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hippiegoth97 · 5 months ago

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Into the Fire: An Eddie Munson x Reader Story Pt. 26

Collage by me :)

Master List

Part 25

Tag List: @keikoraven @ar-jupiter @alcielo1438 @cairro-xx @stolen-in-moonlight

@micheledawn1975 @janiejenn @rafeyscurtainbangs @melodymunson @spacedoutdaydreamer

@veemoon @sariahs-stuff @feral-pumpkin-energy @comeonatmebruh @munsoneightysixx

@morgthemagpie @josephquinnsfreckles @jenniquinn @userchai @cometzombie

@spookybabey @daggerdaggerkitten @nina6708 @sanctumdemunson @yourdailymemedelivery

@person-005 @slowandsteddie @gri959 @elegantkoalapaper @letitgoandletlive

@loserboysandlithium @costellation-hunter @leelei1980 @h-ness1944 @pretendthisnameisclever

@ohmeg @stalactitekilla @hellfirenacht @birdysaturne @oneforthemunny

@prettyboyeddiemunson @eddievanmunson @msgexymunson @rattkween86 @violetpixiedust

@bimbobaggins69 @angel-munson @eldermayfield @munsonsbtch @bimbogorewhore

@mediocredreams @xxbimbobunnyxx @taintedcigs @ali-r3n @emxxblog

Content Warning 18+ Only, Minors DNI: swearing, alcohol use, light smut/teasing, mentions of war, crying, smoking, drug use, PTSD, flashbacks, blood, violence, angst, anxiety, arguing, self-destructive behavior, mentions of death/human remains

Word Count: 16.1k

divider by @strangergraphics

Part 26.1: Some Like it Hot

Tuesday, July 4th, 1989

"Eddie, dear? Do you mind carrying the potato salad inside for me?" Mom asks as the five of you get out of the car. You've driven yourself, Eddie, Mom, Dustin, and Wayne over to Steve Harrington's house for a special 4th of July barbecue. The lot of you are just a footnote in the rather long guest list. The Wheelers, the Sinclairs, the Mayfields, the Tanners, the Byers/Hopper family, and Robin are all in attendance for this afternoon and evening. Steve's own parents are out of town, as they typically find themselves to be. So, the former King of Hawkins High has taken it upon himself to throw a patriotic soiree on their dime. It's the least they can do in their everlasting absence, really.

"Sure thing, Claudia." Eddie smiles, stacking the three large Tupperware containers in his arms. "This sure is a lotta salad, you must've been up early this morning." Eddie chuckles as he struggles to keep himself from dropping one of the tubs.

"Oh, it was nothing. Besides, it's not Independence Day without the famous Henderson potato salad!" Mom says cheerfully, finding herself extremely happy to get out of the house for once.

"Well, in that case, I'll definitely have to try some." Eddie meets her gleeful energy, which in turn transfers to the rest of you. You're all quite excited to hang out with all your friends, depending on which age group you each happen to fall into.

"I 'preciate you all bringin' me along. I only hope I'm not intruding." Wayne pipes up nervously. He hasn't really met any of these people before, and he hopes to make a good impression.

"Not at all, Wayne. You'll fit right in, everyone is extremely friendly." You reassure him, while taking one of the tubs from Eddie's grasp. "Let me help you, love. You don't need to be Superman, ya know." You giggle at revealing his face as it had been previously hidden by the molded plastic.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Eddie shoots you a thankful grin. He grips the remaining salad firmly and easily now, and your little group makes it over to the front door of the Harrington residence. You ring the doorbell, and the man of the house answers not a moment later.

"Hey, you guys! We've been waiting for you to show up!" Steve says excitedly, holding the door back to let you inside. "What you got there?" He asks, pointing at the Tupperware.

"This, Stevie, is enough potato salad to feed a small army. Where should we put it?" Eddie replies, growing rather tired of carrying the stuff around now. The words 'potato' and 'salad' are also becoming rather tiresome.

"Oh, um, great! You can put it in the kitchen, just that room back there." Steve sets you in the right direction, and you and Eddie head that way while the others go around to mingle. You can hear Wayne introducing himself to Max and her mother as you set the containers down on the kitchen island.

"Will! Jane!" Dustin exclaims from the other room, overjoyed to see his California friends again.

"Hey, kiddos! Long time, no see." Hopper announces as he enters the kitchen. He's got Joyce with him, his arm wrapped firmly around her hip. They're wearing matching Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts, beers in hand.

"Hey, Hop, Joyce." You reply kindly, walking over to the cooler on the other side of the island to pull out a couple cans for Eddie and yourself. You return to his side, handing off one of the frosty beers to him.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Eddie grins at you, popping the lid open, which releases a light hiss.

"The two of you are still going strong, I see. How long has it been now?" Joyce chirps, giving you two a warm glance.

"Four excruciating months, believe it or not!" You joke, making everyone laugh.

"Ouch! Low blow, princess!" Eddie quips back, reaching his free arm around your waist to pull you closer. His palm sneaks down a few inches to paw at your ass. You hold back a squeal at his dirty move, keeping a straight face.

"Well, we're very glad to see you both so happy." Joyce replies.

"I'd rather see Munson in cuffs, if you ask me." Hopper snarks, taking a swig of his beer.

"I never knew you were so kinky, Hop. Joyce must be a lucky lady." Eddie retorts, winking at Joyce. Her cheeks go bright red as she giggles, and Jim chokes as he tries to swallow. Joyce can tell he's about to blow his top at Eddie's comment, but she puts a pacifying hand on the burly man's chest.

"Now, now, Hop. He's only joking, sweetie." She coos up at him, and the man instantly calms down. He slaps a big smile on his face, though you can tell he's far from amused at your boyfriend's antics at his expense.

"Right. Well, I think Ted needs some help at the grill outside. If you'll excuse us." Jim says while shooting a deadly glare in Eddie's direction. You both nod at him silently, and he leads Joyce away towards the backyard.

"Jesus, Eds. Have you always been a thorn in Jim Hopper's side?" You ask with a chuckle. You pull away from his hold to hop onto a free space on the kitchen counter. Eddie takes this as his cue to slowly walk over to you, setting his beer on the counter beside you. His large hands carefully spread your thighs, allowing him to stand right between your legs. His flesh meeting yours makes you tingle, and his big brown eyes gazing deeply into yours sets your insides on fire.

"For as long as I can remember, baby. It's a good thing he doesn't have his badge anymore, or that little joke would've earned me a night in a holding cell." He speaks lowly to you, his eyes dragging over your form. You're dressed only in your string bikini top and some beat-up jean shorts that stop three-quarters of the way up your thighs. Of course your swim bottoms are underneath, which he really hopes will be revealed later on. The necklace he gave you sits right between the swells of your tits, drawing his pupils to it as the light catches the glossy surface.

"You make it sound like you spent a lot of time there. What's it like?" You ask seductively, taking in his own gorgeous body while you wait for an answer. Eddie has also embraced summer attire, his swim trunks serving as shorts. He's also wearing a cropped Metallica tee with the sleeves cut off. It shows off just the right amount of his stomach, letting you have a perfect view of his v-line and the trail of dark hair that runs right down the center of it. If this house weren't full of old-fashioned parents and rowdy kids, you'd be doing very unsavory things to him right now.

"You really wanna know, angel? Or are you just being polite?" He asks, drawing your eyes to his again. He's still grinning like the madman he sometimes is, which only feeds the impulse to think the most unholy things about him.

"I wanna know, Eds. I like learning things about you, even the bad stuff." You bite your lip, growing very warm in the small amount of clothing you have on.

"Well, if you must know...it's very dirty, and usually there's a couple town drunks in there, too. It reeks of piss, and you have to sit on a rusty metal bench all night." He speaks in the same tone, holding your attention in a strangling grip. He could be reading out of a dictionary right now, and you'd find it just as riveting as his checkered past. "Does that excite you, Y/N?" His eyes seem to sparkle on that one word, his voice coming out more breathy and harsh upon its utterance.

"I mean, realistically? It sounds pretty terrible. But the way you're saying it right now is...kinda hot." You say, barely above a whisper. Eddie lets out a short laugh, interested to know that as long as he uses his 'sexy voice', you'll hang onto his every word.

"Is that so? You wanna hear more?" He asks, tempting you to keep this game going. You know you should be socializing, and not almost fucking in Steve's kitchen. But no one seems to be missing you at the moment, and you're not actually doing anything. Where's the harm in a bit of teasing?

"Tell me what it's like to be arrested, Eddie." You give in to Eddie's temptation, putting your own drink down to lay your arms loosely around his shoulders.

"Well, there's the handcuffs...but you already know all about that, sweetheart." He chuckles darkly, and you nod in knowing exactly what he's referring to.

"Uh-huh. What else?" You question, wanting him to keep going.

"Well, then there's getting put in the back of the cop car. They kinda shove you in there, to avoid hitting your head." His palms caress your thighs at a snail's pace as he explains the process to you. "Then at the station, they take your prints, with this big ink pad thing. That shit stains your fingers for a couple of days. And then they have you stand against the wall to take some pictures. I think I still have a couple of them somewhere. I could show you, if you like." He smirks at that, knowing damn well you'll be all over him if you see those.

"Mmm, yes, please." You almost whimper. You bet Eddie's mugshots look so fucking sexy. He probably smiles in them, too.

