Marauders And Lightning Era Masterlist

Levi holds his eyes on you even if you weren't far in your pregnancy, a strange wave of protectiveness washed over Levi, he couldn't explain the feeling, he just knew that he would do anything for you and the baby. He hated the fact that you continued on with your duty, he knew how hard morning sickness was for you. "Let me help." His voice was gruff yet it held a certain softness. "I can carry it myself you know?" You say trying to assure him but he didn't budge, taking the box out of your hands. When you started showing a bump, he immediately wanted you out of work, although he always looked for what you wanted, he had to male sure that you and the baby were okay.

"I am not made out of glass, Levi." Your fingers run through his hair as he lays between your legs, his head resting on your stomach. His hands were massaging your hips gently, making sure that you're comfortable. "You're carrying my kid. No way in fuck am I letting you work." Levi kisses your bump before looking up at you, his eyes held a warmth you have noticed since you got pregnant. "Fine...I'll go on maternity leave." Smiling you pull him closer so you can place a kiss on his lips, he returns it gladly. "That's my girl. Now shut up I had a busy day." He lays back on your stomach, this is what you loves about your relationship with him, there was no roles, no stress, just you and Levi, soon you'll have one more person to love.

---

finnick and sleepy cuddles

blinds.

pairing: finnick o'dair x fem!reader

content warnings: established relationship, pet names. nothing else really! this is just pure fluff <3

word count: 0.8k

When you and Finnick had first moved into this house together, he had insisted until he was blue in the face that this specific brand of blinds were the best you could get in District Four. Now, the sunlight streams in through the cheap, filmsy material, and casts shadows around the room.

Finnick has always been a light sleeper, even as a child, and he shifts on to his side, drawing you impossibly closer as he does so.

Even in your half-asleep state, you respond, curling into his side and letting out a whine into his chest. He smiles to himself and presses a kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering against your hairline.

He doesn’t try to coax you awake just yet; if he had to guess, he’d say it’s only somewhere around the seven o’clock mark and he knows that you like to have a lie in on the weekend, especially after working from nine to five Monday through to Friday.

He’s not complaining— he’s perfectly content to lie with you and let you wake up at your own pace.

Besides, this way he can admire how beautiful you look as your chest rises and falls with steady, slow breaths, and your lashes kiss your high cheekbones.

A small smile graces his lips as you bury your face in closer to his bare chest, trying to hide from the sunshine that threatens to pull you from your slumber. You breathe in his cologne and the sea salt that still clings to his tanned skin from the dip you two took in the ocean late last night and let out a content hum.

Finnick can’t help the rumble in his chest as he laughs at that. You shush him insistently, and he bites the inside of his cheek to keep from disturbing your peace any more than he already has. He may be many things, but at least he can take a hint.

You sling your arm around his stomach and absentmindedly tug him closer to you, craving the warmth and safety that he provides.

He obliges quickly and molds to your every will until you’re content with the position you’ve crafted; one that closely resembles a koala clinging to an oak tree.

His lips graze your forehead once more and you blink your eyes open, just enough to squint at him through the brightness. “Hi,” you mumble, still half-asleep.

“Hi,” Finnick whispers back, angling his head so that he can see you properly.

Without moving from your comfortable position, you coax his head down to yours, and meet his lips in a sweet, soft kiss. He hums into your mouth and you respond by sleepily combing the pads of your fingers through his golden curls.

You break the kiss after a few seconds and rest the side of your cheek against his bare chest while he traces patterns up and down the length of your back. His touch is feather-light and gentle and you giggle into his chest.

“What?” Finnick asks with an amused smile. “Why’re you laughing?”

“It tickles,” You mumble back, intertwining your legs with his under the sheets.

His fingers still their movements. “Do you want me to stop, angel?”

“No,” You say, shaking your head, which proves to be hard when your face is smushed up against his chest. “No. I like it.”

Finnick slowly picks up his pace again, but keeps his movements lazy and languid.

Moments pass, and the only sound that can be heard are the blinds fluttering in the breeze and the waves lapping against the shore outside.

“What time is it?” You ask eventually, moving one of your hands away from him to wipe the remaining evidence of sleep from your eyes.

“Early,” Finnick answers. “I’d say it’s around half past seven by now.”

You hum, shifting onto your stomach so that you can look him in the eye. You’re practically lying on top of him now, and your chin rests on his chest. “You’re so pretty,” you mumble.

He laughs, but you can see the rosy color dusting along his cheekbones. “I think I’m meant to be saying that to you, angel.”

“Then say it,” you prompt.

“You’re so pretty.”

“I know.” You grin.

Finnick scoffs, but there’s only amusement behind it. “You’re so stubborn. Always have to get your own way.” He brings your knuckles up to his lips and presses a soft kiss to the skin there.

“I wonder who that reminds me of,” You muse. “I specifically remember telling you that those blinds were going to let in too much sunlight, and here we are.”

He rolls his eyes fondly. “Alright, alright, you were right, and I was wrong.”

“I like it when you say that.”

“Don’t get used to it, angel. Don’t get used to it."

---

MY BOYFRIEND WILL KICK YOUR ASS !

- fushiguro megumi x reader

it's a date gone wrong when you get into an argument with your aloof boyfriend. but will he save you when it counts?

genre: tw: street harassment, catcalling. hurt/comfort, arguments and reconciliation, protective!megumi and fluff !

note: i miss my emo boi :(

general masterlist

“Stay back!”

This is an utter plot twist. When you came out of your apartment today, all dolled up and ready to go on a date with your boyfriend, you never imagined you’d end up cornered by two creeps in a deserted alley.

“Easy, girl,” one of the guys in front of you cackled, lips curling into an unsettling sneer. “We’re just trying to get to know you better!”

“Listen— My boyfriend is super scary, you know!” you barked, willing yourself not to shake. “Now you better not come any closer or else—!”

“Or else what?” the other creep mocked with a snort. You gripped your umbrella—now your makeshift weapon—tightly, pointing it at him as a threat.

“Or else my boyfriend will be here in any minute and he’ll kick your ass!”

It was a partly a lie you hoped sounded convincing, because how could Megumi suddenly show up and find you in this dingy alleyway... right after both of you had a petty disagreement in the middle of Shibuya's shopping district?

Oh lord, how you regretted raising your voice and running away from him earlier.

"You are late!" you scolded him heatedly as he yawned, showing up twenty minutes later than your agreed time. "Can't you at least text me beforehand? I'll match your time if you do!"

Megumi sighed, fixing you with a blank stare as he scratched his head. "My bad. I overslept. I rushed here so didn't think of it."

It was so easy for him to say, and you would've understood if it was the first time, but you had noticed this pattern over the past two weeks. Whenever you asked him out for dates, his face always soured, and he didn't bother to be on time. If you didn't know any better, you'd think he was reluctantly agreeing.

And by this point, you thought you knew better and that was really it.

Finally, you blurted out the burning accusation: "You never realize it, but it shows, you know? You never seem happy when we go out together."

He exhaled in exasperation, green eyes darkening at you. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly that."

It seemed he had run out of patience. Standing your ground, you braced for his next words. But the glare he sent your way and the words he spat pierced your tender heart more than you thought—

"You're always nagging. Can't you stop being annoying just once? What a pain."

Perhaps he was right, you were annoying him all this time and dealing with you was a pain. You could imagine it if you were in his place, but you couldn't handle the very implication that you had done so, and you screamed at his face:

"So be it then! Fushiguro, you are the worst!"

—and ran off with tears in your eyes, deserting him altogether.

You knew you weren’t exactly a model of maturity, but in your defense, it stung deeply that he saw you as annoying and a pain. What girlfriend wouldn’t be hurt by that?

Anyhow, you loitered near the Shibuya station afterwards, and at first you heard some catcalls you didn't really pay mind to. But when those two guys started whistling and edging closer, it hit you—you were their target.

You quickened your pace, turning down several corners, only to find yourself trapped in a dead end. Just how much worse could your day get?

"Aha, the girl says she has a boyfriend!" Creep #1 snickered, turning to Creep #2 with a smirk, before pretending to scan the area. "But I don’t see him?"

"Miss, I swear we’re not up to any trouble," Creep #2 chimed in, his eyes gleaming with a predatory delight. "Won’t you be our friend? You’re too pretty to be alone—this is Shibuya, after all!" he said, eyeing your legs and whistled. "And ooh, have I told you that skirt suits you well?"

These guys were straight-up perverts!

"Get lost!" you yelled, your fingers trembling as you swung the umbrella at him when he tried to close the distance. "Can’t you just leave me alone?!"

You were at your wits' end, and it was clear this situation wasn’t going to improve with them still blocking your way. You took a deep breath, trying to steady your racing heart, and decided to do the only thing you could.

In hindsight, a stupid move—

You barreled towards the two of them with your umbrella—managing to push past them. For a moment, you thought you had a chance and ran as fast as you could—

"Ack!" —until you tripped and crashed on the ground.

You rose and immediately winced, looking down at the site where it hurt the most. Oh, you had scrapped your knees badly.

"Ahh, miss! Don't be too hasty~!" you heard the second guy's sing-song voice, and you really wanted to cry. Why did this have to happen to you?

"Don't come c-closer!" you stammered, backing away as they approached. Your whole body shook, desperately trying to think of ways to save yourself. "Or— I'll scream!"

"Whoa, whoa, wait just a minute! Why don't you just—"

You really thought you would scream, until suddenly the familiar scent of mint filled your sense and a strong arm pulled you from behind, and a broad back shielded your view from them—

"What do you need from her?" Megumi's voice boomed, his eyes glaring at the two men who had been harassing you. His breathing was ragged, as if he had run all the way here. "Fuck off."

At that moment, you couldn't help clutching his sleeve, hiding behind him further as you kept trembling. Megumi sensed it, and turned over to have a look over you—

You looked disheveled, spooked, and his eyes widened when he saw the blood trailing down both of your knees.

"Hey man, your girlfriend practically asked for it! Just look how she is dressed—"

Before you could process what was happening, Megumi had yanked the man by his collar and thrown a punch at him. You yelped and immediately got a hold of his arm to stop him further. "Megumi!"

The other guy quickly caught his friend, who spat out a string of curses, his lips bloodied from the punch.

"Fuck. Off." Megumi glowered at them, and they finally got the message, scurrying away in hurry. The moment they did, he faced you again and you finally let out a sob, throwing yourself into him. His body was warm, his heart pounding hard— yet it meant reassurance for you.

"Are you okay...?" his voice was noticeably softer as he wrapped his arms around you and returned the hug. "Did they touch you—?"

Megumi froze when he felt his chest dampen with your tears and heard your sniffles, your figure shaking like a leaf in his embrace. A wave of guilt washed over him, realizing how scared you must have been. Instinctively, he held you tighter.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry," he muttered, his breath warm against your ear. It was as if there was an invincible knife that twisted his chest when it dawned on him what you just got into. "I'm here now, okay? You're safe now."

If it weren’t for his harsh words earlier, you wouldn’t have run off. He kept shushing you, his own heart breaking at the turn of events.

And when you nodded against him, he knew he had to make it up to you somehow.

Later, Megumi tended to your minor injury while crouching down before you, as you sat on a bench near the convenience store where he had picked up the first aid kit.

Your eyes were swollen, your outfit was dirtied, but you ignored the curious looks from passersby. Still shaken, you kept your gaze fixed on your lap.

You recoiled when the disinfectant touched your torn skin, tears welling up again in your eyes. "Ow..."

"It'll hurt just a bit," Megumi looked up at you worriedly, seeing you struggling to hold back tears. He gently blew air on your wound. "It’ll be over soon."

Megumi noticed how you were uncharacteristically quiet. Between the two of you, you were the chatty one and he was the silent listener. But now, you were completely silent, and he knew it was definitely not a good sign.

And so he thought it was a good time to finally explain himself. With a sigh, he began. "I... was on back-to-back missions since last week."

You glanced at him, both surprised and confused.

"I was so tired; that’s why I’ve been oversleeping lately. Sorry for not meeting you on time." Megumi applied the ointment to your knees, and you stiffened from the sting. He blew air on them again to ease the discomfort.

"You never told me," you pointed out.

"Yeah, uh, sorry..." he winced. "It's so... lame. I got so exhausted for a week straight whereas Itadori bounces back so easily. Stupid, I know."

"You... didn't tell me because you don't want to look uncool?"

As soon as you worded it that way, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Megumi remained silent, looking down, and you knew that his silence was a definite yes.

Totally stupid. But exactly how Fushiguro Megumi was always wired. A part of you was exasperated, but also forgave him for it.

When he met your gaze again, he finally saw the light returning to your eyes. It was a relief to him, so he let out a small sigh and put on a strained smile.

"How did you find me anyway?" you asked quietly.

"You didn't pick up my calls. I was worried. And then I ran around until I heard your voice." His eyes narrowed into a frown. "Did they do anything to you?"

You shook your head, and Megumi let out the breath he had been holding, gripping your right hand in his. "I’m glad."

You brushed away the trace of tears on your cheeks as he finished applying band-aids to your knees, awkwardly fiddling with your fingers.

"Sorry for being annoying," you mumbled softly, not meeting his eyes, feeling yourself so small all of a sudden. "Will totally happen again though."

"You..." Megumi rose from the ground, raising an eyebrow. Unintentionally, he cracked a smile at your daring remark. "Just... don’t run off again, dummy. Do it where I can see you."

He ruffled your hair gently, then intertwined your fingers with his. "And sorry... for getting mad at you too."

Your cheeks felt warm, so you looked away, puckering your lips together. "...I'm hurt. You have to make it up to me."

He hummed, the beginnings of a smile on his face. "Let's go have that shaved ice you’ve been craving then."

“Huh? But you don’t like them?”

“You like those sugary dump, don’t you?”

Hand-in-hand, both of you traversed the Shibuya shopping district together. Your eyes were still puffy, but you were smiling and talking his ears off again just like you always did.

“I told those pricks my boyfriend will definitely kick their asses,” you giggled to yourself, swinging your intertwined hand joyfully. “And you really did~”

“What are you talking about…?”

And yet, Megumi thought... he liked you the best this way.

---

Seven days of the week

Levi Ackerman x fem!reader

NSFW 18+, mdni, just what a week is like with your husband!Levi, filth, literally filth. I apologize.

Monday

Soft sex, he starts the week off by waking you up with gentle kisses on Monday morning. His hands run over your soft skin, lips kissing the nape of your neck as he presses his hips into yours. He enters you, cock pushing past your walls slowly as he quiets your moans with a passionate kiss on the lips. "Good morning baby." Levi nibbles on your ear as his thrusts get deeper, he holds you close, your back to his chest as his cock slides in and out of your wetness.

