#oc: tatianna | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

arclic-stuff · 4 months ago

Text

Symbiotic Relationship - Chapter 1

PAIRING: Grayson x fem OC

SUMMARY: Besides her agreement with Zander, Grayson communicates with a reliable informant—her ex-wife, Tatianna. Tatianna is a Zaunite Merchant—a caterer by day and a smuggler by night. Together, they try to maintain peace between their cities, benefiting each other greatly and creating a symbiotic relationship they both have been craving.

Word Count: 1.3k

A/N: Hehe guess who's finally posting! It's been hard finding the time to write and figure out the structure for this story but at least it's starting haha. Very excited to share it and write more of the chapters. I hope y'all enjoy it. Have no idea how quick I'll do the next chapters but I'm sure it'll be soon:)))

______________________________________________________________

Festivities were in full swing within the Piltover Country Club as the Kirammans prepared for an afternoon of celebrations. Outwith its walls in the calm countryside, two competitors engaged in friendly conversation.

"I'm an enforcer. For me, knowing how to handle this weapon means being able to protect people. To be of service to the city. And that's trophy enough. Begs the question, young Kiramman. What are you shooting for?"

Before the girl can respond, her mother, Cassandra, beckons her inside. She dashes up the steps, stopping to look back at Grayson. "This isn't over, Sheriff," she narrows her eyes, pouting as she ascends the steps into the building.

Grayson continues to embrace the calm silence, the smell of the forest, and the taste of her wine. She takes one final inhale before acknowledging the familiar figure hiding in the background since she came outside.

"Are you going to lurk in the shadows all night, Ms Brauer?"

With that, Anna Brauer strides into view, her heels hitting the stone pavement and her jacket drifting in the breeze. Dawning an olive green jacket, she was also clad in an all-black suit, her white skirt's top buttons undone, showing her jewellery cluster around her neck. Her long black hair was pulled into a bun, elevating her appearance and almost making her look taller. Grayson made note of Tatianna's grey strands twisting around her head; she had finally stopped dying over them, which Grayson found admirable.

"Just making sure I didn't interrupt the fan club," Anna says, standing parallel to Grayson and leaning on the balcony.

Grayson chuckles. "She's a good kid. She means well."

"She insinuated that you took a bribe and threw the competition." Anna raises an eyebrow and looks at Grayson.

"Aw, protecting my honour? You'll make me blush," Grayson jests, poking Anna with her elbow, making the smaller woman roll her eyes in response.

"Just think the little gremlin should watch her tongue", Anna uttered at a lowered volume, tilting her head towards the party where the girl was now socialising.

Grayson moves closer to whisper, "You should lower your voice, dear. That 'gremlin' is the daughter of a councillor." She chuckles. "And besides, you know I'd never take a bribe".

Anna put her hands up in surrender. "Or throw the competition? Right?"

Grayson doesn't respond; she simply rubs the back of her neck, looking anywhere but Anna's suspecting eyes.

"Oh, for fucksake, Grayson!" Anna groans, slapping Grayson on the forearm.

Grayson blocks the last few playful hits, laughing in the process. "What! She deserved the win! She's had a hard time with exams, and Cassandra put a lot of pressure on her to do well today. And anyway, I'm not beating my goddaughter."

Grayson had been a close friend of the Kiramans for a few years before Caitlyn was born, but it was still a surprise when Cassandra asked her to be her Godmother. As strange as it felt, it was one of the best things in her life—watching her grow up, teaching her to shoot, be headstrong, and do all the other things she had hoped to do one day with her own family.

Anna sighs, shaking her head. "You've gone, soft, Gray," she says before reaching into her jacket for a beige folder — the main reason for their meetup.

This month's conclusive report focused on the City of Zaun and all notable events or changes within its walls. Anna reluctantly slid the folder to the Sheriff. Even though she knew logically it was for the best, she still couldn't help but feel like a traitor to her people and to her home. The report showcased lists of new businesses, crime states, and this month's headliner: the death of a Chem-Baron.

Although Chem-Baron Arlo passed peacefully in his sleep, he left behind chaos as his sons fought for the family business.

"All I can say is that I hope the youngest son doesn't take over; Finn is ambitious but reckless; Zaun doesn't need that" Anna waits for a response, then glances over to Grayson, reading, entirely focused on the pages in front of her. Anna takes the opportunity to watch her for a moment. She watches as her eyes dart across the pages, breathing steadily through her nose, the breeze shifting her hair into her eyes. As she flicks to the last page, her expression shifts from concentration to mild irritation, furrowing her brows before speaking.

Anna knows exactly what she's reacting to. Twice a year, Anne has a large shipment of stock transported into Zaun via Piltover's trade routes. Anne gets two shipments that aren't inspected yearly in exchange for being an informant. She uses this for her more valuable goods like medicine for the Zaun shelters - in the past, the shipments have been 'lost' or 'confiscated' by the enforcers with legal loopholes purely because of the shipment's destination. Grayson's leniency allows essential medicine to reach Zaun's unfortunate, something she holds onto to try to forget the dubious contents hidden within.

"This shipment is way bigger than last time." Grayson looks up accusingly, her mouth pressed into a thin line.

"The demand increased; it's for the—" Anna tried to explain the changes but was cut off by a raised hand.

