, but refuse to let your strides falter.

“Look guys, it’s the Freaks Inc. gang!” he booms, buddies bending over in laughter as they watch your group.

“Pfft, what a tool.” Steve remarks with a scoff, shaking his head as he fixes his gaze away from them and forward, unbothered. Grateful to no longer be grouped with people like him.

When you feel yourself begin to bump into the younger boys whose steps have staggered and attention drawn to the insult, you gently nudge them forward. Muttering a “Keep going, I’ve got this.”

You should just ignore them, not even give them the slither of attention or acknowledgement they’re so desperate for, but you just can’t help yourself. Not when an opportunity arises to burst their egotistical bubble. 

Ever since you and Eddie’s altercation with Jason a month ago, him and his friends have generally left the club alone, not directly confronting any of you. Traded insults with his friends when any of you would walk by, sure, but to be fair the threat you gave him only pertained to if he ever put his hands on any of you again. Anything else is fair game, and it’s a game you have no problem playing. 

You quickly eye him and his costume. He-Man. It’s a nice costume too, nearly identical to the show. Easy when you have Daddy’s money to pay for it. 

“Nice He-Man costume, Jason. Looks like you’re having a bit of trouble filling it out though, huh? Tsk, what a shame.” you say sarcastically, feigning a pouty face with a shrug before your smile returns, rolling your eyes at them as you draw your attention back to your friends. Continuing your walk down the street unphased.

You see Eddie staring at you from the corner of your eye. When you look at him, he’s looking down at you in a mix of endearment, pride, and amazement.

“What? He deserves to get knocked down a peg. Should keep his mouth shut next time.”

“Agreed.” Steve declares from the other side of Eddie.

Eddie doesn’t say anything, just wraps an arm around you and pulls you in for a tight side hug as you walk down the street. You let him, resisting the urge to bury your face and body into his side, his warmth, when his grip lightens and falls from your arm.

After another half hour of knocking on doors, you’re nearly done sweeping through Steve’s neighborhood, his house and Eddie’s van coming back into sight as you approach the last couple of houses. If it wasn’t for already going to every house in the neighborhood, the boys' complaints about how heavy their bags have gotten with candy is signaling the end of the night.

You stand with Eddie at the end of the walkways to the last few houses as the rest get the last of the candy for the night. He catches your eye when he reaches into his pocket, pulling out a rolled joint and a lighter. Just before he lights it, your laugh grabs his attention.

“Really, Eddie? In the middle of this uppity neighborhood?”

“What? I’m only being in character.” He laughs out, only to have you meet him with raised brows and a smirk. “Shaggy and Scooby are stoners and that’s a fact. Constantly having the munchies? I mean, HELLO!”

“You’re so dumb” you jest playfully as you resume your slow stride on the sidewalk.

“Well, you know what they say. Birds of a feather flock together.” He breathes out, keeping in step next to you.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“Oh really? How’s about I push your ass down this hill right here?” you tease, gesturing toward the down sloped hill between the houses as you pass.

“Pfft, I’d like to see you try.” he scoffs, playing unphased despite the wide grin on his face.

“Your skinny ass will go flying, right down into that drop off in the woods. Lost forever. Such a tragedy. Some say he's still tumbling to this day.” you sigh dramatically, earning a short but loud laugh from him.

“Uh huh. Well I’m pretty quick on my feet if I do say so myself, and I don’t think you’ll be getting too far in those heels.” he retorts, pointing down to the heels that have made your feet numb at this point.

“Well you see, there’s this concept called taking them off?” You tease, bumping your body against his. “I could outrun you.”

The rest of your friends at the last house on the route are forgotten behind you as you near Steve’s.

“That so?”

“Mhmm.” you state simply, arms crossed against your chest and head held high.

“Say, you still ticklish around… here”

You squeal at the quick flicker of his fingers at the side of your waist, jumping away from him. You take wary steps backward as you move in front of him, hands slightly held out.

“You can outrun me, huh? Wanna test that?” he pushes, creeping closer to you with a mischievous smirk and sparkle in his eye. You’ve known him long enough to know he’s about to make you eat your words.

A quick flinch towards you sends you scurrying. With no chance to take off your heels, your strides are stifled as you run the short distance to Steve’s driveway as quickly as you can. Eddie follows closely behind, tickling your sensitive sides every chance he can get, giggling maniacally when it falters your steps as you flinch away. 

Everyone else on the street probably thinks you’re crazy, freaks . You aren’t paying them any attention anyway as the smile on your face begins hurting your cheeks, eyes zeroing in on Eddie’s van a few short paces away.

You throw yourself against it, but Eddie’s relentless. Going for both your sides at the same time as you turn around to face him, sending you into a fit of giggles as you feebly attempt to push him away.

You see your opportunity and quickly jab your fingers into his armpits, sending him back with a flinch and a chuckle. He gives up, leaning back against the van next to you as you both laugh between attempts to catch your breath.

You playfully smack his arm, earning a fake “Ouch” and one of the biggest smiles you’ve ever seen adorn his beautiful face.

“You asshole, Eddie-Bo-Beddie” you tease, emphasizing the pronunciation of your favorite personal nickname for him that he’s always claimed to hate. In truth, he loves it.

“Alright, alright. How’s about I share half my loot to make it up to you, what do you say?” he teases back with the plan you both knew was already going to happen anyway.

“Oh my god” you groan and roll your eyes, only making him to laugh more as you push yourself off the van with the rest of your friends quickly approaching.

“Ugh, they make me sick. I wish they’d just kiss already and get it over with.” Robin mumbles to Steve, pulling a laugh from him as he nods in agreement, watching the show you two have put on.

“Tell me about it.”

With both yours and the younger members of the party’s curfews approaching, you say your goodbyes to Robin and Steve. Embracing them both with tight hugs before piling into Eddie’s van.

Riding down the empty streets of Hawkins with the van windows cracked, the cool air a welcomed sensation against your warm cheeks. The smile never fading from your lips as the sounds of Metallica playing low through the van speakers and the chatter from the kids in the back fill your ears. Your head leaning back against the passenger seat headrest rolls to spare a glance to Eddie. His eyes meet yours, mimicking your smile and sending a shock wave right to your heart.

You make me feel like I am young again.

You sigh in content as you face the winding roads again, deciding this year just might be your favorite Halloween yet.

Chapter Text

Tuesday, November 5th, 1985

Your day starts off like any other school morning. Groaning as you roll from your bed, rubbing sleep from your eyes as your feet scuff along the carpet towards your bathroom to start your daily routine. You scoop some food into Henny’s bowl while he impatiently meows in anticipation, clearly you’ve been starving the poor thing. 

You push through each article of clothing hanging from your closet, deciding on a pair of black jeans and a dark red long-sleeve. Your eyes linger between your plain jean jacket and a gray flannel, ultimately grabbing the flannel and sliding it over your arms. A quick check of the red digits on your bedside table sends you scurrying to finish your hair and makeup, the multiple times you hit snooze this morning quickly catching up to you.

You climb into your truck and turn your key in the ignition. 

Nothing.

You’re not met with the sound of your engine starting, but a repeated clicking every time you turn the key.

“No no no, come on!” You whine anxiously, trying one more time before falling back into your seat with a puff.

Your eyes drift to your side mirror, Eddie’s van still sitting cold and untouched in his driveway. Despite the anxiety coursing through your body, a soft smile tugs at your face as you climb out of your truck and cross the road towards Uncle Wayne’s trailer.

You quickly rap your knuckles against the door, wiping your sweaty hands along your denim jeans as you wait. You hear the sound of an object falling from inside before the trailer door is quickly drawn open to reveal Eddie, who despite being fully dressed also looks like he just rolled out of bed with his unruly mane. 

“There’s something wrong with my truck, mind if I catch a ride with you?” you sigh, putting on your best puppy dog face with pouting lips and begging eyes. He chuckles softly before running a hand through his hair. He’d do just about anything you’d ask him to, especially when you give him that look.

“Of course, just give me a minute.”

He leaves the front door open as he disappears down the hallway toward his room. You know Eddie’s not one to care much about punctuality for school. You, however, only grow more anxious as you look at your watch and see the arm draw closer to the time of the first bell. You light a cigarette as you wait, slowly pacing by his van before he emerges, hair slightly more tame. He greets you with a groggy half-smile as he approaches the van.

“It’s about damn time.” you quip, climbing into the passenger seat.

“Hey, it takes time to look this good, thank you very much.”

“Oh, I can tell.” you tease back, ashing your cigarette out the window as he pulls out of the driveway. Thinking how it takes him no time at all to look as good as he does. Even when his hair is a mess, eyes tired or his mouth hanging open as he sleeps, you always find him so painfully beautiful. 

“So what’s wrong with the truck?” he asks, pulling you from your thoughts as the van speeds down the road toward Hawkins High. 

“I don’t know. The engine won’t turn over, bad starter maybe?”

He hums and nods in response as he lights his own cigarette. 

“I can take a look at it for you after school.” he offers as he leans back into his seat, giving you a quick glance.

“Since when do you know anything about cars?”

“I’ve picked up a few things from Wayne over the last couple of years. I know more about cars than just how to hotwire them, sweetheart.” he insists, adding in an eye roll that’s quickly followed with a grin as you laugh.

“If you say so.”

The afternoon sun hanging low in the sky offsets the cool November breeze just enough as you stand next to your truck, watching Eddie as he’s leaned forward under the hood trying to diagnose the issue. You try your best not to let your eyes linger from his hands to the small slither of his lower back, shirt and jacket riding up as he bends over the front grill of your truck. Your thumb nail finds its way between your lips, teeth biting down as you let yourself peek. 

Inappropriate thoughts quickly come crashing in. How soft and warm the pale skin would feel against your fingertips as they slowly glide up his back, your thighs wrapped around his slender waist.

The sight and thoughts quickly disappear as Eddie stands up straight, looking down at your engine as he wipes his fingers off with his bandana.

“You were right, your starter’s bad.”

“Uncle Wayne wouldn’t have happened to teach you how to fix that, huh?”

“Ha, unfortunately no but… I’m sure he himself knows how to fix it.”

“I couldn’t ask him to do that, poor man already works so much.” Your nails find their way between your teeth again, an anxious habit you’ve been meaning to kick someday. Obviously not today. 

“Well, you don’t have to.” He closes the hood of your truck with a loud thud before turning to you with a grin, “Cause I will.”

“I can just take it to a shop or ask my Dad to fix it.” You offer quickly with a shake of your head, not wanting to burden Uncle Wayne with the task.

“Soooo spend a bunch of money paying for a tow truck and getting scammed by mechanics because you’re a girl OR put you and your mom in the uncomfortable position of having your dad hanging around?”

You cross your arms with a sigh, not readily admitting defeat but knowing he’s right anyway.

“Look, it’s not a problem. Wayne will be happy to help, I promise.” he presses, tone soft and reassuring to your anxiety.

“Fine, but I’m paying him no matter what he says.”

“Right.” He laughs as he puts his bandana back in his pocket, knowing Wayne would have none of it. 

“Anyway, you wanna come in? We can get some studying done before Wayne wakes up and my mom gets home from work.” You offer, gesturing your head towards the front door of your trailer.

“Sounds absolutely enthralling.” 

“Make yourself at home, I’ll be back in a minute.” you bring Eddie towards your room before slipping away to the bathroom. Eddie’s been in your trailer only twice since you came back, both those times spent solely in your living room. 

He enters your bedroom with slow steps, eyes immediately roaming along the walls and dressers, taking it all in. Browsing the trinkets and books that are sprawled among your dresser. The rows of movie and cassette tapes stacked on the shelfs your small tv sits on in the corner of your room. The posters taken from magazines that litter your bedroom walls. 

Heart, Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix. 

You’ve even cut out smaller images of musicians and actors clustered together on the wall near your bed. 

His eyes roam along each one before clocking the multiple images of Metallica’s guitarist Kirk Hammett. 

Someone has a crush.  

He smirks as he eyes them. He can’t help but notice the striking resemblance to him. Same haircut, same wild, dark, curly hair, same brown eyes, same style, same instrument of choice. 

He brushes the thoughts off as quickly as they arose, turning his attention to a picture frame on your bedside table. He picks it up, thumb gently rubbing along the frame as he relives the memory of the picture he hasn’t seen in years.

1980. Sitting on the floor of Uncle Wayne’s living room with your backs to the same loveseat that still sits in the trailer. Your heads are together, big obnoxious smiles on your faces as you both hold your guitars to your chests. It was Eddie’s first guitar of his own, Wayne gifting it to him for his birthday that year. You’d gotten yours for Christmas a few months prior. The same one that’s leaning against your wall now next to your bass guitar.

He carefully sets the picture back on the table with a smile, now knowing you both keep a photo of yourselves together next to your beds. He wonders if you kept it next to your bed in Virginia those years he didn’t hear from you.

Your steps slow as you enter your bedroom, heart warming at the sight before you. Eddie sits on your bed, legs crossed as Henny sits between them, rubbing his head and cheeks against his hand.

“I think Mr. Hendrix here likes me.” He looks up at you with a bright smile, a twinkle in his brown eyes.

Wednesday, November 13th, 1985

You close your front door, greeted with the sight of Eddie already waiting, leaning against your truck with a lit cigarette in hand. 

Ever since Uncle Wayne fixed your truck over the weekend, insisting with a firm but soft tone that he wouldn’t accept any payment, you and Eddie decided to continue your carpooling practice. Switching off day by day who’d drive. Today’s your turn.

Neither of you knew why you hadn’t started it sooner, being neighbors and best friends going to the same place every day. Maybe it was the hesitancy at first of wanting to wait for your friendship to fully rekindle, but that flame reignited so quickly that that’s not much of a reason. 

Regardless, the practice has brought you and Eddie closer if that’s even possible, the 10 minutes total of the time it takes to get to school and back holding some of your favorite moments yet.

Moments like the one now as you pull out of the trailer park, I Just Wanna Make Love to You by Foghat playing through the speakers. Lit cigarettes in hand, softly nodding along to the song’s build up till your heads and bodies are fully bobbing and swaying when the beat kicks in. Both singing along to the lyrics you knew like the back of your hand. Eddie having played the original by Muddy Waters for you years ago from one of his mom’s records.

It’s a simple moment, but one that fills you with so much joy as you and your best friend lose yourselves in the song. Grinning from ear to ear. Filling you up with a sense of content only Eddie can, a feeling that will linger for the day that nothing can shake from your grasp. 

You make me feel like I am whole again.

The smiles stay planted on your faces as you leave the truck, walking across the school parking lot shoulder to shoulder. 

“Well would you look at that. I guess the King and Queen Freaks of Hawkins finally made it official!” Your head turns to see one of Jason’s lackeys, Andy, nudging him with his elbow. Displaying proud smirks.

When will they give it up?! You groan and roll your eyes before a sinking feeling hits your stomach as you process his words. The accusation that you and Eddie are together. No doubt they’ve seen the two of you arriving and departing from school together everyday the past week, all giggles and playful touches. As much as you want it to be true deep down, the fear that Eddie will be embarrassed by the notion fills your mind and body. The fear that he’d be repulsed by the idea, being seen by others as anything more than your friend, let alone your lover. 

Your fear overrules the logic of what you know about Eddie. No one else in this town cares less about what others think of them than him.

Your anxiety quickly dissipates when you feel his arm casually wrap around you, hand firm on your shoulder. His wide smile never leaves his face as he looks them dead-on.

“Aww, feeling a little jealous there, Andy?”

“Pfft,” he scoffs out a laugh “yeah right.”

The way Eddie didn’t waste a second playing into the accusation, not shying away from it, and his reassuring touch on your shoulder brings your usual sassiness back. Your eyes narrow at Andy as you begin to pass the clique, a mischievous grin pulling at your lips.

“Oh, Andy. If you can’t get it past the cheeks then just say that.” you retort, a mocking tone lacing your words before you rip your attention away from them. Confidence in every step as you and Eddie near the entrance, the sounds of light snickers from Eddie’s lips meeting your ears.

“Now that, that was a good one.” he laughs out as you pass through the entrance, removing his arm from your shoulder to face you, giving you a high five with a satisfying clap!

“Catch you at lunch, Queen Freak?” he asks playfully. You answer him with a soft nod before he parts down the opposite hallway to his first class. You watch as his figure moves down the halls before the view’s obstructed by other students. 

The brief interaction with Andy makes its home in your brain for the day, replaying over and over as you sit in class. You can’t stop thinking about Eddie, how quickly he put his arm around you, flaunting your ‘relationship’ in their faces. You mindlessly thumb his guitar pick that hangs from your neck. You’re grateful for how Eddie stepped up to defend you in his own way, but part of you hates it. Hates the way it planted a seed in your brain, a seed that tells you maybe Eddie could see you the way you see him. He clearly wouldn’t be ashamed of it, of being seen ‘with’ you. 

But it’s a seed you refuse to water, doing your best to dismiss the idea. Eddie was just doing what any good friend would do. Certainly anything a best friend of 9 years would do. That’s all it is. Despite how feverishly you push the thoughts away, the act itself leaves your chest feeling hollow. You’re only trying to protect yourself, not wanting to give yourself false hope you know you’ll just latch onto. Only leaving yourself disappointed, heartbroken, and your friendship in tatters. You remind yourself how grateful you are to have him in your life, even as just a great best friend who’d do anything for you. That’s enough… 

at least you hope it is.

Sunday, November 17th, 1985

Your eyes slowly flutter open to the late morning sunlight filtering through your bedroom curtains and the muffled sound of music coming from the living room. You rub your eyes as you lay in bed, trying to decipher the music till you recognize it as Young Hearts Run Free by Candi Stanton. You smile in an instant, humming along to one of your favorite songs before the inevitable. When you wake up on a Sunday to Soul tunes playing, you know you’re in for a day of deep cleaning.

You stretch with a groan before climbing out of bed, barefeet padding along the carpet to the living room where a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon sit waiting for you on the edge of the kitchen island. You hear your Mom’s footsteps approach from the hallway leading to her bedroom.

“Goodmorning, sleepyhead. You know the drill, eat your breakfast then get to work. I want this place spotless.” She directs you as she grabs a clean rag from under the sink.

“Aye-Aye, Captain” you reply with a lazy salute, earning an eyeroll and chuckle from her as she returns down the hallway to her own room to clean.

You finish your plate, setting it in the sink to wash later when you get around to cleaning the kitchen before setting off to start with your bedroom. 

You hum along to the songs playing as you finally get around to putting away the pile of folded clothes sitting in the chair of your desk. You wash and change your bed sheets. Smile at the picture of you and Eddie sitting on your bedside table as you remove the leftover cups and water bottles that have made their home on it for the last week. Dust your shelves and surfaces. Vacuum and clean your vanity mirror.

An hour later you’re wandering out of your clean room to start in the kitchen.

You’re just finishing cleaning the shelves in the refrigerator when you hear a knock on the door. Confused, you wander over to see who it is, opening it to your best friend leaning against the door frame. Clad in ripped black jeans, a faded Judas Priest shirt, and his leather jacket. 

The smile on his face only falters for a split second as he notices the most skin he’s ever seen you reveal out of his peripheral. He gulps, but his eyes refuse to leave yours.

“What are you doing here, Munson?” 

“Well, band practice got canceled today. Something about a family get together at Gareth’s, I don’t know.” He gestures nonchalantly with his hands before crossing his arms across his chest. “SO, my plans for the day have opened up. Figured I’d see what you’re up to.” 

“Well, I am knee deep in cleaning this trailer spotless right now. So I clearly have very fun plans for the day.” You scoff out a laugh.

“You know, I can help out if you want. Help you get finished quicker.”

“Really?” You ask with a hint of skepticism, eyebrow quirking as you read him.

“I’ve got nothing else to do.” he shrugs, smile unwavering.

Your mom emerges from her room with a full trash bag in hand, setting it down by the trash can before she catches sight of Eddie in the doorway.

“Eddie! It’s so good to see you, hun. How’s your uncle doing?”

“He’s doing alright. Busy at the plant, same as always.” he shares with a bright smile and the best manners he can for your Mother, as he always does. 

“Hey Mom, do you mind if Eddie helps out with cleaning?”

“You sure? You have nothing better to do than help us clean?” When he gives her the same shrug and smile he gave you, she chuckles before looking around. “Suit yourself. You mind starting by taking this trash down to the dumpster for us?”

“Yes, Ma’am”

He hurriedly meets her, taking the bags of trash from her hands before heading down the street to the dumpster. 

The second he’s out the door, you’re painfully aware of your clothes. Or really, lack thereof. The same clothes you’d worn to bed, dolphin shorts and a tight cropped tank top. Tending to get hot in your sleep, the less clothes the better. 

And Eddie had just seen it. You feel your cheeks warm at the realization.

You quickly head towards your bedroom, closing the door and standing at your vanity dresser with the intention of changing. The pesky insecurities you thought you’d overcome begin to worm their way back in as you look at yourself in the mirror. Thick thighs and calves on full display. The subtle outline of your nipple barbells through your top. Spaghetti straps showing off your strong but chubby arms. Your hands reach to pull out your drawers to search for some pants and a t-shirt.

You shut them with a huff, hands empty as your gaze returns to your reflection. 

You’re not changing a damn thing. Why should you? Eddie’s never once done or said anything to make you feel less than or insecure about your body. 

He’ll never share the feelings you do for him, so why does it matter if he sees a little more of your skin than you usually show? He doesn’t care.

Your posture straightens with confidence as you take a deep breath before reaching for your door handle and walking back out to the kitchen.

Eddie on the other hand, is thankful for the task of taking the trash out, giving him a minute to collect himself. His own eyes had betrayed him when your head turned to the sound of your mom approaching, briefly gazing down to fully take in your outfit for the split second granted to him. Instantly causing his cheeks to turn a shade of pink and a stirring in his jeans. If you’d noticed, you didn’t let it on. He throws the bags in the dumpster, taking deep breaths to control himself as he begins the short walk back to your trailer.

He finds you in the kitchen as he enters, your back to him as you wipe down the stove top.

“So uh, what do you want me to do now?”

You turn to face him, biting your bottom lip as you look around the trailer.

“Hmm, you can take care of the living room while I do the kitchen, just dust and vacuum really.”

“Yes ma’am.” he chuckles when you roll your eyes, taking the can of furniture polish and a rag from you before getting started. 

You both fall into a rhythm easily, quietly cleaning together in the joined rooms as music fills the trailer. You smile when you hear Never Too Much by Luther Vandross begin to play. Your hips start to sway to the beat as you turn on the faucet to wash the dishes in the sink.

The lyrics hit Eddie like a truck.

I can't fool myself, I don't want nobody else to ever love me

You are my shinin' star, my guiding light, my love fantasy

There's not a minute, hour, day or night that I don't love you

You're at the top of my list 'cause I'm always thinkin' of you

I still remember in the days when I was scared to touch you

How I spent my day dreamin' plannin' how to say I love you

You must have known that I had feelings deep enough to swim in

That's when you opened up your heart and you told me to come in

He takes a deep inhale through his nostrils before peeking up from his spot cleaning the coffee table to you. He longs for the day the latter lyrics will hit true. The day when he can look back at this time with humor at the way he longs for you, tiptoes around telling you how he really feels, when he finally has you in his arms.

“ Oh, my love. A thousand kisses from you is never too much ” You sing along, hands deep in dish water. “ A million days in your arms is never too much”

Oh, how he’s missed your singing. He could listen to you sing all day, literal music to his ears. The sight of you does little to quell his thoughts, either. Dancing and singing in the kitchen while you wash dishes. 

The day when he comes behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist as his hips sway with yours, lips resting against your ear. Your bright laugh bubbling from your throat when it tickles.

The domesticity of it. 

It’s something he never thought was in the cards for him, but when he looks at you…

He chuckles when he hears the sound of your mom’s voice joining in with your singing from the other side of the trailer, shaking his head of the previous thoughts as he focuses back on his tasks.

When he finishes polishing the coffee table, he stands from his crouched potion to move on to the entertainment center. After a few moments his eyes trail back to you like a magnet, only now he has a better view. And boy does he both love and regret it. 

You’re still focused on cleaning the dishes, but as his eyes trail down he sees just how short those shorts are. The curved line at the bottom of your ass cheeks peeking out under your shorts as your hips rock side to side with the music. He’s transfixed by the movement, hypnotized. He has to force his eyes away, knowing he’s in deep shit, the image forever solidified in his brain. 

He knows it’ll slither its way back into his mind late at night when he’s laying in bed, hand wrapped around himself. Just like images of you always do. No matter what sex symbol he forces himself to imagine in the beginning, visualizations of you, eyes closed, perfect lips parted and head thrown back, flash into his mind when he reaches his end. 

Every. damn. time. 

He knows he should be ashamed; of thinking of you, his best friend, in those intimate moments, or letting his eyes linger on you now. He does, but mostly, he doesn’t.

He clears his throat with a cough, feeling his cheeks warm at the thoughts. He’s quick to walk over to the vacuum when he realizes he’s done polishing all the surfaces in the living room. Hoping the noise and movement will distract him, at the very least keep his eyes off you. 

When he finishes, he looks around the room with his hands on his hips, satisfied with his work.

“Did pretty good, Munson.” you announce, a smirk pulling at your lips as you wipe down the kitchen counters.

“Oh, don’t act so surprised” he gives you a playful scowl, eyes narrowing at you.

“I’ve seen your room.”

“Just cause I don’t clean often doesn’t mean I don’t know how.”

“Hmph, maybe we should spend next Sunday cleaning your room. Who knows what we’ll find in there.”

“Ha ha ha” he laughs sarcastically, rolling his eyes at you.

You sigh as you wipe the last spot on the counter, scrutinizing the space to ensure it’s clean enough to your mom’s standards. 

“So, what should we do now?” he asks, wandering over to you at the kitchen island. Deciding you’re satisfied with the work you two have done, you meet him, standing on opposite sides of the island.

“Hmm, it’s still early enough. Maybe we could catch a movie?”

“Nightmare on Elm Street 2 is out, could see if it’s a worthy sequel?”

You grab the newspaper sitting on the microwave, searching for the showtimes for the local theater. 

“Got a showing in an hour, we could bring the kids?” You peer up at him with a bright smile.

We could bring the kids.

He knows what you mean, the kids in question. But goddamnit if those words and your smile don’t hit him right in the chest, causing his heart to flutter. 

The domesticity of it.

A life he previously never thought was in the cards for him. But you…

“Yeah, they’ll love it.” he answers with a nod, returning your excited smile.

He follows as you scurry to your room, lingering in your doorway. Watching as you pull a walkie talkie out from your bottom shelf and rally the party together.

Before you know it, you, Eddie, and the 4 teens are huddled into Eddie’s van, barreling down the road toward the movie theater. Late afternoon on a Sunday seems to be the perfect timing. Barely any wait at the concession stand for the numerous bags of popcorn, cups of soda, and packages of candy ordered. Sparsely filled seats in the auditorium leaving you all to quickly snatch the best spots. Eddie and you sit side by side, the kids taking the row in front of you. You grin watching Max and Lucas sit next to each other, shy giggles and whispers. Almost like a first date. 

The chatter from the small crowd and your group quiets as the film begins. Quickly digging into the shared bag of popcorn sitting between you and Eddie, just like movie nights at his trailer.

You’re fully engrossed in the movie until a scene of the main characters, Jesse and Grady, during detention after gym class plays. You smirk at the shorts the boys wear, the same style you were wearing earlier, when a playful and curious thought pops into your head. You turn your smirk to Eddie.

“Hey, why don’t you ever wear shorts like that?” You ask in a hushed tone, biting back a laugh when he gives you an incredulous look. “What? I think you’d pull them off.” You quirk an eyebrow at him and shrug nonchalantly before turning your attention back to the screen, smirk permanently planted on your face.

He scoffs out a light laugh, shaking his head at the assertion, displaying a smirk of his own.

Would rather you be the one pulling them off.

Chapter Text

Wednesday, December 18th, 1985

The usual chatter of the cafeteria is heightened on the last school day before Christmas break, students excitedly sharing travel plans and who will host the biggest party over break. You’re immersed in a similar conversation at the Hellfire table. Asking Gareth and Jeff what their Christmas plans are as you wait for the other members to file in. Jeff is in the middle of sharing plans to visit family in Indianapolis when a loud bang next to you makes you flinch. Eddie snuck his way into the Cafeteria out of your view, coming up behind you and excitedly slamming his hand down on the table, pulling a light squeal from your mouth. 

You give him an annoyed expression, swatting his arm as he giggles.

“You asshole!” He only continues to smile brightly down at you before he wiggles his brows, gesturing his eyes to the spot on the table his hand just was. You look down to see a paper, familiar words etched at the top.

Hawkins High Report Card

You quickly snatch the paper up as Eddie takes his usual seat next to you at the head of the table, leg bouncing in giddy excitement as he waits for your reaction. Your eyes trail down the column titled ‘Quarter 2’. His D’s from the previous quarter jumped to C’s, one C to a B, and a single A in your shared Art class. You mimic his own bright smile as you look up at him.

“Fuckin’ A, you did it!” you exclaim in excitement, raising a hand that Eddie’s quickly meets in a high-five.

“Not without you. That’s allll you right there. Never thought I’d get a C in Ms. O'Donnell's class, that’s for sure.” He sighs, leaning back in his seat.

“Hey. You did it, give yourself some credit. All I did was force you to actually do your homework every once in a while.” you smirk, sliding the report card back to him. 

He takes it, looking over the grades again as if they changed from the previous 20 times he’s looked so far today. He lets his smile transform into a self-satisfied one, the feeling of pride filling his chest. 

“Thanks,” he gives you a soft wink before slipping the paper into his jacket pocket. “Still, a lot of it has to do with you. And I’ll make sure my gratitude is fully reflected in your Christmas present.” 

You giggle, feeling your cheeks warm.

“I’ll be the judge of that.” you assert, quickly nipping a single pretzel from his bag.

Before he can protest, the 3 younger members finally join and plop down in their seats. Mike and Lucas seem indifferent. Dustin on the other hand, appears lost in thought with a small frown. 

“What’s wrong, Dusty?”

“Report cards came out today” he mutters with a deep sigh, resting his head on his hand.

“Didn’t get the grades you thought you would?”

“I’m doing well in almost every class! It’s just that goddamn Spanish class, I got a D” his head hangs, toying with his food in disinterest.

“Well Y/N here is a miracle worker, apparently. Managed to get all my grades up.” Eddie turns to you, “Maybe you could help the kid out?”

You give him an incredulous look before scoffing.

“Yeah, I think my academic talents end with Spanish. Never did good in that class either. I mean, I could help quiz you with flash cards but that’s all I got, bud.” You give him a sympathetic look as he does his best to muster a smile that quickly vanishes as soon as it appears.

“Thanks, I guess that might help.”

You share a look with Eddie, shrugging your shoulders at your best attempt to help, digging into your lunches as conversation at the table switches topics.

“So, what about Hellfire? Are we not going to have any campaign meetings over break?” Gareth wonders, looking to the Dungeon Master for answers. Eddie shrugs as he crosses his arms, leaning back in his seat as he chews the pretzel in his mouth.

“I guess not, we won’t be able to just use our usual spot. The school will be locked up.”

“We could do it at my house!” Mike quickly interjects, drawing the eyes of the whole table toward him. “Yeah, my basement. It’s where we always played DnD before we came here. My parents won’t care.”

Eddie glances toward you almost for verification, you nod recounting the many times spent in the Wheeler’s basement eating junk food while playing campaigns for hours. 

