A/N - This chapter was sort of inspired by the Fall Out Boy version of Beat It. I basically just saw someone (I can't remember who 😬 oops) post something on Tik Tok about how Eddie isn't really a fighter, but if he even saw a hint of sadness in his S/O's eyes, he'd go to war for them, and I couldn't get this idea out of my head. This is set during Eddie's second senior year and Reader's first. I hope you all enjoy it.
You weren't exactly sure how you'd managed it, but Eddie was at prom. Sure, it had taken him resitting his senior year to actually get him here, but he was here and to you that was all that really mattered. He'd even found one of Wayne's old suits to wear, even if it was a little big across his shoulders.
He'd shown up at your house with flowers, a little earlier than he had planned, to avoid any chance of him being late. And when he'd seen you at the top of the stairs, looking pretty as all Hell, he'd been speechless. Shit, he always thought you were the most attractive person he had ever seen, but right now, you were totally flawless, and he was pretty sure that if your mom wasn't standing in the hallway with the two of you, he would've ended up making a couple of inappropriate comments about just how hot you were.
"It fits," you called out, looking so Goddamn excited as you hurried down the stairs, eyeing up the suit. "Told you it would," you added, brushing some lint off of his lapel with a bright grin. "Doesn't he look handsome, Mom?" you pressed on, glancing at her over your shoulder, only to be met with the startling flash of the Polaroid going off.
Eddie seemed to suddenly realise where he was again, blinking away the fuzzy little ball of light that lingered in his vision from the flash. "At least let us pose," he teased, smiling for your Mom and manoeuvring you into one of the cheesy positions you'd seen the other kids practising at school. His hands lingered on your hips, your back pressed to his chest. He grinned for the camera, drawing a snort of laughter out of you as the picture was taken.
"Oh, Sweetheart, you closed your eyes," your mom chastised as the picture printed. She held it out to you, looking a little frustrated at the waste of a picture.
Eddie quickly grabbed it before you could, eyes drifting over the two of you. "I like it," he hummed. "Look at how your nose wrinkles up when you laugh," he added, lowering it for you to look at.
"Gross," you grumbled, attempting to snatch it back only for him to lift it out of your reach.
"Can I keep this one?" he pressed on, addressing your mom over your head.
"Of course, you can, Honey."
*Time Skip*
The gym had been decorated a little too enthusiastically for your tastes. Streamers and balloons and bright shimmering lights covered each and every reachable surface, and truthfully it was a little overwhelming. Not to mention, the looks you'd been receiving from the moment you'd walked through the door. It was no secret that Eddie wasn't the most popular person in school, but now, it seemed like he was intruding on something private. They were staring like he was some alien creature that had shown up unannounced to study them when they were least expecting it.
You tightened your grip on Eddie's hand, leading him over to the drinks table, your eyes roaming over the soda selection. "Grape or orange?"
Eddie hummed, leaning a little closer to hear you over the music. "Sorry, Baby, I didn't hear you."
"Grape or orange?" you repeated, gesturing to the cups.
He quickly picked up one of the cups without answering, his attention clearly focused elsewhere. "So, what do we do?" he finally murmured, watching as your smile grew. It was clear that this was out of his comfort zone and it meant the world that he was willing to come with you anyway.
"We talk. And dance. And sometimes, people sneak off to the football field to make out."
He perked up slightly at your comment. "I like the sound of that last one-"
"Usually, that one happens nearer the end of the night," you corrected, shifting a little closer to him and tucking yourself under his arm. "Besides, you have the van. Why would we go to some gross, cold field when we could go to your nice, warm van?"
He hummed softly, running his hand gently over your shoulder. "Good point," he murmured. "As long as I get to make out with you at some point tonight," he pressed on, drawing a snort of laughter out of you.
"I promise."
He grinned, leaning down to peck your lips quickly. "Gotta pee," he confessed, his lips still brushing yours, making your face contort in disgust. "Hold this for me?" he added, placing his half-empty cup into your hand and untangling himself from you. "I'll be right back, Baby."
And then, he was hightailing across the room towards the bathrooms, leaving you stranded in the middle of the hall alone. For a moment, you were perfectly content to sway along to the music, your head bopping along. But then, you'd heard someone obnoxiously clear their throat behind you, drawing your attention.
"No one wants you here." Your brow furrowed as you caught sight of Tommy H, looking all too pleased with himself as he watched you. "I mean, everyone puts up with you and the Freak at school because we don't get a choice, but coming to prom is something else-"
"We're just here to have fun," you uttered, fidgeting uncomfortably on the spot.
Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, well, you're spoiling everyone else's," he told you. "And you're going to ruin all the photos. People want to remember their prom, they don't want to remember the class freaks-"
Your breath caught in your throat at the comment. Sure, you'd never been the most popular kid in school, but it had become increasingly clear that since you'd started dating Eddie a couple of years back, the 'cooler' kids had taken more notice of you. You hadn't really expected it to end up like this, though. I mean, what had you ever done to make them hate you?
"Why don't you do everyone a favour and go home?"
Your chest was tight as you bit down on the inside of your cheek, forcing yourself to maintain your calm expression to the best of your ability. But your hands were shaking, and before you could really consider what you were doing, you were headed for the door.
You'd made it out into the hallway just as Eddie approached, his brow furrowing slightly when he spotted you. "Too loud?" he hummed, head tipping to the side.
You shook your head, swallowing down the lump in your throat and trying to stop the tears that had formed on your lash line from flowing.
"Baby?" You sniffled slightly and his expression hardened slightly. "Are you crying?"
"No," you uttered, but your voice was thick with emotion, immediately up ending your lie.
"What happened?"
"Nothing," you started, clearing your throat and trying your best to wipe away the handful of tears from your face without ruining your makeup. "How about we head out to the van now and-"
Eddie's furrowed brows and concerned expression were enough to stop you from talking altogether.
"What happened?" he repeated.
You hesitated for a moment. "Tommy H said we were ruining prom for everyone else by showing up," you murmured, your tongue darting out to wet your bottom lip. "It was stupid-"
"What an asshole," he bit out. "This is your prom too."
"Eddie, it doesn't matter-"
"Yes, it does," he interrupted you, jaw tight as he craned his neck to look through the little glass window on the gym door, searching the crowd silently. He paused for a moment, his attention straying back to you. "You deserve to have a fantastic fucking prom," he told you. "And that asshole ruined that for you and now you're upset."
You shook your head. "Eddie, I'm fine."
"You're crying," he muttered. "On prom night." He shifted on the spot for a moment, as if considering his next action. "I'll be right back, Baby."
"Where are you going?"
"I'll just be a second," he repeated, moving past you towards the door and shoving it open, leaving you in a daze for a moment before you hurried to follow him.
Eddie moved across the hall in long strides, headed straight towards where Tommy was standing with a bunch of the basketball team.
"Hey Hagan," he uttered, clapping him roughly on the shoulders and turning him around. "You got something to say to me?"
Tommy's eyes darted over to you as you finally reached them, your hand lingering on Eddie's elbow. "Setting the big, bad guard dog on me?" he uttered, watching you swallow down your nerves.
"Eddie let's just go," you murmured, watching as his attention flickered down to you for a second, seeing the dejected look on your features. Fuck. You'd been so excited for tonight and now everything was ruined.
"Listen to your little, freak whore-"
Tommy didn't have the chance to finish his statement before Eddie's hand wrapped itself into the collar of his posh button-down shirt, moving him backwards a couple of paces until he was pressed up against the wall.
"Apologise," he bit, his grip tightening on Tommy's collar. "Now," he added, his voice a deep growl.
"Eddie-" you uttered, all too aware of every set of eyes in the room watching the interaction. "Just let it go," you added softly.
"Not until this little prick apologises," he murmured, pushing him against the wall a little harder. "Come on, it's not a hard word. You can do it," he pressed on, attention fully focused on Tommy, who glanced over at you as if to beg for your help. "What? Mommy and Daddy never taught you how to say 'sorry'?"
Tommy hesitated for a moment, eyes darting up to look at Eddie. "Sorry."
"Not me," Eddie corrected. "Y/N."
"I'm sorry," he uttered, his hands scrambling against Eddie's at his throat. "I'm sorry, just let me go, Man."
Eddie held him still for another second, letting Tommy wallow in the feeling of panic that had clearly begun to set in. And then, he released him. "See, not so hard, was it?" he hummed. "If you ever talk to her like that again, I'll kill you," he added, straightening out the collar of Tommy's shirt and offering him a rather unsettling smile. "See you around, Hagan."
Eddie span, flinging his arm around your shoulder and steering you towards the exit of the gym.
"You didn't have to do that," you murmured as he lead you towards the van, unlocking it and helping you up into the passenger seat.
"Yeah, I did," he uttered, reaching up to cup your cheek lightly, brushing away the few stray tears that were still lingering on your lash line. "No one gets to hurt you like that," he added, leaning in to kiss you quickly.
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