"I don't want to know Tatianna" Grayson sighed, shutting the folder in her left hand and downing her drink with the other. She regrets using that tone with Anne but doesn't want to know. She knows Anne has to smuggle for unsavoury clients to pay the bills and that the jobs allow her to give back to the poorer Zaunites, but it still makes Grayson feel dirty like she's no different from the corrupt enforcers she swore to root out.

It's for the greater good; it helps Zaun and Anna.

Anna felt the atmosphere shift and was reminded of the distance between them. It didn't happen often, but sometimes, when interacting with Grayson, Anna would be transported back to when they first met, when things were simpler. When she broke from this trance, she would feel the emptiness in her chest that always lingered in Sheiff's presence. As soon as she felt it creeping back in, she ran.

"As always, Sheriff, it's been a pleasure. See you next month," Anna said with a comedic curtsey before turning on her heels to walk past Grayson. However, before she could take her first step to freedom, Grayson stepped in front, slighting her, stopping her in her tracks.

"Are you not staying?" Grayson sheepishly asked, avoiding eye contact. She knew the answer, but every time Anna tried to make a speedy exit, Grayson would try to make her stay in a last-ditch attempt to reminisce for a little longer in the fantasy.

"I can't. I have a meeting with a new client in the morning, some industrialist is looking for a new trade route. I'll see you around Gray." As she walks around Grayson to leave, she gives Grayson's shoulder a light squeeze. To onlookers, it was a subtle goodbye gesture, but they both felt Anna's hand linger a second longer than it should.

Grayson is left outside alone, her own hand replacing Anna's, where she touched her shoulder moments ago. She looked out at the grounds, which were now shrouded in sunset lighting. The same surroundings Grayson had found peace in now felt cold and empty. Cold and empty like the house the first day she came home without Anna there to greet her. Even after all these years, Grayson always felt this way after their meetings. She wondered if Anna ever felt the same; maybe she had moved on or was just as miserable as Grayson felt now - Grayson didn't like either option for her ex.

Feeling her thoughts spiral, she shook her head and took a deep breath.

What good will those thoughts do? It's all in the past now, and that's where it should stay.

#fanfic #wlw #arcane grayson x reader #arcane #arcane lol #sheriff grayson #arcane grayson #fanfiction #arcane fanfic #wlw fanfic #original character #grayson x you #grayson imagine #grayson x reader #grayson arcane #enforcer grayson

38 notes · View notes

be-ready-when-i-say-go · 2 years ago

Text

Love in a Ghost Town: Part 4--Parry, Game, Match

Eddie Munson’s become content with working his day job. After the crazy stretching of events from 1983-1986, Eddie’s grateful for a little bit of normal in his life.

That is until one day, Valeria Browns shows up in town looking for a quick car fix. And she’s more than he might’ve bargained for on the eve of Valentine’s Day. Valeria is just trying to enjoy her Valentine’s Day weekend after many years of being perpetually single. She has her fun, but it’s never serious. Maybe Eddie can change some of that.

Older!Mechanic!Eddie Munson. 2003 alternative universe. BlackFem! OC.

The Upside Down doesn’t exist in this fic. But strange things do happen to th town of Hawkins, Indianna. Major Character Death that is not canon as a result of the non-Upside Down AU.

Edited photo of Eddie by @eddiemunsons-missingnipple

Feel free to view my masterlist here

__________________________________

It’s not hard navigating the town. Valeria manages to follow the main road down, much like Eddie did yesterday, until she hits what looks like a grocery store. It’s an early move, considering she had another four hours or so before it would be pressing, but Valeria doubts there’s much shopping on a downtown scene this early. Getting groceries now would open up her later morning. It’d be a lot of double back. In all honesty, all Valeria has is time to kill. That and gas to put into Eddie’s truck. Perhaps, she can also grab some snacks for herself. There are a few cars in the parking lot, but given the time of day, Valeria’s sure most of the town is working instead or on their way to work and the few cars she is seeing are the folks who work here at the store.

Valeria needs something fast to fix for Eddie’s lunch and maybe something extra to take care of dinner too, as a thank you for all his help. The truck door slams shut and Valeria surveys the parking lot. She keeps thinking about that headline-- her potential headline. Things were okay so far, but still the inclination to always be alert never truly leaves. She can settle it into the back of her brain when someone else is with her. But when Valeria is alone, the last thing she needs is to be slacking on her job of survival. Not a great look to get taken out because I didn’t take a few extra seconds to look around, she notes to herself before carrying herself across the parking lot. In the corner, near the front parking, she notes the brown truck Hawkins Police marked across the sides of it.

The front doors slide open as she gets closer to them and she spies a collection of handheld baskets right near the entrance. Valeria isn’t a chef. She did enough to survive and when she could cut corners with the occasional front with frozen means, she did. But Valeria could cook as necessary. She could make a casserole for dinner. Valeria has the recipes passed down from her grandmother memorized down to the “pinches” and “lil’ bit of”. It was a hard science to follow but after a lot of errors, Valeria got comfortable enough with it.

She wouldn’t have the time for that up against lunch and she’s sure if she spent all her time cooking Edde would be displeased to hear about it. Something quick would be her best alternative. Pasta wouldn’t hurt; it helps that it’s quick too. Her sneakers are fairly quiet over the tile floors. The speakers are soft as they play music overhead. It’s so subtle that it’s just barely noticeable. Her phone chimes from her pocket.

Still alive? the text from Tammie reads.

