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No doubt Eddie thought he was being sneaky. But much like a big dog that didn’t know his size, Eddie was a man that didn’t know his volume.
Karmen had heard him coming from three streets away. The beat up old Gaucho Van wasn’t exactly running smooth anymore and the way Eddie pushed it to the limits of its abilities on a daily basis while he blazed a trail going at least 10 miles too fast around Hawkins suburbia wasn’t doing it any favors. It revved and spluttered as it turned down her small street and yet he still pushed his foot to the floor to get from the corner to her place in ten seconds flat. Slamming on the breaks right before her drive and practically skidding into the space next to her car.
He would hit her car one day and she would make him pay for it because she’d chastised him one too many times already about the way he drove through the small streets filled with children playing.
“I have good reflexes” He had argued, as if that would matter when push came to shove.
To his credit, he had taken her criticism under his wing and was driving at a more respectable pace when she was in the car with him. She figured that he probably weighed up the pros of arriving at his destination thirty seconds earlier and the cons of never having sex again and chose wisely.
However he didn’t seem to take into account the fact that slowing down on her street alone didn’t save her from the knowledge that he had screeched around several corners before he got there.
Because again, Eddie was loud.
After he’d jumped from the driver’s door he’d slammed it shut. He didn’t mean to, she knew that. But the hinges weren’t what they used to be and the door didn’t latch properly if it wasn’t closed firmly.
She’d started to make her way down the hall from her bedroom after the first crack of the door that shook the whole vehicle. Expecting to hear him clomping up the front steps like a Clydesdale by the time she reached the living room but instead he was now slamming the back doors of the van one by one.
Bang.
Bang.
And another for luck as he thrashed his shoulder against the left one that never closed right on the first try.
He didn’t lock it. He only ever bothered if he was leaving something valuable inside. Figuring that if someone went to the effort to start the sucker without the keys they probably deserved it.
Now he was clomping up the front steps and she was narrowing her eyes suspiciously at the strangely shaped, badly wrapped package in his arms. The one he realized he was holding with both hands as he stopped in front of the door and stared at it dejectedly for a solid ten seconds before Karmen made a move to help him inside and simultaneously he sighed and put the package on the ground as he fished around in his pockets for the keys he’d just stored away.
She stopped beside the couch, deciding to see how this played out as Eddie had already begun to fumble with the lock and was now pushing the door open an inch, ready for an easy entry. He bent down again, picking up the package with a grunt and pressing his shoulder into the door to open it.
He paused, hissing out a long groan as he pulled away from the wood. Closing his eyes and pursing his lips before huffing out another breath and maneuvering himself so he could wrap a fist around his keys that were still in the lock.
The ones he had just slammed his hip into as he tried to push open the door.
That would bruise for sure.
He tried to pull the keys out, one arm wrapped around his cargo while the back of the hand that held the keys balanced it precariously at the bottom. He jerked his entire body sideways, ripping them from the door a lot easier than he had anticipated and stumbling backwards, only just catching himself before he went ass over tit back down the front steps.
Karmen had seen enough, jumping to his aid. She had stopped heading towards him because she thought he had it handled but it slowly became clear as she watched him struggle that if she didn’t open the door for him, he wasn’t coming inside any time soon.
She grabbed onto the handle, pulling it towards herself and clearing Eddie’s path as he headed back towards it with a frown of concentration on his face that looked like maybe his plan was to try and use the force to push it out of his way.
“Oh.” He jumped involuntarily as the door moved, stopping only for a millisecond before realizing what had happened and trying so desperately to recover from his shock. But his big beautiful eyes were still a little too wide as they locked with hers.
A smirk as involuntary as his jump formed on her lips as he flushed under her gaze.
He was definitely trying to use the force.
“Hey.” He greeted her as he moved through the threshold. Stopping to plant a wet kiss on her cheek and turning her smirk into a grin.
