The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez (@maddiesmartinez)
When Malka makes a deal to save her mother’s life, she must go into the woods to find the monster that haunts it. But upon meeting the inscrutable, disgraced golem, Malka’s bargains begin to unravel: protecting her people may force Malka to endanger the one person she left home to save. And the golem that she was raised to dread may not be the monster Malka always believed her to be.
What We Are Seeking by Cameron Reed
No matter how little he wants to be a doctor on a planet where the local colonists practice the barbaric custom of marriage, Dr. John Maraintha doesn’t have a choice when he is assigned to the desert planet of Scythia. At least Sudharma Jain, the beautiful translation specialist, will be going with him as well… But on a planet where the transformations of the native wildlife baffle human understanding, the most treacherous machinations may still be the unpredictable patterns of human nature.
Fate's Bane by C. L. Clark
As a child, Agnir Clan Fein is taken as hostage and ward by another clan and grows up among the enemy. More inconveniently, she starts falling in love with the chieftain's daughter, Hadhnri Clan Aradoc. When their burgeoning love for each other leads them both to an elusive spring deep in the Baneswood, a magic awakens in them that may unite the clans to face an outside threat—or destroy any hope of peace.
Greta Gets the Girl by Melissa Marr
When Kaelee and Greta meet on a dating app, they both think that the connection is casual, no strings attached. That is, until Kaelee walks into a meeting about her debut sapphic romance novel, and discovers that her new editor is none other than Greta herself. Between Kaelee’s secretive past and Greta’s future career, can they overcome the obstacles in their path, and write their happily ever after—together?
Make Me Better by Sarah Gailey (@gaileyfrey)
Welcome to Kindred Cove: a beautiful, remote island famous for its miraculous ecology. Here, you can find healing and transformation; here, there is no grief or suffering. And Celia is so, so tired of being alone.
A Mouthful of Dust by Nghi Vo
Chasing stories of a legendary famine, Cleric Chih and their hoopoe companion Almost Brilliant arrive in the river town of Baolin. But even though the famine passed years ago, old secrets and bodies refuse to stay buried. As Chih and Almost Brilliant search for the truth, something waiting in the shadows grows hungrier…
The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes
As an exterminator, Guy Moulène hunts the uncanny creatures that crawl up from the river and attempt to infest the walls of the city. But his latest quarry is different: a centipede the size of a dragon with a deadly venom and a ravenous taste for artwork, a monster that seeks to digest his city from the sewers to the opera houses. No sane person would hunt it, but Guy—struggling to provide for his sister—doesn’t have a choice.
Volatile Memory by Seth Haddon (@sethhaddonsblog)
Masks are military tech that can overcome the limits of human physiology, granting pilots and scavengers the crucial edge that could mean the difference between survival and death. Wylla, armed with nothing more than an outdated MARK 1 RABBIT and sheer desperation, plunges into the chase for an enigmatic MARK I HAWK—a mask that shouldn’t exist. A mask that may have a mind of its own…
summary: with things starting to get back to normal, you and eddie do your best to enjoy each other, even when things get low in your mind.
cw: smut, unprotected piv (but he pulls out), f oral, squirting, drunk eddie, reader suffering from migraines post accident, tiny bit of angst
a/n: sorry it took literally almost a year to update this! I promise that won't happen again :)
All was quiet in the outdated waiting room you were sitting in on this fine afternoon. There was a low hum from the radio playing behind the glass of where the receptionist sat just a few feet away from you. The whole place was outdated, the wallpaper starting to peel in the corner of the wall that you’ve been staring at for god knows how long at this point. The clock on the wall wasn’t working, perpetually set to where the hands of the clock read 4:37.
All of this wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the migraine you’d been dealing with since you woke up this morning. You’d barely gotten through your short day of class without puking on your desk with how bad your head was throbbing, not going away even with painkillers.
Eddie almost didn’t let you bring him to this appointment because of how rough you looked, but you weren’t going to let him miss out on his first therapy appointment over a headache. Especially after waking up with another night terror last night. They weren’t coming as frequently as before, but they were still just as devastating. So you pulled yourself together and drove the 45 minutes to the therapist’s office that the government assigned therapist could see him at.
They took him back fairly quickly, and if you had to guess it’s probably been about a half an hour or so since they came and got him. The therapist seemed nice, speaking softly to Eddie when she introduced herself to the two of you. She wheeled him back herself even though Eddie wanted you to come with him. You told him that he needed to get things out without you being there and that he needed to be honest with her.
The sound of your name being called caught your attention. You turned to see the therapist standing in the doorway looking at you. “Me?” You ask, as if there was anybody else in the waiting room that she could be talking to. She gives you a nod and you stand up from your seat. “Is everything okay?”
”Everything’s fine,” she says with a nod. “Eddie is just adamant on you joining us for the remainder of the session.”
You let out a disappointed sigh, shoulders slumping at this news. You couldn’t be mad at him though. He had at least gotten this far into the session without you.
Following the therapist back to the room, you were met with a downtrodden Eddie, eyes set on the floor where he sat. But when you came in his mood changed in an instant, his eyes lighting up and a smile quickly appearing on his face.
“Hey,” you say as you take a seat in the chair next to him. He gives you a hey back and reaches his hand out for you, which you take in your own. The therapist sits down in her seat across from you and grabs a clipboard and pen before looking up at you and Eddie.
She says your name again and you straighten up in your seat, “My name is Dr. Claire, and I just want to say thank you for joining us. I think Eddie and I had a very good start to our discussion…” She nods to Eddie, who shrunk down a bit in his seat at the attention. “…But, I think that what Eddie has to say is very hard for him, and he needs some comfort to get out all of his words. Would you agree, Eddie?” Eddie gives a soft shrug as a response, which doesn’t make you happy.
”Eddie, you need to speak up. She’s not going to bite,” you say, pulling at his hand between the two of you. Eddie takes a deep breath in before shifting in his seat. You can tell he’s upset, but this is the whole point of therapy, to talk and get the feelings out. Bottling them up will only make him feel worse.
”We don’t have to keep talking about what we were previously discussing if that’s too much for you today. We can talk about whatever you’d like,” Dr. Claire says, trying to reassure him.
”I want to talk about my nightmares,” Eddie says, eyes darting over to you briefly.
”Okay, let’s do that.” Dr.Claire scribbles something down on her paper before leaning in to give Eddie her full attention. “What kind of nightmares are you having? Are you having them frequently? Do they wake you up at night?”
”I…I keep having these dreams that something bad happens to…her,” Eddie says, nodding in your direction.
”Is it the same dream over and over?”
Eddie nods his head. “It’s what happened to Chrissy, the girl who died in my trailer. One second things are fine, and the next…she’s levitating to the ceiling and her arms and legs…her eyes.”
”And you’re worried that because this has happened to you before that it can happen again,” Dr.Claire states, and Eddie nods once again.
“Eddie, that’s not going to happen,” you say, turning towards him. “I told you Vecna can’t get to me.”
”You don’t know that!” he shouts, startling you a bit. “I can’t go through that again. Not with you. Not with anyone, but definitely not with you.”
”I see that this is a sore subject for you, Eddie,” Dr.Claire says gently. “She’s someone who is precious to you and you are afraid of something happening to her. Could this be because you feel like what happened with Chrissy is your fault? That you feel that, by association, that the people around you are in danger?”
You look to Eddie to see his response. He blinks slowly before speaking up. “Yeah, I-I guess that’s how I feel.”