“Well, it’s settled then. We’ll have Hellfire this Friday at Mike’s, usual time. Just make sure your basement doesn’t smell like stale gym socks, yeah?” You shake your head with a laugh as Mike pulls an offended face, Eddie never missing a beat to make a snarky remark at the younger members. 

‘I’ve got to exalt my authority somehow!’ He’d told you before.

He shares a coy smile with you when you give him a look, a look that says ‘You’ve got no room to talk’.

Friday, December 20th, 1985

The music of Fleetwood Mac fills your room as you sit at your desk. Vision unfocused and blurry as you repeatedly tap the eraser on your pencil at one of the numerous papers that have been sitting on your desk untouched for over a week. 

College applications. 

You sought out a variety of schools with strong programs in your interest, ranging in a multitude of distances from Hawkins, Indiana. 

The last couple of months are the best your life has been in years, surrounded by your closest friends. Your people. 

The idea of it all possibly coming to an end, 

No more Hawkins High,

No more lunches at Hellfire table with your friends,

No more movie nights at Wayne’s trailer or at Steve’s,

this chapter of your life closing with a big unknown looming in the distance has left you procrastinating. Avoiding, putting it off, not wanting to deal with it.

But the deadline is quickly approaching for your ticket to having some kind of future for yourself, a career you won’t hate. The push from family members to have you be the first generation to go to college, to make something of yourself, isn’t helping either.

You force your vision to come back into focus as you look over the papers.

Virginia Tech. University of Illinois. Indiana University. Penn State. Ohio State.

You rub your hands over your face, willing the motivation to fill you to finally get it done and out of the way.

TAP TAP TAP

You nearly jump out of your skin at the sound, quickly spinning around in your chair looking for the source. Your eyes land on your window, immediately recognizing the outline of the person outside through the sheer curtains.

“Jesus Christ” you exhale, walking over to open the window. “You know, you’re making a bad habit out of sneaking up on me.”

He bites his bottom lip in a feeble attempt to cover his shit-eating grin and snickering.

“I’m sorry, but it’s just so fun!”

“What do you want?” Despite your attempt to hold it back, a soft smile pulls at your lips. It’s impossible for you to be mad at him for long and the little shit knows it.

“Um, have you lost track of time, princess?? Get that ass in gear, let’s go!” he quickly retorts, nearly offended that you weren’t already waiting in anticipation for tonight’s campaign.

“Alright, alright. Give me a sec!” you mumble before closing the window. Opening your closet doors to look for a jacket before venturing outside in the cold December air. Your eyes search for your jean jacket, missing from its usual spot. You wrack your brain trying to remember the last time you wore it.

“Time is ticking, Lady Moonflower!” you hear muffled through the window, laughing as you grab your black winter coat. Quickly throwing it on before you leave the house to meet your very impatient best friend waiting in your driveway.

“God, are you always this needy?” you complain in light heartedness as you fall in step next to him, crossing the street to his already running van.

“Maybe…” he replies, giving you a cheeky grin before you part to climb into the van. 

The ride to Mike’s is quiet besides the Dio tape in his stereo turned up high. 

As much as you love your conversations and banter with Eddie, you love the ‘quiet’ moments like this where you don’t have to say a word. Just happy to be in each other’s presence. 

You give a side-eye glance to him as he sings along to every word of The Last in Line. Fingers tapping against the steering wheel, passing street lights reflecting off the metal rings adorning them, dark curls framing his face. 

You close your eyes and sigh softly, turning your gaze back to the road ahead. 

The downside of those quiet moments are that they leave an opening for the anxious thoughts to weasel their way in.

The image of the papers sitting on your desk popping back into the forefront of your mind.

You don’t want this to end. 

Another exciting and immersive campaign from Eddie helps to distract you for the most part. But in the lulls, you’re overwhelmingly aware of being in the space of Mike’s basement again, playing DnD with the boys.  When you look around at their faces, strikingly aware of how quickly they’re growing, those papers and your future retain their place in your thoughts. 

There’s no guarantee moments like these will be gone forever after graduation, you know that. But life as you know it will change. Moments like these will become far less frequent, even more so depending on how far away you go for college. Who’s to say your friends won’t move away themselves while you’re gone, starting their own lives outside of Hawkins?

The thought alone makes you want to hold on to these times for dear life, with a death grip until your fingers grow weak. Pleading against the ticking of time as it passes unforgivingly. It’s a fruitless battle with an inevitable outcome you know you have to accept. 

With your senior year already halfway over, you decide you’re going to make the most of the time that’s left with the people you love and make all the memories you can.

A few short hours later, the ride back to the trailer park is much the same with you lost in your thoughts about the future as Eddie’s Dio tape continues to play. He spares a glance away from the road to you, noticing your quietness throughout the night. You’re staring ahead at the road, looking but not really seeing, face emotionless. 

He knows you. Knows you’re in your head about something. Racking it over until you exhaust yourself from stress and anxiety. Whatever it is, he hopes the movie he has planned is enough to brighten your spirit. He’ll pull whatever it is in your head out of you eventually. 

He can’t stand seeing you this way, nibbling at his bottom lip as he picks up speed trying to get back to the trailer sooner. The overwhelming urge to solve all your problems, release the weight of your burdens from your mind takes over him. He knows he can’t do it all. He doesn’t have a way with words or a deeper understanding of the human psyche like you, but that doesn’t stop him from trying his damn hardest to. At the very least, he knows he can always pull a smile from your lips.

He shifts the van into park and takes the key out of the ignition before throwing a smile your way.

“Come on, sweetheart. I think you’ll like the movie I picked for tonight.”

You follow him in and quickly fall into your Friday night movie routine. Filling the coffee table with sodas, popcorn, and sweets. Taking your usual spot on the loveseat as Eddie pops the tape in, quickly joining you. You give him a genuine smile when you recognize the opening scene of Gremlins . 

“How’d you know I love this movie?” you ask in surprise. 

“Simple. It’s a Christmas and horror movie, two things you love. If I didn’t know what you liked by now, I’d be a pretty shitty best friend.” He states simply, brown orbs staring into yours. It overwhelms you, averting your gaze back to the screen with a small smirk.

“Nah, you could never be that.”

Silence fills the space between you again. Eddie finds himself taking small peeks at you as the movie goes on, worry sitting in his chest as he reads your expression. Still quiet, reactions muted. 

His knee gently nudges yours.

“Hey, what’s up?” his voice comes out soft, just like his features when you turn your eyes to meet his.

“What do you mean?” your eyebrows scrunch in confusion as you take a bite of popcorn.

“You’ve been unusually quiet tonight. You’re in your head about something, I can tell.” Your eyes briefly leave his as you mentally go over everything that’s filled your mind today, wondering if it’s really been that obvious. “What’s on your mind, hun?”

Your finger grazes over the loose thread from the hem of the blanket thrown across your lap, sighing softly before you meet his eyes again.

“What are you gonna do after graduation?” 

He’s a bit taken aback by the question. You watch as the gears turn in his head before he sighs too.

“Well, if I graduate” you quickly nudge his knee back with yours.

“ When you graduate.”

“Ah, right, sorry. When I graduate… I guess I haven’t really thought much about it. I could probably get some work in a shop for a bit while I figure things out. Sure as hell don’t wanna stay in this place for long.” You nod, pursing your lips as you think his response over. You’ve known for a long time how much Eddie’s wanted to get out of Hawkins the first chance he gets, the town that’s held nothing but judgment for him.

Where will life after graduation leave your friendship?

“Why do you ask?”

“It’s just been on my mind today. I’ve got a stack of college applications that’ve been sitting on my desk for a week that I just… can’t bring myself to do.”

“How come?” 

You think it over for a moment.

“Because if I do, then it’s real. It’s confirmation that all of this is gonna end in a couple of months. And I just… don’t like endings, change, the unknown of the future. It’s scary.”

His eyes look over you again in empathy, knowing exactly how you feel. 

It’s the way he felt those 3 years ago, down to this exact month, when you stood on his porch and told him you were leaving. He’d put on a strong front for you, but inside his mind was running wild with worry. 

He can’t deny that thoughts about what life would look like after finally graduating haven’t crossed his mind, but anxiety hadn’t been carried with them yet. Only anticipation at finally graduating and being released from the cold grip Hawkins has had on him his entire life. He hadn’t yet considered the possibility you wouldn’t be a part of that future, the reality of your prospects for college finally setting in for him. He pushes away the worry that begins to creep in, worry that history will repeat itself with you going away.

He doesn’t know where it comes from, but he pulls out the most hopeful thing he can think of to say to help lighten some of that worry for you, and maybe for him too.

“Well… with every ending there’s a new beginning, right?” He says carefully, unsure of himself.

From his view of the side of your face, he can see the muscles in your cheek try to fight against the smirk that’s threatening to appear. You give in, turning to him with a raised eyebrow.

“Did you steal that from The Young and the Restless ?” you ask accusingly, an amused expression on your face. 

He groans and rolls his eyes before throwing a couch pillow at you. The beautiful sound of your airy laugh makes it irresistible to not smile himself.

“Again, I was not watching it. It was just on the tv.”

“Right, right. I’m sure the boys will believe that, too.”

“Oh, you wouldn’t dare.” He shakes his head at you, daring you himself to do it. 

“Hmm, I might be convinced otherwise.” you shrug nonchalantly, giving him a teasing smile.

Wednesday, December 25th, 1985

Christmas Day

Excitement and anticipation fills your body with each mile your mom’s car creeps closer back to the trailer park. You’d spent the first half of Christmas day at your Aunt Patty’s, celebrating with your family and cousins. You got a few nice presents from your family, and watched in enjoyment when they opened and loved the gifts you got them. Your stomach now painfully full from all the delicious homemade food. 

But the part of the day you’d really been looking forward to is finally approaching as the sign for Forest Hills Trailer Park comes into view. 

You take a moment to admire the Christmas lights strung along your trailer as you pull into the driveway. Decorating has always been a beloved tradition for you and your mother, and one of your favorite parts of the holidays.

Your gaze quickly shifts to the trailer across the street as you get out of her car, noticing both Eddie’s van and Uncle Wayne’s truck in the driveway, soft yellow lighting through the curtains of the living room. 

You quickly scurry up the steps to unlock the front door to retrieve the gifts sitting on your dresser right where you left them. When you return to the living room, your mother hands over a casserole dish covered with tinfoil.

“40 minutes at 350 degrees.” You nod, quickly taking it from her hands before you’re heading back out the door. “And slow down before you fall and bust your ass… and my casserole dish!”

You chuckle, shutting the door behind you before you begin the short trek across the street. The wet crunch of the few inches of snow that fell yesterday under your boots.

You balance the dish and bag of gifts in one hand before quickly knocking on the door with the other. Shortly opening to Eddie greeting you with a grin. 

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart.” he remarks, moving aside to let you in as his eyes take in the items filling your hands.

“Merry Christmas, Eddie-Bo-Beddie” you tease before walking into the kitchen, practically feeling his eyes rolling from behind you. You spot Uncle Wayne leaned against the counter sipping out of a coffee mug. You smile brightly at him as you sit the dish and presents on the counter.

“Merry Christmas, Uncle Wayne” you greet him with a tight hug that he quickly reciprocates.

“Merry Christmas, hun” his warm, gravely voice responds to yours. 

“Well. I see who you really came over here for.” Eddie quips in fake hurt, crossing his arms.

“Obviously. I’m already stuck seeing you everyday.” you give him a playful wink, pulling a smile from him that shows off the dimples you love so much. 

“And a Merry Christmas from my mother, with food” you hand the clear dish over to Uncle Wayne who quickly looks it over.

“Baked Mac n Cheese?” you nod in response. “What a kind woman, make sure to give her my thanks.”

He opens the oven that already has a small turkey breast baking, sliding the dish onto the free rack. 

You giddily grab your presents for the duo, delicately placing them under the tree next to a couple of others. You take a step back and look over the thin tree with a fond smirk, admiring the lights and ornaments you’d helped Eddie decorate it with a few days prior. The boy was doing it all wrong and you couldn’t just sit by and watch.

Feeling a nudge at your side, you turn to see Eddie holding a mug of hot cocoa topped with marshmallows out to you, holding another one for himself in his other hand.

“Why thank you, kind Sir.” you graciously take the mug from him, relishing in the warmth that immediately radiates to your hands. Moaning softly as the rich taste greets your tongue.

The three of you settle into the living room while the food cooks, sipping on your respective cups of coffee and cocoa as light conversation flows. Christmas specials playing on the tv in the background as Uncle Wayne asks how you and the family are doing. 

“You know, Eddie told me about his grades this semester. I wanna thank you for helping the poor kid out.” 

“Oh, it was all him. I just helped guide him, that’s all.” you chuckle softly, eyeing Eddie next to you whose cheeks begin to blush.

“You don’t gotta lie to me now, girl.”

Eddie scoffs, holding his hands out in teasing offense.

“Hey, I’ll have you know I earned those grades fair and square.”

“Mhmm” he mumbles, taking another sip of his coffee.

“Oh what, you think she did my homework for me too?” Eddie retorts, humor and disbelief lacing his words.

The ringing from the kitchen timer catches everyone’s attention. When Wayne pulls the mug from his lips, a big grin is left on his face as he rises from his seat.

“I’m only teasing you, son. I knew you had it in you.” He softly pats Eddie’s shoulder as he passes on his way into the kitchen.

You rise from your spot to follow Wayne to check on the food, insisting on making yourself useful. 

“You’re hard headed, you know that? Just like that one over there.” Wayne drawls in amusement, watching you take over in cutting the turkey breast. Giggling when you hear an offended “ Hey! ” from Eddie in the living room. Wayne removes the tinfoil from the casserole dish, humming in approval at the perfectly baked cheese on top. 

He’s quiet for a moment as he watches you, gaze flickering between you and Eddie, whose attention is now caught by one of the specials playing on the tv.

He leans over to you in an effort for his words to not be carried over.

“You know, I mean it when I say thank you. Ever since you moved back… it’s the best I’ve seen him in a long time.” 

His words hang heavy in your chest, threatening to mist your eyes as you look up at him.

“It’s the best I’ve been in a long time too.” Your voice comes out quiet, sharing soft smiles with him before he squeezes your shoulder fondly. Yelling out for Eddie to come eat as you finish cutting the last slice. 

“Come on, girly. Make yourself a plate.” Wayne orders, old school manners insisting you and Eddie make your plates before him. 

With your stomach still full from your Aunt’s, you weren’t intending on eating anything. But knowing Wayne wouldn’t let you walk away without something on your plate and the alluring smell of the baked mac n cheese holding your attention, you settle on cutting a small slice of it for yourself.

“You sure you don’t want more?” Eddie questions softly from your side, placing slices of turkey on his plate.

“Yeah, I’m still full from my aunt’s house. Promise.” you offer him a smile that quickly diminishes the concern that’d begun to paint his features.

A comfortable quiet falls amongst you as you all dig in, watching The Year Without A Santa Claus while the two make quiet remarks on how good the food is. 

Once plates are empty, you quickly volunteer to clean the dishes and help put the food away before Uncle Wayne can protest. Only insisting Eddie put the food away instead. 

When all is said and done, Wayne and Eddie settled back into their seats in the living room, you quickly dart to the presents under the tree. Not being able to hold back the anticipation of seeing their reactions any longer. It's one of the qualities you'd inherited from your mother, gift giving being one of your favorite ways to show love. Getting more enjoyment out of seeing the happiness of your loved ones from your gifts than receiving them yourself.

You hand a gift bag to Uncle Wayne, and an envelope and small box to Eddie before excitedly climbing back into your seat on the couch to watch.

Wayne starts first, pulling out the tissue paper before his gift. Another mug to add to his collection, “Best Uncle Award” sketched on the side, pulling a soft laugh from him.

“Thank you, hun.” 

“Anytime, Uncle Wayne.”

“You’ve got a box with your name on it under that tree from me.”

He gestures to a present on the edge of the tree. You grab the small box, resuming your seat before unwrapping it to reveal an assortment of replacement guitar strings. 

“Thank you, this will definitely hold me over for a while.”

He nods in response, giving you a soft smile.

You turn to Eddie who looks a bit unsure as he holds both of his gifts from you in his hands.

“I um. You got me two things and I only got you one.” He mutters, shame threatening to seep through his voice. You quickly shake your head dismissively.

“That’s okay. I don’t care about that, Ed.” 

“How about this. I open one,” he gets up from his spot on the loveseat to grab a wrapped rectangular box from under the tree and sets it in your lap. “Then you open yours, and I’ll open the second one.”

“Okay, open the box first.”

You watch in anticipation, thumbnail finding its way between your teeth as he slowly rips open the wrapping paper. Reading his face as he takes the lid off the small palm-sized box. Your own smile widens when you see one pull at his lips as he lifts the necklace out of the box by the chain, red and black marbled guitar pick hanging from it.

“I searched every music store in Indianapolis to try to find a matching one.” You recall as your finger grazes over the pick hanging around your neck, a matching one now resting in his hands. He quickly clasps it around his neck, looking down at it fondly.

“Matching best friend necklaces, cute.” He remarks before meeting your eyes. “Thank you, sweetheart. Now it’s your turn.”

You take a deep breath looking down at the box in your lap. You begin unwrapping it, smirking at Eddie’s best attempt to properly tape and wrap a gift. You’re left with a white cardboard box, one that’s typically used for clothing. Your eyebrows furrow as you attempt to wrack your brain for what it could be, hands reaching to lift the top off the box.

You’re left in silence, mouth hanging open as you look it over.

Denim. 

A cut out of a Black Sabbath ‘Paranoid’ t-shirt stitched into the back. You slowly lift it out of the box, turning it around to see the front. Littered with patches and pins.

Metallica. Motorhead. Slayer. Ozzy. Iron Maiden. Judas Priest. 

“I uh, hope you don’t mind. Kinda stole it from your closet last week when you weren’t looking.”

Your denim jacket.

“I remember how you said you wanted to patch it up like mine.”

A lump lodges itself in your throat, gulping to force it away as you look over every stitch made. 

The care, effort, and thoughtfulness put into it.

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted a full blown vest so I kept the sleeves on, but if you want to make it a vest I can help.” He stammers anxiously, the jacket blocking his view of your face. Unable to gauge your reaction.

You close your eyes, holding your new and improved jacket against your chest. Willing away the tears that threaten to brim your eyes. A few seconds later when you’re confident they won’t, you open your eyes to meet his. Anxiously reading your reaction with a shy smile.

“Eds… this is so thoughtful. It’s the perfect gift. Thank you.” your voice wavers before a wide smile stretches across your face. You quickly lean up on your knees. Already anticipating your motion, he meets you halfway with a tight embrace. 

“Don’t mention it, hun” he murmurs into your hair, feeling the shaky up and down movement of your chest against his with every breath you take. He smiles to himself.

He did good.

When you pull back, you quickly slip your arms into the sleeves and slide it on. Looking down in admiration at each patch and pin before your focus resumes on him.

“Alright. Your turn again, mister.” The excitement fills you again as he holds the envelope containing your second gift in his hands. The gift you’re really excited to see his reaction to.

You watch as his finger breaks the seal. His eyes widen, mouth agape as he opens the envelope, pulling out two tickets.

Indianapolis Market Square Arena Presents

W.A.S.P. & KISS

January 16th, 1986

“Holyyy shit” he mumbles in bewilderment, reading the words over and over again.

“I saw the sign for it when I was going to all those music shops in Indy. I knew I had to get tickets for you.” You bite your bottom lip as you watch him.

His wide eyes finally look up to you before he quickly wraps his arms around you to pull you in for another tight hug.

“You’re the fuckin’ best. Thank you, Y/N.” 

You giggle into his shoulder, relishing in the warm, tight embrace he has you in. 

Satisfied you’ve made him happy. Continuing your effort over the years in making a holiday that used to leave him feeling alone and empty, now feel warm and full. Make him feel special and loved. That’s all you could ask for.

You gush over your presents for a while before cleaning up the discarded wrapping paper on the floor. Watching as Uncle Wayne fits his new mug on the wall.

Once the Christmas special playing on the living room tv ends, you look over to Eddie next to you.

“Think it’s time for our last Christmas tradition?” 

“For sure. Come on, we’ll let Wayne take over the living room.” He answers with a smile, rising from his spot on the loveseat with you in tow to wander down the short hallway to his bedroom. You take a seat on his bed as he closes the door behind you, backing yourself up to rest against the wall as he pops the tape into his tv. 

You watch his movements as he turns the lights off before climbing into the bed next to you. The love you hold for him, the subtle intimacy of it all causing your heart to beat quicker in your chest.

You sit shoulder to shoulder as Black Christmas begins to play. A lit joint slowly passes between the two of you. 

Before the movie is over, you’re snuggled up in blankets. 

It’s another night falling asleep at Wayne’s with your head on Eddie’s shoulder, his head resting on top of yours. Soft snores escaping your mouths.

Another memorable Christmas shared with your best friend in the books.

Chapter Text

Thursday, January 16th, 1986

You study yourself in the mirror, contemplating your concert outfit with a level of uncertainty. You’ve decided to go bold, show a little more skin than usual. It is a rock concert, after all. 

Scandalously high-cut black shorts, fishnet tights, combat boots, a WASP shirt cut into a tank top, and your newly patched jean jacket to keep you warm from the winter air outside. Hair big, curled, and teased. Face fully beat. 

You look damn good, and you know it. You feel confident too as you look at yourself from different angles in the mirror. There’s no doubt you’ll be turning heads tonight, whether it’s from a place of judgment or lust.

For Eddie, it’s the latter. From the second you step out of the trailer, his eyes nearly bulge out of his head as they take you in. He quickly picks his jaw off the ground, clearing his throat as you near before you can notice the way he’s ogling you. He can’t erase the heat that’s gone right to his cheeks, however. At least he can blame the harsh winter air on that.

“You look… stunning, sweetheart.” He throws on his usual boyish smile, hoping it’s enough to hide his true reaction. You return the compliment with a shy smile, looking down at your outfit.

“You think so? You don’t think it’s too much or… too little?”

“No no no, you uh, it’s perfect. Trust me.” His reassuring smile calms your hesitation as you quickly follow him to the passenger side of the van. 

He holds the door open for you as usual, cursing himself and whatever cruel god there is when his eyes catch sight of your ass as you climb in. He huffs in frustration as he rounds the van to the driver's seat, wondering how the hell he’s going to keep it together tonight with you looking like this. He knows one thing for sure, it’s going to be a long one.

You spend the drive to Indianapolis blasting your WASP tapes, hyping yourselves up for the show. Big grins as you sing and bang your heads together to the beat. Excitedly sharing what songs you hope the bands play as the mile markers on the highway fly by. Before long, you see exit signs for downtown Indianapolis. 

From the passenger seat, you let your eyes roam along the buildings littering the city, people walking along the sidewalks. Spotting the concert goers within them walking toward the arena. Friends, couples, strangers. You wonder what their lives are like, thousands of different people converging in one spot for the same purpose.

The van comes to a halt amongst a sea of cars outside the arena, bright lights shooting off the building and illuminating the parking lot. You and Eddie practically skip the distance from the van to the line outside the doors. After a short wait, you’re inside and amongst crowded halls of people roaming the arena. The merch table catches your eye, you pat Eddie on the shoulder. 

“Wanna get some merch before the show starts?” He gives you a wary look as he sees the line for the table. “We’ve got time, plus once we get out there you’re not gonna want to leave the floor.”

You know him too well. He finally nods and you’re off. 

You both look over the plethora of different tour shirts for WASP and KISS, contemplating which ones you wanna get. When it’s finally your turn, you pick out your shirts. Before Eddie can fish for his wallet, you quickly pull out yours and hand the attendant the cash.

“Uh, wha- Hey, I can pay for that”

You give him a soft smile as you pass his new WASP shirt to him.

“Your birthday is next week, Eds. Consider it an early birthday gift.”

“You’re too good to me, sweetheart.” He throws his arm around your shoulder, leading you away from the merch table and back into the crowd.

As you walk through the crowded halls and wait at the bar for drinks with Eddie’s arm draped over you, your wandering eyes catch onto ones staring at you in judgment. Normally, you’d be unfazed, it’s far from the first time strangers have stared at you in a less than friendly way. But as you meet the eyes of multiple girls, pretty and skinny, you can’t help but feel like they’re not just judging you, they’re judging you standing next to the smokeshow that is Eddie with his arm around you. Assuming you’re with him. Wondering why the hell he’d be with a girl like you . 

It’s no surprise to you that outside of the small town of Hawkins, Eddie would be seen for the attractive guy he is, especially within the scene. That notion is not extended to you however, plus-size body not fully accepted even within the confines of a crowd of outcasts by society’s standards.

When Eddie hands you a cup of beer, you quickly begin taking sips. Hoping the alcohol will calm your anxieties as you move your way back through the crowds, making an effort to not meet the eyes of anyone but Eddie’s.

As you make your way onto the floor, Eddie quickly takes your hand in his. Leading and weaving his way through the crowd with you in tow, falling in close step behind him through the hundreds of warm bodies already filling the floor ahead of the show’s opener. The crowd is overwhelming enough to your senses that you don’t think much of your hand in his, a typical action friends take together at concerts, after all. When he finds a spot close enough for you to see with enough space to move, he pulls you up next to him. 

Shoulder to shoulder, sipping on your beers as you listen to the soundcheck. Anticipation fills your bodies until the sound of chatter from the surrounding crowd silences at the first note of the first song of the night from WASP, quickly turning into a loud cheer that you and Eddie join in on. You’re quickly immersed and pulled in as the bass and drums reverberate through the air and into your body. The colorful flashing lights, leather clad band members in ass-less chaps and high heels. The show, alcohol, and Eddie’s loud singing next to you fully flushing out any anxiety and worry from your mind. You’re fully living in the moment; jumping, headbanging and singing your favorite WASP songs together. 

When you look next to you and see Eddie smiling wide as he shouts the lyrics, you’re filled with an indescribable feeling. 

Satisfaction, fulfillment, happiness. 

Knowing you were able to give Eddie this opportunity to see one of his favorite bands and seeing the joy it’s bringing him.

Love.

His gleaming eyes turn to meet yours in excitement, pulling you back into the moment with him as the last song of the set begins. Screaming at the top of your lungs when the band finishes, wishing the crowd a farewell before the roadies take over to change the stage over for KISS.

You take deep breaths with Eddie as the energy fades.

“That… was metal.” he exhales, ending with an excited giggle as you bump your shoulder into his. Sweat making your bangs cling to your foreheads. You slide off your jacket, wrapping it around your waist to help you cool down before KISS’s set begins, the first time either of you have ever seen their show.

They open with Detroit Rock City, immediately lighting up the crowd. You and Eddie bob your heads around, laughing as you dance around each other, singing along to every word. You feel so light in this moment with him, so carefree.

You make me feel like I am fun again.

Neither of you know every song in the setlist, but you dance around and headbang to them like you do. Just fully enjoying the experience. 

At one point, you feel Eddie’s skin on yours. You look down to see his hand around yours, fingers entwining. 

They fit so perfectly together. 

The simple action with the high tempo of the music quickens your heart rate. He’s not even looking at you, his eyes glued to the band performing on stage, his hands sliding between yours so naturally, as if it’s second nature to him despite never doing it before. You inhale deeply through your nose, attempting to catch your breath and calm your heart, hoping he doesn’t look at you and notice how frazzled his touch has made you. 

As soon as his hands parts from yours to clap at the end of the song, your heart craves his touch again. It’s a craving so fierce, so overwhelming you don’t know what to do with it.

A craving that’s quickly subsided when his hand moves to your bare shoulder, pulling you flush against him as he leans his lips to your ear.

“You’re my best girl, you know that? Thank you for this.” 

You don’t know if it’s the little bit of alcohol in his system, the immersive energy of the show making him delirious, but you don’t think he realizes the gravity of his words as his hot breath fans over your ear, sending goosebumps all over your body. You close your eyes as your chest flutters, collecting yourself before you smile up at him.

“Anything for you, Eds.”

His words and the lingering sensation from his touch on your skin stay present in the back of your mind for the rest of the show that passes by too fast.

Before you know it, KISS plays their last encore song of the night before the lights on the stage darken, and bright lights illuminate the floor. Sticky with sweat, Eddie takes your hand in his again as you fight the crowd out of the exits. Groaning at the relief of the cold January air on your hot skin as you break from the crowd and into the outside parking lot. 

You share your favorite moments on the drive home, reliving the excitement of the night as his WASP tape plays quietly in the background. The overwhelming energy of the night begins to take its toll on you as heaviness takes over your body, lazily watching the mile markers on the highway countdown your way back home.

The roar of the van quiets as Eddie parks in Wayne’s driveway. You turn to each other with a soft smile before you groan with a stretch, pulling a soft laugh from him. He walks you the short distance to your front porch steps. When you turn to face him again, he’s smiling down at you before his arms quickly wrap you up. Your head rests against his chest, the calming sound of his heartbeat against your ear. Everything about him is so addicting, intoxicating. It makes having to part from him and his embrace that much harder.

“Thank you, again.” he whispers.

Your eyes meet one another as you part, his fingertips lingering on your arms as you smile at each other. 

“You’re welcome, Eds. I’m glad you had a good time.” 

You stay like that for a moment, not speaking a word but so much conveyed in your eyes nonetheless.

This is my moment.  

He considers taking his chance as he looks at you. Doing what he’s wanted to do for so long, just kissing you here and now. Before he can muster up the courage, you sigh softly.

“Guess I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow for school?” you mutter, already dreading the sound of your alarm clock in the morning.

His gaze breaks away from yours for a brief moment as he nods, muttering a “See you tomorrow” before watching you walk up your steps and into the trailer. Mentally kicking himself for letting the moment pass and not taking his chance. Everything in his body pushing him to do it, only to chicken out again. 

His hands find their place in his jean pockets as he crosses the street, kicking spare rocks in his slow stride.

You hang your head as the water pours over you, seeping into your hair and soaking your body. Relishing in the relaxing sensation of the warm water beating against your tired body, washing away the hairspray and sweat from the night. In the quiet isolation of the shower, your mind replays the events of the night, lingering on the moments of newfound intimacy Eddie showed you. 

Eddie’s always been one to push boundaries in good fun, always quick to wrap you in a hug to show his affection or when you’re feeling down. 

Tonight was different. It seems like he was touching you more than he wasn’t, a hand lingering on your shoulder or waist, fingers entwining around yours… that one was new.

You convince yourself he was just caught up in the moment, being a protective best friend in a big, rowdy crowd. Grateful for the experience you’ve given him.

But the thought only makes you feel worse, putting a tightening grip on your heart.

His words.

You’re my best girl.

He has no idea the effects those few words would have on you. Stinging your eyes at what could be, what is, and what never will be. 

The mental fight you’re having with yourself adds a heaviness to your chest and a building pressure in your head. 

You lay your head against the shower wall as your mind rapid fire relives the moments with Eddie tonight, the last 4 months, the past years. You feel yourself begin to crack. Feelings and memories flooding your system. All the emotions you’ve bottled up the last few months building enough pressure to blow the lid off, everything you’ve held in spilling out of your eyes. Your tears mix in with the shower water as they stream down your cheeks.

As much as you want to fight it, you know that’s exactly what’s led to this moment. You give in, sitting with the pain, crying all the tears you can until the water runs cold. 

As you crawl into bed for the night, you hope it was enough to be able to move on tomorrow as if nothing happened. Closing your puffy eyes and letting exhaustion overtake you.

