EM ‘Hey Stranger’ • Chapter Twenty Nine - Beautiful Dawn
Chapter summary: Eddie and Nina tick off things from the bucket list.
content warnings: mentions of weed, implied sexual relations, lots and lots and lots of fluff. let me know if I've missed anything!
'Will you be my shoulder
when I'm grey and older?
Promise me tomorrow starts with you.'
High - James Blunt
Saturday / 12pm / Nina’s room / 3 days left
Nina: “Eddie! Stop cheating!”
Eddie: “I’m not cheating!”
Nina: “You keep giving me extra money!”
Eddie: “I don’t! I keep landing on your hotels!”
Nina: “I have like, two hotels and you’ve only landed on them once!” [throwing the money at him] “Stop cheating!”
Eddie: [loud] “I’m trying to help you win!” [smirking] “‘Cause clearly you suck at this!”
Nina: “Hey! I want to win fair and square, not with lies and deceit!” [Eddie chuckles] “Bad Eddie!” [Eddie rolls his eyes, watching Nina fondly as she tickles Ozzy’s chin] “Isn’t he a cheater, Ozzy, bad boy.”
Eddie: [huffy] “Fine! It’s your turn.”
Nina: [holding the die in front of Ozzy] “Kiss them for luck, Ozzy!” [Ozzy headbutts Nina’s hand] “Good boy.” [Eddie looks at her with heart eyes] “Come on, lucky sixes!” [she rolls the dice, double sixes] “Yes!” [she moves the top hat piece along the board and lands on Eddie’s three houses] “Damn it!”
Eddie: [smirking] “Pay up, Nina.”
Nina: [pouting] “This game sucks.” [she hands the money over to Eddie]
Eddie: [handing a note back to her, flirty] “Hot girlfriend discount.”
Nina: [snorting, blushing] “You’re terrible.”
Eddie: [cheeky] “Terribly in love with you.”
Nina: [mocking]“Awh babe, it’s almost like you have a crush on me.” [Eddie rolls his eyes and takes the dice in his hand]
Ozzy walks over to Eddie and Nina, head butting Eddie’s knee lovingly, before walking to the monopoly board and sitting on it; fur and fat knocking over all of the pieces.
Nina: [laughing] “I guess we’re finished playing Monopoly then.” [stretching on the floor, yawning] “So what do you wanna do now?”
Eddie: [shrugging] “Up to you, darling.”
Nina: [shy] “You could, I don’t know, maybe teach me how to play guitar?”
Eddie: [grinning] “Sure.”
Nina: [cutely] “Really?” [twirling nervously] “You can’t make fun of me if I suck, mind.”
Eddie: [softly] “Come here.”
Nina looks at him fondly as she walks to his side. He sits on the couch and spreads his legs, patting his lap.
Eddie: “Sit.” [Nina sits between his legs, her back pressed against Eddie’s warm chest, heart fluttering in her chest] “Pass me the guitar.” [Nina grabs the guitar and puts it on her knee]
Eddie wraps the guitar strap around them both, pulling them flush against each other, and puts his arms around Nina, his hands on top of hers.
Eddie: [gently] “Put your fingers here.” [he adjusts her fingers over the neck of the guitar, his larger hands on top of hers, pressing down on the chord] “And use this hand like this.” [he takes her hand gently by the wrist and uses it to stroke along the strings] “Just like that.” [softly, with love] “There, you played a D chord.”
A/N: this scene was totally inspired by this tiktok. So cute!!
Nina: [grinning] “Again!”
Eddie chuckles and adjusts her fingers to play another chord, manoeuvring them around as soft strumming sounds fill the room.
Eddie: “This one next.” [he shows her another chord] “Now put them all together.”
Nina’s fingers flick between the three chords.
Eddie: [mumbled into the skin of her shoulder, hiding his smile] “You��re doing great.”
Nina: [blushing, leaning into his affection] “You’re biased.” [tilting her head to look at him] “What’s next?”
