'Strange Love' Eddie Munson x Fem Reader

Chapter 15

Eddie holds his hand out for you, leaving the box of tapes on the floor where he left them. You hesitate for a moment but he was patient with you and kept his arm out until finally, you take it.

He pulls you up effortlessly until your body was only a few centimetres away from his chest, it made your own thump hard as if your heart was trying to escape. You ignore it but Eddie found it harder to, his nerves were getting the best of him and his hand in yours began to adjust on its own, shifting his fingers so very carefully until they were practically interlaced with yours.
Before you have a chance to notice, he lets go.
"Ahem," He clears his throat as he turns back towards the cassette player, "So, if you just put the tape in here, close this and press this, it should start playing."
To no response, he angles his head slightly to the side, avoiding eye contact but making sure you were still with him because if he didn't know any better, he would think nobody was there at all.
"Uh, you wanna give it a shot?" He asks as he anxiously ruffles his hand through his hair.
You shake your cloudy thoughts away before making your way to his side where he repeats himself again.
"So just in here," He says, his voice low and close beside you, "and then close it, press this and...good." He smiles down at you as the music begins to play.

"Heroes by David Bowie? A bit late to the party, wouldn't you say?" Eddie remarks.
"I think it was my seventh birthday, my dad gave me his old tape deck with this tape still inside." You say as Eddie listens, "I would take it everywhere with me until my parents got tired of hearing it and they took it."
Eddie can't help but laugh at the last bit, finding it more humorous than you probably meant it to.
"You never got it back?" He asks, still entertained.
"I guess I just completely forgot about it." You shrug, "...until now."
You and Eddie go silent, listening to the song as it plays on. The beat was massively nostalgic, even to Eddie and he hasn't even the slightest connection to it, at all. He found himself nodding to the beat, recollecting the lyrics as David sang.

♫ I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing will drive them away
We can beat them, just for one day
We can be heroes, just for one day ♫

Eddie nods to the beat until deciding to spontaneously push off the wall beside him, pulling his jacket off and draping it over the back of the couch.
"What're you doing?" You ask as you watch the buffoonery unfolding before your very eyes.
Eddie begins to dance your way, slowly but surely as he gives you 'join me' eyes and a big, giddy smile.
"Nope, no way." You shake your head, giggling in amusement. Eddie only inches closer, even adding in a little spin which made you laugh all the more and amidst your laughing, he took the opportunity to swoop you up while you weren't expecting it and carrying you to the middle of the room where he places you down, again.

He lifts your hands in his, messily 'slow' dancing as you try to keep your laughter at bay but you couldn't help it. Eddies smile and his stare stay consistent as you throw your head back in laughter. Hand in hand, he twirls you around, catching a glimpse of your eyes sparkling with joy.
Neither of you wanted this moment to end.
When he pulls you back in, you cheerfully ask, "What's gotten into you? You haven't even ripped into your six pack, yet."
"Sorry," He says with a tender smile and a low voice, "I couldn't help myself."

From then on, he doesn't avert his eyes away from yours, not that he wanted to, anyways. His riskily long stare could draw the moon in if he tried and
like a portal to somewhere better, somewhere uncharted that nobody has ever given the chance to see; you wanted to explore more.
Eddie could feel it too, but as the so called freak of Hawkins, he only reminds himself not to cross that boundary with you, of all people.
"We should start to set up for the night." You say as you pry yourself away.
"Yeah..."