Tuesday

Kitchen counter, I repeat KITCHEN COUNTER. He sneaks up behind you, his hands running under your shirt and messaging your breasts as you try to cook. Levi turns the stove off and spins you around to place your body on the counter as he stands between your open legs. He is quick to slide your underwear off, his fingers ghosting on your inner thighs before he touches your pussy. A cheeky smirk appears on his face. "I had my fingers buried in your cunt so many times, yet you're always so sensitive..." He entered two of his fingers into your warmth without warning, your hips bucked off the cold surface. Levi pumped his finger in and out, faster and faster before he scissored them inside of you. You came all over his fingers, Levi pulled his fingers out and licked them. "You taste so good as always baby." He pulls your body closer. "Now let me see how you feel today..."

Wednesday

Rough, he came home from work in a bad mood. He didn't even ask you anything, just threw you over his shoulder and slapped your ass as he carried you to your bedroom. His kisses are intense as he lays you down on the soft mattress, he bites on your lips as he pulls away from the kiss. Hands undress you before you can blink. He plays with your nipples, mouth sucking them eagerly as his cock pounds into you roughly. "Such a pretty wife. You're doing so good for me." Despite his soft words, he fucks you hard. Your head is buried into the pillow as he holds you down, ass up in the air as he spanks it. He loves having you in the doggy style. A growl escapes his lips as he starts fucking you faster, feeling your walls get tighter around his cock. Pulling out, he cums all over your back and you fall on the bed. "We are not done yet, baby." He kisses down your spine before pulling your hips back up.

Thursday

Your husband is busy today, he didn't have time for you but he can always excuse a few minutes to have you drool on his cock. You bob your head up and down as Levi holds your hair in his hands. "Mhh that wicked mouth of yours..." His words make you take him further into your mouth, you gag on him a few times before swirling your tongue around his tip. Levi twitches in your mouth before you feel his load shoot down your throat. "That's it. Swallow it all." And you do, you swallow the salty taste before striking your tongue out to show your husband. Levi smiles and strokes your hair softly. "You're just the perfect wife, aren't you?"

Friday

Humiliation. Mean, as much as he loves you when you piss him off and tease him too much, he gets mean. Your legs shake from overestimation, practically begging him to stop but he only grips your thighs harder as he sucks on your clit again. "Shut the fuck up. You're nothing but a slut." You whine as you cum on his tongue again. Levi slurps up all of your juices before he kisses you on the lips. "Say you want my cock, say it." He grips your jaw and you have no choice. "Please Levi, want your cock" He bites your neck as he spreads your legs and enters you. "What a good girl you are. Just hungry to get fucked aren't you?" His hips start snapping into you in a mean pace, the bed shakes. Yeah, he won't stop until he has you ruined under him.

Saturday

Multiple creampies. He wants to have children with you and now that you're his wife, he can cum inside of you as much as he wants. "Want me to make you a mommy? Fill you up again?" He asks as if he didn't cum in you two times already, his thrusts are sloppy, and the sound almost makes you ashamed. "Fuck...fuck Levi!" Your nails dig into his biceps, hips moving with his as you ride him. "Yeah? Want another load in you hmm? Can you take more?" Your husband watches as you bounce on top of him, desperate for release. "Yes. Yes, another!" Levi takes your hips and plunges deeper into you, his cock hits your sweet spot over and over again. Your wet cunt clamps down on him as you cum and Levi holds your hips still before groaning. His cum fills your up and you drop your head on his shoulder. It drips out of you as Levi pulls out of you but he is quick to put his finger inside of you. "We can't make a mess all over my office chair now, can we?" He bites your neck sweetly.

Sunday

Both of you have a free day on Sunday, sometimes the weather allows you two to somewhere, you go but if the weather is rainy, your husband likes to tease you and deny you until you can't any longer. You're seated in front of the mirror, legs spread as Levi plays with your pussy. "Levi please..." He just pretends like he didn't hear you and just continues to run his fingers gently over your wetness. Lips nibble at your neck, his other hand circling your nipples. "Look at yourself, begging for me. What is that you want?" He slaps your wet cunt before gently rubbing it. "Want your fingers...please..." A slight snort leaves his mouth. "That's all? Common I know my pretty wife can do better.." His fingers are now just lightly ghosting over your pussy. "Please. Want to cum on your fingers..." You feel his teeth bite into your shoulder, his fingers thrust into you three times before he takes them out again and rubs your inner thighs instead. "But what's the hurry love? We have all day.." He smiles as he sees the reflection in the mirror. You were truly a work of art and he can't believe he got so lucky.

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Taglist: @humanitys-strongest-bamf @luvjiro @levisbrat25 @youre-ackermine @yakaaamoz @the-milk-anon @mrsackermannx @sixpennydame @svftackerman @lovolee3 @loveackermannn @notgoodforlife @randomlevithoughts @sparkywrites25 @ackermendick @levismylover

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Fic Recs (Stranger Things Edition IV)

My semester is over and I can finally read fanfics again!! and maybe write??? All fics are fem!reader

Marvel One Two Three Harry Potter One Two Three Stranger Things One Two Three Specific Characters Tangerine Masterlist

Like a Random Tuesday in December by @bimrwolf (18+ Only)

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Reader Summary: “Reader had always had a crush on Steve, but he is not interested. Yet, when he starts to get closer to her, he realizes he made a mistake because it might be too late.”

Whip it! by @schoopsahoy

Pairing: Steve Harrington x roller-rink!Reader Summary: “steve gets forced into taking the kids to the new roller rink, but he doesn’t mind so much once he meets you. basically just steve being a massive simp for reader.”

Dazed and Confused by @caxde

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader Summary: “you work on Hawkin's music shop, and Eddie is a regular costumer. Your friends (Steve and Robin mostly) help you to gain confidence and flirt with him.”

Start Me Up by @jobean12-blog (18+ Only)

Pairing: Mechanic!Eddie Munson x Reader Summary: “Your car needs a major tune up but when you meet your mechanic, all you want is for him to tune you up.”

Dreaming of You by @boomhauer (18+ Only)

Pairing: Virgin!Eddie Munson x Reader Summary: “Plagued by graphic dreams about the Munson boy, you decided to see if he can make them come true.”

Sketchbook by @galaxy-siren

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Artist!Reader Request: Could I please request an Eddie x artist!reader story. Maybe he sits next to her in a couple of classes and he sees her drawing in her sketchbook and he’s just like “holy shit that really good” and he asks if he can look at some of her other drawings. She lets him forgetting that she has a couple of sketches of him.

Second Chance by @astermath

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Reader Summary: “steve decides to ask out the girl who he keeps seeing around hawkins with her nose in a book. he’s a little surprised when he gets brutally rejected, only to find out his “king steve” era is haunting him more than he expected. he attempts to make it up to you and show you he’s changed, even if it takes him a couple of tries.”

Private Viewing by @lokis-army-77 (18+ Only)

Pairing: Camboy!Eddie Munson x Reader Summary:  “What happens when your favorite camboy is in your class? You should stop watching his content... or should you? What happens when you are eventually paired together for a project? Everything will be just fine, won't it?”

Next Caller by @eddiemunsons-missingnipple (18+ Only)

Pairing: College!Eddie Munson x Shy!Reader Summary:  “Eddie hosts a late night radio show for his college campus, where he discusses various different topics. He's mostly known for his DnD and sex talk segments. You've been a long-time listener who works up the courage to finally call in for some help.”

Deal with the Devil (Series, Ongoing) by @hard-candy-writing (18+ Only)

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Cheerleader!Reader Summary: “you want to piss off your parents. eddie wants to pass his classes. so you make a deal with each other: he'll date you, you'll tutor him, and you'll both end the year happy. the catch? no falling in love. slow burn romance, enemies to friends to lovers, fake dating, don't fall in love. fic takes place in 1984-85.”

---

You got hurt on a mission ft. levi ackerman

a/n: today is my birthday youpi ! officially 8teen!

How your husband, Levi, react when you’re injured.

At first, Levi's expression would be carefully neutral, that trademark stoic mask firmly in place.

But those steel-grey eyes would instantly zero in on your injuries with laserlike intensity, cataloging every wound and judging their severity.

He'd immediately bark out a curt order for you to sit and not move while he gathered medical supplies.

That brusque tone would betray no hints of the internal turmoil and fear swirling inside seeing you bloodied and hurt.

As Levi tended to cleaning and dressing your wounds, his usual crass remarks and gruff manner would be completely abandoned.

Instead, his movements would be uncharacteristically gentle, deft fingers working with a delicate meticulousness you'd never seen before.

Not a single word would pass his lips the entire time.

Just a hyper-focused furrow of his brows and the occasional flicker of his jaw clenching hard enough you'd worry for his teeth.

The only sounds would be your soft inhales of breath whenever the antiseptic solution stung a bit.

Once the last bandage was taped down, Levi would sit back on his heels for a long moment, head bowed.

You'd be just about to open your mouth and try to reassure him when he'd suddenly surge forward without warning.

His powerful arms would engulf you in a grip just shy of painfully constricting.

Levi would haul you flush against his body, face buried in the juncture of your neck and shoulder as he pulled in great shuddering breaths.

You'd feel the slightest tremor race through him - the only hint at the profound fear he'd been grappling with at nearly losing you.

His voice, when it finally emerged, would be low and gritty with restrained emotion.

"Don't you ever...put me through that hell again, brat. You hear me?"

The reprimand would lack any real bite, more of a broken rasp muffled against your skin.

Then Levi would simply stay there, arms an unbreakable vise around you, shielding and anchoring you in the safety of his ironclad strength.

He'd rock you both in a subconscious soothing cadence, one hand cupping the back of your head protectively.

For once, the fearsome soldier would entirely let his guard down - allowing himself to temporarily succumb to vulnerability in your presence.

No arduous frontiers to map or battlelines to fortify in these precious moments after nearly losing you.

Only when you finally began drifting in a lulled, half-conscious state would Levi gather you up with reverent care.

He'd tuck you securely into your shared quarters, standing inscrutable vigil over your resting form like an immovable sentinel until the last vestiges of his internal tempest settled.

And tucked amid that steely regard would be one tiny glimmer of raw adoration and tenderness he only ever allowed you to witness.

A fleeting acknowledgment of the cherished nature of your presence having returned safely into his world once more - source of his singular, most profound devotion.

---

Center of Attention - Percy Jackson

✧˖*°࿐*✧. ┊Percy Jackson had always been confident—flirty, loud, and completely shameless. He was the type of guy who loved attention. He learned from a very young age girls couldn't say no to him, and god did that feed his ego. You, on the other hand, were the complete opposite: shy, quiet, and never one to stand out. So, why did it seem like Percy couldn’t leave you alone? Maybe he was just being the usual flirt. Or maybe, for some reason, he found you interesting. ✧. ┊ 

The training field was buzzing with energy as Percy Jackson—undeniably the loudest person in camp—was in his usual element. Sword clashing, campers shouting, and laughter echoing around. You, however, preferred the quiet. You weren’t bad at sword fighting, but you weren’t one to show off either. So, you kept your distance, practicing on your own and staying out of the spotlight.

But of course, Percy noticed.

“Hey, Y/n!” Percy’s voice rang out like a bell, and you froze mid-swing, trying to ignore the way your heart skipped when you heard it. Percy walked over with his usual grin plastered on his face, completely oblivious to the fact that you were desperately trying to avoid eye contact.

“You’re being all quiet over here,” he teased, leaning his sword on his shoulder and giving you an exaggerated pout. “Don’t you know it’s way more fun when you’re with everyone else?”

“I’m fine,” you mumbled, glancing at the ground and your shoes, cheeks turning pink. “I like it better here.”

Percy raised an eyebrow. “Really? You sure? Or are you just trying to avoid me?” His tone was light, but you could see that playful glint in his eyes that told you he wasn’t letting this go anytime soon.

“I’m not avoiding you,” you muttered, wishing he would just stop looking at you like that.

“Oh, but you’re definitely avoiding something,” he said, walking closer. “You’ve got that whole ‘mysterious, quiet, I don’t need attention’ vibe going on, and I don’t buy it.” He circled around you, teasingly inspecting you like you were some kind of puzzle he needed to solve.

“I’m just… practicing,” you said, trying to sound nonchalant as you gripped your sword a little tighter from your spot on the bench.

He smirked and leaned in putting his hand on the bench behind you, way too close for comfort, tapping the tip of his sword lightly against your head. “Practice, huh? Is that what we're calling it? You sure you’re not just avoiding me ‘cause you can’t handle how good I look when I’m fighting?”

Your heart skipped a beat, and you swore you felt your face burning. “What?” you squeaked, eyes wide.

“Come on, admit it,” Percy teased, his grin growing. “You’re a little intimidated by me, aren’t you?”

“No!” you said quickly, turning your head away from him.

Percy chuckled, clearly enjoying your reaction. He leaned back on his heels, giving you a lazy wink. “Yeah, you are. I get it. I’m just that good.”

He stepped closer again bending down, so close that you could feel the heat of his presence. “Tell you what—let’s see what you’re really made of. You and me, right here. I’ll even let you take the first swing. If you land it, I’ll stop teasing you. If not… well, you’re gonna owe me.”

“Owe you what?” you asked, a little hesitant.

“If I win, you owe me dinner,” he said, leaning in as if this was a grand deal. “And you're gonna really owe me because we both know I’ll win. But hey, I’ll be gentle. I promise.” He winked at you like you already lost.

“I’m not—” you started, but before you could protest, he grabbed your waist in that way that was somehow both too confident and way too casual.

“Let’s get you moving,” Percy said, lifting you off the bench in one swift motion like you weighed nothing. He set you on your feet with a small, playful pat on your head. “There you go. See? Not so bad.”

You blinked at him, flustered. “I didn’t agree to this,” you muttered, trying to stay steady on your feet.

He smirked, the playful glint never leaving his eyes. “Didn’t need to. You’re doing it anyway.”

A few moments later, you were in the sparring ring with Percy Jackson, who was practically bouncing with excitement.

“You ready for this?” he asked, twirling his sword in a way that made you question how anyone could be this cocky and still be this charming.

“Why don’t you just let me win?” you mumbled, not feeling confident in the slightest.

“Ah, see? There it is.” Percy grinned, his eyes lighting up. “I knew you’d get all shy on me, but that just makes this more fun.”

“You’re annoying,” you said, trying to focus on your footing and not the fact that Percy was looking at you like you were his next great adventure.

Before you could even move, Percy was already at your side, his sword grazing yours in a way that sent a shiver down your spine. “It’s okay,” he teased, his voice smooth like honey. “You don’t have to be so modest. I know I’m amazing. Let me show you.”

He stepped aside, giving you room to strike. You swung your sword at him, but of course, he dodged it with ease.

“Come on,” he said, shaking his head in mock disappointment. “You can do better than that.” He then flicked his sword toward your arm, not to hit you, but just enough to make you flinch.

“Stop that!” you protested, trying to regain your composure.

Percy just laughed, clearly enjoying this way too much. “You can’t fight me if you’re not looking at me.” He winked. “Look at me, kid.”

“Don’t call me that,” you muttered, swinging your sword again.

But before you could do anything, he slipped past you with ease, suddenly behind you. You felt a light tap on the top of your head. “See? You’re too easy. I’m gonna make you work for this.”

