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resident-gay-bitch · 1 year

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Sunflower Boy

love comes back around, always

warnings: domestic violence, child neglect, blood, bruises

This was the worst day of Eddie’s life, ever.

And no, he wasn’t being dramatic, it actually was.

Eddie had been left alone in his house for three days - give or take - with no food, no running water, and no air conditioning.

He was ten.

A couple of days ago his dad got a job, he was like, a car salesman or something, and apparently it had gone super well, because he called Eddie and told him he was gonna be late. He was going for a beer or two.

He never came home.

Eddie’s mum was working too, though, that was more against her will. She would have preferred to be there with her son, however, her dad made sure of otherwise. Eddie didn’t know what his mum did, he just knew she wore really pretty clothes and makeup, would leave the house looking almost sick, and would come home smelling of alcohol, sweat, man, and something else kinda musky Eddie couldn’t exactly pin point. But she had left for a job, her longest one yet, up in Indy five days ago, and she wasn’t scheduled to come home until tomorrow night.

Eddie was scared, hot, alone, and hungry.

He didn’t know the way to Wayne’s house, or have his number and they didn’t have a phonebook. His neighbour across the hall, Mrs. Wittleson was a right bitch and hated Eddie and his parents. He couldn’t go to her. His neighbours to the left were scary, their apartment always smelt weird and in the middle of the night, right on the other side of Eddie’s wall, he’d hear screaming and moaning and slapping and sounds of pain. He was pretty sure they killed people or something. His neighbour on the right Mr. Crucks was a creepy man with a weird moustache that always offered him candy and looked at him funny. Eddie’s mum made him promise to never, ever, never talk to the man under any circumstances. Eddie never dared disobey his mum like that. The neighbours across the hall, beside Mrs. Wittleson, were away on holiday, and the other apartment was empty. Mould problem.

So Eddie was stranded.

He was worried for his dad, and so he did the only thing he knew to do.

He called the cops.

They’d asked him to explain his situation and he had told him how his dad went out to sell cars and never came home after celebrating the deal with a few beers, how his mum had been away all week on business, how the water bill was well overdue and he couldn’t even flush the toilet! He explained that it was so hot, and his mum said he wasn’t allowed to go into the ‘garden’, under the sprinklers for a cool down unless she was there because of that weird old Mr. Crucks. He said he hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning, because his dad was supposed to bring home the money so Eddie could go food shopping the other day, but he hadn’t yet, and he didn’t know how to call his uncle.

Eddie was just hanging up the phone when his dad walked through the door, “Yes, thank you sir, I will- I can do that. Okay, thank you sir. Goodbye.”

“Who ya talkin to?”

“Dad!” Eddie grinned, the phone on the hook, “I was just calling the cop-”

“Whaddya say?” His dad marched over to his son, grabbing him tight by his little wrist, “Cops?”

Eddie’s eyes were wet, “They… they were helping me find you.”

“You fuckin- what’d ya tell ‘em?”

“You hadn’t come home since your sale, and that I had no food, or anything.”

“Fuckin idiot!” He smacked his son across the face, “You know we don’t call the pigs here.”

“I didn’t know what to do.” Eddie sobbed, cradling his cheek, “I’m sorry, dad, I- I can-”

“You’re in big fuckin trouble, boy.” His dad shoved him up against the wall, a hand around his neck, “Y’ve fucked it all up, just had to fuck it all up.”

“I’m sorry.” Eddie gasped, crying, trying to pry his dad’s hand away from his neck.

“Whaddya fuckin sorry for. Useless little shit. Shoulda left you and your mother on the street”-

Look, I won’t get too deep into it, but that ‘conversation’ went on for a little longer before they were distracted by red and blue flashing lights lit up the apartment. Eddie was terrified. He thought he was done for. He thought he was gonna get locked up and thrown in the can because he did something wrong. He didn’t know what, didn’t have the slightest idea, but his dad was scaring the shit out of him and Eddie thought he’d turned himself into a criminal by accident. So he did what he was taught to do when those lights flashed a little too brightly.

He ran.

He slipped out of his dads grip, right as the officers knocked on the door, and he slipped into the bathroom. He climbed up on the counter, kicked open the little window that always jammed, and wiggled his way out. His dad followed him in, trying to pull Eddie back inside, telling him he needed to face his consequences. But Eddie slipped free, and the window was too small for his dad to follow.

Eddie fell into the dirt behind his apartment, and he ran.

He ran for miles.

It was hot, and he was tired, and hungry, but he ran. Hoping to bump into someone or somewhere he knew.

He didn’t stop running until he realised that the houses flying by were nice. Like, really nice. Fancy and big with tall gates and green gardens.

He was on the nice side of town, a place where he most certainly wasn’t welcome. Eddie slowed, letting himself wander the nice suburb, trying to find his way out of the maze of pretty houses. He hoped he wasn’t spotted here, no doubt some woman with a pearl necklace would call the cops about it. Then he’d be in even bigger trouble.

He found a playground, by the woods. It was old and looked pretty rusty. There was another one, a better one on the other side of the field, Eddie could see. But that one had kids on it, over here, he could be alone.

The sun was hot, the air was warm.

This was his worst summer ever.

He sat on the swing, rusty and squeaky, but he didn’t care. He sat on the swing, and poked around his face, feeling for where he was hurt. His vision was a little blurred, though, he wasn’t sure if that was from the black eye he was sporting or the tears.

Maybe both.

Eddie sat, and he looked up at the sky, at the sun with squinted eyes, and hoped it burned him.

“Hi.” a little voice came from beside him.

Eddie looked over to see a boy standing at the edge of the swingset. He had golden brown hair, rosie cheeks, a warm smile, and a yellow shirt under some overalls that were unevenly cuffed at the ankles.

