Warning: Crying, mention of blood, mention of death, dealing with a Vecta, mention of a different life, memory erasure, no mention of gender.
Character: Eddie Munson x reader, Henry Creel x reader.
Part 1: Let Him Live.
Let him live.
Part 1 of ...
You were sitting on the ground, crying over Eddie's dying body. He was breathing with difficulty; the wounds those things had inflicted were slowly killing him.
Dustin had run away, leaving you both on the other side. You had yelled at him to leave and get help, but he was taking too long.
"Please, please, please, don't leave me, Eddie, please," you screamed as you saw Eddie's breathing slow even more.
"Go...go," he said, coughing up blood. You couldn't even see Eddie clearly anymore because of the tears streaming down your cheeks, mingling with his blood.
"No...no...no, please...Dustin," you screamed desperately for help. Eddie was dying in your arms, and you couldn't do anything. "Dustin isn't coming," a male voice made you turn around quickly. There in front of you was a blond boy, looking at you intently.
"Hen... Henry," you whispered, frightened, placing yourself in front of your boyfriend's body.
"I'll help you," he said, walking towards you. You looked around for a weapon, grabbing a rock ready to defend your boyfriend, when a force jolted you to your feet.
"I wouldn't do that," Henry said, his hand in the air. The air in your lungs slowly began to leave your lungs. "I'll help you with the boy," the boy in front of you said, letting go of you. You fell to your knees, coughing with difficulty.
"You'll... save Ed... Eddie," you said with difficulty.
"I will," Henry said, amused. You swallowed hard. "But what will you do for me?"
"Anything, I'll give you whatever you want, but help me," you begged, crying, for the boy's help.
Henry looked at you with a satisfied smile, walking over to the boy whose eyes were already closed.
He placed a hand on his chest,You watched in amazement as his wounds began to disappear.
Your eyes widened when Eddie's eyes snapped open, his mouth opening to take a long breath.
"Eddie!" you cried, running to his side. You took Eddie's face in your hands, tears streaming down his cheeks. He smiled, cupping your cheeks.
"It's time," Henry's voice made you glare at him. The boy offered you his hand, but Eddie, seeing this, tried to stop you.
Weakened, he couldn't do anything as you started walking toward Henry.
"No... no!" Eddie cried, desperately trying to grab your hand, but he couldn't.
"It's a deal," Henry said with a smile. You nodded, taking his hand.
"Wait!" Eddie's desperate cry echoed behind you, but you ignored him.
You kept walking with Henry, who began to transform from his human form into the monster everyone knew. A portal opened in front of you both.
You walked hand in hand with him, stepping through the portal, ignoring Eddie's desperate cries.
As you crossed the threshold, you saw Henry's house, but instead of being abandoned, it was a beautiful home.
The sun shone brightly in a blue sky, dotted with clouds—a truly beautiful sky.
"Welcome to your new home," Henry said, touching your temple. Your eyes changed color, turning white and then returning to their natural hue.
Your previous memories blurred with a thick fog, quickly transforming into memories you'd never experienced.
When you turned around, a very handsome blond boy was looking at you with a sweet smile.
"Are you okay, darling?" the boy asked gently, taking your hand. You smiled, squeezing his hand tightly.
"Of course, darling," you said affectionately to your now-husband. A gold ring gleamed in the sunlight. You both went inside the house, smiling.
What you didn't know was who Henry or Vecna were; you only knew that he was your husband and that you both lived happily in your beautiful home.
𖦹 two letters and messy handwriting later, you find out the real truth on who your secret admirer is. 3,700k+
pt 1 here!
tw: slight bullying/harsh words
school was actually something worth waking up for in the morning.
you walked into the school with a buzz and a sense of belong, knowing that someone had their eyes on you. people walked in and out, shoving past you- something you would usually hate but it didn't seem as annoying now.
you went to the locker and saw the letter peeking through your locker, the paper clean this time with no coffee stains. you scurried to open it.
there was messy hand writing. smudged ink and letters. it was perfect and imperfect all at the same time- but it didn't matter anyways. it was for you. you skimmed through it before starting to read.
"dear y/n,
i realized i made a stupid and big mistake from the last letter. it was just rushed and not what i wanted it to be. and i'm sorry that i dropped such big news on you without telling you who i was. but i won't tell you yet, not until i really tell you how i see you.
i see your smile, your eyes, your nose, your pretty hair. your so pretty. so pretty that it makes my heart beat so fast at the thought of you. isn't that insane? i've loved everything about you since middle school and i feel like i know the way you smile and the way your eyes are colored by memory. your eyes are so so beautiful and radiant and i know i will never forget them when i grow old. your really the prettiest girl i've ever seen in this whole world, and you always will be to me- pretty on the outside and the inside. i hear you talking about how you sometime's don't like the way you dress or how it's styled. but i think the way you dress is beautiful, everything you wear is just so you. and it's pretty.
and to let you know, i've told you these things in person. i know. crazy we've met each other before. but i'm sure countless of guys have complimented you left and right, that would not be a surprise. and if they haven't- their assholes. and i'd be glad i'll be the first one to tell you.
from, anonymous"
you felt like you were out of body. you read the letter over and over until your head hurt, until you had the letters memorized. this was getting to a point, an insane point where you were finally happy. you felt pretty, just like he said.
after the upside down and max, you weren't in a great place. you had vivid nightmares, nightmares where you could feel a cold touch and hear terrible screams. it terrified you- and it was every night. you were on medication and you went to thereapy, the image of max still replaying over and over again in your head.