Friday, January 24th, 1986

Eddie’s birthday

You watch as the ice in your glass cup of Coke melts, hoping you don’t appear as bored as you feel. Wouldn’t want to put a damper on the boys’ fun, not on your boy’s special day.

Limited options in Hawkins have left you celebrating Eddie’s 20th birthday at the Hideout with Gareth, Grant, and Jeff. Fake ID’s and Eddie’s previous employment as a barback have kept the drinks coming.

It’s not the worst place, but the stuffy, stale air and faded, peeling walls leave much to be desired. You’re sure with a bit of alcohol, you wouldn’t even notice. Like Eddie and the boys, carrying the hype from tonight’s campaign to the bar with them. Lively chatter filling the space, you make a few comments here and there, but you’re not fully in it. 

You hate feeling this way on Eddie’s birthday, but the drunker the boys get, the more irritated you become. You promised to be the sober driver tonight. Your history with your Dad has always made you easily frustrated around drunk people when you’re sober, but you throw on a smile for him. Refusing to bring down his celebration.

He’s leaning against the jukebox, bobbing his head to the drums as Cum On Feel the Noize by Quiet Riot begins to play. When he turns, his eyes immediately land on you. Your stomach drops as he dances over to you with a smile, already anticipating the next words out of his mouth.

“Come on, sweetheart. Get off that stool and come dance with me!” You sigh and give him an unimpressed look to which he returns with a pout, effectively making a smile tug at your lips. You roll your eyes and walk towards him.

“You’re lucky it’s your birthday” you mumble joining him as his smile beams at you. You move your body side to side, bobbing your head with him to the beat. The other boys singing along loudly to the chorus from their bar stools grab your attention, making you laugh before you start singing along too. It doesn’t take much convincing from Eddie until they’re joining you on the empty floor. Jumping around each other and singing your hearts out, no doubt looking like a bunch of fools to the handful of middle aged regulars at the bar, but none of you care.

A few rounds later when it’s clear they’ve reached their limit, you’re corralling the drunken boys out of the bar. Eddie leaning onto you with his arm around your shoulder before you load them all into his van. When you climb into the driver's seat, he adorns a shit-eating grin as he attempts to buckle his seatbelt.

“Hehe, I get to be the passenger princess tonight.” 

As irritable as you feel, you can’t fight the grin from pulling at your lips before you bring the engine to life and pull out of the Hideout parking lot. 

You grab your pack of cigarettes, quickly lighting one and inhaling the smoke as the sound of blabbering from the 3 boys in the back fills the van.

Ahem .

You look to your side to find Eddie giving you puppy dog eyes with an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips.

“Would you be so kind?”

“Oh, where are my manners? Anything for you, princess.” You enthuse dramatically, bringing the lighter to the end of his cigarette.

The flame illuminates his dimples and the smirk forming them. Even drunk off his ass, he’s so damn cute. 

With his cigarette lit, you pull your attention elsewhere. Keeping an eye on the road while you thumb through his collection of tapes in the center console. You find the perfect one, quickly sliding the Queen tape into his radio, fast forwarding to the exact time Bohemian Rhapsody starts. Earning a chorus of “OHH”s at the easily recognizable piano notes in the intro. The five of you sing at the top of your lungs as you barrel down the nearly empty Hawkins streets. Laughing until your stomach hurts at the boys’ best attempts to hit the high notes. 

After dropping off Garth, Jeff, and Grant, you find yourself pulling into Eddie’s driveway.

“Well, I’ve got one last thing for you, birthday boy.”

Though already nearly nodding off, he gives you a lazy smile with raised brows. You get out of the van and hurry to the other side to keep Eddie from stumbling up the stairs to the trailer, hand keeping a tight hold on your plush waist. You bring him to lean against the kitchen counter before moving to the oven that hid the cake you’d made earlier while Eddie got ready for Hellfire.  You light the candles as quickly as you can before slowly turning to reveal it to him. His eyes widen, a one-sided smile on his lips as you bring the cake to rest on the counter in front of him, singing Happy Birthday. His eyes glance between the cake and you as you sing, warmth filling his gaze and his cheeks.

It takes him a few tries, but he blows out all the candles before he looks to you again.

“Happy birthday, Eddie” you give him a soft smile before he pulls you in for a tight hug. 

“Thank you, sweetheart. For everything” he mutters into your hair, arms wrapped tight around your waist. You expect it to be brief, but his hold doesn’t budge. 

“No need to thank me, Eds” 

He’s drunk, so you let him hold you longer without thinking much of it.

“I love you so much” he whispers, voice deep and sincere. The alcohol causes his body to sway side to side, his grip on you pulling your body with him.

His words shoot right through your heart, and you’re thankful for his hold on you, keeping your face out of view as you squeeze your eyes shut.

Not the way I love you .

You take a deep breath, settling your nerves and voice before you return his words.

“I love you too”

You let him hold you for a few seconds longer before it becomes too much to bear.

“Come on, have some of your cake” you pat his back, pulling his attention back to the cake sitting on the counter. His grip on you loosens as he turns back to it with a drunken smile.

You grab a knife, fork and a paper plate, cutting him a slice. He wastes no time digging in, leaving remnants of chocolate icing covering his lips.

“Mmm, you’re such a good baker” he groans, closing his eyes and reveling in the taste. Normally, you’d smile at the compliment, but you can’t bring yourself to as you watch him.

“Hey… you’re not gonna have some?” He asks when his eyes open and he comes back to his senses through the alcohol.

“No, trying to cut back on sweets. It’s your cake, anyway.” 

“Bulllllshiiit. You’re perfect the way you are” he insists, slurring his words with unchewed cake in his mouth. The counter he leans on being the only thing keeping him upright.

“Thanks, Eds… but really, I’m fine.” You give him a muted smile. It’s enough in his drunken state for him to shrug in response, quickly diving back in to finish the last few bites. 

“Alright, I think it’s time we get you to bed. Come on.”

He doesn’t argue with you, only wrapping his arm around your shoulder again as you lead him down the hallway to his bedroom.

You flick on his light as he stumbles in, fighting to pull off his vest and leather jacket. You begin to move to help get him into bed but he doesn’t stop there. Pulling his Hellfire shirt over his head and throwing it across the room carelessly. Revealing his bare chest, a tattoo you’ve never seen decorating his left pec.

When his hands fumble with his belt, you quickly look away, trying to distract yourself with the posters on his wall as you feel warmth creep up your chest and into your cheeks.

When you hear him groan and his feet shuffling against the carpet, you take a chance in looking back at him. With barely open eyelids and sporting only his blue checkered boxers, he falls onto his bed with a huff. You pull his covers over him, huffing a sigh as you look over his probably already sleeping figure.

“Goodnight, Eddie.”

When you’re met with silence, you flick his lights off and spare one last glance at him before leaving and shutting his bedroom door behind you. 

You quickly cover his cake and grab your purse before making your way across the street to your trailer.

Heaviness hanging in your chest. It’s a far from unfamiliar sensation at this point. It’s the same heaviness that hasn’t left since the concert a week ago, now only intensified tonight with his drunken words and embrace.

Freshly changed into your pajamas, you spare a glance out your bedroom window to the trailer across the street. Only one thought lingering in your mind.

I don’t know how much more of this I can take .

Chapter Text

Thursday, February 13th, 1986

“Soooo, how long exactly are you planning on keeping this up?”

Robin’s voice pulls you from your concentration, looking up from your History notes to be met with her expectant gaze. Your eyes flicker around your surroundings in confusion.

“What? …Studying?”

“No, dingus! This thing with Eddie!”

You sigh, shoulders slumping in defeat as she continues rambling. 

“This whole slowly pulling away from Eddie because you think it’s going to magically make your feelings for him disappear. Because that went SO WELL the last time-”

“ Robin ” you hiss as your eyes dart around the two of you, trying to determine if any of the other students taking shelter in the library instead of the lunchroom can overhear.

“What? It’s true! You’re only hurting yourself and him.”

“It’s only temporary, Rob.” you reassure, making a feeble attempt to both subdue her and bring your focus back to your notes.

“Temporary… right. Well, what if the damage done in the process isn’t?”

Your hands rub over your face in frustration, huffing before you meet her stare.

“Look, it’s not the same as last time. It’s not like I’ve completely shut him out. I’ve just taken a step back, that’s all. Just until I feel like I can handle being around him so much for the rest of the school year.” 

Instead of being met with her continued ramblings, she just stares at you with raised brows. An expression that reads ‘I see right through your bullshit’. Before she can say so, the screeching ring of the bell signaling the end of the lunch period provides the perfect exit to the conversation you’ve been avoiding from both her and Steve.

“This conversation isn’t over!” she insists with a hushed whisper as you enter the school halls.

“Bye, Robin!” you exclaim before parting from her side, heading down opposite ends of the hall to your next class.

Over the last 3 weeks since the events of the concert and Eddie’s birthday, you’d begun to pull away from him. Slowly, bit by bit. Electing to spend more lunch periods with Robin in the library. Spending more evenings with Steve and Robin or your mom. Even visiting your dad a few times. Picking up more work shifts. Some you needed to go to right after school, less carpooling. Nothing that couldn’t be written off with excuses. 

You needed to save money ahead of college in the fall. You’d noticed you were spending less time with your mom and other friends and wanted to change that.

You still carpooled some days, still sat at the Hellfire table for lunch, still attended Hellfire meetings and your movie nights after, but your presence around Eddie had been dwindling.

Enough to be noticeable, but still around enough to not be alarming, you hope.

You don’t know what else to do.

After the night of Eddie's birthday, you felt so overwhelmed with the feelings you’ve been suppressing for so long. Feelings and desires for him. Overwhelmed by his presence. His meaningless pet names and soft touches. 

You’re tired of it, and so are your two other closest friends. Steve manages to bring Eddie up every time you hang out, insisting you just tell him how you feel. 

He doesn’t understand.

You can handle rejection, you’ve dealt with it plenty of times throughout your life. What you can’t handle is rejection from Eddie. The thought alone devastates you, keeping you from confessing the feelings for him you hold so close to your heart, on top of fear it would unravel your friendship.

You turn the knob entering the combination to your locker, switching out your books for your afternoon classes. A sliver of pink flashes through your vision, a card falling to the ground, slipped through the slits at the top. You stare at the pink paper next to your feet for a few seconds, uncertainty filling your mind. 

A Valentine's gram. 

They’d been advertising it all week ahead of Valentine’s Day tomorrow. Tables set up in the front atrium and cafeteria to send candy grams and letters to other students. You take a sharp inhale through your nostrils before reaching down to grab it, twirling it in your hands before getting the courage to open the note.

You’re the most beautiful girl these cynical eyes have ever seen.

Your Secret Admirer

Reading the words over and over again you gulp, forcing down the quickly rising lump in your throat as painful memories are triggered. Heat rises in your cheeks, eyes quickly darting around you. Scanning the halls for anyone watching, snickering with their friends at the prank. 

But no one’s watching you, everyone going about their business. Casually chatting with friends or hurrying down the halls to get to their next class on time. 

You shove the pink note in your bag, grabbing the last of your books before slamming the locker door shut. Trudging down the hall to your next class. Avoiding the eyes of your classmates, even Eddie, as you slump into your seat. 

Memories of this time last year creeping into your mind. 

Justin.

He’d left a note in your locker for Valentine’s Day too. 

“ You’re so beautiful.

Meet me by the bleachers at 3”

The day after Valentine’s when you let him be your first and only, just for it to all be a joke. A heartless prank.  

The note in your locker brings back that pain, embarrassment, and anger. The similarities, the anniversary. It poisons your mood for the day, unable to bring yourself to focus at all in your last  classes. Zoning out as you stare at the board, memories of Justin, your friendship and feelings for Eddie swarming your mind.

You’re so consumed by it you don’t hear his footsteps approaching from behind as you leave the classroom.

“Hey, you! What’s up?”

“Oh. Hey, Eds. Not much.”

“You alright? You look a little-”

“I’m fine. Look I um, I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” His steps stop with yours as you exit the front doors of the school, quickly lighting a cigarette and taking a drag before you continue. “I’m not going to be able to make it to Hellfire tomorrow.”

“W-What do you mean, is everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine. My aunt asked me to cover, the guy that took over my Friday night shifts is sick. I’m sorry.” You shrug defeatedly. 

Another lie added to the list of excuses you’ve fed him over the last few weeks to avoid being around him too much. You asked your Aunt for the shift, but he doesn’t need to know that.

Sighing, his hands go to his hips as he looks around the parking lot.

“Well, you’re going to have to find a sub.”

“I’ll find a sub, Eddie.” You say exasperatedly, rolling your eyes. Before he can comment on your clearly sour mood, you try to dismiss it with a shake of your head. “Look, I gotta go to work. I’ll catch you later, alright?”

You don’t wait for a response as you begin the walk from the school to your truck, hearing his dumbfounded “Alright” from behind you.

Not bothering to let your eyes seek him out as you pull out of the school parking lot.

You hate this.

Hate lying to him. Hate trying to spend just enough time with him to subdue worries or complaints. Hate that you’re doing what you’ve always done; holding everything in, avoiding conflict and procrastinating the inevitable. It’s what you’ve always done because it’s the only way you’ve been taught how to handle your problems. Left to your own devices to figure it out.

You hate that you don’t know how to handle this any other way.

Most of all, you hate that you’re hopelessly in love with your best friend.

Friday, February 14th, 1986

There’s something wrong with you and Eddie knows it. Despite your efforts to pull away from him as slowly and subtly as you can, he’s noticed your growing absence over the weeks. Always giving an excuse that seems to make sense, but he can’t get rid of the gut feeling that something else is going on. He’s asked, but you always tell him everything’s fine. 

You’re just tired, busy, working, trying to spend more time with family. 

The excuses would satisfy anyone else, taking them at face value, but he’s known you long enough to know when you’re holding something in, something that’s weighing heavily on your mind. He can’t deny that your fading presence hasn’t triggered a fear, a fear going back 3 years when you pulled away from him completely. You were thousands of miles away then, but he’s watching you do the same thing now right in front of him, only slower. That realization and the fear that it will reach the inevitable point where you cut him off completely again has had him in an internal panic for the past weeks.

Spending nights alone in his room racking his brain for anything he could’ve done to cause this. The excuses and less time spent together started 3 weeks ago, soon after his birthday and the concert the week before that. He relives those nights. 

The concert. He admits he let himself get carried away in a few moments. Letting the energy and environment take over, touching you more than he usually would. Hoping you’d see it as nothing more than him being a protective friend, and at the same time hoping you’d see it for what it really is, his feeble attempt at sending you signs of his feelings he’s too afraid to admit. Too afraid those feelings would scare you away, cutting him off from your life again. 

Maybe that’s exactly what’s happening now. You saw his actions for what they are. He was too forward, too creepy. It overwhelmed you. He feels so damn stupid, jeopardizing your friendship like that by putting his selfish desires first.

And who knows what he did the night of his birthday, drinking too many Rum and Coke’s to remember. He cringes at the thought, regret filling his mind and body.

Maybe he took it a step even farther in the wrong direction with that Valentine’s note left in your locker. He’d convinced Gareth to write it for him, you’d recognize Eddie’s handwriting but not his. He knew you’d see it before your afternoon classes, hoping at the least it’d just put a smile on your face. But there was no smile in sight when you walked into English class, a frown and a look of sorrow etched into your features. 

He knew he’d fucked up. When you told him you’d be missing Hellfire, despite your seemingly reasonable excuse, he can’t help but think the reason is really him.

Your usual seat at Hellfire is taken by Max. He wonders what you did to convince the girl to take your spot as she looks among the members in skepticism. Your absence at Hellfire leaves a hollow feeling in his heart. You’d never missed a campaign since you joined, the thought that this wouldn’t be the last scares him. Despite worrying that he’s done too much and has pushed you away, he feels like he has to do something . Fear driving him to fight in some way, but he isn’t sure what to do.

That uncertainty drives him to the parking lot of Family Video after Hellfire to seek out the help of your other best friends. Watching various customers leave under the neon sign, couples renting romance movies for the holiday. His rings anxiously tap against the steering wheel as he gathers his courage, waiting for the right moment. The less people in the video store, the better. A Friday night on Valentine’s Day probably wasn’t the best choice, but he can’t stand being stuck in his own head any longer.

Van keys in hand, he slams the driver’s door shut before striding toward the glass doors.

“Welcome to Family Vid-” Steve begins his usual work greeting, cut off guard looking up from the stack of tapes to see Eddie approaching the counter. “Ah, Munson. Here to rent another gory slasher?”

Robin’s ears quirk up at the mention of Eddie’s name, disregarding the customer in front of her asking about the latest Tom Cruise flick as she peeks over the video stands toward the counter.

“Uh, no. I’m actually here to talk.” Eddie mutters as he looks around the store, appearing frazzled. Skin clammy and hair more wild than usual. His eyes meet Robin’s, which widens before turning back to her customer, failing to appear nonchalant.

“Talk?” Steve crosses his arms, acting surprised. He already knows, though, what exactly Eddie wants to talk about. Given the increasing distance you’ve put between you two, Steve knew it would come to a head eventually. He didn’t exactly expect Eddie to seek him out for it, however.

“Yeah, about Y/N. I don’t know, something’s wrong. She’s not around as much anymore and I know there’s something going on.”

“Oookay. Have you tried talking to her about it?”

“Do you think I’d be here right now if I hadn’t?” His nostrils flare and lips tighten as frustration fills him. He takes a breath to calm himself. “Everytime I ask her, she says everything’s fine. She has to work more shifts, she’s spending more time with you two. But I know there’s more to it.”

Robin joins the duo, sliding up to the counter to eavesdrop more closely, inserting herself in the conversation.

“Alright… I’m not exactly sure where we fit into this, Munson.”

Eddie flashes him an incredulous look. He’s going to have to pry it out of him.

“She won’t tell me what’s going on, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t told you two what’s going on.” He points a finger at them accusingly, his impatience beginning to rise.

“Ha. Nope, no no no no no no” Steve scoffs, raising his hands in an attempt to remove himself from the situation. With her customer checked out and heading out the doors, Robin steps beside Steve to face Eddie.

“Look, Eddie. As frustrating as this situation may be, believe me , I know. What kind of friends would we be if we blabbed her business behind her back, things she’s told us in confidence?”

He knows she’s right, but it only lands him in the same spot he’s been, stuck. Leaning his elbows on the counter, his head falls in his hands as his mind swells in frustration and overwhelm. He rubs his eyes, taking a shaky inhale.

“I don’t know what else to do. I’m stuck… I’m scared she’s just gonna pull away completely again. I just can’t take that.”

The sound of his voice, the subtle shakiness and cracking in it. The sight of him with his head in his hands, helpless. It hits Steve right in his chest. His hand shoots to his forehead, squeezing his eyebrows together in disgruntlement before he sighs.

“Look, Robin’s right. But” he shares a look with her. “We’re willing to help.”

Eddie’s eyes peek over his hands to observe them, seeing their genuine expression he removes them from his face completely.

“Well, you got any bright ideas?”

Steve shares another unspoken look with Robin and it’s nearly enough to send Eddie over the edge.

“Let me ask you something, Munson.” Steve begins, taking a step closer to the counter between them, arms returning to cross over his chest. He reads Eddie for a moment before continuing.

“You love her, don’t you?” He asks plainly. It catches Eddie off-guard, forcibly blinking his eyes repeatedly before shaking his head. Scoffing out a laugh.

“I- Well of course I do, she’s my best friend.”

He gets nothing but silence from the duo. Robin’s head tilts ever so slightly, Steve’s eyes squinting as they examine him. 

It’s more than that. He knows it, and they know it. But Eddie grows defensive under their prying gaze and question. That small spark of jealousy reigniting as he looks at Steve.

“Ha. Oh, I see. You’re just trying to see if you’re going to have some competition getting in your way, huh?” he accuses, posture straightening and puffing his chest out. But Steve only returns the accusation with a look of confusion, furrowing his brows.

“What? Don’t be ridiculous, Munson. Don’t get me wrong Y/N’s a great girl, but we’re nothing more than friends.”

“Yeah. Platonic… with a capital P!” Robin adds.

The air filling Eddie’s chest deflates with a huff, almost a sigh of relief. His calloused hand rubs over his face.

“Well, based on that reaction I think I have the real answer to my question.” Steve remarks, sharing another look with Robin.

Eddie looks around the empty video store before slowly nodding his head.

“Yeah. I love her. Really love her.” he admits, a small weight off his chest with the confession.

Steve releases a sigh of his own, slumping his back against the counter as he tries to think.

“So? What do we do?” Robin presses him, hands flared out by her hips. 

“Just-” A hand flies up to stop her. “Let me think, alright?”

Silence falls among the trio as Steve is lost in thought. Weighing their options as he feels the eyes of Robin and Eddie on him. Waiting for him to come up with a solution. A few moments pass before he slowly begins nodding his head, a small smirk appearing on his lips before his eyes look up to meet theirs.

“Yeah, alright. I’ve got an idea. But let me make one thing clear…shit, who am I kidding. If this plan fails it’s going to bite us all in the ass. So let’s make sure it doesn’t, alright?”

It’s another one of those nights. Despite your body being exhausted from a busy Friday shift at work, your mind is nowhere near winding down. Freshly showered and in a clean set of pajamas, you survey your room for something to do. The second your eyes land on your purple bass guitar, it’s decided. Losing yourself in music is one of your go-to’s for nights like these, providing plenty of distraction from your thoughts. 

Sliding the guitar strap over your head, you switch out the tapes in the stereo and press play. As Hang on to Your Love by Sade begins, your fingers flawlessly follow the bassline you’ve played countless times in the nearly 2 years since the Diamond Life album’s release. Your eyes close letting the music flow through you, singing along, head and body moving with the beat under the purple glow of your string lights.

In Heaven's name, why are you walking away?

Hang on to your love

In Heaven's name, why do you play these games?

Hang on to your love

Take time if you're down on luck

It's so easy to walk out on love

Take your time if the going gets tough

It's so precious

So if you want it to get stronger

You'd better not let go

You gotta hold on longer

If you want your love to grow

Gotta stick together

Hand in glove

Hold tight, don't fight

Hang on to your love

You sing and play along as your feet move you around the room, hips swaying to the beat. You let your mind focus on the rhythm, fingers following the repetitive baseline. Making an effort to not focus too much on the lyrics, less the irony slap you in the face. You know they’re right, deep down. Having the courage to follow the truth of it is another story.

He sits in the driver’s seat after the engine goes quiet, collecting his thoughts. Going over the plan he made with Steve, all the things he wants to say to you. He steps out of the van, closing the door behind him before heading toward the trailer. Unlocking the front door, he spares a glance toward your trailer, your window. Purple light shining through the sheer curtains. 

You. 

The faint outline of your figure clad with your guitar. Body swaying to the bassline you pluck with your fingers. He sighs, pulling his eyes from the sight and closing the trailer door behind him.

Secluding to his bedroom for the night with hope that Steve’s plan works.

Saturday, February 15th, 1986

A smirk plays on your lips, watching as Steve’s BMW pulls into your driveway. Steve and Robin waving at you from the front seat.

“Come on, it’ll be like old times last summer. Driving to work together, and you know, we can go for a drive around town after, listen to music, get some ice cream then have a movie night!” Steve propositioned you over the phone an hour ago. You figured he wants to do something to lighten your mood, take you back to the late nights your little trio would have last summer after your Scoops Ahoy shifts.

Which has led to you sitting in Steve’s backseat as he drives down Hawkins main road to drop you off at the restaurant before the two head to their own shifts. Giggling to yourself as you listen to their usual bickering from the front seat.

“Alright, give the store a call when you’re done and we’ll pick you up” he smiles as you get out of the car, quickly returning the gesture to him.

“Aye-Aye, Captain. See you guys later!” They wave bye before watching you part, releasing a deep sigh when you disappear into the restaurant and he shifts the car in reverse.

“I really hope this doesn’t blow up in our faces” Robin mutters from the passenger seat, fingers massaging her forehead before looking at Steve.

“Tell me about it… she’s gonna kick my ass.” He spares one last look at the restaurant before driving back onto the main road toward Family Video.

You can’t deny you feel excited for your after work plans, the prospect of being able to live in the moment with your friends and not in your head with stress. Business keeps at a steady pace throughout the day, offering you plenty of distraction from those thoughts and that nagging feeling in the bottom of your stomach you can’t quite place your finger on. 

When closing time comes around, the dinner rush that’d hit has left you feeling exhausted. With aching feet and a sore back, you scuffle over to the restaurant telephone. Dialing the number to Family Video, you glance at the clock. 10 minutes past their closing time.

“Uh, Family Video?” Robin’s voice greets you with hesitation, usually avoiding answering any calls that come in after closing time. Expecting your call, she hopes she didn’t just accidentally answer a customer.

“Hey, it’s me. I’m finished here if y’all are ready?”

“Oh! Yeah, right! Weeee are about to leave right now. Be there in a few!” Your brows furrow at the fluctuations in her voice.

“Uh alright, see you soon”

“Kay, bye!” Her cheeks puff out as she slams the phone down on the receiver.

“Nice. Real smooth, Robin.” Steve remarks with a shake of his head.

“Well you should’ve answered then, dingus!”

You put the phone back on the receiver before turning to collect your belongings from the back room, saying your goodbyes to your coworkers and clocking out. A few minutes later you’re wandering out the restaurant doors into the cold February air. A quick look around the parking lot tells you they’re not here yet. You decide to take a seat for the first time since the start of your shift, figuring you have enough time for a quick cigarette before the BMW pulls up any minute now.

5 minutes later, the cherry on your cigarette has met the filter and still no sign of Steve and Robin. Your foot bounces anxiously against the loose gravel beneath your feet. The video store is only 3 minutes down the road. Maybe they got caught up in closing tasks? But Robin said they were leaving right then on the phone… 8 minutes ago.

The roar of an engine on the quiet road pushes through your thoughts, turning your head when you hear tires crunching on loose gravel.

But it’s not Steve’s BMW you see. It’s the oh-so familiar van. 

Eddie.

Your stomach drops at the sight as he pulls up right in front of you, leaning over to lower the passenger window.

“Get in, I’ll give you a ride home.”

“I um,” your palms rub against your thighs as you rise from your seat, looking down the streets before meeting his gaze. “I already have one. I’m waiting for Steve and Rob, we have plans tonight.”

He doesn’t respond, only stares at you with an almost sympathetic look. As you read his expression, his lack of a response, the realization hits you under his gaze. Inhaling sharply as you look down the streets, lips tightening into a firm line.

“Goddamn it, Harrington.” you mutter under your breath. 

He set you up.

After your call to Family Video, Steve hastily called Eddie, setting their plan to ‘corner’ you into motion.

You take one last look at the empty streets, knowing that BMW isn’t coming. With a huff, you walk toward the passenger door of the van, climbing in. Eddie doesn’t waste any time pulling out of the parking lot and back onto Main Street, heading in the direction of the trailer park.

An uncomfortable silence falls between the two of you, only the low volume of a Black Sabbath tape flowing through the van.

Your anxiety grows when Eddie continues driving past the turn leading to the trailer park. You quickly look at him.
“I thought you were taking me home?”

“I will. Just going somewhere else first.” he returns simply, eyes never wavering from the road to meet yours.

You hastily light another cigarette in an attempt to calm your nerves and the anxiety sitting in your gut. Mind racing as you try to determine your destination. When the van turns onto a dirt road you’ve been on a few times before, you know exactly where he’s taking you.

Soon enough you see the moonlight glimmering off the water as the coverage of the trees lining the road clears up to the shore of Lover’s Lake. At the end of the road, he turns the van and backs it up so the backdoors will open to the shoreline. The sound of the soft lapping of waves is the only thing you hear when he kills the engine. 

Eddie hesitates his next move, sitting idly in the driver's seat. Looking down as he fidgets with the rings on his fingers before opening his door, climbing out of the van and shutting it behind him. Leaving you sitting there dumbfounded in the passenger seat.

This is it. They haven’t given you a choice in the matter. Both Eddie and your friends have had enough of your avoidance. Side-stepping Eddie for weeks and your feelings for even longer.

You’re sure this is his confrontation, not letting you leave until you’ve satisfied his questions.

Maybe he already knows your answers, the real answers. Who knows what Steve and Robin told him. You don’t believe they’d spill the beans so easily, but maybe they’ve grown so tired of witnessing this dance with Eddie that they’ve told him the truth themselves. Your heart doesn’t believe they would, but your anxiety isn’t consoled by that belief in this moment.

You hear the creak of the backdoors of the van opening from behind you, followed by the subtle shift in movement with Eddie’s body. A quick peek confirms it, his back towards you as he sits on the edge of the van, watching the water with a lit cigarette.

With a shaky breath you open your door and climb out, taking slow steps walking the length of the van till you’re at the back. Arms crossed against your chest, the toe of your shoe lazily digs into the dirt.

“What are we doing here, Eds?”

He takes a long drag of the cigarette, head hanging as he tries to find the right words, the right way to approach this.

“I… figured it was a nice place to talk.” His eyes finally look up to meet yours for the first time since he picked you up.

“To talk?”

He sighs, rubbing his free hand along the black denim covering his thigh.

“Y/N… I know there’s something going on that you’re not telling me. You’ve been pulling away, you’re not around as much and-and you give all these good excuses but I know there’s another reason for it. I can feel it.” His brown eyes are pleading as they look into yours before you divert your gaze away toward the lake, the speed of your heartbeat rising.

“I just… I can’t do this” you shake your head as you face the ground, pulling your bottom lip between your teeth to chew anxiously.

“All these years you’ve been able to tell me almost everything. What’s so different now, huh? With whatever it is that’s going on?” he pushes, the pleading in his eyes now seeping into his voice. “Did I do something?”

“God. No, Eddie. You didn’t do anything.”

“Then why can’t you just tell me?”

“ Because … Because it’ll change the way you look at me, Eddie. Our friendship, everything. It won’t be the same.” you insist, fighting the panicked feeling from filling your stomach and rising up your throat. Your words and the distressed look creeping onto your face brings him to his feet, moving to approach you.

“Hey. Look at me.” His hands grab onto your arms, holding you in place to face him.

“ Nothing could ever change that. Change our friendship and how much you mean to me. Hell, even after not speaking to me for 3 years, you’re still my best friend. Losing you is the last thing I want, and these last few weeks I’ve been terrified that’s exactly what’s happening. I can’t lose you again, Y/N. So please , just tell me what’s going on.” His voice is soft and sincere, only adding to the overwhelming emotions coursing through your body.

Panic. Fear. Worry. Guilt. Shame.

Scared to finally reveal the feelings you’ve held and hidden for so long. Guilt at seeing and hearing through his voice the hurt you’re causing him. It’s enough to push you in the direction you know you need to take. You can’t keep doing this to yourself, to him. Neither of you deserve it, but certainly not the boy you’ve loved for so long who stands before you, pleading for you to let him in and stop casting him out.

“Okay. Okay. Fine… I’ll tell you just- just give me a minute, okay?” You look into his eyes, offering a plea of your own. He nods softly, removing his hands from your arms and taking a step back, returning to his previous spot on the back edge of the van. Elbows on his knees, eyes following your figure as you begin to pace back and forth in front of him.

Your movements falter bringing yourself to one spot in front of him, shifting your weight from one foot to the other. You tilt your head back, facing the sky as you close your eyes. Taking a deep breath, attempting to hold back the tears threatening to slip. Your head falls back down to face him, ready as you’ll ever be.

