Vaughn Morozov
Headcannon with fem!OC.
Disclaimer: I do not own Vaughn or any other characters mentioned in this hc, besides the fem!OC, they all belong to the rightful author Rina Kent. I wrote this just for fun, since Vaughn isn't getting his own book and I'm intrigued by him, I'm putting my own thoughts on this.
There could be inaccuracies of how I write the characters but bear with it,please. Crazy, but I haven't read any of RKs works (besides GoP) and so it could be a disaster.
I am aware of his unnamed girlfriend but like I have mentioned, this work is a figment of my imagination and I'm writing this purely for entertainment purposes, so don't take offense to any of this.
Enjoy your read.
Vaughn was presumably mentioned to be17/18 in GoF.
So I'll be writing in and around that timeline.
Vaughn Morozov, Kirill and Sasha's son, heir to the New York Bratva, the future Pakhan, the Pakhan's heir, and so on could be used when it comes to giving a small idea about him.
Being the sole heir and born to loving parents, Vaughn was raised in a family of love, despite the harsh reality of the mafia world.
From a young age, he knew of his future, the legacy he had to continue, the empire he had to lead. Yet, his parents didn't pressurize him about such responsibilities wanting him to live a "normal teenage life" for as long as he could.
But Vaughn, was, well one could say, a thoughtful kid who is mature for his age. He displayed leadership skills from a young age, even when he was with Jeremy or Nikolai and was younger than them, he did not lack behind anywhere. Especially when it came to academic and being a smartass.
Hazel eyes like his mother with dark brown/black hair like his father, Vaughn was blessed with good looks, not Greek God sculpture like but definitely one that would be preserved in a museum just because there was no one else like him. At this growing stage he was tall, maybe not always the tallest amongst The Heathens but his growth spurts were definitely not done growing. Standing a good 6'2 already at the age of 17.
If it was anyone else, one might use the advantage of what he had, after all he has almost everything, the money, the power, the looks, the charm and the brain. But this man is just so uninterested and aloof when it came to dating life or just having a crush in general.
Seeing his mom and dad be in love, Vaughn too desired for it, wondering how it feels to be in love and be taken care by that one special person. And so he thought he was defected for never once experiencing having such romantic feelings for anyone.
Don't get it wrong, yes he is still young but while he has heard here and there from his friends about their crushes when they were little boys. Little Vaughn was curious and frustrated for never being able to experience such fluttery feelings.
So once he got older and got to learn more academic knowledge and just what life had to offer to a 15 year old, Vaughn started expecting less.
"It's just not for everyone." He thought. And with that he just got more aloof on those expectations. He didn't care anymore.
Or so he thought.
What happens when an Earthquake occurs? One's first instinct is to get to safety, maybe an open space or maybe duck and stay underneath a sturdy table. But what can Vaughn do when the 'earthquake' shook his entire world and he had no place to hide. No table too strong to avoid the devoid galaxy of ice cold feelings to finally start thawing.
Okay maybe that was exaggerated. He was just 'intrigued' to know more about a certain someone. Yeah, that's it. Just curious about a particular female, who had bagged a prestigious scholarship to study in the expensive, elite,private school Vaughn goes to.
Why her in particular? There were other scholarship kids in the school too, but it was just her whom he wanted to know about.Well, he don't have the answer to that yet.
Jane Kim. Asian. Black hair. Brown eyes and average 5'4 in height. A bright student, academically thriving and even street smart. She is a hard worker and an achiever. But that didn't mean she overestimated herself or belittled others.
Whatever it maybe, she was grateful to be able to study here. Coming from a working middle class family, with parents working, she wasn't underprivileged but they weren't rich either. So she decided to take the advantage of the scholarship and study and earn a good certificate to support her education even for college.
Being a foreigner and all alone in a big country and even a big state like New York was overwhelming, especially for an introvert like her. Had it been those teen dramas, she might have been a victim of bullying. And with her parents away, living in another country, it might just be worse.
But luckily none of the bullying happened, she had safely passed her freshman year and is now a sophomore in high school. For credits and pocket money, she took up part time jobs in the library near their school and has recently started tutoring the new freshmen batch.To keep her scholarship, she had to work, work and keep on working to maintain her grades.
She was 2 years younger than him and was a class below him. Her being a sophomore and him a junior. And besides that all he did was observe her from afar.
He would never admit it but he would watch over her anywhere she would be in the school premises, like sitting on the floor above her, watching her as she taught the group of freshmen. He was jealous. But poor boy, just don't know it. He just felt a tug in his heart everytime he saw her talk to others, except him.
For her whole freshman year, Vaughn just watched over her, admired her from afar.
The first time they actually had an encounter was during her sophomore year, Vaughn (in his junior year) was playing for the school's ice hockey team.
He saw Jane interact with the rival school's captain, giving him a faint smile and probably wishing him luck.(He dont know that Jane and the other guy goes to the same church and are good friends, their friendship was mostly like a brother-sisterly relationship.)
Oh boy, did that snap something in Vaughn. Frustrated and annoyed to the core, he was a beast on the field that evening. Beating the rival team by a huge gap, and almost caused a physical fight.
And when he saw Jane counseling her friend, it only added fuel to the fire.
He didn't know why he was acting like the way he was, suddenly he was dragging Jane out of the arena, holding his bags and hers all on one of his arm.
Confused and startled Jane stops him, she knew who he was Vaughn Morozov, a rumoured mafia heir, she didn't know whether to buy that rumour or not, being the skeptic she was.
"What the heck? Can you let me go?" She yanks her hand from his grip and snatches her bag from his hand.
Do you know Vaughn is no longer an intelligent person whenever Jane is near him? Yeah, he discovered it just recently too.
"Don't you think it's ironic how you were more concern about the rival team than your own home team?" He says, tone filled with sarcasm and almost like fury bubbling under it.
Jane stared at him in disbelief, annoyance soon filled her face. She wasn't going to answer this stuck up snob, she thinks to herself. Only glaring at him, she push passes him to make her way back to her students apartment.
He messed up. This was no way to make a first good impression, but his pride didn't allow him to correct himself. He didn't say or do anything only watching her as she walked away from him and gosh did she look good even in their royal blue school uniform. He was malfunctioning surely.
So that's how their strange rendezvous started. No, this isn't the 'guy bullying the girl' case. Rather, from that day onwards, Vaughn only made his presence known to her.
He was almost everywhere she was at this point.(as though he wasn't doing that already)
Don't blame Jane for not liking his presence though, that was no way one should behave especially to someone they barely knew.
At first no one really paid attention to the duo.
But after some weeks, the whole school started to notice that wherever Jane was, Vaughn would be there with a minimum of 10 metre radius near her.
Lunch breaks? Yeah, he is either tailing her or just casually sitting in her table. Her friends excited for whatever was to unfold, always teasing Jane.
Whenever she had to tutor the freshmen? He would be on the same floor above her, just watching her whilst doing his school works.
