#Trailer Trash is also just an Eddie Munson song in general I think

[carolperkinsexgirlfriend]

RELEASE A PLAYLIST FOR THE SECRET ADMIRER FIC YOU COWARD!

I mean um

*clears throat* please???? 🥹🥹🥹

I realize this is like halfway to a playlist already, but honestly, actually making the playlist implies more surety than I have about what I'd include lol. Also, Eyes in the Sun by Florist is the song the fic was named after, so!

[alchemistc]

Eddie practices his arguments with Steve.

The thing is -

Here's the thing. It's not that he's expecting an argument. So far every time either one of them have been irritated with one another, or pissed off about something, they usually just, like, talk about it and shit. Healthy-like, which is -

Totally fucking weird for Eddie My-Parents-Fought-As-A-Love-Language Munson and Steve Still-Figuring-Out-Its-Okay-To-Be-Loved Harrington. It's weird, it is, and Eddie can't help but wonder if Steve is just bottling shit up until it explodes out of him and he realizes that this thing they're doing just isn't worth it anymore.

So.

So Steve does this thing, right?

This thing where he rolls his jaw and sometimes it pops and it makes Eddie want to stick a curly straw up his nose and scramble his own brains. And he's such a fucking neat freak that every time he's over, he ends up rearranging Eddie's room - not even in purpose, just. He likes to touch things, and Eddie gets it, he does, but touching things usually leads to picking things up leads to setting them back down and before Eddie's had time to look up, Steve has swept empty beer cans into the trash and lined up Eddie's models in a neat row like they're troops readying for battle and since he's like a war buff they're always lined up like a little battalion which is cute but also frustrating as hell because - because Eddie's chaos is organized and now he can't find his fucking lyric journal with the song he's very much not ready for people to see, or know about, or -

The point. The point is Eddie has been gearing up to talk to Steve about it for three days now and he's now at the stage where he practices. Works out the scenarios, muddles through possibilities, tries to anticipate every way it could go tits up.

He's never - Steve is most of his firsts, and he knows it's dumb and romantic but he'd like Steve to be all of his lasts, too, and so what if that means he's pacing the length of the trailer (all the while perfecting his Steve-voicr, which has been a tough one to nail but he feels like he's getting there. He's smarter and more eloquent than he lets on, is Steve.) and arguing with himself. Resetting, back to the start, working through a disastrous turn where Steve accuses Eddie of cheating on him (nope, reset, Steve's well aware Eddie wouldn't, cut that from the options).

"And seriously, Eddie, how could you think I'd do that shit to you, you know -."

"What the hell?"

Eddie whirls.

Mike Wheeler is standing in his living room, staring at Eddie like he's grown a second head. Which. Shit. They haven't actually, like, told anyone that they're...doing whatever it is they're doing (There's things Eddie wants to call it, but he hasn't brought them up yet because they're terrifying and super fucking telling and even though he's pretty sure he and Steve are on the same page he doesn't want to presume) so the kids don't know. No one except Robin knows, and she's states away and busy so.

"What the hell right back, Wheeler, what are you doing here?"

"I left my chem textbook here last night. You said I could come get it."

And - sure, he definitely had, but he'd sort of been staring at the hollow where Steve's neck and shoulder met and imagining biting it when he said it, so -

"So you broke into my house?"

"The door was unlocked."

"So you walked uninvited INTO MY HOUSE?" And he's maybe hamming up the annoyance as cover, but Wheeler just stares at him.

"Are you practicing breaking up with Steve?" Wheeler asks without preamble, with zero inflection, not even a quirk of his brow, and Eddie -

Flounders, is a generous term for it. Really what he does is shriek, and cackle, and then cover it up with the weirdest laugh either of them have ever heard which covers nothing at all. "What are - why would you - what makes you think - listen, Michael, you can't just break into people's homes and accuse them of - of - what exactly are you accusing me of?"

"Of having really terrible taste in men, Eddie, where's my textbook?"

"I don't fucking know, Wheeler, Steve rearranges shit all the time so who the hell knows where he would have -."

"It's probably on the bookshelf, then," Mike says, and then squints. "Are you...practicing arguing with Steve?"

"How do you even -?"

"Neither one of you is subtle."

"Shut up, Wheeler."

"If that's how you talk to Steve it's no wonder you have to practice your arguments."

"I'm not - you're infuriating."

Mike squares him with a look that reminds Eddie of when he's calculating hit points and strategizing his next move. He frowns. Sighs. "I have like ten minutes before I have to leave. Steve doesn't think you're cheating on him, so let's start from the top."

---

"The kids know," Eddie tells Steve, fingers shifting in Steve's hair, and Steve's lashes flash as he looks up from Eddie's lap. Mike had been - well, Wheeler might be half a decade younger but he'd been pretty instrumental in helping Eddie nail down the right approach to "Please stop cleaning up my messes you're ruining everything." so another non-argument is in the books, and Steve had looked confused about it but he'd agreed to try not to move shit around at least.

("I'm still cleaning up all the trash, though, you live like a goblin."

"It's hot that you know what a goblin is, baby."

"Nerd.")

"Are you...okay with that?"

"Are you?"

"I asked first."

It's not that he doesn't want to answer, it's just.

Okay he doesn't want to answer. Jesus Christ, he'd used Mike goddamn Wheeler as his Steve stand in to practice an argument that hadn't happened and he's still scared to call Steve his -

"I... don't really know. What to tell them." And that's - shit, not what he meant to say, Jesus.

"What do you mean?"

