I’m so very late with my masterlist but I just found this in my drafts 🤦🏽♀️
Here are my contributions to Hellcheer Bingo 2025. I had a lot of fun with my bingo card. Thanks so much to the mods at @hellcheeranniversaryweek for hosting 🥰
Streetlight
Summary:
“He’s not like us, Christine.”
“He’s a criminal. Trailer trash.”
“You look ridiculous together!”
Chrissy’s breath hitched as she felt the rise of another panic attack. She cursed at herself, angry that she couldn’t get her mother out of her head and annoyed at her reaction. It only made her panic worsen as she began to see black spots in her vision.
Chrissy finds comfort in the Munson home after a fight with her mother.
As Long As You Follow
Summary:
“No, no, no, no,” Chrissy cried, and she checked his pulse. She tried not to panic when she couldn’t find it.
“Is he. . .?” Dustin screeched. He jumped up and began to pace, mumbling to himself and crying.
Chrissy didn’t answer as she began chest compressions. She counted just like she was taught in her training last year. She pinched his nose, tilted his head back, and pressed her lips to his to breathe into him. His chest rose and fell with each breath she pushed into him. Back to compressions. She didn’t know how long she was doing it before Steve suddenly appeared and took over the compressions.
“C’mon, Munson,” he said, as he pumped Eddie’s chest. “Don’t you fucking die on us, man.”
Chrissy lives, and she’s going to make damn sure that Eddie does too.
Beneath the Dark Blue Waves
Summary:
The boy slowly returned her smile and began to sing again in the sweetest voice that made Chrissy want to dance her swirly-twirly dance, so she did. Chrissy twisted her little body and pointed her toes as her arms curved around her, slicing through the air in dips and turns like the waves she had been so fascinated by earlier. The Momma looked at her boy and Chrissy, a smile of understanding growing on her face. She joined her boy’s singing, so Chrissy pirouetted like she did in her dance class, and she leapt forwards and backwards, her strawberry blonde hair bright like fire in the setting sun.
While on a journey by sea to the new settlement called Hawkins, young Chrissy encounters sea creatures whose song causes others to go mad, but calls to her blood and makes her dance.
You Make Loving Fun
Summary:
Startled at her raised voice and her swearing, Jason held out a placating hand. “Baby, I’m sorry. Your mom and I just…”
She interrupted him and said, “You know if you love my mother so much, maybe you should be fucking her instead of me. Maybe she won’t mind laying there like a fucking corpse the way you like it. I certainly never got anything out of it.”
Her friends covered their snorts of laughter, while Jason and the basketball team stared at Chrissy in shock. The boy with the long, curly hair let out a startled laugh. Embarrassed, Jason shook his head and took his keys out of his pocket.
Hawkins County Fair brings fun and cheer to the town and clarity to Chrissy.
Hello 🥰 I absolutely adore your Like Magnets fic. Could you answer #8 and/or #19 of the Harringrove Ask Meme? Thanks so much! Hugs and cupcakes for you 🖤💗🧁
8. What are your favorite Harringrove tropes?
I'm really a broken record with my favorite stuff haha Also I don't know the difference between a trope and an au...
Supernatural is a big highlight for me, with vampires, and werewolves at the top of that list; closely followed by ghosts and mer-people. Omegaverse. Pocketverse OF COURSE. Chibi characters are just 🥺✨ everything. A big thing for me is Billy going from a top to being a bottom once he's fully gone for Steve haha
Also, this is really freaking sad, (maybe I'm being affected by The Last of Us show) but I do think Steve would be the other half of "We came into this world at different times but you're not leaving it without me."
19. Who are their number one supporters in canon out of their peers? Why?
I think Robin would be 50/50 supportive of Steve being happy, as well as having a fellow lgbt+ couple to kind of admire and talk to, but I think she would also be a bit sad for a while. People really just fall into Steve's lap, even prickly Billy Hargrove of all people, and she can't help but wonder why being a lesbian is so hard haha
Max would 100% percent be like.....this is disgusting because you're my brother but I like Steve. Steve is good. Billy is better and worse with Steve around. Kinder but also grosser. Also Steve is attractive. Oh no, do my disgusting brother and I have the same taste? Oh no.
Hello lovelies 🥰 Here is my third entry for Hellcheer Anniversary Week 🥳
@hellcheeranniversaryweek
Title: Beneath the Dark Blue Waves
Prompt: Pirate/Siren
Name on Bingo Card: Persephone
Rating: Mature
Word Count: ~3100 words
Summary: While on a journey by sea to the new settlement called Hawkins, young Chrissy encounters sea creatures whose song causes others to go mad, but calls to her blood and makes her dance.
C/W: Bad Parent/Abusive Laura Cunningham, Monster Fic, Premature Mating Bite (Hellcheer are children), Blood, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Hopeful Ending (this one will probably be a chapter fic).
A/N: Title is taken from the poem The Ocean by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Now on AO3! 🖤
Though there be furies on the waves,
Beneath them there is none.
~The Ocean, Nathaniel Hawthorne
The first time she saw him, she was barely 6 years old. She and her family were on a journey to the new settlement called Hawkins on a ship along the East Coast. There were other families there of the gentry class, ready to claim and settle in their new land. Passage had been cheap. Chrissy heard whispers that the ship was manned by former pirates and led by the infamous Captain Hopper, which made the ship a pirate’s ship by Chrissy’s logic. This little tidbit of gossip tickled Chrissy and made her want to dance as she imagined climbing to the tip-top of the ship with her telescope to look out from the crow’s nest and search the ocean for other vessels. Captain Hopper smiled when she asked to climb, but Mother yanked Chrissy sharply to her side and spoke of propriety or property or some nonsense like that.
Chrissy’s brother had just turned a year and was still nursing, which brought Chrissy much relief as her mother spent the majority of the trip focused on Christopher instead of picking at the way Chrissy sat, ate her food, or wore her favorite green dress. Father took charge of her, and she had never been happier to be in his arms on the top deck as the ship dipped with each wave. She laughed when sprays of water pelted them.
The sun was setting as the ship drew nearer to the shore. Captain Hopper carefully tried to steer the ship away from a jetty of rocks. Chrissy was on her father’s shoulders, pointing and shouting at people who waved to them from the beach. She startled when the Captain and several crew members began to scramble and shout. They stuffed their ears with bits of wool. Father swayed in place, and Chrissy cried out when he tilted forward. The first mate grabbed Chrissy just as her father crashed to the floor and crawled towards the edge of the boat. Two stewards forcibly grabbed him and tied him to a pole by the ship cabin.
Chrissy began to cry as her father screamed, not understanding why the crew stuffed wool in his ears as well. They wrapped his head in cloth to secure the wool as he thrashed his head back and forth. The First Mate set her down to assist them. Her father swung a fist and nearly hit one of the men.
Chrissy began to move towards them when she heard a song. It was hard to hear at first with her father’s shouting, but as he quieted down, the melody grew louder, and she realized it was someone singing. A second smaller voice joined the larger voice in harmony, and Chrissy smiled. It was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. She thought of birds soaring, dipping and curving through the air and fish gliding through water and waves following the swirls of the tide. And Chrissy wanted to dance a twirly dance.
She stepped to the railing closest to the voices and stood on the tops of her toes to see what had caused such a riot on the upper deck of the ship. She gasped as she met the gaze of two beings upon the jetty of rocks. Their eyes were identical—big, round, with the longest lashes, and of the deepest black that seemed like it held galaxies with their swirls of light. The larger one, The Momma, Chrissy thought instinctually, had long, curly black hair, that framed an oval face that was so distinctly human. Dark brows matched her curls, and her full lips curved as she continued to sing. Her chest was nearly bare and covered only by a necklace of pretty seashells of all different colors. The necklace grazed the tops of her bare breasts. Chrissy stared in curiosity, not used to seeing another female without cover as even her mother covered when Christopher nursed. The Momma’s pale skin continued down to her navel, and flesh began to take on scales that glittered in the sun. The scales were white and then gray and then black that matched the beautiful curly hair. And Chrissy saw that instead of legs, the Momma had a large tail that curled around the young one, her boy, Chrissy thought.
The boy had stopped singing and stared at Chrissy with the same curiosity with which Chrissy stared at him. The boy blinked his long lashes in his pale face framed with black curls that looked so much like his mother’s. His chest was also bare with a simple chain around his neck holding a small red shell. His pale skin stretched down to his stomach and began to form deep red scales that darkened as they moved down his tail until they were black. He turned to his mother and chattered to her in a language Chrissy did not understand, but his voice was like chimes and bells that dipped into Chrissy’s ears and caused a bubble of giggles to erupt from her belly.
Both mother and child were silent as they watched Chrissy. The boy slowly returned her smile and began to sing again in the sweetest voice that made Chrissy want to dance her swirly-twirly dance, so she did. Chrissy twisted her little body and pointed her toes as her arms curved around her, slicing through the air in dips and turns like the waves she had been so fascinated by earlier. The Momma looked at her boy and Chrissy, a smile of understanding growing on her face. She joined her boy’s singing, so Chrissy pirouetted like she did in her dance class, and she leapt forwards and backwards, her strawberry blonde hair bright like fire in the setting sun. And Chrissy wanted to sing as Momma and the Boy’s voice grew louder, spurred by Chrissy’s dance. So Chrissy opened her mouth to join their chorus, when she was snatched from the air mid-leap and a hand clamped down harshly over her mouth.
The Momma and her child stopped singing and looked in alarm at the way Chrissy was forcibly tied to the railing. She heard the the boy scream. She twisted her head and saw the Momma pull the crying boy into her arms and look regretfully at Chrissy before she dove into the next wave. Chrissy’s eyes filled with tears, and she turned her head back and saw that it was her mother who had grabbed her and took her away from her new friends.
