cheerfire | would someone care to classify

would someone care to classify

[ This was stupid. Scratch that, this was something more than stupid. It was pointless, hopeless, insane, a waste of time-- the list went on. But after everything he had seen after the Upside Down, why should this be any more fantastical than the rest of it? It doesn't take long from when he's out of the hospital that the research begins. They're out of the trailer park now, officially condemned, but his uncle had been given enough hush money to set them up at a new place, an apartment just outside of town. Even though Eddie has been officially been cleared of all wrong doing, it was still better for him to keep a low profile.

As soon as they were settled in the new place, Eddie had shut himself away in his new room with the decrepit books he had scrounged up in the library. They were all about death, the dead, the afterlife-- and how to make contact. Call him crazy-- and most people probably would, if they had known what he was up to. But Eddie had shut out the rest of the world as he healed, threw himself into macabre studies as his body healed. The only thing he's been able to think about since leaving the hospital, since that night, really, is her. Chrissy Cunningham. And he has been consumed by the idea of somehow contacting her, apologizing for how he's failed her. It's the least he can do, right?

And so it's late one early spring night that Eddie slips from the apartment, fires up the van and makes a beeline for the old trailer. A brown paper grocery bag sits beside him on the passenger seat, his only companion on the silent drive over. The move is bright and heavy in the sky as he pulls up in front of the trailer, still wrapped up in caution tape. Not that the feds have done much about it, and so he's able to sneak inside without much issue. Every single nerve ending feels like it's on fire, and it's all he can do to keep from trembling. He hasn't been in the trailer since it happened, and it feels deeply wrong to be here now.

For once, determination wins out over fear and anxiety, and Eddie goes about unpacking the bag and spreading the contents out over the living room floor. He spreads out candles, bundled sage, grave dirt, a wilted lily. All of them are arranged carefully, the candles lit, as he flips slowly through pages of a heavy, musty, tome. There's no way this will work, he thinks, but trying might make him feel better. Maybe he can move on after that. Cast in the glow of candlelight, Eddie fumbles through several lines of latin, words that he only vaguely knows the meaning of. Then he sets the book down, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. ]

Chrissy Cunningham. [ It's the first time he's spoken her name aloud since... since then. And it sends spears of guilt that drive themselves deep into his heart. ] I call upon-- [ This is so stupid, he thinks. Pathetic. ] I call upon your spirit. Reveal yourself.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[If anything is enough to force her heart to start beating again and bring her to life, it's Eddie Munson kissing her like that. For her, it's sweet and gentle and absolutely magical. She can only imagine that it's the exact opposite for him. Like it's chasing the ghost of a good thing, cold and void of any life. Chrissy still leans back in toward him, chasing his lips with her own.

It's selfish of her, but just in case she doesn't make it until he gets back and he can't bring her back again, she wants to at least be able to kiss him of her own free will. Both of her chilly hands cup his cheeks, and she rises up to try and tower up high enough that she feels in control for a moment. Just once, she wants to feel like she holds all the power.]

I do.

[Believe him, she means. He's the only one that she'll ever believe. And for him, she'll try to stay calm. Try not to panic or chase after him. She'll stay here, in this place. And she'll wait.

Because she doesn't really have much of a choice, does she? He's the one that brought her back, he's in charge here. Chrissy chooses to trust him, because otherwise she's on her own in the void.]

And I know you have to go take care of things but...can I kiss you again? Just one more time. You're so warm, Eddie. I want to be close to you just a little longer.

[And she's so, so cold and empty. It feels like contact with him can fill her up and make her whole again. Give her life just from the taste and feel of his lips alone.]

Of course you can.