Steve crinkles his nose, and Eddie hates how goddamn cute it is, because he really wants to just, like, boop the tip of it and then suck Steve off but -

Where's Mike Wheeler when he needs him?

("If you ever tell Steve about this I'll tell Will to TPK your party for the next ten campaigns."

"Why would I tell Steve I'm helping you save your relationship?"

"Brownie points. So you can hold it over Henderson's head. Blackmail."

"I used to be terrified of you, but you're actually super lame, honestly."

"Preaching to the choir, my friend.")

"I mean, what...what do we tell them we...are?"

"Are you freaking out about calling me your boyfriend?"

"...no."

He shifts, and Eddie's fingers slip through the strands of Steve's hair as he shuffles, scoots, sits up and twists to face Eddie.

"I am, right? I mean...you want me to be?"

Eddie hasn't practiced this conversation, because - because it's presumptuous, because it felt sort of like jinxing it, because -

"Yeah. Duh. Of course I - shit. Yeah. Yes."

Steve's smile is bright and a little knowing. "I have a confession."

"I'm not sure I want to hear it."

"Trust me, you want to."

"Okay fine," Eddie tells him, eyes on Steve's hand as he slots their fingers together. Eddie hooks his pinkie along the edge of Steve's sleeve. "Twist my arm, why don't you?"

"I'm actually kind of glad they already know. I've been trying to figure out how to tell them for a while. I've been, like - creating scenarios in my head to try to figure out how they're going to take it."

There's - okay, so Eddie's thinking a lot of things, right at this moment, like how Steve apparently also creates mind-scenarios to play out before a situation happens, and how they might want to test out their creativity in other areas, actually, and that derails his whole train of thought for a moment, but "How long?"

"How long what?"

"Have you been trying to figure out how to tell them?"

Eddie's not insecure, exactly, but he is a big fan of knowing what people he cares about think of him and how often they think of him and -

"I mean, since, like, the first time I kissed you?"

Eddie is stupid crazy about Steve Harrington. He's fully fucking feral for this man, honestly, it's dumb. Absolutely ridiculous.

"I'm in love with you," Eddie tells him, and the tips of Steve's ears are pink.

"I know," he says, with a smarmy little grin because Eddie had admitted (under duress, and screw anyone who doesn't think a naked Steve Harrington in your lap is duress) he'd been obsessed with Harrison Ford for like a full year in his tweens, and Steve takes every opportunity to remind Eddie he knows.

"I'd also very much like to circle back to you creating scripts in your mind about telling the kids about us."

"Henderson's always a nightmare, I swear to god."

"We gotta teach him some humility."

"He respects you more than he respects me, you teach him."

"You gonna say it back?"

"Well not now," Steve says, and Eddie wants to bite him.

---

"I love you," Steve says, while Dustin and Mike and Max argue about who knew first.

Eddie hasn't practiced this one. "I know," he says, and Steve's brow quirks when Dustin catches the exchange and groans.

[corrodedseraphine]

paper hearts | one shot

pairing: eddie munson x fem!reader

summary: You passed the first two years of high school looking at your friend with heart-shaped eyes. Unfortunately, moving out made the contact between you disappear. A few years later, returning to Hawkins you unexpectedly meet him again. Everything comes back with redoubled force, however, this time you have a plan. angst/fluff, friends to lovers

In this au Vecna didin't happen

the one shot is also avaliable on ao3

7 852 words

I got slightly inspired while listening to the song Paper Hearts by The Vamps.

when it comes to the origami, the ring was looking like this, and hearts like this

eddie munson masterlist | general masterlist

"This is our table, freak." One member of the Hawkins High basketball team said. "Don't you know that freshmen can't sit wherever they want? There are rules here!"

"I don't see this seat signed with anyone's name." The boy replied without looking at the bully.

"Not only is he a freak, he's also asking for a bruise." After a moment, the twice as big and definitely stronger basketball player threw his victim off the bench. The other took the tray with his lunch and threw it straight into the trashcan.

"Now you have no reason to be here. Get out of our way." he commented, and the younger boy wordlessly walked past them and left the cafeteria.

Assholes. You thought while watching the whole scene from across the room. Thinking not much, you quickly packed your lunch in a container and quickly followed him. You found him sitting on the floor under the English classroom. He was sitting leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, so you were able to get a better look at him. His curly hair reached his shoulders, which were covered by a black leather jacket. Underneath, he wore a T-shirt with the logo of some band you didn't associate. All this was complemented by black pants with holes at the knees. You guessed that his appearance was one of the reasons why people call him a freak, but you didn't care too much. Hearing you sit down next to him and digging into your backpack he opened his eyes and looked at you with an uncertain look.

"I saw what those idiots did with your lunch." You explained. "We can share. Do you like cheese?" you said, offering him one of your sandwiches.

"You don't have to do that." He replied looking away.

"But I want to." you replied. "I also have cookies, I baked them over the weekend with my aunt." you smiled.

He watched you carefully trying to read your intentions. From the very beginning of school, he was unable to fit in anywhere. Whenever he tried to make any kind of acquaintance he was met with a harsh attitude, so after a while he stopped trying anymore. After all, no one was interested in making friends with trailer trash, right? Why were you sitting next to him now offering him half of your food? Is this some kind of joke? Looking for an excuse to laugh at him?

