you should write a fic where we’re like a daily customer in eddies movie store (the retroslop), we go there so much that we become like friends w eddie, n our life lowk is crap like we’re really lonely so eddie offers to watch a movie w us that he recommends and then..👀
"Closing Credits" Full/Oneshot
| any!gn!reader x movie-rental-shop-owner!efsgaming (Eddie)
in which:
— after a rough break up with your ex, you really decided to do stuff you didn't allow yourself to do while dating. So once you stepped in a movie rental shop, recently opened just several blocks from you. As an invested person for films, you really got the right people around you.
| Tags/TWs : any reader, gender neutral reader, mlm/wlm, fluff, RetroSLOP reference, movie night, kissing, idiot in love, heartbroken reader, self insert, freeform, self insert, no use of y/n, bad flirting, working hours, after work hours, break up, comforting, film industry, swearing, slang (?), adulthood, sarcasm, shyness
≡ ! | a/n : «— Hello! I REALLY REALLY FIXATED ON THIS REQUEST YOU DONT EVEN KNOW THAT ITS NOW ONE OF MY FAVOURITE EVER 🥹🥹. I wanted to clip Eddie in a red t-shirt as it would fit the theme more but i missed the stream so.... Anyways, Enjoy!»
Oh boy those relationship shit was rough to you. Not only your toxic relationship, that you thought was so perfect whilst ignoring all the red flags about the person you loved most, but they even dumped you the worst way possible!
You were so heartbroken to the point you did everything to keep the memories of that darn person out of your mind.. to get over them. You allowed yourself to get full out and treat yourself better than them. By all out I mean shopping in overpriced cafes, buying useless stuff, making something you are passionate for or partying.
Just like that, when you scrolled through social media and stumbled on a pop up, just about to close it, for once you decided to read through it. Probably a scam again..
«Do you remember the last time you held a movie in your own hands? CD disk? Felt the weight of it? Do you remember when you bought a movie you were excited to watch? That's what we thought.»
«RetroSLOP - Movie rental shop with all kind of films to your taste. Opening soon.»
«Check our website to see our stores in your state.»
Movies.. This one particular interest you grew quite fond to study. The art of film making somehow made you very nerdy and interested, especially after the break up when you had all rights to nerd out to someone when no one is now saying "Shut up" after a mentioned topic that triggered it all.
"Wh- Who names a place like that?" You thought to yourself, clicking on the website to the shop anyway. Well the choice of films were quite.. interesting. Now you got to visit that gosh darn place for sure.
After another sessions of midnight breakdowns and "Twin, flip them off them already" self-reassurance, you decided to walk through the street that supposedly located the opening store.
There were small cafés, unopened shops.. The streets were pretty empty as they were newly built supposedly. Uhum.. Turn right and... There it was! The blue sign on white background on top of half empty shop hung, neon sign "Open" was turned off. Hall inside seemed empty except several shelves with no said movies yet.
Just before you walked up, you saw a man there. He had dark curly hair, purple uniform with a red vest and a pair of dark pants, as you guessed it was their uniform. That worker brought out shelves and boxes out from the back room, placing them on their places in store.
Dang, he was pretty strong to carry those shelves with ease.. Multitasking of envy and show off. With an aprooving nod to yourself, you passed by the store, continuing walking down the street. Well now you knew that it would open up soon and.. Maybe it's good.
After a walk through to the movie rental shop, some time of spending money and week passing by, you decided to visit the shop on it's opening day.
The shop now looked pretty alive in difference to how it looked days ago. Shelves were now filled with movies of all sorts and to all tastes, smell of plastic, carpeted floors and new furniture filled that small shop.
Looking around the store, you saw only one employee there — that one with dark hair that placed everything in the store. His hands were resting on the edge of the counter in studying look to the street.
Walking in with signaling footsteps heading inside, the man straightened up, switching his attention to you. You, on other hand, looked to pick a film. 'Return due month since buying'? Alright!
Nothing too overhyped and not too niche either.. Something balanced. So you picked the film and headed to the counter to pay it out and probably watch it. The curly haired man, the only worker there. The tag on his vest was embeded with a letter E, so that meant his name was-
"Hello, I'm Eddie, the.. owner of this place. Happy to see you buy at out shop!" He said in a cheerful tone, scanning your film and taking cash from you.