“Not fair!” you yelped, trying to turn around to face him.

Percy, not missing a beat, caught your wrist in a gentle but firm grip. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.” He leaned in so close that his breath brushed against your ear, making your heart race. “You’re way too cute when you’re all flustered. I gotta keep messing with you.”

Eventually, Percy “accidentally” knocked your sword out of your hands and won the match with a light tap to your shoulder. He held his sword up, grinning like he’d just claimed victory over an entire army.

“I win,” he said smugly, tossing his sword aside and looking you over with a gleam in his eye. “So, I’m taking you out to dinner. You owe me now.”

“I don’t owe you anything,” you muttered, still trying to catch your breath from the whirlwind of his teasing.

“Oh, you definitely owe me,” Percy said, stepping closer again and tapping your nose lightly. “I’ll let you pick the dessert, though, since I'm such a gentleman,” he smirks patting your head.

You rolled your eyes, trying to stay cool, but you couldn’t help the smile that tugged at your lips. “You’re impossible,” you said, though there was something softer behind the words.

“Impossible to resist, you mean,” he teased, nudging you with his elbow. “See you at dinner, cutie," he winks.

As he walked away, you couldn’t stop your heart from racing. Percy Jackson might have been flirty and infuriating, but there was something about him that kept pulling you in.

✧. ┊ Send requests! :)

---

Masterlist

Hawkins 68.8

Pairing: Eddie Munson x f!reader

Word Count: 15.9k

Content: Fluff

Summary: When Eddie Munson starts paying attention to the host of Hawkins best radio station, he finds himself transfixed with a mystery. Who is Radio Girl?

**Hiya! I have an idea for a really heartbreaking epilogue to this little one shot. Let me know if you're interested! I hope to have more stuff coming out soon.**

______________________________________________________________

"HEY THERE HAWKINS! Boys and girls, ladies and gents, preppy snobs and the rest of you normal folk, it's a lovely 30 degrees on this Manic Monday morning. So, I suggest a sweater or jacket unless you're expecting help from that 'special' someone. If you're hoping to be late for work or school, take Addams Ave. Seems a log truck has tipped over, or maybe God's playing Lincoln Logs. Either way, a great way to waste forty-five minutes on your morning drive. Well, that's all the news for this sleepy town at the top of the hour. It's 6am, March 3rd guys. This has been your best friend, nagging mother, annoying little sister, girl in the hall, fantasy mystery girl starting off your morn by opening your mind. Let's get back to the music! Here's Van Halen..."

Thundering drums shook the floor of the trailer. The vibration was enough to start lulling him back to sleep. Crashing symbols finally jerked the boy fully awake, half scaring him to death. Eddie was surprised to find it more appealing than his usual wake up call from his Uncle. One thing was sure, his blood was pumping now. He found himself humming along as he got around for school. The older man was making breakfast, both looking tired from his late shift and pleased thanks to the radio.

"This station is alright," Wayne noted, turning the music down now that Eddie was awake. That was high praise from the man.

"Better than what you usually wake me up with," Eddie chuckled and listened, fully amused, as his Uncle grumbled about how disappointing it was that no one listened to Johnny Cash anymore. They shuffled around one another in a familiar rhythm. Plates were filled with eggs and toast. Coffee was poured. Songs began to switch in the background, never something Eddie recognized but not overall terrible. Better than anything the other radio stations around Hawkins played.

"I like the girl," Wayne commented when his plate was finally clean.

"What girl?"

"The one who hosts the show. C'mon Ed, you're smarter than that."

Eddie sighed, pushing the food around on his plate. "Oh. I always tune out the announcers. It's not like anything they say will matter for me."

"Well that's a load of bull. I know you don't exactly like it here, but maybe there are some things worth hearing about." Wayne was always trying to get Eddie out into the town. Eddie assumed it was because his Uncle wanted him to get a job or a life outside of his interests. It never occurred to him that Wayne might want his nephew to be seen as the good kid he actually was. But before Eddie could argue, Wayne was turning up the volume once more.

"That was Burning Down The House, Talking Heads. This short little break is to remind folks that Cookie Season is almost over! Only a few more weeks left to order those tantalizing, hip widening, good for the soul, Girl Scout Cookies. Hawkins Troop 815 will be down by Bradley's Big Buy from 4 to 5pm, Monday through Thursday. Ring the station for more direct information and help those girls get to summer camp!

And of course we can not forget that Spring Break is on the way. Hawkins YMCA, in conjunction with the Public Pool, are hosting free swimming lessons for kids four to eight. Jerry and Gina want to thank all the listeners who got out and donated to make this opportunity possible.

Last thing gang, Hawkins High and Middle School will be  doing a book drive starting at the end of March. They want to get the word out to you fine people early to put it on your calendars! All books will be split between the Elementary, Middle, and High School. Get some forgotten books into the hands of an excited kid. We're taking everything from textbooks to comic books, so get to boxing!

That's enough of me. Thanks so much for this special request song, may it remind you of your dwarvish homeland while on adventures dear Nog."

So many things surprised Eddie that he wasn't sure what to latch onto. For one, his uncle was smiling a great deal. Two, the radio announcer was a girl. Three, she'd just mentioned Dustin Henderson's Dungeons and Dragons character as the person who sent in a special request. And four, Dio was playing on the radio. Rainbow in the Dark. So many thoughts raced through his head, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. He didn't have a lot of time to ruminate on things before his uncle was lecturing him again.

"Like that girl. See son, you've got so many things goin' on that you can take advantage of. Sure they'll need help at that book thing that's coming up. You like to read. Could be a good time."

"Not sure they'll like havin' me. My grimey fingers getting all over the books," Eddie sighed, pushing away his plate. His mind was still on overdrive about the announcer.

"Never know 'til ya ask. Plus you could learn a few things from that show. This morning, right when I was getting off work, there was a whole talking section about the detriment of societal structures. Something about how school popularity contests are taking away from the real purpose of group education. Didn't mean a ton to me, but sounded like something you'd agree with." With that, Wayne ruffled the boy's mop of hair and drug himself to the couch to sleep.

For a moment, Eddie sat perplexed at the small kitchen table. The music surrounded him, comfortable and familiar. His foot absentmindedly tapped along while his thoughts raced out ahead of him. He didn't think any girl at Hawkins High would openly defy the popularity caste system. And she had to be a student, she knew Henderson. The only person that kid knew outside of the school was Steve Harrington. Eddie was lucky that the radio volume was still up, or else he would've stayed locked in his thoughts when the most important announcement was given.

"Alright people, coming up is our non-stop hour of rock. You know what that means! It's 7am. See you all on the other side."

If it wasn't for that, Eddie definitely would have been late for school.

***

"Phew. Right, okay. Set the cassettes in the player... timer on for automatic switch over..." You felt the sting of stress in your forehead as you concentrated on the machines. Though you'd set this up over a hundred times at this point, the process always offered a heavy wave of anxiety. Even the thought of dead air was something you couldn't allow; it had happened once and the police had been called - someone thought you were having some emergency. Luckily the old sheriff didn't hold it against you. Even more luckily, Mr.Clark had done all the talking and you didn't have to face the terrifying prospect of directly communicating with anyone new.

"All set?" The teacher poked his head in the door.

"All set."

"Good because you'll have to book it," The man swung open the AV room, more like closet, door and waved a frantic hand.

You followed his prompting, throwing your bag over your shoulder and rushing down the hall.

"Thanks Mr.C!" The call over your shoulder stopped him by the side door, him needing to head back across the parking lot to the middle school.

He gave a wave, accompanied by a reminder, "Don't forget Kaminsky is helping you lock up today!"

A brief nod was all the response you had time for. The crowds had already thinned, allowing for faster travel in the hallways. By the time the bell rang, you were non-discriptly slipping into your seat. Incessant chatter rattled around the classroom. It was easy to let the white noise lull your sleep deprived body. A sudden rapping on your desk brought you back to reality. Ahead of you, a stern looking older man was forcing together fluffy gray eyebrows. The look was harsh, but the words he muttered were layered with a kinder tone.

"Take a nap in study hall y/l/n, not my class."

"Sorry Mr. Kaminsky," Your hands brushed through your hair as you gave a sheepish smile. The tiniest relaxation of his brow confirmed he wasn't truly upset.

Conversations dwindled to hushed whispers as the man took command of the room. Cool sunlight flushed the blackboard, chilly air penetrated the window panes and seeped through your clothes. Now shivering and scribbling pencils accompanied the rhythm of murmurs around you. Staring at your own notes, you couldn't help but focus in on the gossip around you over the repeat introduction of Newton's laws.

"I couldn't believe it! That freak took up the whole lesson yesterday asking questions about ... I don't even remember... like narration something? ...Basically how a book should like, be structured to make sense. We spent the whole lesson! Like, excuse me psycho, but some of us want to just get the answers for the test and move on."

"Ugh. If that devil worshiper thinks anyone's gonna care about some freak story he comes up with - he's even crazier than he acts."

"Bet it'd be some like, horror thing. Like a sacrifice manual."

The conversation dissolved into cruel snickers. Your expression had tightened, frustration building in your chest. Still, the lack of sleep had left your mind unprepared to hold back your sharpened tongue. "Yes, because having a genuine academic interest in something must be a mark of the beast. Everyone knows shopping is close to godliness."

"What?" The girl behind you shrieked. Your pencil ripped a gash across the page, eyes widening a fraction and jaw clenching closed. You held your breath and silently gave thanks for Mr.Kaminsky handling his classroom.

"Miss Charmichael! Is there something confusing about Newton's Laws of Motion?" The old man's tone was just as harsh and biting as your own. You had to bite your lip harshly to keep from laughing.

"N-no! Y/l/n said something and-"

"Has anyone here ever heard Miss y/l/n speak out of turn?"

Suddenly your face was burning. It seemed particularly cruel of the teacher to embarrass you whilst dealing with the bratty girl behind you. But, you guessed it was fair - seeing as you had been talking during the class. The classroom was uncomfortably quiet under the hawk-like eye of Kaminsky. However, he actually seemed to want an answer this time, refusing to move on with the lesson while his question was unfulfilled. Truthfully, you were close to confessing just to get out of the discomfort.

Then someone came to the rescue.

"Y/l/n talk in class? Never."

You couldn't help but crane your head around, glancing past the obnoxious girls behind you to the lab table beside them. There, sharing a mischievous smile, was none other than the 'freak' Charmichael was talking about: Eddie Munson.

He locked eyes with you for a second. An incredibly brief flash of a softer, yet guarded look passed over his features. You quickly turned back to face your desk. The last thing you wanted was any more attention.

"First question you've answered in my class Mr.Munson, and correctly too. May this nice turn of events continue." Kaminsky nodded and returned to the lesson.

Your notes, however, were no longer focused on the laws of motion. Instead, a new radio discussion was taking shape on the page.

***

Eddie's day was starting off better than he'd expected. Good music thanks to his Uncle and this new Hawkins radio station, having y/l/n stick up for him before class could even begin, and the mystery of this radio jockey to keep his mind occupied. Y/l/n had quickly evaded him when he tried to say thank you. The poor girl's face went white. Her grip on a particularly thick collection of Poe stories tightened. She offered only a hasty nod before disappearing down the hall. Her doe eyed expression had brightened his smile even more. He couldn’t help it, she was positively adorable. Eddie hoped he hadn't scared her.

His thoughts didn't linger there much longer as a curly headed fiend dropped into his seat. The cafeteria was crowded and loud, but Eddie was too focused to let anything other than the mystery take hold of him. Dustin Henderson had the answer to his question and he was going to get it out of him no matter what.

"Man, everyone is so testy today. I kid you not! Mrs.Click is totally out to get us. I dropped my pencil and she chewed my head off. I -" Dustin rapidly rambled, organizing his lunch before cutting himself off with a large bite.

"Great. Who's the radio girl?"

Dustin nearly choked. Mike stiffened, shooting a look at Lucas before shoving his own lunch in his mouth. Apparently having a full mouth was the first safe guard to not answering Eddie's question.

"Who are you talking about?" Lucas gave a lackluster performance.

"Well I'm not sure, that's why I asked. Woke up this morning to an energetic voice giving out a special request song to Nog. Figured that few people knew of that guy, so you have to know her. Right Dustin?" Eddie kept eyeing the boy, leaning forward to help increase the pressure.

"I- uh, psh, I dunno what you're talking about. Eddie, man, dude, there's no way I know about someone you don't know about."

"Wow. That was crap." Mike's voice was deadpan.

Dustin, immediately, fought back, "Thanks Mike! You're really helping out here. Think you could do more than sit on your ass? Party sticks together man. Coulda backed me up!"

The two boys began bickering animatedly. Eddie sighed, shaking his head before ultimately intervening.

"That's enough. I don't care who tells me. I just want to know how you three losers know this radio girl."

Lucas, Mike, and Dustin shared looks of concern. Then, their shoulders slumped in and Eddie knew he'd won.

"We know her from AV club," Mike answered slowly.

"You're in another club?" This took Eddie off track for a moment.

The boys nodded. Mike continued, "We did it mostly in middle school. But y-... our friend, she was the only member for years so she came over and helped us out when Mr.Clark started it up again."

Before Eddie could ask his next question, Lucas was already answering it. "We can't tell you who she is, man. She's like, really really shy. Even though she's older than us, she was terrified the first time we met her."

"Seriously. She's great, awesome, stupid smart, but meeting you would probably kill her." Dustin shook his head.

"Are we talking about the same person? The one who apparently gives radio shows calling out how dumb popularity is and plays decent music? She's shy?"

"Deathly dude. Why do you think she runs a radio show?" Dustin looked at Eddie as if he'd just cheered over a nat one.

Lucas continued to flex his emotional maturity, calmly and clearly stating the situation. "She has a hard time talking in front of people. That was why she joined AV club in the first place. It's a lot easier for her to communicate over the phone or walkie. Somehow it got her excited enough to start the show. We give her requests and she uses our D&D names so no one knows it's her."

"Oh."

"Yeah, so you can't just go asking around and trying to figure it out, okay? It's like a big deal. She'd totally be hounded every day. No one can know. And dude, imagine being absolutely terrified of talking to people and then loud mouth of the school Eddie Munson shows up trying to talk to you. It'd scare you to death." Mike interjected.

"I'm not a loud mouth!"

"Eccentric then," Dustin rolled his eyes.

"You do realize this makes me want to figure it out more, right?" Eddie sighed, clearly frustrated by his friends.

"You can either track her down and cause her to panic, or you can leave her alone and keep the best radio station in Hawkins going. That's up to you man," Dustin shoved a finger into Eddie's shoulder.

Their table sat in an awkward silence for a moment, no one quite sure what to say after the freshman had dressed down their fearless leader. Everyone seemed lost in thought.

"I'll leave it alone... for now," Eddie relented. "I'd never want to scare anyone."

"You're not scary!" Dustin squealed, now overcome with guilt from playing into the rest of the school's view of him.

