Birds Of A Feather // Eddie Munson

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"Okay guys let go! Please! I cant breathe!" Everyone moves and then Steve claps loudly, making us jump. "Let's figure out what we're gonna do about our wanted friend here." Steve did finger guns at Eddie and smiled. "Never do that again Harrington, or I will kill you." Eddie smiled sarcastically. "Right sorry." His hands flew back down to his sides.

"Okay so, let's go over this plan again." Max said. "Elaine isn't used to all of this so she's going to stay here and make sure Eddie is safe, if anyone comes she's going to radio to us." Dustin continued. "Me, Steve, Max and Robin are gonna figure something out. We don't know what yet, but we will." Eddie nodded but something was bothering him.

"Why is a girl staying here to protect me?" He said. Robin side eyed me and grinned, trying to hold her laughter in. "You clearly don't know Elaine that well. She's basically the female version of like, I dunno. Rambo." I laughed at the comparison and shook my head. "He's over exaggerating, I'm just good at being nosey and getaway plans, if someone comes I can probably get us out of here faster than if it was you coming up with your own plan."

Eddie looked defeated, but nodded in compliance. "We're gonna go, we'll bring some snacks around tomorrow. That means no funny business from you two." Steve raised his eyebrows and waggled his finger between me and Eddie "Okay, Mom." I said sarcastically.

Everyone started to leave and Dustin hung behind and dragged me to the side. "Let me know if anything happens or you need help. I don't care what time it is, I'll pick up." I nodded and pulled him in for a hug.
"Of course, I love you Dustin. You've got this."

I pulled away and he nodded at me, running after the rest of the group, closing the door behind him.

There was a moment of awkward silence between me and Eddie, then I decided to speak because awkward conversation is less painful than awkward silence. "I'm sorry you had to see what you saw." Eddie nodded slowly "Even though I watched her, you know-" he looked up at me and I nodded in understanding. "It was more painful for me to see you like that, I tried to save her I really did. The same way I tried to save you. I just cant understand why it didn't work."

Eddie was seriously beating himself up over this, and it was Hell to watch. "Yeah, I know. You told us about all of that. I cant help but wonder, what did you say?" He tilted his head at me "i already told you that?" My eyes lingered on him before looking at the floor. "I mean what did you say to me?"

His face went beetroot red. "Just some stuff. Its not that big of a deal, you know? Just an in the moment thing." "Eddie, if it saved me, I wanna know what you said." He whispered a small 'fuck' under his breath and started to play with his rings, something that comforts him.

"I said that I felt like you were the only person who really saw me, aside from my friends. The only person who really tried to look past my 'freak' exterior and see me for me. That, that day in the cafeteria when you pushed past me made me realise you really weren't scared of me, that you didn't see me the way Jason saw me. It's something that I've appreciated about you since then, and even before that I'd look at you and think about how you look like you're trying to be something that you're not."

He looked at me, but only now did I realise he doesn't look at me, but that he sees me. "I know our situation isn't the best, but maybe this is like, fate?" I nodded, taking in everything that he just said to me. "That day in Hellfire, I realised that I don't know anyone that would've stayed, or even try to help me." I think back to when he pushed me away from him and Jason, right before he got punched.

"You're different Elaine. You're a freak." He smiled, showing all of his teeth, heart on his sleeve. "Eddie..." "Elaine, you asked me what I said so I told you. If its not what you wanted to hear I'm sorry but it's just how I feel. If I read you wrong then I'm sorry, and it wont happen again."

"You have a bad habit of not letting people finish talking, Munson." He stared at me, confused. "That day in Hellfire, when I saw you in that state. I felt awful, like someone had just beat me up. I wanted to vomit at how someone could treat another person like that." I moved closer to him, inching slowly because it felt like if I moved to fast, the earth would fall from beneath my feet.

"We haven't always gotten along, but I'm glad I subbed for Lucas that day, because you changed my perspective on you completely, and forgive the pun but my world was basically turned upside down." He laughed and hugged me. "You're just like your brother, you know that?" "Yeah, who do you think he got it from huh?" I hugged him back tighter and thought about how different my life was two months ago.

I thought about cheer, Jason and Chrissy, Hawkins as I knew it and my opinion on Eddie. If you'd have told me what I'd be doing right now, I'd probably have laughed in your face and called you weird.

Standing here, in Eddie's arms, filthy hair, hands and face; everything felt right. Everything felt okay. I moved my head from his neck and looked at him, his eyes, his mouth, his dimples, his slight stubble on his jawline and chin, his nose, really taking everything in. He's perfect and he's so unaware of the fact that I'm falling for him, hard.

"Listen, Eddie. When this is over, you better take me on a proper date." I raised an eyebrow and gave me the biggest shit eating grin I'd ever see him wear. "Are you telling me, that you're not afraid to be seen with the Freak of Hawkins high?" His hands slid to my waist and stopped there, he tightened his grip, nails and rings digging into my skin just the right amount.

"And if I am?" I smirked at him and narrowed my eyes. "Then you better prepare yourself for the best night of your life, Princess." The usually annoying nickname now felt euphoric coming from him, the way it rolled off of his tongue and gave me goosebumps all over was a feeling I wanted to feel forever. "I'll hold you to that, Munson."

He let go of me and I frowned at the loss of contact. "You're in luck, Henderson. Before I ditched the van I grabbed all my weed, so, how's about we see if you can really keep up with me?" His tone was cocky and I loved it. "I'm down if you are, just get ready to dry your eyes with that bandanna in your back pocket when you lose."

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... what did y'all think ... idk ab y'all but I was SWEATING writing this chapter🫵🏻😀