eddie psl post.

[heatmetal]

boop boop banoop

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[camarod]

I could probably take a cow.

[It's fine. They'll be fine. ] Talk me through our time frame. It should keep your mind off it for the next twenty minutes.

[He's reaching across himself, knuckle stroking against his cheek. ]

[heatmetal]

[ he shuts those big brown eyes, inhaling deeply. ]

So... you survived the fire. [ he gestures lightly to the scars. ] You're gonna need to fill in the details between how things went down between you and your dad. But the important bits are: he kept you out of the house until he threw Max and her mom out, and then he moved you into the basement. Was planning on splitting and taking you with him, clean start.

[ his hands seeks Billy's, threading together. squeezing tight. ]

Maybe you let it slip I was selling you drugs. Or... hears a rumor we were friendly around town, and he flips the fuck out. [ he shrugs. ] Either way, the night... the night Chrissy dies, your old man comes to my house to punish the town queer for getting friendly with his son. He goes after Chrissy because he thinks she's... [ he presses his lips together ] that she's here to slum it, too, and blacks out. Next thing he knows she's dead, I'm not. Hauls me off through the woods so nobody sees, and then eventually brings me back to the car.

[ his thumb rubs along the side of billy's hand, smoothing calming circles. ]

He finds Fred walking through the woods following the same path. Bumps him off too. Real malicious. Fred's... [ he licks his lips ] Fred's got the same shitty rumors flying around. So Jason -- Jason's out of his mind with grief, convinced I'm some kind of Satanic overlord. He's seeing things. When Patrick gets taken out that night, he just blacks out and convinces himself he's seeing some shit. Tells the town that, but then he starts... doubting it. Remembers he saw your dad right before things got messed up.

The whole time, me and you are in the basement. Your dad's... torturing me. Drawing it out, 'cause this is personal. And sickos get like that.

So when Jason goes around to the house to ask some questions. Hears us in the basement. Heads down - and your dad kills him right in front of us. Your dad goes to dump the body - we don't know where, it's never gonna be found - and when he comes back, you've had enough. He didn't tie you up well enough after he left to deal with Jason, so you're loose by the time he gets out. Worried I'm gonna die unless you do something, or just pissed, so you fight back.

Self-defense. You call 911. They're gonna find us in the basement. I'm gonna be tied up - gonna need to be pretty mauled - and there are gonna need to be some restraints.

[camarod]

[It’s real methodical. Smart. He squeezes Eddie’s hand, visualises the events as best he can, working through the details as he goes.

He exhales, feels tightly wound again.] Maybe we keep you hungry. Keep you from healing up too fast. [There’s a nose against Eddie’s hair; a kiss that follows.] I’m gonna need you to - to let him fuck me up a little.

[It stings a little, to say this. ] Enough that they’ll believe it.

[heatmetal]

Told you I like it rough, baby.

[ but this tender side of billy is welcome too. he exhales slow. ]

[camarod]

[he laughs, a little raw and weak. ]

You can fuck me up any time. But this - [another squeeze,] It’s not gonna be pretty.

[hmmm. ] Tonight? Or -

[heatmetal]

Tonight.

[ he shrugs. maybe a little tense. people know better than to fuck with eddie - part of that is just the reputation he's built for himself. chains and leather and a devil may care attitude.

part of it is earned. it will mean something if he's mangled up and broken, and - with his leg already how it is - it'll be proof he wasn't in any shape to hurt anybody.

he refuses to feel guilt for jason fucking carver. ]

If we wait any longer, from how the kids make it sound, someone's gonna swoop in and make the story for us.

[camarod]

Then we better move.

[Neil’s gonna be working, he knows. He might hit a liquor store on his way home. It gives them time to stage the basement. Gives him time to peel Eddie apart.

The resolve as strong as it’s gonna get, really. ]

Take your time, I’m gonna put you in the backseat. [More room to sprawl and snap if he gets agitated. For now he hands over the shirt, pauses for a beat and - fuck. ] Hey, [and it’s so soft, so unlike him. ] After all this - I’m. You’ll still have me. Right?