Eddie thought he might just be the prettiest boy he’d ever seen.

“Hi.” Eddie said back, his voice small and quiet, hoarse from crying.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Eddie swallowed and nodded his head.

“Are you sure?” the boy asked again, “You look hurt.”

“Just… had an accident.” Eddie offered, “Doesn’t matter.”

“Okay.” The boy nodded, “Do you have any friends?”

Eddie looked at him, thought for a moment, and shook his head, “Not really.”

The boy smiled, “Me either… Well, I have one friend, but he’s kind of mean. We’re only friends because our dads are business partners, so we see each other at all their fancy events. Our mums say they are best friends too, but my mum secretly hates his mum.”

“Okay.” Eddie had said, and looked back to the bark under his feet.

“Do you want to be my friend?”

Eddie looked up at him again, “Why?”

The boy furrowed his brow, “Because you look sad.” he shrugged, “Everyone deserves to have a friend when they are sad.”

Eddie thought for a moment, letting his eyes droop, “I suppose.”

The boy smiled, “Well, we can be friends then. I do like your hair, you look like… uh, I don’t know his name, but he sings that song, open your eyes and seee, i’m just a poor boy… la la la meee, easy come easy go… ahh…” he looked around a little awkwardly, hoping Eddie would catch on, “Mamaaa just killed a man….”

“Oh.” Eddie nodded, “I think I know him.”

“Yeah.” The kind boy smiled.

Eddie furrowed his brow, “We don’t look the same.”

“But you both have long hair.” He giggled, “It’s cool. Rockstar.”

Eddie couldn’t help but grin wide at that, it hurt his face, but he grinned anyway, “Thanks.”

“No problem.” The boy sighed, “Can I sit next to you?”

“Sure.” Eddie looked at the rickety swing beside him, “Here, have mine, that one looks broken.”

“It’s okay-”

“No, it’s okay.” Eddie hopped up, and sat himself down on the broken one before the boy could protest, “You look too fancy to sit on broken things.”

“I am not fancy.” the boy took a seat, “Hey, you warmed it up for me. Thanks.”

Eddie giggled, “You have done your hair all nice, and your overalls are clean.”

“All clothes are supposed to be clean.”

“These are clean.” Eddie pointed to his jeans, “Got them out the cupboard this morning, but they have a paint stain on them here, and a ketchup stain on them here, and something else here.”

The boy giggled, “My nanny hates stains.”

“You have a nanny!”

“Yeah, don’t you?”

Maybe if he had a nanny, all of this bullshit would have been avoided and Eddie wouldn’t be a wanted criminal. But, he supposed, he never would have met this boy.

“No, I don’t have a nanny.”

“Oh.” the boy furrowed his brow, “It’s probably for the best, my nanny is a butthead.”

Eddie laughed, “A butthead?”

“Yeah.” the boy groaned, “She’s always telling me I need to brush my teeth for longer and eat my carrots. I hate carrots!”

Eddie laughed some more, “You’re so fancy.”

“Am not.”

“Y’are.” Eddie smiled, “I only brush my teeth in the mornings, and most of the time, I just have microwave mac ‘n cheese for dinner or spaghettios.”

“Cool!” The boy grinned, “I wish I could have spaghettios for dinner.”

Eddie sighed, finding himself frowning a little, “Spaghettios are not that good three times a week.”

The boy pouted, “Maybe we should swap.”

“I think so.” Eddie grinned, “Though, I’d probably get smacked for not being fancy enough in your house.”

Steve shrugged, “My nanny doesn’t like smacking.” he sighed, “Mum and dad don’t even notice when I’m bad anymore.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Eddie asked, “I wish my parents didn’t notice when I mess up.”

The boy huffed, resting his head against the chain on the swing, “I suppose.”

“So…” Eddie kicked the bark under his feet, “What’s your favourite song?”

“Uhm,” the boy perked up, seemingly a little cheerier now that parents were not a topic of conversation, “Honey Honey by ABBA.”

Eddie broke a grin, “That’s one of my mums favourites.”

“Really?” The boy had wide eyes.

“Yes.” Eddie nodded, “My favourite is… Immigrant Song by Led Zepp.”

The boy looked confused.

“You’ve never heard it, have you?”

The boy shook his head.

“Maybe you can listen to it, it’s so metal.” Eddie suggested with a sweet smile, “Maybe you will like Led Zeppelin.”

“Well… you’re cool, and you like them, so probably.” the boy shrugged, his kindness easy.

Eddie hadn’t gotten such kindness from kids at school before.

“How old are you?”

“I’m nine and two quarters.” the boy answered, proudly, Eddie noticed he was missing a tooth.

Wait, isn’t that just nine and a half?

“I’m ten, almost twelve.”

“Poop.” the boy sighed, “Means we won’t have class together.”

“Oh.” Eddie looked to the ground, but his chest bloomed with warmth at the idea of this boy wanting to have classes with him, “We… never mind.”

“What?” the boy had asked, eyes wide and sparkling.

He was very pretty.

“Maybe we could play at lunchtime.”

The boy smiled, “Obviously.” he hopped up off the swing and started to climb the tower, “We could play lots of games. Do you like superheroes?”

“Yeah.” Eddie smiled, following him up the tower, “I love superheroes.”

“I wish I was superman.” the boy smiled, sitting down at the top of the old metal slide, it was probably burning hot, but he had long pants on. Eddie could see his matching mismatched rainbow socks, “He’s so cool.”

“Yeah.” Eddie agreed, unable to help the smile he got when the boy slid down, letting out a giggle, “Batman’s cool too though. I like bats.”

“Ooh, yeah.” the boy smiled, watching Eddie slide down now too, “He’s so cool… Maybe we can go as Batman and Superman to Halloween together.”