When she goes to her part time job? Yeah, he is busy studying in the same library she worked at. Sometimes he even did her chemistry homework for her. He started doing this when he discovered Jane did not like the subject at all.
Though she did confront him not to snoop around her homework. She preferred to do it herself she said, but he didn't stop.
His parents started to notice that he would be late from school most of the days and he simply told them he prefers studying in the library and finishing his homework there.
"You must be really bored to be doing this." She tells him, noticing that he is always there watching over her. She was uncomfortable at first, the fact that someone was monitoring her always. But she got used to it slowly as he won't do anything other than quietly doing his own work and occasionally having a break time by staring at her.
He will always be there for her, whether she like it or not. All she had to do was call him. His number on speed dial, that he set up himself. Earning a smack on his arm when he did so. Taking advantage of his height as he saved his number on her phone.
Somedays he even helped her stack the books in the library, the upper shelves which she couldn't reach unless she use the ladder. Somedays he held the ladder for her. And he did it without a word. It was weird but Jane got used to his silence.
Some days her buys her coffee or different flavours of milkshakes.
"Eat up, Darling." Is the only thing he would say. And she would glare at him. That was something new. Well, at least verbally because in his head, thats what he always calls her whenever he sees her. She appreciated his actions but that didn't decrease any of the annoyance he brought to her.
He knew she was tolerating his presence not exactly despising it but also not exactly welcoming. So he made sure that as much as he showed his actions, many others were hidden.
Like how he would follow her from a good distance,making sure she made it back to her apartment safely. It's New York, as bright as the place maybe, it could be as nasty too sometimes.
He wasn't taking the chance, he would make sure she is safe from anything and anyone. Lord save anyone who crossed Jane. Because if you cross Jane, you crossed Vaughn.
She is independent and stood for herself, not letting anyone walk over her, so she would tell people off either passive or aggressive or both.
But Vaughn? Yeah, no one is getting off the hook easily if he catches those people who got on his bad side. Not before a good warning.
One thug tried to rob Jane, one evening as she made her way back home, but luckily before he could get to her Vaughn caught the man.
A good punch knocked him out leaving the unconscious man on the alleyway, then he made sure she reached home safe without knowing what could have happened to her.
After that he went back to take the man. Waiting for him to regain his consciousness before 'confronting' him.Let's just say Vaughn had mercy on that man by leaving him alive. One broken rib, two dislocated clavicle, a dislocated jaw and a broken nose and a few bleeding later, the man's battered and bruised body was later found by pedestrians who took him to the hospital.
All is well for Vaughn, if Jane was safe and sound. It didn't matter if he bruised his knuckles or suffered a few punches from that man. Or from anyone in that matter.
Good thing, it's a Friday evening. He thinks as he gets home, not having to explain the bruises to his peers or his teachers. But he had to answer his parents. Who looked at him with wide eyes.
Do I look that bad?
Yes. Yes you do. His tie askew, his shirt wrinkled, his knuckles red, hair disheveled and a cut on his left cheekbone.
Now this is worrisome. Why? Vaughn never got in trouble at school. Sure, he wasn't a golden student but he strayed away from unnecessary issues. He was a gentleman,compared to most men, he knew when not to be gentle. Maybe that's why he stood out a lot, among the mafia men especially.
The next week, Jane breathe a sigh of relief when she realised Vaughn hasn't appeared infront of her the whole day.
That's when she noticed the tall guy, in his Jersey and black sweat pants, hair tousled because of having put on a helmet for practice, most probably.
He was sitting in the library she works at, his bags dropped to the floor as he simply sat and watched her. Leaning against the chair, legs spread, one arm on the table the other relaxed on his thigh, Those Hazel eyes of his framed behind his glasses, following everything she did.
"Let me take you on a date" he blurted out, voice gruff. He notices Jane pause a little as her out stretched hand stopped midway from placing a book to its place, as if like processing what he just said.
That's how he got rejected for the first time. She simply stared at him, eyes cold and shaking her head. She wasn't planning in dating or going out with anyone anytime soon, especially not when she had no romantic feelings for anyone.
Persistent and determined, Vaughn didn't let that rejection stop him. He would occasionally propose his offer time and time again, I.e after every week.
"There are plenty of fish in the sea, Morozov. Go bother someone else." She glared at him through her glasses, turning and walking away from him, ignoring him.
It was like a broken record, playing the same scene again and again at this point.
But Vaughn didn't want just any fish. He wanted an orca. Silly as it may seem. He wanted Jane by his side.
He just know, he couldn't see anyone else but her. She was the only worthy opponent for him, the one who silently challenges him to be better, work harder and smarter each time.
She was the only worthy person to him, someone who would put him in his place without hesitation.
In his eyes, together they would be unstoppable. Together, they would be on top of any and every food chain.
So what they were just high schoolers? He knew, that she was his ultimate conquest,no matter what challenges would come to him.
So what if she never gives him the attention he wants? So what if he has to chase her even when she pushed him harder each time? He didn't mind it at all. He prefers his examinations to be hard, to test if he is truly ready for the storm.
But maybe destiny have another plan for them.
Maybe high school, was the only time they had.
Soon, he would graduate and leave for UK to study in King's University, like all his other friends in his mafia family.
He could have force himself into her life, he could have kept being persistent.
But no he didn't. Though, that didn't mean he would stop chasing after her.
And no matter what, he wouldn't stop protecting her from any harm, from any danger. And he will do it without her knowing. Making sure she is safe and not even a hair is touched.
She was his girl after all. He wasn't going to upset her by being an idiot who didn't know boundaries. He wanted her to know he respected her.
She was his lady after all. No matter how many glares she sent towards his direction, it would never fail to make his heart skip a beat. No matter how short and how bland her answers were to his failed attempts to make a conversation with her.
She was his Darling after all. He is going to lay himself bare, show all his cards to her if needed. He is ready to do anything and everything for her. And no one would dare even look at her the wrong way, not infront of him. As long as he is alive, he is going to make sure he provides her safety and just be there at her disposal.
She was his woman after all. And however life turns out to be, he is ready to bend and break every bridge just to make sure they walk on the same path.
She was his Jane. His lady. His Darling.
P.S: She started to notice after some weeks of their first meet, that Mr. Vaughn couldn't help but have the faintest smile or the slightest smirk on his face whenever she glared at him or be rude to him. And this only causes her to either glare harder or shove past him and walk away in annoyance.
I do think that he will only get more ruthless and unhinged once he starts college. Not that he isn't, but right now he is more tame. And moreover he seem to like those men who is quiet but deadly charming and gets shit done. You should never underestimate him kind of person
Thanks for reading. It was long and dreary. Longer than I imagined. And it was silly. And bad, it honestly framed better in my imagination. Again, I'm no writer and this was terrible but I needed to pen down this thoughts that was distracting me ever since I got to know about White Mask.
Do share your opinions. I just want to talk about Vaughn and your version of him.
Take care. Stay safe.
