#i have to move and god i have so much stuff | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ckret2 · 3 days ago

Text

Pictured above: a shape's eye view of the end of the world.

The second dimension has burned; and Bill's been accidentally setting the second dimension's neighbors on fire. At the moment, the Axolotl is trying really, really hard to convince himself that these two facts are unrelated. Here, have a fic.

This is chapter 5 of an ongoing fic about the Axolotl in the wake of the Euclidean Massacre as Bill just keeps on committing atrocities. If you wanna read the earlier chapters (and/or look at more pretty art of Bill committing horrors and the Ax witnessing horrors), here's chapters one, two, three, and four.

####

As soon as the Axolotl and the Time Giant exited Dimension Zero, they were greeted with a faceful of rain. Apparently the storm cloud with the Apocalyptic Threat Task Force had been waiting for them. "The fires in the remaining dimensions around 2Δ are finally acting like normal fires," it said. "No teleporting around, no more targeting the mortals. We've got the worst ones under control. Think we'll save about 40% of Dimension 2 Zeta and 30% of Dimension 2 Epsilon. Whatever you two did in there, it helped."

"Yeah, well." The Time Giant shrugged, nearly dislodging the Axolotl from his perch draped over her shoulder. "It was one of those problems that fixes itself once you figure out what it is."

So the Time Giant had been right. The triangle's attempts to rescue "his" "people" and to stabilize his strange underworld in Dimension Zero had been what was destabilizing all the other dimensions. As much of a relief as it was to hear the situation was improving... part of the Axolotl had hoped that the fires were still as untamed as ever—because that would have meant the triangle wasn't guilty of perpetuating the blaze.

(If the triangle wasn't actively working to keep Dimension Zero stable, how much longer until it collapsed and erased all its imprisoned souls from existence? Would it be long enough to get them all out?)

The cloud asked, "So, did you find out what destroyed 2Δ?" Right. The Axolotl had almost forgotten that was what they'd originally been looking for.

The Time Giant shook her head grimly. "Didn't see any sign of it. But I've got a suspicion who did it."

The Axolotl said sharply, "All we have is circumstantial evidence." And he'd ripped into more than one god who'd tried to damn a mortal based on circumstantial evidence.

The cloud's sunbeam darted between their faces. Slowly, it said, "I take it you mean our triangular friend. I don't have any proof yet about the original fire; but he's been spreading the fire, I know that much."

"How did you know?" the Axolotl asked. He and the Time Giant had only just learned it themselves inside Dimension Zero.

"We've been interviewing some refugees while you were out. I—think you'll want to speak to them." The cloud directed this statement to the Axolotl.

The Time Giant said, "Later. The triangle says he's willing to move his people to another dimension." She gestured toward VENDOR, flanked by the two cops THEY'd apparently adopted as THEIR personal escorts. THEY were ranting into a phone that the crab-looking cop was holding up for them. "So we've gotta go discuss refugee stuff with Vendy McVendface."

"VENDOR," the cloud corrected.

"Vend 'er? I hardly even know 'er!"

The gods turned to stare at the border of Dimension Zero as the triangle laughed at his own joke until he wheezed. "I had to. It was sitting right there! It woulda been a crime not to pick it up!" His cackles slowly petered out. "What, no laughs? Maybe the joke doesn't translate."

The Time Giant shrugged. "I kinda thought it was funny."

"Ah, whatever."

"Have you been listening the whole time?" the Axolotl asked, not sure whether to be amused or mortified.

"Don't worry about it, I've got something more important to say." He zipped up along the surface of Dimension Zero's border until he was eye level with the Time Giant. "Hey, Hourglass. I didn't say I'm ready to move my people. I said I'm ready to talk about moving. Your guy better sell me on it. If your offer isn't worth it, we're not leaving."

"Are you serious?" She screwed up her face. "Ain't not being erased from existence worth it?"

"I have very high standards. And there are fates worse than death."

"Name one."

The triangle only thought about it a second before he answered, "Captivity."

####

It wasn't until the Axolotl and the Time Giant left the border of Dimension Zero that the Axolotl realized, the moment the triangle had shown up, the storm cloud had disappeared. It was now drizzling surreptitiously near VENDOR, waiting for them to catch up.

As they approached VENDOR, the Time Giant said, "You should give VENDOR the news."

The Axolotl gave her an affronted look. "Why me?" This wasn't his responsibility. He hadn't been hired to do a job here. He shouldn't even be here; he was essentially an over-involved lookie-loo.

"You'd be better at talking to 'em. You move in the same circles."

"I'm not a politician, I'm a lawyer."

"I'm an engineer." She took the Axolotl off her shoulder and nudged his butt to set him gently floating in VENDOR's direction.

The Axolotl twisted around to give her a resentful look, but swam toward the vending machine.

THEY ignored the Axolotl until THEY finished THEIR current call, at which point THEY snapped, "What?" and he explained the situation. Blessedly, THEY didn't ask any further questions or give him any instructions; THEY just grumbled, "Finally," and told the crab cop, "Call the Vitruvian Mandala—we'll need to find places for another ten million 2D refugees."

"And 1D," the Axolotl said.

"Yes, yes." THEY muttered under THEIR fan, "And hopefully we'll get that triangle to the afterlife he deserves and be done with him."

The Axolotl doubted THEY meant a serene eternal paradise. Pointedly, he said, "Which afterlife he goes to is his choice."

Afterlife law was his speciality. Not cases like "based on this mortal's good and bad deeds, which form has she earned for her next reincarnation?" or "has this soul earned entry into his religion's realm of the wicked, the good, or the heroic?" Those were decided on the local level.

Rather, he tended to handle inter-pantheon, sometimes even interdimensional, cases—like, "if a mortal born on one planet lives and dies on another planet, which world's afterlife has claim to his soul?" "Is a soul's right to return to her native afterlife forfeit if she's apprehended in another god's jurisdiction for crimes against reality?" "Can a death god in a dimension where wandering ghosts are banned incarcerate a ghost from a dimension where wandering is legal?" "How does a soul's right to claim an afterlife weigh against an afterlife's right to claim a soul?" "Who has the right to judge a deceased mortal in the first place?"

The Axolotl personally thought that mortals deserved to be treated as mercifully as possible—starting with respecting the dead's own choice of afterlife above all others, and ending with outlawing damnation at the interdimensional level.

The rest of the multiverse... didn't agree with him yet. He didn't intend to stop until they did.

He went on, "Case law has long established that unless the dead made other arrangements premortem, they will be taken to—in order—the afterlife of their birth, their death, or their choice. The afterlife under whose jurisdiction the triangle lived and died has been destroyed, so he can go to any afterlife that says they're willing to take him, whether or not you think it's what he deserves—"

VENDOR's camera rolled and THEY impatiently beeped acknowledgment. "Do you mind, I'm on the phone." THEY turned THEIR back on the Axolotl to focus on THEIR next call. Yeah, most gods didn't like being told they couldn't just smite and damn whoever they felt like.

The storm cloud called the Axolotl's attention with a fork of lightning. It said, "I'll need to help coordinate the rescue efforts with VENDOR. I can get the report on what you learned in there from the engineering inspector; but you need to go talk to some of the witnesses of the fire. Maybe you should ask the Vitruvian Mandala when He's free."

That was the second time it had told him to talk to the refugees. "Why?"

"You said that yellow triangle's your friend, right?"

"I... did, yes."

The cloud didn't explain any further. It only said, "Be careful around him."

####

VENDOR bustled around making preparations to receive ten million new refugees with absolutely no input from anyone else on the scene; the cloud's time was split between coordinating with the ATTF and getting a full debrief from the Time Giant on the conditions inside Dimension Zero; and left alone, the Axolotl found himself staring into the roiling barrier around the bloated singularity.

He swore, no matter where he looked, in the center of his view he could see a tiny, yellow, triangular pinprick of light, like an afterimage burned into his retina. No matter how deeply he looked into Dimension Zero, somehow his eyes always seemed focused on the triangle, making it appear nearer and then farther, like an optical illusion.

Be careful around him. He wished his Oracle were here to ask him questions. Helping her mortal mind make sense of this whole affair might help him make sense of it himself.

He'd seen the horror in the triangle's eye when he realized that he was the one incinerating the dimensions that had once bordered his own. He'd heard the sincerity in the triangle's voice when he said he could feel the deaths of every life that fell into his dream realm—the deaths that he himself was causing. He'd felt the guilt pouring from the triangle when he realized his efforts to save "his people" from being killed were what was killing them. Whatever else the Axolotl knew, he was sure the triangle hadn't meant to cause anyone harm. He hadn't started the fires on purpose. He just... didn't know what he was doing.

And "his people"—what did that mean?

Maybe some of the people in the triangle's dance party were from his dimension. The Axolotl couldn't totally confirm that they weren't; if the triangle had somehow survived, then why not others?

But it was undeniable that the triangle had been "rescuing"/kidnapping people from other dimensions, and he talked about the people he'd rescued no differently from the people from his own dimension.

Why? Had members of his species spread to neighboring dimensions? Or had his species come from another? Had his people established diplomatic relationships with cultures in neighboring universes, enough for them to consider themselves one people?

"Certainly not," said the Vitruvian Mandala.

He was a god from one of the worlds in Dimension 2 Gamma that the ATTF had managed to evacuate before the dimension was fully incinerated. Now, He was just another refugee, huddled with His confused, terrified people on one of the temporary worlds provided by VENDOR, curved uncomfortably atop the spherical planet. He had to be reeling from the loss of His home just as much as His people were—if not more, since He had known and seen and done and loved much more that any single mortal could. But nevertheless, He'd immediately stepped up to assist with organizing the rescue services, acting as a liaison between VENDOR and the 2D mortals to find new homes for them.

And some of His people had been among the ones dragged into Dimension Zero—which was no doubt why the cloud had suggested the Axolotl speak to Him.

The Vitruvian Mandala may have been a minor creation god (He'd only created a galaxy) but He was more than powerful enough to know whether any of His people had ever made interdimensional contact. The Axolotl had waited until He had a moment to spare from assisting VENDOR, and then asked Him about their relationship with Dimension 2 Delta.

"I seeded life on all the populated worlds in My galaxy. None of My worlds have ever so much as been colonized by another galaxy in Our own dimension, much less people from another dimension," He said. "And We're a young galaxy—the most advanced starfarers have hardly ventured beyond their own solar systems; none have left Our dimension."

"And they've never spoken to other dimensions...?"

"No. The first contact We ever had with 'Dimension 2 Delta'—or what was left of it—was when the Magister Mentium began dragging My people into his underworld. The leaders I've had a chance to speak to from Dimension 2 Epsilon and Dimension 2 Zeta have told Me the same. " He called the triangle 'Magister Mentium' without any of the halting awkwardness the Axolotl did, or even the self-consciousness the triangle himself did. The Vitruvian Mandala had never known the triangle as anything but the Magister Mentium—and in His voice, it sounded not like an oversized title for a tiny triangle, but like the name of a fellow god.

But—the Axolotl had only asked the Vitruvian Mandala about Dimension 2 Delta. He hadn't brought up the Magister Mentium, nor mentioned that he was asking about the kidnapped people. "How did you know about the Magister Mentium?"

The Vitruvian Mandala said simply, "Because he introduced himself to My people before he started stealing them."

At the Axolotl's shocked silence, He said, "Do you want to see what they saw?"

####

When the agents with the ATTF had started interviewing survivors about the cosmic fire, naturally, they'd first approached the other gods for information. And then the gods had approached the mortals under their charge to get their testimonies and pass them on to the apoc agents.

The Vitruvian Mandala had telepathically extracted His people's memories and copied them into tiny glassy discs with brass rims. He sifted through dozens of discs before offering the memory of a narrow rhombus from one of His most technologically advance worlds; and the Axolotl stared through the disk to experience the mortal's memory.

The memory started with a sight that had become all too familiar to the Axolotl: a distant line of burning blue fire. It took a moment for the Axolotl to orient himself to the mortal's razor-thin two-dimensional view of her world; but once he did, he realized that, from her perspective, it wasn't a line of light. To her, it was the entire sky. The constellations of faraway flat stars had vanished, and their place was taken by an inferno.

The whole world reeked of a stench that the rhombus didn't recognize, but that the Axolotl did: burning hydrogen. In most dimensions, three-fourths of all the matter in the entire universe—including the very stars themselves—consisted of hydrogen molecules. Hydrogen burned a pale blue. The stench in the air, the pale blue light filling the sky, was the smell and sight of the raw materials of reality itself burning away.

The nearby buildings had emptied into the city streets as people abandoned their work to coming outside and stare at the burning sky. Somewhere—it seemed very far away—people were screaming, sirens were wailing, government proclamations were issuing out of radios and loudspeakers; but on these streets, on the border of the city where the sky was most visible, everyone was horribly silent.

An eerie feeling of unreality hung over the world. It felt like a scene out of a dream. The rhombus's heart filled with dread. She didn't understand why or how the sky was burning, but she felt in her bones that it must mean the end of the world.

She never imagined that it was the end of the entire universe.

And then, more real than reality itself, bright enough to blind, a radioactive-yellow shape appeared in the middle of the crowd. Over the gasps of shock, a voice that echoed between the buildings proclaimed, "Gooood evening! Lines, bis, and tris; quads, quints, and more—my beloved believers and my new friends—I'm sure you all recognize my voice from the news, but it's a pleasure to finally meet you all in the flesh!"

She wasn't sure he had any flesh to meet. He was ghostlike, as insubstantial as smoke—and just as formless as smoke, too: his shape constantly shimmered and shifted and distorted, his skin appearing and disappearing as his internal organs were exposed; one moment a leg visible, the next a hand, then no limbs at all, just his blindingly bright body. His organs were all wrong. When she could stand to squint at the specter's light, in the split seconds that his ghostly form was properly visible, she thought he looked like a triangle.