Valeria laughs and dials her friend’s number instead. It rings once in her ear and then is immediately picked up. “I’m still alive, Tammie,” Valeria laughs.

“Good! I would sure hope so. If you didn’t answer I was about to call the shop and the cops next!”

“Tammie, it’s just 8 in the morning.”

“And I’m going to make sure my best friend is alive. I let Chelsea and Tatianna know about your whereabouts too. They want updates.”

Valeria snorts. “Funny, because I haven’t gotten a call from either one of them.” Chelsea and Tatianna cared--Valeria knows that. But sometimes they get too caught up in their own lives that even if they have every intention to reach out, they rarely do. More than one fight had been had due to it.

“No, none of that Valeria. You can’t call them out. When’s the last time you called either one of them?”

“Tammie, I love you. But I will take Eddie’s truck and drive the two plus hours back to kick your ass lovingly.” It isn’t about the last time Valeria called either one of them. It’s about the fact that it’s always Valeria or Tammie doing the outreach.

“I know it’s not been easy since we graduated. I know they don’t connect like we do. But they’re our friends.”

Forever a peace keeper. Valeria’s not sure if she blames it on the fact that someone had too because she knows for sure it wouldn’t ever be here to keep the peace or if Tammie was always like that. The years have gotten murky in her memory. Valeria shuts her eyes for a moment, head tilted up and away from the boxes of pasta noodles. “I’m alive,” Valeria sighs. The words make her flash back to the thoughts of earlier in the morning, the kisses she and Eddie shared. Valeria snaps her eyes open and grabs the box of penne pasta noodles. “I’m probably more than alive.”

“Oh, oh, juicy details I presume,” Tammie laughs. “Give them. All of them.”

“I’m sort of in public, so not the full details. But,” Valeria turns the corner of the aisle, facing now the backwalls of the refrigerated items-milk, butter, eggs, creams, and cheeses. “He’s got a lot going for him. Even if at times he’s painfully awkward.”

“No, oh no,” Tammie wails over the line. “Do you not tell me you’ve fallen for another goofy white boy?”

“He’s sweet,” Valeria laughs. Her cheeks burn with her own embarrassment as she grabs whipping creams from the display. She’s careful with her collections of eggs and bacon to replace what they’d eaten just that morning.

“Sweet or not, you cannot sleep with every goofy white guy you meet!”

“He’s only the second.”

“Third--Tommy and Lenny.”

“Leonard, god, I forgot about him,” Valeria cackles as she grabs a packet of chicken breast.

“Yeah, at this point, you’ve got a type.”

Valeria notices Steve at the end of the aisle. He’s got a cart he’s pushing, dressed for work but it shocks her to see him now in the light of the store. His nose slopes into a point, high cheekbones keeping his face young. But still a cop. He catches sight of her and gives, which she returns, but she ducks her head fast and starts away from him--towards what looks like is the cereal aisle. “He’s got a type too,” Valeria returns.

“Who? Eddie? How do you know if he has a type?”

“It’s a small town, Tammie,” Valeria whispers. “Things just sort of come up.” Upon reassessing her basket, she realizes she’s running out of space. Miscalculation but do a half portion of chicken for Eddie’s lunch and then the rest she could set aside for a marinade.

“Hello? Earth to Val?” Tammie huffs through the receiver.

“Sorry, sorry, in the grocery store right now and trying to do mental math,” Valeria returns. “What were you saying?”

“What kind of things can come up that in the span of 24 hours, you’re sleeping with him and figuring out his type of women.”

“And men,” Valeria tacks on.

Tammie is silent for a moment. When she finally speaks again, after a 30 second rush of wind crackling through the receiver, her voice echoes, “What?! A threesome?”

Valeria can’t stop her laughter. “No, no, we talked a lot last night. This morning was more scandalous between the two of us.”

“I. Demand. Details,” Tammie hisses.

“Tell me, Tammie, are you currently in a stall in your job’s bathroom?” Valeria asks upon hearing the echo continue around Tammie’s voice.

“Maybe I am,” Tammie hums. “Maybe I’m not.”

“Just know it was a good time,” Valeria sings.

“You bitch!”

Valeria pulls the phone away from her ear at the shriek, laughing as she does. Tammie’s voice floats faintly from the speaker. She shouts words that Valeria can’t fully decipher and at the tail end laughs too. Valeria starts down the aisle like she’s going to be heading toward the checkout. She needs the cajun season, barbecue sauce, paprika, rice, and a vegetable--frozen would do.

“I need you to call me tonight and give me the details. I get off at 5 and we have dinner ready by 6:30. Call me before we eat,” Tammie orders.

“I will. Promise. Love you, Tammie.”

“Love you too, Val.” Punctuation. Valeria flips her phone closed and noticing Steve lingering at the checkout counter. The boy he stands next too is shorter than Steve, curly brown hair falling around his head. It's a shorter crop—the boys hair— but Valeria knows on first glance that his mother must’ve had a time taking care of the hair when he was younger.

Valeria keeps her head down, focusing instead of finding the right aisle for her needs. “Looking a little lost there, can I help?” There’s a lisp to the words but when Valeria looks up the boy with curly hair smiles at her.

Dustin, reads the nametag. “Oh, uh, browsing if I’m honest. Letting the aisle tell me what I need,” Valeria returns.

Dustin laughs. “Fair enough strategy. Wouldn’t listen too long—they might whisper about things that you definitely don’t need like the rewards program we’ve got.”

