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madaboutmunson2 · 2 years

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Don't Stand So Close To Me - Part 4 - School's Out

Part 3 | Part 5 | Chapter list | Eddie Munson Fanfiction Masterlist

Warnings: Upset, Angst, implied intimacy, revenge, betrayal, swearing, lil' sip of a drink, smoking. Eddie is a little mean in this one.

Summary: After Lyra escapes her classroom bully, she requests to go home. Eddie self sabotages. Lyra ponders her tape reply.

Work Count: 4.4K words

Taglist: @silverrings-n-prettythings (Like I know you already read this but you're awesome so...Hi!)

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Lyra rushes into the Principal's office, "Please, ma'am, I need to see the principal right away, ok please", Lyra says desperately through her sobs and intermittent sharp intakes of breath.

"Now, what on earth happened, dear?" The Secretary consoles her.

"I-just-need-to-speak-to-principal-please" Lyra's breaths were getting shallower but more intense.

"Ok, ok, my sweet, just wait right here." She says softly, hurrying from behind her desk to the office door, which opens before she gets to it

"Principal Higgins, would you mind sparing a few minutes for Lyra? She seems quite distressed." The Secretary asks as persuasively as she can.

"I've gotta deal with....actually, you know what...sure. This way, please." He sighs reluctantly.

Lyra stands in the Principals office and waits to be offered a seat before sitting down, still shaking and crying.

Principal Higgins eyes her with a grimace. Clearly, crying wasn't an emotion he was comfortable around at all, but honestly, neither was Lyra, she hated it, but it felt like she couldn't stop.

He links his hands together and leans across his desk towards Lyra, and asks softly, "So how may I help you, Lyra?"

Lyra tries her best to maintain eye contact but the shame running through her at the moment was so intense, "If I may, sir, I'd like to call my emergency contact and go home for the day. A class I was in brought up a subject that I found quite distressing, and as you can see, their opinions on which have made me very upset."

"I think I know what you're getting at Lyra. Mrs Poole called to tell me all about it. I'm more than happy for you to go home today if you feel that would help you best. I'll deal with Mr Munson." The Principal says with disdain.

"Oh no, sir, Eddie didn't upset me. On the contrary, he stood up for me." This might be the first clear sentence Lyra has spoken since she got here.

"He did, did he? Well, I was told he was disruptive and didn't listen to instruction, and after what you said..." He starts.

"No, sir. Someone wanted to debate a sensitive subject. I felt it might be aimed at me. There was some name-calling. Eddie just voiced the other side of the argument...dramatically...you know how he is." Lyra tries to avoid commenting on Eddie deliberately ignoring Mrs Poole.

Principal Higgins gives a wide-eyed knowing nod, "Indeed I do. Only too well." He rubs his chin with his hand and looks over at Lyra, "I have no reason to distrust you. You've done a great job settling in here, Lyra. Your grades are marvellous, and you are part of the school production. Eddie is very fortunate you got here before he did. Fiona can call home for you, and you can wait with her until they arrive to pick you up, ok?"

Lyra nods, "Thank you so much, sir. I really am trying my best here. Thank you for the opportunity." She quickly gets out of the chair and goes to see Fiona, who calls Phil.

As Lyra turns to take a seat, Eddie is already there. Looking up at her hopefully, "Hey", he says quietly.

Lyra offers him a small pained smile and a wave as she sits opposite him.

"I'm so sorry, Lyra. What happened back there was horrible. So way outta line," Eddie says regretfully like he'd done it himself.

Lyra shakes her head, "Eddie, what are you talking about? You didn't do anything bad. You stood up for me. Which, for your own sake, I'd rather you didn't do, ok?"

Eddie rubs the side of his face with his hand, Lyra is trying to read him, but he seems to be fighting with himself about something. "Ok, maybe I didn't do anything directly, but I think I'm partially responsible, in a way, but not really. Like I believe what I said in there, I don't think badly about you. Not that I think about you and those types of things. It's so complicated, I really want to explain, but I didn't want to have to because it involves other people and secrets and..."

Eddie is rambling, and Lyra can't even process much of what he's saying. Finally, she decides to stop him and puts her fingertips to his chest just like last night, she can feel his heart racing through his Judas Priest t-shirt, but on contact, Eddie stops immediately.

"Hey, listen. You stood up for me. I'm grateful, but you need not do that, ok? Look where you are now" she removes her hand and gestures around the waiting room, "I know we don't know much about each other, but you're the closest thing to a friend I've got. The tape was thoughtful. Thank you" Lyra gives him a teary-eyed smile.

Eddie gives a small smile back, "I just feel like you're only getting half the information here, Lyra. I don't wanna-"

"Munson, you can go in now," Fiona says, putting down the phone.

Eddie looks at Lyra with his hand on his forehead. He looked so stressed out. He runs his hand through his hair and says, "Tomorrow then?"

Lyra nods at him, "Tomorrow", she says as he disappears through the Principal's door.

Moments later, Phil jogs into the waiting room, checks around and envelops Lyra in a hug. She immediately drops all her defences, and the tears start following again.

"Hen, hey, look at me," Phil says, raising her chin up and wiping her tears, "We gotta walk back out there, and imma need you to be strong. They don't get to see you cry, Miss Lyra, ok? I brought the family car, but you're gonna have to sit up front wi me, ok, so the kids think I'm your Da or something, yeah?" Lyra looks up at him, takes a deep breath and starts walking out.

Phil nods his thanks to Fiona. "Thank you for calling me so promptly, Miss.". The Secretary blushes a little, smiles and waves them away.

Phil doesn't say a word as they walk beside one another out to the car. Lyra knows he's not mad. He's just playing a part. He knew just as well as Lyra did, she didn't need anything else for the rumour mill to get hold of.

Once in the car, and a safe distance from school, Lyra details the entire day to Phil.

"Oh hen, you did the right thing coming home today, but you can't be doing that every day. You can't let them win." Phil says gently as Lyra wipes her tears away for what feels like the tenth time today.

"They've got some ammo, and they're gonna use it to get at you. Plus, they've seen it work, so they'll try it again. I know this is hard, but you have to believe you are not your past, accept it's something that happened, mistake or no, but it's not who you are. " Phil adds, trying to build her up again.

Lyra understands what he's saying. She can't let them win, but what's troubling her the most is what happened several times yesterday. What if this was who she is? What if she was a slut? What if she liked being close to Eddie like that, even though she was trying her best not to? She wanted to ask, but she didn't know how, but she tries.

"Is what I did really all that bad?" She asks.

Phil shakes his head, "No, it's not. Stupid maybe. You didn't do anything illegal. You just picked the wrong guy, got caught, and he was a fucking coward about it in front of his mummy. Labelled you this biblical Jezebel, and she didn't like that her sweet son made her a laughing stock. Sorry Miss Lyra, excuse my language."

Lyra sighs, "That bit I almost understand. I just don't understand why it's a problem now, with people who have no connection to it. Like, why is it bad to them?"

"I don't think it is. I think you finally landed on this girl's radar somehow, and she wanted to let you know she had power over you with it. So what did she say to you exactly?" Phil replies.

"She blocked me from leaving the cubicle and basically let me know she didn't like me and didn't like having sl- um... people like me in her school." Lyra manages.

Phil grimaces, "Seems a bit strange. She's only had five months to work or out, not the brightest spark, is she?" He tries to joke and gets a small smile out of Lyra.

He taps the steering wheel for a bit before saying, "Me and my buddies back home, we used to call one another a curse word as a term of affection, and it lost all its power. Now I'm not suggesting you do the same. I'm just saying don't let those words have power over you. You aren't a whore, and you aren't a slut. Ok? But even if you were, that's not their business anyway."

"How do you know if you are, though?"

Phil almost stops the car, "How do you know what, Miss Lyra?" A little worry paints his voice.

She clears her throat, "How do you know if you're a slut or a whore?"

"Well, if you aren't getting paid, you aren't a whore. Which, by the way, is the longest profession in existence, apparently, probably more of that 'patriarchal bullshit' that it's looked down on, to be honest. If you don't have many casual encounters, then you aren't a slut. Also, again, it's not the worst thing a person could do." Phil explains as diplomatically as he can.

Lyra smiles, "Thanks, Phil. I'm sorry for asking such awkward questions. I don't have anyone else to ask"

"Miss Lyra, you can ask me anything, and I will always try my best to answer", Phil reassures her.

Lyra looks out the window with a sigh of relief. Hawkins High was clearly going to be a battleground, but at least now she had the strength to go back in there tomorrow and face them.

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Eddie does up the zipper on his jeans and starts re-dressing himself.

Tabatha looks at him hazy-eyed, half slumped against the tree, "How do you always manage to time it so well?" She says with a flirtatious giggle.

"I honestly don't know just one of my many skills, I guess," Eddie adds with a wink.

Eddie picks up his little black lunchbox and makes his way over to the bench, humming as he does.

Tabatha brushes down her clothes and smooths her hair back to perfection. Sitting opposite Eddie, she opens up her compact, reapplying her makeup where needed. Once she snaps it shut, Eddie opens the lunchbox and pulls out a bag of weed.

"What did we say this was gonna be?" He asks playfully, giving her a goofy grin.

"$10", she replies, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Eddie dramatically fans himself, leans over the table towards her, and whispers huskily, "How about, because I'm gonna have such a good time today, I give you this for free." Eddie grins, looking down into her eyes.

He can tell the tractor beams of his big beautiful brown eyes have drawn her in. It might take her a while to compute what he's said. He had done his job rather well this afternoon, and it was absolutely fucking intentional. He'd didn't want to, but he had to stop her from screaming his name out a few times today.

Tabatha leans forward into his personal space too, her nose brushing against his, their lips almost touching again, and snatches the bag from him.

"Now, Tabs, you know the table is for business only", Eddie tuts, leaning back and looking at her coyly.

"Are you serious, Eddie? For free?" She says excitedly.

"Absolutely!" He says enthusiastically, with a huge smile, extending his arms out like a salesman giving away things at crazy prices on the TV.

"Also, you had a good time today, Wordsworth", Tabatha laughs, mocking him playfully.

Eddie joins in with a sarcastic laugh, "No. This next bit. Is the bit I'm really looking forward to, Tabs", he says, still laughing.

"What do you mean?" She says, her laughter slowly disappearing and a look of confusion on her face.

"Oh, just to let you know, this is our last business transaction. I won't be selling to you anymore," he says with a big smile, closing his lunchbox.

Tabatha rolls her eyes in disbelief, "Shut up, Eddie."

He copies her, rolling his eyes and imitates her voice, "But I'm like, totally serious, Tabs."

Tabatha freezes, and her confusion sinks to a frown.

"I'm not selling to you anymore, that's it," he says, slapping his ringed hands on the table.

"Oh, you're just gonna give it to me for free from now on," She says self-assuredly.

Eddie laughs way too hard at her across the table, and the embarrassment on her face turns to a scowl.

"No sugar. This." He points between the two of them, "Is done. I will not be selling to you again. I will not be fucking with you in any capacity again. It's over, babe. Sorry about it."

Tabatha's jaw drops.

Eddie leans his chin on his fist, "Why did I not bring a camera for this? Shit! This reaction is eeeeeveeything."

She smiles. She must still think he's joking, "Eddie, why are you fooling around so much today? You know full well you couldn't give me up. I'm your addiction. You told me yourself several times, in fact." She says smugly

Eddie could have played this out a million less embarrassing ways for Tabatha. He could have been kind about it. He could have told her before their usual affair. He could be more serious, but deep down, he wanted to inflict harm.

Eddie didn't consider himself by his nature to be a cruel person, but it didn't mean he couldn't be if he needed to. Over his lifetime, he'd seen cruelty of all different kinds around him and directly at him. Eddie also enjoyed finding people's weak points, which was the key to cruelty. Hit them where it hurt, and do it fucking hard.