"I swear it's not poisoned." you laughed. He was wondering if he could trust you. He quickly reached into his memory trying to remember if he had sometimes seen you somewhere in the company of popular kids who loved to make his life miserable. The first days of school can be difficult, and it's hard to remember every face you pass in the hallway. Without associating yours with them he decided that he can give you a chance and he will try to believe that you do not want to hurt him. After all, there are still people in this world who do good, selfless things. Maybe you were just one of them. He sent you another uncertain look and raised his hand slowly. Seeing this you slid your lunch box even closer indicating that he should finally take the bread. After the sandwich, you also handed him two cookies.

"They are delicious," he said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." you replied with a smile. "Can I sit here with you until the end of the break?"

"Uh- Sure." he replied surprised. He found it hard to believe that you wanted to keep him company. From the very beginning, everyone avoided showing up at his side, knowing that by doing so they could also become the target of bullies. An awkward silence fell between the two of you, so you took out a piece of paper from your backpack which you began to fold in different directions. Your new friend watched curiously as your fingers moved quickly and skillfully across the paper. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Oh, it's called origami. It often calms me down, or helps me at times when I have nothing to do with my hands," you explained without taking your eyes off your work.

"My name is Eddie. Eddie Munson." he changed the subject.

"Y/n Y/l/n." You introduced yourself by raising your eyes. "This is my first year, too."

"Nice."

Silence again. After about ten minutes your little creation was finished. You presented Eddie with a small paper ring which resembled a dragon.

"It looks great!" he commented.

"Thanks! I thought it would fit in with the rest. " you beamed looking at his hand covered with heavy, silver rings. "Keep it, it's yours. For luck."

"Thank you!"

It turned out that you shared a lot of classes with each other, where you decided to sit together. Over time you became good friends, but your relationship did not extend beyond the walls of Hawkins High. Eddie, in time, joined a club where they played some board game about dragons and magic, which he passionately told you about when you spent some of your breaks together. All of the homeworks, essays, project you did together, spending long hours in the school library. But during this time, you devoted the least of it to studying. At the very end of the library, hidden between the bookshelves, you created your own world, where hardly anyone else could find you. It was just the two of you and your conversations and quiet dreams of taking it to a higher level beyond the walls of the old school building.

For the next two years you always took a few more cookies with you. However, the cookies were not the only "more." Along with the time spent together came feelings that could not be called purely friendly. Sometimes you had the impression that he felt the same way. That's why it was especially painful for you to deal with the fact that at the beginning of your third year of high school you had to move to another city.

"I can't believe you got promoted to store manager after ONLY a year of working there!" Chrissy exclaimed as she entered the café. The warmth, the smell of coffee and fresh baked goods was a pleasant change from the freezing February air that had taken over all of Hawkins.

"Why can't anyone believe it? It's obvious! First of all, I am know music like no one else, secondly, I am amazing at this job, and thirdly, I am incredibly charming!" Eddie replied with a boyish smile on his lips.

"And to top it off, you're awfully humble," Chrissy rolled her eyes as she reached the counter.

"Welcome to the Sunflower café, how can I help you?"

"Y/n?" you froze. Letting the pen out of your hand you raised your head rapidly and your eyes met the big chocolate ones that looked as shocked as yours. They were as beautiful as you remembered them. A voice you hadn't heard in years, yet could recognize without hesitation echoed in your head. Is it a dream? you thought. Its owner looked slightly different now. His hair, much longer and a little bit more chaotic, his hands now decorated with an impressive number of tattoos. Suddenly a memory appeared in front of your eyes of him taking a pen in an extremely boring class and drawing on his hands, saying that someday they would be real there. He wasn't lying. While you thought it was funny then, now you had to admit that they looked very attractive on him. Very attractive.

"Eddie?" you choked out. Your heart was pounding like crazy, and your temperature suddenly rose by an unimaginable amount.

"Holy shit, it's really you!" he shouted, smiling broadly. The smile was still the same: wide, warm and infectious. Your reaction to it didn't change either, as your knees, as if remembering how to behave, bent immediately. Before you had time to respond in any way he excitedly circled the counter around and locked you in a bear hug. "I'm sorry, but I'm so happy to see you! We haven't seen each other in ages, oh my gosh, you don't even know how I've missed you!" he mumbled in the top of your head.

"I missed Eddie too. So much." you replied when you realized how to breathe again. After a while he let you go and went back to the opposite part of the counter where some girl was waiting for him, who after a moment significally cleared her throat.

"Yeah, right. Chissy, this is y/n an old friend of mine from the early days of high school. Y/n this is Chrissy." he introduced you. You shook hands. She had a lovely smile. A pretty, petite blonde at Eddie's side? Reluctantly, deep down you admitted that they make a really cute couple. You tried to chase away the gentle feeling of jealousy that was awakening in you. You had no right to be jealous. It was logical that after you moved out, time would not stop. Eddie moved on. Apparently, he had chosen a very good path. It wasn't his fault that all these years after you moved out you weren't able to forget about him. It wasn't his fault that every boy you dated had long, curly hair and listened to metal. Nor was it his fault that none of them were able to fill the void you felt after leaving Hawkins.

"How can I help you?" you finally asked.

When they ordered they stepped aside so as not to block space in the queue and you went about preparing the order. From time to time you glanced in their direction. It was stronger than you. The sight of Eddie caused excitement. You couldn't believe that you had him at your fingertips again. You thought he had run away from here after graduating from high school, just as he always wanted to, so coming back here you didn't expect to see him like this. He seemed to have managed to establish a life here. In addition to the excitement, there was also a small discomfort from the uncomfortable feeling when you saw them fiercely discussing something with Chrissy.