[heatmetal]

[ He tugs it on over his head, giving sore limbs a stretch. ]

Hey.

[ his hand goes back to billy's. giving another solid squeeze. ]

I know you're not about to wreck my pretty face because you want to, alright? You're my literal partner in crime. If you want to ditch me after you get your life back, power to you. But I'm not budging. Got it?

[camarod]

No. It’s just - fuck. It’s a small town, Eddie.

[People talk. People judge, and Billy’s terrified of that, sure. He’s more scared of being alone, though. More scared of being left to his own devices. ]

I don’t know. I think I’m too fucking tired to hide two parts of myself, and I’m - I’m shit scared of fucking it up.

[heatmetal]

[ ah. well...

that is a valid point. one that gives eddie a moment to think. because what he is has always been... known. an open secret. but one that he purposefully doesn't disclose. ]

My uncle doesn't give a fuck. [ is what he settles on, finally. billy has a place to stay with them. wayne will welcome him with open arms with this cover story, even if... even if lying twists his guts a bit. ] And his opinion is the only one that matters to me. I don't give a fuck what this town thinks of me.

Don't be a dickhead to my friends, or the kids, and we're golden, pretty boy.

[camarod]

Okay. [okay. The house is Susan’s. It’s Max’s. They can sell it. Keep it. Fuck, Billy doesn’t care. Whether he’s there with them is a different story.

Whether he and Eddie work outside of this is also frighteningly uncertain. Still, still - hasn’t he been through enough? Doesn’t he deserve this?

He reaches for Eddie’s cheek.] I’m gonna be a dickhead, [he says, leaning in.] But I’ll be good.

[heatmetal]

[ Eddie laughs, melting into the touch. ]

Yeah, you will. I'll make sure of it.

[ he leans in for a kiss - pulls back when the compulsion to bite reels up. ]

... We'd better get going before my mood tanks.

[camarod]

- Yeah. C’mon.

[He wants to say it’s fine. Except, yeah. Eddie’s going to feel real snappy soon, and if he does bite, Billy’s going go get real horny about it.

He lets Eddie use him to shift round, then it’s a flurry of motion. Shirt, jacket - getting Eddie into the backseat, getting the blood as far out of reach as possible.

He throws Eddie’s hat into the backseat: keeps his on, pulled down low and drives just above the limit. Not his usual, just enough to make sure they’re back in the suburbs before it hits 5pm.

Neil’s changed the locks. This is fine - the backdoor isn’t locked. Never is. Still, Billy is cautious when they pull up. Watches each neighbouring window for signs of life. Finds himself twitchy even when he finds most of them empty. Getting Eddie in is the real struggle: it doesn’t matter how quiet it is, Billy moves him inside fast and the blood faster.

The house is mostly the same. Beer bottles in the kitchen - dishes in the sink. Easing Eddie in, towards the basement door, it’s easy to see that Neil is barely hanging on. It’s barely satisfying. He wants to see his room - wants to see what he’s done to it. To him.

Eddie first, though.

The basement is all cobwebs. Billy’s old board stands in a corner, dust covered. Old pieces of California, some old dining chairs that his mom had picked out. He ties Eddie to one with some old fishing nets. Finds some old work cloths to gag him, and old tools to - well.

He doesn’t gag him right away. Presses a kiss to his forehead, murmurs a I’ll make it up to you before he gets to work. He knows how his dad does things: a slap hard enough to bruise. A hand around the throat, punches to the gut. Half way through he has to stop - puts his head on Eddie’s lap like he he might throw up. ]

[heatmetal]

[ It hurts. Eddie takes each hit as best he can, making as little noise as possible. Those enormous brown eyes full with tears after the hit to his gut reopens the healing bite wounds, his jaw chattering. They're not finished - he's bruised and bloody and hurting in a way he never really has before, wanting to hurt back, but...

But Billy's distress is genuine. Eddie lets out a ragged gasp, and spits blood, reaching to stroke those golden curls, murmuring words of praise like this isn't opening old wounds of his own. memories of being small and helpless against a man he trusts when there's not something coursing through his veins.