"Shit. I'll definitely need to find them soon, then, won't I?" He purrs, fighting back the urge to slip a hand inside your shorts. He squeezes the tops of your thighs instead, drawing a quiet moan from you. His cock twitches in response, and he lets out a shaky breath. "This might have been a bad idea, angel. Because I really, really want you right now." Eddie says, his voice faltering.

"I know. I want you, too. But we'll just have to wait until later." You reply, trying your best to not come off whiny. If you sound too desperate, you'll both be done for.

"If we must." He rolls his eyes, ceasing his touches on you. He backs away, hopping up to sit next to you innocently. You force out a loud sigh, trying to shove your lustful feelings into a secure closet inside your mind.

"There you two are! We're been looking all over for you!" Robin says as she, Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve come into the kitchen.

"You must really wanna guard that potato salad." Steve jokes.

"No, no. We were just, um...distracted." You say as casually as you can, but the others just raise their eyebrows at you.

"Oh, I see. Having a hard time keeping it in your pants, are you?" Robin waggles her eyebrows while smirking at you.

"I'll plead the fifth on that one." Eddie says, though the blush rising on his cheeks gives him away.

"Yeah, sure. Now, get your asses up and join the damn party!" Robin shouts, going to you and pulling you off the counter by the arm.

"Alright, alright! Slow down, Robin! I need my drink!" You yell through a laugh, reaching clumsily for your beer. Eddie follows behind while Robin drags you outside to the pool deck. The kids are swimming in the pool, splashing wildly in the chlorinated waters. Music blasts through large speakers, and the adults are gathered around the tables and by the grill. Ted Wheeler effortlessly flips burgers and turns hotdogs, cooking all the meat to perfection. You've never seen him do anything well before, so it's a very welcome sight.

"So, how are you two doing?" Robin asks once your little group has taken a seat on the loungers beside the pool.

"We're really great, four months strong." You reply happily, leaning into Eddie on the lounger you're sitting sideways on.

"Woo! Two thirds of the way!" She cheers, she's very chipper today.

"Yes, it's very exciting. If only I knew what it meant!" Eddie chimes in, giving you a look as if he's attempting to read your mind for the answer.

"Sorry, Munson. Our lips are sealed." Nancy adds, mimicking locking her lips and throwing away the key. The others nod in agreement, much to Eddie's dismay.

"Ugh, fine! I'm sure whatever it is will be more than worth it." Eddie plants an affectionate kiss to your cheek, making you giggle again.

"Trust me, Eds. It will be." You coo at him, leaning in to give him a peck on the lips. He smiles against your mouth, unable to quell a rather filthy question that's popped into his head.

"It's not anal sex, is it?" He asks quietly, hoping the others don't hear. They've temporarily moved on to discussing Nancy's promotion at the newspaper.

"God, no! Exit only, baby." You reply while smacking his chest.

"Ugh, I'm gonna have to wear you down on that one, angel." Eddie smirks, his lips still brushing against yours in this private exchange.

"Over my dead body." You playfully insist, turning your attention back to the group. A small whine of disappointment escapes him, though nobody but you seems to notice. "If you quit asking, maybe I'll consider it." You add, and he mumbles a very quiet, yet excited 'yes'. The poor fool thinks he's winning that argument. "And you have to let me do it to you, too. It's only fair, don't you think?" He stiffens at your final comment, and you expect him to drop the subject altogether. But you couldn't be more wrong. He leans real close to speak in your ear, his breath fanning hotly against you.

"You make a good point, babydoll. And if it'll make you happy, who am I to deny you?" His silky-smooth voice flows like a drug into your ear and straight to your head. You can't believe for a second that he actually means it, but Eddie's not one to lie. A familiar pressure builds between your legs at the thought. To have him all laid out on the bed, while you penetrate him for once? To hear him whimper and moan beneath you, to beg you to go harder...faster... The idea in itself is extremely titillating to you. It's a good thing swimsuits are so absorbent, you're getting unbearably wet, totally ignoring the conversation going on right in front of you.

"Y/N?" Steve asks, waving a hand in your now-flushed face. Eddie chuckles at your fantasizing. It appears that the two of you will need to make a trip to a naughty little store at the edge of town, one that charmingly goes by the name of 'The Love Hut'.

"Sorry, what?" You ask, trying to fight off the heat that's slowly creeping up your neck and face.

"I asked how it's going with the promotion. Congrats on being made supervisor, by the way. You deserve it." Steve repeats what you've clearly missed in your daydreaming. The others mirror the sentiment, murmuring various congratulations your way.

"Oh! Um, it's going really well. The first day was a bit nuts, but I'm getting the hang of it." You answer, feeling a little bad for being so antisocial today. You truly don't mean to. It's not your fault that Eddie's driving you insane.

"Glad to hear it. Nance also got promoted, if you weren't paying attention. Editor in Chief! Can you believe it?" Steve says, semi-snarkily, but otherwise proud of his ex-high school sweetheart.

"Oh, that's awesome! Although, a blind man could see that coming a mile away!" You reply cheerfully.

"Thank you, Y/N. I appreciate that." Nancy beams, practically glowing with pride in herself and her hard work.

"Well, I dunno about you guys, but I'm dying to take a dip. It's fuckin' hot out here!" Robin suggests, before lifting her shirt over her head to reveal the top part of her bathing suit. It's a floral patterned one-piece, and it flatters her body very well. She's definitely not a bikini kind of girl like you, but you wouldn't expect her to be.

"That sounds perfect. You two gonna join us?" Jonathan asks, standing up to remove his own t-shirt and kick off his sandals. Nancy and Steve also disrobe in various ways, waiting to see if you and Eddie will follow suit.

"Uh, maybe in a little bit." You reply, wanting to finish your little conversation from a few minutes ago. Eddie picks up on this, staying by your side.

"Okay, suit yourselves." Steve finishes, before the four of them run and jump into the pool in unison. Massive splashes of water spill upwards, some splattering over the sides of the pool. The kiddos scream in delight, splashing large waves back at them.

"What's up, baby?" Eddie asks in your ear. You turn your head to look at him, meeting his expectant eyes.

"You've got a deal, Eds. We can try it out. Together." You say with total certainty. It could be fun to explore each other in this new way, and expand your repertoire, so to speak.

"Together, princess. Always." He agrees, taking one of your hands in his. He lifts it up to his lips, pressing a tender kiss to it. The issue can be laid to rest now, and the both of you can finally focus on the party.

You're about to ask Eddie if he wants to get into the pool, when "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" comes on over the speakers. "Oh, I love this song." You say softly. Eddie suddenly stands up, and extends his hand out to you.

"Wanna dance, sweetheart?" He asks, taking you by surprise.

"Since when are you a dancer?" You inquire curiously.

"I may have taken a dance class out of boredom once." Your jaw falls open at this, and he just rolls his eyes. "I didn't want to look stupid at the prom of '86, alright?" Eddie says, drawing a laugh of disbelief from you. He is always finding new ways to surprise you.

"Well, since you're such a pro..." You get off your seat to join him, placing your hand in his. "Lead the way, Eds." He quickly pulls you along to an open space on the pool deck, standing before you. He raises your joined hands upwards, and places his free one on the small of your back. Your own hand rests on his shoulder, and he gives you a small smile as he pulls you in closer. "Who did you take to prom anyway? I'm surprised you even went."

"I, uh...I didn't. My date stood me up." Eddie replies sadly, while the two of you move sensually to the music.

"Oh, baby. I'm sorry. Who was it?" You ask, giving him an apologetic look.

"Becky Sanders, she was on the cheer squad. She asked me, actually. But looking back on it, that was clearly a joke at my expense." He scoffs at himself, wondering why that fact still upsets him.

"Jesus, what a bitch!" You reply bitterly. You remember Becky, alright. She took it upon herself to pick on you quite often. Insulting your clothes and your braces, spreading rumors of you being a slut, the usual. You're surprised Eddie would even try to go out with a cunt like her. But she was also extremely pretty, so maybe he thought she'd be an easy lay.

"Yeah, I went all out on prom night, too. The tux, the corsage, I even bought fuckin' chocolates for her. But when I went to pick her up...she had already left with some asshole from the basketball team." He shakes his head, wanting to shove the awful memory away.

"I'm sorry, love. But if it makes you feel any better, I didn't go to prom, either." You hope this small fact will help lighten his mood.

"Why not, sweetheart?" He asks, shocked that you chose to skip the affair altogether.

"Nobody asked me." You say with a shrug. At the time, it didn't feel all that great to see everyone but you getting asked to the prom. But in hindsight, you're not that broken up about it anymore. School dances are never what they're cracked up to be anyway.

"What?! No way! I'm callin' bullshit on that one!" Eddie laughs, but your face doesn't change.

"I'm serious, Eds. I mean, it wasn't that big a deal to me anyway. But...I'd hoped you would ask me." You admit. You can see Eddie's about to apologize, but you shake your head to stop him. "It was just a silly wish from a silly girl. We never really hung out at that time, and we didn't know each other very well either. We had bullies in common, that's all. Don't feel bad." You reach up to cup his cheek, and he nuzzles into your touch slightly.

"I know. But could you imagine where we'd be now, if we'd gotten together back then?" He asks sweetly, and your heart melts at the thought.

"We'd probably be married already." You say with a smile. He nods in agreement, giving you a warm kiss. The two of you continue to sway along to the song, allowing Rod Stewart's signature squawk to serenade you in your thoughts. You don't even entertain the possibility that, if you had started off as a high school romance, that you would've crashed and burned before you really got anywhere. Who's to say, really? You were both younger, dumber people back then. You didn't have all the experiences under your belts that you currently possess. And honestly, you probably wouldn't have such a deep understanding of one another without them.

