Chapter Text
Club music drummed in your ears making your headache worse and worse. Another weekend in a row everything looked the same. You arrange with your boyfriend to spend some time alone, then suddenly he gets a message from his friends and a moment later he is preparing to go out to a club. He then leaves you with two choices, either you go with him, or you spend the next weekend alone because he won't let go of the party. What happened to the boy you fell in love with? You were together for two years, but in the last six months he has changed beyond recognition. Suddenly all that mattered to him were his new friends and the parties they went to together. He swapped his entire worldview for this new one, which was completely different from yours.
"What's up, babe? Don't you like it?" he asked sitting down next to you putting his arm around your shoulders.
"It's a bit boring here." you replied.
"Boring? We're at a party, and you're bored?"
"We're here every week, Tom. Every week it all looks the same." you sighed. "I miss how we used to spend time just the two of us. I'm not saying we should stop going to parties altogether, because I know how much you care, but it would be nice to do something different from time to time."
"Can you stop whining? You've been complaining non-stop for a while now, you don't like anything!"
"I'm just trying to be honest with you! Besides, you're the one who keeps trying to change me! Suddenly you don't like what I do, you don't like how I dress, suddenly my friends are inappropriate for you, is there anything else you like about me? Does everything all of a sudden need to change? For the past six months I have been trying to do everything to fit into your new lifestyle, and when was the last time you did something for me? When was the last time I heard something nice from you instead of constant nagging that I'm not trying hard enough?" you could feel anger gathering inside you.
"You are a terrible bore y/n. If you can't have fun then just go home." his words hurt. It hurt that the boy who not long ago wanted to spend every free moment with you and, as he claimed, these were his favorite moments, was now calling you a bore?
"Fine." You replied in a cool manner while getting up from your seat. He didn't even try to stop you, which made you feel even worse. You all arrived at the club in Tom's friend's car, but you were lucky enough to catch the night bus to Hawkins. All the way there you wondered what had happened to him. You wouldn't have guessed that a person is capable of changing so drastically in a few months. You missed the evenings together when you watched series together or played board games with Dustin. You missed the way he treated you like a princess. When his every touch made you feel loved. Now every show of affection on his part was at a premium, because you couldn't even remember the last time you lay together just cuddling. For a long time, every kiss had to end with sex, and when you were done, instead of staying with you, he got dressed and went to meet his friends. You didn't want to believe it, however, more and more thoughts popped into your head suggesting that you were someone he was used to, and all the love and magic had died out somewhere along the way. But maybe this is what adult life was supposed to be like? Maybe in every relationship after a while everything burns out and only habit remains?
•🎧•
The Hellfire Club unfortunately had to share its room with the theater club and remove themselves whenever they rehearsed. This was also the case today, but no one was going to postpone the campaign. On days like this the campaign would move to your house and the living room would often suddenly become the scene of the biggest and most dangerous fights. Somehow it never bothered you, sometimes you even enjoyed watching the whole game from afar, accidentally preparing food for yourself in the kitchen a little longer than necessary. As a Dungeon Master, Eddie had something about him that no one could resist, and his campaigns were able to charm everyone. However, today was a day when you needed solitude, and even in your own home you couldn't find it.
"Y/n? Weren't you supposed to be at the party?" asked a surprised Dustin, seeing you on the doorstep.
"We'll, hello to you too Dustin." you sighed. "I had a poor time, so I came back. Where's Naveen?" Naveen was your dog, which you named after one of your favorite Disney princes. You had a feeling that tonight he would be the only one who would enjoy your company.
"In the garden. You wanna sit with us?" he offered.
"No, thanks."
"Our company is no longer worthy of your presence?" asked Eddie teasingly.
Who was Eddie to you? You had no idea. Your relationship was a bit strange from the very beginning. You both started high school at the same time, so you shared most of your classes together. When he mercifully decided to show up for class, which wasn't very often, he always took the seat next to you. Then you couldn't focus on the lesson. All your attention was directed at him, who constantly commented on the teachers or made fun of them. Sometimes, however, when he wasn't as talkative as always, instead of taking notes in his notebook he kept drawing something. Monsters, knights, wizards and many other magical things filled the blank pages at an express speed. His creativity had no limits. Then you had the perfect opportunity to observe him. A focused face with curls falling over it, a slightly stuck out tongue when he was concentrating on something very much, hands with heavy silver rings making confident movements. From the very beginning, the very sight of him caused a strange feeling in your stomach and made your hands sweat. One day he caught you red-handed.
"Do I have something on my face?" he asked, smiling slightly. You felt your cheeks burning.
"N-no...I was watching you draw. It's very pretty." you said pointing to a sketch of a dragon in his notebook. You had to get out of the situation somehow, and that was the only thing that came to mind. By the way, you really liked the drawing. Eddie had a great talent indeed.
"Oh, thanks." he laughed nervously. He wasn't used to compliments directed in his direction one the fact that he got one from you caused a strange warmth to rise in his heart.
Throughout the lesson you tried with all your might not to look at him. Eddie went back to drawing and you, unable to concentrate on the lesson, wondered why you felt so strange in his company. Moments before the bell rang, you heard the sound of a piece of paper being torn out, and a moment later a familiar hand with rings moved a piece of paper toward you. Immediately below the drawing was written For y/n, Eddie. From that moment through the next years of school, he took up residence in your thoughts and heart for good. At first it was an innocent crush however with every subsequent conversation you felt yourself falling in love with him. You didn't even know why. Your conversations were always ordinary, usually just about school topics. Several times you helped him with projects, and then each time you got a drawing as a thank you. Eddie was charming from the very beginning, and you were unable to resist him. However, you weren't brave enough to do anything about it either, so you silently enjoyed every conversation with him wanting to remember every detail of it. Unaware that his feelings toward you were similar, you decided to camouflage all the feelings you felt for him. You hid all the drawings you were getting in a box tucked away at the bottom of the closet so that no one would get to your little treasure.
