#van halen fic

[hawkinself]

I’ll Wait, Just Like Always

Eddie Van Halen x Valerie Bertinelli

Chapter Eight: I’ll Wait, Just Like Always

The band had gathered in the small, dimly lit lounge of a hotel, the kind of room that reeked of stale smoke and overuse. The tour had been relentless, and this was one of the rare moments where everyone could just sit and unwind. Alex was sprawled on the couch with a beer in hand, Michael perched on the armrest beside him, and Dave paced the room, full of restless energy as always.

I sat next to Eddie, our knees touching as we leaned into each other. There was a tension in the air, though no one seemed to notice it yet—except maybe Alex, who glanced at Eddie every so often like he could sense something was coming.

“Okay, so,” Eddie said suddenly, his voice cutting through the low hum of conversation. He shifted in his seat, glancing at me before looking at the guys. “We’ve got some news.”

Alex raised an eyebrow, tilting his beer toward Eddie. “What’s going on, man?”

Eddie took a deep breath, his hand tightening around mine. “Val and I are getting married.”

The words landed like a bomb.

Michael blinked, his mouth opening and closing like he wasn’t sure what to say. Alex sat up straighter, his beer paused mid-air, while Dave froze mid-pace, his head snapping toward Eddie.

“Wait, what?” Alex asked, his voice full of surprise but not unkind. “You’re serious?”

Eddie nodded, his smile small but resolute. “Yeah. We’re serious. We’re getting married in a few months.”

“That’s… wow,” Michael said, finally finding his voice. “Congratulations, I guess? I mean, that’s awesome, Ed.”

Alex leaned back, shaking his head but grinning. “Man, I didn’t see that coming. But hey, if anyone could pull something like this off, it’s you two.”

Dave, on the other hand, looked like he’d just been slapped. “Are you out of your goddamn mind?” he exploded, throwing his hands in the air.

Eddie stiffened beside me, his jaw tightening. “What’s your problem, Dave?”

“My problem?” Dave said, his voice rising. “My problem is that you’re about to tank everything we’ve built because you want to play house! Do you have any idea what this’ll do to our image? To the band? We’re supposed to be wild and free, man! Not tied down with rings and vows and—Jesus, Ed!”

“Dave,” Alex said, his tone warning, but Eddie didn’t let him finish.

“I’m not asking for your permission,” Eddie said sharply, his voice steady but filled with heat. “This isn’t about the band. It’s about me and Val. And if you can’t be happy for us, then that’s your problem.”

Dave let out a bitter laugh, pacing again. “Unbelievable,” he muttered. “Absolutely fucking unbelievable.”

After the announcement and the chaos that followed, Alex found Eddie later that night, sitting alone in the hotel bar.

“You good?” Alex asked, sliding onto the stool beside him.

Eddie glanced at him, his expression softening. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “I’m good.”

Alex nodded, taking a sip of his drink. “Look, I know this is fast. Like, crazy fast. But… I can see it. The way you look at her, man. It’s different. And if you’re sure about this, then I’m with you.”

Eddie smiled, relief washing over his face. “Thanks, Al. That means a lot.”

“Just don’t screw it up,” Alex said with a smirk. “And maybe let her handle the wedding planning. You’re terrible at that kind of stuff.”

Meanwhile, Dave cornered Eddie in the hallway, his frustration boiling over.

“You really think this is a good idea?” Dave demanded.

“I don’t care what you think,” Eddie shot back, his patience wearing thin.

“You’re throwing it all away, man,” Dave said, his voice low and biting. “For what? Some girl? You think this is going to last?”

Eddie’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t rise to the bait. “This isn’t about you, Dave. This is my life. My choice. And if you can’t deal with it, then stay the hell out of it.”

Later, in the quiet of our hotel room, Eddie’s defenses dropped. He sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair as he let out a long breath.

“That went about as well as I expected,” he said, glancing at me with a wry smile.

I sat beside him, resting my hand on his. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” I said softly. “But we’ll prove them wrong.”

He turned to me, his eyes searching mine. “You’re not scared?”

“Terrified,” I admitted with a small laugh. “But I love you, Eddie. And that’s all that matters.”

He smiled, leaning in to press a soft kiss to my lips. “I love you too,” he murmured. “And I’m not letting anything—or anyone—get in the way of that.”

For a moment, the chaos of the night melted away, leaving only the two of us. Young, foolish, and madly in love.

* * *

The house was quiet, almost too quiet. I was sitting at the dining table, a stack of bridal magazines spread out in front of me, along with a notebook filled with scribbled ideas and half-formed plans. I’d spent the better part of the afternoon trying to figure out seating arrangements and color schemes, but every time I thought I’d made progress, I’d stop and wonder if Eddie would even care.

He’d been at the studio all day, and I could already tell how this evening would go. He’d come home, tired and irritable, his mood darkened by whatever drama Dave had stirred up that day. The wedding wasn’t even a blip on his radar, and it felt like I was planning this entire thing alone.

The sound of the front door opening broke the silence, and I glanced up to see Eddie stepping inside, his shoulders slumped and his eyes heavy. He had a six-pack of beer in one hand and his guitar case slung over his shoulder.

“Hey,” I said, trying to keep my tone light. “How was the studio?”

He grunted in response, dropping the guitar case by the door and heading straight for the kitchen.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself as I followed him. “Eddie, can we talk about the wedding for a minute?”

He popped open a beer, taking a long swig before turning to face me. “What about it?”

“Well, we still need to pick a venue,” I said, holding up my notebook. “And flowers, and catering, and… basically everything.”

He sighed, leaning back against the counter. “Just pick whatever you want, Val. I trust you.”

“That’s not the point,” I said, my frustration bubbling to the surface. “This is our wedding, Eddie. You should care about this stuff too.”

“I do care,” he said, his tone defensive. “But I’ve got a lot on my plate right now, Val. The album, the band… Dave’s being a pain in the ass, and I can’t deal with all of this at once.”

I crossed my arms, my voice sharper now. “So what? The wedding just gets pushed to the bottom of the list? You’re the one who agreed to do this, Eddie. You’re the one who announced it before we even had a plan.”

He frowned, setting the beer down on the counter. “I didn’t think it was going to be this complicated. I thought you’d enjoy this stuff.”

“Enjoy it?” I laughed bitterly, shaking my head. “How am I supposed to enjoy it when you won’t even try? I feel like I’m doing this all by myself.”

His jaw tightened, and he ran a hand through his hair. “I’m trying, okay? I’m just… I don’t have time to think about flowers and tablecloths right now. I’m barely holding everything else together as it is.”

“Well, maybe if you’d stop drinking and actually focus on what’s important, you wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed,” I snapped, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them.

Eddie’s eyes flashed, his voice rising. “You think this is about the beer? You think I’m drinking because I don’t care? I’m drinking because I’m trying to keep my head above water, Val! Do you have any idea how much pressure I’m under?”

“And what about me?” I shot back, my voice trembling. “Do you think this is easy for me? I’m working crazy hours too, and on top of that, I’m trying to plan a wedding that you don’t even seem to want anymore!”

“I never said I didn’t want it,” he said, his tone softening just slightly.

“Then act like it,” I said, my voice breaking. “Act like this matters to you. Act like I matter to you.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke, the tension hanging heavy in the air. Eddie looked down at the counter, his fingers drumming against the surface. When he finally looked up, his expression was pained, his voice quieter.

“You do matter to me, Val,” he said. “You’re the only thing that matters.”

“Then show me,” I said softly, my arms still crossed but my tone less sharp. “I can’t do this alone, Eddie. I need you to be in this with me.”

He nodded slowly, running a hand through his hair again. “You’re right. I’ve been… distracted. I’m sorry.”

I sighed, my anger fading into exhaustion. “I know you’re under a lot of stress. I get it. But this is supposed to be the happiest time of our lives, and it feels like we’re falling apart before we’ve even started.”

He stepped closer, his hands reaching for mine. “We’re not falling apart,” he said, his voice steady. “I promise. I just need to figure out how to balance everything. I’ll try, Val. I’ll do better.”

I searched his eyes, looking for the sincerity I desperately wanted to believe in. Finally, I nodded, squeezing his hands. “Okay. But I need you to mean it, Eddie.”

“I do,” he said, his voice firm.

Later that night, as we lay in bed, the tension between us had eased slightly but hadn’t fully disappeared. Eddie reached over, his hand finding mine under the covers.

“We’ll get through this,” he said quietly, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “I love you, Val.”

“I love you too,” I said softly, resting my head on his shoulder.

For a moment, the chaos of our lives felt distant, replaced by the quiet comfort of being together. But in the back of my mind, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the cracks were still there, waiting for the pressure to push them wider.

* * *

The morning started as all good wedding mornings should: with absolute chaos. My suite was a blur of hairspray, makeup brushes, and the chatter of my bridesmaids and brothers, who were simultaneously trying to calm my nerves and argue over who got to give the first toast.

“Val, are you sure about this?” one of my brothers teased, holding up a picture of Eddie from a magazine, his guitar slung low and a mischievous grin plastered on his face.

“Shut up,” I said, laughing as I swatted the photo away. “He’s better looking in person.”

“Better be,” he quipped, dodging the hairspray that my stylist was wielding like a weapon.

Meanwhile, my mom was running around making sure every detail was perfect. She paused just long enough to place a soft hand on my shoulder, her eyes misty. “You look beautiful,” she whispered.

“Thanks, Mom,” I said, my throat tightening as I hugged her.

Eddie and I had stayed in separate suites the night before, as tradition dictated, but that didn’t stop him from sending me a late-night call that had ended in both of us laughing uncontrollably about how ridiculous this all was.

“Did you finish your vows?” I’d asked, clutching the phone to my ear.

“Yeah, after Alex stole half my coke,” Eddie had joked. “I think they’re good. Probably.”

I’d laughed, lying back on the bed. “I just hope I don’t cry while I read mine.”

“Val,” he’d said, his voice softening. “If you cry, it just means you mean it.”

This morning, though, reality had hit fast and hard. My brothers were arguing about who got to escort me down the aisle, the stylist was late, and I spilled coffee on my robe within the first ten minutes of getting up.

Meanwhile, Alex had called me to say that Eddie was “in full-on freakout mode,” which, in Alex-speak, meant he was likely pacing the room with his guitar, trying to calm his nerves.

Across the hall, Eddie was having his own version of chaos.

Alex had taken it upon himself to keep Eddie calm, which mostly involved distracting him with jokes and making sure he didn’t drink too much before the ceremony.

“Dude, relax,” Alex said, pulling Eddie’s tuxedo jacket straight. “You’re marrying the girl of your dreams. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Eddie shot him a look. “You saying that is the worst that could happen.”

Alex laughed, handing him a glass of water. “Trust me, you’ve got this. Just don’t puke on her shoes.”

“I’m not going to puke,” Eddie muttered, though his pale face suggested otherwise.

As guests began arriving, the cracks in our careful planning started to show. One of the groomsmen lost a cufflink, Dave misplaced the wedding rings (only for Alex to find them in Dave’s pocket), and the flower girl decided she didn’t want to walk down the aisle after all.

Eddie and I didn’t see each other during this time, but word of the drama filtered back to me in snippets from Alex and my brothers.