”I’m not in danger because of you, Eddie,” you say, trying to reason with him. “What happened to Chrissy was totally unrelated to you. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
”You don’t know that. Patrick died in front of me, too. And Max almost died—“
”But from what it sounds like, Vecna already had them targeted. He didn’t kill them because of you. You just happened to be around when it happened.”
”She’s right, Eddie.” Eddie’s eyes shot up to look at Dr.Claire. “What is going on with…Vecna is something that’s been happening since before your involvement. So it’s okay to let that feeling of blame go.”
Eddie doesn’t respond for a long time. You don’t say anything else so that he can process Dr.Claire’s words properly, giving him the time to really understand what she’s said. You hope that it helps to hear it from someone other than you for once.
”I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get rid of this feeling,” Eddie says lowly, his lip wobbling a bit as he speaks.
”And you know what? That’s totally okay to have that feeling right now. But, I think, over time, we can get you to that point where it doesn’t feel like that anymore. It might not be tomorrow, or next week, or even next year. But, I think we will get you there eventually. And, I think with the help of your support system at home, you’ll be able to get through this, as long as you’re being open and honest with them.”
Eddie looks over to you, then down at where your hands are clasped together. He rubs his thumb against your skin and lets out a deep sigh. “Maybe,” he says, and you give him a small smile.
”Well, I think that was a very productive first meeting. I want the two of you two go home and just be there for each other. From what I understand, the couple’s aspect of your relationship is new, but you’ve known each other for long enough that you’re comfortable with each other that you can lean on one another for support. Is that correct?”
”Yes,” Eddie says, squeezing your hand in his. You give a nod to her as well.
”Good. Take advantage of having someone to rely on. I’m sure she would rather you tell her what’s on your mind than have you sit on it and let it fester into something negative.”
”Yes, definitely,” you say, looking at Eddie pointedly.
”Alright, well, unless there is anything else you want to address with me today, I think we can call it here. I want to see you again in two weeks, so make sure you set that up with the receptionist here so we can make sure there is an opening where I can come out again. If you are ever feeling like you’re in a crisis and need to talk to me outside of these appointments, there is a number you can call in your information packet that I gave you that will get a hold of me so I can call you back as soon as possible.”
Eddie nodded along with Dr.Claire’s words as she wrapped up, shaking yours and Eddie’s hands before walking with the two of you out to the waiting room. There you scheduled Eddie’s next appointment and made your way back to the car. You quickly put your sunglasses on as you got outside, the brightness of the late April sun only aggravating your migraine more.
”Thank you,” Eddie says after a long string of silence. You wanted to ask him about the appointment, but figured he might be overwhelmed and didn’t want to make it worse.
“For what?” You say, wincing as a glare from the bumper of the car in front of you burned into your retinas.
”For everything. For taking me. For being there for me, even though you don’t feel good. For just…being you.”
You looked over at him and gave him a smile, taking his hand in yours once again. “Of course,” you say as if it was the easiest thing you’d ever done. “I’ll always be there for you from now on. I told you that you weren’t going to get rid of me, so get used to it.”
Eddie simply smiles at that. He turns to look out the window, and you can see his reflection in the glass. You can see from the corner of your eye that his smile falters for a moment, a pensive look taking over his face.
”What’s wrong?” You ask, and he flinches a bit.
”It’s…it’s stupid,” he says, shaking his head.
”Eddie, I’m sure whatever it is isn’t stupid. Just tell me.”
Eddie takes a deep breath in before looking over at you. “Can you just…do me a favor, please?”
”Anything,” you say without hesitation.
”Can you, please, carry a Walkman around with you at all times? And keep your favorite music in it? Just in case.”
”Eddie,” you say, thinking it was going to be something more serious, “If that will make you feel better, of course I will. I need to get a new one, though.”
”Maybe we can find one at that record store at the mall that we went to,” he says, perking up at the idea of getting to go back.
”Let’s make a date out of it. We’ll go get food and have a little shopping day.”
”A date, huh?” Eddie says, eyebrows wiggling at you goofily.
”Well, we haven’t been on a proper one yet, so we might as well.”
”I’d really like that. Never been on a date before. Should we dress up?”
”We don’t have to look fancy or anything, but we can look nice,” you say with a shrug.
”Hmm, I think I’d like that. Might have to borrow a nice shirt from Wayne.”
“Or we could look for something for you to have. Might be nice to have your own clothes for a change. We need to get you some summer clothes.”
”What’s wrong with my clothes I have now?” Eddie asks with mock offense.
”All you have are long pants. Don’t you want some shorts?” You ask him genuinely.
”Sweetheart,” Eddie says as if that was the dumbest question you could ask. “You can’t be serious.”
”What? Don’t you want to let your leg breathe?”
”You think I want to show my stump off to the world?”
”It’s just the end of your thigh, Eddie,” you explain, not seeing the big deal. “No one is going to think anything of it. Not like people don’t know you’re missing a leg when they see no shoe at the end of your pant leg.”
Eddie gets quiet after your statement. You immediately clock it and start to second guess what you said. It’s not like you were trying to make a big deal out of nothing, you just want him to feel more confident in himself.
”Eddie, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that,” you say, glancing over at him.
”No, it’s okay. I’m just thinking,” he responds, but you’re not totally convinced.
”Listen, you don’t have to wear shorts. We can at least get you some new jeans and some shirts you can cut the sleeves off of,” you suggest, trying to fix the situation.
”I mean, I could definitely use some new clothes,” Eddie said, tilting his head to the side. “I was never really a shorts guy to begin with. But…I don’t know. Maybe some longer shorts wouldn’t hurt. I could sew the ends of them closed on the right leg.”
”Yeah, we could totally do that!” You say, happy to hear him warming up to the idea. “I need to get some shorts myself.”
Eddie hums in a tone that makes you think he’s thinking something no good. “I would love to see that.”
”You act like you’ve never seen me naked before, Munson,” you joke, swatting lightly at his arm.
”Hey, I may be missing some parts but I am still just a man,” he says with a laugh. You roll your eyes at him, wincing at the way the movement made your head feel.
”You know, we can just go straight home if you want,” Eddie suggests, “I hate seeing you in pain like this.”
”It’s okay, Eds. I don’t want to make you guys eat another pizza when I’m perfectly capable of cooking.”
Eddie looks at you with a quirked brow. “Sweetheart, no one is forcing a group of young boys to eat pizza. They’d probably eat it for every meal if they could.”
”And they’ll be saying the same thing about my lasagna after tonight,” you say confidently.
”It is the best lasagna I’ve ever had,” Eddie says with a deep nod.
”Then no more lip. I’ve also been craving something sweet so I’m thinking about making brownies, too.”
“Brownies would be good.”
The two of you drive the highway back to Hawkins, stopping in the town over to the Marsh to get supplies for dinner. Eddie wheeled in his chair behind you as you pushed the cart, insisting he come in and help you shop rather than waiting in the car. You know it’s because he’s worried about you being sick, but it was also a step in the right direction when it came to being in public for him.
After loading your cart with ingredients for dinner along with some extra stuff the house was running low on, the two of you make your way to the check out line and get your groceries. You go to pull out your cash to pay when Eddie grabs your arm, shaking his head at you.
”What?” You ask, looking at him with confusion.
”I’m paying,” he says, pulling his wallet from his back pocket.
”Eddie, you don’t have to—“
”Here ya go, ma’am.” Eddie hands the clerk two 20 dollar bills and waits for his change. You bite your tongue, not wanting to make a scene in the store. But the second the two of you get out to the parking lot, you’re grilling him.
”Eddie, you just started getting those checks, you don’t need to be spending them frivolously.”