Eddie leads you into a small spin, before taking you back into his arms. You laugh giddily in your happy little bubble. The party surrounding you has disappeared, and there's just you and him dancing on the pool deck. "You're pretty light on your feet, angel." Eddie coos, turning your body so your back presses into his chest now.

"You're not so bad yourself, Eds." You keep up your rhythmic sway, subtly grinding your hips to tease him. A breathy groan leaves his lungs, just loud enough for you to hear. The sound of it sends a thrill through you. His hands rest on your hips, gently guiding you to keep the steady pace. You can feel his heart beating against your spine, the speed picking up at your ass meeting his crotch. You're both heating up again, and it's going to take a lot of effort to put out the flames this time.

A little bit later, you turn back around to face him as the song comes to a close. You're both yanked out of your imagined isolation when whoops and applause break out all around you. A harsh blush shocks your cheeks, and you look to find everyone clapping for your romantic display. Even Ted has stopped flipping burgers to join in, ignoring a few of them starting to burn. "Damn, guys! Way to turn up the heat!" Robin calls from the pool.

"Thanks." You reply awkwardly, pressing yourself into Eddie's embrace as a way to retreat into safety and comfort. His arms wrap around you, immediately getting the message. You can hear him now... Relax, sweetheart. We're just having fun.

"You kids must be hungry, come get a plate!" Ted beckons you with his large metal tongs, and you make your way over to pick out a burger or hotdog of your choice. "That was some fancy footwork there. I remember when me and Karen used to dance like that." Ted speaks kindly, a twinkle of nostalgia in his eye.

"Oh, Ted. We still do...sometimes." Karen adds, handing each of you a plate.

"Now, now. I don't think these youngsters wanna hear about what us old-timers got up to at their age." Ted waves her off, before looking at you and Eddie again. "So, burger, or dog?"

"Burger, please." You and Eddie reply in unison. Ted chuckles, dishing out a patty to each of you on freshly sliced buns.

"Thanks. And I think it's sweet to hear, honestly. It certainly gives us hope for the future, that the love will stay alive." You add as you move out of the way for your friends and the kids to get their own plates.

"Jesus, Claudia! How'd you raise such a romantic?" Ted addresses your mother, drawing her eyes over from her spot where she's been conversing with Charles and Susan Sinclair.

"I truly have no idea! She wasn't always like this, you know. It used to be 'I don't need a man, I can do it all on my own'!" She pauses her embarrassing recounting of your younger years to speak to you directly. "I don't mean that rudely, sugarpuff. You're a bright young woman, who has every option in the world."

"Thanks, Mom." You give her a stiff nod, allowing her to continue her story.

"Anyway, now that she's got this sweet, dashing young man attached to her, she's a completely different person. All heart eyes and wandering hands, these two." She ends on a giggle, drawing a chorus of laughs and 'aw's from everyone else. It takes everything in you to keep your groans and protests to yourself, you know she means well.

You continue through the makeshift line that's been set up here, squirting ketchup onto your top bun and placing a slice of cheese over the beef patty. You'd prefer for it to have been melted on the grill, but it'll do just fine as is. Eddie doesn't leave your side for a single second, he hasn't done so the entire time you've been here. You sense he's a tad uncomfortable around so many people, especially the parents who serve as authority figures at this little get-together. You go inside to scoop some side dishes onto your plate from the smorgasbord layed out in the kitchen. Baked beans, potato salad, a couple deviled eggs, corn on the cob, and another beer. After your plates are full to the brim, you return to your places on the loungers with the other young adults.

The kids gather around you as well, taking a break from swimming to fuel up. You all talk about various things, like new movies coming out, the upcoming campaign Erica has been working on, or Max getting hired at the theater. You're very excited to work with her, get to know her better. She may be a part of this massive friend group, but due to her lack of interest in D&D, you don't see her as much as some of the others. Your surprise at her lesser presence only grows when you find out she lives in the trailer park, just a couple homes away from Eddie. But she seems very smart, and sweet, and like a major smart-ass. Her and Eddie are bound to get into trouble at work at some point due to their mischievous nature.

You finish eating, discarding your paper plate in the trashcan near the grill. You go back to your seat, laying between Eddie's legs in the lounger. He holds you close with his arms, the two of you soaking up the sun with your eyes blissfully closed. The two of you relax like this for a bit, letting the playful sounds of kids laughing and adults chattering lull you to a serene state. After a short while, you hear the click and whir of a Polaroid camera a few feet away from you, which draws your eyes open. You look to find your mother snapping pictures again. "Ugh, Mom! You brought the damn camera?" You groan in annoyance, squeezing your eyes shut again.

"Of course I did! We have to capture these memories, sugarpuff! And you and Eddie look so cute all snuggled up together." Mom oozes delight at capturing your happiness for who knows how many times now. She trots over to set the photograph on the small table next to you, quickly moving on to taking pictures of everyone else. She's always been like this, needing to document every occasion she can think of for posterity. You suppose it makes enough sense, she wants to remember the good times. But she can occasionally be pushy a tad about it, even snapping many embarrassing photos of your worst moments. A ridden-up skirt here, a smudge of chocolate around your mouth there. You're surprised she didn't take one when she found you in bed with Eddie the first time.

"Jesus christ." You mumble, adjusting yourself to lay a bit more comfortably on top of Eddie. He hasn't said a word, you wonder if he's fallen asleep. You got pretty close yourself, until Mom quite literally snapped you out of it. His chest rises and falls calmly beneath you, and his hands sit limp across your lap. You turn your head to look at Robin, who's sunbathing herself. "Rob! Is he asleep?" You whisper to her, and she looks over at Eddie's face. She nods with a smirk, and you hatch an idea on how to wake him up. She seems to pick up on this, watching in amusement while you carefully move his arms and climb off the lounger. You try to scoot him closer to the edge of the pool, but he's too heavy. "Steve!" You whisper-yell to him.

"What?" He answers, a little too loud.

"Shh! C'mere and help me." You wave him closer with your hand, and his eyes flick down to your snoozing boyfriend.

"He's gonna kill us for this, you know." Steve warns, but he helps you slowly drag the chair over to the lip of the pool anyway. The metal legs squeak against the concrete as you scoot Eddie along, and you're worried he'll wake up any second now. He doesn't seem to stir, so you keep going until the chair is in place. Then, you and Steve gradually lift the top upright, effectively dumping Eddie right into the water. The movement startles him awake, and he lets out a weak scream when he realizes what's happening. He flails his arms to grab at the air, and makes a huge splash when he hits the water. Everyone laughs, watching Eddie pop back up a second later. He shakes his hair out, and he coughs as he got some water up his nose.

"What the fuck?!" He yells, looking to find you doubled over in hysterics at your little prank. He crosses his arms, clearly unamused at you waking him up this way. His shirt is soaked, clinging annoyingly to his body. And his sandals have floated off his feet to the surface of the water. "Real mature, guys." He grumbles, and you try and fail to apologize. You can't stop laughing, which makes for the perfect distraction. You watch Eddie's scowl quickly turn into a grin, and you realize your mistake. You've turned your back on your co-conspirators.

"Oh, shit." You murmur. Before you can even begin to deter them, Steve and Jonathan scoop you up into their grip. They take hold of your ankles and wrists. They bring you to the edge of the pool, positioning you parallel to it. "No, no! Put me down, guys! Don't do this!" You shout and try to fight your way out of their hold, but it's no use. Everyone keeps laughing, finding this display to be the funniest thing they've ever seen. Eddie looks at you, and you meet his eyes. You silently plead with him to call this off, to tell the guys to let you go.

"Sorry, sweetheart. It's only fair." He shrugs, smiling smugly at you. The boys swing you over the water once, twice, three times, before they let you go.

"NO!" You scream as your stomach drops. You can see yourself falling in slow motion, clawing at your face to plug your nose before you reach the water. You close your eyes, awaiting the impact of your body splashing into the cold pool. The liquid consumes you not a moment later, and your shorts immediately suck themselves onto your flesh. You sink all the way to the bottom, before shoving yourself back up to the surface. "Dammit! This is why I hate pranks!" You shriek once you breach, before falling into contagious laughter again.

Eddie swims over to you, pulling his shirt over his head to toss it over the side of the pool. It splats against the cement, creating a small puddle. "I'd say we're even now, princess." He gives you a gentle smile to forgive you for the trick you pulled.

"I've definitely learned my lesson." You sigh, reaching under the water to undo your shorts. You awkwardly kick them off, and throw them out to dry.

"Mmm, all is forgiven when you're in this little number." Eddie burns, bringing you closer by the waist. His hands grab your ass roughly, and you'd moan out loud if it wouldn't give you both away.

"You just can't keep your hands to yourself today, can you?" You tease, sneakily putting your own hand between your bodies to ghost over the front of his swim trunks. It doesn't stay there long, just enough for you to feel him get semi-hard. You raise your palm up along his stomach and chest afterwards, stilling over his spider tattoo.

"What can I say? Patriotism makes me horny." He jokes, making you both laugh lowly.

"Oh, please. You're an anarchist if I've ever seen one." You reply, slipping out of his grip to swim backwards to the other end of the pool. He casually follows you, holding your gaze.

"I hardly think I'm that chaotic, Y/N." He says, collecting his shoes and yours as he goes. He chucks them over by the chairs, managing to miss everyone's heads. "Besides, I would never limit myself to follow any singular ideology."