(She'd never seen the third dimension, never even attempted to imagine what a 3D shape might look like. She didn't realize his appearance shifted because he was a 2D shape tilting in 3D directions trying to lay flat on the 2D plane of Dimension 2 Gamma, and not quite succeeding. )

"Allow me to introduce myself properly: I'm the Magister Mentium, seer of the third dimension! Your gateway to the stars and stardom, your guide to prophets and profits, your mastermind and master of minds; and, if you're lucky, your new eternal party host! I'm sure the honor's all yours—but please, resist the urge to swoon! I have a limited time offer that you cannot afford to miss."

For all his self-aggrandizing, the triangle was still completely unfamiliar. She didn't see recognition in the eyes of any of the shapes around them, either. She doubted he'd ever actually been on the news at all, unless it was in one of those dubious programs about ghost hunting or UFOs.

But the triangle charged on regardless: "I'm here to bring you salvation from— Whoops! We've got a crying baby over here. Sorry junior, I'm on stage right now." She hadn't even noticed the crying until the triangle pointed it out; the whole world seemed dull and muffled and gray except for the triangle. One of his arms stretched in the child's direction and disappeared; there was a split-second flash of black fingers where the baby used to be; and then both hand and baby vanished, the baby's cries morphing into a shriek of terror that slowly faded into the unseeable distance.

"My baby!" a rectangle wailed. She rushed up to the alien triangle. "What did you do to my baby, you—" She tried to seize his arm, and let out a howl of pain as her hands burst into flame.

"Calm down, Mama, your little brat's okay!" He reached out and flicked the rectangle back. His finger hit her with the force of a catapult. She tumbled away from him through dimensions unknown, skins and bone and organs turning inside-out over each other; and slammed into a nearby building, fusing with the wall. All that was visible of her was a thin cross section of meat. The rhombus couldn't imagine where the rest of her had gone—but she could smell the burning flesh.

"Too bad I can't say the same of you." The triangle turned to stare them all down, gaze darting restlessly from face to face. His pupil was bizarrely long, animal-like; and his gaze burned. She was sure that, if his gaze had lingered on her a moment longer, she would have caught fire, too. "We're burning time, people! Would anyone else like to be excused? Last call!"

There were a few whispers, but no one moved. The crowd was petrified with fear.

"Terrrrific! Then you'd better listen close, because I only have time to say this once," the triangle said. "Here's the deal! There's only two kinds of people: the ones who hate captivity, and the ones who love it. Oh yeah, there are people who love it! Some of 'em like inflicting it, some of 'em are too stupid to think for themselves, and some of 'em just want to do terrible things and pretend they had no choice!

"But I'm here to help the rest of you—you know who you are! You're the ones who never quite tessellated with the other kids! The ones who are sick and tired of your family saying you had so much potential and asking where it's all gone! You can feel the barbs of social obligation hooking into your flesh—yeah, you there, you know what I'm talking about, I see you!—and you'd rip your own skin off if you thought it would set you free! It won't, by the way—take it from a guy who knows! Luckily for you, my way's more effective and less painful! Probably!"

In spite of their fear, more than a few shapes had started pushing closer to the triangle. He was speaking to them.

"So if you crave freedom—from work, laws, morality, physics... death..."

More than a few shapes glanced fearfully toward the sky.

"...if you want to see the stars with me—then raise your hand! Reach out to me! Watch your enemies burn and escape to a realm of dreams with no rules and no responsibilities! That's right, this way!"

As soon as he said raise your hand, it seemed like half the crowd stretched their hands out to him —and the longer he spoke, the more reached out.

She recognized some of the people reaching out—some of them were her neighbors and friends. Here was a beaten-down pentagon who'd spent his whole life being controlled, and just wanted freedom from the ruthless monsters who used and abused him. There was a controlling circle who'd spent her whole life using and abusing others, and wanted freedom to be an even more ruthless monster. They all reached toward the triangle just the same—as if they'd been waiting their whole lives for an opportunity to escape. The desperate, the downtrodden, the dastardly, the barely daring to hope. If the whole burning world felt like a bizarre dream, then this must have felt like a dream come true to them.

But to the rhombus, it felt like a nightmare. She had to fight through the crowd to back away from him.

"No need to push! If you can't see me, just hold your hand toward my voice, I can see you!"

The smell of burning existence was growing stronger.

Was this a test? An approaching apocalypse and a shapeshifting god of light and fire offering a last-minute rapture. The sky was burning—what hope did they have if they didn't go with him? More of the crowd was reaching for him now—terrified of him, but more terrified of their fate if they didn't. The rhombus reluctantly stretched out a hand.

"Thaaat's right, this way! I've got all of you!" His voice was taking on an edge of impatience. "Just—come on already! Hurry up!"

She was at just the right angle to catch a split second glimpse of the triangle through the crowd. She saw as the person closest to him reached out and grasped his hand. She saw as the first of the triangle's new followers burst into flames. The unlucky soul crumbled to ash before they had a chance to scream.

"I said no pushing."

The rhombus jerked her hand back and hoped the triangle hadn't seen her through the crowd. He wasn't offering salvation.

Most of the crowd wasn't lucky enough to get a view of the unfortunate shapes at the front who were already learning what a deal with the triangle entailed. The rhombus could hear people, as though from a vast distance, calling out to the triangle: "Take me, take me!" "I'll do anything!" It seemed like the whole world was trying to get closer to him; she thought she was the only one trying to move away, until she made it as far back as she could, where the crowd was thinning out, and caught a few other shapes in her peripheral vision who'd moved the same way. More than half the crowd was rushing in toward the triangle.

But apparently, it wasn't enough to satisfy him. "Come on, people!" That enthusiastic voice, halfway between a salesman and a camp counselor, was gone now. His voice went shrill with anxiety. "What's it gonna take?! I'm offering you idiots paradise, why won't you listen? Why don't you ever LISTEN TO ME?!"

For a moment, even though the triangle was completely hidden by the crowd, the rhombus could feel his fiery gaze sweep over her. She felt the way her skin threatened to burst into flames, and she knew he saw her.

She backed away until her rear angle bumped into the nearest building.

"Fine! You've had your chance! I've found my people!" The triangle's voice dropped to an angry snarl. "For all I care, the rest of you can burn."

For every hand that stretched out to the triangle, a black hand reached back toward them—dozens and dozens of hands. "Let's blow up this popsicle stand!"

He seized his new believers' hands.

Most of them instantly burst into flames.

Most of the rest were either jerked away into some unseeable direction like the baby had been, or else the burning ghost hand they were shaking yanked something out of them, leaving behind a dry corpse.

Reality warped and distorted in ways her eye couldn't make sense of: buildings wobbling and spilling apart like they were made of liquid; people twisting together with the buildings in sickening multi-corpsed abominations.

"Whoopsie!" The triangle let out a shrill, tittering laugh. It sounded pained. "S-still gotta get the hang of that. Oh well!" He spoke louder and faster. "I saved as many of you as I could, doing the best I can here, the rest of you don't matter, anyway byyye!"

And then he was gone.

And then they were all awake. She hadn't known they were asleep. Whatever happened hadn't been a mere shared nightmare; it was as though the layer of existence that dreams happened on had been pressed into the layer of existence where reality happened, and she hadn't even noticed until the pressure applied by the triangle lifted and the layers popped apart again.

The layers had popped apart too hard. Several of the shapes nearest the triangle that he hadn't taken with him instantly died—the tether between their souls on the plane of dreams and their bodies on the plane of reality snapped like overstretched rubber bands.

The fused corpse abominations had been left behind, still tangled and mangled with the architecture. The buildings were charred. The survivors were covered in burns they hadn't noticed—everywhere the triangle had looked was burned. Anything the triangle looked through was burned.

She was covered in burns. She could feel the burning inside her body. She raised her hands to her face and felt it peeling off.

She couldn't even feel the bright blue fires roaring down from the heavens.

And then something else lifted her out of the world, just before the reality around them began to burn.

She didn't know where all the people the triangle had taken had gone. But as she blacked out, of one thing she was sure: this higher dimension he'd claimed to see, this realm of stars and dreams? They weren't there.

Wherever they were, they'd gone down.

####

When the Axolotl emerged from the recorded memory, he was dizzy with horror. He had to lay down on the prefab planet next to the Vitruvian Mandala while he reeled.

"Are you all right?" the Vitruvian Mandala asked.

Broken, the Axolotl said, "he threw a baby."

"I know."

"Is the baby alright?"

Delicately, He said, "It's beyond the dimensions I'm able to sense."

The Axolotl curled his gills. Not the baby. "What about the rhombus?"

"Her body was too burned; she died shortly after this memory," the Vitruvian Mandala said. "But fortunately, only a small part of her ghost suffered third degree burns. With an ectoplasm graft she's expected to recovery enough to have a fairly normal afterlife. Inasmuch as any afterlife can be considered 'normal' for My people now."

The Axolotl had noted how many ghosts were mingling with the living mortals when he arrived on this planet. He hadn't wanted to say anything; he didn't know whether that was normal for their people. "I can give you the contact rituals of some interdimensional psychopomps I respect. Very professional and compassionate gods." Although they'd be cursing the Axolotl's name for millennia for throwing so much work on their desks.

"I'd appreciate that. Thank you."

The Axolotl returned the memory disc to the Vitruvian Mandala; He momentarily stared into it Himself before returning it to His collection. "He gave speeches like this all across My populated worlds. I've retrieved thousands of memories like this from My people." His voice shook; the Axolotl couldn't tell if it was with anger or grief. "There would have been more—if more had survived."

"I'm so sorry." He didn't know what else he could do for the poor god but be sorry. All the senseless, slapdash slaughter. All of it so casual and accidental.

"Why?" the Vitruvian Mandala demanded. "He didn't speak like he meant My people harm, but he couldn't have done them more harm if he'd tried! I've never heard of him before—what is he, some malevolent trickster god? Why did he do it"

"Because... he thought he was saving them." That was the only thing the Axolotl could cling to.

####

(Thanks for reading!! If the art lured you in and this is the first chapter you read, this is part 5 of a 7-or-8-or-9 part fic that keeps getting more parts, about the Axolotl in the immediate aftermath of the Euclidean Massacre. I'll be posting one chapter a week, Fridays 5pm CST, so stick around if you wanna watch the Axolotl run out of ways to pretend Bill didn't destroy his own dimension.

It's ALSO chapter 61 Part Five of an ongoing post-canon post-TBOB very-reluctantly-human Bill fic. So if you wanna read more of me writing Bill, check it out. If you're not sold on the idea of a human Bill fic, I've also got a one-shot about normal triangle Bill escaping the Theraprism if you wanna read that.

If this is NOT your first time here and you already knew all of the above: Bill got SO CLOSE to looking like a misguided good guy last chapter, and that's why he had to throw a baby.

No actually it was because it seemed really really funny. Flipped that flat little thing like a pancake.

Due to real-world reasons, this is another chapter that isn't as edited & polished as usual, so let me know if you noticed any rough spots that need buffing. And let me know what you think! Bill with his cult leader persona cranked up to 100% is probably the hardest Bill to write.)

#gravity falls axolotl #the axolotl #(for the actual chapter)#bill cipher #(for the art. and also the chapter)#gravity falls #gravity falls fic #gravity falls fanart #fanart #my art #my writing #bill goldilocks cipher

340 notes · View notes

hippiegoth97 · 3 days ago

Text

Into the Fire: An Eddie Munson x Reader Story Pt. 33

Collage by me :)

Master List

Part 32

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

@micheledawn1975 @janiejenn @rafeyscurtainbangs @melodymunson @spacedoutdaydreamer

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

@morgthemagpie @josephquinnsfreckles @jenniquinn @userchai @cometzombie

@spookybabey @daggerdaggerkitten @nina6708 @sanctumdemunson @yourdailymemedelivery

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

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

@ohmeg @stalactitekilla @hellfirenacht @birdysaturne @oneforthemunny

@prettyboyeddiemunson @eddievanmunson @msgexymunson @rattkween86 @violetpixiedust

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

@mediocredreams @bloodibambiidoll @taintedcigs @ali-r3n @emxxblog

Content Warning 18+ Only, Minors DNI: swearing, smut, unprotected sex, angry/aggressive sex, use of restraints/gags, masturbation, squirting, praise/degradation, mentions of violence/abuse, mentions of vomit, crying, anxiety, angst, mentions of sexual coercion/ignoring consent/sexual assault, angst, mentions of abuse, heavy kissing, grinding, squirting, dirty talk, fluff

Word Count: 16.1k

divider by @strangergraphics

Part 33.1: Sex As a Weapon

Friday, September 1st, 1989

"Fuck, right there, Eds. I'm gonna cum..." You moan as Eddie rams his cock into your pussy in the shower of your new apartment. You've got your legs wrapped around his waist and your back against the wall, clinging to him for dear life as you wait for your orgasm to take hold.

You'd spent your first night here together last night, making a pile of sleeping bags and blankets in the living room since you haven't been able to buy a mattress yet. You've brought over all the gifts you received at the party you threw, and boxes of your other belongings are piled high in the bedroom and other living spaces. Arwen has made her new home here as well, her litter box set up in the bathroom and food and water bowls in the kitchen. She's adjusting well already, having made your nest of random bedding into her napping spot.

You still have a lot to do in order to consider this move a success, there's more things to buy and unpack, not to mention you need groceries and cleaning supplies of your own. There's only so much you can get away with taking from your mother's house. But you'll get there, one step at a time. Right now, though, you're focused on getting off with your boyfriend for the first time in days.

"C'mon, sweetheart. Let it all go for me. I've missed that pretty face you make." Eddie says lowly, watching your expression twist in pleasure as you're about to lose control. He holds onto your thighs with all his might, thrusting you hard into the tiles. He's right on the edge with you, his stomach tightening. He's been craving this for days, unable to think about anything other than your perfect pussy.