“When I told you why I stopped talking to you for those years I was away… I didn’t exactly lie, but I didn’t tell you the whole truth either. It’s the same reason why I’ve been distant these last few weeks.” You begin, arms wrapped around yourself for comfort as he sits there, listening intently. 

“And the reason is that…I love you.” You confess with a shaky breath, daring your eyes to meet his. His brow furrows as he looks at you, confusion etched across his features.

“I-I don’t understand. I love you too… you’re my best-”

“ No , Eddie…” you cut him off with a sigh, frustrated with yourself most of all. That you’ve held this in for so long, regardless of how he’s going to take it.

“I don’t just love you… I’m in love with you. I-I always have been.”

There it is. 

The culmination of years of feelings, memories, touches that linger for seconds longer than they should, pain, and lust. Finally out in the open. 

A weight is off your shoulders but the confession doesn’t subside the anxiety swirling in your body, pushing you further.

Your feet move you to pace again, refusing to look at Eddie. Avoiding an expression that’ll break your heart before the words even come out of his mouth.

“I just, I couldn’t handle the pain and the feelings for you when I moved away, that was the real underlying reason why I stopped calling. I thought out of sight out of mind, you know? That my feelings would go away but they never did. A-and moving back just made those feelings for you more intense and then with the concert and your birthday, it was just so overwhelming” you ramble, barely taking a breath as the manifestation of your anxiety flows from your lips. The more you talk, the more you delay the inevitable response you expect from him.

“I know it’s foolish but I just did the same thing again. Thinking if I just put some distance between us it would go away. A-and I never said anything because I know you could never feel the same way about m-” 

You’re so focused on overexplaining yourself, staring at the moving ground below your feet that you don’t notice when he stands from his spot. 

He moves in front of you, hands returning to your arms to stop your pacing before they move up to softly cup your red, chubby cheeks. You barely have the time to process what’s happening before his lips come crashing down onto yours. It feels like time stands still, your mind in shock.

A gasp escapes your mouth before you press your lips just as hard against his. The feeling of his soft lips releasing all the tension held tight in your body, relaxing your chest and shoulders as one of your hands slides up to tangle itself in his messy curls. A motion you’ve fantasized about doing for so long. 

His actions speak louder than words ever could. Conveying years of suppressed feelings, wants and desires for you. Years of heartache from all the things he’s wanted to do with you, lost time from tiptoeing around your feelings for each other for so long. It’s all come to this very moment. He puts every ounce of the years of love, desire, and lust he’s held for you into the kiss.

Your eyes squeeze shut hard, but it doesn’t stop the tears from sliding down your cheeks. Hitting his thumb before he gently wipes it away. The gesture only causes more streaks to stain your cheeks.

You feel like you’re dreaming. This can’t be real, but his touch grounds you. Losing yourself in his lips, not stuck in your thoughts for the first time in weeks. 

Just him . 

Consuming every fiber of your being.

His lips part from yours, but his touch lingers. His forehead and nose press against yours. Thumb wiping away the stray tears on your cheeks as you look into his dark irises. Falling silent as you catch your breaths. 

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that, sweetheart.” He mutters softly, moving a hand from your cheek to tuck a loose strand of hair behind your ear. Catching sight of the gloss covering his eyes, tears filling his waterline and threatening to spill.

In those few seconds, the guilt comes flooding back in.

“I’m so sorry, Eddie. I didn’t know how to handle it or what to do. I didn’t think you could ever see me as more than just your friend.”

“I’d call you crazy for not being able to see it this whole time, but I guess that makes me crazy too”

“Safe to say we’re both crazy… and stupid”

“ Very stupid”

You smile at each other like idiots, holding one another in a tight embrace. Enjoying the touch you’ve both craved from each other for so long. 

“Don’t feel too bad about it. I didn’t know how to handle it, either. I never thought you could love me that way.”

You scoff at the admission, looking over all the features you’ve loved for so long, illuminated in the glow of the moonlight.

“I’ve always seen you for you , Eddie. When no one else has… and I love every part of you.”

He takes a shaky breath, closing his eyes with a small smile. A single tear falling down his cheek. 

You’re right. You’re the only person outside of Wayne who’s seen him for who he truly is- good and bad, strengths and weaknesses. That someone could see him at his lowest lows, see his faults and traumas, see the real him through his reputation and love him, and not just despite all those things. Truly love him . He never thought that was possible.

And here you are, telling him you’ve been in love with him this whole time.

Confidence overtakes you, letting yourself lean in to kiss the single tear, stopping it from falling further down and meeting his jawline.

His eyes slowly open, thumb caressing your cheekbone as he looks at you with such endearment. 

Everything in this moment makes you feel lightheaded.

The weight off your shoulders at finally confessing your feelings, let alone Eddie reciprocating them. The lingering sensation on your lips of his. His breath fanning against your face. The way his eyes are full with so much love and adoration.

Now that you know what it feels like, you only want more. You press your lips to his again, moving against each other seamlessly, almost they were made for his. The kiss is gentler than the first, taking your time with each other but holding just as much passion. His arms wrap around your waist, holding you tight against his firm, warm chest.

When your lips part again, your hands slide behind his head. Nuzzling your face into his neck, standing there in a tight embrace with nothing but the soft sounds of the lake, your heartbeats and breaths surrounding you. Despite feeling like time has stood still in your heart-to-heart with Eddie, it flies by later into the night. The outing to the lake has served its purpose, lost in each other’s touch until the late February air sends shivers down your spines.

“It’s getting cold out here, hun. Let’s head home, yeah?”

You nod against his chest, regretfully pulling apart from him before his hand snakes down to intertwine his fingers with yours. Guiding you to the passenger door of the van that he quickly opens for you, helping you in.

Comforting heat quickly fills the van as Eddie pulls off the dirt road. The roar of the engine sends a relaxing vibration through the seats. The familiar melody of Black Sabbath playing through the speakers. Eddie’s warm hand reaching to hold yours as street lights pass overhead. The long day behind you of school, work, and an emotional night with Eddie.

They all come together, taking their toll and lulling you into a state of relaxation as exhaustion kicks in. Your eyelids grow heavy and you don’t have the energy to fight it. 

He glances at you from the driver’s seat. Hearing your heavy breaths and the movement of your chest with them. Head slumped against the headrest. 

He doesn’t think his heart has ever felt so full, warm and swelling at the sight.

As he brings his eyes back to the road, he makes a mental note that he’s going to have to thank Steve and Robin big time.

“ Sweetheart”

Your heavy eyelids flutter open at the sound, warmth rubbing against your thigh. Through blurry vision you recognize you’re still in the van, only now parked in Wayne’s driveway. To your side, Eddie stands in the open frame of the passenger door.

“Hey, we’re home.” his voice is so soft, yet husky.

You attempt to rub the sleep from your eyes before you greet him with a tired smile, sliding your hand in his as he helps you out of the van.

“I um, I hope I’m not being too forward asking this but- do you wanna stay with me tonight?” he asks hesitantly, puppy dog eyes staring into yours.

“I’d love that. But , I’ve been sweating all night and I smell like grease…”

He laughs, glancing down at your hands held in his before looking back up to you.

“I don’t mind if you don’t.”

“Well good, cause I don’t think I could stand long enough for a shower if I wanted to.”

“Better get you inside before you collapse on me, then.” he smirks, wrapping an arm around you. Hand resting on your waist as you trudge up the steps into Uncle Wayne’s trailer.

You thank yourself for keeping an emergency change of clothes in Eddie’s closet, keeping your desire to be comfortable in mind for movie nights after Hellfire meetings. You slip into the bathroom, changing into the spare pair of sweatpants and a tank top as quickly as your tired limbs can manage.

Entering Eddie’s room, you’re greeted with the sight of him already laid in bed with a lit joint between his lips. Dressed in a faded Motorhead shirt and boxers. 

You’ve shared sleeping quarters plenty of times over the years, but now with your feelings for each other in the open and the sore tingling that lingers on your lips from his, shyness overcomes you. With rosy cheeks you shuffle your way to the other side of the bed, climbing in beside him before he passes the joint to you.

Gladly accepting the hit, smoke fills the bedroom with a comfortable silence falling between you. His arm extends behind your head, beckoning your cheek to rest against the warm, bare skin of his bicep. 

“Sooooo” he begins, exhaling smoke from his lips before his eyes fall on you. “Does this mean you're my girl now?”

His voice falls soft on your ears, almost shy as his lips form a small smile. You blush at the question, diverting your eyes from his as you take the joint from his fingers for another hit.

“I’ve always been your girl. Even when you didn’t know it.”

“Well that makes two of us then” he smile widens before faltering. “Well- not girl. I mean, your boy?... I guess… whatever, you know what I mean.” 

You giggle and he swears it’s his favorite sound in the whole world. Admiring the way your smile spreads to your round cheeks, making them pop out even more. If he didn’t already know you’d slap his hand away he’d pinch them, something he did one too many times to tease you in your younger years.

You turn on your side fully facing him as he takes the final hit of the joint, putting it out in the ashtray on the bedside table. Looking over his features, smiling when he catches you. Your hand reaches out to push his loose curls away from his face, breath catching in his throat at the sensation of your warm fingers grazing against his cheek.

“You’re so beautiful, Eds” you breathe out, causing blood to rush to his cheeks. 

“You’re the most beautiful girl these cynical eyes have ever seen.” he recites like poetry, gazing adoringly at you.

“That was you?” Eyes widening at the realization.

“Who else did you think it was?”

“I don’t know… I thought it was just some prank.”

“Yeahh… you didn’t look too happy in class after I figured you’d seen it.”

You shake your head thinking back on it.

“It just brought up bad memories of that guy I told you about, Justin. All that stuff that happened with him… it was this time last year. Valentine’s Day and all.”

You watch his chest rise and fall with a sigh. A mix of anger and love filling him, seeing the lingering effects that asshole has left on you. His free hand reaches out to grab yours, thumb gently caressing the skin on the back of it.

“Hey” he calls your attention back to him, begging your eyes to meet his again. “You don’t have to worry about anything like that ever happening to you again.” he declares reassuringly.

You never thought you could love him more before tonight, and here he is yet again proving you wrong. When his head slowly creeps closer to yours, you don’t waste a second meeting him half way. Lips colliding in a slow kiss, soft breaths escaping each time your mouths part before meeting again, closing the distance between as your chest presses against him. 

When sleepiness inevitably begins to take you over again, he wraps both arms around you and holds you against him. Your own sliding around his waist as your head finds a place on his chest for the night. Countless nights sleeping next to each other, Eddie finally gets to close the distance and hold you the way he’s always wanted. Chin resting atop your head, he’s the closest he’s ever felt to pure bliss.

With Eddie wiping away all your worst fears of what finally revealing your true feelings for him would look like, you easily give in to letting your heavy eyelids close. The rhythmic sound of his heart beating against your ear soothing you to sleep.

Chapter Text

Sunday, February 16th, 1986

Few people are stirring in the early morning hours on a Sunday. The dark blue sky turning shades lighter by the minute at the crack of dawn. What would be the start of most people’s day is the end of Uncle Wayne’s. Enjoying a cigarette after a long shift at the plant while driving down the abandoned streets of Hawkins, the local country radio station playing through the speakers of his beat-up old truck.

The trailer is dead quiet upon arrival, per usual when he gets home from work. Only the sound of soft, muffled snores drifting into the living room from behind the closed door of Eddie’s room.

After a quick tv dinner to fill his stomach, Wayne settles onto the couch with a hot cup of coffee as he watches the morning news. His typical after-work routine before settling into the fold up bed in the living room for a couple hours of sleep. 

He spares a glance down the hall to Eddie’s door, wondering what time the boy finally fell asleep. Finding numerous beer bottles filling the trash can over the last few weeks when he gets home. Wayne could tell he was having a hard time; he hadn’t seen you around as much, Eddie hadn’t mentioned you as much. Hell, Eddie hadn’t been talking as much at all in the spare opportunities the two had together given Wayne’s night work schedule. Wayne tried his best to not interfere, not to overstep and lecture his nephew. He’s an adult now after all. When it came to his nephew’s best friend that he’d been hiding feelings for for years, Wayne just couldn’t help himself but make little comments here and there. Whenever Eddie would mention you or after Wayne would get to see you, he’d turn to his nephew with a hand on his shoulder.

You better make a move before it’s too late, son. 

Don’t be a fool and let a good woman slip through your fingers.

He hopes one of these days the boy will listen to him.

It’s 10am and Wayne’s only gotten an hour of sleep before the phone begins ringing off the hook. His eyes flutter open halfway through the incessant ringing, but it ceases before he can bother getting up. As his eyes close to go back to sleep, the ringing starts again. With a grumble, Wayne shuffles his way to the phone.

“Munson residence” 

His brows furrow at the unfamiliar voice coming through the phone before his eyes turn down the hall.

Knuckles rap against Eddie’s door.

“Son, you’ve got a phone call.” Wayne calls out, listening for movement on the other side of the door. The sound of snores falter, tired groans filling the breaks between them.

He usually wouldn’t overstep the boundary of letting himself into Eddie’s room, but on the verge of impatience from being woken up, he doesn’t think about it.

“Eddie, you-” his speech falters at the sight before him.

Oftentimes you two would fall asleep together, heads slumped together or on each other’s shoulder, but this is different. 

Eddie and you lay in his bed in a close embrace, arms snaked around each other and your head on his chest.

“Hmph?” Eddie mumbles half- asleep, head slowly turning to the intrusion with squinting eyes. Eyes that widen after a few quick blinks, recognizing the figure standing in his doorway, feeling like he was just caught sneaking a girl in. 

Wayne fights the smirk from creeping onto his lips, looking away with a shake of his head.

“Someone’s on the phone for you.”

With a turn of his heel, he walks back down the hallway, no longer fighting the smile from plastering itself on his face.

The boy finally did it.

Eddie looks down at your peaceful sleeping face on his chest, reality setting in that last night was actually real. He smiles, letting his fingers gently move your hair. With a sigh, he regretfully begins removing his body from yours as slowly as he can to not wake you. Rubbing his eyes as he stumbles down the hallway to the telephone resting on the kitchen counter.

“Hello?” 

It’s strikingly clear the call has woken Eddie from his sleep, but Steve couldn’t care less.

“Munson, what the hell? I’ve been calling all morning!”

“Uhhh yeah, I was asleep” Eddie glances at the clock hanging on the living room wall, 10:20am. Steve just scoffs and rolls his eyes.

“So?” he asks expectantly. 

He’d been waiting for a call from Eddie or even you last night. Hoping for good news from Eddie, dreading an angry phone call from you. But the phone at the Harrington house has remained silent all night and all morning. Robin’s tried to convince him that’s good news, but with his patience wearing thin he’s decided it’s time to find out for himself.

“Sooooo?” Eddie prolongs absentmindedly, still out of it from his sleep being abruptly interrupted.

“Jesus Chr- the plan, Eddie?! What happened last night?”

“Ohhhh, yeah” he chuckles lightly, memories of last night shooting through the fog in his mind. “It uh- it worked.”

“It-it worked?” Steve turns to Robin, staring at him wide-eyed and hanging onto every word. “It worked!” 

They have their own mini celebration, bouncing up and down and high fiving each other. 

“Ahh, well of course it did. I came up with it.” 

Eddie rolls his eyes at the ego and smugness coming through Steve’s voice. Despite it, he has to give him credit.

“Yeah yeah yeah, the great Steve Harrington”

“Yeah and don’t you forget it. You owe me, Munson. Now come on, give me the details!”

Eddie’s in the middle of a groan when the phone is snatched from his hand, eyes falling to you standing next to him out of nowhere. Still groggy but determination in your eyes and actions.

“Harrington.”

The smile on Steve’s face falls.

“O-Oh heyyy there, buddy. Uh-” He tries his best to fake a laugh and light hearted tone, knowing all too well it’s pointless.

“First off… thank you. Really, I mean it. It’s the push I needed. And second off, I’m beating your ass the next time I see you, pretty boy.” 

The laugh he gives this time is genuine.

“I wouldn’t expect any less. Sorry for waking you two lovebirds up.”

“Good bye , haircut!”

In a second, the phone is back on the receiver. Eddie gives you a playful questioning look.

“Pretty boy, huh?”

“Don’t worry, you’re prettier.” You stand there smiling brightly at each other, warm hands clasping together.

The sound of a throat clearing breaks the two of you from your trance, Eddie stepping aside to reveal Uncle Wayne sitting on the edge of his bed, watching the whole interaction.

“I’m so sorry if the call woke you up, Uncle Wayne.” You proclaim wholeheartedly, guilt seeping in at the sight of the tired lines in his face. But he only gives you a warm smile.

“S’all right, darlin.” As you and Eddie turn to leave him to it, he speaks up again. “And may I say… it’s about damn time.”

You and Eddie share a knowing, shy smile at each other and to Wayne. 

“Goodnight, Uncle Wayne!” you bid despite the sunlight peeking through the dark curtains of the living room before making your way back into Eddie’s bedroom.

“You know, we still have time for another hour of sleep before I gotta get ready for work.”

“Don’t gotta tell me twice, sweetheart.” You laugh watching him literally jump into the bed, shimmying under the covers before looking at you expectantly, patting the spot next to him. “Get your ass in here”

You crawl over him to take your spot, quickly resuming your previous position. Both sighing when you’re back in your cozy, tight embrace. 

Despite the interruption, both of you can say it’s the best sleep you’ve had in your lives.

Monday, February 17th, 1986

“So you’re off tonight, right?”

Eddie’s soft voice breaks through the other conversations transpiring at the Hellfire table. You look up from your lunch to his chocolate eyes boring into yours.

“Yeah?”

“No plans with Steve and Robin, or your mom?” You chuckle softly and shake your head. Feeling silly looking back on your actions, excuses you made to avoid Eddie and your feelings for him, now knowing he shared those same feelings the whole time.

“No plans, why?”

“Oh nothing, just curious.” He shrugs, diverting his gaze back to the bag of pretzels in his best attempt at appearing nonchalant. An attempt that fails as your eyes narrow.

“What are you up to, Eds?”

“Me? Up to something? Psh, never.” He feigns offense with wide eyes. A facade that quickly cracks with a smile when your gaze doesn’t falter. With a playful roll of his eyes, he leans closer to you.

“I’ve got some deals to run after school but, I just wanna spend some time with you tonight.” He admits, hand reaching out to take yours in his, thumb gently caressing the knuckles of your fingers. You don’t bother to stifle the smile that creeps onto your lips and blush onto your cheeks.

“Okay”

“Okay? Be ready at 6 o’clock then.”

“Ahh, picking me up to take me to an undisclosed location again?”

“You’ll like it just as much as you did last time” he reassures with a cheeky smile and wink.

“Alright, 6 o’clock.”

“And uh if you don’t mind me asking, can you wear that one dark red sweater of yours? You know, the one with that v neckline?” Your brows shoot up at the request. Despite your inkling suspicions, you push him for your own satisfaction.

“Oh, you like that one, huh? Why that sweater in particular?”

“Well I… I have my reasons.” He throws you one of his devilish smiles, sporting a blush of his own. Flashes of memories of you in the sweater play in his mind, v neck revealing the alluring soft skin of your chest and neck, not to mention the glimpses of cleavage that he’s stolen peeks of every chance he gets.

The two of you are in your own little world, oblivious to your friends around you. Your flirtatious banter and touches on full display. 

The sounds of obnoxious lip smacking pulls your attention from one another. Turning to see the younger boys pouting their lips and making kissing noises at the sight.

“Oh, Eddie mwuah mwuah mwuah I love you so much!” Dustin teases.

“Oh Y/N you’re so beautiful!” Lucas adds in, the trio breaking out into snickers as the older boys simply look down at the table, attempting to hide their amused grins.

A pretzel goes flying, hitting Dustin right between the eyes.

“Ow!”

“What are you, 5?!” You laugh out, shaking your head at their antics.

“They’re just jealous.” Eddie proclaims to you, hand squeezing around yours.

“Jealous of what? I have a girlfriend!” Dustin exclaims in confusion. 

“Oh, that’s right. Suzie, is it? And uh- where is she again?”

“Utah…”

“Uh huh. Well, I guess I’ll believe her when I see her.” He throws the boy a smug wink, quieting their laughter before resuming his lunch snack, your hand remaining in his. 

~

You hear a knock echo from the front door down the hall and to your bedroom where you’ve been getting ready for Eddie’s arrival. With a glance at the clock on the bedside table, he’s right on time. 

Upon opening the front door, you’re greeted with the sight of Eddie, standing there with a shy boyish smile. Only instead of his usual Hellfire or band tee, he sports a black button up shirt, top two buttons left undone, paired with his usual leather jacket but missing his patched vest. In his hand he holds a small bouquet of red roses, extended towards you. You’re left speechless at the sight.

“I know I’m about 3 days late, but I couldn’t let the opportunity to give you a proper Valentine’s Day celebration pass by, even if it’s a little belated” he gives a nervous chuckle, handing the roses over to you. Besides the movement of taking the bouquet into your hands, you remain still and speechless, eyes studying the petals. 

The first time you’ve ever gotten a real bouquet of flowers… from the first boy who’s ever given you any kind of flower, daisies picked from the wooded fields you’d explore as kids.

With a shaky breath you hold the bouquet to your chest, watery eyes looking up to meet his.

“Eddie… this is so sweet, thank you. They’re beautiful.”

He takes a step closer, satisfied he’s done well as he looks between the roses and you.

“Well, not as beautiful as you but they’re close enough.” He laughs as you roll your eyes, feigning annoyance at his cheesiness despite the smile pulling at your lips.

“Come on, I’ve got plenty more in store for you tonight.” He alludes, stepping to your side with his arm outstretched for your own to wrap around. Shutting the door behind you, you oblige him. Linking elbows as he escorts you to the van, helping you into the passenger seat before heading toward an unknown destination.

“You’re really not gonna tell me where you’re taking me?”

“Um, that kind of defeats the purpose of a surprise, sweetheart.”

You give an exaggerated huff, turning your attention to the glimmer of lights adorning Hawkins Main Street coming up in the distance.

“Don’t worry, you’ll love it. I promise.” 

He offers with a smile that emphasizes his dimples while a hand reaches out to squeeze your thigh. Fingers gently digging into the meaty fat there. After the squeeze his hand remains, lingering there. Radiating warmth through the fabric of your tights, his thumb slowly rubbing back and forth. A gesture that shoots right to your core only a few inches above where his hand rests, internally fighting the urge to squeeze your thighs shut in an obvious attempt to stifle your reaction.

You instead distract yourself with the passing buildings and shops, trying to guess the mystery destination he’s taking you to on your ‘belated Valentine’s Day celebration’. 

His hand only leaves your thigh to shift the van into park, right in front of Vito’s. An Italian spot that is arguably your favorite restaurant in town. You look to him with a grin.

“You know me too well.”

Exiting the van, he takes your hand in his, fingers quickly interlocking as you walk to the front doors. Doors that he holds open for you, the gentleman he is. 

Upon being greeted by the host, Eddie tells him of a reservation for two, one he’d made after you departed from his bed for work on Sunday. Your less than joyful previous Valentine’s Days weighing on his mind. 

The host leads you through tables of families and couples enjoying their meals to a booth toward the back of the room. Sliding into your seats opposing each other, you settle into the familiarity of the place. Moody red walls dimly lit with single fixtures fitted at each wooden table. Nothing in the place has changed over the years you’ve been a patron, and it’s perfect. Much like your date, whose tongue peeks out from between his lips while looking over the menu. You hold back a giggle, looking over your own menu, pondering your options.

“What’re you getting?” You ask, peeking up at him.

“Hmm, I think I’m gonna go for the lasagna.” He declares, setting the paper down on the table.

“Oh? I’ve never tried theirs before. Is it good?”

“I guess we’ll find out. I’ve only been here once before, with you and your mom like, what? 5 years ago? From what I remember the spaghetti was good.” He chuckles, making you smile as you think back on the memory.

It’d been during one of Al’s stunts, nowhere to be found for weeks leaving Eddie under Wayne’s care once again. While he’d been working day shifts at the time, Wayne had an overnight shift he couldn’t switch. Your mom happily offered to watch over Eddie for the night, another sleepover for the two of you. You could never forget his wide-eyed skittish look in the restaurant, a look that didn’t fade till his mouth was full of noodles and spaghetti sauce. At that point in his life, going out to eat at restaurants wasn’t a commonplace activity, nothing outside of cheap diners or drive throughs. To be fair, it wasn’t a frequent activity of yours either, only reserved for nights like that one when your mom had gotten paid and your Dad was somewhere drunk in a bar. 

Now look at the two of you.

Still poor, but working your asses off for your own money and future. And on occasion to spend spoiling your loved ones, like tonight. 

When the warm plates of food arrive at the table, neither of you waste time digging in.

“So how is it?” You ask after a few bites. 

“Pretty good.” He mumbles, finishing the food in his mouth. “Not as good as the one you and your mom make. WHICH , might I add, Wayne has been dying to have again for years now.”

“Riiight, just Uncle Wayne huh?” You smirk at his attempt to use his uncle as a pawn to get what he wants. 

Not bothering with a comeback, his fork reaches across the table, stealing some ziti off your plate and funneling it into his mouth with a smile.

“Hey!”

“What? Didn’t you ever learn that sharing is caring? Mmm, that’s good.”

“If there wouldn’t be witnesses I’d throw this at you” you threaten playfully, brandishing a breadstick. 

“And waste a perfectly good breadstick? Tsk.” He quickly picks it from your hand, taking a bite while shaking his head in disappointment. “Not good at sharing AND wasteful.”

You scoff out an incredulous laugh, grinning at his antics.

“You’re lucky I like you.” You state simply, snatching your breadstick back from his fingers and taking a bite. An act he smiles proudly at.

“Mmm, and find me very pretty if I recall correctly.”

“The prettiest… and most annoying”

“Ugh. You hurt me, princess.” He scoffs in disbelief, hand on his heart before the dramatics fade. “Don’t lie, you love the way I tease you.” 

With a lick of his lips and a wicked glimmer in his eyes, you want nothing more than to lean over the table and encapture his lips with your own, if it wouldn’t catch the attention of the whole restaurant in the midst. 

“Hmm. Whatever you need to tell yourself, pretty boy.” You assert, gesturing with your eyebrows while taking another bite of your food. He looks back down at his plate with a chuckle and pink cheeks, scooping up another bite of lasagna.

With empty plates and enraptured in your typical banter, Eddie declines dessert from your server, requesting the bill. When it arrives on the table, he picks it up before you can reach to take a look. Fishing the wallet out of his jeans.

“Eddie. Let me help, please?”

“You can take me out another time sweetheart but this one’s on me.” He returns unwaveringly, handing the bill and cash over to the server when they pass by your table again.

You try to fight the feeling of guilt knowing the bill couldn’t have been cheap. Eddie knew it wouldn’t be, but you deserve to be spoiled and taken care of, and that’s exactly why he picked up some extra deals after school to do just that for you.

“Just let me take care of you, alright?” His voice is light and airy, just like his touch when he reaches across the table for your hand. 

It’s something you’ll have to get used to. Letting others do for you without worrying of paying them back, being indebted to them. Letting others do for you without expecting anything in return, only wanting to make you happy. As you look across the table to his smiling face and love filled eyes, it’s something you’ll try to get used to for him. 

When he opens the passenger door for you to climb in, you turn back to him, planting a soft kiss on his lips with your hands snaking around his waist.

“Thank you for dinner, Eds.”

His fingers slide into your hair, pulling your face back to his for another kiss.

“S’no problem, sweetheart. But that’s not all I’ve got planned for you.”

He gestures toward the van with his head, following his lead you climb into your seat. Heading back out onto the Hawkins streets to another unknown.  

An unknown that turns into a very familiar destination, Wayne’s trailer.

“Is this the part where you seduce me after a nice romantic dinner?” You eye him suspiciously with a playful grin.

“My intentions are purely innocent, I swear.” He laughs before hopping out of the van, pulling you with him up the steps and to the front door. His eyes never leave your face as you step into the trailer, closing the door behind you. 

Your gaze first lands on the red heart shaped balloon hanging next to the loveseat, then to the coffee table, covered in drinks and Valentine’s themed snacks and candies, including a heart shaped box of chocolates. A new, unlit candle sitting in the middle, next to a VHS tape of Sixteen Candles.

“You…you did all this for me?”

“Of course I did” arms wrap around your waist from behind, his chin resting on your shoulder. “Wanted to make you feel special, treat you the way you deserve to be treated now that I finally can.”

Your hands fall on top of his, resting on your stomach.

“Sixteen Candles, huh? Did you become a fan of rom-coms while I was gone?” You joke, trying to laugh away the tears threatening to fill your eyes.

“Nooooo BUT a little birdie told me it’s your favorite rom-com. I mean, we can always watch My Bloody Valentine but I figured-”

“No no, it’s perfect. Plus, I want the satisfaction of watching you like it more than you think you will.” 

“Hmph, we’ll see about that.” He takes your hand in his, pulling you toward your spot on the couch. Within a minute the candle is lit, tape in the VCR, and lights turned off in the cozy trailer. 

Touch no longer confined to shoulder-to-shoulder contact, his arm falls behind your head, pulling you into his side that you gladly snuggle against under a crocheted blanket.

Film halfway through and chocolate candies ransacked, a lingering guilt sits in your stomach.

“You know, I wish I’d have known you were doing this, I would’ve gotten you something too.” Your soft gaze turns up to him, looking down at you with a smile as the hand wrapped around you rubs your side. 

“Y/N… just having you here with me like this, finally as my girlfriend, getting to do the things with you I’ve always wanted to, like taking you out on a real date… that’s the only gift I need.”

“Eddie…” you protest, hand pressing against his chest.

“I mean it. You don’t need to worry about returning the favor, you are enough.”

Silence falls between you, staring into each other's eyes as your faces inch closer and closer until your lips collide. His hand moves to your back as your fingers slide into his hair. Lips moving together in a slow dance until you tug his curls ever so slightly, pulling a soft, stifled moan from his mouth. If your eyes weren’t closed, they’d be rolling to the back of your head at the sound. Your mouths press harder against each other as heat fills you, the kiss growing more passionate while holding your bodies tightly against each other. A gasping moan of your own escaping at the sensation of Eddie’s tongue gliding along your bottom lip, begging for entry. You happily oblige with your own tongue leisurely swirling around his. 

Movie long forgotten playing in the background as you’re immersed in a heated exchange, tongues exploring each other's mouths, dancing together. Your leg is thrown atop his, and it takes everything in you not to grind your core against his thigh. Pathetic whimpers mixing in with the sounds of wet kisses filling your ears. Your hand falls from his hair to let your fingers trail down his long neck. You feel like your entire body is vibrating, throbbing between your legs, nearly in disbelief at how his touch, mouth and tongue meeting yours has gotten you so worked up so quickly. 

It’s everything you imagined making out with Eddie would be and more. You don’t know how much more you can take, how much self restraint you have left, quickly fading the more you lose yourself in your body’s urges. You know taking it any farther would be too much, too quick, too soon, but you know you’re teetering on the edge of not giving a damn. 

As much as you hate the loss of sensation when his lips part from yours, you’re thankful he seems to have more self control than you do as he pulls back. Heavily panting while looking into each other’s blown out eyes. 

“ Christ woman, you don’t know how crazy you make me.” He drawls between attempts to catch his breath, eyes falling shut and sweaty forehead pressing against yours. You smile, willing your heart to slow as it beats out of your chest. Eyes falling to his newest item of clothing, bare chest exposed from the loosened top buttons, your fingers trail along the edge of the fabric there.

