1550 words
The sweat clung to your skin, feeling as if it were seeking shelter underneath it. Your hair felt matted, your clothes felt dirty, everything just felt dirty. The need to shower completely took over your thoughts as you rushed to the bathroom. The temperature never crossed your mind, could've been freezing cold or blistering hot but you couldn't seem to notice.
Even after you couldn't wash away the claw your nightmare gripped onto you with, it just wasn't letting up. It was a memory pulled up from the vast void of your mind, with clear intentions to pull you back down with it.
All you needed was some kind of distraction, something to allow yourself to ignore the feeling. You hopped up searching around for something to feel slightly clothed before grabbing your keys and stammering out the door. When in doubt, driving around aimlessly was the way to go.
The small towns idea of main street seemed like the best choice as of now, pleanty of options. Eventually you came across a store with a giant green sign labeled "Family Video". If movies weren't the best way to pass the time and forget yourself there was no telling what was.
The ding of the doors bell rang catching the attention of someone behind the counter who greeted you. He appeared to be around your age possibly older. A perfect in-between of light and dark brown hair, it seemed to be well kept like he'd spend hours on it every morning. You can only imagine all the money put into gels and sprays for that hair.
"Welcome in, how can I help you?" His chipper voice came out, he was definitely a people pleaser, possible ladies man. His coworker was off in the shelves restocking, turning away once she saw he could handle it.
"Any recommendations? I need to waste a good couple of hours." He seemed to perk up, as if his training led to this moment, which added onto your list of traits, show-off. "Tons, what kinda stuff do you like?" You pondered for a moment, although it wasn't difficult to decide. You were a simple man. "Do you have any good fantasy movies? Or horror?" Surely this area of film wasn't his expertise, the coworker in a matching green vest seemed more the type. "Follow me," he led you anyway.
He brought you over to an area labeled Fantasy. Some movies were recognizable but there were others you haven't seen catching your eye.
"You may like some of these, theres Ghostbusters, The Dark Crystal, and personally," he reached over picking up a case that read The Neverending Story, "I'd recommend this one." You took the movie from him and thanked him as he went back to the front desk to converse with his coworker. They seemed like pretty good friends, or maybe they were together, you couldn't tell.
After some contemplating you picked up the one he recommended as well as Time Bandits, a classic must-grab in your eyes. Plus a couple other random ones. "Just a few."
"This all for you today?" he asked sarcastically. "Yep" you rocked back and forth on your heels just ready to get back to your room and under the covers. "I haven't seen you around here are you new?" he questioned ringing up your choices. The inevitable conversation revealed itself. Small town wonders. "Yea, just moved here a couple days ago." You spoke tight-lipped, small talk wasn't particularly your forte. "Well welcome, I'm Steve you ever need a wingman I know my way around the ladies." he punctuated with a wink making you laugh breathily. "I'll keep that in mind, thanks Steve, I'm y/n." The other worker rolled her eyes at him.
The doors bell pulled you from your thoughts as you turned around only to be greeted by the one person you hoped you wouldn't. What luck. Your stomach churned and your breath hitched immediately turning back to Steve who looked concerned but brushed it off. Eddie definitely noticed you too. You finished paying as quickly as you could to get the hell home. A conversation you weren't hoping for seemed mere seconds away.
"Y/n wait," Eddie called right outside the door. "I just wanna say I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable I mean we did just meet I was just caught up in the moment." His voice seemed sincere, it made you feel relieve and upset at the same time. While you have your reasons, it was all coming together that maybe running away was an overreaction.
All you could do was nod as using your voice threatened to open the gates and let your tears spill overboard which is not what needed to happen right now. Of course you were overreacting, what else would it have been?
"So we're cool?" He asked to make sure. "Yea, we're cool Eddie." Again you spoke through tight lips, mustering up a half-assed smile. He returned one, genuine as ever. There was still a weird tension surrounding the both of you, but the weight felt way less heavy as the guilt left your nerves. "Sweet, see you at school man."
"Yep you too."
---
The air circulated through your car window while your hand was stuck outside pressed against the side of the door. Drives like these were what kept you sane. Midnight, almost 1 am, a warm night, empty road, only you and your thoughts. There was no end destination, just a plan to stay away from the house for a few hours. You figured you'd drive around for a bit and see what was open, if anything was at all. Eventually you came across a convenience store open 24/7, perfect.
You parked and stepped out into the mostly empty parking lot. Through the big window you could see someone at the counter, about mid to late 40s, she was sat on a stool looking absolutely done with her job. You walked in and around the aisles looking at everything thoroughly as to waste a lot of time. Clearly the lady at the counter was not amused. If anything her attitude and obvious groans made you want to stay longer.
You grabbed a few of your favorite snacks and a couple drinks. As you finished paying and started walking out you were greeted yet again with a familiar face, what the fuck.
"Well well well, we meet again y/n." he said with a smile, god if looks could kill. "We gotta stop running into each other like this." He was obviously mimicking some cheesy movie you either never heard of or purposefully ignored.
"Yea we do, you must be stalking me or something." He laughed looking down at the ground. There was an awkward silence settled around you two, but strangely comforting. Neither of you moved or said a word for a solid few minutes.
"Hey, um, my place is down the street, it's one of the trailers, if you want to come over and..." he motioned with his hand what looked like a joint incase the nosey counter lady was listening. "Don't worry I won't jump you." he added the last part with a laugh earning one from you too. "Yea sure, hope I can pay you back with snacks, I have about a fort knox and a half worth of skittles." You both again laughed, slightly awkwardly. "Well if you're offering I won't refuse."
---
To say his trailer was messy was an understatement, it looked like him and whoever lived with him didn't take care of it at all. Dirty dishes everywhere, some clothes scattered about, and empty chip bags on the ground and crumpled up on the counter. You couldn't judge, reminded you of your old room.
"Sorry my maid took a week off," he said sarcastically as he rummaged around some drawers before pulling out a plastic bag and some glass sphere with a tube. "Right this way y/n."
He led you to a room at the end of the hall, assumingly his. There was a record player with a box of records next to it, and alot of things hanging on the walls. Guitar, band posters, handcuffs. Handcuffs? His room was as messy if not worse than the rest of the place, there was no telling what you could find in there.
You looked at the 'wall decoration' then him with a raised eyebrow. "Those are uh, I don't- I don't know what those are." he said clearly nervous and it was hilarious. "Anyways, ahem, here we are. Peaceful bliss just moments away."
He'd shown you what the weird glass thing was, it was a bong, he showed you how to use it as well. Somehow it was easier and more smooth than the conventional meathod. With how your parents are it surprised you that it was new to you.
In the moment everything felt alright, like you hadn't screwed up your chance to make friends in Hawkins, like you could continue on, not worry about anything, and live actually genuinely happy here. For once, you felt like everything was coming together to assure you it was going to be ok. But as life has taught you, nothing good ever lasts.
YOU ARE READING
The Hanky Code (Eddie Munson x Male Reader)
FanfictionYou recently moved to Hawkins, Indiana. You were pretty closed off in your last school and others stayed out of your way as you were viewed as "the freak" Thankfully you met some people that are quite your style in a little club called Hellfire run...