Right.. His name is Eddie. Now understood. "Wonderful place you got here, Eddie!" You answered back as to make a small talk you didn't plan on. The cheefulness really caught you off guard, mentioning that there were little to no people in the shop yet, only several people that seemed off or wierd.
"Oh, thank you! I really tried to make it look good as a starter." He chuckled to himself, bagging your cassete and handing over the paper bag.
—Well, that was the first impression of him to you, a cheerful man just happy to do his job as an owner. He was quite the opposite from you, especially from the breakup you had. But.. you found yourself pulled towards watching movies. And also someone to talk about them.
You found yourself going to that place more and more. First thing is after watching a movie and returning the film due date and second.. Eddie was a fun guy to be around, even when he was the only one working there, having to do all the work before he got any employees.
He was actually the one who watched some of the films with you and on each visit both of you talked about it! He also got that safe presence around him that made you feel comfortable around him, despite some of rough past breakup time.
With each visit, the store grew not only in counts of furniture or people, but recognizion too. Each day something new would be in the rental — banners, decoration, films.
You couldn't say you were a regular there, but came around there pretty often.
One particular time you remembered was when on another visit, wanting to pick out another film serie you found pulling, the shop had those small tv banners to show the new releases.
As you glanced up, you saw some pretty funny character. You had a really bad mood that day, cried the night out when you saw a mention of your ex again. That yearned a silent but hearty chuckle from you before you payed out for the stuff you picked out.
Eddie smiled to himself then, finally seeing you get better and alive again. Somehow his business was now pretty important — it was from the start, but now after each interactions and conversations with you, picking out film you would probably like and placing them on a shelf you checked out very oftem, he found it vital for his and your own sake.
That was 3 months ago.
It was a Friday evening. Being in a good mood, talkative and not having any plans, you stayed until closing time, chatting while.
The shop was closing at 9 PM. It was hour before closing. Not so many people were now outside, atleast in the alley the shop was. The weather seemed like it would just pour straight waterfalls.
At first you browsed through the shelves, really reading into the scripts of each one you found appealing to your gaze. Then you watched adds above the payout counter to the sound of outside noise.
Eddie, the whole time, was either checking out the last few customers or slacking off of boredom. When he caught eye contact with you, he just smiled, acknowledging your presence still. You returned it all witha soft smile, nodding before returning back to doing stuff.
Clock hit 9 PM. The last customer was served. Rain, as you thought it would, poured just before closure time. Pavement spilled puddles all over the streets, creating a misty atmosphere outside.
You were deep in some thought you had, zoned out completely. Checking the time on your phone, you stood up, gathering all your stuff. Just as you were about to leave, Eddie called you out.
"Hey! Uh..." He didn't know why he did that. His lips were agap as if words themself died in his throat.
Stopping, you looked at him, hand on the handle of the front door with a puzzled expression. "What? Is something wrong?" Looking around and checking yourself from every side you could.
Not wrong but.. "I just.." He started from scratch, drumming his fingers softly against the counter, lowering his gaze on the material of the counter. "I had a shitty movie to watch. Thought you would accompany me and have a laugh." Eddie shifted from leaning on two arms to one, now gliding on the table, his gaze returning to look at you in expectation.
Seeing the silence in answer from you, his brows slightly furrowed in understanding and slight disappointment, an embarrassing blush of pink forming. One of his hand darted to the back of his neck, running hands through his curls. "I- You dont have to, if you have plans or anything, or just—"
"Sure," You answered. "Why not?" Shrugging you let go of the exit, smiling slightly. "I don't have anything planned.. atleast for weekends."
Eddie smiled, now that he had something new to experience. Sliding his hand off the counter, he locked up the register, breaking eye contact and doting into the back room to check up on everything, grab his stuff and lock the place up.
The two of you left the building, with a final lock of key and door test to make sure it really closed. You walked next to each other, chattering between one another. After what probably took 20 minutes from the shop, you got to his place, getting to his apartment.
"Come on," Eddie murmured, bumping into yours shoulder lightly before getting out the keys for both to enter. "Poor cinematography awaits.." He added animositly, grinning after his joke.
"Dude stop." You chuckled whole heartedly, shaking your head. The door opened and, as a gentelman Eddie was, he allowed you to enter first before he closed the door behind two of you.
The inside was how you would probably expect. A messy but comfortable place, radiating warmth like the person he was. The house had deep dark colour theme, something closer to those night bars that you headed first headed after the crushing stuff just several months ago.