“A real salesman,” Valeria laughs. “Can you point me in the direction of the spices then?”

“Absolutely,” he scurries around the register. Something Valeria knows for a fact that only in a town like this would it happen. “Aisle 7. One up from grains, two down from canned goods.”

Aisle 6 has the rice then. Valeria wonders if that’s the same aisle that she got the pasta without realizing it. “Steve tells me you’re in town briefly,” Dustin comments, walking beside her now.

“Yeah, just a few days. Is-are you close to Steve?”

Dustin’s giggle is infectious. “What kind of spices are you looking for?”

“Paprika,” Valeria answers automatically.

“Steve--he used to babysit me. Long story.”

“Do you know Eddie?”

Dustin nods, handing over the tiny bottle to Valeria. “Adore that dude!”

“So you-you found him?” It’s a stupid question. Eddie had confessed that already. She’s just really putting the pieces together—names with faces, trying to understand truly how tight knit the group is. It’s a sick game really. Perhaps Valeria’s own way not to get too close because if she did, she’d be intruding. If she can see how well they all do as they are, she can watch but not dance in the fire. Not that Valeria thought she was getting too close anyhow. It would never really work. But it’s easy around Eddie. Maybe it’s really Valeria seeing if anything like a friendship could or should grow. But when Dustin’s face falters, she realizes the limit she pushed it with her own selfishness. “Sorry, sorry. No need to answer that.”

“I did,” Dustin answers. “I’m glad I did. I’m shocked Eddie talked about that.”

Valeria tightens her hold on the bottle. “A lot comes up sometimes.”

Dustin nods. “It was the whole party—me, Steve, Max, Lucas, Mike, Nancy, Robin, and Jonathan.”

“Jonathan who drives the bus. And Max who works at the candy store. You work here. Steve the Sheriff. Robin, the nurse who I haven’t actually properly met yet.”

Dustin nods. “Sounds like you’ve met a lot of us. Lucas and his family opened up a little bakery in town. Lucas is lined up to take over once he finishes classes at community college. It’s two doors down from the candy shop. Mike’s going away for college, following in his sister’s footsteps on that front.”

“Sister?”

“Nancy.”

It takes Valeria a moment but the petite woman with medium length wavy hair in heeled boots and a long winter coat comes back into her vision from yesterday. “Oh, I met her briefly yesterday. She went away for college?”

“Oh, yeah, Emerson. She’s a whiz. Don’t let her tiny stature and dainty clothes fool you. Studied journalism, worked at a magazine up there for a while. Moved back because of her mother. Runs the local paper here now. Real badass in her own way. Haggled the cops down while we got Eddie into the hospital. We broke a lot of traffic laws that day.”

“Seems like Hawkins really couldn’t get rid of y’all,” Valeria chuckles.

“Party sticks together.”

“Dungeons and Dragons?”

Dustin’s eyes lights up, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “You play?”

“I-I listen to a friend tell me about their campaigns. I don't really have the attention span to play. Nor the time.”

“But at least you get it. That’s half the battle. Do you need anything else by the way? I should get back to the registers or my boss will kill me.”

“Grains are one up from here, right?” Valeria asks.

Dustin nods with a thumbs up. “You got it! Shout if you need anything else.”

Valeria can only nod, watching Dustin bounce back to his station. Was it really that the party sticks together or was it that all of their situations had dragged them back to this place? One little town and yet it seemingly had a vice grip. Those that wanted to leave it only got sucked back into it for one reason or another. Valeria grabs the yellow rice she wants, and the rest of her necessities before traveling back up to the registers.

Steve’s long gone but Dustin is happy to chat as he rings Valeria up. He thankfully doesn’t ask what brought her into town--perhaps Steve had already warned him about it, perhaps because the whole town was figuring out the stranger town wasn’t there out of volition but out of necessity. “That shop--the bakery--you said it’s two doors up from the candy shop?” Valeria asks.

Dustin nods. “Best donuts in town.”

She can’t recall if Eddie pointed it out last night or not. He might’ve, but the night is a mixture of her embarrassment and her own arousal, so Valeria’s not sure she wants to try to trust her memory too much anyway. She gathers the bags with a tiny salute to Dustin. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Enjoy Hawkins!” he calls out.

There’s plenty other things I’d rather enjoy, Valeria thinks to herself. But there’s no need for Dustin to know that. Valeria’s quick to get back to Eddie’s trailer. He’d pressed the spare keys to the truck and to his trailer into her palm that morning with just a passing wink. Valeria wasn’t sure if it’s a private joke, or if it was just Eddie being Eddie but it’d put a flutter in her stomach and she pocketed the keys without a word.

The fridge rattles just a little as Valeria closes it. She immediately reaches a hand out to steady it, afraid that something is going to fall. But nothing does. “Can we not add anything else to this bill?” Valeria huffs. That would certainly make the detour in her vacation even more hilarious, but not what she wanted on her tab of things to pay for. Now, she had several hours to kill still.

“Welcome, what can I get you?” A tall lanky boy leans into the glass displays. It’s a fresh line up, that much Valeria knows. She can spot a fresh lineup anywhere. Her heart melts. Her shoulders drop. People like her. And sure, it was only this boy and his family from Dustin’s early comments that Valeria knew about. But at least there was somebody. There would be just a little bit of relief.