After today, and him eventually putting two and two together to get four finally, Eddie had dug deep in the spiteful box.

Tabatha had left him in the hallway and said something to Lyra in the toilets, but it wasn't enough that Lyra was broken. Tabatha wanted to drag her through the streets about her past too, and once Eddie's dumb ass had figured it out, he was livid.

Eddie puts one hand to his cheek and rolls his eyes with a smile, "See, here's the thing, it's like so embarrassing. Sometimes I say things I don't mean to people, to get them to do what I want, Tabs" he looks her dead in the eyes.

"You can't be serious. You want to give me up. And what, that's it. It's laughable, Eddie. You'll be sniffing around me again in no time at all. " She laughs at him.

Her laughter does sting, but he hides it well, and somewhere deep in, a toxic part of himself agrees with her. Who was he to end this, he was punching well above his weight, and he would fucking miss that body. Jesus Christ. What was he doing?

Then Lyra's face in class hits his brain again like a TV show recap. Tabatha had destroyed Lyra, and it was Eddie's fault. So Eddie had to pay the price.

Eddie straightens up in his seat and points towards the bag of weed she's holding, "Look, babe, I can't keep explaining this to you all day. Me no want to sell weed to you no more, k?" He smiles, "And I just thought as it's the last time, I'll actually pay full price for my whore" his eyes dance with dark mischief as he waits for her response.

"You know what, fuck you, Eddie. I'll have the cops come down on you like a ton of bricks." She spits.

Eddie fake pouts, "Oh no, whatever shall I do? Will I give them one of the many disgusting Polaroids you've gifted me, or tell them exactly how many moles you have on your tits, Tabs? Or you know I could walk in the school and announce what we've been up to right now."

"You wouldn't dare!" She seethes

"Oh, I wouldn't? After you've threatened me with jail time, Tabatha? Really?" He narrows his eyes and his tone is deeply condescending.

She backs down very quickly, "I was kidding about the police, Eddie."

"Like I don't sell to them at the weekends anyway", Eddie laughs, "But I know they'd love to get their hands on these pictures". Of course, it was a lie, a huge one, but he didn't want to go to jail, so he had to try something.

"You know what, Eddie? Fuck you! Don't ever speak to me again!" She stands up and storms away.

Eddie calls after her, "Can I still speak to your boyfriend, though? I heard he gives better head" Eddie laughs, and once she's out of sight, he sighs deeply.

He was going to miss her. She was so addictive. He'd liked her forever. He shook his head, lit a cigarette, and rubbed the centre of his chest. You're an absolute idiot Eddie Munson.

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Lyra sits on the floor in the music room. She looks around at the walls of vinyl records and cassettes surrounding her, the tape Eddie gave her, in the deck, waiting to record.

She paced around, trying to decide if she should, in fact, use the tape to reply or only use it for when something was difficult to say.

There were so many somethings swimming around in Lyra's mind after today. Not just about Eddie, that was a confusion all unto itself, but about who she was going to be tomorrow. Phil was right on the money. She had to take power back from her peers. Once it had no effect, they'd get bored.

She knew it wouldn't be easy, and it wouldn't be over in a day, but she could stand her ground tomorrow if she needed to, which should push back on most of them.

Lyra lies down in the middle of the floor for a second, recalling her day. She knew she'd offended Tabatha just by simply existing at her school. She and her boyfriend were in that abstinence club, so it made sense, but Lyra would have thought she would have been more Christian about it. Offered her a leaflet, invited her to a meeting or something. Not stood there, scolded her, told her how disgusting she was in graphic detail, called her all the names under the sun, and how she wouldn't rest until Lyra was gone from Hawkins High.

Also, why half a year later? Maybe she'd just got her hands on all the gory details, but why on earth would she want to know about something she deemed abhorrent? It made no sense.

What had Eddie said earlier? Something like he might not be directly responsible, but he felt he was. Lyra wracked her brain. She would solve this puzzle.

She thought back over the last few months about anything she could with Tabatha, but other than being in the same class a few times a week. Lyra couldn't recall pissing her off. However, she did remember seeing Eddie and Tabatha together a few times. Eddie talking to Tabatha did stick out a little, but he did also have a business to run.

Maybe Eddie mentioned something about Monday. Tabatha was worried for him and came crashing down on Lyra to protect him and her school.

Generally speaking, Lyra never thought of herself as predatory before, but thinking about how worried you'd have to be to attack someone the way Tabatha had, maybe she had been.

Lyra stands up and rushes to find two albums from the shelves and heads downstairs to the poolside. She liked the illuminated water at night, the sound of it gently lapping against the lip of the pool wall and ladder.

She laid the lyric sheets for both albums onto the pool lounger next to the one she was sitting on and read them over whilst pulling a cigarette and lighter out from the pack taped under the lounger and sparked it up.

As she inhaled, she leaned her head backwards in sweet relief and stretched out her legs, looking up at the moon dazzling white in the night sky.

Lyra didn't consider herself a regular smoker per se. She just enjoyed them on the tough days. Almost like everything else was going to shit, why not my lungs also, right?

She looks over at the pool bar and has a quick look around. No one is home yet. So she walks over there, grabs a glass, puts in a stone, and pours a little whiskey over the top. Not even enough to be considered a drink by anyone else's standards, but Lyra knew her limits.

She sits back down with her smoke in one hand and her drink in the other, scanning over the lyrics in indecision.

"What do we have here then, a silent party fe one?" Phil's voice comes out via the intercom, making Lyra smile. She looks up at one of the cameras and waves toward herself.

In approximately five minutes, Phil emerges from the Pool house, still all suited and booted. His shift didn't end until Lyra's parents were home, and the fact that he was still here meant that Phil was in for a long night.

"You know, normally at a party. You play the music, you know, so people can dance to it," Phil says, doing some of the worst dance moves Lyra had ever seen.

"You know, maybe driving is your forte, Phil", she giggles into her glass as she takes a sip and winces at the burn of the alcohol, but it's a good burn. Phil laughs heartily.

"And if I may, Miss Lyra, maybe drinking isn't yours?" Their laughter echoes around the pool area, "I'm no gonna give you a hard time about it, lass, because today was less than ideal, but this can't become a habit, ok?"

Lyra nods, "I just figured I might as well do all the bad things on the same day and start fresh tomorrow" she shrugs.

Phil lets out a hum of acceptance and turns his attention to the albums.

"And 70's music is bad because...." He says with a curious smile

"Oh no, this is...um...a music project...well, it's for psychology, but it's music based. You know?" She knew the lie was a bust. She didn't even take music.

Now she had Phil's full attention on her, "And what is the project supposed to achieve exactly?" He says, folding his arms.

Lyra clears her throat and has another sip of her drink. "Well, it's to see if it's possible to communicate something purely through music" she pauses to puff on her cigarette, not looking at Phil at all, "And the question I got on the tape was "Who are you" so I'm choosing some lyrics that say who I am."

"Riiiight, ok. Let me guess. You can't decide?" Phil asks curiously.

"Right," Lyra says, finally looking up at him with a smile.

"Well, that's an easy solve, we can do some quickfire questions, and we'll get the instinctive answers. You've probably been overthinking it," Phil adds sagely.

Lyra beams over at him, "Oh, excellent, that could work!"

"Ok, but you can't overthink the answers, no hesitation, ok?" Phil repeats, "We'll start off with stuff that doesn't require any decisions, ok? But you gotta keep up with me, right? Eyes on me."

Lyra nods and puts down her drink and cigarette, and slaps her hands on her knees, looking over at Phil, "Ready!"

Phil holds up the first album, "Who is this?"

"Queen"

"The album title?"

"Sheer Heart Attack"

"The Song?"

"Killer Queen"

Phil quickly picks up the second album.

"Who is this?"

"The Stooges"

"Who is the tape for?

"Eddie"

"The album title?"

"Raw Power"

"The Song?"

"Search and Destroy...FUCK!"

Phil laughs heartily, "Gotcha! One day you'll learn you can't get your fibs past me, lass. One day", he's laughing so hard he's clutching his stomach.

Lyra looks at the ground, shaking her head, and sighs, "Look, I didn't want to say it was something Eddie and I were doing because you'd think it was like a mixtape thing. It's actually just a more fun way of talking because I'll find it easier."

"Was this your idea?" Phil asks.

"No, he just saw through me a bit. He knew sometimes I would say things I didn't mean, and said when he found things hard to say, he used music, and it helped him. So in a way, it is an experiment, just not a class one," Lyra says softly with a shrug, "It would be nice to have a friend, you know, but I don't think that's gonna happen."

Phil frowns a little, "Whys that now?"

"I think that girl was trying to protect him from me," Lyra says awkwardly, "You know, because of what people have been saying about me?"

Phil raises his eyebrows, his eyes widen, and he represses a laugh, "You think that guy needs protection from you? Eddie Munson? The one I saw outside on Monday?"

Lyra nods but then looks at Phil curiously.

"Well, I had to see who he was, Miss Lyra. It's part of my job to keep you safe, and believe me when I say he doesn't need anyone protecting him from you" he lets out a scoff and shakes his head.

"Why, what did you find out?!" Lyra says, leaning over towards Phil.

Phil rubs his face for a minute, "Before I say anything further, could you just describe something that makes you want him to be your friend."

Lyra straightens her posture, looks into the pool, and then around in the night sky like she is plucking reasons from it. "Well, he's kind, doesn't judge me like many people at school, is insightful...."

"Ok, stop. That's enough. I'm gonna do you a favour. And God help me if I get this wrong" Phil puts his hands together like he's praying as he looks into the sky, "I'm not going to tell you what I found out because that's his past. Maybe we could all do with a clean slate sometimes?"

Lyra quickly gathers up the albums and hugs Phil, "Do you happen you know how to break into a locker?"

#eddie munson #eddiemunson #eddie stranger things #stranger things #eddie munson fluff #stranger things 4 #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson imagine #eddiemunson4ever #eddie munson fanfiction #mean!eddie munson #eddie munson x oc #eddiemunsonfanfiction #eddie munson/oc

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blackkatskauldron · 1 year

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Pic made in Canva

"Under the stars with the freaks and ghouls."

This is an omitted bit from ST:tSL that I still wanted to share. I hope you enjoy.

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madaboutmunson · 2 years

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I missed the whole Eddie Munson Appreciation week because I was still finishing off something else, but I decided to have a go at some of the prompts. Not in order obviously because I'm difficult like that lol.

Day six (August 20): hero/ hiding or enemies to lovers/ rivals to lovers AU

Eddie's Teddy

Warnings: Angst, Yelling, Poking, shoving, threat of hitting, guitars, stoner bribary, drugs, fluff, arguing

Word count: 9,979

Ted had been waiting for the chance forever. Most of the time they didn't get past the sign up, and were hardly ever asked to try out despite frequenting all the right local music scene circles, and having performed live at several large events as a solo artist.

But this time, it was just a simple phone call; they didn't even have to see the auditionee first. This was the furthest Ted had ever gotten in the process, actually sitting at the sticky tables in front of The Hideout stage. Ted looked out of place here, a mixture of old trucker and street urchin. Hunched over in their chair, their baseball cap pulled low, their oversized clothing barely holding onto their body with an overly tightened belt, and the old baggy t-shirt clung at the shoulders only.

Ted's leg bounced against the body of their sunburst Yamaha Stratocaster copy, their pick spinning around like a fan blade between their fingers, as they waited for the band to show. They had analysed the type of music this band liked to play, a lot of it seemed rooted in the tradition of rhythm and blues, but to keep it up to date, they had been practicing Brain Shake by AC/DC, Jailbait by Aerosmith and Bomber by Motorhead.

Checking around the room again, Ted let out a slight sigh of relief, they looked like the only applicant. This was a sure thing. It was finally gonna happen, and once the band knew what a fantastic guitar player Ted was, they wouldn't care about everything else. It was just about getting your foot in the door, and getting that experience, right?