“Hey.” She said back, closing the door behind him and turning around to see he had headed straight to the kitchen counter to unload his cargo.
“I thought you were sleeping.” He said so damn innocently. Too innocently to be a joke but she laughed anyway. Shaking her head as he tilted his like a confused puppy.
“I was.” She answered simply as she made her way across the room. He held out his arms expectantly and she wrapped her own around his neck. Relishing in the feel of his strong arms around her back as he pulled her flush with him. He leaned down as she tilted her chin up and pressed his lips against her in such a chaste way that she found herself chasing him.
He pulled away, kissing a trail across her cheek and down her neck before burying his face there and taking in a long, deep breath.
Karmen unlocked her arms from around his neck and let them slide down his biceps before snaking in between their bodies and wrapping them around his waist.
Eddie breathed out slowly, tension he hadn’t realized he had been holding on to seeping out of him with the exhale as he closed his eyes against her skin.
“I missed you.” He murmured, lips brushing against her pulse point as he spoke.
He heard the small gasp she tried to hide at the way his words tingled her skin. Unable to pretend he hadn’t as she felt him smile against her neck.
“It’s only been a day.” She chuckled softly. Not meant to judge but instead explain away the longing feelings she had also felt during his absence. To justify how silly she was being in missing him after only just over twenty four hours.
“A long day.” Eddie corrected, pulling himself out of his hiding place and looking down at her with tired eyes. Equally wary orbs stared back as she rested her chin on his chest and he removed one of the hands squeezing her to him and pressed it against her forehead.
“Do you feel any better?” He asked, narrowing his eyes as he assessed her temperature with his palm. It was very sweet. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that you couldn’t feel if someone had a migraine or not through temperature.
“A little.” She replied with a pout as he pouted back empathetically.
She had called Eddie the day before to let him know she was leaving work early and going home to bed. Not saying exactly what she meant in the moment but he caught the gist anyway.
Don’t bother coming over. I won’t be awake.
He had asked if he could do anything to help and she had told him that while she appreciated the offer, she just needed to sleep it off. She’d had plenty of those debilitating headaches in the past and she knew from experience the only thing that really fixed it was rest.
Unfortunately she had been wrong. She’d woken up in the morning with her head still pounding. Calling out sick from work and spending the day in bed snoozing on and off while sipping a Pedialyte.
By now at 3:30pm, her migraine had finally lessened to a regular headache but the after effects of lying in bed all day were still haunting her.
“Poor baby.” Eddie pouted, a little more condescending than he had intended. His eyes widening as hers narrowed under his palm. “I bought you a gift.” He added quickly, pulling his hand away from her forehead and gesturing towards the package he’d put on the counter.
“Ooo.” Karmen cooed, wiggling her shoulders excitedly. “What is it?” She asked, following his hand with her gaze and looking over the strangely shaped present. It was very haphazardly wrapped in a light blue crepe paper. The sticky tape he’d used to secure it wasn’t doing it’s only job being sticky very well and the seams were lifting all over the place revealing that whatever it was, was made of wood.
“It’s just something I made.” He answered, suddenly shy. He looked away from the gift as he spoke. She could feel him tense under the question. “You don’t have to use it.” He added quickly as she pulled away from his embrace and reached for the gift.
“You made it?” She asked as soft fingers pulled at the loose tape and the wrapping began to fall away with ease.
“Like, I completely understand if it’s dumb.” Eddie continued, seemingly not hearing her as she pulled the paper away from the stained wood inside. “I just, I had to make something for my final in Woodshop and I–I mean I’ve done it like 3 times now so I’ve gotten kinda good.” He said with a shrug. “A-and you mentioned you needed one and couldn’t find one s-so I…” He paused, mid ramble. “I don’t know, it’s probably dumb–”
“Eddie.” Karmen said softly, turning back to him and placing a calming hand on his chest. “Breathe.” She reminded him, with a laugh. She was pretty sure he hadn’t taken a breath since the long one in the crook of her neck. “I’m gonna’ love it.” She assured him. “Show me.” She said gently, gesturing with her head towards the almost fully unwrapped gift. The largest fold of paper still blocked the majority of it as Karmen turned back and pulled it away with a gasp.
“It’s a spice rack.” Eddie said dumbly as Karmen stared at it. Eyes raking over the details as Eddie felt compelled to fill the silence with more rambling.
“You um, you said you needed one so…” He repeated, eyeing her warily from his place beside her before flicking his eyes back to his creation and then back to her. He watched as she furrowed her brows, lips pressed together. “Honestly, it’s silly, don’t worry about–” Eddie began, cutting himself off as she looked up at him with watery eyes and he realized she was pressing her lips together to try and keep herself from crying.
“I love it.” She said simply, voice small.
“You do?” He asked, feeling silly immediately. He had made it with the hopes she would like it. Tried to make it exactly so she would like it.
Why was he questioning it?
“I do.” She confirmed, turning back and reaching out to touch the smooth wood on the shelf in front of her. “You made this?” She asked again, running the fingers of one hand along it while the other wiped at her eyes.
“Yeah…” Eddie answered, watching her carefully and sucking on his lips as she admired his work.
It was a traditional looking spice rack with three shelf-like tiers for jarred spices. It had gorgeous curves along the vertical sides. The board that backed the shelves came up higher than them and also had curves at the very top that reminded her of gentle waves meeting in the middle. Under that Eddie had burnt the word ‘Spices’ which was situated between two cute little ducks, both facing outwards in their respective directions.
Karmen turned to him suddenly, flinging herself into his arms and wrapping hers around him tight. He caught her despite the surprise. Smiling to himself as she squeezed him tightly.
“You listened.” She said after a moment, pulling back and watching as the confused puppy head tilt made its second appearance of the day.
“What?” He asked, confused by the statement.
“You listened!” She repeated. “When I said I needed a spice rack.” She laughed. Remembering back to a few months earlier when she had mentioned it off-handley while they were looking through market stalls at the Fair.
She had been talking about the irony that she had decided to purchase a spice rack at the next market she attended which normally were filled with people selling their handcrafted woodwork.
But of course as soon as she decided she would buy one she couldn’t find a craftsman to save her life.
“I wasn’t even really telling you, I was just kind of talking to myself because I didn’t think you’d care.” She admitted softly as Eddie frowned at her sadly. “But you listened and then you made me one and it’s gorgeous!” She exclaimed, gesturing towards the gift. “I love it so much.” She assured him again as he looked down at her with his own teary eyes.
“Yeah?” He couldn’t help but ask again.
“Yeah!” She shouted excitedly “There’s little ducks on it!”
“Mm.” Eddie hummed in reply. “I nearly didn’t put those on.”
“Why?” Karmen asked, scandalized. “I love ducks!”
“I know.” He chuckled. As if anyone could ever not know that Karmen loved ducks and other water birds. Her house was full of them. “But Mr S hates stylistic choices and I wanted to make you happy but I also wanted to pass Woodshop.” He explained.
“Did you?” She asked.
“Yeah!” He nodded, just as excited.
“Yay!” She laughed, holding up her hand for a high five.
He took it eagerly, slapping his palm against hers with vigor before pulling her back into the hug needily and she rested her cheek on his chest. Listening as the wild beat of his heart began to calm.
“No one’s ever made me anything before.” Karmen admitted after a moment of comfortable silence as they enjoyed just embracing one another.
“Isn’t John a builder?” Eddie asked bluntly. Squinting as she chuckled in his arms.
“Yep.” She replied. Her best friend John was a builder.
“Didn’t he renovate your bathro–”
“Eddie–” Karmen stopped him quickly.
“Hm?” He hummed, looking down at her.
“Don’t question it.” She said with a shrug as she pulled away.
“Okay.” He said simply, watching as she fiddled with the hair-tie on her wrist.