”Babe, you’re making food for my friends and me, I’m not making you pay for it,” he argues, yelling over the sound of the loud cart. “Besides, you barely work at that coffee shop enough to have any extra money to be spending.”
”I have a good amount in my savings, Eddie. I’m definitely not hurting,” you say, unlocking the trunk and popping it open. Eddie wheels next to you and helps you load the bags into the back of your car.
”Still, I’m also your man now. It’s my responsibility to take care of you.”
You stop what you’re doing and turn to look at him, hands on your hips in disbelief. ”Eddie, shut the hell up.”
”What! I’m being serious!”
”You know I don’t believe in that stuff,” you say, closing the trunk once the last bag is inside.
”I don’t really either, but…I don’t know. I just wanna be good to you is all.” The look on Eddie’s face when he says the last bit makes you go soft. You place a hand on either one of his cheeks and lean in to place a peck on his lips. He melts in your palms, looking at you with hearts in his eyes.
”You don’t need to be a macho man for me, Eddie,” you say, and his lips tighten into a straight line. You let out a sigh and cross your arms, “But, if it makes you feel better, I’ll try to be more open about you taking care of me, too.”
”Really?” Eddie says, his eyes lighting up at your words.
”Yes, I promise.”
“Oh, come on, that’s bullshit and you know it, Jeff!”
You wince at the loud sounds coming from behind you as the rowdy group of boys play their game at the kitchen table. They’ve only just started playing and are already at a volume that’s making your head pound more. You rush as fast as you can to put the lasagna together, running out of the kitchen with a quickness once you pop the pan in the oven.
Closing the door behind you, you rush into Eddie’s bathroom and head straight for the toilet. There’s an aura around everything in your vision and the room is starting to spin around you. Landing on your knees in front of the toilet, you lift up the lid as fast as you can before you begin gagging into the bowl. Thankfully nothing comes up, but your head doesn’t feel any better after.
Slowly you stand back up and hobble to the doorway of Eddie’s room. You can hear the boys still yelling and sigh, not wanting to go back out there and deal with them. Maybe a shower would help alleviate some of the pain.
”Hey, Eddie?” You call out from the bedroom, hoping that he heard you. The house suddenly goes quiet, and after a moment Eddie wheels his way into the living room. He gets one look at you and quickly wheels himself down the hall to you.
”Is everything okay?” He asks, looking at you worriedly.
”My head,” you say, pinching the bridge of your nose.
”What can I do?” He says, his hand touching your side lightly.
”Just, keep an eye on the lasagna, please? I put a timer on but it will be in there for a while. I’m going to get in the shower and see if the steam helps.”
”Yes, absolutely. And if you need me to send the boys home—“
You wave a hand to him, “No, no, I’ll be fine. Just have one of them pull the lasagna out if I don’t get out by the timer going off. Wait to eat it because it’s going to be very hot.”
”Yes ma’am,” he says, giving you a salute. You give him a quick peck on the lips before retreating back into the bathroom. You turn all the lights off, letting the light from Eddie’s room illuminate the small room just enough that you could see your way around.
After letting it warm up, you step in and there is a slight but immediate relief once the water hits your throbbing head. You shamelessly grab the shower head from the wall and sit on Eddie’s chair, letting the pressure of the water hit you square in the face. You’re not sure if the water was actually helping or if it was just a great distraction from the pain, but you were just grateful to not feel so miserable for the first time all day.
The concept of time left you while you sat in the shower. It could have been 5 minutes or 5 hours, who was to say. All you knew was that the water was, much to your dismay, slowly losing it’s heat, and therefore also its relieving effect it had on your head. Once you turned the knob as far as it could go and the water continued to get colder, you realized that you had to face the reality of getting out of the comfort of the water and back into the harsh light of day.
By the time you made it back out to the kitchen, you noticed the volume of the boys had gone down significantly. You were almost worried that they had left until you were greeted with the sight of them all quietly eating their food at the table.
”Is it good?” You ask, breaking the calm of the room.
It became a cacophony of compliments as soon as you asked, and you immediately regretted saying anything. Still, you were happy that everyone was enjoying their food.
“We told Lucas you made the food just for him,” Dustin said, elbowing said friend in the arm.
”I hope you didn’t do that just for me,” Lucas says, seeming genuinely worried that you went through all the trouble for him.
”I mean, I would lie if it being your first time here wasn’t part of the reason. But that's not the whole reason. I also just really wanted lasagna.”
“Fair,” the boy says, taking another bite of his food.
”How’s your head?” Eddie asks, looking up at you.
”It feels a little better.”
”Why don’t you go lay down? I’ll make sure these nerds keep it down for you.”
You wrap your arms around Eddie from behind and plant a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, baby.”
It was like a record scratch took over the room. Everyone was staring at you and Eddie, faces riddled in complete shock.
”What the—“
”I’m sorry, but did she just—“
”I fucking knew it!” Dustin stands from his chair and looks over to Mike and Will, sticking his hand out to them. “You guys owe me five dollars each!”
There was nothing that could have prepared you for the sight before you.
”I feel silly,” Eddie says, one hand on the counter to help him keep his balance as he looks at himself in the mirror.
But, he looked the farthest from silly.
Eddie was dressed in a nice, deep green suit with a maroon tie and dark brown dress shoe. You did his hair for him, pulling it back into a nice low bun and fixing up his bangs so they laid nice in his face. This was the first time seeing him so put together, and it was frankly doing something for you.
”I see you eying me,” Eddie says teasingly, making you smile.
”What can I say? I like what I see.” You saunter over to him, resting a hand on his chest while you scan him from toe to head.
“Save that excitement for after the ceremony,” Eddie says, and you give him a pouty lip.
”You’re gonna look like that all day and make me wait? Do you even love me?” You say, throwing your head back dramatically. Eddie takes the opportunity you’ve given him and goes straight for your neck, lightly biting at the skin there. You jump back, almost making him fall as he grabs onto you for balance.
“Don’t make me fall for you again,” Eddie says as you help him straighten up. You just roll your eyes and help him back into his chair.
”Alright, now get outta here so I can get ready, too,” you tell him, wheeling him out of the bathroom.
“Wow, I wont let you jump my bones and you’re getting rid of me? I see how you feel,” Eddie says, crossing his arms over his chest in faux offense.
”Yep, now git,” you say, pushing him into the hallway.
”Well, you look spiffy,” you hear Wayne say from the living room.
”Hey, you look pretty good yourself, old man,” Eddie says back, wheeling himself down the hall.
You do your best to get ready as fast as you can, not wanting to make the men wait too long on you. Looking yourself over in the mirror, you straighten out the maroon dress you got to match Eddie’s tie. It fit you perfectly, cut in a way that was flattering to your body shape. And Eddie seemed to agree, his eyes bulging out of his head when he saw you emerge from the bedroom.
”Okay, maybe I can’t wait all day,” he says, making grabby hands at you.
”Ah, ah,” you say, wagging your finger at him. “I put too much effort into this, you’re not ruining it.”
”Besides, she’s not your date today, anyway,” Wayne says, hooking his arm around yours. He looks you up and down and whistles, “You clean up pretty good, darlin’.”
”Thanks Wayne,” you say, leaning into him and giving him a side hug.
”Yeah, yeah, she’s only your date because I’m part of the wedding party,” Eddie says, pshing the two of you.
You lean in and give Eddie a peck and that makes him beam up at you. “Well, we better get going,” you say, looking at the clock on the wall. The two men agree and the three of you take off, Wayne in his truck and you and Eddie in your car. Wayne didn’t plan on staying the whole time, so he opted to drive separately so you and Eddie could stay at the reception longer.