"Are you sure it was only a friend?" Chrissy asked when they had gone far enough away so that you couldn't hear what they were talking about.

"Yeah, why?"

"Would you act that way with any old high school friend?" she raised a brow.

"Okay, maybe she was my little crush, but the interest was one-sided, so I never crossed the line."

"She looks in your direction too often for it to be one-sided."

"Okay, Sherlock. You're exaggerating again, she's just in shock, we haven't seen each other for years and I've changed a bit since then. That's all."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

For the next few days, they showed up at the coffee shop almost every day, always at the same hour. They took coffees to go, or drank them inside. They were occasionally joined by other people, some of them you remembered from the school corridors. The biggest surprise for you was the company of Steve Harrington, who just a few years ago would sooner have died than sit at the same table with Eddie.

Valentine's Day morning and afternoon turned out to be a crazy day. Your aunt knew what she was doing when she opened a coffee shop combined with a bakery in Hawkins a few years ago. Crowds of people passing through the building, a ton of orders waiting to be picked up. You definitely weren't ready for such a busy time. After a few hours of running back and forth and cleaning up, as the sun slowly set behind the horizon and the inside was finally empty and quiet you could take a break.

Eddie was just leaving the store that was across the street when, through the large window of the café, he noticed you sitting alone at a table with your face hidden in your hands. Next to you was a washcloth and table cleaner. Slightly worried by this sight, he decided to make one more stop before heading home.

At the sound of the doorbell announcing the arrival of a customer, which you had heard a million times today, you felt like crying. You were exhausted. Physically and mentally exhausted. You were heartily sick of seeing and hearing couples in love, because it reminded you of your own loneliness. All day your brain forced you to wonder how Eddie was spending Valentine's Day. Will he buy Chrissy flowers? Chocolates? Will he take her to the movies? All these options seemed pretty typical. Too normal and common for him. You knew that Eddie was special and liked to do special things. Maybe he will write her a song? Whatever he prepared for her you were sure was amazing. And now, you had the opportunity to ask him about these plans in person.

"Eddie? What are you doing here?"

"I thought a little coffee wouldn't hurt. As long as you're not closing already?"

"It's your lucky day. We're open an hour longer on Valentine's Day, in case someone remembers about a last-minute gift in the form of some baked goods." Despite your tiredness, you smiled.

"In that case, I'd like to order two coffees with milk and two pieces of cake, if you have any left." he laughed, pointing to an empty display case.

"I think I'll find something in the back." You said walking in that direction. When you returned you prepared the coffee, put everything on a tray and carried it to the table where he sat. "Here you go, one coffee and cake for you and another for your girlfriend," he said.

"My girlfriend?" he asked clearly surprised.

"Chrissy? I thought she was about to join you, that's why the second portion?"

"Chrissy? oh- no! She's not my girlfriend, she's just a friend!"

"Oh." was all you could get out of yourself. "Sorry, you looked a bit like that."

"Don't worry." he laughed. "If it weren't for the decorations here I wouldn't even remember that it's Valentine's Day. No one has yet wanted to stay with me long enough to actually make it to it."

"I don't believe you." you replied. "I'm sure your Valentine will be running through the door in any minute." you crossed your arms on your chest.

"Actually, I was hoping you would join me." he said covering his mouth with his hair. "Judging by the lack of a crowd, I figured you'd find a moment for an old friend. Y'know to make up for a few lost years." he winked at you. Hearing that Eddie was single was one thing. But what he did now suddenly made the energy you'd been missing all day fill you up. In fact, you could run a whole marathon now. Embarrassed by how much you enjoyed it, you had to use a hundred percent of your strong willpower to keep from smiling as wide as you could. If you were going to get such a reward after every murderous day at work you were ready to do it every day.

"I'm all ears," you said, sitting down across from him.

You didn't have to encourage him to speak. That didn't change either, no matter what he talked about he always managed to charm the listener. He still played Dungeons and Dragons, but now he proudly announced to you that he could call himself a Dungeon Master and he was the one who organizes campaigns for his friends. Corroded Coffin continued to rock the stage at Hideout. From time to time, when they were lucky, they had the opportunity to play at other venues, but unfortunately adult life has caught up with each of them, causing them not to have as much time as they once did. He also told you about his job at a music store which was ten minutes away from the café, insisting that you must visit him there sometime, so he could recommend some great, as he called it, albums to you. He also suggested that if you have the will and time you can listen to them together. Chrissy worked at a beauty salon right next to the store and they had their lunch breaks at the same time, which explained their frequent visits here. The strangest story turned out to be how his path crossed with the former king of Hawkins High. It was all due to one of the Hellfire's member - Dustin, who introduced them to each other. Once a teenager got into quite a bit of trouble and they both had to rescue him from it, which resulted in a friendship. It turned out that now Steve is a completely different person, who does not resemble that asshole any longer. At the very end, he told how after you left, his enthusiasm for learning and going to school disappeared, causing him to have to repeat his senior year twice.

"Edward Munson are you trying to make me feel guilty for moving out?" you asked while pointing at him the spoon you were eating the cake with.

"Trying to force guilt in you for leaving me! Couldn't you have packed me in a suitcase? I was much thinner back then, I'm sure I would have fit in." he joked.

"I can already see the look on my mother's face at the sight of you jumping out of the suitcase, like in some magic show." you laughed. "Now you look much better by the way." you said feeling a little more confident.

"Are you just trying to tell me I'm handsome?" he asked putting his elbows on the table and leaning toward you.

