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sugoi-writes · 16 days

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Scream Machine - Part 3 (An Alastor x Reader fanfic)

A/N: Sorry for the delay on this part! I was really tossed up on whether or not to have smut in this part... I decided no smut on this part. Can't rush to the good part! The next should be VERY very steamy, though! This is a strictly - plot heavy part. Haha

No major warnings! Please enjoy!

True to his word, Alastor had sent help your way. A chaste knock came to your door, and you opened it to a small horde of black and white minions, inky and oblong. The stitches that held their forms together were groteque, hardly holding the poor bastards together as you saw frays and tears... It appeared these were sinners bound to Alastor's whim. And Alastor seems to work them nearly to their second deaths. You shuddered but gave them a courteous smile as you allowed the entities inside. Wordlessly, they started to collect your belongings, you having neatly prepared them.

" I uhh-- I have a cab? I don't know if y'all can understand me, but we can load everything up when it gets here--" You jumped as a static, shrill sound erupted from behind you, followed by a low, monotone hum. The sound reminded you of a lightsaber, making you hopeful that this was something benevolent (silly, maybe, but a sinner could dream). Slowly, you turn towards the sound, only to be met by a gold-rimmed portal. Your eyes were wide with disbelief, as the ominous steps of the Hazbin Hotel looked back at you from the other side.

"Oh-- well, I guess-- I guess this is fine?" You were a little nervous, unsure if this portal was Alastor's doing, or someone else's. The gold immediately made you think of the Morningstars, but you weren't sure if that should be comforting or terrifying. Continuing in silence, Alastor's henchman began heaving your things through the portal. You were relieved, mentally… Had you had all of your belongings from Earth, this process would have taken MUCH longer; especially if you were by yourself. You helped with the little bits that were left over, stepping cautiously through the portal with your final piece of luggage. Once you set yourself on the steps of the hotel, the golden portal closed behind you. You swallowed hoarsely, nerves wavering as you started to ascend. Was this truly a good idea? And was your decision... rushed?

The money? A heavenly perk. A free place to live, with free amenities and services? Excellent! But… the man holding the other end of the chain… Alastor. That was the only catch to this whole arrangement...

How would he treat this situation, based off of your tryst in the alleyway, just hours before? Should you pretend that it never happened? Should you be expecting more of the 'unexpected' from him? Should you have so hastily agreed to come to this place?

Your mind was racing with possibilities and dismay as the doors to the hotel slammed open. You narrowly missed the golden bellhop's cart as it came barreling down the stairs, carrying two riled up passengers. Once at rock bottom, you saw a tall, vivacious spider demon and a petite, spunky cyclops demon. As both dusted themselves off, they laughed breathlessly, wiping tears from their eyes.

"Fuck, you should've-- you should've seen the look on your face, Ange!" came the smaller one, one that you had realized to be upcoming heavy-hitter: Cherry Bomb. Her partner in crime elbowed her playfully, adjusting his clothes and hair," Watch it, sugar tits! Your heart almost fell right outta your ass when we ran over--"

And suddenly, the pair had noticed you, shakily picking yourself up as you groaned. Angel fretted, his hands fanning the air frivolously before coming to your side," Shit-- sorry, sweetheart. Here-- I gotcha." You nodded, taking the help as you were hoisted to your feet. Cherry seemed practically unphased, looking to her nails before back at you," You alright, squirt?"

You felt your face heat up, convinced that you were most likely older than she was," I-I'm fine, thanks… I assume you two are here for me?" Angel laughs, patting you on the back," Yeaaaaaah, sorry 'bout that. We got told by Boss Lady that we had a sudden new recruit. Welcome aboard, toots." Uncharacteristically, the spider demon extends a hand towards you, winking," 'names Angel. I'm assuming you've got one?" You took his hand, a gesture that made your confidence come back, smiling broadly as you shook it. After all you heard about this pornstar, he was… surprisingly courteous? Not that pornstars tended to be assholes, but you hadn't expected to be welcomed to a place in Hell so… normally? Warmly?

Angel repeats the name back to you once you say it, nodding resolutely," The babe back there is my friend, Cherry. We'll help you get your bags upstairs and to your room." You bow your head towards the two, grateful that it wouldn't just be you and the wordless lackies," Thank you. 'Much appreciated. And, good to meet you. I've got to admit, you're the nicest people I've met here so far… This hotel must really be something." Angel cackles, the slap to your back stinging sharply as Cherry laughs right along with him.

" Oh shit-- if you think we're nice, wait until you meet The Pants. She's like-- like THE Disney princess!" Cherry nods hastily, adding," Right? Practically a nut case from how nice she is… But hey: she'll keep a good eye out for ya. I should know." You get the sense that Cherry would have winked, but that would prove difficult for her. You snorted, trying not to laugh at the blatant joke.

"Gotcha, gotcha… good to know that the rumors about her are true…" You followed the pair up the full flight of stairs, a more eager pep in you step as you took in the interior of the lobby. Your eyes blew widely as you took in the extravagant decor, blinking as the lights of the elegant chandelier twinkled in your eyes. So, this would be your new home? It was certainly lavish… something you were a-okay with. You soon took note of the bar, nodding towards it," Y'all have a bar? Nice! I'll have to get a drink soon--"

The anthropomorphic cat demon, the barkeep, made you take pause, causing you to squint," Wait-- Husk? Oh, Husk! You were the Bari-sax, right? I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to thank you for having me in your ensemble tonight!"

You started to make your way over towards the feline demon, his eyes momentarily coming up to look to you. He nodded towards you, tilting his head shortly after," Yeah, you're that kid from the speakeasy, right?" …why must everyone refer to you as a child? You mental strife was cut short by the seemingly nonchalant bartender.

"You' here for this redemption-shenanigans, too?" he drawled, leaning on the countertop as he nursed a half empty bottle of spirits. You winced, eyelid twitching," Actually, uhh… I guess I work here, now? I was hired on for entertainment, so I guess we'll be seeing each other around more." Husk's ears pinned back, eyes widening as his voice dropped impossibly low," …please tell me you were hired by Charlie. Charlie's lady friend?" Before you could speak, a familiar shadow figure appeared to your right.

"Actually, I had scouted this darling jazz player myself!" Your shoulders tensed as Alastor rested a hand there, your face instantly becoming heated from the touch.

" Husker! Surely you've met my new friend here, hmm?" Husk's eyes sharpen, a clear sadness written across his face," Not much yet, nah… I should've guessed you'd've gotten to them first," he nearly spat, disappointment flashing your way. You had little room for rebuttal as Alastor's grin grew larger, leaning in towards the two of you. The Radio Demon was positively teeming with excited, demented energy. For now, he decided to let Husk's tone go, turning his attention back towards you. Husk did not miss the wicked glint in his owner's eyes, warning him gravely about his misstep silently.

"Dear, was your trip over quite alright? Let me tell you, getting the King of Hell to conjure that portal was no easy feat~" Angel Dust and Cherry looked to one another as Alastor rambled, sending you a questioning look before they continued their way down the hall. Presumably, they were heading towards your room. You didn't mind, waving them goodbye silently as they continued. Not wanting to get off to a rocky start, you refocused your attention to the curious Radio Demon.

"It was helpful, thank you. Moving was a piece of cake. Are uhh-- are your little guys alright? That was a lot of stuff to move--" Alastor pulls you into his side, his arm looped around your shoulder. You blinked, and the henchman all vaporized, disappearing," NONSENSE, dear! They've been subjected to much worse horrors than that, I can assure you! Don't worry your pretty little head about such menial things~" You were given an uncharacteristically warm pat on the head… again, like a child. A part of your felt a tinge of disappointment, worried that the alleyway must have really been a one-off situation.

"R-Right… well, thank you, nonetheless. I assume that I should follow those two to find my room? And tour will come once I'm settled in?" Husk rolled his eyes as Alastor laughed, his frequency filled with the delight of a live studio audience," Heavens, no! We must show you around the rest of the hotel first! After all, we wouldn't want you stuck in you room all night with no idea where to go!" You felt Alastor nudge you with his cane, ushering you to walk with him as he began your tour. Husk couldn't help the look of worry he sent your way, as you waved to him apologetically. Surely, you'd have plenty of time to catch up with him later, right? …Right?

---

Twenty minutes had passed, before Charlie and Vaggie came through the front doors, carrying groceries and other items for this evening's dinner," Oh, shit!!! That took so much longer than I thought! They should be here by now!" Charlie panicked, running a pale hand through her long locks.

Vaggie looks towards the bar to the snoozing feline, knocking on the counter aggressively," Hey!! Did you see the new sinner come in recently?" Husk woke up with a start, nearly knocking an empty bottle off the counter," Uhhgh… yeah, I did. You can thank Alastor for the 'grand tour'… he's already makin' off with them down the hall…" Vaggie seemed to become nervous, trudging towards the direction you were last seen. Charlie is quick to stop her, holding her firmly by the shoulders.

"Babe, we need to find the newcomer. There's no telling what sort of bullshit and terror he's showing them right now. What if he tries roping them into some twisted deal--???"

"Relax, Vaggie! This is one of the first times he's taken an interest in helping one-on-one! Plus, he was the one that recruited them! This is a good step in the right direction for him!" Chalie proudly brings a hand to her heart, sighing dreamily as she looks down the hallway," The hotel may finally be growing on him… He hasn't given a tour since Dad came to the Hotel. Surely this is a good thing! We have to trust that Alastor will show and tell them all the nice, important things! And we can always go find them later, when dinner is ready. And be supportive, if they have a lot of questions."

Vaggie, ever a softy for her love, becomes smitten by her positivity. She takes her hand chastely in her own, nodding," Alright… in that case, let's at least be sure that dinner is perfect. Just in case."

Charlie's eyes well up with exaggerated, animated tears, as if she were fresh from a Ghibli film. Soon after, the lovers leave together to tend to the dinner prep, as Husk returns his throbbing head to the countertop.

By this point, you had been to most every floor but your own, assuming that Alastor's abode wouldn't be too far behind. You look Alastor's way, scratching the back of your neck," Sooo… This is… This is a really nice place. Thank you for having me here and paying me… and all." Alastor tilts his head, quirking a thin brow your way," Oh, don't thank me just yet! You will still have to earn your keep, after all!" You huff, a bit of the nervous energy rolling off your chest. If it came down to blowing the house down, you were confident you could do that," Of course… wouldn't want it any other way."