Mother crossed herself several times and slapped Chrissy to halt her sobs. Chrissy saw that her father had grown calm and had been untied from the pole. The Captain and crew spoke with him in quiet voices, but Chrissy could hear the words “Sirens” and “Mermaids”. Father also crossed himself like Mother.
The Captain looked on with disapproval as Mother tied Chrissy to the railing as punishment and left her alone for the night. He snuck her some water and bread and untied her when inevitably her bladder filled. He escorted her to his chambers but waited outside while she relieved herself. He reluctantly tied her up again but slept by her overnight to make sure she was safe. He did not hear the splash and small thud or the slither as the Boy made his way across the deck to Chrissy. Nor did he hear Chrissy’s gasp as the Boy drew so close to her, she could count each of his long lashes in the light of the moon.
His eyes were like the night sky, pitch black with constellations of stars that glittered. His scent was a meld of sweet and savory, like chocolate dipped in the salt of the sea. He leaned closer to her and touched her hair and cheek curiously. His fingers were webbed, and fingertips ended in sharp claws that were as black as the end of his tail. He leaned close to smell her and pressed a cold nose to her cheek, wet curls brushed against her chin. She held her breath as he pulled back to watch her.
When he saw that Chrissy seemed to have no fear of him, the boy leaned in again. He drew closer and put his lips to her ear. His whisper was low and just as lyrical as his singing voice as he murmured, “Mate. Mine?” He pulled back and watched her again expectantly, a brow raised in question.
Chrissy was young, but she knew enough to know that Mate meant betrothed. And right now, she was betrothed to another boy who was currently in Hawkins and was of Nobility. But Chrissy didn’t like him because he pulled her hair and stole her sweet roll when she last saw him at their old town. And he was not pretty like her new friend. And did not have her new friend’s beautiful eyes and voice and tail. So she nodded her head and whispered, “Yes. Yours.”
The boy flashed her the brightest smile with the sharpest teeth that she instantly loved. He slipped his necklace with the red seashell around her neck. He carefully crawled closer and untied the ropes around her hands so that she could bend towards him. He lifted her loose hair and pressed soft lips against her neck just above her pounding pulse point. He held a finger over her lips and murmured, “Sorry” before sinking his sharp teeth into her flesh.
Chrissy could feel a cry coming from her throat, so she pressed her lips firmly together and suppressed the sound. She closed her eyes and saw flashes of images: The Momma’s fin and wide smile as she beckoned with her finger. Diving beneath a huge wave into the calm blue depths below. The moonlight casting a different light into the deep but illuminating the way to caves. Underground caverns that led to a city bigger even than her hometown. In the distance, she could see other creatures like the Momma and the Boy, with fins of iridescent blues, pinks, and golds.
He pulled back a second after the bite. His mark throbbed on her skin. She opened her eyes and saw the constellations in his eyes swirl. Her blood appeared black on his lips. His tongue swiped it away quickly. He placed his pointer and middle fingers on his teeth and pressed down hard enough to draw blood. He held up his hand and raised his eyebrows at her in question. Chrissy nodded quickly. He gently turned her head and rubbed the blood on his fingers along her wound.
For a moment, she saw the images again, his images, she guessed, what he saw when he dove beneath the dark blue waves. Then she saw him swimming, older this time, his curly hair longer than his mother’s, furling behind him, and his powerful red-black tail swishing as he propelled himself forward towards the underwater city. He looked back and smiled. She had the strangest sensation of floating and glanced down. Glimmers of a vermillion tail overlaid the skirt of her green dress.
Chrissy couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her. The Boy placed a finger over her lips and glanced behind him nervously. Captain Hopper remained snoring on his bedding.
They both startled when they heard a large splash. They turned and saw the Momma dragging herself towards them with strong arms and her tail. Her curls were plastered to her head and body. Her mouth was set in a thin line. The moonlight shown on her starry eyes. Chrissy instantly recognized a mother’s anger and placed herself in front of the boy determinedly, but her hands shook. She could feel the Boy at her back, peeking around her shoulder.
Momma stopped and seemed to smother a smile at Chrissy’s defensive position in front of her child. She beckoned both Chrissy and the Boy forward and pointed to Captain Hopper. Chrissy looked to the Boy, who smiled and nodded his head in reassurance. They moved as quietly as they could past the sleeping captain and met Momma at the railing at the far end of the ship. The Boy slipped his hand into Chrissy’s and tugged her closer to him.
Momma stilled and sniffed the air. Her black eyes focused on first her son and then Chrissy, taking in her boy’s open affection towards her. She drew close to Chrissy and immediately scented the blood on her neck. Her eyes widened. She brought her hand up, and Chrissy cowered back against the Boy. Momma cooed as quietly as she could, her soft voice soothing Chrissy’s fear. She gently turned Chrissy’s head to the side to examine the area where her son’s blood lay. She looked to her son in question, who held her gaze.
“Mate,” the Boy whispered.
Momma took a careful breath. She leaned closer to them and whispered, “Too soon, Eddie.”
The Boy, Eddie, frowned and tears filled his eyes. He spoke softly in their language, but Momma stopped him and looked pointedly at Chrissy. “English.”
Eddie took a breath and wiped his eyes. “She sad, Mama. Her mama not good.”
Chrissy nodded her head in agreement. “Mother is mean,” she whispered.
Momma nodded her head in understanding, but whispered, “You need to be with your people right now. It is too soon to come with us.”
Chrissy looked down at her hand in Eddie’s. She could feel the tips of his black claws against her skin, but he was so careful with her. Tears began to stream down her cheeks, and she sniffled.
Momma gently lifted her chin and wiped her tears away with her knuckle. “What is your name?”
“Christine Cunningham,” she whispered. “But I like Chrissy.”
Momma smiled, and Chrissy saw that she had Eddie’s same sharp teeth. “Chrissy. You are too young to be with us now. You have some growing to do. But later, when you are of age, then you will belong with us. If you choose to at that time.” She looked at Eddie expectantly.
“Mine,” he said, pulling Chrissy even closer.
“Not yet,” Momma said as firmly as she could in her whisper. She looked at Chrissy again and smiled softly. She ran her fingers through Chrissy’s long strawberry blond hair and rubbed her cheek softly, just as careful with her claws as Eddie. Chrissy found herself leaning into the maternal touch.
“You can be like us, Chrissy. You are different than your kin. You have something more. Your blood sings when we sing, and you dance where others would grow mad.” She pressed a kiss on Chrissy’s forehead. “But you must be patient and wait.”
They all heard the Captain begin to stir in his sleep. Momma gestured at Eddie and nodded towards the water. “We must go.”
Eddie sniffled but nodded his head. He turned to Chrissy and hugged her tightly to him. Chrissy pressed her face on his cold chest and tried to stifle the sobs that wanted to come forth. She squeezed her arms around his neck.
“Goodbye, Eddie,” she whispered.
“Goodbye, Chrissy,” he answered. He brought his lips closer to her ear. “I find you now. Always.” He touched a spot of his blood left on her neck and held it up to her eyes to see.
They heard Captain Hopper groan on the other side of the ship. Momma took Eddie in her arms and raised him to the railing. He smiled sadly at Chrissy and jumped into the ocean below. Momma lifted herself to the railing.
“Goodbye, little one,” she whispered before following her son into the water.
Chrissy ran to the railing to catch a last glimpse of them, but they were already gone. She could feel an ache in her chest now, suffocating and heavy. She could no longer suppress her sobs. She laid her head on the railing and cried and cried and cried until she could feel the warmth against her back as the sun began to rise, and she felt like there were no more tears left in her little body. She wiped her eyes and nose with the skirt of her dress, not caring if Mother found her indecent and impolite.
Chrissy gasped when gentle hands turned her around. Captain Hopper’s kind eyes took in her blotchy and puffy face. He found the dried blood on her skin but couldn’t find a source for it. He examined the red seashell hanging around her neck and sighed in understanding. He knelt by Chrissy and put his hands on her shoulders.
“You can’t tell anyone what happened,” he said in a low voice. “Your parents will call this unnatural. They’ll try to hurt you and him.” He tucked the seashell beneath the collar of her dress. “Hide this. Pretend you found it on the beach if anyone asks. Understand?” Chrissy nodded. He held her gaze a moment longer, worry etched across his features. “You find me, you hear? If that bi…mother of yours becomes too much. You find me, and we’ll figure out a way to get you away. Okay?”
“Yes,” Chrissy whispered.
He jerked his head towards the bedding. “Get some more rest before the rest of the ship wakes up.” She held her hands out to be tied, but he pushed them down. “Never you mind that. I’ll deal with her if she complains.”
Chrissy went to the bedding by the railing and curled up under the blanket. It was warm from Captain Hopper and smelled a bit like tobacco. She didn’t think she would, but she very quickly fell into a deep sleep. She dreamed of the city beneath the waves, starry eyes, curly hair, and kind smiles with sharp teeth. She dreamed of a song that moved her limbs to dance even as she slumbered. She dreamed of her Eddie and his momma and did not hear her mother’s attempts to scold the captain for untying her, the Captain’s heated response and declaration that it was a cruel punishment, or her mother yelling at her father for not defending her against the peasant captain.
Chrissy slept through the day and night and half the morning the day after. She missed the heated argument between her parents as Father attributed her sleeping to illness due to exposure from her overnight punishment. When she awakened, she was in her bed in their new home at Hawkins and wearing one of her sleep gowns. Her memories of the ship, her Eddie, and his momma were fuzzy the way that dreams are, and she wondered if she had dreamt it all. Her only confirmation that it was all real was the silver chain with the small red seashell still hanging around her neck and tucked into her gown, and the heat in her veins as the ocean called to her.