The scent was surprisingly different from what you expected it to be. Something like takeout food mixed with brick walls and cotton — messy but pleasant. Dim lights of sun shades from orange to bright yellow shined around the house. From the entrance you could partially living room and pther hallways to other rooms.
"Home," Eddie announced with a tired sigh, etched with oncoming relaxation he felt from just stepping in after work. "Lemme change quickly, 'k?" He said after taking off his jacket and, while walking, started unbuttoning his red work vest.
Eddie dissapeared in the hallway, you then entering the living room. He indeed had several films, some of them being the ones you picked out too.
Couch was seemingly loved. Olive colour of it had a blanked lazily spread on one of arms. Coffee table between the plush couch and tv stand looked thrifted, having minor scratches and peeling off colour.
You sat down, waiting for the host to return. Not waiting long enough, Eddie returned, not in home attire — simple pants ans a t-shirt, fixing up his Apple watches.
"You want anything? Water? Tea? Beer?" He breathed out, stopping by before entering into the kitchen, awaiting.
"You know me," Looked you at him. In answer, he nodded, leaving to the kitchen.
Now the space was filled with aounds of ceramics clinking against one another, metal cutlery mixing bevegares. You caught yourself smiling, a genuine uplift of a corner of your mouth.
Eddie returner with your and his drinks, now finally settling in and turning the damn movie on. And, oh god, it was worse that it was expected to be.
The almost same clips looped on for 2 straight hours while narrator said the most atrocious shit the poetry ever heard or seen of.
"Oh god.." You whispered to the screen. "It's bad."
"I say" Eddie laughed silently "Isn't it beautiful? And ass at the same time?"
"I don't agree with the first one, Eddie.."
After a moment of genuine hold of cringe and laughter, Eddie started chatting about everything at that point – weather, jobs, films, movies, just anything.
At some point, you two were sitting close, just rambling about nothing. Maybe it was when you tried to comfortably tuck yourself in the spare blanket and shifted unknowingly, maybe from that dip in the cushions beneath.
That didn't really matter. You were comfortable.
Your head layed on the back of the couch, tilted towards him, shoulders touching and body melted into the soft material beneath. Eddie’s eyes were on you, not moving from your touch.
His eyes flicked from one of your eyes to just your lips and then back. You swore on your life you saw that. Your stomach did a backflip for sure.
"What?" You asked, cathing back his attention.
"Nothing, you just.." He looked away, slightly tilting his head away from you before returning eye contact. "I just thought about what you told again."
"And what exactly?"
"Your ex, of course. You said your ex bored you and stuff."
"I didn't say—"
"You did," Eddie cut off, not accusing. "Several days ago. You said you weren't a 'heroine' of the supposed–"
"It was a joke."
"You ain't shitting me with that," Eddie shook his head, a smile tugging on his lips. He read you like a damn script. "Trust me."
Well.. Maybe he was right. After a moment of silent defeat, you finally admited: "It wasn't, fine." You murmured. "I admit it."
"You want me to prove you're wrong?" Eddie turned fully to you, side of his face illuminated in the dark by the TV.
You stayed silent, letting him say or do whatever he might. After the silence, as probably acceptance, he shifted slightly closer to you, studying your face as if it was looking for weak spots.
"If.. anything," Eddie dragged out in a low tone. "Say anything. Do anything." And with that, he returned to silence.
One of his hands, that layed betwen them two, anchored on the couch, the other was placed on your shoulder, the warmth seeping straight through the fabric of whatever you wore.
Oh you knew it was wrong. You knew that ot was probably bad idea. You were still broken inside, you barely knew each other and now it was what you feared but craved of.
Your hand, that was too between you two, snaked to the one's wrist on the couch. Just holding on, thumb on one of the prominent bone in the wrist.
Eddie hesitated for a moment, a cocky smile radiating nervousness. "Is that a..?"
"It's not."
His gut eased, with a sigh through his nose, he leaned in, placing a peck under your eye. Then, after a pause, another one under the other.
Your mind went blank, like a computer getting it's motherboard removed.
Then the cheek. The other. Pecks. Each landing with a stupid 'mwah' that would've been funny if they didn't heat up your soul back from the dead of feelings.
"Now, that" Your forehead. "Is for when you said you were the worst."