you were to scared to tell the rest of the party, to scared to ask if they experienced the same thing. you assumed they did- it must've hit harder for them. you did have the courage to ask mike, and it started a different sort of bond between you two- stronger than what already was. sometime's mike let you sneak into his house, into his comforting room which you were so familiar with- where you felt home.
he knew you so well, knew exactly what to say when you needed to hear them- through quiet whispers under the blankets in his warm bed. it was safe with mike. it always was. and once school started again- your nightmares began to fade. you thought it was because you were having more human interactions, considering you locked yourself in your room.
but it meant less mike than before. no holding each other late at night. no whispers, no movie nights, no reading comics with him. you two were still close, but you couldn't help but miss the feeling you got whenever he looked at yo-
"hey." you hear the familiar and soft voice behind you.
you look up with a shy smile. "hi."
"another one?"
you nod, and he skims through it. 10 second later he looked up. your eyebrows furrowed at the fact he barely even read it. you didn't know why but you sort of wanted him to read it, to see that someone saw you this way.
"did- did you read it?" you point to the line of where the boy says something about your clothes.
"mhm. i mean, he's sorta just saying stuff that we've been knowing." he says with a playful but soft tone.
"mike.. be serious." you couldn't help but crack a smile. "did you investigate like i asked?"
"yeah, didn't find much. there's like hundreds of people at this school.. sorta hard." he shrugs, his eyebrows lifting like habit. you groan, putting the paper in the envelope.
"ugh, okay yeah- whatever." you mumble. "yknow what? i'm just.. i think i'm gonna ask oliver."
"if it's him?" he asks.
"yeah. i mean, it probably is.. right?" you say quietly, your voice laced with uncertainty.
"why don't you just wait it out? there's one more letter, right?" he asks. "maybe he has some grand gesture for you or something."
your eyes met his, and you think. you could wait, could wait for the last words of praise this boy had to tell you. but it could be a day earlier where you finally kiss a guy- and that, you wanted to do. maybe not with oliver.. but it was someone. you shake your head, opening your locker.
"i'll just ask him casually in biology. like 'hey oliver, are you writing these to me?'" you say as you grab your books. "it won't hurt."
mike's mouth opened, words about to come out before the bell loudly rang in the hallways. his shoulder nudged yours and he nodded towards the end of the hall. "cmon, we're gonna be late."
--------------------
when you got to biology, you made it 100% sure you sat next to oliver. you gave him a small smile to give him a good impression, your heart ringing into your ears from how nervous you were.
mrs. marsh’s voice muffled into oblivion when you started to write on the small ripped out paper from your notebook.
“hey ◡̈ meet me at the parking lot during lunch?”
was what the note said when you slid it to oliver when mrs. marsh wasn’t paying attention. you bit your nails as you sideyed him. when you saw his head turn to you- your eyes met his.
he nodded, and you nodded back.
it was now lunch, and you were at parking lot after making a shitty excuse to the party that you had to go to the nurse.
“hey.” you hear olivers voice cut through all the noise in your head. he was leaning against his beamer, looking already unconvinced.
“hi.” you say with a small smile. “so um.. this- it won’t take long.”
oliver nodded, hands in his puffer from the cold as he waited for you.
you chuckled, looking down before looking back at him. “ill just be point blank.”
“have you been uh.. leaving notes for me? like- in my locker? cus im totally okay with it, im- im flattered actually.” you immediately say.
he looks at you, eyebrows furrowed. he had that face that all the jocks had. the face that just laughed at you or judged you in anything you said.
“the fuck are you talking about? no, i haven’t.” he snarks with an attitude. wow.
your eyes widened, eyebrows lifted. “wha- are you sure?”
“why the fuck would i give letters to you? your literally nobody.” he says with a chuckle in his voice.
“im so.. oliver im confused right now. didn’t- didn’t you tell me you liked me?” you stutter your words, already taking a step back in embarrassment.
“ahh shit yeah.” he laughs, “just some dare i had to pull.”
your lips parted, nothing but a breath coming out. he didn’t like you. he never did. just like you expected- the concept of a boy never liking you. it had your heart slow down, but not in a calming way.
you were defeated, embarrassed in front of a guy you barely knew. you were frozen, just like you were frozen when you read the letters. the letters you thought were his.
“you think i really liked you?” he says in shock. he saw your expression, and he laughed.
“oh my god! wow that’s- that’s the cherry on top. i mean just..” he looks at you up and down. “look at you.”
“i don’t understand.” your voice shakes.
you felt your eyes go blurry from the tears, and you wanted it to stop. your heart was racing again- like how it did during your nightmares. your nightmares that were whispered away by mike.
“you think i’d write a letter to someone who’s probably banging that eddie freak? wow. just wow.” he shakes his head and chuckles- pushing himself of the car.
“don’t ever speak to me again.” he says before walking off back into school.
you don’t know what happened next- only remembering that you immediately went home. you rode your back with tears streaming down your cheek, the air making your face feel cold.
you missed the last few periods, the classes you had with the party. with mike. and it wasn’t the fact that oliver said those things to you.
you never liked oliver really, he was never cute. it was his words that hurt- the way he said them. mike would never say that. mike has never said anything bad about you, even if you weren’t there.
you missed him. you needed mike- needed his words and his touch. his gentle touch that had you melted right then and there.
you went to bed listening to The Cure, pillow smushed to your cheek as you cried- already knowing that school wouldn’t be an option tomorrow.