Hello Lovelies!! I actually meant for this one to be the first of my entries in the Hellcheer Bingo event, but I didn’t get around to finishing the first chapter until today. So it will be my last entry instead 🥰
@hellcheeranniversaryweek
Title: You Make Loving Fun
Prompt: Hawkins County Fair
Name on Bingo Card: Persephone
Rating: Mature
Summary: Hawkins County Fair brings fun and cheer to the town and clarity to Chrissy.
C/W: Laura Cunningham being abusive, Disordered Eating, Jason Carver being abusive, mentioned sexual coercion
Now on AO3!!! 🖤
Chapter 1
Chrissy carefully applied a light coating of blue eyeshadow over each eyelid. Today was already a scorcher, so the idea of putting on heavy makeup only to have it melting off her face later in the heat did not sound appealing to her. She skipped the mascara, already imagining it smearing on her face as she sweat. She applied lip gloss and stepped back to take in her appearance in her bathroom mirror. She adjusted her white tank top over her jeans skirt and frowned as she noted the way it hugged the swell of her breasts and curves of her hips. Her mother would have something to say about that. She made sure that her bra straps were hidden. She didn’t want to be accused of being indecent and made to wear a sweater. It was too hot for that today.
She mouthed the words, “Fuck it” to her reflection and left her ensuite. Flopping onto her bed, she rolled over and stared at the ceiling. Truth be told, she did not want to go to the Fair today. It was hot and with the holiday, she imagined it would be crowded as well and that meant she would be carefully tucked under the arm of her boyfriend the entire time as he ensured that all of Hawkins knew who she belonged to. The shine of going steady with Jason Carver had worn away in June, about two months after they first began to date. His good lucks and charm had been appealing to her. The Carver wealth and reputation as a pillar of the church the Cunninghams attended had been appealing to her mother. And Laura Cunningham had very quickly shut down any conversation Chrissy raised about breaking up with Jason.
So Chrissy did what she was told and continued to see Jason. And if that meant going along with his kisses and touches and closing her eyes and praying and letting him guide her hand inside his pants, then so be it. Even if she really didn’t want to. And she also very quickly learned to lie and tell him that she did want it and that she loved him, and of course he felt good inside her! Because if she didn’t lie then Jason was very quick to point out that something was wrong with her and that maybe it would feel good if she stopped moving around so much and quit eating sweets and fries because the extra weight was making things difficult for him. So Chrissy went along with her mother and went along with Jason, but also had her best friends Sandy and Heather drive her to the Planned Parenthood in Indy to get birth control because according to Jason, using a condom was a sin, but having sex was not as long as the couple intended on marrying as soon as they were able to. She had her pills hidden in her desk drawer underneath a false bottom she made one afternoon in the empty shop class when cheer practice ended earlier than usual. It’s where she also hid her allowance and babysitting money as well as her Snickers bars and Peanut M&M’s. One bar and a pack of M&M’s could last her a month if she was careful, less if her mother made her skip too many breakfasts.
She heard a car honking and her mother calling her name from the bottom of the stairs. She rolled her eyes and rose from the bed. Quickly putting on her pristine white sneakers, she grabbed her purse and slowly walked down the stairs. She could feel her mother’s eyes roving along her body and kept her own gaze averted.
“Is that what you’re wearing, Christine?”
Laura Cunningham’s voice cut through Chrissy like a knife in butter. She couldn’t imagine it ever being soft and musical for her the way she always thought a mother’s voice should be. It was sharp and thrived on the mean words it spewed towards Chrissy on a daily basis. Lies about her tumbles and high kicks being graceless and sloppy—Chrissy knew they were flawless and practiced morning and afternoons to ensure that. Lies about weight she gained every time she ate her full breakfast or dinner—Chrissy weighed herself at school, not trusting her mother’s access to the scale at home and found that she had actually lost weight. Lies about her clothes not fitting because she was getting fat—never mind that the clothes fit fine when she bought them but suddenly didn’t fit after Laura had altered them.
“Yes, mom,” Chrissy replied. She heard Jason’s car pull up to the house. She checked her lipgloss again and grabbed her keys from the small table by the front door, trying to leave before Jason could come into the house. She didn’t feel like the two tag-teaming her today.
“I hardly think that’s appropriate.” Her mother looked pointedly at the camisole. “That’s not a proper blouse.”
Before she could reply, Jason rang the doorbell. Chrissy cursed internally as she reluctantly opened the door with a fake smile plastered on her face. And there her boyfriend stood in a white polo and beige shorts, blond hair neatly combed. Blue eyes immediately took in her outfit.
“Hi, baby,” he said, brushing a quick kiss to her cheek. “Is that what you’re wearing?” He moved past her and greeted her mother.
“Jason!” Her mother’s voice was warm as she allowed Jason to kiss her cheek. “How are you, my dear? How are your parents?”
“They’re doing well, Mrs. Cunningham,” Jason said. “Thank you for asking. They send their regards, and Mother asked if you could please join her for brunch after services on Sunday.” He gave her a small envelope with Laura’s name scrawled in fancy script on the front.
Laura smiled broadly as she opened the card. “I will RSVP shortly, Jason. Thank you.”
Chrissy stood by the front door watching the exchange. She found herself feeling like a third wheel. She happily remained silent, not wanting to draw any attention to herself and wondering if she could slip outside without them noticing. She must have made some sort of sound because suddenly both pairs of eyes were on her with the same cold and evaluative stare.
“Are you sure about your outfit, Chrissy?” Jason asked. He turned to her mother. “Not to overstep, Mrs. Cunningham…”
“Not at all, Jason,” Laura said in reassurance. “I was just telling Chrissy that her blouse really is inappropriate.”
“It’s boiling outside,” Chrissy protested.
“Christine,” her mother reprimanded, “You’re being rude in front of our guest.”
Chrissy immediately apologized, her cheeks burning red from anger.
“It’s quite alright, Mrs. Cunningham,” Jason said. “Chrissy, maybe you can wear my letterman sweater?”
Chrissy opened her mouth to protest again, but looks of admonishment on both of their faces stopped her. Instead, she said, “Please excuse me, Jason and Mother.”
She waited for their approval before she returned to her room and carefully locked the door behind her. She threw herself onto her bed and screamed into a pillow until she was hoarse and tears ran down her cheeks, smearing her carefully applied make up all over her face and pillow case. Heart pounding, her breaths heaved as she screamed one last time. She allowed herself just a minute to recover, counting to 60 as she breathed in slow and deep just like she did right before she cheered at a game. Not wanting to go to the Fair, but also really not wanting to stay home under the cruel gaze of her mother, she forced herself out of her bed and back into the bathroom to reapply her makeup and put her hair in a ponytail to at least cool her neck. She found Jason’s letterman sweater balled up in the bottom of her closet. She made a face as she put her arms through. She could already feel the sweater sticking to her sweat. Before she could talk herself out of it, she returned downstairs.
“Much better, dear,” her mother said, bestowing a rare smile her way. She held her cheek out expectantly, and Chrissy obediently kissed her. “Have a good time. And watch what you eat there.”
“I will. Thank you, Mother,” Chrissy murmured.
“I’ll have her back by curfew, Mrs. Cunningham,” Jason promised, as he also kissed her mother’s cheek. He led Chrissy out of the house to his car.
Jason chattered the entire drive to the fairgrounds about next year’s basketball season, his promotion to Team Captain and how they were well suited for each other since she was made Cheer Captain, his expectation that they will be Homecoming King and Queen as well as Prom King and Queen in their final school year. Chrissy nodded but remained largely silent during what had become his monologue.
Despite her initial reluctance to go, she found herself feeling excited as they got closer to the fair. It was a sprawling affair, taking up a huge field several farms shared. The county provided compensation enough for the farms to be set up for the year, which was a great safety net when harvests weren’t so good. There were bunches of tents set up with games and food and even a flea market selling everything you can think of. There was a huge roller coaster, a swing ride, a pirate’s ship that rocked back and forth, kiddie rides for the younger children, bumper cars, a haunted house, a carousel, a Gravitron that Chrissy and her friends had practically lived on the previous year, and Chrissy’s favorite, the Ferris Wheel.
When they reached the fairgrounds, Jason parked and opened his door. The smells of the carnival immediately permeated the car and Chrissy’s stomach growled a little at the scent of popcorn and funnel cake. Smiling to herself, she moved to take off the sweater.
“What are you doing?” Jason asked, his hand on her arm.
Confused, she replied, “I’m going to leave the sweater in the car.”
“Your mother expects you to wear it, Chrissy,” he said.
“It’s like 85 degrees outside right now. It’s way too hot for this.” She tugged at his polo shirt. “I don’t see you wearing a sweater.”
“Chrissy, don’t be ridiculous,” he said. “Your mother was right. Your shirt is too revealing.”
She rolled her eyes. “That makes zero sense, Jason. I wear less to the pool.”
“That’s different,” he said. He exited the car and went around to her side to open her door. He raised his eyebrows expectantly as he held out his hand.
Knowing that he would report to her mother later, Chrissy kept the sweater on, but ignored his hand and stepped out of the car on her own. A wave of heat hit her, and she could feel a flush rise in her face in anger, which did not help her feel any cooler. She steadfastly ignored his protests and insistence that she hold his hand the entire walk to the fair. She could feel her teeth grinding together as she tried not to curse at him.
Jason rolled his eyes as he paid for their entrance and tickets to rides. “You’re being a child, Chrissy.” He handed her all of the tickets since she had her purse, and he didn’t want to carry them in his pockets.
“You’re supposed to be my boyfriend, not my parent, Jason,” Chrissy said. She walked quickly through the grounds making a beeline towards the cotton candy stand where they had agreed to meet their friends.
Jason struggled to keep up with her strong legs as she weaved her way through the crowd. He appeared surprised by the anger in her voice. “What’s gotten into you, today? You were disrespectful to your mother. Defying her. You’ve been rude to me since I arrived at your house.”