"Maybe." you said feeling your face burn. Did you mention something about confidence? There was no trace of it anymore. You weren't able to describe how much of an influence your high school friend had on you, but he definitely knew how to trap you.

"I'm very flattered m'lady" He winked at you. "But enough about me! Now it's your time to shine."

Unlike Eddie, you didn't have much to talk about. Your last year of high school passed mostly with your nose in books because of the backlog you had, and you didn't want to stand out from the rest. Because of this, you didn't have time to go to parties or other social gatherings. You had a few friends, but none of these connections turned into real friendships. You were also on a few dates but everything always ended the same way. Right after graduation, you went to work because you couldn't afford going to college. You grabbed every job you could. Waitress, secretary, shop assistant, kitchen helper. Over those few years your resume grew impressively, however you never found something that made you happy. Only now in the café you felt that going to work was not a form of punishment. And how did you find yourself back in Hawkins? Unfortunately, your mother's sister became seriously ill, and as soon as you found out, you packed up your belongings, sold the house and returned here permanently to take care of her. Her and the café. The money you had from selling the house and the income from your aunt's business was enough to support the three of you and her treatment.

"I'm sorry to hear that, y/n".

"Don't be, the treatment is working, the prognosis is good, so we try not to worry too much. We are thinking good thoughts."

"That's good." he replied. "And you? What are your plans for Valentine's evening? Some dinner at an overpriced restaurant?" he asked, changing the subject.

"More like watching movies alone on the living room couch." you laughed.

"Oh!" he said dramatically. "So I don't have to worry that I'll be attacked by some jealous fiancé right after I leave here?"

"I don't know what your love life is like, but for my part you don't have to worry about that." you laughed.

"I'm so glad you're back. We must see each other more often. It's a must for me to introduce you to the others, would you like to see in person that Steve "The Hair" Harrington is actually a good dude?"

"Sure!"

"Great, I'll let you know where, when, what and how! And now, unfortunately, I have to go. Thank you for the nice time your highness." he placed a gentle kiss on the top of your palm.

"It was my pleasure, majesty knight." you replied playing along. In farewell Eddie hugged you tightly, this time, not being paralyzed by shock, you reciprocated the embrace. For a short while you stood cuddled up like that, when finally Eddie pulled away from you and left.

Despite the exhaustion that grew worse and worse the closer you got to the house, you went inside with a smile on your lips.

"I see someone had a good day at work," your aunt commented as you crossed the threshold of the living room.

"It was better than I expected." you said as you sat down on the couch next to her.

"I know Valentine's Day can be hard. It's one of the hardest days of the year."

"Fortunately, I was able to handle it."

"My brave girl."

"Aunt Alice?" you asked after a while.

"Yes, honey?"

"Do you know the boy in curly long hair with tattoos who comes with the blonde to the café?"

"Chrissy and Eddie? Of course I do. Faithful customers from the very beginning, wonderful kids! From what I hear Eddie is single." She poked you lightly with her shoulder.

You responded only with laughter, and then you both focused on the movie that was playing on the TV. Feeling your eyelids getting heavier you got up with the intention of going to your room to finally rest. Before doing so, though, you asked if she remembered the recipe for the cookies you used to bake together before you moved out, because you felt that putting them on the menu might turn out to be a success.

Like never, you couldn't wait for Monday. Charged with positive energy, you waited impatiently for none other than Eddie to show up at the door at the same time as always. Throughout the weekend, your thoughts kept returning to your accidental Valentine's Day coffee. You wanted to be able to call it a date however in this case you were not sure, which did not change the fact that you got a little more courage and decided to do something in this direction. It may not be a big step, but you always have to start somewhere.

"What smells so good?" Chrissy asked walking up to the counter.

"The newest addition to the menu!" you replied with a wide smile. "Cookies! Would you like to try one?"

"Sure! And two coffees with it." She replied.

"In place or takeaway?"

"In place." Eddie interjected.

When they took a seat at the table you excitedly began preparing the order. As you waited for the coffee to brew you grabbed a piece of paper and began to put it together. As you walked with their order to the table your heart thudded in your chest. It was so loud that you felt like the whole café could hear it. When you placed the plate with the cookie in front of Eddie, you saw emotions flowing across his face that you couldn't quite decipher.

"No way!" he exclaimed. "Are the new cookies on the menu the ones I'm thinking about?"

"Try it and you'll find out." you said, and he immediately took a bite.

"Oh my god." he moaned in delight. "I thought I would never get to taste them in my life again, I need more, I'm begging you." Seeing and hearing his response made you beam even more. With joy you quickly ran to get two more cookies, when you returned Eddie looked as excited as a child waiting for a Christmas gift.

"Eddie is right, y/n, these cookies are delicious!" Chrissy commented. "But I'd love to know what their story is."

You were already about to reply when one of the bakers called you over to help. You apologized to them, leaving the story to Eddie, who was very eager to clue his friend in to it.

"Hey, what's this?" she asked, looking at the plate on which his cup of coffee stood. Between her fingers she grabbed a small paper heart.

"I don't know where it came from." Eddie shrugged his shoulders while biting into another cookie.

"Strange." she muttered, looking at her finding.

"Are you jealous that this little thing was on the freak's plate and not the princess' of Hawkins High?" he asked with a teasing tone.

"Shut up, dingus." she said rolling her eyes.

"Oh no, Robin's influence on you is definitely too much, you're already starting to talk like her!"

Before leaving, they stopped at the counter. Asking what else you could serve, Eddie, of course, asked for cookies to go.

"How many to pack?" you asked, feeling immense satisfaction and joy that your idea was a success.