————————————
it was a rainy day in hawkins, like usual- but it was the worst timing for you. the rain was your favorite, but it made you feel miserable more than what you already felt. you were curled up in your bed, not ever planning on leaving. you looked at your clock. 11:00 am.
you groaned, rubbing your eyes and you looked out the window that spilled a gray lighting into your room. you shivered- sitting up and putting your slippers on.
you started walking to your bathroom when you heard knocks at the front door. your parents were off at work- so you assumed it was some solicitor. you opened your bathroom door when you heard your name being called.
it was muffled and faint, but you could recognize the voice from anywhere.
“mike?” you call out, your footsteps softly padding on the ground as you walked outside your room.
“yeah it’s me! could you open the door?” he said with a sense of urgency, and you did.
he was soaking wet, and completely out of breath. his bike was in your driveway- tossed aside like he was in a hurry.
“jesus mike wha- come in.” you grab his freezing arm, water dripping inside.
“what are you doing here? aren’t you supposed to be at school?” you ask.
“i should be asking you that.” he says quietly, and your eyebrows furrow.
“you drove all the way here to ask that?” you ask.
“yeah.. well- no.” he shakes his head quickly. “i didn’t even see you yesterday after lunch.”
his words was another constant reminder of what happened only yesterday, and you gulped. you nodded, rubbing your arm up and down.
“like i said.. i had to go to the nurses. i felt sick.” you mumble.
“that’s bullshit because i went there to check up on you and you were never even there.” he says.
your lips parted, not knowing what to say.
“hey. it’s me.” he says in a more gentle voice, stepping closer to you.
“did something happen? or did.. you just were feeling sad and you didn’t wanna go to school?”
his voice was so soft that you felt like crying. so that’s what you did. you melted into his arms, and he reciprocated the hug.
“hey hey.. okay. it’s okay.” he whispers into your neck, rubbing your back up and down.
you were now cold and wet too, but that’s how you felt. just so cold and empty- after everything you’ve been through.
“look at me.” he felt you shake your head. “no ‘no’s’. cmon.. please.”
you lifted your head, teary and pink eyes meeting his warm gaze. he gently wiped away a tear with his thumb, and he kissed your forehead. your eyes fluttered shut- remembering the familiar feeling of his lips to your skin whenever you got a nervous or scared.
“you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t wanna. ill wait, okay?” he whispers, and you nod.
he nodded too, before quickly getting something from his jacket. a letter. it was a little bit soggy, but you could tell mike tried hard to keep it nice for you.
“this was at your locker.” he says softly.
you take it, looking down at it. “it wasn’t him, mike.” you whisper, bottom lip trembling.
he frowned, kissing your forehead again.
“i figured. that asshole can’t write shit anyways.” he says in hope to make you smile, and you did.
it was silent, the two of you looking into each others eyes with small smiles. you sighed, looking down at the paper
“i was just so.. confused. and i wanted to go to school, really. mainly to just find out who it was.” you mumble.
“just read it right now.” he suggests.
“now? in front of you?”
“you don’t gotta read it out loud.” he says with a soft laugh. “ill stand here while you read it though.”
you look at him with still some confusion, but mike always left you confused anyways. you opened it, and it was the same as the others. same messy handwriting, the same dark black ink.
"dear y/n,
when i first wanted to do this, i was gonna do this huge reveal and hand you the letter myself. but like always, i got scared. i'm normally not the type of guy to go up to a girl and make a move- and i feel like i'll never be brave enough too. but you make me feel brave, and you made me feel like that these past few days.
it's just the way your so kind makes me feel like that. i know it can be hard with self doubt and all- but your truly the sweetest girl i've ever met. there are many many perks about you. your pretty (very pretty like i said), and so funny, and so kind. i'm glad i got to know you more throughout these years and i'm glad we got to talk. you make me feel warm and fuzzy inside and you don't even try. your just you, and i love you.
yes, i love you. and it's justified since i've known you for so long- but i'm insanely in love with you. i'm in love with your laugh, your smile, your warm eyes, your personality, your touch, everything. i feel like i've already spilled everything i feel about you, yet it doesn't feel like it's enough. so maybe i can't really say it out loud, maybe because i have so much to say yet it's hard for it to come out in words.
but i truly love you, and i always will. and i want to spend the rest of my life reminding you of that, reminding you of everything i've been meaning to say.
love, mike ♡ (ps. come over to my house tonight?)"
the letter itself in the beginning was making tears run down your cheeks, your hands shaking as you held the very own paper that brought some light into your life.
you looked up at mike, seeing him already looking at you with the most nervous expression. his bottom lip was caught between his teeth, and you could feel his fingers shaking around your waist.
"it's been you?" you say in barely even a whisper.
he nods, and you saw the tears in his eyes too. you wipe them away with your thumb, his face resting against your palm.
"it's always been me." he whispers. "since middle school."
your pupils were big, the color of your eyes a thin line of how big you looked at him. you two stood there- soft sniffles filling the living room as he held you, a touch you missed so very much. your lips parted, about to speak.
"you don't have to say anything." he whispers. "i know sometimes feelings arent the same but i just.. i needed to get it out of my chest."
you quickly shake your head, gently pushing his hair back.
"no no mike im not.. i'm not saying no to you. about what you feel or about what i feel." you whisper, "i'm just still so shocked and- and surprised that you did this."