“Just take the reward.” Karmen said jokingly as she scooped her curls together into a low ponytail. Eddie’s eyes widening at the motion. Mouth suddenly full of saliva, he tried to swallow it back as she pulled the tie over her hand and secured her hair in place.
He knew what that meant. He was hard already.
She’d Pavolved him.
“Babe…” He said softly as she grinned at him, sinking to her knees and reaching for his belt. “You don’t have to do that.”
He wanted it, he really did. But she still wasn’t well. If anything he should be the one tending to her.
“I want to.” Karmen responded simply as Eddie held out a hand to help her up. She ignored it, reaching for his waistband.
“No you don’t.” He snickered, wiggling his hand at her.
“Just let me.” She argued light-heartedly. “Why are you fighting this?”
“Because I know you still have a headache.” He answered quickly. “Come on, get up.” He said as he placed the hand she was ignoring in front of his fly and blocked her from it.
She sighed in exasperation, still trying to get past his defences.
“Did John get a reward?” He asked. Shrinking under her pointed look as her head snapped up despite the fact that he had asked with the intention of annoying her and making her pause her advances.
“I’ll put my hair back down so fast.” She warned, as he huffed out a laugh.
“That’s the plan.” He admitted, Ignoring the way she pulled at his hand to try and remove the obstacle. “Also that’s not a no.” He mumbled, her eyes flicking back up to him dangerously.
“He didn’t deserve it. He didn’t put little duckies in my shower.” She answered sarcastically.
“Okay, seriously though.” Eddie said softly, taking her offending hand in his and staring down at her with lust-blown pupils that he knew she could see and hoped she ignored.
“As much as I so desperately want to accept your offer…” He began, his treacherous cock twitching in his jeans. “I must decline.” He said regretfully, voice cracking in an undignified manner and forcing him to clear his throat as her lips quirked at his misfortune.
“I made you a gift because I love you. I don’t need a reward for that. Besides, you’re not feeling well and I’m more than happy to jerk off in the shower and pretend you were a part of it.” He admitted, making her laugh through a sigh as she finally gave up the fight and let him pull her to her feet.
Her head did still hurt.
But if spending her late teens reading magazines had taught her anything, it was that sex was the magic cure for just about every ailment.
Or at least that was what the male editors wanted her to believe.
Anyway, she wasn’t letting him win that easily even if she was conceding that he had been right.
“What if I just needed an excuse to get your cock in my mouth.” She asked, just as cheekily as he had been a second before. Her voice low and sultry as Eddie exhaled sharply at the words, abdomen clenching.
“You can’t just say shit like that.” She grimaced, voice sounding strained as doubled over slightly and brought a hand back to his crotch to try and adjust himself.
Jesus Christ he was hard.
“Yet you can talk about jerking off in the shower like that’s not hot as fuck.” She countered, crossing her arms as he scoffed at her.
“Oh yeah.” Eddie agreed sarcastically, the hand on his crotch bawling into a fist as he screwed his face up humorously and mimicked jerking himself off to show her what she was missing.
“Looks hot to me.” She shrugged. “At least let me watch.”
“Deal.” Eddie said quickly, pointing towards the ensuite bathroom. “Come on, I’ll try to make it… Spicy.” He said deliberately, jerking his head towards the gift as Karmen stared at him tiredly.
“Heh?” He asked when she didn’t laugh. “Get it? Because… Because spices and…” He trailed off as she began to smirk. “I thought that was a good one.” He said softly, caught off guard as she launched herself at him for the second time. Peppering his face with kisses before staring deeply into his eyes.
“Very funny.” She smiled. “Don’t take too long in the shower or the water might get… Chili.” She joked, making him snort.
“Oh don’t worry, I won’t take up too much of your… Thyme.” He quipped back as she cackled in response, taking his hand in hers and pulling him towards her bedroom.
“Don’t be a Dill.”