“I heard this shop has the best donuts in town.”

He grins, bright and wide. “That we do. Glazed, filled, Boston cream, bear claws, we got it all.”

“Dozen glazed donuts, if you got ‘em,” Valeria questions, pausing at the glass display. She eyes a few other treats--it looks like potentially apple crumble, but she’s not sure as her eyes take in all the treats available.

“Anything else?”

Valeria looks up and shakes her head. “I think I should be careful with treats,” she laughs. Lucas. She reads the nametag and then looks back to his face. He’s still grinning, but nods and turns to get gloves on.

“Can’t go wrong with a treat every now and then. So are we positive just about a dozen?”

Valeria laughs. “Sweetheart, I’m sure. Dustin recommended this place.”

“You’ve met Dustin?” His voice kicks up, the shock clearly painting his voice. “And he recommended this place?”

Valeria nods, but she understands the raising of Lucas’ brows. Did Dustin recommend the shop for the donuts or something else? his brow asks. Valeria shrugs in response before adding, “I think he might have a sweet tooth though, so I’ll be able to see here shortly if it’s worth the hype.”

Lucas laughs, shock melting away. He nods, Dustin wouldn’t get it. But maybe there were other powers at be. Valeria walks alongside the glass displays as Lucas carries the box over to the register. He pauses to grab a single box, plastic and see through. Valeria watches as he returns back to the big display, grabs another desert and then comes back. It looks like the apple crumble donut she was eyeing earlier. “11.43 for the dozen.”

“And the other one?”

Lucas shrugs, looking directly at Valeria. “I don’t see anything other than the dozen.”

Valeria brings out the few pills--a ten and a five. Lucas starts to count out the change and when he hands it over, she drops the bills into the tip jar. “Pay in advance because if these are good, I’ll be back before I leave.”

“Hope to see you again.”

In Eddie’s truck, Valeria is quick to tap out over the keys, the buttons clicking with the press and the tap of her nails. Found some kinfolk. Just one family so far, but it’s something.

We’ll take it, Tammie replies.

The shop today is livelier than anticipated. For a sleepy town like Hawkins, it shocks Valeria that she winds up parking off on the side lot. The front is full--the garage doors are up. Valeria grabs the metal lunch pail--she hadn’t missed the name Wayne etched into the front of it. Eddie didn’t have much else to use in the way of carrying the pasta, chips, and oranges. He had a bag that looked just barely touched but still fresh so Valeria tossed two in there. But Eddie’s selection of lunch carrying items were limited--not even spare plastic bag filled with other plastic bags tucked into a cabinet as a last resort effort. So Valeria took what was available, packed up the tupperware, canister with water, and took herself back down. Of course, she stopped at the gas station and grabbed a soda too, remembering the Mountain Dew Eddie sucked down during their first meeting, alongside the box of donuts.

“Need a hand?”

Valeria turns the voice, noticing the man from earlier wiping his hand on a rag. “I think,” Valeria starts and then notices the between the pail hooked around her fingers and the balancing she’s doing with the donuts and Eddie’s soda, she may not have enough hands. “I think maybe.”

He’s timid as he approaches. “I’m Gareth,” he introduces, taking the box of donuts from her hold.

“Valeria.”

“Nice to meet you properly.” He nods his head over his shoulder into the garage and Valeria gets the doors locked before follow.

“Thank you for the help, Gareth. The donuts are for y’all--everyone in the shop, folks you want donuts really I guess.”

“Of course,” he smiles. He leads them into the front, sliding the box onto the desk. “And thanks, for thinking of us. I’ll be sure to keep the guys from going into the box grubby hands first.”

“Much appreciated,” Valeria laughs. Sitting are a couple other people, flipping through magazines, but clearly being serviced. Eddie sits at the desk, phone pressed to his ear, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. She’s careful as she places a hand on his shoulder to alert him of her presence. It still makes Eddie jerk up, but he smiles when he sees it’s Valeria. She slips the metal box and soda onto the desk gently.

Eddie presses the phone to his shoulder. “Thanks for this.”

“Of course. Make sure you actually get a donut too. I think I spotted some of the guys plotting the poor treats demise.”

He snorts. “Count me a part of the list. Looks like you visited the Sinclairs for them.”

Valeria nods, noticing now she’s kept a steady slip of her hand over his shoulders. “Ran into Dustin at the grocery store who recommended I give them a visit.”

“Before you know it, you’ll be a Hawkins townie.”

“No, do not put that juju on me. Absolutely not.” Their shared laughter only carries for another moment and then Valeria nods back towards the door. “I should probably get going. Don’t mean to make that other person wait.”

“Oh, no, I’m the one on hold and have been for the last ten minutes. I’m starting to think I’m being suckered.”

“What’s going on?”

“Vendor I get parts from recommended a new place to get our cleaning stuff because I was complaining about the prices rising. But this order was supposed to be in last week. I’ve checked with the post office, I have the track number, and it’s still saying the post office hasn’t received the package. At this point, I’m better off just going into the city and getting it than having them bullshit me about sending out a replacement. I’m now on hold so they can speak with their supervisor to see what can be done.”

Valeria doesn’t get much of a chance to respond before Eddie excuses himself, mouthing sorry, He speaks directly into the receiver, a tilt in his town giving away his slight annoyance, “Hey, yeah, I’m still here.” It says everything he doesn’t: Yes, I’m still on hold. Yes, I won’t be going anywhere until it’s resolved.