The drive was long, about an hour to the venue, but it definitely wasn’t quiet. Eddie gave you all the lore about his and Rick’s past, about how Eddie met Rick when he was a freshman and Rick was a senior. Rick introduced Eddie to Dungeons and Dragons, but wasn’t part of Hellfire since Eddie started the club his sophomore year after Rick had graduated.
He seemed a little reluctant to go into details about when they sold drugs together, just saying it was a way for Eddie to make money to help Wayne out. You didn’t pry, honestly not sure if you wanted to know more than that anyway.
He also gave you the details on Rick’s soon to be wife, Tasha. They met when Rick started at community college and they’ve been head over heels for each other ever since. Tasha sounded nice, probably too nice for Rick, but they say opposites attract so what do you know.
When you pulled up to the venue, your mouth was hanging open as you looked at the property the venue was on. It was an old farmhouse and barn with everything set up for an outside ceremony in the side yard. The property went on for miles, pastures as far as you could see back.
Eddie lets out a whistle as he looks around, “This place is pretty nice.”
”No kidding,” you say, pulling up next to some cars parked in the grass. Wayne pulled in next to you and hopped out of his truck to grab Eddie’s chair from your trunk. He helped Eddie out of your car, offering to push him on the rough, grassy terrain.
The three of you made your way across the property to the main house where you hoped to find the other members of the wedding party. The wedding wasn’t set to start for another hour and a half, but you all wanted to make sure you got there with plenty of time in case there was traffic on the way.
”Well, that’s not good.” You look up when you hear Eddie’s voice, following his gaze to the large set of stairs that led up to the porch.
“We’ll get you up there, Ed,” Wayne says, patting him on the shoulder.
”Maybe I should wait out here,” Eddie says, twiddling his thumbs. “Can you go inside and let them know I’m here?”
Wayne gives Eddie a nod and runs up the steps and into the house, leaving the two of you to wait. You walk over to stand behind him, leaning forward and wrapping your arms around his neck loosely, pushing your cheek into his. He takes one of your hands in his, rubbing circles into your skin.
”Are you nervous?” You ask him.
”Nah, I’ll be alright. I’m sure Rick is shaking, though,” he chuckles. ”I bet he’s already started drinking.”
”Are you gonna drink?”
Eddie puts a finger to his lip and pretends to think real hard about it before giving you a wide, devious smile, “I may have a drink or two.”
”Well thank goodness you didn’t drive,” you say, patting his chest before pushing off of him.
The front door of the house opened and Wayne walked out with a woman probably around his age, dressed in a baby blue dress and with her hair and make up done perfectly.
”Eddie!” The woman calls out.
”Hello, ma’am,” he says, giving her a polite wave.
”It’s back this way,” the woman motions to follow her, and Wayne gets behind Eddie’s chair and starts pushing him.
”Where are we going?” Eddie asks.
”There’s a ramp in the back of the house,” the woman says, looking back to Eddie. “Ricky picked this venue because of the ramp for you.”
Your heart swelled at the woman’s comment. As much shit as you could give Rick, you had to admit he was at least a good friend.
”Here it is,” she says, gesturing to a small ramp that went into the back door of the house. “If you need any help, let us know.”
”This is great,” Eddie says, rolling up to the small ramp. “Thank you Mrs.Lipton.”
”Of course,” the woman says, walking up and opening the back door for him. Wayne pushed Eddie inside and you followed after them. You enter into a small kitchen area where the counters are filled with cans of beer and a couple boxes that look like they were once filled with donuts.
”Rick and the boys are this way in this room over here,” Mrs.Lipton says, Eddie pushing himself through the house to follow her.
”I’m gonna go out for a smoke, Ed,” Wayne calls, and Eddie gives him a thumbs up.
”I’ll go with you,” you say, following the older Munson outside. You stand off to the side a bit, looking at the way everything was set up while Wayne lit up a cigarette.
“This the kinda thing you want?” Wayne asks you, making you turn to look at him.
”Me? I mean—“ you take a deep breath in, and your mind begins to wander. It’s not like you’ve never thought about what it would be like to get married, and you’ve definitely talked about what it would be like to get married to Eddie. “—I’m not opposed to any of this. But I’d be okay with something small, too. It’s more about the why and less about the how for me.”
”I had a feelin’ you’d say somethin’ like that,” Wayne chuckles. You give him a look and he laughs.
There’s a quiet beat between you, and you just take in the view before Wayne speaks again.
”Flo would’a loved this,” he says, voice quiet.
You sucked your lips between your teeth and nodded. “For herself, or for Eddie?”
”Both.”
You thought about how young Eddie’s mother was when she died. Barely older than you, and she was responsible for a whole human being while Eddie’s father was away at war. How hard it must have been to have a child at 17 and then his father be sent away, only to die before he could even come home and see her again.
Did she lay in her bed every night and think about what their life would be like if he got to come home to her? Did she pass shops with wedding dresses and sigh, imagining what she would look like in it? Did she dream about having more kids in the future? Did she want a little girl like you did, one with wild curly hair and big brown eyes like the man you loved had?
Did she dream about marrying Eddie’s dad like you thought about marrying her son?
”You want one?” Wayne says, offering his pack to you.
You sniffled, wiping away the tear that managed to fall. “No, I don’t want to risk getting a headache. Thank you, though.”
”Good fer you,” he nods, shoving the pack back into his dress pants pocket. “They still pretty bad?”
”I get one almost every other day now,” you say with a sigh and Wayne clicks his tongue.
”Y’should probably go see a doctor,” he says and you look at him with a crooked smile.
”I know. I will eventually. I just need to get through this last semester and then I’ll have all summer to worry about myself.”
”You can do both at the same time, ya know,” he says, giving you a look.
”I promise I will. They’ll probably want to do all kinds of testing and it’s just gonna be a whole day that I don’t have right now,” you say with a shrug.
”Well, if you need, I can take the day off to take you,” he offers.
”Thanks, Wayne,” you smile, “I think I’ll be okay though.”
You and Wayne stand outside and enjoy the nice early May weather, watching the cars roll in as guests begin to arrive. At some point Wayne broke off from you and met up with who you assumed was Rick’s dad by how much they looked alike, the man offering Wayne a cigar to go smoke.
That left you alone, making you wonder how Eddie was doing. Surely if he needed you he would come get you, but being away from him this long made you worry.
As if he could sense you thinking about him, you hear your name being called from the house where Eddie was at the back door waving at you. You jogged over to the ramp and walked up it to him, him backing up into the kitchen to let you in. It was currently filled with men all in the same tux as Eddie and chatting amongst each other.
”Babe, tell Rick you’re my girlfriend,” Eddie says, grabbing your hand and pulling you over to where Rick was standing.
”What?” You laugh, looking at Eddie like he was crazy.
”Rick thinks I’m lying that you’re my girlfriend now.”
”I think he’s too chicken shit to have actually asked you out,” Rick says, taking a sip of his beer.
”Eddie,” you say, putting a hand on his shoulder, “I told you to stop telling people I’m your girlfriend.”
Eddie looks up at you like you’re crazy and the other guys all burst out laughing. You immediately felt bad because Eddie looked like he could cry, so you lean down and give him a big smooch on the lips to rectify the situation. The boys all hoot and holler at your kiss, and when you pull away Eddie had a love struck look on his face.
”I can’t believe it,” Rick says, giving Eddie a slight shove to the shoulder.
”Told ya,” Eddie says smugly, pulling you closer to him.
