#advise welcome | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sofiiel · 7 months ago

Text

There & Back Again : xReader Edition

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄 : 6000+ words: (CW: angst. nightmares. toxic family dynamic. mentions of blood. violence. implied domestic abuse & SA - not done by Eddie )

Table of Contents | Next ->

The room is unervingly frigid.

You toss and turn in your bed. A cold sweat slips down your neck, sliding down your arms, and rolling along your legs.

Chest rising and falling rapidly as you cannot catch your breath.

Locked inside a void dream with the sound of skittering little legs. Your fingers claw at the bedsheets in the same way they clawed at the dirt walls in the darkness. Silent screams echoing in your head as tiny stings leave your limbs tingling with pain.

"I took you so that they might not," A lithe voice echoes in the quiet spaces of your mind.

Limbs that once stung now felt numb, and a throat sore from crying at the top of your lungs fell still.

You find yourself looking up into unapologetic eyes that went on like oceans. Feeling smaller than you've ever had, and as he closed his eyes, your eyes opened.

You awoke with a start, eyes wide open but unable to move no matter how hard you willed your body.

"Don't scream, just wait for it to pass... it's too early to wake Dad up." you think.

Talking yourself down within the confines of your head, you continue to will your limbs to move and soon can sit up.

With a sigh of relief, you brush your hand against your face, your eyes going to a tank near the window in which a tarantula scuttled peacefully.

"Good morning Shelob," You called, getting to your feet.

Your legs still ached from the night before, a grim reminder that sent a shudder down your back. It nearly brought tears to your eyes.

Leaning on Shelob's tank You choke back tears, pulling open your drawer you pluck out an old-fashioned soft blue dress and your underwear.

Retreating to the bathroom, you get ready for the day ahead of you.

Casting one last glance back at your home, you can see your father looming in the master bedroom window.

You force on a smile and head toward your black 1979 Chevrolet Chevette, waiting there in for Patrick.

In the rearview mirror, you check your face, the cold water had taken the puffiness away from your eyes.

"Morning Pat." you call as your brother climbs into the car.

But he said nothing in return, his whole body facing the window, and he rests his head in his hand looking out.

"Just come on before we're late, I said I'd meet Jason early for practice," Patrick grumbles.

You give a weary sigh and remind yourself that Patrick is going through a phase, before starting the car.

At school, Patrick was quick to flee off to his friends. You swing your backpack over one shoulder and look around the packed parking lot.

Heart thumping heavily in your chest, eyes scanning the many faces, it was all becoming overwhelming.

"Hey," A grounding voice calls behind you.

Robin slips her hand onto your shoulders. "It's the same thing every day, yeah? Just breathe," she says.

You give a stiff nod

"Come on, I have got to tell you about the amazing movie I saw just last night!" Robin cheered, taking you by the hand and leading her into the school.

"Movie?" you question.

"Yes!" Robin cheered.

"And so then it took me ages to figure out what happened at the end, but I was still in tears, and it was just amazing, you know!" Robin rambled on as the two of you cruised the hall.

"Huh yeah..." you murmur, nearly walking under Robin while avoiding stepping too close to others.

From the corner of your eye, you could spot Hawkins High's most famous couple, Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler.

You could hardly take your eyes off of them. You could say you've had a crush on Steve for well over three years now. It was a shallow pool that glistened on the surface, but that was it.

You were more in love with the idea of love, always had been, and nothing ever looked better than the way Steve was capable of looking at the girls he dated.

But more recently? The way he looked at the Wheeler girl, and the way she gazed right back.

Your chest would ache, not because you wanted Steve specifically, but because you longed for what they had.

"Oh..." Robin breathed, watching her friend watch the couple.

"Um...um, Hey!" Robin called frantically, "What do you say we go get like some snacks and chill at our spot? You can help me practice for my solo in band." Robin offered.

You pry your eyes away from the fawning couple and offer a small smile to Robin, Whose eyes fluttered as she inwardly melted.

"Sounds good." you reply.

"Hey there Buckley, McKinney - Performance at the Hideout," Jeff sang, passing out flyers in the hall.

"Yeah, whatever," Robin spoke quickly, brushing him off as if he hadn't been there at all.

However, you quietly take the flyer and give him a nod.

He knew, by now, that ____ McKinney never showed up to anything other than her brother's games. But he was still extending the invite, Eddie would have, It was a well-known fact that the McKinney siblings were like night and day.

"Wait, are you seriously going to go?" Robin asked you.

You shrug in reply quietly stating, "Probably not."

"Well, I think you should, you can tell your dad that...you're staying at my place. We'll go together and you can spend the night. It'll be fun." said Robin.

You look down at your feet with a shake of your head.

"Dad doesn't allow sleepovers anymore," you sigh.

"That's bullshit, Patrick just spent two whole nights last week with Jason and the team." Robin raged.

You could only muster a feeble excuse of, "That's different."

Robin exhaled in defeat and shook her head. "I know, he's your dad and I know they took you in, but I hate him, and he is an awful person." Robin seethed.

You look up at Robin and smile, laughing slightly, "thanks Robin."

"Yeah." Robin sighed, "but don't thank me, it's not like I can help you." she murmured.

"More than you think, really," you utter with gratitude, before the two of you part to head to your separate classes.

"And after she totally drug my flute skills through the mud!" Robin ranted.

"I had this great comeback in mind, but Ms.Wiggins started giving us a lecture about how we need to stay coordinated, and I have no coordination," she went on.

"Let alone when I am seething because I can out-flute Sherry in circles twice on a frozen river, and she's talking about my flute skills?" Robin's ramble finally came to a halt.

You sat at a small table in the woods near the school, watching Robin rant with a small smile on your face.

"You let Sherry the mouth get to you?" you ask her.

Robin shrugged, "it's that voice...you know better, but it still gets under your skin." she confessed.

"So, flute solo?" you hum, trying to reel in her thoughts.

Robin blinked a few times towards you...

"huh...oh!" she gasps, trying to open her flute chase in a fluster.

"Yeah, sorry totally forgot, my bad...heh, and it was my idea." Robin said bonking her palm against her forehead, "earth to Buckley" Robin whispered.

you giggle, "It's fine, Robin."

Robin pulled out her flute and put it to her mouth, "it's a classical solo, so...." Robin said teetering her head.

"I figure maybe you'd like to practice, your Ballet? I mean.... I heard last Spring's Swan Princess camp was pretty brutal." Robin said.

You side glance, you'd almost forgotten you told Robin that you'd gone to Ballet Camp.

"Y-yeah....they worked us into the ground." you stammer.

"I should say so, you had bruises all over your back for a whole week after," Robin said.

"I thought you were great at those leaps and...shots...and things..." Robin added.

"Saut De Chat, and apparently not." you sigh

Your stomach knotted and squirmed, it made you sick inside lying to Robin again.

"Sooo, will you dance?" Robin asked hopefully.

With a nod you start to remove your shoes.

"Yay!" Robin cheered, getting ready to play her flute.

"I told you man," Eddie said in an irritated sigh.

"I don't do refunds, you asked for Heavy Nova, I warned you that stuff was known to put you to sleep. It isn't my fault you crashed during your interview." Eddie stated dryly, leading his classmate and customer, Paul Elwood, from the football team.

"That's bullshit Munson!" Paul shouted.

Eddie turned on his heel, walking backward he held out his arms and shrugged.

"You had fair warning, look I can offer you a four percent discount if you want to buy something else. And this time, you might want to go with the Crystal Mother." Eddie said.

Stopping in his tracks, Eddie reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a bag of dark green bundles.

"Won't get a better deal." Eddie said.

Paul rolled his eyes, and reached into the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out a small bundle of money, separating it, and passing Eddie the payment.

Eddie let Paul take the bag from his hands, "thank you, you won't be sorry this time." He said with a small bow.

"Weirdo.." Paul muttered, stalking off in the opposite direction.

"Yeah, but I'm a paid weirdo, and you're out ten bucks." Eddie murmured.

Putting his money safely in his pocket, the sound of a flute reached his ears. "Someone is at my sales table?" Eddie thought, following the sound.

With closed eyes, you'd fallen into a seemingly endless pirouette.

"Whoa h-hey, chill a bit, you're making me dizzy." Robin whimpered, pausing in her playing.

Coming to a stop you gave her an apologetic smile.

you sheepishly state, "Sorry, it's a good way to think, or you know not to think... I kinda got lost somewhere in my head, zoning out."

Robin gave a wave of her hand, "I do that all the time, but I don't have to be spinning." She chuckled.

you chuckle as Robin picks back up her flute.

"But keep going, it's like a free concert at the theater or something." Robin urged.

You gave a nod and continued.

"I wish I was half as good." You sigh.

"You will be. You are - I don't know anyone else around town who can do what you do." Robin paused to say.

Eddie leaned from around a tree, peering through to the table in the clearing, he watched the two friends carry on and found he couldn't take his eyes off of the twirling figure.

"That's unreal." He thought, watching your steps, which almost seemed inhuman.

Further and further Eddie leaned out from behind the tree following your steps with his eyes and his body wanting to follow.

You spun, briefly catching a pair of deep brown eyes staring back at you from the trees.

Startled, you fall back, landing in the dirt.

"Oh! Are you ok!" called Robin, dropping her Flute onto the table, she hopped up clumsily to help you.

Eddie quickly hid back behind the tree, his back pressed to its trunk, "why are you hiding?" He asked himself.

Maybe it was how frightened those glistening eyes had seemed.

____ McKinney, a name known around the whole school, as the most skittish person anyone had ever met.

"I thought... I saw someone, someone was watching us." You stammer, shaken, getting to your feet you quietly stood behind Robin.

Glancing around, Robin could see nothing but a quiet forest,.

"Well, I don't see anyone, it was probably just someone taking a shortcut back home." Robin reasoned.

She offered you a reassuring smile.

However, your eyes were glued to the spot, you could have sworn you'd seen the eyes.

Robin sighed, she would need to prove it to you.

"Hey! Anyone out there!" Robin called, stepping forward.

"Let's just go." you say quickly, gathering your backpack.

you add with rushed words, "I need to hurry back home anyway. It's already too late."

"Alright, can I pick a tape for the car?" Robin asked, following you back to the school parking lot.

Meanwhile, Eddie listened keenly and once the two of you had fallen silent he exhaled.

Stepping out, he looked in the direction you'd left, vaguely he could see their figures in the distance.

"Eddie Munson, you were not meant to see that, and boy are you doomed." He spoke quietly into his fist, covering his mouth.

"Hello! Eddie! Dudes gone off to lala land..." Scott said from around the game table.

"Can't we just dump water on him?" Jeff asked.

"No! You'll ruin the DM screen!" Gareth called out.

"Eddie!"

The three of them shouted.

Eddie jolted out of his daze, "My ears work!" Eddie gasped.

"Or at least they used to!" he shouted back at his friends, "what gives?" He asked.

"You were lost in some other realm dude." Gareth explained.

Eddie's chest heaved as he drew in a large breath and quietly exhaled,

"I have seen the daughter of the starry twilight in the woods of Neldoreth," Eddie murmured.

"What?" Jeff asked, looking towards Gareth who simply shrugged.

"Did you smoke some of that shit, man?" Gareth asked.

Eddie shot him a look, "No, I don't touch the merchandise, rule number one!" Eddie shouted.

Scott however leaned in, "man, no way!" he gasped.

"In the woods?" asked Scott.

"In the woods," Eddie repeated.

He covered his mouth with his hands, "she was even in blue," Eddie said.

Scott's hand slammed down on the table, "shut up! Blue?" he asked.

Eddie nodded slowly with wide eyes.

"Was there anyone else there? Anyone else who saw?" Scott asked carefully.

"Just Buckley, but they were together," Eddie answered.

Jeff and Gareth watched the two in confusion.

"But did she see you?" Scott asked.

Eddie sat up and paused, "I think so....not well, she just knew someone had been out there." He said.

Scott raised a brow, "So no true identification of your presence?" Scott asked.

Eddie started to sulk, "no..."

"Well, next time you gotta be seen if there even is a next time," Scott said.

"Are you two going to keep talking like girls, or are we going to play?" Jeff asked.

Eddie and Scott turned to him. Eddie pointed and turned his hand around, dropping the dice onto the table.

"Let's hope you are ready, we left off in a heated battle against the twin earth elementals, your mage's flesh golem was slain, crushed to paste after your last roll, and you are down to two fighters." Eddie recapped.

The boys started to sweat.

"Almost forgot about poor Bob." Scott said, shaking his head.

"Who names a flesh golem Bob in the first place," muttered Gareth.

Everything seemed quiet as you sat in your car. Your eyes are glued to the front door of your house.

"Dads car isn't in the driveway." you exhaled in relief.

"Maybe mom won't notice me come in if I'm quiet..." you turn your body to look out the rear window as you throw the car in reverse.

"If I park up the block and walk...." you planned.

After parking a block away, you quietly entered the house, a few lights were on and as you head up the stairs to your bedroom you find a note on the wall.

Looking about cautiously, you pluck the sticky note away.

"𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒹𝒾𝓃𝓃𝑒𝓇, 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓎 𝓊𝓅 𝓁𝒶𝓉𝑒. 𝒫𝒶𝓉 𝒶𝓉 𝒥𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃'𝓈"

Read your mother's elegant handwriting. your eyes nearly welled with tears as you can feel your whole body sigh in relief.

Peeping at your surroundings, you smile faintly, "I've got the house to myself?" you wonder.

You steal a glance to the bottom of the note.

"𝒽𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝒶𝓇𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹 𝟣𝟣: 𝟥𝟢"

"What do you think?" you ask Shelob while dropping her live prey into the tank.

"Do you think I can get away with spending some time downstairs for a bit?" you asked the spider.

Shelob paused in stalking her prey and turned her body towards you.

"I can't do much harm, other than make Mom mad." you sigh.

"All she does is shout," you added, wandering away from the tank to your bed, changing into your pajamas.

"I think Robin and I were being watched today.... It's probably nothing, but with everything, that's happened these last two years." you murmur.

"Or Dad might have sent someone to spy on me." The thought, causes a shiver to roll down your spine.

Ever since he'd taken over as CFO of the Power Plant, the stress levels in the home had skyrocketed, he'd become more than just mean, more than just hurtful, and it had been going on for a year.

You wrap your arms around yourself in a hug, "We're just capital that will get him in good with the higher-ups. A perfect family...and,"

Turning around, you look in a mirror you had taped off with notebook paper.

"Bargaining chips," you whisper.

Suddenly feeling more tired than you'd ever been, you climb into bed.

While a night to use the house in any manner you wished was a rare treat, nothing sounded more tempting than to sleep for a few hours in peace.

No shouting, no tears, no pain, no fear.

Just yourself and Shelob in the quiet, deceiving house with the perfect lawn and apple tree at the end of the street.

Even if it meant facing the nightmares that had only been growing in frequency.

"I feel I know the demons in my dreams, and they can't hurt me like the waking ones can." you think.

Snuggling into bedding that somehow felt cold you close your heavy eyelids.

"Two more years." you murmur, a thought that kept you moving most days.

"And I'm already halfway there."

However, those precious few hours did not last long, flying by as time usually does.

The door to your room cracked open, the hinges well maintained, it did not so much as peep. A hand gently shakes you awake, a touch that makes you cringe.

Turning over in the bed, you look into the dead eye of your father as he gives you an overly pleasant smile.

You fight off the urge to wretch and carefully sit up in bed.

with your voice void of emotion but kept sweet so as to remain 'polite', "Yes sir?" you ask.

Your father pet the top of your head once before holding up a brilliant red dress.

"I have a gift for you." He sang.

your stomach fills with rocks and your limbs felt cold.

It was short and full of ruffles, something He'd never let you wear on your own.

"I-it's...." you tried to bite back your fear as taking too long to answer was never ok.

"Lovely, sir." you voice quietly, forcing a smile onto your face as you reach out to feel the ruffles between your fingers.

You know it's not real but the fabric seems to sting against your skin. Much like the creation of a papercut.

"It's for the dinner you will be attending for me, with the new COO of the Loxion Corporation, Jeremy Ford. It's very important, He and his wife have been trying for a litter girl of their own for years." He said.

Your eyes flutter, "o-okay...wh-what time?" you whisper.

"Five pm, you are to drive to their house, I'll leave the address and directions in your backpack tomorrow morning." He said.

You give your lips a lick as they are dry with anxiety.

You quietly question, "It's not a restaurant?"

Your father's eyes hardened as he took a single step back.

"No, but it is very kind of Miss Ford to cook a home meal considering I cannot attend myself." He said, voice strained and stern.

"It's not completely business, it's a gage of....character. " He lectured.

"Right, a man with well-behaved children must have the skill it takes to run a company just as well as a wild teen." you droned, it was the same thing every time.

"I'll be good." you said, the faint quiver in your voice unheard as your father hung the dress up on the bookshelf and left the room.

There you listen as his footsteps vanish down the hall. Until you could hear them no more, instead replaced with the sounds of muffled bickering from the master bedroom.

You draw your knees to your chest, hiding your face in them. Bitting down on your wrist you muffle your crying.

A spider came above you, lowering slowly from a single strand of web.

Its spindly legs reached down towards you as she perched herself on your free hand.

Lifting your head you peer at the tiny creature facing you, and are unafraid.

A bite would be the least of your worries, instead...

"Thank you," you murmur for the creature's comfort, sniffling the tears away and gently running your finger over your newfound friend.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Robin asked you. "You haven't said two words all day."

You sigh and focus on your notes while at the lunch table with Robin and the rest of the school band.

"I'm ok." you state simply, but your voice lacked any personality Robin had become familiar with over the past year and a half.

"You haven't eaten anything...you can have my pudding if you'd like." Robin offered.

"I'm not much hungry, besides, we're going out to dinner tonight with a colleague of my dad's," you stated quickly.

For a moment, you panicked, "I shouldn't have said that." you scold yourself in silence.

"Oh well, that's good, does that mean your dad's in a better mood?" Robin asked.

You shrug a dry response, "I suppose so."

Robin gave a heavy sigh, and you knew she'd given up for now.

Distant laughter from across the room filled your ears, one of the more genuine laughs you'd heard other than Robin's.

You instantly find yourself looking up, trying to find the owner.

Searching the sea of faces until your gaze fell on eyes you'd seen before.

"It's the lurker!" you think with a gasp.

Eddie's eyes widened, it had happened again.

"From across a forest of the people," Eddie thought, he tried to hold eye contact with you, but you quickly glanced off.

Eddie drummed the table with the palms of his hands as he grinned.

Leaning towards Scott, Eddie whispered, "it just happened again."

Scott arched a brow and glanced towards his friend, "what are you looking at-"

"oooooh!" Scott mouthed.

"Destiny." Scott said with a nod of approval.

"You think?" Eddie asked hopefully.

"What else? You want her to show up wearing a golden flower crown?" Scott asked.

Jeff shook his head, "you two are crazy," he said slowly.

"Look, don't be made just because you need to read better literature." Scott scolded, to which Jeff rolled his eyes.

"wh-what are you reading?" Jeff asked, seeing Gareth with his nose pressed into a book.

"Finrod no!" Gareth shouted, standing from his seat with his palms slammed onto the table.

Eddie hid his face in his hands and groaned, "couldn't warn you about that one man, sorry." he sighed.

"What the hell is that shit!" Gareth shouted.

"Is your voice..are- are you crying?" Jeff laughed.

"N-no...shut up..." Gareth muttered quickly taking his seat and closing the book.

"I don't want to read anymore...." he sulked.

"What the hecks going on over there?" Robin asked.

You shake your head, but as you watch the odd group of friends carry on you find yourself smiling.

Tilting your head curiously before glancing at Robin.

"You should try talking to more people...I mean I'm sure I'm great but, I won't get jealous if you make new friends, more friends." Robin whispered.

you look at Robin and give a small smile, "Nobody wants to be my friend, Robin, honestly some days I'm surprised you do."

"Oh please, that's not true - you just....well," Robin trod carefully, "you just need to open yourself up to people is all." she said.

"How so?" you ask.

Robin shrugged, "I don't know, saying 'Hi' helps. You know nothing changes we just get older and forget how it works. Teens are cruel, adults are cruel but Kids are cruel too, but when we're little it was no big deal finding friends, trusting people." Robin said.

The word makes you flinch "Trust?" you echo quietly.

"Yeah....you see it's simple, its just a question - will you be my friend. the worst anyone can do is say no." Robin said.

You raise a brow, "Then how come you don't do it?" she asked.

Robin smiled a bit, "I did, and now you're my friend." she said.

You blink a few times, "I guess you have a point."

"Only problem is....my dad's got to approve of all my friends." you sigh.

"He approves of me, how high can his standards be?" Robin snorted.

You chew the skin of your bottom lip, "He uh....he thinks you want to be a doctor after high school."

Robin watched you with wide eyes, "he believes I look like doctor material?" she chuckled. Y

At Robin's words you muffle your laughter with the palm of your hand.

School didn't last long enough, you stand in your bedroom watching the dress hanging on your bookshelf.

"It's like it's mocking me." you think, glaring at it.

You exhale, "It's both beautiful and the most hideous thing I've ever seen."

"I feel the same about you, dear." Your mother's voice slithered in, as she slid through the door.

"Mom?" you question quickly, wrapping your robe around yourself tighter.

"It's fine, your father sent me, to help you dress."

You can feel the sharp bitterness on your mother's tongue as you are eyed up and down.

your gaze lowers, "I'm sorry." you say, tightening the robe more.

"I can get dressed in the closet..." you offer.

Your mother passed you the dress, "please do." was all she said.

"Yes, mother." you sigh, quickly retreating.

Mrs.McKinney gave a huff as she scanned over the items on your dresser.

There was little that showed any individuality. Contraception pills, study notes, a textbook, some unscented lotion, and a few scrunchies. Which seemed normal enough.

"What is this?" Mrs. McKinney asked with a sour frown. Plucking a tiny bracelet off the dresser.

You exit the closet and exhale, "it feels a little tight." you think, pulling at the hemline of the dress, "and a little short."

"Are you listening?" your mother snapped.

As you glance up you stumble backward.

"w-where'd you get that?" you ask your mother.

"Tone." she growled in warning.

You lower your gaze once more, "sorry."

"What is this?" your mother repeated.

Gripping the end of your dress in each hand, your arms start to tremble.

"It was... it was from spirit day, the school band gave them out to Robin, and they gave me an extra..." you stated quickly.

"This doesn't look like a school bracelet." she pushed.

"It's a golden chain," she said.

Your eyes shut tightly, "It was from last year after the missing boy was found, to celebrate. I swear."

"We don't swear in this house," you mother said.

"I think it's from a boy" she hummed, a fox-like grin crossing her face.

"You know your father has to approve of your dates."

Your voice is hardly above a whisper, "It's not from a boy."

"I mean it, it's from the school," you confirm.

Her mouth curled in scornful amusement, "What was that you wrote in that desperately sad little diary of yours? What was his name?"

Your mother sang mockingly.

"You had an awful little doodle of him, what was his name?" she asked.

You side glance muttering, "That was middle school, mom. Steve's got a girlfriend, Steve always has a girlfriend. We don't even talk, it was just..."

You sighed, "a crush."

Your mother tossed the bracelet to the floor.

"You're a dull little girl, I was just having fun." she simpered.

"You do not have the spine to be sneaky, let alone pull anything other than the lonely overheated busters your father has you charm." she spat.

You tried to calm your breathing as tears threatened to spring

"you're a dull little girl" your mother's words echoed in your head. Unable to separate the time when those words would have never dared come from her mouth and this present moment.

"I'm sorry." was all you could muster.

Your mother simpered again and lit a cigarette.

"Anyway, come here, your father wants me to make up your face, ugly little thing, you need all the help you can get." She mumbled, the cigarette dangling from her lips.

As you walk closer to her, She spins you around and glares at your face, pinching her chin between fingers donning long French tips.

"Your father used to say I wowed a room in red." she hissed.

You remain silent, refusing to make eye contact with her, cringing as the eyeliner pencil is dragged roughly across your face.

"Now he dresses you in red and sends you away to the company dinners like I'm old and worn." your mother said bitterly.

"That's not true, your be-"

pain cut off your words.

"Ow!" you gasp, a trembling hand clamped over your eye.

"Oops, you really should stand still." She mused. Your mother's eyes glinted with a an odd mixture of pride and disgust.

You bite your lip tightly, drawing blood when suddenly your eyes fall on a little creature crawling up her mother's arm.

"There's um...you've g-got uh..." you fumble over your words.

Feeling a tickle on her exposed shoulder, your mother glanced down.

She began to shriek at the top of her lungs.

"No, don't!" you shout, as your mother swatted the bug off.

Her hand flew fast and before you know it, you find yourself on the floor, backhanded.

"Did you want me to get bitten? Did you know? How long has it been on me!" She shouted.

"It's harmless." you whimper, "It was a baby..."

"A baby? Of that god awful thing?" you mother asked, pointing to Shelob's tank.

You manage to get to your feet, water welling into your eyes.

"Don't you cry, you'll mess up everything" your mother barked.

You glare down at your feet, "No Shelob's got no babies... It came from a nest...in the ceiling." you sighed.

"I've been, looking after it. The mother went away," you speak in a hushed confession.

Your mother shook her head and took a long drag from her cigarette.

"Get out of my damn house before I put you and your creatures on the street." she huffed, brushing off her clothes and storming out of the room.

You stood still, waiting for your mother's footsteps to fade before getting down on the floor.

"Maybe she missed," you whisper, carefully scanning the carpet.

"Oh, Shelly.....where'd she go?" You ask Shelob.

The lights in the room flicker faintly.

"Great, a problem with the electrical is going to put mom in a great mood." you think, looking at the lamp briefly.

Turning your attention back to the floor, a smile springs onto your face.

A little critter lingered on your hand, watching you.

you're breathless, "No way." you say, lifting your hand carefully to eye level.

"How'd you survive a swat like that?" you ask it.

You move with care as you get to your feet, letting your hand hover in the air as you wander to the bed.

You kick off your heels and stand on top of the mattress.

"There you go." you say in satisfaction, raising your hand up to the low popcorn ceiling.

You stand by and watch as the spider finds the hole in the ceiling and scuttles inside.

"At least someone is safe tonight." you think, climbing off the bed and reluctantly retrieving your shoes.

It was time.

"It's going to be ok, sweetie. You're home now."

A warm, gentle voice flutters through your memory as you sit gazing up a block lined with large white houses, with wide lawns that all seemed to mimic each other.

Every car in every driveway favored the one it neighbored down the silent, lifeless street.

You tightly pinch your arm

"You cry you mess up the makeup, you mess up the night. Stop it!" you bark at yourself.

Closing your eyes, you walled off your mind.

"It will go fast if you go with it," you whisper.

You breathe in deep, holding it within your lungs, "It's just a waking dream...." you whisper.

slowly releasing a shaking breath you allow your eyes to open.

"so go to sleep," you tell yourself, moving the car forward to the address your father left you.

Parking the car, your feet felt like lead as you walk up to the bright red door.

With a sigh, "it had to be red." you think.

Smoothing out your dress to stall for more time, you eyed the doorbell.

"It will go quickly...it will go quickly." your mind droned, finger pressing against the doorbell.

At the loud toll, you took a few deep breaths.

"Why hello, there you must be ____. Gregory has had so much to say about you, come in, come in." The elegant blonde woman offered you a flawless smile as she opened the door.

"Thank you, miss Ford." you say, forcing a bright smile of your own.

"Oh, dear. You can call me Norma," said the blonde, allowing you to step inside the house.

Following Norma down a long entrance hall, you notice the strange collection of artwork on the wall, if one could truly call it that.

Black and white photo's in pale wooden frames.

"You have some lovely artwork, miss Norma." you say, if only to fight off the unease.

You can feel Norma glancing back at you, but you can't rip your eyes away from the odd gallery.

"Artistic nude is an enchanting medium of study, don't you think? Raw humanity, captured in the individual view of the artist." Norma said with a pleased smile.

"Mmhm, en-enchanting...." You struggled, though this was hardly artistic nude.

You were sure of that much. It didn't lend the air of artistic value.

The paintings seemed to be of young women, of all the same figure, holding mundane objects in ways that made a cold chill run through your body.

There was no light in any of their eyes, just hollow stares.

"This will go fast," you told yourself again, following Norma through the house.

As you pass the dining room, you are left baffled. Your gaze hones in on a small empty table.

"Are we not having dinner?" you question.

"Oh of course dear, dinner is going to be served downstairs," Norma hummed.

"Jeremy just had the basement redone for business affairs, he's excited to show it off. It is a pity your father couldn't be here to see it." Norma said.

Down a short flight of steps, you continue to trail behind Norma.

The smell of pot roast fills your nose and part of you relaxes.

"See, a roast dinner." you mind sighs in relief.

"Jeremy, Gregory's daughter, has arrived," Norma announced.

You stand behind Norma before a large room. Its walls were heavily ship-lapped and feature plush carpeting.

A long table stood as a centerpiece in the room, lined with wine glasses and delicate fruits.

But the centerpiece of the table sent your heart tumbling down to your gut.

"Welcome ____," Jeremy nearly purred, eating a fruit from the belly of the girl on the table.

Your lip trembles as you try to hold back tears.

Deep denim blue eyes looked clear through you, with the same amount of pity you were sending to her.

"Your father tells me you struggle making friends, this is Amy," Jeremy said with an unfaltering grin.

"A-amy? My da- er, Father, never mentioned you had a daughter?" you stammer.

"Oh, she's just a friend of the family, she likes to play body shots, would you like to try?" Jeremy asked.

"I..." Your words faded as Norma walked around you and held up a wine glass.

"Take a sip, you look parched, dear." she lulled.

"I don't want to." your mind whispered, eyes still glued to the tears welling into Amy's eyes.

Only now Amy wasn't looking at you at all, rather across the room.

Following the frightened girl's gaze, past the small kitchen and bar to the far left of the room. On a long foldout table lay many items. A riding crop, clamps, a metal bat, as well as various scarves and boas.

You hold back the urge to scream, instead, turning your eyes to the glass of wine.

"Is it?" you ask, Norma smiled and nodded.

Closing your eyes you take the glass quickly downing it, "a waking dream...so sleep" you tell yourself.

Fading in and out, faint screaming and cursing echoes and swirls in your ears.

"Wh-what's going on?" you slur, as a hand tries to sit you up.

"Can you walk?" a voice asked quickly.

"I-I don't... ah!" you cry out as you find yourself doused in ice water.

Your vision came in clear and your gaze met with Amy.

Left in disoriented confusion you rub your eyes,.

"You? How?" you ask her.

"You need to get out." Amy said firmly, reaching down to your wrists, she unlocked the cuffs.

"Out? B-but I can't..." you stammer.

"Look, they don't have to know. I'll tell them you tried to stop me, and then you ran away," said Amy.

"I don't understand, y-you're here just like me, for the same reason....aren't you?" you ask.

Amy was silent, "You're not who I thought you were going to be. Ok, you're scared, you aren't the mosquito. I didn't plan this right. You have to get out, or they will blame you for what happens here tonight." Amy said quietly.

"What do you mean?" you ask as Amy pulls you to your feet.

"Just get out, tonight's your lucky night," Amy said.

Glancing around nervously you question,"Where are the Fords?"

"Held up for now, but if you take too much longer to get out-"

"Well, then come with me! We can both get away, and nobody has to know," you urge Amy.

"No, nobody is going to know, but the world will be safer," said Amy.

She gave you a light shove, "Now go, there's a cellar door to the backyard, it leads into the woods, if you run long enough you should hit the road. Find some help for yourself."

"But-"

"And if anyone asks, you don't remember what you saw, you just ran," Amy said.

"I don't understand!" Myrtle shouted. "Go! Dumbass! You're free! Run!" Amy yelled back.

You watch as Amy picks up a baton and looks towards the basement kitchen.

"You won't want to see this." you faintly hear Amy whisper.

You cringe and with painful sluggish steps make your way to the cellar doors.

As the door closed behind you, you hear a muffled, deep shout.

Pausing you watch the door, brows knitted together.

"I should go back." you hesitate, but the red seeping down your legs and the screaming of your arms and legs said otherwise.

You look towards the woods, "I need to run, She seemed to have a plan." you murmur, hobbling towards the darkness and safety of the trees.

As the laced wine slowly wore off, the pain in your body went from a scream to a bomb siren. Leaning against a tree, you catch your breath.

your vision wavered and all you want was to sleep.

"It can't be here, I need to get home." you think, pushing off the tree to continue.

Ahead of you through the night lingered a soft orange glow.

"Houses... I can say I got into a crash," you reason with yourself.

But something in your gut twisted, and you couldn't clear Amy's face from your mind. Shutting your eyes tightly, you shook your head.

"Nothing about tonight makes sense, for all you know you were drugged walking through that door." you told yourself.

"Just keep moving."

Eddie, hopped out of his Van and locked the door, chuckling to himself about the events of the campaign and what he already had planned next for the party.

"Maybe I shouldn't have left them so hopeful." Eddie thought.

A rustling came from the brush near the tree's behind the Trailer Park, Eddie paused in his steps.

Tilting his body forward for a closer look, "Did the Thornton's dog get out again?" Eddie asked himself.

With a sigh, he headed for the trees, "Hey! Winston! Come here boy!" He called in a whistle.

But what emerged through the trees was no lost dog.

"Jesus, McKinney!?" Eddie asked wide-eyed as he looked your disheveled form up and down.

"Um, I-" taking a step forward your leg finally gave way.

"No, no, no," said Eddie, pulling off his vest, he removed his leather jacket.

"Hold on, here your dress is um...kind of ripped." He said, holding it out to the shaken girl.

You gaze at the jacket in a daze before your eyes trail down your own body to examine your dress.

you gasp in mortification, "Oh my god!"

"I'm sorry." you fret.

You rush to slip on the jacket and zip it up, but every movement makes you wince.

Eddie's eyes scanned over you, "what happened? Do you...do you need me to call somebody, like the hospital, maybe?" He asked.

You feel the panic settling into your core and it matches the building panic in his eyes.

"I um...no, It's not as bad as it looks, really. I was just tired and um....the car veered off the road and-"

"You're bleeding from your legs..." Eddie muttered, eyes wandering down two thin trails of blood from your thighs to your calves.

"What? Oh, th-that... that's just" you clear your throat "My period."

"Please, I just need to clean up, and then I can walk to a payphone and call my dad." you reason.

Eddie wanted to protest, but he could see you were struggling to talk through gritted teeth. Turning his back to you, Eddie stooped down.

"Well at least let me give you a lift, My uncle's at work, you can use our bathroom." He said.

You pause, unable to imagine climbing onto his back with the way your insides were feeling, walking was hard enough.

"Um... I can walk, really." you speak quietly.

"No offense, but Zombies could walk better, come on." Eddie urged.

you sigh in defeat, you can't afford to let him get suspicious, so carefully you step forward and climb onto his back.

Shutting your eyes tight, it was hard to ignore the new pain.

Eddie could feel your hands grip his shoulders tightly and your body tense.

"You ok?" He asked carefully.

"Mmhm" you hum.

Eddie side glanced and hurried as gently as he could around the Trailer and up the steps.

Table of Contents | Next ->

#reader discretion advised #eddie munson x moster!reader #eddie munson x mckinney!reader #eddie munson angst #hurt/comfort #semi slow burn #eddie munson fanfic #semi-dark fic #angst #not suitable for minors #critique welcome #Emotional Hurt/Comfort #the Reader's personality gets stronger over time #This story is not Arachnophobia friendly

15 notes · View notes

sofiiel · 7 months ago

Text

There & Back Again : xreader addition (fem/afab)

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄:6000+ words: (CW: angst. hurt/comfort. fluff. strained family dynamic & emotional abuse. )

<- Previous | Table of Contents | Next ->

It was quiet on the roadside, you'd not heard a car or animal in the past couple of hours.

Eddie poked his head around the driver's seat, looking out the windows.

"I think it's clear." he called.

"Wait...wait." Eddie said quickly, on hands and knees, he bolted.

You leaned over to allow him to crawl past you, headed for the back doors. If you hadn't been frightened, you might have laughed.

Opening one of the doors carefully, Eddie took a glance around, everything seemed clear.

His heart beat fast in his chest and he didn't want to go outside.

"Hey," you called, discarding the worn blanket, you rested a hand on Eddie's shoulder.

"We can check together. Two to three, it's better odds than three to one, right?" you said.

Looking up at you, Eddie grimaced.

"No offense, but you're hardly in any shape to take on....whatever those 'dogs' actually are." He stated calmly.

Eddie pushed open the door a little more and stuck his head out, you watched him carefully.

"But you're scared. I might be in rough shape, but even a battered two is better than being on your own." you pushed.

You opened the second door and offered Eddie a reassuring smile before sliding your legs out of the van.

"Come on," you said quietly, walking ahead of him.

"Just, hold on a moment!" Eddie called, reaching into the van, he grabbed the floor Jack before hopping out of the van.

Eddie kicked the doors shut.

"We aren't going anywhere without something heavy." he said, rushing to your side.

"I'm not crazy, we aren't checking the whole woods just around your Van." you said quietly.

Eddie leaned over a bit, "or you know we can just get back in the van and leave, like now." he whispered.

You leaned this way and that peering through the trees, Eddie following slightly behind you while you circled about the van, observing the area.

"If those things are still close, and we ride off, we might lead them to people." you reasoned.

"They never tried to bite me, but I doubt they were chasing me for the hell of it." you said.

Glancing at Eddie, a frown formed on your face.

"There was...a bigger one." you admitted.

Eddie's shoulder sank, folding his arms across his chest uneasily.

"l-like how big?" he asked, voice cracking.

You sized Eddie up with your eyes while walking up to him. Standing on the tips of your toes, you rose your hand as high above his head as you could.

"No. We're out of here - yes we are." Eddie called, grasping your hand, he started to lead you back to the Van.

"There's no way a dog is taller than a person." He ranted on the way.

"Well... I don't think this one was exactly a dog..." you said.

You side glanced as Eddie urged you to climb in through the driver's door.

"Granted I didn't stay around long enough to find out." you murmured, allowing yourself to be herded into the van.

"I would be more concerned if you had." said Eddie, he waited for you to settle into the passenger's seat before hopping in himself and closing the door.

"We've got to go tell someone." Eddie said driving them up the road.

"Who's going to believe us if we say we were attacked by monster dogs?" you asked.

"You can't see yourself," Eddie said glancing at you, "at the very least something attacked you." He said with a worried glance.

"You....honestly don't remember?" He asked.

You sank into the seat and hugged yourself.

"Some things...but you'll think I'm crazy if I say what happened. Weird lights, doors locking themselves....and that dream?" you thought.

"But six whole days?" you wondered quietly.

Eddie stole another peek at you, your eyes watching the dash.

"Look, I only want to help. I mean....considering what the town has been through. Having a person go missing for almost a week is kind of a big deal." Eddie spoke steadily.

"And" Eddie sang in a dry tone, "you're not exactly the type of girl who runs away into the night." he said.

You looked up at him.

"I might be." you said, to which he laughed, his eyes crinkling as he smiled.

Eddie remembered the night he'd helped you phone home, "I bet you've never stayed out willingly past eleven." He teased.

You fiddled with your hands uncomfortably.

"Willingly." echoed in your head.

"No" you whispered quietly. "I've not."

The softness and sadness in the hollow tone of your words nearly caused Eddie to flinch.

Silence lingered for a moment, Eddie found it hard to focus on the road as he watched you with questions buzzing in his head.

Thankfully, for both of you, your stomach growled loudly.

"Oh.my.god." you thought horrified, shutting your eyes tight.

Eddie chuckled lightly and reached over to the glove compartment.

"See the good thing about being the weed guy," he said, leaning to reach into the bin with one hand while steering with the other, eyes still stuck to the road.

He grabbed onto a bag, pulling it from the glove compartment, he shut the bin and held the bag up.

"You kinda learn to keep something with you at all times," Eddie said, smiling.

You looked at the bag of chips.

"I can't," you said.

"How much you wanna bet if you can't remember where you've been, you probably haven't eaten in all that time either," said Eddie, he released his grip on the bag, and it fell into your lap.

You gazed at the bag, fingertips playing with the corner of the bright yellow packaging.

"If he takes me home, will Mom be mad if I broke my punishment? If it's been as long as he says...I'm clear of the deadline...aren't I?" you wondered.

With a growl, your stomach answered for you and you sighed,.

"Just shut up," you thought to your gut, opening up the chip bag.

"Thank you...again." you murmured before popping a chip into your mouth.

"I mean...anytime you need me." Eddie said, focused on the road ahead.

You stole a glance at him from the corner of your eyes and could see a faint smile on his face, it caused you to smile as well.

"Uh, and just so you know. I kinda told the cops you were missing." Eddie said carefully.

"Some lady cop, Deborah. May or may not have given your house a call." He said.

For a moment, your anxiety shot up, and then it quickly settled down.

"If I was gone that long, they're already mad. I doubt a cop's call will make it any worse." you thought, releasing a long sigh.

"Was that....not ok?" Eddie asked in a cautious tone.

You sighed again, "It's fine, I'm actually glad someone did" you murmured.

"For once." you thought.

"But I'm not surprised it wasn't them." you whispered.

Eddie raised a brow and realizing you'd spoken out loud, you quickly tried to cover up your words.

"You know my dad doesn't have much faith or trust in police." you said.

"It's just two stooges within the H.P.D that can't be trusted." Eddie chuckled.

He tilted his head and gave a cheeky smile, "You know, I actually trust the cops when it counts." He said, looking your way.

That small cheeky smile turned into a cynical grin, "they just don't trust me." said Eddie.

You rubbed your arms, which ached slightly, "why not?" you asked.

Eddie shrugged, "probably because of the legacy my old man left behind. Probably because before mom jetted off with her fancy new scam artist's boyfriend, said boyfriend left a few people in town in the hole." Eddie spoke dryly.

"And then...I'm a weed guy, who just screams hooligan!" he said in a teasing tone.

You arched a bow, "you don't look like a hooligan..." you said,.

"And how is it your fault what your parents did?" you asked.

"Apples don't fall far from trees, bullshit." Eddie said with a shrug.

"They can damn well roll, can't they?" you asked, your eyes wandering out to the road.

"I certainly hope so. I hope I don't turn out like my own mother...eh...foster mother. I hope I end up like my real one...I'd like to think she was amazing." you spoke quietly.

Eddie exhaled "Then let's say she was." he said simply.

Robin got out of the car, following Amy's confident lead towards the looming building ahead of them with tentative steps.

"This is the Hawkins National Lab?" Robin asked, she could hardly pry her eyes away from the presence the building seemed to have.

"Yeah, it's a hell of a thing, isn't it?" Amy sighed. She came to a halt and scanned the area, a long grimace forming on her face.

Amy looked at the surrounding area, her eyes narrowing sharply, "I don't understand" she whispered.

"what? Is something wrong?" Robin questioned.

"Uh, yeah - this place is empty...." Amy said, turning to Robin with wide eyes.

"Well... I wasn't even fully aware it was here, so...." Robin uttered, she pointed her hand towards the lab, "I mean you know I heard some stuff about it last year but not much..." she tagged on.

"This would have been where Loxion sent its haul...but with it closed down," Amy murmured.

"Well, then, in that case, it's good that it's down r-right?" Robin stammered.

Amy growled in frustration, "no, this is where I was almost certain ____ would be....and my sister." Amy muttered, turning back to the Lab, she gave it a hard glare.

"I want to go have a peek," Amy thought to herself, "but I can't drag this random nobody in there with me...." she murmured barely above a whisper.

"Did you say something?" Robin asked.

Amy shook her head and exhaled.

"I'm just out of ideas, this was the only one I had." Amy said, turning to Robin.

Robin offered her a half smile, "well then let's just head back, someone might have heard something." Robin said, her eyes falling on the quiet lab ahead of them.

She had to admit, it gave an off-putting vibe.

Amy heaved a heavy sigh and nodded, "sure, just...no police stations. I'll explain on the way back." said Amy, trudging back to Robin's car.

Meanwhile, You glanced out the window, you then turned to Eddie with surprise.

"You aren't taking me home?" you asked.

"Not yet, you look like I'm hauling you to a cell." Eddie said, briefly looking your way.

"And you need more than chips." He added, turning the vehicle.

"Really, thank you, but I'm good." you said quickly.

"Well then maybe I'm hungry." he said with a mischievous smile.

"And if you should want to steal a fry or two..." Eddie hummed, looking at you, his head slightly tilted he flashed her a toothy smile.

"I won't bite you." he said.

You sucked in a breath and there went that bothersome flash of heat in your cheeks and ears, at the impish look on his face.

"I'm not a fry stealer," you muttered.

"No...just a heartbreaker, then?" Eddie hummed.

"You missed my show." he teased, letting his gaze slowly travel back to the road.

"I mean, the least you could do is let me buy you food." He chuckled.

"It...things don't work like that, I should be buying you food." you said baffled.

Eddie gave a shrug, "so, next time it's on you." he said, pulling into the drive-through of the burger place.

You watched as Eddie leaned out the window slightly and called out his order to the box near the menu board.

You sat as quietly as you could, arms crossed in determination.

Eddie smirked, he could feel your stubbornness even without looking at you.

"What do you want?" He called to you.

"Nothing," you spoke flatly, though your stomach growled loudly again.

"Can you give me another minute, man?" Eddie asked the voice in the box.

"Sure thing, dude," it called back.

A long smile spread across Eddie's face as he turned to you.

"Sorry what was that?" he asked.

"I said nothing," you repeated.

Eddie heard another growl from your stomach, he smirked and pointed down at it.

"No see, she just said - She wants a medium cheeseburger with fries and a...."

Eddie paused and examined your face carefully.

"A vanilla shake?" he questioned.

"No, I don't want anythi-"

You stomach growled louder than it had before.

Eddie gave a light laugh.

"Yeah, Vanilla it is." he said, turning back to the window he gave the rest of the order.

Grabbing the two brown paper bags handed to him after paying, Eddie turned to face your glare and flashed an innocent smile.

"No turning back now, I can't eat all this myself, can I?" He asked, passing you the bags.

You took firm hold of them and sighed in defeat.

"I hate you so much right now." you murmured, and for one last time, your stomach rumbled.

"Yeah, but she says she loves me." Eddie laughed.

You stole a glance at the bright smile on his face and inwardly sighed.

"I...can't really be mad at that face..." you thought.

Eddie turned up the sound in the car and popped a cassette in. Listening to the music and watching Eddie drum his hands in tune with the music almost made the attack you had suffered, as well as all the other oddities, feel far away.

"I want to say thank you." you thought, "but it seems like that's all I ever tell him."

You hadn't noticed you were staring, the smallest smile found its way to Eddie's face as he felt his heart beat a little faster.

He needed to do something, in a minute you would make him blush.

"Jesus, she's making it hard to breathe." he thought, a light fluttering building in his stomach.

Without thinking about it, Eddie tossed you a sudden wink.

A quiet gasp escaped your lips as you quickly turned to look out the passenger window.

You could feel all the heat in your body rise from your feet to your face.

"Oh, you're so stupid, you were staring!" you mind shouted.

"I don't mind it, You are an audience I'd never tire of entertaining," Eddie said.

You could have turned into a puddle of shame and anxiety, your lungs forgot how to breathe as you shut your eyes tightly, and a cringe rolled down your body.

"Oh.my.god." you said with strained words.

"What too cheesy?" Eddie asked.

You shook your head frantically, voice high as you peeped, "my damned mouth."

Eddie erupted in laughter, nearly hitting the break as he did so.

You sulked, sinking into the seat as you listened to Eddie's laughter, your lips sucked in tight.

"This is exactly why Pat doesn't like to be seen with me." you said quietly.

"Um no." Eddie's annoyed voice sang in a venomous sing-song tone.

"Your brother is nothing more than a stray trying to impress anyone who'll take him in." Eddie said.

"Hey!" you shouted.

"Sorry." He said quickly.

You sighed and sat quietly, "so you're not all wrong." you said.

"Patrick just...he just wants someone to look up to, you know?" you said, "He can't with dad."

"Yeah, it's not like he's got a totally amazing older sister or anything." Eddie hummed.

"I'm hardly amazing, anyway. I'm a girl, it's not the same." you sighed.

"I still think your brother is an idiot." Eddie thought to himself, but he let it go for the moment.

What had started out as small nibbling at your burger turned into hearty chomps as you sat next to Eddie in the back of his van.

With the back doors open, together you looked down the small hill overlooking the commercial district of town.

You turned to look at Eddie.

"Can I ask you something? Even though it's probably painfully sad." you asked.

"Worse than letting inside thoughts speak out loud?" Eddie asked while quietly snickering.

"Possibly yeah," you murmured, fighting the creeping embarrassment.

"I'm kidding, fire away," Eddie said before popping a fry in his mouth.

You lost your nerve quickly, but you already asked about asking. Deciding not to look at him, you focused on the view below.

"Does this mean we're friends now? Cause like.... I dunno. I feel like a pain in the ass and I know you kind of didn't want to be seen with me the other day and all....but-"

Eddie started to choke on his soda as panic rose.

"I wasn't-" he tried between coughs.

You quickly sat your food down and threw your arms into the air, "up, up!" you said.

Eddie looked at you confused as he coughed.

"Arms up, it helps when you're coking on soda." you explained.

Eddie did as you said.

However, he found himself laughing at how ridiculous you both looked, but it was indeed working.

Catching his breath, Eddie sighed, "thanks, for that...but - I wasn't trying to not be seen with you." Eddie said evenly.

"I didn't want you catching me....working." he added carefully.

You looked him up and down, eyes growing wide, and you mouth tumbled open.

"What?" Eddie asked, watching your unblinking eyes.

"What?" he asked again.

"I swear it's mostly just weed and...." Eddie started to explain in a fluster when it dawned on him.

"OH!" he gasped, standing up, he stood in front of you with his hands out before him.

"No, no, I didn't mean for it to sound like that." he said.

"I was doing a drug deal!" Eddie nearly shouted.

Your mouth closed and trembled as you watched him, water slowly gathering in your eyes.

"I swear, I'm so serious," Eddie added.

You fell backward, and a loud laugh came from deep inside. You kicked your feet in a slight flutter as you held your stomach.

Eddie grasped his hair with both hands and exhaled a deep sigh of relief. With a wry smile, Eddie climbed back into the van, taking his seat next to you.

He found himself watching you laugh, you laughed like a person who hadn't had a good one in a painfully long time.

"Anyway, so now you know," Eddie said.

You turned your head and watched him from where you lay wiping the water from your eyes.

"You didn't answer me," you said, still grinning as your stomach now ached from strong laughter.

Eddie's heart thundered in the light of your smile as you lay looking up at him.

Your grin turned into an unsure smile as he watched you right back.

"It's just....I don't have many friends, you know?" you said, voice becoming quite quickly.

You slowly adverted your eyes.

"And um...um, you're actually a pretty cool guy. It's...easy to talk with you," you said now fumbling over your words.

"Oh, maybe that was stupid...." you thought to yourself, shutting your eyes.

A soft gust of wind brushed alongside you as Eddie lightly flopped onto his back next to you. He kept his eyes on the roof of the van even still he could see your eyes fly open in shock.

A faint smile ticked onto his face.

"Huh, that's funny because you're actually a pretty cool girl." Eddie said in a monotone manner that left you confused.

You turned your head to look at him, gaze fixed to the profile of his face.

Eddie slowly smiled and turned his head to meet your gaze.

"I'd be honored to be your friend," He said, his tone unusually serious, it made your pulse quicken.

Eddie lifted a finger in the air, "on one condition." he said.

"Um..." you stammered, "a conditional friendship?" you asked.

Eddie nodded carefully, but your unease slipped away as a grin spread across his face.

"You are at my show every Tuesday." He said.

"I....you really want me to see you play don't you?" you questioned.

"If you think I'm a pretty cool guy now," Eddie chuckled, with a pause, he flashed you a wickedly playful half smile.

"You're gonna love me if you hear what my guitar can do." He said, voice slightly deepening.

You quickly turned your head to look back at the ceiling before sitting up.

"Well!" you called, brushing stay bits of french fry salt off your clothing.

"I-I should try and find Robin.... She's probably worried." you said.

Eddie smiled to himself and sat up as well.

"Sounds good." he said, reaching out to close up the back doors.

Once both of you were settled into your seats, Eddie began to unsnap his leather wristband.

"What are you doing?" you asked, craning your neck to see.

Eddie held out the accessories to you "take it." he said.

You took the wristband gingerly, letting your thumbs rub the slightly worn leather.

"I won't lie... I kinda always wanted to give someone one of these things." Eddie chuckled.

Water welled into your eyes again as a strangled laugh cracked through your vocal cords.

"A friendship bracelet?" you asked, looking at him skeptically.

Eddie started the van up and shrugged his shoulders, "sort of... it's the Munson version I guess." he said.

You glanced down at the band and snapped it around your own wrist. Sitting there you couldn't stop smiling.

Eddie however sighed, "just don't let me be stuck here." He thought to himself, eyes focused on the road ahead of him.

Robin leaned against her mother's car, shaking out her hands as if trying to shake free her anxiety, she let out a frustrated growl.

"Gah! We've been at this for hours and she's nowhere. We should go to the police!" Robin said.

"No cops!" Amy called, shutting the car door behind her. "It's a small town...she can't be far." she breathed.

"Can't she? What if...what if someone got her and stuffed her in a trunk and is halfway to like the middle of nowhere to stash ____ into a lonely untimely grave...." Robin's voice started to crack.

Amy gazed at the frantic girl with a dull expression.

"And she's somewhere scared and alone...it could be a cannibal, or- or worse..." Robin rambled.

"There's something worse than a cannibal?" asked Amy.

Robin shrugged and sniffled, "I don't know there could be." she said, "I'm the only friend she's got - she depends on me." said Robin.

Amy had to admit she was starting to feel bad about the pitiful look on Robin's face the more she sniffled and paced about.

Robin leaned against the car again, kicking miserably at a rock on the ground.

"But I can't think of anyone who'd target her. ____, she wouldn't hurt a fly unless she was feeding it to her spider. She never forgets anything you say is important to you - you know?" Robin said.

Leaning her head back, a smile came to her face.

"I remember about two years ago... I wanted to see the movie "Class of 1984" at the theater, I'd already seen it three times but, they were giving away signed posters of Lias Langlois to the first twenty people in line. But I was having my wisdom teeth removed." Robin droned, she turned to Amy and smiled.

"____ gets in line three hours early for the first showing of the day and waits," Robin started to giggle.

"She was the only one in line, there was no need to. But I remember being stupidly excited to see her when my mom pulled the car up to my house. She was just...standing on our front lawn, waving the open poster about like an airport sign." Robin sighed.

Amy listened in silence, she felt like she should say something, but the rumble of a car engine hushed her.

Eddie pulled the van to a stop, "alright, we found her." He said to you with a smile.

"Looks like she might have been looking for you too." Eddie added.

You smiled briefly before it turned into wonder,.

"Amy?" you questioned, your eyes shifting between the two girls,

"How'd...." you opened the van door and stepped out, slamming it behind you.

"Well, she's not with a cannibal." Amy said, turning to look towards you.

"Huh?" Robin hummed, turning as well as she exhaled.

"Oh, thank goodness!" she called, sprinting for you.

"If you do that again, I'm gonna kick your ass!" Robin said, voice shrill as she threw her arms around you.

"I swear It wasn't on purpose." you said being pulled into a noogie.

"You'd better not! Not ever again!" Robin choked, letting you free.

You beamed up at Robin.

"Shit, what happened to you?" Amy commented, strolling next to the two friends.

You shook your head, "I wish I knew, I woke up in the woods."

You held your arms in the air to show the state of yourself, "like this..." you muttered.

"Woke up? How'd you get there?" Robin asked hesitantly.

You merely shook your head, "I don't know."

"Yes, you are leaving out a lot, but the important thing is, you aren't lying." you thought.

"That's not all of it either, She was being chased by these freakish dog things," Eddie said as he walked towards them.

He waved his hand around his face, "they had no face or…some weird not face." He explained.

"Freakish faceless dog things?" Amy asked squinting.

"They started chasing me while I was trying to find my way about the woods. Oddly enough, it was a good thing, too." you turned and grinned up at Eddie.

"They chased me straight to help," you stated.

Robin sulked slightly at the smile on your face.

"You helped her get here?" Robin asked, turning her eyes to Eddie.

"Yeah, I mean. It's not the first time." Eddie said.

"It's actually like the third time he's saved me from some sort of misfortune," you confessed.

"Do I tell anyone about the car? I thought it had to do with Mr. Ford...now, I'm not so sure." you thought.

"Well thanks" Robin said holding out a hand for Eddie, Eddie chuckled and shook it.

Amy watched you quietly, her eyes scanning over the distress your clothing and body had been in.

"Was it them?" Amy asked vaguely.

You lingered in confusion for a moment.

"Loxion" Amy said flatly.

"Oh!" you said with a fake nervous chuckle

"Play it off you don't want to worry either Robin or Eddie about things you are unsure of right?" you thought.

"Ha, good one, no!" you sang.

"Who are you?" Eddie asked, he threw his hands in the air lazily, "not to be rude or anything." he added quickly.

Amy placed her hands on her hips "Amy." she said simply.

You gave a subtle shake of your head hoping that Amy would catch on.

"Inside joke." Amy said to Eddie.

"Alright," Eddie hummed, he had to admit he got an odd vibe from the girl.

"Um, I'm gonna head home," Eddie said, pointing over his shoulder to his van as he turned to face you.

"Buuut if you need me" he said.

Walking to you he took your hand and exposed your palm.

" -for anything," he added.

You watched him take a pin out of his back pants pocket. He removed the top with his mouth and started writing on your palm.

Robin peered over Your shoulder to see a number carefully written on your skin.

Eddie let go of your hand and backed away, clicking the top back onto the pin and tucking it back into his pocket.

"Give me a call." He said, making a phone with his hands.

"Uh...y-yeah." you stammered, "thank you!" you called, recovering with a smile.

Eddie gave a small playful bow and returned to his van.

You waved him goodbye and watched until he disappeared around the corner. Your heart beat a little faster as you looked down at your hand.

"Is he the friend?" Robin asked slyly, but her eyes were silently screaming.

"Huh? Um....yeah. Now at least." you said, turning to face your two friends.

"Wait? Why'd you say it like that?" you asked.

"For anything" Amy said, mocking Eddie's voice as best she could.

Robin tried to hold in a laugh.

"It was so bad." Robin snorted.

You giggled and Robin smiled gently, she knew a good silly snort usually put you into a lighter mood.

"Yeah well... He's helped me a lot. And you know, I don't have friends just you - which is great. But I can't bug you forever." you said to Robin.

"Sure you can, I plan on bugging you forever. I'm gonna be that annoying person in the front row of your future wedding crying great big ugly tears and shooting snot everywhere." Robin said with a grin.

"You can't do that! If anyone is ever crazy enough to marry me, you're my maid of honor, you can't be in the stands!" you chimed.

"Well, I'm not standing in heels or putting on a dress." Robin grimaced.

"You won't have to," you laughed lightly.

"Hey!" Amy called out with a long frown on her face.

"Feeling left out?" Robin asked with a half smile.

"I want to know why I'm not a friend - I looked for you too, you know?" Amy asked.

You blinked a few times.

"I thought you said you had to trust me first?" you asked.

Walking up to you, Amy ran a finger along the small tears in your arm.

"I trust you, and I think you're the only one who will understand," Amy murmured, rolling up her sleeve a bit, she exposed several tiny scars randomly strewed across her skin.

Your eyes grew wide.

"I don't remember getting them either...just that I ran a very long way." said Amy.

Robin fell silent and looked between the two, she didn't like how heavy the air had suddenly become.

"It's almost four, we should really get you home," Robin said to you.

You frowned, "I don't want to go back." you thought.

You couldn't tell them that, but you wanted to scream it. Part of you was afraid, despite the danger of the day it was the most fun you had in a while.

"And the moment I cross that doorway, it's over and reality sinks back in." you thought side, glancing at the ground.

"But I am sure no one fed Shelob...she might be hungry and...I need to see if my room is still acting, strange." you pondered.

Looking up at Robin, you gave a stiff nod, "yeah, yeah, I should get home." you said quietly.

"Are you sure?" Amy asked.

"Yes...someone might be worried about me." you said, forcing a smile.

"Do you need a ride home too, Amy?" Robin asked.

Amy collected her backpack from the car and shook her head.

"No, I've actually got some things to see to." Amy said.

You gave her a stern glaze, "you be careful out there." you warned.

Amy swatted away your worries with one hand, "pftt, I can handle a few dogs, it's people that scare me." Amy said.

"I'm glad you're...mostly ok." she added, turning on her heel and heading up the road.

Robin watched Amy from the rearview mirror.

"You know It's saying something when I'm not the weirdest of your friends," she said with a slight shake of her head.

"I'm glad you're branching out.." Robin said, falling into a chuckle, "But boy can you pick 'em." she laughed.

You gave a hesitant knock on your front door, stealing a look at Robin who'd walked you there.

"They won't get too mad if someone is with me." you thought.

Robin couldn't mask the frown on her face, she didn't like how it all felt.

"They never even called anyone about it - I never saw them looking for her." Robin thought.

With a heavy sigh, she quickly grew tired of waiting and knocked louder against the door to your house.

"Who's - oh...." Patrick's voice faded as he swung open the door.

"I'm back...and I'm okay," you said, the words came out far more awkward than they should have.

But it was clear, your brother was neither overjoyed nor upset about your return.

In fact, "his eyes look like he could actually care less." Robin thought her eyes narrowing.

"Yeah, big sis - back home after six long days of not being around....aren't you happy, Patrick?" Robin asked pointedly.

"Sure I am," Patrick stated dryly.

The hollow gaze in his eyes worried you, you knew that look.

"Dads been worried sick...." He muttered, rubbing his lower back.

You could tell he was hiding a wince, and you felt your stomach drop with a cringe of dread.

"oh..." you whispered mournfully, "I'm sorry."

Patrick gave a hard roll of his eyes, "sure you are, ____." he grumbled, leaving the doorway and walking off.

You turned to Robin, who stood speechless and seething.

"Thank you, Robin. I'll be alright now. Um, I'll call you in the morning." you said, leaning in you gave Robin a hug.

"Alright, tomorrow I head off to band camp, but if you need me to stay I will." said Robin.

"No, no. You love band camp, you're the best horn player around - go. I'm ok, really." you reassured.

Robin gave a nod, "ok, be sure to take care of yourself, I don't wanna come back to find you missing again!" Robin called to her on the way to the car.

You laughed, but you could see that she was more than half serious.

"Have a good trip," you called, waving as Robin pulled out of the driveway.

Then, taking a deep breath, you stepped into the house and closed the door behind you.

"Ey oh, my lovely little Denizens! Welcome to Dodo's hit list hour here on 106.9 The Neck. Strange shit has been going down in town again my loves. And the man doesn't want you to hear 'bout it!"

The radio personality said over the radio in Jeff's mom's garage.

Eddie and his friends sat around a small card table, setting up for their campaign.

"We really need to see if they'll let us use a room in the school during the summer months, too." Scott complained.

They hardly had enough room to roll dice.

"You know animal controls finding stay cats and dogs with chunks missing from them? It's gnarly man, I know a guy that knows a guy down at the local shelter - it wasn't pretty. But we don't have coyotes, so what's the deal? You wanna call in with your theories? Hit us up after the next break, for now, enjoy some Tank, Leatherwolf and Slayer coming at you!"

Announced the radio personality.

Eddie's ears burned with what she said, and for a moment he could remember the brief glimpse he caught of the odd faceless dog.

The memory almost made him shiver.

Meanwhile, Amy ran her fingers along a set of tracks in the earth of the woods.

"They went this way." she murmured.

Following the tracks, Amy was brought to a fence marred with shallow claw marks.

"What?" she questioned, hopping up, Amy pulled herself to peer over the top of the fence.

On the other side, a pool glistened under the sunset, Amy couldn't see anything out of the ordinary in the yard and many lights were on in the house itself.

From the first-floor window, Amy could see the silhouettes of two people.

"Dudes got some kinda tall hair." Amy thought, slowly lowering herself down from the fence.

"But no monsters..." Amy thought carefully, petting the claw marks in the fence.

"though it for sure came over this fence. Maybe it moved on up the block from here?" Amy asked herself.

"No, they don't risk busy streets." she murmured.

"Which means....it found a way back in." Amy's mind echoed.

"Shit." she whispered.

She needed to investigate this backyard, but now clearly wasn't a wise time.

"I need to find out who lives here." Amy thought. "Maybe ____ will know."

"You cost me time, and the plant money, You disrespected pastor Alvin, and Mr. Ford." your father quietly seethed as he stood before you.

You'd pushed yourself deeper into the plushness of the sofa.

"The police department called the house, an officer was going to look into this house, into us. Do you know how that looks?" He asked you.

"I'm sorry I wasn't-"

"If you dare run away from this house again, I will have you tossed to the streets." you father growled.

"I didn't run away," you murmured.

"And what, you were snatched in the night? By who? What sad, desperate person would want to snatch you?" your mother chuckled in a slur of amusement, taking a large gulp of her wine.

Your eyes started to tear up.

"You guys did." you whispered.

"Or...you used to." you thought, your hands grasping at the edge of the cushions.

"I didn't run away, after the door got jammed there was a power surge... I fell asleep I guess and that's all I remember -" you said your eyes flicking between your parents desperately.

"I woke up in the woods, I don't know how I got there!" you said your voice raising as your eyes pled for them to believe you.

However, you were met with silence and lowered your head.

"I'm sorry," you said quickly, you couldn't read them, but it was better to try and nullify their anger if it was there.

"You will go and apologize to Pastor Alvin, tomorrow night." your father ordered.

"Tomorrow night?" you questioned.

Your mother took an especially long swig of her wine,.

"Mmmhmm you're going to the police office first to clear up the misunderstanding you've caused. You'll tell them you're a selfish little brat who ran away from her loving family." she said.

"But I-" you sighed, "yes of course," you murmured.

"And then after that, we're having Doctor Leah look you over - she'll give you a clear medical record," said your father.

Yo nod your head robotically.

"I'm tired, I'm sorry, may I go to bed now?" you asked softly.

"Go on, you'll need to be alert tomorrow." your father sighed.

You trudged up the steps to your room, now that your mind had little else to focus on besides tasks for the next day, you could feel how much your body ached.

Pausing at your doorway you eye the door a little ways down the hall. Music came blasting from the other side, mingled in with the sounds of some action movie.

"I shouldn't, but I need to check on him." you thought.

Preparing yourself for your brother's venomous remarks, you headed up the hall.

At Patrick's door your hand lingered in the air for a moment before knocking.

The movie raged on and no one answered. You sighed and knocked louder.

"Go away!" Patrick shouted.

"I'm just," you sighed, "Are you ok? I saw you at the door, it looks like you hurt your back?" you asked.

"Yeah, I play sports, it happens." Patrick snapped.

"Sports my ass." you muttered.

"Just...remember to ice it, and I have a spare heating pad if you need one." you offered.

"Stop trying to help, I don't need it. You should have stayed away! That's how you could have helped!" Patrick barked through the door.

"Goodnight Pat." you murmured in defeat, heading back to your room.

He was about as ok as you were, you'd known that much.

"If you told him what Dad makes you do, he'd be less resentful." you thought, slipping into your room and heading to feed Shelob.

"But he still thinks our - his family can be fixed. If I tell him, what hope would he have left?" you whispered to Shelob.

Before you could open the jar of crickets, Shelob was already trying to climb the glass.

"Hold on Shelly... I know I'm very late. But I'm glad you've managed somehow." you said.

You reach a finger into the tank in hopes of petting the spider to calm it.

However, Shelob took the chance to climb up your hand and arm, nestling on your shoulder.

"I'm glad someone in here is glad to see me." you giggled.

"And they told us Tarantulas don't get attached to their people." you said, carefully removing Shelob and placing her back inside her tank with her food.

"I'll bring you a live catch tomorrow," you promised her before heading to bed.

Your feet stopped halfway eyes lingering on the floor lamp, waiting for something to happen.

"It seems normal." you thought, your gaze slowly shifting to the window, and what you saw there made you gasp.

Scuttling over, you pressed your hand carefully to gouge marks on the window seal.

"What in the hell are these?" you wondered, inching your face closer.

While doing so, four small creatures crawled from the deep gashes in the wood.

"You're all still here." you breathed, looking down at the tiny spiders.

"You've made this your new hiding spot?" you asked them.

Standing up, you looked out the window and down at the pool, where the lamp still lay at the bottom.

"Did one of those things drag me out of here?" you asked yourself.

You glanced at the baby spiders crawling back into the gashes and then to Shelob.

"If only you guys could talk, I am sure you saw everything." you sighed, trudging back to your bed.

You collapsed into the blanket and hugged the pillow, releasing a tired sigh as your eyes closed.

Behind closed eyes, you could see the monster dogs, and your heart raced with the memory of running as hard as you could.

Then, as if clawing through your memories, you could see the larger monster.

Your eyes shot open, "It wasn't a dog...." you muttered, rolling onto your back.

Hugging the pillow, a chill ran down your spine.

"But it wasn't anything human either, was it? And it's still out there." you thought.

Something tickled at your foot, causing you to squirm.

"Ouch!" you yelped, carefully sitting up.

You drew your foot close. With wide eyes, you watched a large black widow spider working away at the shard in your foot.

Stunned you gawk as the shard finally fell out, and just like that the helpful little creature crawled away.

"Huh." you breathed.

"Did you know her Shelob?" you asked, looking towards the spider tank.

The lamp flickered and you froze.

"No." A deep voice seemed to echo across the air.

It sent a slippery sensation down the back of your neck leaving you unnerved.

"But I do," it called.

"Soon, I shall send her and her family to bring you home." the voice whispered, fading away.

You shut your eyes tightly.

"Voices?" you thought.

However, this voice wasn't in your mind, that you were certain.

It felt as if it had been in the room, in the air. You could feel the fear settling in your chest as you closed your eyes even tighter.

"It's ok... it's just the stress of everything...just lay down and sleep." you told yourself, slowly laying down.

Snuggling into the blanket, you pulled the linen over your head.

In the dark you could see Eddie's face, and feel how his gaze seemed to remind you to remain calm. You were back in the van hiding from the monster.

"Somehow now, at that moment, I think I felt far safer than here in this house." you thought.

Your fear settled down a bit and taking a deep breath you snuggled into bed.

"Try to find some rest...and think of something nice." you told yourself gently petting the leather around your wrist.

As sleep took you, you were left with the vision of talking with Eddie and his friends in the hallway of the school and the hug you'd given them.

<- Previous | Table of Contents | Next ->

#reader discretion advised #eddie munson x moster!reader #eddie munson x mckinney!reader #eddie munson angst #semi-dark fic #not suitable for minors #critique welcome

8 notes · View notes