the shire is burning [eddie munson x OC]

chapter twenty four

a/n: alright, folks, here it is - eddie's pov. please be gentle because i don't think it matters how many times i rewrote this, as a perfectionist, this may never be up to my standards. keep the expectations low.

Eddie Munson has never sat still a day in his life.

He always had to be moving; fidgeting with his rings, bouncing his legs, performing theatrics for anyone and everyone who would entertain him for even a second. It had been this way since he was a child, according to his uncle. Teachers all through middle school complained about the way he bounced his pencil on his desk. High school clearly hadn't gotten any better. Eddie Munson simply always had to be moving - it was the way it always had been, and always would be.

Until tonight. Until suddenly, he had a relaxed Willow Jenkins pressed into the chair beside him, head occasionally bumping his shoulder, legs slack across his lap.

Suddenly, Eddie was even holding his breath in fear that one wrong move would cause her to regret it all. Not just sitting with him, but choosing him for her fake-dating scheme. He had been waiting with baited breath for the other shoe to drop between them the last two weeks. The entire situation felt like a dream in the best way, and if he had learnt anything in life, it was that nothing could stay that good for long. Eventually, Willow would grow bored, or Steve would admit his very obvious feelings. Something would happen and Eddie would have to return to his reality. Tonight wasn't the first time this thought had crossed his mind. He'd thought about it the night at Family Video, when Willow had left Steve and himself alone long enough for an awkward conversation to ensue and for Steve to all but confirm his feelings for Willow to Eddie.

--

The moment that Willow had left the two alone, Steve turned to Eddie with a glare. Eddie's eyes were far too busy following after the redhead, gaze lingering far too long for their fake situation.

"Okay, Munson, level with me - what the fuck are your intentions with her?" Steve's voice was harsh and all of his indifference from earlier had melted. Eddie knew he couldn't stand their flirting, and he knew his cool guy demeanor had been for Willow's sake. Considering how far away she looked, Eddie was willing to guess she didn't realize this.

"Pardon me?" Eddie raised an eyebrow, taking his time to let his gaze fall away and reroute itself on Steve.

Steve huffed, leaning on the counter, clearly trying to look menacing. "You heard me. What's your endgame here? Because that girl? That girl deserves the world and I'll be damned if I let some loser who can't give her that-"

"I agree. She deserves the world," Eddie interrupted, suddenly feeling an unnecessary bitterness come up in his throat. "Listen, man, I know that. You know that, I know that, the old dude who lives two trailers down from me knows it. Anyone with eyes knows that."

Steve was silent, rage in his eyes. His knuckles were white from his grip on the counter, "Yeah? Which means you know she deserves better than whatever game you're playing-"

"I'm not playing some game with her, man," Eddie interrupted Steve, again , "I'm- Actually, I'm asking her to be mine tonight."

The silence between them was heavy. Eddie could see a forced defeat, a certain terrible hopelessness, that crossed over Steve's face. Actually, it blatantly flooded over all his features - his shoulders slumped, his breath hitched, his eyes immediately shut. Gone was whatever intimidating persona that Steve Harrington was trying to use on Eddie.

"What?" he whispered, and Eddie felt bad for a moment. The heartbreak was clear.

How could Willow not realize that she has Steve wrapped around her finger already?