[ Kissing her isn't pleasant in the traditional sense. It's like bringing his lips agains a block of ice, but he eagerly leans in to do it again, hungry for every inch of her he can capture for his own. It doesn't matter how she is, he is all to happy to throw himself against her once more. And the kiss leaves a lot to be desired, sure, when the standards are set for the living. But things are different now, and he takes it all in however it feels. It's kissing Chrissy, that's all that matters. He pulls back, finally, meeting her ghostly gaze with his own. ]

I'll be back as soon as I can. Just wait here, and I'll come back for you. [ Eddie moves towards the door, almost steps outside of it when-- ] I love you, Chrissy. I'll come back for you.

[ And then, before anything else can happen, before she can call out for him, Eddie is practically sprinting into the chilled night air. He doesn't want to leave her, but he has to. Because he thinks he really can do this, to bring her back so they can share a kiss that's the real, warm, meeting of flesh.

Eddie hates himself for it, but it takes two days to gather everything he needs. He works non stop, has no time to visit her and apologize for the fact that he'll be delayed. He can only hope that she'll still be there, still be waiting.

The sun has just sunk below the horizon when Eddie steps back into the ruins of the trailer, a bag slung over his shoulder. ]

Chrissy? [ He calls out into the darkness. Please let her still be here. Please, please, please. ] You there?

[Chrissy waits. She stands by the door and waits, because she doesn't have any other choice. At the end of the first day, she realizes he's not coming back. And only then does she start to pace. It's late into the night when she thinks that he's changed his mind, and maybe he's decided to just leave her the way she is. Panic settles in then, and she tries to keep her promise. She doesn't run off and doesn't leave.

But she does wind up standing in the exact spot in his trailer where she had died, and replayed the moment in her mind over and over. Eventually she loses herself in the memory, and winds up fleeing to the corner of the room. He'll find her still there when he finally makes his way back to her, frozen like a statue with her hands pressed over her ears. The tears she's been crying have stained dark beneath her eyes, a ghostly reminder of the blood that had stained her when she died.

She's nearly faded away to nothing, and it may be easy to miss her. But hearing his voice makes her gasp and flicker back to her solid enough state that he left her in. Chrissy doesn't raise her head though, doesn't move out of the position she's huddled in. He gave her hope, and it feels like that spark's nearly been snuffed out.]

Eddie? Did you find it?

[Her words are an echo of the last she spoke to him, calling out to him for drugs that fateful night in his trailer. But they take a whole new meaning this time around, particularly with the flat and hollow way she speaks them.]

Everything you need. Did you get it?

[Her head remains ducked downward, hands still pressed over her ears. But she's there, barely hanging on. Eddie came back for her in the end after all. He didn't run away.]

I'm so sorry, sweetheart.

[ He's rushing towards her ghostly form as soon as he can see her. He's already managed to let her down, even when he thinks he now has a way to bring her back. It's the only thing he would put above her feelings. Eddie surges forward, wastes no time in throwing his arms around her. It's a great relief when what he feels is solid, if as cold as ever. He lets the two of them linger like that, a threadbare existence pressed solidly against him.

And it is solid, he can feel her, close and cold. ]

I've got everything we need, Chrissy. It's gonna be okay tonight. [ He pulls back just a little, laughs softly, so glad to see her, as transparent as that may be. ] By the end of tonight, you'll be back. I promise.

[He's so warm that she greedily soaks in all that she can. And slowly but surely, she remembers that he loves her. He told her he loves her before he left, and he's doing everything he can to bring her back. Because he loves her. Her hands drop down from her ears, and wrap around him in return. And she clings hold of him, like his warmth can stop the icy chill that feels is permanently settled in over her.

It works wonders to soothe her upset and her fear, and she's even smiling a little when he pulls back. She doesn't let go of him, desperately trying to claw at him and tug him in close again. Maybe if she keeps him close, just for a couple of minutes, his love will be enough to make her warm with life.]

I don't want to disappear.

[Her words are whispered, a sincere confession. He's promised her that she'll be back tonight, that things are going to be okay. And because she loves him in return, she trusts him on that. She believes in him, just like he asked her to. It's only because of that Chrissy reluctantly pulls back, letting him have his warmth to himself for now. Soon enough, she'll be warm again too. Kissing her won't be like kissing an empty shell of the girl he loves.]

