'Strange Love' Eddie Munson x Fem Reader

Chapter 18

Eddie stares right into yours eyes, his thoughts plagued with whys and ifs, when all of a sudden, Jason screams.

You turn around first before Eddie does, looking into the dark water but only Jason panicking and alone. Following his line of sight, you see Patrick...
Levitating.
Except, there was no sign of Patrick at all behind those eyes as they flicker backwards into his head, red with tears and his pupils, paled.
You were frightened.
You crawl backwards until you felt Eddies body behind yours. His arms pull you in closer against him as he keeps his eyes on Patrick while Jason only flails hopelessly in the water, watching the bones of his best friend begin to snap. It caused you to scream and cry along with him.
"Keep your head down, okay? We gotta go." Eddie says as he starts to paddle, again.
You do as he says and avert your head downwards, between your knees. You squeeze your eyes shut and place your hands over your ears; something you always did as a child when you were scared.

You flinch against Eddies chest when you hear Patrick's body finally drop and then more yelling from Jason, too loud to be blocked out.

It dawned on you how traumatic it must be for Jason. To just leave him there didn't feel right but you had no other choice. He was only more convinced now that Eddie was the cause, so you split.

You feel the boat sway before feeling the force of it being pulled up on the dirt bank.
You keep your eyes shut and your hands pointlessly cover your ears now until Eddies hand softly squeezes your shoulder from behind and above. You look up with eyes of exhaustion and Eddies showed remorse.
It felt so out of place to see him so downhearted.
"Come on..." He says, "I'll find us somewhere safe."
He holds a hand out to you and you take it; and even after pulling you out of the boat, his hand doesn't leave yours. It only tightens as he starts to walk, pulling you along with him and you allow it.

Stumbling over small rocks and twigs, you look down at your hand in his, feeling your hand tighten too.

Walking through the trees, hearing their foliage spookily crumble beneath your steps and then soldiering up hill in the cold, the two of you finally come to a large rock formation.
"We'll stay here for the night." Eddie says.
"Are you sure we're safe here?" You ask, looking around but only seeing a dark abyss.
"As safe as it can get. Don't worry, I'll stay awake and be the look out, you just get some sleep."
"Honestly...I don't think I'll be able to." You say as you sit against the colossal rock.
Eddie sits close beside you, shoulder to shoulder and knee to knee. You unapologetically lean against him, snuggling your body closer into his and he, of course, let's you.
"I don't want to pry but...something tells me that just now, isn't what you meant when you said you were experienced in the whole 'alien' thing."
"It's not..."
Eddie angles his head down to look at you but you were already so close beside him that his lips grazed your hair now and his breath brushed against your ear as he whispered.
"...well, as long as I'm alive, you can bet your ass I won't let anything like that happen to you."
"Don't say that."
"Say what?"
"Any of that."
"Did I say something...?"
"You're sweet, Eddie...that's why I don't want you to put your life on the line, especially not for me."
Eddie looks down into his lap, nervously playing with the rings on his fingers.
"Is there anybody who wouldn't? I mean, Jason and Patrick did just now..."
"-and look what happened."
You pull yourself away from Eddie, shivering at the sudden gust of cold against your side where Eddie used to be and you lay down amongst the leafs and the dirt.

Eddie instantly regrets his choice of words, rubbing his face violently with his hands as you lay down now.
"It wasn't your fault, you know." He sighs, "There's something out there, bigger than us, that wants you to believe it is but...it's not."
Eddie lays down too, his arm beneath his head as he gazes at the stars. He searches the void between them for that bigger something but he's at a loss, only being reminded of how small and insignificant he was.

Eddie was sinking into the despair until he feels your hand find its way back into his.
"I hope you tell yourself the same thing." You say as the two of you lock eyes with each other. He looks down at his chest, seeing your fingers settling between his and it made him feel warm again; and not just physically.
"It wasn't your fault either, Eddie."

He knew what you meant.