"FUCK!" You cry out, keeping your eyes locked on his as you cum. Your insides clamp and pulse around his dick, bringing him down with you when you soak him in a flood of arousal.

"God...dammit." He murmurs, the words barely able to escape him. His hips buck into you recklessly, his load coating your walls in thick spurts of white. Your thighs tremble as you ride this out, and many uncontrollable moans and gasps leave your lips. "Jesus." Eddie pants, his head falling forward to rest on your shoulder. He continues to hold you up until you've both calmed down, and he presses a light kiss to your wet skin. "I've definitely missed that." He says, still catching his breath.

"So have I, love. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I swear, I was gonna burst if we waited much longer." You reply, patting his shoulders for him to pull out and put you down. He takes the hint, lifting his head up to watch carefully so he doesn't drop you. He slowly pulls his cock out of your spent cunt, the both of you groaning quietly at the loss. If you didn't have a shift at the theater in an hour, you'd probably go for another round. He sets you on your own two feet, and you give him a gentle kiss before pulling away entirely. You still have all your washing up to do, and you're definitely going to need a decent breakfast after your activities.

"Oh, I know, princess. You could hardly keep yourself from staring at me at work all week. I'm surprised I didn't catch cold from you undressing me with your eyes!" Eddie laughs, reaching for the shampoo he'd brought from the trailer last night.

"Oh, please. Like you weren't making 'fuck me' eyes right back at me the entire time!" You retort, jabbing him in the ribs with your elbow as he rubs in his lather.

"Ow! Be nice!" He yelps in faux-agony.

"Or what?" You ask in a dangerous tone. Eddie looks at you a moment, before grinning ear to ear. Little fucker.

"Or else, I'll get on my knees, and eat that pretty little pussy of yours until you're begging me to stop." He answers, every last word absolutely dripping with lust. And given how hard and fast your desperate morning fucking was, you know full well that he means it.

"Don't threaten me with a good time, Eddie." You giggle, shaking your head at his filthy mouth. You pick up your own shampoo bottle, squirting some of the fruit-scented liquid into your palm.

"You're lucky Biggs would have our heads for being late, babydoll." Eddie smirks, letting your brattiness slide. For now.

You finish washing up, refraining from touching or kissing each other, challenging as that is. You're very grateful that this new shower of yours is more spacious than the others you've been intimate with Eddie in. It'll keep you from brushing up against each other, and inevitably losing focus on the task at hand. Once you're all clean, you get dressed and say goodbye to Arwen for the day before heading downstairs to the parking lot. You hop in the van, and get some drive-thru, scarfing it down ravenously on the way to the theater.

The second you arrive, you notice Murray standing in the lobby, waiting for you. "Hey, you two. You got a minute?" He asks, straightening out his tie as he speaks.

"Uh, yeah. We can talk in the office." You answer, pointing out the door to the breakroom to your right. You walk past Jamie and Mr. Biggs on the way, though they don't look surprised to see your lawyer coming into the back areas. "We'll be on the clock in a sec, Biggs. I hope that's alright." You address the old man, and he nods.

"That's fine, anything you need." He says, before instructing Jamie to head out to man the ticket booth. You, Murray, and Eddie go into the office, closing the door behind you.

"Okay, what's this about, Murray? Bad news?" You ask, already becoming anxious about what he might have to say. Did the case get thrown out? Did the Hagan's skip town, biding their time to escape after they unsurprisingly made bail shortly after their arrest?

"No, no. Nothing like that. I just want to remind you of the court date, and to make sure you're ready for this. I know we've practiced over and over, and you've both done great. But once this thing starts, it becomes real. And that can shake even the most level-headed people. I know you're both anxious about it, and I need you to understand how important it is that you stick to what we've worked on, and control your emotions." Murray explains, giving Eddie a pointed look at his final words.

"We know, Murray. You've made that more than perfectly clear." Eddie snips, putting his arm around your waist defensively.

"Look, I know I sound like a broken record here. But it is imperative that nothing goes wrong on our end. Otherwise, the case goes out the damn window, and the Hagans are free to keep tormenting you. And given how...zealous they've already proven themselves to be, imagine how much worse it's gonna get, now that you've pissed them off." Murray doesn't even pay Eddie's attitude any mind, he's far too grave to squabble about poor manners.

"We know what's expected of us, and we don't intend to screw it up. I'm more than aware of what Tommy is capable of, and I'm not letting that bastard walk after all he's done to me. I am not gonna be his victim anymore." You reply, your voice full of strength and resolve. You are going to do everything in your power to put Tommy and his awful father away. You refuse to back down, and you refuse to let your fear get the best of you.

"Okay, good. Keep that fire, Y/N. You're both going to need it. I'd better let you go, I'll see you again in a couple weeks. If you need anything, you've got my number at the hotel." He says, giving you a weak smile. He can see it in your eyes, you haven't been sleeping well. Probably nightmares, he guesses. It's very common so close to an upcoming trial, especially for someone like you. He only hopes Eddie is looking out for you, and that your anxious nature won't cause you to blow it.

"Sure thing. Thanks, Murray." You reply, and the man goes out the door, leaving you two in the office alone for a minute. "Well, that didn't make me nervous at all." You say sarcastically, letting out a shaky sigh. You cross your arms and bite your lip, your mind beginning to run amok inside your head.

"It's gonna be fine, babydoll. Murray wasn't trying to scare you, he just wants us to be ready. And we are. 'Kay?" Eddie says comfortingly, putting his hands on your shoulders. He rubs your arms, trying to bring you back to the outside world.

"I know that, Eds." You nod, though you still avoid his gaze. You don't want to think about all of this now, not when you're meant to be starting your shift.

"Sweetheart, look at me." He says, drawing your eyes to his. "It's gonna be fine. I promise. I'll be with you every step of the way, and so will all of our friends. I know you're scared, and so am I. But if we do our job, he won't be able to hurt you anymore." He speaks firmly, and calmly, doing his best to put you at ease. You play the iron-willed woman pretty well, but he knows you better than that. The dark circles under your eyes, the bad dreams you'd been having last night, the panic attack you had once he'd shaken you awake to bring you out of it. He's so worried about you, and he's sure things will only get worse as the trial draws closer every day. All he can do is dry your tears, and love you with all his might, in an effort to cancel out the horror playing out inside your head.

"I know, Eds. I'm trying to keep it together." You sigh, guessing Eddie's expressing concern over last night. You didn't want to think about that either, or even talk about it. He could barely get a word out of you when you started hyperventilating, and cowered in the corner of your apartment. You threw up in the kitchen sink once you could stand up, leaving you sweating and cold while Eddie tried to talk you down. You haven't had an attack this bad in months, and you dread having another one any time soon. Or worse yet, in the middle of the courtroom. You'll no doubt be labeled unreliable and unstable if that happens.

"I know you've got a lot on your plate, angel." Eddie pulls you into a hug, holding you close with his strong arms. You bury your head in his chest, taking some deep breaths to calm down. You've got a long shift waiting for you after you're done here, and you don't want to be fixating on all this bullshit the whole time. "I love you so much, Y/N. I swear, I'm always gonna be by your side through anything and everything." He coos, though he sounds sad and concerned in every word. You certainly don't blame him, you wouldn't be sure how to handle him if the roles were reversed. But he's trying his hardest, and that's all you can ask him to do.

"I love you too, Eddie. And I hope you know I'll never take your support for granted." You reply, muffled against his torso. Things have always been so hard for the two of you, and you've still managed to stick by each other through all of it. You know you can make it through this, too. All it takes is a bit of patience. You're going to kick this trial's ass, despite the very thought of going on the stand making you unbearably nervous. You let out a small sigh, squirming your head to look up at him now. "We'd better get to work, babe. It's gonna be a long day."

"Yeah, I figured as much. But I'll make it worth your while when we get home, princess." He smiles, giving you a gentle kiss before you go your separate ways for work.

Friday, September 15th, 1989

A couple of weeks later, you're walking towards the courthouse, holding Eddie's hand tightly as you ascend the steps. It's been a hell and a half to get to this point. Many sleepless nights, followed by even more anxious episodes. It's a miracle you've managed to keep your breakfast down today, and you still haven't stopped trembling from the attack you had before getting into the car when Mom picked you both up.

Your shoes click beneath your feet on the floor of the building once you make it inside, forming a chorus with those of Eddie, Murray, and your mother. Your little 'team' is dressed as professionally as you possibly can be, all pencil skirts, slacks, and blazers. You make your way to the courtroom, with Murray leading you through the bustling bodies grasping briefcases and stacks of files that zip about the lobby to various offices and Judge's chambers.

"You doin' okay, love?" Eddie asks quietly, speaking in your ear as you continue to walk. You're gripping his hand much harder than usual, like he's the only thing keeping you from slipping through a crack in the floor.

"Yeah. I'm fine." You answer shortly, lying through your teeth. You know damn well you shouldn't be doing that, but you can't get through this if you don't shut certain parts of yourself down. At the very least, while you're inside this behemoth of a building full of people you don't know.

"You're gonna do great, princess." Eddie says, letting you do whatever you need to get through this. He doesn't care for you hiding away again, but what's the alternative? If you don't keep yourself in one piece, this whole thing falls apart. You're just protecting yourself, he can understand that well enough. He squeezes your hand comfortingly, drawing your gaze to him. You exchange a small smile, both of you doing your very best to keep your shit together.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is." You freeze in place when a certain familiar voice pierces your eardrums. You don't want to look in the direction it came from, it'll only lead to trouble. But showing fear now will probably bite you in the ass later. You swivel around on your feet, facing the voice that came from behind you.

"Tommy." You address him dryly, finding him accompanied by his father and another man in a very expensive suit. He must be their lawyer. You probably shouldn't be talking to him at all, you know that. But he's started it, and it doesn't hurt to show him that you're much stronger than he anticipated.

"What do you want, Hagan?" Eddie asks, pulling you closer to him as he speaks. His arm goes around your waist, keeping your body safely pressed against his.

"Not much. I just want to wish you luck in there. You're definitely gonna need it. I'm sure this won't take long, and by the end, my old man and I will be walkin' outta here scott-free." Tommy replies in an arrogant tone. He's so confident that the trial will go his way, despite all the awful things he's done.

"Keep dreamin', asshole. No jury will let you off after all the shit you've pulled." Eddie bites back, and you put a hand on his chest to tell him to back off a little. Aggression will not work in your favor.

"We'll see about that, freak." Tommy smirks, flicking his eyes back to you. "And if things go our way, babygirl, I may just find it in my heart to take you back." He says smugly, licking his lips. His words make your stomach turn, your breakfast threatening to make a reappearance.

"Oh, please! I'm literally pressing charges against you, and you still think you have a chance? God, you're even more fucking deluded than I thought!" You laugh in disbelief, utterly shocked that he's somehow still chasing after your affections. But you know all he truly wants is to own you, to control you. And you refuse to let that happen.

"Alright, alright. Break it up, let's get in there. You shouldn't be talking to my clients, Mr. Hagan. And your counsel should damn well know better." Murray cuts in, thankfully calling this ridiculous conversation to an end. He narrows his eyes at the man, who Murray has told you goes by the name of Gary Keegan.

"My client was only trying to extend an olive branch. To perhaps prevent this unnecessary trial from taking place, Mr. Bauman." Gary sneers, patting Tommy on the shoulder to prompt him to follow in the other direction.

"Kinda defeats the purpose of hiring a leech like you, then. Doesn't it, Gary?" Murray yells back as Tommy's little group walks away. "God, I hate that pompous fucker. We'd better get inside, we're gonna be late." He ushers the three of you into the doors of the courtroom, leading you to your seats. You'll be called up to the stand when it's your turn. But for now, you'll sit in the back, while Murray sits at a table near the front of the room by himself.

You notice your friends and coworkers sitting around the room, and they give you little nods and waves when they see you. The only person missing is Dustin, who unfortunately can't be here. He's too busy settling in at Caltech, but he's prepared a written witness statement to be read for the court. So, he's still here for you in that small way. You lean into Eddie while you wait for the trial to start, needing him to be your rock at this moment. You're still trembling like a leaf, and you refuse to let his hand free from yours. Your palms are sweating profusely, but he doesn't seem to mind.

The Hagans and their lawyer come in shortly before the judge does, taking their seats at the table opposite Murray's. Tommy turns around in his chair, giving you a little wave with his fingers while grinning. Ugh, this asshole doesn't know when to quit. You gag at the sight of his freckle-smattered face, and this time, you don't think you can hold it in. You immediately drop Eddie's hand, standing up to quickly and inconspicuously get out of the room before you blow chunks everywhere.

"Y/N?" Eddie softly asks after you, wondering where you're off to. You wave him away, holding your other hand over your mouth. You rush toward the doors, pushing the heavy wood out of your path. You shuffle along the corridor to the nearest trash can, just barely making it before you feel the vomit spewing from your lips. You grip the sides of the can, burying your face to hide yourself away as best you can. You can feel multiple sets of eyes looking your way as you puke, and it's only making things worse. A firm hand comes to rest on your back, and you immediately recognize it from the thick rings on its fingers. Eddie. "It's alright, sweetheart. Just let it all out. You're gonna be okay." He coos, stroking you gently until you're eventually finished.

"I'm really not, Eds. I don't think I can do this." You sob, still hiding your face as you spit the remaining bile out of your mouth.

"Yes, you can." He insists, but you shake your head.

"I can't." You clench your teeth, your throat stinging from the stomach acid, and your tears. You stare down at your regurgitated pancakes, and the empty coffee cups and takeout boxes that sit beneath them. You can't let go of the trashcan, you can't look Eddie in the eye, and you can't go through with this trial today. Or maybe ever. You're not strong enough, even if you thought you were before. You're just a scared little girl again, and that's all anyone is going to see.