Can we get started now? Please?

You won't, you won't.

[ Eddie murmurs quietly as she relaxes. It's one more thing he's managed to get wrong, as if letting her die wasn't enough, now he's kept her waiting. But all that's going to change tonight, because he's going to bring her back. Then they can leave Hawkins forever, start fresh somewhere, and never have to worry about spooky shit and alternate dimensions ever again. He leans forward to brush a kiss against her forehead, and delights in knowing that the next time he kisses her, it will be warm flesh. ]

You just... [ He takes a deep breath, trying to settle his nerves. ] Just, wait here. I need to set up everything.

[ And with that, Eddie steps back, lets his backpack settle on the floor with a thump. He's quiet as he digs through it, pulling out various bottles and jars. There's the book from the last time, which Eddie has bookmarked to what he needs. He leaves it open on the floor, as he takes a jar full of a dark, thick liquid. Whatever it is, he dips his fingers inside, uses it like paint as he draws circles and markings on the floor, copying from the book.

Once that's finished, he begins emptying other containers at various points over the symbols. There's something that looks like a fine white powder, on another he leaves a few long black feathers. Over another he dumps out a small pile of dirt-- grave dirt-- from her grave, though he doesn't tell her that. Lastly, he places down a familiar green scrunchie, with a few strands of golden hair still wrapped around it. That had been the most difficult to acquire, sneaking into her room, quiet and still and gathering dust like a mausoleum. But he had done it. For her, it was all for her.

When he's finished laying things out, he lifts his gaze back towards her. ]

You ready?

[Chrissy curiously watches him as he works, but is careful to stay out of his way. He's focused on setting things up and doesn't need her messing up anything. As he sets to work on drawing symbols on the ground, she's struck with the realization that this is pretty dark stuff. She doesn't think he's a satanist like everyone else in town probably does, but he clearly isn't shying away from dipping into darkness for her sake.

Nothing that he's using makes any sense to her, but she understands that this isn't the time to ask him a ton of questions so he'll explain everything to her. The sight of her green scrunchie however, makes her go rigidly still. Her eyes widen as she looks down at it, at the sight of her hair still tangled in the fabric.

How had he managed to get that, she wonders? And now when she glances over at the small pile of dirt, her stomach twists with the knowledge that some parts of this are better best left alone. Whatever Eddie's had to do and gather, it'll be worth it in the end. Because at the end of this, she'll be alive again.

All she has to do is eagerly nod when he questions her, hands clutching at her cheer sweater.]

I'm ready, but...just in case this doesn't work.

[She very carefully steps in toward him, leaning in to press her cold lips against his forehead. Her mouth seeks out his ear next, so she can whisper to him.]

I love you, Eddie Munson.

[After an affectionate hand through his hair she pulls back, crouching down to rest on her knees across from him. Hopefully she's not in the way here, because she doesn't want him to have to do this alone. She wants to be right by his side the entire time.]

I love you too, Chrissy Cunningham.

[ The smile on his face is tinged with sadness, and his eyes are just the slightest bit glassy. The truth is, he's afraid. Not afraid that he'll get hurt, not afraid that he might die. Just afraid that it might not work. That she could remain in this state forever. Or worse, that she might be sent back into the oblivion that he had pulled her out of. But he has to try. It has to be worth the risk.

Eddie sucks in a deep breath, fumbles for the bandana in his back pocket to wipe furiously at his eyes. This isn't the time for doubts, and certainly not the time for tears. They can cry all the happy tears in the world together once he's brought her back. His gaze sweeps over the floor of the ruined trailer, lingers over each item he's placed with such care. He checks the book again, making certain that he's got everything where it needs to be.

His bag isn't quite empty yet, as he withdraws another jar from it, placing it on the floor in front of him as he settles down into a cross legged position. Eddie unscrews the lid, gives her one last weak little smile as he downs the contents. Whatever it is, it makes him choke and sputter, the concoction a dark and wicked thing that already settles in his guts. ]

Don't be scared, okay?

