The Freak and His Queen [Eddie Munson x Chrissy Cunningham]

A Queen for A Queen

Eddie was sitting in the library working on his last paper ever if things went his way. Max and Nancy were sitting with him. Max, with her headphones on, was working on an assignment. Nancy had her books out but Eddie knew she was just pretending to be busy. She was really there to ensure her two less-than-stellar-at-school friends were actually getting their work done. Nancy had taken a vested interest in Eddie making it to graduation ever since they'd fought Vecna together and, while he wasn't about to admit it to her, Eddie was grateful for her support.

Eddie didn't see Chrissy enter the library but he did notice when she walked by — her clean white sneakers treading lightly on the carpeted floor caught his eye. He looked up from his paper and watched her drop off a couple of books at the counter and then settle in at a table with some of the girls she'd been hanging out with the past month or so. When Max elbowed him, he jumped, startled out of his daydream.

"Ouch," Eddie complained. "What'd you do that for?"

Max popped her headphones off and rolled her eyes at him. "Stare much?" she said, her voice dripping with her signature snark.

"I was just thinking about my paper!" Eddie lied, insistently.

"Mmhmm, sure." Max nodded her head sarcastically the way only Max could nod her head sarcastically. "You know, you could just ask her out."

Eddie stared at her in panic. "I don't know what you're talking about," he whispered furiously.

"Come on, it could be a fun birthday surprise," Max goaded him.

"What?" he hissed.

"You don't think it would be a big surprise if you asked her out?"

"No, what did you say about her birthday?" Eddie pressed.

"That it's today?" Max shrugged.

Nancy, who had been glaring at them both, witheringly, changed her expression to one of horror. "It's Chrissy's birthday today? But it's Friday the thirteenth today!"

Eddie made a shooing gesture at Nancy and continued his interrogation of Max. "How do you know it's her birthday?"

"I saw her files in the counsellor's office." Max tapped her temple twice. "I have a good memory."

Nancy snorted. "Maybe you could apply it to studying one of these days. Wouldn't that be novel?"

Max, familiar with withering glares herself, shot one at Nancy.

Eddie looked back at Chrissy. She didn't look like it was her birthday, but that was silly, no one ever looked like it was their birthday. Except, maybe he'd expected her to be wearing a different coloured scrunchie or something. He shook his head.

"I wouldn't want to have a birthday on Friday the thirteenth," Nancy said, resuming her ominous tone.

Eddie ignored her again. "I should get her something," he said, his mind already running through ideas.

"Why? Because you're such good friends now?" Max asked, the snark drippier than ever.

"We're friends," Eddie said. He puffed up his chest in indignation. He'd given Chrissy her space, after everything that happened with Jason. He'd worried about her, after her breakup, but he hadn't wanted to make things harder for her at school. But then, one day she'd passed him in the hall and smiled and said hi. Another day he'd been startled to find her in line behind him at lunch and asking him how things were going with his band. Since then they had exchanged plenty of little pleasantries when they'd crossed each other's paths.

"I don't know," Eddie sighed. "She almost died this year but she didn't and I just think that makes this birthday extra special, don't you?"

"I almost died this year too, are you going to get me something nice?" Max asked. "I could use a new skateboard."