The band emerges from the backroom. Ted gets out of their seat to greet them. They look like their standard 70s Rockers, overly tight pants, scarves, shirts with too few buttons done up.

The band looked around the room. The one with the moustache frowns at the slenderest one in the lowest slung pants. Ted guessed at these being the bassist and lead singer, because the third was holding a drumstick they were tapping against themselves.

Ted gives a smirk and nods at them, putting on their guitar, "Names Ted" they say gruffly.

The bassist smiles back and gestures to the stage, "She's all yours then, Ted".

The lead singers arms arm folded, they let out a sigh, and scowl at you as you set up, "Anything particular you wanna hear?" Ted asks deeply.

"Do you sing Ted?" The drummer asks.

Ted shakes their head, "Just play"

"Let's just get this over with shall we? Give us what you've got, buddy" The lead singer, currently slumped down in a chair, sneers.

Ted nods in response, and launches into Brain Shake, foot tapping to keep time, hunched over their guitar for the most part, except for letting the chords ring out, and the solo, when they let the music move them with the notes as the ring out. Looking back at the band, the drummer is on the edge of his seat tapping along on his thighs, the bassist is making some notes, and the lead singer has sat up in his seat a little.

They turn to one another and have a whispered discussion and all turn back in unison.

"How do you feel about switching up your…um…fashion?" The lead singer asks in disgust.

"Sure" Ted answers stoically.

Then turn back and talk to one another again. Ted can almost taste victory. They hadn't asked for another song, or told them to leave, they just wanted them to change their clothes, which once accepted into the band wouldn't be an issue.

The bar door is pushed open by someone reversing themselves into the bar, a little out of breath holding a guitar case, "Shit! Am I too late?" They say breathlessly.

The lead singer raises their hand to the other band members, that are still talking, to silence them, and stands up and walks up to the new guy, looking him over "No, of course not, you're not too late, buddy" the lead singer says kindly.

Ted bites their lips together in pure rage. They'd been so close this time, and then in walked this ripped jean, denim jacket wearing, scrawny, mass of hair.

"Eddie" the new guy says, extending a handshake to each of them, and putting his guitar case on one of the tables and clicking it open. He lifts out a guitar, and it is met with gasps of awe from the band, and Ted couldn't deny its beauty, but at the same time it was now their inanimate nemesis.

Ted unplugs, steps down and frees up the stage for Eddie. As they pass one another there is a mutual exchange of nods.

Still with their guitar around them Ted sits at the table next to the band. The lead singer leans over to Ted and says, ``It's only fair we let him have a shot huh, buddy?" and slaps Ted hard across the back.

The lead singer looks at Ted curiously, but their studying is interrupted by the sound of Eddie's guitar being plugged in. The lead singer does however move his seat a little closer to Ted.

Eddie stands waiting at the front of the stage. His nervous energy was apparent. You can almost see the rapid miniscule shifting of weight between his feet, as you see the tips of his sneakers slightly move.

Eddie looks over the three of them, "Soooooo do I just play or….." he pushes them for some sort of direction.

"Do you sing, Eddie?" The drummer asks.

Eddie just out his bottom lip a little, his eyes moving around the room in thought, "I guess" he shrugs.

Fuck! This guy can sing. They like his style. They like his guitar. Ted had been so close this time they could almost taste it.

"Ok buddy. Let's hear it" The lead singer says enthusiastically leaning forward in their chair.

In the first few notes, you know this is over. Eddie is playing Eruption by Van Halen, essentially a solo of epic proportions by the guitar wizard Eddie Van Halen, himself.

Not only was the song being played almost note perfect, but this guy knew how to make it look good when he played too. His stance, the choices he made between plucking or using hammer ons, his confident posture, and the way he was lost in the music, like the rest of you might as well have not been there.

Ted knew they could play like that, they just couldn't in front of these people right now. If they had just given Ted a chance.

Ted's lips become a thin line on their face, and their fists clench inside their pockets, but as the piece comes to a close Ted is gracious enough to applaud Eddie.

Ted nods to the band in thanks, then Eddie, and starts to walk out. The lead guitarist reaches out and touches Ted's arm gently, "Hey, what's your rush, huh?"

Ted freezes and locks eyes with the lead singer…he knows.

"Why don't we have a little guitar duel, huh?" The lead singer raises an eyebrow at Ted and then Eddie.

Ted nods and walks toward the stage. The lead singer goes to smack them on the backside but just misses. Eddie tilts his head and frowns a little.

As Ted plugs in, Eddie leans over to talk to Ted without the band seeing, which wasn't difficult with his mass of hair, "Hey, is everything ok, dude?" Eddie asks with genuine concern.

Ted stands up again and looks over Eddie's denim vest, spotting a Motorhead patch.

"Bomber!" Ted replies gruffly ignoring Eddie's concerns.

Eddie blinks back in confusion, "Sure, I know it"

Ted juts their stubbled jaw up at Eddie to indicate to him to move away.

The drummer counts you both in and you both play the song with vigour. Ted doesn't open their eyes the whole time they play, just concentrating on playing their best, and a seering anger builds in the pit of their stomach. This was entirely for the band's sick entertainment, but Ted would be damned before passing up an opportunity to show Eddie how good Ted actually was.

Eddie plays as flamboyantly as before but occasionally shoots a smirk over at Ted. He was enjoying playing with someone who could keep up. It pushed him a little more.

As the song finishes, Ted knowingly looks out at the band from under their cap and waits for the inevitable.

The bassist stands up "Thank you both for your time, we just feel Eddie fits in with us a little more, you know."

Ted nods at the band and then Eddie and walks out to the parking lot, to their van. They slide open the side door and buckle in their guitar and grab a soda and sit in one of the installed seats, whilst wiping the silent tears from their eyes.

Before they know it there is a gentle wrapping on the door. Ted lowers their cap again to see who it is.

"Hey man, I just wanted to say how great you are at playing. I mean I'm pretty good and you were pushing me out there, ya know?"

Ted nods thanks at Eddie, and salutes him before walking back into the van.

"Maybe you could start your own band? I got told no a bunch of times, formed my own band and it just helps build your confidence out on the stage, man." Eddie suggests.

The ire is bubbling in Ted right now, wasn't it enough he swooped in and stolen Ted's gig but now he was offering life advice for success.

Eddie doesn't give up despite the silence, "I thought maybe…er…you'd wanna jam sometime, with me and my band…or you know just me, if you know you aren't interested in the band…"

"You've already got two guitarists" Ted gruffly mumbles.

Eddie's head pokes in the van, "How did you….know that?"

Eddie looks confused and looks around the van, "Have you just been shaving?" He laughs, "Is your van fitted with a bathroom or some shit?"

Ted rushes up to the mirror. Fuck! It must have come off when Ted was wiping their tears away. Ted's annoyance with this Eddie peaks and they lose it, growling into their hands clasped around their face.

Ted grabs the peak of their cap and throws it at Eddie, unleashing their hair, that falls from the cap, "And what the fuck would you know about it. Mr Two-Bands? I was this close" Ted's teeth are clenched hard and their fingers pinched together, "So fucking close, once they accepted me they wouldn't have been able to say shit, because otherwise they'd look dumb, and no old guy wants to admit they were wrong right, especially not when it's about a girl?!"

Eddie's eyes are wide staring up at Ted and he's frozen. "But now…now not only is it another no, but that sleeze bag in there knows and will probably tell all the other local bands about disguised girl" Ted says removing her T-shirt, removing the rest of her wax and tea leaf beard from her face with it and also throwing it at Eddie, "Why, why couldn't you just have stayed at home. You didn't need this, you have Corroded Coffin, and to answer your question I've seen you a bunch of times here actually"

She tugs at the tightly bound bandages around her chest, and moves them slightly with a hiss, and grabs for a pair of scissors. Eddie is still blinking under a tea scented t-shirt and pulls it from his face in time to see Ted's bandages fall from her, as she snips them from her side. Eddie turns to the side, no longer looking directly at her.

Ted is looking at Eddie in the mirror, her eyes wide with anger, still reprimanding him, "And then you've got the fucking balls, to come out here, give me career advice, and then fucking hit on me because ol' sleeze master dickhead in there probably told you I was a girl, right?"

"No, I didn't…I mean he didn't" Eddie thinks carefully about what he's willing to admit here, and glances quickly up at Ted and then away again."You know I can go back in there and tell them I don't want it. You're right I already have my band"

Ted viciously mocks him, "D'awww you'd do that for little ol' me?" She clings her hands to the centre of her chest, like she's so grateful, "What a big boy you are giving up something for a widdle girl." She teases, "Is that what you think, the only way I could possibly succeed is if you just gave the win to me. Like I'm not better than you. Let me tell you something, friend. On my best day in my own element, without having to pander to old gross men, or disguise myself, I would annihilate you."

She puts some cream on the sore spots from the bandages, still glaring at Eddie in the mirror.

"I didn't mean…" Eddie says beyond flustered right now. Not only was there a topless stranger in front of him, that he is desperately trying not to look at, but he wants to so badly. He's been accused of things he hasn't done, and when she'd started shouting at him, he knew. He knew it was tougher out here for women than men, and she'd had to disguise herself just so someone would just listen to her play. He knew this wasn't his doing, but he was being part of the problem. He felt a little relief when she finally put on a t-shirt.

"And then what you give me this win, and then I'd owe you, right? So you'd try to get in my pants, or I'd let you as a thank you, is that it?!" She yells into the mirror and grabs a t-shirt to throw on.

"You know before you waltzed in there I was so close, they just wanted me to dress differently, and you know what? Not an issue for me. I'd wear whatever to play. I just needed the experience and the money" she walks over and grabs her T-shirt and hat from Eddie, "And you know what else pisses me off? Today…in there…you were better than me. You were fucking better than me and it's eating me alive!! I worked my fucking ass off, and let everything intimidate me and you destroyed me in there, at my fucking song choice" She sits down with a thud in the bus seat, and throws her head into her hands, and let's out a muffled scream into them.

"If it's any consolation, I thought, musically, you were just as good, if not better than me" Eddie offers, gently poking his head around the door tentatively, for fear of other flying items, "and I really liked playing that song with you…so you know...is why I came out here"

Ted presses her hands to the sides of her face, "Wow! It doesn't end. Now on top of everything your telling me that I can't tell if someone is better than me at playing guitar?"

The frustration creeps up on Eddie quickly but he keeps his tone relatively restrained, "No. You're twisting my words now"

"Oh well, pardon me, for not hanging on to your every word" Ted says spitefully, narrowing her eyes at Eddie.

"You know what?" Eddie says, anger flaring in his eyes as his whole body tenses, a slight sneer on his lip, "Maybe the reason you don't get a chance to play isn't because you're a girl. ITS BECAUSE YOUR A FUCKING DICK!!"

Ted does not flinch at his shouting, or anger. She simply looks at him and retorts "A dick you still wanted to take a shot at though, once you found out I had a fucking snatch, right? Hence why you came out here, asking me to" she raises her fingers to provide the air quotes, " 'play guitar with you' " she cruelly laughs at him.

Eddie loses it, "I DIDNT KNOW YOU WERE A FUCKING GIRL!!" he screeches at Ted. As soon as the words leave him, Eddie's stomach plummets. He'd done it now, it was out there, roaming around in between them. His eyes fill with fear for a moment before he picks up his case to walk away.

Ted had been half right, Eddie was hitting on her, or would have, given the chance to fully flex his charm. Not because she was a girl, just simply because playing guitar with Ted felt really fucking good, and Eddie wanted more of it. Eddie had sworn Ted was a guy up on that stage, but it didn't change how he felt. Truth was, it didn't matter to Eddie, it never had, but it mattered to other people and that was the problem.