“Don’t worry,” one of them said, peeking into my suite. “Eddie’s alive and sober. For now.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help smiling. “Thanks for the update.”

By the time the ceremony was about to start, I was dressed and ready, my hair perfectly styled, my dress hugging me in all the right places. I felt like a princess. But Eddie? Well, Eddie had other plans.

As I waited in the small anteroom before walking down the aisle, Alex came rushing in, his face flushed.

“Uh, so, don’t panic,” he said, his voice breathless.

“Don’t panic?” I repeated, narrowing my eyes. “What’s going on?”

“Eddie’s puking in the bathroom,” Alex admitted, scratching the back of his head. “Something about nerves and tequila. Maybe the shrimp from last night. Probably all three.”

I groaned, clutching my bouquet tighter. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Relax,” Alex said quickly. “He’s fine. I’ll drag him out if I have to.”

And true to his word, a slightly pale but smiling Eddie appeared moments later, his hair still damp from splashing water on his face.

“Sorry,” he murmured as he took my hands. “I just… wanted to make sure I didn’t puke on you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, my nerves easing just a little. “You better pull it together, Van Halen. We’ve got a wedding to get to.”

The ceremony itself was a whirlwind of emotion. As I walked down the aisle, my brothers flanking me on either side, Eddie’s eyes never left mine. His expression was soft, almost reverent, and for a moment, it was just the two of us in the room.

Despite the chaos, the ceremony itself was perfect in its own imperfect way.

When I reached the altar, Eddie’s eyes locked on mine, and the nervous tension in his face melted into a look of pure adoration.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered as I took his hand.

“So are you,” I whispered back, making him laugh softly.

“You’ve changed my life,” he said, his voice quiet but steady. “And I can’t wait to spend the rest of it with you.”

When it came time for the vows, Eddie’s voice was steady, though I could see the faint tremble in his hands as he held the paper he’d scribbled on the night before.

“Val,” he began, his voice quiet but sure, “I’ve never been good with words, but you make me want to try. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I promise to love you, to fight for you, and to stand by you no matter what.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room by the time he finished, including mine.

The reception kicked off with a bang—literally, as Dave managed to knock over a tray of champagne glasses while trying to make his grand entrance.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced, raising his arms dramatically, “let’s hear it for the bride and groom! The bravest people I know, because marriage is insane!”

The crowd roared with laughter as Eddie groaned, burying his face in his hands.

“I told you he’d pull something like this,” Alex muttered to me as he passed by, grinning.

Later, Eddie’s dad took the stage, playing a soulful jazz tune on the piano that brought the entire room to a hush. Eddie joined him with his guitar, the two of them improvising a duet that made my heart swell.

“They’re amazing,” my mom said, leaning over to me.

“I know,” I said, my voice thick with emotion.

The reception was a celebration in every sense of the word. Alex gave a heartfelt toast, recounting how he’d never seen Eddie so happy and how he knew we were meant to be from the start.

“Val,” Alex said, raising his glass, “thank you for putting up with my brother. You’re a saint. And Eddie, don’t screw this up. Seriously.”

Dave, on the other hand, kept things lively. He made a point to take over the dance floor, spinning my mom in circles to Dance the Night Away and stealing the mic to belt out a slightly off-key rendition of You Really Got Me.

“I think your family’s adopted me,” I joked to Eddie as we watched from the sidelines.

“They’d be stupid not to,” he said, leaning down to kiss my forehead.

Our first dance started out traditionally, swaying to a slow, romantic tune. But halfway through, Eddie surprised me by signaling to the band, who launched into a high-energy rock song that had everyone cheering.

“You couldn’t resist, could you?” I said, laughing as Eddie spun me around.

“Not a chance,” he replied, grinning as he dipped me dramatically.

At one point, I caught Alex sneaking a piece of cake before the cutting ceremony, shoving it into his mouth with zero shame.

“Really?” I said, crossing my arms as I approached him.

“It’s good,” he mumbled through a mouthful of frosting.

Later, Eddie was spotted teaching one of the younger cousins how to play air guitar, crouching low and making exaggerated faces that had the kid giggling uncontrollably.

“Isn’t he supposed to be the groom?” someone joked.

“He’s always a guitarist first,” Alex quipped.

As the night wound down, the exhaustion—and the alcohol—caught up to both of us. I vaguely remembered collapsing onto the bed in my wedding dress, the layers of tulle and lace crumpling beneath me as I closed my eyes.

Eddie, true to form, didn’t even make it to the bed. He passed out in the bathroom, still in his tuxedo, with an empty bottle of champagne beside him.

When I woke up the next morning, groggy but happy, I found him leaning against the doorway, his hair a mess and his tie hanging loose around his neck.

“We did it,” he said, his voice raspy but full of warmth.

“Barely,” I teased, sitting up.

He walked over, sitting beside me on the bed. “You’re my wife now,” he said, his voice quieter.

“And you’re my husband,” I replied, smiling.

“Think we’ll survive this?” he asked, his tone half-joking, half-serious.

I reached for his hand, lacing my fingers through his. “I think we’ve got a shot.”

And for that moment, amidst the chaos and madness of the day, it felt like we truly did.

[steph-fangirl]

Picture this: Steve taking Mike to the 5150 Tour in May 1986 because no one else will go with him (Eddie's still in his slow recovering process and Karen only trusts Steve to bring Mike back in one piece anyway), watching the concert and realizing exactly three things:

1. Eddie stole...everything from Van Halen, his style, his hair, his instrument, his goddamn name, even.

2. Eddie Van Halen's kind of hot.

3. Eddie Munson is kind of hot.

[cptkitten]

Van Halen - Hot For Teacher

[ashwhowrites]

Oooh, look who opened their requests! Fitting! Would you want to do an Fboy! Eddie with a reader that gives him both a taste of his own medicine but also a wake up call?

Awesome, so FboyEddie! I just have read so many fics where the reader sleeps with him and gets hurt when he says it's just sex and she ends up giving him a dose of his own medicine by sleeping with a bunch of other guys and I'm like ... why?! Why do you have to sleep with a bunch of other guys just to get back at him, I firmly think that just shrugging and going on your life would hurt WAY more. So of course reader gets hurt when Eddie says he doesn't 'do' relationships but is like "life is short, why cry over spilled (spoiled) milk". And maybe Billy Hargrove helps her, because even though she doesn't want to sleep with him he always likes to piss other guys off and he's just 'you won't risk hurting ME while you get back at that wannabe Van Halen". And when Eddie is pissed and is like "how can you be with Hargrove, he doesn't care about you, he just wants to get into your pants" and reader is like "oh, unlike you, you mean?" and that is an 'aha' moment to Eddie. Sweet and fluffy ending if possible

~~~

I hope this is what you wanted and you enjoy it! As always, thank you for requesting <3

A taste of medicine

Y/N and Eddie didn't cross paths too much. They had their own group of friends and hobbies. The only time they found themselves in the same place was at school or a party.

Y/N always had a thing for Eddie. She liked his mysterious and rebellious nature. She was attracted to him and she had no problem admitting that to him. He had the hots for her as well, the second she admitted she liked him he grabbed her hand and brought her to his van.

They were desperate, the kiss was hot, heavy, and messy. She clawed at his skin and his mouth attacked every inch of her. The windows fogged around them as Eddie pounded inside of her. Their moans bounced off the van and left no questions for the people outside.

The windows, noises, and the van rocking gave them the exact answer of what they were doing. But it wasn't uncommon for Eddie's van to be fogged up and rocking when he was at a party. It was almost a weekly occurrence. He liked to party and fuck. Everyone knew that about Eddie, especially the girls.

Anytime they wanted a sloppy, meaningless, and quick fuck, they'd go to him. He was damn good too, some girls came back more than once. But as always, he said it would never be more than sex.

"Look, I don't know where your head is, but I don't do relationships," Eddie said, pulling on his shirt.

"Oh," Y/N said she felt a small twig of hurt. The few times they've crossed paths, they got along and talked. Which he didn't do with girls. She was the only girl he talked to outside of sex. She thought she was different and maybe just a tad bit special. But she wasn't.

"Well, that's alright! Have a good night, Munson." She said, her voice chirpy and unbothered as she crawled out of his van.

Eddie didn't have a reaction when she slammed the doors shut.

~~~

The few times they passed each other, she gave him a small smile and kept on walking. She never came up to talk to him, not that she did before. But he guessed maybe she'd cling on to him the same way the rest of the girls did.

When they ran into each other at the next party, he was confused by her unbothered behavior. She talked to him the same way as before. She was friendly, smiling, and acting like nothing happened between them.

Even when a girl interrupted them, and was whispering in Eddie's ear, there was no sense of jealousy in Y/N's eyes.

The girl even went as far as to kiss Eddie in front of Y/N and all she did was smirk and walk off. A smirk that said, "Have a nice time."

Why wasn't she bothered?

~~~

Y/N left Eddie with his new girl of the night. The girl seemed to want Eddie's attention and Y/N didn't need to stand in the middle of that.

"I see you didn't fall for his spell." A voice said next to her. She looked over her shoulder to see Billy Hargrove behind her

"Life is short, nothing to dwell on." Y/N shrugged, she filled a red cup with a drink. Then she poured one for Billy and handed it to him.

"Do you know what might be fun?" Billy asked, his blue eyes snapping to Eddie and then back to her. She raised her eyebrows and turned her body to face him.

"Let's get back at him. It's time he realized not everyone is going to cry and beg for him back." Billy explained.

"One, I'm not sleeping with you just to get back at him. I don't sleep with random guys for any reason unless I want to have fun. And second, I'm not crying nor going to beg for him back. Involving you doesn't matter to me." She explained she wasn't a child. She wasn't going to get back at Eddie by sleeping around. She'd be doing exactly what he does. Plus she didn't think he'd care.

"Okay, fine. All fair points. We don't have to sleep together. Look, I need to make a girl jealous and you're hot. No feelings involved on either side, let me wine and dine you a few times. You get free food, might make wannabe Van Halen jealous, and you help me get the girl." Billy shrugged.

It didn't sound like a bad idea. She didn't care to make Eddie jealous. Billy was attractive and why say no to a few dates just to have fun? She liked dating and she liked getting spoiled. Billy wasn't expecting anything from it and neither was she.

"You got yourself a deal Hargrove."

~~~

Eddie found himself confused. He slept with Y/N, something he's been dying to do. And he craved her again. He waited and waited to see if she'd crawl back, like the other girls do. But she didn't. At the past few parties, she was always talking with Billy Hargrove and that didn't sit well with Eddie. He felt his insides burn when Billy had his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

How could she be so stupid? A guy like Billy Hargrove would never bother with a girl unless he was trying to get in her pants. Why would Y/N let herself be used like that?

And why did Eddie care so much?

For once, Eddie went after a girl. He ditched every girl that walked up to him that night. His fingers itching to run up under Y/N's dress. His mouth watered as he thought about her cunt on his tongue. He wanted her and he wanted her now.

He walked right up to her, she was standing alone for a second. Eddie took the chance.

"I've been thinking about you." He whispered in her ear, his arms wrapping around her as he stood behind her. He didn't waste a second, his hand slipping up her thigh. He could feel the goosebumps on her skin and the way she shuffled.