“I can say the same for you. And might I add, you look very good in this shirt.” 

He bites back a groan from the compliment, fused with the sultry tone of your voice. Eyes fluttering open to look down at his shirt, your hand on his exposed chest. 

“Yeah? You think so?” 

Biting your bottom lip, you respond with a nod as his brown eyes meet yours again. 

“Guess I’ll have to wear it more often for you then, yeah?”

With a shy grin and another shake of your head, your lips meet again. Much like how your earlier kiss began, it’s slow and passionate, letting the heat cool and your breaths even out. Neither of you can help it, after years of keeping yourselves shut in a box of friendship, all the passion and desire kept within pours out through your lips in the few occasions you’ve had alone since that night at the lake a few short days ago. The once locked door is now wide open, blown off its hinges and you’re struggling not to run out at full speed. 

“I think rom-coms might be my favorite now” Eddie mutters against your lips, cracking a smile when you burst into giggles, playfully slapping his chest. 

Your head soon finds its place back on his chest as the two of you bring your attention back to the movie, almost nearing its end. Chunks of plot points missed while lost in each other's lips. Having seen the film many times, you don’t care and have a pretty good feeling Eddie doesn’t either.

When the end credits roll, a glance at the clock on the wall tells you it’s time for you to get back home. It is still a school night, after all.

If Eddie had it his way, he’d never sleep alone again another day in his life. You becoming a permanent fixture in his bed. Now that he knows what it’s like to sleep in your embrace, he doesn’t want to go a day without it. Despite that desire, he doesn’t want to push things too fast and hard right out the gate, even if everything in his body and heart tells him to. Staying safe on the side of self restraint, he regretfully walks you across the street to your front door. 

“Thank you for tonight, for everything. It was perfect.” 

“Anything for you, sweetheart”

Bouquet of roses in hand, you part with a sweet, gentle kiss.

“Goodnight, beautiful”

“Goodnight, Eds”

With the roses finding their home in a vase on the kitchen counter, you nestle yourself into bed for the night with Henny. Replaying the date with Eddie in your mind as your eyelids close, you feel like you’re on top of the world.

Chapter Text

Friday, February 28th, 1986

A smoky haze hangs in Eddie’s room long after the cherry on your last shared joint died out. It’s your typical Friday night together after Hellfire, watching a movie between breaks to taste one another's lips. With the movie over, you’ve moved from the loveseat to Eddie’s bed, laying at opposite ends with guitars in lap, your leg atop his. Fingers seamlessly matching each other’s rhythm, soft smiles thrown with red, half-lidded eyes.

If you hadn’t been inseparable before, the two of you were practically attached at the hip over the last 2 weeks since that night at Lover’s Lake, and you swear it’s the happiest you’ve been in your life. All the time spent together, every time you feel his touch or his lips on yours, you can’t describe the feeling as anything else but high, floating in the clouds. Your friends are just as happy to see you finally together, unsure of how much more of the games they could bear witness to.

You play the last shared chord of the song, the weed making the two of you all smirks and giggles as you spare a glance to each other.

“I love playing with you, babe.” Eddie begins, eyes following as you lean to take a sip of your drink from the bedside table. “We’re just… so in sync”

Your hand reaches for his, squeezing it in agreement before stealing a quick kiss from his lips.

“What do you want to play next?” You ask, settling back into your spot at the end of the bed.

Eddie readjusts his slumped position, resting his back fully against the wall.

“You know, you still haven’t played me any of your songs since you’ve been back, Miss singer-songwriter.”

“Yeah…” you draw out as shyness creeps in, tinting your cheeks in blush while you avoid his gaze, fingers toying with the tuner on your strings.

“Sooooo” his foot nudges your leg resting on top of it. “Why don’t you play me something, pretty please?” 

Turning your gaze back, you’re met with his pretty doe eyes. With a deep sigh, you give in.

“Okay, okay. But you have to promise not to judge, I never said I was good .” 

You mimic his earlier movements, setting your posture straight before adjusting your strings.

“Oh, please. I already know you’re gonna blow me away.” You can’t help but to cut your eyes at him playfully, an unwavering boyish smile etched on his face.

You mull over the handful of songs you’ve written over the last few years, some you’re more confident in than others. Only one song sticks out the most, your most recent, your most vulnerable.

“This is um, a song I’ve been writing over the last couple months.”

He watches you in anticipation, arms crossed over the guitar in his lap. With one last look at him and his excitement from finally getting to hear your work, you bring your eyes down to the guitar in your lap. Taking a deep breath, you let yourself step into the uncomfortable vulnerability. 

You let your eyelids fall closed, tongue darting out to wet your lips before your fingers begin strumming the baseline, head softly bobbing along. Humming the missing main guitar line you’ve written with it. 

Part of you is grateful it doesn’t give you the time to hesitate before you start singing.

“ Whenever I’m alone with you,

You make me feel like I am home again.

Whenever I’m alone with you, 

You make me feel like I am whole again.”

Glimpses of memories flood your mind, from that day in 1976 when your eyes first met to the events of the last few weeks, and every emotion that comes with them.

“ Whenever I’m alone with you, 

You make me feel like I am young again.

Whenever I’m alone with you, 

You make me feel like I am fun again. ”

Despite already being shut, your eyes squeeze closed harder as you’re overcome with the emotion of it all, your love for Eddie. Raising goosebumps all along your skin. 

Nights spent alone in your room since your return to Hawkins, guitar in lap as Eddie would linger in your mind. Your repressed love and the way he makes you feel materializing through the lyrics, falling from your lips with ease.

“ However far away,

I will always love you.

However long I stay, 

I will always love you.

Whatever words I say,

I will always love you.

I will always love you. ”

The feeling is indescribable, thinking back to the moments you wrote these lyrics when you thought your love was unrequited, to singing your love song to Eddie now as his girlfriend.

You hum along to the guitar solo, teeth digging into your bottom lip to stifle the wetness surrounding your eyes.

A heaviness hangs in your chest and throat with the vulnerability, you can feel your cheeks burning. Refusing to meet it but feeling his eyes on you while you sing your literal heart out for him.

“ However far away,

I will always love you.

However long I stay, 

I will always love you.

Whatever words I say,

I will always love you.

I will always love you. ”

With a final pluck of the last chord, the sound fades out until your ears are only met with silence. Taking a shaky deep breath, you chance opening your vision to see Eddie’s reaction.

You’re met with glossy eyes, mouth slightly agape, evidence of a single tear painted streak on his cheek.

“You-” wetting his lips, he gulps down the lump in his throat. “Did you write that for me?” he manages to ask in a hoarse whisper.

You give a small nod, chest quickly rising and falling with the anxiety and anticipation of the moment.

In a second, his guitar is off and placed on the floor before he’s crawling to you. Hand sliding to the back of your neck, capturing your lips in a passionate kiss. Feeling the dampness of his cheek pressed against yours.

Your lips part only for a second to remove your own guitar before raising yourself to your knees, hands splaying against the cotton material covering his back.

“I love you too, sweetheart.” he mumbles against your lips, stealing another kiss before parting from them again. “No one has ever done anything like that for me before…”

A soft smile plays on your lips, thumb stroking his cheekbone.

“You deserve it. You don’t know how special you are to me, Eds.”

His lips crash into yours again as his arms wrap around your waist, pulling your body flush against him. The action knocks you both off balance, pushing Eddie back and pulling you with him. Your lips never part in the fall, only becoming deeper and more passionate as you land on his pillows. 

The warmth of his calloused hand meets your lower back, sliding under your shirt as your tongues eagerly greet each other. Noses brushing while your tongues engage in a dance you’ve practiced many times over the last 2 weeks. And yet, the intense feelings that come with it do not fade with each occasion your lips have met. Soft moans rising from your throats with each twirl of his tongue around yours. Your fingers finding their new favorite place, nestled in his curls as your thigh lays across his hips, the temptation to fully straddle him and grind your core against his becoming increasingly harder to fight. You’re unable to stop your hips from pressing into his side, seeking any sort of friction between your legs. 

You’re hoping this is it, tonight will be the night you finally take things to the next step. Not left in sexual frustration after your attentions are redirected to another activity, just when you’re brought to the brink of pushing things further. Relieving yourself the second you return to your own bed. 

Having an active sexdrive is no news to you, well versed in pleasuring yourself, more often than not to thoughts of Eddie before bed every night. But since confessing your feelings to each other and spending your free afternoons and evenings with your tongues down each other's throats, your libido has only been sent into overdrive.

You have to admit the constant unspoken denial to your urges have opened the door for thoughts of doubt to creep in. You know the way Eddie feels about you, and you’d like to believe he wants you just as much. You yourself were wary of the pacing of things with Eddie in the beginning, until you realized your relationship is not like anyone else's, nor should it follow the same path or timeline designated by others either. After spending years holding back your feelings, it only makes sense things would move a little fast after they’ve finally been put into the open and reciprocated. You’d figured Eddie would feel the same.

Now it’s been 2 weeks and with multiple passed up opportunities to take things further, you’re only left in confusion. You know he’s been with others before you in far shorter of a time. You only hope you’re overthinking it all and those concerns will be a thing of the past after tonight.

Your hope is cut short when his lips part from yours. Soft pants pouring from his plump lips.

“Do you uh- you wanna watch another movie?”

Your brows raise in disbelief at him as you attempt to catch your own breath. Your frustration boiling over, your head falls onto his chest with a groan.

“I take that as a no?” he lets out a lighthearted chuckle that fades when your head tilts back up, disappointment and uncertainty displayed in your eyes and features.

“Eddie… do you not want to have sex with me?” you ask softly, feebly fighting the hints of insecurity from weaving into your voice. His eyes slightly widen while his brows furrow.

“W-What?”

A frustrated sigh falls from your mouth, propping yourself up with a hand on his chest.

“Every time we do this , every time things get heated and start to go in that direction… you just stop, divert to something else, distract me… I-I don’t know what to think.”

“Baby. Believe me, I want to. You don’t know how hard it’s been to hold myself back, it’s been downright torturous but I… I don’t want to make you feel rushed.” He takes a deep breath to collect himself and his words. “I just think about all you’ve been through, the way others have made you feel and I don’t ever want you to feel like that again, to feel used. I just wanted it to be clear that you…us…it’s more than sex for me, and I guess I thought I needed to take things slow for that.”

“Eddie… how could I ever think that about you? That you could ever be anything like him? I understand where you’re coming from but…don’t you think we’ve already taken it slow enough? Everything? All these years?”

You take a moment to read each other's eyes, his fingertips ghosting along the skin of your arm.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

You can’t help but laugh at the question.

“Eddie, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

He wastes no more than a second to return his lips to yours, rolling over till you’re on your back and his waist is nestled between your thighs. They quickly wrap around him, holding his body against you as your mouths pick up where you left off, only now with no restraint. 

It soon becomes strikingly clear how much Eddie had been holding himself back when his hips grind into yours, a hand slowly gliding up your leg. You can feel the hard outline of his cock through his jeans, pulling a whiny moan from your lips when it grinds against your aching clit.

Your hands find the hem of his shirt, quickly yanking it off for your hands to explore the warm bare skin on his back. His mouth leaves a slow trail kisses from your lips to along your jawline. Fingers in your hair tightening to gently pull your head back, granting him full access for his mouth to explore and attack your neck. Your moans no longer muffled by his lips, they grow louder as he sucks, sending chills down your spine and straight to your pussy, desperately gripping around nothing as your thighs tighten around his waist. An airy, but smug chuckle fills your ears.

“Did I find one of your sensitive spots, sweetheart?”

You can only whimper in acknowledgement and it only makes him harder. Gently kissing and licking the quickly bruising spot on your neck as his free hand toys with your shirt.

“Let’s take this off. I wanna see you, all of you.”

He lifts himself up just enough to help remove your tank top, biting his lip watching you fumble with the hooks on your bra. You look up at him with your gorgeous eyes, removing your bra and throwing it across the room.

His eyes nearly bulge out of his head, breath hitching at not just the sight of your breasts, but the shiny metal accessorizing them. 

“ Holy shit” he breathes out as his hands begin sliding up the bare skin of your hips to your waist. “When did you do this?”

“My birthday.” you answer, watching his reaction in amusement.

You lean into his touch as his hands cup your breasts, sighing in pleasure as he kneads and massages them.

“So fucking sexy…” he mutters more so to himself than you before he begins to lean in, intent on letting his tongue play with your nipples.

“Wait, Eds.” your hand presses against his chest, halting his movements. “You can’t touch them, they’re not healed yet.”

“W-Well how much longer?”

“Probably another few month-”

“ MONTHS ?” His head falls back with a groan as he looks up to the ceiling, as if begging god for mercy. “Why must you tease me like this?”

You giggle at his dramatics, “I think you’ll survive.”

“Hmph, barely . I guess the wait will be worth it.”

He flashes you his signature smile, leaning in to give you another deep kiss before his mouth trails south. Wet, open mouth kisses along your skin between your breasts and  down your plush stomach. Biting your lip as you watch him leave small pecks on each stretch mark he sees decorating your skin, inching closer to your core, fighting your thighs from trembling in anticipation. 

As his fingers dig underneath the waistband of your tights, he glances up to you as if asking for permission. With an eager nod he pulls them down, carelessly throwing them off the bed with his eyes glued to your pussy. Mouth hanging open, his hands grip the back of your thighs, pushing them back and out, making your lips spread for him.

“ Fucckkkk . Your pussy’s so pretty, baby.” he mutters, laying himself down for his face to hover above your core, looking you over in admiration. A finger slowly drags from your clit down to your soaking hole. “And so fucking wet for me.”

Your face grows even more red from the exposed position, his praises, the sexual build up in your body begging for release. Needy moans bubble out of your throat when his thumb begins circling your clit.

“Eddie, please . I need you, baby. Need to feel you inside me.” 

If you were in your right mind, you’d probably be embarrassed by your desperate pleas, but they only turn Eddie on more. Making him groan as his cock becomes painfully hard, throbbing from the confinement.

He leans back onto his heels, hurriedly unbuckling his belt and yanking down his jeans. Your thighs involuntarily close to provide some friction at the sight of his cock being released from his boxers. You’re mesmerized at the sight, nearly drooling as you admire his length and girth, the vein running along his shaft, the contrast of his metal rings against his pale skin as they glide up and down his length. Your thighs quickly spread back open for him as he crawls between your legs. He notices the way you’re staring at him, and though lust fills your eyes, he bites his lip in nervousness. 

Eddie knows you’re not a virgin, but this is only your second time. His cock isn’t the biggest in the world, but it is bigger than average.

“I promise I’ll go slow, just tell me if you need me to stop, okay?” 

The gentleness of his voice, his promise, his touch as his hand holds your cheek only makes you want him more. With a nod, his lips are back on yours, slotting himself between your legs with the weight of  his body lying on yours. Warm, bare skin pressed against each other, grinding his cock between your folds, collecting your slick along his shaft. Whimpering into his mouth with each nudge of his tip against your clit.

He can’t wait any longer, reaching down to guide his tip to your hole. Slowly teasing your entrance, sliding the tip of his cock in and out. Breathy moans against each other's lips.

When he feels you’re ready, he slides himself inch by inch into you. Warm, wet walls wrapping tight around him. The delicious burn of his girth stretching you out in ways you’ve never felt before, throwing your head back against the pillows as a gasping moan tumbles from your lips.

“ Jesus H. Christ ” a guttural moan bubbles from his throat, burying his face into your shoulder as he fully seats himself inside you.

He doesn’t dare move, letting you adjust to his size while trying to keep himself from cumming too quickly. Years of desire and tension threatening to be fully released far too soon. You feel even better than he imagined, much better.

With a deep breath, his hips begin to rock back and forth. With one hand holding himself up, the other cradles the back of your head as yours grip onto his back. Your slick coating his cock with each stroke, quickly easing the pain of his stretch to turn into pure pleasure. Your thighs wrapping around him, foreheads pressed together as you stare into each other's eyes. Mouths hanging open as moans fall free.

“ Eddieee ” a needy whimper when his tip brushes against your sweet spot.

“Do you need me to stop, sweetheart?” he asks breathlessly, halting his strokes.

“God no, please don’t stop” your heels press into his lower back, pushing his cock deep back into you. “You feel so good”

“Fuck, baby. So do you, gripping me so tight” He groans, pressing his lips against yours as he picks up his pace. The sounds of your wetness, skin slapping skin filling his bedroom, mixing in with your moans. 

Your nails dig into his back as you’re filled with pleasure, with each stroke of his cock in and out of your pussy. His eyes roll to the back of his head, parting from your lips with a whimper.

“Fuck, I don’t know how much longer I can last. Feel too good, wanted this, wanted you for so long, baby” he rambles breathlessly, eyes squeezed shut as he focuses on trying not to bust so quickly when your sweet pussy keeps sucking him in, squeezing him so tight.

“I want it, Eds. I wanna make you cum.”

“Shit, sweetheart. Where do you want it?”

“Inside, fuck , I want you to cum in me.”

“ Oh my god ” 

A hand slides underneath you, wrapping around your waist while the other remains cradling your head. He buries his face in your neck, searching for your sensitive spot. Hoping it’s enough to help you cum with him. The way your nails dig deeper in his back, the way you repeatedly call out his name with his mouth latching onto your neck tells him you’re close. 

“That’s it, baby. Cum for me.” he mutters against your neck, picking up the speed of his thrusts.

It sends you over the edge with a squeal of pleasure, legs shaking, your walls squeezing him tight with a death grip.

He once thought your laugh was his favorite sound in the world. After tonight, it’s dropped down to second place.

The way your pussy pulses around his cock through your orgasm finally makes him falter, groaning your name as he pushes himself as deep as he can inside you, filling you with his cum. 

Your chests heave against each other, bodies relaxing with your release. Panting to catch your breaths. The mix of your juices dripping down your ass and onto his bed sheets beneath you.

After a minute passes, lust no longer clouding his mind, Eddie raises his head from your neck to look at you.

“Did I really just..”

“I’m on birth control, remember?” You chuckle as his face immediately relaxes, head falling back to your neck.

“Oh thank god” he mumbles into your skin, arms wrapping tight around you as your fingers slip into his hair, gently rubbing against his scalp.

You rest there for a few minutes collecting yourselves, evening your breaths and heart rates.

His lips find yours again with slow kisses as he pulls his soft cock from inside you. Moving to lay next to you, pulling you to lay with your back against his chest.

He offers you your drink, quenching your dry throat from the countless moans he fucked out of you. A lit cigarette soon finds its way to your fingers and lips, wordlessly passed between the two of you.

Your head rests back against his shoulder, his arm wrapped around your waist, hand resting on your stomach.

As you lay in each other’s embrace in utter relaxation, all tension and worries fully released from your mind and body, a question of pure curiosity hangs in your mind.

“Eds, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, anything.” he answers, blowing smoke from his lips.

“When did you know? That you felt more for me than just a friend?” you ask, turning your head to peer up at him. He smiles down at you before putting out the cigarette, letting his hand fall to rub up and down your arm.

“It’s uh, hard to pinpoint an exact moment.” he begins with a sigh. “Sometimes seems like I’ve had these feelings for as long as I can remember. 

Maybe it was one of the first few times you snuck out of your trailer when your parents fought and came to Wayne’s, and I’d realized I was that person you wanted to go to to feel safe.

Or whenever something would happen, good or bad, you were always the first person I wanted to tell.

Or maybe it was one of the countless times I’d look at you and wish I could kiss you, hoping I’d always have you in my life.

Or when you left and I stopped hearing from you. The way my heart broke at the thought I’d never see or hear from you ever again.

Or every time I was with another girl… you were always just there in my mind, I’d see your face in theirs.

And when you came back, the way my heart both fluttered and sank to my ass at the sight of you…”

His eyes meet yours, hand moving from your arm to let his fingertips ghost along your jawline.

“I’ve realized I love you so many times, sweetheart. I just never imagined in all those moments… you were falling in love with me too.”

Emotions overwhelm you, a tear falling from your eye as your heart swells in your chest. His finger lands under your chin, tilting your head up to meet his soft lips, your body turning to fully face him, deepening the kiss.

“I love you so much, sweetheart.”

“I love you too, Eds.”

Chapter Text

Friday, March 21st, 1986

In between your afternoon classes, you diverge from the hallways to the outside courtyards for a cigarette. Greeted by the sight of two of your younger friends sitting by the payphone. Reading their demeanor and tone of voice, it’s easy to tell they’ve gotten nowhere on the mission Eddie gave them.

“No luck?” you ask, coming to stand beside them.

“No” Dustin sighs, hanging his head.

“It’s hopeless. I mean, why can’t they just reschedule the ball game?!” Mike whines, hands thrown out in frustration. You scoff out a laugh with a shake of your head.

“Oh, come on. Far more people, including the school board, are involved in the scheduling and financing of our school sports. You think they’re going to reschedule for our little DnD club?”

Mike knows you’re right, but he can’t shake it off.

“Well then why can’t Lucas just skip? He’s been sitting on the bench this whole season anyway! I mean, he’s putting that stupid game before us!”

You take a seat on the bench next to them with a sigh, drawing another drag from your cigarette.

“Lucas… is on his own path right now. He’s doing what he thinks is right for him. Whether we agree with it or not, he’s gotta figure it out for himself.”

They take your words in silence, struggling with the helpless feeling of the reality of it all.

“Still, we’ve had no luck finding a sub. We’ve tried every clique and club. I tried asking Max.”

“I even tried asking Nancy!”

“Nancy? I respect the effort, but you didn’t actually think she’d do it?”

“No, but I had to try!”

You and the boys sit in silence, as they hang their heads, your eyes roam around your surroundings. Students mulling about between classes. 

“You know, I think you’ll find the perfect sub if you look just a tad bit farther.”

You give them a smirk when they turn to you, a soft nod of your head in the direction of Hawkins Middle School only a yard away.

Their eyes follow the direction before turning to each other.

“Holy shit, you’re a genius!” Dustin exhales, jumping from his seat and wasting no time in beginning the short run across the parking lot with Mike in tow. 

“You can thank me later” you mutter with a smile, taking the last drag of your cigarette.

“This is Hellfire club, not babysitting club.”

“I’m 11, you long-haired freak”

“My, my. The child speaks. So, what’s your name, child?” Eddie pushes, rising from his throne to approach her. 

“Erica Sinclair” she declares unwaveringly.

“So this is Sinclair’s infamous sister.” Eddie remarks in amusement.

“He’s sharp.”

You watch with your arms crossed, enjoying the back and forth. Looking at Erica in admiration and pride, always so confident in herself. When Eddie gives a look to quiet the older members  laughter, your expression doesn’t waver, biting your bottom lip to stifle your grin as you watch how it all unfolds.

“What’s your class and level? Level one dwarf?”

“My name is Lady Applejack. And I’m a chaotic-good half-elf rogue level 14 and I will sneak behind any monster you throw my way and stab them in the back with my poison-soaked kukri and I’ll smile as I watch them die a slow, agonizing death. So, we gonna do this, or are we gonna keep chit-chatting like this is your mommy’s book club?”

Eddie slowly backs away from her in surprise, though keeping a stone straight face. You have to keep yourself from breaking out into applause right before his head slowly tilts your way, surveying you with narrowed eyes.

“Let me guess. You babysat this one too, hmm?”

“She already had the fire in her, just helped teach her how to wield it. That’s all.” You offer with a nonchalant shrug, grin becoming harder to bite back.

You watch the smirk slowly spread across his lips before he turns it toward Erica, finally extending his hand to her in truce.

“Welcome to Hellfire”

As you expected, Erica turns out to be a great sub, securing Vecna’s defeat in an electric campaign. You’re all smiles, hooping and hollering as you meander down the halls, trailing behind the rest of the club with Eddie. Your cheers soon blend in with that of the other student’s departing from the basketball game as you enter the parking lot. A win for the Hawkins Tigers as well, you can only assume.

You spot the basketball team rallied around each other across the parking lot, catching onto one particular face as he looks among your club with an expression you clock right away.

“Hey, give me a minute. I’ll catch up, alright?” You quickly tell your boyfriend when Lucas’s eyes land on you.

“Alright, hurry up.” Eddie offers you a sweet smile and a peck on your lips before joining the rest of the club.

You gesture your head toward a vehicle close by, blocking the view from the rest of the team.

Lucas manages to slip away without any of them seeing you.

“I take it you guys won?” you ask excitedly, trying to pull a smile out of his down wrought expression.

“Yeah, finally got pulled from the bench. I made the winning shot.” He answers with a half smile.

“Lucas! That’s great, man. Congratulations!” Your enthusiasm and smile is genuine, pulling a bashful one from him before his eyes waver toward the club, his little sister among them.

“I take it you guys won too.” he remarks, smile faltering. You don’t need to turn around to see where he’s looking.

“Hey. I’m sorry none of us were able to be there to watch you. I wish I’d of seen it, I really do. But you know how Eddie is, it’d take an earthquake for him to cancel Hellfire. Shit, he’d probably still have it even then.”

“Yeah, I get it.” His eyes fall to look down at his shoes, sadness seeping into his voice.

“Lucas. I understand what you’re doing, why you’re doing it. I do. Even if it means associating yourself with the people that bully us.” Your gaze flickers over to the group of jocks as his head hangs. You pull his attention to look back at you with a gentle squeeze of his arm. 

“Hey. We care about you, and we’re always gonna be your friends. You’ve gotta do what you think is right for you. Just… don’t forget who you are in the process, alright?” You plead to him with your eyes, hoping he understands you.

“Yeah, alright.” Lucas nods, offering a weak smile of acknowledgement.

“Now go on, go celebrate with your team. And please, make smart decisions.”

“Alright. Thanks, Y/N.” You pull a real laugh from him, watching as he waves bye before going to rejoin his team who welcome him back with cheers and open arms.

You let yourself observe for a few seconds before you go searching for your own group. Soon finding your boyfriend waiting at the van.

“Come on, pretty girl. We’ve got a whole van load of people to drop off.” He remarks with an unamused expression.

You climb in, laughing as you see all 6 of the other members piled into the back.

“How the hell did I get roped into this again?” He questions you after climbing into the driver's seat with keys in hand, the excited chatter of the club quickly overtaking the confined metal box on wheels.

“Oh I don’t know, because you’re an oh-so generous Dungeon Master and friend?” you sweet talk him with a flutter of your eyelashes and a squeeze of his jean-clad thigh. His eyes follow your hand before looking back up to you with a raised brow.

“Let’s uh, get them home as quick as possible, yeah?” He determines with a quick glance to the back of the van, hastily inserting the keys and starting the ignition. Your giggles join the sound of the squealing tires and club members' mingling as he burns rubber leaving the parking lot.

Eddie was already planning to spend all night with you in his bedroom ahead of your plans to depart with your mom in the morning for a weekend college visit. His plans are now only solidified by your teasing nature that you take far too much pleasure in.

The club members are left at the end of their driveways with a parting cloud of dust.

Barely an hour after departing Hawkins High, Eddie has you stripped and spread open in his bed.

His bare chest is pressed against your side as his tongue swirls with yours and his hand slides between your legs, fingers teasing your clit. Switching the amount of pressure his fingers apply on your sensitive bud, from calloused pads barely ghosting over your clit to applying full pressure, just to tease you. Getting you closer and closer to the edge before pulling back, chuckling in the way your body chases the pleasure, pushing your pussy against his hands for the friction.

“Eddieeeeee, stop being mean”

“I’m not being mean, sweetheart. Just love the way you whine for me when I tease you.”

He gives in to you, no longer teasing as his finger circles your clit just the way you like it. Making you purr for him, moaning into his mouth. One of your hands is lost in his hair as the other grips his bicep. Your leg hoisted over his, keeping you spread open to his liking, full access to play with you as he pleases.

He groans as his fingers dip down to slide into your soaking wet pussy, thumb taking the place to rub circles into your clit.

“Can’t believe you’re gonna deprive me of this sweet pussy for two days… now that’s mean” He mumbles against your lips.

You can only respond in the form of pathetic whimpers, he turns you into mush and he knows it, loves it, craves it. You deepen the kiss as your walls flutter around his thick fingers slowly sliding in and out of you. His fingers slide over a particularly sensitive spot, pulling a high-pitched moan from your lips, your pussy tightening around his fingers.

“Mmm, is that your spot, baby?” His fingers rub over it again, pulling another moan from you. “That feel good?” he practically moans, watching your face twist up in pleasure from his touch.

Your head nods fervently, your grip on his arm tightening.

“Fuck, yes. Right there, baby.” you manage to get out through gasps, letting your head fall back as the pleasure courses through your body, a pressure building in your core.

Eddie quickens the speed of his fingers thrusting in and out, pushing up against the spongy spot at the top of your walls. A trail of wet, open mouth kisses are dotted all over your neck and chest as your breaths quicken with the unrelenting pace and pressure of his fingers.

“Fuck Eddie, feel like I’ve gotta pee” you whine out, feeling the build up of pressure in your core like it’s about to burst.

“S’okay, baby. Don’t hold back, just let go. I’ve got you.” he pants against your ear.

Every muscle in your body begins to tighten, your thighs shaking as you reach your breaking point. With your eyes squeezed shut, all you can hear over your moans and panting is a gushing wet sound mixing with the thrusts of Eddie’s fingers.

“Holy shit” the muffled sound of his voice breaks through the ringing in your ears as you ride out your high. “Fuck, you just squirted for me. So fucking hot.”

His mouth is back on yours in a heated kiss. When your lips part, you look down to see the evidence of your newly found ‘skill’. A wet spot on his sheets right between your legs.

“Shit, Eds. I’m sorry”

“Sorry? For what?” He asks incredulously.

“For staining your sheets” You say with a light laugh, nodding your head to the big wet spot below you. His eyes follow yours to the stain before looking back to you with a big grin,

“What do you say we make some more, huh?” A soft kiss, sucking your bottom lip between his. “Think you can do that again for me, baby?”

He doesn’t need an answer before he’s moving from your side to between your legs, hovering over you.

“I didn’t even know I could do it in the first place.” A heavy sigh parts from your lips with a laugh, finally catching your breath before your boyfriend sets on stealing it away from you again.

He kisses you for a few moments, letting his stiff cock rub against your pussy, covered in your slick and juices, amping him up even more. His hard, thick cock sliding inside you with no resistance, making his eyes roll back at the feeling. The feeling of your perfect pussy, and how wet it gets just for him.

His hands hook under the back of your knees, holding them back as far as he can. The force lifting your ass off the damp sheets beneath you. The position helps his cock get closer to lining up against your sensitive spot. He doesn’t waste time taking it slow, he knows he doesn’t need to.

Your pussy already soaking for him, he starts his thrusts hard and deep. Watching your puffy lips wrap around him, sucking him in. The squeals of pleasure falling from your lips each time his hips connect with yours.

The feeling of him inside you, the way his cock stretches you no matter how wet you are is enough to drive you crazy, turn you into a moaning mess beneath him. The position does help for his cock to just barely nudge against your g-spot with each thrust, but it’s not enough and he knows it.

In a second he’s snatching a pillow and moving your ankles to his shoulders.

“Lift your ass up for me”

You use his shoulders for leverage as he shoves the pillow under your ass before his hands are holding your legs back again. Leaning down to give you soft, sweet kisses while his cock is stuffing you so deep his tip nudges against your cervix. Before you can grasp onto him he’s leaning back again, picking up where he left off.