"Please tell me you're not gonna go over the 'Munson Doctrine' again." You let out an exaggerated groan, rolling your eyes and turning your back to him.

"And why shouldn't I?" He asks, catching up to you. He gently takes hold of your arm, making you face him again.

"Well, for one, I already know it by heart. And two, it's a bit out of date. It's far too cynical, and you're much more romantic now." You state simply, stilling in place.

"Oh, I see. In that case, maybe we can make a new one together." Eddie offers.

"Do we even need one at all, Eds? We're in love, not starting a political movement." You brush the idea off, taking his hands to pull him along with you. You slowly glide along the water, calmly swaying to and fro.

"Hmm, I suppose you're right. We have a pretty damn good understanding of each other, don't we?" He replies with a smile, dropping the subject. He's come to the conclusion that his previous values don't really align with who he is anymore. The core idea, individualism, will always be important to him. But there's no need for him to cling to the childish rules he set up for himself at the ripe age of thirteen. Jesus, I've been that stringent for a whole decade? What the hell was I thinking? He shakes his head at himself, feeling a bit silly over the whole thing.

"We really do, Eddie. We keep each other balanced, while also encouraging reasonable risk. We love and support one another to the ends of the universe. That's all we need." You answer lovingly, continuing your fluid movements around the perimeter of the pool. This is really nice. Just being here...with him...enjoying every single second. I could do this for the rest of my life.

A few hours 一and several rounds of chicken fights and Marco Polo一 later, the sun has completely disappeared from the sky and the fireworks display is about to begin. The explosives themselves are lit in an open field far away from all residential areas of Hawkins, and shot as far into the sky as possible to ensure everyone in town can see them. You sit on the edge of the pool, still soaking your feet in its cool waters. Eddie's perched next to you, holding your hand and keeping you leaned into him as you watch the bright sparks burst in the pitch black sky. Booms and blasts interrupt the stillness of the night air, followed by satisfying crackles and blooms of glorious color.

You notice Eddie looking over at his uncle, checking to make sure he's doing alright with all the explosions. He'd warned you before that sounds like that can set Wayne off, as they're very similar to the sounds of war. The man doesn't talk about it much, but there's definitely some leftover trauma inside his head from his years in Vietnam. You give the old man a curious glance as well, noticing his knee bobbing up and down anxiously. His face is fixed in an odd expression, like he's waiting for something bad to happen. "Is he gonna be alright?" You ask Eddie, drawing his eyes to you.

"I dunno. He usually stays at home during fireworks, with massive headphones on to block out the noise. Shit, I should've brought them with us." Eddie scolds himself for being so careless. Wayne would never do such a thing on his own, he's far too proud for that. But if Eddie presented him with the headgear, he'd gladly wear it.

"I could ask Steve if he has some? Or we could take him inside to muffle the sound a bit? I'd hate for him to get upset, Eds." You try to work with him to come up with a solution, and Eddie nods.

"It's probably better to go inside, Y/N. He might already be in the process of a fit."

"Okay." You nod, and the two of you stand up and go to Wayne, whose hands are clinging to the arms of the chair he's sitting in for dear life.

"Let's go inside for a while, Wayne." Eddie says to him, and the old man nods frantically. You feel bad for him, he looks so afraid, and like he's holding something back for everyone else's sake. You and Eddie take one of his hands apiece, quietly leading him into the house through the sliding glass door. You close the door behind you, and Eddie sits Wayne down in one of the dining room chairs. The booms and blasts are still slightly audible, but it's much quieter in here. "You gonna be alright, Wayne?" Eddie asks in concern.

"Yeah, uh, I'll be fine, kid. Thank you." Wayne replies shakily.

"Is there anything we can get for you?" You kindly offer.

"Some water, if ya don't mind." He replies, giving you his best attempt at a smile.

"Sure thing." You return the sentiment, going over to the kitchen to fetch a glass. You can hear the two of them conversing through the doorway.

"I'm sorry, Wayne. We should've brought your headphones. I totally forgot." Eddie says apologetically.

"It's alright, Ed. I didn't think much of it, 'til it was too late." Wayne says, trying to put his nephew at ease. The poor kid shouldn't have to worry about him so much.

"Everything okay in here?" Hopper asks as he enters the house. He must have noticed you three abruptly leaving the festivities. You return to the room as he speaks, handing the glass off to Wayne.

"Yeah, just a little stress left over from the War, Hop. I'm sure you understand." Wayne answers, and Hopper immediately nods in understanding.

"Yeah, uh. A lot of my old buddies are like this, too." The burly man says, in an effort to give comfort to Wayne that he isn't alone in this.

"Not you, though, I take it? Lucky bastard." Wayne says with a laugh, pulling one from Jim as well.

"Well, I wouldn't say that. Agent Orange still got me pretty good." Hopper replies, coming off more bitter than he means to.

"Shit, I'm sorry 'bout that." Wayne tuts.

"Well, it looks like you two have something to talk about. We'll leave you to it." You chime in, sensing this conversation is going to go right over your head. "Just call us if you need anything, Wayne."

"Thanks, Y/N, Edward." Wayne nods at the two of you, and you leave the room to grab another beer. You pull two out of the cooler, handing one off to Eddie. You sit on the counter like you were earlier, sipping silently while the two men talk in the other room. You hear Hopper pull a chair over to get comfortable, and the two of them share stories. You're surprised they have so much in common, they're two very different people. But it's nice that Wayne has someone to talk through his war experiences with, there aren't a whole lot of people like that around here.

You don't mean to eavesdrop, truly. It's more like you're respecting their words, and the emotional weight of them. You hear Wayne recount his tale of Madeline again, and Hopper meets it with the tragic story of his daughter, Sarah. You hadn't heard this story before, you didn't even know Jim was married before Joyce. You're not like most people in this town, nosey busy-bodies that have an incessant need to know everyone's personal demons. A couple tears escape your eyes at the heartbreak in Jim's voice when he tells Wayne what happened to Sarah. It's so awful, all the man wanted was a family. But those chemicals used in the war took that from him, and in the cruelest way imaginable. He had that little glimmer of hope that, despite the odds, he could have a chance at happiness. Only for it to be snatched away a few years later.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Eddie asks quietly, noticing your glistening eyes.

"I'm fine. We probably shouldn't be listening to this." You're about to hop down from the counter and move somewhere else to give them some privacy, but Eddie stops you.

"It's a bit late for that now. And if we make any noise, they'll know we've been listening." He whispers, keeping you still.

"I suppose. It's not exactly how I wanted tonight to end, though." You speak solemnly, your legs swaying back and forth out of habit.

"I doubt anyone involved had this scenario in mind, love. I'm sure they'll be done soon. Just give them their time, they're owed that much." Eddie calls your little conversation to a close, and you both continue to listen to the two men until the party's over.

The families gradually file back inside the house, gathering their Tupperware and other various belongings to set off back home. Eddie runs out to the pool to get your clothes and shoes, quickly returning to your side to put them back on. You rejoin Dustin, Mom, and Wayne at the front door, waiting for your turn to leave and thank Steve for inviting you over.

"Thanks for coming, you guys. Tonight was really fun." Steve says, seeming a little sad that everyone is leaving him alone in this big empty house.

"It sure was, Harrington. We had a great time, we should do this more often." Eddie answers on behalf of your group. You're very thankful for this, as your eyes have begun to droop in fatigue. You're very much looking forward to going home and getting some rest.

"You got it, man. Drive safe." Steve pats Eddie on the back, and gives you, Dustin, and Mom a hug. He closes the door behind you once you step outside, and you wave to the other cars as they drive away from the house. Your group piles into the car, with Eddie in the driver's seat this time.

"You guys ready to go home?" Eddie asks, feeling quite exhausted himself.

"Yes, please." You all answer him at the same time.

"You got it." Eddie nods, turning the key in the ignition and pulling out of the driveway. He drives over to the trailer first to drop Wayne off. He parks outside their humble home, hopping out of the car and going around to Wayne's door to help him out. He still seems a little shaken by the fireworks, so Eddie's being extra careful with him. You watch sleepily as the two of them go up the little steps and inside the house. You start to doze off after they've been in there for a few minutes. You imagine Eddie might be picking up some extra clothes to bring over to your place. Your eyes flutter closed, and you smile in serenity at how nice today has been.

"Y/N, wake up!" Eddie shouts to you in what feels like only seconds after you fall asleep.

"Wha-what's wrong, Eds?" You open your eyes again, finding that you're still at the trailer. Mom and Dustin have gotten out of the car already, you can see them in the kitchen from the trailer door sitting open. You hear Wayne yelling from the living room, what sounds like battle strategies and orders to men who aren't there. Oh, shit.

"Y/N, I don't know what to do! He's never been this bad before! He doesn't know where he is, and I can't calm him down!" Eddie says frantically, tears streaming down his face. His skin is covered in red splotches from his hysterics, he's completely panicking.

"Okay, okay. Slow down, love. Show me what's happening." You reply as calmly as you can. You're still disoriented from your slumber, and it feels very late. Eddie practically yanks you out of the car, and you almost trip over your own feet as he pulls you toward his home. You both stumble up the stairs clumsily and you see Wayne crouched in the corner by the couch. He's holding a broom like a rifle, and his eyes keep darting around. He's mumbling to himself, occasionally looking to either side of him, as if there's other people crouched right next to him.

"Stay back, you VietCong bastards!" Wayne shouts once you and Eddie are inside. His eyes are wide and wild, and his chest heaves harshly while he points the end of the broom in your direction.