50 notes
·
View notes
Standard Operating Procedures 1.03 (Eddie Munson x Store Manager!Reader)
Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader
Summary: Eddie is no stranger to disappointment, but it still stings, regardless.
Previous Part: Standard Operating Procedures 1.02 (Like...it immediately precedes 1.03)
Warnings/Themes: AU where the Upside Down doesn't terrorize Hawkins. Reader works at the Claire's at StarCourt. Eddie works at TapeWorld. Mutual pining and slow burn (yes still, always). Chekhov's...Guitar(?), Sad Boy Eddie, Disappointment, Kind of an argument, Disillusioned Eddie, Hurt/Comfort, fluff at the end as per usual.
Note: I am admittedly just making some shit up in this chapter strictly because I don't know how certain things were in the 80s and have already done my fair share of research and math for this fic. I'm a tired girl. Suspend your sense of disbelief. I hope it's seamless regardless.
Also, I just want to say, thank you for all the love this little series has gotten so far. Everyone has been so kind. If you haven't gotten some already, here's some soft internet magic to help you find your own Eddie Munson or mall romance or whatever it is you're looking for. *perpetual magical forehead smooch*
You can find my masterlist here for more featuring our resident Store Manager and all of my other random Eddie Headcanons.
Please do not interact if you are not 18+.
Enjoy!
---
"M'home!" Eddie announced as he bounded into the trailer. "Isn't it time to make the donuts, old man? Didn't expect you to still be here."
"Eh, Marty's got some appointment tomorrow, so I traded him for 2nd shift," Wayne sighed, sinking further into his arm chair. "Didn't get home too long before you and I don't plan to leave this chair for a good few hours."
"Well, I'll make myself scarce so you can enjoy Johnny Carson in peace," Eddie chuckled, knowing his uncle didn't get much of a chance to indulge in his favorite programs with his work schedule.
"Did ya' have a good session tonight?"
"No session. We went out to celebrate Gareth getting his drivers license."
"S'that why you're so giddy?" Wayne teased good-naturedly.
Eddie thought about it for a second as he kicked off his sneakers, realizing that he had been in a pretty good mood tonight. It had been a fun night out with the guys. And of course, you were there.
It made him happy that you got along with his friends.
And he got to sit next to you and sneak little glances when you didn't know he was watching. And he got to hear the little hitch of your breath at the jump scares and imagine that it would do the same if he kissed your neck the way he wanted to, someday.
You had leaned in close at one point and put your head on his shoulder...only to whisper some joke about a continuity error you spotted. And then grinned when he burst out laughing, only to get confused looks from the guys and curses from the other moviegoers.
It only got better when you agreed to go out on Halloween, as much as he felt like an absolute idiot for asking you.
Who asks a girl to go Trick or Treating? What was he, in 3rd grade? On the upside, it meant you still planned to be his friend come October.
Maybe you would be more than a friend by then.
If he could just get the courage to...actually ask you out.
It wouldn't be that hard, right? He would just have to...maybe hold your hand and ask if you'd ever want...well no that wasn't right...
Fuck. He'd done it before; he'd mostly gotten no's but...
"Y-yeah," Eddie finally responded, realizing his uncle was waiting for an answer. "Zombie movie. You know I like those. Gareth was practically pissing his pants."
"Well good. And you tell that boy not to let the driving thing get to his head," Wayne coughed. "He still owes me a new mailbox after your driving lessons.
"Speaking of which, there's mail for you on the counter," Wayne waved his hand in the direction of the kitchen.
Eddie shuffled over and thumbed through the envelopes, debating whether or not to pull a Carnac the Magnificent just to get a laugh out of his uncle, only to freeze when he reached the bright blue envelope at the bottom of the stack.
ROANE COUNTY PARKS, RECREATION, & COMMUNITY SERVICES
He didn't even need a second to think before he sprinted across the trailer to shove his feet back into his sneakers, grabbed his keys, and shouted a quick "imgoingtojeffsdontwaitup" as he raced out the door.
If it was any other time, he would have called first. Or waited until the morning. But if he knew his friends--and he knew them well--they went and got Dairy Queen after the movies, and Gareth would be pulling into Jeff's sleepy little cul de sac off Maple any minute now. There was no time to waste.
This was big, for all of them. He couldn’t do this alone.
He drove with the radio off, he kept his hands at ten and two, made a full stop at every stop sign, and didn't even speed like he usually would. Not one mile over the limit. He couldn't risk Callahan catching his scent tonight. And he prayed to every god, goddess, demon, devil, deity—every pantheon—he knew that everything could just be in his favor tonight.
It's just the fair, but what if this is the next step on the road to something bigger.
Eddie started honking as soon as he could see the tail lights of the station wagon. He didn't care who he woke up or what neighbor would call the cops. He didn't even remember putting the van in park before he jumped out; it could have rolled off a cliff, he wouldn't have cared.
The other guys started screaming as he waved the envelope at them.
"This is it, this is it. Did you open it yet?
"A real show, guys."
"Do we need new equipment? Shit, do we need eyeliner?"
"Alright guys calm down," Eddie grinned. "We have to open the envelope first."
They huddled together in the middle of the cul de sac, hovering over the envelope and Eddie held his breath for a moment. This would be the moment...
The moment that they could tell everyone they really started on the road to making it big.
The moment they got their first real set, their first big crowd.
Maybe there would be some talent scout at the fair. They showed up at these sorts of things right?
He might not even need to go back to Hawkins High come September.
Or even if he did…to know that he might be a real rockstar some day...He could ignore all of the shit from the kids and the teachers. It wouldn't need to be another year of ridicule and humiliation.
He ripped through the thin blue paper and pulled out the folded letter within, dropping the envelope immediately in favor of clutching it with both hands as he read.
His hands started to shake as he read, and it was only getting worse by the second.
He was going to vomit. Or...or pass out. Or...
Unfortunately due to the family-oriented nature of this event, the genre of music included in your proposed set list has been deemed inappropriate and we regret to inform you that your application for this year's Roane County 4th of July Festival has been denied.
Eddie was going to die. He would lay down, right here in the middle of the street, and die. They could just re-pave the street right over his corpse.
Here lies Eddie Munson.
Wannabe Rockstar.
He didn't even make it to his 20th birthday.
He finally looked up and passed the letter around, watching--painfully--as their dreams were shattered too. He gauged Jeff's reaction most of all, since he had been the one to propose the idea in the first place. But Jeff was fine; he was just looking right back at Eddie.
"You ok, man?" he asked.
"It's just a stupid fair," Eddie sniffed, ignoring the stinging of his eyes as he fought back the tears.
"Yeah," Dave nodded. "There's always next summer."
Next summer. Next year.
Another year he probably wasn't gonna graduate again. Another year stuck in this not-even-one-horse-town.
Sure, he was probably getting ahead of himself with the ideas of fame. But outright rejection? It stung. To be denied the chance to perform, to show off all of their talent, because of the set list he chose.
The guys all trusted him, he always chose songs that highlighted their strengths. Always wanted them to look and play their best. He was so proud of them, he never wanted them to fail.