"Oh yeah? About what?" She edged on. If Eddie wanted just sex, she could do that.

"Your cunt clenching around my big cock. Your nails scratching down my chest as you ride me. Tits bouncing in my face as you swirl your hips. Riding me until you cum, using me until you're satisfied. Cum dripping out of you as you walk back into the party." His words went straight to her cunt. She took his hand and headed for his van.

~~~

Eddie panted as the sweat dripped down his forehead. His eyes half open as she crawled off his lap. Her skin glistened in sweat as she clipped back on her bra.

"Was that good?" He asked a hint of insecurity in his tone. She didn't ask him to fuck, he had to ask her. He had to make sure this time she felt him for hours, forcing her to think about him.

She looked at him a little confused and slightly laughed. "Yeah, it was good, Munson." She continued to get dressed and Eddie lay there naked.

He felt a little relief but also conflicted that she laughed.

"See you inside!" She said as she jumped out of the van. The doors slammed in his face yet again.

This time he wasn't going to let it go. He threw on his boxers and jeans. He didn't bother with his shirt, just throwing on his jacket. He marched back inside after her.

There she was, back with Billy like they didn't fuck each other's brains out in his van.

He walked up to them, yanking her away from Billy's grasp.

"Woah, Munson. Chill out. Don't hurt the pretty girl." Billy teased. He could practically see the steam coming out of Eddie's ears.

"Shut it." Eddie snapped, then he looked back at Y/N.

"What are you doing with him?" Eddie asked

"Um? Hanging out?" Y/N said she was confused. And she was confused as to why Eddie cared.

"Hanging out with Hargrove? Oh come on, he only wants to get in your pants! He doesn't care about you."

Y/N scoffed and shook her head. "Oh, unlike you, you mean? From what I can remember, after we hooked up you pretty much said sex was all it was"

He guess he never realized that. He was the one being stupid. He was the one who sounded like an idiot. He marched up planning to make her open her eyes, but her eyes were open.

Y/N rolled her eyes at his silence and marched off.

"Smooth, Munson." Billy teased, his hand slamming down on Eddie's shoulder. "I'll let you in on a little secret. She likes you way more than she thinks. You've got a chance, but the more you carry on with this fuck boy act, it gets smaller and smaller."

~~~

The hard part of always telling girls it was just sex, was not knowing a thing about them. Eddie had no idea where Y/N lived, worked, or a way to see her. He didn't have a number to call and he was embarrassed to ask around.

So he had to wait for Monday to arrive before he could apologize. He figured at least the extra time would give her time to calm down and give him time to figure out what he would say. But he still had no clue.

Eddie looked around every hallway he could, he even arrived at school early to find her. To his surprise, he found her. And not to his surprise she rolled her eyes when she saw him.

"Before you walk away!" He raced after her, his hand on her elbow.

"I want to apologize for my comment about Billy. I was the one who shut anything down and I have no right to speak on what you do. " Eddie started, his apology caused her to stay. Her head to the side as she nudged him on.

"I guess I never liked a girl enough to think past sex, and that's a dick move on my part. I was intrigued by you and I thought if we had sex, it would go away. And it didn't. I wanted you again and again. At first, I thought it was for sex. But the two times you shrugged me off, it hurt. And Billy helped me realize, if I was hurt, I can't imagine how hurt you could have felt. I don't want you to feel used. You are worth way more than that."

"Eddie, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm sorry and I want more than sex with you." Eddie said, plain and short. Right to his point.

"So now that it's you that wants it, you should just get it?" She asked

"No! I know that you have every right to never see me again. But I was hoping that the part that likes me or used to like me, might still be there and want to give me a second chance?" He asked, he never felt so nervous in front of a girl before. And he felt so seen and vulnerable.

"Look, I was fine with it being just sex, but I do like you. Yeah, it hurt a little bit that you wanted nothing more, but I wasn't surprised. And I wasn't going to crawl into a ball and cry about it. At the end of the day you are just a boy," she said, Eddie felt like this wasn't going in the direction he wanted. "But, maybe after a few dates, you'll be more than just a boy. " A small smile on her face.

"Okay now what are you saying?" Eddie asked.

"Cut off the girls, don't sleep with anyone else, take me on some dates, and after that, we'll see." She said, her head up high as she walked past him. Her shoulder brushed his.

She felt proud and she walked like she owned him, because in a way she did. No one ever had Eddie Munson on a leash but she was ready to drag him all around.

Tags!

@bmunson86 @mxcheese @ladymunson @michaelfuckinglangdon @z0mbie-blah @biittersweet @mirrorsstuff @somethingvicked @micheledawn1975 @ago-godance @magnificantmermaid @tlclick73 @hargrovesswifee @cityofidek @manyfandomsfanvergentreblogs @silky-luxe @lokiofasgard616 @loving-and-dreaming @eddiemunsonsbitch69 @thegemaqua @ashlynnkennedy @strangerthingsstories5255 @harringt8ns @pleasinghellfire @whoscamila @stusdollface93 @gretavankleep37

[utilitycaster]

why brown m&ms though?

Famous story about Van Halen's contract riders (discussed here): in short, they had a fairly intense stage show setup and were one of the first bands to take it on the road even to smaller venues, and they didn't want to short out the electricity or start a fire or crash through the stage because it couldn't handle the weight of something. So to confirm it was safe, in the middle of a bunch of necessary technical specifications, they also requested that they be provided with m&ms, but with all of the brown m&ms removed. It was a test: if the venue gave them m&ms and the brown ones weren't removed, it means that they had reason to suspect the venue's attention to detail and compliance with the technical specifications like "can the electric grid handle our lighting rigs without blowing up," or "will the floor collapse."

Basically it's a not-uncommon idiom, in the US at least, that means something similar to litmus test but specifically a small and unimportant thing used to indicate a larger problem, with a connotation of attention to detail. So if someone misspells a major character's name, that's not in and of itself a reason why fic or meta will be bad...except often, said fic or meta is, in fact, really bad, because that lack of attention to a smaller and less important detail was a sign of larger inattention.

[lagunned]

PATIENCE

pairing. izzy stradlin x original female character

synopsis. lethality: one of the most popular rising bands to come out of the sunset strip since the great days of early mötley crüe and van halen. but get this—a woman is the leader! lethality frontwoman, singer-songwriter jackie riot, guitarist-songwriter sean carnegie, and drummer dennis knight are on the brink of international superstardom. with a fresh deal from elektra records and a coveted spot opening for guns n’ fuckin’ roses on the appetite for destruction tour, their dreams are finally becoming reality.

but the road to fame is a long, dangerous one. jackie is already struggling to balance her ambition with the tensions in lethality—especially with sean, her boyfriend and bandmate. then there’s guns n’ roses’ rhythm guitarist izzy stradlin—mysterious, magnetic, and drowning in excess. jackie knows getting close to him is reckless, idiotic, unfathomable even, but on the road, temptation is everywhere.

while sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll crash together, jackie must decide what she’s willing to risk—for love, for music, and for a place in musical history. will jackie and izzy get their happily ever after they desperately yearn after?

status. on-going

tags. female original character, a lot of cussing (gnr-typical), religious trauma, mentions of physical and mental health issues, depictions of childhood trauma, unhealthy romantic relationship(s), period typical homophobia, period typical misogyny, mentions of AIDS crisis, drug & alcohol abuse (seriously, it’s a gnr fic), slow burn, NSFW themes (eventual smut? who knows.. only i do ;)) mentions of eating disorders, lastly, again, its a fucking guns n roses fanfic, please be aware of the triggers that come along with that group.

links. AO3, wattpad.

𖤐ᝰ.ᐟ prologue on AO3 and wattpad

𖤐ᝰ.ᐟ chapter one: welcome to the jungle on AO3 and wattpad

[iridescentprose]

your dangerously stupid little idiot - steve harrington x sinclair!reader insert

author's note: a long overdue steve fic that's been sitting in the drafts. i miss steve.

divider by: @bunnysrph

summary; you're in a secret relationship with steve - fluff; no warnings

The sound of laughter and the consistent thud of footsteps coming up the stairs made you groan. Although you'd much rather stick to your hermit agenda, you promised your parents you would keep the door to your room open, ensuring that your younger siblings and their friends didn't burn down the house without you knowing about it.

Hunched at your desk, you were busy with your nose in a book until a sudden incessant taping at your doorway got a little too annoying for comfort.

"Nice Van Halen poster."

"That's Bauhaus, idiot," you said, while your heart began to drum in your ears. You kept your back turned to him, eyes trained on the same sentence you had been reading ever since you heard Harrington's voice from downstairs. "What are you doing here, anyway? I don't remember Lucas inviting you over."

You heard him shuffle across your room —over to the poster with four Caucasian men clad in grey suits and dark sunglasses. You heard your bed creak, followed by an exaggerated sigh. You looked over your shoulder.

"Steve—"

"How come you don't have a picture of me on your wall?" He's lying in the center of your bed, legs hanging off the edge while his eyes are fixated on the Bauhaus poster above your headboard.

You sighed and shut your book before swiveling to face your boyfriend. "Because I'm not a psychopath...and last I checked, you can't carry a tune to save your life, Harrington." Abandoning your book, your walked over and grabbed his wrist, initiating a game of tug of war with a weak start.

Steve chuckled as he sat up, his body flopping forward like a limp noodle as he gave into your lack of strength. "Hey, hey. What's the rush? We're not going to get caught. Your parents aren't here."

"Yeah, but Erica and Lucas are. We'll be over before we've even started—"

You shook your head, a hot flash rising to your cheeks as the word 'dating' got stuck in your throat.

The word made you cringe. It made feel you like were in one of those lovesick romance movies whenever you said it. An unfamiliar queasiness rose in your stomach as Steve rose an eyebrow.

Crap.

You had been caught.

"What was that?" Steve stood up straight, towering over you, his features laced with an alert sense of curiosity. He had stepped forward now, nearly trapping you between him and the wall. You still had a hold on his wrist. "I didn't hear that last part, Sinclair. 'We'll be over before we've even started...?'"

You rolled your eyes. "Cut the crap, Harrington. You know what this is," you hissed under your breath, eyes darting to the open door that could expose your secret any minute.

"Yeah, but I don't think I've ever heard you say it out loud before," he said with an amused grin on his lips. A tendril of his hair loomed over the center of his forehead. You resisted the urge to brush it back into place. Now wasn't the right time for that.

Now wasn't the right time for whatever this was.

"If you don't get out of my room, you're not going to live to hear me say it."

With a small grunt, you pulled him by the wrist, guiding him to the threshold of your door. He's stumbling behind you, stifling a laugh and purposefully dragging his feet until they reach the creaky floorboards of the hallway. You then maneuver around him, taking your place in front of your door as you wait for your boyfriend to retreat back down the stairs.

But as smooth as a criminal, Steve turns around, arms braced against the doorway, feet locked into place. He has no intentions of moving until he gets what he wants.

"Harrington," you whisper, lowering your voice as you both were now in closer proximity to the stairs and Erica's room down the hall.

"Sinclair."

Seconds of silent staring pass before you sigh in defeat.

"You're an idiot, you know that?"

"But, I'm your idiot," Steve says, his face lingering close to yours. He's wearing a contagious smile that has somehow slid across the thin space between you and jumped on your face. "Now, are you going to repeat what you said earlier or am I going to have the privilege of properly introducing myself to my future in-laws?"