”Hey man,” one of the other guys who is clearly already drunk says, “How come you couldn’t get a girl in high school, but you lose a freaking leg and all the sudden you’re a babe magnet?”
”Hey, not cool,” Rick says, giving the guy a stern look.
You look at Eddie and expect to see him looking upset. “I’m sorry, Jimmy, did you come with a smokin’ hot girlfriend? No? Then shut the fuck up,” he says with a shit eating grin, and the guys all burst out into a fit of laughter. Eddie’s compliment made you blush and you squeezed his hand in yours.
The boys started up with more playful banter, saying things that had you shaking your head at them. After a bit, a younger girl, maybe in her late teens, walks into the room and clears her throat to get the boys’ attention.
”We need to get ready to start,” she says with crossed arms and her foot tapping on the hardwood.
”Is it time already?” Rick says shocked, looking at his wrist watch. “Shit, okay, um, let's get going guys.”
”Alright, Eddie, I’ll see you out there,” you say, leaning in to give him a quick peck on the lips.
”Are you his girlfriend?” The girl asks, looking at you with a scrunched nose.
”Yes, I am,” you tell her, Eddie shaking your hands that are holding each other.
”You’re not, like, the jealous type are you?”
”No, not at all,” you say with a chuckle, but she doesn’t look convinced.
”Well, I’m going to be the one walking out with him, so I don’t want you getting mad at me over it,” she says, and you fight to hold back a laugh.
”Cross my heart I’m not upset,” you say, and she rolls her eyes.
”Okay, if you say so,” she says, walking up to Eddie and getting behind his chair to push him. He waves to you as they take off to line up at the back door, and you decide to go out the front and make your way back around that way.
You spot Wayne’s balding head sitting in one of the rows and make your way over to him, his hand patting the bench where he was saving a seat for you. The chattering started to go down as the music began to play, everyone turning in their seats to watch as the wedding party made their way out.
After a few pairs came out Eddie in his chair eventually came into sight, the young girl pushing him slowly down the ramp and then walking next to him as they made their way to the altar. They all took their places next to Rick and to the side of where his fiancée, would walk out. You all stood as the music changed, and the bride and her father walked out.
A little commotion behind you made you look back, and you saw where two of the other groomsmen were holding Eddie up so he could stand while Tasha walked down the aisle. It made you melt at the sight, and you could really see how tall Eddie was compared to other men around him. He looked at you, giving a small wave when he caught you looking.
The rest of the ceremony went on without a hitch. It was truly beautiful, and you admittedly teared up watching the two read off their vows to each other. But the whole time you really couldn’t keep your eyes off of Eddie. You felt yourself getting emotional over the fact that his friend still wanted him in his wedding even though he lost his leg. That the girl didn’t care about having to walk with Eddie, rather that she was worried you would get jealous. The fact that not only did Rick want a venue that had accessibility for Eddie, but that his now wife agreed to it, too.
A white handkerchief came into your blurry vision, Wayne offering it to you. You took it with a small chuckle, wiping your tears away on it.
Once the wedding party walked back into the house, the rest of the party was directed to go to the barn for the reception. You all made your way inside the large, red barn, taking your seats at the tables. They were kind of far back, but you could still see Eddie where they pushed him to his spot at the table for the groomsmen to sit.
The reception started with everyone getting their meals and returning to their seats to chat, then shortly after came speeches from the maid of honor and best man. Once everyone had finished their meals, the DJ called the bride and groom to the floor for their first dance, followed by a dance between the bride and her father. It was all very sweet, and you were happy everything seemed to be going off without a hitch.
Once the dance floor was open to the rest of the guests, you noticed Eddie was making his way over to you. “Care for a dance?” He asks, and you think he’s being genuine, nodding excitedly. “Oh, sorry, I was just joking. You know, the leg and all.”
”Oh, right,” you say, biting your lower lip.
”I actually wanted to see if you wanted to go outside and smoke with me?”
”Sure,” you agree, getting behind him to push him out the barn doors. The sun was beginning to set, the sky a beautiful blend of blue and gold over your heads.
“That was really nice of those guys to stand with you,” you say as Eddie lights up his cigarette.
”Mhmm,” Eddie says, blowing the smoke from his lips. “When they brought it up I was a little scared. I didn’t know how long I was going to be able to stand like that. But, they were practically holding me up on their own, so I didn’t have to put that much weight on my leg.”
”Wow, what a nice gesture.”
”Was it weird to see me upright like that?”
You shook your head with a small chuckle. “It wasn’t weird, but I guess I didn’t realize how tall you were compared to those other guys.”
”Yeah, I’m like 6 feet tall,” he says, kicking his foot.
“Was your dad tall, too? Wayne isn’t really that tall,” you ask him curiously.
”My dad is taller than Wayne, but the men on my mom’s side are apparently pretty tall, too. I never met my grandparents on my mom’s side so I can’t confirm that, though. Never met anyone on my mom’s side.”
”I’m sorry,” you say, and he waves you off.
”Hey, can’t miss something you’ve never had,” Eddie says without an ounce of sadness in his tone.
The two of you continue to talk while Eddie smokes, listening to the music play from inside the barn in quiet moments between you.
Just as Eddie puts out his cigarette, the music suddenly lowers and the DJ’s voice can be heard on the speakers.
“Alright, it’s that time of the evening everybody! Can I get all the unmarried ladies onto the dance floor for the bouquet toss?”
”C’mon, let’s go,” Eddie suddenly says, wheeling past you to get into the barn.
”Wait, where are you going?”
“You need to get back inside to catch those flowers,” he calls back, disappearing into the barn.
”Eddie!” You called, but were met by the large group of ladies on the dance floor, all facing the bride. You looked for Eddie, spotting him off to the side where he was waving for you to join the group.
“Alright, on the count of three ladies!”
With a split decision you rush out to the dance floor just as they count down to three. You barely had time to think before Tasha was launching the flowers into the air behind her, the bundle soaring over the group with squeals from the women trying to get it.
That’s when you saw it coming, the large bouquet dropping directly over you. Out of reflex, you put your hands up, and the flowers land heavily in your grip. You pull the flowers close to you, opening your eyes as everyone starts to realize someone caught the prize with a mix of cries and joy.
”Way to go, girls!” The DJ calls as the group of disappointed women begins to disperse.
You look over at Eddie, who is absolutely cracking up, and you were sure you looked like a huge idiot right now.
“You know what that means, right Munson?” You hear Rick call across the venue, and Eddie flips him the bird before wheeling up to you.
“That was so embarrassing," you say to him, but he just shakes his head.
“Not at all,” he says, looking up at you with adoration in his eyes.
The DJ starts up the music again and you get excited when you hear the song playing. “Eddie c‘mon,” you say, laying the flowers on a nearby table and pulling Eddie by the hand to the dance floor.
”What are you doing?” He asks, confused.
”We’re going to dance,” you tell him, and he shakes his head no.
”How do you expect me to do that?” He asks, but you just wordlessly take his hands and lift him up from his seat. “Woah!”
”Just lean on me,” you tell him.
Eddie looks down at you, then looks around the dancefloor to see if anyone is looking at him. When he realizes that no one seems to be paying attention, he lets out a sigh and puts his hands around your middle, his body leaning into yours.
”Let me know if you need to sit down,” you tell him, swaying his body with yours slowly.
”I’ll be okay,” he says before ducking his head down to press his lips against yours.
The two of you rock side to side to the music, only paying attention to yourselves and not to the eyes that watch you. You didn’t care if anyone was watching or not anyway, you were just happy to be with Eddie, and you’d gladly exclaim that to the world.
