Partners in Crime-Eddie Munson x OC

Chapter 6

I had to admit, as nice as it was to see my dad and spend time with him over the break I really missed my friends and Max. My dad had tried to get them to come home for Christmas, but my aunt couldn't take off of work for that long and Max didn't want to leave her mom alone on the holiday. I could understand their decisions, but I still wished they could've come.

Since Susan still worked all the time, she wasn't able to come pick me up from the airport. Instead, waiting for me at the end of the gate was none other than Steve Harrington.  I had to hand it to him, he was there for his friends when they needed it.

"Helena! I swear you look tanner than you did before Christmas," Steve held out his arms and I gave him a quick hug.

"It wasn't exactly beach weather at home, I think the hairspray may just be getting to you. I'm just as pale as before."

Steve looked at me, pretending to act offended. "After I drive all the way here to get you, and this is how you treat me? I'm hurt."

"Aw, I missed you, Stevie." You pushed him lightly and then slung your backpack over your shoulder. "And you can't be too mad, or else I will withhold your Christmas present ."

His eyes lit up at that. "Present?"

"Yep. I have stuff for everyone, you, Robin, Eddie, and Max." I nodded.

"Eddie? Like Eddie the Freak? You still hang around that guy?" Steve glanced at me curiously.

"Hey, be nice! We talked about you not calling him that. Eddie is a good guy, you just have to get to know him to see it," I scolded.

Steve put his hands up in defense. "I'm just saying he gives me sketchy vibes. You and Dustin both hang around him a lot and I don't know about it."

I raised an eyebrow. "You know your problem with him and Dustin being friends is jealousy, right?"

"I'm not jealous! The kid can hang out with whoever, I guess," Steve demanded, adamantly.

I made an 'mhm' noise as Steve and I walked out to the parking lot. Steve pulled my suitcase all the way out to the car, and I didn't even have to ask him to do that. It was most likely because he wanted to make sure I gave him his gift, but I'd allow it.

I did make him wait until we got to Max's house before I gave him the present. We pulled in the driveway and I had Steve wait in the car while I ran in to get his gift.

Max was waiting for me when I opened the door. She didn't even hesitate to hug me, which wasn't something we did super often. Regardless, I squeezed her back tightly.

"I missed you," she mumbled quietly into my shoulder.

"Missed you too, Maxine."

The hugged stopped immediately. "I take it back," she flipped me off, making me laugh.

It felt good to be back. In the three months I'd lived in Hawkins, it really had started to feel like home. It was nice having someone home with me all the time, since I was used to my dad being at work all the time. Max honestly felt more like a sister at this point, especially since lately she'd been talking to me more. She hadn't really hung out with her friends yet, but so far I'd at least gotten her to talk to me.

I hurried to the room I shared with Max and grabbed one of the colorfully wrapped boxes that I left sitting on my bed. I may have almost forgotten that I'd left Steve sitting in the driveway. With a quick check to ensure this was the right package, I dashed out the door.

"Merry Christmas!" I grinned widely, placing the box in Steve's hands as soon as I made it back to the car.

Steve wasted no time in tearing the paper off. All those precious hours I spent fighting wrapping paper on presents gone to waste.

"No way! How did you know I wanted these?" Steve held up the new pair of sunglasses you'd bought him.

"Lucky guess," I shrugged, knowing full well that 'lucky guess' was Robin's input. I was pretty confident that Robin knew Steve better than Steve knew Steve.

We talked for a few more minutes before Steve had to go pick up Robin from her shift at work. I worked with her tomorrow, so I'd planned on just giving her gift to her then. I found some cool bracelets at a shop a while back, and while jewelry didn't seem like a very 'Robin' thing, these just reminded me of her too much not to get.

As I waved goodbye to Steve, I felt a pair of arms wrap around my stomach as I was picked up and briefly spun around.

"Fuck, I didn't think they were ever going to let you back here, princess! California kept you for too long," Eddie's voice filled my ears.

I turned to where I was facing him to give him a quick hug. Since when had I become such a hugger? If someone were to tell my dad that I'd hugged three people willingly in the same day, he'd laugh in their face.

Something odd though was the way Eddie smelled. Well, not the way he smelled, but the fact that I noticed it. During our brief hug, I found that I enjoyed the cedar and pine scent of him. Yep, this was weird. I was being weird.

"It really was too long, I was so bored without you next door to annoy," I laughed, breaking our hug.

"You missed a really epic Hellfire campaign while you were gone too," Eddie added.

While I didn't really play D&D, I liked to go watch Hellfire's meetings. It was fun to see them all get so into it. The only time I really played was if they needed a sub, but I was okay with watching. Either way, it was something to do on boring nights if I was off from work.

"I got you something, just pretend Christmas wasn't like a week and a half ago. One second," I cursed myself for not bringing Eddie's present back out with Steve's earlier.

I made another run in and out of the house to get the gift. When I returned, Eddie was also holding a small box.

"Better late than never," I smiled and held the box out for him to take.

"Same time?" Eddie held out my gift.

I nodded and we both tore into each other's presents.

My smile only grew at seeing the contents of the box. A cassette tape sat inside that read 'Hel the Badass' on it. Eddie Munson made me a mixtape. Underneath it was a piece of paper. The writing identified it was a coupon for a free guitar lesson. The sheer thoughtfulness of his gifts was the best.

Scratch that. The best part was seeing Eddie's face while he gazed at his presents in wonder.

"Hel, this is fucking awesome. For real, this shit is cool as hell." He held up his guitar picks, examining all of them.

I was able to find a music store in while I was back home in California that carried picks with different metal album covers on them. At the same store, I found the item Eddie was currently holding: a guitar strap that had skulls detailed in the leather.

"Thank you, Ed," I clutched the cassette tightly, already excited to go in and listen.

"No, thank you, these are the coolest things I've ever gotten. Oh, you'll have to let me know what you think of the tape. I'm not telling you what's on it, that's a surprise. And use the coupon whenever. Like literally any time. It does expire, though."

I rolled my eyes and poked his arm. "Oh, shut up."

"You know you missed me, sweetheart," Eddie gave you a crooked grin.

He was right, you really, really did.