But they trusted him and it let them down.
And because of that, Eddie couldn't let everything fall apart because he failed.
"They couldn't even let us pick some new songs," Eddie swallowed his pain and laughed dryly. "They don't know what they're missing out on."
It wasn't much, but it was enough to get them going.
"Hey maybe we could write some more original songs for next year?"
"I think if we practiced, I could really nail that one drum solo, hey Ed?"
"We would have totally melted some faces!"
They always held it together for him; he definitely could do it for them too.
---
“Are you sure he’s gonna like this one?”
“This is the newest model,” Eddie explained with a sigh, turning the box over to show off the list of New and Improved features on the back.
The customer was a sleepy-looking older guy in glasses and a wrinkled polo, who walked in 10 minutes before closing, whose wife apparently sent him out for their son’s birthday present: a new Walkman.
And the asshole was really dragging his feet on a decision. Eddie had all of the options they offered laid out on the display case, they'd gone over the different features several times. He almost had the sale, and then the guy realized it was the red model instead of blue. Like it even fucking mattered.
It was Sunday night too. Not like Eddie had anywhere else he needed or wanted to be.
“And if I go to Sam Goody, they’re gonna say the same thing?” He asked.
“You could go down there and ask, but I’ll bet you that it’s gonna be marked up at least 15% more.”
If he left now, the gate would get closed right behind him. The sale wasn’t worth it.
“Hmmmm, fine,” the man harrumphed and began pulling out his wallet. “And throw in a couple tapes too, I guess. I don’t know what Michael likes; whatever you think is popular. You're the expert here, not me.”
As soon as the guy had paid and was walking out of the store, Eddie pulled down the gate and grumbled under his breath "what a fuckin' dickhead, can't make a decision to save his life or even be bothered to know what his son actually wants for his birthday."
Kyle's barking laughter echoed across the store from where he was doing markdowns.
"I can definitely hear you from over here kid," he chuckled. "You've gotta chill.”
"Sorry man," Eddie sighed as he approached the registers to start the closing tasks. "I'm just...I dunno, in a bad mood I guess."
"Well, you're doing a good job, people just suck sometimes."
The first time Kyle told him what a good job he was doing, Eddie nearly confessed that he was channeling Kurt Russel in Used Cars and rolled a D20 for persuasion before each shift.
Whether or not the D20 roll actually worked, Eddie still had some of the best sales numbers on the team. They’d nearly doubled their sales goal today alone. Because despite the entire town seemingly having it in for him, no one seemed to mind that he was the one helping them find whatever it was that they needed.
"Stop thinking about it so much," Kyle laughed. "You just keep making those sales, we keep beating our numbers, and your bonus check's gonna be enough for the last payment on that Warlock you've been drooling over since you started. Doesn't that cheer you up a little?"
Eddie hummed dismissively as approached the cash wrap to start closing procedures, and glared at the stack of handmade fliers for Corroded Coffin’s Tuesday night shows at the Hideout, sitting neatly on the electronics display case next to all of the special order catalogs.
Yeah that was the dream.
A stage-worthy guitar and an actual stage and crowd to go along with it.
But it was gonna be forever to get there at the pace he was going.
When he’d gotten home on Friday night and told Wayne about the rejection letter, his uncle clapped him on the shoulder and said “good things come to those who wait.” Of course, Eddie was grateful for whatever advice his uncle gave him. He was just…tired of waiting.
And he'd have to wait even longer, because tonight it didn't even feel like they were going to be able to leave the store at all, let alone on time.
Nothing was going right--or so it seemed thanks to Eddie's mood. And it just seemed to get worse as time wore on. He couldn't get the registers to balance, he kept fucking up the combination to the safe when he went to put the deposit away, the mixtape he put into the shop radio earlier in the evening had jammed, and it took both him and Kyle combined to jimmy it out of the player.
They ran into a problem with every single closing task.
And before long, you were outside of the store waiting, when he had typically made it his habit to wait for you.
It was just...one of those things that Eddie liked to do.
He could imagine he was picking you up for a real date. Watch you as you finished up your own closing tasks, enjoy the little things you probably didn't even realize you did--bob your head along to whatever residual music was playing in the mall, fiddle with your earrings with one hand as you signed deposit slips with the other.
The way you lit up when you saw him outside of the gate--gave him a bright smile and held your fingers up to say how much longer it would be--was one of the highlights of his week, after gigs at the Hideout and crushing the guys dreams during Hellfire.
He could have really used that tonight.
Instead, you were out there waiting as Eddie continued to fuck things up. You smiled and waved as you usually did when you first arrived, leaning on the little coin-operated horse right outside the store. Thanks to his frustration, he couldn't bring himself to smile back. He glanced outside every now and again, and felt his stomach lurch whenever he saw you kicking your feet or picking your nails. Bored. Annoyed. Sick of waiting for him, probably, if the lack of an expression was anything to go by.
He debated simply telling you to leave. That your night out was canceled and you could reschedule another time.
But if you agreed...you might get pissed off for wasting your time and avoid him whenever you saw him from that point forward.
How did this happen? How was it just 48 hours ago that he was coming up with a plan to ask you out? And now he might never talk to you again?
Because he was a loser, he wasn't worth the trouble, that's wh--
"Alright Ed, let's go," Kyle clapped a hand on his shoulder and Eddie jumped.
"What?" he stared at Kyle for a second.
"What do you mean what? It's time to go," Kyle explained.
"But the checklist," Eddie frowned, mentally tallying all the tasks they hadn't gotten to. "It's not done."
"You wanna stay and clean the bathroom? Mop the floors? I can just have Paulie do it in the morning," Kyle grabbed him by the shoulder and led him to the door. "Let's fucking go. There's a whole pan of lasagna waiting for me at home, and your girlfriend is out there waiting for you. Unless you want me to take her out instead?"
Eddie fumbled over his words as Kyle pushed him outside and locked the gate.
"Try to have a good night tonight; someone's got a crab up his ass," Kyle warned you with a wink before heading towards the exit.
You pushed yourself off the play horse and approached Eddie with a frown.
"Hey if you're not up to going out tonight, we don't have to," you offered.
Here it was, the first steps of rejection.
"Yeah, no," Eddie coughed weakly. "If you don't want to go out, that's cool."
He'd heard it all before.
"God you're such a loser."
"Who would ever want to hang out with a freak like you."
"You think I'd actually be into you?"
"It's not about me, I'm asking about you," you smiled gently. "I don't know if you had a bad customer or something. That always gets me in a mood."
Eddie scratched the back of his neck for a second and fumbled over his words. You weren’t turning him away. No you had to be letting him down easily...right? That had to be it.
Eddie…he’d just been burned too many times by so-called friends at even smaller inconveniences. It was hard not to expect the same from everyone else he let into his life.
Except that really wasn’t the way you did things was it? How many times has he expected one thing from you and you'd surprised him with another?
You weren't tricking him or out to get him or waiting for him to mess up. You were accepting him as he was and offering him whatever care or friendship he needed.