Ted sits in the van, a little in regret. She'd torn this guy to shreds and whilst bits of what he said needed to be corrected, he hadn't deserved her full wrath. He genuinely hadn't known she was a girl, and he'd still invited her to play. Maybe Ted had read this guy all wrong. He could have been another way in, but now she had probably burned that bridge.

Ted slides the side door shut, and gets in the driver's seat to head back to the campsite. She probably would have been better off at the trailer park, but too many kids from school lived there. They'd know she was sleeping in her van, then they'd ask questions, and questions always led to having to move on.

The next morning Theodora wakes up and grabs a few handfuls of dry cereal, before hitting the site facilities to get ready for school.

Back in the van mirror, Theodora sets her intention for the day, "We're gonna survive until lunch, then we're gonna rock that tiny music room, then we're gonna smash through the afternoon until sweet freedom. You can do this. You've got this. Best damn guitarist this town has ever seen" She looks over and nods at her guitar.

She goes about the van making sure anything loose is packed up before taking the drive to school.

Pulling into the parking lot she spots a familiar van and her lip twitches with disgust. Theodora knew perfectly well who Eddie Munson was, his van, his club, his band and his reputation. Until yesterday happened she had almost idolised him, he was only a year older than her. There interaction yesterday made it clear he was not even aware of her existence, except today that could change. He could throw her to the hounds if he wanted today. He'd seen her disguise. He'd seen inside her van, and she had pushed him to rage.

Theodora secretly flips the bird at his van, and composes herself to start her day, grabbing for her bag, and heading into school.

Theodora can't believe how unlucky she is, and could scream as soon as she steps past the threshold of the school. She can see the back of his vest straight away, at his locker. Theodora gives him a serious dose of venomous side eye and continues on to her own locker, and decides to try to ignore him entirely.

Eddie was just checking over his schedule, not just his classes but any 'business meetings' he had today.

He caught a glimpse of himself in someone else's locker mirror. He looked like shit. He hadn't really slept at all, maybe in total an hour or two. Plagued by worry and nightmares of being exposed at school today.

He'd never seen her at school before or at least noticed her, but she must be here somewhere. How could he even check if she had caught on to what he had blurted out yesterday, without actually spelling it out? Because then whether they knew or not before they would for sure then.

He had to find her, he had to know. He could push her, and if she knew she'd throw it back at him. Eddie didn't want to do it, but he felt like he had no other choice.

Eddie rubbed his eyes. He fucking hated this, someone had something over him, and it wasn't the usual stuff that made people afraid of him. It was the kind of thing that could get you severely hurt. He rubbed his hands down his face. He hated this situation, but most of all he hated her. He clutches at his chest when the rest of the coffin boys rush him at his locker and scare him half to death. He scans each of their faces worriedly, looking for signs of knowledge. Eddie finally releases the breath he was holding when he has asserted that there was no problem here.

His heart had bled for her when he saw inside that van, and her face…whilst it had been furious, her eyes were puffy and red, and there were streaks in the stage makeup she applied to make her face look more masculine. But that sympathy was being crushed under a big boot of self preservation.

The second hand feels like it's taking forever as Theodora waits for the bell to ring for lunch, but when it does she's already packed and ready to run and grab her guitar before retiring to the solitude of that single booth in the tiny music room that was basically storage now. The only obstacle to entering was getting past the stoners that lounged about our there, but as long as Theodora played them one request they left her alone.

The only way into the room currently was from the outside of school, through a cupboard of sorts, hence the stoners guarding the way.

"Teddy Baby!" Jimmy shouts as she approaches, "You're early dude, Petey and Manny aren't back yet with the stuff."

"Well that's hardly my problem Jimmy, so if you don't mind. I'll take your request and be on my way alright" she says snappily. Jimmy smiles wide. Theodora glares at him, "Your request, Jimmy?!"

"Oh man, it hard to decide without my brother here you know? Erm…Purple Haze, man. Yeah that's the one" Jimmy grins dopeily.

"Sure but you'll have to sing it yourselves. I don't do that. Though god knows I should probably learn, because apparently it's what everyone fucking wants. It's not enough to play a fucking guitar well, you gotta dress like a hooker and sing now too." Theodora realises she ranting at the wrong audience here, as she looks at Jimmy's blank reaction, "Purple Haze. I got it."

Life returns to Jimmy's face, "Thanks man, you're the greatest" Theodora hears as she enters the room and sets up.

"That'll be $30" he says passing the bag over to the two giggling guys opposite him. He looks from one to the other, "What is with you today? D'you buy extra for a party or something?" Eddie enquires happily taking the money, and thankfully a profit.

Petey grabs the bag, and Manny leans over at Eddie sloppily his bloodshot eyes looking right into Eddie's sleep deprived ones, "She is so pissed today, it's gonna be amazing."

Eddie furrows his brow with concern, "On second thoughts, I'd rather not know."

Petey laughs, "Nah man, you'd love it. We're just not supposed to tell you about it because Jimmy said youd probably get jealous or bang her and ruin it."

"Me, jealous. No, no way" Eddie puts his hand to his chest as he locks up his lunchbox and laughs, "and now I know Jimmy doesn't want me to know. I have to know" Eddie leans his chin on his hand and gazes at them both from the opposite side of the picnic bench. His other hand holding aloft a small sample of mushrooms.

Petey and Manny's eyes go straight to the bag.

Manny is first to spill, "When she's angry it's just better man. Like it's got more umph ya know. She does requests for us."

"Only one though" Petey says in daze looking at the bag.

"Yeah only one, but then the rest is always good you know, no complaints, and its like our own private show. No one else knows about it, we just have to listen at the door"

Eddie's mind is abuzz. What kind of freaky sordid lunch times did these little stoners have?

"So wait, there's a girl and all three of you share her, and she's cool with that?" Eddie says in disbelief.

Petey looks at his watch, "Fuck were gonna miss it. Come on Eddie man, we've told you more than we should"

"Ok, Ok, but I have to know. What's her name?" Eddie says giggling.

"Teddy Bay-beeeee!" They sing in unison.

Eddie relinquishes the baggie to them, and gathers his stuff quickly, "I'm coming with you."

"No, man! Jimmy'll kill us" Manny whines getting up from his seat.

"I can definitely promise I won't get jealous or try to bang her" Eddie says quite seriously. This was his chance he could get something over on her, he'd be set.

As Eddie, Petey and Manny run to find Jimmy, who is already pressed up against the door, he smiles and Petey and Manny with his hand extended, and when he sees Eddie emerge from behind them. He groans, "Guys, seriously just one rule. Don't tell Eddie. Was it so hard?"

Petey hands Jimmy the lit joint, "Hey man, It's cool he promised, aaaaand he gave us these…" Manny holds up the baggie.

Jimmy frowns and eyes Eddie suspiciously, "Just don't fuck this up ok….Ooh she's ready. Positions everyone."

Eddie goes to open the door, and Jimmy slaps his hand away, "No. We don't disturb. We protect."

Eddie puts his ear against the door as the three stoners smoke and sing Purple Haze, and engulf the area in a dense cloud of smoke.

Eddie listens closely, she was good, really good. There was no window here, but in his mind he could see her playing it, just like on that stage hunched over eyes shut tight. Eddie wondered if that is how she always played or was it just that day.

"Oh my fucking god she's gonna do Crabs!!" Petey whisper shouts excitedly

"Crabs?" Eddie whispers back.

"March of the Crabs by Anvil. I knew it when she bit my head off today it was a Crabs day" Jimmy smiles broadly.

The stoners start adding the drumming on the door as she plays. Eddie smiles at them, as he listens pressed up against the metal door. Eddie's hands mimic playing along with the notes coming from the room, and he closes his eyes, lost in it for a moment.

Jimmy kicks him, whispering "Hey man! No, she's ours. Get outta here."

Flabbergasted, Eddie gets up and says defensively, "I was just listening, I wasn't doing anything"

Jimmy looks at Petey and Manny, "I told you not to tell anyone, especially Eddie." He looks back to Eddie, "Look man, I appreciate you I do, but just…you know…let us have this. Not just us either, she needs it too, it's her therapy, man. She goes in there like she'll rip your head off and when she comes out she's like super chill and floaty"

Eddie stands up to his full height and rests his hands on his belt buckle, "Alright, I'll go. It's gonna cost you her full name"

"Theodora Vaughn, ok?" Jimmy answers as Eddie raises his hands in a surrender pose, and walks backwards slowly before bowing to them, "A pleasure doing business with you gentlemen as always" Eddie gives them a big grin before heading back inside, as soon as he is out of sight his face drops into a scowl.

This hasn't been the leverage he was hoping for but he had something now at least. A name and their sanctuary. He could work with that.

As Theodora played the crust of pure loathing she had encapsulated herself in, slowly began to crack and fall away, and several songs later she felt human again.

It was just another no, a no wasn't the end of the world. There would be more, but maybe eventually there would be a yes.

She's about to play something else when she hears a different voice outside. Eddie. Was this motherfucker stalking her? No, no, she told herself it's because of the stoners. She hears his voice trail into the distance a little, she noodles about on her guitar for about a minute, and emerges from the room carefully.

Theodora still definitely felt better, but hearing Eddie's voice had caused worries to creep up on her. She wondered what he'd been saying, if he'd been gossiping about her.

"I overheard you had a guest today?" She says to Jimmy, a little annoyed.

"Yeah but Teddy, that wasn't my fault. I sent these two clowns to get the stuff and they brought back their dealer, which out of everyone I specifically told them not to." Jimmy gives them a half hearted glare.

"Why him specifically?" Theodora asks, a little puzzled.

"Because he'd get jealous of your talent, Teddy," Petey adds.

"Or you know, hit on you" Manny censors for Teddy's sake

She looks over them all, "And him being jealous or hitting on me is bad for you because?...." She prompts them

"Because he'd be mean or the opposite and we'd not have you here again. Playing so beautifully, man. It's amazing." Jimmy gushes

"What did he have to say for himself?" She asks a little worried but tries to mask her tone like she doesn't care.

Jimmy eyes her curiously, for someone who wasn't on this planet half the time, he was pretty good at reading people. Teddy included. He couldn't quite grasp whether she was doing that coy, 'i like this guy what was he saying about me tell me everything' or if she was worried about Eddie revealing something secret to them.

Jimmy had known Teddy for a few years, more so when they found this place. So he could safely say he knew her, and her ways.

She wasn't really into drugs or drinking. She just loved to play her guitar. She'd seen Corroded Coffin play a talent show, and instantly became a fan. Jimmy hadn't been sure if her idolisation of Eddie was one where she wanted to be him, or wanted to be with him.

He'd stood next to her when he'd passed by her in the corridors or stepped over her lunch in the cafeteria. How her lip would curl up slightly at the mention of his name, usually.

But today, she looked panicked, something had happened, he just knew it.

Teddy was like the sister Jimmy never had, and he'd be damned if someone took her joy from her, though he also knew Teddy could handle it herself.

"He just listened at the door, and asked for your name, that's all." Manny adds defensively.

Jimmy folded his arms, "He won't be back Teddy, it's all cool."

Teddy nods, "Right, yeah. Well…" she salutes them and walks back to her van with her guitar.

Jimmy was right, he didn't come back to the door again, not for the whole week, but the loathsome stares they exchanged when Eddie and Theodora passed one another in the halls, the crushed cans whenever he'd step over her lunch tray, the locker slams from him when he saw her at hers.

At lunch the following week, Jimmy notices how worn out Teddy looks. He waits for Manny and Petey to leave, and for the first time ever walks into the room she rehearses in.

"Hey Teddy, what is going on with you, man? I can see you're having a totally bogus time right now. Do you wanna maybe talk about it?"

Teddy looks up at Jimmy from her chair, from where she's been fiddling with the amp, "I definitely don't wanna talk about it, ok. It's just stupid, it will pass."