Eddie stopped at the bottom of the slide, looking up at the boy, “You want to go to halloween together?”

“Yeah.” He nodded, “I know where all the best houses are to get the biggest candy bars, plus, Miss Lorane across the street loves me and always gives me triple.”

“Cool!” Eddie hopped up, he never got too many treats on halloween, most of them were from his mum.

The boy rushed over to the seesaw, and Eddie followed, “Do you want to play superheroes now? Or would you like to play something else?”

“Hmm…” Eddie thought superheroes did sound really fun, but he wanted to know what other games the boy had, “maybe.”

“We could also play… cafe, and pretend to make food with the bark. Or we could play astronauts and climb to the top of the tower like it’s our rocket ship…” the boy hummed, letting his eyes wander, until he got an idea, and he got excited, “or maybe we can play doctors!”

“Doctors?” Eddie asked, quirking an eyebrow, and his face hurt again.

“Yeah,” the boy smiled, nodding rather aggressively, “I can make you all better.”

Oh.

Eddie felt his heart grow three sizes.

“Okay.”

The boy smiled, hopping off of the seesaw before dragging Eddie over to the tower. He sat him down under the shade of it, right by the slide, and got to work doctoring Eddie. He put on a funny voice, pretending to be a doctor of course, acting as if he had a stethoscope and everything. Eddie couldn’t help but smile as he watched the boy. The boy whose smile was as bright as the sun and who’s heart was as big as the sky. He was dressed in a warm yellow t-shirt, and perfectly clean denim overalls, and rainbow matched mismatched socks with stripes and polka dots under his sneakers, and he radiated kindness and warmth.

Eddie really liked this boy.

After they finished playing doctors, and Eddie’s face felt a little better, his heart feeling a lot better, they sat on the overgrown grass. They talked and talked and talked about stupid boy things, and picked at the grass and laughed.

It was nice, Eddie thought, to have a friend like this.

On the worst day of Eddie’s life, after he’d been abandoned for three days, starved, overheated, beaten, and sent on the run from the cops, he’d been sent this boy. Eddie thought he must have been an angel. He had to be. There was no other explanation about it.

“Oh! Look over there.” the boy smiled, jumping to his feet and running for the treeline, “Daisies!”

Eddie raced after him, both of them stopping at the patch of pretty white daisies with centres that matched the kind boy’s shirt, “What about them?”

“Do you not like flowers?” the boy asked, leaning over to pick one, “My friend doesn’t like them either, says it’s weird for boys to like flowers. But my old nanny taught me all about them, she was so nice, but mum fired her because she always had her boyfriend around and wore shirts that showed too much skin apparently.”

“Oh.” Eddie swallowed, “No, I just… I’ve never really thought about flowers much before.”

“Hmm.” the boy smiled, handing his picked flower to Eddie before grabbing another, “Do you like these ones?”

“I suppose.” Eddie shrugged, “They are pretty.” Not quite as pretty as you, though.

The boy grinned, “Have you ever made a daisy chain?”

Eddie shook his head, “I don’t even know what that is.”

The boy gasped, squatting down to pick basically all of them, “You’re crazy, weirdo.”

Eddie felt his stomach drop. Of course he’d fuck it up. He always fucked shit up.

“I have to teach you.” The boy handed Eddie a bunch of flowers and went back to picking more, “Only weirdo crazy people don’t know about daisy chains, and we can’t have you being one of those any longer. You’re too cool for that.”

Eddie smiled, all warm and fuzzy inside.

Eddie couldn’t make daisy chains.

His hands trembled too much, and he just couldn’t get it. He gave up after a while, happy to just watch Steve make his. He picked the petals of a couple of flowers he’d fucked up.

“What’s your favourite flower then?” Eddie had asked, curious to learn more about this sunray of a boy.

“Hmmm.” he had hummed, “I think… sunflowers.”

“Why?” Eddie asked.

“Well, I do like yellow the best. It’s so happy and bright.” the boy fiddled with the flowers in his hands, “And, did you know that sunflowers will follow the sun? They actually turn to look at the sun throughout the day, so they’ll always be in the light.”

Eddie thought that was perfect. Sunflowers for this sunshine boy. Sunflower boy.

“How about you, what flowers are your favourite, do you think?”

“Uh…” Eddie wasn’t sure at all, other than sunflowers now, but he couldn’t very well say that, “I’m not sure.”

“We’ll find you a favourite flower.” he smiled, lifting his daisy chain up to the sky to look at it, “I’m all done.”

“Wow.” Eddie inspected it, the perfect circle of pretty white flowers with yellow centres, “It’s wonderful… how did you do it?”

The boy laughed, “Magic.”

“You’re so cool.”

The boy smiled, cheeks tinted pinker, “It’s for you.”

Eddie felt his heart jump into his throat, his eyes widened and he looked at the boy, “What?”

“I made it…” the boy offered, both hands holding the crown out, “for you. I thought it would look nice in your hair.”

Eddie’s chest felt impossibly tighter, “Do you think?”

The boy smiled, and giggled in a honey sweet way, and leant forward on his knees to plant the chain on Eddie’s head, fixing it into place to make a crown, “Hey, it looks so pretty on you.”

Eddie felt his cheeks go pink, “Really?”

The boy nodded, “It suits you.”

Eddie grabbed all the daisies from his lap and the ground around them, gathered them into a bunch and shoved them into the Sunflower boy’s chest (nicely of course). The boy giggled, and Eddie was infatuated with him.

“What?” he had asked, holding the bunch of flowers, some of them facing the wrong direction.

“For you.” Eddie had said, picking up the few flowers that dropped and handed them over as well, “Thank you.”

The boy giggled, “You don’t have to give me these!”