The added pillow was the perfect touch, making your toes curl with each thrust of his cock that rubs against your spot just right. You grip onto the only thing you can, the sheets underneath you while he aligns the direction of his thrusts with your moans, finding the perfect angle and rhythm to send you unraveling beneath him in mere minutes. 

“Gonna make you feel so good, baby” he moans, feeling you tighten around him with each bump of his cock against your spongy spot. The familiar sensation, pressure in your core begins to build again.

One hand leaves the back of your knee to gently push down on your mound, adding to the pressure building in your core, making sure his cock hits your g-spot with each thrust, his thumb reaching down to rub your swollen clit. 

“Fuuuck, Eddie! Oh my god!” You nearly scream out, the pleasure taking over your body is overwhelming, it’s intense, and feels so fucking good. 

You can feel tears falling out of the corner of your eyes and landing on the sheets below you, the squeaking and scraping of the bed frame against the floor.

“That’s it, baby. Give me what I want. Squirt all over my cock for me” He sputters through moans and pants, taking everything in him to hold back his own orgasm till he gives you your second.

He knows just what you need, just what to say, that final push to send you plummeting over the edge. You yell out as you fall into your second orgasm of the night, taking over all your senses. Your free leg tightening around his back, your walls tightening around his cock, everything in your body tightens as your orgasm rocks through you. It’s the hardest you’ve ever cum in your life. 

As soon as Eddie feels your wetness gushing around his cock, he immediately falters. Holding himself deep inside you as he groans out while his cum fills you up. A sensation you’ve quickly grown to love and crave from him.

His body relaxes onto yours, your hands embracing each other.

“Jesus Christ, Eds!” You groan out between attempts to catch your breath.

“You did so good for me, sweetheart” He mutters against your ear, making you involuntarily clench around his sensitive cock. He lets out a soft hiss, pulling himself out from inside you with a chuckle. “I wonder how many more times I can make you do that…”

“Oh my god, you’re trying to kill me” you whine out before joining in with his laughter.

“Just like making you feel good, making you cum for me.” His lips trail up your jawline. “I’ll let you rest for the night, but I won’t be satisfied until this bed is covered in your stains.”

“You’re a very depraved man” you chuckle, playfully slapping his arm before his lips meet yours again.

Staying tangled in his embrace for the remainder of the night, through your slumber and until the morning comes.

With a parting kiss… or two, lingering hands on your sides that don’t leave until you move from his grasp, you depart from Eddie in the early hours of Saturday morning. He watches from the porch like a sad puppy as you walk to your trailer and depart with your mother in her station wagon for a weekend trip to visit Ohio State University.

A subtle seed of doubt is planted in that moment.

The drive to Columbus, Ohio is far from the worst, only a fraction of the drive to Virginia. You occupy your thoughts and attention to the unfamiliar route, passing towns, cities and landmarks you’ve never seen, small talk with your mother, and singing along to the songs on the radio carrying you along on your journey.

Your visit at the college isn’t bad either, by all accounts it goes rather well. A vast campus with classic architecture in a big, new city. You’re impressed by the academics, the sense of community, and the countless opportunities offered in the state’s capital. It’s clear the university holds promise for you and your future, but as you roam the campus you can’t rid yourself of the emptiness that comes with the prospect of attending there. 

4 hours away from your home, from your friends, from Eddie. 4 hours of distance is nothing compared to the 11 that previously separated you, it’s true. Still, the idea of parting ways again so soon after finally getting to the point in your relationship with Eddie that all these years have been building to, years of yearning and heartbreak… it’s not an idea you’re ready to accept.

You feel every minute of the 4 hour drive back to Hawkins. Every minute of distance that would be between you and your life at home as you know it. It doesn’t warm you up to the idea anymore than when you were at the campus. 

Neither does the sight of your loving boyfriend and best friend, waiting on his porch with a cigarette for your arrival.

Wrapping your body in his strong, warm arms and your lips with his, softly rocking you side to side in the embrace.

“Miss me?” you tease, looking up into his chocolate eyes.

“Every second you were gone, baby.” He mutters in a husky tone, meeting your lips again for a long, sweet kiss. Whisking you away into Wayne’s trailer, intent on not letting you step foot outside it again for the remainder of the day.

Having the whole week off for Spring Break opens up an abundance of free time, and you don’t know any better way to spend it than with your boyfriend and group of friends. On your days off from work, you’re free to get lost in any adventure imaginable, no matter if it was spending your Monday at Dustin’s with your friends playing his Atari all day, going to the movies and shopping with Steve and Robin on Wednesday, or a day at the lake on Friday. It’s a small taste of what’s to come for summer, freed from the confines of school. The last truly ‘free’ summer you’ll have before adulthood and all that comes with it.

Friday, March 28th, 1986

What was meant to be a fun, relaxing afternoon with your friends at Lover’s Lake is off to a rocky start. Rather than take the road you and Eddie had taken before that leads right to the waterfront, Steve listened to Dustin’s insistence on parking at the entrance that many hunters in the area used, a mile of trails between your cars and the lake.

No big deal, nothing wrong with a little hike. That is until the two leading the group, Dustin and Steve, begin bickering over the location of Skull Rock.

“Dude, I’m telling you you’re taking us the wrong way.”

“It’s north, I’m positive!” Dustin asserts, flashing Steve his compass.

“You do realize Skull Rock is like a super popular makeout spot.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Yeah, well it wasn’t popular until I made it popular. I practically invented it, you’re going in the wrong direction.”

“Yeah Dusty, don’t you know Steve is the ladies man of Hawkins? You think he wouldn’t know where Skull Rock is?” You tease, Eddie and you trailing behind them.

“Yeah, and he’s right. You’re definitely going in the wrong direction.” Eddie asserts, earning a 

“Thank you!” from Steve.

You spare a side-ways glance to Eddie with a cocked brow.

“And what would you know about the most popular make-out spot in town?” You question.

“I’ve been there for the occasional deal, that’s all” He declares with his arms raised. “I promise, lovebug.” He finishes, wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

“Ugh, no. Not that one.” You laugh despite your face scrunching up.

“You know, no matter how much you say you don’t like one, it still puts a blush on those cute, chubby cheeks.” He asserts while leaning closer to your ear, his hand reaching up to pinch your round cheeks. You quickly swat it away.

“I’m going to fuck you up, Munson.” you threaten, all talk and no bite. Smile still plastered on your face.

“Oh that’s alright, darling. I’ll find one you like eventually.” 

You roll your eyes, playfully nudging his side as you divert from the path Dustin was leading to follow Steve.

It’s a little game Eddie’s been playing the last few days, trying out different pet names on you to find one that sticks, one that feels right. It’s his own new loving way of teasing you, reveling in the reactions he gets out of you and how flustered the names make you.

“Oh Boom! Bada Bing Bada Boom! There she is, Henderson! Skull Rock in your face, man. Your stupid, cocky, little face.” Steve exclaims, opening the clearing of tree branches to reveal none other than Skull Rock.

“Alright, easy tiger.” You chuckle, patting Steve on the shoulder as you pass him to survey the famous sight.

“You knowwww” Eddie begins, creeping up next to you. “We can make this our new spot, honey bunny.”

You can’t help but laugh, shaking your head before meeting his eyes.

“Honey bunny, huh?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s perfect for you. Honey, cause you’re so sweet” His hip bumps yours. “And bunny…well, cause of the way you ride m-” Your hand flies up to cover his mouth, but you can still see the shit-eating grin underneath.

“Not in front of the children, Edward.” You teasingly scold him, wide-eyed. Removing your hand when a quick look around shows the others in their own conversations, Steve and Dustin still arguing.

“Oh yeah, that’s the one.” He smirks, holding your hips before placing his lips on yours.

“Ahem. I know I said this is a makeout spot but uh- you don’t have to take it literally.” Steve chimes in from behind Eddie, who instantly flips him the bird.

“Don’t gotta be jealous, Stevie.” Eddie teases when your lips part, turning to face Steve with a cheeky smile.

“I’m not jealous” Steve scoffs, arms crossed against his chest.

“Alright, alright. We’ve seen Skull Rock, now can we actually get to where we came here for?” You ask, stepping around Eddie to face Steve.

With that, your group is back off into the woods. Dustin and Steve lead the pack again, still arguing about Skull Rock as you head in the direction of the lake.

Upon reaching the water, you have the whole afternoon to spare. You and Robin sit on the pier, dipping your toes in and gossiping about your lives. You listen to her ramble about her crush that she can’t do anything about, being a supportive, understanding friend. Watching Steve, Eddie, Dustin, Lucas throw around a football on the shore line. You, Robin, and Max walk along the water searching for cool looking rocks to take back home with you.

“Man, we should’ve brought our bathing suits” Steve remarks, hands on his hips as he looks out at the soft waves on the lake.

“Shit, we could still strip down to our underwear and hop in” Eddie looks at you when you scoff. “Oh come on, honey bunny. Why don’t you hop in?” He flashes a bright smile at you as you give him an amused look, arms crossed.

“Yeah right, that water is freezing. I’d like to see you do it first.”

“I’m sure you would” he replies smugly with a wink, earning a light-hearted eye roll.

“Should’ve brought some fishing rods too.” Lucas adds.

“Shit, I don’t think I’ve ever been fishing before.” 

“Well hell, kid. You don’t need fishing rods to catch a fish.”

You all watch in curiosity as Eddie grabs a sturdy, fallen stick and whips out his pocket knife, sharpening one end of the stick until it’s sharp and pointy.

“A spear… you’re going to catch fish with a spear?” Dustin questions with zero faith in his dungeon master.

“Worked for the cavemen” Eddie shrugs, taking off his shoes and socks, rolling up his jeans before he begins wading off into the water.

It’s dead quiet as you all watch him, intently staring down at the water with spear in hand, ready to strike in a split second. When he does, none of you expect the fish that he pulls out of the water at the end of it. He looks back to you all with a self-satisfied smirk.

“Looks like we’re having fish for dinner, sweet cheeks.”

“Oh, there’s no way in hell.” Steve quips in disbelief, rising to his feet.

“You’ve gotta teach me how to do that!” Dustin mutters in bewilderment. 

Soon, Eddie’s fashioned spears for all of you. Knee deep in the lake searching for fish to catch. Light laughter and mutterings of profanities floating across the water.

While half of you aren’t lucky enough to imitate Eddie’s catch, Steve and Max end up catching fish of their own.

You spend the last hour of sunlight making a small fire to cook the three fish you caught, half of you watching in disgust, the other half watching in interest as Eddie cleans them.

“I didn’t take you for a fisherman, Eddie” Robin comments in surprise, watching his effortless movements.

“Well, my Dad and Wayne have done their fair share of fishing trips, some of which I was dragged along to.”

You sit in a circle around the dying fire, eating your fish and watching as the sunset paints a cascade of colors in the sky, reflecting along the water.

When darkness falls around you, the group makes the trek back through the wooded trails with flashlights in hand, laughing as Eddie tries to spook the younger kids, making up ghost stories about the surrounding woods.

A quiet sigh of relief falls among the group as Eddie’s van and Steve’s BMW finally come into view.

“So, you guys excited for your trip to Indy tomorrow?” Steve asks, fishing the keys out of his pockets.

“Wait, you guys are going up to Indy?” Dustin nearly stops in his tracks.

“Yeah, bright and early. I’ve got a college visit up at Indiana University.”

“Mhmm, we’re gonna do some exploring, go to some record shops, make a whole day of it.” Eddie shares as he stands behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you against him, chin resting on your shoulder.

“Shit, can I come too? Heard there’s this really cool, big comic book store up there!”

“I don’t know, Dusty. I don’t think your mom would be crazy about the idea.” You say regretfully, face twisting in uncertainty.

“Are you kidding, my mom loves you!”

“Yeah, she hasn’t seen Eddie’s driving though.”

“Excuse me, we always get where we’re going in one piece.”

You laugh, playfully nudging him with your elbow when his fingers tickle your sides before you bring your attention back to Dustin.

“Ugh. I don’t know, maybe next time okay?”

His head hangs with a small nod.

“Okay…”

“Oh god. Don’t guilt trip me, Henderson!” You plead, feeling the regret already seeping in.

“No no, it’s okay.” He sighs. “Guess I’ll just spend my day at Family Video harassing Steve.”

“Ha yeah, we’ll see how well that works out for you.” Steve scoffs.

You part from your friends with a hug and wishes for a safe trip for the two of you before climbing into the van with Max in tow to head home to the trailer park.

Another night falling asleep in Eddie’s arms, filled with excitement for a full day of adventure planned for just the two of you.

Saturday, March 29th, 1986

The ringing of Eddie’s alarm clock comes far too soon, waking you both from your peaceful slumber with groans and yawns. 

“Just 5 more minutes..” Eddie mumbles as he buries his face in your neck. You giggle, running your fingers through his hair.

“5 more minutes turns into us being late, love.” 

As you part from his grasp to look for your change of clothes, he releases a pitiful ‘Hmph’ before joining you to scuffle around his room, looking for any decent clean clothes he has.

Shortly after as the sun rises in the morning sky, you load into Eddie’s van to begin the hour and a half drive up to Indianapolis. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, blasting the radio, and singing along to Keep on Loving You by REO Speedwagon as you pull onto the main highway. 

Once you’ve gone a fair distance, your head rolls against the headrest to look at Eddie.

“I’m gonna need some caffeine soon, babe.”

As soon as his head turns to meet yours he releases a big yawn, shaking his head with a laugh.

“Shit, me too.” His eyes search for exit signs on the side of the highway. “There’s a McDonald’s at the next exit, we can get some breakfast?”

As his head turns to look at you, he catches movement in the back of the van in his peripheral.

“Oooh some hash browns sound good!” Dustin’s head pops up between you from his previous position laying in the back of the van.

Both of you nearly jump out of your seat, screaming at the unexpected third voice joining you in the van. 

“Jesus H. Christ!” Eddie yells, white knuckling the steering wheel as he jerks the van back into the lane, beginning to veer off toward the ditch on the side of the road from the distraction.

“What the fuck, Henderson?!” you exclaim, looking back at him in disbelief as he only meets you with a wide, toothy grin.

“What? I decided to take matters into my own hands! Have you ever known me to take ‘no’ for an answer, hmm?”

“Yeah and you almost just got us killed!” Eddie argues, taking deep inhales through his nostrils to calm himself.

“Well, maybe you should’ve been paying better attention to the road rather than ogling your girlfriend.” Dustin retorts with his signature cocky tone.

You see Eddie bite his lower lip, taking everything in him to not flip out. Your hand reaches to squeeze his thigh, letting him focus on the road before turning back to Dustin.

“How did you even get in here?”

“Well, someone leaves his van unlocked at night. I biked over at the crack of dawn, hid my bike behind the trailer and climbed in through the back.”

Eddie’s eyes meet yours, shaking your heads in disbelief. You can’t help but laugh.

“And Steve says he’s always the babysitter…” You mutter with a sigh, looking out the window as Eddie takes an exit ramp.

“Hey, I’m not a child!”

“No, but you are a minor that I am now responsible for watching over in a big city!”

“Okay, look. I promise, I will be on my best behavior. I’ll be right by your side the whole time!”

“Oh, I feel so much better now!” Eddie announces sarcastically. You smirk at him before rubbing a hand over your face exasperatedly.

“So… about those hash browns”

Your moods eventually lighten with the greasy fast food breakfast, caffeine, and the dwindling miles separating you from your destination.

Eddie’s fingers stay firmly entwined with yours throughout the campus tour, walking the pathways and exploring the buildings. A mere mile from the heart of the city, its tallest buildings are visible from nearly any spot at the college.

You’re not sure if it’s merely the effect of having Eddie and Dustin with you as you explore one of your prospective colleges or your faint familiarity with the city you’ve visited on occasion, but you find yourself at total ease. Effortlessly imagining yourself attending there, walking down the street to explore shops after classes, making the manageable drive back to Hawkins on weekends to visit your loved ones. 

You don’t want to be rash and get your hopes up considering you haven’t gotten any acceptances yet, but it feels good here.

As promised, after your tour is done and the campus efficiently explored, the 3 of you make a day out of exploring the rest of Indianapolis. 

Stopping at a cute little coffee and bakery shop, eying the multitude of fashion stores that line the streets. Finally finding the comic book store Dustin had mentioned, far bigger than you ever imagined and spending over an hour inside browsing the comics and action figures. You’d even found new figurines and dice for DnD that Eddie quickly scooped up, excited for another little project of painting the new figurines for the next Hellfire campaigns.

Then, to the part you and Eddie were looking forward to the most, visiting the biggest music store in Indianapolis that just so happened to have a Guitar Center right next door. Perusing the aisles of vinyl records and cassette tapes, snatching up Ozzy Osbourne’s new The Ultimate Sin album as soon as you see it, after weeks of waiting for it to arrive at Hawkins’ stores. You and Eddie even found merch for Metallica’s new Master of Puppets album, both eagerly grabbing a new t-shirt. Dustin finding yet another Weird Al shirt to add to his collection.

Next, you marvel at the shiny, brand new guitars lining the walls of Guitar Center. Setting your sights and hearts on the next ones to be added to your collection. You and Dustin watch as Eddie tests one out, smiling widely and headbanging along as he plays Master of Puppets, a song you’ve witnessed him spend the last few weeks trying to perfect. 

Though you end up leaving the guitar store empty handed, both you and Eddie leave with the image of your next guitar seared into your minds, the next thing you save up your money for.

With sore feet, all your objectives crossed off and the sun setting, the three of you climb back into Eddie’s van to head home. As soon as the van merges back on the highway, you slide your new Ozzy tape into Eddie’s radio, providing the soundtrack to your drive home. You all nod along and headbang to each passing song.

The last song, A Shot in the Dark begins to play and immediately pulls you in.

But a shot in the dark

One step away from you

Just a shot in the dark

Always creeping up on you, alright

The words of the chorus linger in your mind as Ozzy’s voice carries into the next verse. You know it doesn’t reflect the real meaning of the lyrics by the musicians, but as you mull them over you can’t help but think about your relationship with Eddie. What it took to get to where you are now, the time and feelings, the risk.

The risk it took for Eddie to pick you up and take you to the lake that night, hoping he’d get you to open up to him. The risk it took for you to finally lay it all out, your feelings and love for him. Neither of you knowing where it would go, if the risk would be worth it. It was a shot in the dark.

One step away from you. That’s how it truly felt before that night. 

You and Eddie had always been so close, but your hidden feelings were lodged right in the middle. A dark, looming bubble of words and feelings left unsaid wedged between you, keeping you apart. 

One step away.

A bubble that needed to be burst, popped to get to where you are now.

Your eyes trail from the road to your boyfriend next to you, nodding along the music.

The happiest, and closest you’ve ever been.

That whole time, one step was all it was keeping you from what you both always wanted. 

One step, a shot in the dark you’re so glad you both took that night.

When the chorus comes back around, you sing along as your hand reaches out for his. He turns to you with that loving smile, fingers wrapping around yours and resting on the middle console between you.

Chapter Text

Wednesday, April 9th, 1986

Needy hands grab onto your waist from behind, rubbing and squeezing your sides as he kisses along your shoulder. His mouth, hair, and nose tickling your neck.

“Eddieeeee” you giggle. “Stop it, you’re distracting me!”

The key in your hand misses the lock on the front door once again.

“I can’t help it. You’re too beautiful, baby.” He mumbles, lips attaching to your sensitive skin. 

You have to bite back the moan hanging in your throat from the sensation. With a deep breath and all the willpower you can muster, you finally get the key in and unlock the front door with a relieved sigh. 

Stepping into the trailer with Eddie hanging onto you, only to push you back against it once it’s closed. His plump lips capture yours in a hungry kiss as your hands automatically tangle in his wild locks. Moaning into his mouth when his hands squeeze your ass, pulling your hips flush against his to feel he’s already hard.

“What has gotten into you?” you ask breathlessly, pulling your lips from his. He begins walking backwards toward your room, pulling you in step with him.

“You’ve been driving me crazy all day, sweetheart.” He mutters with his face buried in your neck, passing the threshold into your room. “Wearing these jeans that are so tight…” His hand slides over the curve of your ass and between your cheeks to cup your pussy from behind, pulling a whimper from you that sets a smirk on his face.

“And this shirt…” A finger drags along the deep v neckline, pulling down at the middle to fully reveal your cleavage that he peppers with soft kisses. “Did you wear it just to tease me?”

Biting your bottom lip does little to stifle the smile pulling at the corners of your mouth.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” you answer, quickly losing yourself in the feeling of his hands and mouth all over you.

“Sure you don’t.”

In a split second he’s spinning you around, pushing you back to land on the bed with him falling on top of you. His lips crashing back onto yours as your hands desperately grip each other, eagerly shedding your clothes. A practice you’ve perfected over the last couple of weeks, establishing your new favorite after-school activity with your boyfriend in the confines of your bedroom. Having the trailer all to yourselves after school until your mom comes home, leaving Uncle Wayne to sleep and get ready for work in peace.

Left in only your underwear, Eddie’s mouth slowly trails from your lips, to your neck, and across your breasts. Your soft moans mixing with his groans as he sucks the skin around your nipples, leaving hickeys in his wake. It’s the next best thing until your piercings are healed, he claims, and you can’t help but agree. Fingers tangling in his hair, your head thrown back in pleasure. Butterflies fill your stomach as his lips move there, leaving soft kisses along every inch. Always giving extra attention to your more sensitive areas.

“So beautiful” he mumbles against your belly as his fingers slide under the band of your panties and slowly pulls them down. He leans back, biting his bottom lip and releasing a guttural groan as he looks you over, spread bare for him.

“Fuck, baby. I’ve been waiting to taste you all day.” 

You whimper, pussy clenching around nothing at his words, at the sight of him kissing his way down from your ankle to your core. 

His tongue flat, dives between your folds to lick a slow, long stripe from your entrance up to your clit. Moaning as he finally gets to taste you.

He takes his time with you at first, getting you worked up. Moving from flicking his tongue against your clit to lapping up your juices, letting his tongue go as deep as it can inside you.

“Eddieeeee” you whine as you grow impatient, needing more, craving more.

He chuckles, looking up to meet your eyes.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. Gonna take good care of you.”

He moves back to your clit, adding more pressure to his licks and every swirl of his tongue. Giving you just what you want, throwing your head back with a deep moan at the feeling of a finger breaching your entrance.

“Oh, baby. Feel so good” you moan out breathlessly, the sound going straight to his throbbing cock. He groans at your praise, sending vibrations through your core that only makes more moans slip from your mouth.

Your hands grip the comforter beneath you as he adds another finger to stretch you out, making your back arch and your juices coat his digits.

His eyes roll back feeling you writhe beneath him, the scandalous moans his mouth and fingers pull from you. Nothing turns him on more than getting you off, and he knows just what you need to have you coming undone for him.

As his fingers stroke your walls his lips wrap around your clit, forming a seal as he sucks on your sensitive bud. 

Your stomach tightens and your thighs begin to tremble, tugging on his hair from the overwhelming sensation.

“Oh my god, Eddie! Fuck, please don’t stop!” you beg, feeling yourself speeding to your end faster than anticipated. He doesn’t dare part his lips from your clit to tell you, you can already see it in his eyes. Begging for you to cum for him.

His mouth sucking on your clit alone is enough to make you see stars, but his fingers rubbing against your g spot at the same time and the added vibration from his moans that shoot right through your clit has you tumbling over the edge. 

You shout out his name as you cum on his fingers, your thighs gripping his head as your whole body tightens, riding out the wave crashing over you.

You’re at his mercy though and while his movements slow, his mouth is still sucking on you while his fingers massage your walls. Your bud has only grown more sensitive with the orgasm, his mouth adding far too much stimulation.

“Fuck, Eddie. Too sensitive.” you whine as you catch your breath, tugging at his hair to unlatch his lips from your clit.

They instead trail up your body to meet yours in a deep kiss, tasting your juices on his tongue as it licks yours. His throbbing cock presses against your belly and in a second you’re over your high, desperately needing to feel him inside you.

Your bodies flip till Eddie’s on his back beneath you as you straddle him, making him moan at the prospective position. While he loves to be in control most of the time, he loses his mind everytime you ride him.

Big, warm hands immediately grip your thighs, rubbing them up and down while you line him up with your entrance.

Moaning in unison as you sink onto his cock, his hands grip onto your hips as yours slide up the warm skin of his chest.

Despite fucking like rabbits in the weeks since your first time together, his cock still feels just as good every single time. Every single time he slowly slides into you, stretching you out inch by inch and knocking the air from your lungs when he’s fully sheathed inside.

You whimper at the feeling, feeling so full of him. 

Your hips instinctually move to grind back and forth. Soon you fall into a rhythm and reach for his hands, moving them up your body to grope your breasts as you grind on his cock. Your airy moans mix with his sighs and grunts to fill your room. 

The back and forth movement of your hips provides the perfect position for friction against your clit and his shaft to rub along your g-spot. Your movements begin to quicken, chasing after the sensation. You’re riding him so hard the bed begins to shift and squeak underneath your bodies.

“ Shit . That’s it, baby. Use my cock” he coaxes, making you whine and speed up your movements even more. One hand is holding yourself up on his pec while the other grips his neck. The sight of him beneath you, disheveled and moaning only adds to the pleasure filling your body.

“Feel so good, Eddie. So full” You babble near incoherently, already cockdrunk for him.

“That’s my girl” he breathes out before groaning loudly when your pussy squeezes around him tightly in response, his fingers digging into the plush skin padding your hips.

You move from your knees to your feet into a squat as you begin to bounce on his cock. 

“ Oh my god .” he groans, throwing his head back at the new position, your walls now gripping him even tighter. “I love the way you ride my cock, baby”

Your own head falls back with a moan at his words. He grips your thighs, watching his thick cock disappear inside you as you ride him. His eyes trail up your body, the jiggle of your soft belly and tits with each bounce, your blissed out expression with your mouth hanging open.

“You’re so fucking sexy baby” he mutters through heavy breaths, hands exploring and gripping every inch of you he can. Losing himself in you, the control you have over him, bringing him closer and closer to his high with each bounce, each slap of your ass against his balls.

Teeth dig into his bottom lip, willing himself to hold off on blowing his load too soon but the sight before him and the feeling of your walls wrapping tighter around him is becoming too much.

You feel yourself getting closer to your second orgasm with each stroke of his cock against your sensitive spot and the sight of him beginning to come undone beneath you, because of you.

“You gonna cum for me, baby?” 

His eyes squeeze shut before he nods.

“Fuck, not gonna last much longer”

“Cum with me” you whine. “Want you to fill me up, Eds. Need it.”

“ Jesus Christ ” He groans through gritted teeth, moaning out as his body begins to tense up. 

Your body mimics his with your movements faltering. Pussy choking his cock as your second orgasm crashes over you. Gripping onto each other's warm, slick bodies, moaning each other’s names as he holds your hips down to keep him deep inside, warmth filling you up.

You fall back onto your knees and rest your head on his heaving chest while his arms wrap around you.

You lay in each other's embrace for the next hour, soft giggles and skunky haze filling your room. Until the hour nears when your mom will arrive home, pushing you two to depart from your bed and search for your clothes scattered among the floor. 

Eddie hums as you look around, finding your shirt peeking out from under the bed.

“ The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin’

That’s what I saiddd”

You pull out a dresser drawer, grabbing pajama shorts to wear for the evening.

“ My baby fits me like a flesh tuxedo,

I love to sink her with my pink torpedo”

Pulling your shorts on, your eyebrow quirks as you slowly turn toward your boyfriend whose bare back is toward you. He’s now dressed in his jeans, but still aimlessly looking around for his shirt.

“ Big bottom, big bottom

Talk about bum cakes, my girl’s got em. ”

He snatches his band tee off the floor.

“Big bottom drive me out of my mind

How could I leave this behind ? ”

He sings dramatically before turning to face you. Eyeing him with a smirk, your hip popped out to the side with your arms crossed.

“Are you really singing the Fat Bottomed Girls parody song from Spinal Tap?” you ask incredulously, while very amused.

He giggles, smiling widely with pink cheeks as he walks over to you, hands coming to grip your waist.

“What? Just seems so fitting for my honey bunny.” he beams at you, pecking your cheek before one hand slips from your waist to come down hard on your ass with a smack. You jump with a squeak, landing a returning smack on his chest before he can get away, scurrying out of your room and down the hall.

With dinner cooking in the oven, you and Eddie lounge on the couch. His arm resting behind your head as you watch reruns on tv.

Soon, you hear the sound of an engine and rocks crunching under tires in the driveway. The front door opens and your mom greets you both with a smile.

“Oh, Eddie! Good to see you.” 

“You too, Mrs. Y/L/N.” He returns with a smile before you both bring your attention back to the tv as your mom moves about the trailer.

“Dinner smells good, sweetie” She remarks from the kitchen behind you. “Oh! You have some mail here too.”

You turn to see her lay a short stack of envelopes on the dining room table before venturing down the hall to her room.

As you eye the mail from your spot on the couch, a sinking feeling hits your stomach. You already know what they are, you’ve been waiting on them since you first sent off your applications a few short months ago.

White papers holding the fate of your future.

A deep breath of air fills your lungs before quietly parting from Eddie’s side on the couch, taking cautious steps toward the envelopes on the table.

Greeted by confirmation of your suspicions as you look at the sender on each of them.

Indiana University.

Ohio State University.

Virginia Tech .

With a shaky breath, you open each one. Eyes carefully reading over every word. 

While reading the letter from Virginia, as soon as you see ‘regretfully’ you shove it away and move on to the next one. Rejection sucks, but you didn’t really want to go there anyway.

Your stomach feels a little lighter when you read you’ve been accepted into Ohio State. It seemed nice enough during your visit.

Now, it’s down to Indiana University. You bite the bullet and quickly rip open the envelope, unfolding the paper to see their decision.

You’ve been accepted .

Your eyes close with a sigh, attempting to will your anxiety away with finally knowing your options, more so that you have options.

The ringing of the timer on the stove catches you off guard, but provides a timely distraction as you return the papers to their respective envelopes and go to check on dinner.

Despite your hopes that knowing your options would be a relief, the anxiety sitting in your stomach lingers as you’re now faced with the weight of a decision.

You only manage a few bites of dinner as Eddie and your mom chat around you, making small talk about school, Uncle Wayne, and gossip around town. 

You can’t be biased in your choice. Wherever will provide you the best education should be the top priority, your mother has reminded you enough.

You weigh the pros and cons of each option, thinking over your experiences visiting both campuses.

Still, your thoughts drift to Eddie and your friends. What will become of your relationships depending on your decision, maybe even regardless of your decision?

As the hour turns later into the night, dinner leftovers are packed away, dirty dishes cleaned and drying on the rack, Eddie parts from your front door with a kiss, and you wish your mother goodnight before returning to your room.

No distractions or people around you, you’re left to focus solely on the prospect of your future.

You rack your brain with every possibility, every outcome, every advantage and disadvantage.

Despite trying to be as unbiased as you can, throughout every thought only one option is truly valid to you.

Only one place you’d want to go.

The only school that calls out to your heart and offers the least chances of potential heartbreak.

You’d only fooled yourself into entertaining the idea you hadn’t already decided before now.

Chapter Text

Friday, April 18th, 1986

Your eyes immediately land on the table taken by your friends and boyfriend as you enter the cafeteria, the usual loud chatter surrounding you. Telling by the look on his face, Eddie’s deep into a rant. With your steps drawing nearer, you’re finally able to make out the conversation as you come to his side.