Crossing your arms, you lifted your chin and narrowed your eyes. He always found a way to have the upper hand, even if it made him look dangerously stupid. But as dangerously stupid as the thought of Steve introducing himself as your boyfriend to your parents and siblings was, you couldn't stop your lips from twitching upwards.

"I said," you started, your voice getting lower which each word, "If my brother or sister finds out that you're in my room, we'll be over before we've even started dating for a month."

You swallowed your embarrassment, your eyes falling to your shoes as the word tumbled out of your mouth. Steve had asked you officially to be his girlfriend only two weeks ago and you still couldn't admit out loud that you were dating him. Let alone in secret.

Having Lucas and Erica find out before your parents would be an never ending nightmare. Your parents had forbade you from dating until you had finished school. Thankfully, you only had a few more months and then —and only then—did you plan on making your relationship with Steve known to your parents.

"See?" Steve said, tilting your chin upwards. "Was that so hard?"

But before you could say 'yes' with gritted teeth, Steve had pecked your lips, leaving you speechless.

"I'll see at Family Video on Friday?" He whispered, already backing away from you as laughter came from the room right down the hall.

"Uh, yeah," you said, trying to keep your head straight. "Family Video. Friday," you confirmed long after he had vanished down the steps.

You leaned against your doorway, massaging your temples as you fought the smile on your lips.

"That boy is going to be the death of me," you mumbled to yourself before retreating back into your room and rereading the same sentence of your book all over again.

[mrprettywhenhecries]

✦ Name ✦ Winrey "Win" Jane Lewis

✦ Face claim ✦ Kailee Morgue

✦ Age ✦ 18 (in 1984)

✦ Birthdate ✦ 10/01/1967

✦ Zodiac Sign ✦ Libra

✦ Orientation ✦ Bisexual & Polyamourous

✦ Love interest(s) ✦ Billy Hargrove & Steve Harrington

[Read her story: I Don't Think You Notice • tumblr | ao3 ] Note: I'm going to be rewriting/changing parts of this fic soon, since just as I had started writing the third part the Steve thirst hit hard and I decided I wanted to change it from just a Billy/oc fic to Billy/oc/Steve fic. Look for the updated first chapter soon!

✦ Friends ✦ Tina, Carol, Vicky (ex friends), Heather Halloway, Max Mayfield, Robin Buckley, Dustin Henderson, Eddie Munson

✦ Occupation ✦ high school senior, works part time at Sam Goody when Starcourt opens, after the mall closes she gets a receptionist job at the mechanic shop Billy also works at.

✦ Physical Appearance ✦ 5’1", 110lbs, petite, grey eyes, bleached blonde hair in a short bob with bangs and darker roots, pierced lip (right side), small stick & poke tattooed star on left temple

✦ Likes ✦ horror films, sleeping in, mint chocolate chip ice cream & chocolate cake, muscle cars (especially her dad's 69' Chevelle COPO 427), swimming, loud music, collecting chintz, stargazing, big time wrestling/wwf

✦ Dislikes ✦ bugs, fake friends, small towns, being lied to, being underestimated, algebra, spiders/bugs, spicy food, pineapple on pizza, the anniversary of her mom's death

✦ Vices ✦ smoking, weed, whiskey, driving too fast, public/semi-public sex, partying, not wearing pants when home alone

✦ Personality ✦ loyal, determined, street smart, witty, flirtatious, stealthy, moody, aloof, quick to shut people out, stubborn, holds grudges, jealous

✦ Favorite Bands ✦ Blondie, Billy Idol, Pat Benatar, Heart, KISS, Tom Waits, Van Halen, Judas Priest, Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath, Bon Jovi

✦ Favorite Movie(s) ✦ Mad Max, Blade Runner, The Lost Boys, Halloween, Better Off Dead

✦ Backstory ✦ Originally from Chicago, Win lost her mother, Ellery, as a teenager, leaving her lost and embittered. Not long after her mother’s passing, unable to process his own grief, her father, David, threw himself into his work, spending long hours away from home and leaving Win unsupervised most of the time. In an attempt to ignore her predicament and fill the void inside her, Win similarly found things to distract herself, mostly vandalism and sex.

At the beginning of her senior year, Win's father was offered a job at Hawkins Lab and he accepted, relocating the two of them to the rural town, hoping the change of scenery would be good for her, and Win was quickly branded as the popular new girl. Though Win couldn't really stand the "friends" she made, she figured it was better than being a loner. Little did she know how much everything would change with the arrival of Billy Hargrove.

[ See her Full Bio Here! 💚✨] [ Alternate Outfits #1 ]

[crossmydna]

Ao3 Wrapped

Tagged by @sam-loves-seb @energievie and @mybrainismelted <3

1. How many words have you written this year?

51,142, not including Galladrabbles or work on WIPs that haven't been published yet, so probably closer to 80k

2. How many works did you publish this year?

6 fics and 4 pieces of artwork

3. What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

Probably The Blackwing Prophecy because it's my most ambitious work so far!

4. What work of yours has the most hits?

For fics only, 7 Minutes in Heaven with 3,369 hits

5. What work of yours got more feedback than you expected?

The Stowaway for sure. I was just expecting to write a silly pirate one-shot and everyone in the comments wanted more lmao

6. Favorite title you used?

Touch/Starved because it reminds me of something that like Hozier or Noah Kahan would use for a title of one of their songs

7. If you use song lyrics, which artist’s songs did you pull from the most?

I normally don't, but in my drawing Somethin' to Keep You Cool I quoted Ice Cream Man by Van Halen (because the original fic did as well hehe)

8. Pairing you wrote the most for this year?

Gallavich <3

9. Favorite pairing you wrote for this year?

Technically Gallavich but the scrubbed characters I re-wrote for The Menagerie, Mal and Rowan, have a special place in my heart <3

10. What work was the quickest to write?

Probably Locking Down the Locksmith

11. What work took you the longest to write?

The Blackwing Prophecy because it involed lots of lore creation and worldbuilding before I even started writing the fic.

Or Gallavich Week 2024 - Nine AUs because I had to fit 4 prompts into each 400 word ficlet and make them coherent.

12. How many WIPs do you have in your docs for next year?

3 so far! The Blackwing Prophecy, that priest!Ian fic that still has eluded me finishing it, and now The Stowaway

13. What’s your longest work of the year?

The Blackwing Prophecy with 20,048 words so far

14. What’s your shortest work of the year?

7 Minutes in Heaven with 2,832 words (not including artwork)

15. What WIP are you taking into next year with you?

Same three as in question #12 (plus maybe a couple more shhh)

16. What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag?

Probably Alternate Universe! That's pretty much all I write lmao

17. Your favorite character to write this year?

I really loved exploring touch starved/touch averse Mickey in Touch/Starved.

18. The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year?

Probably Ian in The Blackwing Prophecy because he's struggling with keeping secrets and that's something he's not very good at (and neither am I)

19. What’s one pairing you want to explore next year?

Always more Gallavich <3

20. Which work of yours have you reread the most?

The Blackwing Prophecy because I need to remember what happened lmao

21. How many kudos in total did you get this year?

2,307 🥰

22. Which work has the most comments?

7 Minutes in Heaven with 38 comment threads

23. Did you do any collaborative works this year?

Nope!

24. Did you write any gifts this year?

I wrote Touch/Starved for @michellemisfit as well as drew art for various people!

25. Did you receive any gifts this year?

Yes! @mybrainismelted wrote Nuts for me because I got a flat tire and wanted someone to make a Gallavich version of the shitshow that it was lmao. And also I commissioned Old Habits and New Revelations from @whatthebodygraspsnot!

26. What’s your most common category?

M/M always

27. What do you listen to while writing?

Honestly either Legend of Zelda speedruns or lawn care videos because I'm a psycho

28. Favorite work you wrote this year?

Probably The Stowaway because I can't stop thinking about it

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

How does he describe feeling like you’re going to explode and implode simultaneously? How does he tell her that he’s been thinking about Ian’s hand on the back of his neck nonstop and aching to feel it again with every fiber of his being? But that the thought of it is so overwhelming that he can’t actually bear it? — from Touch/Starved

Or, the scene in chapter 4 of The Blackwing Prophecy where Ian is deciding to heal Mickey or not.

30. Biggest surprise while writing this year?

Starting 2 new major WIPs and still not finishing the one I've been trying to write for like 2 years now lmao

Tagging @gallawitchxx @deedala @whatthebodygraspsnot @thisdivorce if you want to play!

[roosterforme]

roosterforme's '80s Rocktober Playlist fic challenge

For those about to rock, we salute you!

Let's rock 'n' roll the Top Gun way! Choose an '80s rock song (or pop or country or rap...), and write a fic about one or more of our favorite Top Gun characters! Just make sure the songs are from Rooster's favorite decade, the 1980s!

Or create a banner or mood board! Go with an '80s vibe or a specific song to inspire you and run wild.

Banner credit to @mak-32. Rock on, Mak.

Rules for fics:

Please use the #top gun rocktober hashtag!!!

Once you have your song selected (first come, first served, no duplicates), please send me an ask letting me know which song and character(s) you want to write about. If your song is not listed below, just let me know what you want with your ask and I’ll add it (as long as it fits the decade). If your song has been claimed already, I'll let you know so you can choose another one.

You can use the song in the fic however you would like. Use it as the title, use some lyrics, have the song playing in the background, use it as inspiration, anything you want!

There is no real time limit, but please try to post in September or October.

Please make sure you tag me (or send me a message) when you post your story so I don’t miss it. I can’t wait to read and reblog!

Please reblog and share this with anyone who may want to participate. And reblogging fics is always a treat for writers!

If you’re under 18, do not submit or read smut.

Rules for banners and mood boards:

Please use the #top gun rocktober hashtag!!!

If you want to use a specific song, please send me an ask letting me know which song. If you want to participate with the '80s vibe and no specific song, just send me an ask and let me know you'll be submitting an image or images.

Please make sure you tag me (or send me a message) when you post so I don’t miss it. I can’t wait to reblog!

Please reblog and share this with anyone who may want to participate.