Chrissy ignored him again, wondering how long she would be able to continue being in his presence let alone the relationship. The idea of letting him kiss her and touch her ever again filled her with such disgust that she could feel bile rising. He tried to grab her arm, but she twisted out of his grasp. She could see him becoming angry with her and part of her relished it. She had to suppress a laugh when she saw his face turn red as he opened his mouth to say more.
“Chrissy!” A voice called to her. It was Sandy and some of the other girls from the cheer squad with Andy, Patrick, and a few of the boys from the basketball team.
Chrissy smiled her first genuine smile of the day and ran to her friends, quickly embracing them, and forcing Jason to swallow whatever he was about to say. Her friends immediately looked at her in concern.
“Why are you wearing a sweater?” Sandy asked. She and the girls were all wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts or tank tops similar to Chrissy’s.
Chrissy’s smile faltered as she glanced at Jason. Sandy followed her gaze and rolled her eyes. She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and leaned in conspiratorially.
“Maybe I’ll smear ketchup on it later,” she whispered.
Chrissy grinned but shook her head. “Bet my mother will figure out how to get the stains out. Better off burning the damn thing.”
Sandy’s eyebrows raised up to her bangs and her brown eyes widened. “You okay?”
Chrissy sighed. “I’m not.” She could feel a lump beginning to rise in her throat and her eyes burned with tears.
Sandy’s brows furrowed with concern. “You don’t have to stay with him, Chris. Just because your mom loves him doesn’t mean you have to.”
Chrissy just shook her head and willed her tears to go away. “Where’s Heather?”
Sandy held her gaze for a moment but went along with the subject change. “She’s finishing up her shift at the pool. She’ll be here soon.” She linked her arm through Chrissy’s. “How about we hit the Gravitron first just to shake things up a bit.” She was rewarded with a big smile from Chrissy. “That’s what I’m talking about! Ready girls? Onto the Gravitron!” The girls cheered while the boys groaned behind them.
“How about we not,” Jason said. He stared expectantly at Chrissy, and huffed in frustration when she ignored him and linked her arms with her friends as they walked to the ride.
Two dizzying rounds on the Gravitron had the basketball players looking green while the cheerleaders laughed, hair in disarray, but with the biggest smiles on their faces. Heather soon joined, and they went one last time while the boys waited on the side. The cheerleaders ignored them and briskly walked to their next destination, the Bumper Cars. The boys followed and protested when the girls each jumped into their own cars, as they thought the girls would pair up with them.
“We’re perfectly capable of driving on our own,” Chrissy said, rolling her eyes as she sped past Jason. He attempted to follow her, but Heather and Sandy each bumped him with their cars before speeding off laughing maniacally.
Patrick and Andy cornered Jason with their cars. Patrick said, “What did you do? All of the girls are pissed. And they didn’t get pissed until you arrived.”
Jason huffed in frustration. “I didn’t do anything! Chrissy has been weird since I picked her up at her house. Maybe she’s on the rag or something.”
“Yeah well, you better fix it,” Andy said. “I was hoping to take Heather home later. Her folks are away for the week.” He waggled his brows. “But now the girls are talking about a sleepover. And Heather has her own car, so they don’t need rides from any of us.”
Jason nodded in frustration. When they left the Bumper Cars, he made it a point to walk beside Chrissy. He took her hand gently. Complimented her crooked pony tail. When the group became hungry, he insisted on taking care of her and bought her a small salad with chicken and small fries as a treat. He smiled his most charming smile as he set the food in front of her and said, “I won’t tell your mom.”
Chrissy plastered her fakest smile as she dug into her meager meal. She eyed her friends cheeseburgers and fries with longing. Heather snuck her a bite of her own burger while Jason was distracted with a conversation on basketball lay ups or whatever with Andy. She suppressed a moan of pleasure as she also slurped some of Sandy’s cherry slushie.
The group decided to go to the Ferris Wheel afterwards. “Your favorite, baby,” Jason had whispered in her ear as he squeezed her closer to him.
Chrissy only nodded but twisted out of his hold as soon as her friends made a detour to buy some funnel cake. Funnel cakes was one of the few things she treated herself to at the county fair. She grinned as she bought the biggest piece she could as well as a strawberry slushie. Jason and his friends waited on line at the Ferris Wheel just behind another group of boys. The basketball players were laughing and appeared to be jeering at the boys in front of them, most of whom were doing their best to ignore the insults, but the one with long, curly hair and a Metallica shirt with cut-off sleeves, he was matching the team’s snark and had to be pulled away by his friends and pushed into one of the compartments of the Ferris Wheel. The basketball team stopped their antics when they saw the girls walking towards them with their funnel cakes, mouths smeared with powder and grease. Heather and Sandy offered some to Andy and Patrick. Chrissy sipped her slushie and attempted to give Jason a piece of hers, but his face scrunched in disgust.
“Baby, that is so gross. And it’s not good for you at all. All of that sugar and grease,” he said, his voice loud in the sudden silence. “You know, I wasn’t going to tell your mom about the chicken and fries, but I don’t know if I can hide this from her. You know she doesn’t like when you eat things like that. It’s not good for your figure, and you’ve already been putting on some pounds this summer.”
Chrissy’s smile faltered. Her face, already flushed with heat, turned red with embarrassment. She could barely hear Patrick muttering, “Dude” and Andy whisper-shouting, “How the fuck is this fixing it?” Nor could she hear Heather and Sandy and the other girls cursing at Jason. Her breaths became rapid as the blood rushed in her ears. She looked away from Jason, ignoring the way he flinched when he realized the impact of what he just said. She saw that the boys in front of them were staring at her and then Jason with annoyance in their eyes. The boy with the long, curly hair had a frown on his face as he eyed Jason as if he would want nothing more than to throttle him. He shook his head and met her eyes, concern and apology in his gaze. Even the Ferris Wheel operator had paused operations to shake his head at Jason.
Chrissy breathed out carefully and quietly asked Heather to hold her funnel cake and drink. Chrissy then pulled off Jason’s letterman sweater with harsh jerks. A breeze came just as she bared her skin and the coolness made her a bit giddy. She then proceeded to throw the sweater at Jason’s face.
“We’re done,” she said. “I don’t want to see you anymore.”
“Now Chrissy,” Jason said, “don’t be ridiculous.” He laughed nervously. “I’m just trying to help. You know I just want what’s best for you.”
“God!” She nearly shouted. “Could you just shut up?!? You sound like you’re my dad. I told you, I want a boyfriend, not another fucking parent!”
Startled at her raised voice and her swearing, Jason held out a placating hand. “Baby, I’m sorry. Your mom and I just…”
She interrupted him and said, “You know if you love my mother so much, maybe you should be fucking her instead of me. Maybe she won’t mind laying there like a fucking corpse the way you like it. I certainly never got anything out of it.”
Her friends covered their snorts of laughter, while Jason and the basketball team stared at Chrissy in shock. The boy with the long, curly hair let out a startled laugh. Embarrassed, Jason shook his head and took his keys out of his pocket.
“That’s it, Christine,” he said, voice low. “I’m taking you home. Right now. You’re not yourself.”
“Like hell you are,” Chrissy said. She moved forward and quickly snatched his keys out of his hand. She wound her arm back, like she used to when she pitched on the softball team in middle school, and let the keys fly into the woods behind the Ferris Wheel.
“What the fuck?!?” Jason screeched, his blue eyes comically wide as two bright red spots appeared on his cheeks.
Chrissy, her heart pounding now as adrenaline flooded her body, bounced a little on her toes as a bubble of laughter burst out of her from way deep in her belly. She grabbed Andy’s slushie from his hand, ignoring his surprised exclamations. Chrissy then threw it at Jason, covering him (and his stupid letterman sweater) from head to toe in bright blue slushie drink.
Chrissy laughed again and said, “It matches your eyes, Jason.” She then took back her funnel cake and strawberry slushie from Heather, who was frozen in shock with the rest of the girls. She kissed her friend’s cheek and bounded into the Ferris Wheel compartment, practically throwing herself into the seat across from the astonished metal head.
“Move it!” She shouted at the operator, pleading with her eyes to get him to start the ride. The operator jumped, but hit the button to get the wheel moving again.
Jason’s screams diminished the higher they went on the huge wheel. Chrissy breathed out a laugh and finally met the gaze of her companion, instantly recognizing his big, warm brown eyes and dimpled smile.
“Princess,” he said, his melodic voice carrying in the wind. “Anyone ever tell you that you have a real flair for the dramatics.”
She snorted a laugh. “Eddie Munson,” she said, leaning towards him. His eyes danced as he caught the mischief in her tone. “Would you care for some of my delicious funnel cake and tasty strawberry beverage?”
“Only if you let me return the favor later with a most scrumptious meal of cheeseburgers and fries from the most prestigious of all snack stands at the fair this evening?” He bowed as low as he could in the seat. He lifted his head. “No pressure, though.” The tremor in his voice betrayed his sudden nervousness.
“You’ve got yourself a date,” Chrissy declared, smiling wider at the surprise in his eyes and the return of his dimpled grin.
My first entry for Hellcheer Anniversary Week 🥳 @hellcheeranniversaryweek
Title: Streetlight
Prompt: Opposites Attract
Name on bingo card: Persephone
Rating: Teens & Up
C/W: Panic Attack, Laura Cunningham being abusive
This fic was inspired by @ashleyfanfic and her beautiful Hellcheer art over on Twitter. Please show her some love as her piece was so gorgeous. She did an amazing job capturing their love and the comfort they take from each other.
Now on AO3 🖤
As soon as Forest Hills Trailer Park came into view, the tension in Chrissy’s chest began to dissipate. She eased her foot off the accelerator, grateful that no pedestrian or police officer had been on the streets as she sped from her parents’ home in her little Volkswagen Bug that Eddie and Uncle Wayne had helped her purchase. She had paid for it with part of her government hush money, but the Munson men knew enough about cars to ensure that it was in great condition and stood behind her ominously while she negotiated a fair price with the salesman.