Eddie plucked one, the prettiest one he could see, and stuck it behind the boy’s ear, “There, now… pretty.”

The boy bloomed pink, “You think I’m pretty?”

Eddie nodded, “You’re prettier than all of these flowers and more.”

Okay, so apparently Eddie was a little romantic.

Sunflower boy turned pinker and dipped his head.

“I think my favourite flower is a daisy.” Eddie had smiled.

The boy looked up at him with soft eyes and a kind smile, “Perfect.”

They both laid back on the grass, the bunch of daisies clutched in the boy’s hand, resting on his chest. They watched as the sky turned from blue to dusky orange and pink. Their pinkies intertwined between them, only a few sweet words said.

Eddie thought he might be in love.

“I have to go home.” his Sunflower boy had said, voice quiet and calm, “I’m not allowed to be out after dark.”

Eddie frowned, “Okay.”

“We can play at school though.” The boy smiled.

Eddie felt a pang through his chest, “Do you mean that?” he’d asked, his eyes wide and pleading, “Not many people like me at school.”

The boy smiled wider and held up his pinky, “I pinky promise to play with you every day at school.”

This was definitely love, “Really?”

“Of course,” he waggled his finger, “you’re my best friend.”

Eddie locked his finger around his Sunflowers, offering his warmest, most genuine smile.

There was silence for a moment, before Sunflower spoke again, “Would you like to come for dinner? You can eat my carrots.”

Eddie positively lit up, “Yes please.”

The boy grabbed his hand and they ran. They ran through the field and down the streets, watching the sky disappear to darkness and the street lights switch on. Eddie held the crown atop his head and the boy clutched the daisy bunch tight. They laughed as they ran, or more so, giggled.

Eddie wanted to hold his Sunflower boy’s hand forever.

He was going to marry this boy.

In the distance, Eddie heard the faint echo of a siren. His heart dropped. He stopped in the middle of the street, the boy stopped with him. Eddie looked around, frantic.

“You okay?” the boy had asked, his hand holding Eddie’s a little tighter now.

“Uh… yeah.” Eddie had said, right before his eyes fixed on a cop car down the road, “I need to go.”

“What?” the boy had asked.

Eddie turned to face him. He didn’t want to leave the boy. He didn’t ever want to say goodbye to this boy. Sunflower boy was his entire world and Eddie knew he loved him. He was positive. He’d never felt anything like this.

Which is exactly why Eddie had to leave.

He was wanted for crimes he didn’t know if he committed, he was in trouble, bound to get locked up. His dad had told him he was in big trouble, that he had consequences to face. Eddie just hoped they had a separate jail for kids. And this boy, his Sunflower boy, sweet and soft with a smile Eddie wanted to kiss away. Well, he was too good for a delinquent like Eddie. He was more deserving. Eddie wanted to keep him safe, to protect him from his rotten life. He wanted to keep his Sunflower blooming, facing the sun, and keep him in the light. If he’d stayed, and the cops found Eddie, they’d take his sunflower boy too no doubt. Lock him up for being Eddie’s accomplice or something. Cops were pigs, as his dad would say, always making up bullshit, looking to lock anyone a little rough or different up.

Eddie couldn’t risk his flower being hidden from the sun.

“I just… I have to go.” Eddie had said again, trying to pull away.

But the boy didn’t let him go, just held him a little tighter, “Why? I don’t want you to go. I thought we were friends.”

“We are…” Eddie said, “But I have to leave.”

“But why?” he’d asked again, eyes pleading for him to stay.

“I just… I can’t explain it.” Eddie tried to pull away.

“I want you to stay.” His voice was wet, higher pitched, like a wine but sadder, “I’ll make you another daisy chain, if you’d like, or… we can have dessert. Anything you want. You can sleepover, if you like!”

Eddie frowned, “I-” he heard the siren much closer, “I can’t.”

“Please.” He’d pouted, and it broke Eddie’s heart.

“I need to-” he saw the cop car come up the street, and Eddie’s heart jumped out of his throat, “No, this is weird! Yo- you’re… weird. I need to go.” he yanked his hand away, and he ran, daisy chain clutched to his chest.

Eddie hugged his knees, looking down at the grass by his feet. He didn’t feel much, not really. Just… emptiness. Emptiness and content, almost.

He had a few things to cross off his bucket list still. He thought he’d have a good few years to get through them, and under much different circumstances. But, he’d just have to make do with what he could.

Eddie looked back over his shoulder at Steve and Robin, sitting, talking with Dustin and Erica. He could cross a couple things off now, with that lot, if he wanted. Just little things, fun things, meaningful things.

But he thought he’d start with the big two; do something brave and a little stupid without running from the consequences, and tell someone special the story he’d never told anyone before.

“Hey, Steve?” He’d called out, forcing himself to before he backed out again.

“Yeah, you okay?” He’d replied.

“Yeah.” Eddie nodded, waving his hand out, “Can you c’mere for a sec?”

Steve nodded his head, saying a quick something to Robin before making his way over to Eddie. Steve sat down in the grass beside him, in the field, looking up at the bright blue sky. It was calm out. The world felt warm.

“What’s up?” Steve asked, bumping his knee into Eddie’s.

Eddie took a deep breath, “I just… I wanted to cross a few things off the list before I kicked it.”

“Ed-”

“Okay, I know, talk positive.” Eddie sighed, “Just… let’s be real for a second Steve, I’m either dying down there, or getting locked up for life which is just as bad. I don’t wanna die, I really don’t, but I’m being realistic, okay?”

Steve huffed, “Stay alive, we can get your charges dropped.”

“Yeah.” Eddie nodded, “Maybe.”

“We’ll try- Dustin will try.”

Eddie smiled, “True.” he shrugged, “But still, just in case, I wanna cross a couple of things off.”