"Yeah," he finally scoffed, playing along. "This...this guy who came in right before we closed. Couldn't decide what he wanted. Wasted time walking around. Real piece of shit."
"Well fuck that guy then," you frowned, then paused. "You sure you're up for going out? Even if you don't want to be out and about, we can go back to my place and...I could cook something? Wouldn't be pizza like I promised, but I pretty much subsist solely on pasta if I'm not grabbing takeout or going out with you. You can just hang out, listen to music or something, it’s not a big deal.”
It sounded like the best night ever. Getting to see your space, adding another layer of trust to your friendship, giving you shit about your cooking just like you did with his dinner choices…but…
Eddie knew you had scheduled yourself to open on the 4th so you could see Corroded Coffin’s set. Of course this had all been planned before he knew they weren’t going to play. And he knew he would have to break the news sooner rather than later.
But...just like with the guys...he didn't want to let you down. You, who had your entire life together, who he was lucky gave him the time of day. If you got too comfortable listening to music, you might be reminded and you would ask him about it, and when you found out...
So he would keep you in the dark. For now at least. And then come that night when you met him at the Fair Grounds he could just tell you there was a mix up and you could just enjoy the fair and eat carnival food until you puked instead.
"As tempting an offer as that is, you'd be missing out on your first Benny's experience," Eddie forced an enthusiastic laugh. "Uncomfortable booths, shitty atmosphere. But you haven't really lived in Hawkins unless you've had a patty melt handmade by Benny himself."
"Surely not the famous Benny."
"The one and only. I can only semi-promise he won't scratch his back with his spatula, but he will blend a piece of apple pie into your milkshake if you ask nicely. It's the Munson Special."
Your eyes sparkled before you looked down at your feet for a moment, and Eddie vibrated restlessly, nerves getting the best of him once he wasn't being observed by you. You then looked up at him with your lips twisted to control a smile and you nodded.
What a relief...
---
It was an undeniable fact that Benny's was the heart of Hawkins, and Benny himself the soul.
He was a severe-looking man at first glance--wide-shouldered with a wild beard and furrowed brows--but he always had a laugh and a story to tell. He went out of his way to learn everyone's name and make them feel welcome and would already be prepping the grill for one of his regular's orders as soon as he saw their car pull into the parking lot.
And Eddie, by the grace of his mother's previous employment at the diner, was one of Benny's favorites. He told you as much and warned you of his "celebrity status" on the drive there.
"He's gonna be very loud, but he's really funny. And he might grill you about what sports teams you like, so he might give you some shit if you don't have one. Actually, are you a big sports fan? Oh, and he might grab me by the collar and shake me around a little, but it's ok...that's just his thing. He's been doing it since I was a kid after the one time I ate all the mints in the jar by the register."
"Eddie, don't worry it'll be ok," you laughed and shifted in the passenger's seat to get a better glimpse of him. "Oh my god, are you blushing?"
"What, no," he scoffed.
Yes, he most definitely was. And he could feel himself get hotter as you continued to watch him.
"It's ok, family can be embarrassing sometimes," you shrugged. "At least it's just funny embarrassing and not painful embarrassing."
Eddie swallowed nervously and gripped the steering wheel a little tighter.
Yeah this would be like meeting someone from his family, wouldn't it.
He was so caught up in his nerves and self-pity, he really hadn't thought of it that way.
"Unless Benny has some baby pictures of you on the wall something," you continued with a conspiratorial grin.
Fortunately, no baby pictures; unfortunately there was a picture on the wall near the old jukebox of a 9-year old Eddie with Benny and Rick, standing next to some massive fish they caught out on Lover's Lake. Whether to emphasize how big the fish was or how short Eddie was, he couldn't recall. All he knew was that he was missing a few baby teeth and his knees were all scabby from one fantastical adventure in the woods or another.
But you didn't need to know about that.
The diner was, thankfully, busy by the time you guys arrived, so you were spared Benny's theatrics short of a "how's it going kid" shouted from the kitchen and a bunch of muffled greetings from some of the regulars who were around when Eddie's mom was still alive. You did, however, get to meet Lynn, the blue-haired waitress that probably worked at Benny's longer than Benny had even owned the place. She was a crank and incredibly opinionated and always let Eddie's mom, then eventually Wayne and Rick, know all of the ways they were failing at raising him.
Now that Eddie was grown, she simply let him know every time she had a problem with him.
But Eddie was shocked at how swiftly you navigated the interaction with her, dodging all of the tricks and traps that typically set Eddie up for some kind of insult or life lesson.
Lynn simply took your orders--patty melts and fries with the promised apple pie shakes, "oh and extra whipped cream please"--hummed judgmentally and stalked off to top off various coffee cups. She didn't even say anything about the lack of vegetables on Eddie's plate when the food was finally ready, like she usually did when he came in for late night bites with the guys.
"How the fuck did you do that?" Eddie leaned across the table conspiratorially. "She's had it out for me for years."
"Old people love me," you explained. "I've driven my papa to enough doctor's appointments and sat through enough of his stories that I have...what did you call it? In your game? A bluff?"
"Buff," he corrected with a nod.
"Grandchild buff," you agreed and he laughed.
"Repel the Elderly," Eddie puffed out his chest and adopted his DMing voice. "A level 4 spell. No damage taken from anyone over the age of 65. But it only lasts 2 rounds. Let's hope the Harpy doesn't come back otherwise I'll need you to make a constitution saving throw. If you roll below a 10, she deals double poison damage; you might not survive."
You threw a fry at him and stuck out your tongue, then asked him to tell you more about Dungeons and Dragons. Everything was normal for a little while as you ate and talked.
Until Benny came to check on his patrons. He typically made the rounds every hour or two, stopping at tables and saying hello. The two of you were laughing at some joke Eddie made by the time Benny got to your booth.
"Hey, kid," Benny leaned his hip against the booth with his arms folded across his chest. "Long time no see; heard you got a real life, grown up job."
"Hey Ben, yeah. At the mall. Been more than a month now. I'm guessing Rick's been by?"
"You know how it goes: holiday weekend coming up, he pulls an all nighter getting supplies from his guy up in Milwaukee. Then he gets the waffle platter with extra bacon and we talk about all the town gossip."
"Nice to know I'm still gossip-worthy."
"You know how proud he is of you. This, uh...a coworker or something? You gonna introduce me or no?" Benny changed the subject and gave Eddie a knowing look. You, however, swooped in to introduce yourself as Eddie shifted in his seat uncomfortably.
He hadn't exactly told Wayne or Rick about you yet. Just that he had some new friends who worked at the mall too. It wasn't the same as talking to the guys. How many times had he had a crush over the years and came home excited about someone only to get his hopes obliterated. How many pep talks had he endured? Now, thanks to Benny's big mouth and Rick's unending need for gossip, they'd know he had taken a pretty girl to the diner.
He could truly only hope that there wouldn't be another pep talk associated with you.