Valeria’s been on both sides of the coin herself--has known the hassle of someone else making the mistake but Valeria being the face or voice that bears the consequence as well as just wanting to get a resolution that doesn’t make her feel like she’s going insane.

“If this replacement package doesn’t come, can I cancel this order then and just get the money back?”

There’s a pause. Eddie reclines into the chair, face turned up to the ceiling. “Yeah, just cancel it now then.” A longer pause. “Uh huh, yeah, thank you.” Pause. “7-10 business days depending on the bank, yeah, I got it.”

Valeria scoots the metal lunch pail closer to Eddie. “It’s not much, but maybe it’s better than that call.”

Eddie snorts. “I think anything would be better, that’s for certain.”

She watches the lingering touch, the slow stroke of Eddie’s thumb over Wayne’s name. “I couldn’t find anything else,” she whispers.

Eddie shakes his head. “I tossed mine years ago. It’s probably why I’ve relied on gas station lunches so much.” His words are tight in his throat, soft at the fall from his lips. But his movements continue.

The tension is palpable and Valeria wonders if she’s pushing a wound too far. Her words catch, holding on the sides of her throat like they don’t want her to speak. Like the words somehow know better than her that she can’t speak or something will be ruined. The latch clicks, metal tapping against metal. It only takes a quick push with his thumbs and then the lid falls open, tapping against the back of half of the box.

Eddie’s inhale is deep. “Pasta?” he questions. “Would’ve killed for a PB&J.”

“Is that what Wayne used to eat?”

Eddie nods. “Every single day at lunch. Never wanted anything else.”

“I’ll remember that for tomorrow,” Valeria offers.

“Two oranges?” Eddie questions, holding them both up. “Are you telling me something?”

Valeria snickers. “A balanced diet. Protein. Carbs. Fruit.”

“How do the chips fit into a balanced diet?”

“Fats. Need a little bit of it,” she returns, pinching at Eddie’s side over his coveralls.

Eddie laughs, trapping her hand into his body with his elbow. Valeria’s laughing and tugging gently to free her hand. Eddie’s persistent though, turning now from the chair and moving her hand from his side into his. “That’s what the donuts were supposed to be for.”

Valeria shakes her head. “That’s just me being sweet on you.” It’s not an entire lie, but it’s not entirely the truth either. It’s a nice gesture for sure. But Valeria had wanted to explore more of the town, see how much the town was a sleepy little town not able to keep up with the times and how much of it still held something of a not so distant past.

So far, all Valeria had down was a town that was trapped in a perpetual cycle. Raising a lot of children who wanted nothing more than to break away and then never being able to full get away because of something--parents, personal fears. Hawkins had claws and they ran deep. Quite possibly it wasn’t worth making such assumptions only based on a handful of stories--all second hand to her, and sometimes third hand.

“Have you eaten?”

Valeria nods at Eddie’s question, giving his hand a squeeze. “Yeah, I did.”

“Edmund Munson Junior!” A brassy voice bellows into the air of the otherwise relatively quiet shop.

“You’re a junior?” Valeria asks, brow raising in the question.

“Technically,” Eddie returns and then pushes out of the seat and walks around Valeria. Not without a soft smile and another squeeze of her hand. “Yes, Buckley?”

Valeria takes in the woman--about Eddie’s height if she had to gauge--with chin length wavy brown hair. Her smile is bright, voice raspy like someone who used to smoke or used to scream much too much as a kid. The woman levels a finger in Eddie’s direction. “I’m here on account of a candy pick up.”

“Buckley, I told you I was out of the game.”

She laughs, closing the gap between them, thumping his nose gently. “I’m one of your most loyal customers. When was I supposed to get this news?”

Their hug is tight, but brief. Valeria ducks her head watching them for the moment and tries to place where she’s heard the name before. “I actually got sidetracked this morning. Your candy is at home. You know I would never leave you high and dry.”

“Dingus. What got you so distracted this morning that you forgot the most important day of the week? Hmm?”

The woman--Buckley-- finally seems to take full sight of Valeria. She smiles again, though there is something hesitating in the gaze. Valeria can’t tell the gaze is assessing out of fear or of its an assessment out of curiosity. Eddie groans and it’s enough noise to make Valeria bring her gaze to him. “Not again, Robs,” he laughs. “Please not again!”

Robs? Robin! It clicks, Valeria smiles back at Robin. It makes sense the blue scrubs she’s dawned in. But Robin’s eyes are widening, body physically recoiling from Eddie with the action. “You didn’t! No! Can I have nothing ?”

Valeria can only watch as they laugh.

“You’re-why must we be so alike?” Eddie huffs, shoving her shoulder lightly.

Robin scrubs her palms over her eyes. “I’m bleaching my eyes officially. I’m going to retire from nursing and go somewhere tropical and I swear to god, I’m going to forget about you Eddie. Why are you in my head?”

“You’re supposed to be Steve’s soulmate, not mine!”

“Steve’s like a lost cat and I’m like a lost puppy and we just sort of adopted each other you know. Street rats scraping it by in the town that’s trying to eat us alive. We,” Robin starts, motioning between her and Eddie, “are like sharing--literally sharing--radio frequencies and that get crossed and somehow we’re a soul split into two bodies. We’re supposed to be oil and water mortal enemies given my allegiance to dear ol’ Steven, but somehow when I’m supposed to be holding a blade to your neck I’m just offering you a beer. You disgust me sometimes, Eddie, with how inside my cranium you are.”