"All of them." he replied smiling widely.

"Eddie you can't buy out all the cookies!" Chrissy exclaimed.

"Watch me, Cunningham."

From that moment on, each time, strangely enough, there was always a small paper heart next to Eddie's order. At first he thought it was a mistake or a mere coincidence, but over time he knew it happened too often to be a coincidence. Even at first, when he claimed it was a mistake he didn't throw them away. He took them with him and kept them in his van, but when there were more and more of these, he decided that he would find a new place for them. He found a large jar at home, where he put them all in and placed it on the desk in his room. As the hearts filled the jar halfway, he wondered who they might be from. He sat staring at them as if the answer was about to magically appear but nothing like that happened. Analyzing the last few months and the behavior of all the people he had interacted with, he remembered how at first you had assumed in advance that he and Chrissy were a couple. You looked a bit like that, you said. Is it possible that Chrissy asked you to chuck them over? Actually, she has been acting rather strangely lately, but he didn't notice any particular signs that it was her. He always thought their relationship was platonic with a capital P, just like that of Robin and Steve. She was like a younger sister to him and he definitely didn't want to change that. He couldn't change it. On an impulse, he quickly grabbed the phone and dialed her number.

"Hello?" she said on the other side of the receiver.

"We need to talk." he said nervously.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Chrissy you know I love you...but like a sister. And even if I wanted to I couldn't do otherwise. I know what I'm saying now is painful, and I'm sorry, but friendship is the only thing I can offer you."

"Eddie, are you high?" she asked surprised by this precocious confession.

"No, why?"

"You call me in the middle of the night and say some fucked up things." she laughed. "Are you sure you didn't get the wrong number?"

"Aren't those paper hearts from you?" he asked confused.

"Of course not! Jesus, what made you think that anyway?"

"Oh my god what a relief," he breathed deeply. "I've noticed you've been acting a little strange lately so I thought, that maybe, it was the reason."

"I may indeed have someone in mind, but it's definitely not you!"

"And now I am interested... Who is it? Who is better than me?" he joked. There was silence on the other side of the phone. "Chrissy? You there?"

"It's Robin." she said finally.

"I knew it! I knew that the fact that you both suddenly couldn't meet me and Harrington on Valentine's Day for a movie marathon was no coincidence!"

"Fine! But it's not me we're talking about here now! It seems that you, Edward Munson, have a secret admirer."

"What's wrong with you dude? You look like a beaten puppy." Steve asked, sitting down on the bed.

"Eddie invited a girl to our board game night, but she couldn't come." Chrissy explained.

"What girl?" a curious Harrington pulled the subject.

"y/n, she works at the Sunflower café."

"Oh, she's cute." Eddie at that moment sent his friend a murderous look, Steve only raised his hands in a gesture of withdrawal. At the very thought that you might end up on Harrington's dating list made him sick. He didn't want you to be one of those girls who would end up with a broken heart. Or maybe he was actually afraid that you would prefer Steve and not him? Eddie saw you as an wonderful person, so he knew that even a playboy like King Harrington could easily fall in love in you and be spoons about you.

The evening didn't go the way it always did. Eddie, who was always the loudest during them, sat isolated from the whole world. Locked in his own universe he analyzed your conversation on Friday. Every move you made, every word that came out of your mouth. You had no reason to lie to him. In truth, you looked disappointed when you said that this weekend your aunt was having her medication increased and you might be needed at home in case something happened. Unfortunately, his insecurities resurfaced recalling how people every now and then had a sick aunt they suddenly had to take care of just when he proposed to meet. But after all, you were never like them. You were his friend. At least that's what he hoped.

"What if she could and didn't want to?" he asked after thinking for a while.

"Her aunt is ill, Edward. Not everything has to be a conspiracy against you, I'm sure she would be here if she could." Chrissy said in an exasperated tone and rolled her eyes.

"You are such a drama queen." Robin added. "What's that?" she changed the subject by grabbing the jar on his desk.

"Oh, we forgot to tell you that Eddie has a secret admirer!"

"No way! Show me!" shouted Steve breaking off on his feet. Munson, however, was faster and snatched the jar from Robin's hands. All three looked at each other with communicative eyes. It occurred to them that today was definitely not the time for jokes. They knew that this was one of the moments when Eddie's insecurities took over and prevented him from seeing a single ray of sunshine from behind the dark clouds.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound mean." began Steve.

"Yeah, me too." Robin added. Eddie sat on the floor leaning against the bed and held a jar in his hands. What if it was all a joke? What if someone decided to make fun of the local weirdo once again? It hurt him even more to think that, after all, you might be part of this prank too.

"They are so cute." said Chrissy pulling one heart out of the jar, leaning her head against Robin's shoulder.

"Do you want one?" she asked smiling broadly. "If I unfold them step by step I'm sure I can recreate every bend." She sent Eddie a questioning look, asking permission to destroy one of the hearts.

"Whatever." He just sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

Robin began slowly unfolding the paper when an inscription was paper appeared to her eyes. Surprised, she handed it to Steve, who sent her a puzzled look. "Was paper? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he commented. Confused, Eddie turned his gaze in their direction, seeing Steve holding a piece of paper with a note on it.

"This must be some kind of message, a clue!" exclaimed an excited Chrissy. "There must be more of these!"