"...ok Chicago," Benny sniffed as your short conversation came to an end. "You're alright. Backing the wrong football team...but still alright. Nice to meet you.”
He then turned back to Eddie.
"I need to get back to the kitchen but Rick told me about the 4th of July thing.” Eddie froze and his mouth went dry. "I'm sorry to hear about it. If you and the guys want, you can do a show here that night instead. Lot of families stop by for ice cream and pie and such.
"Maybe not that real heavy stuff you're into, but I know you boys know how to play some of the classics off the old jukebox. We could set you up in the parking lot. Phil's got some folding tables from the tree lot."
"Yeah thanks," Eddie nodded. "That sounds great. I'll bring it up to the guys when we have practice tomorrow."
"Just let me know so we can make sure you have everything you need." He turned his attention back to you. "Again, it's nice to meet ya'. Don't let Eddie scare you off, he's a big old teddy bear."
"Ben!" Eddie groaned and put his face in his hands.
"Oh he won't; I'm definitely scarier than he is," you cackled. "Nice to meet you too Benny."
Once he was gone, Lynn swooped in with the check. You immediately made to grab for it before Eddie could dare, but Lynn stopped you.
"No need honey; Edward already paid," she hummed. "As a gentleman should; seems Wayne taught you something right."
"It's always nice to see you too Lynn."
The older woman rolled her eyes and shuffled away.
You waited until she was gone before you turned your attention back to Eddie, gritted your teeth, balled the check up and threw it at him.
"Stop doing that! When did you even--"
"When you went to the bathroom," Eddie grinned triumphantly.
"You are a menace and you must be stopped!" You threw your hands in the air as you pushed yourself out of the booth to leave. "I'll get you back one day, I swear to God."
Eddie clasped both hands to his chest and gasped dramatically.
"No, please," he exclaimed. "No holy oaths in front of a lowly devil worshiper like me. I can feel the bullshit burning through me."
"Shut up, I hate you." You laughed. "Just let me pay for dinner next time."
“No, I let you pay for pizza," Eddie argued.
"You let me pay for a pizza. One. And you didn't let me do anything, I had to jump out of the van before you could. I don’t even think you had parked it yet."
“This is slander! I object.” Eddie put his hands on your shoulders, leveling you with the most stern expression he could muster. “I also let you buy cannolis.”
“Alright Perry Mason,” you rolled your eyes at him and swatted his hands off your shoulders. “You win this time.”
“Excuse me but Perry Mason always wins!"
---
You finally brought it up on the way to Lover's Lake.
It hadn't been Eddie's intention to always end your Sunday nights out at the lake, it just...happened. Pizza that first night, then Chinese food the following week when you lost track of time sitting in the employee parking lot debating which Indiana Jones film was better, Raiders or Temple of Doom. (It was Raiders. Obviously.)
Tonight, the plan had been to make s'mores on the fire pit in Rick's backyard. He had suggested it after he'd spotted a sandwich board outside of Scoops Ahoy advertising their knew Gimme S'mores flavor. He'd subtly asked you later if you had ever made s'mores before, and then gave you shit for your absolute throwaway answer.
"Like...yeah, in the microwave."
"The micr--are you shitting me right now?!"
"I'm sorry, there wasn't really an opportunity to start a bonfire in my fully paved backyard."
"Did you even have a childhood? No s'mores, no pudding, no sugar cereal? NO QUISP!"
So Eddie had gone to Bradleys and gotten marshmallows and chocolate and a variety of cookies. The plan, if you were ok with it, was going to be to smoke for a little bit--he'd dreamed of a s'more made with chocolate chip cookies when he had gotten high the other night and was very much looking forward to it--and enjoy the sweetness of both the s'mores and your company.
Instead, it had all shattered around him as he turned onto Cornwallis.
"So..." you began hesitantly, tapping your hands on your lap.
"So...?" Eddie asked, glancing over at you. You leaned forward a little, eyebrows raised expectantly. "What?"
"Benny's offer...for the 4th..."
"What about it?"
"You guys should do it!" you exclaimed. "That sounds like a really fun time."
You went on about the intimate venue and the regulars who already seemed to know Eddie and the guys, if what you had just seen at the diner was any indicator. The more you spoke, the more irritated Eddie seemed to get.
Not irritated...with you. No, just uncomfortable in his own skin. Uncomfortable with the fact that his failure was being perceived.
He ran his tongue along his bottom lip, his hands fidgeted on the steering wheel, his chest hurt. The van seemed to be getting smaller and hotter, the seat more uncomfortable, the longer you spoke.
By the time you finished, he barely felt like himself.
"No," he coughed. "No, I don't think the guys would be up for something like that."
"Why not?" you questioned. "You were getting ready to play at the fair right? What makes this different?"
"It just is," Eddie shrugged.
"I mean I get it's not a stage but--"
"You're not even gonna ask why we aren't playing at the fair?" Eddie cut in, attention fully taken off the road as he stared at you expectantly.
Because...because yeah you were nice, but it didn't make any sense that you were just...going along with whatever you heard. Why were you so quick to try and get him to accept this pity offer from Benny. Why weren't you throwing it in his face that plans had changed and his dreams were shattered.
"Ok. Why aren't you playing at the fair?" you asked and Eddie scoffed. "I'm not trying to be passive aggressive or anything, you just seem irritated that I didn't ask first. So now I am asking."
"Does it matter?" Eddie shrugged.
"Yes, because you're upset."
"I'm not upset."
"Eddie, please," you sighed. "Even Kyle said something was bothering you. I'm not trying to stir the pot and if you want me to drop it, I will. You just...when you talk about your music and the band you're always so excited. I want to understand why you don't want to take this opportunity."
"Because it's a reminder that I'm a failure!" Eddie shouted, hands coming off the steering wheel as he held them up beside his head. "Sur-fucking-prise! I can't seem to do anything right and that's usually fine, but yeah, you're right, this was one of the only things that really mattered to me and the guys. And I couldn't even get that right.
"Benny isn't asking if we wanted to play because he likes our music, because he thinks we're any good. No, it's because he feels bad that we can't play at the Fair. Because I chose what I thought was a really fucking cool set list and they turned us down. Because I fucked up and he wants to cheer me up."
"What's so bad about that? What's so bad about people who care about you wanting to take care of you?" you asked.
"Because it isn't care; it's pity!" He argued. "It's always pity of one kind of another, right? Pity that my mom died, pity that I live in a trailer park, pity that I have this dream that's gonna get me nowhere, pity that I can't even pass senior year after two freaking tries. What's the point anymore? I'm tired."
The van rumbled along, but it was silent otherwise. Eddie couldn't look at you after his outburst so he wrung his hands around the steering wheel.
Fuck. He really did it this time.
Eddie knew, he knew you were gonna ask and he was gonna try to avoid it and he was going to disappoint you. But he didn't know...
Eddie didn't like getting angry or really showing those kinds of emotions. It was different if he snapped at the guys to reel them in, or snark at stupid kids at school. It was harmless, no actual malice behind it. There were just some times...where he felt it all get too overwhelming inside of him and he didn't want to...