Your jaw. "That" Your nose. "For saying that you were the one who ruined it all."
"And that" Your groove between the upper lip and nose (basically your upper lip). "For staying 'till closing time. Again."
You were laughing like a little kid seeing magic tricks from a clown now, tears prickling in the corners of your eyes – not from sadness this time. "Oh my gosh!"
"And that!" Eddie said with contained emotion not to laugh out loud at that valuable moment, moving his hand from your shoulder to wipe the formed tear off your eyelid with his thumb. "For.. just being the most interesting and precious person i recently met."
You stared back at him, still feeling his lips all over your face. "Recently? Are we talking about the same recently?" Your thumb circled his wrist on the couch.
In the dark, Eddie's face had a red-ish colour, gladly hidden by a shadow. "Don't.. Don't make it awkward." He smirked.
"You almost just devoured me whole and you're talking about some 'Don't make it awkward' stuff. Look at you!"
"I mean, I'd do it again with no shame!" He shook his head, biting the inside of his cheek. There was challenge and confidence in those deeply nervous and hesitant eyes, trust me.
With a defeated sigh, you slightly leaned in, tilting your head to the side. "Fine. One more."
The grin on Eddie’s face now shifted into a vulnerable smile. He pressed his lips on top of yours, now nothing but a peck, being greedy. He stayed on for a bit longer.
With that, you really decided to watch the film, as there was still 30 minutes left.
You woke up to the morning sun peeking through half covering blinds of the living room. The first thing you felt was warmt somewhere near your stomach and side of your face, sounds of a heartbeat and breathing. Oh damn.
After opening your eyes, you indeed was on the couch.. With Eddie. The two of you probably fell asleep on the couch, got tangled in the blanket and ended up like this. Wrapped leg around one of his, head on his chest. Eddie’s arm around your waist like a snake.
Speaking of Eddie. He was still asleep, without glasses, mouth agap, head reasting on the back of the couch, his throat exposed. Looking so much younger and somehow unguarded, soft without his usual smile.
You paniced, not from him, but at the thought of it all being a stupid joke, something that looked like your ex would do just days before shattering your heart in pieces. What did you do? What did we do?
Eddie shifted in sleep, making a silent sound. His hand tightened around your waist as if guarding a fragile piece. With that, you calmed down ever so slightly.
He woke up after another one of those shifts. His deep brown eyes fluttered open, arm around you going completely rigid as he did too. "Oh." He lifted his head slightly. "Oh, okay, alright.." His voice was deeply in sleep phase, low and soothing to hear in the morning.
"Yep," You murmured. "Hi," Lifting your head, you two were imposibly close, not only the bodies but faces and, oh damn he looked pretty up close.
"Hi.." Eddie rasped, swallowing. Well if it wasn't nice to wake up to in the morning and having his own arm wrapped around you like a doll. "I.. I didn't–"
"We were asleep. It doesn't count."
"Right..
Right. It's fine.. Totaly.
Every friend that knows one another does that, falls asleep on each other after–"
"Eddie."
"Holy sh-.. Yeah?"
"You're rambling."
He groaned, his free hand running down his face, the other, unconsciously, had its fingers subtly pressed on flat on your stomach, slightly fisting into the fabric.
Okay, damn, you could feel your face get hot too. Not only from the situation and the position both of you were, but how that man was so darn vocal in the mornings.
"Am I.."
"Desperate? Yes."
"I was gonna say– fuck that."The two of you stayed like that on the couch, not even daring to move a muscle. It wasn't akward, no.. Okay, it probably was, but still!
"Can we stay like this?.." You asked cautiously. "Forever?"
Fingers on your stomach moved absently in circles before stoping. With a sigh from the man, he tilted his head to look at you, half-hood eyed. "You know damn well I have work to do today, dont make me unemployed again because of how I feel guilty about missing this now."
You chuckled, letting the truth return into reality. He was right, sadly. "Fine. I'll try not to wait forever again for you."
That was.. The day that probably changed you forever. For the good of it, of course.
Both of you, curled up on his couch, while after got to your plans – either working or watching their now one of dearest people yet with gratitute.
Only the right people reform us into the better, maybe even replacing something for even better things.
≡ ! | a/n : «— Thanks for reading through! I for sure thought that ut would be much longer but... I still have like 3 WIPs in my notes that i need to do or redo 💔💔💔. Any form of boost apreciated!»
