Hidden Within the Shadows

time goes by so fast

Eddie Munson was an idiot, Nin had come to conclude. Not that anything from school hadn't already provided the proof he was an idiot. No, it was the way they were more or less living together that revealed what an idiot he was.

Munson's alarms for school were few and far between. Wayne Munson's shifts changed regularly, from working days to working nights, so he had to hope that Eddie would get himself up and ready for school.

Which was how Nin found out why Eddie fucking Munson was usually late to school by several periods. It was funny to see him stumbling around, half-awake and somehow sleep-deprived after getting a good nine hours.

"Fuckin' what?" Nin heard Munson say in the bathroom. He continued to grumble before he came out, and Nin had to put a hand over his face at Munson's appearance.

"Uh. Did a bird nest in your hair?"

"Fuck off, Wheeler," he said tiredly, no heat behind the words. "Fuck, where's my hat? Do - shit, do I have a hat?" He frowned and then looked at the hats on the wall as decorations. They were all Wayne's, as were the mugs.

Nin watched Munson suppress a yawn, feeling very weird, something twisting in his stomach. "Do you want me to tie it up?"

"Psht, no," Eddie said, running his hands through his hair. He grimaced, then looked to Nin. "OK, maybe,"

Eddie sat on the floor in front of Nin, who did his best to untangle the mess that was Eddie Munson's hair.

"Do - do you know what shampoo and conditioner are?" Nin asked, voice coming out too high from suppressing the laughter. "I mean - deep conditioner could help -"

"I know what they are. I'm broke as fuck, Wheeler," he said and winced when Nin tugged a little too hard. "You're going to tear out chunks of hair,"

"No, I'm not," Nin said dismissively, and collected it all in his hand before using a hair tie that had been on his wrist. "I'm going to save you some dignity by not braiding your hair. Go and get educated," he said once he was done.

Eddie got to his feet and stretched. Nin had to look away when he caught sight of the skin when his shirt lifted up. "Want me to keep an eye on Nancy?" Eddie asked, voice edging caution.

Nin shrugged a shoulder, feeling weird about Nancy. "Sure," he said. "Just don't let her know I'm here, yeah?"

"Course," Eddie said with a nod. He grabbed his bag and gasped when he saw a packed lunch. "I'm treated like royalty,"

"Piss off," Nin said, laughing.

Eddie did an overly dramatic bow, hand waving out to Nin before he vanished out of the door. Nin heard the start of the van's engine, alongside the blaring metal music, and then the van was leaving the trailer park.

Which left Nin completely alone. Wayne Munson was out at work and had plans to get some groceries at the end of his shift. Nin wasn't sure what to do with so much spare time. It left him alone with his thoughts, and Nin felt guilty watching the TV or using up electricity, heating or hot water. But both Eddie and Wayne had said it was OK. He was a guest there having a rough time of it, and they'd welcomed him into their home.

So Nin ... cleaned up a little. He made the kitchen nicer and organised the cupboards and cabinets. He got rid of the fucking mould in Eddie's room that had been bugging him since he first got there. It just ... Nin had to try and deal with what had happened to him, but he was at a loss as to how he could deal with it.

He knew that he was likely to never see Nancy, Mike or Holly ever again. He wasn't sure how to feel about never seeing Nancy again. She was the one who had done this to him. At times he wanted to scream at her until his throat was raw. To shout and scream and cry and let her know that she fucked up and ruined his goddamn life. She'd told their parents without his consent, had put him in danger, and had been the reason as to why Ted Wheeler had turned and beaten on Nin. She hadn't understood him and had put his life in danger in the process of it all because she wanted the perfect life and Nin was the exact opposite of perfect.