"You can, princess. You have to. Not for me, or to teach Tommy a lesson, or anything like that. You need to do this for yourself. To face your fears, and do what's right. I know you have it in you. You're so smart, strong, and brave." Eddie tries his best to set you straight, to help you realize that you have nothing to be so afraid of. You sigh, lifting yourself out of the garbage to face him. He takes hold of your hands, stroking them lovingly with his thumbs. "Look, if you really don't want to do this, we don't have to. But I think we both know that Tommy deserves to pay for what he's done. The choice is still ultimately yours, though." He finishes, giving you a meaningful look.

"You're right, Eds. It is my choice." You pause, seriously thinking it over, before nodding. "I can do this." You swallow hard, wincing at the sour taste on your tongue. Maybe Mom has a mint in her purse.

"That's my girl. C'mon, let's hope the judge isn't in yet." Eddie gives you a warm smile, and a light peck on the lips. You both go back inside, taking your places beside your mother just as the judge comes in. The bailiff orders you all to rise, announcing the 'Honorable Judge Virgil Thompson' who will be presiding over your case. A graying man in a long, black robe enters the room. He climbs up to his seat above the rest of you, getting himself comfortable before the trial begins. You're given permission to sit once again, thankful you no longer have to stand. You're feeling a little weak and dizzy, now that your stomach is empty. Eddie offers to get you some water, which you quietly nod in response to. He takes a little while to find some, but you're too spaced out to notice how long he's been gone until he eventually returns with a plastic cup.

You whisper your thanks, sipping slowly at the ice-cold water. Murray and Mr. Keegan finish their opening arguments, and it isn't long after that you're called to the stand. You knew you were going to be up first, Murray's told you so who knows how many times. "Shit." You mutter under your breath. You finish the rest of your drink, the cool liquid graciously calming your nerves and uneasy insides.

"You're gonna be okay, Y/N. We're all here for you." Eddie encourages you, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. He lets you go, a reassuring smile resting on his face. You walk up the small aisle toward the front of the courtroom, allowing the bailiff to escort you into the little box you're meant to sit in. You take a seat in the wooden chair, smoothing down your skirt and clearing your throat. You're sworn in, promising to answer every question directed at you as truthfully as possible. Murray gets up, and seeing his face calms you down even further. It's just like practice. You know what questions are coming, and how to answer them. I can do this.

Murray's line of questions goes exactly as you expect. He asks you about your history with Tommy, the aspects of your relationship, what came to pass between you these last few months. You answer him concisely, and with the utmost confidence. You're feeling good, if not a little tired. As simple as sitting in a chair and answering questions is in theory, this whole ordeal has made you consistently exhausted. You do your best to avoid Tommy's gaze, though he repeatedly attempts to catch your attention. Pouring water loudly into his glass from the pitcher on the table, dropping his lawyer's pen on the floor, scooting his chair across the floor too hard. He's trying to intimidate you, but he's an idiot if he thinks it's gonna work.

Next comes the thing you've been dreading the most. More than Tommy taking the stand and dragging both you and Eddie through the mud, more than the jury taking way too long to make a final decision, more than a potential mistrial. It's Gary's turn to ask you every nasty little thing he likes, within reason, in an attempt to discredit your claims against your ex. You swallow hard as Murray sits down and Mr. Keegan stands up to take his place. The man is middle-aged, with gray patches on the sides of his dark brown hair, dressed head to toe in the finest suit money can buy. You're not even sure where the Hagans would find a guy like this, outside of a slick procedural television show. He comes up as close to you as he possibly can, bearing an awfully smug grin, his overused aftershave burning your nostrils in his proximity.

As is expected, Gary goes to every deep dark corner one possibly can in a cross-examination. Murray ends up objecting quite a few times, most of which are thankfully sustained. The judge grows rather annoyed with Mr. Keegan throughout his questions, which helps you feel a bit better about putting yourself through all of this. The defense's strategy clearly isn't working, as Mr. Keegan just can't keep himself from becoming argumentative and badgering towards you. All it's doing is gaining you more sympathy with the jury, and it doesn't hurt that a couple anxious tears have fallen from your eyes every so often since you've been put up here.

Despite Gary's numerous efforts to break you down, you're quite composed and careful overall. Though every passing second up here feels like an eternity. You cannot wait to be finished, and to let the rest of the trial run its course. Because once you step down, it's out of your hands. And the thought of allowing the rest of the witnesses to speak for themselves, while you just sit back and watch sounds like such sweet relief for you.

"No further questions, your honor." Keegan says grumpily, finally signaling the end of your time on the stand. He's visibly upset that you did not give him the reactions he was fishing for, nor did his tricky phrasing cause you to slip up a single time. If things keep going this way, you have no chance of losing.

"Thank you, Ms. Henderson. You may step down." The judge says to you, and the bailiff holds the box open for you to step out. You nod up at the man, unsure if you should say anything to him, like a 'thank you'. But nobody tells you any different, so you just go back to your seat, the weight of today lifting away from your shoulders with every step. Tommy glares at you as you walk past, but you don't even meet his eyes. You just smile, knowing he'll see that he couldn't break you, no matter how sleazy his lawyer is.

"Great job, sweetheart." Eddie says once you return to his side.

"You did so well, sugarpuff. I'm proud of you standing up for yourself." Mom adds, reaching over Eddie to take your hand.

"Thanks, that shit was harder than I thought it would be." You sigh in relief, leaning your head onto your love's shoulder.

The remainder of this day in court is spent working through a few more witnesses, all of which support your side in the best possible way. Everyone knows what they have to do to help you. Tell the truth, and what they have seen happen between you and Tommy to corroborate your claims. The court hears from Robin, Steve, Jamie, and Mr. Biggs, as well as Dustin's written statement. You never realized just how long court actually takes, or how unbelievably boring it can be, even though this whole thing pertains to you personally.

After what feels like an eternity, and you've almost dozed off a few times, the judge calls for a weekend recess. The trial will resume on Monday, with Eddie taking the stand first thing. The jury clears out, as well as the judge. Everyone else slowly files out, and Murray meets back up with you once you're in the busy halls once again.

"You did great in there, Y/N. I think we're looking pretty good right now." Murray says with a grin. He's very pleased with how today has transpired, though he's particularly ecstatic about Gary making an absolute ass of himself. That cocky bastard never learns his lesson, one can only get away with being that sleazy when a win for the defense is a sure thing.

"Thanks, Murray. I really appreciate all your help." You reply while leaning into Eddie to stay upright. You need food, and fast.

"Please, I'm just doin' my job." Bauman chuckles. "I'll see you all on Monday. Have a good weekend." He says.

"You too, man." Eddie says with a smile. Murray walks away towards the parking lot to locate his car. He needs a stiff drink after all the work he's put in today.

"Well, who's up for Denny's?" Mom asks, practically reading your mind. You've been passively thinking about food periodically throughout the trial, your mind following the imaginary scent of sizzling burgers and melty cheese. You want fat, and grease, and salt more than you ever have before. Your mouth waters at revisiting the thought.

"Yes, please." You and Eddie say at the same time. Mom laughs at your hunger-ridden expressions, and you all leave the courthouse without another word. You pile into the car, making the quickest route to the restaurant. A waiter quickly seats you once you arrive, and you immediately pick up your menu once you've sat down.

"So, how's the new apartment treating you?" Mom asks, her eyes trained on the different flavors of French toast.

"It's great! I've gotta call Angie and thank her for the new mattress. Sleeping on the floor was starting to kill our backs." You answer happily. You were surprised to come home the other day to see a delivery truck from the Serta store outside your apartment building, with two bulging men attempting to deliver a queen mattress and box spring to your unit. You saw on the receipt that it was ordered and paid for by Angie, and you knew immediately that Mom must have told her about your big news. You hope you'll get to see her and the kids over the holidays or something, it's been a while since you've seen them last.

"Best make sure you do. I've spent too many years teaching you proper manners, sugarpuff." She says, somewhat lecture-like.

"I know, Mom. I wouldn't dare besmirch the mountains of wisdom you've bestowed upon me." You say sarcastically, rolling your eyes a little.

"Cool it with the fifty-cent words, Y/N. There's no need to have an attitude." Mom replies sternly.

"Be nice to your mother, princess. Or I can tell her how much fun we had breaking in that nice new bed of ours." Eddie chimes in, making Mom giggle at his toying words.

"Ugh, stop ganging up on me! I had to sit through hours of absolute torture today." You whine, utterly annoyed at these two finding pleasure in pushing your buttons. You love them both to death, but it's no girl's dream to have her boyfriend and her mother on the same side.

"I'm just kidding, sweetheart. You know that. I also know you get pretty damn grumpy when you're hungry." Eddie chuckles, pulling you into him to press a kiss to your forehead. He's only playing around, though he understands you're probably not in the mood for it. "We'll get some food in you soon, 'kay?" He says sweetly, and you nod, forcing yourself to relax a little. The trial is done until Monday, so you don't have to worry about it right now. The waiter comes around to take your order a moment later, and you rattle off what you want, wasting no time at all in setting your meal in motion.

"So, what's it like having the house all to yourself, Mom?" You ask your own question now. You do wonder how she's holding up, you're not sure she'll adjust well to being an empty-nester.

"Oh, you know, it's..." She pauses, putting her hands up as she isn't sure what to say. "It's different, I guess." She adds, though you can see she's not exactly ecstatic about it. You don't say anything else, waiting for her to possibly clarify herself. "It's quiet, that's for sure." She laughs wryly, almost tearing up.

"Oh, Mom. I'm sorry." You say sadly, reaching your hand across the table to rest on hers.

"No, no. It's fine." She sniffles, shaking her head. "I knew the day would come, where you and Dusty would go out on your own." She pulls away from you, digging in her purse for a tissue. She finds a crumpled up one, unfurling it and raising it to her eyes. "It's an adjustment. That's all." She insists, dabbing away the tears that have welled up in her ducts.

"Well, we could have dinner together once a week, if you want. Wayne could come, too. It could be our new family thing." Eddie suggests, taking you by surprise. He hasn't brought up his uncle much these last few weeks. You suppose he's been more focused on keeping you sane, which you feel a bit guilty about now.

"That would be wonderful, Eddie. Thank you." Mom gives him a warm smile, trying her best not to start crying again. You've really picked a good one with Eddie, she thinks he's perfect for you.

"It's the least we can do." Eddie smiles back at her, wrapping his arm around your waist to pull you closer. He's been by your side all day long, and yet, he's still missed you terribly. You've kinda been in your own little world lately, he doesn't blame you in the slightest. It's nice to have you back on the ground, though. Safe and warm in his arms, sharing a nice meal with him and your mother after an unbelievably long day. He certainly hopes the weekend allows you to come back to him even more, with less bad dreams and panic attacks getting in the way.

"How's Wayne been doing?" Mom asks after blowing her nose and tossing her used tissue back in her bag.

"He's been alright. I haven't been talking to him as much as I'd like, I've been so focused on the move and the trial. But the meds are working really well for him, he hasn't had any more episodes." Eddie explains, his voice bittersweet. He's so happy to be living with you, finally stepping all the way into the waters of adulthood. But he feels bad that Wayne is all alone in the trailer now, his uncle isn't exactly a social butterfly.

"Well, I'm glad he's feeling better. And I'm sure he'll love your idea, Eddie." Mom says kindly, just as your food arrives at the table.

The three of you dig in, the conversation falling to the wayside. Your mind can honestly only focus on one thing at a time at this point, after listening to endless droning and questions for hours on end. You gradually perk up with every bite you swallow. It feels so damn good to have some food in your belly again. It doesn't take long for your plates to become completely empty, and the waiter brings the check around shortly after. Mom drives you and Eddie home, giving you both a tight hug in the parking lot before you head upstairs.

"Goodnight, kiddos. I'll be around again on Monday to pick you up." Mom says, pulling away from your squeezing embrace.

"Night, Mom. See you then. Drive safe." You reply, very much looking forward to falling into your bed once she leaves. Your feet are killing you in these stupid heels you've been wearing all day.

"Night, Claudia. Thanks for dinner." Eddie adds. Mom gets back in her car, pulling out of the lot to leave you two alone. "C'mon, babydoll. Let's get upstairs." He says softly, leading you by the hand to your apartment. He puts his key in the lock once you reach your unit, and you walk ahead of him to get inside. Arwen comes to you immediately, meowing loudly while weaving between your legs as you walk.

"Hey, Arwen. We missed you." You coo to her, stopping to pick her up into your arms. She's pretty much fully grown now, so she's a bit heavy to hold compared to how she was as a kitten. You cradle her close to your chest, stroking her ears the way she likes. She melts into you, purring loudly. You continue walking toward the bedroom with Arwen in your arms, with Eddie following close behind. You put the cat down on the bed so you can change out of these stuffy clothes, going to the closet to hang it all up as you take it off. Eddie comes up behind you, his hands finding your waist, and his lips softly locating your neck.

"I forgot to tell you how sexy you look in these clothes, princess." He says lowly, gently bringing your hips back into him, where you can feel a distinctive bulge in his slacks pressing into your ass.

"You look pretty damn good yourself, Eds. Gives me an idea of what you'll look like at Nancy and Jonathan's wedding." You reply with a smile, unbuttoning your blazer, and then your blouse underneath. His teeth latch onto your throat once the top button of your shirt is undone, which would cause you to moan if you weren't so tired. "Eddie, not tonight." You say, sounding so very disappointed in yourself for turning down sex.

"Baby, please? I've missed you all day." He politely insists, soothing the hickey he's left on you with his tongue.

"We were in the same room the whole time, love." You retort, though his warm, wet mouth is feeling pretty damn good right now.