Songs and fics we are rocking out to:

1 @roosterforme What's Your Name by New Order (Bradley)

2 @beyondthesefourwalls Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper (Bradley)

3 @sylviebell Faithfully by Journey (Natasha)

4 @wkndwlff Love Walks In by Van Halen (Bob)

5 @desert-fern Jump by Van Halen (Bradley)

6 @yanna-banana Like a Prayer by Madonna (Jake)

7 @fanboyswhore9 Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer (Mickey)

8 @cherrycola27 Born to Be My Baby by Bon Jovi (Bradley)

9 @trickphotography2 Start Me Up by The Rolling Stones (Bradley)

10 @blue-aconite Every Little Thing She Does is Magic by The Police (Jake)

11 @roosterforme Do You Wanna Touch Me? by Joan Jett (Bradley)

12 @startrekfangirl2233 Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham! (Mickey)

13 @bradshawsbitch Hungry Eyes by Eric Carmen (Bradley)

14 @bellaireland1981 Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon (Bradley)

15 @wkndwlff Lay Your Hands On Me by Bon Jovi (Bob)

16 @beyondthesefourwalls Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield (Javy)

17 @thedroneranger Boys of Summer by Don Henley (Bradley)

18 @cottagecori Dancing With Myself by Generation X (Bob)

19 @sweetwhispersofchaos I Hate Myself For Loving You by Joan Jett (Natasha and Jake)

20 @sometimesanalice Straight Up by Paula Abdul (Bradley)

21 @lovinglyeternal Call Me by Blondie (Jake)

22 @roosterforme Adult Education by Hall & Oates (Jake)

23 @beyondthesefourwalls Your Love by Outfield (Bradley)

24 @mayhemmanaged You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC (Jake)

25 @topherwrites Love Shack by The B-52's (Bradley)

26 @ficsilike-reblogged Take On Me by A-ha (Bob)

27 @cottagecori Rock You Like a Hurricane by Scorpions (Bradley)

28 @jupitercomet Kissing a Fool by George Michael (Bradley)

29 @startrekfangirl2233 Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds (Jake and Bradley)

30 @topherwrites Just Like Heaven by The Cure (Jake)

31 @sweetwhispersofchaos As the World Falls Down by David Bowie (Natasha and Bob)

32 @inmyloveworld Open Arms by Journey (Bradley)

33 @thedroneranger Centerfold by J. Geils Band (Jake)

34 @gretagerwigsmuse Can't Hardly Wait by The Replacements (Bradley)

35 @bellaireland1981 Love is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar (Jake)

36 @blurredcolour Push It by Salt-N-Pepa (Jake and Bradley)

37 @blackwidownat2814 White Wedding by Billy Idol (Jake)

38 @keep-on-burnin The Look by Roxette (Bradley)

39 @cherrycola27 Secret Lovers by Atlantic Starr (Natasha and Javy)

40 @topherwrites Uptown Girl by Billy Joel (Bradley)

41 @jynxmirage If I Could Turn Back Time by Cher (Jake)

42 @notroosterbradshaw Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks (Bradley)

43 @ficsilike-reblogged Hungry for Heaven by Dio (Beau)

44 @callsign-magnolia Who's Crying Now by Journey (Bradley)

45 @trickphotography2 Every Breath You Take by The Police (Bob)

46 @sarahsmi13s Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard (Jake)

47 @roosterforme Cover Girl by New Kids on the Block (Natasha)

48 @bobfloydsbabe Alone by Heart (Jake)

49 @ughthisisntright The Stroke by Billy Squier (Bradley)

50 @wkndwlff Special Secret Song Inside by The Red Hot Chili Peppers (Jake)

51 @sylviebell Thriller by Michael Jackson (Natasha and Javy)

52 @xoxabs88xox Why’d You Come in Here Lookin' Like That by Dolly Parton (Jake)

53 @paigewinchester67 I'm On Fire by Bruce Springsteen (Bradley and Jake)

54 @sarahsmi13s Fishin' In the Dark by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (Bob)

55 @callsign-joyride Need You Tonight by INXS (Bradley)

56 @foreverrandomwritings Paradise City by Guns N' Roses (Beau)

57 @cherrycola27 Whoever's In New England by Reba McEntire (Bob)

58 @1234-angelika The Bluest Eyes in Texas by Restless Heart (Jake)

59 @decantedenchanted Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx (Mav)

60 @the-authoress-writes Black Velvet by Alannah Myles (Jake)

61 @withahappyrefrain Somebody to Love by Queen (Bradley)

62 @valhallaas Hold on Loosely by 38 Special (Javy)

63 @talktomegooseman The Chair by George Strait (Jake)

64 @foreverrandomwritings Master of Puppets by Metallica (Mickey and Bob)

65 @poetrieshouse Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran (Mav)

66 @tongue-like-a-razor Poison by Alice Cooper (Jake)

67 @1234-angelika Real Love by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers (Bradley)

68 @the-authoress-writes The Flame by Cheap Trick (Ice)

69 @hangmanstigerlily Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon (Jake)

70 @samsgoddess Hysteria by Def Leppard (Bradley)

71 @eternalsams Cherry Pie by Warrant (Jake)

72 @love-in-light Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi (Bradley)

73 @thatdammchickennugget Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams (Bradley)

74 @whatislovevavy Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears (Jake)

Totally rad cover art:

@ryebecca She Drives Me Crazy by Fine Young Cannibals

@bettycooper Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) by Kate Bush (Bradley)

@ryebecca The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and the News (Bob)

@mak-32 Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car by Billy Ocean (Bradley)

@laracrofted I Love Rock 'n' Roll by Joan Jett (Bob)

@sebsxphia Come On Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners (Bob)

Need some song inspiration? Check out these bangers:

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police

Start Me Up - The Rolling Stones 

Livin’ On A Prayer - Bon Jovi 

Eye of the Tiger - Survivor

Shout - Tears for Fears

You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi 

Every Breath You Take - The Police 

The Final Countdown - Europe

Angel - Aerosmith

Edge of Seventeen - Stevie Nicks

Uptown Girl - Billy Joel

Call Me - Blondie

Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money 

Free Fallin’ - Tom Petty 

Hysteria - Def Leppard 

I Hate Myself for Loving You - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts 

Just like Heaven - The Cure 

I Won’t Back Down - Tom Petty 

Magic - The Cars

Love Is A Battlefield - Pat Benatar 

Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer

Love Shack - The B-52’s 

Without You - Motley Crue 

Material Girl - Madonna

Legs - ZZ Top

Paradise City - Guns N’ Roses 

Can’t Fight This Feeling - REO Speedwagon 

Cum on Feel the Noize - Quiet Riot 

[hawkinself]

Fools in Love, Fuel for the Fire

Eddie Van Halen x Valerie Bertinelli

Chapter Seven: Fools in Love, Fuel for the Fire

The clock on the wall ticked past 2 a.m., its rhythmic sound swallowed by the faint strumming of Eddie’s guitar. I sat cross-legged on the carpet of our small living room, the soft glow of a lava lamp casting shifting shadows across the walls. Empty beer bottles and crumpled cigarette packs littered the coffee table, remnants of another late night that had stretched into early morning.

Eddie was hunched over his guitar on the couch, shirtless, his hair falling into his eyes as he played a melody over and over, trying to perfect it. His fingers moved with the kind of precision that came from years of obsession, his brow furrowed in concentration.

I leaned back against the couch, holding a half-empty glass of wine. My body was tired, a deep exhaustion settling into my bones, but I stayed awake, determined to match his energy.

“Does this sound right to you?” Eddie asked suddenly, glancing down at me.

“It sounds amazing,” I said, smiling faintly.

He smirked, setting the guitar down for a moment and reaching for a cigarette. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s always true,” I teased, watching as he lit the cigarette and took a slow drag.

The room was hazy with smoke, the air thick and heavy. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to shake the fog of sleep from my mind. Eddie leaned back, his head resting against the couch as he exhaled a cloud of smoke.

“You don’t have to stay up, you know,” he said casually, not looking at me. “You’ve got work in the morning.”

I shrugged, taking another sip of wine. “I want to. I like being here with you.”

He smiled at that, a soft, genuine smile that made my chest ache. “You’re something else, you know that?”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, rolling my eyes playfully. “You tell me that every night.”

But the truth was, I wasn’t staying up because I wanted to. I was staying up because it was the only way to be with him. Between his late nights in the studio and my long days on set, we were like ships passing in the night, catching fleeting glimpses of each other in the mornings or sharing a hurried kiss on our way out the door.

Eddie got up and disappeared into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He poured us both a generous amount, his movements practiced and casual.

“Here,” he said, handing me a glass.

I hesitated for a moment before taking it, the amber liquid catching the light as I swirled it around. I didn’t even like whiskey, but I took a sip anyway, the burn spreading through my chest.

Eddie sat down beside me, his thigh brushing against mine as he stretched his legs out on the carpet. “You’re too good to me,” he said, his voice low.

“You think so?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I know so,” he replied, leaning in to press a kiss to my temple.

In that moment, all the exhaustion and frustration melted away. It didn’t matter that I was running on fumes or that I’d have to be up in a few hours for work. All that mattered was the way he looked at me, like I was the only thing keeping him grounded.

But as the weeks turned into months, the late nights started to take their toll. I found myself snapping at Eddie over small things—the dishes left in the sink, the pile of laundry that never seemed to move.

“Why are you always so uptight?” he asked one night, his tone more confused than angry.

“Because I’m tired, Eddie,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. “I can’t keep doing this.”

“Doing what?” he asked, genuinely baffled.

“Staying up with you. Drinking. Pretending like this is normal,” I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.

He stared at me for a long moment, his brow furrowing. “I didn’t ask you to do any of that.”

“I know,” I said, my voice softening. “I’m doing it because I want to be with you. But it’s… hard.”

He didn’t respond right away, instead reaching for his guitar and plucking out a soft, mournful tune. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to,” he said eventually, his voice quiet.

That night, I stayed up with him again. I told myself it was the last time, but deep down, I knew it wouldn’t be. As he played a new riff, I rested my head against his shoulder, letting the sound wash over me.

“I love you, you know,” he said suddenly, his voice barely above a whisper.

I smiled against his skin, my heart aching with a mix of love and exhaustion. “I know,” I replied. “I love you too.”

And in that moment, I believed we could make it work. I believed that love was enough to bridge the growing gaps between us.

But as the days went on, those cracks would only deepen, becoming harder to ignore.

Regardless of any upcoming storms we were both madly in love and it was leading us to a path that neither Ed or I could’ve imagined.

It was a quiet night at home, one of those rare evenings when neither of us had anywhere to be. The smell of pizza lingered in the air from our earlier dinner, and Eddie was sitting cross-legged on the floor, strumming his acoustic guitar while I curled up on the couch with a blanket. The TV was on, but neither of us was paying attention. It was just background noise, filling the cozy silence between us.

I watched him for a while, his fingers moving effortlessly over the strings, his hair falling into his eyes as he concentrated. There was something about the way he was so at ease, so completely himself, that made my heart swell.

“Eddie,” I said suddenly, setting my mug of tea down.

“Hmm?” he murmured, not looking up from his guitar.

“Have you ever thought about… getting married?”

That got his attention. He glanced up at me, his brows furrowing slightly. “What, like… us?”

“Yeah, us,” I said, laughing nervously. “I mean, don’t you think it would make sense? We’re already living together, and—”

“You want to get married?” he asked, cutting me off. His voice wasn’t incredulous, but there was a hint of surprise in it.

“Well, yeah,” I said, my cheeks flushing. “I can’t imagine my life without you, Ed. And marriage… it just feels like the natural next step.”

Eddie set the guitar down carefully, his fingers brushing over the strings one last time. He looked at me for a long moment, his eyes soft and searching. “You’re serious?”

“I am,” I said, feeling suddenly vulnerable. “But only if it’s what you want too. I don’t want to rush you into anything.”

For a moment, I thought I’d said too much, that I’d scared him off. But then he broke into that shy, crooked smile that always made my heart skip.

“That’s not a bad idea,” he said casually, leaning back against the couch. “In fact��” He paused, his grin widening. “It’s a great idea.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he said, nodding enthusiastically. “Why not? You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Val. Marrying you would be the smartest thing I’ve ever done.”