Eddie lets go of her hand so Nina plays the chords by herself.
Eddie: [softly] “Now keep playing, and I’ll-“ [Eddie plays another melody on top of Nina’s repetitive three chords] “I’ll do this.”
Nina: [giddy] “Oh my god, we’re doing it! I’m playing guitar!” [Eddie smiles at her fondly as she giggles] “I can’t believe it!” [excited] “Now what?”
Eddie: [fondly] “Now you kiss me.”
Nina removes one hand from the guitar and holds Eddie’s cheek, Eddie kisses her cupped palm and then she softly kisses him on the lips.
Nina: [whispered, loving] “I love you.”
Eddie: [equally as loving] “I love you.”
Saturday / 4pm / Hawkins Ink
Robin: [nervously] “This is a terrible idea.”
Nina: [dragging Robin into the tattoo and piercing studio by the hand] “Oh come on, it’ll be fun! It’ll be over in a minute.”
Robin: [eyes wide] “And I’ll have to live with it for the rest of my life!”
Nina: [matter of fact] “At least you can take yours out if you don’t like it! I’ll have to take a cheese grater to my chest to get mine off, now move your ass.”
Robin: [chewing her lip] “Will you hold my hand?”
Nina: “Of course. It doesn’t hurt that bad, it’s more the swelling afterwards.”
Robin: [dropping Nina’s hand, chewing the skin of her thumb] “Nina, I don’t know if I can do this!”
Nina: [hands on Robin’s shoulders, reassuring] “You can, you’ve always wanted to! If I can do it, you can do it!”
Robin: [unsure] “I don’t know..!”
Nina: [smiling] “Think of it this way, the quicker you get it done, the quicker you get to sit smug and watch me in pain getting tattooed.”
Robin: [thoughtful, nodding her head] “Weirdly, that kinda helps.”
Piercer: “You ready ladies?” [Robin takes a deep breath and jumps on the chair] “We’ll go on three…. Take a big deep breath for me, 1… 2…3….”
Robin: [screaming] “Fuck!”
Saturday / 9pm / Steve’s house
Eddie and Nina are lying on a blanket in Steve’s back garden, looking up at the dark nights sky.
Nina: [pointing to the stars in the sky] “And that one there is called the Great Bear, also known as Ursa Major, named after a nymph called Callisto who was transformed into a bear and hidden in the stars by Zeus!”
Eddie: [not looking at the stars, looking at Nina lovingly] “Tell me more.”
Nina: (shy) “Look at the sky, dumbass.” [Eddie groans smiling and lies back, looking at the sky] “That one is the constellation Leo, which is named after the lion slain by Hercules in his twelve labours. Zeus, his dad, immortalised the lion in the stars.”
Eddie: (smirking) “Is Uranus up there?”
Nina: [laughing, looking at him fondly] “You’re an actual child.”
Eddie: (smug) “I’m quite fond of Uranus.”
Nina: [going to get up] “Aaaand you ruined it, I’m going.”
Eddie: [tackling Nina before she can move] “No, you’re not!”
Nina: “Eddie!”
Eddie: “Keep going, please.”
Nina: [settling under Eddie’s arm, both looking at the sky, lying on the grass] “Fine. That constellation there is Taurus. Did you know that it’s named for the bull that Hercules brought to King Minos as a gift for his daughter’s hand in marriage? Although some Greek philosophers believe that Zeus, the dickhead he is, turned himself into a white bull to impregnate Europa. Zeus is such a tool. ”
Eddie: “Speaking of marriage…”
Nina: [head whipping round to face Eddie, confused] “What?”
Eddie: “I know it’s on your bucket list.”
Nina: (surprised) “You can’t be serious!”
Eddie: (smug) “I’m always serious.”
Nina: [shaking her head, laughing] “You’re never serious!”
Eddie: (smiling) “About you, I am.”
Nina: (laughing) “We can’t get married Eddie, we’ve known each other less than a year!”
Eddie: “I know. I’m not asking you to marry me.”
