•••
Eddie stirred, feeling a heavy weight on his chest. He opened his eyes and looked down, seeing Harper laying on his chest. Her legs were intertwined with his. Eddie smiled down at her before lifting his hand and stroking her hair. Her eyes opened at the contact and her gaze shifted up to Eddie.
"Ah- sorry, didn't mean to wake you up." He said, moving his hand. Harper moved, pulling herself off of Eddie and pulling the covers off her. Eddie's eyes drifted down to her ass as she crawled off the bed. She hopped off and her shirt covered her thighs. Harper turned back to Eddie before he turned away and caught his gaze. She turned towards Eddie, his eyes widened and he blushed, moving his gaze before getting out of bed.
Harper's face was bright red and she quickly went into the bathroom to get ready for the day. She let out a breath and looked in the mirror trying to calm down.
It was probably an accident, right?
She brushed her teeth and put some product in her hair so it would keep its natural volume. Harper finished up, put on deodorant and perfume, and walked back out into her bedroom, seeing Eddie now sitting at the chair in front of her vanity. He was wearing both of his jackets again and had his feet propped up on the table. Harper turned to her dresser, opened one of the drawers, and grabbed a pair of mom jeans and a belt. She then closed that drawer and opened a different one, grabbing a colorful knit high-neck tank top. She turned away from Eddie but made sure to watch him from the corner of her eye. Seeing if he did the same thing as earlier.
Harper pulled off her shirt, leaving her in her matching pink bra and panties. Eddie clenched his fist and looked away from her quickly. He pressed his knuckles against his forehead before looking up once more. Harper could see him looking at her in the mirror.
Harper pulled on her jeans and put on the belt, she then pulled on her shirt and turned back around. She caught Eddie's gaze in the mirror and sent him a smirk.
"You like staring at my ass or something?" She asked.
Eddie chuckled, "No, but I've seen it enough to know you've got a nice one." He smirked. Harper crossed her arms, a pout on her face.
"Are you calling me a whore?" She joked.
The long-haired boy shook his head, "No, but it's interesting that you are comfortable changing around people."
"You're the one looking." Harper retorted, "Take a picture next time, it'll last longer."
"I might," Eddie said, his voice low as he looked up at her with his eyebrows lowered.
Harper chuckled before turning around and grabbing her Walkman before clipping it to her belt, "I'll grab us some breakfast. You wait here." Harper saw him nod before she stepped out the door of her room and walked down to the kitchen. She looked through the cabinets before heading over to the freezer. She opened it and spotted frozen waffles at the bottom. Harper grabbed the box and pulled it out, she set it down on the counter and opened the box before popping four of the waffles into the toaster.
"Four waffles?" She heard her mom say. Harper let out a sigh and turned around.
"Yeah." Harper crossed her arms, leaning back on the counter.
Her mom gave her a once over, "Four waffles is a bit too much for you... don't you think?"
"So you go from not caring- to talking to me about my weight?" Harper retorted, "Yeah, what a great mom." She said, turning back around and looking at the waffles.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Her mother's voice sounded distorted.
"Huh?" Harper said, spinning around. Her mother wasn't standing behind her, it was the old DM of her last campaign.
"You told everyone we just walked out. You knew what happened to us all." He growled, "You lied to our families. Families who are still looking for us."
Harper shook her head and stepped backwards, "No, I..."
"You did." He said, following her, "Our families still believe we are out there." Tendrils started growing around his face, and his eyes grew dark, "Harper you know what you did!"
She spun around quickly, heading in any direction except for him. She ran upstairs towards her room maybe Eddie could help. She swung the door open quickly and then shut it behind her locking it. She turned towards her room and saw no trace of Eddie.
A loud chime of a clock went off.
Again.
And again.
And one last time.
Harper turned towards her balcony, but instead of seeing her door she saw a large grandfather clock. Banging was heard behind the door.
"Harper! Let me in!" The voice was low and guttural, "Join me. Harper. I can help you." The lock on her door turned and the doorknob twisted, "Harper, your time is coming soon." A humanoid creature stepped into the room, tendrils wrap around its body and he points his hand towards Harper, reaching for her head.
"Harper-"
"Now don't hang on. Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky. It slips away-" Harper could hear the sound of music from behind her. Ignoring the manlike creature in front of her she turned around to see her balcony door was back. Behind it, a bright light shone. Harper sent one last glance at who she assumed was Vecna and ran towards the balcony door. She slid it open and walked outside.
Her eyes opened and she let out a gasp.
"I've gotcha Harper. I've got you..." Harper looked up to see Eddie, his arms wrapped around her as she was now on the ground, "Are you okay?" He asked, grabbing her face and looking her over.
Harper nodded rapidly, still hearing the music in her ears, she pulled off her headphones and wrapped her arms around Eddie's neck, pulling him close. Tears fell from her eyes as she buried her face in his neck. Eddie looked around the kitchen before placing one of his arms under Harper's legs and sweeping her off the ground. He carried her up the stairs and into her room before sitting down on the bed, he let go of her legs and she shifted her body so her legs were wrapped around his waist.