Robin’s rant sends her pacing, the squeak of her sneakers denoting when she’s taken the sharp turn away from Eddie or towards him. Valeria finds herself laughing, enraptured in Robin’s frustration. She has a suspicion what might be going on, but she’s much more amused with Robin’s clear distress than anything else. Valeria pops open the box, noticing two donuts have gone missing so far. She takes a sheet from the roll of paper towel that’s been deposited next to the box in all her distraction with Eddie and plucks up a glazed donut using the paper towel to keep things as sanitary as possible.

“Like some sugar to go with your panic attack?” Valeria offers, holding out the donut to Robin. Valeria smiles--genuine, but she can’t help a little drip of seduction behind it too. Robin seems easily flustered and it’s a delight to watch her cheeks go rosy.

Robin’s sentence chokes to a close as she stares Valeria down. She nods--it’s shy and almost imperceptible. Her eyes are caught wide in surprise, lips still parted with syllables that were almost uttered. There’s never been a more perfect definition for the word dumbfounded than Robin’s face at the sound of Valeria’s voice. Valeria grins, passing it over to her. “T-thanks,” she returns.

“No problem. I could, if it’s okay, drop the candy off to you. I’m sort of borrowing Eddie’s truck while my car gets fixed.”

“I-I work at the hospital,” Robin returns.

Valeria nods. Definitely a lot more fun to ruffle Robin’s feathers. But also if the candy is meant for her, Valeria’s not going to let Eddie’s oversight impede Robin. “When does your shift start?”

“At 2. Which-” Valeria sees it, the gears starting to turn again for Robin. She’s returning to herself little by little. “It’s in like 25 minutes. And it’s only 5 minutes to the hospital from here. But would be longer to go to Eddie’s and then get back. So, if-if it’s okay with you, yeah, yeah you can drop it off to me. At the hospital. Where-where I work.”

“I can do that. What candy is yours?”

Robin starts to form words, but her mouth just gapes for a moment. Eddie pushes the donut up in her hand gently to her mouth. “Everything but the peach rings. They should be still on the coffee table.”

Valeria nods, watching Robin finally take a bit of the donut. “Everything but the peach rings, got it. Would I need a visitor’s pass? Should I tell security to page for you, Robin?”

She nods, then realizes the question that’s actually been asked. “Page--sorry, sorry. You should have security page to the 3rd floor front desk for me, Robin,” she laughs. When her eyes slowly drift away from Valeria over to Eddie, they narrow. “Dickhead,” she mutters.

Eddie’s laughter is loud--sputtering like a car that’s not willing to start. Robin’s verbal assault of Asshole, who enjoys too much the suffering of others doesn’t slow his amusement. “Buckley, you know I love you right?” Eddie returns, wiping the corners of his eyes.

“I know you like to see me suffer,” Robin returns. She’s downed half the donut.

“Same thing,” Eddie returns.

“Steve’s going to hear about this. I am so ratting you out for enjoying my suffering.”

Eddie looks over to Valeria. “I mean, Valeria should also be getting some blame. She was playing unfair.”

Valeria huffs, pushing up from the counter. “I was trying to help Robin after you forgot her candy.”

“And who’s fault is it that I forgot?”

“Yours,” Valeria huffs.

Eddie’s brow raises and Valeria can feel the heat blazing under her skin. “Maybe some of it is mine. But..”

“Ew, ew, ew, ew,” Robin huffs, “I don’t need that mental image. Not a second time. Thank you, Valeria. I really appreciate you helping me and my little kiddos out by bringing the candy to me. And for the donut too. It was amazing. I am going to leave now before I embarrass myself any further. Nice to meet you, Valeria. I’m sorry for…being all that.”

“Never apologize, Robin,” Valeria returns. “Nice meeting you too.”

Robin’s sneakers squeak as she turns to head back to the front door. She’s muttering to herself, but the distinct words aren’t clear enough to catch. Eddie plucks a donut from the box, a smile on his lips. “You really don’t play fair. Robin’s never been that flustered in her life since high school.”

“I take it that you and Robin share more than just an adoration for each other.”

“Maybe once Robin and I got a little too drunk and confessed crushes we had--turns out we have a lot more in common than we originally guessed. It also probably didn’t help that her crush had been someone I sort of hooked up with once.”

“Sort of hooked up with?”

“We never got past touching under clothes.”

“Well, now you’ve got a home run so I wonder how that’s going for Robin?”

“Robs, I love her. Her and Nancy keep flitting around each other. Robin’s scared Nancy will leave again.”

“So they dated before?” Valeria questions.

“No. But Robin’s had a crush on Nancy scene ‘85.”

Valeria whistles. “Long time to have a crush. I promise I won’t go breaking her heart. I have a feeling there’s no shovel talk.”

“Yeah, yeah for her, probably.”

Valeria holds her first three fingers. “Scouts honor then,” she states. “No broken hearts.” Valeria means no broken hearts for Robin. That she’ll just drop off the candy and slip away without anything extra. But there’s something in Eddie’s eyes--it’s brief. It’s not quite sadness, but whatever it is turns down his eyes. It dampness the usual sparkle and then the darkness is gone. The shine sparkes again like it always has.