She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly as she turned into the trailer park and made her way to the Munson’s trailer. She parked out front and turned off her car, her hands shaking as she took the key out of the ignition. She took more deep breaths in and out slowly, just like her therapist taught her. After a few minutes, her tension and rising panic were gone.
Chrissy slipped into the new trailer with her key. Wayne Munson had taken one look at Laura Cunningham’s pinched face when the Hawkin’s Police Department, led by the very much alive Chief Hopper, declared Eddie innocent and formally apologized to him. And Wayne saw how Chrissy tensed under her mother’s stern gaze but stubbornly refused to leave his nephew’s side and stayed tucked under his arm with a defiant glare at her mother, and he just knew. That night, Uncle Wayne had carefully placed the key in the palm of her hand. “For when you need some space,” he said in the gruff voice she had grown to love in the last six weeks.
She cherished his gift. She spent more nights at the Munson’s brand-new trailer than she did in her own home. She adored being so near to Max, with whom she had grown rather close to after all was said and done and Vecna was dead and buried in the Upside Down. She enjoyed sipping an evening tea with Uncle Wayne on their new porch swing. The man’s southern drawl, dry humor, and quick wit had easily forged a path right to her heart. And she loved spending so much time with her new boyfriend, whether she was helping him study for his finals (he was determined to graduate this year—they had Plans) or they were watching a free movie rental courtesy of Steve and Robin who had resumed their shifts at Family Video. She went with Eddie to band practice with Corroded Coffin and bobbed along with their music as she practiced crochet (her new hobby she had tried out at her therapist’s urging). So far, she had managed to crochet a rather crooked black and red scarf that earned its place of honor next to Eddie’s first Sweetheart until the weather grew cooler and he could wear it outside. She was currently working on a royal blue one for Uncle Wayne to match his eyes.
It was dark inside, the Munson men asleep in their rooms. She smiled as the comforting scent of their trailer calmed her further. She could smell traces of tobacco, coffee, the chamomile tea Wayne liked to drink on his evenings off, and leftover lasagna and garlic bread Wayne had made the night before while insisting she and Eddie finish their homework at the table. She locked the front door and toed off her shoes, before carefully tiptoeing down the hall to Eddie’s room.
The old Munson trailer had been closed down by the government due to traces of the Upside Down. Dr. Owens had ensured that they (and the rest of their group) had received monetary compensation (aka hush money) for the Horrors™️ as well as a brand-new trailer that was much more spacious. Uncle Wayne now had his own space just across the hall from Eddie. She could hear his snores as she gently pushed open Eddie’s door.
She found Eddie laying on his stomach. His t-shirt had twisted around his torso, and the streetlights painted stripes along his lightly freckled and scarred back. His wild curls were sprawled over his pillow and part of his face. His mouth was open, and he snored lightly. She gazed fondly at him as she slipped out of her dress and into a green camisole and pajama bottoms she kept in her drawer in his dresser. She sat gently on the side of the bed and splayed her hand over his back. Unbidden, her mother’s words echoed in her head as she watched her hand rise and fall with each breath he took.
“He’s not like us, Christine.”
Her hand rose as he took a breath in.
“He’s a criminal. Trailer trash.”
Her hand fell as he breathed out.
“You look ridiculous together!”
Chrissy’s breath hitched as she felt the rise of another panic attack. She cursed at herself, angry that she couldn’t get her mother out of her head and annoyed at her reaction. It only made her panic worsen as she began to see black spots in her vision. She startled when a hand closed over hers, and she realized that Eddie had awakened and turned over, and she hadn’t noticed. She saw his lips moving but couldn’t hear him through the beating of her heart and her harsh breaths. He held her hand firmly to his chest, over exaggerating his own breathing so that she could follow his inhales and exhales. She followed his breaths again, forcing hers to match his. Gradually, sound returned, and his soothing voice washed over her.
“There she is,” he murmured, still holding her hand. His brow was furrowed with concern. “Hey there, darlin’.”
“Hey, baby,” she whispered.
“Can you tell me five things you can see?” He grinned when she rolled her eyes. “Humor me, please.”
“Your pretty brown eyes,” she said, voice still a whisper. His smile widened even more, so she said, “And happy smile.” Her eyes roved around the room. “A book. . .The Hobbit. The Ozzy poster. And my green scrunchie.”
“Good,” he said, fingers stroking her hand now. “And four things you can feel?”
“Your hand holding mine. The scars along your ribs. The chill in the trailer. And deeply embarrassed.” She bent and pressed her forehead against their joined hands.
His free hand stroked her hair now. “Please don’t be, Chrissy. Can you tell me three things you can hear?”
“My heartbeat. Your breathing. And I think a raccoon getting into the garbage.” He huffed a laugh that she could feel along his chest.
“Two things you can smell?”
“Your aftershave. And your soap.”
“And one thing you can taste?”
“The watermelon Jolly Rancher I had on the drive over.” She lifted her head and saw that his smile had softened. She put her chin against their hands and breathed out slowly.
“Better?”
“Yea,” she replied. “I’m sorry.”
He tsked and tugged her hair slightly. “What did Ms. Samantha say about that?”
“That a panic attack is not my fault, so I shouldn’t be sorry.” She kissed his hand and put her head back down.
He resumed running his fingers through her hair, slowly and calmly. She could feel her limbs grow heavier as her body relaxed.
“Was it Upside stuff or your mom?” He broke the silence after a few minutes.
“Mom,” she whispered, beginning to hear her mother’s voice again but actively pushing it away to focus on Eddie’s body beneath hers and his hand in her hair.
“Wanna talk about it?”
“No.” She paused, thinking that maybe she was being too abrupt with him. “I’m sorry.”
“Please, don’t be.” He tugged her hair again. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I’m just glad you’re here. Wanna cuddle?”
“Yes, please.”
He scooted over and lifted the blanket so that she could properly stretch out with him. She laid her head on his chest. He wrapped both arms around her and pulled her closer. She tangled her legs with his and tucked her hand beneath his shirt so that she could touch his sleep-warm flesh.
“Good?”
“Perfect,” she said. She placed a kiss over his heart and snuggled into him more, pressing her nose against the crook of his neck. They were quiet again before she broke the silence. “Do you think we’re too different?”
He leaned his head against hers and hummed. “I think we’re different, but that’s not a bad thing cuz I think we complement each other. Like puzzle pieces clicking together. Not the same, but we fit.”
She smiled. “I like when you put it that way.”
He rubbed his nose in her hair and kissed her forehead. “Maybe it’s an opposites attract kind of thing, but I don’t think we’re as different as people think we are. I think we’re similar in really good ways. The ways that count.”
“How so?”
“We’re both devastatingly attractive, of course.”
She snorted a laugh and pushed his chest. He lifted her chin and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.
“We’re both loyal and would do anything for the people we love. Even die for them, right?”
She poked his side, “Don’t say that, Eddie.” She held him tighter, her hand automatically slipping across his torso to rest on the ragged scar at his side just below his ribs where a demobat had stolen and eaten a piece of him. Steve had pumped his chest to restart his heart while Chrissy breathed life back into him. It was a memory so etched in her mind, she didn’t think she would ever forget it.
“It’s true, though, Chris,” he insisted. “You could have died right along with me. I saw you throw yourself in front of Dustin when that swarm came. And in the hospital room when fucking Carver tried to break in.” He laughed again. “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen someone pistol whip another person outside of the movies. It was so metal.” He peppered her face with kisses, breaking some of the tension that had risen in her body again. “We’re both performers. I’ve never seen anyone move a crowd the way you do when you cheer. And I’m pleased to say that Corroded Coffin’s audience of five drunks have now expanded to ten drunks.”
She laughed and said, “Ten drunks, six semi-high semi-new adults, and a crop of freshmen with really horrible fake ID’s that somehow makes it past the bouncer at the Hideout every time.”
“There you go, we have a crowd big enough to maybe have a VIP section.” He stared at her fondly while she giggled, breathless in a happy way. “All better now?”
“Just about.” She leaned up and kissed him not so chastely, laughing again when he groaned. “Behave. Uncle Wayne is home.”
“I know.” He pulled back reluctantly, but his brown eyes glittered with the streetlight. “Sleep now?”
“Can you sing my song?”
“It’s a duet, though.”
“Sing your part ‘til I fall asleep. But low so we don’t wake Wayne.”
“So demanding,” he grumbled, feigning annoyance but always happy to give her what she asked.
“You love it.”
“I love you,” he said.
Even in the low lighting, she could see two spots of bright pink appear on his cheeks. She smiled and said, “So sing for me then.”
He grumbled again, cheeks still flushed, but he hummed through Stevie Nicks’ opening verses before he softly sang Henley’s verse, “You in the streetlight with your sleepy eyes…”
She interrupted, “That’s not how it goes.”
“Well the moon isn’t out so the only light on you now is coming from the street.”
She huffed, and he tickled her side until she laughed. “Hush princess and let me sing.” When she quieted down, he started over:
You in the streetlight with your sleepy eyes
Could you ever love a man like me?
And you were right when I walked into your house
I knew I’d never want to leave.
She settled down as he sang, his voice low and smooth and rumbling through his chest. He began to stroke her hair again, and she could feel her body go heavy on him as her eyes fluttered closed. She perked up and sang along softly when he got to the chorus:
Lovers forever face to face
My city or mountains
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace.
“Thank you, baby,” she said as she lifted her head and kissed him. “I love you, you know,” she murmured against his lips.
He smiled into their kiss and squeezed her closer, “I love you, too, darlin’.” He held her and waited until she fell into a deep sleep before he pressed one final kiss to her head and drifted off to sleep as well.
