Chapter Text
Hawkins is a small town with small-minded people. Suppose you could blame the small-minded part on how Eddie Munson was pushed up against a wall with a bloody nose. One may ask how he found himself in such a situation, though it was quite a simple answer. Eddie, otherwise known as the town freak, was different. His attire was…on the darker side. He played Dungeons & Dragons after school with a bunch of children. The trailer park he called home didn’t have the best reputation, especially with his small business (which may or may not be legal), coming in and out. And as far as music went…well, let’s just say that it isn’t the most traditional. All of these mixing up into making him an easy target for small-minded idiots like Jason Carver. Of course, it didn’t help that Eddie is a smartass who couldn’t keep his fucking mouth shut.
Another fist hit his face.
“Ready to admit it, freak?” Jason asks.
“Hate to break it to ya, Carver," Eddie smiles, "but you just aren't my type." This causes another fist to connect with his face. If he was being honest, Eddie has completely forgotten what today’s beating was about. “Seriously, man. If you wanted physical affection so badly, all you had to do was say please.”
Another fist.
“Jason? What are you doing?”
The timid voice rang out into the small alley behind the school gym. Eddie turns his head to see the source of it. Standing at the end of the alley was the queen herself. Chrissy Cunningham. She was dressed in her cheer outfit, a white Hawkins High sweatshirt overtop. Her blonde hair came up in a green scrunchie.
“Chrissy, babe, don’t worry about it. Just getting something back from the freak.” Jason replies nonchalantly. Oh yeah. Now Eddie remembers why he’s here. Jason somehow got it in his head that he stole his money. Like he said, small-minded idiot.
“I thought I told you to stop beating kids up for no reason! The school year just started, and you’ve already beaten up four other kids.” She scolds.
Now that was something new. Eddie never thought that he would see the day that he’d be defended by Chrissy Cunngingham of all people.
“It’s not for no reason. Munson stole my money. I’m just getting it back.”
Jason loosens his grip on Eddie.
“And I keep trying to tell you that I didn’t steal shit.” Eddie adds.
“Shut it Munson.” And the grip is back. “Just go to the car Chrissy, I’ll be there in a second.” Jason turns away from the cheerleader and back to Eddie.
“Now then. Where is it Munson?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about Carver.”
Eddie squeezes his eyes shut in preparation as Jason raises his fist again. He waits for the punch, but it never comes. Instead, Jason’s grasp on Eddie comes away and the jock is stumbling away from him. Eddie opens one eye to see Chrissy in front of him, hands pushed out in front of her.
“I told you to stop Jason! I’m so sick and tired of you pushing people around like you’re some kind of tyrant! This is high school for crying out loud! No one out in the real world cares if you’re popular or not.”
“Chrissy-”
“No!” Chrissy yells, “I don’t care about the excuse you have this time! I doubt you even have any real evidence that he stole your money, nor do I think that you even asked him about it before shoving him into a wall! I’m not gonna stand around and do nothing while you torture people for no reason. I’m not dating some… asshole who doesn’t like it when people are different!” Chrissy finishes., Her breath is heavy and tears start collecting in her eyes.
Eddie makes a mental note to never piss this girl off.
“We’re done Jason.” She says, sounding tired. “I’m done being the perfect girlfriend that quietly watches from the sidelines while you hurt people. We’re over.”
“Chrissy, wait…”
“Come on Eddie.” She grabs his wrist and gently drags him out of the alley.
“No. Let’s talk about this babe. Please.” Jason pleads.
“There’s nothing to talk about Jason. Goodbye.”
Chrissy walks away from the alley, Eddie stumbling in shock after her.
They keep walking away from the school. The tears start rolling down her cheeks once they get into the woods behind the school.. When it becomes apparent that Chrissy doesn’t know where to go, Eddie takes the lead. A couple minutes pass in silence, the only sounds being the wildlife around them and Chrissy sniffling. They come upon an abandoned picnic table, one that Eddie is quite familiar with for his “business meetings”. He takes a seat and Chrissy follows, quietly sitting across from him.