As the two of you rounded the corner, you were met with a long, expansive corridor. On either end, there sat two opposing rooms: one door was made from a heavy metal, with an "On Air" sign hovering just above. You assumed this to be Alastor's room. At the other end, you saw a finely carved mahogany door, adorned with ornate flourishes of red and gold. Surely, Lucifer's. You looked back towards Alastor, laughing nervously," Aha… I guess you two must be close, huh? You and the Big-Man-Downstairs…?" Somehow, you thought that the Radio Demon being buddy-buddy with Lucifer would be troubling. Say or do one wrong thing, and you'd have the full wrath of the nine hells down your gullet. Alastor scowls, shaking his head despite his wide, misleading smile.

"Oh, Hells no! We couldn't be more opposed, I'm afraid. However, we agree in one front, and one alone." He looks towards you, a somewhat proud look in his eye," This hotel; his Hazbin Hotel that Ms. Charlie has spawned. Though I believe the path to redemption to be a perilous one, IMPOSSIBLE at best… She has very fascinating ideas. Ideas that keep me entertained, and her father proud... ideas that we can't help but want to make happen." Alastor looks towards his studio," And, one that we all seem to gain from, all the same. So... we have a sort of ceasefire in place, in the meantime." He offers you an arm, brows raising earnestly.

"But, before I get too carried away… shall I show you to your quarters?" You blink in surprise, looking around," Am… am I on this floor, too?" Alastor's grin is telling, mischievous and wide. "You did request to have your room close to mine, did you not?" You felt your heart squeeze at the realization. Maybe he did take you, and what the two of you did earlier, seriously. You decided to take his arm, allowing him to walk you towards his end of the hallway," Well, I appreciate you taking that into account. I hope you didn't have to pull too many strings to make that happen." Alastor chuckles, rolling his eyes.

"Oh hardly; it was easy enough! But I did pull a leg or two. Lucifer's, specifically. You would be surprised how easy it is to trip the King of the Hells down a flight of stairs~" Your eyes widened, your face aghast," I-Is he alright?"

Alastor's laugh nearly makes him double over, free hand clutching his sides," Oh, you sweet, precious thing! Lucifer has wings… he only tumbled down the first 5 steps~" You smiled genuinely as Alastor put himself into stitches at his own childish behavior," Oh, but the goose egg that swelled on his head! Now THAT was priceless! Classic entertainment!"

You wiggled your brows up at him, waving to get his attention," You know, make him fall down an extra 661 steps… and I hear he'd end up in DOUBLE hell…"

The two of you looked at each other silently for a moment, before laughing in unison. Alastor was quick to squeeze you closer to him, making your heart flutter in your chest. You had found yourself clever. Alastor simply found Lucifer's pain and bodily torment hilarious.

"Now see, I KNEW you'd be the PERFECT addition to this hotel! I hadn't known you took up comedy, too!" You feel your cheeks heat up at the compliments and goading, your head feeling light as you both finally appeared before your new room. You tried brushing his comments off, but they made your heart flutter all the same...

Just as you were going to reach for the knob, Alastor released your arm, allowing you to take the initiative. Once you had opened the door, you were surprised to see everything already inside, your room lightly furnished," Wow… Angel and Cherry work fast. Either that, or time flies when you're having fun." You look back towards Alastor again, spinning to face him fully.

"I just-- Thank you again for the opportunity, and the tour. I really appreciate everything you've done to get me here." Alastor's smile seems to soften a touch, eyes lidding," Don't fret, dear. Anyone who is a friend of mine is a friend to this hotel. You would have been welcome here, regardless of our little arrangement." Your eyes widened at that, your head tilting," Despite… our arrangement?" Alastor nods, gesturing towards your door. The word 'friend' was most definitely used, but you had yearned for something more... endearing. Your slight disappointment was cut off as Alastor spoke once more.

"Before I leave you to your bidding… may I enter? I'd like to further discuss what we agreed upon." You felt your heartbeat quicken, your palms becoming sweaty as you hesitated. Oh boy… here comes the business; the transactional part of things. And oddly enough, you felt a familiar heat travel south... the two of you, secluded and alone? This could become interesting for both of you...

"O-Of course… come on in." You stepped away from the door, allowing your newfound patron to enter to your room. You didn't even notice his shadow slinking up the door, locking it from the inside.

#alastor hazbin hotel #alastor fanfic #alastor x reader #alastor x y/n #radio demon hazbin hotel #radio demon x reader #gn!reader #ahaha sorry for no smut but some WILL come soon I SWEAR #for all of you that are invested: here comes thirds!!!

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peterthepark · 2 years

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imagine enemies to enemies with benefits with eddie bc y'all despise each other but oh man does it make for good sex 😌

nah bc sorry i just have many thoughts abt this:

tags: 18+ graphic smut, hate sex, filth be warned, enemies to lovers hello best trope!!!!

Eddie doesn’t want to admit he’s jealous. He really doesn’t. It’s not because you’re the new girl in town, with her own (successful is an exaggeration) rock band and supposed trail of male groupies, and definitely not because you’re showing him up at his only apparent talent ever — guitar. No, definitely not. Surely, he isn’t jealous of your gorgeous head of hair and badass stick-and-pokes. Hell, everything about you just screams ‘Eddie Munson 2.0’, but with an 80s femme fatale look that’s so, so much better than whatever he’s got going on.

Cherry bomb, alright. Riot girl to the max. Anarchistic feminist. Chains, leather, platform boots and ripped fishnets with pretty knees.

He isn’t jealous. But he’s allowed to not like you.

He’s allowed to not like you, but on the contrary, he’s also allowed to fuck you even if the admiration isn’t there. A dilemma quite chaotic for the times. A mutual agree-to-disagree and untamable bratty behavior. An exchange of hate accompanied by a soulful exchange of sex. It’s a win-win, with the weirdest odds ever.

Eddie sports a scowl as you straddle his lap. He’s manspreading in the back of his van, blankets and pillows strewn about as his arms rest along the leather seats in the front.

“You liked my gig tonight?” You quirk an interested brow, hiking your denim miniskirt over your hips as you line his manhood up with your entrance.

He scoffs, an awful joint dangling from his lips as you tease the tip of his cock. “Abhorred it. The Billy Idol cover? Eardrums went poof! Bled everywhere.”

“Aw, bunny.” You chuckle, holding his intense stare as you lower yourself onto him. You reach back and cup his balls, pouting as his jaw ever-so-subtly clenches at the sensation. “Next time… I’ll be sure to sing some Ozzy, dedicate it to my favorite man in the crowd.”

Eddie’s head falls back, his hands instantly gripping onto your hips for leverage. “O-Oh?” You roughly bite at his earlobe, not enough to draw blood but enough for him to feel the sting. “And who might that be?”

“Mmm… Jim Hopper.” You whisper raspily, tits bouncing in Eddie’s face as you set the pace. “Sorry, Munson. It’s the daddy issues.”

“Yeah, yeah. Shut up and ride me harder, Y/N.” He flicks his blunt aside, harshly pulling your mouth down to his. His fingertips are nonetheless bruising to your skin, rings digging into your soft and sweaty flesh as you grind onto his lap. He can’t help but moan into the kiss, grunting against your glossy lips when you squeeze around him. “F-Fuck, you’re so goddamn tight.”

“And you’re not nearly putting in enough effort as I am.” You smirk, nails digging into his back muscles as he abruptly maneuvers you onto your side. With his cock still buried deep inside, Eddie’s hips snap up into you, juices coating the insides of your thighs as he spreads you open. “Shit! Mmm, okay! Okay, I take it b-back. Ow, fuck, that’s my cervix.”

“Sorry, sorry. Christ, stay still. Fucking hell, man.”

You bite down on Eddie’s knuckles, screwing your eyes shut when he finds that spongy spot inside you once again. “Hey, first to cum has to buy t-the other person a milkshake.”

“D-Deal.” He breathes out, clasping a hand over your shoulder and tugging you against him with every aching thrust. His eyes roll back into his head when you start clenching rhythmically around him, a trick you’ve learned over the months of fucking Eddie behind everyone’s backs. “Stop that, you.”

“Stop what?”

“Your — Y/N, please… this… can’t take it when your cunt is — is milking me like this. S’not fair.”

You grin back at him, wheezy and out of breath. “Oh, I know it’s not fair. That’s why I do it.”

“Y/N…”

“Milkshake sounds so good right now, doesn’t it? Just get it over with and cum inside me so we can do a round two in the diner bathroom.”

Eddie laughs in disbelief, thrusts stuttering and hands shaking as his dick starts to pulse inside you. “You’re such a pervert, you know that?”

“Yeah, go talk to a mirror. It’s why you like fucking me in your van, hot stuff.”

It’s safe to say that Eddie bought you that shake at the end of the day. And perhaps, he’s never hated anything more than having to share a burger and fries with you, coupled with the fact you just couldn’t stop talking his ear off about anything and everything.

Although, he’d be a liar if he said that he hadn’t enjoyed the road head you gave him on the way back home.

Maybe an Eddie Munson 2.0 was good for something after all.

#did i go a little off on this #yes #sorry #eddie munson smut #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fic #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x reader #fic request

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tocomplainfriend · 1 month

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Can someone please tell me why 7 (Angel Dust, Charlie, Nifty,Lucifer,Cherri Bomb ,Lute and Adam) characters in Hazbin are literally white skinned?while the POC in Hazbin are literally an ashy grey color as well as being sidelined?I don't want to jump to conclusions that Vivziepop is a racist but this is crossing the line we know she doesn't try hard enough to include diversity in her shows I also think there's more favoritism for those characters than the characters who are of color. Hmm EDIT:I just realized it's 8 with Katie Killjoy which makes this even worse

Oh, no! You hit the nail! Nifty is supposed to be Asian too(?) It's not good at all bro. I have talked about it before! I feel so bad because they do try to make it seem really diverse- they have the same twink white bullshit all over the place. Basic to even poorly written queerness in the show. Like non actually good disability representation and really bad Poc representation. I know a lot of younger people think this is a progressive (still 'edgy' at parts) show. It's crazy. It's sad.

#vivziepop critique #hazbin hotel critical

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april-is · 13 days

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April 11, 2024: The Coffin Maker Speaks, Lisa Suhair Majaj

The Coffin Maker Speaks Lisa Suhair Majaj

At first it was shocking—orders flooding in faster than I could meet. I worked through the nights, tried to ignore the sound of planes overhead, reverberations shaking my bones, acid fear, the jagged weeping of those who came to plead my services. I focused on the saw in my hand, burn of blisters, sweet smell of sawdust; hoped that fatigue would push aside my labor's purpose.

Wood fell scarce as the pile of coffins grew. I sent my oldest son to scavenge more but there was scant passage on the bombed out roads And those who could make it through brought food for the living, not planks for the dead. So I economized, cut more carefully than ever, reworked the extra scraps. It helped that so many coffins were child-sized.