~Fin
A/N: Eddie is singing "Leather and Lace" by Stevie Nicks and Don Henley. He changes the word "moonlight" to "streetlight" in Henley’s opening verse. My headcanons here are that it’s Chrissy’s Vecna song, and Eddie is well-versed in Stevie Nicks because his Momma adored Fleetwood Mac.
Here's a peek at a fic I'm working on for @hellcheeranniversaryweek:
CW: Laura Cunningham being abusive, disordered eating, Jason Carver being abusive, sexual coercion
She adjusted her white tank top over her jeans skirt and frowned as she noted the way it hugged the swell of her breasts and curves of her hips. Her mother would have something to say about that. She made sure that her bra straps were hidden. She didn’t want to be accused of being indecent and made to wear a sweater. It was too hot for that today.
She mouthed the words, “Fuck it” to her reflection and left her ensuite. Flopping onto her bed, she rolled over and stared at the ceiling. Truth be told, she did not want to go to the Fair today. It was hot and with the holiday, she imagined it would be crowded as well and that meant she would be carefully tucked under the arm of her boyfriend the entire time as he ensured that all of Hawkins knew who she belonged to. The shine of going steady with Jason Carver had worn away in June, about two months after they first began to date. His good lucks and charm had been appealing to her. His family being a pillar of the church the Cunninghams attended as well as the Carver wealth had been appealing to her mother. And Laura Cunningham had very quickly shut down any conversation Chrissy raised about breaking up with Jason.
So Chrissy did what she was told and continued to see Jason. And if that meant going along with his kisses and touches and closing her eyes and praying and letting him guide her hand inside his pants, then so be it. Even if she really didn’t want to. And she also very quickly learned to lie and tell him that she did want it and that she loved him, and of course he felt good inside her! Because if she didn’t lie then Jason was very quick to point out that something was wrong with her and that maybe it would feel good if she stopped moving around so much and quit eating sweets and fries because the extra weight was making things difficult for him.
So Chrissy went along with her mother and went along with Jason, but also had her best friend Sandy drive her to the Planned Parenthood in Indy to get birth control because according to Jason, using a condom was a sin, but having sex was not as long as the couple intended on marrying as soon as they were able to. She had her pills hidden in her desk drawer underneath a false bottom she made one afternoon in the empty shop class when cheer practice ended earlier than usual. It’s where she also hid her allowance and babysitting money as well as her Snickers bars and Peanut M&M’s. One bar and a pack of M&M’s could last her a month if she was careful, less if her mother made her skip too many breakfasts.
Here’s my first Hellcheer fic 🖤 It’s a one-shot, but I have about five chapters fully outlined for this and the second chapter is partially written. I’m hoping to write more in the next few months so that I can post 🤗
Summary: Chrissy wakes up from a nightmare in class with visions/memories of when she was Vecnaed.
Fandom: Stranger Things
Pairing: Chrissy Cunningham x Eddie Munson
Word Count: ~1800
Warnings: Implied character death and resurrection by time travel
A/N: The title and lyrics are taken from "Deja Vu" by Iron Maiden. I do not own these characters. Some of the dialogue is taken from Stranger Things, Season 4, Episode 1. This is loosely based on canon and is a fix-it fic because I love Happy Ever Afters. The ending is open, and I will definitely add this to my WIP list.
Likes, kudos, comments, and reblogs are always welcome!
Title: As Long as You Follow, Part 2
Prompts: Stockings, Chrissy Joins Hellfire, Stuck in an Elevator
Name on Bingo Card: Persephone
Rating: Mature
Summary: Eddie’s all-expense paid trip to Hawkins Memorial where he is hospitalized but manages to gain a fiancé and two brothers.
C/W: Canon-typical Violence
Hello lovelies! Chapter 2 of As Long as You Follow. Hope you enjoy!
Now on AO3!! 🖤
Chapter 2: I Can Live Today If You Give Me Tomorrow
Chrissy made it to the Hawkins Memorial in under 10 minutes, parking as close as she possibly could to the entrance. She practically flew out of the seat, slammed the door hard behind her, ran around the van, and yanked open the backdoors.
“Dusty, run into the hospital now and let them know we’re here. Steve and I will try to bring him in, but it’ll be easier if they can bring out a gurney.” Dustin nodded and left to sprint into the hospital. “And tell them it was an animal attack!” She called out. He raised a thumbs up in the air and scurried through the doors.
Steve and Chrissy carefully dragged Eddie towards them. Chrissy looked at his torso and hummed as she found that the duct tape was holding up very well. They pulled him up into a sitting position. Eddie woke with a start, limbs flailing, but calming as he saw Chrissy.
“It’s okay, baby,” she whispered, the pet name easily falling from her lips. “We’re at the hospital, and we’re going to get you some help.” He relaxed against her as he drifted in and out of consciousness.
She looked up and saw two orderlies wheeling out a gurney from the Emergency Room doors. She quickly grabbed Eddie’s hand and pulled off one of his smaller rings and slid it onto the ring finger of her left hand. She caught Steve’s curious stare.
“I used to volunteer here. They’ll only allow immediate family in emergencies. No exceptions.” She waggled her finger with Eddie’s ring. “So I’m his fiancé, and you and Dustin are his half-brothers. Understand?” She turned to Eddie, who blinked at her slowly. “Eddie? Understand? We’re engaged now.”
Before he could reply, the orderlies were there, and they helped Eddie lay down on the gurney. They strapped him in and wheeled him to the ER, with Chrissy and Steve trotting behind them giving them a brief explanation of the “animal attack.” They burst through the doors of the ER. Chrissy went straight to the desk to check him in and was immediately recognized.
“Chrissy Cunningham!” An older nurse exclaimed. “It’s so good to see you! What are you doing here?” The nurse’s brown eyes gave her a once over and immediately zeroed in on the gun in Chrissy’s shoulder holster.
Chrissy smiled tightly, “Hi Mrs. Cordana It’s good to see you, too. Unfortunately, I’m here because my fiancé was attacked by some kind of animal when we were camping.” She patted her holster. “I was able to scare it off, but it had already taken a bite out of him.”
Nurse Cordana looked startled. “Fiancé? How old are you again?”
“18, ma’am.”
The nurse immediately looked down at Chrissy’s belly. Chrissy smiled and said, “No, I’m not expecting. Just in love, and really happy. Can I check him in please? I want to get back there in case he wakes up.”
She was given paperwork for triage which she did her best to complete. “Can’t remember his social security number,” she said sheepishly as she handed back the paperwork. Chrissy caught the twitch of the nurse’s lips as she frowned when she saw Eddie’s name.
“Eddie Munson?” She asked and met Chrissy’s stare. “Honey, you’re engaged to Eddie Munson? You know he’s wanted for questioning?”
Chrissy breathed out shakily, “Please, Mrs. Cordana. He didn’t do anything. He’s innocent. I can vouch for his whereabouts for all of the times those people died. Please just. . .take care of him.”
Nurse Cordana took in Chrissy’s earnest eyes and shaking hands. She smiled kindly and placed a warm hand over Chrissy’s. “I’ll make sure he’s taken care of here. I do have to call the police, though. It’s protocol. But we’re going to make sure he gets the medical care he needs.”
Chrissy breathed out in relief and passed trembling fingers over her face. “Thank you so much.”
The nurse became concerned as she looked Chrissy over again. “Chrissy, honey, are you okay? Are you hurt, too?”
Chrissy looked down and saw all of the dried blood and dirt on her hands and jeans. She shook her head, “This is all Eddie’s blood, ma’am. I’m just. . .really shaken up, right now. That’s all.” Her eyes filled with tears that she struggled to hold back.
“Go on to the restroom and clean yourself up, okay? We’re going to take good care of him here. You have my word.”
Chrissy nodded, unable to speak anymore, and made her way to the ladies’ room. She locked the door behind her and took a long look at her reflection in the mirror. She smothered a hysterical laugh that threatened to escape her chest. Her long, strawberry-blond hair had streaks of dirt and blood. It framed her pale face. The blue in her eyes were lighter, closer to gray and glassy with unshed tears. Her eyes were wide open and appeared both startled and exhausted. The delicate skin just below her eyes were a shade of lavender courtesy of 36 hours without sleep. There were smudges of dirt on the skin along her collar bone. Her black t-shirt didn’t show anything, but with the amount of dried blood and dirt on her pants, she was positive her shirt was just as filthy. The flannel she had borrowed (stolen) from Eddie hid a lot of the stains.
She took a shaky breath in and out and proceeded to wash her hands, absently going into scrub mode like how she was taught when she first trained to be a volunteer at the hospital. She sang the ABC song under her breath to ensure she washed long enough, pointedly not thinking about all the ways Eddie’s medical care could go wrong here. She took off the shoulder holster and gun as well as the flannel and washed her arms and face, wiping the tears from her eyes before they could fall. She rinsed her hair the best she could in the sink and finger-combed the tangles out. The jeans would have to wait for a proper wash, but she dampened a paper towel and wiped off as much dirt as she could from her pants and the flannel.
She stepped out of the restroom feeling much more refreshed and made her way over to the chairs in the waiting area where Steve and Dustin had settled. Steve had his arm around Dustin and was holding the teen close to his side. Tears streamed down Dustin’s face, but he was quiet. Steve smiled at Chrissy grimly when she sat on his other side but held out a hand for her to grasp tightly as they waited. One hour went by. An ambulance brought in an unconscious Jason Carver followed by Officer Callahan.
Steve and Chrissy looked at each other with raised brows. Nancy and Robin arrived shortly afterwards with the rest of the kids. Erica held her arm carefully and was immediately taken to the back area by a nurse to be treated, with Robin and Lucas close by her side. Nancy waved to them quickly and went straight to the pay phone, presumably to call the Sinclair parents. Max plastered herself to Chrissy’s side immediately.
“You okay?” Chrissy asked, holding the surly teen close.