I laughed, relief and joy bubbling up inside me. “You don’t have to decide right now, you know. I just… I wanted to talk about it.”

Eddie scooted closer to the couch, resting his chin on my knees as he looked up at me with those big, sincere eyes. “You kidding? I’ve already decided. We’re doing this.”

Over the next week, it was like Eddie had been struck by lightning. He couldn’t stop talking about marriage, weaving it into conversations like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

One morning, as we were making breakfast, he said, “You know, when we get married, we should totally have Alex play drums at the reception. Think he’d go for it?”

“I’m sure he’d love that,” I said, laughing as I poured coffee.

“And we’ll need a place with a big yard,” he continued, his voice thoughtful. “For all the guests, you know? Maybe some live music too…”

By the time we were lying in bed that night, he was still at it. “We could do it in the spring,” he mused, his voice muffled as he rested his head against my shoulder. “I bet you’d look amazing in a white dress.”

I smiled, running my fingers through his hair. “You’re really into this idea, huh?”

“It’s a good idea,” he said simply. “The best idea.”

A few days later, as we were out running errands, Eddie suddenly stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, glancing at him.

“I was just thinking,” he said, a sly grin spreading across his face. “We should go check out some rings.”

“Rings?” I repeated, my heart skipping a beat.

“Yeah, you know,” he said nonchalantly, taking my hand and leading me toward a jewelry store. “Just to see what kind of stuff you like.”

It was so casual, so matter-of-fact, that I couldn’t help but laugh. He was acting like this had been his idea all along, like I hadn’t planted the seed just days ago.

As we walked into the shop, Eddie’s excitement was contagious. He studied each ring with the same intensity he reserved for his guitars, asking the jeweler questions and glancing at me every so often for reassurance.

“What about this one?” he asked, holding up a simple gold band with a modest diamond.

“It’s beautiful,” I said softly, my heart swelling.

Eddie grinned, slipping it back onto the tray. “Not bad. Not bad at all.”

As we walked home, the crisp night air biting at our cheeks, I couldn’t stop smiling. “So… you really think we’re ready for this?” I asked, threading my arm through his.

“Val,” he said, his voice warm and steady, “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

It didn’t matter that we’d only been together for four months. It didn’t matter that people would call us crazy. All that mattered was the way Eddie looked at me—like I was his whole world.

The day we went ring shopping, Manhattan felt like magic. The streets buzzed with life, the sound of taxis honking blending with the distant hum of street performers. Eddie and I walked hand in hand, weaving through the crowds, a slight chill in the air making us cling closer together.

“This is insane, right?” I asked, glancing at him with a nervous laugh.

Eddie looked down at me, his lips curling into that shy, mischievous smile I adored. “What’s insane?”

“Us,” I said, swinging our hands. “Talking about marriage after four months. People would think we’ve lost our minds.”

“Maybe we have,” he said with a shrug, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “But what do they know?”

We wandered into a tiny jewelry store tucked between two brownstones, its window display sparkling like a treasure chest. The owner, a kind older man with a thick New York accent, greeted us warmly.

“Looking for something special?” he asked, his gaze shifting between us knowingly.

“Just browsing,” I said quickly, but Eddie chimed in, “We’re looking at engagement rings.”

I felt my cheeks flush, but Eddie didn’t seem the least bit fazed.

The shop owner brought out tray after tray of rings, each one more dazzling than the last. Eddie leaned on the counter, studying each piece with a surprising intensity, while I tried on a few, my heart racing every time he looked at me.

“This one,” I said finally, slipping on a delicate gold band with a single diamond. It wasn’t flashy or over-the-top, but it sparkled in a way that felt just right.

Eddie stepped closer, his fingers brushing mine as he tilted the ring to catch the light. “Yeah,” he said softly, his eyes meeting mine. “That’s the one.”

I smiled, expecting him to nod at the shop owner and buy it right then and there. But instead, he straightened up and said, “Alright, we’ve got a lot to think about. Thanks for your help!”

I blinked, stunned, as he led me out of the shop.

“Eddie, what—”

“Trust me,” he said, squeezing my hand. “I’ve got this.”

A few nights later, we were lounging on the couch, the sound of his guitar softly filling the room. He was noodling around on a riff, his hair a wild mess and his socks mismatched. I was flipping through a magazine, trying not to let my disappointment about the ring linger.

“Hey, Val?” he said suddenly, setting the guitar aside.

“Yeah?” I replied, glancing up.

He pulled something from his pocket and tossed it onto the coffee table. It was a small velvet box.

My heart skipped a beat as I stared at it. “What’s that?”

He grinned, leaning back against the couch like he didn’t have a care in the world. “Open it and find out.”

With trembling fingers, I picked up the box and opened it to reveal the ring—the ring—from the shop in Manhattan.

“Eddie…” I breathed, my voice catching.

“So, what do you say?” he asked, his tone casual but his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Wanna marry me?”

I laughed, the sound bubbling out of me uncontrollably as tears filled my eyes. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

“Is that a yes?” he pressed, leaning forward.

“Of course, it’s a yes!” I said, throwing my arms around his neck.

He laughed, holding me close. “I knew you’d say that.”

As we sat there, tangled together on the couch, the reality of what we were doing began to sink in. We were young—too young, maybe—but we didn’t care. We were in love, and that was all that mattered.

“People are going to think we’re crazy,” I said, resting my head on his shoulder.

“Let them,” he replied, his voice soft. “They don’t know what we’ve got.”

And in that moment, I believed him. We were unstoppable—or so it seemed.

[lifeiskentastic]

Ken tastes Real World ice cream with gn!Reader

Gif by @chriswevans

A/N: It just occurred to me while I was eating my ice cream.)

Summary: Ken tastes Real World ice cream for the first time (and he really likes it);

Song: I know this fanfic is too short to even contain songs, but... I really need to recommend Ice Cream Man by Van Halen, i love it too much (why are all ice cream songs so raunchy, it's just ice cream, ppl😭😭)

Word count: 305 words;

Nice reading!

Ken gazed with genuine amazement at the tall cone filled with scoops of ice cream.

"You have to eat it, otherwise it will melt."

"So it will disappear?"

You nodded, seeing that Ken had absolutely no idea how something could melt, evaporate and just disappear without a trace. But this is not surprising, considering that until this moment he believed that all food was invisible.

It wasn't hard to see the grimace on Ken's face as he gingerly stuck his tongue out and touched the ice cream. However, as soon as the tip of his tongue touched the scoop of vanilla ice cream, his eyes widened, eyebrows furrowed, and he looked like he had made some new Nobel discovery.

"It's… It's so much better than at Barbieland."

Given that the ice cream in Barbieland was imaginary, even the most ordinary vanilla cone will seem like a delicacy. However, Ken was so mesmerized and started eating his dessert with such enthusiasm that you didn't dare say it out loud.

After a while, all that was left of the once large overflowing ice cream cone were traces of melted vanilla on Ken's cheeks and nose. You giggled softly as you reached up to Ken's soiled but satisfied face.

"Come here!"

You wiped the leftover ice cream from Ken's big smile, the tip of his nose, his cheeks and even his chin as his eyes gazed gently into yours.

"Looks like I'm going to need some more ice cream to learn how to eat it more neatly."

You smiled, knowing perfectly well that he only needed it to enjoy it even more. However, this was exactly the purpose of your mission to "Put Ken on Human Treats".

"As you wish."

And during that day, you were simply forced to try every possible (and impossible) flavor of ice cream.

***

P.S. How many times have I written "ice cream" in the entire fic?

[atimeofyourlife]

The culture wars in your heart and your mind

Title from Kill the DJ by Green Day

It's not the first time he's seen Eddie go off on a tangent about the superiority of his interests. Honestly, it's far from it. The amount of times it had happened while they were both in high school, plus a number of times since they'd become friends. It was getting old. Hell, if it wasn't for knowing he'd be ridiculed for his interests at every turn, Steve might have tried to move beyond friendship with Eddie.

"You know it's just in your head, right?" Steve said, cutting Eddie off mid-rant.

"What?" Eddie replied, looking irritated at being interrupted.

"This whole my interests are better than yours, my music is better than yours schtick. Most of us don't really care that much about sticking to one genre. Sure I listen to pop, and I like Madonna and Tears for Fears and stuff like that. But I listen to rock, I love Bruce Springsteen, Queen, Van Halen, Bon Jovi. I'll even listen to stuff like Dio. You're the only one here that thinks one genre is superior to others."

"Don't even try to compare them. Tears for Fears can't even reach the complexity of Dio. And even trying to count Springsteen as rock, it's offensive to the genre." Eddie started off again, only to be interrupted by Robin this time.

"Just because you don't like something doesn't make it offensive. You're not the keeper of music or anything."

"Yeah. And why does music have to have complexity to be good? Can't it just be good because it sounds good." Steve pointed out. "And you claiming that Tears for Fears don't have complexity? Hello, Mad World? The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had? How can you say that doesn't have complexity."

"It's the principle of it." Eddie huffed. "The masses will listen to mindless pop, ignoring music that could actually make a difference."

"Just admit that you're wrong, dude. This is a culture war all in your mind."

just a mini fic based off a song 🤷 I might do more of these when I can't think of anything else to write

[eddiemunson-reader-shame]

A Freak and A Basket Case (Seven Inches of Satanic Panic Edition) Masterlist

An Eddie Munson x OC Fanfiction

A note from the weirdo: This is just something I’ve been working on for funsies. Life is painful, often violently so. Sometimes, when this sad life of mine gets overwhelming, I like to run away to the Hawkins, Indiana that exists in my mind and hide there for a few hours.

This story isn’t meant to be some big thing. At the end of the day, it’s just a story about a mixed Latina who like me is very painfully lonely. I’d be much obliged if you stayed and sat a while with us at our lonely corner of the lunch table. Thank you. ❤️

The Main Fic

Chapter One - Don’t Talk to Strangers

In which Alejandra Perea becomes one of maybe three Latinos in all of Hawkins.

Chapter Two - Made In Heaven

The Eddie POV chapter, wherein he meets his little lamb chop.

Chapter Three - Here Comes The Feeling

Alejandra and Eddie share a little longbottom leaf, and a kiss.

The Omake Episodes

An Alternative Meet-Cute: Love Walks In

They evidently shared the same brain cell if they’re comparing themselves to Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli.

The Camping Episode [Part One] [Part Two]

I mean, she couldn’t just leave Dustin all alone on a Labor Day weekend…

Tales From the Party

A collection of friend’s works featuring Allie and various other OC characters.

Allie Perea x Jay Mocking - The Bitch, The Witch, and The Star by my wife @mothmans-left-buttcheek

The first installment of the witch bitch duo for whom Eddie Munson third wheels for. Iconic. Stupendous, I’ll take 20 more please. Thank you.