[ It's the only warning he gives as he reaches into his bag one last time, withdraws a knife that gleams in the moonlight. Eddie does it quickly, takes the blade and traces it down from the crook of his elbow to his wrist.

There's blood, so much blood, it pours from his arm and onto the floor. Eddie's vision goes white for a moment, though it doesn't actually hurt as bad as he might have thought. But staying conscious is the real struggle, because he feels the blood loss almost immediately. Eddie struggles to stay upright, fumbling for the book as blood continues to soak into the carpet.

It's the strangest thing, because the blood doesn't pool beneath him, but instead spread out, traces the lines that he had painted over the floor. It's almost over, he just has to read-- ]

Aestimatus sum cum descendentibus in lacum. [ His voice is quavering, but he's practiced the words. He's so close now. ] Sanguis bebimus corpus edimus tolle corpus.

[ Eddie repeats those two phrases, over and over and over and--

Darkness overtakes him. ]

[Maybe she should've known it would go down like this. That something that's possibly able to bring her back to life would involve blood. She gasps and moves forward toward him as he lets himself bleed out. But as the lines he drew on the floor seem too take it all in, there's a moment where she flickers out of existence. As she stumbles and falls forward toward him, she falls through him, and into the floor.

It feels like she's falling forever, back into the dark place that's endless. Only this time she's aware of her fear and the fact that she has to get back to him. When he speaks in Latin, she can hear it clearly. She hears the words he says, as well as a darker voice translating it into English for her.

Raise the body

Echoes in her head over and over again, until the darkness is split open by blood that pierces cracks all around her. The blood Eddie spilled from himself pours in through the cracks, puncturing through her over and over again. Almost as if strings are made from the blood, thin tendrils begin to tug and pull at her, casting her upward. She screams in the process, terrified. Whatever he's done, it's like she's a puppet that's being forced into being a living doll. It takes about six or seven harsh pulls of those strings, but the last thing she remembers before she succumbs to darkness is the sound of her heartbeat thundering back to life in her ears.

In the trailer, Chrissy's body flickers back into view, directly in the center of the symbols he's drawn. Laying in a pool of his blood, there's the telltale sign of life that comes in the form of a shaky gasp. Her eyes don't open, but her chest rises and falls. She's solid, just as she had been before. Only now she's warm, so impossibly hot to the touch. The strings from the dark place are cut now though, the tether that bound her to the spell and the magic Eddie used to bring her back no longer needed to keep her bound to Earth. She's alive again, his plan has worked.

It isn't long before she dizzily pushes herself up to sit, memories of everything that happened from her death to the point they're at now washing over her.]

Eddie? [She blearily blinks, looking over to him. Oh my god, there's so much blood. Chrissy scrambles forward, quickly pulling her blood coated sweater off so she can press it over the wound on his arm. This is one hell of a wake up call.]

Eddie, do you hear me? You better stay with me, okay?

[ If Chrissy had been cold, the oblivion that he drifts into is pure ice, impossibly cold. It floods through him, enters through the slash in his arm. It wants to take him, it comes over him with a strange certainty. He can get through this alive, but it won't be without an overwhelming effort. If it were anyone else, he might slip away, drift off into death without another thought. But if he's brought her back, he needs to see her, touch her, hold her. That alone has him fighting against the inky darkness, a struggle that exists only in his mind.

I climb down into the grave. I climb down into the grave. I climb down into the grave.

Eddie comes to with the gasp of a drowning man, desperately breaching the surface of reality. He can hear her voice, it rings in his ears like the clanging of church bell. And she's here, she's really here, whatever dark magic he's concocted has actually worked, and that gives him something to focus on. ]

Holy shit.

[ Eddie says weakly, scrambling towards her without ever standing up, his left arm an absolute mess. But he throws his right arm around her, feels her solid and arm and alive. ]

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit.