If Billy ever hit him outside the bedroom, outside his consent, this would be a different story. its just the shit hand they've been dealt. ]

We'll use safe words next time, sunshine. I promise.

[camarod]

[He probably doesn’t have to explain that this all from memory. So he takes a moment, huffs a wet laugh against Eddie’s thighs and gets his shit together slowly.

He’s hungry, too. It’s crawling on him faster with the distress, but he has to focus. Counts to ten, pushes himself to get up. ]

When we’re done, [he says, tearing at Eddie’s shirt. Slices through the skin with claws, swallows.] You wanna go see a movie and make out in the back row? [A few more - arms, thighs, then he backs up, feels ready to lose it a little.]

Something boring, [he says, mostly to distract himself while he grabs the pot and starts painting the place red. Drips, a hand dipped in to drag across the stair case railing, across the handle. The walls. One more dip before he pools the rest, tucked away in a corner.

The hand, well. It’s stale enough. He comes in close, thighs either side of Eddie’s and presses his fingers to his lips. A quiet sorry.

Upstairs the front door slams closed. The footsteps thump and echo, and fuck, Billy doesn’t care if his dad comes down to find him in Eddie’s lap while he’s licking the blood from his fingers. He can use the anger.]

[heatmetal]

[ he does. he does. everything hurts and all he wants to do is take billy hargrove on a date to some shitty waste of money so he can claim him in the back.

the cuts bleed sluggishly, he's given most of what he has to offer to this little operation. and so eddie licks at his fingers, closing his eyes.

Neil hargrove notices when things are out of place in his perfect little home. It's not long before he's thundering towards the basement, throwing open the doors and freezing at the sight before him. ]

[camarod]

[He forces a grin. Turns around, forces all his cockiness out and slips out of Eddie’s lap. ] Hey, dad.

[There’s a Billy, and awed son, and then his eyes are on Eddie, trying to work through it. You - you and - and Billy’s chest rattles with anxiety. He needs Neil Hargrove angry, not this.

He shrugs off his coat. Flexes his hands. ] Yeah, me and him.

[Neil Hargrove isn’t stupid. Billy knows this. He rarely hit Billy too hard above the neck - knew Billy’s tells like the back of his hand. He knows a scheme. Maybe even is relieved by it, might be half way grateful to see Billy until Billy says:] Eddie, baby, say hi.

[He doesn’t even short circuit at that. Says some shit about miracles, and how they can turn Eddie in, how it’ll be all be okay and it’s so fucking ridiculous that the cockiness drops. Fizzles out, leaves him angry. Has him hissing a fuck you, has him pushing until Neil Hargrove snaps.

It’s not pretty. Not the way Billy takes it till he’s sobbing, not the way Neil speaks. Billy’s half way across the room, bleeding and starving, crawling to grab an old wrench, heavy and blunt. Neil gets one last hit before Billy gets up and swings.

Neil goes down like a tonne of bricks. Bleeds out from the head while Billy shakes. He has to move, he knows. Has to call 911. He doesn’t have time for the wretched emotions that start to bubble and spill out. ]

[heatmetal]

[ It's ugly to watch. Must be beyond traumatic to experience. It's good they left him weak, broken, because Eddie would be up and on him if not. He strains at the restraints, shouts for the old man to stop and none of that is part of the show. It just is.

He feels so fucking helpless.

Then the old man is down, and bleeding, fingers twitching. Part of his skull nearly caved in. If he lives, he'll be a vegetable, but the force has to have been enough to break his neck.

The smell of fresh blood rapidly filling the small space is almost unbearable. Eddie curls in on himself, tries to cover his nose, keep firm to the here and now and the not surge of strength in his new muscles that has him wanting to snap his bonds and feast before all that blood goes to waste. ]

[camarod]

[He could get drunk on the smell. Maybe it’s the way his teeth ache that snaps him out of it. Maybe it’s the way he hears Eddie struggle to hold it together. Whatever it is, he drags himself away; he drops the wrench and hauls himself up the stairs. Feels blank; slightly out of it.