"Did Eddie do something to you? Or you know the other way around. When you're anywhere near one another I feel like world war three is gonna kick off, man."

Teddy didn't really want to answer, but part of her knew that not answering was going to make Jimmy go straight to Eddie, and she couldn't have that. She could see it play out Jimmy accusing Eddie of something horrendous, Eddie revealing her secrets, and Jimmy would hate her for hiding them from him.

"He got the audition I went for. I was so close to getting it Jimmy, and then he just strolled in there, late I might add, and they fell for him, you know? They made us play at the same time. I was intimidated, and ultimately he was just better. So there you go" she slaps her hands on her legs

Jimmy's face turns from angry concern to pity and compassion, "Oh Teddy, man. That fuckin' sucks. The fact that it was Eddie too. Fuuuuuck" he says, putting his hands to his head.

There was something about Jimmy immediately understanding why this was the worst case scenario for an audition, that peeled back her usual seething rage, and revealed a sadness.

"You don't have to tell me that. That might not even be the worst bit though, dude" she looks sadly at the floor and shakes her head, "He came out and was trying to be all, you know, 'Never mind you'll nail it next time' kinda thing. He even invited me to go rehearse with Coffin or just him."

"He fucking what? Well that's awesome, right?" Jimmy looks at Teddy not understanding how something she'd love to do was now filling her eyes with tears.

She shakes her head, and looks at the floor. Jimmy kneels next to her and puts his hand on her shoulder, "I thought he was hitting on, right after he'd stolen my spot, giving me advice. I felt patronised, you know? Like, He's already in a band. Why did he have to steal this one? And then, well, I lost my shit Jimmy. Completely lost it" Teddy says, sinking her hands into her hair, and wiping the few tears that escaped from her eyes.

"And then what happened? Loads of people lose their shit with Munson, on the daily, Ted. He doesn't look like he wants to kill them when they walk past him" Jimmy tries to make her laugh.

"Let's just say the guy who came to my van offering support, to play with his band, left saying I didn't land any auditions not because I'm a girl but because I'm a dick. Well he didn't say it he kinda yelled it" Teddy says splaying her hands out, "So there you have it, ok?"

Jimmy laughs, "Oh my god! Wow! Holy shit, dude. You made him lose his shit with you? Now it sorta makes sense. Like not entirely, but like, a little"

Jimmy pulls up a chair, "So when are you gonna apologise?" Teddy glares at him, "Not for all of it, just the bits he didn't deserve, ok Ted? I would never even suggest you lower yourself to apologise when he's in the wrong. It's just you idolise this guy, right? Eat a bit of humble pie and you know your back in with a band, right? Get him on your side, you know?"

Theodora looks at Jimmy thoughtfully; this was an avenue she hadn't considered because of how angry she'd been. She could get Eddie on her side, then maybe he wouldn't tell everyone about her disguise or how she lived, because if she was in with them, Eddie wouldn't let anyone mess with his group, no one.

"Jimmy, you're a genius!" She says packing up her guitar.

"Hey, what? No request today?" Jimmy complains.

"If your idea works Jimmy, you can have an all request lunch tomorrow" she smiles back at him.

Eddie is leaning against his van having a smoke when he sees Theodora bundle towards her van, he sends over his usual intimidating glare, but says nothing. This time she doesn't return it, she looks awkward, and Eddie's stomach drops.

She's fucking told someone, and now what could Eddie do. Leave town? Without a word whilst the rumors spread around about him. He'd have to tell his Uncle. God damnit, why couldn't he just keep his cool sometimes, keep his words in his stupid mouth, Eddie thinks as he thumps the van door.

"Hey!" He yells out to her, his voice scratchy with emotion he was trying to disguise as rage, "HEY I'M TALKIN' TO YOU!!"

Eddie feels a desperation sweep over him he's never felt before and he gets right in her face "What have you done?" He seethes, his eyes fearful, his body tenses with fury.

Teddy tries to push him away, he doesn't budge, "Get away from me" she tries, but he will not move an inch.

"Have you been talking to people about me, about what happened, what I said?" He spits through his gritted teeth at her like he's rabid.

Theodora furrows her brow, how could he possibly know that, she'd just come from there. "I just told Jimmy about losing out on the audition"

"And what else Vaughny, what else did you fuckin' say, huh?" His words are quieter now but no less terrifying.

Theodora reacts the only way she knows how, to give as good as she's getting, "I fucking said that I tore you a new one, after you fucking stood there, patronised me, and tried to hit on me. Al-fucking-right?!" She uses all her might this time and shoves him away from her.

Eddie moves back but still keeps his stance, his eyes blazing at her, "And then what?"

Theodora throws her hands up, exasperated, "And then fucking nothing, that's all you sleezed up to my van and did, Eddie." She fixes her collar, "Fucking douche bag, and anyway it's not like you haven't been gossiping to your little buddies anyway is it?"

It's in that moment that Eddie's shoulders drop, he realises she hadn't even caught on to what he'd said. She just thought he was shouting because she'd rejected his advances. He could run with that. Jesus, thank fuck for that.

Eddie lets out a relieved laugh.

"Oh it's fucking funny to you is it?! Well, who have you told then?" Her hackles are up now, and she's on the offensive.

"Fuck, sorry, not laughing at you. I just thought...you know what, nevermind…I didn't tell anyone, shit ok? I just told them I nailed an audition, so I earn a bit more money" He says normally, almost gently, "I didn't tell anyone about you", a partial lie. He had raved to his uncle about Ted the guitarist, and avoided the conversation every time his Uncle asked about Ted again.

"Then what the fuck are you laughing at then? I'm the only person here! you fucking lunatic!" She says angrily. His laughter bruising her ego further.

"I'm just relieved, man. I thought you would start some bullshit rumor about me because you were pissed. It's what most do" he says, taking out a cigarette and lighting it.

"Hey, listen I'm sorry. I lost my mind for a second there. This has just been building all week, and…well…excuses aside. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." Eddie says in-between taking drags on his cigarette, one hand in his leather jacket pocket.

"You think, you can just intimidate a person like that and then just be like 'duh I'm sorry'" she storms towards him, and mocks his voice. Her eyes narrow and her brow is set in a hard scowl.

"I actually came back here with the intent of apologising to you. But, here you are just proving my point that what I thought about you was correct. The person I looked up to was a lie. You are just another man, with a fucking fragile ego. You're nothing!" Every 'you' in her verbal onslaught is voiced spitefully teamed with a hard poke or push against Eddie's shoulder.

Theodora was channeling every time a man had made her feel small, weak, afraid, and concentrating that anger onto him.

"Hey…ow…Hey man! Stop that!" Eddie protests, stepping backwards with the force of each one. His eyes darted around for someone to see what was happening, but there was no one.

Theodora stops the physical jabbing at Eddie, she wanted to make a point, but she hadn't meant to hurt him.

"What, you don't like that? Poor Eddie. Doesn't like being pushed around. Tell me something when you wake up in the morning, and get dressed. Do you have to think about how your clothes might make someone distracted in class? Or even when you're saying your piece or leading do you ever have to worry about being too assertive because then you're bossy or a bitch? Do you have to worry about not being taken seriously, not because your dreams are ridiculous, but simply because the world has put a label on what is acceptable for you to do?! Well do you, Eddie? Do you?!!"

Eddie shakes his head, his brow furrows. He feels sorry for her, and he feels bad about taking this gig, but he needed this money. He needed it for his home. He tries to be gentle again, "I…I don't…I don't have those things happen to me, ok? But believe me when I say, I wouldn't have been there unless I needed to be there, and I need that money, Ted. I really need it."

Theodora's furious glare locks with Eddie's eyes that are searching for understanding. She knew what it was like to live hand to mouth. She also knew Eddie lived with a relative who worked so something bad must have happened.

As hard as part of her loathes him right now, she also feels sorry for him. It was difficult personally when someone you idolised drops down a peg or two, and it makes her angry. Not just because of the whole audition and potential gossip business, but because she's put her faith in him to be better, and she felt let down.

Her glare softens, and she leans in close to him and says in almost a whisper, "Out of everyone in this town, Munson. I thought you'd be different. I thought you understood what it was like to be treated differently. Foolishly I genuinely thought you were really something special. For years. But life's a bitch like that, huh? Tearing down your heroes one by one". She can barely believe the words are leaving her own mouth, but she wanted him to know, to hurt maybe like she did.

She wanted desperately to reach inside him and crush his heart like he had hers, without him even knowing, but more than likely he was just another brick wall devoid of empathy.

At this distance Eddie notes the small pool of tears forming on the waterline of her eyes. They balance treacherously there like a terrified person on the high dive. She gives Eddie a disgusted look and walks away.

Eddie understands why she's so mad now, this wasn't just a societal issue at a scale he could do nothing about. This was deeply personal to her.

Eddie spent a lot of his time selecting people to take care of, his band, hellfire club, and a few kids at the trailer park. They idolised him, and he thought that was payment for his protection. He wasn't much of a fighter, his words did most of the heavy hitting, but he was tough enough to keep getting back up, and he was different enough to give the mainstream a good enough scare to back off.

He'd never thought for one second there was anyone else out there that might look up to him that way without him giving something to them in exchange. Sure he'd hoped, when he shouted his opinions across the cafeteria, that maybe someone somewhere would subscribe to his Munson doctrine, but he'd never thought it would actually happen. He was a nerd, a freak, a dork, right? Wasn't he?

He watches Theodora walk and then run back into school. He knew why. He had done that walk to run himself, many times over his life, at home, and at school. She didn't think he deserved to see her cry.

Eddie looks glumly at the floor and kicks at the dust. Eddie did take a little pleasure in putting assholes in their place sometimes, but he took no pleasure in breaking hearts, especially one that for a few moments on that stage in the hideout, and for a few seconds at her van after, he'd been so eager to own.

Theodora charges into the ladies bathroom, kicking every stall door to make sure the place was empty. Once confirmed, she locks herself in one and lets out a guttural scream of rage and lets the tears loose in her hands.

She hated this. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. All those times in the shadows of the hideout, or when the doorman was actually paying attention listening outside, all those extra votes she slipped in the box at the talent shows, all those photos she'd taken so she could copy his outfits or his stance or expressions in the mirror at home.

What happened at the hideout should have been a dream, that scenario of playing with Eddie on stage had been played over and over in her head over the years, like her favourite secret movie. It really should have been a dream, but it was a nightmare. A great hulking one that she just couldn't claw back from. She was really gonna try and apologise just now, but he just made her so angry.

She sits there and searches her mind why did he make her so fucking angry? Sure she had a temper, a bad one, but mostly she could rein it in.

It was because he was supposed to be different, she'd put him on a pedestal and held him to a standard he didn't even know about, because he didn't know she even existed. He hadn't even known her name.

All of that made her feel stupid. How could she have been so dumb to think he was anything but the same generic, sleazy, guitarist she'd met in along the way trying to get a chance to play. They were all the same.

Theodora exits the stall after her sobs slow down and she can catch her breath. She washes her face in the sink and looks in the mirror, pointing at herself. "You don't let him do this, Ok? He doesn't get to see you upset. He doesn't get to gloat, knowing he pushed you to crumble. Not another person this lifetime gets that, ok? It's happened too many times." She thumps down on the cold hard ceramic sink, "No more"

Jimmy rounds the corner of the building and expects to see Teddy and Eddie talking pleasantly, maybe even a little flirting. Jimmy could tell there was something there. He absolutely knew it for a fact on Teddy's side, but Eddie gave himself away a few times, the way he'd closed his eyes and bitten his lips listening to her play, or the way after he'd learned her name he'd said it to himself as he walked away. Like he wanted to know how it felt to say it from his own lips.

Was Jimmy worried about someone like Eddie, sure, but at the end of the day the heart wants what it wants. He'd know this for years. Teddy had dated a few guys here and there, but they all hit a wall with her. Not physically, just mentally and emotionally, she wouldn't let them in. She couldn't because there was no room. All that space was Eddie's, and he didn't even know.