“-it’s forced conformity!”

“ What is forced conformity?” you ask, your side pressing into him with your hand coming to rest on his shoulder. His own arm immediately wraps behind you, his hand falling to your hips.

“ Prom ” Gareth and Jeff groan in cohesion, clearly unamused and uninterested. No doubt one of them innocently mentioned it, unknowingly spurring Eddie into a rant no one asked for.

“O-oh. Prom, huh?”

“Come on, Eddie. It’s looking like you’re actually gonna graduate this year, you don’t want to go to Prom just once, at least to say you did it?” Jeff questions, hands extended out in front of him in near disbelief despite knowing how hard headed Eddie could be.

“Ah, yes. There’s nothing I’d rather spend my Saturday night doing than going to the pinnacle event for people that peak in high school, a pissing contest to flaunt who’s the richest and most popular.” Eddie sighs, leaning back in his seat before looking up at you. Zoned out staring at the table as his words ring through your ears. “Right, babe?”

You cough, blinking yourself back into focus as your head immediately nods along.

“Yeah, totally. I mean, we’re already forced to spend our days with these assholes, don’t wanna spend my Saturday nights with them too.” You scoff out a laugh, though the smile it pulled immediately fades after it leaves your mouth.

“Exactly!” Eddie booms with a laugh, looking at the boys as if your point adds to his argument. A quick look to Gareth says otherwise, seeing the out-of-it look in your eyes with a tint of fleeting sadness.

“Anyway, I uh- just came to say ‘hi’. I promised Robin I’d meet her in the library for lunch.” You put on a small smile for your boyfriend as you look down at him, leaning over to give him a small peck on the lips before parting from the table with a “Bye, guys.”

“See you later, sweetheart.” Eddie calls out, watching as you disappear out of the cafeteria doors.

“Dude.” Gareth presses, pulling Eddie’s attention from the swinging doors to him.

“What?”

“You may not want to, but do you really think Y/N doesn’t want to go to Prom?”

“Well, she just told you she doesn’t, didn’t she?” Eddie rebukes with an attitude and impatience rising, pushing Gareth and the others to drop the conversation and instead divert to discussions about tonight’s campaign.

The silence of the school hallways engulf you as you part from the cafeteria doors, giving you no choice but to focus on the heavy feeling hanging in your chest, feet mindlessly trudging toward the library. 

You and Eddie hadn’t really discussed the prospect of attending Prom this year, part of you just assumed you would. It’s a tradition, a ‘right of passage’ to mark the transition into adulthood as the old heads say. Part of you also figured Eddie wouldn’t be crazy about the idea and to be fair you were being truthful with your comment to the club. Being around the popular kids flaunting their wealth and status isn’t your ideal Saturday night, but if you’re surrounded by your closest friends it couldn’t be so bad. 

There’s few students populating the library, you notice upon entering. Maneuvering through the aisles to your designated table in the back, inhaling the smoky wood scent wafting off the old books settled on the shelves as you pass. The sight of a familiar dirty blonde bob manages to make a meager smile pull at your lips as you sit in the chair next to her.

You’re deep in thought, reading over your History notes when Robin mentions the topic you were hoping to be free of for the rest of the day.

“So have you gotten a dress yet? Cause if you haven’t we should totally go out shopping this weekend. After much convincing, Steve agreed on green so I have to find a matching handkerchief thing or whatever for him and-” Her words barrel out of her mouth before fumbling upon the sight of your expression, looking at her slightly wide-eyed and solemn. Your shoulders slump with a sigh, tapping the eraser of your pencil against the notebook.

“Rob, I don’t think I’m going.”

“W-What? If it’s about the dress there’s this place in Indy that I’m sure we could find a cheap one-”

“No, it’s Eddie. He doesn’t want to go, it’s ‘forced conformity’.”

“Whoa wait a second, you’re telling me you asked him and he turned you down? That asshole!”

“ No ” you laugh softly with a shake of your head. “I didn’t ask, kind of just stepped into a conversation about it earlier at the lunch table.” You shrug in an attempt to act unbothered despite how much it’s getting under your skin.

“It’s fine, really. I didn’t even want to go that much anyway.” You finish, returning your focus back to your notes. Robin takes your action for what it is, a sign you’re done with the conversation and not willing to push it further. 

“Alright, just saying you can still go with me and Steve. We can go as a throuple!”

She offers, pulling a genuine giggle from you.

“Yeah, alright. I’ll think about it.” 

~

Bells ring above his head as Eddie enters through the glass doors of Family Video, hightailing it toward the horror aisle. He’s in a rush, making a quick stop to return his last rentals and check out a movie for the two of you before he needs to get back to the school to set up for tonight’s campaign.

Steve and Robin clock him as soon as he enters, wild hair and patched jean vest easily recognizable. Robin’s half-bewildered that the opportunity she’s been looking for has fallen right in her lap, no need to seek him out herself to ring his neck. She’s been ranting and raving to Steve about it ever since she climbed into his BMW outside Hawkins High this afternoon, the whole ride to work and since they’ve clocked in. 

After a quick browse, Eddie grabs a tape of Fright Night before walking up the aisle toward the checkout counter, where Steve stands watching him. Arms crossed against his chest and eyebrows cinched together. Eddie gives him a quizzical look as he comes to stand before him, unaware Robin had been trailing a step behind until he feels a punch on his arm, curls bouncing in the air as his head flies around to look at the assailant. 

“ Ow! What’s your damage, birdie?” he exclaims, rubbing his bicep up and down as he gives Robin a crazy look, whilst she stands beside him unfazed with flared nostrils.

“You know, I’d actually started to believe you were a decently smart guy, Munson. But , I guess I was wrong. You’re a certified idiot.” Steve states, unwavering in his stance with his lips pressed into a firm line.

“Certified dingus !” Robin's finger flicks against Eddie’s ear, causing him to recoil.

“Hey! Look, I know I’m supposed to rewind the tape but I forgot, alright?! I’ll remember next time, promise!” He looks to Robin warily with outstretched hands, only for her to cock her head to the side and narrow her eyes at him.

“Jesus- No, Munson. This isn’t about the goddamn tapes! This is about Y/N, and you, and prom!” Steve looks at him bewildered, holding himself up with his hands against the edge of the counter.

“Prom? The hell are you talking about? She doesn’t want to go, she said so herself today.”

“ Idiot ” Robin curses under her breath with a shake of her head as Steve pinches the bridge of his nose and scoffs out a stifled laugh.

“Eddie… have you ever considered asking her genuinely, one-on-one, and not as part of a group conversation where, you know, you’ve already made your distaste for the idea clear?”

Their eyes bore into him, watching as the gears turn in his head until a light bulb goes off. A sigh bubbles from his chest, leaving his lips as guilt and shame begin to creep in.

“ Shit ” Eddie whines, fingers moving to rub his temples.

“Yeah, shit!”

“I mean, I know Y/N isn’t one of the typical girls around here, but did you really think that meant she would want to miss a once in a lifetime event?” Robin questions accusingly.

“I-I didn’t think about it, I just assumed she felt the same way I did.”

“I mean, we all know she can hide her feelings well, but not that well. It was pretty clear to Robin she was upset about it.”

“And now here I am, talking some sense into you so you can fix it before it’s too late!”

“Well what do I do?”

“Do we have to do everything for you, Munson? Prom isn’t until next Saturday but I suggest you don’t waste any more time in coming up with a way to make it up to her.” Steve advises, leaving Eddie’s wide eyes to dart between him and Robin.

“A thought out prom-posal?” Robin guides him, “I know you’ve seen them and no doubt rolled your eyes at it but - do one that’s more in tune with you two. And for the love of god Eddie, grovel .”

~

Your body is curled into Eddie’s side on the loveseat as your head rests on his chest and his arm is wrapped around you, warm hand holding onto your plush waist. Fright Night plays on the box TV in Wayne’s living room. Though the film is anything less than entertaining, you find your attention wavering in and out from the movie to your thoughts. Both of you are, for that matter.

You hadn’t expected the prospect of not going to Prom to bother you as much as it is, though to be fair you’d never truly considered the idea you wouldn’t be going at all. Even as the days until next Saturday have counted down and Eddie never spoke a word about it, despite the banners around school and tables selling tickets for the last two weeks, you’d still just assumed the two of you would go. Make it a group effort with Robin, Steve, Gareth, and Jeff.

You let the thought of imagining the possibilities fade, into a reminder of your mom. She’ll be disappointed, her little girl missing out on the pinnacle of her high school ‘career’. Your aunt too. Hell, you imagine even Uncle Wayne will be disappointed too. You sigh, deciding maybe you’ll just take up Robin’s offer to go with her and Steve… but the idea carries a hollowing feeling. You imagine you’d just be thinking of Eddie the whole time, the missed opportunities of memories that could be made.

Your soft sigh falls heavy on his ears, the sting of guilt pulsing in his chest at the sound. He holds you tighter against him, fingers gently digging into the meat of your waist as his lips press onto the top of your head. Indulgently inhaling the scent of your shampoo, overtaking his senses and temporarily dulling his worries. 

He feels so stupid, so careless with his words…selfish. To be so consumed with his own opinions to not consider you and your desires. Your happiness is all that truly matters to him, and his mistake has dwindled the spark in your eyes. He would and he will do anything to make it up to you. 

Anything for his girl.

“Sweetheart” he calls to you softly, urging your head to turn and oblige him with the sight of your breathtaking gaze.

“Hmm?”

“You think you can manage to convince your Aunt to give you off this Tuesday? So you can finally see your rockstar boyfriend on stage?” He asks with a wiggle of his brows, pulling a stifled chuckle from you.

“Mmm I don’t know, I’ll have to come up with a good excuse to give her. I’m afraid seeing my rockstar boyfriend at the rundown town bar won’t suffice.”

“Oh, come on. I doubt you’re busy enough on a Tuesday night to be missed that badly, just this once. Pretty please? For me?” His widened brown eyes sparkle as he pleads you, his thumb stroking the side of your waist.

“Alright, I’ll talk to her.” You give in to your boyfriend easily, flashing a smirk he always manages to pull from you. Meeting his lips in a warm embrace before nestling back into his side to resume watching the movie.

Despite your affections, a dull sting hangs in your chest. How easily you give in when he asks you to do something for him. To be fair, you’ve wanted to go to the Hideout to see the band play for months but have never been able to get off work for it. Still, you wonder if he’d give in as easily for you if you asked him to swallow his pride and go to prom. 

You bite back the bitterness rising in your throat and filling your mouth. You hate feeling and thinking that way, especially about Eddie. You’re hopeful he would say yes if you asked. You know how much he loves you but his outrightly proclaimed distaste for it is enough to keep you from broaching the topic. Falling into the habit of avoiding an argument or confrontation. 

You’ll just make the best out of however you end up spending next Saturday night. Whether it’s at work and with Eddie or without him at prom with Steve and Robin, you decide with little confidence.

Tuesday, April 22nd, 1986

You fidget uncomfortably on the bar stool, edges of the peeling leather covering the seat digging into the fat of your thighs through the denim. The few months since the last time you’d been at the Hideout for Eddie’s birthday has stripped your memory of just how heavy the stale air mixed with cigarette smoke hangs in the bar. The dimmed lights around the bar to accompany the lights decorating the stage help to make the wood paneled walls and chipped paint more appealing to the eye.

You nurse a sweating glass of Coke as you watch your boyfriend and friends set up on stage, tinkering with their instruments amid the low conversations of the handful of older men sitting around, downing beer after beer.

“ Ahem ” Eddie clears his throat into the microphone, barely grabbing the attention of the bar patrons. “Thank you for joining us tonight. We are Corroded Coffin and this… is Whiplash.”

A smile sears itself onto your face as you watch the boys play, drums thumping through the ground and into your chest, heavy guitars flowing through your ears as your head bangs along to the metal song. You can’t help but be mesmerized by your boyfriend and watching him play, he falls into it with such ease and commandeers a presence on the stage. Blush fills your cheeks every time his eyes fall to you and he throws a cheeky grin your way, which ends up happening every minute it seems.

He can’t help it, the way his eyes constantly fall to you. The bright smile on your face, your head bobbing along, your cheers after they finish each song; it fills him with confidence and pride. Week after week here at the Hideout, it feels almost like a glorified band practice. Playing for the same drunks that couldn’t care less if they were here or not. But tonight with you, he feels like he’s actually performing.

Your claps and hollers fill the bar once again as they finish one of their own songs, their setlist a mix of covers and music they’ve created together. The confidence your reaction has given him falters momentarily as the realization of where they are in the setlist hits him. Biting his bottom lip, he fidgets with the tuners on the guitar for the next song.

“Alright, you guys ready? Just like we practiced.” Eddie asks as he turns to his bandmates who answer him with nods and knowing smiles. With a deep breath, he turns back to the microphone and looks around the bar.

“This next song is something a little different than what we usually play, but we have a special guest here tonight.” His eyes lock on to yours. “Sweetheart, this one's for you.”

A shaky fingered note from Eddie’s guitar fills the bar and your jaw begins to drop as you immediately clock the song by Jimi Hendrix before the rest of the band join into the rhythm.

“ You know you’re a cute little heartbreaker

Foxy

And you know you’re a sweet little lovemaker

Foxy”

His brown eyes bore into you as he sings, teasingly winking at you and causing your cheeks to burn red-hot.

“ I want to take you home, yeah

I won’t do you no harm, no

You’ve got to be all mine, all mine

Foxy lady”

Your hand moves to cover your mouth almost shyly as you bite your bottom lip, the blush spreading from your cheeks to your chest. Under his fiery gaze, it feels like you’re the only ones there in the bar, your surroundings fading into the shadows.

“ I've made up my mind

I'm tired of wasting all my precious time

You've got to be all mine, all mine

Foxy lady

Here I come”

Your thighs rub against each other as the heat spreads through the rest of your body watching your boyfriend sing every word of one of your favorite songs to you. His eyes only leave yours to look down at the guitar as he plays a solo, the same solo you’ve heard countless times over the years and he makes it look so easy. You’re mesmerized by his fingers, flashes of memories of all the things he has done with those same fingers to you. Before you know it his eyes are back on you singing the chorus, and there’s no other thoughts in your mind but him.

“ Here I come, baby

Coming to getcha

Foxy lady yeah yeah

You look so good”

His chest flutters and fills with warmth at your big grin, the pride and lust filling your eyes as you watch him and it gives him all the confidence he needs as the song comes to an end with a held out screeching note of his guitar.

“Now, I have a very important question I need to ask.” Eddie begins as the last note of the song has faded, and turns his entire body to face you. “Honey bunny, would you do me the honor of being my date for prom?”

Your jaw finds itself falling again, completely caught off guard and in shock at his proposal. You feel the excited anticipation from the boys in the band watching your reaction and the half-interested attention of the bar drunks, but the only thing in your mind and vision is him, pink cheeks and dimples looking down at you from the stage.

Shock fades and sentiment sets in, tears lining your eyes in a second at the gesture. Your head quickly nods, accepting his proposal as you quickly wipe away a tear falling down your cheek. Eddie removes his guitar and jumps off the stage in a haste, jogging the short distance between you to pull you into a tight embrace.

Claps and cheers from your friends and the bartender fade into the background as your lips crash into his, your tongue quickly licking into his mouth. His tongue eagerly greets yours, moaning into your mouth as your tongues swirl around each other.

When the reality of your surroundings set in, your lips part and your foreheads rest together.

“I’m sorry, baby. I was a grade A asshole the other day, I didn’t even stop to think about how you felt.” He admits lowly, begging for your forgiveness with his hands pressed into your lower back.

“You’re right, you were a bit of an asshole.” You sigh before a teasing smile creeps onto your lips. “But I’d say you’ve adequately made up for it.”

He shares a satisfied smile before meeting your lips again in a soft, deep kiss.

“So uh- how much longer until you guys are done?” You press breathlessly, giving him a look that he now knows too well.

“In a rush to get somewhere, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, in your pants.”

Saturday, May 3rd, 1986

Prom

Your eyes rake over your figure in the mirror as your hands glide down your satin dress. You’d gone with Robin up to Indianapolis a few days ago to go dress shopping. Despite the bigger stores in the city, your options were limited with finding a dress in your size, budget, and on short notice. You’re grateful you managed to find one in your favorite color, even if the fabric clings to your figure more than you’re used to.

Your heels dig into the carpet beneath you with each slow step down the hall toward the living room where you can hear the sound of your Mom and Uncle Wayne talking. Eddie’s eyes immediately land on you as soon as you pass the corner into his vision, quickly standing from the couch. He looks you over wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open as he takes short steps toward you.

“Oh, honey! You look beautiful!” Your mother squeals from behind the couch, but you can only look at Eddie with a shy, but amused smile at his dumbfounded expression.

“Cat got your tongue?” you tease.

“Baby… you look amazing.” he mutters, hands slowly reaching to hold onto your hips as he looks you over.

“I wasn’t too sure about the dress, do you like it?” You ask with uncertainty, looking down at the satin fabric hugging your body.

“Very, very much, sweetheart.”

“Come on, you two! I need pictures before you go!!”

Uncle Wayne and your mother smile proudly as she snaps pictures of you and Eddie on her polaroid, cooing about how cute the two of you look. They give you both hugs before sending you on your way.

The gentleman and doting boyfriend he is, Eddie helps you into the passenger side of the van with a big grin plastered on his face. The boy can barely keep his eyes and hands off you as the van barrels down Hawkins roads, stopping to pick up Gareth and Jeff before heading to the school. Steve and Robin are waiting outside as you pull up, Eddie and Steve share a hug and a pat on the back as you and Robin gush over each other.

With your hand enveloped in Eddie’s, your group heads inside the school and into the gymnasium that’s been transformed into a dance floor. Strobed lights reflecting off disco balls is the only thing illuminating the large room. Pink and blue balloons are stationed at each table surrounding an open circle for dancing. Pink and blue streams hang from the ceiling overhead, music booming and reverberating through the gymnasium.

You quickly claim an open table for your group, settling in with finger foods and cups of punch that Eddie quickly spikes with a pint of vodka he snuck into his tux. The night turns into everything you’d hoped it’d be. Light conversation and laughs with your friends, dancing to pop songs together on the dance floor in your own little world, ignoring everyone around you.

“You know, I have to admit… this isn’t as bad as I thought it’d be.” Eddie announces sitting next to you at the table, his hand on your thigh as you watch Robin and Steve dance. “But to be fair, it’s entirely because of you.” His smile shines and his eyes twinkle as he looks at you, leaning in to meet you in a sweet kiss.

Huh Huh Uh-Huh Hiiii

You smile against his plump lips as True by Spandau Ballet begins to play loudly through the speakers, blue and purple lights shining around the dance floor.

“Come on” You grab his hand, pulling him out of the seat to follow you out onto the dance floor. His hands quickly find your hips, sliding around to your lower back to hold you against him as your hands rest on the back of his neck, your bodies rocking side to side in sync to the music. 

I know this much is true.

His forehead rests against yours, the tips of your noses brushing against each other. You melt into his touch as an elated sigh leaves your chest. Closing your eyes, you lose yourself in the moment. The music and his touch ground you. You feel at peace, the worries and sadness you held a week ago now a distant fading memory. Neither of you are perfect, but you’re growing together, for yourselves and each other.

“I love you, honey” His soft voice beckons your eyes to open to find his looking at you, admiring your face in the soft lighting. A smile pulls at your lips, affectionately nuzzling the tip of your nose against his.

“I love you too, baby. Thank you for this.”

“I’d do anything for you.” he responds instantly without hesitation, a testament of his love and devotion for you.

I know, I know, I know this much is true.

Your bodies sway among the crowd of couples on the dancefloor, but they all fade around you as you look into each other's eyes, your lips once again meeting in a slow, passionate kiss.

Chapter Text

Sunday, May 18th, 1986

The classifieds section in the latest edition of the Indianapolis Star sits in your lap, red ink circling the multiple destinations on you and Eddie’s agenda for the day. You take a deep, reassuring breath in an attempt to settle the anxiety creeping into your gut as the highway exit for Indianapolis appears, willing excitement and hope to take its place instead. 

With your choice to attend Indiana University in the fall solidified, now it’s time to find a place to live and the prospect of living in a dorm does little to excite you. Many of the classified ads for apartments in the paper appeal to the working college student, promising the perfect fit with a close proximity to campus.

“Where to first, babe?” Eddie asks from the driver's seat. With a quick look at the coordinated red markings on the classified ads and map of Indianapolis, the van follows your directions toward the first address.

After a few minutes, the van slows to a stop in front of an apartment building. Outer walls made of faded red bricks rising 5 stories tall, dark fire escape stairs settled near the white edged windows. Nothing fancy, but decent enough to fit the bill. With a quick glance to Eddie, he gives you a tight-lipped smile before you two depart from the van and head inside. 

The expectations from the outside coincide with the inside. A one bedroom apartment. The smell of cleaning products provide some relief as you look over the cream colored walls paired with worn cherry wood floors and molding. Slightly dated white appliances match the tile flooring in the small, but adequate kitchen. Big windows fill the rooms with soft sunlight, allowing a view of the heart of the city. Exploring the bedroom and its attached bathroom, you can’t stop yourself from visualizing all your belongings filling the quaint apartment. What you’d put where, how you’d decorate it. Imaging Henny running through it and napping on the windowsill. 

Only a mile away from campus, it checks everything off your list.

“I really like this one, it’s practically perfect.” you remark to Eddie as you stand in the bedroom. He follows, giving a quick glance around.

“It’s alright, I guess.” He sighs as if unimpressed, an impression that’s solidified when he doesn’t return the smirk you give him, only continuing to look around and walk back into the living room.

You shrug it off, holding onto the hopeful feeling that comes with the ease of imaging yourself here. With every inch fully explored, you and Eddie return to the van. Making sure to mark a star next to this listing before you’re onto the next stop only another mile away.

The next apartment you have marked is only 2 miles away from the first, and in the short drive it becomes clear the area is less than savory. The whole area seems darker almost, even in the clear light of day. Darker bricks and cement lining the buildings, dirtier sidewalks less populated than the last. Some buildings in clear need of some TLC, while others are completely rundown. Spots of glass are settled on the sidewalks, whether from windows or broken bottles you aren’t sure. The van slows in front of a dark tan building that looks not much different than the ones surrounding it, corresponding numbers to the address you have circled on the exterior by the front door. A double take to the newspaper in your lap confirms it.

“Well… this is it” your voice wavers slightly at the announcement, eyes raking over every crack in the foundation.

“Absolutely not.” Eddie retorts without hesitation, foot resuming on the gas pedal to continue down the street.

“Wh- Eddie! Come on, this is the cheapest place I could find!” You look between your boyfriend and the apartment building now fading behind you.

“Ha. Yeah, no wonder.” He scoffs, voice hard as steel.

“Come on, we didn’t even give it a chance!”

“Oh I gave it a chance, Sweetheart. I don’t need to be worrying every night about my girl getting mugged on your way home from school.” He doesn’t spare you a glance, only a shake of his head with his decision finalized. You recede with a huff, sinking back into the passenger seat. With a couple more listings to see, you hope the rest of them are as decent as the first.

The next address takes you to the outer edges of the city, away from most of the hustle and bustle where there’s more greenery and less of the constant noise found closer to the heart of the city. There’s less apartment buildings and more houses, including the one at the next circled address. It’s clear the house has toughed out many seasons but still emanates a cozy, inviting atmosphere with off-white singles and a small yard. The information in the ad details the house is split into apartments with the shared living space of a kitchen and living room, ideal for college students with the university only a short drive away.

When Eddie shifts the van into park, you barely waste a second climbing out and onto the sidewalk, almost anxious your boyfriend would quickly find something wrong and drive off again. You hear the familiar scuff of his Reebok’s next to you as you both eye the place and the neighborhood.

“You uh, got some big girl job I don’t know about?” You giggle, looking at his features that are scrunched in confusion. “How are you gonna afford renting this whole house?”

“I’m not renting the whole house, Eds. The owner rents out rooms.”

When you look from the house to Eddie again, his eyes are now on you. Only he’s looking at you as if you’ve just spoken to him in another language.

“Nope, no. Too risky.” He argues, curls swinging as his hands move with his words.

“Eddie-”

“You don’t know these people, Y/N. They could be freaks, real freaks!”

In the middle of a deep sigh and roll of your eyes, you spot who you assume to be the owner stepping out from the front door. An older man with salt and pepper hair, hunched over onto the stair railing with a pipe in hand.

“Look, Eds. We’re already here and the owner’s already seen us so let’s just take a look, alright? Please?” you beg exasperatedly with big, bright eyes pleading up at him. He meets them, looking over you before his chest raises with a deep breath, sparing a glance to the old man on the porch watching.

“Alright, fine.”

The owner is friendly enough, ushering the two of you through the well-lived in living room and kitchen that is in need of some light cleaning and personality. After following his slow but steady steps up the stairs, the owner whom you now know as Fred, grumbles towards an open door before leaving you and Eddie to explore the small but amble room on your own.

There’s not much to look at; gray speckled carpet lines the floor of the room and beige flowered paper is glued onto the walls. With a look into the closet, you’re skeptical of its capacity to contain your wardrobe but you’re sure you can make the space work if needed. Though you love the idea of having your own apartment, renting a room out of a house is a cheaper option while still giving you the chance to live with other college students. You can make due.

“Oh, hi!” an unfamiliar husky voice coming from the hallway catches your attention, turning around to spot a tall, tan-skinned, and muscular guy standing in the doorway. “I’m Mark, you?”

“Y/N”

“Eddie”

Mark's gaze only flickers to Eddie for a split second before it’s back on you, flashing his pearly whites.

“I live in the room right at the end of the hall. Are you moving in?” You don’t miss the flirtatious smirk on his nude lips, nor the way his eyes quickly look over your body and neither does Eddie.

“No-”
“No.”

You laugh awkwardly as you take in Eddie’s rigid posture that’s now angled toward Mark. The tension hanging in the air between them is nearly visible to the eye.

“I’m just looking right now before the Fall semester.”

“Oh, are you going to Indiana University? I’ll be a Senior there this year myself. What major ar-”

“Well, like she said. We’re just looking right now and I think we’ve seen everything. Right, sweetheart?” Eddie’s voice is cold and features firm as he looks toward you, hand outstretched for you to take with your own. With a stunted breath you grab Eddie’s hand, forcing a smile while he leads you out of the room. You offer Mark a polite wave goodbye as you pass him and follow Eddie right out of the front door.

“Like I said, freaks. No way. That guy was a total creep.” He spits out the final word once you’ve re-entered the van, quick to turn the keys in the ignition.

You exhale and lean back into the clothed seat, deciding to let Eddie take the win on this one too. Out of the three you’ve seen, only one is still a viable option with the list now dwindling. Any rooms for rent or ‘bad’ neighborhoods out of the question, you’re unsure what, if any kind of list will be left by the end of the day.

The sunshine that once illuminated the city now hides behind clouds, peeking through only momentarily as drops of rain splatter onto the van’s windshield. The hope and excitement you had at the beginning of this trip is disappearing with it.

By the time every circled address has been checked off, that hope is a far gone memory with Eddie finding something wrong at every place, nothing was good enough. Though his protectiveness over you and concern for where you’d be living was endearing at first, as you make your way onto the highway back toward Hawkins, it’s downright pissed you off. The light drizzle of rain has now turned into a downpour, the squeak of the windshield wipers rapidly sliding across the glass to keep up with the water is the only sound filling the van beyond the Dio tape playing through the speakers.

You aren’t sure if it’s just you or if the heat filling the van is the cause for your cheeks to burn red hot. Eddie hasn’t said a word since you parted the last apartment on the list and neither have you. Leaving you to ponder what the hell is wrong with him for the whole ride home. His mood has been off from the get-go today, before you even left Forest Hills Trailer park and has remained steadfast till now. You hadn’t expected the way he acted today at all, but what irks you even more is how much his sour mood has leaked into yours, chipping away your excitement bit by bit, listing by listing. Leaving you teetering on the edge of a snippy comment you’d later regret if provoked. 

When the van returns to the gravely driveway of Wayne’s trailer, silence continues to permeate the space between you. Following Eddie wordlessly into the trailer, you wonder if you even want to. Considering if you should just return to your trailer, let Eddie sulk in his shitty mood and try to salvage yours. But still, your heart tugs you along after him into the bedroom. You lean against the door frame, watching as he yanks off his vest and jacket to fall on the floor, digging around his drawers for the weed stash. 

“Maybe I should spend tonight at home.” You test the waters, watching and waiting for any reaction reminiscent of remorse or guilt, any kind of change from the mood he’s given you today.

“If that’s what you want.” He mutters without meeting your gaze, sitting on the edge of the bed and sprinkling bud into a fresh paper to roll.

Your jaw clenches and you’ve officially been pushed over the edge you’ve walked the last few hours. You fully step into the bedroom and slam the door behind you, finally drawing his attention.

“What I want is to know what the hell has been up with you today?!” you cry out in frustration, but he only looks back down at the weed in his lap.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Bullshit you don’t! You’ve been in a bad mood all day, constantly nitpicking and shooting down every single place we saw. I don’t understand!” You take a breath as you read his body language, tense but slouched shoulders with his head hung low. Taking another step closer, your voice comes out softer. “So, please… help me understand, Eddie. What’s wrong, baby?”

The sincere desperation in your plea finally breaks through his walls, his shoulders slumping with it.

“I’m scared, okay.” He admits sheepishly.

“Scared?” You prod, disposition going soft while your eyebrows knit together in confusion as he takes a shaky breath.

“I’ve been able to push down the thoughts about what’s going to happen when you move to Indy and start college for awhile now, but I couldn’t run away from it today. I had to face the reality that you’re leaving and yeah, I know it’s only an hour and a half away but it’s not across the street, or in my bed almost every night.” His own voice betrays him as it cracks toward the end and it feels like a vice grip on your heart, pulling you until the bed dips with your weight next to him. 

“And of course, I can’t help but think about what happened the last time you moved. You’ll have a whole ‘nother life there, new friends, shit, maybe you’ll meet some guy like Mark and decide you like him more than me.” 

You bite back the retort the bubbles up from your throat, intent on letting Eddie air out all he’s been holding back in this moment of vulnerability. His watery brown eyes look up from his lap to meet yours, effectively putting a lump in your throat and summoning tears to well in your own. 

“Tonight on the drive back, you were so quiet and I know it’s because of me, but I couldn’t help but wonder if you were thinking the same thing I’ve been. Wondering if there will be better for you at college, better than me… better without me.” 

The grip on your heart tightens with his confession; the worries about your love, the insecurities on his ability to hold yours with the uncertainty of the future. It pains you that they blind him from seeing himself the way you do, from seeing the undying love you have for him. You reach for his hand and interlock your fingers, taking a deep breath as you look over his face with love and admiration.

“Eddie… I can’t act like I know what the future holds but I can tell you this with 100% certainty. I love you, and I can’t see myself falling as hard for anyone else as I have with you.” You search his eyes, seeing the way they soften as he takes in your words. His hand tightens around your own while your thumb gently strokes his skin. Your teeth dig into the sensitive skin of your bottom lip, contemplating making the offer that’s been floating in your head for months.

“And… I um, think there’s a simple solution to all this. All those places we saw today, Eds… they’re big enough for two people.”

His eyes widen with the realization of your offer, body turning to full face yours. Weed tray put off to the side of the bed so he can take both of your hands in his.