I built the boxes well, nailed them strong, loaded them on the waiting trucks, did my job but could do no more. When they urged me to the gravesite— that long grieving gash in earth echoing the sky's torn warplane wound— I turned away, busied myself with my tools. Let others lay the shrouded forms in new-cut wood, lower the lidded boxes one by one: stilled row of toppled dominoes, long line of broken teeth. Let those who can bear it read the Fatiha over the crushed and broken dead. If I am to go on making coffins, Let me sleep without knowledge.

But what sleep have we in this flattened city? My neighbors hung white flags on their cars as they fled. Now they lie still and cold, waiting to occupy my boxes. Tonight I'll pull the white sheet from my window. Better to save it for my shroud.

One day, insha'allah, I'll return to woodwork for the living. I'll build door for every home in town, smooth and strong and solid, that will open quickly in times of danger, let the desperate in for shelter. I'll use oak, cherry, anything but pine.

For now, I do my work. Come to me and I'll build you what you need. Tell me the dimensions, the height or weight, and I'll meet your specifications. But keep the names and ages to yourself. Already my dreams are jagged Let me not wake splintered from my sleep crying for Fatima, Rafik, Soha, Hassan, Dalia, or smoothing a newborn newdead infant's face. Later I too will weep. But if you wish me to house the homeless dead, let me keep my nightmares nameless.

Today in:

2023: Running Orders, Lena Khalaf Tuffaha 2022: April, Alex Dimitrov 2021: Dust, Dorianne Laux 2020: VI. Wisdom: The Voice of God, Mary Karr 2019: What I Didn’t Know Before, Ada Limón 2018: History, Jennifer Michael Hecht 2017: from Correspondences, Anne Michaels 2016: Mesilla, Carrie Fountain 2015: Dolores Park, Keetje Kuipers 2014: Finally April and the Birds Are Falling Out of the Air with Joy, Anne Carson 2013: The Flames, Kate Llewellyn 2012: To See My Mother, Sharon Olds 2011: Across a Great Wilderness without You, Keetje Kuipers 2010: Poem About Morning, William Meredith 2009: Death, The Last Visit, Marie Howe 2008: Animals, Frank O’Hara 2007: Johnny Cash in the Afterlife, Bronwen Densmore 2006: Anne Hathaway, Carol Ann Duffy 2005: Sleep Positions, Lola Haskins

#war #death #grief #poetry of witness #lisa suhair majaj

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asthevermincrawls · 8 months

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#nine inch nails #nin #a.txt #my upload #been stuck in my head ever since I GIFed that cherry bombs performance #what a song..

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jupitercomet · 1 year

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Goldie

summary - The three times Slider understood the significance of your favorite stuffed animal.

warnings - language, brief panic attack, minor negative self talk

word count - 2.4k

so... it appears I will not stop posting tonight. this is the result of getting a rebel from Dutch Bros ig

follow the adventures of Slider and Cherry in Cherry Bomb!

Slider had always joked about your childhood stuffed animal, a golden retriever eloquently named Goldie, and the way he always sat in the middle of your bed. And the teasing only intensified when he realized that he wasn’t even allowed to touch Goldie—the way you would snatch him out of your boyfriend’s lap any time he tried an obvious reminder. Everyone, not just Slider, thought your territorial attachment to Goldie was a little silly and, honestly, you couldn’t really fault them for it. You never explained the importance of your childhood friend to them, so how could they know?

You’d taken Goldie everywhere with you when you were younger; he was a tapestry of your childhood. He was your dad, a stain of coffee on his paw from when your dad had knocked over his mug and you weren’t able to snatch him off the table fast enough. He was your mom, you’d come crying to her after you noticed that some of the paint on his nose had chipped. She’d grabbed her favorite nail polish, layering on the lacquer until his nose looked good as new. The first time your brother had watched 101 Dalmatians for the first time, he thought dalmatians were much cooler than golden retrievers and drew thick black polka dots on the side of Goldie’s stomach. You swear his left ear smells like your grandmother’s perfume and your granddad had been the one to get him for you in the first place.

Goldie was a collection of everyone you ever loved.

You didn’t expect things like your grandmother’s perfume or your dad’s coffee stain to matter to your friends and you were worried that, if they held him and didn’t cherish them, those things would go away. So they tease you a little and you let them because you’ve never expected them to care for Goldie the way you do. That is until you entered your apartment and the floppy stuffed animal wasn’t waiting for you on your bed.

“Hello?”

Though your phone is pressed tightly to your ear, Slider’s voice sounds like it’s underwater. You’re gulping in air, tears pricking at your waterline as you survey the room again. Your bed has been ripped apart, more of it on the floor than your mattress, and you feel that you’re three seconds away from dismantling the bed frame.

“Cherry?” Slider tries again, and you can hardly notice the way his voice drops slightly with worry, more focused on your own panic.

“He’s not here,” you kick aside one of your pillows, dropping to your knees to look under your bed again.

“Who’s not— Cherry, what’s going on?”

“I can’t find him,” you run a strained hand through your hair. “I came back and he wasn’t on the bed.”

By now, you’ve practically given up on breathing, the tears falling in heavy drops as your diaphragm expands and deflates in shallow, jerky movements.

“Fuck, okay,” his voice is heavy with understanding and there’s a slight shuffling on the other end. “Practice just ended, just give me a couple minutes. But you need to breathe, okay? I need you to keep breathing until I get home.”

It isn’t until he points it out that you realize how your body is racking with sobs, every intake of breath feeling almost painful. You feel slightly embarrassed about your reaction, but the way it piled on top of the paper you failed this morning and the very little sleep you’d gotten last night meant that you’re too stressed out to care.

“Okay, I’m leaving now, just—” Slider’s panic is starting to match your own, a soft curse leaving his lips as you hear him drop his stick. “Just, please don’t pass out.”

He says goodbye, though you’re hardly listening, and the line goes dead. You survey the room once more, but your attempt ends quickly when your discarded blanket wraps around your foot. Barreling to the ground seems to be the last straw for you, the tears falling faster and the hopelessness of the situation weighing heavy on your chest.

You can practically picture Slider sprinting across campus, fumbling with his hockey gear, as he tries to reach his truck. The thought makes you feel even worse. You can tell you’re spiraling so you get up as quickly as you can, busying yourself again with trying to find Goldie.

You’re still looking for your stuffed companion as a frantic jiggling of your front door alerts you that your boyfriend is about to make his rushed appearance. Sure enough, a couple seconds later, Slider is flinging himself into your room. The panic on his face subdues when he realizes that you aren’t unconscious, but it morphs into heartbreak at the tears that are continuing to stream down your cheeks.

“Hey, cherry.” His voice is soft as his attention is caught by the mess of your room.

“Slider—” Your body forcing a hiccuped breath interrupts your sentence. “He’s not here. I lost him.”

“Okay, um,” he runs a hand through his hair, spinning on his feet as he looks around. “Where did you last see him?”

“I don’t know!” Another sob leaves your lips. “He was right there and now he’s not, and this room is so small and I can’t find him, and—”

“Hey, hey,” Slider rushes back over to you, placing soothing hands on your biceps. “Remember what I said? Breathe, baby. He has to be here, you know he didn’t run away. We’ll find him.”

You nod, as halfhearted as it is, letting Slider sit you on the bed as he continues to look for your stuffed animal. Wiping at your cheeks harshly, you lean down to pick up the bedding that you discarded, tossing it next to you onto the mattress. At this point, you’ve given up on finding your stuffed animal, the only thing running through your head being the memories that you feel you are never going to get back because of this fact. Which is really only giving you another reason to cry.

“Look!” Slider turns around in relief, the familiar stuffed animal in his hand. “Here he is! He just ended up in the laundry basket.”

Both you and Slider had assumed that, once you found Goldie, it should be enough to calm you down from the whole ordeal. But something about the way your boyfriend is standing in front of you holding a stuffed golden retriever in his right hand makes you cry even harder. Eyes widening in surprise, Slider rushes back to you, setting Goldie on your bed so that both his hands are free. He runs reassuring fingers along your arms, barely understanding the apologies you’re letting out between sobs.

“It’s okay. It’s okay.” The pads of his thumbs brush away the tears staining your cheeks before he pulls you into his chest. “You’re okay. We found him, yeah? You’re alright, cherry.”

It takes a couple minutes for your tears to subside, only the sound of your sniffles filling the room as Slider keeps his arms wrapped around you. Finally you pull away—but barely—grabbing Goldie from your bed and examining him for any significant damage. When you find none, you finally feel yourself relaxing.

“What’s so—” Slider cuts himself off, looking at you nervously. “Why’s this so important to you?”

You can tell he’s hesitant with his words, not wanting to further upset you. But, he did come straight home after a long practice, find your childhood friend, and hasn’t even teased you once about the fact that losing a stuffed animal almost made you pass out. If anyone’s worthy of an explanation, it’s him. And so, as you both lay on your bed, your head propped on his chest, you explain to him Goldie’s big, black polka dots and his ear that smells like your grandmother’s perfume.

“Hey, Sli” you give your boyfriend a small smile as he enters your bedroom, dropping his gear by the door.

Your words do little to comfort him, a mournful expression still on his face as he sits on your bed. You expected as much, the team’s loss had been a painful one, especially for Slider. He ended up missing a very influential goal and the team didn’t get very many chances after that. You don’t blame him for it—and you know his teammates don’t either—but that does little to lift his mood.

Sitting up as he moves to sit on your shared bed, you try to think of things to distract him. “Have you eaten anything—”

“The net was practically empty,” Slider shakes his head in frustration. “And I missed it.”

You bite your lip as Slider lies back, running his hands roughly over his face. You never really know what to do when he gets like this. Comforting him did little to help and you learned quickly that tough love wasn’t the best route either—it wasn’t even something you were capable of. Moving closer to him, you brush his hair out of his face, keeping quiet as he stares up at the ceiling.

“I suck.”

“You don’t suck, it was one game,” you tell him softly. “One game doesn’t determine how talented you are.”

He turns his head to give you a look. “Well, it should have been an easy game, so it kinda does.”

You let out a sigh. Slider was upset and exhausted, you know his snippy attitude has nothing to do with you. But it’s hard to see him like this and not be able to do anything. Giving his hand a small squeeze, you get up from the bed. He hardly acknowledges it, lost in thought again.

“I’m gonna grab one of those vitamin waters you like from the fridge, okay?”

As expected, Slider doesn’t answer you. You watch him for a moment, sprawled out on your bed, brows furrowed in frustration. It almost reminds you of when you get too stressed with classes, when everything’s piling up on top of you and nothing you do is enough. You know what you do to feel better, but you doubt it would help Slider. But maybe the gesture would be enough? Without a word, you place Goldie on his chest, leaving before your boyfriend can say anything.