"Wayne, please. We're not gonna hurt you. The war is over, and you're safe at home." Eddie tearfully tries to get his uncle to calm down, taking a few cautious steps in his direction.

"I said stay back, dammit! Or I'll blast yer yella head off to kingdom come!" Wayne jabs the broom, making Eddie flinch. Eddie's feet come to a stop, and his hands are raised in surrender.

"Wayne, just put the broom down. You're having an episode. You need to calm down, and come back to us." Eddie moves a little further, only a few feet away from Wayne now. He reaches a hand forward towards the broom handle, inching closer and closer. Wayne's frozen in place, staring down his nephew like he's a foreign enemy. He truly doesn't know where he is, or that Eddie is trying to help him.

You look over to Mom and Dustin, who are watching this scene play out in silent discomfort. "What do we do, Mom?" You ask, holding back a sob. You've never seen anything like this before, and it's honestly the most terrifying and heartbreaking thing you've ever seen. Wayne's trapped in an awful memory, and none of you know how to get him out.

"I don't know, honey. I'm sorry." Mom replies weakly, shaking her head in defeat.

"What do you want us to do, Eddie?" You ask as he's almost reached his uncle now. Just a couple more inches, and he can get a hold of the broom.

"Just give me a second, almost there." Eddie says shakily, trying to remain calm and collected. His hand just barely touches the broom now, when Wayne jerks it upwards and smacks him square in the nose with it. "Fuck!" He shouts, stumbling backwards as his nose begins to gush blood.

"I told you I'd get ya if you came any closer, you fucker!" Wayne shrieks, before retreating down the hall and into the bathroom. He slams and locks the door, and proceeds to make a new plan of attack with his make-believe platoon.

"Oh, shit! Eddie!" You cry out, going to Eddie. He's clutching his bleeding face, more tears springing from his eyes at the pain. He feels so helpless, Wayne is too far gone. He needs outside help. "C'mere, baby." You lead him over to the sink, grabbing a grungy dish towel sitting beside it. "Hold this on your nose, okay? And tilt your head back." You carefully instruct. He does as you ask, and you stroke his arm lightly. He looks at you as best he can, his pupils begging you for help.

"I'll call an ambulance. I think he might need a hospital." Mom says, going for the telephone on the wall.

"Please don't do that, Claudia. They'll put him in a psych ward if you do that. And I can't do that to him. I promised I wouldn't." Eddie pleads, thinking that if Wayne is just given a little time, he'll come around on his own.

"Sweetie, he doesn't know where he is right now. And he hurt you. He might hurt someone else, or even himself." Mom kindly explains.

"But he didn't mean to! He一" Eddie tries to interrupt, but she just shakes her head.

"We aren't equipped to handle this on our own, Eddie. He's going to be okay, and he's going to get the help he needs. I promise we won't let anything bad happen to him, okay?" She implores him to see reason. You're all out of your depth here, there's nothing else you can do for Wayne.

Eddie shakes his head in protest, but no more words leave his lips. He's becoming distraught again, his mind shutting down from the overwhelming emotions swirling around the interior of the trailer. He sobs, loudly and harshly, slowly slipping against the counter and down to the kitchen floor. You kneel beside him, holding him close to you as he gives up. He keeps clutching the rag to his nose as best he can, and Mom dials 911. Dustin comes to sit on the other side of Eddie, putting a kind hand on his shoulder.

"He's gonna be okay, love. I promise. We won't let them take him anywhere he wouldn't want to be, alright? No psych wards, none of that." You coo to Eddie as he continues to cry. You stay sat on the floor, waiting for the ambulance to arrive while Wayne continues to shout inside the bathroom.

The ambulance shows up a few minutes later, and the EMTs come in with a gurney outfitted with wrist and ankle restraints. "Where is he?" A familiar face asks. Chad, the same man who took care of you at the theater, and the Denny's parking lot. He gives you a small smile when he looks at you, and you take it upon yourself to show him and his partner where Wayne has holed himself up.

"I think he locked the door, and I don't think he'll let you in." You explain awkwardly. You're not sure what the proper thing to say in this situation is. You stand in the hall as the two men stall outside the door.

"Hmm, that could be a problem. I'd hate to break it down to get to him." Chad replies, crossing his arms while he thinks of something. He examines the door, noticing a small pinhole in the middle of the knob. "Do you have any bobby pins or paper clips around? I think I can pick the lock without damaging the door." His eyes flick to you again, and you nod.

"Yeah, one sec." You quickly jog over to Eddie, kneeling beside him for a moment. "You got a Bobby pin or something, Eds? The EMTs are gonna try to pick the lock to get Wayne out."

"Uh, yeah." Eddie replies quietly, using his free hand to dig around his pockets. He always keeps a couple lock-picking items on his person, in case of emergencies...or when he gets an itch for some petty crime. He locates one in his trunks, fumbling to get it out and hand it to you. You take it in your hands, leaving his side to give it to Chad.

"Here." You say as you hand it over.

"Thanks, Y/N. You might wanna get back now. Once that door opens, we'll need to try and sedate him. And I'd hate for the needle to go into the wrong patient." Chad kindly instructs you, and you prudently listen. You go back to Eddie and the others, sitting on the floor while the men tinker around with the doorknob. They manage to get the thing open, and quickly descend upon Eddie's uncle. The old man shrieks and swings the broom around. But he's no match for the two strong, built young men. They quickly, but carefully wrench the broom out of his grip, and the other EMT secures his arms behind his back while Chad administers the sedative. The shuffling and screaming goes quiet a moment later. Wayne is gently placed onto the gurney, and Chad secures his wrists and ankles just in case he wakes up before they reach the hospital. "Okay, let's get him in the vehicle. But I wanna check out the kid's nose before we leave." Chad's partner nods at him, and wheels Wayne's unconscious body out of the trailer and into the ambulance.

"Where are you taking him?" Eddie asks tearfully as Chad approaches your huddle.

"Just the hospital, kid. For now, at least. The doctors will determine what he needs from there. But first, let me check out that nose. I'd hate for you to have broken it again." Chad speaks in a friendly way to your saddened boyfriend, he's got quite a way with handling distraught people.

"O-okay." Eddie hiccups as his tears have run out. He lowers the blood-soaked rag, allowing Chad to examine him. He winces at the man's fingers touching his nose, but he calms down at the feeling of your hand on his.

"Hmm, it doesn't appear to be broken. It'll definitely bruise, but it looks like you got lucky this time." Chad smiles at Eddie, before looking at you. "Clean off the blood, and give him an ice pack. Once he's set, I'd advise you all to come to the hospital immediately. Depending on how urgent they find Mr. Munson's situation to be, they might put him in a psych hold for at least seventy-two hours." He gives your group a fair warning, as if he can somehow sense that you don't want the poor man to be locked away in a padded room.

"Thank you, Chad. We'll get there as soon as possible." You reply, leading Eddie to stand so you can clean him up.

"Okay, good. Well, we'd better get going. I won't see you later, but I wish you all the best of luck." Chad says, before leaving the trailer altogether. He hops into the ambulance, closing the heavy doors. His partner drives them all away, and you run the kitchen faucet to wash the blood off of Eddie's nose. Mom gets him some ice, placing the cubes in a zip-lock bag. Once he's all dry, he takes the ice and holds it to his swelling face.

"Alright. Let's go. I'm not giving these fuckin' doctors a chance in hell to put Wayne away." Eddie speaks with newfound resolve. He quickly heads for the door, and the rest of you follow suit. You jump into the driver's seat, clicking your seat belt as fast as you can. You peel out of the driveway, speeding off to the hospital.

"Jesus, Y/N! Slow down!" Mom exclaims, gripping the side of her passenger door for dear life.

"Shut it, Mom! We have to get there fast, we don't have a lot of time." You yell back, making a sharp right turn.

You continue your manic maneuvers the entire way, parking rather crooked in the hospital parking lot. Eddie hops out first, and it takes everything in you to keep up with him. He goes to the front desk, giving the nurse Wayne's name. He gets pointed in the right direction, and he waits for you to catch up.

"C'mon, room 103!" He cries, before speeding off again. You continue to run after him, you can hear Mom struggling to keep her breath behind you. Eddie locates the right room, and dashes inside. You follow closely after, with Dustin and Mom coming in just moments later. Eddie goes to Wayne's side, taking hold of one of his restrained hands. He's dressed in a hospital gown, with an IV and heart monitor attached to him. He's still asleep, looking rather peaceful now.

"Ah, you must be...Eddie, the nephew." A doctor says as he walks into the room, reading from Wayne's medical chart.

"Yeah. Is he gonna be okay?" Eddie asks, looking at the man in his big white coat. He's a rather stout man, with blinding white hair and horn-rimmed glasses. His tag reads 'Dr. Andrew Martin'.

"He's going to be fine, young man. He's been sedated, but he'll wake up soon. I also want to put any fears of him being put into a mental hospital to rest." Dr. Martin says, which puts you all at ease. "I have no intention of doing so, there's no need for it. Wayne's got what the medical community has come to accept as 'Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder'. It's very common in war vets, and your uncle is a textbook case. I understand he was having a flashback, yes?"

"Yeah." Eddie replies softly, looking at his uncle again.

"Right. Well, it's one of the primary symptoms of such a disorder. Due to how horrific and violent war is, it can cause someone like Wayne to believe that they are back in those awful memories. These flashbacks can be triggered by various things, namely loud noises that resemble explosions or gunshots. I'm guessing since it's the fourth of July, it was brought on by hearing fireworks." The doctor explains, and you all nod in understanding of his words.