"good surprised?" he whispers.
"very good surprised." you smile shyly. "why'd you decide to do it now?"
he sighed, looking at the paper. his hands were still shaking, and so were yours. you gently held his hand with yours- the shaking starting to stop.
"i guess during valentines day when you didn't get anything." he recalls, "i've always wanted to do something special for you but i think.. i dont know- seeing you upset made me do the thing i did."
"and i was only planning on one letter. but i saw the way you were so happy." he whispers. "happy because of me, because of what i said."
"i wanted and i just.. i needed to see your smile again. especially after everything that went down."
you nodded in understanding, your breath feeling shaky when you let one out after holding it in for so long. you look at the letters again, the sentence of "i love you".
"so.. you love me?" you whisper with the sweetest smile, and he chuckled.
"i think i said that like 10 times in there." he smiles, and you giggle.
your cheek's were a light shade of pink, and he dipped his head to kiss it- only making you blush even more. he peppered your cheeks with kisses, mumbling. "your so pretty."
"you also said that a lot in the letters." you giggled.
"i know." he mumbles.
"your pretty too." you whisper, kissing his nose that you loved so much.
"im still.. so in shock. like, really mike. because i've liked you too for so long and it got so much deeper once i.. yknow. started sleeping at your house. and i-" you started rambling.
"woah woah, wait." you saw his big grin, "you like me too?"
you shake your head, and you saw his smile fade away. you giggle, kissing his cheek.
"i love you." you whisper. "for almost the same reasons why you love me. and it's finally the first time someone likes me."
"same here." he whispers, "there's always a first for stuff. confessions, for.."
you smile, tilting your head. "what are you saying?" you giggle.
he dips his head again, kissing your cheek. "m' saying i wanna kiss you." he mumbles. you giggle again, the two of you silently leaning closer.
your nose brushed against his, and his lips connected to yours. you didn't know what to do at first, since it was your first kiss- and it was his. your arms wrapped around his neck as your lips danced with his, the kiss so tender.
it lasted a few seconds, and you two pulled away. your breath was sort, lips parted as your forehead touched his. you two both breathlessly laugh at the same time, and he pressed a gentle peck to your lips again.
"was i bad?" he whispers with a quiet chuckle.
"it probably was but.. it was perfect to me." you whisper, "was i?"
he shook his head and smiled, kissing your cheek. "couldn't have been more perfect."
you two held each other in silence, and he kissed you again. it was more slow this time, more filled with love you two had for each other. it lingered as it just became deeper and warmer, sighing and smiling into his mouth.
he smiled too, his nose nudging deep into your skin as your lips moved against his. your fingers digged into his hair, and he let out a muffled noise. he kissed you like he already knew how to make you melt, which is exactly what he did. his hand scrunched your shirt from behind, pulling you only closer.
"i love you." he mumbled against your lips, pulling back.
you giggled, your nose gently brushing against his. "i love you too mike." you whispered before he kissed you again. it was unhurried and full of patience, like the patience he had with all those letters everyday.
there were small pauses in between, pauses where you two made sure this was real. that kissing each other like you two yearned for was real. he peppered your lips with many kisses, and you couldn't stop giggling- your cheeks red.
"so you wanted me to come over to your house? what you said in the letter?" you whispered against his lips, feeling like a little girl with a crush.
"well now that we're here.." he smiled, and you laughed.
"by the way, the letters were very romantic. i loved every single one." you say softly, nose brushing against his.
"it's my best work." he smiled.
you giggled, mouth open with a playful shocked face. "so you did this to other girls?"
“no no.” he smiles, his lips already brushing against yours. “it’s always gonna be you.”
he kisses you, and after that- it felt like a dream. he spent the night at your house- cuddling in your bed with quiet giggles and soft kisses. you were home physically, but in mikes arm- you knew that he was it for you.
mike was home, and you never doubted that he was. but you were for certain now, and it all started after a simple letter.
SUMMARY: Y/N Hargrove is trying to move on, but when the Upside Down resurfaces and threatens the people she loves, she and Steve Harrington, are forced to confront the past, the darkness still lingering, and a connection worth risking everything for.
WARNINGS: Based on the events of season four, frenemies to eventual lovers, platonic Eddie x reader, angst, cursing, cold/avoidant reader, fluff if you really squint, talks of death/gore, signs of PTSD/trauma, typical Stranger Things themes
A/N: SURPRISE!! After writing this, I could not stop thinking of a million ideas for this pairing!! I know I started kind of backwards, but I hope you guys enjoy this series nonetheless! Next update coming soon! Divider by @strangergraphics <3
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Working at The Hideout was never part of the future you imagined when you graduated high school. Back then, you still believed life followed some kind of order, that if you survived one nightmare, you were owed some kind of peace. The past three years had stripped you of that illusion. So you took the job anyway, only because you needed something, anything, to fill the hours that keep your thoughts from circling back to everything you’d lost.
Billy’s funeral had been small and painfully quiet, the kind of goodbye that felt unfinished. Your father hadn’t stayed long enough to mourn. He never did. Within days, he was packing to return to California, offering you a choice that wasn’t really a choice at all. Come with him or don’t. And you didn’t. There was no universe in which you would abandon Max, not after everything the two of you had survived together, not when she was barely holding herself together as it was.