Your socks pad softly against the hardwood floor, your mind wandering. You honestly don’t think that your childhood stuffed animal will do much to help Slider’s mood. But you hope that just the thought that you trusted him enough would, at the very least, give him something else to focus on. You’re more surprised by your own reaction than anything. Even the idea of leaving someone else alone with your stuffed animal security blanket usually fills you with nerves, but right now you’re more focused on your boyfriend, Goldie’s safety the furthest thing from your mind.

It doesn’t take long for you to get Slider’s drink, the chilled bottle in hand as you make your way back to your bedroom. Like most nights when his games doesn’t go well, you assume he’ll stay in your room for a bit before heading out and spending the night alone. Space was usually the main thing he needed and while you don’t particularly like it, you can understand it.

With a soft knock to alert Slider of your return, you opened the door. The sight before you has you stopping short in the doorway, a small smile lighting up your face. Slider’s asleep on your bed, having maneuvered himself onto his side when you left, chest rising and falling slowly. While that in and of itself is sweet enough, it’s his arm thrown over a familiar golden retriever, the stuffed dog cuddled close to his chest, that has you melting. Setting down his drink, you pulled the blanket over his sleeping body, kissing the top of his head fondly.

You really didn’t thought much of it when you found a bracelet Slider had given you hiding in your desk drawer. It was a thoughtful gift, a simple chain of silver you had been excited to wear. But he got confused by the sizing chart and the bracelet was much too large to not fall off your wrist. After that, you didn’t really have a purpose for it, tucking it away so you wouldn’t lose the expensive piece.

And so you really didn’t think that much when the bracelet ended up clasped around Goldie’s neck.

“What’s this?” Slider runs the chain between his fingers as he sits stretched out on your bed.

It’s a common position for him to be in, laying on your bed and fiddling with the stuffed dog on his chest. It’s now your turn to tease him for his attachment to the golden retriever as it’s become a habit for him to seek out the dog after a rough practice or stressful day. You once joked that he loved the stuffed animal more than you, but he was quick to sit you down and, with a serious tone, pointed out everything about Goldie that reminded him of you. After that, you can’t find it anything but sweet.

“It’s that enormous bracelet you got me,” you laugh lightly.

“It’s— Huh?” You swivel in your chair at his confusion, his eyes darting between you and the bracelet.

“You got it a few months ago, remember?” You elaborate, trying to think of more details to spark his memory.

“No, I remember,” he clarifies. “It’s just— You said he was important to you because he reminds you of the people you love.”

“Yeah?” You nod, giving him a weird look.

“But I got you this bracelet, cherry.”

“Slider,” you get up from your desk, moving to sit by his feet. “You know I love you, silly.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think—” Slider looks down at the bracelet with a small shake of his head. “I love you, you know that? A whole lot.”

And in the same way you thought people would never understand what Goldie meant to you, Slider knows that no one will ever understand just what this bracelet around his neck means to him. How it means that, somewhere along the way, he got lucky enough to be loved by you. And somehow it took some old stuffed animal for him to truly realize that—not that he would trade it for the world.

“I love you too,” you smile sweetly. “A whole lot.”

But Slider already knows that.

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#ron kerner imagine #ron kerner imagines #ron kerner x reader #ron kerner fluff #ron kerner angst #ron kerner au #slider imagine #slider imagines #slider x reader #slider fluff #slider angst #slider au #top gun imagines #x reader #cherry bomb #buggy's got a pen

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thesimulacrasimp · 3 months

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Ah shit, here we go again!

HAZBIN HOTEL EP 5-6 SPOILERS WARNING‼️

Ok i literally was waiting so much to see Lucifer n Lilith being a really happy and cute maried couple and now yall telling me that THEY DIVORCED??????? IM LITERALLY CRYIN WHAHT??? 😭

and OMG LUCIFER. HES SUCH A BABY, SWEETIE, SCRUNKY, CUTIE PATOOTIE!!! HES SO SILLY, I WISH I HAD DAD LIKE HIM. JUST LOOK AT HIM OH MAI GAHD

And his voice is really cool too! Not really what i expected him to sound like but still good! N the way he speaks is really funny too:

"Oh the applause! Oh please, thank u, thank u.. oh gOD WHO AM I KIDDING, THIS SUCKS!!"

"Daughter callin-- Da-DAU-DAUGHTER CALLING??? OH---"

"TAKE THAT, DEPRESSION!"

"Oh my golly!! You like girls!! SO DO I, WE HAVE SO MUCH IN COMMON!!!!"

Hes ABSOLUTELY my 2nd fave character after Vox. Hes such a sweetheart i cant---

Also can we talk about how Alastor said "Fuck you" to a KING OF HELL? LIKE I KNOW THAT THIS KING IS NOT REALLY KINGING BUT STILL I WOULDNT HAVE BALLS TO SAY THAT TO LUCIFER HIMSELF.

Also the fact that Alastor was immediatly so pissed when Luci just steped into hotel is really strange. Maybe something happened between them that we dont know so far? Cuz purposely making Luci mad literally 5 secs after u met each other is really weird.

AND OMG THIS SONG IS TOTALLY NEW FAVOURITE BY NOW, THEY LITERALLY DID AN ELECTRO SWING SONG LIKE HELL YEAH!!! N THE FACT THAT LUCI OUT OF NOWHERE STARTS PLAING VIOLIN AGGRESSIVELY AND THEN SHUTS ALASTOR UP WITH AN ACCORDION IN THIS IS THE BEST TGING EVER.

i dont know how i think bout Mimzy rn. All i gotta say is she have a really cool singing voice!

And this shot is really adorable

Ok we actually now know from Husk that someone actually having Alastors soul! Just think about it: someone have AN OVERLORDS SOUL. Not ex-overlord like Husk, AN ACTUAL OVERLORD. Is this even possible??

This last song made me cry (again). I feel so bad for Luci, he was abandoned by heaven n he just doesnt want the same fate for his beautiful daughter, cuz she is the only thing he live for (i want him to be my dad so much omg..)

Also when Lilith took little Charlie away from Luci, it was sad, but it actually made me think, what if Lilith will be an antogonist? What if she will be the bad person? Maybe the main vilian even. I think if that will actually happen everyone will go CRAZY. But thats just my lil thought.

Ok, 6th ep! I actually didnt expect that we will see heaven so soon!

Ok but sir Pentious is GOT CRUSH ON CHERRI BOMB??? WHA??? THAT WAS SOMETHING I REALLY DIDNT EXPECT

Also i expected heaven to be much more strict place with many rules, where noone is alowed to swear. But turned out that its actually just a hell with better people and more rules, thats all. And its actually really strange that u can swear in heaven. Im not talking about Adam n Lute, cuz theyre exterminators and clearly just awhul ppl, this guy infront of heavens gates actually said fuck. Maybe im just wrong, but isnt swearing unacceptable in christianity?..

Also HELL YEAH we nailed it! We were right about Vaggie being a fallen angel. But the reason why she fell.... She was an exterminator and literally just didnt kill one child (which is really shows us that she have a kind heart) BUT SHE WAS EXPELED FOR IT IN SUCH HORRIBLE WAY.

I JUST DONT HAVE ENOUGH RAGE TO DESCRIBE HOW MUCH I HATE THOSE MOTHERFUCKERS. I REALLY HOPE WHEN HEAVEN DECIDES TO REDEEM PPL FROM HELL, THEY BOTH WILL GO TO FUCKING HELL FOR ALL THOSE VILENCE THEY BROUGHT TO WORLD, THAT WOULD BE FUCKING HILARIOUS.

Also Cherri Bomb is being kinda toxic friend to Angel n i dont like that.

ALSO ANGEL STOOD UP AGAINST VAL!! HELL YEAH, SLAY SPIDERBOI!!! IM LITERALLY NOT SCARED OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HIM WHEN HE WILL GO BACK TO HIS JOB!! IM NOT SCARED AT ALL!!!!

Ok this last song WAS SO EPIC!! ESPECIALLY WHEN CHARLIE N EMILY DID UNO REVERSE ON ADAMS SONG FROM EP 1!!

AND THAT PART WHEN ADAM REVEALED THAT VAGGIE IS AN ANGEL WAS SO EPIC TOO I LITERALLY GOT CHILS

and Charlies reaction to that was actually really heartbreaking

And everything ended up with Adam winning. I really hope that justice will overtake in this whole situation and Charlies plan will work. And im really interested to see Charlie n Vaggies relationships after that reveal. I honestly think that Charlie will forgive her, but its still really interesting.

Wow, it took me long enough to make this post.. I really like direction this show goes, n i can not wait for the next 2 eps!!

My thoughts/review on eps 1-2

My thoughts/review on eps 3-4

My thoughts/review on eps 7-8

#those reviews on hh is kinda a tradition on my blog now. isnt it lmao?#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel spoilers #hazbin alastor #hazbin charlie #hazbin sir pentious #hazbin angel dust #lucifer morningstar #spoilers warning

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hazeltailofficial · 5 months

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HOLIDAY FLASHBACK

e.l.f. Nail Polish in Cherry Bomb

hazeltail on youtube / hazeltailofficial on tiktok / hazeltailofficial on ig / @hazeltailofficial

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havecourage-darling · 2 years

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Teenage Dirtbag

Pairing: Eddie Munson x short, plus-sized, girly-ish, female reader.

WC: ~9K

Warnings: cursing, eddie being a lil bit of a horndog, unrequited but not unrequited love

A/N: This song screamed Eddie Munson to me and I had to write it, I don't know what to say for myself lmao I thought it was going to be 1K at most. Welp.

Masterlist || AO3

Eddie Munson knew he wasn’t the smartest person in town. He was far from the dumbest, Jason Carver took that title by a landslide.

In fact, Eddie would dare to say he was actually pretty intelligent. He wasn’t book smart, not with subjects he didn’t give a shit about, but he had common sense. Which, clearly, wasn’t so common – especially in Hawkins.

However, even Eddie had to admit that he was the dumbest son of a bitch on this planet sometimes.

The primary example was when he managed to fall in love with you, his English tutor.

After Eddie had bombed the first major test – on his second go at his senior year – his teacher had assigned him a mandatory tutor.

“I know you think I don’t like you,” Ms. O'Donnell said, her sharp eyes softening when Eddie snorted, “but I want you to succeed. You’re smarter than you let on and I can see that.”

“Don’t feel bad. All teachers hate me,” Eddie joked, a thread of truth to it.

“Well not me,” she said, “and to prove it to you – I’m going to assign you a tutor.”

What? “Aw, come on,” Eddie groaned, “I’ll do better on the next one!”

Ms. O’Donnell rolled her eyes. “That’s what you said all last year. I was the one who signed off on you using my classroom for Hellfire Club you know. It’s been four years and I’ve seen some of the things you come up with. You’re good at writing, Mr. Munson. You just need to apply yourself.”