"Yeah, I...I know they make him anxious. We were at a barbecue, and I'd meant to bring his headphones along to block them out. But I forgot them. I didn't know the noise would make him like this." Eddie says, feeling so guilty for forgetting such an important thing. He could've prevented this from happening, if he hadn't been so stupid.

"There's no way you could have known. This disorder is still considered pretty new, at least in diagnostic terms. But there's also a new drug on the market that is clinically proven to help quell the flashbacks, and also nightmares he might be experiencing."

"What is it?" Eddie asks, hoping this option will keep Wayne from being locked away.

"It's called prazosin. It's just a pill he'd take once a day, and it'll give him the relief he needs." The doctor answers, and Eddie nods. "I will say, though, this drug is a little bit tricky. We're not sure what dosage it will take to alleviate his symptoms. We always start on a low dose, but with how severe Wayne's case seems to be, he might need more. What I mean to say is, it will take some trial and error. And there's no telling how often he'll have these episodes in the meantime."

"So what does that mean?" Eddie asks, thinking this might not be the good news he was looking for after all.

"It means, you'll have to keep a closer eye on him. I know that can be difficult, life is always a busy thing. But I implore you to make any changes that are reasonable to you, Wayne needs all the help he can get. For his safety, and for all of yours. He may not mean to be violent or dangerous during these episodes, but he's too unpredictable to ignore." The doctor says solemnly. He truly feels for you, this kind of thing is never easy on a family.

"We'll do everything we can to help him, Dr. Martin." You chime in.

"Of course. I can see he's well-loved. I'll leave you to it, and I'll bring over the pills in a bit. Just let the nurses know if you need anything, Wayne should be discharged in the morning." The doctor leaves the room, and the four of you watch over Wayne with concerned eyes.

"I dunno what I'm gonna do, Y/N. Can he go to work like this? Can I? I might have to stay home with him...I don't know for how long." Eddie says, partially thinking out loud.

"We'll figure it out, Eddie. And we'll all do our part to help Wayne. He's a good man, and we love him just as much as you do, okay?" You say sweetly, bringing a chair over to sit beside Eddie. You put your arm around him, and he melts into you a bit. He's still holding Wayne's hand all the while, a couple tears escaping his eyes as he looks at his uncle sleeping in this dreadful place. He's always hated hospitals. To him, they signify death and disease. He hates every second spent in here, wishing he could take Wayne home right now.

"You guys should go home, I'm good to stay here with Wayne." Eddie says, breaking the silence.

"I can drive Mom and Dustin home and come back." You offer, wanting to stay by Eddie's side as much as you can. He turns his head to you, giving you a serious look.

"No, you should go too. You've got work in the morning, love. You can tell Biggs what's going on tomorrow, work something out. But I have to stay here. I have to be here for him." Eddie urges you to get some rest, to allow him to take charge here.

"How are you gonna get home?" You ask, unsure what Eddie's plan is, if he even has one at all.

"Shit, I dunno. We'll get a cab, or something." He says, exasperation lacing his tone. He's not exactly in the mood to figure anything out right now. All he wants is to be present for Wayne in his time of need.

"Eddie, don't be silly. Surely someone can give you a ride. I'll call around and find someone, okay? I'm sure any one of our friends will be happy to help you two out." You suggest, realizing he is not going to back down on this. He wants his space, just him and Wayne right now. And as much as it stings, you understand. There'll be plenty of opportunities for you to help out, but he's right. You can barely keep your eyes open, and sleep threatens to take hold of you again as you sit here.

"Okay, fine. But please, go home, Y/N. You need to sleep, and I'll call you tomorrow. I love you, sweetheart. And I appreciate all your help." Eddie replies, officially laying the issue to rest. There's no more debate, no need to argue. You're both too fucking tired to put up a fight. This is what's best, as much as it pains either of you to be apart.

"I love you too, Eds. And please let me know what the plan is as soon as you figure it out. I wanna be there for you, and for Wayne. You're part of my family now." You say tearfully, leaning in to give him a heart-wrenching kiss goodbye. You're sure you won't be separated for long, but it will still end up feeling like a million years.

"I promise I will. Goodnight, princess." He says as you get up to leave.

"Goodnight, baby." You sniffle, before taking Mom and Dustin's hands in yours.

"Bye, Eddie." The others add quietly, and the three of you leave the room. You can't help the rush of tears that spout from your eyes as you leave. It always hurts to let Eddie go, even for a single second. But you stifle the cries and sobs, there's no need for the noise now. Everything will be fine, you think to yourself, just calm down, go home, get some rest. It'll all be better tomorrow.

The drive home is silent, with Dustin in the driver's seat this time. You're too exhausted to drive, and tears are still annoyingly blurring your vision. This day was so good, and turned so bad in a matter of minutes. You worry about Wayne, and Eddie, and what the future holds for you now. Your plans may no longer be viable, if Wayne needs his nephew to take care of him long-term. But that's not what's most important now, no. What's most important is making sure they both cope as well as they can with this, to make sure they can work it out.

Once you return home, you set to work calling to set up a ride for Eddie. You peek at the clock on the wall, it's already after midnight. You hate to wake people up, but this is urgent. You have one thing you can do to assist your love, and you damn well plan to do it. You decide to stick to people who won't be too bothered by such a late call. You try the Mayfields first, but there's no answer. Then you call Hopper and Joyce at the hotel they're staying at. No answer there, either. Fuck. You frustratingly dial one more number, Steve's. He picks up immediately, and you tell him what's going on. He agrees to give Wayne and Eddie a ride home tomorrow, and you thank him profusely. He says it's no trouble at all, and that he's always around to help. You bid him goodnight, and hang up a moment after your plan is set in stone.

Your eyelids grow heavier as you put the headset back in its cradle, and Mom silently ushers you to your bedroom. She lets you be once you've entered, closing the door behind her. You mindlessly strip off your bathing suit and shorts, not bothering to put anything else on. You slip into bed, completely nude, and pass out as soon as your head meets the pillow.

Part 26.2: Born In the USA

Wednesday, July 5th, 1989

Your alarm clock startles you awake in the morning, and you reach a hand over to smack it into snoozing submission. You had the strangest dreams last night, all of them about Eddie and Wayne. You don't particularly remember what happened in them, they didn't feel like nightmares. But you suppose there's no way to be sure. You rub the sleep from your eyes, finding Arwen snuggled up next to you on your pillow.

"Good morning, little one." You coo to her, giving her a gentle stroke along her back. She's been getting a little bigger now, almost outgrowing her collar. You make a note to get the next size up when you're out and about today. The kitten stirs at your touch, her little jaws opening wide to release a silent yawn. She blinks her eyes open to look at you, and you smile at her. "God, you're cute as ever, Arwen." You giggle, before sitting up to get out of bed. You slip on your robe, tying the silken strap tight to conceal your naked body. You refill the cat's bowls, and mozy along the hallway to the kitchen. You're absolutely starving, in the mood for a big bowl of Honeycomb cereal. It's actually Eddie's favorite, and you never ate it much before you got reacquainted with him. Eddie. Your heart sinks when you think of him. You wonder how he's doing, if he's slept at all. Knowing him, though, he probably hasn't.

Just as you're about to move on to something else, the phone rings. You go over to it, abandoning breakfast for the time being. You pick up the headset, bringing it to your ear. "Y/N?" You hear Eddie's voice on the other end.

"Yeah, Eds. It's me. What's up?" You reply.

"Well, we're back home now. Thanks for getting Harrington to give us a ride, by the way." Eddie says gratefully.

"Of course, love. How's Wayne?"

"He's alright, he's still a bit groggy from the sedative. But he's doing better, and he'll be able to take his meds later on. But I'm gonna stay with him today and see how it goes. The doctor said he could have another episode pretty soon after the first one." Eddie explains calmly, though you sense a hint of tiredness and stress in his voice.

"Is there anything I can do, baby?" You ask, wanting to help, to see him and be with him again.

"Just being here will be enough, princess. Come by after work, okay? You don't have to stay the night, I know Arwen needs you. But...I miss you. I've missed you since the second you left the hospital." His breath catches at the end there, he's trying to hold back tears.

"I miss you, too, Eds. Have you slept at all?" You ask.

"...No." Eddie hesitates to admit.

"I'm sorry, baby. I know this whole thing has been really hard on you." You tut, wishing you could embrace him through the phone.

"Not as hard as it's been on Wayne. I'll be fine, Y/N. I'll try to rest sometime today. I'm just so worried that something will happen, and I'll be sleeping right through it." His voice trembles, he's barely keeping it together. The sheer thought of Wayne needing him and missing it shakes him to his core. He can't let that happen, he won't. Not after everything his uncle has done for him all these years.

"I know, love. But you can't put your own well-being at risk either. Just take a short nap at least, set an alarm if you need to. I don't want you to end up too tired to help Wayne if he needs it." You hope Eddie will heed your advice, things could get ugly real fast if he's running on empty like this.

"I will, sweetheart. I'm so fucking tired, I could fall asleep standing straight up right now." He sighs, forcing his eyes to stay open as he wraps this call up. His bed is calling to him, and if he takes your suggestion, he can make this work. He just needs a little time to gain some sliver of energy to keep dealing with this.

"Okay, I'll let you go, Eddie. I'll be over there after work. I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Y/N. See you later." Eddie breathes, failing to hold back a yawn. He hangs up a second later, and you put the phone back together on the table. You return to your much-desired cereal, pouring a large bowl for yourself. Dustin's long gone to Family Video for his shift, and he dropped Mom off at work as well. So that leaves your bike as your transportation today, but you don't mind. You can change clothes at the theater, that way you aren't all sweaty and gross.

