This Year is My Year

What was that for?

Eddie's snores were louder than usual, waking me up early in the morning. Probably from his bruises left by Jason. I was still so mad that he had run off, letting himself be chased by the sociopath. I knew it was a bad idea. I knew it.

Eddie stirred, pulling me closer to him before groaning in pain. It took everything in me not to roll my eyes, still frustrated with what he had done the night before.

I had almost wanted to throw up when we got to him, his face so bloody, still caked in the mud from the camouflage he had insisted I put on his face. He had tried to joke with me, but I knew that they had hurt him, taking more time than usual to hurt him.

I hated Jason Carver.

I also hated that Eddie had been so stupid. But I couldn't be mad at him, especially when he had done it to protect Dustin. I suddenly got a wicked idea. I couldn't be mad, but I could punish him.

I wiggled out of his arms, eliciting another groan from him. I looped my legs around him, straddling him. His eyes flew open as he moaned in pain.

"Baby, I'm hurting today, don't do that," he whined. Baby? That was new. I smiled down at him before leaning into his neck, kissing it softly.

"I thought you said we were going to use our tent this week," I teased. He whined again, setting his hands on my hips.

"I want to, I promise, dove, I'm just sore," he said breathily as I felt his face heat. I sat up, smirking down at him as he closed his eyes again. I shrugged as I placed my hands on his stomach.

"Okay," I said coolly. "I'm just going to get changed."

I started peeling the flannel I was wearing off, still perched on him. I tossed it across the tent and his eyes suddenly flew open. I giggled as he tried to grasp at me while I moved off him, moaning as his bruises caught up with him. I pulled one of his Hellfire shirts out of his bag, putting it on as I stared down at my pathetic metalhead. His face wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, only a couple bruises along his jaw and a black eye.

"You are cruel, woman," Eddie whined, trying to sit up. I shimmied into a pair of his sweatpants before leaning down to him, grinning.

"Maybe next time you'll listen to me, Munson," I retorted before prancing out of the tent. He yelled from the tent, making me laugh. I started towards the fire, noticing the little ones chasing each other around it. I got to them, grinning as they laughed wildly.

"You guys are going to wear yourself out," I teased as I sat by the campfire. Dustin paused and sat by me, leaning into me.

"Do you think we could go swimming today?"

"Whatever you want, bud," I replied as I wrapped my arm around him. "We've got all the time in the world."

"Not really," he corrected. "We only have, like, four more days."

"Okay, got it, know-it-all," I teased. I continued to chat with the little ones, listening to their stories and humoring their questions. They asked a lot about Eddie and me, what we did together, and how things we are going. I flushed when Mike asked why we were staying in our own tent. Luckily, I didn't have to answer before Steve and Helena joined us, giggly and moony eyed over one another. They settled onto the log next to me, greeting everyone.

"How's Eddie doing?" Steve asked. He was feeling guilty, which was unfair. He didn't know what was going to happen or how stupid Eddie was going to be.

"He's okay – he'll heal up in no time," I assured him.

"I don't know about that," Eddie remarked from behind me. I turned and smiled at him. He was in a t-shirt he had cut the sleeves and sides out of, showing his ribs and the various tattoos he had decorating his body. I winced when I noticed the dark bruises coloring his tattoos, badges from Jason's fury at him. I patted the spot next to me on the log as he hobbled over to me. He set himself down gingerly, taking my hand to help steady himself.