Wait, she knew about some of his campaigns? “Which I’ll do from now on!” The comical expression on her face indicated that Eddie was not getting through to her.

“Trust me,” she said, “she took my advanced placement course as a sophomore. She’s a senior, like you, and she’s willing to do it as a favor to me.”

“Is this mandatory?” Eddie winced when his teacher’s sharp gaze returned.

“Yes,” she said, her expression softening when Eddie slumped. “I’ll make you a deal, just let her tutor you for the next quiz. If you get higher than a C, with genuine effort, you can opt out.”

“Deal,” Eddie sighed.

And now here he was, four months later and definitely more than one aced quiz later, with you in your first sundress of the season. Eddie had been waiting for you at the library, the same table in the back – hidden behind the cookbook shelves – when you walked in. The thin straps drew his attention first, his eyes trailing down to the neckline which exposed the swell of your breasts in a way that had Eddie shifting nervously in his seat.

You’d apologized, sitting down hastily, your breath coming out in quick pants. Your car hadn’t started this morning so you had to ask Dustin, your neighbor, to borrow his bike to get here.

The image of you biking in that dress was something that he didn’t know he needed.

Like always, you pulled out your battered copy of The Great Gatsby and got to work. Eddie had read the book, you’d been right – he did like it – but spent most of the first hour watching you explain the chapters he’d been assigned.

There was just something about the way your eyes lit up when you started rambling about literary terms and characterization. You tended to speak with your hands, cherry-colored nails flying as you waved a hand in the air.

Oh, you were saying his name. “Are you listening Eddie?” You asked, eyes shooting him a knowing look.

“Shortcake, I always listen to every word you say,” Eddie joked, winking. A flustered expression overtook your face and Eddie watched your fingers come up to your hair, a sure sign that his comment had hit. He hated the rush of serotonin that gave him.

See? Complete dumbass behavior.

“Pay attention, you have a quiz next week and then we start working on your final paper,” you said, tapping his hand softly. The warmth of your skin sent an electric current up his arm and straight to his chest. “Here, I brought an outline of what I thought would be good topics for you to choose from. I’m partial to Shakespeare – oh don’t give me that look – but I listed other options too. Let me see if they finally got that book that I was looking for.”

Eddie nodded and failed to avert his eyes as you walked away. Your hips swayed as the black patterned dress rippled with your movement.

It wasn’t his fault, not really. Eddie glanced at the paper you’d handed him, your handwriting neat and precise. He’d been dreading meeting you when Ms. O’Donnell had mentioned your name. You weren’t a cheerleader but you basically friends with the whole squad. He’d seen you at parties when he was selling, you always seemed nice but Eddie knew from experience that the popular crowd were just vultures waiting for a sign of weakness. Eddie wasn’t going to be stupid enough to expose any.

“Oh, hey, Lucas!” Your voice carried from a few shelves away. Eddie straightened. “I haven’t seen you since the last campaign!”

Eddie couldn’t hear what Lucas answered but your quiet laughter sent the equally stupid butterflies in his ribcage into chaos. Eddie fought a groan and pinched the bridge of his nose. Honestly, he could hardly be at fault when you had the audacity to have a laugh as cute as that.

“Did you look over the outline? Oh, are you okay?” You asked, eyes pinched in concern. Eddie shook his head, his hair settling around his shoulders.

“I’m fine, just a little tired,” he lied. “Was that Sinclair I heard?”

You beamed at him and Eddie swore he felt his heart stop in his chest. Jesus H. Christ, he was going to send you the bill when you sent him to the ER. “It was! I can’t believe he’s taller than me now,” you said, wrinkling your nose when Eddie laughed, “oh shut up. I meant, I used to babysit them. They were all little munchkins a few minutes ago. Now they’re freshman. That’s wild.”

“Calm down there, grandma,” Eddie retorted as you rolled your eyes, “besides, it’s not exactly hard to be taller than you nowadays shortcake.”

Eddie could tell you were trying your best to bite back a grin. “You know, I’m the one who brought your grade up from a F to a B minus, you should be nicer to me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, did I offend you your highness?” Eddie swooned, hands on chest, as he leaned back in his chair. “How can I ever thank you for saving me?”

“By passing your last quiz of the year,” you said dryly, eyes lighting up, “and maybe picking Macbeth for your final essay.”

Eddie snorted. “Not likely.”

“And that’s how you treat your hero?” You asked him, batting your eyelashes.

Fuck, those should come with a goddamn warning.

“How about I make you a mixtape?” Eddie joked, chewing at the end of his pen and giving your outline another look.

Your face, however, completely lit up. “Deal!”

“What?” Eddie stammered, dropping the pen from his mouth.

“No take-backs Munson!” You laughed, shrinking when the librarian shot you a look. Eddie huffed a laugh at your contrite expression and watched you turn back to him. “You get a passing grade on these last two assignments and you make me a mixtape as a physical form of your eternal gratitude.”

“Shortcake, I don’t think we have the same music tastes,” he said, eyeing the Walkman you’d left at the corner of the table with your bag.

A haughty look cross your face and the stupid butterflies slammed into his small intestine painfully. “How would you know?” You asked. “You barely ask me anything outside of English.” The second part was quieter, almost involuntary and Eddie was suddenly struck by something.

Eddie had never pushed for anything more than you had freely given. He tried not to ask about what you were doing, what you liked, or what your weekend plans were. You’d smile to him in the hallways at school but you had completely different schedules so you rarely saw each other. Besides, Eddie had an ingrained self-preservation intuition and vehemently avoided any contact with the popular crowd.

While Eddie was not a betting man, he took calculated risks. You were – beyond the ability to analyze. But…the way your face had twisted, maybe he’d gotten his signals wrong? Had you wanted him to be your friend? He’d always assumed you were doing this to fulfill some extracurricular activity. Wouldn’t you be…embarrassed to be seen with him?

“Alright sweetheart,” Eddie said eventually, “educate me then.”

You stuck out your tongue, breaking the tension and tucked your Walkman into your bag. “Too late. You snooze you lose Munson,” you said, packing up your stuff. Eddie glanced at his watch and was once again astounded to realize two hours had flown by.

“I’ll see you next week at the same time?” You asked. “Drop your paper outline in my locker and I’ll take a look at it so we have something to cover.”

“Ma’am, yes, ma’am,” Eddie saluted.

“Oh,” you said, hand elbow deep in your bag, “you see Mike tomorrow, right? At Hellfire?”’

Eddie frowned, unsure. “Yeah?”

“Can you give him these?” You asked, dropping a set of die in his hands. “He wanted to borrow my old set.”

Glancing at the well cared for set in his hand, Eddie gaped. “Are these holographic?”

You grinned and pulled your backpack onto your shoulders. “Yeah! Dustin got them for me for my birthday a while ago. They’re custom! He painted them for me.”

Eddie felt his throat dry up and was almost positive he’d floated up into the stratosphere. Seriously, a semitruck could’ve trampled him and he would’ve been less surprised.

“You coming?” You asked, totally unaware of how close Eddie was to offering you his heart on a platter.

Spurred into action, Eddie pocketed the set carefully and grabbed his bag. “Yeah, I- I’m coming.” He took in your carefully stacked bracelets and dainty necklace. Your pink sandals echoed in the hallway as you made your way to the familiar bike chained outside. How did someone like you play dnd?

“Dustin taught me,” you said as you walked the bike next to his van.

“What?”

You laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear and squinting a little at the sun in your eyes. The air in his lungs caught at the sight of your skin in the light. Were you holographic? “Dustin and the other kids I babysat taught me how to play. I’m not very good,” you admitted sheepishly, “that’s why I never told you.”

“Oh,” he said, because his brain still wasn’t totally back from its trip into space.

“I’m an elf rogue,” you said, shrugging, “Will said it suits me since I used to practice archery.”

Eddie bit down on his cheek hard enough to almost draw blood. He fought every nerve in his body to not glare at the sky. Really universe? Really? Was his daily pining not enough?

“You’re a box of surprises, aren’t you, shortcake?” Eddie said, rocking on his heels.

You grinned. “I’m rusty at that too. My aunt lives in Indianapolis and she’s won a few competitions in archery. I’d stay with her over the summer breaks and she taught me. It was fun to run around thinking I was some kind of mini-Hawkeye or something.”

At that, he couldn’t hide his surprise. “Marvel?”

“I told you,” you said, looking incredibly flustered, as your eyes went down to your feet, “I babysat Dustin. For years. Some of it stuck.”

Say something, he urged, voice stuck in his throat.

“Uh, so I’m going to go,” you said, bright smile back on your face.

Eddie scratched the back of his neck. “Do you want a ride?” He asked, gesturing to his van. Great, that’s the best he could come up with?

You turned your smile in his direction and Eddie almost stumbled at the power of it. Jesus, he really needed to get a grip on himself. This couldn’t be healthy.

Nodding, you’d taken a step towards him when a loud honk popped the bubble you both were tucked into. Eddie glanced over your shoulder and felt reality sucker punch him in the throat.

“Hey baby!” Nick shouted, torso almost hanging out that stupid Camaro window. “I’ve been looking for you. Your sister said you’d be here.”

Aaaand that was the second reason he was a complete dumbass.

“Sorry,” you mumbled, looking embarrassed. “Thanks for the offer.”

“Mhmm, see ya,” Eddie said, darting towards his van and completely missing your look.

Eddie started his van and shot out of the parking lot. He risked a glance in his rearview mirror and immediately regretted it. You were tucked into the quarterback’s arms, his face ducking down to yours, and Eddie tightened his hold on the steering wheel.

You had a boyfriend – a jock no less – because of course you did, since when did life ever like to be fair to him? Why would it ever start now? Eddie scrambled for the cigarette carton in his passenger’s seat and lit one up. Nick Jackson had been the one who almost broke Gareth’s nose last year in gym class. Nick Jackson would absolutely kick his ass if he knew how gone he was on his girlfriend.

What type of asshole had two first names anyway? And how the hell had he managed to land someone like you?

He knew the answer, obviously, but he was still in shock despite the fact that Eddie had seen you two together for the past month.

Whatever. Fuck high school. The second he had that diploma in his hands he was driving out of here and not looking back.

Eddie was over school. He’d finally gotten the news that he’d been given the green light to graduate and the first person he wanted to tell was you.

So, to mediate that, he decided to skip his last two classes and gone out to the picnic table in the woods behind the school to smoke. Taking another drag, Eddie leaned back onto the rough wood table and snorted. Who would’ve thought? He’d known ’86 was going to be his year.

Although it was in no small part thanks to you. Eddie had seen you this morning – dressed in a blue ruffled skirt, with a cardigan and a shirt that hid absolutely none of your curves. He’d felt like someone had slammed a locker door in his face, blood rushing to the bottom half of his body.