"You know what I mean, Y/N." He says seriously, turning you around in his grip to face him. He's not wearing that usual sly expression he does when he's trying to seduce you, he actually looks quite sad.

"I know." You nod, realizing how far away you've kept yourself from him today. You've been by his side the whole time, but it felt like millions of miles between you. "I'm sorry." You add with a sigh, pausing your undressing to put your hands on his shoulders.

"It's okay, babydoll." He gives you a small smile. "You know...I can do all the work if you want." That signature smirk returns to his lips, tempting you to give him anything he wants.

"Eddie, I love you. But I'm exhausted. I can't imagine I'd be very fun right now." You answer, though you can't help feeling guilty for telling him no.

"That's okay. Can I at least get a kiss?" He asks innocently.

"I think I can manage that." You giggle, bringing your face closer to his. Your lips meet, and his tongue immediately worms its way into your mouth. You moan quietly at him exploring you the way he always does. The way that makes your knees go weak without fail. His hands venture downwards, grabbing your ass roughly. As nice as this all is, you don't think Eddie is exactly listening right now. You know it's been hard for him these last few days, you've barely had any time for yourselves with how busy you've been. "Eddie." You pull away, giving him a warning look. You can tell he's pushing your buttons, pulling out the tricks to make you cave.

"Please." Eddie begs, raising a hand to cup your cheek. He knows he should give it a rest, you've already rejected him twice. But he wants you so badly, and to help you feel better after the rough day you've had. He's also been feeling rather frustrated lately, all the stress has been getting to him more than he thought it would. He can sense it in you, too. The underlying aggravation bubbling to the surface. You've been short-tempered and moody, and crying a lot. You both need this, he can feel it.

"Fine! Since you can't take 'no' for an answer. Take off your clothes and lay the fuck down." You nearly shout, maybe playing rough with him can ease the intense anger you're feeling at this moment. You squirm out of Eddie's hold, almost scowling at him as you do so. You turn away, continuing to undress. You frustratingly take off your jacket and blouse, haphazardly hanging them up in the closet. You kick your shoes off, and unzip your skirt.

"We don't have to do this if一" Eddie starts to apologize, realizing he's overstepped this time. He wasn't meaning to disrespect your wishes, or make you upset with him.

"Just shut up and do what I asked." You cut him off. He wants this so bad? Then he's sure as shit gonna get it.

"Okay." Eddie says softly, undoing his necktie.

You don't dare look at Eddie as he undresses, you just might slap him for pressing you on this. You don't really understand why you're doing this at all, you should've kept strong and said ‘no’ a third time. But you didn't. Because as much as he's pissed me off, I actually want to fuck his brains out. Having him inside me feels like the answer, the one way to bring me back down to earth. You sigh at your own thought, shoving your skirt and stockings down your legs to get them off. You hang up the skirt, leaving the pantyhose on the floor for now. You face Eddie once more, finding him completely nude on the bed, his cock stiff and already leaking precum. You climb onto the mattress, and straddle his thighs. You reach over to the bedside table to pick up the handcuffs resting there. "Hands up." You order, your eyes piercing his with lustful rage.

He does as you ask, lifting his hands together above his head. You click the cuffs in place, a little too tight. "Shit." Eddie hisses.

"You've been a bad boy, Eddie." You say flatly, almost glaring at him as he lays underneath you. He gazes up at you in fear, wondering how rough you're going to be with him. You grab hold of his mouth, squishing his lips together. "Say it." You command, getting a little wet at the power you're exerting over him.

"I've been a bad boy, sweetheart." Eddie answers as best he can within your grip, his cock twitching at how dominant you are. His heart pounds inside his chest, curious what your next move is going to be.

"That's right. You didn't listen to me when I said no, did you?" You question him sternly, reaching your free hand down between your bodies to take hold of his cock. He groans at the sensation, which hitches up into a whine when you squeeze him a tad too hard. "Answer me!" You shout in his face, making him flinch.

"I-I didn't listen. I'm sorry." Eddie stutters, becoming simultaneously more afraid of 一and turned on by一 you with every passing second.

"Have you learned your lesson, baby?" You ask darkly, eating up every pathetic expression and noise he makes. He's completely at your mercy, and you can tell by his dick dripping onto your hand that he's enjoying his punishment. He nods at you, but he needs to use his words. "HAVE YOU?" You shout again as you dig your nails into his shaft a bit, just enough to get him to cooperate. Your pussy throbs at the perfect little cry of pain he emits in response.

"Fuck! I've learned my lesson, Y/N! I swear! I'll never disobey you again!" He practically spews the words out, wanting the sting of your nails in his cock to stop. You let him free from the vice that is your angered hand, and he sighs in relief. "Jesus christ." He breathes, he's really set you off this time.

"Good boy." You coo, lowering yourself over him to give him a hungry kiss. Your lips mash harshly against his, your tongue quickly defeating his own for dominance. While you attempt to devour him with your mouth, you reach behind your back to unclasp your bra. It comes undone easily in your hand, and you clumsily slip the straps down your shoulders to toss it away. You carefully bite down on Eddie's tongue, making him gasp against you. You lift yourself up on your knees, having to end the kiss to maintain your balance. You pull off your panties, letting him see how wet you are. Your arousal glistens in the lamplight, making his eyes widen.

"Can I taste you, baby?" Eddie asks with need, licking his lips at your delicious pussy on display.

"Sure." You answer with a mischievous grin. But instead of positioning your cunt over his face, you look down at your damp panties that are still clutched within your hand. You give him a smug look, and bring the silken fabric up to his lips. "Open that pretty mouth for me, Eds." You command, still smiling so unbelievably wide. He doesn't know how to respond, but his mouth opens up to accept your underwear inside it just the same. You shove them past his lips in a big bunch, making him gag.

"Mm." He tries his best not to choke, his saliva wetting the fabric even more then you already have. He gets a small taste of your sweet nectar, but it's not nearly enough.

"How's that taste?" You ask teasingly, earning a glare from him. "I'd watch the attitude if I were you." You warn him once more, but the fire burning in your eyes tells him it's his final one. He sighs, giving you a sorry look and a nod. "That's better. Now, I'm gonna take my time with you. I think it's only fair that we do things my way, since you can't behave yourself." You speak to him, a very one-sided conversation. It's more like you're talking at him. There will be no negotiation, no input from Eddie whatsoever. You're going to use him how you want to, and he's going to lay there and take it.

You lean over for the small drawer in the nightstand, pulling the little knob to open it. You take a look inside at your collection of toys, settling on the vibrator Eddie bought you for one of your anniversaries. Stiff, silver plastic, with a black base where the battery goes. It's simple, but very effective with its singular speed setting. You pick it up, showing it to Eddie as you scoot backwards to the other end of the bed. "Mmm." Eddie tries to speak through the panties in his mouth, begging for you to let him loose so he can show you just how sorry he is. But it's no use.

"Sorry, Eds. You're just gonna have to wait." You say simply, shrugging your shoulders. You position yourself on the edge of the mattress, and spread your legs nice and wide. This way, he can see everything, while being unable to do anything about it. He moans at the sight of your dripping pussy, as well as your gorgeous body positioned for his viewing pleasure. Or is it torture?

You twist the bottom of the vibrator, and it buzzes to life. You turn it downwards in your hand, bringing the slightly pointed end toward your cunt. The tip of the toy brushes over your clit, making your thighs jolt at the powerful stimulation. "Fuck." You gasp. You focus your gaze between your legs, and purposely press the toy against your sensitive bud. You moan loudly, eyes falling shut for a moment. It feels so good, and you're getting extremely wet already. You open your eyes again, finding Eddie staring you down. He's watching your every move, his dick unbearably hard. "Do you wish it was you making me feel this good, love?" You ask, slowly moving the toy up and down your slit.

"Mhm." Eddie replies, nodding his head.

"Mmm, so do I, baby." You whimper, sliding the vibrator inside your throbbing hole. "Oh my god...Eddie." You whine his name, unable to help yourself. You've been trying to punish him, but your desire is starting to overwhelm your mind. You pump the toy in and out of yourself at a careful pace. You let Eddie hear all your needy moans and curses, occasionally looking to see how much more red the tip of his cock has become. The delicious vibrations fill you up completely, your insides twisting to form a writhing ball of bliss.

"Mmmf." Eddie mumbles, the fabric of your panties completely soaked through with his spit now. He's struggling to keep them from going down his throat, or getting stuck to the roof of his mouth.

"Do you want me to take the gag out, Eddie?" You ask, pausing your self-pleasure for a moment. He nods frantically, and you sigh. "Alright, but you better behave yourself." You pull the vibrator out of your cunt, and crawl over to take the panties out of his mouth. You toss them on the floor, and Eddie swallows hard.

"Thank you. I almost swallowed those." He says, very grateful that you didn't let him choke to death.

"And what a shame that would be." You reply flatly, returning to your previous position. You resume your actions, wasting no time in pushing the vibrator back into your slick pussy. "Shit." Your walls throb around the plastic, eating up the powerful buzz.

"Are you enjoying yourself, sweetheart?" Eddie asks, drawing your eyes to his again.

"Yes." You sigh blissfully, picking up the pace a little. A loud moan escapes your lips, making Eddie's cock twitch again. Every sound you make drives him insane. He's so goddamn hard, he might just explode. He wants to feel your lips around him, or be buried deep inside you. But your persistence in getting yourself off tells him he's not receiving anything of the sort for quite some time.

"I can see how wet you are, baby. Fuck, I wish I could touch you." He says desperately, his mouth watering at the drips of arousal spilling out of you with every thrust of the vibrator.

"You should've thought of that before ignoring my wishes, love." You reply, keeping his gaze. His words draw you closer to the edge, your heart recognizing that unbelievably horny and adoring tone of his that you love so much.

"I know, angel." He says apologetically, his eyes flicking downward.

"Look at me, Eds." You command softly. He does as you ask, and you give him a small smile. "Talk to me, baby. Help me cum." You speak lovingly, requesting his assistance. You can't possibly stay mad at him, not when he's so genuinely sorry for what he did.

"Gettin' close already, princess?" He asks, a light smirk forming on his face. He keeps himself in check, still following your orders. He messed up, and he'll gladly pay the price to make it right.

"Uh-huh, it feels so good." You whimper, pulling the toy out of your pussy to focus on your clit a little more.

"I know it does, baby. I can tell by those beautiful noises you're making." Eddie speaks sweetly, admiring your shallow breaths and twitching thighs. You're so close, and he can't wait to see you make a big mess. "Can you come here, sweetheart?" He asks politely, as an interesting idea has popped into his head.

"Why?" You question, a little too focused on your oncoming orgasm to think about moving.

"I want you to cum on my face. Please?" He pleads as you're just about to lose it.

"Okay. Since you asked nicely." You grin, scrambling over to kneel your pussy directly above him. You keep the vibrator at work on your bundle of nerves along the way, hitting some very nice angles as you do so. "Fuck, I'm so close, Eds." You moan, peering down at him in this position. He takes you all in, and you're the most wonderful thing he's ever seen. Your glistening cunt just inches away from his hungry mouth, the toy you're clutching in your palm to stimulate your clit. Your free hand grasping the headboard to keep yourself upright, and your beautiful face twisting in ecstasy while you let out such vulgar noises.

"That's it, babydoll. Damn, you're absolutely perfect." He coos lustfully, wishing he could stroke your thighs, or bury his head between your legs. But he'll be a good boy for you and wait his turn.

"Oh, god...I'm almost there, Eds." You whine, the waves of pleasure rolling over you in preparation for the oncoming tsunami.

"C'mon, sweetheart. Make a mess all over me." Eddie encourages you as best he can, eagerly awaiting the taste of you on his tongue.

"You're such a filthy boy, baby. So desperate to taste my cum." You chuckle through your moans.

"Only for you, princess. I love being your little cum-slut." He doesn't fully register what he's saying, but he doesn't really care. He's too needy for some semblance of contact.

"You'd better open wide then, Eddie. FUCK!" You cry out as you lose control, your eyes rolling back into your skull. Your thighs tremble, and your nails dig into the headboard. A gush of juices rushes from your pussy, splashing loudly onto Eddie's face.

"Holy shit." The warm liquid covers him entirely, running down his neck and chest and soaking his hair. He tries to swallow what he can, but most of it goes everywhere but his thirsty lips. Despite not getting his fill, what he does get is more than enough to make him blow his load. His cock has been aching and dripping all over the place since you started this little game, and having you drench him has finally sent him over the edge. He gasps quietly, his hips jolting upwards as his cum spurts out in thick ropes that land on his stomach and thighs.

You move the vibrator away from your pussy, twisting the bottom to shut it off before dropping it on the bed. "Jesus christ." You pant, struggling to continue kneeling above Eddie as your high subsides. You gaze down at him, finding him completely covered in your release with a massive smile on his face. "I take it you had fun?" You ask, noticing he's looking a little...extra happy.

"I did, princess. I always do when I'm with you." Eddie answers sweetly.

"You came, didn't you?" You question accusingly.

"Well, you didn't tell me not to." He shrugs.

"I don't suppose I did. Looks like we won't have to keep going, then." You get down off the bed, calling an end to your playtime. You weren't going to leave Eddie hanging, but you see no real reason to continue. You both got what you needed, so you're done. You dig around for the keys to the handcuffs, and let Eddie out once you find them. "I'm gonna take a shower." You say flatly, heading for the door.

"Yeah, we should definitely clean up." He adds casually, standing up to follow you. You stop in your tracks, turning around to face him.

"No." You shake your head. "I'm gonna shower alone." You insist, and the hurt reads all over Eddie's face.

"Baby, I一" He starts. You don't even know what he's going to try to say, but you don't want to hear it.