”You know,” Eddie starts, talking directly into your ear, “Maybe by the time its our turn, I’ll have a fake leg to keep up with you.”
You look up at him with a bit of surprise, but can’t help but smile at his words. “You’d want that?” You ask him, and he nods.
”I’d like to be able to get around better. I know they’re a pretty penny to get, but maybe if I save up for a couple of years I could get one.”
”That would be amazing, Eddie,” you say giddily. “Not that you’re not perfect the way you are now, but I’d love for you to be able to have that freedom.”
”I think I’d feel more like a man, too,” Eddie says lowly. You look up at him, and can’t help but feel pity for him.
”Eddie, trust me, you are still a man. At least to me,” you say, giving him a sly smile that makes him blush.
”You’re about the only thing that makes me feel that way,” he says, placing another kiss on your lips.
As the song fades out, the couples begin to depart from the dance floor. Just as Eddie sits back down in his chair, Aerosmith’s “Dream On” starts playing over the speakers, and there’s a sudden ruckus going on from around the barn. All of the groomsmen suddenly take to the dance floor, pushing Eddie to the middle and shoving a beer in his hand as they all begin to sing along with the song.
You can’t help but laugh watching six grown men drunkenly sing without a care in the world. Their show was entertaining the rest of the party in the barn as well with their passionate vocalizing. You even spotted Wayne who was shaking his head at his nephew and his friends, wrinkles in his eyes prominent as he smiles at their antics.
It really hits you then that Eddie has a larger support system than you thought. Sure, he has Wayne, and now he has you, but he also has Hellfire, and these friends, and Hopper and the Byers, and so many other people you can think of. He has people who care about him, people that he pushed away so many months ago, and who knows if he would have even been here if he hadn’t gotten over some hard hurdles. Hurdles that you went through together.
You rush through the open doors back outside and around the side of the barn where no one can see you. Tears fall silently as you cover your mouth to keep your sobs to yourself. They weren’t sad tears at first, but tears of joy. And not even just for Eddie, but for yourself, too. Because you’re happy. You’re truly happy and you can’t believe it. You thought that you were going to live out your life for others, always pleasing everyone else like you’d done growing up.
But it doesn’t feel that way anymore, because Eddie has conditioned you to make you feel like you’re important for once. He does whatever he can for you, and not in a way to make you feel guilty like you’ve experienced before, but because he cares. He genuinely cares.
And, fuck, that’s kind of scary.
What if you’re digging too deep into this? What if this relationship was a mistake? Surely the other shoe would have to drop eventually, right?
“There you aaaareeeee.” The sing-songy voice caught your attention, pulling you from your spiral. Even with the light from the barn obscuring your vision you still knew it was Eddie who had found you. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
”Sorry, I just…needed a minute,” you say, trying to hide your sniffles.
”Hey, are you crying?”
Fuck. “No,” you say, not very convincingly.
”Why are you crying? Did something happen?” Eddie wheels closer to you and you try to hide your face, but he leans forward until you can’t avoid him anymore.
”Sweetheart, what’s the matter?” Eddie grabs your hand and rubs his thumb on the back of it trying to comfort you.
”I’m fine, I promise. I, um, I’m…” But the water works started again, and this time you didn’t even bother to hide them from him.
“Did I do something? I’m sorry I left you alone, the guys swooped me up and—“
”No, no, Eddie, it’s not you,” you assure him, wiping your tears from your cheeks. “I don’t even really know why I’m so emotional right now. I was fine, and then I started thinking and went and made myself upset.”
”Do you want to go?”
”No, Eddie, I want you to have a good time with your friends! You never go out, especially like this,” you say, gesturing to his outfit. “Please ignore me and go have fun. I’ll be fine.”
”You know I can’t do that, darlin’,” Eddie says, and you can feel a crack of a smile on your lips. You knew Eddie had been drinking, but only when he got drunk-drunk did his little country twang come out.
“Eddie, how drunk are you?” You ask him, and you see his eyes go wide.
“I don’t know why you think I’m drunk,” he says unconvincingly. “And don’t change the subject.”
”You’re so cute, Eddie. You know that?” You say, leaning down to be at eye level with him.
”You think I’m cute?” He asks bashfully, pulling a loose strand of hair in front of his face.
”Always,” you tell him, placing a peck on his cheek.
”Now, c’mon, let’s get you back inside so you can keep enjoying the party,” you say, grabbing the handles of his chair and pushing him back to the barn.
“Fine, but I’m not gonna forget about this,” he says with a hiccup. “We still got a long drive home.”
His words sounded like a threat at the time, making you slightly worried for when you did leave. But, when Eddie’s buddies loaded him up in your car at the end of the night, he was nowhere near coherent enough to remember that he even wanted to talk to you. And by the time you hit the main road, he was out like a light, snoring the entire hour drive home.
When you finally pulled into the driveway, you opened the car door and just looked at your boyfriend as he was passed out in your passenger seat. Wayne went to stay with Ben for the evening, so it was just you and Eddie in the house tonight. It was a nice thought, but you didn’t anticipate Eddie getting this drunk, and you honestly weren’t sure how you were going to get him out of your car.
”Eddie,” you say, giving him a little shake. His snore stopped abruptly, his body jerking at being suddenly awake. He looks around, seemingly confused, until his eyes land on you, where a wide grin stretches across his face.
”Hi baby,” he says, making you giggle.
”Hi handsome. How are you feeling?”
”Pretty good since you’re here.” He suddenly shifts in his seat, swinging his legs to the side so his foot hits the ground.
”Woah, hold on, let me grab your wheelchair,” you tell him, rushing to the trunk. But Eddie didn’t listen, so when you brought the chair to him he was standing on his one leg and barely holding himself up. “Eddie,” you gasp, pushing his chair next to him.
”Ah, there's that damn thing,” he says before turning and plopping down in the chair. “Wish I didn’t need this piece of shit. Just wanna pick you up and carry you in the house and ravish you like a prince with his princess.”
You felt heat creep on your cheeks at Eddie’s words as you silently pushed him into the house. “Even if you could walk, there would be no ravishing tonight, my love.”
”Whaaaaaaaat?” He whines, his head whipping around to look at you with the most pitiful look on his face.
”Baby, I’m sorry, but you are way too drunk,” you tell him, and he looks like he’s on the verge of tears.
”I’m not that drunk,” he argues, “I know where I am and who you are. I’m not gonna forget, either.”
”Eddie, I don’t know…” You say, not sure if you feel totally comfortable.
”I’m not gonna beg you and make you feel bad, but I promise I want this,” he assures you.
“Are you even going to be able to get hard?” You tease him.
”I’m half hard right now lookin’ at ‘cha,” he says, his hands landing on your hips, rubbing you sensually.
”Make me a deal?”
”Anything,” he says, pulling you to him.
”Eat something, maybe sober up a teensy bit more, and then we will see how you’re feeling?” You propose. Eddie leans back in his chair, bringing a hand to his chin as he thinks.
”Fine, I suppose I could eat,” he says with a shrug.
”Good, let’s go whip you up something,” you say, grabbing the armrests of his chair and pushing him backwards into the kitchen making him giggle like a little kid.
Eddie ate the food you made for him, and you were relieved when he seemed like he was getting some of his senses back. As much as you wanted him, you sort of hoped that eating would tire him out so he’d just go to bed.
But, that wasn’t the case, his hands all over you as you pushed him into your bedroom. “Mmm, can’t wait to get this off of you,” he murmurs, his hands tugging on the material of your dress. You grab his hands, holding them in yours as you pull. Eddie catches what you’re doing and pulls himself up, turning himself until he’s sitting on the side of the bed, his eyes on you the whole time.