You munch down your breakfast, and shower and dress in a simple t-shirt and shorts. You pack your uniform in your backpack, along with some extra clothes and toiletries. You also leave a note for Dustin to spend a little time with Arwen, make sure she's fed and such. He's always happy to help with the cat, and you definitely need it today. Once you're all set to go, you head off downtown on your bicycle. You make sure to be as careful and cautious as you can, you've never rushed yourself again since your little accident.

You arrive at the theater in what feels like no time at all, you'd spent the whole ride thinking about Eddie again. You can't help it, your mind keeps wandering back to him, no matter what you try to think of instead. Hopefully he's sleeping, instead of driving himself nuts over Wayne's condition. It's driving you nuts that you have to spend the entire workday without him, and training new employees during it, no less. All you want is to skip it and go where you belong. By his side, supporting him. Ugh, today is gonna be miserable. Better put on a brave face. You sigh loudly as you stand outside the Hawk, swallowing hard afterwards. "Fuck me." You head inside, and make a beeline for the bathroom to change.

"Morning, Y/N. How are you today?" Biggs asks as you cross his path.

"I'm alright. I'll need to talk to you about something once I'm dressed, though, sir." You reply, and he curls a brow at you. He notices Eddie's absent from your side, which he never is.

"Okay, I'll be in my office when you're ready." He says, heading on his way to assist Harriet with the expense reports again. You nod, and continue on your journey. You put on your uniform, letting Red Shirt Y/N take control for the time being. You're going to need your armor to work overtime this shift, you're only hoping it's up to the task. Taking one last look at your reflection, you straighten your name tag and bow tie. You take a deep breath, exhaling loudly. Just a few hours, and then you can be with Eddie. You leave the restroom, and put your bag away in your locker. You turn around to go into Biggs' office, closing the door behind you for privacy. "So, what do you have to talk to me about, Y/N?" He asks dryly, looking at his watch as he wonders where your long-haired boyfriend is.

"Well, um, it's about Eddie." You reply, and he looks at you with piqued interest. You explain the situation to him, emphasizing the fact that Eddie will need to spend more time at home. He listens intently to your every word, nodding his head every so often as you speak.

"Well, I'm sure we can work something out. The new hires can pick up the slack once they're trained. And please, give Eddie our deepest sympathies. Tell him to take as much time as he needs, he's always got a place here at the Hawk." Biggs says sympathetically, putting a kind hand on your shoulder. As severe as the man seems to be, he has quite the heart when it comes to his loyal employees.

"Thank you, sir. I'll make sure to tell him. And I'll get right to work training the newbies." You respond, turning on your heels to get started with your day. You meet your new employees by the concession stand. First, there's Max, with her long, red hair in braids and a striped tank-top and shorts. The other new addition is a young man named Marcus. He's quite tall, almost as tall as Mr. Biggs. He's sporting a pristine styled flat-top, some acid-wash jeans, and a Hawkins Tigers basketball jersey. "Morning, you two. I hope you're excited to get started, there's quite a bit to go over today. It's nice to see you again, Max. And I'm looking forward to getting to know you, Marcus." You greet them with a smile, which they both return.

You issue their uniforms, allowing them a moment to change into them. Afterwards, you lead them through every role the Hawk requires one by one. You start at the ticket booth, followed by concessions, the auditorium, and ending with the projection room. They take everything you say very seriously, absorbing all the information with ease. It's not really a difficult job, but you're glad they're picking it up quickly. Once they're familiar with the various roles, you leave them in the breakroom to fill out their paperwork. You tell them to ask you if they have any questions, which they thankfully do not. You've got to man concessions for Eddie today, as well as adjust the schedule. You keep the sheets on a clipboard close to you on the counter, allowing you to work on them in between customers.

You leave Eddie off the schedules for the time being, just until you talk to him later on. You hate to potentially take all his hours away, but if it's what he needs, that's what you'll do. You'll still have to work full-time given your higher role here at the Hawk, which is not going to be easy for you. However, you don't find your wants and needs to be very important at the moment. You already know that Eddie will get on you about it, he hates when you neglect yourself for his sake. But in your opinion, it's unfair for you to desire or require anything when he's struggling.

"Hey, Y/N? Can you help me with this form? I'm not sure how to fill it out." Marcus asks politely, showing you his half-blank W-4.

"Oh, yeah. These forms are always weird the first time, it's just for tax purposes." You look over the piece of paper, noticing he's only neglected the bottom half. You put it in the simplest terms for him, helping him put in his allotments and exemptions for a single person. "There we go, easy peasy. They sure do word it oddly, but once you do it once, it's not rocket science." You say with a smile.

"Thanks, Y/N. I appreciate it." Marcus replies, before heading back to fill out the rest of his papers. You return to your own task, penciling in Jamie now. You'll have to wait for Max and Marcus' availability sheets to finish this, but you think you remember them both telling you they want as many hours as possible in their interviews.

You check your watch, finding that you've only been here for three hours. Five more to go, excruciatingly long and boring as ever without Eddie's usual wit. Though you doubt you'll find much of that when you go over to his place later on, either. You're not really sure what you'll find, you only hope it's not anything even half as horrible as the events of last night. You sigh aloud again, as you've been doing multiple times today. You feel so...surly and out of it. Every second sticks like molasses, keeping time from progressing normally. And you have the overwhelming urge to smash the glass counter beneath you to ease your frustration. I shouldn't be here, I should be with him. This is so fucking unfair. He needs me, and I can't be there. He'd drop everything for me, I know he would. So what am I still doing here?

"Everything okay?" Max asks, startling you out of your stewing thoughts.

"Uh, yeah. It's just Eddie, he's not here today." You reply shortly, not wanting to spill Eddie's private business, even to someone you consider a friend.

"Well, where is he?" Max raises an eyebrow, growing suspicious.

"He's at home, taking care of his uncle." You answer, still holding back vital details.

"Wayne? What's wrong with him? Is he sick?" Worry laces her tone, and you remember them talking at the barbecue yesterday.

"Um, kinda." You say, hesitating to add anything else. You know she wouldn't go around telling everyone about it. But still, it's not your business to tell.

"You can tell me, you know. As a friend." She presses further.

"I know. I just don't want everyone knowing about it. I don't want people to look at him differently." You speak cautiously, still struggling to determine what the right move is here.

"I won't tell, I promise. But I can tell it's bothering you, Y/N. I just wanna listen." She says kindly, giving you a small smile.

"Alright. But you keep your mouth shut. Got it?" You warn, pointing a stern finger in her direction.

"My lips are sealed!" She mimics locking her lips and throwing away the key. With this reassurance, you lean in close to tell her what's going on. She listens quietly, no hint of judgment on her face. You add on how you've been feeling today, and how much you wish you could leave work behind. "I'm sorry, Y/N. That's terrible." She offers, unsure what else to say. She'd gone through something similar when her brother Billy died in a car accident a few years ago. She was in the car with him, and he was driving recklessly at night. He swerved off the road, ramming the driver's side of his muscle car right into a power line. He was killed on impact, but Max walked away with only a few minor cuts and bruises. She had nightmares for weeks afterwards, and refused to ride in any car for even longer than that. Therapy seemed to help, as she barely even thinks about the accident anymore.

"Yeah, it really is. But hopefully the meds will help him. I worry about Eddie more than anything else. He's been a total wreck, he didn't sleep at all last night." You sigh again, quickly becoming annoyed at yourself for doing it so often. It seems to help, though, releasing small amounts of stress into the air instead of holding it all in. You could just about burst at this rate. "You wanna help me restock the candy?" You ask, changing the subject.

"Sure thing." Max kindly replies.

You manage to get through the rest of your shift relatively easily. Max keeps you company at concessions, while Marcus works on auditorium clean-up. You ask her about her old life in California, and you share a few stories from your own childhood with her. You have quite a bit in common, honestly. Both your fathers left in rather unsavory ways. You're also fiercely independent, and go above and beyond for your friends and family. Not to mention your intelligence, emotional and logical, is unmatched by most. This time of bonding eases some of your inner turmoil, letting you put the guilt aside for a little while.

"Well, that's all for today. You both did really well on your first day. I'll see you tomorrow." You dismiss Max and Marcus for the day, before heading toward the breakroom to get ready to leave. You change out of your uniform, and head outside to your bicycle. Except, it's not locked to the bike rack you left it at this morning. Your lock is here, but it appears someone has cut it and stolen your bicycle. "Fuck!" You shout, kicking the loose gravel in the lot where the rack is located. Today of all days, and your fucking bike is gone.

You stand in anger for a moment, clenching your fists and breathing heavily as you contemplate what to do. You could walk all the way to the trailer park, but it's way too hot out for that. You could try to call for a ride from someone, but there's no guarantee. But then you remember, you just so happen to be in pretty well with the employees at Family Video. Dustin's shift is definitely over, but Robin and Steve could be around. You leave the scene of the crime, and hoof it over a couple blocks to reach the video store.

"Hey, Y/N. Everything alright?" Robin asks as you walk in the glass door of the shop.

"Nope. I just had a very long day after a very long night. Dustin's got the car, and my bike got stolen. Can you or Steve give me a ride to Eddie's?" You speak flatly, trying very hard to keep your anger inside.