“Really? You want me to move with you?” With a nod of your head and a soft smile, one of his own spreads across his face. “I’d follow you anywhere, baby.”

“Eddie,” You breathe out. “I don’t want you to ‘follow’ me. I want you to be with me, you know, build a life together. But I don’t want to get in the way of your dreams, either. If you want to give the rockstar thing another shot then-”

“Sweetheart.” He stops you in your tracks with a dry chuckle and a shake of those dark curls. “Yeah, I could give it another go if I wanted to. Do another demo with the band and try to get signed. Move to LA, maybe even become famous for a few years and hopefully not lose myself in the process. But, I don’t even know if I really want that anymore, especially if it’s not with you.” His tongue darts out to wet his pink lips before he leans in closer to you, holding your undivided attention. “All the dreams I have about my future, you’re always in them. The only future I want is with you, my love. No matter where we are, no matter what jobs we have… as long as I have you, I’m happy.”

A wet laugh bursts from your lips as a tear breaks free and your forehead falls to rest against his. The rough skin of his thumb gently wipes the tear from your cheek before cradling your face. Faces slowly inching together until your lips collide, desperation in every seamless movement. Desperate for each other's touch, desperate to convey your love.

Gasping breaths escape your mouth each time your lips part before they meet again in a soft and slow tantalizing dance. A dance that only intensifies and deepens when his big, warm hands grab onto your thighs, pulling you to straddle his lap. You fall into the position eagerly, arms sliding behind his head, fingers losing themselves in his curls. The wet sounds of your mouths and the muffled whimpers leaving them fill his bedroom. Losing yourself in the pillowy softness of his lips and the tight grip of his hands kneading the fat cushioning your hips.

As you part for a breath, you’re overcome with how much you love Eddie more and more everyday. The thought only intensifies as he flashes you a wide smile, dimples on full display. Your finger twirls around a loose strand of hair framing his face.

“So in all honesty, which place did you like the most today?”

“Think I’m gonna have to go with the first one.”

He swears his heart skips a beat when you smile back at him, the kind of smile that spreads to your nose in a cute little scrunch. 

“That one’s my favorite too.”

When your lips meet again he doesn’t waste time licking into your mouth and breaching your lips, tongues engaging in an impassioned, lewd wrestle. You let him lay you back onto the pillows, your legs eagerly wrap around his waist as you fall into another night in your boyfriend’s bed, conveying your love and passion for each other for hours to come.

Chapter Text

Tuesday, June 10th, 1986

Last Day of Class

Your steps on the hard, white tiles lining the hallway feel just a fragment lighter, tension eased in your shoulders with the final report card given in your 3rd period class. The best grades you’ve gotten yet this year, nearly all A’s besides the B from Ms. O'Donnell's grueling class. 

Despite the relief of your own grades and assurance of your spot at graduation, your stomach flutters with each step closer to the cafeteria. Intensifying with each step closer to the revelation of Eddie’s fate. 

After hours and hours of studying and doing homework together, passed quizzes and exams, you hope it’s enough to make up for his poor grades in the beginning of the year, surely it has to be. But your hope does little to dispel the anxiety hanging in your gut as you pass through the doors into the cafeteria, immediately seeking out the Hellfire table. Eyes zeroing in on the familiar fluff of dark hair atop your boyfriends head, attempting to read his features through the flurry of passing bodies excited for the end of the school year and summer vacations. However, his face is unreadable, expression flat, eyes unfocused and staring at the table as the boys chatter around him and your stomach drops.

Your steps are cautious as you round behind him to the seat at his side, sinking into it and watching as his eyes only flicker up to you for a split second.

“So?” You waste no time in prodding, the anticipation and rising worry too much to bear any longer. He looks up to you again before his eyes dart back and forth around him dumbfoundedly.

“Sooo??” He questions between chews of the salty potato chips between his lips, making your eyes narrow into unamused slits.

“Don’t bullshit me, Munson. Your report card?! What’s the score?” Your voice softens with uncertainty seeping in at the final question, his lack of excitement all but solidifying your worst fears.

“It’s uh, it’s not good.” He begins, looking down at the table with a sigh and shake of the dark waves around his face and you can swear everything slows around you, your eyes widen as you hang on to his every word and gesture. After a few moments that feel far longer than they are, he finally brings his brown eyes to meet yours and he can’t hold back the cheeky smile from creeping onto his lips. “It’s great.”

Your hand lands against the leather covering his bicep in a loud smack, sending him into a fit of laughter.

“You asshole!” You choke out in disbelief, your open mouth quickly turning into a smile. “You did it? You’re graduating?!”

“I’m graduating, baby.” He answers with a big smile and a glimmer in his eyes. He pulls you close to him, bridging the gap between you as your arms wrap around him, the hooping and hollering of celebration from the club filling the space around you. With a relieved sigh, you feel a burning sensation brewing behind your eyes, happy tears threatening to fall.

“I’m so proud of you, baby.” You whisper next to his ear as a tear breaks through, slowly sliding down your warm cheeks. His hands tighten on your sides, holding you closer against him. 

When your grips loosen and your head moves back to look into his eyes, Eddie doesn’t waste a second in slotting his lips with yours in a slow, tender, and sweet kiss. His fingers sliding through your hair, resting his forehead against yours when your lips part.

“I couldn’t have done it without you.” He proclaims as his fingers gently caress your scalp. Your eyes squeeze shut at the praise and after deflecting it for so long despite his insistence, you let the rebuttal die on your tongue. 

Letting yourselves bask in this moment with each other, the excitement of your future together fully tangible now, and the pride of Eddie fully overcoming the barriers to graduating he’s faced for years.

Friday, June 13th, 1986

Graduation Day

Clear skies give way for the sun to beat down on you and your classmates as you stand in a 

single file line, walking onto the football field and filing into the rows of unfolded chairs. Families and friends fill the bleachers behind, immeasurable sets of eyes staring down overwhelm you in the short lived seeking for your mom, Steve, Uncle Wayne, and the party amongst the crowd.

With red cheeks, sweating faces, and hairspray struggling to hold under the relentless sun, you and your fellow graduates take your assigned seats and the ceremony begins with a speech from Principal Higgins.

Amid the scheduled speeches from Higgins and the class valedictorian, your attention staggers with shared glances and smiles from Robin and your boyfriend. One glance at him with the cap fitted on the top of his wild hair is enough to make your heart flutter.

This past week and even on the last day of classes, the reality of it all had evaded you. It all seemed like any other day just moving through the motions. Now, as you sit in your cap and gown and Higgins begins to announce the first names of your graduating class, it all seeps in for you and it feels so surreal.

You applaud and shout as you watch Robin cross the stage with a timid walk and smile, giggling to yourself when you hear Steve’s cheer overpower the others in the crowd behind you. Only a few minutes pass before it’s your boyfriend’s turn to finally cross that stage. You yell as loud as you can, without a doubt joined by Uncle Wayne and the party in the stands. Your smile is so wide you can feel it in your cheeks, laughing as you clock the smug smile on Eddie’s face as he takes the diploma from Higgins hand. Juxtaposed with Higgins flat, stoic face with his mouth in a firm line, only faltering in irritable surprise when Eddie lands a hard pat on his back. In typical Eddie fashion, he makes sure to flip off the entire crowd and staff with his new diploma in hand before he runs off the stage to return to his seat.

Far too soon, the cue for your row to stand and line up at the edge of the stage arrives. Nervous anticipation rises in your body as the number of students separating you from the stage quickly dwindles, your palms sweating as you imagine the hundreds of eyes peering down at you. You close your eyes with a deep inhale waiting for your name to be called over the speakers, and when it does you conjure every ounce of confidence you’ve been building in yourself over the years to fill you as you take your first steps across the stage. 

As soon as your name leaves his mouth and you take your first steps, the cheers from your friends and family meet your ears. You catch sight of Eddie standing from his seat to yell and clap as loud for you as he can, and the party, Steve, your mom, and Uncle Wayne doing the same in the bleachers when you pose for a photo with your diploma puts a bright smile on your face as the camera flashes. You’re sure your face is beet red by now as you make your way back to your seat, blushing even more when you peek at Eddie just in time for him to blow a kiss as you pass. 

The ceremony only lasts a short while longer. After the last graduate has returned to their seat, Mr. Higgins returns to fully face the crowd.

“It is my pleasure to congratulate you all and officially announce you as the Hawkins High Graduating Class of 1986!” His voice booms through the speakers, eliciting the crowd to erupt into cheers. A flurry of green caps go flying into the air before cascading back down, pulling theatrical pursuits from a few graduates to catch their caps amid the constraint of the steel chair rows.

With the ceremony’s conclusion, friends and family flood into the field as graduates seek them out. Eddie’s the first one you look for, meeting half way and catching each other in a tight, giggly embrace.

“You did it, baby” You smile in his hold, his warmth seeping through the green polyester into your hands.

“ We did it, sweetheart.”

“We did it!” A familiar squeal quickly approaches. “Finally released from the death grip of this stone walled prison!” Robin exhales animatedly before you pull away from Eddie’s embrace to pull her into one of your own.

The sound of your friends and family’s voices soon join yours, circling the three of you and engaging in a round of hugs and chorus of ‘Congratulations!’.

You stand in a loose circle with your loved ones with Eddie’s arm around you, watching your friends excitedly interact with a wide smile.

“You know,” you begin, drawing in their attention. “Now that we’ve finally graduated and I have everyone I love here, there’s just one thing I want to say…” Your grin widens as they all look at you, waiting for your next words. 

“ Thank you for being a friend ” You sing out.

“Oh god.” Steve and Dustin groan, the first’s hand immediately reaching to rub his forehead.

“ Traveled down the road and back again,

Your heart is true, you’re a pal and a confidant ” Robin’s voice quickly joins yours as you expected. You stand side by side with your arms around each other, swaying as you sing and inadvertently pulling Eddie with you, whom despite his best efforts can’t stop himself from smiling.

“ And if you threw a party, invited everyone you knew ”

Robin’s other arm pulls Steve into the mix, making him roll his eyes until he joins and sings along too. Your infectious smile lures Eddie in as well, giving in and singing along to the theme of the show that prefaced any movie watched at Harrington’s on Saturday nights.

“ You would see the biggest gift would be from me, and the note attached would say

Thank you for being a friend ”

Your group erupts into giggles and friendly jeers from the younger boys to Steve and Eddie.

“Watching The Golden Girls in your free time, fellas?” Dustin questions accusingly.

“Put a sock in it.” Steve retorts, snatching Dustin’s hat and roughly tousling his hair.

You giggle at the interaction, but your eyes and lips are quickly drawn in by your boyfriend at your side with that loving look in his eyes.

~

Changed out of your dress and gown and into your favorite pair of comfy shorts and Metallica tee, the back doors of Eddie’s van slam shut and the two of you carry a red cooler full of ice and beer into Steve’s backyard, followed by your entourage of Max, Lucas, and Mike that caught a ride with you. The beautiful, warm June weather perfectly lined up with Steve’s plans to throw a graduation pool party for the three of you and the group.

You’re greeted by Steve, but smirk at the sight of Robin and Dustin inhaling helium from the balloons he bought behind him. 

“We represent the lollipop guild, the lollipop guild, the lollipop guild!” Dustin sings out in a high-pitched voice, kicking his legs in tune and sending you and Robin into a fit of laughter. Steve is far less amused, placing his hands on their designated spot of his hips as he rolls his eyes.

“Someone remind me, whose idea was it again to invite the children?”

You’re happily surprised when you spy Nancy, Jonathan, Will, and an unfamiliar long-haired guy with them, whom you soon find out is named Argyle. You jump at the chance to catch up with them as the party officially commences. Jobs and extracurriculars distanced you and Nancy throughout the school year, while thousands of miles between California and Hawkins distanced you from the Byers since their move. You’re filled with pride watching Steve interact with Nancy and Jonathan, proud of his progress and growth with moving on after the heartbreak to now interacting with them as friends.

You and Eddie quickly click with Jonathan and his new friend Argyle over your shared love for consuming the green plant, settling yourselves on the outer edges of the yard to pass around a joint as you reconnect and get to know Argyle more. Meanwhile, the younger group is the first to hop into the pool, their distant sounds of splashing water, laughter, and petty arguments setting a smile on your face.

After the joint is long finished, the four of you are still standing around enthralled in a conversation about Thundercats when the younger members' shouts catch your attention, primarily Dustin luring your group to join them in the pool with teasing taunts. You and Eddie bite, stripping down to your bathing suits before you’re pulled into a game of chicken, assigned the ‘vehicles’ for the younger ones to climb onto your shoulders and try to push the other off. It plays out like a tournament, the winner moving on to fight the next contestant, starting with you and Max against Eddie and Mike. Their antics make you laugh, but not more than the sight of Eddie constantly fighting to push his wet bangs that hang in his eyes out of his face. 

First Mike, then Will, then Lucas go down, leaving you and Max to go against the final contestant of Dustin on Eddie’s shoulders. His smack talk does little to help as he grapples against Max for a good minute with you and Eddie chuckling beneath them, trying your best to keep them upright amid the struggle. Once again you and Max come out victorious, pumping your fists in the air as Dustin pouts while wiping the water from his eyes.

You wrap yourself in a towel and settle onto one of Steve’s lounge chairs along the pool as your eyes roam over all the guests. A familiar tune begins to play over the radio, easily recognizable synths and keyboard setting into your chest. 

Welcome to your life,

There’s no turning back

Steve smiling and laughing at something Argyle said, him and Jonathan still clearly stoned out of their minds. 

Even while we sleep,

We will find you

Robin and Nancy getting friendly, finding some common interest of which you have no idea. Likely innocent jokes about Steve.

Acting on your best behavior,

Turn your back on mother nature

Eddie animatedly talks about DnD with Will while Mike and Dustin splash each other in the pool, Max and Lucas sit side by side on the edge, feet dangling in the water.

Everybody wants to rule the world

You can’t quite describe the overwhelming feeling this song infects you with upon each listen, but it’s bittersweet. 

It’s my own design

It’s my own remorse

It’s hopeful, but longing.

Cynical and uplifting.

Nostalgic in a peculiar way despite its release only a year ago.

Help me make the most of freedom and of pleasure

Nothing ever lasts forever…

If your current reality didn’t hit you at graduation, it comes fully crashing down on you now as you look around the smiling faces of all your friends to the poignant melody.

Your eyes water and burn, realizing that it’s all over. This phase of your life that allowed you to see your chosen younger siblings everyday, or at least have them only a 5 minute drive away. The phase of movie nights with Robin and Steve every Saturday.

There’s a room where the light won’t find you

Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down

When they do, I’ll be right behind you.

Your bottom lip trembles as wetness streaks down your cheeks. For all you know, this could be the last time you all have together like this. Despite the happiness of everyone here, that thought alone is crushing and restricts the air in your chest.

Water droplets fall from Eddie’s hair and body, splashing down onto the concrete below him as he steps out of the pool. The smile on his face falters when he catches sight of you, looking into the distance with glossy eyes and wet cheeks. Cheeks you feebly attempt to dry with your hands when you finally notice him approaching.

His body weight dips into the lawn chair as his hand wraps around your waist, pulling you into his side.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

You shake your head, almost feeling silly for having such a strong reaction out of nowhere when everyone’s having a good time. Your eyes drift down to your twiddling hands in your lap.

“I’m just a little sad, I guess.” You sniffle, taking in a shaky breath. Eddie remains silent at your side, giving you space to continue as his thumb caresses the skin of your waist.

“It’s just all really hitting me now, that this part of our lives is over. And I just got to thinking about all the things that are over with it. Like going to school and Hellfire with the kids every Friday… even moments like this.” You weakly gesture to the scene around you. “It won’t ever be like this again.”

Eddie nods in understanding, sucking his bottom lip in between his teeth as he ponders your words.

“I know, baby. It’ll be different, but it’s not like we’ll never see them again. They’ll only be an hour and a half away at most.” He offers gently, his reassuring voice soothing the rattled feeling in your chest. Your hand reaches out to rest on his knee, squeezing softly.

“I know.” You take a more confident inhale through your nostrils as you bring your eyes to look over your friends again. “I guess I’m just letting myself grieve this part of my life now that it’s ending.”

“It might be ending, but there’s so many more memories for us to still make together,” His hand grabs yours and entwines your fingers together. “ and with our friends.”

You turn to him and smile, pressing a sweet kiss to his lips as you feel more tears coming. Your head falls to rest on his shoulder with him holding you as you sit in the uncomfortable bittersweetness of the moment.

Everybody wants to rule the world.

Chapter Text

Sunday, August 10th, 1986

Steve trudges in with another box, giving you a tight-lipped smile as he sets it down on top of another by the door of you and Eddie’s new apartment.

“That’s the last of it.” he announces to you, placing his hands on his hips. A light sheen of sweat covering his forehead.

You share a glance with him before looking around to confirm his words. Every box you can remember packing is here, either already being unpacked by your friends or sitting stacked and waiting. Max and Lucas are finishing unloading all the kitchen supplies. Robin has efficiently organized each box by room and purpose. Eddie and Dustin are unpacking all his DnD belongings, enthralled in conversation.

It happened so fast, but of course it would with seven sets of hands to help.

As you look amongst your friends in your new apartment, images of the memories you’ve all made together this summer replay in your mind.

Countless hours at the lake; Swimming and laughing, basking in the sun, and watching it set in content. 

Cookouts in Steve’s backyard; Sharing beers and stories.

Playing at the arcade, trying to beat each other’s high scores.

Campaigns in Mike’s basement.

Entranced while watching new movies at the cinema.

Memories you’ll hold dear in your heart forever.

Eddie’s words ring through your mind.

This isn’t the end, sweetheart. It’s only a new chapter.

You smile softly to yourself.

A soft, red light shines through the windows of the living room, evidence of the setting sun over the city buildings surrounding yours.

“And this…” Eddie begins, holding his copy of the Dungeon Master’s Guide in his ringed fingers. Cover slightly faded and spine bent from years of use and love. He takes one last look over it in admiration before turning his attention to Dustin, kneeling on the floor beside him in front of the moving box.

“Now belongs to you, Sir Dustin Henderson.” He says with a smile, handing the book over. Dustin’s own toothy grin falters as his mouth falls agape and eyes widen, looking between the book and Eddie.

“Are you serious?” Dustin practically squeaks out in disbelief, making Eddie chuckle softly. He pushes the book into Dustin’s open hands before clasping his hand on Dustin’s shoulder.

“Hellfire’s in good hands with you.” He begins, before cocking his head to the side, raising his brows humorously. “Don’t make me regret it.”

His smile quickly returns as Dustin throws his arms around Eddie, pulling him in for a tight hug.

“I won’t let you down.” Dustin promises, his voice quiet and sincere.

Eddie’s eyes flicker up to meet yours as you watch the interaction before you, leaning against a short stack of boxes with your arms folded, quickly giving him a warm smile as your heart thumps in your chest.

You hear Steve sigh softly at your side, turning your head to look at him.

“I guess it’s time for us to get going.” Steve remarks softly, giving you a one sided smile as the red glow has retracted from the windows, the lights of the apartment now primarily illuminating your surroundings.

You reach out to pull him in for a warm embrace. 

“Thank you for your help, all of you .” You say loud enough for everyone to hear as your friends begin to collect their belongings.

You and Eddie hug each one goodbye, a slew of thank you ’s and see you soon ’s blending in the mix.

Too quickly, the clock turns to the very early morning hours, and you and Eddie have made a significant dent in your unpacking tasks. Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors record spins on a player, music softly flowing through your cozy, new apartment. Eddie’s in the bedroom, putting away your clothes as you sit on the living room floor. The last box sat in front of you, FRAGILE in big, black words written by your hand across the tan cardboard.

“Honey” you call out to him. “Can you come here for a minute?”

After a few moments, his head pokes out from the bedroom door frame. Curls that have fallen loose from his messy ponytail frame his face.

“Yeah? You alright?”

You nod lightly at him with a sweet smile.

“I have something for you.”

He eyes the box in front of you as he approaches before they return to your face as he rests on his knees beside you.

“It’s a… apartment -warming gift.”

He looks at the light blush warming your cheeks, the bashful smile playing on your lips, your eyes that look at him in adoration and excitement. He chuckles softly, giving you a wide smile before kissing your lips sweetly.

“Baby, you didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to.” You remark quickly before gently nudging the cardboard box toward him. “Open it.”

His hands briefly run along the material before he begins plucking at the edge of the tape sealing it closed. As the flaps concealing its contents open, your breathing slows and nearly stops as you intently read his reaction. 

His smile slowly fades as his eyes take in the gift before him. Inside sits a dark blue milk crate, filled with records. He knows what this is as soon as he sees it. Gulping down a lump forming in his throat as his fingers flick through each record he knows by heart, the replacement Muddy Waters record he bought in Hawkins 2 years ago sitting in the forefront.

“I went to every record store here in Indy, tried to find every one of the same records I can remember. I know it’s not the same but… I thought you’d like it.” You elaborate gently, almost cautiously despite knowing in your heart he’d love it.

He stares down at the records in bewilderment. It’s a blast from the past. A near exact replica of the milk crate and records it held that sat in the living room of every place he’d ever lived growing up. His mom’s records that held so many of the few memories he still held of her. The crate and records he’d lost in the fire two years ago that completely devastated him.

He takes a shaky inhale through the nostrils as his eyes brim with tears. One single look at you is all it takes before his hands are on your plush waist, pulling you to him. His mouth crashes onto yours in a desperate, deep kiss, effortlessly conveying every emotion and thought within him to you.

He takes a heavy sigh as your lips part and his forehead rests against yours. Fingers gently squeezing your waist.

“Thank you, sweetheart. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” His wet, brown eyes bore into yours, his voice quiet and overwhelmed with emotion.

Wordlessly, he rises from the floor and pulls you with him. Careful not to let either of you trip as you cross the short distance to the bedroom wrapped in each other’s embrace. With a strength you didn’t know he had, he lifts and lays you onto the bed, set on conveying just how much he loves and appreciates you, christening your new bed and apartment in the process.

Two years later

Friday, March 18th, 1988

Your apartment is buzzing with energy, music floating into the bedroom as you and Eddie move about, getting ready for the exciting night you’ve had planned for a month now.

A month prior on your anniversary, Eddie had taken you to a lovely Italian restaurant in town, his own way of recreating your first date at Vito’s in Hawkins, except this place was much nicer. Toward the end of your meal, he slid your anniversary present across the table toward you, enclosed in a white envelope. You’d felt like your stomach had fallen to your ass as you held the tickets in hand.

Market Square Arena presents

Michael Jackson

The Bad Tour

March 18th, 1988

“Eddie! How the hell did you get these?!” You squeal at him, trying your best to keep your voice down in the fancy restaurant. He gives you one of the proudest, goofy smiles you’ve ever seen.

“You know all the long, late shifts I’ve been working at the shop? I’d been saving up money for it ever since it was announced, got up early and made sure I was one of the first in line when they went on sale.”

You shaked your head in disbelief with a smile plastered on your face as you leaned across the table and planted your lips on his.

“Thank you, baby. You’re the best.”

After a month of anticipation and excitement, the night is finally here. You’re just about finished putting on your makeup in the mirror when you hear an unexpected knock on the apartment door. You look at Eddie in confusion.

“Who the hell could that be?”

He does his best to hold his lips in a straight line, shrugging his shoulders as he strides out of the bedroom. A shit-eating grin gracing his face as he passes the threshold to reveal one of the surprises he has in store for you.

“Are we ready to get this party started?!” You hear a familiar voice boom from the living room, Steve and Robin’s smiling faces soon following as they appear in the doorway to your bedroom. Your mouth falls open at the sight, soon turning into a wide smile as you jump in the air, pulling them in for a hug. 

“You guys are really coming with us?!”

“Yep, Eddie and I planned it out and bought the tickets together.” Steve announces with a satisfied smile.

You look at Eddie as he stands between your best friends, watching you with a grin. Excitedly swaying side to side with his hands behind his back.

You give him a quick but deep kiss, lips smiling against each others. You don’t even need to say anything, he knows.

You quickly finish getting ready and the four of you share a ‘pre-game’ shot before heading out. Now that you live in the city, the arena is conveniently only a couple blocks away. You all chatter in excitement walking down the Indianapolis sidewalks, soon merging with other groups of people on the sidewalks heading toward the concert.

The atmosphere inside the arena is indescribable, only heightening when you finally take your seats inside. Your whole body is tingling, your stomach flipping as you wait in anticipation. A smile is permanently fixed on your face, and it warms Eddie’s heart knowing he’s responsible, that he can make you this happy.

The lights drop and the crowd erupts into cheers including your little group, standing from your seats and clapping before the man of the hour finally appears on stage. You swear you must be dreaming. That is until he begins singing the first song of the night, Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’. You realize it’s all real, and you couldn’t fight the tears from streaming down your face if you tried. It’s an experience and emotion so overwhelming to finally see one of the artists you’ve loved for practically your whole life perform. You feel Eddie’s warm hand grab and gently squeeze yours, looking at you with a loving smile.

You feel like you’re on top of the world. Frozen almost, as if nothing exists outside of the arena in this moment. Singing your heart out, swaying in beat to each song with your boyfriend and best friends. You couldn’t have asked for anything more.

Half way through the show, you scream out upon hearing the first notes of your favorite song begin to play, feeling your eyes welling with tears again. 

Looking out,

Across the nighttime

The city winks a sleepless eye

You can already feel your throat beginning to dry out, knowing it’ll be sore in the morning but you don’t care, you sing along to every word as loud as you can.

Eddie spares a glance over the top of your head to Steve, who turns to meet his eyes. Steve nods softly, a big smile spreading across his lips. A knowing look, a planned look. Eddie returns the nod before looking back at the stage, taking a shaky, deep breath as his hand anxiously fiddles in his pocket.

He looks down at you next to him, his hand reaching to softly caress your lower back. As your singing quiets, letting yourself just absorb it all, he knows it’s time.

“Sweetheart,” he coos softly against your ear. “I have another surprise for you.”

It takes a moment for his words to process through your brain amid the flurry of stimulation around you. Your brows furrow together in confusion as you turn to look at him, only for them to shoot up when you see your boyfriend drop to one knee beside you. Fishing in his pocket before he brings out a small, red box. Your heart stops and your mouth falls open at the sight in shock. His big, round, brown doe eyes staring up at you.

“I love you, Y/N” You watch his lips move as he tries his best to speak loud enough for you to hear over the crowd and music without yelling.

“Will you marry me?”

You don’t even need to hear it to know exactly what he’s saying, exactly what he’s doing in this very moment as the red box opens to reveal a beautiful ring. The lights from the stage glimmering off the diamond. Your mouth shuts as your lips form into a pout and whatever tears are left in you flow down your cheeks again.

“Yes!” You choke out, nodding your head fervently as the question, allowing the beautiful smile to grace his face again before he slides the ring onto your finger. Not wasting a second to stand up and grab your face, pulling you into a passionate exchange. You faintly hear some people around you who’d witnessed the interaction cheering, including your friends beside you. But at this moment, it’s just Eddie, continuing to make you the happiest you’ve ever been in your life.

Another two years later in the early summer months of 1990, you and Eddie finally tied the knot.

You have a small ceremony in a park on the outskirts of Indianapolis, surrounded by nature and your closest family and friends, it’s everything you could’ve asked for. Robin was your maid of honor, Dustin as Eddie’s best man, and Uncle Wayne graciously and tearfully accepted the offer to walk you down the aisle.

So much has changed in the last few years, even the last year alone. You’d just graduated from college, and throughout your time there you’d picked up a job at the college’s radio station and took elective classes in sound engineering. Learning even more about music and how to produce it. You’d discovered the pathways into the industry around Indianapolis and last year in 1989, a label showed interest in the lovesong you’d written for Eddie those few short years ago. Months later while driving around the city, you heard your song playing on the radio performed by the Cure, and the whole world stopped around you. Said best by Eddie, this only marked the start of a new chapter for the two of you.

Saturday, May 9th, 1998

Nashville, Tennessee

The cool, morning breeze gently cascades over your exposed skin, moving stray strands of hair out of your face. Your fingers are wrapped around a warm mug of coffee as you sit on the back porch of your house, letting your eyes slowly travel along the rises and dips in the mountains surrounding you, listening to the calming sounds of the lake lapping against the shoreline.

Absolute peace.

“Mommy?” A soft, quiet voice pulls you out of your trance. You turn to look behind you, greeted by the sight of your 3 year old daughter standing at the back door. Still in her jammies, holding her favorite stuffed toy to her chest. Wild, honey brown curls falling past her shoulders. Sleepy eyes and a soft smile.

“Hey, baby girl. What’re you doin’?” She takes short steps closing the distance between you, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before climbing into your lap and laying her head on your chest.

“Daddy woke me up, a-and told me to bwush my teeth.”

Your hand softly rubs up and down her back, looking down at her in amusement.

“And have you…?”

She quiet for a moment before only responding with soft giggles, giggles that turn into loud cackles as your fingers tickle her sides making her body wiggle against yours.

“There she is!” Eddie walks out onto the porch with a tired sigh. 

You hold your daughter in place, dramatically gasping at Eddie’s appearance.

“You better hurry and get ready before Daddy gets you!” You emphasize quietly in her ears, sending her squealing past Eddie and back into the house. He watches her run past in amusement before turning toward you, rising from your seat to greet him with a kiss.

It’s been a couple of years since you’d made the move to Tennessee. Back in Indianapolis after graduating and getting married, Eddie continued to work at the shop part time and you found a part time job in your field, while you both also worked at a recording studio. You’d honed your skills producing and continuing to write music, producing your songs yourself and sending them off to record labels, waiting for one of them to take a bite. Eddie’d gotten his own stroke of luck after the success of your song, the unimaginable happening again when Metallica took up one he’d written, ‘Sad But True’. 

After a while, you’d both craved a change of scenery, seeking out somewhere you could settle down for the long run. After months of thinking, Nashville seemed like the perfect place to land. Returning to his and his mother’s home state of Tennessee before they moved to Hawkins felt right. It made sense for your future, too. Outside of LA, Nashville is the second city with the biggest music industry presence and connections. Though country music is often portrayed at the forefront, that image vastly underestimates the variety of musical artists and genres held within the city.

After taking some time to find your footing, Eddie now owns his own mechanic’s shop. Giving himself more freedom to take care of your child and to work at the studio you work in full time. The studio you both now own after busting your asses for so many years. All the years of hard work and dreams have finally come into fruition. You’d produced and written number one songs and worked with so many artists, while staying away from the overwhelming and toxic fame that often came with the industry. Allowing yourselves to live the quiet life you’ve always wanted while still doing what you love.

It’s only a four hour drive from Hawkins, and your loved ones still make trips to visit you and vice versa. Amid all of your busy lives now, you all still make a commitment twice a year for your friends to come down and have a get together. A weekend full of cookouts, bonfires, hikes, swimming in the lake, exploring the city, and DnD campaigns.

“How’re you two doing this morning?” Eddie asks softly, his voice still heavy with grogginess as his hand gently caresses the growing bump of your belly. You smile, resting your forehead against his.

“Good,” your head nods softly against his. “No more sickness, I think we’re in calmer waters now.”

“Only a few more months to go and we still haven’t decided on a name for him.” Eddie reminds you teasingly, making you playfully roll your eyes. 

“I know, I know. We’ll figure it out.” 

He wraps his arms around you and your body relaxes into his. Meeting his lips again in a deep kiss, a kiss filled with years of memories and love. A kiss filled with the promise of a lifetime to come.