Max shrugged. “Yea. I did the floating thing again, but El was there, too, inside with Vecna. Whatever she did and whatever you guys did stopped him. But Jason came when I was under. He hurt Erica, twisted her arm. Lucas had to fight him.”
“I’m so sorry,” Chrissy said forlornly, holding her tighter.
Max snorted. “It’s not your fault. He’s the crazy asshole.” She paused and said in a quieter voice, “I bet he gets away with it.”
“He won’t,” Chrissy vowed, squeezing her arm around her.
“People like him always get away with it,” Max whispered. “Pretty and perfect on the outside. Living on the rich side of town. Goes to church every Sunday. Kisses parents’ asses. Everyone buys into their bullshit. And no one sees how rotten they are.”
“Not everyone, Max,” Steve said, head against the wall. “We know what he’s all about. Hopefully, seeing hints of the Upside Down changes him. It changed me.” He turned his head and winked at her.
“You were never like him,” Chrissy said.
“Eh,” Steve replied. “I was an asshole. I laughed and watched bullies pick on people like Eddie and Dustybuns here.” He wiggled his arm a little to jostle Dustin. “I joined in sometimes, too.”
“But you’re different now,” Dustin said, sitting up.
“Yea, partly because of you buddy,” Steve said, smiling wryly as he pulled the brim of Dustin’s hat over his eyes. “And partly because fighting a demogorgon with Jonathan and Nancy really put things in perspective.”
Max buried her face deeper into Chrissy’s side and asked in a muffled voice, “Do you…do you think Billy would have changed? If he would have lived and he had time like you did?”
Steve was quiet, his brows furrowed as he considered Max’s question. Max sat up to stare at him, anxiety etched across her features. Dustin looked at Steve with curiosity.
“I think so,” Steve finally said. His eyes were sad as he gazed at Max. “I think what he did in the end, his sacrifice, was the start of something for him. And had he survived it, I think he would’ve been different.” He ruffled her hair. “And I know it’s easier to say it than believe it for you, but none of what happened to him was your fault. None of it. We all got sucked into a shitty situation, and he chose to save you and all of us.”
Max nodded but tears were streaming down her cheeks. She laid her head against Chrissy again. Chrissy linked her arm through Steve’s and smiled gently at him. She mouthed the word, “Thanks.” Steve nodded his head.
They all squeezed closer together as they waited for news. Nancy sat on Max’s other side, promptly grabbing the younger teen’s hand and squeezing slightly. The Sinclair parents and Mrs. Henderson arrived 15 minutes later, eyes widening as they seemingly bought the sheepish explanations Max and Dustin gave about camping out in the Creel house on a dare. Max was honest about Jason’s involvement and the group shuddered at the steely look that came to Mrs. Sinclair’s eyes. She and her husband promptly excused themselves to check on their children. Mrs. Sinclair came back shortly afterwards and walked straight to the pay phones to make her own calls.
Officer Callahan finally made his way over to the group and said, “We received reports that Eddie Munson is here.”
Chrissy bristled and opened her mouth defend him, when Mrs. Henderson snapped, “Let’s cut the bullshit about Eddie Munson.” Dustin’s mouth dropped. “That boy has done nothing but given our kids a space to be happy and free, more than what I can say about half this town.”
Mrs. Sinclair briskly walked back from the pay phones and chimed in, “I want to know what you are going to do about Jason Carver. He has become increasingly more unhinged. Starting a witch hunt against Eddie and the rest of the kids in his club. And now look what he has done to my daughter.” She pointed a finger at the officer. “I just got off the phone with my lawyer, and she has a lot of questions for your department.”
Officer Callahan looked a bit lost and stuttered, “W-we are actively investigating your daughter’s attack. We have several witnesses at the station giving statements now.”
“Actively my ass,” Nancy said. “I told you at the Creel house what happened. And those ‘witnesses’ are accomplices. Jason and half of the basketball team have done nothing but stalk and menace us the entire week.”
Once she realized that the rational adults were not turning on Eddie, Chrissy settled deeper into her seat and tuned out the arguments. She was exhausted, but too wired to get any real rest. So she just sat and tried not to think about Eddie unconscious and bleeding out. Instead, she allowed her mind to wander to the what-ifs. Vecna seemed to be gone. Her relationship with Jason is over. Thankfully. She found herself smothering a smile as she imagined her mother’s face when Chrissy tells her about dumping the basketball star. Her father could care less, but Laura Cunningham had been obsessed with the relationship, being connected to the Carver family, and Chrissy following Jason to college. Never about what Chrissy wants to do. Always about supporting Jason and maybe quitting school if they decided to get married early. Chrissy couldn’t stop her smile from coming when she thought about all of her possible futures now and making choices based on what she wants rather than her mom. And all those futures seemed to feature a certain curly-haired metalhead with the warmest smile she had ever seen.
“Why are you smiling?” Steve asked, his voice low as the argument continued between Officer Callahan, Mrs. Henderson, and both Sinclair parents now.
She shrugged. “You think it’s too soon to ask out Eddie?”
Steve snorted. “Not with the way you two have been mooning over each other this past week.”
“You’re going to ask out Eddie?!?” Dustin exclaimed with his wide grin. He practically threw himself over Steve’s lap to grasp her hands. “Seriously?? This is so big. You will single-handedly overturn the social hierarchy at Hawkins High.”
Steve nudged him. “First of all, personal space dude.” Dustin only looked at him but didn’t budge from the way he was draped over Steve’s lap. Steve mushed his head affectionately. “And second, is that all you care about? Disrupting the social hierarchy?”
Dustin turned pink and sheepishly apologized. “Sorry. And I think Eddie would be really happy if you asked him out.”
Chrissy laughed, “It’s okay, Dusty.”
Max gave Chrissy a look, “Well, he’s a jittery nerd, but he’s better than Jason could ever be, so, congratulations.”
“Thank you, Max,” Chrissy nudged her.
The adults’ voices began to raise again, the Sinclairs, Mrs. Henderson, and Nancy now surrounding Officer Callahan. A blush traveled up Officer Callahan’s chest and bloomed across his cheeks as he held up his hands to try to placate the group he clearly did not expect to be arguing with in a hospital waiting room.
“Oh my God!” Dustin nearly shouted, ignoring the verbal altercation. “Are you going to join Hellfire?”
Max snorted, “Nerd. School clubs were over for the year since last Friday. Wasn’t that the last day of the campaign?”
Dustin’s smile dropped as he sat up. “Max,” he said in a serious tone, “Hellfire transcends a mere label like school club.”
Chrissy caught the way Max’s blue eyes started to twinkle with mischief and spoke before the two teens could devolve into an argument. “You know what? Yes. I’ll join Hellfire.”
Dustin’s whoop barely broke the tension in the arguing group in front of the young and older teens. He pumped his fist, his mouth spreading into his widest grin.
“Eddie is going to be so stoked! Think of the headlines in the school paper: Head Cheerleader joins Hellfire.” He paused and stared at Steve thoughtfully. “Hey Steve, maybe you should be getting some pointers from Eddie. I mean, if he’s able to bag a cheerleader, he’s gotta be doing something right.”
Max’s howling laughter managed to disrupt Officer Callahan’s argument with Nancy, the Sinclairs, and Mrs. Henderson. The red-faced officer seemed like he was trying to extricate himself from the fuming parents and petite teen when a doctor cleared her throat behind them.
“Family of Eddie Munson?” she said, her green eyes taking in the rather odd group. She had short, pale-blond hair and wore a white medical coat over a simple beige dress.
Chrissy thought she looked familiar, but she wasn’t sure as she worked primarily with the nurses when she worked at the hospital last year. Chrissy found her eyes drawn to a single drop of blood on the doctor’s stockings. She tore her eyes away and jumped to her feet. “Yes! We’re his family. I’m his fiancé, and these are his brothers.” She gestured to Steve and Dustin beside her.
Wisely, Mrs. Henderson and the Sinclairs remained silent regarding Eddie’s suddenly expanded family. When Officer Callahan opened his mouth to question, Mrs. Henderson stomped on his foot. The officer groaned in pain.
“Oh pardon me, I’m so clumsy,” she said before facing the doctor again.
The doctor raised a skeptical brow but proceeded. “I am Dr. Cooper. Mr. Munson lost some blood, and he’s going to have a hell of a scar, but he’s stable now.” She hid a smile when Dustin whooped excitedly.
“Is he awake?” Officer Callahan asked.
Dr.bCooper shook her head. “He is currently sedated. And we are only allowing family at this time.” She held her hand up when the officer began to protest. “Unless you have some sort of arrest warrant, you are not permitted access to Mr. Munson. Do you have one?” Her voice was firm.
“No, doctor,” Callahan stated, dejectedly.
“You can speak with Mr. Carver. He is awake. Based on Ms. Sinclair’s and her brother’s statements, Mr. Carver has been implicated in several crimes.” Dr. Cooper raised an eyebrow expectantly. “My staff has already made a report with your department. You can speak with Nurse Cordana at the front desk. She will escort you to Mr. Carver’s bed.” Officer Callahan turned red again before he nodded his head and walked to the desk.
“That was awesome!” Dustin whisper-shouted.
Dr. Cooper smiled warmly at the group again. “I can take Mr. Munson’s immediate family to see him. Just the adults, right now.” she clarified when Dustin pushed himself forward.
Dustin opened his mouth to protest but allowed his mother to pull him back to the chairs to sit with Max and Nancy, while Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair excused themselves to check on their children. Chrissy and Steve glanced at each other nervously but followed the doctor as she escorted them away from the waiting area. She led them past the visitor elevators to a service elevator.
The doors opened as soon as she pressed the button. She gestured for Chrissy and Steve to follow her inside the elevator car. She pressed the button for the 3rd floor, but as the elevator creaked its way upwards, she hit the emergency button. The elevator lurched to a stop. Chrissy and Steve stumbled, but immediately took defensive positions. Chrissy’s hand inched its way towards her gun, but Dr. Cooper held up a hand to still her.