"Just stop, Eddie. Please." You step closer to him, taking hold of his hands for a moment. You look deep into his eyes, trying to keep yourself from crying. You need him to hear this, because you're only going to say it once. Once. "Look, I know you didn't mean to pressure me, Eddie. I know you don't have any bad intentions towards me, alright?" You pause, needing him to understand you aren't thinking poorly of him. "But when I say 'no', I fucking mean it. It does not mean that you ask me again. It does not mean I need you to convince me. Even though I wanted this, I still said no. Because I've had a shit day, and I'm fucking exhausted. Do you understand?"

"I understand, Y/N. I'm so sorry." Eddie says sadly, nodding his head while choking back tears.

"Good. And if you ever do that again, you will lose me. No more chances." You drop his hands without another word, resuming your path to the bathroom. You close and lock the door behind you, needing to shut the world out for a moment. You know Eddie won't try to bother you when you said you need to be alone. It's just an extra measure to help you feel safe. You go to the shower to turn on the faucet, and sit on the toilet while you wait for the water to warm up.

You space out for a bit, not even realizing you're crying until you see the small puddle of tears forming below you on the tile floor. You're feeling...strange. Like you're sad, and angry, and ashamed of yourself. You never thought Eddie would push you like this, you feel betrayed. You know he didn't mean it like that, he's just so used to you melting right into him every single time. He made a mistake, and he's probably beating himself up about it right now.

Despite all of this, you can't help being reminded of how Tommy used to do this to you. He'd beg over and over, not hearing your numerous answers of 'no'. He'd paw at you endlessly, regardless of how many times you'd swat his hands away. And at worst, he'd get angry and push you against the wall, demanding you give him what he wants. It always felt like the final opportunity to willingly give it, before he'd take it for himself. So you did the only thing you could to have some semblance of control. You caved, you let him in. And the entire time, you were just waiting for it to be over, keeping yourself somewhere far away so you didn't have to see or feel any of it. You suppose it's a good thing Tommy didn't have nearly as much stamina as Eddie does, it made things far easier to disassociate from.

You sob as quietly as you can, stepping into the hot water to wash this all away. You try to calm yourself down as the water soaks your expended body, Eddie will worry if he sees that you've been crying. You can never tell him any of the things you've been thinking about just now. It'll crush him to hear that in this one unfortunate misstep, he became your awful ex.

Part 33.2: Cover Me

Saturday, August 16th, 1989

"Sweetheart, you've gotta get out of bed." Eddie says softly, shaking your shoulder through the thick comforter. It's almost noon on Saturday morning, and you refuse to get up. He's usually all for staying in bed and cuddling, but he hasn't even gotten that. You barely said another word to him after you finished your shower last night, and you've curled up on your side of the bed with your back to him all night. No goodnight kiss, no spooning. Nothing. He knows you're awake, because every time he tries to take the blanket off of you, you snatch it right up again and bury yourself deeper into it.

"Just leave me alone. I don't feel good." You say finally. You've been avoiding saying anything to him at all, for fear of breaking down entirely.

"Can I get you anything, princess? I can make you some soup or something." He offers, wishing he knew what was wrong. Sure, he knows he royally fucked up last night. But he thought it was resolved once you'd laid it all out for him.

"No." You manage to squeak out the word, a fresh batch of tears breaking free from your eyes. You can't hold yourself back anymore, you've already staved off many bouts of sobbing throughout the night for fear of waking him up. Your body shakes as muted cries fall from you, and the facade is shattered away.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Eddie asks, unsure what to do. He didn't mean to make you so upset. He didn't mean to hurt you. He feels awful, and he wants to make it all better. He'll do anything to understand. He climbs back in bed, carefully rolling you over onto your back to look at him. He expects to find your face, but he's met instead with your hands bunching the blanket to continue hiding yourself away. "You're scaring me, princess. I dunno what's wrong. Just一 please, talk to me."

"I can't, Eddie. You don't understand." You sob, clutching the covers with all your might as he tries to pry them away. You don't want to do this. You just want to be left alone.

"But I want to understand, Y/N. I can't do that if you don't tell me what the problem is." He insists, choking back his own tears. His heart aches with worry for you, you've never been this bad before. You're completely shutting down, breaking into teeny tiny pieces. And he's unsure if he'll be able to put you back together this time.

"I can't do it, Eddie. I don't want you to feel bad, or to hate me. Please don't make me do this." You cry harder than you ever have before, desperately wanting this all to go away. You want to take back the awful thoughts that have plagued your mind all night. You want to take back the mental comparison you made between Eddie and Tommy. You wish so badly to just go back to normal and pretend it never happened.

"Y/N, I promise I could never hate you. Please, talk to me. I can handle it, whatever it is." Eddie begs, a couple stray tears rolling down his cheeks. You've never sounded this distressed, so...terrified to tell him what's making you so upset. He's becoming a little afraid of what you might say, but he won't rest until he fixes this. He stops tugging on the blankets, and carefully lays down beside you on the bed. He gently wraps his arms around your cocooned body, pulling you closer to let you know that you're safe with him. "Please, baby. I love you so much, I just want to help you." He sniffles, and your heart sinks at the sadness in his voice. Now you've made him cry, and you haven't even said the awful, terrible thing yet. "Please." He whispers, his breath stuttering as he waits for you to answer him.

"Okay." You blubber, though you truly don't want to do this. Your stomach is doing somersaults, unsettled by your strenuous sobs. You slowly, painfully tell Eddie about how his actions last night reminded you of Tommy. You stay hidden in the blanket as you speak, unable to look him in the eye. You can only imagine the pained expressions on his face, which makes you feel sick.

Eddie doesn't say anything, listening in shock as you liken him to that disgusting asshole. Part of him wants to be angry at you for saying these things, part of him wants to scream and shout about how he would never treat you the way Tommy did. But the sheer agony in your tone as you admit these things to him, how much it must kill you to even think and feel them at all...he realizes that you're right. He pushed you, when he shouldn't have. He ignored your wishes, putting his wants over your needs. In his stupid, selfish moment, he was no better than Tommy fucking Hagan. And that thought makes him wish he could take it all back, or go back in time and kick his own ass for making you feel this way. He sits in silence for a moment once you're finished, soaking in every last word.

"Fuck, Y/N. I'm so fucking sorry." He says finally, fully breaking down. He squeezes you tight, burying his head against your blanket-clothed neck. "I swear I'll never make you feel like that again, baby. I promise. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." He's almost babbling now, heartfelt apologies pouring out of him uncontrollably. His body shudders against your own, the two of you now trembling together in a bundle of limbs.

"Eddie..." You start, trying to wriggle your head out of your defensive nest. You manage to get your face free, speaking again. "Eddie, it's okay." Your words draw his head up to look at you. You spend a moment gazing at each other, finding red, splotchy skin and wet, puffy eyes, as well as trembling lower lips. You're both a complete mess. "I know you didn't mean to make me feel that way, love." You say as sweetly as you can, still crying so hard that your throat hurts.

"But I should've listened to you, Y/N. And I'm sorry that I didn't. I'm a total asshole for that." He replies, just as broken apart as you.

"It was a mistake, Eds. You know better now. And as much as this has sucked, I'm glad I told you how I felt about it." You say, trying your best to calm yourself down.

"I'm glad you did too, sweetheart. I don't ever want you to hide when you're hurting. Even if I'm the reason for it." He gives you a weak smile, leaning in to give you a kiss. You happily take it, letting the sadness slowly wash away as his lips move in sync with yours. He pulls away after a moment, the both of you sharing a loving glance. "You know, you're pretty adorable wrapped up in a blanket like this. Well, besides the tears." He chuckles, wiping his face and yours.

"Really?" You ask with a giggle.

"Yeah, you're like a cute little caterpillar." He teases, finding amusement in how silly you look with nothing but your face poking out of the bundle you're currently encased in.

"Ugh, you're such a dork sometimes!" You laugh, wriggling against him to somehow get even closer to him than you already are.

"Says the one resembling an insect!" He retorts with a cheeky grin. You stick your tongue out at him, having nothing better to reply with. "Better put that back in your mouth, sweetheart." He warns.

"Or what?" You egg him on, which probably isn't the best move considering you're trapped in his grasp.

"Or I might just bite it off!" He chomps his teeth dramatically, lowering his head to bite at the blanket while making goofy growling noises.

"Eddie! Quit it! You're being ridiculous!" You squeal in delight, giggling as he playfully nips at every part of your head through the covers. "Eddie! Ah!" He continues on, biting away until you're both red in the face from laughter.

"You hungry, angel?" Eddie asks once you both calm down. It's so weird, you started off this day so sad, and now you're playing around together like you usually do.

"Mmm, yes. Starving." You answer, your stomach growling at the idea of food.

"Well, c'mon then. No more sulking in bed for you." He stops holding you, instead pulling the blanket open to reveal your sweat-soaked body. All the crying and laughing has left you overheated, along with Eddie keeping you close in his arms. You finally get out of bed for the day, following your love to the kitchen. You hop up onto the counter, watching him go to the fridge to scrounge up something for lunch.

"You ready for court on Monday, Eds?" You ask, plucking the subject out of the air as you can't think of what else to say.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Eddie replies, pulling out some ham, cheese and mayo for sandwiches. He hasn't eaten today yet either, he's been too busy worrying about you. He tosses the items casually on the counter, opening the cabinet for a couple plates. He meets your eyes for a moment, finding a doubtful expression on your face. "I'm gonna do fine, Y/N. I've been over it with Murray a million times. I'm not gonna blow this, because you need me." He says seriously, a bit annoyed at your uncertainty.

"I know, baby. I don't mean anything by it. It's just...when you're actually up there in front of everyone, it's really overwhelming." You explain yourself, hoping he's not insulted. Despite your mish-mash of anxiety and confidence, the overall experience of testifying in court is unlike anything else you've been through. It makes you feel...exposed. It's like every question cuts you down the middle, pulling open thick layers of flesh to reveal all the nasty bits pulsing away inside for everyone to see.

"I'm well aware, sweetheart. It's not exactly my first rodeo." Eddie replies, no particular tone in his voice. He's too focused on spreading mayo on slices of Wonderbread, and thinking about what you said earlier. He understands that fixating on it isn't a great idea, but it's more that he wants to make damn sure he never makes the same mistake. I can't ever forget the pain in her voice, and I can't ever make her sound like that again, he thinks to himself as he closes the sandwiches with the final pieces of bread. "Here we are, late breakfast of champions." He jokes, sliding one of the plates over to you.

"Thanks. And I'm sure you're gonna do great. Then, once you're finished, we don't have to go back there until the verdict." You reply sweetly, picking up your sandwich and taking a large bite.

"So, what shall we do today, angel?" Eddie asks while chewing.

"Well, I've actually got a couple assignments to catch up on." You answer, and he rolls his eyes. "It'll take a half hour at most, Eds. Then we can cuddle on the couch and watch TV."

"Okay." He sighs, taking another bite. He doesn't want to leave you alone for a single second. He can't quell his desire to shower you with endless love after what he's put you through. To put this desire to good use, he hatches a plan. He'll take a little trip to the store while you're doing your homework, and come back with some things to cheer you up. You finish up eating, and Eddie puts the plates in the sink. He walks you over to the couch, where your textbooks and other school items rest on the coffee table before it. "Oh, I've gotta get some smokes from the store. Do you want anything, sweetheart?" He asks casually.

"Um, I dunno...tampons, I guess?" You shrug as you sit down and open one of your books.

"Almost that time again, huh?" He questions.

"Yep. Same as always, Eds. Do you know what kind to get?" You continue to look down at your textbook, locating the assigned questions you need to answer.

"Of course, angel. Anything else?"

"A kiss before you go?" You raise your head to give him a warm smile.

"You can always have one of those, babydoll." Eddie grins, stepping closer to you. He leans down, pressing a brief kiss to your lips. "I'll be back soon. Don't have too much fun without me, bookworm." He chuckles lowly, standing upright to head for the door.

"I won't." You giggle, returning to your class work. You hear the door to the apartment open and close, and the place falls silent. Arwen is napping in her cat bed, and there's nothing else to hear except the scratching of your pencil against the open page of your notebook. It does feel a little too quiet without Eddie here, but at least you'll be able to focus on getting the work done. As much as you love him, he can be very persistent in distracting you. You don't really mind, it's nice to feel desired and wanted. But you have no intention of flunking your senior year of college just so Eddie can make you cum for the millionth time.

You use the sliver of time that you have to yourself to your advantage, finishing your work in half the time you originally anticipated. Now you can sit back, relax, and wait for your rambunctious boyfriend to come home to you. You lay down on the couch, pulling the light blanket resting on top of it over yourself. You'd been ignoring it before, but you're feeling pretty damn tired. Staying up all night trying not to cry will do that to a person. You settle in, resting your head on your arm and closing your eyes. A short nap is definitely needed after your little ordeal.

"I'm back, princess. I've brought something special for you." You hear Eddie's voice speaking softly to you through your slumber. Your eyes flutter open, finding him sitting on the very edge of the couch with a plastic bag in his lap.

"I don't think tampons are really all that special, Eddie." You say with a sleepy laugh.

"I agree. I did get you those, but I also brought these." He replies, bringing a bouquet of pink daisies from behind his back.

"You're too sweet, baby." You say sweetly, sitting up to take the flowers in your grasp.

"That's not all. I also brought you some chocolate." He pulls out your favorite candy bars from the bag, setting them in your lap. "And some vanilla chapstick, your favorite." He puts the little tube of balm in your lap as well, smiling wide.

"Thank you, Eds. This is really thoughtful." You give him a small kiss, expressing your gratitude. He went out of his way to brighten your day, one of the many reasons why you love him so much.

"Here, let me put the flowers in some water. Lay back down, angel. I know you're tired." Eddie continues to dote on you, practically leaping off the couch to put the daisies in a tall glass. You do as he kindly instructs, putting the candy and chapstick on the table first. You'd hate to squish or melt any of it. You close your eyes and listen to him running the faucet and fussing with the flowers, hearing his footsteps return to you. "There we go. Wanna make some room, baby?" He asks, taking off his shoes.