You stayed in Hawkins and let him leave without you. With him gone, Forest Hills Trailer Park became your only option. It wasn’t home, not really, just a place to sleep and remind yourself that you were still here. That’s where Eddie Munson came in. He was loud where you were quiet, unapologetically himself where you’d learned to make yourself small. You didn’t make it easy for him.
You were distant, shrugging off every attempt at conversation or connection like it didn’t matter. But Eddie was persistent in a way you weren’t prepared for, showing up anyway, cracking jokes you pretended not to hear, refusing to let your silence push him away. Slowly, despite yourself, he chipped at the walls you’d spent years building, faster than anyone ever had, and for the first time in a long while, you realized you weren’t as alone as you’d convinced yourself you needed to be.
The whole party quickly became a refuge too, one you hadn’t expected and hadn’t known how badly you needed once you’d experienced true friendship. Only you'd never admit it out loud. With Robin, there was an easy, rambling comfort, her nervous energy filling the spaces where your thoughts threatened to spiral. She talked enough for the both of you, her voice grounding you on days when everything felt too heavy.
Nancy on the other hand, never pushed, just offered you quiet support. The kids, welcomed you with a familiarity that made it impossible to feel like an outsider for long. Dustin’s optimism was relentless. Mike had a way of checking in without making it obvious. Lucas offered quiet solidarity. Will was a quiet presence. Even Max, stubborn and hurting in her own way, leaned into you when the world felt like it was going to end.
Then there was Steve Harrington. He was, without question, the bane of your existence. So you kept your guard up whenever he was around, offering clipped responses and unimpressed looks. It was easier to write him off as irritating, as someone you couldn’t stand, than to admit the truth; that the longer you watched him, the harder it became to keep pretending you didn’t see way his presence chipped at your defenses just by being around.
The bell above the bar door jingled as it swung open, the sharp sound cutting straight through your thoughts and making you flinch. Your shoulders tensed on instinct before you could stop it. “Someone’s on the line for you." Your coworker Lila called from behind the counter. You frowned, wiping your hands on a rag before making your way toward the back room. No one had ever called you at work before.
The phone sat there waiting, receiver already off the hook, its low hum filling the small room. You hesitated for half a second before lifting it to your ear. “Hello?” You didn’t even get the word out before a voice barreled through the line. “Y/N! We need you!” You winced, instinctively pulling the phone a few inches away from your ear. “Dustin?” You groaned, rubbing at your temple. “What the hell, I’m at work.” There was frantic shuffling on the other end, overlapping voices you couldn’t quite make out.
Your annoyance quickly softened into unease. Then Max spoke, her voice quieter, tighter, stripped of its usual sass. “We think it’s happening again.” Your breath caught. The world seemed to narrow to the sound of her voice and the sudden, pounding rush of blood in your ears. Every muscle in your body went rigid, memories clawing their way to the surface, dark rooms, screams, the feeling of something watching from just beyond sight.
“What happened?” You asked, forcing the words out evenly, like you could talk yourself out of the panic if you tried hard enough. But your voice betrayed you, cracking just slightly around the edges. On the other end of the line, the silence that followed told you everything you didn’t want to know, that whatever they were about to say would shatter the fragile sense of normal you’d been clinging to, and that the past you’d worked so hard to outrun had finally found you again.
“They found a body in our trailer park. The cops think Eddie’s involved.” For a moment, everything inside you went eerily still. No panic. No rush of adrenaline. Just a hollow, weightless drop, like the floor had vanished beneath your feet. Your grip tightened around the receiver until your knuckles burned, jaw locking as your mind raced through a hundred fractured thoughts you refused to let surface. Voices blurred together on the line, Dustin and Max talking over each other, but it barely registered.
You focused on breathing. In. Out. Controlled. Detached. That was how you survived things like this. Dustin’s voice cut through the noise, urgent and sharp. “It’s too much to explain over the phone. Meet us at Family Video.” You exhaled slowly, the breath trembling despite your best effort to steady it. “I’m on my way.” The line went dead, and you stared at the phone for half a second longer than necessary before setting it down with deliberate care. Then you moved.
No hesitation. No time to think.
You yanked your apron off where it was tied at your waist, fingers already reaching for your keys. When you stepped back out into the bar, Lila caught your eye immediately, reading the tension written all over you. You opened your mouth, prepared to mutter some half-assed excuse, but she shook her head before you could get a word out. “Go,” She cut in, already moving toward your station. “Poor kid sounded like he was about to lose it. I’ll cover for you.”
You nodded once, a rushed “thank you” thrown over your shoulder as you pushed through the door. You swung onto your bike, keys in the ignition, engine roaring to life beneath you. The helmet barely settled on your head before you took off, tires screaming against the pavement. You didn’t let yourself think about Eddie in handcuffs. Or police lights flooding Forest Hills. You drove fast, heart pounding against your ribs, because slowing down meant feeling, and feeling was the one thing you couldn’t afford right now.
The drive to Family Video stretched on forever, each red light feeling like a personal insult. You blew past the speed limit without a second thought, the engine screaming beneath you as Hawkins blurred past you. Slowing down wasn’t an option. Not when Eddie was out there alone. Not when history had taught you how fast this town turned fear into blood. After what felt like an eternity, you skidded into the parking lot and killed the engine, the sudden silence ringing in your ears.
Your helmet came off in one sharp motion, fingers flexing like they needed something to grab onto. The fluorescent glow of the storefront spilled across the pavement just as the door flew open. Dustin, Max, Robin, and Steve spilled out onto the building in a rush, their movements frantic. "Hargrove?" You barely registered Steve’s voice calling your name, instead, you moved straight for the kids, boots crunching against gravel as your eyes scanned them automatically.