"Shit, Y/N. I'm sorry, I'll give you a ride. Cover the store for me, Stevie?" Robin replies, giving Steve major puppy eyes from behind the counter.

"Yeah, that's fine. I've got it covered." Steve adds, giving you a sympathetic look. You nod at him, and go with Robin to her car in the lot.

"Is Eddie okay? Why isn't he with you?" Robin questions as you slide into the passenger seat. You really don't want to tell another person about what's been going on. At this rate, everyone in your group will know before Eddie has the chance to tell them himself. You swear Robin to secrecy as you did the others, and recount the tale for the fourth time. She offers her condolences, which you in turn thank her for. You really hope Eddie won't be upset when you let him know just how many people you've told this to. You're not even sure he'd be upset at all, but you're going to find out, one way or another.

Robin pulls up to the trailer, where Eddie is sitting on the stoop having a smoke. He looks like shit. His hair is messy, and he's still in the same clothes from yesterday. A large bruise covers his nose, a mix of deep purple and sickly yellow. "Thanks for the ride, Robin. And for listening. I'll see you around." You say kindly to her, and she gives you a warm hug before you leave the vehicle. She waves as she pulls away, and you wave back with a forced smile. Once she's out of view, you turn to Eddie, who's staring at the ground. "Eddie, are you okay?" You ask, which draws his pale face to look up at you.

"No." He shakes his head, taking a drag from his cig. His hand trembles as he brings it to his lips, and his eyes are bloodshot.

"Did you sleep like I asked you to?" You question. You're about to sit down on the step next to him, when you notice a small cardboard box beside him.

"I was about to, when some delivery guy showed up. With...that." He points a finger at the box, refusing to look at it.

"What is it?" You ask, looking over it. He hasn't opened it yet, and the address label is from the prison. You also notice a stamp on the side of the box. It's marked in thick, red ink. Big block letters that read: HUMAN REMAINS. "Oh." The word falls softly from your lips when you realize what, or who, is in the box.

"Yeah. 'Oh'." Eddie scoffs, taking another drag.

"Did Wayne see it?" You ask, still standing above him. You don't have the heart to move the box out of the way to sit next to him. You're also quite unsure how he might react to you touching it.

"Fuck no. And he's not going to, not yet. I dunno what that'll do to him." Eddie says blankly, staring off into space again. There's something off about him, and it's more than just exhaustion. It's like he's on something.

"Eddie, are you high right now?" You regret the question immediately, and his eyes flick to you again.

"Is that a problem?" He asks, somewhat grumpily.

"No, Eds. I just一...I noticed you're acting a bit off. I know the last twenty-four hours haven't been easy. But I have to know, did you take something?" You speak as nicely as you can, you sense he's very irritable and quick to anger right now. You don't blame him one bit, you just want to make sure he won't hurt himself.

"I might have." He says, barely above a whisper. He avoids your gaze again, seemingly ashamed.

"Eddie, it's okay. What was it?" You kneel in front of him, taking hold of his free hand. It's shaky, and clammy, slicked with anxious sweat. But you hold it all the same.

"Just a little coke. I...didn't want to fall asleep." He says, flicking his spent cigarette away.

"Okay. That's all I wanted to know, love." You say sweetly, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Is there anything I can do, Eds?"

"Can you bring the box inside? I don't want to touch it." He replies fearfully, his breath catching again.

"Of course. Let's go inside, hm? We can check on Wayne, and put you to bed for a bit." He nods at your suggestions, slowly standing up from his spot. He can't remember how long he's been out here, or if he's checked on his uncle enough today. The cocaine, along with his delirium, has left him confused. He feels dizzy once he's on his own two feet, but you thankfully sling his arm over your shoulder to help hold him up. "Did you eat today?" You ask. You hate how you're essentially interrogating him, but he obviously hasn't been taking care of himself. You need all the information you can glean in order to help him.

"No. Not hungry." He mumbles as you walk in the door. You keep the box tucked under your arm, concealing it from Wayne's view as you walk past the living room. The man is blankly looking at the TV, paying you no mind. The sedative has definitely worn off by now, but you sense Wayne feels somewhat guilty for scaring you all, and for hurting Eddie.

"I'll make you something, okay? You need to eat." You retort, leading Eddie all the way to his bedroom. You sit him down on the edge of the mattress, putting the box on his dresser.

"I'm fine, Y/N. Don't worry about it." He insists, but you'll have none of it. You're getting a bit annoyed with him now. He deliberately stayed awake this whole time, even going so far as to take drugs to do so, and he refuses to eat or even change clothes. You feel for him, you really do, but you can't let this go on. He'll end up killing himself if he keeps it up. You groan in frustration, before whipping around to face him.

"No, you're not, Eddie!" You shout, making him flinch. "You're exhausted, and starving, and high out of your goddamn mind!" His eyes widen at your words, and you can tell he's ready to fight you on this. You shake your head, signaling for him to just shut up and listen. You cross your arms and stand your ground, and he yields. He knows better than to go against someone as stubborn as you. "I get that what happened last night was scary, alright? And I get that Wayne hitting you in the face probably fucked with your head a little bit. But you can't sit here and tell me that you're fine! You're going to make yourself sick, or worse! And because I love you, I'm not letting you do that! Do you understand me?"

He doesn't say anything at first, still in shock at you yelling at him like this. But he knows you're right. He's going off the deep end, and his actions will only end up hurting him, and you, and Wayne. "I understand. I'm sorry." Eddie speaks in a remorseful tone, bowing his head. You go to him, sitting on the bed. You take hold of his chin, leading him to look at you. You find tears in his eyes again, and the hopeless expression on his face breaks your heart.

"I love you, Eddie. You know that, right?" You say softly, your own eyes beginning to water now.

"I know. I love you too, Y/N." He nods, sending tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Okay, good. Because I'm just trying to help you. You mean everything to me. And you need to eat, sleep, and clean yourself. I can't let you hurt yourself like this." You speak emphatically, trying not to break into sobs all the while. You can't bear to see him so miserable, he deserves a goddamn break in life. For once.

"I'm sorry for being stupid. I'm just so scared, for Wayne. I don't want him to have another flashback. I don't want him to hurt anyone else, or himself. I don't know what to do. I'm so tired, and I feel sick. I feel like I'm going crazy." He breaks down, shoving himself into your chest as he cries. You hold him tightly to you, releasing some sobs of your own, though they're much quieter than his.

"It's gonna be okay, Eds. We'll get through it together." You speak shakily, struggling to keep the syllables intact. You let him cry into you for a while, allowing his tears to eventually dry up. You stroke his hair, and press kisses to the top of his head.

When he calms down a little, you lay him down on the bed. You leave the room for a moment, wiping your eyes as you walk down the hall. You check in on Wayne, giving him his pill for the day as he hasn't had it just yet. He seems to be doing alright for the time being, but you plan to sit out here with him once Eddie goes to sleep. You figure you can take a shift to watch over him, Eddie's done more than enough for his uncle today. You bring Eddie a sandwich and some juice, which he begrudgingly consumes. Once he's finished, you help him take off his clothes. You put him under the covers, giving him one more kiss before he drifts off. He starts to snore almost immediately, and you quietly leave the room to let him rest.

"Is he finally asleep?" Wayne asks when you sit down on the couch.

"Yep. He's still a fuckin' mess, though. I've never seen him like this before. Not even when I've gotten hurt." You reply in resignation, digging your smokes out of your backpack. You slip on between your lips, lighting it hastily. You need this nicotine so damn bad right now, after everything you've gone through today.

"I know. I kept tellin' him to get some shut-eye. But he was too worried 'bout me." Wayne sighs. "How are you doin', darlin'?" He turns the question onto you, curious how you're handling this.

"I'm not much better. We were all really worried last night, we still are. And then I had to work all day while thinking about him, and you. And my bike got stolen sometime during my shift." You reply, exhaling a large cloud of smoke.

"I'm sorry, Y/N." He says.

"What for?" You question.

"For scarin' all of ya. And for hurtin' Eddie." His words lace themselves with sadness at the end of his sentence. "You know, I never raised a hand to that boy s'long as I've raised 'im." He shakes his head, before continuing. "Not once. Not when he misbehaved, not when he pissed me off, not as a punishment. Never. I promised myself I wouldn't add to the pain my brother inflicted on 'im." Wayne sniffles, taking a swig of his soda. It's odd to see him without a beer in his hand, but you're guessing the meds won't react well to alcohol. "But last night, I...I hurt 'im. I think that's why he's so fucked up right now. I hurt my boy, when I swore I never would." He inhales sharply, trying to hold himself together.

"Wayne, it wasn't your fault. You didn't know it was him. And he knows that, deep down he knows you would never hurt him. He loves you like a father, and he knows you love him like a son. Please don't blame yourself, because he sure as hell doesn't. None of us do." You move to sit closer to him, taking his hand.

"I know, Y/N. I just hate to see Eddie like this. I've made myself a burden on 'im now." He says guiltily.

"You aren't a burden, Wayne. You've done so much for him all these years. Taking him in, making sure he's happy and has everything he needs. He wants to have a turn now, to take care of you. And I'm going to help, and I'm sure I'm not the only one." You say sweetly, hoping he understands that needing help sometimes is okay. That's what family is for, those are the people you lean on when times get tough.

"Thank you, Y/N. I 'preciate that. I won't take your help for granted." Wayne smiles at you, grateful for your kind words.

"Oh, you could never do that, Wayne. You're family, and no request is too much when it comes from family." You smile back at him, hoping this moment of comfort is a sign that things will start looking up.

To be continued...

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