The moment you left school, Eddie stayed there. He didn't realize how much he would miss your presence, especially during classes. He regretted many times that he never got up the courage to ask you out, but he always thought that the mere fact that you didn't consider him a social outcast and freak was luck enough and he would never have a chance to do anything more. Now a certain part of his day was gone and he didn't understand why it hurt him so much. After graduation you met Tom, who to some extent helped you forget about the metalhead who had lived in your heart for so long, but you were never quite sure if you had moved on. Suddenly, after two years, he reappeared in your life, as your younger brother's new friend. He and Steve became idols for Dustin, whom he treated like older brothers. You were happy that he had found someone to help him through the unforgiving period of high school, but what you didn't count on was that from now on almost every week the entire Hellfire would gather at your house, and Eddie himself would be there even more often because by some miracle it turned out that Dustin was a genius when it came to science subjects and helped him with his studies. Now passing each other in the living room or hallway you sent shy smiles in each other's direction or teased each other by throwing in some pinches from time to time. Part of you missed him very much, but the other part of you feared what might result from his once again appearing in your life.
"I'm not in the mood." You replied while looking at him. His gaze, however, was on the game notes.
"What a bore." he commented laughing. He didn't mean to insult you, he didn't even think you were like that, you had exchanged a lot of name-calling, so he was just now waiting for you to call him a weirdo and laugh kindly. He knew that you never really saw him as such. However, this time he didn't get a response. Bore. This is the second time in one evening someone has called you that. For the second time in one evening the word goes straight to your heart making you really start to wonder if they are right. Surprised by the lack of reaction on your part, he raised his eyes, and the sight of tears in your eyes completely caught him off guard. Before he had time to react in any way, you disappeared into your room slamming the door.
"Okay, that was something new." commented Mike. "What happened to her?"
"She probably had a fight with Tom again." Dustin rolled his eyes. "They've been doing that all the time lately. I always thought that when you're in a relationship with someone you're happy. Looking at them, I'm starting to doubt that."
"I thought Tom was cool." Will added.
"He was, but lately he's been acting like a complete asshole."
"It's weird."
"Break's over, gossips. We're in for a battle with a three-headed dragon, have you forgotten?" ordered Eddie feeling uncomfortable hearing their conversation.
"I'll just go to the bathroom." Said Dustin getting up from the table. In the meantime, the rest of the group heard the tapping of claws against the glass door. Will immediately went to open it letting the little white dog inside. This one immediately ran towards the couch where Eddie was sitting and jumped into his lap.
"Hi buddy!" he said scratching him behind the ear.
"You can feel special." Lucas laughed.
"What do you mean?"
"Naveen is very picky when it comes to people, he rarely lets us pet him."
"Speak for yourself!" exclaimed Will.
"Right, besides y/n, Dustin and Will, you are the only person from whom he demands petting on his own." Eddie looked at the little ball lying in his lap and smiled to himself.
"Apparently he feels I'm a good person, not like you guys." he laughed. "And now excuse me for a moment." He took the dog in his arms and moved along the corridor. He remembered how you asked about him right after you left. He knocked on the door of your room however, getting no answer, he decided to just open it. You were lying on the bed with your back to the door, and you had headphones on your ears. The music was loud enough that he could easily hear the familiar guitar sounds. He was a bit surprised because he would never have suspected you of listening to Guns N' Roses, he always identified you only with Harry Styles, whose songs Dustin was forever complaining about. When he put his hand on your shoulder you shuddered turning toward him.
"Hey, I found your prince." he said as you pulled the headphones out of your ears and smiled moving his gaze to the little animal in his hands. Eddie never watched the movie, but once, not hiding his curiosity, he asked your brother where the name came from.
Don't you cry tonight
There's a heaven above you, baby
And don't you cry tonight
Axl Rose's voice rang out from the headphones accompanied by beautiful guitar sounds played by Slash. Without a word, you took the dog from his hands. "You okay?" he asked.
"Why do you care Munson?" you replied dryly. Ironically in conjunction with the song your eyes were watered from crying and still glassy.
"Uhm- I-" he wanted to explain however you didn't let him.
"Give it up, you don't have to pretend to care. I don't need your pity." your words gave him a clear sign to leave the room as soon as possible. So he did. Without a word, he closed the door behind him and returned to the living room. It didn't change the fact that he was really worried. He wanted to tell you that he cared, but once again preferred to keep quiet about it.
You didn't want to be unkind to him, you didn't want to treat him so harshly yet at that moment you were furious and let your emotions get the best of you. Feeling remorse and even more sadness, another wave of tears flowed into your eyes.
For the rest of the evening, he couldn't get the sight of you and your weeping eyes out of his head. Once he had locked himself in his room he grabbed his guitar and devoted the rest of the evening to playing the song that refused to leave his head.
Talk to me softly
There's something in your eyes
Don't hang your head in sorrow
And please don't cry
He knew that even if Dustin was right and your mood was caused by the quarrel with your boyfriend, his words also contributed to the state in which he found you in the room. The uncomfortable feeling in his chest had already stayed with him until he fell asleep. Lying in the darkness, he wondered where it was coming from.