He sits on the kitchen floor with the phone wire pulled taught, doesn’t even recognise his own voice as he sobs down the phone for help. He’s still there when flashing lights fill up outside. He’s still sobbing when they break down the door, looking at Billy like they’ve seen a ghost.

He says I didn’t have a choice and Eddie needs an ambulance in what feels like one breath. ]

[heatmetal]

[ There's a horror show in the basement. Eddie Munson ripped apart, bone exposed, barely conscious. There's blood everywhere, too much for a human to lose and live, and Neil Hargrove is dead on the floor.

He nearly bites them as they get him loose. Someone comes at him with cuffs but they're talked down - that leg didn't just happen, some of these are fresh but that one's at least a few days old and how long you been down here son? and Eddie feels tears start to build in his eyes, because he's starving and the pain of resisting is almost too much, and he says he doesn't know. It was a Friday. He was with Chrissy Cunningham in his trailer, and then Neil Hargrove was there. The next thing he knew he was here, and...

They tell him to save his strength, they'll have plenty of questions later. He's cold to the touch. Pulse slow. A look at Eddie like this and not a single member of Hawkins PD thinks he had the raw strength needed to break every bone in multiple people's bodies.

But Neil did.

They get Eddie an ambulance. Get Billy a blanket, a cup of hot cocoa, try to piece the story together as they shepherd them both outside to be taken in for care. ]

[camarod]

[Billy tells his story in sobs and trembling bones. He weaves together a narrative about Starcourt, about how he’d stumbled home and begged his dad to drive him to the hospital, how Neil had instead driven him elsewhere and let his burns fester black. Says how it was a punishment from God - that has dad kept telling him he would get the Devil out of him.

He hadn’t even known Susan and Max where gone. Just that one day he was high on whatever Neil pumped him with, in their basement, that he’d been so out of it he slurred Eddie’s name because where else would he be a little drunk? How Neil had gone mad, called him queer along with no good, useless, bad.

They give him fluids. Treat the scar tissue. He tells him he couldn’t watch the torture any more. By now words spread far. It’s a small town, after all.

Billy, well, he spends a few precious moments in Eddie’s hospital room before the kids get word. He has to talk to Wayne, eventually. Warns him before he sees Eddie’s leg, sees him hooked up to IV’s, pumped full of o neg and morphine.

When Wayne gets coffee, Billy sits close and threads his fingers through Eddie’s. Squeezes, brings his wrist to his lips and lets himself release.]

[heatmetal]

[ Wayne Munson cries with a mixture of relief and horror. Talks about Eddie being a good boy - a gentle boy, not that you'd tell from how he dressed and carried himself. He didn't deserve anyone doing this to him.

you didn't deserve that either, billy... Whether you are or you ain't, ain't his place to pass judgment. his touch to Billy's shoulder is gentle. you saved my boy, far as I'm concerned, you're family now.

Eddie is high as a kite. Blood flowing through his system, mixed with morphine to numb the pain. It doesn't heal the same when it's not drank but it numbs the hunger, and the healing is slow enough to not draw questions.

Billy takes his hand and he lifts his head, giving a sweet smile. ]

There's my man... [ he tries to draw his hand over to kiss - pausing, a muddled look of confusion when he finds himself hooked up to monitors and IVs. ]

[camarod]

They’re pumping you full of the good shit.

[A little wry, a lot fond.] Your uncles grabbing some coffee and fending off reporters.

[Billy would be too, if he weren’t hiding. ] He uh - he’s leaving the leg up to you.

[heatmetal]

He's gonna tell them to fuck off. You think the Hawkins Post can print the word fuck?

[ ah. The leg. It takes a second for him to remember why the leg needs a decision. ]

You still gonna think I'm pretty if I'm a pirate?

[camarod]

I think they’ll get real uppitty about it.

[Another kiss to his wrist, lips lingering over a slow pulse point.

He thinks Susan is on her way. Maybe Max, with the kids. Maybe they expect monsters, and yeah, they’d be right. ]

Yeah. I can stare into this big brown eyes all day. No leg needed.