“Are you guys okay?” The question came out clipped, your gaze sweeping over Dustin’s wild curls, Max’s tense posture. No blood. No visible injuries. Just fear carved deep into their expressions. Dustin’s shoulders sagged like he’d been holding his breath for hours. “Eddie didn’t kill anyone.” You nodded without hesitation, the answer already locked into place before he’d even finished. “I know that,” You replied, voice firm, steady, unyielding. “We just have to make sure we find him before the police or anyone else does.”
It was the closest you came to reassurance, because panic didn’t help, and softness wouldn’t change the facts. Max shifted her weight, arms folding tight across her chest as she met your gaze. “We found a lead. It’s out by Lover’s Lake. We think Eddie could be hiding out there.” Your jaw tightened as you processed her words, teeth catching your lower lip hard enough to sting as your eyes flicked toward Steve’s Beamer, jerking your chin in its direction.
“Let’s go see if this lead of yours is right.” There was no debate. Absolutely no hesitation. You were already halfway to the car as Steve fumbled for his keys, Dustin, Max and Robin climbing in after you. You took the back seat, pressing yourself against the cool vinyl, arms crossed as the engine turned on. As the car pulled out of the lot, you fixed your gaze stayed fixed on the window. You didn’t let yourself hope, not out loud, not even privately. Hope was dangerous.
Hope got people killed.
Lover’s Lake was tucked away from everything, swallowed by trees and darkness, the kind of place people only went when they didn’t want to be found. Middle of nowhere. Isolated. Your stomach twisted as the Beamer rolled to a stop on the uneven gravel, headlights cutting across the empty cabin. The entire drive, your hands had been busy at your lap, nails picking at chipped black polish until your fingers throbbed. You hadn’t even noticed how hard you were pressing until Max’s hand closed over yours, firm and grounding.
The pressure snapped you back just in time to see the red marks blooming across your skin. You stilled immediately, giving her hand a squeeze before you quickly pulled away. The moment Steve killed the engine, Dustin was already out the door, gravel crunching under his sneakers as he sprinted up to the cabin. He knocked once, twice, then rang the doorbell repeatedly. You held your breath. Still, after a few seconds, no one had answered.
“Well,” Steve muttered behind you, irritation clear his voice. “That settles it. Guess he’s not here.” Dustin ignored him completely, jabbing the doorbell again, louder, more desperate. “Eddie! It’s Dustin!” The sound of his voice echoed too sharply in the quiet night, and your shoulders tensed despite yourself. The flinch was instinctive, old and unwanted, but thankfully no one noticed. They were too busy arguing, too focused on the front door. You took the opportunity to move.
Slipping away from the group, you pulled your flashlight from your jacket and circled the side of the cabin, boots sinking slightly into damp soil. The beam cut through the dark as you aimed it through the windows, scanning overturned furniture, scattered cans, food wrapper, anything that looked disturbed. You weren’t even listening to Steve scold Dustin anymore. You were watching for signs, that Eddie had been here. You exhaled through your nose, fingers tightening around the flashlight until the plastic bit into your palm.
Whatever hope you’d allowed yourself was already being packed away, sealed off where it couldn’t hurt you later. That was when Max drifted into your peripheral vision, she didn’t speak, just bumped her shoulder lightly into yours and lifted her flashlight, angling it toward the tree line. You followed the beam instinctively, squinting into the darkness until the shape emerged. A boathouse, half-hidden by overgrowth, sitting just far enough away to be missed if you weren’t looking for somewhere to disappear.
You were already moving before Max could fully react, boots pounding against the dirt as you headed straight for it. Max’s voice carried behind you, alerting the others, but you didn’t slow down. The air felt heavier with every step, thick with the scent of lake water, rotting wood, and something else. You raised your flashlight, sweeping it across the warped wood siding, the broken window panes, the door hanging slightly ajar like it had been left in a hurry.
You peered through the open windows first, methodical, trained by years of expecting the worst. The inside was dim, cluttered, discarded beer bottles, footprints tracked in dried mud. Your jaw clenched. Evidence. Enough to keep you moving forward without hesitation. “Hey, Y/N, wait,” Steve’s tense voice piped up from behind you. “Let me—” You ignored him completely, cautiously pushing the door open the rest of the way. The hinges creaked loudly, only this time you didn’t flinch.
The beam of your flashlight cut through the dark interior, illuminating the space inch by inch as you stepped inside, shoulders squared. “Hello? Is anyone home?” Robin’s voice carried through the boathouse, the sound echoed off the wooden walls and fell flat. No movement. No answer. You split up without discussing it, instinct guiding you to opposite corners of the space. Still nothing. It was Dustin’s voice cut through the silence, sharp with disbelief. “What are you doing?”
You followed his line of sight and froze. Steve stood near the far wall, gripping an oar like it was a weapon, cautiously poking at a stack of tarps piled in the corner. “He might be in here.” Steve muttered defensively, eyes flicking between the tarp and the rest of you. “Then take the tarp off.” Dustin fired back immediately. “If you’re so brave, you take the tarp off!” That did it. You crossed the space in three quick strides, without thinking twice, you slapped the oar out of Steve’s hand, the clatter echoing too loudly in the small space.