The sound of a branch snapping had Eddie jumping up, instinctively flinging the joint off towards the trees. He turned towards the sound, excuse on the tip of his tongue, when his throat closed. You stood there, shy smile on your face, hands gripping your bags strap tightly.

“Hey Munson,” you said, motioning to the table. “Can I join you?”

“Uh, yeah shortcake, please,” he gestured grandly to the old, rusted table like it was worth a million bucks. “Welcome to my hide out. Uh, sorry for the smell and the smoke.”

You laughed, eyes wrinkling and mouth turning up like he was hilarious. “I actually wanted to ask if I could buy some off of you,” you scrunched your nose and Eddie felt his heart stop. “Don’t make fun of me.”

“What?” Eddie smacked his hand to his chest exaggeratedly. “Me? Make fun? Of you? I’m insulted.”

“Ah yes, because you’re so friendly,” you joked. “I’ve never smoked before so could you sell me something already rolled?”

Eddie grinned. “You’re in luck shortcake,” he said, patting his denim vest for the bag he knew was keeping for later, “I’ve got some for you right here.”

“How much?” You asked, searching for your wallet.

Waving off your offer, Eddie dropped it onto your bag. “Consider it a thank you for helping me get to graduation.”

You froze, eyes darting up to his and Eddie couldn’t help the grin that grew on his face. “Oh my God, Eddie, don’t joke with me about this.”

“I’m not!” He laughed, opening his arms and throwing his head back. “I’m finally fucking out of here!”

Without warning, you threw your arms around him. Eddie stumbled, more than a little surprised, and stilled for a second. His arms, however, were much smarter and quicker than the rest of him because they settled immediately on the curves of your hips. You squeezed him tightly, your fingers scratching almost subconsciously at his back in soothing circles. “I’m so proud of you! I knew you could do it Eddie, I knew it.”

Eddie leaned back to see that you were beaming, eyes bright and smile so wide it looked like it could crack your face in two. The sun pierced through the shade of the trees, landing on you like a natural spotlight – because of course it did. “Well, it’s mostly thanks to you. I couldn’t have done it without you,” he said. Which, was a hundred percent true.

He watched your eyes drift down his face, and for a millisecond he could’ve sworn they landed on his lips, but before he could confirm – you’d darted away. Hands fluttering down your pink cardigan, you soothed out the non-existent wrinkles and frowned.

“I’m sorry,” you mumbled, “I didn’t mean – I know people hate when I – I’m sorry.”

“When you what?” Eddie furrowed his brows, confused. “Don’t be sorry.”

You wrung your hands together and Eddie hated how small you tried to become. “I – uh, Nick hated when I just hugged him out of nowhere,” you sighed, “I’m sorry.”

Reason number one that jock was a dumbass. If Eddie had the chance, he’d cling to you like a goddamn koala.

“Hey, what’d I say? We’re friends, right?” Eddie asked, ducking to try and catch your eyes.

“Are we?” You said, surprised.

Eddie clutched his heart, looking down at his hands as if there were blood, and blinked at you. “I didn’t know you came here to shoot me straight through the heart.”

A beat of silence echoed in the clearing before you laughed, delighted by his antics. Eddie smiled at your joy; you were one of the only people in his life that never complained about his general over the top flair. “I’m sorry,” you said, tone adorably earnest. “I didn’t mean it like that – I thought, well, I thought you didn’t want to be friends with me.”

He couldn’t help it, he really couldn’t but he let out an unattractive laugh and shot you a look. “Shortcake, if anyone was embarrassed to be seen with the other it’s definitely not me.”

An indignant sort of expression settled in your entire body. Eddie watched you, fascinated. He’d never seen you be anything but a human personification of a sunbeam.

“I’m not embarrassed to be seen with you,” you huffed, crossing your arms and Eddie’s eyes darted to the top of your head. Jesus Christ. He was not going to stare at your chest like a fucking pervert. He was not. Completely oblivious to his plight, you continued huffing. “I’ve tried to say hi to you like three times since I started tutoring you. You always looked like I was a lion who’d caught a mouse.”

“Because popular kids don’t talk to the outcasts, sweetheart. Don’t take it personally,” he sighed, “it’s a self-preservation tactic.”

You blinked at him. Eddie cringed internally – of course he fucked this up not even two minutes in. He scrambled to think of a way to rectify it when you sighed.

“Nick said he didn’t want me tutoring you anymore,” you said quietly.

Eddie didn’t know he could hear a heart shatter but he was positive that his just fell to the floor beneath him. That asshole. Didn’t he have enough? Thanks a lot universe.

“He said it wasn’t becoming of me to keep doing this so he wanted me to stop. I knew it was because he didn’t like you though,” you admitted.

Sighing, Eddie sat back down onto the table and pulled out another joint. Lighting it up he took a drag and blew the smoke towards his left. “So, I guess this is goodbye?”

A bird nearby sang, as if knowing he needed a soundtrack for this car crash waiting to happen. “No, you idiot,” you snapped, “I broke up with him.”

Everything tilted sideways and Eddie was sure someone had smacked him in the head with something. Maybe his hearing was off? “I’m sorry, I think I had a small seizure. Did you say you broke up with him?”

You nodded, coming over to sit across from him. “I never really liked him that much anyway. Chrissy thought we’d be cute together but I’m pretty sure I’m not his ideal type.”

“What, why is perfect too intimidating for him?” Eddie asked, the words out of his mouth before he could stop them. Jesus fucking – just take him out. Universe? You can take me out now! He screamed internally.

“Shut up,” you mumbled, ducking your head. Eddie saw the pleased smile on your face before you hid it away and it sent a stupidly happy pang through his body. “I meant, well – you know.”

“I really don’t.”

Sighing, you motioned to your body. “You know, someone skinny enough to be a flier on the cheerleading team.”

Eddie felt his spine solidify. “Did he…did he say that to you?” He asked, his vision darkening. “That absolute fucking shithead.” What an asshole. Not only did he have the hottest girl in the entire fucking town but he was taking jabs at you? Eddie wanted to punch something.

“Wait!” Your cool hand wrapped around his wrist and Eddie hadn’t even realized he’d stood and walked in the direction of the school. “Munson! It’s okay – he didn’t say it out loud! Holy shit you’re a lot stronger than you look.”

Eddie felt you wrap your torso around his arm in an attempt to stop him. Your chest pressed against his bicep and Eddie had to close his eyes and think of his great-aunt. A soft poke to his cheek had him looking down at you, amused. You looked like a squirrel clinging to a tree. With a slow nod, he let you walk him to the bench.

“Was that a dig at my body?” He asked. “Do I look weak?”

A mortified expression settled on your face and you immediately shook your head. “That’s not what I meant at all! I just – I meant, I’m – oh, you’re teasing me,” you said, exhaling a loud breath. “I hate you.”

Smiling, Eddie bumped your shoulder with his. “No, you don’t.”

“There’s no hurt feelings, I promise,” you told him, referring to Nick, “I wasn’t what he wanted and he wasn’t what I wanted.”

“Yeah?” Eddie took another drag of his discarded joint. “What’s your type? Swim team? Basketball team? Wait, soccer player.”

You rolled your eyes and bumped his shoulder again. “No,” you said, crossly. “I don’t know. For starters maybe someone who doesn’t think Metallica is just random noise.”

Eddie sighed. He looked up at the sky, a common occurrence at this point, and wondered if whoever was up there was having fun torturing him. You played dnd and you liked Metallica. Sure. Why not? He hoped Mother Nature or God, or whoever, was having a great laugh at his expense.

“I had you pinned for a Madonna girl,” he said eventually, reeling in the affection that seemed to be pouring off him in waves.

“I am, I like a ton of music,” you said, “I’m not condescending with my music tastes.”

Gaping, Eddie shot you a look and fought his smile at your mischievous look. You were going to be the death of him.

“Hi Wayne!” Your voice floated through the front door. Eddie straightened, eyes darting around the room to make sure anything embarrassing was hidden away.

“Hi honey. You know you don’t have to bring me something every time you come over,” he said, sounding pleased. Eddie rolled his eyes. In the past two months, you and Eddie had become fast friends. In fact, Eddie didn’t know how he’d gone almost the entire second half of the school year without bombarding you with questions.

He wanted to know everything about you – he’d take any crumble you’d give him. You’d shown up to Hellfire a few times, went to movies together, and religiously showed up to the Hideout to see him play. Eddie wasn’t sure he remembered his life before you. So, obviously, like nephew like uncle and Wayne had instantly loved you the way Eddie had.

“Munson, you better be decent,” you said, not waiting for an answer and kicking the door down.

“If you really want to see me in a state of undress so badly, all you have to do is ask shortcake,” he said, loving the flustered expression he could draw out of you so quickly.

“I hate you,” you said, daintily sitting on his bed and handing him a napkin full of cookies. You’d made it a habit of baking on the days you were coming over and while Eddie definitely appreciated it – he knew you were bringing them to Wayne. Who, like Eddie, completely fell for your sincerity.

“Whatever you need to tell yourself to get to sleep at night is fine with me,” Eddie said, eagerly throwing half the cookie into his mouth. “Denial isn’t healthy though.” He winked.

“Jesus, does this have an off button?” You grumbled, flopping down onto his bed.

Eddie gave himself five seconds to appreciate the way your skirt hitched up higher on your thighs as you laid down, the bright purple material easily the most colorful thing in his room. He felt his eyes glaze over a little, imagining his teeth sinking into the meaty part of your inner thigh, the noises you’d made. Suddenly, you shot up, and Eddie tried his best to look like he wasn’t just being a goddamn pervert.

“Oh, I love this song!” You said, eyes lighting up.

His heart tripped over itself at the sight but he tilted his head and realized he’d left his stereo on as he was stitching a new patch, one you’d gotten him last week onto his vest.

When you know that your time is close at hand

Maybe then you'll begin to understand

Life down here is just a strange illusion

“That’s Iron Maiden,” Eddie said, stupidly.

You rolled your eyes. “I know, shithead,” you joked and Eddie blinked – he didn’t know why the way you cursed like a sailor was still so strange to him. Someone who wore pastels, bright colors, was in track to be valedictorian, and had a smile that rivaled the sun wasn’t someone who he’d thought would be ready to swing at the first sight of conflict. “We’ve been over your music superiority complex already, remember? I’m a woman of many interests.”

Eddie grumbled. You were right – you’d been the one who had bought him Metallica’s new album at the record store downtown when it’d just released. He thought he’d have to fight his way into getting his hands on it but, like always, you were there.

“So, do you remember how much you love me?” You asked, teasing. Eddie’s pathetic heart thumped against his ribcage and he glanced up at you.