He didn't want to be like his dad.
It's why he liked smoking. And why he liked smoking. He wouldn't say he was someone with a lot of sharp edges to begin with, but they helped smooth out whatever rough burrs that came from the every day were left over on his soul after a tough week.
If only he had made it to Lover's Lake before you asked.
He had made the next turn back onto the highway when you spoke.
"Do you think I'm hanging out with you because I pity you?" you broke the silence with a small voice, and when he looked over, you were playing with your fingers and gnawing at your bottom lip. You didn't look scared or upset, really. That was a bit of a relief. But...
"No, I didn't mean..." Eddie paused for a second, because actually...he didn't think you were hanging out with him out of pity. But he was just waiting for the moment you realized it wasn't worth hanging out with him anymore because he was pitiful.
So maybe it was just worth it to end this whole thing now and save himself some unexpected disappointment. Just like it had been with everyone else who suddenly dropped him like a hot potato.
"I mean yeah," he shrugged. "Look at you. And then look at me. We don't exactly make sense."
"Make what sense?"
"You're like...you have everything figured out, you have your whole life together, you're like...on top of the world. Got your promotion to Store Manager, your apartment, everything. Meanwhile--"
"Eddie."
"--I can't even finish high school, my band can't play a bigger crowd than the Hideout, I'm pretty sure I...accidentally sold my soul or something because Kyle hired me and I'm actually doing a good job? But where am I gonna be in 5 years, in 10? Probably still right where I am. I've literally screwed up everything I've ever put my mind to. It doesn't make sense."
"When things don't work out for us, when we're disappointed, yeah it does feel like nothing makes sense," you sighed. "But that's why you need to let the people around you who want to help you, actually help you.
"It's not a bad thing to accept he--Why are we back at the mall?" You suddenly asked as he pulled onto the Mall drive and headed towards the employee lot.
"Well I figure the night is over, I would take you back to your car," he shrugged weakly.
You opened your mouth to say something, but quickly closed it and nodded.
Yeah, that's what he thought.
He still got out of the van and opened the door for you when he parked next to your car, he offered you some chocolate to take home if you wanted, and he even kissed your hand before you got in the car to leave.
"See you around sweetheart," he said softly through your open window.
"See you Eddie, have a good night please," you offered a small smile. "Please...be good to yourself ok?"
He tucked his hands into his pockets and watched you drive away before he got back into the van.
Be good to himself.
Weird, but that definitely sounded better the "fuck you" he usually got when people disappeared from his life.
---
Except you didn't disappear from his life. You lived in the same town, worked at the same mall, for crying out loud; you still parked your car kind of close to his when he came in for the rest of his shifts that week. You didn't eat lunch together like you'd gotten used to doing...but he would still catch glimpses of you as you passed each other on break.
It was almost...back to how it was before he had gotten the nerve to go and talk to you that first time. You would smile and wave and he would look away. Neither of you said anything to one another, but you weren't hostile and neither was Eddie.
The 4th of July arrived and Eddie had to work. He had originally traded shifts with someone so he could do a short mid instead of a close and he'd forgotten to switch it back. But that meant he caught you leaving Tape World at the end of, what should have been, your 15 minute break.
"What was she doing here?" Eddie asked Kyle, who was surprisingly decked out in as much flag gear as he could get his hands on.
"Who? Oh your girlfriend?" Kyle pushed his star-shaped sunglasses up the bridge of his nose as he filed some receipts away. The grin on his face was obnoxious.
"She's not my girlfriend."
"Uh huh. Sure. Well, her shop radio broke again and she forgot her tapes again," Kyle shrugged. "What else is new? Hey maybe if I send you up there on official Tape World Business, you two can make up and you can stop being such a fuckin' grump."
Eddie ignored him.
That night, there was no concert at Benny's but he and the guys did end up going to the fair and eating funnel cake until they puked.
They actually had a good time; they had even watched the musical lineup for a little while. Whatever the clerk at the Park Department had chosen wasn't nearly as good as Corroded Coffin would have been. And that knowledge, paired with Gareth's heckling and Jeff's booing, kind of made him feel a little better.
The following Sunday passed by without your usual date night. Eddie still passed by your store on the way out to the employee lot. You didn't look at him or wave this time, you were at the register going over something with, what looked to be, a new hire. You laughed and his chest hurt a little.
Eddie knew how much those little dates, how much those lunches and breaks spent together, really brightened up his week. But it wasn't until he didn't have them anymore that he realized just how strong of a foothold you had in his life in such a short amount of time.
He really should never have pushed you away like he had.
He had fucked up.
He missed you.
---
"Hey Ed, once you clock in can you check the shipment in?" Kyle asked as soon as Eddie crossed through the doors to start his shift the following Wednesday.
"Yeah, great," Eddie sighed. “No problem.”
It wasn’t that he hated checking the shipment in….it’s just that there were about a million other parts of working at Tape World that he liked better. Talking to customers, choosing what would play on the store radio for the duration of his shift…shit, even counting down the registers at night. But this was tedious. Busy work.
It was an endless stack of boxes and he needed to make sure what was inside matched the packing slip. Thousands of little tapes. Great.
"There's some special orders back there too, if you can give the customers a call!" Kyle hollered after Eddie as he slipped into the stock room. Sure enough, there were a few larger boxes propped up by the little break area.
Now that was something Eddie enjoyed a little more. He'd call the customers--usually some desk jockey who got themselves something to get through their mid-life crisis, or a parent getting some dream gift that their kid would forget about come next month--and tell them their special order had just arrived. Then typically, they would drop into the store that day or the next day and he would get to help them unpack and test out their brand new guitar.
Aside from selling the sparkling new guitars from one of the many catalogs at the counter, this was the best part of his job. And knowing he would get to do it immediately brought his mood up.
Eddie himself had been waiting for the day where a package would be there for him. On his first day, as they were setting up the store before the mall had even opened, he had unpacked the box of catalogs and found a doozy of guitar that he had his eye on: A BC Rich Warlock. And he had been putting money towards it with every paycheck. Tape World had a plan, just like the holiday layaway at K-Mart, and combined with his employee discount...he was almost there.
He dreamt about it as he grabbed a box and pulled the packing slip from where it was attached on the side of the box.
Maybe in the next few weeks? Next month? He'd come back here and the label would say...
Edward Munson/Tape World/1 StarCourt Drive/Unit F3
Eddie blinked.
Yeah. That's what it would say.
Wait. Was he still high from after last night's show? When they'd made a very late McDonalds run and smoked in Gareth's garage?
Edward Munson/Tape World/1 StarCourt Drive
He blinked again. Nope, still the same.
Edward Munson
"Well?" Eddie jumped at the sound of Kyle's voice by the stockroom door. He had his arms crossed and he had the biggest grin on his face. "You gonna open it or what?"
"What the fuck man? Where did this come from?" Eddie questioned.