Credits

Dividers by @strangergraphics-archive

[wildflowerteas]

JUST SAW YOUR TSP PLAYLISTS COULD YOU GO THROUGH SOME OF THE SONGS AND EXPLAINED WHY YOU ADDED THEM 🤭🤭🤭

of course!!!!!! this is a bit of a Pandora's box of an answer, so I'm going to keep it going below the cut so that it doesn't drag on and on on the dash

Embarrassingly, I didn't think people would actually look at the playlist. So it's really a jumble of songs that I can mindlessly listen to while I write and battle caffeine addiction. I'm considering re-vamping it to be more vibes-based, but that'll take a bit of work. So as of right now, a lot of the songs on the RC playlist are there purely for their sound rather than the lyrics. It's hard to get in the mood of this fic while listening to my usual tunes ( some would debate me on that, but try writing while Van Halen is blasting in your ears vs. while you're on the road ). However, there are some that have been added for more symbolic/plot-based reasons. *OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE SPOILERS UP TO 22 UNDER HERE SO DON'T READ ON IF YOU DONT WANT TO SEE THOSE* Here are some of the stand-outs:

Lust for Life, by Lana del Rey ft. the Weeknd for these lyrics specifically: - Cause we're the masters of our own fate - Keepin' me hot / Like July forever - They say only the good die young / that just ain't right The instrumental version of this song is on my YouTube writing playlist ( because I can't find it on Spotify). It's just gorgeous. I put it at the beginning of the playlist because to me, it represents the end of the fic.

Remember Why You Fell in Love by Natalie Madigan - introduced to me by a friend. I fell in love with it because of this lyric: We were adding up sins in the city of angels

Western Nights by Ethel Cain - Trouble's always gonna find you baby / but so will I - To me, a very TSP Dazai song. Trouble's not finding him, though. He's attracted to it, and despite how hard he tries or what opportunity he's given he always comes back to what hurts him. - Also, a song about heading West, which Dazai tries to avoid by globe-trotting in 22 but he ends up in the same place anyway.

Havana by Camila Cabello - STARTED OUT AS A JOKE. However, while I was watching the music video while on call with a friend I realized, well yeah this could be something. - Lyrically, it has little to do with the story, however the feeling of wanting to go back to a place you've never been to, or to a time you've never been to, resonated with me

Serial Killer by Lana del Rey ( unreleased ) - do I even have to explain this one

The Greatest by Lana del Rey - to me, another epilogue-esque song. - We didn't know that we had it all / Nobody warns you before the fall

Summertime Sadness - basically nothing good happens in summer. to any of the characters. - Dazai's birthday, him losing Oda and Ango in the first interlude chapter happens the summer of '56 - RC murder happens July 17th, 1958 - The case gets reopened in SUMMER. But lyrics-wise: 'Kiss me hard before you go' was on my mind from the very moment I started writing this fic.

The RC playlist is not refined at all. It really is just a dump ( like Dazai's shipping container conditions, really ), however the TSP SSKK playlist DB is definitely more in-line with what I want to deliver story/reading-experience wise. Obviously, some songs are there just because they're from the right decade, but many aren't.

Popular, by The Weeknd ft. Playboi Carti and Madonna - I apologize for just how much of the weeknd there is in both of these playlists, but: - I've seen the devil down sunset - Give her a little taste, runnin' back to me / Put it in her veins, pray her soul to keep <- i haven't exactly been subtle about the use of addiction as a metaphor in this fic. Hell, Florida!!! by taylor swift is in the RC playlist ( and specifically, a TSP!Atsushi song ) because it describes escapism. This song goes in the TSP!SSKK playlist because it introduces L.A. from a surface-level point of view, and what their biases of Chuuya are before starting to investigate the case seriously

Moon by the Cab is . . . self-indulgent. that's all I'll say about that.

Cheri Cheri Lady by Modern Talking - 'to know you is to love you' - ALSO a very trippy soundscape. I had it, and quite a bit of Donna Summers on while writing the Tycheron mind-meld scene.

Disturbia ( originally by Rhianna ) covered by the Cab in Punk goes Pop. - you're in the city of wonder - Better think twice, your train of thought will be altered / So if you must falter, be wise Just, a classic song for Atsushi and The AR's relationship in this fic.

Roman Holiday by Halsey, which is kind of a reference to one of my favorite movies ( Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn ), is just such a good coming-of-age song.

Every Breaking Wave by U2 - Baby every dog on the street / Knows that we're in love with defeat.

All that to say, I think I'm going to have to do some serious reconstruction on both playlists in order to feel satisfied with them. the RC playlist is kind of out of my hands now ( as evidenced by my influx of Spotify followers . . . hello everyone ), but I think I can get away with organizing it and stuff with little effort.

[mothmans-left-buttcheek]

The Bitch, the Witch, and the Star

Jay Mocking x Allie Perea x Nova James

Inspired by @eddiemunson-reader-shame and @floredaqueen FOLLOW THEM OH MY GOD!!

Word Count: 3.4k

Summary- Fresh out of school in the summer of 85. Allie Perea and Jay Mocking are enjoying the cold delights served at Scoops A’hoy until Nova James shakes up their evening.

Warnings: profanity, references to sex, a bisexual disaster, this is basically just fluff with cursing and friendly bullying

Playlist: Rio by Duran Duran, Walk This Way by Aerosmith, Cheri Cheri Lady by Modern Talking

A/N: So I’ve been engaging in fanfics for years but rarely writing my own since I’m mostly inspired by original characters, so this is a scene with two of my favorite Stranger Things oc’s including my own because I am simply self indulgent lol. Basically I thought “what if I threw three girls in love with Eddie Munson in a room” and this was the result. I’ve done my best to interpret the characters with the information I could find while also manipulating some information for the sake of timeframe, I apologize if anything is out of character!

The artwork above is just a sketch I made while letting the fic cook, it's not great, I'm more a writer than an artist, but I hope y'all like it. There’s also songs I’ve associated with certain moments in the fic, feel free to give them a listen.

(Listen to “Rio”, Duran Duran)

There wasn’t anything to do in Hawkins Indiana. Sure there were record stores and vintage diners along the main strip downtown, but those industries were carried on by traditional residents alone. There wasn’t anything charming about Hawkins, it was just your run of the mill middle of nowhere Midwestern town. Until the Starcourt mall.

The newest edition to the smallest town in the Midwest was a hit amongst locals. Normally your selections for an evening out were slim to none, you’d have to drive hours away for the best date nights. But the Starcourt Mall was a shining beacon to the people of Hawkins, a tower of neon lights that sang a song of genuine entertainment. Shaky escalators, iconic chain clothing stores, a food court fumigating with grease, and a cozy movie theater to boot Hawk theater out of business.

It had everything to appeal to anyone from a rambunctious teen to a generous grandparent, the glow of the sun coming in from the glass ceiling more than just a natural light source. It was the light of hope for social lives all across town. Not to mention the impact it had on the economy. Hundreds of new jobs opened up to the ambitious folks in Hawkins with the promise of decent salary. Many people left their jobs at their local mom-and-pop-shops, so the town lost some of its historic charm with the modern mall, but with all the beloved structure had to offer it was difficult to find real fault in Starcourt. There was a Jazzercise studio, a gaming arcade, Sears. With no competition for miles, Starcourt Mall ruled Hawkins Indiana the summer of ’85.

(Listen to “Walk This Way”, Aerosmith)

“Where’d you get that record?” Allie asked.

She lounged casually in the plush seats in Scoops A’hoy, the slightly sticky leather clinging to the dense fabric of her brown carhartt jacket. Select patches adorned the piece, their rough texture matching with the slightly worn out graphic of her Van Halen shirt. Allie’s stare was buffered by square glasses, her round brown eyes flickering across the table with growing judgment. Full cheeks which would look lovely in a smile only adding to her youthful appearance while her full lips pulled into an unamused frown. A hint of pink in her tawny skin accented by the dark birthmarks under her eye. Her brown hair tickled her shoulders with a volume brought on by messy waves.

Allie Perea was rarely seen without a displeased stare, could’ve been caused by her tumultuous family or could’ve been caused by her fresh seeded hatred for Hawkins. She’d moved in less than a year ago, yet within her first day she had marked herself as a basket case amongst her fellow classmates. The bucket of insults she had collected filtered out to one title she did her best to wear proudly, “The Bitch of Hawkins High.” She possessed an off-putting attitude ready for someone to have a problem with her and an unwillingness to be social, which made her seat in a social setting like Starcourt Mall unusual. In truth Allie stared at the girl across the sugar stained table, a shadow looming in the bright colored shop.

Brown hooded eyes stared back at her framed by thick black eye makeup, black hair teased to high heaven like a rain cloud around her head. Her upturned nose sported a septum ring and her tall cheekbones were painted with unnaturally sharp black contour, it washed out her pale skin to a sickly ivory. A Siouxsie and the Banshees shirt cut off her shoulders while fishnet gloves crawled up her arms to meet the short sleeves. She had thin lips painted in a deep red with an oval birthmark dotted just under the left of her lip.

Janice, Jay, Mocking had practically grown up in Hawkins. She memorized every store to street corner, remembered all the awkward stages of the preps and jocks that mocked her, and knew every hypocrite that attended Sunday service in the church her parents pastored. In middle school her odd tendencies were mostly glossed over thanks to the authority her parents had in the community, but she lost her safety when her childhood sketches of graveyards and growing taxidermy collections got out. Her outcast shift was welcomed by her peers with a series of rude and ironic insults, and despite all the bird puns made from her name “The Hawkins Witch” was the name that stuck the most.

So it was appropriate for the bitch and the witch to grow a relationship that benefited the both of them. Allie had someone to help her navigate and Jay could be weird without being alone. Getting to know Starcourt mall had become their pastime, so despite their antisocial tendencies the two enjoyed getting complimented by strangers or berated by their school nemesis in a building with more escape routes.

Jay had let Allie’s question hang in the air, the two giving matching deadpanned stares while Scoops A’hoy bustled around them. After a slow deliberate blink Jay eventually answered, “Sam Goody’s.”

A lick of shame twisted her tongue, and Allie caught it.

“Sam Goody’s? Isn’t that a chain store? Weren’t you bashing chain stores last week?.” Allie accused.

Jay rolled her eyes back and pulled the vinyl into her lap, “look, Tears for Fears came out with a new album and I’ve been dying to-“

“Tears for Fears?” Allie interrupted.

Jay stifled just for a moment, unsure if she misspoke, “yes? Tears for Fears, Songs from the Big Chair?”

The girl across from her adjusted her glasses and brushed her hair back.

“What happened to all the punk ideologies you were preaching last week? Not going to chain stores or feeding the industry and shit?”

“The album came out months ago and Music Mania downtown still doesn’t have any copies, one little Sam Goody’s run isn’t gonna hurt anyone,” Jay defended herself with a near perfect cadence. Like this was an argument she had rehearsed in her head.

“I’m just surprised you’re breaking your ‘goth principles’ over Tears For Fears.”

“Bitch, you listen to Phil Collins.”

“I do, oh I do, proudly in fact. But I’m not busting my balls adhering to rules of my subculture, and then breaking said rules for a pop group.”

“They’re pop-rock! You know what- forget it, I’m not taking shit from a ‘metalhead’ that listens to Prince.”

Allie slowly shook her head while maintaining eye contact, “... says the hypocrite.”

“Yeah?” Jay answered while raising her brows and cocking her head to the side.

“Well you’re a try hard.”

Allie crossed her arms, “you’re a poser-”

“You’re a virgin,” Jay interjected while slightly lunging over the table. The two were locked in a stare down for a long passage of silence.

“… do you wanna split a sundae?” Allie asked suddenly.