[ The words tumble off his lips in rapid succession, sounding just a few inches away from madness. Because it has to be mad, doesn't it? That he's really managed to do it, that she's really here? His gaze drifts down to his ruined arm, sees the sweater wrapped around it, the soft cream color quickly overwhelmed by crimson. ]

Your sweater... [ He says softly, as though that's the most worrying thing here. ] It's ruined.

That doesn't matter.

[She reassures him, trying to hide the fact that she's starting to cry. She's terrified of the fact that this idea of his worked, that he's somehow powerful enough to bring her back to life. And he hurt himself so badly to do it. There's still a risk that he might die, something that has her tying the sleeves of the sweater as tight as she can around that arm.]

All that I care about is keeping you alive. Did you really think you'd die to bring me back, and leave me here all alone?

[She wouldn't have been able to do it. Chrissy Cunningham is dead to everyone in Hawkins, she can't show her face here. So if Eddie had left her, she would've had to figure out how to run away and start over alone. They're still at risk for that happening, but at least now she can wrap an arm around him and let him lean against her for support.]

Of course not. [ Eddie says between shallow breaths, as he battles with consciousness. ] I'm never gonna leave you again.

[ That much is true. He needs to make sure that it's true. Because he's managed to bring her back, and there's so much he wants to do, an entire life he wants to be able to live with her. That requires him living as well, which hadn't seemed like much of an ask before he started the ritual. Now it feels almost impossible, but Eddie is fighting with everything he has to stay with her. Just breathe, breathe and try not to bleed out. He can do that.

The sweater she has pressed to his arm is helping, staunches the exodus of blood from his arm. For as much blood as there is, the cut itself was not particularly deep, and that could be the difference in keeping him alive. Eddie leans heavily into her, soaks in her warmth, the warm press of her body. ]

I'm okay. [ He murmurs, and this time, feels like it's true. This is going to leave a gnarly scar, but he's feeling less at risk of bleeding out with every passing moment. ] I'm gonna be alright, Chrissy. I'm not leaving you. Promise.

[She nods, but doesn't really believe him just yet. It definitely feels like he might die at any second from blood loss. He's done this for her, and she's not about to let anything happen to him now. So she pets at the back of his head with blood soaked hands, and presses a hand to his cheek. He's the one that feels so cold and clammy now, and it makes her rise up to action.]

I need you to wait here, okay? Don't try to follow me.

[Helping him over toward the closest wall, she leans him up against it and hurries off toward the bathroom. His trailer is abandoned, that much is obvious. But it's almost like things are more or less where they should be. Which means that in the bathroom cabinet, she finds towels. And when she runs into what used to be his bedroom, she manages to find a belt discarded on top of the dresser.

Grabbing it, she runs back out to him. Her soaked and ruined sweater is thrown off to the side for now. They'll have to take that with them whenever they leave. But for now it's just in the way. She quickly replaces the sweater with a folded towel that's wrapped tightly around his arm, and she uses the belt to form a tourniquet to help stop the blood flow. With that done, she runs back to his room to find another belt. This one is used to loosely wrap and hold the towel onto his arm.

Her hands are shaking like crazy, but she's still able to apply pressure. All they have to do from that point is wait. They've got nothing but time now. Her hand presses against his cheek, and she gives out a soft squeak of alarm at how cold he is. Chrissy wedges herself back up close against him, so he can lean on her and absorb some of her heat.]

Do you know what? I think this means I get too drive your van.

[Maybe some humor will lighten the mood after the aftermath of the ritual.]

[ Eddie almost cries out when she tells him to wait, wants to cry out 'no' or 'wait'. Even though she's here, alive, he's afraid that the moment she leaves his field of vision she'll disappear. But if she is really alive, he's going to have to get used to this. He can't expect to keep an eye on her every moment, has to let her live her own life. And maybe that means just letting her go now, to do whatever she needs to. ]

Yeah, okay. [ He says as the dark blur of her shape leaves his peripheral. While she's gone, he focuses just on breathing, on staying alive. He knew this would be dangerous, would nearly cost him his life, and it seems like with her help he might actually live through this. ] I'm so glad to see you, Chrissy.