He smiles, repeating her stance. “Thanks for lunch by the way. I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, Eddie.”

________________________________

2:09PM--that’s the time that Eddie’s radio reads when Valeria pulls into the parking lot to the hospital. The candy was there on the table right there Eddie said they’d be making the departure from the shop back to his trailer and then subsequently back into the town quick and painless. Valeria will give Hawkins that--it’s relatively easy and painless to get anywhere inside the town. There may not be a lot inside of the town, but at least it’s easy to navigate.

The candy rustles in the bag at her side, but Valeria keeps her stride long and even. The doors slide open and upon entrance, a woman greets her at a side table. “What brings you in today?”

“I actually need to see Robin Buckley. I have something for her.”

The woman nods, passing Valeria a pink sticker, VISITOR is written across the top of it. “Head over to security. He can have her paged down here.”

Valeria nods, slapping the sticker onto her chest. The guard is an older man, hat pushed up so far on his head it’s barely on. But he smiles at Valeria approaches. “How can I help you today, ma’am?”

“One of the nurses--Robin Buckley--I’m here to pass along something to her.”

The man nods. “Name, please.”

“Valeria Browns.”

He reaches for the phone, then pauses. “Oh, let me make sure it’s no contraband.” Valeria happily tips the bag forward, showing all the individual bags of candy into his line of sight. His grin is bright. “Oh, the kids are going to love this.” He punches at the keys. “Hi, Linda. Can you spare Buckley for a moment? A Valeria Browns is here to see her.”

A few moments pause. Valeria takes in the bustle of people around them. For a small town hospital, Valeria doesn’t anticipate so many people walking about. Most are staff--denoted by their badges and scrubs. But there’s clearly townspeople here. Some are waiting on the first floor. It looks like there might be some outpatient area. Just beyond Valeria’s not sure. Maybe it’s the emergency department. Though Valeria was sure not to use that entrance.

“First floor, just off from radiology actually.”

Radiology. Valeria smiles when her eyes catch the security guard’s eyes. “Buckley will be right down.”

Valeria nods, stepping off to the side, bag of candy still tapping at her calves. There’s never been a lot of love for hospitals. She’d been at one with her grandmother to identify her parents bodies’. Once Valeria broke her wrist and spent several hours waiting to get a cast. They’re always a little bit too cold and somehow too stuffy at the same time. A necessity Valeria understood, but not a place she could spend hours on end at.

“Uh, hi.” Robin gives a tiny wave.

“Hi,” Valeria returns, extending out the plastic bag. “As promised.”

Robin takes the bag gently. “Thanks. And um-I’m sorry about earlier. That was totally weird. What happened at Eddie’s shop. He and I--it’s complicated and weird. We’re like…siblings after everything that happened. And we just, it’s weird and I want to apologize.”

Valeria nods. “Like I said, Robin, never apologize.”

“But I have to. It was totally, totally, totally weird what happened. Eddie and I are almost too much alike sometimes. I didn’t mean to make you feel weird or anything.”

The urge takes over before Valeria can really stop it. She takes Robin’s forearm gently into her hold. “I’m flattered.”

“But you and Eddie--and I’m--but.” Valeria only smiles, and then Robin’s face lights up. “ Oh .”

“Oh,” Valeria laughs.

“Oh. My. God.” Robin grins, a small giggle leaving her. “Of course, of course. So of course.”

Valeria loves the light in Robin’s face. The way her own giggles make her appear so much younger. “So again, never apologize, Robin.”

“Thank you, Valeria. Seriously. I mean it. Thank you.” Her voice is softer. Robin slips in a little closer to Valeria. “I really do mean it. I appreciate the candy, your understanding. How long are you going to be in town for? You don’t look like someone who’d just pick Hawkins as a place to land?”

“I’m-I’m not really. Just here until my car gets fixed. Check engine light came on and Hawkins was the closest town.”

Robin nods. “That’ll do it. Hasn’t been so bad has it? In Hawkins?”

Valeria shakes her head. “Hasn’t been all bad. Definitely been interesting.”

“Oh, c’mon. Hawkins isn’t that bad. Now.” Now-- present. Then--past. Evolution, but it’s always tethered. One cannot evolve without a starting part.

“Eddie said the same thing,” Valeria returns. “1983-1986?” Valeria tacks on in question.

Robin nods. “Oh, that’s the stretch. You are correct. Absolutely bonkers of a time. I met Steve in ‘84 working in an ice cream shop. The rest is sort of history now. It’s not necessarily jumbled but it’s a lot there.”

Robin’s gaze is unsettled. Like the years are playing in front of her eyes. Valeria’s firms her grip to Robin’s forearm. It seems to bring her back and she shakes her head. Valeria wonders what memories are replaying. How did ice cream turn into a witch hunt for Eddie? But perhaps, there will always be holes for Valeria. She won’t be here forever.

“Madness,” Robin echoes. “Sorry, sorry. Anyways. Thanks so much for dropping off the candy. My kiddos and I are forever indebted to you.”

Valeria only laughs, patting Robin’s hand. She placed it at some point on Valeria’s hands. How Valeria didn’t notice it before, but Robin’s hands are warm. Like she might keep warmers in her pockets so she’s never startling the children she works with. “Tell them it is an honor to drop off candy for their recovery.”

Robin salutes Valeria. “Aye, captain.”

Tagging @munsonology @avidreader73 @2clones-1kamino