"I would assume wherever BC Rich makes their guitars? California, I don't know. I work here, remember dingus?"
"No I mean," Eddie fumbled over his words. "I hadn't made the last payment, where did it...did you..."
"Look at the packing slip man," Kyle gestured. "The order form."
Eddie quickly flipped to the Tape World order form stapled to the packing slip. There were lines of his signatures, and the amount of money he had put down with each payment...and then at the very bottom...
A very intricate signature. Yours. And the last hundred dollar payment, marked in red pen.
No. You didn't. You couldn't have. When did you even?
"I told you she was your girlfriend," Kyle cackled. "I fuckin' told you."
--
Kyle had been gracious enough to let Eddie take an early lunch so he could find you...confront you...kiss you...Eddie wasn't sure yet.
You opened on Wednesdays so right about now you would be taking the cardboard out to the loading dock and then taking your last break. He knew because, if not for the fact that he hadn't talked to you in over a week, he would be right there with you.
Still you jumped in surprise when he burst onto the loading dock, the heavy dock door slamming into the brick wall, just as you were hitting the button on the baler.
"Jesus Christ, Eddie," you put your neon pink, fishnet glove-clad hand on your chest. "Gave me a heart attack."
"Why did you do it?" Eddie asked.
"Do what?"
"This," he pulled the order form from his back pocket and crossed the short distance to show you. He tapped on your signature several times. "Why would you do this for me?"
Your mouth formed a soft "oh" and you sighed.
"Because you're my friend," you explained as if it was obvious. "Because you've been really down and you needed cheering up."
"This isn't just...cheering a friend up. It's too much."
"It really isn't," you shook your head.
"It's a hundred dollars!"
"I have savings," you continued.
"And you have, like...rent and bills and stuff."
"So do you...you said you've been helping your uncle with rent and bills and stuff," you said in a way that mocked him. He gritted his teeth.
"I was gonna use my sales bonus for the final payment."
"Well I'm due for mine coming up too."
"I'm paying you back!" Eddie insisted.
"No you aren't. I wanted to do this for you so I did it."
"If you felt sorry for me or--"
"I just wanted to cheer you up Eddie!" You exclaimed, slamming your hands on the baler button again in finality, as if crushing the already-crushed cardboard was somehow going to drive your point home. "I don't feel sorry for you. I don't pity you. You're my friend and you were really down, disappointed.
"Tell me yes or no? Were you on the verge of giving up? Yes or no, right now."
Eddie froze.
No he wouldn't. Except...hadn't he? There was no 4th of July Fair, which meant there also wasn't a show at Benny's. Their last set at the Hideout wasn't...well he wasn't as good as he could have been. As good as he usually was.
Maybe he had...given up on himself a little. Let the self pity get the best of him.
"No," was the answer he gave you though.
Your eyes hardened and narrowed in challenge. You placed your hands on your hips and stood toe to toe with him and although he was the taller one between the two of you, it certainly felt like you were a giantess towering over him, complete with layers of fishnet and rayon and tulle fluttering in the slight breeze off the loading dock.
"Maybe you didn't hear yourself in the van after Benny's but I did," you began. "You felt like everyone pitied you, that no one was your friend or on your side. You were alone, and in place of real pain and disappointment, and you said you were tired. What is the point of trying anymore, you're tired. You said that, Eddie. You did.
"And I've been there, ok? I'm not that much older than you but I kind of am in a different stage of my life. So I'm sorry if I've ever made it seem like things are easy for me...I'm sure in some aspects they are, but in others...yeah I've been there. It's hard not to compare yourself to others when you're down, but also, you can't just...push people away or think that they're taking pity on you when they're just trying to help.
"And I know it's hard to get over that little hurdle of feeling like everything is a trick or a trap and accept nice things from other people, so excuse me if I took the initiative to do it without your permission. Because when I was at a place of giving up and not wanting help or advice, someone did that for me. So I'm doing it for you now. And I would do it again in a heartbeat."
Eddie stared directly into your eyes as he processed everything. Back and forth, left and right, as your heavy breathing went back to normal.
"Because, if you fail to remember, you have been doing nice things for me these past few weeks, and you really haven't let me return the favor quite yet, so if you don't want to accept that I'm just doing something nice for a friend, then accept that I'm paying you back for all the nice things you've done for me."
He swallowed and looked down at his feet for a moment.
"It was just...some pizzas and snacks--"
"And chili cheese fries, and surprise sodas on the days we don't have our breaks at the same time, and that movie ticket, and dinner at Benny's, and all the gas you've used to drive us around when at this point I can probably navigate town by myself," you finished for him.
Eddie did a mental tally and yeah, you were right. He did do all of those things, and no, he hadn't and probably still wouldn't let you return the favor if you gave him the chance to be your friend again.
"I know friendship isn't supposed to be transactional, but the scale has been tipped immensely towards you, so instead of just sitting back and watching you feel like a failure and give up on your dream because some stupid...I don't know, festival...person has no taste in music, I wanted to do something to surprise you. To cheer you up."
"Why haven't you talked to me then?" he asked.
"What do you mean? You haven't been talking to me," you laughed. "I've been waving and saying hello...you dropped me off at my car that night and then...you haven't even looked at me since. So I figured you just needed the space. I get that too; needing some time, some space."
"I guess I thought you didn't want anything to do with me anymore," Eddie replied lamely. Because yeah, you had been doing those things. Maybe...maybe you were right, maybe he did need the space too. God, you were such a know it all. "I'm here now."
"Yeah I see that," you deadpanned. "Hi."
"Hi," Eddie parroted. "Thank you. For the surprise. I really...really was...surprised."
"Of course, any time," you nodded. "How are you feeling? Any better?"
"Yeah," he sighed. "Just like you said, I needed some time to work it out. Spent some time with the guys, it cheered me up."
"Good."
"You missed out on all the carnival food. Made the guys ride the tilt a whirl...Gareth's puke was purple."
"Yeah," you scrunched your nose. "I really missed out."
"There's always next year."
"Great." You offered him a small smile. "We good?"
"Yeah. You still want to hang out with me on Sunday? I, uh, really missed you."
"I missed you too. Maybe...you can give me a private show this Sunday? With your shiny new guitar? Only if you're up for it, of course."
"Absolutely. Sundays with you are my..." Eddie hesitated.
Should he say it? Would it scare you away?
Before he could finish, you put your hand on his arm and squeezed.
"They're mine too."
---
Next Part: Interview Prep
Sales Associates (AKA the tag list):
@gaysludge @storiesbyrhi @tayhar811 @spookybabey @word-wytch @maidenofartemis @dreamlandcreations @wickedbelle @blue-eyed-lion @aysheashea @blue-mossbird @abibliophobiaa @jabbatheslutt420 @ghost-proofbaby @bakugouswh0r3 @ghostinthebackofyourhead
If you weren't given any hours this week (aka if you aren't already tagged or if I forgot to tag you) let me know via ask or comment. I'm sure I can find some extra payroll.
360 notes
·
View notes