Jay’s eyes flickered to the table as she contemplated with a hum before she looked back up at Allie with a shrug, “butterscotch?”

She grimaced and groaned to disagree, “grody.”

Jay sighed in disappointment, turning her head to look back at the menu and consider their options. Just as she did so she was hit with a whiff of sweet perfume and a flash of baby blue in her vision. She felt her stomach drop just for a moment as she recognized the form walking up to the register.

(Listen to “Cheri Cheri Lady”, Modern Talking)

If mermaids were real she would be a siren. Warm skin shining rose gold in the light, plump round lips painted with delicate gloss, and deep doe eyes with lushes lashes fluttering with mischief. Her maple brown hair was long and rich in volume, curled to perfection while her bangs floated gently over her forehead. One birthmark kissed her left side just under her lip and another sat comfortably under her right eyebrow. She was dressed simply but with perfect measure, her blue dress hugging her slim waist and chest tightly while swaying around her wide hips and along her thick thighs.

Aknova James was borderline Hawkins royalty. Her parents were loaded so she was afforded every luxury the average resident of Hawkins would have to go out of their way for. While growing up under the influence of the Hippie movement from the prior decade, Nova grew into an incredibly classy young woman. At least she appeared classy. Just underneath her elegantly trimmed smile was a carefree attitude and an iron resolve, few people’s opinions could deter her predetermined perspective. And should someone cross her, she had a few choice words which would knock the wind out of anyone’s sails. Thankfully the shining star used her power wisely… more or less.

“Ohhh fuck,” Jay muttered as she watched the new customer pass by their table.

Allie’s brows furrowed and she twisted to try to match Jay’s gaze, “What?”

The second she spotted the cheerleader her own jaw became slack, “Ohhh mierda.”

Both the odd balls were familiar with Nova, mostly from the captivating atmosphere she carried through the halls, and long winded rumors of her privileged position. Being on the cheer team also granted her revered social status, and the outcasts clocked her high school social class from miles away. She was in a different league from the two entirely; when she entered a room, things shook. They could only hope things would shake away from them.

“That’s Nova James,” Allie commented with surprise.

“Yeah I know that’s Nova fucking James, her giant ass is ten feet away from my face,” Jay hissed. Curling her fingers together and resting her elbows on the table, her chin sat atop her intertwined gloved hands. Narrowing her eyes at the girl who had approached the desk, she grumbled under her breath just loud enough for her friend to hear.

“Shit, she looks hot. Really hot.”

“Good, she’ll take some of the attention off of you and your rats nest,” Allie teased while pulling at the wispy strands of Jay’s teased hair.

“It’s a bat's nest, god, and you know what, maybe I want a little attention! I’m hot! And when Madonna wannabe’s aren’t walking around like they’re god's greatest gift to the mall, I actually get compliments!”

Allie opened her mouth to reply to her friend’s banter but was left without any silence to fill.

“God she really pisses me off. Every time she comes in here she asks for a sample, dislikes the sample, and orders two scoops of strawberry in a waffle cone. But like three bites into the ice cream she sticks the whole thing into a bowl. You’d think she’d start cutting to the chase and getting strawberry in a bowl, but no, she goes through the whole process every time.”

The brunette stared at the rambling goth across from her with concern. “… are you stalking her?”

Jay looked back at her with a face still perplexed in frustration at the girl currently ordering, “I’m here a lot, and I like to people-watch, okay? Look- just look-“

As she insisted and subtly pointed to Nova, the girl already had a small spoon between her lips. Chewing slightly and nodding in response she tossed the spoon into a small trash bin. She pursed her lips while thinking for a moment, the dirty blonde currently working the desk sighing with an empty stare as Nova contemplated. She finally spoke up and pointed to a flavor sitting deep in the display. Allie and Jay watched intently while the employee leaned to grab a waffle cone, and after digging her scooper into the tub she lifted a perfect scoop of pink and red, followed by a second scoop to raise the height of the treat.

“Yeah, she got strawberry,” Allie nodded absentmindedly at the scene in front of her only to be immediately shushed by Jay who was still watching like a hawk.

Nova received the ice cream with a smile, licking a stripe while rummaging through her purse. She took a second bite while pulling out cash and dropped it casually by the register. Her motions stilled as she waited for her change to be rung up, and only once the receipt was handed to her did she take a third bite of the ice cream. After a brief conversation with the current employee the girl was handed a small bowl, and Nova dumped her ice cream down into the cup quickly while the waffle cone peaked out like a tall tower.

“Boom!” Jay slammed her hands against the table. “Just like I said. She literally has a pattern!”

Allie flinched, startled from the noise but nodded back.

“Yep, yeah, wow,” she began in a sarcastic voice. “She literally did exactly what you said she would do. That was crazy. I’m so- so enraged by her behavior. Good catch Jay.”

“… can you at least pretend to care?”

“I was pretending.”

“Well then do it better-“

“Hey Jay,” a new voice chimed into their conversation.

The two girls turned their gazes to the opposite side of their table to find a pretty brunette in a blue dress staring at them patiently while chewing on a spoonful of ice cream. A smirk tugged at her lips and she batted her lashes with feigned innocence. The once previously hunched over goth straightened in her seat and smiled politely.

“Hey- hi, Nova. Good to see you.” She slurred in slight panic.

“You know I thought Elvira was sitting here for a second, I was about to ask for an autograph! How are you?” Nova asked as she shifted her weight to one hip, eyes flickering between the two girls sitting side by side in the booth.

Jay let out a breathless laugh while her flattered face grew pink.

“I’m good, uhm, have you met Allie?” Jay asked as she motioned to her friend next to her, Nova’s eyes quickly followed like she had been waiting for the stranger to be brought up.

“No, not formally, I’m Nova James,” she said with an award winning grin. Her hair falling delicately to one shoulder as if it was commanded to.

Allie was struggling to respond, staring wide-eyed while her mouth hung open and a hum rang out, like she was a robot in the middle of saying hi before someone hijacked her programming. Jay gently kicked Allie under the table to silence her droning, their thick boots creating a dull ‘thwack’ against each other.

“Hi! Nice to meet you finally, formally, properly, uhm- I’m Allie Perea, I moved here a few months ago- New Mexico.” Allie came to life and spoke quickly.

“No way,” Nova’s voice peaked with intrigue, “that’s so cool! I went there for a music festival with my parents when I was younger.”

Allie was wide eyed behind her square glasses, “Oh wow, you’ve really traveled- uh, yeah we get really good groups out there. My dad took me to see Van Halen last year.” She said and after a beat tugged on her tour t-shirt.

“Those are the guys that did that one song-” Nova hummed the opening melody to Jump while squinting her eyes to place the group in her mind.

“Yeah! Yeah that’s them!” Allie answered with a grin

“Gnarly, they seem fun to hear live.” She complimented while watching the bundled up girl continue to gawk. Allie’s soft features slowly started to curl into an impressed smile, eyes shining with excitement at the mention of the band. Although the transfer student was a fresh face, the cheerleader couldn’t help but find Allie endearing and sweet.

Allie’s mind on the other hand was a whirlwind, this casual interaction defied everything she knew about the social hierarchy in Hawkins. Cheerleaders didn’t talk to basket cases and when they did they certainly weren’t nice about it. Yet the wealthy girl was currently on equal footing as the outcasts, enjoying the same atmosphere and the same sweet treat. The concept helped to soothe Allie’s rampant anxiety.

Jay looked between the two for a moment as the conversation halted, so she interrupted the awkward silence with as charming a smile as she could muster, “Well what brings you to the mall? Running some errands? Meeting up with a hot date?”

Nova laughed and waved her hand in the air, “not today, I’m just meeting up with a friend.”

Nova glanced between the two girls, her foxy eyes glimmering with cunning as her freehand pressed on the table. Leaning over the table to get closer to them she tilted her head.

“Actually, you guys are friends with Eddie Munson right?”

The question punctuated a pause in the banter, Jay and Allie flickering their eyes to meet as their faces twinned in confusion.

“Yeah? We are.” Jay answered uncertain.

“Does he have a job right now?”

It was then Allie barked a harsh laugh, a mocking smile stretching her lips.

“I think Eddie’s allergic to work! Guys been slacking off all summer, super bummed about being held back… I shouldn’t have said that last part.”

“It’s fine, I suspected as much.” Nova pulled out a small paper from her purse and slid it onto the table.

“My dad’s looking for someone to keep our pool clean for the summer, pay’s pretty good. If you guys could let him know I’d really appreciate it, have him give me a call if he wants the job.”

As the paper rested between the pair they both moved to inspect it, and sure enough it was Nova’s phone number. Written plainly but perfectly nonetheless. Jay ran the paper between her hands for a moment while she glanced back and forth between the paper, her friend, and the cheerleader.

“Uh, yeah, yeah, we will let him know of the opportunity.”

“Great, you guys are the best! I’ve gotta go but I’ll catch you later,” Nova gave them a playful wink and walked off, her hips swaying side to side as she waved to someone beyond Scoops A’hoy. “Isa! Over here!”

Jay scrambled to lean on the table and watch the swaying of her skirt, “hate to see her leave, love to watch her walk away-“

“Holy shit what was that?” Allie exclaimed as she grabbed Jay’s arm and shook her harshly. “How did she know your name?”

“I don’t know!”

“I thought I was gonna die! Pinche madre, she knows my name now!” Allie deflated in her seat and slapped her hand against her chest.

Jay was too busy examining the slip of paper in her hands, bouncing slightly in her seat while relishing over the dark ink, “and we have her phone number! She gave us her number!”

“… yeah, for Eddie…” Allie corrected with a studious cadence.

Jay turned to look at her, both staring deadpanned as they had earlier.

“… and? She handed it to me.”

“I don’t think she wants you as her poolboy.”

“Hey, I could make a great pool boy. I’m fit, I’m handy-“

“Jay, she wants to fuck Eddie.”

“Ew!” Jay’s face scrunched up like she had tasted a fresh lemon and she dropped the number on the table.

“Gag me with a spoon, don’t put that image in my head!”

“It’s obvious! If her family was really just looking for someone to clean their pool they’d get some average Joe off the street, but Nova’s looking for someone specific to take it. I mean she went out of her way to talk to us just to get to Eddie!”

Allie waved her hands in the air for emphasis and finally slapped them back down in her lap, her friend watching with her lips pressed thinly together and a stare that suggested denial. With a groan Jay dropped her head into her hands and rubbed her face harshly.

“Oh god, she’s gonna fuck Eddie…”

Allie nodded back, the thought that they were accidental accomplice’s in an aspiring hookup was awkward enough. But when factoring in that one of the most popular girls in Hawkins High was making a pass at their loser Dungeon Master, a guy so different from her, a whole new cloud of shame hung over their heads in response’.

Considering Eddie’s romantic track record, Nova’s chances with him were shaky; his last relationship ended in a felony and his crush turned out to be a lesbian. Whatever the result, Allie and Jay had to endure bearing witness. The two girls sat in quiet contemplation, imagining what kind of dumpster fire Eddie would make out of Nova’s advances while also reeling that they encountered a wild cheerleader and survived unscathed.

“… do you wanna split a sundae?” Allie asked with disdain still present in her attitude.

Jay raised her head, humming in contemplation, “butterscotch?”

“… fuck it, sure.”