Jimmy had been on a few double dates with Teddy, and always if someone started talking about music, she'd squeeze Eddie in there somehow. Jimmy would always smile at her enthusiasm, but usually her date and his, would look at her like she had lost her mind.

Jimmy had imagined this happened on most of her dates, except without him there, there was no one to get the conversation back on rails for everyone, and away from the Eddie Munson detour that Teddy would have happily lived in.

Unfortunately all Jimmy sees in this parking lot is one Eddie Munson his head hung low kicking at the ground or the tires of his van as he paced around it smoking. Occasionally he falls back against it and raises his eyes and face to the sky for answers, and Jimmy knows something has got seriously fucked up here.

Jimmy closes his eyes and shakes his head. He swore to himself he wouldn't interfere with Teddy's romantic dealings, but she wasn't around to ask, and he was worried.

"Hey, man…have you seen Teddy around? I can't find her" Jimmy calls out to Eddie as he walks over to him.

Eddie raises his head, his doe-like eyes look at Jimmy and back at the floor as he flicks two fingers towards the school, mumbling, "Last I saw, she ran in there."

Jimmy folds his arms, "She ran in there?" He questions further, worried that Teddy would be running away, but from what he didn't know.

"Yep." Eddie says his tone over emphasising the 'p' sound as he kicks at the ground again.

"Did she look upset? Do you know what happened?" Jimmy probes, his voice getting slightly worried now. Had his suggestion caused this.

Eddie looks up at Jimmy, "Look man, this is all a huge mess. So many crossed wires. I just…I just needed the money, ok? I didn't know…" Eddie thinks carefully now, he didn't want to expose her, "I didn't know how much she wanted that gig, alright? I offered to drop it, but she didn't want me to. Saying I was pandering or whatever"

Eddie shifts uncomfortably against his van, "And just now. I mean I just wanted to talk to her, but I've hardly slept this week you know. I'm on thin ice everywhere, and I didn't know if she'd been making up stuff about me, alright? So I could have been a bit less angry about it."

Jimmy's eyes widen, "So you just what laid into her, without any evidence?"

Eddie frowns at Jimmy, "Oh, but it's ok for her to do that to me, right? To bite my head off, paint me the same as everyone else, or push me around, right?"

Jimmy looks down at the ground for a second and then up at the sky before landing back on Eddie, "No, that isn't ok. She'd come here to apologise, not for everything mind you, just for the stuff you didn't deserve, ok?"

"Yeah," Eddie kicks at the ground again, his voice back to its regretful mumble, "She said that, amongst other things."

"Like what?" Jimmy asks quickly. He was playing therapist now, hoping to guide Eddie to his own Teddy epiphany.

"Like…" Eddie clears his throat, "She thought I was different, but in a good way, and all of this shit changed her mind"

"Well that's true" Jimmy confirms for Eddie, "She did think that"

Eddie's eyes shoot up at Jimmy's face, "How do you know?"

"Because she told me" Jimmy adds, "because I can read her like a book, because I know her, because she's like a sister to me, man"

Jimmy shakes his head, "The problem here is, you are both a couple of hot heads, man. You don't give one another room to think, you have both attacked and intimidated one another, when if you'd both just chilled the fuck out, this could have been a happier ending, yeah?" Jimmy forces that last bit of his sentence with as much weight as he can. Catch on Eddie, for god's sake.

Eddie is processing what Jimmy is saying and his brain mixes in something Theodora had said earlier, 'Foolishly I genuinely thought you were really something special. For years.' it plays over in his head.

Eddie furrows his brow in a realisation and his heart beats faster, he looks up wide eyed at Jimmy, "For years? That's what she said…For years!"

Jimmy gives him a small series of nods, but says nothing.

"Oh man….Fuuuuuck!" Eddie grunts angrily at the floor, before walking over to Jimmy, "Look how can I fix this? I didn't know"

Jimmy tilts his head at Eddie, "Why do you wanna fix it so bad?" Jimmy wants to keep coaxing this realisation out of Eddie that Jimmy had suspected was there.

"I…" Eddie hesitates for a moment, and looks over Jimmy. Could he confess? Should he even? Was this some elaborate prank?

Eddie puts his hands on his hips, and looks away for a few seconds and then back at Jimmy, "I just thought that we sounded good together…the guitars I mean" Eddie says rubbing the back of his neck.

Jimmy smiles knowingly back at Eddie," I don't doubt that, my man. I don't doubt that. Even though personally, I think she's a better player than you, you know? It would be a real shame not to know for sure right?" He adds with a bit of sass, wanting to let Eddie know that he'd be punching above his weight, no matter how Teddy idolised him, but he also didn't want Eddie to give up.

Eddie approaches Jimmy with his hand out in front of him, as if patting invisible ground, and asks cautiously, "So how exactly should I approach this? You know…without her getting mad with me again?"

"Maybe just don't lose your temper with her? I wouldn't count on her being too easy going right now though, man. Maybe wait a while?" Jimmy advises.

Eddie looks at him like he's just started speaking a foreign language…wait…wait for what?...until when?...Worse still what if he couldn't fix it? If losing his temper had caused irreparable damage to this delicate thread of a maybe.

Eddie smiles mischievously at Jimmy, before running towards Theodora's van.

"Fuck!" Jimmy says putting his hands in his hair, "Hey man, this is bad idea...I really wouldn't…God damn it!" Jimmy curses as he runs away from the scene back around the corner of the building. The last thing he wanted was Teddy to see him with Eddie right now.

Eddie shoulder barges Theodora's van, tries all the handles and eventually settles on rocking it as forcefully as he can until finally the alarm triggers.

The air is filled with ear piercing noise, and Theodora eventually comes charging out of the school doors fumbling with her keys and making a beeline for her van.

"Urgh as if today couldn't get any more annoying" she mumbles getting in and resetting everything, before hopping back out and checking everything over until she backs into something.

She stands upright and turns around. Eddie is standing there with his hands up in surrender, "I come in peace." He says smiling.

"You've got a nerve." She says angrily, shaking her head, taking multiple steps away from him "Was this your handy work?" She says gesturing at the van.

"Yeah" Eddie says confidently.

Theodora rounds on him. keys in hand, pointing one of them at him, "And you're proud of it. You're not gonna even lie about the fact it was you?" She says in disbelief.

"It was me, absolutely," he says, his hands still up, his smile widens.

"What is actually wrong with you, man? Why do this, just give me a break ok. I'm tired of fighting today, alright?" Theodora, is exasperated with the whole situation, her upset earlier has weakened her tough outer shell, and she spills her truth.

"Then let's not fight anymore" Eddie says softly, taking a small step forward.

Theodora furrows her brow, "What do you mean?" As he steps forward she raises her fist at him, she hoped it would be enough of a deterrent, "What are you doing?" She says looking down as he takes another step forward.

He shakes his head with a pursed lipped smile, "We both know you aren't gonna land that punch, Ted" he steps forward again.

"Oh yeah? Why don't you just back off ok? You come any closer and I swear I will make you wish you hadn't" she threatens pulling back her fist.

Eddie captures her eyes with his own, "Is that really what you want me to do, Teddy? You want me to just turn around and walk away?" His raised hand captures her wrist quickly, and he runs his thumb along the sensitive skin on the inner side of it, "Because if that's what you want, I will do just that." He says gently never letting her eyes escape his.

Eddie's heart pounded furiously in his chest, he could put up a flirtatious bravado all day, it was easy to him, but this was different this had something to it. He was nervous, desperately trying not to show it, keeping his voice soft, calm and steady. Giving her all the signs he could muster that he wasn't a threat anymore.

Theodora looks at Eddie in alarm, not because she was scared of him, just her adrenaline was being pumped so fast around her body by the ferocious beating of her heart, all she could do was stare. She was frozen to the spot. She finally manages to blink, and tries to say something, but the words don't form.

Eddie inhales deeply making his chest rise, his gaze is softer and though they don't move away for long he's slowly taking in her expression.

He steps forward one more time and lowers his mouth to her ear, to whisper "Do you want me to go, Theodora Vaughn?"

A gasping breath leaves Theodora's mouth as she hears and feels him say her full name like that. Her hands tremble, and she worries his thumb on her pulse point has already given her away.

"No" she says quietly, moving her head back slightly so she can see his face again. She bites her lip looking between his beautiful brown eyes and his perfect pout. She can't seem to control it. She wants to look, she wants to tell him, but her mouth only has one thing on its mind and it's not talking.

Eddie mind races at the No she gives and follows her eyes for instruction. He touches his index finger to her bottom lip and gently moves it across, his mouth slightly agape, as he watches her eyes gently close under this touch.

"May I kiss you?" He asks with a slight smile.

Theodora feels as though she has lost all corporeal form, her brain swimming with his words and his name, all she can manage is a nod of affirmation against his hand.

Eddie looks at her with amusement, his smile broadening across his face as he mirrors her nod.

He gently brushes the hair from her face. He wanted this to be perfect. Her eyes look lazily at his mouth in anticipation.

He moves his hand along her jaw until her chin rests on his curled index finger, his thumb gently resting in front of it.

He looks for her gaze again, which is already waiting for his this time, and when they meet he feels like someone just sent his nervous system into overdrive, and he plunges his mouth to meet hers.

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feralcherry · 2 years

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No Way Out

Andrea 'Andy' Price and her family moved to Hawkins years ago under the impression that nothing bad ever happens there. But then Will Byers goes missing and Andy is the last one to see him. Guilt-driven, Andy joins the search.

Alternate dimensions and Demogorgons are not what Andy was expecting to find.

What the hell is wrong with this town?

(Eddie Munson/oc)

ffnet and ao3

#No Way Out #Andrea Price #eddie munson/oc #eddie munson #stranger things fanfic #stranger things oc #stranger things

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spicyspino · 1 month

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A throwback to my old style but with updated models.

Love them 🤍

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smurphyse · 1 year

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Somebody to Love | Eddie Munson

Smurph's Masterlist | Zero to Hero Masterlist

Warnings: dream walking, bed sharing, mentions of past abuse, so many 80s song lyrics

Summary: You and Eddie make up after your fight. Later, he convinces you to share the bed with him, leading to a revelation

Eddie struggles to get anything done with this damned cane. The pain is unlike anything he's ever felt, and Zero still won't tell him where her grow patch is, so not even weed is going to help him. It’s gotten worse since she stomped off to the woods, and after finding out she was controlling it for him, he was hoping she'd come back sooner than later.

He felt bad for upsetting her earlier, though he still wasn’t sure what he did. Screech refuses to talk to him any more, so here he is stumbling around the kitchen trying to make her something to eat. The lights still haven't turned back on, but luckily he still has his lighter and the gas stove.

She's been gone for hours, but for some reason Clem has decided to keep him company. Or maybe she was keeping an eye on him, he wasn't entirely sure.

Eddie found some of the same ingredients she'd been using for breakfast in the fridge, so he decided to save them since the power still wasn't on. Igniting the gas, he lit the flame and started cooking potatoes and peppers with some olive oil and spices he hoped would taste good together.

Since Eddie lived mostly on Honey Combs and Spaghettios, he didn't know anything about cooking. Hopefully this was at least palatable or Zero would take some pity on him.

Clem's tail thumps on the floor as he pushes the food around on the skillet. Eddie makes a face at her, "So, do you talk or nah?"

More tail wagging. No reply.

"Am I even making this right?"

She shakes her head this time. It's… weird, talking to this thing that looks so much like the monsters that ate his insides. After a bit of her following him around, Eddie was getting used to this shadow. She was even kinda cute, even though sitting her head came up to his shoulders.

"Will she at least appreciate the effort?"

Now she nods. Eddie chuckles a bit, "Thanks, Clem. That makes me feel better."

