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

Graduation (This Year is My Year)

Trigger/Content Warning - Mention of body shaming/shame

It was sunny the day Eddie finally graduated from Hawkins High. He couldn't believe he'd actually made it. It was more impressive that he'd survived the bats of Vecna and the Upside Down, but he still felt proud about surviving high school. It had only taken him two more years than most people, but he'd pulled it off.

Chrissy's golden hair shone in the sun when she walked across the stage. She looked really happy and Eddie felt his heart swell at the sight of her smile. Chrissy being happy was something he found himself caring a lot about lately.

When his name was called, Eddie ran across the stage to the hoots and hollers of his friends and, rather than flip Principal Higgins the bird, he gave the man a hug. Then he snatched his diploma and, grinning wildly, he returned to his seat in the crowd. That was it. He'd done it.

***

Chrissy didn't have a date to prom. A small part of her had thought that maybe Jason would have asked her, as a nice gesture, to smooth things over. They had dated for so long, after all. But he'd asked out another one of the cheerleaders, a girl two years younger than him, and Chrissy was glad in the end that he hadn't come to her and she hadn't been tempted to say yes, for old time's sake.

Chrissy tried to admire herself in the mirror. She had designed and sewn her dress herself, despite her mom's objections that it was too revealing for someone with her figure. Her mom thought something a bit more modest would be better, implying she'd gained weight, but Chrissy liked that the strapless satin dress showed off her legs and shoulders. She liked her legs and shoulders. And she was trying to like the rest of her body, too. The fabric was a shiny sky blue that complimented her golden hair which was pinned up with sparkling rhinestones. She'd swapped her '86 necklace for a simple diamond pendant to match the pins. She looked nice, she decided.

When a horn honked outside signaling the arrival of her friends Chrissy ran down the stairs, clutching her shoes in her hand.

"Oh, it's beautiful honey," her mom said, coming out of the kitchen. "It's just a shame you're not as petite as you were earlier in the year, but it looks great."

"I don't understand how you didn't get a date," Chrissy's dad said.


"I didn't want one," Chrissy repeated the line she'd been giving her parents all month.

"And I've told you that's nonsense," her mom tisked, "but I suppose it's too late now." Chrissy didn't answer. She didn't feel like arguing.

"Let's get a picture." Her dad pulled out the camera and Chrissy posed, doing her best to smile for her parents. Why did they say the things they said, sometimes, Chrissy wondered. She'd been wondering that a lot the past few months.

***

Robin and Nancy were fussing over Eddie's tie in Nancy's room. The girls had convinced him to come to the dance, and then, bolstered by their initial success, they had convinced him to wear a suit, but now he was fighting them tooth and nail over the accoutrements, as it were. When Nancy held up a brush for his hair, Eddie jerked away from her.

"Nope!" he shook his head vigorously. "I'm drawing a line. Cross it at your own risk, Wheeler."

Nancy scowled and put the brush down. "Fine," she said, annoyed.

Steve, lounging on Nancy's bed, looking dashing in a blue suit, grabbed her and pulled her down onto his lap. "He looks great," he said, kissing Nancy on her cheek. "You girls outdid yourselves. What do you say, Eddie?"

Eddie rolled his eyes and Robin hit him in the shoulder. "OW!" Eddie yelped. Steve looked at him pointedly. Eddie growled in frustration then said: "Thank you, Nancy, thank you, Robin, for normalizing my appearance so that I may participate in the time-honoured heteronormative mating ritual that is senior prom. I don't know how I'll ever repay you. Now, can we go?"


As a pack they trekked downstairs where they allowed Mrs. Wheeler to dote on them for far too long, taking pictures of every possible permutation she could think up. Taking a breather while Mrs. Wheeler posed Steve and Nancy together, Eddie realized how happy he was. He'd never imagined he could enjoy something as normal as this, but it was nice. His friends, Nancy, Steve, and Robin, were some of the coolest people he'd ever met, and they managed to make all this ordinary high school stuff fun.

Once they were free of Mrs. Wheeler they left the house and clambered into Eddie's van. Eddie turned the key in the ignition and reached over to turn his music on when Robin, sitting in the passenger seat, slapped his hand away. "Uh uh uh," she said, holding up a cassette tape. "I brought something we can all enjoy." Eddie scowled at her, then sat back, defeated.

Robin popped in the tape and hit play and as Eddie peeled away from the Wheeler's, (he'd never stop driving like a maniac) David Bowie's "Golden Years" started up. Eddie had to laugh. He couldn't think of a less metal song, but he liked it.

***

At some point in the night, while Eddie was dancing with Robin, and Robin was telling him all about Vickie's weird sandwich-making techniques, Eddie glimpsed Chrissy sitting alone. Beautiful Chrissy. She had that sad look on her face he'd still see her with from time to time. That haunted look. Robin turned to see what had drawn his attention. When she turned back to him she was grinning wickedly. "You like her, don't you?" she accused.

"What? No! I just worry about her sometimes!" Eddie spluttered.

"Because you care about her."


"Of course I care about her. She's been through hell," he hissed. "And unlike us, she doesn't even know why. At least we know what really happened this year."


"It's ok if you like her," Robin dodged the point he was making and made her own. "She's beautiful, she's really nice, she finds you funny for reasons I can't even begin to understand..."


"She thinks I'm funny?" Eddie couldn't help himself, he brightened just at the idea of Chrissy thinking anything good about him.

"You're kidding? I mean, it's not like I pay that much attention to you two, but I've seen you make her laugh. No one else makes her laugh like that. Jason never did, that's for sure."


"Huh." Eddie gazed distractedly over Robin's shoulder. He could picture Chrissy's face when she laughed. The way she always looked surprised. He pictured her big smile and her cute little snaggle tooth...

"You should ask her to dance. She didn't have a date tonight."


"What?" Eddie was floored. How the hell did Chrissy Cunningham not have a date to prom? Had all the boys at their school gone blind and/or insane in some freak accident? "She didn't?" he demanded, embarrassed to hear how high-pitched his voice sounded.

"Noooo," Robin sang.

***

When Eddie sat down next to Chrissy she looked surprised. "Hey Eddie," she said. She continued to look surprised as she looked him over. "You look really nice," she said, grinning suddenly.

"That's what I was going to say. About you, I mean. I really like your dress."

"You do? I made it myself." Chrissy's smile turned shy.

"Well, it's rad. I didn't know you could sew."