“Stop it, you are not helping!” You hissed, irritation laced in your tone. “I'm looking.” He shot back, as he reached for the oar again, completely disregarding you as he resumed poking at the tarp like it might suddenly leap up and attack him. You turned toward him, already forming a retort, something meant to shut him up when Max’s voice cut in from across the room. “Y/N, look over here.” You pivoted instantly, flashlight swinging toward where she stood crouched near the wall.
Scattered along the floor were crumpled food wrappers, empty bottles, the unmistakable signs of someone trying, and failing, to stay hidden for long. “Maybe he heard us and got spooked.” Robin leaned closer, scanning the mess. “Don’t worry,” Dustin added dryly from behind you, arms crossed. “Steve’ll get him with his oar.” Just as Steve was about to fling another sarcastic retort at Dustin, a shadowy figure burst from behind the tarps, and lunged straight towards Steve.
“Wait, wait, wait!” Steve’s voice cracked, high with panic, but it barely registered over the thudding of your own heartbeat. Instinct took over, quickly shoved Max and Dustin back behind you. Your flashlight cut through the darkness, the beam illuminating the chaos that had unfolded. There he was. Eddie. The sight of him made your stomach twist in a familiar, sick knot. Curly hair matted with sweat, eyes wild, his hands shaking as they clutched a broken beer bottle against Steve’s neck.
“Woah, Eddie! Eddie, stop!” Dustin’s voice cracked from behind your shoulder, frantic, pleading. You caught the way Max’s lips pressed together, her hands twitching like she wanted to help but didn't know how. Eddie’s head jerked, and suddenly his gaze locked on you. Brown eyes, wide and terrified, the bottle shaking in his hands. Slowly, you raised your hands in surrender, movements calm and measured.
“Hey… rockstar.” Eddie blinked, lips parting, hesitation etching itself in the lines of his face. “As much as Harrington gets on my nerves, we kinda need him alive.” It was stated matter-of-factly, but layered with calm authority. You watched the rigid tension in Eddie’s shoulders ease, before he let out a shaky exhale. Slowly, he lowered the bottle from Steve’s neck, hands trembling. He backed away slowly, still trembling, eyes darting between all of you.
Then, before you could brace yourself, Eddie’s body lunged, nearly knocking the air from your lungs. An involuntary oomph escaped your lips, but your feet stayed planted, grounded against the pull of his weight. Eddie’s arms wrapped around you, body trembling violently, sobs muffled against your shoulder. His head buried into the crook of your neck, curls pressing into your jacket, wet tears dampening the fabric.
You held him, hands resting lightly on his back, letting him collapse into you without pushing him away. Eddie Munson was many things, loud, dramatic, unfiltered, but he wasn’t someone who broke like this without reason. The tremors running through him told you everything you needed to know: something was deeply, catastrophically wrong. “I didn’t do it, I swear on Wayne’s life.” He whispered, voice cracking as he held back another sob.
“I know.” Eddie pulled back just enough to look at you, eyes red-rimmed and glassy, almost as if he was waiting for the punchline. “But—” He faltered, the word trembling on his tongue, already spiraling toward the conclusion Hawkins had taught him to expect. Freak. Monster. Guilty by default. You shook your head once, sharp and decisive, cutting him off before he could spiral any further. “No buts, Munson. I know what you’re capable of, and being a murderer is nowhere on that list."
He swallowed hard, Adam’s apple bobbing as he blinked too fast, breath catching in uneven bursts while the weight of your certainty settled into him. Slowly, he peeled himself out of your embrace and staggered back until his shoulders met the wall. Then he slid down it, folding in on himself, arms wrapping tight around his knees as if he could physically keep himself together. Dustin approached carefully, movements small and deliberate, like he was afraid of spooking him.
He crouched down in front of Eddie, keeping his voice low, steady. “We want to know what happened.” You followed, lowering yourself beside Dustin, close enough to be present without crowding him. Eddie’s gaze bounced everywhere, dusty floorboards, the warped ceiling, the far wall, anywhere but the faces waiting for him to say something. “You won’t believe me.” His laugh was brittle, broken, followed by a sharp sniff as he scrubbed a hand across his face.
“Try us.” Max urged gently. Eddie hesitated, then slowly lifted his head. His eyes found yours, you gave him a single reassuring nod. He dragged in a shaky breath, lungs protesting as if even air hurt. When he finally spoke, the dam broke. Chrissy Cunningham. The way she’d shown up at his trailer, scared and quiet, asking for drugs he didn’t even have on him. How that was the only reason she’d been in his trailer at all.
“She just—” His hands lifted helplessly, fingers curling like he was trying to grab onto the memory and shove it away at the same time. “Her body just… lifted. She was just hanging there.” His breath stuttered. He squeezed his eyes shut, face twisting as the image replayed itself against his will. “And her bones—” A sharp, broken sound tore out of him before he could stop it, halfway between a sob and a gasp.
He swallowed hard, forcing himself to continue. “They started snapping. One by one. And her eyes, man… it was like there was something inside her head. Like it was digging in. Pulling. I didn’t know what to do,” He admitted, voice barely more than a whisper now. “So I ran. I left her there.” Before you could stop yourself, or talk yourself out of it, you reached for him. Your fingers closed around his trembling hand, grounding, steady, the contact deliberate.
You didn’t look at him when you did it, didn’t soften your expression, but nevertheless you held on. You knew that kind of helplessness. Knew what it felt like to be trapped in a moment where fear overrode everything else. Eddie’s fingers tightened instantly, latching on like he’d been waiting for permission to fall apart. He squeezed your hand hard, knuckles whitening, eyes screwed shut. You didn’t pull him closer. You didn’t say anything.
You just stayed there, thumb moving in slow, absent circles against the back of his hand. Your focus remained locked on Eddie, so much so that you didn't notice Steve watching from a couple feet away. His gaze flicked down to your hands, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face as his eyes followed the small, intimate motion of your thumb, the expression disappearing just as quickly as it appeared.
“You all think I’m crazy, right?” Eddie broke the silence once more, his voice rougher now, worn thin. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand, eyes squeezed shut wishing nothing more than to physically push the memory back where it came from. Dustin shook his head immediately, curls bouncing with the force of it. “No. We don’t think you’re crazy at all.” Eddie let out a sharp, humorless scoff.
“No, don’t bullshit me, man! I know how this sounds.” His gaze darted between all of you, defensive walls snapping back into place out of sheer habit. “We’re not bullshitting you.” Max cut in, voice firm, no pity in her tone, just certainty. Robin leaned forward slightly, hands tucked into the sleeves of her jacket. “We believe you.” The word believe seemed to hit Eddie harder than anything else that night. Dustin took a careful breath, glancing at the rest of you before refocusing on Eddie.
“Look,” He began gently. “What I’m about to tell you might be a little difficult to take in.” Eddie nodded slowly, throat bobbing as he swallowed. A quiet, shaky “okay” slipped out, barely audible, urging Dustin to continue. “You know how people say Hawkins is cursed?” Well, they’re not completely wrong. There's another world. A whole other dimension hidden beneath Hawkins. And sometimes… it bleeds into ours.”
You watched Eddie process the words in real time, confusion shifting to disbelief, disbelief sharpening into fear. “L-like ghosts and shit?” He asked weakly. You scoffed before you could stop yourself, jaw tightening as something cold curled in your chest. “There are things worse than ghosts.” The words tasted bitter. Too familiar. “These monsters from the other world,” Dustin picked up, voice steady but urgent. “We thought they were gone. But they’ve come back before. That’s why we needed to find you.”
“If they’re back again,” Max added quietly. “We need to know.” Your grip on Eddie’s hand tightened slightly as dread seeped deeper into your bones. “That night,” You cut in, tone steady, controlled. “Did you see anything out of the ordinary?” A part of you hoped, stupidly, that he’d say no. That this would somehow be different. “Dark particles maybe?” Max pressed, but Eddie shook his head, curls falling into his face. “No. There was nothing. Nothing you could see. Nothing you could touch.”
His voice cracked as he paused, fingers squeezing your hand again on instinct. “I tried to wake her. I swear I did. But she couldn’t move. It was like she was stuck. Like she was in a trance or something.” His eyes glossed over, memories dragging him under. “Or under a spell.” Dustin murmured, the implication hanging heavy in the air. “A curse.” Eddie breathed, the word landing with unsettling certainty. Goosebumps immediately littered your skin, nerves lighting up in sharp, scattered flashes.
Vecna’s curse. The words echoed back at you, over and over, each repetition tightening something deep in your chest. You swallowed hard, jaw locking as your stomach churned violently, memories clawing their way up from places you’d spent years forcing shut. You didn’t move. You refused to give your body the satisfaction of flinching. Steve shifted a few feet away, discomfort etched plainly across his face. “Who’s Vecna?” He coaxed, voicing the question you were all currently asking yourselves.
You watched as Dustin straightened instinctively, shoulders squaring like he was bracing himself for impact. “An undead creature of great power.” His tone was clinical, rehearsed, like he’d gone over this explanation a thousand times already. “A dark wizard.” Your breathing had gone shallow without you noticing. In. Out. Controlled. Detached. You focused on the solid weight of Eddie’s hand still wrapped around yours, grounding you in the present even as your mind fought to drag you backwards.
This wasn’t the first time you’d stood in the aftermath of something impossible. This wasn’t the first monster. And that realization made bile rise in your throat. You’d tried so hard to build a life that didn’t revolve around survival. Routine. Distance. Keeping everyone at arm’s length. Cold resolve sharpened into armor. You’d convinced yourself that if you stayed detached enough, if you didn’t care too deeply, nothing like this could touch you again.
You were wrong. This wasn’t random. It never was. And whatever had taken Chrissy, whatever had torn her apart from the inside out, was still out there. Watching. Waiting. Your grip on Eddie tightened almost imperceptibly, a reflex you immediately tried to rein in. You lifted your chin, expression hardening, walls snapping back into place as you forced yourself to meet the reality in front of you. The nightmare hadn’t ended.
It had just found a new way in.
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my name is love, welcome to a little corner of my inner world.
i write fics and headcanons for a variety of characters, based on my brainrot at the time.
જ⁀➴usual warnings apply:
mdni for all my works
tw will be labeled for each fic
i write primarily f!reader but sometimes more gender neutral
i will not write the following: detailed pregnancy, sh, abo, or furry. i have no problem with those who enjoy those fics, it's just not my thing and would rather have you find a writer who can do your requests justice.
જ⁀➴masterlists:
steve harrington
eddie munson
gator tillman
kurt kunkle
travis 'teacake' meacham
જ⁀➴rewrites/series:
'almosts & always': a stranger things rewrite series
'right where you left me': a gator tillman x oc series
feel free to use my fics to cure your hysteria at any time જ⁀➴ ♡