"We just mean, like you're an excitable guy and talk loud and that would totally make her feel insanely shy." Lucas explained.

"Let's- let's listen! The show's on now!" Mike suggested.

"How? It's lunch?"

All the boys smiled softly and shrugged at Eddie. It was clear they enjoyed holding some information over their dungeon master.

"She's just that good," Dustin beamed.

***

"Today's Lunchtime Layout is an offshoot of the Five AM Free Meeting. We're continuing to look into the current state of education. Parents and teachers alike are in an uproar over the low testing scores. If you're looking for a way to bolster education, here's your sign. Lunchtime Layout proudly presents... How Music and Art helps your kids more than Sports -"

You heard your voice switch off from one of the tables as you passed by. Focusing on the surprisingly decent lunch on your tray allowed you to hide the smile that crept onto your lips. It was funny to see the athletes pissed off. They were too stupid to understand that almost none of them could score a scholarship with just their atheletic performance, which just proved your Lunchtime Layout even more. Still, somewhere in the cacophony of voices, your own could still be heard. At least someone thought you were still worth listening to.

Clattering your tray next to Robin, a girl from your band class, you let yourself be content in her conversation. Robin could always talk enough for the both of you - it's part of what made her a good friend.

"D'you think that Kaminsky is an alien? I wouldn't be surprised. The way he runs things feels so foreign, weird. I swear I heard him speaking another language the other day. Just out of the blue! Like he forgot English. That's some alien crap, right?"

You chuckled, as always finding Robin amusing. "It's Polish. His family's from Poland, they escaped to America because of World War II. Thought you would recognize it since you supposedly speak Russian."

"Okay we'll circle back to that in a minute because you just said three full sentences. In a row. At lunch," Robin was very surprised. You must've still been tired.

"Don't get used to it," You teased before starting to eat.

She returned to her theory stating that instead of an alien, Kaminsky could be a secret agent posted here in Hawkins to ensure that Russians didn't take control of the town - cause 1) clearly the Russians would need control of Hawkins, Indiana and 2) the Polish hate the Russians right?

You weren't so sure about that, but continued to let her babble. It was hard to miss that your own voice was still cutting through the crowd. Most people had turned off the discussion, not willing to let their popularity status be questioned by a random stranger. But there was someone listening. And before you could stop yourself, you were scanning the room for the sound.

Dustin Henderson looked right at you and then immediately away. That boy couldn't be more obvious if he tried. An eyebrow raised as you waited for him to flick his eyes back to you. With a simple nod you directed his attention and gave a small excuse to Robin.

"Vending machine. Want anything?"

"Yoohoo if they have it."

"You do realize that you can get actual chocolate milk in the cafeteria, right?" You couldn't help but scold her a bit.

"I see nothing wrong with Chocolate drink," She chuckled, shooing you away.

Rowdy conversation attacked your ears as you slipped through the lunchroom practically unnoticed. Irritated grumbles from the basketball team caused you to quickly skirt their realm of influence, coming up to the vending machine just behind the curly haired kid. Dustin pretended to be thinking.

"You don't have any change, do you?" You rolled your eyes.

"Didn't expect to have a secret spy mission today," He retorted.

"Well, you tell me what you're acting so squirrely about and I'll get you whatever you like." You knew bribery would do wonders. Afterall, you were bribing him to be on your side.

"Even... Reece's Pieces?"

"You heard me, Henderson."

"We were listening to the show."

"See I gathered as much. Why did you stare at me, dummy?"

"Couldn't help it. Eddie was asking and-"

"What?"

You whipped Dustin around to look at you, fear being held just behind your stony countenance. The poor kid cowered for a moment before recognizing this similar frustration and hanging his head in shame. You moved him out of the way and bought the candy and a soda. With strict gestures, you handed the package out to the boy. Your words were stringent, "Please, just... Dustin I-I can't-"

"I know. We have your back. Swear."

A bit of a smile tickled the corner of your lips. At least you could always count on these dorks.

"Thank you. Oh, and let me know if they ever get that new microphone in at Radio Shack."

And then, just as you were turning to leave, you fully registered what Dustin had told you.

"Wait... Eddie Munson?"

***

Eddie was perplexed. It seemed to be the theme of the day. He drowned himself in the words coming through the walkie ahead of him. An inspiring speech, a clear concise argument built off of interviews and sound science, as well as a complete and unyielding passion held Eddie's attention tightly. He'd never heard anyone speak so candidly. He'd never thought anyone could validate his interests with such fervor and true excitement. In the crowded, painfully loud cafeteria, all Eddie could hear was this radio voice.

When the boy turned to comment to his friends, Dustin was missing. Eddie couldn't help but look for him. He was nearly back at their table, candy pouring into his hand. The boy downed a handful, a smile appearing on his face.

"Where did you get that?" He barked.

Dustin's eyes went wide before offering a clearly fake shrug. "The vending machine, dummy."

"You never have money for the vending machine. Why'd you even go up there?" Lucas eyed him. A blatant look of 'stop asking' was shared. It didn't take long for Eddie to connect the dots.

"She's here?"

The three boys were struck with fear. They began clamoring over one another, desperetly trying to keep Eddie from doing anything rash, reckless, or downright stupid. He'd never seen them beg like this before. It reminded him that just minutes ago they were telling him to back off of the radio girl, to not stress out their extremely shy friend. At least he could trust their loyalty - seeing them rabidly snapping at him proved as much.

He held a finger up to his lips. "I'm just surprised is all. I haven't even looked around the room yet -" Though the more he fought his curiosity, the more he wanted to give into it - "Just let me listen to the rest of this. Okay?"

He pulled the walkie closer to him, getting distracted by the conversation again. The band teacher was explaining how all students involved in a musical pursuit within the school, on average, scored higher on math testing. Radio girl then added that students involved in theatre or vocal music tended to achieve higher standards in English and Literature in comparison to non-artistically involved students. Eddie was blissfully unaware of the younger boys watching him, cataloging every tiny nod and slight smile at the girl's words. They didn't miss the subtle disappointment that wrinkled his forehead as the segment came to a close. Nor did they miss the sparkle in the boy's eye when the Live at Five Q&A segment was mentioned.

***

Eddie sped home that afternoon, immediately turning on the radio and sitting ceremoniously by the phone. As soon as the number was laid out for callers, he dialed at lightning speed. His leg bounced rapidly as the line rang over and over. Eddie almost hung up when a few other people got answered before him. It was stupid to be waiting on some unseen person to answer a question he hadn't even come up with yet. Why was this such a big deal anyway? He was acting irrational and-

"Hey there, you're on the air! What's your name?"

Eddie froze. Sure he'd just imagined it, he went back to waiting. The radio hissed, empty.

"Hello? Anybody home?"

"Yes! Hi! Hello!" He nearly jumped out of his seat. His own voice echoed back to him.

"Phew, thought I'd lost ya there. What's your name?"

"Um, Ed-ward. Edward."

"Well, Edward, what's your question?"

Eddie wasn't sure what was going on. He hadn't thought this far ahead when it came to talking to, finding this radio girl. Luckily, his mouth was already running ahead of him. It had offered a fairly thoughtful question.

"Your discussion earlier talked about the academic success of artistic and musical students. I'd consider myself those things, but I haven't done well in school at all. What should I do?"

"Hmm." The girl's voice was soft, pressed as tightly to his ear as he could get it through the receiver. "Okay... do you test well?"

Eddie was surprised. He didn't think he was going to be answering any questions. "Uh, yeah. I guess so?"

"And do you happen to be heavily dedicated to a few, highly specific creative endeavors?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with it?"

"Edward, my friend, I have a possible answer to your question. The fact is, most artistically gifted students have a difficult time being successful in school. Current curriculums don't satisfy the creative instinct nor the competitive drive. Seeing as you hyper focus and test well, I'd wager you have some sort of Attention Deficit Disorder. Now, I'm not a psychologist, but the chance is high. It would explain how commonplace studies don't interest you and therefore your focus turns to more satisfying pursuits such as music and stories. Most artistic types are what psychologists call, neurodivergent. Basically, our brains don't work the same as other peoples. That's why normal methods don't always work for you. Things that can help include making games out of studying, imploring methods to keep you working - reward systems."

Eddie seemed transfixed. Other than the kids, no one ever deigned to speak to him as an equal. Classmates looked down on him, condescended to him. Teachers either did the same or spoke over his head. Who the hell was this girl? Before their conversation could continue, a strange and angry tone buzzed through the radio and phone.

"Hang on there. Stay on the line," The girl said into the phone. Then her voice was loudly coming through the speakers again. "Thanks for the question! That was the signal for our music break folks. We'll be back with more questions after this."

Laid back guitar riffs filled the empty space her voice left behind. Eddie hung onto the phone, not willing to hang up but unsure he'd heard her correctly.

"Hey, still there?"

He'd heard her correctly. Eddie wasn't sure why he was so nervous. It felt like a delicate situation, music in the background as he now conversed with the girl off the air.

"Y-yeah, I'm still here."

"Good. I just wanted to say... you're not stupid. Whatever you have going on, just know that. Okay?"

Eddie was frozen again.

"Edward?"

He smiled at her using his full name. No one ever did that. He wasn't sure why he'd given it except it made him feel less like 'Eddie the freak'. He didn't know who she was and she wouldn't know who he was. It felt right. Dramatic irony even.

"Thank you, Radio Girl." He couldn't help but smile.

"Anytime."

***

Eddie was howling. Tears were forming in his eyes and he had to gasp to catch his breath. A chorus of giggles continued on the other end of the line. It was a killer sound. For the fifth afternoon in a row, his right ear was glued to the phone. Somehow their discussion of reader engagement had turned into a chat about Dracula, which had then dissolved into campish, drawn out, terrible jokes. Still, they were both laughing.

He'd slowly figured out things about the girl. She was in fact a student at Hawkins, likely a senior as she was taking the few advanced classes the school offered. He was certain they even had classes together: English and Physics to be exact. Radio Girl loved high fantasy, having nearly gone to tears discussing Arwen's plight of troth to Aragorn - a fact that surprised Eddie with a weak-kneed response. Even more than high fantasy, she adored gothic literature. He could remember the exact English project she'd done, detailing the history of the gothic writer's 'party'. A near thirty minute presentation discussing how Mary Shelley, her husband, and Lord Byron created both Frankenstein and Vampires over one hang-out. Hearing her talk about it again had pulled every memory back.

Except, of course, who she was.

"It just is so damn funny that Polidori and Bram Stoker thought Lord Byron was so damn dramatic that he'd be the perfect person to shift the vampire character to. I love the idea of this overly dramatic dude being considered a supernatural creature ‘cause he dislikes people and pulls chicks left and right!"

"I can't imagine Dracula any other way. Dude, when I learned about who Byron based vampires on, I nearly wet myself. That dude was scary. I prefer dark, mysterious man who's so hot women let him kill them."

"Well, it is killing them with a dramatic flair. So I kinda see the appeal." Radio Girl was still laughing. Joking around as if they were long time friends.

A sneaky smile tugged at Eddie's lips, "You find dramatics appealing?"

There was a bit of silence, the girl either confused or flustered at his question. But her wit seemed to regain itself, "I find all dramatics from dark, mysterious men appealing. Did you not know I'm a renaissance woman reincarnate?"

He laughed again.

"But back to the point from, wow, fifty minutes ago - make sure your friends feel invested in the story. You have to help them get attached to the characters you are writing about. Make the characters' hopes and dreams their hopes and dreams. Get your friends on the characters' side: have them love the loved ones, sidekicks, etc. just as much as the characters do. That way when the bad guy steals the main character's one chance at... I don't know, bringing their parent's killer to justice, your friends feel just as betrayed as the character does. Make it hurt, man."

"Was that a Batman reference?" Eddie teased. In truth, he was deflecting from the overwhelming grip she had on his chest. The kids weren't lying when they'd told him about how eloquent she was over the phone or radio. He couldn't imagine her stumbling for a phrase as she apparently did in real life. Every word out of her seemed to be an instant masterpiece.

Eddie could listen to her talk for hours, and had every day since he'd first paid attention to her show. They’d gone back and forth, Eddie hiding his D&D campaign as a story he was writing - still keeping their identities vague. He needed more puzzle pieces before revealing himself.

"What part of 'I find dark, mysterious, dramatic men appealing' don't you get?"

Their laughter echoed in his ears, but her words began to replay in his mind. Maybe he would be able to tell her who he was. After all, some people would say he was dark, mysterious, and dramatic-

"EDDIE! C'MON MAN! WE WERE SUPPOSED TO START FIFTEEN MINUTES AGO!" Mike Wheeler's voice cut through the thin walls of the trailer.

"Edward? Is that-" Radio Girl's voice had shrunk significantly. A slight waver shook his name.

"I'm really sorry. I forgot about this thing with my friends and they've been waiting. Talk tomorrow. Bye Radio Girl!" He slammed the phone down on the receiver. The door to the trailer whipped open, Eddie peering down in frustration at the Hellfire Club outside his door.

Mike grumbled to himself as he ignored the glare, "The least you could do is let us in on time since we had to do this here instead of school."

"You just interrupted an incredibly important phone call, Wheeler. If you want death, I am more than happy to oblige." Eddie snapped back.

Instead of the fear Eddie had anticipated, Mike, as well as Dustin and Lucas, had the biggest grin on his face. The three kids tried to cover their snickers. Eddie only got more frustrated.

"Oh, we know about your phone calls," Dustin hummed. "Heard you call in every night this week and ask a question. Seems like Max was right."

Mike groaned, "Man, I owe her five bucks."

"What are you talking about?" Eddie offered his most intimidating look. They all got their acts back together. It didn't last long. They could help but send shit-eating grins his way as Lucas answered.

"Max said she heard you talking to a girl on the phone. Apparently you're a noisy neighbor. I recognized that our friend was mysteriously absent during the hour of rock. No ads, no track listings."

"That's not-"

"Don't even lie. We just heard everything." Mike grinned. The whole group, not just the freshmen, began mocking Eddie's recent laughs and compliments and comments to the Radio Girl. Each time he tried to stop them, they got worse. He was tamping down a heavy blush as much as he could. He was glad to think of her nonetheless. And to be reminded of her advice.

The campaign tonight? He was definitely gonna make it hurt.

***

The calls became a habit. For two weeks, 'Edward' would call in for the Q&A. He always seemed much more prepared than your usual callers. His questions were thoughtful, not just asking for a restating of what had already been said. He also seemed to be perfectly placed in the call line, redirecting your attention and lightening your mood after particularly aggressive or rude individuals. When your classmate inspired discussion on narrative structure came out, Edward had had so many questions that you had him call back. Your music hour was exactly that, the boy on the other side of the phone dragging you into passionate conversation that kept you from even giving track listings out. The next ten days followed the same pattern. You found yourself pleased at his consistency. That pleasure became an excitement, an anticipation. By the time you noticed the change, you were considering opening the phone lines in the morning in the hopes that he'd call.