In that moment, you decide to tease him with a little show. You slowly slip the straps of your dress down your arms, the neckline of your dress slouching with it, exposing the meat of your cleavage. Eddie’s eyes go wide, mesmerized as you continue on, letting the dress continue to slip down even more until the fabric hits the floor around your ankles. That left your chest fully exposed, only your panties keeping you from being fully nude.
”Jesus christ,” Eddie huffs under his breath. He looks completely gone already; his lips parted slightly, eyes lidded, and all his weight shifted on one arm and he palms himself with his other hand.
“Like what you see?” You ask, and Eddie’s head nods with a quickness that makes you giggle.
“Don’t know how I got so lucky,” he says, barely blinking as you make your way closer to him.
”I’m the lucky one,” you tell him, placing your arms on his shoulders. His head instantly falls into your chest, making you laugh as he buries himself between your tits. He mumbles something against your skin, but you can’t make out what he’s saying. “Eddie, I can’t hear you.”
He lifts his face just enough that he’s still between your tits but he can still look at you. “I said, there’s no luck when it comes to me.”
”Eddie,” you say sharply, not letting him talk down on himself.
“Sorry, sorry,” he says, ducking his head so he can kiss your skin. You want to be mad at him, but he brings his hands up to cup your breasts in his hands, his head moving back and forth as he kisses them both lovingly.
”Mmm, love you,” he says, before taking a nipple into his mouth and sucking on it, making your back arch at the sensation.
“Fuck, I love you too, baby,” you sigh.
He pops your nipple out of his mouth with a satisfied hum, flicking it with his thumb to keep it stimulated. Then, he looks up at you, tilting his chin in a way to silently tell you he wanted to kiss you. So you obliged, taking his face in your hands and kissing him. It’s hot and passionate, which is surprising considering you knew Eddie was still a little tipsy. But he kept it together, licking his tongue into your mouth where you could taste the beer he had been drinking tonight.
When he finally stops, his lips only a centimeter from yours, he whispers against your lips. “I want to try something tonight.”
You open your eyes, looking down at him curiously. “Oh yeah?” You ask, and he nods lazily.
“Wanna make you feel good,” he says, his lips leaving a trail down from your cheek to your collar bones.
“H-how so?” You ask, feeling a tingle in your spine from his kisses.
“Mmm, lay down?” You look at him carefully, but he doesn’t seem like he’s going to tell you what he has on his mind. So you pull away, watching him scoot himself until he’s sitting at the end of the bed, his hand gesturing for you to join him.
“Like this?” You ask as you climb into the bed.
”Mhmm. Just lay back,” he instructs, so you follow his orders until your head hits the pillows. He shifts then, and you think he’s going to climb on top of you. But he surprises you by positioning himself on his stomach between your legs.
That’s when you realize what he’s doing, and sit up abruptly.
”Eddie, what are you doing?” You ask, and he looks up at you like you just yelled at him.
”I-I wanted to, y’know, make you feel good,” he stutters.
”A-are you sure? You don’t have to—“
”But I want to!” He pleads, and you feel a pang of guilt.
”I know, I know,” you assure him, “Just…are you sure?”
”More than anything.”
You sigh, “Okay, you can, but if you don’t like it you can stop.”
”Why would I not like it?” He asks genuinely.
“Well, not a lot of guys actually like doing…that,” you say shyly.
”Are you saying this from personal experience?” He asks, with an eye raised.
”Maybe…”
”Well, now I’m even more determined,” he says, his hands going for the hem of your panties.
“Eddie!” You shout as he playfully pulls at your panties. You end up laying back down, lifting your hips up so he can pull them off more easily, shifting your leg until it’s free from the hole.
“Wow,” he says, seemingly mesmerized by the sight between your legs. You feel yourself blushing at being exposed like this to him, but you knew this was important to him so you just let him do what he wanted to do.
”Now, I’ve only seen this in porn, so if I do something wrong just tell me, okay?”
”Got it,” you tell him, effectively giving him the green light.
You expected him to just dive in blind, so you were surprised when you felt kisses on your inner thigh. It gave you little goosebumps on your skin the lower he went, and naturally your legs parted more for him once he was almost to your center.
You feel his hands frame your heat, his thumbs dipping between your folds until he’s gently pulling you apart for him. The softness of his touch had you clenching around nothing in anticipation.
You take a deep breath in, but it turns into a sharp gasp when you feel his tongue lick through you. “Eddie,” you breathe out.
“That feel good?” He asks, and you nod.
“It was a surprise, but it didn’t feel bad.” You hear Eddie hum before he does it again. This time, the tip of his tongue grazes your clit, and your hips buck up to chase the feeling. “Right there,” you whine, eyes screwing shut.
”Here?” He asks before his tongue meets your clit once again.
”Mmm, fuck, yes,” you say, the sensation shooting straight through you. “Lick on it, suck on it, it doesn’t matter. Just, right there.”
”Yes ma’am,” he says with an amused chuckle before absolutely going crazy on your sensitive bud.
“Oh my god, Eddie!” You squeal, your hands flying to his hair to grip.
”Fuck, yeah,” Eddie moans at the sensation of you pulling on his hair, his eyes rolling back. Then his mouth is back on you, lips wrapping around your clit and sucking on it like it was keeping him alive. He switched back and forth between that and lapping at it with his tongue, his eyes locked on you to see what you seemed to like the most.
”Put your tongue out like this,” you say, sticking your tongue out at him. He followed your lead, presenting his tongue for you. Holding his head in place, you positioned yourself on his tongue, pushing yourself against it so you could grind on it. “Oh, fuck,” you moan, the sensation making your eyes roll back.
Just when you think it can’t get any better you feel something prodding at your entrance, a loud moan escaping from you as Eddie slips two fingers inside of you without warning. The stretch is a lot, but it wasn’t anything you weren’t used to after being with Eddie. If anything it just made you grind on Eddie’s tongue harder, chasing the feeling that was building up inside of you.
“Fuck me! Oh my god, Eddie, I’m gonna cum!”
Eddie pulls his tongue away from you, and you think he’s lost his mind. But then he’s suddenly pushing his free hand down against your pelvis, holding you in place with a slight pressure as he goes back to mouthing your clit. You were surprised by these actions, but weren’t complaining as you were throttled to your orgasm.
You choked out his name as a white hot heat washes all over your body. You feel your body tense up as your begin to cum on Eddie’s face, the pressure inside of you reaching a peak and releasing. It was like nothing you’d ever felt before, but you couldn’t focus on it as your legs shook around Eddie’s head. He didn’t let up, working you through your orgasm until you were pushing away from him where he finally let up on you.
Then, Eddie started laughing. It wasn’t a laugh like something was funny, but more like he was amused by something. This prompted you to look down, and you were completely taken aback by the sight before you.
”What happened?” You asked, sitting up in the bed to see the mess between your legs.
”I did it! I got you to squirt!” Eddie shouted with excitement.
His words left you baffled, and you might not believe it if the evidence wasn’t all over his face and on the sheets under you.
“Was that your plan all along?” You ask him with a strained chuckle.
”I just wanted to see if I could do it,” he says with a shit eating grin.
“I can’t—I’ve never—“
”Can I try again?”
”No!” You say with a laugh, and Eddie gives you a pouty lip.
“God, I’m going to have to change the bedding,” you say with a shake of your head.