"Of course, I need some snuggles from my perfect boyfriend." You coo, scooting towards the back of the couch to let him in, making grabby hands afterwards.

"I try my best, princess." He grins, wasting no time in joining you under the blanket and pulling you close to him. "I really missed this last night, Y/N." He says, sounding rather sad about it.

"So did I, Eds. I'm sorry for hiding away again." You say apologetically, nuzzling your head against his chest.

"It's okay, love. I definitely earned it this time." He replies calmly, letting old habits slide for the time being. He gently strokes your hair, listening to the light hums you let out in response. "You got all your work done?" He asks in a whisper, recognizing your body relaxing against his as you start to drift off again.

"Mhm. In only fifteen minutes." You almost mumble, struggling to stay awake to maintain this conversation.

"That's my girl." He says proudly, letting you float away to dreamland. He wouldn't mind a small nap himself. But he wants to hold you close and keep you safe more than anything else. So he'll just lay here with you, listening to your deep breathing like it's the most beautiful music in the world.

Eddie proceeds to spend the rest of the weekend and remainder of the trial making amends. He starts off strong by making your favorite meals every single night. Lasagna, chicken pot pies, stir fry, the list goes on. He's on his very best behavior on Monday, testifying calmly and confidently without a single hint of attitude to be found on his person. He does far better than you've ever seen him before. Eddie keeps it in his head that he can't let Tommy hurt you again by walking out of the courtroom a free man. No amount of pointed questions or snide comments from Gary Keegan slips him up, he's like an entirely different person up there. Like his usual hot-headedness has been surgically removed. You'd find that a bit eerie, if you didn't absolutely need him to perform in such a way.

Once Monday is over and done with, Eddie doesn't stop the love-fest. He gives you your peace and quiet to do your schoolwork every afternoon, and then rewards you with the best head you've ever had once you're done. You certainly reciprocate, and yank him down the hallway to your shared bed practically every night. But he lets that be your decision entirely, expecting nothing in return for his affections. There's plenty of tender intimacy on top of everything else, too. Forehead kisses, constant snuggling, and every pet name imaginable falls from his lips at all the perfect moments. It's like he knows exactly when you need his kind words the most, and it melts your heart into a puddle every time.

Friday, September 22nd, 1989

Then the time finally arrives, the day you've been waiting for 一and dreading一 ever since you pressed charges against Tommy Hagan. Verdict day. The jury has just finished deliberating after a very long four hours. You've been in classes most of the day, waiting for the call to come through. The phone rang the second you walked in the door to the apartment, and Murray told you to rush over to the courthouse immediately. You practically pulled Eddie out the door by his ear, eager to see this thing finally come to an end. You hopped in the van, and found everyone making their way inside the building at the same time. The entire Hawk staff, your friends, your mother. Everyone promptly found their seats, eagerly awaiting Tommy's sentence.

And now, here you sit. Waiting for the jurors to return to the room, waiting for the judge to take his place. Any minute now. Your heart pounds in your chest, and you fidget nervously with your fingers. Eddie keeps his arm wrapped around you to help you stay relaxed. "What's taking so long?" You whisper to him, avoiding Tommy's deathly stare. He's been attempting to intimidate you again from the second you walked in here, but you refuse to acknowledge him at all.

"I'm sure they'll be out soon, angel. Just relax. They'll convict the son of a bitch, and his shithead dad. Then, we'll be done with it. Once and for all." Eddie speaks to you quietly, hiding his own anxiety. He knows you've both done exceptionally well on the stand, as have your numerous witnesses. But there's still a chance that the Hagans could be found innocent, despite all the odds. The justice system is funny that way.

"Okay." You reply, just as the jurors are led back into the room. The bailiff orders you all to rise, and the judge enters. You sit back down, and the final scene of this fucked up drama plays out.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?" The judge booms, and the juror closest to him stands up. She's a middle-aged woman, in a floral-print dress that goes to her ankles. Her hair is a vibrant red, styled in a thoroughly hair-sprayed coif. She appears to be a housewife, a woman who might be sympathetic to your plight. That's a good sign. Right?

"We have, your honor." The woman says, handing off the decision her and the rest of the jury have made to the bailiff. The bailiff then gives it to the judge to look it over. He opens the folded piece of paper, and nods in approval. He doesn't hold any particular expression, so you cannot glean any hints from his face. He hands it back, and moves things along. "Will the defendants please rise?" He instructs. The Hagans stand up, along with their lawyer. Your heart lurches as the time draws nearer. It's now or never, justice or no justice. Which has the jury of Tommy's peers chosen? "How do you find the defendants?" The judge asks, addressing the female juror once more. She turns her head to look at Tommy and his father as she speaks.

"We find the defendants..." A dramatic pause, something you assumed only happens on TV. The woman swallows hard, which makes you nervous all over again. Did they let him off after all? Are they robbing you of justice? Are you going to live your life in fear of the Hagans now? You grab hold of Eddie's hand, squeezing it hard as you wait for this unbearable freeze in time to pass. "We find the defendants guilty on all charges." The woman finally says, to which almost the entire room erupts in cheers and applause. All your fear and anxiety falls away, leaving you feeling weightless.

"Order, order! Settle down! We're not done yet!" The judge shouts, banging his gavel to get everyone to shut up. The noise dies down, and he takes a moment to say his piece. "I want to say something to you, young man." The judge says, pointing to Tommy. "And I hope your father hears my words just as clearly. I hope you know that not only does the law find your repeated attacks and abuse on Ms. Henderson deplorable, but society at large does not find your actions in any way acceptable. You may have found it beneficial for you, to a point, hiding behind your money and your privilege to get away with some truly ugly behavior. I shudder to think if there's any other young women you may have done this to, or how many this court has potentially saved from your wretched hands. I hope you think long and hard about your choices from the comfort of your prison cell. Then perhaps when you are released, you'll know how to treat your fellow men and women respectfully. Court is dismissed. And I'll see you both at sentencing, where I have absolutely no plans for leniency."

The judge bangs the gavel one last time, effectively putting the final nail in the Hagan family coffin. Jack and Tommy are taken away, looking utterly defeated. You're surprised they're going down without a fight. Though you suppose they were so confident in being found innocent, that they haven't come to terms with the possibility of this outcome. They're led through a door on the left side of the courtroom, on the way to be locked up until their sentencing hearing. You have no intention of attending said hearing, you won't have to worry about the Hagans for a very long time.

"We did it, Y/N!" Eddie cheers, standing up from his seat. He picks you up, spinning you around in his arms.

"We really did, Eds!" You reply with a happy giggle, pressing a kiss to his lips. The courtroom begins to clear out around you, but Murray and your friends stay behind to check in on you.

"Well, I think it goes without saying that this went extremely well." Murray says once he approaches your group.

"Thank you, Murray. We really couldn't have done this without you." You say kindly, leaving Eddie to give your lawyer a hug.

"It's no trouble at all. It's rewarding enough to see a bastard like Tommy behind bars. And to make Gary Keegan squirm in his overpriced suit." He chuckles, briefly returning your embrace.

"I'm so proud of you, sugarpuff." Mom says. "And you too, Eddie. I know this whole thing was really hard for you both." She adds, giving Eddie a bright smile. She's so grateful for him helping you through all of this, who knows what you would've been like trying to do this all on your own.

"Thanks, Mom. And thank you, all of you, for helping us. It means the world, really." You address the group as a whole, overcome with joy. Tears start springing from your eyes, though these ones are far more happy than you've had in a good while.

"And we'd do it a thousand times over again if we had too, Y/N. That's what friends are for." Steve says on behalf of everyone, gaining many nods and murmurs of agreement.

"Alright, well. We'd better ship out, they need the room. But, it's been a pleasure, and I'm very happy with how this worked out. I wish you all the best, and I'm always around if you need any other help." Murray brings this little powwow to a close, gently ushering all of you out of the room.

"We'll see you tomorrow night, Y/N. Should we bring anything?" Robin asks, referring to the housewarming party you're having at your apartment. It's just a small get-together, really. But Robin and the others have insisted upon it. They want to see your new place, and have a little drink to catch up.

"You can bring whatever you want. It's no big deal, really." You answer casually.

"I'm definitely bringing some wine, then. You look like you could use a drink...or maybe a few." Nancy says, drawing light laughs from your group as you make your way out of the courthouse.

"You've got that right!" You exclaim as you descend the steps toward the parking lot. You and Eddie say goodbye to everyone for the day, very much looking forward to going home and resting. The drive home is quiet, but you feel extraordinarily happy with the result of the trial. Tommy got what he deserved, and he won't be able to hurt you or anyone else for a very long time.

"You feel like celebrating, sweetheart?" Eddie asks as he unlocks the door to your apartment. You can hear Arwen mewing on the other side, her ears trained to recognize the jingling of keys as a signal of her parents coming home.

"Yeah, I'd say we've earned it after all the bullshit we've been through." You answer, following close behind him once he opens the door. The cat mews even louder once she sees you both, weaving between your legs and begging to be picked up.

"Aw, did someone miss her daddy?" Eddie coos to Arwen, hoisting her up to give her some snuggles. She nuzzles her head against his neck, purring incessantly.

"She's definitely got separation anxiety. I always feel bad leaving her here all alone." You say, giggling at the adorable display before you. Eddie gives the cat scratches behind her ears and on the top of her head, making loving little noises at her with pouty lips while he does so.

"She's a big girl, she can handle it." Eddie replies, letting Arwen back on the floor when she starts to squirm. It seems she's had her fill, wanting to pace around the floor instead of cuddling. She's grown more finicky about constant attention lately. It could be from adjusting to the move, or her becoming an adult cat. She's not a baby anymore, that's for sure.

"I know. But her little kitty cries kill me every time." You say softly, putting yourself before him. You put your arms around his shoulders, pressing your body against his.

"How do you feel, angel? Now that Tommy is getting his, I mean." Eddie asks seriously.

"Relieved, for sure. I was worried we'd be dealing with them for the rest of our lives, honestly." You laugh dryly, realizing how sad that notion is.

"There's more, though. Isn't there?" He continues, knowing all too well when you aren't telling him everything.

You nod, resisting the urge to roll your eyes. Nothing gets past him. "I guess it doesn't feel real yet, in a way. Like I'll wake up tomorrow and the trial isn't over. Or the verdict didn't go our way." Eddie doesn't respond, giving you an odd look. "It's stupid, I know." You shake your head, minimizing your feelings.

"It's not stupid, Y/N. This whole thing has been surreal, and fucked up. But I think after you sleep on it and see tomorrow that it really did happen, you won't feel that way anymore." He assures you, putting his hands on your waist.

"You're probably right." You give him a small smile, leaning up to kiss him. He meets you halfway, humming quietly at your warmth. "On another note, you mentioned something about celebrating?" You ask breathily between kisses, your eyes meeting his for a moment. Lustful hunger burns within your pupils, your sliver of a smile growing into a grin. He nods, his expression quickly matching yours. "C'mon, then. We've only got all night." You say gleefully, taking his hand to lead him down the hall to your bedroom. You push him back onto the bed once you enter the room, straddling his lap once he's settled on the edge.

"Someone's eager." Eddie chuckles, grabbing large handfuls of your ass. You moan quietly at his touch, rolling your hips against him out of reflex.

"Can you really blame me, baby? Things are finally going our way, and I don't want to waste a single second of that." You reply, moving Eddie's hair aside and lowering your head to kiss his neck. You nibble on his flesh, drawing a low groan from his lips.

"Fuck, neither do I, sweetheart." He sighs, grabbing your ass even harder. You can feel him growing underneath you, his stiff cock rubbing against your pussy through your clothes as you continue to grind.

You slowly work your lips upwards, leaving open-mouthed kisses in your wake. You pull away once you reach his chin, speaking in his ear. "Mm, I am gonna fuck your brains out, Eds." You say seductively, biting on his earlobe. You keep teasing him with your words, drawing more little groans and grunts from him. "Gonna make you cum with my mouth...and my pussy...and maybe even my ass, if you're a good boy for me. Over and over until you're begging me to stop." You practically moan in his ear, spouting off every last way you plan to drive him wild. You're turning yourself on with your own verbalizations, arousal spreading quickly through your panties.

"God, I love it when you're extra slutty for me, babydoll." He says, noticing just how needy your movements on him are becoming. You're desperately marking up his neck, and practically riding him through your clothes. He leads you to move faster in his grip, his cock twitching at the pretty noises you let out.

"Baby, I need you..." You whimper, quickly becoming extremely riled up. You have the intense desire to tear off his clothes, but you're also far too comfortable in your current position.

"I need you too, sweetheart. But I want you to make yourself cum first, just like this. You deserve a head start." He says sweetly, ushering your head away from his neck so he can kiss you. He presses his lips to yours, slipping his tongue in your mouth a second after. His kisses are heavy and forceful, turning up the heat.

"Eddie..." You whine between kisses, your high beginning to build. You're absolutely soaked inside your jeans, the friction rubbing against your clit with every motion.

"I bet you're fuckin' soaked for me, aren't you?" He asks, wishing he could see for himself. But the easy slide of your crotch against his own will have to be evidence enough for the time being.

"Uh-huh. Just for you, baby." You answer, gasping when you find a new angle to hit your bundle of nerves even better than before. You're building up faster now, nearing the edge earlier than you anticipated.

"Such a filthy girl...already makin' a mess in those sexy little lace panties of yours...I've been thinkin' about pulling them off with my teeth all day...from the second you put them on this morning..." Eddie speaks in a low growl as he takes a turn to mark you with love bites. His tone makes your pussy throb, driving you to increase your rhythm.