“Eddie-”

“Humour me, Steve.” he looked at Steve, eyes pleading, “C’mon.”

Steve sighed, “Okay.”

Eddie smiled, “I… I wanna do something bold and brave. Something that’s probably a little dumb and might get me hurt, even though it’s right, and I won’t run from the consequences of that.”

I want to come out to you, a well known queer puncher.

“And I wanna tell you something…” Eddie swallowed, “I wanna tell you a story, something that happened to me when I was a kid. Something I’ve never told anyone, ever, and that I was saving for a special someone.”

“Ah…” Steve glanced at him, “I- I’m your-”

Eddie glared at him, “No.” yes, “But out of everyone here, you’re probably the specialist.” Eddie shrugged, “A fallen king, hanging out with a bunch of nerds, fighting interdimensional monsters whilst maintaining glorious hair… That’s special, Steve.”

Steve laughed, “Okay, yeah.” he nodded, “Go on then.”

“Okay,” Eddie sighed, “So, when I was-”

“Wait, what’s the brave thing?” Steve asked.

“It’s in the story.” Eddie nodded, “You’ll have to wait to find out… but you’ll know.”

“Okay.” Steve smiled.

Eddie took a deep breath, “When I was a kid… about ten, I had, what I thought was, the worst day of my life. Now, it was pretty fuckin bad, I’ll give you that, but I think I’ve had worse now.”

Steve shrugged, “Probably.”

“Now, Stevie, I’m trusting you with this story, yeah?” Eddie raised an eyebrow, “I’ve never told a soul this, and I don’t plan on telling anyone else, okay? Not even Wayne. It’s special.”

“Yeah, okay.” Steve smiled, lifting his little finger, “Pinkie promise.”

Eddie felt his chest tighten.

“God.” Eddie groaned, linking his pinkie with Steves, “Add that to the list of things that make you special.”

Steve laughed.

“So, I didn’t know this at the time really, but my dad stole cars and shit for a living. I mean… you know… he taught me how to hotwire and… but anyway, he stole cars and then sold them for drug runs. A few days prior to this stories beginning, my dad worked a job and got paid really fucking well, so he decided to go on a three day bender down the pub.” Eddie shrugged, scratching his chin, “My mum, I really didn’t know this at the time, was a sex worker. She didn’t wanna be, she worked as an escort, she was kinda forced into it. My dad owed a bunch of people a bunch of money and so they kinda just… used my mum as collateral. Five or so days prior to my tale, she went up to Indy on a ‘business trip’. Basically, she was keeping this one guy company because dad owed him fuckin buckets and she was forced to. So this left me alone for three days. The water stopped working, it was hot, I didn’t have food or money to get some… I was stranded, alone for three days. And, my dad, he got this payout, but spent it all on drink rather than his kid, or to get his fucking wife out of the situation she was forced into because of him.”

Eddie rubbed his eyes, and Steve listened carefully, taking in every word. He rubbed his hand up and down Eddie’s back, over the smooth cool leather. It made Eddie feel a little safer.

“I was worried. I was hungry. I was alone.” Eddie sighed, “So I called the cops, asked them to help me find my dad. Right? It’s what kids are taught to do.”

“Right.” Steve nodded.

“So I hang up, right as my dad get’s home. I told him I just talked to the cops, and he… he was not impressed.” Eddie took a deep breath, “We had a strict no cops rule in our apartment, but I didn’t know what else to do. Dad started yelling, telling me off, he… he beat me.”

“Oh, Eddie.” Steve hummed, his hand on Eddie’s forearm.

“The worst he’d ever done, at that point.” Eddie said, “We saw the cops pull up, and I thought… I thought they were gonna arrest me, because I’d done the wrong thing by calling them. And so I ran. I duct out the bathroom window and ran for miles, not looking back once.”

“Sounds freeing.” Steve looked out to the sky, “I wish I could run like that.”

“Yeah.” Eddie looked out with him, both of them taking in the feel of the wind for a moment.

“Is that it?” Steve asked, voice gentle.

“No.” Eddie shook his head.

“Okay.” Steve smiled softly, “Take your time, Ed’s.”

Eddie ignored how the nickname squeezed at his heart, “I found myself in unknown territory, sat myself down on a broken playground.” Eddie couldn’t help but smile at the memory, “I hated everything in the world. I was ready to run away and never face anyone ever again. But then this… boy just appeared out of nowhere. He appeared and he made everything better.”

Eddie laid back into the grass, looking up at the soft sky as it began to set. Steve laid back with him, both of them taking in the feel of the world around them.

“He had a sweet smile, and he wore the cleanest overalls I’d ever seen. I don’t remember much about him, my brain blocked out most of that week. But I remember him.” Eddie nodded, “He… he asked me if I was okay, if I wanted a friend. And we played. He made me a daisy chain and I thought he was the most perfect boy in the whole world. His favourite flowers are sunflowers, you know. That’s how I know him, call him my Sunflower boy.”

Eddie chuckled to himself, feeling happy with the memory, “He was so kind. Too kind, even. I thought my brain had made him up entirely. He’d just come to me on my worst day and fixed it all. He wore bright yellow and smiled warm and made me a fuckin daisy chain, Steve.” Eddie turned his head to look at him, “He was my first love.”

Steve’s eyes widened a little, “You…” he blinked a few times, “You’re gay?”

“Please don’t punch me.” Eddie muttered.

“Why would I-” Steve swallowed, “I promise, I won’t.”

Eddie smiled, “Thanks.”

“Keep talking.” Steve said low.