Eddie squirms, uncomfortable in his own skin as the silence continues.
“Sooo… that was pretty crazy.”
He quietly breaks the silence only to be met with more sniffling.
“Pretty uh, pretty metal if you ask me.”
More silence.
“I… I’m sorry.” Chrissy quietly says through the tears, staring at her lap.
“No uh, no don’t be…”
Silence fills the air once more.
Eddie starts getting even more uncomfortable. This was sooo not his department. He could act and improv through hours and hours of D&D, bark snarky remarks back at tormentors, and charm his way through deals. But feelings? Trying to comfort someone? No way, no this just wouldn’t do. The tension was eating at him like a gelatinous cube to an unfortunate traveler.
“You know, this isn’t the first time that we’ve um, hung out.” Eddie states. Chrissy looks up at him, mascara slowly running down from her eyes.
“No?”
“You don’t remember?”
“I’m sorry…” She apologizes again.
“It’s ok."
Eddie quickly falls back in his seat, hands on his heart like it’s been stabbed. He hears Chrissy gasp at the sudden movement as he scrambles back up.
“I wouldn’t remember me either, Chrissy. Honestly, um do I have stuff in my hair?” He asks while freeing leaves and twigs from the mop of curls atop his head. He smiles as Chrissy gives a small chuckle. He crosses his arms and does a quick spin in his spot as he asks again. “You don’t remember me?”
“I’m sorry.” She chuckles again.
“Middle school. Talent show. You were doing this cheer thing. You know, the…” Eddie does a small motion of his hands imitating shaking pom poms. “The thing you do. It was pretty cool actually. And I… I was with my band.”
“Corroded Coffin!” Chrissy calls out.
“Corro- you do remember!” Eddie celebrates.
“Oh my God! Yes, no of course. With a name like that how could I forget?”
“I dunno. You’re a freak.”
“No you just. You looked so…”
“Different? Yeah. Well, uh, my hair was buzzed and I didn’t have these sweet old tatties yet.” Eddie pulls down the collar of his shirt to show a round tattoo, rocking in place.
“You played guitar, right?”
“Uh-huh. Still do. Still do. You should come see us. Uh, we play at The Hideout on Tuesdays. It’s pretty cool. We… We actually get a crowd of about five drunks. It's not exactly the Garden, but you gotta start somewhere, right? So…” Eddie trails off pacing a bit, just happy that he got Chrissy smiling again.
“You know, you’re not what I thought you’d be like.” She states, still smiling.
“Mean and scary?” He asks, facing her and pulling a handful of his hair in front of his face. She agrees with him. “Yeah, well, I actually kinda thought you’d be kinda mean and scary too.” He pulls on his pants a bit as he stumbles forward and sits back down.
“Me?”
“Terrifying. And I guess that I was right, at least a little, with that whole, uh, speech earlier.” He chuckles, stopping as soon as Chrissy’s smile falls and she looks back down at her lap. Shit. He really needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut.
“I’m really sorry about him.”
“What?”
“Jason, I mean. I’m sorry for all the times that’s he’s beaten you up for stupid little things. Ever since he got onto the basketball team and became popular, he’s become…”
“An asshole?” Eddie finishes for her. She nods with a small laugh. “Yeah, well, you shouldn’t be the one apologizing. Even if you think it’s your duty as his girlfriend or something. He needs to learn how to apologize on his own. He won’t be getting far in life if he keeps relying on you like that. And, I admit, it was partly my fault. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have a difficult time shutting up.”
Silence fills the air once more. Fortunately for Eddie, it’s less tense. Unfortunately for Eddie, he has decided to spend his most recent income for the sad girl in front of him.
“Come on. It’s time that we take our mind off things.”
Eddie stands and walks around the table. He holds his hand out to Chrissy in a dramatic bow.
“If you will m’lady.”
“Where are we going?” She asks as she takes his hand with a small laugh that warms Eddie’s heart.
“Somewhere free of stress."