The fairy lights suddenly come to life and the radio starts to play. Clem lets out a happy yelp just before the door opens and Zero walks through. Scratches litter her legs and arms, stray branches stuck in her messy ponytail. She looks exhausted.

"Oh my god," she groans, pinching her nose tightly between her fingers. "What is that smell?"

Eddie sheepishly picks up the pan and shakes it, "I was making dinner."

Zero scoffs and pads over to him. The pan jerks out of his hand and into hers. With a frown, she inspects it, then angles it toward Clem. "Would you eat this?"

Clem shakes her head, so Zero makes her way to the trash can and dumps his badly made food inside.

“So, where’d you go?” Eddie asks, his hands buzzing with anxiety.

“I was in a tree.”

Huh. Okay, then. "Explains the sticks in your hair." This weird girl gets weirder every day.

"I, uh, I thought I'd try to make what you did for breakfast this morning. I thought you'd be hungry when you came back."

Zero set the pan in the sink before leaning on her hip and cocking her brow at him, "Why didn't you just heat up what I made?"

"Oh, I ate that." Eddie stuffs his hands in his pockets and shrugs, "I'm sorry. I was starving and I didn't know when you were coming back."

"Did you throw it up?"

Now it was Eddie's turn to frown, "Uhm, no?"

"Good," Zero decides. Her gaze flicks down to his belly. "It means you're healing. That's good."

She trails off, biting her lip. Eddie squints as she tugs at the sleeves of her shirt. The lights flicker a bit as she frowns, but soon enough she steps forward, her fingertips reaching out to brush against his stomach.

"Can I?"

Eddie nods, "Yeah, go ahead."

Zero leads him by his shirt to one of the armchairs she has set up in front of the fireplace, her free hand waving to produce a flame inside. She leans it back so his belly stretches for her inspection, then pushes up his shirt and Clem immediately bounds over to put her head in his lap. Her fingers are warm, making his stomach quiver with her light touch. Rough calloused fingertips graze the angry looking stitches and scars, but the pain eases as they pass.

"How am I lookin', doc?" Eddie asks nervously. He's starting to sweat from the tension in his shoulders, but he likes the feel of Zero's hands on him. It's comforting. She feels safe.

"Like you're healing," she murmurs, but it has an edge to it, like she's not telling him everything.

"You don't sound so sure."

Zero looks up at him with wide eyes, but quickly glances back down at his stitches. They're jagged and long, hurriedly put together as she pieced his body back into place. She smooths her palm until it's flat across him.

"This is going to take time…" she says slowly, like she's scared of his reaction. "Longer than I think you want it to."

Eddie's heart drops, and he sits up on his elbows to watch her closely. "How long?"

"Months," she whispers. Her voice is wracked with pain. "There's a lot of damage. I'm doing what I can to manage your pain, but honestly if I wasn't here I think you'd die from the shock."

His lips part as his breath begins to pick up. It's like he's trying to breathe through a straw suddenly, his vision tunneling into a pinpoint until he can barely see.

Warmth floods his cheeks, and when Eddie manages to blink he's staring into Zero's dark syrupy eyes.

"But my friends…" he whispers tearfully, "my uncle Wayne. They think I’m dead. I can’t let them forget me."

"I'm sorry. The human body wasn't meant to survive things like this."

"Why can't you just come with me?" Eddie asks sharply, a strange anger taking over him. "Why won't you leave here?"

“You ask too many questions, Eddie,” Zero sighs. The bags under her eyes seem to darken with a weight he can’t see. “It frustrates me.”

Zero's hands fall from his face, and Eddie wishes he was brave enough to pull them back. She takes a deep breath, "I want to tell you something."

"What is it?"

Zero sighs and points to his forehead, "I can't… I'm not good at talking about this stuff. I haven't talked this much in years. I have to show you."

Eddie squints suspiciously at her, "Show me?"

"You don't like it when I go inside your head, but…" Zero taps his temple lightly, “It’s a memory.”

Eddie has to think about it for a moment. As much as he wants to learn more about Zero and her powers, she frightens him. She’s likely stronger than he can even imagine. After seeing what she showed him last time even with him fighting her, what would happen if he willingly gave his mind over to her?

Biting the inside of his cheek, he watches the exhausted look on her face. Her gaze is almost pleading, tired beyond belief. Finally, he opens his mouth and asks, “Are you this tired because you’re healing me or because of something else?”

Her jaw opens slightly in shock, lips stammering silently as she thinks of how to answer. Zero shrugs, “It’s complicated.”

“Will it hurt?”

“The memory?” He nods. Zero shrugs again, “You’ll feel what I felt.”

“And how did it feel?”

She swallows thickly but never looks away, “It was excruciating, but I survived. So will you.”

Eddie groans, "Fuck, fine. Excruciate me."

"Quit whining," she scoffs, but before Eddie can give a snappy reply everything goes black.

The warmth from the Haven disappears in one fell swoop, replaced by a bitter cutting chill. The wind whips his hair, jerking at the scalp with its power. The world comes slowly into focus, and Eddie realizes he's on his knees.

In the Upside Down.

Before him stands a creature he'd only seen in drawings that Dustin showed him. Ones the Byers kid drew. With a massive angular head and six legs, Eddie trembles in terror as the sky booms and shatters around him. It's the Mind Flayer, and it's every bit as horrifying in person.

"Mara!" he calls, a pleading scream. Only it's not Eddie's voice, it's Zero's coming from his own mouth. "Do it now!"

This is her memory, and he's living it as her.

I'm sorry, a voice molds through his mind.

The skyscraper of a monster lashes out, and Zero does nothing to stop it. No surprise flows through her as a vicious vine impales her stomach. She doesn't even look down, just keeps her eyes trained on the Mind Flayer.

Blinding pain like he felt when the first demabat began eating into his belly bursts through his veins. Heat flashes through him, so hot his limbs go cold. It's as though he's being ripped in two, but Zero doesn’t even flinch. Her body jerks forward as the vine rips itself from her middle, and Zero collapses onto the ground.

Sticky wet blood pools into the ground beneath him in waves. His face presses into the dirt while the life drains from him. He knew from experience that Zero could have healed herself, but she refuses now. She was dying and it was her choice.

A cold hand grips his shoulder, turning him achingly onto his back. Eddie finds himself staring into the eyes of Vecna, the ice blue eyes of Henry Creel himself.

"Not so fast, little sister," that rumbling horrible voice boomed. His claws reached to grab his hair to hold him up, "I can't have you dying on me."

"Henry, please," Zero's voice pleads from his - her - lips. Blood spurts from his mouth as he coughs wetly. "I can't live like this anymore. I can't keep fighting you…"

Henry's face morphs from Vecna to who he was before, and Zero groans in fear. He smiles down at him, soft and sweet as he brushes back Eddie's hair. He can feel Zero's pain, both physical and emotional. She was right.

It's excruciating.

"You can't leave me, Zero. You're all I have left," he whispers, and somehow this monster's voice is laced with pain. "Big brothers protect their sisters. I won't let anyone hurt you, not even yourself."

Henry presses his palm to the gaping wound in his chest, and Zero's voice screams out in agony. It's a horrible sound, one he'll never forget, accompanied by tears and the sticky sound of gurgling blood.

"Start healing," he commands softly. "Now."

Eddie's head shakes, "No. Just let me go. Please, Henry."

Henry sighs, and in a flash he reaches out toward the Mind Flayer. A biting scream rips its way through his mind, and Zero's voice calls out in return.

"Stop! You're hurting her!"

"Heal yourself!" he snarls back, his face angling with rage. The creature screeches once more, its giant body trembling to the ground. "I'll keep hurting her, and I'll keep hurting you."

Something ignites inside his chest, and Eddie feels the blood flow begin to staunch. Like his own wounds, it'll take time, but she begins the process anyway.

"There you go, don’t be afraid," Henry coos. The Mind Flayer goes quiet in his head, and Henry pulls his claws from the wound. "Try and stay very still. It will all be over soon."

He drops Eddie to the ground, and the screeching of the Mind Flayer stops. Henry gazes down at him with what at first glance seems like sympathy, but he knows better even though in that moment Zero didn't.

"I can't lose you, Zero. You can't leave me," he says softly, his voice full of pleading hope. "I need you, sister."

"I just… I just want to rest," Zero spits out, her lips soaked with blood. "I'm so tired, Henry, please."

"And you can, so long as you do what I say," Henry tells her. It sends a shiver up her spine, watching him kneel beside her broken body once more.

Hope flickers in her chest, a sliver of a spark that could easily die with the rush of the wind. Henry cups her cheeks in his hands, his thumbs brushing her temples in an attempt to soothe.

"Promise you won't leave me," he whispers, and Eddie can feel the moment Zero's love for this man morphs with her fear. It's…traumatic, two people bonded through violence. "And I'll give you whatever you want. You can make your home here, make another Haven in my Darkness…

"You can go to the real world when you need, but you have to come back. Live out your days growing plants and vegetables, reading your books." Henry smiles, and Eddie feels as Zero smiles shakily back at the thought. "I'll keep you safe, just don't leave me, sister."

"You'll keep me safe…"

"Nobody will ever hurt you here. I won't let them."

Eddie's chin wobbles as Zero gathers the courage to say this out loud, "Papa?"

"Never. If he opens a gate, I'll make him wish he hadn't," Henry tells her, his voice going hard and deadly. "I'll punish anyone who comes inside, anyone who threatens my sweet sister."

Eddie’s head nods, but this is wrong. It's so fucked up and Henry is lying to Zero in a way she doesn't know. His hands come up to cover Henry's on her face as she tearfully squeaks out.

"I won't leave you, Henry. I promise."

Suddenly Eddie is looking back into the eyes of Zero herself, gasping as her hold on his mind loosened until it was gone. He stares wild eyed at her as he catches his breath, but hers are dead, haunted.

“I can’t leave because I promised not to,” Zero whispers, looking somehow empty and full at the same time. “I’m safe here. He’s the only one who ever protected me, even when he hurt me. He makes sure I’m safe here.”

"He…he lied to you," Eddie pants incredulously, "Not everyone who he hurt came through the gates. I didn't come here to hurt you, Zero. I came here to kill Henry."

Zero turns away and stands, heading into the kitchen. Her shoulders hang, her jaw tight. The lights flicker as she starts cooking dinner to replace the one he'd tried to make.

"I appreciate you trying to cook," she says, pulling out some veggies to chop. "Next time just let me do it."

"Zero-," he begins, struggling to get out of the chair, but she holds out a hand to stop him.

"I don't want to talk about this any more. Can we just…eat dinner and go to bed?"

Eddie wants nothing more than to tell her everything he knows, but so much of it is second hand… He's more than likely going to have to wait until she takes him home. Maybe he can get her to at least meet Eleven again. But to do that he needs to be on her good side…and alive.

He taps the cane on the hardwood, nodding to himself, "I have a condition."

Zero scoffs and leans on one hip while she glares at him. It seems to be her go-to move. "What?"

"You have to sleep. In the bed." Eddie waves the cane toward the bedroom. "I'll take the couch."

"The last thing you need with internal injuries is back pain from that piece of shit," she tells him. "I'll be fine."

Eddie looks back toward the bed, then at the couch. It's a queen, and it belongs to her after all, but his mouth opens before he can think better of it.

"Sleep with me."

Zero's eyebrows almost hit her hairline, but a coy smile plays at her lips as she watches him struggle to backpedal.

"I just- I meant," Eddie stutters. His face flushes deep and hot, and he rubs a hand across the back of his neck and points to the bed again with the cane. "I meant… share the bed. A compromise, right? It's yours after all, you should sleep in it."

Zero eyes him for a second, and the amusement is clear as he stands there embarrassed.

"Fine, but I sleep closest to the door," she decides. Zero turns back to the stove and waves a spatula over her shoulder. "And I don't want your morning wood pressing into my back tomorrow, either."