In a worried haze, you wandered through the crowded halls. Crystal clear chimes of the bell meant nothing to your furiously thinking mind. If you'd slowed yourself down, you would have realized that you were about to walk directly into the closed doors. But you were processing a mile a minute and were lining up the perfect shot. It was by grace of the universe alone that someone stopped you.

"Hey! Watch out!"

You blinked. Your nose was an inch away from the glass. Stumbling back, you felt your heart pounding in your chest. A pair of hands lightly landed on your shoulders, a slightly blurry figure coming into focus. Soft, sweet brown eyes blinked at you. They were filled with worry and the tiniest glint of humor. It would have been funny to you too if you weren't about to freak out.

"Hate to break it to ya y/l/n, but you can't walk through walls."

"Can't blame a girl for trying."

You weren't sure how a coherent sentence came out of you. Especially not one that made the boy ahead of you laugh. It was ironic, being kept out of harms way by Eddie Munson only to have him drop a massive bomb in your life. And he didn't know it at all. But that laugh? You knew that laugh very well.

With ease, your mind pieced together a puzzle that should have been obvious: Edward "Eddie" Munson.

***

"You WHAT?"

"You heard me."

"How did this happen?"

"It's not my fault! It just happened!" Exasperation strained your voice. Robin looked at you, gaping. All she could offer was disbelief.

"Things like this don't just happen y/n! You've just been what, conversing with some metalhead on the daily? When? What class? Because I've never gotten more than two sentences out of you in a row. Do you even have a class together? How do you know him? True, Steve and I know of him ‘cause of the twerps, but that doesn't explain you. I mean, how, how, do you of all people get into conversations with Eddie Munson? To the point that you're clearly flustered about it?"

A long, stringent sigh escaped your lips. An overwhelming blush covered your whole body. "Well, you may not believe me if I tell you."

"Then come up with some sort of proof. I mean, this is insane-" Robin was about to go into another rant.

"I have a way. But you have to swear not to mention this."

"Why?"

"Because my how is unbelievable and the proof of it comes in the form of three kids."

***

The AV room seemed a lot less impressive when you were going to have guests. The recordings were going to plan, finished homework laid strewn atop your backpack, and dust sat in little sweeped piles just cleared from the heavy machines. Large headphones hung around your neck while a pre-recorded ad played over the radio. Music would be going when people arrived. There'd be time enough to hush their voices, prove your point to Robin, and likely enter the most embarrassing conversation of your life when Dustin, Lucas, and Mike asked why you were revealing this secret to your friend.

The phone rang, an odd occurrence so early in the morning. You thought about letting it go to the machine, but the nerves of the coming confession had you going on muscle memory.

"Hello?"

"Oh, you're there! I mean, of course you are the show is going. I-I just didn't expect an answer this early."

"Ed-ward?"

Without warning your heart was thundering in your chest. You blinked back the surprise. Everyone you knew was on the way at this very moment. You had to get off the phone with Eddie and calm down.

With Eddie.

It was the first time you'd thought of him that way; using a colloquial title, nickname, something that made you feel closer than over the phone companions.

"I was just hoping to leave ya a fun message, say good morning. Thought it might be a nice idea. Ya know. Just a normal, non-creepy, morning wake-up call... er... greeting. Wanting to ensure a day of merriment for you dear lady! And now I'm going crazy. Anyway, I won't see you around the school or I will. Who knows?! Think I should hang up now lest I verbally vomit some more-"

"E-Ed-ward?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. I hope you have a good morning too."

Goodbyes were offered softly, a rosy blush burning your face. With a sturdy click, the next tape began to whir. The last one before you needed to take charge of everything again. The headphones around your neck buzzed with rock. You realized you’d been snuck in more metal than you used to. You hoped Eddie appreciated that, knew it was for him. What was supposed to be your next discussion topic turned into a gushing dorkfest as your pencil drug silly little hearts across the page. 

The door swung open with a loud squeal. You shook in your chair, surprised and irritated. The group filed in, Dustin quickly grabbing the door and slamming it shut. His eyes had gone wide looking down the hallway. A tiny click told you he’d locked the door. Words stoppered in your throat, making it difficult to swallow and impossible to speak. Mike and Lucas were jammed into a corner, looking far too big for the space. Dustin offered a big smile, leaning his full weight against the locked door. And Robin stood, gangly and confused next to another person. When you finally registered the last person, you thought you’d throw up.

“Steve insisted. Sorry,” Robin glared.

“I don’t mean to pry. I just got interested when everyone started in together. I hope this is alright. I can totally leave if you need,” The boy offered with a shrug. You couldn’t form words, just shook your head to indicate he didn’t have to leave.

If you could have predicted your own death, you assumed it’d be something like this; being stared at by strangers while your insides clawed themselves to bits. How you were going to explain yourself was a complete mystery. Had you thought about the consequences of being in front of a group of people and having to speak, you never would have said anything to Robin. The lump in your throat felt rock solid as you swallowed. Your heart hammered against your chest - so much for calming down before they arrived.

“Y/n? You good?” Lucas spoke quietly. You shook your head.

“So why are you here anyway?” Mike asked. His blunt question bounced off Robin like it was nothing.

“Well little miss can’t speak over here has gotten herself into a situation and needs my help. However, I need some clarification on the circumstances. Thus this weird robot closet,” Robin smarted back.

“I-I,” You tried to speak. You felt faint but wired, light headed but completely amped. The choked sound that came out of you redirected everyone’s attention, their eyes on you. That was so much worse.

Steve questioned, “Is she alright?”

“Hey, maybe we should... Uh-, let's turn around. If we don’t look at her it’ll help,” Lucas piped up. That kid deserved all good things. The relief was immediate.

“Thanks Lucas.”

You weren’t sure how to begin at first, just filling your lungs with air to ease the shakiness of your hands. Eventually, you began the painful process of explaining. “S-so you’re all… all here- and S-s-steve? - all here because Robin knows s-something. A-and she needs… Robin needs context. And proof. So… so um… you- you guys are the proof. Yes.”

Everyone stayed quiet, waiting for you to continue. You thought you heard a rustle outside the door but wrote it off as some strange sound from your headphones. The music was still going. You had time.

“I… I am the one that hosts Hawkins 68.8.”

Robin whipped around, eyes wide, mouth agape. “Seriously?”

“She’s not lying!” Dustin yelled over his shoulder.

“Dustin, don’t yell in here,” You sighed.

“There’s no way.” Robin spoke. Steve agreed with her. Suddenly the two people around your age were arguing with the freshmen, snapping at one another and growing louder. The room was much too small for this many people. And the music was beginning to wind down. You only had about twenty seconds before you were live.

“SHUT UP!”

Everyone turned to look at you. Silence hung tight in the air. You motioned a zipper over your lips and put on the headphones. The ragtag team stood motionless as you flicked on the red ‘On Air’ light and rolled towards the microphone. With a simple turn of a dial, the music playing on the radio filled the room. It slowly faded as you adjusted your own microphone volume.

“HEY THERE HAWKINS! Just letting you know that it’s 7am. Unless you’re playing hookie, it’s time to get out that door and on the road. Speaking of on the road, there’s been an accident on Lakeview Road that is blocking traffic. Hope you're ready to rock this morning. This one goes out to my favorite trumpet player. Robin, happy Friday.”

Blondie blasted through the speaker. You shut off your mic, set up the next few tracks, and finally cut off the light. Still, it stayed silent.

“Holy shit.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle at the look on Robin’s face. You sent her a measly shrug.

“So, you’ve obviously been doing this for a while. When… when did…?”

“Only a couple weeks ago.”

“And, on the air?”

“No… no. Not really. Like answering questions, yes. Full, really great conversations, all off air.”

“Wow. So you didn’t know who it was, not at all, until-”

“Yesterday. Yep.”

“What are you talking about?” Dustin whined, clearly voicing the opinion of all the boys in the room.

“Nothing!” You and Robin nodded at one another.

“Bullshit.”

“Dustin, language man!” Steve scolded the boy. “Clearly this is a private, albeit interesting conversation. So let’s all just leave the two girls alone.” He went to the door, allowing Dustin to open it a fraction. Steve stepped out, waving the boys along. All they did was shove him out and slam the door.

“This is about Eddie, isn’t it?” Dustin offered the loudest whisper imaginable. The blood in your body ran cold everywhere except for your face, which you were sure was burning to the touch. All three boys began furiously discussing with one another, Dustin mostly repeating ‘I knew it!’ and Mike grumbling about owing someone some money. Defeated and irritated sighs bonded you and Robin together.

“You twerps want to explain how you know about all this?” Robin took charge.

“Eddie can’t hide anything from us.”

“Totally transparent.”

“He just came into school one day and was on a mission to figure out who you were.” You nearly puked at the thought. Lucas continued, hoping to help you keep from tipping over, “But we were adamant that he leave you alone. Never told him who you were. He totally doesn’t know.”

“Usually he drops this kinda stuff, gets bored. But he didn’t with you… that’s when we noticed he was asking to listen at lunch every day and calling into the show after school,” Mike’s eyebrows nearly touched his hair. His desperate attempt to keep from cracking a smile at your expense was admirable even though it was a complete failure.

“Dude’s got it bad. Hundred percent,” Dustin beamed at you. At least someone was enjoying the situation you were in.

“You’re sure about that? What do you babies know about it?” Robin came to your defense. “You can’t just say that if you aren’t sure.”

“I am sure! Y/n! Robin is-”

“Dustin, shut up.” Lucas sighed. “You figured it out while you were talking to Eddie yesterday?”

You nodded.

“Duh. You’re like, the smartest. Eddie couldn’t put two and two together if he tried. He’ll never know.” Dustin was laughing to himself.

“He stopped me from walking into the wall. I made a joke and he laughed. That’s how I figured it out. And I had thought I’d heard Mike at one point, on the other end of the line. It was faint, but now I know it was you.” You quietly explained.

There was another ruckus, the boys and Robin hollering over one another. It was clear that they were all surprised. In truth, you were too. You couldn’t believe that two times you’d gotten yourself into a situation where Edward Munson was saving you from harm's way and enjoying your sarcasm. You could barely believe that you’d spent nearly two weeks talking with him every night. But here you were, a blushy mess just thinking about it all. Your normal embarrassment around people was gone and replaced with a new kind.

“So you’re telling me, you, you, interacted and talked in person with Eddie Munson without exploding?” You nodded. Mike continued, “And he didn’t immediately figure out it was you?” You shook your head.

“What an idiot,” Dustin shot the boys a look of disappointment.

“Don’t say that. It isn’t true.”

Everyone turned to look at you again. Robin gave you that look of pity reserved solely for friends feeling hopeless in romantic endeavors. You’d shared it before many times. You took the silence to give out the host farewell. Dustin, sweet as ever, helped get everything set up for the school day. Mike and Lucas quietly conversed with one another. Robin, sneaking a peak at your notes, gave you a wide-eyed look. You warned her with as good of hand signals as you could.

“You know…” Lucas began, “Eddie is really a nice guy.”

“Yeah! Y/n, he’s into a lot of the stuff you like. And he’s always looking out for us.” Mike added, clearly trying to talk up his friend. There wasn’t a need.

“I know,” You replied simply.

Again all eyes were on you. This time, there was nothing to distract from the clear fondness written all over your face. It was just as much of a surprise to you as it was to everyone else. Shocked glances flicked around the room. For once, you were the only person willing to talk.

“Robin’s right. It’s not smart to make assumptions. I mean, Dusty, you thought Steve and Robin should date and clearly they’d never work. It isn’t a big deal. He has no clue who I am… which is good! You know? This way we never have to meet in person and… and I-I can’t mess it up …Let’s not be late for class.”

Very quickly, you stuffed your homework into your backpack. You nodded to them, pushing the door open. It was heavy, likely a little stuck at first. But you shoved your way out nonetheless and held the door open as everyone filed out. The boys surrounded you, an odd act that made you realize they weren’t little anymore. The keys clicked the lock on the door and you headed off into the school, strange gaggle of friends following behind you due to their complete confusion. Each step led you further and further into terror. 

Why had you told them?

***

Eddie couldn’t see her. He’d just barely heard her and only for a few words each time. The complete embarrassment he felt from her answering the phone, from him calling her from the front office, and then noticing Dustin with Harrington and Robin in the school was the final straw. He had to know who she was. He followed them, getting shoved from entering what he now realized was the AV room. Steve Harrington had sent him the lamest look when he got kicked out. And then, on top of it all, he’d been sitting at the door with his ear pressed against it when they tried to leave. He’d been nudged out of the way and just when he thought he’d finally get to see Radio Girl, the freshmen were waving him off. Their wild gestures ending as they swiftly barricaded the girl from view.

Aside from thinking how cute and short the girl must be, Eddie was devastated. He’d narrowed down his search from every girl in school to those he had English and Physics with. The list was quite short now and left him feeling dismal. There wasn’t a single person it could be that he genuinely liked in real life, except y/n y/l/n - she was nice. At least, she’d never openly been mean to him. She’d defended him in class once with quite the sharp wit actually. But she always seemed scared to death to talk to him.

Sitting outside the now locked AV room, Eddie couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for himself. Two weeks. He’d been trying and failing to figure the Radio Girl out for two weeks. And nothing. He could hear her morning announcement in his head again, muffled through the heavy wooden door. And the crystal clear command she’d used to quiet everyone in the room. He knew her voice. Hell, he knew everything that she’d ever said to him. He knew her love of The Fall of the House of Usher and her hatred of The Raven. He knew she only liked strawberry ice cream when it was in neapolitan. He knew how she would gasp if she laughed and lost her breath. How could he not know her sitting in the same room as him? Walking down the same hall?

That thought brought him back to reality. She was right down the hall. Before the group could disappear around the corner, Eddie was running towards them. Radio Girl was still blocked from view, but he saw the kids abruptly stop and halted himself. He padded forward, trying to keep quiet.

“Guys, I… I know that you’re excitab-able and all… and-and you prob-obably… you wanna talk abou-about well… you know. B-bu- but… but… please, just don’t say any-anything. I have a friend now. One that gets to really talk to me. He… he would b-be so disappointed finding out it’s me. I’m not getting any hopes up… not yours… and-and not mine either.”

The way the girl’s voice shook broke Eddie’s heart. He knew it was his Radio Girl, but she barely resembled herself now. He could hear the echoes of other student chatter, the growing crowd and secret conversation likely pressing her into a corner of herself. Lucas had said she was awfully shy. Her sighs were fully defeated. Whatever she had been discussing with them, she’d already lost. Memories of her perfect soliloquies, descriptions and stories, all their private conversations flooded his mind. Eddie couldn’t imagine anyone being disappointed in her, whether or not she was frightened to speak in person. All he wanted was to wrap his arms around the girl and help her feel safe - the way she did when she hid behind the phone. He’d love to see her smile while hearing her laugh. He’d love to see the look in her eyes, whatever color they were, as she wistfully waxed about a story. His body had decided before his mind that he was going to go right up to her.

He didn’t get that far.