“Why does that sound like the prelude to something I’m going to hate?”

You smiled, batting your eyelashes, and pressing your folded hands under your chin. “I need someone to go to the mall with me on Saturday. Pretty, pretty, please? I’ll do anything you want!”

Eddie’s brain short circuited for brief moment, imagining the list of things he’d both dreamed and would trade his soul to be able to do to you before he realized you were waiting for an answer. “Shortcake, I treasure our friendship but there are some things my fading sanity can’t take.”

You quirked a brow and Eddie had to fight not to visible react to your pout. He often wondered how it’d feel if he bit down on it. “Eddie?”

“Sorry, what?” He shook his head, returning back to the present.

“I said, and the mall would zap the last bit of sanity you had?”

Eddie nodded emphatically. “I’m not that strong.”

“Well, despite your complete betrayal,” Eddie rolled his eyes, “Nancy said she’d go with me and helped me find a dress. I just wanted to see if you’d come with.”

“A dress?” Eddie asked. “You going somewhere fancy?”

Laughing, you shot him an incredulous look. “Wait, are you serious?”

“Yeah, where are you going?”

“Prom, Eddie,” you said with a weird look on your face, “aren’t you going?”

At that, Eddie snorted. “Me? At prom?”

“I mean, I’ll be there – so will Robin and Nancy. Gareth and Jeff told me they’re going too,” you mumbled.

“I – do you want me to go?” Eddie asked, confused. “I can drop you off and pick you up if you want. My chariot is your chariot.”

Something flashed across your face but it was gone before Eddie could decipher it.

“Oh, no, thanks. I think Robin’s getting a ride from Harrington and they’ll give me a lift,” you said.

Eddie hated how well you and Steve got along. He shouldn’t have been surprised, considering he ran in the circle you did, but when he introduced you to his friends, he hadn’t expected how quickly you bonded. It’d taken him four and half months to hurl himself out of the acquaintance zone and Steve did it in five minutes.

“Sure,” Eddie said, going back to sewing a new patch onto his vest and trying not to stab himself.

“Would you go if I asked?” You said after a beat of silence.

He was almost sure he’d snapped something important in his neck with the speed in which he turned to you. At his expression, you straightened. “I mean, like would you go to prom and hang out with us? You don’t need to go with me.”

Deflating, Eddie tried not to let it show. Of course, you hadn’t asked him to go with you. You probably had a date or at the very least someone interested. Even then, he didn’t want to lie to you.

“Yeah, shortcake, I’d go if you asked me to.”

The smile on your face was small and grew gradually into something blinding. His heart flipped, the butterflies yawned awake, and Eddie sighed. He was pathetic.

Eddie knew his strengths and weaknesses. Thanks to Wayne, he was pretty decent at fixing cars. He knew more about music than most people he’d come across. And when it came to guitar? He wasn’t humble enough to deny how good he was. However, he was blatantly aware that math and science were subjects from the depth of hell. His driving had been criticized once or twice, and, he wasn’t that great at sounding particularly eloquent.

He'd never been more aware of that than in this exact moment. Eddie was leaning against Steve’s car. His red BMW was recently cleaned and Steve was hanging out the driver’s window, telling him about his most recent date. The tie around his neck felt like it was choking him but he wasn’t entirely sure it wasn’t due to the anticipation.

Wheeler and Byers stood by their car, fumbling with her corsage and his tie. Robin’s front door opened and she came bounding out, her suit a bright blue that fit her perfectly. Her hair had been curled and she only seemed to wobble once on her heels as she made her way to the car.

“Man, if I don’t break my ankle before the end of the night,” she muttered, leaning on Eddie for support. He helped her catch her balance and smiled when she flushed at the compliments from everyone.

“You look good Buckley,” he told her, nudging her with his elbow.

Robin beamed. “You clean up well too,” she said, pulling at the suit he’d borrowed from Wayne. It was a little too big but Nancy had assured him no one would be able to tell. “I see you couldn’t resist,” she said bumping his converse with her pointy heel. “Why do you get to wear comfy shoes? She wouldn’t let me go in mine!”

“Because it ruins the look, Rob!” Your voice said from the front steps. Eddie glanced up and immediately felt the world freeze. Your dress was…molded onto your body. It was a long, lavender, flowy thing. It dipped low in the back and Eddie sighed. If the neckline was enough to give him a stroke, the back was going to have him flatlining. Your heels clicked against the stone as you hugged Robin’s parents goodbye.

“For fuck’s sake,” Eddie said under his breath, “that’s just not fair.”

Robin and Harrington, clearly heard him, snorted. “Careful there Munson, you’ll drop too much of a hint of how deeply in love with her you are if you keep that up.”

Eddie’s jaw snapped and he turned to glare at Robin. “What?” She said after Harrington snorted. “It’s true. They’re idiots.”

“Let them figure it out themselves,” Steve said. “We promised.”

“It’s infuriating,” Robin said, narrowing her eyes. “You’re both infuriating.”

“Alright, I’m all set,” you said, leaning forward to squeeze Steve’s hand. “Thanks for the ride, Steve.”

“No problem, you wanna ride with me or Byers?” Steve asked, settling into the seat.

Turning to him, he saw the question in your eyes and he cleared his throat. “Uh, wherever you want to,” he croaked.

Robin snickered and headed towards the passenger seat. Eddie shot her a glare but was interrupted by your hand on his arm. “You look great,” you said quietly as you waved to Jonathan. They honked at you as they took off down the street. “Thank you for coming.”

“For you? Anything,” he said, his tone a little too sincere than what he meant it to be. The blinding smile on your face after though, made it worth it. “You look…incredible,” he finished lamely. He heard hushed laughter from the car and fought the urge to scratch the back of his neck.

“Thanks,” you said, picking up the bottom of your dress in one hand. “I was worried I’d look dumb but Nancy was adamant this was my dress.”

Eddie needed to get Wheeler a gift. “Remind me to thank her because, shortcake?” You glanced up at him. “That dress was made for you.”

With a shy and pleased smile, you slid into the backseat and settled close to Eddie. Holy shit, you smelled amazing. Eddie barely managed to keep from dropping his nose to the crook of your neck. He slowly dropped his arm over your shoulders and grinned when you leaned into him.

Grabbing a parking spot near the entrance, Steve pulled into the school. Hopping out, he offered his arm to Robin who took it gladly.

“Are you guys ready for the last night of your high school career?” Steve asked, eyes on the doors.

“Yeah,” Robin said, “fuck this place.”

Eddie bumped her fist and you grinned. “After party at your house, Harrington?” You asked.

He knew you had to have been invited to a few afterparties – Robin had promised to make an appearance at the house of some kid from band. He’d heard you tell Nancy that you’d be going with Robin. Steve had assured him that they’d tag along too.

“More like the after after party when you two are drunk off shitty vodka,” Steve said motioning to Robin, who rolled her eyes and made a silly face.

“It happens one time…”

Nancy waved a hand in the air before disappearing through the doors. “Come on!” She shouted over her shoulder. You huffed a laugh and linked your arm through his.

“Ready?”

“Not really, but I’ll follow you into hell apparently.”

“You say the sweetest things,” you told him, deadpan. He snorted, other hand coming to squeeze the one you were resting on his forearm.

Eddie immediately squinted in the cloak of darkness that was the gym – he had to give it to the committee, he hardly recognized the place. A ridiculous pop song came on just as you waved to a few of your friends. “Look, Nancy found a table. Want to drop off our stuff and dance?” You asked the group. Robin nodded, already making her way towards the table and Eddie had to admit he felt a little out of place.

The itch under his skin yelled at him to run but the happy smile on your face when you patted the empty seat next to you kept him tethered to you – because how could it not? Eddie was sure you could ask for the disco ball and he’d risk his diploma to get it for you.

“Drinks?” Eddie asked, overwhelmed by the five nodding heads. Byers, with a small smile, got up and offered his help.

While Eddie had grown, no matter how reluctantly, close to Robin and her sidekick Harrington. Jonathan had only recently become a new addition. His family had just moved back and he seemed too quiet to really like the chaos that Eddie knew he tended to attract. His kid brother however, Will, was one of his favorites. Not that he’d ever tell Dustin that. The kid had a jealousy streak a mile long.

They had both just settled into their seats, everyone with a drink in hand, when another pop mess song came on. Robin and you straightened, eyes going to each other before you scrambled to your feet. “I’ll be right back,” you said, dropping a kiss to his cheek that had him stunned for a moment. Robin grabbed your hand and you both ran towards the dance floor.

“It’s their favorite song,” Steve explained, watching them wave over a reluctant Nancy. You both bounced around, heads shaking, and zero care that a few people were shooting you looks. “You gonna ask her to dance tonight?”

Eddie shot Steve a look and hated that Steve felt comfortable enough now to ignore him.

“Don’t give me that look man,” Steve laughed, “you came together! You can’t not ask her to dance.”

“We didn’t come together,” Eddie muttered, taking a sip of the disgustingly sweet punch, “she made that pretty clear.”

“Or you heard what you wanted to,” Nancy said, finally standing with Jonathan’s and in hers. “Because from what I know, she thinks you’re here together.”

“Wait, what?” Eddie shouted at Nancy’s retreating back. He turned to Steve, who looked like he was hiding a laugh, “What the hell does that mean?”

“That you both have your heads stuck in the grass,” Steve sighed. “I promised Dustin that I’d let you two figure this shit out on your own but I’m giving you a needed shove. Come on Munson, we’re going to dance.”

He opened his mouth to protest but Steve put a hand under his arm and all but shoved him in your direction. Robin cheered when she saw him, her head bobbling wildly. You beamed, hands coming up to his and twirling prettily around him. His eyes were drawn to you like magnets, he couldn’t help it. You danced with abandon, graceful but chaotically at the same time. Eddie shouldn’t have been surprised but, he really wasn’t sure how much more in love with you he could get.

“I’m thirsty!” Robin shouted, pointing back to the table. Steve let her take his hand and dragged him off towards the sides.

You turned to Eddie, smile wide, and he watched it falter when the faintly familiar pop song turned slow. His feet froze and he glanced towards Wheeler – finding her arms around Jonathan’s as they swayed slowly. She widened her eyes and looked pointedly towards you.

Alright, he could take a hint. He wasn’t that stupid.

With a flourish, he bowed deeply and outstretched his hand. “Can I have this dance milady?”

Your laugh was muffled by the music but the electricity across his skin crackled as you took his warm hand with your cool one. How were you always so cold? He pulled your hands between his and tried to let some of his heat sink in. You grinned up at him, eyes soft, and he placed his own at your waist. “Okay?” He asked.