Nina: [slightly disappointed] “Oh. Well that’s just cruel.”
Eddie: “Yet. Well, kind of.” [getting embarrassed] “I’m working up to something, give me a second.”
Nina: (amused) “Take your time.”
Eddie: (smirking) “Shush, you.” [pulling the ring off his finger of his left hand] “When this is all over, when life goes back to normal, I promise to always be by your side, and love you unconditionally. When we’re older and more mature, and I can afford to do this properly, I’ll put a proper ring on your finger. Until then…” [putting the ring on Nina’s finger] “I promise you that I will marry you one day. If you’ll have me?”
Nina: “Oh Eddie!” [cupping his face, tearing up] “You are such a sweetheart, of course, I’d love to!” [heart eyes] “I love you Eddie, so much.” [she kisses him softly, resting her forehead on his] “Best boyfriend ever.”
Eddie: [grinning, hiding his nerves] “Fiancé to be, actually.”
Nina: [looking at the ring on her finger, smiling wide, heart fluttering] “Fiancé to be? Is that what we’re calling it?”
Eddie: [goofy] “Yup.”
Nina: [fondly] “Fiancé to be it is.” [she takes his face in her hand, kissing him intensely] “I love it.”
Eddie: [disappointed] “Is the ring too small? Damn, I thought that was going to be romantic as fuck.”
Nina: [softly] “It was.” [lying back on the blanket, sighing contently, Eddie lies down next to her] “I’ve had such an amazing day.”
Eddie: “Yeah?”
Nina: “Yeah.” [fiddling with the ring, smiling] “I don’t want it to end.” [to herself, quiet] “I don’t ever want it to end.”
Eddie and Nina skip over to the group, hand in hand, giddy.
Jonathan: “More marshmallows, anyone?”
Nancy and Robin: “Me please!”, “Meee!”
The gang are huddled around Steve’s fire-pit in the garden roasting marshmallows. Nancy and Robin are huddled under a thick blanket, as are Max and Lucas, while Steve and Jonathan heat (and burn) the marshmallows over the fire. El and Mike are talking softly to themselves, while Dustin and Will are playing chess.
Eddie lies down on a lounger and pulls Nina down with him. She folds her legs over Eddie’s lap as Eddie wraps a blanket around the two of them.
Robin: [nosey, smirking] “Well…”
Nina holds up her hand to Robin, grinning.
Robin: [excited] “Yes! He did it!”
Nancy: “No way!”
Nina: “You knew?!”
Jonathan: “Congratulations dude!”
Eddie: [grinning] “Thanks, man.”
Robin: [scoffing] “He asked my permission like I was your dad.” [Eddie blushes] “It would be cute if it wasn’t completely embarrassing.”
Eddie: [sheepish] “I wanted to make sure you thought it was a good idea.”
Nina: [amused, giggling at Eddie] “I think it’s sweet.”
El crawls over and sits between Nina’s legs, looking up at her hopefully. Nina smiles and begins to braid and play with her short hair.
Eddie: [cheeky, lowly in Nina’s ear] “Me next.”
Nina: [stroking Eddie’s soft hair] “I’ll hold you to that.” [flirty] “You’d look like a sexy viking.”
Eddie: [giddy, blushing] “Really?”
Nina: [smirking] “Really.”
30 mins later •
Nina: “Eddie, stop fidgeting!”
Eddie: “The ground is cold!”
Nina: “You’re the one who wanted your hair braided!”
Steve: “Jeez, get married already, you two bicker like an old married couple.”
Nina: [Eddie beams with pride as Nina holds her hand out] “Fiancé to be, actually Stevie.” [Nina grabs a blanket from beside her to put under Eddie] “Here, baby.” [she kisses his temple as she carries on braiding his hair]
Eddie: [cheeky] “Thanks, wifey.” [Nina blushes]
11pm -
Nina: “Jonathan? Could you take a picture of us all together, please?” [the gang groans] “Come on, it might be the last picture I get with you guys!”