"Eddie, I'm afraid we have to destroy them all." said Robin trying to hide the smile forming on her face. She knew they meant a lot to her friend, but she had a feeling that unfolding them all might be worth it. Munson, intrigued by his find, momentarily forgot his sadness and spilled the filling of the jar onto the mattress. Everyone immediately got down to unrolling. Some of the hearts were empty, and some had short messages written on them like the first one. After brainstorming, they managed to decipher the message.

if my heart was paper, I'd fold it

throw it to the wind and just hope it

ends up with you

"Oh my God, now for real, we have to find out who it is,"

"What if this is all one big joke?" asked Eddie.

"Anyway, we have to find this person. Either Eddie will find the love of his life, or we'll have a body to bury." commented Robin determined to act.

From that point on, every time, all four of them, no matter when they showed up at the café watched you closely. From time to time, they managed to spot you snatching a piece of paper from your notebook and starting to fold it in between brewing coffee. A few times they managed to catch you putting hearts on a plate right next to Eddie's coffee cup. Robin and Chrissy got so involved that they were visiting the café on their own and observing if hearts were also appearing with other customers' orders, but it wasn't happening.

"What are you doing there?" when one day Robin noticed that you were starting to fold a piece of paper she couldn't stand it and quickly ran to the counter. Panicked, you dropped the half-folded piece of paper to the floor feeling yourself start to blush.

"Uh- nothing!" you said in a strangely high-pitched tone. "W-would you like anything?" you asked stammeringly.

"More cookies." she said looking at you with suspicious eyes. This was the only day when Eddie didn't get a small addition to his order.

The next intrigue was to start sending Steve to order and receive the orders for several days in a row. The plan was simple, during this Harrington would turn on his charm and throw it straight at you to see if, in time, hearts would start showing up next to his orders too. This plan was especially hated by Eddie. Every time he saw Steve flirting with you and showering you with tons of compliments his heart burst with jealousy. He couldn't stop thinking about how much he would love to be in his shoes right now. Seeing your shy smiles when he was doing this, he wished that every one of those smiles was directed at him instead of his friend. Through it all he was forgetting about the whole affair related to the secret admirer, at that moment he didn't even care who it was, he was getting to the fact that if you weren't that person, he didn't want to know who it was. No matter how hard Harrington tried you seemed uninterested in his advances. Nor did his orders begin to receive a charming addition.

During the next meeting at Eddie's, Robin lay on the bed having the message cards spread out in front of her trying to associate the handwriting somehow, but nothing came to mind. "We should make a list of suspects." she finally said. "Think about who it could be and write it down. Babe, give me a piece of paper and a pen." After a phone conversation with Eddie, during which he suspected that Chrissy was behind everything, the two girls finally admitted that they had definitely been something more than friends for a long time.

"Eddie where do you keep your pens?" asked Chrissy looking around the room.

"Somewhere in the cabinet under the desk."

The cabinet was a chaos, you could find literally anything in there. Somewhere between guitar picks and lighters, Chrissy found some half-written, opened pen, but something else caught her attention.

"Who's this cute little guy?" she asked, pulling out a dragon-ring made of paper.

"Y/n made it the same day she shared the cookies with me," Eddie explained.

"Y/n. She made it for you?" Steve asked walking up to Chrissy wanting to get a closer look at the ring.

"Yeah, so hard to believe?" Eddie asked ironically.

"Dude." said Steve with a serious expression on his face. "She made it. Out of paper. For you. Out of paper, completely in the same way as those hearts!"

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Chrissy.

"Dingus is right!" Robin added.

"Nope, not true." Eddie denied, trying to suppress the hope that was beginning to rise in him. "She never looked at me as anything other than a friend, and it's probably the same now."

"Connect the dots Eddie! Coincidentally, on the same day they put the cookies, she gave you that day, on the menu you found a heart on the plate. So many times we've seen her fold them and place them with your orders."

"She may be doing it on behalf of someone else." he replied.

"Okay, I have an idea! Every time we place an order she writes everything down in a notebook, we need to somehow get it and compare the handwriting." Steve suggested.

"And how are you going to steal it from under her nose?" Robin asked.

"I have no idea."

"So I have a better idea."

"Where did you lose the fourth musketeer?" you asked the next day when Eddie, Robin and Steve stood in front of the counter.

"Chrissy is coming later. Actually, we're a little early. It's her birthday today and we wanted to ask if you feel like signing her birthday card?" said Robin slipping you a card. With a smile, you took it from her and wrote short wishes without sensing any trickery. When they sat down at the table everyone stared at your handwriting trying to remember what it looked like on the notes.

"I'm 98% sure it's identical," Steve said. Despite their assurances, Eddie still wasn't convinced. In the meantime, Chrissy came into the café, ordered a coffee and sat down at a table with them. The others showed her a card, which started a fierce discussion, which was interrupted by your arrival at the table. You gave everyone coffee, and additionally placed a cupcake with a candle next to Chrissy.

"Happy birthday!" you said, smiling cheerfully. "On the house."

"Oh thank you!" she said nervously not expecting it. "Why don't you join us?" she offered feeling remorseful.

"I'd love to, but I can't, I have to help out in the kitchen today."

"And what are you doing on the weekend?" asked Steve. "We're going to celebrate Chrissy's birthday at Eddie's, why don't you come over?"

"I'd love to!" you replied, and at the same time one of your co-workers called out to you. You sent them an apologetic look. "We'll talk about the details later, okay?"

"Sure!"

"What the hell man?" Eddie hissed.

"Chill out! If it turns out it's her, I've just arranged a meeting with her for you. You should be grateful!" Steve started to defend himself.