“More than,” you said, leaning your head onto his chest. He was worried you’d hear how fast his heart was racing but by the small, happy, sigh you let out – he didn’t think you’d mind.

“If you would’ve told me last year that I’d end up graduating this year, with a grade higher than a C, and that I’d be at prom with you – I would’ve laughed,” Eddie said.

You wrinkled your nose at him. “Am I that bad of a date?”

Date? Holy shit, was Wheeler being honest?

“Shortcake, you’re the best date. I just didn’t think you’d want to hang out with the likes of me,” he clarified, “I’m either invisible or a cult leader. Take your pick.” He tried to play it off as a joke but he knew you’d hear it.

“I’ve always noticed you, Eddie. You’re not invisible to me,” you said quietly, your big eyes looking up at him beneath your lashes. Jesus Christ, how much more of this could he take? For once, you seemed to share his sentiment because you took a step back, out of his arms and excused yourself. He watched you dart across the gym, grab a bewildered Robin, and pulled her into a solitary corner.

Mystified, Eddie walked back to the table and Steve raised one of his brows. “What’s happening? We’ve only been here for like an hour.”

“I have no idea,” Eddie admitted. He started to worry when he saw your purple nails from the distance flailing left and right as Robin’s hands came down on your shoulders. She said something that clearly stunned you. After a beat both of you turned towards him and he darted his eyes away to act like he wasn’t being nosey.

“Uh, that doesn’t look good,” Steve muttered. Eddie glanced back up and watched as you made your way quickly over to him. A determined expression was etched onto your face and Robin followed at a slower pace, a smug look on hers.

Without a word, you grabbed his sleeve and pulled him into the hallway when a teacher had their back turned. “Uh, shortcake?”

“Shh!” You admonished, still leading him down the hall. You don’t stop until you find an empty classroom, the lights were on and door unlocked but it was clearly deserted.

He watched your chest rise and fall quickly, like you’d run a mile, and before Eddie could ask you what was wrong – you all but chucked an envelope at him. He’d almost ducked instinctively but he managed to catch it in his hands. Where the hell had that even come from?

“What’s happening right now?” He asked, holding the envelope in his right hand. “What’s wrong?”

“Open it,” you said, your fingers went up to tug at a lock of your hair – a telltale sign that you were nervous.

“Sweetheart-”

“Eddie, open the envelope,” you stressed.

With a wary glance towards you, Eddie flipped the hastily taped tab and slid out a pair of tickets.

IRON MAIDEN, JULY 1ST INDIANNAPOLIS, IN.

“Holy shit, are these floor tickets?” He squawked, hands shaking. You had Iron Maiden tickets! How the hell had you managed that? “Shortcake, where did you get these? I thought they were all sold out.”

“My dad knows someone,” you said waving a hand like it wasn’t important. Like you hadn’t just handed him a priceless gift. “I got VIP passes too.”

Eddie’s soul was gone. That’s it, it was back up on the moon, throwing a party.

“It’s not my birthday, you know,” he said, barely containing his excitement. He rocked back and forth on his heels. Holy shit, he was going to see Iron Maiden! With you!

“I know,” you said, biting your bottom lip. Eddie’s soul slammed back into his body and he realized you were wringing your hands again.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

“These are for us,” you said, pointing at the tickets.

“I assumed so,” he joked.

You closed your eyes, shoulders tense. “No, like… a date.”

Eddie snorted and immediately regretted it when he saw your head duck down. Shit, you’d been serious? You couldn’t have been serious. He knew Steve and Robin gave you both shit for it these past few months but there was no way in hell that you’d ever want to go on a date with him. He would’ve noticed. He absolutely would’ve noticed the signs.

“Oh,” you said, you voice incredibly sad, and Eddie wanted to slap himself. Okay, maybe he wouldn’t have noticed.

Eddie scrambled forward; tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. “No, wait – I didn’t mean it like that,” he said quickly, words jumbling together. “I didn’t realize you were serious. I thought – I thought you were joking.”

You winced. “I get it. I’m not…your type, we’re friends, it’s fine. You can take both tickets and take one of the guys.” The expression on your face was enough to make him want to face plant. You turned on your heel and walked to the door.

Eddie’s heart dropped to his feet and he lurched forward, hands reaching for you. “Wait, wait, that’s not what – please. Shortcake, let me speak. I just need a moment to process.” You tried to wrestle your wrist out his grip but Eddie clung on for his life. You were not just going to turn and run after dropping a bomb like that on him.

“It’s fine, Eddie. I promise I’m not – I’ll get over it.”

“I didn’t even know you liked me!” You shot him a contemptuous look and he refused to cower back. You were scary when cornered but he knew you had a soft, gooey center. Whatever he said now was important. He had to get this right.

“Sweetheart. Look at me,” he said, pulling you away from the door. “I swear, I didn’t think you felt like that towards me.”

Your hardened look softened a little when he ducked down to catch your gaze. Blinking, you frowned a little and straightened. “You’re not joking?”

“I have never in my life been more serious,” he huffed, “and I really mean that.”

Exploding, you waved your animated hands in the air and Eddie jerked back to avoid being smacked by one. “How the hell did you not notice? Everyone noticed! Even the cheer squad knew. I asked you to go with me to prom!”

“What?” Eddie’s voice cracked. “You said not with you – to hang out or something!”

“Yeah, I only said that after you looked like I had smacked you over the head!”

Eddie groaned. “Because I didn’t think you’d ever want to go with me!”

You crossed your arms and rubbed one of your temples. “It’s against school policy to tutor a student for longer than a month or two. It’s not fair to the program so we swap consistently. It’s a way to make sure everyone gets the coverage they need from the different tutors. Didn’t you question why we went from meeting at the school to the public library?”

“Uh, no?”

“Well,” you huffed, looking a little embarrassed, “I liked you from like the first session. You, obviously, looked more interested in watching paint dry so I thought I could win you over. After the month I told Ms. O’Donnell that you just needed some guidance and I’d sign off on your paperwork. I told you that we needed to start meeting at the public library instead.”

“But, what about Nick?” Eddie was so confused. Had he entered an alternate dimension again? He glanced around for any sight of the dust. “You had a boyfriend up until like three months ago!”

“Because I thought it would make you jealous!” You huffed, exasperated.

What.

“Well, it did!” Eddie shouted back, the words falling before he could stop them. “I wanted to punch his goddamn face in.”

You blinked. “But…you didn’t seem all that eager to be my friend. You barely asked me about my weekend plans. I couldn’t have dropped more hints!”

“Shortcake, you’re not only out of my league – you’re in a different dimension. I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable!”

“Well, you didn’t!”

“Great!”

“Perfect!”

“Amazing.”

“Stupendous.”

“Are you going to keep trying to have the last word?” Eddie snorted.

You rolled your eyes but he saw your hands reach up for your hair. “I know I don’t dress like those girls at the hideout and wear too much yellow and pink and you think I’m popular and that my taste in music is overrated – which really proves my point that you’re pretentious – but –”

Eddie barely heard a word you were saying, his eyes watched your hands dance in the air, and your eyes dimming the more you spoke. How the fuck could you have ever believed that he wouldn’t like you? You still believed that, his mind supplied helpfully, anxiety evident in the rigid set of your shoulders. He knew from experience that if he let you keep going, you’d go on for hours. So, he grabbed your arms and pulled you into his chest. Startled, you stumbled and glared up at him.

“Shortcake?”

“What?”

“Please stop talking,” he said and dropped his lips to yours. Without hesitation, you wrapped your arms the best you could around his neck and pressed your body against his. Your cool fingers tangled themselves in his hair and he shuddered when your nails dragged along his scalp. Eddie, finally, bit down on your bottom lip and the low groan you let out shot straight to his dick.

Shit, even after imagining this moment for months – it really couldn’t compare. You tasted like punch, strawberries, and faintly of candy. He pulled back for air, your breath coming out in quick huffs. Eddie smiled, his heart racing at the sight of your dazed look. He did that. You liked him. He’d shared his life with you and you still liked him. Did shit like this really happen?

“So, you want to go to the concert with me?” You asked lightly, smile twisting your mouth.

Eddie threw his head back and laughed. “I want to go everywhere with you, shortcake.”

“Everywhere is good, I like everywhere,” you babbled, “...well, Steve’s house has a lot of rooms. Maybe everywhere can include that at the end of the night?”

Shutting his eyes, he valiantly tried to exercise self-control and not imagine you naked on a bed squirming beneath him. Failing, just a little, he nodded enthusiastically. “Should we go right now? Because I’ll grab Steve if we need to.”

You laughed, the sound warming him even further. “We still need to go with Robin to that afterparty.”

Eddie let his head loll as he groaned. “Conformity is so much work.”

“I’m sure you’ll be okay,” you teased, kissing him again. “Come on, someone’s going to catch us if we stay away too long.” Honestly, Eddie was willing to risk it but he knew you didn’t want to miss this.

As you both crept back towards the gym, your hand tucked in his, Eddie wondered if he was dreaming. He passed one of the wide windows in the hallway, the gym only a few yards away, and he pulled you to a stop.

“What?” You asked, peeking out through it.

Eddie ducked to look out the glass and caught sight of the dark sky and the full moon. He winked and pointed up at it. “You had me going there for a while, but this makes up for it. We’re even!”

“Who are you talking to?” You asked, glancing around.

“The moon. Or God. Maybe the universe?”

You nodded. “Okay,” you said, shrugging like it was completely normal.

Jesus Christ, he loved you.

The familiar chords of Kiss floated out of the open doors to the gym and Eddie perked up. “Is that…”

Tonight, I want to give it all to you

In the darkness, there's so much I want to do

“Kiss?” You asked, grinning. “Yeah, I promised the DJ half a gram from you if he’d play a few songs you like.”

Yeah, he was gone for you. Totally gone. If he had any dignity or pride left, he’d be a little embarrassed but he really couldn’t work up the energy.

“Come on!” You said, tugging him back into the gym and onto the dance floor. A few jocks looked disgruntled at the change of music but Robin and Nancy were out on the dance floor, so were a few others. You immediately jumped around, eyes bright, hips swaying, and Eddie’s heart felt like it’d jump out his chest at any moment.

“And I can't get enough of you, baby. Can you get enough of me?” You sang, turning to wink at him. Steve and Robin waggled their eyebrows, shooting him knowing looks and he shook his head. Nancy laughed, offering up her fist and Eddie couldn’t help but bump it.

Alright universe, he thought, you win, you totally win. I owe you for the rest of my life.

Eddie wrapped an arm around your waist and beamed when you leaned into his touch. Your lips came up to his jaw and he sighed. Maybe the shit show that was the entirety of high school was worth it if you were waiting for him at the end.

I was made for lovin' you, baby

You were made for lovin' me

#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson

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