[ Maybe her face will be the last thing he ever sees, and he almost thinks that would be enough. If Chrissy Cunningham could live a long and happy life, then it would all be worth it. But she's back, applying belts as tourniquets, and Eddie thinks he might have a good shot at living. ]

Just don't take me to a hospital. [ With her help, Eddie manages to get to his feet, the two of them lurching towards his van. ] We've got an apartment just outside of town. You can stitch me up there.

[She's small, but surprisingly strong, considering she technically just was a corpse. Or a ghost, she's not really sure if her body is still buried and this is a copy. She thinks it has to be a replica somehow, because there's no way her parents buried her in her cheerleading uniform. It's what she died in.

It's probably better not to think about it too hard, because Eddie can't answer her questions right now. They slowly shuffle their way toward the van, and Chrissy gets him situated before running back inside to gather up his backpack and her sweater.

There's nothing she can do to get rid of the evidence of the ritual he performed though. They'd have to swing by on the way out of town and burn the trailer to the ground. For now though, she runs back out to the van and climbs into the driver's seat. It takes a few tries, but eventually the ignition kicks to life, and she peels out and leaves the trailer behind them.

She follows his directions as best as she can, and is grateful his van seems to have a life of its own. It's hard to drive, but it's getting them where they need to go with minimal protest. When she pulls into the apartment complex just outside of town, she's still shaking a little as she helps him out of the van. They shuffle their way together into the apartment he shares with Wayne, and Chrissy doesn't give herself time to look around before she's following his directions to find the supplies she needs to sew up his arm.

It's while she's focused on doing that she finally feels able to speak. Everything's happened so quickly and so much since she was brought back that she's a little overwhelmed.]

Are you going to say goodbye to your uncle? Or do we need to leave before he gets back?

[ Getting back to the apartment is a bit of a blur, both because of the blood loss, and for the fact that Chrissy is driving. Chrissy is real, here, alive. He wants to reach out, to take her hand, but from the passenger side, he only has his mangled arm to offer, and chooses to keep it to himself. Instead he just keeps himself focused on staying awake and conscious, which is made slightly easier by the fact that he needs to be alert to give directions.

It's a relief once they've arrived, and Eddie collapses on the couch as soon as they're through the door. Even when his head is spinning, his focus remains trained on her. To just see her walking around, even when she's looking nervous and worried, makes his heart swell. ]

I've been talking to him about getting out of here. [ His voice is soft, a little far away. ] I can give him a call tomorrow, let him know. It won't surprise him.

[ It's tempting to let Chrissy stitch him up and then just pass out here. But for as much as Wayne's come to understand about the strangeness in Hawkins, Indiana, there's no way Eddie can explain Chrissy being here, alive. They have to leave tonight. ]

Get me patched up, we'll get cleaned up, and then we can hit the road.

Edited 2022-11-09 04:31 (UTC)

[She hesitates, almost as if she wants to say something more. But she only stares over at him for a few seconds before nodding.]

Okay. I'll do my best.

[It doesn't need to be said that she isn't a nurse. He knows that. But she hopes he also knows that she'll do whatever it takes to make sure he doesn't bleed out. They've got each other's backs. They love one another. And that means they can do just about anything, she thinks.

So she crosses the room and presses a kiss to his forehead, letting him softly tell her where to find all the supplies she'll need. He wisely has them all set up in the bathroom, so she only has to grab the small box they're in.

Chrissy guesses that the good news is, she grew up sewing a little. Her mother insisted. And while skin isn't exactly the same as cloth, she tells herself that the concept is similar enough that she can do it. She focuses and tries to keep her hands steady, apologizing every time she can see that he's in pain. The fact she's even able to stomach this at all is impressive to her. ]

So [ she says as she works on cutting off the thread used to stitch him. ] How long was I gone?