Eddie's arms wrapped around her waist before feeling the fear build up in his chest.
After Harper had gone downstairs, she had been there for too long, so he snuck down the stairs to find her. What he saw scared the sh*t out of him. Harper was frozen, slightly lifted in the air her eyes fluttering. Just like he had seen happen with Chrissy.
But he didn't run this time.
He tried everything, but in the end, he didn't know what to do, so he put her headphones over her ears throwing a hail mary.
He was lucky it worked. Eddie was relieved that she was okay but the fear still settled in his stomach.
Harper was cursed by Vecna.
His hands clutched onto the back of her shirt as he tried to hold back tears. It was all too much for him. If only he hadn't offered to sell drugs to Chrissy, then maybe everything would be okay. It took a few minutes for the two of them to calm down.
"Eddie... it's not your fault." Harper said shakily, she could assume what he was thinking.
He shook his head, "No, no. If I had gone with you... or maybe if I gave you a ride home instead of selling stupid drugs to Chrissy. Maybe we wouldn't be in this situation." Eddie's voice broke and he pulled his head back, looking at Harper.
She slid her hands down to his shoulders, "You know that's not true." Harper breathed, "And it doesn't matter, either way, Eddie. You saved me." She glanced down at his lips letting out a breath before quickly looking back up, "You didn't run this time." She said softly.
Eddie noticed her gaze and his face turned slightly red. One of her hands slid down to his chest before the two slowly leaned in.
The sound of a door opening downstairs pulled them both away.
"Sh*t, my parents are home," Harper said, removing herself from Eddie's lap. She turned to Eddie who was completely stunned and gestured to the balcony, "Get to the bike." Eddie stood up quickly and nodded. Before he walked out he turned back to Harper.
"Make sure you wear your headphones." He said.
Harper smiled softly and placed her headphones over her ears, "Thanks, Eddie." She said before rushing out her bedroom door and down to the kitchen. She pressed rewind on her music and then played it. She walked into the kitchen and walked over to the toaster grabbing the four waffles that were in there. She turned around to walk towards the front door when she came face to face with her mom. She pulled her headphones down nervously.
"Four waffles?" Her mom asked, causing Harper to roll her eyes mentally.
"Yeah?" Harper breathed.
Her mom sent her a small smile, "Well I hope your new "friend" enjoys it."
Harper's eyes widened as she heard her mom's words, "How did you-"
"You left your door unlocked." She laughed, "That Munson boy can be real trouble though. So stay safe... and protected."
"Mom!" Harper groaned and her face turned slightly red. The girl turned around towards the back door, before glancing back over her shoulder, "Thanks, mom." She then continued on her path toward the woods. Harper remembered that Eddie's name wasn't out yet, and also this was the first time that her mom actually seemed to care about her.
Eddie was already sitting on the bike. Harper stepped over to him and handed him the waffles.
"My mom saw us," Harper explained.
Eddie lifted his head quickly, "Is everything all good?"
"Yep." Harper said, hopping on the bike after quickly eating her waffles, "She told us to make sure we stay "protected"."
Eddie chuckled before kicking up the bike stand and peddling back towards lover's lake.
•••
Harper and Eddie had been sitting in the boathouse for a few hours. Harper looked over at the table where her newly washed clothes were set and let out a disappointed sigh.
"I can't believe I forgot to grab my box of cigarettes while I was at home." She said, "Even Robin forgot them when I asked her to bring them here. Then again she probably wouldn't have brought them even if I did ask."
Eddie turned to Harper, "You mean these?" He asked, pulling out a box of cigarettes and her lighter.
Harper smirked slightly, "Wow, perv. Those were in my underwear drawer." She deadpanned.
"What?" Eddie looked shocked, "I don't-"
Harper snatched the box from his hand and pulled out a cigarette, "I'm joking. I knew you heard me tell Robin where I put them." She chuckled before also taking the lighter, "I doubt you saw anything when you looked in there." She held the box towards Eddie who gratefully took one and placed it in his mouth. Harper lit the one in her mouth and then leaned towards Eddie and lit the one in his.
Harper leaned back in the boat, her head slightly leaning over the side of it while her feet were propped up on the other side.
"I can't believe I almost just died." She said, thinking through what had happened.
Eddie nodded, "I need to make sure to stay with you constantly, we wouldn't want that happening again." Harper looked over at the boy, whose concerned gaze was trained on her.
"Constantly?" She asked.
Eddie shrugged, "That or make sure you listen to the music."
"What if Kansas stops working?" She asked. Eddie reached over, placing his hand on hers.
"Then we'll find you a new song." He said sending her a small smile.
Harper nodded, "I really hope this all blows over soon. Maybe they'll find where Vecna is and kill him and Eddie the Banished will be Eddie the Praised."
"Me too." He paused, "Eddie the Praised and Harper the Noteworthy." Eddie then shifted his body towards her, "So much for being a wallflower, you are one of the most talkative people I know."
"Well, that means I'm comfortable around you." She said softly, "You've earned it."
•••