"Getting c-close, Eds..." You whimper, your nails digging into his shoulders. You can hardly contain yourself now, moaning and keening as you writhe on top of Eddie's lap. Everything feels so good, and you don't want it to stop.

"That's my good girl. Keep goin', sweetheart." Eddie encourages you, mesmerized by the helpless sounds falling from your lips, and the little jolts of your thighs as you chase your high. He can't wait to hear you cry out his name for the thousandth time, knowing it'll still sound like the first.

"Fuck, baby. Please touch me...I want you." You beg as your orgasm grows closer, frantically grabbing behind you to take one of his hands away from your ass. He tightens his grip to stop you, and your eyes snap to his in annoyance. "Eddie, please!" You whine, but he just shakes his head at you.

"Gotta do it yourself, princess. And then I'll give you whatever you want." He says with an evil grin. He can't resist torturing you when you're this needy, especially when you beg so shamelessly.

"You're such a dick sometimes." You grumble, coming up with a new idea. If he won't touch you, then you'll just have to do it yourself. You reach for the button of your jeans, opening it with a clumsy hand. But before you can pull down your zipper, Eddie smacks your hand. "What the fuck?" You gasp in surprise, growing more frustrated now. Of course he won't let you touch yourself either, that would be against the rules.

"Sorry, angel. You can't use your own hands, either." He politely scolds you, smirking wider at your narrowing eyes.

"Fuck you." You burn, making an attempt to reach inside your pants anyway. But once again, Eddie prevents you from doing so. He quickly and harshly restrains your hands behind your back, your grinding hips the only movement you have left.

"You're not listening, Y/N. You cum like this, or you don't cum at all. Understand?" He warns through clenched teeth, letting you know he's very serious. You have to follow the rules, or you don't get to play anymore. Untamed lust burns in his eyes, commanding you to obey him.

"Okay." You groan, so unbearably frustrated you could just cry. But you do as he says, rolling your pelvis again and again to make yourself cum. Your moans grow louder again, your bliss peeking over the horizon after this brief distraction. Eddie keeps holding your hands tightly, not risking you taking another opportunity to misbehave.

"That's it, love. Ride my lap like a good little slut. I want you to soak through those fuckin' jeans for me." He says darkly, holding your gaze the entire time. You're just seconds away from falling over the edge, and he can see it all over your face. Your brows furrowing, your eyes threatening to roll back into your skull, your gorgeous mouth agape and releasing filthy noises. "C'mon, babydoll. Cum for me." He says softly, this simple command being more than enough to set you off.

"Eddie!" You cry as your orgasm takes over. Your legs begin to shake, and euphoria washes over you. Your eyes fall shut, and your juices rapidly soak through your jeans, even managing to get Eddie's wet as well.

"There ya go, sweetheart." Eddie coos. He lets go of your hands, and you immediately reach forward to grab hold of him as you come down. You wrap your arms around him, keeping him close as you catch your breath. "You did so well for me, baby." He says, putting his arms around your sweat-soaked body. He kisses your dampened hair, sighing deeply. "I love you so much, Y/N." He says sweetly.

"I love you too, Eds." You reply, swallowing thickly. You pull back from your embrace, giving him a sly look. "My turn now." You chuckle darkly, shoving his chest so he falls back onto the bed. You are gonna pay him back double for torturing you the way he has. And you're both gonna love every single second of it.

To be continued...

#fanfiction #hippiegoth97 #smut #stranger things #eddie munson #hawkins #1980s #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson x henderson!reader #eddie munson smut #eddie munson x you

20 notes · View notes

wyngigi · 1 day ago

Text

ꕀ LUST FOR LIFE ꕀ 04

↳ sex money feelings die remastered .ᐟ cross posted on ao3

navigation┆prev┆next

“ they say only the good die young, that just ain't right 'cause we're having too much fun, too much fun tonight ”

↳ synopsis: a group of individuals find that their first taste of freedom in the world brings more obstacles than expected. some of them, find solace by drowning in liquor or in the backseat of somebody else’s car. a lot of them have got to get their shit together. a lot of them won't.

mdni » story contains nsfw content intended for 18+ audiences pairings » member specific, not listed for spoiler purposes ↳󠁪󠁪 ateez x female reader, ateez x ateez ↳ genre » coming of age ↳ word count » 2.3k ↳ general warnings » substance abuse & consumption, sexual content, morally grey characters, unreliable narrators, internalised homophobia, angst, basically every struggle young adolescence can go through ↳ a/n┆i hope u guys love this chapter as much as i do !! a little blast from the past always has me excited <3 p.s let me know which pairings ur rooting for after reading hehe (and yes next chapter we will be back at the party dont worry the drama has just begun)

04⌇memories of summer bring you

As San weaves his way through the crowd, past the drunken bodies of guys and girls alike, he finds himself reminiscing in just how much he had changed the past few years. Was it okay to live a life like he was right now? He’s not too sure. San first thinks of high school, then his thoughts float to you.

San watches the clock tick above his teacher’s desk, mind wandering as he scribbles on his worksheet with a ballpoint pen. He’s trapped in a god-awful environmental science class (which mind you would’ve been a free period instead), courtesy of not taking enough science courses earlier on to hit the credit minimum. It’s torturous, making him study about the world in a stuffy classroom when he could be out there learning by simply living in it.

San might just be a little salty, but the lesson isn’t actually that interesting either, so his mind has been elsewhere the last half hour. He’ll listen when it actually gets important, maybe. First he was daydreaming about buying a motorcycle and speeding off into the sunset, away from this boring sad old town to go live some larger-than-life bullshit.

Then he thought it’d be too lonely to do by himself, so he brainstormed an alternative. If he were ever able to do it, he’d probably try convincing someone to come with him. He hasn’t even finished his senior year, yet his ideas still don’t seem all that crazy to him. It might be farfetched to others, but San disagrees. If you aren’t dreaming big, could it even be considered a dream at all?

Then he starts wondering if his thoughts are too reckless most, if not all of the time, if attempting to move through life hastily would be too irresponsible and could scare the people around him. But he really doesn’t want to miss out on living, San wants to go see and do the things you have to go out of your way to experience. Something you make the journey for to begin with, not just a simple detour.

The type of stuff you have to just hold your breath for and jump into with no regret before it’s too late, the tide retreating, water becoming far too shallow. (He truly wasn’t lying earlier when he said he loves to be on the move, or that the thrill of exploring had always been dangerously enticing to him.) Those mantras, principles, whatever you wish to call them replay in his mind daily. They always have.

San knows the world won’t slow down and wait for him too. He sees it outside the classroom window right now, how the cars still pass down the street as the birds fly high into the sky even if he’s confined to his seat. San is well aware that it’s him who has to be the one to take the leap of faith and choose to start living. The problem is that sometimes he just can’t.

When San would think about the daredevils, adrenaline junkies, risk takers of the world, those who love to live on the edge of things, preparing for their big take off, he’d think of how he would love to be like that someday. Yeah, someday. The difference was he liked staying on the edge too much. Didn’t like the feeling of climbing to the highest point just for the glory if he could end up tipping over, see himself falling down and lose control of everything in the process.

When third period ends San makes his way out of class then down the hall, stopping at his locker so he can drop off the notebook and stationery he no longer needs till after his second lunch break. San knows he has PE next, so he quickly grabs his gym clothes. It’s not that he cares much about being late for it or missing out on any of the “action” though, he only really enjoys it depending on what sport they’re playing.

He likes the sports where his only role is to defend whenever a ball or something comes his way. It’s why he thinks volleyball is torture; trying his best to stay in his position once his team scores but then somebody is already telling him to hurry up and rotate. Those days are just endless cycles of torture. Actually, were. He started to sit in the nurse’s office on those days.

It’s a good thing they’re doing netball today (he doesn’t have any more passes to sit in the med bay now). San has a lot of fun playing it. He’s even claimed the goalkeeper bib before anyone else can so much that whoever he plays with just lets him have it. The people he usually plays with are good enough to the point where the opposing team never even gets to his third of the court.

Goalkeeper suits him for that exact reason, he enjoys getting to win without even having to take a shot with the ball. San liked how it was so much he didn’t think or want to try being a goal attacker or centre. Well, maybe sometimes he did a little. There were a couple instances where he wanted to try a different role for the first time. San had gotten as close as picking up a different position bib even. Thoughts like that were shoved away quickly however, and the bib would end thrown back into the crate. The mere possibility of letting anyone down in case he was terrible outweighed his curiosity (and potential) on multiple occasions.

Failure was a funny thing; it had given him a terrible feeling that would sit in the pit of his stomach or make him so nauseous it was awfully dizzying. The funnier thing was that San had never truly failed at anything in life, simply because he had never tried much to begin with. That was the case, for quite some time in his life as he knew it. He had been growing more than okay with that knowledge as time passed, then one day he wasn’t.

As he turned away from his locker, San spotted you walking the opposite way to your own fourth period class, clearly getting ready to ditch the rest of the day. His heartbeat had sped up and his palms were awfully sweaty but for the first time ever, he shut out every reasoning voice in his head and chose to do something he never had the courage to before.

The two of you were in the same grade, so he had seen you passing by in the hallways always with both earphones in (to drown out everyone else he assumes, you never talked to anyone when you had them in while carrying an almost sorrow expression). Despite how you looked, you would still be humming away to a tune he could never fully quite catch.

He also knew your lunch times were spent eating shitty snacks from the vending machines and that you really liked the strawberry lollipops from the cafeteria (which they only sold every Friday for some fucked up reason, he overheard you complaining about it to your friends in math).

San would also see you after school with all of your cooler, older friends too. You would all huddle around the corner near the bike racks in the parking lot, out of sight from teachers so you could bum cigarettes off of each other. You’d also listen to music while you were there, only with one earphone in though so you could still hear everyone talk. He liked seeing that, you always looked happy and smiley talking to your friends.

The two of you weren’t complete strangers, but nowhere close enough where he could feel safe calling you his friend either. You shared multiple classes with San, greeting him with a small smile when you’d walk by his seat to get to your own (he liked that you’d always say hi to him even when he never did first). The both of you even worked on group projects together, but that wasn’t enough for him. He wanted to know more about you, to take even the smallest peek at the inner workings of your mind. To find out how you always seemed to not care when things went wrong.

He thinks of your reaction when you would fail a test, how you’d simply shrug before shoving the paper into the bottom of your backpack. Immediately after, smiling as you’d turn around to talk to your friends about whatever you all planned to do that weekend. Stuff like that didn’t make much sense to him. Why would you not opt out of hanging out just for one weekend and study harder to do better on the next test like he would?

San supposes that’s what separates the two of you into vastly different worlds, yet he wants nothing more than to just step over that line and join you.

When he had spotted you there, on that humid summer day in early June a feeling had begun to settle into his stomach again. The strange bit was that it didn’t feel humiliating nor demeaning, but there was still something unsettling about it. It felt extremely foreign at first but now, incredibly comforting. Because for once, it didn’t feel like failure.

So, he then decided to call out to you. It was the very first time he had ever greeted you, without you doing it first. Your name exceedingly foreign on his tongue when coming out of his mouth while you weren’t sitting at your desks in a shared class. You had turned around at the noise, both earphones still blasting music into your ears.

Once you had recognised who the voice belonged too, you immediately had taken out both of your earphones with a smile. The tune he had never been able to fully hear, was now playing into the world for him to hear freely. He felt the corners of his mouth beginning to prick upwards at that. Yet with no plan of what words he would say now, San was immediately regretting his choice to speak to you. His fists were balled up in front of him, grip tightening on his clothes ever so slightly as he lowers his eyes down away from you.

The edge he always treads so carefully on was now unstable and he felt it beginning to crack already. You don’t leave him any more time to freak out over it though. When he looks up, he sees you already opening your mouth to say hello in the soft tone you always use, ushering him over.

“Hey, San. You want to come skip with me?”

The cool breeze flowing through the corridor, cooling down his cheeks just had to heat up again when he locked eyes with you, of course they did. Because San had always found everything about you pretty, from the first time he ever saw you. Not a day would there be a doubt in his mind of that. But, in that very moment he found you strikingly beautiful. In a split second, where his brain and his heart finally worked in unison he had responded hurriedly, before he could overthink it and regret it for the rest of his days.

“Yeah, I do. I’ll come along,” As he chucked his gym clothes back into his locker, a switch had been flicked on in his mind. When he turned around and saw you then, one lollipop in your mouth and a second in your hand, held out to him, a realisation had been thrown into his face like a bucket of ice-cold water. San had ultimately discovered that dancing on the edge was fun, yet leaping off it was much better. Even if the water was too shallow down below, San thinks he would be okay with that.

While walking away from the gym and instead down the hall with you by his side, San had spotted your earphones tangled up and peeking out of your backpack. That day, he settled with the fact that maybe it was okay to be a little too reckless, to move a tad too fast. Even if it could scare people, even if it scared him.

If you asked San what made him love that summer far more than the previous ones, he might mention his drunken bike rides with you and your friends, or the nights he spent laying on the beach with you gazing at the stars. Hell, he even liked the part time job he had to take up thanks to the party you helped him throw (which ended in that broken window he had to pay for). Spending a portion of his summer working as a server wasn’t fun in theory but when you’d visit him on his breaks or pick him up after his shifts, San had found it pretty worth it in the end.

He was truly happy in every moment back then; he’s enlightened even now, because all the memories of summer bring you back to him. Despite existing only as a brief moment in his own mind, San is content because whenever he closes his eyes he finds a version of you is there with him. He’s able feel the sun on his bare skin, with your lips pressed against his own again. His favorite bit being when the lingering hint of strawberries followed as you both pulled away.

Yeah, that’s exactly when it was. Three summers ago. When San had first decided it was alright to embrace being him, to be the person he still was today. All thanks to you.

navigation┆prev┆next

17 notes · View notes