𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙒𝙊𝙐𝙉𝘿𝙎 𝙒𝙀 𝙎𝙃𝘼𝙍𝙀 ᵉᵈᵈⁱᵉ ᵐᵘⁿˢᵒⁿ

☼ 27

; P RO M I S E
heat waves by GLASS ANIMALS

How the groups had spread apart showed how much everyone was longing for some privacy. Steve and Robin had retreated to the front of the van to make some molotovs, Nancy was sawing through the shotguns in attempt to make them easier to handle, Max helped by holding them down, Lukas and Erica were binding knifes to sticks to create spears and Eddie, Dustin and Matilda were putting long nails through trash lids to create shields. Matilda felt like she was part of some fantasy movie.

     "How's she feeling?", Dustin asked as Eddie slammed the freshly built shield against an invisible enemy. Matilda watched with a smile as Eddie lived out some of his D&D fantasies.

     "Light. But durable. Deadly. But reliable." Dustin chuckled, looking at Eddie with an admiration in his eyes that Matilda had never seen before. She only hoped Eddie knew how much he probably meant to the kid.

     "Hear me now. There will be no more retreating... from Eddie the Banished", Eddie proclaimed loudly, sounding like he was making a promise. He held out his hand to Matilda. "What say you, Matilda the Faithful?" She smiled and let him pull her up, only to almost run into his shield.

     "This victory shall be ours!", she mumbled shyly and Eddie cheered happily due to her joining in.

     "You guys are really ready for bat-tle", Dustin grinned, looking proud of his own joke. Matilda and Eddie shared a look, him seeming rather displeased and her trying to contain her laughter.

     When she looked back at Dustin she couldn't hide her laugh anymore, making him chuckle in relief that someone had gotten his joke. Matilda looked back at Eddie, who still seemed to consider what to do.

     "You get it?", she asked. "Bat-tle. B-A-T. No? I really thought that was a good—" Eddie brutally interrupted her rambling by abruptly wrestling her to the ground, knocking Dustin down as well.

     Matilda managed to get a grip and tried to hold against him, grinning widely as Eddie stumbled back.

     "What are you doing?", Dustin asked, helplessly caught in between. Eddie pushed them away forcefully, making Matilda almost trip over her own feet. Dustin tackled him mercilessly, cursing under his breath.

     "No wedgies! No wedgies!", Dustin yelled, desperately trying to get an upper hand. Matilda watched from the sides, clapping as Dustin was about to get Eddie to the ground.

     "Never change, Dustin Henderson", he suddenly said, holding Dustin at his neck. He was smiling proudly now, what made Matilda's expression soften. Eddie grabbed her arm without even looking at her and pulled her into the slightly awkward but sincere hug-situation. "You too, Bluford. Promise me?" Dustin smiled a little.

     "Wasn't planning on it", he mumbled under his breath. Eddie's eyes shifted towards Matilda, who immediately raised her arms in defeat.

     "No promises from me. I'm a shapeshifter at heart." Eddie shook his head with a laugh and put both hands to either sides of her face.

     "Fine. But if I ever catch you not giggling at one of Dustin's jokes like an idiot, you shall feel my wrath. Understood?"

     "Understood." He gently slapped her cheek before letting go and held his shield back in the air.

     "Vecna shall crumble under the attack of our troupe, no chance for triumph at last!" Matilda gave him a thumbs up and then retreated towards Steve and Robin, who seemed to be having trouble.

     "You guys okay? Can I help?", she asked, flashing them a reassuring smile. Robin raised a brow and glanced at Steve. He sighed and handed Matilda a bottle and a funnel.

     "How about you tell us what's going on between Munson and you?", Steve suggested and Robin gently punched him in the arm. She then looked at Matilda, a guilty expression on her face.

     "I didn't tell him anything." Matilda nodded slowly, a pained expression on her face.

     "Right."

     "She didn't have to", Steve jumped in, "I mean, I'm not blind. You constantly look at each other as if there's nothing else left to look at. It's kinda weird, to be honest." Matilda raised her brows, but Steve didn't seem to catch on.

     "Really. The existence of this town and maybe the entire world depends on us defeating some burned up wizard from another dimension and," Matilda gestured towards Eddie, "this— this is what's weird?" Robin shrugged and nodded when Steve shot her a questioning look, causing him to roll his eyes.

     "I just— Look, I just think this might not be the, well, perfect time to be all swooped up in some lovey-dovey universe of romance, you know?" Robin cocked her head in disbelief.

     "Did you just actually say the words 'lovey-dovey universe of romance' out loud?" Matilda felt the need to ask the same question, but she controlled herself.

     "Are you really in the position to say that?", she asked blankly, nodding in Nancy's direction. Steve opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but then closed it and shook his head.

     "That's not— We're not... That's not the same thing. Not at all what I was getting at."

     "Right", Matilda mumbled, "How about you don't worry about my lovey-dovey universe of romance, when you have your own to think about?" She put the bottle to the ground and walked back to Eddie and Dustin without turning back. While she was exactly as annoyed as she'd sounded, she couldn't help but consider Steve's words. 

     While she was certain not to let these stupid feelings mingle with her rational decisions, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to when it came to it. But maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing. Maybe, when it came to it, Eddie was the one who deserved a second chance anyway.

     Maybe she was just the one to give it to him.