As if sensing him, Dustin whipped around and barreled right into him. He was talking at a rapid pace and Eddie had to grab onto the lockers to not fall over.

“Hey Henderson. Oh Christ,” The wind was nearly knocked out of him. Dustin was still chattering on. “I can’t understand you, doofus. Slow down.”

“Do you like the radio girl? Why do you keep calling her? Have you figured out who she is? When were you going to tell us that you were talking to her every day? For hours! What do you know about her? Why were you following me? What is your deal Eddie? What is it?”

The string of questions got more pushy the longer Dustin went on.

“Okay, okay, okay! Chill out, dude!” Eddie held his hands up in defense. “I followed you because I was confused about you guys with Harrington and Robin. Then you slammed the door in my face and I realized you were in the AV room.”

“And the other stuff?”

Mike’s voice scared Eddie shitless. Where had the little creep come from? Getting his bearings, Eddie noted Lucas had joined them as well. It was going to be a long morning.

“We’re waiting!” Dustin’s sing-song voice hit a sour note. They all seemed very frustrated with him.

The older boy sighed, tugging at his hair and mentally cursing himself for going along with the antics of three fifteen year olds. Nonetheless, he answered, “Well, I know she goes to school here. She’s a senior - no underclassman is self-loathing enough to take the advanced history class early. She likes Poe, Frankenstein, Dracula, dark romance stuff - but The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is her favorite. …Thinking about it, it is fitting… She’s a hell of a strategist. That session where Kas and Vecna kidnapped all the people you previously saved? Her idea. I… well, I started calling her to ask questions. I mean, her talk show stuff is seriously thought out, so interesting and I couldn’t help but wonder about it. And then she was so sweet, told me to call back since she didn’t have time for all my questions. We just got into the habit of it. It’s insane. You weren’t kidding when you said she was smart, but she doesn’t treat me like a complete idiot. Not at all like anyone here. I know she broke her arm twice, in two different places. I know we have to be in the same English class… I swear I’ve heard her talk about gothic literature in person. And she’s in my physics class too - was complaining about Kaminsky’s homework. Girl can curse. It was so funny. She’s so funny. And her laugh? Huh, um, yes. Anyway, yeah I guess I’ve kept calling cause it’s fun. She’s fun. I don’t know. It’s nice to talk to someone without them treating me like a freak. I don’t know man, I don’t know. This morning she was playing Ozzy and Dio and Iron Maiden and all I could think about was how badly I wanted to talk to her again. How stupid I have to be to not see her and immediately know, there’s my girl. I couldn’t help when I saw you guys cause I thought that maybe, just maybe if I could see her that I’d be able to get her out of my head. Get on with normal life. But hell, at this point it’s a lost cause and I don’t want anything but her in my head. I feel crazy. I can’t go after her. Partially cause you three keep getting in the way, partially cause if she knew it was me she would probably freak out, and partially because she seemed so scared just talking to you guys. Yes, I heard. At least the part just now in the hall. And I don’t think I could stand causing her to feel that way.”

Eddie was pretty sure that was the longest he’d talked without being interrupted aside from campaigns. The silence in the hallway now was palpable. Even with students rushing by to get to class, the emptiness around the group of boys continued to echo. Eddie felt tired. He felt like he’d just dumped out two weeks worth of thoughts; that his brain was accepting the release and ready to rest after carrying it all for so long.

“So he likes her,” Lucas stated matter-of-factly. It wasn’t even directed to Eddie.

“No shit,” Eddie mumbled, starting to notice heat creeping up his neck.

“You called her ‘my girl’,” Dustin snickered. It earned him a firm slap on the arm.

“Should we tell him?” Mike asked.

“What?”

“I think we could?” Lucas shrugged.

“Tell me what?”

“Depends. Do you think she’ll be more upset if we tell him? Or will the pros outweigh the cons?” Dustin offered.

“Just tell me you idiots!”

“Impatient,” Lucas scoffed. “I think we have to tell him.”

“It’s on you if she gets upset!” Mike held his hands up, wiping away any guilt he might find later.

Eddie began to growl in frustration, “If you three don’t tell-”

“She knows it's you.”

Eddie stared at Lucas. The heat from his neck took over his whole head, burning his ears and face. They had to be kidding. There was no way. He hadn’t given any indication. Never mentioned Hellfire, or his band, or went by Eddie. How did she figure him out so easily when she was still a complete mystery?

“Apparently, she thought she heard me over the phone one time… probably when we had that session at your place and I- uh- I interrupted your call. But she wasn’t sure until she made you laugh,” Mike explained.

“What?”

“Eddie, man, she made you laugh. Recently! Like, yesterday,” Dustin chuckled, shaking his head as the older boy’s face screwed up in confusion.

“So, she figured out it was me?” Was all he could squeeze out. His mind raced, going back over the previous day as best he could. He had to remember. She’d been right there and he’d missed her.

“Yep. And yet she was mysteriously missing from last night's hour of rock again,” Lucas added, scuffing his shoe on the floor as if the information was boring. But he was right. They’d talked for hours and she knew it was him the whole time.

Before he could get anything else out of the kids, the bell was screaming at them. As much as he was hoping to throttle information out of the sneaky little bastards, he refused to miss class. He was going to figure out who she was. Today. Starting with Physics.

***

Five minutes into Kaminsky’s class Eddie had rounded the corner from hopeful to hopeless. Every time he sized someone up, wondering if they were his Radio Girl, something would prove him wrong. He was certain he’d heard all the possible voices during roll. Nothing. The gloom and doom of failing so swiftly pushed him down in his seat. He moped the whole class. And though he frequently felt eyes on him, when he turned to look, no one was looking his direction. At least he wasn’t alone in his agitated state - y/l/n had been wringing her hands and bouncing her leg the entire class.

Kaminsky dismissed the class after the bell cried out. Homework was offered, a few students held back to chat with him. Eddie, scuffing his sneakers on the floor, missed his classmate blushing as he passed. He set his focus on the wrong thing, searching the hallway with an eagle eye, scouring every face for the proof he was looking for. Desperate ears waited for the voice he longed to hear.

By the time he did hear it, he was halfway down the hall, surrounded by people and the ability to find the girl gone.

“Thank you Mr. Kaminsky. I’ll be fine on my own tonight. Have a good weekend!”

Eddie whipped around. The boy got shoved back and forth. When his eye caught the door to the physics classroom it was completely empty. A frustrated groan slipped past his lips, fists clenching and head dropping down. A sea of confused students milled around him, avoiding the quiet outburst. Though he wanted to, he couldn’t bring himself to look up. Somewhere, likely walking past him at that exact moment, his Radio Girl was slipping through his grasp. How badly must she think of him for not recognizing her? He hoped she didn’t blame his lack of recognition on herself. She was amazing, all the time. Eddie was just so focused he couldn’t see what was right in front of him.

“Eddie!”

The boy sighed, looking up to find Mike waving him over. Questions about Hellfire rained down. Eddie had to shake his head to refocus. His fixation on Radio Girl had distracted him from the campaign tonight. He’d finished it already, with the girl’s help of course, but he couldn’t help his embarrassed feelings over being caught unprepared.

“I’m losing it,” He mumbled to himself.

Mike patted his arm, offering a smug smile with his shrugging shoulders, “Yeah. You haven’t once realized that you and Radio Girl are gonna be in the same place all night.”

“Holy shit!” Eddie beamed, nearly jumping. “She’s closing up by herself. I heard her tell Kaminsky!”

Together, in quiet excitement, the two boys rejoiced at the elder’s good luck. He’d be suave, they decided, casually walking out of the drama room at the exact right time. Mike assured him that girls loved that stuff. Eddie’s mind drifted to the Radio Girl’s admission of her preference for the dark, mysterious, and dramatic. He’d be a total gentleman. Swoon worthy. He’d be high on a destructive game of D&D and it’d be perfect.

“Where’s Henderson? You gotta tell the rest of the club to come battle ready. I’m gonna be on top of the world boys!” Eddie cackled. His yo-yoing emotions were toying with him. No girl had ever held so much control over him - especially without knowing. The childish giddiness of adolescent love had thrown him out of whack. Now, despite his earlier hopeless droning, he was soaring. It was this happy-go-lucky burst that sent him spinning around, searching the emptying hallway for the curly-headed kid.

If he thought his heart couldn’t beat any faster, Dustin was animatedly talking at a girl as she placed books in her locker. Eddie immediately recognized the brightly colored title: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. As if wanting to supply him more proof, the girl handed a pack of Reece’s pieces over her shoulder. Dustin snatched them gratefully. He must have mentioned something exciting, the girl stilling before whipping around.

There she was.

Time seemed to slow. A bright, lively look lit up her face. Her shoulders were relaxed, her chin lifting with certainty. And then, the final knife in his chest, she smiled. Eddie stood there, unwilling to stop himself from soaking in every moment he was in her presence. He didn’t mind how oblivious he’d been.

Eddie audibly sighed, leaning back against the lockers and watching the interaction. Dustin was yanking a large box from his backpack. The girl’s delicate hands snatched it with intensity, her grin only growing. The bell cut his reverie short. He watched as she tousled the younger boy’s hair and waved him off to class. And then, Eddie watched the transformation take place. The mask was taken away and replaced with the secret identity. The once confident frame curled around a set of books and notebooks. Starry eyes were downcast, hidden from his view. Something within him ached to run right up to her. It all made sense. She could barely stand to talk in class. The teachers loved her - likely due to the value she attributed to their work. Now that he thought about it, he had seen her sweet face nodding along as the kids pestered her. Even better, two times - two - she had revealed herself. Two wonderfully witty moments that, while she likely hadn’t meant to share, he had been privy to. She’d been sitting two feet away from him the whole time. Eddie’s eyes shamelessly followed her down the hallway, his smile spreading ear to ear.

Y/n had pulled a total Clark Kent on him.

***

A rapid, jolting knock shook the door. Soft music hummed through the concealed room. Steady fingers gripped the knobs on the sound board, adjusting the gain as a louder song faded in. Another knock echoed through the room. The wheels of your stool creaked as you rolled over and flicked the lock with a loud click.

“I told Dustin I’d be fine. I don’t need anyone to help me lock up boys,” Your voice carried as you headed back to the desk. Another knock came, this one more tentative, and you noticed the person on the other side didn’t take advantage of the unlocked door. The music drifted off, quieter as you set down your headphones, and stood hesitantly on the other side of the door. Your heart pounded against your chest. The pads of your fingertips grazed the wooden door, hesitant as your mind wandered to one sole thought.

“Edward?”

You weren’t sure what you were expecting. There was a chance your voice hadn’t even carried through to the other side.

“Hey Radio Girl.”

Your heart seemed to stop up your throat. Eddie Munson was on the other side of the AV Room door. You weren’t sure what to say. The terrifying thought of the door opening kept you silent. It wasn’t a worry you needed to hold onto - Eddie would never take advantage of you. Before you could respond, he was already talking a mile a minute.

“I just want to tell you that I won’t be able to call tonight. I, uh, I have a meeting tonight. A club thing. I didn’t… I didn’t want you to think that I was blowing you off.”

Fondness spread through every inch of your body. How you could have ever felt nervous around him, you couldn’t understand. A goofy grin was pulling across your face. You leaned into the door, forehead resting against it. “Shame you’re gonna miss out on all the calls today. Sure I’ll get some real invested folks in your stead.”

Eddie laughed. Your smile only brightened.

“Don’t go snatching up some new person with lots of questions. I want my spot when I call back.” You could hear him smiling too. It felt so good to hear his voice without all the static. And though your hand hovered over the doorknob, you couldn’t quite bring yourself to open it. Just evident enough in the back of your mind, the nagging voice reminded you that you would be a disappointment to him.

“Doubt anyone else would indulge my dorky conversations.”

He laughed again.

“Well, don’t be late on my account,” Nerves began to take root once more. “I don’t want to keep you from anything important.”

“Oh believe me, if this wasn’t a promise to the kids then you’d never get rid of me,” He was chuckling. It buzzed through the door, warm against your chest. Silly dramatic daydreams filled your mind and before you knew it, the boy was saying goodbye.

“B-bye!” You called out. Embarrassment colored your face at your outburst. Still, you couldn’t bring yourself to do anything but giggle. You were giggling. Nothing could take away the quiet excitement buried deep in your chest. Not embarrassment, not worry, nothing. Eddie Munson had had the chance to burst through your door, find out who you were and make his judgment. But he didn’t. He didn’t take the unlocking door as an answer to his knock. He had waited; waited to see if you would open the door.

Maybe, just maybe you could open that door the next time…

You just hoped he knocked again.

***

Eddie was about to knock when the teens yanked him back. Their whispers echoed through the darkened, empty hall. They were furious, fussy, frantic in their desire to help set everything right. He was sure their nervousness was starting to rub off on him.

“Why is he wearing a cape?”

“Cause it’s cool!”

“It’s stupid!”

“I have to agree, Henderson this is a bit much.”

“Give him his jacket back.”

“Not the vest. Just the jacket. You said she said dark and mysterious right?”

“Y-yeah but-”

“No vest. It’s too light. Stuff it in your bag.”

“Oh that’s good! Maybe you can offer it if she’s cold. Nice, nice.”

“Get that stupid thing out of here!”

“It totally would’ve worked.”

Dustin grumbled as he stomped back through the hallway, long black fabric trailing behind him. Eddie brushed the boys off of him, hands waving them away. Bright smiles and thumbs up were offered as he was left alone in the hall. They’d ended the session early - partly because Eddie had nearly killed their entire party and partly to ensure that he didn’t miss his shot with y/n. The amount of times that Mike Wheeler had drilled into him that he only had one chance to make this work equaled the amount of knots tied in Eddie’s stomach. Knowing no one could see him, he practiced how he’d stand. He leaned on the lockers in different ways, shifted his weight from foot to foot, and tried stilling himself. Nothing worked. His energy outweighed everything else, his knees practically shaking as he paced back and forth in front of the door. It was as if he had to move. His body not knowing what else to do with the crashing waves of emotions roiling through his chest. But then his ears perked, the confirmation that y/n hadn’t left yet coming muffled through the door.

“That was… and… one of… and a favorite of mine…”

Eddie found himself crouched by the door again, ear pressed firmly as the faint music began to play. It was almost nine. Radio Girl - y/n - always said goodnight at nine. They’d stayed up talking later than that many times. Eddie wondered if it’d been a burden, staying so late at the school every night just to talk to him. He hoped it wasn’t. Soft guitar drifted through the door. A smile twitched at his lips. In an easy adjustment, he rested his back against the door, head nodding along softly.

“It’s one of your favorites, right?”

Eddie jumped. A small snicker whispered past his ear.

“Sorry. Pretty sure I just gave you a heart attack. I- uh… I heard voices in the hall and I guessed you might be out here.”

