Running // Eddie Munson x (Y/N)

𝘊𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘛𝘌𝘙 𝘚𝘐𝘟

The air was cooler when you finally made it back to the boathouse and you were glad of it, sweat seeping through your shirt and coating your body with a thin layer of moisture. Your feet hurt and you were feeling cranky, but as you knock the door to the boathouse and push it open, the soft glow of a lantern surrounded by two bowls of steaming liquid makes you stop in your tracks. 

"Oh, thank Christ it's you." His voice startles you as he peeks out from his hiding place behind one of the shelving units, a quiet chuckle rumbling in his chest though it settles quickly as he notices your bewildered expression.

"What's that?" You gesture to the bowls, trying to keep your stomach from growling with how hungry you were from the walk. At your query, a bashful smile creeps onto his lips as he stutters out his response, "Well, uh... I guess it's dinner? It's not much since food is short though - just some tomato soup."

Stepping closer to him, you resist the urge to smile back at him, a teasing edge to your tone, "He can cook? Wow, what a catch you are."

"I know, right? On the run and still able to provide a decent wine-and-dine. I'm surprised I'm not married already," he says, grinning. 

"Yeah, absolutely. But - where's the wine for the dine?" 

His mouth drops open as if to speak, but it's a long, long moment before his response comes out, "Okay, rain check on the wine."

You break into a laugh and he matches it, gesturing to the blanket on the floor beside the lantern and you step onto it, sitting down across from him and pulling one of the bowls into your lap. You weren't too fond of tomato soup in all honestly, but food was food and your stomach would be grateful for anything you put in there right now. "Thank you, Eddie. You didn't have to make me dinner." You say between mouthfuls. 

"I know. I, uh... I wanted to. Can't ask you on a real date when I'm in hiding, can I?" 

So he thinks this is a date? You ask yourself, stomach fluttering as you fought the urge to blush. God, you were such a mush lately. 

"What do you mean? I just adore wanted criminals who make me soup in creepy boathouses while there's a supernatural entity on the loose killing teens. It was my answer for 'What is your ideal date night?' at all the Miss Indiana pageants I won." Your sardonic tone earns you another laugh from him, a real laugh that was so relaxed and carefree. It was nice to see Eddie not worrying constantly and taking a break from the anxiety of the moment just to laugh. You hide your smile behind the bowl of soup as you lift it up to finish it off, the hunger in your stomach satiated for now. "Thank you, though," you continue, "I was so hungry."

"How did it go today? Cops find another body or something? That was a lot of sirens earlier."

You nod, settling back against the boat and clearing your throat, the memory of the boy in the road clouding your vision. "Yeah. Vecna got another, so Steve and the kids went to check out the school counsellor since both he and Chrissy were seeing her. Robin and this girl we met Nancy, they went off to check a hunch. I know it's not exactly much to go off of, but hopefully they find something." 

He shakes his head, a trembling hand running over his face and covering his eyes. There goes the stress-free moment. "It's never going to fucking end. We're not going to beat Vecna and I'm gonna go to jail just like everyone always said I would."

"No," you say, lifting your hands to tug his own away from his eyes, your thumb tracing the dips of his knuckles as you attempt to comfort him. "It's going to be okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Natural or supernatural. Promise."

"Right. Forgot you were Superwoman." You snort and there's a beat in which you're just looking over him, watching a smirk grow wider and wider with each second and then he's standing quickly, extending a hand to you, "Enough of all this depressive shit. This is supposed to be a shitty date sure, but not that shitty. C'mon, (Y/N)."