"I feel awful that we're lying to her. She brought me a cupcake! With a candle! I'm about to cry." The blonde hid her face in her hands, and Robin gently stroked her back.

In the evening, they all met in the trailer to add the last missing piece to the investigation. Eddie's heart froze when it turned out that the handwriting from the secret message was the same as the one on Chrissy's birthday card.

"Do you need more evidence, disbeliever?" asked Robin.

"N-no." he said quietly, trying to deal somehow with the storm of emotions he was feeling.

"I don't want to spoil the moment, but we have another problem." interjected Steve. "We now have to throw a fake birthday party for Chrissy."

You arrived at the trailer park moments earlier. In your hands you held a small cake that you had baked, and on the bend from your elbow hung a gift bag. You arrived at the trailer, which, according to their description, belonged to Eddie. When you knocked the first time the silence was the only answer. When you knocked a second time, no one opened either. You were slowly beginning to think you had mixed up the trailers, when finally after the third time the door was opened for you by Robin.

"y/n! Come in." she said, greeting you. "Steve and Eddie went to buy a few more things."

"Hi! Thanks again for the invitation." You entered looking around the trailer. There were a few balloons strewn across the floor, snacks and bottles of drink stood on the kitchen counter. On the walls, under a cover of colorful streamers, was a large collection of hats and mugs. You remembered Eddie telling you in high school that his Uncle always brought them back as souvenirs from new places he had been. The collection has probably grown significantly since then.

"Baby, why don't we somehow use our time together until Eddie and Steve get back from shopping?" the playful voice of Chrissy, who emerged from a room at the end of the trailer, reached you. "Ah!" she croaked upon seeing you standing in the living room. "y/n! you're early!"

"I am sorry." you said seeing how awkward she felt that you heard her proposal to Robin.

"Happy birthday! I baked a cake, I hope you like strawberries." you said, wanting to quickly change the subject.

"You baked me a cake?" she asked with the face of a sad puppy.

"I went to work a little early today to have time to deal with everything."

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed in a voice close to tears.

"D-did I do someting wrong?" you asked shocked.

"No, you did everything like the best!" she replied.

"Chrissy calm down, please."

"She baked me a cake Robin! She bought a gift! I can't handle it!" the younger girl began to panic.

"If you want to be left alone, I can leave." you said retreating to the door, which opened at the same time.

"The three of us. Out." Robin said, pointing a finger at herself, Chrissy and Steve. "You explain everything to her before Chrissy explodes." She added pointing to Eddie, with whom after a moment you were alone. He stood motionless staring at you nervously pressing his lips into a thin line.

"You know that standing still won't make you invisible right?" he only nodded in response. The next two minutes passed in complete silence.

"Sit down." He said pointing to the couch. "Before I say anything, I want you to know that I'll understand if you don't want to stay in touch with me anymore after this."

"Wha- Eddie, why?"

"Just- wait here, okay?" he asked and disappeared into the room Chrissy had left earlier. After a while, he returned holding a whole stack of crumpled pieces of paper in his hands, which you immediately recognized. Your heart beat faster. Of course, starting the whole plan you were aware that there was a possibility that you would eventually be exposed. Of course you thought about this moment every day, but now that it was happening at this exact moment you didn't know what to do.

"I'm sorry!" you shouted panicked. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't, I don't know what I was thinking! Actually I do know- It's just- Oh my God- I've always liked you!" you started rambling. "Even in high school, and then- Then I moved away, but I still couldn't forget about you, then I came back to Hawkins and saw you in the café and it all came back! Everything!" you got up from the couch and started nervously walking around the room in circles. "And when you came on Valentine's Day? And you wanted me to drink coffee with you? I know you treated all that in a friendly way, but I couldn't, especially when you said you were single! When I got home after that evening I came up with this stupid plan, wanting to do something to not lose you again! Jesus- you probably think I'm an crazy idiot now, is that why you mentioned not staying in touch? Don't you want to know me anymore? I'm so-"

Before you could finish Eddie with a quick step was next to you. Second later his lips were on yours stopping your waterfall of words. When the shock wore off and you realized what was happening you threw your arms around his neck reciprocating the kiss, which didn't last too long because unintentionally a wide smile appeared on your face, which you were unable to stop.

"I had to do something to make you shut up." he whispered while stroking your cheek.

"If this is the way you have to shut me up I will become the most talkative person in the world." you replied.

"You don't even know how much I wanted it to be you." He rested his forehead against yours. Without answering you kissed him again. This time it was he who couldn't control his smile. "Since you don't hate me, can you fix the hearts? I miss them a little."

"I can make you new ones."

"How about fixing and making new ones?"

"Whatever you want."

"Guys are you alive?" Robin asked. "You guys are awfully quiet, not that we were eavesdropping..."

Before opening the door, the metalhead placed another sweet kiss on your lips and let the rest inside. Together they told you step by step how they came to all this. Steve felt extremely offended when you said that his charm completely didn't work on you, but Eddie accepted it with great relief.

"Do you want to tell me that I got up two hours early today to prepare a cake for a birthday that doesn't exist?" you asked with a serious face.

"We are so sorry! I told them that lying to you was a bad idea, but Steve's plan B was to steal the notebook you write your orders in!" explained Chrissy while hiding behind Robin. You burst out laughing unable to pretend to be angry with them any longer.

"You better keep telling me all evening that this is the best cake you've ever eaten in your life!" you said.

"Of course it's sweetheart, because it was made by the greatest girl in the whole world." said Eddie putting his arm around you. Sweetheart. You happily admitted that you would be glad to get used to such a name. 

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