Eddie felt his spine tingle, “He invited me back to his house, for dinner. I wanted to go. I did, I loved him, I knew it. I never wanted to let this boy go again. And he was beautiful. I remember… we were in the middle of the road, and he had daisies in his hands and hair and… I loved him.” Eddie looked back up at the sky, “But I heard a cop car down the street, and they were looking for me. I thought they were going to arrest me, lock me up, and I didn’t wanna risk my Sunflower boy. I promised myself I’d make sure he always got to see the sun. Didn’t want him getting in trouble just for being nice to me… a supposed criminal.” Eddie chuckled, “Funny how things come back around.”

Steve smiled, “Maybe you’re not as innocent as we thought, Eddie.”

Eddie couldn’t help but blush, “I told him he was weird, because he didn’t want me to go. I told him… I was mean to him, Steve. But I didn’t know what else to say to make him let me go. I didn’t want him to know I was a criminal. I wanted him to remember me as the boy who liked daisies because they looked pretty on my Sunflower.” Eddie sighed, “I just hope he’s doing okay. I think about him every day, you know?”

“You do?” Steve asked.

“Yeah.” Eddie nodded, “He helps me through my hardest times. When things are shit, I just remember his sweet little voice saying hi.”

“That's… cute.”

“Mhm.” Eddie smiled, “After all was resolved, and mum got home, the daisy chain started to wilt. I went to mum with it, crying. Didn’t tell her why I didn’t want it to die, just that it was very important to me and that I needed to keep it forever and ever. She helped me pick the biggest, prettiest, most alive flower from it, and we preserved it.”

“What?” Steve looked at him.

“Yeah.” Eddie nodded, “We pressed it, then she turned it into a pin for me, put resin or some shit over it and a safety pin on the back.” Eddie opened up his leather jacket on his left, showing Steve the inside, “I keep it over my heart, so he’s always close to me.”

“That’s beautiful.” Steve managed to say after a moment of silence.

“Mhm.” Eddie closed his jacket, pressing a hand over his heart, “Just hope he’s got someone there for him now, like he was for me. Hope I didn’t shove him into the closet or whatever. Everyone deserves a Sunflower, especially my boy.”

“Your…” Steve trailed off with a whisper, “I think he does, Eddie.”

“Really?”

Steve nodded, “He’s got you, keeping him close.”

Eddie frowned, “He probably hates me.”

“I think he’d understand, if you explained it to him.”

“I hope so.” Eddie sighed.

“What would you say…” Steve wondered, “if you ever met him again?”

Eddie chuckled, “I’d probably plant one on him.”

Steve laughed, “What?”

“Yeah!” Eddie nodded, “I’d give him a kiss. That’s all, just a kiss, thank him for keeping me sane all these years. Let him go on his way.”

Steve sighed, “You’re wonderful, Eddie.” he smiled, hooking his pinkie with Eddies, “Promise I’ll never tell.”

Oh god, it hurts.

Everything really hurt.

His body felt like fire and his blood was cold.

Death wasn’t what he thought it would be.

“Love you, man.” He managed to choke out, holding Dustin’s hand dearly.

“Love you too.” The younger boy had managed to splutter out.

Eddie’s face was sprinkled with tears and slobber and probably snot, but he was too close to death to care.

“No, no, no, no!” He’d heard a voice shout from afar, “You idiot!”

“I’m sorry.” Eddie whispered, but only Dustin had heard him.

“Oh my god.” Nancy pressed a hand over her mouth, turning away, “Dustin-” she grabbed the boy, pulling him into her chest and stroking his hair, “Shh, it’ll be okay. It will be okay-”

“No.” Steve whined again, this time he was on his knees, beside Eddie, holding his limp body, “Eddie…”

Eddie smiled up at him with reddened teeth, “Hi, Steve.”

“What did you do?”

“I played hero.” Eddie managed to choke out, “I never liked… listening to peoples… rules.”

Steve squeezed Eddie a little, “Idiot. I fucking hate you.” he cried a little harder, “Why… you said you’d live. We… we’d get you- I’ll get you out.”

Eddie shook his head, “No-”

“I’m getting you out, Eddie.” Steve readied himself to stand, pulling Eddie with him.

But Eddie groaned, let out a piercing cry of new found pain, more blood leaving his body. Steve put him back down, crying more. He couldn’t save him.

Eddie smiled again, and it broke all of their hearts, “Thanks for listening, Steve.” He moved his frail hand around until it found Steves, and he squeezed with all his might, “Before… in the clear…ing. Thank you.”

Steve shook his head, “You… you-” Steve sobbed, his hand wiped the blood from Eddie’s cheek, “I needa tell you something too.”

Eddie nodded, “Course.”

Steve forced himself to smile through the tears, “He’s me.”

Eddie didn’t quite catch on.

Steve wove his hand under Eddie’s jacket until he found the daisy pin, “Sunflower. He’s me.”

Eddie’s eyes widened, “I-” he smiled softly then, “Makes sense. You both had… lovely hair.”

Steve laughed, “I always remembered you, Eddie. Always.”

“Trying to make me feel bad?” Eddie joked, but his frail voice made laughing harder, “I’m dying here.”

Steve cradled him a little closer, “I remembered because you were the only boy in Hawkins with hair that long. And on that day, you were wearing a Garfeild shirt, and you wore it on the first day back at school.” Steve wiped his cheeks with his shoulders, “I didn’t talk to you because I thought you hated me.”

Eddie’s eyebrows creased, “No…” he sounded so broken, his hand squeezed Steves again, “No… no, I loved you.”

Steve nodded, “I know. I know now.”

Eddie coughed and sputtered up some blood.

“Shh.” Steve soothed, “Relax, Daisy boy.”

Eddie smiled.

“You broke my heart, that day, Ed’s.” Steve smiled, “My first heartache. I loved you too.”

Eddie’s smile grew a lot sadder, “You broke mine too.”

“How?” Steve scoffed, “You did that to yourself.”

“I know.” Eddie chuckled softly, ignoring the pain it caused, “But later. In your freshman year, you were so kind, at first.” he took a moment to breathe, “So pretty. Y- you were a slut, you know?”

Steve laughed, “Yeah.”

Eddie nodded, “Always made me… jealous.”

“You had a thing for me in highschool?” Steve asked.

Eddie nodded again, “You were such a dick, but I loved you.” Eddie turned his head towards the three huddled beside him, “Hated you, N- Nancy.”

Nancy laughed, “Yeah?”

Eddie smiled, “You sucked… took him.”

Steve genty took Eddie’s cheek, turning him back, “You hated me in highschool.”

“I hated… King Steve.” Eddie smiled, lifting a hand to press on Steve’s heart, “Not you.”

Steve sobbed some more.

“Broke my heart… with every girl.” Eddie swallowed, he didn’t like the taste of blood much, “Guess we’re even.”

Steve nodded, “Yeah, guess we are.” he looked down at him for a moment, shaking his head, “Fuck, Ed’s. Why’d you do it?”

“Didn’t wanna run.” He pushed out.

“I hate you.” Steve sobbed.

“I know.” Eddie whispered, cupping Steve’s cheek, “I know, Sunflower.”

Steve cried a whole lot harder, “You did shove me in the closet, you know?”

Eddie felt his heart breaking, “I did?”

“So far.” Steve nodded.

“I’m sorry.” he couldn’t control the tear that slipped out, “Stevie, I’m sorry.”

Steve chuckled, “Doesn’t matter now.” he stroked Eddie’s hair, “But maybe, if we’d known better back then, things could have been different.”

“You think?” Eddie asked, eyes close to closing.

“I know.” Steve leant down, pressing his forehead to Eddies, “Woulda been loving you much longer.”

Eddie hummed, eyes closing to feel Steve better, “Sunflower.” he’d whispered.

He felt Steve’s body shake, “I hate you, Eddie.” his voice was so broken, “Why’d you have to do it? Why’d you have to play hero?”

“I’m sorry.” Eddie opened his eyes.

“No.” Steve sat up again, teeth gritted, “No you don’t… you don’t get to do that! You can’t do this to me, Eddie.”

“I’m so sorry.” Eddie felt his body shake too, more tears falling, “I don’t want to die, Stevie, don’t let me die. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Steve couldn’t see much, just red, “I love you.”

Eddie tried to speak, but the crying shook his lungs and forced up more blood.

“I don’t know what to do, Eddie. I don’t know what to do.”

Eddie looked at him weakly, his hand slowly moving to hover over his heart, “T- take it.”

Steve shook his head, “Take what?”

“M-my hea…rt, Stevie.” Eddie smiled, “‘Nd the d- daisy.”

Steve closed his eyes, and nodded his head, “I’ll wear it every day.”

Eddie smiled, “Love… you… Sunflower.”

“No.” Steve shook Eddie’s body, “C’mon, no… please! Just need a little longer, Eddie, I’ll get you out of here.”

Eddie smiled softly, “M’okay, baby.” he was barely whispering, “M’okay here.”

“No.” Steve whispered back.

“You’ve got me, Sunflower.” Eddie let his eyes close, “S’all that matters.”

“I can’t let you go, Eddie. We need more time.”

“Give me a kiss, Steve?” Eddie smiled, eyes unable to open again.

Steve leant over, tears slipping off the end of his nose and onto Eddie’s. He pressed his lips to his Daisy boys and kissed him. He cried, so hard, and Eddie couldn’t kiss back, not really. It wasn’t anything like it should have been, but it was theirs, and that’s all that mattered. When Steve sat back up his mouth was red with Eddie’s blood, and Eddie had stopped moving.

sorry not sorry x

don’t forget to reblog! comments are always welcome as well, i love to read about your thoughts and ideas <3

thanks for reading!

here is a little pic i drew for this :)

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katiepotatie · 6 months

Text

that way «Eddie Roundtree x f!Y/N»

Request/Summary: Anon asked, "Could you do an Eddie Roundtree oneshot based on the song "That Way" by Tate McRae ft Jeremy Zucker with a childhood friend of the band who also lives in California?" AN: Heyy! This is my first time writing a full oneshot/imagine since like 2019 when I was a literal child and in my MHA phase, so it's not the best thing ever... but it'll have to suffice 😙 Anyways, this imagine is MY interpretation of the song. I don't want people telling me to change how I've written my story (the only exception is constructive criticism on grammar, little fiddly bits in the story and ways to expand the plot a bit ❤️) Also Anon, I hope this is okay! I kept the song elements and childhood bsf part so... 😅 ---------------------------------- Word Count: 1.4k ------------------------------------- Warnings: Angst, Mentions of drug use and alcohol use, a bit fluffy, breakdown/kinda a depressive episode, short...hehe. --------------------------------

SFW

You and Eddie Roundtree have been friends forever. So, when he asked you to move with his band 4 months ago, you jumped at the chance. You were unaware, however, of the amount of partying that this would involve. You had always been a ballsy person but even some of the stuff that Graham was doing was a bit out of your comfort zone.

When you were little, Eddie lived next door, sneaking through bedroom windows to comfort each other during storms and playing your piano, coming up with little songs. You were each other’s first kiss and Eddie took you to prom. Everyone said you two would get married one day. You said ‘no’. He said ‘maybe’. You still do stuff like that together but he’s off with groupies half the time. You hate to think it but, you feel like you are something more than just best friends…

Jealousy has overtaken your creativity lately. Every song you write is about him and you can’t fathom the fact that you might like him more than the unbreakable bond you’ve made over the years. Shit, you might even love him.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡ ⋆

“Hey Y/N! Come join us!”

You look over and see Warren and some other guys smoking something from a bong and you agreed. Anything to get your mind off Eddie dragging that girl to his room.

During the day, he’s the sweetest most loving person you’ll ever meet, but at night… You hate to think what else he does than hook up. It’s like he’s making you run in circles, constantly, you hate it. In fact, it’s almost draining. So, drowning out your sorrows in drugs and alcohol seems like the perfect solution.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡ ⋆

3 hours later and you’re pissed and high wearing a halter neck bralette and flared jeans, wishing that you didn’t exist. That this stupid crush didn’t exist.

That Eddie and you never existed.

So, as you lay there on the couch, listening to the unwanted people still vacating the house, you start to cry. You want to leave but, getting up wasn’t the easiest thing when you’re bawling your eyes out, drunk and high and surrounded by people you don’t even know. But you proceed to someone’s room, that definitely isn’t yours. To your surprise, there aren’t any girls in here anymore. Or a boy. You lay on the double bed in the middle of the room and ponder, still crying. Just wondering whether moving here was the right choice after all.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡ ⋆

You awake, unaware that you fell asleep in the first place. It’s not cold like how it was when you came into the empty room. You turn around to find that Eddie was the reason you didn’t have frostbite. Peeling his arm from your torso, you sit up and regain consciousness before standing up and walking to your room.

“What do you think you’re doing?” You turn to find a sleepy Eddie Roundtree at the end of his bed, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

“To bed.” You reply, clearly annoyed. Yet, some people just can’t take the hint.

“But you were in bed.”

“My bed dumbass. Besides you probably just fucked some groupie-“ you stopped yourself, but it was too late. Eddie looked at you concerned; you could only tell by the small slither of moonlight coming from the window.

He stood up and approached you slowly taking note of the vulnerable state you put yourself in.

“What are you talking about?”

He cupped your cheeks and his palms felt warm, you felt at home.

“The girl... from earlier... didn’t you-“ He cut you off. Your faces so close together that your lips almost touched. You didn’t like that. You felt like he was taking advantage of you, but oh well, it’s Eddie motherfucking Roundtree we’re talking about here.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Y/N.” He did in fact know what you were talking about. Not only was it horrible but she wasn’t you. And that’s what hurt him the most.

But it hurt you more.

You sigh, pulling his hands away from your face.

“Too high to remember?”

He didn’t answer only looked down in shame.

“Of course.” You scold him as your eyes start to water. You can’t keep them back like you normally would, which means that your heart is officially broken.

You peel away from him and run through the house to the rooftop. You sit on the ledge and cry until you hear a familiar voice behind you.

“Y’know, friends don’t look at friends that way.” It’s Karen.

You wipe away your tears and turn to face her, “huh…?”

“I heard everything... are you okay?” You nod, it’s not the most reassuring thing ever, but it works.

“Anyways, what were you saying? About the friend’s thing?”

Karen smiles sadly, “He looks at you the same way Camila looks at Billy, or how Graham looks at me. He loves you, Y/N. And I can tell you love him too.”

You look down, as if ashamed that you love him, that someone knows you love him.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡ ⋆

Eddie paces around his room. He knows he fucked up but there aren’t very many ways he can repair what he had broken. Trust. Comfort. Love. He overthought everything through so heavily that he became dizzy. Getting drunk again as if it might mend the hole in his heart for a little while. It didn’t. He was just drunk and delusional. Eddie put his hands to his head in frustration, making his headache, heartache and longing for your arms around his waist. Like you always would whenever you missed him. You wished you could do that too.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡ ⋆

“Friends don’t look at friends that way.” That was repeating in your head non-stop over the next few days making your mind blurry and incognitive. Locking yourself in your room and staring at the void in your wall for hours on end wasn’t healthy. You knew this, you just didn’t give a shit. Even though everyone was worried you convinced yourself no one cared. That Eddie will never love you. That no one will ever love you. This obviously not true because 4 days after the ‘incident’, Eddie walks into your room. You were crying on the floor, next to a blanket and a box of tissues.

“Hey... We’re all really worried y’know.” He assures. You just lean on his shoulder as he sits down next to you and wraps his arm around your shoulder. It was nice there. For the first time in what felt like forever, you felt a small wave of happiness.

“I’m sorry.” You choke out. Still crying and overwhelmed.

“For what exactly? I was the one who fucked a bunch of girls and still thought that I deserved the most amazing one of all.” He chuckled. You smiled. Until you didn’t. Raising your head from his shoulder, turning to face him, your face grew the grimacing emotion of anxiety.

“Do… Do you love me, Eddie?”

“Of course, Y/N. Who wouldn’t lo-“

“No. Do you love me, Eddie Roundtree. I need to know because this is what your games, or whatever the fuck you’re playing me at, has done to me.” You grasp his hand, solemnly. His face contorts into something you haven’t seen from him before. He’s about to cry.

“Why the fuck would you ever think I didn’t love you as more than friends, Y/N? I have loved you the second I laid eyes on you. The minute you showed me how to play piano. The hour I spent making you a stupid sign to ask you to prom. I just figured you had other people in mind. That we were strictly platonic-“

You cupped his cheeks and pulled him in for the kiss you have both longed for since you laid eyes on each other. The passionate, painful, loving, gentle kiss you had needed since you knew you loved each other. With no words said, you have told Eddie a million things.

“Karen told me this thing, the night of the party…” Eddie said as the kiss broke. As if on que, you said in unison,

“Friends don’t look at friends that way…”

AN: If y'all want a taglist just tell me ❤️

#eddie roundtree x reader #eddie loving #eddie loving x reader #eddie roundtree #eddie roundtree fluff #eddie loving fluff #djats x reader #djats #daisy jones and the six #go me for actually commiting to something for once #like woooo!!#my phone broke today 😅

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