Edited (sssh you saw nothing) 2022-11-09 05:35 (UTC)

[ Between Chrissy's experience with dewing, and Eddie's with homemade stitches, they manage to get him pieced back together without too much trouble. Compared to the rest of the evening, this part feels strangely benign, normal, in comparison. Eddie does his best to remain stoic, but it's impossible not to flinch a little. All the while, he keeps his gaze on her, flashes her a smile whenever he can manage to summon one up. All that really matters is he's no longer in danger of bleeding out, and Chrissy has accomplished that. ]

Oh... [ That question manages to take him by surprise, despite the fact that he should have seen it coming. She's likely got all manner of questions beyond that, so he shouldn't be shying away from answering. ] It's been a few months.

[ He takes a moment to look at her work, tentatively flexes his fingers as he twists his arm slowly back and forth. Now all they need is to wrap it up, and she is quick to wind gauze around the stitches. ]

I graduated, actually. Think they just passed me because of all the... you know. [ He shrugs, finds he doesn't want to speak much about school. ] And when the government finally came through to clean things up, me and Wayne got a fat chunk of hush money. [ He takes a breath, gives her another little smile. ] That's what's gonna get us out of here.

[She tries to smile, but it falls flat. Now that the initial terror and rush is over, she's left with a lot of questions. And a lot of concerns. But she's glad to be alive again, so she knows that her questions don't really matter in the long run.]

You graduated? Eddie, that's...I'm so proud of you. Really.

[And really, she is. Her sentiment is genuine, not any part of it a lie. She can't let herself focus on the hush money he has, because her death is the reason he has it in the first place. All she can do is swallow a little, trying to ignore that she's been dead a few months and he never was able to move on. She's close to crying and doesn't want to actually let the tears fall.]

Do you have any idea where we'll go?

[She asks as she finishes wrapping his arm, and moves to stand up so she can gather all of the supplies and put them back into the box.]

[ Eddie can see it in her face, the little ways her forced smile cracks at the edges. It hadn't occurred to him that hearing about his life going on might have hurt her, but he sees it almost as soon as he's finished speaking And now that he doesn't have to worry about bleeding out anymore, Eddie wastes no time in practically launching himself forward, throwing both arms around her in a tight embrace. He still can't believe it, that's she's really here and alive and in his arms. ]

I'm sorry you missed it. [ He's sorry for so much, really, but he needs to figure out a way to let that go. She's here now, and that's what matters. ] But we-- we can make all new memories now.

[ When Eddie pulls back, he's smiling, nearly ear to ear. With the money he's now got tucked away, they can go anywhere, do anything, and never have to worry. He loves her, he knows this deep within himself, but there's still so much to learn. What things make her happy, or make her sad, there's still so much he wants to know. But for the moment, all he wants is to to offer her what comfort he can. ]

We can go anywhere. You wanna see California? Or the mountains? We never have to think about Hawkins again.

[It's obvious that he wants to please her. No, more than that. He wants to impress her. And she's perfectly impressed with the fact he cares about her enough to nearly kill himself in order to bring her back to life. A declaration telling him so sits on the edge of her tongue, but she swallows it down before the thought can be heard out in the open. He's smiling too much and is too excited for her to bring him down now.

Her arms stay wrapped around him, glad to be pressed in close. They're both warm now, but she still greedily soaks up all the body heat she can from him. There's still a slight chill in her bones that hasn't gone away entirely.]

California, really? [It's easy for her to sound amazed by the idea, because she honestly is.] I've always wanted to go. We could see the beach! And the really tall trees!

[At least she thinks the Redwoods are in California. She's not too sure right now, and it's really the least of her concerns at the moment. All she's worried about is his arm, and the fact that she shouldn't technically even exist. What are they going to do for her identity?

