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munsons-maiden · 2 years

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𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐

▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑

▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔

▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕 ▹ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟖 ▹ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟗

▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏

First of all, thank you so much for all the support on this series so far; all the lovely comments and reblogs and asks are making my days and I'm so happy about every single one of them🖤 I think this is the chapter I'm proudest of so far. I hope you enjoy! - Love, Kiki 🖤

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 | Eddie Munson x female reader

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 | THEN. You’re the only survivor among the Mind Flayer’s victims, thanks to your friends - but after the Battle of Starcourt, you find yourself adrift in a sea of nightmares. Until an encounter in the woods with Eddie The Freak Munson offers an unexpected life line and turns your world upside down. NOW. Four months have passed since the winter night you walked out of Eddie’s trailer and his life for good. But when the mysterious headaches and nightmares return full-force and something wicked stirs in sleepy Hawkins, starting a witch hunt against Eddie, you realize that there are two things in this world that might be more persistent than you’d thought: Evil…and love. The story is told in two timelines: the past (after the Battle of Starcourt) and the present (during the events of season 4).

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 | angst with a happy ending, fluff, smut, it turned into a fix it fic for ST4

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | SMUT (you need to be 18+ to read this story!), angst with a happy ending, attempted assault, bullying, canon-typical violence

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 | ~1 hour

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | SMUT (only read if you’re 18+ years old! virgin!Eddie x virgin!reader), unprotected sex (please stay safe in real life!), mentions of attempted assault, canon-typical gore & violence, blood, mentions of spiders

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭.

𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 & 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝, 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ♡

▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑

▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔

▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕 ▹ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟖 ▹ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟗

▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏

[Tuesday, March 25th, 1986. NOW.]

Eddie Munson had always believed in fairy tales.

At first, it had simply been because his old man had taught him to believe in them. Magic potions from silver flasks that smelled like acid and made Eddie scrunch his nose, pixie dust his dad had sold in little plastic bags, the same glittering powder which had carried his mum to Neverland before he’d ever had the chance to remember more of her than the lavender-and-rosemary scent of her dark curls or the tune of her song when she’d hummed. Treasure hunts.

Growing up, though, Eddie had come to the painful realization that it were the magic potions which made his dad so angry at times, that treasure hunts weren’t treasure hunts when the treasure actually belonged to someone else already, and that pixie dust didn’t carry anyone anywhere except six feet under – and the fairy tales had lost their glitter and magic.

Until an old book had resurfaced, a single thread tying him to his mother – and his love for stories had been rekindled by the words on its worn-out, yellowed pages.

His old man had taught Eddie that not all was gold that glittered.

The Lord Of The Rings had taught him that magic existed – between the pages of a book, and in the colorful world of one’s own mind.

And the girl resting in his bed in front of him, motionless but for the steady rise and fall of her chest, had taught Eddie that true love, the one he’d believed only to exist in stories, did exist – at the price of broken hearts.

But that was okay, fine by him, as long as her heart was beating and her chest rising and falling with each breath, Eddie could deal with the pain of a broken heart. That’s what today had taught him. Nothing could be more painful than the though of you being just…gone.

The tinkling melody of his guitar filled the air of his Rightside Up bedroom, the strings now biting his fingertips with every stroke, but Eddie kept playing because for one, he was still scared senseless Vecna would still get you, and he feared he’d climb his walls with nerves as soon as he put the guitar away.

So music it was.

Who would have thought that Sleeping Beauty would be snoozing off her own curse in his bed one day, he added in his mind as he watched you, the gentle flutter of your eyelids, your beautiful features serene.

Just like all those Saturdays you’d napped in his bed while he’d played his guitar for you. The song remains the same.

And the irony of this song of all songs being the one to break Vecna’s curse wasn’t lost on Eddie while his restless mind filled in the lyrics to the melody for what might have been the hundredth time. Someday, love will find you…true love won’t desert you…

If only a true love’s kiss held any power in reality as well.

There were a few tiny white particles left which had caught in the strands of your hair – ashes from the fire, or spores from that strange dark mirror realm he couldn’t tell – but Eddie didn’t dare to reach out and brush them away.

He would play his guitar until his goddamn fingers fell off.

The words you’d sobbed right before unconsciousness had claimed you were playing in his mind on repeat, over and over again as he was trying to make sense of them, of the flames blooming around you like wildflowers in a meadow. His thoughts felt like a ball of wool ensnaring his as he kept trying to disentangle the damn yarn.

“I don’t think you have to keep playing,” Wheeler’s soft voice ripped through the daze in Eddie’s mind, making him start a little before she sat down at the edge of the bed to glance at you. “If you want to catch some sleep, I’ll stay and watch her.”

“’m fine,” Eddie replied, wincing a little at the pain in his throat, the lingering acidic taste of smoke. He’d never been this hoarse in his life, not even after that one gig at the Hideout on a Saturday where Corroded Coffin had played for four hours straight and he’d felt like dying afterwards.

“Thank you,” Wheeler murmured now, her voice strained with the unshed tears in her eyes as they locked on his. “For saving her.”

“All I did was play guitar.”

“That’s not what I meant. After last summer…” She drifted off, the words hanging in the air, and Eddie’s fingers stilled on the strings when Wheeler went on, “She slipped away from us, after Starcourt. She never told us what exactly he made her do, but –“

“Wait. Wait, did – what do you mean, made her do?”

There was a beat of silence as he watched Nancy Wheeler’s face go from confusion to wide-eyed realization. “She didn’t tell you.”

Eddie tilted his head, already feeling his heart sink. “Tell me what?”

“Last year…the Mind Flayer got her. She was one of the Flayed. The only one who made it out alive.”

***

You were floating.

Adrift on a sea of darkness, like a tiny white particle in air of a dead mirror world, carried by the tune of a song.

Peaceful.

Numb.

There was only darkness…and a scent.

Of leather and soap, sweat and…chocolate, mingling with the faint traces of cigarette smoke, a mix that shouldn’t have smelled good but did, intoxicating and so beautifully familiar as it immersed you.

You loved that scent.

It smelled like Saturday afternoons and happiness, of kisses shared beneath a sea of stars.

Of happiness.

Of home.

For a few fleeting moments, you just kept drifting on this melody of calmness, the soft, tinkling tunes floating alongside you on the breeze.

And when the darkness started to fray at the edges, unravelling like a spool of yarn – you realized this tinkling melody immersing you was real, as familiar as the instrument it belonged to.

A guitar.

It all came rushing back to you.

Vecna. The vision. Eddie, alive, playing his guitar and singing for you to break the curse Vecna, Henry Creel, had put you under.

Eddie.

The rest of your senses snapped back to life one by one, like a row of light switches being flipped.

Your eyes fluttered open.

There were band posters plastering the walls, every letter and detail of them engraved in your mind from all the weekend afternoons you’d spent in this room, on this very bed someone had tucked you into.

Eddie’s bed.

And when you turned your head with a soft rustle of the pillow underneath, your eyes fell on the lonely figure sitting on a kitchen chair beside the bed, one knee tucked up, foot placed on the edge of the seat, dark curls falling over his shoulders as his fingers plucked the strings of the Warlock guitar in his hands to fill the air of the small space with a melody, your brain adding in the lyrics you knew by heart, just like you did the mixtape it was on.

Here we stand,

Worlds apart

Hearts broken in two

Two

Two…

“Eddie.” Your voice sounded as if you’d swallowed glass – just like your throat felt – but at the soft sound of it, Eddie’s head snapped up, his hands falling away from the guitar in his lap.

“Jesus Christ,” he breathed, rubbing his face with a soot-stained, trembling hand, “You scared the shit outta me, monster slayer.”

His voice was as hoarse as yours when he murmured the words.

There were tears shimmering in his eyes.

His beautiful umber eyes.

No eerie white robbing the color from his irises, no snapped neck stealing the life from them, no blood streaming down his cheeks.

Vecna hadn’t gotten him. Eddie was alive.

And he looked horrible. As if he’d gone through Hell and back – and the horrified realization hit you that he had.

Ashes and soot were smeared all over his face, the color matching the black of the bruises blooming on his jaw, on his temple and beneath the gash in his eyebrow you’d stitched with the fish hook what felt like a lifetime ago yet had only been hours.

You slowly sat up in his bed, the sheets falling away from your chest. “How long -?”

“Six hours,” he replied, his voice so croaky that it must have been hurting him to speak.

“Have you –“ The lump forming in your throat cut you off as you weakly nodded at his guitar, and a frayed little smile tugged at his lips as he finished, “Been playing guitar all the time? Yup. I mean, the Walkman didn’t help, so…yeah.” The half-smile grew into a timid little smirk laced with mischief when he added, “I’m gonna blame it on you if I ever get sick of The Journey.”

Love, overwhelming love, flooded you at the thought that Eddie had been by your side, playing for you, despite the bone-deep exhaustion shining in his umber eyes as he watched you tentatively now.

Your gaze flitted to the closed door of his bedroom.

You could still feel it; the call of the gate behind this door.

“How are you feelin’?”, Eddie asked softly, placing the Warlock guitar on the ground beside his chair before he grabbed something from the floor to hold it out for you.

It was a bottle of Yoo-Hoo.

“You-hoo should drink,” he said softly – and the sweet gesture, the old joke…it broke the last of your self-control.

You didn’t manage to muster a reply.

The tears started falling while a lonely, choked sob ripped from you, making pain flare in your body to make you curl up on yourself, knees tucked against your chest and arms wrapped around your shins as you let your head fall, as if making yourself small would somehow keep you from falling apart.

All your secrets, those ugly, ugly secrets you’d kept from Eddie…like Vecna’s creepers, they’d been festering, spreading beneath the surface, carving stains of rot to eat away at you, tarnish and choke and throttle until they were done with you, moving on to claim Eddie next, and the rest of your friends. The rest of Hawkins.

By opening that door, you’d sentenced them all to death.

And by rousing Vecna’s anger, you’d sentenced Eddie to a fate even far crueler than death.

“Hey,” Eddie cooed, the mattress dipping as he sat beside you, one leather-clad arm wrapping around you. His tone took on a desperate, light-hearted note as he tried, “You don’t have to drink the Yoo-Hoo, monster slayer. Pretty sure I got a can of Sprite left somewhere, too.”

His attempt to cheer you up, so utterly Eddie, always trying to set you at ease, made the tears only fall harder, the sobs rip through you with fresh force as Vecna’s words echoed in your head.

“Do you truly think your songbird would be singing for you if he knew the truth?”

Yes. Yes, Eddie would have. The boy who’d chosen kindness and compassion when anger and hostility would have been the easy way throughout all the bullying he’d had to endure in his life, all the scorn and mockery and judgement he was still facing simply for being different…you knew it without a doubt that he would have saved you, no matter what.

Eddie had been saving you from the moment he’d ripped Jason off of you that night in the woods, had saved you again from the clutches of another monster despite the cruel things you’d said, the way you’d so thoroughly broken his heart.

Your songbird, struggling in the razor-sharp claws of a cat without even knowing it. And whatever you’d done to anger Vecna…Eddie would be the one to pay the price.

You curled up against him, face pressed into the fabric of his Hellfire shirt right below his collarbone as you wept.

“It’s my fault.” You barely managed to choke out the words between your sobs. “It’s my fault, Eddie. I let him in. I let him in –“

“Ssssh, I know,” Eddie soothed, “I know. You told me – us –“

They rushed back to you, slivers of memories. Shouts amidst the smoke, Nancy, Steve and Eddie calling out your name, your own confession nearly suffocated by the roar of the fire.

“Four gates. Four killings. He’ll tear down the barrier. Hawkins will fall. I opened the door. I let him in.”

He knew. They all knew, now.

And still…Eddie was here, holding you in his arms as you wept.

“It’s okay, monster slayer,” he cooed, “I promise it’s gonna be okay again.”

You shifted, burying your face at the crook of his neck as all the pain, all the pent-up guilt and shame of those past months and the past few hours ever since that revelation of Max’s painting at Skull Rock spilled free like the flood from a dam thoroughly broken.

Eddie held you in his arms, the warmth of his body seeping through the soot-stained fabric of his Hellfire shirt, the scent of smoke and sweat and the water of Lover’s Lake which still clung to him wrapping around you while the echo of his steady heartbeat mingled with the frail sounds of your sobs in your ears and the tips of his curls tickled the side of your face as he rested his cheek against the crown of your head.

“It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay,” Eddie soothed, his voice raw and raspy from the smoke while his fingers drew lazy, soothing circles on your back and your tears kept soaking the collar of his Hellfire shirt.

He was here. The first one of your ugly secrets out in the open, and Eddie was still here. Holding you with such gentleness, as if he’d never let you go.

“It’s not,” you sobbed. “I opened the door for him, Eddie. It’s my fault. Chrissy and Fred and Patrick and Max and you –“

“The good thing about doors”, Eddie said softly, the vibration of his voice travelling through you as you kept your face pressed to the crook of his neck, “Is that they can be closed and locked again.”

“I’m like him. I’m –“

“No.” The gentle vehemence of Eddie’s voice took you off guard as he cut you off, “Listen, we’ve all done shit, ‘kay? Like, Harrington’s been a total douche. I’m selling drugs, for Christ’s sake, and I recently found out that Henderson secretly raised a whole goddamn Demogorgon. And I know you didn’t just, I dunno, rip open some door between worlds and invite Vecna over for tea and biscuits and shit, so however he got you to do it, we’ll find a way to un-do it. We’ll –“

“You don’t know anything about me, Eddie,” you whispered. You knew they’d hurt him, those same words you’d spat at him that November night – but the truth hurt. And it was time for Eddie to finally learn it.

All of it.

You expected for him to pull away, but the protective shield of his arms around you stayed as he breathed, “Yeah, you keep saying that. And I know it’s not true –“

“It is,” you cut him off, voice conquering the sobs still clawing at your insides.

And then it was you pulled away. Out of Eddie’s arms, wiping at the tears with the back of your hand as you scooted farther away from him, because you wouldn’t be able to stomach him pulling away as soon as you’d spilled the final secret.

But you’d made a decision. Had made it back when you’d still been in Vecna’s grasp, and it was a decision you should have made way sooner. Eddie deserved the truth.

It would snuff out everything he still felt for you, all the sparks your cruel words that November night hadn’t been able to suffocate despite all your best efforts. It would set him free.

How stupid you’d been then, to try and keep him away with a lie of indifference when all you’d have needed to do to drive him away from you forever would have been to tell the truth about those two days in summer.

“I did things, Eddie. Horrible things,” you uttered on a choked whimper, forcing out the words before cowardice could take the wheel. “Last summer –“

“I know what happened,” Eddie said softly. “I know that son of a bitch got you. Wheeler told me everything, when you were knocked out. But whatever he made you do, that wasn’t you.”

This trust, Eddie’s unshakable trust in you after all the hurt you’d caused him, was a dagger twisted in your chest all over again.

His beautiful eyes were pleading, shining with such warmth and compassion and tenderness as he watched you tuck your legs against your chest while he stayed at the edge of the mattress, once again cautious to give you space.

For a few selfish heartbeats, you allowed yourself to relish this expression in Eddie’s umber gaze as he watched you, waited for you to go on.

You memorized the exact shade of his irises, like sunlight falling through a glass of rich dark whiskey, memorized the tenderness in his gaze which felt like the first gentle rays of the spring sun caressing your skin after a freezing dark winter.

Memorized all of it, because once the next words had left your lips…it would be snuffed out like the flame of a candle by a storm.

You couldn’t bear to witness when that happened.

Suppressing the sobs, you squeezed your eyes shut.

Your voice was raw and strained, like ice covering a lake, ready to give in and crack at the slightest bit of pressure as you whispered, “Do you remember what I told you about becoming a cheerleader?”

It had been the most beautiful day in October, golden rays of the autumn sun spilling through the foliage of the clearing to paint streaks of chocolate and caramel into Eddie’s curls as he’d sat beside you on the top of the picnic table, the woods behind the sports field having become the twilight zone of your high school lives, the bridge between your worlds. The freak, and – no matter whether branded a slut or not – the cheerleader.

The not-so-good-anymore girl and the good-for-nothing boy.

Minutes later, he’d twirled you to the tunes of I Remember You floating from the headphones of his Walkman, right before that almost-kiss.

“I remember everything,” Eddie’s soft voice tore you out of the memory and back into the reality of the present, of the secret you were going to spill and everything the truth entailed.

“You know, when I joined the cheer squad back in sophomore year, I did it because I thought it’d keep me safe from bullies. Middle school wasn’t…a good place for me.”

“What did they do?”, Eddie had asked.

“I guess it wasn’t anything special. They did what all bullies do. Under the lead of Stacy Campbell.”

“Wait…Wasn’t she…?”

“One of the people who died in the fire at Starcourt. Yes.”

You’d never told him about the day Stacy and her minions had locked you in that supply closet, the hours spent sobbing in the dark. It didn’t matter, anyway – nothing Stacy had done to you had warranted what you’d done to her years later.

“Stacy Campbell,” you whispered. “She made my life living hell. For three years. Every day.” You swallowed against the tears, staying in the safe darkness of your closed eyes. “He made me choose his next victim. I chose her.”

The images were vivid in your mind. The Mind Flayer – Vecna – guiding your hand to grab her blonde ponytail, slam her head against the wall of the shower before she even had a chance to scream. Blood had run down the side of her face, leaving a stain on the tiles, on the blue fabric of her swimsuit. You remembered how you’d thrashed in the confines of the shadow which had locked you in your own mind, had pleaded for him to stop. You hadn’t wanted to do it. She’d been unconscious right away, unmoving when Heather had helped you tie her up with jump ropes and put her into Billy Hargrove’s Camaro while, locked away inside your own head, you’d screamed and screamed and screamed, cries for help nobody would ever hear; a battle lost before it had even begun.

“He made me bring her to him. To the old steel mill where he kept hiding. Building his…his army.”

“I’m only making you do what you always wanted to, little one.”

He’d shown them to you, all the memories of Stacy’s cruelties. The day she’d locked you in that closet, crushed your fingers in the door when you’d tried to escape. The utter helplessness, and the rage you’d felt that day for the first time, something in you breaking to release it.

A lonely sob ripped from you, momentarily stealing your next words as Eddie croaked, “You were possessed –“

“Don’t,” you whispered. You couldn’t stomach this unwavering gentleness in Eddie’s tone, still feeling the warmth of his gaze on you beyond your closed eyes, despite the ugly things you kept telling him. Not for much longer. “It felt good, Eddie. It…it felt good.”

It was as if your insides had turned into those bats, hacking and clawing at you from within as you desperately tried to stifle your sobs to get the next words out. “To make her pay. To see her screaming and terrified for once while I was the one in power. That was me. Not him. All me.”

The words, your tone dripping with the disgust and contempt you felt for yourself, rang through the heavy silence of Eddie’s bedroom, each one of them a thunderclap, too loud when they were barely more than the ghost of a whisper.

And all those clawed, fanged sobs finally ripped out of you, their force making you keel over.

Pain rippled through your body as the sobs shook you, tearing you to pieces while you pressed your face against your knees and waited. For the rustle of fabric telling you Eddie was rising from his place at the edge of the mattress, for his footsteps to retreat as he left and for the words his twin in Vecna’s trance had thrown at you.

All this time…it’s been you. All this goddamn time I’ve been running from monsters when the monster I should’ve run from was beside me all along.

A heartbeat passed.

Two.

There was the rustle of leather you’d been dreading to hear, a shift on the mattress – before Eddie’s hand took yours, gently prying it away from your legs to lace his fingers with yours. The touch of his warm skin against yours made the swarm of butterflies in your belly fly like a burst of confetti, bewilderment and shock warring in your chest as you felt him kneel in front of you on the bed.

And with a voice that hadn’t lost any of its tenderness, Eddie murmured, “Y/N. Please…look at me.”

It was strange, to hear him use your name instead of the nickname you’d come to love so much, lending weight to his plea.

Slowly lifting your head, you heeded it.

Beneath the blur of your tears, your eyes locked on Eddie’s, your heart thundering painfully against the confines of your ribcage with fear of what you might find in those umber eyes – and desperate, overpowering hope.

Eddie’s eyes were swimming with his own tears which had started running down his face, through the ashes still smeared across his cheeks.

And within…warmth. Of a sunny summer’s day.

The calloused pad of Eddie’s thumb flicked over the inside of your wrist in a soothing motion, just like he’d done at Skull Rock only hours ago, the touch fleeting and light and as innocent as the brush of a feather.

“I need you to listen to me now, ‘kay?”, Eddie murmured. “He made you do this shit. None of that was your fault, do you hear me? None of it.” He let go of your hand, both of his slowly rising to settle on the sides of your face, his thumbs catching the tears which kept running down your cheeks, the gesture filled with a tenderness that made your heart squeeze in your chest while his eyes held yours with an intensity nearly tangible in the small space between the two of you. “This son of a bitch has been targeting you for months. He…” Eddie trailed off, his eyes squeezing shut as he shook his head, and you realized that the pain in Eddie’s was for you.

For what Vecna had done to you.

“I know that,” you whimpered. “But I enjoyed it, Eddie.” Your voice had reached its breaking point. He needed to listen –

“And I understand that,” Eddie pressed, despair lacing his tone. “I understand it. Shit, you need to cut yourself some slack,” Eddie breathed, his hands still resting on your cheeks, his eyes swirling with a maelstrom of emotions.

Your eyes fluttered close, his words sinking in, meeting the echo of Vecna’s.

“We are alike, little thief. And you know it.”

“He said I’m like him,” you whispered. “Vecna. He said that’s why he chose me to open the door for him.”

“He’s lying.”

“What if he’s not?” It came out as another strangled cry. “How do you know he’s lying, Eddie? When he left, something stayed behind. And it keeps spreading. Like…like rot.”

A frail sob ripped from you as you barely managed to choke out the next words. “It keeps spreading. I can feel the gate. I feel it and there’s a part of me that wants to go through. That feels like…homesick for this place. I’m scared. I’m so fucking scared and I can’t run because what I’m scared of most is me. So how can you know that he’s lying?”

With a gentle caress, Eddie caught more of your tears, swiping them away as you opened your eyes to meet his again, your body melting into his soothing touch.

“Because he can use your shame against you,” Eddie said softly. “If you were like him, you wouldn’t be ashamed of these feelings. Shit, you wouldn’t care if you were good. The fact that this fucker can use this fear of being like him against you proves that you will never be like him. Wanting to hurt those who hurt us doesn’t make us monsters. It makes us human. And feeling guilt and shame for the part that wants revenge? That’s what makes us good, rather than evil. ‘Cause I bet my ass that fucker never felt a single ounce of guilt.”

He paused watching you, his eyes scanning yours as he waited for his words to sink in, before he added, so infinitely gentle, “And if you don’t trust yourself, trust your family of monster hunters right across the lawn at the Mayfields’, currently losing their shit because they’re so worried about you. They heard everything you said before you fainted. About the door. And not a single one of them, me included, believed that you could be some monster in disguise. Not for a single second. Trust me, okay? Because I know you. You keep repeating that I don’t, but I do, monster slayer. You are not like Vecna. And you’re not alone in this, either.”

You couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move – caught in the beautiful spell of Eddie’s gaze, this fierce trust he still held in you.

And you realized nothing had changed.

You’d finally told him all those things you’d been so sure would drive him away – and Eddie was still here. He’d stayed.

And this time, the tug you felt wasn’t that dark and twisted pull towards the gate beyond the door, but the gentle draw towards this beautiful young man whose song had saved you long before you’d even realized you’d needed saving.

Whose eyes had never lost their warmth for you despite all your ugly truths laid bare, whose trust in you had never faltered even when you’d lost yours. The boy who had been ready to walk into death alongside you because he hadn’t wanted to give up on you.

Your songbird.

And in this moment, you realized that it wasn’t the song Eddie played for you. The only thing which had mattered was that Eddie had been the one to sing it for you.

“We’re gonna make it right again.” His eyes were flashing with fierceness. “We’re gonna shut that door in this son of a bitch’s face and throw away the goddamn key.”

If you told him now that Vecna wanted to kill him, he would still stay.

There was no doubt about it now.

Eddie would stay. And if he stayed…he would die.

Your heart sank again, a stone dropped into a bottomless well.

“He will kill you,” you whispered, “He’ll kill you, Eddie.”

“You know what a guy wants to hear.”

“How are you not freaking out?”, you breathed, utterly bewildered.

Eddie’s thumb grazed your cheek in another fleeting caress as a mirthless chuckle bubbled from his lips. “Oh, no, I am. I’m, uh, freaking out but I’ve kinda been in the middle of a pretty long mental breakdown ever since this son of a bitch framed my sorry ass for triple murder and the town wants to see me burn at the stake. Shit.” He paused, taking a trembling breath. “But…I nearly lost you. And everything else kinda pales against the possibility that I could have. That you could have been gone. ‘cause I…”

His voice broke as he squeezed his eyes shut, his hands falling from your face to pinch the bridge of his nose as he shook his head as if that could somehow chase the thought away. “I can deal with whatever shit is thrown my way. As long as you’re still there.”

You swallowed against the lump in your throat, the wave of fresh tears already brimming in your eyes.

“We’ll figure this out, ‘kay?”

“How?”, you whispered.

“Together.” A timid little smile played on Eddie’s lips. “As a team. The cheerleader and the freak, remember?”

An echo of the words he’d said when the two of you had skipped classes and Eddie had taken you for a hike around Lover’s Lake to escape the relentless bullying Jason’s lies had triggered.

They made your heart squeeze in your chest – with love and longing.

And to your surprise…you believed them. For this beautiful moment, you believed that everything would be okay, because Eddie was here.

“The slut and the freak,” you corrected with a whisper, and Eddie’s smile widened.

“You always tend to forget they upgraded me. It’s the perv and the slut.”

For a heartbeat, you beamed at each other, your heart racing in your chest and giddy warmth surging through your veins, before Eddie’s expression grew serious again. “Alright. So, uh. Before we start…anything else I should. You know. Know?”

You bit your lip. “I burned down the boathouse.”

Eddie gave a curt little nod, before you added, “And I’m about ninety-nine percent certain I burned down the townhouse as well.”

Another nod from Eddie. “Yeah, you nearly burned down my Upside Down trailer as well.”

“Does it freak you out?”

“Uh, I mean, after the past few days? You know you could have told me, right? I mean, you basically told me months ago, ‘cause arson was on your impressive list of crimes against the law but, uh, to be honest I’d thought that involved a bit of good old gasoline and some matches and not, you know…your mind. And even though you accidentally nearly barbecued us, I think it’s very metal. Very Stephen King of you.”

A giggle bubbled from your lips, genuine and so utterly relieved.

Eddie was doing what he’d done for you so many times before. Making you laugh; taking the sharp edge of things and setting you at ease like nobody else could.

“Is that how you fought the monsters?”

“No. I found out about it…yesterday.” It felt like a lifetime ago that Jason and his cronies had found Eddie at Rick’s, threatening to break his bones with the crowbars in their hands and hatred in their hearts. But the fresh bruises marring Eddie’s face, peeking out beneath the soot and ashes smeared there, begged to differ. And so did the cut you’d freshly mended with that fish hook. “At the boathouse,” you added quietly.

Eddie’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait – that never happened before? Like, no accidental flambés? You just set a jock on fire for the first time?”

You nodded, and Eddie let out a little chuckle. “Good. Else I would’ve been a bit pissed that you didn’t burn down the school before O’Donnell’s midterm projects were due to buy more time.”

The way he drawled out the words made your smile widen, before another thought fought itself to the forefront of your mind and the smile slipped. “If they know I let him in…are they –“

“Mad? Shit, no. No, they’re scared out of their mind for you. They’re mad at that fucker, but not at you.”

The relief which flooded you at Eddie’s words was so overwhelming that it robbed your words as you gave him a nod, swallowing back a fresh wave of tears – and with a timid little smile, Eddie tilted his head. “So, uh. Should I start calling you Firestarter now? Is that –“

“No! No. I’m…I’m your- I’m monster slayer.”

There was relief and something else flashing in Eddie’s eyes as they flitted down to your lips now, lingering there for long enough to dissipate any doubt that you were imagining it. It made the butterflies in your chest go haywire.

And for a split second…there was this wild, desperately hopeful feeling that he’d kiss you.

Just like he’d done at Skull Rock.

It was hovering in the air between you, the memory of this stolen, fleeting kiss in the veil of night and the woods, the ghost of it still prickling on your lips to make you wonder if it felt the same for him.

There was this draw pulling you towards Eddie; a light-filled, beautiful twin to the dark and twisted urge to go through the gate…a gravity keeping you close to him like a comet in its orbit around the sun so it wouldn’t get lost in space.

He didn’t kiss you.

Instead, his expression grew serious once more before he announced quietly, “If, uh – if we wanna figure this shit out…you need to tell me what he showed you. In every trance. Every…every dream. What he said. Things that could be important. How exactly he got you to…open the door.”

“What did Nance tell you already? About…about Starcourt.”

“Everything,” Eddie said gently.

You nodded, swallowing as your gaze locked on the faded pattern of flowers on the bedsheets. “At first, there were just the nightmares. Then came the headaches. Nosebleeds. And then…the hallucinations started.” You paused, mind going back to the first time it had happened. “At first, they were…I don’t know. Contained. I would look into a mirror, and he’d be there. In my…in my eyes. Black creepers underneath my skin. And then that night last November, when we…” You trailed off, heat flaring in your cheeks. “There was this door. With a window of stained glass. A bouquet of red roses.”

Eddie’s eyes were wide – and you could see his thoughts racing, trying to connect the dots to answer all the questions you’d left him with that night.

In the past days since Eddie had been forced on the run, neither of you had broached the subject, both of you dancing around the matter – and it had been easy not to come too close. Because Eddie had been too timid, and probably too hurt and scared. And you hadn’t dared.

But now that everything else was out in the open, and only that fateful night left to discuss…the situation had shifted. You weren’t dancing on solid ground anymore; you were dancing over a tightrope. And beneath, a glaring abyss. You couldn’t give him hope.

And you still hadn’t told Eddie that he carried Vecna’s mark, as well. That Vecna wanted him dead because of you and now, after everything, there was no doubt Eddie would stay. Which mean he would walk into certain death. And that was what you needed to prevent. If only you knew how.

You waited for him to broach the subject, to start asking questions about that night you weren’t yet ready to answer as long as you hadn’t figured out a way to keep him out of Vecna’s clawed grasp – but Eddie didn’t. He was giving you time, always so considerate when asking questions would have been his every right after all the things you’d spat at him that night.

Once again, your heart squeezed in your chest as you held his gaze.

“I didn’t know it was the front door of Creel house. I only realized it when I saw it in Max’s painting, back at Skull Rock yesterday.”

“What else did you see?”, Eddie asked cautiously.

I saw you die. Eaten alive by a swarm of monstrous bats long before I knew these things even existed.

“There was someone behind that door. A disfigured hand…A claw. The thing wanted to be let in. And then, there was this…this pull.” A shudder ran through you, the pulse of the gate beyond the bedroom door laced with yours, like a second heartbeat hammering in your ears alongside your own. Like the yank of a leash. “It – he wanted me to open the door. I didn’t. And ever since that night, I’ve seen this door. Every night. In every dream. Until I opened it.”

“Why? What changed?”

You finally glanced back up at him.

You. He used you to trick me. Put you behind that door and made you scream for help because he knew I’d do everything for you. Everything.

“There was someone else behind that door. Screaming for help.”

“Who?”

“You.” You fiddled with the corner of the bedsheets. “I didn’t think. I just ran and opened it and when I woke up, I thought it had just been another nightmare.”

“They never stopped.”

“No,” you breathed. “After…” After that November night when I broke both our hearts. “They got worse.”

There was the softest rustle of leather when Eddie shuffled closer, and his fingers gently laced with yours again on the faded bedsheets – cautiously, giving you the chance to pull away.

“Is that…is that okay?”, he asked, and you gave him a soft nod.

“Yeah.”

It was more than okay. The touch made your skin tingle and sent sparks zapping along your nerves while your eyes flew open to meet Eddie’s.

For a few beautiful moments, you stayed like this, your hands entwined on the sheets, gazing at each other with this flurry of unspoken words in the space between you, your heart racing in your chest with such fervor that you were sure it would leap out of your chest and right into Eddie’s palm.

He still looked at you like this. Like you were the only thing that mattered. Like the world around him blurred when he was with you, just like yours did when you were with him.

There was something timid in the way he watched you now, something anxious in his eyes as he took a breath, opened his mouth –

With a resounding bang, the door flew open, making both of you start as Eddie let go of your hand and whirled around to the door as your head snapped up, but before you could get a single word out, you were tackled into a ferocious embrace that nearly knocked you off Eddie’s bed.

“You’re awake,” Nancy whispered, her hug squeezing the air out of you, her curls tickling your nose, “You’re alive.”

“Not much longer,” Robin’s voice chimed up somewhere from the door, “If you keep throttling her like that, Nance.”

A second pair of arms wrapped around you as Robin plopped down on the bed beside you to join the hug, and over Nancy’s shoulder, your gaze locked on Eddie, who’d scooted to the edge of the mattress to make room for your friends to squeeze in beside you.

Robin was the first one to let go.

“How do you feel?”, she asked, letting herself fall backwards and bumping into Eddie behind her in the process, “Like, do you feel like setting something on fire again? Because the one fire extinguisher we had is empty now so I guess if you set this trailer on fire, there’s nothing we can do.”

“It’s not like there’s a goddamn gate to another dimension in my living room already,” Eddie deadpanned, “But if you do, gimme a shoutout first so I can save my guitars.”

“By the way, the kids are still at the Mayfield’s trailer,” a third voice sounded from the doorway, and you met Steve’s relieved grin, “Fast asleep, and Lucas is watching out for Max so we got a while before Henderson realizes we’re making theories without –“

“You’re discussing stuff without me?!”, a voice chimed up from the door while Dustin squeezed himself past Steve through the door, before his blue eyes met yours and a relieved smile won over the annoyance as he said, “We thought we were losing you.”

The way he said it made fierce, protective affection for the boy warm your heart.

It was easy to forget that, when Will and Barb had gone missing three years ago and everything had started, Dustin and the rest of the party had been kids. Middle schoolers. And while Nancy and you had at least been teens at the time, Vecna had robbed Dustin, Will and the rest of them of a part of their childhood. When they should have stayed up all night playing D&D and telling each other horror stories, they’d been sucked into a deadly game with actual monsters and real deaths.

“Come here,” you smiled, patting the mattress between you and Eddie, “We could use your genius, Henderson.”

“At least one of you appreciates my skills,” the boy grinned with a glance at Steve, who muttered, “Yeah, feed his ego, will you.”

“Steve, not to be rude but we all know that I’m the brain of this party. And you’re the –“

“Dick,” Eddie finished with a nod, earning a glower from Steve and a snicker from Robin as you contemplated, “I’d say he’s the hair.”

“Fist,” Dustin grinned, plopping down on the mattress between Eddie and you, “I wanted to say fist.”

“To be the fist,” Robin crooned, “You’ll have to have won at least one fight.”

“Ha! I did!”, Steve called out, pointing at Robin, “I knocked out that Russian last year.” His gaze briefly flitted to Nancy, who’d been watching the banter with quiet amusement, and a soft smile curved her lips when her gaze met Steve’s, before she noticed you watching her and quickly glanced away again.

“There. I’m the fist”, Steve nodded.

“They drugged us about five seconds afterwards.”

“It doesn’t matter, Robin. I knocked him out cold. I won the fight.”

“And lost a tooth.”

“What’s that smell?”, Dustin asked, wrinkling his nose.

“That’s me,” Eddie said drily.

“You stink.”

“Yeah? I’ve been hunted by a mob, plunged into a cold lake two times, ran for my life, got trapped in another dimension which’s gate is eating my goddamn living room ceiling, and I nearly got burned into a crisp; all in a single night. If I stink, Henderson,” Eddie said good-naturedly, giving the boy a playful slap on the back of his head, “It’s my goddamn right.”

Dustin snickered, righting his cap again as he turned his head to give you one of his wide, infectious Dustin-Henderson-grins. “You should have seen him play. It was metal. Right in the middle of a fucking –“

“Language!”, Steve interjected with the mild annoyance of an overworked dad over the dinner table before he gave Eddie another glower. “He got that from you. You’re teaching him swear words, man. Not cool.”

Eddie opened his mouth for a clapback, but was cut off by Dustin who added, “There was fire everywhere. And Eddie just kept playing and singing while you were pulled to the ceiling and it was scary. So metal.”

The gleam in the boy’s blue eyes made you smile and Steve’s expression turned a little gloomy while Eddie’s gaze met yours, a slight blush creeping over his cheeks beneath the soot and bruises, just as Dustin added, “And Eddie told you –“

“That’s enough, big boy,” Eddie interjected with a playful shove against Dustin’s shoulder that wouldn’t match the pained expression in Eddie’s face, just as Nancy cleared her throat, making you start a little, before you noticed the look passing between Nancy and Robin.

“Told me what?”

“You should really drink something,” Eddie said, grabbing the still unopened bottle of Yoo-Hoo he’d discarded on the mattress, and you took it with a flinch.