From the sound of it, y/n had joined him on the other side of the door. Her voice was so close, like she was mirroring his position. He imagined her knees pulled up to her chest, hair shifting around her face as she pressed her head back to the door. Maybe her hands were just at the edge of the door; their fingers mere centimeters from touching if he slipped his back. His breath felt thunderous, invasive and unwelcome in the silent hallway. He needed to calm down. He needed to say something back.

“Hope I didn’t intrude,” He squeezed out.

He could hear her laugh, light as a feather, “Oh the intrusion was blaring. Whispering? In a hallway? Outside a closed door? You ought to know better.”

“Guess the mysterious entrance is out of the question now, seeing as I’ve blown my cover,” He whined, gauging her reaction.

“Giving up that easily? Oh, I’m ashamed. Don’t tell me you of all people didn’t think of a back-up plan!”

Eddie perked up. He couldn’t help it. She hadn’t said no to his idea. Hope fluttered, a relentless bird in his chest, pushing his next words out in a yelp.

“I never said I hadn’t thought of a dramatic one!” His grin could have lit up the whole school. “However, I did happen to relinquish my cape.”

Her laughter reinforced his resolve. “You had the option of a cape and you didn’t choose it? Amature hour, Munson.”

Eddie was too gregarious to notice the slip. “Damn. Can’t believe Henderson was right. He’s gonna be such a shit about it.”

“Oh absolutely.”

 And then the lightbulb went off. Though he’d been told that y/n knew it was him, he’d been skeptical until now. But she’d said his name, a smile evident in her voice. And Eddie was desperate for her to do it again.

He cleared his throat, mind wildly searching for the right thing to say. “By the way, I think you’re in need of a ride. The terrible trio were so frantic ‘cause Harrington was waiting on them. Mike said something about the teachers giving you a ride… and I may have overheard your conversation with Kaminsky…”

It was silent. Alarm bells rang out in Eddie’s head. He was sure he’d just screwed up the whole situation. Y/n would think he was a complete creep and never speak to him again.

“A young, helpless girl being escorted home by a man she’s yet to meet face to face?”

Eddie winced.

“Sounds dark and mysterious to me.”

He could tell she was tentative, but it was definitely her way of saying yes.

“R-really? You’d let me give you a ride?”

“Is there a reason I shouldn’t?” Now she was teasing him.

“No! Just playing hard to get. Dark mysterious men let the ladies come to them… right?”

Incredible laughter shook the door. Her giggles played a light tune. Eddie let it drown out everything else. If she’d ever played it over the radio, he had no doubt that everyone would fall in love with her in an instant.

“You know, I have absolutely nothing to disprove that logic,” Her words came out shaky; part laughter, part sigh. A hole opened up, silence spreading between them. Eddie’s immediate concern that she was changing her mind was quickly eased. “Not to mention I’m starving. The teachers never really want to stop for something. Think I could convince a dark, mysterious, dramatic figure to grab a bite?”

Eddie sat dumbfounded. His wide eyes softened the hallway around him, blurring everything all at once. He replayed the moment in his mind, forcing himself to make sure he’d actually heard the girl correctly.

Had y/n just asked him out?

***

DID I JUST ASK HIM OUT? The thought pounded against your brain over and over again. What had you been thinking? Not a single word had been spoken since. At least thirty seconds of dead air had gathered around the two of you. From inside the AV room you had no way of knowing what was going on in Eddie Munson’s mind. Was he even still sitting there? You were sure he’d left. Realizing how incredibly presumptuous and ridiculous you had been, you shoved away from the door. On your feet you paced, and fixed a few tapes. You packed your things only to find, as usual, that there was only one way out of this broom closet of a space. It occurred to you that maybe you could pile things up and fit into the air vents. The first two attempts to reach it failed and a beep on the cassette player reminded you you still had obligations left.

You weren’t exactly sure how you were going to get through a sign-off. Not after clearly striking out in your first and only attempt of asking someone out. You wished you’d wasted that blunder on someone who didn’t matter, someone who wouldn’t leave a gaping hole in your life by disappearing. The fact that Eddie Munson had garnered such a spot within your regard was a testament to how special he was. You could only come to one conclusion: You screwed up.

“H-hey there Hawkins. That-that was Mötley Crüe with Home Sweet Home. Speaking of, the sky is dark, the hour is late, and it’s time to say goodnight. Music will carry you through till tomorrow. Tune in at 5am for the weather report. Night Hawkins.”

Fingers tugged at your face, your hands dragging down your frustration and pulling you into yourself. That was your worst sign off in years. You slowly cut off all the equipment but the broadcast relay and the nightly cassette tower. It was eerily quiet. Your gaze drifted to the door. And, without meaning to, unable to stop it, the most defeated sigh fell from your lips. It ached in your chest. At least the walk home would offer a distraction.

“You know, I was terrified of not being able to shut up. All throughout school, since like the first day of kindergarten, I just couldn’t be quiet. Couldn’t sit still, always had something to say. And it freaked me out constantly. No one could talk to me cause I just kept blabbing. So, obviously, it didn’t help me make many friends. And it got me in tons of trouble. Not only would I be a constant interruption, but I had no filter. So literally anything in my mind came out of my mouth. Called my third grade teacher a grizzly bear and got in-school suspension. Which, if it hadn’t been for the teacher falling asleep, I surely would have stayed there forever cause I still couldn’t stop talking. When middle school came around, I’d figured out I could whisper to myself and get caught less. Thinking about it now is so insanely creepy. Some buzzcut kid whispering to themselves in the corner of the room? No wonder people think I worship the devil or some shit. I guess it was around junior year that I figured out I could just chat with myself in my head. I hold fake conversations with people a lot, try out voices and dialogue for campaigns, win my argument with Henderson from lunch, stuff like that. Until recently, I’ve never had the skill of listening outside of D&D. But for the past few weeks all I’ve wanted to do is shut up and listen. Of course, the one time that I need to come up with a response I go completely blank. And you probably think I’m some jerk who ignored what you had to say. I just feel like you should know that you- you shouldn’t be nervous to talk to me. Cause if you wanna not talk I’m sure I can talk enough for the both of us. But if you do want to, I’d be totally down to listen. I mean, hell, you’ve been all superhero secret identity-ing me for days and as soon as I realized it I lost all my cool. But of course y/n y/l/n is a secret badass. I mean, killer smart, flies under the radar, has surprisingly witty retorts whenever needed. Literally pulling a whole Clark Kent on all of Hawkins and-”

As soon as you’d opened the door, the floodgates opened with it. Leaning on the doorframe, hands wildly gesturing, Eddie Munson captured your entire attention. He was still there. Taking in his words, you held back a blush as best you could. It was very uncommon for you to be this close to the boy, the last time being when you figured out he was your mystery caller. Up close you could take in the wonder in his eyes, the overexertion in every expression, his unfairly sweet smile that came packaged with dimples. Your heart was bursting at his confession, his desire to make you comfortable winning you over instantly. It didn’t hurt that his leaning over you had you weak in the knees.

You wanted to respond in some elegant way. Show him his efforts weren’t in vain. Maybe even charm him so as to forget your earlier blunder. However, what came out didn’t exactly meet your expectations for your first real face to face conversation.

“Clark Kent? Really?”

The slight look of concern on the boy’s face melted away. In its place, an enchanting smile bloomed. You couldn’t help but reciprocate a small one of your own. With a tentative reach you waited for a handshake.

“H-hi, I’m y/n y/l/n.”

In a charming fashion only he could pull off, the curly headed boy turned your handshake into a romantic gesture, cradling your hand to his lips. “Edward Munson, dear lady.”

***

The buzz of the neon ‘open’ sign filled the space between Eddie and y/n. It exemplified the charge he felt. He kept looking over the menu, eyes dancing across her partially hidden face. Every part of him was begging for another close look into her eyes. What had often been a fleeting glance in his direction had become a soft, starlit gaze that held him transfixed.

Her quiet laughter had spurred him on, his antics fueled by adoration. She’d listened intently as he chattered on. The small, precious smile never left her face, even when she was too nervous to look at him. She’d bobbed her head with the music, he teased that the host must have good taste. The drive had left him wondering if he’d talked too much. But her lips never downturned and he didn’t miss the looks she thought were secret. He was sure they had been in the past, but now that he knew? There was no way he’d ever miss one again.

“What can I get for ya sweetie?” The older waitress gave Eddie a crinkly smile before looking at the girl. Y/n went wide eyed. To his pleasure, she looked right at him. The tension in her brow relaxed and he watched the transformation, in reverse from the last time. She blossomed like a rose.

“I’ll have a double cheeseburger, extra bacon, grilled onions, with fries and a chocolate milkshake. Oo! Could I also get some ranch?”

“You’re killing me y/l/n,” Eddie mumbled to himself. He nodded to the waitress when she asked if he wanted the usual.

“What?” The girl eyed him when they were left alone. All he could do was smile, shaking his head and covering his face with his hands. “What?”

“Nothing, nothing… It’s just… it’s you.”

“Is that a good thing?”

Eddie heard the tiniest shift in her voice. It yanked his heart into his throat. She had no clue the effect she had on him. Since he’d truly heard her, y/n had turned him into a puddle. “I, uh, I feel like Aragorn when he first met Arwen.”

His concern at freaking her out was unfounded. When he got the courage to look up at her, she was blushing heavily and fighting a smile. Once again she was having a hard time finding words.

“Something to say?” Eddie teased.

“Yeah,” She finally mustered, taking a deep breath and flashing him the sneakiest grin, “Shut up.”

The food arrived, their conversation finally finding its pace. The once quiet diner was full of laughter. Every inch of Eddie’s body felt light with wonder, abuzz with electricity. Crackling static initiated the shifts between songs. Their conversation had meandered for hours, requiring an extra helping of fries, a second milkshake, and a stolen cherry. Cool evening air seeped through the windows chilling the leather seats. Tiny hills and valleys appeared on y/n’s arms, tiny shivers sliding easily up and down her spine. Eddie fought the urge to reach out and pull her tight, warm her up. But things were too delicate. Anything he did could cause the moment to collapse around him.

Then she touched his arm.

In truth, it was to put money in his jacket pocket for dinner. She said she couldn’t let him pay when she’d eaten half the restaurant. Their waitress made a point to tell him he’d found a good match. All he could do was nod and leave a great tip. The night air chilled them to the bone and when y/n shivered just outside the safety of the diner, Eddie jumped at the chance to offer his coat. The heavy leather jacket sat large on her shoulders. Eddie wasn’t sure whether or not the cold or his gesture dusted pink across the girl’s face, but he accepted it nonetheless. He scrambled to help her into the van, jumping in himself to blast the heat.

***

The drive to your house was both too long and too short. Too short because you desperately wanted the night to keep going - fearful that you’d wake up tomorrow to find that you’d dreamt the whole thing. And too long because you were positive that you’d not picked a bunch of love songs for the late hours, and yet here they were playing on your station. Everything was labeled with the date and you’d picked them out days ago. You were certain you didn’t pick the songs. You didn’t play this much lovey-dovey stuff except for Valentine’s Day. Still, three songs in a row now had clearly been love songs. It caused your face to burn. Nimble fingers gripped at the cuffs of Eddie’s jacket around your shoulders as you aimed to shift your thoughts.

Specifically trying not to focus on the incredibly sweet and attractive boy humming along next to you. Eddie brought the van to a halt, muttering his understanding at your quiet directions. You hoped he didn’t notice your reddened complexion. It didn’t help one bit that I Want To Know What Love Is was scoring the goodbye.

“Th-thank you for bringing me home.” You offered a delicate smile, “I had a lot of fun.” Your hands felt clammy and you resisted the urge to look at the boy next to you for more than a few seconds. It wasn’t a date. No one had acknowledged the date-like nature the outing had. When Eddie hadn’t mentioned it or teased about it, you were certain he didn’t see it in the same light as you. All you had to do was make it out of the car and into your house without fumbling. You’d stay friends, your now certified crush would be deeply hidden, and you could go on as if you hadn’t fallen head over heels for someone via a few phone calls. Just as your hand touched the door, you heard it. Unmistakable and deadly.

Dead air.

And it wasn’t Eddie. It was the radio. You were certain that you’d set everything up correctly.

“What's wrong?” Eddie noted your hesitation, big brown eyes offering sincere concern.

“Dead air? I set everything up before we left. Everything was in order. It was all labeled and…”

“-it. Hello Hawkins. Just a… few technical difficulties. Mike! We’ll be right back with, uh, rock and stuff… for fu-”

“SH! The mic is on!”

“H-Here is… is… Foreigner! Yep. Foreigner!”

You heard the distinct click of the microphone, the silent buzz, and finally another track began to play. As your mind raced, shivers took over your arms and legs. Thoughts raced through your mind and frustration began to build, winding tightly into your shoulders.

“I’m gonna kill them.”

Eddie took the words right out of your mouth. You looked over to him and watched his lithe fingers rub circles into his temples. His brows knitted together. If you hadn’t been so irritated yourself, you would have allowed yourself to melt at the way he scrunched his face up in frustration. When he finally turned to look at you, an unmistakable blush had risen across his face. The thought occurred to you that he’d offered you a ride home so the boys could have a crack at the radio station. It didn’t make complete sense, as you would have allowed them to try if they’d asked, but you couldn’t help the worry.

With a weak smile, he threw that concern out the window, “I’m so sorry. I… well, it seems that the brats have taken it upon themselves to… help. I’ll kick the crap out of them if you want. This wasn’t part of the plan at all.”

“Plan?”

Eddie’s blush deepened. You could feel yourself begin to match, your cheeks setting afire. His sheepish smile did you in, “Well, I… oh man… I’d planned on surprising you after the sign off. Pull a whole dark and mysterious gentleman thing. I- uh, I’ve just really liked our calls and was thinking it’d be nice to spend time together in person. And-”

“And in true Dracula fashion, you somehow got me to do the asking out for you?” You teased.

“You asked me out?” Eddie looked shocked. Though, the glint in his eye told you he was just as in on the joke. You couldn’t stop your giggles. He continued, “But it seems the boys thought that we needed um… a better score for the evening. Decided to put on every romantic song you have in that closet it seems.”

“You really need that much help, Munson?” The teasing wouldn’t stop spilling out of you. You couldn’t help it. You were overflowing with a fondness that felt neverending.

“That depends…” He hopped out of the car, walking around to let you out. Eddie took his hand in yours and guided you slowly to your front door. You looked at the door with dismay before turning back to the much more interesting character beside you. “I had a really good time with you tonight y/n.”

The chill of the air brought your two figures together, huddled closely under the glow of a yellow porchlight. His dimples were back, situated just so next to his heartwarming smile. It was hard to look away, so you didn’t. Your sigh, however, was kept to the quietest possible release. Muffled singing could be heard just over his humming engine - the radio still playing love songs. You’d already forgiven the rugrats. It was easy to forgive almost anything with Eddie Munson holding your hands ever so softly. His thumbs swiped over your knuckles.

“I really like your jacket. I think I ought to get one just like it,” Eddie changed the subject. You suspected it was just an excuse to touch you more, his hands sliding along his jacket that hung over your shoulders. You didn’t mind at all.