”Well, why don’t we dirty them a little more before you do that,” Eddie says, crawling up the bed until he’s hovering over top of you. You don’t protest this, especially when you feel his hard cock sliding through your soaked folds before pushing into you with an ease. You wrap your legs around his hips, giving him better access to fuck you into the mattress. When his lips meet yours you can taste yourself on his lips, which for some reason really turned you on, your hips rocking with his as you fuck him back.
”Shit I’m gonna cum,” he moans, and you stop with your movements, letting him rock into you on his own before he pulls out of you, his spend shooting out and landing on your stomach. ”Fuck,” he huffs, breathing hard after fucking you as hard as he did. Once he’s calmed down, he rolls over onto his back.
”Sorry,” he says after a beat, and you look at him confused.
”For what?”
”For cumming so fast.”
”Eddie, I don’t care,” you tell him, but he still shakes his head.
”I was hoping you’d cum at least one more time.”
”Trust me, the first time was plenty,” you assure him, and he smiles goofily.
Once the two of you get your bearings back, you both take a quick shower to wash off the night from your bodies. Eddie helps you change the bedding, stuffing the dirty set into the hamper to be dealt with tomorrow.
“I love you,” Eddie yawns, his arms wrapping around you and pulling you close to him.
”I love you, too,” you tell him, snuggling into his chest as you get comfy in the bed.
It’s not long before the two of you are drifting off to sleep, all the worries you had from earlier in the night completely gone from your mind as you slip into unconsciousness in your lover’s arms.
'Twas the month of homes and hearts and murder islands, apparently?? Happy Pride?!?
I did try to read exclusively queer authors (plus Poetry Quest material), and I was successful on that front! I'm also still chugging along on my revision project (and feeling the deadline squeeze)(we won't talk about that)(much).
Reviews linked!:
BEING ARO ★★★ Enjoyed some of these a lot! Unimpressed with some, too, though. BEING ACE is the stronger collection, but I'm glad they both exist!
COME HOME TO MY HEART ★★★★★ This fucked me up so bad I had to set it down for a week. Achingly and heartbreakingly well done
MODEL HOME ★★★★ I will follow Rivers Solomon anywhere, up to and including a horrible HOA in Dallas suburbs. More literary bent than haunted house, still extraordinarily well done.
THE ODYSSEY ★★★★ Phenomenal and fascinating translation, hugely approachable and thoroughly modernized language (with good pedagogical reasons for why!), I will be checking out Wilson's ILIAD also because of this.
MAKE ME BETTER ★★★ I will also follow Gailey anywhere, up to and including coral cult island :)
SEASONS OF GLASS AND IRON ★★★★ Amal El-Mohtar once again knocking it out of the park!! Loved this prickly collection.
THE ENDING WRITES ITSELF ★★★½ Indulgent fun! Check it out if you're a writer and want someone coming for your jugular, maybe skip it if you're a mystery/thriller aficionado.
ANNA AKHMATOVA - 169/942 pages read. Made it through "Rosary"! I'm still scribbling a LOT of fragments in my notebook, I dig her stuff a lot, I think.
Next month, I will be swinging back around to read more Driscoll-adjacent fiction (writing project reasons). I've got seven (7) scenes I'm trying to finalize by the end of July to stay on my Oft-Revised Target--I need to have this manuscript wrapped up by early September, so we're approaching the Final Sprint. Send more caffeine, I'm gonna need it!!
Under the Cut: How I Conceptualize ~*★Stars★*~
★ - This was Bad. I would actively recommend that you do NOT read this one, no redeeming qualities whatsoever, not worth the slog. Save Yourself, It's Too Late For Me. Book goes in the garbage (donate bin).
★★ - This was Not Good. I would not recommend it, but it wasn't a total waste or wash--something in here held my interest/kept my attention/sparked some joy. I will not be rereading this ever. Save Yourself (Or Join Me In Suffering, That Seems Like A Cool Bonding Activity).
★★★ - This was Good/Fine/Okay/Meh. I don't care about this enough to recommend it one way or another. Perfectly serviceable book, held my interest, I probably enjoyed myself (or at least didn't actively loathe the reading). I don't have especially strong feelings. You probably don't need to save yourself from this one--if it sounds like your jam, give it a shot! Just didn't resonate with me particularly powerfully. I probably won't reread this unless I'm after something in particular.
★★★½ - I liked this! I'll probably recommend it if I know it matches someone's vibes or specific requests, but I didn't commit to a star rating on Goodreads. More likely to reread, but not guaranteed.
★★★★ - I really enjoyed this!! I would recommend it (sometimes with caveats about content warnings or such--I like weird fucked up funny shit). Not a perfect book for me by any means, but Very Good. This is something I would reread! Join me!!
★★★★★ - I LOVED THE SHIT OUT OF THIS, IT REWIRED MY BRAIN, WILL RECOMMEND TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE AT THE SLIGHTEST PROVOCATION (content warning caveats still apply--see 4-star disclaimer). Excellent book, I'll reread it regularly, I'll buy copies for all my friends, I'll try to convince all of Booklr to read it, PLEASE join me!!
I can't believe it's almost here. After all these years, I finally get to invite you to Kindred Cove. Where transformation is possible, and nothing is ever lost. You'll come visit, won't you?
Tomorrow night, to celebrate the release of MAKE ME BETTER, I'll be starting off my book tour at Books Inc in San Francisco at Opera Plaza! I'll be in conversation with the one and only @charliejaneanders. Come join us, it's gonna be a blast!!
And if you're in Southern California, Salt Lake City, St Louis, or Des Moines, I'm headed your way... Info and tickets here.
Finally, and I know you've probably heard this before, but I'll say it again: preorders matter SO MUCH. If you're planning to buy this book, you can genuinely give my WHOLE CAREER a boost by ordering it now instead of waiting. Check out Bookshop.org to preorder different formats while supporting independent bookstores!!
You're so close to being a complete toy. As good as a slut can be. You love getting throat fucked until you pass out and you (worship) eat ass. All that's missing is to get that little asshole of yours stretched and abused till it's a third fuck hole you have always ready and needy like the other two. Don't you wish to be more useful? Have more ways to please men and worship them? Have more to offer?
And after all once you're face down ass up while your asshole is quivering and oozing hot steamy cum you're gonna be the one grateful that you had the opportunity to be this useful :)
Don't you want to be better?
I want to be better, please help me be better. Take control and mold me into your perfect toy so all I know is you and your desires. Make it so my purpose is devotion to your pleasure. Please help me be better
One of my anticipated new releases for this year. In Make Me Better, Celia signs up to join a festival in a secretive and insular community in hopes that they will heal her crushing loneliness and grief for her infertility. As Celia submerges into the world of Kindred Cove, she begins to realize that something is wrong—but does it matter if they offer her a home?
Make Me Better is a horror novel, but not one that relies on shocking reveals. From very early on, it's obvious that Kindred Cove is a cult, and there's something wrong with the lake water. With the horror elements made plain, most of the real tension is in watching Kindred Cove's young leader Easy slowly manipulate Celia, using Celia's attraction and starvation for attention against her. It's about the slow tragedy of watching Celia gradually become somebody who will ignore the evidence of her own eyes in exchange for the approval of the community. Not to mention the group's concerning ideas about pregnancy and childraising, a topic that's already deeply fraught for Celia... The community of Kindred Cove is fleshed out through multiple perspective chapters from other members, including former golden child Adelaide, grimly observant Edith, and grieving Caleb. Giving the other characters a chance to speak made it clear that many of these people were once victims like Celia. I enjoyed the overall effect of the novel, but I think the plot could have been tighter. Ultimately, I question if this was a book that needed to be five hundred pages long...
