the shire is burning [eddie munson x OC]

chapter fourteen

"The phone rings, in the middle of the night, my father yells 'what you gonna do with your life?'. Oh, daddy dear, you know you're still number one, but girls, they wanna have fun!"

Willow is in the shower, singing along loudly and off-key to her portable radio Robin had gotten for her last Christmas, using her shampoo bottle as a makeshift microphone, when the banging on her front door started.

She almost thought it was part of the song at first, until the doorbell started ringing right along with the pounding.

Willow's hand immediately shot out and turned the water off, holding her breath as she listened.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Whoever was at her door was still knocking furiously.

Maybe it's Robin, she thinks, considering that her friends had just dropped her off ten minutes before. Maybe I just left something in Steve's car.

With this in mind, Willow makes the catastrophic decision to only wear her towels out to answer the door, a smaller one wrapped around her hair while the larger one is wrapped around her body.

"This better be important," she mutters to herself as she takes care to not slip on her way down the hall.

The banging is only intensifying with each passing second as Willow approaches the door.

"Robin, I swear to God, nothing I left in Steve's car could be this import-" Willow swings open the door and cuts herself off immediately, " Eddie , what the fuck ?"

Eddie completely disregards her, shoving himself past her and into her living room.

"Hey, what the hell are you do-"

"I fucked up," Eddie interrupts, tugging his hands through his hair, "I fucked up royally."

"You fucked up?" Willow is immediately confused, worried as well, but mostly confused, "How did you fuck up?"

"I fucked up. Christ, I was an idiot," Eddie finally pauses his pacing, eyes trailing over Willow before realizing she was only in her towel. His hand immediately reaches up and slaps across his eyes, "Are you naked?"

"Well, I... yeah. I-I was in the shower to get ready for your stupid meeting. I thought you were R-Robin," Willow explains herself through her nervous stuttering as she grips onto her towel even tighter, turning and closing her front door. Her knuckles have gone white from the grip she has on the fluffy cotton – on the one thing between her boobs and Eddie Munson's peeping eyes.

"Shucks," Eddie starts to grin behind his hand, "Going through all that just for a bunch of freaks?"

"I-" Willow can't even begin to defend herself, or entertain him with banter, "Eddie, what do you mean when you say you fucked up? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" her worry starts to gnaw at her stomach as she looks over him for any sign of injury: no bruised knuckles, no black eyes (from what she can see), no busted lips. There's not a physical clue on Eddie Munson that would explain why he just stormed into her house.

"Don't worry, Red. I'm fine, I swear," he mockingly holds up the hand that isn't covering his eyes, "At least, for now, I am."

"For now? Jesus Christ, did someone follow you here? Should I expect Jason Carver to come banging on my door next?" Willow turns and locks her front door for emphasis, only half joking. The reminder that she's currently in just a towel hits her once more, "Hold on. Just... just wait here, please? Let me go get dressed."