“I’d give you this one, but I’m actually quite partial to it,” You beamed.

Eddie chuckled, head dipping down to look at your face more closely, “I can understand. You make it look good.” He was spurred on by your blush, suddenly gentle as he detailed your beauty. His voice, a whisper in the night, took hold of your chest and left you breathless. A calloused hand softly brushed your cheek, you leaning in to meet it with an unabashed certainty. “I’ve never looked forward to anything more than hearing your voice. I’m serious about not finding any other phone partners. I doubt I could make it a day without listening to you.”

“Now you’re just being nice.” You shook your head, “You can’t seriously want to hear me chat every minute of every day.”

“You’re right,” He grinned, mischievous as ever, “Sometimes I want to do this.” Smooth and steady, Eddie pulled you flush to his chest. One hand tilted your chin up to him, the other resting snug on your lower back. His lips brushed over yours, tentative and sweet. And then in one moment of impulse, you kissed him back. It was intoxicating to hold him. After weeks of being held only in conversation, the physical sensation sent tendrils of sparks dancing across your skin.

“Okay, full honesty, I may want to do that more than just sometimes,” He snickered, nose brushing up against yours as he pulled away. A smile spread across your face, wider than a mile. “But I should, uh, I should ask, would you like to go out with me? On an official date next time?”

“Oh Eddie,” You shook your head, unable to stop the teasing, “You know I only answer questions between five and seven pm.”

He laughed and you soaked it in. It was better than anything you played on the radio.

“Alright, alright,” He gave you a sneaky look.

“So… you’ll call me?” You grinned.

“Absolutely.”

You raised to your tiptoes, pressing a soft kiss to his lips and nudging him towards his van. “Good, because I’m dying to answer.”

---

REGULUS

→ LEGEND

(*) Indicates smut.

→ FICS

le coup de foudre. la petite mort. * darling you look divine. * curiosity killed the cat.

© theostrophywife. all works belong to me and should not be reposted in any way or form.

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Ferris Wheel Love - 4.2k

Spencer’s first date with you at the county fair leads to something unexpected happening when you reach the top of the ferris wheel… something you didn’t think Spencer had the gall to engage in.

Language, lusty writing/language, sexual innuendos, sorta fade to black scene, mentions of sex and porn (not explicit in any way) || Spencer x Fem!Reader

Sleep Buddies - 3k

You and Spencer both have trouble sleeping so a simple agreement between the both of you leads to a steamy confession.

Language, lusty writing/language, sexual innuendos || Spencer x Fem!Reader

Missing Your Kisses - 3.7k

A simple kiss on the lips leaves both you and Spencer wanting more… so much more.

Language, lusty writing/language || Spencer x Fem!Reader

On The Mend - 5.6k

Spencer’s fallen for you in possibly one of the worst cases he’s ever had to work, threatened by tiny little spores that ran through the air while his heart ran rampant for you. My interpretation of Amplification (4x24).

Language, mentions of spencer’s prior drug abuse and Tobias Hankel, mentions of death by anthrax || Spencer x Fem!Reader

Knit Together - 2.7k

You find out the origins of Spencer’s obsession with knit cardigans and sweaters— taking it upon yourself to surprise Spencer with a little creation of your own.

language, sexual innuendos, mentions of sex, pregnancy, sorta proofread || Spencer x Fem!reader

Cursed - 3.4k

Spencer gets up and leaves after the going gets hard, but you had no idea what you had done wrong or what sent him running.

language, sexual innuendos, mentions of sex, kinda not proofread but skimmed || Spencer x Fem!reader

Working For You - 4.4k

What if Spencer’s physical fitness exam wasn’t waived?

language, sexual innuendos, not proofread but skimmed || Spencer x Fem!reader

Blind Without You - 4.9k

Spencer loses his glasses at the worst time, only supporting the theory of his incapability of finding love. A week of dancing around each other leads to a team intervention which results in a confession.

language, sexual innuendos, mentions of guns and blood, not proofread || Spencer x BAU!Fem!reader

God's Plan - 3.9k

Spencer and Reader are placed in an undercover case gone awry which forces the both of them to admit their feelings for the other after their near-death experiences. My take on Minimal Loss, 4x3, with reader replacing Emily.

language, sexual innuendos, mentions of guns and fire, sorta skimmed over it but not fully proofread (I’m trying, I swear) || Spencer x BAU!Fem!reader

Ulterior Motives - 2.6k

Spencer was always flirty with you, since the moment you met. When he invited you over to his apartment you assumed that you’d be partaking in something much more than eating dinner, but you were surprised when the night took a turn in the other direction.

language, sexual innuendos and lots of them, mentions of sex, not proofread || Spencer x Fem!reader

Infestation - 2.8k

Spencer loved teasing you at work so you decided to give him a taste of his own medicine— which may or may not have exposed your secret relationship with him to the team.

language, sexual innuendos and lots of them, mentions of sex, not proofread || Spencer x BAU Fem!reader

My Girl - 2.8k

Spencer cannot stop himself from buying things for you which has led to some… unpleasant feelings to arise inside of you.

language, sexual innuendos and lots of them, mentions of sex and orgasm (like twice or three times or something) || Spencer x Fem!reader

Suspenders, Ties, Cuffs - 3.4k

Your love for Spencer seemed to be unrequited until a strange turn of events led to you in the arms of the man you cared for.

language, sexual innuendos and lots of them, mentions of alcohol, douchey guy, not proofread || Spencer x Fem!reader

Give Up - 4k

Spencer’s been leaving bed abruptly since the start of your pregnancy, what was more interesting than staying home with you and your daughter?

language, sexual innuendos and lots of them , insecurity, not proofread || Spencer x pregnant!reader

Magic is a Boy's Club - 6.4k

Spencer was never truly satisfied with the life he lived no matter how many accomplishments he achieved. He figured it was time to dive deep into his past and chase after someone his mind had always wandered back to… you. (My interpretation of the continuation of “52 Pickup”, 4x9, with reader as Austin the bartender)

language, sexual innuendos, not proofread || Spencer x Fem!reader

Love Germs - 2.7k

Spencer’s never been sick, not once in his whole life. So when he’s mysteriously come down with the common cold, you have to help him come to terms with the fact that things have changed.

language, sexual innuendos, domestic fluff, mention of blood/guns/knife, not proofread || Post Prison!Reid x Fem!reader

Temptation - 3.9k

Spencer’s left discouraged after Penelope found out that you are now taken, but after the unfolding of the events at the team outing— he’s left a little more hopeful than before.

language, sexual innuendos, stupid ppl in love || Spencer x BAU!Fem!reader

Me and You - 3k

Spencer’s late… and he’s never late. Penelope tracks him to an empty parking lot where he’s been for the last three hours. What has he been doing alone in a parking lot when he could have been home with you?

Language, sexual innuendos, allusions to death of a major character, speculation of infidelity, mention of a gun || Spencer x fem!reader

Officially a You Guy...Almost - 1.9k

Spencer’s not supposed to see you, and in his right mind— he’d abide by all the superstitions that came around with your upcoming wedding day— but the was much too drunk to care.

Language, sexual allusions, boobs, alcohol || Spencer x fem!reader

Puppy Love - 5.3k

You’ve known him for years, since you were 6 years old. You’re reunited with him after years apart, but what happens when Dr. Spencer Reid doesn’t remember you?

Language, sexual allusions || Post Prison!Spencer x Fem!reader

Very Own Tooth Fairy - 1.8k

The loss of her first tooth leaves Spencer’s daughter in a state of despair.

Language, mentions of blood || Spencer and Daughter, Dad!Spencer x Mom!Fem!reader

Spineless - 4.6k

Spencer’s had a crush on you for ages, but what will he do when you start to spend more and more time with his unit chief?

Language, sexual allusions, insecurity || Spencer x Fem!reader

Pinecone Family - 3k

Spencer’s always loved his job, but how much does he love it when it gets in the way of him and his family?

Language, not proofread?, idk if there are anymore but lmk if there are || Dad!Spencer x Mom!reader

Tutor Me - 7.9k

You approached Spencer in need of his intellectual assistance after struggling with your philosophy class as he’s just about to receive his 6th degree. What happens when he realizes you’re much more able than you let on?

Language, Spencer’s troubling past, insecurities || Spencer x fem!reader

All Mine, All Yours - 2.9k

Spencer’s temper rises as you receive unwanted attention.

Language, barely any but typical case violence (sorta), Not proofread || Spencer x BAU!Fem!Reader

Fawn Over Me - 4.3k

You’re fresh meat at the BAU, having just joined a few months prior. You were excited to start working at the most prestigious unit at Quantico, however, you never expected to be so distracted by your infatuation with the infamous, Dr. Spencer Reid.

Language, Mentions of BDSM, Allusions to sexual activities, Age Gap || Spencer x BAU!Fem!Reader

Antidote - 1.2k

Mood swings and outbursts are constant during your pregnancy, so Spencer finds a way to cheer you up!

Language, Allusions to s3x, pregnancy || Bi!Spencer x Pregnant!Reader

Future in the Photos - 1.9k

After packing for Spencer’s surprise trip, Reader accidentally discovers something she shouldn’t have.

Language || Spencer x Fem!reader

Ass Guy, Boob Guy, You Guy - 1.9k

Spencer and the rest of the BAU men, minus hotch, spend the night in a very interesting place. Spencer, drunk out of his mind, made his way home to you feeling as clingy as ever.

Language || Spencer x Fem!reader

I'm Goin' Your Way - 2.7k

Based on the episode Reflection of Desire (6x8) and the iconic line— “IQ of 187 slashed to 60”. This oneshot basically extends the episode and continues on from the interaction.

Language, allusions to sex || Spencer x Fem!reader

Sexy, Fun, and Relaxing - 1k

After a long case, all Spencer wants to do is enjoy your company. As he walked into your shared apartment, he’s greeted with a romantic dinner and a sexy, sleeping you.

Language, allusions to s3x || Spencer x Fem!reader

Secret Life, Secret Wife - 3.1k

Throughout his years at the BAU, the team starts to notice Spencer’s unusual behavior. It’s almost as if he’s hiding something… or someone.

mild language, allusions to s3x || Spencer x Fem!reader

Hopelessly Devoted - 1.1k

Spencer and Reader get distracted while trying to bake a cake for Rossi’s dinner party.

mild language, allusions to s3x || Spencer x GN!Reader

Here We Go Again - 3.3k

Spencer and the team vacation to the Greek island of Skopelos where the iconic movie of Mamma Mia! was filmed. Spencer tried to hide his feelings of loneliness from everyone and takes refuge in Emily’s understanding of his situation. After reuniting with someone from his past who he regrets leaving, Spencer is filled with hope for a future with love and happiness.

mild language, allusions to s3x || Spencer x Fem!reader

smut (18+)

Lit By Love - 6.1k

You come over to Spencer’s apartment hoping to help him during a storm and power outage. Your attempt to help him through his fear of the dark developed into something more than you had planned, leading to an unrevealed confession.

language, SMUT (MINORS DNI, 18+), oral (male and female receiving), fingering, face fucking, unprotected penetration, slight overstimulation, use of pet names (darling/good girl), slight hair pulling, sorta dom!spencer and sorta sub!reader, not proofread (lmk if i missed anything lmao)

For No Good Reason - 5.5k

A little jealousy never hurt anyone, especially not you.

language, alcohol consumption, fingering, use of pet name (sweetheart, good girl, sweet girl), unprotected penetration, oral sex (female receiving), slight hair pulling, sorta dom!spencer and sorta sub!reader || Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

All You Need - 7.5k

You’ve been hiding your feelings from him, pushing him away and shutting him out ever since you found out about your odds of having a baby. There had to be some way he could let himself in, some way for the both of you to come to terms with what’s become.

language, injection of fertility drug via needle (implied proper disposal), fertility problems, very very brief mentions of Diana’s schizophrenia and William’s disappearance, SMUT (MINORS DNI 18+), fingering, slight overstimulation, unprotected penetrative sex || Spencer Reid x BAU!Fem!Reader

Incentive - 1.5k

Practice wasn’t working, so how could you get Spencer to pass his gun qualifications?

language, mention of guns, exhibitionism (kinda), sub spencer, blow job, minors DNI (18+) || Spencer x Fem!reader

hurt/comfort

Teenage Dreams - 4.9k

You were the right person, but he loved you at the wrong time. Before he let you go, he left a door open for the both of you to reopen what you had with each other, a chance to rekindle your love. The question is whether either of you would take it.

language, sexual innuendos/kisses, mentions of maeve, implication of spencer’s trauma || Post Prison!Reid x Fem!Reader

They've Seen It All - 3.5k

Self-loathing had been an obstacle for Spencer in the many years that he had worked at the BAU, his signature converse seeing him through it all. Reader helps bring back his sense of self-worth, reminding him of the shiny boy he used to be by surprising him with a new pair… or several.

Language, sexual allusions, anxiety, typical case violence, insecurities, self-hatred || Spencer x fem!reader

Just as Scared as You - 8.7k

Continuation of 3x15 In Heat. Where does mutual pining and self-sabotage get you with an infatuated Dr. Reid?

Language, allusion to sex, very cliché, insecurities, past trauma with douchy ex-bfs, not proofread cuz I'm hella lazy || Spencer x fem!reader

Safe with You - 2.6k

Spencer comes home from a hard case and you’re left to pick up the pieces.

Typical case violence, mentions of schizophrenia, mentions of Spencer’s addiction and Dilaudid, blood, allusion to Spencer’s time in prison, not proofread || Post Prison!Reid x Fem!Reader

Until We Turn To Dust - 2.2k

After finding out why you had been avoiding him for three weeks, Spencer reassures you that he’ll always be there with you… for you.

Pregnancy, abortion, age gap (12 years) || Spencer x BAU!Fem!Reader

Rainy Days with You - 2.2k

Months of flirting and teasing led you to pulling out all the stops, including walking into the bullpen soaking wet and, later, wearing Spencer’s stolen cardigan.

Language || Spencer x BAU!Fem!Reader

Maybe it was Meant to Be - 1.8k

A growing distance separates reader and Spencer, pushing both of them towards the edge— leaving Spencer regretful of his actions that may have contributed to the end of their relationship. Almost 6 years later, Spencer discovers he left something with reader and one short conversation shared between the two fosters hope for a future together.

Angst, hurt/comfort, hopeful ending? || Spencer x Fem!reader

angst

Never Forget - 2k

Instead of JJ confessing, Spencer confesses his love for her while you listen in.

Language, no happy ending || Spencer x fem!reader

Letting Go - 3.1k

Spencer’s conflicting feelings for you and another is not something new. Will he let you go for her?

Language, infidelity, not proofread || Spencer x fem!reader

Playing with a Ghost - 4.9k

You spent years in pain believing that Spencer was not your one only to be proven wrong when it was too late. (soulmate au)

Language, not full-on smut in the beginning but a flashback?, typical case violence, guns, death, death of a major character, no happy ending || Spencer x Fem!reader

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