Chapter Text
The shuffle of feet through echoing hallways, laughter of friends sharing their spring stories, and then there they were. The outcasts of the system in their usual uniform shirts, but the most genuine smiles among the crowd.
You walked into the cafeteria, ignoring the eyes that seemed glued to you as you made your way between the tables. There were hushed voices that very clearly mentioned your name, but you brushed it off.
Sure, you disappeared without a trace and returned looking a little different, but doesn’t everyone after travelling? You weren’t that different. Not really.
As if in agreement with your thoughts, you heard that all too familiar voice call across the ruckus of the lunch-time chatter, “Well, well.” They started, “Not a word for a month and then there they are.”
You chuckled, rolling your eyes at the long-haired man standing at the end of the table, “I can leave?”
The offer was answered with a disapproving frown that only lasted a moment before Eddie turned to the others at the table, “Who here votes that Y/N should find somewhere else to sit for lunch?”
Commotion started between the Hellfire Club members, the men pulling at Eddie’s sleeves to make him sit down, calling him for sense as he simply smiles at you across the table, watching as you made you way over. His gaze stayed trained on you as you walked by each member, pressing a signature kiss in greeting on each of their lips while never breaking your eyes away from Eddie’s.
If it was anyone else they may have pulled away, but you’d been known for your greetings and you knew all too well how some even looked forward to them. To you, though, it was a source of information more than anything else. With each press of lips to yours you were able to glimpse into their thoughts and quickly came to find each of their stories from your time away.
Finally, you came to stop before Eddie, finger hooking under his chin and tilting his face up to meet his gaze, “Miss me, freak?”
His answer came in the form of his lips pressing to yours, hands finding purpose on your hips as he pulls you onto his lap. Though the show ended swiftly as he leans in to whisper in your ear, “I missed you, Y/N. Promise you won’t ever leave me again.”
You offered him a soft smile, fingers brushing the hair back behind his ear as you look into his eyes, “I promise.”
Dustin made a sound of disgust from behind you, which was met with equal sounds from the others as you moved to your seat next to Eddie, rolling your eyes their antics.
“Hey now,” Eddie grins, leaning back in his chair, “Don’t be jealous.”
“Jealous?” Dustin scoffed, “I just want to be able to stomach my lunch!”
“Yeah, good luck with that.” Mike laughed, poking at his food with his fork, “I think I just saw mine move!”
Laughter filled the table as you all melted back into normality. You’d missed this on your travels, though you had no regrets about going.
As much as you and Eddie had made a life here in Hawkins, you knew that something was still happening out there and you’d spent the last month back-packing around the country trying to find something to point you in the right direction. Unfortunately, after hitting so many dead-ends, you decided it was time to turn around and head back home.
As the lunch bell rang, you said you good-byes and left for your afternoon classes. Mid-class you found your attention fading, eyes wandering to the window as you noticed a familiar red-head passing by. Suddenly, you lifted your arm, asking to excuse yourself from class and rushing out after her.
“Max!” You called with a grin, but she didn’t respond and you noticed the headphones, hurrying to catch up to her and waving your hand in front of her face.
“Jesus-” Max jumped at the movement, turning around to see you standing there, “Y/N?”
A bright grin pulled at your lips as she pulled back her headphones, “Miss me?”
Max quickly looked around, grabbing you by the arm and tugging you towards the bathrooms, “What if the hall monitor saw you? You know they’ve been on people’s asses lately.” Her concern passed soon after as she looked up at you, smile now forming as she playfully hits your arm, “Why didn’t you tell me you were back? I thought you were just going to be gone all semester at this point!”
“I wish.” You scoff, “Unfortunately I need to meet attendance requirements to graduate this year.”
A light chuckle breaks from Max’s lips and you click your tongue, “What? It’s not that impossible!” You wrap your arm around Max’s shoulders playfully rubbing at her hair as she giggles in your grip.
“Attendance, huh?” She laughs, “And how does skipping class come into that?”
You stopped, lips pursed as you thought for a moment before letting her go and stepping back, “You make a very, very good point my dear Maxine.” She shuddered at the name and you stuck your tongue out at her, “How about lunch tomorrow? You and me. Usual spot.”
“Done.” She laughs, shooing you away, “Now get back to class because you get kicked out!”
It wasn’t until the final school bell rang that you could bring yourself to keep your eyes open, finally able to leave this bore of school. Hurrying, you throw your bag over your shoulder and make your way to the carpark, smiling to yourself as you see the beat up old van that belonged to the one and only Eddie “The Freak” Munson.
Throwing your bag into the back, you jump in without a second thought. However, when you looked to the driver you were met with a sarcastic gaze, “I’m sorry, but the school bus pick up is that’a way, Miss.”
“Oh, shut up.” You push your hand into his face, only to pull it away with a small squeal as you feel him lick at your palm, “Eddie!”
“What?” He chuckled, tongue playfully sticking out as you as he turned the key to start the van, it’s familiar groan of life filling the space.
The ride home consisted of the two of you laughing at each other’s voices as you sang along the ‘Master of Puppets’ tape that Eddie had already replayed at least 1,000 times since it’s release earlier that month. How the tape has survived the constant rewinding and occasional fixes with the assistance of a pencil, you would never know. Only 8 tracks, but you were pretty sure Eddie already knew each by heart.
That night, as you laid on the floor of the van, legs hanging over the couch, you released the smoke from your lips in a slow puff, watching the way it curved and spread before disappearing into the air, “Wanna know something?” You start, smile on your lips as the you pass the joint back to Eddie again.
“Do I?” He joked, taking a puff of his own before looking at you, “Blow me away, baby.”
“They’re gonna ask you to postpone.” You can’t help the giggle that breaks from your lips as you thought back to your kiss with Dustin and Mike, the way you were able to see into their minds and the fear they felt about talking to Eddie.
Arching a brow, Eddie passes the joint back to you again, “Postpone? Postpone what?”
Taking your time, you breath the smoke deep into your lungs, holding it before ever so slowly releasing it through your nose, the two streams forming one cloud above you. Eddie’s patience was growing thin as his foot nudged you on your second puff and you let it out in a coughed laugh, “Okay, okay.”
You hand him the joint, lifting yourself up slowly as gravity felt like it was trying to pull you back down to the floor again, “Dusty and Mike. They’re gonna ask you to postpone the campaign for Lucas’ game.”
A scoff came from Eddie and he took another drag of the join, irritable already. Scrambling around to your knees, you lean over to rest your arms on Eddie’s lap, looking up at him with a soft smile, “Don’t be too hard on them, babe. I could always sub in?”
Shaking his head, he taps the blunt out in the tray on the table, “No way. This is their problem. They full the spot, and not with you.” He paused for a moment, smiling down at you now, “Nothing personal, sweetheart. I know you’d sweep the floor with those guys.”
Nodding, you start to close your eyes, comfortable and at ease now that you were home again. The world felt detached from you as you felt warm lips against your forehead and the floor seemed to disappear from beneath you.
“Eddie…” You murmured, curling towards the familiar warmth and feeling his body shake with a chuckle, “I’m sorry I couldn’t find him. I tried.”
“It’s alright, baby. We both knew it wouldn’t be easy.” He whispered into your hair, blankets wrapping around you both as he held you close to him, “But we’re together and that’s what matters. We’ll always find one another. So, get some sleep, hm?”
Your responding nod was weak as you cuddled closer, already falling off into a peaceful slumber.