"Yeah, fair."

They eat on the porch, watching the sun go down. Clem seems to have become attached to Eddie, sitting next to his chair and resting her head on his foot while he's eating. Screech stays at a distance, but his eyeless gaze never leaves Eddie.

Zero's cooking is amazing, mouth watering even though he finally realizes she doesn't eat any meat. When he asks her about it she chalks it up to it being a difficult supply to keep fresh here. What she's built here… it is amazing. The massive garden alone is impressive, but the remodel to the cabin and the pond make this her home. Eddie sees why this is her Haven, her place filled with books and puzzles and small things to keep Zero happy in a prison of her own making. If only she would listen to him. She could be happy somewhere else in the real world.

He decided to stop asking her questions. The lights were flickering too much for his liking.

After working on the puzzle late into the night, Zero took Eddie's hand and led him back to the bedroom, careful to slow down for him and his cane trailing behind her.

Eddie goes to sit down and slide into his side, but Zero points at his jeans, "Don't you sleep in your underwear?"

"Well, yeah," he stammers, frowning to himself. Eddie motions toward her, "I didn't wanna assume you'd… be okay with that."

"Eddie, how many times do I have to tell you that I've seen you naked?" Zero smirks, standing before him looking much too hot in her panties and flannel combo. "It literally doesn't matter."

"Fine," he snaps back, working at his fly. Eddie toes off his boots and pushes down his pants, waving his arms at her like an asshole as he steps out of them. For good measure he even takes his shirt off and tosses it at her, and Zero just catches it with a small smile as he clambers onto the bed.

Her warmth bleeds into his side under the covers, their hips pressed together. The back of her hand is just out of reach from his, and if he twitches he'll be touching that too. It's a strange urge, to intertwine his fingers with hers.

Settling into the pillows, he finds himself looking up at the stained glass she has dangling from the window. The plant doesn't reflect much now, just a glint of moonlight from the Haven, and Eddie points up at it.

"Where'd you get this from?" He knows she hates his questions, but she's much more amenable if they're not about her powers or past.

Zero smiles softly, her fingers reaching up even though she won't touch it. "A swap meet."

Eddie turns his head on the pillow to grin at her, "You go to swap meets? No kidding."

"You've been to one?"

"Oh, yeah," Eddie drawls with a chuckle. "My mom, she, uh, she loved ‘em. She used to make necklaces and we'd sell them out of the back of our van. She took me to them all the time. I think she'd like you."

Zero's knuckle bumps the back of his hand as her voice softens to a whisper, "Why's that?"

"She was a weirdo too."

"Was?"

The smile quickly fades from his cheeks with her question. Now he knows how she feels when he does this. His chest is suddenly quite hollow and too full all at the same time.

Eddie licks his lips and forces his voice not to shake as he replies, "I don't remember much. She died when I was pretty young, but she was a hippie chick. Long curly hair, feathers everywhere… just trying to find a place she fit. We lived in the van, in communes, and in shelters sometimes."

"She didn't really know who she was, but," he trails off, staring up at the ceiling with faraway eyes. "She was always my mom. She always took care of me."

She says nothing for a moment, chewing on his words as he avoids her gaze. Zero nods out of the corner of his eye and decides to look at the ceiling too.

"My mom liked swap meets, too. We found a lot of plants there. She was a botanist."

Eddie squints, "A… what?"

"She studied plants," Zero laughs lightly, "She taught me all about them. What they need, how they grow…"

Zero bumps his hand again, "She'd like you, too."

Eddie's smile creeps its way back across his face, "Why's that?"

"She always asked me questions. All the time like it was her job. I don't remember much about her. She died when I was young, too."

Eddie finds himself nudging her back, "What do you remember?"

"Well," she says quietly, with a soft grin playing along her lips. "I remember that she was so smart, and she was always teaching me something… she liked to dance in the kitchen…"

Zero waves a hand as a laugh bubbles from her chest, "She liked to make fun of my Papa and how buttoned up he always was. She loved music… all sorts, and…"

She took a deep breath, seemingly lost in a pool of her memory. Zero's voice trembled with painful longing as she said barely above a whisper, "The day she died was the last time anyone called me by my real name."

If Eddie's attention wasn't caught before it surely was now. He gets up on his elbows to gaze at her in the moonlight. Tears glisten over her eyes as they trail the slats of wood above them. Eddie had never thought of that before…that she had a life before the lab… and a name that was hers and not a number.

"What is your name?" he asks softly, but Zero chuckles bitterly.

"It doesn't matter. She died a long time ago." She swallows thickly and does that shrug that always accompanies her pain. "I haven’t been that me in a long time."

"Zero-."

"Goodnight, Eddie," she says firmly, turning on her side and away from him.

Eddie watches her back, the way her shoulders tremble ever so slightly. It's all he can do not to wrap his arms around her so she doesn't feel so alone, but Zero seems to like being alone.

"Goodnight, Zero."

I wake the next morning to hazy sunlight pouring through the windows. It's a strange weighty feeling. I haven't slept deeply in a long time, and for the first time in years I find myself rested.

Eddie's snoring softly in my ear, his nose pressed against my neck. I stiffen as I notice him, but his embrace melts me. It's like a cocoon, safe and warm. His hair tickles where it's tangled into my collar, his arms wrapped tightly around me.

I eye his rings, revel in the rare feeling of another body pressed against my own. His hug the other day was the first real human touch I've had in so long, and a shock of fear runs through my belly as I realize that I don't want to get out of this bed when every day for the last eleven years I've gotten up without a backward glance.

It's later than I normally wake. I can tell by the way the sun is hitting the walls, probably six in the morning. The music is even silent, and still the Haven stands. I'm safe even without the constant noise and lights. It doesn't even feel as dark without the fairy lights. I keep them on all the time so I don't feel like I'm back out in the Darkness, so I don’t have to think of my life before I created the Haven.

Sure enough, his morning wood presses insistently against my backside. His attraction to me is obvious, and if I let myself I'd admit I like the look of Eddie Munson too. It's just because I've never been this close to a man for this long…and I haven't had sex in some time as well.

That's gotta be it, right?

Eddie squeezes me tightly, nuzzling behind my ear. I find myself holding my breath, fearful of breaking this spell, ruining the moment. His thumb rubs circles into my forearm, a soft groan escaping his lips and landing hotly on my neck.

His eyelashes flutter against my skin, and my eyes clamp shut as he begins to stir. I don't know why I'm pretending to still be asleep, but something just feels wrong about being the first to let go.

"Oh, shit," he murmurs, his hips immediately pulling away. Eddie slowly untangles himself from me, sweetly careful not to jostle the bed.

He scoots to the end, clattering a bit for his cane before getting a good grip on it. His hand lands on my bare ankle, wide palm giving me a soft squeeze. He makes a small hmm before he lets go and stands. I hear him pick up his clothes, grunting with some pain, then letting out a deep breath. My eyes don’t open again until I hear the bathroom door shut, and I’m alone again.

Sitting up slowly, the bed has no allure for me anymore. It left the same moment Eddie’s arms did. The chill that surrounds me seems colder somehow than normal, like the warmth of the covers clung to his shoulders and followed him out of the room.

I decide to get started on breakfast instead, padding quietly in the kitchen. The lights flip on as I enter, the radio picking up music so I don’t feel quite so alone and empty by myself.

Can anybody find me somebody to love? Pours through the speakers. I turn to glare at the damned thing, cursing my own brain for pulling this song from the ether. Each morning I get up I die a little. Can barely stand on my feet.

“As much as I hate most of your music,” Eddie’s voice pops up behind me, making me jump. The dishes in the cabinets clatter and shake with my surprise, dying down as I turn to spot him lingering in the doorway. “This is a great song.”

“You should,” I reply, hastily plastering a smile on my face to cover up my embarrassment. “Queen rocks.”

Eddie scoffs, “You keep telling yourself that.”

Eddie sidles up beside me, leaning against the counter with a queer look on his face. His eyes are playful as he watches me, but by now I know Eddie's 'question time' look.

"So," he begins. He crosses his arms over his chest, flicking one of his hands out. "Your name… we gonna talk about that?"

"I told you last night I didn't want to talk about it," I tell him, pushing the food around the pan. The peppers sizzle throughout my small cabin, filling up with the scent of breakfast.

Ooh, somebody, please. Can anybody find me somebody to love?

"Uh, no. You rolled over and said, 'Goodnight, Eddie,' and went to sleep," he snarks back at me. A playful smile breaks out across his cheeks as he shrugs. "Which would be fine if we'd just had sex, but we didn't."

I open my mouth to make a joke about his boner, but he cuts me off, "Anyway, I've made an executive decision that you don't have to tell me your name."

My mouth snaps shut and I squint as Eddie chuckles, "I'm gonna guess it. I’m gonna be spending a few months here. Might as well have some fun with it, right?"

"Oh for the love of-."

"Betsy? No, Buela." Eddie's eyebrows raise as I shake my head. "It's Buela, isn't it?"

I can't help the laugh that bubbles from my chest, "No, it's not Buela."

“Irene? Mmm, too seductive,” he frowns. Eddie rubs his jaw with his knuckles before throwing up his hands, “I’ll get it, just you wait and see.”

“Are you done?”

Eddie taps the counter, watching me for a moment. I watch back, unyielding as ever. He’ll cave, and soon enough he does. “Yeah, I’m done… Katrine.”

“Wrong again,” I tell him. I focus back on the food, using my powers to pour us both coffee from the carafe. Eddie toasts the air when he grabs his cup, but I decide to ignore that odd mannerism.

“What’s the plan for today, Nina?” he asks, wiggling his brows again with the hope that he’s correct. He’s not.

“First, breakfast. Then, I’ll check your stitches and we’ll do some physical therapy again,” I decide. It’s the regimen I’ve come up with for now. It’ll change depending on Eddie’s progress. He already looks bored, his eyes glazing over. “How’s that sound?” “Yeah, sweetheart, that’s fine,” he mutters into his coffee cup. He doesn’t seem to notice the pet name he threw out into the ocean between us, but I did.

Sweetheart. He said it without much thought, like he said it all the time. Maybe he does to his girls in the real world. The tightness in my cheeks turns hot as I focus on cooking instead of looking at his big doe eyes.

I just gotta get out of this prison cell. Someday I'm gonna be free, Lord

“You wanna do a new puzzle tonight?” he asks, and it’s so domestic it constricts my chest. I haven’t done puzzles this much with anyone since my mother died. I forgot how much it meant to me.

“Do you like doing puzzles? We don’t have to.”

“Oh, I love ‘em,” Eddie smirks. “Wayne and I do them all the time. It’s fun.”

“Okay,” I say shyly, biting my lip harshly. I don’t like the way I’m feeling right now. If I get used to him here, it’ll be that much harder to give him to Henry.

“Hey, Kitty?”

I glare up at him, smiling just enough to let him know I wasn’t getting irritated. This was actually kind of fun. “Yes, Edward?”

“Uh, it’s Eddie,” he glares back, just as playful. I laugh and he does too, but then Eddie points at the peppers in the pan. “I think those are cooked.”

“Shit,” I snap, pulling it off the burner. Sure enough, they’re burned beyond rescue. I angle it toward him. “I’m… showing you what not to do.”

Can anybody…

Eddie chuckles, “Sure thing, Clea.”

Find me…

“Fuck off, Munson.”

Somebody to love.

Smurph's Masterlist | Zero to Hero Masterlist

Notes: *Sigh* I love bed sharing... I'd really appreciate your comments on this story! I have been feeling pretty self conscious about this one lately and it would mean a lot if you let me know your thoughts on it.

@tlclick73 @theloser007 @sadbitchfangirl @chaoticcancer @harrys-tittie @assassinsasha23 @spacedoutdaydreamer @legendarytrashcopeclipse @notahappystan @kbakery

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