Robin: [rolling her eyes] “You can’t use that excuse forever, you know.”
Nina: [smirking] “You know I’m gonna, just accept it.”
Jonathan: [setting up the camera] “You ready?”
Nina: “Put it on a timer, I want you in too!”
Jonathan: (smiling widely) “Really?”
Nina: “Of course! Come on!”
Jonathan grins and runs over to the gang. They all stand huddled together, posing for the photo. Several moments pass and the photo still hasn't been taken.
Nancy: “Why hasn’t the flash gone off?”
Jonathan: “Just give it a minute!”
Mike: “This is ridiculous.”
El: “What are we waiting for?”
Max: “Ow! Dustin, you stood on my foot!” [Max shoves Dustin hard who tumbles, taking Luke and Will with him.]
The gang burst into laughter and Jonathan walks towards the camera as the flash goes off.
The photo comes out blurry with Dustin, Luke and Will in a pile on the floor, El and Mike laughing into each other, Nancy fussing to keep Jonathan still, Steve and Robin teasing Dustin, Max standing looking very proud of herself, Nina smiling up at Eddie with Eddie doing bunny ears behind Nina’s head.
Saturday - Sunday / midnight / Nina’s bathroom / 2 days left
Nina: [in a bathrobe] “You coming in, Eddie?”
Eddie: [rolling a joint] “One sec babe, just finishing this.”
Nina: [smirking, undoing the tie of her robe] “Eddie honey…”
Eddie gives a simple “mhm” in response, concentrating on rolling the spliff.
Nina: [singsong voice, bathrobe wide open, fully naked underneath] “Oh Eddie…!”
Eddie: “One second babe, I’m just finishing this. There!” [holding up the spliff, turning to show Nina, eyes bulging when he sees her naked] “Fuck.”
Nina: (smirking) “You coming?”
Eddie scrambles to put the tin down and runs to the bathroom, shedding clothes along the way, causing Nina to laugh loudly. He smiles and drags her into the bathroom, shutting the door behind them.
Eddie sets the spliff down beside the bath with a goofy smile and pushes the robe off Nina’s shoulders, kissing along her neck and shoulder.
Nina: (giggling) “Eddie, come on, the bath will go cold.”
Eddie: [smiling into Nina’s skin, before pulling back, bowing in front of her] “After you, my love.”
Nina: [rolling her eyes] “So cheesy.”
Nina slips into the bath, pulling the bubbles to cover her chest and stomach. Eddie slips in behind her, wrapping her in his arms.
Eddie lights the spliff with one of the tea lights decorating the bath, taking a deep drag and passing it to Nina in front of him. She leans her body back into him, taking a deep inhale, skin erupting in goosebumps as Eddie kisses along the wet skin of her neck and shoulder as she exhales. His arms are tight around her middle, his chest against her back, wrapping her in his arms. He peppers her skin with kisses causing Nina to smile.
Nina: [sighing contently] “This is nice. We should do this more often.”
Eddie: (cheeky) “Anything that involves my super hot girlfriend naked and covered in bubbles, I’m down for.”
Nina: [smirking] “Fiancé to be, actually. But I’m glad to see your opinion on baths has changed.” [she takes a deep drag off the joint and exhales] “Come here.”
She turns to face him and puts the spliff between Eddie’s lips as he inhales, and presses her lips on his in an open mouth tongue kiss, exchanging the smoke between them.
Eddie: (aroused) “Wow… where did you learn that?”
Nina: (smirking) “English isn’t the only thing I’m good at.”
Eddie: (smiling) “God, you’re sexy.” [Nina giggles as Eddie kisses her nose and cheeks]
Nina leans back into Eddie’s arms. She absentmindedly plays with the ring on her finger, twirling it around, smiling to herself.
Eddie: [coy, still kissing her neck, smiling into her hair] “It looks good on you.”
Nina: (shy) “You think so?”
Eddie: “I do.” [kissing her temple] “Can’t wait to put a real one on it one day.”
Nina: (laughing) “You’re mad. We’re mad.”
Eddie: (frowning) “What do you mean?”
Nina: “We’ve only known each other five, six months!”
Eddie: (honest) “I feel like I’ve known you all my life.”
Nina: “Me too.” [resting her head on Eddie’s shoulder, high] “I love you so much.”
Eddie: “I love you.”
Nina: [high, content] “Do you believe in soulmates?”
Eddie: [grinning, brushing her hair behind her ear with a damp hand, in her ear] “Never used to until I met you.”
Nina: [blushing, playing with the ring] “I think we must been together in past life.”
Eddie: [confused, heart racing] “You do? Why’s that?”
Nina: “We’re so in sync. It’s like… we’ve only known each other for a little while but I feel like I know everything about you.” [turning to look at him fondly, stroking his face] “Like we’ve been here before, y’know?”
Eddie: [cheeky] “In the bathtub?”
Nina: [rolling her eyes] “No, dumbass.” [softly] “Like in another lifetime.” [looking deeply into his eyes] “I hope I find you in every lifetime.”
Eddie: [touched] “Nina…”
Nina: “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Eddie. I feel like we’re meant for each other.” (cautiously) “Eddie…”
Eddie: “Yes, darling?”
Nina: “If anything happens, like, if I don’t make it-“
Eddie: [with sad eyes] “Don’t say that.”
Nina: [voice wobbling, emotional] “-if I don’t make it, I want you to know that you’ve made me happier these past six months than I have ever been in my life. I’m so grateful for you.”
Eddie: “I love you.” [resting his head on hers, sighing] “Don’t say any more, I don’t want to think about it. Just want to be here with you.” [quietly] “Can I ask you something?” [Nina replies with a soft ‘mhm’] “Why do you have a bucket list?”
Nina: “Well…” [uneasy] “I guess there was a time that- I mean…” [sighing, struggling] “I wasn’t sure how long I’d make it, that’s all.” [fiddling with her rings, laughing nervously] “Abusive mothers and crappy mental health don’t exactly say long life span.” [saddened] “Was just making sure I didn’t have any regrets in case anything bad happened.” [snorting sadly] “Guess it’s not the worst thing in the world that I nearly completed it when I was young, huh?” [sipping her drink] “Funny how the universe works.” [Eddie hums in response, holding her hand]
Eddie: “We’re going to finish it, you know. Only a few more left to do.”
Nina: [joking] “Think you can get us to New York before Vecna possesses me, destroys Hawkins and the rest of the world?”
Eddie: [with a lopsided grin] “I can try. Not sure my van could handle the journey though.”
Nina: [cheeky] “With your driving we’d probably make it there and back with time to spare.”
Eddie: [mock offence] “Hey!” [tickling her sides] “Don’t insult my driving, you’re just as bad.”
Nina: [squealing, splashing] “Eddie, stop! We’ll get water everywhere!”
Eddie: “Sorry sweetheart.” [cheeky] “We’d be getting water on the floor anyways.”
Nina: [laughing] “Bath sex wasn’t on the bucket list babe.”
Eddie: [into her hair, biting her earlobe, giddy] “It should be.” [Nina laughs loudly] “I know one bucket list thing we could check off.”
Nina: [amused] “Would be a shame to waste good weed.”
Eddie: [mock offence] “Hey! You’re on a roll tonight darling.”
Nina: [raising her hand behind her, fingers threading through his hair] “I’m sorry honey, but you make it too easy for me to mock you.”
Eddie: [grinning] “Oh, I love it.” [whispering in her ear] “Turns me on.”
➡️Chapter Thirty - The Summoning
taglist: @hostedparties-and-starvedmybody
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment and/or reblog & like! Comment to be added to the tag list :)
I'm also starting a mini series of one shots from the Hey Stranger universe (basically just a collection of Eddie and Nina one shots that I couldn't figure out a place for in the fanfic :) )
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