“Ew, Yoo-Hoo?” Robin scrunched her nose. “That stuff tastes horrible. Like, that’s not even real chocolate in there. The girl just got Vecna’d, cut her some slack before making her drink that. I mean, who even puts chocolate into water? It’s gross.”

“Thank you!”, you exclaimed.

Eddie gave Robin an incredulous stare. “You all really lack taste.”

Steve tilted his head. “Can I get a bottle of that as w-“

“No,” Eddie quipped.

“Wow. Your customer service sucks. Now I know why you sell drugs instead of ice cream,” Steve deadpanned, and Eddie threw him a before he drawled, “We can’t all hop around in little sailor’s hats, Harrington.”

“Aw, don’t worry dingus, nobody wore it better,” Robin chimed in.

Steve gave her an exaggerated glare. “You, too, Robin? Seriously?”

“It was a very cute little hat,” Dustin grinned.

“Thank you, Henderson,” Steve quipped.

And with warmth in your heart, you realized what they were doing.

That this easy banter was their way of telling you it was okay.

There was a sudden lump in your throat.

They all looked so tired. Soot was smeared all over their faces and clothes, telling you in those six hours when you’d been knocked out, neither of them had had a chance or the mood to clean themselves up as they waited for you to wake, and Steve was still clad in only his pants and Eddie’s denim vest, the bandages wrapped around his abdomen smeared with grime and stained with blood seeping through the fabric.

“What happened in the Upside Down?”, you asked quietly, nodding at the makeshift-bandages.

“Bats,” Steve replied darkly.

And your heart ceased its next beat, your blood freezing in your veins.

“Obviously not normal bats, but killer bats. Upside Down bats.”

“Demobats,” Dustin corrected.

“These little bitches ripped a few pounds of flesh out of me while trying to strangle me to death but we got rid of them.”

“They’re guarding the gates,” Nancy added, “That’s why we were stuck there for a while. We couldn’t go back through –“

“Thought Watergate.”

“Through Watergate, yes.”

Their voices blurred into static, drowned out by the thundering of your heart in your own ears; too fast, to forceful, too loud.

They were real.

Not just some creatures from a nightmare used to terrorize you.

The voices of your friends slipped away, far away, as the memories of four months of nightmares returned full-force, of all the things you’d seen on the roof that November night. The images that had made you break Eddie’s heart.

Wings and talons and teeth pouncing down from the bleeding crimson skies, their shrieks filling the air like a chorus of distorted voices as it mingled with another scream, filled with agony and so horribly, horribly familiar because it was Eddie’s scream, from amidst the storm of these monstrous creatures.

These creatures were real. They existed in this dark mirror place, outside of the realm of your nightmares and hallucinations…and Eddie had met them already. Had fought them…

Too close. He’d gotten far too close already, like Icarus to the sun, the first blazing rays already burning away the tips of his wings.

“Hey,” Eddie’s voice made you snap out of your thoughts, your eyes locking on his in a wave of fresh panic.

He’d left his spot on the bed to kneel in front of you on the carpet, slowly taking the bottle of Yoo-Hoo from you to place it on the ground beside him as his eyes held yours, and Nancy’s arm wrapped around your shoulder.

Eddie needed to go. Far, far away from Hawkins, and from you.

You opened your mouth, but before you could voice all these things, Robin said, “Wait, what are we calling him now, by the way? Vecna? Henry? One? The Mind Flayer?”

“Henry,” Nancy stated just as Dustin and Eddie replied, “Vecna.”

“We’re going to call him Henry”, Nancy said, “Because that’s his name. He’s still human.”

“Ish,” Robin added.

“I’m not so sure,” you whispered, the image of Vecna’s rotting flesh, his spidery, disfigured claws reaching for you engraved in your mind. “He didn’t look human anymore. Not like a living person.”

Nancy bit her lip. “Calling him anything else will only make us fear him more.”

“I dunno about you,” Eddie deadpanned, “But the evil eldritch undead being from a parallel dimension with the power to kill people in their dreams as he sees fit doesn’t exactly, um. Lose its thrill just because the dude’s name is Henry.”

“Thank you for the input, Kate Bush,” Steve quipped, earning another cheeky smirk from Eddie as he nodded at the flash of Steve’s bare chest peeking out from beneath the denim vest while he quipped, “Is there a reason you still look like the love child of a Chippendale and a final girl, Harrington?”

The look passing between the two of them had lost its edge though, the bickering having simmered down to something akin of a good-natured banter that made you wonder what had happened to melt the ice which had frozen the air between Eddie and Steve only hours ago. You guessed running from monsters together did work actual miracles even on the most strained of relationships.

“That’s rich coming from the guy who looks like the chimney sweeper from Mary Poppins,” Steve quipped with an answering nod Eddie’s ash-smeared face, the soot darkening the fabric of his Hellfire shirt beneath the leather jacket, the scattering of ashes and residual spores from the Upside Down still caught in his messy curls.

“Guys, we need to focus,” Nancy interrupted.

“She’s right,” you said quietly, fidgeting with a loose thread in Eddie’s worn-out bedsheets. “Time’s running out.”

Eddie’s time.

“That’s the positive spin I was hoping for,” Steve quipped.

“Tell us,” Robin said softly. “”hat happened with the door you opened, I mean. What Vecna showed you.”

And with a steadying breath, you told them what you’d told Eddie.

About the nightmares, how Vecna had tricked you to open the door with the stained-glass roses to save Eddie. About the draw to the gates, the Upside Down calling out for you and this dark wish to heed its call.

You told them of the house on the Hill and the little boy who’d been Henry Creel, of the horrors beyond the door with the stained-glass roses, of Vecna’s collection of tortured souls and everything he’d shown you; little Henry’s past and the slaughter of his family. How Brenner had found him and the birth of Hawkins lab, of the massacre and brave little El, banishing Henry to the place now known as the Upside Down; the way this mirror realm had warped and twisted his body until his appearance matched the rot in his heart.

“And they were…they were all there?”, Robin whispered when you’d finished, breaking the rattled silence which had settled over Eddie’s bedroom. “Like, their souls?”

You swallowed, eyes closed as you gave a curt nod. “Yeah. Their souls, their consciousness…whatever you may call it. As mutilated as their…their bodies.”

“How many times did the clock in the sky chime?”, Dustin inquired.

It took a moment for you to realize Dustin’s question had been addressed at you, and another few seconds to retract the events in your mind before you whispered, “Four.”

“Are you sure?”

“I won’t forget a single second of this nightmare, Dustin. Four chimes.”

“Why is that even important?”, Steve questioned. “We know that creep has a weird relationship to clocks. Did he, by any chance, tell you why?”

“It scares him. Time scares him, I think.”

Your eyes found Eddie’s. He was sitting cross-legged on the ground in front of the bed, fidgeting with the little chain on the sleeve of his leather-jacket as he watched you. The expression in his umber eyes had dimmed, the smile which had played on his lips faded. He was watching you closely, the concern for you shining in his eyes overwhelming in its intensity.

“Four times,” Dustin echoed. “Max counted four chimes as well.”

“Four chimes make an hour,” Nancy contemplated.

“But what happens then?”, Robin pressed, panic making her voice tremble. “Do we know what happens after the fourth chime? Like, is he telling us that time’s running out?”

“The glass of the clock burst at the fourth chime,” you added quietly, your gaze firmly locked with Eddie’s. Your tether. The lighthouse’s guiding beam amidst the storm.

“What else did he show you?”, Robin pressed.

“Monsters. Spilling into Hawkins. An army of them.”

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie breathed, his voice shaking as hard as the hand he rubbed over his face, wincing as he grazed the freshly mended gash on his eyebrow, “Jesus H –“

“The gates,” Nancy breathed. “We know he’s killing people to open the gates. But why does he need more gates?”

“To send more…to send more monsters,” Robin guessed. “Through the gates. So Eleven can’t lock him out again.”

Eddie was still raking a trembling hand through his hair, sending a soft flurry of ashes and spores falling from his dark curls to the carpet as he shook his head, muted with his panic.

And he didn’t even know yet that Vecna was personally targeting him.

“But to get a whole army of monsters into Hawkins, he’ll need a lot of gates,” Steve assessed from his place by the window. “Like, a lot –“

“Fuck.”

All eyes locked on Dustin, who’d jumped up from the bed. His gaze was frantic as he breathed, “What if that’s what it is. He wants to attack but one gate isn’t enough, and that’s why he needs four gates. And if one killing opens one gate…”

“He’s one killing away from achieving his goal,” Nancy finished darkly.

“No. Four is still not enough,” Steve protested, “For a whole monster creepy-crawly army –“

“No,” Dustin called out, wringing his hands as if he were about to strangle you all with his frustration, “LISTEN to me, for fuck’s sake.”

“Dude,” Steve muttered. “We are listening. You’re just not making sense –“

“Jenga,” Dustin cut him off, nearly shouting the word.

“Game night,” Robin quipped. “I don’t think we got time for that, Henderson. Though I’m more of a Monopoly kind of –“

“JENGA! IT’S LIKE JENGA!”

There was a beat of silence as all of you stared at Dustin, who’d started to pace frantically.

“Okay, big boy,” Eddie said, “Maybe you, uh, should –“

“The tower. The – there is a wall between worlds,” Dustin interrupted, waving his hands, “Picture it like a Jenga tower. You pull away one block, and the tower still stands. You pull away two, it might start swaying a little but it still stands. You –“

“Holy shit,” Steve breathed.

“You pull away four,” Nancy said quietly. “And the tower collapses.”

“He’s been telling us his plan all along. We just never listened closely enough.”

“The earthquake,” you breathed.

“There have been more when we were in the Upside Down. Two more. Makes three earthquakes in total.”

“When the barrier between dimensions is gone, he won’t need any more gates. When there’s no wall, you don’t need to open doors to get on the other side. And when he kills his fourth victim, opens the fourth gate, it will make the Jenga tower – it will make the wall between dimensions collapse,” Dustin went on.

“Jesus fucking Christ –“ Eddie breathed, burying his face in his hands.

You waited for the realization to hit you like a punch to the gut, for terror to grip you – but you were only tired. So incredibly tired of fighting and panicking. And even with everything at stake, nothing could compare to the horror of losing Eddie. Of Vecna making true of his threat. His promise.

“Okay, we need a plan,” Nancy said as Dustin plopped down on the rug beside Eddie. “We need to kill Vecna before he can kill his fourth victim. Go back to the Upside Down –“

“No,” Eddie said vehemently, “Nope. No way.”

“We don’t even know if we can kill him,” Dustin threw in. “And before we can come up with a plan –“

“We need to figure out what’s wrong with me,” you said quietly, your voice as dark as the feeling in your chest.

“I wouldn’t have put it that way, but yeah,” Robin agreed.

At the sound of your voice, Eddie let his hands fall away from his face, glancing up at you as your friends started talking, all at once, their chorus of voices too loud as it mixed with the threat of Vecna’s voice playing in your head on repeat, a broken record.

I’ll take your songbird.

It was too much. Too much to grasp, and before you did anything else, you needed to get Eddie away, somewhere far away where not even Vecna could ever find him, and you needed to talk to Eddie alone to tell him that, make him understand –

“Stop!”, Eddie’s sudden voice rose over the noise, effectively cutting them off as all pairs of eyes locked on him, all of them surprised by his sudden vehemence save for Dustin.

“That’s not how you plan things,” he said. “Not at all. It’s chaos.”

Steve let his gaze roam over the mess in Eddie’s room, the assortment of clothes and music tapes and paper full of scrawled chords and doodles and books strewn over every surface, before he assessed, “Talk about chaos.”

Eddie rose to his feet, fierce determination replacing the utter terror which had been reigning over his expression in the past few minutes, the change like a light switch being flipped when he shifted into Dungeon Master mode.

“We can’t come up with a plan to defeat him if we still don’t know what we’re dealing with.”

Steve scoffed. “We do know. The dude is a psychopathic maniac with superpowers who wants world dominion after a little girl whipped his ass and banished him.”

“And what then, Harrington?,” Eddie drawled darkly, “Punch him in the face? As far as I heard, you couldn’t even do that with Billy Hargrove. What do you wanna do, send the little redhead in to sedate Vecna?”

“Shoot him,” Nancy said, her voice dark and even.

Eddie raked a hand through his curls – in exasperation this time, instead of panic.

Robin huffed. “I’m equally amazed and scared that your solution for every problem is a shotgun, Nance. And deeply impressed. But in this case, I’d like to hear what Eddie has to say.”

“While going in back in there to try and kill him right away might be noble and heroic,” Eddie assessed with a wave at the gate casting its eerie glow through his open bedroom door, “It’s stupid as Hell. There are moments for heroism. This one’s not one of them. There are too many questions we need to answer first.”

“Dude, this isn’t a game of D&D,” Steve muttered.

Eddie tilted his head, eyes narrowing. “I am aware, Steve.” He drawled out the name in this lilting way he sometimes spoke with, before he added, “Because if you die at the D&D table, you’ll be gone for the rest of the campaign. If you die at Vecna’s gaming table, you’ll be gone forever. So if you plan ahead during a game of D&D, shouldn’t you do the same thing when your actual life is at stake?”

“He’s right,” Dustin said, and Robin nodded in vehement agreement.

When Eddie looked at you, there was a flash of determination in his gaze, a quiet understanding passing between the two of you.

Together. As a team.

Without another word, Eddie grabbed something from his nightstand before he plopped down on the carpet in front of you again, placing the thing on the rug.

It was a black notebook.

“What’s that?”, Steve inquired, sounding a little suspicious.

Not batting an eye, Eddie replied, “Oh, just. You know. My satanic bible.”

There was a beat of silence before you snickered, and the sound put the widest beam on Eddie’s lips to make your heart soar in your chest, as the two of you stared at each other – until the moment was broken by Dustin’s giggle and the sound of Steve clearing his throat. Eddie opened the notebook and started to flip through the pages.

They were filled with notes and doodles, with the most intricate drawings of monsters and dice as Dustin let out an ecstatic squeal before he jumped off the bed to sit beside Eddie, the marvel in the boy’s eyes that of a child at Christmas morning.

“That’s your campaign notebook,” you breathed.

“He never lets anyone see his campaign notebook,” Dustin breathed in awe, reaching out to touch the booklet, but Eddie gently swatted his hand away.

“Only for Dungeon Masters,” he admonished half-heartedly as he kept flipping through the pages, “You’re not a Dungeon Master, Henderson.”

“Hurry up, man,” Steve muttered, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he threw Eddie’s back an annoyed glance, “We don’t have all night.”

Eddie stopped at an empty page, ringed hand smoothing out the page before he grabbed the pen clipped to the back cover.

“You might be the slayer of monsters,” Eddie drawled with a grin up at you, drawing out the words to a musical lilt, “But I’m used to making them dance like little puppets on my strings.” He wiggled the fingers of his free hand in the air before he glanced back down at the page. “Okay, so. Uh, we got your superpowers, obviously.”

The pen flew over the page as Eddie doodled a little flame into the left corner.

“Then we got Vecna slash the Mind Flayer slash – yeah, you know.”

“Henry,” Nancy corrected pointedly.

“Henry,” Eddie echoed with a nod.

Silence fell over the group, filled only by the soft scratch of the pen on the paper, the persistent call of the gate only you could hear, its force weakened as you watched Eddie.

With growing fascination, you watched the movement of his hand while he guided the pen across the page with skilled, quick strokes, the rings on his hand glinting to trigger the memory of how it had felt, the brush of their smooth metal on your skin when Eddie’s calloused hands had wandered over your body, sending you into ecstasy.

Even with the exhaustion carving shadows underneath his eyes, the bruises nearly as black as the soot still smeared across his pale features, Eddie was beautiful. One of his hands shot up to card fingers through the curls of his bangs falling into his face, the little chain on his leather jacket’s sleeve tinkling softly with the motion, and while he kept drawing with his other hand, he poked out his tongue like he always did when he focused on something. It was so him, that the surge of love flooding you momentarily stole your breath away.

“Henry…and the Upside Down” Eddie muttered, ripping you from your silent reverie, and your eyes quickly flitted down to the finished doodle of a crowned skull, looking more like the design for an actual tattoo than a quick doodle. He was truly skilled.

His head lifted as he glanced up at you, a soft smile playing on his lips when he said, “And we got you.” He added a little sword in the opposite corner of the page. It made you smile.

“Since when did you know you could do the fire-thing, by the way?”, Robin interjected.

“Since yesterday.”

“When you burned down the townhall?”

“Nope. When I burned down the boathouse.”

“Actually,” Eddie grinned, “She didn’t burn down the boathouse, she set Chance on fire.”

“Dude,” Steve commented.

“You’re a superhero,” Dustin exclaimed. “Like El.”

“I’m not.”

“It’s pretty fucking awesome,” Robin smirked, “To set fire with your mind. On our next movie night, we could make smores without ever having to make a fire.”

“There won’t be any next movie night,” Steve said grimly, “If we don’t hurry.”

“Can you move objects as well? Like El?”, Dustin asked, excitement widening his eyes.

“I’m pretty sure I can’t. It’s only fire, as far as I can tell.”

“If you only know since yesterday, maybe you can do more.”

“I’m sure I can’t.”

“Dustin’s got a point,” Nancy said, “If you’ve only known since yesterday –“

“I’m not like El, okay?!” They fell quiet, watching you as you took a deep breath, before you repeated, calmer this time, “I’m not like El. I don’t know where this is coming from but I know I’m not like El.”

“Henry is like El,” Nancy mused.

“But what do we even know about superpowers?”, Robin inquired, narrowing her eyes on the doodles in Eddie’s notebook. He was tapping the pen against the page, chewing his bottom lip as he narrowed his eyes on the drawing of the flame. You could basically see the wheels churning in his mind.

“We know El has been born with her powers,” Dustin said. “And so has Henry.”

“So does it work, like, I dunno, the Force?”, Eddie wondered, giving Dustin a thoughtful glance.

“What’s the Force? What’s he talking about?”

Robin groaned. “Steve! Star Wars?”

“Dude, how are you even working at a video store?”, Eddie wondered, throwing Steve a glance over his shoulder.

“It’s honest work,” Steve quipped, “Opposed to selling drugs.”

“It’s not that honest if you keep recommending movies you haven’t even watched,” Eddie retorted with a drawl.

“It’s the one with the teddy bears,” Robin groaned, and Steve’s face lit up as he nodded in recognition.

Nancy sighed. “Can we focus?”

“The ability to control the Force,” Eddie said slowly, as if talking to a child, “Is something you’re born with.”

“And since El and Henry have been born with their powers, and we don’t know anyone who somehow acquired them,” Nancy deduced, “It’s safe to assume you were born with them.”

You cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t you think I would have known sooner if I was?”

“Maybe you didn’t notice,” Eddie wondered.

“I’m pretty sure I would have noticed things randomly going up in flames around me.”

“Okay, then…what triggered it?”, Dustin wanted to know, leaning forward.

“Panic.” For Eddie. It had always been your panic for Eddie to trigger this strange power.

Robin snorted. “It’s safe to say you weren’t born with it, then. I guess in those three years of Upside Down business, you’d have noticed if your panic had set something on fire.”

“We could put it to the test,” Dustin proposed.

Steve scoffed. “Okay so what, we’ll just, like, hold her at gun point? Is that your plan, Henderson? That won’t work. She knows we’d never hurt her.”

“It was never panic for myself,” you corrected quietly, cheeks burning. “The first time, it was when Jason and his friends locked me up at the townhall after they found out about Eddie hiding at Rick’s. The second time was at the boathouse, when they…when Jason wanted to hurt Eddie. And the third was in my trance.”

“What did he show you?”, Robin asked quietly.

There it was again, this horrible image which had burned itself into your mind like the letters set into a tombstone, the newest addition to your own collection of horrors. Eddie’s eyes, the white of freshly fallen snow, tears of blood running down his cheeks.

“Eddie’s death,” you whispered.

There was a beat of silence, before Steve quipped, “Wait, so we’re gonna need to hold Eddie at gun point? Because yeah, I can do that.”

“Okay, we’ll – stop. Nobody is going to be held at gunpoint,” Nancy interjected, earning her a raised eyebrow from Robin who commented, “Says Miss Gunpoint.”

“You held me at gunpoint,” Steve protested with a flirtatious little smirk at Nancy, “But you won’t hold him at gunpoint?”

“You were acting like a jerk,” Nancy replied softly, the barely suppressed smile on her lips as telling as the beet-red blush on her cheeks before Robin interjected, “Have you seen Eddie’s huge brown doe eyes? We can’t hold him at gunpoint even if we wanted to. That would be like threatening Bambi.”

You couldn’t tear your gaze away from Eddie, whose eyes were wide as he stared at you, their intensity making your skin prickle, a flurry of unspoken questions swirling in the umber of his eyes alongside all the emotions shining there – but the moment was broken when Dustin called out, “Will! Will got powers”, making Eddie start a little with the sudden exclamation.

“He can feel the Mind Flayer. Vecna.”

“Henry.”

“The point is,” Dustin went on, ignoring Nancy, “He can feel him.”

“That’s a connection, not a superpower,” Nancy protested. “It can be used as a superpower, but it definitely doesn’t count as one.”

“’kay, let’s focus on connections then,” Eddie said slowly, before his gaze met yours and his voice took on a gentle hue. “Do you still feel it?” It was a softspoken question, his tone timid as if he were worried to distress you. “The gate, I mean.”

You gave him a slow nod, before you whispered, “All the time.”

You could feel Dustin’s blue eyes on you as he inquired, “What does it feel like?”

“Alive.”

Eddie furrowed his brow, tilting his head as he waited for you to go on.

“It’s…it’s like a heartbeat. Not the gate in itself, it’s more…it’s more where it leads.”

“The Upside Down.”

“Yeah.”

There was a beat of silence as Eddie nodded, and you went on, “As far as I can tell, Will never wanted to go back to that place.”

“He didn’t,” Dustin agreed. “He was scared of it.”

“I don’t think speculation will lead us anywhere,” Nancy groaned.

Robin patted her back. “We’re in the brainstorming phase.”

“We’ll never move out of the brainstorming phase at this rate,” Steve quipped. “We’ll be stuck in the brainstorming phase when Vec- Henry sends his monsters.”

“No, sorry. I can’t do that,” Robin muttered, “I can’t call this guy Henry. It’s…he’s Vecna now. I’m going to call him Vecna.

Dustin glanced up at you. “Do you have any idea why Vecna needed you to open the door?”

“I didn’t even know I was opening a door for Vecna when I did it,” you said quietly. “I didn’t know.”

“But why?”, Dustin wondered, “Why did he need someone to open the door, and why did he choose you?”

“He chose me because El and Will were already too far away, in Lenora. He said it himself. And I guess he needed someone who at least had a connection to him. And since I was…I was flayed…”

“Your connection to him is the same as Will’s,” Dustin said.

You nodded.

“I’m confused,” Steve announced.

“You always are,” Dustin retorted.

“I get that he needs an open gate to come into our Hawkins,” Steve said, giving Dustin an indignant glower, “But – physical gates. What did you open? Where?”

“That’s actually a good question, dingus.”

“Thank you, Robin,” Steve retorted indignantly. “I’m just saying, why did he even manage to target you in the first place, because I was pretty sure as long as he was locked on the other side, he was powerless.”

There was a beat of silence before Dustin muttered, “Shit. I never thought about that.”

“What else did he tell you, monster slayer?”, Eddie asked softly, tilting his head a little as he caught your gaze.

It was only then that you noticed what had escaped you before, because you’d hardly ever been anything but alone with Eddie. But now that the others were around for longer, you realized that, while he was charming and kind and sweet with everyone, this special kind of softness in his voice, his eyes…it was meant for only you.

You closed your eyes.

“When I’m done with you, when I have taken back what is mine, what you stole from me – I will take your songbird.”

Your blood froze with the realization of the glaringly obvious variable which had slipped your notice.

“Little Thief,” you whispered, realization barreling through you with such force that you jolted from the bed as it hit you. You needed to move. “Oh my god. He kept calling me Little Thief. He said I stole something from him.”

“Stole,” Eddie repeated slowly.

“I thought he meant his victory. We all stole his victory from him. We stopped him, and I thought he was angry with me because he was angry with all of us but…” You trailed off, pressing the heels of your hands over your eyes, watching the pattern of tiny white dots dance through the darkness of your closed eyes as your mind was going a mile a minute.

“What if he meant something else?”, you whispered, eyes flying open to look at Eddie.

You could feel it, passing like a spark; the idea flashing in Eddie eyes as he froze mid movement when realization hit you like a truck, the final missing piece of the puzzle falling into place.

“You stole something from me. Something valuable. And before I take it back…I’ll steal the most precious thing from you, little thief.”

“The most precious thing,” you breathed, your voice barely more than a susurration in the air as you echoed Vecna’s words, “He told me I stole the most precious thing from him.”

“Monster slayer,” Eddie’s soft voice made your head snap up. He’d risen from his spot on the ground, standing in front of you now as his umber eyes scanned your face, his dark curls standing on edge from all of his nervous raking-through them, his eyes wide, realization taking root in his mind. He looked breathless, as if he’d run a marathon. “What you said to me earlier. About something…something staying behind. Do you remember the moment he left, last summer?”

[Thursday, July 4th, 1985. THEN. THE BATTLE OF STARCOURT.]

The world had descended into flames and agony, the heat on your skin unbearable, the cacophony of voices blurring around you as you screamed, as this thing inside your head screamed.

All you wanted was for it to stop. Stop stop stop stop STOP “STOP STOP STOP STOP STOOOOOP!”

“Higher.”

“It’s killing her!”

“That means it’s working.” The boy’s voice was barely audible over the noise of your tormented, broken screams.

“LET GO! LET ME GO! LETMEGOOOO!”

“Scratch out their eyes,” The thing in your head commanded. “Tear the skin from their bones, rip out their hearts –“

There were horrible images in your head.

NO.

And something happened.

The creepers around your mind…they started to loosen.

Their chokehold around that dying spark that was left of you was fading as if these vines of shadow were hurting.

As the heat was burning it away.

Scorching it, melting it.

And that ember which was left of you flared to life with hatred for this writhing, creeping shadow which had locked you up in your own mind and had forced you to do its evil bidding.

It had taken something from you. Something you would never get back.

Now it was your turn to take something in return.

There was a girl’s angry scream lacing with your own in the scorching air as an invisible force ripped the darkness out of you – and you lashed out at this vile, dark shadow in your head, making it screech and hiss and writhe in your mind’s grip.

You wanted to hurt it like it had hurt you, tearing and ripping at it as it was forced out of you, black mist rising from your lips as the contorted scream of this thing turned into your own.

The pillar of black smoke bursting from your lips and into the air with a shrill noise, like nails on a chalkboard, burned itself into your memory as someone loosened the ropes around your wrists, a pair of arms pulling you backwards, and a familiar voice soothed, strained with the sob she was holding back, “We got you. It’s gone. He’s gone – right?”

“Yes,” El replied, the back of her hand swiping at the blood which was drip-dropping from her nose. “Gone.”

And this time when the darkness crept in at the edges, it was a peaceful one.

Of exhaustion and relief, as your quiet sobs stole your voice, and the darkness stole your sobs.

Yes, the monster was gone.

But it had left something behind, something you’d ripped away from it.

A sliver of a shadow, a dark fingerprint on your soul. A stain, black like tar, soaking through the fabric of your very essence.

Spreading.

[Monday, March 25th, 1986. NOW.]

It crashed over you like an icy wave, knocking you off your feet and making you sink to the floor, slowly, as Eddie’s hands shot out to grasp your elbows, holding you as he slowly knelt in front of you.

The memory had been buried underneath all the pain of this moment, a thousand razor-sharp blades ripping your body and mind to shreds as they’d burned the black smoke out of you.

As you’d lashed out at this twisted, evil thing in fury and hatred.

Something had stayed behind.

You did this to yourself, Vecna had said. Because you had.

“I wanted him to hurt the way he hurt me,” you whispered, eyes locked on Eddie’s, concern and bewildered realization brimming in them. “When he left, I…I think I lashed out. And something…ripped away. From him.”

“Holy. Fucking. Shit,” Robin’s whisper filled the stunned silence.

And with this one missing piece, the whole puzzle came together, all the lose pieces falling into place.

“You stole some of his powers,” Eddie breathed, an incredulous laugh bubbling from his lips, “Jesus Christ, you stole some of his goddamn powers, monster slayer. That’s the most badass shit ever.”

“And when I’m done with you, taken back what is mine – I’ll take your songbird.”

Vecna’s words, playing on repeat in your head, drowning out the chaos which had erupted at the realization, your friends talking all at once, their words blurring to background noise.

“Hey, you okay?”, Eddie murmured, the smile slipping at the sight of whatever it was that was shining in your eyes.

No. Things were as far from okay as they could get.

Misinterpreting your terror for being overwhelmed, Eddie shouted, “Stop!” – and to your surprise, the others obliged again, the havoc dying down at once to make room for another crestfallen silence.

“That’s why I can feel the gates,” you breathed. “That’s why part of me wants to go there.”

Amidst all the panic, there was a wave of temporary relief flooding you, because…there wasn’t something fundamentally wrong with you. This part of you that wanted to go to the Upside Down, that purred at the sensation of the dark pulse of the gates thrumming through your blood, this homesickness you were feeling for this horrible mirror realm…this, at least, wasn’t you…was it? Did it belong to you now?

“What does that mean about the gates?”, Dustin blurted, and Eddie stretched to grab his notebook from where he’d discarded it on the floor, the hem of his Hellfire shirt riding up to expose a sliver of his stomach, revealing a glimpse at the path of his happy trail dipping below the waistband of his ripped jeans –

Maybe there was something fundamentally wrong with you.

At least the tug in your chest at the brief glimpse of Eddie’s happy trail wasn’t whatever part you’d ripped away from Vecna’s power but your own damn mind.

Silver linings.

You rose on shaky legs to place yourself back on the mattress, between Robin and Nance, watching as Eddie grabbed the pen Dustin extended for him.

“’kay, let’s sum this up. Monster slayer stole a part of Vecna’s power –“ he connected the doodle of the flame with Vecna’s skull, and then your sword, “Which means that part of his power is the bridge between you and him.” Another line, this one to connect the sword with the doodle of the skull to form a triangle. “That’s why he’s been able to target you.”

“Which leaves the connection to the gates,” Dustin added, watching as Eddie drew a door into the middle of the triangle.

“So he needed Y/N to open a door for him,” Nancy summed up, “Because…why?”

Eddie looked up from the notebook, gaze flitting between all of you as he said, “You said when the gates closed, his uh, hosts always died. Right?”

“Yes.”

“Only that Y/N wasn’t a host. The part she stole from him – that wasn’t possession, because she made it her own by ripping it off of him when he left.”

“Are you trying to say –“

“It’s hers now.” Eddie’s eyes found yours. “It belongs to you more than to him, but – it’s like a bridge between the two of you. A living part of him remaining here –“ he tapped the pen at the sword symbol, “While the rest of him is in the Upside Down. It’s…it’s like –“

“A relay!” Dustin called out, and when there was silence as all of you stared at him, he let out an exasperated sigh. “Really? A relay? Never heard of that?”

“Just explain it then, Dustin,” Nancy replied with equal exasperation.

“Fine. It enhances RT signals. Think of Vecna as an RT unit. He’s in the Upside Down, and his signals can’t reach our Rightside Up Hawkins because the wall between worlds is too thick for them to pass through and he’s too far away. But if there’s a relay on the other side to enhance the signal, it will be strong enough.”

“So I’m his relay,” you breathed as Eddie added, “That’s how he managed to target Max and the others. The part of him you stole enhanced his signal.”

“Exactly,” Dustin nodded, his happy little grin a little out of place as scientific enthusiasm got the better of him.

“That’s what the door was,” you breathed. “Not an actual gate, but a connection between us. And by opening it, I became his relay.”

“Exactly!”

“Dustin, you’re aware we’re still talking about murder and not a science fair, right?”, Steve admonished, sounding a little like Ted Wheeler.

Eddie’s eyes met yours. “And with every victim he killed…”

“…more gates opened,” you finished.

He nodded. “And that’s why your powers only acted up two days ago. They’re still connected to the Upside Down, to their origin.”

“Which means if the gates closed, I couldn’t set things on fire anymore.”

“Holy fuck,” Dustin breathed. “We cracked the code.”

“I’m getting a migraine,” Steve murmured.

“Steve didn’t crack shit,” Robin chuckled.

“Wait,” Dustin spluttered, “Wait, does that mean you could tap into the hivemind?”

“In my trance, I could,” you said slowly, “But I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work like that.”

“We still need to see whether we can train you.”

“Train me? When? Vecna is going to trigger the apocalypse in what could be hours, I don’t have time to become a Jedi.”

“A what? What’s that?”

“Star Wars,” Robin and Eddie admonished once more, and this time, the glare Steve threw Eddie was murderous. “You know, I’m not being a bitch about you obviously having no clue about basketball, Munson.”

“Okay,” Nancy announced, rising from her place on the bed to walk to the window, “With everything we know now, the basics of the plan still stand.”

“Yup. The plan,” Eddie echoed, flipping the notebook shut with a soft clap as you furrowed your brow.

“It’s easy,” Dustin explained, turning to you. “Before you went unconscious, you told us that Vecna is Henry is One so he’s human, he’s like El.”

“Just in the grown-up evil child-murdering psychopath version,” Robin added helpfully.

“Which means when he uses his powers, he goes into a trance-like state. He has to enter the Void. Like El. Which makes him vulnerable.”

“And killable,” Steve threw in.

“And killable,” Dustin agreed.

“The killable part is the most important,” Robin added.

Nancy turned away from the window, her gaze finding yours, “So the plan is simple. Max will ditch Kate Bush and make herself vulnerable, baiting him.”

Your mind was reeling.

“She what?! You can’t –“

“We already discussed that,” Dustin interrupted.

“The little redhead won’t take no for an answer,” Eddie mused darkly.

Nancy went on, “And when he’s in the Void to get to Max, we’ll draw the bats away from his lair and kill him.”

“Like sleeping Dracula in his coffin,” Dustin grinned. “And we’ll drive the stake right through his heart.”

“Wait,” you breathed, “The bats. How –“

“I’ll divert them,” Eddie said, giving you a proud little smirk, “With my guitar. Lure them away long enough for team Stab Dracula to succeed. No more running. I’m done being Eddie The Banished. Time to become Eddie The Brave.”

“No.” It came out as a hollow whisper – but Eddie’s timid little smile vanished as if you’d slapped him.

You felt frozen. As if your blood had turned to ice as shock and panic and terror flooded you in a tidal wave, pulling you under, robbing the air from you and making your heart race with the despair of the forlorn as Eddie’s death cries, the soundtrack of your nightmares, rang through your mind, loud as a bell.

I’m going to take your songbird.

And your songbird was about to present himself to the cat on a silver platter.

“No,” you breathed, repeating the word, “No, you can’t do that.”

The hurt in Eddie’s eyes throttled your words of explanation as despair clawed its way up your throat.

“You think I can’t be the diversion ‘cause I haven’t slain a monster before?”, Eddie challenged quietly.

“That’s not what I said.”

“It sounded pretty much exactly like you thought it.”

“It kinda did,” Steve said quietly.

“It’s not what I meant.”

“Okay, I mean, he’s the diversion,” Steve interjected, raising his hands, “It’s not like he’s going in there with us, I’m sure he’ll handle it.”

You knew Steve well enough to tell he hadn’t been thinking about the impact of his words, focused on soothing your own terror – but you could see those words had struck home with Eddie. You remembered all the times he’d scolded himself for running away when Chrissy had died, the shame he felt about leaving her there even though there had been nothing he could’ve done to help –

“I fought those things before,” Eddie said quietly, averting his gaze from you – and that was the worst. “A few hours ago.”

“Well, four of them,” Robin added with a little wince, “Not, like, the swarm of hundreds you’ll be running from once they get to you.”

You could feel the bile rising in your throat, the culmination of images, one crueler than the other, was pelting down on you with the force of a hailstorm. You were going to be sick. You were –

“Please don’t. You can’t do that,” you choked out, and the betrayal in Eddie’s eyes when they finally met yours again was a knife through your heart. “Eddie –“

“So, uh, what else should I do? Stay on the playground with eleven-years-old Erica Sinclair?”

“Leave. You’re wanted for murder. Leave Hawkins and –“

Even Steve scrunched his nose in a muted wince as you blurted the words, panic stealing every sense and filter because you needed to keep him safe, needed to keep him away from the Upside Down and Vecna and his killer bats.

“I’m done running.” Eddie’s voice wasn’t harsh, or sharp. Just determined. As if he wanted to prove himself.

“Okay,” Nancy interrupted, her voice a little too loud, a little too high-pitched, “I think we’re all tired and done for today.”

“Done?”, Dustin echoed, “We need to fight!”

“And to do that, we need to have some rest and prepare ourselves.”

Dustin deflated a little at Nancy’s tone.

“You know, that’s the exact same mistake you keep making when playing D&D,” Eddie said softly, climbing back to his feet and discarding the notebook on the bed beside you before he gave Dustin a playful shove on the head, “Always charging ahead no matter the consequences ‘cause you’re so goddamn impatient.”

It sounded good-natured – and it sounded worried.

Dustin glanced up at Eddie, and the admiration in the boy’s eyes warmed your heart, though the feeling subsided as you saw the strange expression in Eddie’s eyes when he sat on the bed beside you. He didn’t look angry or even hurt – he looked curious.

“Are you having a book club session over here or why are you taking so long?”, a voice chimed up from the door.

“Erica,” Nancy said, “Wait, is everything okay with Max?”

“She’s asleep,” the girl retorted, crossing her arms in front of her chest with her usual not-taking-any-bullshit-expression. “So?”

“We cracked the code,” Dustin grinned.

“Okay, so when we actually want a bit of rest before tomorrow…”, Nancy began, and Robin was quick to fill in her pause, a smirk on her lips, “I guess we’ll need to guard the gate.”

Eddie eyes widened. “Do you think anything will try to…get through tonight? Like, like the bats or shit?”

Eyebrows raised, Dustin said, “I don’t think we need to – “

“Guard it all together,” Nancy cut him off.

Robin’s smirk widened. “Definitely not, good point, Henderson.”

“That’s not –“

“We’ll split the night shift into teams so the rest will catch up on sleep in the meantime, and a shower.” Robin angled her head to sniff at her shoulder, scrunching her nose. “Because we stink.”

“Yes, you do,” Erica added helpfully.

“Yeah?”, Steve muttered, “You go through a lake to another dimension and run from monsters that want you as their starter course and we’ll see how good you’ll smell.”

Erica gave him a side-eye. “And are you gonna be whining about that for the rest of the night like a crybaby, Steve? ‘Cause then I’d like to not be teamed up with you. Are we done chit-chatting teams now or is this a damn game night?”

“Okay,” Nancy breathed, pinching the bridge of her nose, “Just…let’s not make a big deal of it. The kids will stay at Max’s and the grown-ups will guard the gate in three-hour-shifts. Y/N and Eddie, you can take the first shift.”

You met Eddie’s gaze, shining with something you couldn’t quite pinpoint yet, and that frizzy, bubbly giddiness returned to your chest full-force at the thought of being alone with Eddie again. And relief, because three hours hopefully would be enough to convince him to leave and save himself.

“Robin, we’ll take the second one,” Nancy went on, “And Steve can watch the kids over at –“

“No,” Steve interrupted, “I’m not playing babysitter again.”

“We’re not babies,” Erica shot back, “I’m eleven.”

“Good,” Steve exclaimed, running a hand through his hair before he plopped down on the bed. Right between you and Eddie, half-sitting on Eddie’s lap who scooted farther to the side to make room with an annoyed mutter of, “Great. Thanks, dude,” which Steve commented with, “Well where am I supposed to sit, on the ground?”

“Well, right now you’re sitting on my lap.”

“Well, you could scoot over and make room for one more. It’s a big bed.”

Eddie quipped, “Are we back to the problem how many people plus your ego will fit?”

“I’ll be joining Y/N and Eddie,” Steve announced, wiggling a little in his new seat between the two of you, forcing Eddie to scoot away even farther to begrudgingly make room, “Guarding the gate. It’ll be fun.”

“Which gate will you be guarding?” Robin asked with a sardonic smirk.

Her words set your cheeks ablaze, and you found yourself glad for now that Steve had placed himself between Eddie and you.

Louder, with a shit-eating grin on her face, Robin drawled, “Actually, dingus, somebody’s gotta watch the kids and I figured it was my turn. I’d have proposed you and Nance could team up so you wouldn’t have to babysit for once.”

The glance Robin gave you wasn’t as subtle as she might have thought.

Nancy’s eyes screamed murder at Robin before they caught Steve’s, and in the periphery of your vision, you could see Eddie trying to catch your gaze while you were having a hard time ignoring those big brown eyes because your face still felt as if it would go up in flames any second now.

But once again, the draw to Eddie was stronger, robbing every last ounce of your self-restraint. When you raised your head and turned to look at him, he asked, “You okay with this? If you wanna go join the party over at red’s trailer and get some rest –“

“No,” you replied quickly, just as Robin announced, “Monster slayer here slept through the past six hours, I’m pretty sure she’s the most well-rested one of us all.”

“Good,” Nancy announced, striding out of Eddie’s room, “Let’s go over to Max’s, then, and have some rest.” With a glance at you and Eddie, she added, “Thanks for taking the first shift, you two. See you in three hours.”

Three hours alone with Eddie.

Three hours to tell him the final truth about Vecna’s plot of revenge and talk him out of this stupid plan.

While Robin threw you another not-so-subtle wink, Steve looked as if he couldn’t decide whether to feel annoyed by the thought of Eddie and you being left alone for three hours, or giddy at the prospect of spending the same amount alone with Nancy, and the resulting expression in his face would have been almost comical, hadn’t your own nerves turned into a jangled mess.

You wanted to be alone with Eddie, so much so that it felt like a painful eternity as everyone made their way to the trailer’s front door – but you knew that this time, there wouldn’t be any more stolen kisses like the one at Skull Rock, in blissful ignorance of everything else that had happened.

Fiddling with the hem of your sweatshirt, you watched as Erica, Robin and Steve stepped into the sunset outside, painting the sky above the Forest Hills trailer park in shades of vibrant oranges and crimson that reminded you of the skies in Vecna’s lair, sending chills down your spine.

Nancy was the last one to exit the trailer.

Her hand on the doorhandle, she turned around, throwing you a meaningful glance over her shoulder.

You knew she was thinking about the things she’d said to your earlier at the shore of Lover’s Lake.

“To find someone who makes you so happy, despite everything else going up in flames…some people wait a whole lifetime for this kind of thing and yet never find it. So if you found that with Eddie…you should hold on to him for dear life.”

The tiniest of knowing smiles was tugging at the corners of her mouth when she walked away, pulling the front door shut behind her.

The soft click of it was too loud in the sudden heavy silence.

And you were alone with Eddie.

And the gate.

It was gaping right above your heads, stretching between you; the rip between worlds.

The echo of its dark pulse vibrated through your bones. Come see me. Come join me. Come home, its dark whisper echoed alongside every beat – but Eddie’s presence behind you held so much more power, sending your mind into overdrive as you were reeling with nerves, catapulted back into a glittering November night which had started with hope and happiness, and had ended in shards and tears and heartbreak, right in the very spots you were standing right now.

Which cruel irony, to have said and done all those things that night in order to keep Eddie far away from the Upside Down and its horrors, only for it to have sucked him right into the middle of this whole mess. All this pain to keep him out of harm’s way and yet harm had found and followed Eddie Munson like a malignant shadow.

Back to square one.

“So, uh, you hungry?” Eddie’s hesitant voice made you turn around, “I could scour the kitchen for dinner, I’m pretty sure we still got a can of stew somewhere.”

“Yeah.” You scrunched your nose a little at the stench lingering in your hair, on your skin, every thread of fabric in your soot-stained sweatshirt; a mix of lake water, sweat and smoke. “Or maybe I should take a shower first.”

Eddie let out a half-hearted chuckle.

“Yup. Sinclair’s right, we reek.”

“You more than me, though,” you teased softly, and a playful little smirk lingered on Eddie’s lips when he retorted, “Yeah. Took a hike through a realm with lots of nasty shit.”

“Together with Steve The Hair Harrington.”

Eddie’s grin widened. “I specifically meant Harrington. But, uh, monsters were there, as well, as you know. I’m allowed to stink.”

“You are.”

“Entitled to it, if you will.”

“The most metal smell,” you agreed.

Eddie snorted. “That’s the smell of several mental breakdowns, but since Max told me what the two of you’ve been up to in the meantime, I’d wager the cops were having a harder time than I did.”

At his words, you laughed.

The sound had grown as foreign to you as the feeling which had caused it.

The last time you’d laughed, genuinely laughed, had been that November night before everything had fallen to pieces.

At the sound of it, Eddie’s mischievous smirk fused into a full-blown beam, as radiant as the spring sun, before he said softly, “I missed that so much, monster slayer, you’ve noooo idea. Your…your laugh. I’m glad you didn’t lose it despite...” He gestured vaguely at the gate.

At his words, giddiness rushed through you to make your pulse flutter and your heart race – but in the beat of silence which followed, Eddie’s smirk faltered again, all the leaden anxiety beneath the light-hearted façade shining through as he glanced down and fiddled with the clasp of his bracelet. “Uh, you got ten minutes.”

At your confused blink, he elaborated, “The shower. There’s, um. Ten minutes of hot water. Then it gets freezing. Sorry.”

“No, it’s…ten minutes is enough.”

Neither of you moved to increase the distance.

The air was laced with all the unspoken words of the past four months and the past few hours, floating in the air between the two of you like the particles in the Upside Down, a strange kind of static sizzling in the air while the kiss you’d shared at Skull Rock hung over the two of you like a ghost haunting an abandoned mansion.

Your gaze left his eyes to travel to the gash on his eyebrow peeking out from the soot and the curls of his bangs.

“We should clean that cut,” you said softly.

“Should I grab my uncle’s whiskey?”, Eddie chuckled softly.

You snickered. “I think soap will do just fine this time.”

“You’re a sadist.”

“I’m a realist.”

“Same thing,” Eddie smirked as you walked past him into the trailer’s tiny bathroom, gesturing for him to follow you.

You felt light-headed – and light-hearted, realizing now that all the secrets which had been weighing down your heart, locked up there and hidden from Eddie…you’d set them free. Had opened the door to their cage and let them go, and the feeling of relief that stayed behind, of knowing that nothing had changed in the way Eddie was looking at you, filled you with the feeling of floating like a feather, after you’d been drowning in them for so long.

It had felt like resurfacing from a freezing lake, right after oxygen would have run out and your lungs filled with water to suffocate and drown you in those depths.

Eddie flipped on the lonely lightbulb that dangled from the ceiling before he plopped down on the edge of the bathtub as you proceeded to soak a towel under the tap, heart already speeding at the prospect of having an excuse to be close to him again.

The memory of Eddie’s arms wrapped around you while you’d sobbed only an hour ago, the way he’d painted soothing patterns on your back while resting his chin on the crown of your head, not caring that you were soaking the collar of his Hellfire shirt with snot and tears…you shook it off, focusing on spreading soap on the sodden towel before you turned to Eddie.

“Can you –“ you began, but Eddie already raked his fingers through the curls of his bangs, brushing them away from the cut, and the towel raised in your hand, you stepped closer, coming to stand between his legs.

“If you tell me this is gonna burn, I’ll make an unapologetic fire-joke,” Eddie warned with a soft little grin, his eyes timid as he followed your movement, closing his eyes before the edge of the sodden towel could graze the cut.

His pained little grimace at the contact made your heart bleed for him all over again – and your anger at Jason and his cronies flare before you pushed it back down.

While you softly dabbed the towel at the mended gash to clean the soot from the seams of the wound, Eddie said quietly, “Robin, um…told me about the townhall meeting.”

There was a beat of shaken silence. “Did she.”

“Yeah.”

“It didn’t do any good,” you said quietly, watching a droplet of soapy water slowly run down Eddie’s temple, collecting some of the ashes smeared at the corner of his eye before you caught it with the towel, and Eddie’s eyes fluttered open to meet your own.

In the dim bathroom light, the beautiful umber shade of his irises seemed even darker as he scanned your face.

“It was brave of you,” Eddie murmured. “To tell them about Jason.”

You swallowed against the sudden lump in your throat, at a loss for words.

I did it for you, you wanted to tell him, but the words were stuck in your throat.

“You know, you look a little like a chimney sweeper, too,” Eddie changed the topic with a tilt of his head, the ghost of a soft smile playing on his lips as he rose from the edge of the bathtub.

A quick glance in the mirror above the sink proved him right.

Your face was a soot-stained as Eddie, a few lost flakes of ashes or spores clinging to your own hair just like they did with Eddie’s, your eyes bloodshot from all the crying.

Eddie’s gaze met yours in the mirror before he glanced down, and with a tentative motion, he raised his hands to place them over your own, still clutching the towel.

The touch of his rough palm against the back of your hand made your skin tingle in the best of ways, and your breath hitched in your throat as Eddie’s other hand gently pried your fingers open to take the towel from you as he murmured, “Your turn?”

It was a question more than a statement, and his gaze was searching as it held yours.

You gave him a nod, and Eddie reached around you to pat the empty space on the bathroom drawer beside the sink, gesturing for you to sit down, and with the swarm of butterflies going haywire, you obliged, pushing yourself up to sit on the wooden surface while you watched Eddie wash his hands over the sink, scrubbing away the soot from his fingers before he grabbed a fresh towel from the drawer beneath.

There was a beat of companionable silence, filled only by the low gushing sound of water and the soft tinkle of the chain on the sleeve of Eddie’s leather jacket against the porcelain edge of the sink as he held the towel under the tap, waiting for the fabric to soak.

“’kay,” he murmured, stepping towards you, the towel raised in one hand, brushing an exceedingly unruly curl away from his face. You parted your legs so he could position himself between your knees, and your heart did a backflip in your chest only the most skilled cheerleader would have been able to master when Eddie gave you another timid little smile.

A whole choreography of somersaults followed when he leaned closer, close enough for his breath to fan across your lips, and you couldn’t tear eyes from him as Eddie’s fingertips gently grazed the side of your face to brush away a few stray strands, before slowly tilting your head a little upwards.

The touch was a tender twin to Jason’s violent one, you realized. Where Jason’s fingers had dug into your skin hard enough to hurt when he’d forced you to look at him at the boathouse, the touch of Eddie’s fingertips on your jaw was as gentle and light as the brush of a feather, giving you the chance to shove him away any time.

For the ephemeral span of a heartbeat, Eddie’s dark gaze flitted down to rest on your lips, the kiss you’d shared at Skull Rock in the veil of the spring night only hours ago hovering between the two of you like a ghost in a haunted mansion, present in the slim space between you, mingling with your breaths – and for the beautiful span of that moment, you waited for Eddie to kiss you again.

For his soft lips to brush against yours, steal your breath away again – but he didn’t.

Instead, he started cleaning the soot from your right cheek, the wet towel brushing over your skin in gentle motions, and your eyes fluttered closed.

For a few moments, you let yourself be immersed in the peaceful quiet which settled over the two of you, filled only by the steady sounds of your breaths as you relished the sensation of the warm towel against your skin, the proximity to Eddie, standing between your legs. So close that you could smell the sweat and the smoke on him, the faint traces of Lover’s Lake clinging to his hair, his skin, the stained fabric of his once-white Hellfire club shirt.

It would have been easier to just slap some cold water into your face over the sink and be done with it – and the fact that Eddie had offered to clean you up, and the way he was doing it in the most gentle way, the strokes of the towel on your cheeks and the sides of your face like caresses, harbored a whole new kind of intimacy. Unlike the kisses you’d shared and the things you’d done on the roof of his trailer, but just as beautiful.

When Eddie traced your jaw with the towel, you angled your head a little further to give him better access – and winced as he brushed over the spot below your chin, making Eddie pull away.

“Did that hurt?”

“A little,” you said, eyes fluttering open as Eddie’s gaze wandered down to that spot on your jaw, his fingertips grazing your skin while confusion was replaced by something sterner you’d only seen once before in his eyes, in the night you’d met. When he’d ripped Jason away from you. Anger.

And you realized that Jason’s forceful grip must have left a bruise.

“I never wanted to actually punch someone,” Eddie said darkly, “But if I ever meet that son of a bitch again, I think I’ll break his fucking nose. In case you didn’t wanna do it yourself.”

“He would have broken every bone in your body but you draw the line at giving me bruise?”, you asked, not exactly sure whether you’d meant to be gloomy or teasing.

Eddie’s expression was one of grim determination. “Yeah. I do.”

The cold shard of anger melting from his eyes again when they met yours, he raised the towel once more to continue cleaning your other cheek.

For a moment, you just watched him, utterly caught up in the way his dark lashes fluttered against his cheeks when he blinked, the focus as he wiped the ashes from your face while there was still soot on his own, covering the smattering of bruises.

Beyond the bathroom, you could still feel the thrumming pulse of the gate – but the vibration had lost its edge, the call its urge. Because with Eddie only inches away from you…the draw towards him was so much stronger. Sunlight cutting through the coldest night.

And before your eyes could stray down to his lips, so damn close to yours, you blurted, “What else did Robin tell you?”

Eddie chuckled, his breath ghosting over your lips, making them prickle. “Oh, uh. Just that you’re nosy.” The soft tease in his voice, the lilt in his tone a familiar melody, didn’t help calm down your racing pulse. Our your racing mind. “And that I’m a dufus.”

You snickered. “Yeah, that sounds like Robin. What else?”

There was a tiny beat of silence before Eddie replied slowly, “She, uh…she told me you knew I was innocent right from the start. That you were the one who insisted on searching for me.”

“And I found you.”

He let out another low chuckle. “You hit me with your car.”

“Which counts as finding you,” you snickered.

There was a beat of silence, the words drifting through the slim space between the two of you, a shared smile growing stern before Eddie added with the softest murmur, “She also told me to fight.”

“Honor and glory?”, you teased softly.

“I always thought honor and glory were incredibly overrated, outside of D&D.”

“Then what else would there be worth fighting for?”

“Well, uh. A princess, maybe,” Eddie said slowly, and your heart ceased its next beat, the seconds ticking by as he waited for your reply.

“And would you? Fight for a princess?”

“I’m not a knight in shining armor, remember?”, Eddie said softly, “So, no. I don’t care about princesses.”

There was a deep, desperate, sinking feeling in your chest, spreading like black ink in water – before Eddie added softly, “Though there’s…uh. There’s someone I’d fight for, though.”

“There is?”

“Yeah,” Eddie breathed. “Shit. There’s this weird girl who puked all over my shoes. And then proceeded to turn me into the most miserable drug dealer in Indiana.”

Your eyes fluttered open, meeting Eddie’s as he murmured, “Though that’s okay ‘cause I always wanted to be more than just her dealer, anyways. Like…a dude she dances with in the woods. Or a dude she dances with in the woods. Or even…even a distraction.”

You swallowed against the tears as Eddie averted his gaze for a moment.

“Or a hero, for that matter,” he added on a breath, before his lips curved into a bittersweet smile. “A girl I’d follow into Mordor when the Shire is burning and who still has no goddamn clue what that even means ‘cause she didn’t read the goddamn books.” Eddie’s eyes were glittering with barely suppressed tears as they found yours again and he whispered, “Though I don’t think she even needs a hero ‘cause she slays monsters in her free time. Pretty badass, huh?”

“Yeah.” It came out as a susurration, your voice breaking beneath the tidal wave of emotions, of love, so much love, for the songbird with the dark curls and the dark eyes and the heart of gold beneath the leather and denim and tattoos.

“Who believed in your innocence,” Eddie added on a final breath, “Even when the rest of the world came at you with torches and pitchforks.”

Even though she broke my heart into as many pieces as there are stars in the November night sky. He didn’t need to voice those words – they were evident in the expression swirling in his umber eyes as he watched you tentatively, waited for your reply.

“You were never just a distraction, Eddie.” It came out as a broken whisper, filling the slim space between the two of you, the tip of his nose nearly brushing yours.

He swallowed back the lump in his own throat before he croaked, “Then what was I?”

A maybe. An almost. The most beautiful what-if, because you knew, with all your heart, that Eddie Munson was your Forever if you let him.

But nothing had changed since that November night.

If anything, you now had confirmation about your greatest fear becoming reality.

You’d seen how Eddie’s story would find its cruel final chapter.

Some stories weren’t written to have a happy ending, no matter what you’d trade for the chance to grab the pen and rewrite the stars mapping Eddie’s path – but you could send him on another one.

Leading far, far away from Hawkins. And from you.

And when, if, the plan succeeded and Vecna was defeated and Eddie safe…maybe he would still want to be with you then.

But until then, he needed to stay away.

“You can’t go back in there tomorrow,” you breathed, your voice having reached its breaking point while your words made something dim in his Eddie’s umber eyes, a light you’d seen shattering within them once before already. “He’ll kill you.”

“He might.”

“Listen to me,” you pleaded softly, “I know you believe you have to prove that you’re not a coward, but you don’t. You don’t need to prove you’re a hero. You already are one, Eddie.”

“That’s what you think this is about?”, Eddie said softly. “That I’m trying to prove something? Shit, I’m no hero, I know that. The only time I’ve ever been brave was back in there ‘cause I can’t…” He cut himself off with a sharp inhale as the first lonely tear rolled down his cheek, leaving a glittering track in its wake as it smeared the ashes on his cheeks before he shook his head, his trembling left hand shooting up to rake his fingers through his curls, the metal of his rings catching the dim light. “Shit,” he whispered, “This…this son of a bitch hurt you. He’s been hurting you, again and again, and he won’t stop until he’s stopped, and that’s why I’ll go back in there tomorrow to divert these nasty things. Not to prove anything. But to make sure Wheeler puts that goddamn bullet through his heart so he’ll never, ever lay his fucking hand on you again.”

His words rang in the air between the two of you, your heart racing so fast that you feared it might burst from your ribs any second now.

“He wants you, Eddie. Vecna wants to hurt you. That night when he showed me the door for the first time, on the roof…He showed me something else, too.” You swallowed against the lump in your throat which threatened to throttle you before you could get the words out, and your hands folded over his, trembling one, clinging to the towel as if it were a lifeline.

The tears were falling down your own cheeks now in hot rivulets. “He showed me the bats. They were…it was a whole swarm. Hundreds of these things, hailing down on you and…and you screamed –“ For the span of a trembling inhale, you squeezed your eyes shut against the onslaught of images. “I thought if I let you go and made sure you stayed far away from me, you’d be safe. I didn’t know it was Vecna, back then. All I knew was there was something on the other side, watching you. Wanting to kill you.”

Your voice broke at the word, shattering into tiny little pieces.

When your eyes fluttered open, Eddie’s eyes, those beautiful umber eyes, were wide, his chest rising and falling with shallow, rapid breaths as he stared at you with tear-soaked shock and…hope.

Seconds ticked by as you watched him grasp what you’d just told him, the words hovering in the air between the two of you like the spores in the Upside Down, mingling with the cruel echo of Vecna’s voice in your head.

“And when I’m done with you, taken back what is mine – I’ll take your songbird. I’ll break him, bone by bone. And when I’m done, I’ll shatter his mind the way you shattered his heart, little thief. And maybe then…I’ll put him out of his misery.”

“I stole the most precious thing from him,” you whispered. “And he wants to punish me for that by taking the most precious thing from me.”

The sob which had been clawing at you broke free like a bird from its cage, momentarily rendering you speechless as your hands fell away from Eddie’s to clasp in your lap.

“That night last year on the roof,” you said, swallowing against the lump which was strangling the words with the sheer force of your emotions as the truth of that night was set free.

There was hope, so much hope, glittering in Eddie’s umber gaze while he waited for you to go on.

“Just…I want this to…count,” Eddie had told you that night in-between kisses, a smattering of stars forming a silver crown around his wild curls, “I want this to mean as much to you as it means to me.”

“It counted,” you whispered. “All of it. It meant…it meant everything, Eddie.”

“You wanted to save me,” he choked.

“That’s all I ever wanted. That’s why you need to leave. Please. Because if you come with us tomorrow…he’ll kill you. I can deal with seeing it happen every single fucking night as long as I can open my eyes and realize it wasn’t real and you’re still there. But I can’t…”

With the sobs ripping through you harder now to cut you off, you buried your face in your hands, all those horrible images coming alive in your mind again. Of those bats and Eddie’s death cry, his blood coating your hands and the light snuffed out of his beautiful dark eyes.

The sensation of Eddie’s hands folding over yours, gently prying them away from your face to make you look at him, sent a shockwave through you, intensifying when Eddie’s gaze met yours.

All the warmth, all the tenderness and adoration for you were shining in his tear-filled eyes, the emotions blazing there as clear and bright as the neon letters on a billboard ad. Eddie was still looking at you the way he always had, the way he’d looked at you when you’d been underneath him that night.

The despair in his eyes, the wild hope, the bewilderment and heartbreak and devotion stole the breath from your lungs.

“I love you, Eddie Munson,” you whispered. “I always have, and I always will. And I can handle whatever Vecna’s got in store for me as long as I know you’re safe and that’s why I need you to leave tonight.”

The words floated into the tiny space between the two of you, mingling with your breaths as for a heartbeat, Eddie just stared at you, his own tears streaming down his face now to mingle with the ashes and grime.

And finally…Eddie kissed you.

It was funny, how Vecna, a god of his own making, was so scared of time, so set on freezing it yet still not powerful enough to achieve this goal – when Eddie was holding the power to stop time in a single, featherlight brush of his lips against yours.

And this time when Eddie kissed you, there were no more secrets between the two of you, no more hiding. This time, he kissed you, all of you, all the light and the dark and the grey spaces in between.

A soft sigh spilled from your lips into the kiss, a breath you’d never even known you’d been holding – and the delicate brush of Eddie’s lips turned ravenous.

Where the kisses you’d shared beneath the November night sky had been hesitant at first, clumsy and timid, with Eddie holding back, so scared to hurt you, with your own residual terror from Vecna’s first vision settled in your bones…there was nothing hesitant, nothing timid about this kiss now.

It was fierce and desperate and so utterly tender all at the same time when Eddie’s lips moved against yours, making all the pandemonium and horror of those past days, months, fade into sweet oblivion.

A kiss to stop the world from spinning and make your heart sing a tune solely meant for Eddie while his hands found their way up to gently cradle your face and angle your head to deepen the kiss. You wrapped your legs around him, pulling him closer to where you were still sitting on the drawer as your hands snaked up the fabric of his Hellfire shirt to lock them at the nape of his neck, burying your fingers in his soft curls to make him arch into the touch with a breathless little moan that made heat flare through your body in response.

Eddie tasted of the salt of your tears mingling with his, of ashes and smoke, the waters of Lover’s Lake and sweat and him, and you’d never get enough of it. The passion of Eddie’s kisses ignited sparks in your chest, in your belly, spreading along your nerves like the sizzling glimmer travelling along a fuse as you pressed closer, the calloused pads of his thumbs brushing over your temples in a smooth caress to catch the tears that were still streaming down your face. Of relief, and love – and fear, the festering fear that Vecna would make true of his promise and take Eddie.

Tell me this is real, each of Eddie’s feverish kisses seemed to beg as one of his hands wandered down over the column of your throat, the pad of his thumb gently grazing the point of your racing pulse while his teeth grazed your bottom lip, Tell me you mean it.

I love you, you answering sigh told him as you pressed closer, the grasp in his curls tightening as you opened your lips to taste him. I love you. I’m sorry. And I love you.

Not in your wildest dreams had you dared to imagine this, right now – Eddie knowing all the darkest parts of you and still kissing you with such devotion and tenderness, his feelings for you unwavering, infusing each of his kisses with all the love and loss and heartbreak of those past weeks and months.

It was so easy, to start again where things had ended that November night.

As easy as breathing.

As easy as it had been to fall in love with Eddie Munson in the first place.

And you knew, with all your masks stripped, all your walls torn down and secrets on display, you didn’t want to waste a single second more.

Slowly, you pulled away from the kiss to catch your breath, the tip of his nose brushing yours as he chased your kiss before his eyes fluttered open and deep, rich chocolate met your gaze with an intensity that could have knocked you to the ground hadn’t you already been seated.

Unspoken understanding passed between the two of you as you decided you wanted to strip yourself in every way possible for him. And after all the truths Eddie had learned about you today, letting your clothes follow suit felt only right.

Your eyes never leaving Eddie’s, you reached down to grab the hem of your sweatshirt, the fabric sticky with sweat and lake water as you slowly pulled it over your head, watching Eddie’s eyes widen a little as he swallowed when you let the clothing fall to the tiled floor.

The air of the tiny bathroom was cool as it brushed over the bare skin of your arms, your chest; with only your bra left to cover you now.

Eddie’s hands found their way to your waist, warm palms settling on your skin to pull you closer for more of those intoxicating kisses that left your mind dizzy and put the sun in your chest and a smile on your lips, turned every beat of your racing heart into a love song written for Eddie, the movement of your lips against his the lyrics only he could understand.

When Eddie slowly let his rough palms wander up your sides, the pleasure of his touch made you arch your back to pressing closer against him, and your own hands roamed over his chest, dipping underneath the lapels of his leather jacket, wandering up to his shoulders –

The jacket was gone in a heartbeat, falling to the floor as Eddie shrugged it off to answer your unspoken question, and your hands found the hem of his Hellfire Club shirt, the gentle tug on the fabric another unspoken plea he heeded without hesitation, momentarily breaking the kiss before the shirt joined the rest of the clothes on the floor, the grimacing red demon face grinning back at you from the heap of fabric.

There was heat flaring in your chest, in your whole body, as you looked at Eddie now.

His hair was ruffled where your fingertips had raked through the curls, sticky with grime and sweat, a few stray strands of his bangs standing on edge from pulling the shirt over his head, and you took a few heartbeats to just stare at him in all his glory, his chest bare and the rest of his tattoos on full display. A spider right below his collarbone, and a demon face on his chest above his heart – before a painful wince escaped you as your eyes roamed down to the bruise on his ribs where Andy Warren had hit him with the crowbar only hours ago, momentarily stealing the spotlight.

“Does it still hurt?” A dumb question.

“Shit, yeah,” Eddie chuckled softly, “But I really couldn’t care less about that right now.”

With a smile, you shuffled a little closer to the edge of the drawer, your fingertips tracing the outline of the spider, wandering down to the demon’s grimace and farther, following the soft outlines of his ribs to his stomach, fingertips wandering over the trail of the v-lines dipping from the lines leading to the button of his ripped jeans as you watched with avid fascination how his breath hitched beneath the caress of your fingertips, the touch light as the brush of a feather as you let it wander down the dark dusting of his happy trail to the spot where it dipped below the waistband of his pants.

“Does that tickle?”, you asked softly, and Eddie snickered.

“Among, uh…other things.”

“Any more tattoos I don’t know of?”, you teased, meeting Eddie’s gaze, burning yet timid as it rested on you with an intensity as palpable as a caress, making your skin burn in the best of ways, tiny flames licking at your skin.

His smile was playful when he replied, “You’re gonna have to look for yourself. If – if you want,” he added quickly, looking as flustered as you felt in this new situation.

You slowly jumped down from the drawer and reached down to undo the button of your jeans before you peeled the sticky fabric off of yourself underneath Eddie’s burning gaze – and when the jeans were gone and you were bare before him save for your underwear, the way he was looking at you, as if you were the most beautiful girl in the whole world…it made sparks explode in your chest to rival every Fourth Of July Firework.

Still smiling, you chewed your bottom lip before you turned around, your back to him, looking at him in the mirror. “Help me with my bra?”

“You sure?”, Eddie asked softly, and you gave a timid little nod.

“Yeah. Never been surer, actually.”

Through the mirror, Eddie gave you the sweetest smile before his eyes flitted down to the clasp on your back, curls falling into his face and his long dark lashes casting shadows across his soot-stained cheeks.

He truly was beautiful.

Before you could voice the thought, though, the brush of Eddie’s fingertips over your back robbed your words at the sensations travelling through your nerves.

Your heart skipped its next beat as slowly, relishing each fleeting second, Eddie leaned closer to press the softest of kisses to the nape of your neck, testing the waters as his hands slowly roamed down your sides – and at the bliss-filled little shiver his kiss elicited, your hands shooting out to grab the edge of the sink, Eddie murmured, “Tell me if you want me to stop, ‘kay?”

“Hell no,” you whispered, arching your head a little as Eddie chuckled, his breath ghosting over the sensitive skin at the nape of your neck before he placed a second kiss to that spot to steal a gasp from your lips.

It spurred him on – and in the mirror, you watched as Eddie trailed a path of slow, lingering kisses down your spine, leaving goosebumps in the wake of his lips, the sensations racing through your body to stir heat in your core while his fingertips worked to undo the clasp your bra.

And when the garment fell to the floor, leaving you bare before him, Eddie gently spun you around, his hands settling on his waist as he took you in, and you slowly rid yourself of your panties, letting them fall to the tiles and stepping out of them before you raised your head to meet his gaze once more.

The heat of his umber gaze made your bare skin tingle as a sudden bout of insecurity hacked its claws into you – but upon the expression in Eddie’s eyes, brimming with so much warmth and affection and awe as he took you in, every residual kernel of insecurity was dissipated like mist in the rays of the morning sun.

“You’re so damn beautiful,” Eddie breathed, the rasp in his voice betraying his arousal as much as the impressive bulge in his pants, “Shit. I feel like I’ll drop dead every second now.” The timidness in the smile on his soft lips mirrored your own, an unspoken question hovering in the slim space between the two of you.

Still so sweet and considerate, still waiting for your permission to touch you even when you were naked in front of him.

“If you faint,” you warned with a soft smile, “I’ll have to take that shower alone. And I really wanted to share those ten minutes of hot water with you, Eddie.”

The smile turned into a radiant grin. “I better not faint, then, huh?”

“You better not,” you agreed with a murmur as you stepped closer, watching Eddie’s lashes flutter as you gently let your hands roam down his belly, fingertips following the soft line of his happy trail for a second time as you listened to the soft hitch of his breath, felt his muscles twitch beneath your caress, before your fingertips found the clasp of his belt, and your lips found his for another searing kiss.

You could feel how Eddie kept restraining himself, holding back to let you set the pace, keep you in control as you worked to open his belt, the button of his ripped jeans, before your thumbs hooked into the waistband to rid him of the pants and boxers all at once, Eddie’s hands coming up to help with the task at hand.

And just like that, he was naked as well, save for the rings on his fingers, the bracelet on his wrist and the guitar pick on the necklace around his neck.

Now it felt as if you’d faint before he could because the sight of Eddie, utterly naked, was definitely one to behold.

“Like what you see?”, Eddie teased softly, and his shyness, so opposed to his usual confident self, made giddiness bubble in your chest.

“Hell yes.” Meeting his eyes, there was a beat of silence as you just took each other in. Stripped of every layer, allowing yourselves to be as vulnerable as humanly possible in every way there was.

“You’re beautiful,” Eddie murmured. “I…I mean it. In…not just hot. Like, you’re hot. So damn hot. But you’re so fucking beautiful, monster slayer.”

The heat in your cheeks was one of utter fluster as you reciprocated his shy smile, taking his hands in yours.

“So are you, Eddie Munson.”

There was relief shining in his dark eyes upon your words, and you wondered how many times he’d doubted that.

For a heartbeat, you remembered the cruel words people had uttered about Eddie that day in the cafeteria when Jason had started spreading his lies about the two of you.

“Did you hear what Jason said she let that freak do?”

“Gross.”

“Maybe the freak’s got some hidden talents underneath these ugly clothes.”

“Wouldn’t ever be enough to make up for his ugly face.”

“I mean it,” you said fiercely. “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen, Eddie. And…” you smiled, “I’m relieved I can finally ogle you in peace because it was getting really hard not to openly stare at you at all times –“

You were cut off when Eddie’s lips crashed on yours again, the words morphing into a happy little sigh spilling into the kiss while together, you tumbled into the bathtub-turned-shower, the curtain tinkling softly as it brushed your side before your spine met the tiled wall, your hands coming up to cradle Eddie’s cheeks and pull him closer to deepen the kiss while one of his hands left its place on your waist to turn on the water.

You let out a pleased little gasp as the warm spray pelted down on your bare skin, droplets of water running down your body and soaking your hair and washing away all the grime and sweat as Eddie kept kissing you with a fierceness and reverence that sent your senses spinning and chased everything else from your mind but the feeling of Eddie, of his bare skin pressed against yours, every movement of his muscles, every hitching breath and soft gasp and stroke of his tongue dancing over yours as your hands roamed over his body, mapping out every line and every inch of his skin while he did the same with you, building that glowing, throbbing ache for him between your legs and stealing your breath with every caress underneath the warm spray of the shower.

When you pulled away from the kiss to catch your breath, you couldn’t tell how much time had passed. And how much longer you’d have until the water would turn freezing.

Eddie reciprocated your wide smile with a radiant one of his own as you watched him.

Admired him.

He was as soaked as you were, his curls black in their sodden state, his bangs falling into his eyes in waves as the water pelting down on the two of you still wasn’t enough to wash away the grime and soot from his face. You’d happily take over this task.

You reached out to grab the bar of soap from the little tray behind him.

“Want me to…?”

“Yeah,” he smiled, his voice breathless as it laced with the noise of the water, and you gestured for him to sit down at the edge of the tub, coating your hands in soap while you stepped closer, positioning yourself between his legs.

“Close your eyes.”

Eddie heeded the soft-spoken command, his eyes fluttering close.

For a heartbeat, you couldn’t help but watch him, admire his long lashes, watch the water run down his beautiful face in soft rivulets, before you set to work.

Your fingertips drew gentle, soapy circles over his right cheek, starting with the side of his face that was unmarred by bruises, and Eddie’s eyelids fluttered softly as he leaned into your caresses as if he’d been as starved for your touch as you’d been for his.

Throat constricting with emotion, with love and affection for Eddie, your songbird, you washed away the ashes from his face, watching the streaks of grime vanish from his skin as you moved on towards the other side of his face, careful to keep the touch of your fingertips light as you cleaned away the grime from his bruises.

And when you were done, you leaned closer, placing the softest of kisses on his brow, right beside the cut, Eddie’s hands coming up to gently settle on your hips while you moved on, placing a second kiss to the bruise on his temple, and a third one on his jaw, right above the darkest of the bruises, Eddie’s soft sigh mingling with the sound of the pelting water.

“Hair?”, you inquired softly, and Eddie’s eyes fluttered open as he gave you one of his playful signature grins before he drawled, “I’m not sure yet whether you dragged me in here because I was stinky or because you wanted to grope me, monster slayer.”

“Both,” you giggled.

“I’ll gladly return the favor.”

You grabbed the bar of soap once more, watching the foam coat your palms before you moved to rake your fingers through his hair, drawing slow, soothing circles on his scalp that coaxed a relieved moan from Eddie’s lips; a sound that went straight to your core, to the ache already building there with every second, every touch, every kiss – but for now, you wanted to relish the innocence of the gesture, of cleaning each other up, the intimacy of it all that wasn’t tied to sex.

“Good?”, you grinned, watching the serene little smile spreading on Eddie’s soft lips as he relished the sensation of your fingertips working the soap into his sodden curls, his eyes closed with bliss while he leaned into the touch of your fingertips.

“If I could purr, I would.”

You watched the water running from his hair slowly turn from a dark grey to clear, a few residual flakes of ashes, or spores, washed away to vanish down the drain.

“I feel like you carried the whole Upside Down in your hair.”

“The way it felt, I wouldn’t be surprised if a Demogorgon or two were still in there as well,” Eddie chuckled, and you joined him in.

With easy silence settling over the two of you once more, filled only by the sound of the water, you moved on to the rest of his body, spreading the foam, fingertips tracing the outlines of his on his chest before you moved on to his arms and down his stomach, breaking your movements to place gentle kisses on his skin that made his breath catch and drew the softest of blissful hums from his throat as Eddie melted into your touches until the last remnants of sweat and grime had been washed down the drain.

“Okay, done,” you said softly, “Squeaky clean.”

“I love it when you talk dirty,” Eddie uttered on a playful croon, making you laugh as he stood up again, gently taking the bar of soap from where you’d placed it on the edge of the tub.

“Your turn?”, he inquired softly, raising the soap as he blinked back at you through the curtain of his sodden bangs and the droplets of water falling from the showerhead above, and you gave him a happy nod.

“I need to hear it, monster slayer,” Eddie said softly.

“Yes,” you breathed, and Eddie leaned in to place to sweetest of kisses on the tip of your nose before he gestured for you to turn. You obliged happily, angling your head a little – and a sigh spilled from your lips as Eddie’s fingertips found their way into your wet hair, massaging the soap into your scalp with smooth movements that made you feel like you could melt any second with the gentleness of the motion, the calming sensations cascading over you as the soapy foam ran down your body.

Your eyes closed, you leaned into Eddie’s touches, feeling the smile tug on your lips and the pleasant shivers racing along your body as Eddie’s hands wandered down to the nape of your neck, along your arms, spreading more soap in slow circles over your skin like you’d done for him, gently washing away the sweat and the stench of smoke and Lover’s Lake which had been clinging to you.

And with the grime and sweat he softly cleared from your skin, vanishing down the drain along the bubbles of soap…it felt like the stain you’d been carrying on your soul, the mark you feared Vecna and the Upside Down had left there to fester, rot spreading with every lie and every ugly secret, was washed off by Eddie’s loving touches, the sensation of his hands wandering over every inch of your body to make your nerves come alive beneath his palms, your mind going haywire as the world around you blurred and each and every one of your senses, of your cells, honed in on Eddie.

Your eyes still closed, you followed Eddie’s lead when he gently twirled you until he was in front of you again, his calloused hands wandering over your body in the softest caresses.

And just when you thought you couldn’t wait a single second longer until he kissed you again, he did.

The softest moan bubbled from your lips and into the kiss as his teeth grazed your bottom lip, having memorized your reaction from that November night – and Eddie’s caresses lost their innocence as he gently caged you against the tiles, his hardened length pressing against your sodden skin to make need flare between your legs.

“That okay?”, he breathed into the kiss, and in your blissed-out daze, it took a moment for you to realize what he meant, that he was scared he could somehow make you feel caught because the position was so similar to the one he’d found Jason in, that night in the woods.

You pulled away from the kiss, your hands cupping Eddie’s cheeks. “I will never, ever feel uncomfortable with you, Eddie,” you whispered. “I want this. Every touch. Every kiss. Okay? As long as you want it too, I’m way more than just okay with everything you do.”

His eyes scanned yours underneath the spray, before he nodded.

And with a trembling breath, shyness taking the wheel for a fleeting heartbeat, you asked, “Can I…touch you?”

It took a moment for the confusion in Eddie’s gaze to clear, before he breathed, “God, yes. If you wanna –“

Your kiss stole the rest of the sentence, because there was nothing you wanted more than to touch him, and his words morphed into a sinful sound that went straight into the heat searing between your own legs as your fingers gently wrapped around his impressive length, one of his hands shooting out to splay on the tiles beside your head to steady himself.

The reaction chased away any residual insecurities, because if that was the sound you could draw from him with a simple touch, you wondered…

Eddie’s groan vibrated through your own body as your thumb gently flicked over his tip, spurning you on and stoking the ravenous need for him in your core as you slowly started to stroke him, the blissful noises tumbling from his throat enough to make you go crazy with want.

Your own moan mingled with his as Eddie’s other hand roamed down your side, wandering towards the inside of your thigh, teasing – before his fingertips found that throbbing spot at the apex of your thighs, and you felt like your knees would give in any second now as he started circling the sensitive bud of your clit, so achingly slowly, just as he’d done that night beneath the stars.

Your blood seemed to turn into liquid flames at the sensations Eddie’s touch sent cascading through your body.

You moved your hips, chasing the friction of Eddie’s fingertips as he continued to draw lazy circles over your wet folds, sending you into ecstasy, and at the sounds tumbling from your throat as your fingers clawed at his back to pull him closer beneath the spray, you could feel Eddie’s soft smile against your lips.

And still, he wasn’t close enough. You needed more, more of him –

A shriek ripped from you as you nearly jumped into Eddie’s arms, your body going numb with the shock of the sudden cold of the spray which had turned icy in the matter of a second, and Eddie’s string of curses filled the tiny space as he blindly fumbled for the shower tap behind you to shut off the freezing water before he succeeded.

For a shaken heartbeat, you stared at each other, both of you shivering, before a breathless little laugh tumbled from your throat and Eddie jumped out of the tub to grab a towel from the drawer beneath the sink, returning to wrap it around your shoulders before, with the sweetest of smiles, Eddie used the towel’s edges to gently swipe the water from your cheeks before he took your hand to help you climb out of the tub.

“Where were we?”, he breathed, inching closer, and you tilted your head before you teased, “Can’t remember.”

“We should definitely retract our steps, then,” he smiled, raising your hand to his lips to place a kiss on your knuckles, “Just to be sure.”

You didn’t remember much of the way from the bathroom to Eddie’s bedroom, didn’t remember how he’d half-heartedly slammed the door shut as you’d tumbled through, the towel falling away from your body as Eddie walked you backwards until the backs of your knees bumped against the frame of his bed and, your hands buried in his sodden curls, you let yourself sink backwards onto the mattress, pulling Eddie down with you, not once breaking the feverish kiss as he situated himself between your legs, elbows resting on the sides of your head and the guitar pick dangling from the little chain around his neck softly grazing the spot below your collarbone.

You rolled your hips against his, and the sensation of his tip grazing against your folds, slick with your arousal, stole the loveliest groan from Eddie’s lips to mingle with your own.

With a soft smile, Eddie began to trail heated kisses from the corner of your mouth to your jaw, over the bruises Jason had left on your skin, the touch of Eddie’s lips featherlight so he wouldn’t hurt you before he reached the spot below your ear, and his kisses grew ravenous again.

You realized what had been in front of you all along. That before you’d even learned that the monster placing horrors into your dreams and mirrors and mind was called Vecna, Eddie had been your saving song to keep each and every single one of your demons at bay.

The tune of his laugh, the music of his lilting voice when he talked, the melody he made your heart sing whenever you thought about him.

Eddie Munson had always been the bane of Vecna’s power over you.

“I need you,” you breathed, and Eddie paused his kisses to glance down at you, eyes glittering with a kaleidoscope of emotions, the darkness of his dilated pupils encased by the rings of his umber irises beneath the drying curls of his bangs.

“You sure?”, he breathed softly, water dripping from his sodden curls onto your own wet skin like the droplets of a gentle summer rain.

You nodded. “Yes. I want you. And if…” You swallowed, fresh tears threatening to choke you once more, “With tomorrow…”

“I don’t want you to want this because you fear it’s the last chance,” Eddie crooned, his breath fanning across your cheeks. “I want you to want this because, well, you want this. Not for some one-last-night-we-gotta-make-it-count-stuff.” He paused, gently brushing a stray strand of hair from your brow before he whispered, “It counts no matter what we do or how far we take this. It always counts ‘cause we’re together. That’s all that matters.”

You smiled at the tenderness in his gaze, the devotion in his umber eyes as if he still couldn’t fathom that you were here, bare beneath him, gazing up at him with all the love that made your heart feel like it would burst with happiness any second.

“You’re still the first, by the way,” Eddie said softly. “The only. There’s…there hasn’t been anyone else.”

His words made your heart soar in your chest like a kite in the summer breeze.

“For me neither,” you whispered. “It’s only ever been you.”

Eddie’s smile widened. “For the record, it wouldn’t change a single thing about how I feel for you, but it does spare me a very large amount of seething, raging jealousy to know you didn’t resort to sex-drugs-and-rock-‘n-roll to…uh. Soothe your aching heart.”

“No way,” you smiled. “I only want you. As for the rest…” your smile turned teasing, “Where should I have gotten the drugs without you? You’re my not-drug dealer of choice. And I feel like I’m more into…you know. Metal, instead of rock ‘n roll.”

Eddie chuckled softly, before his lips met yours again in the sweetest of kisses as he shifted to align himself with your entrance, his soaked curls tickling the skin on your collarbone before he pulled back to gaze down at you, eyes dark and brimming with warmth as he watched you, scanning your face for the slightest sign of unease or doubt he would never find because there was nothing you’d ever wanted more than this, to be with him. To give him your all – body, soul, heart. Everything you had to give.

Your hands locked at the nape of his neck as he leaned onto one elbow, his other hand free to caress your cheek.

“I love you, monster slayer,” Eddie whispered, the tears brimming in his eyes mirroring those which stung in your own.

Of joy, this time. Of gratefulness, for what you’d both thought lost returning to you at last only to realize it had never been gone in the first place.

He’d never told you those three words before, but he didn’t need to. They were evident right now, in the look in Eddie’s eyes as he gazed down at you, making sure you were okay just like he’d done all those months ago on the roof beneath the stars.

They were evident in the sacrifice he’d been ready to bring tonight, and they’d been evident long before, in each of his smiles, every kind word, every little way he’d been there to collect the shards of last summer and mend them back together.

No, Eddie Munson had never needed to say those three words – but hearing him say them now was still the most beautiful thing in the word.

“I love you, too,” you breathed.

With his eyes never leaving yours, Eddie moved, burying himself in your throbbing heat, slowly, as careful as if he still feared he might hurt you, and the air was knocked from your lungs with a sharp exhale as your velvet walls stretched around him and your bodies melted together.

Breathing in each other, gazes locked and overflowing with so much love, it was as if you could feel the glowing thread connecting your soul with his, like the same green ribbon of silk which had led you back to him alongside the tune of his song. Out of the nightmare and back into his waiting arms, catching your fall just like he’d always done.

There were no words to ever express how much you loved Eddie Munson.

And there were no words needed – because you could see it in his eyes that Eddie understood.

You wrapped your legs around his waist to guide him closer, bury him deeper in your heat as the softest moan spilled from his lips to mingle with your own at the sensation.

“You good?”, Eddie breathed, resting his forehead against yours, voice raspy and dark with his arousal as he was giving you time to adjust to this strange new wonderful feeling of him inside of you.

“Better than good,” you whispered – and with your lips meeting his, you rolled your hips, drawing the most beautiful sound from him…and the most sinful one from yourself as the tip of his cock grazed a perfect spot deep inside your velvet walls.

It was all the reassurance Eddie needed. He began to move, pulling out slowly before he sheathed himself inside of you again, and right before your eyes fluttered close with the overwhelming pleasure of the sensation, you caught a glimpse of the tenderness flooding Eddie’s gaze, the raw emotions for you mirrored in their depths.

The glowing sensation of pleasure bolting through you overpowered the slight sting of pain at the movement, and you realized that no matter how often you’d do this with him, you would never get enough of it. Of Eddie buried inside your throbbing walls, his heartbeat racing against yours in beautiful synchrony and his curls tickling your cheeks as he moved, slowly, so achingly slowly; each measured thrust building this heat in your core and stealing the breath from you, chasing every rational thought from your mind until there was only Eddie, his scent immersing your senses and his slow thrusts driving you into the sweetest oblivion.

You realized why people called it making love.

You could feel Eddie’s love for you in every gentle thrust, in every caress of his calloused fingertips over your cheeks while his own moans mingled with yours in the air around you.

His fingertips brushed over the spot below your ear before they caressed your jaw, gently tilting your head to grant him access to your neck, his teeth nipping and grazing the tender skin above your pulse as you bit back another moan – but hot breath tickling over the wet skin below your ear, Eddie whispered, “No need to hold back, sweetheart. Be as loud as you want to. Those sounds are sweeter than any guitar tune.”

He didn’t need to tell you twice. The last remnants of your restraint melted beneath the heat he sent searing through your nerves, setting your body ablaze with bliss.

Your hands roamed over the soft skin of his back, feeling his muscles flex with every thrust as Eddie increased his pace, you own hips snapping up to meet his in perfect synchrony, each movement guiding him deeper into your heat, his tip grazing that spot over and over again while your hands tangled in the soft, soaked curls at the nape of his neck, tugging just the way you knew he loved – and the reward was a sound that went straight into your core, making you clench around him.

“God, you feel so good,” Eddie rasped, his voice strained with need when his hand left your jaw to roam down the column of your throat, trailing over your breasts and farther down, “So, so good.”

Your reply turned into another broken groan before you could utter any words when Eddie’s fingertips slid into the space between your bodies to graze the swollen bud of your clit, making bliss sear along your nerves until your entire body was alight with the sensation, the pleasure Eddie kept building in your core with every quickening thrust, growing more urgent with each roll of your hips to meet his, every caress of his fingertips over the nub of your clit until you felt you might go crazy with the need for more, more of him, his touches, his wanton moans lacing in the air with your own to form a beautiful duet – and with a final thrust, hitting that sweet, sweet spot deep inside of you just perfect, Eddie’s name ripped from you in a broken cry as bliss cascaded over you. A glowing tidal wave, washing over every nerve and every cell of your body, every fibre of your being as you came undone beneath him, his soft murmurs guiding you through your orgasm.

“I love you, sweetheart,” Eddie whispered, the pace of his thrusts faltering as his own climax drew closer, his fingertips still dancing over your clit, the touch of the calloused pads of his fingertips the most perfect contrast to your own soaked skin – soaked with the water of the shower still clinging to you, with sweat and the arousal pooling between your legs. “I love you so fucking much.”

And his forehead falling against yours, Eddie’s orgasm washed over him with the sound of your name like the lyrics of a song on his lips. It was the most beautiful one you’d ever heard.

His eyes closed with bliss and his soft, plush lips parted with a soft groan, the sight was so beautiful you wanted it tattooed in your memories as your hands left his curls to settle on the sides of his face, careful not to graze the dark bruises blooming there as he rode out his climax, his fingertips still coaxing wave after wave of white-hot bliss from your body as they swirled over your clit, spreading your arousal.

And when you felt him spill himself inside of you, the sensation was enough to send you over the edge for a second time, this one more gentle – a wave carrying you rather than crashing over you yet just as intense, robbing every last ounce of strength from your muscles as it washed over you with the sweetest release, his hands shooting up to lace his fingers with your own above your head as the pace of his thrusts faltered.

For a few heartbeats, the two of you stayed like this, trying to catch your breaths, caught in the hazy afterglow of passion numbing your minds and ensnaring your senses, Eddie’s curls tickling your sweat-soaked skin, before Eddie rolled off you, gently pulling you with him, against his chest, the echo of his heartbeat thundering against your ear as you caught your breaths.

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie let out a breathless laugh, bewildered and amazed all at the same time, “That was…holy shit.”

“This…this was…” You trailed off, at a loss for words, still caught in the daze of your second orgasm.

“Yeah,” Eddie whispered, his breath tickling the shell of your ear, “Better than anything I could’ve ever imagined.”

“Did you?”, you drawled playfully, still breathless as you placed your chin on his rapidly rising and falling chest to glance at him, “Imagine something the likes?”

Eddie’s answering smile was as radiant as a supernova, his voice genuine as he rasped, “Only with you, monster slayer.”

And for those beautiful moments, your happiness, the euphoria of being back in Eddie’s arms, right where you belonged with his heartbeat against yours, chased the way the thoughts of Vecna and his monsters and his threat hanging over you like crimson thunderclouds.

There would be time to prepare for what was to come next.

One final battle.

One last time of rolling the dice fate had handed the two of you, hoping for that critical hit to save what you loved most.

To save your songbird.

And save him, you would. No matter the price, you were ready to pay it. Tomorrow.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟑

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#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x y/n #stranger things eddie #eddie munson fix it fic #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson imagine #stranger things #stranger things 4 #stranger things x reader #stranger things x y/n #stranger things x you #stranger things imagine #stranger things fanfic #joe quinn

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wandabear · 2 years

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COME UNDONE - WANDA MAXIMOFF X F!READER

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Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x f! reader

Summary: Wanda is a 32-year-old, a divorced mother who hasn’t opened herself up to the opportunity to love again. She met Y/N but the 7 year age difference made her feel guilty… until she end up being victim of Thanos’ snap while Y/N stayed. What if Wanda never joined the Avengers? Her parents left Sokovia when Wanda and Pietro were little, achieving the dream of living in USA.

part 1 - part 2 - part 3 & 4 - part 5 - part 6 - part 7 - part 8 - part 9 - part 10 finale

Jules is portrayed by Adelaide Kane. Here. If you're a minor, gtfo.

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ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ CHAPTER 8

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“I don’t want to walk away from you…”

ㅤㅤ

Those words echoed over and over in her mind for the rest of the week, and perhaps, a few more days. Wanda has been really charming and so damn lovely, she always had some adorable way of showing her interest. Chocolates, her favorite pastries or even some small flowers or food.

And although Y/N scolded herself telling herself that they should go slowly, that she still couldn't fully trust Wanda, that was starting to get really hard. ㅤㅤ Between slow and soft kisses, both lips met with a passion and need that was mutual, one couldn’t live without the other. A small sigh ended their closeness and forced them both to separate; the two women smiled and looked at each other with a devotion rarely seen.

ㅤㅤ

“Hi, gorgeous.” Y/N whispered, her voice so low that she feared would break the moment completely.

ㅤㅤ

“Hey.” Wanda answered in kind before stealing a short, soft kiss from her, pulling away from Y/N.

ㅤㅤ

Both were lying on that sofa, after a long shift in the hospital now they could finally be together for a while. Wanda settled on the brunette's chest, looking for closeness and warmth; she smiled hearing her girlfriend heartbeat quicken.

ㅤㅤ

“Your heart is beating…” the redhead muttered and smiled at Y/N's small giggle.

ㅤㅤ

“It would be weird if I didn't.” Y/N teased, narrowing her eyes at her.

ㅤㅤ

“You think you're very clever, uh.” Wanda groaned and then gently bit her skin as some sort of revenge. Seconds passed, it was quiet and cozy for a while until she spoke again. “How was work?”

ㅤㅤ

“It was okay, you know. Chaos is the usual.” The doctor rolled her eyes as she remembered how harsh the shifts had been that week. Christmas was coming and people were going crazy. “How about you, my love?”

ㅤㅤ

“Oh, everything has been fine. I've had a pretty quiet week, the bakery has the best sales…well, you know.” The Sokovian smiled slightly. “I have a great new client this week.”

ㅤㅤ

Y/N exclaimed happily: “That’s good!”

ㅤㅤ

“Yeah, so good!” Wanda said excitedly but then hesitated. “It's just... there's this huge event and... well, it's a good opportunity.”

ㅤㅤ

The brunette tilted her head, confused. That sounded pretty good, that was good news. Why did Wanda seem a little concerned about it? “And that's bad because...?"

ㅤㅤ

Sighing deeply, Wanda sat down on the sofa next to Y/N and took her hand softly. The feeling when they intertwined their fingers was magical.

ㅤㅤ

“Detka, I need to ask you something.”

ㅤㅤ

“Okay…” Y/N hesitated for a moment, maybe a bit worried. “Tell me.”

ㅤㅤ

“This is going to sound weird to you, but…” The Sokovian bit her lower lip.

ㅤㅤ

“My love, you're scaring me. Tell me.” This time, the doctor tried to calm down and smiled.

ㅤㅤ

“Okay, okay. What I wanted to say is that I wanted to invite you to that event. You see, this weekend there's a … A high school reunion kinda thing. I know, it sounds stupid…” Wanda wrinkled her nose at her, somewhat embarrassed that Y/N was going to refuse outright or worse, laugh at her for how stupid it sounded. “It's all thanks to the Blip, you know, it made people get kind of... sentimental and melancholic, and well. Natasha will also go, since we studied together in high school, they invited us and they also offered me to do the catering for the event but…”

ㅤㅤ

“But…?” Y/N arched a curious eyebrow.

ㅤㅤ

“I wanted to know if you wanted to be my date that night.” The Sokovian blurted out quickly, praying her cheeks weren't as red as she felt.

ㅤㅤ

“Oh, well, wow…” That was unexpected. Quite adorable perhaps but she definitely hadn't seen it coming.

ㅤㅤ

Wanda noticed the surprise on the woman's face so she added between stammers: “It's something you didn't expect, I know.”

“Indeed.”

ㅤㅤ

“I know it's really silly, I wasn't going to go but Natasha insisted and said it would be good for the business.”

ㅤㅤ

“And you want me to go with you… as your date.”

ㅤㅤ

“Yes…” Wanda nodded. “Am I asking too much, detka? Sorry, maybe this is too rushed and… I know things between us were going to be slow... Just-”

ㅤㅤ

“No! No... it's just surprising, in a good way.” Y/N She dropped the confused look and smiled. “It makes me happy that… they will see us together. But of course, I'll go with you.”

ㅤㅤ

“You will?”

ㅤㅤ

“Hell yes. But now come here, you owe me something…” Y/N nodded tenderly and leaned down to kiss her beloved's lips, pushing her to fall together on that sofa, Wanda burst out laughing.

“Okay. That’s it.” Y/N nodded quickly and looked at herself one more time in the mirror before turning around and looking at her friends. “So? How do I look?”

ㅤㅤ

Kate and Yelena were lying on the brunette's sofa, while Jules watched her sitting across from them. Y/N she wore a light-colored shirt, a black suit, pants that fit perfectly to her body. Her hair was loose, brushed to one side.

ㅤㅤ

“Amazing.” Kate said, nodding quickly. “You’re gonna slay tonight.”

ㅤㅤ

“Iconic.” Jules added, holding up her thumbs. “That suit is smoking hot, and the shirt helps your jawline look sharper.”

Y/N nodded and then looked at Yelena who nodded and winked at her.

ㅤㅤ

“You look really good. Not as good as me but… yeah.” The blonde said with her thick accent.

ㅤㅤ

Y/N allowed herself to smile widely, knowing that if her friends gave her the ‘go-ahead’, everything would be fine.

ㅤㅤ

“Perfect. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself or make Wanda feel uncomfortable around me.”

ㅤㅤ

“Oh, come on. You look amazing… She will be happy to see you there.” Kate assured with a cute and sincere smile. Y/N came over to leave a kiss on her and Yelena's cheeks and take the keys from her once she was ready to leave.

ㅤㅤ

“Are you coming with us?” She asked Jules, who was looking out the window somewhat curiously.

ㅤㅤ

The girl shook her head, hugging her handbag. She was wearing an elegant black dress, looked really beautiful. “Don't worry. Natasha will pick me up in half an hour.”

ㅤㅤ

Y/N nodded and then looked at Yelena to mess with her. “And you are okay with that?”

ㅤㅤ

“What can I do?” Yelena shrugged. “My sister decided to keep this puppy.”

ㅤㅤ

“Hey!”

ㅤㅤ

“Okay, girls. I’ve to go.” Y/N sighed deeply, gathering the necessary courage. “I'll see you later, wish me luck!”

ㅤㅤ

It doesn't take me more than twenty minutes to get to Wanda's house. Twenty minutes where she checked herself in the rearview mirror, making sure she looked good enough to surprise Wanda. She felt like a teenager in love, looking for her girlfriend on their first date. This was one of the real dates the two of them had since when they started seeing each other, well, Wanda completely avoided people seeing them together.

ㅤㅤ

Y/N got out of her car and walked down that well-known path, carrying a small bouquet of daisies in her hands. Teenage much, but according to Kate, she had to 'woo' her enough if she wanted to do things 'right' this time.

ㅤㅤ

Breathing deeply, knocked on the door, and a few seconds later Wanda opened it. Oh, that beautiful smile. The brunette's heart skipped a beat. That smile could rock her world completely.

ㅤㅤ

Wanda wore a beautiful burgundy dress with a neckline that could take any living thing's breath away. A pretty necklace with a red stone laying on her chest.

ㅤㅤ

“Oh my fucking goddess! You look so damn beautiful.” Y/N gasped making the smile on Wanda's lips to widen.

ㅤㅤ

“Thank you.” The Sokovian bit her lower lip a bit flirtatious. She took Y/N's jacket and pulled her close, so close that she could smell that sweet perfume. “You look lovely too, detka.”

ㅤㅤ

The distance between the two ended when Y/N leaned in to kiss those soft lips.

ㅤㅤ

“Are you sure we should go?” Y/N whispered mischievously, with cute small kisses on her beloved's lips, cheek and jaw.

ㅤㅤ

“I would love to stay with you... but we can’t. Just let me take my purse and we can go…” Wanda mumbled under her breath, pulling away very much against her will.

ㅤㅤ

They both left together on Y/N's car, straight for the Westview High School gymwhere that event was taking place. Feeling as if they were two teenagers, walking together towards the entrance under the cold starry night. You could hear the music that came from the place, a kind of mix of the 90s and 2000s.

ㅤㅤ

“Are you sure you wanna do this?” Y/N asked as they both stopped at the gym entrance.

In response, Wanda took her hand and intertwining fingers together, watching her with a look Y/N hadn't seen before. She felt loved. The redhead was sure, without a doubt, that she wanted Y/N in her life.

ㅤㅤ

"Yes, I’m sure. Do you want to do it?”

Y/N smiled. Maybe now things were going to be really different.

ㅤㅤ

“With you… always.”

ㅤㅤ

As soon as they arrived, they found a fairly nice environment. Many people who were there recognized Wanda, greeting her kindly. Y/N was not going to deny that at times she felt a little out of place, somewhat anxious due to the look of people she didn't even know but everything vanished when she felt Wanda's warm hand taking hers.

ㅤㅤ

And to the surprise of both, that was one of the best nights of their lives. The two of them danced together, laughed together, kissed like it was the last night, and devoured delicious snacks before meeting Natasha and Jules, who also seemed to be having a good time.

ㅤㅤ

“How's it going?” Y/N asked approaching Wanda to be able to dance closer, holding two drinks for both.

ㅤㅤ

“Perfect.” The redhead took her drink, it tasted really delicious. Wrapping her arms around the brunette's waist and moved slowly to the music. She was carried away by the pleasant sensation that ran through her. “I love that you're here.”

ㅤㅤ

“I love being here with you.” That came out of Y/N’s lips like a small sigh, she still couldn't believe what she was experiencing.

ㅤㅤ

Six years ago, Wanda would have completely refused to be seen with her in such an intimate way. Now, she seemed fascinated that everyone knew how crazy she was about Y/N. And that, that made Y/N fall in love even more.

Y/N leaned in and ended the distance, ready to feel her lips when a girl approached them, somewhat embarrassed.

ㅤㅤ

“Wanda.” She said something regretful of breaking up with such a beautiful moment. “I'm so sorry to bother you, it's just that we have a problem with the snacks, in the kitchen and- and I thought maybe you could save me. Please?”

ㅤㅤ

Monica Rambeau asked her with irresistible pleading eyes. The Sokovian sighed, then nodded, giving her the kindest smile ever.

ㅤㅤ

“Of course, Mon.”

ㅤㅤ

“Hello, by the way. I'm Monica.” The woman smiled happily and shook her hand with Y/N's. She looked like a kind and simple woman.

ㅤㅤ

“Y/N, I'm sorry. This is Monica, my sister-in-law.” Wanda watched them tenderly. “Monica, this is Y/N. My girlfriend."

ㅤㅤ

Her girlfriend. Y/N inhaled deeply, filling her chest with pride and happiness. If she had been told five years ago that Wanda was going to introduce her that way, she would never have believed it.

ㅤㅤ

“Wanda told me a lot about you, Y/N.” Monica said mischievously.

ㅤㅤ

“Same about you…” Y/N smiled, noticing how Wanda just rolled her eyes slightly blushing. “I hope they were good things too.”

ㅤㅤ

“Very good.” she clarified. Although Monica seemed like a pretty friendly and fun woman, Y/N felt some regret seeing her leave her in a hurry, taking the love of her life with her. Maybe later they could talk more.

ㅤㅤ

“I'll be back soon, detka, behave yourself." whispered the Sokovian between kisses before pulling away from Y/N.

ㅤㅤ

Y/N watched Wanda walk away from her and sighed heavily as Pat Benatar's 'Love is a Battlefield' played in the background. She felt in a kind of happy limbo, how could everything be going so well? Wanda was being so cute and charming, introduced her to society as her girlfriend. Everything was too good to be true lately.

ㅤㅤ

Y/N turned around and decided to walk around that place, even encouraging herself to try other sandwiches at the catering table. But what caught her attention was seeing her friend, sitting in one of the chairs, somewhat pensive and lonely, devouring some sandwiches on her own. She walked over and stood next to Jules for a moment until the girl noticed her presence.

ㅤㅤ

“Hey, Y/N/N. How’s everything? Enjoying the free food?”

ㅤㅤ

“Bit of everything..." The brunette smiled inviting Jules to walk beside her, leaving those lonely seats behind her. “What's going on? Why are you here so alone? Is everything okay with Nat?”

ㅤㅤ

“Oh no. No, everything is perfect. Why?” Jules tried to fake it but it was impossible, Y/N arched an eyebrow and the girl knew there was no point in pretending. Jules sighed in defeat. “I just needed to breathe for a moment, get away from… people for a moment.”

ㅤㅤ

“You know you can be honest with me without being afraid of being judged.” Y/N simply walked over to the nearest waiter and snatched two beers, sharing one with her friend. Noticing Y/N's look, Jules decided to be honest with her and with herself:

ㅤㅤ

“It seems that Captain Carter is here too, she and Natasha’s team helped to dismantle a mafia network and stuff I don't know, and everyone is congratulating them on that. Her and Nat.” Jules winced and looked down, a little embarrassed.

ㅤㅤ

“And that made you grumpy and gobble up all these sandwiches by yourself?" Y/N drank some of her beer.

ㅤㅤ

“It's just…” She sighed, totally defeated, ashamed to expose what she felt. “I’m just…me.”

ㅤㅤ

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, you…”

“No, what I mean is…” Jules sighed and shook her head. She stopped and looked at her silky hair, that wonderful bearing of the Captain with her sparkling suit and her many medals. “I'm not Captain Carter, look at her. She’s wonderful, she’s strong, she’s beautiful and kind. She has a lot of experience, she is wise. Damn, anyone would want to be with her. I don't deny that even I would, if I weren't in love!”

ㅤㅤ

Y/N smiled slightly, understanding the situation.

ㅤㅤ

“And I am me.” Jules shrugged. “Why would Nat want to be with me? I'm just a human, with a complicated work schedule and even more complicated dreams. I'm not over there saving the world.”

ㅤㅤ

Y/N she tilted her head, noticing how fear and insecurity took hold of her friend.

ㅤㅤ

“You are saving people. I met you a while ago and I can say that you strive every day to give your best. You will be an amazing doctor, and I am so proud of you.” Y/N finally said, in the most sincere way, feeling pride for that woman. “She's crazy about you, you know? I've been friends with Natasha for six years… I can tell.”

ㅤㅤ

Jules pursed her lips. “You're just saying that to make me feel better.”

ㅤㅤ

“I'm serious, silly.”

ㅤㅤ

“You think?” Jules's hopeful eyes made Y/N smile tenderly.

ㅤㅤ

“I dont believe it, I know it. Now, come on... let's try to snoop around the place before our redheads come back.”

ㅤㅤ

“You're just trying to make me feel better... And you achieved it.” Jules and Y/N smiled at each other as they walked around the place. The dance floor remained somewhat empty, almost everyone was chatting, sharing drinks and eating.

ㅤㅤ

“It seems that since Wanda left, Vision started his life again. He now has a gorgeous wife and I think they're expeting a kid. Incredible, don't you think? Well, he's always been very handsome. That Eastern European girl was lucky.”

ㅤㅤ

The laughter, the tone of the voice and the words of that woman called the attention of Y/N and Jules who stopped when they heard Wanda's name.

ㅤㅤ

Jules looked at her friend, who seemed somewhat serious. “Y/N?”

ㅤㅤ

“She looks a bit agitated tonight, don't you think? Wasn't she skinnier before? Do you remember her ‘emo’ days?” Another one of them commented in a mocking manner.

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ

“What do you think?” The blonde haired woman said as she played with a lock of her hair. “She must be furious, I heard she's still working at her cake shop or something.”

ㅤㅤ

“And it seems she's trying to feel better about herself by having an affair with a woman.” The dark-haired man added. “Can you believe it?”

ㅤㅤ

“Yes! I saw it, couldn't believe it! She was always a bit gay at school, you know?… It seemed like she had a crush on me. Ugh! I once caught her watching me…”

ㅤㅤ

“No way! She spent her time in the library. Creep attitudes...”

ㅤㅤ

“Excuse me?” Unable to control herself and knowing that she risked making a rather awkward scene, Y/N approached said group with some annoyance. “What did you said?”

Jules couldn't stop her, and the truth is she wouldn't have either. She had every reason to be upset.

ㅤㅤ

“Y/N, right?” Said the blonde, who introduced herself as Sydney. Her golden silk dress and shoes indicated that she had spent quite a bit of money on them. “You are the new…”

ㅤㅤ

“Wanda's girlfriend?” Y/N finished the sentence, arching an eyebrow. “Yeah, it's me.”

ㅤㅤ

Y/N felt the gaze of those people analyzing every part of her, from the color of her hair to the clothes she was wearing. She didn't even need to have a power to read minds, she knew exactly what they were thinking.

ㅤㅤ

“Surely you must be feeling a bit pressured. Did you know that the Homecoming and Prom queen and king were Wanda and Vision?” The dark-haired man -who was apparently called Bartholomew- told her with an ironic and sly voice. “I mean…Vision has a privileged place in the Stark offices. What are you doing for living, Y/N?”

ㅤㅤ

The man exchanged an amused look with her friend. Y/N wanted with all her might to erase that smile with one blow, even Jules could see it, so she put her hand on the doctor's shoulder to calm her down.

ㅤㅤ

“It doesn’t bother me at all.” The brunette said, she trule wanted to devour that man like a beast, kick his ass so bad, but she just smiled, returning the same false and ironic smile. She was going to play her game and beat them on her own ground. “I'm a doctor, and I've been offered a great position as Surgeon in Chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, although I don't know whether to take it yet. I have a job that makes me very happy, saves lives and my pocket fills with money every day.”

ㅤㅤ

She glanced at Jules who smiled somewhat proudly, and then returned her gaze to both subjects who seemed somewhat uncomfortable. Clearly, they had been totally humiliated by someone that they did not think would destroy them.

ㅤㅤ

“Excuse me, what was your name? Oh… I don't remember.” Y/N she asked her narrowing her eyes at the blonde one, 'Sydney'. "Oh yeah. Sydney. What’s your job?”

ㅤㅤ

The blonde was about to start when Y/N interrupted her. “Yeah, don’t worry. I already remembered, you spent half an hour talking about how your father owned I don't know what company.” Y/N smiled widely, noticing how Jules bit her bottom lip. “Parasite life must be good, right?”

ㅤㅤ

“Excuse you?” Sydney seemed quite offended, but she did nothing but stir uncomfortably at the laughter of her own 'friend'.

ㅤㅤ

“Oh, and you don't get me started.” Now Y/N shot directly at Bartholomew. “Your name was Bartholomew? Oh, I almost called you 'Taenia' ‘cause you really are the spitting image of a parasite. Just because your dad knows someone that knows someone...”

ㅤㅤ

The faces of both reflected a shock worthy of a deer seeing the lights of a car. They didn't even know what to answer, especially when Jules giggled a little but stopped, biting her lips again.

ㅤㅤ

“But the thing is, Wanda doesn't need Vision, or me, or anyone else to be successful. FYI she has the best bakery in the city.” Y/N felt enormous pride just remembering all the proposals the redhead had lately to extend her business. “And she's thinking of opening other branches and expanding across the country, that's how well she's doing.”

ㅤㅤ

She didn't say anything else, just turned around leaving them completely speechless. Some people next to her just smiled at her and nodded, apparently Y/N wasn't the only one tired of their stupid comments.

ㅤㅤ

Jules just gave them a smirk and approached her friend, walking beside her. “Roasted. But you know for sure that guy didn't get the 'taenia' thing, right?” She murmured.

ㅤㅤ

"I know, but in my mind it sounded good." Y/N she smiled proudly as they walked away from that group of people together. “Okay, I have to go find Wanda. She will surely want to know this. I hope she doesn't kill me.”

ㅤㅤ

“Good luck with that.” Jules whispered before taking a sip of her drink, watching as Natasha approached her with a giant smile. She couldn't help but whisper to herself: “Fuck… I'm in love.”

ㅤㅤ

“Okay, everything is perfect! I think we can work it out.” Although Wanda looked a bit thoughtful, the redhead ended up removing the sandwiches that had burned in the oven and took some vegetables.

ㅤㅤ

“We've got some grilled chicken, cream cheese, beef, some vegetables, mushrooms…” Wanda murmured to her as she walked over to the kitchen and pointed to some items. “We can make little cold sandwiches. Some Deep fried Ham and Cheese squares…”

ㅤㅤ

Monica and the other chefs nodded in agreement. They all had a mission to solve that mishap they had with all the food that had gone bad.

ㅤㅤ

“You…are…the best.” Monica whispered to her sister-in-law as she passed carrying some buns fresh from the oven.

ㅤㅤ

“I know, I am your hero. ” Wanda smiled proudly taking a freshly made bun to sniff it, she definitely felt like something divine. Wanda and Monica saw to it that the new dishes were out on time, fast enough for Wanda to get back with her love on the dance floor.

Monica practically pushed Wanda out of the kitchen.

ㅤㅤ

“Okay, I'll go back to my girl. Anything you need…” She turned around but Monica grabbed her shoulders.

“Wanda, go. Really, everything it’s fine.” With a small kiss on the cheek, the brunette managed to calm her sister-in-law. “Enjoy a bit and have fun!”

ㅤㅤ

Nodding, the sokovian looked at herself in the nearby mirror before walking out of it but the door opened in front of her, revealing a male figure she hadn't expected to see.

ㅤㅤ

The voices in that kitchen were silent for a moment, discomfort and tension could be felt in the air.

ㅤㅤ

“Hello, Wanda.” That deep voice and that british accent so distinctive of him.

ㅤㅤ

“Vision.”

ㅤㅤ

The blonde was in front of her, wearing an elegant gray suit, which in its front pocket was adorned with a carnation.

ㅤㅤ

“Would you give me a few minutes to talk? Please.” The man asked kindly.

ㅤㅤ

To Wanda’s surprise, who still seemed shocked to see him in that place, she only nodded her head and then looked at Monica who told her 'go easy'. Of course, neither Monica nor Pietro were Vision's biggest fans, but he was the father of her children.

ㅤㅤ

They both left the kitchen to go to one of the private gardens of the place, luckily for both of them it was empty and nobody would be able to interrupt them.

ㅤㅤ

“Is something wrong with the kids?” Wanda asked frowning, the fear grew in her exponentially. “I thought they were with Cassie.”

ㅤㅤ

“Oh no. They are perfectly fine.” The man clarified trying to calm her down. “Miss Lang was going to drop them off with Yelena and Kate before midnight.”

ㅤㅤ

Wanda sighed deeply, feeling her sudden calm, closing her eyes for a few seconds. Her mind led her to think the worst.

ㅤㅤ

“I thought something happened.” But after that moment where her soul had returned to her body, the confusion took place. “So… what do you want to talk about?”

ㅤㅤ

“Oh, I just wanted to be able to chat with you for a bit without so many people around us.” Vision smiled charmingly, or at least that's what he thought.

ㅤㅤ

Feeling great discomfort, she finally spoke: “Vision…”

ㅤㅤ

“I've seen you with that dark-haired girl.” Vision tried to be as kind as he could. “She seems to be lovely.”

ㅤㅤ

“Oh, she is…” For the first time in all that time, Wanda genuinely smiled. Just thinking about her... In the time they tried to be together, Y/N completely changed her life. "She's truly amazing. She makes me happy.”

ㅤㅤ

“Glad to hear that.”

ㅤㅤ

The silence became awkward.

ㅤㅤ

"You look beautiful tonight.”

ㅤㅤ

“Thank you.” Wanda looked at herself for a moment. “I tried to do my best to look good even though almost everything goes to hell in the kitchen.”

ㅤㅤ

“This treats me so many memories. Do you remember our graduation party?” The blond looked around with some nostalgia and smiled widely. “We were elected King and Queen of the Prom.”

ㅤㅤ

“Yeah, I remember that night very well. Especially Natasha getting drunk and throwing up behind the bleachers, as well as seeing her make out with Jennifer Walters. She didn't know that she was Bruce's cousin.” Wanda giggled, shaking her head.

ㅤㅤ

Vision nodded and they both shared a good time in silence, remembering stuff from so many years ago.

ㅤㅤ

“Wanda…” He finally broke that silence. “Lately, I've noticed something… I've been thinking about you.”

ㅤㅤ

Oh no. Here we go. Not again.

Wanda felt an enormous dejavu envelope her again, and far from feeling happy about what Vision was sure to say, she felt a deep fear. A paralyzing fear that everything she was living recently would break, those voices that whispered to her every night 'everything is going to hell' were now being right.

ㅤㅤ

Not again.

ㅤㅤ

“Vision.” Wanda shook her head, ready to leave. “Please don't start this nonsense.”

ㅤㅤ

“It's not nonsense, but I know you love me, Wanda.” He followed her. “Before you disappeared, you wanted to come back to me.”

ㅤㅤ

“Yes, I wanted that.” Vision took a step towards her, facing each other. That height difference between the two had always been charming to Wanda. Now, it was nothing but…intimidating. “And it was a big mistake, because I lost one of the most important person in my life. Six years.”

ㅤㅤ

Wanda fixed her gaze on Vision's blue eyes. So different from Y/N's, so much so that she felt cold when she saw them. So different from the heat she felt years ago.

ㅤㅤ

“And now you are married again, and I have a new opportunity with the person I love and hurt for a long time. I respect her enough to stop you right here.” Wanda raised her hand, stopping the man from advancing any further. “Don't you think you owe your new wife the same?”

ㅤㅤ

She seemed determined enough. Wanda wasn't going to let something break her future with Y/N again.

ㅤㅤ

“You cannot deny that there was always a very strong connection between us.”

ㅤㅤ

Wanda paused for a moment and sighed. “You're right... There was a great connection.” She paused before finishing that sentence. “There was… when we were teenagers.”

ㅤㅤ

Surprise could be seen on Vision's face, how could this happen? He had always had a kind of charm to attract Wanda, they had always been made for each other.

Losing her because of her snap was tragic, but he decided to move on with her life. How come she didn't want him anymore?

ㅤㅤ

“Are you serious?”

ㅤㅤ

“What we had no longer exists, Vision.” Wanda said determinedly, and had to admit that she was happy to do so. Something in her encouraged her to defend with tooth and nail what she now had with Y/N. The one, the woman she loves. “The only connection you and I have is our children. You’re the father of the twins and you will always be someone in my life…”

ㅤㅤ

The redhead nodded and she clutched her small purse, walking towards the door, she turned once to see him one last time:

ㅤㅤ

“But no more than that.”

ㅤㅤ

“I see.” Gathering the last of his dignity, Vision nodded and walked to the door, taking the initiative. “Have a good night, Wanda.”

ㅤㅤ

The blonde man opened the door and by surprise, he ran into the person he least expected to see.

Y/N seemed surprised to see him there, she could see it on her face when she saw Vision and Wanda in the same room.

ㅤㅤ

“Miss Y/L/N. What a pleasant surprise.” The man said with a falsely kind smile before leaving. “I'd l to talk to you but I have to go. Have a good night.”

ㅤㅤ

Vision walked out of that garden, finally leaving Y/N and Wanda alone. Wanda seemed worried, approaching her girlfriend somewhat hesitantly.

ㅤㅤ

“Y/N…” She started hoping Y/N didn't misunderstand the whole situation. The redhead hugged her around her waist, waiting to be received.

ㅤㅤ

“Wands… Is everything alright?”

ㅤㅤ

“Now it is.” She inhaled the brunette's perfume and closed her eyes for a few seconds, allowing herself to relax. “Though we should get back to the party. Natasha must be looking for us…”

ㅤㅤ

Y/N allowed herself to enjoy the moment, wrapping Wanda in her arms before finally letting go of what she had inside her:

ㅤㅤ

“I saw you both.” Y/N said, noticing how Wanda's body tensed. Her redhead moved away enough to see Y/N.

ㅤㅤ

“I heard that he wanted to get back together with you, again.” Y/N said pouting her lips.

ㅤㅤ

She felt a bit uncomfortable, of course she was, but even if Y/N didn't want to admit it... all that talk had awakened endless fears and voices inside her screamed loudly.

ㅤㅤ

“Y/N, listen to me, it's not…” Wanda began, ready to swing a sword and fight. Willing to explain as many times as necessary that it wasn't what she thought, but Y/N didn't even let her finish.

ㅤㅤ

The taller woman leaned down to kiss Wanda's lips, a slow kiss, passionate, needy but full of love. Y/N wrapped arms around Wanda's waist with a love, a devotion uniquely strong enough to show her that she wasn't going to let her go.

ㅤㅤ

Wanda's trembling hands returned to Y/N's body in a somewhat doubtful way, unable to fully understand what was happening until her mind decided to disconnect and just enjoy that kiss.

ㅤㅤ

After that passionate kiss, Y/N pressed her forehead against Wanda's. Even her eyes remained closed, enjoying the moment. “I know.”

ㅤㅤ

“You do?” Wanda asked confused and somewhat stunned by that kiss.

ㅤㅤ

“I heard you when I came looking for you.”

ㅤㅤ

“Did you hear it ALL?” Wanda smiled mischievously.

ㅤㅤ

Her heart skipped a beat when she finally saw Y/N's eyes, looking those eyes she loved to lose herself in.

ㅤㅤ

“I love you.” Y/N finally confessed, smiling as she heard herself say those words.

ㅤㅤ

She loved her, of course she loved her. Y/N had loved her for six years, ever since that day she came to Natasha's house and met Wanda, babbling like a teenager in love.

Y/N loved her when they had a secret relationship.

Y/N loved her when she lost her for six years. Six years where she didn't stop missing Wanda, where every day she dreamed her over and over again, finally meeting again. Where she visited her favorite places, or where she bought Wanda’s favorite flowers to the mural for the fallen in the Snap.

ㅤㅤ

Y/N loved her now, when she did nothing but make her feel happy.

Wanda looked shocked, her lips moved for a moment but no sound came from them. She didn't even know how to speak, even lost the ability to breathe. At least that pounding heart reminded her that she was still alive.

ㅤㅤ

Y/N was about to ask if that was okay, when she just saw the smile on Wanda's lips. Those lovely huge eyes were getting small, her teeth white as pearls.

And now, her heart was the one that left her chest to run to Wanda and give itself forever.

ㅤㅤ

“I love you too.” The Sokovian said, completely lost in Y/N's gaze. And now, who felt like the luckiest woman in the world, was Wanda.

ㅤㅤ

“Do you want to leave this place?” Wanda said again and bit her lower lip trying to hide that mischievous smile. “They will surely name some idiot as 'old prom queen'. Who cares? Let's go now.”

ㅤㅤ

“I'd love to.” Y/N smiled before Wanda came closer to cup her face and kiss. A little kiss, short and in love. The redhead took Y/N's hand to leave that garden together.

ㅤㅤ

“Oh wait!” As if lightning struck her, Y/N remembered the reason why she was looking for Wanda. “But before we go there, I came to tell you something... I just came to tell you that you might get some ugly looks from a couple of people on the dance floor...”

ㅤㅤ

“What happened?” Wanda arched an eyebrow playfully.

ㅤㅤ

“The bottom line is that I defended your honor, but I humiliated two people out there.” She babbled so fast that the redhead couldn't fully understand what Y/N was referring to.

Y/N opened one of the doors to the living room for Wanda to go through but the redhead stopped.

ㅤㅤ

“What?”

ㅤㅤ

Y/N kissed Wanda's lips shutting her up and hugged her, pushing her out to the main room again. “So take a deep breath, let's dance and get out of here as soon as possible.”

ㅤㅤ

Wanda took a deep breath and continued walking beside her, intertwining her fingers and walking into a future together.

ㅤㅤ

And they spent much of the night having fun like never before among many friends who finally arrived at the party, including Bucky, Steve and of course Natasha and Jules who were already there. The sandwiches turned out perfect, and many of the people there had -with no bad intentions- approached Wanda to congratulate her on the incredible attention they received at her bakery.

ㅤㅤ

“Okay, hello everyone! How are you guys doing tonight?” Brunnhilde -or as many called her 'Valkyrie'- stopped the music and took the mic. Next to her was Pepper Pots, with an envelope in her hands. “It's time to finally crown our 'King' and 'Queen' tonight.”

ㅤㅤ

"Today we will be remembering and rewarding the longest lasting couple for all these years... We remember that the last time we saw them it was Wanda Maximoff and Jarvis 'Vision' Stark!” Pepper exclaimed pointing to both of them, everyone applauded kindly although Wanda didn't seem too happy with that exhibition. “Everyone left their vote for their favorites. We will reward the most important couple, and who have been together the longest! …It's time to see who they are.”

ㅤㅤ

“I hate this.” Wanda whispered, shaking her head. Natasha settled next to her, as did Y/N, ready to help her in any awkward situation that arose.

ㅤㅤ

“We got you.” Natasha whispered, Y/N and Jules nodded.

ㅤㅤ

“I'll kick everyone's ass if I have to.” Bucky muttered nodding his head.

ㅤㅤ

“Will they be the favs again tonight?” Valkyrie asked something playful as Pepper went about opening the envelope.

The sound of snare drums made everything feel even more awkward.

Once Pepper took that piece of paper out of the envelope, Wanda exhaled the air it contained. Was it necessary to suffer this kind of humiliation? Having to pose in front of her ex-husband, as if they were an exotic animal exhibited in the zoo for the amusement of people.

ㅤㅤ

“The most influential, most beautiful, AND MOST LASTING couple over the years are…” Pepper was silent for a few minutes until she exploded, revealing what everyone felt: “WANDA MAXIMOFF AND NATASHA ROMANOFF!”

ㅤㅤ

Everyone began to cheer and applaud, but the faces of Wanda and her group of friends contrasted with everything around her.

ㅤㅤ

“What?” Natasha and Wanda whispered at the same time, looking for the answer to that really bad joke.

ㅤㅤ

“Get up, come here, you idiots!” Valkyrie invited them with a smile, holding out her hand for them both to come up on stage.

ㅤㅤ

“Wanda and Natasha have been chosen by the majority of those present here. We've all known each other since we were crazy teenagers, but they've been together ever since. Being best friends all the way…” Pepper recounted as a few pictures flashed on the backstage screen, some pics of everyone in high school. Nat, Wanda, Pietro, Tony, Pepper, Scott and more… but all of them featured a sexy Russian redhead and a adorable brunette Sokovian. “A couple that has always been there for each other, a friendship that anyone would envy. Today, they are the queens of the party.”

ㅤㅤ

With tears in her eyes and a confused smile, Wanda went up to receive her crown along with Natasha who smiled sideways, a little uncomfortable but happy not to see her friend suffer.

ㅤㅤ

“Did you know something?” Wanda whispered to her as Pepper handed her the crown.

ㅤㅤ

“I didn’t know anything, you know how Tony is.” Natasha confessed sincerely, but happy to see how Vision made a slightly awkward face and moved away from the sight of the others.

ㅤㅤ

Wanda's green eyes searched desperately for her soulmate until finally finding her there.

Y/N looked at her with a huge smile and a twinkle in her eyes that showed how in love and happy she was for her. Clapping along the people around them.

Really proud of her.

Really in love with her.

Nothing could be better than all that.

The kisses silenced the soft sighs of the Sokovian. Y/N's hands traveled down her body slowly, running over her as if it were the first time.

Wanda smiled as she felt her beloved's lips on her chest, taking the time to discover her as she settled into her huge bed. They had come from that party and neither of them had been able to detach themselves from the other.

ㅤㅤ

Finally having that naked woman in front of her, Y/N covered her boobs and belly with kisses. She stopped to play with her nipples for a moment, those soft pink nipples that hardened against her tongue.

Wanda's moans echoed in the room, especially when Y/N's mouth reached down to her belly, leaving little sensual bites as her hands worked to remove her panties. She looked so sexy.

ㅤㅤ

“You're a goddess...” The brunette whispered, looking at Wanda's naked body in front of her. Definitely a divine and unique image.

The way Y/N made her feel… She felt wanted and loved, needed like never before. Okay, yes. The same way she had when they met. Y/N was so desperate to have her.

ㅤㅤ

The way she devoured her wet sex, over and over again. Tearing out of her the most pleasurable and sincere moans that have ever come from her lips.

The Sokovian clutched at the sheets, looking down to meet the erotic moment. The woman she loved between her legs, eating her with a delicacy and at the same time a burning desire.

ㅤㅤ

They spent hours making love, hours where their bodies found each other. Where Y/N claimed Wanda's body in different ways, and Wanda returned her gesture making her feel as much pleasure and love as she had never felt before.

Sweating, rubbing their bodies, they both looked at each other and smiled once they ended in that intense orgasm together.

ㅤㅤ

Unlike other couples who perhaps felt the loss of desire over time, each time they made love it was even more passionate, it brought them even closer.

Her hearts were beating rapidly; The two women made themselves comfortable on the bed, snuggling under the covers.

ㅤㅤ

“I'll go get a glass of water.” Wanda pecked Y/N's lips, and got up from the bed, grabbing Y/N's oversized t-shirt. “Need something, detka?”

ㅤㅤ

“I don't need anything but you, my love.” Y/N smiled mischievously. “Come back soon.”

ㅤㅤ

“I don't plan to leave you for long.” Wanda smiled and winked at her, leaving the room soon.

ㅤㅤ

She went down to the kitchen quickly feeling that small but pleasant pain in her thighs, which made her smile as she poured herself a glass of water with ice.

The redhead drank a little of that refreshing liquid, suddenly the heat she felt increased. Wanda set the nearly empty glass aside, holding onto the table. That was weird...

A strange feeling ran through her body, like dizziness, but she had experienced dizziness and that wasn't… normal.

Her stomach lurched, Wanda tried to take a step and call out to Y/N but something made her stop, holding on to the counter to keep from falling.

ㅤㅤ

Her eyes fell on one of the empty coffee cups; an almost psychedelic swell moving from side to side like a raging ocean.

The lights began to flicker in a terrifying way, the pictures on the table turned to her in an accusing way. Had someone put something in her drink? Was she drugged? Was she freaking out?

ㅤㅤ

“Let me in.”

ㅤㅤ

She could have sworn she heard whispers in sokovian, as if it were some terrifying chant or spell. As if it was one of the stories that her cousin or her mother told them about the forest witches in Sokovia on Halloween. A woman's voice was haunting her and every step she took her voice grew louder. More terrifying.

ㅤㅤ

“Y/N!” Wanda tried to scream but it only came out as a whisper.

ㅤㅤ

Wanda inhaled deeply, but as she looked up at the window, a gasp escaped her lips.

In front of her, her own image but it looked more… terrifying. She was wearing a kind of headpiece and a burgundy leather suit, almost like the superheroes they saw on television.

Before she could say anything, a deep pain shot through her brain, a pain so deep that it drowned out her voice.

Wanda closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to recover, but when she reopened her big green eyes, they now had a reddish glow.

The Scarlet Witch had taken control of that body. She watched herself in that ‘new’ body, it was different and at the same time not so much. At least here she was also redheaded.

ㅤㅤ

“This will work.” whispered in a more thick accent. The scarlet witch turned around ready to leave that place and look for some way to get what she needed, when she saw that someone was watching her from the kitchen.

ㅤㅤ

"Hey, beautiful." Y/N smiled and walked over to her, at least she was dressed in one of her t-shirts and her boxers. “You took time so I decided to see if everything was okay here…”

ㅤㅤ

Y/N approached Wanda and hugged her, surprising the scarlet witch who opened her eyes wide. That look made Y/N worry, frowning at her.

ㅤㅤ

“My love, are you okay?” She inquired with concern, noticing that Wanda was quiet. Those lips trembled as she searched for something to say for a few seconds until ‘Wanda’ smiled.

ㅤㅤ

“I am okay, Detka. Just tired… How about we go to sleep instead?” Scarlet Witch licked her lips, hoping she would believe it or she would have to resort to something less pleasant.

ㅤㅤ

“Are you sure?” Y/N’s eyes narrowed.

ㅤㅤ

“So sure.” Scarlet Witch as ‘Wanda’ smiled charmingly, that should work. She took Y/N’s hand, ready to leave the kitchen. “Let’s go to bed.”

ㅤㅤ

And although something told her that not everything was okay, Y/N just nodded and walked with her to go to bed. Wanda was there telling her that everything was fine, she had to believe her. Right? She'd earned it.

Without knowing that her beloved was trapped in her own body and mind, hostage to a much more suffered and tormented version of herself.

Her variant.

ㅤㅤ

Don't judge me, if there are mistakes I'm sorry! It's 6 am and I'm sleepy. I will only sleep 5 hours. Hope you enjoyed it. Yes, the Scarlet Witch is here but... what will happen?

here goes some amazing and lovely people tags ✨ : @imnotasuperhero @wandsmxmff @dudaaaluthor @marvell-love - @ etheriaaly - @idcplss - @how-to-disappearrr - @simp4nat - @cristin-rjd - @lonewalker17 @zairaaaa @mrscromanoff @kacka84

I want to thank everyone who reads me, it really means a lot. Sorry to keep you waiting. If you want to be tagged, ask me here in comments or my box? cause i can't remember the ones who asked for it, it was a long time (?

Have a good night!

#wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff x f!reader

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def-initely-soul · 6 months

Text

Burn The Witch {4}

a/n: hello everyone it's been a while. I have no idea if anyone is still around or still interested in this, but here's the fourth part! don't know when i'll update again, figured i should upload this chapter since its been in my drafts for a while

pairing: yoongi x reader (f.)

genre: supernatural; angst; mystery; magical society AU; magicals!AU

rating: PG-15

warnings: violence; emotional abuse; blood; bullying; mentions of murder; mature language; panic attack

words: 5.6k

summary:

↠ {a boy who keeps running away, a girl who can’t seem to no matter how much she tries and a series of murders caught all in between of the cracks spread through what appears as a quiet little town…} ↞

or alternatively, not everything is always what it seems

previous part: {3}

It’s a slow day at “Selkie’s Place” when Yoongi pays you a visit, two days after the second murders.

Trusting him still feels naïve but you can’t help but do it, and it scares you. You’re putting so much faith in him. Too much faith. Blindly trusting someone like this can only lead to disappointment, you know this well enough. But it’s hard not to trust him. And you’re terrified.

When he steps into the pub it takes a whole lot of effort to get Mona to stop pestering him and move along to her other duties. Of course, you didn’t tell her the truth about your sudden partnership, instead opting for an inconspicuous story of making a new friend during interspecies studies. But, of course, she had to see for herself. Resulting in an almost interrogation of Yoongi about how the two of you met.

“She seems nice...” he comments afterwards. He waves at Mona from the couch he’s sitting on, who waves back at him from behind the bar.

You rest your hand at the back of the couch, watching the whole interaction with a careful smile. “She usually is. Today was a surprise for both of us...” you shrug before turning your attention back at him. Wondering what made him choose “Selkie’s Place” of all places for your conversation.

“You know this meeting could’ve happened at uni, right? No need for you to come here...” you raise an eyebrow and now it’s his turn to shrug.

“Better this way. Less eyes watching. After all, the person incriminating you could be someone from campus,” he takes a tentative sip of his beer. Your suspicion grows.

Maybe he’s not just thinking of being under the radar. Maybe he’s not completely unaffected from everyone else’s opinion and he’s afraid to be seen with you. Could that really be the case?

No. You wouldn’t peg Yoongi as someone who cares about other people’s opinions. He does what he wants and that’s the end of it.

But what if this town managed to get him? What if by living in such a remote place, the people’s beliefs became his own? What if he’s rethinking the whole thing?

You try to shake off the doubts creeping in your mind. They won’t do you any good for now.

“So, you think someone is incriminating me then,” you ponder instead.

Yoongi looks at you unimpressed. “Given the circumstances of those murders, I’d say it’d be too much of a coincidence. Someone is definitely trying to put the blame on you,” he replies sternly, confident in his logic. You find it hard to argue.

At least someone else believes you.

“So, what do you suggest we do?” you ask while taking a careful look around the pub. Just because you’re meeting here instead of campus, doesn’t mean you’re completely safe.

“Me?” he raises an eyebrow as he crosses his arms.

You shrug. “You’re the Sherlock here, Sherlock.” The reply has a smile growing on Yoongi and he leans towards you.

“And I suppose you’re my Watson then?”

At that you can’t help but scoff. Nevertheless, a grin is threatening to spill on your lips. “No, that would make me the unwilling victim that paid too much at your agency.”

Yoongi’s smile doesn’t falter. “You’re not paying me though.”

“Is store-credit okay?”

He shakes his head with a chuckle before leaning against his seat. “I was thinking of taking a look,” is his cryptic answer, eyes following the costumers around the pub.

This doesn’t satisfy your curiosity though. “Taking a look where?”

Yoongi is still nonchalantly people-watching when he replies. “The Kim’s estate.”

Your eyes almost pop out of their sockets.

“Where?! Are you mad?! The place will be flooding with Magaux!” you respond incredulously. You’re not willing to take a step into this place, it will be filled with your worlds equivalent for the police! If someone were to catch you there, no evidence would be needed for your arrest.

“This might be our only chance...” Yoongi continues calmly, ignoring your sudden outburst.

“To get arrested?” you level with him but he rolls his eyes, not at all worried about his idea.

You can’t believe you’re hearing this! He can’t be serious.

“To find out anything concerning the identity of the perpetrator! Or would you rather just to sit by idly as everyone else pins this too on you?” it’s his turn to look at you with irritation in his eyes. Your mouth runs dry from words to say. You hadn’t thought of it that way. You should have.

“I...” you mumble taken aback, before you turn your eyes away. “I didn’t mean it like that...” you mutter in response. Yoongi exhales tiredly.

“Look, I know you don’t feel comfortable with this, but it’s our best shot at finding out anything. As for the magaux they cleared the scene not long before the second murders happened. The Kim estate will be empty by now,” his voice is soft, almost comforting and you turn to face him again. The determination and hope in his eyes strangely calm you down.

“How are we going to get in?” you make your decision and Yoongi smiles.

“Can you teleport?”

You nod.

“There’s how,” he announces entirely too pleased with himself, and you roll your eyes as you fight the urge to smile.

“I say we meet and teleport straight into the house, not to raise any alarms, hm?” he takes another sip of his beer, and you nod again.

That’s when you see it.

Yoongi goes on about the details of your plan, but your eyes are trained at the glass window behind him. Did you just see something move?

There’s just darkness outside. Just a heavy, unending black. Your eyes must be playing tricks on you.

But then you see it again. And this time it’s clearer.

What you thought was only black, quickly proves to be a shadow. A shapeless figure, much like the one you saw at that empty classroom. Unnerving, ever-present.

Your breath hitches. Yoongi’s voice becomes a faint buzz as your heartbeat rises when the figure suddenly appears closer to the window.

But the figure is almost the same colour as the night. You’re not sure what you’re seeing is real.

It seems as if you’re staring at nothing.

But “nothing” stares back.

And blinks.

“Y/N!”

You jump in your spot, tension suddenly dissipating. You glance at Yoongi disoriented, who looks at you with a wary expression. Then you take a look at the window again. But there’s nothing there.

“You okay?” Yoongi’s voice sounds as if you’re underwater. It gradually grows stronger, pulling you back to reality with it. You shake your head. It was nothing, you saw nothing.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine...” you clear your throat, unable to meet his eyes. You’re afraid he’ll see right through you. “I just got distracted, sorry. What were you saying?”

Yoongi’s gaze is suspicious, but he decides to say nothing. “That we should meet at my house to discuss somethings beforehand. Just to be careful about this. Wouldn't want to get caught now, would we?” he explains with an easy smile. And while you agree with the general idea, you have one small objection.

“Okay, but it’d be better if it was at my house instead. I still can’t quite get the hang of teleporting from anywhere outside my house,” you reply, and Yoongi looks worried at that.

“Then will you be able to teleport us to your house afterwards?” he asks with concern, and you nod.

“It just takes a bit more energy. Figured I’d keep whatever energy I can for leaving,” you shrug. Only now you realise that means Yoongi will have to actually come to your house.

It’s been so long since anyone stepped foot in your home, besides you and Mona. You’ll need to do some cleaning beforehand, just in case.

Yoongi nods as he thinks it over, tapping his finger on his chin before he shrugs. “Okay, if you’re sure you can do it...” he comments. Although his tone shifts something in you. As if your pride got wounded.

Sure, you’re used to that. It seems to be everyone’s personal chore in this hellhole of a town, but coming from Yoongi, makes you want to prove him wrong. To prove you’re not just some helpless victim, to prove you’re someone capable. Someone strong.

You can do it. You know you can.

And him doubting you makes you angry.

“I’m sure,” you say, and your tone raises no questions. No room for doubt fits in your words and your hair curl at the ends with magic as it seeps out of you with every burst of feeling. You’re not weak. That’s the only thing you’ve never been.

Yoongi’s stare is indecipherable as thunder roars outside. Your chest rises quickly with every worked-up breath.

But then he smiles. “That’s more like it.”

You watch anxiously as Yoongi steps inside your home, two days later. It’s the only day you’re free from work, so the only day you’d be able to do this. You wanted the whole day off to prepare for what you’re about to do.

You mainly slept and ate, to replenish your energy and be ready for later. And also downed more than three cups of coffee. Although that could maybe turn out to be a bad idea. You’re not sure yet.

You're curious to see how Yoongi will take in your home but nothing really reveals much about his thoughts. Not when he stares up at the massive wooden staircase with Alistair curled around the banister, or when his eyes meet the stone walls covered with paintings of your relatives.

Your familiar stares at the man in the middle of your lobby, thoughtfully take in your home and strangely he has nothing to say. The fox only stares at the vampire man with a mild curiosity and a slight apathy. Yoongi, to his credit, acknowledges the fox with a small tip of his head forward but then he keeps on looking around.

Alistair’s familiar voice appears in your head.

Do we trust him?

You give him what you hope is a warning glare.

Be nice Ali.

You swear you see him almost roll his eyes.

I’m always nice.

A snort breaks free from your lips that has Yoongi look at you with a questioning gaze.

You wave him off with your hand. “It’s nothing...” you reply when you decide to tease your familiar. “Ali seems to like you.”

The question doesn’t leave Yoongi’s eyes. “Ali?”

“My familiar...” you move closer to point at Alistair at the top of the stairs who stares at you with a nearly murderous gaze. “His real name is Alistair, but he doesn’t like being called Ali in front of strangers...” you chuckle with Yoongi’s eyes on you. Alistair gets up from his position and stretches before sitting on his back legs on a graceful but indignant pose.

Your smile grows.

Yoongi turns to your familiar and nods his head again. “I’m Yoongi. Nice to meet you Alistair.”

Ali looks at him carefully before his voice reappears.

He’s okay... for now.

Then he tips his head towards Yoongi and turns around to hide in your room.

You chuckle once more at the quizzical look on Yoongi’s face. “Okay, now he really seems to like you.”

Yoongi sighs in relief. “I’m glad. Wouldn’t want to get on your familiar’s bad side...” he replies while turning his eyes upwards to your high ceiling. His gaze turns awed when he sees the ancient magic decorating the glass ceiling and how the endless night outside meets the floating lights underneath your roof.

“What is this...?” he asks in wonder, mouth falling open at the sight above him.

Another smile takes over your lips. “My father did it. When I was young, I used to say how much I loved the floating lights in the sky. I would sit awake for hours trying to come up with spells to bring them closer to me. I thought if I tried hard enough, I could bring them in my room and have them on my ceiling and then I could say “I have the floating lights in my room!”. So, one day my dad brought home some small crystal balls, filled them with starlight and enchanted them to float forever beneath our glass ceiling. To accompany the real floating lights in the night sky,” you reminisce as one of the floating lights slowly descends to meet your open hand.

It’s warmth travels through your skin, reminding you of that time you tried to catch them with a floating spell of your own. Back then, you didn’t know you weren’t supposed to chase them. The starlight would come to you instead.

“And to make sure I didn’t accidently cause earth’s collision with a star,” you add on with a chuckle.

“Your dad could catch starlight?” Yoongi asks still in awe, but his eyes are on you now.

“It was his individual power.”

“And what is yours?” he asks curiously.

At that your smile drops.

You shrug. “I don’t know.”

Both of you remain silent. Yoongi’s gaze doesn’t leave you but where you thought you’d see pity you see nothing but understanding. He doesn’t say anything along the lines of “I’m sorry,” or “That must be hard,”. He just lets you be.

You don’t know what else to say so you focus on the issue at hand. “Okay, so are we ready for this?” is your impatient question as you let the small ball float back into place.

Yoongi stares for another moment before he clears his throat. “Yeah, just a few things first. We need to be really discreet. There might not be any Magaux there but there should be some monitor spells lying around. So, we have to be careful. And we shouldn't split up. I know it’ll take more time but it’s safer this way,” Yoongi explains, all seriousness and even though you agree, you can’t resist the urge to tease him.

“Is someone afraid?” you can’t hide your teasing smile and Yoongi scoffs as he tries to hide his own.

“Me? Please. I’m just saying this for you...” he smirks, and you roll your eyes.

“Alright, let’s do this,” you take his hand in yours as you close your eyes and recount the spell in your mind.

You feel the familiar rush of magic travelling through your body, the magic of your home helping you in the process and then you open your eyes.

But it didn’t work.

You stare confused at your joined hands. This is weird.

Yoongi looks concerned. “Is something the matter?”

“That hasn’t happened before...” you mumble in disbelief, worry filling your mind.

“Maybe it’s because we’re two people. Have you tried teleporting with another person before?” Yoongi casually drags his hands away from yours. You’re too worried about your powers to notice the crimson hue spreading over his cheeks.

“I-… No, I haven’t but I don’t think that’s it...” your confusion is palpable as you close your eyes to try again.

Once more you feel the familiar pull on your gut as your magic concentrates. This time you feel a bit more of it, now that it’s just you, but when you’re about to cross over you feel the difference. There’s something blocking you. Your powers work just fine, moving you along the spell just as they’re supposed to but when it’s time to land, you feel a wall blocking your path.

“There must be a blocking spell on the estate...” you realise out loud and Yoongi curses softly.

“Now what? Should we walk all the way there? Someone might see us,” he says in thought, thinking of possible solutions to your problem but you raise an eyebrow. It's simpler than that.

“...Or we could just teleport outside the estate and walk to the front door?”

“Okay, now that we’re here how do we get in?”

This time, you’re successfully teleported outside of the estate, so you resulted in walking the rest of the way. The blocking spell shimmers as soon as you pass the front gate. You fight a shiver at the peculiar sensation.

True to Yoongi’s words the scene seems cleared, no Magaux anywhere in sight. The Kim’s estate appears larger up close. The building is still standing, yet black spots of fire and ruin grace its appearance and a cold chill runs down your bones.

The lights are out, the house an imposing structure despite its condition, the smell of ashes wafting through the air. You can’t believe this place was full of life just two weeks ago.

That it wasn’t just a ruin.

“The normal way,” Yoongi responds as he climbs the stairs to the front door. You follow close behind.

“Through the front door? How do you know it doesn’t have any monitoring spells?” you inquire with careful step, wary of making too much noise.

Yoongi smirks at you but instead of going through the front door, he nears a broken window to the side. The floor creaks with his steps, a contrast to the silence of the night. You resist the urge to shiver.

He leans in, just barely through the window. He looks around the windowsill, as if looking for something. Once he’s satisfied, he leans back outside with a winning smile. “No monitoring spells here.”

Your gaze is suspicious. “How can you tell?”

He waves you over and you both lean inside to take a peek in what seems to be the living room. “Usually monitoring spells have a tell; they must have a beeper nearby to help them keep running for the desired time. The latest versions don’t need it, hence the increase in their price. I doubt Xefoto’s Magaux can afford them...” he comments. You lean more inside, and he points over your shoulder towards a small rectangle metallic box just above the door.

“Now that’s a beeper. Which means this door is monitored,” he explains as he steps inside the window. Once he’s safely inside he stretches his hand towards you.

You take it with a careful yet amazed gaze. “How do you know all that?” you move inside, wary of dragging anything with you. You finally place both legs inside before dragging your hand away.

Yoongi simply shrugs as his eyes move to the interior. “I’m studying to become a Magau. It’s stuff I should know,” he chuckles as he takes a step inside.

You hum in understanding and your eyes finally take in the living room. Or what used to be the living room.

The wallpaper is burned to a crips as most spots, heavy black marks covering the walls in a pattern; as if the fire spread out in five, even streams of flame and burned everything in their path. The floor beneath the marks is black in streams too, all pointing towards the centre of the room, as if someone lighted a fire and spread it in five, even directions. Like a ritual would have it.

“I guess this is where we should look...” Yoongi comments in a grave voice. His fingers skip the black mark on the walls.

“What happened here...?” you mumble in terror, mostly to yourself. It’s pretty obvious what happened here, but why would someone kill an entire family just for a ritual?

“Whoever did this, did not mess around...” Yoongi whispers, while you near the fireplace. On top of it rest some burning sage along with some geraniums and a few buds of alyssum; all burned to almost a crisp, outside of the five even streams. The flower petals are black, almost destroyed by the fire. Burning sage is used for protection from enchantment, geranium as an alert for approaching guests and alyssum is used to deflect spells and judging by their condition, you’d say the person behind this knew much about the Kim’s.

Your eyes then travel to the wall above; decorated with numerous runes and what must be protection spells. But truth is you never paid attention on rune’s class, so you have no idea how to read them.

“So, we look for anything that might be suspicious?” Yoongi makes an affirmative sound, and you begin looking. Hoping you will at least find something that can help you.

It’s been two hours or so since you started searching but you have nothing so far. You looked into every corner, under all furniture, looking for cracks in the floor, opening every cabinet and little trinket but you’ve come up empty handed.

You’re starting to lose hope. You can’t believe you did all this just to come up with nothing. You refused to be pessimistic all day, to avoid jinxing it but now it seems your doubts became a reality.

You have nothing to move forward from. You only know a witch is somehow involved, someone who knew what they were doing which means it wasn’t anyone from this town.

Which means you’re screwed.

With a huff, you stand up. “Come on Yoongi, I don’t think we’ll find anything here...” you admit, shoulders hunched but Yoongi doesn’t budge.

“I’m not done yet. Plus, we haven’t looked into any of the other rooms yet...” he replies, not really paying attention to you. You tiredly watch as his hands dive in what seems like the hundredth box here.

You groan, your sore muscles complaining along, and you rub your straining neck. “I doubt we’ll find anything in the other rooms either. Let’s just admit this was hopeless and return to-”

Your words get cut short when you hear a sound coming from outside.

Yoongi doesn’t seem to notice it, too immersed in his search, but you’re certain you heard something. Is someone else here?

“Yoongi...” you whisper lowly, taking a step towards him, your eyes glued to the front door.

“Wait, I think I found something...!” he mumbles with barely contained excitement, his hand searching through the outer cracks of the box.

But then you hear it again.

The unmistakeable creak of the wooden floor on the front porch. Meaning someone is coming up the stairs.

“Yoongi, someone is here...” you shake his shoulder to gain his attention, to guide his focus at the impending risk of being found out.

“I can’t get it, just use an invisibility spell or something...” he argues, finger grabbing that... something and yanking it as hard as he can.

Panic and shame are an awful mix, flooding you at the same time as the creaks sound closer.

“Yoongi, please, we have to get out now...” your rushed voice reflects the rhythm of your pulse, and your breaths quicken in fear. Your eyes widen and you stare at the door as whoever seems to be outside takes their sweet time to turn down the doorknob.

A huff comes from your partner. “This is a clue; we have to get it! Why can’t you just cast a disguise or invisibility spell?”

He obviously doesn’t understand why you’d choose to simply run but once you hear the steps sounding just outside the door you snap.

“Because I literally can’t!”

Thankfully your voice was barely a hiss, but it’s enough for Yoongi to hear it and look at you with a surprised gaze.

Great, is that shame creeping back in?

“I- I never learned how...” you admit, your voice barely a whisper this time. You avoid Yoongi’s eyes; they are sure to be filled with pity and you can’t take that just yet. You can take a lot of things admittedly, but surprisingly not this.

The sound of steps travels through the wood again and you remember you’re about to be discovered. “Now can we please get out so I can at least teleport us somewhere safe?!” you hiss, pointing with one hand towards the door.

Yoongi stares at you for a second too long without replying. Instead, he grabs what seems to be a small stick, stuck into the cracks of the box and with one determined move, he finally gets it out.

“Got it! Let’s go,” he exclaims triumphant before you drag him towards the back of the house with a tired groan.

“I used to come here as a kid, there’s a back door at the kitchen and windows we can go out of. If there are monitoring spells in all of them, we can hide until the living room is clear...” you whisper quickly, remembering all the times you came here with your parents for social visits.

You open the door, push Yoongi quickly inside and lock it behind you.

“Check for beepers...” you put a chair against the locked door, just to be safe as Yoongi checks the back door first.

“Clear,” he replies “Although it seems weird the door isn’t monitored, even if it’s just a back door...” he thinks out loud.

“Well, if it was, we’d be stuck here so forgive me for not looking a gift horse in the mouth...” you roll your eyes at him as you drag him towards the door. “Now let’s get out of here...” you open the back door and motion for him to follow you when you both hear the unmistakeable sound of the front door opening.

Both your gazes land at the kitchen door, then at each other.

“Run?” you whisper.

Yoongi swallows the lump in his throat, and he nods. “Run.”

Then you’re both out in the backyard, running through the bushes and flowers as quietly as you can. Actually, the garden is really pretty and normally you’d stick around to gaze through the flora, but this is as far from a normal situation as it could be.

You can’t afford to stop. If you stop now and someone sees you, it’s all over. Noone would care that you had an alibi for that night; they’ll send you straight to prison.

You reach the fence between the Kim’s estate and the forest, and both of you use the momentum to quickly jump over it, only to land ungracefully at the forest floor.

Yoongi lays there for a second to catch his breath, but there’s no time to lose. You grab his arm, closing your eyes and recounting the spell as fast as you can, when the telltale sign of power draining takes over you and you suddenly find yourselves back into the floor of your living room.

“Fuck...” you curse breathlessly, your body slumping down against the floor. Your muscles scream in protest, your legs turned to jelly as your lung struggle to fill up.

Your eyes find the floating lights at your ceiling, dancing around peacefully; such an obvious contrast to what you just did, and you can’t help but wonder what your father would think of this.

You think he’d have a heart attack to be honest.

But your mother? She’d probably be with you all along.

Yoongi chuckles, out of breath. “Yeah... fuck...” he agrees before groaning and rubbing his eyes. “I haven’t had that much exercise in years...” he mumbles and you can’t help the laughter that bubbles from your lips.

You both lay there too tired to move, your eyes naturally following the spells carved on your celling.

And that’s when you remember.

“So, what did we find?” you ask curiously and Yoongi scoffs.

“We? Oh no, you wanted to leave, you get no credit for this...” he teases, still trying to catch his breath and another laugh escapes you.

“Fair enough. So, what did you find, oh great detective Min?” you tease back, and he chuckles (an impossibly clear sound you’re sure you won’t be able to get out of your head).

His hand dives into the pocket of his jeans. Then it emerges, carrying that slim stick you saw him dig out and he passes it to you. You take it cautiously, observing it meticulously. It’s bent at the end in an obtuse angle, frayed at the middle with scratches on its middle part and strings of something soft sticking out of it. Oh wait, it’s not a stick.

“It’s a feather...” you observe and Yoongi hums in agreement.

“Yeah, a black one as you can see and those scratches in the middle part?” he points to them right where you saw them before, “At first look they seem inconspicuous, but I think it’s a rune...”. The more you look at it, the more sense Yoongi’s observation makes. Yes, it is a rune, the one resembling the letter “c”, but you have no idea what it means.

Again, not good with runes.

“And it seems even more plausible since the feather remained intact through all the debacle,” Yoongi mumbles in thought and you turn to him.

“You think it was enchanted to withstand the fire?”

“Maybe. Or maybe it was used to keep the fire from going out, or for something else altogether. I can’t really tell; we’ll have to find out what that rune means...”

His statement has you looking at the feather again, deep in thought. Someone wanted the Kims gone so bad, they not only lighted their house on fire but did everything necessary so that the fire wouldn’t go out.

You weren’t aware the Kims had such enemies. In truth, they were one of the most respected families in Xefoto.

So, who did this, and why?

“Okay, so where do we go from here?” you pass Yoongi back the feather.

He takes it back with nimble fingers, softly grazing your own. “I remember seeing a spell recipe that used a black, bent feather with a rune scratched on the middle part in another witch’s book of spells. I don’t remember what the spell was for though, so we need the book to know the details. Do you have yours somewhere around?” he asks curiously, but you shake your head.

“No. Us witches are supposed to get our books at the age of twelve, along with our mentor. But ever since the accident, the council put a ban in everything regarding casting magic. No mentors, no books, no anything. And you won’t be able to find anything at the local library either, believe me, I’ve tried...” you admit with a sad chuckle.

Yoongi sits up and stares at you in shock. “Is this why you didn’t know how to cast an invisibility spell?” he asks in bewilderment, voice filled to the brim with disbelief.

You simply nod.

His eyes widen, a glim of irritation flashing through them and he drops back to the floor with an angry huff. “I can’t believe this fucking town...” he grits through his teeth, making you shift uncomfortably next to him.

“It’s fine really. After I’m done with college, I’m gonna search for a mentor elsewhere, so no harm done!” you rush to say, words more bubbly and cheerful than you ever felt about your situation, but it feels vulnerable to let him in, in all those aspects of your life that you hate.

And you don’t like feeling vulnerable. Even though, with him, it’s the only thing you seem to be doing.

“No harm done my ass...” he argues with a clipped voice, ready to say some more, when he casts a glance at your side. He sees something that makes him stop though. Instead, he looks at you for a moment longer before he turns his focus forward and clears his throat.

You two remain silent for a few seconds, neither of you knowing what to say. Although it doesn’t feel as strange as it felt a moment ago. Somehow it feels peaceful and quiet and everything you wanted since that fateful day your parents died, and your skin crawls with the whisper of all the things you lost, as if they say you don’t deserve this tranquillity. That this too will be taken away from you because you’ve done nothing in your life to deserve this. Even though life has put you through enough things to owe you this.

But life doesn’t care about balance or justice. It only takes, unyielding and cruel and indifferent to your sorrows until you have nothing left or you give up.

You don’t know at what stage you are yet.

Yoongi somehow senses the dark path your mind has taken you. He knows that for some reason, whatever you’re thinking about now isn’t good for you. The urgency to bring your thoughts back to the present tugs at him so persistently that at first, he sits there in panic, not knowing what to do.

But the longer he sees that distant, almost resigned look in your eyes, the more words keep trying to escape his throat, until he’s sure that if he tries to voice them, no one would be able to make any sense out of them.

So instead, he clears his throat again.

The sound startles you, like waking you up from a nightmare and only realising you’re in the comfort of your bed, and you have to remind yourself you’re safe.

But as your eyes fall on Yoongi again, that small seed of warmth that appeared when Yoongi first found you in that classroom, spreads the tiniest amount.

“So how do we find that book?” he asks.

The question has you smiling. That you know how to get.

“There’s this guy at school, he’s mostly everyone’s weed dealer, but I've heard that for the right price, he can get you anything; besides other drugs that is,” you explain, and Yoongi sits up once again, resting his weight on his hands. This time though, it’s not rage swimming in his eyes, but excitement.

“Okay, so let’s talk to him!” comes his enthusiastic response but you wave him off.

“It’s best if you let me do the talking...” you warn him, knowing if he was to talk to the guy, it wouldn’t end well for any of you.

He regards you with suspicion. “Why? Who is this guy?”

You roll your eyes at him with a smile.

“His name is Dean,” and Yoongi looks even more confused.

“And he’s a werewolf.”

next part: {5}

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catacropolis · 2 years

Text

i spent way too long writing out my theory for ch 7

buckle up because these ones a long one .

My Twisted Wonderland Chapter 7 predictions 12 /4/22

First of all the setup

Coming out of chapter 6 we see malleus and Lillia having discussions about time and life. and whatever

As we all know malleus is a fae and his lifespan is far greater than that of a human

Who is a human that malleus is close to …. SILVER

Silver is fully human meaning that malleus will outlive him . malleus will also potentially outlive Sebek as well. But sebek being half-fae must also have a longer lifespan than that of a full human. but shorter than a full fae. so my guess is about 150-175 years give or take how everything works in the universe .

Silver is sleeping beauty but is also the prince.

Lillia has been raising death flags ( sir please stop )

And sebek has unyielding loyalty to malleus.

The recent masquerade event has highlighted the relationships between silver sebek and malleus. Lillia as well but indirectly.

Also regarding the recent masquerade event. ( spoilers !!!!!!)this event's conclusion pertains a lot to death and the dangers of magic and how magic can cause people to die.

Next is the actual chapter

With all that in mind, it's easy to see that this will pertain to life and earth and malleus will not be able to handle this.

I truly don't believe that Lillia will die as many theories have said .no I think that Lillia will get injured somewhat severely by something and force malleus to think about it if Lillia passes.

That thought would of course spiral to silver who is a human and will die long before malleus does. malleus doesn't know how to handle these emotions

Assuming that the spell that malleus uses in both ch5 and ch6 is his UM then that also tells us about malleus. the spell is about reverting things back to the way they once were. and this will come into play later

Malleus will talk to the gang about humanity and whatever and might even consult Idia

If we think about the events of ch6 with ortho and idia it would make sense that they will be key players in this chapter like in the others.

idia has to have some knowledge of curses as well considering his whole hair thing which apparently is a curse placed on his family

Over the course of the chapter, malleus will encounter more and more things that challenge him to think about death.

Eventually, something forces malleus to begin his decent.

The descent into overblot

The spinning wheel has been a major theme in both sleeping beauty ( the movie ) and malleus

Obviously malleus in a state of panic and not wanting the people he holds dear to him to die he will curse them into an eternal sleep to preserve them forever so that they may never die.

His first victim is silver, then it's Lillia.

Mc may catch onto this theme before mc can be caught by malleus’s curse.

Sebek is spared (for now ) forcing his character to stop seeing malleus as this infallible god who can do no wrong. And forcing him to make a choice. Between the right thing to do or his loyalty to malleus,

idia takes initiative to beat some sense into malleus. ( we see him do this in masquerade event as well )

Malleus doesn't listen and in fact, gets more distressed by idias accusations

The overblot

Malleus will become so overwhelmed by his own mind that he overblots sending the whole school into a sleep . and especially those who dare try to keep him from holding dear those he loves.

This is where mc gets yoinked by the sleep

But don't worry because through the power of a deux Machina that idia will pull out of his ass ( probably like a machine that lessens the effects of sleep spells ) idia and the gang go into battle

idia wakes up mc and Grimm

And sebek again needs to make a choice of who to wake first. Lillia or silver.

Because of Lillia's injury and possibly Sebek's knowledge of silvers UM he wakes up silver.

Everyone who hasn't fallen asleep yet is very drowsy

It's showdown time baby. everybody's freaked cuz holy shit malleus is strong as fuck how are we supposed to beat this mf.

Yada yada yada this gets figured out

Sebek falls unconscious as like a sacrifice

Yada yada yada we win ( somehow )

Post overblot

Lillia and the school wake up and Lillia has a heart-to-heart with malleus.

Lilia explains that death happens and he's seen it and it fucking sucks but he can't get hung up on those things

idia also talks to malleus about how rough it was for him to accept death in his life and that he learned the hard way that the only way to overcome is to cherish the memories that you have with people and make the most of their life while it's still there.

Malleus is comforted and shit happens

Grimm eats malleus overblot crystal and funky fucked up shit happens revealing the not-so-secret chapter 8

#twisted wonderland malleus #twisted wonderland #twst #twst chapter 7 #twst chapter 7 predictions #prediction #these are the ramblings of a mad man #diasomnia #diasomnia chapter #twst idia #twst lilia #silver twst #twst sebek #overblot #chapter 6 spoilers #masquerade ball

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imjustabeanie · 4 months

Text

My part of the exchange for @summernightsdawn

Your twisted match is....Lilia!

Hear me out, I hesitated between 4 people (lilia, rook, deuce and kalim in this order). But in the end I settled (or made you settle) for our favorite bat fae, Lilia.

I believe that you befriended Silver first and then Lilia. You said you were a big sis or mum friend, which means that you’d be part of the people helping out Silver when he starts dozing off and all. Silver would talk about you to Lilia who’d at first be mostly interested in thanking you for taking care of silver when he is not here. But then he found you fun, sticked around and a love story bloomed.

You two are just walking sunshines, with Lilia being more mischievous and pranking people (and then you rush to help them out, the poor victim is confused on being angry or thankful. Beware, Lilia will be jealous and pouty if you ignore him to help out other too much). With this dynamic, Lilia finds it hilarious that you’re the bluntest in the relationship. Yeah you two are a confusing when you’re around because it’s just full of surprises.

You’re a hopeless romantic and Lilia is a knight in shining armor who’d give it all for the people he loves (I won’t spoil but you see it very well in chapter 7). He is also imaginative and will try his best to make both your visions of love come true. His favorite thing to do is rushing at you to hug you, dipping you for a kiss if you let him, getting you obscure and rare gifts, wearing matching things with you and just spending time with you. He likes video games and would try his best to make you play with him co op games (jokingly calling you his forever number 2). He always let you put make up on him and even dress him up! And he will proudly wear it with pride. Your comments make him laugh and he will always oblige while answering you in character. He is someone who enjoys the present and wants to make the best of it so there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for you if he loves you very much and the relationship gets very deep.

For the entire Diasomnia crew, teach him how to cook if you can. That’s the only magic even Malleus can’t master. You’ll get loyal knights (silver and sebek) forever by your side if you manage to make him cook something edible. He loves cooking and baking with you but….good luck. Lilia doesn’t seem like he studies much but it’s because he has vast and ancient knowledge. He can answer any of you historical, magical and even literature/folklore related questions. I believe that for this reason he’d be the best critique cuz he doesn’t break you in his criticism and gives you excellent advices to do better.

You’re a blue belt in taekwondo? He is a general, he’d love to spare with you and gives you fighting advice, a very good teacher as we saw with sebek and Silver. Lilia sometimes surprise you by taking you observe timeless pieces only available to the elite and speaking in depth about all of them. Sometimes they’re in his room but it’s so chaotic in there….The only issue in the relationship is that Lilia bottles up a lot and won’t reveal his past easily (he won’t if he has to). Sometimes you feel like you don’t really know him, but he is doing his best, just give him time. Both of you hide things, be it memories or feelings, but once one of you starts opening up, the other will follow. It’s a question of when that only you can answer. He is also not above pranking you, so I hope you won’t get easily angered by this. When you get angry, he’s not very good at calming you down because he jokes a lot. Heck, sometimes he even just kisses you to fluster you and make you forget your anger. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t take care of you! You’re the apple of his eyes. Also, he doesn’t mind you teasing him about his height, but remember, he can fly. He will fight back, lol.

#matchups #match ups #twisted wonderland

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witcherwheeloftheyear · 5 months

Text

Molanna

@astaldis (I borrowed your own wrapup post for this, I hope you don't mind)

Imbolc February 2nd: The Glade

On their journey from Toussaint to Stygga, Geralt's Hansa comes across a beautiful glade. But is it safe to make camp here for the night? Friendship (Words: 660; Chapters: 1/1)

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Ostara March 20th: Where the Tulips Grow

Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri learn that Jaskier has gone missing under suspicious circumstances. Circumstances that hint at a kidnapping. Yennefer leaves Geralt with Ciri and goes to save the bard. But not all goes as planned. The hero becomes the damsel in distress and Jaskier has to save the day. Romance/Yenskier (Words: 23,951; Chapters: 9/9, )

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Beltane May 1st: Belleteyn

Yennefer has a beautiful May Night with her lover. Who the lover is? I had one specific Witcher character in mind when I wrote the fic, but you might fancy a different pairing. So, feel free to decide yourself whoever works best for you, Yennefer/Geralt, Yennefer/Jaskier, Yennefer/Istredd, Yennefer/Cahir, Yennefer/crossover character, Yennefer/You, ... loads of possibilities! Romance/Smut (Words: 3,469; Chapters: 1/1)

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Litha June 21st: A Night to Remember

It's Litha, the longest day of the year, and Geralt is throwing a garden party at his newly acquired estate, Corvo Bianco, the old vineyard in the Sansretour Valley. Milva cannot dance, but Cahir is a good teacher. The delicious wine and Jaskier's newest song also help. And then there are Angoulême's Hansa Games and Regis's hot hooch ... Friendship/Romance/Humour (Words: 4,160; Chapters: 2/2)

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Lammas August 1st: Of Bairns and Banes

It is a beautiful night, fair summer weather, the air balmy, the sky clear and sprinkled with stars. The perfect night for the village’s traditional Lammas celebrations, the feast of first fruits. However, unlike in the neighbouring villages and the years past, there are no bonfires here today. No corn dolls to be burned and bulls or horses to be sacrificed as an offering to the gods. No ritual dances or athletic competitions are held or blueberry loaves baked in the village bake house. This year there is no matchmaking and rolling about in the hay. For the village is in mourning, the villagers terrified. And very much in need of a Witcher. Lucky for them, one has just arrived.

This is the story of Cahir’s first solo monster hunt. Spooky Adventure (Words: 2,977; Chapters: 1/1)

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Mabon September 22nd: Her Idea of Fun

“Finished!” Angoulême exclaims and starts to dance circles around the victim of her wager. “I bet nobody’d take him for a Nilfgaardian now!” she adds with a raucous cackle that reminds strongly of a goose on fisstech …

Cahir loses a bet and Angoulême is having fun. Friendship/Humour (Words: 444; Chapters: 1/1)

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Samhain November 1st: The Present

It is the evening of the last day of October, Samhain, a magical night where the gates between worlds are wide open for those who can travel through space and time. Ciri can, and she has a surprise for her boyfriend Cahir, a very nice surprise. Romance/Cahiri (Words: 1,656; Chapters: 1/1)

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Yule December 21st: Jaskier's Jolly Yule Jumble

Another festive event is coming up in Toussaint and Jaskier has the perfect idea for how to celebrate it with his Hansa. He only needs to convince Geralt and the others that his idea for their Yule party will be fun, lots of fun. Friendship/Humour (Words: 8,681; Chapters: 4/4)

#wwoty 2023 #wwoty creator spotlight #wwoty 2023 creator spotlight #the witcher #the witcher fanfiction #witcher #witcher fanfiction #molanna #astaldis

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lsotp · 6 months

Note

Chapter 7 and 8

Hi-! This batch is mostly comprised of theories. And it's a long one, so take as much time as you need!

A word of warning. Some of the theories are so out of context that it ACTUALLY makes sense. In a way.

1.) What is Mars', Jupiter', and Trocar's history post-LSOTP?

What happened to their mother in particular?

(I have a theory on Question 6.)

I have a feeling that perhaps Mars, Jupiter, and their father were victims of the Seige of Coronet.

A theory of mine. Though, perhaps there were other areas in Calcian Territory that were also victims of the 'enemy'.

Since you said that Old Sentry was the first that had fallen, I had assumed more would follow.

2.) He wanted to drive home the only reason he signed the contract was so Papyrus could finally live the life he deserved.

Where did they live before they were drafted?

Did the love interests live in a township together or are they spread out into various areas of Calcian Territory?

3.) Quick question.

Is Fonston and St. Calibri seperate townships or is Fonston simply a town in the Municipality of St. Calibri?

4.) ”And who and where is your wife?”

”Dusted quite some time ago. Her name was Lilith Marigold.”

Her eyes widened and her demeanor seemed to change.

”My apologies. Your wife was a hero amongst heroes.”

This was a scene in Chapter 6. One that's been nagging at the back of my mind during my absence.

With what Mrs. Courier just stated. It means that the Institute realized and acknowledged that Lilith was a part of the military, and is considered a hero amongst heroes.

Surely other hens might be inspired to do the same as what Lilith had done if Mrs. Courier acknowledges this.

Also, I have a feeling that THIS is connected to the Gasters and the favor Cobalt owed. The implications of this one interaction is uncanny.

To reveal a hen in the military comprised of multiple sires (what a scandal-!) And somehow not get as much backlash (aside from the thing with Goudy and him reporting Lilith to the Institute) from the Institute...

I can only theorize that the Gasters MIGHT have lessened the blow. Perhaps with their rank, they managed to influenced a decision that is less detrimental to Lilith.

Instead of having been killed or mated with a stranger, they instead gave chose to give her to Cobalt....?

Only you can confirm.

5.) Ayo. I feel bad for Bubblegum.

Talk about brainwashing. Also, what's with this supposed 'scorring'?

"I bet I could get a perfect score with a trial whelp!” - Bubblegum

6.) I swear, if I didn't know any better (and I don't aside from the canon statements where magic in LSOTP is shit), I'd say Madame is Jupiter' and Mars' mother and Trocar's late hen.

I have things to back this claim, I swear-!

7.) 👀 I have my eyes on Madame as the head of the Institute.

Judging by the way she acts and the way she brandishes whelps as her own...

I'd say she most likely went from Mrs. Adiline Courier's case worker to Head (or at least a Board Member) of the Institute.

8.) 'The Elevator' proves my hypothesis that yes, the Institute DOES strap hens onto a gurney to be repeated raped.

9.) Ethel and Adiline are lesbians.

Change my mind.

10.) 'DAUPHIN'

*New area acquired*

The residents of this third-world country are Calcians.... Riiiiiight....? 👀

11.) ”She isn’t shit to me! She’ll never replace her! She ain’t good enough-“ - Sans

Don't mind me. I'm just brain storming ideas as to who his late lover was.

Definitely not me trying to make some sort of plot. Nope.

Nope I'm good.

That's all for Chapter 7 and 8. I hope I didn't drain your brain juice with my incessant questioning.

Bye! Take care! (⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡

A lot of this I actually can’t elaborate on. So I’ll go through what I can.

(3) St. Calibri is a big city. It’s about ~50 miles away from Fonston. In between the towns, farm fields stretch for miles. They’re the nearest towns to eachother.

(4) Lilith was registered as missing by her father which lead to a through investigation by the institute. It was found out a lot too late about the abuse the golden gals went through. The institute praised her for being smart enough to leave and still carrying out her hen duties while enlisted. (She got pregnant with Jett and that’s why they settled on base in Old Centry.) They used her image as a cover girl for how a good hen should be.

(5) Its exactly like a score on a test. They grade the girls based on how fast and efficient they are with those sort of tasks. (Though really if they aren’t perfect, it’s not good enough. ‘Perfect things do not have dust on them, ladies!’ So they use fear tactics to drill everything home.

(6) I do feel comfortable debunking this. This isn’t the case here.

(7) Madame is a powerful woman.

(8) The institute is a horrid place. Honestly death would be better than that place for men and women alike.

(9) They are. Yes. Adiline’s feelings for Ethel outshine and cast a dark shadow on anything she could feel for Mr. Courier. It’s her pent up emotions and anger that causes her to lash out and be cruel to him. It’s not right at all, but to say she hates him is an understatement. In her opinion the best thing he ever gave her was her children that she never got to keep.

(10) I can’t say on this one.

(11) His past hen is most certainly a sore spot for him. Though I can’t say anything more on that. We’ll get some context soon.

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obsidiinium · 6 months

Text

Chapter 4: The Compassionate Asylum for Victims of Mind Magic

Part 2

———

“Definitely… uff…. A trap …huff” groans Lilli, lying on the ground for a moment to catch her breath.

Zythraul, also sitting on the ground, feeling sorry for themself, contemplates the touch of divinity they felt from Bahamut earlier today and starts to feel angry and the lack of help it was. Without warning, their body flashes bright with platinum energy. The acid burn marks across their scales vanish off them, drifting off in smoke. Lilli slaps her own face, sitting up. Her hands flash slightly and some of the acid burn marks come off her too.

Zythraul gets up and moves over to her, placing one clawed hand on the last acid burn on Lilli’s leg and gently muttering their oath to heal a few more of her injuries. They stand, helping Lilli to her feet. Behind them, they hear a clinking. It’s Krat, digging through the long dry fountain where the oozes came from. It holds up a gem, it’s eyes wide.

“Hey! What you got there Krat?” Lilli asks, walking over to investigate. Krat digs around some more and finds a large bottle with a thick red liquid in it. Excited, it goes to open it before Lilli snatches it away from the nilbog.

“Hey! I don’t believe you took a single hit just then. Maybe save that one for later.” Lilli digs around a bit and unearths five more gems, and a single glass chess piece.

“Keep that one gem you found. A reward for helping us.” Krat’s eyes grow wide and it cradles the gem.

“A… Reward? For Krat?” Krat goes quiet for a moment, contemplating its newly acquired gift. Krat slowly puts the gem in a small satchel strapped to it’s side. Lilli contemplates the chess piece.

“Huh. This doesn’t look like it should be worth anything but why is it here? In fact, why is this stuff here? And those monsters... they weren’t local goblins or zombies. They are from somewhere else. How did they get here?” Lilli falls silent in contemplation.

“Let’s keep moving. I’m going to check these doors.” Zythraul mutters.

They are made of stone, simply carved. After a quick look around, they give the door a nudge; it sticks for a second but slides open, just a smidge.

“Hey. These are unlocked.” Zythraul pushes the door open more. Lilli and and Krat follow them inside.

Inside is the recreation room of the former asylum. Tables are overturned, chairs lay scattered. Among the debris; a glass chess set, pencils and paper, board games. Everything has been scattered away from the centre of the room, pushed away by what appears to be a chasm that fills most of the floor of the room. The chasm - or rather portal, Zythraul realises - swirls with deep dark energy that slowly whirlpools around it’s opening. There is only a few feet of space for the adventurers to stand on the edge of it.

Everyone freezes.

“That is a strange place for a portal.” Zythraul states. Lilli takes a step back and presses herself up against the wall behind.

“You’re not wrong. Do you think that’s where the things we fought outside came from?” Zythraul shrugs and then nods.

“Probably.”

“Do you think this has something to do with the people being found in the streets?”

“Probably. But this-” Zythraul motions at the chasm “Is way out of our league to even begin attempting to fix.” Lilli nods. She edges over to the scattered chess set, pulling out the glass chess piece she found in the pond and dropping it with the rest of them.

Krat, from behind them, sprints past at full speed towards the chasm, screeching in excitement.

“Krat! Wait!-” Lilli yells, as Krat swan dives headfirst down into the chasm, disappearing into it’s depths. Krat’s excited sounds fade and then are cut off. Zythraul and Lilli feel a pulse, like a soundwave through water, push past them as Krat’s voice vanishes.

Zythraul and Lilli stare at the chasm. Before either of them can say anything about the nilbog’s hubris, Krat comes flying back out of the chasm, landing on the edge close to Zythraul. The pulsating feeling repeats itself. Krat tumbles a few feet before stopping, it’s body wrapped around something cradled in it’s arms. It is still screeching, but this time in fear.

“Loogout! Run!” Krat manages to yell, before two more shapes, much larger this time, come flying out of the chasm after the nilbog. One lands on its feet, and one tumbles away across the room. The one creature that landed on its feet stares directly at Krat, and seeing the other two adventurers, snarls with large gnashing teeth. It’s eyes are pitch black, and it stands on back legs but supports it’s weight with it’s arms. The other one stands up behind it, also snarling.

“Outside! Go!” Zythraul pushes Lilli out the door, empowering the push with a blast of platinum protective energy that envelopes them both as they tumble out the door, both tripping over each other into a pile on the ground in their rush. Krat follows them but joins the pile on the garden ground.

Lilli grabs Zythraul’s arm and mutters something in infernal, before standing and running backwards towards the gates. Before they have a chance to follow, The first monstrous thing bursts out the door, stopping as it sees the Paladin and goblin lying before it. It takes a swipe at both of them, slicing through the melted acid damage of Zythraul’s scale mail. before it can make contact with it’s claws against Krat, it stops, leans, down, and appears to smile at the small goblinoid. Krat giggles and pats its nose.

“Good boy! Friend!” Krat squeaks, giving Zythraul a small thumbs up. Zythraul, baffled by Krat’s abilities, takes this reprieve to get up and run towards Lilli. Krat looks back at the monster now under it’s charm and yells,

“Good boys go home!” but it just shakes it’s head, scooping up Krat with gentle hands. Krat looks towards the door and waves it’s slightly melted scepter in the direction of the other monster. A jingle rings out and a few small wobbly light motes dance off towards it. The other creature makes it out the door and then stops. It furrows its brow, like it forgot what it was coming outside to do.

“He not angry, he just confused!” Krat cackles, petting the other monster again.

“What the fuck is that little guy?” Lilli mumbles, taking this opportunity to make a break for the gate. She darts through and gets behind the other side of the wall.

“Really though, friends go home?” Krat asks again. The monster shakes it’s head again, making pointed eye contact at the thing Krat has in its hand.

“You want this? Ohhh no, this Krat’s now. Friends share.” Krat says, holding it tighter.

“Krat, what is that? Do they want what you have?” Zythraul asks, pausing carefully.

“Is precious gift! Most wonderful!” Krat crows.

“Would you share it with me? We’re friends aren’t we?” Zythraul asks, knowing full well that Krat had very few reasons to even think of Zythraul as a friend. The nilbog contemplates for a second, looking at it’s hand, at the creature, and then at Zythraul.

“Hokay!” Krat throws it’s new treasure towards Zythraul. This decision by Krat catches Zyth off guard. They fling their hand out to catch it but miss. Thye see it bounce off into the grass nearby, but they also see both of the creatures eyes follow it as it moves away from them. The second creature watches it fly away but looks baffled by this event, and sits down, contemplatively. Lilli sticks her head through the gate.

“Zee! C’mon! we gotta get out of here!”

“Hang on! I want that thing Krat pulled from the chasm. Get out of here. I’ll meet you back at The Sword and Scoundrel.”

“Promise?”

#goddamnit krat #hubris #don’t worry the writing improves as the story moves along #dnd #dnd actual play #obsidiinium #dnd writing #writeblr #solo ttrpg #writing #dungeons and dragons #chapter 4 victims of mind magic

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wordspin-shares · 5 months

Text

Chapter summaries for those following the story on [FFN] or [AO3] who wish to refresh their memory due to my infrequent updates. The list will be updated whenever a new chapter is posted.

Chapter 1 Summary

On the first day of the new school year at Mystic Falls High School, 28-year-old art teacher Claire Duval and her class briefly meet an intriguing stranger, though his identity remains a mystery to all. On her way home, Claire finds a stray kitten outside the Mystic Grill and adopts it, naming it Cicero. That night she has a vivid nightmare about a girl attacked in the woods, and although she can't recall much, it leaves her shaken.

Bits of the nightmare worm into her consciousness the next day, and after school Claire visits Sheila Bennett to talk.

Chapter 2 Summary

Claire hears of Vicki Donovan's being attacked by a wild animal during the annual Back-to-School Party the previous night. She doesn't have time to dwell on the fact, as her free periods are taken up by parent-teacher conferences. She meets with both her friend Jenna Sommers and Carol Lockwood, to discuss Jeremy Gilbert and Tyler Lockwood respectively. After school she meets up with Jenna and they go to the Coffee Ground, where Jenna expresses her worries about Jeremy.

The next day finds Claire in a very good mood, something that the school's Italian teacher remarks upon. After taking Cicero to the vet, Claire goes to the Night of the Comet Festival, held in the town square after dusk. She takes to sketching the scene and people around her. Leaving the celebration, she visits her father's music teaching studio nearby, climbing to the roof to watch the square below. She calls her sister who lives in Baltimore, and as the two talk, Claire feels the energy that had fueled her during the day return. She begins waltzing alone, but stops abruptly, getting the sensation someone is watching her. Seeing no-one, she sits and sketches for a while.

Chapter 3 Summary

Claire has another dream of someone being attacked, not in the woods but in an open space, which leaves her shaken. This time flashes of the dream revisit her while she is teaching, visibly affecting her to the point of her students noticing. During lunch break she is told that the new student and football team wide receiver is a distant relation of one of the Founding Families of Mystic Falls, the Salvatores. That evening as Jenna's niece Elena invited her friend Bonnie and her new boyfriend Stefan to dinner, Claire and Jenna have a movie night at Claire's house, with Claire cooking.

The next evening Claire goes to the first school football match of the season, which is ultimately canceled due to history teacher and football coach William Tanner's being attacked and killed by a wild animal in the high school parking lot. The attack brings fragments of old memories to the forefront of Claire's mind, and she goes home in search of the boxed history notes of her mother, who is a historian researching Mystic Falls. She finds newspaper clippings concerning old animal attacks in town and remembers that her grandparents had found one of the victims in 1953. She also finds mention that Thomas and Honoria Fell were killed by a wild animal in 1864. The first doubts concerning the true nature of the attacks enter her mind.

A little over two weeks later, attending the Founders' Party at the Lockwood Mansion, Claire catches a brief glance of someone watching her as she dances with biology teacher Martin Cott, but when she looks again, no-one is there.

Chapter 4 Summary

A couple of days later, Claire takes Sheila to Wickery Pond for the latter's birthday, and they talk about Claire's dreams. Two days later, at the high school car wash fundraiser Claire sees Bonnie unknowingly use magic on a fellow student, and afterwards Sheila calls her to confirm a vision she had. That night Claire has a very vivid dream of a man looking for something in the woods. He comes upon a young man and a girl, shoots the man and raises what looks like a piece of wood over his heart. The dream shifts and Claire realizes there is a third man there, one she thinks looks somehow familiar, and the girl is now bent over a body. After suddenly jolting awake, Claire spends the day on edge, and then hears news of three bodies found burned beyond recognition in the old cemetery. She begins thinking that there is something off about the explanations given for this occurrence and the previous animal attacks — both recent and old. She recalls something her great-grandmother said, and the realization shocks her.

The rest of October passes without incident, the only news being Vicki Donovan's and Logan Fell's leaving town. Much of Claire's free time is taken up by preparations for the high school Halloween Party. She attends as a chaperone, manning the outdoor punch bar. Near the end of the evening she bumps into the stranger who had watched her class on the first day of school and feels a chill spread through her. An old conversation with her grandmother comes to the forefront of her mind, and realization hits once more.

Chapter 5 Summary

The next day Claire tells Sheila of the previous night's encounter, also telling her she feels something's going to happen and that she doesn't want to be a part of it. The end of the month is highlighted by the arrival of the new history teacher, and at the beginning of December Claire runs into a newly returned Logan Fell. The meeting leaves her on high alert, but after seeing him at the high school's Career Night, she is afterwards told by Sheriff Forbes that he is going out of town again.

Two days later, a distraught Jenna tells Claire that Elena found out she is adopted and is angry at her for not sharing the fact.

Chapter 6 Summary

Chaperoning at the school's Decade Dance, Claire learns that the stranger she had been crossing paths with since the beginning of the school year is Stefan Salvatore's older brother, and realization comes once more.

Later that week, she has a recurring bad dream featuring Sheila and goes for an early morning jog to clear her mind. The sense of foreboding doesn't leave her even after Sheila reassures her she is fine. Two days later, Bonnie calls her to tell her Sheila has passed away.

At the funeral reception, Bonnie gives Claire a silver four-leaf clover pendant and a note from Sheila. Claire recognizes the pendant as the one belonging to her grandmother which she had given to Sheila's mother years before. She recalls she had never seen either of them wear it. Bonnie tells her the pendant was meant to return to her.

Claire decides to begin wearing the pendant on her birthday. On that same day, her sister tells her she is pregnant. Claire celebrates her birthday at the Mystic Grill.

A few days later, at the Founders' Day Fundraiser and Bachelor Raffle, Claire finds out Damon Salvatore's name.

Near the end of January, while on a long walk at night, Claire is attacked by a vampire close to the woods. She escapes, running into Damon. When the vampire approaches her again, he bursts into flames and dies. Claire's eyes take on the hue of fire, revealing the fact she is a witch.

Damon invites her to his house to get cleaned up. Once there, they begin talking, and he tells her the vampire who attacked her was one of the twenty-six trapped in the tomb under Fell's Church. It is revealed that Claire has known about the supernatural in town, and she tells Damon that only Sheila Bennett knew about the fact that her father's family are witches.

Chapter 7 Summary

Claire and Damon meet again at the Founders' Day Kick-off Party, where Claire realizes that Damon and Stefan are the Salvatores from 1864, as well as that Damon was responsible for many of the deaths attributed to animal attacks throughout the years. The week following the party, Claire is kept busy preparing for the Founders' Day Celebration.

She and Damon meet a third time at the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant, where Damon approaches her by saying the tomb vampires have left town. Wanting to keep a sense of normalcy to her life, Claire tells him that she doesn't need to know any details. Further conversations lead to her to gain knowledge of Ric's history with Damon and his being a vampire hunter, Isobel Flemming's being turned into a vampire by Damon, and Stefan's addiction to human blood.

A week later, Damon finds Claire's house by accident. They begin talking, and she invites him inside, where they spend hours conversing about both supernatural and non-supernatural topics. Cicero does not take a liking to Damon.

Before the Founders' Day Celebration, Claire has a dream about people and fire in a dark room. At the celebration she sees people crumpling to the ground for no apparent reason, and the sheriff's deputies rounding them up. She recalls what Damon had told her about the Gilbert device, and her dream, but reasons with herself that the first had been deactivated and the second was nothing like what she was seeing at the moment, and ultimately leaves. When she goes for a late-night jog afterwards to calm her mind, she comes upon him, but he is unwilling to talk about what's troubling him.

That same night Claire has a dream of Damon killing Jeremy.

#fts headcanon #fts-summaries #tvd | from the sidelines

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mjwiththefangs · 3 months

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Trickery & Daggers - Chapter 4

In which a hot tiefling is collect, and some campmates spar. Also on AO3 Masterlist Word count: 1778 Warnings: Violence, Knife play (sort of)

The next morning, after a few of them nurse mild hangovers, Morgana, Wyll, Shadowheart and Astarion are tracking down Karlach. She had wanted to bring Gale, but ultimately didn't feel good about leaving Lae’zel and Shadowheart alone together. That, and the fact that their wizard was still a bit tender after the night of drinking.

The group cautiously avoid some gnoles and follow the riverbank, discovering scorch marks leading to the woman they’re looking for.

She’s a tiefling; literally on fire, and like them, was infected with a tadpole on the illithid ship. Her memories clash with the minds of Morgana and her team, she begs and pleads that she isn’t a devil, her memories even showing that she was dragged to the blood war and made to fight in it against her will.

She’s a victim.

But Wyll takes more convincing.

“Gods, Wyll! You’re so stubborn, she’s not what you think she is!” Morgana exasperates, and finally, he relents and he looks defeated.

Karlach, understandably, wants to know who set him on her tail, and his wording, that he can’t say, immediately clues Morgana in and she realises the risk he has taken, the danger he’s placed himself in, by letting Karlach live.

“All will be revealed, soon, one night in camp.” Is the last thing he’ll tell them, after promising that they are not the ones in any danger.

And then they’re dealing with some phoney paladins of Tyr, sent after Karlach, and she burns them all to ash, laughing maniacally and smashing the place to bits while the flames about her rage.

Morgana clears her throat after diving out of the raging tiefling’s path.

“I think Lae’zel will like this one.”

They all hum and nod in agreement.

Wyll is brooding on the riverbank when Morgana finds him at camp.

“There you are.”

She addresses him carefully, navigating each word with deliberate precision, casually inquiring if he would teach her to wield a sword. After all, she’s in a spot of bother if she’s cornered, unlike her fine, chivalrous friend. She of course always has a dagger handy, but right now that’s not important.

She keeps her mouth moving, holding Wyll’s one good eye, and then she reaches out to his mind using the tadpole,

It was your patron, wasn’t it? Sent you after Karlach? Play along.

She adds suddenly, when his eyes widen. She quickly continues.

I know, you can’t talk about it, that’s what cleared it up for me. And your stone eye has been bothering me for a while- it’s a sending stone. My patron keeps tabs on me, too.

At this point Morgana itches her cheekbone, briefly summons her magic, causing the swirling marks to appear around her eyes and taps. Understanding flashes in Wyll's face. He clears his throat.

“Well, first of all, we need to pick you up a sword! I believe I have another rapier in my tent.” He waves for her to follow and she nods.

I’d never met another warlock. I just- she hesitates and waves her hands, tapping her fingers together as she thinks. I have your back. I get it.

She retracts from his mind, not before feeling his gratitude and returns to their spoken conversation.

“A rapier? Fancy. I'm sure I can manage one of those.”

Wyll laughs heartily at her musings and laughs even louder when she drops the rapier instead of catching it when he throws it to her.

They practise sparring for a while, Wyll just as patient with her as they’d seen him teaching the tiefling children at the grove, giving her gracious instruction and truly enjoying himself all the same. A few camp mates have lingered to watch now.

Morgana, between pants, calls to Gale, who for all the world watches with amusement and a hand on his chin.

“As our resident wizard, I believe it should be your turn by now!” She waves in yielding to Wyll, who smiles and bows his head amicably. She holds out the rapier to Gale and he flicks his wrist at her.

“I concur- I have a spell for everything my friend, long range, melee range, problem solving- And if all else fails, I still have my cantrips! Well, I could always topple someone with my staff, if I needed to.” He adds thoughtfully.

“Ugh, Wizards. Honestly, Darling, I don’t know why you pulled him from that rock.”Astarion scoffs and Gale mock glares in the elf’s direction.

Morgana places hands on her thighs, catching her breath, and smiles over at Wyll. He seems in significantly better spirits than earlier and she hopes that she has helped.

She seems to have been helping her companions in little ways, one by one, she realises. She didn’t think she was that sort of person. She even turned down helping Zevlor, much to Astarions delight.

Lae’zel marches over to them, ignoring the way Shadowheart rolls her eyes, and narrows her fierce gaze into a glare.

“You will never learn with such a soft teacher, your footwork is sloppy and your form weak. Come, take up a blade and I will show you how to wield it.”

Oh dear.

Oh no.

She will absolutely kill me. Morgana swallows and meekly raises her hands to fend off the ferocious warrior.

“Actually, Lae’zel, I think I’ve had enough of swords today,” she rushes out, laughing weakly and gestures to Wyll, who baulks at her suggestion, “why don’t you train with Wyll?”

“Indeed.” The Gith raises her chin, staring down Wyll. “Come, you will benefit from clashing blades with me.”

Morgana snorts a laugh, trying and failing to hide it, at Wyll’s polite smile and attempts to turn the warrior down, but it seems she won't take no for an answer. So the companions spar together, Karlach eagerly jumping in to swing her axe with Lae’zel, and even Shadowheart participates, casting Bless on everyone but the Gith.

Morgana watches with thinly veiled amusement when a sultry voice speaks by her ear.

“I could teach you a few little tricks with that dagger of yours.” He purrs and she barely manages to stop herself jumping in surprise, taking a step back to create space between them, his eyes dance with mirth watching her.

He holds one dagger in his hand and twirls it around his fingers with practised ease, the motion betraying the years of experience in honing his skills.

She purses her lips in thought and mulls the idea over in her head. Her fingers creep towards her own dagger, still sheathed at the hip. She's glaring at nothing, brushing her fingers over the hilt, hesitating.

Her reluctance must be obvious, because before she knows it, Astarions blade taps beneath her chin, tilting her face upwards. She lurches away, yanking her knife free to swing at him.

He bats her away with little effort.

“Wh-What are you doing?” She splutters, holding the blade out in front of her uncertainly.

The Elf cocks his head, ruby orbs trailing up and down her figure. She bristles under his gaze and raises the knife, and he clicks his tongue in annoyance.

With a barely perceptible flick of his wrist, she is disarmed and once again has his blade at her throat and her hand on the back of her neck, holding her far too close to him.

Her wide eyes betray her sudden fear.

“I thought you’d have- Agh!”

He recoils, hissing and glares at her.

She swallows, her hands raised, and tries to calm her racing heart.

Perhaps the Eldritch Blast was a little unnecessary.

“Is everything alright over there?” Gale calls, concern colouring his voice. She swings her head in alarm, panic decorating her features. Shit. Shit.

“Oh, don't worry yourself. We just got a little carried away.” Astarion drawls, clearly irritated. The wizard makes some noise of acknowledgement, his attention already elsewhere, and Astarion folds his arms and juts his hip out, sour expression staring her down accusingly

Oh. Shit.

Morgana swallows again. She's still holding her hands up, watching his movements closely.

He scoffs. “You look like a deer in headlights, Darling. Honestly, the eldritch blast might have been a bit much.”

She gapes.

“You.. You had your blade at my throat!” She exclaims in bewilderment.

He rolls his eyes. “Oh please. There are five other people in this camp, and I don't think any of them would take to me hurting our little Half-Human leader, do you?” He sneers at her, but she blinks in surprise and drops her arms, still baffled.

“... ‘Half-human’?” She repeats.

“Gods, that's the part you took in?” He sheaths his dagger then and reaches to pick hers up from the ground. He tosses it in his hand, flipping it and offering her the handle.

She stares at it for a moment, slowly taking from him with a mumbled ‘thank you’ and turns it over in her hand, glaring at the blade before thrusting it into its sheath.

“You seem to hold an awful lot of animosity towards something you carry for protection.” His voice is low and unamused. She refuses to meet his gaze.

“It's for emergencies.” She mutters, turning away.

“But you’ve used it before. That blade has seen blood.”

“And how do you know that?” She challenges.

His lips curl up into a smirk, “I know when something has seen violence.” There's something about the way he says it, like he's goading her, perhaps, or somehow he sees her.

She scowls and folds her arms over her chest. His grin widens and she shakes her head, dismissing her annoyance.

“Anyway, why did you call me half-human? No one’s ever called me that before.” she presses.

He groans and rolls his eyes again. “Ugh. Because you’re not a full elf, certainly not with the curve you have on those pointed ears.”

She flinches, fighting a years-old reflex to clap her hands over her ears and cover them. Old habits still linger, it would seem. She instead presses him again.

“No, I mean, most people call me half-elf, or worse”

He raises one brow at her.

“And I suppose those people were humans?”

Her mouth opens and shuts again.

Oh.

Yes, she supposes most of them were. People tend to focus on what is different about others, after all.

“Point made.”

She eyes his weapons at his hips contemplating. He really is skilled with them. Maybe he could teach her a thing or two.

He laughs suddenly, as if having read her mind.

“No, thank you, one otherworldly blast to the face is enough for today, Darling.”

She actually cracks a smile at that.

“Another day, then?”

Astarion grins. “Another day.”

#mj writes #fanfiction #astarion #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 fanfic #baldurs gate fanfic #bg3 tav

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munsons-maiden · 2 years

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𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕

▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓 ▹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔

Thank you so much for all the love on the previous chapters, I’m so grateful and overwhelmed by the response 🖤 This chapter might be the sweetest, most romantic and angstiest I’ve ever written and you’ll finally learn what happened that November Night. - Love, Kiki 🖤

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 | Eddie Munson x female reader

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 | angst with a happy ending, fluff, smut, it turned into a fix it fic for ST4

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | SMUT (you need to be 18+ to read this story!), angst with a happy ending, attempted assault, bullying, canon-typical violence

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 | 12 k (It escalated quickly, but it’s easy to split the reading into chunks if you like)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | SMUT (only read if you’re 18+ years old! virgin!Eddie x virgin!reader), mentions of attempted assault, canon-typical gore & violence, blood, past trauma, reader is locked into a supply closet (I don’t know if that could be a trigger but better safe than sorry)

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭.

[Sunday, March 24th, 1986. NOW.]

“NO! NO!”, you screamed, fists pounding against the wooden door, “LET ME OUT! DON’T HURT HIM! DON’T HURT HIM!”

Your voice was breaking with the force of your screams – but it was futile.

They’d locked you up. In another fucking supply closet, in the townhall, deserted after the assembly.

You’d screamed, thrashed, but you hadn’t stood a chance against Andy Warren as he’d dragged you in here, slamming the door shut and locking you in the dark. Like Stacy had done all these years ago. Like the Mind Flayer had done last summer in your own mind.

And now they were coming for Eddie.

Which fighting chance would he stand against the whole pack of Jason and his friends, with their bats and crowbars and their fists and their mad, self-righteous hatred?

Eddie, sweet, kind, gentle Eddie who could never hurt a fly. Who was alone at the boathouse, scared and scarred by what he’d been forced to witness, hunted by a town which had never been kind to him, by people who’d always met him with wariness and derision and scorn and taunts simply because he was different, branded a freak long before Vecna had been part of the equation.

“LET ME OUT! PLEASE! SOMEONE!”

You didn’t care about the pain as the skin over your knuckles tore when you hailed your fists onto the wood as if that would make a fucking difference, as if, if only you screamed loud enough, thrashed violently enough, the wood would magically give in and you’d be free, to race to your car and the boathouse, to stop Jason before he could hurt Eddie.

And hurt him, he would.

The tears, of fury and this utter, all-consuming despair, were falling faster as you threw yourself against the door, vision blurring and mind racing and voice shattering before you sank to the ground.

“Anyone,” you whispered into the darkness. Prayed, to whatever higher power might listen. “Please, let me save him. Let me save him.”

[Saturday, November 2nd, 1985. THEN.]

It hadn’t been the best of days so far.

It was Saturday, the day of the next game, and your car’s engine had refused to sputter to life when you’d wanted to hit the road for Hawkins High that evening, forcing you to take your bike through the freezing November darkness which had settled over the town already, the cold air biting the bare skin on your legs beneath the short skirt of your cheerleader uniform. You’d already been late and didn’t have time to dress up in something warmer for the way.

The only thing holding you upright right now was the prospect of seeing Eddie later tonight for whatever horror movie he’d picked, and the thought about seeing him again in a few hours made your heart sing in your chest as you biked through the winter air. You just had to get the game over with first.

Your limbs felt numb by the time you burst through the gym’s back entrance, just in time to join the formation of your fellow cheerleaders as you marched towards the basketball field for the first dance, your breathing still labored from the exertion of your little bike race against time, muscles burning from the freezing cold, and you were pretty sure your hair was a mess despite the green scrunchie holding it in place.

The green silk ribbon you’d always used to wear on game days, your lucky charm – the one Jason had pulled out of your hair when he’d followed you into the woods all those weeks ago – was gone; another reminder of what had happened. Of what would have happened, hadn’t Eddie been there to intervene.

Thundering applause erupted in the gym as the cheer squad entered the field, the bleachers a sea of Hawkins High’s orange and green on the left, and the white and blue of Aurora High on the right. The wide smile you’d plastered to your face felt empty and out of place, like a mismatching accessory, as you waved your pompoms in the air towards the crowd, your fingertips still numb with the cold.

Your mind flitted back to the lunchbreak with Eddie a few days ago. What you’d told him about the bullies in middle school, how you’d joined the cheerleaders to shield yourself from more cruelties and had come to actually love it. The mood before a game, the thrill and tension in the air, the dancing. You’d always loved the dancing. And how, ever since the encounter with Jason, there was only disgust filling you at the thought that you were cheering for him, a haze of blinding fury at the self-satisfied smile that never fully reached his eyes as you witnessed, game after game, how the crowd loved him, shouted his name.

But this time, the hatred for Jason was pushed aside by the memory of Eddie, placing the headphones over your ears. The sensation of your hands in his as he led you through the clumsy steps of the dance to the tune of I Remember You while Eddie hummed along with his beautiful voice, the dazzling smile on his face. The pull you’d been feeling towards him growing stronger, drawing you in and that tiny, ephemeral moment as Eddie had seemed to answer to it. They way he’d almost kissed you – and the way you’d wanted him to. The memory had been replaying in your mind ever since. Only that in your imagination, you’d snatched the damn leaf out of the air before it could disrupt the moment. In your imagination, Eddie never drew back.

The music started, ripping you from your thoughts, and you went through the movements of the choreography with practiced ease, your steps feeling like those of a sleepwalker. Wave, smile, step to the side. Repeat. Eyes unfocused, the crowd on the bleachers a watercolor blur of colors.

Pompoms rustling in the air, you did a little twirl – and when you came to stand for the final pose, facing the bleachers, your eyes locked on a pair of dark brown ones staring back at you from the sea of green and orange.

Your heart did a happy little backflip that felt like frizzing champagne injected straight into your veins.

Eddie was here. In the crowd, at a balls-and-laundry-baskets-game.

For you? Why else would he do it, if not for you?

His smile was wide, a mix of genuine joy and self-deprecation as he mouthed the words, don’t you dare tell anyone about this.

And just like that, your painted-on smile morphed into a real one as you suppressed a little giggle.

The music ended, and you tore your gaze away from Eddie to follow the others to the spot on the side where you’d stay during the game while the Hawkins Tigers stormed the field, led by Jason.

And this time when your gaze met his, the edge in Jason’s steel-blue eyes blurred against the memory of the warm smile in Eddie’s dark ones.

You weren’t alone. And you weren’t cheering for Jason, you realized – today, you were cheering for Eddie, who’d thrown his pride overboard to come and see you dance, for Lucas, who was lingering on the bench with hope in his eyes that this time, he’d get the chance to shine. And you were cheering for yourself, because you didn’t back down. Eddie was right – there would have been no shame in leaving the cheer squad, in running, if that would’ve been what you’d wanted or needed. But what you’d needed was to stay.

And what you’d needed was Eddie, on the bleachers, in your corner, because it meant you weren’t alone in this. And you realized…you’d never been. From the moment Eddie had ripped Jason away from you.

Warmth bloomed in your chest now at the thought that he was actually here. On a Saturday night. To watch a game you knew he hated with a passion because so many of the players were his bullies, his own demons.

Time had never passed so slow as it did in these two hours of the game.

And you’d never been this giddy in your life, butterflies of joy rushing through your belly as you waited for the game to be over so you could finally meet Eddie outside and tell him how much it meant to you that he was here. It was a special kind of torture, to know he was here yet too far away to talk to him, his presence like the feeling of sunrays on your skin in the middle of a freezing winter’s day.

The Tigers won with ease, and as soon as the horn to announce the end of the game filled the sweat-laced air inside the gym and the Hawkins side of the bleachers erupted in applause and victorious howls, the other cheerleaders darting onto the field to celebrate the players, you decided you couldn’t wait a single second longer. Fuck the victory celebration. The havoc on the field, the sea of rustling pompons was all the distraction you needed to sneak out of the gym and into the November night.

It didn’t take long to find Eddie’s van on the stuffed parking lot. Most people were still inside the gym to celebrate, the only other people outside the disappointed visitors of Aurora High ready to hit the road home.

Eddie was already leaning against the side of his van, hands in the pockets of his ripped jeans and breath forming little clouds in the cold winter air while he gazed down at his shoes, lost in his own thoughts, his mane of dark curls spilling around his face.

As if feeling your gaze, his head snapped up, and his eyes met yours.

And realization crashed over you like a rip tide.

Realization that these things you were feeling whenever Eddie looked at you – not simply looked at you but saw you, whenever his smile lit up his face, whenever he was close, talking, laughing, drawing little doodles onto the pages of his notes for classes, laughing with his friends from Hellfire, joking around with Dustin and Mike at the other side of the cafeteria, jumping tables and being himself, unapologetically…these things weren’t a simple crush anymore.

Over the past few weeks, the strange pull you’d felt towards Eddie ever since the day you’d met him in the woods, the gravity which seemed to pull you into his orbit, the way he’d become the sun your whole little universe had started spinning around…it had grown into more.

Into so much more.

And in this moment, with Eddie’s eyes on yours, his dazzling, radiant smile playing on his lips as he started to walk towards you, to meet you halfway because he was too exhilarated to wait until you’d reached the car…you realized you’d started to fall for him. Hard. Fast. Irreversibly.

For the weird guy with his metal looks and tattoos and his wild mane of messy curls, with music in his voice and warmth in his eyes and the sun in his smiles and a heart of gold hidden beneath worn leather and ripped denim.

You were in love with Eddie Munson.

Before you could figure out a way to deal with that thought, you noticed you’d stopped dead in your tracks, and he was coming to stand in front of you, waving awkwardly in front of your face as he greeted with the widest of smiles, “Hey, Earth to monster slayer.”

It took every last ounce of willpower not to jump right into his arms right then and there, and a wave of bashfulness washed over you at the thought, the realization you’d just had.

And the happiness it brought you. Real, actual happiness. You didn’t think you could ever feel like this, after Starcourt. Hell, you’d never felt like this even before Starcourt.

Because you’ve never been in love before, a little voice in your mind chimed up.

You blurted the next best thing that came to your mind. “I can’t believe you’re here!”

“Yeah,” Eddie snickered, “Me neither. Don’t tell anyone, I got a reputation to lose.”

“I can’t believe you just watched a basketball game,” squealed, the widest smile tugging at your lips. It felt like your blood had turned into liquid sunshine.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t watch the game. I watched the cheerleaders.” There was a brief, awkward pause as his eyes widened and he added, “One of them. Jesus, I sound like a fucking creep.” His timid little laugh filled the cold air while he raked a hand through his curls, rings glittering in the light of the streetlamps.

Did he look flustered? Or was your imagination playing tricks on you because your heart was racing and your head spinning and your mind going a mile a minute –

“Um, where’s your coat?”

You blinked, only now realizing that you’d completely forgotten to switch the pompoms for your winter coat. Shivers of cold were racking your body as the freezing night air bit into the bare skin on your arms and legs, and you hadn’t even noticed because the warmth in your chest was enough to melt away the cold of the November night.

“In my locker,” you assessed, teeth chattering a little, and before you could protest, Eddie had already shrugged off his leather jacket to gently place it around your own shoulders, his eyes never leaving yours as he tucked you in, making sure it wouldn’t slip off of you, and heat bloomed in your cheeks at the intimacy of the gesture.

His own body heat was still clinging to the leather, and his scent engulfed you, making your heartbeat stumble once more.

“Now you’re cold,” you assessed with a sideways glance at the Hellfire Club shirt he’d been wearing underneath, the fabric too thin to ward off the November cold as the two of you started walking back to his car.

“I’m fine,” he insisted, “I’m not the one in a mini skirt.”

“I bet the basketball team would love it,” you quipped with a little laugh, and Eddie’s grin widened as he drawled, “They wouldn’t appreciate my hairy legs, I’m afraid. Where’s your car?”

“Broke down. I biked here,” you sighed.

“Shit. Might be the battery, with the cold,” Eddie mused. “Okay, let’s grab the bike and get outta here.”

[Sunday, March 24th, 1986. NOW.]

The doorhandle was cold against your palm as you clamped your fist around it, forehead resting against the cool wood of the door as sobs racked your body, spilling into the darkness.

You didn’t know how much time had passed since Jason and his friends had locked you up in here.

How long would it take them to get to the boathouse?

How long for Eddie to realize it wasn’t you knocking on his door?

The images your mind was painting with cruel brushstrokes, of all the horrible things they could do to Eddie, were threatening to tear you apart like a piece of paper. They were images of flames leaping into the night sky, of blood soaking the rotting floorboards of the old boathouse, a deep dark crimson as it spilled onto the weathered wood.

You couldn’t save him, despite everything you’d done to keep him safe.

Eddie had always been there to save you.

And now that he needed a saviour of his own, you were locked up once again in the dark, stripped of all control and power and left helpless while Eddie, sweet, kind, gentle Eddie, who’d been forced to fend off bullies all his life, was outnumbered by Jason’s mob, with their bats and crowbars and their hunger for blood and the knowledge that whatever they did, the police wouldn’t care. And Hawkins would celebrate them as heroes.

Jason Carver, who simply took whatever he wanted because he was entitled enough to believe it was owed to him anyway. He would take Eddie from you while you could do nothing but sob in the dark.

Like a switch being flipped…fury took over.

It blazed through your veins like a Californian wildfire. Blinding and white-hot as a scream ripped from your throat – fusing into a startled yelp as a sudden bolt of pain shot through your palm, making you jump back.

Because the metal of the doorhandle had…singed your palm?

There was the tiniest sliver of light framing the rectangle of the door – and it took you a split second to realize that it had sprung open.

[Saturday, November 2nd, 1985. THEN.]

“Okay, uh, do we order pizza? Or…I got stuff for sandwiches. Somewhere,” Eddie mused as he rummaged through the fridge, which – as you’d learned at this point – was empty most of the time, save for the jar of mixed pickles which had probably been a part of the Munsons’ fridge’s inventory since the beginning of time. “I gotta say I’d be all in for pizza but I could try my hand at…soup!”

With a triumphant little grin, Eddie turned to you, a bundle of carrots raised in one hand and a sad looking solitary leek in the other, and you laughed.

“Have you ever cooked soup in your life?”

Eddie opened his mouth to reply, but trailed off as he watched you shrug off the leather jacket he’d placed over your shoulders for the short way home. It had been warm in his van, but…you hadn’t wanted to take it off. Eddie’s scent lingered in the fabric, this beautifully familiar, intoxicating scent of leather and cologne with the tiniest trace of sweat and cigarettes which didn’t sound like a good scent at all but was, so much so that it still cost every ounce of your willpower to place the jacket down instead of burying your face in the leather and take a final deep inhale.

The thought alone made heat rush to your face – a heat which only intensified as you noticed Eddie’s stare . When your eyes met his, he quickly turned away to the fridge, before he said, voice a little strained, “I can, uh. Give you one of my sweaters?”

God, yes.

“No, it’s…it’s fine. It’s warm in here.” It was. It was really, really warm inside the Munsons’ trailer all of a sudden.

Biting your lip, you joined Eddie at the kitchen counter, who was staring at the carrots with as much concentration as if they’d somehow magically turned into Mrs. O’Donnell’s final before he announced, “I’m pretty sure you just chop that shit and throw it into boiling water and then it’s done.”

“You just invented tea.”

Eddie’s grin widened. “Soup is tea. Vegetable tea.”

“As long as you don’t make me drink Yoo-hoo, I’d drink the vegetable tea,” you quipped.

“You-hoo will start seeing the appeal one day, young Skywalker,” Eddie drawled. There was a strange intimacy in that running gag that did nothing to quench your giddiness.

“It this a test if I’ve seen Star Wars?”

“You wouldn’t know the name Skywalker if you hadn’t,” Eddie retorted, before his eyes narrowed, “You did see it, right?”

Face trained into an unreadable expression, you took the leek from Eddie’s hand, raising it between the two of you like a lightsaber as you crooned darkly, “I find your lack of faith in me disturbing.”

There was a heartbeat of silence as you watched the brightest of surprised smiles curve Eddie’s lips.

“You picked the Star Wars trilogy for your three movie night choices, didn’t you?”, you assessed, and his grin turned mischievous when he corrected, “I picked the Star Wars Trilogy for the first movie choice. They belong together. Jury’s still out on the remaining two slots.”

“So you cheated with the song choice and now you’re cheating with the movie choice!”

“Skid Row is a heavy metal band,” Eddie insisted, hand flying to his chest in feigned indignation, “And a trilogy is one story.”

“I’m going to fight you with this leek,” you announced, waving the sad vegetable in front of his eyes.

Raising one of the carrots to his face with a deadly serious expression of his own, he retorted, “It’s a fight you-hoo aren’t going to win.”

Your heart leapt into your throat at the flash of his smile, the spark in his eyes and the dimples on his cheeks as he gave you that dazzling little grin that was so Eddie – and you realized how close you were standing, all of a sudden.

“You know,” you announced, placing the leek back onto the kitchen counter as you took a tentative step backwards, “Why don’t we just order pizza later?”

“Oh thank god,” Eddie chuckled, putting down the carrot with a relieved sigh before he gave you a hesitant look, as if he were contemplating something, before he said slowly, “When was the last time you’ve watched the stars?”

The question took you off guard.

“The – I don’t know. God, I can’t even remember the last time I watched the stars.”

With that strange new timidness in his expression, Eddie said, “So, uh. On the way to the game, there was this radio show and they talked about this meteor shower tonight. And I realized I’ve never seen a goddamn shooting star in my life.”

The words floated in the air between you, an unspoken question.

“Eddie Munson,” you drawled, that flustered feeling rushing through you once again, “Are you suggesting we go stargazing?”

He cringed. “Not very metal, huh?”

“Not at all, no,” you grinned, “But pretty bitchin’. I’ve never seen a shooting star, either. So, where do we go?”

The bashfulness of Eddie’s answering smile made your heart stumble in your chest as he said, “Upstairs.”

A confused frown settled on your face as you threw the trailer’s ceiling a suspicious glance, before you jested, “Do you have another dimension hidden up there?”

“Um. The roof?”

“Oh.”

“But as soon as there’s a gate to another dimension opening up on my kitchen ceiling, I’ll let you know,” Eddie assured with this tease in his voice.

“If there ever is a gate to another dimension opening up on your ceiling,” you said quietly, “Promise me you’ll run.”

[Sunday, March 24th, 1986. NOW.]

You didn’t remember the race to your car.

You didn’t remember the drive to the boathouse; although you must have been speeding as if all the devils of Hell were hot on your heels.

But the devils weren’t in Hell anymore.

The sight of Jason’s black car parked at the side of the road in front of Reefer Rick’s house told you they were already here.

And that you might already be too late to stop them.

[Saturday, November 2nd, 1985. THEN.]

“When you said the roof,” you mused as you sat on the blanket you’d spread on the ground - the roof? - “I thought you were joking.”

“Can’t get closer to the stars,” Eddie announced, letting go of the stack of blankets he’d been carrying to stretch his arms wide before plopping down next to you to face the forest which surrounded the trailer park.

You were already in the process of grabbing more of the blankets to wrap yourself in, the short skirt and shirt of your cheerleader uniform no match for the freezing winter night air, as Eddie shrugged off his jacket for the second time that night – and this time when he placed it over your shoulders, tugging the collar close to shield you from the night air, you couldn’t suppress the pleasant shudder running down your spine as his warmth, his scent, wrapped around you once more.

You’d never quite seen the appeal of wearing another person’s clothing for more than simple, practical reasons – but wrapped up in Eddie’s jacket, you did. You never wanted to take it off again.

You couldn’t quite yet decipher the look within Eddie’s eyes when he drew back – a fleeting moment, nothing more than a spark before he seemed to tear himself away from your gaze.

Something had shifted between the two of you since that lunchbreak a few days ago when you’d danced.

When, for a wild, fleeting moment, you’d been sure Eddie would have kissed you.

“Now you’ll be cold,” you assessed with the glance at his Hellfire Club shirt as Eddie grabbed another blanket from the stack the two of you had brought up here, your eyes lingering on the swarm of bats adorning the skin below his elbow. And for a fleeting moment, your mind ran wild with curiosity how many other tattoos he had despite the ones on his arms – and how it would feel like, to trace the swarm of little bats on his skin with your lips, before, cheeks burning, you quickly laid down on your back to stop staring at him.

Snuggled up in Eddie’s leather jacket, and one of the wool blankets covering your bare legs, it wasn’t cold at all.

Maybe it was just the way Eddie always made you feel giddy and warm.

“I got enough blankets to equip a goddamn expedition to Antarctica,” Eddie deadpanned, wrapping one of them around his shoulders.

“You also got the mugs to go with it,” you teased.

“Don’t forget the baseball caps,” he added with a snicker as he laid down beside you on the blanket, his hands locked behind his head and enough inches between the two of you to avoid accidentally touching you, much to your chagrin.

For a while, the two of you fell into silence – not an awkward silence, but a comfortable, companionable one. The kind of easy silence which had come to feel like the inside of a happy little bubble, a veil between the two of you and the rest of the world.

It was a beautiful night for stargazing. The night sky arching above was as clear as the winter air, a sea of stars winking down at the two of you scattered around a slim crescent moon which hung low in the sky to make it look as if the treetops would brush against its silver tip if they only stretched a little higher. The murky light of the solitary streetlamp below was no match for the darkness of the night, shrouding the two of you like another blanket. Out here at Forest Hills, the stars seemed brighter, the skies darker.

A lonely owl hooted somewhere in the distance between the trees.

“I swear they said it would be a whole shower of shooting stars,” Eddie commented drily after a while when no shooting star had shown itself yet, and you suppressed a little laugh.

“You’re so impatient.”

“I hate sitting still.”

“It was your idea to stargaze,” you teased softly, turning your head on the blanket to throw Eddie a sideways glance.

His eyes were still fixed on the night sky, unaware of your attention, and you took the chance to steal another glimpse of him.

Eddie looked beautiful. Utterly, almost devastatingly beautiful.

The night sky illuminated his profile with gentle brushstrokes of silver starlight, reflecting in his dark eyes and catching in his dark lashes, tracing the straight line of his nose, the soft curve of his lips, painting streaks of molten silver into the dark curls which spilled around his head like ink, his features pale and serene as he gazed at the stars above.

You quickly averted your gaze again before Eddie could catch you staring, forcing your focus back to the night sky.

Which was, indeed, decidedly void of shooting stars.

“Wait, when did they say it would happen, exactly?”, you inquired, and Eddie frowned as he tried to remember.

“November ninth, all night.”

There was a beat of silence, before you laughed, “Oh my god.” Eddie turned his head to give you a confused glance before you exclaimed, “Today’s November second, Eddie.”

“No way.”

“Yes.”

Your laughter intensified when Eddie buried his face in his hands, the silver metal of his rings glittering in the dark.

“I’m a fucking dumbass.” He shifted a little, turning his head to give you a timid look before he asked, “Do you…uh, wanna go back inside or -?”

“I think I’d like to keep stargazing,” you replied softly. “I mean, the night sky is still beautiful, right? And we can watch the meteor shower next Saturday.”

You didn’t want to go back inside. You wanted to stay here, lying next to Eddie, wrapped up in his leather jacket and his scent for the rest of eternity as you watched the stars.

“Alright then,” he smiled, crossing his arms behind his head, the motion shifting the blanket around him and making the hem of his Hellfire Club shirt ride up to expose a sliver of his pale stomach, the line dipping below the waistband of his ripped jeans.

Quickly tearing away your gaze, you teased, “So…you come here often?”

Eddie chuckled. “Sometimes, actually. I was up here a lot as a kid. Practiced the guitar and stuff.”

“For real?”

“For real. The neighbors loved it,” he added sardonically.

“What changed?”

“I fell off.”

“The roof?!”

Eddie snickered. “It was at some point in middle school. I was practicing my headbanging-moves and it ended in an involuntary crowd surfing exercise, just…without the crowd to catch me, obviously.”

“Oh my god.”

“That was exactly my uncle’s reaction when I sailed past the living room window.”

Your pressed your hands in front of your mouth to suppress the laughter bubbling from your lips, and Eddie’s grin softened as he watched you. “It’s okay, you can laugh. Never hide that cute laugh, monster slayer.”

The words made your heart skip its next beat while Eddie’s eyes widened as if he’d just realized the gravity of his words, and a new kind of silence descended over the trailer’s roof, your mind going a mile a minute to come up with a reply, something, anything, while the butterflies in your chest had grown into a force of their own.

But before you could muster a reply…there was a sound. Deep and dulled as if underwater as it echoed through the clear night air.

It took you a moment to recognize what it was.

A clock.

The distorted stroke of a bell in broken clock.

“What the –“ The words left you as your eyes were drawn to a spot behind Eddie’s shoulder.

Because there, suspended in the freezing air against the night sky…there was a door.

A rectangle of polished dark wood, inlaid with a stained-glass window depicting a bouquet of roses, their petals a deep crimson as if the glass they were made of had been dipped in fresh blood.

It was just there.

Hovering in the air behind Eddie, against the background of the night sky, the stars scattered around it like while the pale moonlight seeped through the stained glass.

You knew it wasn’t real.

It couldn’t be.

But it looked so very real. As if you could rise to your feet, turn the brass handle and step right through it.

And behind that door…there was a silhouette. A mere shadow looming behind the stained-glass-flowers.

Watching you.

And that’s when you felt it.

A dark tug, like a piece of yarn wrapped around your neck being pulled tight. A tingle ran down your spine like a swarm of spiders scuttling along your back as you felt it rippling from that door and the shadow behind it: a dark croon beckoning you towards it.

To turn the knob.

To open the door.

And whatever it was, this shadow beyond the crimson petals of stained glass, watching you…it was wrong. Evil.

But did it want to be let out – or did it want to be beckoned in?

At the edge of your focus, you could hear Eddie murmuring your name, his tone a mix of worry and confusion, but you couldn’t bring yourself to tear your focus away from the door and this thing lurking behind it.

Your blood froze in your veins as, with the disturbing echo of a second stroke of a bell, the doorknob was turned from the inside. Slowly, like the movement of a predator closing in on its prey, knowing it had all the time in the world.

On the third resonating clock’s chime which echoed through the night, vibrated through your bones, sending dread, raw, primal dread through you, the door creaked open, fingers slowly wrapping around its wooden edge.

No, not fingers.

Claws.

Slender, elongated claws like the legs of a spider, fingernails like rotten talons clacking against the wood as the scream which was lodged at the back of your throat threatened to burst free –

“Hey,” Eddie’s voice, having grown more desperate by now, finally pierced through the veil of your panic; the beam of a lighthouse cutting through the darkest night, and your eyes snapped away from the door, away from the crimson stained-glass roses and the horror lurking behind and back to Eddie, to his warm dark eyes. A tether to reality.

“Hey, monster slayer,” he murmured softly, tilting his head as he was scanning your face with barely veiled concern, “What’s wrong, you okay?”

Nothing, you wanted to lie. But the word came out as a choked whimper. “No.”

It was the first time you’d dared to say it out loud.

Because this…this had been more, so much more, than simply your sleep-deprived mind playing tricks on you when you gazed into a mirror.

The door was gone now, the night sky behind Eddie empty save for the scattering of twinkling stars, but the images of the stained-glass roses and the spidery hand had burned themselves into your mind.

The tears started to fall down your cheeks in hot rivulets.

Your name falling from Eddie’s lips was a soft susurration in the freezing night air before he cooed, “It’s gonna be. It’s gonna be okay again. I promise, okay?”

It wasn’t the words themselves but the sound of Eddie’s voice, its soft lilt, the dark timbre of his soothing murmurs as he scooted a little closer to you on the blanket, and despite all your terror and the panic clawing its way up your chest…the butterflies in your belly soared in a colorful swarm as Eddie gently cradled your face, his thumbs brushing over your cheeks to wipe away your tears as his tender gaze rested on you. Grounding you. Searching for any sign of unease he would never find because you knew you’d always be safe with him.

“I’m here, okay?”, Eddie said softly, “I’m here for you. Tell me what I can do to help you.”

There was something fierce in his eyes, a protectiveness which instilled something else in you besides the warmth and affection and butterflies.

You wished you could tell him about all the ways he’d saved you already. How he’d become the lifeline keeping you from drowning, the lighthouse amidst the storm. Proving that there was a shore to reach, beyond the freezing dark sea of memories and nightmares and guilt. That his mixtape was the only reason why your weary mind found sleep at night, and how the lunchbreaks and movie nights and study Saturdays were your favorite hours of the week.

But if you told him, you would have to tell him all the rest.

Why there were nightmares haunting you.

Why you couldn’t look into a mirror anymore without seeing things that couldn’t possibly be there.

And then, he would never again look at you the way he was right now. With so much tenderness and warmth and something else; a mirror image of everything you felt in your own heart, for the boy with the sunshine smiles and the stars in his eyes.

It had been sowed in your heart that night in the woods, when he’d ripped Jason away from you.

Then, you hadn’t known Eddie Munson. You’d thought that with his menacing looks, he wasn’t one to shy away from using fists if it came down to it. But knowing him as well as you did now, in the matter of two months which felt like Eddie had been in your life forever, knowing him like you knew the pages of your favorite book, the brushstrokes of a favorite painting, you were aware how much courage it must have taken sweet, gentle Eddie to face Jason like that.

When you’d thought that nobody would hear your screams for help…Eddie had.

He still was. He was hearing them all; the silent cries for help, the ones not even you had realized you’d been screaming into the world. And he heeded every single one of them.

Eddie “I’m no hero” Munson had always been your hero.

The pads of his thumbs brushed over your cheeks once more, featherlight like the touch of a moth’s wing, the caresses nothing but innocent and soothing while his eyes held yours, the deep dark umber reflecting the light of the stars.

He was close enough now for his warm breath to prickle on your lips, to count his lashes, painted silver in the starlight.

“Tell me what to do,” he whispered as he caught your tears which wouldn’t stop falling, the caress as tender as his voice. “Tell me how to help you.”

And while this tug to the door with its stained-glass roses had been dark, wrong, instilling nausea in your guts and panic in your mind – the tug towards Eddie was its glaring counterpart. It wasn’t a leash but a lifeline, a gravity you couldn’t resist any longer.

“Make me forget,” you breathed. Pleaded.

In a crashing wave of fear and terror of what you’d just seen, of the affection and longing you’d been harboring in your heart for the kind, gentle soul in front of you, stealing every rational thought from your mind, guiding your actions – you finally, finally, gave in.

When your lips met Eddie’s, the world stopped spinning.

For a heartbeat, he stilled. Giving you the chance to back out even though you’d been the one to close the remaining distance in the first place, when there was nothing you’d ever wanted more than this, his soft lips on yours.

For Eddie’s kisses to chase away the terrors, for his touches to send you into the sweet grey space of oblivion, the space between reality and daydream where none of these terrors haunting you would ever reach you, where Eddie’s light would burn away all the memories and nightmares like the spring sun melted away winter’s grip.

Your hand snaked up to tangle in the soft curls at the back of his head, to pull him closer against you – and it was like a switch being flipped.

It was all the reassurance Eddie needed.

The tension melted away from him, and with the softest sigh, Eddie’s grasp on you tightened a little, his thumbs caressing your cheeks while he gently tilted your head, and you parted your lips as he deepened the kiss, melting against him until your chest was pressed against his and you couldn’t tell anymore if the wild thumping against your ribs was your own racing heart or Eddie’s.

You’d shared a few kisses before. Not many, and simply because that’s what cheerleaders did at parties, because you hadn’t wanted to be the last one to have her first kiss when Nancy had started dating Steve; and you’d never understood what people exactly found so special about kissing.

But this kiss, with Eddie, sweet and careful and so filled with longing all the same – it wasn’t like any of those kisses.

There had never been even a single spark of the wildfire of longing which was blazing through you right now, with him, burning every other thought, every horrid image in your mind to cinders.

His palms were warm against your cheeks, calloused from hours and hours of playing his guitar, the metal of his rings smooth against your skin as his lips moved against yours, still so careful, giving you the chance to stop him.

Leaving you in control, you realized.

Giving you back what Jason had taken away that September night in the woods.

You’d been scared that you’d lost something – that Jason had ripped more away from you that night than control, that he’d taken something you couldn’t get back again just like the Mind Flayer had – but Eddie, with his radiant sunshine-smiles and his unspoken understanding, Eddie who always made sure to not only avoid making you uncomfortable, but to make you feel safe with him…Eddie had given back to you what had been stolen from you.

And yet, even though he was still holding back, the fierceness of his kiss left no doubt that he’d been waiting for this moment as much as you had.

It made all the things you were feeling for him flare even brighter in your chest.

“Is this…do you really want this?”, he breathed. It sounded bewildered, the silent question in his words making your heart sink: even though I’m a freak?

“Yes,” you whispered your reassurance into the kiss, your voice a soft susurration in the freezing winter air as you pressed yourself closer against him, “I want you, Eddie.”

“God, you have noooo idea what you’re doing to me, monster slayer,” he rasped, that familiar lilt in his dark voice like a siren’s song to draw you in as the tip of his nose brushed yours, your breaths mingling in the cold winter air in the slim space between you as you breathed each other in, the dark curls falling into his face tickling your cheeks before he angled his head and his lips found yours once more.

And this time, he didn’t hold back.

The tenderness never leaving Eddie’s grasp, his thumbs brushing your cheeks in the softest caress before he tilted your head once more to deepen the kiss, his lips moving against yours to steal the breath from your lungs and make your heart race and your mind spin as each and every single one of your senses honed in on him…It was so much better than anything you could have imagined in your wildest dreams.

Eddie’s hand found its way to the nape of your neck, the pad of his thumb brushing over the spot below your ear, right above your racing pulse, to make sparks zap through you at the touch while his other hand snaked to your back to support your weight against him, the soft sigh spilling from your lips seeming to melt away the last remnants of his hesitation.

And when his teeth caught your bottom lip in the ghost of a bite, your nerves were set ablaze with something ravenous, a need settling in your core unlike everything you’d ever felt before.

You needed more. Everything in you screamed for more of him; his kisses, his touches, those sweet, sweet noises spilling from his lips with the sensation of your fingers raking through his curls as your lips parted to allow his tongue to dance over yours as he kissed you into blissful delirium.

You slowly let yourself sink down on your back, pulling Eddie with you, on top of you, and one of his knees gently nudged your legs apart as he settled in this new position, keeping these few inches of careful distance between your bodies as he pulled away, just enough to glance down at you.

“You okay?”, Eddie asked softly.

Do you want me to stop?

His eyes were wide and dark with a kaleidoscope of emotions, his wild curls framing his pale face as the stars formed a crown around his head, painting molten streaks of starlight into his mane of ever-tousled curls, tickling your face as they spilled over his shoulders and around your own face like a curtain of midnight.

The way Eddie’s voice was raspy with his own arousal, vibrating through your body like the tunes of a song, the gentleness of his tone mirrored in his touches as if, despite the all-consuming heat of the moment, he was still scared to overstep, to hurt you – it only stoked that feral, ravenous need in your core, embers building into a blazing bonfire.

You didn’t want him to stop. Never. You wanted this moment to stretch into eternity, when it was only Eddie and you and the twinkling stars above and his lips on yours and his touch on your skin.

With a breathless nod, your hands locked at the nape of his neck to pull him closer again, making him shift above you, his elbows settling on the sides of your face as he breathed, “I need to hear you say it, monster slayer.”

“Please don’t stop, Eddie.”

He heeded your wish. His kisses were growing more fierce, more ravenous yet still filled with such tenderness that it made your heart sing and chased away every nightmare and memory and the picture of that door suspended in the air, the petals of red glass and the thing it kept away for now. All of it faded into white noise.

Your hands found their way beneath the hem of his Hellfire shirt, fingertips grazing his sides to test the waters, and the low moan escaping him at the tentative touch to resonate through your own body was all the reassurance you needed to let your hands roam to his back and trace the line of his spine, feeling the movement of his muscles as he melted into your touches.

You’d known that Hell existed – you’d been there and back, after all – but never in a million years would you have guessed there was a Heaven as well. When you hooked a leg around his waist to pull him closer still, you could feel him through the denim of his pants, and the sensation sent liquid fire through your body, the soft sound which left his own throat only fueling your movements, as your hips snapped up to meet his, the friction against your core sending a wave of pleasure through you that was so unlike everything you’d ever felt before that it made you gasp out loud, your back arching to chase this new kind of pleasure.

Your heart skipped its next beat when Eddie’s lips left yours to trail kisses over your jaw, to the side of your neck, finding that spot right below your ear where your pulse was fluttering wildly. The sensation of his soft lips caressing the sensitive skin of your pulse point sent liquid flames blazing through your veins as, with another gasp, you tilted your head to give him better access – before he stopped and pulled away, eyes wide and searching as they scanned yours, both your breaths ragged.

“Why did you stop?”, you whispered, and his smile, sweet and timid and dazzling, made the stars in the background pale in comparison as Eddie breathed, “You still good? ‘Cause…” he hesitated, the dusting of a blush on his cheeks darkening when he scrunched his nose in a trace of embarrassment, “You’re the first. And I’m kinda…rolling with the punches here. So, if you want me to stop –“

“You – “ You cut yourself off, surprise filling you – and giddiness like frizzing champagne bubbling through you as you breathed, “You, too. I mean, I’ve never…” You trailed off, grasping for the right words, but the radiant, timid smile playing on Eddie’s kiss-swollen lips told you he understood, anyway. He always did. No words necessary.

“I don’t want you to stop,” you breathed.

His gaze kept holding yours with an intensity nearly tangible in the cool night air, conveying everything words never could, and his smile brightened even more as he gently tucked the blanket back over both of you, so adamant to make sure you wouldn’t be cold when his kisses were already enough to melt the freezing November air from your skin, before his hand settled on the side of your face. His lips found that spot on your neck once more, eliciting another gasp from you when this time, he let his teeth graze over the sensitive skin, the sensation turning every single nerve in your body into a life wire.

If that was what rolling with the punches looked like, you couldn’t wait to find out what else Eddie could do.

Your eyes fell shut with bliss as Eddie continued to explore the side of your neck, teeth grazing and nipping at your sensitive skin, noting the tiniest of noises spilling from your lips, the most subtle of shivers he drew from you, his breath hot as it fanned over the feverish skin of your throat and his dark curls tickling you, intensifying the waves of pleasure bolting through your nerves and stoking the heat at the apex of your thighs, while your own hands roamed over his shoulder blades, down his spine, to his waist, his skin soft and warm beneath your fingertips as blissful shivers rippled through him in response to your touch, leaving you marveling at your impact on him. The vulnerability he allowed himself to show with you, had always done, from day one. Stripped of all the tiny disguises the world was forcing on the two of you.

Eddie’s teeth grazed your pulse point again, softly, far too light to leave a mark – and you realized you wanted him to leave a mark. You wanted his fingerprints tattooed on your skin, you wanted him to cover you in his intoxicating scent of leather and cologne and sweat and the faint trace of cigarette smoke, of him, as his free hand slowly, carefully, wandered down your sides, his fingertips tracing the curve of your waist, making your skin prickle despite the fabric of your cheerleader uniform still separating him from you, before it settled on your hip, the warmth of his skin seeping through the fabric.

One of your hands flitted down to settle over Eddie’s on the curve of your waist, and you gently guided his hand underneath the shirt of your cheerleader uniform, an unspoken permission – an unspoken plea.

The sensation of Eddie’s fingertips wandering over your bare skin, leaving burning trails of sparks in the wake of his touch that made you arch your back to press closer against him, set your nerves ablaze with the need for more. More of his skin against yours, more of his feverish kisses as his hand wandered down over your waist, your hip, to the hem of your skirt, the material having ridden up as you’d hooked a leg around his waist to pull him closer, your soft moans mingling with his as the bulge in his pants met your clothed core.

His thumb flicked over the side of your thigh, and you realized he was asking for permission to slip his hand underneath.

“Please,” you breathed, and a trembling sigh escaped your lips as Eddie’s hand caressed the inside of your thigh, the smooth metal of his rings the perfect contrast to his calloused hands to elicit pleasant shivers as his touch wandered higher – slowly, so achingly slowly – to the throbbing spot where you needed him most.

But before Eddie’s fingertips could brush the soaked fabric of your panties, his hand stilled, and he slowly pulled away from the kiss, scanning your face as your own eyes fluttered open in confusion.

The expression swirling in Eddie’s beautiful eyes would have brought you to your knees, hadn’t you been lying on the ground already.

His pupils were dilated with his own arousal, the umber of his irises a tiny ring encasing them – and there was so much gentleness brimming in his gaze, such affection and warmth that you felt the answering tug of your heart. And amidst all the warmth and affection, there was worry laced in Eddie’s gaze not even his soft smile could fully conceal.

Your heart soared when Eddie reached out to gently brush a stray strand of hair from your forehead which had fallen out of the green scrunchie holding your hair up.

The green scrunchie.

To replace the green silk ribbon Jason had pulled from your hair that night to loosen your ponytail.

I always thought you looked prettier with your hair down.

It was engraved in your mind somehow, the memory of the green silk fluttering to the dirty ground of the clearing like a paper streamer at the end of a party. The feeling of helplessness and rage churning in your guts as you’d watched it. Of fear.

I always thought you looked prettier with your hair down.

“You’re beautiful,” Eddie’s whisper ripped through the memory, his eyes coming into focus again. The warmth shining in them. The genuineness.

“Huh?”, you breathed, and Eddie tilted his head as he repeated, “I said, you’re beautiful.”

“Even with my hair tied up?” You despised this little part of yourself that had memorized Jason’s words, whispering them now in your mind in this vile little voice that sounded exactly like him – but Eddie’s gentle voice pulled you back from the memory once again.

“You always look beautiful,” he said quietly, his tone mirroring the softness, the fierce sincerity in his gaze, sounding a little timid again all of a sudden, “You’ve always looked beautiful. God, you have noooo idea how often I was watching you in the hallways, at lunchbreak…you were always reading. And you don’t wanna know how often I just…sat there, daydreaming about walking up to you and asking what it was you were reading and saying something, anything, to make you smile just to have this smile directed at me once. Like, I was sure if you ever gave me that radiant smile of yours, I’d just…I don’t know, go into cardiac arrest or shit. And then one day on a game day I accidentally ran into you at lunchbreak, and the entirety of your strawberry Jell-O was spilt all across your cheerleader uniform and for that split second, I thought, that’s it. I was pretty sure you were gonna snap at me to look where I was fucking going, call me a freak, the usual reaction people have even when I don’t do anything – but you didn’t. You laughed. And you smiled at me with this stunning smile and said –“

“’I was thinking the shirt could use a bit more color’”, you finished Eddie’s sentence, echoing your own words from that day on a whisper.

That had been two years ago. You’d been so sure Eddie had forgotten it, this tiny fleeting moment during lunchbreak. A lifetime ago.

“You remember that,” you whispered, the widest of smiles on your own face, and Eddie gave you a soft laugh before he replied, “Remember? I was a total goner. You could have asked me to braid Steve fucking Harrington’s stupid hair while singing Madonna and I would’ve done it, no questions asked. Like, that moment? I didn’t think about anything else for months. Not – not in the creepy way,” he added with a nervous little laugh, “Promise, not in the creepy way. Just…it was playing in my mind on repeat. Like, constantly.”

A soft little laugh fell from your lips as happiness, the giddy, bubbly kind of happiness that felt like liquid sunlight streaming through your veins, filled you, and you felt like your skin might glow with it as Eddie added on the softest whisper, “So, yeah. You are beautiful. No matter what you wear, how your hair looks, you’ve always been the most beautiful girl in Hawkins.”

And with his expression growing a little sterner, Eddie said, “You know we don’t need to go…further, right? There’s no pressure. At all. I want you, more than you can imagine, but I want you to be sure as well. So, whatever it is you want me to do, however far you want to go right now…you’re the one in charge.”

I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to.

I’m not going to hurt you.

The words were written in Eddie’s gaze as he watched you, waiting for your reply as that sparkling warm feeling of affection and…love took over. Still so new, yet familiar all the same.

The prospect of giving Eddie all of you didn’t scare you, or frighten you – not at all. You wanted to. You wanted it to be him. And you never wanted it to be anyone else but him, you realized. It had always been Eddie. And it would always be.

“Just…I want this to…count,” Eddie added softly. “I want this to mean as much to you as it means to me.”

It was this exact moment that you knew Eddie Munson was your forever.

“I want this. I want you,” you said softly.

I love you, you added in your mind.

Eddie’s eyes never leaving yours, watching you softly for every reaction, his hand slipped underneath your skirt again, the soft green fabric riding up as his fingertips slowly trailed over the inside of you thigh – tentatively, giving you all the time in the world to stop him – his other hand cradling your cheek as he rested on his elbow. The air was fully knocked out of you when his hand reached the apex of your thighs, his thumb softly flicking over the already soaked fabric of your panties, creating the tiniest sliver of friction yet already enough of it to make your lips part with a soft moan, before Eddie stilled, waiting – for your permission to go on, you realized. To go further.

“Do that again,” you pleaded, breathless already, and your mind went blank when he slowly, so achingly slowly, slipped his hand underneath the waistband of your panties.

The moment Eddie’s fingertips brushed over the sensitive bundle of nerves between your legs, the heat pooling there, had you glad you were already lying beneath him because you could feel each and every one of your muscles giving in at the bolt of raw pleasure elicited by his touch, a moan tumbling from your lips that laced with his in the cold November air as Eddie rested his forehead against yours, his curls spilling around your faces as your eyes fluttered shut with the bliss of his touch.

“Is that good, sweetheart?”, he whispered, his voice strained with his own arousal, making you go even crazier with need as an unintelligible noise of approval bubbled from your lips, and Eddie’s warm breath prickled on your lips as he chuckled softly.

His fingertips repeated the motion, and you felt like you might burst with pleasure, biting your lips to desperately suppress the moan lodged at the back of your throat, which definitely needed to stay there because you didn’t want to let the whole of the Forest Hills trailer park in on that moment, but the remaining shred of self-control was quickly fading as Eddie’s calloused fingertips started circling your clit, spreading the wetness of your arousal and sending you into ecstasy, the motion so gentle, so achingly slow.

The heat was searing in your belly, fire licking at your every nerve, building the glowing sensation in your core as you rolled your hips, desperate to gain more friction, to feel more of him against you. The reaction emboldened him further as he buried his face in the crook of your neck, trailing kisses over the side of your throat while his calloused fingertips worked you into ecstasy with the skilled, gentle movements you’d seen him pluck the strings of his beloved guitar with so many times now, drawing strings of soft moans from your lips that filled the air, unravelling you beneath his caresses as time seemed to freeze as every single cell in your body burned with pleasure.

“What – what about you?”, you moaned, eyes flying open to meet Eddie’s, but he breathed, “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m the happiest guy alive. I want this to be about you.”

His gentle voice vibrating through you as his lips brushed your ear, the familiar lilt of his words a melody to guide you along.

You never wanted this moment to stop.

Eddie’s lips on your skin, his soft voice crooning the sweetest words into your ear, his curls tickling your feverish skin and his fingertips working you into ecstasy, building the need, the pleasure alongside this radiant feeling of happiness, of…love.

You wanted to freeze it in time, put it into one of these little snow globes, save it forever.

Just Eddie and you and the starry November night sky above.

“God, you’re so fucking beautiful,” he whispered – and it was the smooth lilt in his dark voice which pushed you over the edge.

Your mind went blank at the sensation of your climax, soft ripples travelling through your nerves that built until they turned into a tide washing over you, sweeping you away as your back arched and your grasp in Eddie’s curls tightened, his name spilling from you on a moan that was swallowed by a kiss as Eddie captured your lips with his, his fingertips gently circling your clit to guide you through your orgasm as the world shattered around you, shattered in the best possible way as you came undone beneath Eddie’s hands.

His hand came up to your cheek, and you could feel his soft smile as he placed another kiss on your lips, sweet and delicate, before he rested his forehead against yours, your laboured breaths mingling in the slim space between the two of you, your eyes still closed, your senses awash with the afterglow of your climax.

For a few wild, racing heartbeats, you stayed like this, breathing in each other, his hands on your cheeks, the tip of his nose brushing yours, his heart racing against your own, in perfect synchrony.

And for this wild, beautiful moment you allowed yourself to unlock this door you’d kept firmly shut these past weeks, allowing for all the beautiful possibilities and what-ifs to burst from their gilded cage like a flock of colourful birds.

Allowed yourself to believe that maybe, if you told Eddie the truth about last summer, about the dark stain on your soul that would never quite disappear, the things you’d done and felt…maybe he wouldn’t lose that warmth in his gaze when he looked at you.

“Eddie?”, you whispered, your eyes fluttering open, and he hummed in response as he pushed himself up on his elbows to gaze down at you. With all the courage you could rally, you begun, “I need to tell you someth –“

You stilled at the sight of a lonely snowflake falling from the sky, settling in a strand of the curls framing Eddie’s face as he waited for you to finish your sentence, a second snowflake following suit, and a third, catching in Eddie’s tousled hair.

The night had darkened, you realized.

The stars were gone from the sky, the firmament above wiped clean as a slate, a deep, dark void –

And the snowflakes settling in Eddie’s curls…they weren’t snowflakes.

They were spores.

A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, crimson bleeding through the clouds to illuminate the shadow looming there, right over Eddie, sweet, clueless Eddie, who was still gazing down at you in his arms with so much tenderness in those beautiful brown eyes, so oblivious to the spidery figure in the skies, watching him –

“NO!”

The scream left your throat as Eddie shrunk away from you, his smile fading to make room for shock, for hurt and fear as all the euphoria and happiness of Eddie’s kisses, his loving whispers, all the peace and calmness you’d felt in his arms, drained away like water in a bathtub, leaving nothing but ice-cold, numbing dread as images flashed in your head.

Horrible images.

Of a swarm of…of wings and talons and teeth pouncing down from the bleeding crimson skies, their shrieks filling the air like a chorus of distorted voices as it mingled with another scream, filled with agony and so horribly, horribly familiar because it was Eddie’s scream, from amidst the storm of these monstrous creatures you’d never even seen before –

It was over as fast as it had started.

The shrieks were gone, Eddie’s screams were gone.

You were cowering on the rooftop of his trailer, his leather jacket pooling around you where it had slipped from your shoulders as you’d pulled him down in-between kisses.

Your hands were pressed over your ears to drown out the echo of Eddie’s anguished scream in your mind.

And when you raised your head to meet Eddie’s eyes, wide with shock and panic as he was kneeling in front of you, his hands outstretched yet hovering in the air as if he didn’t dare touch you, you could feel the tears streaming down your face, quickly cooling with the icy winter air as Eddie’s voice pierced the haze of panic. “I’m – I’m sorry. I – If I did anything –“

“No,” you breathed, shaking your head, voice breaking, “No, you –“

And just when you thought it couldn’t get worse…it did.

Because when you wanted to reach out for him, to take his hands and tell him that he’d done nothing wrong, that you were in love with him, your gaze fell on your hands.

They were covered in tar-black veins. Writing beneath your skin, alive, poisoning your mind, making you dance like a puppet on its master’s strings as that voice, that horrid sound that was the echo of a million voices all at once, crooned in your mind, “Tik-tok.”

With a helpless whisper of your name, Eddie reached out for you, but you scrambled away from his touch, panicked what this thing still buried in your mind, oozing darkness like an infected wound, would do.

Right in that moment, you were sure that one single touch would be enough and whatever rot was festering within you, whatever trace the Mind Flayer had left on you…it would hurt Eddie.

It wanted to hurt Eddie.

You climbed to your feet, legs weak with what you’d done only moments ago, tremors running through you as you breathed, “I need to go.”

“Wait –“ Eddie began, but you’d already reached the ladder, climbing down from the roof, the November night’s air biting into your skin, a whisper of what it would feel like for Eddie, to be caught in that maelstrom of wings and claws and teeth ripping at his skin, drawing these screams from him –

No.

You wouldn’t let that happen. You needed to get away from him before that thing could take control –

You’d already burst through the backdoor of the trailer before you remembered that you hadn’t brought a coat with you to grab, and Eddie was already there, behind you, calling out for you to stop as you stumbled towards the front door, fighting the tears.

Your hand already on the handle, Eddie’s next words froze you in place. “I’m sorry. I’m – please, please, talk to me. I…I’m sorry. I’m so sorry if I did anything wrong. I shouldn’t have –“

“No,” you breathed, cutting him off.

He thought he’d hurt you, you realized.

When it was you who’d be hurting him – hurting him if you left now…and hurting him even worse, so much worse, if you stayed.

Because the Upside Down, the Mind Flayer…they would never be gone. Never be defeated. Infecting your mind like the tunnels had infected Hawkins. They’d left their mark on you, an ugly stain on your mind, your soul, and they would claim their next victim.

And as long as Eddie was close to you, that victim could be him. Would be him.

The Mind Flayer had seen him already.

Whatever twisted part of the monster had managed to remain behind when they’d burned it out of you last summer, it had seen right into your heart, and it had seen Eddie, and it would tear him to shreds.

“Y/N,” he whispered, your name so foreign on his lips. Not monster slayer. He didn’t know how fitting it was to strip away this name. “Please, just…please talk to me,” Eddie repeated – pleaded – so cautious to keep his distance now, to make you feel safe when it was you putting him in this deadly danger. He should have run the moment he’d encountered you in the woods. He should have turned heel and run and never looked back.

There was still a blush on his cheeks – from the cold or the things you’d just done together, you didn’t know – and his mane of curls was even messier than usual, tousled from your fingertips raking through the strands, his lips still swollen with your kisses. But the happy gleam which had shone in his eyes only moments before had been snuffed out. Suffocated.

Tears were choking your voice when you said, “You didn’t do anything wrong. I promise.”

“I know there’s something you’re not telling me,” Eddie breathed, slowly stepping towards you, the despair in his umber eyes seeping into his voice to make it break, “And that’s okay. I don’t need to know if you’re not ready to tell me, monster slayer. But whatever it is…you don’t need to go through this on your own. Some monsters are fucking scary and you don’t have to face them alone.”

When you didn’t reply, didn’t shrink back, he closed the remaining distance, his hand carefully settling on your cheek.

“You can talk to me,” Eddie implored, the softness in his voice as hard to stomach as the plea in his eyes, the tremble of his bottom lip, “I’m right here, okay? Let me be here for you. Please.”

The sound of Eddie’s soft voice torn into this anguished scream echoed through your mind; the newest, most monstrous addition to the collection of horrors embedded in your memories.

Only that it wasn’t a memory yet. There was still time to change his fate. Rewrite his stars by scratching yourself out of his story.

You needed to keep him away from all this, from you. Far, far away.

There were two ways to make sure that he’d stay away.

The first one was to simply tell him the truth. About the Upside Down and last summer and what the Mind Flayer had made you do, how you’d enjoyed to see the bully who’d made your life a living Hell suffer in the monster’s grasp. He might even believe the tale. But then he’d still know about the Upside Down, and that would paint another target on his back.

So you steeled yourself. And you chose number two.

You broke his heart.

“This doesn’t work.”

Eddie frowned, confusion lacing his expression. “This – what doesn’t work? Us?”

“There’s no us, Eddie,” you said, fighting so hard to keep your voice steady, you gaze cold when all you wanted to do was run into his arms. He needed to believe it. “There’s never been an us.”

For a few heartbeats, there was only crestfallen silence as Eddie stared at you.

“I don’t believe you,” he replied quietly. “Not a single word.”

“Because you don’t know me, Eddie. You don’t know anything about me. You never have.” It wasn’t even a lie, not really. He’d never seen the dark, twisted parts you’d become so good at keeping buried. “This –“ you waved between the two of you – “It was a drug deal. Do you truly think we’d have started to hang out if I hadn’t wanted drugs?”

“Then why did you stay without the drugs?”

Because I was falling in love with you even before I came to you for the goddamn drugs.

“Because you were a distraction.”

Eddie’s hand fell from your cheek when he shrunk back as if your words had burned him. “What?” His voice was hollow, but his eyes…the expression within them ripped you apart like a piece of paper.

It was the cruel image of wings and teeth and claws ripping and tearing and devouring him alive that gave you the strength to push through with it, to twist the knife deeper which you’d just plunged in.

He would heal.

And above all else, he would live.

“You were a distraction, Eddie. An adventure.”

“It didn’t sound like that half an hour ago,” he said quietly.

“This, right now, was a mistake, okay?”, you breathed. “A stupid mistake, and I’m sorry for stringing you along like that. But did you truly think this could be real?”

“It already was,” Eddie said, this strange hollowness so out of place in his soft voice. “It’s always been real to me.”

“Look at me,” you added flatly, waving a hand over your cheerleader uniform, wrinkled with the previous activities you’d partaken in before you nodded towards him, his own wrinkled Hellfire Club shirt, the tattoos adorning his arms, “And look at you.”

“You don’t mean that,” he breathed. Tell me you don’t mean that. On a whisper, Eddie added, “You said it meant something.”

The words tasted like acid on your tongue when you rallied every last ounce of your willpower to speak them, to deal the final blow.

“I never said that, Eddie. That was you. I just told you I wanted it.”

You could see the exact moment something broke in his eyes. Shattered into a myriad of pieces alongside your own heart.

The words hanging in the air, you turned.

And walked away.

Out of the chipped front door of his trailer.

Out of his life.

Begging all the stars which would listen to let it have been enough to let the cruel vision stay nothing but a nightmare.

***

The tears were running down your face, blinding you, blurring your vision as sobs racked your body hard enough to stop at the side of the road, the bike clattering to the asphalt as you keeled over, falling to your knees, arms hugging your chest because you felt if you didn’t, you might just fall apart.

A flash of light from above drew your gaze.

To the lonely shooting star streaking across the sky, trailing a tail of silver dust in its wake before it faded behind the treetops, making the tears fall faster, the sobs ripping through you with such force that you felt like your bones might snap beneath it.

“Keep him safe,” you whispered into the night, to the dying star in case it would listen. “Please, please, keep him safe.”

You were aware that your skin beneath the flimsy cheerleader uniform was already numb enough from the cold for the November night’s air to have lost its bite. And you couldn’t care less.

For a fleeting moment, all you wanted to do was roll yourself up here at the side of the lonely road cutting through the woods and let the cold and the winter night have you, let the freezing air numb the pain in your chest like it was already numbing your body.

You’d grieved before, had felt loss.

But never before had you felt pain like this, all-consuming like a deep, dark tide pulling you under.

Heartbreak.

You’d always thought it was a metaphor – but it wasn’t, you realized. You could feel it in your chest, this pain; had felt it breaking when you’d seen the light shatter in Eddie’s eyes at your words, all the happiness the two of you had shared only minutes before suffocated from his umber eyes.

And the words you’d so desperately held back were still resting on your tongue; words you would never get to tell him.

You whispered them to the night skies, the silver dust of the dying star still scattered across the heavens.

“I will always, always love you, Eddie Munson.”

[Sunday, March 24th, 1986. NOW.]

In all your days of being chased by monsters, you’d never ran as fast as you did now, your heart beating wildly in your chest, blood roaring in your ears, panic clawing up your insides as your feet carried you across the dead leaves in Reefer Rick’s yard, remnants of the past fall as if nobody had told them they were out of place in the gentle air of the spring night.

The night air was quiet, you realized.

Too quiet.

Not any longer though.

With Eddie’s name ripping from your throat in a desperate scream, you barrelled through the door and into the little boat house.

▹ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟖

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𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 | What a chapter omg. I think it’s my favorite so far - and I hope I did the smut justice. Let me know what you think, lovelies ♡ And I promise you don’t have to wait a whole week for the next chapter, I’ll have it ready for the weekend ♡

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠/𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭! 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 ♡

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