Always and Forever (YN x Eddie Munson - Stranger Things S4)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Back at the trailer park, there was a thick fog in the air. A fog of confusion and mystery that seemed to be contained within Eddie's trailer. You and Robin had set out to each make the most tooth-rotting sundaes possible, which you would force both Eddie and Steve to try. Eddie, of course, ate all of yours but Steve looked sick after having only two bites. This declared you the winner. 

After Steve almost being sick, RObin leaned over to you and said "We had all the free ice cream we could want, and he always got vanilla with sprinkles." Referring to when they worked at the infamous Scoops Ahoy.

After much time spent making fun of both Steve and Eddie for their tastes in dessert, you found yourself curled up into Eddie's side on the couch with Robin in a reclining chair and Steve at the counter in the adjacent kitchen. 

"So," Steve says "Are we going to talk about this?" 

"About what?" You question.

"Well," He starts, a puzzled look on his face "First of all, your face." 

You fake offense by putting a hand over your heart "You don't like my face, Harrington?" 

"What? No, I-" He stutters "Your face is fine, it's good. It's new?" 

You burst out laughing "My face is new?" 

"You know what I mean!" He says with a slight pink tinge on his cheeks.

"Yes, Steve, it's new." You say "Thanks to Eds here and his artistic genius." 

"Hey," Eddie says, pulling the green streak to the front of his head "Don't undermine your own skills there, Princess." 

You snort and wave a hand at his chest, moving so your head was facing up-wards at him, still in his lap.

"All that aside," Robin speaks up "What's with all the nicknames and cuddles?" 

You look over to her, unsure of what to say. This thing with Ed was new and exciting, but you weren't sure about what you wanted to tell people. You felt safe with him and you had made out with him the night previous, but you didn't clear up the terms. Were you just friends who kissed and temporarily lived together? Boyfriend and girlfriend, testing the new waters of romantic and physical boundaries. you didn't know and judging from Eddie's silence, neither was he. 

"What can I say," Eddie starts "Harrington wouldn't wait up for me, I had to find someone new." 

"Ah, yes," You say, riffing off of him "A forbidden romance, doomed from the start I would say." 

Robin nods wisely "You know, he was just too heartbroken over Nancy, new love was impossible." 

"Oh, hardy-har-har." Steve chimes in "Whatever, and I wasn't heartbroken over Nance." 

"Then why do you still call her 'Nance' and give her rides to and from work?" You ask, gaining innocence. 

"Definitely not ex-behavior," Ed says. 

"Ok enough deflecting," Steve says, turning all his focus to you "Why did you really change up your look so much?" 

You shrug. In the parking lot, you'd said that it was so you weren't the same girl Nick had hurt. That was true, but was there something else? Some part of you believed that it was in part so you could feel like your own person. Not cheer, not your grades, not Nick, just you.

"I guess I just needed a change." You put it simply.

Later, while Eddie and Robin are in a heated discussion over which instrument is better, you pull Steve to the kitchen. 

"How much did Robin tell you?" You ask, not having the courage to look him in the eyes. Sure, he was one of your closest friends, but if he took Nick's side you'd never recover from the loss of his friendship. 

"Just that you and Eddie were suspended." He looked at his shoes "She said you'd tell me when you were ready to." 

You take a deep inhale and look up, your head lulling on your shoulders "I will, just- not right now." You look at him now "I think it's better you don't know for now." 

You had made your declaration in front of the whole school, Robin knew, Eddie knew, but Steve couldn't know just yet. After all, he might be your friend but when he was in school with you, he was the jock type. He might have known Nick on some level. 

Now, it was well past midnight, and Robin and Steve had just left. Steve had given you an extra tight hug on his way out. It meant 'I'm here for you'. It felt safe, but still, you needed time. 

You stretched deeply, inhaling as you pulled your arms up over your head. Eddie hugged you from behind and planted his head in the crook of your neck, kissing where your neck met your collarbone. 

"Hey!" You exclaim, surprised. 

"What?" He asks "I am allowed to kiss you, right?" 

You turn to face him "Yes, you are. But give a girl a warning."

He smiles softly and dips his head down low, kissing you tenderly. It was sweet and soft. Flashes of last night rushed through your head and you blushed deeply. 

When he pulled away he saw your blush and cupped one of your cheeks "Aw, Y/N, did you get flustered?" He jokes. 

"What are you talking about," You ask playfully "I'm a stone wall of emotion, nothing gets past this hard exterior." 

He picks you up, forcing you to let out a yelp of surprise "Of course, how could I forget." 

He walks you to the bedroom and sets you down, kneeling in front of you and kissing you again. You felt hungry for his touch, but also unbearably tired. Like the reality of the last week and a half has been lifted off you. But, you knew that the pressure would be back on soon enough.  

You kissed him back, arms connected behind his head as his hands traveled across your hips. Not long passed before you leaned back and he climbed on top of you, never disconnecting. 

It's apparent that he wants to go further. You do too, truly. You don't know if you're ready for anything too heavy yet. Sex was a big deal but it also wasn't? And there was also the underlying fear that it'd be "bad" and that he'd had sex before. 

"Probably with Richard," A voice in the back of your head said, sneaking its way through your thoughts. 

You put your hands on Eddie's chest again "Wait," You say breathlessly.

He pulls away but his eyes never leave your lips "Do you want to stop?" 

"No," You say truthfully "But I don't think I can um, handle going 'All the way'" You confess.

Now, he looks you in the eyes "You don't want to have sex?" You nod. "But you don't want to stop?"  You nod again, embarrassed. 

Then a sly smile crept over his lips, the mischief trailing all the way to his eyes "I have an idea." He says as he starts to kiss down your neck once more.