“Please don’t draw your weapon, Ms. Cunningham,” she said. “We don’t have a lot of time before we draw the attention of security.”
“So you need to move further away from us and back against that wall because you can’t imagine the craziness we have seen in the last few days,” Chrissy said, her hand flexing near her gun nervously. “And now you have us trapped in this elevator away from our friends.”
The doctor held her hands out carefully and stepped back until she was against the other side of the elevator. She gazed at them steadily. “I just need to talk. That’s it.”
Steve said, “Just so you know, we’ve been operating under a shoot first ask questions later mindset for the last 24 hours, so do not make any sudden moves. And speak quick because our people will be suspicious if we’re gone for too long. And you don’t want Robin and Dustin tearing up this place trying to find us.”
She nodded. “Sam Owens placed me at this hospital 2 years ago. Just to keep an eye on things. Report back anything out of the ordinary.”
“Dr. Owens?” Steve asked. He glanced at Chrissy. “He’s affiliated with the lab.”
“Yes,” Dr. Cooper continued. “He’s had a team monitoring what’s been going on the last week.”
“Monitoring?!?” Steve exclaimed. “Why haven’t they stepped in to actually help? People are dead now. Eddie died. He would have stayed dead without us.”
Dr. Cooper’s cheeks flushed. “I know. You two saved his life. I can’t speak to why Owen’s team didn’t step in. I only know my job was to observe. Monitor and treat any injuries or illnesses stemming from what you all call the Upside Down.”
“He’s dead now,” Chrissy said. “Vecna. . .One. . .Henry Creel. . .he’s dead now.”
“I’m aware.” Dr. Cooper nodded. “I do need to monitor Mr. Munson for any adverse effects from that bite. And you as well, Mr. Harrington.”
“Adverse effects?” Chrissy asked, alarmed.
“Like rabies?” Steve asked. “Was Robin right all along?”
“Maybe. We don’t know. So far, Mr. Munson’s tests have all come back negative. But we have started him on strong antibiotics, and we gave him rabies shots as well.” She paused. “I am strongly recommending monitoring for at least six months. For you, as well Mr. Harrington. I’m also recommending examinations and monitoring for anyone who has been in the Upside Down for an extended time. That means Ms. Buckley, Ms. Wheeler, and young Mr. Henderson, too.”
Chrissy breathed out slowly, her heart rate increasing as she struggled to push her anger aside. “Listen, I’m new to all of this. But the little I’ve seen has been absolutely insane. And this is the first time anyone official has spoken to me about any of it. Why do you guys have a bunch of children running around saving the world every year? And have y’all compensated anyone for their troubles? I know for a fact that Eddie does not have medical insurance. The trailer that he lives in with his uncle has some sort of pulsing hole in the ceiling. What are you guys going to do about that?”
Dr. Cooper nodded. “Yes, we’re aware of that, too. I don’t know what’s going to happen with his home, but all of Mr. Munson’s medical bills, as well as any medical examinations or treatments that your group undergoes, will be covered. As for monetary compensation, you would have to speak with the lawyers, who I am sure are on their way now.”
Steve scrubbed his face with a hand and slumped against the wall. “More NDA’s, right?” He sighed when Dr. Cooper nodded.
“What are NDA’s?” Chrissy asked.
“Non-disclosure agreements,” he answered. “Basically, we agree not to say anything about any of the craziness.”
“In exchange for?” Chrissy asked.
Steve looked at her blankly. “. . .Nothing. I guess.”
Chrissy turned to the doctor, “We won’t be signing anything unless it includes monetary compensation. In addition to a new home for Eddie and his uncle.”
Dr. Cooper smiled, “And you, I suppose.” Chrissy looked confused. “Since you and Mr. Munson will be married, that would include you getting a new home.” She laughed when Chrissy turned red. “Don’t worry, Ms. Cunningham. But feel free to keep up your ruse so that you can visit with Mr. Munson.” She pushed the emergency button again, and the elevator resumed its ascent. “And for now, maintain your story about the wild animal attack. I’m not sure what information will be given to the larger public.”
The elevator doors opened, and the doctor briskly led Chrissy and Steve down long empty corridors. The hallways were dark and quiet, with no beeps from any machinery. There were no phones ringing, nor were there any whispered conversations. There were no signs of any of the hustle and bustle that comes with being in the hospital.
“Where is everyone?” Steve asked. He and Chrissy moved closer together, but he was careful to keep her shooting arm clear.
Dr. Cooper replied, “This is considered my wing of the hospital for special patients. Basically, anyone who has been in contact with the Upside Down. Very few staff are assigned here. While Mr. Munson is here, he will only have two nurses on rotation with him, and I will be his only doctor. At least until Dr. Owens arrives. All visitors need to be escorted.”
Chrissy took in the emptiness around them, the darkness with each room they passed. And she shook her head. “We aren’t leaving Eddie alone here, Steve. I don’t like this.”
Dr. Cooper’s voice was soft as she said, “We are going to take good care of him here.”
“I don’t care,” Chrissy said, her voice firm. “I’ve heard about how that lab took care of children.” She was satisfied when Dr. Cooper flinched. “And I really don’t like how y’all have let a bunch of kids and teenagers do your dirty work against literal monsters. So with all due respect, I really do not trust you guys.”
“Understandable,” Dr. Cooper said with a nod. They passed a nurse’s station where only one nurse was stationed. Chrissy didn’t recognize her but smiled politely. She was relieved to see the nurse return her smile with a kind smile of her own.
Dr. Cooper stopped in front of a closed door right in front of the nurse’s desk. Light from inside of the room beamed from the edges of the door. “We can arrange for overnight guests if you would like.”
Dr. Cooper pushed open the door and led them into Eddie’s room. It was a private room. There was a small bathroom to the right of the door with a full shower. A large window filled the entire back wall and faced the dark woods by the hospital. Dr. Cooper pulled the shades closed against the dark, and both Steve and Chrissy let out breaths they didn’t realize they were holding.
Eddie’s bed was in the middle of the room. The metalhead, once so brave as he strutted across the lunchroom tables, chest puffed out as he tore down conformists with biting words, now appeared so tiny in that huge hospital bed. He laid on his back with his eyes closed. His hair was a frizzy halo around the pillow. The dirt and grime had been cleaned from his face and presumably the rest of his body. His pallor was so pale, almost ashen, with dark circles beneath his eyes that matched Chrissy’s and Steve’s, but his countenance was so peaceful. He wore a hospital gown and was covered with a blanket up to his chest. A machine beeped and monitored his oxygen levels, heart rate, and blood pressure. Tubes ran from his nose to a fresh oxygen tank on the side of the bed. There were also several IVs in his arm.
“Fluids and pain medication,” Chrissy explained when Steve looked at her in question.
“That’s right,” Dr. Cooper said smiling. “I see you remembered. I heard you did well as a volunteer. Ever think of getting into the medical field?”
Chrissy shrugged. She had only just begun to envision a future without her mother’s claws in it, so she hadn’t really thought that far ahead regarding career. “Maybe. I guess I’ll see when all of this is over.”
The doctor nodded. She looked over Eddie’s vitals and checked his medication. “He is stable. And as long as there are no infections, his prognosis is good.”
Dr. Cooper’s tone was reassuring, but Chrissy couldn’t help but picture Eddie bleeding out on his back in the Upside Down. What if we hadn’t made it on time? He’d be in a body bag instead of this bed. She pushed the thoughts to the side and wiped tears from her eyes, focusing on the room instead.
“Okay,” she said. “Can we set up his phone and a television please?”
“Of course,” the doctor said.
“And security?” Steve added. “I don’t know if you you’re aware, but we’re been dodging a town mob led by Jason Carver.”
Dr. Cooper said, “Security will be alerted. Again, visitors need to be escorted to this wing. And I would imagine Mr. Carver will be facing charges tonight.” She backed out of the room. “I’ll give you a moment with him while I speak with the nurse about the television and phones.”
They waited until the door shut behind her before they rushed to Eddie’s side. Chrissy carefully lifted the blanket and exposed his bandaged side. She resisted the urge to touch and covered him instead. She did pass a soft hand over his warm, stubbled cheek.
Steve flipped through his chart. His brow furrowed as he asked, “Do you think they’re hiding anything?” He offered her the chart. “Does all of that seem legit?”
Chrissy read through the chart, grateful again for her experience in the hospital. She took note of the medications and the doctor’s scrawled writing regarding prognosis.
“Looks good so far,” she said. “I’m not super familiar with medications but it does seem like they’re taking preventive measures to treat possible infections.” She returned the chart to the slot at the end of the bed and sat heavily on the closest chair to Eddie.
Steve sat beside her and squeezed her hand gently. “He won’t ever be alone while he’s here. Okay, Chris? You guys are with us now, and we all look out for each other. We’ll take shifts. I’m sure Henderson could whip out a schedule in five minutes.”
Chrissy huffed a laugh. “Okay, thanks.” She wiped away tears again. “Do you think it’s all over now?”
Steve rubbed both hands over his face as he considered her question. “I keep my nailbat in the trunk of my car behind the spare tire. And I have another one by my bed. Robin has a knife tucked between her mattress and box spring. Nancy sleeps with a gun under her pillow. We all have walkies and have safety checks with the kids in the mornings and evenings.” He jerked a thumb at Chrissy’s holster. “And I suspect that you’ll be carrying that around at all times for a while.” He stared at Eddie’s chest as it rose and fell with each breath. “I really hope this is the last of it, and that Carver and his mob gets what is coming to them. But it’s better to hope for the best and fucking plan for the absolute worse.”
A/N: This fic is becoming longer than I originally thought it would be! Thank you so much for reading 🥰 Stay tuned for Part 3!