Chrissy Cunningham is dead. It looks like she's been reborn as Chrissy Munson, because his name is what she latches onto as an attempt to form some kind of new identity for herself.]

It's just, I'm a little on edge after...everything. [And she's sure he has to be too.] Maybe we can just head out and see where we end up?

[He's right. They can make all new memories now, just the two of them. There isn't any need to worry about who she is and who she's supposed to be. He'll take care of her. He's proven that much tonight.]

As long as it's safe and we're together, I don't care where we go first.

California sounds good to me.

[ And he can really see it, the two of them in some tiny house by the beach. The music scene is good in California, and Chrissy-- she could do whatever she wants, even if he doesn't have much of an idea of what that is. He just wants her to be happy, because if anyone in the world deserves that, it's Chrissy Cunningham. He holds her tight for a long while, doesn't even want to let her go enough to speak. ]

I know... and I'm sorry. [ There's so much he's sorry for, really. Sorry he let her die in the first place. Sorry he left her alone for two days when he promised one. Sorry that he didn't tell her about the blood sacrifice. Sure, she's alive, but he's lied to her almost the entire way. ] It's all gonna be okay from now on.

[ It's not a promise he can really make, but Eddie intends to keep it. Wherever they go, he just wants to be able to give her the life that was stolen from her. Eddie takes his time, presses a line of kisses starting at her temple and tracing down her neck. All he wants is for her to feel loved, to feel that she belongs on the side of existence. ]

Let's get cleaned up here, and then we can hit the road, okay? I don't know about you, but I'm dying for a shower.

[It's almost surreal to go back to being in a place where he can kiss her. And as much as her body responds to him, her mind is exhausted and overwhelmed. She definitely feels loved, more so than any other person on Earth. No one else has a boyfriend that would do what he's done to save her.

She's left wondering if that's the right way to describe him. He hadn't been her boyfriend before, but they definitely had a thing. Chrissy's distracted momentarily by turning her head to press a kiss against his hair, and then again to his temple. When he guides her in for a proper kiss, her lips instinctively part and she's all too happy to show him just how much he means to her.]

Hey, Eddie?

[Her voice is a whisper, lips brushing against his with how close they're pressed.]

Are you my boyfriend now?

I...

[ Eddie trails off, his throat suddenly tightening. Because, yes, obviously, he is. But it's not as simple as just saying that. Only a few hours ago she had been dead, a ghost, nearly a figment of his imagination. His mind whirls back to that meeting in the woods, wonders what would have happened if things had just been normal. If he had taken her to his trailer, sold her the drugs, babysat her when she tried them and-- yeah, he thinks he would have tried to kiss her then.

And after that night, maybe she would have broken up with Jason, maybe he would have asked her out on a date at the drive in. They could have shared candy and kisses in the front of his van before making their way to the back of it. Even though she's back, some part of him mourns for that sweet, teenage innocence that they've lost. ]

Of course I'm your boyfriend. [ He laughs, though it's a little forced. This whole thing is so weird, so outside the norm, even for someone who already lives on the fringes of normal. Is it okay to date the girl you've brought back from the dead? He has no idea. ] I mean-- if you want me to be.

[It's hard for her to really process the gravity of what she's lost. What they've lost, really. All she can focus on is Eddie. Every fiber of her being screams out to him, just wanting to keep him close. Eddie, Eddie, Eddie...her mind says his name on repeat, almost an instinctive chirp in the back of her head. She's so happy to be there with him, to get to have this second chance.]

Yeah. [Her admission is soft, almost timid.] I want you to be.

[If things had gone differently, this conversation would've happened months ago. As it is, she's grateful they're getting to have it now. No matter how weird everything feels, she keeps telling herself it will all settle and make sense to her eventually. Things won't be overwhelming forever.

Right now though, she's incredibly out of sorts. Just the thought of undressing and working a shower and getting clean feels impossible to her. It's too much to handle, and maybe she should be alarmed by that.]

Does that mean it's okay if you help me in the shower?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject