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He could only be described as magnetic. He had a way of drawing people to him, whether they wanted to be, or not. The way he strung sentences together, weaving words so magically that it left your head spinning by the time he’d finished one of his famous monologues.
There were many sides to Eddie Munson. There was the side that was dedicated to Dungeons and Dragons; meticulously planning his campaigns, making sure that every detail was perfect. There was the side of Eddie that was wholly enraptured by his band; his dreams of playing the Garden so far only in his head, but desperate to become a reality. There was also the side of Eddie that let himself be drawn into the criticisms of other groups: the basketball team, and partiers. He takes their criticisms to heart, bristling with every harsh word thrown in his direction, but he knew, deep down, that their words only reached skin deep.
Then there was the side of Eddie that was reserved especially for you.
This side of Eddie was softer. He was calmer, less prone to ranting and ravings. He would sit beside you quietly, happy to simply be in your company rather than making a spectacle of himself in the cafeteria. This side of Eddie did whatever he could to get you to laugh for your laughter had quickly become his favourite sound in the whole world after hearing it once. This side of Eddie felt like he had a future.
The Hellfire Club was one of the places that Eddie could be himself. The members being people he’s known for years; he can relax and not think about the pressures currently weighing down on his shoulders.
As Eddie gestures wildly about something with Dustin, a smile breaks out across his face. It’s one you’ve seen a thousand times before, but it’s how it transforms Eddie that gets you. He appears younger, less stressed. His dimples make an appearance, and you know that whatever he’s talking about, he feels truly passionate.
Watching them both, a feeling begins to stir in your chest. Warmth blossoming there before spreading through your whole body; a sense of disbelief washes over you as you continue to watch Eddie and Dustin chat. Disbelief over how the two of you found each other; how Eddie fits you in every which way possible, leaving no room for doubt that your future would involve him in one form or another.
It’s the smile on your face that captures Eddie’s attention. The way your face brightens with it; eyes crinkling at the corners as the full force of your happiness seems to shine from every one of your pores. A blinding smile; a smile simply for him.
“What?” Eddie wonders, settling beside you, all of his attention now focused solely on you. His eyes rake your face, wondering what could have brought such a smile out from hibernation.
“Nothing,” You reply, smiling back
“Come on,” He pleads, flashing you a winning smile as the softer side of him starts to come out to play. “What are you thinking?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
“Promise?” Eddie murmurs, holding up his pinkie finger on his right hand.
Wrapping your own pinkie finger around his, you seal the deal. A satisfied smile crosses Eddie’s face as he keeps your fingers twined together for a moment longer, just long enough for him to press a sneaky kiss to the tip of your pinkie before letting the promise drop.
At the sound of the bell, Eddie reaches for you once more. His hand wrapping around yours as he walks with you to your next class; hands clasped, your pinkies burn with the promise of later.
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Eddie never gave much thought to his home as he was growing up. By the time he hit high school, he had grown used to the fact that he was living in a trailer park, seeing it as no different from living in a three bedroomed detached all the way out in the suburbs.
However, the first time he brought you home, Eddie felt the first flickers of embarrassment for where he lives. Truthfully, he shouldn’t have given it a second thought. You enjoyed spending time at his home, lazing in his room, listening to him practise on his guitar or helping him with his homework.
Eddie’s home was so far removed from the centre of Hawkins that you felt the pressure tightening your chest relieve itself a little every single time you spied the trailer park come into view.
A draw of clean t-shirts was always waiting for you to pick through, loving nothing more than wearing one of Eddie’s shirts after a day in school. Even though it’s been almost a year, Eddie still takes pause at the sight of you in his clothes. A lovelier sight could not exist to him.
With a huff, you fall back onto Eddie’s bed, stretching out as wide as you can, taking up all the room in the bed. Eddie watches you with an amused smile; he leans against his dresser, entirely caught up in how lovely you look.
“Lay with me,” You coax, pulling him away from any and all obligations for the evening.
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Eddie smiles, flopping onto the bed and on top of you.
“I said with me!” You cry, laughter spilling from your lips. “Not on me!”
Eddie hums in amusement. His hands taking hold of your waist as he rolls onto his back, bringing you with him. In this position, your seated across his hips, straddling him. You grin down at the brunette before leaning down, pressing a trail of kisses from the corner of his mouth to the highpoint of his left cheek.
Eddie’s hands remain firm on your waist, squeezing once. “Want to tell me what you were thinking earlier?” He murmurs, turning his face ever so slightly to face you.
Your cheeks begin to warm. “You’re going to think it’s nerdy,” You whisper, tucking your face into his neck, inhaling the intoxicating scent of his cologne.
“Me!” Eddie gasps, humour bright in his voice. “Never.”
“I just…” You sigh, sitting up, “I love seeing you smile. Your face just gets so bright, and your eyes crinkle plus your dimples are super adorable.”
Eddie blinks at the unexpected compliment, not truly knowing how to respond to such loving words. He can feel the heat grow in his cheeks; a blush spreading. It didn’t matter how long the two of you had been together, Eddie could never grow used to how wholly you loved him.
He remains silent as he shifts once more, moving so he’s sat up with you in his lap, still straddling his hips. Your words repeat in his mind; circling his brain until they’re as permanent as the tattoos that are dotted about his body.
“I told you it was nerdy.” You cover your face with your hands, letting out a long groan of suffering.
Eddie snorts, reaching for your hands and pulling them away from your face. “There you are,” He murmurs, kissing the highpoint of your cheek. “I was beginning to wonder where you’d gone.”
“Let me disappear,” You moan dramatically, pressing your face into Eddie’s shoulder.
A laugh escapes Eddie though he tries his best to quash the rest of it. “I’d be pretty sad if you did that, sweetheart,” He murmurs, nudging his nose into your hair, inhaling the all-too familiar scent of your shampoo.
“It’s…” You take a deep breath before continuing, “I was watching you at lunch today and you were talking to Dustin. About what, I don’t know. But all of a sudden, you smiled this certain type of smile that I love, and I could see how happy you were, and it made me happy. That’s why I was smiling at lunch.”
“Oh,” Eddie whispers, “I like seeing you happy.”
“You make me happy.”
Now facing each other, your noses brush. A small smile crosses Eddie’s face as he nudges your nose with his once more. “I do?” He questions, brushing the lightest of kisses across your lips.
“Yes,” You breath, resisting the urge to chase him for the kiss you were becoming desperate for.
“How?”
You quash the urge to pout. Instead, giving in to Eddie’s request. “You make me happy in so many ways. For starters, you make me happy when you save me the crunchiest fries on your plate. You make me happy when I catch you waiting outside of class for me. You make me happy when I see you be yourself around your friends. You make me happy when I can tell you’ve lost yourself in your music. But most of all,” You pause, leaning in.
Eddie hums, wanting you to continue. “Most of all?”
“Most of all, you make me happy when you kiss me. And right now, I think you should kiss me.”
Who was Eddie to deny such a request?